Sam Mitchell

Hawthorn Douses Dockers Finals Hopes

rickb — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:28:20 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Patersons Stadium, Perth

Fremantle’s hopes of playing Finals may have been washed away after their loss to Hawthorn in a torrential rain-soaked Round 19 game. A crowd of over 30,000 fans braved the weather to watch a one sided contest that, in reality, was decided in the first quarter of the match. There was an air of anticipation before the game as last time the two teams met, Fremantle outplayed the Hawks until a spirited fight back saw the Hawks victorious. Coming into the match, Hawthorn was on Final Four pace, having won nine out of their last 11 games.

Apart from the rain, there was a strong breeze that favored the Hawks in the first quarter. All started well for the Dockers and much of the early action took place in their forward line. Suddenly the momentum turned and Hawthorn took full advantage of the wind. Sam Mitchell snapped the first goal from the pocket and the floodgates opened as it rained goals for Hawthorn. After kicking six unanswered goals in 15 minutes the Hawks were never challenged. Cyril Rioli was darting in and out of contests and kicked two of Hawthorn's six goals. The Hawks made effective use of their disposals in the trying conditions while the Dockers looked slow and tentative with their ball movement and could not string enough possessions together to have an effect. Fremantle were held goalless in the first quarter and entered the break 37 points behind.

Fremantle was at a disadvantage without injured ruck pair Aaron Sandilands and Jonathan Griffin and third string ruckman Zac Clarke had his work cut out for him. The Dockers struggled to win clearances from stoppages and in the conditions there were many. Mitchell kicked his second goal when he read the ball off one of these ruck contests. David Hale added insult to injury when he took the ball cleanly out of the next ruck contest and snapped it through for a goal. Finally Ryan Crowley got the home side on the board from a free kick with four minutes left to play in the half and Matthew Pavlich kicked a classy Captain’s goal soon after. The Dockers held their heads a little higher as they left the ground at the end of the half, having matched Hawthorn for goals in the quarter, but still trailing by 41 points.

Having stemmed the bleeding somewhat, Fremantle came out with some hope of getting back into the game in the third quarter. Garrick Ibbotson’s kick into the man on the mark soon after the game recommenced was the harbinger of the disaster to come. Fremantle could not do a thing right all quarter. They misjudged marks, overran the ball, kicked poorly, went to ground, kicked into nests of opponents, fumbled and looked disoriented. They were bereft of skills, ideas and confidence. Hawthorn, in contrast, continued to attack with precision. Hale scored two goals, one from a Nick Lower error and the other from a free kick. Dylan Roberton gave away a free kick when he elbowed Xavier Ellis head high and Ellis converted the free kick into a goal. (Ed. note: Roberton received a reprimand for the contact from the AFL Match Review Panel which makes him available to play next round.) Hawthorn scored three goals for the quarter while the Dockers registered a solitary point to trail by 11 goals at the third quarter break.

Disaster struck again for Fremantle in the final quarter when Matt DeBoer injured his knee to finish his season and Rhys Palmer injured an ankle. This left the Dockers two men down for the rest of the game. Despite this adversity, they showed some grit and played on at every opportunity. Clarke kicked a super long ball from 70 yards out for a goal and Hayden Ballantyne, who had been quiet all night, kicked truly from a snap out of a ruck contest. Adam McPhee, playing his 200th game, goaled next for the Dockers from a free kick, but it was too late to do anything other than regain some pride. Nate Fyfe goaled for the Dockers with a 50 yard sprint and carry then a long 50 yard goal before Hawthorn finished with the last couple of goals for the game. The score line looked more respectable in the end than it deserved and, by any standards, Fremantle received an old-fashioned flogging.

Fremantle is falling quickly down the ladder and faces an almost impossible task to stay in the Top Eight with an unfavorable draw for the rest of the season. Injuries to key players have hurt them and while some will be returning before season’s end, it may be too late. Hawthorn is tuning up well for the Finals and will be a hard team to beat come September.

Scoreboard
Fremantle: 0.2 2.3  2.4   6.8  (44)
Hawthorn:  6.3 8.8 11.16 13.17 (95)

Best Players
Fremantle: A Silvagni, G Broughton, T Mzunga, N Fyfe, M Pavlich
Hawthorn:  T Mitchell, B Sewell, B Guerra, P Puopolo, D Hale

To view David Woodley’s photos of the Fremantle versus Hawthorn encounter, click on: http://www.afana.com/drupal5/category/image_galleries/2011_season/2011_s...

Cats Unbeaten

janetl — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:48:57 -0500

Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from Adelaide, South Australia

With half the season completed, Geelong remain unbeaten on top of the Ladder but only after a strong challenge from the Hawks. The Round 12 match was hyped as one of the biggest clashes of the year so far and a free flowing, high scoring start to the game certainly had people looking forward to a tight contest.

James Podsiadly was the big star early, dominating the game inside Geelong’s attacking 50 and giving Hawks’ defender Josh Gibson a lesson in overhead marking. Liam Shiels dominated the stoppages for the Hawks and was an absolute ball magnet with 13 first term touches but it was the Podsiadly-led Cats who went into the first change with a 19 point lead.

A free kick count of 12 to one in the Cats’ favor had Hawthorn fans voicing plenty of negative opinions towards the umpires but they soon changed their tune as the tide turned. Hawthorn rattled off five goals in a row to hit the lead in the second quarter and grab hold of the game. Geelong’s one big advantage was again Podsiadly who had 5 goals before the hapless Gibson was moved on in favor of Ryan Schoenmakers. At the long break, the big Geelong cult figure had half a dozen majors and even with the early onslaught from the Hawks, Geelong maintained a six point lead.

After half time, Hawthorn’s former captain Sam Mitchell and the sublimely skilled Cyril Rioli set up Shane Savage for an early goal to tie the score. The combined dominance of the Hawks midfielders at the clearances and their tight defense held the Cats goalless. It looked like Alastair Clarkson's men were eyeing off an upset. With Schoenmakers limiting the influence on Podsiadly, the Cats looked much less threatening up forward and needed someone to stand up in a big way to get them back into the contest. Hawthorn led by 17 points at the final break and was threatening to run away with the game.

Enter Joel Selwood, the Geelong midfielder whose onfield presence belies his years. Selwood showed exactly why he is rated so highly amongst the football fraternity. Assisted by James Kelly, Corey Enright and the freakishly-talented Steve Johnson, Selwood went about getting the Cats back in front. His attack at the ball was ferocious in the final term and he became a target across half forward where he was able to set up two of the three final quarter Geelong goals. Making the task even more difficult for Hawthorn was a severe Achilles injury to big forward and ruckman Jarryd Roughhead who now seems likely to watch the rest of the 2011 season from the sidelines. As with all good sides, the Hawks never gave up and, with less than a minute on the clock and only fine points down, they pushed forward for one last foray into their attacking zone. Unfortunately for Hawks’ fans, Lance (Buddy) Franklin was worked under the ball while on his lead and the Geelong defenders were able to clear the danger zone as the siren sounded. As Franklin went to ground, every one of the 63,476 fans in attendance had their hearts in their mouths, waiting to see if an umpire’s whistle would sound and set up the kick after the siren for the win. However there was no free kick and the Cats walked away with a classic five point victory.

Scoreboard
Geelong  5.2 10.2 10.6 13.10 (88)
Hawthorn 2.1  9.2 13.5 13.5  (83)

Best
Geelong:  J Podsiadly, C Enright, J Kelly, J Selwood, S Johnson
Hawthorn: L Sheils, S Mitchell, L Franklin, B Sewell, C Rioli

Dockers Cats And Hawks Announce Awards

Lisa Albergo — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:45:16 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Geelong's 2007 Rising Star winner Joel Selwood has added another award to his bulging trophy cabinet with his first best and fairest award. Selwood polled a whopping 667 votes, 20 votes ahead of 2009 winner Gary Ablett. He was named as best on ground by the match committee in six of the 24 games he played this year.

It was a tough night for the club, with Coach Mark Thompson making an emotional speech after informing the club he needed a break. Gary Ablett, who is departing for the Gold Coast, received a standing ovation and thanked the club and his teammates. Club president Frank Costa, who has overseen the club's on and off-field success in partnership with Thompson and CEO Brian Cook, also announced that he would be stepping down.

The Voting: five members of the match committee can award a maximum of 10 votes to a maximum of 10 players per game.

Top Ten
Joel Selwood - 667
Gary Ablett - 647
James Kelly - 589
Corey Enright - 576
Paul Chapman - 565
Jimmy Bartel - 560
Cameron Ling - 460
Steve Johnson - 414
Travis Varcoe - 365 (20)
Matthew Scarlett - 338 (18)

Other Awards:
Best Clubman: Tom Lonergan
Community Champion Award: Nathan Djerrkura and Travis Varcoe
Leading Goalkicker: Steve Johnson
Best First Year Player: James Podsiadly

Source: afl.com.au

Docker midfielder David Mundy has won the club's 2010 best and fairest award. Mundy polled 190 votes to finish ahead of 2009 winner Aaron Sandilands. Coming in third was Matthew Pavlich who has won a record five club awards. Mundy, who just signed a new four year contract, had his best season this year. He played 22 games and averaged 22 disposals per game. He provided an excellent target for Sandilands' ruck taps and was an excellent ball winner whose precision ball delivery skills were a highlight of his game. Sandilands and Mundy were running neck-and-neck until the finals series when Mundy pulled ahead.

The voting is done by the coaching staff who award votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis with the top votes being awarded for an exceptional performance. (Note: full voting details are not available).

Other Awards:
Best First Year Player: Michael Barlow
Best Clubman: Matt de Boer
Life Membership: Aaron Sandilands and Luke McPharlin

Source: Luke Morfesse, Club Media Release

Hawthorn's Luke Hodge has won the 2010 Peter Crimmins Award. He polled 167 votes to finish 45 votes ahead of star forward Lance Franklin on 122 votes. 2009 winner Sam Mitchell finished third with 112 votes. It was also announced that Hodge would be taking over the captaincy from Mitchell next season. Of the 22 games he played for the year, the voting panel judged him the best in eight of those games. Hodge was also named All-Australian for a third time, having previously been named in 2005 and 2008.

The medal is named in honor of former champion captain Peter Crimmins who played in Hawthorn's 1971 premiership team. Crimmins missed the 1974 season due to cancer treatment. He returned to play a few games in 1975 but the cancer returned and he had to undergo further treatment. He listened to the Hawks Grand Final win in 1976 from his sickbed. A number of his teammates visited him later that evening with the Premiership Cup. A few days later, Crimmins passed away. His widow Gwen was at the ceremony to present the medal.

The Voting: four members of the Match Committee can award up to 4 votes per player per game. The maximum number of votes a player can receive per game is 16.

Top 10
Luke Hodge - 167
Lance Franklin - 122
Sam Mitchell - 112
Cyril Rioli - 110
Jordan Lewis - 90
Ben Stratton - 87
Shaun Burgoyne -86
Jarryd Roughead - 85
Brent Guerra - 83
Brent Renouf - 81

Other Awards:
Best First Year Player - Ben Stratton
Most Improved Player: Brent Renouf
Most Consistent Player: Luke Hodge
Best Clubman: Tom Murphy

Source: Clinton Brown, Club Media Release

Dockers Deliver For Purple Haze

rickb — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:43:59 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

In the second Elimination Final, the Hawthorn Hawks traveled west to take on the Fremantle Dockers. Paul Hasleby, who announced his retirement effective from the end of the season, was a surprise omission from the side. Fremantle had decided on youth and vigor over Hasleby’s Finals' experience. A few weeks earlier, these two teams played in Tasmania where the Hawks humiliated the Dockers in one of the biggest thrashings of the season. Although Fremantle had rested their top ten players for that game in preparation for this occasion, there should have been a psychological edge for the Hawks after that encounter

Missed opportunities for both teams in the first part of the game resulted in points when goals were both needed and kickable. It took 15 minutes of play until Greg Broughton stood up and kicked the first goal for the Dockers. With the majority of the possessions, the home team looked menacing. Adam McPhee made a poor choice from a long way out, electing to take a marginal shot on goal instead of centering the ball to big Aaron Sandilands at the top of the square. Hawthorn looked out of sorts and it wasn’t until deep into the first quarter that Buddy Franklin kicked their first goal from right in front with a good read of the ball as it went over a pack. This gave the Hawks some impetus to lift their work rate and they started to look like the team that beat the Premiership favorites Collingwood last week.

Coupled with some poor disposal and basic kicking errors by the Dockers, the Hawks were poised to put their stamp on the game if they could only make the most of their opportunities. Against the run of play, Anthony Morabito took off from the wing and ran 60 meters to slot home a telling goal for the home team. Morabito was aided by a monster shepherd from Sandilands, who flattened the Hawk player chasing just as he was closing in to tackle. Sandilands kicked a major of his own soon after when he was awarded a free kick in a ruck contest. When Chris Mayne marked at the back of a pack and booted a goal, the Dockers were on a roll and led by 17 points at the end of the first quarter.

Hawthorn went on the back foot and if not for the steady work in defense by Luke Hodge and good midfield work by Shaun Burgoyne and Sam Mitchell, the margin would have been greater. Towards the end of the first quarter, Sandilands injured his knee in a clash with opposing ruckman Wayde Skipper. Fremantle took no chances and moved Michael Johnson into the ruck and Sandilands to full forward. The game was much more static in this quarter, a slow affair with poor skills on display. The Hawks looked sluggish and in contrast the Dockers started to get on top with more aggressive play. Michael Walters, a newcomer to the Dockers already making his presence known, took a sensational mark and goaled from a David Mundy pass.

Matthew Pavlich finally got the monkey off his back with a snap on goal from 50 meters out to take the Dockers to a four goal lead. At this point Hawthorn was down two men. Cyril Rioli had pulled a hamstring and was sitting with ice on his leg in the dugout and Xavier Ellis was in the medical rooms after severely twisting his right ankle. For a club that relies heavily on rotations through the bench to keep up their fast pace, this was a major setback. With substandard goal kicking - only one in a quarter and a half of football - added to the mix, the Hawks were not looking good. Jarryd Roughead gave supporters some hope when he earned a free kick in front of goals but he sprayed the kick wide and barely scraped it through for a point. Hawthorn had kicked their lowest ever half time score in a Final, a meager 17 points, an ignominious record in the history of the club. They trailed the Dockers by 23 points.

Johnson again started in the ruck in the third term and it wasn’t long before the Dockers had a stranglehold on the game. The silky skills of Stephen Hill were on display when he twice took possession of the ball and ran through the lines for shots on goal. The first time he elected to kick on goal - and miss - rather than pass the ball to Sandilands at the top of the square. The next time he was more accurate and suddenly the game looked all over. A Ryan Crowley free kick resulted in another goal much to the delight of the home crowd who started to chant the “Fre-o … Fre-o …” victory cry. Consecutive goals to Buddy Franklin and Roughhead had fans less enthusiastic as memories of the “Freo fade” scenarios of past matches reared their head. McPhee steadied the Freo ship with a snap and goal from a ruck contest on the forward line and from there on in, Fremantle had no doubts. Pavlich and Mundy converted chances to give the home side the biggest lead of the match, 42 points. Although it would be very difficult for the Hawks to climb back from this deficit, coach Alistar Clarkson was not throwing in the towel. He moved Franklin into the center to free him from the vice-like grip of dogged Docker defender Luke McPharlin, who had effectively shut him out of the game.

Hawthorn scored first in the final quarter when Roughead converted from a free kick in the goal square. The subsequent center bounce saw a slick move from Dockers ruckman Johnson. He tapped the ball to Mundy who passed neatly to Matt DeBoer in front of goals. DeBoer, although courageous and hard at the ball, is a woeful set shot and he failed to make the most of his opportunity, kicking a point. Brendan Whitecross sprinted 70 meters to be on the end of a pass from Clinton Young and he scored the next goal for the Hawks. When Rick Ladson drilled a clever goal from deep in the left pocket, the nervous frisson that had previously passed through the home crowd returned. Chris Mayne scored a goal from 30 meters out after marking a pass from Nathan Fyfe to settle the Dockers. Roger Hayden, who was having a very ordinary day on the halfback line, kicked poorly in the latter part of the game to give Roughead a mark and goal. Alex Silvagni sealed the game for the Dockers when he marked and scored a goal with minutes left to play. The faithful purple haze stayed well after the siren to cheer their team off the ground.

Fremantle now move into the second semi-final to take on the Geelong Cats. Although they defeated the Cats in their last encounter, it will be an away game and the Dockers will start very much the underdogs against the reigning Premiers. The soon to be retired Paul Hasleby, dressed in a suit and tie after not being picked to play, gave a half time address to the home fans and did a lap of honor around the ground to a standing ovation. It was his last appearance at Subiaco Oval although he may still be in contention for selection next week if the Dockers injury list is big. For the Hawks, it was a bitter end to a season which had been on the upturn for much of the latter part of the year. They are left to ponder whether their year was a success or a failure.

Scoreboard
Fremantle: 4.3 6.4  12.7 14.10 (94)
Hawthorn:  1.4 1.11 4.13  8.6  (64)

Best players:
Fremantle: D Mundy, C Mayne, L McPharlin, A McPhee, M Pavlich
Hawthorn:  L Hodge, S Mitchell, S Burgoyne, J Roughead, J Gibson

Etihad Officials Promise Surface Improvement

Lisa Albergo — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:11:33 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Ian Collins, manager of Etihad Stadium, has finally admitted that the playing surface needs to be improved after months of defending it. This comes after heavy criticism of the ground from commentators, the media, players, coaches and a host of fans in website comments and on talkback radio. The AFLPA also polled its members about the possibility of boycotting the ground and flagged the possibility of games moved from the stadium unless improvements are made. The AFL, which previously defended the ground, has also admitted that the condition of the playing surface is unacceptable.

AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis said the AFL may have been hesitant in admitting the ground's unsuitability for fear of potential lawsuits if a player or players were seriously injured. There are precedents for such a scenario with former Carlton player Shane O'Sullivan and former Adelaide player Shaun Rehn filing lawsuits after suffering serious injuries due to ground conditions. However, the AFL and Etihad management could not ignore what happened in Round 17 with Hawthorn and St Kilda players slipping over throughout the game. Representatives from Etihad, the AFL and the AFLPA met the week after the game and watched video footage of the game. After the meeting Etihad officials conceded that the surface could have been better prepared for games, that other techniques for ground preparation could have been used and that the majority of slipping incidents happened on areas of recently re-laid turf. The last item is key as Etihad officials stated that the authorized allotment of the turf they usually use was exhausted and they had to revert to turf previously used which had caused problems in the past.

Finnis said that 32 representatives from the 16 clubs would support a change of venue if ground conditions did not improve. Players from clubs who have tenant agreements with Etihad also said they felt compromised by League rules as to how far they could go in criticizing the surface as well as concerns over the fact the the stadium had scheduled a rugby match there in between two Round 18 AFL games. Criticism of the playing surface has also come from players and coaches of rugby and soccer teams, including one of the teams scheduled to play there between the AFL's Round 18 games.

Both the AFLPA and the AFL have requested that the stadium not book other events into the ground after Christmas so it can be properly prepared for the AFL preseason and home and away season. They have also requested that the routine ground inspections (done at every ground before games) be conducted midweek rather than the day before the game. Ground officials did admit that an AC/DC concert held five days before the preseason may have been less than ideal to ensure the ground was properly prepared for the upcoming AFL games. They have also assured the League and AFLPA that they would take steps to improve the ground before Round 18. They have also proposed measures for continued improvements. These include:

Hollow coring the ground to aerate it. This was done prior to the match between North Melbourne and Essendon but not before the Hawthorn versus St Kilda game on the Friday night.

Top-dressing the ground weekly instead of every two weeks to allow better traction for players.

Take advisement from AFL turf consultants.

Make recommendations for the type of boots players should wear on the ground.

This last item is one of concern for players due to stadium management previously blaming players wearing improper footwear. After the Round 18 game, Hawk Sam Mitchell said he tried changing boots with different types of studs but it didn't help due to the turf itself being different in different areas.

Ed. Note: Etihad manager Ian Collins is a former Carlton player and club official. He left Carlton to take up a position with the AFL, then left that position to take on the management role with Etihad.

Source: heraldsun.com.au, the age.com.au, afl.com.au, AFL Media Release from Patrick Keane

Controversy After Round 17

Lisa Albergo — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:16:42 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

A controversial interchange penalty against Hawthorn could well be responsible for denying the Hawks victory against St Kilda. Cyril Rioli had just kicked a goal with two minutes remaining in the final term to give Hawthorn a 13 point lead. However, the goal was disallowed due to Hawk Grant Birchall briefly putting a foot across the interchange line before a teammate had come off the ground. The emergency umpire signaled the infringement to the field umpire who then awarded a 50 meter penalty to the Saints. The Saints scored a crucial point to bring them within a goal. With just seconds remaining on the clock, the Saints cleared the ball from a stoppage and Ben McEvoy kicked a goal to tie the game.

Hawk Coach Alistair Clarkson said the club accepted what had happened and would move on, but expressed disappointment at the penalty for what was a minor infraction. However, the club is now considering speaking with the AFL regarding the severity of the penalty. The AFL introduced the interchange rule in 2008 after a Sydney game in which the Swans inadvertently had 19 players on the field for several minutes in a drawn game against North Melbourne. Hawk football manager Mark Evans would like to get an explanation from umpire boss Jeff Gieschen and the umpires who may have seen what really happened. There is no clear video footage. According to Evans, the cameras catch Birchall only from the waist up. He conceded that it appeared that Birchall did take a step towards the field of play but then returned to the bench. It is unclear whether or not he actually stepped over the line.

Former Richmond coach Danny Frawley, who now heads up the Coaches Association, said that broadcasters were supposed to have cameras focused on the interchange area, but AFL Media spokesman Patrick Keane said he was unaware of this rule. He further stated that it was the job of the interchange stewards to watch and monitor changes. AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan was interviewed on SEN Radio and said the penalty was fair. He further stated " ... it was an infringement. Is it too harsh...? ... in the old days you used to lose all your points ... it just happened he (Rioli) was shooting for goal ... The timing was unfortunate." Prior to the introduction of the interchange rule, a club captain could call for a head count. If an extra player was discovered to be on the ground, the offending team would lose all the points scored to that point of the match.

This was not the only issue to arise from the match. Saints' Coach Ross Lyon was also unhappy with an umpiring decision which denied Justin Koschitzke a shot for goal in the third term. Koschitzke had just marked the ball but had the ball taken away by the umpire who ruled that a St Kilda runner was too close to the play. Lyon questioned his team being penalized for their own runner's infraction.

On top of all of this, the condition of the playing surface came under fire as there were numerous incidents of players slipping over with parts of the ground shifting under their feet. The surface condition has been heavily criticized by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett in recent weeks. Kennett believes artificial turf should be used. He said that rock concerts should not be held there during footy season and that December should be a cut-off date to allow the ground to be better prepared for footy games. Several games of the recent juniors' TAC Cup championships were also relocated to other venues.

Commentators Matthew Lloyd and Dermott Brereton were highly critical of the surface during the game and talk-back radio was full of fans saying the surface was a disgrace. Lloyd said during the commentary that it sometimes didn't matter what type of boot studs players wore because of the different conditions in different parts of the ground. Hawk Sam Mitchell echoed Lloyd's comments after the game and former Demon turned commentator Garry Lyon likened the surface to an ice-skating rink and called it a "joke". Mitchell went on to say that the ground was unfit and unsafe for finals. He said he slipped several times and saw the same thing happen to Hawk Cyril Rioli whom he said he had " ... never seen slip over ...". Saint Brendon Goddard agreed with Mitchell, saying he found areas of the surface quite slippery. During the game, Leigh Montagna appeared to hurt his groin in a splits-like fall. Teammate Clinton Young was seen limping to the bench after falling over. Hawk Jarryd Roughead said the condition of the surface was worse than when the Hawks played there in Round Nine. Bulldog Shaun Higgins missed several weeks recently due to an injury suffered at Etihad.

Hawthorn general manager Mark Evans said that while the appearance of the ground looked fine, inspections needed to be more than just visual. He said there should be experts telling clubs what they should be looking for. Carlton's Chris Judd met with league officials in June to discuss the problem and Carlton also filed a formal complaint.

The problems with the surface are twofold. First, the playing area is built on top of the underground parking lot and is therefore built on top of concrete with a sandy layer underneath the soil and grass. Second, there are sections of the grass which do not get direct sunlight due to the design of the roof and its infrastructure. These factors have been ongoing problems since the stadium opened in 2000. The AFL has little control over the ground and the events scheduled there as it is privately owned. Former AFL official and current ground manager Ian Collins has continually defended the ground.

Also after Round 17, North Melbourne Coach Brad Scott was unhappy after the Kangaroos lost by three points to Essendon. He was furious with the AFL's strict enforcement of the emergency player and team list rules. The drama unfolded 90 minutes before the game when Nathan Grima (quad) and Daniel Pratt (hamstring) were late withdrawals from the team. Emergency players Ben Speight and Leigh Harding were quickly added to the team list, which was then submitted under the rules. However chaos ensued when Daniel Wells strained a quad muscle during the warm-up. David Hale, who had arrived at the ground to watch the game after playing in the VFL earlier in the day, had been named as the third emergency. Scott desperately tried to get an answer from the AFL about adding a fresh Nathan O'Keefe instead and was told that if he did, the club would be fined $20,000. The game was already underway by the time the answer arrived. The cash-strapped Kangaroos had no choice but to include Hale who finally made it onto the ground late in the first term. Scott said the addition of ruckman Hale instead of midfielder O'Keefe left the Kangaroos short of run through the middle and said no player should have to play eight quarters in one day. He further stated that the extenuating circumstances should have allowed him more flexibility. He also pointed out what he called a "farcical situation" of the VFL operating on a schedule different to that of the AFL and said it was impractical for clubs to hold all three emergency players inactive. Although Hale was named as an emergency, along with Harding and Speight, the club did not want three of their players idle on the weekend and so let Hale have a run in the VFL, not expecting the events which developed just minutes before their own game was due to start.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said that the league had recently reiterated to all club managers that in order to allow a player from outside the named 25-man squad (18 players plus four interchange and three emergencies) there had to be a "compelling medical case''. He basically accused North of not making it public that Grima and Pratt would probably not play and not withdrawing them from the officially named team on Thursday. He said that had the club done that, they could have named extra emergencies under the rules. Because they did not do that, according to Keane, they were bound by the rules to play their third emergency in Hale or face a heavy fine.

Kangaroos' chairman James Brayshaw was not surprised at the AFL's response. On the Sunday Footy Show, he said, ''The AFL will probably ... say the rules are pretty clear ... play one of your three stated emergencies otherwise you are fined.'' He also said he was surprised that it took so long for the AFL to get a reply back to the ground. Keane countered that it "took time to clarify the situation". League officials who were present at the ground were unable to provide an answer to the Kangaroos before the game got underway.

Several days later, Fremantle Coach Mark Harvey declared his support for Scott in demanding a rule change to cover such extenuating circumstances. Harvey and the Dockers were close to being in a similar situation as Scott and the Kangaroos when Docker midfielder David Mundy withdrew shortly before the Round 17 match against the Bulldogs. Unlike the Kangaroos, who faced the prospect of being short one player, the Dockers had Paul Hasleby as an emergency to call upon. However, Harvey said he could sympathize with Scott's dilemma. Harvey concurred with Scott's query regarding how many emergencies a team leaves idle on the slim chance they might be needed. He said the pressure was on the clubs with 25-minute warm-ups and incidents of players injuring themselves during the warm-ups. He went so far as to hint a suggestion of team sheets being submitted 90 minutes prior to the game to give teams more time. Hasleby was originally ruled out of the match but was, according to Harvey, the only emergency who traveled with the team due to his experience and the fact that his local Perth team had the bye.

Source: theage.com.au, sen.com.au, heraldsun.com.au, alf.com.au, shh.com.au, author notes

Round 15 Injury Report

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:10:36 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

ADELAIDE
Sam Shaw, back, indefinite
Trent Hentschel, hamstring, 2-3 weeks
James Sellar, knee, 2-3 weeks
Will Young, knee, 2-3 weeks
Brett Burton, knee, ongoing assessment
David Mackay, ankle, 2-3 weeks
Andrew McLeod, knee, ongoing assessment
James Craig, hamstring, indefinite
Chris Knights, foot, indefinite
Brad Moran, knee, indefinite
Andy Otten, knee, season
Daniel Talia, knee, season

Source: afl.com.au

BRISBANE
Matt Maguire, foot, 2 weeks
Jonathan Brown, groin, 2 weeks
Jed Adcock, foot, 3 weeks
Josh Drummond, knee, indefinite
Jamie Charman, ankle, season
Callum Bartlett, knee, season
Mitch Golby, knee, season
Matt Austin, leg, season
Donald Barry, sinus, ongoing assessment

Source: Sam Lord, Club Media Release

CARLTON
Chris Johnson, wrist, 1 week
Brock McLean, knee, 2 weeks
Rhys O’Keeffe, back, indefinite
Matthew Kreuzer, ACL, knee reconstruction, season

Source: Stephen Wilson, Club Media Release

COLLINGWOOD
Brad Dick, shoulder, 1-2 weeks
Nick Maxwell, calf, 1-2 weeks
Nathan Brown, shoulder, 1-2 weeks

Source: Nick Hulett, Club Media Release

ESSENDON
David Hille, hamstring, 1-2 weeks
Tayte Pears, pancreatic surgery, ongoing assessment
Jason Laycock, foot, season, long term injury list**

*Michael Quinn has been elevated from the rookie list to the seniors as Laycock's replacement.

Source: afl.com.au

FREMANTLE
Michael Barlow, broken leg, season
Greg Broughton, hamstring, 1 week
Antoni Grover, hamstring, 1-2 weeks
Chris Mayne, ankle, 1 week
Luke McPharlin, knee, 1 week

Source: afl.com.au

GEELONG
Marcus Drum, knee, 3 weeks
Tom Hawkins, foot, 1-2 weeks
Steve Johnson, broken bone in hand, 2 weeks
Steve Motlop, shoulder, 2 weeks
Max Rooke, knee, indefinite

Source: afl.com.au

HAWTHORN
Max Bailey, knee, ongoing assessment
Rhan Hooper, hamstring, 3 weeks
Sam Mitchell, hand, 1-2 weeks
Simon Taylor, broken leg, ongoing assessment

Source: Leah Mirabella, Club Media Release

MELBOURNE
Rhys Healey, hamstring, 4 weeks
Max Gawn, knee, 1-2 weeks
Jack Grimes, hamstring, 3 weeks
Jordan Gysberts, back, 1 week
John Meesen, ankle, indefinite
James McDonald, hamstring, 1 week
Ricky Petterd, shoulder, season
James Strauss, knee, 3 weeks

Source: Club Meida Release

NORTH MELBOURNE
Drew Petrie, foot, test*
Majak Daw, knee, 3 weeks
Liam Anthony, shoulder, 4-5 weeks
Jack Ziebell, broken leg, 6-12 weeks**
Ben Ross, hip/groin, indefinite
Aaron Black, hip, indefinite

*if Petrie passes a fitness test and gets through training this week, he will be eligible for selection for Round 15.

**Ziebell suffered the injury in Round 14. It is the same leg which he broke last season, but this time does not require surgery. The club will take a cautious approach to his recovery.

Source: Heath O'Loughlin, Club Media Release

PORT ADELAIDE
Robbie Gray, back/hamstring, 1 week
Hamish Hartlett, quad, 1 week
Nathan Krakouer, groin, 1 week
Marlon Motlop, fractured foot, 1 week
Michael Pettigrew, patella tendon (knee), 5-6 weeks, long term injury list*
Jacob Surjan, knee swelling, 1-2 weeks
Warren Tredrea, ankle, 5-6 weeks

*Cameron Hitchcock has been elevated from the rookie list to the seniors to replace Pettigrew.

Source: Daniel Norton, Club Media Release

RICHMOND
Tom Hislop, patella (knee), indefinite
Matt Dea, foot, indefinite

Source: Adrian Ceddia, Club Media Release

ST KILDA
David Armitage, medial knee ligament strain, 3 weeks
Raphael Clarke, hamstring strain
Robert Eddy, knee soreness, ongoing assessment
Justin Koschitzke, ankle
Nick Riewoldt, hamstring tear, training, ongoing assessment
Jesse Smith, ankle, indefinite, long term injury list

Source: Vanessa Gigliotti, Club Media Release

SYDNEY
Jake Orreal, back, season
Henry Playfair, back, indefinite
Mark Seaby, ankle, 3-4 weeks
Craig Bolton, achilles, 3-4 weeks
Daniel Bradshaw, hamstring, 2-3 weeks
Craig Bird, foot, 2-3 weeks
Matt O’Dwyer, shoulder, 1-2 weeks
Gary Rohan, ankle, 1-2 weeks

Source: Jenny McAsey, Club Media Release

WEST COAST
Shannon Hurn, calf, 1-2 weeks
Jordan Jones, ankle, 4 weeks
Daniel Kerr, hamstring, 5 weeks
Ashley Hansen, hip, 5-6 weeks
Sam Butler, foot, 6 weeks
Luke Shuey, virus, indefinite
Darren Glass, abdomen, season
Mark Nicoski, shoulder, season
Brad Dalziell, finger, 6-8 weeks

Source: afl.com.au

WESTERN BULLDOGS
Ayce Cordy, shoulder, season
Sam Reid, shoulder, ongoing assessment
Shane Thorne, knee, season

Source: David McNamara, Club Media Release

Tiger Jackson Loses Case

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:25:10 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Charges Laid:

Hayden Ballantyne (FRE), fined $1200 for a first offense of misconduct in pulling Collingwood Harry O'Brien's hair. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to $900.

Matthew Warnock (MELB), fined $1200 for a first offense of making negligent contact with an umpire. He accepted, reducing the fine 25% to $900.

Sam Mitchell (HAW), fined $1200 for a first offense of misconduct in pulling the hair of Richmond's Ben Nason. He accepted, reducing the fine 25% to $900.

Daniel Jackson (RICH), misconduct for headbutting Hawthorn's Campbell Brown: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points), equalling six activation points, a Level Three Offense, 250 demerits. He has 80 demerits held over from the past year, increasing the penalty to 330 demerits and a three game suspension. Had he accepted, the penalty would have been reduced 25% to 247.50 and a two game suspension.

Daniel Jackson took his case to the Tribunal in attempt to have the charge dismissed. He based his defense on the fact that he sometimes becomes aggressive and is not in his right mind after suffering a blow to the head himself. He said he did not remember headbutting Brown. This was confirmed by Richmond's doctor, Greg Hickey. Hickey told the jury that Jackson had also lashed out at him several times while being examined after a knock to the head. Hickey confirmed that Jackson was '...' not fully in control of his senses at the time of the incident''.

Jackson's advocate asked the jury to take into consideration comments made by Brown immediately after the game. Brown said in a post-match interview that Jackson had not headbutted him and that the clash between the pair had been nothing more than a bit of "byplay". He also criticized Brown for running in to confront Jackson while he was in the hands of trainers. He asked for leniency due to the circumstances but the jury upheld the original ruling of the Match Review Panel, leaving Jackson with a three game suspension.

Jarrad Waite (CARL), rough conduct against Port Adelaide's Jason Davenport: assessed as reckless conduct (two points), medium impact (two points), and high contact (two points), equaling six activation points,a Level Three offense, 325 demerits. He also has a record of a one game suspension in the past three years, further increasing the penalty to 357.50 demerits and a three game suspension. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 268 demerits and a two game suspension with 68 demerits held over toward his future record.

The match day report against Essendon’s David Hille for rough conduct against St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard was assessed by the MRP, who determined that Hille's contact was a bump as Goddard kicked the ball. According to the MRP, video footage of the incident showed that there was no contact to Goddard's head or neck area. They further determined that the force used was not excessive or unreasonable and that Goddard was not attended by club medical staff or trainers after the bump. They therefore dismissed the charges.

The match day report laid against St Kilda’s Steven Baker for wrestling Essendon’s Leroy Jetta was reviewed by the MRP. They determined that the contact between the par was not vigorous or forceful and that both players immediately ceased contact when instructed to do so by the umpires. They therefore dismissed the charges.

Source: Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release and theage.com.au

Eagles Naitanui Shakes His Tailfeather

janetl — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:26:59 -0500

Janet Linn reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

Gale force winds and teeming rain made for challenging conditions in the Round 13 encounter between the West Coast Eagles and reigning Premiers Hawthorn. It may have been an unlikely stage for individual brilliance, but the rugged weather was not enough to stop Nic Naitanui from showing the special brand of football magic that caught the eye of West Coast Eagles recruiters and saw him taken at number two in the 2008 AFL Draft. At 6 foot 7 inches and 211 pounds, Naitanui 's physical presence combined with his Fijian heritage and distinctive dreadlocks is a crowd magnet but on Saturday night it was his football heroics, in only his second AFL game, that showed fans a legend in the making. His three last quarter goals were the difference in an otherwise even match and the unfancied Eagles produced the boilover of the round.

Despite a series of average performances so far this season, Hawthorn started clear favorites with this game a must-win for them to stay in the race for the Finals. The first quarter was a tame affair with wintry weather causing lots of stoppages and crowded conditions. Players' ball skills were affected although Hawthorn made good use of their opportunities scoring four goals through Jarryd Roughead, Sam Mitchell and Lance Franklin. West Coast's two goals came from Mark LeCras making a welcome return from injury.

Roughead caught West Coast's defense napping early in the second quarter taking an uncontested mark in the forward line and scoring his second to give the Hawks an 18 point buffer. The Eagles showed great team character to rebound strongly. Goals to Andrew Embley, LeCras and Mitchell Brown brought them even with the Hawks. Not resting on their laurels, they threw everything at the opposition, taking the lead after Matt Priddus and Brad Ebert combined to produce a long wind-assisted but nevertheless inspirational goal. While the Eagles lifted their intensity the Hawks wilted under pressure. Tyson Stenglein goaled in his 100th game for the Eagles after producing the play of the day to catch Jordan Lewis holding the ball in the Hawks’ backline. The Hawks looked nonplussed by the five goal turnaround. With West Coast looking set to run away with the game, the Hawks tried to settle their play. Sam Mitchell continued to get plenty of the ball in the center but the weather conditions hampered the Hawks’ forward attacks and the wind played havoc with their kicking on goal. They did well to stay close to the Eagles who led by 14 points at the major break after LeCras scored his fourth goal, converting with a wet ball from 50 meters out.

Conditions worsened as the second half got under way. Wind, rain and a heavy ball plagued the forwards for both sides. The Hawks scored with a quick goal to Campbell Brown after he used his body to great effect to muscle Embley out of his way. Although West Coast had a lot of possession they made minimal impact on the scoreboard and it was the Hawks who scored again through Michael Osborne. Chris Masten began to dominate in the middle of the ground for the Eagles providing the forwards with opportunities but the Hawks persisted and a free kick to Franklin put the Hawks in front by a point. The lead seesawed back and forth. Roughead and Kennedy then Franklin and Kerr traded goals setting the final quarter up as a ripper with the margin a tiny three points at three quarter time.

Kicking with the wind in the final quarter should have given the Eagles the edge but the Hawks had most to lose with the defense of the Premiership Cup resting on the outcome of this game. Powering forward and putting the Hawks’ defense under pressure, David Wirrpanda goaled to put the West Coast ahead by 3 points. The Hawks rushed the ball forward to score a point before Mitchell kicked beautifully to Roughead who made no mistake, slotting through his fifth and grabbing back the lead. From the ashes rose the phoenix Nic Naitanui who to this point had played an unremarkable game. After smothering a ball on the goal line in the pelting rain he weaved past a Hawthorn defender to score a team-lifting six pointer for the Eagles. As the crowd fled to the shelter of the covered stands, Brett Guerra’s kick went out of bounds on the full and Matt Rosa booted the ball long into the Eagles’ goal square. Re-enter Nic Naitanui and an off the ground soccer kick that headed through the goal for his second in as many minutes. West Coast surged again and a successful snap on goal by Josh Kennedy took them to a 14 point lead. The Hawks took the ball forward to Roughead whose poster narrowed the gap to 13 points. Ben McKinley scored again for the Eagles after reading the trajectory of the ball best to mark and goal. His point one minute later put West Coast ahead by 19 points in a five goal to one quarter. Again Naitanui put his stamp on the game. An exceptional handpass intercept showcased his outstanding reflexes. As he ran forward - with a Hawthorn player in hot pursuit - he bounced, lost control of the wet ball, bent his long body to the ground while running flat out, scooped up the ball, ran some more with the Hawk player still on his tail and scored one of the goals of the season. The crowd lifted as one, the roar was deafening and try as they might, the Hawks were done for the day. West Coast ran out victors by 20 points breaking a five game losing streak while the Hawks lost their third of the last four games.

Although the Hawks Premiership defense looks to be in tatters, the big story coming out of the game was Nic Naitanui whose three last quarter goals were the difference between the two teams. His freakish skills have sparked Naitanui fever in Perth and prompted reports of the birth of a star. Certainly Naitanui has the X factor which appeals to fans. Interestingly he inherited the number 9 jumper left vacant after the departure of former Eagles icon Ben Cousins. It seems West Coast merchandising has an heir to the Cousins' throne with rumors sweeping the city that there is now an Eagles beanie complete with dreadlocks for fans to enjoy!

Scoreboard
West Coast 2.3 8.6 10.9 16.11 (107)
Hawthorn   4.3 6.4 11.7 13.9  (87)

Best
West Coast Q Lynch, D Wirrpanda, D Glass, M Priddus, M LeCras, N Naitanui, C Masten
Hawthorn   S Mitchell, L Hodge, J Roughead, L Franklin, C Bateman