Carlton pesident John Elliott is copping intense pressure from everywhere

G'Day Footy Fans -

CARLTON & ELLIOTT: CRUISIN' FOR A BRUSIN'
Now that the wooden spoon is confirmed as officially belonging to Carlton, the pressure might be off the players to some extent, but president John Elliott and his board are under pressure. The supporters' group calling for a complete spill of the board presented their 900-plus singed petition to CEO Don Hanly last week. Prominent businessman Bruce Mathieson has confirmed that he is formulating a ticket to challenge Elliott and his cronies. Mathieson said he is not interested in the presidency, but said he had some very good candidates on his ticket for the position.
Mathieson, his potential candidates, and the supporters' group are hoping that Elliott and the board will step aside gracefully to avoid a costly extraordinary election. They and Mathieson also said they would not be opposed to some of the 12 current board members standing for re-election. It is believed that board support for Elliott is wavering with several board members having asked him to step down. The board will meet next week to consider Elliott's position and the petition.
The supporters' group continued their endeavors this weekend as well, handing out voting rights forms to fans outside Telstra Dome prior to the Blues' match against the Kangaroos.

Elliott has received backing from one surprising source - Bomber Coach Kevin Sheedy. Sheedy, earlier in the season, bought memberships to all the clubs, giving him voting rights. He said he would vote for John Elliott.

And Elliott himself is in trouble away from Carlton as well. He failed in his bid to stop a trial which sees him face charges from the Australian Securities Commission over a milling company he owned which went belly-up 2 years ago, but continued trading while insolvent. That trial is due to begin next week. Should he be found guilty, he would be stripped of the right to hold any sort of directorship, including his position at Carlton.
His other business interests have also taken a massive hit with the collapse of one his rice growing companies The company, Australian Rice Holdings Pty Ltd, is owned jointly by Elliott and the Disney family. The company's assets include the biggest rice farm in Australia as well as wheat and livestock production. The National Bank Australia, believed to be owed $26 million, has appointed insolvency specialists as receivers of the company. It is the 3rd company owned by Elliott which the bank has moved on - the others being hamburger maker National Food Services and Butt-Out Australia, a company which collected cigarette butts.

GENERAL NEWS
Finals Coverage Boost in Northern States
The AFL, the Ten Network and Southern Cross Broadcasting (Ten's regional affiliate) announced the broadcast schedule for the Finals Series in New South Wales and Queensland:
Metropolitan Brisbane: all Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon matches will be telecast live. The Brisbane metropolitan area will see all night matches involving the Brisbane Lions telecast live or near live at approximately 7.30pm and all other night finals matches at 10.30pm on Friday nights and 9.30pm on Saturday nights.
Metropolitan Sydney: all Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon matches will be telecast live. Night finals matches will be telecast at 10.30pm on Friday nights and 9.30pm on Saturday nights..
Northern Regional Markets: all Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon matches will be telecast live into New South Wales and Queensland. The Gold Coast region will see all Friday night and Saturday night finals matches live or near live at approximately 7.30pm.
The southern NSW region will see all Friday night and Saturday night finals matches live or near live at approximately 7.30pm. The greater Queensland area will see all night finals matches involving the Brisbane Lions telecast live or near live at approximately 7.30pm and all other night finals matches at 10.30pm on Friday nights and 9.30pm on Saturday nights.
The northern NSW region will see Friday night finals matches at 10.30pm and Saturday night finals matches at 9.30pm.

AFL MCG War of Words Over Finals
Wayne Jackson made one last plea to the MCC regarding preliminary finals last week and said it was very disappointing that the MCC would not budge. He also said it was morally wrong and compromised the integrity of the game to force an interstate club with the right to a home final to travel to Melbourne. Jackson said the league would be willing to compensate the MCC in the future with games or provide financial compensation.
But MCC secretary Stephen Gough pointed out that the AFL had already negotiated a "banking" system with the MCC for the first 2 weeks of finals to be allowed more flexibility. He also that, at the time, the AFL agreed to one prelim and the GF at the MCG.
Gough also pointed to the 1992 agreement between the MCC and AFL whereby the AFL agreed to 41 games, 4 finals, and the GF in exchange for the MCC building the 22,000 seat Great Southern Stand.
Gough also said that the MCC had a commitment to the 55,000 AFL members and the 77,000-plus MCC members.
However, Port Coach mark Williams and Brisbane Coach Leigh Matthews also chimed in with criticism of the stadium. Matthews believes the MCG treats footy as a second rate tenant and that is why Waverley and Colonial were built.

Waverley Sale Set
All government, planning, and heritage issues have been resolved so the sale can finally proceed.
Under the permit, part of the grandstand and the oval must be retained.
The Hawks are already planning on moving their training and administrative facilities to the area, once redevelopment is complete.

EJ Whitten Legends Game
VFL and AFL stars of yesteryear are preparing to take over Optus Oval on September 24 for the annual EJ Whitten Legends Game.
There will be 14 'rookies' taking to the field in 2002, adding to the great names such as Daniher, Daicos, Worsfold, Brereton, Hardie, Brownless, Capper and Weightman.
Gary Hocking, John Barnes, Dean Wallis, Dale Lewis, Liam Pickering, Ken Hinkley and Stephen Silvagni will be new faces wearing the 'Big V', while Darren Jarman and Michael Long headline a list of new All-Stars, also including, Brett Heady, Tony Hall, Brendan Gale, Troy Luff, and Darren Pritchard.
The game forms part of the AFL's Grand Final Week celebrations.
Since 1995, the game has raised more than $360,000 for the EJ Whitten Foundation, formed in that year to raise awareness about prostate cancer after the disease took the life of 'Mr Football' Ted Whitten Snr.
The game will kick off at 7pm.
All Auskick members will receive free entry with the presentation of their Auskick Membership card.

International Cup Results
Round 1
POOL A
Papua New Guinea 5.2 9.4 11.7 13.11 (89)
Great Britain 0.0 0.1 0.1 2.2 (14)

Nauru 4.7 8.8 14.15 17.17 (119)
Japan 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 (14)

Denmark: BYE

POOL B
USA 2.2 4.3 5.5 7.10 (52)
Samoa 2.5 3.6 4.7 4.7 (31)

NZ 4.4 14.6 18.9 25.13 (163)
South Africa 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (1)

Ireland 3.3 3.9 5.10 7.14 (56)
Canada 2.0 3.2 4.7 4.7 (31)

Round 2
POOL A
Papua New Guinea 1.3 3.9 4.12 9.15 (69)
Denmark 1.2 2.2 3.3 3.5 (23)

Great Britain 2.0 4.2 5.2 9.11 (65)
Nauru 2.2 4.8 6.9 8.11 (59)

POOL B
Canada 1.6 1.6 1.8 4.11 (38)
South Africa 0.1 0.1 1.1 1.5 (11)

Ireland 2.1 3.6 4.6 5.6 (26)
Samoa 2.3 3.4 4.5 4.5 (29)

NZ 3.1 7.4 9.7 11.12 (78)
USA 1.1 1.1 3.1 4.1 (25)

Round 3
POOL A
Great Britain 3.2 3.3 5.3 7.3 (45)
Japan 1.1 2.4 3.5 4.6 (30)

Denmark 3.2 5.6 5.8 5.10 (40)
Nauru 0.3 1.5 2.7 3.9 (27)

Papua New Guinea - BYE

POOL B
Samoa 4.2 8.3 11.6 12.15 (87)
South Africa 0.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 (10)

NZ 4.3 7.5 9.6 10.8 (68)
Canada 0.1 0.2 2.3 2.6 (18)

Ireland 3.1 5.4 6.6 7.7 (49)
USA 1.1 2.1 5.1 6.3 (39)
Two attendees at some of the games were Tiger Matt Richardson and legend Ron Barassi. Barassi was mobbed by the British team as it left the field after one of its matches.
And one Japanese player hopes one day to see Japanese players in the AFL.

Umpire Injury
Field umpire Darren Goldspink withdrew from the SA match with a pulled hamstring.

Goldspink's injury prompted a general reshuffle involving the men in white this weekend.
Michael Avon replaced Goldspink at AAMI Stadium, Darren Morris replaced Avon at the match between Essendon and Collingwood, Shane McInerney replaced Morris for the match between Melbourne and the Bulldogs, and Ray Kelsey replaced McInerney at the match between the Kangaroos and Carlton
Mathew James, who umpired the Richmond/Hawthorn game, backed up on Saturday replacing Kelsey as the reserve umpire for Kangaroos v Carlton.
Also, field umpire Hayden Kennedy has missed the past month or so with a foot inflammation ailment known as plantar fasciitis. He has been making a comeback the past few weeks with a run in the VFL. Hayden is one of the longest serving current umpires. He is just a few games shy of 300 and has officiated 23 finals - including the 1995, 1997-98, and 2000 GFs. He also attended the 1998 USAFL Nationals where he not only umpired, but donned a playing guernsey to help out a team which was short a player for one match.

TRIBUNAL
Unlike last week, it was a quiet week at the Tribunal with the only charge laid being Tiger Ty Zantuck reported on video evidence for rough play against Docker James Walker. Video footage showed the two colliding as the ball spilled from a marking contest. Walker, who left the ground under the blood rule, said that the contact was "pretty general" and not specifically to the head. Zantuck stated he tried to avoid the collision but then, realizing contact was imminent, braced for the impact to soften the blow.
The panel ruled their was too much doubt in the evidence and gave Zantuck the benefit of the doubt. It was the 3rd time Zantuck has been cleared this year. He was cleared of rough play in Round 2 and cleared of a melee charge in Round 12.

After reviewing a player poll it conducted, the AFLPA would like to see players, itself, and clubs be involved in the annual post-season review of the Tribunal - a suggestion Andrew Demetriou has knocked back. 34% of the players labeled the Tribunal's performance as poor and 37% said it was fair.
Kerr said he believed those with the greatest stakes, the players and clubs, should be involved. He said he did not want to change the tribunal, just to improve it. He said many players were dissatisfied with the inconsistent penalties and the adversarial nature of the hearings. Kerr believes that set penalties for certain offences, as in rugby league, should be initiated.
Demetriou said the AFLPA was welcome to present a submission to the league.

MILESTONES
250 games - Peter Matera, West Coast. Peter is due to become only the second player in the club's history to reach 250 games since West Coast joined the competition in 1987, following on from former captain Guy McKenna, who played a club record 267 matches between 1988-2000.  
200 games - David Neitz, Melbourne
100 games - Mark Chaffey, Richmond
50 games - Shannon Motlop, the Kangaroos
50 games - Andrew Eccles, Carlton
50 games - Matthew Bode, Adelaide
100 club games - Gavin Wanganeen, Port Adelaide 
50 club games - Matthew Robbins, Western Bulldogs
100 club games: Gavin Wanganeen (PA) Gavin is the seventh player to reach 100 games with Port Adelaide since the club joined the AFL in 1997, following on from Josh Francou (122 games), Darren Mead (118 games), Adam Kingsley (109 games), Stephen Paxman (105 games), Peter Burgoyne (104 games) and Matthew Primus (100 games). Gavin also played 127 games with Essendon, meaning he is set to become only the 21st player in VFL/AFL history to have played 100 matches with two clubs.
The full list is Bernie Quinlan 366 games (177 WBull, 189 Fitz), John Blakey 354 games (135 Fitz, 219 Kang), David Cloke 333 games (219 Rich, 114 Coll), Gary Dempsey 329 games (207 WBull, 122 Kang), Barry Round 328 games (135 WBull, 193 Syd), Paul Salmon 316 games (216 Ess, 100 Haw), Roger Merrett 313 games (149 Ess, 164 Bris), Russell Greene 304 games (120 St K, 184 Haw), Alastair Lynch 264 games (120 Fitz, 144 Bris), Greg Williams 250 games (34 Gee, 107 Syd, 109 Car), Robert Scott 245 games (132 Gee, 113 Kang), Paul Hudson 245 games (134 Haw, 107 WBull, Four Rich), Anthony Daniher 233 games (115 Syd, 118 Ess), Dean Rice 230 games (116 St K, 114 Carl), Darren Jarman 230 games (109 Haw, 121 Adel), Ian Hampshire 224 games (113 Gee, 111 WBull), Tony McGuinness 222 games (109 WBull, 113 Adel), Tim Pekin 219 games (107 Fitz, 112 St K), Earl Spalding 211 games (109 Melb, 102 Carl) and Stephen Paxman 207 games (102 Fitz, 105 Port)

TEAM NEWS

Essendon and Collingwood stars Mark Mercuri and Paul Licuria received a Roulettes'-eye view of the MCG before their clash on Saturday.
The Air Force aerobatic team which is gearing up for a display commitment at the MCG on Grand Final Day provided Mercuri and Licuria with a fly-past over the MCG on Thursday.
Leading the formation of three Pilatus PC9 aircraft was Squadron Leader Peter Robinson with Mercuri as a passenger, while Licuria rode with Flight Lieutenant Dennis Tan.
The aircraft flew from Essendon Airport to the MCG and then along the coast from Brighton to St Kilda beach before returning to Essendon Airport.

Carey-Spotting
Wayne Carey has crossed Richmond off its wish list. CEO Mark Brayshaw refused to state Carey's reasons but said he was satisfied with and understood Carey's reasoning behind his decision.

However, there was another meeting between Carey and Hawthorn officials including president Ian Dicker, Coach Peter Schwab, CEO Michael Brown, and football manager John Hook. The Hawks are interested in a 2 year deal, but have yet to open negotiations.

Sydney CEO Colin Seery also traveled to Melbourne to meet with Carey's manager Ricky Nixon. It is believed the Swans, who are best placed financially to recruit, have offered a two year deal for an estimated $425-450,000 to Carey. But the Swans are adamant that they will not give up a first round draft pick.
The retired Tony Lockett has also met with Carey to push Sydney's case, telling Carey of the advantages of playing in Sydney and being able to remain fairly anonymous without the scrutiny of Melbourne.

Adelaide is believed to be offering a 3 year deal.

And Collingwood, which originally said not interested have entered the fray, but also said it would not give up a first round draft pick.

ESSENDON
Rookie Sam Hunt in his debut.

Injury Update:
Aaron Henneman, hip, 1 week
Marcus Kenny, shoulder, season
Dean Solomon, knee, season
Adam Ramanauskas, ankle, 1 week
Steve Alessio, achilles, 1 week

COLLINGWOOD
Welcomed back Brodie Holland (hamstring) and Nick Davis (ankle)

HAWTHORN
Jonathan Hay (hand) Luke McCabe (shoulder) returned to the side, though McCabe was named as an emergency only.
Lance Picioane (back) missed this week.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
Veteran sports administrator Campbell Rose has replaced Bernard Saundry, formerly of Harness Racing Victoria, as CEO.
Rose is former CEO of Melbourne Major Events and was involved in Melbourne's successful bid for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He was also CEO of the Brisbane Goodwill Games in 2001. Saundry held the post for less than a year.

The Western Bulldogs premier partner, BenQ, was the Western Bulldogs event partner for this week’s game against the Brisbane Lions. BenQ branding appeared on the front and back of the Western Bulldogs playing jumper.

After two years on the rookie list, Irishman Bernie Collins has accepted an invitation from his native County Cork to play in the All Ireland Gaelic Football Semi-Final against Kerry in two week's time. Bernie, 21, headed home to Ireland last week to join his Cork teammates to prepare for the game, to be held at Dublin's Croke Park in front of an expected crowd of 80,000 people. Bernie hopes that his performances in the Semi-Final and possibly the All-Ireland Final will gain him selection in the Irish team that will contest the International Rules Series against Australia in October. Bernie is a tall, running player who hails from Castletownsend near Cork in Ireland's south. He was the most impressive of the Irish rookies selected from a special talent identification camp held in Dublin in September 2000 and during the past two seasons he has played in both the Werribee reserve and senior team in the VFL. Bernie's only appearances for the Western Bulldogs senior team were in practice matches against Geelong at Skilled Stadium earlier this year and against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval last season. Bernie will return to Australia in November to decide with the Western Bulldogs match committee where his future lies next year.

Outspoken midfielder Nathan Brown believes the current juniors' system, including the AFL Draft Camp, discourages players from showing individuality on the field, saying the system is turning out robots and that the game is losing its fun factor.

CARLTON
Carlton's poor on-field performance this year and the dissatisfaction of other clubs having to play at Optus Oval is leading the AFL to look at scheduling Carlton matches only at Optus next year. It is one scenario as the AFL completes the 2003 draw. It does have several different fixturing structures.
But the AFL has threatened to keep the Blues at Optus, with just 2 home games at the MCG, unless the Blues come up with a new contract for games at Telstra Dome or reduce the match commitment for Optus Oval.

Injury Update:
- Craig Bradley, bruised ribs, could be worse than originally thought, with the possibility he could miss the rest of the year. Medical staff are concerned should he play and crack one, it could puncture a lung
- Blake Campbell, jarred left ankle, on crutches and has ankle in a brace, season
- Scott Freeborn, fractured right medial clavicle, rehabbing for next season
- Anthony Koutoufides, sprained right medial ligament, still wearing brace but is now able to put weight in his injured knee, season
- Andrew McKay, fractured hand, season
- Brett Ratten, torn finger ligaments, continues to train, season
- Lance Whitnall, grade three sprain of the A/C joint, rehabbing for 2003
- Matthew Allan, navicular stress fracture, continues rehab with minor skills and gym work, season
- Darren Hulme, strained left medial ligament, season.
- Callum Beasy, wrist. Beasy has been playing with the injury for several weeks, but will undergo surgery on the scaphoid bone and miss the rest of the season.

Justin Murphy returned from illness this week.

RICHMOND
President Clinton Casey wants a chat with the league in an effort to improve attendance next year. He believes the low attendances are due not only to the poor performance of the team, but also scheduling and the broadcast schedule. It is the latter 2 issues he wants to discuss with the AFL.

Injury Update:
Marc Dragicevic & Ben Holland, ACL rupture, season          
Rory Hilton, shoulder dislocation, indefinite    
Scott Homewood, shoulder dislocation, season

GEELONG
28 youngsters from Ronnie Burns' home in the Tiwi Islands home visited the club last week for a tour, a kick, and lunch. Burns and his teammates met with the youngsters who are visiting Victoria for 2 weeks.

Aaron Lord returned to the side from a groin strain.

BRISBANE
The Brisbane Lions were 'kicking goals for charity' at the Gabba this weekend, courtesy of the generous support of Simex Tyres.
Simex, the Brisbane-based national tyre distributor, were match sponsors and donated $400 for every Lions goal against the Eagles to cancer research at the Wesley Research Institute.
The Lions have averaged almost 16 goals a game this year so a repeat performance will see Simex donate $6,400 to the Wesley Research Institute. A repeat of their highest single-game tally of the season - 21 goals against Hawthorn and Geelong at the Gabba in Rounds 2-6 - would earn $84,000 for this worthy charity.

Injury Update:
Craig Bolton, knee ligament strain, 2 weeks
Damian Cupido, shoulder, long-term injury

SYDNEY
Injury Update:
Jason Ball, groin, season
Stephen Doyle, ankle, 2 weeks
Daniel Hunt, shoulder, season
Heath James & Stuart Maxfield, knee, season
Mark Powell, hamstring, 2 weeks
Lewis Roberts-Thomson, & Michael Swan, knee, season
Rowan Warfe, finger, season, season

Michael O'Loughlin (hamstring) returned this week
Jarrad Sundqvist debuted.

WEST COAST
Spearhead Troy Wilson has been put on notice to finish the season strongly or likely be axed at the end of the year. Wilson, returning from injury this week, broke his collarbone in Round 10, resumed in Round 15, but was sidelined again 3 weeks ago with a calf injury. A hamstring strain saw him miss the WAFL game last week.
He is also under pressure due the emergence of rookie forward Quinten Lynch, who has kicked 17 goals in 8 games through Round 19. Also looking impressive is 2000 draft pick Andrew McDougall, who could yet debut this season.
Wilson, at 29 years of age, was a surprise selection by the Eagles in last year's preseason draft. Many questioned his ability to play at AFL level at his age, but he quickly established himself with his goalkicking and bullocking prowess. He led the club in goals with 40 last year.

Ashley McIntosh was out this week with general soreness.

FREMANTLE
Roger Hayden (hamstring) was replaced by Adam McPhee.

MELBOURNE
Peter Vardy (achilles tendon) and Daniel Ward (hamstring) are among a small group of sportsmen taking up a new type of treatment for injury. The pair have been undergoing shockwave therapy at a veterinary clinic. The treatment is common for horses, but it has been discovered that it also works on humans. The treatment involves high velocity shockwaves to the affected area to speed healing and eliminate pain.
Researchers began testing the treatment after reports that patients being treated for kidney stones were finding improvement in bone problems in the pelvic and spinal regions. The treatment has been reported in several international medical journals and one veterinary surgeon believes the treatment might also work on the dreaded osteitis pubis.
Speaking of OP, Brad Green's bout is not as serious as first thought and he was able to play this week.
James McDonald (ankle) also returned.

KANGAROOS
The Kangaroos are currently forcing their players to take a pay-cut in order to secure financial assistance from the AFL.
Wayne Jackson said that the Roos could not expect financial help from the league while they were paying their players nearly all of the current salary cap of $5.56 million.
However Jackson strongly denied the AFL was forcing the club to give its long-serving and soon to be out-of-contact dual premiership coach Denis Pagan a pay-cut.
The AFL commission, after months of negotiations with the Kangaroos, is set to grant the cash-strapped club $1 million in emergency funding next week as well as guaranteeing the club’s $2 million share from the sale of Waverley Park.
However, the breakthrough has only come about after the Roos agreed to begin working towards paying their players only 95 per cent of the total salary cap – which will rise to $5.93 million next year.
Jackson said the Roos could simply no longer afford to continue paying their players the full salary cap considering their ability to raise revenue is well behind most clubs in the competition.
The Roos have lost about $2 million in the past two years and despite winning premierships as recently as 1996 and 1999, their membership remains one of the lowest in the competition.
Jackson said the Kangaroos board – led by chairman and former VFL president Dr Allen Aylett – had responded well to the league’s demands in order to secure financial help. And he was confident that once financial assistance was granted, the Roos’ long-term future would be secured.

Brent Harvey retuned the side after 3 weeks out with a shoulder injury.
And captain Anthony Stevens has exhorted his teammates to stay focused on making the finals. Despite being ruled out the rest of the year with a torn chest muscle, Stevens plans on sticking around the club and helping everyone stay positive.

ST KILDA
Will appoint Stewart Loewe as match day captain in Round 22, his last match before retiring.
And with Robert Harvey being sidelined along a number of others throughout the season, the club has already set a record this year for match day captains. There is no designated VC. Six other players have led the side so far this year. The full list is:
Robert Harvey: Rounds 1-2, 7-10, 12-15
Aaron Hamill: Rounds 3 and 16
Jason Cripps: Round 4
Andrew Thompson: Rounds 5-6, 11
Peter Everitt, Fraser Gehrig, and Lenny Hayes the past 3 rounds respectively.
Max Hudghton captained the side this weekend.

The previous record was five shared by South Melbourne in 1937 and the Saints in 1995. That year, Danny Frawley captained 14 games, Harvey in Round 14, Nicky Winmar Rounds 3-5, Nathan Burke Rounds 12 & 15, and Stewart Loewe Rounds 13 & 16.
For the 1937 Swans, Laurie Nash skippered the side in 13 games. Covering for him in the remainder were Maurie "Mocha" Johnson in Round 5, Austin Robertson in Round 6, Terry Braun Rounds 14 & 15, and Bill Faul in Round 16.

Craig Callaghan injured his ACL in the VFL last weekend and will be out for the rest of the year. The injury could sideline for all of next season as well.

PORT ADELAIDE
Lost defender Adam Kingsley to a recurring hamstring injury this weekend.
Welcomed back Gavin Wanganeen (ankle) and Damien Hardwick (knee) from injury.

ADELAIDE
Decided not risk Mark Ricciuto (hamstring) and Simon Goodwin (ankle) this week.

Adelaide is set to offer Gary Ayres a new coaching contract within a week.
Ayres is about to complete the third and final year of his original deal and will be offered a two-year extension to remain with the Crows.
Ending months of speculation, the Crows will act ahead of schedule in re-appointing Ayres as a reward for guiding the club to its second top-four finish at the end of the home-and-away season.
After season-ending fadeouts in Ayres' first two seasons in Adelaide, the Crows board stipulated it would not consider his position beyond 2002 until the end of this season. But this year's success has prompted a slightly earlier than anticipated response.
Ayres can expect to become Adelaide's longest-serving coach by overtaking inaugural coach Graham Cornes' four years at AAMI Stadium.
He will also have an earning capacity well beyond his current deal, believed to be about $400,000 this year.
Ayres said he had no problem with the club waiting as it was stipulated from the outset that the club would wait until the current contract had finished.
Ayres' new deal will give him at least 10 consecutive years as a senior coach, after five years at Geelong between 1995 and 1999. He quit the Cats, with a year remaining on his contract, to join Adelaide.
Ayres does not have a professional manager and will discuss terms within a week.

GENERAL SILLINESS
With Showdown 12 this week, Crow Nigel Smart was the first to have a verbal go on radio. He mischievously said that he and his team "just want to get into them and bash them".
Port's Warren Tredrea was asked his thoughts on Smart's remark, to which he said dismissively, 'Good on him."

From the Fremantle on-line newsletter, someone gathered together some of the better comments from Seven's commentators:
Dennis Cometti: Scotty Cummings alone in the square, jumping up and down and waving his arms like they're playing "My Sharona"

Dermott: And the ball spills free to Kickett...
Dennis: Troy Cook you mean?
Dermott: Yes.. well, they do look rather alike.
Dennis: How so Dermott?
Dermott: (realizing that sounded rather racist.) Umm, well, they are both..er..
Dennis: ..Midfielders, yes Dermott.

After the Shaun McManus/Wirrpunda clash a few derbies back: "Shaun goes back to collect the ball, a free kick, and several teeth.'

From Melbourne v Collingwood last year:
Gerard Healy: Word is this guy is the most reliable kick for goal in the side. They say down at Collingwood if you had to have someone kicking for your life, Tarkyn Lockyer would be the man.
Cometti: I'd prefer my mum
(Silence)
Cometti: Not a great footballer, but at least she'd care.

"Ashley McIntosh, like a good hair spray...capable of a subtle hold"

"Barlow to Bateman, the Hawks are attacking alphabetically"

"The Magpies ought to be kicking themselves right now, but with their luck, they'd probably miss."

"Bell bringing the ball out of the back line.....looking for wide runners.....passes to Walker...a contradiction in terms, really"

"The only change to the Eagles side is that Rowan Jones has had a haircut"

"Farmer may have an injury to his calf........hmmm, a farmer with a calf problem."

"Parker to Carr......sounds like a match made in heaven!"

Dennis: "Dear shoots... wait on the goal umpire... behind. A wry smile there from the goal umpire, certainly a sense of the dramatic."

Don (Scott): "He's the danger man, Dennis."
Dennis: "Who? The goal umpire?"
Don: "No, Dear. Paul Dear."

Dennis: "Brennan kicks out to the outer side, straight to Paul Dear - you're uncanny Don."

"It's a goal! A dream start for Hawthorn. Spider had both his legs taken out from under him - leaving only the other six to balance on....."

"There's talk of Karl Langdon offering his services to St Kilda: as if it wasn't bad enough being in 15th position"

"Brown.....down to Jones....all we need now is Smith" Tony Liberatore had just gone into a pack as he is wont to do and came out with blood gushing from his eye: "Libba went into the pack optimistically and came out misty optically."

"Ball in dispute - Lamb - now Yze, the meat in the sandwich. Really Lamb should be in the sandwich."

After Darren Gaspar hits the post from 40 metres out: "Gaspar, the unfriendly post"
With the game all but lost in the final term last weekend, Bulldog Coach Terry Wallace decided to have a bit of fun and for a short time Kevin and Michelle Power didn't quite know when to cheer. The Bulldogs coach moved 19-year-old Sam Power to mark his older brother Luke in the second half of the AFL clash with Brisbane to "let them sort it out".
"I talked to young Sam on the way here and asked him when was the last time he played against his brother and it was in the backyard," Wallace said.
"So we thought if we got the opportunity it would be good for the two brothers to go head-to-head.
"I'm sure they'll have a bit of a chat over a soft drink at the end and try and work our who beat who for the period of time they were on each other.
"It's good family stuff."
With mum and dad looking on the two Power boys locked horns for the first time since they mucked about in the backyard of their home in suburban Melbourne.
The stats show in his third AFL game Sam Power came off the bench and picked up three kicks, two hand passes and one mark in the match in his cameo appearance.
His 22-year-old brother further enhanced his midfield credentials with 16 kicks, nine hand passes, five marks and two goals to be one of the Lions best in their 38-point win over the Bulldogs.
Power said confronting his younger but taller brother on opposite sides of the footy field was a little like "dancing with your sister".
"I pushed him and he pushed back," he said.
"I had a look at him and he was bigger than me so I said I had enough and didn't push him for the rest of the night."

And at Geelong last week, Steve Johnson, the footballer, met his namesake - Steve Johnson, racecar driver. Racer Johnson has adopted Geelong as his team

On to the scores