Ten Breaks Ranks WIth Partners

G'Day Footy Fans -

SEVEN BACK IN GAME
Channel Seven, which held the broadcast rights until 2002, has joined forces with triumvirate partner Channel Ten to bid for the new broadcast deal, leaving Nine out in the cold.
The Seven-Ten alliance involves a deal for the broadcasters to annually alternate live coverage of the Grand Final, which neither network would push to televize at night. They would also share the Brownlow Medal count.
Kerry Stokes' Channel Seven would take over Friday night football from Channel Nine and Ten would push for its long-held ambition to televize three Saturday games back to back. The remaining AFL finals would be carved up by the two networks.
While Nine could bid alone or enter a similar deal with the current third partner, Foxtel, its footy broadcasts would be limited due to Friday night and Sunday afternoon commitments to rugby in NSW and QLD. It is believed the new Seven-Ten alliance has also agreed to increase free-to-air footy in the northern states.
The new alliance comes at a time when Seven is embroiled in a legal battle. Its case, alleging collusion between Fox, Ten, and Nine to rob them of the broadcast rights, is due to begin in mid-July. The suit has targeted not only the broadcasters, but the AFL, the NRL, and Telstra (which owns Foxtel) as well.
Should the two networks win the rights, their carve-up scheme would also prove a fillip for free-to-air football fans. While the Fox Football network has indicated it would push for four of the AFL's eight weekly games, Seven and Ten want six games between them, with Seven's remaining two matches coming on Sunday.
While no comments were forthcoming from Nine, it is believed that the station fired off several angry letters to rival networks, questioning Seven's right to enter a deal with Ten.
Initially, AFL boss Andrew Demetriou would communicate only by a public statement, saying that the league was exploring all options with confidence that an outcome beneficial to clubs and supporters would be reached.
It is believed that Ten chose to join forces with Seven, which pioneered TV football coverage, due to Seven's trump card in holding first and last bidding rights.
Seven paid $20 million in 1997 for the right to bid first and last over the following two rounds of media negotiations. It is thought that Ten relinquished its exclusive role as AFL finals broadcaster as part of the potential deal to be included in that last bid for the next rights round.
The next broadcast rights deal would be held from 2007-2011.

On last week's Footy Show, host Eddie McGuire said the alliance would cause big trouble for the game, and possibly force poorer clubs out of the competition.
McGuire said the move was a ploy to ensure Nine was unable to bid for the rights in order to secure the next television agreement at a far cheaper price, which would mean less revenue all around, thus creating a financial crisis for the league and sttruggling clubs.
McGuire accused Seven of having a history of trying to secure the broadcast rights at a very cheap price.
McGuire said if Nine did not bid against Seven and Ten for the next television rights agreement then the rights would be sold for far less than the previous $500 million, five year agreement, with disastrous consequences for football.

The day after Eddie's tirade, Andrew Demetriou spoke further on the issue. It wasn't very long ago that Andrew Demetriou said a night Grand Final would be held "over my dead body". But with Seven and Ten now joining forces, he has done an about face by saying it is one possibility to ensure Nine remains in the bidding for the next broadcast deal.
He has conceded that the competition, particularly the weaker clubs, would be damaged if Channel Nine pulled out of the bidding after the surprise alliance between Seven and Ten.
However, he and the 3 weakest clubs - Melbourne, the Kangaroos, and Bulldogs - were far from hitting the panic button.
He added that Seven's current lawsuit is complicating matters.
And he responded to Eddie McGuire's outburst on the Footy Show, saying it was going too far to suggest that the three Victorian clubs would be endangered if there was no auction for the next rights.
Melbourne president Paul Gardner was confident in the AFL's commitment to the continued existence of all 16 clubs. Kangaroos chief executive Geoff Walsh said it was naive to think the outcome would favor or disadvantage any club. Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon said it was early days yet, and no one "should be getting their knickers in a knot".

GENERAL NEWS
Annual Captains' Poll
All 16 club captains gathered at the MCG for a group photo as part of the league's season launch and again all were asked 5 questions, with the answers remaining anonymous.
Saint Nick Riewoldt was the overwhelming favorite among his peers to take out the Brownlow, with last year's winner Chris Judd being nominated by only 3.
All of them believe that Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Geelong, West Coast, and St Kilda will set the pace while Matthew Lloyd, Fraser Gehrig, and Brendan Fevola will be the standout forwards.
The 5 questions and answers (with all the captains voting):

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?
15 votes - Brisbane Lions, Geelong, Port Adelaide, West Coast; 14 - St Kilda;
10 - Fremantle, Sydney; 7 - Melbourne; 4 - Essendon; 3 - Collingwood; 2 - Carlton;
1 - Adelaide, Kangaroos; 0 - Hawthorn, Richmond, Western Bulldogs

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
5 votes each - Port Adelaide, St Kilda; 3 - West Coast; 2 - Brisbane Lions; 1 - Sydney

Who do you think will win the 2005 Coleman Medal?
5 votes - Fraser Gehrig, Matthew Lloyd; 4 - Brendan Fevola; 1 - David Neitz, Anthony Rocca

Who do you think will win the 2005 National's AFL Rising Star?
4 votes - Richard Tambling (Richmond); 3 - Brett Deledio (Richmond); 1 - Jared Brennan (Brisbane) Chris Egan (Collingwood), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), Angus Monfries (Essendon), Jared Moore (Sydney), Farren Ray (Western Bulldogs), Colin Sylvia (Melbourne), Nathan Van Berlo (Adelaide)

Last year at this time, only one captain nominated Gehrig to win the Coleman Medal and only one rival captain believed Geelong, which eventually finished fourth and only just missed out on a grand final berth, would make the finals.

Property Investigations
The AFL is poised to launch a major investigation into property investments and transactions involving players to ensure that these deals don't breach the salary cap.
The league, aware of burgeoning investments AFL players have made in property - including a number that involve club officials or third parties connected to clubs - will seek details of investments and transactions to ensure that such deals are not sophisticated methods for avoiding the salary cap.
The AFL is also keen to verify that legitimacy of other business deals between players and club officials, checking that these investments are bona fide commercial deals, not another salary cap avoidance scheme.
Aware of the dangers of property deals, St Kilda and Essendon are among the clubs that have taken formal steps to ensure that no player becomes involved in investment schemes that could breach the salary cap, without the club's knowledge.
Essendon is believed to have set up a meeting between AFL Investigations Officer Ken Wood and the president of the Essendonians coterie group, property developer Mark Casey, to ensure that any deals instigated by Casey with a player were within the accepted guidelines for the salary cap.
Casey, the brother of Richmond's president Clinton Casey, is involved in major residential developments and golf courses with his brother.
Some time ago, St Kilda is believed to have reported to the AFL an investment by Fraser Gehrig in a company owned by club director John Gdanski, with the investigations department giving the deal the all clear. The Saints have made it club policy that no player is to enter into deals with a club director, sponsor or executive of the club without the permission of the chief executive.
While Richmond forward Nathan Brown was widely believed to have invested in property owned by Tiger president Clinton Casey, he has not bought any property from a Casey-owned company.
A number of past and present Eagles and Dockers have also invested in property, aided by a Perth property magnate. Chris Judd and Matthew Pavlich are among the investors.
In the past years, when cheating the cap was more widespread, it was not uncommon for players to be promised a profit in their property investment, regardless of how the property fared.

WA Hall Of Fame
Fremantle Vice Patrons Jack Sheedy and Steve Marsh were elevated to Legend status in the WA Hall of Fame last week.
The champion rovers joined Barry Cable, George Doig, Polly Farmer, Merv McIntosh, George Moloney, John Todd, Nipper Truscott and Bill Walker - all of whom were inducted as Legends at last year's inaugural event.
Moving to Fremantle from Kalgoorlie as a young man Steve Marsh played 226 games for South Fremantle winning six premierships between 1947 and 1954. He was three times best and fairest at the Bulldogs and won the coveted Sandover Medal WA's version of the Brownlow) in the club’s Premiership year of 1954.
He was awarded the Simpson Medal for best a field in the 1953 Grand Final victory, was All Australian that same year and Captained, WA in 1954.
He continued his stellar career at cross town rival East Fremantle as captain/coach, taking the club to a premiership in 1957. He retired after a total of 284 games including 19 state games.
Jack Sheedy started at East Fremantle, won 4 B&F and two premierships in 1943 and 1946. Nicknamed WA’s “Mr Football”, was appointed captain/coach at East Perth where he won 3 more premierships in 1956 and 1958-59.
Sheedy played 360 games in 21 years, including a brief stint in Victoria for South Melbourne and 22 state games for WA. He coaches WA to victory over Victoria in a state game in 1961.
The champion pair are inaugural members of the Fremantle Football Hall of Legends which was created by the Fremantle Dockers in 1995 in recognition of the new club’s links with its home city heritage.
West Coast also was involved in the gala dinner with former captain Steve Malaxos being inducted. Malaxos played 374 games: Claremont (151), West Coast (66), East Fremantle (138), Hawthorn (9) and WA (10).
In a career spanning 20 seasons he played in a variety of roles from attack to defence, winning a Sandover Medal in 1984 and Premierships with Claremont in 1981 and East Fremantle in 1992 and 1994.
He won B&F's at both clubs as well as winning the Eagles' inaugural award in 1987 and captained the Eagles in 1990.
Malaxos began his coaching career in Sydney where he headed the Swans Reserves team in 1999 and 2000 and was an assistant with the Swans League side from mid-1999 to the end of the 2003 season.
He returned to WA in 2004 to become assistant coach at Fremantle, developing the club's talented midfield.
Inaugural Fremantle Coach Gerard Neesham was another member of the 10 new WA Hall of Fame inductees. Neesham played a total of 230 games for East Fremantle (79), Swan Districts (97), Claremont (42), WA (3) and Sydney (9) before coaching a further 259 games including 88 in four seasons at Fremantle.
Neesham later founded the Clontarf Academy in WA, a school which focuses on both education and football for indigenous youth.
Other Eagles to be inducted were Dean Kemp, Chris Mainwaring, and Peter Sumich.
Drug Tests for Commission
In a gesture of conciliation to the new drug-screening process for AFL players, the AFL Commission has agreed to drug testing for themselves and other league administrators.
The eight commissioners and eight executive members will be subjected to the same random testing on the same percentage scale as the players.
The testing will be done by the ASDA and overseen by AFL medical officers and doctors Harry Unglik and Peter Harcourt.
Dr. Unglik said he and Dr. Harcourt would simply "pick names out of a hat" at various times during the season and samples would then be given to an ASDA representative.
The ASDA conducts about 460 full-screen drug tests on AFL players every year. Dr Unglik said the number of tests carried out on AFL officials would correlate to the percentage of footballers tested every year.
The idea of league officials being subjected to the same random testing was brought up by the AFLPA's Brendon Gale during the negotiations for the new drug policy last year.

Clubs Nix Computer Tests
During last year's international sports medical symposium, a recommendation was made that concussed players should not return to the field until completing a series of computerized tests. The symposium was sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and world soccer's governing body, FIFA.
However, the idea has been rejected by AFL club doctors as being too expensive and time-consuming.
Coming at an annual cost to each club of about $1000 a year, the test, produced by the Australian company CogState, would require internet access in players' rooms and take at least 11 minutes to complete.

Northern Schools Get Footy
In conjunction with the newly developed footy academies in NSW and QLD, the AFL is creating scholarship programs in several schools.
A pilot program where 20 promising footballers are being provided with coaching, life skills and tuition has been set up at a school in Sydney's northwest as part of a bold move to lure more youngsters to the game and combat competition from the rugby codes and soccer.
The general manager AFL NSW-ACT, Dale Holmes, said the idea was for the sport to become "embedded in the culture" at a number of Sydney schools.
The plan, aimed at boosting incentives for the best young athletes to choose AFL, takes the contest between rival football competitions to a new level.
The league will also provide equipment such as footballs and goalposts to the schools.
Daen Lomas, 15, is a talented junior footballer and Year 10 student who is part of the first intake at Coverdale in Sydney. He said most members of his Aboriginal family from Sydney's west were into rugby league but the scholarship was motivation to continue playing Australian football, which he took up at age 10.
Lomas said he was now getting better schooling, as well as fitness training, health education, and football coaching. He also said the AFL atmosphere was better.
The NSW-AFL hopes to have intakes at five schools across Sydney next year.
Rugby union, rugby league and soccer can tie promising junior sports stars to their games via scholarships and watertight club contracts, but the AFL has not matched those incentives and doesn't need to with the draft system.
Not one NSW boy was taken by an AFL club at the 2004 national draft, and one of the biggest obstacles to developing talented players is the lack of a school-based competition.
Australian Rules is played at a handful of Sydney secondary schools and there is resistance to its introduction, especially from private schools where rugby union is dominant.
One example of this is the fact that Will Langford, the son of NSW-based AFL commissioner and former Hawthorn champion, Chris Langford, has been compelled to play rugby union for his private school on weekends despite being a talented Australian Rules footballer.
One downside, at least for Sydney and Brisbane, is that neither club will receive draft concessions for their efforts and there was no guarantee that local players coming through the new system would be drafted by the Swans or Lions.

New Attendance Record
This year's Wizard Cup set a new preseason attendance record with 307,181 fans attending the games. The previous highest attendance of 299,075 was set in 1999.
The 2005 attendance figure is 48,053 higher than the 2004 competition which saw 259,128 people follow the four weeks of competition.
The 2005 Wizard Regional Challenge practice games series also attracted record-breaking crowds. This year the series attracted a total attendance of 117,552 up from 87,707 in 2004 and 76,996 in 2003 (when attendance was first recorded).
A total attendance figure of 424,733 was recorded for the combined 2005 Wizard Cup and practice games.

Daniher Steps Down
No, Neale has not quit the Dees, but has decided that there somewhat of a conflict of interest in being a senior coach and president of the Coaches' Association. The decision came after a two hour meeting last week.
The AFLCA passed a motion to amend its constitution, which states that the association's president be a current coach. Daniher will remain as president until a replacement can be appointed. He said ideally, his replacement be a former coach, but that was not necessarily a requirement.
Daniher assumed the presidency after former head Peter Schwab departed Hawthorn last season.
New Richmond Coach Terry Wallace is the vice-president of the AFLCA, and Sydney's Paul Roos, Fremantle's Chris Connolly, Port Adelaide's Mark Williams and Essendon's Kevin Sheedy complete the executive.

One More Game for Some
The AFL gave permission for a number of players to take part in practice games this weekend. All have had interrupted preseasons due to injury recovery:
ADE - Rhett Biglands, Matthew Clarke, Michael Doughty, Chad Gibson, Simon Goodwin, Ben Hart, Luke Jericho, Chris Knights, Josh Krueger, Ivan Maric, Kris Massie, Jacob Schuback, Hayden Skipworth, Matthew Smith, Scott Stevens, Scott Thompson

CARL - Jordan Bannister, Eddie Betts, Luke Blackwell, Chris Bryan, Adrian Deluca, Brett Johnson, Troy Longmuir, Digby Morrell, Karl Norman, Ian Prendergast, Jordan Russell, Kade Simpson, Jarrad Waite, Simon Wiggins

ESS - Intra Club match

FRE - Adam Campbell, Daniel Gilmore, Roger Hayden, Brett Peake, Andrew Siegert, Scott Thornton

HAW - Tim Boyle, Matt Little, Jarryd Roughead, Simon Taylor

KANG - John Baird, Michael Firrito, Leigh Harding, Justin Perkins, Joel Perry, Lance Picioane, Kris Shore, Jesse Smith, Josh Thewlis, Nathan Thompson, Callum Urch

PA - Troy Chaplin, Fabian DeLuca, Brett Ebert, Ben Eckermann, Dale Ellis, Roger James, Brendon Lade, Byron Pickett, Matthew Primus, Jacob Surjan, Brad Symes, Adam Thomson, Elijah Ware

RICH - Intra Club Match

StK - Barry Brooks, Raphael Clarke, Luke Mullins, Luke Penny

SYD - Luke Ablett, Jared Crouch, Nick Davis, Matthew Davis, Andrew Ericksen, Ben Fixter, Adam Goodes, Nick Malceski, Ben Mathews, Jarred Moore, Matthew Nicks, Mark Powell, Jason Saddington, Tim Schmidt, Josh Willoughby

WCE - Zach Beeck, Dean Cox, Kasey Green, Jeremy Humm, Brett Jones, Mark LeCras, Phillip Matera, Daniel McConnell, Mitchell Morton, Mark Nicoski, Matt Rosa

WB - Intraclub match

TRIBUNAL
Docker Troy Cook was booked by the Match Review Panel (MRP) for charging Bulldog Daniel Cross in last week's practice game. The panel deemed that contact was intentional (3 points), of medium impact (2 points), in play (1 point), and body contact (1 point). This is a total of seven activation points, equaling a Level Three offence and 325 demerits for a 3 game suspension. Cook's clean record reduced that by 25% to 243.75 and a 2 game suspension with 43.75 demerits carried over.
Cook decided to accept the penalty and suspension.

With the new system in place, there have been questions by club officials and players regarding its effect on Brownlow eligibility. Last week, operations manager Adrian Anderson clarified the issue, saying the Commission had had approved a system ensuring the key values of the Brownlow Medal were intact.
Under the new system, any player found guilty of an offence that draws a penalty of 100 base demerit points or more will not be eligible to win the Brownlow Medal, as each set of 100 demerits equates to a one game suspension.
As in the past, any player whose offence only warrants a fine will still be eligible, as will players who receive less than 100 demerits.

TEAM NEWS

WESTERN BULLDOGS
Ruckman Luke Darcy was appointed the new team captain last week.
Darcy, who made his debut in 1994, won the role from teammate Brad Johnson, in what Coach Rodney Eade described as a tough decision. He said Darcy won the "really tight" call because of his frank approach, work ethic and ability to deliver the coach's message to his teammates.
He takes over from Chris Grant, who skippered the side since 2001.
Darcy said he will take a ruthless approach to achieving success for his club, pledging to a hard-line approach with the players, ensuring they make the most of their talents.
He believes there is more talent at the club than at any other time during his career and is sure the team can be successful with the talent at its disposal.
He even went so far as to say that a spot in the final eight was a possibility with the improvements he has seen over the preseason.

Daniel Giansiracusa and Mitch Hahn, out of contract at the end of the season, have both signed new deals with the club.
When Rodney Eade took charge as new coach, there were 17 players in the final year of their contracts and already four players - Hahn, Giansiracusa, Adam Cooney, and Farren Ray - have been secured.
He suggested Hahn, Giansiracusa, and Robert Murphy would probably provide the club's next captain. Giansiracusa said as a club leader, he felt it was his responsibility to sign a new contract quickly. Hahn's contract has been extended until the end of the 2007 season, while Giansiracusa is now contracted until the end of 2008.
Hahn said that when he heard that Giansiracusa had agreed to a new contract, he decided to follow suit.
Giansiracusa said Eade's appointment and the planned $20m community redevelopment at Whitten Oval were significant factors in his decision, while Hahn said he was excited by the group of young players at the club and wanted to repay the faith the club has shown him.
Negotiations are underway with 3 of the remaining 13 players.
Picked up at No.32 in the 1999 National AFL Draft, Giansiracusa has played 70 matches for the Western Bulldogs. He missed the final seven matches of the 2004 season to undergo shoulder surgery and says his shoulder is in better shape than ever.
Hahn, 23, was acquired at No.37 in the same draft as Giansiracusa and has forged a reputation as a hard-working and attacking midfielder.
Defender Daniel Cross spent the weekend in Perth as a precaution after getting hit in the eye with the ball during the Dogs' last practice match. Doctors suspected that Cross had detached a retina, but he was cleared of serious damage after the bleeding in his eye stopped. He will be available for Round 1.

FREMANTLE
Midfielder Daniel Haines will miss up to 12 weeks with what is commonly known as a turf toe. He required surgery to his left big toe after landing awkwardly in a marking contest during a training session.

MELBOURNE
Midfielder Brad Green has been elevated to the club's leadership group for 2005.
The announcement was made by Melbourne Coach Neale Daniher at the club's family day last week. MCG. Daniher said it was a much-deserved award for Green, whom he believes is ready to take another step up. Skipper David Neitz said it was a natural progression for Green to move into the leadership group.
Neitz said Green had very good leadership capabilities, with great organizing skills both on the field and training track.
Green joins Neitz, Adem Yze (vice-captain), Jeff White, Russell Robertson, Cameron Bruce, Clint Bizzell, Nathan Brown and Alistair Nicholson in the leadership group.

Has signed former Kangaroo Shannon Motlop to replace the late Troy Broadbridge.
Motlop had been preparing to play another season for North Adelaide in the SANFL this year.
The two clubs met last week to settle on suitable financial compensation to North Adelaide for Motlop's release.
Coach Neale Daniher said Motlop was about 4-6 weeks behind his teammates in terms of preparation, but had a tremendous upside and plenty to offer the Demons when up and running.
Motlop played 54 games for the Kangaroos 1999-2003 and was a member of the 1999 premiership side.

BRISBANE
Will have Clark Keating available for ruck duties in Round 1.
Keating played the last 10 minutes of each quarter in the final practice match last week and despite feeling a little fatigued, said he pulled up well.
Keating, who has just turned 29, has battled back-related hamstring and calf problems during the preseason and the medical staff have been patient with his recovery.
The Lions remain hopeful that Jamie Charman (shoulder), Nigel Lappin (ankle) and Brad Scott (hamstring soreness) will also recover in time for the season opener.

WEST COAST
Injury Update:
Brad Smith, knee, season
Travis Gaspar, foot, indefinite

KANGAROOS
The club held a gala dinner function to launch a new book, The North Story, last week. The book celebrates the club's 80th anniversary in the VFL/AFL and the 30 years since its first premiership. More than 3500 people were booked for the gala with every living current and past Kangaroo invited, including Wayne Carey.
Controversial player agent Ron Joseph initially refused to attend. Joseph has had a turbulent relationship with his former club in recent years, having sought the presidency when Allen Aylett returned to the chairmanship in 2001. His good friend Keith Greig planned to also boycott the affair in support of Joseph. However, both relented at the urging of Anthony Stevens, who retired at the end of last year.
Greig is one of five players nominated for "Shinboner" of the '70s, along with the colorful quartet of 1978 Brownlow medallist Malcolm Blight, Arnold Briedis, David Dench and Barry Cable. Jimmy Krakouer will vie with four others, including Wayne Schimmelbusch, for the Shinboner of the '80s.
The recently paroled Jimmy Krakouer successfully petitioned the WA Parole Board to attend the function in Melbourne. He also requested that his parole be transferred to Melbourne where he has been promised an AFL-sponsored job as well as working part-time at the club as a mentor to young players. In the AFL/AFLPA position, he will work with Michael Long and Derek Kickett mentoring young indigenous footballers.
Andrew Demetriou, who played alongside Krakouer, also wrote to the WA board on Jimmy's behalf, outlining the nature of the job which would be a joint AFL/AFLPA venture.
Both the WA and Victorian Parole Boards approved his request to relocate to Melbourne.
But Jim's brother Phil, boycotted the dinner for what he called personal issues with several club officials.
The gala was a huge success and was attended by many past and present Kangaroos.
Wayne Carey attended with his wife Sally. Carey spoke of the loss he felt when forced to quit the club, was voted the best modern day player by fans at the club's website, and received a standing ovation.

Carey said the two premierships with the club were the most 'dearest to my heart', during his 244 matches from 1989-01, while he spoke about his affection for Denis Pagan. He described Pagan as the 'best coach I've ever had'. He joked that he and his teammates all used to complain about how hard and intense Denis Pagan was, but it was only after he left the club that he realized just how good Denis was.
Meanwhile, Pagan, who guided the 1996 and 1999 premierships and was named the team of the century coach, spoke about his time at the Kangaroos, which he added was a club all about 'unity and team chemistry'.
Glenn Archer was voted by his peers as the Players' Choice Shinboner - the player who most epitomized the club's spirit.
Jim Krakouer also received rapturous applause and said it was great to be back home.
Bill Campbell, the oldest living Kangaroo at 100, who played for the club in 1929, was presented with a special print commemorating the night by current captain Adam Simpson.
President Allen Aylett, who began his career at Arden Street as a 14-year-old in the under-19s, was named as the Shinboner of the 1950s. The other winners were Les Foote, who captained the Roos in their first VFL grand final, when they lost to Essendon in 1950. He was named the Shinboner of the early league years from 1925-50.
Noel Teasdale, retrospectively awarded the 1965 Brownlow Medal, was Shinboner of the 1960s, while Malcolm Blight, who won the Brownlow in 1978, was awarded the honor for the '70s. Wayne Schimmelbusch, who played a club-record 306 games, was Shinboner of the '80s.

COLLINGWOOD
Another injury blow has hit the team with Josh Fraser ruled out 6-8 weeks after requiring arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee. This leaves the ruck stocks threadbare with Guy Richards already out with a PCL strain.
The club does have several ruck options in rookie David Fanning, Tristan Walker, Anthony Rocca, or Cameron Cloke.
Fraser, the 1999 #1 draft selection, has missed just eight matches in five years and Operations manager Neil Balme said the club was hoping Fraser's renowned durability will enable him to make a speedy recovery.
Balme said although Fraser could have continued to play with the injury, but opted for treatment now to avoid further damage.
The club is also hopeful that Nathan Buckley, who has missed a large chunk of the preseason with a hamstring strain, will be fit for Round 1.

CARLTON
The team's Wizard Cup win has been a boon off-field, with the $220,000 prize money improving the club's cash flow, boosting membership, sponsorship, and merchandise sales.
The day after the win, merchandise sales set a new record for a non-match day.
150 members were signed almost immediately after the game, and the club has signed 500 more since the win.
CEO Michael Malouf said the most valuable aspect of the win, in terms of the club's finances, was the exposure the club's new sponsors such as Dan Murphy's received from a game that was televised on free-to-air television around Australia.
The Blues last year received the least free-to-air television coverage due to the fact that Optus Oval had no lights for night games, making it very difficult to attract sponsors.
Malouf said the Wizard Cup final - with an attendance of over 43,000 fans - showed the benefit of moving to the larger Telstra Dome.
Malouf said the Blues' were now also targeting 35,000 members - up from their initial target of 33,000 (the club last year had 32,095 members after a club record 33,525 in 2003) following the Wizard Cup success with around 24,000 Blues' fans having already signed up.
And with each 1000 additional members equating to around an extra $100,000 in income, the Blues will gain an extra $200,000 - on top of the Wizard prize money - if they succeed in their aim of reaching 35,000 members.

In what is described as an amicable dispute, rookie Eddie Betts has referred a financial issue to the AFLPA. The dispute is over relocation allowances.
Betts, 18, is seeking an extra $12,590 in relocation and living-away allowances from Carlton on the grounds that his home is in Western Australia, despite having spent three seasons in Victoria playing under-18 football.
Betts and his management claim that while he was drafted from the Calder Cannons in the under-18 competition, he moved back to live with his mother in Kalgoorlie, WA, at the end of the 2004 season.
He did not return to Victoria until Carlton invited him to train with the club after being overlooked in the national draft. Betts lived for a time with his aunt in Melbourne while playing junior football.
The Blues, however, have argued that since Betts was drafted from a Victorian club and spent the best part of three years in Melbourne, that they should not have to pay the $6295 in relocation allowance and the same amount as a "living away from home" entitlement, under the rules for first-year players.
As a first-year player on a senior list who was not picked in the first or second round of the national draft, Betts is entitled to a base wage of $39,300 and $2200 per senior game, without the $12,590 in out-of-state allowances. The allowances are considered tax exempt.

Scans last week confirmed that young defender had torn a medial ligament in his right knee during the Wizard GF. He won't require surgery, but will wear a brace for 3 weeks and miss 6-8 weeks.

RICHMOND
Coach Terry Wallace made an impassioned plea to Tiger fans, urging them to become members and show some passion for their club.
He pointed out that the club had only about 21,000 members with 8800 from last year yet to sign on.
Up until now Wallace had been hoping the excitement generated by his arrival and that of top draftees Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling plus experienced recruits Troy Simmonds, Mark Graham and Trent Knobel would be enough to generate a rush of new members for the Tigers.
Wallace knows the side's poor performances of recent seasons is the reason some fans seem to have given up. However, Wallace said the Tigers' position today was no different to that of Essendon when Kevin Sheedy took over as coach in 1981. In 1980, the club finished 7th (with only a Top 5 finals) and had seen finals action just 3 times in the previous decade.
But Sheedy immediately steered the Bombers into the finals in his first six years in charge, leading them to the 1984-85 premierships, and the club has never looked back since.
Wallace said research showed Richmond had more than 400,000 supporters Australia-wide - amongst the most in the competition - yet was still struggling to boost its membership.
Wallace said those lapsed Richmond members should realize that the Tigers are already a different team from the one which lost its last 14 games last season.
The club has called on former champions to mentor its younger players. Tigers legend Francis Bourke, who will mentor Danny Meyer, is among those lending assistance.
The program, similar to one Wallace enacted during his time as coach of the Western Bulldogs, it not only will assist young players, it is designed to bring disenchanted former stars back to the struggling club.
Among the big names who will return to Punt Road will be Nick Daffy - whose knee problems ended his career after being traded to Sydney in 2002 - and Peter Welsh, who quit the Richmond board to run against president Clinton Casey late last year.
Daffy, who played 165 of his 166 AFL games with the Tigers, will be paired with Mark Chaffey, who is set to take on a tagging role this year. Welsh will be teamed up with former St Kilda ruckman Trent Knobel.
Exciting number one draft pick Brett Deledio will be paired with four-time premiership player Dick Clay while another highly rated youngster, Richard Tambling, will work with 125-gamer Phil Egan.
Richmond great Graeme Bond will be teamed up with the club's exciting new midfielder, Mark Coughlan, who endured an injury-ravaged 2004 after winning the club's best and fairest in 2003.
Wallace said the program, which he flagged to president Clinton Casey upon his arrival, would be flexible, offering mentors and players the opportunity to work out arrangements that suited them.
He said while some might get together to play golf once a week or once a month, others might opt to have a chat over the phone every now and again. In some cases, a mentor might just keep an eye on a player to offer advice sparingly.
Wallace said he would also welcome the possibility of a mentor recommending changes for a player's role in the squad.

THE OLD... MEETS THE NEW AT TIGERLAND
Frankie Dimattina (1968) - Jay Schulz; Brendon Gale (2001) - Daniel Jackson; John Nix (1956) - Nathan Brown; Michael Green (1975) - Joel Bowden; Dick Clay (1976) - Brett Deledio; Nick Daffy (1997) - Andrew Raines; Peter Welsh (1984) - Trent Knobel; Graeme Bond (1977) - Mark Coughlan; Francis Bourke (1981) - Danny Meyer; Phil Egan (1987) - Richard Tambling; Cameron Clayton (1977) - Tom Roach; Tony Free (1996) - Mark Chaffey
Mike Perry (1969) - Kane Johnson
(year in parenthesis denotes player's final season at club)

Wayne Campbell confirmed last week that this would be his final year.
The 32-year-old Campbell said he hopes to take on an informal leadership role at the club in his last year, providing guidance for the young list.
Campbell's last year will be played out as an onballer and forward, rather than in his customary midfield or roving halfback role.

In related news, Campbell has called for players to be given a greater slice of the AFL financial pie.
Campbell, a delegate to the AFL Players Association, said the vast sums of money flowing into the game were not reflected in the amount that made its way to the players.
While the 15-year veteran did acknowledge that footballers were overpaid for what they actually did, he believes what the AFL reaps should be doled out fairly.
The association estimates players receive about 26 per cent of the money generated by the clubs, whereas in the English Premier League, the figure is 62 per cent and in the American National Football League, 64 per cent.
AFL players this year officially will earn a combined total of $93.75 million, with an estimated extra $1.6 million paid to veteran players.
His comments came after it was announced last week that newly appointed Saints captain Nick Riewoldt had become the youngest millionaire in the AFL after signing an upgraded, three-year deal worth more than $600,000 a season with endorsements and bonuses boosting taking him into 7 figures.
Campbell said while he was not angling for public sympathy over the issue, the public should be made aware of what he said were the inequities in revenue sharing.
The broadcasting rights to the AFL are worth $100 million a year to the game's governing body, a deal that was criticized early in its life as being too generous on the part of the broadcasters. The current agreement expires at the end of next year and negotiations are being held on a new contract.
All of the media organizations currently holding the rights -- among them Telstra, Channel Nine, Channel Ten and Foxtel - are in the running, as is former holder Channel Seven. The new deal is expected to be even more lucrative for the AFL, which Campbell said should be mirrored in the players' slice.

2004 PLAYER EARNINGS
Earnings ('000s) - Number of players
$0-$60 - 35
$60-$100 - 111
$100-$200 - 188
$200-$300 - 107
$300-$400 - 57
$400-$500 - 24
$500-$600 - 12
$600-$700 - 4
$700-$800 -
$800 + 4

PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE PAID TO PLAYERS
75% National Hockey League (US)
64% National Football League (US)
63% Major League Baseball (US)
62% Premier League soccer (UK)
52% National Basketball Association (US)
26% Australian Football League (Aust)

Midfielder Kane Johnson has been announced as the new Richmond captain with Nathan Brown his new vice-captain.
Johnson, a lifelong Tiger fan and a member of Adelaide's two premiership teams, takes over from Wayne Campbell. Campbell presented the captain's #17 guernsey to Johnson. That number was also worn by Jack Dyer, the club's greatest player.
The other two captaincy candidates in veteran pair Matthew Richardson and Joel Bowden - whose fathers were both premiership players for Richmond - were named the joint deputy vice-captains.
While Coach Terry Wallace stressed the leadership appointments were for this year only, he said he saw Johnson as a long-term Richmond captain.
And Wallace said the fact that Johnson had been part of Adelaide's climb to premiership glory in the 1990's was a factor in making him captain.

ADELAIDE
Jason Torney (back) will be available for Round 2.

ESSENDON
Injury Update:
David Hille, calf, 3 weeks
Matthew Lloyd, broken arm, 4 weeks
Courtney Johns, hip, indefinite
Dean Solomon, knee, 2-3 weeks
Jason Laycock, knee, 3 weeks

PORT ADELAIDE
Has finalized its leadership group with Warren Tredrea being named vice-captain to skipper Matthew Primus and Michael Wilson named as deputy vice-captain.

HAWTHORN
The Hawks held their Hall of Fame dinner last week and inducted Graham Arthur, who captained the side to its first premiership in 1961, as a Legend of the club.
He joins John Kennedy and Leigh Matthews, who were announced as legends of the club at the inaugural dinner in 2003.
Former president and club bastion Ron Cook, four-time premiership full-forward Jason Dunstall, champion midfielder John Platten, decorated fullback Kelvin Moore and rover Ted Pool were inducted into the Hall of Fame as members.
They join Matthews, Kennedy, Arthur, Michael Tuck, Peter Hudson, David Parkin, Peter Knights, Don Scott, Albert Mills, Allan Jeans and former presidents Dr J Jona, Dr Sandy Ferguson and Phil Ryan as members of the Hall of Fame.
Cook was inducted into the hall at a gathering at his hospital bed shortly before his death last year, while the other four were named at last week's function, which was attended by more than 500 people.
Arthur played 232 games and kicked 201 goals for the Hawks between 1955 and 1968, was captain between 1960 and 1968 and won three best and fairests, in addition to representing Victoria 12 times. He coached the Hawks in 1964 and 1965 and after a stint in football administration in country Victoria, returned to the club as marketing manager in 1983 and has remained with the club since. He was named captain of the club’s team of the century in 2001.
Current board member Dunstall kicked 132 and 138 goals in the premiership years of 1988 and '89 and was a three-time Coleman Medal winner. He is also 3rd on the list for most career goals with 1254.
Ruck-rover Platten, with his distinctive mop of hair, tied with Tony Lockett for the Brownlow Medal in 1987 and was the club best-and-fairest in the same year.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Former Brisbane (1995-99) and Bulldog (2000-01) is currently Tasmania's football manager. He has been playing in Tassie, but has decided to take this year off to give his body a rest. He wants to resume playing next year, either in Tasmania or in the VFL.

Scott Cummings (ESS/PA/WCE/COL) has joined Lalor in the Diamond Valley League. He replaces Former Magpie/Tiger Aaron James. James quit the league last year.

Former Saint Jason Heatley, who has been playing in Tasmania, has joined another DVFL team, North Heidelberg where he began his junior career.

Delisted Kangaroo Shane Clayton has headed north to play with Eurora in the Goulburn League, where former teammate Anthony Stevens is also playing for a rival club. Clayton says he is looking forward to playing against Stevens in Round 9.

GENERAL SILLINESS
Melbourne president Paul Gardner sure knows how to rev up supporters and his club. He spoke at the recent family day gathering and suggested the team could be a challenger for the premiership this year, have a chance to crack 30,000 members, and as he said:
".... make the AFL sit up and take notice that this club isn't just the Melbourne Football Club, it's the football club of Melbourne and we are back in town."
He took a good-natured swipe at the Demons' first opponent, Essendon, saying, "Let's pump the Bombers. I'm sick to death of the Bombers. Let's get rid of the Bombers."

And one Tiger supporter named Nico made an amusing entry at the fan-based Richmond website PuntRoad.com. Seems his immediately family is split between the Tigers and Collingwood with cross-marriages. He is concerned that he will end up following the trend. He entered his family history at the site. His dad is a Tiger supporter while Mum is Collingwood. His Collingwood sister is married to a Tiger supporter while his Tiger brother married a Collingwood gal.
Mum and Dad attended the Collingwood/Richmond Wizard game together. It was the first time in 41 years the couple went to a Collingwood/Richmond match together. It was also the last, as they value their marriage too much. When Richmond defeated Collingwood in the 1980 GF, his mom and sister didn't come home for two days!

The Melbourne Grand Prix was held several weeks ago and was won by the French team. At a post-race barbecue, not attended by the winners, the French national anthem was played. One ex-footballer attending the bash and having imbibed a fair bit of alcohol, asked why the Brisbane Lions team song was being played.

Nothing like having a bit of royalty in your corner. The new Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, a native Tasmanian, is a Carlton supporter.
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks revealed this at a state reception for the Prince and Princess during their recent visit to Melbourne.
During a short speech of welcome Mr. Bracks could not resist referring to Melbourne's great sporting obsession of Australian Rules Football.
He said Aussie rules had been played in Denmark since 1991.
Mr. Bracks said Victorians had a long connection with Denmark as Danes had been among the first people to rush to the state during the 1850s gold rush.
Princess Mary also worked in Melbourne in the late 1990s.

The recent "Pledge" ads, which aired during the Wizard Cup, used the Welsh national anthem as background music.
The league chose the song because of how it related to sport and the brotherhood of sport.
In a coincidence, the Welsh rugby team is on a big winning streak in an international tournament.

Former Blue Peter Motley, whose career was tragically cut short due a near-fatal car crash, says he remembers when teammate Bruce Doull drove him home from training one night.
The only words Doull spoke during the drive were 'Yes, no, maybe and see ya'.

He also told a tale about former ruckman and current Sports Minister Justin Madden, still known around the club as "Harry". Madden was - and still is - very laid back, gangly, and jocular. Despite being president of the Players Union (now the AFLPA), he was just as capable of mischief and practical jokes as the rest.
But one incident was not intentional, according to Motley. During the 1986 end-of-season trip to Hawaii, Madden was sleepwalking through the hotel corridors one night. He had to be helped back to his room by hotel staff. That in itself is amusing enough, to see a 6'10" bloke sleepwalking. Even more amusing was that, at the time, Madden didn't wear pajamas and took his little nocturnal stroll completely starkers.

A-Grade team Boston in the Port Lincoln League finally won its first game in 3 years recently. On a total fluke.
It was early in the final term with Boston's opponents - the reigning premiers Waybacks - ahead by a massive 123 points. The umpires stopped the game and conducted a player count and discovered the Waybacks had 19 players on the field, and stripped them of their 150 points, meaning they needed to kick six goals in 20 minutes to win.
With 700 fans cheering, Waybacks fought back to within one point before the siren sounded.
And while the Boston boys celebrated long and hard, Waybacks coach Brian Ramsey accepted the blame for the stuff-up, saying that his rotation system resulted in confusion at three-quarter-time and in making wholesale changes, 10 players went on but only nine came off.

At the club's season launch last week, Saint Luke Ball revealed some of the nicknames given to his teammates.
There is Aaron "the Tripod" Fiora ("just check out his video clip," said Ball), Steven "Piggy Bank" Baker, Cain "Tarzan" Ackland (because he rarely wears shirts), Nick "the Professor" Stone, Sam "the Ladies Man" Fisher, Matt "the Goose" McGuire and Jason "Humphrey" Gram.

And that's it for this week.

GO BLUES