Hawks' 2003 Injury Cloud Has Silver LIning
G'Day Footy Fans - Hawk Mitchell The New Rising Star Final Voting: Record Attendances for 2003 Attendance highlights of the year include: The Kangaroos recorded the largest increase in home game attendance of any club with a total of 322,218 people, an increase of 94,129 or 41.3% on their 2002 total of 228,089. Other club highlights included: Club by club totals follow: Finals Ball Sponsor Gale Wants #2 Job Cup Honor For Rose Widow TRIBUNAL Tiger Mark Chaffey will miss the opening game of season 2004 after he was suspended for one match, for charging Hawthorn's Tim Clarke. Carlton's Laurence Angwin was also suspended for one game for striking Kangaroo Brady Rawlings. Demetriou Raps Tribunal MILESTONES TEAM NEWS ADELAIDE The Crows have brought back three key position players, regaining defenders Nathan Bassett, Mark Stevens, and Ben Hart BRISBANE Michael Voss will take a pay cut next season in a bid to help his club keep most of its premiership-winning combination together for 2004. Injury Update: Mal Michael (back), Martin Pike (hamstring), and Chris Scott (ankle) returned from injury this week, with Scott named to the interchange COLLINGWOOD The club has confirmed it would draft the respective sons of former club captains Ray and Tony Shaw under the revised father-son rule, It now appears a strong possibility that the Magpies could field three Shaws and three Clokes in the same team by 2005. ESSENDON Injury Update: FREMANTLE Fremantle, which lost $2.5 million in 2001, $1.8 million last season but is expected to record a $500,000 profit this year. Ironically, that turnaround has been achieved by chief executive Cameron Schwab, sacked by both Richmond and Melbourne. People, wear purple. That was the rallying call from Docker forward Paul Medhurst in the lead-up to the final against Essendon. Luke Toia has announced his retirement. Injury Update: Shane Parker (thigh) and Trent Croad (ankle) returned to the side this week. PORT ADELAIDE SYDNEY Injury Update: Following a collision in a late training drill this afternoon Ryan O'Keefe has been ruled out of Sunday's Qualifying Final against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium with a jarred shoulder. WEST COAST Injury Update: MELBOURNE KANGAROOS CARLTON HAWTHORN GENERAL SILLINESS On to the scores
Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell is the 2003 National AFL Rising Star. Mitchell enjoyed a great season, playing his 21 games in the midfield. He topped the AFL with 135 clearances. His impressive season statistics (199 kicks, 54 marks, 174 handballs) are proof of the great support he provided his midfield teammates including Shane Crawford, Peter Everitt, Richard Vandenberg and Rayden Tallis.
Mitchell became the only player at the Eastern Ranges Under 18s to win two best and fairests, taking out the award in 1999 and 2000. Overlooked at the 2000 National AFL Draft, Mitchell played with the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL. Despite playing only 11 matches, he won the VFL's best and fairest award, the 2002 Liston Trophy, polling 31 votes to win by 12 votes. He also won the Box Hill Hawks’ best and fairest that year. He made his senior debut in Round 5 2002 and went on to play nine senior matches and was named as an emergency eight times. In his first season, he won Hawthorn's 2002 most determined player award.
Mitchell won the National AFL Rising Star award polling ahead of Graeme Polak (Fremantle), Luke Ball (St Kilda), Daniel Wells (Kangaroos) and Adam Schneider (Sydney). He was presented with the National AFL Rising Star Medal by last year’s winner St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt. He has also won a National investment portfolio and the services of a dedicated National Private Banker.
Mitchell graduated to the VFL from the National AFL Pathway Program. He represented Victoria Metro in the 2000 National AFL Under 18 Championships.
The winner of the National AFL Rising Star Award was chosen by the All Australian selectors: Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Andrew Demetriou, Gerard Healy, Neil Kerley, Chris Mainwaring, Robert Walls and Wayne Jackson (Non-voting chairman).
Sam Mitchell (HAW) 332, Graham Polak (FRE) 263, Luke Ball (STK) 174, Daniel Wells (KANG) 125, Adam Schneider (SYD) 86, Ashley Sampi (WCE) 47, Michael Osborne (HAW) 38, Marc Bullen (ESS) 19, Byron Schammer (FRE) 1
Total attendances for the season reached 5,873,320, the third highest tally in 107 seasons, an increase of 4.1% on the 2002 total of 5,643,542.
Wayne Jackson thanked AFL supporters around Australia for their support.
The record attendance for an AFL season was established in 1998 with 6,119,164 while the second highest tally is 5,921,134 in 2001.
Jackson said the outcome had to be considered in the context of crowds being down this year at the MCG by 168,000 compared to 2002 due to the reconstruction of the stadium.
The attendance total also comes at a time when the collective membership of the 16 clubs is at an all time record.
HIGHEST DRAWING GAMES:
The biggest crowd for the year was the 72,393 people at the SYD/COL game in Round 21. All of the six largest drawing games involved Collingwood as follows:
72,393, SYD/COL, Telstra Stadium, round 21
68,381, COL/ESS, MCG, round 22
62,589, ESS/COL, MCG, round 5, Anzac Day
61,868, COL/BRIS, MCG, round 19
61,058, COL/RICH, MCG, round 1
60,010, MELB/COL, MCG, round 11, Queen’s Birthday
Brisbane drew 348,892 to their home games, an increase of 53,052 or 17.9% on their 2002 Gabba total of 295,840.
Fremantle drew 337,486 people to their home games, an increase of 47,542 or 16.4% on the 2002 total of 289,944.
St. Kilda drew 321,393 people to their home games, an increase of 33,478 or 11.6% on the 2002 total of 287,915.
Sydney drew 365,181 people to their home games, an increase of 72,427 or 24.7% on the 2002 total of 292,754.
Note: Sydney’s eight home games at the SCG this year totaled 216,068 at an average of 27,008 a 31.9% increase on last year’s SCG total of 163,835 at an average of 20,479 per SCG home game.
Sydney’s three home games at Telstra Stadium this year totaled 149,113 at an average of 49,704, a 15.7% increase on last year’s total of 128,919 at an average of 42,973 per Telstra Stadium home game.
2003 Total Avg Per Game 2002 total Avg % up/down
ADE 489,765 44,524 473,752 43,068 3.4
BRIS 348,892 31,717 295,840 26,895 17.9
CARL 301,824 27,439 356,311 32,392 -15.3
COL 551,364 50,124 556,688 50,608. -1
ESS 479,099 43,554 513,095 46,645 -6.6
FRE 337,486 30,681 289,944 26,539 16.4
GEEL 285,685 25,971 297,441 27,040 -4
HAW 326,450 29,677 376,065 34,188 -13.2
KANG 322,218 29,293 228,089 20,735 41.3
MELB 307,459 27,951 304,413 27,674 1
PA 350,296 31,845 334,550 30,414 4.7
RICH 391,933 35,630 360,760 32,796 8.6
StK 321,393 29,218 287,915 26,174 11.6
SYD 365,181 33,198 292,754 26,614 24.7
WCE 418,847 38,077 395,220 35,929 6
WB 275,428 25,039 280,705 25,519 -1.9
Network Ten has expanded its role in this year’s 2003 AFL finals series by agreeing to a new sponsorship arrangement with the AFL. Ten’s logo will appear on the match day balls.
Brendon Gale has put his hand up for the job of football operations boss of the AFL. Gale, who was president of the AFL Players Association during the final years of his playing career before resigning at the end of 2002, is one of a list, recently pruned to 20 candidates to replace AFL chief executive-elect, Andrew Demetriou.
However, a clear frontrunner has emerged in Port Adelaide's CEO Brian Cunningham, who has not yet applied for the position but is believed to be favorite among the AFL hierarchy.
Another key contender is Demetriou's close friend and AFL colleague Ben Buckley, who has been mooted to become the Demetriou's deputy and oversee both football and commercial operations in a restructured AFL.
Cunningham, 51, played 263 games for Port Adelaide's SANFL team before taking over as the club's CEO in 1992 and later becoming a prime-mover in the club's move into the AFL. It is believed that any official application would not be submitted until after the season.
Demetriou has said his replacement would be decided by an internal process and that the AFL would not use consultants. The list of 20 candidates will be cut to about 10 before the interview process begins.
Gale played 244 games for the Tigers 1990-2001. Since retiring, he has worked full-time as a lawyer and part-time in the media for Channel Nine and ABC Radio 774.
Bob Rose's widow, Elsie, will present the premiership cup this year, and Kevin Rose feels sure she will perform the duty brilliantly even if she has to hand the trophy to someone other than Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley.
St. Kilda's only premiership captain, Darrell Baldock, will present the Norm Smith Medal.
Footscray's first premiership coach, Charlie Sutton, who described the proliferation of interstate finalists as "a little bit hard to take", will present the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach.
Teenage pop singer Delta Goodrem, who is having treatment for Hodgkin's disease, has informed the AFL she will not be able to sing the national anthem and Waltzing Matilda. The league is yet to announce a replacement.
The charges against West Coast's Ashley McIntosh and Richmond's Matthew Richardson were withdrawn.
Umpire Corin Rowe reviewed the video of the charge he laid against McIntosh and it was his view that the contact was made with the shoulder and not a raised arm. Contact was high, and did warrant a free kick, but did not constitute a strike.
Umpire Mathew Head reviewed the video of the charge he laid against Richardson and it was his view that the amount of force did not constitute a reportable offence and a 50 metre penalty on the day was sufficient in the circumstances.
Field umpire Schmitt said he saw Chaffey crash into the back of Clarke, who was attempting to take a mark inside Hawthorn’s attacking 50, describing the contact as unreasonable and unnecessary.
In his defence, Chaffey told the tribunal his intention was to mark the footy, but being a windy day, it dipped at the last minute, causing him to pull out of the contest and minimize the ‘inevitable’ contact.
The tribunal found the contact was reckless and forceful. It was the second time this year he has been suspended for charging; he missed this season's opening match after been reported during the preseason competition.
Umpire Matthew James described Angwin's contact, with a round-arm motion and clenched fist to Rawlings’ chest as ‘quite forceful’ and enough to leave Rawlings winded for a brief period.
Angwin defended his actions as an attempt to tackle, adding he had ‘no intention’ to strike Rawlings.
But Tribunal chairman Brian Collis felt the contact was both a ‘forceful blow’ and ‘reckless act’, suspending the 20-year old for one match.
Both Chaffey and Angwin will be eligible to play in the preseason competition.
Andrew Demetriou has criticized the tribunal's handling of the controversial Brodie Holland case last week, saying it failed to "do the right thing" by Sydney's Paul Williams.
Holland was suspended for two weeks for striking Williams - a decision widely criticized for its leniency. The Magpies claimed Williams had provoked Holland, but did not put the claims to Williams to allow him to defend himself.
Demetriou, who reviewed transcripts of the hearing, said that the tribunal had acted wrongly.
Demetriou ruled out reopening the case and did not comment on Holland's sentence, but said the hearing would be reviewed at the end of the season.
400 matches: West Coast Eagles. West Coast contested its 400th premiership match this weekend, since joining the competition in 1987.
300 matches: Adelaide Crows. Adelaide played its 300th premiership match this weekend, since joining the competition in 1991.
50 club games: Jarrod Molloy (COL)
Finals Series Coached: Kevin Sheedy (ESS). Sheedy coached Essendon into his 18th finals series, moving into second position on the all-time list for most times coaching a team into the finals. The leading coaches in VFL/AFL history are Jock McHale (COL, 27 seasons), Kevin Sheedy (ESS, 17 seasons), Allan Jeans (StK & HAW, 17 seasons), Dick Reynolds (ESS, 16 seasons), Tom Hafey (RICH,, COL, SYD, 14 seasons), David Parkin (HAW, CARL, FITZ, 14 seasons), Checker Hughes (RICH & MELB, 13 seasons), Norm Smith (MELB & So. MELB, 12 seasons), and Michael Malthouse (FOOTSCRAY, WCE, COL, 12 seasons)
Injury Update:
Martin Mattner, back, 1 week
Andrew Crowell, knee, season
The Lions will have to overcome an unusual hoodoo if they are to become the first team in 46 years to win three successive premierships.
The Lions begin their campaign from third position and that position has surprisingly been an enormous “bogy” for teams in the past two decades.
While Adelaide won premierships from fourth and fifth in 1997 and 1998 respectively and Carlton reached the grand final from sixth in 1999 – only once since the final eight began in 1994 has a team finishing in third place even made the grand final.
And that was in 2000 when Melbourne coped a 10-goal hiding from Essendon in the GF.
Before that the last time a third-placed team made the grand final was Geelong way back in 1989 while you have to go all the way back to 1982 for the last time a team won the premiership from third position on the ladder.
And that was in the days of the final five when Carlton beat Richmond in what was the Tigers most recent grand final appearance.
It’s not just the fact that finishing third on the ladder has resulted in no premiership successes in the past two decades that makes it something of a “hoodoo” .
The other aspect is the circumstances that have conspired to end the hopes of third-placed teams in recent years.
In the first year of the final eight in 1994 the curse hit the third-placed Kangaroos, who after earning the week off following a first-up win over Hawthorn, went in hot favorites in the preliminary final against Geelong.
But the Roos lost in heart-breaking fashion when the Cats won the game with a kick after the final siren. A rushed kick from Leigh Tudor somehow floated over the head of Kangas’ full-back Mick Martyn and into the hands of Gary Ablett just metres from goal as the final siren sounded.
The following year third-placed Richmond was beaten so badly in the preliminary final by Geelong that one of its players – Michael Gale – even kicked the ball the wrong way during the course of the game.
In 1996 it was Brisbane’s turn as it was outclassed by the Roos in the preliminary final while the curse struck again big time the following year.
That was when the third-placed Bulldogs appeared to be cruising into their first grand final for 36 years when they led Adelaide by five goals midway through the final term of the preliminary final.
Then a snap-shot by Tony Liberatore looked to have gone through for the sealer but was given a behind – a decision which still baffles and angers Bulldogs’ fans to this day.
The Crows promptly kicked the last five goals to snatch the game by two points and went on to win the flag the next week.
In 1998 and 1999 Sydney and Brisbane were knocked out of the finals prior to the grand final while in 2001 Port Adelaide went out in “straight sets” after losing a semi-final to Hawthorn, who staged a stirring comeback highlighted by a John Barker mark and goal from the supposedly “dead pocket” at AAMI Stadium.
And last year saw Adelaide lose its best player Andrew McLeod to injury and then have another star Tyson Edwards knocked out by Collingwood’s Jason Cloke as the Pies went on to end the hopes of the third-placed Crows.
And now even before the 2003 finals series started it appears the curse of third place has hit again with the Lions’ losing key players Brad Scott (broken ankle) and Aaron Shattock (strained knee) to season-ending injuries in the final home and away game.
So the question remains ‘Is the curse of the third-placed team in September about to strike again?’
He has agreed to a revised deal as part of a new four-year contract that will tie him to the Lions for the rest of his career in a multi-million dollar deal.
As Brisbane tries to cut more than $1 million from its wages, the club and Voss agreed to a reduced pay packet with a view to Voss moving on to the veterans' list in 2005.
Under the agreement, Voss and teammate Justin Leppitsch will be contracted to the club until the end of 2007.
The Lions are hoping the Voss deal will help the club re-sign most of its out-of-contract players. Despite significant offers from elsewhere, Luke Power is expected to remain and Jason Akermanis is also on the verge of a new deal by signing at the end of September.
The club also wants to retain Nigel Lappin and will also offer Daniel Bradshaw a new, reduced deal. With Darryl White the only Lion due to move on to the veterans' list in 2004, 35-year-old full-forward Alastair Lynch has indicated he would like to continue for another season.
Jared Brennan (groin) 1 week
Chris Johnson (shoulder) test
Beau McDonald (knee) 2 weeks
Dylan McLaren (knee) test
Craig McRae (hamstring), 1 week
Brad Scott (ankle) season
Aaron Shattock (knee) 1-2 weeks
Collingwood's stunning success since its wooden spoon year of 1999 is set to pay off handsomely this year with the club set to reap a record $2 million profit and provide a bank balance of more than $4 million. CEO Greg Swann confirmed the club would exceed last year's profit of $1.5 million and was facing a minimum return of $1.7 million, a figure he expected to jump to $2 million if the Pies played in the grand final.
Swann said the club would be adopting a relatively conservative approach to its coming profit, which will mark the third consecutive season that the Magpies have made more than $1 million.
Since Eddie McGuire became president of the club and vowed to rebuild it in late 1998, the club has turned around from a million-dollar deficit in McGuire's first season, to a six-figure profit in 2000 under new chief executive Swann, followed by a total profit of an estimated $4.5 million over the past three years. The club has also exceeded 40,000 members this year for the first time in Victorian AFL club history
Brayden Shaw, the son of the club's last premiership captain Tony, has known since late last year that he would be picked up by his father's club in the 2004 draft. One of the country's most promising teenaged midfielders, he will be taken in exchange for a third-round pick, while Heath, son of Ray, will be exchanged by the Magpies for a second-round pick, which is unlikely to be higher than the early 30s in the national draft.
The Magpies chose to announce the deal with the Shaw cousins on the eve of the club's finals campaign because of the increasing interest from other clubs regarding the boys. Both have been training with the Magpies every Wednesday since July, although Heath has been nursed through a bout of OP.
Brayden was captain of the Victoria Metro side which finished runner-up in this year’s Under-18 National Championships. At 180 cm and 84 kilograms, he’s a classic ‘Collingwood six-footer’ – an on-baller who can go forward and kick a few goals.
Not unlike his brother Rhyce, Heath is a half-back flanker and wingman with good skills overhead.
With Jason Cloke now an integral part of the Magpies' senior line-up and younger brother Cameron drafted last year, the third son of David Cloke is expected to be picked up by Collingwood at the end of next season under the father-son rule despite efforts by Richmond to secure the promising schoolboy.
Utility Paul Barnard announced his retirement just before the Bombers' final against Fremantle. Barnard, 30, told his teammates the news just before they ran out on to Subiaco Oval.
Barnard has played 150 AFL games - the last on July 26 when the Bombers beat Melbourne. He played 11 games with Hawthorn before moving to Essendon in 1996.
Barnard plans to move back home to Western Australia soon with wife Melissa and two-year-old son Kurtis and is hoping to work somewhere in business and will also actively seek a football coaching job for 2004.
He told Coach Kevin Sheedy six weeks ago that his body had finally succumbed to the rugged playing style that had earned him respect for his toughness throughout the competition. Barnard said he knew his "use-by date" had come.
Jobe Watson (groin) season
Jason Winderlich (groin) season
Jordon Bannister (collarbone) season
Adam Ramanauskas (surgery) season
A group of local businessmen are putting together a bid to purchase the naming rights to Subiaco Oval, with the intention of renaming it Fremantle Oval. The idea, which comes after mobile telephone company Crazy John's failed in its attempt to rename the arena Crazy John's Stadium, was confirmed by Ferment's Mayor Peter Tagliaferri. He said talks already had taken place on the issue
Medhurst made the plea just before training on Tuesday night, which saw a crowd in excess of 5000 turn out for the Dockers’ last public training session before the big game.
Kevin Sheedy pleaded with Essendon fans to turn Telstra Dome in to a ‘House of Horrors’ in round 21 when the Bombers got hold of Fremantle in the last term and beat them by 10 goals, and Medhurst wants to return the favor this week.
Medhurst said that far from telling the players to tone down the goal celebrations, Coach Chris Connolly wanted them to arc them up and get the crowd involved.
Toia broke his neck in 2001 in the WAFL when his legs were taken out from under him while flying for a mark, and he said he felt like he was jinxed to a certain degree, but also very fortunate.
He began his career as a 16 year old under inaugural coach Gerard Neesham and has played 63 games with the club.
Toia said he would be seeing a neurologist next week in relation to complications with his neck injury, but praised the work of club doctor Ken Withers and especially the efforts of the reclusive but brilliant club physiotherapist Jeff Boyle.
Coach Chris Connolly said Toia wouldn’t be given a send-off this week because he was still a listed player and could still play if the club was struck with injuries.
Troy Cook (broken ankle) season
Greg Edgcumbe (knee) season
Clive Waterhouse (groin) season
Injury Update:
Josh Francou (knee) season
Matthew Primus (knee) indefinite
Steven Salopek (shoulder) season
The Swans suffered another injury blow last week. This time it was Coach Paul Roos, who ruptured an Achilles tendon while playing basketball. He had surgery and will be hobbling around on crutches for several weeks.
He was unable to effectively give instructions on the field during several training sessions and retired to the coaches box and had instructions relayed by runners.
Jason Ball (shoulder) season
Ben Fixter (adductor) season
Michael O'Loughlin (hamstring) 2-4 weeks
Jason Saddington (knee) 2-3 weeks
Scott Stevens, who had previously been named as an emergency will be elevated to the team. Mark Powell has been added to the emergency list.
Coach John Worsfold will be offered a new long-term contract as part of a three-year plan aimed at winning the premiership for the third time. The plan, formalized by the Eagles' last week, was confirmed by chairman Dalton Gooding.
Gooding said the board had also agreed to a three-year contract for CEO Trevor Nisbett, ending speculation that he will be a candidate for the job of AFL football operations manager. Gooding said the Eagles' board had given its approval for Worsfold, who has a year to run in his contract, to be signed up until the end of 2006.
Andrew McDougall (fractured jaw) 1-2 weeks
After four years in an assistant coaching role, Brian Royal and the Melbourne Football Club have parted company.
It’s not immediately clear whether Royal, who it's understood had been short-listed for several senior coaching appointments in recent seasons, will pursue a position with another AFL club.
Royal joined Melbourne after holding down a similar role with the Western Bulldogs where, as a courageous rover, he played 199 games between 1983 and 93.
Midfielder Brent Harvey, who has had an outstanding season this year, has signed a new 3 year contract.
Carlton defender Glenn Manton wants to continue as a top-level footballer - the twist is that he wants to try his hand - well, ah...his foot - at soccer. He is currently trying out as a goalkeeper with National Soccer League club South Melbourne, believing the skills he honed as an AFL full-back could serve him well as a keeper.
Manton has been training with the club but said he did not expect any favors from South Melbourne and would be happy just to get a game with one of the NSL's leading clubs. But he said that if he did not make it as a goalkeeper, he would go ahead and nominate for the AFL draft in a bid to remain in football.
Manton, 30, approached South Melbourne some time ago about a tryout and recently had a meeting with South coach Stuart Munro.
And while soccer fans might scoff at the idea, South Melbourne is open-minded about Manton's cross from a rival code.
Coincidentally, both the club's back-up keepers - Dean Anastasiadis and Freddie Au - are injured, while No. 1 keeper Eugene Galekovic is set to play for Australia's under-23 team, the Olyroos, against Turkey on September 10.
ST KILDA
The father and half-brother of rookie Brendon Goddard faced a Melbourne court last week on drug charges. Beau Goddard, 25, and 6 others appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court accused of heroin trafficking after raids across Melbourne.
Robert Goddard, 45, the father of Beau and Brendon, were charged with possessing marijuana and the proceeds of crime. Brendon Goddard, 18, is not implicated in the allegations.
During brief hearings, Robert Goddard's bail was continued. Beau Goddard and his six co-defendants did not apply for bail. Detectives cracked the drug syndicate after monitoring phone calls between Beau Goddard and the others between February and August this year.
Detective Senior Constable Brett Pattie told the hearing that blocks of heroin were sold for between $105,000 and $115,000. Police found $17,000 and a quantity of marijuana at Robert Goddard's home. During raids on eight homes and a shop, police found almost two kilos of heroin, 350 ecstasy tablets, two heroin presses, and $43,000 in cash. Police seized two cars, two imitation pistols, and electrical and household goods worth $250,000. All eight defendants will appear again in the same court for a committal mention hearing on December 19.
Hawthorn has asked senior players to accept pay cuts totaling about $600,000, to ensure the club retains key out-of-contract players. It is understood that the proposed cuts would target only well-paid senior players, including Shane Crawford, Nick Holland, Jonathan Hay, Peter Everitt, Nathan Thompson, John Barker and Ben Dixon.
The Hawks spoke to their 15-player leadership group last week and outlined the club's salary cap difficulties, which have them under pressure to retain leading uncontracted players Jade Rawlings and Angelo Lekkas.
The Hawks also have to find room to re-contract Rising Star winner Sam Mitchell.
Having spoken to the senior players first, club officials later addressed the remainder of the list.
While the club has asked for an overall reduction in player payments of about 10 per cent, or $600,0000, it has no intention of making cuts across the board. Contracted senior players, such as Nick Holland and Jonathan Hay, are likely to bear the brunt of the cuts, though the players can refuse any such deal.
If retention of key players is the main thrust of the pay cuts, the club's financial situation is also a factor, with the Hawks only expecting a break-even result, rather than the huge profit it had budgeted for this year.
Football manager John Hook said it was explained to the players that some sacrifice was required to ensure the retention of players such as Rawlings and Lekkas and to ensure that others, like Mitchell, were given proper reward.
Geelong has expressed interest in acquiring Rawlings, who would command at least $350,000. Lekkas would not have the same currency, but is among Hawthorn's best performers this year.
Holland and skipper Shane Crawford, the club's two highest earners next year, will be eligible for veteran status in 2004 - meaning only half of their wages counts under the total player payments. That will free up several hundred thousand dollars.
While trading Daniel Harford to another club could provide a further saving - Harford is believed to be contracted for between $275,000 to $300,000 in 2004 - Hook said the Hawks could not count on such a deal.
The salary squeeze would be even more traumatic for Hawthorn had it not managed to trade the highly paid Trent Croad at the end of 2001 - though this deal was secured 12 months before it acquired the expensive Peter Everitt from St Kilda and lost Daniel Chick to West Coast.
Crawford signed a new four-year contract at the end of last year and, like Holland, his deal was backloaded for the period when he would qualify as a veteran.
The bulk of the players earmarked for cuts - Crawford, Thompson, Everitt, Barker, Dixon and Holland - are managed by major management company Elite Sports Properties, which attacked Hawthorn for its handling of the pay cuts. It suggested that the club was making the players responsible for its own mismanagement.
A company spokesman said it was disappointing that the players had to bear the brunt and that the club did not contact the company about the cuts.
AFLPA CEO Rob Kerr spoke to Hook and to the managers of the players who have been asked to bear the brunt of the cuts.
Jason Cloke has a new lock about him, blonde with a red tinge. But it was not his idea. It seems his younger siblings are responsible.
Said Cloke, “A couple of weeks ago they got me when I was just sitting there doing nothing. They came up and chucked some stuff in it and it made it go a bit purple. I was just trying to get rid of it a bit.”
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