Recent news

It pays to stay at home...

Brendan Fevola will remain with Carlton for at least another three years after signing a new multi-million dollar deal that will see him become one of the games highest paid players.

Bruised and battered, but still game...

ADELAIDE
Injury Update:
Myke Cook, hamstring, indefinite

We have a new set of match photos posted from the Geelong v Hawthorn match, Round 17, 2008, in our gallery. Here are a few samples of the great photos taken by our photojournalists in Melbourne:

Mind games among the plays

For the second week in a row, Lions champion, Jonathan Brown sat on Channel 9’s “The Footy Show” and wrote off the Bombers. The rest of the panel unanimously agreed. On sentiment, at least the Pies would be a ‘shoo-in’ to win. All week though, the buildup, the media interest and talk back radio was about Friday night’s, ‘mid season Grand Final’, the top of the table clash between the Cats and the Hawks. However, Saturday afternoon’s encounter between the two Melbourne powerhouse clubs was not without its media interest. During the week, Essendon Coach Matthew Knights announced that the Bombers had only 26 or 28, fit players from which to choose his 22. Pies coach Michael Malthouse suggested Knights improve his arithmetic.

Ladder leaders live up to hype

Media hype dominated the much awaited clash between the Cats and Hawks - billed as a game within a game, the ‘Grand Final warm up’. These two match-winning teams have not clashed since round four, season 2007. and were ready to rumble! Drama abounded, Luke Hodge, the gun Hawks midfielder and his wife Laura are expecting their first child and the due date was, of course this weekend – would the baby arrive early for Luke and Laura?. Hawks captain Sam Mitchell said earlier in the week on Melbourne radio that at Hawthorn, the family club where family always comes first. Nature has been tugging at the heart strings of the Hawthorn faithful.

Results from up and down the Ladder

GEEL 6.3   8.10   9.12   12.16 (88)
HAW  3.2   6.5    9.8    11.11 (77)

GOALS: GEEL - S. Johnson 3, Chapman 2, Bartel 2, Mooney, Stokes, Gamble, Enright, Rooke;

HAW - Franklin 4, Williams 2, Brown 2, Roughead 2, Bateman

Ice packs all around

ADELAIDE
Injury Update:
Brent Reilly, strained medial knee ligament, 2 weeks
Jason Porplyzia, dislocated shoulder, indefinite

Quiet week

TRIBUNAL
Charges Laid:

Jobe Watson (ESS), fined $2600 for a first offense of making negligent contact with an umpire. He accepted, reducing the fine 25% to $1950.

Hawks come through for family

Auskick is the AFL's children's program in which children from the age of five and up learn the skills of the game under the supervision of accredited coaches and volunteers. The program offers a fun and safe learning environment. Each child who registers with the program at the start of the season receives a backpack of AFL "goodies". Among them are tickets for each child and their parents (or parent) to an AFL game. Tickets are given based on whom the child or parent selects as their favorite team. The AFL does issue the caveat that admission is subject to seating availability. However, try telling that to approximately 1000 kids who received tickets to the Round 17 match between Geelong and Hawthorn.

There's good news and there's bad news...

In an effort to ease tensions over Irish Gaelic footballers being recruited to Australian Football, the Tigers have come up with a plan. That plan would involve an exchange program in which players from both codes who fail to make it at the elite level in their own sport would change codes. Richmond CEO Greg Miller and prominent player agent Peter Jess are planning to meet with GAA officials in early October to discuss the idea. According to Miller, the plan would allow Irish players to play for local footy clubs in Australia while visiting for work, study and/or travel. By the same token, Australian players could do the same in Ireland.