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2023 Midseason Rookie Draft

Lisa Albergo — Wed, 31 May 2023 21:42:13 +0000

2023 Midseason Rookie Draft Lisa Albergo Wed, 05/31/2023 - 17:42

The mid-season draft was held at the end of May with clubs allowed to fill out their lists provided they had open spots available. Often these are players who were either overlooked in the regular drafts or they are "mature-age" players who perhaps weren't ready to be drafted at 18 or 19 years old.

The number of the pick precedes the name of the player selected and the current club of the player follows their name. Two rounds were held but not all clubs had picks in either round. Carlton, Gold Coast, Adelaide, St Kilda, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Collingwood didn’t participate in the draft as they didn’t have any available list places. GWS had selections 5 and 14 but passed on both. Clubs are listed in alphabetic order.

ESSENDON

(9) JAIDEN HUNTER (Perth, WAFL), 21, 190cm (6'1"), 93kg (204 lbs), tall forward
Has been eligible for the draft for the past few years with several clubs showing interest. Came back from a recent injury to kick 11 goals in his past three games

FREMANTLE

(8) ETHAN STANLEY (Box Hill, VFL), 19, 188cm (6'0"), 81kg (178 lbs), wingman
Athletic, has speed, uses the ball well and can kick long. A standout playing for the Young Guns against Vic Country.

GEELONG

(7) MITCH HARDIE (Woodville-West Torrens, SANFL), 26, 185cm (5'9"), 82kg (180 lbs), midfielder
Mature-age recruit who has played in Canberra and Adelaide. He and current Cats were teammates at Woodville.

HAWTHORN

(3) CLAY TUCKER (Eastern Ranges), 19, 204cm (6'5"), 99kg (217 lbs), ruckman
Considered the best young ruckman for the midseason draft in some time. Several clubs showed some interest last year but he was overlooked in the draft. Has good mobility for his size, can dominate the ruck for his team, and can push forward to kick goals.

(12) BRANDON RYAN (Northern Bullants), 25, 200cm (6'4"), key forward
A mature-age recruit, he dominated in the VFL last year with his goal kicking and marking (catching the ball) ability). His cousin Luke Ryan plays for the Dockers.

NORTH MELBOURNE

(2) ROBERT HANSEN, JR (Subiaco, WAFL), 19, 180cm (5'7"), 70kg (155 lbs), small forward
Has speed and can apply plenty of defensive pressure. Started in Subiaco's reserves side but impressed enough to progress to the seniors.

PORT ADELAIDE

(11) QUINTON NARKLE (Essendon VFL), 25, 182cm (5'8), 83kg (182 lbs), midfielder
Former Cat gets another chance. Played 41 games before being delisted at the end of 2022. Just missed getting a spot with Richmond at the start of the season.

RICHMOND

(4) MATT COULTHARD (Glenelg, SANFL), 22, 176cm (5'6"), 69kg (152 lbs), small forward
Has speed and is dangerous near goal with his crumbing ability. Likened to Cat Tyson Stengle. Snuck in for eligibility with just his third SANFL game just days before the draft. His four goal haul in wet conditions didn't hurt either.

(13) JAMES TREZISE (Richmond VFL), 20, 188cm (6'0"), 76kg (167 lbs), defender
Has the versatility to play a variety of positions. Was a member of his junior premiership team last season before joining the VFL. Is a good interceptor in defense and push up the ground.

SYDNEY

(6) HARRY ARNOLD (Brisbane VFL), 24, 194cm (6'2"), 85kg (187 lbs), defender
Graduated from Gold Coast's academy before heading to Brisbane's reserves side. Has the size to match up on oppositions' key forwards, knows when to stay with his opponent or peel off to intercept.

(15) JACK BULLER (Claremont, WAFL), 22, 199cm (6'3"), 99kg (217 lbs) , forward
A powerful forward who can take a turn in the ruck. played well in Claremont's grand final loss last year. A strong performance against South Fremantle this year caught the eye. He also worked with a distance runner to improve his fitness.

WCE

(1) RYAN MARIC (Gippsland Power), 19, 193cm (6'2"), 84kg (185 lbs), forward
A four goal performance in round one caught the eye and he has been doing well ever since. Is an excellent kick, has footy smarts, and can kick goals.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

(10) CALEB POULTER (Footscray VFL), 21, 193cm (6'2"), 80kg (176 lbs), midfielder
Played 121 games for Collingwood after being drafted in 2020 before being delisted at the end of last year and had the interest of Gold Coast. Tall and athletic.

Source: afl.com.au

Hawthorn Investigation Ends

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 30 May 2023 21:17:53 +0000

Hawthorn Investigation Ends Lisa Albergo Tue, 05/30/2023 - 17:17

The AFL has dismissed the independent panel which was formed to investigate the racism allegations against Hawthorn, former coach Alastair Clarkson, former assistant coach Chris Fagan, and welfare officer Jason Burt. The conclusion, called "imperfect" by AFL CEO Gil McLachlan, was that none of the three had anything to answer for.

All three have denied the allegations since the outset. The complainants, who initially supported the probe, no longer wish to take part in the independent investigation and they won't pursue any further legal action against the AFL. Although the panel has been disbanded, it does not preclude the league bringing future charges against the club. McLachlan said the AFL would move as quickly as possible to finalize whether any charges would be levelled against Hawthorn.

Chris Fagan released a statement, saying he felt vindicated, " ... I have always vigorously defended myself, and will always do so, as I have done nothing wrong. I am proud of my record, built up over four decades, of nourishing not just the football careers but also the lives of the young people I have coached. This includes all of the First Nations players I have been fortunate enough to coach." Fagan thanked all those who had supported him, including "very many First Nations players I coached at Hawthorn, Melbourne and now at the Brisbane Lions ... The investigation has taken a very damaging toll on my family and me, and the many people involved ... ".

The panel was appointed in September of last year after allegations of how indigenous players were treated at Hawthorn during Clarkson's tenure as senior coach. Clarkson, who was appointed North Melbourne's senior coach, recently took a leave of absence from the club due to the toll the investigation was taking on him. It is unknown when he will return now that the investigation is over. Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves resigned last week after more than five years in the job, saying he needed to focus on his wellbeing.

Hawthorn released their own statement, "It has been a complex and delicate situation for everyone. We acknowledge that it has had a significant emotional toll on all those involved. The club is committed to continue to listen and learn to ensure we create an inclusive environment for our First Nations people. Since the panel was set up, the club has cooperated fully ... we have always wanted to see it resolved fairly and quickly ... The club hopes this creates an opportunity for healing and to address the hurt felt by many."

Included in the AFL statement were a number of resolutions. Among them were: the complainants want to resolve all issues with the AFL, complainants do not want to " ... pursue the Independent Panel Investigation ... or make any claims against the AFL ... ". There were acknowledgements as well. Some those were that " ... each one of the Complainants feels hurt, pain and anguish following their time at Hawthorn ...", " ... the manner in which their allegations were leaked to the media was not in any party’s best interests ... ", " ... the Independent Panel ... was a positive and constructive process ... ".

The league press statement also listed initiatives they are taking to improve the game's inclusivity and combat racism which include Indigenous board representation across all 18 AFL clubs, increase cultural diversity of AFL umpiring and officiating cohort and workforce, design and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and retention strategy for the AFL, development of Risk management strategies and plans relating to cultural capability and related policies in clubs, standardized education to assist understanding of these policies and how they work and in particular assist players to exercise their rights to make reports under those policies and more generally to seek support, ask questions and report concerns, establish a rules of engagement document to guide this work to establish some basic standards and principles.

Training programs would include cultural safety and awareness training programs for all AFL and AFLW club staff, access to resources for cultural safety and awareness training to Community Leagues and Clubs. Training on vilification and discrimination to be available for community stakeholders in 2023; virtual information session from Facebook / Instagram to AFLW / AFL Players and Clubs on use of new features to protect against online abuse, training and implementation of the Social and emotional well-being wheel that supports culturally appropriate and relevant well-being models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as players and staff; Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Training for all relevant club staff, improve cultural capability of player managers, including working with AFLPA to include as a requirement for accreditation. The league will also consider a centralized racial vilification tribunal model for community football leagues and clubs, as well as programs to support and collaborate with AFL and AFLW players on advocacy for community racism and inclusion issues.

Source: afl.com.au

Gillon McLachlan

Bombers Cruise Through Eagles' Nest

chris kowald — Sat, 27 May 2023 14:12:46 +0000

Bombers Cruise Through Eagles' Nest chris kowald Sat, 05/27/2023 - 10:12

The Essendon Bombers accounted for the West Coast Eagles in a match in which the Eagles recorded their ninth consecutive loss. The Eagles were more competitive than last week, but lacked the class of Essendon's forward entries. The Eagles made two more attacking forays than the Bombers but their delivery and goal kicking was poor. At the other end, Essendon were more efficient in attack and were far more accurate with their set shots at goal.

The Eagles began by applying good pressure in the midfield, but Zach Merrett and Mason Redman gained plenty of possessions for the Bombers and the run of Nic Martin gave the Bombers more opportunities. Within the first thirty seconds Jake Stringer had kicked to Kyle Langford who marked and goaled. The Don's next two goals came from snaps from Redmond and Archie Perkins. The Eagles didn't panic and kept to their game plan of using the ball across the field to spread play. At the fifteen-minute mark they moved the ball across the 50 meter arc to Oscar Allen who marked (caught the ball) and kicked truly from long range. Two minutes later a chain of passes out of defense ended with Allen booting his second. The quarter was then evenly balanced until Essendon scored the last goal, after Sam Draper laid a good tackle on Bailey Williams to win a free kick.

Draper marks (Woodley/AFANA)

In the second quarter Williams, won more hitouts against Draper and the Eagles evened the clearances. Despite this, Essendon booted the first goal with a snap out of the pack by Will Snelling. Two minutes later Jack Petruccelle was caught high by Draper and converted his free kick to give the Eagles reward for effort. The game was played between the half back zones with both teams spreading the ball wide and across the ground when building attacks. West Coast played man-on-on man in defense which prevented Essendon from playing their preferred attacking style of chipping their way through the opposition's defense. The Bombers were forced into playing a more contested style of football, which didn't slow them down too much as they had the edge in contested possessions. The Bombers pulled away in the second half of the quarter with goals to Matt Guelfi and Jake Stringer.

The Eagles battled hard in the third quarter but again were let down by their work forward of the center. When the Bombers got the ball in defense they generally worked it well through chains of possession into attack. However, the Eagles defenders of Tom Barrass, Shannon Hurn, and Liam Duggan were up to the task and stopped the game from becoming a blowout. After seven minutes of play, Ben Hobbs booted the first goal of the quarter for the Bombers. The highlight of the quarter for the Eagles was Hurn booting the ball out of defense and then moving forward to take the next kick into attack, which was marked by Jake Waterman, who converted. For Essendon it was Kyle Langford booting two in succession to push his team into strong position.

Hunt kicks (Woodley/AFANA)

The final quarter was more of the same. The Eagles tried hard but were outclassed by the Bombers. Essendon seemed content to play the ball across the ground rather than put the Eagles to the sword. It was a slow kill, with the Bombers adding another three goals for the quarter without really pressuring the Eagles. Both teams missed relatively easy set shots as fatigue set in, as a result of much of the game being played man-on-man. It was an unspectacular workman like win by Essendon. The Eagles might be mildly pleased with their improved effort, but that is about all they can take from the game.

Next week Essendon meet North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium and will get their chance to push into the top eight. The Eagles will remain at Optus Stadium where the Collingwood Magpies will plan to add to their misery. Already after 11 rounds the potential draft picks are hot topics for discussion among fans and journalists. The pressure on the Eagles coaching staff and administration will continue to build as long as no turnaround appears in sight.

Scores:
West Coast Eagles: 2.3 4.5  5.9  6.10 (46)
Essendon Bombers:  4.1 8.5 11.6 14.12 (96)

Best
West Coast Eagles: Duggan, Hunt, Kelly, Hurn, Allen
Essendon Bombers:  Martin, Merrett, Redman, Ridley, McGrath

Hardwick Tenders Resignation

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 23 May 2023 21:13:48 +0000

Hardwick Tenders Resignation Lisa Albergo Tue, 05/23/2023 - 17:13

Just days after the heartbreaking loss to Essendon in the "Dreamtime" match, Coach Damien Hardwick announced he was stepping down. Hardwick is contracted through 2024 and has coached the Tigers for 13 seasons. The reason for his resignation was initially unclear, but some with inside knowledge believed he was just burnt out. The team has struggled this season with just three wins through Round 10. In a preseason interview with the AFL website, Hardwick said he would step away if he felt he wasn't fully motivated, "I think that's the challenge. I always ask myself the question ... as soon as you lose that drive to improve or that motivation level drops, that's when you really have to walk away. But I'm very fortunate. I love what I do, I love the club I work for, I love the people I work for, I love the playing group. I always say to the players that for people who work 9-5, the best night of the week is Friday night. My job ... is to make sure every day you walk in here feels like a Friday night. I'm going to have good days and bad days, but if I have that philosophy then I think we're going to be OK."

The news broke on the Monday after the round concluded, ahead of a Tuesday press conference at Richmond headquarters. The players had a scheduled day off on Monday but everyone was summoned to the club on Tuesday morning where Hardwick made his announcement. The speculation was not far off the mark as Hardwick explained in his announcement that he was not sure he was still the right man for the job. He also said that 2023 would most likely be his final year as coach. He said, “As a coach you’re always questioning yourself, it’s a lonely job. It’s a great, job ... I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity ... but it is challenging at various stages. It becomes more apparent when you’ve had more success that the losses become harder ... I had a fair indication at the start of the year that I would like this to be my last year and then when the season probably didn’t turn out as much as I would have liked, I started to ask myself the question ...am I the right man for the job? ... if you keep asking yourself the question, you know the answer. I had some conversations with some really key people around me just to make sure that I was in the right frame of mind to make that decision. It became apparent about two weeks ago that the time was about right ... I’d rather leave too early than too late. The club means so much to me and I want to make sure that I leave the game loving the game, not resenting the game ... I walk away thinking how much the journey was and how great the journey was. I walk away incredibly happy about what we’ve achieved but more importantly the people I’ve met.”

Damian Hardwick (file photo)

He added that he needed a break to "decompress" and also said a new voice was needed to spark the team. He used an analogy of "cooking the sausage 1000 ways and could not find 1001". He did not rule out a return to coaching in the future.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae, who worked as an assistant 2016 - 2020, expressed shock when he heard the news and said, "Having worked with 'Dimma' (Hardwick), he's an incredible coach. He's his own person and I'm sure the Richmond footy club will salute him well if it is the case." Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks acknowledged the pressure on coaches was immense, "It's a tough job ... it's relentless. You've got to find the balance and he (Hardwick) has done it a long time."

Hardwick will be remembered as an icon of Richmond. After a mixed start and three consecutive elimination finals defeats, he was the key subject in a wide-ranging review at the end of 2016. The Tigers decided to stick with him and it paid dividends with three premierships in four years. Hardwick, 50, is Richmond's longest serving coach with 307 games to his name with a 170-131-6 win loss record. He led the Tigers to three premierships. Hardwick played 153 games for Essendon 1993-2001 and 54 games for Port Adelaide 2002-2004 and enjoyed premiership success at both clubs.

Assistant coach Andrew McQualter takes over immediately as interim coach. McQualter has been associated with the Tigers’ VFL and AFL teams for almost a decade and has most recently been in charge of Hardwick’s midfield. He played 89 games for St Kilda 2005-2011 and five games for Gold Coast in 2012.

Source: afl.com.au, sen.com.au

Blockbuster Bombers Snatch Dreamtime at the 'G Win

Troy Thompson — Sun, 21 May 2023 01:12:38 +0000

Blockbuster Bombers Snatch Dreamtime at the 'G Win Troy Thompson Sat, 05/20/2023 - 21:12

After the prematch activities celebrated indigenous Australian culture through ceremony and dance, the Tigers won the toss and play was underway. A big crowd was in, and the atmosphere was electric.

Rhyan Mansell, one of those in the game with indigenous heritage, appropriately kicked the first goal of the night as he was taken over the shoulder by Redman and he kicked the resulting goal. Sam Weideman responded, and went one better at the other end when quick kicks inside 50 saw Weideman interfered with twice in two minutes. On both occasions his kicks for goal were on target. Alwyn Davey Jr added a third for the Bombers

Back to back goals to Samson Ryan for the Tigers gave them the lead once again as they started to look more dangerous at the contested ball situations. But Snelling would put the Bombers back in front late in the quarter crumbing the pack at the top of the goal square and beating the defenders with a quick kick. It was a two point lead to the Bombers at quarter time in a high intensity first quarter.

Dreamtime at the 'G (Densham/AFANA)

Tim Taranto kicked the first goal of the second quarter to start things off right for the Tigers. Almost ten minutes later Richmond added another through Dustin Martin snapping across the body from 40 meters out straight in front. The Bombers let themselves down with the ball in hand, kicking five behinds for the quarter, but finally Jai Menzie marked just 15 meters out directly in front and his goal leveled up the scores. But the seesawing match continued to deliver when Richmond put themselves five points up just before half time when Graham intercepted a rushed clearing kick from an Essendon defender and booted the kick through the Tiger's goals.

It took until almost half way through the third quarter before Langford marked close to goal and kicked the set shot to level up the scores at 44 a piece. Shai Bolton got on the end of a bad Bombers turnover in the goal square and put his team a goal up from point blank range and a few minutes later he kicked another, this time the degree of difficulty was higher dribbling the ball along the ground and over the goal line from deep in the forward pocket.

Both teams had multiple chances in the back half of the quarter to add more goals, including a late shot at goal by the Tigers that was touched on the line as the siren sounded and saw the Tigers lead at three quarter time by two goals.

The Tigers quickly out of the blocks in the last hitting a leading Dustin Martin on the 50 meter arc and he went back and his kick cleared the defenders on the line to push the margin out to three goals. While the Tigers then ate up plenty of valuable time possessing the ball, finally the Bombers were able to pull a goal back when Sam Durham and then Jake Stringer kicked consecutive goals.

Richmond pulled their lead back out to two goals when the Bombers trying to pass the ball around in the back half, had one bad kick that was spoiled and kicked goalward. Redman and Judson Clarke wrestled for the ball on the goal line, before Clarke got in a clear position to boot the ball over the line as the two wrestlers fell to ground.

Martin Takes Mark (Densham/AFANA)

With just over four minutes to play, the Bombers got a turnover and a had some luck with a good bounce and were able to run the ball to the goal square and Jye Menzie kicked the goal. McDonald-Tipungwuti's shot at goal then reduced the margin further to just five points.

Richmond had one more play to try and put the result to bed and Cotchin got the ball inside 50 to Mansell who marked and used up his time on the set shot before kicking the ball out of bounds on the full, which in turn gave the Bombers one last chance. The Bombers went all out attack from their backline, kicking short and running the ball from end to end and with a series of marks ending with Sam Durham marking at the top of the goal square. From close range and straight in front, he kicked truly to put the Bombers one point up.

There was just seven seconds left on the clock, and with the Tigers unable to get the ball clear, the Bombers were winners on the Dreamtime at the G match and winners over the Tigers for the first time in 13 games.

ESSENDON: 4.1 5.7 6.10 10.11 (71)
RICHMOND: 3.5 6.6 8.10 10.10 (70) 

GOALS
Essendon: Weideman 2, Durham 2, A. Davey, Snelling, Menzie, Langford, Stringer, Menzie
Richmond: Bolton 2, Mansell 2, Martin 2, Ryan, Taranto, Graham, Clarke 

BEST
Essendon: Merrett, Ridley, Redman, McGrath, Durham
Richmond: Taranto, Bolton, Martin, Ross, Rioli 

INJURIES
Essendon: A.Davey (shoulder)
Richmond: Nil

LATE CHANGES:
Essendon: Dylan Shiel (injury), replaced in selected side by Will Snelling
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Massimo D'Ambrosio (replaced Andrew Phillips at three-quarter time)
Richmond: Judson Clarke (replaced Thomson Dow in the third quarter)

Crowd:    78,300 at the MCG

Dreamtime Game

Sir Doug Nicholls Round

Docker Pressure Cooks Geelong

chris kowald — Sat, 20 May 2023 12:22:31 +0000

Docker Pressure Cooks Geelong chris kowald Sat, 05/20/2023 - 08:22

The Fremantle Dockers have re-energized their season with their third consecutive victory to sit just outside of the top eight. The Geelong Cats were beaten by the Richmond Tigers last week and were determined to return to their best. However, with a number of players unavailable through injury, the Cats found the pressure on the ball and the run of the Fremantle Dockers too much to handle. With the afternoon temperature nudging 79 °F, the big Cats lacked the fitness and stamina to stay with the young Dockers.

Sean Darcy had another dominant game in the ruck winning 43 hitouts and laying six tackles, allowing the Dockers getting first use of the ball 46 times compared to Geelong's 40 clearances. It wasn't just the clearances that gave the Dockers the edge. They laid 70 tackles compared to Geelong's 64. Geelong found it tough to break free when they got their hands on the ball with Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong, Lachie Shultz, and Jaegar O'Meara laying a combined tally of 33 tackles around the ball. With the Geelong midfielders under pressure, the Dockers had the luxury of playing man-on-man in defense. The substandard entries by the Cat midfielders made it easier for the Docker defenders to spoil marks (catches). The league's leading goal kicker, Jeremy Cameron, was held goal-less for the game as his shorter opponent Luke Ryan outplayed him in the air and on the ground. Tom Hawkins also had a tough day at the office opposed to Alex Pearce, who took eight marks compared to Hawkin's four. However, Hawkins still booted three goals to keep Geelong in the game for the first three quarters.

Frederick Spoils (Woodley/AFANA)

It was in the midfield where the Dockers won the game. The clearance work of Brayshaw, Serong, and O'Meara overshadowed the clearances of Jonathan Ceglar, Mark Blicavs, and Max Holmes. The smaller Dockers outmaneuvered their larger opponents at stoppages and used chains of handpasses to deliver the ball to the speedy Docker runners outside of the packs. The Cats had no answer for the pace of Michael Frederick, Brandon Walker, Jordan Clark once the ball was in the clear. The Docker midfield players lowered their eyes enough times to pick out their forwards with Jye Amiss continuing his improvement and booting three goals. When the Dockers put the ball in the air to their forwards, the Cat defenders Esava Ratugolea, Mark O'Connor, and Jake Kolodjashnij were able to spoil. Ratugolea played an impressive game, moving up to the wing on occasions to stop Docker attacks. The Cats did not stop trying throughout the game. In fact, they made more forward entries than the Dockers (52 to 45) but due to midfield pressure applied by the Dockers in chasing and tackling, the Cat attacks were shallow and poorly directed. The Docker incursions forward were more effective as they used fifty more handballs to cut through the Cat midfield. This combined with the run of their speedsters allowed the Dockers to progress deep into attack. When the ball hit the turf, the Docker small men feasted and ten players shared in the goals, with Michael Walters being the standout small forward with three goals.

Smith runs (Woodley/AFANA)

Isaac Smith used his run and carry when the ball came to him on the outside and he also booted two goals for Geelong. Jack Henry brought Geelong back into the game late in the third quarter taking two contested marks and slotting two goals to bring the margin down to ten points. Amiss responded quickly with his second, before Mark Blicavs booted one to keep his side in the game. The Cats had responded with their own pressure game in the third quarter to take the match up to the Dockers by the last break.

Geelong ran out of puff in the final term as the Dockers broke free with pace. The tiring Cats could only manage three behinds (worth a point each) as the Dockers reapplied the midfield pressure and kept running. The enigmatic Cats were beaten but not disgraced and will need to learn from the game in order to return to their premiership form. Next week the Cats have a chance to rebound against the GWS Giants in Geelong, where the cold climate will be more to their liking. The Dockers travel to the MCG to challenge the Melbourne Demons who were narrowly defeated by the rising Port Adelaide Power.

Scores:
Fremantle Dockers: 3.2 8.4 13.6 16.10 (106)
Geelong Cats:      3.4 6.7 11.8 11.11  (77)

Best:
Fremantle Dockers: Brayshaw, Darcy, Serong, Shultz, Ryan
Geelong Cats:      Smith, Ratugolea, Blicavs, Hawkins, Bruhn

Clarkson Takes Leave From North

Lisa Albergo — Thu, 18 May 2023 21:17:55 +0000

Clarkson Takes Leave From North Lisa Albergo Thu, 05/18/2023 - 17:17

Alastair Clarkson has temporarily stepped down from his coaching role at North Melbourne. There were unconfirmed reports that he was acting erratically in the lead up to his decision. The final straw was a withering half-time address to the North players during the Round Nine match against Port Adelaide. Reportedly, even a chair was thrown against a wall.

During a recent conference, Clarkson was very critical of his former club Hawthorn and the AFL over the racism investigations and the lack of progress being made. He called for Hawthorn to be investigated for the club's "shameful" handling of its report and said that reputations had been "scarred" as a result of the long-running process. He said the game was a "victim" of the ongoing independent investigation, which was commissioned by the AFL in October.

Of Clarkson's comments, North Football manager Todd Viney said, "I think that was a window into his mindset at the time. You got a good feel for the animosity he's got towards the Hawthorn Football Club, a club that he served for 17 years and four premierships. He had such an influence on so many people within that football club. For the process to unfold and such serious allegations to be made and to have no reply to that process has been enormously hurtful to him. If you know Clarko, it's about relationships and it's about trust and it's about family. When he commits to being part of your organization or family, he's in 100 per cent. To have that unfold like it has, he's been bitterly disappointed and that's taken its toll.”

North released a statement saying the club would give him all time he needs to "restore his health" and that " ... "everyone involved has been deeply affected by the Hawthorn investigation and the burden on Alastair has been significant". Viney was confident that Clarkson would return but would not put a timeframe on the leave of absence. Clarkson was due to coach his 400th game in Round 10. Assistant coach Brett Ratten will fill in during Clarkson's absence.

Brisbane Coach Chris Fagan, also the subject of the same allegations as an assistant with Clarkson at Hawthorn, released a statement saying he was "saddened" by Clarkson's decision to step away and was also critical of what he called the "deeply flawed" process around the allegations at Hawthorn. Fagan also said, "I was fortunate to work with Clarko for almost nine years, and I have known him for much longer ... I know him to be a person of very good character who has had an overwhelmingly positive influence on the lives of the young men he has coached. The football community is immeasurably better off with Clarko in it ... The deeply flawed process that we have been subjected to has taken a heavy toll. It has been profoundly damaging and unfair. It is my hope that it will very soon come to an appropriate end. In the meantime, Clarko's physical and mental wellbeing must come first ... ".

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan also released a statement supporting Clarkson's decision and acknowledging the "heavy burden" borne by all parties involved in the investigation, "We understand how much the investigation ... into allegations of racism has impacted on all people involved, including Alastair, and believe the investigation needs to find resolution. It is a heavy burden being carried by all parties involved and the wellbeing of everyone who is a part of this process is the key priority for our game. It takes great courage to stand up and say you need to focus on your own personal wellbeing and we support Alastair in doing what he needs to do in the best interests of himself and his family. We will continue to provide support to all parties. The AFL supports current efforts to find a mediated outcome that provides fairness and natural justice for all involved and encourage all parties to work towards a timely and just outcome."

Source: afl.com.au

Suns Eclipse Eagles

chris kowald — Fri, 12 May 2023 15:35:41 +0000

Suns Eclipse Eagles chris kowald Fri, 05/12/2023 - 11:35

The Gold Coast Suns easily accounted for the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium, with a dominant second term and a powerful final term. The Suns won in most areas of play, winning contested possessions 150 to 116 and almost doubling the number of forward entries made by the hapless hosts. The Suns were led by Jarrod Witts who dominated in the ruck and Matt Rowell who collected twenty-nine possessions (13 contested) and laid a season high seventeen tackles. Tim Kelly was strong in the midfield for the Eagles picking up 26 possessions (17 contested) and laying six tackles. First-year player Reuben Ginbey gave him good support in the packs, laying sixteen tackles and picking up twelve possessions (9 contested), but the combination of Rowell, Noah Anderson, David Swallow, Will Powell, and first-year player Bailey Humphrey overwhelmed the undermanned Eagles' midfield.

Gold Coast controlled play in the first quarter making eighteen forward entries, while the Eagles could only get inside their attacking arc six times. However, the Suns' method of attack was too predictable. They didn't switch the ball across the ground and mostly kicked long and high to Ben King.

Mabior Choll jumps (Woodley/AFANA)

The Eagles' defender Tom Barrass played on King for most of the game and spoiled most of King's attempts to mark (catch) by punching the ball away. In fact, Barrass made a season high nineteen spoils during the match. The Eagles, at least, were more effective in their limited attacks. Connor West booted a goal from a free kick after being tackled high and Tim Kelly completed a good snap from forty meters. Gold Coast's three first quarter goals came from Rowell, Humphrey, and Mabior Chol who all gathered ground balls and kicked truly.

The Eagles began the second quarter more positively with a long kick from Jack Darling on the wing to Oscar Allen, who marked and kicked truly. However from there, the quarter belonged to the visitors. The Suns added eight unanswered goals. They dominated at stoppages and in contested possessions. They also tidied up their forward entries and Ben King was able to mark unimpeded and booted three goals for the quarter. Jack Lukosious was also good in the air and booted two. The Eagles laid tackles but were unable to stop the Suns run as the Suns had greater numbers at the ball and always had an option on the outside of the packs. The Eagle midfielders who were not prepared to run defensively with their direct opponents. Liam Duggan tried hard for the Eagles in defense and appeared to be one of the few Eagles trying to lift the team.

The third quarter began with a burst of Eagle activity. They won clearances and within five minutes of play had kicked two goals. The Suns responded by lifting their workload at stoppages. The rest of the quarter was an arm wrestle with players milling around the ball and there seemed to be more stoppages then kicks. It was ugly football. Tackle rates exploded and neither team could break free. The Suns were limited to just three behinds (worth a point each). The home crowd appreciated the Eagle fightback and urged their team on, with the hope that something special could occur in the final term.

Kelly shoots (Woodley/AFANA)

A Suns' goal by Sam Day within the first minute of play in the final stanza, was answered four minutes later by an Oscar Allen mark and fifty meter goal for the Eagles. However, from there it was all Gold Coast. The Eagle midfielders were fatigued and lacked the stamina to run with the Suns. The visitors won most of the clearances and played direct no-fuss football. The Eagles' last line of defense of Barrass, Duggan and Alex Witherden battled on, but could not stop the Suns booting the last four goals. The Suns are getting stronger and the Eagles are having another season from hell.

Next week the Suns meet the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, where the Suns will be brought back to earth. The Eagles travel to Tasmania to meet the struggling Hawthorn Hawks in Launceston. The loser will sit firmly on the bottom of the ladder.

Scores:
West Coast Eagles: 2.3  3.5  5.7   6.7   (43)
Gold Coast Suns:   3.2 11.7 11.10 16.17 (113)

Best
West Coast Eagles: Kelly, Duggan, Witherden, Ginbey, Sheed
Gold Coast Suns:   Rowell, Witts, Swallow, Humphrey, Anderson

Docker Pressure Downs Hawks

chris kowald — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:43:35 +0000

Docker Pressure Downs Hawks chris kowald Sat, 05/06/2023 - 11:43

The Fremantle Dockers returned to winning form by harassing and pressuring the Hawthorn Hawks with four quarters of attacking football. The Dockers returned to their game style of 2022; utilizing pressure around the ball, quick handpasses, running through the central corridor and direct transitions into attack, to record their highest score since Round 1, 2019. The Hawks matched the Dockers in the midfield for three quarters but fell down with poor delivery up forward. Most of the Hawthorn errors were a direct result of Fremantle's pressure on the ball, but even when the Hawks did find space they still made fundamental mistakes to allow the Docker defenders to regain the ball.

Despite the scoreline, Fremantle did not have the game totally on their own terms. Until three quarter time, Hawthorn dominated the center clearances thirteen to five. The Hawks had made only three less forward entries than the Dockers. Connor Nash, James Worpel, and Will Day routinely sent the Hawks into attack from center bouncedowns, forcing the Dockers to fight for the ball in defense before they could set up attacks. Fortunately for the Dockers, Luke Ryan was a rock in defense and Hayden Young's surgical kicking delivered the ball into attack. Caleb Serong also provided an essential link in the midfield and made a game-high nine entries into the attacking arc. Jai Newcombe, Dylan Moore, and Harry Morrison played the same role for Hawthorn by delivering the ball forward a combined seventeen times, however their kicking lacked the precision and depth of the Docker midfielders.

For three quarters, the Hawks almost matched the Dockers for contested possessions and the ruck combination of former Docker, Lloyd Meek, and Ned Reeves had the better of the Dockers ruck combination of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson. Darcy lifted in the last quarter; and after Nat Fyfe entered the match in the third quarter, the Dockers won more clearances in the center and around the ground at stoppages. For the whole match, Hawthorn had limited avenues to goal. Poor delivery to Meek or Reeves when they were stationed forward made Docker defender Alex Pearce's job of spoiling marks (catches) relatively simple. Pearce had a welcome return to form after a few weeks where he struggled to have an impact. Luke Jackson also returned to the form he showed as a Melbourne premiership player. His twenty-four possessions, six marks, seven tackles, and two goals illustrated why the Dockers traded two first draft picks to get him on their roster.

Freo supporters celebrate (file picture)

What would have pleased the Docker coaches most was a return to a style where their players played on instinct and took risks. With Andrew Brayshaw and former Hawk, Jaeger O'Meara, directing play in the midfield, the Dockers owned the central corridor, once the Docker defenders gained possession. Attacks through the center opened up the forward line with eleven Dockers booting goals. Jye Amiss booted three and assisted with other goals, while Michael Frederick used his speed and marking ability to also kick three goals. Mitch Lewis was the only multiple goal scorer for the Hawks. Chad Wingard and Will Day were busy up forward for the Hawks but could only manage one goal each.

In terms of age and games played, Hawthorn has the youngest team in the competition. The Dockers are the second youngest team. The gap in their respective rebuilds is two to three years. With players like Will Day, Karl Amon, Harry Morrisson, and Conor Nash the Hawks have players for the future. The club took a brave stance in trading out established stars such as Jaeger O'Meara and Tom Mitchell. Today's loss returns them to the bottom of the table, from where they will be able to add additional talent at the next draft. It will be a tough year for the Hawks but their priority is now building for the future. It is difficult to gauge if the Dockers have turned the corner with their performance against the Hawks. The Hawks are lacking big bodies in the midfield and the speedy young Dockers were able to do their thing unimpeded. It will be a totally different proposition against a stronger team. The Dockers have taken a step backwards this year, but sometimes young teams do that as part of the maturing process. A trip to Sydney next week to play the Swans will provide a clearer guide as to where the Dockers are at. The Hawks also have a very tough game next week, the Melbourne Demons at the MCG. The Demons were almost beaten by the Gold Coast Suns and will be wary of taking the Hawthorn Hawks lightly.

Scores
Fremantle Dockers: 5.3 10.4 14.6 18.9 (117)
Hawthorn Hawks:    3.2  5.3  5.5  7.6  (48)

Best
Fremantle Dockers: Brayshaw, Jackson, Ryan, Young, O'Meara
Hawthorn Hawks:    Nash, Morrison, Amon, Day, Worpel

Tasmania Gets Their AFL Wish

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 02 May 2023 21:37:37 +0000

Tasmania Gets Their AFL Wish Lisa Albergo Tue, 05/02/2023 - 17:37

The day after Andrew Dillon was announced as the next league CEO, all 18 club presidents voted to approve the 19^th AFL license for Tasmania. The Tasmanian government recently authorized funding for a new stadium in Hobart. With that in place, the focus can be on all the logistics of setting up the team. Tasmania has been pushing for a license for years. Hawthorn and the Kangaroos have played "home" games in Tasmania for many years and it has proved moderately successful with some ups and downs over the years.

The AFL has committed $360 million over a decade towards a team, including $90 million in game development and $33 million for player talent academies. Tasmania will contribute $12 million per year over 12 years towards a team, plus $60 million for a high-performance athletic center. They will also put in $375 million toward a new $715 million, 23,000-seat roofed stadium in Hobart. The Australian federal government is contributing $240 million and the AFL $15 million. It will be used for events other than football matches, or at least that's the current selling point. The AFL contribution comes on top of on-going financial obligations to the last expansion clubs (GWS and Gold Coast) and financial losses by a significant number of clubs and during the pandemic, the league itself.

Tasmania has long been a fertile recruiting area. Tasmanians who became AFL stars include four AFL Hall of Fame legends: Darrel Baldock (St Kilda), Peter Hudson (Hawthorn), Ian Stewart (St Kilda) and Royce Hart (Richmond), as well as more recent stars including Matthew Richardson (Richmond), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond), Brendan Gale (Richmond, Mitch Robinson (Carlton and Brisbane), Brisbane premiership player Alastair Lynch and current Saint Jimmy Webster.

There has been no shortage of name suggestions for the team. The most popular is the Tasmanian Devils but the league would have to negotiate the naming rights with Warner Brothers studios, which own the global trademarks to the cartoon character. While the animal itself is indigenous to the island, Warner Brothers has owned the trademarks for decades. Other suggestions include the Tassie Mariners, which was the name of the now defunct TAC Cup juniors team.

Source: afl.com.au