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AFL Central - August 2008

Dempster's season over

August 31st 2008 22:49
ST KILDA has been dealt a blow with midfielder Sean Demspter suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Dempster tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the opening minute of the Saints' 108-point demolition of Essendon at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

The 24-year-old will require a knee reconstruction and is likely to be sidelined for the majority of next year but coach Ross Lyon said he was confident that the former Swan would bounce back.

"It's a loss for us. We feel for Sean. I can't imagine what he's feeling at the moment. He'll be assessed fully in the ensuing days," he said.


"We've got great surgeons, great rehabbers. Brendon Goddard shows what can be done coming off a reco."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Saints claim fourth spot

August 31st 2008 09:53
ST KILDA has claimed fourth spot and the double chance with a 108-point demolition of Essendon at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

The Saints' 21.21 (147) to 5.9 (39) victory lifted their percentage from 105.04 to 110.56, 0.82 higher than the Crows' 109.74.

The win means St Kilda will face reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong in the first week of the finals.

Stephen Milne starred for St Kilda with seven second-half goals while skipper Nick Riewoldt was damaging up forward with 21 possessions, 11 marks and four majors.

Brendon Goddard was influential around the ground with a game-high 30 possessions and one goal while Jason Gram generated plenty of run with 27 touches and three majors.


For the Bombers, the loss was a disappointing way to bid farewell to veterans Adam Ramanauskas, Jason Johnson, Damien Peverill and Mal Michael.

The injury-ravaged Dons were completely outclassed after quarter-time, managing just three goals as St Kilda slammed on nine of their own to open up a match-winning 61-point lead heading into the final change.

The margin would have been greater if not for some inaccurate kicking from the Saints.

There was still plenty of interest left in the match with the Saints needing a big last term to overtake Adelaide.

It was all St Kilda in the last quarter. They won plenty of the football and ran hard through the middle as they piled on 7.6 to 0.1.

The Saints did not overhaul the Crows' percentage until late in the final stanza and then held firm in the dying stages to book a qualifying final against the Cats.

ESSENDON: 2.3, 2.6, 5.8, 5.9 (39)
ST KILDA: 5.5, 8.12, 14.15, 21.21 (147)
GOALS: Essendon: Johnson, Lloyd, Magin, Ryder, Watson
St Kilda: Milne 7, Riewoldt 4, Gram 3, Schneider 2, Eddy, C. Gardiner, Goddard, King, Montagna
BEST: Essendon: Lonergan, Dyson, Ramanauskas, Watson
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Milne, Montagna, Hayes, Goddard, Gram
INJURIES: Essendon: Monfries (hamstring)
St Kilda: Dempster (knee)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: M.Nicholls, Head, Keating
CROWD: 46,161 at Telstra Dome

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Tigers finish season on a high

August 31st 2008 07:23
RICHMOND has consigned Melbourne to its first wooden spoon since 1997 with an 80-point win at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers dominated after quarter-time, slamming on 16 goals to four to cruise to a convincing 18.13 (121) to 6.5 (41) victory.

The Demons could have gotten off the bottom of the ladder with a win on Sunday but were simply outclassed by a Richmond side that finished the season with a better than 50 percent winning strikerate for the first time since 2001.

Joel Bowden starred for the Tigers with a game-high 34 possessions, 13 marks and three second-half goals while Brett Deledio was equally damaging with 25 touches and four goals.

Chris Newman and Shane Tuck were prolific in the middle, racking up 30 possessions apiece while Greg Tivendale was a busy contributor in his last game for the club with 24 disposals and one goal.

For Melbourne, Matthew Warnock did a superb blanketing job on Matthew Richardson, keeping the Richmond star goalless while Adem Yze (25 possessions) tried hard all day.

It was a disappointing performance by the Demons and a poor way to send off veterans Jeff White, Ben Holland and Yze.

The Tigers dominated the opening term, entering inside their forward 50 19 times to Melbourne's seven.

But they failed to translate their dominance onto the scoreboard, booting a wasteful 2.5 for the quarter to take just a four-point lead into the first change.

Richmond broke the game open in the second term, slamming on six goals to one to take a commanding 38-point lead into the main break.

Any hopes of a comeback by the Demons in the second half were quashed by the Tigers as they slammed on four goals to one in the third quarter before steamrolling Melbourne in the final stanza with six majors.

MELBOURNE: 2.1, 3.1, 4.4, 6.5 (41)
RICHMOND: 2.5, 8.9, 12.10, 18.13 (121)
GOALS: Melbourne: White 2, Green, Whelan, Holland, Sylvia
Richmond: Deledio 4, Bowden 3, Riewoldt 2, Jackson 2, Morton, Tuck, Tivendale, Connors, Foley, McMahon, White
BEST: Melbourne: Warnock, Yze, Buckley, Green
Richmond: Bowden, Deledio, Tuck, Tivendale, Newman, Foley, McGuane, White, Johnson
INJURIES: Melbourne:
Richmond: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond: Pattison replaced in selected side by Connors
UMPIRES: Margetts, H Ryan, Ellis
CROWD: 37,046 at the MCG
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Richmond Tigers
   


Swans can cause some damage: Roos

August 31st 2008 04:30
SYDNEY coach Paul Roos believes his side is capable of causing some damage in the finals.

The Swans secured a home elimination final with a 61-point defeat of Brisbane at the SCG on Saturday night and will now meet either the Kangaroos or the Saints next weekend.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Roos said his side had shown enough in the win over the Lions to suggest they could trouble a few sides in September.

"Based on our game last week we were never going to do much damage playing like that," Roos said.

"I think if we play like we did tonight we can certainly do some damage."

"Every team bar probably the top-two, Geelong and Hawthorn, have had really up-and-down seasons."

"So it's good (to be in the finals), you're in the mix, teams have had reasonable form and then down patches and we've be exactly the same as probably six teams in the final eight, so hopefully we can play as well as we did tonight."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Ratten dismayed by Hawthorn tactics

August 31st 2008 03:10
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has expressed his displeasure at the tactics employed by Hawthorn counterpart Alastair Clarkson to prevent Brendan Fevola kicking his 100th goal in the Blues' 78-point loss at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Lance Franklin kicked his 100th goal in the first quarter but Fevola fell agonisingly short of joining of joining him in three figures after kicking seven goals to finish on 99 for the season

Asked if he would have done the same if the roles were reversed, Ratten said:"I won't answer that."

When pressed on the issue, Ratten said: "I suppose we could have maybe done that at the start [to Franklin], but I suppose that's the way he's seen it,"

"They were only 70 points up."

Ratten also said he would have loved to have seen history created on Saturday night.

"If he would have kicked it, this game would have been replayed regardless of the score between the two teams," said Ratten.

"I don't think you'll ever see two full-forwards kick 100 goals on the same day in the same round. It would have just been fantastic fairytale, romance."

"You would have looked in 100 years time and said 'they have done it and they did do it in the same round'."

"For the AFL to get the two teams to play off, in the last round and kick the 100 goals, the stars are aligned. It nearly happened, it's just a shame it didn't."

Despite being at times frustrated with his side's unhealthy reliance on Fevola, Ratten said he had no problems instructing his players to do everything in their power to help get the spearhead over the line in the last quarter.

"I think there's a bit of romance. He's played a lot of footy for Carlton and he's won games off his own back," Ratten said.

"If we could go out of our way to maybe see if we could get him there, for one quarter, I think that's fair enough. And we were that close."

Meanwhile, a Telstra Dome official said on Saturday night that nobody had been handed the mandatory $6,000 fine for the pitch invasion.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Clarkson pleased with performance

August 31st 2008 00:45
HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson was pleased with his side's effort in the Hawks' convincing 78-point win over Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The match was a dead rubber but Clarkson said it was important for his side to enter the first week of the finals with some momentum.

"We were really pleased with our efforts for tonight. We've been pretty impressed with the way Carlton has gone about it for the bulk of this season, and we were ready for a tussle tonight," Clarkson said.

"It was a great opportunity for us to try and win a game of footy and get some momentum going into the finals so we were pleased to get the victory that we got."

"The guys were really determined to do well, and we think winning form is good form. That was a real focus for us."

Meanwhile, Carlton coach Brett Ratten said he was pleased with the Blues' 2008 season despite their poor finish to the year.

The Blues finished the season with 10 wins and achieved their goal of avoiding a bottom-four finish.

"We've been in the bottom four for such a long time. When you know you've gotten out of the bottom four you've won some games of football," Ratten said.

"Whether the ledger's seven, eight or 10 wins, you've got out of there and played some half decent footy throughout the year."

Ratten said the improvement in young players such as Shaun Grigg, Bryce Gibbs and Matthew Kreuzer were big positives with Kreuzer in particular earning praise from the Blues coach.

"I think for Matty Kreuzer to play a big man's role and to play like a big man, I think it's a real credit to him to show how competitive he is," Ratten said

But Ratten said there were few positives to draw from the Blues' final game and admitted that his side had a way to go before they were capable of playing finals.

"Our performance today, I think we really learned a lot from a team that really runs hard and they're playing finals."

"We'll have to match that next time."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Laidley apologises to fans

August 31st 2008 00:30
NORTH MELBOURNE coach Dean Laidley yesterday apologised for his side's 'disgraceful' performance at the MCG on Saturday in going down by 76 points to Port Adelaide.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Laidley said his team's performance was even more disappointing considering what was at stake - a top four berth - and the fact that it was veteran Shannon Grant's 300th match.

"I'm here to apologise firstly to our supporters and secondly to Shannon Grant's family, because that was a disgraceful effort today," Laidley said.

"It all comes down to effort required, and it was non-existent and that was one of the things we spoke about all week - the effort."

"It's a mental application and about your desire to work hard … but that was non-existent today."

"That's not like us and we've blown an opportunity to finish fourth, but we have another opportunity and that's the important thing now."

Laidley said his leadership group was simply 'horrible' on Saturday and hinted that their may be changes made for next weekend's cut-throat final.

"Some of the guys who have served us so well have been on a bit of a slippery dip and some of the guys who performed poorly today and who performed poorly last week make themselves vulnerable," he said.

"Do we take them into a finals series probably not being match hardened?"

"That's a question we have to really look very closely at and pick the best side to win a final."

"It's important to be able to realign yourself, refocus and get yourself ready, but eight other sides would love to be sitting where we are right now."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Carr wants out

August 30th 2008 13:16
FREMANTLE midfielder Josh Carr has advised the club that he wishes to be traded back to Port Adelaide.

Carr, who is a member of Fremantle's leadership group, told coach Mark Harvey and football operations manager Chris Bond of his decision on Saturday.

Bond said the club was disappointed by Carr's decision.

"The club made a significant investment four years ago to bring Josh back to Perth, so obviously we are disappointed," Bond said.

But Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams said Carr's age is a concern.

"He's been a wonderful player for us and went back for family reasons to Perth, but he's 28 now and … I really doubt that he's in our age group to be a viable option," Williams said.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Buddy reaches ton, Fev falls short

August 30th 2008 13:08
LANCE Franklin reached his ton and Brendan Fevola fell agonisingly short as Hawthorn tuned up for the finals with a 78-point demolition of Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The 24.15 (159) to 12.9 (81) win was overshadowed by Franklin's ton and the valiant attempt by Fevola to join him.

Hawthorn's multiple options up forward - they had 11 individual goalkickers for the match - proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The Hawks controlled the midfield with Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis damaging with 30-plus possessions while Sam Mitchell was influential with 28 touches.

Franklin finished the match with four goals - his second at the 25-minute mark of the first term making him the 28th man to kick 100 goals in a season while Jarryd Roughead chimed in with five majors.

For Carlton, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs all collected 30-plus disposals but the Hawks' midfield was more damaging while Fevola kicked seven second-half goals to finish the season on 99.

The Hawks booted the first two before the Blues responded through Cameron Cloke and Judd.

But Carlton struggled to find an avenue to goal for the remainder of the term as Hawthorn took control, slamming on four unanswered goals.

Franklin's second interrupted play for precisely eight-and-a-half minutes as fans and teammates mobbed the star forward at the Coventry end before Cyril Rioli slotted one home to give Hawthorn a 25-point lead at quarter-time.

Hawthorn was never challenged from that moment on with the contest effectively over at the 22-minute mark of the third term when the margin blew out to 47 points.

Fevola came to life in the third term, booting four goals to take his season tally 96 but the Hawks managed six of their own to take a match-winning 55-point lead into the final change.

With the sting well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza, all the interest was focused on whether Fevola could reach the ton.

CARLTON: 2.3, 4.5, 8.6, 12.9 (81)
HAWTHORN: 6.4, 10.7, 16.13, 24.15 (159)
GOALS: Carlton: Fevola 7, Gibbs 2, Cloke, Judd, Russell
Hawthorn: Roughead 5, Franklin 4, Brown 3, Osborne 3, Williams 3, Bateman, Campbell, Hodge, Lewis, Rioli, Sewell
BEST: Carlton: Fevola, Judd, Gibbs, Thornton
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Bateman, Sewell, Roughead, Brown
INJURIES: Carlton: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
REPORTS: -
CHANGES: Scotland (Carlton - hip) and Carrazzo (Carlton - knee) replaced in selected side by Austin and Pfeiffer; Stokes (Hawthorn) replaced in selected side by Ellis
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Stevic, McLaren
CROWD: 49,057 at Telstra Dome

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Swans secure home final

August 30th 2008 12:23
SYDNEY will head into the first week of the finals with some confidence after thrashing Brisbane by 60 points at the SCG on Saturday night.

The Swans' 17.12 (114) to 6.17 (53) victory means they will host either St Kilda or North Melbourne in the first week of the finals.

Jarred Moore starred for Sydney with 22 possessions and four goals while Patrick Veszpremi was also impressive with four majors.

Jude Bolton and Jarred McVeigh were busy contributors in the middle while Nick Malceski generated plenty of run from defence with 27 touches and one goal.

For Brisbane, Simon Black (26 possessions) had the better of his duel with Brett Kirk while Bradd Dalziell (25 disposals) tried hard all night.

Moore kicked the first goal of the match at the two-minute mark before the opening term turned into a scrappy affair.

Brisbane had their chances but failed to captialise in front of goal, booting a wasteful 1.6 for the quarter.

The Lions were made to pay for their wastefulness with majors from Malceski and Veszpremi giving the Swans a nine-point lead at quarter-time.

Sydney kicked the first two goals of the second term and looked on course for an easy win.

However, Brisbane refused to be blown away and stuck with the Swans for the remainder of the term, with Sydney taking a 23-point advantage into the main break.

Daniel Bradshaw kicked the first goal of the second half to get the Lions back into the contest

But Sydney had all the answers, piling on the next four goals through Moore, Veszpremi, Ted Richards and Peter Everitt to put the result beyond doubt.

The Swans didn't take their foot off the pedal in the final stanza, booting five goals to one to cap off a much needed win.

SYDNEY: 3.3, 7.8, 12.9, 17.12 (114)
BRISBANE: 1.6, 3.9, 5.13, 6.17 (53)
GOALS: Sydney: Moore 4, Veszpremi 4, Jack 2, McVeigh 2, Malceski, Bird, Richards, Everitt, Hall,
Brisbane: Bradshaw 2, Selwood, Clouston, Henderson, Charman,
BEST: Sydney: Moore, Malceski, Veszpremi, McVeigh, Bird,
Brisbane: Dalziell, Black, Merrett, Selwood
INJURIES: Sydney:Nil
Brisbane: Nil
REPORTS: Jude Bolton for making high contact with Albert Proud in the 14th minute of the final term.
CHANGES: Ryan O'Keefe (virus) replaced in the Swans' matchday-22 by Patrick Veszpremi.
UMPIRES: McBurney, James, Chamberlain.
CROWD: at the SCG
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Crows win thriller

August 30th 2008 09:39
ADELAIDE has all but secured the double chance with a hard-fought nine-point win over the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Crows made the most of losses to North Melbourne and Collingwood earlier in the round, prevailing 10.16 (76) to 9.13 (67) in a thrilling contest to move into the top four.

Adelaide can only be tipped out of fourth spot if St Kilda beat Essendon at Telstra Dome on Sunday by more than 15 goals.

Nathan van Berlo was a busy contributor in the middle for Adelaide with 22 possessions and two goals while Tyson Edwards was locked in an engrossing duel with Jason
Akermanis and finished with match with a team-high 23 touches and three valuable goals.

For the Bulldogs, Lindsay Gilbee generated plenty of run from defence with 31 possessions and one goal while Daniel Giansiracusa (34 touches) and Daniel Cross (31 disposals) tried hard all day.

Three goals were scored in the opening four minutes, with the Bulldogs kicking two of them before the match turned into a scrappy affair as both sides tried to adapt to the wet and slippery conditions.

A late goal to Nathan Eagleton gave the Bulldogs a deserved eight-point lead at the first change.

Adelaide lifted in the second term but failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 1.9.

The Crows were made to pay for their wastefulness with Gilbee kicking truly from 40m to give his side a four-point lead at the main break.

The Bulldogs won plenty of the football in the third term but were unable to establish a clear break with Edwards' second goal levelling the scores heading into the final change.

Adelaide hit the front thanks to a controversial goal from Jason Porplzyia in the last quarter.

Porplyzia was awarded a goal but television replays showed the ball was clearly rushed by a diving Akermanis.

The Crows looked home when Kurt Tippett slotted one home from close range to blow the margin out to 14-points.

However, the Bulldogs refused to give in and hit back with a major from Scott Welsh before a Ryan Griffen bomb reduced the deficit to two points.

But Adelaide had all the answers with Edwards' third goal sealing a crucial win.

ADELAIDE: 3.1, 4.10, 7.12, 10.16 (76)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 4.3, 5.8, 7.12, 9.13 (67)
GOALS: ADELAIDE: Edwards 3, van Berlo 2, Porplyzia 2, Thompson, Stevens, Tippett
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Harbrow, Higgins, Giansiracusa, Eagleton, Gilbee, Akermanis, Murphy, Welsh, Griffen
BEST: ADELAIDE: Edwards, van Berlo, Doughty, Stevens, Knights, Symes, Rutten, McLeod
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Eagleton, Cross, Giansiracusa, Cooney, Akermanis, Griffen, Hill
INJURIES: ADELAIDE: Nil
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Johnson (cut head)
REPORTS: Lake reported for striking Scott Stevens in the second quarter.
CHANGES: Hudson replaced in the selected side by Skipper.
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Meredith, McInerney
CROWD:37,543
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Classy Cats crush Eagles

August 30th 2008 07:42
GEELONG has become the third team in history to finish the home-and-away season with just one defeat after thrashing West Coast by 99 points at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Cats were challenged early before their class came to the fore, eventually prevailing 24.20 (164) to 10.5 (65).

The result sees them join the Carlton and Essendon sides of 1908 and 2000 respectively finish the home-and-away season with just one loss.

The win was soured somewhat for Geelong with Mathew Stokes reported for a late hit on Chad Fletcher.

Geelong now have to wait on the rest of the results from round 22 to find out whether they play the Kangaroos, Adelaide, Sydney or St Kilda in week one of the finals.

Steve Johnson starred for the Cats with 28 disposals and six goals while Tom Lonergan chimed in with four majors.

The Cats dominated through the midfield, racking up 236 more possessions than the Eagles - each Geelong player recorded at least 12 possessions while they also sent the ball inside 50 on 66 occasions to 28.

Brad Ottens was influential in the ruck with 20 touches, 29 hit-outs and one goal. Cameron Ling (34 possessions) and Gary Ablett Jnr (30 disposals) were damaging while Joel Selwood and James Bartel were busy contributors with 29 and 28 possessions respectively.

With Ablett and Bartel among the favourites for this year's Brownlow medal, it could set the scene for a tense climax to the count, with the pair a chance to figure among the votes.

Geelong got the first goal of the match in the opening 30 seconds through Johnson and it appeared as if the Eagles would be in for a long day.

But West Coast refused to be blown away and kicked the next three goals to open up an early 10-point lead.

The Cats responded with three of the last four goals of the quarter to ensure both sides went into the first change on level terms.

The Eagles trailed by just two points at the 12-minute mark before Geelong clicked into gear, piling on six goals in a stunning 15-minute burst to take a commanding 42-point lead into the main break.

Mark LeCras kicked the first goal of the second half to give the Eagles a glimmer of hope but the Cats had all the answers, slamming on six goals for the term before steamrolling West Coast with a further six majors in the final stanza.

GEELONG: 4.3, 12.9, 18.12, 24.20 (164)
WEST COAST: 4.3, 6.3, 9.5, 10.5 (65)
GOALS: GEELONG: Johnson 6, Lonergan 4, Prismall 2, Stokes 2, Mooney 2, Varcoe, Ablett, Gamble, Ottens, Taylor, Hunt, Enright, Byrnes
WEST COAST: McKinley 2, LeCras 2, Embley, McNamara, Priddis, A.Selwood, Hansen, Fletcher
BEST: GEELONG: Johnson, Selwood, Ablett, Ling, Bartel, Ottens
WEST COAST:Lynch, Priddis, Glass, McKinley, Butler, Cox
INJURIES: GEELONG: TBC
WEST COAST: TBC
REPORTS: Stokes reported for striking in the third quarter
CHANGES: Mackie (general soreness) replaced in Geelong's selected side by Byrnes
UMPIRES: Stewart, Armstrong, Jeffery
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Port smash insipid Roos

August 30th 2008 06:37
PORT ADELAIDE has dealt a massive blow to North Melbourne's top four hopes with a 76-point win at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Power dominated after quarter-time, slamming on 20 goals to six to cruise to a convincing 23.10 (148) to 10.12 (72) victory.

The Kangaroos had their fate in their own hands but went missing after a promising start in veteran Shannon Grant's 300th AFL match.

The result means the Roos will now need Adelaide, Sydney and St Kilda to lose if they are going to claim fourth place and the double chance.

The loss was made worse for North with Leigh Harding leaving the field in the first term with what appeared to be a serious injury to the left knee he had reconstructed in 2006.

Peter Burgoyne was damaging with a game-high 45 possessions and one goal while Kane Cornes kept classy Kangaroos midfielder Daniel Wells quiet and was a busy contributor in the middle with 30 disposals.

Port had 12 individual goalkickers for the match - David Rodan the most effective with a career-best five majors while Toby Thurstans, Robert Gray and Daniel Motlop chimed in with three apiece.

David Hale played a lone hand up forward for the Kangaroos, booting four of his side's ten goals while Brent Harvey (27 possessions) tried hard all day.

North started brightly, booting the first three goals of the match to skip out to a 19-point lead at the 12-minute mark.

Peter Burgoyne capitalised on a poor clearance from Shannon Watt to bring up Port's first before two goals in two minutes from Robert Gray got the Power to within five points of the Kangaroos at the first change.

Port was still in touch midway through the second term before piling on the last four goals of the first half to open up a handy 18-point lead at the main break.

Hale kicked the first goal of the second half but from thereonin the Power dominated, winning the football at the stoppages and moving it quickly through the middle of the ground as they slammed on eight unanswered goals to take a match-winning 62-point lead into the final change.

The sting was well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza, with the Power adding a further five goals to end the season on a positive note.

NORTH MELBOURNE: 4.3, 7.5, 9.10, 10.12 (72)
PORT ADELAIDE: 3.4, 10.5, 18.8, 23.10 (148)
GOALS: North Melbourne: Hale 4, Grant 2, Jones, Campbell, Pratt, Harding
Port Adelaide: Rodan 5, Gray 3, D.Motlop 3, Thurstans 3, Cassisi 2, P.Burgoyne, Pearce, Stewart, Lade, Logan, M.Motlop
BEST: North Melbourne: Harvey, Hale, Petrie, Rawlings
Port Adelaide: Rodan, P.Burgoyne, Cassisi, Pearce, S.Burgoyne, D.Motlop
INJURIES: North Melbourne: Leigh Harding (left knee - medial ligament)
Port Adelaide: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nathan Lonie replaced Travis Boak in Port Adelaide's selected side
UMPIRES: Farmer, Schmitt, Mollison
CROWD: 22,144 at the MCG
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Tough month leaves Pies flat: Malthouse

August 30th 2008 03:58
AN emotional month contributed to Collingwood's poor performance against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Friday night, according to Magpies coach Mick Malthouse.

Speaking after the 24-point loss, Malthouse said his young side may have experienced an emotional letdown after playing at high intensity levels in consecutive wins over St Kilda, Port Adelaide and Sydney.

"We were extremely tired after a very, very solid, emotional gut-busting month," said Malthouse.

"I don't believe our players have been this flat for a number of weeks."

"We wanted to take fourth spot ... (but) it didn't materialise because we were unaccustomed to being second, (our) forwards being behind, players not ... close enough to support each other."

"Under those circumstances, I have no doubt there is a psychological let down after (big) games, particularly if you have a lot of young players."

"If you have a seasoned team that's regularly in the finals, and I'm not talking about the club, 'cause it's our third year in a row, but it's the team out there and a lot of these players simply haven't been in finals football and I have no doubt that some of them subconsciously think, 'the last thing I want to do is be injured."

Malthouse said he was confident that his side, which will now play in a cut-throat elimination final in the first week of the finals series, will bounce back from the disappointing loss to the Dockers.

"(So) it's going to be cut throat, one loss and you're out, one win and you get another chance (but) I believe we can rebound from this," Malthouse said.

Meanwhile, Malthouse ruled out the possibility of club-suspended pair Heath Shaw and Alan Didak playing again this season.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Farmer future still unclear

August 30th 2008 03:40
THE future of controversial Fremantle veteran Jeff Farmer remains in doubt despite his three-goal performance in the Dockers' 24-point win over Collingwood at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said a number of factors would be considered at a meeting next week to determine whether Farmer would stay on at the club.

He also said that the 31-year-old's poor discipline, both on and off the field, would need to be weighed up against the value his character and experience added to the team.

"He (Farmer) was lively tonight, he was playing for his life and that's how I saw Jeff," Harvey said.

"But there's been other issues along the way and it's always an interesting, bumpy ride with Jeff."

"I'd love to talk to you about Jeff's character around the footy club ... particularly (how he gives strength) to his other team-mates. I can't speak highly enough of Jeff as a player."

Harvey said the final decision on Farmer would be made by the football department and new Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich.

Farmer isn't the only Docker whose future is unclear, with veteran midfielder reportedly keen to move back to his previous club Port Adelaide for personal reasons while young ruckman Robert Warnock has attracted interest from several Victorian clubs.

"I want Josh (and Robbie) to stay but you understand there are issues that players have to deal with and Josh is one of those," Harvey said.

"We'll do as much as we can to get Josh to stay at the club but if it's beyond that then, it's out of our control."

Meanwhile, Harvey said the fact that his side defeated a finals-bound club without several key players was a positive sign.

"Going forward with the group, the main thing that we've learned is that we don't necessarily rely on the heavy hitters in the team," he said.

"(I think) a lot of self belief has been gained by a lot of players that, perhaps, were either seeing themselves in between the 20 and 40th player but now, all of a sudden, they've jumped up and been given an opportunity."
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Holland calls it quits

August 30th 2008 03:26
MELBOURNE veteran Ben Holland has announced his retirement from AFL football.

Holland, who played 125 games for Richmond before moving to the Demons at the end of the 2003 season, will line up against the Tigers at the MCG on Sunday for what will be his 191st and final appearance at AFL level.

The 30-year-old said he had enjoyed his time at both clubs.

"I have given everything I have got to the team every time I competed," Holland said.

"I love playing football, I love being involved in football, and I love the team camaraderie."

"After Sunday's game, I will look forward to the next chapter of my life."

Holland was drafted by Fitzroy with pick 19 in the 1994 national draft before being traded to the Tigers at the end of the 1995 season where he made his AFL debut in 1997.
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Pies blow top four chance

August 29th 2008 13:58
FREMANTLE has ended Collingwood's top four hopes with a scrappy 24-point win at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.

The Dockers were rarely challenged in a contest that failed to reach any great heights, eventually prevailing 12.8 (80) to 8.8 (56).

The result sees Collingwood temporarily remain in fifth position on the ladder, although they could slip as far down as eighth if Adelaide (sixth), St Kilda (seventh) and Sydney (eighth) win their matches later in the round

Rhys Palmer finished what has been an impressive debut season with a game-high 27 possessions and one goal while Jeff Farmer was lively up forward with 21 touches and three goals.

Leon Davis was Collingwood's best with 23 possessions and one goal but he faded as the match wore on while Scott Pendlebury (24 disposals) tried hard all night.

Collingwood kicked the first goal of the match through John Anthony at the five-minute mark but the rest of the term belonged to the Dockers.

Fremantle won the contested football and ran harder as they slammed on five unanswered goals in 21 minutes to take a handy 20-point lead into quarter-time.

The Pies lifted their intensity in the second term and hit back with majors from Marty Clarke and Josh Fraser.

The Dockers responded with goals from Farmer and Des Headland before Davis put in a late contender for goal-of-the year.

Davis pressured Headland into losing possession, did a 360-degree spin to shake off Andrew Browne's tackle and then kicked truly from deep on the boundary line to keep the Magpies within striking distance heading into the main break, with the Dockers holding a 14-point advantage.

The standard of football failed to improve in the second half but a major from Tyson Goldsack got the Pies to within ten points of the Dockers and it looked as if they would overrun Fremantle.

But an error by Fraser in the goal square proved to be costly with Kepler Bradley booting the first of his three goals before Byron Schammer kicked truly to extend Fremantle's lead to 23 points.

A late major from Travis Cloke gave the Magpies a glimmer of hope heading into the final change, with Fremantle holding a 19-point lead.

Collingwood had little left in the tank in the final stanza as the Dockers cruised to just their sixth win of the season.

FREMANTLE: 5.0, 7.1, 9.7, 12.8 (80)
COLLINGWOOD: 1.4, 4.5, 6.6, 8.8 (56)
GOALS: Fremantle: Farmer 3, Bradley 3, Carr, Palmer, Duffield, Schammer, Headland, Campbell
Collingwood: Cloke 2, Anthony 2, Clarke, Fraser, Davis, Goldsack,
BEST: Fremantle: Palmer, Schammer, Farmer, McPharlin, Bradley
Collingwood: Davis, Cox, Pendlebury, Prestigiacomo, Fraser
INJURIES: Fremantle: TBC
Collingwood: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Donlon, Rosebury, Ryan
CROWD: 35,106 at Subiaco Oval
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Round twenty two teams

August 29th 2008 07:54
ROUND TWENTY TWO

All the teams for round twenty two of 2008 AFL premiership season, with Sunday's updated teams.

FREMANTLE v COLLINGWOOD
Friday, 8:40pm AEST, Subiaco
FREMANTLE
B: Thornton, Mi.Johnson, Mundy
HB: Drum, McPharlin, Hayden
C: Duffield, Crowley, Headland
HF: Schammer, Bradley, Farmer
F: Campbell, Murphy, Ma.Johnson
FOLL: Sandilands, J.Carr, Browne
I/C: Ibbotson, Mayne, Palmer, Hinkley
EMG: Dodd, Peake, Dunn
IN: Hinkley, Browne
OUT: Dodd, Peake

COLLINGWOOD
B: Prestigiacomo, Brown, Goldsack
HB: Clarke, Maxwell, O'Brien
C: Lockyer, R.Shaw, Cox
HF: Pendlebury, Cloke, Davis
F: Dawes, Medhurst, Anthony
FOLL: Fraser, Swan, O'Bree
I/C: McCarthy, Stanley, Bryan, Ryan
EMG: Barham, Macaffer, Egan
IN: Brown, Prestigiacomo, R.Shaw, Stanley.
OUT: Burns (calf), Toovey (foot), Wakelin (groin), Wellingham (groin)

NORTH MELBOURNE v PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday, 1:10pm AEST, MCG
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Gibson, Petrie, Firrito
HB: Pratt, Hansen, Urquhart
C: Harding, Simpson, Wells
HF: Harvey, Jones, Grant
F: Edwards, Hale, Campbell
FOLL: McIntosh, Harris, Rawlings
I/C: Power, Thomas, Watt, McMahon
EMG: Lower, Sinclair, Goldstein
IN: Edwards, Campbell
OUT: Sinclair, S.Thompson

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Thurstans, Carlile, Lower
HB: Surjan, White, P.Burgoyne
C: Cassisi, K.Cornes, Boak
HF: Logan, M.Westhoff, Pearce
F: J.Westhoff, D.Motlop, Ebert
FOLL: Brogan, S.Burgoyne, Rodan
I/C: Gray, Lade, M.Motlop, Stewart
EMG: Bentley, Farmer, Lonie
IN: Gray
OUT: Chaplin (knee)

GEELONG v WEST COAST
Saturday, 2:10pm AEST, Skilled Stadium
GEELONG
B: Harley, Scarlett, Hunt
HB: Enright, Mackie, Milburn
C: Ling, Bartel, Corey
HF: S.Johnson, Mooney, Gamble
F: Chapman, Lonergan, Varcoe
FOLL: Ottens, Ablett, J.Selwood
I/C: Blake, Prismall, Stokes, Taylor
EMG: Byrnes, Hawkins, Wojcinski
IN: Stokes, Gamble
OUT: Rooke (susp), Byrnes

WEST COAST
B: Nicoski, Glass, Mackenzie
HB: A.Selwood, Wilkes, Embley
C: Butler, Priddis, McNamara
HF: Armstrong, Hansen, Davis
F: LeCras, Lynch, McKinley
FOLL: Cox, Fletcher, Stenglein
I/C: Schofield, Seaby, S.Selwood, Spangher
EMG: Houlihan, Notte, Thomson
IN: LeCras, Schofield
OUT: Notte, Braun (retired)
Field umpires: Stewart, Armstrong, Jeffery

ADELAIDE v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Saturday, 4:10pm AEST, AAMI Stadium
ADELAIDE
B: Johncock, Rutten, Bassett
HB: McLeod, Bock, Doughty
C: Symes, Goodwin, Mackay
HF: van Berlo, Gill, Vince
F: Porplyzia, Tippett, Douglas
FOLL: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
I/C: Massie, Shirley, Knights, Stevens
EMG: Moran, Campbell, Reilly
IN: Porplyzia, Tippett, Vince
OUT: Dangerfield, Moran, Reilly

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Gilbee, Lake, Callan
HB: Boyd, Hargrave, Morris
C: Eagleton, Cross, Hill
HF: Murphy, Hahn, Johnson
F: Akermanis, Minson, Welsh
FOLL: Hudson, Cooney, Griffen
I/C: Giansiracusa, Harbrow, Higgins, Reid
EMG: Ray, Skipper, Wight
IN: Gilbee, Reid
OUT: Everitt, Ward

CARLTON v HAWTHORN
Saturday, 7:10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
CARLTON
B: Anderson, Waite, Thornton
HB: Carrazzo, Bower, Grigg
C: Stevens, Gibbs, Scotland
HF: Walker, Fisher, Simpson
F: Houlihan, Fevola, Kruezer
FOLL: Cloke, Murphy, Judd
I/C: Armfield, Bentick, Hampson, Russell
EMG: Austin, Pfeiffer, Wiggins
NO CHANGE

HAWTHORN
B: Brown, Gilham, Guerra
HB: Ladson, Croad, Birchall
C: Lewis, Mitchell, Young
HF: Osborne, Franklin, Bateman
F: Williams, Roughead, Rioli
FOLL: Campbell, Hodge, Sewell
I/C: Dew, Murphy, Renouf, Stokes
EMG: Dowler, Ellis, Morton
IN: Campbell, Hodge
OUT: Crawford (rested), Taylor (general soreness)

SYDNEY SWANS v BRISBANE LIONS
Saturday, 7:10pm AEST, SCG
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Barry, C.Bolton, Mattner
HB: Roberts-Thomson, Richards, Kennelly
C: Crouch, McVeigh, Bird
HF: O'Keefe, Grundy, Moore
F: Buchanan, Hall, Bevan
FOLL: Everitt, Kirk, J.Bolton
I/C: Ablett, Jack, Jolly, Malceski
EMG: Brabazon, Brennan, Veszpremi
IN: Ablett, Malceski
OUT: Goodes (Groin), Veszpremi

BRISBANE LIONS
B: Macdonald, Merrett, Patfull
HB: Sherman, Roe, T.Selwood
C: Dalziell, Black, Adcock
HF: Rischitelli, Brown, Collier
F: Harding, Bradshaw, Corrie
FOLL: Charman, Power, Brennan
I/C: Hanley, Proud, Henderson, Clouston
EMG: Hooper, Mills, Hawksley
IN: T.Selwood, Henderson, Clouston,
Collier, Proud, Harding
OUT: McGrath (quad), Moody (groin), Copeland, Hawksley, Johnstone, Hooper

MELBOURNE v RICHMOND
Sunday, 2:10pm AEST, MCG
MELBOURNE
B: Whelan, Carroll, Bell
HB: Frawley, Warnock, Garland
C: Bruce, McDonald, Green
HF: Petterd, Miller, Buckley
F: Maric, Sylvia, Yze
FOLL: White, Bartram, Jones
I/C: Grimes, Holland, Wheatley, Morton
EMG: Valenti, Martin, Newton
IN: Carroll, Frawley, Grimes, Holland, Maric, Petterd
OUT: Wonaeamirri (hamstring), Bate, Dunn, Jamar, Martin, Newton

RICHMOND
B: Newman, Thursfield, Moore
HB: Schulz, McGuane, McMahon
C: Richardson, Tuck, Deledio
HF: White, Bowden, Tambling
F: Edwards, Riewoldt, Cotchin
FOLL: Simmonds, Johnson, Foley
I/C: Tivendale, Morton, Jackson, Pattison
EMG: Connors, Polo, Rance
IN: Tivendale, Pattison
OUT: Cartledge, Connors

ESSENDON v ST KILDA
Sunday, 4:40pm AEST, Telstra Dome
ESSENDON
B: Slattery, Lovett-Murray, McVeigh
HB: Nash, Ryder, Peverill
C: Dyson, Watson, Lovett
HF: Johnson, Lloyd, Monfries
F: Lonergan, Michael, Ramanauskas
FOLL: Bellchambers, Hocking, Stanton
I/C: Jetta, Magin, Hooker, Williams
EMG: Atkinson, Chartres, Reimers
IN: Jetta, Williams
OUT: McPhee (ankle), Welsh (hamstring)

ST KILDA
B: Dempster, S.Fisher, Gram
HB: Goddard, Hudghton, Blake
C: Gilbert, Dal Santo, Hayes
HF: Harvey, Riewoldt, Eddy
F: Jones, Koschitzke, Schneider
FOLL: King, Birss, Montagna
I/C: Milne, Gwilt, C.Gardiner, R.Clarke
EMG: Allen, Armitage, Fiora
NO CHANGE
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Crows defend Porplyzia decision

August 29th 2008 07:23
ADELAIDE has defended its decision to select injured forward Jason Porplyzia for Saturday's clash against the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium.

Porplyzia, who has been sidelined for the past three weeks with concussion, has had his shoulder pop out of its socket several times this season but he has manfully played on.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig said Porplyzia has shown that he is able to perform despite the injury.

"That's been normal for him in the last four, five, six weeks or however long it's been. His decision is always, is he able to perform with the shoulder if it gets knocked or if it comes out and goes back in, so his capacity to put up with that," he said.

"Not only has he said he can but he can (put up with it) … the best example I can give is his performance against Sydney."

Craig also dismissed suggestions that the club hadn't put Poryplzia's best interests first after he suffered concussion following an off-the-ball clash with Carlton's Steven Browne in round 18.

"In terms of duty of care I think we've been absolutely crystal clear and diligent with that. We haven't played Jason until he's been cleared from one of the best neurosurgeons in Adelaide so I'm not sure what more we can do."
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Roos not thinking about finals: Laidley

August 29th 2008 02:39
NORTH MELBOURNE coach Dean Laidley has dismissed suggestions that his side already has one eye on the first week of the finals.

A win against struggling Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday means the Kangaroos will retain fourth place and book a qualifying final showdown against reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong.

But Laidley said it was too risky to be thinking about possible finals match-ups when their is still one game left in the home-and-away season.

"If we do well and we win the game on Saturday, ring me up on Saturday afternoon and I'll speak to you about the opposition," he said.

"I'll tell you right now, we don't talk about who we play or who we might play the following week until we win this game of footy.

"It's just a bit of a myth with the media guys that we start to talk about what may or may not occur.

"You just can't afford to do that in this competition otherwise you get your pants pulled down."
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Round twenty two teams

August 28th 2008 08:24
ROUND TWENTY TWO

Friday, August 29
Fremantle v Collingwood at Subiaco Oval, 6.40pm AWST

Saturday, August 30
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome, 1.10pm AEST
Geelong v West Coast at Skilled Stadium, 2.10pm AEST
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium, 3.10pm ACST
Carlton v Hawthorn at Telstra Dome, 7.10pm AEST
Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions at the SCG, 7.10pm AEST

Sunday, August 31
Melbourne v Richmond at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
Essendon v St Kilda at Telstra Dome, 4.40pm AEST

FREMANTLE v COLLINGWOOD
FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Michael Johnson, David Mundy
HB: Marcus Drum, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Paul Duffield, Ryan Crowley, Des Headland
HF: Byron Schammer, Kepler Bradley, Jeff Farmer
F: Adam Campbell, Ryan Murphy, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Josh Carr, Andrew Browne
I/C: Garrick Ibottson, Chris Mayne, Rhys Palmer, Clayton Hinkley
EMG: Steven Dodd, Brett Peake, Ryley Dunn

In: Hinkley, Browne
Out: Steven Dodd, Brett Peake

COLLINGWOOD
B: Simon Prestigiacomo, Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Heritier O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Rhyce Shaw, Shannon Cox
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, John Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: John McCarthy, Danny Stanley, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
EMG: Jaxson Barham, Brent Macaffer, Chris Egan

In: Brown, Prestigiacomo, R. Shaw, Stanley
Out: Scott Burns (calf), Alan Toovey (foot), Shane Wakelin (groin), Sharrod Wellingham (groin)

NORTH MELBOURNE v PORT ADELAIDE
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Josh Gibson, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito
HB: Daniel Pratt, Lachlan Hansen, Gavin Urquhart
C: Leigh Harding, Adam Simpson, Daniel Wells
HF: Brent Harvey, Corey Jones, Shannon Grant
F: Aaron Edwards, David Hale, Matt Campbell
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Daniel Harris, Brady Rawlings
I/C: Sam Power, Lindsay Thomas, Shannon Watt, Scott McMahon
EMG: Ed Lower, Jess Sinclair, Todd Goldstein

In: Campbell, Edwards
Out: Jess Sinclair, Scott Thompson

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Toby Thurstans, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Damon White, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Matthew Westhoff, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C: Brendon Lade, Marlon Motlop, Paul Stewart, Robert Gray
EMG: Greg Bentley, Mitch Farmer, Nathan Lonie

In: Gray
Out: Troy Chaplin (knee)

GEELONG v WEST COAST
GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Josh Hunt
HB: Corey Enright, Andrew Mackie, Darren Milburn
C: Cameron Ling, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey
HF: Ryan Gamble, Cameron Mooney, Steve Johnson
F: Paul Chapman, Tom Lonergan, Travis Varcoe
Foll: Brad Ottens, Gary Ablett, Joel Selwood
I/C: Mark Blake, Brent Prismall, Mathew Stokes, Harry Taylor
EMG: Shannon Byrnes, Tom Hawkins, David Wojcinski

In: Stokes, Gamble
Out: Max Rooke (susp), Shannon Byrnes

WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Sam Butler, Matt Priddis, Jamie McNamara
HF: Steven Armstrong, Ashley Hansen, Ryan Davis
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Ben McKinley
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Tyson Stenglein
I/C: Will Schofield, Mark Seaby, Scott Selwood, Matt Spangher
EMG: Tim Houlihan, Tony Notte, James Thomson

In: LeCras, Schofield
Out: Tony Notte, Michael Braun (retired)

ADELAIDE v WESTERN BULLDOGS
ADELAIDE
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Andrew McLeod, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, David Mackay
HF: Nathan van Berlo, Nick Gill, Bernie Vince
F: Jason Porplyzia, Kurt Tippett, Richard Douglas
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Tyson Edwards
I/C: Kris Massie, Robert Shirley, Chris Knights, Scott Stevens
EMG: Brad Moran, Bryce Campbell, Brent Reilly

In: Tippett, Porplyzia, Vince
Out: Brad Moran, Brent Reilly, Patrick Dangerfield

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Tim Callan
HB: Matthew Boyd, Ryan Hargrave, Dale Morris
C: Nathan Eagleton, Daniel Cross, Josh Hill
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen
I/C: Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Shaun Higgins, Sam Reid
EMG: Farren Ray, Wayde Skipper, Cameron Wight

In: Gilbee, Reid
Out: Andrejs Everitt, Callan Ward

New: Sam Reid (Zillmere)

CARLTON v HAWTHORN
CARLTON
B: Joe Anderson, Jarrad Waite, Bret Thornton
HB: Andrew Carrazzo, Paul Bower, Shaun Grigg
C: Nick Stevens, Bryce Gibbs, Heath Scotland
HF: Andrew Walker, Brad Fisher, Kade Simpson
F: Ryan Houlihan, Brendan Fevola, Matthew Kreuzer
Foll: Cameron Cloke, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd
I/C: Dennis Armfield, Adam Bentick, Shaun Hampson, Jordan Russell
EMG: Mark Austin, Darren Pfeiffer, Simon Wiggins

No change

HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB: Rick Ladson, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Clinton Young
HF: Michael Osborne, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell
I/C: Stuart Dew, Thomas Murphy, Brent Renouf, Cameron Stokes
EMG: Beau Dowler, Xavier Ellis, Jarryd Morton

In: Campbell, Hodge
Out: Shane Crawford (rested), Simon Taylor (general soreness)

SYDNEY SWANS v BRISBANE LIONS
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Martin Mattner
HB: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Jared Crouch, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Jarred Moore
F: Amon Buchanan, Barry Hall, Paul Bevan
Foll: Peter Everitt, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C: Luke Ablett, Kieren Jack, Darren Jolly, Nick Malceski
EMG: Ryan Brabazon, Luke Brennan, Patrick Veszpremi

In: Ablett, Malceski
Out: Adam Goodes (groin), Patrick Veszpremi

BRISBANE LIONS
B: Joel Macdonald, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Troy Selwood
C: Bradd Dalziell, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Tom Collier
F: Scott Harding, Daniel Bradshaw, Anthony Corrie
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Jared Brennan
I/C: Pearce Hanley, Albert Proud, Lachlan Henderson, Scott Clouston
EMG: Rhan Hooper, Wayde Mills, James Hawksley

In: Selwood, Henderson, Clouston, Collier, Proud, Harding
Out: Ashley McGrath (quad), Matthew Moody (groin), Robert Copeland, James Hawksley, Travis Johnstone, Rhan Hooper

MELBOURNE v RICHMOND
MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Nathan Carroll, Daniel Bell
HB: James Frawley, Matthew Warnock, Colin Garland
C: Cameron Bruce, James McDonald, Brad Green
HF: Ricky Petterd, Brad Miller, Simon Buckley
F: Addam Maric, Colin Sylvia, Adem Yze
Foll: Jeff White, Clint Bartram, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): Jack Grimes, Ben Holland, Stefan Martin, Cale Morton, Michael Newton, Paul Wheatley, Shane Valenti

In: Frawley, Grimes, Maric, Petterd, Valenti, Holland, Carroll
Out: Mark Jamar, Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn, Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring)

New: Jack Grimes (Northern Knights)

RICHMOND
B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore
HB: Jay Schulz, Luke McGuane, Jordan McMahon
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Matt White, Joel Bowden, Richard Tambling
F: Shane Edwards, Jack Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C (from): Greg Tivendale, Mitch Morton, Dean Polo, Adam Pattison, Alex Rance, Daniel Jackson, Daniel Connors

In: Tivendale, Pattison, Polo, Rance
Out: Tristan Cartledge

New: Alex Rance (Swan Districts)

ESSENDON v ST KILDA
ESSENDON
B: Henry Slattery, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Mark McVeigh
HB: Jay Nash, Patrick Ryder, Damien Peverill
C: Ricky Dyson, Jobe Watson, Andrew Lovett
HF: Jason Johnson, Matthew Lloyd, Angus Monfries
F: Sam Lonergan, Mal Michael, Adam Ramanauskas
Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, Brent Stanton
I/C (from): Jarrod Atkinson, Danny Chartres, Cale Hooker, Leroy Jetta, Rhys Magin, Kyle Reimers, John Williams

In: Atkinson, Chartres, Jetta, Reimers, Williams
Out: Adam McPhee (ankle), Andrew Welsh (hamstring)

New: Danny Chartres (Peel Thunder/rookie list), John Williams (Morningside)

ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Max Hudghton, Jason Blake
C: Sam Gilbert, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Robert Eddy
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Adam Schneider
Foll: Steven King, Shane Birss, Leigh Montagna
I/C (from): Stephen Milne, James Gwilt, Charlie Gardiner, David Armitage, Aaron Fiora, Raphael Clarke, Jarryd Allen

In: Fiora, Allen, Armitage
Out: -


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Drug use on the decline: Demetriou

August 28th 2008 08:15
The AFL says illicit drug use among its players is on the decline despite releasing statistics that show the number of players that tested positive to drugs last season rose.

The league revealed that 11 players tested positive to illicit drugs in 2007 - including three players that tested positive on two occasions.

This compared to just nine players that tested positive on one occasion each in 2006.

Of the 14 positive tests - four were for marijuana and ten were for stimulants while the league also revealed that two of the three players that had twice been caught for testing positive to illicit drugs were also being treated for mental illness - believed to be depression.

Despite the increase AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou dismissed suggestions that drug use amongst the players was on the rise, saying the increase in the number of positive tests was due to the league tripling its number of drug tests for the year from 486 to 1152.

"If you triple the sample size and the percentage (of positive drug tests) goes down then the trend (of drug use) is going down," he said.

Meanwhile, the AFL said it would continue with its three strikes policy next season while a player will now lose a strike if he has remained drug free for four years, even if he already has two strikes.

A player will be suspended for up to 18 weeks for a third offence instead of the previous 12 while every player will now be tested at least once a year

The league will also increase the number of tests it performs each season to 1500 and for the first time introduce hair testing during the off-season.

Any player that records a positive test through hair testing will receive the same counselling that goes to other players that record a positive drugs test but that player will not receive an official strike.

Despite the major changes Demetriou couldn't guarantee that a player won't develop a drug addiction despite never testing positive to an AFL drugs test.

"No testing regime is perfect and there may be a player who still slips through the net," he said.
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Dees rule out trading for Kerr

August 28th 2008 06:45
MELBOURNE will not make a trade with West Coast for midfielder Daniel Kerr according to coach Dean Bailey.

Kerr is understood to be up for grabs at the end of the season but any club that hopes to secure his services will have to give up a lot with the Eagles expected to demand two top-10 selections in this year's draft.

Bailey said the the club won't be giving up any of its picks in exchange for the 2006 premiershp star.

"He's a very good player Daniel Kerr. Maybe someone might be prepared to trade out a first-round pick," Bailey said.

"We'll keep our picks, we won't be trading. We want to keep our first pick and as of today there's also 17 and 19. We'll be really keen to keep our picks."

Bailey also said he was focused on building a side from the ground up.

"We have a young list now and this year it's important that we draft well," he said.

"Every year you should draft well. You can't pick and choose drafts and you have to ensure you put all of the work into it so you can produce and develop players."

"We've got a young list now, we'll have a young list again next year."

"How we coach and how we develop them is super important."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Melbourne Demons
   


Time up for Tivendale at Tigerland

August 28th 2008 05:29
RICHMOND midfielder Greg Tivendale will play his last game for the the club Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

The 29-year-old has struggled to break into the senior side this season, managing just two games in 2008.

The 187-game veteran says he has not given up hope of being picked up by another club next year.

"I'd like to think that people would think of me as a good servant of the Richmond Football Club and a good quality player that has done his best for Richmond," he said.

"My form (in the VFL) has been pretty good this year so I'm not going to cancel out a chance of going on next year."

"I’ll put my hat in the ring and see what happens."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Richmond Tigers
   


Webster stands down

August 27th 2008 09:17
FREMANTLE utility Luke Webster's AFL career is over after he advised the club he will not be seeking a contract extension

Webster has endured a horrid run with injuries, suffering three ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and one in his right.

The latest occurred on April 5 this year while playing for his WAFL side East Perth. Webster attempted to revive his career by undergoing the same radical knee surgery as Sydney's Nick Malceski.

The 26-year-old made a successful return in the WAFL just 91 days after suffering the injury but his hopes of playing again at AFL level were derailed when he required further surgery on the knee.

Webster said his inability to get his body right wasn't the only reason behind his decision to stand aside.

"It has been a contributing factor in that I haven't been able to get out on the park but it's more that I feel that the club is going in a different direction with the young players coming through and I don't want to be in their way," he said.

"I still haven't made a final decision about playing footy again next year."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Late finish a concern: Lyon

August 27th 2008 07:04
ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon says he is concerned that playing a Sunday twilight match in round 22 could have an adverse affect on his club's finals campaign.

The Saints' clash against Essendon at Telstra Dome won't kick off until 4.40pm - meaning it will not finish until around 7.15pm Sunday night.

Collingwood - one of the Saints' possible opponents in week one of the finals plays on Friday night while their most likely opponents in next weekend's elimination finals in Sydney and Adelaide both play on Saturday.

Lyon said he hopes the AFL takes the late starting time of his team's clash against the Bombers into account when it does the fixturing for the first week of the finals.

"I just hope we get a seven day break (leading into the first final) but we can't control that," he said.

"We will take what comes but in a perfect scenario we would get the regulation (seven day) break."

"But there are so many possibilities who can end up where - the Kangaroos can finish anywhere from fourth to eighth - that we can't even think about it."

Meanwhile Lyon said midfielder Luke Ball, who has been sidelined since round 18 with a hamstring injury, was unlikely to be risked this weekend.

"He is more unlikely than likely (to play this week) at this stage but he is running pretty strongly," he said.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Eagles will give everything: Worsfold

August 27th 2008 05:59
WEST COAST coach John Worsfold has admitted that a win against reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday is unlikely.

But Worsfold promised that his players will compete to the best of their abilities.

"It would be a big win if we could do it but all we can guarantee is that we'll go out and give it everything, not just count down the minutes in the game until the end of the season, but just go out and enjoy the challenge of playing against a great side," Worsfold said.

"This week we'll go out to compete and play at our best and the expectation is probably not that we're a great chance to win but anything can happen.

"You go out to get your match-ups as good as you can get them, give players great opportunities and you expect them to do their best."

Following the Cats' 33-point win over the Kangaroos, Geelong coach Mark Thompson said the Eagles will experience the 'hardest day of their lives' against his side.

However, Worsfold believes Thompson is just trying to fire up the minor premiers for a seemingly meaningless encounter.

"Mark Thompson made a statement that is really directed at the Geelong players more than at us," Worsfold said.

"So he's dealing with his side, they're going through a lot of different emotions this week and he'll deal with it in his own way and I'm interested to sit back and see how he deals with that and what impact it has."

Worsfold also said his side was not looking for revenge after the Cats thumped West Coast by 135 points in round 13 - the club's worst-ever loss at Subiaco Oval.

"It (the loss) taught us a good lesson, there's no doubt about that, not just from Geelong, but where we stood and why we couldn't really close any sort of gap to stop them scoring," he said.

"That was a game where the players were pretty strong about not being beaten like that again, but we have to make sure we've learned from it in the long term."

Meanwhile, small forward Mark LeCras is a chance to return after being a late withdrawal from last weekend's match against Hawthorn with an adductor strain while veteran David Wirrpanda (bruised buttocks/hamstring) is unlikely to play.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


Princes Park unlikely to host AFL matches

August 27th 2008 05:25
THE chances of Carlton's home ground returning as an AFL venue appear to be slim following the Blues' announcement of an $18 million re-development of Princes Park.

The ground will be known as Visy Park as part of former president Richard Pratt's long-running financial support of the club.

The Blues will now have state-of-the-art training facility but the ground's capacity had to drop from 32,000 to around 20,000 to allow the re-development to proceed.

The AFL recently said it was interested in establishing a third ground in Melbourne but Swann said it was 'highly unlikely' that Princes Park would be used again for AFL matches.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for the club and it brings our facilities up to equal of any in the world," he said.

"But it's a training facility, with a whole lot of community facilities within it and that has been the emphasis of the re-development."

"As you can see from that area (which has been demolished) we have lost quite a bit of seating," he said.

"And while it's not beyond the realms (of possibility of the ground again being used as an AFL venue) it's highly, highly unlikely that we would be hosting games here (in the future)."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Bassett calls it quits

August 27th 2008 05:09
ADELAIDE defender Nathan Bassett revealed on Wednesday that he will hang up the boots at the end of this season.

The 31-year-old, who has played 208 games for the Crows, was drafted by Melbourne in 1997 but was traded to Adelaide at the end of the same year.

Bassett is one of only eight players to play over 200 games with Adelaide and he also earned All-Australian honours in 2006.

He currently has 11 finals matches to his credit but wasn't part of Adelaide's second premiership team in 1998.

Bassett said the wear and tear of AFL football is starting to take its toll.

"On the weekend I was pretty sore going into the game and it was like I can't do anything more to prepare myself to play AFL football," Bassett said.

"I've done everything right to get myself right, it was an eight-day break, and I still feel I can't play to my best level and it's not going to get any better."

"The game has changed so much during my career and I think as a player you have to adapt to it."

"So it's such a running game you need to be a good athlete and I've done my best to try and keep pace with but it's only going to get faster."

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said Bassett had made a major contribution to the club.

"Nathan retires as a life member of our club," Trigg said.

"Since commencing in 1998, he has grown enormously in terms of his leadership, and the contribution he has made to the culture of our playing group - especially in recent years - has been very significant."

"We’ll always remember the animated ‘Bass’ responses, the selfless acts of courage and the long runs out of defence which were trademarks of his 11 years as a player.

“We thank and congratulate him on an outstanding career.”
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Ratten on the verge of new deal

August 27th 2008 03:45
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten is likely to win a contract extension sooner rather than later, according to Blues chief executive Greg Swann.

Ratten was only given a two-year contract but has been impressive in his first season as coach, steering the Blues to 10 wins from 21 games.

Swann said the club had already held preliminary talks about extending Ratten's contract in light of his performance as coach this season.

"We spoke about it yesterday and at the end of the season we do a review like we do every other year and part of that is what we do with the senior coach," Swann said.

"And we will be certainly looking very favourably at extending Brett's contract because the club has improved tremendously and we think there is more improvement to come so that (extending Ratten's contract) will be done in due course."

Ratten admitted that he would love to get a contract extension but said it was not his focus at this stage.

"I think it would be great," he said.

"But I am not really worried about all that until the year is finished."

"If the club thinks I deserve an extension I would love to get one but we will sit down and see what happens."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Williams to miss finals

August 27th 2008 03:30
WESTERN BULLDOGS defender Tom Williams' season is over after suffering a recurrence of a quadricep injury.

The 22-year-old had been earmarked to play on star Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin in the first week of the finals but suffered a setback with the quad injury and will now undergo the shoulder surgery the club had hoped to leave until the end of the season.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade tried to underplay the loss of Williams.

"It's a bit of a blow, but I think people are making more of a kid who's 22 years of age and has played 19 games," he said.

"It would have helped our structure, but having said that he's only played seven or eight games this year and we have coped OK without him.

"There's a fair bit of pressure on the young lad and it's more unfortunate for him that he didn't get up.

"He was pretty devastated on Monday. I think it's the fact he's had so many injuries, and I think the best thing for him is to get his shoulder done so he can have a good pre-season and hopefully get an uninterrupted next year."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


Tigers primed for finals in '09

August 26th 2008 08:03
RICHMOND is better placed to capitalise on another ninth-placed finish this season in 2009, according to coach Terry Wallace.

The Tigers will finish in ninth place for the sixth time in the 15 seasons since the top eight was first introduced in 1994 if they defeat bottom-placed Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

Only two of those previous ninth-placed finishes - 1994 and 2000 resulted in finals appearances in the following season, but Wallace is confident the club will be able to build upon this year's ninth-placed finish.

"In most of those years the team had played well early but then faded away and finished ninth," he said.

"But this time around we have done it on the back of young talent and ridden it home (with seven wins in the last 10 matches) in the latter part of the year."

Wallace said the 2008 team could not be compared to the one of 2006, which won the wooden spoon the following season.

"The difference between those two teams is this is more sustainable," he said.

"We did that (in 2006) with the second or third oldest team in the competition and were not able to achieve finals so you would think in that situation you are more likely to go down and up."

"But this time around we have got some good young players and along with Melbourne we had the most players running around in the competition last week with 50 games or less to their names."

Wallace also said the club shouldn't accept anything less than a finals appearance.

"We are on an improving graph and our challenge now is to ensure that continues," he said.

"We are not accepting of ninth place and nor should we be and we have got to start marching up and playing finals footy."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL Opinion, Richmond Tigers
   


Medhurst re-signs

August 26th 2008 06:08
COLLINGWOOD forward Paul Medhurst has signed a new two-year deal which will see him remain at the club until at least the end of the 2010 season.

The former Fremantle Docker said the move to the Pies at the end of 2006 was the best thing to happen to his career.

"It's definitely the best move footy wise I could have made," he said.

"I am loving my time here and I am looking forward to another two years."

Medhurst said Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has played a major role in his transformation from an inconsistent player to one of the AFL's best small forwards.

"Mick has been good and all along he has been crucial in that for me," Medhurst said.

"He has given me more of an opportunity to develop my game here than I could at Fremantle."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Grant one of the best: Laidley

August 26th 2008 05:55
NORTH MELBOURNE coach Dean Laidley has described retiring veteran Shannon Grant as the club's second-greatest match-winner of the modern era.

Grant, who will play his 300th game this weekend against Port Adelaide at the MCG, revealed on Tuesday he will retire at the end of the season.

He began his career in Sydney and played for the Swans against North Melbourne in the 1996 grand final before being traded to the Kangaroos at the end of 1997.

Grant, who has booted 357 goals in 299 games, won the Norm Smith Medal after booting four goals in the Roos' grand final win in 1999.

Laidley praised Grant for his contribution to the club over the past decade, saying the 31-year-old had won several games for the club off his own boot.

"I have said this openly before that take Wayne Carey out of the picture and this guy sitting next to me (Grant) has won more games off his own boot (for North Melbourne) than anyone else," Laidley said.

"He has done everything in footy, apart from win a Brownlow Medal - and that speaks volumes for his actions on the field but also the work he has done off the field as well."

Grant admitted he has always prided himself on his ability to perform on the big stage but said he was embarassed at being compared to Carey, who is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

"You do look back with pride (at his big game reputation) but in the same breath you get a bit embarrassed being compared to Wayne Carey as a footballer," he said.

"But it's certainly something that when you set out to play (AFL) you want to play well in the big games and you want to play finals footy and if you are not playing for that reason you might as well give the game away."

Grant said he is looking forward to finishing his career on a positive note.

"I am looking forward to a big few weeks ahead," Grant said.

"I always wanted to go out on my terms and I don't think there is anything worse than going on that extra year or two and running around in the VFL."

"That is certainly something I didn't want to do and I think when you have enough time to think about (retiring) you know when the time is right and I knew the time had come

He also said there is plenty to like about the club's future.

"There is a lot of potential here, a lot of good youngsters coming through and when we are up and about we can play some decent footy," he said.

"This side is a lot younger (than the side he walked into in 1998) so there is a lot more scope for improvement in the group so you would hope that potential will be fulfilled down the track."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Rooke accepts

August 26th 2008 05:17
GEELONG defender Max Rooke will miss Saturday's clash against West Coast at Skilled Stadium after accpeting a one-match ban for engaging in rough conduct against North Melbourne's Sam Power.

The panel assessed Rooke's charge as negligent conduct, high impact and body contact.

Rooke's previous one-match suspension over the last three years meant he received 247.5 points, which equates to a two-match ban.

But because he entered an early guilty plea his points tally dropped to 185.63 points, which means he will be available for the first week of the finals.

Meanwhile, North Melbourne's Michael Firrito has accepted a $900 fine for making an obscene gesture during the last quarter of the Roos' 33-point loss to the Cats.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Pavlich ruled out

August 26th 2008 05:07
FREMANTLE skipper Matthew Pavlich will miss Friday night's clash against Collingwood at Subiaco Oval with a foot injury.

Pavlich, who has battled knee soreness in the second half of the season, was a late withdrawal from last weekend's seven-point loss to Richmond at the MCG.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said Pavlich's knee problems had contributed to a hot spot in his foot.

"He won't play, that is it for Pav," Harvey told 6PR.

"He has developed a stress hot spot in his foot and we think it is on the back of his knee (injury)."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Demons dump veterans

August 26th 2008 05:02
MELBOURNE veterans Jeff White and Adem Yze will play their final games for the club when the Demons face Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.

Yze will play his 271st AFL match for Melbourne to sit third on the club's all-time games record list – one fewer than Robbie Flower (272) and behind former skipper David Neitz (306).

White will move into seventh spot on Melbourne's games record list this weekend with 236 matches, overtaking Brett Lovett (235).

Both players will nominate for the draft, although Yze has acknowledged he had 'probably only half a percent' chance of finding a new home.

White said he felt that he still has something to offer at AFL level.

"From a personal point of view I still feel I've got some time left," he said.

"I'm not hanging my hat on getting a spot on an AFL club next year but I'll definitely put my hand up to say my mind feels good, my body feels good, I want to continue playing."

If not picked up, White and Yze will both continue playing in the VFL or in another lower-grade competition.

Yze will be remembered come as the man who nearly played the most consecutive matches ever, falling 18 short of equalling Jim Stynes' record of 244.

However, he did say the record became a distraction the closer he came to breaking it.

"Whether it was media or other people questioning your attack on the footy or whether you're putting your body on the line for a record – that actually didn't sit well with me," Yze said.

"So I had a meeting with Neale [Daniher] last year … and said: 'I don't want to play', to end that speculation. From there, it felt like a release and I could just enjoy my footy."

Both players played an integral role in helping the club reach six finalls series in nine years.




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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Melbourne Demons
   


Grant calls it quits

August 26th 2008 01:27
NORTH MELBOURNE veteran Shannon Grant has confirmed he will retire at the end of this season.

Grant, who will play his 300th game against Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday, said he will hang up the boots when the Roos are knocked out of the finals.

The 31-year-old was originally drafted by Sydney but was traded to North at the end of the 1997 season in a straight swap for Wayne Schwass.

Grant has played 241 games for North Melbourne and won the Norm Smith medal after booting four goals in the Roos' 35-point win over Carlton in the 1999 grand final.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Dalziell wins nomination

August 26th 2008 01:13
BRISBANE midfielder Bradd Dalziell has been rewarded for his impressive start to his AFL career with the round 21 NAB Rising Star nomination.

Dalziell racked up 32 possessions on debut against West Coast in round 16 and has played every match since, averaging over 26 disposals per game.

The 21-year-old, who was overlooked in the 2005 and 2006 drafts, was compared to Lions greats Shaun Hart and Nigel Lappin by Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews.

"He has been incredible in his ability to link up and get to the right spots when we need someone to run into space," Matthews said.

"You need to be an extremely talented endurance athlete to keep getting into spots that other people can't get to because they are too tired."

"When you watch him play a game, he runs really hard. He's doing a little bit of what Shaun Hart and Nigel Lappin used to do."

Dalziell was selected with pick 52 in the 2007 national draft.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Brisbane Lions
   


West's season over

August 25th 2008 08:50
THE future of Western Bulldogs veteran Scott West remains in doubt after the out-of-contract midfielder decided to abandon his much-publicised race to prove his fitness for the finals.

West, who has not played since a knee stress fracture sidelined him in round six pulled up sore after training last Wednesday and did not play in the VFL at the weekend.

After discussions with the club, West has decided to pull the pin on this season.

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


Schwab returns to Melbourne

August 25th 2008 08:45
CAMERON Schwab has replaced Paul McNamee as Melbourne's new chief executive.

He returns to the position he left after four years in 2001 to take up the CEO role at Fremantle.

Melbourne president Jim Stynes said Schwab was the right man to help lead the club into an exciting new era.

"To have someone of Cameron's calibre lead this Club into the future is very exciting. It is well known that Cameron and the Demons go a long way back."

"All of the new Board has been impressed with his football knowledge, his management credentials and his drive. With Cameron as the CEO we are convinced that Melbourne can become the club that all Demons crave. We have some unfinished business to do," Stynes said.

Schwab started his career in administration with Melbourne as an 18-year-old before becoming the youngest ever AFL chief executive when he went to Richmond at just 24.

He then returned to Melbourne in 1994 and then took over as CEO in 1997.

Schwab said he believed he could help the Demons become a force again.

"The Melbourne Football Club has been a considerable part of my own personal heritage. It's where I started my working life 25 years ago. I would like to think that I can play a role in securing the future of the Club," he said.

"Jim and his board have brought hope to Melbourne and it is now my job to help build a team who can match that hope with expectation and performance."

He begins his three-year contract in early October

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Melbourne Demons
   


Swans on notice

August 25th 2008 08:02
SYDNEY has two weeks to show whether they are a spent force according to coach Paul Roos

The Swans have lost six of their past eight matches to drop to eighth place on the AFL ladder.

While a sixth straight finals appearance is guaranteed, Roos said his players needed to perform better against Brisbane this week and in the first week of the finals to prove that the club is still a genuine force.

"I think the next couple of weeks will tell. There's certainly some signs. I guess that's to be expected. You play in the finals series five or six years. I think you've got to give some credit to the group that even though we are not playing great footy at the moment, to make the finals six years in a row ... it's enormously challenging," he said.

Roos said some players will be rested this weekend but admitted it was important that his side go into the first week of the finals with a confidence boosting win under their belt.

"I think you've got to find the balance. We've got two weeks, this game's important on Saturday night, but more from the point of view of how we set up for the next final. We might need to rest some players," he said.

"We've got a week to sort ourselves out and get ourselves to a position where we are able to compete against St Kilda, or Adelaide, or Collingwood. That's the immediate challenge."

"We know it doesn't mean anything in terms of getting in or out of the finals. We've got to take the opportunity to rest some players with an important game the following week.
We need to take this week to get ready for the first week of the finals."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Mitchell free to play

August 25th 2008 07:18
HAWTHORN skipper Sam Mitchell is free to play against Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday night after being cleared of any wrongdoing over his second quarter clash with West Coast's Ashley Hansen at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Mitchell had 93.75 points hanging over his head already meaning he could have been hit with a two-match ban which meant he would have missed the Hawks' qualifying final against the Western Bulldogs in a fortnight's time.

But the match review panel ruled that Mitchell did not strike Hansen but rather made contact with his open hand 'in a grabbing/tackling motion.'

Meanwhile, Geelong's Max Rooke has been hit with a two-match ban for engaging in rough conduct against North Melbourne's Sam Power.

The panel assessed Rooke's charge as negligent conduct, high impact and body contact.

Rooke's previous one-match suspension over the last three years meant he received 247.5 points, which equates to a two-match ban.

But by enterting an early guilty plea Rooke's points tally will drop to just 185.63 points, which means he will just miss the meaningless round 22 clash against West Coast.

In other tribunal news, Hawthorn ruckman Brent Renouf was cleared over a first quarter incident in which he made high contact to West Coast spearhead Quinten Lynch.

North Melbourne defender Michael Firrito was hit with a $1,200 sanction for making an obscene gesture during the final quarter of Sunday's match against Geelong.
but can reduce the fine to $900 with an early guilty plea.

The match-day report laid against Adelaide's Chris Knights for engaging in rough conduct against St Kilda's Shane Birss was thrown out. The panel ruled that Knights was pushed from behind and the corresponding contact with Birss was caused by circumstances outside of Knights' control

Essendon's Mark McVeigh is also free to play in the farewell match for Adam Ramanauskas, Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill on Sunday.

McVeigh's clash with Bulldogs' skipper Brad Johnson was looked at but given the all-clear while Fremantle veteran Jeff Farmer was cleared over his off-the-ball clash with Richmond's Shane Edwards.

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


Shaw quits

August 25th 2008 06:12
FREMANTLE football operations manager Robert Shaw has quit the club after three years in the role and will return to Melbourne.

Shaw said being closer to his family was the reason behind his decision.

“I’m intensely proud of my contribution to Fremantle and the role that I have played in its growth," he said.

“However, being apart from [my wife] Gayle and the girls has not been easy. They have been tower of strength during my time here at Fremantle and I know that their support will continue into the next phase of my football career.”

Shaw played 51 games for Essendon between 1974-81 and coached Fitzroy from 1991-94.

He coached Adelaide in 1995-96 before returning to the Bombers as an assistant under former coach Kevin Sheedy.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Rama, Johnson call it quits

August 25th 2008 05:53
ESSENDON premiership players Adam Ramanauskas and Jason Johnson will both play their last matches this weekend against St Kilda at Telstra Dome after announcing their retirement from AFL football.

Ramanauskas made his debut in 1999 and has played 133 games for the Bombers. He made an emotional return to senior football last year after recovering from two bouts of cancer

Johnson, a two-time best and fairest winner at the club will play his 184th match this weekend after making his debut in 1997.

The 30-year-old has struggled with form and injury recently and has managed just 13 matches in the past two seasons.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Essendon Bombers
   


Tigers won't risk Brown

August 25th 2008 03:14
RICHMOND will not risk classy forward Nathan Brown for Sunday's last home-and-away encounter against Melbourne at the MCG now that the Tigers cannot make the finals.

St Kilda's win over Adelaide on Sunday ended any chance the Tigers have of making the finals in 2008.

Brown has missed three of the past four matches with a combination of leg and hip injuries and Richmond coach Terry Wallace revealed after Saturday's win over Fremantle that the club had only been keeping Brown's season alive while the Tigers were still a chance to play finals.

"We kept him alive while we were alive," Wallace said.

"Even though he hasn't been able to play the last couple of weeks, he has been improving all the time."

"(But) I wouldn't risk him for a one-off scenario (against Melbourne) if we weren't alive (for a top eight spot) - it's just not worth it."

Wallace also said he wouldn't make any major changes to the side now that the Tigers are out of finals contention.

"The guys that have got us through to this stage have done a pretty good job and they deserve to play," Wallace said.

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Richmond Tigers
   


Saints hoping for Ball return

August 25th 2008 02:12
ST KILDA looks set to be bolstered by the return of midfielder Luke Ball for Sunday's clash against Essendon at Telstra Dome.

Ball has been out since injuring his hamstring against Port Adelaide in Round 18 when he backed into a pack in a marking contest late in the game.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said Ball is a 'good chance' to play against the Bombers.

"He was always aiming (to return) for Round 22 so we will see how his rehab goes," Lyon said.

"He is a good chance (to play this week) - it was a normal hamstring injury so we hope it is only three weeks out because he is really important to us."

The Saints have won their last two games against Fremantle and Adelaide and Lyon said it was important form his side to maintain their good form.

"We are looking for consistency in our football," he said.

"We had disappointing losses to West Coast and Collingwood (prior to the last two wins) and obviously playing finals you want to go in feeling good about yourself."

Despite the top eight being settled St Kilda still has a lot to play for.

If the Saints beat Essendon and Adelaide loses to the third-placed Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium they will move up from seventh to sixth on the ladder and avoid a cut-throat elimination final in Adelaide in the first week of September.

"We haven't looked ahead but there are a few scenarios that could occur," Lyon said.

But Lyon said he was only focused on the match against the Bombers at this stage.

"I haven't given it (the finals) any thought at all really," he said.

"We have got Round 22 to come and while it (qualifying for the finals) is obviously pleasing for the club, coaches tend to be so short-term (focused)."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Coaches pay tribute to Braun

August 25th 2008 01:28
WEST COAST veteran Michael Braun has finished his AFL career with a typically rugged performance in the Eagles' 71-point loss to Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Braun managed 23 disposals in his 228th match and showed great courage in the final term when he put his body on the line and backed into Cyril Rioli.

But Braun played down the incident, saying he simply did what had to be done.

"That's how I play my footy and I pride myself on putting my body on the line when it's my turn to go," he said.

"(And), it was my turn to go."

"It's pretty sad to bring it to an end, but all good things do come to an end and I've had a fantastic career, I can't complain, I'm a premiership player and life member of this club."

"I didn't want it to end, but I did kind of."

"I'm very sore at night, I just need a really good rest ... and I can't get comfortable at night. It's just an aching pain, but that's footy (and) I've sacrificed that to get to play football."

Braun's courage was put into perspective by West Coast coach John Worsfold who said the 30-year-old would have been rested had he not been retiring.

"Brauny was hobbling during the week and it wasn't ideal," Worsfold said.

"It was one of the weeks that if it was earlier in the year, he would have rested but he had a commitment to get himself up for the game and he did that."

"It was a great effort by him and as I've said, his whole career he showed that to the end, all his contests on the ground today."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson paid tribute to Braun who orginally hails from the Victorian town of Echuca.

"Usually when guys play at an interstate club at some point in a 10 to 12-year-career there's some speculation about when they return home," Clarkson said.

"The very fact that it's never come up in a debate at our footy club ... says a hell of a lot about the bloke. I thought he was a Western Australian, that's how heavily cemented he was in the culture of the West Coast footy club."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


No hope for top four: Craig

August 24th 2008 21:28
ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has admitted his side's top-four hopes are all but over after Sunday's 48-point loss to St Kilda at Telstra Dome.

The Crows kicked the first three goals of the match but managed just a further three majors from that moment on.

The result leaves Adelaide half a game adrift of fourth-placed North Melbourne, who look set to secure the double chance given that they play 13th placed Port Adelaide at the MCG in round 22.

Craig's attention has turned to ensuring his team beats the Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium so that Adelaide remains in at least sixth place and gives itself home ground advantage in the first week of the finals.

"It (ensuring a home elimination final) is an important prize now," Craig said.

"I still think home ground exists in the competition - it's becoming less but it still exists - so there is that (advantage to getting a home final) plus it will be great for us to be able to get it for our supporter base if it all falls that way."

But Craig said his side would need to improve considerably if they are going to beat the third-placed Western Bulldogs.

"We have to step up a lot of areas from where we were today," he said.

"In the end we just got bulldozed in all areas (and) it's one of our poorest performances in a long time."

The Crows were missing forwards Brett Burton, Jason Porplyzia and Trent Hentschel but Craig said that was no excuse.

"Personnel are important but personnel wasn't our issue today - please believe me," he said.

"It was more the way we went about and our whole play around the whole ground and after quarter time we were really poor."






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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Clarkson not concerned about milestone

August 24th 2008 21:15
HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson is not concerned that star forward Lance Franklin failed to kick his 100th goal of the season against West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Franklin booted four goals to three-quarter-time but failed to get the last two majors needed to get him to the ton.

Clarkson said the milestone would not prove to be a distraction for his side when they play Carlton at Telstra Dome.

"It's not a big fuss for us," Clarkson said.

"It'll happen when it happens and it's more than likely going to happen next week now."

"We're just keen on making sure our ball movement and our patterns of play within the structure, the way we want to go about things (is good) and whoever gets on the end of the ball forward, they've got the responsibility of kicking the goals."

"From our point of view, we just play and when he gets the goals he gets the goals and if he happens to get on the end of them great, but we're more interested in Hawthorn kicking the goals than just one player."

"We know he generates a lot of shots on goal, he had another eight or nine shots on goal today and kicked four. One particular day he's going to have a day out, but hopefully our side has a day out as well when that happens."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Hawks outclass Eagles

August 24th 2008 10:08
LANCE Franklin will have to wait another week to kick his 100th goal after managing just four majors in Hawthorn's 71-point win over West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Needing six goals to become the first player in ten years to kick the ton during the home-and-away season, Franklin had his chances but failed to capitalise in front of goal, booting a wasteful 4.5.

The Eagles stuck with the second-placed Hawks for the first half before Hawthorn's class came to the fore as they cruised to a convincing 19.19 (133) to 9.8 (62) victory.

Brent Guerra was damaging off half-back with 32 disposals, four inside 50s and nine rebound 50's. Rick Ladson, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell were all influential in the middle, racking up 30-plus possessions while Campbell Brown booted four majors.

For West Coast, Michael Braun was a busy contributor in his final game with 23 touches, Steven Armstrong continued his recent good form with 24 touches and one goal while Ben McKinley chimed in with three majors.

The Eagles got the first goal of the match through Mark Seaby at the four-minute mark but the rest of the term belonged to the Hawks.

Hawthorn's superior use of the football proved to be the difference between the two sides as they slammed on the last four goals of the term with Franklin booting two to help his side to a 21-point lead at the first change.

The Hawks extended their lead out to 31 points in the second term but the Eagles refused to be blown away and hit back with three majors, including two to McKinley in the space of a minute to reduce the deficit to 21 points at half-time.

Hawthorn put the result beyond doubt in a dominant third term, booting nine goals to three to with Franklin's fourth major - a reverse-swinging set shot from the boundary giving the Hawks a match-winning 58-point lead heading into final change.

The sting was well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza with all interest focused on whether Franklin could reach the ton.

WEST COAST: 1.1, 4.3, 7.6, 9.8 (62)
HAWTHORN: 4.4, 7.6, 16.10, 19.19 (133)
GOALS: West Coast: McKinley 3, Davis 2, Seaby, Lynch, Hansen, Armstrong
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Brown 4, Williams 3, Roughead 2, Young 2, Bateman, Birchall, Stokes, Sewell
BEST: West Coast: McKinley, Glass, Armstrong, Embley
Hawthorn: Guerra, Lewis, Franklin, Brown, Sewell, Birchall, Young
INJURIES: West Coast: TBC
Hawthorn: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: West Coast: Mark LeCras (groin/knee) replaced in selected side by Tony Notte. Hawthorn: Xavier Ellis replaced in selected side by Cameron Stokes
UMPIRES: Ryan, Wenn, Armstrong
CROWD: 37,040 at Subiaco Oval
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Saints book place in finals

August 24th 2008 07:25
ST KILDA has booked its place in the finals with a 48-point win over Adelaide at Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.

The Saints' 13.17 (95) to 6.11 (47) victory means the top eight is settled with one round remaining.

It also means retiring veteran Robert Harvey - who has played the most games of any player in the history of the game without winning a premiership - will have one last chance at September glory.

St Kilda's 12th victory of the season the season leaves it a game-and-a-half in front of ninth-placed Richmond with just one round remaining - with Carlton and Brisbane a further half-a-game adrift.

Brendon Goddard was St Kilda's best with 30 possessions, 13 marks and two goals while Leigh Montagna was damaging in the middle with a game-high 31 disposals.

Nick Riewoldt booted three first-half goals while Stephen Milne chimed in with two majors just a week after fracturing his cheekbone against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval.

The Crows came out firing in the first term, booting the first three goals of the contest through Scott Stevens, Chris Knights and Graham Johncock to open up a handy buffer at the 13-minute mark.

But Adelaide failed to fire a shot from that moment on as the Saints slammed on seven of the next eight goals to open up a handy 19-point lead at the main break.

Two goals in the first six minutes of the third term from Scott Thompson got the Crows back into the contest but they struggled to find an avenue to goal for the remainder of the term as the Saints took a 20-point advantage into the final change.

The Saints dominated the final term, slamming on four unanswered goals to cap off a memorable day for the club.

ST KILDA: 1.4, 7.6, 9.11, 13.17 (95)
ADELAIDE: 3.4, 4.5, 6.9, 6.11 (47)
GOALS: St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Milne 2, Goddard 2, Schneider 2, C Gardiner, Harvey, Gram, Hayes,
Adelaide: Thompson 2, Johncock, Knights, Douglas, Stevens
BEST: St Kilda: Goddard, Montagna, Harvey, Gram, Dal Santo, S Fisher, Hudghton, Eddy, Milne
Adelaide: McLeod, Thompson, Symes, Edwards, Bassett, Rutten
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Adelaide: Nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Stevic, Chamberlain
REPORTS:
Knights (Adelaide) reported for rough conduct against Birss (St Kilda) in the final quarter.
CHANGES: St Kilda: McQualter replaced in selected side by Birss
CROWD: 33,811 at MCG
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Cats too good for Roos

August 24th 2008 06:26
GEELONG has dealt a blow to North Melbourne's top four hopes with a 33-point win at Skilled Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Cats set up their 20th win of the season with a dominant second term before cruising to a 17.13 (115) to 13.4 (82) victory.

The Kangaroos now need to win their round 22 clash against Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday to claim fourth spot.

The win could come at a cost for the Cats with Max Rooke set to come under scrutiny from the match review panel for a crude hit on Sam Power in the second quarter.

Geelong dominated through the midfield with James Bartel and Joel Corey leading the way with a game-high 37 possessions apiece while Cameron Ling had the better of his duel with Brent Harvey, racking up 29 disposals and booting two goals

Paul Chapman and Cameron Mooney benefited from Geelong's dominance in the middle, booting four goals apiece while Brad Ottens chimed in with three majors in his 200th game.

David Hale played a lone hand up forward for the Kangaroos, booting a career-best eight goals while Daniel Wells tried hard all day, racking up a team-high 28 possessions.

The Kangaroos started brightly with Hale proving to be too much to handle for Geelong defender Harry Taylor as he booted three first-quarter goals to help his side to a six-point lead at quarter-time.

Geelong broke the game open in the second term, slamming on seven goals to two, including five of the last six goals of the first half to take a handy 26-point lead into the main break.

North kicked the first goal of the third term through Lindsay Thomas but Geelong responded with three of their own to skip out to a commanding 41-point advantage.

The Kangaroos refused to give in and hit back with the last two goals of the term to give themselves a chance heading into the final change, with the Cats holding a 30-point lead.

Hale kicked his seventh major early in the final stanza to get the Roos to within 24 points but the Cats had all the answers, booting four goals for the term to seal another win.

GEELONG: 3.3, 10.6, 13.10, 17.13 (115)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 4.3, 6.4, 9.4, 13.4 (82)
GOALS: Geelong: Chapman 4, Mooney 4, Ottens 3, S. Johnson 2, Ling 2, Lonergan, Rooke
North Melbourne: Hale 8, Thomas 2, Harris, Jones, McIntosh
BEST: Geelong: Ling, Bartel, Selwood, Chapman, Corey, Mooney
North Melbourne: Hale, Wells, Pratt, Firrito, Petrie
INJURIES: Geelong: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
REPORTS: -
CHANGES: Kelly (Geelong) and Stokes (Geelong) replaced in selected side by Varcoe and Prismall; N Thompson (North Melbourne) and Campbell (North Melbourne) replaced in selected side by Sinclair and S.Thompson
UMPIRES: James, M.Nicholls, McInerney
CROWD: 24,288 at Skilled Stadium
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Magpies hit form at right time

August 24th 2008 01:42
COLLINGWOOD has hit form at the right time of the season according to coach Mick Malthouse.

The Magpies booked their place in the finals with an impressive 45-point win over Sydney at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The Pies have now won three games in a row and are an outside chance of claiming fourth spot and a double chance but Malthouse wasn't sure how deep into September his side could go.

"We have been spreading the load and that has been pretty evident in the last three weeks," Malthouse said.

"I don't know how far we are going to go and how we are going to go next week, but the more we play this group together, the better we are going to get."

Malthouse also said skipper Scott Burns was only a 50-50 chance of being fit for the Pies clash against the Dockers on Friday night.

"He has a bruised calf, (we have) a six-day break, touch and go I suppose," he said.

"It will be judged on Sunday morning and then we will judge it throughout the week."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


We can't win the flag: Roos

August 24th 2008 01:02
SYDNEY coach Paul Roos has admitted his side has little chance of doing much damage in this year's finals series following the Swans' 45-point loss to Collingwood at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

"It's unlikely we're going to do much damage over the next few weeks," Roos said after the match.

"The first half of the season was really good, we had young blokes play really well and had some middle guys really improving, but there's some guys who have really tailed off."

Despite losing six of their past eight matches the Swans are guaranteed a place in the finals after Carlton upset Brisbane at the Gabba.

While Roos has all but given up on a premiership this season, he said it was important for his side to continue to get a win under their belt and take some confidence into the first week of the finals.

"You can't lose fact that we have got another game and we have got finals to play," Roos said.

"While you have to be realistic of where you are at, I am looking forward to the challenge of next week and trying to get back into some form."

"We have to make sure we finish off with a win next week and get back some kind of confidence going into the finals."

Roos also didn't rule out dropping some of his underperforming senior players for next weekend's clash against the Lions at the SCG.

"Our challenge for next week is to pick some guys who are in good form and perhaps rest a few guys that are going through a bit of a form slump at the moment."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Harvey lashes wayward Farmer

August 24th 2008 00:50
FREMANTLE small forward Jeff Farmer's chances of securing a new contract appear slim after Dockers' coach Mark Harvey took a swipe at the controversial veteran for letting the side down at a crucial stage during the seven-point loss to Richmond at the MCG on Saturday.

The Dockers had just taken a defensive mark 20 metres from the Richmond goal when Farmer caught Edwards high in a needless tangle and instead of the Dockers clearing the ball out of defence, the kick was reversed and Mitch Morton kicked an easy goal for the Tigers.

When Shane Tuck goaled three minutes later, the Tigers had an undeserved 13-point lead.

Before the Farmer incident Fremantle was controlling the match, but the Tigers turned the tables midway through the third term and controlled the tempo in the final quarter.

Harvey insisted the latest in a long line of undisciplined acts by Farmer would have no bearing on whether the former Demon keeps his spot on the list next season but he was critical of the 31-year-old's lack of leadership.

"They (his young players) have to work harder to get back into the game so it probably does (deflate the young blokes)," he said.

"You don't necessarily need senior players that have been in the game for so long making off-the-ball decisions like they do."

Farmer was dragged straight off the ground after incident but Harvey refused to blame him for the loss.

"I am not going to blame just him (for the loss)," Harvey said.

"There were other aspects to it as well and Jeff will take that loss as hard as anyone."

"(But) it just makes it so hard for the younger group to gain any sort of resolve when things like that (Farmer's costly off-the-ball free kick) happens."

Despite the loss Harvey said there were plenty of positives the club could take from the game.

In particular he was delighted with the way his forward line performed given the absence of skipper Matthew Pavlich and Chris Tarrant.

"I don't want to commend losing and there were frustrating periods in the game which we just don't handle well," Harvey said.

"(But) the forward line played really well."

"We went with a small forward line (in the absence of Pavlich and Tarrant) and quite often we caused a lot of confusion in the Richmond defence and that was the pleasing part when you haven't got the organisational skills of Pavlich and Tarrant down there."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Pies smash Swans

August 23rd 2008 13:28
COLLINGWOOD has booked its place in the finals with a commanding 45-point win over Sydney at Telstra Dome on Saturday night,

The 18.10 (118) to 10.13 (73) victory is Collingwood's sixth consecutive win over Sydney.

The Swans have now lost six of their past eight matches but will play in the finals after Carlton upset Brisbane at the Gabba tonight.

The Magpies had 12 individual goalkickers for the match - Travis Cloke the most effective with five.

Dane Swan was prolific in the middle with a game-high 31 possessions and one goal. Scott Pendlebury was a busy contributor with 28 touches and one goal while Leon Davis continued his impressive form with 24 disposals and two majors.

For Sydney, Jude Bolton (29 possessions) tried hard all night while Barry Hall and Jarred Moore chimed in with three goals apiece.

Collingwood stamped their authority on the contest from the opening bounce. They applied immense pressure all over the ground and smashed the Swans at the clearances as they slammed on five unanswered goals in the first 12 minutes.

The Swans finally got onto the scoreboard at the 18-minute mark thanks to impressive youngster Patrick Veszpremi but late majors to Cloke and Davis ensured the Magpies would go into the first change with a 36-point lead.

Cloke added his second early in the second term before majors to Paul Medhurst and Shane O'Bree saw the margin blow out to 54 points at the 10-minute mark.

Sydney hit back with two late goals, including a goal to Darren Jolly on the siren but they still trailed by 45 points heading into the main break.

The Magpies put the result beyond doubt in the third term with Cloke adding a further two majors as the margin swelled to as much as 68 points.

The Swans added some respectability to the scoreboard in the final term, booting four goals to three but the damage had already been done.

COLLINGWOOD: 8.3, 11.6, 15.8, 18.10 (118)
SYDNEY SWANS: 2.3, 4.3, 6.7, 10.13 (73)
GOALS: COLLINGWOOD: Cloke 5, Anthony 2, Davis 2, Medhurst, McCarthy, Cox, O'Bree, Pendlebury, Clarke, Lockyer, Goldsack, Swan
SYDNEY SWANS: Hall 3, Moore 3, Jack, Goodes, Veszpremi, Jolly
BEST: COLLINGWOOD: Pendlebury, Swan, Cloke, Davis, Medhurst, O’Brien
SYDNEY SWANS: J.Bolton, Kirk, Grundy, Mattner, Buchanan, O’Keefe
INJURIES: COLLINGWOOD: TBC
SYDNEY SWANS: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Brown replaced in Collingwood’s selected side by Cox
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Rosebury, Jeffery
CROWD: 45,570 at the Telstra Dome
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Blues overrun Lions

August 23rd 2008 13:00
CARLTON has all but ended Brisbane's season with a thrilling six-point win at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The Blues trailed by more than five goals heading into the final change but lifted in the last quarter to prevail 18.7 (115) to 16.13 (109).

Both the Lions and Carlton now need need St Kilda to lose to Adelaide and Essendon in its last two games and Richmond to lose to Melbourne, while they need to win themselves in the final round to be any chance at all of sneaking into the eight.

Carlton skipper Chris Judd and Nick Stevens were instrumental in the win with 33 and 35 possessions respectively while Jordan Russell did a superb blanketing job on Travis Johnstone, restricting the former Demon to just eight disposals.

Cameron Cloke starred up forward with four goals, two of which came in the final term while Brad Fisher and Ryan Houlihan chimed in with three majors apiece.

For Brisbane, Bradd Dalziell continued his impressive form with a team-high 32 possessions while Simon Black and Jared Brennan were busy contributors with 23 and 24 disposals respectively.

Daniel Bradshaw was damaging up forward with six majors while Jonathan Brown chimed in with four goals.

The Blues started brightly with Houlihan and Cloke booting three and two goals respectively in the first quarter to help their side to a 22-point lead at the first change.

Brisbane hit back with early goals to Brown and Luke Power but two majors to Fisher in the space of a minute ensured the Blues remained in control, taking an 18-point advantage into half-time.

It was the Bradshaw and Brown show in the third term with the pair booting four and two goals respectively as the Lions opened up what appeared to be a match-winning 32-point lead heading into the final change.

But the Blues took control of the midfield in the final term, racking up 115 disposals to 56 as they slammed on six unanswered goals to record a memorable win.

BRISBANE LIONS: 3.4, 7.9, 16.12, 16.13 (109)
CARLTON: 7.2, 11.3, 12.4, 18.7 (115)
GOALS: Brisbane: Bradshaw 6, Brown 4, Corrie 2, Power 2, Hooper, Rischitelli
Carlton: Cloke 4, Houlihan 3, Fisher 3, Waite 2, Fevola 2, Murphy 2, Stevens, Walker
BEST: Brisbane: Dalziell, Bradshaw, Brennan, Patfull, Black, Brown
Carlton:Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Cloke, Russell, Houlihan
INJURIES: Brisbane:
Carlton:
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Browne and Jamison (Carlton) replaced by Anderson and Bentick
UMPIRES: Stewart, Meredith, Ryan
CROWD: 34,327 at Gabba
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Port punish disappointing Dees

August 23rd 2008 08:16
PORT ADELAIDE has snapped a four-game losing streak with a 78-point demolition of Melbourne at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Power were never challenged in a one-sided contest, eventually prevailing 18.21 (129) to 7.9 (51).

It was Port's sixth win of the season, taking it into 13th position on the AFL ladder while the Demons look set to win the wooden spoon unless they beat Richmond next weekend and West Coast loses their remaining games against Hawthorn and Geelong by plenty.

Peter Burgoyne returned to form with a game-high 37 possessions and two goals. Kane Cornes and Domenic Cassisi were profilic in the middle with 30-plus disposals while Daniel Motlop was damaging with five majors, four of which came in the first half.

Melbourne won a lot of the football too but were generally wasteful with Simon Buckley and Paul Wheatley among their better players with 32 and 31 possessions respectively.

The Power stamped their authority on the contest in the opening term.

They ran hard and moved the football quickly through the middle of the ground as they slammed on six goals for the quarter with Daniel Motlop booting three to help his side to a commanding 36-point lead at quarter-time.

The start to the second term was hardly inspiring with seven straight behinds booted before Motlop chimed in with his fourth.

Melbourne hit back through Cameron Bruce but the Power remained in control with majors from David Rodan and Justin Westhoff allowing Port to take a 48-point advantage into the main break.

The Demons lifted their intensity in the second half and won a third term which failed to reach any great heights, with a running goal from Matthew Bate from 55m reducing the deficit to 44 points heading into the final change.

The Power didn't take their foot off the pedal in the final stanza, slamming on four of their eight goals for the term in a stunning nine-minute burst.

PORT ADELAIDE: 6.6, 9.10, 10.17, 18.21 (129)
MELBOURNE: 1.0, 2.4, 4.8, 7.9 (51)
GOALS: PORT: D.Motlop 5,
P.Burgoyne 2, Lade 2, Pearce 2, J.Westhoff 2, M.Westhoff 2, Rodan, Cassisi, Boak
MELBOURNE: Miller 2, Bruce, Wonaeamirri, Bate, Jamar, Newton
BEST: PORT: P.Burgoyne, Cassisi, D.Motlop, K.Cornes, Brogan, Logan, S.Burgoyne, Pearce
MELBOURNE: Buckley, Wheatley, Green, McDonald, Morton
INJURIES: PORT: D.Motlop (dislocated finger)
MELBOURNE: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Margetts, Head, Keating
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Tigers stay alive

August 23rd 2008 07:29
RICHMOND has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a hard-fought seven-point win over Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers trailed at every change but lifted in the final term to record a crucial 15.15 (105) to 15.8 (98) victory.

The win sees the Tigers move to within half a game of the top eight but the club's finals bid could still be over by the end of this round if Collingwood and St Kilda both win their respective matches against Sydney and Adelaide.

The Dockers have now lost eight games this year by single figure margins - the most by any AFL club in history in a single season.

Shane Tuck was prolific in the middle with a game-high 31 possessions and two goals while Brett Deledio was a busy contributor with 23 touches and two majors.

For Fremantle, Paul Duffield (28 possessions) tried hard all day. Roger Hayden was busy in defence with 25 disposals and 12 marks while Mark Johnson chimed in with three majors.

Despite losing skipper Matthew Pavlich before the match the Dockers started the better of the two sides, booting the first three goals of the contest in the opening six minutes.

The Tigers responded with three of the last five goals of the quarter and should have been in front at quarter-time but failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 3.6.

Richmond kicked the first goal of the second term through Troy Simmonds and when Tuck kicked his first it appeared as if the Tigers were on their way to their 10th win of the season.

But Fremantle answered every challenge, booting five majors of their own to take a seven-point advantage into the main break.

The Tigers came out firing in the second half, booting the first three goals of the third term to skip out to a 13-point lead at the 11-minute mark.

The predictable thing to do for a Fremantle team with seemingly little to play for would have been to drop their heads and allow the Tigers to cruise to an easy victory.

But the Dockers refused to give in and responded with majors from Ryan Murphy, Josh Carr and Brett Peake to take a five-point lead into the final change.

Matthew Richardson came to life in the final stanza, booting two early goals and when Jay Schulz kicked a goal on the run the Tigers had booted four unanswered goals to open up a 20-point lead at the 17-minute mark.

The Dockers booted the last two goals of the match but ran out of time as the Tigers held on for an unconvincing win.

RICHMOND: 3.6, 8.8, 11.12, 15.15 (105)
FREMANTLE: 5.1, 10.3, 13.5, 15.8 (98)
GOALS: Richmond: Morton 3, Tuck 2, Deledio 2, Richardson 2, Simmonds, Jackson, Connors, Foley, Newman, Schulz
Fremantle: Mark Johnson 3, Murphy 2, Bradley 2, Carr, Peake, Palmer, Headland, Mundy, Thornton, Campbell, Drum
BEST: Richmond: Tuck, Simmonds, Edwards, White, Jackson, Newman, Deledio
Fremantle: Duffield, Hayden, McPharlin, Palmer, Campbell, Mark Johnson, Crowley
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
Fremantle: Nil
UMPIRES: Schmitt, Ellis, Mollison
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond: Nil
Fremantle: Pavlich (knee soreness) replaced in selected side by Murphy
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Essendon signs sponsors, youngsters

August 23rd 2008 03:30
ESSENDON has strengthened its financial position with the signing of electronics giant Samsung and Adidas as the club's major and apparel sponsors respectively.

The three-year deal with Samsung is believed to be the most lucrative sponsorship agreement in AFL history

Samsung will replace telecommunications company 3, which has been the Bombers' major sponsor since 2003, from next year while Adidas will replace Puma from November.

In further good news for the Bombers, Bachar Houli, Sam Lonergan, Kyle Reimers and Angus Monfries have all committed to the club until the end of the 2010 season.

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Still room for improvement: Eade

August 23rd 2008 03:15
WESTERN BULLDOGS coach Rodney Eade was satisfied with his side's performance against Essendon at Telstra Dome on Friday night but says their is still plenty of room for improvement.

Despite losing several key statistical categories the Dogs thumped the injury-ravaged Bombers by 46 points.

The Bombers had more inside 50's (56-53), more clearances (34-31) and won the tackle count 57-37 and Eade admitted his side needed to improve in all three areas if they are going to have an impact in the finals.

"Clearances is an area we need to obviously look at," Eade said.

"It was reasonable earlier in the year, but in finals footy, every little bit counts. It's a game of inches and we can't afford to relax like we did tonight."

Eade also said he was pleased with some of the aspects of his side's performance against the Bombers.

"Our execution early was poor but I thought our effort was good," Eade said.

"I was pleased with that, and I thought our energy levels were good and we broke the game open once we started to make the passes and hit the targets like we should."

Lindsay Gilbee and Farren Ray were late withdrawals after picking up a virus that had been floating around the club during the week but Eade said they should be right to play against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
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Time is running out for West

August 23rd 2008 02:20
WESTERN BULLDOGS veteran Scott West's chances of playing senior football again this season appear to be slim after the club revealed on Saturday morning that he will not line-up in the VFL this week due to knee soreness.

West, who had been sidelined with a bone stress injury in his knee since round six, played his first competitive game in four months last week when he lined up for Bulldogs' VFL affiliate side Williamstown.

The 33-year-old gathered 28 possessions, albeit against an opponent that managed just one goal for the match.

The 324-game veteran's inability to play in the VFL this weekend will most likely rule him out of next weekend's round 22 clash against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, meaning a potential comeback will have to be made during the finals.

But Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said earlier in the week that West would not be given any favours.

"We can't afford to let emotion get involved in making what is the right decision for the footy club," Eade said.

"We've spoken to Scott about that and Scott's going to give it his best chance."

"He knows, I would have thought, that it might not happen, but he's giving it his best shot. He's not going to die wondering."
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Knights douses Lovett speculation

August 23rd 2008 01:52
ESSENDON coach Matthew Knights has dimissed suggestions that midfielder Andrew Lovett has been told that he won't be playing at the club next season.

It was reported late on Friday that the Bombers had already made a decision to trade Lovett at the end of the season but Knights said these reports were incorrect.

"Andrew is a contracted player so basically there is no definitive decisions made whatsoever to a player that is under contract," Knights said.

"I have spoken to Andrew about how the year has gone and also where we are heading as a club, but discussions about the future are between Andrew and myself," Knights said.

"I am not sure it is fair on any of our players to discuss futures in public and in the media. Andrew has got a contract and we will deal with whatever is on the horizon when the time comes."
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Dogs crush Bombers

August 22nd 2008 12:57
THE Western Bulldogs have returned to the winners list with a convincing 46-point victory over Essendon at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

The Bulldogs, who had lost four of their past five, were challenged early by an injury-ravaged Bombers outfit before their class came to the fore, eventually prevailing 23.13 (151) to 15.15 (105).

Mitch Hahn starred for the Dogs with a career-best six goals while skipper Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis chimed in with four majors apiece.

Daniel Cross was influential in the middle with a game-high 29 possessions while Adam Cooney was also damaging with 28 touches and one goal.

Brent Stanton tried hard all night for Essendon, racking up 28 possessions and booting two goals while skipper Matthew Lloyd chimed in with four majors.

Essendon started brightly with Lloyd booting the first goal of the match from outside 50 after just two minutes.

The Bombers ran hard and applied immense pressure all over the ground in the opening stanza and took a one-point lead into quarter-time thanks to majors from Nathan Lovett-Murray and Adam McPhee.

The Dons led by eight points midway through the second term before the Bulldogs took control of the midfield.

With Ben Hudson dominating second-gamer Tom Bellchambers in the ruck the Dogs midfielders were able to get their hands on the football first and they provided their forwards with plenty of quality supply as the Bulldogs slammed on the last six goals of the quarter to take a 28-point advantage into the main break.

The Dogs put the result beyond doubt in a dominant third term, piling on nine goals to four to take a match-winning 57-point lead into the final change.

Essendon added some respectability to the scoreboard in the final stanza, booting six goals to four but the damage had already been done.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.3, 10.6, 19.8, 23.13 (151)
ESSENDON: 3.4, 5.8, 9.11, 15.15 (105)
GOALS: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Hahn 6, Akermanis 4, Johnson 4, Minson 2, Welsh 2, Eagleton, Murphy, Harbrow, Boyd, Cooney
ESSENDON: Lloyd 4, Stanton 2, Michael 2, McPhee, Lonergan, Lovett-Murray, McVeigh, Nash, Monfries, Dyson
BEST: WESTERN BULLDOGS: Cooney, Hahn, Cross, Murphy, Johnson, Griffen
ESSENDON: Stanton, Lloyd, Lonergan, Monfries, Johnson, Lovett
INJURIES: WESTERN BULLDOGS: TBC
ESSENDON: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Gilbee and Ray replaced in Western Bulldogs side by Higgins and Everitt.
UMPIRES: Donlon, McLaren, Hendrie
CROWD: 37,294 at the Telstra Dome
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Bombers axe Peverill

August 22nd 2008 08:48
ESSENDON has confirmed that veteran midfielder Damien Peverill will not be offered a new contract beyond 2008.

Peverill, who has played 144 games for the Bombers since making his debut in 2001, believes he is still capable of playing AFL football.

"I will weigh up my options but I would like to think I can still play AFL football. My recent form has been solid and my body is in good shape," Peverill said in a statement.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights said a compromised draft as a result of Gold Coast's planned introduction into the competition in 2011 had forced him into ending Peverill's career at the club.

"These decisions are very difficult but we have set a direction that we want to take as club," Knights said.

"It is important that we inject as much youth as possible into the club at the moment, particularly given the draft implications beyond this season and unfortunately that means making some hard calls and Damien was one of those."
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Demon veterans futures in doubt

August 22nd 2008 08:04
MELBOURNE veterans Adem Yze and Jeff White remain in danger of being delisted despite being recalled for Saturday's clash against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Yze has been out of the side since round 11 while White returns after passing a fitness test on his knee.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said the inclusion of Yze and White showed the club was focused on winning games of football.

"We've held a policy for the whole year, if your form is good enough it doesn't matter how old you are or who you are playing for, you'll get a chance to play," he said.

"We've got Adem Yze and Jeff White back playing and to be fair to Adam, his form in the last two or three weeks at Sandringham has been good and he's been unlucky not to have played more games.

"Although we've got a lot of our young blokes playing, form is really important. You can't afford to play anyone who's out of form, it doesn't matter how old they are or what you are trying to do, because it reflects in the game and hurts the other 21 players."

But Bailey refused to elaborate on what the future held for the pair.

"We've taken the policy that we'll talk with, we'll sit down and Jeff and Adam will let the world know next week in regards to where they want to go and what their future is. So we'll leave it to those players to announce those sort of things," he said
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Round twenty one teams

August 22nd 2008 07:35
ROUND TWENTY ONE

All the teams for round twenty one of the 2008 AFL premiership season, with Sunday's updated teams.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON
Friday, 7:40pm AEST, Telstra Dome
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Morris, Lake, Callan
HB: Griffen, Hargrave, Gilbee
C: Eagleton, Boyd, Cross
HF: Murphy, Hahn, Johnson
F: Akermanis, Minson, Welsh
FOLL: Hudson, Cooney, Giansiracusa
I/C: Hill, Harbrow, Ray, Ward
EMG: Everitt, Higgins, Tiller

ESSENDON
B: Slattery, Lovett-Murray, Michael
HB: McVeigh, Ryder, Nash
C: Lovett, Watson, Johnson
HF: McPhee, Lloyd, Monfries
F: Lonergan, Welsh, Hocking
FOLL: Bellchambers, Stanton, Dyson
I/C: Magin, Ramanauskas, Cale Hooker, Peverill
EMG: Chartres, Atkinson, Williams
IN: Bellchambers, Johnson, McVeigh, Hooker, Hocking
OUT: Fletcher (groin), Dempsey (broken leg), Jetta (hip), Laycock (ankle), Hille (broken hand)

RICHMOND v FREMANTLE
Saturday, 2:10pm AEST, MCG
RICHMOND
B: Newman, Thursfield, Moore
HB: McMahon, McGuane, Bowden
C: Richardson, Tuck, Deledio
HF: Jackson, Schulz, Tambling
F: White, Riewoldt, Morton
FOLL: Simmonds, Johnson, Foley
I/C: Edwards, Connors, Cartledge, Cotchin
IN: Foley
OUT: Polo
EMG: Tivendale, Hyde, Polo

FREMANTLE
B: Thornton, Mi.Johnson, Mundy
HB: Dodd, McPharlin, Hayden
C: Ibbotson, Crowley, Headland
HF: Schammer, Bradley, Farmer
F: Campbell, Pavlich, Ma.Johnson
FOLL: Sandilands, J.Carr, Palmer
I/C: Drum, Mayne, Duffield, Peake
IN: Carr, Headland
OUT: Grover, Browne
EMG: Hinkley, Murphy, Browne

PORT ADELAIDE v MELBOURNE
Saturday, 3:10pm AEST, AAMI Stadium
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Thurstans, Carlile, Lower
HB: Surjan, Chaplin, P.Burgoyne
C: Cassisi, K.Cornes, Boak
HF: Logan, M.Westhoff, Pearce
F: J.Westhoff, D.Motlop, Ebert
FOLL: Brogan, S.Burgoyne, Rodan
I/C: Lade, M.Motlop, Stewart, White
EMG: Gray, Stewart, Thurstans
IN: Brogan, D Motlop, M Motlop, Stewart
OUT: Farmer, Gray (Ankle), Pettigrew (Shoulder), Williams

MELBOURNE
B: Whelan, Martin, Garland
HB: McDonald, Warnock, Wheatley
C: Buckley, Bruce, Bate
HF: Green, Sylvia, Wonaemirri
F: White, Miller, Newton
FOLL: Jamar, Morton, Jones
I/C: Bell, Yze, Bartram, Dunn
EMG: Frawley, Valenti, Maric
IN: Dunn, Garland, White, Yze
OUT: P. Johnson (groin), Maric, Frawley, Valenti

BRISBANE v CARLTON
Saturday 7:10pm AEST, Gabba
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Macdonald, Merrett, Patfull
HB: Sherman, Roe, McGrath
C: Dalziell, Black, Adcock
HF: Rischitelli, Brown, Moody
F: Hooper, Bradshaw, Corrie
FOLL: Charman, Power, Brennan
I/C: Hanley, Johnstone, Hawksley, Copeland
EMG: Notting, Selwood, Henderson
IN: Corrie, Hanley
OUT: Begley, Proud

CARLTON
B: Scotland, Walker, Simpson
HB: Grigg, Jamison, Thornton
C: Waite, Stevens, Fisher
HF: Murphy, Cloke, Russell
F: Kruezer, Fevola, Carrazzo
FOLL: Hampson, Gibbs, Judd
I/C: Armfield, Bower, Browne, Houlihan
IN: Bower, Houlihan
OUT: Wiggins (calf), Saddington
EMG: Anderson, Austin, Bentick

COLLINGWOOD v SYDNEY
Saturday 7:10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
COLLINGWOOD
B: Wakelin, Brown, Goldsack
HB: Clarke, Maxwell, O'Brien
C: Lockyer, Burns, Toovey
HF: Pendlebury, Cloke, Davis
F: Dawes, Medhurst, Anthony
FOLL: Fraser, Swan, O'Bree
I/C: McCarthy, Wellingham, Bryan, Cook
EMG: Cox, R.Shaw, Prestigiacomo
IN: Wellingham
OUT: Thomas

SYDNEY
B: Barry, Bolton, Mattner
HB: Roberts-Thomson, Richards, Kennelly
C: Crouch, McVeigh, Bird
HF: O'Keefe, Grundy, Goodes
F: Buchanan, Hall, Bevan
FOLL: Jolly, Kirk, Bolton
I/C: Everitt, Moore, Jack, Veszpremi
EMG: Brabazon, Brennan, Fosdike
IN: Barry, Jack, Veszpremi
OUT: Ablett, Fosdike, Malceski

GEELONG v NORTH MELBOURNE
Sunday 1:10pm AEST, Skilled Stadium
GEELONG
B: Harley, Scarlett, Mackie
HB: Milburn, Hunt, Enright
C: Kelly, Rooke, Bartel
HF: S.Johnson, Mooney, Ablett
F: Blake, Lonergan, Stokes
FOLL: Ottens, Ling, Corey
I/C: Byrnes, Selwood, Taylor, Chapman
EMG: Prismall, Gamble, Varcoe
IN: Milburn, Chapman, Scarlett
OUT: Prismall, Gamble, Varcoe

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Urquhart, Hansen, Gibson
HB: Pratt, Watt, Firrito
C: Wells, Simpson, Harding
HF: Harvey, Hale, Campbell
F: Thomas, N.Thompson, Grant
FOLL: Petrie, Harris, Rawlings
I/C: McIntosh,Power, Jones, McMahon
EMG: Lower, Sinclair, S.Thompson
IN: McIntosh, N.Thompson
OUT: Brown, Sinclair

ST KILDA v ADELAIDE
Sunday, 2:10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
ST KILDA
B: Dempster, S.Fisher, Gram
HB: Goddard, Hudghton, Blake
C: Gilbert, Dal Santo, Hayes
HF: Harvey, Riewoldt, Eddy
F: Jones, Koschitzke, Milne
FOLL: King, McQualter, Montagna
I/C: (from) Schneider, Gwilt, C.Gardiner, R.Clarke
EMG: Allen, Birss, X.Clarke
NO CHANGE

ADELAIDE
B: Johncock, Rutten, Bassett
HB: van Berlo, Bock, Doughty
C: Symes, Goodwin, Mackay
HF: Edwards, Stevens, McLeod
F: Douglas, Gill, Moran
FOLL: Maric, Thompson, Shirley
I/C: (from) Massie, Dangerfield, Knights, Reilly
EMG: Tippett, Otten, Campbell
IN: Knights
OUT: Campbell

WEST COAST v HAWTHORN
Sunday, 4:40pm AEST, Subiaco
WEST COAST
B: Nicoski, Glass, Mackenzie
HB: A.Selwood, Wilkes, Embley
C: Braun, Priddis, Spangher
HF: McNamara, Lynch, Armstrong
F: LeCras, McKinley, Seaby
FOLL: Cox, Fletcher, Stenglein
I/C: (from) Butler, Davis, Hansen, Houlihan, Notte, S.Selwood, Schofield
IN: Butler, Hansen, Houlihan, Schofield
OUT: Ebert (general soreness)

HAWTHORN
B: Brown, Gilham, Guerra
HB: Ladson, Croad, Birchall
C: Dew, Mitchell, Ellis
HF: Crawford, Franklin, Bateman
F: Williams, Roughead, Rioli
FOLL: Tayler, Lewis, Sewell
I/C: (from) Dowler, Murphy, Osborne, Renouf, Stokes, Tuck, Young
IN: Dowler, Renouf, Stokes, Tuck, Young
OUT: Hodge (suspended), Campbell (virus)



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Rocca a chance to return: Malthouse

August 22nd 2008 05:25
COLLINGWOOD forward Anthony Rocca is a chance to play again this season if the Magpies make the finals, according to coach Mick Malthouse.

Rocca hasn't played since round 13 due to an ankle injury but Malthouse said the 31-year-old's lack of match practice will not prevent him from returning this season.

With the Magpies' VFL side's season finishing next weekend, Rocca will not have the benefit of a match in the seconds unless he is cleared next week.

But Malthouse said a lack of match practice for Rocca was not a major issue.

"I would say five years ago when he (Rocca) came back from injuries he fumbled it like most players would for missing that number of weeks," Malthouse said.

"But in recent date the last couple of seasons, I'll say three seasons, he's come straight in and had really good touch."

"I think that's got a lot to do with the fact that we can get people on the sprung floor, on the nets and just pulverise them with the football and their touch is pretty good. Out there you haven't got an opponent though and that's the difference."

Meanwhile, Malthouse said key defender Simon Prestigiacomo and Rhyce Shaw, who has served his club-imposed two-match ban, were not far away from returning to the senior side.

The pair have been named as emergencies for Saturday night's must-win clash against Sydney.

The Pies have won their past five matches against the Swans but Malthouse said their good record would count for little when the two sides meet at Telstra Dome.

"We know how we played them last, but that's yesterday," he said.
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Dockers re-sign pair

August 22nd 2008 05:15
FREMANTLE has secured the services of defender Josh Head and promising youngster Brock O'Brien for another season.

Head was picked up in this year's pre-season draft after previously being placed on Fremantle's rookie list for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

The 25-year-old made his AFL debut against Essendon in round 14 and played a further two games before his season was cut short due to a knee injury.

O'Brien, who made his debut against grand finalists Port Adelaide in round 22 last year has just three career games to his name since being taken with selection No.42 overall in the 2006 national draft.

The 20-year-old midfielder has had an injury interrupted year and will miss the remainder of the season after injuring his wrist against Melbourne in round 16.

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Milne to be assessed at training

August 22nd 2008 03:49
ST KILDA small forward will be assessed at training today to see determine whether or not he will take his place in the side to play Adelaide at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

Milne suffered a fractured cheekbone in the Saints' 43-point win over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval last Sunday and underwent minor surgery on Thursday.

But St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt said Milne was a chance to play in the Saints' must-win clash against the Crows.

"He had minor surgery and will train this afternoon so fingers crossed he'll come up," Riewoldt said.

"At this stage he's a chance but we won't know until this afternoon. He looks okay and it's hard to keep a bloke like Milney down.

"He needs to train to assess whether he's ready to play and I'm sure they'll give him right up until game day."
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Peverill looks likely to go

August 22nd 2008 03:17
ESSENDON midfielder Damien Peverill looks to be on the way out with media reports suggesting that the in-form 29-year-old has been told that he is no longer a required player.

The Nine Network reported on Thursday night that the Bombers had informed Peverill ,who has been averaging 25 possessions a game in his past six matches, this week and that he is likely to forced to announce his retirement some time next week.

The club's decision comes a week after full-back Mal Michael called it quits, forward Courtney Johns was given his marching orders and just a fortnight before fellow midfielder Jason Johnson's career is due to come to an end.

The 142-game veteran is believed to be hopeful of continuing his AFL career at another club.
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Round twenty one teams

August 21st 2008 07:48
ROUND TWENTY ONE

Friday, August 22
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Telstra Dome, 7.40pm AEST

Saturday, August 23
Richmond v Fremantle at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
Port Adelaide v Melbourne at AAMI Stadium, 2.40pm ACST
Brisbane Lions v Carlton at the Gabba, 7.10pm AEST
Collingwood v Sydney Swans at Telstra Dome, 7.10pm AEST

Sunday, August 24
Geelong v North Melbourne at Skilled Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
St Kilda v Adelaide at Telstra Dome, 2.10pm AEST
West Coast v Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval, 2.40pm AWST

WEESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Dale Morris, BrianLake, Tim Callan
HB: Ryan Griffen, Ryan Hargrave, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Daniel Giansiracusa
I/C: Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Hill, Farren Ray, Callan Ward
EMG: Andrejs Everitt, Shaun Higgins, Stephen Tiller

No change

ESSENDON
B: Henry Slattery, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Mal Michael
HB: Mark McVeigh, Patrick Ryder, Jay Nash
C: Andrew Lovett, Jobe Watson, Jason Johnson
HF: Adam McPhee, Matthew Lloyd, Angus Monfries
F: Sam Lonergan, Andrew Welsh, Heath Hocking
Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Brent Stanton, Ricky Dyson
I/C: Rhys Magin, Cale Hooker, Damien Peverill, Adam Ramanauskas
EMG: Danny Chartres, Jarrod Atkinson, John Williams

In: Bellchambers, Johnson, McVeigh, Hooker, Hocking
Out: Dustin Fletcher (groin), Courtenay Dempsey (broken leg), Leroy Jetta (hip), Jason Laycock (ankle), David Hille (broken hand)

New: Cale Hooker (East Fremantle)

RICHMOND v FREMANTLE
RICHMOND
B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore
HB: Jordan McMahon, Luke McGuane, Joel Bowden
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Daniel Jackson, Jay Schulz, Richard Tambling
F: Matt White, Jack Riewoldt, Mitch Morton
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C: Shane Edwards, Daniel Connors, Trent Cotchin, Tristan Cartledge
EMG: Greg Tivendale, Chris Hyde, Dean Polo


In: Foley
Out: Dean Polo

FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Michael Johnson, David Mundy
HB: Steven Dodd, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Crowley, Des Headland
HF: Byron Schammer, Kepler Bradley, Jeff Farmer
F: Adam Campbell, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Josh Carr, Rhys Palmer
I/C: Marcus Drum, Chris Mayne, Paul Duffield, Brett Peake
EMG: Clayton Hinkley, Ryan Murphy, Andrew Browne

In: J Carr, Headland
Out: Antoni Grover (shoulder), Andrew Browne

PORT ADELAIDE v MELBOURNE
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Toby Thurstans, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Troy Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Matthew Westhoff, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C: Brendon Lade, Marlon Motlop, Paul Stewart, Damon White
EMG: Greg Bentley, Mitch Farmer, Nathan Lonie

In: Brogan, Daniel Motlop, Marlon Motlop, Stewart
Out: Mitch Farmer, Ryan Williams, Robbie Gray (ankle), Michael Pettigrew (shoulder)

MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Stefan Martin, Colin Garland
HB: James McDonald, Matthew Warnock, Paul Wheatley
C: Simon Buckley, Cameron Bruce, Matthew Bate
HF: Brad Green, Colin Sylvia, Austin Wonaeamirri
F: Jeff White, Brad Miller, Michael Newton
Foll: Mark Jamar, Cale Morton, Nathan Jones
I/C: Daniel Bell, Adem Yze, Clint Bartram, Lynden Dunn
EMG: James Frawley, Shane Valenti, Addam Maric

In: White, Yze, Dunn, Garland
Out: Paul Johnson (hip), Addam Maric, Shane Valenti, James Frawley

BRISBANE LIONS v CARLTON
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Joel Macdonald, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Ashley McGrath
C: Bradd Dalziell, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Matthew Moody
F: Rhan Hooper, Daniel Bradshaw, Anthony Corrie
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Jared Brennan
I/C: Pearce Hanley, Travis Johnstone, James Hawksley, Robert Copeland
EMG: Tim Notting, Troy Selwood, Lachlan Henderson

In: Corrie, Hanley
Out: Colm Begley, Albert Proud

New: Pearce Hanley (Ballaghadereen, Ireland)

CARLTON
B: Heath Scotland, Andrew Walker, Kade Simpson
HB: Shaun Grigg, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton
C: Jarrad Waite, Nick Stevens, Brad Fisher
HF: Marc Murphy, Cameron Cloke, Jordan Russell
F: Matthew Kreuzer, Brendan Fevola, Andrew Carrazzo
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Bryce Gibbs, Chris Judd
I/C: Dennis Armfield, Paul Bower, Steven Browne, Ryan Houlihan
EMG: Joe Anderson, Mark Austin, Adam Bentick

In: Bower, Houlihan
Out: Jason Saddington, Simon Wiggins (calf)

COLLINGWOOD v SYDNEY SWANS
COLLINGWOOD
B: Shane Wakelin , Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Burns, Alan Toovey
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, John Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: John McCarthy, Sharrod Wellingham, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
EMG: Shannon Cox, Rhyce Shaw, Simon Prestigiacomo

In: Wellingham
Out: Dale Thomas (calf)

SYDNEY SWANS
B: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Martin Mattner
HB: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Jared Crouch, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Adam Goodes
F: Amon Buchanan, Barry Hall, Paul Bevan
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C: Peter Everitt, Kieren Jack, Jarred Moore, Patrick Veszpremi
EMG: Ryan Brabazon, Luke Brennan, Nic Fosdike

In: Barry, Jack, Veszpremi
Out: Luke Ablett, Nic Fosdike, Nick Malceski


GEELONG v NORTH MELBOURNE
GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Darren Milburn, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright
C: James Kelly, Max Rooke, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Mark Blake, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey
I/C (from): Shannon Byrnes, Joel Selwood, Harry Taylor, Paul Chapman, Brent Prismall, Ryan Gamble, Travis Varcoe

In: Scarlett, Milburn, Chapman
Out: -

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Gavin Urquhart, Lachlan Hansen, Josh Gibson
HB: Daniel Pratt, Shannon Watt, Michael Firrito
C: Daniel Wells, Adam Simpson, Leigh Harding
HF: Brent Harvey, David Hale, Matt Campbell
F: Lindsay Thomas, Nathan Thompson, Shannon Grant
Foll: Drew Petrie, Daniel Harris, Brady Rawlings
I/C (from): Hamish McIntosh, Ed Lower, Sam Power, Jess Sinclair, Corey Jones, Scott Thompson, Scott McMahon

In: N. Thompson, S. Thompson, Lower, McIntosh
Out: Leigh Brown

ST KILDA v ADELAIDE
ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Max Hudghton, Jason Blake
C: Sam Gilbert, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne
Foll: Steven King, Andrew McQualter, Leigh Montagna
I/C (from): Xavier Clarke, James Gwilt, Charlie Gardiner, Shane Birss, Robert Eddy, Raphael Clarke, Jarryd Allen

In: X. Clarke, Birss, Allen
Out: -

ADELAIDE
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Nathan van Berlo, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, David Mackay
HF: Tyson Edwards, Scott Stevens, Andrew McLeod
F: Richard Douglas, Nick Gill, Brad Moran
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Robert Shirley
I/C (from): Kris Massie, Kurt Tippett, Patrick Dangerfield, Chris Knights, Andrew Otten, Bryce Campbell, Brent Reilly

In: Knights, Otten, Tippett
Out: -

WEST COAST v HAWTHORN
WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Michael Braun, Matt Priddis, Matt Spangher
HF: Jamie McNamara, Quinten Lynch, Steven Armstrong
F: Mark LeCras, Ben McKinley, Mark Seaby
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Tyson Stenglein
I/C (from): Sam Butler, Ryan Davis, Ashley Hansen, Tim Houlihan, Tony Notte, Scott Selwood, Will Schofield

In: Butler, Hansen, Houlihan, Schofield
Out: Brad Ebert (general soreness)

HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB: Rick Ladson, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Stuart Dew, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Shane Crawford, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Simon Taylor, Jordan Lewis, Brad Sewell
I/C (from): Beau Dowler, Thomas Murphy, Michael Osborne, Brent Renouf, Cameron Stokes, Travis Tuck, Clinton Young

In: Dowler, Renouf, Stokes, Tuck, Young
Out: Luke Hodge (suspended), Robert Campbell (virus)


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Johnson calls it quits

August 20th 2008 07:25
FREMANTLE veteran Mark Johnson has announced his retirement from AFL football.

Johnson, who joined the Dockers from Essendon at the end of last year will play the final two games of the season against Richmond and Collingwood.

The 30-year-old made his debut with the Bombers in 1999 and won a premiership with the club in 2000.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said Johnson had set a good example for the club's younger players.

“They’ve learnt a lot from Mark about how to prepare mentally and physically for a game and how to keep your body in immaculate condition,” he said.

“Mark’s also very good at reading the opposition and knowing how to go after them.

“One of the things that struck me about him is his ability to throw himself into a contest, which would then leave you wondering where had come from or how he had got there.”

Johnson joins Peter Bell, Matthew Carr, Heath Black and Shaun McManus as others at Fremantle to have retired this season.

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Porplyzia a chance to return

August 20th 2008 06:29
A neurosurgeon is likely to determine whether classy Adelaide forward Jason Porpylzia is right to play against St Kilda at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

Porplyzia suffered brain bruising and concussion in a clash with Carlton’s Steven Browne back in round 18.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig said the club was hopeful that Porplyzia would play again before the end of the home-and-away season.

"We're hopeful and talking to Jason he feels fine. He's been doing some running and kicking and physical activity but we will be guided by the specialist on it so if it's not this week we'd like to think it's definitely the week after," he said.

Craig also said Porplyzia may consider wearing a helmet in his comeback.

"If there's something there that can help him or help protect versus wearing for the sake of wearing it. We are open minded about that," he said.

Porplyzia is also dealing with a suspect shoulder that has dislocated several times this season but Craig said the 23-year-old would play if he has overcome his head injury.

"If the neurosurgeon gives the all clear we are back to where we were when Jason was playing. We understand he's got a shoulder injury, he understands that he needs to perform with that shoulder injury if he wants to put himself up for selection," he said.
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Dogs not panicking: Murphy

August 20th 2008 06:19
THE Western Bulldogs are not panicking despite losing four of their past five matches, according to classy forward Robert Murphy.

Despite the late season slump Dogs are still guaranteed of finishing either second or third and facing Hawthorn in the qualifying final.

But Murphy said it was important for the Bulldogs to go into the finals in good form.

"We have got two weeks to play some quality football before the finals," Murphy said.

"You want to go into the finals with a fair bit of momentum but we have built up a fair amount of momentum over the last 12 months and while we have lost that a bit over the last few weeks, we have got plenty of time to get it right."

"No-one is panicking, we will stick to what we know and we know we can turn it around."

"Some results haven't gone our way and we have had some dips along the way but we are ready to come out of it."

Meanwhile, the Dogs will resist the temptation to rush veteran midfielder Scott West back into the side.

The 33-year-old, who has not played since round six made his comeback in the VFL last week following knee problems.

Bulldogs assistant coach Peter Dean said the 33-year-old was likely to play at least one more match in the VFL before earning a recall.

"He's still got a bit of residual soreness from it but he'll soldier on and we'll hope he comes up for us," Dean said.

"He needs to perform, he needs to get through games, and (then) he'll come into consideration."

Dean also said key defender Tom Williams, who has been sidelined since round 13 with shoulder and thigh injuries was on track to return to the side next week.

"Tommy won't play this week, he'll play the following week barring any setbacks," Dean said.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


We still have plenty to play for: Ratten

August 20th 2008 04:53
CARLTON still has plenty to play for according to coach Brett Ratten.

The Blues' finals hopes ended last Sunday with a 51-point loss to the Kangaroos but Ratten wants to finish the season on a high note.

If the Blues manage to win their last two matches against Brisbane and Hawthorn they will have won 11 games for the season - the first time they would have at least broken even in a season since 2001.

Ratten admitted his side has improved but said last weekend's loss to the Roos showed that the club still had a long way to go before they could challenge the competition's elite sides.

But he believes a positive end to the seasn will set the side up for an even better 2009.

"I suppose what we did learn on the weekend (against North) was regardless of playing in the eight, that was the standard we have to match," he said.

"And we could let ourselves down if we think that's it (now the club can't make the eight) and we put the cue in the rack thinking we have done a good job."

"This competition goes for 22 weeks and the standards we have set will have a big imprint on 2009 and you never want to leave a season, regardless of whether you are going to play finals or not, with a sour taste in your mouth and hopefully we don't."

"And I have seen it at our club before (as a player) where we have finished off a season well and translated it into the following season because it helps your belief over the pre-season."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Blues rule out switch

August 20th 2008 04:31
CARLTON has ruled out switching its round 22 home game against Hawthorn from Telstra Dome to the MCG.

With Hawthorn star Lance Franklin on 94 goals and Carlton spearhead Brendon Fevola on 90 goals with two rounds remaining, the pair could go into the round 22 showdown within reach of bringing up their first century of goals each in a season.

Such a scenario would mean a potentially enormous crowd if the match was played at the the MCG instead of the much-smaller Telstra Dome.

The MCG is available on the Saturday night of the Blues-Hawks match but will host a match between North Melbourne and Port Adelaide earlier that day.

But Carlton chief executive Greg Swann said it would be difficult for the games to be switched at such late notice and said the club had not even considered approaching the AFL.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten admitted such an occasion was worthy of being played at 'the home of footy' but said it would be up to the AFL to decide whether the match should be played at the MCG.

Ratten also said it was important for his side to remain focused on improving and winning games of football rather than helping Fevola bring up 100 goals.

"We still need to get improvement through the other players and if Brendan is good enough to kick 100 that is fantastic and hopefully he can achieve it because it would be a fantastic individual achievement but at the end of the day I'd rather win the game than maybe him kick ten goals because that is what we are about," he said.
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Ball set to return against Bombers

August 20th 2008 02:02
ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball says he is on track to return for the Saints' round 22 clash against Essendon.

Ball has missed the past two weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in the Saints’ round 18 victory over Port Adelaide.

“I’m coming on pretty well,” he said.

“I’ve started running, not very fast yet, but I’ll hopefully build that up today and through the rest of the week. I’m still aiming to be back for round 22 against Essendon.”

The 24-year-old admitted spending time on the sidelines at this stage of the season is frustrating.

“I’ve never done a hamstring before so (I don't) know what to expect or how to deal with it. This time of year it’s pretty frustrating to be sitting back and watching," he said.

The clash against the Crows at Telstra Dome on Sunday is St Kilda’s last home game of the year and will double as a tribute to retiring champion Robert Harvey.

But Ball said the Saints won't use the tribute to Harvey as a motivational tool nor will the emotion of the occasion distract the side from achieving its ultimate goal of getting the four premiership points to keep their finals hopes alive.

“That certainly won’t distract him or the players too much," he said.

"It will be business as usual. He announced his retirement two weeks ago and we came out and didn’t play very well against Collingwood so I don’t think we’ll be relying on that to get us going.

"I think all the motivation we need is that it will probably get us a finals' berth if we get the points. That’s all we’ll need.”
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Dons decimated

August 19th 2008 08:37
ESSENDON will only have 24 fit men to choose from for its Friday night clash against the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights confirmed on Tuesday morning that his playing stocks had been further decimated with veteran defender Dustin Fletcher (groin), ruckman David Hille (hand), Jason Laycock (ankle) and Courtenay Dempsey (leg) all joining the club's injury list.

"It's just the way it is obviously with David Hille having an operation on his hand to be repaired, Dustin definitely won't play with his groin (injury)," Knights said.

"Courtenay Dempsey with a cracked fibula, which obviously is gonna need repair and he'll be (needing) a good six to 10 weeks with his (rehabilitation) program and Jason Laycock also we've found that he's had some floating bone in his ankle for a little while now."

Dempsey, who has suffered numerous hamstring injuries since being drafted in 2005 and stress fractures in his leg earlier this season on top of his recently broken leg, will have played 10 out of a possible 66 matches by the time this season ends.

But Knights said he was still hopeful that the 20-year-old would get his body right and have a successful career.

"There's been, through history, a lot of guys (who have) had trouble early in their career with injuries then gone on to play eight or 10 straight years," he said.

Laycock has been playing with an ankle complaint but Knights said there no were no exucses for the 23-year-old's poor form.

"It (the ankle injury) hasn't been preventing him playing or, I think, covering the ground," he said.

"I think Jason is big enough to say his formline is his formline, there's no excuse in regards to injury."

With Hille and Laycock on the sidelines the Bombers have been forced to thrust 18-year-old big man Tom Bellchambers into the No.1 rucking role.

In some good news for Essendon, veteran Jason Johnson is set to play his first game since round two in what will be one of the last matches of his 12-year career.

Johnson was sidelined for three months with a calf injury before making his return in the VFL a fortnight ago.

The Bombers are also expected to be bolstered by the return of midfielder Mark McVeigh who has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery five weeks ago while key forward Scott Lucas is extremely unlikely to take on the Bulldogs.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Essendon Bombers
   


Daniher joins Eagles

August 19th 2008 08:02
WEST COAST has strengthened its off-field team with the appointment of former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher as general manager of football operations

Daniher, who coached the Demons for a decade, taking them to the grand final in 2000, has been chief executive of the AFL Coaches Association for the last 12 months.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said Daniher will add 'great value' to the club.

"We were looking for someone with a strong coaching and administrative background and identified Neale as the best person for this role," he said.

"As a player and a coach he was a high achiever and has also been successful in the last 12 months as Chief Executive of the AFL Coaches Association.

"He is a man of impeccable character, someone who will add great value to our football club as we begin our resurgence as a powerful on-field force in the AFL."

Daniher, who will join West Coast in November said he was looking forward to the challenge of helping the Eagles rise back up the ladder.

"It's an exciting challenge and a great time to begin with the West Coast Eagles," Daniher said.

"I believe the club is well positioned to rebound quickly from what has been a disappointing season, particularly given its proud history.

"The club has a terrific young list and I look forward to playing my role in assisting the club's climb back up the AFL ladder."

West Coast coach John Worsfold said Daniher would play a key role in helping the Eagles rebound from what has been one of the worst seasons in its history.

"I have been very impressed in the conversations I have had with Neale over the past couple of months," Worsfold said.

"He brings to the table exactly the attributes we were looking for and believe he will assist us greatly in our vision for the team.

"Obviously his appointment is a key strategic development in the broad picture that we have for our club and I look forward to working with him."

Current football operations manager Trevor Woodhouse will share his duties with Daniher from next year.

Woodhouse will be responsible for list management and player contracts while Daniher will focus on the team and operational components of the role.


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Tigers interested in Warnock

August 19th 2008 07:42
RICHMOND has joined Melbourne in the race to secure the services of Fremantle ruckman Robert Warnock.

The Demons have already met with the 21-year-old who has been restricted to just 21 games at Fremantle since being drafted by the club with pick 42 in the 2005 national draft.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace said on Tuesday his club was interested in Warnock but the Demons, who will have the first pick in the pre-season draft, are in pole position to secure the 206cm ruckman.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey confirmed on Tuesday his club had already met with Warnock.

"We had a chat with Rob and we just put forward out case and said if you are thinking of leaving (Fremantle) consider us and that was about it really," Bailey said.

Bailey admitted there will be plenty of competition to win Warnock's signature for next season.

"I think Robbie is on radar for a lot of clubs," Bailey said.

"But Robbie has got to make a decision as to where his future lies."

But with Demons ruckman Jeff White seemingly on the way out, Bailey said Melbourne was in a position to offer Warnock greater senior opportunities than he could expect at other clubs next year.

"Our vision is he is the No.2 ruckman at Freo but there is an opportunity to come and play (first) ruck not only for us but I guess the other clubs that are speaking to him."

Meanwhile, Wallace said the Tigers would speak to Warnock at the end of the season.

"He is a big boy and he is a Melbourne-based boy who looks likely he is coming back to Melbourne so of course from a recruiting perspective we would be in the marketplace (for him)," Wallace said.

"We probably are looking for another ruckman so he would on our radar."
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Foley set to return

August 19th 2008 06:14
RICHMOND looks set to regain Nathan Foley but classy forward Nathan Brown remains in doubt for Saturday's must-win match against Fremantle at the MCG.

The Tigers need to win their last two matches against the Dockers and Melbourne and rely on other results going their way if they are going to feature in September action.

Foley missed the 29-point win against the Hawks last Sunday with a rib injury sustained against Adelaide in round 19 while Brown missed his second game in the past three matches due to a combination of leg and hip injuries.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace said Foley was more likely to return this week than Brown.

"They are both still in calculations, Nathan has done a little bit more today in our skills session from a running point of view than Browny did," Wallace said.

"It's only early in the week and we will give both those boys an opportunity to come up later in the week but Nathan Foley is ahead of Nathan Brown at the minute."

Wallace said Brown's latest injury problems were not related to the lingering problems he suffered from the severe broken leg he sustained in 2005.

"Browny has had two or three on-going problems over three or four weeks," he said.

"One is from a knock to the leg and the other is from a knock to the hip - they were both collision injuries - but fortunately the leg knock is to his other leg, his good leg."

Wallace said his young side had gained plenty of self-belief from their shock win over the Hawks.

"It was pretty important from a self-belief point of view for our guys to know they can compete with sides that have been right up there," he said.

"As much as I can sit here and say I believe in our younger players, for them to see it for themselves is important and it helps sell the message to ourselves that we have been trying to portray all along."

The Tigers will be strong favourites in their last two matches but Wallace said his side shouldn't underestimate bottom four clubs Fremantle and Melbourne.

"When you are in a situation lower down the ladder, and we were there last year and knocked off a couple of sides, you have got that 'nothing to lose' attitude and you can go out and play with a bit of freedom," Wallace said.

"And you don't tighten up because there is nothing to tighten up over."






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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Richmond Tigers
   


Lappin calls it quits

August 19th 2008 04:20
BRISBANE midfielder Nigel Lappin has called it quits following an ongoing achilles injury which has sidelined him since round four this season.

He will be given a farewell lap of honour before the club's round 21 home game against Carlton on Saturday night.

Lappin said he was frustrated at the way his career has ended.

"It's hard not to live in the moment, and for me at the moment I haven't been able to get what I want out of footy," Lappin said.

"So at the moment I'm sort of frustrated, I have been frustrated by what has happened this year.

"But my career as a whole has been really successful."

The latter stages of his career have been ruined by injury with the 32-year-old playing just 38 of the Lions' 86 games since the 2004 grand final loss to Port Adelaide. He first dislocated an ankle in 2005 and re-injured it before the start of the following year, which caused him to miss all of 2006.

Lappin admitted his bad run with injuries had taken its toll.

"Mentally I was a little bit tired," he said.

"I was waking up and not really looking forward to playing footy as I had in previous years, and you just get the feeling it is time."

He also said he would remain a part of the Lions squad until the end of the season before taking a few months off to contemplate his future.

Lappin made his debut with the Brisbane Bears in 1994 and was an integral member of the Lions' premiership sides between 2001 and 2003, making up one-quarter of the side's "Fab four" midfield.

The 279-game veteran, who leaves as the club's third-longest serving player enjoyed a decorated career that also included a best-and-fairest (2004), four All-Australian guernseys (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004), International Rules representation (2001) and the Lions' best finals player award (2001).
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Walker avoids jail

August 19th 2008 03:14
CARLTON midfielder Andrew Walker has avoided jail after being charged with driving while his licence was suspended.

Walker was yesterday sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrate's Court to one month in jail, which has been suspended for 12 months.

He was also fined $500 without conviction and his licence was suspended for two months.

Police prosecutor Sen-Constable Jaci Steiger said police intercepted the 22-year-old on Rosamond Rd in Maribyrnong in March this year.

A second serious driving offence carries a mandatory minimum one month jail term
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Haysman Port's new CEO

August 19th 2008 03:08
PORT ADELAIDE has appointed brewing company executive Mark Haysman as its new chief executive.

Haysman, who will take up the post in October is currently the regional director for Lion Nathan in South Australia, the Northern Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.

Port president Greg Boulton said said Haysman was the standout candidate.

"Mark Haysman is a proven manager of people and brands with a strong customer and sponsorship focus in the highly competitive national brewing market," Boulton said.

"This makes him the ideal person to be the third chief executive of the Port Adelaide Football Club in the AFL."

Haysman said he was looking forward to the challenge of working at an AFL club.

"I am excited at the prospect of working with the club and its people as we take on the challenge to continue to grow," he said.

He replaces former chief executive John James who quit the club in June this year to take up a position with an investment firm in the United States
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Williams denies coaching rumours

August 19th 2008 02:56
PORT ADELAIDE coach Mark Williams has dimissed suggestions that he wants to coach interstate.

Williams said he'd like to stay at Port while he's a required member of the club.

"Being asked what I want to do in the future, I certainly want to coach Port Adelaide and as long as they want me here I want to be here," he said.

"The challenges are immense here and I'm certainly looking forward to meeting those and getting this club back to where it has been in the last 10 years."

Despite signalling his intentions to remain at Port Adelaide, Williams said he wasn't expecting a premature extension to his contract which ends at the end of 2009

"Over the last 12 years, and three of them we finished top and we won a premiership, they never negotiated my contract any time prior (to the end of the contract)."

Port are currently languishing in 14th place on the AFL ladder after playing in last year's grand final, but Williams said there was plenty to like about the club's future.

"Our players have got some experience, they are a little older so the results mightn't show that but certainly we don't think we are as bad as the position on the ladder is," he said.

Meanwhile, defender Michael Pettigrew's season is over after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder on Monday. He is expected to be fully recovered in time to commence pre-season training.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Hodge accepts

August 19th 2008 02:47
HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge will miss Sunday's clash against West Coast at Subiaco Oval after accepting a one-match ban for striking Richmond's Brett Deledio.

Hodge will need to be careful from this moment on as he has 71.38 demerit points hanging over his head should he re-offend against Carlton in round 22 or during the finals.

The 24-year-old is just one of a number of key Hawks with tribunal demerit points hanging over their heads at the business end of the season.

Others include skipper Sam Mitchell, star forward Lance Franklin, former captain Shane Crawford, midfielder Jordan Lewis, Grant Birchall and Michael Osborne.

In other tribunal news, Port Adelaide's Peter Burgoyne and Carlton's Simon Wiggins have accepted reprimands for rough conduct and charging respectively, while Port's Justin Westhoff and Collingwood's Nick Maxwell accepted a $900 fine for wrestling each other.
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Morton wins nomination

August 19th 2008 02:35
MELBOURNE youngster Cale Morton has been rewarded for his consistent season with the round 20 NAB Rising Star nomination.

Morton was Melbourne's best in their win over West Coast at the MCG last Saturday with 30 possessions, 17 marks and one goal.

The 18-year-old, who made his debut in round one has averaged 18 disposals per game in his 17 appearances.

Morton was Melbourne's first selection and fourth overall in the 2007 national draft and joins teammates Austin Wonaeamirri and Colin Garland in line for the sought-after honour.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said Morton's has shown what he is capable of from the beginning of the season.

"Cale has been consistently good for us all year. He is a very hard worker and continues to develop all aspects of his game," he said.

Morton represented Western Australia in the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and won the Larke Medal for best player.in the championships.
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Wells re-signs

August 19th 2008 02:26
NORTH MELBOURNE has strengthened its on-field future with the re-signing of classy midfielder Daniel Wells for a further two seasons.

Wells will be contracted to the Kangaroos until the end of the 2010 season, ending speculation that he might return to his native Western Australia.

He joins team-mates Drew Petrie, Hamish McIntosh, Michael Firrito, Daniel Pratt, Corey Jones and Brady Rawlings as Kangaroos to have signed new deals this year.

The 23-year-old, who is currently in career-best form said he was delighted to be remaining with the Kangaroos.

"It's fantastic," he said.

"The manager and the club have been working pretty hard the last couple of weeks and knocked it over pretty quickly (and) I just look forward to playing some good footy."
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Hodge faces late-season suspension

August 18th 2008 08:02
HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge could miss two weeks for striking Richmond's Brett Deledio during the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.

The panel ruled his clash with Deledio as reckless conduct, low impact and high contact, which equates to 125 points and a one match ban but due to his existing carry-over points he was given a two-match ban, which he can reduce to one with a guilty plea.

Hodge will have 71.38 carry-over points hanging around his neck come finals time if he accepts a one-match ban but if he challenges the charge at the tribunal and loses he will have just 28.5 carry-over points for any possible indiscretion during the finals

In other tribunal news, Port Adelaide's Peter Burgoyne and Carlton's Simon Wiggins can accept reprimands after being booked for rough conduct and charging respectively while the rough conduct charge against Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds was thrown out with the panel ruling that Simmonds' action was not forceful.

Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola was cleared over an incident involving Kangaroos defender Daniel Pratt. It was the view of the panel that Fevola's action was a pushing motion and not a strike, and that the impact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence.

Melbourne ruckman Mark Jamar was also cleared of any wrongdoing over an incident which knocked out West Coast defender Beau Wilkes. The panel believed that Jamar had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball.

Meanwhile, Port's Justin Westhoff and Collingwood's Nick Maxwell were fined $1,200 for wrestling each other.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


We get on fine: Mitchell

August 18th 2008 07:37
HAWTHORN skipper Sam Mitchell has dismissed suggestions of a rift between himself and vice-captain Luke Hodge after the pair were captured arguing during quarter-time of the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.

Mitchell said it was not unusual for two players from the same side to have disagreements particularly when they are the club's two on-field leaders.

"It's very normal," he said.

"We are the two leaders - the captain and the vice-captain - and we want to get the best out of our side."

"We have healthy debates about the way things are going and what we can do better and what is working and we had different views about what was going on."

"We voiced it, got to the bottom of it and there are no issues."

"It was about whether or not we were supposed to be (playing) man on man or a zone in certain parts of the game (but) it was very minor," he said.

Mitchell racked up 28 possessions in the loss to the Tigers but said his disposal was the worst of his career.

"It's the worst I have used the footy in my career in 120 games," he said.

"I found it okay but I couldn't use it and I wish they (his teammates) could have given it to someone else better than me because I just kicked it poorly but I can't blame anyone but myself."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson blamed Mitchell's uncharacteristic skill errors on a soft and shifting playing surface but Mitchell said he had no problems with the conditions at the home of football.

"He (Clarkson) said the surface wasn't as good as it could have been and it wasn't but they (Richmond) were playing on the same surface," he said.

"It made no difference and the MCG is the best ground in the AFL and we love playing there."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Braun set to delay farewell match

August 18th 2008 07:20
WEST COAST veteran Michael Braun looks set to put his retirement on hold for another week due to the club's injury crisis.

Braun initially wanted Sunday's clash against Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval to be his farewell match but with the club's injury list now numbering 16 players, Braun has put his hand up to play in West Coast's round 22 encounter against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

Eagles assistant coach Peter Sumich said Braun was likely to play against the Cats.

"Whether it's his last game or not this week we'll wait and see because with the amount of injuries we've got he will probably be forced to play against Geelong," he said.

"This (game against the Hawks) was more than likely going to be it but ... the way we're going with injuries, more than likely he'll have to front up against Geelong.

"It was always tentative with everything that was said about his last game, even this week, so he's happy to continue on and see the year out."

Sumich also said forward Ashley Hansen was a "strong possibility" to return this week from a rolled ankle but veteran David Wirrpanda (hamstring) is only a 50-50 chance.

Key defender Beau Wilkes is also no certainty to line up against the Hawks after being stretchered off the ground with a neck injury in the Eagles' 34-point loss to Melbourne at the MCG last Saturday.

The 22-year-old will undergo scans before a further assessemnt is made.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


GC 17 snares Clayton

August 18th 2008 06:50
THE Western Bulldogs have lost highly rated recruiting manager Scott Clayton to the new Gold Coast franchise.

Clayton, who was instrumental in creating the Brisbane team that won three successive premierships from 2001-03 and played a key role in the Bulldogs' recent rise up the ladder, has been given a three-year contract.

He will be responsible for building the development side, which will play in the TAC Cup and the VFL over the next two years and be responsible for trying to attract AFL players from other clubs to join the new team in 2011.

GC 17 chairman John Witheriff said Clayton had the skills to develop a successful list.

"We wanted the best in the business and his work at the Brisbane Lions was instrumental in building a playing list that won three straight premierships and he has built a talented, young list at the Western Bulldogs," Witheriff said.

"Building this football club is one of the great challenges in football and Scott's experience, his skills and his knowledge of young football talent is perfectly suited to making this a success."

Clayton said he was looking forward to the challenge of building a club's playing list from scratch.

"A role like this is extremely rare in football so it will be exciting for me," he said.

Clayton also said he was confident that the Bulldogs would enjoy success over an extended period.

"I have been extremely fortunate to work at the Western Bulldogs for a long period of time where I have seen the club go from strength to strength with an exciting and innovative brand of football and a real team environment," he said.

"I know that the team we have set up will have a very successful five-year period and no one wants to see them succeed more than me."

Western Bulldogs chief executive Campbell Rose said the club understood the reasons behind Clayton's decision.

"Scott will have the chance to create a team from scratch which is something that any recruitment manager would love to have the opportunity to do," he said.

"(But) we are fortunate that we have a football manager such as James Fantasia who has a credentialed recruiting background and comes from a club (Adelaide) with a strong recruiting record."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


Biglands calls it quits

August 18th 2008 04:59
ADELAIDE ruckman Rhett Biglands has announced his retirement from AFL football six months into his rehabilitation from a second full-knee reconstruction.

The 30-year-old ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the 2006 preliminary final loss to West Coast and was on track to make an AFL return this season before suffering another serious knee injury in February.

Biglands admitted the past two years on the sidelines have been tough said the time was right for him to call it quits.

"The last two years have probably been the most difficult of my life but, in saying that, I’ve had 10 years on an AFL list, so I’m very thankful for having the opportunity to be involved with the best game in the world,” Biglands said.

“I think the time is right. I’ve sort of known, in consultation with others, that the second reconstruction was always going to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“You’ve got to look after your body [especially] with the way it’s been hammered over the years. You’ve got to make sure that your lifestyle after footy is good enough to do what you want to do.”

Biglands played 134 games for the Crows and was a part of Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL squad in 1997 but was cut without playing a game when the Power were required to trim their initial list.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


One of our best: Lyon

August 18th 2008 03:50
ST KILDA's 43-point win over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday was one of its best four quarter performances of the season, according to coach Ross Lyon.

The Saints moved back into the top eight as a result of their win against the Dockers but Lyon said his side was no certainty to feature in September action.

"You can't win finals and play in them until you're in them and we're clearly not in them," said Lyon.

"(But) it's probably our best four quarter performance today. We felt we hadn't really played four quarters all year, so that's the aim for the group to improve our consistency within games."

It was a must-win match for the Saints given Richmond's win over Hawthorn earlier in the day which saw the Tigers move to within two points of St Kilda, who were in ninth position behind Brisbane at the time.

With tough games against Adelaide and Essendon to finish the home-and-away season, a win against the Dockers was vital.

However, the Saints looked in trouble when Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked his second major of the second term to give his side a 16-point lead at the 12-minute mark.

But St Kilda responded with two goals to close to within four points at the main break before taking control in the second half, piling on 11 goals to two.

Lyon said he was pleased his side stuck to the basics.

"We were strong in the contest most of the day. We thought, we didn't take our opportunities in the first quarter and created a couple of turnover goals which we did the week before," he said.

"But, we just persisted and persevered until, the wait of numbers swung our way."

Lyon also said was pleased with how his side focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about what the result meant for their finals chances.

"(At half-time) we just spoke about ... what we did well, where we need to improve," Lyon said.

"If you look at results, once you start looking at results and then expectation comes, then you lose focus and then you lose, so we focused on the job at hand."

Lyon added that the club would continue taking it one match at a time rather than worry about gaining momentum going into the finals.

"What's momentum?" Lyon asked. "Everyone talks about momentum and gee whiz, we've won one and we've lost (one)."

"If you look at the whole package, it's six of our last eight (but) there were two losses we weren't thrilled with," he said.

"(Today) we just get some confidence back that we are a reasonable team."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


We took a step backwards, says Harvey

August 18th 2008 03:38
FREMANTLE coach Mark Harvey has labelled Sunday's 43-point loss to St Kilda at Subiaco Oval as one of the the club's most disappointing this season.

The Dockers have shown some positive signs in the past month with three wins and a brave four-point loss to Sydney but Harvey felt his players had taken a step backwards against St Kilda.

The Dockers led by 16 points at the 12-minute mark of the second quarter before the Saints took control, slamming on 11 goals to two in the second half.

Harvey said his side failed to pay attention to basic things like manning up.

"(I) just thought at times today, the players weren't demanding on each enough when St Kilda was just kicking the ball in," he said.

"So, hence they had a lot of uncontested marks and they had easy pathways to goal."

"The game's not that difficult from just a basic thing like manning up when they've got the ball (but) we have too many guys sit back and spectate when that happens."

"We just allowed them to do what they wanted to do too easy and whenever we looked like getting them on the counter attack, there was fumbling and lack of composure and understanding between each other."

Harvey said the performance was especially poor considering the club was honouring former skipper Peter Bell, who retired in July.

"Peter spoke from the heart before the game. He didn't want to have a farewell himself, he's one of those guys (who) didn't like the attention of playing a last game."

"So he spoke to the guys about the day itself and what he wanted from them and that didn't happen."

Harvey had nothing but praise for impressive young midfielder Rhys Palmer who racked up a game-high 30 possessions.

"He's a delight to watch and the team should learn a lot off him," Harvey said.

"His performance does the talking."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


We rely on Fevola too much: Ratten

August 18th 2008 03:28
CARLTON will not make the eight if it continues to rely on star forward Brendan Fevola, according to coach Brett Ratten.

Ratten said the Blues would ignore other forward options in preference to Fevola, who at times had as many as five opponents against him.

"If you go down that path you probably won't make the top eight," Ratten said.

"I think sometimes we went out of way to kick the ball to him."

But Ratten said it was not Fevola's fault the Blues searched for him.

"Brendan just leads. He's a big forward, who's quick. He usually gets a bit of a gap so he looks like the best option most times and we seem to honour that a fair bit," he said.

The Blues coach said the blame lay on the ball-carrier and other forwards who Ratten suggested were playing selfish football.

"But we need to move our direction and kick the ball to other people to bring them into the game," he said.

"I think it's the bloke, he's virtually captain of the team when he's got the ball in his hands, and he just needs to use it a little bit different at times."

"I think sometimes we do, and we've had a focus going forward to try and do that but today was really obvious that we didn't use too many other forwards."

"We said to play at home a bit more, maybe blokes worrying about some possessions … instead (of) about what they were doing for the team. I think it might have taken some pressure of Brendan, maybe given ourselves a chance of getting more on the scoreboard."

Besides Fevola, only two Blues have kicked more than 20 goals this season - Brad Fisher and Eddie Betts, who missed the clash against the Kangaroos.

Ratten said the Blues would improve as a side as soon as the workload was shared up forward.

"Until other players start to kick threes and fours, no one's going to worry about playing on them," he said.

"And they'll just keep pulling back into the hole, in front of his space. That's the whole team debate that we need to get better as a team to honour these players. If someone's got three behind their name the opposition starts to look a little bit closer."

Ratten said shifting Fevola from the goal square would be considered this week while moving utility Jarrad Waite from defence into attack was also an option.

"Jarrad gives us great counter attack so that's the conundrum; whether we reduce our counter-attack and we might not get it in our forward 50 as many times," he said.

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Clarkson attacks MCG surface

August 18th 2008 03:17
HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has criticised the state of the playing surface at the MCG on Sunday.

Clarkson said the home of football was in the worst condition he has ever seen it.

"I reckon the MCG surface might need to get better because it's the worst I have seen it," Clarkson said.

"We are in round 20 and there was enormous talk about the Telstra Dome surface three or four years ago but Telstra Dome is miles better than the MCG at the present time."

Clarkson even blamed the slippery surface for the performance of skipper Sam Mitchell, who made several uncharacteristic skill errors in the Hawks' 29-point loss to Richmond.

"I don't know when they are going to re-surface it but it needs addressing," Clarkson said.

Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stephen Gough said the the MCG will be in far better condition for the upcoming AFL finals series.

"We will do our normal re-turfing going into the finals so you will see a significantly different MCG when we start the September action," he said.

"We usually look at what we need (in terms of new turf) going into the finals and then do it in that week leading up from the last (home and away) game to before the first week of the finals."

But Gough dismissed suggestions that the ground was in its worst condition ever.

"As we know it is winter, it is wet and a little bit soft so it is a bit different to normal," he said.

"But if you compare the ground to what it looked like in the 80's and even the 90's, it looked a hell of a lot different (then) to what we are playing on today."

"I think Telstra Dome is looking good but I don't compare them that way - the question is are we providing a good and safe workplace and yes we are."

"We have set such a high benchmark with the standard (of the playing surface) here and at Telstra Dome and one shouldn't."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Milne likely to miss: Lyon

August 18th 2008 02:54
ST KILDA small forward Stephen Milne is likely to miss Sunday's must-win clash against Adelaide at Telstra Dome, according to coach Ross Lyon.

Milne suffered a fractured cheekbone in the Saints' 43-point win over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday after a clash of heads with Fremantle defender Antoni Grover early in the game.

Lyon said Milne's injury is worse than first thought.

"Initally we thought there was not much in it," he said.

"He has had it scanned over there and [has] been delayed with his flight. It looks like he might miss a week."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Thomas a chance to miss

August 18th 2008 02:36
COLLINGWOOD could be without Dale Thomas for Saturday night's crucial clash against Sydney at Telstra Dome.

Thomas suffered a knock on his knee in the Pies' 31-point win against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium last Friday night and pulled up sore.

Collingwood football operations manager Geoff Wash said Thomas would be monitored throughout the week.

"He's got some swelling behind the knee and perhaps a little bleeding, but is not a structural thing," Walsh said.

"We'll just have to monitor it during the week, but hopefully it will come down quickly enough for him to play on Saturday night."

Meanwhile. John Anthony, who left the ground with what seemed to be a shoulder injury, has been cleared of serious damage and is expected to play.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Saints back in the eight

August 17th 2008 10:03
ST KILDA has moved back into the top eight with a 43-point demolition of Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

The 17.10 (112) to 9.15 (69) victory leaves the Saints on 11 wins and a game clear of ninth-placed Brisbane with two rounds remaining.

The Saints face a relatively tough run home with matches Adelaide and Essendon at Telstra Dome to finish the home-and-away season.

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt starred with 22 possessions 11 marks and five goals while Adam Schneider and Stephen Milne chimed in with four and three goals respectively.

Lenny Hayes was influential in the middle with 30 possessions while Robert Harvey was inspirational with 20 touches and one goal.

For Fremantle, impressive young midfielder Rhys Palmer tried hard all day, racking up 30 disposals. Jeff Farmer did his chances of securing a new contract no harm with 27 possessions while skipper Matthew Pavlich and Adam Campbell booted three goals apiece.

The Saints started well, kicking the first goal of the match through Schneider but two goals from Campbell ensured the Dockers would go into the first change with their noses in front, holding a four-point advantage.

Fremantle punished the Saints on the rebound early in the second term and skipped out to a 16-point lead at the 12-minute mark thanks to two goals from Pavlich.

But St Kilda hit back through Harvey and Milne to remain within striking distance, with the Dockers holding a four-point lead at the main break.

St Kilda took control of the midfield in the second half with Hayes leading from the front as they piled on five of their seven goals for the third term in the opening 12 minutes to skip out to a commanding lead.

The Dockers lifted their intensity from that moment on but failed to capitalise in front of goal, booting a wasteful 1.7 for the quarter to trail by 28 points heading into the final change.

Fremantle failed to fire a shot in the final term as the Saints cruised to a much needed win.

FREMANTLE: 4.3, 7.4, 8.11, 9.15 (69)
ST KILDA: 3.5, 6.6, 13.9, 17.10 (112)
GOALS: Fremantle: Campbell 3, Pavlich 3, McPharlin, Duffield, Mundy
St Kilda: Riewoldt 5, Schneider 4, Milne 3, Clarke, Gilbert, Harvey Eddy, Koschitzke
BEST: Fremantle: Palmer, Campbell, Pavlich, Farmer,
St Kilda: Hayes, Riewoldt, Schneider, Milne, Harvey, King, Fisher, Blake
INJURIES: Fremantle: TBC
St Kilda: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Schmitt, Hendrie, McIrnerney
CROWD: 34,014 at Subiaco Oval
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Roos move to fourth

August 17th 2008 07:40
NORTH MELBOURNE has moved into the top four with a convincing 51-point win over Carlton at Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.

The Roos dominated after quarter-time, slamming on 17 goals to eight to cruise to a comfortable 22.9 (141) to 14.6 (90) victory.

The loss means the Blues have now dropped to 11th place on the AFL ladder and must defeat Brisbane and Hawthorn and rely on other results going their way if they are going to feature in September action.

Brent Harvey did his Brownlow medal chances no harm with a game-high 30 possessions and three goals. He received good support in the middle from Daniel Harris and Brady Rawlings, who racked up 27 possessions each while Leigh Harding, David Hale and Shannon Grant booted three goals apiece.

For Carlton, skipper Chris Judd (23 possessions) and Marc Murphy (29 touches) tried hard all day while Brendon Fevola was the only Blues forward that looked dangerous, finishing the match with six goals.

The Blues started brightly with Fevola booting the first two goals of the contest in the space of two minutes.

Both sides traded goals for the remainder of a frenetic first quarter with Fevola's third major ensuring Carlton would go into the first change with their noses in front, holding a six-point advantage.

The Kangaroos broke the game open in the second term, slamming on six unanswered goals in a stunning 15-minute burst to skip out to a commanding 32-point lead.

The Roos had 10 inside 50 entries to Carlton's none during that period with the Blues first entry inside 50 not coming until the 16-minute mark of the second quarter.

The Blues lifted late in the term with Fevola's fifth major getting Carlton to within 20 points of the Kangaroos.

But a double 50m penalty against Fevola proved to be costly with Harding kicking his second to give the Roos a 26-point advantage at the main break.

Carlton kicked the first goal of the second half through Matthew Kreuzer but the remainder of the third term belonged to the Roos as they slammed on four unanswered goals to skip out to a match-winning 45-point lead heading into the final change.

The sting was well and truly out of the contest in the final stanza with the Kangaroos booting five goals to four to record their 12th win of the season.

CARLTON: 6.2, 9.3, 10.5, 14.6 (90)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 5.2, 13.5, 17.8, 22.9 (141)
GOALS: Carlton: Fevola 6, Cloke 2, Fisher 2, Judd, Kreuzer, Russell, Scotland
North Melbourne: Grant 3, Hale 3, Harding 3, Harvey 3, Hansen 2, Jones 2, Thomas 2, Brown, McMahon, Petrie, B. Rawlings
BEST: Carlton: Judd, Fevola, Carrazzo, Walker, Cloke
North Melbourne: Harvey, Harding, Firrito, Grant, Hale, Harris
INJURIES: Carlton: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Meredith, Jeffery


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Tigers upset Hawks

August 17th 2008 06:22
RICHMOND has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a 29-point win over Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers led at every change and survived several challenges from the Hawks, eventually prevailing 16.9 (105) to 10.16 (76).

The Hawks won the inside 50 count 49-36 but it was Richmond's ability to make the most of their opportunities that proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Richmond is within half a game of eighth-placed Brisbane with two rounds remaining - although they could drop to six points behind the top eight if St Kilda beats Fremantle in the Sunday twilight game at Subiaco Oval.

But with winnable matches against Fremantle and Melbourne at the MCG to finish the home-and-away season the Tigers have a great chance of ending their finals drought stretching back to 2001.

Joel Bowden was Richmond's best with a game-high 38 possessions, 21 marks and one goal while Matthew Richardson continued his stellar season with 29 disposals, 21 marks and one major.

Shane Tuck was also influential with 36 possessions. Brett Deledio was a busy contributor in the middle with 29 touches and one goal while Luke McGuane did a superb blanketing job on Jarryd Roughead, keeping the Hawthorn forward goalless.

The Tigers had 12 individual goalkickers for the match - Daniel Connors and Mitch Morton the most effective with three apiece.

For Hawthorn, Lance Franklin was dangerous up forward but failed to make the most of his opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 3.6 - meaning he needs a further six goals in the final two rounds to become the first player since Tony Lockett in 1998 to boot 100 goals in the home-and-away season.

Richmond stamped their authority on the contest from the opening bounce. They won the contested football, ran hard and were clean with their use of the football as they slammed on five goals to two to take a 15-point lead into quarter-time.

The Hawks kicked the first goal of the second term through Jordan Lewis but the Tigers remained in control, piling on five of the last six majors of the quarter to take a commanding 31-point advantage into the main break.

Hawthorn lifted their intensity in the second half but were let down by their poor use of the football and woeful kicking for goal.

They closed to within 25 points at the 15-minute mark of the third term and should have been closer but failed to capitalise in front of goal, booting four straight behinds.

The Tigers made Hawthorn pay for their wastefulness in front of goal with Morton kicking a goal on the siren to give Richmond a 27-point lead heading into the final change.

Hawthorn closed to within 15 points early in the final term thanks to two goals from Campbell Brown but the Tigers had all the answers with majors from Jordan McMahon and Richardson sealing an impressive win for Richmond.

RICHMOND: 5.2 10.5 13.6 16.9 (105)
HAWTHORN: 2.5 4.10 7.15 10.16 (76)
GOALS: Richmond: Morton 3, Connors 3, Cotchin, Edwards, Bowden, Tuck, Tambling, White, Cartledge, Deledio, McMahon, Richardson
Hawthorn: Franklin 3, Brown 2, Lewis, Osborne, Bateman, Rioli, Williams
BEST: Richmond: Bowden, Richardson, McGuane, Tuck, Deledio, Newman, Morton, Thursfield, Moore
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Bateman, Franklin, Guerra, Birchall, Rioli
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
UMPIRES: James, M Nicholls, Mollison
REPORTS: Simmonds (Richmond) reported for rough conduct on Murphy (Hawthorn) by umpire Nicholls in the first quarter
CHANGES: Hawthorn: Nil
Richmond: Foley (ribs) replaced in selected side by Polo
CROWD: 44,523 at MCG



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Richmond Tigers
   


Thompson denies invincible tag

August 17th 2008 04:37
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson has dismissed suggestions that his side is all but unbeatable.

Sydney coach Paul Roos labelled the reigning premiers and ladder leaders untouchable provided they play to their potential following the Swans' 39-point loss to the Cats at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

But Thompson said his side was no certainty to secure the 2008 premiership.

"I just know that on any given day you can be beaten and there's more than just skill (involved), you need a lot of luck," Thompson said.

"But we're a good side when we play well, yeah - I agree with that."

Despite the lopsided scoreboard the Cats were challenged at times by a gritty Swans outfit.

Thompson said the hard-fought clash was exactly what Geelong needed prior to the finals and that he expected more of the same when his side faces the Kangaroos at Skilled Stadium next Sunday.

"I'd like more games like that, as many games as we possibly could get, and I think North Melbourne will be a game like that," he said.

"They'll be fighting for a top-four spot so that'll be a very competitive game and we couldn't ask for a better one."

In some good news for the Cats, hard-running defender David Wojcinski (Achilles), Paul Chapman (hamstring), Darren Milburn (groin) and full-back Matthew Scarlett (back) are expected to return for the clash against the Roos.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Tanking talk a 'disgrace'

August 17th 2008 00:58
WEST COAST coach John Worsfold has lashed out at former AFL coaches Stan Alves and Grant Thomas who suggested during the week that his side was better off losing to Melbourne in order to get another high-placed draft pick.

Worsfold did not name the two former St Kilda coaches in his post-match press conference but strongly defended any claims that his side was tanking.

"For past coaches of the game to get involved in talking about it I think is a disgrace," Worsfold said.

"It really reflects poorly on them as people to say that draft picks are more important than winning. I understand there's people out there that may think that way and it is a massive reflection on them."

"Our club has never been a willing participant in talking about anything to do with draft picks and we never will be. It doesn't hurt me (personally) but I think it reflects very, very badly on those people. I think it's a shame that there are people out there who would do that."

Alves and Thomas said in Melbourne's Herald Sun on Friday that the benefits of losing to the Demons far outweighed those of winning.

"I would be saying to myself, 'I've got a real chance here to play kids, experiment and, along the way, actually lose and get a crack at a priority pick'," Alves said.

Added Thomas: "Whilst the players will be trying, I'm not so sure the club will be keen."

West Coast has four wins for the season and is unlikely to add to that tally given that they finish the home-and-away season with matches against Hawthorn and reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong.

That means the Eagles will go into the national draft with picks two, 18 and 20. If they had beaten the Demons they would have been stripped of pick 18.

The Eagles actually led by three goals at the four-minute mark of the second quarter but failed to fire a shot from that moment on, managing just one more goal for the match as the Demons cruised to just their third win of the season.

Worsfold said his side's performance was 'not acceptable'.

"We were just terrible. It was well below what's expected, even with a fairly young side. It was not acceptable," he said.

Worsfold challenged his side to turn things around.

"They have to look each other in the eye now and that's what I've asked them to do and answer to each other," he said.

"It will be interesting to see what they come up with."



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Flag is Geelong's to lose: Roos

August 17th 2008 00:38
SYDNEY coach Paul Roos believes Geelong's premiership destiny is in its own hands after the Cats disposed of the Swans by 39 points at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night to extend their unbeaten stretch to 11 games.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Roos said the Cats were a class above any other side in the competition.

"There's no question they're a cut above every team in the competition at the moment by a fair margin," Roos said.

"They're still three or four players short of their best (line-up) so I think if they play their best there's no one who'll beat them."

The loss pushes Sydney outside the top four for the first time in several weeks after Adelaide defeated Essendon.

Roos admitted it was hard for sides to remain at the top for a long period of time.

"I think you've got to put it in perspective because the competition is designed for parity, it's very, very hard for teams over five- and six-year periods to compete for premierships and I think this group has done an extraordinarily good job," Roos said.

"I'm sure we'll play finals footy this year but it's tough, you look at what happened to Brisbane after four grand finals, I think they missed the finals the next two or three years, and Port Adelaide have been up an down."

"It's Geelong's time and they deserve it, they're a quality club, they're well coached and they've got some terrific players."

"It just happens to be their time in the cycle, we'd all love to have the day in the sun every single year but that's not the reality with the salary cap and the draft."

Sydney faces a tough run home with matches against Collingwood in Melbourne and Brisbane at home to finish the home-and-away season but Roos is confident his side will remain in the eight.

"The players are competitive, we're looking forward to next week, we know we played the best team in the competition, we've got two games ahead, we're looking forward to it and we'll get the players back up again," Roos said.

"That's AFL footy, it's tough and it's relentless and you know I'm certainly looking forward to next week."




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Lions stay alive

August 16th 2008 12:43
BRISBANE has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a hard-fought 11-point win over the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The Lions trailed at every change but lifted in the final term to record a gutsy 13.12 (90) to 10.19 (79) victory.

The win sees Brisbane move into the eighth place but they could be outside the top eight at the end of the round if St Kilda defeats Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Bradd Dalziell continued his impressive start to his career with a team-high 27 possessions and one goal. Jared Brennan (17 possessions) lifted in the final term when the match was up for grabs while Jonathan Brown and Rhan Hooper booted three goals apiece.

Bulldogs midfielder Adam Cooney was his side's only clear winner with a game-high 31 possessions. Daniel Giansiracusa booted three first-half goals while skipper Brad Johnson finished with 20 possessions, nine marks and two majors.

The Dogs were the classier outfit in the first half and skipped out to a 21-point lead midway through the second quarter but they struggled to break away from a Brisbane side that turned the contest into a dour scrap by putting numbers behind the ball.

Leading by 10 points at the main break, the Dogs had their chances to put the result beyond doubt in the third term but they failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal.

They booted a wasteful 1.6 to leave the door ajar for the Lions, who trailed by just six points heading into the final change.

Brisbane came out firing in the final stanza, with quick goals from Luke Power and Hooper giving the Lions the lead for the first time in the match at the three-minute mark.

The Bulldogs hit back through Nathan Eagleton and Jarrod Harbrow but with their season on the line the Lions lifted and slammed on the last three goals of the contest to record their tenth win of the season.

BRISBANE LIONS: 3.3, 6.4, 8.8, 13.12 (90)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 4.4, 7.8, 8.14, 10.19 (79)
GOALS: Brisbane Lions: Brown 3, Hooper 3, Bradshaw 2, Copeland, Dalziell, Patfull, Power, Rischitelli
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Johnson 2, Eagleton, Gilbee, Griffen, Harbrow, R. Murphy
BEST: Brisbane Lions: Dalziell, Patfull, Black, Brown, Macdonald, Power
Western Bulldogs: Hargrave, Cooney, Hudson, Eagleton, Morris, Giansiracusa
INJURIES: Brisbane Lions: TBC
Western Bulldogs: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Farmer, Chamberlain
CROWD: TBC at the Gabba



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Cats outclass Swans

August 16th 2008 12:20
GEELONG has dealt a blow to Sydney's top-four hopes with a 39-point win at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

The Cats' set up their 11th straight win with a dominant third term, eventually prevailing 20.13 (133) to 14.10 (94).

The loss leaves the Swans in fifth position but they will drop to sixth on the ladder if North Melbourne beats Carlton at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

Gary Ablett Jnr did his Brownlow medal chances no harm with a game-high 32 possessions. He received good support in the middle from Joel Corey and Jame Bartel who racked up 28 and 29 disposals respectively.

The Cats had 11 individual goalkickers for the match - Shannon Byrnes, Tom Lonergan and Ablett the most effective with three apiece.

For Sydney, Barry Hall was damaging up forward with 17 possessions, 15 marks and five goals while Martin Mattner generated plenty of run from defence with a team-high 26 possessions and one goal.

The Swans started the match brightly, booting the first goal of the match in the opening minute through Brett Kirk but the majority of the term belonged to the Cats.

Geelong ran hard and moved the football quickly through the middle as they slammed on seven unanswered goals to skip out to a commanding lead.

But the Swans hit back with the last three goals of the term, including two from Hall to remain within striking distance, with the Cats holding a 21-point lead at the first change.

Sydney closed to within 16 points thanks to an early major from Jarred Moore but goals from Travis Varcoe and Ablett ensured the Cats remained in control, taking a 22-point advantage into the main break.

Geelong broke the game open in the third term, slamming on six goals to one to take a match-winning 53-point lead into the final change.

Sydney added some respectability to the scoreboard in the final stanza, booting six goals to four but the damage had already been done.

SYDNEY: 7.4, 6.4, 8.5, 14.10 (94)
GEELONG: 4.1, 9.8, 16.10, 20.13 (133)
GOALS: Sydney: Hall 5, Moore 2, McVeigh 2, Goodes 2, Kirk, Mattner, Bird,
Geelong: Byrnes 3, Ablett 3, Lonergan 3, Johnson 2, Mooney 2, Varcoe 2, Stokes, Prismall, Bartell, Gamble, Ottens,
BEST: Sydney: Hall, Bevan, Crouch, C. Bolton,
Geelong: Ablett, Corey, Enright, Harley, Bartel,
INJURIES: Sydney:Nil
Geelong: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Leo Barry (hamstring) replaced in the squad by Nick Malceski who moves on to the Swans' bench. Key defender Matthew Scarlett ruled out with back soreness on game-day and replaced by Travis Varcoe in the Cats' matchday 22.
UMPIRES: Donlon, Kennedy, Ryan.
CROWD: 49,955 at ANZ Stadium



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Crows end hoodoo

August 16th 2008 07:30
ADELAIDE has kept its top-four hopes alive with a 56-point demolition of Essendon at Telstra Dome on Saturday afternoon.

The Crows' 19.15 (129) to 10.13 (73) victory is their first win over the Bombers in Melbourne in 11 attempts.

Adelaide is now in fourth place on the AFL ladder but could be overtaken by Sydney and North Melbourne, who play Geelong and Carlton respectively later in the round.

The Crows midfield dominated the stoppages with Scott Thompson leading the way with a team-high 31 possessions and one goal. He received good support from Nathan van Berlo (26 disposals) and Brent Reilly (23 possessions).

Adelaide had 10 individual goalkickers for the match - Nick Gill the most effective with five, three of which came in the final term while Simon Goodwin chimed in with three majors.

For Essendon, Damien Peverill, Brent Stanton, Ricky Dyson and Jay Nash tried hard all day, racking up 30-plus possessions while skipper Matthew Lloyd chimed in with three goals in his 250th game.

The Bombers kicked the first goal of the contest through Paddy Ryder but the rest of the term belonged to the Crows.

Adelaide was relentless in their pressure at contests and ran hard through the middle as they slammed on the next three goals of the term to take a 14-point lead into the first change.

The Crows should have been further in front at quarter-time but they failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 3.4.

The Bombers lifted their intensity and levelled the scores at the 17-minute mark of the second term thanks to goals from Lloyd and David Hille.

But Adelaide had all the answers with two majors from Goodwin and a goal from Patrick Dangerfield with his first kick in AFL football giving Adelaide a 19-point advantage at the main break.

The Crows then broke the game open in the second half, slamming on six goals in a stunning 17-minute burst to take a match-winning 55-point lead into the final change.

Adelaide didn't take their foot off the pedal in the final term, booting a further six goals to cap off a history-making win.

ESSENDON: 1.2 4.7, 6.10, 10.13 (73)
ADELAIDE: 3.4, 7.8, 13.10, 19.15 (129)
GOALS: ESSENDON: Lloyd 3, Hille 2, Ryder, McPhee, Lovett-Murray, Magin, Laycock
ADELAIDE: Gill 5,
Goodwin 3, Stevens 2, Johncock 2, Douglas 2, Moran, Thompson, Maric, Dangerfield, McLeod
BEST: ESSENDON: Peverill, Nash, Dyson, Lovett, McPhee, Watson
ADELAIDE: Gill, Thompson, van Berlo, Reilly, Symes, Edwards, Stevens, Doughty
INJURIES: ESSENDON: Fletcher (groin)
ADELAIDE: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Hocking replaced in the selected side by Magin.
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, Kamolins


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Dees down woeful West Coast

August 16th 2008 07:07
MELBOURNE is still a chance to avoid the wooden spoon after downing West Coast by 34 points at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides were guilty of making basic errors in a contest that failed to reach any great heights with the Demons eventually prevailing 11.13 (79) to 5.15 (45).

The Eagles, who booted their lowest ever score against the Demons will now face more questions during the week over tanking claims

Melbourne is now just a game behind West Coast and have winnable games against Port Adelaide and Richmond to finish the home-and-away season while the Eagles face ladder leaders Geelong and Hawthorn in the final two rounds.

Paul Wheatley was Melbourne's best with a team-high 36 possessions and 12 marks. He received good support from Cale Morton, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley and Nathan Jones, who all racked up 30-plus disposals.

For West Coast, Andrew Embley was busy in defence with a game-high 37 possessions while Steven Armstrong tried hard all day, finishing the match with 31 disposals and one goal.

The opening term reflected the position of both sides on the ladder with neither side able to find an avenue to goal.

Melbourne picked up 122 disposals for just one goal and West Coast 100 touches for two majors to take a five-point lead into quarter-time.

The Eagles started the second term brightly, booting the first two goals of the quarter through Quinten Lynch and Mark LeCras to skip out to an 18-point lead at the four-minute mark.

But they failed to fire a shot from that moment on, with the Demons showing a greater willingness to run hard as they booted 10 of the last 11 goals of the contest to record just their third win of the season.

MELBOURNE: 1.3, 5.7, 8.12, 11.13 (79)
WEST COAST: 2.2, 4.5, 5.10, 5.15 (45)
GOALS: Melbourne: Newton 2, Bruce 2, Miller, Bate, Sylvia, Bartram, P Johnson, Morton, Green
West Coast: McKinley 2, Armstrong, LeCras, Lynch
BEST: Melbourne: Wheatley, Morton, Bruce, Jones, Buckley, McDonald, Green
West Coast: Cox, Armstrong, Embley, Priddis
INJURIES: Melbourne: Nil
West Coast: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Ryan, Ellis, Nicholls
CROWD: 17,958 at the MCG


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New faces reinvigorate Pies: Malthouse

August 16th 2008 02:27
COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says the competitive spirit of young forwards Chris Dawes and John Anthony has helped reinvigorate his side.

Malthouse admitted his side had to reinvent their forward line given the loss of several key players.

“Given we’ve lost Rusling, Rocca, Reid and Dick – and we’ve elected not to play Didak – there’s four that would generally be part of our forward line, so we’ve had to reinvent the forward line," he said.

Travis Cloke (four goals) and Leon Davis (28 possessions) were instrumental in the Pies' 31-point win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night but it was Anthony and Dawes who drew extra praise from Malthouse.

“Leon was terrific. He’s been terrific the last couple of weeks,” Malthouse said.

“He’s just starting to get over his ankle injury … He was what we needed today – that sort of finishing off power around the ground."

“I was particularly pleased with Chris Dawes – and Travis, Travis was fantastic."

Dawes collected just seven kicks, five handballs and three marks but Malthouse believes he still had an impact.

"The thing about Chris Dawes was that he was highly competitive, didn't go to ground and was also another target," he said.

"He actually gives Travis a little bit of leeway if you like."

Anthony managed just four possessions but chimed in with two valuable majors.

"Jack Anthony came in and we trained him up as a key back and he's kicked goals again, he's kicked goals in every game he's played, so he takes a little bit of pressure off," Malthouse said.

Malthouse also said Port star Shaun Burgoyne's game which featured 33 possessions and a staggering 18 clearances was one of the best he has ever seen.

"We threw I suppose three or four different types of combinations at him - it's one of the best performances I've seen up to half time," he said.

"I thought after half-time we were able to reign it in and he had two (centre clearances) in the third quarter and none in the last. He either got sick of getting it or we did something reasonably well, I reckon it was a combination of both."


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Burgoyne facing the axe

August 16th 2008 01:42
PORT ADELAIDE veteran Peter Burgoyne is in danger of being delisted if his poor form continues according to coach Mark Williams.

Burgoyne's future at the club remains in doubt following disappointing performances against Carlton and Collingwood.

The 30-year-old finished with 20 possessions in Port's 31-point loss to the Magpies at AAMI Stadium on Friday night but his sloppy disposal proved to be costly.

"Tonight has been better than it has been and that's a fact. (He made) some massive blunders that caused goals against us but we can see his efforts," Williams said.

Williams said the veteran defender was 'fully aware' he was no certainty to be at the club next season.

"Peter is out of contract. Peter is fully aware that we want to see something before the end of the year," Williams said.

"I think he was out of the game for six weeks during the year, out of the AFL game anyway, with his hamstring and really hasn't come back to the game with the same surety that he's had in the past."

Burgoyne has already been sent back to the SANFL but it is unlikely that he will be demoted again this season.

Williams said he was hopeful that Burgoyne's hard work around the club and at training would translate into improved performances on the field.

"We have put it on him that we want to see something from him and his training has really picked up over the last couple of weeks," Williams said.

"We watch his GPS, we know he's running and we know his amount of desire. We hear what he says at the breaks, before the game. He wants to be here next year."



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Pies too good for Port

August 15th 2008 13:30
COLLINGWOOD has celebrated Shane Wakelin's 250th game and kept its top-four chances alive with a 31-point win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.

The Magpies found it hard to shake off an undermanned Port side in the first half before taking control after the main break, booting seven goals to two to prevail 16.10 (106) to 10.15 (75).

The Pies are still an outside chance to secure a top-four berth with just two rounds remaining. They are only half a game behind Sydney and North Melbourne on the ladder.

They face the fourth-placed Swans at Telstra Dome next Saturday in what will be a must-win clash for both sides if they want to secure the double chance.

Leon Davis was prolific in the middle with a team-high 28 possessions and one goal. Travis Cloke was damaging up forward with four goals while Dane Swan chimed in with three majors,

For Port, Shaun Burgoyne led from the front with a game-high 33 possessions and a staggering 18 clearances while Brendon Lade worked hard all night, finishing the match with 22 disposals, seven marks and 35 hit-outs.

The Magpies cleaner skills proved to be the difference between the two sides in the opening stanza with Cloke booting two for the quarter to help his side to a handy 19-point lead in time-on.

But with Shaun Burgoyne dominating at the stoppages the Power were able to reduce the deficit to just five points at the first change thanks to majors from Jacob Surjan and Toby Thurstans.

Port regained the lead when Brett Ebert kicked truly from 35m in the opening minute of the second term.

But the Power's lead was short-lived with the Magpies slamming on four unanswered goals to skip out to a 24-point advantage.

Port refused to give in and responded with three majors of their own, including a goal to first-gamer Matthew Westhoff to reduce the deficit to just seven points at the main break.

The Magpies took control once again in the third term with two majors from Swan and another from Cloke allowing the Pies to open up a handy break.

But a goal from Kane Cornes from 50m gave the Power a glimmer of hope heading into the final change, with the Pies holding a 13-point advantage.

Port failed to fire a shot in the final stanza with majors from Davis, John McCarthy and Cloke sealing Collingwood's 11th win of the season.

PORT ADELAIDE 4.4, 8.5, 10.12, 10.15 (75)
COLLINGWOOD: 5.3, 9.6, 13.7, 16.10 (106)
GOALS: PORT: Ebert 2, Thurstans 2, Cassisi, Surjan, Gray, M.Westhoff, Pearce, K.Cornes
COLLINGWOOD: Cloke 4, Swan 3, Anthony 2, Fraser, Clarke, Thomas, Cook, Maxwell, Davis, McCarthy
BEST: PORT: S.Burgoyne, Boak, Cassisi, Gray, Logan, Lade
COLLINGWOOD: Davis, Cloke, Lockyer, O'Bree, Clarke, Pendlebury, Maxwell, Cook, Burns
INJURIES: PORT: TBC
COLLINGWOOD: Thomas (calf)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Dean Brogan (shoulder) replaced in the selected side by Toby Thurstans, Daniel Motlop (abductor) replaced in the selected side by Robbie Gray.
UMPIRES: Stevic, McLaren, Wenn




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Dangerfield earnt his spot: Craig

August 15th 2008 07:41
ADELAIDE youngster Patrick Dangerfield's versatility and good form with the Geelong Falcons has earned him his debut with the Crows, according to coach Neil Craig.

Dangerfield opted to stay in Victoria to complete his secondary studies and wasn't expected to to get a call-up this season.

But Craig said the 18-year-old's form and flexibility meant he deserved a chance to play this year.

"He does give us a degree of flexibility as well because in the under 18s he's been playing back, he's been playing in the midfield and has been able to go forward and be a strong contributor up there as well," Craig said.

"I'm comfortable with him playing in all three areas of the ground … one of the reasons he was selected was because of that flexibility."

Craig admitted Dangerfield's debut would draw attention given Adelaide's decision to overlook South Australian youngster Brad Ebert, who is now with West Coast.

"I'm not even going to waste my time trying to control that … I don't want to even try and control the expectation that has always been there," he said.

"It's been there since Ebert/Dangerfield (draft choice)."

Dangerfield is highly rated by the Crows but hasn't been given any guarantees that he will be a permanent player in the side heading into finals.

"Probably each week it will be a discussion point whether we go with Patrick," he said.

"That general concept - 'Lets give them at least two' - I don't think it necessarily fits.”




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Round twenty teams

August 15th 2008 07:06
ROUND 20

All the teams for round twenty of the 2008 AFL premiership season, with Sunday's updated teams.

PORT ADELAIDE v COLLINGWOOD
Friday, 8:10pm AEST, AAMI Stadium
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Pettigrew, Carlile, Lower
HB: Surjan, Chaplin, P.Burgoyne
C: Cassisi, K.Cornes, Boak
HF: Logan, White, Pearce
F: J.Westhoff, Motlop, Ebert
FOLL: Brogan, S.Burgoyne, Rodan
I/C: Lade, Farmer, M.Westhoff, Williams
EMG: Gray, Stewart, Thurstans
IN: Boak, M.Westhoff, Lade
OUT: Deluca, Stewart, Salter (back)

COLLINGWOOD
B: Wakelin, Brown, Goldsack
HB: Clarke, Maxwell, O'Brien
C: Lockyer, Burns, Toovey
HF: Pendlebury, Cloke, Davis
F: Dawes, Medhurst, Anthony
FOLL: Fraser, Swan, Thomas
I/C: McCarthy, Bryan, Cook, O'Bree
EMG: Iles, Wellingham, Stanley
IN: O'Bree
OUT: Wellingham

ESSENDON v ADELAIDE
Saturday, 2:10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
ESSENDON
B: Slattery, Fletcher, Michael
HB: Dempsey, Ryder, Welsh
C: Jetta, Watson, Lovett
HF: McPhee, Lloyd, Monfries
F: Lonergan, Laycock, Hocking
FOLL: Hille, Stanton, Dyson
I/C: Lovett-Murray, Ramanauskas, Nash, Peverill
EMG: Johnson, Magin, Hooker
IN: Peverill
OUT: Magin

ADELAIDE
B: Johncock, Rutten, Bassett
HB: van Berlo, Bock, Doughty
C: Symes, Goodwin, Mackay
HF: Dangerfield, Stevens, McLeod
F: Douglas, Gill, Moran
FOLL: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
I/C: Massie, Shirley, Campbell, Reilly
EMG: Tippett, Otten, Petrenko
IN: Dangerfield, Reilly
OUT: Vince (hamstring), Otten

MELBOURNE v WEST COAST
Saturday, 2:10pm AEST, MCG
MELBOURNE
B: Whelan, Martin, Frawley
HB: McDonald, Warnock, Wheatley
C: Buckley, Bruce, Maric
HF: Green, Sylvia, Wonaemirri
F: Bate, Miller, Newton
FOLL: Jamar, Morton, Valenti
I/C: Jones, Bell, Johnson, Bartram
EMG: Bode, Carroll, Yze
IN: Jamar, Miller, Bell, Newton
OUT: Dunn (ill), Johnson (groin), White (knee), Carroll

WEST COAST
B: Nicoski, Glass, Mackenzie
HB: A.Selwood, Wilkes, Embley
C: Braun, Priddis, Spangher
HF: McNamara, Lynch, Ebert
F: LeCras, McKinley, Seaby
FOLL: Cox, Fletcher, Stenglein
I/C: Armstrong, Davis, Notte, S.Selwood
EMG: Houlihan, Thomson, Schofield
IN: Ebert, Notte
OUT: Hansen (ankle), Wirrpanda (hamstring)

BRISBANE v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Saturday, 7:10pm AEST, Gabba
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Macdonald, Merrett, Patfull
HB: Sherman, Roe, McGrath
C: Dalziell, Black, Adcock
HF: Rischitelli, Brown, Brennan
F: Hooper, Bradshaw, Proud
FOLL: Charman, Power, Johnstone
I/C: Begley, Moody, Hawksley, Copeland
EMG: Henderson, Corrie, Notting
IN: Macdonald, Moody, Copeland
OUT: Drummond (quadriceps), Notting, Henderson

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Gilbee, Lake, Callan
HB: Griffen, Morris, Hargrave
C: Eagleton, Boyd, Hill
HF: Murphy, Hahn, Johnson
F: Akermanis, Minson, Welsh
FOLL: Hudson, Cross, Cooney
I/C: Giansiracusa, Harbrow, Ray, Ward
EMG: Everitt, Reid, Tiller
IN: Hill, Hudson
OUT: Tiller, Street

SYDNEY SWANS v GEELONG
Saturday, 7:10pm AEST, ANZ Stadium
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Barry, Bolton, Mattner
HB: Crouch, Richards, Kennelly
C: Ablett, McVeigh, Bird
HF: O'Keefe, Grundy, Goodes
F: Roberts-Thomson, Hall, Bevan
FOLL: Jolly, Kirk, Bolton
I/C: Everitt, Moore, Fosdike, Buchanan
EMG: Jack, Malceski, Veszpremi
IN: Barry, Buchanan, Fosdike
OUT: Brennan, Jack, Veszpremi

GEELONG
B: Harley, Scarlett, Mackie
HB: Taylor, Hunt, Enright
C: Kelly, Rooke, Bartel
HF: S.Johnson, Mooney, Ablett
F: Selwood, Lonergan, Stokes
FOLL: Ottens, Ling, Corey
I/C: Byrnes, Blake, Prismall, Gamble
EMG: Varcoe, Hogan, Davenport
No change

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN
Sunday, 1:10pm AEST, MCG
RICHMOND
B: Tambling, Thursfield, Newman
HB: McMahon, McGuane, Moore
C: Richardson, Tuck, Deledio
HF: Cotchin, Schulz, Bowden
F: White, Riewoldt, Edwards
FOLL: Simmonds, Johnson, Foley
I/C: (from) Polo, Connors, Cartledge, Meyer, Graham, Morton, Jackson
IN: Schulz, Cartledge, Connors, Polo, Meyer, Graham
OUT: Pattison (back), Brown (hip), King

HAWTHORN
B: Brown, Gilham, Guerra
HB: Ladson, Croad, Birchall
C: Lewis, Mitchell, Ellis
HF: Crawford, Franklin, Bateman
F: Williams, Roughead, Rioli
FOLL: Campbell, Hodge, Sewell
I/C: (from) Dew, Murphy, Taylor, Stokes, Osborne, Tuck, Young
IN: Osborne, Tuck, Young

CARLTON v NORTH MELBOURNE
Sunday, 2:10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
CARLTON
B: Thornton, Jamison, Browne
HB: Grigg, Waite, Simpson
C: Scotland, Stevens, Gibbs
HF: Russell, Fisher, Walker
F: Kruezer, Fevola, Murphy
FOLL: Hampson, Judd, Carrazzo
I/C: (from) Armfield, Cloke, Saddington, Wiggins
No change

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Hansen, Gibson, Urquhart
HB: Pratt, Firrito, Harding
C: Power, Simpson, Wells
HF: Grant, McMahon, Harvey
F: Thomas, Hale, Campbell
FOLL: Petrie, Rawlings, Harris
I/C: Sinclair, Brown, Jones, Watt
IN: Brown, Simpson
OUT: Thompson (ankle), Lower

FREMANTLE v ST KILDA
Sunday, 4:40pm AEST, Subiaco
FREMANTLE
B: Thornton, Grover, Mi.Johnson
HB: Dunn, McPharlin, Hayden
C: Ibbotson, Crowley, Mundy
HF: Duffield, Bradley, Mayne
F: Campbell, Pavlich, Ma.Johnson
FOLL: Sandilands, Schammer, Palmer
I/C: (from) Dodd, Farmer, Hinkley, Peake, Headland, Browne, Murphy
IN: Farmer, Grover, Headland, Hinkley, Murphy
OUT: Tarrant (shoulder), Carr (groin)

ST KILDA
B: Dempster, S.Fisher, Gram
HB: Goddard, Hudghton, Blake
C: Gilbert, Dal Santo, Hayes
HF: Harvey, Riewoldt, Eddy
F: Jones, Koschitzke, Milne
FOLL: King, McQualter, Montagna
I/C: (from) Birss, R.Clarke, Rix, Schneider, Gwilt, C Gardiner, Ferguson
IN: Birss, C Gardiner, R Clarke, Rix, Ferguson
OUT: Fiora (suspended), Geary
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Cats not satisfied with surface

August 15th 2008 06:30
GEELONG is not yet satisfied with the state of the ANZ Stadium's surface for Saturday night's clash against Sydney.

The quality of the ground's surface was criticised after the Sydney-Collingwood game on July 5

Geelong coach Mark Thompson said this morning before flying to Sydney that the club was yet to give it the all-clear.

"We haven't ticked it off," Thompson said.

"I think the AFL are up there checking it right now and we'll obviously have a look at it later on today."

"We want it to be suitable to play an AFL game or we will demand that."

But Thompson said he was confident that the surface would be okay to play on.

"From all reports and our observations I think it will be OK. We're not too worried about that."

Meanwhile, Geelong had the luxury of leaving out premiership trio Darren Milburn, Paul Chapman and David Wojcinski from its side to face the Swans.

The trio travelled to Sydney but Thompson said there would be no late inclusions and that they would be preserved for the Cats' round 21 clash against North Melbourne.

"I think more than ever if you have some players that can miss some games through the year it's absolutely a good thing because they come back fresh and good head space and really looking forward to play football," he said.

"So I don't think it's a problem at all."

Thompson admitted that Milburn could have played this week but the club wanted to make sure the veteran defender, who has been battling a groin injury, was fully fit before bringing him back into the side.

Chapman, who strained his hamstring in round 17 against Hawthorn will train with the squad and have a 90-minute walk with the coach on Saturday while Wojcinski, whose last game was against Fremantle in round 15 will play next week.

Key forward Tom Hawkins, who has not played any football in the past five weeks, will return this Sunday from a foot injury in the VFL.

"He's over all his soreness which is a great thing. As it worked out, the timing of us deciding to rest him was just perfect because I think he'll have a pretty good go at it now," Thompson said.

Thompson said playing the fourth-placed Swans at this time of the season was ideal.

"To be honest you'd much rather play Sydney than play a team that's lower on the ladder, down on the bottom of the ladder," he said.

"It's just better practice going into a finals series."



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Bailey rejects tanking talk

August 15th 2008 04:10
MELBOURNE is focused on finishing the season on a positive note and not securing a priority pick, according to coach Dean Bailey.

The Demons have only won two games this season and if they manage to win four matches or fewer they they will receive an additional draft choice at the end of the first round in this year's national draft.

But Bailey said he is focused on winning his side's final three matches against West Coast on Saturday at the MCG, Port Adelaide and Richmond.

"I hope we win on Saturday, we've got Port Adelaide (next round), I'd love to be able to beat Port Adelaide over there (at AAMI Stadium), then we play Richmond last," Bailey said.

"I'm in the game to win, that's what we need to be in. If we're not good enough to win then the outcome is that you get that (priority) pick, but we've still got three games to go."

"I expect us to be competitive and win on Saturday and I expect us to go to AAMI and win next week - that makes it four (potential wins). Then we got Richmond at the end and I'll still be trying to win the game."

Bailey also said he wanted to develop a winning culture at the club.

"Most of the games this year we really evaluate those games but this one's got a lot of importance in it for the fact is I wanna win the game, I've said before we've got three games
to go and I do not want to finish last," he said.

"I want to win, that's the culture you want to develop."

Meanwhile, Bailey revealed that he and his football department are coming close to making a decision on the futures of some of the club's more senior players.

"Yeah, we're getting closer to it (a decision), there's no doubt about that and, I mean, (Adem) Yze and 'Whitey' (Jeff White) have trained well," Bailey said.

"While they're still seriously in the mix of being picked, depending on how they go and how they pull up and where Jeff's situation is, we'll probably have a chat with them at some stage next week. They've been very professional."

White won't participate in Saturday's clash against the Eagles due to knee soreness but Bailey said he is still a good chance of featuring in the Demons' final two matches.

Fellow big man Paul Johnson, who was scheduled to undergo hip surgery next week will play against his former side as a result of White's exclusion.


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Swans rule out Barry

August 15th 2008 03:57
SYDNEY key defender Leo Barry has been ruled out of Saturday night's crucial clash against ladder leaders Geelong at ANZ Stadium.

Barry was hoping to make his return from a hamstring injury but the club have opted to give him another week off to allow him to fully recover. He will be replaced by hard-running defender Nick Malceski.


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Hawks re-sign eight

August 15th 2008 03:52
HAWTHORN has strengthened its on-field future with the re-signing of eight players for the next two years.

Chance Bateman, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis, Mark Williams, Robert Campbell, Brent Renouf, Jarryd Morton and Mitch Thorp will all remain at the Hawks until at least the end of the 2010 season.

Hawthorn football operations manager Mark Evans said the signings showed the players were committed to being a part of a successful period at the club.

"The announcement delivers a tremendously strong message of player commitment to the club and our aspirations for premiership success," he said.

"We have a strong culture amongst the playing group and the club is moving in the right direction and it is so pleasing to have today's group commit themselves to the vision and future of the Hawthorn Football Club."

"The best thing about the negotiations is they haven't been about a dollar value. The strongest message to come out is this commitment from a large group of players towards Hawthorn's quest for success."

"Part of that stems back to Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Lance Franklin, who over the last 12-18 months, could have auctioned themselves to another club for more money, and decided what was happening at Hawthorn was a chance they couldn't turn down."

"The effect is we have now got some pretty strong players who believe in the same philosophy.''



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Michael calls it quits

August 15th 2008 03:46
ESSENDON veteran Mal Michael will retire from AFL football at the end of the season.

Michael, a three-time premiership player with the Brisbane Lions, has played 34 matches for Essendon after joining the club in 2007 after 140 games at the Lions and 61 at Collingwood.

Michael retired at the end of 2006 before controversially joining the Bombers via the pre-season draft in 2007.


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Round twenty teams

August 14th 2008 07:15
ROUND TWENTY

Friday, August 15
Port Adelaide v Collingwood at AAMI Stadium, 7.40pm ACST

Saturday, August 16
Essendon v Adelaide at Telstra Dome, 2.10pm AEST
Melbourne v West Coast Eagles at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs at the Gabba, 7.10pm AEST
Sydney Swans v Geelong at ANZ Stadium, 7.10pm AEST

Sunday, August 17
Richmond v Hawthorn at the MCG, 1.10pm AEST
Carlton v North Melbourne at Telstra Dome, 2.10pm AEST
Fremantle v St Kilda at Subiaco Oval, 2.40pm AWST

PORT ADELAIDE v COLLINGWOOD
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Michael Pettigrew, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Troy Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Damon White, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C: Mitchell Farmer, Brendon Lade, Matthew Westhoff, Ryan Williams
EMG: Robert Gray, Paul Stewart, Toby Thurstans

In: Boak, Lade, M. Westhoff
Out: Fabian Deluca, Nick Salter (lower back), Paul Stewart

COLLINGWOOD
B: Shane Wakelin, Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Burns, Alan Toovey
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, Jack Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas
I/C: John McCarthy, Shane O’Bree, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
EMG: Sam Iles, Sharrod Wellingham, Danny Stanley

In: O'Bree
Out: Sharrod Wellingham

ESSENDON v ADELAIDE
ESSENDON
B: Henry Slattery, Dustin Fletcher, Mal Michael
HB: Courtenay Dempsey, Patrick Ryder, Andrew Welsh
C: Andrew Lovett, Jobe Watson, Leroy Jetta
HF: Adam McPhee, Matthew Lloyd, Angus Monfries
F: Sam Lonergan, Jason Laycock, Heath Hocking
Foll: David Hille, Brent Stanton, Ricky Dyson
I/C: Jay Nash, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Damien Peverill, Adam Ramanauskas
EMG: Jason Johnson, Rhys Magin, Cale Hooker

In: Peverill
Out: Rhys Magin

ADELAIDE
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Nathan van Berlo, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, David Mackay
HF: Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Stevens, Andrew McLeod
F: Richard Douglas, Nick Gill, Brad Moran
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Tyson Edwards
I/C: Kris Massie, Robert Shirley, Bryce Campbell, Brent Reilly
EMG: Kurt Tippett, Andrew Otten, Jared Petrenko

In: Dangerfield, Reilly
Out: Andrew Otten, Bernie Vince (hamstring)

New: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Falcons)

MELBOURNE v WEST COAST
MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Stefan Martin, James Frawley
HB: James McDonald, Matthew Warnock, Paul Wheatley
C: Simon Buckley, Cameron Bruce, Addam Maric
HF: Brad Green, Colin Sylvia, Austin Wonaeamirri
F: Matthew Bate, Brad Miller, Michael Newton
Foll: Mark Jamar, Cale Morton, Shane Valenti
I/C: Daniel Bell, Paul Johnson, Clint Bartram, Nathan Jones
EMG: Jace Bode, Nathan Carroll, Adem Yze

In: Jamar, Miller, Newton, Bell
Out: Lynden Dunn (ill), Chris Johnson (groin), Jeff White (knee), Nathan Carroll

WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Michael Bruan, Matt Priddis, Matt Spangher
HF: Jamie McNamara, Quinten Lynch, Brad Ebert
F: Mark LeCras, Ben McKinley, Mark Seaby
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Tyson Stenglein
I/C: Steven Armstrong, Ryan Davis, Tony Notte, Scott Selwood
EMG: Tim Houlihan, Will Schofield, James Thomson

In: Ebert, Notte
Out: Ashley Hansen (ankle), David Wirrpanda (hamstring)

New: Tony Notte (Swan Districts)

BRISBANE LIONS v WESTERN BULLDOGS
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Joel Macdonald, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Ashley McGrath
C: Bradd Dalziell, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Jared Brennan
F: Rhan Hooper, Daniel Bradshaw, Albert Proud
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Travis Johnstone
I/C: Colm Begley, Matthew Moody, James Hawksley, Robert Copeland
EMG: Lachlan Henderson, Anthony Corrie, Tim Notting

In: Macdonald, Moody, Copeland
Out: Josh Drummond (quad), Tim Notting, Lachlan Henderson

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Tim Callan
HB: Ryan Griffen, Dale Morris, Ryan Hargrave
C: Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Josh Hill
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Daniel Cross, Adam Cooney
I/C: Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Farren Ray, Callan Ward
EMG: Andrejs Everitt, Sam Reid, Stephen Tiller

In: Hill, Hudson
Out: Stephen Tiller, Peter Street

SYDNEY SWANS v GEELONG
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Martin Mattner
HB: Jared Crouch, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Luke Ablett, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Adam Goodes
F: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Barry Hall, Paul Bevan
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C: Peter Everitt, Amon Buchanan, Nic Fosdike, Jarred Moore
EMG: Kieren Jack, Nick Malceski, Patrick Veszpremi

In: Barry, Buchanan, Fosdike
Out: Luke Brennan, Kieren Jack, Patrick Veszpremi

GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Harry Taylor, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright
C: James Kelly, Max Rooke, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Joel Selwood, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey
I/C: Shannon Byrnes, Mark Blake, Brent Prismall, Ryan Gamble
EMG: Travis Varcoe, Simon Hogan, Jason Davenport

No change

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN
RICHMOND
B: Richard Tambling, Will Thursfield, Chris Newman
HB: Jordan McMahon, Luke McGuane, Kelvin Moore
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Trent Cotchin, Jay Schulz, Joel Bowden
F: Matt White, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C (from): Dean Polo, Daniel Connors, Tristan Cartledge, Danny Meyer, Angus Graham, Mitch Morton, Daniel Jackson

In: Schulz, Cartledge, Connors, Polo, Meyer, Graham
Out: Adam Pattison (back), Nathan Brown (hip), Jake King

New: Tristan Cartledge (Essendon/rookie list)

HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB: Rick Ladson, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Shane Crawford, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell
I/C (from): Stuart Dew, Thomas Murphy, Simon Taylor, Michael Osborne, Cameron Stokes, Travis Tuck, Clinton Young

In: Osborne, Tuck, Young
Out: -

CARLTON v NORTH MELBOURNE
CARLTON
B: Bret Thornton, Michael Jamison, Steven Browne
HB: Shaun Grigg, Jarrad Waite, Kade Simpson
C: Heath Scotland, Nick Stevens, Bryce Gibbs
HF: Jordan Russell, Brad Fisher, Andrew Walker
F: Matthew Kreuzer, Brendan Fevola, Marc Murphy
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Chris Judd, Andrew Carrazzo
I/C (from): Dennis Armfield, Adam Bentick, Eddie Betts, Paul Bower, Cameron Cloke, Jason Saddington, Simon Wiggins

In: Bentick, Betts, Bower
Out: -

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Lachlan Hansen, Josh Gibson, Gavin Urquhart
HB: Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito, Leigh Harding
C: Sam Power, Adam Simpson, Daniel Wells
HF: Shannon Grant, Scott McMahon, Brent Harvey
F: Lindsay Thomas, David Hale, Matt Campbell
Foll: Drew Petrie, Brady Rawlings, Daniel Harris
I/C (from): Ed Lower, Jess Sinclair, Leigh Brown, Blake Grima, Todd Goldstein, Corey Jones, Shannon Watt
In: Brown, Goldstein, Grima, Simpson
Out: Nathan Thompson (ankle)

FREMANTLE v ST KILDA
FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Antoni Grover, Michael Johnson
HB: Marcus Drum, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
HF: Paul Duffield, Kepler Bradley, Chris Mayne
F: Adam Campbell, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, Rhys Palmer
I/C (from): Steven Dodd, Jeff Farmer, Clayton Hinkley, Brett Peake, Des Headland, Andrew Browne, Ryan Murphy

In: Farmer, Grover, Headland, Hinkley, Murphy
Out: Chris Tarrant (shoulder), Josh Carr (groin)

ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Max Hudghton, Jason Blake
C: Sam Gilbert, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Robert Eddy
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne
Foll: Steven King, Andrew McQualter, Leigh Montagna
I/C (from): Adam Schneider, James Gwilt, Charlie Gardiner, Matthew Ferguson, Shane Birss, Raphael Clarke, Michael Rix

In: Birss, C. Gardiner, R. Clarke, Rix, Ferguson
Out: Aaron Fiora (susp), Jarryn Geary





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Give McKenna a shot: Malthouse

August 14th 2008 05:12
GUY McKenna has to be given the chance to lead the Gold Coast club into its debut season in the national competition in 2011, according to Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse.

McKenna was announced on Wednesday as the Gold Coast's development coach for the next two years, but he is not guaranteed the role when the club becomes the AFL's 17th team in 2011.

However Malthouse, who coached McKenna for ten years at West Coast and has had him as an assistant at the Magpies for the past five years, said McKenna must be given his opportunity if he does the hard yards of developing the Gold Coast's list over the next two years.

"Does he do all the hard yakka and then finds himself handing the side over (to a higher-profile coach in 2011) - that would be grossly unfair," Malthouse said.

Malthouse also said McKenna has a lot to offer as a senior coach.

"He is an outstanding young bloke and I sincerely hope he has the chance to coach an AFL side," Malthouse said.

"He understands the game and he understands people and I believe some really good player struggle to impart their knowledge to people, who may not be as skilled and I say that because they really don’t understand what natural ability is."

"But Guy is a bloke that understands the game but can impart how to get that across to a young player as opposed to saying he should automatically have it."



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Laidley focused on finals finish

August 14th 2008 03:48
NORTH MELBOURNE coach Dean Laidley says all his energies are focused on securing his side a finals berth this weekend rather than his own future.

The Roos will play finals for the second successive season if they defeat Carlton at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

But the week at Arden Street has been dominated by talks of Laidley's future.

However, Laidley said he was solely focused on what is happening on the field.

"I haven't spoken to the club and they haven't spoken to me or (manager) Ricky (Nixon)," he said.

"I just think it's important for everyone at the footy club to focus on what we are doing now."

"If we can complete our task this weekend we play in a finals series. I think right now that's what the coaches and players should be focusing on."

"Things will or won't get sort out but my main concern is winning games of footy right now."

Meanwhile, Laidley said skipper Adam Simpson will resume after a hip complaint sidelined him for the past fortnight ruckman while Hamish McIntosh is a chance to return after he suffered a knee injury in round 12.

"He (McIntosh) is one guy that we've really spoken about. At the end of the day it will probably be a medical decision but the coach is pretty keen for him to play," Laidley said.

The Kangaroos have won nine of their last 11 matches against Carlton but Laidley their good recent record against the Blues counted for little.

"I wouldn't imagine any records or past games will have anything to do with it. They are a completely different side to anything we've come up against in previous Carlton sides," he said.

"They've got a different coaching panel, they play a hell of a lot differently. I wouldn't have thought past history will have much to do with Sunday afternoon."


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Tarrant's season over

August 13th 2008 06:08
FREMANTLE forward Chris Tarrant's season is over after succumbing to a shoulder injury.

Tarrant will undergo shoulder surgery later this week after battling the injury in the second half of the season.


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Wirrpanda, Hansen set to miss

August 13th 2008 06:05
WEST COAST forward Ashley Hansen and veteran David Wirrpanda look set to miss Saturday's clash against Melbourne at the MCG.

Eagles coach John Worsfold said Hansen, who rolled his ankle in last Sunday's 10-point win over Essendon at Subiaco Oval and Wirrpanda, who suffering a badly corked buttocks, were unlikely to play.

Promising midfielder Brad Ebert is expected to return after missing a week with a sore groin, while tagger James Thomson and forward Tony Notte are a chance to make their AFL debut.

Worsfold said Notte was the most likely of the pair to get the nod.

"If Hansen is out then we've got, as in tall forwards to replace him, probably only Tony Notte available," Worsfold said.

"I think he's good enough to play AFL.

"He's like all teenagers, over the next two or three years he'll physically develop to get closer to achieving his full potential, but he's probably good enough now.

"He's quick and he's got clean hands. They are two good strengths to have."


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Ratten backs AFL 100 goal ban bid

August 13th 2008 05:09
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has thrown his support behind the AFL's decision to fine or evict fans from the ground if they invade the field when a player kicks 100 goals.

With Hawthorn's Lance Franklin and Carlton's Brendan Fevola a chance to become the first players since St Kilda's Fraser Gehrig in 2004 to kick the ton, the AFL is warning fans not to run onto the ground if they kick their 100th goal

Ratten said it was in the best interests of the players for fans not to run onto the ground.

"It's dangerous now to let people come on the ground," he said.

"I think they (the AFL) are just trying to look after the players' welfare and if they can get security around the player that is one way they can attack and if they think they (can stop) no-one (getting) on the ground then that is another way as well."

"We just don't know what the risk is - you just don't know with a lot of people and you have got to be careful don't you."

"You wouldn't want even a spectator to get injured, let alone the players."

In past years thousands of fans have traditionally invaded the oval when the goal is kicked but Ratten said times had changed.

"A lot of things have changed - like kicking the ball (by fans on the ground) after games and things like that so this might be another part of the game evolving to the next millennium sort of thing."

"It's just (best) for the welfare of everyone."


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Gold Coast appoints McKenna

August 13th 2008 02:56
COLLINGWOOD assistant coach Guy McKenna has been appointed as coach of the Gold Coast team.

However, the former West Coast player has only been given the job for two years, meaning he's not guaranteed the position when the side enters the AFL in 2011.

McKennat, who has been with the Magpies for four years after earlier stints as an assistant with the Eagles and as senior coach of Claremont in the WAFL, has been viewed as a coach in waiting for several seasons.



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Demons set to lose major sponsor

August 13th 2008 00:39
MELBOURNE looks set to lose iPrimus as its major sponsor with the telecommunications company advising the club that it was unlikely to renew its contract as naming rights partner.

However, Demons president Jim Stynes said negotiations were underway with a view to the company continuing as a lower level partner in coming seasons.

Stynes also said talks are being held with other potential sponsors.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank iPrimus for their outstanding support and partnership over the last five years, and I am pleased that iPrimus would like to continue with us in some form," Stynes said.

"Anyone who partners with our club now will be joining a club that is heading into an exciting new era."


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I deserve to see out my contract: Wallace

August 12th 2008 05:56
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace believes he deserves to see out the fifth and final year of his contract next season despite the fact that the Tigers have not played finals football during his reign.

Wallace said this current team is capable of brighter things to come than the ageing team that won ten and 11 games in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

"We were a mature side when I first arrived here (in 2005 and 2006), we were the third oldest side in the competition and now we one of the youngest sides," he said.

"And while we are in about the same position on the ladder we are now doing it with much younger blokes."

The Tigers are set to miss out on September action again this season but Wallace said the club was heading in the right direction.

"Legitimate Richmond people who follow the club, I still believe are happy to now see the right young men playing for their footy club," he said.

"They just weren't around to be played earlier - we made 25 changes to the list in the first two years and you can't make 40 changes - and we had 17 and 18-year-olds then who are now 21 and 22 and it just takes time (to build a successful team) but I knew that when I took on the job."

"But if we continue to improve (next year) with young players then we are heading in the right direction but if we stagnate now that we have got young players playing or don't continue to improve then we are not heading in the right direction."

Wallace admitted the pressure will be on him to lead the Tigers into the finals.

"Absolutely that will be the case and after a five year period, why wouldn't that be the case," he said.

"I have said before that if I am not coaching Richmond (beyond next season) then I won't be coaching because I am not at the stage in my career where I want to take up another coaching job and another starting challenge that goes for a seven or eight year period."

"I would love to be here when (gun midfielders) Brett Deledio gets to 25 (years of age) and Trent Cotchin has 100 games under his belt and our backmen (Luke McGuane, Will Thursfield and Kelvin Moore) have played together for six years."

"That is my desire to achieve that and I will be working as hard as I can."

"And while we are not where we want to be at the moment, we believe our graph is heading in the right direction and with the right age bracket (of players)."


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Craig re-signs

August 12th 2008 03:31
ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has signed a two-year contract extension that will see him remain at the club until at least the end of the 2011 season.

Craig, who has taken the Crows to the finals in each of his three full seasons said on Tuesday that he wanted to be a one-club coach.

"I have probably said I will only be a senior coach at one AFL club, and that's the Adelaide Football Club," Craig said.

"I'm really clear in my mind on that, and I can't see any reason why that would change."

Adelaide chief executive officer Steven Trigg said Craig was steering the club in the right direction.

“Neil continues to do an outstanding job for our football club. Extending his term provides a clear direction for our club, as well as a stable environment for the coaches and playing group," Trigg said: .

“External expectations at various times over the past four or five years have been that we were not going to be competitive. To the contrary, under Neil’s full-time leadership we have been extraordinarily competitive, competing in the finals series each year (to date). At the same time, we’re delighted with the progress made in terms of list management.”



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Fiora accepts

August 12th 2008 02:29
ST KILDA midfielder Aaron Fiora will miss Sunday's crucial clash against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval after accepting a one-match ban for striking Collingwood first-gamer John McCarthy at the MCG last Saturday night.

It is a must-win match for the Saints who have slumped to eighth place on the AFL ladder with three rounds remaining following their 14-point loss to the Magpies. If they lose to the Dockers this weekend they would drop from the top eight if either Brisbane beats the Western Bulldogs or Carlton beats the Kangaroos.

The match review panel ruled the level two striking offence as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact.

This resulted in Fiora receiving 125 points but that rose to 170 because of his previous record. The penalty could not be reduced with an early plea because of Fiora's carry-over points from last year.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Holland's season over

August 12th 2008 02:12
COLLINGWOOD midfielder Brodie Holland's season is over after breaking his arm in the VFL last weekend.

Holland has played just one game for the Magpies this season with a nagging Achilles injury keeping him on the sidelines before his latest setback when a tackle went wrong playing against Werribee in the VFL on Saturday.

"Brodie broke the large radius bone just above the wrist in his right arm on Saturday," Collingwood chief of football Geoff Walsh said.

"He had a plate put in there to stabilise the affected area on Monday, and he will miss the remainder of the season."

"Brodie had worked hard to overcome his Achilles injury, and to have this happen at this time of year after battling through his rehabilitation for a long time, is shocking luck," Walsh added.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL Opinion, Collingwood Magpies
   


Grigg wins nomination

August 12th 2008 00:04
CARLTON youngster Shaun Grigg has been rewarded for his impressive performance against Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome last Saturday with the round 19 NAB Rising Star nomination.

Grigg, who has played 17 games this season after playing five in his debut season last year racked up 25 possessions and booted a goal in the Blues' 66-point win over the Power.

The 20-year-old was secured with pick 19 in the 2006 AFL Draft and recently signed a new two-year deal with the Blues.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten said Grigg was developing nicely.

“This is well-deserved recognition for the development in Shaun’s game, particularly this season,” Ratten said.

“He has provided pace and some of his work around the stoppages on Saturday was very good."

“The continued development of our young players is important for our progress and Shaun is one of the young players who is setting a great example in the manner in which he approaches his game."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Williams hits back at Blues

August 11th 2008 07:31
THE war of words has continued between Port Adelaide and Carlton with Power coach Mark Williams responding to post-match comments from Blues utility Andrew Walker.

Walker criticized Port players for giving up and arguing with each other after the Blues' 11-goal victory over the Power at Telstra Dome last Saturday.

But Williams said it was not unusual for teammates to fight among themselves.

"Players argue when we win too and it's only usually highlighted when you lose," Williams said.

"I suppose the tradition at this club is you demand a lot from each other and I know over the years when we won premiership after premiership we'd argue with each other and demand a lot from each other and try to keep the standard up."

"I guess Carlton aren't used to that."

"It's easy to kick a dog when it's down and that's probably what Andrew is probably doing."

Port star Chad Cornes started the feud between the two clubs back in June when he said the club was 'looking forward' to getting past the tough start to its season the week before it tackled Carlton.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten took offence and said the Power would have a challenge on their hands. He also described Port as an outside team while Brendan Fevola added fuel to fire by suggesting Cornes didn't put his head over the ball.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Brown struggling with injury

August 11th 2008 06:37
BRISBANE coach Leigh Matthews has revealed star forward Jonathan Brown is struggling with various aches and pains.

Brown, who has kicked 63 goals for the season, managed just one goal from six possessions against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium last Saturday.

Matthews admitted on Monday that Brown's inability to train is affecting his performances.

"He has got enormous courage but he has got a lot of things he is coping with," he said.

"Anyone who goes to training knows he can't get out there (and train) on Wednesdays."

"Just playing weekends and then (worrying about) getting up the following week makes it tough to play at the level you are capable of playing of.'

"Even last year when he played all the games, and he will play most games this year, he is rarely able to train on a Wednesday and his body does take a pounding."

Meanwhile, veteran midfielder Nigel Lappin's future remains in doubt.

Matthews said the 32-year-old, who has been sidelined since round four with a crippling achilles injury was unlikely to play again this season.

"Nigel hasn't been able to complete a normal training session since he hurt himself four months ago," Matthews said.

"Time is marching on and we are now in the middle of August."

"If Nigel completed a normal training session on Wednesday (he could return to the side) but realistically he is no better placed than he was four months ago."

"He has done everything known to mankind in between but his achilles tendon is still sore when he runs."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Brisbane Lions
   


Fiora cops a week

August 11th 2008 05:59
ST KILDA midfielder Aaron Fiora has been hit with a one-match suspension for striking Collingwood first-gamer John McMarthy during the Saints' 14-point loss to the Magpies at the MCG last Saturday night.

Fiora was hit with a level two striking offence for what appeared to be a punch to the stomach with the panel ruling his actions as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact, which equated to 125 points.

But that rose to 170 because of his previous record, meaning he can accept 127.5 points and a one-match ban with an early plea.

If Fiora challenges the verdict at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night he is still only facing a one-match ban.

In other tribunal news, Melbourne tagger Lyndenn Dunn was cleared over an incident involving Geelong's Steve Johnson with the match review panel ruling that Dunn's action was a push and not a striking motion.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs' Robert Murphy was cleared over contact with North Melbourne's Brady Rawlings with the panel saying that Murphy made a legitimate attempt to spoil.

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Vince out for two weels

August 11th 2008 03:37
ADELAIDE midfielder Bernie Vince will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury sustained during the Crows' 63-point win over Richmond at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

Vince, who has been in good form this season is likely to be replaced by fellow midfielder Brent Reilly, who performed strongly on the weekend in the SANFL in his first game back from a knee strain.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Key Roos set to return

August 11th 2008 01:57
NORTH MELBOURNE looks set to be bolstered by the return of skipper Adam Simpson and number one ruckman Hamish McIntosh for Sunday's crucial clash against Carlton at Telstra Dome.

The Kangaroos have won their past five matches and remain just just percentage adrift of Sydney in the race for fourth spot and the double chance.

But Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley believes his team may have to win all three remaining games to be guaranteed of finishing in the top four for the second successive season.

Laidley said the return of Simpson and McIntosh would be a huge boost for his side.

"We get our captain back next week so that is huge improvement for us and Hamish
McIntosh, we will probably just about bring him straight back in," Laidley said.

"He has been training really well and he can play second fiddle to (Drew) Petrie and (David) Hale."

McIntosh has been sidelined since round 12 with a knee injury while Simpson has been a late withdrawal the past two matches due to a hip problem.

The Roos already have key talls Petrie, Hale and veteran Nathan Thompson at their disposal but Laidley said he was confident the return of McIntosh will not make the team to too "top heavy."

"We have played with them all in previous years and it will be horses for courses I would have thought," Laidley said.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Finals our aim in '09: Knights

August 10th 2008 23:29
ESSENDON will be aiming to play finals football in 2009 according to coach Matthew Knights.

The Bombers blew their chance of playing finals this season after going down to West Coast by 10 points at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

The loss leaves Essendon two wins outside the eight with three rounds remaining.

Despite the loss Knights said the club was heading in the right direction.

"We are heading in the right direction, irrelevant of today's result, but it was a disappointing one," Knights said.

"What's really pleasing is that the players and the staff are really attacking the vision of the club hard to build a team up over time and bring a group through together.

"I spoke to them about what we learned out of today, and that's the ability to play at your maximum and execute your game plan right from minute one.

"No matter who you play, or where you play, you have got to present yourself and play at your maximum and we didn't do that in the first half."

Essendon was outclassed in the middle in the first half but fought back after half time, kicking 12 goals to West Coast's seven.

"It was a quite a disappointing first half the way we played, our intensity around the ball wasn't good," Knights said.

"Their midfield really cleaned us up early in the game and gave them good opportunities.

"And when we had momentum, we did make some crucial errors during the course of the game that cost us easy goals the other way, that halted our momentum."

The victory almost guarantees West Coast won't win their first wooden spoon.

They face the bottom-placed Demons at the MCG on Saturday where another victory or draw means the Eagles will miss out on a priority pick.

But West Coast coach John Worsfold said the club was not thinking about draft picks and that they would aim to win their last three games.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Essendon Bombers
   


Eagles hold off Bombers

August 10th 2008 10:04
WEST COAST has ended Essendon's season with a thrilling 10-point win at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

The Eagles led at every change and survived a last-quarter surge from the Bombers, eventually prevailing 17.11 (113) to 16.7 (103).

The loss means Essendon is now two games and percentage outside the eight with three rounds remaining.

Ben McKinley starred for West Coast with a career-best seven goals while David Wirrpanda and Adam Selwood chimed in with three and two goals respectively.

Michael Braun, Chad Fletcher, Quinten Lynch and Adam Selwood were all busy contributors, collecting 20-plus disposals while Dean Cox was effective in the ruck with 21 possessions and 36 hit-outs.

For Essendon, Jobe Watson (31 possessions) and Andrew Lovett (26 disposals) tried hard all day while skipper Matthew Lloyd and Jason Laycock chimed in with three goals each.

The Bombers may have had everything to play for but the Eagles showed a greater willingness to win the contested football from the opening bounce with Braun particularly influential in the first term with 10 disposals.

West Coast moved the football quickly through the middle of the ground and booted six goals for the quarter with McKinley and Wirrpanda chiming in with two each to help the Eagles to a 19-point lead at quarter-time.

The Eagles continued to dominate in the middle in the second term and McKinley benefited from his teammates hard work, booting two in a minute, including a spectacular grubber goal from the boundary line to help extend West Coast's advantage to 38 points at the main break.

Lloyd came to life after half-time, booting two of his side's five goals in the third term to give the Bombers a glimmer of hope heading into the final change, with the Eagles holding a 20-point lead.

The Bombers kept coming in the final term but the Eagles had all the answers with McKinley's seventh major sealing West Coast's fourth win of the season.

WEST COAST: 6.3, 10.6, 12.9, 17.11 (113)
ESSENDON: 3.2, 4.4, 9.7, 16.7 (103)
GOALS: West Coast: McKinley 7, Wirrpanda 3, A Selwood 2, Lynch, Davis, Braun, Fletcher, LeCras. Essendon: Lloyd 3, Laycock 3, Jetta 2, Dyson, Ramanauskas, McPhee, Hille, Monfries, Lovett, Dempsey.
BEST: WEST COAST: Lynch, Braun, McKinley, Fletcher, A Selwood, Cox, Davis. ESSENDON: Watson, Lovett, Dyson, Lloyd.
BEST: West Coast: Lynch, Braun, McKinley, Fletcher, Selwood, Cox, Davis
Essendon: Watson, Lovett, Dyson, Lloyd
INJURIES: West Coast: Hansen (ankle)
Essendon: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Nicholls, Wenn, Keating
CROWD: 35,288 at Subiaco Oval



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


Crows thump toothless Tigers

August 10th 2008 08:41
ADELAIDE has all but ended Richmond's finals hopes with a comprehensive 63-point win at AAMI Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Crows set up their 11th win of the season with a dominant second term, eventually prevailing 16.12 (108) to 6.9 (45).

The loss means Richmond are a game and a half and percentage outside the eight with three rounds remaining while Adelaide is still in the hunt for a top-four finish, trailing the fourth-placed Swans by just half a game.

The Crows face second-placed Hawthorn at the MCG next Sunday before finishing the home-and-away season with games against Fremantle and Melbourne.

Nathan van Berlo was prolific in the middle for Adelaide with a team-high 32 possessions while Scott Thompson, Tyson Edwards, Michael Doughty and Brad Symes were busy contributors, racking up 20-plus disposals.

Adelaide had 12 individual goalkickers for the match - Thompson, Simon Goodwin, Scott Stevens and Nick Gill the most effective with two each.

Nathan Bock did a superb blanketing job on Matthew Richardson, keeping the Richmond star goalless while Andrew McLeod was damaging in his 300th game with 28 disposals and a goal.

For Richmond, skipper Kane Johnson and Shane Tuck tried hard all afternoon, racking up 30-plus possessions while Troy Simmonds battled hard in the ruck, finishing the match with 22 disposals, 22 hit-outs and one goal.

In conditions made difficult by a dead surface, wind and intermittent rain both sides were guilty of missing targets going forward but the Crows made the most of their opportunities with majors from Edwards, Stevens and Goodwin giving Adelaide an 11-point lead at quarter-time.

Adelaide's midfield ran riot in the second term with their superior skills proving to be the difference between the two sides as they slammed on seven unanswered goals to take a match-winning 54-point lead into the main break.

The Tigers were more competitive in the second half, booting five goals to Adelaide's six but the damage had already been done.





ADELAIDE: 3.2, 10.4, 15.6,16.12 (108)
RICHMOND: 1.3, 1.4, 4.6, 6.9 (45)
GOALS: ADELAIDE: Stevens 2, Goodwin 2, Gill 2, Thompson 2, Edwards, McLeod, Massie, McKay, Douglas, van Berlo, Moran, Vince
RICHMOND: Bowden, Deledio, Pattison, Simmonds, Riewoldt, McMahon
BEST: ADELAIDE: van Berlo, Doughty, McLeod, Edwards, Symes, Thompson, Bock, Massie, Shirley
RICHMOND: Johnson, Tuck, Deledio, Simmonds
INJURIES: ADELAIDE: Vince (left hamstring)
RICHMOND: Foley (ribs)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Jay Schulz replaced in the selected side by Mitch Morton.
UMPIRES: Farmer, James, Head
CROWD: 37,562 at the AAMI STADIUM


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Roos outgun Dogs

August 10th 2008 06:19
NORTH MELBOURNE has kept its top-four hopes alive with a 20-point win over the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.

The Roos' 21.10 (136) to 18.8 (116) victory sees them trail the fourth-placed Swans by just percentage with three rounds remaining.

But with an easier run home than the Swans - who face reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong and Collingwood in the next fortnight - the Roos will now fancy their chances of finishing in the top four for a second successive season.

North were too good all over the ground for a sluggish Bulldogs side that has now lost three of their past four matches.

Brent Harvey did his Brownlow medal chances no harm with 27 possessions and three goals, including a contender for goal-of-the-year in the first term. He received good support in the middle from Brady Rawlings, Daniel Wells, Jess Sinclair and Daniel Harris, who all racked up 20-plus possessions.

The Kangaroos had 12 individual goalkickers for the match with Shannon Grant, Matt Campbell and Leigh Harding particularly damaging with three goals apiece.

For the Bulldogs, skipper Brad Johnson led from the front with 22 possessions, 11 marks and five goals. Daniel Giansiracusa chimed in with three last-quarter goals while youngster Jarrod Harbrow was lively with 16 possessions, nine marks and three majors.

Robert Murphy was also influential with 19 disposals and two goals while Adam Cooney returned to form with a team-high 27 possessions.

The Roos dominated general play early but failed to translate their dominance onto the scoreboard, booting five straight behinds before David Hale finally slotted one home.

North found their range from that moment on, slamming on 11.1 to take a commanding 38-point lead into the main break.

The contest appeared to be over when the margin blew out to 50 points early in the third term.

But the Bulldogs lifted their intensity and kicked six of the last eight goals of the quarter to be within striking distance heading into the final change, with North holding a four-goal lead.

The Dogs kicked seven goals in the final term but the Kangaroos had all the answers, booting six of their own to seal their fifth straight win.

NORTH MELBOURNE: 6.5, 11.6, 15.7, 21.10 (136)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 2.3, 5.4, 11.7, 18.8 (116)
GOALS: North: Campbell 3, Harding 3, Harvey 3, Grant 3, Thompson 2, Wells, Sinclair, Jones, Hale, Lower, McMahon, Thomas
Bulldogs: Johnson 5, Harbrow 3, Giansiracusa 3, Murphy 2, Hahn 2, Welsh, Griffen, Cooney
BEST: North: Harvey, Wells, Rawlings, Harding, Campbell, Grant, Harris, Sinclair, Firrito
Bulldogs: Johnson, Cooney, Murphy, Harbrow,
Boyd, Cross
INJURIES: North: Nil
Bulldogs: Nil
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Stevic, Hendrie
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: North: Simpson (hip) replaced in selected side by Watt
Bulldogs: Hudson (back) replaced in selected by Street


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


We need to improve quickly: Lyon

August 10th 2008 02:42
ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon says his side needs to improve quickly or they can forget about finals.

The 14-point loss to an undermanned Collingwood side at the MCG on Saturday night has seen the Saints drop to eighth spot on the AFL ladder.

They still need to win two of their last three games to secure a finals berth but face a tough run home with matches against an improved Fremantle at Subiaco Oval next week followed by Telstra Dome clashes against fellow finals contenders Adelaide and Essendon.

"There are a few things we need to fix and we need to do it quickly and move on," Lyon said.

Lyon also stressed to his players the importance of getting their season back on track following losses to the 15th-placed Eagles and Collingwood in the past three weeks with an unconvincing win over 14th-placed Port Adelaide sandwiched in between.

"We spoke to the players about it (after the game) and you (the media) will talk about it and it is going to be thrown up and that is finals as an agenda," he said.

"But it's about improving our football and getting going once again."

"Clearly the West Coast game was poor, the Port game we won in a lot of areas but our forward efficiency was poor and then (against Collingwood) we were slow out of the blocks."

"But we know we are better than that and our aim is to try and keep improving and we felt we had done that but clearly we have faltered a little bit."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Roos hails Goodes' best ever

August 10th 2008 02:14
ADAM Goodes' eight-goal haul against Fremantle at the SCG on Saturday night is the finest performance of his career, according to coach Paul Roos.

The dual Brownlow medallist made the most of the opportunity to play deep in the forward line, booting six goals to three-quarter time before adding adding two of his side's three late majors to secure the four points.

"I don't think he's impacted a game like that (before) and for a dual Brownlow medallist that's a big call," Roos said of Goodes.

"But I think when you kick eight goals in an AFL game and you win by four points or whatever we won by, I think it's his best performance I've seen from him and he's had a lot very, very good ones."

A relieved Roos said it was a crucial win for his side.

"It keeps us really alive, I think if you lose today it's a tough road home from here so hopefully it gives the guys some confidence," he said.

"It looked like we were down and out but to fight back was pretty important in the context of the game and the season."

Roos also admitted he could not bring himself to watch Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich's ill-fated shot on goal that would have put the result beyond doubt.

"When 'Pav' (Matthew Pavlich) was lined up from about 25 metres out you obviously think things are going to be hard from here and I must admit I didn't watch the kick and I was happy when we actually got a chance to kick it back in," he said.

The Swans coach praised his side for their never-say die-attitude.

"But I think this team just keeps on working and working and working and it's a credit to them," Roos said.

"They've been up for sort of six years and it's really hard in this competition to continue what they're doing."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Malthouse proud of his side

August 10th 2008 00:53
COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says Saturday night's win over St Kilda at the MCG was not special because of the events that preceded it but rather because of what it means to the Magpies' season.

The Magpies put behind them the season-ending suspensions handed down to stars Alan Didak and Heath Shaw earlier in the week for their involvement in a drink-driving scandal to beat the Saints by 14 points at the MCG.

But Malthouse denied the win was extra special because of the events during the week.

"Under the circumstances it was a torrid week, we learned a lot about people - some good and some bad - but we were able to generate enough enthusiasm and desire to play a good football side and win," he said.

"I don't know about more satisfying, it was good to beat a side that was 10 (wins) and eight (losses) when you are 9-9 because the overall context of the victory means we draw level with St Kilda and have actually got our noses in front in terms of percentage."

"That is the pleasing thing about it and now we have got to keep our foot on the accelerator and approach next week's game with the same intensity we had in this one."

Malthouse was also pleased with the efforts of his most experienced players such as skipper Scott Burns, Josh Fraser and Tarkyn Lockyer.

"I was encouraged by the form of our leadership group and I said (to them) they really had to stand up this week," he said.

Malthouse paid credit to Fraser, who has been sidelined since round 12 but said
Collingwood's number one ruckman was not totally over his debilitating knee problems.

"That was his best game for almost 12 months," Malthouse said.

"I don't think any ruckman totally gets over a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament injury) - it's always in the back of their mind but it's just about taking away the pain and having the confidence to jump."

"But Josh played his best game in 12 months and that is every encouraging because he is such an important player for us and he is our vice-captain."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Swans win thriller

August 9th 2008 12:44
SYDNEY has consolidated its place in the top-four with a thrilling four-point over a gallant Fremantle side at the SCG on Saturday night.

A career-best eight-goals from Adam Goodes inspired the Swans to a 17.10 (112) to 15.18 (108) come-from-behind victory.

The win gives the Swans some much-needed breathing space in fourth spot after four losses in their previous five games.

Goodes received support up forward from Barry Hall who chimed in with four valuable majors while Jude Bolton (30 possessions) and Tadhg Kennelly (27 disposals) were busy contributors.

For Fremantle, skipper Matthew Pavlich tried hard all night, racking up 27 possessions and booting one goal. Aaron Sandilands was effective in the ruck with 17 disposals and 36 hit-outs while former Bomber Kepler Bradley chimed in with three first-half goals.

The Dockers booted the first goal of a scrappy opening term at the 13-minute mark before Sydney hit back with majors from Goodes and Hall.

But Fremantle had the better of general play and responded through Bradley and Chris Tarrant to take a seven-point lead into quarter-time.

The Swans came out firing in the second term, slamming on three unanswered goals in an eight-minute burst to regain the lead but Fremantle hit back with five of their own to take an eight-point advantage into the main break.

Sydney broke the game open in the third term, slamming on six goals to two to take handy 13-point lead into the final change.

But the lead was short-lived as Fremantle piled on four unanswered goals to skip out to a 15-point lead.

Pavlich had a chance to put the result beyond doubt at the 22-minute mark but his shot at goal sprayed wide.

It proved to be a costly miss with two majors from Goodes and a goal from Hall at the 28-minute mark securing the four points for the Swans.

SYDNEY: 2.4, 7.6, 13.8, 17.10 (112)
FREMANTLE: 3.5, 8.8, 10.13, 15.18 (108)
GOALS: Sydney: Goodes 8, Hall 4, J.Bolton 2, Veszpremi 2, O'Keefe,
Fremantle: Bradley 3, Tarrant 2, Campbell 2, Duffield 2, Palmer, Mayne, Michael Johnson, Crowley, Pavlich, Peake,
BEST: Sydney: Goodes, J.Bolton, Mattner, Kennelly, Bevan,
Fremantle: Pavlich, Sandilands, Drum, Hayden, Tarrant,
INJURIES: Sydney:Nil
Fremantle: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Leo Barry (hamstring) replaced by Luke Ablett in the Swans' 22. Antoni Grover replaced in the selected side by Marcus Drum.
UMPIRES: Sully, Schmitt, Avon.
CROWD: at the SCG



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


Pies hold off Saints

August 9th 2008 12:24
COLLINGWOOD has moved to sixth spot on the AFL ladder with a 14-point win over St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Magpies led at every change and survived a last-quarter surge from the Saints, eventually prevailing 14.13 (97) to 12.11 (83).

The win was even more impressive given the season-ending suspensions handed to stars Heath Shaw and Alan Didak earlier in the week for their involvement in a drink-driving scandal.

The victory leaves the Magpies level with St Kilda with ten wins from 18 games and gives Collingwood a great chance to secure a finals berth with matches against Port Adelaide in Adelaide and Sydney in Melbourne in the next fortnight.

Leon Davis was lively across half-forward with 25 disposals and two goals. Dane Swan was damaging in the middle with 25 possessions and three majors while skipper Scott Burns led from the front with 23 disposals.

John Anthony and first-gamer Chris Dawes were also impressive up forward, combining for five goals.

For St Kilda, Brendon Goddard and Lenny Hayes were prolific in the middle, racking up 30-plus disposals while Robert Harvey, who announced his retirement earlier in the week tried hard all night, collecting 28 possessions.

Swan and Burns were influential in the first term as the Pies dominated the suprisingly flat Saints in every aspect with Swan booting two goals for the term to help his side to a 14-point lead at quarter-time.

The Magpies threatened to run away with the contest when Dawes kicked his second and Anthony kicked his first to blow the margin out to a game-high 31 points.

But the Saints steadied and hit back through Adam Schneider to trail by just four goals at the main break.

St Kilda lifted their intensity in the second half and started to generate some run through the middle but the Magpies had all the answers with Anthony's second major extending Collingwood's lead to 26 points heading into the final change.

The Saints came out firing in the final stanza, booting the first three goals of the term through Stephen Milne, Sam Fisher and Schneider to close to within nine points.

Swan gave the Magpies some breathing space with his third at the 20-minute mark before majors from Travis Cloke and Anthony sealed a gutsy win for Collingwood.

COLLINGWOOD: 4.4, 7.5, 11.9, 14.13 (97)
ST KILDA: 2.2, 3.5, 7.7, 12.11 (83)
GOALS: Collingwood: Swan 3, Anthony 3, Davis 2, Lockyer 2, Dawes 2, Thomas, Cloke
St Kilda: Schneider 3, Milne 2, Riewoldt 2, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Jones,
Goddard, S Fisher
BEST: Collingwood: Swan, Burns, Davis, O'Brien, Fraser, Lockyer, Toovey, Wakelin
St Kilda: Goddard, Schneider, Harvey, Jones, S Fisher, Hayes
INJURIES: Collingwood:
St Kilda: Nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Rosebury, Jeffery
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Collingwood: Stanley replaced by selected side by Wellingham
Nil
CROWD: 52,135 at MCG


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Blues smash Port

August 9th 2008 07:54
CARLTON has kept its finals hopes alive with a 66-point win over over a disappointing Port Adelaide side at Telstra Dome on Saturday afternoon.

The Blues' 18.24 (132) to 9.12 (66) victory is their biggest win in seven years.

Carlton did as they pleased against a Port side that appeared to be lacking confidence, direction and skill.

The Blues dominated every facet of the game. They entered their forward 50 a staggering 70 times and every player touched the football 10 times or more.

Andrew Carrazzo and Bryce Gibbs were prolific in the middle with 30-plus disposals. They received good support from Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland, Nick Stevens and Chris Judd, who all racked up 20-plus possessions while Jarrad Waite was busy in defence with 29 disposals and 11 marks.

Carlton had 11 individual goalkickers for the match - Brendon Fevola the most effective with four majors while Andrew Walker and Brad Fisher chimed in with three each.

The Blues stamped their authority on the contest from the opening bounce, slamming on the first four goals of the match with Walker booting two.

Carlton should have been further in front at the first change but some poor kicking in front of goal kept Port in the contest with a late major from Justin Westhoff reducing the deficit to 21 points at quarter-time.

The Blues continued to dominate in the second term but were again let down by their wastefulness in front of goal, booting a wayward 4.9 to take a commanding 47-point lead into the main break.

Port was more competitive in the third term but failed to make any inroads on the scoreboard with Carlton booting four goals to three to take a match-winning 56-point advantage into the final change.

The Power were desperate to add some respectability to the scoreboard and came out firing in the final term, slamming on three of the first four goals of the quarter.

But with percentage set to play a role in determining the make-up of the final eight the Blues finished strongly, piling on five of the last six goals to cap off an impressive win.

CARLTON: 4.7, 8.16, 12.22, 18.24 (132)
PORT ADELAIDE: 1.4, 2.5, 5.8, 9.12 (66)
GOALS: CARLTON: Fevola 4, Walker 3, Kreuzer 2, Fisher 2, Grigg, Gibbs, Stevens, C.Cloke, Simpson, Scotland, Judd
PORT ADELAIDE: White 3, Westhoff, K.Cornes, Motlop, Brogan, Ebert, Salter
BEST: CARLTON: Carrazzo, Gibbs, Murphy, Scotland, Waite, Grigg, Judd, Stevens, Walker
PORT ADELAIDE: K.Cornes, Carlile, White, Brogan, S.Burgoyne
INJURIES: CARLTON: TBC
PORT ADELAIDE: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Travis Boak replaced in the selected side by Ryan Williams. Eddie Betts replaced in the selected side in by Shaun Hampson.
CROWD: 29,696 at Telstra Dome


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Hawks too good for Lions

August 9th 2008 07:24
HAWTHORN has dealt a major blow to Brisbane's finals hopes with a 69-point win at Aurora Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Hawks broke the game open in the second half, slamming on 13 goals to record a comfortable 16.14 (110) to 5.11 (41) victory.

The Lions' score was their fifth-lowest since the merger of Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy in 1997.

The loss means Brisbane will be a game and percentage outside the eight if Collingwood manages to defeat St Kilda at the MCG tonight.

The Lions have now lost six of their past eight matches and face a tough run home with games against the Bulldogs, Blues and Swans.

Hawthorn will keep second spot after round 19 if the Western Bulldogs lose to North Melbourne at Telstra Dome on Sunday.

Lance Franklin starred for the Hawks with six goals while Cyril Rioli chimed in with three majors.

Luke Hodge (31 disposals) was damaging across half back, racking up a game-high 31 possessions while Shane Crawford was a busy contributor in his 300th game with 28 disposals and one goal.

For Brisbane, Jed Adock, Simon Black, Travis Johnstone and Michael Rischitelli tried hard all day, racking up 20-plus possessions but they were rarely damaging.

Despite boasting two of the most potent forward lines in the competition, both teams opted for defensive strategies in the first half, with both sides only managing a goal apiece in a tight first quarter.

It was one goal apiece well into the second quarter when Franklin moved up the ground and turned the game on its head.

Taking the ball from a throw in at half-back, he streamed down the wing, taking three bounces before picking out Rioli for the team's second goal of the game.

Three minutes later Franklin himself snapped a major, which put the Hawks 14 points up at the main break.

The Hawks broke game open in the third term, booting four goals to one to open up a 28-point lead before steamrolling the Lions with nine majors in the final stanza.

HAWTHORN: 1.3, 3.7, 7.11, 16.14 (110)
BRISBANE: 1.2, 1.5, 2.9, 5.11 (41)
GOALS: Hawthorn: Franklin 6, Rioli 3, Lewis 2, Stokes 2, Roughead, Dew, Crawford
Brisbane: Bradshaw 2, Brown, Brennan, Sherman,
BEST: Hawthorn: Franklin, Rioli, Hodge, Stokes, Mitchell, Dew, Crawford
Brisbane: Black, Brennan, Johnstone, Power
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 19, 909 at York Park, Launceston



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We were taught a lesson: Bailey

August 9th 2008 01:16
MELBOURNE was given a ruthless lesson on how to play team football according to coach Dean Bailey.

Bailey said the Demons, who were smashed by 116 points by the Cats at the MCG on Friday night were made to look second rate.

"We got a lesson in how to play footy tonight, (an) absolute lesson in how to play team football at a ruthless and unforgiving level, a level we couldn't even match from the first minute to the last minute," Bailey said.

"I don't think we had a winner anywhere and we were second rate."

Bailey also said his team's performance was on a par with the first two rounds of the year when it was thumped by Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs by 104 and 95 points respectively.

"It was almost boys playing against men," he said.

"They use the ball well and they move the ball quickly."

"At the end of the day the scoreboard shows us exactly the true indication of how we played on how well they were going and how effective they were."

"We got a real big lesson on how to play team football. Team football is paramount. They do it at a level which we're not near," Bailey said.

Bailey said Geelong continually punished his side for their poor use of the football.

"We were turning the ball over, mainly because of their good play and their good pressure. And they're incredibly effective on the counter attack," he said.

"There's a connection between a lot of their players that was very difficult for us to match."




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Classy Cats destroy Dees

August 8th 2008 12:24
GEELONG has strengthened its grip on top spot with a 116-point demolition of Melbourne at the MCG on Friday night.

The Cats set up their 18th win of the season with a dominant opening term before cruising to a convincing 24.13 (157) to 5.11 (41) victory.

Geelong's win means they need just one more victory from the remaining three rounds to secure the minor premiership.

They could achieve that this weekend if the second-placed Western Bulldogs and third-placed Hawks both lose.

Geelong controlled the midfield, racking up a VFL/AFL record 470 disposals. Andrew Mackie, Brent Prismall, Joel Corey, Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling and Corey Enright were all prolific, collecting 30-plus possessions.

The Cats had 12 individual goalkickers for the match - Mathew Stokes and Tom Lonergan the most effective with four each.

For Melbourne, Matthew Whelan played a lone hand in defence, racking up a team-high 31 possessions while youngsters Shane Valenti, Addam Maric and Stefan Martin tried hard all night.

A contender for goal-of-the year in the final term from Paul Johnson was the only bright spot for the Demons in a disappointing end to a week in which the club raised more than $2 million.

Melbourne failed to fire a shot in the first term and weren't helped by their unwillingness to man up, poor use of the football and poor decision making.

The Cats meanwhile made it look easy, moving the football cleanly through the middle as they slammed on the first 11 goals of the match to effectively end the contest.

Geelong's dominance was underlined by the fact that Melbourne didn't get on the scoreboard until about ten minutes into the second quarter when Josh Hunt rushed a behind.

The first score from a Demon did not come until eight minutes later when Brad Green, courtesy of a 50-metre penalty, kicked a behind.

Melbourne avoided the humiliation of not scoring a goal in the first half thanks to Austin Wonaeamirri, who kicked truly at the 24-minute mark of the second term.

The Cats didn't take their foot of the pedal in the third term, slamming on seven goals to one before booting a further five majors in the final stanza to cap off another impressive win.

MELBOURNE: 0.0, 1.3, 2.6, 5.11 (41)
GEELONG: 8.5, 12.7, 19.10, 24.13 (157)
GOALS: Melbourne: Valenti 2, C. Johnson, P. Johnson, Wonaeamirri
Geelong: Lonergan 4, Stokes 4, Prismall 3, G. Ablett 2, Bartel 2, Ling 2, Mackie 2, Blake, Gamble, S. Johnson, Mooney, Selwood
BEST: Melbourne: Whelan, Wheatley, Maric, Martin
Geelong: Mackie, Ling, Selwood, Corey, Scarlett, Prismall
INJURIES: Melbourne: McDonald (wrist), Wonaemirri (ankle)
Geelong: Blake (elbow)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Jamar (Melbourne) replaced in selected side by White
UMPIRES: Donlon, Kennedy, Ryan
CROWD: 34,610 at the MCG


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Round nineteen teams

August 8th 2008 08:14
ROUND NINETEEN

All the teams for round nineteen of the 2008 AFL premiership season, with Sunday's updated teams.

MELBOURNE v GEELONG
Friday, 7.05pm AEST, MCG
MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Nathan Carroll, Chris Johnson
HB: James Frawley, Matthew Warnock, Paul Wheatley
C: Cale Morton, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley
HF: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn
F: Paul Johnson, Colin Sylvia, Addam Maric
Foll: Mark Jamar, Clint Bartram, James McDonald
I/C: Nathan Jones, Austin Wonaeamirri, Shane Valenti, Stefan Martin
EMG: Jace Bode, Jeff White, Adem Yze

In: Carroll, Frawley, Jones
Out: Daniel Bell (hamstring), Colin Garland (hamstring), Aaron Davey (foot)

GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Harry Taylor, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright
C: James Kelly, Max Rooke, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Joel Selwood, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey
I/C: Shannon Byrnes, Mark Blake, Brent Prismall, Ryan Gamble
EMG: Kane Tenace, Travis Varcoe, Simon Hogan

In: Ablett, Byrnes
Out: Darren Milburn (susp), Travis Varcoe

CARLTON v PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday, 2.10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
CARLTON
B: Andrew Carrazzo, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton
HB: Simon Wiggins, Jarrad Waite, Andrew Walker
C: Nick Stevens, Shaun Grigg, Heath Scotland
HF: Jordan Russell, Brad Fisher, Kade Simpson
F: Eddie Betts, Brendan Fevola, Marc Murphy
Foll: Cameron Cloke, Chris Judd, Bryce Gibbs
I/C: Dennis Armfield, Steven Browne, Matthew Kreuzer, Jason Saddington
EMG: Mark Austin, Adam Bentick, Shaun Hampson

In: Saddington
Out: Mark Austin

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Michael Pettigrew, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Troy Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Damon White, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C: Fabian Deluca, Mitch Farmer, Nick Salter, Paul Stewart
EMG: Brendon Lade, Matthew Westhoff, Ryan Williams

In: P. Burgoyne, Chaplin, White
Out: Greg Bentley, Nathan Lonie, Toby Thurstans

HAWTHORN v BRISBANE LIONS
Saturday, 2.10pm AEST, Aurora Stadium
HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB: Rick Ladson, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Shane Crawford, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell
I/C: Stuart Dew, Thomas Murphy, Simon Taylor, Cameron Stokes
EMG: Beau Dowler, Jarryd Morton, Travis Tuck

No change

BRISBANE LIONS
B: Josh Drummond, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Ashley McGrath
C: Bradd Dalziell, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Jared Brennan
F: Rhan Hooper, Daniel Bradshaw, Albert Proud
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Travis Johnstone
I/C: Colm Begley, Tim Notting, James Hawksley, Lachlan Henderson
EMG: Robert Copeland, Tom Collier, Scott Clouston

In: Henderson, Notting, Hawksley
Out: Mitch Clark (quad), Anthony Corrie, Scott Clouston

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA
COLLINGWOOD
B: Shane Wakelin , Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Burns, Alan Toovey
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, John Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas
I/C: Danny Stanley, John McCarthy, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
EMG: Ryan Lonie, Sharrod Wellingham, Sam Iles

In: Cook, Dawes, McCarthy, Stanley, Wakelin
Out: Alan Didak (susp), Heath Shaw (susp), Shane O'Bree (thigh), Ryan Lonie, Sharrod Wellingham

New: Chris Dawes (Sandringham), John McCarthy (Dandenong)

ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake
C: Aaron Fiora, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Robert Eddy
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne
Foll: Steven King, Andrew McQualter, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Adam Schneider, James Gwilt, Max Hudghton, Jarryn Geary
EMG: Shane Birss, Raphael Clarke, Michael Rix

In: Hudghton
Out: Luke Ball (hamstring)

SYDNEY SWANS v FREMANTLE
Saturday, 7.10pm AEST, SCG
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Martin Mattner
HB: Jared Crouch, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Adam Goodes
F: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Barry Hall, Paul Bevan
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C: Luke Brennan, Peter Everitt, Jarred Moore, Patrick Veszpremi
EMG: Luke Ablett, Ryan Brabazon, Nick Malceski

In: Barry, Goodes, Moore
Out: Luke Ablett, Ryan Brabazon, Jesse White

FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Antoni Grover, Michael Johnson
HB: David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Crowley, Steven Dodd
HF: Andrew Browne, Chris Tarrant, Chris Mayne
F: Adam Campbell, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, Josh Carr
I/C: Kepler Bradley, Paul Duffield, Rhys Palmer, Brett Peake
EMG: Ryan Murphy, Des Headland, Marcus Drum

In: Hayden, Browne, Campbell
Out: Ryan Murphy, Jeff Farmer (susp), Shaun McManus (retired)

NORTH MELBOURNE v WESTERN BULLDOGS
Sunday, 1.10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Daniel Pratt, Lachlan Hansen, Leigh Harding
HB: Michael Firrito, Josh Gibson, Gavin Urquhart
C: Daniel Wells, Adam Simpson, Scott McMahon
HF: Lindsay Thomas, Corey Jones, Sam Power
F: Brent Harvey, David Hale, Matt Campbell
Foll: Drew Petrie, Daniel Harris, Brady Rawlings
I/C: Ed Lower, Shannon Grant, Jess Sinclair, Nathan Thompson
EMG: Leigh Brown, Blake Grima, Shannon Watt

In: Thompson, Lower, Simpson
Out: Leigh Brown, Blake Grima, Shannon Watt

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Dale Morris, BrianLake, Tim Callan
HB: Farren Ray, Ryan Hargrave, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen
I/C: Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Hill, Stephen Tiller
EMG: Andrejs Everitt, Peter Street, Callan Ward

In: Callan
Out: Andrejs Everitt

ADELAIDE v RICHMOND
Sunday, 2.40pm ACST, AAMI Stadium
ADELAIDE
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Kris Massie, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, Nathan van Berlo
HF: Tyson Edwards, Nick Gill, Andrew McLeod
F: Bernie Vince, Brad Moran, Richard Douglas
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Robert Shirley
I/C: David Mackay, Andrew Otten, Scott Stevens, Bryce Campbell
EMG: Kurt Tippett, Brent Reilly, Jared Petrenko

In: Johncock, Otten
Out: Chris Knights (hamstring), Jason Porplyzia (concussion)

RICHMOND
B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane
HB: Joel Bowden, Kelvin Moore, Jordan McMahon
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Trent Cotchin, Adam Pattison, Richard Tambling
F: Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt, Matt White
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C: Jay Schulz, Shane Edwards, Jake King, Daniel Jackson
EMG: Mitch Morton, Greg Tivendale, Tristan Cartledge

In: Brown
Out: Mitch Morton

WEST COAST v ESSENDON
Sunday, 2.40pm AWST, Subiaco Oval
WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Michael Braun, Matt Priddis, Steven Armstrong
HF: David Wirrpanda, Ashley Hansen, Ben McKinley
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Mark Seaby
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Tyson Stenglein
I/C: Ryan Davis, Jamie McNamara, Scott Selwood, Matt Spangher
EMG: Tim Houlihan, Pat McGinnity, Will Schofield

In: Davis, Spangher
Out: Brent Staker (thumb), Brad Ebert (general soreness)

ESSENDON
B: Jay Nash, Dustin Fletcher, Jarrod Atkinson
HB: Heath Hocking, Patrick Ryder, Henry Slattery
C: Leroy Jetta, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton
HF: Angus Monfries, Matthew Lloyd, Andrew Lovett
F: Adam McPhee, Jason Laycock, Courtenay Dempsey
Foll: David Hille, Andrew Welsh, Sam Lonergan
I/C: Nathan Lovett-Murray, Adam Ramanauskas, Mal Michael, Ricky Dyson
EMG: Damien Peverill, Scott Lucas, Rhys Magin

In: Dempsey, Hocking
Out: Kyle Reimers (hamstring), Damien Peverill (glute)





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Youngsters deserve their chance, says Malthouse

August 8th 2008 07:22
COLLINGWOOD youngsters John McCarthy and Chris Dawes have earned their chance in the senior side, according to coach Mick Malthouse.

McCarthy and Dawes will debut against St Kilda in a must-win clash at the MCG on Saturday night. pivotal match for the eighth-placed Magpies on Saturday night at the MCG.

"They are two exciting young players who have perhaps surprised us all with their development over the last few weeks."

Dawes is a powerfully built 193cm forward who is highly rated by the Magpies.

"It would be fair to say Chris Dawes, as a young man before he did his knee, was always highly thought of as a key position player," Malthouse said.

"As a consequence to doing his knee we were able to pick him up pretty cheaply (selection No.28 in the 2006 draft) we thought."

"He's a highly intelligent young man who I think, down the track, will be a good partner in playing in the forward line with Travis (Cloke), Ben Reid and Sean Rusling."

Fellow rookie McCarthy has impressed at VFL level and racked up 22 possessions last weekend.

Malthouse also said there are plenty of promising youngsters coming through which the club can build around.

"There's a really good core of young players coming through which is quite exciting," he said.

Meanwhile, key forward Anthony Rocca is an outside chance to resume from an ankle injury at senior level before the end of the home and away season while Reid may also play for the Magpies as he continues to overcome a foot injury.

Malthouse said Brent Macaffer is expected to be promoted off the rookie list and tried at senior level in the latter stages of this season.


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Pies moving on: Malthouse

August 8th 2008 05:05
COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says a 'difficult' week for the club will not affect it ahead of Saturday night's must-win clash against St Kilda at the MCG.

The eighth-placed Magpies take on the seventh-placed Saints minus stars Heath Shaw and Alan Didak. The pair have been suspended by the club for the remainder of the season following a drink-driving scandal earlier in the week.

But Malthouse said the controversy and media scrutiny had not been a distraction for the players.

"It's one of those weeks that happen in football. It's only how big it has been with the press, let's not kid ourselves," Malthouse said.

"I've seen players being squirted with capsicum spray take up page 35 of the (Herald) Sun."
"It's only how big it is outside (the club). Inside, it's simply one we prefer behind us, which it is, we move forward, we open the door for young players, it's fantastic."

"They've (the players) moved on very well. I have been delighted with the way they have been able to handle it."

"People are very resilient. We don't want to lose sight of what we are here for. We are here to play football which we are doing tomorrow evening and the player group got themselves very focused on that very early in the week."



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Police investigate threatening letters

August 8th 2008 01:55
VICTORIAN police are investigating a series of threatening letters sent to AFL players.

The Nine Network reported that five players from five different AFL clubs - three of them Victorian - had received death threats in letters sent to the clubs.

Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes and Adelaide star Andrew McLeod were subjected to death threats.

The racially based threats were in a letter sent on the eve of the Victoria-All Stars Hall of Fame tribute game in May. Victoria Police took the threats seriously, arranging for protection for Goodes and McLeod in the lead-up to the Hall of Fame game. Nothing eventuated and nothing has been heard since on the subject.

Three other letters, also containing threats, were sent to players at three Victorian clubs.

North Melbourne has confirmed forward Nathan Thompson received a threatening letter earlier in the season.

The letter to Thompson was forwarded to North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca and has been passed onto police.

The other players are believed to be from Carlton and Essendon.

It is not known if the letters were sent from the one perpetrator or different sources.

Victoria Police spokesman Sen-Constable Adam West said the threats were being taken seriously.

"We have got the Moonee Valley Criminal Investigations Unit detectives investigating a number of threatening letters allegedly sent to AFL players," West said.

"Victoria Police takes any threats made to any person extremely seriously and is investigating these matters."


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Round nineteen teams

August 7th 2008 07:12
ROUND NINETEEN

Friday, August 8
Melbourne v Geelong at the MCG, 7.05pm AEST

Saturday, August 9
Carlton v Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome, 2.10pm AEST
Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions at Aurora Stadium, 2.10pm AEST
Collingwood v St Kilda at the MCG, 7.10pm AEST
Sydney Swans v Fremantle at the SCG, 7.10pm AEST

Sunday, August 10
North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome, 1.10pm AEST
Adelaide v Richmond at AAMI Stadium, 2.40pm ACST
West Coast Eagles v Essendon at Subiaco Oval, 2.40pm AWST

MELBOURNE v GEELONG
MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Nathan Carroll, Chris Johnson
HB: James Frawley, Matthew Warnock, Paul Wheatley
C: Cale Morton, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley
HF: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn
F: Paul Johnson, Colin Sylvia, Addam Maric
Foll: Mark Jamar, Clint Bartram, James McDonald
I/C: Nathan Jones, Austin Wonaeamirri, Shane Valenti, Stefan Martin
EMG: Jace Bode, Jeff White, Adem Yze

In: Carroll, Frawley, Jones
Out: Daniel Bell (hamstring), Colin Garland (hamstring), Aaron Davey (foot)

GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Harry Taylor, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright
C: James Kelly, Max Rooke, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Joel Selwood, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey
I/C: Shannon Byrnes, Mark Blake, Brent Prismall, Ryan Gamble
EMG: Kane Tenace, Travis Varcoe, Simon Hogan

In: Ablett, Byrnes
Out: Milburn (susp), Varcoe

CARLTON V PORT ADELAIDE
CARLTON
B: Andrew Carrazzo, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton
HB: Simon Wiggins, Jarrad Waite, Andrew Walker
C: Nick Stevens, Shaun Grigg, Heath Scotland
HF: Jordan Russell, Brad Fisher, Kade Simpson
F: Eddie Betts, Brendan Fevola, Marc Murphy
Foll: Cameron Cloke, Chris Judd, Bryce Gibbs
I/C: Dennis Armfield, Steven Browne, Matthew Kreuzer, Jason Saddington
EMG: Mark Austin, Adam Bentick, Shaun Hampson

In: Saddington
Out: Mark Austin

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Michael Pettigrew, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Troy Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Damon White, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C: Fabian Deluca, Mitch Farmer, Nick Salter, Paul Stewart
EMG: Brendon Lade, Matthew Westhoff, Ryan Williams

In: P. Burgoyne, Chaplin, White
Out: Greg Bentley, Nathan Lonie, Toby Thurstans

HAWTHORN v BRISBANE LIONS
HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB: Rick Ladson, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Shane Crawford, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell
I/C: Stuart Dew, Thomas Murphy, Simon Taylor, Cameron Stokes
EMG: Beau Dowler, Jarryd Morton, Travis Tuck

No change

BRISBANE LIONS
B: Josh Drummond, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Ashley McGrath
C: Bradd Dalziell, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Jared Brennan
F: Rhan Hooper, Daniel Bradshaw, Albert Proud
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Travis Johnstone
I/C: Colm Begley, Tim Notting, James Hawksley, Lachlan Henderson
EMG: Robert Copeland, Tom Collier, Scott Clouston

In: Henderson, Notting, Hawksley
Out: Mitch Clark (quad), Anthony Corrie, Scott Clouston

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA
B: Shane Wakelin , Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Burns, Alan Toovey
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, John Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas
I/C: Danny Stanley, John McCarthy, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
EMG: Ryan Lonie, Sharrod Wellingham, Sam Iles

In: Cook, Dawes, McCarthy, Stanley, Wakelin
Out: Alan Didak (susp), Heath Shaw (susp) Ryan Lonie, Sharrod Wellingham, Shane O'Bree (inj)


New: Chris Dawes (Sandringham), John McCarthy (Dandenong)

ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake
C: Aaron Fiora, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Robert Eddy
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne
Foll: Steven King, Andrew McQualter, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Adam Schneider, James Gwilt, Max Hudghton, Jarryn Geary
EMG: Shane Birss, Raphael Clarke, Michael Rix

In: Hudghton
Out: Luke Ball (hamstring)

SYDNEY SWANS v FREMANTLE
Saturday, 7.10pm AEST, SCG
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Martin Mattner
HB: Jared Crouch, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Adam Goodes
F: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Barry Hall, Paul Bevan
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C: Luke Brennan, Peter Everitt, Jarred Moore, Patrick Veszpremi
EMG: Luke Ablett, Ryan Brabazon, Nick Malceski

In: Barry, Goodes, Moore
Out: Luke Ablett, Ryan Brabazon, Jesse White

FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Antoni Grover, Michael Johnson
HB: David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Crowley, Steven Dodd
HF: Andrew Browne, Chris Tarrant, Chris Mayne
F: Adam Campbell, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, Josh Carr
I/C: Kepler Bradley, Paul Duffield, Rhys Palmer, Brett Peake
EMG: Ryan Murphy, Des Headland, Marcus Drum

In: Hayden, Browne, Campbell
Out: Ryan Murphy, Jeff Farmer (susp), Shaun McManus (retired)

NORTH MEBOURNE v WESTERN BULLDOGS
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Daniel Pratt, Lachlan Hansen, Leigh Harding
HB: Michael Firrito, Josh Gibson, Gavin Urquhart
C: Daniel Wells, Adam Simpson, Scott McMahon
HF: Lindsay Thomas, Corey Jones, Sam Power
F: Brent Harvey, David Hale, Matt Campbell
Foll: Drew Petrie, Daniel Harris, Brady Rawlings
I/C (from): Ed Lower, Shannon Grant, Jess Sinclair, Leigh Brown, Blake Grima, Nathan Thompson, Shannon Watt

In: Nathan Thompson, Ed Lower, Adam Simpson
Out: Nil

WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Dale Morris, BrianLake, Tim Callan
HB: Farren Ray, Ryan Hargrave, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen
I/C (from): Andrejs Everitt, Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Hill, Peter Street, Stephen Tiller, Callan Ward

In: Callan, Street, Ward
Out: -

ADELAIDE V RICHMOND
ADELAIDE
B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Kris Massie, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, Nathan van Berlo
HF: Tyson Edwards, Nick Gill, Andrew McLeod
F: Bernie Vince, Brad Moran, Richard Douglas
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Robert Shirley
I/C (from): Kurt Tippett, David Mackay, Andrew Otten, Scott Stevens, Bryce Campbell, Brent Reilly, Jared Petrenko

In: Johncock, Otten, Petrenko, Reilly, Tippett
Out: Chris Knights (hamstring), Jason Porplyzia (concussion)

New: Jared Petrenko (Woodville-West Torrens/rookie)

RICHMOND
B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane
HB: Joel Bowden, Kelvin Moore, Jordan McMahon
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Trent Cotchin, Adam Pattison, Richard Tambling
F: Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt, Mitch Morton
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C (from): Jay Schulz, Greg Tivendale, Shane Edwards, Jake King, Daniel Jackson, Matt White, Tristan Cartledge

In: Brown, Cartledge, Tivendale
Out: Nil

New: Tristan Cartledge (Essendon/rookie list)

WEST COAST v ESSENDON
WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Michael Braun, Matt Priddis, Steven Armstrong
HF: David Wirrpanda, Ashley Hansen, Ben McKinley
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Mark Seaby
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Tyson Stenglein
I/C (from): Ryan Davis, Tim Houlihan, Pat McGinnity, Jamie McNamara, Will Schofield, Scott Selwood, Matt Spangher

In: Davis, Houlihan, McGinnity, Schofield, Spangher
Out: Brent Staker (thumb), Brad Ebert (general soreness)

New: Patrick McGinnity (Claremont)

ESSENDON
B: Jay Nash, Dustin Fletcher, Jarrod Atkinson
HB: Heath Hocking, Patrick Ryder, Henry Slattery
C: Leroy Jetta, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton
HF: Angus Monfries, Matthew Lloyd, Andrew Lovett
F: Adam McPhee, Jason Laycock, Courtenay Dempsey
Foll: David Hille, Andrew Welsh, Sam Lonergan
I/C (from): Nathan Lovett-Murray, Adam Ramanauskas, Damien Peverill, Scott Lucas, Mal Michael, Rhys Magin, Ricky Dyson

In: Dempsey, Hocking, Lucas, Magin
Out: Kyle Reimers (hamstring)



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


AFL to review dangerous tackles

August 6th 2008 23:25
THE league will revisit the rules of rough play and whether they sufficiently cover dangerous tackles, according to AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson.

The request to review the rules of rough play came from tribunal chairman David Jones in the wake of Geelong successfully arguing that veteran defender Darren Milburn tackled the body of Richmond's Shane Edwards and while Edwards' head might have hit the ground forcefully, the tackle was actually to the player's body.

Therefore the offence was downgraded from head-high contact to body contact.

"You can make your rules as long as you like to cover every contingency. In the end Darren Milburn pleaded guilty to rough conduct was given three weeks reduced to one because of his five-year good behaviour and guilty plea," Anderson said.

"Certainly we will look at it as suggested by the tribunal. Dangerous tackles is something we have already looked at and we will look at it again."

Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews supported a change to the laws on tackling.

"I think you have to have a duty of care that you can't bury his head in the turf," Matthews said.

"Currently the rules say effectively that you can, but I'm not sure whether that's a good thing."


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Staker, Kennedy out for season

August 6th 2008 06:10
THE season is over for West Coast utility Brent Staker and key forward Josh Kennedy with the pair requiring surgery.

Staker needs an operation on his right thumb which was injured in the first quarter of Sunday's 33-point loss to Fremantle while Kennedy requires a shoulder reconstruction.

Kennedy, who will undergo surgery tomorrow tried to resume full training this week but a PCL injury had not recovered.

Meanwhile, Staker ruptured a ligament in his right thumb and also received a small avulsion fracture. The recovery period after surgery will be six to eight weeks.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


Docker calls it a day

August 6th 2008 05:54
FREMANTLE veteran Heath Black has announced his retirement from AFL football, effective immediately.

The 29-year-old struggled with a hip complaint in 2008, managing just six games.

Black, who played 54 games for St Kilda and 138 for the Dockers said injuries had finally got the better of him.

“Due to hip injuries and now my shoulder the time has come where injuries have got the better of me and it is time to move on,” Black said.

“I had an interrupted pre-season and I ended up stewing on this decision pretty much all year.

“Once I reached the decision, the realisation was quite overwhelming. To be able to just sit and watch the boys in the derby (against West Coast) at the weekend knowing that I was on the sidelines was actually quite a relief.”

Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich said although Black was contracted until the end of next season, the player and his management had reached an agreement with the club that was suitable to all parties.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Lucas likely to miss

August 6th 2008 05:39
ESSENDON looks set to be without key forward Scott Lucas for Sunday's crucial clash against West Coast at Subiaco Oval.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights said Lucas, who is struggling to recover from a combination of knee soreness and back problems was only a “50-50” prospect.

“Scott did a bit of training on Monday he was okay but not sensational,” Knights said.

“If he’s not right I’m not going to play him. I thought he would be a definite starter, but it doesn’t look as likely now.”

Knights also confirmed that impressive youngster Kyle Reimers would miss the clash against the Eagles.

“Kyle will definitely miss. He has got a slightly strained hamstring. We believe he’ll miss two weeks," he said.




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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Essendon Bombers
   


Ratten urges Blues to lift

August 6th 2008 05:05
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has reminded his side that they are running out of chances to make the finals this season.

Ratten said if the Blues were expecting the four points to be easily attained against lowly Port Adelaide then they were in for a rude shock.

"It's a must-win for us, we are running out of chances to keep our season alive," Ratten said.

"This is a big game for us at home against Port."

"They've got nothing to lose and a lot to gain (with a) young list, players fighting for their careers."

"One thing in their game though that is very similar (to 2007) is the speed in their team. They are very quick and they use the ball very well. Skilful players are really starting to find some form."

Ratten also said the Blues' come-from-behind win against Port in round 10 gave the club a lot of confidence and was responsible for their strong second half of the season.

"It probably did give us a lot of belief as a team, the comeback victory," Ratten said.

"The runs we have had in the last quarters, I think that (win) has given us the confidence."

"It was a real stepping stone for us."

Meanwhile, small forward Eddie Betts will be given until Friday to prove he has overcome a hamstring injury.

Former Brisbane Lion Richard Hadley is expected to resume in the club's reserves while Ryan Houlihan will again play for the Northern Bullants after a half last weekend.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Carlton Blues
   


Saints great calls it quits

August 6th 2008 01:39
ST KILDA champion Robert Harvey will retire at the end of the year after 21 seasons of AFL football.

The 36-year-old said on Wednesday that he felt the time was right for him to end his illustrious career.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from football," Harvey said.

"St Kilda Football Club has been my life for over 20 years but after discussions between myself and the club I have come to the realisation that it is the right time to move on."

Harvey, who made his debut for the Saints as a 16-year-old in 1988 said the chance to play in a premiership could not convince him to go on again.

"I've had 21 chances for a flag," he said.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said Harvey would be remembered as one of the game's greatest players even if he didn't go out with a premiership.

"While Robert's career can be remembered by his outstanding individual accolades, I think most will remember him as a selfless team player who did whatever it took for the Saints to be successful," Lyon said.

"When you look at the best and fairests, the Brownlows, it's self-evident how good he is."

"He stands equal with the greatest midfielders in the game.

"He has stood the test of time."

Harvey has played 376 senior games, ranking him in fourth spot on the all-time list behind Michael Tuck (426 games), Kevin Bartlett (403 games) and Simon Madden (378 games).

He also won two Brownlow medals, four St Kilda best-and-fairest awards, eight All-Australian selections, three EJ Whitten medals for best on ground in state-of-origin, a Michael Tuck medal for best afield in the pre-season grand final, an AFLPA MVP award in 1997 and eight All Australian selections, while he has also played in three St Kilda pre-season premiership sides.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, St Kilda Saints
   


Dees raise $2m to fight debt

August 6th 2008 00:27
MELBOURNE has made a significant dent in its $5 million debt, raising more than $2 million at Tuesday night's 'Debt Demolition' function.

About 170 guests, 30 club legends and 22 players attended the function, with each guest having to pay $1,000 up front and make a donation of at least $5,000 on the night.

Many tipped in more than the minimum amount, with more than 50 people donating at least $10,000 each. Some donated between $15,000 and $100,000, with a staggering $200,000 donated by two supporters.

The Melbourne playing group contributed $10,000.

Melbourne president Jim Stynes said the function was an overwhelming success.

"The generosity in the room far exceeded expectations," Stynes said.

"The past players were sensational and it was great to see some of the old faces back here. It was a bit of a theatrical event and they had to get into the spirit of it.

"Garry Lyon spoke really well and fired them up at the start and [singer] David Hobson was terrific … it takes a lot to make something like this successful, but everyone kicked in, from the staff and the board, and they've all kicked on until the end."

Stynes also said there was still a long way to go.

"It is about being aware of the responsibility that we carry and at this time, more than any in our history, we need to be making the right decisions. There is the passion and business acumen in this room that brings this club together – and that's what we showed tonight," he said.

"It's a start. We're into the second quarter now of our debt demolition."




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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Melbourne Demons
   


Browne free to play

August 5th 2008 11:08
CARLTON youngster Steven Browne is free to play in Saturday's crucial clash against Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome after being cleared of a rough conduct charge against Adelaide forward Jason Porplyzia.

The 19-year-old faced a four-match suspension if found guilty of the charge, but successfully had the case thrown out after a mere two minute deliberation by the tribunal.

The tribunal agreed that Browne's collision with Porplyzia was accidental, rather than negligent.

Meanwhile, Geelong defender Darren Milburn had his suspension reduced to one-match.

Milburn faced a three-week suspension if found guilty of his rough conduct charge against Richmond youngster Shane Edwards during the Cats' 63-point victory over the Tigers on Saturday night.

The original charge was graded as high contact, based on the fact that Edwards' head crashed into the ground, resulting in him being assisted from the field and treated for concussion.

But Milburn's advocate Peter Murdoch QC successfully argued that it should have been graded as body contact, as that was where Milburn grabbed Edwards.



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Magpies suspend Didak, Shaw

August 5th 2008 05:45
COLLINGWOOD has suspended small forward Alan Didak and defender Heath Shaw for the remainder of the season for lying about their involvement in a drink driving incident on Sunday night.

The suspension includes any potential finals. Didak was also hit with a $5000 fine, while Shaw's $10,000 fine stands.

Collingwood has also suspended Shaw's brother Rhyce for two matches and fined him $5000 for excessive drinking.

Heath Shaw was charged with drink driving after crashing his car in the Melbourne suburb of Kew on Sunday night.

He returned a blood-alcohol reading of .14 after the collision.

Both players told the club on Monday that Didak had arrived on the scene a short time after the accident.

But the Magpies were forced to take further action when it was revealed Didak was in fact the passenger.

Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert said leadership group decided that Shaw and Didak did not deserve to play for the club.

"When you have two of your key players looking the president, the coach and their own teammates in the eye and actually lying to them, it really destroys the essence of the club," Pert said.

"It was decided by the leadership group that these two players actually don't deserve to wear the Collingwood Football Club jumper and that's why they're not playing for the rest of the season."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Browne, Milburn to contest

August 5th 2008 02:47
CARTLON youngster Steven Browne and Geelong veteran Darren Milburn will both contest their suspensions handed down by the match review panel at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night.

The Blues are expected to argue that Browne's clash with Adelaide forward Jason Porplzyia was accidental given that video footage appeared to indicate that Browne's teammate Bret Thornton contributed to the collision by pushing Porplyzia into Browne's path.

Porplyzia was taken from the field unconscious following the incident and also again dislocated his troublesome shoulder as a result. The 23-year-old has bruising on the brain as a result of the clash and is expected to miss a month of football.

The match review panel ruled Browne's actions as negligent conduct, severe impact and high conduct. The 19-year-old could have accepted a three-match ban by pleading guilty but now risks a four-match suspension

Meanwhile, Milburn's tackle on Richmond's Shane Edwards was assessed as reckless conduct, high impact and high contact by the match review panel.

The 31-year-old could have accepted a two-match ban but is now risking a three-match ban.

The Cats are expected to argue that Milburn's tackle was no different to several others which have been given the all-clear this season, including Port Adelaide's Jacob Surjan's tackle on St Kilda veteran Robert Harvey in the very same round which left Harvey concussed.


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Petrie re-signs

August 5th 2008 02:16
NORTH MELBOURNE utility Drew Petrie has been rewarded for his career-best form with a new three-year deal.

The 25-year-old is the latest Kangaroo to re-sign with the club this season, following in the footsteps of ruckman Hamish McIntosh, Michael Firrito, Daniel Pratt, Corey Jones and Brady Rawlings.

North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca said signing Petrie was a 'high priority' for the club.

Petrie said he never contemplated leaving the Kangaroos.

"With the people that have played at this club before, like Arch (Glenn Archer) and Stevo (Anthony Stevens), the list can go on, it was never an issue to leave," he said.

"Those guys have really made the club what it is today, now it's up to us to carry that baton."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Johncock cleared to play

August 5th 2008 01:34
ADELAIDE defender Graham Johncock is a chance to play in Sunday's crucial clash against Richmond at AAMI Stadium after receiving the all clear from the club’s leadership group.

Johncock was sent back to the SANFL two weeks ago after failing to meet the necessary standards of preparation.

Adelaide skipper Simon Goodwin said there had been a marked improvement in the 25-year-old's approach to preparing for AFL football.

“His attitude towards his training, his fitness and the attitude he’s gone back to the Port Adelaide Magpies with has been sensational. Full credit to Graham and we’re looking forward to seeing the benefits of Graham playing some great footy for us,” he said.

“Graham had some guidelines we wanted to see and he’s delivered on that over the last couple of weeks. His preparation has improved over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen that, we know he can do it; it’s just a matter of him doing it on a long-term basis now.

“We’re confident Graham will come into the team, play his role to the level that we expect.”


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Farmer accepts

August 5th 2008 01:26
FREMANTLE forward Jeff Farmer will miss Saturday night's clash against Sydney at the SCG after accpeting a one-match ban for striking West Coast defender Mark Nicoski.

The match review panel ruled Farmer's actions as reckless conduct, low impact, and high contact.

Because of Farmer’s existing bad record of eight matches suspended within the last three years, the penalty was increased by 50 per cent to 187.50 points and a one-match sanction. The early plea reduced the penalty by 25 per cent to 140.63 points, which meant he will still miss one match.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


Urquhart wins nomination

August 5th 2008 01:12
NORTH MELBOURNE youngster Gavin Urquhart has been rewarded for his consistent season with the round 18 NAB Rising Star nomination.

The 20-year-old racked up 22 possessions in the Roos' come-from-behind win against Brisbane on the Gold Coast last weekend and has averaged 17 disposals in nine games.

Urquhart was drafted by the Kangaroos with selection No.21 in the 2006 national draft and served a tough apprenticeship in the VFL reserves last year, playing nearly all season for North Ballarat.

But he broke through for his first senior appearance in round 10 and has been a key member of the Roos' defence since.

North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Crocker said Urquhart, who was a rugby league and union player as a junior had come a long way in the past 12 months.

"A year ago Gav was a long way off playing senior football, and this nomination is a credit to the hard work he has done since that time," Crocker said.

"He has been a valuable player since coming into the side and we are looking forward to his continued development."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Kangaroos
   


Wilson calls it quits

August 5th 2008 00:57
PORT ADELAIDE veteran Michael Wilson has announced his retirement from football, effective immediately.

Wilson was a member of the Power’s inaugural squad and played a vital role in the club’s first premiership in 2004.

The 31-year-old injured his achilles tendon in Port Adelaide's preliminary final win over North Melbourne last season and played just five games this year.

The 192-game veteran said on Tuesday that a degenerative knee injury had finally caught up with him.

“When the medical staff say you shouldn’t go on, then I think it’s probably time to listen,” Wilson said.

“Doc [Peter] Barnes is saying the knee won’t last a pre-season anyway and you wouldn’t make it through games. I’d have to sit out three or four months of footy [after the operation I need]. When you look at that, it’s really ridiculous even thinking about playing on.”

Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams paid tribute to Wilson.

"His resilience to come back from adversity, be it injury or any other thing off the field that he's had to deal with, has been outstanding," he said.

"He's a wonderful example to the rest our players and he's been a brilliant leader in the vice-captaincy role over the last few years."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Browne, Milburn charged

August 4th 2008 08:40
CARLTON youngster Steven Browne has been hit with a three match suspension by the AFL match review panel for his role in the incident which has left classy Adelaide forward Jason Porplyzia with bruising to his brain.

The Crows announced on Monday that "a small area" of Porplyzia's brain has been bruised following the collision and that he could miss up to four weeks.

Adelaide football operations manager John Reid said Porplyzia will need to undergo another brain scan before he is cleared to play but said he expects him to make "a full recovery."

Browne's bump was assessed as negligent conduct, severe impact and high contact. The seven activation points brought 425 demerit points, which equates to a four-match sanction.

The 19-year-old can reduce that to a three-game ban with a guilty plea. Browne's teammate Bret Thornton also appeared to contribute to the collision by pushing Porplyzia into Browne's path yet escaped punishment.

Meanwhile, experienced Geelong defender Darren Milburn has been hit with a two match suspension for rough conduct following his tackle on Richmond youngster Shane Edwards at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The match review panel ruled Milburn's actions as reckless conduct, high impact and high contact - equating to 425 points or a four match ban but this drops to 318.75 points and a three match ban because of Milburn's previous clean record.

That means he is risking a three match suspension if he challenges the case and loses but will cop just 239.06 points and a two match ban if he accepts the charge.

In other tribunal news, Port Adelaide's Jacob Surjan was cleared over his tackle on St Kilda veteran Robert Harvey after the panel ruled there was only "one action" in the tackle - meaning Surjan did not throw his pinned opponent to the ground.

The panel also said Harvey was still in possession of the ball when thrown to the ground in the tackle.

Fremantle's Jeff Farmer faces a one-match suspension for striking West Coast's Mark Nicoski while Adelaide's Ivan Maric and Carlton's Simon Wiggins were fined $900 for wrestling each other.


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Kerr's season over

August 4th 2008 07:52
DANIEL Kerr has played his last game for the season with the star West Coast midfielder requiring knee surgery.

Kerr has damage to the cartilage behind the knee right knee cap, a similar injury to that which prematurely ended the season of defender Brett Jones a couple of weeks ago.

The 25-year-old had hoped that a suspension-enforced lay-off would enable him to play out the season, but he was unable to cope with the training load in the last three weeks and will have surgery this week.


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


Port preparing to cull

August 4th 2008 07:42
PORT ADELAIDE will 'weed through' its unwanted players in a list management meeting on Tuesday.

The overhaul will allow Port to become a prime mover in the national draft and secure uncontracted players from other clubs looking for new homes.

Port Adelaide coach Mark Wlliams said time was running out for some players to prove their worth.

“It won’t be on just hearsay, we’ll watch a lot of tape on the players that have played over the year and try and weed through, which ones [will stay and go].

“There aren’t too many players that have put a huge cross against their name in the last few weeks.

“They are either maintaining [their standing], or, treading water if you like, or, they are just bobbing up a little bit higher. We still look forward to them proving themselves one way or another.”

"We still look forward to them proving it one way or the other."
Williams forecasted significant changes to the club's list.

"Right at the start of the year, I knew how many were out of contract and how many were borderline. It could be between three that you have to and 10 you can pick and choose from which is a quarter of the list if you like," he said.

Williams also revealed there was interest from uncontracted players keen to head to Port.

"I can guarantee that players individually ring me up so that's a nice thing, talking about their futures and what they see in the future of Port Adelaide," he said.

"Our recruiting people are not only being certain on the lower draft picks but they are also concerned and concentrating on who might come through as an uncontracted player as well."

"We've got lots of flexibility with the cap and we look forward to the best player available coming here and making an impact straight away."

Meanwhile Williams said the successful debuts of Mitch Farmer and Nick Salter didn't necessarily pave the way for other young players to get a game in the coming weeks.

Williams said he was still focused on winning games on football and that players would only be selected if they deserved the opportunity.

"We are certainly not going to restrict who we play and who we don't play but we want to make sure we just don't load up with a whole lot of young blokes that can't be very, very competitive like they were yesterday," he said.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Port Adelaide Power
   


Next season could be McLeod's last

August 4th 2008 06:28
ADELAIDE veteran Andrew McLeod has indicated that he may not play beyond season 2009.

The dual Norm Smith medallist said he's not looking too far into the future.

"I've got another year on my contract so we'll see what happens there but at the moment I wouldn't say I'm content, but I'm sort of happy if I get through that," he said.

"There's always a burning ambition to play another premiership that's why you play football but it's certainly not eating away at me."

"It's something that you aspire to and you'd love to win as many as you can but the reality is it doesn't (always) happen."

McLeod will become just the second indigenous player to reach the 300-game mark when Adelaide faces Richmond at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

The 32-year-old said he was excited about equalling the record held by Essendon and Port Adelaide premiership player Gavin Wanganeen.

"I'm pretty pumped about being able to reach the milestone alongside Gav because he's obviously someone I looked up to and someone I marvelled at over my career," he said.

"Hopefully that'll go and inspire other players to be able to do it or it might inspire some young indigenous boy in the sticks that wants to play AFL footy and be like Gavin Wanganeen and Andrew McLeod and play 300 games."

"Hopefully someone can go on and beat it but it's there and I'm pretty proud that my name is going to be next to Gavin Wanganeen's."

McLeod said he hadn't thought too much about his personal milestone with the Crows still a chance to secure a top-four berth after back-to-back victories.

"Couple of weeks ago it was all doom and gloom but it's nice to be back in the winner circle," he said.

"We've given ourselves a chance now, we are back amongst it and the beauty of it is we hold the cards to our own destiny as a footy club this year and that's how you want to be."

"You don't want to be relying on other teams to do things for you.”

Meanwhile McLeod said he planned on getting away from football once his career is over.

"I don't think I've got the coaching bug, I don't think it's in me. I enjoy working with the indigenous communities and I'm doing some study at the moment so hopefully I've got a few areas where I'm covered," he said.




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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


We are not chokers: Matthews

August 4th 2008 06:15
BRISBANE does not deserve to be labelled as 'chokers' according to coach Leigh Matthews.

For the third time in just five matches, the Lions were beaten on Saturday night after leading late in the final quarter and since Matthews became coach in 1999, Brisbane has been involved in 29 matches that have been decided by eight points or less and have won just four of them.

However Matthews said on Monday it was unfair to label his team as "chokers".

"That is going too far, it's just going too far," Matthews said.

But Matthews admitted that he understood why his side was given the label.

"The definition of that (choking) is when you are a winning position and you don't win so for a couple of weeks we have given people ammunition to make those comments."

Travis Johnstone had a chance to bury the the Kangaroos in the dying minutes but he made a critical error.

Running towards goal, Johnstone elected not to handball off to an unmarked Bradshaw in the goal square, and instead sprayed his shot wide.

North Melbourne rebounded and Lachlan Hansen slotted home a goal less than a minute later to give his side the lead, which they never relinquished

But Matthews said it was unfair to blame the former Demon for eight-point loss.

"We kicked 3.11 in the second half and if we had kicked 6.5 then we win the game and that is the biggest reason why the Roos (who kicked 7.5 after half-time) won and we didn't."

"The last two weeks we have kicked inaccurately and conversion accuracy is one of football's great skills - getting the ball in the first place is difficult but converting is the cream on the cake and winning and losing comes from that."


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Ball to miss up to three weeks

August 4th 2008 05:41
ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball is set to miss up to three weeks with a strained hamstring.

Ball injured his left leg when he threw himself at a marking contest in the last quarter of Sunday's eight-point win over Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome.

The 24-year-old collided with teammate Justin Koschitzke and needed assistance leaving the field.

St Kilda initially said Ball had suffered a corked thigh but scans today revealed he had strained his hamstring.

"Immediately after yesterday's game the club wasn't able to confirm the extent of Luke's injury due to the unusual nature of its occurrence," the Saints said in a statement.

"Scans this morning revealed that Luke has strained his left hamstring. The strain is to the belly of the muscle, not the tendon."

The loss of Ball is a major blow for the Saints who face fellow top-eight contenders Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night in what is a must-win clash for both sides with the loser to drop out of the eight if Brisbane defeats Hawthorn in Tasmania.

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Shaw escapes suspension

August 4th 2008 04:39
COLLINGWOOD defender Heath Shaw will play in Saturday night's crucial clash against fellow top-eight contenders St Kilda at the MCG after the club opted not to suspend him for being charged with drink driving.

Shaw was charged after making contact with a stationary vehicle in the Melbourne suburb of Kew on Sunday night.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said Shaw would be fined $10,000.

"The easiest thing in the world for our club [to do] is to send him down to play in the VFL reserves and he gets off the hook," he said.

"What we want him to do now is start his rehabilitation.

"People can say it is just being selfish because we are playing, we are about to play in a finals game, and it's a big game against St Kilda.

"Well, our supporters deserve these professional people to do their job properly."

McGuire also said Shaw's behaviour would not be tolerated at the club.

"The Collingwood Football club is not only embarrassed by the situation, we are absolutely furious," he said.

"There is no excuse, we're sick and tired of of this sort of behaviour from players.

"[Coach] Mick Malthouse gets belted week in, week out as the coach, and it's time that these guys grew up, and took responsibility for their actions."

Shaw said he had been drinking with his brother Rhyce and Alan Didak at a Kew hotel, but said while Didak was briefly at the scene to offer support, he was not in the car at the time of the crash.

The 22-year-old also admitted that he had let a lot of people down.

"I've let a lot of people down, and not only myself, the club and all the supporters," he said.

"It's sort of something that you don't want to wish upon anyone. And [to] find myself this situation is pretty embarassing."

Collingwood captain Scott Burns said the leadership group wanted Shaw to feel the full force of the media spotlight this week.

"We're not happy at all with Heater (Shaw)," said a clearly angry Burns.

"We want to make sure he's put up here, we're going to put him up Wednesday and the normal mid-week one (media conference), and he's definitely going to play on Saturday night.

"We want him to be in the papers the next two or three days, on talkback radio.

"He's going to be under the pump and he's got to respond. He's let us down. I'm not happy at all."



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Glass to finish season: Worsfold

August 4th 2008 04:16
WEST COAST skipper Darren Glass will play out the rest of the season despite struggling with injury, according to coach John Worsfold.

"At this stage he'll play the season out, unless he believes he can't contribute," Worsfold said.

"It's going to mean that at times our young defenders are going to take up some big jobs to help him out.

"He is still our best defender and he is very keen as the leader to support the team through a tough year, and he's fit enough to do it at the moment."


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Shaw 'stupid', says Demetriou

August 4th 2008 02:03
HEATH Shaw has been labelled 'stupid' by AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou after the Collingwood defender was charged with drink driving on Sunday night.

The 22-year-old was charged after making contact with a stationary vehicle in the Melbourne suburb of Kew.

Collingwood has scheduled a press conference for 2pm on Monday.

Speaking at the MCG on Monday morning, Demetriou said Shaw should know better than to drink and drive.

"Anybody in society, it doesn't matter if it is Heath Shaw, anybody who continues to drink and drive is stupid," Demetriou said.

"There's millions and millions of dollars being spent on public awareness to educate people about drink driving," he added.

"And there are still people on weekends and weeknights who are still getting caught drink driving."

"What's disappointing about all that is that it not only puts themselves at risk, it puts others at risk."

"The message should be there loud and clear for anybody, any individual ... don't drink and drive, it's just not on."

"It's disappointing for the Collingwood Football Club, it's disappointing for Heath Shaw given he is a senior player at the club."

Demetriou also said the AFL would not step in and punish Shaw.



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Shaw charged with drink driving

August 4th 2008 01:06
COLLINGWOOD defender Heath Shaw has been charged with drink driving following a car crash on Sunday night.

The club said Shaw was in "a minor car accident" but did not say where or what time the incident took place.

The 22-year-old hit a stationary car but was uninjured.


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Williams injured

August 4th 2008 00:43
WESTERN BULLDOGS defender Tom Williams has suffered another setback in his bid to break back into the senior side.

Williams suffered a quadriceps strain while playing for VFL side Williamstown on Saturday.

It was Williams' first game back from a serious shoulder injury after the Bulldogs decided to take a cautious approach by easing him through the VFL.

Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the 21-year-old would have scans today and could miss another two weeks.

"The poor kid, he's been copping it every single time," Fantasia said.

"I feel sorry for him because it's just doing his head in, I think. We've got a glimmer of hope that we can still resurrect some part of his finals campaign, but we'll just have to wait and see."



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Blues hopeful on Betts

August 4th 2008 00:32
CARLTON remains hopeful that small forward Eddie Betts will be able to play in Saturday night's must-win clash against Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome.

Betts left the field in the second quarter of the Blues' eight-point loss to Adelaide at AAMI Stadium last Saturday after straining a hamstring and did not return.

Blues football operations manager Steven Icke said Betts would have scans today to determine the extent of the injury.

"We don't think it's much, but we'll get a scan done and assess it from there," Icke said.





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Freo farewells McManus with win

August 3rd 2008 10:00
FREMANTLE has sent off retiring veteran Shaun McManus in style with a 33-point win over West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

The Dockers were challenged briefly in the second half but had all the answers, eventually prevailing 17.14 (116) to 12. 11 (83).

The victory was Fremantle's third in a row and sees them move to 13th place on the AFL ladder.

Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich won the Ross Glendinning Medal for his 22 possessions and four goals. Luke McPharlin was equally damaging up forward with five majors while Byron Schammer, Josh Carr and McManus were busy contributors in the middle, racking up 20-plus possessions.

For West Coast, Mark LeCras was lively across half-forward with four goals while ruckman Dean Cox and Steven Armstrong tried hard all day, racking up 25 and 24 possessions respectively.

The Eagles started brightly, booting three goals in as many minutes to skip out to an 11-point lead at the eight-minute mark.

But from thereonin the Dockers dominated, piling on eight goals in 19 minutes with McPharlin and Pavlich booting three for the term to give Fremantle a commanding 31-point lead at quarter-time.

Fremantle's 9.2 (55) quarter-time score was their best-ever first term score against the Eagles.

The Dockers applied immense pressure all over the ground in the first half and punished the Eagles for their poor use of the football, booting four goals to two in the second term to extend their lead to 41 points at the main break.

West Coast lifted their intensity in the second half and hit back with two goals from LeCras and a major from Ben McKinley to close to within 25 points.

But Fremantle lifted and added four goals, including two from Kepler Bradley to take a match-winning 45-point lead into the final change.

The sting was well and truly out of the conest in the last quarter, with West Coast booting the only two goals of the final stanza to add some respectability to the scoreboard.


FREMANTLE: 9.2, 13.5, 17.10, 17.14 (116)
WEST COAST: 4.1, 6.6, 10.7, 12.11 (83)
GOALS: Fremantle: McPharlin 5, Pavlich 4, Bradley 2, Mundy 2, Carr 2, Farmer, Mark Johnson
West Coast: LeCras 4, Hansen 2, McKinley 2, Wirrpanda, Lynch, Seaby, S. Selwood
BEST: Fremantle: Pavlich, McPharlin, Schammer, Mundy, Carr, Sandilands, Palmer
West Coast: LeCras, Armstrong, Cox, Hansen
INJURIES: Fremantle: Nil
West Coast: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Josh Head (Fremantle) replaced by Ryan Murphy. Roger Hayden (Fremantle) replaced by Kepler Bradley
UMPIRES: Donlon, Hendrie, Ryan
CROWD: 42,096 at Subiaco Oval



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Saints in the eight

August 3rd 2008 07:36
ST KILDA has moved back into the top eight with a hard-fought eight-point win over an undermanned Port Adelaide side at Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.

The Saints trailed by more than two goals heading into the final change but lifted in the last quarter to prevail 14.17 (101) to 14.9 (930.

The win was soured somewhat for St Kilda with Luke Ball coming off the ground in the dying minutes after hurting his leg in a marking contest.

Jason Gram was St Kilda's best with a game-high 34 possessions and two goals. Leigh Montagna was a busy contributor in the middle with 28 disposals, Sean Dempster restricted Port star Shaun Burgoyne to just 14 possessions while skipper Nick Riewoldt chimed in with three goals.

Kane Cornes and Travis Boak tried hard all day for Port, racking up 30 and 28 disposals respectively. Justin Westhoff kicked three goals while Nick Salter chimed in with two goals on debut.

Despite missing skipper Warren Tredrea, Chad Cornes, Peter Burgoyne and Steven Salopek the Power were the better side in a close first half and skipped out to a 21-point lead at the 10-minute mark of the third term on the back of three majors from Westhoff.

A Tom Logan poster late in the third term proved to be costly with James Gwilt kicking his kicking his second a minute later to get the Saints to within striking distance heading into the final change, with the Power holding a 13-point advantage.

The Saints came out firing in the final term, slamming on four of the first five goals to skip out to a 13-point lead.

A major from Burgoyne reduced the deficit to just seven points with two and a half minutes left on the clock but the Saints held firm in the dying stages to record a crucial win.

The Saints will now face eighth-placed Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night in what will be a must-win clash for both sides.

ST KILDA: 4.1, 7.5, 9.10, 14.17 (101)
PORT ADELAIDE: 4.1, 8.3, 12.5, 14.9 (93)
GOALS: St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Fiora 2, Gwilt 2, Gram 2, Harvey, Milne, Ball, Schneider, Koschitzke
Port: Westhoff 3, Motlop 2, Salter 2, Surjan, Rodan, Brogan, Bentley, Ebert, Boak, S Burgoyne
BEST: St Kilda: Gram, Goddard, Montagna, Dal Santo, Dempster, Fiora, Riewoldt, Ball
Port: Boak, Cassisi, Thurstans, K Cornes, Carlile, Stewart, Rodan, Westhoff
INJURIES: St Kilda: Ball (leg)
Port: Nil
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Head, Keating
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 22,878 at Telstra Dome




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Dogs too good for Swans

August 3rd 2008 06:34
THE Western Bulldogs have snapped a two-game losing streak with a 16-point win over Sydney at Manuka Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Dogs' 17. 11 (113) to 14.13 (97) victory sees them reclaim second place on the AFL ladder while Sydney hold onto fourth spot by just percentage.

The Swans went missing after an impressive start, scoring just one goal from the six-minute of the opening quarter to the 17-minute mark of the third.

Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson and Scott Welsh were damaging up forward, combining for nine goals while Daniel Cross was a busy contributor in the middle with a team-high 23 disposals.

For Sydney, Jarrad McVeigh collected 26 posssessions and booted six goals in a best-on-ground performance. Patrick Veszpremi was lively on debut with 17 dipsosals and 1.4 while Barry Hall chimed in with three goals.

The Swans came out firing in the first term, slamming on four goals in less than four minutes with McVeigh booting two to help his side to an early 24-point lead.

In those opening moments the Dogs barely touched the ball but they slowly started to work their way back into the contest, winning more of the contested ball as they slammed on three of the last four goals of the term to close to within 13 points at quarter-time.

The Bulldogs broke the game open in a dominant second term, booting eight goals with Johnson and Welsh kicking two and three respectively to give the Dogs a commanding 28-point lead at the main break.

Sydney fought their way back into the contest in the third term and reduced the deficit to just 20 points heading into the final change.

They should have been closer to the Dogs at three-quarter time but they failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 3.5, including four straight behinds to start the term.

The Swans booted five goals in the final stanza but never seriously threatened the Dogs who booted four of their own to cruise to their 14th win of the season.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.2, 11.4, 13.7, 17.11 (113)
SYDNEY: 5.3, 6.6, 9.11, 14.13 (97)
GOALS: Western Bulldogs: Welsh 5, Johnson 4, Boyd, Cooney, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Hahn, Harbrow, Hargrave, Hill
Sydney: McVeigh 6,Hall 3, J. Bolton, Brennan, Jack, Richards, Veszpremi
BEST: Western Bulldogs: Welsh, Johnson, Cross, Murphy, Gilbee
Sydney: McVeigh, O'Keefe, Veszpremi, Crouch, Kennelly
INJURIES: Western Bulldogs: Nil
Sydney: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Moore (Sydney) replaced in selected side by White
UMPIRES: McBurney, Nicholls, Chamberlain
CROWD: TBC at Manuka Oval





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Win extra special: Thompson

August 3rd 2008 00:42
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson said his side's 63-point win over Richmond at Telstra Dome on Saturday night was extra special because it was Matthew Scarlett's 200th game.

Thompson said he used the milestone as extra motivation before the match.

"I did mention it (the milestone)," Thompson said.

"I told the team that they probably should put every effort into winning this game for this man because he has been such an important person for the club."

"He's an on-field role model and he's just been amazing; a little bit of who we are is because of people like him."

Thompson said Scarlett had 'changed the face of back line play'.

"I'm biased because I've coached him and seen him play and seen him develop and I've seen him take full-back into a new era," Thompson said.

"I've never seen a defender play such an attacking role and have attacking influences on a game of footy while he's playing on the best player from the opposition who kicks the most goals. I said openly this week that I think he's changed the face of back line play; he's an outstanding player."

The Cats look set to be without hard-running defender David Wojcinski and forward Paul Chapman for another week while star midfielder Gary Ablett Jnr is likely to return for Geelong's clash against Melbourne at the MCG on Friday night.

Thompson said Ablett wanted to play against the Tigers but the club opted not to risk the classy 24-year-old.

"We were pretty open this week, he did train on Wednesday night and he was fine doing a lot of things," Thompson said.

"He was a little bit sore changing direction so we decided together that he wouldn't play."

"This morning (Saturday) he did everything at training so we'd expect that he'd play next week."



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Moran was the difference, says Ratten

August 3rd 2008 00:22
ADELAIDE forward Brad Moran and Carlton's poor use of the football were the key factors in the Blues' eight-point loss to the Crows at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon, according to Carlton coach Brett Ratten.

Moran stepped up in the absence of Jason Porplyzia who was knocked out in the second quarter, booting four goals; including three majors in the third term.

Ratten said the former Kangaroo proved to be the difference between the two sides.

"I thought Moran really changed the game for them being that target up forward. I thought he presented well," Ratten said.

"To his credit he made the most of his opportunities. He did change the momentum of the game for Adelaide."

Carlton had its chances to win the game but they were hurt by their poor use of the football -they notched up 72 ineffective kicks.

"To be as close as were, it's not a bad effort considering (their clanger count). But you can't win games of AFL footy kicking the football like we did today," he said.

"I think we over-finessed the footy. I thought we turned the ball over when we were in control and they sweated on our mistakes."

"It's probably the most frustrated I've been all season on performance. I thought we had enough of the ball to hurt Adelaide and we gave it back and paid the price."


Meanwhile Ratten is hopeful first-year player Steven Browne won't be penalized for his second quarter hit on Porplyzia.

Ratten said he didn't think there was much in the incident.

"The players were trying to pick up players and they virtually collided and the player went down," he said.

"I think it was accidental contact and players were just trying to find players so I didn't think there was much in it but hopefully the boy is alright."


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We're still on track: Wallace

August 3rd 2008 00:17
RICHMOND is heading in the right direction despite their ten-goal loss to Geelong at Telstra Dome on Saturday night, according to coach Terry Wallace.

The Tigers challeneged the Cats early but Geelong's class came to the fore as the match wore on, eventually thumping Richmond by 63 points.

Despite the loss Wallace remained confident that his side was improving.

"I still think that we are going in the right direction," Wallace said.

"Geelong has been a much better side than us over my period of coaching, but I think Geelong would be saying that they are getting more competitive games of footy against Richmond now than what we have had in the past."

"We have still got some things to clean up if we want to be the best and we know that and we understand that."

Richmond now finds itself half a game outside the eight and faces a relatively tough run home with matches against Adelaide, Hawthorn, Fremantle and Melbourne in the final four rounds.

Having played out a draw against the Western Bulldogs earlier in the season, Wallace knows that percentage will not come into the equation for the Tigers if they are to sneak into the finals.

"Percentage is no issue for us. If we lose to Geelong by two goals or ten goals, obviously we want to get as close to them as we can, but its going to make no difference to our outcomes at all," Wallace said.

"Winning and losing is going to make the difference to our outcomes and we have just got to put our best foot forward over the next couple of weeks."

"Its what you do in the three or four weeks after you play Geelong whether it puts you into your shell or whether you're prepared to get back on it and play your footy. We were five out of six leading into this game and now we are five out of seven and that is still pretty reasonable form for this time of year."


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Roos down Lions

August 2nd 2008 13:08
NORTH MELBOURNE has kept its top-four hopes alive with a hard-fought eight-point win over Brisbane at Gold Coast Stadium on Saturday night.

The Roos got the early jump and fought their way back into the contest after Brisbane took control in the second term before booting the last three goals of the match through Sam Power, Lachlan Hansen and Scott McMahon to prevail 13.14 (92) to 11.18 (84).

The Kangaroos now trail fourth-placed Sydney by percentage while the Lions will fall out of the eight if St Kilda defeat Port Adelaide tomorrow. Brisbane faces a tough run home with matches against Hawthorn, the Western Bulldogs, Carlton and Sydney in the last four rounds.

Daniel Wells stepped up in the absence of North Melbourne skipper Adam Simpson, racking up a team-high 31 possessions. He received good support from Daniel Harris, Brady Rawlings and promising youngster Gavin Urquhart, who all racked up 20-plus disposals while David Hale booted three goals.

Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw were the only Brisbane forwards that had an impact, booting five goals apiece while third-gamer Brad Dalziell and Michael Rischitelli were busy contributors in the middle with 34 and 30 possessions respectively.

The Kangaroos dominated most of the first term, kicking five of the first six goals of the contest to skip out to a 28-point lead.

Brisbane hit back through Bradshaw at the 24-minute mark before a late goal from Anthony Corrie kept the Lions within striking distance, with the Roos holding a 15-point lead at the first change.

North kicked the first goal after quarter-time through Leigh Brown but the rest of the term belonged to Brisbane.

Jonathan Brown stamped his authority on the contest, booting four goals for the quarter with his fourth major giving the Lions the lead for the first time in the match before Bradshaw slotted home his third to give Brisbane a ten-point advantage at half-time.

The Roos came out firing in the third term, slamming on the first four goals of the quarter to open up an 11-point lead.

But Brown's fifth and Bradshaw's fourth ensured the Lions would go into the final change with their noses in front, holding a three-point advantage.

The Lions got the crucial first goal of the final stanza through Bradshaw but the Roos hit back through Power to close to within three points at the 19-minute mark.

Travis Johnstone had a chance to bury the the Kangaroos in the dying minutes but he made a critical error.

Running towards goal, Johnstone elected not to handball off to an unmarked Bradshaw in the goal square, and instead sprayed his shot wide.

North Melbourne rebounded and Hansen slotted home a goal less than a minute later to give his side the lead, which they never relinquished.

NORTH MELBOURNE: 5.6, 6.9, 10.10, 13.14 (92)
BRISBANE LIONS: 3.3, 8.7, 10.13, 11.18 (84)
GOALS: North Melbourne: Hale 3, Campbell 2, Brown 2, Hansen 2, Pratt, Gibson, Power, McMahon.
Brisbane: Bradshaw 5, Brown 5, Corrie.
BEST: North Melbourne: Wells, Petrie, Urquhart, Harris, Hansen, Rawlings.
Brisbane: Rischitelli, Dalziell, Brown, Bradshaw, Brennan, Proud.
INJURIES: North Melbourne: Pratt (shoulder)
Brisbane: Clark (quad)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Simpson (NM) replaced by Sinclair
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Schmitt, Armstrong.
CROWD: 10,037 at Gold Coast Stadium, Carrara.


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Cats crush Tigers

August 2nd 2008 12:16
GEELONG has dealt a major blow to Richmond's finals hopes with a 63-point win at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The Cats' superior use of the football proved to be the difference as they cruised to a convincing 20.14 (134) to 10.11 (71) victory.

The Tigers are still just half a game outside the eight but face a tough run home with matches against Adelaide in Adelaide and Hawthorn in the next fortnight.

James Bartel did his Brownlow medal chances no harm with a game-high 32 possessions and two goals. He received good support from Joel Selwood and Joel Corey, who racked up 30-plus disposals.

The Cats had 12 individual goalkickers with Tom Lonergan and Ryan Gamble the most effective with three each while Cameron Ling did a superb blanketing job on Nathan Foley, restricting the Richmond midfielder to just 17 possessions.

For Richmond, Shane Tuck (31 possessions) and Brett Deledio (25 disposals) tried hard all night while veteran Matthew Richardson chimed in with three majors.

The Tigers started brightly, kicking the first two goals of the contest through Mitch Morton and Jack Riewoldt.

The Cats struggled to cope with Richmond's relentless pressure in the opening stanza and had to wait until the 21-minute mark for their first major before Lonergan kicked truly on the siren to give Geelong a four-point lead at quarter-time.

Geelong banged on the first three goals of the second term, including two in two minutes to Mathew Stokes to skip out to a handy lead.

Matt White kicked Richmond's first of the term at the 12-minute mark before Joel Bowden slotted one home to reduce the deficit to just 11 points.

Richmond had their chances to edge closer but they failed to capitalise in front of goal.

Bartel made the Tigers pay for their wastefulness in front of goal with two majors to give his side a 26-point lead at the main break.

Geelong put the result beyond doubt in a dominant third term, slamming on seven goals to two to take a match-winning 58-point lead into the final change.

Richmond fought the game out well, cutting the margin to 39 points before the Cats piled on the last four majors of the match.

GEELONG: 2.6, 8.8, 15.13, 20.14 (134)
RICHMOND: 2.2, 4.6, 6.9, 10.11 (71)
GOALS: GEELONG: Lonergan 3, Gamble 3, Stokes 2, Bartel 2, Mackie 2, Mooney 2, Kelly, Ling, Rooke, Johnson, Milburn, Selwood
RICHMOND: Richardson 3, Bowden 2, White 2, Schulz, Morton, Riewoldt
BEST: GEELONG: Selwood, Corey, Bartel, Ling, Stokes, Rooke
RICHMOND: Tuck, Deledio, Newman, McGuane, Edwards, Richardson
INJURIES: GEELONG: TBC
RICHMOND: Edwards (concussion)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Brown replaced in Richmond's selected side by King
UMPIRES: Stevic, Stewart, Wenn
CROWD: 42,238 at the Telstra Dome



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Crows hold off Blues

August 2nd 2008 08:30
ADELAIDE has kept its top-four hopes alive with a thrilling eight-point win over Carlton at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Crows blew the game open in the third term before withstanding a last-quarter surge from the Blues to record a gutsy 13.16 (94) to 12.14 (86) victory.

Adelaide is now just half a game behind fourth-placed Sydney with four rounds remaining.

The win was soured somewhat for the Crows with classy forward Jason Porplyzia stretchered off the ground after being felled by a Steven Browne bump in the second term. He took no further part in the match.

Nathan van Berlo was Adelaide's best with a game-high 40 possessions. Robert Shirley did a superb blanketing job on Carlton skipper Chris Judd, restricting the 2004 Brownlow medallist to just 15 possessions while Brad Moran chimed in with four majors.

For Carlton, Andrew Carrazzo and Nick Stevens worked hard all day, racking up 30-plus possessions while the newly signed Brendon Fevola booted five goals.

The Blues made the most of their opportunities in front of goal in an even opening term, kicking the first two goals of the match through Heath Scotland and Brad Fisher before two majors in three minutes from Fevola gave Carlton a 15-point lead at quarter-time.

Carlton kicked the first goal of the second term through Fevola before the Crows were sparked into action after Porplyzia was hurt in an off-the-ball clash at the 14-minute mark.

Adelaide responded with the next three goals through Ivan Maric, Nick Gill and Moran to hit the front for the first time in the match before a 50m goal from Simon Wiggins gave the Blues a one-point advantage at the main break.

The Blues kicked the first goal of the third term but the rest of the quarter belonged to the Crows.

They dominated at the stoppages, moved the football quickly through the middle and won the inside 50 count 18-8 as they slammed on six goals to two to take a handy 24-point lead into the final change.

Adelaide looked set to record their tenth win of the season when Tyson Edwards kicked truly to extend the Crows' lead to 32 points.

But the Blues lifted and hit back with three goals in three minutes to reduce the deficit to just 14 points.

Carlton then dominated the remainder of the game but failed to capitalise in front of goal, finishing the match with six straight behinds.

ADELAIDE: 1.7, 6.11, 12.14, 13.16 (94)
CARLTON: 4.4, 7.6, 9.8, 12.14 (86)
GOALS: ADELAIDE: Moran 4, Shirley 2, Maric 2, Edwards 2, Porplyzia, MacKay, Gill
CARLTON: Fevola 5, Scotland, Fisher, Wiggins, Cloke, Walker, Simpson, Stevens,
BEST: ADELAIDE: van Berlo, Shirley, Moran, Massie, Doughty, Edwards, Thompson, Maric
CARLTON: Stevens, Carrazzo, Scotland, Murphy, Walker, Gibbs
INJURIES: ADELAIDE: Porplyzia (concussion)
CARLTON: Betts (hamstring)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Ryan, Meredith, McInerney
CROWD: 40,730 at AAMI Stadium


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Bombers stay alive

August 2nd 2008 07:33
ESSENDON has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a hard-fought 16-point win over a gallant Melbourne side at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Bombers' 19.10 (124) to 17.6 (108) victory is their sixth win in their past seven matches and means they are just one game and percentage outside the top eight with four rounds remaining.

Essendon skipper Matthew Lloyd starred with eight goals and a contender for mark-of-the-year in the third term.

Lloyd's third goal pushed him past Collingwood great Peter McKenna into eighth spot on the all-time goal-kicking list.

Damien Peverill (30 disposals) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (28 possessions) were busy contributors in the middle while Angus Monfries chimed in with three majors.

For Melbourne, impressive youngster Cale Morton showed he is a star of the future with 26 disposals and three goals while Cameron Bruce (28 possessions) tried hard all day.

The Bombers started brightly with Lloyd kicking the first two goals of the match after just four minutes.

But the Demons refused to be blown away in the first term and lifted their workrate, applying immense pressure all over the ground.

Melbourne was rewarded for their hard work with Adam Maric kicking his first goal in AFL football before a goal on the run from Clint Bartram reduced the deficit to just five points at quarter-time.

The Demons hit the front at the nine-minute mark of the second term when promising youngster Simon Buckley kicked a running goal, but the Bombers responded with five of the next seven to take a handy 15-point lead into the main break.

Melbourne started to get on top at the stoppages in the third term and kicked four of the first five goals of the quarter, with Colin Sylvia's third major giving the Demons a two-point lead at the 15-minute mark.

The Bombers hit back with goals from Monfries, Kyle Reimers and Lloyd to take a 19-point lead into the final change.

Melbourne closed to within nine points in the final term thanks to two majors from Morton but the Bombers had all the answers with goals from Leroy Jetta and Lloyd sealing Essendon's eighth win of the season.

ESSENDON: 3.1, 9.6, 14.8, 19.10 (124)
MELBOURNE: 2.2, 7.3, 11.5, 17.6 (108)
GOALS: Essendon: Lloyd 8, Monfries 3, Lovett 2, McPhee 2, Atkinson, Reimers, Slattery, Jetta
Melbourne: Sylvia 3, Morton 3, Bate 2, Maric 2, Bartram, Buckley, Davey, P Johnson, Wonaeamirri, Green, Jamar
BEST: Essendon: Lloyd, Lovett-Murray, McPhee, Lovett, Peverill, Monfries, Fletcher
Melbourne: Morton, Bruce, Sylvia, McDonald, Buckley, Bate
INJURIES: Essendon: TBC
Melbourne: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Sully, Fila
CROWD: 46,334 at the MCG




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Demons re-sign six

August 2nd 2008 01:28
MELBOURNE has strengthened its on-field future with the re-signing of six promising youngsters.

James Frawley, 19, Colin Garland, Nathan Jones and Ricky Petterd, all 20, and Matthew Bate and Michael Newton, both 21, have all signed two-year deals.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said the six players are a key part of the club's future.

"We've got a really good group of players around that age that we think are going to be the future of the club, and given some experience and opportunity they've all shown pieces of play that suggest there's a really good future," Bailey said.

"Bate and Jones came third and second respectively in the best-and-fairest last year. Col Garland has got a rising star this year, Newton took an outstanding mark last year as a forward, you've got Petterd who was almost revived at a game and might become a midfielder down the track and James Frawley has shown some class down back."

Meanwhile, Bailey said the future of veteran ruckman Jeff White, who hasn't been able to get back into the side since being dropped before round 14 was yet to be determined.

"We'll sit down with Jeff in the coming weeks and work out where his situation is from the club's point of view," he said.

"But Jeff White has been a professional player and an outstanding footballer in the AFL for a long period of time."

Bailey refused to guarantee that White would play again this season.

"It depends on his form. We've made the stance during the year that form's really important, particularly when we haven't had too many wins, so we'll stick with that recipe."


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No easy solution, says Malthouse

August 2nd 2008 00:44
COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says there is no easy solution to his side's current woes following the Pies' 54-point loss to Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday night.

The Magpies have now lost five of their past seven and could find themselves as low as 10th by the end of the round if results go against them.

"There's no easy solution. When you're nine and nine (wins and losses) and we haven't won a game in three weeks, there's no easy solution," Malthouse said.

"We are constantly, like every other side from probably fourth to 12th or 13th, we're all under pressure because very game is so important."

"The top sides can generally hold their own but we are clearly one of the middle-ranked sides and you fluctuate accordingly when you do that."

The Magpies were made to look slow by the Hawks for most of the night but Malthouse said a lack of pace wasn't their problem.

"I would say, yes we lack confidence and yes when you chase all day you do look slow," Malthouse said.

"That's the way it is. But when you move the ball correctly or in a positive manner with confidence you don't look slow."

The Magpies face fellow top-eight contenders St Kilda at the MCG next Saturday night in what is a must-win match and Malthouse said it was important for his players to continue to believe in themselves.

"It'll turn so long as the players believe. That's why every week you go in with some confidence because you just know at some stage and you keep at it and keep at it, the good people that are good players will turn it around at some stage," he said.

"And that's what you look for, as a coach, a support group, the supporters, that's what you demand and try to achieve."



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Franklin can break record: Malthouse

August 2nd 2008 00:31
HAWTHORN star Lance Franklin will one day break Fred Fanning's 18-goal record, according to Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse.

Franklin booted eight goals in Hawthorn's 54-point win over the Magpies at the MCG last night but he could have easily kicked well over double figures. He booted six behinds and sprayed another shot out on the full.

"I'm not going to be surprised one day that Franklin breaks that record, the number of goals kicked in one game. That will never surprise me," Malthouse said.

Franklin said he was focused on contributing to the team and didn't think about records.

"(It) doesn't really come into my head. If I'm kicking the goals and the points are still there and we're winning I've got no problem with it to be honest," he said.

Franklin said he had no intentions of change his action which involves him veering sharply to his left before kicking the ball.

"I've got my own natural kicking style, there's not point changing it is there?" he said.

"I've been doing my goal-kicking from the start of pre-season so I've just been sticking to what I've done. Nothing's really changed at all with my goal-kicking."

Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson refused to single out Franklin, claiming all 22 players did their job.

There's a lot of people out there who seem to be displeased with it (his goal-kicking) but we're pretty happy with the contribution that he makes," he said.

"Maybe there might be an opportunity for the media to focus on the guys that can't get the footy rather than the guys who can get the footy, then focus on the goal-kicking.

"From the way we look at it he is a very, very dangerous forward and what it's doing is opposition sides are starting to double-team him and that's going to create other opportunities for forwards in the side."

"It's significant for our club that we spread the workload and share the acknowledgment right across the side when we play well."




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Crawford, Croad to be monitored

August 2nd 2008 00:17
HAWTHORN will monitor the knees of veteran midfielder Shane Crawford and key defender Trent Croad before deciding whether they will be fit to take on Brisbane at Aurora Stadium in Launceston next Sunday.

Crawford, who played just his third game since round eight on Friday night finished with 16 disposals and remains a week-to-week proposition, according to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.

"He'll obviously recover from that game and we'll make a decision again on Monday," he said.

"If he recovers well he'll play again next week, if he doesn't he'll have a rest for a week and hopefully play the week after."

Croad hurt his knee in the third quarter but finished the game on the field.

"(He) twisted awkwardly and felt a bit uncomfortable with it," Clarkson said.

Meanwhile, Clarkson said he was pleased with how well his side started against a Collingwood side that was desperate to arrest its form slump.

The Hawks booted six goals to one in the opening quarter to set up their 14th win of the season.

"They would have been disappointed with their last couple weeks' form as we were ourselves," he said.

"We knew the start of the game would really set the pattern and trend for the day and to for us to get away to a good start was really pleasing."

The Hawks were briefly challenged in the third term but responded by booting nine of the last 11 goals of the game to run out 54-point winners.

"To respond the manner they did and run away with the win was really pleasing because we knew it would be a real tough contest," he said.

"Collingwood with their backs against the wall are probably the most dangerous side in the competition."

"To get a convincing victory like that was a real credit to how our guys carried out the game."


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Hawks dent Pies' finals hopes

August 1st 2008 12:41
HAWTHORN has dealt a major blow to Collingwood's finals hopes with a 54-point win at the MCG on Friday night.

The Hawks were challenged briefly in the second half but had all the answers, eventually prevailing 17.14 (116) to 8.14 (62).

The Magpies have now lost five of their past seven and are in danger of dropping out of the top eight at the end of the round.

Lance Franklin starred for Hawthorn with 21 possessions, 12 marks and 8.6. He received quality supply from a midfield that won plenty of the football with skipper Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis all racking up 30-plus disposals while Jarryd Roughead chimed in with four majors.

Scott Pendlebury tried hard all night for Collingwood, collecting 24 possessions and booting two goals while playmaker Heath Shaw returned to form with 25 disposals and two majors.

The Hawks smashed Collingwood in the middle in the first term, winning the clearances 13-3.

They ran hard and used the football cleanly by hand and foot as they slammed on six goals to take a commanding 31-point lead into quarter-time.

Collingwood stemmed the flow of goals in the second term, although they were helped by some poor kicking in front of goal by the Hawks, who booted a wayward 2.5 for the quarter.

But the Magpies failed to make any serious inroads on the scoreboard, booting an equally wasteful 2.6 to trail Hawthorn by 30 points at the main break.

The Pies lifted their intensity in the second half and started to get their hands on the football as they kicked three quick goals through John Anthony, Pendlebury and Shaw to close to within ten points.

It would prove to be as close as the Magpies would get with the Hawks slamming on the last four goals of the term to take a match-winning 34-point lead into the final change.

COLLINGWOOD: 1.2, 3.8, 6.13, 8.14 (62)
HAWTHORN: 6.3, 8.8, 12.11, 17.14 (116)
GOALS: Collingwood: Pendlebury 2, H. Shaw 2, Anthony, Davis, Didak, Medhurst
Hawthorn: Franklin 8,
Roughead 4, Bateman, Dew, Gilham, Sewell, Williams
BEST: Collingwood: Shaw, Swan, Pendlebury, O'Brien
Hawthorn: Franklin, Mitchell, Hodge, Bateman, Ellis, Guerra
INJURIES: Collingwood: TBC
Hawthorn: Croad (knee)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: James, McLaren, Jeffery
CROWD: 58,307 at the MCG




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Colbert rejects Eagles' offer

August 1st 2008 10:58
FORMER North Melbourne and Geelong player Leigh Colbert has rejected an offer to join West Coast in a coaching role in 2009.

Colbert is a reporter for Fox Sports and also holds a commercial pilot's license. It is believed his desire to focus on these careers was behind his decision to reject the offer from the Eagles.



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Season over for Docker duo

August 1st 2008 08:48
THE future of Fremantle veteran Heath Black and injury prone utility Luke Webster is in doubt.

Black had season-ending shoulder surgery done on Friday while Fremantle coach Mark Harvey revealed that Webster had suffered a set back in his recovery from a Nick Malceski-style knee reconstruction and would need further surgery done on his knee.






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Round eighteen teams

August 1st 2008 08:02
ROUND EIGHTEEN

All the teams for round eighteen of the 2008 AFL premiership season, with Sunday's updated teams.

COLLINGWOOD v HAWTHORN
Friday, 7.40pm AEST, MCG
COLLINGWOOD
B: Heath Shaw, Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Burns, Alan Toovey
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Alan Didak, Paul Medhurst, Shane O’Bree
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas
I/C: Ryan Lonie, Sharrod Wellingham, Chris Bryan, John Anthony
EMG: Danny Stanley, John McCarthy, Sam Iles

In: Fraser, Goldsack, Lonie, Toovey
Out: Ben Johnson, Cameron Wood, Rhyce Shaw (back), Shane Wakelin (rested)

HAWTHORN
B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra
HB:Thomas Murphy, Trent Croad, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Rick Ladson
HF: Shane Crawford, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman
F: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Robert Campbell, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell
I/C: Stuart Dew, Xavier Ellis, Simon Taylor, Cameron Stokes
EMG: Brent Renouf, Travis Tuck, Clinton Young

In: Crawford, Dew
Out: Michael Osborne (corked buttock), Travis Tuck

ESSENDON v MELBOURNE
Saturday, 2.10pm AEST, MCG
ESSENDON
B: Jay Nash, Mal Michael, Dustin Fletcher
HB: Adam McPhee, Patrick Ryder, Jarrod Atkinson
C: Ricky Dyson, Jobe Watson, Henry Slattery
HF: Angus Monfries, Matthew Lloyd, Sam Lonergan
F: Jason Laycock, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Leroy Jetta
Foll: David Hille, Andrew Welsh, Brent Stanton
I/C: Kyle Reimers, Andrew Lovett, Damien Peverill, Adam Ramanauskas
EMG: Heath Hocking, Cale Hooker, Rhys Magin
In: Lovett
Out: Scott Lucas (back)

MELBOURNE
B: Matthew Whelan, Colin Garland, Matthew Warnock
HB: Chris Johnson, Daniel Bell, Paul Wheatley
C: Cale Morton, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley
HF: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Aaron Davey
F: Paul Johnson, Colin Sylvia, Addam Maric
Foll: Mark Jamar, Clint Bartram, James McDonald
I/C: Lynden Dunn, Austin Wonaeamirri, Shane Valenti, Stefan Martin
EMG: Nathan Carroll, Nathan Jones, Jeff White

In: Green, Wheatley, Wonaeamirri
Out: Brad Miller (hamstring), Nathan Jones, Michael Newton

ADELAIDE v CARLTON
Saturday, 2.40 ACST, AAMI Stadium
ADELAIDE
B: Kris Massie, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Nathan van Berlo, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Brad Symes, Simon Goodwin, Chris Knights
HF: Andrew McLeod, Scott Stevens, Richard Douglas
F: Jason Porplyzia, Nick Gill, Bernie Vince
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Tyson Edwards
I/C: Brad Moran, Robert Shirley, David Mackay, Bryce Campbell
EMG: Kurt Tippett, Andy Otten, Jared Petrenko
In: Massie
Out: Kurt Tippett

CARLTON
B: Andrew Walker, Mark Austin, Michael Jamison
HB: Heath Scotland, Bret Thornton, Andrew Carrazzo
C: Simon Wiggins, Eddie Betts, Dennis Armfield
HF: Brad Fisher, Jarrad Waite, Bryce Gibbs
F: Marc Murphy, Brendan Fevola, Cameron Cloke
Foll: Matthew Kreuzer, Chris Judd, Nick Stevens
I/C: Steven Browne, Shaun Grigg, Jordan Russell, Kade Simpson
EMG: Shaun Hampson, Darren Pfeiffer, Jason Saddington
In: Armfield
Out: Adam Hartlett

GEELONG v RICHMOND
Saturday, 7.10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
GEELONG
B: Tom Harley, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Harry Taylor, Darren Milburn, Corey Enright
C: James Kelly, Max Rooke, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Ryan Gamble
F: Joel Selwood, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Foll: Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey
I/C: Josh Hunt, Mark Blake, Brent Prismall, Travis Varcoe
EMG: David Johnson, Shannon Byrnes, Simon Hogan

In: Ling, Milburn
Out: Paul Chapman (hamstring), David Johnson

RICHMOND
B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane
HB: Kelvin Moore, Joel Bowden, Jordan McMahon
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Matt White
HF: Trent Cotchin, Jay Schulz, Richard Tambling
F: Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt, Brett Deledio
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
I/C: Adam Pattison, Shane Edwards, Mitch Morton, Daniel Jackson
EMG: Daniel Connors, Jake King, Danny Meyer
No change

NORTH MELBOURNE v BRISBANE LIONS
Saturday, 7.10 AEST, Gold Coast Stadium
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Gavin Urquhart, Josh Gibson, Michael Firrito
HB: Shannon Watt, Drew Petrie, Sam Power
C: Daniel Pratt, Adam Simpson, Brady Rawlings
HF: Corey Jones, Lachlan Hansen, Brent Harvey
F: Matt Campbell, Leigh Brown, Daniel Wells
Foll: David Hale, Lindsay Thomas, Daniel Harris
I/C: Shannon Grant, Blake Grima, Leigh Harding, Scott McMahon
EMG: Jess Sinclair, Todd Goldstein, Eddie Sansbury
In: Brown
Out: Todd Goldstein

BRISBANE LIONS
B: Josh Drummond, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull
HB: Justin Sherman, Jason Roe, Ashley McGrath
C: Anthony Corrie, Simon Black, Jed Adcock
HF: Michael Rischitelli, Jonathan Brown, Jared Brennan
F: Rhan Hooper, Daniel Bradshaw, Mitch Clark
Foll: Jamie Charman, Luke Power, Travis Johnstone
I/C: Colm Begley, Bradd Dalziell, Scott Clouston, Albert Proud
EMG: Scott Harding, James Hawksley, Tim Notting
In: Begley, Hooper, Clouston, Proud
Out: Tom Collier, Cheynee Stiller, Tim Notting, Robert Copeland
New: Scott Clouston (Morningside)

WESTERN BULLDOGS v SYDNEY SWANS
Sunday, 1.10 AEST, Manuka Oval
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Stephen Tiller, Dale Morris, Ryan Hargrave
HB: Andrejs Everitt, Brian Lake, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Nathan Eagleton, Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason Akermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney
I/C (from): Daniel Giansiracusa, Jarrod Harbrow, Josh Hill, Farren Ray, Peter Street, Cameron Wight, Callan Ward
In: Tiller, Street, Ward, Wight
Out: Dylan Addison (knee)

SYDNEY SWANS
B: Paul Bevan, Leo Barry, Martin Mattner
HB: Craig Bolton , Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Heath Grundy, Luke Ablett
F: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Barry Hall, Jarrad Moore
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
I/C (from): Ryan Brabazon, Luke Brennan, Jared Crouch, Peter Everitt, Nick Malceski, Ben Mathews, Patrick Veszpremi
In: Barry, Brabazon, Brennan, Crouch, Malceski, Veszpremi
Out: Adam Goodes (groin), Matthew O’Dwyer, Henry Playfair (hamstring)
New: Ryan Brabazon (Claremont), Patrick Veszpremi (Bundoora)

ST KILDA v PORT ADELAIDE
Sunday, 2.10pm AEST, Telstra Dome
ST KILDA
B: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake
C: Andrew McQualter, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes
HF: Robert Harvey, Nick Riewoldt, Robert Eddy
F: Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne
Foll: Steven King, Luke Ball, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Adam Schneider, James Gwilt, Aaron Fiora, Michael Rix, Charlie Gardiner, Jarryn Geary, Shane Birss
In: Koschitzke, C Gardiner, Birss, Rix, Geary, Gwilt
Out: Michael Gardiner, David Armitage, Max Hudghton (calf)

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Michael Pettigrew, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Toby Thurstans, Nathan Lonie
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Greg Bentley, Tom Logan, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
I/C (from): Fabian Deluca, Mitch Farmer, Nick Salter, Paul Stewart, Adam Thomson, Damon White, Ryan Williams
In: Farmer, Salter, Stewart, Thomson, White, Williams
Out: Warren Tredrea (shoulder), Steven Salopek (achilles), Troy Chaplin (ankle)

FREMANTLE v WEST COAST
Sunday, 2.40pm AWST, Subiaco Oval
FREMANTLE
B: Scott Thornton, Antoni Grover, Michael Johnson
HB: David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Josh Head
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Crowley, Brett Peake
HF: Jeff Farmer, Chris Tarrant, Chris Mayne
F: Shaun McManus, Matthew Pavlich, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, Josh Carr
I/C (from): Ryan Murphy, Paul Duffield, Rhys Palmer, Steven Dodd, Andrew Browne, Roger Hayden, Kepler Bradley
In: Pavlich, Browne, Hayden, Bradley
Out: Robert Warnock (shoulder)

WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Adam Selwood, Beau Wilkes, Andrew Embley
C: Michael Braun, Brad Ebert, Tyson Stenglein
HF: David Wirrpanda, Ashley Hansen, Steven Armstrong
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Brent Staker
Foll: Dean Cox, Chad Fletcher, Jamie McNamara
I/C (from): Ryan Davis, Tim Houlihan, Ben McKinley, Matt Priddis, Mark Seaby, Scott Selwood, Matt Spangher
In: Glass, Houlihan, Davis
Out: Nil


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Burgoyne may still face Saints

August 1st 2008 06:43
PORT ADELAIDE veteran could play against St Kilda at Telstra Dome on Sunday despite not being named in the club's initial squad of 27 players.

Burgoyne was handed a club-imposed one-match ban for presenting himself in an unfit manner for training approximately a month ago.

The 30-year-old was to be left out for another week after performing below expectations for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL last weekend.

But Port Adelaide assistant coach Adam Kingsley said Burgoyne was a chance to be recalled earlier than expected.

"Peter is certainly a chance to play, we'll assess a couple of players after today and he's a certainly a chance to come back in," Kingsley said.

"To be honest there are a couple of issues there and we may change that squad if we at all can. That's the way it goes and if the right player goes out, and we don't have coverage, then we'll change it."

Kingsley refused to elaborate on what the club's 'issues' were.



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AFL flags third Melbourne stadium

August 1st 2008 04:46
The AFL is considering building a third stadium in Melbourne with a capacity of 25,000 to accomodate the introduction of its proposed 17th and 18th teams from 2011.

Up to 28 extra games could be played in Melbourne in an expanded competition and Demetriou told Fairfax radio the AFL was exploring all of its options.

"If we maintain our present policy with stadia we would have a very crowded MCG and Telstra Dome … so one option obviously is to have a look at a boutique stadium that would hold 26 to 28 games," Demetriou said.

"We discussed it with the (16 club) CEOs at a conference that we had yesterday and the day before, and we basically said to them that we understand that the stadium economics isn’t working for the clubs in Melbourne, that we need to get a better return out of the MCG and Telstra Dome for them."

Demetriou said it was too early to say where the proposed stadium would be situated.



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Tasmania still a chance: Demetriou

August 1st 2008 02:53
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou hasn't ruled out the possibility of Tasmania having its own team.

Tasmania's push for an AFL team was given a boost yesterday with confectionary company Mars guaranteeing $4 million over three years if the bid is accepted by the AFL.

Demetriou told Fairfax Radio that while the league's focus is still on new sides on the Gold Coast and in western Sydney, Tasmania has a strong case for its own team.

"I think Tasmania could play an integral role in our national competition, and they've got a rich history of people, they are very decent people, they have served us very well with their relationship with Hawthorn, they've invested very heavily in York Park," he said.

"At a point in time, why not?"



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Polak returns to Tigerland

August 1st 2008 02:29
RICHMOND utility Graham Polak has returned to Punt Road on Friday for the first time since being hit by a tram in Melbourne almost five weeks ago.

He was placed in an induced coma for several days to relieve swelling on the brain, but has made steady progress since.

Polak watched the Tigers' 30-minute training sessions with his manager Paul Connors.

Richmond assistant coach Brian Royal said the 24-year-old's unexpected visit following his discharge from hospital on Wednsday was inspiring for the players.

"For Graham to walk into the club, it was overwhelming for the players, it's just terrific to see Graham back," said Royal.

"We know he's got an enormous amount of work in his recovery, but it's just fantastic to see him about the club."


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Ramanauskas wants to play on

August 1st 2008 01:25
ESSENDON midfielder Adam Ramanauskas says he wants to play on with the Bombers in 2009.

Ramanauskas, who comes out of contract at the end of the season believes the Bombers are capable of winning a premiership within the next five years and he wants to play on next season and help develop Essendon's impressive batch of youngsters.

"I would love to go on, but I haven't even sat down with Knighter (Essendon coach Matthew Knights) yet to discuss that," Ramanauskas said.

"We always said to each other that we would have a go this year and see what happened and if it worked it did and if it didn't it didn't. But I will sit down with him over the next couple of weeks and work out what I am going to do next year."

The 27-year-old also said he would like to play one last game with close friend Jason Johnson, who is likely to retire at the end of the season.

"Jason is going to be training out here today. Hopefully his calf doesn't go on him again and he does get back for those couple of games later in the year," Ramanauskas said.

"Jason is one of my real close mates and I would love to play footy with him again."




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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Essendon Bombers
   


Tasmanian AFL bid gains major sponsor

August 1st 2008 00:53
THE Tasmanian government's bid to be granted an AFL licence has received a major financial boost.

Confectionary company Mars has committed to be the major sponsor for a Tasmanian team, guaranteeing $4 million over three years if the bid is accepted by the AFL.

The company is also backing the bid by renaming their chocolate bar the Believe Bar for the
month of September

Speaking on Channel Nine's The Footy Show, Tasmanian economic development minister Paula Wriedt said the deal demonstrated that the island state was capable of supporting an AFL team.

"I think this announcement today of a major new sponsor for Australian Rules football that hasn't been involved before really does show that we can put together a serious business case," Wriedt said.

"We've been given all these criteria from the AFL that we'd be expected to meet, as I presume the other bids would be expected to meet, and we are slowly ticking them all off.

"We may be a small state population-wise but we have a long proud history of Australian Football being played in Tasmania, we are passionate supporters of the game and increasingly we're seeing that we can put together a sustainable business case."



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


Warnock's season over

August 1st 2008 00:34
FREMANTLE ruckman Robert Warnock has played his last game for the season and will undergo shoulder surgery on Friday.

The Dockers released a statement saying the 206cm ruckman will undergo the surgery to allow him the "best possible chance to recover and prepare for the 2009 pre-season".

The 21-year-old comes out of contract at the end of this season and has attracted strong interest from several Melbourne-based clubs.

Fremantle are desperate to retain Warnock and have already commenced negotiations to extend his stay at the club.



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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Fremantle Dockers
   


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