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AFL Central - September 2008

Cross named Bulldogs' best

September 30th 2008 21:57
WESTERN BULLDOGS midfielder Daniel Cross has capped off an impressive season by winning the club’s best-and-fairest award.

Cross won his first Charles Sutton Medal with 191 votes to finish 24 clear of Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney (167), with fellow midfielder Matthew Boyd (163) in third.

All-Australian defender Dale Morris (149) was fourth and Daniel Giansiracusa (132) rounded out the top five.

Western Bulldogs captain Brad Jonhson said Cross’ work ethic has helped him ‘become one of the elite midfielders in the competition'.

"When he first started you weren't sure whether he would make it. He had to do a lot of work on his skills," Johnson said.


"His determination and drive is just massive and that's why he's become one of the elite midfielders in the competition because of the way he prepares and developed himself as a player."

"He'll certainly play 200 for this club and will be up there as one of our best midfielders and in the league as well. I'm glad he didn't leave. The opportunity at the start was tough for him and that's why he was super motivated and keen to cement his spot in the side. His work rate's enormous and he is getting the rewards for that now which is great to see."

Cross also won the newly-named Scott West Award for the most courageous player and the Bruce Wilkinson Award as the best player voted by the trainers.

In other awards, Morris won the Match Committee Award, Callan Ward was named Best First Year Player and Jarrod Harbrow was named the Most Promising Player.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


McGregor calls it quits

September 30th 2008 05:20
ADELAIDE utility Ken McGregor has announced his retirement from AFL football.

The 27-year-old, who played 152 games for Adelaide, was contracted for next season but has reached a settlement with the Crows.

McGregor said he felt the time was right for him to move on.

"You know I'm being realistic where I'm at and where the club's at and I think at this time, I think the club's better off with other people in there," he said.

"I'm probably better off moving in a different direction as well, so it's been a tough year for me, I just felt it would have been hard just going through the motions and having to tread water for another year and I don't think that's the right thing to do."


McGregor intends play on with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Adelaide Crows
   


Mitchell cleared

September 29th 2008 05:19
HAWTHORN premiership captain Sam Mitchell is free to play in round one next season after being cleared of making front-on contact with Geelong's Gary Ablett Jnr in Saturday's grand final.

The match review panel ruled that the contact with Ablett was caused by Cats' tagger Cameron Ling pushing Mitchell into the contest.

The panel also said the 25-year-old had turned his body to lessen the severity of any contact and that contact between Mitchell's forearm and Ablett's head was seen as self-protection by the Hawks' captain.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


We believed: Clarkson

September 27th 2008 17:42
HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson said his team had 'an inner belief' going into Saturday’s grand final against Geelong.

The Cats had won 42 of their past 44 matches but were denied back-to-back premierships by a gutsy Hawthorn side that prevailed by 26 points.

Clarkson said after the game that his side’s record against Geelong in recent times had given the playing group of lot of confidence going into the premiership decider.

"Our form against them (Geelong) despite our lower ladder position and Geelong's dominance over the past two years has been quite good," he said.

"In 2006 we beat them twice and last year we won the one (and only) game in Tasmania by four points and it was such a great battle in Round 17 (when the Hawks lost by just 11 points)."

"So the players had an inner belief that despite Geelong's outstanding form as a side that if we played our best footy we could stack up well against them because we match up well against the Cats generally."

Despite winning the flag, Clarkson said the Cats were still the league’s benchmark team.

"I suppose the whole competition will look at us that way now because everyone always judges the premiers in that manner," he said.

"But I still expect Geelong will continue to be a dominant side next year."

"And while we got the victory today it could have been a different result and I wouldn't suggest for one minute that that (win) elevates us above Geelong because we still respect them enormously."

"They are still a more experienced group than us and we still think we have to chase them in terms of improving our performance in the couple of years ahead."

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


Crawford unsure about future

September 27th 2008 17:31
HAWTHORN veteran Shane Crawford says he will decide in the next month whether he will play on next season.

The 34-year-old admitted he was unsure about his future and said he was just focused on enjoying Saturday’s grand final win over Geelong at this stage.

"I'll answer that in a few weeks because I don't know," Crawford said when asked if he would play on next year.

"I need to enjoy the moment and then just reflect and work out what the club wants to do as well. It's a great feeling, why wouldn't you want to do it again."

"I'm sure as the night goes on and in the next few days it will really sink in what's just happened."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said he would leave the decision up to Crawford.

"It's up to Crawf whether he goes on. We don't have to make that decision for the next three or four weeks," Clarkson said.

"If he does decide to retire there couldn't be abetter way for him to go out, but he's such a resilient player and so professional in the way that he prepares he could go on."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Forwards let us down: Thompson

September 27th 2008 17:20
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says poor kicking in front of goal was to blame for the Cats' 26-point loss to Hawthorn in Saturday's grand final.

The Cats went inside their forward 50 on 62 occasions to Hawthorn's 43 and won the clearances 41-27 but they failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal, booting a wasteful 11.23.

Thompson said the Cats forwards badly let down the work of their defenders and midfielders.

"Our defence was fantastic, our midfield reasonable but to score just 11 goals from 62 opportunities (inside 50) is just not good enough," Thompson said.

"We just didn't make the most of our opportunities."

He also admitted that he felt sorry for Gary Ablett Jnr, who was Geelong’s best with 34 possessions and two goals.

"He (Ablett) just looked like he wanted to win so much, I just wish he'd had a few friends (team-mates) in that frame of mind," Thompson said.

Thompson dismissed suggestions that his side had 'choked' under the pressure of being expected to win successive flags after such a dominant season and vowed his team will hit back hard next season.

"Our guys will bounce back - we're taking it hard and I don't think you'd want us to take it any other way," Thompson said.

"I'm already really determined just to go back and smash them in 2009.”

"The fact is, this group is better than just winning one premiership and that's the challenge now."


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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Hawks upset Cats

September 27th 2008 08:14
HAWTHORN has denied Geelong back-to-back premierships with a 26-point win in the grand final at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Hawks managed to scrounge three goals to keep themselves alive at the main break before taking control in the second half, slamming on 10 goals to five to prevail 18.7 (115) to 11.23 (89)

The win is a fitting reward for Hawthorn veteran Shane Crawford, who has taken 17 AFL seasons and 305 matches to finally win a flag.

The result was even more meritorious considering the Hawks lost key defender Trent Croad to a foot injury in the second term while midfielder Clinton Young injured his ankle in the third quarter.

Norm Smith Medallist Luke Hodge led a rock-solid defence with 28 possessions and one goal. Brad Sewell was a busy contributor in the middle with 27 disposals while Stuart Dew was influential with 19 touches and two goals.

For Geelong, Gary Ablett Jnr led from the front with a game-high 34 disposals and two goals while Matthew Scarlett restricted Lance Franklin to just two goals.

The Cats, who led by just one point after an entertaining first term, won the bulk of the football in the second quarter but they failed to make the most of their chances in front of goal, booting a wasteful 1.9.

Geelong had 35 more possessions to half-time, 12 more forward entries and 18 scoring shots to just 11 for the Hawks but trailed by three points at the main break.

Ablett ended a run of 11 straight behinds for the Cats when he goaled at the six-minute mark before Franklin booted his first to give the Hawks back the lead.

Hodge then slotted one home from 55m out before Dew blew the game wide open.

The former Port Adelaide star kicked two goals and set one up for impressive youngster Cyril Rioli as the margin blew out to 29 points.

The Cats hit back with two late goals from Darren Milburn and Steve Johnson to remain within striking distance heading into the final change, with the Hawks holding a 17-point advantage.

The Hawks got the crucial first goal of the final term when Franklin kicked his second at the 12-minute mark before skipper Sam Mitchell secured Hawthorn’s first flag in 17 years with a major two minutes later.

GEELONG: 5.3. 6.12, 9.18, 11.23 (89)
HAWTHORN: 5.2, 8.3, 14.5, 18.7 (115)
GOALS: Geelong: Mooney 2, Rooke 2, Ablett 2, Lonergan 2, Chapman, Milburn, S Johnson
Hawthorn: Williams 3, Rioli 2, Dew 2, Franklin 2, Roughead 2, Hodge, Bateman, Ellis, Brown, Young, Mitchell, Ladson
BEST:
Geelong: Ablett, Selwood, Ling, S Johnson, Enright, Scarlett
Hawthorn: Hodge, Crawford, Ellis, Sewell, Dew, Guerra, Rioli
INJURIES: Geelong: Harley (concussion)
Hawthorn: Croad (foot), Young (ankle)
UMPIRES: Ryan, McLaren, Vozzo
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 100,072 at MCG
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Hawthorn Hawks
   


Lack of match fitness cost Cat

September 26th 2008 06:52
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says a lack of match fitness cost hard-running defender David Wojincscki a tilt at back-to-back flags.

Wojinscki, who has played just one game since round 15 due to an Achilles injury, will miss Saturday’s grand final against Hawthorn after being forced to make way for Paul Chapman.

The 28-year-old’s hopes of a last-minute reprieve appear to be slim with Thompson saying that the Cats were a 90 per cent chance of starting as selected.

"(We) leave the 10 percent because you've got to leave some chance for people to get sick overnight or a right back," Thompson said.

Thompson said a fit Wojcinski was worthy of being in the Cats' best 22.

"Everyone in the room knows that and everybody that knows Geelong knows that," he said.

Thompson also said Wojinscki took his axing on the chin.

"[Wojcinski took the news] as good as he could of, he turned up today and he's talked to all the boys.

"He really desperately wants the club to win, he's a great Geelong person and as I said he's very unlucky and we all feel for him.

"He knows the club is bigger than the individual and he's still part - not the part that he probably wants - but he's still part of the club."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Hawks won't be overawed: Mitchell

September 26th 2008 06:35
HAWTHORN won’t be overawed by the occasion of its first grand final in 17 years when it takes on Geelong at the MCG on Saturday, according to skipper Sam Mitchell.

The Hawks have just one player- former Port star Stuart Dew in 2004 - who has previously played in a grand final.

Speaking at the final press conference ahead of the premiership decider, Mitchell said Hawthorn has enjoyed the entire week leading into the grand final.

"It's been a great week, we have really enjoyed the whole experience and everyone we have spoken to has said the same thing - take it all in and enjoy it but make sure you focus on your game and that is what we have been doing," Mitchell said.

The Hawks will go in as underdogs against Geelong but Mitchell says his side has given itself every opportunity of securing its first flag since 1991.

"We have been in the top two sides in the competition all year and we have given ourselves every opportunity with our preparation by finishing in the top four then having a win (in the qualifying final) and having the week off and then having a good
win (against St Kilda in the preliminary final) last week."

"So we will have no excuses if we are not good enough."


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


AFL Grand Final teams

September 25th 2008 07:29
FINALS WEEK FOUR

GEELONG v HAWTHORN
2008 AFL Grand Final,
Saturday, 2:30pm AEST, MCG

GEELONG
B: Harley, Scarlett, Hunt
HB: Milburn, Taylor, Mackie,
C: Selwood, Ling, Enright
HF: Bartel, Mooney, S.Johnson
F: Stokes, Lonergan, Chapman
FOLL: Ottens, Ablett, Corey
I/C: Blake, Rooke, Kelly, Varcoe
EMG: Wojcinski, Gamble, Byrnes
IN: Chapman
OUT: Wojcinski

HAWTHORN
B: Gilham, Croad, Guerra
HB: Ladson, Hodge, Birchall
C: Lewis, Mitchell, Bateman
HF: Rioli, Franklin, Osborne
F: Williams, Roughead, Brown
FOLL: Campbell, Sewell, Crawford
I/C: Dew, Ellis, Renouf, Young
EMG: Murphy, Taylor, Tuck
NO CHANGE

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


Kerr wants to stay an Eagle

September 25th 2008 06:59
WEST COAST midfielder Daniel Kerr has expressed a strong desire to remain with the club for the rest of his career.

In recent weeks there has been strong suggestion that Kerr would be headed to a Melbourne-based club in October’s trade period.

But Kerr said on Perth radio station 6PR on Thursday that he wanted to finish his career at the Eagles and that he thought both parties could come to an agreement by as soon as next week.

"In a perfect world my (preference) would be to play my career out as an Eagle," Kerr said.

"And that's probably why I'm seeking a longer term deal because I just wanna not have to think about contracts probably for the rest of my career."

"I'd imagine they would have been getting it done within the next week or so and hopefully I can come out and say that it's all over and we're gonna stay with the Eagles and finish my career."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, West Coast Eagles
   


Ray quits Dogs

September 25th 2008 05:03
FARREN Ray has advised the Western Bulldogs that he wants to continue his AFL career with another club.

The Bulldogs released a media statement on Thursday which said that following meetings with his management and the club, 'Ray has indicated that he would like to be considered for a trade during the upcoming AFL Trade week in October'.

"The Western Bulldogs consider Ray a required player for 2009," the statement said.

"However the club is prepared to consider a trade that is equitable for both Ray and the Western Bulldogs."

Ray, who was selected with the number four pick in the 2003 draft, has played 75 games for the Bulldogs.

The 22-year-old was dropped after the club's qualifying final loss to Hawthorn and was unable to force his way back into the line-up for the preliminary final against Geelong.

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


Goddard, Hill accept

September 24th 2008 23:08
ST KILDA utility Brendon Goddard and Western Bulldogs youngster Josh Hill are both free to play in the opening round of the 2009 AFL season after accepting reprimands.

Goddard pleaded guilty to striking Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell while Hill admitted to making forceful front-on contact to Geelong's Andrew Mackie.

Both players have had 93.75 points added to their future record.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


West has future in coaching: Eade

September 24th 2008 07:55
WESTERN BULLDOGS coach Rodney Eade believes axed midfielder Scott West has a future in coaching.

Eade, who broke the news to West that he would not be a required player in 2009, said the 33-year-old has the attributes to make it as a coach.

"He's got as good a football brain as I've met. And he's got a great ability to impart that knowledge to people as well," Eade said.

"I think he'll obviously have time to think about what he wants to do in footy. But I've got no doubt there's a coaching career waiting for him."

Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson said West had taught him many things when he assumed the captaincy in 2006.

"He basically, I think in my eyes, captained this club in a way. He offered me so much in the guidance he gave me and the experience and the knowledge to put forward to this group was just huge," Johnson said.

"His knowledge of the game is just enormous, it's massive."

"Certainly not a job interview today but I think that's definitely his calling in the future. He's got plenty to offer this game for the rest of his life his career speaks for itself."

West, who hasn’t ruled out continuing his career at another AFL club, said coaching was an option.

"As you get older I think you think about the game more," he said.

“As you get older you start to about ways that you can improve other players around you and two how the style or game plan can evolve around the team we've got."

"It's something that I've thought about more later in my career."

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


Star Dog says goodbye

September 24th 2008 07:54
SCOTT West has made an emotional farewell after being dumped by the Western Bulldogs.

West was told by coach Rodney Eade and the match committee on Tuesday that he was no longer a required player due to the club’s focus on developing youth.

The 33-year-old said his initial feeling when broken the news by Eade was one of sadness and a 'little bit of anger' as he believed he could still play AFL football.

Eade said telling West that his services were no longer required was the hardest thing he has ever had to do as a coach.

“Yeah, it’s the toughest, there’s no doubt, because I think I’ve got a pretty good relationship with Scott,” Eade said.

“We’ve worked well together and he has supported me as a coach.

"Certainly as a coach you need the support of the senior players and I think we've got a good relationship off the field as well, but to be able to look him in the eye and actually do that was tough.

"You're charged with what you think is best for the football club to go forward, and you make those decisions, and they're not taken lightly.

"It's extra hard when you've got such a super champion, and he's been a great player for this club.

"But as I said, you've got to make those hard decisions at some stage."

Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson said West’s leadership will be sorely missed.

"In regards to leadership he basically... well I think in my eyes... captained this club in a way because he offered me so much," he said.

"The experience and the knowledge to put forward to this group was just huge and the support that I received from him was just enormous and it's going to be missed without a doubt."

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


Cats ready for anything

September 24th 2008 06:06
GEELONG is ready for anything Hawthorn will throw at them in Saturday’s grand final at the MCG, according to defender Darren Milburn.

Milburn said the Cats won’t be affected by any niggling tactics.

"I think our boys like winning the contested ball, that is all we will be trying to do - go after the footy and try to win that," he said.

"We always try to back ourselves and it will be no different on the weekend."

Milburn also dismissed suggestions that the game will be a repeat of the fiery 1989 grand final between the two clubs.

"I think it will be a pretty fiery first five minutes or so but then it will be just a normal game," he said.

"You can't read too much into what happened 20 years ago - it's different footy now to what it was then."

Despite going into the grand final as heavy favourites, Milburn does not believe there as much pressure on the club heading into this year’s grand final as they was last year against Port Adelaide when Geelong was attempting to end a 44 year premiership drought.

"There is probably less pressure from outside (the club) but we are going to still have the pressure we put on ourselves but hopefully we can deal with that and we get the win we want."

"(But) I am just as confident as last year - we have been playing some pretty good football and there is no reason why we shouldn't go into the game confident."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Barry gets another year

September 23rd 2008 21:39
SYDNEY defender Leo Barry has ended speculation that he was going to retire by agreeing to a final one-year contract with the club.

The 234-game veteran said he was looking forward to next season and believed he could still make a contribution to the team.

"I am excited about playing another year, given it is my last season I will go out and enjoy each game," Barry said.

"It was an easy decision in the end because I believe I can still make a contribution to the team. We have a good side but I understand it is going to be a bit of a transition year for some of the senior players."

Sydney coach Paul Roos said Barry will play an important role in helping develop the club’s young defenders.

"We are pleased Leo has agreed to one final year with the Sydney Swans and we still see him in our best 22 going into season 2009."

"Equally, we feel that Leo can help us as a senior player in helping develop our young defenders with an eye to the future in what is becoming a transition period for the club."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Sydney Swans
   


West's career over

September 23rd 2008 10:43
THE career of Western Bulldogs champion Scott West is over after the club decided not offer him a contract for next year.

The match committee and coach Rodney Eade made the decision on Tuesday afternoon that
West will no longer remain as a required player due to the club's focus on developing youth.

West enjoyed a stellar career for the Dogs, playing 324 games in 16 seasons with the club.

He won a club record seven best and fairest awards and polled a staggering 175 Brownlow votes.

The 33-year-old struggled this year with knee complications which restricted him to just four matches.

Eade said it is ‘devastating’ that West couldn’t bow out on in better fashion.

"Westy has been an integral part of our leadership group and it has been devastating to see someone who has played so many years with minimal injuries to finish his career in such frustrating way," Eade said.

"He is regarded as one of our all time great players and we hope to honour him in the coming months the way a club legend should be honoured
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


Magpies delist trio

September 23rd 2008 08:08
THE departures have continued at Collingwood with veteran Brodie Holland, Chris Egan and Sam Iles all being delisted by the club.

The delistings follow the retirements of Scott Burns, Shane Wakelin and Ryan Lonie.

Holland played 155 with the Magpies and Fremantle over 11 season but managed just one appearance for the Pies in 2008.

The 28-year-old has not given up hope of continuing his AFL career elsewhere

Egan was recruited by Collingwood with the No.10 pick in the 2004 draft. He played a total of 27 games in his four seasons with the Pies while Iles came to the Magpies via the pre-season draft and managed to play seven games during his three years at the club.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Thompson confident Chapman will play

September 23rd 2008 05:16
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson is confident that Paul Chapman will prove his fitness for Saturday’s grand final against Hawthorn.

Speaking at Skilled Stadium on Tuesday, Thompson said that Chapman, who has been sidelined since the opening week of the finals with a hamstring strain, simply needs to get through the club's main training session on Wednesday.

Thompson refused to reveal which player is most likely to drop out of the side but said he has already effectively decided who it would be.

"There's only one," Thompson said.

"He would have some idea and everybody knows where they are going."
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


AFL names GF umpires

September 23rd 2008 02:16
AFL director of umpiring Jeff Gieschen announced on Tuesday that Scott McLaren, Michael Vozzo and Shaun Ryan will officiate the 2008 Grand Final on Saturday between Geelong and Hawthorn.

All-Australian umpire Brett Rosebury was not selected for the year's biggest match and instead will take his place on the interchange as an emergency.

Gieschen said that Rosebury missed out as he hadn't umpired as well during the finals series as he had in the regular season.

McLaren, who will bounce the ball at the start of the match, will be officiating in his fifth grand final while Vozzo and Ryan will be making their second and first appearances respectively in a grand final.






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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News
   


Cooney wins Brownlow

September 22nd 2008 22:07
WESTERN BULLDOGS midfielder Adam Cooney has become the first number one draft pick ever to win the Brownlow Medal after narrowly beating Brisbane midfielder Simon Black, hot favourite Gary Ablett Jnr and Richmond veteran Matthew Richardson in a thrilling count on Monday night.

Cooney, the number one pick in the 2003 national draft, polled 24 votes to beat Black by one vote with Ablett and Richardson a further vote back on 22 votes.

Black led for most of the count with Cooney not snatching the lead until he polled three votes in round 21 after gathering 28 disposals against Essendon.

However the votes dried up for Black in the second half of the season, with the 2002 Brownlow medallist not polling again after collecting three in the round 16 win over West Coast.

Black held a four vote lead at that stage and was four votes clear with just three rounds remaining.

Richardson got within one vote of Black when he polled three votes in round 20 against Hawthorn but failed to poll in the last two games while Ablett paid the price for missing four games through injury.

The 22-year-old said the win was unexpected.

"I haven't really prepared anything because I wasn't expecting this," Cooney said upon accepting his medal.

"I didn't really give myself any chance at all."

Cooney admitted he wasn’t in the best shape when he first arrived at the club.

"I wasn't in the best shape when I first came over - my skin folds nearly topped 100 which is reasonably large for a young lad - so I had a little bit of work to do and my fitness wasn't up to standard."

"I wasn't strong enough either and I didn't think it (playing in the AFL) was as hard as it was I suppose."

Cooney suffered from osteitis pubis which affected his 2007 season but has benefited from getting a full pre-season under his belt this year.

"It was probably my first pre-season since my first year I got to the club (ahead of the 2004 season) and that has made a massive difference," he said.
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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Western Bulldogs
   


Cats not worried about Hawks' tactics

September 22nd 2008 09:59
GEELONG skipper Tom Harley says any attempt by Hawthorn to rough-up the Cats in Saturday’s grand final will most like backfire.

When asked how the Cats would respond if the Hawks got physical, Harley said: "We think we're a pretty level-headed sort of group and pretty experienced and … physically I think we can handle that".

"It's happened a lot this year, and I'm not sure that the results have necessarily gone the way of the clubs that have tried that."

"We've got some competitive players and hard players that like to play the game hard and tough but also fair."

"I wouldn't have thought that too many of them would be taking a backward step."

Harley also said the Cats would not be targeting the injured ribs of Hawthorn vice-captain Luke Hodge.

“I would not have thought so. He is going to have a Hawthorn jumper on like 21 other blokes out there,” he said.

“They are the opposition and you go out there to play them hard and fair and play the ball.”

Meanwhile, Harley dismissed suggestions that Geelong’s edge in finals experience would give it a significant advantage.

"We went into the Grand Final last year without any grand-final experience, and it didn't seem to deter us too much," he said.

"I think it's a little bit overrated, perhaps."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Geelong Cats
   


Williams free to play in GF

September 22nd 2008 05:22
HAWTHORN has received a major boost ahead of Saturday’s grand final against Geelong with classy forward Mark Williams escaping punishment from the match review panel for his hit on St Kilda defender Max Hudghton.

It was the view of the panel that contact was to Hudghton's back and not to the head/neck region.

The umpire in control of the play paid an immediate free kick, which was seen as the appropriate penalty.

In other tribunal news, Hawthorn ruckman Robert Campbell was cleared over his bump on St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt.

The panel ruled that the contact was not forceful enough to constitute a report.

Jordan Lewis was cleared over an altercation with David Armitage as was Lenny Hayes for his hit on Hawthorn vice-captain, with the panel ruling the contact in both incidents was not forceful enough to constitute a report.

St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard can accept a reprimand and 93.75 towards his future record by entering an early guilty plea for striking Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell.

Western Bulldogs youngster Josh Hill was charged with a level one bumping or making forceful contact from front-on offence against Andrew Mackie and can also accept a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record with an early plea.

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


Burns calls it quits

September 22nd 2008 01:54
COLLINGWOOD skipper Scott Burns has announced his retirement from AFL football.

The 264-game veteran admitted that his body could no longer cope with the rigours of modern football.

"I pretty much knew mid-year that I was done, body-wise. So it hasn't been a terribly hard decision to make over the last week or so," Burns said.

"There were a few things structurally, just back and neck and hip which you notice as you get older and I just knew I was really close to completely stopping.”

"I didn't want to go to the well once too often."

"This time next year you could have a detrimental effect on the team and the players if you're not quite up to it and I felt that it's pretty good timing now to get out."

Burns also said his decision to pull out of the side for the club's semi-final loss to St Kilda with a calf strain was he right one.

"The best thing for me was the Saturday morning when I was messing around with my young son on the bed and I felt it," Burns said.

"I remember seeing Rhyce Shaw running around like a headless chook at training and looking really good and I would have been going into that game hoping that the boys would have covered for me."

"You just can’t go into a final feeling that way."

"I would have loved to have played one more but it was not to be."

Burns is expected to take up an assistant coaching role next season with Geelong and Carlton reportedly interested in securing his services.

"I love the industry and I would love to stay involved," Burns said.

"I've kept quiet really in terms of making contact with too many people, but now I've officially retired it's a matter of sitting down and discussing things and finding out where we go from here."

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said Burns’ career would have a lasting effect on the club.

"'Burnsy' has left a footprint on this football club - one of hardness, one of fairness and, I think, one of durability, because he's not the biggest player" Malthouse said.

"That footprint will be looked at, studied and hopefully taken up by some of the younger players that are going to be in our leadership group next year."

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Posted By: TonyK - Category: AFL News, Collingwood Magpies
   


Loss unnaceptable, says Harvey

September 21st 2008 02:19
RETIRED St Kilda champion Robert Harvey described the Saints’ preliminary final loss to Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night as 'unacceptable'.

The 54-point loss to the Hawks means Harvey ends his career with the unwanted record of having played the most games in AFL history - 383 - without winning an AFL premiership.

The 34-year-old said it was not the way he wanted to go out.

"I never really expected in my final game that I would be looking forward to that final siren but tha