FREMANTLE star Matthew Pavlich will remain as captain of the club for the 2009 season.
Pavlich, who has captained the Dockers for the past two seasons, will be supported by a leadership group consisting of Luke McPharlin, ruckman Aaron Sandilands, defender Antoni Grover and midfielder Des Headland.
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said all five members of the leadership group will play an important role in helping the club climb up the ladder next season.
"The five players in the new leadership group have, collectively, played more than 700 AFL games and we will be calling on that experience, both on and off the field in 2009, to lead what is now one of the youngest playing lists in the AFL," Harvey said.
"Each is a consummate professional and they are all committed to taking the Fremantle Football Club forward in the coming years. They realise the importance of their roles within the leadership group and will be entrusted with assisting the coaching staff in helping the 14 new draftees at the club develop both as footballers and good citizens."
WEST COAST has appointed former Fremantle defender Anthony Jones as its assistant strength and conidtioning coach.
Jones will also join inaugural West Coast Eagles squad member John Gastev as a match day runner in 2009.
High performance manager Glenn Stewart said Jones, who will commence his role early next year, had a lot to offer the club.
"The best thing about having Anthony on board is that he not only has a significant amount of AFL football experience, but he also has qualifications in strength and conditioning, with a Bachelor of Science majoring in sports science," said Stewart.
"We're in a fortunate situation that we're able to put someone on who has the skills to develop the physical capacity of the players, already with the experience of being at an AFL club, having been with Fremantle for nine years.
"Anthony's combination of skills is quite unique and is a decided advantage for us."
HAWTHORN premiership ruckman Brent Renouf has been interviewed by police over damage to two parked vehicles on Saturday night.
Renouf, who admitted to being under the influence of alcohol, accepted full responsibility for the incident, which occurred at the Geebung Polo Club.
A second Hawthorn player was a bystander to the incident and has been cleared of any involvement.
Renouf will pay for all damages incurred and will meet with coaching staff and the leadership group to determine any internal sanctions.
Hawthorn general manager of football operations Mark Evan said Renouf was remorseful for his actions.
"Brent understands that he made some poor choices in relation to alcohol and social behavior," he said in a statement.
"Hawthorn football club players and staff take their social and community responsibility very seriously and no one is more disappointed than the player himself at his actions."
FREMANTLE has appointed inaugral Dockers captain and former coach Ben Allan as its vice-president.
Allan, who has served on the Fremantle board of directors since 2005 as a member-elected director, said he was looking forward to the challenge of being vice-president.
"Being vice-president of the Fremantle Football Club is a big responsibility and one that I take very seriously," Allan said.
"I was humbled by the support of my fellow board members and I see it as a privilege to take on the role. It will certainly be a challenge to emulate the fantastic work done by former vice-president Mel Ashton but it is a challenge I am very much looking forward to."
Allan played 47 matches for Fremantle between 1995 and 1997 as well as 98 for Hawthorn between 1990 and 1994.
THE AFL and the Melbourne Cricket Club have come to an agreement to provide Melbourne with a $2 million support package for next season.
The MCC will provide $1 million in funding support for the Demons after the AFL announced an increase in the Annual Special Distribution funding from $250,000 to $1 million on Monday.
Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab said the financial support from the MCC and the AFL was 'vital to the future of the club'.
"The relationships we have with the AFL and the MCC are critical to the future of our football club and this funding is vital to the future of the club," he said.
"Our eventual goal is to get to the stage where we are not reliant on this support and – with the support of our members and supporters – we think we can achieve that in the future."
"Since Jim Stynes and the new board took over, we have continued to press ahead in our campaign to tackle debt and build our revenue base. Our members and supporters have shown fantastic support for the club by contributing $3 million to our debt demolition rally and to secure $2 million in funding from the AFL and MCC at Christmas time puts us in a good position to get on with the job in 2009."
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten will remain at the club until at least the end of the 2011 season after signing a contract extension.
Ratten, who played 255 games for the Blues between 1990-2003, took the helm late in 2007 and coached his first full season this year.
The Blues finished 11th with 10 wins and 12 losses but with an impressive squad led by captain Chris Judd, Carlton are tipped to make their first finals appearance since 2001 next season.
THE 2009 NAB Cup match between West Coast and Collingwood will be played at Subiaco on Saturday 7 February.
The AFL announced on Tuesday that the match was moved from Sahara Park in Cape Town because of the world economic crisis.
A match will now be scheduled in South Africa in the lead up to the 2010 season.
NEW Richmond recruit Ben Cousins has defended his gangland associations as 'sincere friendships'.
Cousins was named in court by police as an associate of Angelo Venditti, who is charged with ordering the contract killing of Paul Kallipolitis during Melbourne's underground war in 2002.
Speaking at his first press conference as a Tiger on Wednesday, Cousins admitted he knew Venditti.
"Through the hard times I have found people love to link me with other people who have found themselves in hard times," he said.
"But what doesn't get reported is a lot of those relationships and associations that I have with those people have been borne out of sincere friendship and a common thread that we have found ourselves in hard times."
"I was hopefully looking forward to today being about putting the past in the past and moving on and hopefully it won't be long before things get spoken about me are more related to football and less about stuff like that."
COLLINGWOOD has appointed defender Nick Maxwell as its new captain.
Maxwell will be the club's third skipper in as many seasons after the retired Scott Burns spent only one year in the job following Nathan Buckley's retirement at the end of 2007.
Ruckman Josh Fraser and impressive young midfielder Scot Pendlebury will serve as vice-captains while Shane O'Bree and fellow midfielder Dane Swan will be deputy vice-captains.
BEN Cousins says he is determined to repay the faith that Richmond has shown in him by leading a clean life.
Speaking at a press conference at Punt Road on Wednesday the day after the Tigers selected the confessed drug addict with pick six in the pre-season draft, Cousins said he is 'very grateful' to Richmond for being given a chance to add to his glittering 238-game career.
"It's fantastic, I am very grateful to (coach) Terry Wallace and the Richmond Football Club for putting their faith in me," Cousins said.
"The last 12 months have been very humbling for me but to be given another opportunity is fantastic."
"And it's now very much up to me to fit in the playing group."
The 2005 Brownlow medallist admitted he isn't 'out of the woods yet' but said he felt that he is getting his life back on track.
"I am very proud of the efforts I have put into my rehab over the last 12 months and I am more confident than ever I can contribute on and off the field and try and get the best out of myself without using drugs," he said.
"In the early part of my career (at West Coast) I probably resented the expectations on me to be a role model and it didn't sit well because I was leading a double-life," he said.
"But now I feel I am able to better relate to kids because of the hard things I have been through."
"I am not out of the woods yet, I am a drug addict and I can't dust myself off and automatically say it's left in the past."
The 30-year-old also said he was confident that his body could cope with the rigours of AFL football.
"I understand I'm 30 and I've had 12 months off ... I put a lot of time and work into my body," he said.
"I'm confident it's going to hold up but I guess the rigours of AFL football, you never know how it's going to hold up until you get into it."
THE scheduled match between Collingwood and West Coast in South Africa will be shifted to an Australian venue in early February.
The AFL announced on Tuesday that the match, which was supposed to kick off the annual pre-season competition, has been deferred from South Africa due to the current economic crisis.
"Organisations everywhere are revising their plans due to the global economic crisis and we are not immune to what is happening in the broader community," AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said.
"In the current economic climate, we have not been able to generate the level of funding needed to stage the game. We are not prepared to take the financial risk in this climate."
"We will continue to invest in the game locally and we remain very strongly committed to ongoing investment in the development of the game in South Africa which we believe has the potential to build a very large participation base during the next 10-20 years and perhaps within five years, be a new source of players for AFL clubs."
"The global economic crisis is a challenge for all sections of the community, not just sport, and we must act prudently and responsibly and defer our plans for 12 months."
RICHMOND has revived the career of Ben Cousins by selecting him with pick six in Tuesday's pre-season draft.
The Tigers had been hoping to select the former West Coast captain at pick seven.
But after the league rejected the Tigers' bid to have injured utility Graham Polak placed on the rookie list Richmond football operations manager Craig Cameron said it was 'highly unlikely' the club would pick Cousins with its remaining selection as it planned on taking a young player with that selection.
However, the Tigers had a late change of heart on Monday night and decided to give the 30-year-old a chance to add to his 238-game career.
Cousins, whose 12-month suspension for bringing the game into disrepute following his much-publicised drug addiction was lifted in November, will be subject to up to three urine tests per week and up to four hair tests per year.
Meanwhile, Melbourne chose Northern Territory youngster Liam Jurrah with pick one while Josh Carr will return to Port Adelaide after the Power selected the former Fremantle midfielder with pick two.
Essendon revived the career of former Adelaide midfielder Hayden Skipworth with pick three.
Skipworth has been out of the AFL system for two seasons but since then he has played for Essendon's VFL team Bendigo, where he won the best and fairest this year.
Carlton chose former Melbourne defender Chris Johnson at pick four while Brisbane selected promising youngster Tom Rockliff at five.
2008 AFL Pre-season Draft
1. Melbourne - Liam Jurrah (Yuendumu Magpies)
2. Port Adelaide - Josh Carr (Fremantle)
3. Essendon - Hayden Skipworth (Bendigo Bombers)
4. Carlton - Chris Johnson (Melbourne)
5. Brisbane Lions - Tom Rockliff (Murray Bushrangers)
6. Richmond - Ben Cousins (Port Melbourne)
2008 AFL Rookie Draft
Round 1:
1. Melbourne - Jordie McKenzie (Geelong Falcons)
2. West Coast - Liam Bedford (Geelong rookie)
3. Fremantle - Casey Sibosado (Oakleigh Chargers)
4. Port Adelaide - Wade Thompson (North Adelaide)
5. Essendon - Bryce Carroll (Western Jets)
6. Carlton - Jefferey Garlett (Swan Districts)
7. Brisbane Lions - Daniel Murray (East Perth)
8. Richmond - Robin Nahas (Port Melbourne)
9. North Melbourne - Marcus White (Calder Cannons)
10. Adelaide - Ricky Henderson (Trentham)
11. Collingwood - Tristan Francis (Gippsland Power)
12. Sydney - Kristin Thornton (Sydney Swans)
13. St Kilda - Zac Dawson (Hawthorn)
14. Western Bulldogs - Jamason Daniels (Murray Bushrangers)
15. Geelong - Adam Varcoe (Central Districts)
16. Hawthorn - Riley Milne (Murray Bushrangers)
Round 2:
17. Melbourne - Rhys Healey (Bendigo Pioneers)
18. West Coast - Adam Cockie (Subiaco)
19. Fremantle - Matthew de Boer (Claremont)
20. Port Adelaide - Danny Meyer (Richmond)
21. Essendon - Tom German (Calder Cannons)
22. Carlton - Luke Stanton (Northern Knights)
23. Brisbane Lions - Pass
24. Richmond - David Gourdis (Richmond)
25. North Melbourne - Luke Delaney (Geelong Falcons)
26. Adelaide - Chris Schmidt (Brisbane Lions)
27. Collingwood - Jarryd Blair (Gippsland Power)
28. Sydney - Taylor Gilchrist (Sandringham Dragons)
29. St Kilda - Tom Simpkin (Geelong Falcons)
30. Western Bulldogs - Liam Picken (Williamstown)
31. Geelong - Bryn Weadon (North Ballarat)
32. Hawthorn - Haydn Kiel (Brisbane Lions)
Round 3:
33. Melbourne - Danny Hughes (Melbourne rookie)
34. Fremantle - Hamish Shepheard (East Perth)
35. Port Adelaide - Daniel Stewart (Labrador)
36. Essendon - Christian Bock (Woodville West Torrens)
37. Carlton - Greg Bentley (Port Adelaide)
38. Brisbane Lions - Pass
39. Richmond - Andrew Browne (Murray Bushrangers)
40. North Melbourne - Ben Speight (Norwood)
41. Adelaide - Pass
42. Collingwood - John Bennell (Peel Thunder)
43. Sydney - Kyle Coney (Tyrone, Ireland)
44. St Kilda - Brad Howard (St Kilda)
45. Western Bulldogs - Pass
46. Geelong - Tom Allwright (North Hobart)
47. Hawthorn - Luke Breust (Temora)
Round 4:
48. Fremantle - Clancee Pearce (Swan Districts)
49. Port Adelaide - Matthew Martin (West Adelaide)
50. Essendon - Kade Klemke (Murray Bushrangers)
51. Carlton - Darren Pfeiffer (Carlton)
52. Brisbane Lions - Pass
53. Richmond - Alroy Gilligan (Claremont)
54. North Melbourne - Alan Obst (North Melbourne)
55. Adelaide - Brian Donnelly (Louth, Ireland)
56. Collingwood - Toby Thoolen (Collingwood)
57. Sydney - Michael Pyke (Canada)
58. St Kilda - Steven Gaertner (Dandenong Stingrays)
59. Western Bulldogs - Pass
60. Geelong - Ranga Ediriwickrama (NSW)
61. Hawthorn - Carl Peterson (Richmond)
Round 5:
62. Fremantle - Jay van Berlo (West Perth)
63. Port Adelaide - Jesse Lawrie (Claremont)
64. Essendon - Michael Quinn (Longford, Ireland)
65. Carlton - Lachie Hill (Carlton)
66. Brisbane Lions - Adam Spackman (Morningside)
67. Richmond - Pass
68. North Melbourne - Conor Meredith (Laois, Ireland)
69. Collingwood - Lachlan Keefe (Non-registered)
70. Sydney - N/A
71. St Kilda - Ross Tangatulum (St Mary's NT)
72. Western Bulldogs - Chris Ogle (NSW)
73. Hawthorn - Garry Moss (Hawthorn)
Round 6
74. Fremantle - Greg Broughton (Subiaco)
75. Port Adelaide - Pass
76. Carlton - Sam Jacobs (Carlton)
77. Brisbane Lions - Daniel Dzufer (Brisbane Lions)
78. Collingwood - Scott Reed (NSW)
79. Sydney - N/A
80. St Kilda - Sam McGarry (Sandringham Dragons)
81. Hawthorn - Matthew Suckling (Sandringham Dragons)
Round 7:
82. Brisbane Lions - Joel Tippett (Brisbane Lions)
83. Sydney - N/A
84. St Kilda - Blake McGrath (NSW)
85. Hawthorn - William Sierakowski (NSW)
THE AFL career of former West Coast captain Ben Cousins appears to be over after Richmond announced it would be 'highly unlikely' to draft him.
The AFL rejected an application from the Tigers to put injured utility Graham Polak on the rookie list, leaving it with just one pick in tomorrow's pre-season draft.
Richmond football manager Craig Cameron said while the club will consider its position overnight they are more likely to select a young player.
"It's unlikely the Richmond Football Club will select Ben with six. Our position with pick six has been fairly well documented," Cameron said.
"This (the AFL's decision to reject its bid to rookie-list Polak) is a decision that was unexpected by us. It's our prerogative to take a deep breath and consider our position."
"But it is highly unlikely we will select Ben."
THE AFL has announced a raft of rules changes for the 2009 AFL season.
Teams will be penalised with a free kick for deliberately rushed behinds.
The league will trial the new penalty in next year's NAB Cup with the intention of making it applicable for the 2009 AFL premiership season.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the incidence of rushed behinds increased from an average of 2.1 per match in Rounds 1-11 last season to 3.0 from Rounds 12-22 to 3.8 in the finals.
"The trend of deliberate rushed behinds is not good for the game, negative, kills the contest and the majority supported the trial of a rule to discourage rushed behinds," Anderson said
"It came through clearly from the feedback that clubs will deliberately rush more and more behinds if a change is not brought about."
Anderson also said that umpires will give the benefit of the doubt to any defender involved in spoiling an opponent or who concedes a behind while under pressure from or contesting with an opponent.
The AFL also announced several other changes for next season, including the opportunity for a field umpire to recall off-line bounces if they unfairly favour a team.
The re-start will take place with a throw-up.
Also, the goal line will be drawn level with the back of the goal-post padding not the middle of the posts and an umpire will stop play and reset the mark if he believes he has been used as a screen by a player shooting for goal.
Other changes made are specific to next year's NAB Cup.
There will no longer be 'play on' when a ball rebounds from a goal post or behind post, boundary throw-ins will take place from the boundary line and clubs will have six interchange players and two nominated substitutes per match.
Players replaced by a nominated substitute will not be entitled to return to play
THE AFL Commission has knocked back Richmond's request to have utility Graham Polak placed on the club's rookie list.
The Tigers had applied to have Polak, who sustained brain injuries when he was hit by a tram last June, reclassified as a mature-aged rookie on compassionate grounds.
This would have created an extra place on the club's senior list which Richmond had indicated they would use on former West Coast captain and self-confessed drug addict Ben Cousins, who is free to resume his AFL career after serving a 12-month suspension for bringing the game into disrepute..
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said on Monday that exisiting rules already enable the Tigers to deal with this situation by placing the 24-year-old on the long-term injury list and upgrading a rookie to the senior list.
Demetriou also said the league had taken into account submissions from 14 of the 15 rival AFL clubs on the issue, the majority of which were opposed to the Tigers' plans.
"But that was only one factor in the Commission's decision-making," said Demetriou.
"We took into account the views of the AFL Players Association, the Richmond Football Club submission, and all those things were considered when we made our decision."
Demetriou dismissed suggestions that the issue of Cousins being picked up by the Tigers with the extra pick came into play when the AFL was considering Richmond's proposal.
"We were asked to consider a submission made by the Richmond Football Club in relation to Graham Polak," he said.
"We did that and we took into account all the circumstances around Graham Polak and his unfortunate injury, we took into account the fact that he would be out of football for an indefinite period of time and when it was all said and done, we've got rules in place that deal exactly for this situation."
"Richmond should be commended for supporting a player who may be out of football for quite a period, but the mechanism is there for them to put him on the long-term injury list and to elevate a rookie for as long as Graham Polak is out of football."
"Ben Cousins didn't come into it."
ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon has been given a one-year contract extension which will see him remain at the club until at least the end of the 2010 season.
Lyon, who took the club to a preliminary final in 2008, said he is looking forward to the challenge of turning the Saints into a side that can compete with the best in the competition.
"I’m really looking forward to the next few years at the Saints," said Lyon.
"The club understands that we have a challenge ahead of us to bridge the gap to the competition leaders, but we are in the process of building our list to a point where we have the confidence that we can compete with the best."
"I feel extremely privileged to be coaching at St Kilda."
"The club is about to enter a very exciting period and I will be doing everything that I can to repay the faith shown in me by the football club and also our supporters."
St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser said the club had a 'high level of confidence' that Lyon can help the Saints achieve success.
“Ross is an outstanding fit and a valuable asset to our club, he works tirelessly with the list to get the absolute best out of our playing group,” Fraser said.
"Everyone at the club and the board has a high level of confidence in Ross to lead the club throughout the next few years," Fraser said.
THE Gold Coast and western Sydney remain the AFL's priorities for expansion despite Tasmania making a first-class bid in a meeting with the league in Melbourne on Friday.
Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett told the league that his state already had 60 per cent of corporate sponsorship required for an AFL club, would easily meet the required target of 25,000 members and projected stadium revenues would put them in the top four performing stadia in the league.
But AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said that while he was incredibly impressed by the level of detail in the submission the league's expansion focus at this stage is on the northern markets.
However, Demetriou didn't rule out Tasmania altogether, saying he will raise the state's submission at February's meeting of the AFL Commission.
“Our priorities … are the Gold Coast and western Sydney,” Demetriou said
"But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of Tasmania at some point in the future.
“Now when that might be, who knows? Things change, the world changes and based on the presentation we saw today what I would say is that the Tasmanian Government is more than capable and is ready if in the event that an opportunity arose.
“That’s not to say an opportunity won’t arise because you just never know what may happen.”
ADELAIDE has appointed Bank SA Managing Director Rob Chapman as its new chairman
Chapman, who replaces Bill Sanders as chairman, said the appointment was a great privilege.
"I thank my fellow directors for their support," Chapman said.
"The next 12 months, we all know, will be an interesting mix of challenge and excitement.
"We have a youthful list and a team that is rightly being talked about as capable of setting us up for years to come and, like all other clubs, we have some major off-field challenges in this tough economic climate."
Dual premiership player Nigel Smart, who played 278 games for the club and has been on the Adelaide board since 2005 was named deputy chairman.
The 2009 Board is: Rob Chapman (Chairman), Nigel Smart (Deputy Chairman), Alan Sheppard, Andrew Payze, Peter Hurley, John Sutton, Andrew McEvoy and Steven Trigg (CEO)
RICHMOND has written to the AFL seeking special permission to allow Graham Polak to be placed on its rookie list next season.
Polak, who sustained brain injuries earlier this year when he was hit in the head by a tram is making steady progress but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to return to the playing field ever again let alone next season.
If Polak is granted mature-age rookie status the Tigers will use an additional pick in next week's pre-season draft.
A Melbourne newspaper is speculating that if the AFL approves Richmond's request then they will select former West Coast captain Ben Cousins despite Tigers' recruiting manager Craig Cameron stating last week that the club 'won't be taking him in the pre-season draft.'
PORT ADELAIDE has announced a financial loss of over $1 million for the 2008 season.
Power president Greg Boulton has blamed the $1,421,811 deficit on a drop in attendances and membership numbers.
"Financially it was a difficult year, and there are a range of factors for that which we are very keen to explain to our members and supporters," Boulton said.
"The significant drop in our average home ground attendances seriously hurt our result and was due to the scheduling of our home games, live telecasts against the gate, and poor on- field performance, which also severely impacted on merchandise sales."
"Membership revenue was also down from 2007, and our licensed club, The Port Club, made a significant loss."
BRISBANE has announced a loss of over $2 million for the 2008 season.
Lower home game attendances have been blamed for part of the $2.2 million loss.
Brisbane struggled to a second consecutive 10th place finish this year but Lions chairman Tony Kelly said he was confident the club can turn things around in 2009.
"I think the Lions are the real 'x-factor' team for Season 2009 with new Senior Coach Michael Voss at the helm alongside sole Club Captain Jonathan Brown and his four new Vice Captains," he said.
"So I ask the public to get onboard - become a Lions member."
HAWTHORN vice-captain Luke Hodge is expected to be fit for the start of the next season after undergoing shoulder surgery on Monday.
Hodge, who won the Norm Smith Medal in his team's grand final win over Geelong, injured his shoulder during pre-season training.
Scans last week showed that he had damaged cartilage that required surgery.
The 24-year-old will miss Hawthorn's training camp to Coffs Harbour this week.
ST KILDA youngster Jarryd Allen is set to miss the majority of next season after undergoing further surgery on his hip.
The 20-year-old suffered the injury in the semi-final win over Collingwood and had already had surgery but further surgery was required.
Saints football manager Greg Hutchison said the club was unsure as to when Allen will be able to return.
"At this stage we can't tell when Jarryd will be able to return, but he will be sidelined for at least six months," Hutchison said.
"It's a disappointing blow for Jarryd and the Club which comes at a time when the list is almost completely healthy and looking forward to a strong pre-season."
BRISBANE forward Rhan Hooper has been suspended by the club for a month due to repeated disciplinary breaches.
Hooper has transgressed numerous times over the pre-season period, including failing to attend December’s scheduled training sessions.
The Lions said in a statement that they 'had no other option' than to suspend Hooper but are willing to stand by the 20-year-old.
"We are working with Rhan on this ongoing issue in the best interests of the player and the Lions," the statement said.
ADELAIDE has added midfielder Michael Doughty and utility Scott Stevens to its leadership group.
Doughty has played 142 games for the Crows and has missed just six games in four seasons while Stevens has played every match for the club in the past two years.
Crows coach Neil Craig said Doughty and Stevens were valuable additions to the leadership group.
"I believe the addition of Michael Doughty and Scott Stevens will add to the group as they have displayed excellent leadership qualities that have obviously been recognised by their peers," he said.
Classy midfielder Simon Goodwin will continue to captain the club, with Brett Burton, Tyson Edwards, Ben Rutten and Nathan van Berlo all retaining their position in the group.
FORMER St Kilda champion Robert Harvey has won the 2008 AFL Players' Association Madden Medal.
The award recognises the playing career and on-field achievements of this year's retirees.
Harvey won the award ahead of former Fremantle captain Peter Bell and Hawthorn premiership player Shane Crawford.
TonyK
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