CARLTON duo Ryan Houlihan and Andrew Walker have been fined and discplined by the club following an incident at Crown Casino in Melbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Houlihan and Walker were both fined the maximum penalty ($5000) under the AFL/AFLPA Code of Conduct following a brawl with hotel staff.
It has been reported one of the players was arguing with a woman staying at the hotel before a fight broke out between Houlihan and Walker - one of whom was wearing just underpants.
Hotel staff became involved in the altercation before police were eventually called and the fight was brought under control.
Walker was escorted off the premises while Houlihan was sent back to his room.
No charges were laid against the pair but they are banned from Crown Casino.
Blues chief executive Greg Swann labelled the incident as 'unacceptable' and a 'poor reflection' on the club.
"It is an even greater disappointment to have this type of behaviour at a time when we are making considerable improvements to the club on and off the field," Swann said in a statement.
"We have introduced new programs in the training and education areas and will be moving into the new state of the art training facilities in the New Year."
Houlihan and Walker may face further sanctions when players and coaching staff return from leave in the New Year.
The incident comes just a few months after Brendan Fevola's drunken antics on Brownlow medal night at the same venue prompted Carlton to trade him to Brisbane.
DISCARDED St Kilda defender Matt Maguire's chances of re-igniting his stalled career at Carlton have been bolstered by the axing of utility Cameron Cloke last Friday.
Maguire, who was restricted to just 14 matches between 2007-2008 due to a serious leg injury and stress fractures in his foot, is doing pre-season training with the Blues in a bid to be picked up in December's pre-season draft.
The 25-year-old was left stranded on 99 AFL games after failing to break into the Saints side this season despite playing some good football with Sandringham in the VFL where he spent some time up forward.
Speaking ahead of Carlton's first skills session at Visy Park on Monday, Blues coach Brett Ratten believes Maguire still has something to offer at the elite level.
"His body seems not too bad. I've had a couple of chats with him and it's been pretty low key, but he seems a quality kid and he's still got that burning desire to make his name as an AFL player again and maybe our club might be a good fit," Ratten said.
"His versatility really is something that you look at to think, you know, that could really help us."
Ratten admitted the decision to delist Cloke wasn't an easy one but said it had to be done as Carlton needed another draft pick.
"It was a very hard decision but that's a view that we took with match committee and (it was) probably more list management," he said.
Meanwhile, Ratten ruled out the possibility of recruiting delisted Melbourne forward Russell Robertson.
Ratten said the goal kicking void left by spearhead Brendan Fevola who was traded to Brisbane would be filled by several players already on the club's list, including Jarrad Waite who is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in May.
The Blues coach was optimistic that Waite would be available for selection come round one next year.
"With Jarrad, he started his pre-season about a month ago and he's put in some pretty big steps forward," Ratten said.
"He'll be really close, I think it's all about does he have any hurdles along the way."
"I think at the moment you probably would say yes, but we all know about rehabilitation and how it all goes."
"We've got a plan in place and hopefully all the boxes are ticked every month that it's all going well."
CARLTON has delisted utility Cameron Cloke.
The 24-year-old joined the Blues at the end of 2006 after a stint with Collingwood.
Injuries ruined Cloke's first year at Visy Park but he bounced back to play 20 matches in 2008.
However, he struggled to break into the side this season, managing just 10 games - the last of which was the elimination final loss to Brisbane.
Cloke was recalled to the side for that match after serving a club-imposed one-match suspension for being late to a recovery session.
Taken as a father-son selection in 2002, Cloke made his AFL debut in 2004 and played 21 matches for the Magpies before managing 36 games with Carlton.
Meanwhile, Fremantle has dumped midfielder Andrew Foster.
The 24-year-old, who played five of his nine games in 2009, will continue training with the Dockers in the hope of being redrafted.
CARLTON midfielder Nick Stevens has been forced to retire due to a serious neck injury.
The 29-year-old, who was contracted for another year, was advised by doctors that he should hang up the boots or he would risk further damage to the injury he sustained early in the 2007 season.
"It is very disappointing to have my career end due to injury. Retirement is not something I had been thinking about but I have no option due to the neck injury," Stevens said.
"After consulting with the specialist, the club doctor and the club as well as discussions with my family, I realised the risk in continuing to play football is far too great so the decision was forced on me.
"What makes it even harder is that Carlton is on the verge of a successful era and I would dearly love to be a part of it. While very disappointed, I am thankful that I have been able to play over 200 AFL games and have enjoyed being involved with Carlton and Port Adelaide for over 10 years."
Blues coach Brett Ratten paid tribute to Stevens and said it was a blow to the club to lose a player of his calibre.
"Nick has been a very important player for Carlton in his six years with the club. He has played a vital role in the development of the younger players at the club through his leadership and there has never been a question on his ability to win and use the ball," Ratten said.
"At his peak he has certainly been one of the elite midfielders in the AFL. He has been runner-up in the John Nicholls Medal on two occasions and was also runner-up and third in the Port Adelaide Best and Fairest Award before joining Carlton. We will certainly miss his talent and importantly his experience."
Stevens played 104 games for the Blues after crossing over from Port Adelaide where he managed 127 appearances after making his AFL debut in 1998.
CARLTON has delisted seven players, four from the club's primary list and three rookie-listed players.
Jordan Bannister, Adam Bentick, Jake Edwards and Adam Hartlett and rookies Lachlan Hill, Darren Pfeiffer and Luke Stanton have been axed.
Bentick is the most experienced player to be given the chop, having played 68 games for the Blues after being promoted to the senior list in 2004 while Bannister featured in just two senior games this season to finish with 67 matches to his name which includes 14 for Essendon between 2001 and 2003.
Hartlett was taken with pick 25 in the 2004 national draft but had to wait until 2007 to make his AFL debut.
The 23-year-old played 11 games for the club while Edwards managed five senior appearances.
Pfeiffer was the only rookie that played senior football - he made eight appearances in 2008 after being taken in the pre-season draft.
Carlton is expected to make further changes to its list ahead of the AFL's list lodgement deadline of October 31.
September 30th 2009 06:40
CARLTON has announced that spearhead Brendan Fevola will be on the market when trade week begins on Monday.
The Blues have lost patience with Fevola following his drunken antics at the Brownlow Medal count last week - the latest in a series of off-field misdemeanours for the 28-year-old.
Fevola admitted it was his own fault that he now finds himself in this position but said he was looking forward to the future.
"I acknowledge that this is largely of my own doing, I remain remorseful for the events of the past 10 days and once again apologise to those people I have let down - especially family and friends," Fevola said.
"But I cannot turn back the clock. Instead I will welcome the opportunity to join a new club and look forward to pursuing the dream of an AFL premiership."
Fevola made his AFL debut in 1999 and has kicked 575 goals in 187 games.
He has also won two Coleman Medals - the most recent of which came this season after booting 86 goals.
September 28th 2009 13:42
CARLTON skipper Chris Judd has won his second consecutive John Nicholls Medal at the Crown Palladium on Monday night.
The win comes just a week after Judd finished second in the Brownlow Medal count to Geelong star Gary Ablett.
Judd polled 558 votes to claim the best-and-fairest award ahead of fellow midfielders Marc Murphy (451) and Bryce Gibbs (415).
Coleman Medallist Brendan Fevola, who elected not to attend the count pending further action against him by the club for his drunken antics at the Brownlow Medal, finished fourth with 390 votes.
Judd played all 23 games in 2009, racking up over 600 disposals on top of a season-high 102 tackles and 137 inside 50s.
Murphy, who was in the 40-man preliminary squad for this year's All-Australian team, played all 23 games for the season, collected a career-high 588 disposals and was the club's third-highest goalkicker with 31 for the year.
Gibbs also played all 23 games for Carlton in 2009 and led the Blues for kicks (321) and total disposals (615).
Meanwhile, Aaron Joseph capped off an impressive debut season by being named the Blues' best first-year player and finishing in the top ten for the John Nicholls Medal.
The 20-year-old tagger, who was taken with the number two pick in last year rookie draft, was elevated to the senior list ahead of round one and played all 23 games.
In other awards, David Ellard was named the Best Clubman, the Spirit of Carlton Encouragement Award went to Jordan Russell and Dennis Armfield won the Women of Carlton Player Ambassador of the Year Award for his on field achievements, community work and the manner in which he represented the club on and off the field this season.
John Nicholls Medal Top 10:
1. Chris Judd - 558
2. Marc Murphy - 451
3. Bryce Gibbs - 415
4. Brendan Fevola - 390
5. Matthew Kreuzer - 311
6. Jordan Russell - 281
7. Paul Bower - 279
8. Kade Simpson 254
9. Bret Thornton - 225
10. Aaron Joseph - 201
September 28th 2009 05:56
CARLTON spearhead Brendan Fevola will not be attending the Blues' best-and-fairest count on Monday night.
The Coleman Medallist, who was fined $10,000 by the club and withdrew from Friday's grand final parade and a pre-grand final motorcade following his drunken antics at the Brownlow Medal count last week, informed Carlton of his decision this morning.
The Blues released a statement to say that they had accepted Fevola's decision 'to ensure there is no distraction from the John Nicholls Medal function.'
Carlton was expected to meet with Fevola on Monday morning to discuss his future but has elected to postpone the meeting until later in the week.
September 25th 2009 05:30
CARLTON spearhead Brendan Fevola won't take part in the pre-match AFL Grand Final motorcade at the MCG on Saturday following his drunken antics at Monday night's Brownlow Medal Count.
Fevola was fined $10,000 by the Blues for his 'unacceptable behaviour' and axed from the grand final edition of Channel Nine's The Footy Show.
The 28-year-old will meet with the Carlton board in the next 48 hours and could be hit with further sanctions.
As the reigning Coleman medallist, Fevola would normally have been involved in the pre-match festivities on grand final day but he has stood aside as he believes the issues from the week may detract from the event.
September 23rd 2009 23:18
CARLTON spearhead Brendan Fevola has been hit with a $10,000 fine by the Blues for his drunken antics at Monday night's Brownlow Medal count.
While taping the Street Talk segment for Channel Nine's The Footy Show, Fevola reportedly simulated sex for the cameras, swore while interviewing players and guests, lurched between players and their partners and even knocked a full bottle of beer out of the hand of Western Bulldog Adam Cooney.
Blues chief executive Greg Swann said Fevola's behaviour was 'totally unacceptable'.
"While Brendan is officially on holidays he was representing the Carlton Football Club and the AFL at Monday night's function and much of his behaviour, particularly at the post Brownlow function, was totally unacceptable," Swann said.
"It is very disappointing for Brendan, for Carlton and indeed for the AFL that such an important night for our game has been tarnished by his actions."
"On Monday he did not show the respect that such an occasion warrants and as such we have fined him $10,000."
Fevola, who admitted he had no recollection of what happened on Monday night, has been axed from the Grand Final Footy show and his future on the program remains in doubt.
September 10th 2009 10:36
CARLTON skipper Chris Judd will miss the first three matches of the 2010 season after failing to have his ban for misconduct overturned at the Appeals Board on Thursday night.
Judd was found guilty of making unreasonable and unnecessary contact to the face of Brisbane's Michael Rischitelli during the second quarter of the Blues' seven-point loss in last Saturday night's elimination final at the Gabba.
The Blues appealed the suspension handed to Judd by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night on the grounds that the decision was so unreasonable that no tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having considered the evidence before it.
Judd's counsel, David Grace QC also argued that the classification of the offence and the sanction imposed were manifestly excessive.
But after deliberating for seven minutes the appeals board consisting of Michael Green, Brian Collis QC and chairman Peter O'Callaghan QC dismissed Judd's appeal.
"We can't impeach that finding (of the tribunal) nor can we say it was not open to the jury to find as they did," O'Callaghan said.
"We are not satisfied there are exceptional or compelling circumstances, so in those circumstances the appeal is dismissed."
CARLTON has announced that it will appeal the three-match ban handed to skipper Chris Judd by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
Judd was found guilty of misconduct in that he made unreasonable and unnecessary contact to the face of Brisbane's Michael Rischitelli during the second quarter of the Blues' seven-point loss in last Saturday night's elimination final at the Gabba.
The Blues are appealing on the basis that the decision was so unreasonable that no tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it.
Carlton also believes that the classification of the offence and the suspension were manifestly excessive.
The Appeals Board will hear the case at 5.30pm on Thursday.
TonyK
Cibbuano
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