AFL News and Views

[bomberaza]

There is nothing more certain to cause arguments in pubs and offices across Australia than debating the fairness of the AFL draw as fans of some clubs will inevitably complain their team has a tougher fixture than some of their rivals.

With 16 teams and just 22 rounds, inequities will always arise from a draw in which each team meets just seven of its 15 rivals twice a year.

But in these days of football being such a big business, with clubs having multi-million dollar turnovers, the financial aspect of the draw is almost as important as the football aspect.

This is summed up by the fact that one of the most common fixture requests the AFL receives each year from clubs is for a home game against Collingwood, the league's biggest drawing club, in these days of the home teams keeping all the gate receipts.

Here is how each team fared in the 2006 draw both from a football and a commercial aspect.

ADELAIDE:
Football: A nightmare start to the season but after the first month, the Crows' draw is reasonable. A Monday night away game against Collingwood in round one is daunting enough, but that is followed by a home game against 2005 runners-up West Coast followed by successive away trips to opposite sides of the country, firstly to the Gold Coast - to face Melbourne - before backing up to face Fremantle in Perth. The Crows only play St Kilda and Sydney once but face return meetings against four of last year's finalists as well as likely improvers the Western Bulldogs, while two trips to Perth is also a negative. However the Crows have avoided trips to Geelong, Canberra and Launceston.
Commercial: The Crows are arguably the AFL's richest club and with their huge membership are guaranteed virtual sell-outs for home matches, regardless of their opponents. But the Crows won't be happy with four home games on a Saturday afternoon - the least preferred timeslot for South Australian footy fans - while Port has no home games at that time.

BRISBANE LIONS:
Football: Has 13 games in Queensland which is a major advantage but fared almost the worst of any team when it comes to return matches. After missing the finals in 2005 for the first time in seven years, the Lions' chances of regaining their place in the eight won't be helped by return games against three of last year's preliminary finalists - Sydney, West Coast and St Kilda - as well as Geelong. But that is off-set by no consecutive weeks of travel for the first time in the club's history while the Lions only make one trip to Adelaide and Perth. And with Melbourne (Gabba) and Hawthorn (Carrara) agreeing to play home games in Queensland against the Lions, it also effectively means Brisbane has two more "home" games than the rest of the competition.
Commercial: The Lions have suffered two major blows losing their season opening blockbuster against St Kilda from last year - which in 2006 will be played in round three and this time in Melbourne. And Brisbane won't have a huge drawing home game against Collingwood in 2006.

CARLTON:
Football: You would have hoped last year's wooden spooners would receive a good draw and Blues' fans can breathe a sigh of relief that this is the case. The Blues play just two of last year's finalists twice while they have avoided the maximum six interstate trips by only being allocated one trip to Adelaide. However the Blues again copped two trips to Perth and for the fourth straight season the Blues begin with an away game - against Melbourne at Telstra Dome.
Commercial: The cash-strapped Blues have fared well here also with home games against each of the club's three greatest rivals; Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond while they again have a Friday night home game against Hawthorn, a match which drew a huge crowd for the Blues in 2005.

COLLINGWOOD:
Football: The Magpies have fared well yet again with fewer interstate games than any other club apart from Essendon, with just four matches outside of Victoria. The Magpies don't have to go to Brisbane and only go to Perth once but face two trips to Adelaide. Also meets West Coast twice whilst its once-only clash against 2005 premiers Sydney is again at Telstra Stadium in the second half of the split round.
Commercial: The Magpies are the AFL's biggest drawcards and one of the reasons the club consistently travels less than any team is every cash-strapped Melbourne club is desperate to play a home game against them. But although the Magpies are still the only club to play on football's two biggest days on the home and away calendar - Anzac Day and Queen's Birthday - the Pies have paid a price for their recent poor form with their allocation of games in the prestigious Friday night slot slashed from nine in 2004 to six in 2005 and now just four in 2006.

ESSENDON:
Football: The Bombers are CLEARLY the big winners from the 2006 fixture and rival fans must be wondering whether the draw was compiled by Bombers' coach Kevin Sheedy. Incredibly the Bombers play just ONE of last year's finalists twice and have just four matches interstate - the equal least number of travelling matches along with Collingwood. 2005 premiers Sydney is the only finalist from last year Essendon plays twice while it avoids return trips to Adelaide and Perth. The only negative appears to be the fact the Bombers are drawn to play the league's likely big improvers in 2006 - the Bulldogs twice. Essendon has the perfect draw to enable it to make an immediate return to the finals after last year missing the September action for the first time since 1997.
Commercial: The Bombers have fared just as well here with home games against their three greatest rivals - Collingwood, Richmond and Carlton - although the Magpies have home rights for the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster this year. The Bombers also start the season with a huge home clash against 2005 premiers Sydney while they also have a home game in round nine - for Sheedy's 600th game as a coach - against Port Adelaide plus other potential blockbuster home games against St Kilda at the MCG and the Bulldogs at Telstra Dome.

FREMANTLE:
Football: The Dockers have one of the toughest draws of any team with return meetings against five of last year's finalists. Fremantle also goes to Adelaide twice and has two long trips to Launceston in the first five rounds, including against Hawthorn in round one. The Dockers only meet 2005 premiers Sydney once - in Sydney - but the positive is they don't have away games against Victoria's top two teams of the past two years in St Kilda and Geelong while they have return games against two of last year's bottom three teams in Hawthorn and Carlton.
Commercial: Fremantle has fared better here with several blockbuster home games, although they don't have a home game against the big-drawing Magpies. But Fremantle does have a rare Friday night home game, against Essendon in round 14 as well as home games against St Kilda and Port Adelaide in rounds 20 and 22, which shapes as a money-spinning end to the season provided the club is in finals contention.

GEELONG:
Football: The Cats' draw is the complete opposite of Adelaide's in that the Cats have a dream start to the season followed by a difficult draw which sees them play return matches against four of last year's finalists plus the improving Bulldogs. The Cats also face Sydney at the much larger Telstra Stadium for the first time, but have avoided two trips to Adelaide and Perth. But for all the negatives, most clubs would kill to play their first three matches on home soil which the Cats will do at Skilled Stadium in 2006.
Commercial: Playing the first three games at Geelong will ensure the cash register is ticking over nicely at Skilled Stadium early in the season and as well as that luxury the Cats have fared well by being given home games in Melbourne against big drawing pair Essendon and St Kilda. But the Cats have missed out on a home game against Collingwood.

HAWTHORN:
Football: The Hawks have fared well in terms of their return games as they play just two of last year's finalists twice and they meet all of last year's preliminary finalists - Sydney, West Coast, Adelaide and St Kilda - just once with the clashes against Sydney and the Eagles both at the MCG. However this is off-set by the fact the Hawks play just 14 games in Victoria next season although of their eight travelling matches, four are "home" games at either Launceston's Aurora Stadium or at Carrara on the Gold Coast.
Commercial: It's hard to know what to make of the Hawks' unusual 2006 fixture, in which the club took advantage of the early season unavailability of the MCG to sell two more home games interstate, which will take their number of home games in Tasmania to three. The other will be against Brisbane at Carrara on the Gold Coast, which might be a nice earner for the club, but as a result they sacrificed home state advantage to the Lions. While the Hawks' four interstate home games in 2006 should earn them around the $1 million mark, the flip side is their loyal fans in Melbourne will now have just five home games at the club's traditional home at the MCG and it will be interesting to see whether the club's membership suffers as a result.

KANGAROOS:
Football: The Kangas might just have the toughest draw of all and it will take a supreme effort by Dean Laidley's team to make the finals again. Not only do they meet five of last year's finalists twice - Fremantle and the Bulldogs are the only other teams to suffer this fate - but they face a punishing travel schedule. The Roos, like Hawthorn, play just 14 games in Victoria but of their eight interstate games, three are home matches in Canberra. But the Roos face two interstate trips (one a home game in Canberra) plus a trip to Geelong in the first four rounds and then from rounds 16 to 19 they face another three interstate trips, including facing Adelaide at AAMI and West Coast at Subiaco.
Commercial: As badly as the Roos have fared from a football perspective, they have fared well from the financial side of things and the 2006 draw should be a huge boost to the coffers of the cash-strapped club. The Roos not only have a home game on Easter Monday against Collingwood at Telstra Dome, which is the only game that day, but have been given Friday night home games at the Dome later in the season against Carlton and Essendon with the Carlton clash being the only game in Melbourne during the second half of the split round. All three games would be expected to draw crowds in excess of 50,000 to Telstra Dome.

MELBOURNE:
Football: The Demons have a tough draw both in terms of their travel schedule and which teams they play twice. Not only do they face return meetings against four of last year's finalists in Sydney, Adelaide, the Kangaroos and Geelong but they also meet likely improvers the Bulldogs and Fremantle twice. The Demons also play six games interstate, although two of those are "home" games in Queensland including the round three clash against Adelaide at Carrara while the MCG is unavailable. Melbourne also goes to Geelong in the second last round and then for the second time in three years goes interstate in the final round, to face the Crows at AAMI Stadium. They also face back-to-back interstate games in rounds three and four.
Commercial: The Demons have retained home advantage on one of football's biggest days on Queen's Birthday against Collingwood, a luxury many other Victorian clubs would kill for and with the ground's renovations to be completed by then the Demons will rake even more dollars from that game with the MCG capable of hosting 100,000 by then. However they missed out on home games against Essendon and Richmond while their first round home match against Carlton is not only at Telstra Dome but starts at the unusual time of 5.10pm on a Sunday to avoid clashing with the Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, which may affect the attendance.

PORT ADELAIDE:
Football: A tough draw for Port with return meetings against four of last year's finalists including premiers Sydney as well as preliminary finalists St Kilda and West Coast plus likely improvers the Bulldogs and Fremantle. Port also has drawn the short straw and for the second time in three years again has to make the trip to Darwin to take on the Bulldogs in the fierce Top End heat. They also have to travel to Geelong, Launceston and the SCG although they have just one trip to Perth.
Commercial: Just like the Kangaroos, Port has fared badly from a football perspective but is set to make a killing from the 2006 fixture from a financial perspective. Three home games in the first four rounds is a plus while Port has been given a Monday night home blockbuster against St Kilda on Anzac Day eve as well as likely big-drawing home games against reigning premiers Sydney and arch-rivals Collingwood.

RICHMOND:
Football: The Tigers have a much tougher draw than in 2005, when they enjoyed the least amount of travel of any club in the competition. After making just three interstate trips in 2005, the Tigers have six next year - including two to Perth while they journey to Tasmania for the first time to play Hawthorn in Launceston in round 12. The Tigers play just three of last year's finalists twice but they are arguably the competition's three best teams in Sydney, West Coast and St Kilda while they also play likely big improvers the Bulldogs twice, including in the opening round. And they have a daunting road double to Perth to face West Coast and then to Brisbane in rounds three and four.
Commercial: Richmond has fared a lot better here with MCG home games against each of the club's three greatest rivals in Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon as well as a huge round two Friday night home clash against St Kilda at Telstra Dome. The Tigers will also be pleased with the huge reduction in the club's number of Sunday matches - down from 12 in 2005 to just three in 2006.

ST KILDA:
Football: The Saints have not fared too badly for a side that has reached the last two preliminary finals as they play just three of last year's finalists twice in West Coast, Port and Geelong meaning once-only fixtures against the two sides they played in this year's finals in Adelaide and Sydney. However their once only clash with the premiers is in Sydney while they also meet the improving Bulldogs twice. The Saints have seven interstate trips in total but two of these are "home" games in Tasmania, but they do go to Perth twice as well as the Gabba.
Commercial: The Saints' status as the biggest attraction in the competition at present has been confirmed in 2006 with the club receiving the most number of the prestigious Friday night games - a total of seven which includes two which will be played on a Thursday night ensuring maximum television exposure for the club. The Saints will play in some of the highest profile games of the season, including the season opener in Perth against the Eagles on a Thursday night, a Thursday night home clash against Brisbane to start the Easter Round, a Monday night clash against Port at AAMI on the eve of Anzac Day while it also has big home games against Geelong on a Friday night in round seven and against Collingwood in round 14.

SYDNEY:
Football: The Swans have received a fantastic draw for a team which won the premiership in 2005 with return meetings with just three of last year's finalists - Melbourne, Geelong and Port. The Swans meet their three biggest rivals from 2005 in West Coast, Adelaide and St Kilda just once and their once only meetings with St Kilda and Adelaide are both in Sydney. The Swans also get a return match against 2005 wooden spooners Carlton and only have to journey to Adelaide and Perth once each. In fact only Essendon has probably fared better, with the Swans' only major negative being a trip to Geelong in round 20.
Commercial: The Swans have been well-rewarded for their premiership success and will feature in several blockbuster home matches next season. As well as retaining the traditional mid-season home clash against Collingwood in the second half of the split round, the Swans will also meet Geelong at Telstra Stadium in a re-match of this year's memorable semi-final and will have big Saturday night SCG games against St Kilda and Essendon.

WEST COAST EAGLES:
Football: Just like the team that conquered them in the memorable 2005 grand final, Sydney, the Eagles have fared well in next year's draw for a team that reached the premiership decider. Return games against just three of last year's finalists is a huge bonus and their once-only clash against the Swans is in Perth in round 15. The only negatives are two trips to Adelaide plus trips to Geelong and Canberra although the Eagles have avoided their usual trip to Launceston in 2006.
Commercial: The Eagles, like Adelaide, don't have to worry about this aspect of the draw because they always sell-out their home games regardless of the opponent. But the Eagles will have several huge home games next year, starting with the season opener against St Kilda on a Thursday night as well as early season home games against Richmond and Collingwood while their round 15 home game against Sydney will be one of the most eagerly-awaited games of the season.

WESTERN BULLDOGS:
Football: The Bulldogs are tipped to be the big improvers in 2006 but they will need to be after being handed one of the toughest draws of any team. Along with the Kangaroos and Fremantle, the Dogs are the only team that has to play five of last year's finalists twice, including both South Australian teams plus St Kilda, Geelong and Melbourne. And while they play 2005 premiers Sydney just once, that match is in Sydney. The Dogs also travel six times although two of these are "home" games that the club has agreed to shift interstate, one against the Swans at the MCG and the other against Port in Darwin.
Commercial: The Doggies have been well-rewarded for their improvement in 2005 and for their expected further improvement in 2006 with a Friday night home match against Richmond to kick off their season while they finish with big home games at Telstra Dome against St Kilda and Essendon in the last two rounds. But they missed out on a home game against Collingwood.

SOURCE (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=233162)

[Sideshow Bob Roberts]

WAAAAAAAY to hard to read Brenton :(

[Sambo]

sorry trying to fix it up

[Sambo]

Round 1 (Season Launch)

Thursday, 30th March
West Coast vs. St. Kilda Subiaco (Night)
Friday, 31st March
Western Bulldogs vs. Richmond Telstra Dome (Night)Saturday,
1st April
Geelong vs. Brisbane Lions Skilled Stadium
Essendon vs. Sydney Telstra Dome (Night)
Port Adelaide vs. Kangaroos AAMI Stadium (Night)
Sunday, 2nd April
Hawthorn vs. Fremantle Aurora Stadium (Early Start)
Melbourne vs. Carlton Telstra Dome (Night)
Monday, 3rd April
Collingwood vs. Adelaide Telstra Dome (Night)

something like that with the other 21 rounds included

[Sambo]

So what do the clubs think about the 2006 draw? Here are their first impressions…

Adelaide: "It is certainly a demanding fixture in terms of our travel requirements. For us, specifically, it’s a demanding fixture early in the season with trips to Melbourne, Queensland and Perth in the first four rounds, but like last season we finish the minor round with a number of games at home – six of our last eight matches are at AAMI Stadium." - Adelaide chief executive, Steven Trigg.

Brisbane: "It is timely that we receive a fair share of the travel burden in 2006. Our team has been forced to do plenty of hard yards in recent years. It is important for our Melbourne-based members that we are scheduled for at least the minimum number of six games there each season, and they certainly have a reasonable spread of games next year." - Brisbane Lions chief executive, Michael Bowers.

Carlton: "The fixture overall will never be able to please each club in their individual requirements but overall, given the restrictions due to the unavailability of the MCG early in the season and our poor performances in 2005, the Carlton Football Club is reasonably comfortable with the 2006 fixture. While our first two games are away matches, six of the next eight matches are home games and this is very positive for our Members in 2006.

"We are also very pleased that we will be playing at four interstate venues as we believe it is important for the promotion of the Club around Australia as well as providing an opportunity for our Members and supporters in these areas to see Carlton play. Importantly our request to play in both Sydney and Brisbane has been met and these are very important markets for Carlton, we have great support in New South Wales and Queensland and have not played there on a regular basis in recent years." - Carlton chief executive, Michael Malouf.

Advertising
Melbourne: "From the outset we negotiated for as many games at the MCG as we could, it is our home, we know we can draw significant crowds and it is what our members want.

"In 2005, three of the Melbourne games attracted the largest AFL crowds for the season including the games against Geelong, Essendon and Collingwood. The blockbuster MCG games against these clubs will once again attract significant attendances. The fixture will also benefit our large number of MCC members who will be able to pack out the members stand in force.

"Next season will deliver great benefits to our members. There was a lot of concern related to the possible unavailability of the MCG however, the fixture today puts those fears to rest, there are plenty of reasons to join up." Melbourne chief executive, Steve Harris.

Port Adelaide: "We think the draw is a challenging one for our club, but we also believe there are positives in there for us and importantly for our supporters. We start our 10th year in the AFL by playing six of our first eight games at AAMI Stadium, which gives us a good opportunity for a solid start to the season. The draw provides some mouth-watering ‘blockbuster’ clashes for our members and season ticket holders to look forward to, including games against St Kilda, Adelaide, Collingwood, Brisbane Lions and grand finalists Sydney and West Coast.

"We are disappointed that of our requests submitted to the AFL, probably the only one we really achieved was additional games in Melbourne (in 2005 we had three and next year we have five). As pleasing as our start to the year appears with six of our first eight games at AAMI Stadium, our end to the year with five of our last eight games on the road will be extremely challenging. In the end, the Port Adelaide Football Club will play wherever and whenever it is scheduled to play. We are looking forward to the 2006 Season and we encourage all of our supporters to get on board." - Port Adelaide chief executive, John James.

Richmond: "It’s a tough football draw with six interstate trips scheduled, as a result of the unavailability of the MCG early on due to the Commonwealth Games. But a positive is the fact that our last six games of the season are either at the MCG (four) or Telstra Dome (two). We also should get strong television coverage with four Friday night games and eight Saturday night games. I'm sure our members and supporters will appreciate the fact that we are playing many more games on Friday nights and Saturdays throughout the season. They have certainly expressed a desire to see that happen." - Richmond chief executive, Steven Wright

St Kilda: "The 2006 fixture was always going to be very difficult for the AFL and we appreciate the complexities involved with the Commonwealth Games scheduling. There are a number of aspects of the draw that we would have preferred to see different, but overall we are extremely enthusiastic about season 2006 and looking forward to the challenge." - St Kilda Football Club CEO, Jim Watts.

Western Bulldogs: "The Western Bulldogs are delighted that the AFL has recognised the exciting brand of football played by the Western Bulldogs and have listened to our requests, particularly in terms of Friday night fixturing. As such, we are pleased to play in four Friday night matches, with three of these games being home games at Telstra Dome. Overall our travel in 2006 has been largely reduced compared to previous seasons, where we have been one of the highest traveling Victorian teams in past seasons.

"The Western Bulldogs are disappointed that our request for two Darwin home games was denied. However, the club will continue to establish strong relationships in Darwin in the form of education and training programs to further benefit all members of the community. At the same time, the Western Bulldogs understand the AFL's requirement for us to play a home game in Sydney to assist with the difficulty surrounding 2006 Commonwealth Games scheduling.

"Overall, the Western Bulldogs are pleased we are getting a fixture that represents the contribution the club has made to the game, with supporters now having the opportunity to watch more Bulldogs games on free to air TV, further strengthening the Bulldogs brand." - Western Bulldogs chief executive, Campbell Rose.

SOURCE (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=233302)

[Sambo]

There are 176 games in the AFL home and away season each year but from the moment the draw is announced there are always the stand-out games, the ones that fans start looking forward to months in advance.

Here are the ten must-see games of 2006 following the release of the home and away fixture on Tuesday.

1. ANZAC DAY - Collingwood v Essendon, round five - MCG: This day is always the most special on the home and away calendar, regardless of how the Pies and Bombers are travelling, but promises to be even more special in 2006. That is because it signals the return to football at the MCG and the first time in 20 years the ground's capacity will be back over the 100,000 mark.

2. THE GRAND FINAL RE-MATCH - West Coast Eagles v Sydney, round 15 - Subiaco: It's a long time to wait but you can bet all footy fans and especially Eagles' fans will have this game circled as soon as they get their hands on the fixture. It will be the first meeting between the teams since they produced the best grand final of the modern era in 2005.

3. THE SEASON OPENER - West Coast Eagles v St Kilda, round one - Subiaco: The teams with the most to prove in 2006 will have the honour of kicking off the season on a Thursday night in round one in what is certain to be a sell-out clash. These are the teams that for most of 2005 were favoured to win the premiership before both fell to the Swans, the Saints in the preliminary final and the Eagles in the grand final. So both will be desperate to start 2006 off with a win in what looms as the ideal season opener.

4. QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY: Melbourne v Collingwood, round 11 - MCG: The all-time attendance record for a home and away match of 99,346 was set between these teams on this day back in 1958 and for the past 20 years, the thought of breaking it just has not been possible. But with the MCG's capacity set to return beyond 100,000 for the first time since 1986 next year, such dreams are now possible and realistically - because of the high number of Melbourne fans who are MCC members - this is the only match that could do it. Much will depend on the form of the Demons and the Magpies at the time but one thing is certain, this match will be even more special than usual in 2006 with the MCG back to full capacity.

5. A BLOCKBUSTER IN TASSIE: Hawthorn v Richmond, round 12, Aurora Stadium: Just when Tasmanians were resigned to seeing the Hawks and the Saints take on solely non-Victorian clubs, the AFL pulls a major surprise by scheduling this clash between two of Melbourne's biggest clubs in the Apple Isle. The last time these clubs both made the finals - in 2001 - this match attracted more than 52,000 at the MCG so expect it to push Aurora's recently increased 24,000 capacity to the limit in what shapes as clearly the biggest AFL game ever staged in Tasmania.

6. KEVIN SHEEDY'S 600TH. Essendon v Port Adelaide, round nine - Telstra Dome: In this match Essendon's veteran coach will become only the second man in league history - behind Collingwood's immortal Jock McHale - to coach 600 league games. The build-up to this match will be absolutely huge and expect the Bombers' PR machine to go into overdrive ahead of a match which is certain to draw a full house and which shapes as a very daunting trip for the Power.

7. AN EASTER TREAT FOR THE KANGAROOS: Kangaroos v Collingwood, round three - Telstra Dome: For years the Kangaroos have watched while other Victorian clubs take centre stage on football's biggest days despite being the most successful Melbourne club of the past decade and winning the admiration of even rival fans for their never-say-die attitude. But in 2006, the Roos finally get their chance to play on the big stage when they host Collingwood at Telstra Dome in what will be the only game on Easter Monday. With the help of the Magpies' 'black and white army" expect the Dome to be bursting at the seams for this clash as the Roos receive some long overdue recognition not to mention a huge financial boost by finally making it onto the big stage during the home and away season.

8. FOOTY RETURNS TO THE GOLD COAST: Melbourne v Adelaide, round three, Hawthorn v Brisbane, round seven - Carrara. When Brisbane left Carrara in 1992, most people thought that would have been the last we would ever see of the Gold Coast venue. But after the huge success of a practice match between Brisbane and Essendon there last year and with football on a high in Queensland following the Lions' recent premiership successes, the once-despised home of the Brisbane Bears will make a comeback in 2006. And fans are unlikely to recognise the venue, which has been improved significantly since then and is undergoing further modernisation thanks to $1 million from the AFL. The league is confident both matches will fill the 15,500 capacity venue, especially the second clash which will feature Brisbane going back to its former home ground as the "away" side against Hawthorn.

9. A MONDAY NIGHT BLOCKBUSTER IN ADELAIDE: Port Adelaide v St Kilda, round four - AAMI Stadium: With Anzac Day falling on a Tuesday this year, the AFL has revived Monday night football, which will come to the City of Churches for the first time. And with a public holiday the next day, the AFL is expecting a huge turnout for this clash, not to mention a massive television audience back in Melbourne, for a game which is a re-match of the memorable 2004 preliminary final between the same two teams at the same venue.

10. CATS NOW THE STAR ATTRACTIONS IN SYDNEY: Sydney v Geelong, round five - Telstra Stadium. For the past few seasons in Sydney, the most eagerly awaited game each year has been the traditional mid-season clash with Collingwood at Homebush. But in 2006, the Cats are set to take over from the Magpies as the main visiting attraction in Sydney. For the first time Geelong will play the Swans in one of their three home matches at the 81,000 capacity Olympic Stadium and after the memorable semi-final meeting between the pair in 2005, this match looms as a genuine blockbuster and could well draw in excess of 50,000 fans.

SOURCE (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=233291)

[batb0y]

2. THE GRAND FINAL RE-MATCH - West Coast Eagles v Sydney, round 15 - Subiaco:

5. A BLOCKBUSTER IN TASSIE: Hawthorn v Richmond

6. KEVIN SHEEDY'S 600TH. Essendon v Port Adelaide, round nine

10. CATS NOW THE STAR ATTRACTIONS IN SYDNEY: Sydney v Geelong,

Just thought I would comment on these items.

2: Disgraceful that fans have to wait until Round 15 for a Grand Final rematch.

5: Blockbuster in Tassie???? So now that the Saints are a drawcard, we are replacing them with Richmond in the battle of the Hasbeens and WhoCares?

6: Sheeds. Has one man ever done so little with so much?

10. Cats were ALWAYS the biggest drawcard of the year when I was watching Swans games in the late 90's. Buggered if I know why, but each year for the Geelong game it was simply the biggest crowd - by a few hundred, nothing massive - every year.

Note to Eddy - Noice job in losing so many "glamour matches". Maybe if you guys focused more on the team and not building the public profile you could have kept more of your cash cows. Gee - next year you might even have to leave the state !!

[jase]

since when is hawthorn and richmond a BLOCKBUSTER?

Jase :)

[Mark]

The AFL Commission has approved a number of changes to the Laws of the Game for the 2006 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, following recommendations from the Laws of the Game committee and Football Operations Department.

The changes are as follows:

1 - Removing the requirement for defensive players to wait until the flags have been waved after a point has been scored, before bringing the ball back into play;
2 - Allowance of a shot for goal to be taken from directly in front of the goal for any mark taken, or free kick awarded, within the goal square;
3 - Automatic re-start of time-on from the time the umpire crosses arms to when the ball is bounced.

Further, the AFL Umpires will also be instructed on a number of interpretation changes to be introduced for the start of the 2006 season, as follows:

1 - Limit the time for players to line up for set shots to 30 seconds;
2 - Reduced tolerance of holding players up after a mark or free kick;
3 - Quicker boundary throw-ins;
4 - Less time taken to award a 50m penalty;
5 - Stricter interpretation of the deliberate out of bounds law;
6 - Stricter policing of holding and blocking in marking contests;
7- Greater focus on detecting infringements by tagging players.

AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson said the Commission and the Laws of the Game Committee had studied detailed examinations of the trends in AFL football over the last 40 years.

"The core objective of the AFL Commission, and the Laws of the Game committee, when examining the direction of our game is to enhance and maintain the appeal of AFL football as an outstanding sport for spectators and players," Mr Anderson said.

"Our focus is to see a more continous style of play, with less players around the ball and a reduction in the likelihood of high-impact collision injuries," he said.

This research had shown the style of game at the elite level had continuously trended towards a greater density of players around the ball, less contested marking and less one-on-one contests.

The detailed background research viewed by the Laws of the Game committee and the AFL Commission as part of their deliberations can be viewed in the related document at the top of this article.

Source (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=aflfocus&spg=display&articleid=238953)

[The Hamburglar]

What are the chances of a night grand final from 2007? I bet Nine would like those figures included in their primetime shares.

[Mark]

VERY good you would imagine.

[The Hamburglar]

Saturday nights would be great from a viewers perspective. NRL GF the next day would be even better.

[Mark]

Fremantle Dockers midfielder Heath Black has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, obstructing police officers and assaulting a public officer in an incident at the Perth Cup races.

Black, 26, notified the AFL club immediately following the incident at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday and has co-operated fully with the police assisting their enquiries into the matter.

A Fremantle statement said Black was still on leave after reaching an agreement with the Dockers following his involvement in the International Rules series against Ireland.

He is scheduled to resume pre-season training next week.

The statement said the Dockers and Black would make no further comment.

Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Docker-arrested-after-Perth-Cup-incident/2006/01/02/1136050386269.html)

[aussieguru]

Thats the spirit of the best team in the AFL for 2006!!

[David Bird]

MICHAEL Voss will captain the Brisbane Lions for a 10th successive season, but mystery continues to surround the make-up of the rest of the AFL club's leadership group.

Voss said today he would continue in the role but remained unsure if Nigel Lappin and Justin Leppitsch would again be vice-captains, after serious injuries derailed the pair's campaign in 2005.

Along with Voss, Luke Power and Simon Black, Lappin and Leppitsch last season formed part of a five-man leadership group hand-picked by coach Leigh Matthews.

Black and Power are certain to retain their roles if Matthews elects to retain his extended leadership group.

Voss hinted that change could be on the horizon with star forward Jonathan Brown, 24, waiting in the wings for a greater role.

"In the next 12 months we're going to need a new group of leaders coming through," he said.

"We've got Justin Leppitsch, Nigel Lappin and myself, as well as Chris Johnson and those sort of guys. We're all edging 30 and the reality is that for the development of the group we need another group coming through that are 24, 25, 26.

"They can lead us into the next era or generation or whatever you want to call it.

"We've been trying to put it into place over the last few years but more so this year."

Voss revealed he was always going to retain the captain's mantle despite dropping a hint midway through last season that it might be time to move on.

The 30-year-old midfielder took that opportunity to anoint Brown as his likely successor but said the decision ultimately fell with Matthews.

"It all got dealt with in the off-season and I'll be captain again this year," he said.

"There's no qualms with that and I was always captain unless otherwise told so.

"We're still in a development stage, there's no doubt about that, and we've got to get the next leadership group through so we can take this team to the next level."

But Voss remained adamant that the Lions would not adopt a co-captain policy while he remained with the club.

"I personally do (think it cheapens the role) and I've stated my opinion on that,"

"There's always been that prestige or honour to lead your football club and I guess I've always had in the back of my mind that it does.

"I'm a bit of a historian and a traditionalist and like doing things the traditional way sometimes without thinking too much out of the box."

AAP
January 4, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17730350-23210,00.html)

[gigpig]

Here is where you can make your comments about commenatators, coverage and any news on Seven's AFL Coverage.

Bruce just said that any comments you would like to make would be......SPECIAL
:biggrin:
http://www.sevenstore.com.au/catalog/7store_678x121_sevensports.jpg

[David Bird]

AFL club Brisbane welcomed the successful Seven-Ten broadcast rights bid on Thursday night, saying it would enhance coverage of the game in its market.

The northern markets of New South Wales and Queensland are major priorities for the league.

Lions chairman Graeme Downie said the Nine-Foxtel bid would have involved coverage of all eight games per week in some form.

But he added in a club statement that "football fans in Queensland will receive optimum free-to-air coverage of AFL matches" under the successful Seven-Ten bid.

"Channel Nine's flagship winter sport in Queensland has always been rugby league and we would have been playing second fiddle if their bid had been successful," Downie said.

"I'm pleased that won't be the case."

© 2006 AAP
January 5, 2006 - 7:44PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Lions-welcome-Seven-Ten-AFL-bid/2006/01/05/1136387567427.html)

[David Bird]

CHANNEL 7 has been sitting patiently on the $20 million ace of hearts for the best part of 10 years.

Seven, in tandem with Channel 10, yesterday played the ace - the right to bid last, bought in 1997 - to grab the pot in the $780 million poker game for the next round of AFL broadcast rights.

Seven and Ten found an extra $100 million to top up their original offer after Channel 9 launched the bid that looked certain to win the rights.

The new deal guarantees the AFL an estimated $690 million in cash plus contra valued at $90 million - a total of $280 million more than the current agreement with Nine-Ten-Foxtel.

While the change after the 2006 season won't mean a great deal to football fans, it is a monumental development in the television industry. It is a rare triumph for Seven and Ten at the expense of Nine, and the pain was reflected by Eddie McGuire in Sorrento last night.

McGuire, on holiday on the Mornington Peninsula, sat with friends on the balcony of the Sorrento Hotel.

Despite his obvious pain, he was gracious enough to congratulate Seven Network executive and former Nine colleague Ian Johnson.

Johnson had hosted his annual "Johnno's Summer Classic" at Portsea Golf Club earlier in the day.

"I'm not saying anything," he said. "But you can say I had more phone calls than points (45 to 25)."

McGuire said: "I'm not commenting. Not because I don't want to, because I've been told not to.

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss what it all means."

McGuire promised Nine would deliver the same level of expertise and professionalism in 2006, the final year of the current agreement for the Nine-Ten alliance.

So, we can stand by for the return of Bruce McAvaney to Friday night football, a higher profile for Tim Watson and, inevitably, a move for some of those with "get out" clauses in contracts with Nine.

Dennis Cometti's situation is not known.

Nine now has the arduous task of maintaining commitment and enthusiasm in 2006, knowing it will be in its last year as the football broadcaster. Exactly what Seven had to endure in 2001.

From a brief discussion with McGuire, it seems to be a case of "lick your wounds until we get another crack".

For the 16 clubs nothing much changes. Basically they will enjoy the spoils of an average $140 million a year from 2007-2011.

The immediate outcome is the virtual guarantee that all clubs are safe for at least another six years.

As for the contentious issue of exposure to AFL in the northern markets, the next broadcast rights deal requires Seven and Ten, and/or Foxtel, to provide live coverage in Sydney and Brisbane on Friday nights.

It is believed Sydney home games will be shown in prime time on Saturday night, while all 22 Saturday night fixtures will be shown live in Brisbane.

The new deal is a personal triumph for Seven boss Kerry Stokes, who paid the $20 million in 1997 for the right to bid last.

The Daily Telegraph
By Mike Sheahan
January 6, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17743999-23211,00.html)

[bacco|007]

Channel Seven's ongoing legal action looms as an early stumbling block to any negotiations with Foxtel over the record AFL broadcasting deal.

But Channels Seven and Ten and pay TV provider Foxtel all refused to comment a day after the two free-to-air stations snared the 2007-11 rights.

The $780 million agreement is the biggest broadcasting deal in Australian sports history.

While Foxtel was part of Nine's unsuccessful bid, it is yet to have any talks with Seven or Ten over the new rights agreement.

There is strong speculation that the Seven-Ten coverage will involve on-selling three games per week to pay TV.

But Foxtel is one of 20 parties that Seven is suing in the Federal Court over the 2002 demise of its pay TV sports channel C7.

The AFL and Channel 10 were also parties, but the league and Seven reached agreement out of court late last year.

Seven also announced on Thursday it had discontinued its action against Ten.

There was also media speculation on Friday that pay TV outlet ESPN might become involved in on-selling negotiations.

While the specifics of the scheduling need to be ironed out, AFL clubs and players are predictably excited about the deal.

It represents a $280 million increase, or $56 million per season, over the current agreement.

Geelong chief executive Brian Cook suggested each club receive an extra $1 million dividend per season from 2007-11 to help fund the expected increase in player salaries and also help the clubs develop.

"If that happened and at the same time we had to pay the players an eight per cent increase, that would amount to $500,000 of our million and I think that's a win-win situation for everyone.

"The players' ... average salary (increases) from $180,000 to $270,000 over that five-year period.

"The clubs ... make $500,000 net out of it and the AFL still has $40 million extra in its coffers than it has now."

Cook said the extra $500,000 would be an investment for the clubs, rather than it being used in areas such as staff payment.

The AFL Players Association will have a long-scheduled meeting with the league next month and a pay increase will be high on the agenda.

"A lot is asked of players and they often have a lot of sacrifices, they risk life and limb, so we think it's important they are rewarded," AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale said.

"It's an unusual workplace, they're under a lot of pressure, a lot of scrutiny and a lot of expectations."

But not everyone is happy with the new agreement.

Nine continues to offer no official comment, but the network's Footy Show co-host John "Sam" Newman used an interview with a Seven reporter to bitterly criticise the agreement.

"You think Kerry Packer, no matter where he is today, do you think he would call someone's bluff unless he knew what the answer was going to be? Did you think that?" he said.

"It's ludicrous when you think that a second-rate station is taking over a first-rate sport for the fact that they had a $20 million (first-and-last rights) bid."

Seven bought the first-and-last rights clause for $20 million in 1997 and used it on Thursday in conjunction with Ten to match Nine's offer, securing the rights.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Sevens-legal-action-to-test-AFL-talks/2006/01/06/1136387624648.html

[bacco|007]

Analysts have questioned the profitability of Seven and Ten's winning Australian Football League (AFL) TV broadcast rights bid after the networks trumped Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd (PBL) by matching its $780 million offer.

Goldman Sachs JBWere analyst Lou Capparelli said Seven and Ten will now have to bank on a ratings rise to offset yearly losses of between $30 and $35 million after paying almost double the amount that won the last AFL TV rights deal.

"In our view, no free to air network can make a profit from its AFL telecasts in isolation," he said in a client note.

"The best a network can hope for is that its AFL losses can be offset by a ratings and revenue share lift across its schedule."

Citigroup analysts said it was a "high-order challenge" to make the economics of the bid stand up, with the contract set to generate yearly losses of about $30 million on a stand-alone basis.

"Achieving a positive earnings outcome will be difficult even assuming some uplift in overall ratings as a result of AFL's presence in the schedule - a benefit of which we are far from convinced," Citigroup said.

The involvement of pay TV provider Foxtel - which is one quarter owned by PBL - is also still unclear, further exacerbating the networks risks, Mr Capparelli said.

However, PBL's loss of the rights - which its Nine Network currently shares with Ten and Foxtel - has been viewed as a positive due to the high price its competitors have now been forced to pay.

Mr Capparelli estimated PBL would have lost $20 million each year with the firm expected to gain more favourable terms with Foxtel than Seven and Ten.

PBL shares closed five cents stronger at $16.75 but shares in Seven and Ten both slipped further on Friday.

Ten dropped four cents to $3.09 while Seven dipped two cents to $8.33.

Seven, which narrowly lost last year's ratings battle Nine after its performance was bolstered by programs such as Lost and Desperate Housewives, will need a 0.6 per cent lift in overall ratings and revenue to cover the deal's costs, Mr Capparelli said.

Ten will likely screen fewer AFL games than it does under its current deal with Nine, leaving fewer room to improve ratings and at a higher cost under the new deal.

"Channel Nine's experience with AFL, where overall ratings have fallen since 2002 when it acquired AFL rights, shows that there is no guarantee that ratings will improve if problems arise elsewhere in the schedule," he said.

The record $780 million deal is made up of $692.5 million in cash and $87.5 million in advertising and marketing.

Nine, Ten and Foxtel currently hold the rights in a five-year, $500 million deal that expires at the end of this season.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Analysts-question-AFL-broadcast-deal/2006/01/06/1136387615310.html

[David Bird]

KERRY Packer's reward to the Swans for winning the premiership won't benefit AFL viewers in NSW and Queensland, who appear destined to late starting times for matches, despite an AFL declaration yesterday that a Seven/Ten consortium has won the TV rights.

The AFL has confirmed Seven/Ten as rights holders for 2007-11 after the two networks exercised their first and last rights offer and matched a Nine/Foxtel bid of $780 million.

However, a senior Nine executive said that while the AFL had congratulated Seven/Ten, they hadn't accepted their planned coverage of eight matches a week. "There are a few hurdles over scheduling arrangements," the Nine source said.

Packer, who died three days after ordering the richest sports offer in Australian sport, was moved by the Swans' no-nonsense, combative campaign to win the 2005 AFL flag.

While Packer's major motivation in pushing the bid past the financial break-even point was vengeance against Seven for embroiling his network in the $1.1 billion Channel Seven legal action and anger with Channel Ten for switching TV rights camps, he was also impressed with the Swans.

"The old boy ratcheded up the bid quite a bit to teach them a lesson," one Nine source said, adding: "It's true he built the Swans' success into the bid."

However, the expected late starting times of Saturday night matches in NSW and Queensland will not please followers of the code.

In the initial bidding, Seven/Ten perceived they had an advantage over Nine/Foxtel by broadcasting matches from a 7.30pm kick-off, or 30 minutes after the actual start.

While Nine/Foxtel refuse to comment on their proposed Saturday night scheduling times, Nine's traditional regard for ratings indicates they planned to show matches in NSW and Queensland at a later time.

Because Seven/Ten merely had to match the Nine/Foxtel bid, presumably they are allowed to screen matches at the same later starting time.

Ten have indicated they may show Swans and Brisbane Lions matches live in NSW and Queensland but other matches would be after a movie.

A Swans source said of the final year of the existing Nine/Ten contract: "We have 13 Saturday night games in 2006 which Ten will cover live or on 30-minute delay. We'd want some comfort in 2007, and beyond that our scheduling was comparable with what Ten is currently doing."

But the late-night scheduling of all other matches mocks the boast by the AFL chief executive, Andrew Demetriou, that the TV contract would be used to promote the code in the developing states.

The AFL has not disguised its anger at Seven over the C7 court case, or enmity with Ten over switching broadcasting camps, making it obvious they hoped the Nine/Foxtel bid would succeed.

Foxtel is yet to be integrated into the Seven/Ten deal, meaning the consortium can't confirm coverage.

Under the initial Seven/Ten proposal, Foxtel would screen three of the eight weekly matches.

However, there has been no communication between Seven/Ten and Foxtel, which is 25 per cent owned by the Packer family's PBL.

Nor are Seven/Ten aware of the amount of money Foxtel committed to Nine for it to cover four matches a week.

Should Foxtel play hard ball with the Seven/Ten consortium over fees, Seven has indicated it will go to the Federal Court.

Sporting codes have been the financial beneficiaries of the competition between the networks. The NRL received more money from pay TV's only provider when its contract was renewed last year, and the AFL's $780 million package is 50 per cent more than the old deal. If Foxtel refuses to take any AFL matches, Seven and Ten could be forced to cannibalise each other on Saturday nights. Both networks would be forced to telecast matches against each other, drawing viewers away from each network.

A further complication is televising the Friday night match of the round in the northern states.

Under the Nine/Foxtel offer, Foxtel would show the match live in NSW and Queensland.

If Foxtel was not a partner, Seven would be forced to televise the match live to NSW and Queensland, in competition with Nine's back-to-back NRL games.

This could prove a ratings disaster for the Kerry Stokes-owned network, which is intent on toppling Nine from its No 1 perch.

A Nine source described the network as "sanguine" about the possibility of it surrendering the rights, pointing out it had cricket, rugby league and the Commonwealth Games in March.

Furthermore, they will have cost their rival networks a fortune.

"Seven once had all the AFL and now they may have half," an executive said.

"Ten had the finals and now they have half the finals. "Both have paid an awful lot of money for half of what they once had."

By Roy Masters
January 6, 2006
Source (http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/delayed-starts-and-split-viewing-likely/2006/01/05/1136387572869.html)

[David Bird]

AFL on ESPN, Intersting

[curious]

I wonder what the picture quality would be like?

[David Bird]

I wonder what the picture quality would be like?

4:3 and washed out :Ouch:

[bacco|007]

"You think Kerry Packer, no matter where he is today, do you think he would call someone's bluff unless he knew what the answer was going to be? Did you think that?" he said.

Who cares, Packer has cost Stokes et al a significant amount of money - i suppose less then winning it, putting your competitors in a precarious financial position is pretty bloody good

[bacco|007]

Canberra's Prime network has vowed to fight for near-live Friday night AFL telecasts into the ACT region from next year.

Prime confirmed yesterday plans to beam Friday night AFL games into Canberra and Wagga from 8.30pm with a delay as little as 50 minutes as part of its 2007-2011 broadcast deal.

Network bosses were prepared to pressure parent network Seven for better ACT conditions if the former AFL broadcaster had other ideas.

The coverage would bring the ACT's telecasts in line with AFL- dominant states including Victoria and South Australia.

But in a twist, the broadcast bidding war - won by channels Seven and Ten who snatched the rights from Nine for $780 million this week - could have jeopardised Canberra's prime-time AFL viewing beyond 2006.

An original Seven-Ten offer included telecasts of Friday night games at 8.30pm into the ACT, Wagga, the Far South Coast and the Gold Coast.

The AFL instead accepted an interim bid from Channel Nine worth more in dollars to the league but less in coverage to "northern" regions including Canberra.

Prime's chief operating officer Doug Edwards said the winning Seven-Ten counter-bid might not have included favourable telecast conditions - including Friday night footy - for northern regions.

"The word I'm getting is Seven and Ten needed to match the deal that Nine put forward and Nine's deal was not to have football on Friday nights - that would be on Foxtel," he said.

"Certainly our intention was to show Friday night football at 8.30pm, I'm just not sure where that's landed now after the final bid.

"The only thing that will probably stop us from doing that is if there has already been a deal done with Foxtel showing it into the ACT. That would be my only concern but I've got no indication that's going to happen."

A pay-TV broadcast into the ACT would most likely be a live feed from 7.30pm.

A delayed telecast on Prime would likely follow at 10.30pm. Current Friday night broadcaster WIN has a priority commitment to rugby league, meaning AFL matches do not start before 11pm.

"We haven't changed our opinion on Friday nights. We haven't backed away from it. We still want to go with Friday nights in the ACT," Edwards said.

"Whatever way it goes we'll be getting better coverage in the ACT."

Canberra, regional NSW and Queensland have been the frontline of the bidding war for telecast rights since last year.

The AFL had been determined to improve coverage into markets outside its traditional strongholds.

In September, AFL general manager for broadcasting, strategy and major projects Ben Buckley pledged better television coverage in Canberra and regions with prime- time slots under a new broadcast deal.

"Canberra is high on our priority list in terms of getting regular free- to-air football not only on Saturdays but Friday nights and Saturday nights," Buckley told The Canberra Times.

"Our goal is to have as regular football on free-to-air in Canberra as there is in places like Melbourne or Adelaide or Perth."

The AFL and networks are unlikely to decide scheduling for the 2007 season before the middle of this year.

Early speculation has linked Seven with Friday night and Sunday rights while Ten would retain its hold on Saturday and Saturday night games.

Channel Ten has worn heavy criticism from the ACT's football community in past seasons for delaying non-Sydney Swans games on Saturday nights in favour of movies. Ten's programming boss Barry Daley was unsure about the network's scheduling plans beyond this year.

"Sometimes the AFL just didn't perform as well as we would have liked but in saying that, we are building an audience so that is good for us and good for the AFL," Daley said.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=local&story_id=450033&category=General%20Sport&m=1&y=2006

[batb0y]

Frack me is this idiot getting paid by the word?

That has to be the worst story I've seen in ages.

[bacco|007]

work experience?

[Mark]

Rural Press, more likely to be a senior journalist..... :)

Mind you, 2 of my friends work for Rural Press here.......

[bacco|007]

Doesnt a 12 year old pass as a senior journalist at some RP papers these days?

[David Bird]

THE real sell for Channels 7 and 10 begins now, having spent $780 million for the AFL's broadcast rights.

Seven and Ten desperately need to offload to pay-TV three of the eight weekly matches to which they have committed.

They will also need to mitigate a massive expense.

They do not want to be forced to broadcast against each other in time slots, and they need a pay-TV station to provide live coverage to the black spots of New South Wales and Queensland.

In matching the Nine-Foxtel bid without a pay-TV partner, Seven and Ten effectively committed to broadcasting live in to the rugby league-dominated regions.

Doing so on most occasions, especially Seven on Fridays against a rugby league double-header, would be TV suicide.

In agreeing to match all components of the Nine-Foxtel bid on Thursday, Seven and Ten made certain assumptions that may now be difficult to achieve.

They figured Foxtel, once its commitments to the Nine consortium expired, would be desperate to take whatever matches they didn't want.

That may be the case, but Foxtel is determined to enter talks on its terms only, and all-sports station ESPN has also emerged as a possible pay-TV carrier of football in 2007-2011.

In the Nine bid, Foxtel had agreed to commit between $50 million and $60 million a year, for four matches each week. Under any Seven-Ten proposal, it would probably receive what it does now - the round's three worst matches.

"Foxtel has had no discussions (with Ten and Seven) about any aspects of the AFL offer and is no position to offer any comment about the Seven-Ten partnership and its proposed management of the balance, if any, between free-to-air and subscription rights," a Foxtel spokesperson said last night.

Raw mathematics applied to the AFL TV formula show each match - 880 home-and-away matches and 45 finals - in the 2007-2011 TV contract has cost the networks $843,000. They need to sub-licence 330 games to a pay-TV station.

Herald Sun
By Damian Barrett
January 7, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17752536-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

PLAYERS, clubs and fans will all share in the benefits from the AFL's historical $780 million broadcast windfall, AFL chief Andrew Demetriou said today.

Clubs are set to get a major one-off payment while players can expect to see their salaries hiked.

"The players are quite entitled to their fair share, as are our clubs and all the stakeholders – the state bodies, our development arm and of course our supporters.

"I think what this does is just give us a terrific opportunity to build on the future of this game. We've got time on our side to sit down and assess where those funds should go," Demetriou said.

"I think it's reasonable to expect that the clubs will have to get something because it's their right – and they should.

"We're only the custodians who act on behalf of the 16 clubs.

"We'll sit down with the clubs, with the (AFL) Commission and our management team and work through that really sensibly and responsibly.

"The most important thing is we've got time on our side to do that, we've got the better part of 12 months to work out how we should apportion these funds and invest these funds responsibly to the betterment of the game," he said.

"In relation to player payments and so forth there's always been a process in place to review total player payments for 2007 and 2008.

"It's in our collective bargaining agreement. That process starts in February, it was timed to coincide with our hope that we would have finalised the broadcast rights, which we've done.

"And I've got no doubt that we'll sit down responsibly with the players as we've always done...and we'll work out what's appropriate and fair for the players," he said.

AAP
By Robert Grant
January 7, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17755798-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

PLAYERS will start negotiations with the AFL for a larger slice of the new TV rights deal as early as next month.

Already guaranteed a three per cent rise for the 2006 season, the AFL Players Association has scheduled a meeting with the league to discuss details of the final two years of the current collective bargaining agreement.

AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale said last night that it would be appropriate to seek further pay rises for the following two seasons.

"Most people would understand that there should be recognition of the value the players do bring to the game," Gale said.

Under the new TV rights deal, the AFL has $156 million in contra and kind to use at its discretion, almost 50 per cent more than in the agreement that expires at the end of this season.

Total player payments for 2007 and 2008 are among five items for review at next month's meeting and it is not unrealistic for the players to want a hefty pay increase.

"You would get very little argument to expect player payments to increase proportionately," Gale said.

"Having said that, we don't operate in a vacuum. We can't survive without the support of the public and we can't survive without the clubs being supported as well.

"I think the deal reflects the value of the game and, to a large extent, the players provide that value.

"We'll sit down with the AFL in due course because the 2007 and 2008 total player payments are left open.

"We have a collective bargaining agreement until 2008 which doesn't include total player payments for '07 and '08 because there was a contemplation that the (TV) rights would be renegotiated around this time.

"We recognise the need of the AFL to continue to develop the game in all areas, particularly the northern states. That's really important and we understand the need to continue the accessibility of the game to supporters.

"Just ensuring there's no need to increase ticket prices and to invest in better facilities for supporters and clubs. We understand all those things."

The three per cent rise on total player payments will provide each club with access to an extra $189,000 in their salary cap.

Total player payments have reached $103 million - $6.3 million per club - but payments are not fixed based on a percentage of revenue.

Figures for 2005 showed that 188 players earned between $100,000 and $200,000, 107 earned between $200,000 and $300,000 and 101 were on more than $300,000.

So, would Gale, a former Richmond ruckman, love to roll back the clock to be an early pick in the AFL national draft in late November?

"Yes and no. Yes, players are remunerated better. But much, much more is asked of players these days (compared to) even five years ago, let alone 10 or 15 years ago," Gale said.

By Bruce Matthews
January 6, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17743969-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

One of the most anticipated coin tosses in Australian history it may be, but will there really be a loser when networks Seven and Ten call heads or tails for the right to broadcast the 2007 grand final?

The outcome of the toss, which will decide an alternating arrangement between the networks for the 2007-11 grand finals, did not seem to be of major concern to one TV executive yesterday.

The football callers at the losing network - who would have the chance to broadcast two grand finals instead of three - may be the only real losers in the end.

Because, from a business (read: dollars) point of view, the side that misses out on televising the 2007 event should not suffer any damaging consequences, the executive said.

The divvying up of the $780 million Seven and Ten pledged to win the 2007-2011 AFL broadcast rights is yet to happen, but it is sure to take account who broadcasts what.

The network that misses out on a third grand final will televise three Brownlow Medal counts and three pre-season competition grand finals.

But stay tuned. The toss may not be imminent - it could even be 12 months away - but you can bet your bottom dollar someone will be thinking about broadcasting it. What price the rights to that?

By Samantha Lane
January 8, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/grand-result-for-tv-footy-tossers/2006/01/07/1136609984084.html)

[David Bird]

Some are celebrating the change in ownership of the TV rights, but not all.

Christmas came late for those involved with Network Ten's football coverage, and for those hoping to be involved with Channel Seven's. December 25, by contrast, had been a nervous time, with the pop and bubble of drinks normally associated with celebration and the festive season replaced by the stronger, spirituous type whose traditional purposes include the calming of nerves.

If it's the barbecue stopper that John Howard seeks to identify in his assessment of what is on the mind of average Australians, the TV footy rights issue could really give the PM something to think about. This was a Christmas dinner stopper.

In the case of one humble columnist and chef, who made his first-ever attempt at roasting the turkey under the hood of the barbie, it was both. Certainly, much of the dinner conversation on the big day - at least that not associated with gentle denigration of the temperamental chef and his poultry offering - was about the TV rights.

The subsequent reports of Kerry Packer's death contained the suggestion that it was he who was responsible for the controversial timing of the AFL's pre-Christmas announcement of its acceptance of Nine's offer for the rights.

That may well be correct and sits neatly with Packer's reputation for making life as difficult as possible for his foes.

It might well be a ploy, however, for which Andrew Demetriou would like to claim the credit, for it inevitably sent a shiver through all involved in the consortium bid and necessarily had the effect of sharpening their thinking.

Notwithstanding that Packer may have dictated the timing, perhaps it is fair to give the AFL chief kudos for the apparent alacrity with which he delivered the news. This was, after all, a game of poker and it involved the highest stakes Demetriou would play for in his time at the AFL's helm.

His priority was to raise those stakes to the maximum level that the consortium could tolerate. In this, he was aided by the astuteness of Packer who, we're told, held little hope of Nine winning the day but who had an interest in extracting the highest possible price from his rivals.

Yet the question remains as to whether the AFL seriously entertained selling the rights to a network that could not adequately cover the code's developing states.

How could it, after years of not just huffing and puffing, but actually lecturing the football community about the importance of the development of the game in NSW and Queensland, have considered providing predominantly pay television coverage in those states for five years? The answer, surely, is that it could not. Yet it accepted the Nine Network's offer - with a straight face.

There were, of course, reasons why the AFL was reluctant to lose Nine as a carrier of the game. It does sport well. It is a great marketer of its product. It also presents The Footy Show with all the exposure that brings to football.

This is one of the interesting aspects of Thursday's outcome. The Footy Show was phenomenally successful before Nine acquired the rights to football so, in theory, it could be again. However, that was then, this is now. Then, Nine was gathering momentum as a carrier of the code.

By 2007, all the air will have ebbed from the balloon. Then, The Footy Show was young, energetic, and confident. Now it is showing signs of fatigue although, in fairness, it continues to attract big audiences. It's a vehicle football would hate to lose yet one wonders at how the show's performers will rev themselves up for the 2007 season.

In 2006, though, there was only one decision for the game to make. It provides a bleak prospect for some who have been making a contribution to the televising of football, and the anxiety some of us have felt in recent days is an indicator of how painful that might be for them. Hopefully new opportunities will emerge.

There is, though, a fresh start for some others who have been sidelined in recent years. It will be good for the game that Bruce McAvaney returns to the coverage of footy as he is as good a sports broadcaster as this country has produced.

Tim Lane is a Channel Ten commentator.

By Tim Lane
January 7, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/06/1136387625146.html)

[David Bird]

Armed with an incoming $780 million war chest, the AFL plans to use the massive television rights deal to not only strengthen its position as the most powerful football code in the country but to buy assets to ensure its continuing prosperity.

Speaking for the first time since the broadcast rights were taken by Channels Seven and Ten, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the league would spend the extra tens of millions on football's major "stakeholders." But it also intended to use the largesse to buy long-term, income-producing investments and to develop the game, especially in the northern states.

Demetriou indicated that the players and clubs would receive their slice of the extra revenue, which enabled football to "consolidate" its position of strength and keep the game affordable for fans. The new five-year rights deal runs from 2007 to 2011.

In other major developments from the TV rights deal:

· The AFL chief confirmed that, having matched Nine's bid, Seven and Ten were now contractually committed to eight games on free-to-air television and live broadcasts into Brisbane and Sydney on Friday and Saturday nights, although the deal allowed them to negotiate a pay-TV carrier, such as current broadcaster Foxtel, subject to AFL approval.

The AFL gave Nine permission to "on-sell" up to four games to a pay TV carrier, but, as it stands now, Seven and Ten have eight games on free-to-air TV.

· While the most likely scenario remains a 5-3 split with Foxtel, which was yet to hold formal talks with Seven and Ten, the AFL confirmed it had prepared for several contingencies with the television schedule, including the extraordinary option of eight games on free to air, with eight different starting times.

· Demetriou said there was "no substance" to the widespread view that the AFL had a hostile relationship with the successful bidders, particularly Seven. "We've had very cordial discussions with Seven, Ten and Nine all along the way . . . we've enjoyed good dialogue with Seven and good dialogue with Ten."

· Asked to nominate one priority or area that the extra money could redress, Demetriou nominated developing the game in potential growth areas of NSW and Queensland.

"There's several (areas) but . . . we've got a great opportunity to spread even more in the future in NSW and Queensland," he said.

Spending much more money on NSW and Queensland would likely be viewed with suspicion among some Victorian clubs.

· The AFL would soon talk to Seven and Ten to determine the shape of the broadcasting arrangements.

But perhaps the most ambitious outcome of the television rights windfall will be the AFL's purchase of assets, both to produce income for football and to protect its strategic interests.

Demetriou said the AFL was interested in commercial investments that "had a relationship to our game," and where there was "leakage" - when "third parties" made money out of the game, at football's expense.

While he did not specify the potential targets for acquisition, the AFL already has discussed investing in sign and ticketing companies, gambling, stadiums and media. The league will be debt-free at the end of this year.

The AFL already holds a stake in Telstra Dome, of which it will eventually take ownership, and has talked to sports radio station SEN about buying a share of it.

Demetriou called the players, who already have signalled a desire for an increased share in the bigger pie, "important stakeholders," saying, "they're entitled to get their share in the increase, as are the clubs . . . we'll sit down and begin professional and responsible discussions." The present collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of this year.

Demetriou said the increase in TV rights revenue also made it easier for the AFL to keep "affordable prices" for fans.

By Jake Niall
January 7, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/06/1136387625572.html)

[gigpig]

Who would host "Australia's Biggest Toss"

AFL chief Andrew Demetriou is the perfect tosser.

[David Bird]

AUSTRALIAN rules footy fans have called for the AFL to freeze ticket prices in the wake of the game's $780 million TV rights cash bonanza.

As media experts revealed Channels 7 and 10 were unlikely to profit directly from their mammoth AFL spend, grassroots footy supporters said the money should ensure they were not slugged more at the turnstiles for at least three years.

Some said membership fees should be frozen also.

Sue Gage, who runs a 170-strong Melbourne Demons supporters' group on the Mornington Peninsula, said the new deal provided the AFL with enough money to give fans a well-deserved hip-pocket break.

"Grassroots supporters are being hurt - a lot just can't afford to do it (go to the football)," she said.

Last season general admission tickets cost $17.50, a rise of $1 from the previous season. Concession tickets cost $10.50, children's seats $2.20 and family tickets were $35.

Geelong Cheer Squad president Norman Richardson said any increase could not be justified after the TV rights cash injection.

"I believe the public are getting a good deal, but any increases would take that away," Mr Richardson said.

"With the (TV) deal for a few years, they should freeze the price at the 2005 season level."

Mark O'Callaghan, who is in a Hawthorn supporters' group at Bairnsdale, said a freeze on ticket prices would help country footy fans.

The cost of travelling to Melbourne and attending a match restricted the group to about three trips a year, he said.

"You couldn't do it every week."

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the issue would be a matter for AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, but he did not know whether it had been considered.

"At $17 we represent outstanding value," Mr Keane said.

The call for a ticket price freeze came as leading media experts predicted the Seven and Ten networks would not make a direct profit on broadcasting the AFL between 2007 and 2011.

Media buyer Harold Mitchell said the networks could only expect to draw in a total of about $80 million revenue in advertising, while the likely sell-off of matches to Foxtel could bring in a further $60 million.

With production costs to air the game estimated to run up to $20 million, the networks would be left in the red on the $156 million annual sum they paid for the rights.

But Mr Mitchell and CommSec media analyst Craig Shepherd, said the real value was in the chance to benefit the entire network with increased ratings.

Mr Mitchell said: "It is to be number one or stop the opposition being number one.

"It is also to give a big lead in to other programs.

"Sunday afternoon AFL gives a big lead-in to the news."

Any increase to audience share was worth big dollars, he said.

"One share point is worth between $30 million and $40 million," Mr Mitchell said.

Mr Shepherd said: "It will be difficult to make money out of it directly.

"Where it is harder to evaluate is the degree the networks need it to sustain other ratings.

"It is clear they believe there is a lot of value in increased ratings."

Another media analyst, who declined to be named, said the deal was a bargain.

"It's a cheap deal relative to what they could have paid," the analyst said.

"This is the end of the Nine Network - it's that serious. AFL is growing as a code into all states and rugby league is not."

Sunday Herald Sun
By Kelvin Healey
January 8, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17760625-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

FOXTEL is sticking to its guns, insisting the Seven and Ten networks will struggle to make a buck from AFL broadcasts without its involvement.

The market has also refused to back the Seven and Ten consortium's audacious bid for the broadcast rights.

Seven's shares yesterday eased 2¢ to $8.33 while Ten was down more than 1 per cent, or 4¢, to $3.09 on fears $780 million was an excessive price tag for the AFL broadcast rights for 2007 to 2011.

But the loser in the negotiations, Nine parent Publishing & Broadcasting, was up 5¢ to $16.75.

The pay-television outfit yesterday triggered speculation that its free-to-air rivals would end up competing against one another on key broadcasts if they refused to sub-license extra games to the network.

Under that scenario, if each of the partners were forced to broadcast a Saturday night game, for example, they would cannibalise one another in the ratings race and the advertising dollar.

Neither network was available for comment yesterday, but negotiations on the 2007 broadcast schedule are believed to have started.

However, Foxtel may yet find itself without any AFL program from 2007.

So far it has been snubbed by both Seven and Ten.

Foxtel's tough talk masks its desperation for football broadcasts.

AFL is seen as crucial to attracting new pay-television subscribers, especially in the fast-growing Queensland and New South Wales markets.

An industry observer said that Australian Rules fans in those states "are feral and they want their football".

The pay-television outfit may also yet face competition from other operations such as ESPN – which could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

Regional pay-television operator Austar – in which American media mogul John Malone is a shareholder – also insists on a seat at the negotiating table if any pay-TV carve-up occurs.

However, Austar is unlikely to pursue the pay-television rights for itself.

A Foxtel source said yesterday: "We are in absolutely no hurry, especially given Seven is suing us for $1 billion."

Seven owner Kerry Stokes is suing Foxtel and its owners, Telstra, News Limited, and Publishing & Broadcasting for $1.2 billion over the collapse of Seven's pay-TV channel, C7.

The Foxtel source also claimed Seven and Ten had taken "a pretty big gamble" by not involving Foxtel.

"They have had absolutely no comfort from Foxtel as to any participation, whether financially or operationally, in their bid," the source said.

While Foxtel is yet to reveal its hand, it is believed to have been willing to pay Nine between $50 million and $60 million a year for AFL broadcast rights.

Foxtel spokeswoman Rebecca Melkman said the company had no comment about Seven and Ten's partnership – or "about how they propose to manage the balance between terrestrial (free-to-air) and subscription-television rights, if any".

However, it is understood Seven would be happy to provide Foxtel with matches at the upper limits of the Nine proposal.

Mathew Charles
07jan06
Source (http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17747469%255E3122,00.html)

[David Bird]

Sydney's long-awaited AFL premiership did not provide an immediate boost to its coffers, with the club announcing a decrease in net profit.

The Swans, who last year won their first flag since 1933, announced a net profit of $282,000 for the year to October 31, 2005, down from $889,000 the previous year.

Sydney chairman Richard Colless said while revenue increased, operating costs also climbed, partly because of the Swans' on-field success.

"While revenues rose to almost $28 million, they were more than offset by increases in operating costs, particularly in football operations and the costs associated with participation in four finals," Colless said.

"The increase in cost structures reflected the commitment by the board and senior management to ensuring that the quality of personnel and facilities relating to the club's operations not only remain competitive but achieve market leadership."

Colless also said the fact that Sydney had the highest cost of living in Australia meant operating costs would always be relatively high.

He said the premiership should result in a positive financial flow-on in 2006, though.

"The trading outlook for 2006 is encouraging across all major revenue sources, reflecting the premiership success in 2005," he said.

"Sydney, however, remains an extremely competitive football market, arguably the most competitive in the world, so nothing can be taken for granted."

© 2006 AAP
January 9, 2006 - 4:19PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Swans-profit-down-despite-premiership/2006/01/09/1136771490910.html)

[Mark]

SIGNING pop princess Delta Goodrem and unearthing AFL football's first female TV caller should be priorities in the $780 million deal between the AFL and channels 7 and 10.

This may be the richest broadcast deal in Australian sporting history. But there would be nothing worse than seeing the game fail to prosper.

Given I have a contract with Seven, and that they successfully covered footy for more than 40 years, I am sure that will not happen.

I am also confident the AFL won't splurge the $692 million in cash -- and $87.5 million in advertising and promotion -- without thinking long and hard about its allocation.

Everyone wants their slice of the pie.

Players are putting their hands up for big increases. But I would rather put that money into helping young players gain education, and post-footy careers, because 100 kids get sacked every year.

We should chill out and look at the bigger picture in what we are trying to achieve. That's why, if I was Seven, I would be going after women on a much bigger scale -- especially those from NSW.

I would employ Delta immediately. Ask her to be the Sydney Swans' No.1 ticket holder, or the competition's, or, for that matter, the station's. Get her to belt out one of those footy anthems that Seven has churned out since Mike Brady sang Up There Cazaly in 1979.

Delta loves her footy and what a hit she would be with female AFL fans up north. A number have turned off rugby league and we need to turn them on to AFL football.

Seven should also unearth the game's first female TV caller.

There are many capable women in football media. One, Kelli Underwood, called a match for 3AW last year. Let's hope that in 2007 one such woman sits alongside Bruce McAvaney and Tim Watson on the Seven team.

The full details of the new broadcasting agreement are not yet public, but it is fair to say football will be on TV at better times, especially in the northern states.

This could have a big impact on the game's long-term health, because we need to entice the people who don't love AFL footy.

The AFL must also aim to keep our game as affordable to patrons as possible.

Source (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,17760341%255E20322,00.html)

[Mark]

BRUCE McAvaney says his TV football commentary career would have ended if Channel 7, in partnership with Channel 10, had not seized the AFL broadcast rights this week.

The commentator, who next year will again become the face of footy, said he would not have defected from Seven and would have been lost to small screen footy coverage for ever.

"I think my TV calling career would have been finished if Seven hadn't got the footy. I'd say I wouldn't have called football again on television," McAvaney told the Sunday Herald Sun this week.

"If Seven hadn't got the footy I reckon I'd probably have taken a deep breath and thought about it, but I wouldn't leave Channel 7.

"That would have been for me a bit of a blow, but I have a lot of things that I'm enjoying. I would have had to decide whether I wanted to call on radio, but I hadn't decided that."

McAvaney is set to again head Seven's coverage when the new AFL coverage rights deal starts next year.

McAvaney said he had been weighing up his future ahead of the TV rights announcement.

"It was quite interesting, when Nine put in its bid. It seemed a fait accompli that Nine had the rights. But there was a resolve," McAvaney said.

"I'm calling the athletics for the Commonwealth Games on 3AW with Clinton Grybas and Seven have allowed me to do that."

Despite not being involved in negotiations, McAvaney was confident Seven and Ten had the inside running -- having purchased first and last bidding rights.

Seven's coverage under the new deal is likely to be Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

The Seven and Ten networks seized the rights from Nine in a coup worth a history-making $780 million to the AFL.

They will broadcast football from 2007 to 2011.

McAvaney stayed loyal to Seven when the rights were lost to Nine and Ten in 2001.

He has hosted tennis, racing and Olympics coverage in an illustrious career with the network.

His first big break came in 1980 when workmate Sandy Roberts went to the Moscow Olympics for Seven and he was chosen to host the Adelaide end of the telecast.

Since then McAvaney, who lives in Adelaide, has hosted and commentated on a long and impressive list of major sporting events, including six Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Winter Olympics.

His passion has always been AFL and after a five-year absence it will be "special" to again see him involved from next year.

Source (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,17758296%255E20322,00.html)

[curious]

JUST days after the AFL clinched a record TV rights deal, a survey shows Aussie rules is overtaking swimming as Australia's most popular sport.

Interest in Australian football surged to a new high, with 59 per cent of Australians indicating some involvement with the sport last winter, up from 53 per cent the previous year.

Swimming, the top-ranked sport for the previous three years, ranked equal second with tennis on 56 per cent, according to the six-monthly survey by sponsorship company Sweeney Sports.

A parallel survey showed that top Commonwealth Games sponsors - who committed an estimated $10 million to $20million for their involvement - have so far largely failed to generate public recognition of their sponsor status.

Telstra scored the top mark, with just 9 per cent of those surveyed able to name the company as a sponsor. Adidas and Coke were ranked third and fourth despite not sponsoring Melbourne 2006.

While the Nine Network will reap the benefits this year of the AFL's strong national competition -- teams from four states made the finals, with the Sydney Swans defeating the West Coast Eagles to win the competition - Seven and Ten's $780 million rights deal, which takes effect next year, will see them broadcasting a sport on the rise.

AFL is by far the most popular sport for television viewing and last year generated the top three most-watched programs of the TV ratings year, including the AFL grand final, which drew an average audience of 3.4 million people.

"AFL ratings would be expected to go up, but they will only get the big increases if the Swans continue to draw an audience in Sydney," said Fusion Strategy media analyst Steve Allen.

Interest in tennis was reawakened by a strong performance from locals Lleyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik in last year's Australian Open, though the sport was still well down on its high of 67 per cent in 1999 and 2000. While the match between Hewitt and eventual 2005 Australian Open winner Marat Safin took place outside the normal ratings year, it drew an audience of 4.04million last January.

"Tennis could slip; it really depends on how some of the (seeded players) do," said Sweeney Sports director Martin Hirons.

Soccer fell five points in the survey, but that was before Australia's successful qualifying bid for this year's World Cup and the start of the new national A-League competition.

"In 2002 soccer reached a 50per cent high without Australia participating (in the World Cup)," said Geoff Partmenter, head of marketing and strategy for the Football Federation of Australia. "I'd expect there'd be an increase over the next 12 months."

SOURCE (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17796967%255E2722,00.html)

[jase]

They asked 1000 people.

Jase :)

[Mark]

999 Victorians :)

[curious]

Rules now No.1 sport in Australia

AUSTRALIAN rules football is now the most popular sport in the nation, according to the latest Sweeney Sports Report.

The report shows the game reached an unprecedented high last winter with six out of 10 adult Australians (59 per cent) taking an interest in it - six per cent more than for the same period in 2004.

It's good news for Channels 7 and 10 who have recently secured broadcast rights for the game. The report showed that more than five out of 10 Australian adults (55 per cent) watched the game on television last winter - again up six per cent on winter 2004.

Sweeney report statistics showed Australian rules has enjoyed record gains and levels and retained leadership in all areas but participation.

Besides an increase in overall interest level, it boasted the largest number of patrons, the most media coverage, internet use and pay-TV audiences. It also earned recognition for its major event - the AFL grand final - being recognised as the most important of any sport by Australians.

To reach No.1, Australian rules pushed out swimming as the sport most Australians attend, participate in, watch, listen or read about.

Swimming is now second, with cricket, rugby league, football, rugby union, motor car racing, golf and netball rounding out the top 10.

Among those to miss the top 10 were athletics (11th), basketball (12th) and, most surprisingly, horse racing (17th).

The Daily Telegraph

SOURCE (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17792967-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

GEELONG legend Gary Ablett will soon be putting treasured possessions from his football storehouse to auction on his own website.

The reclusive superstar will follow the lead of son Gary Jr to establish his own internet site where fans will be able to secure items he actually wore.

There will be jumpers, boots, shorts and gloves worn during his remarkable 14-year career.

Manager Michael Baker, who has been working for some months to establish the website, also disclosed the incomparable Cat has memorabilia saved from when he kicked his 1000th goal against Fremantle on June 22, 1996.

"He's had it carefully stored and actually visited it the other day to check it all out," Baker said. "Gary is quite excited about it all. He said some of the gear dates back to the mid-80s."

Baker said most items would carry a price tag but a number of others would be available by auction. Max Markson valued Ablett's 1000-goal uniform at somewhere between $50-75,000, with the jumper likely to go for $35,000.

Other leading collectors believe other Ablett collectables not associated with his 1000th goal could still bring good money.

Autographed gloves worn by Ablett could sell for up to $500, boots for that or more, while jumpers, including some of his 11 Victorian jumpers, could range from $2000 upwards.

Any items connected to his 1000th goal could "blow the market".

They added that memorabilia signed "Gary Ablett" would be more valuable within the memorabilia trade than those signed simply "G. Ablett".

Baker made an assurance the football items would be authenticated by Ablett himself. It was planned for the website to be operating before the start of the season and would include a framed pairing of autographed jerseys from both Abletts, senior and junior, Nos 5 and 29.

The Sunday Telegraph
By Scot Palmer
January 22, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17893004-23211,00.html)

[Mark]

Who will take out the flag in 2006?

[Sambo]

Bit hard to say, with preseason not even begun yet.

[praiseb]

Not that preseason means much, look at Carlton last year, wins the night finals then gains the spoon

[batb0y]

Probably think West Coast have the most to improve on from this year.

Adelaide will be a dark horse.

[aussieguru]

F R E O ! ! ! !

[ZOS]

One thing for you rugby league people' most here refer to teams by there main name ie Collingwood Carlton etc not by the mascot. Not being picky just it looks strange to see it writen that way.
Zos

[Mark]

One thing for you rugby league people' most here refer to teams by there main name ie Collingwood Carlton etc not by the mascot. Not being picky just it looks strange to see it writen that way.
Zos

I did it that way to keep uniformity across the sports - the NRL and Super 14 were done by their tag-names before I did the AFL one.

[praiseb]

One thing for you rugby league people' most here refer to teams by there main name ie Collingwood Carlton etc not by the mascot. Not being picky just it looks strange to see it writen that way.
Zos


Yeah when I first saw the pole I was searching up and down it looking for Collingwood and wondering why I couldent find it.

[Andyt30]

no one better win the NAB Cup or they will be Cursed :D

[Mark]

after Carlton last year aint that the truth!

[David Bird]

THE AFL will trial the use of four umpires in upcoming pre-season competition matches to clamp down on illegal tactics by taggers and defenders.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the extra whistleblower was being introduced specifically to watch for off-the-ball negating tactics.

"This year the umpires have been instructed to actively police tagging, blocking and any contact in marking contests not directly aimed at winning the ball," Demetriou said.

"With this in mind, to enable the umpires to watch closely for any illegal activity, we will trial four umpires in the NAB Cup in every game.

"While one umpire is bouncing the ball, another umpire will be close by to watch for any illegal blocking or holding."

The tactics used by taggers were a hot issue last season, with the unwelcome attention paid by opposition players to AFL superstars such as Chris Judd and James Hird attracting much scrutiny.

"The purpose of this was to have at least one umpire of the four that will be able to closely scrutinise some of those things that are happening around stoppages, where we know there's an issue that as umpires go to bounce the ball they can't see around them," he said.

The change also reflects the increasing pace of the game, with only two umpires having been used until 1993.

Demetriou said there was no guarantee that four umpires would eventually be used in the home and away season.

But numerous rule changes have been trialled in past pre-seasons, then adopted in the season proper, such as the change to kick-in rules being introduced for this home and away season.

In other NAB Cup features announced at today's competition launch, the NAB will mark its inaugural sponsorship of the cup by paying $1000 each time a nine-point "super goal" is kicked.

The money will go to the scoring player's childhood football club.

The pre-season opener is on February 25, when Brisbane plays Essendon at the Gold Coast's Carrara, the first match there since 1992, when Brisbane moved to the Gabba.

Cup matches will also be played in Cairns, Darwin, Launceston and Canberra, as well as the regular AFL cities.

AAP
February 2, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18018110-23211,00.html)

[Mark]

FootyTips (http://www.footytips.com.au)

1 - Sign up here : http://www.footytips.com.au/jc.cfm?c=39082&P=knowfirstinfo
2 - For AFL, the competition you need to look for is "Knowfirst AFL" without the quotation marks.
3 - The password, if you need to enter it, is "knowfirstinfo" without the quotation marks.

PM me or Jase if you have trouble joining.

[David Bird]

THE "bad boys" of football can sleep a little easier after the AFL yesterday changed its tribunal regulations to allow greater leniency to players with poor disciplinary records.

Under changes to the tribunal system announced yesterday, serial offenders such as Brisbane Lions' Jonathan Brown will pay far less a price for the suspensions they have accumulated over the previous three seasons.

The amendment is the most significant of nine alterations to the tribunal guidelines for season 2006, following a review of the radical system that was introduced last year. The amendments were made following submissions from clubs, the AFL Players Association and the umpires.

Among other changes will be an expansion of the definitions covering the terms "behind play", "intentional", "reckless" and "negligent", following much debate about the grading of the seriousness of charges.

The expanded and more legalistic definitions are a clear reaction to the controversy surrounding the Barry Hall case in grand final week last season, when the tribunal deemed Hall's blow on St Kilda defender Matt Maguire in play despite the ball being nowhere in proximity.

The AFL has also moved to close off a potential loophole surrounding the dates of previous offences, with the three-year retrospective for prior offences now unambiguously to date from the equivalent round in which an offence was omitted.

But it's the likes of Brown and other habitual tribunal offenders, such as Essendon's Dustin Fletcher and Dean Rioli, Port Adelaide's Peter Burgoyne and Collingwood's Brodie Holland, who will have the biggest smiles on their faces this morning.

The "loading" on players' previous suspensions has not only been lightened by 10 per cent, but capped at 50 per cent. Brown played all of 2005 with a 110 per cent loading weighing upon him, while Fletcher, Rioli, Burgoyne and Holland all laboured under a 70 per cent potential added penalty.

It means that whereas an offence worthy of a three-game suspension in 2005 would have earned the Brisbane powerhouse a minimum six-game penalty, the same offence and record this year would see him rubbed out for only four games.

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the lightening of penalties for previous offences was a reaction to "concerns that the weighting of prior offences when combined with carry-over points may become excessive".

The in play/behind play definition has been tightened significantly. Behind the play is defined as "not within close proximity to the ball and (a) occurring at any location which could not reasonably be regarded as an option for delivery of the ball, by a person in control of the ball or who is likely to gain control of the ball; and (b) occurring during times when play has stopped, including the breaks between quarters or after the final siren".

Anderson confirmed that the match review panel and tribunal would operate with the same personnel in 2006, with former Hawthorn player and coach Peter Schwab heading the panel and retired County Court judge David Jones the tribunal.

Figures released by the AFL yesterday support the new system for, at the very least, reducing the time, money and energy expended on dealing with football's judicial process.

The match review panel last year laid fewer charges than the old tribunal laid the season before. And with the facility for players to take set penalties, there were just 26 hearings last year compared to 123 in 2004.

PRIOR OFFENCES

Players to receive a 10 per cent loading for an offence for each match suspension beyond one match incurred in previous three years. Maximum weighting capped at 50 per cent.

FIVE-YEAR GOOD RECORD

Players who have five-year good records will receive a 25 per cent "discount", and will remain eligible should their reportable offences have been punished only by fines.

TRIBUNAL BOUND BY TABLE

When tribunal classifies an offence differently from match review panel, suspension must be determined in accordance with table of offences.

DEADLINE FOR PLEAS

Deadline for notification of an acceptance of an early plea extended from 10am to 11am on the day after notification of a charge.

MISCONDUCT

Spitting, contact with the head, including the face and unreasonable and unnecessary contact with injured player added to the table of offences.

LOCATION

The activation points applicable for the location of an offence have been changed so that no points are added when an offence occurs in play. One activation point will apply when an offence is behind play.

DATES

The definition of an AFL year has been amended to apply retrospectively from the round in which a player has committed an offence.

PRECEDENT

The extent to which players and clubs are permitted to use examples from the tribunal's 2006 DVD, or a DVD made by the tribunal in any other year, will be the subject of guidelines issued by the tribunal chairman.

By Rohan Connolly
February 7, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/afl-judicial-revamp/2006/02/06/1139074166558.html)

[David Bird]

VICTORIA'S sport minister has stopped short of guaranteeing the AFL's traditional Anzac Day game will be played on the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A stand-off between the state Government and construction giant Grocon means the blockbuster clash between arch-rivals Essendon and Collingwood is at risk of being moved to Telstra Dome.

Grocon, which has overseen the MCG's $435 million overhaul ahead of the March 15-26 Commonwealth Games, is demanding an extra payment because it has just 30 days after the Games to reconfigure the ground for AFL.

Sport Minister Justin Madden gave no guarantee today when asked if the MCG would host the April 25 football match, which attracts the biggest crowd of the AFL's regular season.

"I'm very confident that what has been achieved at the MCG today is a testament to the ability of builders, workers, venue managers and all those skilled people across Victoria to ensure that the people's ground comes together for the Commonwealth Games," Mr Madden said.

"I would expect that given that same goodwill, we will be able to deliver the MCG for the Anzac Day match."

Advertisement:
Grocon has said it is preparing a Supreme Court case to seek the $50 million-plus payment while Mr Madden has said it will be disputed.

On Friday Premier Steve Bracks will officially open the MCG's major rejuvenation, which has seen about half of the historic stadium totally rebuilt and an athletics track installed.

From: AAP
February 15, 2006
Source (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18155443-29281,00.html)

[jase]

oh gawd SEN will talk about this for a month and the HUN will have a 50 page liftout about it tomorrow

Jase :)

[David Bird]

oh gawd SEN will talk about this for a month and the HUN will have a 50 page liftout about it tomorrow

Jase :)

I'll let you post that article ;)

[jase]

you think i am jokng? th media down here go crazy about anything AFL. If shane crawford gets a pimple it is front page news

Jase :)

[Mark]

Shane Crawford was caught naked? :biggrin:

[David Bird]

you think i am jokng? th media down here go crazy about anything AFL. If shane crawford gets a pimple it is front page news

Jase :)

I didn't think you were joking, I was born in Melbourne, moved to Brisbane when I was 8.

Who is Shane Crawford and how many pimples does he get?

[Mark]

Hawks player - overrated.

[David Bird]

Hawks player - overrated.

Not in Queensland :biggrin:

[batb0y]

Queensland is overrated ;)

[Mark]

West Coast will not wait for the results of police investigations into Ben Cousins' dash from police before deciding whether to strip the champion onballer of his captaincy.

Eagles chairman Dalton Gooding, who spoke to the Brownlow medallist yesterday morning, said the club would decide by the end of the week how to deal with Cousins' decision to abandon his car near a booze bus and run.

After coach John Worsfold emphasised that West Coast skippers held an important job on and off the field, Gooding said a "circumspect" Cousins had made it clear he cherished his leadership and that "the message" about his growing misdemeanour sheet had got through.

"He was very disappointed in himself. He knows that he's made a bad error of judgement, and he's disappointed about that, but certainly he loves the football club and has a strong allegiance to the football club," Gooding said.

"I think Ben is very circumspect about it, and very concerned about what's happened and what might now happen. I think the message is getting through."

Gooding, who last year warned Cousins and teammate Michael Gardiner about their association with known underworld identities in Perth, said removing the captaincy was one of several potential punishments that could be dealt the onballer.

Last May, Cousins and Gardiner were warned by the West Coast hierarchy that they were on a last chance, after they initially refused to answer police questions about a nightclub shooting.

"We'll go through due process, and that's one issue we'll look at. There's many issues we need to discuss, and we won't be waiting on the police inquiry," Gooding said.

"From our perspective, the police inquiry's really a separate issue to the club, and what's best for the club, so we'll make our own decisions on how we want to handle it.

"It's a serious incident for the club, and for Ben. We're disappointed in Ben's actions, so we'll go through the incident, and talk to Ben, and consider it later in the week."

Worsfold, who captained the Eagles for eight seasons before returning as coach in 2002, said after the club's intraclub match on Friday that while he preferred to wait on police findings, Cousins' captaincy was at stake.

The captain played in the game after being interviewed by police.

Cousins had been on his way home from a wedding in Fremantle about midnight on Saturday last weekend when he stopped his Mercedes-Benz 300 metres from a booze bus and ran from police with a friend.

The friend was caught and breathalysed and initially claimed he had been the driver, Cousins told police in his interview that he had been behind the wheel.

"It's always something you look at, because captaincy of the West Coast Eagles is a very important role to play and covers all things, on and off field," Worsfold said. "So it is something that we'll consider, but we need to know what the situation is first.

"Any traffic infringement is not ideal and this is not just a speeding fine. But we need to know what's happened and we're not the investigators, so we'll just wait until we know what's happened and we'll make our call from there."

As West Coast prepared to deal with Cousins, the WA Football Commission urged the Eagles to take "strong and effective action" and said the incident had further damaged football in the state.

Commission chairman Neil Fong said while he was sure West Coast would handle the incident professionally, the image of the game had already suffered.

"It's very concerning. I think it tarnishes the reputation of the game. I'm very confident the West Coast board and club will deal with it, but it's worrying," he said. "Anything like this damages the game, and that's my only concern. The club needs to take strong and decisive action, whatever that is, and I'm sure they'll handle it."

Source (http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/02/18/1140151851833.html)

[aussieguru]

S A C K H I M ! ! !

[David Bird]

West Coast midfielder Chris Judd could take over from fellow Brownlow Medallist Ben Cousins in the next two days as the AFL club's new captain.

A club source confirmed the Eagles were likely to hold a media conference in the next 48 hours, but declined to give any details.

There is mounting speculation that an incident earlier this month near a booze bus in Perth will cost Cousins his five-year reign as club captain.

The Eagles are suffering through plenty of unwanted attention as they prepare for the start of the pre-season NAB Cup next weekend.

They also sent former All-Australian ruckman Michael Gardiner to train with local club Claremont late last week because of disciplinary issues.

Judd, the 2004 Brownlow Medallist, currently shares the vice-captaincy with Andrew Embley.

Cousins is under police investigation after he abandoned his car near a booze bus, set up on Canning Highway in suburban Applecross.

Police Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts said officers staffing the booze bus saw two men running from the car.

Police also said Cousins went to police the following day with the car keys to claim the vehicle.

Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett said late last week that if Cousins had run from his car to avoid the booze bus, "well obviously it's a ridiculous thing to do".

Cousins and Gardiner are two of the club's most important players, but they continue to also pose giant headaches for Eagles officials.

Last year, West Coast publicly warned them for their associations with Perth identities.

The pair had come under intense scrutiny for refusing to answer questions from police about a brawl at a Perth nightclub that left one man with serious knife wounds and another with five bullet wounds.

The Sunday Times quoted club chairman Dalton Gooding as saying he was "concerned and disappointed" over Cousins' booze bus incident.

Gardiner, 26, was fit to play in Friday's intra-club match at Subiaco Oval, but was informed he would training with Claremont until his attitude improved.

He will only return to the club for any required medical treatment in the near future.

Gardiner has vowed to force his way back into the Eagles system.

"I've got no comment to make apart from I'm going to get down to Claremont and do my best," the Sunday Times quoted him as saying.

Earlier this month, Gardiner was also dropped from West Coast's leadership group.

© 2006 AAP
February 19, 2006 - 7:42PM
Source (http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Judd-likely-to-be-named-Eagles-captain/2006/02/19/1140283944902.html)

[Slj]

S A C K H I M ! ! !


No need, he just quit. :tongue:

[Mark]

I'd sack him permanently - when are these tools going to grow up?

[David Bird]

A MELBOURNE court has ordered AFL Hawthorn footballer Campbell Brown to attend an anger management and alcohol awareness course over an incident in which he broke a shop window.

Brown, 22, appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court today after being charged with criminal damage and using insulting and indecent language towards an employee at a 7-Eleven store in suburban Hawthorn on June 19, last year.

Magistrate Paul Smith approved Brown for a diversion order, which allows first-time offenders to avoid a criminal conviction if they admit to the charges.

The court was previously told Brown was drunk when he entered the store, verbally abused a store attendant and on his way out struck and broke a window about 5.10am.

Mr Smith described Brown's behaviour on the night as "very poor", but acknowledged that based on references supplied to the court it was "totally out of character".

The magistrate said Brown, who has no previous convictions, "should be given an opportunity to carry a clean slate".

However, he warned: "This is your only opportunity, you won't get another chance."

He also ordered the footballer to attend an anger management, alcohol awareness and tolerance counselling course.

He must also pay $1500 to a college that specialises in education and sport for Aboriginal children and $354 to the 7-Eleven store to pay for the broken window.

From: AAP
February 21, 2006
Source (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18222196-29277,00.html)

[David Bird]

NEW Brisbane Lions chairman Tony Kelly says the club cannot win concessions from the AFL on salary cap and draft issues and will turn its attentions to getting Queensland teenagers opportunities in the league's apprenticeship scheme.

Kelly, 44, was voted in unopposed as the club's fourth chairman in 10 years on Monday when Graeme Downie resigned and nominated Kelly, his deputy of four years, to fill the post.

The Lions are about to enter the last season in which the AFL will permit the club a salary cap allowance because it is in a developing AFL state after a 2004 lobbying duel was lost to a clique of Melbourne clubs, led by Collingwood and Essendon. The allowance is reduced by the AFL to $360,000 for this year before its eradication for 2007.

Kelly said there was no prospect of the AFL changing its stance on the salary cap or again permitting Brisbane and the Sydney Swans extra consideration in the draft system to reflect the comparatively small number of players in the league generated by Queensland and NSW.

The Lions will continue to press under Kelly's chairmanship its belief that the AFL's apprenticeship scheme, in which each AFL club must draft a NSW teenager each year, should be extended to Queenslanders.

"At the moment, it (the concessional draft picks issue) is not an argument we can win," Kelly said. "We've been promoting that concept to the AFL for many years and I personally don't believe they have any inclination to compromise the draft. I'd not take it off the agenda because down the track a greater number of locals on our list would be a terrific thing.

"But there's an apprenticeship scheme in its infancy in NSW and we'd like to promote that as a scheme to be introduced in Queensland.

"I think when they allocate game development money out of the new TV rights (for $780 million, announced last month), there would be an increase coming into Queensland.

"There's no plans at all for us to revisit the salary cap issue. With the TV rights, I'd have thought the first cab off the rank is for the AFL to discuss with the AFL Players' Association what increase the players around the whole AFL are going to get. It's looking like it will increase."

Sitting in the Lions boardroom at the Gabba, with its formidable backdrop of three gleaming AFL Cups in the trophy cabinet, Kelly spoke of the chances of another title during his chairmanship.

"If you look at the age group of our list, we do acknowledge we have some fantastic players in their last few years. We have a large number of players we need to develop," he said. "I'd be over the moon if we got one. We don't focus on premierships.

"Our hope is that each year we'd make the top eight.

"We do acknowledge as a board that over the last few years we have lost very experienced players and have a lot of young players with a lot of developing to do."

Kelly said Downie's step-down from chairman to remain a director, a move not widely tipped publicly, should not give rise to speculation.

"Graham raised the issue with me quite recently. He's been chairman for six years and he decided simply to push back a bit and be a normal director, they were basically his main reasons (given to the board)," he said.

The appointment of Kelly, who graduated as a lawyer and sold out his share in recent years of a family-owned company, completes an unexpected trifecta of important positions at the Lions for Brisbane's Nudgee College.

Old Boys from Nudgee, a rugby union stronghold, are the Lions chairman (Kelly), chief executive (Michael Bowers) and club best and fairest (Jason Akermanis).

"I played junior AFL for my school and my club as a primary school student and I'd go and watch the QAFL, as it was then," he said of his AFL affiliations. "When the Bears played at Carrara I was there from day one."

Paul Malone, Australian football
22feb06
Source (http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18226457%255E10389,00.html)

[Mark]

FORMER AFL star Wayne Carey is separated from wife Sally, less than two months after the birth of their first child.

Channel Nine tonight quoted from a media release issued by Carey's manager.

It follows media reports about Carey's friendship with a Melbourne model while Sally is in country New South Wales with their daughter Ella.

News Ltd newspapers today quoted Sally's father Terry McMahon as saying Carey would be "going out in a box" if the former Kangaroos captain visited McMahon's home.

Carey had to quit the Kangaroos before the start of the 2002 season when his affair with Kelli Stevens, the wife of then team-mate Anthony Stevens, was revealed.

Today's statement on Nine said: "Wayne and Sally are separated.

"Their main priority is their little girl. They remain good friends and would like people to respect their privacy.

"There will be no further comment on this matter."

Carey, in Darwin for tomorrow night's NAB Cup opener between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, would not comment.

When asked how things were with his wife he said: "Good, we're good friends."

After his stellar career at the Kangaroos ended in disgrace, Carey joined Adelaide in 2003.

But he had to retire the following season because of a potentially-debilitating neck injury.

Carey has since impressed in his work as an AFL commentator and this season is also a part-time coach at Collingwood.

[Mark]

sorry about the headline - I couldn't resist - apparently neither could Wayne :biggrin:

[David Bird]

POLICE are expected to charge former West Coast Eagles skipper and Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins following an incident in which he abandoned his car near a booze bus.

The footballer ran off leaving his girlfriend in the four-wheel drive Mercedes Benz which was found 50 metres from the police breathalyser unit on Canning Highway in the Perth riverside suburb of Applecross two weeks ago.

Police delayed a decision on what charges to lay against the 27-year-old and others involved in the incident pending advice from the state solicitor.

A police spokesman said today the legal advice was expected tomorrow and at least one charge was expected to follow against Cousins who would most likely be charged by summons.

Cousins' girlfriend of seven years Samantha Druce has meantime broken her silence on the incident telling The Sunday Times newspaper in Perth that the episode and subsequent media interest had put intense pressure on the couple's relationship.

Ms Druce, who remained in the car after Cousins and his friend real estate agent Nathan Hewitt left it, would not comment on why Cousins allegedly ran from the vehicle.

She also declined to comment on why passengers in the car allegedly lied to police about who had been driving the car.

"Im waiting for it all to blow over. It hasn't been the easiest time – I really don't want to say any more than that. I just want it to blow over," Ms Druce told The Sunday Times.

Cousins is expected to be charged with obstructing traffic while passengers in the abandoned car could be charged with more serious offences including misleading police, over information supplied to police at the time relating to who the driver of the car had been.

Cousins and Hewitt were observed by police sprinting away from a booze bus.

Police gave chase, catching Hewitt, who was breath tested but Cousins managed to allude them.

Cousins resigned from the Eagles captaincy this week saying he had, through "errors of judgment" put enormous scrutiny and pressure on the club.

"I did not intend for this to happen and hope that my decision today will alleviate some of the pressure the footy club finds itself in," Cousins told a press conference on Monday.

He is due to play in a derby against Fremantle later this afternoon and is expected to receive a fair amount of ribbing from the crowd.

26feb06
Source (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18279123%255E1702,00.html)

[aussieguru]

and the idiot only got away with - obstructing a public officer and obstructing another person!

[Hosko]

So the lesson to everybody is if your about to get done at a RBT your better off running.

[David Bird]

THE MCG will definitely host the Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon, with the Magpies planning to produce commemorative tickets for football's return to its traditional home following the Commonwealth Games handover.

The Age believes Premier Steve Bracks, whose government had faced a compensation bill of up to $4 million, has privately assured AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou that the Government and the MCG would honour the Anzac Day commitment.

While Telstra Dome had been placed on hold in the event of logistical problems after the Games, the Government and builder Grocon are close to reaching a financial settlement following the decision to bring forward the stadium's reconfiguration deadline from May 13 to April 25.

The AFL was determined to speed up negotiations — Grocon was believed to be claiming an original compensation settlement of $4 million to remove the running track and replace all of the MCG's seating for football — given the detailed planning required for the Anzac Day blockbuster.

However, the MCG and the AFL now will accept a fully completed ground surface with seating of about 90,000, almost 10,000 short of the MCG's final full capacity, in a bid to bring as many football fans as possible back to the MCG one month after the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.

The final compensation figure for the Government, which would have been forced to pay compensation money to both the Melbourne Cricket Club and the AFL had the work not been completed, is now expected to settle at $2 million.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said he had always had faith the ground would be ready.

"Collingwood is looking to do a special commemorative ticket, which all football fans who attend the game can souvenir," McGuire said.

"We want to speak with the MCC and the AFL and put on an Anzac Day commensurate with the taking over of the stadium once again by football to a capacity or near-capacity for the first time since 2002."

McGuire, who spoke informally with Demetriou yesterday when the AFL chief visited the Magpies players at the Lexus Centre, also called upon Essendon and Collingwood fans to try to break the AFL's home-and-away attendance record.

"That would be a massive result," McGuire said.

"But it will depend on how many seats can be ready. We think the significance of the Anzac Day game and the handover to football should also see the MCC look at filling up the members and maybe if the whole ground is fully ticketed in the way that they're looking at for the Boxing Day Test, then that would be something really special."

Collingwood also plans to influence the AFL to boost its pre-match presentation.

"I just felt it lacked a little bit last year in terms of how special this event really is," McGuire said.

While the original contract set the handover date to football at May 13, the date was brought forward when Commonwealth Games organisers determined that the running track would not be relocated because of excessive costs and the fact it could never have been used for athletic events at the ground.

By bringing forward the handover date, football's return to the MCG one month after the closing ceremony will mean an extra seven games scheduled this season at the MCG.

While Grocon chief Daniel Grollo said yesterday that talks were continuing between his group and the Government, Demetriou is believed to have received the premier's assurance about Anzac Day four days ago.

The Government must cover all costs on the project above $450 million. Estimates value the project at about $434 million, but Grocon confirmed its claims were for more than $50 million.

Bracks had said he was confident taxpayers would not be burdened by Grocon's MCC action.

By Caroline Wilson
February 28, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/mcg-will-be-ready-for-anzac-day/2006/02/27/1141020023239.html)

[aussieguru]

Yeah. You'd think they would throw the book at him, but as he is a high profile person, he is let off.

What if your average joe blo did the offence?

[David Bird]

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou outlined the league's aim to eventually stage matches in NSW and Queensland every weekend, possibly through the relocation of clubs or the creation of new ones.

Demetriou said the booming population centres of western Sydney and the Gold Coast, in particular, were impossible to ignore.

And he said the AFL planned a "massive spend" to build the popularity of the game in NSW and Queensland, fuelled by the revenue from the next round of broadcast rights, starting in 2007.

"We won't be satisfied unless we're playing football every weekend in NSW and Queensland," Demetriou told a conference of sports editors in Melbourne.

"We want to get 22 games a year in those states, like we do in Victoria and South Australia and WA.

"That's going to mean more games being played outside of Melbourne and I suspect it's going to mean more games being played in the south-east of Queensland and more games in the western suburbs of Sydney.

"We just can't, as a sport, stand still and think that the AFL won't have a presence in those two markets, the fastest growing."

This season, there will be 12 home and away matches played in Sydney, including a Western Bulldogs home game, and 14 in Brisbane or the Gold Coast, including a Hawthorn home game and two Melbourne home games.

Demetriou said there were four options for increasing the amount of football played in those areas.

"One is to relocate teams, the second one is to merge teams, or the third one is to create new teams," he said.

"There's a fourth one, which is to play satellite games in there and the teams come back, like the Kangaroos are doing in Canberra."

But he suggested any moves to create or relocate clubs were a long way off.

"It's always the dilemma, when? What's the right time? I just think the time is getting closer and closer," he said.

"What does that mean, is it relocation, is it new teams? I don't know, I'm pretty sure I won't be around to be there when that happens."

Demetriou said the AFL had no intention of getting rid of any clubs and remained strongly supportive of a 16-team competition.

He also rejected the view that the AFL was not doing enough to capitalise on Sydney's 2005 premiership victory and was at odds with the Swans on the way to develop the Sydney market.

"Talk of a rift is rubbish, it's fashionable, but it's rubbish," he said.

Demetriou conceded there were some disagreements on implementation and methodology, but said the two parties were agreed on wanting higher participation levels, higher attendances, more television viewers, members, sponsorship and facilities in the state.

"On all those issues we're as one, not one disagreement whatsoever," he said.

"I think we do more to help the Swans and AFL in NSW than any other club I can think of and we do it quite willingly.

"If someone wants to believe that there's a rift, fine.

Demetriou said the AFL had put a huge amount of programs and money into developing the code in the northern states, but was set to further up the ante.

The AFL recently signed a five-year broadcast rights deal worth $780 million with the Seven and Ten networks.

"You're going to see a significant spend in NSW and Queensland which I'm sure is going to horrify a lot of other codes and it should," he said.

"It's going to be a massive spend."

He said an agreement under the broadcast deal that matches would be televised live into all states on Friday nights, Saturday nights and Sunday twilight, would also help.

© 2006 AAP
March 1, 2006 - 5:59PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/AFL-wants-games-each-weekend-in-NSW-Qld/2006/03/01/1141191723728.html)

[David Bird]

COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse has agreed to stop criticising the AFL's new rules, but he has reiterated his call for another innovation – a basketball-style shot clock for players kicking at goal.

A 30-second limit for players to complete their set shot before umpires call play-on is among a raft of new laws and interpretations introduced this season, and Malthouse said an electronic clock – similar to those used in basketball when teams are in offence – would involve spectators and ensure the new rule was enforced.

"If (Magpies captain) Nathan (Buckley) takes the mark and he's on the ground and the (fan) up there knows that when he picks himself up, grabs the ball, shapes himself and gets ready, we start the clock at 30 seconds," he said.

"I believe if we go to the next extension it could be fantastic for the supporters.

"You can just imagine supporters have a countdown and the bloke on the ground has eight seconds to kick the football, and they're counting down: five, four, three, two, one, play-on – and they're actively involved."

Malthouse suggested the innovation four years ago, and he said today that shot clocks could be installed at AFL venues.

He was reminded of the idea last night, while watching game three of the National Basketball League grand final series between Melbourne and Sydney, and he noted how fans counted down on players who needed to shoot.

Malthouse made his proactive suggestion in direct contrast to his comments of three days ago, when he launched an attack on the new rules and interpretations.

Malthouse said after his side's NAB Cup win over St Kilda on Sunday that the new kick-in rule, under which players could re-start play before goal umpires waved their flags, was "madness", adding that he feared the crackdown on physical contact between defenders and forwards would turn football into netball.

But the veteran coach, now in his 23rd season, agreed to hold off criticism and observe the rules after a meeting with AFL football operations general manager Adrian Anderson.

Malthouse maintained he still opposed some of the rule changes, and said he was under "no pressure" from the league to lay-off in his criticism.

"The new rules are now eight games old and we'll have a look at another four games on the weekend, of which we participate in one of them, and we'll judge it at the end of the year," he said.

Malthouse said it was important coaches could approach Anderson to discuss how the game was run.

Malthouse said he, in particular, wanted to discuss concerns that backmen would be penalised for slight contact on forwards.

"Bill Deller, 20 years ago when he was the umpires coach, said you're not impeding the player if you grabbed hold of him and (did) not stop him from playing on," he said.

"Today we're sort of saying if you grab the player, it's a free kick.

"I'm saying there's 150 free kicks there every week.

"If we have an interpretation that you're not impeding the player and these little grabs happen, players are a lot more comfortable knowing that a good contest is the best contest."

Buckley, a member of the laws of the game committee, was confident the rule tinkering would only enhance the game.

"To me, there's nothing to worry about," he said.

"The game will carry itself through and evolve, not only over decades but within this year, it will evolve and find a balance and it will be fantastic."

AAP
By Adam Cooper
March 1, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18312277-23211,00.html)

[Slj]

Eagles seem to have a target of having all their players charged by the end of the year. :Sad:

Ashley Sampi was charged tonight over his 'incident'. (Can't find article online)

[aussieguru]

Another Eagles Star in trouble
February 28, 2006

WEST Coast Eagles forward Ashley Sampi is wanted for questioning over allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a knife.

Two women told West Australian detectives today Sampi had threatened one of them with a knife last night, the Seven Network reported.
The West Australian AFL club confirmed it was aware police wished to interview Sampi regarding a domestic incident with his girlfriend last night.
But the West Coast Eagles would not give further details of the incident.
"It is a sensitive personal indigenous situation which the club has been assisting, and will continue to assist, through counselling," the club said in a statement.
"The club will make no further statement regarding the matter."
The statement comes just a day after the club's former skipper and Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins was charged over allegedly leaving his car on a Perth highway to avoid being breath-tested.
The champion rover was forced to resign from his club's captaincy over the incident. He is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on March 21.

AAP

SAUCE (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18308074-23211,00.html)

[aussieguru]

And an excerpt from last nights Seven News (perth) Email -

In Seven News tonight, Eagles forward Ashley Sampi flies home to Perth to answer police questions over allegations he threatened his girlfriend with a knife. David Cooper has the latest.

[Mark]

keep going like this and we'll have to get the boys from Prison Break to play AFL this year in the west.... :biggrin:

[David Bird]

Richmond and Essendon will play a preseason AFL match at Red Cliffs, south of Mildura, later this month in support of the Mildura community devastated by the recent deaths of six teenagers in a road accident.

The proceeds of the twilight game will be donated to the memorial fund set up in memory of the six teenagers, which is being administered by the Mildura Rural City Council.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said tickets for the match would be sold in advance, and the proceeds and any donations collected on the night would go to the fund.

Mr Demetriou thanked Essendon and Richmond for embracing the concept, and said he hoped the match would go some way to helping the Mildura community.

"The footballing family, like the entire community has been saddened by the loss of these young lives," Mr Demetriou said.

"Football is a great sport but it also can be a great catalyst for bringing people together. We hope the community can come together to support the grieving families and friends of the young people who died."

The late afternoon match will be held at Red Cliffs oval on Friday, March 17.

The AFL will announce the starting time and ticketing arrangements for the match in the coming days.

Thursday, March 2, 2006. 3:17pm (AEDT)
Source (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1582405.htm)

[aussieguru]

keep going like this and we'll have to get the boys from Prison Break to play AFL this year in the west.... :biggrin:

WORST TEAM IN THE AFL!!!



Bring forth the Dockers!!

[David Bird]

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/03/08/wbFOOTYumps_narrowweb__300x553.jpg
Boundary and goal umpires will
make in-play decisions during an
unprecedented practice-match
experiment.
Photo: Ray Kennedy

IN PERHAPS the most radical umpiring experiment of recent times, boundary and goal umpires will assist the field umpires in making decisions in tomorrow afternoon's practice match between St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs at Princes Park.

The AFL has already experimented by using four field umpires with the NAB Cup, but tomorrow the league will go further into uncharted territory by allowing the two boundary umpires and two goal umpires to adjudicate and pay free kicks.

The experiment comes from the AFL's umpiring department, which wishes to see whether goal and boundary umpires can assist field umpires in making more accurate decisions. The proposal is somewhat similar to one put forward by Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews at the height of the controversy surrounding player-umpire collisions several years ago. Matthews advocated that there be a central controlling umpire with four boundary/field umpires.

St Kilda coach Grant Thomas and his Bulldog counterpart Rodney Eade have agreed to the trial, but will not learn of how the extraordinary seven-umpire system will operate until they are briefed by the umpiring department today.

Director of umpiring Jeff Gieschen approached Thomas in January at an umpiring conference and raised the possibility of using the boundary and goal umpires to assist the three field umpires.

Since tomorrow's match is a practice match, rather than an NAB Cup fixture, it will otherwise have normal, regular-season rules — with no nine-point goals, restrictions on kicking backwards, and only three field umpires.

Both Eade and Thomas last night said they welcomed the experiment. "I think it's a good thing to be trying it and there's some merit in it if it can work," Eade said.

While Thomas, too, will be briefed on how the boundary and goal umpires will make decisions, he said he believed they would be able to rule on "all decisions".

"I don't think they're going to be over-officiating. I think it's first step first and they're just going to be seeing how the system works."

Thomas said the additional umpires might deter defenders, for instance, from grabbing a forward's jumper, since it could be seen by the goal umpire or boundary umpire at that end of the ground.

"We're happy to be part of the trial," said Thomas. "Anything that helps the umpires to sort of manage the game better and take less interpretation out of it and more facts on what actually occurs from people in better position should be something we should look at.

"Jeff (Gieschen) ran it past me … at the umpires' conference and I said it was a good idea then."

Thomas was not concerned that the extra umpires would cause excessive free kicks. "You can never over-officiate," he said. "If free kicks are there, you pay them."

Both clubs will be close to full strength for what promises to be a keenly watched practice match, with a dozen senior Saints and up to 10 leading Bulldogs returning for the penultimate match before the season proper.
NAB CUP DRAW


FRIDAY: Melbourne v Adelaide, AAMI Stadium, 7.40pm.
Teams -
Melbourne: 2 Jones, 3 Bizzell, 6 Bate, 7 Miller, 8 Nicholson, 9 Neitz, 10 Ward, 11 P Johnson, 12 Sylvia, 13 Yze, 16 Johnstone, 17 C Johnson, 18 Green, 19 Bartram, 22 Moloney, 23 McDonald, 24 Robertson, 25 Brown, 28 Read, 31 Wheatley, 33 Pickett, 34 White, 35 Ferguson, 36 Davey, 40 Jamar, 41 Carroll, 44 Motlop, 45 Whelan.
Adelaide: 1 Obst, 2 Meesen, 3 Massie, 4 Clarke, 5 Thompson, 7 Van Berlo, 9 Edwards, 10 Bode, 11 Doughty, 12 Shirley, 16 McGregor, 18 Johncock, 20 Maric, 21 Knights, 22 Perrie, 23 McLeod, 24 Burton, 25 Rutten, 26 Douglas, 28 Vince, 30 Jericho, 31 Sugars, 33 Reilly, 34 Hart, 35 Biglands, 36 Goodwin, 37 Hentschel, 39 Mattner.

SATURDAY: Geelong v Fremantle, Telstra Dome, 7.10pm

PRACTICE MATCHES Essendon v Hawthorn, Bendigo; St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Princes Park; Carlton v West Coast, Alice Springs.

FRIDAY:

SATURDAY: Port Adelaide v Brisbane, Adelaide; Sydney v Richmond, Gold Coast; Kangaroos v Collingwood.

By Jake Niall
March 9, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/seven-umps-join-forces-to-decide-all/2006/03/08/1141701573352.html)

[David Bird]

CARLTON's financial problems could cost the competition more than $50 million over the next 30 years.

One of the options available to the AFL to bail out the Blues is to subsidise the maintenance cost of their Optus Oval training headquarters.

A cash-strapped and debt-riddled Carlton revealed this week it cannot afford the ongoing cost of servicing the ground, at $1.8 million a year.

Blues chief executive Michael Malouf said yesterday that should the AFL adopt the ground management rescue, he expected a deal to be struck for at least the duration of the present lease arrangement, to 2035.

"It could go beyond that, depending on the state Government and the Melbourne City Council," Malouf said.

The bail-out proposal has already been opposed by several rival Melbourne clubs who have labelled the proposal outrageous and estimated, with inflation, the real cost to the competition would be close to $100 million.

"The AFL said that the Carlton ground was never going to be used again," one club chief executive said.

"So it's a drastic about-face and something the competition can't afford.

"There are better ways around Australia to spend that money."

Malouf was reluctant to declare how much financial assistance Carlton required and in what time frame, but said: "Sooner rather than later, it's a high priority."

Carlton president Ian Collins said this week retaining the Blues' independence was the chief reason his club would not immediately apply for the AFL's annual special distribution fund which assists the Western Bulldogs, the Kangaroos and Melbourne.

The Blues this week announced a group (combined football club and social club) loss of almost $1m and confirmed their debt to be $7m.

The club wants Optus Oval to be available as a back-up third AFL venue in Melbourne, and has received support from league chief executive Andrew Demetriou.

Demetrious said this week the league would help the Blues, admitting Optus Oval had to be maintained in case either the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Telstra Dome were unavailable during the home-and-away season.

"Carlton is one of the few clubs in the competition that has its own ground, it costs them about $1 million to $2 million to maintain, and they are not deriving any revenue from it," Demetriou said.

"That is a pretty heavy burden for a football club because all our other clubs are either renting grounds or if they have got their own grounds are deriving revenue from (them), such as the Brisbane Lions (at the Gabba) ... in this state we play about 100 games a season and we need a fallback for the MCG and Telstra Dome."

The AFL has intimate knowledge of Carlton's books and three-year business plan and it expects to be in a position to provide an outcome in two to three months.

The league is concerned by Carlton's financial position and, along with independent auditors, will work closely with its administration and advise if its business model is sustainable.

Malouf said about 35 football games were played at Optus Oval each season, including the VFL grand final, amateur games, women's football and AFL practice matches, as well as it being used as a training facility by rugby league club Melbourne Storm, which pays rent.

The Blues are also negotiating with the AFL, the state Government and the Melbourne City Council for a $12 million redevelopment of the ground as an elite training facility with new administration offices and community infrastructure.

But Carlton has so far been unable to secure federal Government funding, and the Blues need to find an additional $2 million for the project, which is separate from their day-to-day cash-flow needs.

The Western Bulldogs secured $8 million in federal funding in October 2004 for their Whitten Oval redevelopment, while Geelong attracted $2m in federal funding for its completed Skilled Stadium redevelopment.

The last AFL game was played at Carlton's historic home ground last year.

Instead, the Blues were paid $2.6m up front by Telstra Dome/Channel Seven to sign a 10-year arrangement to play the bulk of their home games at Telstra Dome.

Malouf said that Carlton's poor season last year, in which it won four games and finished on the bottom, had forced "readjustments" to the second year of its three-year business plan.

He said this year's budgeted loss was a confidential figure, but that he still expected the club to reach a positive cash-flow position by 2008.

After a record membership figure last year of 33,535, the indication is that the Blues will struggle to reach 30,000 in 2006.

Figures have membership numbers down by as much as 12 per cent on last year's corresponding figure.

The league deemed Optus Oval too derelict as a viable alternative AFL venue for this season while the MCG is reconfigured after the Commonwealth Games.

Rather, fixtures that would have been played at the MCG in the first month of the season have been relocated to Carrara on the Gold Coast, at Launceston's Aurora Stadium and to Telstra Dome.

The Australian
By Greg Denham
March 10, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18406325-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

THE much-anticipated AFL umpiring experiment resulted in just half a decision during the Western Bulldogs-St Kilda practice match at Optus Oval today.

Kicking: Riewoldt's radar awry as Dogs win

For the first time, boundary and goal umpires had the power to pay free kicks, but, the trial had no effect apart from a simultaneous free paid by a boundary umpire and afield umpire during the second term.

Privately, AFL officials thought the new provision would mean a maximum of three or four decisions during the game.

Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade and St Kilda counterpart Grant Thomas each said the trial was not noticeable, but they agreed they would like it to continue in some form.

"That's still worth a try because it might only be two or three a game, but if they get it right ... why can't the boundary umpires at least help adjudicate?" Eade said.

Thomas said the experiment would be useful if the goal and boundary umpires were able to indicate to a blind-sided field umpire that an infringement had occurred.

Eade was more interested in the field umpires' interpretation of the league's raft of rule changes for this season.

Like Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, he wants physical contact to remain an accepted part of the game.

"I think Mick Malthouse mentioned the other week, that you give me any sort of touch and it's a free kick – it really is difficult," Eade said.

"We have to be careful as a game, we still like to have a contest.

"I think the new rules are going to be OK – maybe a bit of `tiggy-touchwood' (pedantic) at times."

Two free kicks paid against Bulldogs veterans caught the eye today: Chris Grant gave away a free kick and a 50m penalty for what seemed to be a legitimate attempt to spoil a mark.

And Scott West was penalised for deliberate out of bounds, with what rugby fans would have called a perfect kick to touch - booting the ball out of defence to the boundary on the wing when there were no free teammates up the field.

"His intent was there, wasn't it – he had no other option," Eade said of West's kick.

"I'm in favour of that (new rule). If you're good enough to keep the ball in play, I'm OK."

But Eade was not so sure about the Grant decision.

"I will probably ask for clarification because I thought Chris was committed to the contest," he said.

"It was probably a free kick, but I don't know if it was late."

AAP
By Roger Vaughan
March 10, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18420375-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

A HIGH-PROFILE player from a non-Victorian AFL club has twice tested positive for illegal drugs.

The player, whom Mews Limited newspapers have chosen not to name, is believed to have returned two positive samples for illicit drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy.

Under the AFL's out-of-competition drug code, the player's name is kept secret from club executives and the AFL until a third offence is recorded.

AFL drug testers clearly focused on certain players during their 2005 program of 472 tests.

One player was tested four times and seven players three times; 64 players were tested twice.

Of the tests, 336 were done out of competition and 136 during the season.

The AFL's illicit drugs policy covers out-of-competition testing; testing during competition falls under World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines.

In 2004, 17 positive tests were recorded, and the AFL said yesterday that the number of positive drug tests last year did not exceed this. In 2003, 14 players tested positive.

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the illicit drugs policy, introduced last year, went further than WADA regulations. He said that none of the players who tested positive in 2005 would have been caught under WADA's code.

"We are testing more for stimulants, we are testing more at high-risk times when players might be taking drugs, and the reality is that while players faced a far higher chance of getting caught, the numbers of positive tests has not changed," Mr Anderson said.

AFL players who test positive must enter an approved confidential treatment, education and rehabilitation program.

For both the first two positive out-of-competition tests, the AFL's medical officer is obliged to inform only the player's club medical officer. Third and subsequent offences will result in a charge of conduct unbecoming, carrying a maximum 12-week suspension.

But a player might escape penalty.

Penalties under WADA guidelines are significantly greater: a one-year ban is available as a sanction for a first offence.

A second offence could result in a two-year ban and a third a life ban.

Last night, the Federal Government praised the AFL for its testing.

"Any move to stamp out drugs in sport and continue Australia's strong anti-doping policy is welcomed by the Government," Sports Minister Rod Kemp said.

WADA officials, in Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games, said it was the AFL's call on what penalty to impose on players out of competition.

"We liken it to conduct-testing more than anything else," WADA executive David Howman said.

"But the AFL is doing something, and there are a lot of tests."

The AFL was the last major Australian sport to sign the WADA code, after intense pressure from the Federal Government.

The Australian Sports Commission had threatened to slash funding.

Western Bulldogs captain Luke Darcy said yesterday the positive tests were disappointing.

"But I'd be interested to know if it (the number of positive results) was any more than (for) 18 to 30-year-olds in general," he said. "If it was 100 per cent more than your normal 18-to-30-year-old group, then it would be more of a concern. It's an issue in society more than it was 30 years ago.

"It's a snapshot of a demographic, and I think it would be the same for plumbers, lawyers and carpenters."

News Limited newspapers
By Jim Wilson and Damian Barrett
March 11, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18422613-23211,00.html)

[David Bird]

Geelong broke a 43-year drought with a courageous and surprising eight-point triumph over Adelaide in the AFL pre-season cup final at AAMI Stadium.

The Cats, seeking their first competition win of any kind since 1963, gave the Crows a 29-point start early in the second term and trailed by 13 points at the last change.

A late supergoal by Joel Corey put the Cats in front and they held on to win 3.10.5 (92) to 1.10.15 (84).

Lacking at least six first team players, and up against an unbackable favourite, the Cats were wonderfully led by Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright and James Kelly in the middle.

Cameron Mooney booted three final-term goals on All-Australian Ben Rutten, and Gary Ablett kicked three vital goals, including a supergoal, from limited opportunities.

The Cats also overcame the loss of key man Cameron Ling with a knee injury towards the end of the second term.

Adelaide was fuelled by the industry of Michael Tuck Medal winner Simon Goodwin and some typically flashy work by Brett Burton, as well as a serviceable three-goal game by Matthew Bode.

Young players Chris Knights and Bernie Vince did numerous good things, Vince nailing Adelaide's lone super goal of the evening.

Fireworks, basketball-style player introductions and the performance of the national anthem by a pair of child talent quest winners set the scene for the first term, which featured a certain amount of play-off nerves.

However it was the Crows who added to their intensity and polish after both sides had kicked a goal in the early sparring, a breathless series of handballs and evasions by Adelaide's midfielders, most notably Kris Massie, setting up Burton for a successful set shot.

Further goals to youngsters Knights and Vince - his after the siren following a super pass by Hentschel - gave Adelaide a handsome 22-point margin at the first change.

The Cats needed to raise their game and they belatedly did after Hentschel had snapped precisely to take the margin to 29 points.

Bartel, Enright, Kelly and Ling had plenty of the ball in the middle and a series of stoppage wins were rapidly converted into four goals between the 10th and 15th minutes as Adelaide eased off.

Kelly, Henry Playfair, Jarad Rooke and Paul Chapman all nabbed majors to cut the lead to seven points at the half.

Geelong continued its charge after the break and suddenly found itself 10 points in front due to a pair of supergoals.

Josh Hunt then Ablett streamed into open space and kicked accurately from distance into a slight breeze.

Adelaide had gone some time since offering a fluent passage of play, but the Crows promptly strung several together for a three-goal lead after six pointers to Bode, Perrie and Goodwin and a nine-pointer to Vince.

Chapman pulled one back for the Cats and a succession of errors by both sides kept the margin at 13 points as final term began.

Luke Jericho's poor night for Adelaide was epitomised when he missed an open goal in the early moments and Mooney twice outmarked Rutten to keep the Cats in touch.

Shannon Burns showed tremendous pace to do what Jericho could not, and when Corey's high kick floated through for nine points the Cats led nearing time-on.

Surprised to be trailing, Adelaide could not mount an effective counter, and Mooney's third meant the Cats could celebrate an unexpected but richly-deserved victory.

© 2006 AAP
March 18, 2006 - 10:39PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Cats-take-out-AFL-preseason-final/2006/03/18/1142582581129.html)

[Bugz]

I feel sick.

Crows 2006 Premiers.

[David Bird]

Someone should blow up Supergoals. :tongue:

The bad news for Geelong and the good news for Adelaide........ The Preseason final victory is the KISS OF DEATH for the season proper. It's an even more power KoD than Mark Sales tipping a team.

[Mark]

hate to tell you Birdman, but the Cats are my AFL team, and you're just jealous coz the Lions can't win a chook raffle.

[David Bird]

hate to tell you Birdman, but the Cats are my AFL team, and you're just jealous coz the Lions can't win a chook raffle.

Geelong broke a 43-year drought .............. I rest my case

[Sambo]

Crows kicked awfully, and made some stupid decisions late. Yes it is the kiss of death so sorta happy.

[David Bird]

Australia's steady stream of gold in the Commonwealth Games showed the dominance of one team, but don't expect a stand-out to claim the same monopoly over the competition this AFL season.

Season 2006 shapes as one of the tightest and toughest-to-pick years of recent times, underlined by an even pre-season for most teams and a clutch of equally-worthy premiership contenders.

Depending on who you ask, St Kilda will carry the mantle of premiership favourite into the season for the second successive year, a theory based on the fact the Saints' star-studded playing list is poised to go at least one game deeper into the season than successive preliminary finals defeats in 2004-05.

Joining them on the first rung - or just behind - is Adelaide, which stunned most followers in 2005 by winning the minor premiership before slipping to fourth overall, with an emerging, determined team.

Geelong is also high on people's calculations and has already tasted success this pre-season, having beaten the Crows in one of the better pre-season grand finals.

Sydney's overdue triumph last year, its first premiership win in 72 years, will remind both St Kilda and Geelong - which have not won premierships since the mid-1960s that fairytales can happen to those who wait.

And both clubs have waited long enough.

But Sydney's success has not convinced all of its worth, and after another uninspiring pre-season, the Swans will start their premiership defence with four teams in front of them according to bookies, even though the club has retained its grand final-winning 22, bar the now-retired Jason Ball.

West Coast, the other leading contender, should have spent most of the summer just gone focused on avenging last year's four-point grand final loss to the Swans, but instead found itself the club in the most turmoil.

Eagles star Ben Cousins, the reigning Brownlow medallist, stood down as the club's captain last month after he fled from a police booze bus.

The intense public scrutiny the game has found itself in over the past decade will naturally increase this week, not only given the real thing is about to start, but because of the passing of the Commonwealth Games, which has held the Australian public's attention for the past fortnight.

Many observers believe 2006 could be the closest-fought premiership since 1996, when the Kangaroos emerged from a group of five teams separated after 22 rounds by only six points to win a breakthrough flag.

The Western Bulldogs, who finished ninth last season, have been earmarked the big improvers of 2006, while Collingwood could fall into the same category given its horrible injury run last year.

Off-field, several issues will permeate.

The AFL's policy on illicit recreational drugs will be put to the test halfway through the year, when newspapers take on the league and players union in court for the right to identify three players who have twice tested positively to drugs.

The AFL also has some big decisions to confront, as it decides how best to invest a huge influx of cash it will get when the Seven-Ten consortium injects $780 million into league coffers, the price it paid to televise games from 2007-11.

The current Nine-Ten-Foxtel broadcast deal expires in 2006.

West Coast and St Kilda play the season opener at Subiaco Oval on Thursday night.

© 2006 AAP
March 26, 2006 - 8:29PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Season-2006-a-tough-one-to-pick/2006/03/26/1143330926342.html)

[David Bird]

From Centrebet:

$5.50 – Adelaide, St Kilda

$6 – Geelong

$7 West Coast

$10 – Sydney

$13 – Brisbane Lions

$21 – Port Adelaide

$23 – Collingwood, Fremantle

$26 – Melbourne, Essendon, Western Bulldogs

$41 – Kangaroos, Richmond

$51 – Hawthorn

$81 – Carlton


From TAB Sportsbet:

$5 – St Kilda

$5.50 – Adelaide

$6 – Geelong

$7 – West Coast

$8 – Sydney

$14 – Brisbane Lions

$18 – Collingwood, Fremantle

$21 – Port Adelaide, Melbourne

$23 – Essendon

$26 – Western Bulldogs

$41 – Kangaroos

$51 – Richmond

$61 – Hawthorn

$81 – Carlton

AAP
March 26, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18610992-23210,00.html)

[Mark]

get your tips in peeps - games start tomorrow NOT Friday

[batb0y]

many people joined AFL tipping this year ?

[Sambo]

I have, and guess what. I'm gonna beat you all!

[batb0y]

have we mentioned games start Tonight ????

get them tips in

[Sambo]

Yep Mark posted it already :tongue:
get your tips in peeps - games start tomorrow NOT Friday

[David Bird]

Hey BatBoy, the reflection in those sungalsses http://www.knowfirst.org/forums/customavatars/avatar166_20.gif looks very much like a PC keyboard..... getting ready to move over to Vista? :biggrin:

[Mark]

the replection

would have been funnier if you said "reflection" :biggrin:

[David Bird]

would have been funnier if you said "reflection" :biggrin:

true

[batb0y]

Must be frustrating to let yourself down like that. I know I would be disappointed with myself ;)

And what makes it look like a PC keyboard? The give-away white keys - like all Apples have ?

[Bugz]

Did anyone tip the saints?

[Mark]

not me! :)

[Slj]

Who's your daddy. ;)

[Sambo]

Slj 6
Chris 5
Hosko 4
Brenton 4
Mark 4
Thomas 3
Jason 3

[Sambo]

Was quite a dog of a round, who tipped carlton here (notme)???

[David Bird]

The Gold Coast's D-Day as a future AFL base is fast approaching and the wannabe entrant is treating Sunday's game between Melbourne and Adelaide as a full audition.

The Demons and Crows will play the first premiership game at Carrara Oval since 1992, before the-then Brisbane Bears headed north to the Gabba, and the region is hoping a capacity crowd will heighten the Gold Coast's chances of becoming a future AFL home.

"Even though not many people will support Melbourne or Adelaide, this is a bit of a litmus test for us," said Paul Wyatt, general manager of the Southport Sharks, which manages Carrara and lodged an application for an AFL licence a decade ago.

"Fourteen years is a long time between drinks for us."

The Sharks are about to negotiate with the Kangaroos in a bid to have the AFL club move its three home games from Canberra to the Coast from next year.

Amid the AFL's wish to have more games played in the developing market of south-east Queensland, Southport is also likely to raise the matter of relocation with the Roos.

Wyatt said the Sharks would treat this season's two scheduled games - Carrara will also host the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn in round seven - as stand-alone matches, which would not reflect the area's backing of its own team.

But Wyatt said a capacity crowd this Sunday would send a strong message the region was ready to host its own side - either as a relocated Victorian team or a 17th licence.

"At the end of the day if we can get 15,000 or 17,000, it's not going to do us any harm," he said.

"But we believe the strength is already there in the number of people in the community and business support here already.

"If we get a national licence that will be a ratio of one club to support for 550,000 people in a city growing faster than Adelaide, so population-wise the answer is yes, council support the answer is yes and business support the answer is yes."

Sunday's game looms as a massive test for Melbourne, which began a season of optimism badly with a first-up loss to wooden spoon favourite Carlton, followed by an eight-goal loss to the Western Bulldogs last Saturday.

Just when the Demons are crying out for a home game, "home" will be at a foreign venue against one of the best travelling sides in the business.

"It's not panic stations yet," Melbourne chairman Paul Gardner said.

"When the number of games left is less than the number of games you need to win to get into the eight, then it's panic stations.

"But it's only round two (completed), is it panic stations yet for the Swans?"

Melbourne opted to play its home game at Carrara because of the unavailability of the MCG through post-Commonwealth Games development works and had canvassed Adelaide, Cairns, the Gabba, Tasmania and Lavington as other options.

Gardner acknowledged the timing was not great and that the Demons were itching to return to the MCG.

"We are, we're waiting for that big oval to be opened," he said.

The AFL will return to the MCG for the annual Anzac Day blockbuster between Essendon and Collingwood.

© 2006 AAP
April 10, 2006 - 8:28PM
Source (http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Gold-Coast-all-set-for-AFL-audition/2006/04/10/1144521265780.html)

[David Bird]

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/04/10/JUMPERS_wideweb__470x241.jpg
Mooted alternative jumpers for Essendon, Carlton and Collingwood.

THE AFL has provoked a showdown with its most powerful club, Collingwood, by finally decreeing that every club in the competition must design "an alternate" jumper by the end of next month.

While Carlton and Essendon appear resigned to bowing to AFL pressure and are already considering a series of radically different guernseys — Essendon's predominantly red and Carlton's boasting significantly less navy blue — an enraged Magpies president Eddie McGuire last night issued the following message:

"Here's a newsflash for the AFL," said McGuire. "Collingwood wears black and white stripes. There are two things the AFL cannot tell Collingwood. One is where to play and the other is what to wear.

"We have played every game in the history of the AFL in black and white stripes. We've been doing that since 1892. When the competition started in 1896 we were the only club with vertical stripes. We're not about to change that because somebody in the AFL marketing department got an itch."

While the AFL wrote to the clubs in February outlining its new rules, it has only just released the commercial operations department's on-field policy, which states under section 3.3 entitled 'New Playing Strip Designs': "A main playing uniform and an 'alternate' playing uniform are mandatory for all clubs."

The Magpies had said they would be prepared to alternate from a black jumper with white stripes to a white jumper with black stripes. That change is understood to have failed to appease the AFL, which still believes that Collingwood's jumper has occasional clashes — for example, with its next opponent, the Kangaroos.

While the Kangaroos, whose jumpers alternate between major match-day sponsors Primus and Mazda, host the Easter Monday clash, they will be forced to deviate from vertical stripes to their alternative logo jumper to accommodate Collingwood.

"The Kangaroos have worn various jumpers over the years and they are very good about doing the right thing by us just as we support them getting money from the competitive balance fund," said McGuire. "We gave up our licensing rights in the mid-'80s for the sake of the competition and the least the AFL can do is protect our brand.

"I don't know what the AFL's motive is in all this but we don't have much confidence in them. They don't know what they're talking about. Already this year we've seen the Adelaide Crows play in navy blue socks against us and Hawthorn on Sunday with black and white all over their backs. It took me five years to get them to work out what the umpires should be wearing."

Essendon president Neil McKissock said yesterday that the Bombers' new guernsey — which would be worn between one and three times during the premiership season — would be predominantly red.

"We threw around a few designs at our last board meeting and we won't be moving away from red and black," said McKissock. "They have written a rule which has mandated that we wear an away jumper when we play Richmond, Melbourne and St Kilda in away games. It is under the terms of the new AFL licensing agreement and we have to comply because it overrides our constitution."

Carlton chief executive Michael Malouf said: "The club hasn't reached an official position on this, but the board is aware that we need to consider a clash jumper. Our legal advice is that the AFL's licensing rules dictate this and we're looking at designs at a management level."

As revealed in The Sunday Age last May, the Blues have previously considered introducing a silver clash guernsey with a navy crest.

But McGuire remains adamant the Magpies won't change: "We won't be hiding behind our constitution or our members. We won't be asking anyone to legislate on our behalf. Our members know how far we are prepared to go and to be perfectly honest our players are pretty disappointed about this as well.

"This is the thing that binds football clubs together and once you start tampering with your heritage then you're tampering with your club."

The new AFL guidelines also state that each club may wear an "event" playing uniform once each season to celebrate significant club milestones or events.

By Caroline Wilson
April 11, 2006
http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/afl-itch-tradition-scratched/2006/04/10/1144521268397.html

[djpower]

the gold coast is getting a nrl team its too late AFL you loose

[bomberaza]

The AFL's latest financial results survey shows the gap between rich and poor clubs is still growing.

The survey of the clubs' 2005 financial results found the aggregate profitability of the 16 clubs has risen by five per cent to $416 million.

Twelve clubs reported a profit but the other four - the Kangaroos, Carlton, Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide - reported losses.

West Coast, Collingwood, Adelaide and Brisbane are the richest clubs, raising about $11.2 million more than the poorest clubs.

While membership is still one of the highest sources of revenue, an average of one in six people failed to renew memberships last year with Hawthorn, St Kilda and the Lions listed as the clubs with the largest number of people not renewing.

SOURCE (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1614123.htm)

[bomberaza]

The Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a sell-out.

The release of tickets was delayed because of a dispute between the AFL and building contractors Grocon.

But AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says it will be a packed house as AFL returns to the MCG following the Commonwealth Games.

"To have a sell-out on Anzac Day this far out after we had to put the figures four weeks after on sale, it's an extraordinary result," he said.

"We're pretty confident of getting in excess of 90,000 (people) and what a great way to go back to the MCG for football."

Meanwhile the AFL is confident it will reach an agreement with all clubs over alternative jumpers.

The league wants clubs to have a "clash" strip by 2007 but Collingwood has indicated it may be unwilling to do so.

Mr Demetriou said the Magpies had submitted an alternative guernsey and he believed they will comply.

"I know that Collingwood have got enormous tradition in the black and white but I know that the dialogue [that] is going on about working closely with Collingwood is going in the right direction, so I'm pretty confident we'll get an outcome there," he said.

SOURCE (http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200604/s1614137.htm)

[Mark]

Channel 9 will screen this live into Melbourne too - a bit annoyed, was hoping it would be on Ten, so I didn't have to endure people watching The Bold and The Beautiful in this house....

[Bugz]

40 minute Pre-game....

[Mark]

Sam Newman walked out of the Triple M commentary box on Saturday afternoon (Apr 22). He said: I'm not putting up with this any longer," moments before his dramatic halftime walkout at Telstra Dome.

Not for the first time, the colourful Newman abandoned the Triple M commentary box in protest of umpiring and the style of football being played.

"I'm not going to watch that type of crap any more and you should come out with me," an incensed Newman said to his fellow commentators.

As he angled his Lamborghini out of the underground carpark, Newman added: "They can do what they like to me – I'm not going to sit there and continue to be negative."

Triple M was left a man short after the expert commentator made his stand, feeling totally frustrated by the patterns of play, consistent scrums full of arms and legs, and the trigger-happy and often confusing umpiring during the first half.

Newman was reprimanded for his negativity by Triple M management last year and looks certain now to receive another call from the network's managing director and Collingwood director Gary Pert.

Herald Sun

[Mark]

FREMANTLE Dockers midfielder Heath Black was seeking to avoid trial over an alleged assault at the Perth races.

Mr Black pleaded not guilty to assault causing bodily harm, obstructing police and assaulting a public officer during a brief appearance in the Perth Magistrate's Court in February.

At a hearing to set a trial date today, Mr Black's lawyer Richard Barsden called for the matter to be adjourned to June.

He told the court he wanted the adjournment because Mr Black had put a new proposal to prosecutors.

"The response may obviate the need for a trial," Mr Barsden said.

The footballer was arrested on January 2 following the alleged incident with a 29-year-old man after Perth's biggest annual race meeting on New Year's Day.

Police officers became involved in the altercation, during which the alleged assault on an officer took place, although no punches were thrown, police said.

Mr Black, who was allegedly defending his younger brother, was one of the few highlights on the field for Fremantle last season, playing in all 22 games as the Dockers missed the finals.

Source (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18933753-29277,00.html)

[Mark]

TWO of local sport's biggest conflict-of-interest controversies have been laid to rest in as many months.

Over the Easter weekend, Ian Collins stepped down from his position as president of the Carlton Football Club. He is chief of the Telstra Dome stadium, where it plays its home games.

One month earlier, after 12 years at the helm, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire passed on the hosting duties of his beloved Footy Show to Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw.

McGuire was an outstanding host and, in the show's banner years, a key newsbreaker. His departure was always going to bring about structural changes to a tired show on the wane.

During McGuire's tenure, the program's first 30 minutes were unmissable for footy fans. A story would usually be broken and, if not, the key protagonist of the week's footy news would customarily appear as a guest or panellist.

Judging from the much-hyped first episode, the "new" Footy Show seemed to be less news-driven and more variety based. The only two "news" items of week one were an incoherent story about a "newspaper war" between this paper and the Herald Sun, and a dated yarn involving Jason Akermanis.

Earlier, Brayshaw and Lyon bantered loosely for the show's first 15 minutes with McGuire's old sparring partner Sam Newman, barely touching on football. It was as if last year's surprise hit Any Given Sunday had been transplanted from Sunday morning to prime-time. For fans of that show it was amusing stuff, yet regular Footy Show watchers were savage in their criticism on radio the next morning.

McGuire's departure provided that first show with some of its best humour. The "Ed phone" located next to Newman rang at regular intervals providing him with an opportunity to showcase his impressive improvisation skills, was such a clever idea the gag has continued.

Further, a red siren placed on the notoriously dull players' panel, activated by Newman whenever he deems the players to be "talking crap", has also been an effective running joke.

By the second episode, much of the criticism of the first week had been taken on board. There was a significantly beefed-up footy quotient. Newman, dressed as Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett, put Peter Everitt on the spot about approaching Sydney. It was surprisingly compelling television.

A week later, the focus on football was evident again when the Australian pop band the Whitlams, which had been invited to play on the show, was bumped at the last moment. The band members were told the show was now concentrating on football. Welcome news.

It will be interesting to see if Shannon Noll, who is booked to perform on the show tonight, makes the cut. Perhaps he is more suited to show's demographic?

Meanwhile, Brayshaw's rise, while surprising, is merited. He is one of the chief reason's for Triple M's upsurge in football ratings, having helped instigate an irreverent entertainment style in the station's coverage.

Triple M executive producer Lee Simon told us last year that Brayshaw "has taken the old-world way of doing football and turned it on its arse".

Cos Cardone, Nine's director of sport in Melbourne, asked Brayshaw in March to take over McGuire's spot on Nine's showpiece Friday night football coverage. However, Triple M wisely refused to allow him to break his contract and the role eventually went to Dwayne Russell.

As compensation for missing the plum Friday role, Brayshaw called Tuesday's Anzac Day game for Nine.

Brayshaw should have been the sole replacement for McGuire as host. Yes, his Footy Show debut was criticised. He appeared extremely nervous, yet he has since adjusted to live prime-time television admirably, and his sense of humour and personality is surfacing.

For his part, Lyon's disastrous stint as host of the Today show (he floundered as one of the biggest stories of the year, Saddam Hussein's capture, unfolded on his first day) proved that outside of sport he is perhaps out of his depth.

But The Footy Show's rigid format seems to suit Lyon. He too has improved.

On the other side of the desk, Newman seems just a little more unhinged this year without McGuire's stern guiding hand. He has the ability to be the show's biggest asset and liability, all at the same time.

A month on from the controversial start to the season, the ratings have remained solid if not spectacular. It appears The Footy Show's demise has been greatly exaggerated.

Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/life-after-eddie/2006/04/25/1145861347042.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1)

[David Bird]

EDDIE McGuire looks certain to stand down as president of Collingwood at the end of the season, paving the way for former player-turned media boss Gary Pert to replace him in one of the AFL's most high-profile jobs.

McGuire is understood to have two days ago circulated an emotional memo to the Magpie players and staff following the club's on and off-field Anzac Day triumph.

The memo was seen by the Collingwood administration as another indication of closure for the president, who relocated to Sydney this month.

McGuire, who delivered what most at the club now believe was his last Anzac Day pre-match address, also conceded that emotion almost overcame him in the players' rooms after the game.

"You could say I'm agonising over this because it's an agonising thing," the Channel Nine chief executive told The Age yesterday.

"Because I've loved every minute of it and if there is any possible way I could continue, I would and will. But my major focus has now got to be as CEO of the Nine Network."

Admitting he had not yet fully come to terms with his future, McGuire said he wanted to play a part in anointing his successor. "Would I step off the board? Probably. Would I want to have a say in the future. Well, we haven't done all this work to put anyone in."

While he also singled out director Alex Waislitz as a potential leader McGuire agreed that Pert, who played the final 70 of his 233 AFL games at Collingwood, was an ideal candidate.

Pert, 40, the chief executive of radio station Triple M, joined the Magpies board late last year and had proved an impressive contributor during his short time as a director. Another potential board recruit, Elite Sports boss and 1990 premiership player Craig Kelly, is a close friend of Pert's.

While Kelly's position as a key player agent could prove a significantly worse conflict than McGuire's, he has long been mooted as a potential leader at Collingwood. McGuire said last night: "Who knows? Maybe he and Gary might end up sharing it.

"Gary obviously, like me, has a heavy workload and a young family and could have an issue if he's bidding for an AFL licence," said McGuire, alluding to the AFL broadcast negotiations with radio for the next five-year media deal to be decided by July.

"But he does have the advantage of living in Melbourne. Whether he's anointed or not, he's been a great asset so far."

Kelly, who remains close to the club, said he had not been contacted by anyone regarding a director's position at Collingwood but added: "I'd love to do it one day. You guys I'm sure, though, would have a field day with me and my conflicted position."

Said Magpie chief executive Greg Swann: "Replacing Eddie? My view is that it is an impossible task. It's hard for me to even talk about him going because we have worked so closely together for so long. And he has been terrific obviously. I guess, though, the club will go on as it's gone on since 1892."

McGuire, who will fly from Sydney again on Sunday to host the Magpies' clash with Port Adelaide at Telstra Dome, agreed it was ironic that he was speaking to The Age en route to an Australian Rugby League function in honour of new Australian coach Ricky Stuart.

"(Publishing Broadcasting Ltd chiefs) James Packer and John Alexander have been very generous in allowing me to continue at Collingwood for this year. It's like a whole new world. "(Wife) Carla gets a vote in all this, too. In fact she gets plenty of votes because she's made a lot of sacrifices over the last seven years. And now we have two young sons."

"There's no doubt I was very emotional in the rooms after the game because the day for me has so many wonderful memories. Looking up into the Ponsford Stand and watching just a sea of black and white cheering the boys home and then have them all come back to the Lexus Centre, it made me feel very proud."

By Caroline Wilson
April 28, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/pert-in-line-to-replace-mcguire/2006/04/27/1145861488638.html)

[David Bird]

TELSTRA Stadium ground staff were still laying turf this afternoon hours after the AFL gave the green light for the match between Sydney and Geelong tomorrow night.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,5001,5146255,00.jpg
Pitchfork ... turf under repair.
Pic: Jeremy Piper

The AFL's independent turf expert gave the relaid surface at the Olympic stadium the tumbs up this morning but recommended more work be done on a small area.

The Swans were forced to cancel training at the ground last night but Sydney football manager Andrew Ireland inspected the surface late this afternoon and was satisfied there would be no risk to the players tomorrow night.

"It's much improved," Ireland said.

"They're still laying some turf at the moment, it'll be interesting for Geelong training tonight.

"Given the amount of work they've done since yesterday you'd be confident it'd be right for tomorrow night.

"If we thought there was a risk we wouldn't let them play.

"It's not finished yet, but we rely on the fact the AFL expert said it will present well for the game and will be certainly safe for the players."

Geelong was due to train on the ground for the first time tonight.

Ireland said the area still being worked on was no bigger than a goalsquare.

AFL football operations manager Jill Lindsay said today that the match would go ahead but it wouldn't be finally signed off until 5.00pm tomorrow, two hours 10 minutes before the first bounce.

An area of 1100 square metres had to be relaid after NRL club Manly labelled the surface "dangerous and unacceptable" following its win over the Bulldogs last Sunday.

Bulldogs player Andrew Emelio is considering legal action after injuring his knee on the crumbling surface.

Newcastle and South Sydney rugby league clubs were also concerned about the state of the surface for their match at the stadium on Sunday, with the Knights even awaiting reports on the turf before selecting injury-prone halfback Andrew Johns.

While Lindsay said the AFL's turf consultant was certain there would be no safety issues for the players, tomorrow night's curtain raiser between Sydney reserves and Weston Creek has been moved.

AAP
By Paul Mulvey
April 28, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18956451-23211,00.html)

[Mark]

TWO of the key indicators the AFL marks itself on — crowds and national free-to-air television audiences — are down after a football-saturated opening month of the season.

And while Queensland has been nominated as a state-in-waiting for a second AFL side, television ratings have plummeted in Brisbane as the Lions have tumbled from football supremacy.

While Brisbane heartily embraced the non-native football code during the Lions' three year stint at the top, Queenslanders are proving a fickle audience now that the locals are struggling.

Continuing a declining audience trend from last year, Brisbane viewers have been tuning out in the first four weeks of the new season.

Network Ten recently committed to televising its marquee Saturday night broadcasts into Brisbane live, or close to it, every Saturday night for the term of the new five-year broadcasting agreement.

Brisbane audiences on Saturday nights have dropped 26.8 per cent this season, compared with the opening four rounds of last year, and average weekly viewing of all eight matches (pay and free-to-air broadcasts) dropped 17 per cent.

Average weekly free-to-air AFL audiences in Brisbane have declined 19 per cent compared with last season, and it's a trend that extends nationally.

The average weekly free-to-air audience across the five major markets — Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth — is down 2 per cent on last year.

Adelaide is down by 12 per cent, but more people watched football on free-to-air television in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

Off the back of the Swans' premiership success, Sydneysiders have been enthusiastically tuning into AFL.

In Sydney, weekly average viewing of the eight games is up 31 per cent on last year's figure to round four, and the weekly free-to-air audience is up 25 per cent.

But total attendances nationally are down 7.5 per cent compared with this time last year. But the AFL says that, given the timing of the Commonwealth Games and subsequent unavailability of the MCG, the result could have been worse.

"We're quite pleased with that, in respect to the fact that we haven't had full access to the MCG for the first four rounds," Ben Buckley, the AFL's chief operating officer, said.

"We are hopeful that we will make up for lost ground over the course of the year, but certainly all of our forecasting and our expectations were that we would be down."

By round four last year, the MCG had hosted 11 matches, including the Carlton v Collingwood and Essendon v Carlton blockbusters.

In the opening month of this season it hosted only one — Collingwood and Essendon's annual Anzac Day clash.

While Buckley said the league would draw breath before fretting about the TV ratings in Brisbane, one network insider told that the trend in Queensland was ominous.

"Brisbane might just be another Sydney where, when things are going well, they watch, and when they're not, they don't," the source said.

The Lions' round-four clash with Richmond, played at the Gabba and aired in primetime in Brisbane last Saturday night, ranked a lowly 11th in the ratings in the 6-10.30pm timeslot.

Seven news was the most watched program in that period, and more people tuned into a rerun of English cop drama, The Bill, than the footy.

But Buckley said the audience decline was not surprising, given the Lions' modest form of late.

"In any city around the country if the local team is not playing well, some interest level will drop. You see that in Melbourne, you see that in Adelaide, you see that in Perth. I don't think that's unique to Brisbane. It's not an alarming thing, from our perspective," he said.

WHO'S WATCHING

Cumulative average weekly TV figures after four rounds

Melbourne +2%

Sydney +25%

Brisbane -19%

Adelaide -13%

Perth +2%

Overall: +2%

Most watched games (Melbourne)Channel Nine: Collingwood v Essendon, MCG, Anzac Day — 572,000 (average, match only)

Channel Ten: Port Adelaide v St Kilda, AAMI Stadium, April 24 — 473,400 (average, match only)

Fox Footy: Western Bulldogs v Geelong, Telstra Dome, April 22 — No figures disclosed

AttendancesTotal attendances Rds 1-4, 2006: 1,121,717 (down 7.5% compared to 2005)

Total attendances Rds 1-4, 2005: 1,212,688

SOURCE: AFL

Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/afl-crowds-tv-ratings-in-early-slump/2006/04/29/1146198390759.html)

[curious]

The AFL should be worried about Queensland because the Lions era is well and truly over. If they don't introduce another AFL side into the state soon then the sport is destined to become what League is like in Tasmania and Melbourne!

[justinc]

If they don't introduce another AFL side into the state soon then the sport is destined to become what League is like in Tasmania and Melbourne!

and perth

[David Bird]

THE Aurora Stadium soft-siren debacle has polarised the AFL community ahead of today's resolution, with leading coaches expressing opposing views on how points should be allocated.

The differing opinions of Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews and Richmond counterpart Terry Wallace highlighted the difficulty faced by the AFL Commission when it meets to decide the outcome.

The drama occurred because the central umpire failed to hear the siren, play continued for about six seconds, and St Kilda scored a behind to draw level with Fremantle.

The commission can rule the drawn result will stand and award the clubs two points each, or uphold the Dockers' protest and award them victory.

Either way, there is likelihood of a furious backlash and possibly legal action, with both clubs having flagged that option.

Matthews said it came down to a debate over whether the commission was there to deliver justice or to strictly interpret the rules.

"I'm for justice [and] Fremantle wins - that's justice," Matthews said. "The only reason Fremantle don't get the points is if you kind of hide behind the rules [that] say the game doesn't end until the umpire hears the siren.

"It's a great philosophical debate. You either go with the rules, or you say justice should be held to be the most important thing."

Wallace agreed that "morally" Fremantle deserved the win, but said the commission should uphold the rules and award two premiership points to each club.

"The rules were in place … and they're the rules," Wallace said. "I think that's morally wrong, but those are the rules. If I was making the decision, that would be the decision I would make."

Wallace said the sport was hurting because of the fiasco, in which play was allowed to continue after the final siren sounded because none of the field umpires heard it.

"I don't think it's great that the game's going through what it's going through at the moment, and realistically it could have been avoided," Wallace said.

Matthews urged the AFL to use technology to ensure such scenes were never repeated.

"Is there a better way of alerting the umpire [that it's full-time] than just him hearing a siren that's 100 metres away?" Matthews asked. "Technology exists to mike umpires up. So the technology should exist to be able to actually have something on their person that signifies the end of the game as the siren goes. That should be possible, shouldn't it, in this modern era?"

Matthews advised both clubs to abide by the commission's decision and avoid legal action.

The controversy has also sparked acrimony between betting agencies, with some agreeing to pay on both a draw and a Fremantle victory, with others arguing that sets a dangerous precedent.

Centrebet betting manager Gerard Daffy yesterday said paying on both results set a "dangerous and treacherous" precedent, as it left agencies open to disputes about any sporting event in the world.

But Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan, whose company paid out on both results at an estimated extra cost of $100,000, said this was an extraordinary circumstance.

"At the end of the day nothing has caused controversy like this has," Sullivan said.

"There might be a late goal that causes a bit of raucousness down at the pub, but this has taken over the AFL for two or three days."

Meanwhile, AFL chief operating officer Ben Buckley said a separate incident during the final quarter, when the timing-clock skipped forward eight seconds, was not unusual and had no bearing on the outcome.

"The timekeepers, sometimes if they think that the umpire has actually blown time-off, they'll make an assessment," he said. "If it's clear that hasn't happened they'll correct themselves."

AAP
May 3, 2006
Source (http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/siren-saga-hits-flashpoint/2006/05/02/1146335736692.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1)

[jase]

Supporters will be guaranteed live radio coverage when their teams play interstate under the AFL's next radio rights agreement.

While this is already the case in South Australia and Western Australia when their respective AFL clubs play on the road, it is not the case in Victoria when all the Melbourne radio stations regularly opt to cover a game being played in Melbourne at the same time as another Victorian club is playing interstate.

Only last Saturday Western Bulldogs fans were denied any radio coverage of their huge match against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium (with only the last quarter broadcast on the ABC) while all the radio stations opted to cover the Melbourne-Kangaroos' game at the MCG instead.

While Demons and Roos fans had the option of going to the MCG to see that match, which was also broadcast on free-to-air television - Bulldogs fans in Melbourne could neither see nor hear their team play unless they had access to pay-television as the match was broadcast in full only on the Fox Footy Channel.

With the next batch of radio rights currently under negotiation, the AFL's chief operating officer Ben Buckley said on Tuesday the league would move to ensure that from next season all teams would receive radio coverage in their home markets when they play interstate.

"That is a key objective in the next radio rights agreement that all matches relevant to a city are broadcast by a radio licensee in that city," he said on Tuesday.

"We acknowledge that is one of the deficiencies of the existing agreement and we plan to address it in the new agreement."

With the radio rights battle heating up, Buckley denied the AFL was planning to buy its own station to ensure the type of coverage it wants.

However he did not rule out the league deciding to invest in part ownership of a station should the opportunity arise.

"If a radio station came to us and said we want to acquire the rights and we want to acquire the rights under this business model and some of that may include some sort of equity position in the radio station, then we would consider that at the time."

While the television rights for 2007-11 have been decided following the successful $780 million bid from Channels Seven and Ten, Buckley said the exact details of their coverage had yet to be decided.

That means the possibility that there could be more games on pay television next year or fewer games. Foxtel currently shows three live games a week with the other five split between Channels Nine and Ten.

"All I can say is Seven and Ten have the rights to all eight games (a week)," Buckley said.

"That is what they acquired, but as part of that they have got the right to sub-licence up to four games a week to a pay television operator."

"Seven and Ten as we understand it are in the process of initiating those discussions with Foxtel and other potential pay TV operators."

SOURCE: AFL

[jase]

AFL Just announced their decision

Jase :)

[Mark]

and its the correct one.

[gigpig]

AFL Story (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=262733)

This would be the dockers biggest win ever...

[Slj]

And thank god, would have never heard the end of it here if they had lost. :)

[sting4life]

It was a game where a game was won or lost and Freo deserved that 4 points.

St Kilda just SHUT YOUR MOUTH.

[David Bird]

FREMANTLE has been awarded victory and four competition points from its disputed match against St Kilda, the AFL Commission ruled in Melbourne today.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,5001,5148374,00.jpg
Siren song ... the AFL has ruled
in favour of Fremantle.
Pic: George Salpgtidis

Fremantle led Sunday's match in Launceston by a point when the siren sounded.

But the umpires did not hear it and St Kilda scored a behind to level the scores before the match was brought to an end.

The Dockers had lodged a protest over the result of the match, with the AFL Commission deliberating for more than four hours today before awarding the points to the Dockers.

AFL Commission chairman Ron Evans acknowledged there would be many unhappy with the decision, but said the league took full responsibility for the debacle.

He said the commission believed Fremantle had rightfully won the match, with the timekeeper making an error by not holding down the siren once the umpires had not heard it.

"The AFL accepts full responsibility for what took place and unreservedly apologises to the clubs involved, the players, and football fans," Evans said.

The four-day saga began when the siren sounded at Aurora Stadium in Launceston with Fremantle a point in front.

Controlling umpire Mathew Nicholls did not hear it, allowing play to continue despite Dockers players celebrating then protesting around him. He bounced the ball after a stoppage inside St Kilda's 50-metre arc.

St Kilda's Steven Baker levelled the scores with a point, which was paid amid mass confusion as players from both sides herded around the Saints' goal.

Non-controlling field umpires Hayden Kennedy and Michael Vozzo also ran down the ground, with Kennedy holding his hand to his ear. The three umpires conferred before Baker was paid a free-kick for being bowled over after his previous kick.

The original point was annulled and the second kick from 40m also missed to the left, going through for a point.

The umpires heard a second siren and ended the match.

AAP
May 3, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19013384-23211,00.html)

[aussieguru]

WOOHOO i been hanging out for this decision all arvo at work!

[Hosko]

I just don't like the explanation they gave. Basically to say that because the Time Keeper didn't do his duties properly that they can now change the result is dangerous. For the commission to say that this is different to an on field stuff up doesn't wash with me the time keepers are appointed by the AFL Umpiring department and in the rules are the sole judge of the time, the same phrase is used for goal umpires they are the sole judge of a score. So if a goal umpire makes a meal of a game are they going to change that?

[wolfbite]

boooo AFL, I picked St Kilda and now I am one back in the footy tipping at work booooo!

[jase]

After Round 6:

1. Mark Sales 29
2. Chris 29
3. Slj 29
4. Brenton 27
5. Bacco 26
6. Jase 23
7. Hosko 22

Jase :)

[Slj]

What a shitty round for me, only 2 right. :(

[jase]

After Round 7

1. Mark Sales 35
2. Batboy 34
3. Slj 33
4. Chris 32
5. Brenton 31
6. Bacco 29
7. Hosko 27
8. Jase 25

Jase :)

[David Bird]

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/05/16/wbFOOTYcarlton_narrowweb__300x367,1.jpg
All is well for Carlton players and fans after a resounding win
over Essendon. But, as Jake Niall reveals, the Blues are still in
dire straits off the field.
Photo: Vince Caligiuri

CARLTON faces its financial high noon tomorrow when it meets the AFL Commission and requests that the league effectively wipe out its debt with a massive $10 million rescue package involving the sale of Princes Park.

The Blues already have given the AFL a draft of a club financial report in which they warn that the club's financial position is not sustainable and suggest that the league pay them $6 million up front to take over the lease of Princes Park (now called MC Labour Park) — a payment that would wipe out their debts.

Tomorrow's meeting is the first crucial test of Graham Smorgon's presidency, with the new president, who is up for election early next year, under pressure to secure a deal in which Carlton extricates itself from its financial morass.

In other major developments:

■The Blues are considering asking the AFL to reconsider the issue of priority draft picks, arguing that Carlton should qualify for an early "double dip" if it won only four games this year — even though it won four-and-a-half, rather than the new maximum of four games last year.

Under the revised rule, a team can only receive a pre-draft priority pick (i.e., pick 1) if it wins four games or less in one season. Carlton, having won four plus a draw in 2005, would only qualify for a "priority" draft choice at the end of the first round (pick 17) in the event the club won only four games, which it expects to better anyway.

■ The Age has learnt that former president Ian Collins, contrary to some suggestions, would have narrowly survived a boardroom vote 5-4, but chose to leave rather than continue to lead a divided board.

■Carlton had a big disagreement with the AFL about the upfront payment of $2.5 million for shifting most of its home games to Telstra Dome, with the Blues strongly arguing — unsuccessfully — that they were entitled to $3 million under the terms of the deal.

■The AFL's own study of Carlton's finances, which was completed by leading accounting firm KPMG, will have a big influence on whether Carlton clinches its critical deal to sell the lease of its home ground to the league. If the lease deal does not proceed, the Blues will have little choice but to apply for special assistance, formerly the competitive balance fund, that is paid to the Bulldogs, Kangaroos and Melbourne.

■In their own strategic financial paper, written by Carlton board member and merchant banker Marcus Rose with input from Collins, the Blues say that their true financial position has been camouflaged by one-off extraordinary payments, such as the $2.5 million from Telstra Dome, the AFL's Waverley Park money ($1.7 million) and the 2003 debt discounting deal with the bank in which the club wiped off $4.2 million in debt, instead of receiving $1.4 million per year in compensation from the AFL (money the AFL owed for the transfer of non-Carlton games at Princes Park).

Thus, the paper argued that Carlton's financial position, given its on-field struggles, was not sustainable unless it received assistance, with the lease sale — about which the AFL has made sympathetic noises — earmarked as the best way forward.

■Carlton's strategic paper, which recommended the club sell the Princes Park lease to the AFL, suggested that it should not only receive $6 million up front for selling the ground lease, but that the league should pay $2.5 million towards the proposed redevelopment of the ground, and pay for the upkeep — currently about $1.8 million — a grand total of more than $10 million in the first year of the package.

■The strategic paper, details of which have been obtained by The Age, suggests that the Blues should pay a modest $100,000 in rent to the AFL as the main tenant at Princes Park.

By Jake Niall
May 16, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/sinking-blues-seek-afl-rescue/2006/05/15/1147545265024.html)

[David Bird]

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/05/18/chad_morrison_narrowweb__300x406.jpg
Collingwood player Chad Morrison.
Photo: Pat Scala

The Transport Accident Commission has fined the Collingwood Football Club $200,000 after player Chad Morrison was caught drink-driving last month.

Morrison blew .093 after being pulled over by police while riding a motor scooter in Richmond on April 22.

He was fined $314 and lost his licence for six months.

The Magpies fined him an additional $20,000.

It was the Magpies' second offence, after Cameron Cloke was clocked travelling at 144 kilometres an hour on the Eastern Freeway in 2004.

In the lead-up to this morning's announcement there were fears the TAC might cancel its two-year sponsorship deal with the club.

Announcing the decision, TAC Communications Manager De-Arnne Schmidt said the fine — the balance of the partnership fee for 2006 — was commensurate with the seriousness of the offence.

Not taken lightly

"This was not a decision that was taken lightly," Ms Schmidt said.

"Drink-driving is both dangerous and stupid and Chad was extremely lucky that neither he nor anyone else was killed or harmed, as a result of his actions," she said.

"In determining this course of action, the TAC's primary consideration was the fulfilment of its obligations to the Victorian community — to promote road safety and the effective rehabilitation of those affected by road trauma."

Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann said the club believed the penalty imposed was appropriate, given that the offence could have had a devastating result.

"The Collingwood Football Club takes its community partnership with the TAC very seriously and has invested considerable time and resources into programs and campaigns to educate Victorians about road safety," Mr Swann said.

"We have also worked extremely hard to encourage and assist those who are recovering from injuries sustained in road crashes.

"As a measure of our commitment, the Collingwood Football Club has agreed to meet all of its obligations under the partnership agreement, for the remainder of the 2006 season, without any further funding — resulting in a financial penalty of $200,000."

Last year, the TAC immediately terminated a sponsorship deal with Richmond when Tiger Jay Schulz was caught driving with a blood-alcohol reading exceeding .05 per cent.

Schulz had also been the second at his club to be caught breaking traffic laws.

By Dan Harrison
May 18, 2006
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/tac-fines-pies-over-drinkdriving/2006/05/18/1147545430327.html)

[Mark]

AN AFL fan died after he was hit by a train just hours after being savaged on talkback radio and labelled a drunk by the coach of the Kangaroos AFL team following a post-match clash.

Police confirmed the man, aged in his late 30s, was killed near Seaford train station, in Melbourne's southeast, about 1am (AEST) yesterday when he was hit by a Frankston-bound train.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

While the Kangaroos last night denied any connection between the death and the verbal stoush - which featured on TV during the game and in reports later - they offered the family counselling.

Coach Dean Laidley, who spoke openly about the incident after the game, was understood to be distraught about the death.

Police were called to a stretch of railway track near Seaford hours after the club recorded its seventh loss for the season.

A Victoria Police spokesman said that a brief would be prepared for the Coroner.

Earlier at the Telstra Dome, two security guards attempted to shepherd Laidley past the man but the visibly irate coach was keen for a conversation.

A member of the Kangaroos staff was also pictured grabbing the man's shirt, apparently encouraging him to join the players in the change room.

Laidley later said he had confronted the man because of criticism he had levelled during the match. The man was reported to have called the coach "a disgrace".

"He said a couple of things during the day," Laidley said after the match.

"After the game he had another crack, so I just went back and said, 'Come down, come down and have a look at how much we are all hurting'. But he couldn't answer me because he was that drunk."

But a Telstra Dome spokesman said security staff had decided the man was not drunk and his behaviour did not warrant eviction from the stadium.

Kangaroos chief executive officer Geoff Walsh said he had spoken with the family, "who are devastated", and offered "professional support services to help them through this sad time".

Laidley's confrontation with the fan was discussed by the AFL yesterday. It decided no further action would be taken

Source (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19299274-2,00.html)

[ZOS]

When I heard that it remined me of waiting for delayed trains at night at Frankston in my Cab. Some would be delayed/canceled without any offical reason. But with a contact we could find out how. Many are for the reason as above. I have spoken to a few train Drivers and found out it happens to many. Most drivers have been through it before. Usualy they don't report this news but in this case it must have been different.
Zos

[Sting]

part of my mothers boyfriends job is to scrape up the bodies that "end up" under trains - not in Vic, but another state. it happens a bloody lot i was told.

[jase]

West Coast will have to get used to life without Chris Judd for longer than first feared, after scans on the Brownlow Medal favourite's injured hamstring revealed a more serious strain than initially diagnosed.

Preparing to take on stumbling Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday, Eagles coach John Worsfold said Judd would definitely miss that trip and the visit of Carlton to Perth the following week.

And it is probable Judd will also sit out the match in Adelaide against Port on June 17, meaning the first chance of a return will be against Western Bulldogs after the mid-season break.

"He has had scans done, and it is ... at the more serious end than a minor one," Worsfold said.

"I think he will definitely miss two weeks and then probably look at missing the third one. (He will now undergo) just a normal hamstring recovery program."

With Judd never missing a game through injury in his AFL career before, Worsfold said Shannon Hurn, Brett Jones and Mark Le Cras were candidates to take his place, along with Rowan Jones and possible debutant Matt Priddis.

Whoever was named on the team sheet, Worsfold said it would not simply be a case of attempting the impossible and finding a like-for-like replacement.

"It is not as simple as just saying someone else comes in and replaces him, but it is not difficult either ... it is just a matter of how we are going to structure it up," Worsfold said.
Vice-captain Andrew Embley will take over as West Coast skipper in Judd's absence, with Worsfold saying the elevation was a mark of his increased standing in the club and with his teammates.

"He is showing great leadership this year, and there is no reason that will be any different," Worsfold said.

"It is a credit to him that he has earned a leadership spot in our group and I know the players will be rapt to follow him out onto the ground."

Following the recent woeful form of the Cats, who have won just once in the last seven weeks, the trip to the Cattery looks like a good chance for the Eagles to continue their good form.

But in recent years, a trip to Skilled Stadium has been anything but comfortable for West Coast, with no win in seven years and four defeats in that time with an average losing margin of 63 points.

Worsfold, however, said history was not his favourite subject.

"If I worried about every game repeating and the same things happening then you would live a miserable life," Worsfold said.

"If a player plays a bad game I don't tell them to play differently. I don't say don't go out and do that again, I don't think they need that.

"We learn from every game we play ... that we can play better, as a team, on any ground."

AAP

[Slj]

:Bohoo: :Bohoo: :Bohoo:

[Mark]

THE first AFL night grand final seems destined to take place next year if the league's new broadcast partners have their way.

Having committed $780 million to cover football between next season and 2011, the Seven and Ten networks are set to renew their push for a historic change to the last Saturday in September, with an MCG grand final starting about 6.30pm.

And in another surprising development yesterday, the Seven Network conceded it could reach a deal that would allow the AFL's pay TV carrier, Foxtel, to televise four home-and-away games each week from next season.

Channel Seven executives held a summit in Sydney yesterday where the prospect of the free-to-air network hosting just two of the eight fixtured AFL games was not ruled out, should Foxtel be prepared to meet the network's selling price.

Channel Seven chief executive David Leckie has long been an advocate of the move, having pioneered National Rugby League Sunday night grand finals during his tenure at the Nine Network.

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While Seven and Ten have not reached official agreement as to which network will host the first grand final of the five-year agreement — the mooted coin toss remains uncertain — both networks will mount campaigns for the change.

Yesterday's Seven talks, which included executives from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, reached no final decisions regarding Seven's programming but ended with broadcaster Bruce McAvaney favoured to return to his seat as the network's No. 1 Friday night football caller.

Seven's Melbourne boss, Ian Johnson, has emerged as the network's head of AFL programming.

Although AFL chief Andrew Demetriou has said in the past that the AFL would continue to support the traditional afternoon time slot, half the 16 AFL clubs last year demonstrated cautious support for the change when the prospect was raised by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire in front of the AFL Commission.

Had Channel Nine won the AFL rights that network was also believed to be planning a night grand final. Nothing in the new AFL broadcast agreement prevents the change and while the league's current finals broadcaster, Channel Ten, has accepted the AFL's view in the past, the network appears to be shifting in its view as well.

Spokesmen for the Seven and Ten networks were not available yesterday.

Ten executives told Richmond and Essendon before the recent Dreamtime Game that it viewed that match and its impressive pre-game entertainment as something of a night grand final dress rehearsal.

Under the record agreement the AFL struck with Channel Nine last December — a deal matched two weeks later by Channels Seven and Ten — Foxtel was to have hosted four of the eight home-and-away games each week over the 22-week season.

Seven and Ten had always maintained they preferred a five-three split — with Ten hosting two games each Saturday and Seven broadcasting Friday night football and two Sunday games. But that scenario was envisaged before the five-year rights package was sold for $780 million.

Since then Seven has bought the rights to the V8 Supercars, a competition that currently clashes with AFL matches on six Sundays during the home-and-away season.

Foxtel is almost certain to televise Sunday twilight games from 4.30 or 5pm. Those matches could directly follow a 1pm game, also on Foxtel, while Seven would host a 2pm game. Under the new AFL agreement that 2pm match could be delayed until 3pm should Seven have a scheduling clash with motor sport.

Regardless of whether Foxtel gets three or four games next year, its package will consist of better-quality matches.

When McGuire thrust the night grand final debate back onto the agenda last year, he told The Age: "I think it's something that's probably inevitable."

McGuire pointed to the impressive success of the Australian Open men's tennis final, which was Australia's highest-rating show in 2005, with 4.05 million viewers, when it switched to Sunday.

The move by the NRL to play its grand final on a Sunday night drew 2.6 million nationally, including significant ratings numbers in Melbourne. The AFL attracted 3.39 million viewers last year.

Channel Ten sports chief David White said last year that he had raised the prospect of a night grand final with Demetriou, who had always rejected it.

Demetriou has always cited tradition and the fact that it might "mitigate against children and older fans".

"I think a grand final at night would rate higher," White said.

Source (http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/night-grand-final-on-the-cards/2006/05/31/1148956418591.html)

[bomberaza]

very interesting. the more matches on foxtel the better.

[ZOS]

I don't think a night grand final is they way to go. I have lived in Melbourne long enough to know that its a tradition you should not mess with. I know many who don't go to the AFL any more as there no transport at night in many suburbs. We once could do 6 games all on one day. Yes the tv will make money but you need young people to follow it know or in the future they wont be intersted in it (watch out For Scoccer).
Zos

[Mark]

they've ruled it out anyway.

[ZOS]

they've ruled it out anyway.

Cool was not looking forward to that idea and my pies and beer taste better in the daytime:biggrin:
Zos

[David Bird]

DESPITE growing support from clubs, the AFL has moved quickly to quash speculation there will be a night grand final, with chief executive Andrew Demetriou insisting yesterday that "it just won't happen".

The annual debate about a possible move from the traditional 2.30pm Saturday kick-off time has been prompted by the AFL's new television deal with Seven and Ten that starts next season.

With the networks to pay $780 million over the next five years - most likely in conjunction with Foxtel - there is speculation they will attempt to maximise revenue by pushing for a night grand final. However, Demetriou was emphatic the move would not be considered.

"I want to make it clear that the AFL retains the right to fixture games and to control when games will be played, as we always have and always will," he said in a statement. "The AFL is the only body to decide when the grand final is played and we have no desire or intention to play a night grand final.

"A night grand final is not on the agenda for next year or any other year of the new broadcast agreement. It just won't happen. This story comes up every year and our response is the same - the AFL grand final will remain as a day game."

Despite Demetriou's stance, there is a growing belief in club circles that the AFL will follow the trend toward night-time showpieces set by the NRL and the Australian Open tennis championships.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and Melbourne president Paul Gardner were among those to support the move yesterday, while the Victorian Minister for Sport, Justin Madden, a premiership player with Carlton, described it as inevitable.

Swans coach Paul Roos supported the status quo, saying: "I'm a bit of a traditionalist growing up in Victoria and I just think if it's not broken, don't fix it. It's not as if they are struggling to get an audience either at the ground or on television."

The NRL grand final has gained far greater exposure in southern markets since moving to an evening kick-off and there is a belief the AFL grand final would get a similar increase in ratings in NSW and Queensland with an evening start.

However, industry experts believe the AFL would have to not only move to night, but also take the game from Saturday to the traditionally higher-rating Sunday to significantly increase its audience.

While Demetriou's statement seemed unequivocal yesterday, the AFL has been known to back away from similar strong stands in the past. Having pledged to establish a "best fit" policy for games after the establishment of the 52,000-seat Telstra Dome to ensure there would be no lock-outs, up to 20,000 St Kilda and Collingwood fans could miss the round-14 match between those clubs, with the AFL seemingly unwilling to move the game to the MCG.

Richard Hinds
June 2, 2006
Source (http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/no-night-grand-final-promises-chief/2006/06/01/1148956483277.html)

[jase]

Port Adelaide champion Gavin Wanganeen looks set to announce his retirement from the AFL.

Wanganeen, Port's inaugural captain when it entered the AFL in 1997 and the 1993 Brownlow medallist when playing with Essendon, is expected to tell his Power teammates at training that he's retiring.

Wanganeen became the first indigenous player to reach 300 AFL games in round one this year, but was injured in the match and hasn't played again at AFL level.

AAP

[Mark]

Saturday night's Sydney-Collingwood blockbuster at Telstra Stadium could be attended by the largest AFL crowd outside Victoria.

On Tuesday the Swans felt sales would suggest a crowd of around 65,000, but they are hoping the success of the clubs and momentum towards the weekend will push sales past the previous record of 72,393 achieved when these teams met in 2003.

The Magpies are in third-place (8-3 record) and the Swans in fifth (7-4) and Sydney coach Paul Roos calls the contest a "very, very big game".

"We got a very good crowd against St Kilda (31,146 in round 11 at the SCG) given it was a miserable night, so the greatest challenge to breaking the record is the weather," Roos said at a joint press conference with Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse in Sydney on Tuesday morning.

"If it is very good leading into the game hopefully we will nudge 70,000 because it is going to be a very good game.


"They have got some super players in very good form and so have we, and in the last four or five years our games against Collingwood have always been good and close."

While showers are expected in the next few days, the forecast for the weekend is mostly fine.

Malthouse and Roos admit the intensity of the battle on the ground will be matched by the atmosphere around the stadium.

"If I look back on the game when we played Collingwood three years ago we were in the coach's box but the noise coming through from the phone and from the runner was fantastic," Roos said.

"The players themselves made comments after the game and I think if you are around 65-70 (thousand) at Telstra Stadium it is as good as any venue in terms of atmosphere."

Malthouse added: "I had forgotten that, but I do remember now that the players came off at half-time and full-time and said they just couldn't believe the noise - they were houting and couldn't hear their own team-mates.

"There is nothing better than being part of a big crowd. If I take my football hat off and say that I have sat and watched rugby at its best and soccer overseas and so forth and the crowds make it, you just want to be part of it.

"At 8-3 and 130 per cent it is the best position (after round 11) the club has been in since 1981 and we are playing the reigning premiers so if there is any indication of what game you want to go and see this is the one."

While Malthouse believes his players will be fighting for credibility, the Swans will be aiming to jump back into the top four.

"If I wasn't coaching I would go and watch the game," Roos joked.

Those attending the game are encouraged to pre-purchase parking (limited number still available) or utilise FREE public transport included in pre-purchased Ticketek tickets and Sydney Membership Cards, as there is another event at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday night.

Customers MUST have their tickets mailed or collect their tickets in advance if they wish to make use of the public transport inclusion.

AFL.com

[jase]

The Adelaide Crows have become the first AFL club to boast 50,000 members.

The Crows say a five-year-old boy, Sean Conroy, has become the club's 50,000th ticketed member for the 2006 season.

Adelaide's nearest rival in terms of membership numbers is West Coast, which has about 43,500 members.

Victorian club Collingwood has about 37,500 members.

AAP

[Sambo]

Gawd how are that many people gonna fit in footy park?

[Sting]

Gawd how are that many people gonna fit in footy park?
i'm assuming not everyone is a "entry member". there are probally long distance, baby members, and suchlike included in that number

[batb0y]

How many does Footy Park hold ?

That whole Northern Stand is begging to have a second level added to it

[Mark]

AS AFL Players Association boss Brendon Gale prepares to update players this week about pay negotiations, he has warned that their expectations are "fierce" and that "chaos" would reign if the AFL does not meet them.

Gale said players were prepared to fight aggressively for a reasonable share of the huge financial injection into the game in the latest TV broadcast deal. Players would pursue this, Gale said, even if it jeopardised the collective bargaining agreement.

"The players have told us they're ready to draw a line in the sand," Gale said.

"We're guided by the expectations of our players and I've often said to Andrew (Demetriou) — 'the negotiation with you doesn't worry me, it's the negotiation that I have to go back and have with the players'. The expectations are fierce.

"The players aren't the only ones that have contributed to the robustness of the game, we acknowledge that, but the players do a hell of a lot.

"And they make a hell of a lot of sacrifices in today's football, in terms of protecting the image of the game and conducting themselves in an appropriate manner, and if they fall short they just get slammed with fines, and they've had enough. And they're ready to stand their ground.

"If we can't have it done by the extended time, either party can terminate the collective bargaining agreement with 30 days' notice. That would leave the industry in chaos basically."

The association made an early claim for a 20 per cent wage increase for 2007, but it is understood the league's offer is 11 per cent. In a five-year model — the AFL's preferred outcome — there would be incremental rises of an estimated 3 per cent annually in players' wages after the initial 11 per cent.

But that would seem increasingly unlikely given the players' association has already rejected two of the league's offers. The association's subsequent proposal for a two-year agreement was also refused by the league.

The deadline to settle the matter was extended by a month — until July 30 — after talks collapsed before the split round. But Gale has admitted there may not be a resolution even within the new time frame, such is the gap in positions.

The impasse has considerable ramifications for clubs, which are delaying budget decisions until they know what the AFL will allocate to players. And several key players have already signed contracts with their salaries for next season hinging on the outcome of the negotiations.

While he acknowledged it would benefit neither the league nor the players if the bargaining agreement was torn up, Gale agreed the new TV broadcasting deal — worth $780 million over five years — could be the most lucrative the league ever signs, and that the players had the right to profit from it immediately.

Gale begins his annual mid-season visits to every club on Tuesday and will update every listed player on the progress of the negotiations.

With AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou back in the country after his mid-season visit to Germany, where he attended the World Cup, talks between the association and the league will resume this week.

Talks about other important issues for review, such as player drug-testing, the code of conduct and the respect and responsibility policy relating to violence against women, have received scant attention in discussions so far.

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/players-chase-tv-money/2006/06/24/1150845421070.html

[jase]

The AFL has rejected suggestions players will go on strike over delays in wage negotiations.

The league has confirmed it will miss its June 30 deadline for agreement but is confident of reaching a solution in the near future.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said he believed it was unlikely there would be any strike action.

"I hope it doesn't get to that and I can't imagine it would," he said.

"We've got a great relationship with the players' association, we're involved in some discussions and negotiations at the moment which, we're not quite there yet.

"We've still got a lot of work to do."

Meanwhile the AFL has released its mid-year report which claims that Australian Rules is more popular than ever, despite enormous public interest in the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games.

A record number of more than half a million Australians are members of AFL clubs this year.

Mr Demetriou said participation levels and Auskick registrations were also at record levels

ABC

[jase]

The AFL are so far up themselves

Jase :)

[jase]

West Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold has confirmed captain Chris Judd will play against the Western Bulldogs in Sunday's round 13 AFL match at Subiaco Oval.

Judd has missed the Eagles last three games due to a hamstring injury.

Worsfold also said ruckman Michael Gardiner was in contention to play his first game for the club since last year's grand final.

"I think he's closest in terms of being considered for selection, so that's a big step forward for him," he said.

ABC

[jase]

The AFL Players Association says its demand that a website take down its images of naked, and semi-naked, footballers was a privacy issue and not because the site was for gay footy fans.

Association president Brendan Gale said only a "small handful" of the hundreds of photographs of players in the picture gallery on the www.gayfooty.com (http://www.gayfooty.com) website were deemed inappropriate.

"The site is quite an informative site actually, with chat and a various array of features," Mr Gale told ABC radio.

"One of the features is a gay footy picture gallery, and there were hundreds of footballers in various states, a lot of typical training shots, some with tops off.

"These are images that have probably already been on the public record and in no way were they offensive or inappropriate."

Mr Gale said it was photographs of players in change rooms, or as they showered post-match, possibly snapped by fans with digital cameras or using a camera-enabled mobile phone, that prompted a legal threat.

"Unfortunately, there's a small handful (of images) that I would regard as extremely offensive, photos taken in circumstances where players had no knowledge ... in full or partial nudity," Mr Gale said.

The association would have "absolutely" taken the same action against a straight-themed website, he said.

The website had since taken the unnecessary step of removing the whole gallery, he added.

Mr Gale also said another website was contacted recently regarding comments "inferring sexual behaviour of various individuals" posted on an AFL-related message board.

"We regarded it as defamatory and took the same sort of action," Mr Gale said.
A sign posted on the www.gayfooty.com (http://www.gayfooty.com) website reads: "Due to alleged concerns expressed by the AFLPA on behalf of some of their members we have removed the picture gallery from the site."

The website also carries a disclaimer stating a player's appearance on the site had no bearing on their sexual orientation.

AAP

[jase]

The AFL will meet with the players' association this week to discuss payments for next season, but admitted an agreement would not be reached by the initial deadline of June 30.

The negotiations are taking longer than the league planned, and some players have raised the possibility of going on strike over the wage issue.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the AFL was committed to finalising the agreement soon.

"We're going to continue to work with the players and work with the clubs," he said.

"We need to finalise that to give some certainty to the players who are uncontracted. Our clubs are doing their total player payments so we just have to keep working harder."

The league's new broadcast rights deal is fuelling the players' case for a payrise, and Demetriou said they would take that into account.

"They [the players] have got high expectations," he said.

"They're very well organised and they want their fair share so we respect that, and clubs want the same so we respect that as well.

"So we've got to work through all those issues."

[jase]

St Kilda captain Luke Ball says many AFL players are considering strike action if a resolution cannot be reached with the league over the latest player payment negotiations.

The AFL and the Players' Association are in talks over player wages from next season, with agreement likely to be at least a month away.

Any pay rise would be funded by revenue from the broadcast rights with some money also being invested in a future fund for the game.

Ball, who is also a delegate to the AFL Players' Association, said the majority of players opposed industrial action, but a significant percentage thought boycotting next year's preseason competition was appropriate if the pay deal was inadequate.

But he said he was "reasonably confident" of reaching an agreement that would head off any strike action.

"That's a pretty strong action to take," he said.

"So while I'd say that I wouldn't want to go that far, if it's what's best for the players as a body then that's what it might have to come to."

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has said he did not believe players would strike.

Hawthorn captain Richie Vandenberg said better pay for AFL players is important to prevent junior athletes being lured to play soccer.

"We just won't be able to compete with the fact that it's a world game and young kids will start playing and probably all the great players will end up going overseas," he said.

"The only reason they're really going to go is because the money is so much greater.

"So we need to make sure there's that attractiveness for elite young juniors to be wanting to play AFL footy."

But Vandenberg said the league needed to realise that current players also are part of the game's future.

"I actually think the best investment for the future is in the current players," he said.

"All our boys are out today doing clinics in schools, and that's where the future of the game lies I think, there's no greater vehicle then the players to spread the message of AFL footy."

Source: ABC

[jase]

West Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold has re-signed with the club for another three years.

Worsfold's contract was due to expire at the end of this year but he will now remain with the club until at least the end of 2009.

Worsfold said he was looking forward to continuing success at the Eagles.

"I've got heaps of learning and challenges ahead which I look forward to," he said.

"But I think I've got a good handle on what the job involves and I've got a very good handle on what the club expects and I really enjoy the relationship we have with the players."

ABC

[David Bird]

THE bad news continued for Collingwood today as the AFL handed the Magpies a $10,000 fine.

A day after Richmond easily won its match at the MCG, Collingwood suffered the penalty for a breach of the AFL player rules.

It concerned a sponsorship agreement involving captain Nathan Buckley.

"The issue involved Nathan Buckleys endorsement with Volvo being replaced by a similar arrangement with Lexus," the club said in a statement.

"The club believed that it had communicated the relevant information to the AFL, however due to an oversight, it was discovered that the AFL did not receive the appropriate documentation as required by the rules."

"The club has reviewed its internal procedures and is confident that the oversight will not occur again."

AAP
July 3, 2006
Source (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19670715-23210,00.html)

[David Bird]

I see the AFL is a huge fan of Big Brother

[jase]

Adelaide coach Neil Craig will guide the Crows until at least the end of the 2009 AFL season after he was given a two-year contract extension.

Craig had already signed on until the end of the 2007 season and his new contract will add a further two years, placing him on the path to becoming Adelaide's longest-serving coach.

That title is currently held by Craig's predecessor Gary Ayres, who guided the Crows from the start of 2000 until midway through 2004, when he quit after being informed his contract would not be renewed.

The Crows are currently on top of the AFL ladder, and have built an impressive record under Craig, who has coached the side to 33 wins and only 14 losses during his reign.

His winning percentage of 70.21 is comfortably ahead of those of predecessors Graham Cornes (48 per cent), Robert Shaw (38), dual premiership coach Malcolm Blight (55) and Ayres (51).

All that remains is for Craig to deliver an Adelaide premiership, something he appears well-placed to achieve in 2006.

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said Craig's combination of innovation and communication had been ideal for the Crows.

"Neil has quickly built on our want as a club to be innovative and inclusive (and) people will have seen plenty of examples of that to date," he said.

"But from where I see it, an even greater strength is communication and people management.

"And for where we want to go (in further developing the Adelaide list), this quality is critical giving us great confidence in Neil's renewal

AAP

[jase]

Brisbane Lions star Jason Akermanis has reportedly made an agreement with coach Leigh Matthews to be traded out of the AFL club at the end of the season.

The Nine Network's The Footy Show reported that Akermanis met with Matthews last week and they agreed he would leave the club if a suitable trade deal could be worked out.

Akermanis refused to confirm or deny the report.

"I can certainly confirm that I had a coffee with him last week, we have coffees all the time for sure," Akermanis told The Footy Show.

"But the details of that conversation from my end have remained private and will remain private until towards the end of the year."

Akermanis' outspoken nature has caused friction with Matthews and the Lions on several occasions this season.

He was dropped for the round seven match against Hawthorn, partly for failing to meet team disciplines and standards

More recently, he was fined $5,000 by the club after an article was published on his website calling Matthews a "f...wit", although Akermanis said it was written by his brother Rory, who administers the website.

AAP

[jase]

Australian Rules football is the most injury-prone sport in the country, a study by a health insurance company has found.

The Medibank Private study looked at people who presented to hospitals and general medical practices and found people who compete in Australian Rules were more likely than any other sport to become injured.

"The speed and full body contact nature of the sport and the constant physical competition for the ball places players at risk of injury," the study found.

It said Australian Rules was one of the most popular participation sports and players may face hamstring, knee, ankle and shoulder strains and finger injuries.

The second most injury-prone sport was basketball, followed by netball, running, tennis, cricket, soccer, aerobics, rugby league and rugby union.

The study found back injuries were the most expensive to treat, costing about $15,750 and$22,000.

It also showed people were more likely to become injured in the winter months and said people should devote more time to warming up and remember to keep up fluid intake and to wear sun protection, especially at the snow.

Walking was found to be the most popular sport, followed by aerobics, swimming, golf and tennis.

The study also found more people in the ACT participated in sports than any other part of Australia, with 76.1 per cent physically active, while South Australia recorded the lowest participation rate, at just 57.7 per cent.

Tasmanians had the country's highest body mass index (BMI), at an average of 27.2, while those in Western Australia were the leanest, with a BMI of 24.91, it found.

As television shows like Dancing with the Stars encourage people to try dancing, the study found the sport was becoming more popular.

AAP

[jase]

Key midfielder Nigel Lappin is not expected to return to the field in 2006, dealing the Brisbane Lions yet another injury blow.

Lappin required surgery after injuring his ankle in the pre-season and the Lions had initially hoped he would be fit to return for the final three or four rounds.

But coach Leigh Matthews revealed today it was unlikely Lappin would play a premiership match this year.

"He's just about running out of time now," Matthews said.

"If it's eight weeks to round 22 and he hasn't joined in group training yet, well, I mean you are probably into less likely than likely given that."

Meanwhile, Matthews is again calling on the AFL to increase the value of 'rushed behinds' to three points.

Lions defender Mal Michael spectacularly conceded a point against the Demons on Saturday when he collected the ball about 15 metres from Melbourne's goal and sent it through the posts and into the grandstand with a booming kick.

He was seemingly under little pressure when he did so.

Matthews said he was surprised by Michael's actions, adding there should be a greater reward for the attacking team.

"I think they [rushed behinds] should be worth three points because I've always, I think the penalty for a [rushed] behind is not sufficient for you not to do it fairly regularly," he said.

"I don't know in those circumstances, but in general one point for the behind and you get the ball back is not sufficient penalty."

Matthews said Michael should have played on and he would be asking the defender to explain his actions.

"I was like everybody else. Well, first of all I thought to myself just in that split second which way are we kicking? That was the first thing. No, it was a very strange, I can't understand why he did it," he said.


ABC

[jase]

Kangaroos veteran Glenn Archer is hopeful of playing in the AFL later this season after receiving good news about his injured shoulder.

The 33-year-old dislocated his right shoulder in last Sunday's win over the Western Bulldogs but has been told he doesn't require a reconstruction and will undergo an arthroscopy on Wednesday.

He's hopeful he can play again as early as round 20.

But Archer is yet to decide if this will be his last season or whether he will continue playing in 2007.

AAP

[jase]

group of former AFL footballers has launched a campaign to win $10 million from the league's new TV rights deal.
The group, calling itself 'The X-Men', is asking the AFL to invest the cash on behalf of former players, claiming many former legends of the game are now too poor to even afford health care.

The X-Men say the money is needed to help many former players who are struggling to cope with the cost of treating long-term injuries.

Carlton premiership player Syd Jackson is among several former greats supporting the cause.

He says players from past decades often have debilitating injuries but were not paid the same as those today.

"I think today's players have that, to a point, if they can play their full term out, get looked after with the types of money they're getting and our players didn't get that in those days," he said.

The AFL recently sold television broadcasting rights for the next five years to Channel Seven and Channel Ten for $780 million.

ABC

[jase]

West Coast Eagles ruckman Michael Gardiner has been taken to hospital suffering minor injuries after his car hit a power pole and careered into two parked cars overnight.

Police say Gardiner was driving in the beach-side Perth suburb of Scarborough at about 11.30pm (WST) Monday, when the crash occurred.

Police questioned Gardiner at the scene, before being taken to hospital with minor injuries.

All three cars were damaged "extensively", police said.

"Mr Gardiner is helping police with their inquiries in relation to the crash," a police spokesman said.

"No charges have been laid at this stage."

AAP

[Bugz]

He is set to be charged with DUI.

[jase]

More on this

West Coast AFL ruckman Michael Gardiner may have been speeding when his car struck a street sign and careered into two parked cars in Perth overnight, police say.

Gardiner was taken to hospital with minor injuries after the crash in the beach-side suburb of Scarborough shortly after 11:30pm (WST) on Monday.

Gardiner's black Holden Commodore and one of the parked cars, a Holden Statesman, were extensively damaged and may have been written-off, police say.

The other vehicle was also damaged substantially.

"Speed may have been a factor in the crash because of the damage to all of the vehicles," a police spokeswoman told AAP.

"That is forming part of the investigation.

"He is very lucky he wasn't more seriously injured."

Police questioned Gardiner at the scene of the crash and said he had been very cooperative.

He was breath-tested and his car was searched.

"Mr Gardiner is helping police with their inquiries in relation to the crash," a spokesman said.

"No charges have been laid at this stage."

A spokesman for the Eagles said the club was likely to make a statement later Tuesday.
Second-placed West Coast's next AFL match is against Collingwood at Telstra Dome on Saturday.

AAP

[jase]

Essendon will have to wait to find out whether a shoulder injury will prevent Kevin Sheedy from coaching the Bombers against the Blues.

Sheedy will undergo surgery to repair tendon damage in his right shoulder, which he injured when he was bowled over by defender Dean Solomon at training last Friday.

The Bombers have made contingency plans for either Gary O'Donnell or Dean Wallis - Sheedy's senior assistants - to step up as senior coach against Carlton at the MCG in round 16's AFL game if Sheedy is still struggling with pain.

"We've just got to wait and see at this stage, it's a reasonably significant operation on a tendon and it's quite painful, so we just don't know at this stage," Bombers spokesman Simon Matthews said.

"But knowing Sheeds, he'll be doing everything he possibly can to be there."

The 58-year-old has coached the Bombers 606 times since 1981, and has never missed a game as coach through illness or injury.

His injury comes amid the worst season of his coaching career, as the Bombers have lost 14 games straight and should they lose to Carlton, will almost certainly land the club's first wooden spoon since 1933.

Injuries have also been prevalent on the field at Windy Hill in 2006, as the Bombers reported 13 injured players including stars Matthew Lloyd (hamstring) and James Hird (calf).

Matthews said Sheedy had been in pain when he coached against St Kilda.

"He was in more pain then he let on and he only realised how serious the injury was when he had it looked at yesterday," he said.

Sheedy was injured after Solomon crashed into him at training when the burly backman ran to grab a ball which floated wide during a handball drill and crashed into the coach.

Sheedy, who this season became only the second man to coach 600 VFL/AFL games after Collingwood legend Jock McHale (714 games from 1912-49) will have his arm in a sling for the next six weeks.

AAP

[jase]

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou is unconcerned umpire Darren Goldspink allegedly sledged Geelong players and wants him to continue to express his "individuality".

Cats chief executive Brian Cook has written to the AFL expressing concerns about comments Goldspink made to Geelong players Paul Chapman and Gary Ablett during Sunday's match against Port Adelaide at Skilled Stadium.

It is alleged Goldspink swore at Chapman and in a separate exchange asked Ablett "Why don't you get a kick?"

Goldspink has been criticised by other players for sledging in the past, including telling Richmond's Matthew Richardson his team needed a goal as he was lining up for a shot.

But Demetriou did not believe there was a need for the AFL to take action, saying the league encouraged its umpires to engage in banter.

"That doesn't really matter to me, I want to encourage the umpires to interact with players, we want that to happen," Demetriou said.

"(Goldspink) umpired last year's grand final and he's in sensational form again this year."
He urged Goldspink to continue to express himself and said he did not want umpires to be "sterile".

"He's a character in himself Darren and he's different to our other umpires, who are all individuals," he said.

"We encourage that individuality and I think we move on and get on with next week's games."

Demetriou also said Goldspink had denied swearing at Chapman, and he believed him.
The extent of the AFL's reaction was likely to be football operations manager Adrian Anderson speaking to Goldspink and fellow umpire Kieron Nicholls, who was also the subject of a Cats' complaint.

"I don't think this is going to be an issue that goes too far," Demetriou said.

"Like I said, it was probably some banter and we shouldn't read too much into it."

AAP

[jase]

What a disgrace, Andrew should fire this guy straight away

Jase :)

[Slj]

Eagles have fined him $5000 (the max) and suspended him indefinately...

[Mark]

Demetriou has no balls, we all know it.

[jase]

Port Adelaide AFL star Dean Brogan is set to be charged with assaulting an Adelaide surgeon.

The Port Adelaide ruckman will be summonsed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on the assault charge next month, a police spokesman said.

Police confirmed Brogan, 27, would be summonsed to appear in court charged with assaulting Adelaide oral surgeon Dr Zahl Khouri last October.

The pair were walking their dogs at a park in the inner Adelaide suburb of Goodwood when the alleged assault occurred.

Prosecutors are still deciding whether the footballer will be separately charged with assaulting an Adelaide Crows fan at Adelaide Airport last month.

Brogan was travelling to Melbourne to play for Port Adelaide last month when, after reportedly being taunted by Crows fan Dale Mortimer, he allegedly punched a fan on the nose.

Brogan, who later apologised for his actions, was fined $5,000 by his club for his role in the incident.

AAP

[jase]

The AFL is expected to announce a deal with Carlton this week to help lift the club out of its financial woes.

Carlton has been negotiating with the league for help with its growing $6 million debt.

The AFL is expected to offer the club a loan as it does not qualify for the special assistance package being received by the Kangaroos, Melbourne and the Bulldogs.

Unlike those clubs, Carlton's financial woes are not caused by an historical low supporter and membership base.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said a resolution to the Carlton crisis was close to being finalised.

"There's some very sensitive negotiations going on at the moment," he said.

"We're committed to helping the Carlton Football Club, we've said that from day one.

"They're a great football club and hopefully within the next 24-48 hours we can finalise something."

ABC

[sixers33]

yes, not every member has entry but there are not many tickets at all for the general public and it gets sold out during the week long before the game. Basically every home game for the crows is sold out. There are about 6-8,000 no shows who would be members. They would have payed for the ticket in there membership but not gone as not every members goes to every match. This is the problem for the crows, they could have 50,000 each game if they could find an easy way for members who can't go to give there ticket to someone else. If the stadium was to have a 70,000 capacity, you would see atleast 65,000 people but then there is the members... so it just makes the problem bigger so once they sought out the problem then they could extend and get atleast 65,000 people a game (if they were to make it 70,000+) Most of the new capacity would be taken up by members. (There is a long list. A 3-4 years atleast!)

HOWEVER, there is another problem, Port only sometimes get 40,000 and never more than 44,000 (unless Showdown which would have most supporters Crows) So they couldn't pay for all they need to each match if it got extended.It would be a very empty stadium too!


GO CROWS!!!!!!

[jase]

AFL players are to be offered extra cash incentives to win the premiership under a new scheme announced by the league today.

The money will be included as part of a new pay deal for players which is set to be officially unveiled tomorrow.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said the league was keen to offer a better incentive for players and clubs to win the grand final.

And he said cash rewards could also be doled out to players whose clubs made the September finals.

"It's important that we try and make the premiership attractive for clubs so they can actually share in the rewards of that, but at the same time the players participate," he said.

"Hopefully it won't just be linked to players who play in the premiership. We might be able to make sure that formula translates to players that play in the finals."

ABC

[Mark]

A GROUP of senior AFL players is under police investigation over a vicious assault that left a man in hospital suffering head injuries.

The victim had been leaving a nightspot in Port Melbourne with four other men when he saw fighting that had erupted in a car park.

Witnesses told police the group saw one man kicking another lying on the ground.

A police statement said the man was punched in the head from behind and knocked unconscious as he tried to intervene and separate the pair in the early hours of Sunday.

The police statement said the cowardly king-hit attack happened between 3.30am and 4am (AEST) in the car park of Station Pier.

Detectives are still looking for others who may be able to help them piece together what happened.

The Herald Sun understands at least one of the players is a successful and high-profile performer.

It is not known whether police have been able to speak to the players or whether their clubs are aware of the investigation.

The victim, 28, from Bayswater North, was treated at the Austin Hospital for cuts to the face.

Detectives from South Melbourne criminal investigation unit have been called in to the case.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

[Bugz]

Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson.

They are reportedly in big trouble.

[jase]

The AFL and the players' association announced a new five-year deal that will eventually boost player payments by nearly $30 million a season.

Total player payments for this year are $103.8 million (or $6.47 million per club) and that will increase to $111.1 million (or $9.94 million per club) next season and $131.6 million ($8.22 million per club) when the new deal expires in 2011.

The agreement also provides for a massive increase in prizemoney for the finals series with the prizemoney for the premiership team increasing from $250,000 to $1 million.

The AFL and the AFLPA missed their original deadline of June 30, but league chief executive Andrew Demetriou and players' association chief executive Brendon Gale welcomed the new arrangement.

Other details of the new deal include increases in the minimum wage and rookie payments, a $35 million contribution to the AFLPA player retirement fund and allocation of about $2 million to a past player health and wellbeing fund.

Total player payment amounts for the five-year deal will be $612.3 million with a further $117.4 million to be paid in other allowances.

AAP

[Tihsamikah]

geez... the kick and giggle sport get a tv deal worth 730 million... now this....
bah

[batb0y]

guess they dont need my membership anymore - sounds like they are loaded.

[jase]

The AFL will discuss player codes of conduct with the Players' Association after another off-field incident at the weekend.

Police are investigating a brawl outside a Port Melbourne nightclub on Sunday morning, which left a 28-year old man with lacerations to his face and mouth.

Collingwood has fined players Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson $5,000 each for their parts in the fracas.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said players had to accept responsibility for their behaviour.

"We've got preventative measures through our educational programs to reduce the likelihood of these things happening," he said.

"And in the main, we get it right. From time to time, one, two, three players transgress and you get a situation which has just transpired."

Demetriou said the AFL would consider increasing fines for off-field misbehaviour, and said the league was committed to upholding high standards of behaviour.

"We've agreed to have discussions about the code of conduct with the Players' Association," he said.

"But if the AFL thought that there was a significant issue, it doesn't negate the possibility of the AFL imposing its own sanctions under rule 1.6 of conduct unbecoming."

ABC

[jase]

Adelaide Crows forward Luke Jericho will miss the rest of the AFL season after having a shoulder reconstruction.

The club said Jericho had been troubled by the right shoulder injury for most of the year, including while playing for SANFL side West Adelaide.

Fitness coach Stephen Schwerdt said it was in Jericho's best interests to have the surgery now rather than wait until the end of the season.

"The club's medical staff, in consultation with the senior coach and Luke, thought now was the best time to have surgery," Schwerdt said.

The recovery period from a shoulder reconstruction can be up to six months.

AAP

[jase]

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has hit out at club legend Tony Shaw as the Magpies continue to bicker over the AFL's latest off-field scandal.

Shaw, the club's 1990 Premiership skipper, has called for Chris Tarrant to be sacked for his part in a brawl in the early hours of Sunday morning, which left a man in hospital with facial injuries.

But today Channel Nine boss McGuire hit back at Shaw.

He questioned Shaw's ability as a coach in the late 1990s when Tarrant first arrived, and said the culture at the club during his time in charge was appalling.

"The club was in disarray," he told Southern Cross Radio.

"The kid [Tarrant] was 17 years of age and walked into a joint [that] was rat-infested."

Shaw still holds the record for number of games played for Collingwood, with 313 appearances between 1978 and 1994. He was coach from 1996 to 1999 before making way for current coach Mick Malthouse.

Tarrant and the other player involved in the brawl, Ben Johnson, have been fined by the club but will play against Adelaide on Saturday night.

ABC

[sixers33]

Damn it....

Random fact: Stephen Schwerdt is my once removed cousin.

[jase]

The AFL will return to Canberra in 2007 with Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs agreeing to bring home games to the nation's capital.

The announcement follows the decision by the Kangaroos to pull out of Canberra and move three home games to the Gold Coast next season.

Along with the two premiership games - one for each club - one pre-season NAB Cup match and one NAB regional challenge match will be played in Canberra.

AFL chief operating officer Ben Buckley said he was very pleased with the deal.
"This is great news for all football fans in the ACT," he said.

Western Bulldogs centre half forward Robert Murphy said the Bulldogs hoped to make Canberra a home away from home.

"Hopefully we can make it like a second or third home away from home," he said.

Murphy won't return to the field until 2007 after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in the Bulldogs loss to Collingwood in late May.

AAP

[wolfbite]

Cool, at least Canberra people will still get to see real footy ;)

[jase]

they have for a while, haven't you heard of the raiders??

Jase :)

[Bugz]

Jase, you continue to pump out this League loving Crap.

More Supporters, more states, more viewers, more skill. AFL all the way.

[jase]

LOL AFL fans are like apple fans

Jase :)

[batb0y]

Wot? Right?

I'm happy to lump Brain Dead NRL in with XP users. No matter how hard they thump their heads together they keep doing it.

[jase]

Kangaroos forward Saverio Rocca is set to end his AFL career against Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday after securing a punting trial with NFL club Buffalo Bills in the United States.

Rocca has played more than 250 matches and kicked in excess of 700 goals since making his senior debut for the Magpies in 1992.

The 32-year-old joined the Kangaroos in 2001 but decided this season on a career change, which he hopes will see him follow the path of former AFL players Darren Bennett and Ben Graham into the NFL.

Rocca said he expected Sunday's match to be an emotional roller coaster.

"I reckon I'd be a complete mess if it wasn't for my plans and stuff with the NFL," he said. "I think that's keeping me going, but it's going to be pretty sad coming on the weekend."

Rocca has made just eight appearances for the Kangaroos in 2006 and he said his inability to hold down a permanent position contributed to his decision to pursue a career in the NFL.

"I think that was probably a little bit to do with why I decided to give it away," he said.

"But the coach (Dean Laidley) has got his plans as well to bring up-and-coming players up to make sure they can go on next year and he had to decide on a few players."

ABC

[batb0y]

Probably think West Coast have the most to improve on from this year.

Adelaide will be a dark horse.
Damn I'm good !!!

[Hosko]

Adelaide are shot Fremantle will beat them eaisly next week, they have too many injuries.

[batb0y]

Still picked #1 & #2 ;)

[Mark]

Still picked #1 & #2 ;)

Premier means winner of the Grand Final, not the standings at the end of the competition rounds!

[djpower]

looking at FoxSports online tv guide for Monday, October 02, looking for programming details for the new FS3, to my dissapointed there is no listing for FS3 but which caught my eye was FoxFooty's White line Fever is going to be aired according to the online tv guide at 8:30pm on FS1 while NRL Scordboard will be shafted to FS2 at 9pm, which will follow a replay of this years grandfinal

I don't know if they are doing a once off post grand final show on FoxSports or if they will re-introduce the show on a weekday bases on FoxSports

[jase]

It better not be daily. and i don't really care what channel the NRL will be on, just as long as i can see it.

Jase :)

[rusty]

Is there a link?
The Fox Sports website only has listing for one week ahead.
Usually in past years, the final White Line Fever and On The Couch for the year are shown on the Monday after the GF, so I think it is more of a one-off thing ATM, although it would be fantanstic if it was on Fox Sports every day.

[Hosko]

The Fox Sports website doesn't offically support more then 7 days ahead but if you pay attention to the address its not hard to work out how to view further ahead.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/tvguide/0,22520,20061002,00.html

The last 8 digit string is year month day

[Hosko]

It better not be daily. and i don't really care what channel the NRL will be on, just as long as i can see it.

Jase :)

If your not going to watch it what do you care how often it is on??

[jase]

Well will it be daily?

Jase :)

[adrid]

September 06, 2006 NETWORK Ten will let Foxtel broadcast this Friday's AFL elimination final live to some eastern states where the free-to-air broadcast is delayed.

In what Network Ten says is a show of commitment to their AFL audience, the St Kilda versus Melbourne match will be broadcast live on subscription television in NSW, the ACT and Queensland from 7pm (AEST).

It will be shown to all Foxtel and Austar digital subscribers and legacy satellite subscribers at no additional charge.

The match will be broadcast live by Network Ten to Victoria, SA and WA as scheduled.

"Network Ten has made this decision to ensure the opening week of the 2006 Toyota AFL Final Series is broadcast live to the widest-possible audience across Australia," Network Ten chief executive Grant Blackley said.

"This decision underscores our commitment to the AFL and our AFL audience across the country."

Ten's free-to-air broadcast will air as scheduled at 10.35pm (AEST) in Sydney and Brisbane.

AAP
================
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20302868-23218,00.html

[curious]

Its a pity you people in the southern states don't get this opportuninty with the NRL as well!

[jase]

Becasue the NRL have no balls

Jase :)

[Sting]

i already have tickets to the match that matters - the storm game

[curious]

Jase what time are channel nine showing the Storm game?

[Sting]

the game is being shown at 4pm sunday.. better than what i thought.

[djpower]

weird that they are airing a game on Sunday night i think that game will be delayed by about 30 hours must be a record of how long a station will delay a game which some can see live

[djpower]

also i noted in next month tv guide that there is no FoxSports news on at 7pm or late night, it was half expected since it gets its own channel from next month

[Sting]

weird that they are airing a game on Sunday night i think that game will be delayed by about 30 hours must be a record of how long a station will delay a game which some can see live

No, the game is at 4pm sunday... so it is being aired live into melbourne.*

[djpower]

No, the game is at 4pm sunday... so it is being aired live into melbourne.*

Yes the storm is played on the Sunday Live game but channel 9/win in victoria are only showing one game on Saturday night the other saturday night game is being delayed to early Monday Morning

Just to note for you that the Sunday game into victoria would be live anyway for some reason the Sunday game in the Nrl Finals is always live into Victoria which this game is always 8 vs 1 and usually is one sided but to our luck the storm is no.1 so it might get some extra interest from public.

1st Qualifying final
Friday
Sydney 7:30pm
Win Vic 10:30pm
Melb 12:35am
Foxsports 11pm

Saturday
2nd Qualifying final
Sydney 6:30pm
Victoria 11:30pm
Fox 1am

Saturday

3rd Qualifying Final
Sydney 8:30pm
Fox 2:30am
Victroria 1:30am (Monday Morning)
delayed by 29 hours Hours

4th Qualifying Fnial
Live Nation wide 4pm I think WA get delayed
Fox 6:15pm

bit dissapointed that foxsports does not do a replay of the saturday night game until 1am in morning and then not again to Monday
would of love to watch them on Sunday afternoon, before the big strom game at 4pm with a few cans of course

[Sambo]

Foxsports news already has it's own channel.

[Mark]

Foxsports news already has it's own channel.

yeah but that's just a loop channel, from Oct 1 it becomes a "real" channel ;)

[Sambo]

Won't it still be much of the same thing? loops?

[Mark]

Won't it still be much of the same thing? loops?

live sports news 18 hours a day from what I've read, so nope.

[Hosko]

Brand new news room, brand new set, 87 staff just working on it.

[djpower]

will be airing skysports news from UK overnight when not airing live FoxSports news, could also including other programs from around world

[jase]

Should be airing espnews instead hehe

Jase :)

[Mark]

St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has resigned.

More to come...

[jase]

News connference on SEN now.

Jase :)

[Mark]

The Age is reporting Thomas was sacked by the club this afternoon.

[Phantom]

Its about time

[Bugz]

LOL, too right Phantom.

[wolfbite]

Next.... Bomber Thompson.

[Mark]

Next.... Bomber Thompson.

Bomber could be Austin Powers with those teeth of his! :biggrin:

[batb0y]

Predicted this only yesterday while having lunch with Dad. Either St Kilda have to do something different to take the next step, or look at rebuilding while they still have some decent talent that can play another year or two.

[hutch]

what sbout Dennis Pagen.

[batb0y]

Carlton simply cant afford to sack him. Wish they could. Guy is a joke - how is North Melbournes rebuilding going ?? 3-4 years later after PAgan was sacked there they are still at the bottom.

[Mark]

ST KILDA'S search for a new senior coach was well under way before yesterday's shock sacking of Grant Thomas.

Two high-profile assistant coaches, Sydney's John Longmire and Brisbane's recently departed Daryn Cresswell, were sounded out about the role at least 24 hours before Thomas learned of his fate. Neither Cresswell nor Longmire were told, however, which club was potentially seeking their services.

The two are on a long list of possible candidates for what must be one of the most sought-after positions in the AFL. But the list is unlikely to include the likes of experienced premiership coaches Denis Pagan and Mick Malthouse, whom the club has virtually ruled out.

A two-hour board meeting at the home of St Kilda president Rod Butterss yesterday sealed the fate of Thomas. His removal from the coaching position came just four days after the Saints' elimination final loss to Melbourne in a match it had led going into the final quarter.

The board's unanimous belief, backed by St Kilda's recently promoted Scottish-born chief executive Archie Fraser, was that Thomas was not capable of delivering a premiership to the club. It won its only flag back in 1966.

Although Thomas had one year of his contract remaining, it is believed there was a termination clause that will save the club from having to pay out his 2007 salary.

It was revealed yesterday that the Saints had two months ago appointed external consultant Ian Foote of Stride Management to examine their football department — a department overseen by Thomas in an autocratic manner. He was responsible not only for the club's on-field performance but also its list management and playing contracts.

Foote is believed to have sounded out Cresswell, among others, and has provided the Saints with a long list of potential candidates for the job.

Longmire said last night he would not comment on anything beyond Sydney's preliminary final on Friday week.

The Saints are also planning to conduct an Australia-wide and — potentially — international search for someone to oversee their football department.

Butterss, Fraser and club directors Mark Kellett and John Gdanski individually contacted most of St Kilda's players yesterday to explain their decision. The players, who gathered last night at the home of Aaron Hamill, were shocked.

Thomas, who said he would meet the players at the club along with the board today, told The Age last night: "I'll be spending the night with my family, as you do. Maybe I'll have more to say tomorrow. It's been a long day. Maybe my opinion of myself was inflated."

Thomas' departure comes 18 months after his falling out with Butterss, formerly a close friend.

He conceded yesterday that this might not have helped his cause, but added: "One thing I can guarantee is this isn't a vindictive swipe by Rod Butterss at Grant Thomas. One thing I do respect 'Rocket' for, and the rest of the board, is they have the best interests of the club at heart."

It was impossible not to draw comparisons yesterday between Carlton, once the benchmark, and St Kilda, not so long ago the basket case. The Blues, having won another wooden spoon, tried to sack their coach last week but went to water. St Kilda's sacking of Thomas yesterday was as clean as it was brutal.

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/thomas-signed-sealed-sacked-sainter/2006/09/12/1157826941786.html

[jase]

A frontrunner to replace sacked St Kilda AFL coach Grant Thomas is reportedly being investigated by Queensland police for the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Brisbane on the weekend.

Former Sydney Swans midfielder Daryn Cresswell, who last week resigned from his post as assistant coach of the Brisbane Lions, was questioned by police on Monday over the incident, the ABC said.

It's alleged Mr Cresswell, 35, met the woman at the Storey Bridge Hotel at Kangaroo Point before going with her to the Carlton Crest hotel in Brisbane's CBD where the alleged sexual assault occurred early on Sunday.

Queensland Police Media said a complaint about an alleged sexual assault was being investigated but they would not say whether it involved Mr Cresswell.

The ABC said Mr Cresswell was interviewed by police on Tuesday and he had denied assaulting the woman.

Police have requested security vision from both hotels but have not laid any charges.
Mr Cresswell, who played 244 professional games for Sydney in the 1990s, worked as assistant coach under Leigh Matthews at the Lions for two years before resigning to seek a senior AFL coaching job.

He was one of several possible replacements for St Kilda coach Grant Thomas, who was sacked on Tuesday.

AAP

[Hosko]

Recently departed St Kilda coach Grant Thomas believes it is time for the Saints’ disgruntled playing group to “re-focus their attentions on the club” and get on with the job of winning premierships.

Speaking on The Footy Show on Thursday night, Thomas said he was appreciative of players’ support, but told them to get behind the club.

He also admitted that the St Kilda board’s decision to sack him was not strictly based on his coaching performance. Thomas said that his frayed relationship with club president Rod Butterss had contributed to his untimely demise.

“There is no doubt I didn’t have the best relationship with the people that mattered and that has been widely documented that it has deteriorated over a couple of years,” Thomas said.

“I think it’s really important to have a whole host of boxes to be able to tick within a footy club.
“They are highly charged and emotional environments with a lot of personalities, and egos run around on a regular basis.

“I think that probably the box to tick in regards to the coach relationship with the board wasn’t as healthy as it should have been and I have to take responsibility for that.

“I didn’t see that coming. It was a bit of a surprise to me.

“Rocket’s (Rod Butterss) got the best intentions of the St Kilda footy club at heart but we don’t have to love each other. There was probably a point in time we did. That’s okay; I’ve got no sour grapes about that. It’s a fact of life.

“We had a few stoushes a couple of years ago we never really recovered.”

Former captain Nick Riewoldt, who flourished under Thomas’ tutelage, could barely contain his emotions this week. He publicly expressed his anger and said the coach had the full support of the playing group.

“I spoke to Nick Riewoldt on the way in here tonight and had to convince him to focus back on the job that he is there to do and to align himself with the playing group and show the leadership we have spoken about for five years,” Thomas told The Footy Show.

“He’s been terrific support but he acknowledges it now that now is the time to get behind the club and the decisions they are making and everything else.

“It is incredibly important that the playing group re-focus their attention towards the club. I’ve appreciated their support and I’ve appreciated their kind words and everything else and I’ll never forget them.”

Thomas addressed the playing group for the final time on Wednesday and left it with a “cryptic message”.

“We have talked a lot in the last five years about like and respect. It’s all right to like someone, but to respect someone you’ve got to be able to tick off a hell of lot of boxes,” he revealed.

“You respect a person through their actions and everything else and whilst I’m very respectful in a lot of ways of the playing group, what I meant by that they know exactly what I mean. I want to be able to respect them. I want them to be able to deliver a premiership.”

It was a busy night on The Footy Show with panellists Shane Crawford, Andrew McLeod and Scott West giving their insight into this weekend’s finals.

Adelaide superstar McLeod told hosts Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw he might be a chance to make a shock return from injury and play in the Crows’ preliminary final.

McLeod was thought to be unlikely to play again this season after he developed an infection in his left foot last month when he had fluid drained.

He had an intravenous drip removed from his arm on the weekend.

But the dual Norm Smith medallist and All-Australian defender said his doctor had told him his foot was healing well, and that he was a chance to play next week.

"It's healing better than expected and I might be a possibility," McLeod said.

"I thought I was gone but things have turned around a bit and I might be a chance."

Adelaide plays the winner of Saturday night’s first semi-final between West Coast and Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final at AAMI Stadium on Saturday week.

The Footy Show is in its 13th season on the Nine Network and can be seen each Thursday LIVE at 9.30pm.

[David Bird]

FANS and prominent Victorians have raised the alarm for the future of the AFL as for the first time no teams from the state have qualified for the preliminary finals.

Football legend Alex Jesaulenko backed calls for AFL reform, warning interstate dominance was the greatest threat Australian rules football had faced.

The Carlton legend said a truly national competition, with just six Victorian teams plus teams in Canberra, the Gold Coast, Darwin and Tasmania, would revitalise the game.

As a premiership cup heads interstate for the sixth successive year, sporting, community and political leaders have rallied against the trend. It has prompted leaders on both sides of politics to urge an investigation into the theft of the state game.

Victoria Premier Steve Bracks said yesterday the AFL's pursuit of a national competition had been good.

"But, importantly, we want that to be shared around and we want Victorian clubs to go well," he said. "Ron Barassi is always someone who should be listened to."

The Premier's comments followed Barassi's calls for an investigation into what had gone wrong with Australian rules football in Victoria.

Jesaulenko said his plan would stop Victorian teams fighting over a small pool of players and dilute interstate talent.

"We've got strength in Victoria but to make it a really strong (football) state again we'd have six clubs," he said.

"Everyone now is playing for Melbourne. They're not playing for North Melbourne or Carlton. That's gone. Princes Park is gone. Victoria Park is gone.

"The Carlton-Collingwood clash is not there any more - it's Melbourne versus Melbourne. The suburban rivalry is no longer there."

The only way to strengthen Victorian football and start winning flags back from interstate was to have fewer Melbourne clubs, he said.

"They're fighting over the same dollar. Today the reality is it's all finances. It's just a money game. It's a television game.

"The rivalry, the traditions, all that, they're no longer there."

It would be brutal, he said, but "had to happen", and he suggested the weakest clubs, financially and in terms of supporters, had to be first under scrutiny. Asked if that were to mean the demise of his club, the Blues, he acknowledged it might have to be the case.

Victoria Sports Minister Justin Madden, a former AFL player, said Victorians signing up as members would pull clubs out of the doldrums.

"At grassroots level (Victorian football) is probably stronger than ever but our AFL teams aren't performing the way we'd all like them to," he said.

"The interstate teams' greatest advantage is that in each of their home cities people want to be members in huge numbers. That puts those clubs in a strong financial position. That's the biggest difference."

It could become worse on Brownlow medal night in Melbourne next Monday. The AFL always prefers its medallists to be in the room but, depending on results of the weekend's preliminary finals, Sydney's Adam Goodes, Adelaide's Simon Goodwin and West Coast duo Chris Judd and Ben Cousins might not be there.

All are among the leading fancies, but will stay in their home cities if their side reaches the grand final rather than fly to Melbourne early.

Bracks and Victoria opposition leader Ted Baillieu both backed an investigation into the state of Victorian football.

"If the AFL are willing to examine how Victorian clubs can go, well, I think that would be welcomed," Bracks said.

"I don't think we can talk about the death of Victorian football. It's going to be very sweet when we beat them in the future - and we will."

Baillieu said the problem went beyond the disappointment of the weekend losses by the Bulldogs and Melbourne in Perth.

"It's broader than that. This is a real problem for Victorian footy and an issue for Victorian sport," he said.

By Liam Houlihan and Jacqueline Freegard
September 18, 2006
Source (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20429604-23211,00.html)