AFL Record – Grand Final, 2021 by Crocmedia Lifestyle1

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2021 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 126TH GRAND FINAL

FEATURES AFL Media photographers present their portfolio of the best football images of 2021.

PERFECT 10

TOUGH MUDDER

LIONS’ DYNASTY

SUPER SUB

ASHLEY BROWNE has covered 30 Grand Finals and watched another 20. He rates the best 10 performances he’s seen.

SNAP HAPPY: Michael Willson has been covering AFL Grand Finals since 2007, capturing some of football’s finest moments – see page 80.

It was 30 seconds of magic ASHLEY BROWNE ON THE EAGLES’ COAST-TO-COAST GOAL, EVENTUALLY KICKED BY DOM SHEED, THAT SECURED THE 2018 FLAG – PAGE 28

PICK OF THE PICS

Hawthorn premiership star Brendan Edwards was a man before his time with his approach to fitness and preparation. ASHLEY BROWNE reports.

The Brisbane Lions started one of the great eras of modern football 20 years ago. ASHLEY BROWNE reports.

As we unveil medi-subs for the first time in a Grand Final, a former premiership sub recalls when it was his time to shine. ANDREW SLEVISON reports.

THIS WEEK’S SPECCY LEGEND IS... Congratulations, you took our Local Legends Mark of the Week. You’ve won 250 Four’N Twenty pies for your club and Local Legend status forever.

Know a Local Legend? To enter, post your photo or video by 12 noon (AEST) every Wednesday on Instagram @Fourntwenty #FNTmarkoftheweek and hashtag your club. T&Cs apply. Sharni-Leigh Kittow, Collegians Australian Football Club, C1 Women’s, Perth Football League Photo Credit: @atthefooty

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 7

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AFL RECORD CONTENTS

FEATURES

MEDAL MAN

Jimmy Bartel was a big-game specialist and the former Cats champion turned it on in the 2011 Grand Final. LAURENCE ROSEN reports.

LOVING FOOTY

All it takes is a fair degree of passion, a pen and paper and you have a love letter to footy. BOB MURPHY has written one.

JUST GRAND

It’s the lead-up, it’s the day, it’s the drama ... it’s the vibe. You just can’t beat Grand Final week and Grand Final day. SAM EDMUND reports.

HAPPY SNAPPER

AFL chief photographer MICHAEL WILLSON has been covering Grand Finals since 2007. He’s got the best seat in the house and we join him.

IN GOOD HANDS

REGULARS AFL CEO welcome Match Centre One Week At A Time Farewells Season review Your club in 2021 Footy quiz Every Grand Final

11 105 159 192 213 228 250 253

It’s definitely hard to say goodbye RETIRING FREMANTLE STAR STEPHEN HILL – PAGE 202

Relive the glorious day in 2016 when the Western Bulldogs came from the clouds to win their first flag since 1954.

AFL Record Editor Michael Lovett Production Editor Gary Hancock Senior Writer Ashley Browne Columnist Sam Edmund Writers Ben Collins, Hugh Fitzpatrick, David Flegg, Lachlan Geleit, Nathan John, Sebastian Mottram, Bob Murphy, Nic Negrepontis, Stephen Rodgers, Laurence Rosen, Andrew Slevison, Alex Zaia Statisticians Col Hutchinson, Mark Genge Lachlan Essing Art Director Rohan Voigt Graphic Designers Alex Levonis, Craig Poore Production Manager Amahl Weereratne Photo Editors Rohan Voigt, Natalie Boccasini Photography Michael Willson, Dylan Burns aflphotos.com.au Photos Manager Celia Drummond CEO – BallPark, Rainmaker & Publishing Richard Simkiss

160

Publications Commercial Manager, SEN Dean McBeth

Optus Stadium CEO Mike McKenna knows all about managing and overseeing big sporting events. ASHLEY BROWNE reports.

TOG DOGS OF 2016

Owned and produced by Sports Entertainment Network

Traffic Coordinator Tilli Carter Printed By Ovato Address correspondence to The Editor, AFL Record, Level 5, 111 Coventry St, Southbank, Victoria, 3006. (03) 8825 6600 Email: Michael.Lovett@sen. com.au

168 The first football match at Optus Stadium DID YOU played was between Fremantle’s KNOW? AFLW team and its Collingwood counterpart on February 10, 2018. The 2021 Grand Final will be the 90th AFL game played at Perth’s showpiece venue.

AFL Record, Vol. 110, Grand Final, 2021 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISBN 978-0-6484651-3-3 Print Post approved PP320258/00109

SUPPORTING FOOTY

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SUPPORTING FOOTY SINCE 2002

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8 AFL RECORD

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Sure Hamish and Brian are excited about the finals

But they’re even more pumped about their new siren Getting the AFL Premiership Cup to visit your hometown is good. But scoring a shiny new siren to ring out across your home ground? That’s ‘gooder!’ Stawell Swifts’ Timekeeper Brian Barber asked Toyota for help to replace his club’s broken-down old hooter, with something a little more professional. So we did. And now the Stawell siren’s loud enough to drown out a rowdy crowd on AFL Grand Final Day! Toyota has made footy better for Brian, Hamish, the Swifts and hundreds of people in the Aussie footy community this season. Because that’s Good for Footy! Visit toyota.com.au/gooder for more great stories from the Suggestion Box.

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ADVERSITY CREATES OPPORTUNITY Last season threw up some massive challenges and it didn’t get any easier in 2021. However, the Toyota AFL Grand Final is here – and Perth is ready for the occasion. GILLON McLACHLAN AFL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

GLITTERING OCCASION: The magnificent Optus Stadium, with the city of Perth in the background; (below) Karratha Kats players with the premiership cup on its WA outback odyssey.

elcome to the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final. When we started our home and away season this year, we planned on returning to as much normality as possible – including bringing the biggest match of the season back to the MCG in our traditional afternoon timeslot. However, as the season unfolded, we didn’t know where we would be on the last Saturday in September, or even at times whether we would even get here. It has been a bigger challenge. A longer challenge. A tougher challenge. Not just for football, but for the entire community. The Delta strain has been less forgiving and more relentless than last year’s challenges and the

The energy in the city is electric

situation has changed day by day and sometimes minute by minute. We have come a long way to reach this point – 198 home and away matches completed, all while we have navigated through lockdowns, border closures, crowd caps, no crowds, week-by-week fixtures, planes being turned around, matches moved and even home games played in different states. We had our fair share of bumps and bruises – and there were lots of them – but just like in footy, the bumps and bruises fade away and the moments they created leave a lasting memory. If last year was a year where the team that wins was the most resilient, this year’s premiership side will be the one which best turned adversity into opportunity – something Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs have exhibited all season. And for the club that wins the 2021 Toyota AFL premiership, it will be one of the all-time great achievements. For it will have achieved ultimate success in what will go down as one of the most challenging seasons in the history of our game. Before the bounce of the ball in Perth, on behalf of the AFL Commission and our chairman Richard Goyder, I want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to us getting this far. We simply couldn’t have made it without the continued support of state governments, chief health officers, our clubs, players, coaches, umpires, staff, venues and corporate and broadcast partners – thank you for your unwavering backing. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 11

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AFL RECORD WELCOME I would like to personally thank the team at Toyota. The AFL has had the privilege of a great partner in Toyota for 18 years. Toyota get football, they get the sense of community that football can bring, and they work with us to drive great outcomes across Australia. A close look at their Good For Footy program will tell you that and their support, from the grassroots to the elite, makes our game better. Thank you again to the entire Toyota team. And I would like to particularly thank WA Premier Mark McGowan for partnering with the AFL and allowing us to finish our season in front of 60,000 fans at one of the best stadiums in the world. The West Australian community has wholeheartedly welcomed the AFL and the announcement of the 2021 Grand Final.

The energy in the city is electric, we know this game will deliver a pulsating atmosphere, for the players, for the crowd in the stadium and for everyone watching the broadcast nationally. To all the essential workers, who continue to put the health and safety of others in front of their own – we cannot thank you enough for keeping our communities as safe as possible.

LOYALTY AND PASSION: Despite the challenges of COVID, a record 1,113,441 members have supported the game in 2021.

The COVID pandemic has meant we have had another challenging season – as detailed earlier – but the one constant has been the loyalty and unwavering support of members. We empathise it has been a challenging year for fans especially as we all continue to manage life amid the pandemic, however, your continued loyalty and passion this season has been truly remarkable, a record 1,113,441 members showcasing that the connection that footy supporters have with their clubs is unmatched in world sport. It is this type of passion and commitment from everyone in footy that has allowed us to make it this far and for that I cannot say thank you enough. This is a history-making occasion and I wish both teams the best of luck and wherever you are watching I hope the Toyota AFL Grand Final delivers you a most unforgettable experience.

MARK McGOWAN PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

estern Australia has a deep and enduring footballing history. One that has contributed names that are forever etched in footy folklore around our nation. From Farmer to Franklin, Cable to Cox, Winmar to Worsfold – all personify how Western Australia has not only embraced our national game, but taken it to a new level. Now, a new chapter: a historic AFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium in Perth.

A proud moment for our state. But, more importantly, an opportunity to bring our nation together in spirit. Our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Victoria and indeed around the country who are doing it tough at the moment. We are all Australians. And AFL is Australia’s game. A game that, regardless of any distance, regardless of any challenge, we can still find a way to celebrate together.

BASIL ZEMPILAS MAYOR OF PERTH

n February 20, 1962, as American astronaut John Glenn flew over Perth in the Friendship 7 spacecraft, he looked out at the bright lights below and proclaimed Perth “City of Lights”. And now in Perth, an event equally astronomical for our city. Just like John Glenn’s famous orbit is still celebrated, in years to come we will always remember 2021 as the year the

12 AFL RECORD

AFL Grand Final came to Perth. We are the custodians of this famous Australian sporting tradition for just one year and we carry the honour of hosting our game’s biggest day with a sense of pride and responsibility. We do it also with a nod to the great West Australians who have added to the rich history of Australian Football – names like Farmer and Cable, Worsfold and Cousins, Cometti and Fyfe.

I want to thank the AFL for trusting us to do this great day justice and I congratulate the WA State Government for creating an environment which has allowed it to happen. On February 20 next year, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of John Glenn giving us that famous nickname, but from this day forward we reclaim the name. Wherever you’re watching around the world, welcome to Perth, “City of Lights”.

SEN.com.au

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BEST IMAGES OF 2021

PICK OF THE PICS

HE IS EVERYONE’S BUDDY

AFL Media photographers were once again close to the action during a memorable 2021 season. Here are the best of the best.

SYDNEY v GWS GIANTS, ROUND 5, SCG PIC: CAMERON SPENCER/GETTY IMAGES

CS SAYS: Sydney star Lance Franklin is captured here celebrating one of his five goals with teammate Chad Warner. This season ‘Buddy’ has looked really fit, he played some great football and is closing in on his 1000th career goal. Watching him interact with his younger teammates has been a highlight. It creates photographic opportunities such as this moment, and you know he is loving his time on the field and playing in fine form. It was captured with a 400mm lens at f2.8l from the boundary, close to the 50m line.

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TIGER TAKES OFF RICHMOND v GEELONG, ROUND 8, MCG PIC: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

MW SAYS: One of the best marks I’ve seen live and have had the privilege of photographing. To be honest, I was happy just to get a frame given I was almost 150m away from where Shai Bolton took this mark. Luckily, I was using my 600mm telephoto lens, which gave me good reach. In hindsight, the angle I had worked out OK as it probably best displays the pure elevation of one of the marks of the season.

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BEST IMAGES OF 2021

HAIR-RAISING STUFF CARLTON v WEST COAST, ROUND 12, SCG PIC: MARK KOLBE/GETTY IMAGES

MK SAYS: The Blues and Eagles met on a bright Sunday afternoon at the SCG due to COVID rescheduling. Only 5000 or so fans were there, so I was shooting backlit into the sun to minimise the impact of an empty background. I was constantly keeping an eye out for Nic Naitanui, who in those light conditions – and with his dreadlocks – could make a great picture. It was late in the game and he started running directly towards me, eyes on the ball with a dark section of the stand directly behind him, creating the cleanest background around the ground. With the sun streaming in from behind, he jumped to contest the ball. The sun caught his hair as it flew in all directions. The single window behind almost makes it look like a studio light had been perfectly placed for the shot.

SHINING A LIGHT ON ANZACS MELBOURNE v RICHMOND, ROUND 6, MCG PIC: DYLAN BURNS/AFL PHOTOS

DB SAYS: This is an image from one of my favourite games on the AFL calendar – the Anzac Day Eve clash between Melbourne and Richmond. This image shows players from both teams linking arms, paying tribute to the Anzacs during the pre-match ceremony. The lighting in this photo is what makes it so special, from the fans shining their phone torches in the stands to the artificial lighting on the ground creating the long shadows on the field. I believe this is the only match of the year where photographers have the opportunity to capture this type of amazing and unique light.

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FOR YOU NONNO SERGE COLLINGWOOD v CARLTON, ROUND 18, MCG PIC: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

MW SAYS: Jack Silvagni salutes the heavens during the round 18 match against Collingwood in memory of his grandfather Sergio, who had passed earlier that week. Jack is a heart-and-soul player and I just knew he would pay some sort of tribute to his nonno during the game. Luckily enough, he kicked a goal at my end, so I was ready for his heartfelt gesture after the ball sailed through. The image is emotive and is one of my favourites from this year.

BEST IMAGES OF 2021

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WHEN THE SUN IS DONE GEELONG v RICHMOND, ROUND 19, MCG PIC: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

MW SAYS: A spectacular sunset contrasts a desolate MCG during the round 19 match between Richmond and Geelong. Around three-quarter time, I noticed an orange hue descending above, so I quickly grabbed my 16mm wide angle lens, climbed eight flights of stairs to Level 4 of the Great Southern Stand and waited for the sky and artificial light to balance. Worth the effort.

BEST IMAGES OF 2021

NOBLE GESTURE HAWTHORN v NORTH MELBOURNE, ROUND 9, UTAS STADIUM PIC: DYLAN BURNS/AFL PHOTOS

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DB SAYS: This was quite a special photo of David Noble celebrating his first win as North Melbourne coach with his Kangaroos players after their round nine clash against Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium in Launceston. The excitement and jubilation of players and coach are clear to see.

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BEST IMAGES OF 2021

TWO WORLDS COLLIDING CARLTON v HAWTHORN, ROUND 10, MCG PIC: QUINN ROONEY/GETTY IMAGES

QR SAYS: I was tracking a kick down the wing and was focusing on Carlton’s Lachie Plowman as he prepared to take the mark, when at the very last minute I saw Hawk Jaeger O’Meara appear out of the side of my frame. As Plowman braced for impact, I held down the trigger, aware that a big collision was about to happen. I was able to capture the moment Plowman’s shoulder makes contact with his opponent.

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BEST IMAGES OF 2021

PORT ADELAIDE v ADELAIDE, ROUND 8, ADELAIDE OVAL PIC: JAMES ELSBY/AFL PHOTOS

JE SAYS: A moment of reflection as Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas pauses, waiting to run up the race, before another Showdown with the Adelaide Crows. It’s a picture I have taken many times before, but is often ruined by a cameraperson or security guard getting in the frame. The Power have a great game-day experience and the lights and smoke add to the drama. Shot at 200mm, the lens compresses the image, bringing the fans closer to the players.

TIMED TO PERFECTION HAWTHORN v MELBOURNE, ROUND 5, MCG

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PIC: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

MW SAYS: The bounce is one of the art-forms of the game that I love. It’s an amazing skill the umpires possess to control the ball with such power. For years I’ve wanted to nail a shot of the point of impact, but have rarely succeeded given we are talking milliseconds, so it’s all in the timing. A complete case of hit and miss, mostly miss,

so you can imagine my delight when I finally scored one during the warm-up before the round five match between Hawthorn and Melbourne, courtesy of umpire Cameron Dore. My camera was set to a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second to freeze the motion, but even still you can see a tiny little bit of movement in the ball such is the velocity.

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BEST IMAGES OF 2021

HILL OF A RIDE GWS GIANTS v CARLTON, ROUND 14, GIANTS STADIUM PIC: JASON McCAWLEY/AFL PHOTOS

JM SAYS: Jeremy Finlayson had a night out when he booted an equal career-high five goals against Carlton. After kicking his fifth, teammate Bobby Hill went along for the ride during the celebrations. The Giants eventually won by 36 points.

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ASHLEY BROWNE’S

TOP TEN

GRAND

FINAL PERFORMERS We have asked our senior writer ASHLEY BROWNE, who has covered the past 30 Grand Finals and watched another 20 before then, to list the 10 best Grand Final performances he has seen, be they playing or coaching.

ALEX JESAULENKO’S MARK 1970

u “McKay, to the wing position on the

members stand side … Oh! Jesaulenko! You beauty!” If I’m grading spectacular Grand Final marks in my time watching and covering football, it is this mark, followed by North Melbourne’s Phil ‘Snake’ Baker in 1978 and St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard in 2010 as the trifecta, and by a comfortable margin. And it is not just Carlton supporters who have committed Mike Williamson’s line of commentary to memory. “Jesaulenko! You Beauty!” is to children of the 1970s what “Up There Cazaly” was to footy fans of the early 1920s when Cazaly was a star for South Melbourne. Yes, it later became a song, but that’s a different story. For much of the 1970s, you didn’t take a speccy in the schoolyard. You took a ‘Jezza’. If Ron Barassi was the biggest name in the game at that time, Jesaulenko wasn’t far behind and, in the community I grew up in, Carlton No. 25 jumpers were as common an item as Miller shirts and Dragstar bikes.

JESAULENK0, YOU BEAUTY: Alex Jesaulenko launches over Magpie Graeme ‘Jerker’ Jenkin.

28 AFL RECORD

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OUT OF THE BLUE: Ted Hopkins is chaired from the ground after his four-goal second-half blitz.

TED HOPKINS’ FOUR GOALS 1970

u It speaks volumes for just how special the

1970 Grand Final was that it provides the first two entries on this list. The story has been recounted thousands and thousands

of times and is the subject of a book and a documentary. Barassi dragged poor old Bert Thornley at half-time, replaced him with livewire small forward Ted Hopkins, and with the “handball, handball, handball” instruction ringing in their ears, the Blues overturned a 44-point deficit to win by 10 points, in the process adding another chapter to footy’s oldest and most deep-seated rivalry.

Hopkins was painted as the hero with four goals. It was the largest comeback in Grand Final history and was staged in front of the biggest football crowd ever, 121,696. But here’s a question for footy historians. Twelve months later, Bob Keddie kicked four goals in the final quarter to help Hawthorn overcome a 20-point deficit to beat St Kilda, in equally astonishing fashion, yet he has never taken the same place in football lore as Hopkins. AFL.com.au

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AFL RECORD TOP 10 GRAND FINAL PERFORMERS

PHIL MANASSA’S RUN 1977

u Technically, this one took place

not in the Grand Final, but the replay the following week after North Melbourne and Collingwood initially played out a draw. The Pies trailed by 25 points late in the final term when Manassa grabbed the ball between half-back and the wing and took off on a darting four-bounce run (that included a shimmy and bake after the third bounce) and kicked the goal post high from 30m out. It was a different time. Manassa ran back to his position. The fans were in raptures, but nary a teammate even gave him a pat on the back. It was straight back to the next centre bounce. The only reaction came from Barassi, by now the coach of the Kangaroos, visibly disgusted at the apparent lack of chase and a scoreboard that was still too close for comfort. North ended up winning by 27 points, but Manassa’s run was the highlight that will live on forever. The sidebar is the magnificent commentary from Peter Ewin, the one-hit wonder who took over from the legendary Mike Williamson as Channel Seven’s lead football commentator, but lasted just one year in the coveted job.

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BOMBER BLAST: Tim Watson flies for a mark against Peter Russo in Essendon’s famous come-from-behind win.

KEVIN SHEEDY’S COACHING MASTER CLASS 1984

u Essendon had been smarting all year

after its 83-point Grand Final thrashing from Hawthorn the year before. And the rematch was threatening to play out in a similar fashion when the Hawks kicked four goals in the opening six minutes to establish a buffer they more or less maintained through the middle two quarters. Then the coaching genius of Sheedy came to the fore. He swung the magnets furiously, moving Paul Weston from defence to attack, swapping with skipper Terry Daniher. Another defender, Peter Bradbury, was also moved forward, as was Bill Duckworth. With the team dramatically recast on the fly, it just needed some oratory. “Have a look at ’em. They are absolutely spent!” Sheedy roared at

his players as they gathered at three-quarter time – and he was right. Hawthorn players said later that the week off between games had been a hindrance rather than a help and that coach Allan Jeans was unusually nervy and anxious as he addressed his troops. The ensuing 30 minutes was the finest in Essendon history. The Bombers kicked nine goals in the final term to turn a 23-point deficit into a 24-point win and the club’s first premiership for 19 years. “This is Sheedy’s premiership, with all these tremendous moves he has KEVIN SHEEDY TO made,” Lou Richards said on Channel HIS BOMBERS AT Seven, and he was 100 per cent correct. THE FINAL CHANGE Not many Grand Finals have turned on match-day moves made in the coach’s box so late in the piece, as happened with Sheedy and the Bombers in 1984.

Have a look at ’em. They are absolutely spent!

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AFL RECORD TOP 10 GRAND FINAL PERFORMERS

GARY ABLETT’S NINE-GOAL HAUL 1989

FLYING SOLO: Cats superstar Gary Ablett almost won the game off his own boot with nine goals.

u The freewheeling Cats were a revelation as they

racked up cricket-like scores through the middle fortnight of the 1989 finals series en route to their first Grand Final in 22 years. And while they were up against the champion team of the decade, they did have the best and most mercurial player in the competition, Gary Ablett, in their forward line. Former Hawk Ablett nearly won the Cats this Grand Final off his own boot. Like his team, he started slowly and the Cats faced a 40-point deficit at quarter-time. But Ablett went to work after that and ended up kicking nine goals for the game, an equal Grand Final record. He got them on the lead and in general play. He got them through strength, skill and rat cunning. One second-term goal came after he won the ball at a throw-in, turned around and snapped truly over his shoulder, all in one action. He took Hawk defender Scott Maginness to the cleaners and it was only when Chris Langford was moved on to him – which should have been the match-up all along – that the Hawks had any confidence that his dominance might be curbed and, to his credit, Langford was able to quell some of the damage. The Hawks hung on to win by six points in a Grand Final remembered as easily the best of the decade. But Ablett was the star and deservedly became just the second player (to that stage) from a losing team to win the Norm Smith Medal. DROUGHT-BREAKERS: Steve Johnson and Jimmy Bartel after the Cats claimed their first premiership cup in 44 years.

GEELONG’S 119-POINT DEMOLITION 2007

u After 44 years of heartbreak and derision,

Geelong’s premiership drought could not have ended in more emphatic fashion. There would be no holding back against Port Adelaide that day as the chastened Cats turned in the most complete and dominant performance in recent Grand Final history. It was Mark Thompson’s eighth season as coach and he narrowly survived a searching internal review at the end of the previous season. Several influential Geelong identities wanted his head on a platter, but president Frank Costa and CEO Brian Cook admirably held their nerve. After a 2-3 start to the season, the Cats pummelled Richmond by 157 points in round six and lost just once more for the rest of the season. By early in the second term of the Grand Final, they were nearly nine goals up and the rest of the game was both a procession and a celebration. Nobody could begrudge the Cats their time in the sun. Such was Geelong’s domination and a list demographic that was right in the sweet spot, the Cats seemed destined to dominate the next few years.

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AFL RECORD TOP 10 GRAND FINAL PERFORMERS

CLARKO ‘KILLS THE SHARK’ 2008

BEST-LAID PLANS: Skipper Sam Mitchell and coach Alastair Clarkson on the victory dais after pulling off a stunning boilover.

u If Kevin Sheedy delivered the ’84 flag to

Essendon with some of the best in-game coaching the game has seen, then what Alastair Clarkson delivered in 2008 was a master class in terms of preparation, planning and game-day execution. His 15-player rolling defensive structure, known as ‘Clarkson’s Cluster’, had taken the Hawks into the Grand Final several years ahead of the club’s internal forecasts. But they weren’t given much chance to topple the Cats, the reigning champs who had lost one game and were living up to their self-declared billing as the ‘greatest team of all’. Clarkson believed in his game-plan. All he needed on the day of the game was one last piece of inspiration and he found it in The Age in a piece by Jake Niall likening Geelong to a shark. “… it has to be constantly moving to stay alive,” Niall wrote, so “Kill the Shark” became the theme of the day. And it worked. The Hawks stunned the Cats by 26 points in one of the great Grand Final boilovers and thanks in part to some of the best Grand Final coaching and strategising the game has seen.

HEATH SHAW’S SMOTHER 2010

u The 2010 Collingwood-St Kilda Grand Final

ended in a draw after a cruel bounce of the ball denied Saint Stephen Milne what might have been a walk-in, match-winning goal. The Pies, thanks to Mick Malthouse’s “It’s only half-time” messaging, appeared to handle the second Grand Final week that bit better, and St Kilda’s resistance might have been broken before quarter-time of the replay a week later. Collingwood led by 14 points with less than six minutes remaining, but the first genuine scoring chance for the Saints presented itself when Adam Schneider steamed forward and kicked long to Nick Riewoldt, seemingly alone in the goalsquare. Riewoldt turned and loped into what he thought would be the opening goal and a kick-starter for the Saints, only for Heath Shaw to sprint up behind him and smother the ball. “Wonderful chase by Heath Shaw. He came up behind him like a librarian,” deadpanned Dennis Cometti on the TV commentary. But it was no laughing matter for the Saints. By 2010, defensive acts had become a huge part of the game and a real measurable and, in the white-hot glare of a Grand Final, there were few better than that by the enigmatic No. 39 for Collingwood.

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IN THE NICK OF TIME: Magpie Heath Shaw pulls of the smother of the century against Saint Nick Riewoldt.

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AFL RECORD TOP 10 GRAND FINAL PERFORMERS

COAST-TO-COAST EAGLES 2018

u Want to know why AFL

DEADEYE DOM: Dom Sheed capped off 30 seconds of Eagles magic with his match-winning goal in 2018.

teams spend countless hours working on set plays and drills? The answer is the dying minutes of the 2018 Grand Final. Down by two points with 2min 38sec to play, West Coast defender Jeremy McGovern took a contested mark inside defensive 50, then played on immediately. He found Nathan Vardy just short of the wing, who also played on and kicked long to half-forward where Liam Ryan took a brilliant, contested mark over two Collingwood defenders. He also played on and found Dom Sheed who marked in the forward pocket.

PIECE DE RESISTANCE: Dustin Martin shrugs off Patrick Dangerfield for a brilliant fourth goal to put the icing on the cake in 2020.

Was Magpie Brayden Maynard blocked out by Willie Rioli? Perhaps. But Sheed nevertheless capitalised on ball movement from one end of the ground to the other that was as good as you will ever see in a Grand Final when he coolly slotted home the goal from a tight angle to deliver the Eagles their fourth premiership. It was 30 seconds of magic. The perfect blend of instinct and game awareness, mixed with disciplined, team-oriented football. The intent was audacious and the execution flawless. The coaches laid out a blueprint and the players followed it to the letter.

‘DUSTY’S’ BIG NIGHT OUT 2020

u Dustin Martin’s first two Norm Smith

Medals were the joyous final acts of the 2017 and 2019 Grand Finals in which the Tigers were utterly dominant. As well as he played, the Tigers probably would have won just as comfortably had he limped off with a hamstring injury in the opening few minutes. But it was a different story last year under the bright lights at the Gabba. The Tigers trailed Geelong by 22 points into time-on of the second term and they needed a spark. Martin duly provided it. A fend-off goal gave the Tigers some life and made the Cats a bit jittery coming into half-time. After that, it was all Richmond. Martin trickled through a checkside goal to give the Tigers a two-point lead at three-quarter time and, as they powered away in the final term, he added two more, including an incredible snap from the boundary line while fending off Patrick Dangerfield, of all people. His stat line was 21 disposals, five clearances and four goals and a third Norm Smith Medal and never in its 31-year history has the vote been so straightforward. The best player in the game had saved his most complete performance for the biggest game there is.

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FITNESS FANATIC: Hawthorn Team of the Century wingman Brendan Edwards (pictured right pointing to the board) pioneered the Hawks’ circuit training model that drove the club to its first two premierships – in 1961 and 1971.

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Brendan Edwards was a driving force behind Hawthorn’s ascension to a premiership powerhouse with his single-minded approach to fitness and preparation. ASHLEY BROWNE n the famous old days of footy recruiting where the early bird would catch the worm, when first in was best dressed, and brown paper bags stuffed with cash and other enticements were the norm, every club can boast of their Sliding Doors moment, a ‘what if’ that might have changed their destiny. At Hawthorn, it was the recruitment of exciting midfielder Brendan Edwards in 1956. North Melbourne was keen. But the Hawks were quicker and smarter. Had they not been, they might not have won their first premiership in 1961 and it is doubtful they would have won their second in 1971 either. The influence of Edwards, a man ahead of his time, was profound. Edwards was a standout footballer with Bendigo League powerhouse Sandhurst. He is often lumped in with the best footballers to have come from that part of central Victoria, but he was a Gippsland product and grew up in Koo Wee Rup. It was only because he attended teachers’ college in Bendigo that he ended up at Sandhurst where he was a teammate of Graham Arthur, who had joined Hawthorn the year before. He was always on the Hawks’ radar because of Arthur and because former star Kevin Curran had moved to Bendigo to run a hotel. But when some North Melbourne officials arrived in town in late 1955, the situation became that bit more urgent. In an interview with the AFL Record this year, just days

before he passed away, Edwards recalled events over just a couple of hours – his Sliding Doors moment – that ensured he ended up at Glenferrie Oval and not Arden St, thus ensuring his special place in Hawthorn’s history. “He (Curran) rang the teachers’ college to find out where I was. They said I was out on a teaching round, so I ended up discussing it with him on the phone,” he said. “What the North guys did wrong was to make inquiries about where they could find me. So, Kevin, being as switched on as he was, thought, ‘I’d better slip into gear here,’ which he did, so I met him at the tram station and signed the Form Four (the agreement that bound him to the Hawks).” Edwards arrived at Hawthorn the following year and walked into a club that was being transformed. The Hawks were cellar-dwellers for their first quarter of a century in the VFL, however, a group of brash and ambitious officials took charge and started to hit the mark with their recruiting. Former Carlton premiership rover Jack Hale was tough and demanding when he took over as coach in 1952 and he had an on-field leader cut from a similar cloth in John Kennedy. Edwards fitted in from the start and played nine games, mainly on the wing, in his debut season. By 1957, he was a regular senior player in the most special season yet, the first year Hawthorn made the finals. The Hawks beat Carlton in the first semi-final by 23 points, in a game best remembered – the result aside – for a ferocious hailstorm that engulfed the MCG at half-time. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 39

AFL RECORD BRENDAN EDWARDS

Melbourne was far too accomplished in the preliminary final a fortnight later. But the bar had been raised at Hawthorn and expectations thereafter would be high. By the end of his second season of League football, Edwards was already one of the Hawks’ best players. He finished second in the best and fairest and in his detailed match previews each Friday evening in The Herald, leading football writer Alf Brown regularly described Edwards as “fast, aggressive and courageous” and lauded his ability to kick well with both feet. It wasn’t just natural ability that made him an instant star. Because of his teaching background, Edwards was an early adopter of circuit training and it made him one of the fittest players in the competition. His ability to cover the ground and run out games, especially on the Glenferrie Oval mudheap, was notable. Edwards recalled Hale saying to him, “That didn’t do you any harm, son. Why don’t you get Graham Arthur and John Kennedy to do it with you next year?” In 1958 they did. And they took out the trifecta in the best and fairest, with Arthur winning it from Edwards and Kennedy. Hale was from the old school, but that didn’t mean he was inflexible. By 1959, circuit training was a mandatory requirement for every player at Hawthorn and Kennedy enthusiastically embraced it from 1960 when he replaced Hale as coach. The 1958 season also threw up the quirk of Edwards finishing second in the Brownlow Medal, two votes behind St Kilda’s Neil Roberts, while not winning the best and fairest. Edwards rated it his best season and reckons he was a bit stiff on Brownlow night as well. “The funny thing about that was that in 1957, Brian Gleeson, the St Kilda ruckman, won the Brownlow, but he never played another game,” he said. Indeed, Gleeson injured his knee in a practice match at the start of 1958, which ended his League career. “In 1958 if he did play, he would have taken a number of votes off Neil Roberts,” Edwards said.

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He was as hard as nails ... absolutely brutal in his approach to footy HAWTHORN GREAT DAVID PARKIN ON BRENDAN EDWARDS

“I don’t know many Brownlow medallists who won it one year and didn’t play the next.” Fellow Hawk – 2018 winner Tom Mitchell – is one after breaking his leg. Graham Moss, who quit Essendon to return home to Claremont after winning in 1976, is another. By 1960, the elements at Hawthorn had fallen into place. Kennedy was coach, Edwards, Arthur and dynamic full-forward John Peck were among the biggest names and best players in the game. The Hawks lost their first five games of the season before storming home to just miss the finals. Among their scalps in the second half of the year were grand finalists Collingwood and Melbourne. The win over the Magpies was historic, with Peck kicking the

match-winning goal after the final siren at Victoria Park. It meant that 35 years after joining the VFL, the Hawks had finally beaten every team in the competition at home and away. “It was an important one. It gave us a lot of confidence,” Edwards said. That feeling carried all through the summer and into 1961. Not even a shaky 4-4 start to the season seemed to dim Hawthorn’s confidence and, after a critical win at Geelong in round nine, the Hawks did not lose again for the rest of the season. Edwards was reported for striking South Melbourne’s Brian McGowan at the Lake Oval in round 11. He argued the contact was accidental while laying a shepherd and the Hawks called Channel Nine commentator and former Richmond

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star Jack Baggott as a supporting witness. It worked and Edwards was cleared. Despite being one of Hawthorn’s best players, Edwards missed out on state selection for the national carnival in Brisbane. He stayed home and starred in the important round 13 win over Melbourne, beating three opponents in a masterful display. Hawthorn’s last test before the finals came in round 17, the penultimate game of the home and away season. A massive crowd descended on Glenferrie Oval for the clash against St Kilda. Edwards had clashed heavily with St Kilda’s Leo Garlick in the first game between them that year and the Saints were after some vengeance and both Roberts and Eric Guy targeted him heavily.

AHEAD OF HIS TIME: Edwards was one of the fittest players in the competition, finishing runner-up to St Kilda’s Neil Roberts (inset) in the 1958 Brownlow Medal.

It was a brutal game, a forerunner of the clashes between the two clubs a decade later, but five goals to the home team in the first eight minutes of the final term secured top spot entering the finals. Up to 11 St Kilda players finished the game worse for wear and Roberts is one of many Saints from the time who believe any realistic hopes of winning the flag that year died in the Glenferrie mud. Chasing their first flag, the Hawks were the Cinderella story of the finals and the media bought into the hype. Edwards was one of the club’s most high-profile players and was pictured on the back page of the Sun News Pictorial the day before the second semi-final against Melbourne sharing breakfast with Arthur and Demons captain John Beckwith, vice-captain Ron Barassi and big man Bob Johnson. Edwards had 20 disposals in a torrid affair; the Hawks won by seven points, with Gary Young and John Fisher generally considered to be Hawthorn’s best. Edwards saved his best for the Grand Final. It was the stage he was made for. David Parkin was in his first year at the club and played just one game that season. But he was in awe of Edwards, who could be high maintenance and even a diva, but once he crossed the white line, as Parkin said, “He was as hard as nails. He wasn’t a flamboyant outside player who twisted and turned, he was absolutely brutal in his approach to footy and he set a standard in strength and endurance. “He wasn’t fast, not quick over the ground, but he had tremendous physical courage, was an enormous physical force and had terrific skills on both sides of his body. “I don’t remember Brendan going to ground. Perhaps to one knee, but he was never out of the play.” He needed all that superior fitness and more in the Grand Final against Footscray, which was played in fiercely warm conditions. In the lead-up to the game, Edwards took part in another cheesy photo opportunity, this time with a brown-and-gold clad toy panda in a panel-beating shop not far from Glenferrie Oval. But he was all business once the game started. He was the fittest player on the ground and it showed

when, after an error-filled first half which the Dogs led by eight points, the Hawks turned it on after half-time, kicking 10.7 to 2.4 to win by 43 points. Writing in The Sun, Lou Richards led the fulsome praise for Edwards who, with 30 kicks and three handballs, was the consensus best player on the ground. Not even a trademark shirtfront from Footscray champion Ted Whitten could put him off his game. “They tell me he was playing in the centre, but you could have fooled me and those 18 red, white and blue boys. Edwards was … all over the place,” Richards said. “And I didn’t agree that Bob Spargo needed a change out of the centre. Spargo got kicks, but unfortunately for Footscray, Edwards got two to his one. Exhaustion was the only thing that could have stopped the Hawks star on Saturday.” Kennedy lauded his team’s fitness when interviewed after the game. “It has been hard training, and it has brought us great dividends,” he said. It was only after Hawthorn’s win that other clubs started introducing circuit training and calisthenics into their own training programs. Remarkably, at 25, Edwards was the oldest player at Hawthorn. Even more remarkably, he retired shortly after the Grand Final. Within days of the premiership win, he had been “carpeted” by the Victorian Education Department for going on the club’s end-of-season trip to Surfers Paradise without permission. By this stage, he was a physical education teacher at Swinburne Technical College. Such was Edwards’ stardom, that a bevy of reporters were present outside his meeting with the department heads (one report described him as “nattily dressed”), so you can imagine the headlines early the next year when he announced his retirement from League football. Edwards was keen to branch out from teaching and to start a business based around his interest in circuit training and physical fitness. Reports suggested it was an open secret even before the Grand Final that it might be his last game for the club. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 41

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AFL RECORD BRENDAN EDWARDS The next year was full of comeback rumours. He trained with the Hawks on occasions, even though his main football commitment was as a Channel Seven panelist. He also came under fire for claiming that ‘dirty play’ was a reason behind his retirement, with Brown reporting in The Herald the following day that there was widespread surprise and disappointment with his remarks. There was even a brief dalliance with soccer. Edwards trained with leading Victorian club Juventus for several weeks. His speed and build, it was suggested, would make him useful as a defender in the round ball game. Wisely, he didn’t go through with his plans to change codes, but for soccer, back then still a minor player in the Melbourne sporting scene, the publicity was priceless and Edwards, one of the great self-promoters, was happy to play his part. Edwards did come back to Hawthorn in 1963. He played the first nine games of the season before suffering a dislocated knee against Richmond at Punt Rd. He didn’t play again for the rest of the season and watched forlornly as the Hawks lost the Grand Final to Geelong. Edwards believed he would have made a difference had he played, but given the Cats beat the Hawks by 38, 19 and 49 points in their subsequent meetings after their early-season drawn game, the gulf between the clubs was significant. Another knee strain in a practice game the following year marked the end for Edwards as a player,

which left him time to concentrate on his burgeoning career in the fitness industry and he opened his first fitness centre around that time in neighbouring Camberwell. But he was about to make another contribution to Hawthorn that many believe was equally significant, perhaps even more so than his on-field deeds as a player. ennedy had stepped down as coach after the Grand Final loss to the Cats because of a job transfer to Stawell in western Victoria. But he made a welcome return as coach in 1967, after three disappointing years for the club under Arthur and then Peter O’Donohue, which included the wooden spoon in 1965. His first order as coach was to get the Hawks fit once more. For whatever reasons (Arthur never quite embraced Edwards’ methods despite their close friendship), Hawthorn’s physical edge had disappeared but within weeks of Kennedy getting back to work, The Age ran a story outlining that the footballs would be flying from the resumption of pre-season training, rather than only a few weeks before the start of the practice games. It noted that Edwards was back at the club as a physical advisor. It was also reported that every player had received a 14-page dossier outlining the expectations at Hawthorn that year, one of which was they all needed to be “20 per cent fitter in order to justify a place in the Hawks senior team.” Hawthorn finished the season with a 5-13 record, the same as the year before.

It wasn’t scientific ... but it was fantastic for the mind STAR MIDFIELDER RAY WILSON ON THE HAWKS’ PRE-SEASON TORTURE SESSIONS

INFLUENTIAL: Edwards (above) was rated best on the ground in the Hawks’ historic first premiership in 1961, playing alongside great mate Graham Arthur (left), and was described by captain David Parkin (far left) as a “spiritual member” of the 1971 flag team.

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However, there was a sense of optimism with boom Tasmanian full-forward Peter Hudson kicking 57 goals in his debut season and youngsters Don Scott, Peter Crimmins, Ray Wilson, Bob Keddie, Ian Bremner and Des Meagher showing promise. But Kennedy was seeking an even greater edge and after that season he and Edwards hatched a plan. Former Hawthorn player Alan Woodley’s parents-in-law owned a property along Templestowe Rd in Bulleen that abutted the banks of the Yarra River. It had everything – flat patches of land, steep hills, trees, river crossings and rugged terrain. And all within a manageable drive from where the players lived. With Kennedy’s blessing – the great man often took part himself – Edwards devised a training regimen that the players would undertake every Wednesday and Saturday morning during the pre-season. It featured swinging cables across the river, a 250m winding gravel track, a brick circuit, pipes to crawl through, a hurdling circuit

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AFL RECORD BRENDAN EDWARDS

PHYSICAL EDGE: Under captain David Parkin and coach Johnn Kennedy, the 1971 premiership Hawks were the mentally-toughest team in the League, thanks to Edwards’ training regimen.

and other exercises that were generally compared with varying degrees of torture. The fitter players could knock it over in about an hour, the less-fit only wished they could. There was not a football in sight. Together with regular sessions at Edwards’ gym and a pre-season camp with legendary athletics coach Percy Cerutty on the beach at Portsea, these activities went a long way towards making Kennedy’s Hawks, or ‘Kennedy’s Commandos’ as they became known, the fittest, strongest and, by 1971, the mentally-toughest team in the League. “It wasn’t scientific. Modern-day sports scientists wouldn’t think that was ideal for the body, but it was fantastic for the mind,” said Wilson, one of Hawthorn’s premier midfielders of the time. “It took discipline to do it because it was unpleasant. Sand up and down your sweaty back was not very pleasant. “(But) It was one of a number of things that were very good at preparing what was then a young group of players. “We were very young, not physically strong, but we got a lot stronger, hence the Kennedy Commandos name. “Bricks in your hands doesn’t make your play better footy, but it’s better for the mind. And there

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Born: March 18, 1936 Died: May 10, 2021 Recruited from: Sandhurst (Vic) Debut: Round 1, 1956, v Collingwood Height: 178cm Weight: 75kg Games: 109 Goals: 29 Honours: 2nd Brownlow Medal 1958; best and fairest 1960; 2nd best and fairest 1957, 1958, 1959; 3rd best and fairest 1961. Brownlow Medal: career votes 54.

were no short cuts taken because someone was always watching.” Kennedy and Edwards were very different in outlook. “He liked what I did as a player,” Edwards said. “But he used to have a go at players like me because we had fast cars and glamorous girls. That wasn’t John.” Indeed, the staunchly Catholic Kennedy used to rail at his players for their cars, their girls and the “Brut under your arms”. But what united he and Edwards was their unshakable belief in the benefits of physical training. “Brendan had an enormous influence over John’s coaching. John had the belief and the philosophy that he wanted to develop,” Parkin said. “Brendan was the perfect leader and manager of a program that John absolutely believed in. John wasn’t a trained physical educator in any sense, but he saw what Brendan was able to do with his professional work and he adopted him and adopted his program.” The Bulleen training farm lasted only a few years and was surplus to needs by the 1971 season, which Hawthorn entered as physically fit and mentally prepared as any team ever. Hawthorn opened the season by handing Essendon its first opening round loss at Windy Hill for 41 years and ended 26 weeks later

He used to have a go at players like me because we had fast cars and glamourous girls ... BRENDAN EDWARDS ON COACH JOHN KENNEDY

with the club’s second premiership, a seven-point win over St Kilda in the Grand Final, having come from 20 points down in the final term to win one of the nastiest, most brutal flag deciders of all. The Hawks lost just three games for the year. Many Hawks of the time remain convinced that the physical and mental growth achieved through those early-morning torture sessions, spent grinding up and down the hills, the water, the sand and the mud of Bulleen, benefitted the club for years afterwards. And especially at three-quarter time of the 1971 Grand Final when, famously, even Kennedy had given up hope and asked his players to at least go down fighting. “During that decade there was no doubt about the level of confidence that we had and a fearfulness of us that the others had,” Parkin said, when asked about the influence Edwards had on Hawthorn’s first two premiership teams. “I have no doubt that the ’61 side was nowhere as talented as the other finalists, Footscray, St Kilda and Melbourne. “His aim was to make us bigger, stronger, faster with more flexible bodies, no doubt about that. “He took Hawthorn players to a new level that nobody had ever seen and had attempted to match and, when I look back now, it was brutal in its impact.” For much of the 1970s, Edwards was a well-known figure in Melbourne. He operated three swish multi-purpose fitness centres in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, which revolutionised that industry. He was also a co-host and judge on the TV show Almost Anything Goes, in which teams would take part in various semi-athletic challenges that usually involved greasy poles, water cannons, lots of elastic and swimming pools. Barassi also served as a judge on the show. He moved to the Gold Coast in the 1980s, and for a time was the fitness advisor for the Brisbane Bears. But he remained a passionate Hawk and a popular and regular attendee at the various 1961 premiership reunions. He was a spiritual, if not actual, member of the 1971 team as well, and he was mourned by many at Hawthorn when he passed away on May 10 this year, aged 85. “In terms of both the game’s history and Hawthorn’s, he was a unique human being,” Parkin said.

@hashbrowne

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AFL.GIFT

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

BEST of the

BEST FINALS WEEK 3

MELBOURNE v GEELONG

Optus Stadium, September 10, 2020

u The preliminary final weekend was

MAX GAWN KEY STATS GOALS 5 HIT-OUTS 33 DISPOSALS 19 CLEARANCES 5 TACKLES

one to remember for Melbourne. Having failed at the penultimate hurdle at Perth’s Optus Stadium in 2018, its demons were exorcised at the very same venue in devastating fashion. The Demons demolished Geelong from start to finish, winning by 83 points to advance to their first Grand Final since 2000, and providing them with a golden opportunity to break a 57-year premiership drought. One of the chief destroyers for Melbourne was captain Max Gawn. The All-Australian skipper returned a career-best five-goal haul, including four in a dazzling third term, along with 33 hit-outs, 19 disposals and five tackles. It was a display that resonated with former Melbourne captain and club great Garry Lyon. “Max Gawn had one of the great, great finals, and one of the most extraordinary quarters in a final that you are likely to see,” Lyon said on SEN. “It was just ridiculous what he was doing.” Port Adelaide premiership player Kane Cornes was also amazed by Gawn’s performance. “It was such a complete game, it was all facets,” Cornes said. “You speak a lot about the five goals, but I was equally impressed by his defensive tackling and going back to man up Tom Hawkins to play as a defender. “He just has a full all-round game now. Talk about a shock, seeing a big ruckman do that.” ANDREW SLEVISON

46 AFL RECORD

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2001: THE START OF IT ALL

Essendon and by plenty. That was the almost unanimous consensus as the 2001 AFL season got underway. Six months later, the premiership cup was sitting in a Gabba trophy cabinet and arguably the greatest dynasty of modern times was just getting started. Four of the Brisbane Lions premiership stars – Craig McRae, Luke Power, Brad Scott and Marcus Ashcroft – walk ASHLEY BROWNE through an incredible season. Essendon finished the 2000 season five games clear on top of the ladder and won its three finals by an average of more than 12 goals. Brisbane finished in sixth place and lost its first semi-final to Carlton by 82 points. The Lions had a talented list, but appeared miles off a premiership. CRAIG McRAE: They (Essendon) had an edge on the competition and we were all playing catch-up. LUKE POWER: 2000 might have been the season we needed to have. We had to lift our standards to another level. BRAD SCOTT: We faced some challenges. It was still hard for us to win in Melbourne. But we weren’t talking about building up to beat

ARGF p48-54 2001 BL Feature.indd 49

Essendon or Carlton; we had a whole lot of development to do ourselves. MARCUS ASHCROFT: Leigh (coach Leigh Matthews) was all over us to have a really good off-season. But we also had a good, hard look at ourselves to see what we stood for as a team. That summer was a really big one and the training and the level of professionalism we went to set us up for a really good season. The Lions offered more of the same at the start of 2001. There was little indication of what was to come later in the year. POWER: We were pretty inconsistent, until the game that everyone talks about against Carlton at Princes Park (in round eight).

Know your role, accept your role, play your role ...

CRAIG McRAE

LUKE POWER

LIONS COACH LEIGH MATTHEWS’ MANTRA

9/14/21 8:50 AM

AFL RECORD DAWNING OF A DYNASTY The Blues got hold of Brisbane again, this time by 74 points. There was no wall-to-wall SEN talkback in 2001, nor social media, but the Lions, with a 4-4 record and seventh on the ladder, were hammered after that game and labelled as serial underachievers. McRAE: I remember this period vividly. It wasn’t a line-in-the-sand moment, but Leigh got everyone in on the Monday. We’d been beaten by a team that was a bit less talented, but had more desire. He said we needed more role players. ASHCROFT: He referenced the individual Carlton players and how they played their role in the team and that the result came because everyone there pulled in the right direction. And then he brought it back to us. If we don’t play our role and every individual doesn’t do what’s right for the team, then we won’t have much success. SCOTT: This was the genius of Leigh. We had so much talent, but this is when he rammed home the concept of ‘know your role, accept your role and play your role’. And the accepting part was by far the most important. The Lions lost again the next week to Adelaide, by just five points. But Matthews then delved into his bag of tricks, with the unbeaten Bombers coming into town. His “if it bleeds, we can kill it line,” borrowed from Predator, set the scene for the game that reshaped Brisbane’s season. His video presentation ahead of the match featured vision of Essendon players bleeding. McRAE: We had moments in the past where we believed we could beat anyone, but this reinforced what could happen if we all played our role. ASHCROFT: It seems like yesterday. We know that when Leigh spoke, it hit home to everyone and we knew what he was trying to say. There was this steely resolve on the back of two weeks before, we were playing a team that was unbeatable and it felt like a challenge we had been building towards for a while. SCOTT: We’re quick to label teams as the greatest ever, but that was the tag Essendon carried. He simply went through their team and went through it one by one. ‘‘‘Lynchy’, (Alastair Lynch) can you beat Dustin Fletcher? ‘Vossy’ (Michael Voss), can you beat …?’ He went through them one by one. He listed them in terms of age

50 AFL RECORD

MARCUS ASHCROFT

IF IT BLEEDS, WE CAN KILL IT: A young Jonathan Brown and Darryl White in the Lions’ famous 2001 win over the unbeaten Essendon (bottom); Bombers skipper James Hird (inset), who ironically suffered a gashed head in that game.

and games played and we were just as experienced and as mature. Matthews was right, the Bombers did bleed and the Lions won by 28 points. It was just Essendon’s second loss in 35 games. ASHCROFT: What the result did was reinforce Leigh’s message from two weeks before about knowing, accepting and playing your role. To see it come to fruition and beat a genuine team, the confidence and belief meant that we were going to be hard to stop for a very long time. POWER: Over the next few weeks, we played some of our best footy for the season.

BRAD SCOTT

SCOTT: In a three-week period, Leigh had proven to us what he wanted us to do. We had a very specific plan, we were happy to deliver it to the opposition, but it was ‘come beat us’. McRAE: The belief grew and with that the possibilities of what might happen. Matthews’ motivational ploy didn’t just inspire the Lions, it brought out the fans. Some 36,149 packed in for the Essendon game, the largest to that stage for an AFL match at the Gabba. SCOTT: It was a pivotal moment. I really felt from that night that

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AFL RECORD DAWNING OF A DYNASTY

2002: TWO IN A ROW

people were supporting us and that this was a one-team town. The Brisbane Lions are Brisbane’s team. We are not that sentimental second team for everyone. POWER: It started to grab the attention of the people up there. We started to work our way from 10 pages back in the paper to the back page and the Gabba started to fill up. It will be looked back upon as a really important time for the code. The Lions skated through the rest of the home and away season without losing. Heading into the finals, their narrowest win was by 21 points over North Melbourne at Docklands. ASHCROFT: When you get on a roll like that, the level of expectation grows, so it’s more relief each week that you get it done. When you get to the top of the pile, everyone wants to bring you down.

52 AFL RECORD

2003: THREE-PEAT

PIVOTAL MOMENT: Skipper Michael Voss, coach Leigh Matthews and Jonathan Brown in full voice after the defining round 10 win over Essendon; and (below) Voss celebrates at the final siren of the triumphant 2001 Grand Final.

POWER: Once you get a run-on, it starts to build belief in the group. We always had the players to compete against any team in the competition, but the most important thing was to have someone to make us function as a team and Leigh was the most important person. SCOTT: If we were so confident that we could beat Essendon, then we knew we could beat anyone and that’s how we played. There was supreme confidence – not arrogance – that everyone was going to do what they needed to for the team, not for themselves. And it helped that we were entering our prime years. We had played enough to cement our place in the team, but were still young enough and fresh. It was enjoyable. We were in great shape and we felt like we belonged. McRAE: I think what separated us from the other teams at the time was our core group of players. We

had 16 who played in the three premierships (2001-03). We had so many leaders across every line and they were driving standards. On preliminary final night, Brisbane thrashed Richmond by 68 points at the Gabba to win through to its first Grand Final. POWER: We had only one player, Martin Pike, who had been through it with North Melbourne, but we had Leigh who had been there as a player and coach with his famous saying to ‘put yourself in the bubble.’ ASHCROFT: I was really excited because we’d never been there before. But we were playing Essendon and they were such a good side we still felt like the underdogs. But we were all really keen to enjoy the week and enjoy the ride. SCOTT: Leigh got on the front foot at the Monday press conference. And that gave us such confidence. There is such a sense of the unknown, but Leigh knew what Grand Final week was all about. He detailed it all. ‘Here’s what you get done on Monday. By Tuesday, phones off. No more tickets.’ Nothing was left to chance and was clearly laid out. And we were to stick to our Melbourne routine when we got there. For Brad and twin brother Chris, that meant a round of golf at The National Golf Club the day before the game, rather than take part in the Grand Final Parade. SCOTT: What was important was to do what you normally do to prepare for a game. If the whole team did it, it would have been a disaster, but it was only Chris and I who did that. It wasn’t like anyone was going to miss us. Nobody would have known, except that Chris won the competition at The National. But walking the six kilometres the day before the game was mentally freeing and completely took our minds off footy. It was better than sitting around all day and twiddling our thumbs. ASHCROFT: Those guys had done it all year and there was no need to change it. It wasn’t spoken about among the group, because that’s just what they did. SCOTT: In the years post that, and not just because of the AFL mandate, Leigh told us the parade was something we really ought to do. Such was the aura about Essendon, it went into the Grand Final as favourite, even though

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AFL RECORD DAWNING OF A DYNASTY the Lions were in better form and, unlike the Bombers, took 22 fit players into the game. After an even first quarter, Essendon took control and led by 14 points at half-time. McRAE: Watching the game back, I didn’t realise how far behind we were. It was a significant margin. But we’d had this belief instilled into to us that we were the best second-half team in the competition. POWER: We knew in the back of our mind that they’d played a close preliminary final the week before in warm conditions, had a couple of players that weren’t travelling well and that we had a fit list. SCOTT: We didn’t sniff a live kill. They were out there playing and they were good enough to be three goals up at half-time. But we had built a body of work where we were going to keep coming. ASHCROFT: It’s funny. If you look back at the photos from that day, the Queensland-based team is the one that came off the ground with sunburn. It was a 26-degree day and it felt just like home. Indeed, the second half played out as the Lions had planned. They kicked 6.2 to 1.2 in the third term and then cruised home to win by 24 points. HOMECOMING: Lions fans flocked to the Brunswick St Oval the day after the 2001 Grand Final.

McRAE: Leigh’s theory of goals behinds versus minutes left meant we couldn’t really enjoy those last few minutes. You do start to think of the outcome rather than the process, but I’ll never forget it. SCOTT: You could finally let everything go. I’ve got goosebumps now thinking about it. When I finished with Brisbane, I went to Collingwood and then to North Melbourne and my investment was always where I was at the time, so this is the first time I have spoken at length about it. All those cliches come to mind. It was a dream come true. The premiership cup was headed to Queensland, which made it extra special for those who had done the hard yards for the code. Ashcroft was a holdover from the days of the ‘bad old Bears’, who used to play in front of a few thousand fans at Carrara – mostly there with free tickets. ASHCROFT: I was extremely proud because I played all my footy on the Gold Coast and then went to Brisbane and played with the Bears and Lions. I only played Aussie Rules by chance when I was a kid because the ground was across the road from my school in Surfers Paradise. After that Grand Final, I flew around regional

SELF-BELIEF: Chris Scott marks in front of Scott Lucas as the Lions overran the Bombers in the 2001 Grand Final.

Queensland to show off the cup and we had a ticker-tape parade in the Brisbane Mall. We had established the game in Queensland that they now called their own and that gave me immense pride. For the Fitzroy supporters who chose to follow the club under the Brisbane Lions umbrella, it was also a special moment. Fitzroy’s last flag came in 1944. POWER: I was always mindful of that when I went out to play. We used to go to all the Fitzroy games, whether at Victoria Park, Princes Park or the Whitten Oval – they used to move around a fair bit. Me and my brothers used to have a kick on the ground after games in our Fitzroy jumpers, so it was significant for me. I didn’t want it to become too emotional, but I certainly enjoyed taking the cup back to the Brunswick St Oval and seeing the looks on the faces of people who had grown up supporting Fitzroy all their lives. To see how happy and fulfilled they were was pretty special for me. @hashbrowne

54 AFL RECORD

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The Essential First Step.

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

SUSTAINED

PERFORMER

BAILEY SMITH BULLDOG AHEAD OF THE REST

Opponents can’t catch this pup u With his long mane flowing freely

each time he charges at the footy, it’s not too difficult to spot rising Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith. And as opposition teams will attest over this finals series, Smith and his locks have been flying all over the field. In the Bulldogs’ three finals wins over Essendon, the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide, the 20-year-old is averaging 23 disposals a game. But he is also impacting the scoreboard, kicking eight goals in that hot streak, including four in the Bulldogs’ 71-point thrashing of the Power in the preliminary final.

Talk about a sustained performer – he is doing it all, be it around the packs or in front of goal. Smith has also been a model of consistency in terms of his fitness and preparation. He has not missed a match since making his debut in the opening round of 2019, playing 66 games on the trot. This week, he is lining up for his sixth finals appearance on the biggest stage of all – the 2021 Grand Final. The Bulldogs invested wisely in Smith, selecting the then 17-year-old as the No. 7 pick overall in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.

They were looking to add class to their array of inside ball-winners, and the skilful and hard-running playmaker has proven that and more. Smith played his junior football for East Malvern and still maintains close links to the club. An Xavier College graduate, he played his under-18 football with Sandringham Dragons and starred for Vic Metro at the 2018 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, making the All-Australian team. Now he is just one game – and one win – away from living every youngster’s dream to become a premiership player.

u FACT FILE

Born: Dec 7, 2000 Recruited from: East Malvern (Vic)/ Xavier College (Vic)/ Old Xavs (Vic)/ Sandringam U18 Debut: Round 1, 2019, v Sydney Height: 185cm Weight: 86kg Games: 66 Goals: 34 Brownlow Medal: career votes 7.

BORN TO RUN: Brilliant young Bulldog Bailey Smith has set the 2021 finals series alight.

56 AFL RECORD

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ARGF p58-62 Famous GF Subs.indd 58

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istory will be made this year when the first Grand Final medi-subs are unveiled, but between 2011-15, substitute players were a regular part of the game. ANDREW SLEVISON recalls the impact some of them had.

ollowing a five-year hiatus, the AFL reintroduced substitutes for season 2021. Between 2011 and 2015, the ‘sub rule’ allowed clubs to tactically include a player in the match-day 22 who they felt could make a difference at some stage of the game. But it did come at the expense of a teammate. The new rule extends the interchange bench to five players with one unable to play a part until a match-ending injury or concussion is sustained by a teammate. So it brings about a case of fortune (or misfortune depending

on who you are), rather than considered planning. Across 198 matches in this home and away season – and 396 opportunities for it to be used – the medical sub was implemented on 199 occasions. This tells us there is a 50 per cent chance that the two medi-subs in the 2021 Grand Final will get a run. When it was purely about tactics, there was a much higher proportion of subs used. Now it’s on a needs-only basis in the event of a mishap. The last time we saw a sub grace the field on Grand Final day was in 2015 when Hawthorn comfortably accounted for West Coast at the MCG.

PLAYING HIS PART: Matthew Suckling was the last premiership sub in 2015 and quickly joined in the Hawks’ celebrations.

I suited the sub role pretty well MATTHEW SUCKLING

For the victorious Hawks, Matthew Suckling replaced big man David Hale in the third quarter and went on to contribute with a telling goal from his eight disposals as his side completed a remarkable three-peat. Suckling knows intimately the feelings experienced by a Grand Final sub. Having featured in all but one home and away game that year, he provided an impact in three finals before the big day. He kicked two goals in the preliminary final win over Fremantle in Perth, including a monster bomb after the three-quarter time siren which gave his side a 17-point buffer.

GRAND FINAL SUBS YEAR

PREMIER

SUB

REPLACED

RUNNER-UP

SUB

REPLACED

2011

Geelong

Mitch Duncan

James Podsiadly

Collingwood

Alex Fasolo

Jarryd Blair

2012

Sydney

Luke Parker

Shane Mumford

Hawthorn

Shane Savage

Xavier Ellis

2013

Hawthorn

Jonathan Simpkin

Max Bailey

Fremantle

Lachie Neale

Zac Clarke

2014

Hawthorn

Taylor Duryea

Cyril Rioli

Sydney

Craig Bird

Jake Lloyd

2015

Hawthorn

Matthew Suckling

David Hale

West Coast

Matt Rosa

Callum Sinclair

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AFL RECORD SUPER SUBS

After that, he could be forgiven for feeling a little harshly done by when learning his fate for the final act of 2015. But he understood coach Alastair Clarkson’s reasoning. “I found out just before the Grand Final Parade on the Friday morning,” he told the AFL Record. “I think it was just due to the quality of the side we had at Hawthorn at that time. “‘Clarko’ gave me the tap on the shoulder just before we shot off to the parade. “I had been playing multiple roles and, come Grand Final day, I suited the sub role pretty well, being that I could play forward, back or wing.” Suckling knew he would get a chance on the day. It was just a matter of when. He was also acutely aware of the strength of a side that had been without the season’s leading goalkicker Jack Gunston for the semi-final and preliminary final due to an ankle injury. With the quality around him, he simply needed to play his role. “I wouldn’t say there was any real disappointment,” he said. “I knew it was a really important role to play and I was happy to play anywhere. “On that front, we had a really good side, plus Jack Gunston had come back in for the Grand Final.”

60 AFL RECORD

In Suckling’s mind, the greater good was for Hawthorn to win the flag, not for him to be the hero. The Hawks had enough of those at the time. “I sort of had the best seat in the house for the most part,” he recalled. “The boys put on a show. I remember it was mid-30 degrees and guys were coming off just absolutely exhausted. “(Norm Smith medallist) Cyril (Rioli) and ‘Hodgey’ (captain Luke Hodge) were really playing well and we put a good gap on West Coast. “I seriously think I had the best seat in the house knowing that it was looking positive the whole day and I was going to get to run out at some stage and enjoy it. “That was a surreal feeling. It came to fruition coming on in the third quarter when the game was probably out of reach for West Coast and being able to run around, get involved and feel pretty free.” Suckling made an immediate impact after replacing Hale late in the third term. It came in the form of a customary left-foot snap to give the Hawks an unassailable 50-point lead. The memories remain vivid to this day. “I ran on with a heap of energy and was missed on a lead. It went out of bounds and then I kicked a goal with my first touch,” he said.

LATE TO THE PARTY: Taylor Duryea (left) and Jonathan Simpkin (holding the cup, right) both tasted premiership success with the Hawks as the sub.

I had the best seat in the house SUCKLING

“It felt pretty good to get involved on the scoreboard and I enjoyed it in that respect. “I suppose in a Grand Final you never totally feel safe, you’re always on edge. It wasn’t until the latter stages of the last quarter that it was really enjoyable.” Looking at it in isolation, you could assume Suckling was lucky to be along for the ride to experience the highs of a second successive premiership. What some might forget is the preceding lows he endured. Being on the wrong side of a Grand Final result hit hard before injury struck, denying him glory with his mates as Hawthorn’s golden run started in 2013. “Playing in the 2012 Grand Final and losing to Sydney, then missing with an ACL in 2013, made 2014 and 2015 pretty special,” Suckling said. “I felt I had been in and around it so often and it was just nice to have a medal around your neck. “Because you’re so competitive with your mates and you see them getting their third and you’re only getting your second, it’s a weird feeling, but really, really special. I look back on it now with fond memories.” Before Suckling’s sub day in the sun, Taylor Duryea (2014) and Jonathan Simpkin (2013) tasted success having started Grand Final day sporting the luminous green

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AFL RECORD SUPER SUBS vest before donning the brown and gold. In the case of Duryea, it raises some unique parallels with Suckling worth noting. Both Duryea and Suckling hail from country New South Wales. Both are neat left-foot kicks who do their best work off half-back. Both won two flags with the Hawks, one each as a sub. Both moved on to play with the Western Bulldogs. “We’ve had a similar trajectory in our careers. We’re both from New South Wales, we’re both left-footed and we bonded pretty early,” Suckling said of the relationship. “We’re still really close mates. When I did my knee in 2013, he debuted in round three and went from there. “We sit back now and look at it and we’ve both been the sub in a Grand Final, we’ve both played in two premierships and we were both at the Dogs.”

He was the perfect impact player SUCKLING ON 2013 SUB JONATHAN SIMPKIN

Suckling missed out in 2016 but Duryea is a chance to win a third premiership medal on Saturday. Simpkin’s story in particular is footy folklore. Well, perhaps it’s more of a heroic Hawks anecdote, but it’s intriguing nonetheless. He had crossed from Geelong, via Sydney, after failing to break through and the shift between enemy outfits proved a masterstroke. Six days before the 2013 Grand Final, Simpkin starred for Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate Box Hill as it won the flag. Having played the sub role to perfection at times during the season, the midfielder-forward was called up to replace the injured Brendan Whitecross for what was his 18th AFL appearance. “He (Simpkin) was always someone that came into the side as a perfect sub,” Suckling said.

62 AFL RECORD

“He could just get involved in the game and go and accumulate possessions really well. “He was the perfect little impact player to have. He did a great job on Grand Final day.” Geelong’s Mitch Duncan was the first premiership sub in 2011. The then 20-year-old came on to replace injured key forward James Podsiadly in the second quarter and played an important role, kicking a team-lifting goal from 50m when the Cats were trailing Collingwood during the third term. To the older generation, any discussion about subs is quite normal. It’s been a regular part of the game even if in a different form. There is a trendsetter, a pioneer, the original pin-up boy, if you will, of subs. His name is Ted Hopkins and he will go down in history as the most prolific 19th man we’ve seen on the big stage. It happened in the 1970 Grand Final. Carlton trailed Collingwood by 44 points at half-time and in a bid to breathe life into proceedings, legendary coach Ron Barassi swung a surprise change. Hopkins replaced Bert Thornley and kicked three third-quarter goals as the Blues piled on seven in 11 minutes. He added a fourth in the final term as Barassi’s Blues claimed the flag on a day that was coined “the birth of modern football”. Hopkins’ career finished on just 29 games, but he will be forever remembered for his deeds on that day. While acting as the substitute may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and the most recent cases haven’t overly impacted the final outcome, there is hope they can have a major say for their team. It may only be a tiny window of opportunity, but who will grasp the chance in this year’s concluding piece of the 2021 puzzle? Impact or not, as long as their team wins, it won’t matter to them. The result will be a treasured flag for their club. That is why they play. Throw in the added honour of becoming the first 23rd man medi-sub in history to receive a premiership medal and it will be a role worth reminiscing in years to come.

HISTORY-MAKERS: Mitch Duncan was the first premiership sub in 2011, while Ted Hopkins (below) was the original ‘super sub’ in 1970.

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

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ONE you can count on

FIVE KEYS TO HEALTHY LIVING:

DR ROSS WALKER

ith the coronavirus still affecting thousands of Australians and plunging more than half of the country into lockdown, this is no time to put on the COVID kilos and to allow this temporary situation to exacerbate mental health problems. Although I believe vaccination is the main way out of our current dilemma, more than ever, it is vitally important we practice healthy lifestyle principles. These will not only allow our immune systems to cope with the virus if we are exposed, but following these principles also reduces your risk for all other modern diseases.

1 QUIT ALL ADDICTIONS u You cannot be healthy and smoke,

drink too much alcohol or use illegal drugs. But there is good evidence that drinking in moderation has a reasonable health benefit if you combine this with all the other lifestyle principles. For example, two major studies from Europe, the Copenhagen Heart Study and another study of 36,000 Frenchmen showed that two standard drinks a day, combined with a healthy diet, reduced the risk for cancer and heart disease by around 50 per cent. Most Australians do not

RARING TO GO: The Demons are looking fit and healthy as they prepare for the Grand Final.

even know what a standard drink is. A lot of people have a can of beer, which is usually around 4.8 per cent alcohol, without realising that is 1.4 standard drinks.

2 CULTIVATE A HEALTHY SLEEPING PATTERN u Seven to eight hours of sleep every

night is as good for your body as not smoking. Simple tips are to have regular sleeping times. Go to bed in the evening and then wake up in the morning at consistent times, regardless of whether it is a working day or the weekend. Sleep in a cool, dark room and remove all electronics from the bedroom, including the television.

3 FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET u Eat two to three pieces of fruit and

three to five servings of vegetables a day (e.g. one serving is half a standard carrot). Minimise your intake of what I term “white death” which is sugar, white bread, pasta, potatoes and, to a lesser extent, rice.

4 HAVE REGULAR EXERCISE u The second-best drug on the planet

is three to five hours every week of moderate exertion. This alone reduces your risk for heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and

diabetes by 30 per cent, osteoporosis by 50 per cent, and it drops your blood pressure and you sleep better. There are no pharmaceutical preparations known that come anywhere near the benefits of regular exercise.

5 HAPPINESS u There is no doubt that the best drug

on the planet is happiness. With all of the mental health issues created by lockdown, this is an important time to work on your own internal happiness and realise that our current situation is temporary.

Following all of these principles to the best of your ability reduces your risk for all modern diseases by 70 to 80 per cent. If you are really serious about your health, realise that it is your responsibility and that healthy lifestyle principles are four to five times more powerful than anything a doctor can do for you.

Dr Ross Walker is an eminent practising cardiologist with a passion for people and health with 40 years’ experience as a clinician. For the past 20 years he has been focusing on preventative cardiology and is one of Australia’s leading preventative health experts. Considered one of the world’s best keynote speakers and life coaches, he is the author of seven best-selling books and a regular health presenter in the Australian media. ONE Classic Lager – a beer you can count on to help moderate your consumption.

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AFL RECORD JIMMY BARTEL | NORM SMITH MEDALLIST 2011

MAN FOR THE MOMENT: Jimmy Bartel proudly shows off his Norm Smith and premiership medals won in the 2011 Grand Final.

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the

Medal Man There have been few better big-game players than former Geelong star Jimmy Bartel. This time 10 years ago, he lit up the Grand Final stage and claimed the Norm Smith Medal as the Cats downed Collingwood in a classic encounter. LAURENCE ROSEN

ootball is blessed to be able to honour and recognise its champions in the manner and distinction they deserve every September. While only one side is crowned premier each year, the litany of awards recognising the game’s best are wide-ranging, with each honour touching on a different aspect of excellence. These remain unusual times – in footy and across society generally – but there’s a certain comfort that, despite the challenges faced in the past two seasons, the game has found a way to press on and still recognise achievements, more recently combining several award nights to create a made-for-television event which has captivated fans, albeit at a distance. But there is a certain uniqueness and prestige to the Norm Smith Medal that remains unmatched, even compared with football’s highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal.

Since I’ve retired, I’ve reflected on it more fondly JIMMY BARTEL

While the Brownlow recognises the best player in the game – no matter their team’s overall success – the Norm Smith Medal is almost always won by a player on the winning team on Grand Final day, with some notable exceptions. Only Maurice Rioli (1982), Gary Ablett snr (1989), Nathan Buckley (2002) and Chris Judd (2005) have won the award despite being part of the losing Grand Final team, elevating their stature despite their side’s overall performance on the day. One man who knows more than a thing or two about excelling at the highest level is Geelong great Jimmy Bartel, one of only seven players to win both a Brownlow and Norm Smith Medal, together with Buckley, Judd, Greg Williams, James Hird, Simon Black and Dustin Martin. While it’s almost impossible to distinguish which award is more prestigious, Bartel knows that winning the Norm Smith Medal after Geelong defeated Collingwood in the 2011 Grand Final will live on as one of the

crowning achievements of his glittering career. “If you pick one (award) over the other, it feels like you’re disrespecting the other one,” he said. “I think the most pleasing part of both is I feel they both contributed to Geelong premierships. “In 2007 (when he won the Brownlow), I was part of that ride that helped break the premiership drought and it felt like I helped us along the way to get into the position of winning one and, then of course with the Norm Smith, it’s good to know that you played well on the big day.” Bartel’s performance in the 2011 decider will live long in the memory of Cats fans. While he found the ball 26 times as well as kicking three goals on footy’s biggest stage, he admits he didn’t know in the moment of battle that he was set to be crowned a Norm Smith medallist by the end of the day. “You don’t really know that you’re going to be the winner,” he said. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 67

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AFL RECORD JIMMY BARTEL | NORM SMITH MEDALLIST 2011

“In 2011, the game was still in the balance and Collingwood were such a good side so you’re just so narrowed in. “I know a lot of football supporters and followers would be thinking ‘that’s so cliché’, but you do get so compartmentalised in that moment. “It wasn’t until (then AFL media manager) Patrick Keane came up to me when I was hugging Tom Lonergan and told me that they were going to present me with the Norm Smith Medal and to get your head around it.

68 AFL RECORD

“Obviously at the time everyone was watching and I still couldn’t get my head around it and I’d forgotten about it two seconds later. “It wasn’t until I heard my name called out by (former Essendon star) Michael Long up on stage – I used to love watching him play. “At that moment Matthew Scarlett was patting me on the head … it’s such a whirlwind.” The Norm Smith Medal remains one of those honours that only grows in stature as the years pass.

IN GOOD COMPANY: Bartel dominated to collect 26 possessions and kick three goals and received his medal from Essendon great Michael Long (above right).

Bartel admits that he only fully comprehended the magnitude of the achievement a decade ago when reflecting with teammates in the weeks and months following the premiership. “I don’t think you really celebrate it (in the moment),” he said. “Also the guys who were in the rooms and in the day or two after, they all thought it was pretty cool (that I had won it). “Then of course you have guys like (2007 winner) Steve Johnson and (2009 winner) Paul Chapman who immediately think of the memorabilia opportunities and they’re trying to think of how we can put the three medals (premiership, Brownlow and Norm Smith) together and sign some stuff. “The whole experience was pretty awesome. Since I’ve retired, I think I’ve reflected on it more fondly. “I think it’s one of those things where your single focus when you’re playing football is to win a premiership with your teammates and (having) that pure adrenalin rush when you win one. “Five or 10 minutes later, they present you with a Norm Smith. Because you’re still caught up in hugging teammates and coaches and telling everyone you love them, it doesn’t sink in what it means. “Now that I’ve been fortunate enough to go along to a number of Grand Finals and then you see the Norm Smith Medal being presented and what it means and that connection to the game, it’s just really special.

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AFL RECORD JIMMY BARTEL | NORM SMITH MEDALLIST 2011

MAGICAL MOMENT: Bartel said having his name called produced a “whirlwind” of emotion; (below) three-time Norm Smith medallist Dustin Martin.

NORM SMITH

MEDAL WINNERS Presented to the player judged by an independent panel of football experts to be best on ground in the Grand Final. Norm Smith was an icon of the game, as a player and a coach. He played 210 games and kicked 546 goals for Melbourne (1935-48) and 17 games for Fitzroy (1949-50). He coached Melbourne to eight Grand Finals for six premierships. Later he guided South Melbourne to its first final in 25 years. He died in 1973, aged 57.

“In the most simplistic way, you can probably say (when you win it) that you’ve made a big contribution to your team winning a premiership and that’s what it’s all about.” There’s a certain mystique that exists around the medal and the exclusive list of names who have won it since its inception in 1979. While just four players have won it at least twice, Richmond’s premiership star Martin is the only one to win it three times. Bartel believes that Martin – who has won three of the past four Norm Smith Medals – is a “walk-up legend” of the game. “He is extraordinary and all of his (Grand Finals) are out of this world,” Bartel said. “For me, watching all three of them and being able to cover them for radio was unreal. “The last one against Geelong (in 2020) was one of the most dominant individual performances to win a Grand Final. “The goal he kicked right before half-time, you could just see the

70 AFL RECORD

entire Richmond side lift because (before that) Geelong were all over the Tigers. “He’ll be a walk-up Legend (in the Hall of Fame).” There’s always a great fascination about what happens to the medals after they are presented. In Bartel’s case, where he keeps both the Norm Smith and

Brownlow Medal is truly a family affair as he looks to inspire those closest to him. “At the moment, my memorabilia are shared around my nephews and my boys as well,” he said. “The older ones are now really getting into the love of football and sport, so I’ve got the Norm Smith Medal and the premiership medallion at my sister’s place.” One of the great traditions of the Norm Smith Medal is to honour previous winners and ask them to present the medal. Long – who won the medal in 1993 – presented Bartel with the award a decade ago, an honour Bartel himself would treasure. “If I was lucky enough to get the honour to present the Norm Smith Medal, then it would be unbelievable,” he said. “Being involved in any part of Grand Final day is special, but to be out there back in the centre of the MCG handing out the medal for the best player on the ground would be a pretty cool experience.”

1979 Wayne Harmes (Carl) 1980 Kevin Bartlett (Rich) 1981 Bruce Doull (Carl) 1982 Maurice Rioli (Rich) 1983 Colin Robertson (Haw) 1984 Billy Duckworth (Ess) 1985 Simon Madden (Ess) 1986 Gary Ayres (Haw) 1987 David Rhys-Jones (Carl) 1988 Gary Ayres (Haw) 1989 Gary Ablett (Geel) 1990 Tony Shaw (Coll) 1991 Paul Dear (Haw) 1992 Peter Matera (WCE) 1993 Michael Long (Ess) 1994 Dean Kemp (WCE) 1995 Greg Williams (Carl) 1996 Glenn Archer (NM) 1997 Andrew McLeod (Adel) 1998 Andrew McLeod (Adel) 1999 Shannon Grant (NM) 2000 James Hird (Ess) 2001 Shaun Hart (BL) 2002 Nathan Buckley (Coll) 2003 Simon Black (BL) 2004 Byron Pickett (PA) 2005 Chris Judd (WCE) 2006 Andrew Embley (WCE) 2007 Steve Johnson (Geel) 2008 Luke Hodge (Haw) 2009 Paul Chapman (Geel) 2010 Lenny Hayes* (StK) Scott Pendlebury** (Coll) 2011 Jimmy Bartel (Geel) 2012 Ryan O’Keefe (Syd) 2013 Brian Lake (Haw) 2014 Luke Hodge (Haw) 2015 Cyril Rioli (Haw) 2016 Jason Johannisen (WB) 2017 Dustin Martin (Rich) 2018 Luke Shuey (WCE) 2019 Dustin Martin (Rich) 2020 Dustin Martin (Rich) *Drawn Grand Final **Replay

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AFL RECORD BOB MURPHY’S LOVE LETTER TO FOOTY

For the past five years 3AW Breakfast host Ross Stevenson has been hosting a “Love Letter to Football” lunch to help raise funds for RULE Prostate Cancer. Earlier this year, former Western Bulldogs star BOB MURPHY, together with Tim Blackwell, Ian Cover, Alicia Loxley and Jacqui Reed, spoke about their love of our great game. Here is Murphy's transcript. 72 AFL RECORD

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Dear Footy, I love you despite the things we are told and accept. Instead of winning, we want our clubs and coaches to tell us our team will be “hard to beat”, and when our commentators inform us that a player should “lower their eyes”, we don’t even flinch. It’s maddening. I love you football, even when you’re mean. It was 2006, I was 23 years old, I had the football world at my feet and Anthony Rocca, all 106kg of him, snapped my knee in half. It was like ripping the leg out of a roast chook. I was laying on my back, and I was being carried off the ground on one of those little motorised carts like the Pope. Just as I was taking in the sadness, a nine-year-old Magpies supporter, ginger face, gorgeous little kid he was, leans right over

the fence. From a distance that was too close for comfort for my liking, he says:

“Murphy, you fucked my Dream Team.” EXPLET

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I love you football for the dumb things we say. Earlier this year, the Bulldogs beat St Kilda by 111 points. On the train home, I heard a Saints supporter say, “We can still win the flag.” Before I could scoff, I then overheard a Dogs devotee say, “We may never lose again.” That’s pretty dumb. Footy, like life, is a balancing act. Ups and downs, good and bad, wins and losses. I love you football for the songs we sing. “There are days when you could give it up, there are days where you could fly.” Can I ask everyone to just close your eyes for a brief moment?

Can you remember the pure euphoria of draping your team scarf out the window of your car after a win? Keep them closed. Can you remember walking into a schoolyard on a Monday morning after your team was thrashed, and feel the shame? I can. Balance is crucial to our love of footy. You can open your eyes. You never forget your first jumper. My first jumper was a Colts footy jumper. It had long sleeves, a collar, and it had No. 7 on it. I immediately took it, as that was Nicky Winmar. A homage to Nicky Winmar. My coach was a man called Frank Ahern. He stood five foot two (157cm). He wore pressed slacks, a cardigan, and slicked back hair every week. His catchcry was, “Kick it into the open space, and be prepared to run.”

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AFL RECORD BOB MURPHY’S LOVE LETTER TO FOOTY

Stevie J

Your first pair of footy boots are a thing of glorious devotion. Every Friday night my dad would take my black boots, and he would rub Dubbin (a wax product) into the leather to protect them from the weather. As a kid, you just think that’s dad doing what dad does, but as each year passes, that becomes more significant year on year. I love the smells. It’s what I call footy’s potpourri. It’s a combination of liniment, a suggestion of juicy fruit, the faint whiff of orange peel, discarded ankle tape, and heaps of sweat. It’s a little bit gross, a little bit misunderstood, but it smells like home. The smell of a football is like time travel for me, and maybe you too. One whiff and I’m nine years old, dreaming of being a big league footballer. For all of the froth and bubble, I loved playing on the field at the top level, usually on the flanks. I got to watch the game over the shoulder of some of the all-time greats, and a couple of hard nuts.

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his part of my love letter is called ‘Playing on the two Stevies’. Stevie Johnson (former Geelong premiership star) was the best half-forward flanker I played on, and there was one particular night where he and I went toe-to-toe. He was on the forward flank, I was on the back flank, and by midway through the last quarter, he was the best man on the ground. I was going OK, but I knew Stevie was the best man on the

ground, the crowd knewit, and he most certainly knew it. I wouldn’t call it sledging, but he gave me two hours of what I would call the Stevie J extravaganza. As all great artists do, it builds to a great crescendo. The game was tight, it was in the balance, and the ball spits out of the centre square bounce and Stevie makes a lead for it. He puts his hands out, I make what I think is a pretty good spoil, but Stevie is back on it. He grabs it, he spins, he pivots, he handballs the ball no-look

to Joel Corey, who hits Tom Hawkins, and the game is over. I trudge back to my position on the field, and Stevie waddles up to me. And he had a waddle. He simply said,

“I usually save that shit for finals.”

From the wizardry of Stevie Johnson, all the way back around to Stevie Baker. This is only a few weeks after Stevie Johnson. This time I am on the half-forward flank and (ex-St Kilda defender) Stevie Baker is the half-back flanker.

Stevie B

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AFL RECORD BOB MURPHY’S LOVE LETTER TO FOOTY

' KeStick rna s' han

What about Bob?

Adadmes Goo

Ron Barassi

What you have got to understand about Stevie Baker is that around this time, he was regularly making life hard for blokes on the football field. In me, he saw an easy target. I’ve been in enough country pubs to know when things are up. Something is about to go down. The hair on the back of your neck starts to stand up, and the fists were clenched. Stevie Baker, who is standing right on my hip, leans into my ear with the ball 100m away, and says, “Have you got a sausage dog?” To which I meekly replied, “Yes.” I still don’t know what it meant, but it worked. I never went near the ball for the rest of the night.

love footy’s leaders and heroes. From Malcolm Blight to Ron Barassi, Luke Beveridge to Brendon Gale. As a captain, if I find myself in a tricky spot, or at a fork in the road, I would ask myself one simple question – what would (former Carlton captain) Stephen ‘Sticks’ Kernahan do? I wonder if today’s skippers might ask themselves, what would Erin Phillips do?

Have you got a sausage dog? STEVEN BAKER TO BOB MURPHY

I love mobs, clans and clubs. I love my mob, my clan, my club. The Bulldogs. And in a toyish way, I despise yours. In rock and roll, you’ve got to have a denim jacket, or a duffle coat. On that jacket, you pin the badges of not just the ones you love, but the ones who can play the tunes that reflect a small part of your soul. My football jacket has many badges, and here are just a few. I love Brett Kirk’s hair and Bruce Doull’s silence. I love autumn afternoons at the MCG, Robbie Flower’s grace, Fitzroy jumpers and three-quarter time huddles at the country footy. I love Ellie Blackburn’s battle cry, and I miss Martin Flanagan in The Age. I love Adam Goodes’ stand, Footy Record player profiles and hold a deep and sincere reverence for Mark Bayes’ left foot. I love Brent Crosswell, John Schultz’s handshake and the possibility of the Saints or Demons breaking their drought. And I love Marcus ‘God damn’ Bontempelli!

u Bob Murphy made his debut for

the Bulldogs in round 19, 2000 (weighing 71kg and wearing a loose-fitting No. 22 jumper). He went on to become an all-time great of the club, making 312 appearances and captaining the Bulldogs from 2015 to 2017. He was 84kg by the time he retired and had made the No. 2 jumper his since taking it over from Steve Kolyniuk in 2001. Since retiring, he has written a book (Leather Soul), joined SEN and Fox Footy as a media performer and commentator and was part of the Bulldogs’ AFLW coaching structure. He will join Fremantle next season as Head of Football Operations and Performance.

Love, Bob.

Brendon Gale

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W W W . U N C L E J A C K WATC H E S . C O M

*Officially Licensed 2021 AFL Premiership Watch*

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AFL RECORD A DAY LIKE NO OTHER

, GRAND JUST GRAND

IT’S

Whether it’s injury dramas, inspirational moments from players and coaches or dubious pre-game entertainment, the Grand Final is something else. SAM EDMUND takes a walk down memory lane.

THE AFTERMATH

u The Brisbane Lions changerooms

are a chief health officer’s worst nightmare. It is Grand Final day 2002 and you can’t move in the cramped confines beneath the Southern Stand. Family, friends, media and seemingly half of Victoria has crammed in like the Monash Freeway in peak hour to congratulate the back-to-back premier. Nigel Lappin may have roamed far and wide to collect 28 possessions in the flag win over Collingwood, but the Brisbane ball magnet can’t find any space down here. Standing in one corner, quietly taking in the revelry, is Aaron Shattock. His Grand Final day stats sheet reads zero kicks, zero handballs, zero marks, zero tackles – zero everything. Asked about his set of numbers, the happy Lion doesn’t flinch. “It doesn’t matter mate. I’ve got one of these (a premiership medal)!” he beams. Such is life on Grand Final day – where lifelong dreams are made and shattered in less than three hours where it’s all on the line. As Mike Brady reminds us annually, it’s One Day in September, not a best-of-seven series. There’s an almost-overwhelming sense of anticipation that comes with knowing it all comes down to one game, on one day, in one place. Players obviously feel it, coaches feel it and fans feel it. It goes into the melting pot to make Grand Final week a week like no other – on and off the field.

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Lifelong dreams are made and shattered in less than three hours

WORST NIGHTMARE

u If Johnson’s miraculous recovery

RACE TO BE FIT: Steve Johnson is helped from the field in the 2011 preliminary final.

CHAMBER MADE

u Unlike spring, hyperbaric chamber

season is only one-week long. It runs from Monday to Friday every year in the lead-up to the Grand Final. History is littered with players who have raced time in a desperate bid to be fit for the Grand Final. Heck, it’s almost as much a part of Grand Final week as the parade. Fraser Brown, Luke Ball, Corey McKernan, Steve Johnson and countless others have spent hours peeking out of that little submarine-like window praying they can overcome their ailments to take the field. Which brings us to helicopters. Yep, helicopters. Nothing says Grand Final week like shots of training from the sky. It was the choppers that saw Johnson closing in on a remarkable recovery from a dislocated kneecap when he impressed at a closed training session at Kardinia Park in the days before the 2011 Grand Final. He then went out and kicked four goals in the premiership win over Collingwood.

and even Marlion Pickett’s Grand Final debut in 2019 represent footy’s selection fairytales, there’s plenty of company in the nightmare basket. The Grand Final fitness test is the ultimate high-wire act for a player trying to sneak into the biggest game of their lives. Who can forget Collingwood’s Alan Richardson, whose attempt to play in the 1990 Grand Final with a broken collarbone came unstuck when coach Leigh Matthews charged at his player from an unsuspecting angle? Or when Tiger Mick Malthouse was similarly caught out by coach Francis Bourke while trying to navigate a rigorous test of his dislocated shoulder in 1982? Pies defender Simon Prestigiacomo enshrined himself in Grand Final week folklore when he put his hand up before the 2010 decider and admitted he wasn’t fit enough to play because of a groin problem. So touched were the Magpies that the No. 1 draft pick at the club each year is given Prestigiacomo’s No.35 jumper in his first season. Mark Blake rucked in all but two games for Geelong in 2007, including the qualifying and preliminary finals, only to be dropped for Steven King days out from that year’s Grand Final. Derek Kickett despised Kevin Sheedy for years after he was dropped on the eve of the 1993 Grand Final despite playing 23 games that season. Jason Cloke was in tears at the AFL Tribunal in Grand Final week of 2002, Jason McCartney was suspended in the 1999 preliminary final and 1997 Coleman medallist Tony Modra tore his ACL in that year’s preliminary final. SELFLESS PIE: Simon Prestigiacomo at the final session before the 2010 Grand Final.

ZERO POSSESSIONS, ONE PREMIERSHIP: Aaron Shattock celebrates in 2002 with teammate Brad Scott.

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DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING

SURPRISE PACKET: Defender Shane Ellen stunned the football world with five goals in the 1997 decider.

u For all the planning and scenario

MESSAGE MEN

u Alastair Clarkson urged his

underdog Hawks to “kill the shark” in a chilling address before the 2008 Grand Final against Geelong. Luke Beveridge went with a musical theme in 2016, likening his Western Bulldogs to a band and urging them to “use your instruments”. It reminded the Dogs that anything was possible against the more-fancied Swans if they combined their individual talents. The pre-match Grand Final speech might be engineered to provide that final emotional hook, but its legend lives on forever. It’s hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff and, in the aftermath, makes for compelling viewing. Damien Hardwick took Richmond to Mt Everest before the 2017 Grand Final against Adelaide. “You’re on the Hillary Step with 40 feet to go. The summit is there, but we know to do it we’ve got to walk each individual foot to get us up to the summit. We don’t ever take our eye off our feet,” Hardwick said.

WORDS OF WISDOM: Alastair Clarkson speaks to his charges at the final change in 2008.

concepts thrashed out by coaches, the forensic analysis of past players and the opinions of the media, Grand Final day has shown us some things can’t be forecast. Shane Ellen became a trivia question for life after he bobbed up from nowhere to kick five goals – three of them coming off a half-back flank – in Adelaide’s 1997 premiership triumph over St Kilda. Ellen played only 65 AFL games. To put his five-goal haul into context, he had kicked only three goals in his 38 games before that magical day against the Saints and kicked only eight more for the remainder of his career, which ended in 2000. Stuart Dew came out of retirement at Hawthorn in 2008, did his hamstring in round two and twice more before round 18. Yet, his withering burst in the third quarter of that year’s Grand Final upset of Geelong is as treasured by Hawks fans as anything else that took place that day. The hulking forward with the cannon left leg booted two goals and set up two others in a decisive contribution. Bulldogs big man Tom Boyd was the million-dollar kid with a million critics in 2016 before he spectacularly delivered when he was needed most – in the Grand Final win over Sydney. Boyd had 14 disposals, eight marks and kicked three goals – one of them invoking such powerful emotion that commentator Brian Taylor dropped the F-bomb on radio. The jack-in-the-box performances are memorable.

ROCKING THE ‘G: Lionel Richie had them dancing in the aisles at the 2010 replay.

HITS AND MISSES

u The Grand Final entertainment has

been as heavily scrutinised as the game itself in recent years. Indeed, it’s a huge part of the day and, like so much of the afternoon/evening, the performances live long in the memory – famously and infamously. Angry Anderson’s Batmobile last year sold for $23,500 via an online auction, but the 1991 performance was more Bound for Cringe than Bound for Glory on a grey, windswept day at Waverley Park. Speaking of cars, Meatloaf was the car crash of 2011, while INXS without late frontman Michael Hutchence fell flat in 2001. But there have been some crackers. Lionel Richie had them jumping before the 2010 replay, Tom Jones was popular in 2014 and The Killers’ vibrant performance in 2017 is fondly remembered. @Sammy—Edmund

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MICHAEL WILLSON

GREAT GRAND FINAL PHOTOS

AFL chief photographer MICHAEL WILLSON has been covering Grand Finals since 2007. In that time, he has enjoyed the best seat in the house as dreams have been achieved or shattered, heroes created and, in some cases, history made.

2007 || POWER GOES OFF  If history pages could be deleted, surely Port Adelaide fans would want any reference to the 2007 Grand Final erased forever. The look on captain Warren Tredrea and teammate Peter Burgoyne says it all. The Power were flogged by a rampant Geelong in search of its first flag since 1963. The margin of 119 points remains a record.

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2008 || ADIEU TO CATS  One of the biggest upsets in Grand Finals history saw long odds-on favourite Geelong stifled and strangled as Hawthorn scored the first of its four premierships under master coach Alastair Clarkson. One of Clarkson’s great coups was recruiting Stuart Dew, who set up two goals and kicked two himself in a match-defining six minutes in the third quarter.

2009 || IT’S IN THE DNA  Gary Ablett snr did it all in a career full of highlights. But despite four attempts – 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995 – a premiership eluded him. Fortunately, his football genes were passed on to son Gary jnr who, a few days after winning the 2009 Brownlow Medal, played a pivotal role in the Cats exorcising the demons of the previous season.

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2010 || GOOD GODDARD

2010 REPLAY || PLAY IT AGAIN, PIES

 Right up there with 2018 as the best Grand Final of our time, the 2010

 A week’s a long time in politics, so they say, but after a drawn Grand Final, it seems like an eternity for fans of the competing sides. But under wily coach Mick Malthouse, Collingwood regrouped and gave St Kilda a 56-point hiding in the replay. After a long final-quarter goal by Heritier Lumumba, it was time to let the Magpies celebrations begin.

decider was on a knife’s edge when St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard pulled down this screamer late in the final quarter of an epic contest with Collingwood. Goddard’s goal put the Saints six points up (67-61), but a goal and a behind to the Magpies and a cruel bounce (and subsequent behind) that eluded Saint Stephen Milne saw the scores tied at 68 apiece come the final siren.

2011 || DAISY CUT UP  Twelve months later, the Magpies were back for another tilt, this time against Geelong. It was a titanic contest for the first three-and-a-half quarters, but the seasoned Cats ran away at the end. It was Malthouse’s final game in charge after a controversial handover to Nathan Buckley had been orchestrated earlier in the year. Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas was one of Malthouse’s most loyal servants and took the loss of the game and his mentor to heart.

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2012 || BABY LOVE

2013 || TWO LEGENDS

 There were bittersweet moments for Jarrad McVeigh and the

 The choice of cup presenter for Hawthorn’s 2013 premiership was a no-brainer. John Kennedy was back on the dais presenting Alastair Clarkson his second cup after the Hawks held out Fremantle by 15 points. It was a familiar stage for the Hawthorn legend, who took the Hawks to flags in 1961 (the club’s first), 1971 and 1976. Clarkson later eclipsed him with four flags and a club-record 390 games.

extended Sydney Swans footy family over the course of 2011 and 2012. In 2011, McVeigh and wife Clementine lost their four-week-old daughter Luella to a heart condition, but in February 2012 it was confirmed another baby was on the way. Lolita-Luella McVeigh was born on July 8 and some three months later she was at the MCG as dad and his Swans downed Hawthorn by 10 points.

2014 || HODGE THE HERO AGAIN  The term ‘big-game player’ applies to only a handful, but it sits comfortably alongside Hawk Luke Hodge’s name. After winning the Norm Smith Medal in the 2008 upset over Geelong, Hodge’s 35-disposal, 12-mark, two-goal performance which put the Sydney Swans to the sword, added another gong to his bulging collection of team and individual awards.

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2015 || IN THE INNER SANCTUM  Michael Willson is one of the lucky few to have ‘Access All Areas’ stamped on his media accreditation. Not only does he sit ringside on Grand Final day, he gets to take us inside the winning team’s celebrations. In 2015, Willson was closer to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson than some of his players. ‘Clarko’ and the Hawks had just pulled off a three-peat of premierships to stamp themselves as one of the greatest sides of all time.

2016 || DOGS’ DAY OUT  They took the most circuitous route in Grand Final history, but the Western Bulldogs rose from a seventh-place finish at the end of the home and away season to claim their second flag and their first since 1954. There were plenty of heroes, but none more influential than big man Tom Boyd, who picked Grand Final day to produce the performance of his 61-game career (14 disposals, eight marks and three goals).

2017 || TIGER TIME  In the last round of the 2016 season, Richmond suffered an embarrassing 113-point loss to Sydney, amid the backdrop of a board challenge and doubts over coach Damien Hardwick's tenure. Twelve months later, the Tigers were the toast of every pub in Richmond as they downed pre-game favourite Adelaide. It was the start of a dynasty, led by skipper Trent Cotchin and superstar Dustin Martin, that netted three flags in four seasons.

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2018 || DOM DELIVERS  Perhaps the best Grand Final of the modern era. Collingwood jumped to a five-goal lead before being reeled in by a persistent West Coast outfit. It all came down to the last two minutes as the Eagles, trailing by two points, ran the ball the length of the ground before finding Dom Sheed. Magpie fans still argue Sheed might have had the benefit of an illegal block by teammate Willie Rioli and might have looked to have played on, but when he composed himself, the finish was all class. From a difficult angle, Sheed threaded the shot on his left foot and wrote himself into Grand Final folklore.

2019 || GIANT DEMOLITION  After a shock preliminary final exit in 2018, Richmond was back on the premiership stage in 2019. Coach Damien Hardwick and captain Trent Cotchin orchestrated an 89-point demolition of the GWS Giants, who suffered a classic case of stage fright in their first Grand Final, much to the delight of cup presenter Maureen Hafey, the wife of legendary Tigers coach Tom Hafey. Surprise, surprise, Dustin Martin was best afield again with 22 touches and four goals.

2020 || GOODBYE GAZZA  A season like no other as the COVID-19 pandemic turned football on its head. For the first time, the Grand Final was played outside Victoria with the Gabba hosting Geelong and Richmond. The Cats took it right up to the Tigers in the first half, but once the ‘Dusty’ show cranked up it was game over. It was also career over for one of the game’s all-time greats, Gary Ablett jnr. With his wife Jordan and son Levi in the background, Ablett was farewelled without the fairytale finish he and Cats’ fans had hoped.

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Sir Albert Chadwick

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IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE MCC MUSEUM COLLECTION (M770)

ir Albert Chadwick was not only an iconic figure in Melbourne’s sporting landscape, but he was also a leader and hero of his state and country. In a sporting context, he is football royalty at Melbourne as captain-coach of the Demons’ (then Red Legs) second premiership in 1926. He is a member of the club’s Team of the Century, was placed twice in the Brownlow Medal (second in 1924 and equal third in 1925) and was an inaugural inductee to the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Chadwick rose from an impoverished upbringing in Tungamah in Victoria’s north-east and became a member of one of the most decorated squadrons of the Australian Flying Corps in World War I. Later, he was a recruiter for the RAAF during World War II. In business, he led Victoria’s Gas and Fuel Corporation at the time of the discovery of oil and gas fields in Bass Strait that changed everyday life for many Victorians. He joined the Melbourne Cricket Club committee in 1941 and led the club’s management and development of the MCG for the 1956 Olympic Games. From 1965-79, he was president of the MCC. So it was only fitting that the MCC’s publishing support program commissioned a biography of Sir Albert Chadwick – Chadwick: A Man of Many Parts – written by well-known journalist, author and academic NICK RICHARDSON. This excerpt details Chadwick’s greatest triumph on the football field when he led Melbourne to the 1926 premiership – only its second to that stage in the VFL and its first since 1900.

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DROUGHT BROKEN

A IS

IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE MCC MUSEU

M COLLECTION (M759)

here were several reasons for Albert Chadwick to feel confident about the 1926 season: after Melbourne’s break-out performance the previous year, the team was maturing and there was no shortage of talent within the ranks. To add to the captain-coach’s confidence, 11 new players joined the list. Something else seemed to be working for the club too, something more modern in its emphasis but discernible even in Chadwick’s day – the development of a defined culture. For Melbourne, it meant playing by the rules, to know the difference between vigour and violence, and to commit to the club and your teammates. Some of it was a throwback to the amateurism at the heart of the club – a philosophy which intrinsically elevated playing well above playing to win – but it was also something that meshed with Chadwick’s own values and style. The words used to describe the club had been – and would be again – used to describe Chadwick himself. At the club’s annual meeting in March, 1926, president Dr W.C. (William) McClelland praised the club’s performance in the previous season and said the team was to be congratulated for the fair, clean and manly way in which it had played. None of the players, he said, had been involved in “unseemly exhibitions of temper which degraded the game”. The crowd applauded in support of the president’s oratory. McClelland singled out Chadwick for setting “a fine example”. To be a leader was seen as being a moral exemplar. Values were important. The club believed it had to ensure all players understood those priorities and devised a set of rules and regulations which were to be distributed among the players before the season started.

In its way, this approach meant Melbourne became more egalitarian, capturing Chadwick’s own background, from difficult and frequently impoverished circumstances, to success achieved through on-field excellence and a commitment to principle. Football at Melbourne became less about where you came from and more about how you played the game. It wasn’t about privilege and private education. There were Catholics and Protestants, tradesmen, city boys, rural and regional lads, sons of professional men, all of them rubbing shoulders in the Melbourne jumper. The club saw this approach as an important antidote to some of the shoddier practices that were common to the game –the so-called ‘shin-kicking’ (a sly kick administered to an opponent’s shin) that went on, punches behind play and indulging in overly vigorous contests.

XXXX A MAN OF PRINCIPLE: Albert Chadwick is chaired from the ground after leading Melbourne to the 1926 premiership; (opposite page) Chadwick’s serious demeanour underlined his commitment to the virtues of fair play.

Chadwick presided over the team with a resolute commitment to the virtues of fair play and a keen sense of competitiveness. It was also a serious business. When it came to playing the game, Chadwick took nothing lightly. The club committee, though, seemed to hold an ambiguous view about the coach. Just days after McClelland had praised Chadwick and the team for its season, the committee decided to advertise the coach’s position. It seems an odd decision on the strength of the previous season, but the committee might have been motivated by a dose of ‘who else is out there?’, especially in an era CHADWICK: A MAN OF MANY PARTS, by Nick Richardson. Published by Melbourne Cricket Club. RRP: $40, plus postage. Visit mcgshop.com.au AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 91

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AFL RECORD A DROUGHT IS BROKEN when players and coaches were not contracted. Perhaps there was also an anxiety that after getting so close in 1925, the club wouldn’t be able to take the next step under Chadwick. Or it could have been a desire to perform due diligence. Either way, there were only two applications by the deadline on March 13 and neither of them was from Chadwick. Why he didn’t apply is perhaps best explained that Chadwick didn’t feel he needed to – he was the coach. He fully expected to stay and, if Melbourne didn’t want him, he would make an alternative arrangement. The names of the two candidates weren’t disclosed, but the committee had seen enough to know what it needed to do. “After discussion it was proposed … that the two applications received be rejected and that Mr Chadwick be appointed, subject to an application being received. Terms the same as last year.” There is no record of Chadwick’s application, but he was engaged as coach for the 1926 season. Along with several other players, the committee agreed to pay the captain-coach an extra 10 shillings a week on the eve of the season.

n April 24, Melbourne held its final practice match. Hundreds turned up to watch, highlighting how much the previous season had stoked expectations, but the first game, against St Kilda, was a lacklustre affair, with Melbourne winning by 29 points. It was more important for the injuries, particularly to Chadwick, who limped his way through the second half after getting knocked on the thigh. He was in discomfort after the match and it was revealed several days later that he was expected to miss two games. It proved to be much longer than that, but his influence diminished by his absence on the field. Chadwick could have made a difference to the round four encounter against Collingwood at Victoria Park, with Melbourne losing by five points, after leading by 29 points at quarter-time. Collingwood, as it had been in 1925, looked a finals chance, even this early in the season. A Melbourne victory would have given the club a genuine

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IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE MCC MUSEUM COLLECTION (M2843)

sense of anticipation about September, but the narrow loss was still a morale booster. The Red Legs were clearly not far off the pace. Disappointingly, Chadwick’s injury was not improving. His condition was revised several times and there was hope he would resume against Essendon, in round eight. In the interim, the Melbourne committee made Ivor Warne-Smith captain-coach “during Mr Chadwick’s disablement”. Warne-Smith performed so creditably in Melbourne’s 33-point win over Richmond in round five, the committee sent him a letter complimenting him on the, “capable manner in which he handled the team”. The decision to hand the reins to Warne-Smith was a sign of the committee’s anxiety about the length of Chadwick’s recovery, as well as a nod to Warne-Smith’s leadership capacity. Chadwick attempted to train ahead of the Essendon match, but was still troubled. He tried again the following week and managed to resume light

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Chadwick, described as calm and composed in defence, repels a Geelong attack at Corio Oval, circa 1925.

training, but the word was that he was still a fortnight away. In his absence, the team was going well; with six wins from seven games, it was a game behind Collingwood and the reigning premier Geelong, each with seven wins. But Chadwick’s absence was important. When he was fit, he either took on a key forward or spent important time in the ruck. His presence made Melbourne a better team, and it needed him in the run home to the finals. He finally resumed in the round 10 match against Geelong at Corio Oval, initially at centre half-back and then in the ruck. The home team won by 14 points, giving Melbourne its third defeat of the season. After such a long break, it was no surprise it took Chadwick several weeks to regain any form. The club committee was so concerned about the injury that at its August meeting it discussed giving Chadwick more time off to fully recover. But Chadwick would have none of it. He would push on. There was no judgment implied in the committee’s considerations – it

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accompanied its deliberations with a vote of confidence in Chadwick as captain and coach. Melbourne won seven of the eight rounds after Chadwick’s return, recording big wins against St Kilda, Footscray and Hawthorn. But the club again couldn’t get over Collingwood, suffering a 50-point drubbing in round 15 at the MCG. Melbourne’s percentage was healthy, which disguised one of its problems – in 1925, with a stable backline, it was the only team to concede less than 1000 points. In 1926, it had fallen behind several of its rivals in this area; Chadwick’s prolonged absence, retirements and positional changes had made a significant impact on the defence. There were, however, good signs about the club’s attacking options. One of them was Harry Moyes, a former St Kilda player, who had played alongside Charlie Lilley in the 1916 exhibition match. He was a nimble goalsneak who had joined Melbourne at the start of the 1925 season after 61 games and 126 goals with the Saints. Moyes proved to be a splendid recruit – he kicked 26 goals from

12 goals in his first season, and 55 goals in 19 games in 1926. (In a career of 106 games, he averaged 2.19 goals a game, an impressive result in any era.) Harry Davie and centre half-forward Bob Johnson also kicked 50 goals each (Davie played only 15 games), ensuring Melbourne had sufficient forward power to register some big scores even if the defence had started to leak. At the end of the home-and-away season, Melbourne was third on the ladder with 14 wins and a percentage of 146.4, behind Geelong and Collingwood, which had each recorded 15 wins. In fourth place, was Essendon, two games adrift of Melbourne and with a significantly inferior percentage. Melbourne’s first final would be against the team that had beaten it twice during the season – Collingwood. Long-time observers, including the old amateur flag waver R.W.E. Wilmot, writing in The Argus as ‘Old Boy’, was struck by how confident Melbourne supporters were on the eve of the match. Melbourne did have some pressing selection issues, which

It was our turn to win, for a series of defeats always comes to an end ALBERT CHADWICK AFTER BEATING COLLINGWOOD IN THE SEMI-FINAL FOR JUST THE FOURTH TIME IN 14 YEARS

suggested there was some talent in the wings. One of their options was a skilful player from Melbourne Grammar, Francis ‘Pop’ Vine, who impressed sufficiently at training to be considered to make his debut in a final. One observer at Melbourne training told Wilmot that Vine was “a champion wherever you put him”. At selection, Chadwick and the committee did make some key positional changes, swapping Chadwick and Hughie Dunbar, with the captain-coach moving into the ruck and Dunbar to centre half-back. Vine was named an emergency, but his time would come. There was another element that contributed to Melbourne’s confidence – Warne-Smith went one better than his captain-coach and won the Brownlow Medal, by a clear margin, polling nine best-on-grounds. His teammate, the long, thin marking machine, Bob Johnson, in his debut season, finished in a three-way tie for second with five votes. The result underlined just how successful Melbourne’s season had been – with Warne-Smith and Johnson voted best-on-ground in 14 of the club’s 18 matches. In the 14 years preceding the contest with Collingwood, Melbourne had beaten the Magpies just three times. On form and inclination, Collingwood’s robust style of play looked to be more suited to finals football. But it didn’t turn out that way in the semi-final and Melbourne managed a surprise 11-point win, despite some wayward kicking. Chadwick had shown strategic nous and a fair bit of confidence during the game. He realised at half-time that his team was spending all its time going through the middle of the ground and was getting nowhere. After the long break, Chadwick directed the team to go through wingman Stan ‘Bunny’ Wittman. It was the decisive move – Collingwood couldn’t hold Wittman and Melbourne surged. “Most of our moves were started from the backline, along the wing, smartly in handball,” Chadwick explained after the match, in an intriguing forerunner to a tactic that would bring Collingwood undone again in a final, 44 years later. “Although we were behind at half-time, I was fairly confident we AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 93

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AFL RECORD A DROUGHT IS BROKEN could pull it off. It was our turn to win, for a series of defeats always comes to an end.” And it wouldn’t have been Chadwick – or the team he coached – without a gracious acknowledgement of their opponent. “I’m particularly pleased to have won against such a fine team as Collingwood,” Chadwick said. The player Chadwick had singled out as the architect of the new strategy against the Magpies was one of those remarkable “accidents” of football recruiting. The circumstances of Wittman’s arrival at Melbourne quickly became legend. The story went that a tram worker spotted club secretary Andrew Manzie on the city-bound tram and spruiked Wittman’s skills. “This fellow’s right out of the box,” the trammie told Manzie. “A real beaut. Plays for Rosedale (in Gippsland).” A few weeks later, the same conductor reminded Manzie that Wittman was ready for the big League and Manzie decided to check him out. After making an initial impression at training, Wittman decided he’d proved he could match it with the best and so he would return to Rosedale. Not so fast, the club said. So Wittman stayed, playing 11 games in his debut season of 1924. Two seasons later, the elusive and skilful Wittman was turning heads – and opponents – along the wing and half-forward line. Chadwick had deployed a winning strategy against Collingwood, but he kept some of his best work for the next finals opponent, Essendon. The club had been a regular finals contender since 1922 and won consecutive flags in 1923 and 1924, the latter at the end of a chaotic season that culminated in the quickly abandoned round-robin finals play-offs. The key to Essendon’s success was what was dubbed its ‘Mosquito Fleet’, a group of small, nimble and skilful players who moved the ball quickly and precisely across the ground. Six of the team were 5 feet 6 inches (167 centimetres) or shorter. By 1926, Essendon was not quite the power it had been, but it still posed a threat to Melbourne, which lacked its rivals’ finals experience. On the eve of the game, The Herald, Melbourne’s afternoon newspaper, asked a number of football identities for their tip.

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Collingwood’s Syd Coventry thought Melbourne would have been worn out by their efforts against the Magpies and Essendon would triumph. But his teammate Harry Collier went the other way, declaring Melbourne the better side. There’s no way of knowing if there was a bit of wishful thinking from the Collingwood duo – because of the vagaries of the finals’ program, the Magpies’ top-of-the-ladder finish meant they retained the right to challenge for the flag despite having lost to Melbourne. So if Melbourne did get over Essendon, Collingwood would confront the Red Legs in the Grand Final, a lip-smacking prospect. Melbourne’s committee was so impressed at its team’s performance that it recommended each player in the semi-final be given an extra five pounds in their pay. The preliminary final proved to have all the drama and colour of the best finals matches, including a crude hit on Melbourne centreman Bob Corbett. There had been expectations that, given the way both teams played, the final would be a fast and open affair,

STRONG CULTURE: (clockwise from top left) former Melbourne president Dr W.C McClelland; centreman Bob Corbett, who missed the Grand Final with a broken jaw; star forward Bob Johnson; dual Brownlow medallist Ivor Warne-Smith.

This fellow is right out of the box. A real beaut A TRAM CONDUCTOR URGING THE MELBOURNE SECRETARY TO RECRUIT FUTURE STAR WINGMAN STAN WITTMAN

but a cruel gusty wind put paid to any of that. Instead, it became a grinding, dour match that kept almost 50,000 fans on the edge of their seats. At quarter-time, Essendon had kicked 1.6 to Melbourne’s 1.1 and the scoring didn’t accelerate much after that. The contest, however, became more intense. Melbourne worked its way to the front, kicking two goals to Essendon’s one, and led by three points just before half-time. In the moments before the break, Essendon’s Charlie ‘Chooka’ May clubbed Corbett and broke the Melbourne player’s jaw. As Corbett was taken to the rooms, the Melbourne fans vented at May, the umpire and the Essendon team. The ugly incident inspired Melbourne to try to match its opponents’ aggression and, when play resumed, Melbourne initially lost its focus and discipline. By three-quarter time, it had recovered its poise and led by nine points, again outscoring Essendon. It wasn’t enough to convince the coach – Chadwick admitted later he didn’t feel at all confident when the final quarter started. Goalscoring remained elusive, but Essendon was on the charge as the final quarter began and Melbourne’s lead was whittled back to under a goal. Corbett’s absence meant Melbourne was reduced to only 17 men – the 19th man wasn’t introduced until 1930 – but as the minutes ticked down, Corbett ran back on to the ground, his head swathed in bandages. It was inspirational, foolhardy and not at all helpful – Corbett didn’t get a kick. With 10 minutes to play, Chadwick, starting to tire in the ruck, made a major positional move. Centre half-forward Johnson’s high marking up forward had become integral to Melbourne’s success, but Chadwick asked him to use his spring-heeled leap in the ruck. Johnson was reluctant, but Chadwick talked him around. The stiff northerly wind helped quarantine a lot of the play to the outer side of the ground. Play was scrappy, stop-start and contests were close to the boundary. Momentum was replaced by anxiety. It became a matter of which team could break free of the boundary and into space.

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IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE MCC MUSEUM COLLECTION (M32)

AFL RECORD A DROUGHT IS BROKEN

For the final dramatic minutes of the match, Johnson rose above the boundary throw-ins to punch the ball over the line, just as Chadwick had instructed. Not once, not twice, but three and four times. The tactic worked, denying Essendon possession and ensuring Melbourne would hang on to win by three points and book a rematch with the Magpies in the Grand Final. At the Tribunal hearing into the charge against May for striking Corbett, Tribunal chairman Dr McClelland (Melbourne chairman from 1912 to 1926) interrogated Corbett about May’s impact. “Was it possible that you ran on to his fist?” McClelland asked the injured player. Corbett denied that far-fetched scenario. “No,” Corbett said. “Just as I got close to him, I noticed his arm come up.” May said little in in his own defence. The Tribunal found him guilty and in a suitably tough sentence rubbed him out for the 1927 season. May never played senior football again, although he did later coach Essendon for two seasons. Corbett was ruled out of the Grand Final; in three more seasons at Melbourne, he missed just one game through injury. The Melbourne committee was moved to condemn the “cowardly blow” to Corbett and sent a letter of sympathy to its player. Corbett’s teammates gave him a rousing reception when he turned up to watch them prepare for the Grand Final.

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‘Pop’ Vine replaced him in the Grand Final 18 for his belated senior debut. There had been rain during the week leading up to the Grand Final, but the MCG was in good condition on the day. There is some debate about who won the toss – some contemporary newspaper reports claimed Chadwick won the toss and chose to kick with the breeze. Collingwood champion Syd Coventry, who played in the game, asserted it was his skipper Charlie Tyson who won the toss and inexplicably kicked into the wind. “That was the start. We were on the wrong leg all day and Melbourne kept us there,” Coventry said, 12 years after the game. Almost 60,000 spectators, many of them Melbourne fans anxious for an end to the club’s 26-year premiership drought, were there to see Johnson, back at centre half-forward, kick the first goal in the opening minutes and set up what would become a memorable team performance. At quarter-time, Melbourne had a 22-point lead and four goals on the board, having kept the Magpies to just 1.1. But Collingwood was tough and match-hardened. The Pies fought back to be within nine points at the main break; the game was still in the balance. Although the momentum appeared to be with Collingwood, the Magpies decided to make some positional changes at half-time that played into Melbourne’s hands.

Jack Beveridge had done well to quell Warne-Smith’s brilliance in the centre, but he was moved to half-forward after the break. Johnson’s forward dominance had to be addressed and Syd Coventry was shifted from the ruck to defence. Both moves backfired – Warne-Smith became a pivotal linkman, especially in the third quarter, between the Melbourne defence and Johnson, Wittman and Moyes up forward. Coventry’s absence was keenly felt by the Collingwood on-ballers. The end result translated quickly to scoreboard pressure, with Melbourne kicking five goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, as part of a seven-goal-to-one quarter that snuffed out any lingering hopes of a Collingwood premiership while setting up Melbourne with a 45-point lead heading into the final term. With such a lead, the Melbourne players could enjoy the moment, adding another three goals to Collingwood’s two, eventually winning by 57 points, the club’s biggest win over the Magpies to that point. Johnson capped off a grand season with six goals. Melbourne’s 17.17 (119) was the highest score in a Grand Final to that time, an honour the club held until 1934, when Richmond kicked 19.14 (128). There to watch it was H.C.A. Harrison, on the eve of his 90th birthday, a founding father of the club, and Dick Wardill, captain of the Red Legs’ flag in 1900.

PREMIERSHIP GLORY: Melbourne’s official 1926 team photo after claiming the club’s first flag in 26 years. Chadwick is circled.

FOOTNOTE: After missing the finals in 1927, Chadwick was replaced as captain-coach by Ivor Warne-Smith. Chadwick played on in 1928, but after the Demons lost in the first semi-final replay to eventual premier Collingwood, he decided to join fledgling VFL club Hawthorn as captain-coach for one season in 1929.

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SO CLOSE: Nathan Buckley (25 seasons) and Ross Lyon (24) have spent a lifetime chasing premiership glory, but without success.

S S E C C U S G N I K E E S Y L E T A R E P DES the played or coached at ve ha ho w e os th – an unwanted club DGERS Meet the members of p glory. STEPHEN RO hi rs ie em pr ed st ta t no highest level, but have

here is an old saying – “Lies, damned lies and statistics” – that was mistakenly attributed to several luminaries in the late 1880s, including former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. It matters little who actually uttered those words in the context of this piece of research which I started a couple of years ago, together with AFL statistical and history consultant Col Hutchinson. It was to find out which player or coach – or combination of both (it had to be non-playing coach) – had been involved in the most seasons without tasting the ultimate success: a premiership. And that person is a revered figure – Nathan Buckley. Now before fans of the black and white variety start protesting outside the Record offices, let’s

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put on record our research in no way denigrates Buckley’s contribution to football. There was no shortage of tributes when Buckley stood down as Collingwood coach earlier this year and he remains one of the all-time greats of the Magpies and the AFL. But it’s a statistical fact that Buckley played and coached at the highest level for 25 years and the one thing that eluded him was a premiership (we do note he was an assistant coach to Mick Malthouse when the Magpies won the flag in 2010 and he was a Port Adelaide premiership player in the SANFL in 1992, winning the Jack Oatey Medal as best afield). If it’s of some comfort, he is in some pretty good company. Ross Lyon, who recently ruled out a potential coaching comeback with Carlton, is in second spot, just one season behind Buckley.

And two rungs back is Robert Harvey, the man who came in as caretaker coach after Buckley was farewelled in winning style on Queen’s Birthday this year. There are many household names on this list and some, such as former Western Bulldogs star Bob Murphy, were cruelled by injury. Indeed, Murphy holds a unique place – surely the only one to stand on the dais with a premiership medal draped around his neck and to hold the premiership cup aloft despite not playing, which he did on Grand Final day in 2016! And here is the sobering thought for all those on this list: the extreme contrast is, of course, Richmond’s Marlion Pickett who secured a premiership medal in his first game of AFL football in 2019.

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NATHAN BUCKLEY

LEON CAMERON

u A giant of the game and a member

W As noted in the build-up to the 2019 Grand Final, the Giants coach had a massively long wait to reach the big day, finally getting there in his 399th game as player or coach. Previously, he had experienced losing preliminary finals at the Bulldogs in 1997-98, Richmond in 2001 and as GWS coach in 2016-17.

of the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Buckley was desperately close to winning a premiership both as a player and a coach. He played in two Grand Finals for Collingwood (2002-03) and the Magpies fell just nine points adrift of Brisbane in the 2002 decider. It was no fault of Buckley, given he won the Norm Smith Medal that day, just some Jason Akermanis magic in the final quarter. The following year was a forgettable day as the Lions thrashed the Pies, but in 2018 Buckley was 90 seconds away from tasting premiership success as a coach. Alas, another piece of individual brilliance – this time from West Coast’s Dom Sheed – put paid to that.

ROSS LYON u Of this group, Lyon went as

close as anyone to lifting the premiership cup. As St Kilda coach he took the Saints to the 2009 and 2010 Grand Finals. The former was a classic with the Saints falling short by two goals to Geelong and a year later they drew with Collingwood. The replay a week later was a fizzer with the Magpies winning by 56 points. Lyon left St Kilda at the end of 2011 to become Fremantle coach and by 2013 he had the Dockers in their first, and only, Grand Final. After an early bout of stage fright, they lost to Hawthorn by 15 points.

ROBERT HARVEY W A dual Brownlow medallist

with St Kilda, Harvey had one crack at a premiership with the Saints in 1997, but they lost to a Darren Jarman and Andrew McLeod-inspired Adelaide. Harvey had been Nathan Buckley’s assistant since 2012 and was put into the caretaker role from round 15 this year.

WALLY CARTER W After a distinguished playing

career at North Melbourne, including as playing coach for part of his last season as a player in 1940, Carter was North’s pre-eminent coach until Ron Barassi’s arrival in 1973. Carter took the Kangaroos to a minor premiership in 1949, their first Grand Final appearance in 1950 and, in a later stint, to the 1958 preliminary final. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 99

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AFL RECORD THAT ELUSIVE FLAG

BILL STEPHEN u Highest on the list not to have at

BILL STEPHEN

least reached a Grand Final, Stephen experienced preliminary final day once as a player for Fitzroy in 1952. He had four coaching stints, starting with the Lions as playing coach in 1955 before ending that role in 1957. He returned to Fitzroy in 1965 for six seasons, coached Essendon for two seasons, 1976-77, and again returned to Fitzroy in 1979-80. In 1979, he finally coached in a finals series, taking the Lions to the second week.

BERNIE QUINLAN

u After moderate team success

at Footscray (two elimination final losses) and better results at Fitzroy (five finals series), Quinlan finally reached a preliminary final in the last of his 366 games in 1986. Was on a hiding to nothing as Fitzroy’s coach in the club’s second-last season of 1995 – which he didn’t see out.

ROY CAZALY

BOB SKILTON

ROY CAZALY

T The star Swans rover and triple

Brownlow medallist missed a full season through injury in 1969, so his total is 15 playing seasons. After a stint as captain-coach of South Melbourne in 1965-66, he later took the reins at Melbourne for four seasons, missing the finals narrowly in 1976. It left the highly-decorated Skilton with just one appearance as a September participant – the 1970 first semi-final.

S The iconic figure had an intriguing GARY DEMPSEY

playing record of 99 games for St Kilda, followed by 99 for South Melbourne. His third season, when he played in the 1913 Grand Final, was as close as he came to the ultimate. In his last season as coach in 1943, Cazaly took Hawthorn to within percentage of the final four, clearly the club’s best result in its first 32 years.

GARY DEMPSEY W Another Brownlow medallist who

had a lot of personal joy but not much team success with Footscray from 1967-78. Had the misfortune to transfer to North Melbourne the year after the Roos’ run of Grand Finals in the 1970s ended in 1978. At Arden St, he reached preliminary finals in 1979 and his second-last season of 1983.

CARL DITTERICH

CARL DITTERICH W A “double returnee” (one of only

two players in AFL/VFL football to do so), Ditterich’s football journey took him from St Kilda to Melbourne, back to St Kilda and finally back to Melbourne. While he played in losing Grand Finals in 1965 and 1971 for the Saints, he missed his big opportunity to become a premiership player when he was suspended in 1966. And somewhat disappointingly for a career that finished in 1980, his last finals series was in 1972.

BOB SKILTON

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CHRIS GRANT/ DOUG HAWKINS

MATTHEW KNIGHTS u The former Richmond star

u In their long careers at Whitten

Oval – at one stage, for both of them, they were the Bulldogs’ club games record-holder – they got as far as preliminary finals. Hawkins appeared in the 1985 preliminary final, they both played in 1992, and Grant played in the 1997 and 1998 preliminary finals. They were opponents in round 14, 1995, in Hawkins’ last season, but this time he was wearing Fitzroy colours.

played in just two finals wins – against Essendon in 1995 and Carlton in 2001. He played an inspirational match in the 1995 second semi-final, helping the Tigers overhaul a five-goal half-time deficit. He later coached the Bombers for three seasons (2008-10) for an elimination final loss in 2009. TONY LOCKETT

KEN HINKLEY

KEVIN MURRAY u Despite coaching Fitzroy for two

seasons (1963-64) during his playing career, Murray never coached a win. Fitzroy’s only success during that time came in round 10, 1963, against eventual premier Geelong, but Murray was away with the Victorian side. For a player who was amazingly durable over his long career – in which the Lions only made finals in 1958 and 1960 – it was regrettable that he missed the first of these, the 1958 first semi-final, through injury! KADE SIMPSON

u During his playing career, Hinkley

played only one game in each of two consecutive seasons, at Fitzroy in 1988 and at Geelong in 1989. In subsequent years with the Cats, he played in the Grand Final losses of 1992, 1994 and 1995. Coach of Port Adelaide since 2013, the upset loss to the Western Bulldogs two weeks ago was his third preliminary final defeat, the previous two being to teams which went on to become the premier – by three points to Hawthorn in 2014 and by six points to Richmond last year.

KADE SIMPSON S The 342-game Blue retired at the

MOST SEASONS AS PLAYER AND/OR LOCKETT NON-PLAYING COACH – NO PREMIERSHIP* STONY The game’s greatest goalkicker NAME

PLAYER

COACH

TOTAL

Nathan Buckley (Bris/Coll)

Ross Lyon (Fitz/Bris/StK/Frem)

Wally Carter (NM)

Leon Cameron (Foots/Rich/GWS)

Robert Harvey (StK/Coll)

Bill Stephen (Fitz/Ess)

Bernie Quinlan (Foots/Fitz)

Bob Skilton (SM/Melb)

Roy Cazaly (StK/SM/Haw)

Gary Dempsey (Foots/NM)

Carl Ditterich (StK/Melb)

Chris Grant (WB)

Doug Hawkins (Foots/Fitz)

Ken Hinkley (Fitz/Geel/PA)

Matthew Knights (Rich/Ess)

Tony Lockett (StK/Syd)

Robert Murphy (WB)

Kevin Murray (Fitz)

Kade Simpson (Carl)

* The criteria for “a season” is to have played and/or coached at least one match in a season.

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played in the 1996 Grand Final for Sydney, his second season in the Harbour City after transferring from St Kilda where he played in the 1991 and 1992 finals series. He retired at the end of 1999 before making a brief comeback for an 18th season in 2002. It yielded just three goals from three games, giving him a career total of 1360.

end of last season, with the most losses by a player (215) in AFL/VFL history. Across his 18 seasons, he experienced four finals series, with the best result reaching the second week of finals in 2011 and 2013. BOB MURPHY & EASTON WOOD

BOB MURPHY u The skinny kid from Warragul

kicked off his career in 2000 and, as noted, his experiences on Grand Final day in 2016 set him apart from all the others. After being stranded on 295 games when he suffered a long-term knee injury in round three, everyone was hopeful he would be part of the post-match celebrations as the club’s captain. And he was, holding the premiership cup aloft with stand-in skipper Easton Wood and with a medal draped around his neck (coach Luke Beveridge handed him his Jock McHale Medal). He recovered from the injury and played a final season in 2017, retiring on 312 games.

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ONE WEEK at a TIME AFL RECORD GRAND FINAL ENTERTAINMENT

BEST FROM THE WEST ANDREW SLEVISON

BIRDS OF TOKYO

This year’s entertainment line-up features some of WA’s finest musical talent.

he entertainment for the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Victorian clubs Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will have a distinct West Australian flavour. Coinciding with the first Grand Final to be played in Perth, there will be a number of massive WA names for the Telstra AFL Pre-Match and Half-Time Shows. There was an unprecedented scenario in 2020 which saw the first season-decider played outside of Victoria, when the Gabba hosted the first Grand Final at night. For the second season in a row, play will take place under lights with a start time of 5.15pm AWST (7.15pm AEST), with entertainment either side of the bounce of the ball. ‘Aussie Anthems – A Celebration of Australian Music’, presented by Telstra, will kick off at 4.15pm AWST and will include

110 AFL RECORD

local acts John Butler, Abbe May, Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, Stella Donnelly, Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson (from The Waifs), as well as Danzal Baker, aka Baker Boy. Baker Boy, an Arnhem Land product, is excited about performing on the big day. “It’s a massive dream come true to get to perform at the Telstra AFL Pre-Match Show, a real bucket list item to get to cross off,” he said. “I love footy, grew up playing footy and I always said that if I wasn’t being Baker Boy that I would have followed the AFL path, so it feels really special to get to bring my two loves together. “It feels like a long time coming after my Dreamtime at the ’G performance got rained out a couple of years ago, so it’s a real honour to get this opportunity to come back!” Renowned Perth outfit Eskimo Joe will also feature on the bill and are excited to be a central part of the show. “We are so excited to play the Telstra AFL Pre-Match Show this year! This is a once-in-a-lifetime

We can’t wait to help celebrate the greatest sporting event on the planet ESKIMO JOE SINGER KAV TEMPERLEY

moment for us, and we can’t wait to help celebrate the greatest sporting event on the planet,” the band’s lead singer Kav Temperley said. The Welcome to Country will be performed by Dr Richard Walley OAM, the national anthem by Amy Manford, and Mike Brady will bring his long-time footy favourites including Up There Cazaly. Special guest Colin Hay, of Men At Work fame, will be streamed from Los Angeles. The Telstra AFL Half-Time Show features Perth rockers Birds Of Tokyo, who will take the stage in conjunction with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. The band has already experienced life on the AFL Grand Final stage, having played post-match in 2013 after Hawthorn defeated Fremantle. Birds Of Tokyo frontman Ian Kenny said he and his cohorts simply cannot wait to be involved in the 2021 edition on home soil. “What an absolute honour and thrill it is to be a part of this year’s Telstra AFL Half-Time Show and have the AFL Grand Final here for the first time in our home city,” he said.

SEN.com.au

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COLIN HAY

2021 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL TIMETABLE

RICHARD WALLEY

Pre-match

NAB AFL U19 Challenge Match Ultimate Macca’s Kick 2 Kick

4.15pm

Telstra pre-match entertainment starts Welcome to Country performed by Richard Walley Mike Brady, Toyota AFL retiring legends Abbe May Baker Boy John Butler Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse Vikki Thorn & Donna Simpson (The Waifs) Stella Donnelly Eskimo Joe Colin Hay (streamed from LA)

GINA WILLIAMS & GUY GHOUSE

AMY MANFORD

ESKIMO JOE

BAKER BOY

“The band is beyond excited to let loose to a full house at Optus Stadium. This is going to be all time!” And some football legends will be part of the post-game presentations. The premiership cup will be presented by former club greats Garry Lyon (if Melbourne wins) and Chris Grant (if the Bulldogs win), while the Jock McHale Medal will be presented to the winning coach by 2006 West Coast premiership coach John Worsfold and the Norm Smith Medal will be presented by 2006 winner Andrew Embley, also of Eagles fame. Recently retired umpire Dean Margetts will present the umpires’ medals.

4.56pm

Umpire entry and Toyota match ball delivery

4.58pm

Western Bulldogs enter

5.01pm

Melbourne enters

5.10pm

Delivery of the Toyota AFL premiership cup

5.11pm

Australian national anthem performed by Amy Manford

5.13pm

Coin toss

5.15pm

Toyota AFL Grand Final starts

¼-time

Colgate AFL Grand Final Sprint

½-time

Telstra Half-Time Entertainment Birds of Tokyo featuring the West Australian Symphony Orchestra NAB AFL Auskick Guard of Honour

¾-time

Chemist Warehouse Zorb Race

Post-match

Final siren, followed by the presentation of the umpires’ medals (to be presented by Dean Margetts), Norm Smith Medal (to be presented by Andrew Embley), Jock McHale Medal (to be presented by John Worsfold), premiership medallions (to be presented by NAB AFL Auskick participants), the premiership cup (to be presented by Garry Lyon if the Demons win or Chris Grant if the Bulldogs win)

Note: all times are Australian Western Standard Time

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski; talent producer Anna Toman; show producer Travis Hogan; creative producer Tom Macdonald; musical director Chong Lim. Production consultant Nick Pitts; production manager Simon Johnson; assistant production manager Leon Kneebone; production coordinator/artist liaison Ann Gibson; audio director James Kilpatrick; pyrotechnics Allan Spiegel. Choreographer Yvette Lee; dance creative producer Maddy Lynch.

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 111

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ROUND 8 ROUND 8 ROUND 8

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JAGUAR BOGERT JAGUAR FAVOURITE TEAM BOGERT Essendon JAGUAR FAVOURITE TEAM BOGERT Essendon

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ROUND 11 ROUND 11 ROUND 11

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WILL DITCHBURN WILL FAVOURITE TEAM DITCHBURN Western WILL Bulldogs FAVOURITE TEAM DITCHBURN Western Bulldogs FAVOURITE TEAM Western Bulldogs

ROUND 12 ROUND 12 ROUND 12

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ROUND 21 ROUND 21 ROUND 21

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MYRA ROSIE EDEN FORSYTH SHERIDAN THOMSON ROSIE MYRA EDEN FAVOURITE TEAM FAVOURITE TEAM FAVOURITE TEAM THOMSON FORSYTH SHERIDAN Brisbane Lions Essendon MYRACarlton ROSIE EDEN FAVOURITE TEAM FAVOURITE TEAM FAVOURITE TEAM FORSYTH SHERIDAN THOMSON Carlton Brisbane Lions ©2021 NationalEssendon Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686. FAVOURITE TEAM

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u LAST TIME AS PREMIER

1964

Melbourne 8.16 (64) d Collingwood 8.12 (60)

uThe Demons and Magpies came head-to-head on Grand Final day for the fifth time since 1955, with the scoreline reading 3-1 in Melbourne’s favour. And it was another Demons victory – but only just. Giant Magpie Ray Gabelich put his team ahead late in the last quarter after a now-legendary 50m run. But Melbourne back pocket player Neil Crompton followed his man up-field, took the ball when it spilled from a pack and slotted through his only goal of the season to snatch a four-point win for the Demons. It was the legendary Norm Smith’s sixth flag as coach.

2016

Western Bulldogs 13.11 (89) d Sydney Swans 10.7 (67)

uThe Western Bulldogs became the first side to win the premiership after finishing seventh at the end of the home and away season. In doing so, the Bulldogs broke a 62-year premiership drought to secure just their second AFL-VFL flag. After a low-scoring opening term, the game opened up in the second with the Swans kicking 6.1 to the Dogs’ 5.1. But the Bulldogs rode home on the back of outstanding team play in the second half and some great individual efforts from Tom Boyd, Liam Picken and Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen.

MELBOURNE Coach Simon Goodwin Captain Max Gawn GOALS 1 Steven MAY 3 Christian SALEM 4 James HARMES 5 Christian PETRACCA 6 Luke JACKSON 7 Jack VINEY 8 Jake LEVER 9 Charlie SPARGO 10 Angus BRAYSHAW 11 Max GAWN 13 Clayton OLIVER 14 Michael HIBBERD 15 Ed LANGDON 17 Jake BOWEY 18 Jake MELKSHAM 23 James JORDON 24 Trent RIVERS 25 Tom McDONALD 26 Sam WEIDEMAN 29 Jayden HUNT 30 Alex NEAL-BULLEN 31 Bayley FRITSCH 32 Tom SPARROW 35 Harrison PETTY 36 Kysaiah PICKETT 37 Kade CHANDLER 44 Joel SMITH 50 Ben BROWN

RUSHED 1ST QTR

www.buymystock.com.au 136 AFL RECORD

BEHINDS

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

FINAL

The Experts in Clearing Excess Stock

SEN.com.au

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u UMPIRES

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Chris DONLON

DEBUT: 2005 GAMES: 354 GRAND FINALS: 1 – 2011

Coach Luke Beveridge Captain Marcus Bontempelli

8 GOALS 1

BEHINDS

Adam TRELOAR

2 Lewis YOUNG

DEBUT: 2000 GAMES: 457 GRAND FINALS: 8 – 2009, 2010, 2010R, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018

3 Mitch WALLIS

Brett ROSEBURY

Matt STEVIC

DEBUT: 2004 GAMES: 426 GRAND FINALS: 8 – 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

4 Marcus BONTEMPELLI 5 Josh DUNKLEY

6 Bailey SMITH

Simon MEREDITH

DEBUT: 2004 GAMES: 414 GRAND FINALS: 6 – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020

7 Lachie HUNTER 8 Stefan MARTIN

10 Easton WOOD

Robert FINDLAY

DEBUT: 2009 GAMES: 279 GRAND FINALS: 0

11 Jack MACRAE 12 Zaine CORDY

13 Josh SCHACHE

Jacob MOLLISON

DEBUT: 2008 GAMES: 281 GRAND FINALS: 0

15 Taylor DURYEA 19 Cody WEIGHTMAN

The three Grand Final umpires were to be announced during Grand Final week.

20 Ed RICHARDS

u TIPSTERS

21 Tom LIBERATORE 23 Laitham VANDERMEER

Michael LOVETT

AFL RECORD Melbourne by 14 points

28 Anthony SCOTT 29 Mitch HANNAN

Ashley BROWNE

31 Bailey DALE

AFL RECORD Melbourne by 10 points

33 Aaron NAUGHTON 34 Bailey WILLIAMS

Tim GOSSAGE

35 Caleb DANIEL

SEN Melbourne by 33 points

37 Roarke SMITH 39 Jason JOHANNISEN

Andy MAHER

SEN Melbourne by 4 points

42 Alex KEATH 43 Ryan GARDNER

Dwayne RUSSELL

44 Tim ENGLISH

SEN Melbourne by 12 points

RUSHED 1ST QTR

2ND QTR

www.buymystock.com.au

3RD QTR

FINAL

The Experts in Clearing Excess Stock AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 137

ARGF p136-137 Teamlists.indd 137

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AIRPORT AIRPORT AIRPORT TOYOTA, TOYOTA, TOYOTA, SUPPORTING SUPPORTING SUPPORTING OUR OUR OUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY FROM FROM FROM GRASS GRASS GRASS ROOTS ROOTS ROOTS TO TO TO THE THE THE GRAND GRAND GRAND FINAL FINAL FINAL

Proud Proud Proud to to to be be be the the the Car Car Car partner partner partner of of of the the the Western Western Western Bulldogs. Bulldogs. Bulldogs.

Airport Airport Airport Toyota Toyota Toyota 355 355 355 Wirraway Wirraway Wirraway Road, Road, Road, Essendon Essendon Essendon fields fields fields T: T: [03] T:[03] [03] 9379 9379 9379 8888 8888 8888 airporttoyota.com.au airporttoyota.com.au airporttoyota.com.au LMCT LMCT LMCT 10156 10156 10156

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13/9/21 13/9/21 13/9/21 2:322:32 pm 2:32 pmpm 9/15/21 4:29 PM

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7/9/21 8:40 am 7/9/21 8:40 am am 7/9/21 7/9/21 8:40 am 8:40 7/9/21 8:40 am 9/11/21 5:24 PM

NAB AFL FUTURES CURTAIN-RAISER

WESTERN AUSTRALIA No. NAME

Coach Marc Webb Team Manager Shane Yardley

CLUBS

No. NAME

Jesse Motlop

South Fremantle/South Coogee/Aquinas College

Jed Hagan

East Fremantle/Brigades

Richard Farmer

Subiaco/North Beach/Hale

Judd McVee

East Fremantle/Rovers

Kaden Harbour

East Perth/Noranda

Zachary Fleiner

West Perth/Quinns District

Angus Sheldrick

Claremont/Mosman Park/Christ Church Grammar

Jahmal Stretch

Claremont/Halls Creek

Max Chipper

Swan Districts/Caversham

12 Lochlan Paton

West Perth/Joondalup Kinross

13 Bryce Watson

Swan Districts/Chittering

14 Taj Woewodin

East Fremantle/Booragoon

15 Finn Gorringe

East Fremantle/Attadale

16 Edward Curley

East Fremantle/Mullewa

18 Joshua Browne

East Fremantle/Applecross Mount Pleasant

19 Kade Dittmar

East Perth/Augusta Margaret River

20 James Tunstill

East Perth/Busselton

21 Neil Erasmus

Subiaco/Sorrento Duncraig JFC/Hale

22 Jack Avery

Perth/Cottesloe

23 Matthew Johnson

Subiaco/North Beach

24 Jedd Busslinger

East Perth/Coolbinia/Trinity College

25 Ethan Regan

East Perth/Morley

27 Oscar Armstrong

East Perth/Augusta Margaret River

28 Jaiden Hunter

Perth/Applecross

29 Jacob van Rooyen

Claremont/Wembley Downs

30 Jye Amiss

East Perth/Busselton

31 Eric Benning

Claremont/Waringarri Crows

32 Luke Polson

Peel Thunder/Warnbro Swans

34 Corey Warner

East Fremantle/Willeton/Aquinas College

36 Rhett Bazzo

Swan Districts/South Mandurah/Guildford Grammar

38 Brady Hough

Peel Thunder/Harvey Brunswick Leschenault

39 Jarrad McIlvinney

Peel Thunder/Secret Harbour Dockers

40 Jake South

Subiaco/Carine

43 Jack Williams

East Fremantle/Rossmoyne

45 Joshua Cripps

East Fremantle/North Hampton/Aquinas

1ST QTR

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

Future stars on show

u The curtain-raiser to the Toyota AFL Grand Final has always been an opportunity to showcase the future of Australian Football. In recent seasons it has featured our nation’s best NAB AFL Draft prospects in their 17th year, a year ahead of being eligible for the NAB AFL Draft in a concept called NAB AFL Futures with teams named after retiring AFL greats.

156 AFL RECORD

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FINAL

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Coach Tony Bamford Team Manager Brett Lovell

CLUBS

Isaiah Dudley Central District/Salisbury North/Prince Alfred College Blayne O’Loughlin North Adelaide/Gepps Cross Will Spain Sturt/Onkaparinga Valley/Cornerstone Cooper Murley Norwood/Tea Tree Gully Jase Burgoyne Woodville-West Torrens/Port District/Henley High Lachlan Grubb Central District/Tea Tree Gully Brayden Calvett Woodville-West Torrens/Port District/Henley High Lewis Rayson Glenelg/Kenilworth/Sacred Heart Hugh Jackson North Adelaide/Crystal Brook/Rostrevor Isaac Birt South Adelaide/Strathalbyn/Eastern Fleurieu Harvey Harrison North Adelaide/Golden Grove Cade Kennedy West Adelaide/Mitcham/St John’s Grammar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera Glenelg/Marion Jacob Owens Glenelg/Plympton/Sacred Heart Alastair Lord Norwood/Athelstone/Rostrevor Hugh Stagg Glenelg/PHOS Camden/Immanuel Arlo Draper South Adelaide/Willunga/Cardijn James Willis North Adelaide/Ingle Farm Matty Roberts South Adelaide/Langhorne Creek/St Peter’s Jason Horne-Francis South Adelaide/Christies Beach/Wirreanda Mani Liddy Sturt/Kersbrook Cooper Beecken Glenelg/Brighton/Sacred Heart Luca Whitelum Central District/Tanunda/Sacred Heart Max Litster Woodville West Torrens/CMS Crows Shay Linke Central District/Tanunda/Faith Lutheran Morgan Ferres Sturt/Payneham/St Peter’s Dayne McGary Glenelg/Brighton Jarrad Parish Glenelg/Brighton/Sacred Heart Lukas Cooke Woodville-West Torrens/Westminster Zac Becker Sturt/Goodwood/Scotch Oscar Adams Glenelg/South Gambier/Tenison Woods Jordan Lukac Woodville-West Torrens/Henley/Henley High Oscar Steene West Adelaide/Goodwood/Adelaide High Saxon Evans Central District/Willaston/Xavier Zac Phillips Woodville-West Torrens/Kadina/Henley High Ned Carey Norwood/Payneham Norwood Union/Rostrevor 1ST QTR

In 2018, a developing ruckman from Western Australia, Luke Jackson, joined a small forward prospect from South Australia, Kysaiah Pickett, in Team Nick Riewoldt, as they matched up against Team Jimmy Bartel. Team Bartel had another WA hopeful in young defender Trent Rivers. In 2016, another young West Australian, Aaron Naughton, played for Team Michael O’Loughlin and a year later it was Victorian

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

FINAL

Metro hopeful Bailey Smith who burst on to the stage for Team Corey Enright. This year will again be about the future, but involves players predominantly in their draft year as Western Australia hosts South Australia in a NAB AFL Under-19 Challenge match. It will give us a glimpse of the future with players’ eyes on the prize of selection in the NAB AFL Draft to be held on November 24-25. KEVIN SHEEHAN AFL TALENT AMBASSADOR

SEN.com.au

9/15/21 10:23 AM

s e m o c wel THE CITY OF LIGHTS

THE 2021 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL Visit us at: visitperth.com or perth.wa.gov.au

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INTRODUCING OUR

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ONE WEEK at a TIME GRAND

FINAL

News from in and around the AFL

‘BEVO’ OUT TO HAVE THE LAST WORD

We’ve waited so long; it would mean so much to so many people FORMER MELBOURNE GREAT RON BARASSI ON THE PROSPECT OF THE DEMONS BREAKING THEIR 57-YEAR PREMIERSHIP DROUGHT

MATESHIP PUT ON HOLD: Luke Beveridge after the Bulldogs’ 2016 premiership and inset as a Melbourne player.

ASHLEY BROWNE

MICHAEL LOVETT

EDITOR’S LETTER

here is a WhatsApp group featuring Melbourne players from the late 1980s who played in what might best be described as the John Northey era. The texts contain both “wind-up” and “a bit of fun”, making it no different to similar groups of mates who are spread far and wide across the world. But there might be a harder edge to the banter this week. That’s because one member will be doing his hardest to make sure the rest of his mates have to wait that bit longer for their long-awaited fairytale – Melbourne’s first premiership for 57 years. That person is Luke Beveridge, a 42-game player for the Demons between 1989 and 1992, but now the Western Bulldogs coach. “I love all the Melbourne boys I played with,” Beveridge said. “There’s a special relationship when you start your career there.”

Among those in the WhatsApp group are well-known former Demons Stephen Tingay, Andy Lovell, Paul Hopgood and Glenn Lovett, who now lives in New York. But Beveridge is also especially close to John Ahern, who figured in just two games for Melbourne in 1989, and Matt Mahoney, who played six games in 1990 and 1992. “They’re all great mates who I don’t see enough of,” he said. Lovett told the Record that the group will spare Beveridge their wrath. “We want the Dees to win, but we’re all supportive of Lukey because he’s a great mate. We won’t be getting stuck into him.” Beveridge went on to play 31 games for the Bulldogs and 45 for St Kilda before retiring in 1999. But his ties to the present-day Demons remain strong. Two of his closest friends have their fingerprints all over the Melbourne team he will be planning to beat on Saturday.

u There might have been a time when any suggestion of a Victorian team playing the biggest game of the season in Perth would cause many a West Australian to choke on their Margaret River chardonnay. But hold on to your fresh WA lobster – not only will one Victorian team be there, but you can add another! And both Melbourne and the Western

Bulldogs will be welcomed with open arms by this footy-loving city and state. It’s been a wild and crazy ride over the past two seasons, but after the huge success of last year’s Grand Final at the Gabba, we can confidently predict Perth – and WA – will turn on a memorable day and night. The build-up has been superb with the Brownlow Medal, a public event to

We will be doing our best to spoil the party LUKE BEVERIDGE

Beveridge went to school with Demons national recruiting manager Jason Taylor from prep, while list manager Tim Lamb was Beveridge’s assistant coach and right-hand man as he made Victorian Amateur Football Association history, coaching St Bedes/Mentone to three successive premierships – C Section in 2006, B Section in 2007 and A Section in 2008. Three flags in three years in three grades had never been done in amateur football before and it put Beveridge on the track to becoming an AFL premiership coach. His friendship with Taylor and Lamb was briefly strained in late 2016 when the Demons drafted Footscray VFL forward Mitch Hannan, who the Dogs had plucked from amateur club St Bernard’s with a view to taking him themselves. “I had some arguments with ‘Lamby’ and Jase back when they took him because we were going to take him in that draft,” Beveridge said. “It pissed me off; I understood it and well done to them, but I’m glad we got him back. He’s a very important part of our forward line.” And the friendship is likely to be stalled again, at least for the next couple of weeks. “They’re two great mates. But as much as I’d love them to salute at some point, I definitely don’t want it in two weeks’ time,” Beveridge said. “A bit like us in 2016, the Demons had to wait for a long time, so I can probably imagine the emotion and the public support will be behind them to break the drought. I get that. I understand that. But we will be doing our best to spoil the party.”

welcome the Demons and Bulldogs and a host of lunches and dinners to celebrate a historic moment in WA football. From this side of the country, all we can do is look on, but we rise as one to applaud those West Australians who have turned out in droves to watch big games that don’t feature West Coast or Fremantle. It started with the Dreamtime Game between

Essendon and Richmond in round 12 which attracted 55,656 fans and sold out in less than a day. The biggest crowd at Optus Stadium in 2021 was the Melbourne-Geelong preliminary final (58,599) and that figure will surely be surpassed in what will be a sold out Grand Final. Take a bow WA – you deserve such a grand occasion. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 159

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ONE WEEK at a TIME AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER: CEO Mike McKenna believes Optus Stadium will produce a Grand Final for the ages.

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH ASHLEY BROWNE

few big-ticket items have come across the desk of Mike McKenna in a long and distinguished career in sports administration in Australia. Working for Essendon in a commercial operations role, he had to oversee the club’s move from the MCG to what was then Colonial (now Marvel) Stadium. Then at Cricket Australia, he was handed a brief to grow the sport’s T20 brand. From that, Big Bash was born. But in terms of one-off events, delivering the first AFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium takes the cake. In Australian sport, it doesn’t get much bigger this. “In a lot of people’s lifetimes, it might not come back to Perth,” the Optus Stadium chief executive told the AFL Record. “We hope it’s back at the MCG next year, so we hope people walk away this year with memories of a Grand Final day experience that will remain with them forever.” With its futuristic lighting and all sorts of high-tech bells and whistles, Optus Stadium has been giving West Coast and Fremantle fans great days and nights at the footy since it opened in 2018. But as the pandemic again wreaked havoc with the AFL

160 AFL RECORD

schedule, and with large crowds unable to get to games in Victoria, the League moved the Dreamtime Game – one of its showpiece events – from the MCG to Optus Stadium earlier this year. It was an unforgettable evening. “It nailed it for the AFL,” McKenna said. “Not just the event presentation, but every aspect of Dreamtime helped confirm all the things we’ve been saying for the last couple of years to the AFL about our capacity to host these spectacular events.” The 5.15pm Grand Final start time in Perth means it will still be daytime, with the lighting to take effect from halfway through the second quarter. “Sports lights can be turned on and off immediately, so we’ll be able to celebrate the great moments,” McKenna said. “After goals, they can be lit up in the team colours. They will interact with the game and the entertainment and become part of the event presentation and the broadcast. “The stadium has the ability to put on a really good show, but it also needs to work in with what the AFL has planned, pre and post-match as well as half-time.”

We hope people walk away with memories that will remain with them forever OPTUS STADIUM CEO MIKE McKENNA

It will be a distinctly West Australian event. As McKenna said: “You can’t get more Perth than sitting on the Swan River, the Derbarl Yerrigan, with the city behind it and the Matagarup Bridge leading back to the city. It’s such an important part of Perth life. “The stadium is designed to reflect the geography and geology of Western Australia and the colours and the facade make a statement about WA. “When people see the broadcast of the game or walk across the bridge, they’ll get a real feel for that.” About 75 per cent of the food and

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beverages consumed at the game will also be produced in WA. There is a different rhythm and pace to Grand Final day compared with your usual AFL game and the management team at Optus Stadium have been in touch with their counterparts at the MCG and the Gabba (which staged a supposed ‘one-off’ Grand Final last year) to understand it all. Gates open earlier and fans arrive earlier. They mingle outside the stadium longer, taking in various outside broadcasts and sponsor activations. “We’ll make sure there is the ability for us to entertain the fans inside and outside the stadium on game-day,” McKenna said. All of McKenna’s 100 full-time staff members will be working on Grand Final day and they will be supported by 2200 casual staff. He is confident there won’t be a repeat of the first semi-final when a shortage of casual staff meant interminably long queues for food and drinks. Since then, both a Bledisloe Cup game and the Melbourne-Geelong preliminary final proceeded without a hitch. And when the dust settles and the AFL circus leaves town, he hopes Optus Stadium will have staged a

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Grand Final every bit as memorable as all those staged at the MCG. “The MCG has a huge Grand Final tradition. And for those of us who’ve been to an MCG Grand Final, whether it’s our first or the 50th, it’s that walk to the ground, the nice spring weather, smell of the freshly cut grass and the buzz from the crowd that adds to the excitement as well,” he said. “If we can produce our version of that, the arrival experience, the game experience and the buzz that surrounds the game, and then have

The stadium captures noise like no other McKENNA

people walk away like they’ve had a great day out, well, we’re there to facilitate that.” It won’t be the MCG. But Optus Stadium is uniquely placed to deliver a Grand Final for the ages in front of fans as passionate and deserving to be there as anywhere in the country. “The stadium captures sound like none other and if we can get the spectators to adopt a team, the noise they can create will lift both sides and they will feel like they are playing in front of an MCG-like crowd,” McKenna said.

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ONE WEEK at a TIME

PREMIERS 2021 ON SALE

SHATTERED DREAMS: The Grand Final ended in heartbreak for the Power in 2007 and Saint Stephen Milne (inset) in 2010.

uFans of this year’s premiership team will be able to buy a special souvenir magazine to celebrate their club’s 2021 success. Just $15, Premiers 2021 is a 100-page publication which gives a blow-by-blow account of your team’s premiership, accompanied by stunning images. Special features in Premiers 2021 include: moments uGreat from the Grand Final in words and pictures uHow the premiership was won uAll the stats uTactical analysis uQuarter-by quarter breakdown uFull-page photographs of all 23 players uA round-byround summary of the 2021 season Premiers 2021 will be on sale at newsagents, Coles Supermarkets and Coles Express from Thursday after the Grand Final. Email info@ aflrecord.com.au to order a copy via Express Post.

162 AFL RECORD

GRAND FINAL FIZZERS NIC NEGREPONTIS

ll roads in the career of an AFL player lead to the last Saturday in September and getting the chance to give it your all on Grand Final day. However, sometimes the fairytale story does not end happily. Since the turn of the millennium, there have been six one-sided Grand Final fizzers where the excitement of the day has quickly turned to abject disappointment for the losing side and their fans. The accomplishment of making it to that final stage is still significant, but players, coaches and fans alike would have mixed emotions remembering the day. Melbourne went into the 2000 Grand Final as substantial underdog, but with a chance to win its first flag since 1964. However, a dominant Essendon had other ideas, winning by 10 goals and cementing its legacy as one of the great teams of the era. The game was alive at quarter-time before the Bombers piled on 12.9 in the next two terms and put the result beyond doubt. Three years later, Brisbane entered similar rare air, at the expense of Collingwood, putting the Magpies to the sword by 50 points and claiming an unassailable lead at half-time.

The two teams fought wars over the early part of the 2000s, but the Lions put the final nail in the Collingwood coffin and asserted their dominance in 2003. Probably the most memorable Grand Final hammering of recent years was suffered by Port Adelaide in 2007. It was the ultimate crowning of Geelong after the Cats produced a dominant season. The 24.19 (163) to 6.8 (44) scoreline – the biggest losing margin in Grand Final history – would be etched in the minds of all Power fans. Geelong led by 57 points at half-time with the game quickly turning from a contest to a celebration of the Cats’ brilliance. Only two teams have kicked more goals in a Grand Final than the Cats did that day. In 1972, Carlton booted 28.9 (177) to Richmond’s 22.18 (150) in a high-scoring thriller that modern AFL rule-makers would have loved. In 1985, Essendon kicked 26.14 (170) in its 78-point triumph over Hawthorn. The oddest Grand Final fizzer since 2000 happened in 2010 and

Sometimes the fairytale does not end happily

followed one of the most compelling games in AFL/VFL history. St Kilda threw everything it had at Collingwood in the Grand Final, almost pulling off a memorable win. It wasn’t to be, however, ending in an equally historic draw, and given the rules at the time, we all came back the next week for the replay. The Saints were mentally and physically drained and were no match for the Magpies, particularly in the second term, and lost by 56 points. St Kilda kicked only one goal in the first half and never looked like it would come close to the Pies. Saints fans have had their fair share of Grand Final heartbreak, but the 2010 replay was almost over before it started. Hawthorn and Sydney played one of the great Grand Finals in 2012, but two years later the story was quite different with the Hawks winning by 10 goals, after kicking 21.11 (137). The most recent fizzer was the 2019 decider. After a huge build-up for the GWS Giants’ first Grand Final appearance, the game failed to live up to expectations. After an even first quarter, Richmond took control and went on to win by 89 points. The Tigers, like Hawthorn, Geelong, Brisbane and Essendon before them, cemented themselves as one of the dominant teams of the decade.

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A BANNER DAY THAT ENDED IN TATTERS

LACHLAN GELEIT

n what was meant to be one of her fondest days, September 29, 2018, quickly took a turn for the worse for Voula Bitsikas. Having stormed into the Grand Final after an upset win over Richmond the previous week, that glorious spring afternoon was meant to be the moment in time that Collingwood claimed its 16th premiership. We all know what went down on field, with the Magpies falling just short after leading for most of the day – but there was an incident pre-game that also stole the headlines. Just minutes before the Scott Pendlebury-led Magpies were set to run out, Collingwood’s cheer squad unveiled its Grand Final banner, with it proudly reading – “Warning: Magpies Swooping” – emblazoned with a giant cartoon of a magpie

It kills you for the rest of the day. I felt nothing. I felt numb COLLINGWOOD BANNER ORGANISER VOULA BITSIKAS

GONE WITH THE WIND: Magpie coach Nathan Buckley consoles Voula Bitsikas after the club’s banner tore apart.

picking up the premiership cup with its claws. While the banner looked great – facing the Ponsford Stand under the September sun – the 100,022-capacity crowd soon let out a gasp as it tore apart in the breeze. By the time Pendlebury and his teammates were at the top of the race, what was now a bundle of sticky tape and crepe paper was in tatters on the hallowed turf, reducing banner organiser Bitsikas to tears. She told the Herald Sun after the game that she felt “numb” for the rest of the day, feeling she had let the club down. “It is horrible, it is just terrible,” she said. “It kills you for the rest of the day. I felt nothing. I felt numb. “We bleed black and white, that is what it is all about. “I’m scared Eddie (then president Eddie McGuire) might have a go at me. I saw his face and I thought, I’ve let him down.” With reduced time to get the banner up and ready on Grand Final day, Bitsikas believes the ensuing “chaos” led to everything going wrong. “It was chaos, chaos. We had three minutes to set the banner up,” she said. “The team that goes out first needs more time. Of course, it went wrong. There just wasn’t time. We made it perfectly.” With no fellow cheer squad member having a hope of cheering an emotional Bitsikas up, all she could do was watch on in horror

as the players jumped over the remains and on to their customary pre-game photo. In what must have felt like the most embarrassing moment of her life, up stepped then-coach and club legend Nathan Buckley. In a heart-warming gesture, Buckley made a beeline for the teary banner leader, gave her a hug, consoled her and told her not to worry about it as the players only had one focus on their mind. He turned out to be right, with the Magpies jumping out to a five-goal lead, proving that the pre-game letdown had no effect on their start to the game. While they didn’t get the result in the end, Bitsikas was touched by the moving moment with Buckley. “He is a gem, he is a gentleman,” she said. “He is an absolute legend. To take the time to come up to me when he saw me crying, it means a lot to me.” While the end result wasn’t what the club had hoped for, that memory of Buckley taking a moment out of his hectic afternoon to make sure a club supporter was fine perfectly encapsulated the Magpies’ 2018 season. After finishing 13th the previous year, Collingwood’s added focus on mateship, culture and love throughout the season was clear to see, on and off-field. Through Buckley and Bitsikas’ miniscule moment, we saw that actions do truly speak louder than words.

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ONE WEEK at a TIME

RACING TOWARDS HIS NEW CALLING MICHAEL LOVETT

att Hill is the undisputed voice of racing in this country. But how long before we add the voice of football to that profile? His smooth, dulcet tones have taken him to the top of the racing game since he replaced veteran caller Greg Miles as the official course broadcaster in Melbourne in 2017. He was promoted in time to call his first Melbourne Cup that year and a few weeks prior his first Cox Plate as champion mare Winx scored the third of her four-peat wins. The accolades and awards followed and, in 2019, Hill was the winner of the Victoria Racing Writers Association’s Bert Wolfe Award for broadcasting excellence. He’s now at the top of his game in racing, but the 40-year-old is keen to expand into other broadcasting areas – and footy could be the big winner. “I love calling footy,” said Hill, who this year joined the SEN stable on Sunday afternoons alongside regular callers Sam Hargreaves and Brett Phillips and expert commentators such as Liam Pickering and Michael Barlow. “I worked with some great people on the Sunday team and it was a nice diversion from racing. “You look at SEN and they have some of the best (callers) in the business – ‘Huddo’ (Anthony Hudson), Dwayne (Russell) and Gerard (Whateley).” Could football become Hill’s calling, so to speak? He paused before answering: “I have unfinished business in footy.” Football was in Hill’s blood as a youngster growing up in Melbourne’s western suburbs and he was – and still is – a massive Western Bulldogs fan. “I’d be out in the street kicking the footy and commentating to myself,” he said. “I’m probably the last of a generation that listened to the radio

164 AFL RECORD

GOLDEN VOICE: Matt Hill behind the microphone for SEN football; calling the races at Moonee Valley (below); and as a budding Bulldogs Little League player (right).

when I was about 12 or 13. It was footy and racing because I grew up in a keen racing family.” But racing gave him his first broadcasting break. At 15, Hill’s mum Sue organised through the Victoria Racing Club for him to sit in the broadcast box with Miles, then the doyen of race-callers, at Flemington for a day. That experience won him over for good. As a teenager, Hill would sit in the stands with a dictaphone and binoculars honing his craft and eventually he was given a break calling race trials and the odd provincial meeting. But his biggest break came at 18. From a field of 80 applicants, he won the John Tapp scholarship which gave him the chance to work for Sky Racing as a trainee broadcaster. “They were based in Sydney, so I packed my life into an old Ford Telstra, drove to Sydney and stayed there for 16 years,” he said. Hill rose to become No. 2 caller in a tough market, but maintained a keen interest in other sports and in 2008 landed a radio gig at the Beijing Olympics calling soccer, rowing and the opening ceremony. After the first week in Beijing, Hill was on a high.

I’d be out in the street kicking the footy and commentating to myself BROADCASTER MATT HILL

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JOLSON-HOULI UNITY CUP

UNITED BY FOOTY

RACING’S FINEST: Hill with fellow living Melbourne Cup callers Dan Mielicki, Greg Miles and Bruce McAvaney; (below) Hill with the 2017 Melbourne Cup.

By the end of the second week, he was nearly dead. “I was feeling a bit flat one day in the studio and the next thing I keeled over. I was hit for six,” he said. Veteran broadcaster Ray Hadley, who was working with Hill, sprang into action. He contacted Australian Chef de Mission John Coates, who organised an Australian team doctor to get Hill to hospital immediately. He was diagnosed with Melioidosis, an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria found in soil and water. “It has a 90 per cent death rate,” Hill said. “I got double pneumonia and everything was shutting down. “I was airlifted to Hong Kong where I was in a coma for four or five days.” At 27, Hill thought his days were numbered. But he is forever grateful for the treatment he received in Hong Kong and eventually a mix of antibiotics, youth and a determined outlook saw him recover. “I made it back to Australia and a few weeks later I was calling the races at Kembla Grange,” he said. Having dodged that bullet, Hill felt like he could do anything. He was back at the Olympics in London in 2012 where he called English hero Mo Farah winning the 5000m, which he rates as one of the highlights of his career. Then came Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and more recently Toyko where he called three Australian gold medals in rowing and canoeing, working alongside Nick Green, who was part

of Australia’s ‘Oarsome Foursome’ that won gold in 1996 and 2000. Hill has called Winter Olympics, Paralympics and the Youth Olympics, as well as the Australian Open for Channel Nine. His race-calling talents have taken him around the world – Ireland, South Korea, Germany, Czech Republic, Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia, Sweden, France and Dubai. Among the many international races he has covered, Hill has called

seven Grand Nationals at Aintree for BBC Radio and was the lead caller for the great race in 2018. Hill idolises Bruce McAvaney, the king of all sports callers in this country, which leads to the inevitable question – is he the next Bruce McAavney? “Bruce is my hero,” he said. “I’ve heard people say ‘Oh, you’re the next Bruce McAvaney’ but that is a bit of a fallacy. I have never done this job to be famous. I just genuinely love broadcasting.”

u The AFL Grand Final might not be played at the MCG this year, but there is another game set to take place at the home of football with the aim of celebrating peace. The Jolson-Houli Unity Cup – originally scheduled at the MCG the day after the Grand Final – will stay in Melbourne, but will be played at the Punt Rd Oval later in the year between two teams from the Jewish and Muslim communities. First played at the MCG in 2019, the match is named after Richmond triple premiership player Bachar Houli, a practising Muslim, and Henry Jolson, a Western Bulldogs board member and premiership player at the AJAX Football Club. Jolson passed away in 2013. The game brings together Islamic and Jewish youth and is a legacy of the AFL Peace Team – celebrating the Jewish and Muslim community’s contribution to, and participation in, Australian Football. Players will come from the Bachar Houli Academy, a Richmond-based program supporting young footballers from a Muslim background, and the Jewish-based AJAX team. “This year we’ve created the theme around unity and harmony and it’s just a great opportunity for young men from different backgrounds to come together and enjoy the game that everyone loves in this country,” Houli said.

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ONE WEEK at a TIME

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

Hayden Kennedy had the best seat in the house on Grand Final day on five occasions. He tells ASHLEY BROWNE what it was like. What is Grand Final day like for an umpire? u It is huge and it starts almost as soon as the preliminary final finishes. There’s the anxious wait for selection and then the adrenalin and pride when you get picked because you’re able to achieve what you’ve set out to achieve. And then from that point in, it’s head down in order to prepare for your best possible performance. Once the siren sounds, it’s off you go and you’re into umpiring mode.

get to that stage, it’s a skill that nine times out of 10 you perform pretty well. Last year, we had Craig Fleer, Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith and they are all pretty good bouncers. They decided to go with ‘Fleery’ and it was his first Grand Final, so there was some of that as well. And it went up pretty straight. In fact, they bounced the ball superbly last year given all the rain in the lead-up.

Umpires, like the players, will have an extra week to prepare this week. Is it a help or a hindrance?

u My first Grand Final (1995) was a celebration with so many people. I was still having visitors coming to congratulate me at 8.30 the night before the game, after I’d already gone to bed. But that drops off ahead of other Grand Finals and I was able to more easily focus on what I needed to do.

u I think it might help with their game-day performance. You have two weeks to really, really jell and to understand what’s required. The Grand Final is so loud. Does that make it harder for the umpires to do their job? u That won’t make a difference. Because they’re miked up to each other, they can communicate pretty well. There’s noise there, but it is blocked out. Who takes the opening bounce? u You generally leave it to the three of them to work it out. Once you

166 AFL RECORD

You umpired five Grand Finals. Do they get easier as you go along?

PRIDE: Hayden Kennedy says he felt honoured to umpire five Grand Finals; (inset) in the heat of battle during his 495-game career.

in what the game looks like. I’m one of the luckiest people going around in footy. Do you still watch footy through the lens of an umpire?

You finished up as umpires’ head coach at the AFL this year after an involvement of nearly 40 years. How do you feel?

u I still have my pen and paper, but I haven’t watched a full game and focused just on the umpiring. My umpiring analytics are slowly starting to dwindle.

u I feel so lucky to have umpired some of the best players in the game and then to have had some fantastic experiences when I became a coach, not just working with individuals but playing a role

Hayden Kennedy stepped down this year as the AFL umpires’ head coach. He umpired 495 AFL/VFL games including the 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003 Grand Finals.

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DREAMS DASHED BY INJURY NATHAN JOHN

or the combatants, the clubs and their fans, the week leading up to the Grand Final is the most exciting of the season. There is no sensation like watching posters being pasted up in windows, club logos painted on to the ground and Grand Final patches ironed on to the jumpers when it’s your turn. However, for many players, unfortunate timing with injury has seen the week characterised by feelings of anxiousness, resignation and even resentment. In 2019, Richmond midfielder Jack Graham dislocated his shoulder in the preliminary final victory over Geelong and missed the chance to cap his most consistent season to that point. The blow was cushioned somewhat; he was already a premiership player (2017) and has now played in two after being part of last year’s successful side. Collingwood stalwart Simon Prestigiacomo was not so fortunate. Cleared to play in the 2010 Grand Final, he selflessly ruled himself out of the game having felt tightness in his groin after a training session. The 32-year-old retired after the Grand Final replay. The Magpies have since honoured his team spirit by awarding his No. 35 to their first draftee, to wear for a season before swapping for a number to make their own. For other players to have missed out, it hasn’t come down to the crunch of the captain’s run. Adelaide great Tony Modra snapped his anterior cruciate ligament in the preliminary final in 1997, having booted 84 goals for the season. He couldn’t regain the same scintillating form he displayed before his knee reconstruction and wasn’t considered for the 1998 Grand Final either. Half-back flanker Trent Ormond-Allen also missed both Adelaide premierships, having

CRUEL BLOWS: Tiger Jack Graham is helped from the field after dislocating his shoulder in 2019; Crows superstar Tony Modra clutches his knee in 1997.

Cleared to play, he selflessly ruled himself out

been struck down by glandular fever for the first. Club champion Mark Ricciuto missed out on the 1997 Grand Final with a late-season groin injury, as did small forward Peter Vardy after breaking his collarbone in the semi-final. Fortunately both returned for the Crows’ victory in 1998. Former Hawthorn defenders Matthew Suckling and Ryan Schoenmakers suffered serious knee injuries in the 2013 premiership season, but each made it up on to the podium in the end, Suckling in 2014 and 2015 and Schoenmakers in the latter year. Others have not been so lucky. Former Sydney forward Ben McGlynn strained his hamstring in the Swans’ qualifying final win over Adelaide, and failed to get through training ahead of their 2012 Grand Final victory. He went on to play in losing Grand Finals in 2014 and 2016. Ex-Geelong defender Matthew Egan, who played 59 games for the Cats in three years and won

All-Australian selection in his third, fractured the navicular bone just weeks before the drought-breaking premiership in 2007. He never played again. Fellow Cat Daniel Menzel ruptured his ACL in a qualifying final in 2011 and missed the the club’s premiership after having kicked 28 goals in just his second season. He underwent four knee reconstructions before he played another senior match. Former Port Adelaide captain and senior coach Matthew Primus suffered the same fate in round three of 2004, and missed the Power premiership. An All-Australian in 2001 and 2002, the ruckman retired the next season with 157 games to his name. Bob Murphy is perhaps the most prominent example, struck down by an ACL tear in the Western Bulldogs’ last premiership year in 2016. Having guided the Dogs back from a cataclysmic post-season two years earlier, he was invited on to the podium by coach Luke Beveridge. With so many contributors and clubmen having been unable to take the field on the final day of the season, should the AFL recognise the strength of the efforts that put the teams in that position by awarding premiership medals to the entire list? After all, it is said “squads win premierships,” and every match matters on the journey to the Grand Final. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 167

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HOW THE FLAG WAS WON

DOGS’ DAY IN PREMIERSHIP SUN Extraordinary is the only way to describe the Western Bulldogs’ performance after they won their second premiership in a Grand Final for the ages. BEN COLLINS AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 169

AFL RECORD WESTERN BULLDOGS PREMIERS 2016

nce upon a time in Melbourne’s working-class west, there was a football club called Footscray. The ’Scray dominated the Victorian Football Association but became a perpetual battler when elevated to the Victorian Football League in 1925. The Bulldogs took 14 seasons to make the finals, 29 to win a final and 30 to win a premiership in 1954. Another Grand Final appearance followed in 1961, before a long Grand Final drought which ended this year. The Dogs made the finals just three times in the next 30 seasons; and over the next half-a-century lost seven preliminary finals, some in heartbreaking circumstances. The club was also in a constant fight for survival, almost going bust on several occasions. Rebadged as the Western Bulldogs in late 1996 to represent the entire western suburbs, they reached another flashpoint in 2014 when their captain walked out and their coach was sacked. The next year, under a first-time coach, the Bulldogs defied logic to make the finals. The year after that, 2016, they suffered a crippling injury toll, but excelled to make the eight again. A premiership, though, was an impossible dream. After all, only one team had won a flag from outside the top four and that was Adelaide, which had come from fifth in 1998. But the Dogs were seventh – no team had even made a Grand Final from there, let alone won a premiership. However, they conjured victories in four consecutive finals, each of them as underdogs in cut-throat clashes; and twice triumphed interstate – a first for a Victorian club – to become the most unlikely premiers in history. They hammered the previous year’s Grand Finalists – West Coast and Hawthorn, when the Hawks were aiming for a record-equalling fourth flag in a row – and conquered emerging superpower Greater Western Sydney and a star-studded Sydney. Finally, it seems the sons of the west will live happily ever after … The Bulldogs’ mind-warping second flag – which ended what had been the longest active premiership drought of 62 years, and the third-longest in history – had been a fairytale.

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In fact, it’s not too dreamy to suggest the youngest spectator at the 2016 AFL Grand Final probably won’t witness a greater football Cinderella story in their lifetime. And they mightn’t see a better coaching feat than that of the extraordinary Luke Beveridge, who in two whirlwind seasons lifted the beleaguered Bulldogs from 14th and despair to premiers, and joined the legendary Charlie Sutton as the club’s only premiership coaches. The Dogs used an astounding 39 players – equal-second in history among premiership teams, behind only Fitzroy’s effort with 44 players in 1944 during the high turnover period of World War II. Remarkably, that fact only partly explains why this premiership was one of the greatest won.

We have ridden on your wings LUKE BEVERIDGE

FAN FAVOURITE: Luke Dahlhaus is embraced by excited fans after the Dogs’ momentous victory.

Little wonder then that, even before the Dogs took on Sydney in the Grand Final, Beveridge’s peers voted him the coach of the year, which he claimed in each of his first two seasons. Little wonder, too, at the outpouring of emotion from once hard-bitten Dogs fans – ‘Bulldogs through and through’ – the vast majority of whom hadn’t previously seen their club in a Grand Final. The delirious legion of red, white and blue barrackers cheered, hugged, laughed and cried. And it wasn’t just Dogs fans who were swept up in this magical mystery tour. They were one of the greatest sentimental favourites in memory, with the Bulldogs bandwagon growing exponentially with each giant-killing win.

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After a pulsating 22-point win over the Swans in the Grand Final, Beveridge told the euphoric Bulldog faithful at the MCG: “We know how long you have waited for success ... to you, the fans, our supporters ... you’ve boosted our spirits. We have ridden on your wings.” Such a stunning transformation couldn’t have been imagined in October (dubbed “Shocktober”) 2014 when Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen, always a reluctant leader, quit the club and requested a trade to GWS. The next day, amid rumours of further player discontent, coach Brendan McCartney resigned. It had been a tough gig for McCartney, the former Geelong premiership assistant coach who took over a squad in transition after a Rodney Eade era punctuated by successive preliminary final appearances from 2008-10. During McCartney’s 2012-14 reign, the rebuilding Dogs slumped to 15th, 15th and 14th, but he had laid a foundation based around contested ball that would help the next coach. It was also a critical period for stockpiling talent, with then list manager Jason McCartney (now at the Giants) and former recruiting chief Simon Dalrymple (now with Sydney) leading draft drives that netted future premiership heroes Clay Smith (No. 17), Tory Dickson (57) and Fletcher Roberts (Pre-Season Draft) in 2011, Jake Stringer (5), Jack Macrae (6) and Lachie Hunter (49 – father-son pick) in 2012 and, most crucially, Marcus Bontempelli (4) in 2013. This was in addition to the 2010 batch that included father-son

REACHING FOR THE STARS:

Jordan Roughead and Fletcher Roberts fly for a mark, as the Bulldogs realised the prediction on the club’s pre-game banner (below).

picks Mitch Wallis (22) and Tom Liberatore (41) and rookies Luke Dahlhaus and Jason Johannisen. A week after the Griffen bombshell, the Dogs orchestrated a colossal trade, sending him and pick No. 6 to the Giants in exchange for first-year key forward Tom Boyd, the previous year’s No. 1 selection. Controversially, the Bulldogs signed the nine-game 19-year-old on a lucrative seven-year contract. The club desperately needed a marking target and felt Boyd would in time develop into a star. It was another month before Beveridge was unveiled as coach. The Bulldogs couldn’t have known it at the time, but they had just secured a messiah. His appointment was the result of some Sliding Doors moments. Dogs president Peter Gordon (who helped save the club in his first stint as president in 1989 and replaced stalwart David Smorgon in October 2012) had wanted former club captain Luke Darcy on the coach selection panel and, after some cajoling, Darcy agreed on the proviso the candidates include his old teammate Beveridge. Beveridge proved difficult to convince, as he had already accepted the job of St Kilda’s director of coaching. But his qualifications were impeccable. After playing 118 games for Melbourne, Footscray and St Kilda from 1989-99, he had coached St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers to an unprecedented three consecutive VAFA premierships in C, B and then A sections from 2006-08; had been Collingwood’s player development manager under Mick Malthouse when the Pies won the 2010 premiership; and was Hawthorn’s defensive coach under Alastair Clarkson when the Hawks triumphed in 2013 and 2014. He had also been a senior manager for the Australian Tax Office’s intelligence unit, AUSTRAC. He had good people around him at Whitten Oval, including new skipper Bob Murphy, whom Beveridge lauded as “the heartbeat of the club”. Beveridge had a bumpy start in 2015 when reigning club champion Liberatore suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Dogs’ first NAB Challenge game. Murphy revealed during the 2016 finals series: “We get asked about belief a lot and this group has had it for two years – almost as soon as Luke came on board. That’s AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 171

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as much to do with Luke believing in himself.” Beveridge had also placed a premium on versatility – a key plank to Hawthorn’s success – and removed the shackles. The most stunning examples of this refreshed approach were rejuvenated veterans Liam Picken and Matthew Boyd. Long-time tagger Picken thrived after being released as a ball-getting midfielder, while former midfielder Boyd was reinvented as a half-back flanker, which added experience down back while allowing the Dogs to develop their young midfield. As good as the Dogs’ players had been – with All-Australian honours bestowed upon both club champion defender Easton Wood and 56-goal forward Stringer – the major difference had been Beveridge. What was it that made the coach so special? In Grand Final week, Hunter said it was “a million-dollar question” and Wood felt it “could be answered a million different ways”. Wood: “For me, he’s encouraged us to explore our own instincts, and he’s given us a licence to be ourselves, to be all we can be, and to constantly challenge our capabilities.” Bontempelli: “It’s his personality and the way he interacts with us and goes about forming personal

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relationships with each individual. That gives us all the more reason to want to play for him.” Matthew Boyd: “An important component has been that the players have enjoyed playing his game style. He mostly sees the strengths and the possibilities and not so much the weaknesses.” However, at the end of 2015, the Dogs seemed some way off flag contention when they suffered a seven-point loss to Adelaide in an unusually free-flowing elimination final at the MCG. Their 2016 campaign hit a snag in January when ex-Bomber Stewart Crameri – the Dogs’ 2014 leading goalkicker – received a season-long suspension for his role in Essendon’s controversial supplements program in 2012. It was but one of many hardships the Dogs overcame on their pot-holed road to glory. Great gains were made in other areas, though. The Dogs secured free agent Matthew Suckling, the lethal left-footer fresh from playing in the previous two premierships at Hawthorn, where he had formed a strong bond with Beveridge. Liberatore returned strongly from his knee reconstruction and became a virtual recruit. A major surprise packet was big-marking backman Marcus Adams, a 22-year-old from Perth. Beveridge dubbed him the ‘The Specimen’ and was so impressed

by his early form he said Adams had produced one of the best opening fortnights by a rookie key defender. Another draftee, teenager Josh Dunkley – the son of ex-Swans defender Andrew Dunkley – also developed at a rapid rate and became increasingly important as the season wore on. Dunkley had nominated Sydney as his preferred destination under the father-son rule, but the Swans contentiously refused to match the Dogs’ No. 25 bid. The Bulldogs flew out of the blocks at their Docklands fortress with big wins over 2015 minor premier Fremantle (by 65 points) and St Kilda (57), before a fateful clash with triple reigning premier Hawthorn changed the complexion of their season. In an absorbing struggle, the Dogs led by three points with 90 seconds left when disaster struck. As Hawk James Sicily marked before slotting the winning goal, Murphy suffered a knee injury that ended his season and almost his career. Murphy, who turned 34 in June, eventually decided to play on into 2017, but the most pressing issue was: could the Dogs still win the flag without him? Many felt it was beyond them, such was Murphy’s importance as both a player and a leader.

He mostly sees the strengths and possibilities and not so much the weaknesses MATTHEW BOYD ON LUKE BEVERIDGE

DESTINY AWAITS: The Bulldogs link arm in arm as the teams line up before the game for the national anthem.

Just four clubs in history had won premierships without their appointed captains, and three of them had been vastly more-experienced teams than the Dogs. Vice-captain Easton Wood, then 26, was thrust into the role of stand-in captain, just five months after being elevated to the Dogs’ leadership group. Murphy was a tough act to follow and his close mate Wood felt completely out of his depth. “Bob gave me the best advice,” Wood reflected. “He said, ‘Just be yourself. It’s enough, it’s always going to be enough, and it’s all you can ever be.’” Murphy downplayed his off-field role, labelling himself a professional cheerleader and hug-giver, but he continued to have an enormous influence behind the scenes. Murphy’s mishap started a horrific run of injuries. The Dogs went long stretches without front-line backmen Murphy (who missed 23 games), Adams (15), Johannisen (10), Wood (six) and Suckling (nine – although he played mostly on a wing). The Dogs’ premiership hopes seemed to vanish during a shock loss to St Kilda in round 18, when midfielder Mitch Wallis suffered a horrific broken leg and key forward Jack Redpath also tore an ACL.

With Wallis screaming in agony in the rooms after the game, many teammates were overcome with emotion. Post-match, Beveridge lamented it as a “traumatic” night. “It’s (our) challenge to pick them up and be supreme optimists, and believe that there’s still a bit left in our year and we can still be there at the end and be a challenger,” he said. During another press conference just days later, Beveridge also became misty-eyed while discussing the injuries. Wood: “In a bittersweet way, the hardships have contributed to our improvement. They’ve steeled the group to rise to each challenge.” Bontempelli: “We’ve been conditioned and trained to believe. We’re a resilient group and we can cope and manage on the run.” Another crucial factor for the Dogs was controlling their own VFL team – Footscray – since 2014, having previously been aligned with Williamstown and Werribee. Veteran defender Dale Morris explained that the game style, roles and expectations were the same between seniors and reserves so that “when a soldier goes down, another soldier has been trained up to take their place”. Several other adversities – a late-night altercation between

mates Tom Boyd and Zaine Cordy (which led to club-imposed suspensions); Lin Jong being caught taking a mid-season tour of Collingwood’s facility; and the late-season loss of senior assistant coach Brett Montgomery to explore other opportunities – might have destabilised weaker clubs, but they proved just minor distractions. It also helped that the precocious Bontempelli (who earned his first All-Australian selection, alongside the evergreen Boyd) elevated himself to superstar status. Beveridge, in a late-season interview on Melbourne radio station SEN, marvelled: “He’s ranked in the top three or four midfielders in the comp – as a 20-year-old that’s quite extreme.” When Suckling first heard Bontempelli speak in a team meeting, he thought the youngster spoke with insight reminiscent of Hawks veteran Sam Mitchell. Bontempelli also became the youngest player to captain a winning team, as part of a rotational captaincy arrangement when Wood was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Other revelations included ball-magnet wingman Hunter and helmeted little man Caleb Daniel (runner-up in the NAB AFL Rising Star award). After a final-round loss to lowly Fremantle at Domain Stadium, the Dogs had to travel back to Perth AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 173

AFL RECORD WESTERN BULLDOGS PREMIERS 2016

WE DID IT: Easton Wood embraces Bob Murphy, the man he replaced as captain after his season ended with a knee injury in round three, and (right) the crowd of almost 100,000 was entertained pre-match by Sting (top) and The Living End (below).

for an elimination final against a peaking West Coast. Beveridge later suggested that before the finals, his team was no more than a 10 per cent chance of winning the flag. However, the Dogs were aided by the new pre-finals bye, which gave enough time for Wood (ankle), Liberatore (ankle) and Macrae (hamstring) to return and for Tom Boyd (ankle) to be passed fit. Each played key roles in the weeks that followed. Enigmatic forward Stringer was also back. Compared to Geelong legend Gary Ablett snr early in the season, Stringer had been banished to the VFL for two games to increase his work rate. The entire Dogs side reached new intensity levels against the Eagles and they showcased the benefits of their regular ‘Handball Club’ sessions, with their fast hands in confined spaces creating havoc. After losing their previous four clashes in Perth by an average of 84 points, the Bulldogs

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astonished the football world with a 47-point victory. The only downer was a broken collarbone to Jong, who was reduced to tears on the bench as it appeared his season was over. The Dogs were only getting started, and impartial fans jumped on board ahead of the semi-final clash with Hawthorn at the MCG, when the Dogs became genuine premiership contenders. After trailing by 23 points in the second term, they broke 43 points clear before coasting home to win by 23 points. It was the first time the Bulldogs had beaten Hawthorn in nine encounters. The next day, a bullish Beveridge told SEN: “We won’t be satisfied unless we win the whole thing … the time is now.” Bontempelli continued the theme on Channel Seven’s Game Day by revealing the Dogs’ attitude was “why not us?” Thousands of Dogs fans attended training, and thousands more made the pilgrimage to the Giants’ boutique venue at Spotless Stadium

for the preliminary final, making it feel like a Bulldogs home game. Those who travelled in club-organised buses up the Hume Highway were handed a letter of appreciation from Beveridge, along with $10 for a breakfast stop at Wodonga. This was a uniquely thoughtful leader. The Bulldogs’ banner delivered a none-too-subtle dig at the Giants: “OUR CLUB WAS BORN IN BLOOD AND BOOTS, NOT IN AFL FOCUS GROUPS.” Both teams lost players early – Dogs ruckman Jordan Roughead copped an eye injury after a ball was kicked into his face, while Callan Ward was accidentally KO’d. Tom Boyd filled the void in the ruck and didn’t allow the hulking Shane Mumford to dominate – an admirable feat given Boyd was battling a shoulder problem that required a post-season reconstruction. The Dogs were 14 points down early in the last quarter, but got four of the last five goals to win by six points.

Bob gave me the best advice ... he said, ‘Just be yourself’ EASTON WOOD ON INJURED SKIPPER BOB MURPHY

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2016 AFL GRAND FINAL – OCTOBER 1 WESTERN BULLDOGS SYDNEY SWANS

2.0 1.2

7.1 7.3

9.7 8.5

13.11 (89) 10.7 (67)

BEST: Western Bulldogs – Johannisen, Picken, T. Boyd, Macrae, M. Boyd, Dahlhaus. Sydney Swans – Kennedy, Mitchell, Rampe, Heeney, Jones, Hannebery. GOALS: Western Bulldogs – T. Boyd 3, Dickson 3, Picken 3, Cordy, McLean, C. Smith, Stringer. Sydney Swans – Kennedy 3, Mitchell 2, Parker, Smith, Rohan, Franklin, Hewett. UMPIRES: M. Stevic, S. Meredith, S. Jeffery CROWD: 99,981 at the MCG NORM SMITH MEDAL: Jason Johannisen JOCK McHALE MEDAL: Luke Beveridge

WESTERN BULLDOGS’ GRAND FINAL STATISTICS

The match-winner from Macrae came after a desperate Picken smother on Griffen followed by a Liberatore pass. Bulldog emotions overflowed. Among the many heroes were Tory Dickson and Clay Smith, who starred with four goals each. Dickson had more reason to pinch himself than most. He had taken a circuitous route to the AFL, having stints at VFL clubs Frankston and Bendigo, along with Noble Park in the Eastern Football League before making his debut with the Dogs at 24 in 2012. Smith, who had returned from a third knee reconstruction mid-season, had been devastated by the death of a close mate just days earlier. He delivered a eulogy at the funeral on the Tuesday before the Grand Final. Hearts also went out to Murphy, who couldn’t contain his tears. Meanwhile, Bontempelli reminded Dogs fans: “One more!” Television ratings revealed that, Grand Finals aside, it was the second most-watched AFL game in history. The next day, the Dogs’ players watched their VFL team win the premiership, with Jong staging a

Player

Shane Biggs Marcus Bontempelli Matthew Boyd Tom Boyd Zaine Cordy Luke Dahlhaus Caleb Daniel Tory Dickson Josh Dunkley Joel Hamling Lachie Hunter Jason Johannisen Tom Liberatore Jack Macrae Toby McLean Dale Morris Liam Picken Fletcher Roberts Jordan Roughead Clay Smith Jake Stringer Easton Wood

12 14 16 10 7 10 11 7 9 5 8 25 8 13 8 2 12 2 8 8 8 7

3 8 11 4 4 13 3 4 6 4 11 8 14 20 10 13 13 3 5 5 4 6

15 22 27 14 11 23 14 11 15 9 19 33 22 33 18 15 25 5 13 13 12 13

4 1 4 8 1 3 3 3 3 4 1 7 2 5 2 3 3 2 5 1 1 7

0 9 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0

3 7 4 0 4 8 5 5 7 1 4 1 8 3 5 4 4 0 4 11 2 2

0 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 1

0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

0 0 0 3 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 1 0

0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

66 99 94 96 55 100 69 76 74 40 67 115 90 107 81 56 106 15 82 85 50 60

K Kicks, H Handballs, D Disposals, M Marks, HO Hit-outs, T Tackles, FF Free kicks for, FA Free kicks against, G Goals, B Behinds, AF AFL Fantasy points

TEAMS AS SELECTED WESTERN BULLDOGS

SYDNEY SWANS

B: J. Johannisen, J. Hamling, M. Boyd

B: J. Lloyd, H. Grundy, N. Smith

HB: S. Biggs, D. Morris, E. Wood

HB: C. Mills, J. Laidler, D. Rampe

C: L. Hunter, M. Bontempelli, L. Picken

C: K. Jack, J. Kennedy, J. McVeigh

HF: J. Macrae, Z. Cordy, J. Stringer

HF: T. Mitchell, L. Franklin, L. Parker

F: T. Dickson, T. Boyd, C. Smith

F: T. Papley, K. Tippett, B. McGlynn

FOLL: J. Roughead, L. Dahlhaus, T. Liberatore

FOLL: S. Naismith, D. Hannebery, I. Heeney

I/C: T. McLean, F. Roberts, J. Dunkley, C. Daniel

I/C: Z. Jones, G. Hewett, X. Richards, G. Rohan

EM: M. Suckling, T. Campbell, L. Jong

EM: H. Cunningham, H. Marsh, T. Nankervis AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 175

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miraculous recovery to be the best-afield. They could do no wrong. The Dogs had broken the 40,000-member barrier for the first time and Gordon announced they would also achieve club revenue records and declare a healthy profit. Stringer observed later, “the western suburbs were pretty much painted red, white and blue”, and more than 10,000 fans flocked to the Dogs’ final training session at Whitten Oval. The next day, the Dogs participated in their first Grand Final Parade (a tradition that started in 1977), attracting possibly a record attendance of about 200,000 fans, prompting Beveridge to say they felt like The Beatles. There has never been a prouder president than Gordon, who said: “It’s been a history of struggle and the Bulldogs embody struggle, and I think the moral to the story is that if you continue to struggle, if you continue to believe, eventually a week like this will come along.” The Dogs attracted such deep sentiment that the Grand Final was billed as the Swans versus the rest of Australia. Dogs fans breathed much easier when Roughead was given the all-clear, but when Suckling became a selection hard-luck story, the Dogs became the first team since 1997 to enter the big one without a player with Grand Final experience. From 2011-14, the Dogs lost six in a row to Sydney, but under

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LET THE PARTY BEGIN: Jason Johannisen is mobbed by teammates after being announced as the Norm Smith medallist (top); Bob Murphy and Easton Wood raise the cup as coach Luke Beveridge and club great John Schultz stand back and take it all in (above); tearful vice-president Susan Alberti and former president David Smorgon embrace after the club claimed just its second premiership.

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DOG’S DELIGHT: Gun midfielder

Marcus Bontempelli can’t hide his emotion after the club’s drought-breaking victory.

The western suburbs were pretty much painted red, white and blue JAKE STRINGER

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Beveridge they’d triumphed in their next two clashes, both times by four points at the SCG. Given Sydney’s lightning starts in their previous two finals, it was never more critical that the Dogs embody Sutton’s famous saying: “Shop early and avoid the rush.” In a bruising, fluctuating contest before a crowd of 99,981, the Bulldogs led by eight points at the last change, but the gap twice narrowed to just one point before the Dogs came home hard with the last three goals. There were Bulldogs heroes and great stories everywhere. Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen had spent his first nine years in South Africa, grew up playing rugby, eventually snuck on to the Dogs’ rookie list and had overcome a long-term hamstring tendon injury. When he accepted the medal, Johannisen exclaimed: “We did it!”

The Tom Boyd and Roughead big-man combination was influential. Boyd came of age and was worth every cent on the biggest stage, taking a swag of contested marks, competing strongly in the ruck and kicking three goals, including one from outside the arc that put the Dogs 15 points up late in the last quarter. Three sons of Dogs – Liberatore, Hunter and Cordy – helped win the flag that had proved elusive to their fathers. Cordy became a premiership key forward despite never playing in attack until round 19. Another son of a gun, Picken, chimed in with three goals, including two late ones to seal the deal, giving him eight goals in a brilliant finals series. His father Billy had lost four Grand Finals and a drawn another with Collingwood. Morris, who had missed the 2012 season with a career-threatening broken leg, said the premiership felt like “an out-of-body experience”.

Up on the dais, Beveridge induced more tears by removing his medal from his neck and calling Murphy up to accept it, declaring, “This is yours, mate. You deserve it more than anyone.” The coach, captain and stand-in captain Wood (who had martialled his team superbly) then had the warmest of embraces before being presented with the premiership cup by Dogs great John Schultz – who had played in the 1961 Grand Final and had been something of a mentor for the Dogs over the previous two seasons. Afterwards, an elated Murphy told Channel Seven: “We must be dreaming … We didn’t even allow ourselves daydreams about this. Sons and daughters of the ’Scray, we’re bringing it home. HOOOME!” The Dogs’ banner writer had also astutely predicted that his team would become “BULLGODS”. And, as many would later say, hallelujah.

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20 18

RECORD FLASHBACK

2 6 0 0 2

19 9 2 19 9 4

ECSTASY: (From left) Dom Sheed, Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras show their delight as the final siren signals the Eagles’ fourth flag.

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WORTH THE TRIP: Eagles supporters had plenty to cheer about as they celebrated their first premiership in 12 seasons.

As Perth prepares to host its first AFL Grand Final, we look back at Western Australia’s most recent success on football’s biggest stage, the West Coast Eagles’ stirring victory in the epic 2018 decider.

he 2018 West Coast premiership was celebrated heartily and merrily. As all premierships should. But given the adversity faced by the Eagles at stages during that season and some of the hurdles that had to be overcome, the club’s fourth flag came to be seen as a bit special. And not just because the Eagles spotted Collingwood a five-goal lead in the first term, the first two goals of the final term having drawn close, leading the game for barely nine minutes and hitting the front for good with only two minutes to play. It needs to be recognised and cherished as such, coming as it did in one of the best Grand Finals ever. The Eagles won the 2018 premiership with perhaps their best two players, Nic Naitanui and Andrew Gaff, sitting in the stands.

ASHLEY BROWNE

Add important defender Brad Sheppard to the list of absentees and you could argue West Coast was missing three of its best 10 players come the business end of the season. Star defender Jeremy McGovern played the game in discomfort having spent a night in hospital to deal with internal bleeding after a hip pointer injury suffered in the preliminary final. Not too many clubs salute on the last day of September having to overcome that sort of handicap. But salute it did and it was a tribute to the culture of excellence created at the club, pretty much since its inception in 1986 that helped it overcome its travails, sail through to the finals and then defeat Collingwood, Melbourne and Collingwood again to win the flag. Only once in West Coast’s history has it enjoyed a sustained lean period, between 2008 and 2010 when it finished 15th, 11th and 16th.

I guess it’s in our DNA CEO TREVOR NISBETT ON THE EAGLES’ SUSTAINED SUCCESS

It came off the club’s third premiership in 2006, but it was a necessary period of recalibration during which the club needed to focus on things other than pure wins and losses. But otherwise, West Coast never seems to bottom out. “I guess it’s in our DNA. I have never ever looked at needing to bottom out,” said chief executive Trevor Nisbett, who has been at the club for 33 years, 10 as football manager and the past 23 as chief executive. He has been a key figure in all four West Coast flags. “Our aim has been to ensure we get a combination of good drafting, good list management and creating an environment where we can always participate in the finals. That’s been our aim all the way through.” Indeed, another feature of that remarkable season was that, in addition to winning the flag, the Eagles blooded eight debutants. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 181

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AFL RECORD WEST COAST EAGLES PREMIERS 2018

WHAT A RIDE: Liam Ryan holds the premiership cup after a memorable first game at the MCG.

Three of them – Liam Ryan, Willie Rioli and Daniel Venables – were part of the 2018 premiership team. Be they players, coaches or administrators, West Coast chooses its people exceptionally well. It has long been a feature of the club, which took only a few years after its inception to determine it needed to look outside Western Australia to attract the right calibre of people, starting with Mick Malthouse as coach. Having said that, Nisbett, whose two decades plus as chief executive is matched only by Brian Cook – his predecessor at the Eagles who has been in charge at Geelong for the same length of time – is a card-carrying West Australian. And what he has brought to West Coast in that time is an eye for talent. It is no co-incidence that, in addition to Nisbett, senior

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roles in commercial operations, player welfare and media have been held by the same people for close to 20 years. “The motivation has always been to get the best out of people and watch them grow in football,” Nisbett said. “I think the biggest thing you can do from a management point of view is appoint good people in the right roles and have them do their jobs. “Good organisations make sure you do that and you plan for it. “Over the journey there have been times when we’ve thought we’re a bit thin in a lot of areas and we need to fix it quickly or otherwise we will slip down the ladder from a football view and, from my point of view, off the field as well.” Nisbett’s strength has always been to infuse the right culture at West Coast and to strive for perfection. “He excites people with his enthusiasm and gets the best

out of them. People admire and respect him,” one insider said. West Coast has had just six coaches in 35 seasons and, for the most part, has nailed the selection of just about the most important position at the club. One thing the Eagles have always been good at is understanding the type of person required as coach. In 1990, it looked across the country and secured Malthouse, flint-hard and very Victorian in outlook. He led the club to two flags and the finals in each of the 10 years he was in charge. In 2002, they needed a favourite son and the SOS went out to dual-premiership skipper John Worsfold, who turned out to be every bit as good as they hoped. In 2014, it was Adam Simpson, shaped as a player by Denis Pagan at North Melbourne and fresh from four years learning the coaching craft from Alastair Clarkson at

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the so-called “football university” at Hawthorn. “I don’t think there’s anyone who’s met Adam who wouldn’t say he’s a quality person,” Nisbett said. “He’s revered by the players,” one insider said. “He’s like a father figure to them. “He knows their partners and what they’re up to. He knows the names of their kids. “He treats the players with the greatest respect and you can see and feel that the spirit among the playing group is quite remarkable.” Simpson’s main learning out of 2017 was that West Coast wasn’t quite the harmonious club it could be. Players were down on form and confidence. Borrowing a leaf out of the Richmond playbook, he focused on making the football club a brighter place to be. “A sanctuary,” noted another observer. “Things were never too high and never too low. Everyone was very calm.” One reason why the Eagles bought into whatever Simpson was selling was that he became equally invested in the club. Malthouse spent 10 years at the Eagles, but there were unpacked boxes in his garage the entire time. Simpson is genuinely invested in the city. “Perth can be pretty parochial,” said former AFL Coaches Association CEO Mark Brayshaw, born and raised there himself. “He’s gone there and put down genuine roots there with Nicky and the kids. “Perth people like winners and like the fact he has built his life there. He’s ticked those two boxes.” Brayshaw added that Simpson was blessed to get to a club with quality leaders such as Nisbett and football general manager Craig Vozzo. “They’re well-respected people and very smart. You can do very well in that sort of environment,” he said. Simpson has long applied that philosophy when building his coaching team. Simpson is one of eight former Clarkson players, coaches or offsiders from Hawthorn to have become senior coaches in their own right and Brayshaw reckons the team Simpson has installed around

DEFYING ADVERSITY: The Eagles’ triumph was achieved without arguably its best two players – Nic Naitanui and Andrew Gaff (below left); while the club blooded eight debutants in 2018, including premiership trio Daniel Venables, Willie Rioli and Liam Ryan and Jake Waterman.

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 183

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AFL RECORD WEST COAST EAGLES PREMIERS 2018

LIVING THE DREAM: With their jumpers still on, the Eagles return from the dressing rooms to greet their fans in the post-match celebrations.

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him – which in 2018 included Adrian Hickmott (stoppages), Jaymie Graham (forwards), Sam Mitchell (midfield), Daniel Pratt (defence) and Nathan van Berlo (midfield) – will always have a huge future in the game. “He’ll stay at West Coast for a long time and I can see people going to other jobs because they worked under him,” Brayshaw said. Simpson’s coaching tree has already taken root with Mitchell taking over from Alastair Clarkson at Hawthorn in 2022. He earned rave reviews for his work at the Eagles in 2018, where his influence on the midfield was profound. One example was Chris Masten who retreated to the gym late in 2017 to try to add some bulk to address a perceived weakness in winning contested ball. Talking to The Australian in the lead-up to the Grand Final, Masten said Mitchell spied him in the gym and asked him why he was there. “Why worry about that? Just worry about what you are good at,” was Mitchell’s message. It was no surprise Masten enjoyed an excellent season. “He is obviously an insanely smart football brain. He is on another level to me,” Masten said. It was a massive spray from Mitchell at three-quarter time of the qualifying final against Collingwood that helped turn things around. West Coast trailed by 10 points with a quarter to go but kicked 5.3 to 1.1 in the final term to win by 16 points. Mitchell is also said to have played a key role in how the Eagles structured up against Max Gawn in the preliminary final. The champion ruckman, who finished fifth in the Brownlow Medal with 20 votes, played his quietest game for the season. But the entire West Coast coaching staff deserves a pat on the back, because it was a season with plenty of challenges. The retirements of Mitchell and 2014 Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis was supposed to have gutted the midfield. Add Sam Butler, Josh Hill, Sharrod Wellingham and Drew Petrie also calling it a day and it meant a ton of experience had left the club.

PAST AND PRESENT: Coach Adam Simpson and captain Shannon Hurn raise the 2018 premiership cup, just as skipper John Worsfold and coach Mick Malthouse did when the Eagles won their first flag in 1992 (top).

He’s like a father figure A CLUB INSIDER ON COACH ADAM SIMPSON

The move to the gleaming and new – but significantly wider – Optus Stadium for home games was also regarded as a great unknown for West Coast in 2018. But a pre-season glance at the rest of the competition appeared to indicate the Eagles were in that cluster of teams that could finish anywhere between fourth and 14th on the ladder. The season opened with a blockbuster – Sydney in the first game at Optus Stadium. The Swans spoiled the housewarming with a 10-point win, but West Coast reeled off 10 successive wins after that, among them a four-week stretch

that included Port Adelaide (42 points), Greater Western Sydney (25 points), Richmond (47 points) and Hawthorn (15 points). The only flat period came after the bye – with losses to Sydney, Essendon and Adelaide – but the most consequential and bittersweet win of the home and away season came in round 17 at the MCG. The good was the 35-point win over Collingwood, the first over a quality side at the home of football, and the Grand Final locale, for more than three years. Winning at the MCG was seen to be the last hurdle for the Eagles to overcome in order to establish their flag credentials. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 185

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AFL RECORD WEST COAST EAGLES PREMIERS 2018

DYNAMIC DUO: Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy played a crucial role in West Coast’s triumph, the Eagles being unbeaten with the pair in the team.

EAGLES CAULDRON: The

move to the new Optus Stadium has been a winner on and off the field.

But the sour note that day was another ACL injury to Naitanui. After missing all of 2017, he had found his mojo again and West Coast’s midfield was feasting on his work. Three weeks later came the derby clash with Fremantle which was again a day of incredible highs and lows. The Eagles beat the stuffing out of their cross-town rival, to the tune of 58 points, but it was Gaff’s clash with Docker youngster Andrew Brayshaw that was the talking point. A misdirected punch to the body by Gaff hit Brayshaw flush on the jaw and the gun midfielder was rubbed out for eight weeks. He did not play again for the season. “You never get through a year without an incident,” Nisbett observed. “We’re just unfortunate we had a couple of big ones.” West Coast entered the finals brimming with confidence. The losses of Naitanui and Gaff were blows, but nowhere near fatal, given the side played some excellent football once they were gone. Don’t dismiss travelling across the country to meet the in-form

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This ground has encouraged us to play differently, it has helped us grow FOOTBALL BOSS CRAIG VOZZO ON OPTUS STADIUM

Brisbane Lions in the final home and away game and winning by 26 points. It was the sign of a mature and confident team. Jack Redden and Masten thrived on the opportunities presented. Scott Lycett and Nathan Vardy filled the breach left by Naitanui. Shannon Hurn took his capabilities as a defender and a leader to new heights. It will be remembered as the year the rest of the competition came to understand what a superb footballer he is. He was stiff not to be named the All-Australian captain. The forward line was electric. Kennedy missed several matches through injury, leaving Darling as the mainstay. Footy finally clicked for him last year and he has been a major weapon ever since. He put a miserable first half behind him in the Grand Final, to take the game apart. Six contested marks in the third term alone put to bed his miserable outing in the 2015 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. Veteran Mark LeCras almost retired before the season, but he turned back the clock with

some outstanding football close to goal. Jamie Cripps was prolific all year, while debutants Ryan and Rioli were the excitement machines. Rioli didn’t get on the ground in 2017 because of injury but benefited from the extra year in West Coast’s system, while Ryan brought his WAFL highlights package to the big league from his first game. The move to Optus Stadium also proved to be a winner on two fronts. Average crowds of 54,000 helped the club fill its coffers even more. And, as football boss Vozzo explained afterwards, the football benefit has been enormous as well. “Subiaco was great for us because its length and relative lack of width, as well as the vocal home crowd, created a strong home ground advantage,” he said. “But what has changed now is that we still have the home crowd advantage, but this ground has encouraged us to play differently on offence and defence and that transfers to other grounds across the country because of the width.

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AFL RECORD WEST COAST EAGLES PREMIERS 2018

2018 GRAND FINAL – SEPTEMBER 29

MIDFIELD MASTER: New Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell’s influence on the Eagles’ engine room was profound.

WEST COAST EAGLES COLLINGWOOD

2.2 5.1

4.3 6.3

8.7 8.7

11.13 (79) 11.8 (74)

BEST: West Coast Eagles – Shuey, Sheed, Barrass, Kennedy, Hutchings, Schofield, McGovern. Collingwood – Adams, Langdon, Crisp, Treloar, De Goey, Mayne. GOALS: West Coast Eagles – Kennedy 3, Hutchings, Shuey, Sheed, Darling, Yeo, Cripps, Vardy, Rioli. Collingwood – De Goey 3, Cox 2, Stephenson 2, Hoskin-Elliott, Varcoe, Mihocek, Adams. UMPIRES: M. Stevic, S. Ryan, B. Rosebury CROWD: 100,022 at the MCG NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Shuey JOCK McHALE MEDAL: Adam Simpson

WEST COAST EAGLES’ GRAND FINAL STATISTICS

“I think it has helped us grow and be better equipped when we play at other venues around Australia.” Optus Stadium played its part in both finals, with the crowd helping the Eagles surge home in the qualifying final and creating a cauldron of noise and hostility that Melbourne couldn’t deal with a fortnight later. This new-found adaptability, plus some old-school hardness, came to the fore in the Grand Final. West Coast bent, but didn’t break, getting the game back on its own terms after 20 minutes and then going to work. “It was a special performance after those 20 minutes,” Simpson said afterwards, revealing that the themes of ‘heart’ and ‘guts’ had been the driving mantra at the club all year. Heart, he observed, revealed itself in the love of game and team that was present all year long. A speech to the team by former Australian Test opening batsman and now national team coach Justin Langer had driven the team throughout 2018. “The guts were shown in the last quarter,” Simpson acknowledged as the Eagles kept presenting and kept pushing until they squeezed out that final, match-winning goal. Cue the celebrations for a hard-fought and, in every respect, magnificent premiership.

@hashbrowne

188 AFL RECORD

Player Name

Luke Shuey Dom Sheed Jack Redden Shannon Hurn Elliot Yeo Josh Kennedy Tom Barrass Jamie Cripps Liam Duggan Mark Hutchings Chris Masten Jeremy McGovern Nathan Vardy Lewis Jetta Tom Cole Jack Darling Willie Rioli Liam Ryan Mark LeCras Scott Lycett Will Schofield Daniel Venables

21 17 15 16 12 14 15 10 10 11 8 12 7 9 8 8 5 6 5 4 7 1

13 15 6 5 7 4 2 6 6 4 6 2 7 4 5 4 7 4 5 5 2 3

34 32 21 21 19 18 17 16 16 15 14 14 14 13 13 12 12 10 10 9 9 4

3 6 6 6 3 11 10 3 7 4 4 9 4 2 6 7 1 3 3 1 5 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0

8 0 3 4 5 4 0 4 3 2 1 1 6 2 2 3 7 4 5 4 2 2

2 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0

2 0 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1

1 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0

133 105 85 89 72 120 80 74 75 68 53 63 92 50 60 66 61 53 54 59 49 14

K Kicks, H Handballs, D Disposals, M Marks, HO Hit-outs, T Tackles, FF Free kicks for, FA Free kicks against, G Goals, B Behinds, AF AFL Fantasy points

TEAMS AS SELECTED WEST COAST EAGLES

COLLINGWOOD

B: S. Hurn, T. Barrass, W. Schofield HB: T. Cole, J. McGovern, L. Jetta C: J. Redden, E. Yeo, C. Masten HF: M. Hutchings, J. Darling, M. LeCras F: W. Rioli, J. Kennedy, J. Cripps R: S. Lycett, L. Shuey, D. Sheed I/C: L. Ryan, L. Duggan, D. Venables, N. Vardy EM: O. Allen, J.Nelson, B. Ainsworth, B. Ah Chee

B: B. Maynard, T. Langdon, J. Crisp HB: J. Howe, T. Goldsack, T. Varcoe C: A. Treloar, S. Pendlebury, T. Phillips HF: W. Hoskin-Elliott, B. Mihocek, J. De Goey F: J. Thomas, M. Cox, J. Stephenson R: B. Grundy, T. Adams, S. Sidebottom I/C: B. Sier, J. Aish, C. Mayne, L. Greenwood EM: J. Blair, B. Reid, C. Brown, F. Appleby

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 2021 FA RE W EL L S

I've been really blessed to play as long as I have SHAUN BURGOYNE

SHAUN BURGOYNE PORT ADELAIDE/HAWTHORN

GAMES 407 (PA 157, Haw 250) GOALS: 302 (PA 171, Haw 131) IMPACT: Hawthorn rolled the dice when it traded with Port Adelaide for Burgoyne at the end of 2009. The Hawks hoped to squeeze three more seasons out of Burgoyne who, until a degenerative knee condition, was one of the premier midfielders in the AFL, a centre clearance specialist and a premiership player with the Power in 2004. Burgoyne’s knee issues were resolved by Hawthorn’s medical team and he became one of club’s biggest weapons. He was the ultimate ‘break glass in case of emergency’ player and saved some of his best for big games, such as the 2013 preliminary final, where he kicked the match-winning goal and helped finally snap the ‘Kennett Curse’ against fierce rival Geelong. He played in three Hawk flags and gave the club 12 years of distinguished service. In 2021, he became just the fifth player to reach the 400-game milestone. Off the field, he was hugely respected for his leadership of the game’s indigenous player cohort. ASHLEY BROWNE

QUOTE: “I’ve been really blessed to play as long as I have. I never thought I’d get to 21 years in the system. I never thought I’d be this emotional because I’m happy this is my last game.”

192 AFL RECORD

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wo walk-up, future first-choice selections for the Australian Football Hall of Fame, an off-field game-changer as well as three players taken with the first pick at the NAB AFL Draft highlight the AFL’s retirement class of 2021. Shaun Burgoyne and Eddie Betts were champions on the field. Burgoyne won four

flags, Betts might as well have the Goal of the Year award rebadged in his name. He won four of them. And yet their contributions as loud and proud indigenous footballers means their off-field deeds will be equally celebrated. Bachar Houli was a powerful, rebounding and courageous defender in three Richmond

premiership teams, whose message of peace and brotherhood resonated through the entire AFL. Former No. 1 picks Marc Murphy and Tom Scully didn’t play in premiership teams, but enjoyed great careers. Jonathon Patton, the No. 1 pick in 2011, also bowed out after a career cruelled by knee injuries.

I hope I was able to put a smile on your face EDDIE BETTS

EDDIE BETTS CARLTON/ADELAIDE

GAMES 350 (Carl 218, Adel 132) GOALS 640 (Carl 330, Adel 310) IMPACT: After 350 games, 640 goals, four Goal of the Year awards, six club leading goalkicker finishes, three All-Australian blazers and an incalculable impact on Australian Football, Betts called stumps on an incredible career shortly before the final round of the season. Betts’ time in the game can be broken into three blocks, his first stint with the Blues as an up-and-coming livewire playing in a dangerous front half featuring Jeff Garlett, Chris Yarran, Andrew Walker and Brendan Fevola. He moved to Adelaide at the end of 2013 and cemented himself as one of the game’s great small forwards, kicking more than 50 goals in four successive seasons. Betts made the decision in 2019 to return to the Blues for two seasons, playing 34 more games and reaching the magical 350-game mark. He is ranked 29th all-time for goals kicked. NIC NEGREPONTIS

QUOTE: “I hope at some point in my career I was able to put a smile on your face. If I did, I’m happy and my work is done here.” AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 193

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

MARC MURPHY

GRANT BIRCHALL

GAMES 300 GOALS 197

GAMES 287 (Haw 248 BL 39) GOALS 36 (Haw 34, BL 2)

IMPACT: After being selected with pick one in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft, Murphy’s career will be remembered for loyalty and consistent performance in middle-of-the-road teams. Murphy played 300 games, making the All-Australian team in 2011 and winning two best and fairest awards. He took over the captaincy duties from Chris Judd in 2013 and held the role until 2018. Murphy joined Carlton at a tough time in the club’s storied history, winning two finals and making the top eight on four occasions. He gave his all to the club across his career and led the Blues’ midfield for a decade. Murphy is the sixth player to play 300 games for Carlton, joining Craig Bradley, Bruce Doull, Kade Simpson, John Nicholls and Stephen Silvagni.

IMPACT: The most unheralded of the four-time premiership Hawks under Alastair Clarkson, Birchall was a key member of Hawthorn’s backline for more than a decade. He was a rebounding half-back before they became the trend in football, with a piercing left-foot that was able to hit up a target, be it 15 or 50m away. He was able to play small or tall as required, run all day and was unflinchingly tough. And Birchall had a swagger about him as one of the better Hawks when it came to verballing the opposition. He averaged 24 touches in winning Grand Finals. Had leg issues towards the end of his time at Hawthorn and followed Chris Fagan and Luke Hodge to Brisbane. The move energised him and he gave the emerging Lions two years of fine service. But his legacy will be as a Hawk and he joins Peter Hudson, Rodney Eade and Darrin Pritchard as Tasmanian champions who starred in the brown and gold.

CARLTON

NIC NEGREPONTIS

QUOTE: “I still have a real passion for the game, but I’m also very keen to challenge myself in another area, so we’ll see what happens in the next six-to-12 months.”

HAWTHORN/BRISBANE LIONS

ASHLEY BROWNE

QUOTE: “It was unbelievable to be part of it all. I never ever thought in my wildest dreams I would end up being a four-time premiership player. I pinch myself sometimes. I don’t know how the bloody hell we did it, but we did.”

194 AFL RECORD

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

JARROD HARBROW

DAVID MACKAY

GAMES 262 (WB 70, GCS 192) GOALS 54 (WB 21, GCS 33)

GAMES 248 GOALS 64

IMPACT: Having featured in Gold Coast’s very first game, Harbrow retires as the expansion team’s games record-holder, a life member and a one-time club champion. Drafted as a forward, Harbrow switched to the backline midway through his second season. His sidestep, shifts of angle and capacity to stand in the tackle helped Rodney Eade’s Bulldogs to three consecutive preliminary finals. A Yirrganydji/Kuku-Yalanji man, he returned to his home state after four seasons at Whitten Oval, linking up with the Suns as an out-of-contract signing under expansion concessions. He sat deeper in the Gold Coast rear-guard than in the Dogs’ defence, serenely setting up chains of possession, taking one-out assignments and defending strongly. A bona fide club legend, his contribution will continue in an off-field role, mentoring indigenous players and leading cultural programs.

IMPACT: Adelaide has been guided by five senior coaches since Mackay made his debut in the opening round of 2008; it is a testament to their trust in him that he played fewer than 16 games in just two seasons from then. A steady presence on the wing who often deputised down back in the twilight of his career, Mackay’s hard running helped the Crows compress the ground in the defensive phase and open the throttle when they won the ball back. Never a prolific possession-winner, he averaged more than 20 disposals only once, but stretched the opposition in providing an outlet and always used the ball neatly. It is possible Mackay will be remembered best by his collision with St Kilda defender Hunter Clark in June, which saw the competition and community consider the very concept of contesting the ball.

WESTERN BULLDOGS/GOLD COAST SUNS

NATHAN JOHN

QUOTE: “I’ve been really lucky that the game of AFL football has given me this opportunity to live out a dream and helped me set up my family with a great start to life.”

196 AFL RECORD

ADELAIDE CROWS

NATHAN JOHN

QUOTE: “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have represented the club, and have always worn our jumper with pride … I can’t wait to embark on the next chapter.”

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

CHRIS MAYNE

JAMES FRAWLEY

GAMES 248 (Frem 172, Coll 76) GOALS 207 (Frem 196, Coll 11)

GAMES 241 (Melb 139, Haw 100, StK 2) GOALS 24 (Melb, 18, Haw 6, StK 0)

IMPACT: A versatile, team-first player, Mayne bows out having been a crucial figure at two AFL clubs. His journey started in his hometown Perth with Fremantle in 2008 and he quickly made a name for himself at the top level. Playing primarily as a forward, Mayne was one of the key players who led the Dockers to the 2013 Grand Final, with his immense pressure inside 50 and accuracy in front of goals proving priceless for Ross Lyon’s side. Having spent nine years at the club, Mayne made the move as a free agent to Collingwood on a four-year deal. While his time at the Magpies didn’t start well, Mayne quickly became a consistent contributor to play 76 quality games in the black and white as a half-back and wingman. He will be remembered as an exemplary clubman who put the team first.

IMPACT: The second time Frawley has featured in this section after he announced his retirement when at Hawthorn last year. After 239 games across 14 seasons for Melbourne and the Hawks, Frawley called time on his career 12 months ago before backflipping on the decision in October 2020. With some uncertainty surrounding the club’s defence, St Kilda lured him out of retirement and he joined the club where his late uncle, Danny ‘Spud’ Frawley, was famous. Unfortunately for Frawley and the Saints, he was restricted to just two games because of injury. The man affectionately known as ‘Chip’ bows out with a total of 241 games to his credit. He played in the 2015 premiership with the Hawks and was an All-Australian defender in 2010 while with the Demons.

LACHLAN GELEIT

ANDREW SLEVISON

QUOTE: “‘Mayney’ leaves us with everyone wishing him, (wife) Britt and their children the very best. He gave all he had and we can’t ask for more from any player.” – Collingwood football manager Graham Wright

QUOTE: “I’ve loved my time at St Kilda, albeit I spent more time on the sidelines than I would have liked. It’s a club full of great people who all really embraced my family and me. Now I’m looking forward to retirement and spending more time with the people I love.”

FREMANTLE/COLLINGWOOD

198 AFL RECORD

MELBOURNE/HAWTHORN/ST KILDA

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BACHAR HOULI

CALE HOOKER

GAMES 232 (Ess 26, Rich 206) GOALS 43 (Ess 9, Rich 34)

GAMES 219 GOALS 122

IMPACT: After 15 seasons at the top, Houli called time on his illustrious career towards the end of the 2021 season. A dependable player with superb skills by hand and foot, he spent most of his days operating as a half-back flanker for the Tigers. Houli started his career with Essendon, making his debut in 2007, before joining Richmond where he had an immediate impact, finishing fourth in the Jack Dyer Medal in his first season at Punt Rd in 2011. He went on to play a significant role in a successful era of three premierships (2017, 2019 and 2020), claiming one All-Australian blazer (2019) and coming close to winning two Norm Smith Medals, finishing second to Dustin Martin in both 2017 and 2019. A devout Muslim who continues to do important work in the community, particularly with the Bachar Houli Foundation, he retires as one of the most universally-respected people in the game.

IMPACT: One of Essendon’s most most-loved players in recent times, Hooker ends his time at Tullamarine after a distinguished 219-game career. The 32-year-old opted to stay loyal to the club during the supplements saga and, alongside current captain Dyson Heppell and vice-captain Michael Hurley, shouldered plenty of the emotional burden at the time. Hooker’s great strength was his ability to play both as a defender – where he shone in the prime years – and later as a forward. An All-Australian in 2014 and a best and fairest winner a year later in 2015, Hooker was a dependable and reliable player at a club that suffered more than its fair share of turmoil during his distinguished career. He’ll leave as one of his club’s favourite sons.

ESSENDON/RICHMOND

ANDREW SLEVISON

QUOTE: “I sincerely thank the club and the AFL for allowing me to be me. Thank you to the Richmond Football Club ... for allowing me to be a part of this amazing organisation. It’s time to go fishing, Tiger for life.”

200 AFL RECORD

ESSENDON

LAURENCE ROSEN

QUOTE: “I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity the club has given me and I will leave the game at the end of the season knowing I left no stone unturned to give the club, my teammates and the fans everything I had.”

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

STEPHEN HILL

TOM ROCKLIFF

GAMES 218 GOALS 112

GAMES 208 (BL 154, PA 54) GOALS 100 (BL 87, PA 13)

IMPACT: A loyal servant at Fremantle, Hill announced his retirement earlier this year after a distinguished 218-game career. A top-three pick back in 2008, Hill developed into a running defender capable of setting up play behind the ball. Over his 13-year career, the 31-year-old won a Ross Glendinning Medal (best-on-ground in the Western Derby) in 2014 as well as being named the AFL Coaches Association best young player in 2010. Hill was cruelled by injury in the latter years of his career, not playing at all in 2021 and featuring just 15 times since the end of the 2018 season. A fan favourite, the Dockers veteran departs knowing, when injury-free, he fulfilled his potential at the highest level.

IMPACT: In his prime with the Brisbane Lions, Rockliff was one of the competition’s most prolific ball-winners. Arriving in Brisbane from Benalla via the 2009 Pre-Season Draft, Rockliff had to bide his time before he could fully make an impact in Lions colours. His best seasons came in 2011, when he won his maiden Merrett-Murray Medal as the club’s best and fairest, in 2013 when he finished equal sixth in the Brownlow Medal with 21 votes, and in 2014 when he added a second club champion award to his name. Rockliff took over the Brisbane captaincy ahead of the 2015 season and remained in the role for two years before joining Port Adelaide at the end of 2017. He spent four seasons with the Power before his time in the game was cut short due to complications with blood clots following a nasty knee injury.

FREMANTLE

LAURENCE ROSEN

QUOTE: “I’d just like to thank the football club for giving me the opportunity. They drafted me and it allowed me to live out my childhood dream of playing AFL. It’s been an amazing journey. I’ve met some incredible people along the way and it’s definitely hard to say goodbye, but I know it’s the right time.”

202 AFL RECORD

BRISBANE LIONS/PORT ADELAIDE

ANDREW SLEVISON

QUOTE: “It is the best thing in the end for me to call time on my career. The people I have spoken to have celebrated with me, but there have been a few tears shed. It’s been emotional but also the right thing to do.”

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

TOM SCULLY

LEVI

DAVID

GAMES 187 (Melb 31, GWS 121, Haw 35) GOALS 89 (Melb 6, GWS 67, Haw 16)

NORTH MELBOURNE/ COLLINGWOOD

RICHMOND

MELBOURNE/GWS/HAWTHORN

IMPACT: The No. 1 selection at the 2009 NAB AFL Draft retired in early February, having lost the passion to play. After starting his career with Melbourne in 2010, he walked out on the Demons after just two years and crossed to the start-up GWS Giants in 2012. It was there that he played his best football as a hard-running left-footed wingman, whose main asset was his huge aerobic fitness and ability to run out games. He finished second in the club’s 2016 best and fairest, the year it narrowly missed making the Grand Final. He suffered a horrific leg injury early in 2018 and never played again for the Giants. He then joined the Hawks and gave them two serviceable years. ASHLEY BROWNE

QUOTE: “‘Sculls’ has had 11 years of great service to our industry across three clubs. I’ve been rapt to play alongside him in the last couple of years.” – Hawthorn captain Ben McEvoy

204 AFL RECORD

GREENWOOD GAMES 160 (NM 74, Coll 86) GOALS 57 (NM 26, Coll 31) IMPACT: Greenwood was a no-frills, no-fuss player across 13 years at AFL level who always got the job done. The bustling midfielder started at Arden St with the Kangaroos and was a solid contributor until his breakout 2014 season that saw him finish third in the club’s best and fairest. Greenwood made the decision to move to Collingwood after that season and became a ball-winning clearance machine who could also lock down on the opposition’s best player. He was a key member in Collingwood’s September pushes in 2018 and 2019. His final two seasons were cruelled by injuries and concussion. LACHLAN GELEIT

QUOTE: “You feel like there’s moments in games, and it’s always Levi, or players of that ilk, that were the ones who made the big tackle or won the big 50-50 ball and just gave everything they had.” – Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury

ASTBURY GAMES 155 GOALS 9 IMPACT: The five key words used by teammates to describe Astbury upon his retirement were – “reliable”, “tough”, “driven”, “caring” and “fun”. The key defender got his work done with minimal fuss, playing his role for the team and sacrificing individual accolades so teammates alongside him could flourish. Hailing from the small Victorian town of Tatyoon, Astbury was drafted with pick 35 in 2009 and 17 games in his first season, including three goals on debut. He then endured a tough spell with multiple injuries restricting him to just 24 matches from 2011 to 2015. Astbury finally got his body right and enjoyed some luck in the ensuing seasons. He was central to the club’s premiership-laden era, playing a pivotal defensive role in the flag seasons of 2017, 2019 and 2020. ANDREW SLEVISON

QUOTE: “It really is a dream to be completely content with what my career consists of and be really proud of that. I am so proud that I have fulfilled my career and my dream at one club.”

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

JAKE

DYLAN

ZAC

ESSENDON/ST KILDA

FREMANTLE/ST KILDA

GOLD COAST/GEELONG

CARLISLE

ROBERTON

SMITH

GAMES 151 (Ess 85, StK 66) GOALS 62 (Ess 54, StK 8)

GAMES 129 (Frem 37, StK 92) GOALS 20 (Frem 5, StK 15)

GAMES 124 (GCS 74, Geel 50) GOALS 54 (GCS 34, Geel 20)

IMPACT: Carlisle called time on his 12-year AFL career after a back injury sidelined him for most of the 2021 season. The 29-year-old was originally drafted to Essendon in 2009, playing 85 games in red and black. Carlisle was traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2015 season, but had to wait until 2017 to debut due to a doping ban while at the Bombers. He played 66 games in five seasons at the Saints and played in his first finals win – last year’s elimination final triumph over the Western Bulldogs. Standing at 201cm, Carlisle was used at both ends of the ground, kicking 62 goals in his 151-game career, but ultimately played his best football in defence.

IMPACT: Roberton’s AFL career was cruelly cut short by ongoing heart problems. The versatile defender suffered a heart scare during a game early in 2018 and made just one more senior appearance before announcing his retirement in March this year. Roberton played 37 games for Fremantle (2010-12) before he was traded to St Kilda where he quickly became a regular in defence thanks to his ability to rebound and intercept. He was named in the All-Australian squad of 40 and finished runner-up in the best and fairest in a career-best season in 2017. Roberton remained at Moorabbin in an off-field capacity for the rest of 2021.

IMPACT: Smith retired after 124 games for Gold Coast and Geelong from 2011-21. He was drafted to the Suns in 2010 where he honed his ruck craft for five years, playing 65 games in his first stint for the AFL’s newest club. The big man was the fourth player to sign for the Suns as a Queensland zone selection and quickly made the ruck position his own with his athletic ability. After being starved of on-field success, Smith was traded to the Cats at the end of 2015, where he played arguably his best football, notching up 50 games in four seasons. In a fitting return to the Suns in 2020, the journeyman finished his career at the club where it all started.

ALEX ZAIA

HUGH FITZPATRICK

QUOTE: “His efforts in last year’s elimination final, which was his first-ever AFL finals win, were incredibly rewarding and something which still means a great deal to him.” – St Kilda list manager James Gallagher

QUOTE: “Dylan is a much-loved and well-respected member of our club. He should be really proud of how he has dealt with everything life has thrown at him – it’s a real credit to his character.” – St Kilda coach Brett Ratten

QUOTE: “I’m extremely proud of what I’ve been able to achieve throughout my 13 years in the AFL system. To the Suns and Geelong footy clubs, I can’t be more grateful for the opportunity the two clubs have given me, particularly the Suns.”

206 AFL RECORD

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

JONATHON PATTON GWS GIANTS/HAWTHORN

GAMES 95 (GWS 89, Haw 6) GOALS 133 (GWS 130, Haw 3)

PATRICK AMBROSE ESSENDON

GAMES 88 GOALS 23

NATHAN VARDY GEELONG/WEST COAST

GAMES 77 (Geel 25, WCE 52) GOALS 47 (Geel 25, WCE 22)

LIN JONG

WESTERN BULLDOGS GAMES 65 GOALS 33

DANIEL VENABLES WEST COAST EAGLES

JORDAN

JACK

GEELONG/GCS

GWS GIANTS/PORT ADEL/GCS

MURDOCH

HOMBSCH

GAMES 122 (Geel 108, GCS 14) GOALS 74 (Geel 73, GCS 1)

GAMES 1 16 (GWS 9, PA 89, GCS 18) GOALS 1 (PA)

IMPACT: Drafted with pick No. 48 in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft by Geelong, Murdoch played 122 games for the Cats and Gold Coast. Known for his speed and outside running, Murdoch carved out a spot for Geelong in 108 games. He was a regular in strong teams, playing 23 games in 2014, 18 in 2015, 22 in 2017 and 16 in 2018. He was delisted at the end of 2018 and signed a three-year deal to join Gold Coast. Murdoch played 14 games for the Suns and brought with him leadership and experience from a successful culture.

IMPACT: Hombsch retired after 116 games across three clubs. The defender played in the Giants’ inaugural AFL game in round one, 2012, before departing at the end of the season for the Power, where he became a crucial link in their backline, highlighted by a third placing in the best and fairest in 2015. Renowned for his work in the community, Hombsch is a three-time winner of Port Adelaide’s John McCarthy Award for community service and won the AFL’s Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award in 2017. After six seasons with Port Adelaide, he arrived at Gold Coast where he eventually saw out his career.

NIC NEGREPONTIS

QUOTE: “I feel I’m ready to begin the next step in my life. My wife Emma has followed me for 10 years and I think it’s time I take a back seat and let her follow her dreams.”

GAMES 21 GOALS 11

TYSON STENGLE RICHMOND/ADELAIDE

GAMES 16 (Rich 2, Adel 14) GOALS 15 (Rich 2, Adel 13)

ANTON TOHILL COLLINGWOOD GAMES 1 GOALS 0

HUGH FITZPATRICK

QUOTE: “The timing was just right and I’m ready for the next stage, but I’ll certainly miss the footy club and I’ll miss playing AFL because it’s one of the best jobs going around.” * Retirements correct as at time of going to print

208 AFL RECORD

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AFL RECORD 2021 FAREWELLS

MARK

DEAN

DANIEL

BOUNDARY UMPIRE

FIELD UMPIRE

GOAL UMPIRE

THOMSON

MARGETTS

WILSON

GAMES 438

GAMES 377

GAMES 277

IMPACT: A product of the South Australian boundary umpire factory and recruited from the SANFL, Thomson made his AFL debut in round one, 1996, at Football Park. Ran 160 games in the three-boundary umpire system until mid-2008 and 278 games when an extra boundary umpire was added. Success came slowly through diligent, hard work. Matches were tough to earn in a talented SA boundary group. Since his first final in 2002, he has umpired in 14 of 17 finals series for 36 finals and the 2009, 2010, 2010 (replay), 2011, 2014 and 2018 AFL Grand Finals. Holds the AFL/VFL boundary umpire games record.

IMPACT: Recruited from the WAFL. Umpired just 38 WAFL games before his first WAFL Grand Final in 2000. No umpire has combined the challenges of travel and AFL umpiring more successfully. Made his AFL debut in round five, 2002 and has since travelled 1.1 million kilometres across Australia from his home base in Perth. Suffered a life-threatening burst ulcer on a flight while returning home following a NAB Challenge match in 2016. Returned 12 weeks later and umpired in the 2016 finals series. Is ranked ninth for most games by an AFL/VFL field umpire. Had the ability to build strong, trusted relationships with players, coaches and umpire peers over a lengthy career.

IMPACT: Originally from the Southern Football League, starting at age 14. Outstanding athlete with speed in goals, physical endurance and a strong work ethic. Detailed preparation and fierce determination to succeed has placed him 12th on the goal umpire games totals list. Recruited from the VFL following consecutive Grand Finals (2002, 2003). Made his AFL debut in round six, 2004 (Melbourne v Carlton) and has umpired eight finals, the 2009 and 2013 pre-season Grand Finals, the 2010 Shanghai Showdown and the 2017 International Rules Series. Signalled Lance Franklin’s Goal of the Year in 2010.

DAVID FLEGG

QUOTE: “Umpiring has provided some fantastic experiences and the opportunity to be involved in the AFL at the highest level. I look back with great memories and look forward to the next challenge.”

210 AFL RECORD

DAVID FLEGG

QUOTE: “It’s not the amount of games that you do or the years of service you give, I am most grateful for those I have met along the way and those friendships I will have for the rest of my life”.

DAVID FLEGG

QUOTE: “It’s been an absolute honour to umpire AFL football. To be part of a game that means so much to so many people is something I’ll cherish forever.”

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After surviving a 2020 season that was ‘like no other’ in the game’s history, 2021 threw up equally as many challenges and just as much drama. MICHAEL LOVETT & MARK GENGE

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AFL RECORD SEASON REVIEW

ROUND 1

ROUND 2 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

FROM THE CLOUDS: Luke Breust and Tim O’Brien celebrate as the Hawks came from 40 points down to beat Essendon.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The season kicked off with

the traditional opening round Thursday night clash between Richmond and Carlton and for the first time since the 2019 Grand Final, fans were allowed back at games in Victoria. Crowds were capped at 50 per cent capacity and 49,218 rocked up to watch the Tigers hold out the Blues. The following night, 46,051 were on hand to see Adam Treloar make his debut for the Western Bulldogs against his old side Collingwood. And he started on a winning note, collecting 18 touches in the Dogs’ 16-point win. Adelaide shocked Geelong, with the 2020 wooden-spooner holding out last year’s grand finalist by 12 points. Taylor Walker wound back the clock kicking five goals. The Cats’ woes were compounded when superstar Patrick Dangerfield was suspended for three games for a late bump on Jake Kelly. Sydney unveiled a bunch of first-gamers to down Brisbane by 31 points at the Gabba, while Hawthorn snatched a one-point win over Essendon after trailing by 40 points.

214 AFL RECORD

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Port Adelaide

2 West Coast Eagles

2 Richmond

3 Melbourne

3 Sydney Swans

4 Sydney Swans

4 Melbourne

5 Richmond

5 Western Bulldogs

6 Western Bulldogs

6 Gold Coast Suns

7 Adelaide Crows 8 St Kilda

7 West Coast Eagles 8 Fremantle

9 Hawthorn

9 Collingwood

10 Essendon

10 St Kilda

11 GWS Giants

11 Geelong Cats

12 Geelong Cats

12 Adelaide Crows

13 Collingwood

13 Hawthorn

14 Carlton

14 Brisbane Lions

15 Brisbane Lions

15 Carlton

16 Fremantle

16 GWS Giants

17 Gold Coast Suns

17 Essendon

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, March 18 Rich 15.15 (105) v Carl 11.14 (80) (MCG) (N) Friday, March 19 Coll 7.11 (53) v WB 10.9 (69) (MCG) (N) Saturday, March 20 Melb 11.14 (80) v Frem 8.10 (58) (MCG) Adel 15.13 (103) v Geel 13.13 (91) (AO) (T) Ess 13.13 (91) v Haw 14.8 (92) (MRVL) (N) BL 14.10 (94) v Syd 19.11 (125) (G) (N) Sunday, March 21 NM 9.11 (65) v PA 17.15 (117) (MRVL) GWS 11.12 (78) v StK 13.8 (86) (GS) WCE 12.11 (83) v GCS 8.10 (58) (OS) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

BOTTOM’S UP: Adelaide, wooden-spooner in 2020, upset Geelong, a Grand Finalist the year before, by 12 points at Adelaide Oval. The Crows, led by ‘Tex’ Walker with five goals, had 15 players who had played fewer than 50 games. The Cats had 14 with at least 100-games experience.

BALL!!!: Zac Bailey’s tackle on Mark Blicavs was unrewarded as the Cats held on by a point against the Lions.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The Friday night clash

between Geelong and the Brisbane Lions at GMHBA Stadium was the main talking point. The Cats held on to win by a point, but not before Mark Blicavs should have been penalised for holding the ball in the Lions’ goalsquare with 23 seconds to go. It was a night full of drama after fans who had travelled from Brisbane were told to leave the stadium and get a COVID test following a coronavirus outbreak in the Queensland capital. That included commentators Luke Hodge and Wayne Carey. Geelong coach Chris Scott engaged in a war of words with Lions players at the quarter-time huddle, while Cats forward Gary Rohan was suspended for two games for a behind-the-play hit on Brisbane star Lachie Neale. Lance Franklin kicked three goals for Sydney in his comeback game, while Melbourne downed St Kilda in the first tribute game to former Saints captain Danny Frawley. Skipper Marcus Bontempelli stole the show in ther Bulldogs’ thrilling seven-point win over West Coast.

u RESULTS Thursday, March 25 Carl 13.7 (85) v Coll 16.10 (106) (MCG) (N) Friday, March 26 Geel 12.9 (81) v BL 11.14 (80) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, March 27 Syd 18.13 (121) v Adel 11.22 (88) (SCG) PA 18.11 (119) v Ess 9.11 (65) (AO) (T) St K 11.7 (73) v Melb 12.19 (91) (MRVL) (N) GCS 14.14 (98) v NM 5.9 (39) (MS) (N) Sunday, March 28 Haw 7.7 (49) v Rich 11.12 (78) (MCG) WB 14.16 (100) v WCE 14.9 (93) (MRVL) Frem 11.21 (87) v GWS 7.14 (56) (OS) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

TON IN THE SUN: The Gold Coast Suns celebrated their 100th game at Metricon Stadium with a 59-point win over North Melbourne. Late in the second quarter, the Suns led by 50 points – 9.6 (60) to 1.4 (10). Noah Anderson, in his 19th game, had 35 disposals.

SEN.com.au

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ROUND 3

ROUND 4 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

BRUCE ALMIGHTY: Josh Bruce became the first Bulldog since Simon Beasley in 1987 to kick 10 goals in a match.

HIGHLIGHTS

u It was the return of the key

forward as several players cashed in over the Easter weekend. The Western Bulldogs’ Josh Bruce piled on 10 goals in a Good Friday demolition of North Melbourne by 128 points, the club’s greatest winning margin. Carlton rising star Harry McKay kicked seven in the Blues’ win over Fremantle, while Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker continued his early-season form with six against Gold Coast. Even Essendon defender-turned-forward Cale Hooker got in on the act, kicking five in the Bombers’ upset win over St Kilda. Sydney went 3-0, with the Swans’ young guns too slick for reigning premier Richmond at the MCG. Two days later, Geelong and Hawthorn fought out another Easter Monday classic with the Cats holding on by five points. After being stuck in Melbourne due to a COVID lockdown in their home city, the Brisbane Lions won a thriller against Collingwood as Zac Bailey, unlucky not to have been in the same position the previous week, nailed the winning goal after the siren.

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Western Bulldogs

2 Sydney Swans

2 Melbourne

3 Melbourne

3 Sydney Swans

4 Port Adelaide

5 West Coast Eagles

5 Adelaide Crows

6 Richmond

6 West Coast Eagles

7 Geelong Cats

7 Carlton

8 Adelaide Crows

8 Richmond

9 Gold Coast Suns

9 Fremantle

10 Essendon

10 Geelong Cats

11 Collingwood

11 St Kilda

12 Carlton

12 Essendon

13 Brisbane Lions

13 Gold Coast Suns

14 Hawthorn

14 Collingwood

15 Fremantle

15 GWS Giants

16 St Kilda

16 Brisbane Lions

17 GWS Giants

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, April 1 Coll 11.6 (72) v BL 11.7 (73) (MRVL) (N) Friday, April 2 NM 5.9 (39) v WB 25.17 (167) (MRVL) (T) Adel 14.11 (95) v GCS 12.13 (85) (AO) (N) Saturday, April 3 Rich 10.12 (72) v Syd 17.15 (117) (MCG) Ess 22.11 (143) v StK 9.14 (68) (MRVL) (T) WCE 16.12 (108) v PA 11.5 (71) (OS) (N) Sunday, April 4 Carl 16.13 (109) v Frem 9.10 (64) (MRVL) GWS 11.2 (68) v Melb 15.12 (102) (MO) (N) Monday, April 5 Geel 10.9 (69) v Haw 9.10 (64) (MCG) u STATS THAT MATTER

LIONS SAVIOUR: Brisbane trailed Collingwood by five points with just moments to go at Marvel Stadium when Zac Bailey marked 45m out. The final siren sounded as Bailey walked in to kick a goal that gave the Lions a one-point victory.

‘BUDDY’ BEAUTY: Lance Franklin kicked the match-winner in the Swans’ thriller against the Bombers.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The ladder represented a

changing of the guard with unbeaten sides Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and Sydney occupying the top three places after four rounds. The Demons, led by emerging superstar Christian Petracca, made the biggest statement of the round, downing 2020 grand finalist Geelong by 25 points. It was the first time since 1994 the Demons had made a 4-0 start to a season. The Swans edged out Essendon in another thriller between these sides at the SCG, with Lance Franklin returning after a week off to kick the winning goal in the final term. The Bulldogs were too good for Brisbane in Ballarat. Port Adelaide reversed the 2020 preliminary final result over Richmond, edging out the Tigers by two points in a Friday night blockbuster at Adelaide Oval. Veteran Travis Boak starred with 29 disposals. St Kilda and the GWS Giants scored upset wins over West Coast and Collingwood respectively. The Magpies’ loss to a weakened Giants put coach Nathan Buckley under extra heat.

u RESULTS Thursday, April 8 Syd 11.17 (83) v Ess 12.8 (80) (SCG) (N) Friday, April 9 PA 11.13 (79) v Rich 11.11 (77) (AO) (N) Saturday, April 10 WB 10.13 (73) v BL 8.6 (54) (MARS) StK 15.12 (102) v WCE 13.4 (82)(MRVL) (T) GCS 8.11 (59) v Carl 9.16 (70) (MS) (N) Coll 9.6 (60) v GWS 14.6 (90) (MCG) (N) Sunday, April 11 NM 10.8 (68) v Adel 16.13 (109) (MRVL) Melb 12.13 (85) v Geel 9.6 (60) (MCG) Frem 13.18 (96) v Haw 12.9 (81) (OS) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

GREAT SCOTT: Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury made a record 201st appearance at the MCG, surpassing Richmond champion Kevin Bartlett’s 200 games. Pendlebury made his debut at the ground, aged 18, in round 10, 2006, playing alongside his future coach, Nathan Buckley. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 215

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ROUND 5

ROUND 6 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

REMEMBER ME?: Joe Daniher starred in the Lions’ big win over his former club Essendon.

HIGHLIGHTS

u Some lop-sided affairs with

four of the nine games of the round decided by 50 points or more. Richmond kicked it off on Thursday night, thumping St Kilda by 86 points at Marvel Stadium. Usual Tiger suspects Dustin Martin (34 disposals) and Jack Riewoldt (five goals) dominated. The Western Bulldogs kept their unbeaten start to the season intact with a 62-point thrashing of the Gold Coast Suns, while Joe Daniher (25 disposals, eight marks and two goals) led the Brisbane Lions to a 57-point win over his old side Essendon at the Gabba. Melbourne remained the only other unbeaten team, coming from behind to down Hawthorn by 50 points at the MCG. Demons skipper Max Gawn (26 disposals, 10 marks and 24 hit-outs) was outstanding. Pressure was mounting on Collingwood and Carlton after losses to West Coast and Port Adelaide respectively, while Lance Franklin’s five goals were not enough to hold out the fast-finishing GWS Giants in the Sydney Derby. A knee injury to Franklin further soured the loss.

216 AFL RECORD

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Western Bulldogs

2 Melbourne

24 24

3 Sydney Swans

3 Port Adelaide

4 Port Adelaide

4 Geelong Cats

5 Richmond

5 Sydney Swans

6 West Coast Eagles

6 Fremantle

7 Adelaide Crows

7 Richmond

8 Geelong Cats

8 Brisbane Lions

9 Fremantle

9 Adelaide Crows

10 Brisbane Lions

10 West Coast Eagles

11 Carlton

11 Gold Coast Suns

12 GWS Giants

12 Essendon

13 St Kilda

13 Carlton

14 Essendon

14 GWS Giants

15 Gold Coast Suns

15 Hawthorn

16 Collingwood

16 St Kilda

17 Hawthorn

17 Collingwood

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, April 15 StK 7.6 (48) v Rich 20.14 (134) (MRVL) (N) Friday, April 16 WCE 16.7 (103) v Coll 11.10 (76) (OS) (N) Saturday, April 17 WB 17.16 (118) v GCS 8.8 (56) (MRVL) Syd 10.9 (69) v GWS 9.17 (71) (SCG) Carl 9.14 (68) v PA 15.6 (96) (MCG) (N) BL 15.12 (102) v Ess 6.9 (45) (G) (N) Sunday, April 18 Adel 11.6 (72) v Frem 12.12 (84) (AO) Haw 8.6 (54) v Melb 15.14 (104) (MCG) Geel 10.17 (77) v NM 7.5 (47) (GMHBA) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

CRACKER JACK: Jack Redden played his 100th game for West Coast, following 129 with the Brisbane Lions. He became the 51st player to play at least 100 games for two clubs, and the first to do it for the Eagles and Lions.

FANS ARE BACK: More than 78,000 watched the Bombers outlast the Magpies in the Anzac Day clash at the MCG.

HIGHLIGHTS

u On the eve of Anzac Round,

Perth was forced into a threeday lockdown, meaning the Fremantle-North Melbourne match was played at an empty Optus Stadium. The Western Bulldogs’ 39-point win over GWS came at a cost with Josh Dunkley (shoulder), Lin Jong (hamstring) and Tim English (concussion) all injured. Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale suffered a serious ankle injury in the Lions’ 18-point win over Carlton and faced a lengthy stint on the sidelines. Geelong unveiled prized recruit Jeremy Cameron and the ex-Giants star played his part in the Cats’ thumping 97-point win over West Coast. Melbourne celebrated veteran Nathan Jones’ 300th game with a 34-point win over Richmond in the Anzac Eve clash. Youngsters Jacob Koschitzke (Hawthorn) and Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide) kicked five goals each as the Hawks pipped the Crows by three points at UTAS Stadium. The MCG played host to the biggest crowd at a sporting event anywhere in the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began when 78,113 fans watched Essendon hold out Collingwood in the Anzac Day clash.

u RESULTS Friday, April 23 GWS 9.11 (65) v WB 15.14 (104) (MO) (N) Saturday, April 24 Geel 21.10 (136) v WCE 5.9 (39) (GMHBA) GCS 15.10 (100) v Syd 9.6 (60) (MS) Carl 12.13 (85) v BL 15.13 (103) (MRVL) (T) Melb 12.10 (82) v Rich 6.12 (48) (MCG) (N) Frem 14.15 (99) v NM 6.12 (48) (OS) (N) Sunday, April 25 Haw 15.12 (102) v Adel 16.3 (99) (UTAS) Coll 13.7 (85) v Ess 16.13 (109) (MCG) PA 14.9 (93) v StK 5.9 (39) (AO) (N)

u STATS THAT MATTER

STRAIGHT-SHOOTERS: The Crows kicked 15 goals straight against the Hawks at UTAS Stadium, including 10 in the second term – the most accurate start to an AFL/VFL match in history. However, they went down by three points in a thriller.

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ROUND 7

ROUND 8 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

ON FIRE: Josh Corbett kicked four goals as the Suns eclipsed the Magpies in a boilover at the MCG.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The heat was starting to

build on Collingwood and coach Nathan Buckley after the Magpies lost to Gold Coast at the MCG by 24 points. It was Collingwood’s fifth successive loss with Josh Corbett kicking a career-high four goals for the Suns. The much-anticipated Friday night clash between Richmond and the Western Bulldogs saw the Tigers recover from a 19-point half-time deficit to dominate the unbeaten Dogs in the second half. Even without injured superstar Dustin Martin, Richmond showed its class kicking 9.3 to 2.4 after the main break, but the Tigers suffered more injuries to captain Trent Cotchin (hamstring) and key defender Dylan Grimes (concussion). Geelong forward Jeremy Cameron was denied a mark just before the final siren with the Cats trailing the Sydney Swans by two points. The controlling umpire deemed the ball had not travelled the required 15m but the AFL later ruled it did. Melbourne lost defender Adam Tomlinson to a season-ending ACL injury while West Coast easily won its 11th successive Western Derby over Fremantle.

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Western Bulldogs

3 Port Adelaide 4 Sydney Swans

3 Port Adelaide 4 Geelong Cats

5 Geelong Cats 6 Richmond

5 Brisbane Lions 6 Sydney Swans

7 Brisbane Lions

7 West Coast Eagles

8 West Coast Eagles

8 Richmond

9 Fremantle

9 GWS Giants

10 Gold Coast Suns

10 Fremantle

11 GWS Giants

11 St Kilda

12 Carlton

12 Gold Coast Suns

13 Adelaide Crows

13 Carlton

14 St Kilda

14 Adelaide Crows

15 Essendon

16 Hawthorn

16 Collingwood

17 Collingwood

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, April 30 Rich 11.11 (77) v WB 7.13 (55) (MCG) (N) Saturday, May 1 Coll 7.13 (55) v GCS 12.7 (79) (MCG) Adel 4.15 (39) v GWS 15.16 (106) (AO) StK 19.14 (128) v Haw 9.5 (59) (MRVL) (T) BL 13.15 (93) v PA 5.14 (44) (G) (N) Syd 14.6 (90) v Geel 12.16 (88) (SCG) (N) Sunday, May 2 NM 11.7 (73) v Melb 16.7 (103) (BA) Ess 16.11 (107) v Carl 19.9 (123) (MCG) WCE 20.12 (132) v Frem 11.7 (73) (OS)

u STATS THAT MATTER

GIANT STEP: Callan Ward played his 171st game for GWS, equalling the club record set by current Cat Jeremy Cameron. Jesse Hogan, making his debut for his third club, kicked four goals in the Giants’ 67-point win over the Crows.

SHOW OF POWER: Robbie Gray hunts the ball in Port Adelaide’s dominant Showdown win over the Crows.

HIGHLIGHTS

u After learning of the

passing of former president Frank Costa in the lead-up, Geelong honoured his memory with a 63-point mauling of Richmond in the 2020 Grand Final rematch. The Cats put on a clinic in the second half, kicking 13.8 to 2.2, with Jeremy Cameron (six), Gary Rohan (five) and Tom Hawkins (four) booting 15 goals between them. It got worse for the Tigers when young premiership stars Shai Bolton, who had taken a Mark of the Year contender against the Cats, and Daniel Rioli were involved in a nightclub altercation over the weekend. Bolton broke his wrist and missed several weeks while Rioli received a cut face. Both were exonerated by the Tigers who said Rioli’s girlfriend was subjected to inappropriate behaviour. Collingwood finally broke through for a win over bottom side North Melbourne, while Port Adelaide dominated Adelaide in the first Showdown of 2021. The Western Bulldogs came from behind to down Carlton and the Brisbane Lions defeated Fremantle at the Gabba after the game was transferred due to a COVID case in Perth.

u RESULTS Friday, May 7 Rich 9.9 (63) v Geel 19.12 (126) (MCG) (N) Saturday, May 8 GWS 16.11 (107) v Ess 16.9 (105) (GS) GCS 7.12 (54) v StK 8.15 (63) (MS) NM 11.10 (76) v Coll 14.10 (94) (MRVL) (T) Melb 10.7 (67) v Syd 8.10 (58) (MCG) (N) PA 12.15 (87) v Adel 5.8 (38) (AO) (N) Sunday, May 9 Haw 8.12 (60) v WCE 14.14 (98) (MCG) WB 16.11 (107) v Carl 13.13 (91) (MRVL) BL 14.11 (95) v Frem 10.11 (71) (G)

u STATS THAT MATTER

CAT ATTACK: In the Grand Final rematch, Geelong, trailing by nine points at half-time, kicked 8.4 to Richmond’s 1.2 in a dominant third term to set up a 63-point victory. Jeremy Cameron (six goals), Gary Rohan (five) and Tom Hawkins (four) led the charge. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 217

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ROUND 9

ROUND 10 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

ON THE BOARD: Cameron Zurhaar led the way with four goals as the Roos notched their first win of the season.

HIGHLIGHTS

u There were joyous scenes

in Launceston as North Melbourne broke through for its first win of the season, coming from 32 points down to defeat Hawthorn. The Roos were inspired by Jy Simpkin (38 disposals) and Ben Cunnington (37) while Cameron Zurhaar bagged four goals to give new coach David Noble his first victory. Geelong kicked off the round with a 21-point win over a wayward St Kilda at Marvel Stadium. The Saints had more scoring shots but could manage only 5.17, with young spearhead Max King (1.5) the main culprit. An undermanned Richmond, led by superstar Dustin Martin (28 disposals, four goals), fought back to down GWS by four points. The Western Bulldogs scored an important 19-point win over fellow top-four aspirant Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. Marcus Bontempelli (26 disposals, two goals) and Aaron Naughton (four goals) starred for the Bulldogs. Melbourne stretched its unbeaten record to nine with a 26-point win over Carlton. It was the first time since 1956 the Demons had started a season 9-0.

218 AFL RECORD

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

1 Western Bulldogs

2 Western Bulldogs

2 Melbourne

3 Geelong Cats

4 Brisbane Lions

5 Port Adelaide

6 Sydney Swans

7 West Coast Eagles 8 Richmond

24 20

7 West Coast Eagles 8 GWS Giants

9 GWS Giants

9 Richmond

10 Fremantle

11 St Kilda

11 Essendon

12 Essendon

12 Carlton

13 Carlton

13 Adelaide Crows

14 Gold Coast Suns

14 St Kilda

15 Adelaide Crows

15 Gold Coast Suns

16 Collingwood

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, May 14 StK 5.17 (47) v Geel 10.8 (68) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, May 15 Syd 10.12 (72) v Coll 5.12 (42) (SCG) Haw 12.8 (80) v NM 13.9 (87) (UTAS) GCS 7.9 (51) v BL 19.10 (124) (MS) (T) Rich 13.9 (87) v GWS 12.11 (83) (MRVL) (N) PA 12.5 (77) v WB 15.6 (96) (AO) (N) Sunday, May 16 Ess 10.8 (68) v Frem 8.13 (61) (MRVL) Melb 13.16 (94) v Carl 10.8 (68) (MCG) WCE 16.10 (106) v Adel 11.10 (76) (OS)

u STATS THAT MATTER

PIE HIGH: Collingwood’s Jack Crisp played his 150th consecutive match, which included six with the Brisbane Lions in 2014. This placed him equal 20th in history behind Jim Stynes’ 244, and second for the Magpies behind Jock McHale’s 191.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: A late goal by skipper Nat Fyfe got the Dockers across the line in a thriller against the Swans.

HIGHLIGHTS

u Melbourne’s winning

streak ended in controversial circumstances after Adelaide fought back for a thrilling one-point win at Adelaide Oval. Veteran spearhead Taylor Walker kicked a clutch goal to put the Crows in front by a point in the final minute. A deliberate out of bounds handball by young Adelaide defender Nick Murray in the dying seconds was not paid, but the AFL later ruled the Demons should have been awarded a free kick. Crosstown rival Port Adelaide also scored a one-point win, as Robbie Gray inspired a great comeback against Collingwood at the MCG. Another close result saw Fremantle claw its way back at Optus Oval against Sydney to record a two-point win thanks to a late snap by skipper Nat Fyfe. Richmond slipped out of the eight, losing to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba by 28 points, while an undermanned GWS held out West Coast by 16 points at Giants Stadium. Adam Treloar’s serious ankle injury soured the Western Bulldogs’ 111-point demolition of St Kilda.

u RESULTS Friday, May 21 BL15.12 (102) v Rich 11.8 (74) (G) (N) Saturday, May 22 Carl 13.8 (86) v Haw 9.9 (63) (MCG) Geel 14.7 (91) v GCS 8.9 (57) (GMHBA) Adel 15.6 (96) v Melb 14.11 (95) (AO) (T) WB 21.18 (144) v StK 5.3 (33) (MRVL) (N) Frem 12.14 (86) v Syd 13.6 (84) (OS) (N) Sunday, May 23 GWS 13.15 (93) v WCE 11.11 (77) (GS) Coll 8.10 (58) v PA 8.11 (59) (MCG) Ess 22.9 (141) v NM 10.9 (69) (MRVL) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

LEFTIES ALL RIGHT: The Bulldogs fielded 12 left-footers in their 111-point thrashing of St Kilda, one fewer than Hawthorn’s record of 13 in its win over Melbourne in the opening round of 2010. James Frawley played in the losing team in both games.

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ROUND 11

ROUND 12 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

SAINTS ALIVE: Jack Steele led from the front as St Kilda chalked up a badly-needed win over the Roos.

HIGHLIGHTS

u A COVID outbreak in Victoria

saw three games played without crowds, including the top-of-the-table Friday night clash at Marvel Stadium between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs where the Demons enhanced their premiership credentials with an impressive 28-point win. The following day, Collingwood and Geelong played at an empty MCG – although given the standard of the game, it was probably a good thing – and St Kilda scored a badly-needed win over North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, again without fans. Due to border closures, the AFL had to switch the Gold Coast-Hawthorn match from Darwin to the SCG, while Richmond’s clash with Adelaide, originally scheduled at the MCG, was played at Giants Stadium on Sunday. With Sydney playing Carlton at the SCG and the Tigers and Giants doing battle across town, it was the first time two games were played simultaneously in a city other than Melbourne. Essendon scored the best win of the round, coming from 29 points behind to down West Coast by 16 points at Optus Stadium.

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Western Bulldogs

3 Brisbane Lions

3 Geelong Cats

4 Geelong Cats

4 Brisbane Lions

5 Port Adelaide

6 Sydney Swans

7 West Coast Eagles

8 Richmond

9 Essendon

10 GWS Giants

11 Fremantle

12 St Kilda

13 Carlton

13 Gold Coast Suns

14 Gold Coast Suns

14 Carlton

15 Adelaide Crows

16 Collingwood

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, May 28 WB 8.11 (59) v Melb 13.9 (87) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, May 29 Coll 6.15 (51) v Geel 8.13 (61) (MCG) BL 19.15 (129) v GWS 10.5 (65) (G) StK 12.16 (88) v NM 10.8 (68) (MRVL) (T) GCS 17.11 (113) v Haw 11.10 (76) (SCG) (N) WCE 11.5 (71) v Ess 12.15 (87) (OS) (N) Sunday, May 30 Rich 17.9 (111) v Adel 12.11 (83) (GS) Syd 15.10 (100) v Carl 11.12 (78) (SCG) PA 18.7 (115) v Frem 9.15 (69) (AO) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

BOMBER BLAST: West Coast led Essendon by 29 points late in the second quarter at Optus Stadium – 9.0 (54) to 3.7 (25) – before the Bombers stormed back to win by 16 points. Jake Stringer, returning from a hamstring injury, booted three clutch goals in the second half.

ON THE MOVE: The Demons-Lions clash was one of three games transferred because of border restrictions or lockdowns.

HIGHLIGHTS

u With the COVID lockdown

continuing in Victoria and some border restrictions still in place, the AFL had to move four matches in the first of the bye rounds. The Melbourne-Brisbane game, originally scheduled in Alice Springs, was shifted to Giants Stadium, while the St Kilda-Sydney clash was moved from Marvel Stadium to the SCG and the Carlton-West Coast game from the MCG to the SCG. The biggest fixture change saw the annual Dreamtime at the ’G game between Essendon and Richmond transferred to Optus Stadium where 55,656 fans watched the Tigers win by 39 points. Essendon’s Darcy Parish won the Yiooken Trophy after gathering a club-record 44 disposals. The Demons kicked off the round in style, coming from 20 points down at half-time to defeat the Lions by 22 points. Jamie Elliott returned from injury to boot six goals as Collingwood downed Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in a fly-in, fly-out mission. The Blues ordered a mid-season review of their football department after a disappointing loss to an injury-hit Eagles.

u RESULTS Friday, June 4 Melb 14.13 (97) v BL 11.9 (75) (GS) (N) Saturday, June 5 Syd 13.14 (92) v StK 12.11 (83) (SCG) Adel 10.13 (73) v Coll 12.6 (78) (AO) T Ess 12.12 (84) v Rich 19.9 (123) (OS) (N) Sunday, June 6 Carl 10.13 (73) v WCE 14.11 (95) (SCG) Frem 9.11 (65) v WB 13.15 (93) (OS) (T) Byes: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide

u STATS THAT MATTER

DREAM DISPLAY: Richmond won the Dreamtime in Perth clash, but Essendon’s Darcy Parish was the star, winning the Yiookan Award after a club-record 44 disposals – 25 kicks and 19 handballs – bettering the previous best of 43 by Barry Davis in round 19, 1969. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 219

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ROUND 13

ROUND 14 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

ALL SMILES: Nathan Buckley ended his reign as Magpie coach with a win over top team Melbourne.

HIGHLIGHTS

u Collingwood gave outgoing

coach Nathan Buckley the perfect send-off with an upset 17-point win over League leader Melbourne. Buckley had announced his resignation in the week leading up to the game which was transferred to the SCG with Victoria still in lockdown. The annual Big Freeze event went ahead at an empty MCG. Hawthorn also caused an upset, downing Sydney by 38 points at the SCG. Mid-season draftee Jai Newcombe had 14 tackles on debut. Adelaide came from 36 points down in Cairns to break the hearts of St Kilda fans with a six-point win. The Crows booted the last seven goals with exciting rookie Riley Thilthorpe kicking an extraordinary goal over his head to put his side in front. Geelong overcame a long day of travel to beat Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval and Josh Kennedy’s goal in the final minute gave West Coast a four-point win over Richmond at Optus Stadium. North Melbourne and GWS played the first draw of the season at Blundstone Arena.

220 AFL RECORD

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Western Bulldogs

3 Geelong Cats

4 Brisbane Lions

5 Port Adelaide

6 Sydney Swans

7 West Coast Eagles

8 Richmond

9 Fremantle

9 GWS Giants

10 GWS Giants

10 Essendon

11 Essendon

11 Fremantle

12 Adelaide Crows

13 St Kilda

14 Carlton

15 Gold Coast Suns

15 Collingwood

16 Collingwood

16 Gold Coast Suns

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, June 10 PA 14.7 (91) v Geel 17.10 (112) (AO) (N) Friday, June 11 Syd 7.9 (51) v Haw 14.5 (89) (SCG) (N) Saturday, June 12 Frem 11.10 (76) v GCS 6.13 (49) (OS) (T) StK 8.12 (60) v Adel 9.12 (66) (CS) (N) Sunday, June 13 NM 14.10 (94) v GWS 14.10 (94) (BA) WCE 13.7 (85) v Rich 12.9 (81) (OS) (N) Monday, June 14 Melb 9.9 (63) v Coll 11.14 (80) (SCG) Byes: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Essendon, Western Bulldogs u STATS THAT MATTER

LONG JOURNEY: Giant Sam Reid played his 100th game – 12 years, four months and 19 days after his debut with the Western Bulldogs in round 22, 2008. It was was the seventh-longest time to reach the milestone, and the longest since St Kilda’s Bill Cubbins in 1928.

POWER BLOW: Port Adelaide’s easy win over the Suns was soured by Robbie Gray’s knee injury in his 250th game.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The last of the bye rounds

saw two matches originally scheduled in Melbourne – Hawthorn v Essendon (MCG) and North Melbourne v Brisbane (Marvel Stadium) – moved to Tasmania, while the Geelong v Western Bulldogs clash at GMHBA Stadium was capped at 7000 fans. Trailing by a point, Geelong ran the ball the length of the ground in the final minute to find forward Gary Rohan, who coolly slotted the match-winner after the siren from 45m out. The Cats’ win was soured by a knee injury to Mitch Duncan. It was a similar story the following day when Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray, in his 250th game, suffered a PCL injury in the Power’s big win over Gold Coast. The Lions held out a gallant North at Blundstone Arena while the pressure mounted on Carlton coach David Teague after the Blues’ disappointing 36-point loss to GWS. The biggest crowd of the round – 14,834 – saw Essendon down Hawthorn by 13 points at UTAS Stadium with Bomber Jake Stringer (29 disposals, four goals) starring.

u RESULTS Friday, June 18 Geel 12.11 (83) v WB 11.12 (78) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, June 19 GCS 4.7 (31) v PA 12.9 (81) (MS) NM 6.9 (45) v BL 9.14 (68) (BA) (T) GWS 16.6 (102) v Carl 9.12 (66) (GS) (N) Sunday, June 20 Haw 10.13 (73) v Ess 13.8 (86) (UTAS) Byes: Adelaide Crows, Collingwood, Fremantle, Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles

u STATS THAT MATTER

ICEMAN: Geelong’s Gary Rohan kicked the winning goal after the siren against the Bulldogs on the Friday night at GMHBA Stadium, the second time he’d achieved the feat. In 2017, also in round 14 on a Friday night, he kicked the match-winner after the siren for Sydney against Essendon at the SCG.

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ROUND 15

ROUND 16 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

TOP DOG: Marcus Bontempelli was at his brilliant best as the Bulldogs thrashed the Eagles in the west.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The Brisbane Lions and

Western Bulldogs emerged as the round’s big winners with impressive wins over Geelong and West Coast respectively. The Lions, led by Joe Daniher (four goals) and Charlie Cameron (three), turned the tables on the Cats who thumped them in last year’s preliminary final at the Gabba. The Bulldogs had to quarantine in Perth for several days leading into their clash, but it proved no barrier. Another best-on-ground performance from skipper Marcus Bontempelli saw the Dogs win by 55 points, but fans were unable to attend after a local case of COVID was detected. St Kilda produced the upset of the round, a 40-point win over Richmond, with the Tigers recording their lowest score in 60 years. Fremantle spoiled Robert Harvey’s first game as stand-in Collingwood coach with a 12-point win at Marvel Stadium. Port Adelaide and Melbourne scored close wins, while Hawthorn put a dent in the Giants’ finals plans. With a football department review about to start, Carlton scored a timely victory over Adelaide.

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

1 Western Bulldogs

2 Western Bulldogs

2 Melbourne

48 48

3 Brisbane Lions

4 Port Adelaide

5 Geelong Cats

6 Sydney Swans

7 West Coast Eagles

8 Richmond

8 GWS Giants

9 Fremantle

9 Richmond

10 GWS Giants

10 Fremantle

11 Essendon

11 St Kilda

12 St Kilda

12 Essendon

13 Carlton

14 Adelaide Crows

14 Gold Coast Suns

15 Collingwood

15 Adelaide Crows

16 Gold Coast Suns

16 Collingwood

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, June 24 BL 13.16 (94) v Geel 7.8 (50) (G) (N) Friday, June 25 Rich 2.10 (22) v StK 9.8 (62) (MCG) (N) Saturday, June 26 NM 9.18 (72) v GCS 9.9 (63) (BA) Coll 12.7 (79) v Frem 14.7 (91) (MRVL) (T) PA 12.9 (81) v Syd 10.11 (71) (AO) (N) Ess 8.9 (57) v Melb 9.14 (68) (MCG) (N) Sunday, June 27 GWS 11.6 (72) v Haw 13.12 (90) (MCG) WCE 6.7 (43) v WB 13.20 (98) (OS) Carl 12.11 (83) v Adel 10.13 (73) (MRVL) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

TOOTHLESS TIGERS: Richmond’s 2.10 (22) against St Kilda was its lowest score since its 0.8 (8) in 1961, also against the Saints. It was the Tigers’ lowest score at the MCG since the 1927 Grand Final. For St Kilda, which had lost to Richmond by 86 points in round five, it completed a 126-point turnaround.

MILLER TIME: Touk Miller gathered 36 touches as the Suns eclipsed the Tigers in a stunning upset.

HIGHLIGHTS

u With COVID issues in

Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney, all 18 teams were based in Victoria in the lead-up to the round. Eventually eight of the nine games were played in Victoria, with Adelaide returning home to host the victorious Brisbane Lions. Gold Coast had a ‘home’ game at Marvel Stadium against reigning premier Richmond and produced a stunning upset. Led by Touk Miller (36 disposals) and Ben King (four goals), the Suns fought back to kick two late goals and record a famous victory. Geelong downed Essendon by 41 points at GMHBA Stadium, but Jeremy Cameron was forced off with a hamstring strain after kicking three early goals. There was a doubleheader at the MCG which saw the GWS Giants score a gritty win over Melbourne, while Carlton made it two in a row after Fremantle had to give up its home ground advantage. Hawthorn could not produce a fairytale in Shaun Burgoyne’s 400th game and Sydney smashed West Coast by 92 points in the first game played at Geelong not featuring the Cats.

u RESULTS Thursday, July 1 GCS 10.17 (77) v Rich 10.7 (67) (MRVL) (N) Friday, July 2 Geel 15.8 (98) v Ess 8.9 (57) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, July 3 Melb 7.13 (55) v GWS 9.10 (64) (MCG) Adel 8.11 (59) v BL 17.9 (111) (AO) Haw 7.11 (53) v PA 13.9 (87) (MRVL) (N) Frem 8.16 (64) v Carl 12.8 (80) (MCG) (N) Sunday, July 4 Syd 18.10 (118) v WCE 3.8 (26) (GMHBA) Coll 8.13 (61) v StK 10.10 (70) (MCG) WB 16.12 (108) v NM 11.13 (79) (MRVL) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

JUST VISITING: Three matches were played at GMHBA Stadium, but for the first time in 688 games at the ground, none involved Geelong. The Sunday clash between Sydney and West Coast featured the Eagles’ Josh J. Kennedy and the Swans’ Josh P. Kennedy, both playing their 273rd match. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 221

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ROUND 17

ROUND 18

u LADDER TEAM

RED HOT: Christian Petracca continued his dominant form as the Demons returned to the top of the ladder.

HIGHLIGHTS

u Melbourne started the round

in winning style over Port Adelaide thanks to midfield stars Christian Petracca (33 disposals, three goals) and Clayton Oliver (31 touches). The Demons regained top spot after previous ladder leaders the Western Bulldogs went down to Sydney by 19 points at Marvel Stadium. The Swans, who had been based in Victoria due to the Sydney COVID lockdown, wore their heritage South Melbourne jumper. Essendon thumped Adelaide by 63 points, with the Crows held to their lowest score ever – 2.9 (21). Rory Lobb booted four goals to steer Fremantle to a rare win over Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium, while St Kilda upset the Brisbane Lions by 32 points at Metricon Stadium. The Lions’ loss was compounded by a season-ending knee injury to emerging forward Eric Hipwood. Gold Coast put a dent in the Giants’ finals plans with a one-point win at Mars Stadium and Collingwood kicked seven last-quarter goals to overrun Richmond. The return of Monday night football saw North Melbourne hand West Coast its third successive defeat.

222 AFL RECORD

u LADDER PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Western Bulldogs

3 Geelong Cats 4 Brisbane Lions 5 Port Adelaide

48 44 44

3 Geelong Cats

4 Port Adelaide

6 Sydney Swans

7 Fremantle

5 Brisbane Lions 6 Sydney Swans

8 West Coast Eagles

7 West Coast Eagles

9 St Kilda

8 Essendon

10 GWS Giants

9 Richmond

11 Essendon

10 Fremantle

12 Richmond

13 Carlton

14 Gold Coast Suns

15 Collingwood

16 Adelaide Crows

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, July 8 PA 8.7 (55) v Melb 12.14 (86) (AO) (N) Friday, July 9 Ess 11.18 (84) v Adel 2.9 (21) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 10 Haw 6.10 (46) v Frem 16.12 (108) (UTAS) Carl 5.14 (44) v Geel 10.10 (70) (MCG) (T) BL 8.15 (63) v StK 14.11 (95) (MS) (N) Sunday, July 11 GWS 9.10 (64) v GCS 10.5 (65) (MARS) WB 8.12 (60) v Syd 11.13 (79) (MRVL) Rich 11.5 (71) v Coll 13.9 (87) (MCG) (T) Monday, July 12 WCE 8.12 (60) v NM 10.10 (70) (OS) (T) u STATS THAT MATTER

FIRST BLOOD: Collingwood interim coach Robert Harvey recorded his first win, against reigning premier Richmond. Trailing by 20 points at three-quarter time, the Pies kicked 7.2 in the final quarter, including a burst of four goals in six minutes, to overrun the Tigers.

RIDING HIGH: Jack Riewoldt celebrated his 300th game with a six-goal haul as the Tigers overpowered the Lions.

HIGHLIGHTS

u With Victoria joining

New South Wales in lockdown, the AFL had to reorganise several games. The Richmond-Brisbane clash was shifted from the MCG to Metricon Stadium where Tigers star Jack Riewoldt celebrated his 300th game in style, kicking six goals as the Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak. Fremantle failed badly under the glare of Thursday night football, losing by 69 points to a rampant Geelong. At an empty Marvel Stadium, St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide as Ollie Wines (36 disposals) starred for the visitors. Melbourne blew several winning chances against lowly Hawthorn and had to settle for a draw. The Sydney derby was moved to Metricon Stadium and there was high drama in the lead-up. Several players, including Toby Greene (GWS) and Callum Mills (Sydney), were withdrawn just before the opening bounce after players and staff from both clubs were reclassified as Tier 2 contacts after attending the Wallabies-France rugby test in Melbourne in the week prior. The Swans turned a 35-point deficit into a stirring 26-point win.

11 St Kilda

12 GWS Giants

13 Carlton

14 Gold Coast Suns

15 Collingwood

16 Adelaide Crows

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Thursday, July 15 Frem 3.13 (31) v Geel 14.16 (100) (OS) (N) Friday, July 16 Rich 16.10 (106) v BL 13.8 (86) (MS) (N) Saturday, July 17 StK 8.13 (61) v PA 10.14 (74) (MRVL) GCS 11.13 (79) v WB 14.6 (90) (MS) (T) Melb 11.13 (79) v Haw 12.7 (79) (MCG) (T) Sunday, July 18 NM 11.8 (74) v Ess 13.14 (92) (MS) Coll 9.8 (62) v Carl 13.13 (91) (MCG) Adel 8.8 (56) v WCE 14.14 (98) (AO) (T) GWS 11.6 (72) v Syd 15.8 (98) (MS) (N)

u STATS THAT MATTER

LUCK OF THE DRAW: Top team Melbourne drew with 17th-placed Hawthorn, a ladder differential of 16 places, after the Hawks’ Luke Breust pounced and goaled in the final minute of play. It was Denver Grainger-Barras’ third different result in his first three games for Hawthorn: a win, a loss and a draw.

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ROUND 19

ROUND 20 u LADDER

u LADDER TEAM

ROO BEAUTY: Nick Larkey kicked a career-best seven goals as North Melbourne put a dent in Carlton’s finals hopes.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The Port Adelaide and

Collingwood clash scheduled for Adelaide Oval was played at an empty Marvel Stadium. The Power celebrated Travis Boak’s 300th game with a 28-point win. Nick Larkey’s emergence continued, with the young North Melbourne forward booting seven goals to sink Carlton’s finals hopes. Brisbane recovered from a 27-point half-time deficit to record a big 49-point win over Gold Coast. The Bulldogs, led by Marcus Bontempelli (31 disposals and two goals), grabbed top spot with a 20-point win over fellow contender Melbourne. St Kilda’s rising star Max King kicked six goals, but it was not enough to hold out West Coast at Optus Stadium. Tom Hawkins and Esava Ratugolea kicked four goals each as Geelong inflicted its second big win over Richmond for the season. Fremantle went down to Sydney in David Mundy’s 350th game, while GWS bounced back after two successive losses and returned to the eight with a 13-point win against Essendon. Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury (fractured leg) and Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe (dislocated shoulder) both suffered season-ending injuries.

PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Western Bulldogs

2 Geelong Cats

3 Melbourne

4 Port Adelaide

5 Brisbane Lions 6 Sydney Swans

5 Sydney Swans 6 Brisbane Lions

7 West Coast Eagles 8 GWS Giants

7 West Coast Eagles 8 Fremantle

9 Essendon

9 GWS Giants

10 Richmond

10 Essendon

11 Fremantle

11 Richmond

12 St Kilda

12 Carlton

13 Carlton

13 St Kilda

14 Gold Coast Suns

14 Collingwood

15 Adelaide Crows

15 Gold Coast Suns

16 Collingwood

16 Adelaide Crows

17 Hawthorn

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, July 23 PA 14.13 (97) v Coll 10.9 (69) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 24 Carl 11.11 (77) v NM 18.8 (116) (MRVL) BL 17.18 (120) v GCS 10.11 (71) (G) WCE 14.10 (94) v StK 13.8 (86) (OS) Melb 9.11 (65) v WB 13.7 (85) (MCG) (N) Adel 16.6 (102) v Haw 13.5 (83) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, July 25 Syd 14.14 (98) v Frem 8.10 (58) (MS) Geel 15.5 (95) v Rich 8.9 (57) (MCG) Ess 7.11 (53) v GWS 9.12 (66) (MS)

u STATS THAT MATTER

MILESTONE MEN: Travis Boak played his 300th match for Port Adelaide on the Friday night at Marvel Stadium, equalling the club record of Kane Cornes. Two days later at Metricon Stadium, David Mundy played his 350th match, becoming the second Fremantle player to achieve the feat, behind Matthew Pavlich.

WELCOME BACK: Charlie Curnow is mobbed by teammates after a goal in the Blues’ upset win over the Saints.

HIGHLIGHTS

u Just hours before the round

started, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson announced he would stand aside at season’s ahead and the planned handover to Sam Mitchell would be brought forward 12 months. There was more fixturing chaos with southern Queensland going into lockdown ahead of three games at the Gabba and Metricon Stadium. The AFL hastily moved the Gold Coast-Melbourne, Essendon-Sydney and GWS-Port Adelaide games to Melbourne. Carlton, led by young gun Sam Walsh in Charlie Curnow’s comeback game, put a serious dent in St Kilda’s finals hopes. Collingwood spoiled the 300-game celebrations of West Coast veteran Shannon Hurn with a big 45-point win at the MCG. It was a super Sunday as footy and sports fans enjoyed a day to remember with Australia winning a record four gold medals in one day at the Olympic Games. Among the five games of football, Sydney edged out Essendon in a shootout as Callum Mills (33 disposals) starred and Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw (39 disposals) led the Dockers to a gutsy win over Richmond.

u RESULTS Friday, July 30 StK 12.9 (81) v Carl 18.4 (112) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 31 WB 15.15 (105) v Adel 8.8 (56) (MARS) NM 6.6 (42) v Geel 8.14 (62) (BA) Coll 14.6 (90) v WCE 6.9 (45) (MCG) (T) Sunday, August 1 GCS 4.6 (30) v Melb 18.20 (128) (MRVL) Haw 14.8 (92) v BL 12.8 (80) (UTAS) Ess 16.6 (102) v Syd 17.7 (109) (MCG) GWS 11.7 (73) v PA 15.10 (100) (MRVL) (T) Frem 7.13 (55) v Rich 6.15 (51) (OS) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

SUPER SUNDAY: For the first time, five matches were played on a Sunday. There were two debutants in the Gold Coast-Melbourne clash – the Suns’ Joel Jeffrey and the Demons’ Jake Bowey. Their fathers, Russell Jeffrey and Brett Bowey, were teammates together in 21 games for St Kilda. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 223

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ROUND 21

ROUND 22

u LADDER TEAM

WILD WEST: Players were forced from the field for 30 minutes because of lightning in the Eagles-Demons clash.

HIGHLIGHTS

u An undermanned GWS

pulled off one of the upsets of the season with a 19-point win over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. However, it came at a cost with Giants star Toby Greene suspended for one week for a high hit on Patrick Dangerfield. The heat was turned up on Carlton coach David Teague after the Blues went down to Gold Coast. Port Adelaide edged out cross-town rival Adelaide, but the big talking point in the lead-up was a six-game ban and $20,000 fine handed to Crows veteran Taylor Walker, who admitted racially vilifying North Adelaide’s Robbie Young at the quarter-time break of a SANFL game in July. Peter Wright kicked a career-high seven goals for Essendon as the Bombers downed the Western Bulldogs by 13 points. It was a costly loss for the Dogs with key forward Josh Bruce rupturing his ACL. West Coast and Melbourne players were ordered from the field during the last quarter of their clash at Optus Stadium because of lightning. The Demons held on after the 30-minute delay to win by nine points.

224 AFL RECORD

u LADDER PTS

TEAM

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Western Bulldogs

2 Geelong Cats

3 Geelong Cats 4 Port Adelaide

3 Port Adelaide 4 Western Bulldogs

5 Brisbane Lions

6 Sydney Swans

7 West Coast Eagles

7 GWS Giants

8 GWS Giants

8 Essendon

9 Essendon

9 West Coast Eagles

10 Richmond

10 Fremantle

11 St Kilda

11 Richmond

12 Fremantle

12 St Kilda

13 Carlton

14 Gold Coast Suns

14 Hawthorn

15 Hawthorn

15 Gold Coast Suns

16 Collingwood

17 Adelaide Crows

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, August 6 Geel 8.17 (65) v GWS 13.6 (84) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, August 7 Carl 8.9 (57) v GCS 11.10 (76) (MRVL) Rich 13.11 (89) v NM 8.8 (56) (MCG) (T) Adel 7.9 (51) v PA 7.13 (55) (AO) (N) StK 14.9 (93) v Syd 10.4 (64) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 8 Haw 15.7 (97) v Coll 12.6 (78) (MCG) WB 12.12 (84) v Ess 15.7 (97) (MRVL) Frem 8.6 (54) v BL 18.10 (118) (OS) Monday, August 9 WCE 9.9 (63) v Melb 10.12 (72) (OS) (N)

u STATS THAT MATTER

FAMILY LEGACY: Richmond’s Maurice Rioli jnr became the sixth Rioli to play in the AFL/VFL after Maurice snr, Dean, Cyril, Daniel and Willie. All six had a win in their first match and all debuted in Victoria – Maurice snr at Waverley Park, Willie at Marvel Stadium and the others at the MCG.

DANGER ZONE: Patrick Dangerfield sends the Cats forward in their comeback win over the Saints.

HIGHLIGHTS

u The penultimate round

saw several sides shore up positions in the top eight and others make a late run. The Giants made it back-to-back wins under the Friday night spotlight, all but snuffing out Richmond’s finals chances. Led by Josh Kelly (32 disposals) and Tim Taranto (four goals), GWS romped home by 39 points. The Bulldogs suffered another surprise loss, this time to Hawthorn in Launceston, while Geelong, led by the returning Jeremy Cameron (four goals), recovered from a 31-point deficit to all but end St Kilda’s finals hopes. The Cats went to the top of the ladder, but the following day were replaced by Melbourne, which scored a comfortable 41-point win over Adelaide. Bailey Fritsch kicked a career-high seven goals for the Demons. Port Adelaide thumped Carlton by 95 points in Blue Marc Murphy’s 300th and final game, while Brisbane and Sydney won as expected over Collingwood and North Melbourne respectively. Fremantle, led by young gun Caleb Serong, snapped an 11-game losing streak in derbies with a 15-point win over West Coast.

u RESULTS Friday, August 13 GWS 16.10 (106) v Rich 10.7 (67) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, August 14 Haw 9.10 (64) v WB 5.7 (37) (UTAS) Geel 13.7 (85) v StK 11.5 (71) (GMHBA) (T) PA 21.14 (140) v Carl 5.15 (45) (AO) (T) BL 22.10 (145) v Coll 8.9 (57) (G) (N) NM 12.5 (77) v Syd 13.13 (91) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 15 Melb 16.8 (104) v Adel 9.9 (63) (MCG) GCS 4.6 (30) v Ess 14.14 (98) (GMHBA) Frem 12.7 (79) v WCE 9.10 (64) (OS)

u STATS THAT MATTER

GIANT STEP: The GWS Giants beat Richmond to record their 100th win. Their first, in 2012, was against the Gold Coast Suns. Adam Kennedy and Callan Ward played in both games for the Giants, while Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia were in both losing sides. Ward had 22 disposals and a goal in each match.

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ROUND 23

FINALS WEEK 1

u LADDER TEAM

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: Alastair Clarkson and Shaun Burgoyne bowed out in the Hawks’ draw with the Tigers.

HIGHLIGHTS

u A pulsating end to the

home and away season saw Melbourne claim top spot for the first time since 1964. After trailing Geelong by 44 points in the third quarter, the Demons piled on eight unanswered goals, including skipper Max Gawn’s match-winning shot after the siren. Port Adelaide guaranteed itself two home finals after coming from 19 points behind to down the Western Bulldogs by two points in a Friday night thriller. With the Brisbane Lions making up the required percentage differential the following night after defeating West Coast by 38 points, the Bulldogs slid out of the top four and finished fifth. Fremantle had the chance to claim eighth spot, but it all went pear-shaped for the Dockers who lost by 58 points to St Kilda, allowing Essendon to grab the last finals place. There was a long list of farewells, including Alastair Clarkson, Shaun Burgoyne, Eddie Betts, Bachar Houli, David Astbury, Jarrod Harbrow and David Mackay. A chaotic draw against Richmond was Clarkson’s final act as Hawthorn coach.

PTS

1 Melbourne

2 Port Adelaide

3 Geelong Cats 4 Brisbane Lions

5 Western Bulldogs

6 Sydney Swans

7 GWS Giants

8 Essendon

9 West Coast Eagles

10 St Kilda

11 Fremantle

12 Richmond

13 Carlton

14 Hawthorn

15 Adelaide Crows

16 Gold Coast Suns

17 Collingwood

18 North Melbourne

u RESULTS Friday, August 20 WB 10.4 (64) v PA 9.12 (66) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, August 21 Rich 12.11 (83) v Haw 12.11 (83) (MCG) Syd 21.10 (136) v GCS 6.13 (49) (MRVL) BL 19.11 (125) v WCE 13.9 (87) (G) (T) Geel 12.5 (77) v Melb 12.9 (81) (GMHBA) (N) Carl 11.9 (75) v GWS 12.17 (89) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 22 StK 17.5 (107) v Frem 6.13 (49) (BA) Ess 16.6 (102) v Coll 9.10 (64) (MCG) Adel 13.20 (98) v NM 8.6 (54) (AO) (T)

u STATS THAT MATTER

DEMON DELIGHT: Melbourne trailed Geelong by 44 points in the third quarter before kicking 8.3 to 0.3 to win by four points. Captain Max Gawn marked the ball with 18 seconds remaining and kicked the winning goal after the siren. The Demons finished as minor premiers for the first time since 1964.

PUMPED: Aliir Aliir was impassable as the Power put the Cats to the sword; young defenders Connor Idun and Sam Taylor were ectatic after the Giants’ heart-stopping one-point win.

HIGHLIGHTS

u For the second successive

year, Port Adelaide defeated Geelong in the qualifying final, but there were no hard-luck stories this time for the Cats who kicked themselves out of the 2020 contest. The Power bullied Geelong with Aliir Aliir dominating in defence, Ollie Wines (33 disposals) and Travis Boak (32) starring in the midfield and Orazio Fantasia bagging four goals. The next day, GWS held on by one point against a fast-finishing Sydney in the first final played in Tasmania. Giants star Toby Greene was again in hot water, this time for making contact with umpire Matt Stevic, and was suspended for three games. Melbourne confirmed its status as one of the teams to beat for the flag with a convincing 33-point win over Brisbane at Adelaide Oval in the other qualifying final. Lachie Neale gathered 46 disposals for the Lions, a record for a final. The Western Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak to knock Essendon out of the finals. The loss meant the Bombers have not won a final since 2004.

u RESULTS Friday, August 27 PA 12.14 (86) v Geel 5.13 (43) (AO) (N) Saturday, August 28 Syd 10.13 (73) v GWS 11.8 (74) (UTAS) Melb 13.15 (93) v BL 9.6 (60) (AO) (N) Sunday, August 29 WB 13.7 (85) v Ess 4.12 (36) (UTAS)

u STATS THAT MATTER

YOUNG GUNS: The Bulldogs and Bombers clash was the first final that didn’t contain a 200-game player since the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide preliminary final in 1997. Essendon recorded its seventh successive finals loss and its score of 4.12 (36) was its lowest in a final since its 3.8 (26) in the 1908 Grand Final. AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 225

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AFL RECORD SEASON REVIEW

FINALS WEEK 2

HIGHLIGHTS

u The highlight of semi-final

weekend was an absorbing contest between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions which saw the Dogs claim a one-point win. After livewire Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron gave the home side a flying start with three first-quarter goals, the Bulldogs clawed their way back via star midfielders Jack Macrae (39 disposals), Marcus Bontempelli (29), Bailey Smith (27 and three goals) and Tom Liberatore (21). The loss condemned the Lions

to a 1-5 finals record in Chris Fagan’s time as coach, with four of those defeats at the Gabba. In the other semi-final, Geelong bounced back from its opening-week defeat to down GWS by 35 points at Optus Stadium. The Giants suffered a pre-game setback when key forward Jesse Hogan was ruled out with a calf injury, joining the suspended Toby Greene on the sidelines. The Cats were in control throughout, with star forward Tom Hawkins leading the way with five goals, including three in the final term. Geelong advanced to its seventh preliminary final in 11 years under Chris Scott.

u ODD SPOT

BIG TARGETS: Aaron Naughton (left) launches for a strong grab in the Bulldogs’ thriller against the Lions; Tom Hawkins celebrates one of his five goals for the Cats.

u RESULTS Friday, September 3 Geel 15.13 (103) v GWS 10.8 (68) (OS) (N)

HIGHLIGHTS

u It was a case of two preliminary

final blowouts with Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs thrashing Geelong and Port Adelaide respectively. The Demons surged to their first Grand Final since 2000 with an 83-point demolition of the Cats at Optus Stadium. Captain and star ruckman Max Gawn led the way with five goals, including four in an incredible third-quarter display. Kysaiah Pickett was busy with three goals, while Charlie Spargo, Ben Brown and Bayley Fritsch each kicked two. Melbourne’s midfield, led

Saturday, September 4 BL 11.12 (78) v WB 11.13 (79) (G) (N)

by Jack Viney (34 disposals), Christian Petracca (32) and Clayton Oliver (27), showed no mercy as the Cats crashed to their biggest finals loss since 1969. The following night the Bulldogs upset pre-game favourite Port Adelaide with a club finals-record 71-point win. Despite having a week’s rest, with a near full-strength side playing before their adoring fans, the Power were jumped by the Bulldogs and never recovered. Young Bulldogs star Bailey Smith (23 disposals and four goals) continued his hot finals form, while former Demon Mitch Hannan bobbed up with three goals, all in the first half.

FRIENDLY FOES: All four semi-final teams had a player who had previously played for the opposition – Geelong (Jeremy Cameron) v GWS Giants (Shane Mumford) and Brisbane Lions (Marcus Adams) v Western Bulldogs (Josh Schache). It was the first time Cameron had played against his former club.

FINALS WEEK 3

u ODD SPOT

DOGS’ DAY OUT: The Western Bulldogs recorded their greatest winning margin in a final – 71 points over Port Adelaide. It was coach Luke Beveridge’s seventh win from 10 finals and his 92nd win overall, bettering the club record of 91 set by Ted Whitten.

226 AFL RECORD

MIGHTY MAX: Skipper Max Gawn catapulted the Demons into the Grand Final with a superb career-best five goal display against the Cats.

u RESULTS Friday, September 10 Melb 19.11 (125) v Geel 6.6 (42) (OS) (N)

Saturday, September 11 PA 6.9 (45) v WB 17.14 (116) (AO) (N)

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AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

ADELAIDE CROWS W 7 L 15 D 0 POINTS 28

GAMES

PROMISING SIGNS: The Crows’ win over the Demons in round 10 was an indication of their potential.

NAME

KICKS Ben Keays Paul Seedsman Brodie Smith Rory Laird Harry Schoenberg

350 347 332 314 230

NO. HGT. WGT.

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

DOB

BERRY Sam

21 182 83 12/2/02 2021 17 17 17 5 5

BORLASE James #

35 192 98 18/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BROWN Luke

16 181 81 22/9/92 2012 11 178 178 0 13

BUTTS Jordon #

41 198 97 31/12/99 2020 22 24 24 0

COOK Brayden

15 190 85 18/7/02 2021 3 3 3 0 0

CROUCH Matt

5 181 82 21/4/95 2014 0 125 125 0 28

DAVIS Ben #

40 189 89 19/5/97 2019 4 6 6 0

DOEDEE Tom

39 187 89 1/3/97 2018 21 51 51 1 3

MARKS

FOGARTY Darcy

32 194 99 25/9/99 2018 17 41 41 24 50

Paul Seedsman Brodie Smith Jake Kelly Tom Doedee Taylor Walker

FRAMPTON Billy

118 107 102 100 90

HANDBALLS Rory Laird Ben Keays Paul Seedsman Rory Sloane Harry Schoenberg

390 269 227 204 175

Much to like about the Crows’ rebuild

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Rory Laird Ben Keays Rory Sloane Reilly O’Brien Harry Schoenberg

326 241 216 191 163

u There was much doom and gloom associated with Adelaide following a club-first bottom-of-the-table finish in 2020. Many were tipping the Crows to add a second wooden spoon in a row to their ‘trophy cabinet’ in 2021, but they defied that assumption and performed above most expectations. Seven wins would be seen as a pass mark, having won just three matches last year, and the manner in which they played for most of the season was commendable. Matthew Nicks instilled a toughness around the ball, forming a foundation to continue rebuilding on, which was evident in their opening round win over 2020 runner-up Geelong. The highlight came in round 10 when they edged out eventual minor premier Melbourne by a point at Adelaide Oval in one of the most entertaining matches of the season. The rebuild is set to endure, given the club’s list management strategy in moving on veterans Tom Lynch and Daniel Talia, but there remains the influence of best and fairest Rory Laird, Brodie Smith and Rory Sloane. There is a lot to like about the kids led by Harry Schoenberg, Riley Thilthorpe, Jordon Butts, Nick Murray and Ned McHenry, and with natural development should come more victories in season 2022.

GOALS/BEHINDS Taylor Walker Shane McAdam Darcy Fogarty Riley Thilthorpe James Rowe

48.29 25.11 24.12 18.10 15.11

CLEARANCES Rory Laird Ben Keays Rory Sloane Reilly O’Brien Harry Schoenberg

150 122 95 77 67

TACKLES Ben Keays Rory Laird Rory Sloane Harry Schoenberg Sam Berry

133 130 87 79 69

INSIDE 50s Paul Seedsman Ben Keays Rory Laird Harry Schoenberg Brodie Smith

125 119 81 78 74

ANDREW SLEVISON

22 202 97 20/11/96 2018 10 18 15 2

**** 188 85 15/3/89 2007 0 268 37 0 152

GOLLANT Lachlan

44 192 83 12/9/01 2021 1 1 1 1 1

HAMILL Will

17 187 80 17/11/00 2020 17 25 25 0

HATELY Jackson

6 191 91 21/10/00 2019 3 16 3 0 2

HIMMELBERG Elliott

34 200 98 4/6/98 2018 8 27 27 8 26

HINGE Mitchell

20 190 91 26/6/98 2019 1 4 1 0 1 1 180 83 14/1/00 2019 15 38 38 1 10

KEAYS Ben #

2 185 89 23/2/97 2016 22 68 38 12 26

KELLY Jake

8 190 91 21/1/95 2015 20 110 110 0

LAIRD Rory

29 177 78 29/12/93 2013 22 182 182 3

LYNCH Tom

27 193 88 15/9/90 2010 12 164 158 8 203

MACKAY David #

14 181 77 25/7/88 2008 18 248 248 6 68

McADAM Shane

23 183 79 28/5/95 2020 15 28 28 25 37

McASEY Fischer

3 196 96 8/3/01 2020 0 10 10 0 0

McHENRY Ned

25 179 73 13/7/00 2020 21 29 29 11

McPHERSON Andrew

36 186 86 20/6/99 2020 18 27 27 0

MILERA Wayne

30 185 84 14/9/97 2016 0 62 62 0 21

MURPHY Lachlan

4 175 78 4/12/98 2018 15 59 59 9 47

MURRAY Nick #

28 193 92 18/12/00 2021 13 13 13 1 1

NEWCHURCH Tariek #

42 182 78 21/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

O’BRIEN Reilly

43 202 102 20/8/95 2016 20 57 57 2

O’CONNOR Ronin

37 191 92 1/2/01 2021 3 3 3 0 0

PARNELL Patrick #

51 178 70 4/3/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0 10 182 80 17/5/02 2021 2 2 2 0 0

ROWE James

31 173 76 17/9/99 2021 19 19 19 15 15

SCHOENBERG Harry

26 182 86 21/2/01 2020 22 30 30 10 13

SEEDSMAN Paul

11 190 84 22/1/92 2012 22 132 83 12 66

SHOLL Lachlan

38 186 80 7/3/00 2020 19 27 27 3

SLOANE Rory

9 182 82 17/3/90 2009 18 229 229 3 130

SMITH Brodie

33 189 86 14/1/92 2011 21 204 204 2 64 18 175 74 19/10/98 2017 0 16 14 0

STRACHAN Kieran #

45 204 103 5/10/95 2020 2

3 0

TALIA Daniel

12 196 99 2/10/91 2011 0 200 200 0

THILTHORPE Riley

7 201 102 7/7/02 2021 14 14 14 18 18 13 194 102 25/4/90 2009 17 220 220 48 489

WORRELL Josh

24 194 94 11/4/01 2021 1 1 1 0 0

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

15 ADELAIDE CROWS

230

236

1616

287

249

1971

81.99

109

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 228

WALKER Taylor

Gls

SEN.com.au

STENGLE Tyson

228 AFL RECORD

PEDLAR Luke

HOME

JONES Chayce

AGAINST

GIBBS Bryce #

2021 LADDER

FOR

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:28 PM

BRISBANE LIONS W 15 L 7 D 0 POINTS 60

GAMES

LETHAL LEFT FOOT: Defender Daniel Rich’s outstanding season was rewarded with his first All-Australian selection.

KICKS Daniel Rich Hugh McCluggage Jarryd Lyons Dayne Zorko Grant Birchall

514 407 395 386 307

MARKS Harris Andrews Grant Birchall Daniel Rich Hugh McCluggage Dayne Zorko

181 159 137 123 122

HANDBALLS Jarryd Lyons Lachie Neale Hugh McCluggage Dayne Zorko Zac Bailey

Left to rue another one that got away

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS 327 234 220 215 213

u Entering 2021 on the back of two consecutive top-four finishes, Brisbane again booked a double chance despite a rollercoaster campaign. After losing three of their first four games, the Lions peeled off seven wins in a row to re-establish themselves in the upper echelon of the ladder. In this period, wingman Hugh McCluggage announced himself as one of the competition’s elite players, stringing together several dominant performances. Chris Fagan’s side then went through another mini form slump between rounds 17 to 20, but ended the home and away season on a high to finish in fourth place. Despite having the double chance, Brisbane dropped out of the finals in straight sets, with consecutive losses to Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Ultimately, injuries ended up cruelling the Lions, with Eric Hipwood and Daniel McStay on the sidelines when the side’s season came to a close, alongside dynamic youngster Cam Rayner. Daniel Rich earned his first All-Australian blazer in his 13th season for the club, being rewarded for an outstanding season in the defensive half. While they will be pleased with their ladder finish, 2021 was yet another season that got away from the Lions when it mattered most.

GOALS/BEHINDS Charlie Cameron Joe Daniher Lincoln McCarthy Zac Bailey Daniel McStay

55.33 46.32 36.15 31.18 28.10

CLEARANCES Jarryd Lyons Oscar McInerney Lachie Neale Dayne Zorko Hugh McCluggage

149 127 107 104 82

TACKLES Jarryd Lyons Dayne Zorko Hugh McCluggage Lincoln McCarthy Lachie Neale

154 140 89 80 70

INSIDE 50s Dayne Zorko Jarryd Lyons Hugh McCluggage Zac Bailey Mitch Robinson

148 110 107 103 90

LACHLAN GELEIT

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

313

253

2131

231

213

BRISBANE LIONS

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

DOB

ADAMS Marcus

24 192 98 30/6/93 2016 17 55 28 0

AH CHEE Callum

4 183 79 9/10/97 2016 21 84 39 7 34

ANDREWS Harris

31 202 98 11/12/96 2015 23 136 136 1

ANSWERTH Noah

43 183 80 6/8/99 2019 0 28 28 0 2

BAILEY Zac

33 182 86 23/9/99 2018 24 70 70 31 55

BALLENDEN Connor #

38 199 104 29/3/99 2020 1

BERRY Jarrod

7 192 88 5/2/98 2017 11 85 85 5 39

3 0

BERRY Thomas

13 185 79 1/5/00 2020 11 17 17 2

BIRCHALL Grant #

14 190 98 28/1/88 2006 23 287 39 2 36

CAMERON Charlie

23 180 75 5/7/94 2014 24 151 78 55 247

COCKATOO Nakia

12 185 92 23/10/96 2015 7 41 7 5 30

COLEMAN Blake

34 182 80 6/8/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

COLEMAN Keidean

18 182 78 31/3/00 2020 18 23 23 6

DANIHER Joe

3 201 96 4/3/94 2013 24 132 24 46 237

ELLIS-YOLMEN Cameron 28 190 103 28/1/93 2014 0 48 9 0 18

279 239 193 169 167

Jarryd Lyons Oscar McInerney Dayne Zorko Lachie Neale Hugh McCluggage

FOR

AGAINST Pts

1599 133.27

HOME

FULLARTON Tom

21 200 92 23/2/99 2020 12 14 14 3

GARDINER Darcy

27 192 91 22/9/95 2014 9 133 133 0

HIPWOOD Eric

30 203 91 13/9/97 2016 16 110 110 26 163

JOYCE Tom

32 181 85 7/3/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

LANE Kalin #

45 205 99 5/12/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

LESTER Ryan

35 192 85 26/8/92 2011 17 158 158 1 46

LYONS Jarryd

17 184 84 22/7/92 2012 24 159 67 10 77

MADDEN James #

42 188 88 15/11/99 2021 9 9 9 1 1

MATHIESON Rhys #

36 186 87 10/1/97 2016 15 62 62 2 26

McCARTHY Lincoln

11 178 81 22/10/93 2012 24 94 65 36 96

McCLUGGAGE Hugh

6 185 87 3/3/98 2017 24 106 106 15 64

McFADYEN Connor

26 190 95 4/12/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

McINERNEY Oscar

46 204 108 10/7/94 2018 23 79 79 6 36

McSTAY Daniel

25 195 97 24/6/95 2014 19 139 139 28 113

MICHAEL Carter #

39 188 78 22/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

NEALE Lachie

9 178 85 24/5/93 2012 17 195 60 8 101

PAYNE Jack

40 197 101 15/10/99 2020 10 15 15 0

PRIOR Jaxon

20 189 84 4/6/01 2021 18 18 18 6 6

RAYNER Cam

16 186 89 21/10/99 2018 0 63 63 0

RICH Daniel

10 183 95 7/6/90 2009 24 246 246 3 113

ROBERTSON Deven

2 185 83 30/6/01 2020 16 17 17 4

ROBINSON Mitch

5 184 89 7/6/89 2009 22 232 132 7 120

SHARP Harry

22 182 72 17/12/02 2021 2 2 2 0 0

SMITH Archie #

44 201 108 19/7/95 2016 0 16 16 0

SMITH Brock

1 189 82 13/3/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SMITH Ely

8 187 91 13/9/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SMITH Henry

19 206 100 24/9/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

STARCEVICH Brandon

37 187 92 24/7/99 2018 24 47 47 0

UOSIS Deividas #

41 182 74 28/6/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

ZORKO Dayne

15 175 78 9/2/89 2012 23 208 208 17 210

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

142

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 229

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 229

9/14/21 4:28 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

CARLTON W 8 L 14 D 0 POINTS 32

GAMES

SHINING LIGHT: Star forward Harry McKay elevated his game to claim the Coleman Medal.

NAME

KICKS Ed Curnow Adam Saad Jacob Weitering Sam Walsh Sam Docherty

318 311 301 298 252

MARKS Jacob Weitering Sam Walsh Harry McKay Sam Docherty Ed Curnow

NO. HGT. WGT.

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

DOB

BETTS Eddie #

19 174 75 26/11/86 2005 19 350 218 27 640

BOYD Jordan #

37 182 81 22/9/98 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CARROLL Jack

16 188 81 20/12/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CASBOULT Levi

41 199 104 15/3/90 2012 13 154 154 8 156

COTTRELL Matthew #

46 185 80 29/2/00 2020 14 19 19 3 5

CRIPPS Patrick

9 195 95 18/3/95 2014 20 138 138 13 67

CUNINGHAM David

28 186 84 30/3/97 2016 4 41 41 3 23

CURNOW Charlie

30 192 94 3/2/97 2016 4 62 62 2 79

CURNOW Ed

35 179 86 7/11/89 2011 22 204 204 10 50

167 127 113 107 106

DE KONING Tom

12 203 100 16/7/99 2018 13 22 22 7

DOCHERTY Sam

15 185 85 17/10/93 2013 14 122 109 0

DOW Paddy

2 187 83 16/10/99 2018 17 59 59 4

DURDIN Corey

29 173 77 14/4/02 2021 2 2 2 1 1

HANDBALLS

FISHER Zac

25 179 76 15/6/98 2017 10 73 73 4 31

Sam Walsh Patrick Cripps Ed Curnow Paddy Dow Jack Newnes

358 305 178 147 124

FOGARTY Lachie

8 180 78 1/4/99 2018 17 40 17 6 12

GIBBONS Michael

40 176 77 15/5/95 2019 11 47 47 8 35

HONEY Josh #

36 186 84 17/10/01 2020 5

JONES Liam

14 199 100 24/2/91 2010 19 161 95 0 84

KEMP Brodie

17 193 81 1/5/01 2021 2 2 2 0 0

Axe falls as finals drought continues

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Sam Walsh Patrick Cripps Ed Curnow Jacob Weitering Adam Saad

252 246 168 139 117

u Carlton came into 2021 believing the time for development was over. The Blues made moves in the off-season with the aim of playing finals for the first time since 2013. Instead, they finished 13th with eight wins and sacked senior coach David Teague. The season will be remembered for Carlton’s inability to defend, conceding more points across the year than any team bar wooden-spooner North Melbourne. Teague and the Blues coaching staff could not fix the defensives woes and changes were made at Ikon Park. Carlton was also ravaged by injuries, going multiple weeks without a healthy ruckman and spending most of the season without the majority of its first-choice forwards. The Blues farewelled club champions Marc Murphy and Eddie Betts, one year after Matthew Kreuzer and Kade Simpson bowed out. It is the end of an era, with Ed Curnow the only player still on the list from when the club last played finals. On a positive note, Carlton had two All-Australians in 2021, with Harry McKay and Sam Walsh among the breakout players of the season. McKay took his game to another level, winning the Coleman Medal with 58 goals in 19 games. Carlton begins in a new direction again in 2022. NIC NEGREPONTIS

GOALS/BEHINDS Harry McKay Eddie Betts Matthew Owies Patrick Cripps Sam Walsh

58.33 27.16 15.17 13.11 12.6

CLEARANCES Patrick Cripps Sam Walsh Ed Curnow Marc Pittonet Paddy Dow

107 103 68 52 48

TACKLES Sam Walsh Patrick Cripps Ed Curnow Lachie Fogarty Matthew Kennedy

100 85 80 62 54

INSIDE 50s Ed Curnow Sam Walsh Adam Saad Patrick Cripps Zac Williams

95 85 75 63 47

7 190 90 6/4/97 2016 13 61 42 6 29 22 193 94 7/12/96 2015 0 48 41 0

MARTIN Jack

21 186 80 29/1/95 2014 11 123 26 8 101

McDONALD Oscar #

39 196 100 18/3/96 2015 3 84 3 2 3 11 191 89 11/10/94 2016 5 81 33 6 104

McKAY Harry

10 204 105 24/12/97 2017 19 67 67 58 129

MIRKOV Alex #

45 210 104 17/11/99 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MURPHY Marc

3 180 81 19/7/87 2006 15 300 300 8 197

NEWMAN Nic

24 187 83 15/1/93 2017 14 67 36 0 14

NEWNES Jack

32 185 86 24/2/93 2012 19 191 36 4 72

O’BRIEN Lochie

4 185 82 18/9/99 2018 5 41 41 1

OWIES Matthew #

44 180 81 19/3/97 2020 13 14 14 15 15

PARKS Luke #

26 192 86 18/4/01 2021 6 6 6 0 0 5 182 80 19/2/98 2017 14 94 94 1 20

PHILP Sam

34 186 80 4/8/01 2020 0 2 2 0

PITTONET Marc

27 202 102 3/6/96 2016 13 33 26 5

PLOWMAN Lachie

20 193 86 11/9/94 2013 19 129 109 1

RAMSAY Sam

33 182 75 21/3/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SAAD Adam

42 178 76 23/7/94 2015 22 131 22 2 10

SETTERFIELD Will

43 192 86 5/2/98 2017 8 44 42 1 11

SILVAGNI Jack

1 194 91 17/12/97 2016 15 78 78 9 56

STOCKER Liam

13 184 85 23/1/00 2019 17 22 22 2

WALSH Sam

18 184 83 2/7/00 2019 22 61 61 12 26

WEITERING Jacob

23 196 101 23/11/97 2016 22 115 115 0

6 185 86 20/9/94 2013 14 127 14 5 32

WILLIAMSON Tom

31 190 86 12/12/98 2017 11 43 43 2

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

13 CARLTON

250

246

1746

288

244

1972

88.54

123

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 230

WILLIAMS Zac

Gls

SEN.com.au

PETREVSKI-SETON Sam

230 AFL RECORD

McGOVERN Mitch

HOME

MARCHBANK Caleb

AGAINST

6 6

KENNEDY Matthew #

2021 LADDER

FOR

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

10 4

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:28 PM

COLLINGWOOD W 6 L 16 D 0 POINTS 24

GAMES

INJURY LIST: The absence of stars such as Darcy Moore for long periods hurt the Magpies.

KICKS Jack Crisp Brayden Maynard Steele Sidebottom John Noble Jordan De Goey

341 335 272 260 251

MARKS Jack Crisp Jordan Roughead Chris Mayne Will Hoskin-Elliott Brody Mihocek

148 137 128 124 123

HANDBALLS Jack Crisp Steele Sidebottom Scott Pendlebury Brodie Grundy Taylor Adams

253 228 220 197 187

Horror year as Pies go from bad to worse

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Brodie Grundy Jack Crisp Taylor Adams Scott Pendlebury Steele Sidebottom

218 201 190 180 166

u Collingwood entered 2021 on the back of a horror off-season and as a result was expected to slide down the ladder. While the loss of several big names meant they weren’t likely to finish in the top eight for a fourth consecutive season, not even the Magpies’ biggest doubters would have predicted a 17th-place finish. Having lost a fair bit of depth to retirement and trades, the absence of key stars such as Darcy Moore, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams, Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe due to injury meant Collingwood often struggled for top-end talent. The main storyline was Nathan Buckley’s departure, with the club great leaving on his own terms after round 13 following a decade of service as coach. With Robert Harvey taking over the job on an interim basis, the Magpies struggled to find any kind of consistency in the back end of the year as their season slowly petered out to a disappointing 6-16 win-loss record. Having blooded nine debutants throughout the year, Collingwood will hope this season won’t be viewed as a waste as the experience youngsters such as Oliver Henry, Finlay Macrae, Trent Bianco, Caleb Poulter and Beau McCreery gained could prove valuable when the Magpies are again ready to push up the ladder.

GOALS/BEHINDS Brody Mihocek Jamie Elliott Jordan De Goey Darcy Cameron Will Hoskin-Elliott

34.34 25.8 23.23 22.9 13.2

CLEARANCES Taylor Adams Brodie Grundy Scott Pendlebury Steele Sidebottom Jack Crisp

100 80 79 68 61

TACKLES Brodie Grundy Jack Crisp Taylor Adams Scott Pendlebury Steele Sidebottom

84 80 78 69 62

INSIDE 50s Jack Crisp Jordan De Goey Taylor Adams Steele Sidebottom Scott Pendlebury

91 70 63 62 58

LACHLAN GELEIT

NO. HGT. WGT.

ADAMS Taylor

13 181 84 20/9/93 2012 14 165 134 2

BEGG Aiden #

39 197 87 8/10/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

8 188 73 20/1/01 2021 12 12 12 7 7

BROWN Callum L.

17 179 80 27/4/98 2017 15 64 64 3 22

BROWN Tyler

6 192 86 9/12/99 2020 7 16 16 0

CAMERON Darcy

14 204 101 18/7/95 2018 18 29 28 22 26

CHUGG Isaac #

34 180 80 26/2/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

COX Mason

46 211 109 14/3/91 2016 7 76 76 8 93

CRISP Jack

25 190 90 2/10/93 2012 22 175 157 2 51

DAICOS Josh

7 178 77 26/11/98 2017 17 52 52 9

DE GOEY Jordan

2 188 92 15/3/96 2015 20 118 118 23 155

ELLIOTT Jamie

5 178 79 21/8/92 2012 13 136 136 25 199

GINNIVAN Jack #

33 184 78 9/12/02 2021 5 5 5 6 6

GREENWOOD Levi

19 181 88 19/2/89 2009 2 160 86 0 57

GRUNDY Brodie

4 203 108 15/4/94 2013 20 171 171 12 58

HENRY Oliver

35 189 80 29/7/02 2021 10 10 10 7 7

HOSKIN-ELLIOTT Will

32 186 81 2/9/93 2012 20 157 105 13 145

HOWE Jeremy

38 190 85 29/6/90 2011 8 195 95 1 90

JOHNSON Ash #

40 193 85 6/10/97 **** 0 0 0 0 0

KEANE Mark #

11 194 95 17/3/00 2020 4

5 0

KELLY Will

20 194 93 16/8/00 2020 2

3 0

LYNCH Max

15 200 101 12/9/98 2020 2

3 0

MACRAE Finlay

18 187 81 13/3/02 2021 9 9 9 1 1

MADGEN Jack

44 192 95 25/4/93 2018 19 40 40 1

MAYNARD Brayden

37 189 93 20/9/96 2015 22 138 138 1

MAYNE Chris

16 188 87 2/11/88 2008 17 248 76 0 207

McCREERY Beau

31 186 83 19/4/01 2021 13 13 13 11 11

McINNES Reef

26 193 85 12/12/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

McMAHON Liam

29 197 88 2/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MIHOCEK Brody

41 192 97 4/2/93 2018 21 79 79 34 124

MOORE Darcy

30 203 100 25/1/96 2015 13 102 102 4 65

MURPHY Nathan

28 192 89 15/12/99 2018 15 17 17 1

NOBLE John #

9 180 73 25/3/97 2019 22 44 44 2

PENDLEBURY Scott

10 191 90 7/1/88 2006 18 334 334 4 183

POULTER Caleb

27 193 80 12/10/02 2021 11 11 11 2 2

QUAYNOR Isaac

3 180 84 15/1/00 2019 20 35 35 1

RANTALL Jay

1 186 81 10/6/01 2021 5 5 5 0 0

ROUGHEAD Jordan

23 200 100 3/11/90 2010 21 200 62 0 35

RUSCOE Trey

21 193 92 3/11/01 2020 9 13 13 2

SIDEBOTTOM Steele

22 184 84 2/1/91 2009 21 264 264 8 174

SIER Brayden

36 191 88 12/12/97 2018 7 28 28 1

7 6

THOMAS Josh

24 178 77 1/10/91 2013 20 123 123 12 101

TOHILL Anton #

43 200 91 14/12/99 2021 1 1 1 0 0

WILSON Tom #

12 194 86 24/6/97 2021 4 4 4 0 0

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

17 COLLINGWOOD

225

207

1557

269

204

1818

85.64

106

HOME

DOB

BIANCO Trent

AGAINST

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

2021 LADDER

FOR

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 231

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 231

9/14/21 4:29 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

ESSENDON

GAMES

W 11 L 11 D 0 POINTS 44

NAME

KICKS Nick Hind Zach Merrett Darcy Parish Jordan Ridley Dyson Heppell

365 361 341 340 276

NO. HGT. WGT.

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

DOB

AMBROSE Patrick

29 191 93 1/9/91 2014 1 88 88 0 23

BALDWIN Kaine #

39 193 89 30/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BRAND Cody

38 195 89 23/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BRYAN Nick

24 203 97 22/10/01 2021 1 1 1 0 0

CAHILL Ned

28 179 76 11/1/01 2020 3 6 6 1

CALDWELL Jye

6 183 83 28/9/00 2019 3 14 3 0 1

CLARKE Dylan #

37 188 85 6/9/98 2018 4 24 24 2 6

COX Nik

13 200 87 15/1/02 2021 22 22 22 9 9

MARKS

CUTLER Tom

12 192 89 20/2/95 2014 13 87 21 1

Jayden Laverde Dyson Heppell Jordan Ridley Nick Hind Mason Redman

DRAPER Sam

2 205 105 28/9/98 2020 13 21 21 2

DURHAM Sam #

42 185 75 9/7/01 2021 7 7 7 1 1

EYRE Josh

32 198 85 24/10/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

FRANCIS Aaron

10 193 92 10/8/97 2016 15 50 50 2

GLEESON Martin #

8 190 85 25/8/94 2014 6 97 97 0 5

134 132 131 114 101

HANDBALLS Zach Merrett Darcy Parish Will Snelling Dyson Heppell Andrew McGrath

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Jake Stringer elevated his game to the elite level in 2021.

364 360 199 194 167

A taste of finals as Bombers on the rise

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Darcy Parish Zach Merrett Jake Stringer Andrew McGrath Peter Wright

309 207 162 137 130

u Ahead of the 2021 campaign, expectations were low at Tullamarine after an off-season headlined by change – off the field and on it. Joe Daniher, Orazio Fantasia and Adam Saad departed and in their place came a new crop of high draft picks and several players given fresh roles by Ben Rutten, who had completed his apprenticeship under John Worsfold to take the reins for the first time. The Bombers surpassed even the most optimistic of expectations to finish in eighth spot after strong late-season form, but were dumped out of the finals by the Western Bulldogs in week one. Essendon looked a well-structured unit across the season, with players such as Darcy Parish, Jake Stringer, Jayden Laverde and James Stewart showing rapid improvement to become mainstays in the side. The key area for improvement is the forward line, which was shown up against the Bulldogs in the elimination final. Harry Jones is clearly the future and, while Stringer has turned into one of the most dominant forward/midfielders in the game when on song, the Bombers were still forced to experiment with several names. Moving forward, there’s plenty to be excited about at Essendon as it looks to break through for its first finals win since 2004.

GOALS/BEHINDS Jake Stringer Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Cale Hooker Peter Wright Harrison Jones

41.18 34.14 33.24 29.14 20.6

CLEARANCES Darcy Parish Zach Merrett Jake Stringer Andrew McGrath Sam Draper

175 86 84 58 57

TACKLES Zach Merrett Will Snelling Darcy Parish Devon Smith Jake Stringer

112 99 90 78 76

INSIDE 50s Darcy Parish Zach Merrett Jake Stringer Nick Hind Archie Perkins

137 127 90 72 54

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

287

231

1953

261

224 1790

ESSENDON

232 AFL RECORD

FOR

SEN.com.au

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 232

AGAINST Pts

HOME

GUELFI Matt

35 184 84 14/8/97 2018 20 63 63 6 14

HAM Brayden

33 182 77 25/4/99 2019 19 34 34 5

HEPPELL Dyson

21 189 87 14/5/92 2011 19 191 191 2 62

HIND Nick

19 180 75 19/8/94 2019 22 43 22 4 21

HIRD Tom #

49 182 74 28/3/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

HOOKER Cale

26 197 104 13/10/88 2008 18 219 219 33 122

HURLEY Michael

18 193 94 1/6/90 2009 0 193 193 0 108

JOHNSON Lachie

36 175 78 7/8/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

JONES Harrison

23 196 78 25/2/01 2021 16 16 16 20 20

LANGFORD Kyle

4 192 88 1/12/96 2015 17 98 98 13 67

LAVERDE Jayden

15 193 91 12/4/96 2015 23 69 69 1 37

McBRIDE Cian #

41 197 89 19/4/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

McDONALD-TIPUNGWUTI Anthony 43 171 78 22/4/93 2016 20 126 126 34 153 McGRATH Andrew

1 180 83 2/6/98 2017 15 93 93 2 17

McQUILLAN Ross #

**** 189 80 18/1/99 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MERRETT Zach

7 179 83 3/10/95 2014 23 165 165 4 50

MOSQUITO Irving

22 175 79 24/8/00 2020 0

PARISH Darcy

3 180 80 25/7/97 2016 23 116 116 10 47

4 0

PERKINS Archie

16 188 80 26/3/02 2021 21 21 21 9 9

PHILLIPS Andrew

34 201 100 3/7/91 2012 6 52 11 4 19

REDMAN Mason

27 187 86 26/8/97 2016 22 60 60 6

REID Zach

31 202 84 2/3/02 2021 1 1 1 0 0

RIDLEY Jordan

14 195 93 20/10/98 2018 22 48 48 0

SHIEL Dylan

9 182 84 9/3/93 2012 8 180 45 3 80

8 0

SMITH Devon

5 176 78 20/5/93 2012 20 174 65 16 143

SNELLING Will #

40 175 76 6/8/97 2016 20 42 41 12 23

STEWART James

17 199 99 4/3/94 2013 17 72 54 0 66

STRINGER Jake

25 192 91 25/4/94 2013 19 157 68 41 279

WATERMAN Alec #

45 182 88 19/8/96 2021 14 14 14 17 17

WRIGHT Peter

20 203 100 8/9/96 2015 21 87 21 29 114

ZAHARAKIS David

11 182 78 21/2/90 2009 9 226 226 2 136

ZERK-THATCHER Brandon 30 195 89 25/8/98 2019 6 17 17 0

LAURENCE ROSEN

2021 LADDER

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

109.11

143

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:29 PM

210816-AFL-Record-Print Ad-210x275(v1.0).indd 2

23/8/21 9:10 am

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

FREMANTLE

GAMES

W 10 L 12 D 0 POINTS 40 KICKS Luke Ryan Caleb Serong Andrew Brayshaw Adam Cerra David Mundy

332 279 265 250 248

MARKS Luke Ryan Andrew Brayshaw Adam Cerra James Aish Sean Darcy

136 101 93 92 90 IMPOSING FIGURE: Young big man Sean Darcy became one of the most dominant ruckmen in the competition.

HANDBALLS David Mundy Andrew Brayshaw Caleb Serong Nat Fyfe Sean Darcy

305 303 224 207 193

Dockers desperate to take the next step

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS David Mundy Sean Darcy Caleb Serong Nat Fyfe Andrew Brayshaw

244 230 204 201 180

u In its second year under senior coach Justin Longmuir, Fremantle made improvements, but not quite enough to get into the top eight. The Dockers constantly put themselves in positions to play finals throughout the year, but ultimately could not find the wins required to get over the hump. Big losses to St Kilda, Geelong, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Sydney and West Coast summed up the season in the end. Fremantle did well to at least get near the top eight, given the injury issues across the season, including losing captain Nat Fyfe for the season in late July. Fyfe’s season was mostly derailed by a shoulder injury suffered early in the year. The Dockers had two players in the All-Australian squad – veteran David Mundy and ruckman Sean Darcy. Mundy arguably had a career-best year, averaging 25 disposals a game in his 17th season. Darcy arrived at AFL level in the second half of the year, dominating opposition ruckmen. Andrew Brayshaw was another big improver in 2021, averaging 28 disposals a game and showing he will be one of the game’s elite midfielders for the next decade. Fremantle will be hoping continued progression from Darcy, Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and others can take it to another level in 2022, even if Adam Cerra departs in the trade period.

GOALS/BEHINDS Matt Taberner Lachie Schultz Rory Lobb Travis Colyer David Mundy

37.17 22.17 20.19 15.19 15.7

CLEARANCES David Mundy Caleb Serong Sean Darcy Nat Fyfe Andrew Brayshaw

117 106 98 86 73

TACKLES Andrew Brayshaw David Mundy Caleb Serong Sean Darcy Nat Fyfe

93 87 72 64 61

INSIDE 50s David Mundy Caleb Serong Adam Cerra Andrew Brayshaw James Aish

97 91 90 80 65

NO. HGT. WGT.

ACRES Blake

9 189 91 7/10/95 2014 18 100 25 2 31

AISH James

11 183 80 8/11/95 2014 22 120 38 1 24 41 190 89 26/2/98 2018 6 38 38 4

BEWLEY Brett #

17 185 86 14/4/95 2019 6 25 25 2

BLAKELY Connor

19 189 88 2/3/96 2015 13 78 78 1

BRAYSHAW Andrew

8 185 86 8/11/99 2018 20 76 76 8 20

CERRA Adam

5 187 86 7/10/99 2018 18 76 76 5 16

CHAPMAN Heath

27 193 81 31/1/02 2021 6 6 6 1 1

COLYER Travis

33 173 75 24/8/91 2010 22 128 41 15 77

CONCA Reece

6 181 83 12/8/92 2011 10 150 46 0 25

COX Brennan

36 195 98 13/8/98 2017 12 59 59 0 27

CROWDEN Mitch

12 175 85 28/4/99 2018 16 40 40 5

DARCY Sean

4 203 112 12/6/98 2017 21 62 62 12 24

DUMAN Taylin

44 192 82 18/4/98 2018 6 45 45 0

1 9

FREDERICK Michael

43 183 75 17/5/00 2020 7 17 17 5

7 191 92 18/9/91 2010 15 202 202 6 164

GIRO Stefan

42 176 76 10/3/99 2018 4 14 14 1

HAMLING Joel

21 194 92 9/4/93 2015 1 86 63 0 0

HENRY Liam

23 180 73 28/8/01 2020 17 20 20 10 11

HILL Stephen

32 182 84 1/5/90 2009 0 218 218 0 112 15 188 88 7/12/94 2015 8 75 75 0

LOBB Rory

37 207 106 9/2/93 2014 13 119 45 20 107

LOGUE Griffin

2 194 100 13/4/98 2017 16 44 44 0

MEEK Lloyd

22 203 109 22/4/98 2021 9 9 9 1 1 16 192 92 20/7/1985 2005 22 354 354 15

30 187 77 17/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

PEARCE Alex

25 201 99 9/6/95 2015 10 63 63 0 3

156

RYAN Luke

13 186 89 6/2/96 2017 19 85 85 0 3

SCHULTZ Lachie #

28 178 82 30/11/97 2019 20 44 44 22 38

SERONG Caleb

3 179 85 9/2/01 2020 22 36 36 8 10 1 188 80 12/5/00 2020 1

4 1

SWITKOWSKI Sam

39 179 73 20/11/96 2018 12 32 32 9 16

TABERNER Matt

20 198 98 17/6/93 2013 16 103 103 37 141

THOMAS Leno #

24 181 77 27/5/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

TREACY Josh #

35 193 94 4/8/02 2021 15 15 15 13 13

TUCKER Darcy

18 185 84 23/1/97 2016 16 94 94 0 33

VALENTE Luke

29 186 85 8/5/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

WALKER Brandon

31 186 77 17/10/02 2021 10 10 10 0 0

WALTERS Michael

10 176 79 7/1/91 2009 16 181 181 14 290

WATSON Tobe #

38 190 85 3/12/97 2020 11 14 14 1

WESTERN Joel

34 174 70 12/10/02 2021 4 4 4 0 0

WILSON Nathan

14 185 80 7/1/93 2012 18 149 72 0 18

YOUNG Hayden

26 189 84 11/4/01 2020 8 13 13 0 0

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

11 FREMANTLE

219

264

1578

265

235

1825

86.47

108

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 234

O’DRISCOLL Nathan

Gls

SEN.com.au

MUNDY David

234 AFL RECORD

HUGHES Ethan #

HOME

FYFE Nat

AGAINST

DOB

BANFIELD Bailey #

2021 LADDER

FOR

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

STURT Sam

NIC NEGREPONTIS

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:29 PM

GEELONG CATS W 16 L 6 D 0 POINTS 64

GAMES

DOMINANT: Tom Hawkins was again a star up forward, kicking 62 goals.

KICKS Isaac Smith Tom Stewart Cameron Guthrie Zach Tuohy Sam Menegola

383 378 342 326 324

MARKS Tom Stewart Isaac Smith Jack Henry Lachie Henderson Cameron Guthrie

178 166 150 146 129

HANDBALLS Cameron Guthrie Joel Selwood Sam Menegola Brandan Parfitt Shaun Higgins

325 274 209 207 177

Disappointing end will spur Cats again

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Joel Selwood Cameron Guthrie Patrick Dangerfield Sam Menegola Brandan Parfitt

259 224 208 185 180

u The raw data says Geelong continued its ultra-consistent run, which has seen the Cats make finals in all but two seasons since 2004. A top-four finish in 2021 was another tick, meaning the Cats have had the double chance in 13 of those 18 seasons – an outstanding effort. But the end result this year was far from satisfactory after Geelong was brutally taken apart by a rampant Melbourne in the preliminary final. Several of the Cats’ fragilities were exposed in that loss and the focus now will be on what direction they take in 2022 and beyond. Geelong threw all its chips in to lure star forward Jeremy Cameron from the GWS Giants and it was a frustrating season for player and club. A hamstring injury delayed his debut until round six, but in his first 10 games he kicked 28 goals, before he tweaked it again in round 16 and missed a further five matches. Fit and firing he will be a trump card in 2022. Fellow recruit Isaac Smith played 24 of a possible 25 games and provided good outside run, but former Bulldog and Kangaroo Shaun Higgins failed to fire at his third club. Veterans Tom Hawkins (62 goals), Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood gave their all, but the Cats need an injection of youth.

GOALS/BEHINDS Tom Hawkins Jeremy Cameron Gary Rohan Brad Close Isaac Smith

62.37 39.16 32.18 15.10 15.9

CLEARANCES Joel Selwood Cameron Guthrie Patrick Dangerfield Brandan Parfitt Rhys Stanley

127 115 97 74 61

TACKLES Brandan Parfitt Joel Selwood Cameron Guthrie Luke Dahlhaus Tom Atkins

128 113 92 79 75

INSIDE 50s Isaac Smith Joel Selwood Patrick Dangerfield Cameron Guthrie Sam Menegola

98 89 85 84 84

MICHAEL LOVETT

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

269

231

1845

205

226 1456 126.72

GEELONG CATS

FOR

AGAINST Pts

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

DOB

ATKINS Tom #

30 180 85 18/9/95 2019 22 57 57 0

9 15

BEWS Jed

24 186 91 14/12/93 2014 25 128 128 3

BLICAVS Mark

46 198 102 28/3/91 2013 24 203 203 5 44

BROWNLESS Oscar #

20 187 78 16/2/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CAMERON Jeremy

5 196 96 1/4/93 2012 15 186 15 39 466

CLARK Jordan

6 185 83 16/10/00 2019 11 32 32 3

CLOSE Brad #

45 181 71 30/7/98 2020 22 30 30 15 17

CONSTABLE Charlie

18 192 86 18/5/99 2019 3 12 12 1

DAHLHAUS Luke

40 179 77 21/8/92 2011 21 215 61 7 138

DANGERFIELD Patrick

35 189 92 5/4/90 2008 16 285 131 8 308

15 6

DE KONING Sam

16 202 87 26/2/01 2021 1 1 1 0 0

DUNCAN Mitch

22 188 88 10/6/91 2010 13 236 236 8 167

EVANS Francis

31 182 80 23/8/01 2021 2 2 2 2 2

FORT Darcy

28 204 103 6/8/93 2019 0 8 8 0

GUTHRIE Cameron

29 187 87 19/8/92 2011 23 205 205 4 63

GUTHRIE Zach

39 187 82 30/6/98 2017 13 33 33 0

HAWKINS Tom

26 198 102 21/7/88 2007 25 302 302 62 665

6 2

HENDERSON Lachie #

25 196 97 14/12/89 2008 21 206 89 3

117

HENRY Jack

38 192 91 29/8/98 2018 24 90 90 7

HIGGINS Shaun

4 184 89 4/3/88 2006 18 255 18 4 228

HOLMES Max

9 189 74 29/8/02 2021 12 12 12 1 1

JARVIS Ben

10 190 85 27/7/00 2020 0

JENKINS Josh

11 200 107 8/2/89 2012 1 149 2 0 296

1 0

KOLODJASHNIJ Jake

8 193 94 9/8/95 2015 22 132 132 1

KREUGER Nathan

15 196 93 25/6/99 2021 2 2 2 0 0

MENEGOLA Sam

27 189 89 7/3/92 2016 23 109 109 12 76

MIERS Gryan

32 179 81 30/3/99 2019 15 61 61 12 59

NARKLE Quinton

19 182 83 3/12/97 2018 16 33 33 4 14

NEALE Shannon

33 202 92 25/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

O’CONNOR Mark

42 191 88 17/1/97 2017 14 65 65 1 4

OKUNBOR Stefan #

43 191 89 12/8/98 **** 0 0 0 0 0

PARFITT Brandan

3 180 79 27/4/98 2017 23 95 95 8 41

RATUGOLEA Esava

17 198 104 24/7/98 2018 15 55 55 11 38

ROHAN Gary

23 189 95 7/6/91 2010 21 165 59 32 175

SELWOOD Joel

14 183 84 26/5/88 2007 24 334 334 6 168

SIMPSON Sam

37 183 77 14/6/98 2017 4 19 19 2

SMITH Isaac

7 188 83 30/12/88 2011 24 234 24 15 180

STANLEY Rhys

1 200 102 1/12/90 2010 19 163 105 8 102

STEPHENS Cooper

12 188 87 17/1/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

STEVENS Nick

21 193 85 23/3/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

STEWART Tom

44 190 85 15/3/93 2017 20 106 106 0

TAHENY Cameron

41 185 81 3/8/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

TSAPATOLIS Paul #

36 202 99 20/6/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

TUOHY Zach

2 187 91 10/12/89 2011 21 226 106 11 78

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

136

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 235

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 235

9/14/21 4:53 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

GOLD COAST SUNS

GAMES

W 7 L 15 D 0 POINTS 28

NAME

KICKS Jack Lukosius Touk Miller Jack Bowes Brandon Ellis Noah Anderson

382 334 307 273 264

MARKS Jack Lukosius Charlie Ballard Brandon Ellis Sam Collins Wil Powell

172 140 130 119 115

HANDBALLS Touk Miller David Swallow Noah Anderson Brandon Ellis Wil Powell

334 202 189 150 132

EMERGING STAR: Ben King kicked a career-high 47 goals.

Touk Miller Hugh Greenwood David Swallow Noah Anderson Wil Powell

263 181 181 177 119

u The Gold Coast Suns showed glimpses of what they are capable of but were unable to put it together on a consistent basis. After keeping their list together over the off-season, the Suns were competitive in the opening month, but had only one win against North Melbourne to show for it. A serious knee injury to Matt Rowell in round one was a big blow in his first game back from a season-ending shoulder injury in 2020. Wins over Sydney and Collingwood breathed new life into their season before three successive losses followed. Vice-captain Touk Miller elevated his game to another level and Noah Anderson had a solid second season, but too much was often left to too few. Stuart Dew’s side recorded victories over Richmond, GWS and Carlton after the mid-season bye, but were non-competitive in heavy defeats to Melbourne, Essendon and Sydney. The Suns finished 16th on the ladder with a 7-15 win-loss record, meaning they are still yet to play finals since entering the AFL in 2011. On a positive note, emerging young forward Ben King kicked a career-best 47 goals to finish seventh in the Coleman Medal, while Charlie Ballard and Sam Collins battled manfully in defence.

GOALS/BEHINDS Ben King Josh Corbett Alex Sexton Izak Rankine Ben Ainsworth

47.25 23.11 21.14 16.11 12.18

CLEARANCES Touk Miller Hugh Greenwood Noah Anderson David Swallow Matt Rowell

120 94 83 56 44

TACKLES Touk Miller Hugh Greenwood David Swallow Nick Holman Sam Flanders

149 130 99 72 62

INSIDE 50s Touk Miller Jack Lukosius Alex Sexton Noah Anderson David Swallow

91 88 60 58 57

ALEX ZAIA

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

16 GOLD COAST SUNS

201

224 1430

236 AFL RECORD

FOR

SEN.com.au

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 236

AGAINST Pts

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

DOB

AINSWORTH Ben

9 179 77 10/2/98 2017 17 74 74 12 52

ANDERSON Noah

15 192 86 17/2/01 2020 20 37 37 0

ATKINS Rory

2 186 85 12/7/94 2015 8 109 8 2 49

BALLARD Charlie

10 196 93 23/7/99 2018 21 69 69 0

BOWES Jack

3 187 88 26/1/98 2017 19 78 78 1 14

4 1

BRODIE Will

7 190 89 23/8/98 2017 5 25 25 0

BUDARICK Connor

35 175 74 6/4/01 2020 2 17 17 0

BURGESS Chris

29 191 94 26/11/95 2019 19 33 33 10 14

COLLINS Sam

25 194 99 15/6/94 2016 19 59 45 0

CONROY Matt #

48 199 95 7/11/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CORBETT Josh

19 190 90 23/4/96 2019 16 32 32 23 29

DAVIES Alex #

30 191 85 18/3/02 2021 1 1 1 0 0

DAY Sam

12 197 99 6/9/92 2011 6 143 143 3 100

ELLIS Brandon

4 181 82 3/8/93 2012 18 210 34 5 68

FARRAR Jy

50 191 77 7/12/96 2020 10 11 11 0

FIORINI Brayden

8 186 84 22/8/97 2016 10 62 62 2 20

FLANDERS Sam

26 183 82 24/7/01 2020 16 21 21 4 6

FYFE Aiden #

33 190 83 16/8/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

GRAHAM Caleb

46 195 96 12/9/00 2019 12 22 22 0

1 191 94 6/3/92 2017 15 83 32 6 45

GREENWOOD Hugh

Consistency the key for hot and cold Suns

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS

NO. HGT. WGT.

HARBROW Jarrod #

5 178 73 18/7/88 2007 4 262 192 0 54

HOLLANDS Elijah

36 189 85 25/4/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

HOLMAN Nick

39 189 86 29/5/95 2014 16 71 62 10 33

HOMBSCH Jack #

20 194 89 7/3/93 2012 0 116 18 0 1

JEFFREY Joel #

40 192 80 12/3/02 2021 4 4 4 2 2

KING Ben

34 202 96 7/7/00 2019 22 53 53 47 89

LEMMENS Sean

23 184 81 2/11/94 2014 21 114 114 0 25

LUKOSIUS Jack

13 195 89 9/8/00 2019 22 60 60 3 9

MACPHERSON Darcy

44 174 79 29/10/97 2016 11 62 62 1

MARKOV Oleg

17 188 85 8/5/96 2016 17 40 17 1 4

McLENNAN Jez

43 185 85 7/9/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MILLER Touk

11 178 84 22/2/96 2015 21 138 138 8 39

MOYLE Ned #

49 205 96 15/2/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MURDOCH Jordan #

31 190 86 23/3/92 2012 0 122 14 0 74

MURTAGH Patrick #

42 196 98 11/2/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

NICHOLLS Rhys #

38 188 79 30/9/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

OEA Hewago Paul #

47 172 70 13/11/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

POWELL Wil

27 185 79 26/8/99 2018 22 57 57 1

RANKINE Izak

22 181 82 23/4/00 2020 18 30 30 16 28

ROSAS Malcolm

41 175 70 27/6/01 2021 4 4 4 0 0

ROWELL Matt

18 180 78 1/7/01 2020 12 17 17 2 8

SEXTON Alex

6 186 82 3/12/93 2012 21 154 154 21 150

SHARP Jeremy

37 189 81 13/8/01 2020 9 11 11 2

SMITH Zac #

32 206 100 22/2/90 2011 9 124 74 3 54

SWALLOW David

24 185 87 19/11/92 2011 21 175 175 6 78

THOMPSON Rory

16 200 100 12/3/91 2011 0 103 103 0

TOWEY Luke #

45 186 82 11/7/99 **** 0 0 0 0 0

TOWNSEND Jacob #

21 187 84 20/6/93 2012 2 62 2 3 44

WELLER Lachie

14 181 83 23/2/96 2015 13 116 69 7 42

WITTS Jarrod

28 209 111 13/9/92 2013 3 122 82 0 25

AWAY

SCORES

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

268

255

1863

76.76

High Low

113

AV MARGIN W

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:33 PM

GWS GIANTS W 11 L 10 D 1 POINTS 46

GAMES

HIGH DRAMA: Toby Greene was exceptional when he wasn’t getting himself in trouble with the Tribunal.

KICKS Tim Taranto Isaac Cumming Josh Kelly Jacob Hopper Lachie Whitfield

372 372 333 311 283

MARKS Nick Haynes Isaac Cumming Connor Idun Tim Taranto Sam Taylor

156 131 124 118 116

HANDBALLS Jacob Hopper Josh Kelly Callan Ward Tim Taranto Tom Green

295 268 267 265 220

Gallant Giants ready to reload again

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Jacob Hopper Tim Taranto Callan Ward Josh Kelly Tom Green

276 237 227 223 179

u It was a strange season for GWS. The Giants were written off on multiple occasions as they traversed a tricky campaign which included key injuries, time spent away from home, losing streaks and Tribunal drama. Despite all that was going against them, they defied the odds to book themselves a fifth finals series in their 10th year. Part of their success throughout the season was due to the performances of Toby Greene, who led the way with 45 goals. In true Greene fashion, he found trouble several times, but overall his on-field exploits were inspirational. However, it certainly was not a one-man show. Jacob Hopper had his best year in Giants colours and was ably supported in the midfield by Tim Taranto, Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly. Unfortunately, it was another difficult year for captain Stephen Coniglio, who was restricted to just seven matches. The season also saw the emergence of Isaac Cumming as a quality defender, Lachie Ash as a rebounding half-back, Jack Buckley as a lockdown defender and Tom Green as an inside midfielder, among others. With Leon Cameron still at the helm in 2022, expect the Giants to reset and return in good order with September on the agenda again.

GOALS/BEHINDS Toby Greene Harry Himmelberg Jeremy Finlayson Jesse Hogan Daniel Lloyd

45.41 36.19 23.9 20.9 20.8

CLEARANCES Jacob Hopper Callan Ward Tim Taranto Josh Kelly Tom Green

145 103 102 93 76

TACKLES Josh Kelly Tim Taranto Jacob Hopper Callan Ward Shane Mumford

129 127 88 71 68

INSIDE 50s Josh Kelly Tim Taranto Jacob Hopper Toby Greene Callan Ward

108 103 99 75 73

ANDREW SLEVISON

NO. HGT. WGT.

ANGWIN Ryan

9 185 74 12/12/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

ASH Lachie

7 186 82 21/6/01 2020 23 35 35 1

32 200 107 6/10/99 2021 5 5 5 2 2 46 188 92 15/8/00 2021 2 2 2 2 2

BRUHN Tanner

5 183 77 27/5/02 2021 13 13 13 4 4

BUCKLEY Jack

44 194 90 17/12/97 2020 15 17 17 0

BUNTINE Matt #

21 190 83 19/10/93 2012 8 67 67 1

CONIGLIO Stephen

3 182 86 15/12/93 2012 7 156 156 1

CUMMING Isaac

13 185 84 11/8/98 2018 24 34 34 1

DANIELS Brent

16 171 76 9/3/99 2018 13 62 62 2 22

DAVIS Phil

1 197 94 30/8/90 2010 11 187 169 0

DE BOER Matt

24 189 88 10/3/90 2009 11 211 73 2

FINLAYSON Jeremy

31 197 94 9/2/96 2017 13 66 66 23 90

FLEETON Cameron

29 191 82 17/6/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

FLYNN Matt

30 201 104 13/9/97 2021 12 12 12 5 5

GREEN Tom

12 191 92 23/1/01 2020 18 24 24 7

GREENE Toby

4 182 84 25/9/93 2012 18 176 176 45 228

HAYNES Nick

19 193 90 18/5/92 2012 21 166 166 1 10

HILL Bobby

37 175 73 9/2/00 2019 17 30 30 14 25

HIMMELBERG Harry

27 195 95 8/5/96 2016 24 105 105 36 127

HOGAN Jesse

23 195 102 12/2/95 2015 9 99 9 20 190

HOPPER Jacob

2 187 88 6/2/97 2016 23 107 107 10 40

HUTCHESSON Tom

20 177 77 4/4/95 2020 0 1 1 0 0

IDUN Connor

39 191 88 29/7/00 2019 23 26 26 0

KEEFFE Lachlan

25 204 104 14/4/90 2011 8 79 39 1 15

KELLY Josh

22 184 83 12/2/95 2014 23 155 155 16 98

KENNEDY Adam

40 184 80 12/7/92 2012 9 130 130 1 13

LLOYD Daniel #

38 187 85 18/2/92 2017 16 67 67 20 58

MUMFORD Shane #

41 198 107 5/7/86 2008 14 216 116 4 57

O’HALLORAN Xavier

33 186 86 11/7/00 2020 17 19 19 5

PEATLING James #

45 182 73 21/8/00 2021 4 4 4 0 0

PERRYMAN Harry

36 186 84 19/12/98 2017 18 70 70 4

PREUSS Braydon

11 206 113 16/6/95 2017 0 18 0 0 9

REID Sam #

50 188 87 7/11/89 2008 15 108 98 4 33

5 19

RICCARDI Jake

26 195 93 7/11/99 2020 9 14 14 2 11

SHAW Will #

35 181 67 14/6/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SHIPLEY Nick

34 188 88 25/6/99 2018 4

SPROULE Zach #

28 198 94 12/5/98 2019 10 11 11 11 11

STEIN Jake #

42 195 96 17/1/94 2019 6 11 11 0 0

6 0

STONE Conor

18 188 85 22/4/02 2021 5 5 5 3 3

TARANTO Tim

14 188 89 28/1/98 2017 24 98 98 13 41

TAYLOR Sam

15 196 96 5/5/99 2018 19 53 53 0 1

WARD Callan

8 187 83 10/4/90 2008 24 248 188 15 125

WEHR Jacob

10 184 70 5/7/98 **** 0 0 0 0 0

WHITFIELD Lachie

6 185 83 18/7/94 2013 17 167 167 3 64

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

258

220

1768

255

243

1773

99.72

107

GWS GIANTS

BROWN Callum #

HOME

DOB

BRIGGS Kieren

AGAINST

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

2021 LADDER

FOR

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 237

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 237

9/14/21 4:48 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

HAWTHORN W 7 L 13 D 2 POINTS 32

GAMES

BACK TO HIS BEST: Star midfielder Tom Mitchell collected the most possessions in the home and away season.

NAME

KICKS Tom Mitchell Blake Hardwick Jack Scrimshaw Daniel Howe Liam Shiels

321 312 249 249 244

NO. HGT. WGT.

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

DOB

BRAMBLE Lachlan #

16 181 76 19/4/98 2021 10 10 10 1 1

BREUST Luke

22 184 83 11/11/90 2011 19 239 239 33 441

BROCKMAN Tyler

42 181 80 22/11/02 2021 11 11 11 10 10

BROOKSBY Keegan #

31 197 98 27/4/90 2015 0 15 1 0

BURGOYNE Shaun

9 186 89 21/10/1982 2002 18 407 250 1 302

CALLOW Jackson #

45 194 95 11/6/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CEGLAR Jonathon

18 204 102 14/2/91 2013 12 101 101 2 43

COUSINS James

24 185 85 19/3/98 2017 10 35 35 2 12

MARKS

DAY Will

12 189 79 5/6/01 2020 5 16 16 0

Jack Scrimshaw Sam Frost Ben McEvoy Daniel Howe Blake Hardwick

DOWNIE Connor

41 185 82 31/5/02 2021 2 2 2 0 0

FROST Sam

8 194 94 28/8/93 2012 22 129 38 0

127 112 111 109 108

433 241 200 193 165

Promising signs as a new era begins

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Tom Mitchell Jaeger O’Meara James Worpel Ben McEvoy Sam Frost

254 214 168 147 137

u It was the season of two halves for the Hawks – 2-9 before the mid-season bye and five wins and two draws thereafter. And it was a confounding season. Disappointing losses to lowly Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Adelaide and Carlton, but wins over premiership aspirants Sydney, GWS Giants, Western Bulldogs and Brisbane, and a stirring draw against Melbourne. The second half of the season was also played out amid the uncertainty over coach Alastair Clarkson’s future, but once the Hawks decided to move on from the master coach after 17 seasons and hand the reins to Sam Mitchell, they played some of their best football. They also finished the season well despite a lengthy injury list and among those who didn’t see any action during the run home were James Sicily, Jack Gunston, Changkuoth Jiath, Will Day and Jarman Impey. Jiath was a huge improver for the Hawks when he did play, while Dylan Moore, Jacob Koschitzke, Lachlan Bramble and Ned Reeves also made tremendous progress. Erstwhile forward Conor Nash was switched to the midfield and also showed promise. Tom Mitchell (754) led the AFL in total possessions in the home and away season, while Jaeger O’Meara and Chad Wingard played their best seasons for the club.

GOALS/BEHINDS Luke Breust Jacob Koschitzke Dylan Moore Mitch Lewis Tom Phillips

33.11 27.19 27.11 22.9 13.5

CLEARANCES Jaeger O’Meara Tom Mitchell James Worpel Chad Wingard Jonathon Ceglar

111 104 82 52 48

TACKLES Tom Mitchell Liam Shiels Jaeger O’Meara James Worpel Ben McEvoy

105 99 91 81 78

INSIDE 50s Tom Mitchell Liam Shiels Jaeger O’Meara Chad Wingard James Worpel

91 80 79 76 76

GREAVES Damon #

30 186 81 25/4/00 2020 7 10 10 1

GUNSTON Jack

19 193 86 16/10/91 2010 1 209 195 0 398

HANRAHAN Oliver

13 181 78 27/8/98 2019 13 29 29 8 18 15 181 81 5/2/97 2016 20 102 102 0 6

HARTIGAN Kyle

28 194 101 7/11/91 2013 19 132 19 0 1

HARTLEY Michael

27 199 100 7/6/93 2016 3 49 5 1

HOWE Daniel

17 191 88 4/12/95 2015 20 87 87 8 21

IMPEY Jarman

4 178 81 9/7/95 2014 13 134 59 2 55 39 197 93 18/9/01 2021 4 4 4 2 2

JIATH Changkuoth

29 185 80 13/6/99 2019 16 23 23 0

KOSCHITZKE Jacob

34 196 96 11/7/00 2021 20 20 20 27 27

LEWIS Mitch

2 198 100 14/10/98 2018 14 36 36 22 47 32 189 84 23/2/01 2020 2

McEVOY Ben

7 200 101 11/7/89 2008 22 244 153 12 100

MITCHELL Seamus

40 181 76 3/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0 3 182 83 31/5/93 2013 22 150 85 8 71

MORRIS Josh

35 186 80 7/11/01 2020 5 9 9 0

1 180 81 12/11/98 2017 15 57 57 7

NASH Conor

11 197 94 28/7/98 2018 8 29 29 2 13

NEWCOMBE Jai #

44 186 85 8/2/01 2021 7 7 7 1 1

O’BRIEN Tim

23 193 92 28/3/94 2014 19 97 97 12 73

O’MEARA Jaeger

10 183 83 23/2/94 2013 18 122 78 5

PATTON Jonathon

25 198 101 20/5/93 2012 0 95 6 0 133

PEPPER Harry #

33 181 82 9/8/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

PHILLIPS Tom

21 187 80 7/5/96 2016 22 111 22 13 57

REEVES Ned #

37 208 104 31/10/98 2021 5 5 5 1 1

SAUNDERS Jack #

43 180 76 11/2/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0 14 193 89 4/9/98 2017 20 47 43 4 4

SCRIMSHAW Jack SCULLY Tom

**** 181 80 15/5/91 2010 0 187 35 0 89

SHIELS Liam

26 183 84 29/4/91 2009 21 242 242 5 86

SICILY James

6 186 87 6/1/95 2015 0 93 93 0 58

WINGARD Chad

20 183 83 29/7/93 2012 16 194 47 12 274

WORPEL James

5 185 86 24/1/99 2018 20 68 68 10 26

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

14 HAWTHORN

239

195

1629

282

220

1912

85.20

102

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 238

36 176 76 4/8/99 2019 20 30 30 27 31

Gls

SEN.com.au

3 0

MOORE Dylan #

HOME

MITCHELL Tom

AGAINST

MAGINNESS Finn

FOR

JEKA Emerson #

MORRISON Harry

ASHLEY BROWNE

HARDWICK Blake

2021 LADDER 238 AFL RECORD

GRAINGER-BARRAS Denver 38 195 81 17/4/02 2021 5 5 5 0 0

HANDBALLS Tom Mitchell Jaeger O’Meara Liam Shiels James Worpel Tom Phillips

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:49 PM

MELBOURNE W 17 L 4 D 1 POINTS 70

GAMES

BALL MAGNET: Clayton Oliver has continued to rack up big numbers in the midfield.

KICKS Christian Petracca Christian Salem Clayton Oliver Steven May Ed Langdon

388 383 344 326 304

MARKS Christian Salem Jake Lever Ed Langdon Max Gawn Christian Petracca

138 134 128 126 123

HANDBALLS Clayton Oliver Christian Petracca James Harmes Ed Langdon Christian Salem

412 303 213 203 198

‘Team-first’ Demons sweep all before them

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Clayton Oliver Christian Petracca Max Gawn Jake Lever Alex Neal-Bullen

421 325 255 169 163

u Melbourne’s season has been nothing short of sensational and sees it qualify for its first Grand Final in 21 years and on the cusp of going where no Demons side has been in 57 years – and that is winning a flag. In truth, this is a side that has been improving steadily for several years, despite Simon Goodwin’s outfit missing finals last year on the back of their preliminary final appearance in 2018. Things feel very different in 2021 and, as the Demons stand within one game of ultimate glory, it’s worth recounting exactly how they got here. After a sub-par 2020 season, Melbourne reset in the off-season and adopted a more team-first mantra across the board, a mindset which several players have spoken about publicly in previous months. Steven May and Jake Lever have been migƒhty in defence and Ben Brown has recovered after a slow start to life at his second club to play a crucial role in the forward line, while Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver have anchored a dominant midfield. This is a side that’s improved across the board this year and rightfully finished on top of the ladder. All that’s left to be determined now is whether they can finish off one of the best seasons in the club’s long and storied history.

GOALS/BEHINDS Bayley Fritsch Kysaiah Pickett Tom McDonald Christian Petracca Ben Brown

53.22 40.28 31.22 27.18 22.11

CLEARANCES Clayton Oliver Christian Petracca Max Gawn Jack Viney James Harmes

181 149 108 68 56

TACKLES Clayton Oliver Alex Neal-Bullen Jack Viney Christian Petracca James Jordon

126 109 100 99 97

INSIDE 50s Christian Petracca Clayton Oliver Alex Neal-Bullen Max Gawn Tom McDonald

160 125 97 73 64

LAURENCE ROSEN

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

270

268 1888

MELBOURNE

FOR

AGAINST Pts

Gls

Beh

211

177

Pts

1443 130.84

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

DOB

BAKER Oskar

33 184 84 25/5/98 2019 3 15 15 0

BEDFORD Toby

12 179 71 27/5/00 2020 0

2 0

BOWEY Jake

17 176 69 12/9/02 2021 6 6 6 0 0

BRADTKE Austin #

46 204 91 27/5/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BRAYSHAW Angus

10 187 91 9/1/96 2015 24 118 118 2 44

BROWN Ben

50 200 100 20/11/92 2014 12 142 12 22 309

BROWN Mitch #

38 196 91 28/8/90 2011 1 76 6 2 72

CHANDLER Kade #

37 175 76 13/1/00 2019 5 6 6 0

DAW Majak #

28 195 97 11/3/91 2013 0 54 0 0 43

DECLASE Kye #

40 195 85 15/10/96 **** 0 0 0 0 0

FRITSCH Bayley

31 188 84 6/12/96 2018 23 84 84 53 112

GAWN Max

11 208 108 30/12/91 2011 24 158 158 16 75

HARMES James

4 185 85 5/10/95 2015 17 121 121 7 65

HIBBERD Michael

14 186 94 3/1/90 2011 16 172 88 0 14

HORE Marty

21 190 86 5/3/96 2019 0 14 14 0 1

HUNT Jayden

29 187 81 3/4/95 2016 20 94 94 2 43

JACKSON Luke

6 199 100 29/9/01 2020 23 29 29 15 18

JETTA Neville

39 180 80 12/2/90 2009 5 159 159 0 24

JONES Nathan

2 180 89 20/1/88 2006 8 302 302 2 141

JORDON James #

23 187 82 20/12/00 2021 24 24 24 6 6

LANGDON Ed

15 182 76 1/2/96 2015 23 108 40 12 47

LAURIE Bailey

16 181 77 24/3/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

LEVER Jake

8 195 89 5/3/96 2015 24 116 60 0 3

LOCKHART Jay

41 177 73 3/2/96 2019 0 22 22 0 9

MAY Steven

1 193 100 10/1/92 2011 22 170 47 0 23

McDONALD Tom

25 194 99 18/9/92 2011 22 192 192 31 140

MELKSHAM Jake

18 186 86 29/8/91 2010 12 197 83 8 148

NEAL-BULLEN Alex

30 183 80 9/1/96 2015 24 104 104 14 78

NIETSCHKE Aaron #

27 185 83 26/5/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

OLIVER Clayton

13 187 88 22/7/97 2016 24 123 123 10 39

PETRACCA Christian

5 186 97 4/1/96 2016 24 126 126 27 121

PETTY Harrison

35 197 90 12/11/99 2018 18 29 29 0

PICKETT Kysaiah

36 171 72 2/6/01 2020 24 38 38 40 47

RIVERS Trent

24 188 88 30/7/01 2020 24 33 33 1

ROSMAN Fraser

19 194 84 30/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

6 3

SALEM Christian

3 183 84 15/7/95 2014 23 129 129 2 23

SMITH Deakyn #

34 179 65 22/8/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SMITH Joel

44 191 88 25/2/96 2017 3 21 21 0

SPARGO Charlie

9 173 74 25/11/99 2018 24 58 58 17 41

SPARROW Tom

32 183 84 31/5/00 2019 20 27 27 6

TOMLINSON Adam

20 194 96 10/8/93 2012 7 160 20 0 35

TURNER Daniel #

42 192 80 28/1/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

VANDENBERG Aaron

22 188 94 3/3/92 2015 4 51 51 0 23

VINEY Jack

7 178 86 13/4/94 2013 14 149 149 4 40

WEIDEMAN Sam

26 195 94 26/6/97 2016 5 49 49 3 49

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

128

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 239

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 239

9/14/21 4:35 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

NORTH MELBOURNE

GAMES

W 4 L 17 D 1 POINTS 18 KICKS Jack Ziebell Aaron Hall Jy Simpkin Jaidyn Stephenson Tarryn Thomas

426 423 325 249 233

MARKS Jack Ziebell Aaron Hall Josh Walker Jaidyn Stephenson Shaun Atley

155 150 114 109 107

HANDBALLS Jy Simpkin Luke Davies-Uniacke Ben Cunnington Todd Goldstein Shaun Atley

REBOUNDING ROO: Aaron Hall has reinvented himself as a dashing defender.

267 211 199 154 154

Last, but plenty to smile about for Roos

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Jy Simpkin Ben Cunnington Luke Davies-Uniacke Tarryn Thomas Todd Goldstein

235 234 191 162 158

u On paper, North Melbourne collected its 14th wooden spoon in 2021, winning only four games and ranking last for points scored and points conceded. The Kangaroos were ravaged by injuries across the season, lost their last four games and finished with a percentage of 70. However, it was not all doom and gloom in their first year under new coach David Noble. The second half of 2021 was fruitful, with North taking it right up to teams such as Brisbane, GWS, Sydney, Geelong and Essendon, while knocking off Carlton and West Coast in Perth. The Roos had many players enjoy breakout seasons and establish themselves – and not just youngsters. Captain Jack Ziebell thrived at half-back, while Aaron Hall reinvented himself in a similar role. As for the kids, Luke Davies-Uniacke showed why he was drafted at pick four, Ben McKay established himself at full-back, Cameron Zurhaar and Nick Larkey impressed inside 50, Jaidyn Stephenson delivered after the club took a chance on him and Tarryn Thomas is one of the best young players in the competition. Draftees Will Phillips, Charlie Lazzaro and Tom Powell all look players of the future and the Roos got early access to Jacob Edwards in the Mid-Season Draft. He had been touted as a potential first-round draftee. There’s plenty to be excited about at Arden St.

GOALS/BEHINDS Nick Larkey Cameron Zurhaar Tarryn Thomas Jaidyn Stephenson Todd Goldstein

42.15 31.23 24.17 17.19 12.4

CLEARANCES Ben Cunnington Jy Simpkin Luke Davies-Uniacke Todd Goldstein Tarryn Thomas

114 114 90 76 56

TACKLES Jy Simpkin Ben Cunnington Tarryn Thomas Luke Davies-Uniacke Jack Mahony

84 74 72 64 61

INSIDE 50s Jy Simpkin Tarryn Thomas Luke Davies-Uniacke Jaidyn Stephenson Aaron Hall

103 89 83 74 57

NIC NEGREPONTIS

ANDERSON Jed

3 179 81 2/2/94 2013 7 85 75 4 29

ATLEY Shaun

18 189 87 13/9/92 2011 20 234 234 1 45

BONAR Aiden

16 188 87 8/3/99 2018 10 22 16 0 5 15 180 83 17/9/00 2020 8 11 8 1 1

CAMPBELL Tom #

42 201 105 2/11/91 2012 9 54 12 6 30

COMBEN Charlie

30 199 84 20/7/01 2021 1 1 1 1 1

CORR Aidan

4 195 97 17/5/94 2013 2 100 2 0 2

CUNNINGTON Ben

10 185 88 30/6/91 2010 15 227 227 9 95

DAVIES-UNIACKE Luke

9 188 87 8/6/99 2018 20 50 50 6 13

DUMONT Trent

14 186 86 30/6/95 2015 14 113 113 0 26

EDWARDS Jacob #

32 202 85 22/11/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

FORD Eddie

40 189 83 21/6/02 2021 5 5 5 3 3

GARNER Taylor

6 187 87 8/1/94 2013 4 49 49 7 37

GOLDSTEIN Todd

22 201 103 1/7/88 2008 22 273 273 12 137

HALL Aaron

43 185 85 9/11/90 2012 20 144 41 2 92

HAM Charlie #

34 181 74 11/11/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

HAYDEN Kyron #

37 186 87 7/6/99 2019 3 12 12 0 0

LARKEY Nick

20 198 95 6/6/98 2017 22 51 51 42 82

LAZZARO Charlie

35 179 73 25/3/02 2021 12 12 12 3 3

MAHONY Jack

1 178 72 12/11/01 2020 19 29 29 9

McDONALD Luke

11 189 86 9/2/95 2014 11 137 137 0 16 41 192 77 13/7/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

McKAY Ben

23 201 99 24/12/97 2017 22 37 37 0

MENADUE Connor #

31 187 80 19/9/96 2015 7 46 7 0 11

PEREZ Flynn

39 188 85 25/8/01 2020 0

PHILLIPS Will

29 181 80 22/5/02 2021 16 16 16 3 3

3 0

13 187 86 12/10/92 2011 5 146 40 0 74

POWELL Tom

24 184 75 2/3/02 2021 13 13 13 4 4

SCOTT Bailey

8 186 77 9/7/00 2019 17 34 34 8 19

SIMPKIN Jy

12 182 77 5/3/98 2017 22 95 95 2 35

SPICER Phoenix

36 173 64 30/1/02 2021 1 1 1 0 0

STEPHENSON Jaidyn

2 188 75 15/1/99 2018 19 73 19 17 93

TARRANT Robbie

25 196 96 25/4/89 2010 10 174 174 0 44

TAYLOR Curtis

5 187 78 6/4/00 2019 19 30 30 7 12

THOMAS Tarryn

26 189 76 25/3/00 2019 21 47 47 24 43

TURNER Kayne

28 180 71 31/12/95 2014 22 101 101 2

TYSON Dom

21 186 85 8/6/93 2012 3 113 6 0 45

WALKER Josh

19 197 98 12/11/92 2012 21 123 38 3 75

WALKER Patrick #

33 187 76 9/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

WALKER Will #

27 186 78 30/3/99 2018 0

6 0

XERRI Tristan

38 201 99 15/3/99 2020 8 12 12 1

YOUNG Lachie

17 189 81 6/4/99 2019 15 23 15 0 1

ZIEBELL Jack

7 188 89 28/2/91 2009 21 239 239 2 165

ZURHAAR Cameron

44 189 92 22/5/98 2017 20 64 64 31 79

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

18 NORTH MELBOURNE

210

198

1458

299

281

2075

70.27

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 240

POLEC Jared

Gls

SEN.com.au

McGUINNESS Matt #

240 AFL RECORD

DOB

BOSENAVULAGI Atu

HOME

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NO. HGT. WGT.

AGAINST

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

NAME

2021 LADDER

FOR

AWAY

SCORES High Low

116

AV MARGIN W

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:35 PM

ARF1 pXX-Mazda-2022-Ready.indd 1

8/19/21 3:06 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

PORT ADELAIDE W 17 L 5 D 0 POINTS 68

GAMES

INSPIRED: Ollie Wines was at his brilliant best in the Power midfield.

KICKS Karl Amon Ollie Wines Ryan Burton Dan Houston Travis Boak

370 362 320 313 305

MARKS Aliir Aliir Karl Amon Ryan Burton Tom Jonas Dan Houston

156 141 133 133 110

HANDBALLS Ollie Wines Travis Boak Willem Drew Karl Amon Darcy Byrne-Jones

415 335 247 196 179

Another opportunity slips through fingers

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Ollie Wines Travis Boak Willem Drew Charlie Dixon Scott Lycett

354 298 213 203 163

u Fuelled by a heartbreaking preliminary final loss to Richmond last year, Port Adelaide steeled themselves for a big 2021 campaign. Coach Ken Hinkley stated in the pre-season that his side was ready to take the next step and it started the season with a bang, winning five of its first six games. High-profile recruits Aliir Aliir and Orazio Fantasia made immediate impacts, but long-term injuries to Robbie Gray, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma set the Power back. Defeats to fellow contenders the Western Bulldogs, Geelong and Melbourne cast doubt over Port’s premiership credentials, before it rallied to win its last six games of the home and away season and secure a top-two finish. Magnificent midfield pair Ollie Wines and Travis Boak were ultra-consistent, while the emergence of young forward Mitch Georgiades was also a big plus. A convincing qualifying final win over Geelong set up a home preliminary final against the Bulldogs for a spot in the Grand Final. With a near full list to choose from and on a run of seven successive wins, it was all set up for the Power to take the next step. Unfortunately, a 71-point hiding brought the curtain down on Port’s season. A disappointing end to a year that promised a lot.

GOALS/BEHINDS Charlie Dixon Mitch Georgiades Orazio Fantasia Todd Marshall Connor Rozee

48.24 32.17 28.23 24.12 21.13

CLEARANCES Travis Boak Ollie Wines Willem Drew Scott Lycett Robbie Gray

143 142 94 64 53

TACKLES Willem Drew Travis Boak Ollie Wines Karl Amon Scott Lycett

164 110 105 98 77

INSIDE 50s Ollie Wines Karl Amon Travis Boak Dan Houston Willem Drew

125 112 97 69 62

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

276

228 1884

PORT ADELAIDE

242 AFL RECORD

FOR

SEN.com.au

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 242

AGAINST Pts

Gls

Beh

210

232

Pts

1492 126.27

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

ALIIR Aliir

21 194 96 5/9/94 2016 24 88 24 0 5

DOB

AMON Karl

15 181 77 19/8/95 2015 24 102 102 11 47

BERGMAN Miles

14 189 83 18/10/01 2021 23 23 23 7 7

BOAK Travis

10 183 85 1/8/88 2007 23 306 306 8 187

BONNER Riley

26 190 85 7/3/97 2016 14 65 65 2 10

BURGOYNE Trent #

31 177 74 2/10/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BURTON Ryan

3 191 90 31/1/97 2016 24 95 48 0 9

BUTTERS Zak

18 181 75 8/9/00 2019 12 48 48 8 31

BYRNE-JONES Darcy

33 181 76 20/9/95 2016 24 129 129 0

CLUREY Tom

17 193 95 23/3/94 2014 11 110 110 0

DIXON Charlie

22 200 107 23/9/90 2011 24 177 112 48 294

DREW Willem

28 188 87 1/10/98 2019 24 34 34 4

DUURSMA Xavier

7 186 79 7/7/00 2019 11 46 46 3 21

FANTASIA Orazio

13 180 74 14/9/95 2014 15 95 15 28 139

FARRELL Kane

24 182 77 17/3/99 2018 10 33 33 4 27

FREDERICK Martin #

45 178 80 17/5/00 2021 8 8 8 1 1

GARNER Joel

27 184 85 21/5/99 2019 0 4 4 0

GEORGIADES Mitch

19 192 87 28/9/01 2020 21 28 28 32 40

GOLDSACK Tyson #

50 193 93 22/5/87 2007 0 165 0 0 50

GRAY Robbie

9 183 84 30/3/88 2007 18 255 255 20 353

HARTLETT Hamish

8 185 83 14/8/90 2009 10 193 193 2

HAYES Sam

25 205 102 9/6/99 **** 0 0 0 0 0

HOUSTON Dan

5 186 88 12/5/97 2017 23 100 100 7 18

1 188 90 9/1/91 2011 24 182 182 0 1

JONAS Tom

34 186 90 9/4/02 2021 6 6 6 1 1

JONES Lachie

ALEX ZAIA

LADHAMS Peter

38 202 101 14/1/98 2019 17 32 32 13 21

LIENERT Jarrod

40 195 93 5/8/94 2018 5 23 23 1

LORD Ollie

30 197 85 2/1/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

LYCETT Scott

29 203 102 26/9/92 2011 20 128 53 6 59

MARSHALL Todd

4 198 90 8/10/98 2017 21 55 55 24 57

MAYES Sam

32 187 86 20/5/94 2013 11 118 17 5 32

McENTEE Jed #

41 176 76 15/2/01 2021 1 1 1 0 0

McKENZIE Trent

12 191 90 3/4/92 2011 14 139 33 1 23

MEAD Jackson

44 184 84 30/9/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MOTLOP Steven

6 183 82 12/3/91 2010 19 203 68 13 219

PASINI Jake #

48 192 83 6/2/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

POWELL-PEPPER Sam

2 187 96 8/1/98 2017 16 92 92 10 48

ROCKLIFF Tom

11 185 85 22/2/90 2009 2 208 54 0 100

ROZEE Connor

20 185 80 22/1/00 2019 21 59 59 21 59

SCHOFIELD Taj #

37 178 73 7/9/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

WILLIAMS Dylan

23 186 81 1/7/01 2021 1 1 1 0 0

WINES Ollie

16 187 98 7/10/94 2013 24 182 182 10 81

WOODCOCK Boyd #

36 179 76 5/3/00 2020 7 12 12 4

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

140

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:35 PM

RICHMOND

GAMES

W 9 L 12 D 1 POINTS 38 KICKS Jayden Short Liam Baker Jack Graham Shai Bolton Trent Cotchin

411 238 220 208 206

MARKS Jayden Short Dylan Grimes Jack Riewoldt David Astbury Nathan Broad

134 118 107 93 89 MISSING IN ACTION: Superstar Dustin Martin was one of several key Tigers cruelled by injury.

End of an era or can Tigers bounce back?

179 168 165 160 151

u The year started with so much enthusiasm at Tigerland. Fresh off a second successive premiership and a third in four seasons, Richmond was attempting to write themselves into the record books with a rare three-peat. But for the first time in three years, Tigers supporters exited the season somewhat underwhelmed. It was a frustrating campaign which yielded just nine-and-a-half wins, with the highlight being the superb 20-point triumph over Brisbane in round 18 when Jack Riewoldt kicked a bag of six goals in his 300th game. Damien Hardwick had to deal with long-term injuries to a number of key players, including Dustin Martin, Bachar Houli, Toby Nankervis, Dion Prestia, Shane Edwards, Kane Lambert, Nathan Broad and Noah Balta, which was not ideal. While that directly impacted results, it did provide an opportunity to debut Rhyan Mansell, Hugo Ralphsmith, Maurice Rioli, Will Martyn, Riley Collier-Dawkins, Samson Ryan and Ben Miller, while getting valuable games into the likes of Callum Coleman-Jones and Thomson Dow and reintegrating Sydney Stack. Overall, it was a disappointing season for the Tigers after seeing so much success between 2017 and 2020, but it was bound to come at some stage. They will look to refresh over a lengthier break before setting their sights on season 2022.

GOALS/BEHINDS 51.29 35.33 23.20 19.7 18.12

CLEARANCES Shai Bolton Toby Nankervis Trent Cotchin Dustin Martin Shane Edwards

71 69 68 57 48

TACKLES Jack Graham Marlion Pickett Liam Baker Toby Nankervis Trent Cotchin

122 62 61 57 57

INSIDE 50s Shai Bolton Jack Graham Dustin Martin Liam Baker Trent Cotchin

AARTS Jake #

16 177 76 8/12/94 2020 21 35 35 18 32

ASTBURY David

12 195 94 26/2/91 2010 17 155 155 0

BAKER Liam

7 173 72 27/1/98 2018 22 64 64 7 17

BALTA Noah

21 194 102 23/10/99 2019 14 44 44 2

BOLTON Shai

29 175 77 8/12/98 2017 20 67 67 23 57

BROAD Nathan

35 192 89 15/4/93 2016 14 84 84 0

CADDY Josh

22 186 87 28/9/92 2011 9 174 79 2 164

CASTAGNA Jason

11 182 82 12/7/96 2016 21 118 118 17 115

CHOL Mabior

41 200 94 29/1/97 2016 10 31 31 7 24 39 213 111 20/5/99 **** 0 0 0 0 0

COLLIER-DAWKINS Riley 26 191 90 3/2/00 2021 9 9 9 3 3

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS

Jack Riewoldt Tom Lynch Shai Bolton Dustin Martin Jake Aarts

NO. HGT. WGT.

COLINA Mate #

208 198 185 163 161

Liam Baker Shai Bolton Toby Nankervis Trent Cotchin Dustin Martin

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

200 105 13/6/99 2019 8 9 9 11 11 COLEMAN-JONES Callum 40

HANDBALLS Liam Baker Jack Graham Shai Bolton Marlion Pickett Dustin Martin

DOB

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

96 86 84 65 57

COTCHIN Trent

9 185 86 7/4/90 2008 17 268 268 2 129

CUMBERLAND Noah

38 183 80 15/3/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

DOW Thomson

27 183 77 16/10/01 2020 5

10 182 78 25/10/88 2007 16 281 281 8

174

GARTHWAITE Ryan

42 192 92 30/6/98 2018 5 14 14 0

GRAHAM Jack

34 181 83 25/2/98 2017 22 77 77 11 32

GRIMES Dylan

2 194 91 16/7/91 2010 21 192 192 0 3

HOULI Bachar

14 180 83 12/5/88 2007 12 232 206 1 43

LAMBERT Kane

23 178 77 26/11/91 2015 13 128 128 6 77

LYNCH Tom J.

19 199 98 31/10/92 2011 18 193 62 35 384

MANSELL Rhyan #

31 180 70 4/6/00 2021 13 13 13 1 1

MARTIN Dustin

4 187 91 26/6/91 2010 16 260 260 19 291

MARTYN Will

36 186 82 29/3/01 2021 3 3 3 0 0

McINTOSH Kamdyn

33 191 92 3/4/94 2015 17 125 125 1 33

MILLER Ben #

46 198 96 31/8/99 2021 1 1 1 0 0

NAISH Patrick

6 182 77 15/1/99 2019 6 9 9 2 3

NANKERVIS Toby

25 199 102 12/8/94 2015 16 98 86 1 29

NYUON Bigoa

47 197 92 18/5/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

PARKER Matthew #

37 188 80 25/1/96 2019 6 25 6 3 19

PICKETT Marlion #

50 184 80 6/1/92 2019 18 38 38 2 7

PRESTIA Dion

3 175 82 12/10/92 2011 9 173 78 1

RALPHSMITH Hugo

45 188 83 9/11/01 2021 6 6 6 3 3

RIEWOLDT Jack

8 193 92 31/10/88 2007 22 305 305 51 715

RIOLI Daniel

17 179 77 16/4/97 2016 19 114 114 9 89

RIOLI Maurice

49 179 75 1/9/02 2021 2 2 2 2 2

ROSS Jack

5 187 85 3/9/00 2019 15 29 29 2 3

RYAN Samson

32 206 96 9/12/00 2021 1 1 1 0 0

SHORT Jayden

15 178 76 24/1/96 2016 22 114 114 1

SOLDO Ivan

20 204 106 14/4/96 2017 0 36 36 0

STACK Sydney #

44 179 75 28/4/00 2019 7 33 33 2

1 187 88 19/4/94 2013 12 173 173 0 27

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

12 RICHMOND

253

225

1743

258

232

1780

97.92

134

HOME

43 180 80 4/5/98 2019 1 9 9 0 0

AGAINST

EGGMOLESSE-SMITH Derek #

2021 LADDER

FOR

EDWARDS Shane

VLASTUIN Nick

ANDREW SLEVISON

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 243

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 243

9/14/21 4:36 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

ST KILDA W 10 L 12 D 0 POINTS 40

GAMES

MAN OF STEELE: Co-captain Jack Steele again led from the front.

KICKS Jack Steele Jack Sinclair Bradley Hill Dougal Howard Brad Crouch

311 281 279 256 248

MARKS Tim Membrey Callum Wilkie Jack Billings Jack Steele Dougal Howard

151 126 113 103 102

HANDBALLS Jack Steele Brad Crouch Sebastian Ross Jack Sinclair Bradley Hill

331 279 195 162 155

Erratic Saints rue an opportunity lost

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Jack Steele Brad Crouch Jack Sinclair Sebastian Ross Luke Dunstan

305 224 139 136 134

u St Kilda was beaming with optimism heading into this season after breaking through for its first finals win since 2010 last year. The Saints went on another prolific recruiting spree, adding Brad Crouch, Jack Higgins, Shaun McKernan, James Frawley, Mason Wood and Paul Hunter. All the positivity surrounding Brett Ratten’s side quickly evaporated after heavy losses to Essendon, Richmond and Port Adelaide. A 111-point hiding to the Western Bulldogs followed before self-inflicted defeats to Geelong, Sydney and Adelaide left their season in tatters. St Kilda struggled without Rowan Marshall, who was hampered by a foot injury, and veteran ruckman Paddy Ryder, who missed the start of the season due to personal reasons. The Saints’ form improved after the mid-season bye with wins over the Tigers, Collingwood and Brisbane igniting its campaign. Co-captain Jack Steele led by example and was well supported by a resurgent Luke Dunstan, the improved Jack Sinclair and emerging young forward Max King. Losses to Port Adelaide, West Coast, Carlton and Geelong in the run home ended St Kilda’s finals hopes as it was left to rue a largely inconsistent year, finishing 10th. Closing the gap between their best and worst is a must for the Saints heading into 2022.

GOALS/BEHINDS Max King Tim Membrey Jack Higgins Dan Butler Jack Billings

38.30 34.26 27.16 18.17 14.14

CLEARANCES Jack Steele Brad Crouch Luke Dunstan Sebastian Ross Zak Jones

138 98 70 60 55

TACKLES Jack Steele Brad Crouch Dan Butler Sebastian Ross Luke Dunstan

186 109 82 61 59

INSIDE 50s Jack Steele Tim Membrey Brad Crouch Bradley Hill Dan Butler

105 66 63 63 60

ALEX ZAIA

ALABAKIS Sam #

45 211 106 2/5/97 **** 0 0 0 0 0

ALLISON Matthew

30 195 79 29/1/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

BATTLE Josh

26 193 92 1/9/98 2017 16 56 56 3 26 15 185 82 18/8/95 2014 18 144 144 14 102

BUTLER Dan

16 182 80 3/6/96 2017 22 86 41 18 100

BYRNES Ryan

31 181 83 3/5/01 2020 16 17 17 6 6

BYTEL Jack

23 189 84 14/3/00 2020 13 16 16 2

CARLISLE Jake

2 201 103 1/10/91 2010 4 151 66 1 62

CLARK Hunter

11 186 83 26/3/99 2018 13 60 60 2

38 195 96 22/5/99 2021 5 5 5 0 0 1 191 88 23/10/99 2018 16 52 52 1

CONNOLLY Leo

37 181 78 7/8/01 2021 7 7 7 1 1

CROUCH Brad

5 186 85 14/1/94 2013 20 115 20 7 41 7 184 85 29/1/95 2014 12 116 116 1 46

FRAWLEY James

24 194 94 20/9/88 2007 2 241 2 0 24

GEARY Jarryn

14 183 82 23/6/88 2008 3 207 207 1

GRESHAM Jade

4 177 80 24/8/97 2016 3 95 95 1 99

HANNEBERY Dan

10 181 81 24/2/91 2009 2 223 15 0 99

HEATH Max #

42 204 93 24/10/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

HIGGINS Jack

22 178 79 19/3/99 2018 19 62 19 27 56

HIGHMORE Tom

34 193 89 24/2/98 2021 13 13 13 0 0

HILL Bradley

8 182 80 9/7/93 2012 22 190 41 3 84

HOWARD Dougal

20 199 97 25/3/96 2016 21 85 40 0 15

HUNTER Paul #

41 200 104 9/2/93 2021 7 7 7 2 2

JONES Zak

3 182 80 15/3/95 2014 13 119 29 4 32

JOYCE Darragh #

39 194 96 23/4/97 2018 5 10 10 0

KENT Dean

25 181 83 24/2/94 2013 7 98 35 5 90

KING Max

12 202 97 7/7/00 2020 20 38 38 38 60

LONG Ben

21 183 80 21/8/97 2017 15 60 60 2 23

LONIE Jack

13 174 71 13/8/96 2015 11 87 87 4 73

MARSHALL Rowan

19 201 105 24/11/95 2017 13 65 65 9 36

McKENZIE Daniel

36 184 83 17/5/96 2015 12 61 61 5

McKERNAN Shaun

27 198 98 1/9/90 2009 4 91 4 2 74

MEMBREY Tim

28 188 88 26/5/94 2014 21 131 130 34 223

PATON Ben

33 186 83 19/10/98 2018 0 35 35 0

ROBERTON Dylan

17 194 88 21/6/91 2010 0 129 92 0 20

ROSS Sebastian

6 187 86 7/5/93 2012 20 160 160 5 29

RYDER Paddy

18 197 95 14/3/88 2006 12 269 26 5 186

SHARMAN Cooper #

43 193 83 25/7/00 2021 5 5 5 10 10

SINCLAIR Jack

35 181 82 12/2/95 2015 21 119 119 3 43

STEELE Jack

9 187 91 13/12/95 2015 22 119 102 13 49

WEBSTER Jimmy

29 188 84 28/6/93 2013 20 113 113 1

WILKIE Callum #

44 191 88 10/3/96 2019 22 63 63 0

WOOD Mason #

32 192 87 13/9/93 2014 9 74 9 7 83

Gls

Beh

Pts

Mtch pts

High Low

10 ST KILDA

237

222 1644 260

236

1796

91.54

128

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 244

DUNSTAN Luke

Beh

SEN.com.au

COFFIELD Nick

Gls

244 AFL RECORD

CLAVARINO Oscar #

HOME

DOB

BILLINGS Jack

AGAINST

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NO. HGT. WGT.

Pts

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

NAME

2021 LADDER

FOR

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:36 PM

SYDNEY SWANS W 15 L 7 D 0 POINTS 60

GAMES

STEPPING UP: Callum Mills enjoyed a breakout season in the Swans’ charge to the finals.

KICKS Jake Lloyd Jordan Dawson Luke Parker Oliver Florent Callum Mills

404 354 298 273 256

126 124 123 119 113

HANDBALLS Luke Parker Josh Kennedy Callum Mills George Hewett Jake Lloyd

343 285 239 216 210

Young Swans soar to unexpected heights

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Luke Parker Josh Kennedy Tom Hickey Callum Mills George Hewett

309 232 215 187 146

u Sydney entered the 2021 season without much fanfare, having finished 16th in 2020. While external expectations weren’t high, the Swans’ young core exploded with the benefit of another pre-season under their belts, racing out to a 4-0 record, which included wins against Brisbane and Richmond away from home. With a strong group of youngsters already at the club, the addition of draftees Logan McDonald, Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden helped fast-track Sydney’s progression to place it as one of the most enviable lists in the competition. On top of the draftees, a trade for journeyman ruckman Tom Hickey from West Coast alongside breakout campaigns from Callum Mills, Tom McCartin and Jordan Dawson helped catapult the Swans up the ladder. Boasting a strong nucleus of top-level talent headed by superstar forward Lance Franklin, John Longmire’s side recorded wins against five of the top eight teams, seeing it end the home and away season with a 15-7 record and in sixth spot, just missing the top four on percentage. A one-point loss to GWS in the elimination final would have stung, but most judges would give the Swans a solid pass mark.

GOALS/BEHINDS Lance Franklin Tom Papley Isaac Heeney Will Hayward Sam Wicks

51.24 43.27 36.21 28.15 17.18

CLEARANCES Luke Parker Josh Kennedy Tom Hickey Callum Mills George Hewett

146 109 104 86 52

TACKLES Luke Parker James Rowbottom Josh Kennedy Callum Mills Sam Wicks

106 105 100 95 89

INSIDE 50s Luke Parker Oliver Florent Callum Mills Errol Gulden Tom Papley

93 76 75 70 69

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

AMARTEY Joel

36 197 98 2/9/99 2020 6 7 7 5

BELL James

32 183 84 10/2/99 2019 12 22 22 2

BLAKEY Nick

22 195 83 27/2/00 2019 17 54 54 3 30

DOB

BRAND Kaiden

2 198 97 8/4/94 2016 3 48 5 0 0

CAMPBELL Braeden

16 181 75 4/2/02 2021 8 8 8 1 1

Gls

Beh

293

228 1986

FOR

AGAINST Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

237

234 1656 119.93

HOME

CLARKE Ryan

4 186 85 17/6/97 2016 3 67 27 0 11

CUNNINGHAM Harry

7 181 78 6/12/93 2012 21 151 151 0 48

DAWSON Jordan

34 191 85 9/4/97 2017 23 64 64 9 34

FLORENT Oliver

13 184 82 22/7/98 2017 23 93 93 9 32

FOX Robbie #

42 185 85 16/4/93 2017 15 53 53 0

FRANKLIN Lance

23 199 107 30/1/87 2005 18 318 136 51 995

GOULD Will

17 191 100 14/1/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

GRAY Sam #

15 175 78 1/2/92 2014 0 103 7 0 84

GULDEN Errol

21 176 76 18/7/02 2021 18 18 18 14 14

HAYWARD Will

9 186 84 26/10/98 2017 20 89 89 28 100

HEENEY Isaac

5 185 83 5/5/96 2015 21 129 129 36 148

HEWETT George

29 187 85 29/12/95 2016 21 120 120 0

HICKEY Tom

31 202 96 6/3/91 2011 21 123 21 10 42

KENNEDY Josh

12 188 96 20/6/88 2008 21 279 266 4 155

LING Matthew

19 184 80 21/4/99 2020 1

4 0

LLOYD Jake

44 180 79 20/9/93 2014 22 176 176 1

McANDREW Lachlan #

46 209 91 26/5/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

McCARTIN Tom

30 193 95 30/12/99 2018 22 70 70 0

McDONALD Logan

6 196 86 4/4/02 2021 7 7 7 9 9

McINERNEY Justin

27 188 82 18/8/00 2019 21 31 31 7

McLEAN Hayden #

41 197 97 20/1/99 2019 12 22 22 11 16

MELICAN Lewis

43 194 100 4/11/96 2017 6 52 52 0

28 12 1

MILLS Callum

14 187 86 2/4/97 2016 18 110 110 6 9

NAISMITH Sam

10 205 108 16/7/92 2014 0 30 30 0

O’CONNOR Barry #

35 193 93 26/6/98 **** 0 0 0 0 0

O’RIORDAN Colin

38 186 87 12/10/95 2018 6 29 29 0

PAPLEY Tom

11 177 79 13/7/96 2016 23 122 122 43 189

PARKER Luke

26 183 87 25/10/92 2011 23 235 235 15 176

RAMPE Dane

24 188 87 2/6/90 2013 20 190 190 0 6

REID Sam

20 196 98 27/12/91 2010 10 163 163 6 165

RONKE Ben

25 183 80 18/12/97 2018 2 36 36 0 33

ROWBOTTOM James

8 186 82 19/9/00 2019 17 45 45 6 14

SHEATHER Marc #

33 185 84 11/6/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

SINCLAIR Callum

18 199 98 23/9/89 2013 4 118 89 1 63

STEPHENS Dylan

3 184 76 8/1/01 2020 7 15 15 1 3

TAYLOR Lewis

28 174 82 17/2/95 2014 2 123 11 0 94 1 181 83 19/5/01 2020 13 15 15 8

WARNER Chad

AWAY

45 180 80 14/9/99 2020 22 29 29 17 20

WICKS Sam #

LACHLAN GELEIT

2021 LADDER SYDNEY SWANS

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

CARRUTHERS Malachy # 40 185 72 11/5/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

MARKS Jordan Dawson Jake Lloyd Dane Rampe Isaac Heeney Justin McInerney

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

136

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 245

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 245

9/14/21 4:49 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

WEST COAST EAGLES W 10 L 12 D 0 POINTS 40 KICKS Andrew Gaff Dom Sheed Shannon Hurn Tim Kelly Josh Rotham

GAMES

DOMINANT: Claiming his third All-Australian blazer, Nic Naitanui was a standout for the Eagles.

343 320 260 245 232

MARKS Josh Rotham Andrew Gaff Brad Sheppard Jack Darling Tom Barrass

161 140 129 123 117

HANDBALLS Dom Sheed Jack Redden Andrew Gaff Tim Kelly Nic Naitanui

259 235 234 209 181

Fadeout proves costly but Eagles to rise again

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Nic Naitanui Dom Sheed Tim Kelly Jack Redden Elliot Yeo

273 231 201 175 160

u West Coast was expected to pose a serious premiership threat this season, having gone on an eight-game winning run in 2020 before it was eliminated by Collingwood. However, a patchy start resulted in 2021 after captain Luke Shuey, athletic midfielder Elliot Yeo, key defender Jeremy McGovern and forward Liam Ryan spent lengthy stints on the sidelines. Nevertheless, a last-minute victory over Richmond in front of 50,834 saw the Eagles go into the bye at 8-5, a top-four position within their grasp. How their season unravelled thereafter, with senior players having been reintegrated, indicated West Coast’s woes ran deeper than its personnel crises. An ageing game-plan, characterised by precise ball movement, was exposed by poor execution and fluctuating pressure and the Eagles’ season never recovered from consecutive slaughters at the hands of the Bulldogs and Swans. On a positive note, Nic Naitanui was a cyclonic presence in the ruck and won a third All-Australian blazer, Harry Edwards and Josh Rotham cemented positions behind the ball, and young midfielders Luke Edwards and Connor West won important minutes. Despite four losses to see out the season, there were tactical green shoots, as coach Adam Simpson gave us a glimpse of the damage a more territory-oriented West Coast could inflict with the mature talent at its disposal.

GOALS/BEHINDS Jack Darling Josh Kennedy Oscar Allen Jamie Cripps Liam Ryan

42.19 41.21 28.16 26.26 24.10

CLEARANCES Nic Naitanui Dom Sheed Tim Kelly Elliot Yeo Jack Redden

158 116 101 83 72

TACKLES Jamie Cripps Jack Redden Nic Naitanui Tim Kelly Elliot Yeo

86 71 65 64 63

INSIDE 50s Dom Sheed Tim Kelly Andrew Gaff Nic Naitanui Jamie Cripps

83 82 78 77 71

NATHAN JOHN

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

Pts

Gls

Beh

257

210

1752

274

236 1880

WEST COAST EAGLES

246 AFL RECORD

FOR

SEN.com.au

ARGF p228-248 Club by Club 2021.indd 246

AGAINST Pts

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

DOB

AH CHEE Brendon #

41 189 88 21/12/93 2015 6 58 31 5

AINSWORTH Brayden

33 185 78 21/11/98 2018 2 14 14 0

ALLEN Oscar

12 194 91 19/3/99 2018 21 59 59 28 66

BARRASS Tom

37 197 96 8/10/95 2015 16 99 99 0

BRANDER Jarrod

10 196 92 11/2/99 2018 11 22 22 5 5

CAMERON Jarrod

39 182 78 3/5/00 2019 0 12 12 0 13

COLE Tom

28 188 82 28/5/97 2016 22 78 78 0

COLLINS Will #

43 190 84 24/2/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

CRIPPS Jamie

15 183 83 23/4/92 2011 22 199 183 26 246

DARLING Jack

27 191 95 13/6/92 2011 22 236 236 42 450

DUGGAN Liam

14 185 84 11/12/96 2015 14 116 116 0

EDWARDS Harry

42 200 90 1/10/00 2020 10 11 11 0

EDWARDS Luke

16 188 83 12/1/02 2021 8 8 8 0 0

FOLEY Luke

29 188 80 8/10/99 2020 6

GAFF Andrew

3 183 85 16/6/92 2011 21 236 236 3 78

HURN Shannon

25 187 96 4/9/87 2006 15 301 301 0 50

HUTCHINGS Mark #

34 182 84 25/5/91 2013 4 120 120 0 46

JAMIESON Callum

40 200 87 31/7/00 **** 0 0 0 0 0

JOHNSON Ben

38 179 73 6/3/01 **** 0 0 0 0 0

JONES Jamaine #

31 180 81 29/9/98 2018 15 24 17 11 15

KELLY Tim

11 182 86 26/7/94 2018 19 85 37 6 59

KENNEDY Josh

17 196 100 25/8/87 2006 18 278 256 41 686

LANGDON Zac

7 177 81 13/11/95 2018 17 48 17 6 29

McGOVERN Jeremy

20 197 99 15/4/92 2014 15 153 153 0 36

NAITANUI Nic

9 202 111 4/5/90 2009 22 205 205 3 110

NELSON Jackson

30 188 85 15/3/96 2015 19 89 89 0

O’NEILL Xavier

24 186 84 3/8/00 2020 8 13 13 1

PETRUCCELLE Jack

21 187 82 12/4/99 2018 17 46 46 16 41

REDDEN Jack

8 190 83 9/12/90 2009 18 242 113 3

RIOLI Willie

44 175 77 4/6/95 2018 0 38 38 0 46

ROTHAM Josh

35 193 88 25/2/98 2019 19 33 33 0

RYAN Liam

1 180 76 2/10/96 2018 14 69 69 24 100

SHEED Dom

4 187 87 10/4/95 2014 22 141 141 9 64

SHEPPARD Brad

5 187 85 23/5/91 2010 20 216 216 0 19

SHUEY Luke

13 184 87 2/6/90 2010 7 221 221 0 137

TREW Zane #

26 187 80 26/4/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

VARDY Nathan

19 200 98 25/6/91 2011 9 77 52 5 47

VENABLES Daniel #

18 187 84 19/11/98 2018 0 21 21 0

WATERMAN Jake

2 192 92 6/5/98 2018 14 53 53 13 50

WEST Connor #

36 181 80 7/5/99 2021 5 5 5 1 1

WILLIAMS Bailey

32 200 96 17/4/00 2020 6 9 9 3 4

WINDER Isiah

22 180 79 16/5/02 2021 1 1 1 1 1

WITHERDEN Alex

23 188 86 10/9/98 2017 9 68 9 1 6

YEO Elliot

6 190 90 1/10/93 2012 12 177 150 3 73

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

93.19

132

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 5:01 PM

ARGF pXX-WAITOC.indd 1

9/11/21 5:29 PM

AFL RECORD CLUB BY CLUB

WESTERN BULLDOGS W 15 L 7 D 0 POINTS 60

GAMES

LEADER OF THE PACK: Marcus Bontempelli was again at his sublime best in 2021.

KICKS Bailey Dale Jack Macrae Marcus Bontempelli Bailey Smith Caleb Daniel

431 423 383 339 338

MARKS Aaron Naughton Taylor Duryea Lachie Hunter Alex Keath Bailey Williams

149 128 122 105 101

HANDBALLS Jack Macrae Tom Liberatore Marcus Bontempelli Caleb Daniel Bailey Smith

431 300 287 256 248

Bulldogs time their run to perfection

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS Jack Macrae Tom Liberatore Marcus Bontempelli Bailey Smith Caleb Daniel

337 325 278 188 175

u After six rounds Luke Beveridge’s men were on top of the table with a percentage of 175.3. The Dogs’ deep midfield led by skipper Marcus Bontempelli was given first use by recruit Stefan Martin, the ‘three-headed monster’ of forwards Aaron Naughton, Josh Bruce and Tim English had clicked, and eventual All-Australian Bailey Dale had gone behind the ball to augment their meteoric movement. Injuries soon bit down on the Bulldogs, however, with Josh Dunkley and Adam Treloar each missing nearly three months and Martin sighted only once between round seven and the finals. Nevertheless, the Dogs held out to be sitting on top of the ladder after round 20, having notched away wins over Port Adelaide, West Coast and Melbourne. Nippy goalkicker Cody Weightman opened up a new dimension in the forward line, and all appeared in order. Unfortunately, the return of a handful of players in succession, combined with a knee injury to leading goalkicker Bruce, disrupted the Dogs and they crashed out of the top four in the final round. Having re-established their edge in the engine room over the finals, their tough but fluid football will be put to the ultimate test against a settled, compact Melbourne team.

GOALS/BEHINDS Josh Bruce Aaron Naughton Marcus Bontempelli Cody Weightman Tim English

48.21 46.40 28.19 26.13 19.14

CLEARANCES Tom Liberatore Jack Macrae Marcus Bontempelli Bailey Smith Josh Dunkley

182 173 138 76 54

TACKLES Tom Liberatore Marcus Bontempelli Jack Macrae Bailey Smith Josh Dunkley

127 121 120 86 73

INSIDE 50s Marcus Bontempelli Jack Macrae Tom Liberatore Lachie Hunter Bailey Smith

168 132 104 100 96

2021 LADDER

Gls

Beh

288

266 1994

WESTERN BULLDOGS

248 AFL RECORD

FOR

SEN.com.au

ARGF p212-232 Club by Club 2021.indd 248

AGAINST Pts

Gls

Beh

Pts

215

211

1501 132.84

HOME

IN HOME & AWAY SEASON

GOALS

THIS 2021 TOTAL DEBUT 2021 TOTAL CLUB

NAME

NO. HGT. WGT.

BEDENDO Dominic

26 191 75 9/7/02 **** 0 0 0 0 0

DOB

BONTEMPELLI Marcus

4 193 93 24/11/95 2014 25 170 170 28 154

BRUCE Josh

17 198 97 8/6/92 2012 20 150 37 48 233

BUTLER Louis

18 185 79 26/8/01 2020 1

3 0

CAVARRA Ben #

25 174 70 20/12/95 2020 1

CORDY Zaine

12 195 92 27/10/96 2015 18 103 103 0

CROZIER Hayden

9 187 81 24/12/93 2012 10 133 64 0

DALE Bailey

31 187 83 22/7/96 2015 25 84 84 9 69

DANIEL Caleb

35 170 69 7/7/96 2015 24 133 133 7 37

DUNKLEY Josh

5 191 91 9/1/97 2016 14 92 92 5 47

DURYEA Taylor

15 181 79 24/4/91 2013 24 159 41 1 24

ENGLISH Tim

44 207 103 10/8/97 2017 21 68 68 19 36

GARCIA Riley

38 177 72 30/1/01 2021 9 9 9 4 4

GARDNER Ryan #

43 197 95 1/6/97 2019 9 21 21 0 2

HANNAN Mitch

29 190 88 9/3/94 2017 16 66 16 14 69

HAYES Will #

32 181 79 5/6/95 2019 0 11 11 0 4

HUNTER Lachie

7 182 81 13/12/94 2013 24 162 162 9

JOHANNISEN Jason

39 181 81 8/11/92 2012 24 167 167 14 61

JONG Lin

46 188 95 4/6/93 2012 1 65 65 0 33

KEATH Alex

42 197 99 20/1/92 2017 22 70 40 0

KHAMIS Buku #

24 190 85 24/3/00 2021 1 1 1 0 0

LIBERATORE Tom

21 184 85 16/5/92 2011 24 172 172 14 64

LIPINSKI Patrick

27 190 85 17/7/98 2017 11 56 56 2 30 **** 181 84 3/3/90 2014 0 89 32 0 114

LLOYD Sam

11 192 88 3/8/94 2013 25 184 184 6 43

MACRAE Jack

NATHAN JOHN

MARTIN Stefan

8 198 99 17/11/86 2008 8 198 8 1 47

McLEAN Toby

16 181 83 31/1/96 2015 3 94 94 2 62

McNEIL Lachlan #

30 184 78 2/9/01 2021 13 13 13 7 7

NAUGHTON Aaron

33 195 93 30/11/99 2018 24 77 77 46 95

RICHARDS Ed

20 188 86 3/7/99 2018 5 63 63 1 24

SCHACHE Josh

13 201 94 21/8/97 2016 8 64 37 5 73

SCOTT Anthony #

28 180 77 28/2/95 2021 21 21 21 10 10

SMITH Bailey

6 185 86 7/12/00 2019 25 66 66 17 34

SMITH Roarke #

37 184 82 11/9/96 2015 13 36 36 2

SWEET Jordon #

41 205 103 2/2/98 2021 5 5 5 1 1

TRELOAR Adam

1 184 89 9/3/93 2012 16 189 16 10 107

UGLE-HAGAN Jamarra

22 197 91 4/4/02 2021 5 5 5 7 7

VANDERMEER Laitham

23 181 79 3/2/99 2020 10 22 22 6 15

WALLIS Mitch

3 186 86 24/10/92 2011 6 157 157 4 105

WEIGHTMAN Cody

19 178 74 15/1/01 2020 15 18 18 26 29

WEST Rhylee

14 182 81 12/7/00 2019 4 11 11 0

3 11

WILLIAMS Bailey

34 189 86 10/10/97 2016 22 81 81 1

WOOD Easton

10 187 84 4/9/89 2009 14 187 187 2 20

YOUNG Lewis

2 201 100 20/12/98 2017 9 24 24 1

AWAY

SCORES

AV MARGIN

Mtch pts

High Low

167

W< L< Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th 7 pts 7 pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

# = Category A Rookie (eligible for AFL selection) * = Category B Rookie (only eligible for AFL selection as long-term injury replacement)

9/14/21 4:37 PM

Z AF A I N Lp E la ye

st u

VU AND T HE BULLDOGS MIGHTIER TOGETHER

vu.edu.au/bulldogs

WB-VU_FootyRecordAd_SinglePage.indd 1

13/9/21 12:51 pm

GRAND FOOTY TRIVIA

1 2 3 4

FINAL

with COL HUTCHINSON & LACHLAN ESSING

Name the two current senior coaches who were members of the 2004 premiership team. Which Geelong player kicked the first and last goals in the 2009 Grand Final?

Which Docker kicked his team’s first ever Grand Final goal? He wore No. 13.

Which player had the most disposals with 28 in the 1966 Grand Final? True or false? Gary Ablett snr was held goalless in the 1995 Grand Final against Carlton.

Q2: Who kicked the first and last goals for the Cats in the 2009 Grand Final?

5 6

Which coach took North Melbourne to its first Grand Final in 1950?

Q4: How many goals did Gary Ablett kick in the 1995 Grand Final?

8 9 10 11

How many premiership teams did Melbourne’s Frank ‘Bluey’ Adams play in?

A current AFL coach played his 200th match in the 2004 Grand Final. Name him.

Name the four clubs which have appeared in more than 20 Grand Finals. Q6: Which Tiger was an early injury casualty in the 2020 Grand Final?

Name the Richmond player who missed almost the entire match due to injury in last year’s Grand Final at the Gabba?

Which players were the first substitutes in a Grand Final? One was a Magpie who later played for the Blues and the other is still playing at AFL level.

Q1: Who were this trio’s teammates in the 2004 Grand Final who became coaches?

250 AFL RECORD

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SEN.com.au

9/13/21 6:10 PM

Who played in winning Grand Final teams in 1968, 1970 and 1972 and later coached the 1987 premiership team?

13 14

How many goals were scored in the 1927 Grand Final?

Name the most recent player to kick at least seven goals in a Grand Final.

Q12: Which 1968 premiership teammate of John Nicholls played in three premiership teams and coached another.

15 16 17

The first live television coverage of a Grand Final was in 1957, when the last quarter was shown. Names the teams involved.

Q9: Who kicked the Dockers’ first goal in their 2013 Grand Final loss?

A Test cricketer was a member of the Swans’ 1933 premiership team. He became an ABC TV football panellist during the 1960s. Name him.

Name the 2012 premiership player whose father played in four premiership teams.

18 19 20

Who was captain of the losing team in the only Grand Final played at Waverley Park?

In 1960, a Grand Final team was held scoreless in the first quarter for the only time in history. Name the team and its captain. How many 2021 appointed club captains have played in at least one premiership team? Name them.

Q17: Which 2012 premiership Swan’s father won four flags?

ANSWERS: 1. Stuart Dew and Damien Hardwick (Port Adelaide); 2. Max Rooke; 3. Ian Stewart (St Kilda); 4. True; 5. Wally Carter; 6. Nick Vlastuin; 7. Alex Fasolo and Mitch Duncan in 2011; 8. Six (1955-57, 1959-60, 1964); 9. Tendai Mzungu in 2013; 10. Chris Scott (Brisbane Lions); 11. Collingwood (44 including two draws), Carlton (29), Essendon (29 including a draw), Richmond (24); 12. Robert Walls (Carlton); 13. Three (Collingwood 2.13 d Richmond 1.7 in wet conditions); 14. Stephen Kernahan (Carlton in 1993); 15. Melbourne defeated Essendon; 16. Laurie Nash; 17. Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans) – his father John played in the 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989 Hawthorn premiership teams; 18. John Worsfold (West Coast Eagles); 19. Collingwood and Murray Weideman; 20. Eight – Marcus Bontempelli (WB) 2016; Trent Cotchin (Rich) 2017, 2019, 2020; Ben McEvoy (Haw) 2014-15; Luke Parker (Syd) 2012; Scott Pendlebury (Coll) 2010; Joel Selwood (Geel) 2007, 2009, 2011; Luke Shuey (WCE) 2018.

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ANSWERS: 1. Stuart Dew and Damien Hard 9/14/21 4:46 PM Wally Carter; 6. Nick Vlastuin; 7. Alex Faso

QUESTIONS?

Ask Col via email at col.hutchinson@afl.com.au or write to him at AFL House, PO Box 1449, GPO, Melbourne, VIC 3001

ANSWER MAN

with COL HUTCHINSON

I was born into a Carlton-supporting family in 1945. Appropriately, the Blues won the Grand Final later that year from fourth place. I know that during the season they lost one match by 100 points. Has any premiership team ever had such a severe loss in the same year? I would be interested to learn of any unusual records relating to Grand Final-winning clubs. S. PETERSEN, ROSS, TAS CH: Carlton’s 1945 season was indeed remarkable. It lost its first three games, including the record 100-point loss to Essendon which sent it to the bottom of the ladder. After round nine, it had managed just three wins. A series of improved performances presented it with a last chance on the eve of the finals. The Blues scraped into fourth place for the first time in the season by defeating the Bulldogs.

ALMOST PERFECT: The Bombers lost just one game on the way to winning the 2000 flag; (inset) Bob Chitty captained the Blues’ to the 1945 premiership.

A month later, in a remarkable recovery, they claimed victory over the Swans in the Grand Final. They had won their last nine games. At the other end of the spectrum, South Melbourne experienced a remarkable year in 1918. After starting the season with victories

PREMIERS – JUST ONE LOSS FOR THE SEASON CLUB

SEASON

WINS

Carlton

1908

South Melb

1918

BY 60pts OR MORE

BY 6pts OR LESS

LOSSES

LOSING MARGIN

13 pts

5 pts 15 pts

Essendon

1950

Essendon

2000

11 pts

Collingwood

1929

62 pts

BY 6pts OR LESS

LOSSES

BIGGEST LOSS

*Semi-final

PREMIERS – LUCK ON THEIR SIDE SEASON

WINS

BY 60pts OR MORE

Melbourne

1900

66 pts

Carlton

1914

31 pts

CLUB

Fitzroy #

1916

2**

59 pts

Carlton

1945

100 pts

Adelaide

1998

67 pts

*includes 2 draws; ** includes 1 draw # Due to World War I, just four clubs competed, ensuring they all played in the finals

LOWEST/HIGHEST GRAND FINAL AGGREGATE SCORES SEASON

SCORES

38 PTS

AGG.

1927

Collingwood 2.13 (25) d Richmond 1.7 (13)

327 PTS

1972

Carlton 28.9 (177) d Richmond 22.18 (150)

252 AFL RECORD

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against Geelong, Fitzroy and Collingwood, the men in red and white travelled to the eastern end of Albert Park Lake to play the Saints at the Junction Oval. In a keenly-contested encounter, South looked poised for victory when the last quarter began, trailing by just five points and kicking to the scoring end. Unfortunately, the Swans failed to kick a goal from five easy scoring shots to go down by five points. It was their only loss for the season. They won their next 12 games, including the Grand Final.

CAN YOU ASSIST? u We are keen to know the preferred kicking foot of the following 1944 Grand Final players – Fitzroy: Bruce Calverley, Bert Clay, Stan Dawson, Alan Fields, Maurie Hearn, Norm Hillard, George Hoskins, Noel Jarvis, Dan Murray, Arthur O’Bryan, Noel Price, Ken Sier, Stan Wright. Richmond: Fred G. Cook, Keith Cook, Les Jones, Bill ‘Polly’ Perkins, Brian Randall, Jack Scott, Bernie Waldron, Billy Wilson.

u During the 1948 finals series, Melbourne lost its second semi-final clash against Essendon by 36 points. To help bolster their forward line, the Demons recalled 33-year-old veteran Jack Mueller, who was the playing coach of Melbourne’s reserves team. The strong-marking forward wore a glove while playing after losing the tops of two fingers in a work accident. In the preliminary final, Mueller responded with eight goals and, with Norm Smith kicking six, Melbourne had a big win over Collingwood. The following Saturday saw the first drawn VFL Grand Final. Mueller marked ‘in grand style’ to kick six goals in the Demons’ score of 10.9 (69) to Essendon’s inaccurate 7.27 (69). In the Grand Final replay, Melbourne blitzed the Bombers in the opening quarter, kicking 6.2 to three behinds. Both sides kicked seven goals each for the remainder of the game as the Demons claimed their sixth premiership. Mueller finished with six goals for the game for a total of 20 in three finals. His career tally of 62 goals in finals is a record for Melbourne. MARK GENGE

Have a great goalkicking story? Email Mark Genge, AFL Historian, at mark.genge@afl.com.au.

If you can assist, contact Col Hutchinson at col.hutchinson@afl.com.au.

SEN.com.au

9/24/21 12:23 PM

GRAND FINAL HONOUR ROLL DATE

1897* 24/9/1898 16/9/1899 22/9/1900 7/9/1901 20/9/1902 12/9/1903 17/9/1904 30/9/1905 22/9/1906 21/9/1907 26/9/1908 2/10/1909 1/10/1910 23/9/1911 28/9/1912 27/9/1913 26/9/1914 18/9/1915 2/9/1916 22/9/1917 7/9/1918 11/10/1919 2/10/1920 15/10/1921 14/10/1922 20/10/1923 1924* 10/10/1925 9/10/1926 1/10/1927 29/9/1928 28/9/1929 11/10/1930 10/10/1931 1/10/1932 30/9/1933 13/10/1934 5/10/1935 3/10/1936 25/9/1937 24/9/1938 30/9/1939 28/9/1940 27/9/1941 19/9/1942 25/9/1943 30/9/1944 29/9/1945 5/10/1946 27/9/1947 2/10/1948 9/10/1948 24/9/1949 23/9/1950 29/9/1951 27/9/1952 26/9/1953 25/9/1954 17/9/1955 16/9/1956 21/9/1957 20/9/1958 26/9/1959

RESULT

VENUE CROWD

Ess premier, Geel runner-up Fitz 5.8 (38) d Ess 3.5 (23) Fitz 3.9 (27) d S Melb 3.8 (26) Melb 4.10 (34) d Fitz 3.12 (30) Ess 6.7 (43) d Coll 2.4 (16) Coll 9.6 (60) d Ess 3.9 (27) Coll 4.7 (31) d Fitz 3.11 (29) Fitz 9.7 (61) d Carl 5.7 (37) Fitz 4.6 (30) d Coll 2.5 (17) Carl 15.4 (94) d Fitz 6.9 (45) Carl 6.14 (50) d S Melb 6.9 (45) Carl 5.5 (35) d Ess 3.8 (26) S Melb 4.14 (38) d Carl 4.12 (36) Coll 9.7 (61) d Carl 6.11 (47) Ess 5.11 (41) d Coll 4.11 (35) Ess 5.17 (47) d S Melb 4.9 (33) Fitz 7.14 (56) d St K 5.13 (43) Carl 6.9 (45) d S Melb 4.15 (39) Carl 11.12 (78) d Coll 6.9 (45) Fitz 12.13 (85) d Carl 8.8 (56) Coll 9.20 (74) d Fitz 5.9 (39) S Melb 9.8 (62) d Coll 7.15 (57) Coll 11.12 (78) d Rich 7.11 (53) Rich 7.10 (52) d Coll 5.5 (35) Rich 5.6 (36) d Carl 4.8 (32) Fitz 11.13 (79) d Coll 9.14 (68) Ess 8.15 (63) d Fitz 6.10 (46) Ess premier, Rich runner-up Geel 10.19 (79) d Coll 9.15 (69) Melb 17.17 (119) d Coll 9.8 (62) Coll 2.13 (25) d Rich 1.7 (13) Coll 13.18 (96) d Rich 9.9 (63) Coll 11.13 (79) d Rich 7.8 (50) Coll 14.16 (100) d Geel 9.16 (70) Geel 9.14 (68) d Rich 7.6 (48) Rich 13.14 (92) d Carl 12.11 (83) S Melb 9.17 (71) d Rich 4.5 (29) Rich 19.14 (128) d S Melb 12.17 (89) Coll 11.12 (78) d S Melb 7.16 (58) Coll 11.23 (89) d S Melb 10.18 (78) Geel 18.14 (122) d Coll 12.18 (90) Carl 15.10 (100) d Coll 13.7 (85) Melb 21.22 (148) d Coll 14.11 (95) Melb 15.17 (107) d Rich 10.8 (68) Melb 19.13 (127) d Ess 13.20 (98) Ess 19.18 (132) d Rich 11.13 (79) Rich 12.14 (86) d Ess 11.15 (81) Fitz 9.12 (66) d Rich 7.9 (51) Carl 15.13 (103) d S Melb 10.15 (75) Ess 22.18 (150) d Melb 13.9 (87) Carl 13.8 (86) d Ess 11.19 (85) Melb 10.9 (69) drew with Ess 7.27 (69) Melb 13.11 (89) d Ess 7.8 (50) Ess 18.17 (125) d Carl 6.16 (52) Ess 13.14 (92) d NM 7.12 (54) Geel 11.15 (81) d Ess 10.10 (70) Geel 13.8 (86) d Coll 5.10 (40) Coll 11.11 (77) d Geel 8.17 (65) Foots 15.12 (102) d Melb 7.9 (51) Melb 8.16 (64) d Coll 5.6 (36) Melb 17.19 (121) d Coll 6.12 (48) Melb 17.14 (116) d Ess 7.13 (55) Coll 12.10 (82) d Melb 9.10 (64) Melb 17.13 (115) d Ess 11.12 (78)

N/A JO JO EM LO MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG N/A MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG PP PP JO PP MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG

N/A 16,538 4823 20,181 30,031 35,202 32,263 32,688 30,000 44,437 45,477 50,261 37,759 42,790 43,905 54,536 59,556 30,495 39,343 21,130 28,512 39,262 45,413 53,908 43,122 50,064 46,566 N/A 64,288 59,632 34,551 50,026 63,336 45,022 60,712 69,724 75,754 65,335 54,154 74,091 88,540 96,486 78,110 70,330 79,687 49,000 42,100 43,000 62,986 73,743 85,793 86,198 52,226 88,718 85,869 84,109 81,304 89,149 80,897 88,053 115,902 100,324 97,956 103,506

PREMIERSHIP COACH ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jack Worrall Jack Worrall Jack Worrall Charlie Ricketts George Angus Jack Worrall Jack Worrall Percy Parratt Norman Clark Norman Clark George Holden Jock McHale Bert Howson Jock McHale Dan Minogue Dan Minogue Vic Belcher Syd Barker snr Syd Barker snr Cliff Rankin Bert Chadwick Jock McHale Jock McHale Jock McHale Jock McHale Charlie Clymo Frank Hughes Jack Bisset Percy Bentley Jock McHale Jock McHale Reg Hickey Brighton Diggins Frank Hughes Frank Hughes Frank Hughes Dick Reynolds Jack Dyer Fred Hughson Percy Bentley Dick Reynolds Percy Bentley

PREMIERSHIP CAPTAIN George Stuckey Alec Sloan Alec Sloan Dick Wardill Tod Collins Lardie Tulloch Lardie Tulloch Gerald Brosnan Gerald Brosnan Jim Flynn Jim Flynn Fred Elliott Charlie Ricketts George Angus Dave Smith Alan Belcher Bill Walker Billy Dick Alf Baud Wal Johnson Percy Wilson Jim Caldwell Con McCarthy Dan Minogue Dan Minogue Chris Lethbridge Syd Barker snr Syd Barker snr Cliff Rankin Bert Chadwick Syd Coventry Syd Coventry Syd Coventry Syd Coventry Ted Baker Percy Bentley Jack Bisset Percy Bentley Harry Collier Harry Collier Reg Hickey Brighton Diggins Allan La Fontaine Allan La Fontaine Allan La Fontaine Dick Reynolds Jack Dyer Fred Hughson Bob Chitty Dick Reynolds Ern Henfry

Frank Hughes Dick Reynolds Dick Reynolds Reg Hickey Reg Hickey Phonse Kyne Charlie Sutton Norm Smith Norm Smith Norm Smith Phonse Kyne Norm Smith

Don Cordner Dick Reynolds Dick Reynolds Fred Flanagan Fred Flanagan Lou Richards Charlie Sutton Noel McMahen Noel McMahen John Beckwith Murray Weideman# John Beckwith

DATE

24/9/1960 23/9/1961 29/9/1962 5/10/1963 19/9/1964 25/9/1965 24/9/1966 23/9/1967 28/9/1968 27/9/1969 26/9/1970 25/9/1971 7/10/1972 29/9/1973 28/9/1974 27/9/1975 25/9/1976 24/9/1977 1/10/1977 30/9/1978 29/9/1979 27/9/1980 26/9/1981 25/9/1982 24/9/1983 29/9/1984 28/9/1985 27/9/1986 26/9/1987 24/9/1988 30/9/1989 6/10/1990 28/9/1991 26/9/1992 25/9/1993 1/10/1994 30/9/1995 28/9/1996 27/9/1997 26/9/1998 25/9/1999 2/9/2000 29/9/2001 28/9/2002 27/9/2003 25/9/2004 24/9/2005 30/9/2006 29/9/2007 27/9/2008 26/9/2009 25/9/2010 2/10/2010 1/10/2011 29/9/2012 28/9/2013 27/9/2014 3/10/2015 1/10/2016 30/9/2017 29/9/2018 28/9/2019 24/10/2020

RESULT

VENUE CROWD

PREMIERSHIP COACH

PREMIERSHIP CAPTAIN

Melb 8.14 (62) d Coll 2.2 (14) Haw 13.16 (94) d Foots 7.9 (51) Ess 13.12 (90) d Carl 8.10 (58) Geel 15.19 (109) d Haw 8.12 (60) Melb 8.16 (64) d Coll 8.12 (60) Ess 14.21 (105) d St K 9.16 (70) St K 10.14 (74) d Coll 10.13 (73) Rich 16.18 (114) d Geel 15.15 (105) Carl 7.14 (56) d Ess 8.5 (53) Rich 12.13 (85) d Carl 8.12 (60) Carl 17.9 (111) d Coll 14.17 (101) Haw 12.10 (82) d St K 11.9 (75) Carl 28.9 (177) d Rich 22.18 (150) Rich 16.20 (116) d Carl 12.14 (86) Rich 18.20 (128) d NM 13.9 (87) NM 19.8 (122) d Haw 9.13 (67) Haw 13.22 (100) d NM 10.10 (70) Coll 10.16 (76) drew with NM 9.22 (76) NM 21.25 (151) d Coll 19.10 (124) Haw 18.13 (121) d NM 15.13 (103) Carl 11.16 (82) d Coll 11.11 (77) Rich 23.21 (159) d Coll 9.24 (78) Carl 12.20 (92) d Coll 10.12 (72) Carl 14.19 (103) d Rich 12.13 (85) Haw 20.20 (140) d Ess 8.9 (57) Ess 14.21 (105) d Haw 12.9 (81) Ess 26.14 (170) d Haw 14.8 (92) Haw 16.14 (110) d Carl 9.14 (68) Carl 15.14 (104) d Haw 9.17 (71) Haw 22.20 (152) d Melb 6.20 (56) Haw 21.18 (144) d Geel 21.12 (138) Coll 13.11 (89) d Ess 5.11 (41) Haw 20.19 (139) d WCE 13.8 (86) WCE 16.17 (113) d Geel 12.13 (85) Ess 20.13 (133) d Carl 13.11 (89) WCE 20.23 (143) d Geel 8.15 (63) Carl 21.15 (141) d Geel 11.14 (80) NM 19.17 (131) d Syd 13.10 (88) Adel 19.11 (125) d St K 13.16 (94) Adel 15.15 (105) d NM 8.22 (70) NM 19.10 (124) d Carl 12.17 (89) Ess 19.21 (135) d Melb 11.9 (75) BL 15.18 (108) d Ess 12.10 (82) BL 10.15 (75) d Coll 9.12 (66) BL 20.14 (134) d Coll 12.12 (84) PA 17.11 (113) d BL 10.13 (73) Syd 8.10 (58) d WCE 7.12 (54) WCE 12.13 (85) d Syd 12.12 (84) Geel 24.19 (163) d PA 6.8 (44) Haw 18.7 (115) d Geel 11.23 (89) Geel 12.8 (80) d St K 9.14 (68) Coll 9.14 (68) drew with St K 10.8 (68) Coll 16.12 (108) d St K 7.10 (52) Geel 18.11 (119) d Coll 12.9 (81) Syd 14.7 (91) d Haw 11.15 (81) Haw 11.11 (77) d Frem 8.14 (62) Haw 21.11 (137) d Syd 11.8 (74) Haw 16.11 (107) d WCE 8.13 (61) WB 13.11 (89) d Syd 10.7 (67) Rich 16.12 (108) d Adel 8.12 (60) WCE 11.13 (79) d Coll 11.8 (74) Rich 17.12 (114) d GWS 3.7 (25) Rich 12.9 (81) d Geel 7.8 (50)

MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG WP MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG MCG GABBA

Norm Smith John Kennedy John Coleman Bob Davis Norm Smith John Coleman Allan Jeans Tom Hafey Ron Barassi Tom Hafey Ron Barassi John Kennedy John Nicholls Tom Hafey Tom Hafey Ron Barassi John Kennedy

Ron Barassi Graham Arthur Jack Clarke Fred Wooller Ron Barassi Ken Fraser Darrel Baldock Fred Swift John Nicholls Roger Dean John Nicholls David Parkin John Nicholls Royce Hart Royce Hart Barry Davis Don Scott

Ron Barassi David Parkin Alex Jesaulenko Tony Jewell David Parkin David Parkin Allan Jeans Kevin Sheedy Kevin Sheedy Allan Jeans Robert Walls Alan Joyce Allan Jeans Leigh Matthews Alan Joyce Mick Malthouse Kevin Sheedy Mick Malthouse David Parkin Denis Pagan Malcolm Blight Malcolm Blight Denis Pagan Kevin Sheedy Leigh Matthews Leigh Matthews Leigh Matthews Mark Williams Paul Roos John Worsfold Mark Thompson Alastair Clarkson Mark Thompson

David Dench # Don Scott Alex Jesaulenko Bruce Monteath Mike Fitzpatrick Mike Fitzpatrick Leigh Matthews Terry Daniher Terry Daniher Michael Tuck Stephen Kernahan Michael Tuck Michael Tuck Tony Shaw Michael Tuck John Worsfold Mark Thompson John Worsfold Stephen Kernahan Wayne Carey Mark Bickley Mark Bickley Wayne Carey James Hird Michael Voss Michael Voss Michael Voss Warren Tredrea# Barry Hall#

Mick Malthouse Chris Scott John Longmire Alastair Clarkson Alastair Clarkson Alastair Clarkson Luke Beveridge Damien Hardwick Adam Simpson Damien Hardwick Damien Hardwick

Nick Maxwell Cameron Ling Jarrad McVeigh Luke Hodge Luke Hodge Luke Hodge Easton Wood# Trent Cotchin Shannon Hurn Trent Cotchin Trent Cotchin

97,457 107,935 98,385 101,209 102,471 104,846 102,055 109,396 116,828 119,165 121,696 118,192 112,393 116,956 113,839 110,551 110,143 108,224 98,491 101,704 113,545 113,461 112,964 107,536 110,332 92,685 100,042 101,861 92,754 93,754 94,796 98,944 75,230 95,007 96,862 93,860 93,670 93,102 98,828 94,431 94,228 96,249 91,482 91,817 79,451** 77,671** 91,828 97,431 97,302 100,012 99,251 100,016 93,853 99,537 99,683 100,007 99,439 98,632 99,981 100,021 100,022 100,014 29,707

Chris Judd Tom Harley Sam Mitchell Tom Harley

* In 1897 and 1924 the round-robin finals series did not allow for a Grand Final. # Replaced injured appointed captain. ~ During the first two decades of League competition clubs did not always appoint a coach. ** Capacity reduced due to MCG reconstruction. Venues: JO (Junction Oval), EM (East Melbourne Cricket Ground), LO (Lake Oval), MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), PP (Princes Park), WP (Waverley Park).

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9/13/21 6:06 PM

kids 4 kids

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you find the SURNAMES of these Norm Smith medallists? Dustin Martin (2020, 2019, 2017) Luke Shuey (2018) Jason Johannisen (2016) Cyril Rioli (2015) Luke Hodge (2014, 2008) Brian Lake (2013) Ryan O’Keefe (2012) Jimmy Bartel (2011) Lenny Hayes (2010*) Scott Pendlebury (2010**) Paul Chapman (2009) Steve Johnson (2007) Andrew Embley (2006)

Chris Judd (2005) Byron Pickett (2004) Simon Black (2003) Nathan Buckley (2002) Shaun Hart (2001) James Hird (2000)

* Grand Final Draw **Grand Final Replay

FACE

OFF

Can you name the current Fremantle (A) and West Coast (B) players who make up these two faces? 254

E V G Z Y I C M M Q H T P

G G J U D D L E F Y A K J

D D O K E E F E V F Y I Z

O E Y R U B E L D N E P I

H V U X M A R T I N S K V

Y U O T J O H N S O N Z Y A

K A T Y T S H U E Y M X W

I C G D E E J X R G J T U

Q G A O Y L K M L N O Y H

G N P L K X B C A P H E B

W U K P B V K M I G A L A

H M A H I E P W E P N K R

Y K L T R A H I Y I N C T

M D F K H H S K L B I U E

D R U C W Y J O A F S B L

C I C H I F I J K M E C K

N H R Y V R Q I E L N Y W

E Y P O D K I C N S K R G

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Part of the stripe on Docker Liam Henry’s shorts has disappeared; the ‘i’ on the sponsor logo on Eagle Luke Foley’s guernsey is missing; his boots have changed colour; a hand has appeared behind his thigh; the sign on the fence has been altered; Docker Sean Darcy has an extra V on his guernsey; Eagle Nic Naitanui’s guernsey is a different colour. FACE MASH: LEFT – Stephen Hill, Andrew Brayshaw, Rory Lobb. RIGHT – Andrew Gaff, Dom Sheed, Shannon Hurn.

WORD FIND

TO FIN

AFL RECORD SEN.com.au

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9/14/21 4:56 PM

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9/11/21 8:19 PM

What I’m thinking with Ashley Browne

Don’t be lax on the vax The AFL needs to ensure COVID vaccinations are mandatory for players, coaches and officials.

hose of us with strong interest in American sport have long been familiar with videos that went viral around Australia a few weeks back as the college football season opened in the US. Virginia Tech taking the field with an entire stadium bobbing to the opening strains of Metallica’s Enter Sandman. Fans of the University of Wisconsin Badgers, all 80,000 of them, jumping and waving their arms at the start of the final quarter, to House of Pain’s iconic Jump Around. The spike in interest in Australia wasn’t to do with a new-found interest in that sport, but rather the spectacle of it all. After a year largely played behind closed doors, football was open for business across the globe and stadiums were packed. And in Australia, this was greeted with a mix of awe and envy as well as a fervent wish to not have a third season that is derailed by COVID and the complications that go with it. We’ve said this before and it is worth repeating for the record, in the Record, on Grand Final day. The AFL has again done an incredible job in completing the season. In many ways, 2021 threw up more roadblocks than last year and the resolve of the League, the clubs, the players and other key stakeholders to push through is appreciated by millions of fans.

256 AFL RECORD

But now is the time for the AFL to lead and to take a firm position on vaccinations. Mindful that it is only relatively recently that Australians in the age demographic of the League’s playing cohort have been eligible to be vaccinated, it hasn’t been at the forefront of its thinking until now. Quite rightly, the delicate act of negotiating the health and safety requirements of the various states where players are based and games are played has taken precedence. But that changes now. The next AFLW season is only three months away and the League needs to formulate a position on mandatory vaccinations for players and staff. The AFL should dive into the numbers across Australia and see that with supply issues no longer a major issue, the nation is racing towards becoming fully-vaxxed, keen to cross those 70 and 80 per cent vaccination thresholds and enjoy the lifting of restrictions that will follow. Privately, the AFL has been preaching a stridently pro-vaccine message. Clubs such as North Melbourne, Sydney and St Kilda have used their social media channels to highlight the strong progress they have made towards having all players and staff fully vaccinated. Given the AFL’s willingness to be at the forefront of progressive social issues in Australia, some have been surprised it hasn’t yet mounted its own public message.

DOING HIS BIT: Magpie skipper Scott Pendlebury has his first vaccination; (inset) 80,000 fans packed in for the Wisconsin Badgers’ US college football season-opener.

No vax, no play? It has to be on the agenda

But there is much for the League to do. It needs to work to ensure vaccinations are mandatory for players, coaches and officials, save for those with genuine health or personal reasons. It should look to follow the NFL’s policy which dictates that if a team is unable to play because of a COVID outbreak among its players, and the game cannot be reasonably rescheduled, that team will forfeit the game and be credited with a loss. It is an unlikely situation but needs to be accounted for all the same. And as the keeper of the entire code, not just the elite men’s and women’s competitions, it needs to craft rules and regulations for every level of the game across Australia. No vax, no play? It has to be on the agenda. And then there are the fans. The AFL can now pause to study what other sports in Australia and around the world are doing, but given how few games diehard fans have been able to attend these past two seasons, the idea of providing proof of vaccination as a condition of entry in 2022 will likely garner strong support. Australians want their freedoms back and going to the footy with their friends and sitting in their usual seats is among them. Richmond chief Brendon Gale recently told SEN that the AFL has “scope to do some pretty powerful things.” That time has come for Gillon McLachlan.

@hashbrowne

SEN.com.au

ARGF p240 Ashley Browne.indd 256

9/13/21 6:12 PM

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e M c C h i c ke l b u n

l e Big M a c ® b u o D ®

Available after 10.30am for a limited time. While stocks last. Serving suggestion. McDelivery® is available in select locations.

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16/8/21 09:49 8/16/21 11:15 AM

AVAILABLE ON TOYO PASSENGER TYRES

*TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY.

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tyrepower.com.au 9/15/21 4:54 PM

IT’S OUR BEST ON GROUND OFFER Finals are here and now’s the time to make sure your car is safe. There’s no team more committed than ours to help keep you and your family safe on the road. With a network of over 270 stores across Australia, our independent dealers deliver the best service, advice, range and price. So these footy finals, get a grip on tyre safety and visit your local Tyrepower. We’d like to thank all of our amazing customers for the continued support of our business and say thanks to every one of our Aussie owned independent Tyrepower dealers across the country. You’re the real power behind Tyrepower.

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9/15/21 4:55 PM