AFL Record Round 20, 2023

ONE WEEK TIME

News from in and around the AFL

RIVALRY ROUND REVS UP

The AFL has long passed on the idea of a rivalry round, at least in the formal sense, but the beauty of round 20 are the number of big rivals who are clashing in games that matter.

It starts at the MCG on Friday night.

Collingwood and Carlton haven’t met in a final since 1988 and their dominant periods have rarely coincided since then, but the Blues are coming good – finally – and the spice is back whenever they meet.

The Magpies are clearly the team to beat for the flag.

Coming from 17 points down to beat second-placed Port Adelaide on the road last Saturday was as good as any win in Craig McRae’s time as coach.

But after their 71-point belting of West Coast last Saturday, the Blues became just the third team in League history to win five successive games by more than 50 points.

They are in rare form but are dealing with some injuries at precisely the wrong time.

Spearhead Harry McKay is out with a knee injury at least until the finals, while Sam Walsh (hamstring) and

EDITOR’S LETTER MICHAEL LOVETT

WHO’S IN PLAY

u In an interview with senior writer ASHLEY BROWNE this week, Geelong’s Chris Scott admits he feels “a little uncomfortable” breaking the club coaching record of Cats legend Reg Hickey.

“If you heard Zach Tuohy talking recently about breaking Jim Stynes’ record (for games played by an Irish recruit) and feeling a little uncomfortable about it,

Jack Silvagni (knee) were casualties out of the West Coast game.

Patrick Cripps (cork) and Adam Cerra (hamstring) should return for the clash, which is expected to draw 85,000 fans.

A win to the Blues and they jump into the eight, unthinkable just five weeks ago when they were mired in 15th place.

They would move there, possibly at the expense of the loser of the Saturday afternoon clash between the Western Bulldogs (fifth) and the GWS Giants (seventh) at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.

The Bulldogs won their ‘eight-point game’ against Essendon last Friday night, but this match against their modern-day rival is as big as they have played at their second home ground.

They looked hungry against the Bombers last week and Bailey Smith played his most influential game

multiply that by 10. That’s how I feel,” Scott said.

He shouldn’t.

Scott’s contribution to the second oldest football club in the land has been no less important.

Yes, Hickey played for the Cats, he has a stand named after him at GMHBA Stadium and, yes, Scott inherited a pretty good team back in 2011.

But it’s probably what Scott has done post that 2011

premiership that comfortably puts him alongside Hickey.

In an era of equalisation via drafting and the salary cap, Scott – with the help of a sharp administration – has kept Geelong at or near the top of the tree for more than a decade.

The Cats have missed finals just once since Scott replaced Mark Thompson at the end of 2010, they have made eight preliminary finals, won two flags

for a couple of years, but the Giants take a six-game winning streak, the equal longest in club history, into the clash.

Adam Kingsley is enjoying a superb first season as coach.

As is always the case with the Giants, there is an abundance of elite young talent that needs to be nurtured and developed but his strength this year has been to reinvigorate veterans such as Stephen Coniglio, Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly, who are all in excellent form.

It is also not coincidental that the Giants have embarked on this run of wins with key defender Sam Taylor back in the side.

He is now in the discussion for the top few key backs in the League and his clash with fellow West Australian Aaron Naughton on Saturday is one to savour.

It is Showdown time once again on Saturday night, this time with

and were runners-up in 2020. Throw in nine top-four finishes.

With a winning rate of 69 per cent, Geelong fans have got to see their side win roughly two of every three games played under Scott.

There was also a parade of champions exiting from the Thompson era, but Scott has kept the Cats relevant. His milestone is worthy of a special celebration this week.

ASHLEY BROWNE

BACK IN BLUE: Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is expected to be back for Friday night’s blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG.

No, he won’t play this week but he’s progressing well

MELBOURNE COACH SIMON GOODWIN ON STAR MIDFIELDER CLAYTON OLIVER’S RECOVERY FROM A HAMSTRING INJURY

A win to the Blues and they jump into the eight

Adelaide as the home team against Port Adelaide.

Form invariably counts for nought ahead of these encounters and it is hard to get a read on this one.

Port has lost its past two and will have had a difficult week contemplating how the Collingwood game slipped from its grasp.

Adelaide almost pulled off a huge upset against Melbourne at the MCG but flew home with two significant injuries – defender Nick Murray with an ACL and Izak Rankine, who injured his hamstring in the last few minutes after an electrifying performance.

The Crows can stay within a game of the eight with a win, while Port could drop to third if the Brisbane Lions, as expected, beat Gold Coast in their late Saturday afternoon QClash at Heritage Bank Stadium. This is a rivalry in name only,

with the Lions riding a nine-game winning streak over the Suns into this clash.

Back in the day, Richmond and Melbourne was a rivalry.

It was one based around common real estate and as the first two clubs to share the MCG it was billed as the ‘tenants versus the landlords’.

The Tigers are now only out of the top eight on percentage, having staged a brilliant comeback to defeat Hawthorn by one point last Saturday after trailing by 36 points late in the third quarter.

The case for interim senior coach Andrew McQualter to win the job on a permanent basis grows by the week and it might be his for good if he can engineer a win over Melbourne on Sunday.

The Demons were given a huge scare by the Crows but they are now two games clear in fourth and are

AFL Rising Star

JASPA FLETCHER BRISBANE LIONS

The hype around Brisbane’s pair of father-son draft selections at last year’s NAB AFL Draft has proven to be real.

Will Ashcroft was enjoying a brilliant debut season until last week’s shattering ACL injury, while Jaspa Fletcher is developing superbly with a neat step through traffic and composure with ball in hand key features of his game.

He received the round 19 AFL Rising Star nomination following his 19-disposal outing in the win over Geelong at the Gabba last Saturday. To top off a big week, Fletcher re-signed with the Lions until the end of 2026.

A product of the Brisbane Lions Academy, having also played for Sherwood Districts and Coorparoo, Fletcher was the 12th selection overall at the 2022 draft after the Lions matched a bid from the Western Bulldogs. His father Adrian played 231 AFL games for Geelong, St Kilda, Brisbane and Fremantle. His 107 appearances for the Lions made Jaspa eligible as a father-son selection.

ASHLEY BROWNE

eyeing off third place, which would likely delay the inevitable September meeting with Collingwood until preliminary final weekend.

The Hawks blew a big chance to at least help shape the eight with their collapse against the Tigers.

But they get another chance on Sunday against St Kilda, which just scraped home against lowly North Melbourne last week.

Somehow the Saints are still in sixth place, but they could drop out of the eight entirely unless they can find some form again.

The West Coast-North Melbourne match-up to complete the round carries some unwanted history.

It is the first AFL/VFL game between clubs who have both lost 16 successive games in the lead-up. There will be agony and ecstasy at Optus Stadium on Sunday evening.

The Demons were given a huge scare by the Crows

ENJOY 12.5%

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IT’S A WAY OF LIFE! It’s not just a game

TURBO TENTS

ROUND 20 MILESTONES

COACH – C LUB LEADERBOARDS

CHRIS SCOTT

Will coach Geelong for the 305th time this weekend, taking over the club record currently shared with Reg Hickey.

AFL LIFE MEMBERSHIP

LUKE PARKER SYDNEY

277 premiership games, 22 pre-season games

JACK ZIEBELL

NORTH MELBOURNE

276 premiership games, 23 pre-season games

UMPIRE –CAREER GAMES

BRETT ROSEBURY

Set to umpire his 502nd game this weekend, equalling Shane McInerney’s record for most AFL/VFL games umpired.

150 GAMES

GEORGE HEWETT

CARLTON/SYDNEY

CALLUM MILLS SYDNEY

100 GAMES

SAM COLLINS

GOLD COAST/ FREMANTLE

ETHAN HUGHES

FREMANTLE

CONNOR ROZEE

PORT ADELAIDE

BAILEY SMITH

WESTERN BULLDOGS

100 CLUB GAMES

JAKE STRINGER

ESSENDON

CRUEL BLOW FOR LION CUB

The latest addition to the ‘football can be a cruel game’ department is Will Ashcroft, the first-year Brisbane phenomenon who tore his ACL last Saturday evening, ruling him out of not just the rest of this season but most of next year as well.

The second overall selection at last year’s NAB AFL draft, Ashcroft walked into the Brisbane side at the start of the year and immediately staked a place in a star-studded midfield, keeping talented players such as Jarryd Lyons out of the side.

He was averaging 22.1 disposals, 3.5 tackles and 3.6 clearances a game before landing awkwardly while laying a tackle against Geelong at the Gabba, which fell silent as he was helped from the ground.

It didn’t look good at the time and scans the following morning

revealed the worst. “We are all hurting for Will,” said Lions football manager Danny Daly. While Daly was speaking on behalf of the club, the entire football world was enjoying watching the son of three-time premiership Lions midfielder Marcus Ashcroft strut his stuff.

Young Ashcroft was physically matching it with the competition’s best midfielders from the start, was smart with ball in hand and he had some tricks.

He is in the running for the Goal of the Year after his stunning effort against Fremantle in round seven when he gathered the ball at pace in mid-air, slammed it onto his boot in the same action and threaded it through while hemmed in deep in the forward pocket.

Ashcroft was also a favourite for the AFL Rising Star and his absence for the remainder of the home and away season adds another layer of intrigue to one of the most coveted awards in the game.

Had he continued in the same vein for the rest of the season, he looked the likely winner given his consistently good form for a premiership-contending club.

But the question now is whether he has banked enough good form to win it.

North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel – Ashcroft’s former teammate at the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro – is the next favourite and has also enjoyed a great debut season, but the Kangaroos are on a 16-game losing streak.

St Kilda’s Mitch Owens is the third favourite for the award.

ASHLEY BROWNE

SETBACK: Will Ashcroft was enjoying an outstanding rookie year until a serious knee injury ended the young Lion’s season last Saturday.

GREAT SCOTT HE’S THE TOP CAT

On Saturday afternoon at GMHBA Stadium, Chris Scott will coach Geelong for the 305th time, which will take him past the legendary Reg Hickey as the club’s longest-serving coach. Ahead of his milestone game, he spoke with ASHLEY BROWNE about his coaching journey and the art of coaching.

For starters, how much do you know about Reg Hickey and how do you feel breaking his record?

To be at one club and win premierships, be a premiership captain and then go on to coach the club for the longest time in the 150-year history and get a stand named after you is pretty hard to ignore. But if you heard Zach Tuohy talking recently about breaking Jim Stynes’ record (for games played by an Irish recruit) and feeling a little uncomfortable about it, multiply that by 10. That’s how I feel.

How important is it for you as a coach of Geelong to immerse yourself in the history of the Geelong Football Club?

I think it’s really important to understand from my perspective, who we are as a club and the things that will never change and that that’s easier for us to say, in my opinion, than for clubs who are one of nine in Melbourne. Because they’re not different the way we’re different. They have their own history and that sort of stuff, but there’s only ever been one regional team in Victoria. Do you feel more of a Geelong person now than a Brisbane person?

Oh geez. You’re asking me another sensitive question. If I answer honestly, I’m going to offend someone. It’s probably Geelong. But I’ve got a recency bias.

In that 30 minutes following a win, is it more satisfying as a player or coach?

Coach for me.

Why?

A lot more preparation goes into the game as a coach. A lot more mental preparation anyway. And this is a personal thing, but I always took solace in the fact that as a player, there was only so much I could do and if I did my job and it didn’t work out, at least at I’d done my bit. Whereas if things go wrong as a coach, even when it is 100 per cent clear that there was nothing else I could have done, I still feel responsible for it. I think you feel more jubilation as a player; there’s that euphoria. But that sense of contentment of a job well done is more intense for me as a coach.

And what’s your favourite part of coaching, the Xs and Os during the week, the man management, the match days or something else?

It’s all so different. Match day is the adrenaline. I really enjoy the art of dealing with players because these days there’s so much objective data around the world, and not just in sport, that can’t be argued with. But in footy, at least as far as I can tell, the art of man management will never be replaced by an algorithm. There’s a lesser place, my sense is, for gut feel in the coach’s job than there used to be, but there’ll always be a really important part of it. And I like that.

Your old Brisbane teammate Jonathan Brown is always saying on TV, ‘My old coach Leigh Matthews used to say …’ So I want to ask you, how often do you hear the voice of Leigh Matthews in your head as you go about the various parts of coaching? I hear it often, but I’m very close to and very fortunate to have (former teammate) Nigel Lappin on our coaching staff. And when I say lucky, it’s because he was already at the Cats when I got here, so I didn’t bring him with me. And we talk about it all the time and he picks me up on little things that come out that I’m not even aware of. But I’m not shy about it. I don’t say it as often as ‘Browny’ does on TV, but I’m kind of like, well, I think I had one of the greatest players and coaches in the history of the game mentor me, so why wouldn’t I use it? Yeah. I think about it a lot.

I talked to Nigel Lappin and he said you’ve got this remarkable ability at the end of a season if you haven’t won the flag, to deal with the disappointment, then dust it off, come back the first day pre-season and say, ‘Righto, we’re going again’. You don’t seem to dwell on the disappointment too much. Is that right? Or is there something about you that he doesn’t know?

I appreciate him saying that but it doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been a whole lot of struggle in private leading up to that point. I feel the losses a lot, but just believe – and from Leigh as well – that one of your jobs as a leader is to try to model the behaviour you’re after. So, I try not to carry the enjoyment of the win or the depression of the loss into the next week. And so that that’s even more important at the end of seasons. I find it really hard. But I think to be a coach, you’ve got to be an optimist because there are just so many things to be pessimistic about that if you can’t get through the disappointment of failure and end up on the optimistic part, that’s the day you should finish.

It’s probably Geelong. But I’ve got a recency bias

CHRIS

SCOTT ON WHETHER HE IS A GEELONG OR BRISBANE

LIONS PERSON

MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT: Chris Scott will overtake Reg Hickey (left) as Geelong’s longest-serving coach this week; Scott says he has been fortunate to have wise counsel from former Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews (above) and Lions teammate Nigel Lappin (below).

You’ve experienced some heartbreaking finals defeats. Is there one that sticks out?

I mean they’re all different and as I said before, the most recent ones tend to be the ones that stick in my mind the most. I don’t know how well people remember 2013, but we were three goals up in a prelim at three-quarter time against the Hawks who went on to win three flags in a row from there. They were a pretty good team. I do sort of think that that’s the one when I actually do waste my time and think about this stuff. I don’t think I felt it as much at the time, but looking back, that was the one that I thought, ‘Wow, that could have been a huge sliding doors moment’.

How do you juggle the responsibility that AFL coaches are supposed to have for the welfare of the code with that of winning games for Geelong?

It’s a really interesting conversation and so nuanced that it’s so worthy of a lot more time and thought. But in principle, I think that the aim is to try to make the two things the same as much as possible. And just speaking of Geelong greats, I had a conversation with Malcolm Blight recently and that’s the sense I got from him that yes, there’s an obligation to the game but it’s going to help you as well. And the obvious example

of that with ‘Blighty’ is like we’re going to score a lot and yes, the opposition might score a bit more but we’re going to be better at it than them. But when it gets to a point where what’s best for your team and what’s best for the game are different, then your obligation is clearly to your employer and to your players.

I’m a big fan of your post-game media conferences and my observation is that you like to play a straight bat while leaving us a few breadcrumbs. Is that fair?

Yeah, that’d be fair.

And how do you enjoy your relationship with the media?

I see it as an important part of my job to represent Geelong well and that probably relates to the previous question as well. Most if not all the things I think about when I’m in the media revolve back to what’s the most important thing for Geelong. Sometimes that relates to players, sometimes that relates to what’s best for Geelong. And again, there’s often a clear distinction between what’s best for Geelong and what’s best for the game. And I make no bones for prioritising what’s best for Geelong because that’s my job. But I feel like I’m understanding better and better the important role that the media has.

CHRIS SCOTT

BORN: May 3, 1976

COACHING SPAN: 2011-

GAMES COACHED: 304

WINS: 209

LOSSES: 92

BACK FOR SECONDS: Scott and skipper Joel Selwood in front of the Geelong faithful at the 2022 premiership celebrations.

DRAWS: 3

WINNING PERCENTAGE: 69%

FINALS: 28 (13 wins, 15 losses)

HONOURS: premierships 2011, 2022

REG HICKEY

BORN: March 27, 1906

DIED: December 13, 1973

COACHING SPAN:

1932; 1936-40; 1949-59

GAMES COACHED: 304

WINS: 184

LOSSES: 117

DRAWS: 3

WINNING PERCENTAGE: 61%

FINALS: 18 (8 wins, 10 losses)

HONOURS: premierships

1937 (playing coach), 1951, 1952

PERFECT START: Scott, with then Cats captain Cameron Ling, after winning the 2011 Grand Final in his first year.

AFL RECORD CHRIS SCOTT: RECORD-BREAKER

How do you keep yourself fresh and relevant? Some of your senior players have been listening to you for a very long time. There’s only a handful now that have had me for a really long period of time. A lot of the guys are much newer. But I do think about it a fair bit because sometimes it is real. I think it’s really crucial that there are people within the football department, mainly assistant coaches, who get a lot of say in what we do. And so I try to embrace the diversity of opinion and try to work to the philosophy that the best idea wins. It’s important to be really open to that and to an extent allow the players to see that that’s how it happened so that they’re not sitting there thinking every single thing is coming from the senior coach. My last question starts with a memory. I saw you at the 2011 Draft Combine just three days after the you’d won the Grand Final and I wondered whether you’d taken the opportunity to actually celebrate the flag. After last year’s flag you said you would handle it a bit differently. Did you?

Yeah, I did. But I don’t regret the way I handled 2011 at all because I was just so young and eager and aware of what I didn’t know. And I think that’s one of the definitions of experience when it comes to head coaching, at least that as you go on you don’t have all the answers, but you’re a lot clearer on the gaps. I can’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure my sort of internal sort of dialogue in 2011 would’ve been that if we had been beaten in a prelim final, would I have been at the combine, and the answer would’ve been yes. So, I should be there now. I enjoyed 2011, I really did. But the difference after this one was that I could just enjoy that sense of contentment and not feel that by not taking that time (at the combine) that I wasn’t doing my job properly.

@hashbrowne

STILL A FORCE: Scott took over a star-studded list in 2011 (above) but has kept the Cats in contention for all but one season since.

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What I’m thinking

with Ashley Browne

Feeder comps need answers

The AFL has got plenty right in its 40-year evolution from a 12-team, Melbourne-based, semi-professional to the sleek, national competition of today that by so many of the measurements that matter, make it the leading sporting body in the country.

But there have been a few casualties along that journey, and the feeder competitions are among them.

The WAFL and SANFL are different entities to what they were in their prime, having adjusted accordingly to the arrival of the AFL and the spawning of West Coast and Fremantle, Adelaide and a beefed-up Port Adelaide.

Hard core football fans in both states embraced the new AFL clubs while keeping their affection towards their local teams.

The economics are naturally different and in Western Australia, there are growing calls for a new financial model to underpin the local competition.

But things in both states are rosy compared with the eastern seaboard. A random sample of AFL and industry figures all agreed that the Victorian Football League is struggling, and there are no immediate and obvious solutions to try and fix a competition that despite its best intentions, is deeply flawed.

It starts with the Victorian-centric name. The AFL brought together the VFL and the NEAFL at the end

of 2020 (neither competition was staged that year because of COVID) for sound financial reasons but lacked the conviction to give it the rebadge it needed.

As was noted on social media last weekend, there was something not quite right about a match being played at Manuka Oval at 9.30am on a Sunday morning between the GWS Giants and Gold Coast in a competition called the Victorian Football League.

Nor is it really appropriate that one of Brodie McLaughlin (Gold Coast), Fraser Thurlow (Southport), Wylie Buzza (Brisbane) or Wade Derksen (GWS) is going to win the Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal for the leading goalkicker.

Miller was the star full-forward for Dandenong back in the glory days of the VFA, which later became the VFL.

When Miller was a household name in Victoria (as were a handful of others in the VFA in the mid-1970s), the most exotic road trip was to Geelong West. The only time Miller, Fred Cook, Phil Cleary or other legends of the VFA visited the Gold Coast in a footballing capacity might have been on an end-of-season trip.

The VFL is trying to be too many things at once.

For 14 AFL clubs, it is both a reserves competition and a weekly opportunity to manage players based on form and fitness and to try new things.

And even then, the competition is skewed between the AFL clubs with their own fully funded reserves teams and those who have partnered with traditional, longstanding clubs whose roots go back to the old VFA.

Then there are the proud old VFA clubs that continue to stand alone.

Werribee, Williamstown and Port Melbourne are succeeding to some degree, but Frankston, Coburg and the Northern Bullants (known as Preston back in the day) are struggling.

Last Saturday, the Bullants kicked just 0.4 en route to a 157-point thrashing from Footscray.

What hope does a cash-strapped, largely volunteer-led footy team have against the might of an AFL club?

The Bulldogs fielded 11-AFL listed players against the Bullants, but there have been instances of clubs having up to 20 such players at their disposal because of a small injury list.

The VFL playing field becomes less even each year. There are 21 teams playing 18 rounds. Next weekend, nine teams will be having a bye.

TOUGH TIMES:

Through no fault of its own, clubs such as Coburg have struggled against the might of AFL-aligned VFL clubs.

There are no obvious fixes. Does the AFL force clubs such as Hawthorn, Melbourne and St Kilda to abandon their VFL alliances and invest the necessary $500,000 in reserves teams of their own to create a true AFL reserves competition? What would it mean for elite non-AFL aligned football in Victoria? Could the VFL, or its successor, work without what one close observer said was “AFL eyeballs?”

Does the VFL (read the AFL) eventually axe winless Coburg and the battling Bullants? Or does it go the other way and underwrite them to the point where they can attract competitive players and leading administrators?

Lots of questions with few clear answers.

Add the future of the state leagues and the feeder competitions to the ever-growing ‘to-do’ list for the new general manager of footy at the AFL, whoever it is and whenever they are appointed.

It’s time to solve some issues at the next level down from the AFL.

The VFL is trying to be too many things at once

TOM LIBERATORE

ESSENDON v WESTERN BULLDOGS Marvel Stadium, July 21

u One half of the dominant midfield display that put Essendon to the sword, Tom Liberatore had his best performance of the year in round 19.

Alongside Marcus Bontempelli, the duo were the clear best players on the ground as the Bulldogs marched to a 41-point win against the Bombers.

Liberatore started the clash slower than usual, gathering five possessions in the first term.

But from that point on, the Bulldogs worked their way on top and Liberatore was symbolic of his team’s dominance.

Twelve disposals, four clearances and two inside 50s followed in the second term and after half-time, Liberatore enjoyed 19 touches (13 contested) and six clearances.

The Bulldogs won the last three quarters by 52 points.

All up, Liberatore recorded season-highs in disposals (36), contested possessions (22) and ground-ball gets (16), while his 12 clearances were just one off his season-best mark in 2023.

Putting his influence into context, he had seven more disposals, eight more contested possessions and three more clearances than the next best in those respective categories.

The Bulldogs now meet GWS in round 20 which sees two teams that famously don’t get along in a contest where Liberatore – the ultimate competitor – generally thrives.

SEB MOTTRAM

AFL TRIVIA QUESTION #14

Has a team ever gone through an AFL Home and Away Season undefeated?

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WHO’S FLYING

Each week throughout the 2023 season we will present Who’s Flying, a series of stories which will encapsulate everything that is good about our great game. It could be a star player, a coach who has inspired his men or a team that is – pardon the pun –flying. BRENDAN RHODES take a look at the goalkicking heroics of Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott.

There’s only two ways to stop Jamie Elliott kicking the winning goal for Collingwood. One – somehow stop him from getting the ball anywhere within 50 metres of goal as the clock runs down.

Two – avoid a home and away match against the Magpies decided by less than a kick.

Elliott is fast developing a reputation as the Magpies’ ice man, so much so his nickname is being changed from ‘Billy’ to ‘Clutch’ for his uncanny ability to not only be in the right place at the right time in the big moments, but to also take those moments and make himself the hero.

He did it to break Essendon’s hearts in round 19 last year when he kicked a goal after the siren as Collingwood came from 37 points down to win by four points.

He did it again with a running strike with less than a minute to go as the Magpies came from 24 points down at three-quarter time in round 23 to destroy Carlton’s hopes of making the finals for the first time in a decade by a point.

And then there was last Saturday night in a top-of-the-table showdown against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval when once wasn’t enough for Collingwood … so he did it twice.

The Power led by 17 points at three-quarter time before the Magpies

launched their customary final-quarter comeback, with Elliott putting them in front from next to the behind post in the 22nd minute, only for Sam PowellPepper to hit back three minutes later.

But there was Elliott again, earning a shot outside the boundary line 40 metres out in the left pocket with three minutes to play.

Port fans weren’t shy with their advice, but the Collingwood cheersquad was already picking up their big flags because … well, they just knew.

The Magpies are now two games and percentage clear on top of the

ladder and will be the minor premier unless they have a major meltdown in the last five weeks.

And there’s no way a team with ‘Clutch’ Elliott in it will let them do that.

FOOTY FUN FACTS

In 2022, the West Coast Eagles had the largest membership base in the AFL with 102,897 registered members which is almost double the number of seats at their home venue Optus Stadium.

MR CLUTCH: Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott did it again last week, booting the winning goal for the Magpies.

THE ORIGINAL SUPER SUB

It was a Grand Final that even 53 years later must still rate as the most memorable of all time – people who weren’t even alive back then can recall a lot of the key details.

It was the day a record crowd of 121,696 crammed into the MCG, right up to the boundary line.

It was the day Carlton star Alex Jesaulenko flew over Magpies big man Graeme ‘Jerker’ Jenkin on the wing to take the biggest mark in Grand Final history – immortalised by the great commentator Mike Williamson with “OOOOHHH JESAULENKO, YOU BEAUTY”.

And it was the day the original super sub ripped Collingwood supporters’ hearts out in a way that has happened plenty of times in the ‘Big Dance’ … think Barry Breen in 1966, Wayne Harmes/Ken Sheldon in 1979 and Dom Sheed in 2018.

Ted Hopkins was Carlton’s 19th man and he watched as the Magpies raced to a 44-point lead at half-time, having already beaten

their arch-rival three times that season, including by a then-record 77 points in round 19.

Hopkins was a 21-year-old rover playing only his 28th VFL game when legendary Blues coach Ron Barassi sent him on at half-time and told his team to handball and play on at all costs.

It was a masterstroke.

Hopkins kicked three goals in a run of seven Carlton majors in 11 minutes to bring the margin back to three points before Collingwood steadied to lead by 17 at the final change, which it extended to 21 when Len Thompson goaled five minutes into the final term.

John Nicholls kicked two goals and Hopkins added his fourth to bring it back to a point before Brent Crosswell slotted a set shot from 35 metres to put Carlton in front for the first time entering time-on.

Peter McKenna, who kicked six goals despite being concussed in the second quarter, had a marking attempt spoiled at the last moment

Oooohhh Jesaulenko, you beauty

and the ball swept down the other end where Jesaulenko bounced through a long-range goal to seal what remains one of the most famous of premiership triumphs of all time.

To rub salt into the Magpie wounds, Hopkins played only one more VFL game, having just two kicks in round one, 1971, before retiring to pursue business interests, and is well known as a co-founder of leading football statistics company Champion Data.

GRAND FINAL 1970

Carlton 0.3 4.5 12.5 17.9 (111)

Collingwood 4.8 10.13 13.16 14.17 (101)

–

Umpire:

COMEBACK KINGS: Carlton players after their famous win in the 1970 Grand Final; (inset) Alex Jesaulenko’s spectacular mark.

BEST: Carlton

Jesaulenko, Crosswell, McKay, Silvagni, Robertson, Hopkins. Collingwood – Dunne, Price, Tuddenham, McKenna, W. Richardson, Greening.

GOALS: Carlton – Hopkins 4, Jesaulenko 3, Crosswell 2, Gallagher 2, Nicholls 2, Walls 2, Jackson, Silvagni. Collingwood – McKenna 6, Dunne 2, Thompson 2, Tuddenham 2, Britt, W. Richardson.

D. Jolley. Crowd: 121,696 at the MCG.

2023 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON

ROUND 13

Thursday, June 8

Syd 9.12 (66) v StK 12.8 (80) (SCG) (N)

Friday, June 9

WB 13.7 (85) v PA 16.11 (107) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, June 10

Haw 15.8 (98) v BL 11.7 (73) (MCG)

Adel 27.12 (174) v WCE 8.4 (52) (AO) (T)

Frem 10.10 (70) v Rich 12.13 (85) (OS) (T)

Sunday, June 11 NM 11.9 (75) v GWS 15.13 (103) (BA)

Carl 6.16 (52) v Ess 13.8 (86) (MCG) (N)

Monday, June 12

Melb 8.18 (66) v Coll 9.8 (62) (MCG)

Byes: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns

ROUND 14

Thursday, June 15

PA 16.14 (110) v Geel 11.6 (72) (AO) (N)

Friday, June 16

BL 13.19 (97) v Syd 12.9 (81) (G) (N)

Saturday, June 17

GWS 16.10 (106) v Frem 5.6 (36) (GS) (T)

Rich 13.12 (90) v StK 11.4 (70) (MCG) (N)

Sunday, June 18

Carl 18.12 (120) v GCS 8.13 (61) (MCG)

NM 13.6 (84) v WB 15.15 (105) (MRVL) (T)

Byes: Adelaide Crows, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles

ROUND 15

Thursday, June 22

Geel 11.12 (78) v Melb 8.15 (63) (GMHBA) (N)

Friday, June 23

StK 8.8 (56) v BL 12.12 (84) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, June 24

Syd 31.19 (205) v WCE 5.4 (34) (SCG) (T)

Frem 14.9 (93) v Ess 9.7 (61) (OS) (T)

Sunday, June 25

Coll 12.10 (82) v Adel 11.14 (80) (MCG)

GCS 14.17 (101) v Haw 5.4 (34) (HBS) (T)

Byes: Carlton, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Western Bulldogs

ROUND 16

Thursday, June 29

BL 20.14 (134) v Rich 7.11 (53) (G) (N)

Friday, June 30

Syd 6.18 (54) v Geel 7.12 (54) (SCG) (N)

Saturday, July 1

WB 16.6 (102) v Frem 11.7 (73) (MRVL) (N)

Adel 21.12 (138) v NM 11.6 (72) (AO)

GCS 5.12 (42) v Coll 18.12 (120) (HBS) (T)

Ess 10.14 (74) v PA 11.12 (78) (MCG) (N)

Sunday, July 2

Haw 7.10 (52) v Carl 17.10 (112) (MCG)

Melb 5.15 (45) v GWS 7.5 (47) (TIO)

WCE 12.5 (77) v StK 12.13 (85) (OS)

ROUND 17

Thursday, July 6

Rich 12.16 (88) v Syd 11.9 (75) (MCG) (N)

Friday, July 7

WB 11.11 (77) v Coll 13.11 (89) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, July 8

BL 16.20 (116) v WCE 5.5 (35) (Gabba)

GWS 12.13 (85) v Haw 10.12 (72) (GS)

StK 8.10 (58) v Melb 12.7 (79) (MRVL) (N)

PA 16.10 (106) v GCS 11.7 (73) (AO) (N)

Sunday, July 9

Geel 19.11 (125) v NM 9.9 (63) (GMHBA)

Ess 17.13 (115) v Adel 15.7 (97) (MRVL)

Frem 6.9 (45) v Carl 14.14 (98) (OS) (T)

ROUND 18

Thursday, July 13

Syd 11.12 (78) v WB 11.10 (76) (SCG) (N)

Friday, July 14

Melb 16.9 (105) v BL 16.8 (104) (MCG) (N)

Saturday, July 15

Coll 18.5 (113) v Frem 10.7 (67) (MCG)

GCS 11.11 (77) v StK 8.3 (51) (HBS)

Carl 18.14 (122) v PA 10.12 (72) (MRVL) (T)

Geel 18.14 (122) v Ess 7.3

Sunday, July 23

15.13 (103) v GCS 9.9 (63) (MO)

14.13 (97) v Adel 13.15 (93) (MCG)

StK 9.15 (69) v NM 9.7 (61) (MRVL) (T)

ROUND 20

Friday, July 28

Collingwood v Carlton (MCG) (N)

Saturday, July 29

Geelong Cats v Fremantle (GMHBA)

Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants (MARS)

Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions (HBS) (T)

Essendon v Sydney Swans (MRVL) (N)

Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide (AO) (N)

Sunday, July 30

Hawthorn v St Kilda (MRVL)

Richmond v Melbourne (MCG)

West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne (OS) (T)

ROUND 21

Friday, August 4

Western Bulldogs v Richmond (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 5

Essendon v West Coast Eagles (MRVL)

Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns (AO)

Hawthorn v Collingwood (MCG) (T)

Geelong Cats v Port Adelaide (GMHBA) (N)

GWS Giants v Sydney Swans (GS) (N)

Sunday, August 6

North Melbourne v Melbourne (BA)

St Kilda v Carlton (MRVL)

Fremantle v Brisbane Lions (OS) (T)

ROUND 22

Friday, August 11

Collingwood v Geelong Cats (MCG) (N)

Saturday, August 12

North Melbourne v Essendon (MRVL)

Sydney Swans v Gold Coast Suns (SCG)

Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows (G) (T)

Carlton v Melbourne (MCG) (N)

West Coast Eagles v Fremantle (OS) (N)

Sunday, August 13

Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs (UTAS)

St Kilda v Richmond (MRVL)

Port Adelaide v GWS Giants (AO) (T)

ROUND 23

Friday, August 18

Collingwood v Brisbane Lions (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 19

Richmond v North Melbourne (MCG)

Gold Coast Suns v Carlton (HBS)

GWS Giants v Essendon (GS) (T)

St Kilda v Geelong Cats (MRVL) (N)

Adelaide Crows v Sydney Swans (AO) (N)

Sunday, August 20

Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles (MRVL)

Melbourne v Hawthorn (MCG)

Fremantle v Port Adelaide (OS) (T)

ROUND 24

Round starts Friday, August 25*

Brisbane Lions v St Kilda (G)

Carlton v GWS Giants (MRVL)

Essendon v Collingwood (MCG)

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs (GMHBA)

Hawthorn v Fremantle (MCG)

North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns (BA)

Port Adelaide v Richmond (AO)

Sydney Swans v Melbourne (SCG)

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows (OS)

2023 TOYOTA AFL FINALS SERIES

Date TBC

Week One – Qualifying & Elimination Finals (4)

Date TBC

Week Two – Semi-Finals (2)

Date TBC

Week Three – Preliminary Finals (2)

Date TBC

Week Four – Toyota AFL Grand Final

Byes: Brisbane Lions, Fremantle, St Kilda, Sydney Swans

*Matches in round 24 are listed alphabetically with timeslots to be determined at a later date.

SCOREBOARD – ROUND 19

Western Bulldogs 1.3 7.5 9.7 13.12 (90)

Essendon 3.2 5.3 6.5 7.7 (49)

BEST: Western Bulldogs – Bontempelli, Liberatore, B. Smith, Treloar, Daniel. Essendon – Ridley, Martin, Langford, Merrett, Parish.

GOALS: Western Bulldogs – Ugle-Hagan 3, Weightman 3, Bontempelli 2, Scott, Naughton, West, Baker, Treloar. Essendon – Wright 3, Langford 2, Merrett, Guelfi.

Substitutes: Essendon – Hind (replaced Bryan); Western Bulldogs –Williams (replaced Baker).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Bontempelli (WB), 8 Liberatore (WB), 5 Ridley (Ess), 3 B. Smith (WB), 2 Treloar (WB), 1 Daniel (WB), 1 Ugle-Hagan (WB).

Umpires: C. Donlon, H. Gavine, R. O’Gorman, N. Williamson.

Crowd: 43,634 at Marvel Stadium.

Richmond 3.2 6.6 9.9 14.12 (96)

Hawthorn 4.2 10.3 15.3 15.5 (95)

BEST: Richmond – Prestia, Taranto, Balta, Ross, Graham. Hawthorn –Newcombe, Sicily, Worpel, Amon, Lewis.

GOALS: Richmond – Taranto 3, Baker 2, Martin 2, Graham, Hopper, Miller, Soldo, Bolton, Riewoldt, McIntosh. Hawthorn – Lewis 4, Wingard 3, Brockman 2, Breust 2, Worpel, Maginness, Newcombe, Moore.

Substitutes: Richmond – Coulthard (replaced Young); Hawthorn – Long (replaced Grainger-Barras).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Sicily (Haw), 6 Graham (Rich), 4 Balta (Rich), 3 Newcombe (Haw), 3 Prestia (Rich), 3 Worpel (Haw), 1 Taranto (Rich).

Umpires: A. Heffernan, J. Mollison, M. Rodger, M. Young.

Crowd: 57,654 at the MCG.

Carlton 9.5 15.8 17.11 2 1.14 (140)

West Coast Eagles 0.2 2 .4 5.8 10.9 (69)

BEST: Carlton – C. Curnow, Docherty, De Koning, Kemp, Weitering, Newman. West Coast Eagles – Gaff, Sheed, Witherden, Darling, Long.

GOALS: Carlton – C. Curnow 10, Motlop 2, Cincotta, Cuningham, E. Curnow, Dow, Hewett, Honey, Newman, Silvagni, Walsh. West Coast Eagles – Darling 2, Cripps, Gaff, Long, Maric, Petrevski-Seton, Petruccelle, Sheed, B. Williams.

Substitutes: Carlton – Young (replaced Silvagni); West Coast Eagles –O’Neill (replaced Luke).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 C. Curnow (Carl), 8 Docherty (Carl), 6 Hewett (Carl), 2 De Koning (Carl), 2 Newman (Carl), 1 Saad (Carl), 1 Walsh (Carl).

Umpires: P. Bailes, H. Birch, L. Fisher, J. Howorth.

Crowd: 34,954 at Marvel Stadium.

Brisbane Lions 2 .5 4.8 7.9 9.10 (64)

Geelong 0.3 1.5 3.8 7.11 (53)

BEST: Brisbane Lions – Ah Chee, Dunkley, McCluggage, McKenna, Rayner, Wilmot. Geelong – Stewart, Dangerfield, Blicavs, Duncan, Bowes.

GOALS: Brisbane Lions – McCarthy 2, Daniher 2, Hipwood 2, McKenna, Cameron, Ah Chee. Geelong – Cameron 3, Dangerfield 2, O. Henry, Stengle.

Substitutes: Brisbane Lions – Lohmann (replaced Ashcroft); Geelong –Mullin (replaced Bruhn).

AFL Coaches Votes: 7 Stewart (Geel), 7 Ah Chee (BL), 6 Dunkley (BL), 4 McCluggage (BL), 3 Neale (BL), 2 Andrews (BL), 1 McKenna (BL).

Umpires: J. Broadbent, S. Meredith, B. Rosebury, B. Wallace.

Crowd: 32,586 at the Gabba.

Sydney Swans 6.2 10.5 13.7 16.9 (105)

Fremantle 2 .1 5.1 9.2 12.4 (76)

BEST: Sydney Swans – Parker, Franklin, Rowbottom, Hayward, Papley, Gulden. Fremantle – Serong, Schultz, Jackson, Ryan, Brayshaw, Henry.

GOALS: Sydney Swans – Franklin 3, Hayward 3, McDonald 2, Mills 2, Papley 2, Heeney 2, Gulden, Chad Warner. Fremantle – Schultz 4, Walters 2, Amiss, Brayshaw, Frederick, Sturt, Switkowski, Treacy.

Substitutes: Fremantle – Stanley (replaced Johnson); Sydney Swans –Clarke (replaced Amartey).

QAFL –ROUND17

Aspley

Noosa

Best: Aspley – Stackelberg, O’Dwyer, Craven, Templeton, Watson, Dodge. Noosa –Fitzpatrick, C. Crisp, Vernon, Bowes, Tuohey, Pettigrove.

Goals: Aspley – Stackelberg 7, Watson 3, Allen, Best, Craven, Freeman, Lonergan, O’Dwyer, Peppin, Templeton. Noosa – Airey-Bamback 2, O’Dwyer 2, Pettigrove 2, Buntain, Dawson, Mallon, Ogden, Vernon, Wilson.

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Parker (Syd), 8 Serong (Frem), 4 Franklin (Syd), 3 Schultz (Frem), 2 Brayshaw (Frem), 2 Hayward (Syd), 1 Rowbottom (Syd). Umpires: A. Adair, C. Dore, B. Hosking, D. Johanson. Crowd: 42,433 at Optus Stadium.

BEST: Collingwood – Adams, Sidebottom, J. Daicos, Moore, Pendlebury, Elliott. Port Adelaide – Rozee, Powell-Pepper, Butters, Houston, Horne-Francis.

GOALS: Collingwood – Elliott 3, McStay 2, Mihocek 2, Sidebottom, McCreery, Hill, N. Daicos, J. Daicos, Adams. Port Adelaide – Powell-Pepper 2, Rozee 2, Dixon 2, Rioli, T. Marshall, Horne-Francis, Finlayson, Evans, Duursma.

Substitutes: Port Adelaide – Williams (replaced Lycett); Collingwood –Markov (replaced Mitchell).

AFL Coaches Votes: 9 Rozee (PA), 5 Drew (PA), 5 Elliott (Coll), 4 Murphy (Coll), 3 Adams (Coll), 3 Powell-Pepper (PA), 1 Sidebottom (Coll).

Umpires: R. Findlay, N. Foot, A. Gianfagna, A. Stephens. Crowd: 47,965 at Adelaide Oval. GWS

7.7 9.9 (63)

BEST: GWS Giants – Himmelberg, Taylor, Whitfield, Daniels, Coniglio, Greene. Gold Coast Suns – Flanders, Lukosius, Witts, Collins, Atkins, Powell.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Greene 3, Brown 2, Daniels 2, Riccardi 2, Cumming, Lloyd, Kelly, Angwin, Bedford, Coniglio. Gold Coast Suns – Lukosius 3, Ainsworth 2, Hollands 2, Oea, Casboult.

Substitutes: GWS Giants – Fahey (replaced Greene); Gold Coast Suns –Farrar (replaced Oea).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Taylor (GWS), 6 Greene (GWS), 4 Coniglio (GWS), 3 Whitfield (GWS), 3 Ash (GWS), 2 Collins (GCS), 1 Kelly (GWS), 1 Flanders (GCS).

Umpires: R. Chamberlain, J. Power, P. Rebeschini, N. Toner. Crowd: 10,026 at Manuka Oval.

BEST: Melbourne – Pickett, Viney, Brayshaw, Gawn, Chandler, Petracca. Adelaide Crows – Rankine, Walker, Hinge, Dawson, Milera, Crouch. GOALS: Melbourne – Chandler 3, Pickett 2, Melksham 2, Gawn 2, Woewodin, Viney, van Rooyen, J. Smith, Neal-Bullen. Adelaide Crows –Walker 4, Rankine 3, Keays 2, Smith, Murphy, McAdam, Fogarty.

Substitutes: Melbourne – J. Smith (replaced Brown); Adelaide Crows –Hately (replaced Butts).

AFL Coaches Votes: 7 Gawn (Melb), 7 Pickett (Melb), 6 Rankine (Adel), 5 Brayshaw (Melb), 4 Viney (Melb), 1 Walker (Adel).

Umpires: C. Deboy, C. Fleer, L. Haussen, M. Nicholls.

33,122 at the MCG.

BEST: St Kilda – Steele, Sinclair, Marshall, Windhager, Wilkie, Higgins. North Melbourne – Davies-Uniacke, McKay, Sheezel, Thomas, Phillips, Tucker.

GOALS: St Kilda – Owens 2, Higgins 2, Marshall, Sharman, Sinclair, Caminiti, Steele. North Melbourne –Thomas 3, Larkey 3, Xerri, Ford, Ziebell.

Substitutes: St Kilda – Billings (replaced Hill); North Melbourne – Ziebell (replaced Shiels).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Davies-Uniacke (NM), 7 McKay (NM), 5 Wilkie (StK), 4 Steele (StK), 2 Sheezel (NM), 1 Sinclair (StK), 1 Thomas (NM).

Umpires: H. Gavine, C. Jones, E. Tee, A. Whetton.

Crowd: 18,279 at Marvel Stadium.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year

Votes Player Club

99 Nick Daicos Collingwood

84 Christian Petracca Melbourne

77 Zak Butters Port Adelaide

76 Marcus Bontempelli Western Bulldogs

73 Lachie Neale Brisbane Lions

72 Connor Rozee Port Adelaide

65 Noah Anderson Gold Coast Suns

65 Zach Merrett Essendon

64 Toby Greene GWS Giants

63 Tim Taranto Richmond

LEADING GOALKICKERS

Best: Maroochydore – Stone, Scholard, Kangur, Jones, Robinson, Thomas. Wilston Grange – Fidler, Stewart, Fazldeen, Osborne, Pettigrew, Snell.

Goals: Maroochydore – Scholard 6, McLachlan 3, Robinson 2, Gallop, Govan, Stone, Thomas. Wilston Grange – Fidler 5, Budarick 2, Fazldeen 2, Hewett.

Morningside 1.8 4.14 8.20 10.24 (84)

Mt Gravatt 4.1 7.3 8.4 9.10 (64)

Best: Morningside – Niland-Rowe, Cox, Peak, Swann, Robinson, Castle. Mt Gravatt – Tome, Pearce, K. Moncur, Brent, Macdonald, Milford.

Goals: Morningside – Castle 2, Peak 2, Robinson 2, Dadds, Downie, Griffiths, McLeod. Mt Gravatt – Licht 3, Milford 2, Leahy, K. Moncur, O’Dea, Smith.

Best: Broadbeach – Boakye, Gledhill, Lower, Semmler, Dawson, Townsend. Redland-Victoria Point – William, Matthews, Franks, Williams, Aston, Miller.

Broadbeach – Major 2, Reeves 2, Filippone, Jasper, Lockett. Redland-Victoria Point – Matthews

Williams

Best: Surfers Paradise – Shea, Smith, Rekers, Jones, Williams, Millane. Sherwood –Fletcher, Gillett, Edwards, Gilder, Collins, Clarke.

Goals: Surfers Paradise – Smith 6, Finch 3, Pescud 3, Curtis, Rekers, Shea, Woodburn. Sherwood – Bulley 3.

Best: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Joyce, Evert, Cornish, Thynne, Dawson, Beaman. Labrador – Cecchin, Anderson, Offermans, B. Brown, Derrington, Law.

Goals: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Beaman 4, Katsiris 4, McInneny 2, Neale, Nussey. Labrador – Henderson 3, Law 3, Offermans 2, Anderson, B. Brown, Howell, Simpson, Josh Young.

TAKING FLIGHT: Swans star Luke Parker polled the maximum 10 AFLCA votes last week.

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VFL –ROUND18

Best: Williamstown – McDonald, Hore, Gadsby, Cox, O’Dwyer, Downie. Essendon – Weideman, Lord, Voss, Tsatas, Fitzgerald, Laguda.

Goals: Williamstown – Cox 3, Ebinger 2, Conway, Gadsby, Pickess, Preston. Essendon – Munkara 2, Voss 2, Baldwin, Jorgensen, Lord, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Wanganeen.

Best: Box Hill Hawks – Porter, Brown, Koschitzke, Serong, Mackenzie, Meek. Richmond – Cumberland, Dow, Ralphsmith, Clarke, Sonsie, M. Rioli.

Goals: Box Hill Hawks – Koschitzke 4, Butler 2, Ryan 2, Meek, Morrison, Stephens, Waack. Richmond – Cumberland 6, Bradtke, Brindley, Clarke, Green, Nyuon, Sonsie.

Best: Brisbane Lions – Lyons, Rich, Sharp, Smith, Gardiner, Joyce.

Geelong – B. Lloyd, Van De Heuvel, Knevitt, Neale, Parfitt, Gottschling.

Goals: Brisbane Lions – Fort 3, Cockatoo 2, Fullarton 2, Buzza, B. Coleman, K. Dunkley, Lane, Lyons, McDowell-White, Reville, Robertson, Smith, Tunstill. Geelong – B. Lloyd 3, Neale 3, Clohesy, Dempsey, Ham, Hardie, Parfitt, Whyte. Carlton

Best: Carlton – Pittonet, O’Brien, Marchbank, S. Durdin, Moschetti, Cahill.

Port Melbourne – Fyfe, Rosman, Hooper, Stubbings, Phillips, Viccars.

Goals: Carlton – Cahill 2, Crocker 2, McMahon 2, O’Keeffe 2, Ronke 2, Binns, Lefroy, Lemmey, Pittonet, Prout. Port Melbourne – Viccars 4, A. Manton 2, Cucinotta, Hooper, Stubbings, Stuhldreier.

Best: Werribee – Cooper, Mannagh, Brew, Porter, Paea, Garoni.

Frankston – Rendell, Roseby, Mynott, Owens, Newnes, Ryan.

Goals: Werribee – Mannagh 3, Declase 2, Garoni 2, Paea 2, Porter 2, Boyd, Brew, Selsby, Sodomaco. Frankston – Johnson 3, Ryan 2, Szybkowski 2, Fordham, Owens, Quirk.

TSL – ROUND 15

Clarence

Lauderdale

Best: Clarence – Alomes, Norton, Callinan, Bealey, Fisher, J. Preshaw. Lauderdale – Franklin, Christensen, Shaw, Bellchambers, Siggins, Martin.

Goals: Clarence – Alomes 6, Dolliver 3, Murrell 3, Anderton 2, Holmes, Norton, J. Preshaw. Lauderdale – Blackburn 2, McGuinness 2, Siggins 2, Bellchambers, Christensen, Hooker.

North Launceston 7.3

Launceston 3.0

Best: North Launceston – McKercher, J. Gillow, B. Gillow, Schoenmaker, Foley, Tyrrell. Launceston – Ollington, Simpson, Lee, Pearce, Nicholas, L. Mitchell.

Goals: North Launceston – Cox-Goodyer 2, Griffiths 2, Leary 2, Ives, Manshanden, Young. Launceston – Jake Hinds, Jones, Presnell, Riley, Schoenmaker.

Kingborough 3.4 7.7 10.11 11.17 (83)

North Hobart 3.1 5.1 7.2 8.3 (51)

Best: Kingborough – L. Clifford, Lovell, Bastick, Zeitzen, Donnelly, O’Neill. North Hobart – Monks, Norton, Walker, Campbell, Liefhebber, Roberts.

Goals: Kingborough – Carter 2, Collidge 2, O’Neill 2, Zeitzen 2, Gardner, Griggs, Webb. North Hobart – Barwick 2, Stephenson 2, Daly, Hilder, Jackson, Roberts.

Bye: Glenorchy

LADDER: Kingborough 44 (201.0%), North Launceston 44 (164.2%), Clarence 32 (98.9%), Launceston 28 (114.4%), Lauderdale 16 (86.7%), North Hobart 16 (77.4%), Glenorchy 0 (37.0%).

SANFL – ROUND 14

Best: Casey Demons – Dunstan, Adams, Munro, Jefferson, D. Smith, Harmes. Coburg – Mason, Jepson, Rigoni, Nelson, Clarke, Simpson.

Goals: Casey Demons – Jefferson 2, Schache 2, Spargo 2, Dunstan, Edwards, Grey, Grundy, Moniz-Wakefield, Munro, Sestan. Coburg – Clarke 2, Mason, M. Podhajski, Simpson, Sturgess, Weightman.

Best: Footscray – Sweet, Chatfield, Lobb, Cleary, Sullivan, McLean. Northern Bullants – King, Velissaris, Honey, Johnson, Smith, Morris.

Goals: Footscray – Lobb 5, Hannan 3, Lewis 3, McLean 3, Garcia 2, Sullivan 2, Sweet 2, Clarke, Cleary, McComb, Raak.

Best: Gold Coast – Fiorini, Rosas, Burgess, Constable, Moyle, Sharp. GWS – Peatling, Fleeton, McMullin, O’Connor, Stone, Derksen.

Goals: Gold Coast – Burgess 3, Sexton 3, McLaughlin 2, Rosas 2, Blakely, Day, Eckersley, Faulkhead, Fiorini, Moyle, Sharp. GWS – Stone 3, Derksen 2, McMullin 2, Peatling 2, Wardius 2, Varagiannis.

Best: Collingwood – Macrae, Ginnivan, Hustwaite, Frampton, Allan, Tardrew. Sandringham – Coffield, Byrnes, Heath, Hotton, Watson, Adams.

Goals: Collingwood – Ginnivan 2, Johnson 2, Hustwaite, Macrae, Murley, Richards, T.G. Wilson. Sandringham – Lowe 2, Allison, Gown, Heath, Keeler.

BYE: North Melbourne, Southport, Sydney.

LADDER: Gold Coast 52 (176.0%), Werribee 52 (166.7%), Brisbane Lions 50 (169.5%), Box Hill Hawks 48 (128.5%), Casey Demons 44 (135.5%), North Melbourne 40 (125.8%), Williamstown 40 (114.8%), Carlton 36 (123.1%), Footscray 36 (119.7%), Richmond 34 (98.0%), Collingwood 32 (112.9%), GWS 32 (86.2%), Geelong 26 (74.5%), Southport 24 (112.1%), Port Melbourne 20 (87.4%), Essendon 16 (83.4%), Sandringham 14 (78.5%), Frankston 12 (67.9%), Sydney 8 (64.7%), Northern Bullants 8 (42.2%), Coburg 0 (52.7%).

AFL SYDNEY – ROUND 15

Sydney University 3.3 6.5 11.8 15.12 (102)

St George 3.3 4.9 9.10 10.12 (72)

Best: Sydney University – Kozlik, Velthuis, Dimery, Barton, Cleary, Gibbs. St George – Coenen, Cabor, Gander, Jones, Maunder, Pearson.

Goals: Sydney University – Hughes 4, Gibbs 3, Dimery 2, N. Tang 2, Fitzroy, Morrison, Picken, not submitted. St George – Gander 4, Jones 2, Maher, Maunder, P. Tegg, Wharton.

North Shore 4.5 3.8 9.13 10.18 (78)

UNSW-Eastern Suburbs 1.1 3.1 3.2 7.6 (48)

Best: North Shore – Woodman, Loone, Campbell, Sam Barkley, Josh Rayner, Patrick Bolger . UNSW – Cooper Kilpatrick, Oscar Peter, William Spencer, Indhi Kirk, Hamish Matheson, Max Geddes .

Goals: North Shore – Thomas 3, Vlatko 3, Campbell, Rayner, Roach. UNSW-Eastern Suburbs – Emery 3, Rider 2, K. Kilpatrick, Morrison.

Manly-Warringah 1.2 5.5 12.7 15.14 (104)

UTS 2 .2 3.4 6.8 9.9 (63)

Best: Manly-Warringah – Babic, Wearne, Smit, Sheldrick, Youlten, Martin. UTS –Calabro, Vos, Lahy, JoLee, Hayward, Thaning.

Goals: Manly-Warringah – Sheldrick 3, Youlten 3, Field 2, Martin 2, Stubbs 2, Fraser, Gabila, Smit. UTS – Backlund, Dyson, Quail, Robertson.

Pennant Hills 5.3 9.8 12.15 16.18 (114)

East Coast 3.0 3.3 5.3 5.3 (33)

Best: Pennant Hills – Wales, Blow, Potter, Maguire, Moraitis, Wray. East Coast –Elbourne, Jones, Coxall, Brown, Poynter, Roughan.

Goals: Pennant Hills – Maguire 5, Moraitis 4, Nockles 3, Blow 2, Sparks, Wray. East Coast – Bradley, Ebeling, Fokes, Foxall, O’Connor.

BYE: Inner West.

LADDER: North Shore 52 (259.1%), Pennant Hills 40 (132.9%), Sydney University 40 (120.4%), UNSW-Eastern Suburbs 36 (167.0%), ManlyWarringah 24 (107.6%), St George 24 (86.2%), UTS 12 (51.2%), Inner West 8 (77.1%), East Coast 4 (38.7%).

Best: Glenelg – Proud, Bailey, Holder, Pink, Turner. West Adelaide – Ryan, Mattingly, Park, Stevens, Bock.

Goals: Glenelg – Reynolds 3, Bell, Hosie, McBean.

West Adelaide – Mulady 2, Delahunty, Maguire, Steele.

Best: North Adelaide – Gowers, Ramsey, McCann, Minervini, Harvey. Norwood – Rokahr, Lowe, Boyd, Nunn, Donnelly.

Goals: North Adelaide – Lockyer 2, Ramsey 2, Harvey, Spina. Norwood – Lok, Nunn, Robinson, Tranfa, Twelftree.

Best: Central District – Kendall, Iles, Little, Schiller, Cowham.

South Adelaide –Haines, Davis, O’Neill, Summerton, Skinner.

Goals: Central District – Whitelum 2, Cowham, Grace, Liddy, Munn, Schiller, Thomas. South Adelaide – Brooksby, Freitag, Gibbs, Sproule.

Best: Port Adelaide – Burgoyne, Mead, Jonas, Lord, Montgomery. Sturt – Lewis, Wilson, Voss, Battersby, Carey.

Goals: Port Adelaide – Lord 2, Moore 2, Scully 2, Szust 2, Mead, Narkle. Sturt – Hone 2, Reschke 2, Dakin, Rentsch, Slimming.

Best: Adelaide – Gollant, Strachan, Brown, Hamill, Berry. Woodville-West Torrens –Rowe, Williams, Nicholls, Rowland, Ballenden.

Goals: Adelaide – Gollant 6, Himmelberg 3, Brown 2, Wright 2, Newchurch, Sholl, Soligo, Strachan. Woodville-West Torrens – Ballenden 2, Nicholls 2, Beecken, Sladojevic.

LADDER: Glenelg 24 (59.9%), Sturt 22 (51.8%), Adelaide 20 (61.1%), Port Adelaide 16 (50.6%), North Adelaide 14 (46.8%), Central District 14 (46.7%), Woodville-West Torrens 10 (46.7%), South Adelaide 8 (43.7%), West Adelaide 6 (46.0%), Norwood 6 (43.5%).

* The SANFL only awards two points for a win, while percentage is calculated by points scored by a team divided by total points scored their matches for the season.

WAFL –ROUND15

Best: East Perth – Tedesco, Crowden, Van Diemen, Macreadie, Randall. Peel Thunder – Sears, Tregenza, Bell, Williams, Hall. Goals: East Perth – Tedesco 6, Van Diemen 2, Crowden 2, Randall

Saunders 2, Brayshaw. Peel Thunder – Tregenza

Colyer, Sturrock, Emmett.

Best: Subiaco – Schofield, Kitchin, Dewar, Giro, Clarke, Berenger. Perth – Avery, Baldwin-Wright, Ajang, Poole, Davis.

Goals: Subiaco – Schofield 4, Giro 3, Sokol 3, Borchet 2, J. Faraone 2, Tholstrup, Clarke, Morgan, Golding. Perth – Stubbs 2, Baldwin-Wright, Ajang, Davis, Hayward.

Best: West Perth – Guadagnin, Meadows, Hinder, Pegoraro, C. Lynch. Claremont –Rogers, Lewsey, Eastland, Bolton, Hardisty.

Goals: West Perth – Keitel 5, C. Lynch 2, Pegoraro 2, Meadows, Murray, Nelson, Peirce, Todd, Kernutt, Dixon, Julian. Claremont – Treacy 2, Mainwaring 2, Bolton, Eastland, Manuel, Smallwood, Minear. Swan

Best: Swan Districts – McLachlan, Watson, Lynch, Kemp, Edwards. West Coast –Clark, Trew, Deegan, Jamieson, Baker.

(80)

Goals: Swan Districts – Edwards 3, Kemp 3, Palmer 2, Clarke, Pina, Jones, Lynch. West Coast – Sumich 3, L. Edwards, Winder, Trew, Baker, Dewar, Kemp, Burke, Nitschke, Lucassen.

Bye: East Fremantle, South Fremantle.

LADDER: East Perth 44 (143.9%), Claremont 40 (127.5%), East Fremantle 36 (147.8%), Subiaco 36 (132.3%), Peel Thunder 36 (123.6%), West Perth 28 (115.5%), Swan Districts 24 (97.3%), South Fremantle 12 (98.7%), Perth 10 (66.4%), West Coast 2 (37.7%).

MAKE A SMOOTH SUBSTITUTE

OFFICIAL 2023 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON LADDER

AFL UMPIRES 2023

BOUNDARY: Jordan Andrews, Michael Baker, Michael Barlow, Simon Blight, Chris Bull, Ian Burrows, Sean Burton, Adam Coote, Patrick Cran, Damien Cusack, Brett Dalgleish, Chris Delany, Patrick Dineen, Nathan Doig, Ty Duncan, Chris Esler, Benjamin Fely, Kieran Ferguson, Daniel Field-Read, Joshua Furman, Josh Garrett, Christopher Gordon, Matthew Jenkinson, Matthew Konetschka, Drew Kowalski, Mitchell Le Fevre, Tim Lougoon, Ben MacDonald, Damien Main, Michael Marantelli, Josh Mather, Jason Moore, Sean Moylan, Nicholas Phillips, Lachlan Rayner, Adam Reardon, Jordan Russell, Michael Saunders, Sam Stagg, Nick Swanson, Shane Thiele, Matthew Tomkins, David Wood.

GOAL: Jesse Baird, Dylan Benwell, Sally Boud, Matthew Bridges, Peter Challen, Michael Craig, Matthew Dervan, Luke Edwards, Daniel Hoskin, Sam Hunter, Brodie Kenny-Bell, Callum Leonard, Matt Maclure, Taylor Mattioli, Angus McKenzie-Wills, Rhys Negerman, Steven Piperno, Simon Plumridge, David Rodan, Chelsea Roffey, Brett Rogers, Tom Sullivan, Sam Walsh, Stephen Williams, Adam Wojcik, Jason Yazdani.

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u This week we would like to take a moment to thank all our amazing NAB AFL Auskick staff and volunteers who make our wonderful program possible.

Over the weekend, we will acknowledge Peter Curwood, who has worked Auskick half-time for over 15 years.

Peter has facilitated most half-time activities at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and has had more than 50,000 Auskickers complete their half-time experience.

Thank you Peter for all your work and for helping our Auskickers play on the big stage just like their footy heroes.

Want to be involved in Auskick or give your child the best first experience with Australian Football?

Head to play.afl/Auskick today to find out more.

DOCKERS RAIN ON CATS’ PARADE

As Fremantle makes the long journey from the west to take on Geelong at GHMBA Stadium this weekend, it is timely to reflect on a poignant moment in the history of both clubs some 10 years ago.

It is almost a decade since the Cats were granted their first – and, to this day, only final – at their home fortress at Kardinia Park (they played a home final at Corio Oval in 1897).

The AFL had always drawn Geelong to play ‘home’ finals at the MCG and, on one occasion at Docklands in 2000, given the need to accommodate big supporter bases from opposing Melbourne clubs.

But after finishing second on the ladder at the end of the home and away season and having played (and lost) an elimination final to Fremantle the previous year at the MCG, the League acquiesced and granted the Cats a home qualifying final against the Dockers at Kardinia Park.

Just over 32,000 fans, mostly of the blue and white persuasion, squeezed into the Cattery, hoping to make life difficult for the few Docker supporters lucky enough to find a ticket.

But it didn’t go to script and for the second successive season, Ross Lyon’s men caused a spectacular upset.

Having gone in as the outsider, Fremantle was 20 down points early in the second quarter, before hauling itself back into the contest with a five-goal run that handed it a four-point lead at the long break.

The Dockers then held firm in a torrid second half, winning by 15 points.

The game was littered with spot fires, with several protagonists involved in behind-the-play incidents and altercations.

There was no opening bounce after Cats forward James Podsiadly was handed a free kick for high contact from Fremantle defender Zac Dawson.

The niggle continued even after the final siren, with tagger Ryan Crowley

PURPLE PRIDE: The Cats suffered a shock home qualifying final loss to Fremantle in 2013; Docker Ryan Crowley (inset) was praised his tagging job on Geelong star Steve Johnson.

exchanging words with Joel Selwood and midfielder Steve Johnson as the players were shaking hands. Crowley limited the impact of Johnson after the Cats maestro had gathered 12 possessions in the first quarter.

Midfielders Michael Barlow (32 disposals and three goals) and Nat Fyfe (25 disposals, seven clearances) and defender Lee Spurr (28 touches, 10 marks) were among the heroes for Fremantle.

2ND QUALIFYING FINAL, 2013

Fremantle 2.5 7.9 10.12 12.15 (87)

Geelong 4.6 6.11 9.13 9.18 (72)

BEST: Fremantle – Barlow, Fyfe, Spurr, Mundy, D. Pearce, Crowley. Geelong – Mackie, Bartel, Corey, Guthrie, Taylor.

GOALS: Fremantle – Barlow 3, Pavlich, 2, Hill 2, Walters, Ballantyne, Spurr, Sandilands, Mayne. Geelong – Podsiadly 3, Johnson 2, Corey, Vardy, Motlop, Duncan.

Substitutes: Chapman (Geel), Sheridan (Frem).

Umpires: M. Stevic, T. Pannell, S.McInerney.

Crowd: 32,815 at Kardinia Park.

SOARING OVER THE EAGLES

MARVEL STADIUM, JULY 22, 2023

u Charlie Curnow must be wishing he got to play against the West Coast Eagles every week after producing another masterclass to steal a big advantage in the race for the Coleman Medal last week.

There was no stopping the Blues’ superstar as he booted 10 goals to go with his nine against the same opposition at Optus Stadium earlier in the year. And the Eagles’ efforts to ground him weren’t effective

either, as this climb over the pack showed. Curnow won last year’s Coleman Medal with 64 goals but has already booted 61 this season to sit seven ahead of Adelaide’s Taylor Walker.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

PHOTO: DANIEL POCKETT/ GETTY IMAGES VIA AFL PHOTOS

theTRADeRS

PIG OF THE WEEK

DANE SWAN MEDAL

CASH COW OF THE WEEK

5 Harry Sheezel NM, DEF/FWD – 116

u We’re calling it now – Sheezel is the Cash Cow of the Year! Another Fantasy ton, comprising 28 disposals, seven marks and five tackles, saw him claim his 11th maximum five votes.

4 Will Phillips NM, MID – 94

u Tackles are worth four points in Fantasy and Phillips’ role in the midfield which saw him attend 86 per cent of North’s centre bounces and lay a whopping 11 tackles in round 19.

3 Darcy Wilmot BL, DEF/MID – 90

MICHAEL BARLOW MEDAL

u Carlton’s goalkicking star Charlie Curnow (FWD, $770,000) made the most of his favourable match-up against the Eagles. After kicking nine goals against them earlier in the year for a return of 151 points, it was no surprise to see him bag 10 from his 20 possessions and eight marks for 146 points to be the highest scorer of the round. His score was enjoyed by just six per cent of the competition and leaves him with a BE of just 51 while carrying an impressive season average of 90. The Bulldogs’ forwards showed no interest in stopping Essendon’s defenders chipping the ball around down back and Jayden Laverde (DEF, $567,000) took full advantage of that, racking up his first ton for the year after taking 15 marks on his way to 138. He was followed by some more familiar faces, headlined

Warnie

by St Kilda captain Jack Steele (MID, $878,000) who looks back to his best with 133 to give him a three-round average of 128, while Blues star Sam Docherty (DEF/MID, $924,000) tallied 29 possessions, seven marks and eight tackles for 130. Rounding out the top five was popular vice-captain Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1.05M) who scored his 11th hundred on the trot with 128 from 29 possessions, 11 marks and two goals.

TOP ROUND 19 SCORERS

u Adding another $20K to his value last week, Wilmot is now priced at $580,000 and continues to be a solid bench guy for seven per cent of coaches making him an emergency last week.

2 Kade Chandler MELB, FWD – 83

u It has been a few weeks since Chandler polled any votes for the Michael Barlow Medal, but he snagged a couple in his return to the Melbourne line-up with a three-goal effort.

1 Anthony Caminiti STK, FWD – 76

u Bulk time-on-ground helped Caminiti fill his stat line with 13 disposals, six marks, seven tackles and even two hit-outs. The highlight of his game was a long goal in the last quarter.

WARNE DAWGS ROUND 19 2385 pts

This is the last round before finals start for default leagues. The top eight teams will compete in a finals series that mirrors the AFL’s. The top four teams will get a double chance, while teams ranked fifthto-eighth will face elimination across the round 21 games!

Roy DESTROY ROUND 19 2340 pts

It was very disappointing to see young Lions star go down with a season-ending knee injury, as he will be a familiar face in our Fantasy teams for years to come. As far as trade options go, I will look to offload him George Hewett as a value play.

Calvin CALVINATOR ROUND 19 2397 pts

This is one of the toughest weekends I have had for picking captains. I’ve ranked Marcus Bontempelli my No. 1 man. He’s a super-reliable option who has had just one score below 110 since round seven. Hopefully a big score in Ballarat will be doubled!

LEADERBOARD: 67 – Harry Sheezel; 42 – Will Ashcroft; 14 – Angus Sheldrick, Will Phillips; 13 – Matthew Johnson; 12 – Kade Chandler; 11 – Reuben Ginbey; 9 – Alex Cincotta, Ollie Hollands, Dylan Williams, Seamus Mitchell, Darcy Wilmot; 8 – Bailey Humphrey, Josh Weddle; 7 – Cam Mackenzie.

THE TRADERS’ FANTASY CLASSIC STOCK MARKET

STOCKS UP

It took coaches just one week of watching Lions star Josh Dunkley (FWD/ MID, $960,000), who turned it up a notch after half-time to show he has no lingering effects from a calf injury after collecting 27 possessions, taking five marks and laying eight tackles for a score of 112 to become one of the most popular premium trade targets. Technically, if saving money was a priority, it would be worth waiting a week given his BE of 141 but considering the difficulty of finding a point of difference to the top 1000 coaches, I tick off paying up this week. After a disappointing start to the season where Jack Steele (MID, $878,000) was obviously hampered by injury and looking a shadow of his former self, he is back! And rightfully he’s a popular trade target. The Saints skipper was everywhere against the Roos, collecting 33 possessions, taking nine marks, laying four tackles and kicking a goal for 133 which gives him a BE of just 69 leading into another favourable match-up with the Hawks. We are finally seeing why Sam Flanders (FWD/MID, $681,000) was such a talking point in the pre-season. After earning a spot in the Suns’ team in round 15, he hasn’t looked back, averaging 98 in that time including four hundreds and back-to-back returns of 120 and 110. He is playing predominantly in the midfield as we saw against the Giants with 18 CBAs and he has a BE of just 38 to reinforce his value.

STOCKS DOWN

It’s an all too familiar pattern with injuries forcing the hand of coaches at the trade table. Popular youngsters Sam Walsh (MID, $729,000) and Will Ashcroft (MID, $722,000) are two of the most traded out players this week after succumbing to injuries that will keep them sidelined and therefore need to be moved on. Another popular player who is in the barrel is versatile Crow Ben Keays (FWD/ MID, $784,000). In his match-up with the Demons, Keays failed to attend a CBA in the first half and his scoring reflected that with just 21 points in that time, before recovering in the second half, attending eight CBAs and ending up with a respectable 82. The inconsistency based on his role is what has coaches pulling the trade trigger given his BE is now out to 112 and he has a tough match-up this week against the Power. For those coaches that were hoping Bomber Ben Hobbs (FWD/MID, $648,000) would bounce back to his best despite the obvious drop off with Darcy Parish back in the side, they have come to the realisation that won’t happen following his 43-point performance against the Dogs that leaves him with a BE of 118. Plenty of fattened cash cows sit among the most traded out players with Matthew Johnson (MID, $520,000), Angus Sheldrick (FWD/MID, $516,000) and Campbell Chesser (DEF/MID, $380,000) all playing their parts in upgrade trades.

1

HEALTHY BODY

The importance of exercise in our daily lives in order to maintain a strong and healthy body. Participants will partake in a range of group cardio fitness activities and challenges.

2 HEALTHY FOOD

To keep our body and mind healthy, we need to fuel ourselves with a range of nutritious and delicious foods. Participants’ knowledge will be challenged in multiple food activities that will test andproblem-solvingtheirskills understanding of food.

HEALTHY TEAM

Theimportanceofworking together,supportingone anotheranddeveloping relationships.Participants willplayarangeof team-buildinggames, with the inclusionofcompetitions andchallenges.

4 HEALTHYMIND needTotrulybehealthy,wetocareforourmind justasmuchasourbody. ParticipantswilllearnBox tacticsBreathingstrategiesand tohelpregulatetheiremotions.

To be truly healthy, we need to care for our mind just as much as our body. Maintaining a healthy mind is about keeping it active, continuing to develop new skills and also learning strategies to regulate emotions. Being able to regulate emotions helps with all different parts of life. Be it playing with friends or family or lining up to kick the winning goal in a game of footy, life will be more enjoyable if you can regulate your emotions, stay calm and keep a healthy mind.

KICKING HEALTHY GOALS FOR KIDS

The Coles Healthy Kicks program is a fun and entertaining health and fitness program designed specifically to encourage Australian children aged six to 12 to embrace healthy eating, mindfulness and exercise.

Starting in 2020, Coles Healthy Kicks is in its fourth year engaging with kids through fun fitness, healthy food education and engaging games and is delivered during the school holidays at vacation care centres and schools nationwide.

Coles and the AFL have partnered with a number of superstar AFL and AFLW Ambassadors to bring the Coles Healthy Kicks program to life, including Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield, Carlton’s Patrick Cripps, Essendon’s Madi Prespakis, St Kilda’s Steph Chiocci, Collingwood’s Sabrina Frederick and the Brisbane Lions’ Josh Dunkley and Ruby Svarc.

Svarc was snapped up by the Lions with pick No. 38 in the 2020 NAB AFLW Draft after impressing with her speed and ability to take on the game. With an athletic disposition best suited to the wing, Svarc grabbed her opportunity in 2022 playing 10 matches including the NAB AFLW Season 7 Grand Final loss to Melbourne.

She also works for Coles as a Product Developer and has a strong commitment to health and wellness, which makes her the perfect Ambassador for Coles Healthy Kicks.

What did you do as a kid to stay active?

u I grew up on a rural property with four other siblings, so we were always outside playing games, riding our bikes, climbing trees and helping out on the farm. We also played different sports such as netball, swimming and tennis.

What healthy foods did you love as a kid?

u Fruit. I loved fruit, especially the fresh ones on the farm in the summer time like peaches, nectarines and plums.

What is your favourite healthy food now?

u I have a massive love for avocado. It is absolutely delicious and so versatile.

Why is it important for kids to be part of a team?

u Team environments create vital opportunities for kids to have fun while also developing important life skills such as communication, problem solving, teamwork and resilience.

What’s your favourite memory of being part of a team as a kid?

u Every Saturday in winter, playing netball with my friends. The sports carnivals at school were always so much fun with my friends.

Do you do any mindfulness or breathing activities?

u I practise mindfulness every single day by being in the present. If I find myself worrying over anything

that may have happened or might happen, I try to bring myself back to the present moment.

What and how do they help?

u A good activity I find useful is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. Five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. Using your senses will help to bring your mind back into focus with your body and the world around you and, in doing so, can help to calm and reduce anxious thoughts.

Why do you think the Coles Healthy Kicks program is so important for kids?

u The Coles Healthy Kicks program is solely designed to encourage kids to eat healthier, be more active and develop a healthy mind through team activities and games. It’s such an engaging way to learn while having fun with others.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY: Lions star Ruby Svarc is a strong supporter of healthy life styles for kids.

Can you unscramble these letters to reveal the AFL players’ names?

MAUCLL HA EHCE IYLEBA OSCTT

ABGIO UNYNO YELRI LHTTOPHERI

WORD FIND

Can you find the surnames of these current nature players?

Blake Acres

Lachlan Bramble

Bradley Hill

Nakia Cockatoo

Darcy Gardiner

Sam Frost Bailey Dale Josh Goater

Toby Greene Trent Rivers Paul Seedsman

Wood

Robbie Fox

Conor Stone

Tom Sparrow

Jarryd Lyons Thomas Berry

TNKPPSHESTCXGVWAYL CYNMEPCOPWLFESTONE PKLHILLIARENIDRAGC ZYEYJYHRRKBXLFEXKO CSIGOATERJORGNRFCC FHWNSXGROAJRAACOUK VRSEECISWSEKGMCPSA VQRHYVYRREBGISBJOT FCOWENFJNWOODDRLWO AUERVQIENFCIVEQTEO TRSXIFBXAGOYLEWAZO ELADCTWUBDDXDSUAGU

FACE OFF

Can you name the Eagles and Roos players who make up these two faces?

CENTRE CLEARANCE GOAL

Your team is five points down with 10 seconds remaining. Your team needs a goal from the centre bounce to win the game. Can you help them?

DESIGN YOUR OWN FOOTY JUMPER and BAAAAALLLL!

Daily meditation for 8 weeks increases grey matter density in the hippocampus (learning and memory). Meanwhile, the amygdala (stress and anxiety) sees a decrease

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE TO

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: The blue stripes on Kangaroo Darcy Tucker’s guernsey have changed to pink; the CIIC logo on Saint Mattaes Phillipou’s guernsey have

changed to CMC; North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel has lost a finger while tackling Phillipou; Kangaroo Paul Curtis has lost the Puma logo from the top of his guernsey; the Mazda logo on Curtis’ guernsey is upside down.

ANSWER MAN with LACHLAN

Greater City Geelong and Borough of Queenscliff have had a rich history of producing footballers for the competition. Who are the greatest players to have come out of those two districts?

LINDSAY CLIFFS, OCEAN GROVE, VIC

LE: Combined, both districts have produced more than 700 players since 1897 and before that in the VFA. Nearly all those players have played for Geelong including some famous family names. Some of the earliest stars of the competition were recruited from the two districts – Teddy Rankin (Riversdale), Harry and Jim McShane (Marylebone) and Bill and Alec Eason (Barwon). Jim McShane became the first player in AFL/VFL history to kick 10-plus goals in game back in round 17, 1899. Bill ‘Bunny’ Eason was a classy centreman who also became the first Cat to reach 200 career

games in the VFL. The inaugural Brownlow medallist, Edward ‘Carji’ Greeves, was from Geelong College. He was a superstar as a centreman and had perfect skill level in the air and on the ground. Greeves won two premierships (1925, 1931) and was runner-up in the Brownlow Medal on three occasions – 1925, 1926 and 1928. Geelong’s best and fairest is named after him. In more recent years, these two districts have produced some of the best players in the competition. Matthew Scarlett was a six-time AllAustralian and triple premiership player, Cameron Ling was also a three-time premiership player (one as captain), Jimmy Bartel was a Brownlow medallist, Norm Smith medallist and a three-time premiership player. Current players such as Carlton stars Charlie Curnow and Sam Walsh and Geelong vice-captain Tom Stewart are also making their mark.

GREATER CITY GEELONG & BOROUGH OF QUEENSCLIFF BEST TEAM OF ALL TIME

BACKS

Ian Nankervis Matthew Scarlett Tom Stewart ( Barwon) (St Joseph’s) (South Barwon)

G eelong Geelong

HALF-BACKS

M ichael Mansfield G eorge Todd

ROUND 20, 2022

u In another drama-filled round, Richmond pulled off a stunning upset, coming from 42 points behind in the second quarter to down the Brisbane Lions at the MCG. After the Lions kicked the first six goals, the Tigers steadied in Shane Edwards’ 300th game, with big forward Tom Lynch booting the sealer in the final minute. Tiger rookie Noah Cumberland kicked five goals. In the other major milestone game, Geelong also rallied after a poor start to defeat the Western Bulldogs by 28 points at GMHBA Stadium.

G eelong

B en Graham (St Joseph’s) (Queenscliff) ( Leopold)

G eelong/Carlton Geelong

CENTRES

G eelong

L eo Turner ( West St Peters) (Geelong College) ( Belmont)

P eter Riccardi ‘Carji’ Greeves

G eelong Geelong G eelong

HALF-FORWARDS

Lloyd Hagger C harlie Curnow Ji mmy Bartel ( Barwon) (Geelong College) ( Bell Park)

G eelong Carlton G eelong

FORWARDS

C liff Rankin L arry Donohue P ercy Martini (Chilwell) (Thomson) ( Marylebone)

G eelong Geelong

FOLLOWER S

G eelong/Richmond

J ohn ‘Sam’ Newman B ill Goggin D avid Clarke (Geelong Grammar) ( North Geelong) (Geelong College)

G eelong Geelong

INTERCHANGE

CAN YOU ASSIST?

G eelong/Carlton

Ken Hands Bill Eason C ameron Ling A ndrew Bews ( North Geelong) ( Barwon) (St Joseph’s) ( North Geelong)

C arlton G eelong G eelong

SUB

S am Walsh (St Joseph’s) Carlton

G eelong/Brisbane

UNL UCKY TO MISS: Terry Bright, Bruce Nankervis, Barry Stoneham, Russell Renfrey, Paul Sarah, Teddy Rankin, Les Hardiman, Peter Hardiman, Les Armstrong, Taylor Adams, Alec Eason, Joe Slater, Dick Grigg

u Nathan Foley was a star midfielder who played 154 games and kicked 44 goals for Richmond from 2005-14. His grandfather Jack Keane played one game for the Bulldogs in 1935.

If you know of other examples of relatively recent AFL players who have ancestors with a different surname who also played in the equivalent competition, please contact col.hutchinson@afl.com.au.

Patrick Dangerfield (26 disposals and seven clearances) starred in Joel Selwood’s 350th game. Melbourne put a serious dent in Fremantle’s top-four hopes with an emphatic 46-point win at Optus Stadium. Midfielder Jack Viney (16 contested possessions and four clearances) led the way for the Demons. Collingwood made it 10 wins in a row in another close scrap, downing Port Adelaide by six points. Adelaide upset Carlton at home, casting some doubt over the Blues’ finals hopes. In the other games, St Kilda, Sydney, Gold Coast and Essendon all won as expected.

MEDAL MAN: Former Cats star Jimmy Bartel is high on the list of AFL/VFL players recruited from Greater City Geelong

AFL

1

Who had 36 disposals in the Essendon v Western Bulldogs game last Friday night?

A Marcus Bontempelli

B Tom Liberatore C Darcy Parish

D Z ach Merrett

2

3

4

5

Which crucial player suffered a quad injury during that game?

A Aaron Naughton B Jack Macrae

C D yson Heppell D Jordan Ridley

How much did Hawthorn lead Richmond by before the Tigers rattled home to pinch the win?

A 56 B 46 C 36 D 26

Who kicked the winning goal for the Tigers?

A Liam Baker B Jack Riewoldt

C D ustin Martin D Shai Bolton

How many goals did Charlie Curnow kick in Carlton’s win over West Coast?

A 7 B 8 C 9 D 10

Wereyou payingattention?

6

7

How many quarters did Carlton win in that game?

A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4

Who kicked a crucial goal in the 18th minute of the last quarter to halt Geelong’s comeback against Brisbane Lions?

A Eric Hipwood B Joe Daniher

C C allum Ah Chee D Charlie Cameron

8

Not once, but twice. Who kicked two late clutch goals for Collingwood to beat Port Adelaide?

A Jamie Elliott B Mason Cox

C S teele Sidebottom D Nick Daicos

9

How many times has Collingwood won in its past 16 games when trailing at three-quarter time?

A 10 B 12 C 14 D 16

Blastfrom thepast

WITH LACHLAN ESSING

Name: Andrew Raines

Games: 129 (Rich 56, BL 67, GCS 6)

Goals: 17 (Rich 1, BL 14, GCS 2)

Club span: Rich 2nd best and fairest 2006; BL pre-season premiership 2013.

Player honours: 3rd best and fairest 1980; captain 1978.

Fremantle had six of the top seven ball-winners in its loss to Sydney. Who was the sole Swan?

A Luke Parker B Errol Gulden

C J ames Rowbottom D Callum Mills

When was the last time GWS was in the top eight before its victory over Gold Coast?

A Round one B Round four

C Round seven D Round 10

How many games have the Giants now won in a row?

A 4 B 5 C 6 D 7 13

Who kicked three goals in the last quarter of the Melbourne v Adelaide match?

A Kysaiah Pickett B Taylor Walker

C K ade Chandler D Izak Rankine 14

15

North Melbourne led St Kilda by how many points during the third quarter?

A 29 B 24 C 19 D 14

Who kicked the game-sealing last goal for the Saints at the death?

A M ason Wood B Mitch Owens

C A nthony Caminiti D Jack Higgins

whoamI?

6pts: Born in 1976, I was adopted and brought to Australia when I was three.

5pts: After growing up in Western Australia, I was a member of Fremantle’s inaugural AFL squad in 1995 but played only two games before being delisted.

4pts: Picked up again in the 1996 Pre-Season Draft, I went on to become a dual premiership player, All-Australian and best and fairest winner in five seasons and 123 games for North Melbourne.

3pts: I returned to the Dockers in 2001, playing 161 games across eight years, including five seasons as captain.

2pts: I won three more best and fairests, another All-Australian and was named on the club’s ‘Best 25 Since 1995’ list.

1pt: After four years as AFL Players Association president during my career, I have now been the football general manager at Fremantle since 2018.

Recruited from Southport, Raines played 129 games across his career with Richmond, the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast. Started as a half-back flanker before eventually moving into the midfield to become a tagger and midfielder. Knee and thigh injuries plagued most of Raines’ career and he retired in 2015. Raines is the son of former Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Brisbane star Geoff Raines.

Who Am I?: Peter Bell