AFL Record Round 24, 2023

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ONE WEEK TIME

from in and around the AFL

FINALS FEAR OVER BAD CALL

The reverberations will be felt for some time in the aftermath of ‘the goal that wasn’t’ at Adelaide Oval last Saturday.

It will likely lead to a complete overhaul of the technology and the process behind score reviews.

It will all be too late for Adelaide, of course.

The brilliant, angular set shot from Ben Keays with 70 seconds remaining was clearly a goal, but was instead ruled as a behind, preserving a one-point win for the Sydney Swans.

It meant the Crows were eliminated from the finals race and Saturday night’s clash with West Coast will be for pride only.

But the effects of the non-call were far reaching and took some of the gloss off a final round of the home and away season that was shaping up as an epic, with several ‘win and in’ games on the schedule.

The Swans sealed their finals berth with the win, while St Kilda booked its first finals appearance in three years as well.

Their games this weekend will be all about positioning.

Who they play and, more to the point, where they play, which will be the case for six of the nine games.

Essendon was all-but eliminated from finals contention after an insipid 126-point loss to the GWS Giants.

The Bombers need a massive win over Collingwood on Friday night and equally large losses by the

Western Bulldogs and the Giants to somehow sneak into the finals.

Neither will happen.

The Magpies have lost three of their past four games and some alarming trends have emerged, especially defensively without skipper Darcy Moore.

Coach Craig McRae sounded concerned enough with what he saw against the Brisbane Lions last Friday to suggest the Bombers clash will be a full finals dress rehearsal, even with some key personnel out.

u A s we approach the final round of the home and away season, it’s hard to know which way to look.

A peek backwards to the penultimate round produced some of the biggest stories of the season.

In no particular order there was a goal umpiring controversy, three champions of the game farewelled – one of whom unfortunately ended up in

hospital later that night – and several teams bowing out of the finals race, including last year’s premier Geelong.

A few days later to the surprise of no one, Richmond triple premiership coach Damien Hardwick was unveiled as the next coach of the Gold Coast Suns.

Which is all leading into the last round where only one team – the ninth-placed Western

LUCKY, BUT WELL-EARNED: Isaac Heeney celebrates after Sydney held on for a controversial one-point victory over Adelaide to secure a finals berth after being 15th on the ladder just six weeks ago.

The Lions are now equal second and looked irresistible in knocking over the Magpies by four goals.

They’re unbeaten at home, and should that streak continue against St Kilda late Saturday afternoon, they’ll lock in two home finals.

But they will be tested by the Saints, who have been excellent over the past month, with their 33-point win over Geelong last week their best of the year.

Ross Lyon has them peaking at the right time.

If they can cause an upset, they’ll earn a home final, unthinkable back in March when they were widely touted as a bottom-six club.

The Western Bulldogs have some work to do.

They chose last weekend to dish up their worst performance of the year, a seven-point loss to West Coast at Marvel Stadium.

Bulldogs – can force their way into the eight.

But after shooting themselves in the foot against bottom team West Coast last Sunday, you wonder if the Bulldogs are really going to cut it in September.

Not so Carlton and St Kilda, who return to finals action, the Blues long overdue after last appearing in 2013, and the Saints after a successful season under a rejuvenated Ross Lyon.

The Sydney Swans might have been a tad lucky last week, but given the mental scars they carried into 2023 from last year’s Grand Final, it has been a superb effort to make the eight.

Ditto their Sydney rivals GWS Giants, which are not quite secure but on form would be deserving finalists.

Finally, look for the cost-free AFLW Record Season Guide late next week on sen.com.au.

News

ASHLEY BROWNE

I have spoken to the goal umpire and he is taking personal accountability for that mistake

AFL CEO GILLON McLACHLAN EXPLAINING LAST WEEK’S GOAL UMPIRING ERROR AT ADELAIDE OVAL

To qualify for a finals appearance, which many would argue they don’t deserve, they need to beat Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night and have the Giants lose to Carlton the following evening.

The Bulldogs have dropped 11 games against the Cats at Geelong since last saluting in 2003.

But they might get some help nonetheless with the Cats – who have missed the finals for just the second time under Chris Scott –strongly considering selecting a developmental team and putting several big names in for early surgery.

Sunday’s triple-header will help shape the first week of the finals.

Port Adelaide will know whether second spot is available by the time it steps on to Adelaide Oval to play Richmond, which will be without retired heroes Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt.

Ross Lyon has them (St Kilda) peaking at the right time

The Tigers might not have much left in the tank after feting the pair with Grand Final-like celebrations before and after last week’s game.

Sydney and Melbourne then clash at the SCG.

The Swans have made the finals after winning six successive games and climbing from 15th on the ladder.

They have ridden their luck this year, winning one game against North Melbourne due to an interchange infringement and another through a goal umpiring error, but if they beat the Demons, they could host a final at the SCG.

Melbourne took some time to shake off the pesky Hawks last weekend and may face a dilemma heading into this one.

Depending on how the Magpies, Lions and Power perform, the Demons could move up the ladder, but their preferred option would be

AFL Rising Star

Matthew Johnson has joined Jye Amiss as the second Fremantle player to receive a Rising Star nomination this season.

He earned the round 23 nod after 19 disposals (12 kicks and seven handballs) at 89 per cent disposal efficiency in the 16-point loss to Port Adelaide last Sunday.

Through 17 games this year, the 193cm midfielder has averaged 13.9 disposals, 3.2 marks and 1.9 clearances and has already demonstrated enough promise for the Dockers to recontract him through until the end of 2026.

He made his debut in round three and has played every game since except for a two-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko in round seven.

Johnson played with North Beach Junior Football Club and Subiaco before he was drafted by Fremantle with the 21st selection at last year’s NAB AFL Draft.

ASHLEY BROWNE

to ensure they meet Collingwood in a qualifying final at the neutral MCG rather than travelling to Brisbane or Adelaide.

Carlton and GWS play the 207th and last game of the home and away season at 6.10pm Sunday.

It will be a night of celebration for the Blues at Marvel Stadium, with their first finals appearance since 2013 confirmed after their comeback win over the Suns.

The importance of this game will be determined well before the opening bounce.

A win to the Bulldogs the night before makes it a ‘live’ contest; the Giants must then win to play finals.

If the Bulldogs lose, it could be a bruise-free encounter resembling a pre-season game, because there is every chance they could meet a fortnight later, this time in an elimination final.

2023 AFL

ROUND 2021 NAB AFL RISING STAR NOMINEES R1 HARRY SHEEZEL NM R2 WILL ASHCROFT BL R3 REUBEN GINBEY WCE R4 MITCH OWENS STK R5 MAX MICHALANNEY ADEL R6 JAI CULLEY WCE R7 FINN CALLAGHAN GWS R8 MATTAES PHILLIPOU STK R9 BAILEY HUMPHREY GC S R10 JOSH WEDDLE HAW R11 J YE AMISS FREM R12 JACOB VAN ROOYEN MELB R13 GEORGE WARDLAW NM R14 DARCY WILMOT BL R15 ANGUS SHELDRICK SY D R16 LUKE PEDLAR ADEL R17 SEAMUS MITCHELL HAW R18 JUDD McVEE MELB R19 JASPA FLETCHER BL R 20 MAC ANDREW GCS R21 OLLIE HOLLANDS CARL R22 ELIJAH HEWETT WCE R23 MATTHEW JOHNSON FREM

ERIC HIPWOOD BRISBANE LIONS

CAVALADE OF STARS BOW OUT

DARCY PARISH ESSENDON

100 GAMES

JACK BOWES

GEELONG/GOLD COAST

JOSH DAICOS

COLLINGWOOD

REILLY O’BRIEN ADELAIDE

200 GAMES AS TEAMMATES

RORY SLOANE & TAYLOR WALKER ADELAIDE

ANDREW GAFF & JAMIE CRIPPS

WEST COAST

As the final round of the home and away season is played out this weekend, the careers of some of the game’s biggest names will be honoured across the nation.

Football has a special capacity to be able to send off important club figures, in a similar vein to the scenes at the MCG last Saturday as Richmond pair Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt and North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell bid a fitting farewell in front of nearly 60,000 fans.

Out west, a trio of heroes will be honoured in West Coast’s final home game of the season against Adelaide on Saturday night.

Nic Naitanui and Luke Shuey will be celebrated in front of what’s expected to be a sold-out Optus Stadium despite injury bringing a premature end to their careers, while 2018 premiership captain Shannon Hurn will play one final game before bowing out.

Further east, Lance Franklin will make a return to the SCG for a lap of honour after injury saw him announce his retirement last month.

Franklin’s presence should energise the crowd ahead of the Swans’ important clash against Melbourne.

At GMHBA Stadium, the curtain will come down on the glittering career of Geelong and former Hawthorn premiership star Isaac Smith, who will also play his final game given the Cats are now out of premiership race and their 2022 flag defence is over.

It was also a week where much-loved Port Adelaide skipper Tom Jonas announced his retirement at the end of the season, but there’s no guarantees he’ll be selected for the finals as competition for spots in Ken Hinkley’s side tightens.

Phil Davis – one of the defining inaugural figures at the GWS Giants and a former co-captain – also hung

up the boots, while the Western Bulldogs’ Josh Bruce, Geelong’s Jonathon Ceglar and Sydney’s Tom Hickey all announced the end of their careers.

Like Jonas, Hickey is still playing in finals and potentially for premiership glory.

There should be emotional scenes across the country this weekend as some of the game’s greatest say goodbye to their adoring fans.

LAURENCE ROSEN

TRENT COTCHIN JACK RIEWOLDT JACK ZIEBELL NIC NAITANUI

TOM JONAS

ISAAC SMITH

SHANNON HURN

LUKE SHUEY

PHIL DAVIS JOSH BRUCE JONATHON CEGLAR

TOM HICKEY

LANCE FRANKLIN

SUNS WELCOME ‘EXCITED’ HARDWICK

The glint in his eyes suggested excitement. His words were those of ambition.

It was hard not to feel a bit giddy as Damien Hardwick confirmed football’s worst-kept secret last Monday that he will coach Gold Coast for the next six seasons.

About the only surprise when he fronted his new players and the media was the length of the deal.

He expected five years, but the Suns chucked in one more for good measure.

But in that time he expects to rid the club of the mediocrity that has marked every year of its existence since it joined the AFL in 2011.

The Suns have never played finals and have yet to finish higher than 12th.

“I’m very, very, very excited. I likened it to waking up on Christmas Day and walking out to a set of brand new toys,” he said while gazing in the direction of a playing list brimming with young talent.

“I’m very much looking forward to coaching you young men and taking us to where we need to go.

“And that’s to raise our first premiership cup, which I’m pretty sure will be in the not-too-distant future.”

Hardwick joined the Suns three months after his abrupt departure from Richmond, which

was sparked by his belief that he could no longer wring anything further from that group of players, several of whom played under him for more than a decade and won three premierships.

But he clarified that it was his time at Tigerland that was up – not his aspirations to keep coaching.

“The fact of the matter is I’ve been in that organisation for 13 years and given everything to that group of players and the fact of the matter is they need a new voice,” he said.

“I still love coaching and it will always be in my blood.

“I’m a career coach and the fact of the matter is I’ve got a great bunch of players now that I’m very much looking forward to.”

Hardwick has spent most of the past few months travelling and was wooed by Suns chairman Bob East and chief executive Mark Evans when they headed to Milan for a series of meetings.

East explained why it was important to meet Hardwick in person.

“What we really wanted to do was reaffirm that he was ready to go and that became incredibly clear over the number of discussions and catch-ups we had,” he said.

Added Hardwick: “That’s when I started to say, listen, I think this is the club for me.”

DAMIEN HARDWICK

Born: August 18, 1972

Playing record: 207 games, 14 goals (Essendon 1994-2001: 153 games, 13 goals; Port Adelaide 2002-04: 54 games, 1 goal)

Premierships: 2000 (Essendon), 2004 (Port Adelaide)

Coaching record: 307 games (170 wins, 6 draws, 131 losses)

Premierships: 2017, 2019, 2020

There is a degree of awkwardness for Hardwick given he is replacing Stuart Dew, his premiership teammate at Port Adelaide in 2004, and he said he would reach out to his friend at some stage.

Hardwick estimated he already has 80 per cent of the club’s first premiership team on the list and promised a game-plan that players and supporters would enjoy, borrowing elements of Richmond, Collingwood and GWS in particular.

“These guys are really, really capable and diligent of playing that style and it’s going to be exciting,” Hardwick said.

“They’re going to love to play it and I think we’ve got the quality of people in the room that can deliver that game-plan.”

Hardwick already has strong relationships with football manager Wayne Campbell and list manager Craig Cameron from his time at Punt Rd.

And he will make minimal changes to the coaching staff.

Interim senior coach Steven King will remain with the club.

Hardwick will not travel with the team to Hobart for the season finale against North Melbourne on Saturday, but will formally start his role next week, taking part in exit interviews and list management meetings.

ASHLEY BROWNE

HE’S OUR MAN: New Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick with Suns chief executive Mark Evans (left) and chairman Bob East at last Monday’s announcement

u FACT FILE

I still love coaching and it will always be in my blood

NEW GOLD COAST COACH

DAMIEN HARDWICK

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NEW ERA BECKONS FOR AFLW

The 2023 season feels like a new era for AFLW, coming out of a growth spurt in 2022.

The League compacted two seasons back-to-back into 2022 to get an 18-team competition started and, as expected, the established teams dominated.

Season 6 was won by Adelaide, a send-off for Erin Phillips before she became the face of Port Adelaide.

Season 7 saw Melbourne finally winning the flag and sending Daisy Pearce off into the sunset with a well-deserved premiership.

Across the two home and away seasons, Adelaide went 17-3, the Brisbane Lions 17-3 and Melbourne 18-2.

West Coast won only three games and St Kilda just five. Carlton and Fremantle both fell sharply in Season 7 following the expansion to 18 teams.

Essendon was the pick of the expansion bunch in its first year thanks to the recruitment of big names such as Madi Prespakis, Bonnie Toogood and Georgia Gee.

Hawthorn went 3-7, Port Adelaide 1-8 and the Sydney Swans 0-10. However, all three enter 2023 reinforced by star signings.

The Swans have brought in Chloe Molloy (ex-Collingwood) and Lucy McEvoy (Carlton), the Hawks landed Emily Bates and Greta Bodey from the Lions and Port Adelaide gained Ashleigh Woodland (Adelaide) and Janelle Cuthbertson (Fremantle).

The end of 2022 also saw the retirement of several stars of the competition, including Jess Duffin, Kara Antonio, Tanya Hetherington, Courtney Wakefield, Kate McCarthy, Marijana Rajcic, Dayna Cox, Maddy McMahon, Alison Downie, Elise O’Dea, Cora Staunton and, of course, Pearce.

The 2023 season will also see the return of the September start time, confirming the League’s move away from summer.

While this will be a welcome change for the players, it does mean competing with the AFL finals series for eyeballs.

The Lions and the Demons enter as equal flag favourites given they

played off in an epic Grand Final last season.

Can the Crows return to their dominant best despite losing key players, or is their era of dominance over?

Collingwood, which has made the finals three years in a row, lost Steph Chiocci (St Kilda), Jordan Membrey (Gold Coast) and Jaimee Lambert (St Kilda), gaining Tarni White (St Kilda) and Nell Morris-Dalton (Bulldogs).

North Melbourne gained veteran key forward Kate Shierlaw (St Kilda) – could she be the final piece of the premiership puzzle for a veteran team that has been in the mix?

ROUND 1

Friday, September 1

Melbourne v Collingwood Ikon Park (Vic), 7.20pm

Saturday, September 2

Carlton v Gold Coast Suns

Ikon Park (Vic), 1.05pm

Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide Norwood Oval (SA), 2.35pm

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

GMHBA Stadium (Vic), 5.05pm

Hawthorn v Essendon Kinetic Stadium (Vic), 7.15pm

DAY TO REMEMBER:

Daisy Pearce after Melbourne won the 2022 Season 7 Grand Final in her last game before retirement.

Sunday, September 3

North Melbourne v St Kilda

Blundstone Arena (Tas), 1.05pm

Sydney Swans v GWS Giants

North Sydney Oval (NSW), 3.05pm

Brisbane Lions v Richmond Brighton Homes Arena (Qld), 3.05pm

Fremantle v West Coast Eagles

Fremantle Oval (WA), 3.05pm

Richmond was the big riser of Season 7, climbing all the way to fourth, and the Tigers were busy in the trade period with the addition of Caitlin Greiser (St Kilda), Molly Eastman (Sydney Swans) and Courtney Jones (Gold Coast).

At the other end of the ladder, it’s hard to see expansion teams Sydney or Hawthorn making huge inroads given their young lists.

Carlton, West Coast and GWS are also expected to continue down their rebuilding paths.

The season officially starts on September 1, with the biggest prizemoney pool the League has ever seen, rising from $623,922 to $1.1m.

NIC NEGREPONTIS

MAKE A SMOOTH SUBSTITUTE

SEE YOU IN THEN NOW

THEN NOW

The post-mortems are underway at the clubs destined not to take part in this year’s finals. For Hawthorn and North Melbourne, it has become a depressing annual ritual. The same for Gold Coast, although with triple premiership coach Damien Hardwick now at the helm, this is a thrilling new adventure. But for Geelong, these are uncharted waters. The Cats are normally fine-tuning their premiership assault in late August, not determining their first order of business as they look towards 2024.

ASHLEY BROWNE

ESSENDON

Don’t blow the joint up, but …

u Work out how a team that was in sixth place after 15 games with wins over Carlton, GWS Giants and Melbourne on its resume can lose to GWS by 126 points in the second last game of the season, with a finals berth still in its grasp.

If it is fitness-related, then look at that. Coach Brad Scott was flagging as early as round 15 that his team was looking tired.

But the Bombers have crumbled at both ends of the ground the longer the season has progressed and their ball movement has become predictable and easy to defend.

There are no major issues at Essendon, but plenty that needs tweaking. In Brad Scott they should trust.

GEELONG

Time for some introspection

u Geelong social media was interesting in the aftermath of the loss to the Saints last Saturday night that consigned the Cats to just their second free September since Chris Scott became coach in 2011. Fans seemed divided between the ‘it’s just one bad year; we’re Geelong and we go again’ camp and those who believe there needs to be a searching overview of what went wrong this year and perhaps a hard reset of the list with a view to getting younger. The Cats were hobbled by injury for most of the year.

The Cats are likely to go down the former route. They’re not one for major rebuilds at GMHBA Stadium, but their master list managers, Andrew Mackie and Stephen Wells, might need to get creative with a draft hand that so far has a pick in the top 10 and then nothing until the 80s.

FLAT CATS: Patrick Dangerfield and Geelong might have to push the reset button in 2024.

TWEAKING: Brad Scott will be looking at why the Bombers faded so badly in the second half of 2023.

ADELAIDE Harness the disappointment

u Read any of the great football histories and they are full of tales of redemption, of how the bitter disappointment of the season before has fuelled clubs to glory.

The botched goal umpiring decision at the end against the Swans last week put paid to any hopes the Crows had of playing finals footy this year.

But it can be the single largest motivator for the Crows as they get down to business again.

Adelaide seems reasonably well-stocked from a list perspective – having coped well with a raft of season-ending defensive injuries – and is loaded with weapons forward of the ball.

They’ve lost five games by a goal or less – two due to umpiring decisions the AFL later admitted were wrong.

Expectations would already have been high entering 2024 for the Crows.

Tinge that with a collective chip on their shoulder and anything can happen.

RICHMOND Eyeball Dusty

u Just because Brendon Gale says he thinks Dustin Martin wants to be a 300-game Richmond player, it doesn’t necessarily mean the player himself is of the same mind.

With his great mates Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin now in retirement, life at Punt Rd might not hold the same allure for Martin.

It’s a bit like the Australian cricket team in 1984 when Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee retired, Rod Marsh decided the dressing room would not be the same without them, so he retired as well.

Gale and the new coach should sit down and seek a firm commitment from Martin that he’s in and committed.

Otherwise, they should get on the phone to Damien Hardwick up on the Gold Coast – they have his number – and hammer out a deal.

‘Dusty’ and Richmond have been magnificent for each other and owe each other nothing. This could be a win-win for both parties.

GOLD COAST Pack the iPads, fellas

u The CBA (at least what’s left of it) mandates that the players get between two and three months to rest and recuperate before turning their minds and bodies to preparation for the next season.

They’re not obliged to do all that much, but if the Suns players are of a mind, they’ll spend part of their off-season doing some video study from wherever they are.

New coach Hardwick wants to have them humming from the start, playing the kind of frenetic speed-on-the-ball football that marked his Tigers at their best and the Collingwood and GWS Giants of now.

It is fun to watch and fun to play. But it is more complicated than it looks.

The Suns players need to return to the club in November prepared for what is to come.

WATCH THIS SPACE: The future of Adelaide, Gold Coast and Dustin Martin will be a fascinating watch in 2024.

WEST COAST

Sort out the coach

u All was going swimmingly for West Coast.

A heavy loss to the finals-contending Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium and then some sort of “mutual agreement” that Adam Simpson’s last game as coach would be this weekend against Adelaide at Optus Stadium.

But the stirring win over the Bulldogs at least put a hold on that arrangement, with the Eagles releasing a statement last Monday indicating any decisions about off-field personnel will be held over until next week.

It is impossible to see how Simpson survives what has been a horrible season, last Sunday excepted.

But he is one of just three premiership coaches in the club’s history, so let’s hope his last few days at the club are handled with dignity and respect, unlike those of Ben Rutten, Brett Ratten and Stuart Dew mention just a few.

HAWTHORN Work the draft

The Hawks weakened their 2023 draft hand a notch in order to aggressively pursue athletic defender Josh Weddle during last year’s draft – and it was the right move.

Weddle has enjoyed an impressive debut season and shapes as a 200-game player for the club.

As it stands, they have their first pick (either third or fourth overall depending on the compensation North Melbourne might Ben McKay) and a pick in the high 20s, which they received from the Western Bulldogs, which will end up being used to ensure father-son selection Will McCabe gets to the club.

This is the last draft the Hawks expect to hit hard before they start rising up the ladder and turn their focus to trading and free agency.

Do they have another Weddle-like manoeuvre in them to bring more high-end draft picks to the club, perhaps to help fill their glaring forward line needs?

NORTH MELBOURNE End the hand-out mentality

u In his time at Hawthorn, especially during and after the premiership run, Alastair Clarkson liked to regale anyone who cared to listen with tales of how the club lifted itself up off the floor in the 1950s due to the determination and hard work of people such as John Kennedy, who Clarkson openly became a disciple of.

It is hard to reconcile that Clarkson is the one who now coaches North Melbourne, a club that openly has its hands out for whatever assistance the AFL is prepared to offer.

The Kangaroos are lobbying for a high-end draft pick as compensation when Ben McKay, as expected, departs the club as a free agent.

And they want the NGA rules tweaked so they can bring talented Tasmanian youngster Ryley Sanders to the club.

To be fair to Clarkson, much of what has led to the Roos to almost certainly finish with three wooden spoons on the trot took place before he joined the club 12 months ago.

But what has made the club’s ‘Shinboner Spirit’ so unique is the mantra of working hard and earning whatever you get.

Repeated list concessions would seem to be the opposite of that.

JOSH WEDDLE

ADAM SIMPSON

BEN McKAY @hashbrowne

JESSE HOGAN

GWS GIANTS v ESSENDON Giants Stadium, August 19

u Here is a good statistic for Jesse Hogan and Giants fans out of last Saturday’s massacre of Essendon.

Hogan 9.1 (55) defeated the Bombers 5.6 (36).

There was no better player on the ground, nor any other AFL field last weekend, as Hogan enjoyed a massive haul in the club-record 126-point win.

It was a victory that means GWS is in the box seat to return to the finals.

Six of Hogan’s career-best nine goals came in the second half but were on the back of his hard work earlier on.

Hogan, 28, covered the ground superbly and there could be no doubts about his commitment against the Bombers, nor his efforts to chop out for teammates.

From 24 touches, Hogan had 16 score involvements, by far the best ratio of any GWS or Essendon player.

His six contested marks was four higher than anyone else on the ground.

And, on top of that, nine of his 17 marks came inside 50.

Essendon had just seven for the game.

Of course, he was helped by his team’s dominance around the ground.

But Hogan had hunger in his eyes and will be desperate to record his first finals win, should GWS advance.

He heads to September in great form.

SEB MOTTRAM

AFL TRIVIA QUESTION #18

Which team has won the most wooden spoons in the AFL?

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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 analyses five-goal West Coast Eagles hero Jamie Cripps.

It must go down as one of the most remarkable victories of the season – and potentially even West Coast’s best since its 2018 Grand Final triumph over Collingwood.

The Eagles’ stunning upset win over the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium last Sunday – just their fifth victory from their past 48 matches – sits alongside Hawthorn’s triumph over Collingwood a couple of weeks ago as the upset of the season.

And it had ramifications right across the League, with the result locking St Kilda and Sydney into the finals, taking away the need for GWS to rely on other results and left the Bulldogs needing to land a stunner of their own if they want any chance of playing in September.

The Eagles had been playing better in recent weeks, breaking their drought against North Melbourne and almost knocking off Essendon, but they were coming off a Western Derby horror show and nobody could have possibly given them a chance.

They needed a hero.

And they found one among their most experienced players, with Jamie Cripps producing one of the best games of his 227 in the AFL.

Cripps, 31, had 17 disposals, laid eight tackles and bagged a five-goal haul for the second time in his 13-year career.

He booted 5.0, including three in the last quarter, to save the day after the Bulldogs had run down a 26-point first-quarter deficit to take the lead at the final change and potentially get out of jail.

Down by nine points, Jack Darling’s second goal lifted West Coast and Cripps booted his third in the ninth minute to regain the advantage, and with the sharpshooter adding two more including a terrific long-range set shot in time-on, the Eagles refused to relinquish it again.

Cripps has booted four goals in a game three times and three on 15 occasions, but his only other bag of five came against Adelaide in round

18, 2021, when he had 25 touches and 5.2 in an easy win.

He kicked three goals in the Eagles’ win over GWS in round two, two in the defeat of the Kangaroos and two in the one-point loss to the Bombers, proving himself to be critical to his team’s success.

FOOTY FUN FACTS

The AFL has become an iconic Victorian tourism event destination with 96 per cent of people recommending international travellers attend a game and 64 per cent saying no trip to Victoria is complete without seeing a game.

HIGH FIVE: West Coast’s Jamie Cripps kicked five goals for just the second time in his 227-game career last Sunday.

PRIORITISING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

During Tradies Health Month in August, OCC Services and A2B Personnel proudly join the nationwide initiative to promote mental health and wellbeing among their valued tradies.

OCC Services and A2B Personnel understand the critical role mental health plays in maintaining a happy, productive and thriving workforce.

OCC personnel, including Josh Kennedy (ex-West Coast) and Luke Hodge (ex-Hawthorn/ Brisbane Lions) – along with the senior leadership team Luke Livingston (ex-Carlton), Dave McMahon and Andrew Walker (A2B Personnel Director and ex-Carlton) – are big advocates for mental health and wellbeing.

OCC Services and A2B Personnel have several former elite-level footballers on the team. They have not only actively worked to provide career pathways for them within the construction industry, but also understand the importance of having a holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing, which they have implemented throughout OCC and A2B.

OCC Services and A2B Personnel work to facilitate and build sustainable careers within the construction industry for not only ex-footballers, but for more than 600 workers across Australia, including 140 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, making A2B Personnel the No. 1 employer of Aboriginal men and women across Victoria.

With that number of team members, mental health and wellbeing is important

Celebrating Tradies Health Month at OCC Services Australia and A2B Personnel

and OCC Services and A2B Personnel have several strategies in place to offer a superior complimentary mental health and wellbeing service to their employees and contractors that includes:

u Through a strong partnership with Alcohol & Drug Awareness Australia (ADA), ‘A Friendly Ear’ is a confidential and anonymous 24/7 phone support service. This service is available to all OCC Services employees and contractors, enabling them to talk to highly-skilled and experienced support workers on issues relating to health and wellbeing.

u ‘The Little Blue Book’ provides practical information and strategies on mental health to employees, contractors and managers.

u Mental health and wellbeing training and seminars. OCC and A2B collectively believe in empowering staff with the tools they need to manage their mental health effectively. They host regular workshops and training sessions covering stress management, resilience building and mental health awareness. These sessions not only destigmatise mental health but also promote a culture of openness and empathy.

u Mental Health First Aid training and nominated, trained Mental Health First Aiders for any team members to contact and have a conversation with.

u A2B Personnel is an Indigenous Allied Health Certified organisation.

u Induction packs including ‘We Hear You’ mental health and wellbeing support cards.

u Regular wellbeing check-ins: As part of their commitment to their employees’ wellbeing, both OCC and A2B conduct regular check-ins to assess the emotional state and identify any potential areas of concern with their staff. Open communication channels between employees and management ensure they address issues promptly and effectively.

u Yorta Yorta man Dr Troy Walker facilitates A2B’s health and wellbeing division, which supports 140 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women across multiple states.

u Promoting Physical Health: A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind. OCC Services and A2B Personnel encourages physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices. They organise group exercises, provide access to wellness resources, and offer nutritional guidance to support their employees’ physical and mental wellbeing.

u Peer Support Networks: The group (OCC and A2B) foster a supportive workplace culture through peer support networks. Employees are encouraged to connect with and support one another, creating a strong sense of camaraderie and trust within the team.

During Tradies Health Month and throughout the year, OCC Services and A2B Personnel remain steadfast in their commitment to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce and continuing to build on their vision that Opportunity Creates Careers – as is evident in their team.

PROVIDING SUPPORT:

The OCC Services and A2B Personnel leadership team (left to right) Luke Hodge, Josh Kennedy, Luke Livingston, Sally McMahon, Andrew Walker and David McMahon

What I’m thinking

with Ashley Browne

Time to make footy boss call

It is a major stretch to sheet home the goal umpiring error at the end of the Adelaide-Sydney game to the long-vacant general manager of football position at the AFL.

There are about five levels of reports between a part-time goal umpire in South Australia and the over-arching football supremo in a nice office in Melbourne’s Docklands.

But the ending at Adelaide Oval is emblematic of an organisation that might have taken its eyes off the ball and has neglected its core business – football.

As an organisation, the AFL is impressive, and on so many metrics, the game has a great story to tell.

TV ratings are through the roof.

Last weekend, the seven millionth attendee of the season passed through the gates, shattering the League’s attendance record of 6,951,304 set in 2019.

Club membership numbers for 2023 will come in at about 1.2 million, yet another record.

Staggeringly, one in 22 Australians is a member of an AFL club.

Participation numbers are booming and there are now more registered players in Queensland than in South Australia, a traditional heartland state of the game.

And the competition this year has been brilliant – heading into last weekend, 12 teams were still in the hunt for the premiership.

But the controversies have never been far from the surface.

The inexplicable decision by the goal umpire not to call for the video review last Saturday night was the latest officiating faux pas that has fans wondering what is happening on

a football operational level at the AFL and, worse, what might happen next.

It was said the wrong call by a goal umpire might one day cost a team a premiership.

What occurred last Saturday night was only one level down from that.

Had the goal been paid, Adelaide would likely have held on to the lead for the final minute of the game and then headed to Optus Stadium this weekend knowing a win over West Coast would have delivered it a finals berth.

Of course, given the stunning upset by the Eagles over the Western Bulldogs last Sunday, a win to the Crows would have been no formality, but nevertheless still likely.

The AFL moved quickly on Sunday morning to own up to the goal umpire’s error and he has been stood down for the rest of the season.

And the Crows, to their credit, have been diplomatic in the public sphere, although it is certain they were less so in private conversations with the League. And fair enough too.

But it came after an unsettling few weeks in which Port Adelaide sent a player back on to the ground in clear breach of the AFL’s concussion protocols, another line-ball goal umpiring decision in the dying seconds of the Carlton v Melbourne game in round 22 and some very liberal definitions about what constitutes the field of play in the Collingwood v Geelong game played the evening before.

Add to that the lottery system that is the AFL’s match review system when it comes to dangerous tackles and Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions that are moving at snail’s

pace – and which has cast a shadow over next weekend’s opening of the AFLW season – and it has been an unsettling period.

For reasons only known to the AFL Commission, it has dithered for the best part of 11 months when it comes to replacing former footy boss Brad Scott, who became coach of Essendon straight after the Grand Final.

It has taken the AFL twice as long to find a suitable “football person” to sit on the Commission.

Why Leigh Matthews wasn’t asked as soon as there was a vacancy is a mystery. He is the most eminently qualified candidate of them all, and he was reportedly available.

Laura Kane has performed brilliantly in trying circumstances as the interim footy boss at the AFL.

If she is best suited to the role on a permanent basis, then make it so.

But until the chair is filled, there won’t be the push to improve the technology around goal reviews, for greater clarity and firmer policy with the regards to tackling and concussion.

Who knows, the future of the centre bounce might even be decided once and for all.

The Gillon McLachlan victory lap is just about complete.

He has been a brilliant chief executive, even if his final 12 months have not been his best.

But the Andrew Dillon era needs to get going. And the first item on his agenda is very, very clear.

The Andrew Dillon era needs to get going. And the first item on the agenda is very, very clear

After a period of on-field controversy, the AFL must make the appointment of its next general manager of football a priority.

HAPPIER MOMENT: Josh Rachele and Ben Keays celebrate an Adelaide goal before the game erupted in late drama, while it’s a mystery that Leigh Matthews (inset) hasn’t been asked to join the AFL Commission.

TURN DAD INTO A BBQ LEGEND THIS FATHER’S DAY

Fillet-O-Fish® McChicken®

Nickname: Rod

Tender portion of fish

Zesty tartar sauce

Melted cheese

Steamed bun

“Does things a little differently”

Nickname: Chicka

Chicken breast in tempura coating

Aussie lettuce

McChicken® sauce

Sesame seed bun

“Executes the simple things right”

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

ROUND

v NM 15.9 (99) (MRVL) (T)

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

ROUND 20

Friday, July 28

9.10 (64) v Frem 10.11 (71) (GMHBA)

Friday, August 4

WB 19.12 (126) v Rich 10.11 (77) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 5

10.13 (73) v WCE 11.6 (72) (MRVL) Adel 13.11 (89) v GCS 9.7 (61) (AO)

Haw 16.9 (105) v Coll 11.7 (73) (MCG) (T)

Geel 14.13 (97) v PA 12.13 (85) (GMHBA) (N)

GWS 12.13 (85) v

(57) (MRVL)

PA 21.10 (136) v GWS 13.7 (85) (AO) (T)

ROUND 23

Friday, August 18 Coll 15.10 (100) v BL 19.10 (124) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 19 Rich 14.17 (101) v NM 10.12 (72) (MCG)

GCS 13.9 (87) v Carl 13.13 (91) (HBS)

GWS 25.12 (162) v Ess 5.6 (36) (GS) (T)

StK 12.16 (88) v Geel 8.7 (55) (MRVL) (N)

Adel 10.13 (73) v Syd 11.8 (74) (AO) (N)

Sunday, August 20

WB 12.13 (85) v WCE 14.8 (92) (MRVL)

Melb 13.9 (87) v Haw 9.6 (60) (MCG)

Frem 8.10 (58) v PA 11.8 (74) (OS)

ROUND 24

Friday, August 25

Essendon v Collingwood (MCG) (N)

Saturday, August 26

Hawthorn v Fremantle (MCG)

North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns (BA)

Brisbane Lions v St Kilda (Gabba) (T)

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs (GMHBA) (N)

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows (OS) (N)

Sunday, August 27

Port Adelaide v Richmond (AO)

Sydney Swans v Melbourne (SCG)

Carlton v GWS Giants (MRVL) (N)

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

Quarter Pounder ® Big Mac®

Nickname: Pattie

100% Aussie Beef

Cheese

Onions

Tangy mustard Pickles

Sesame seed bun

“Always brings the beef”

Footy. i’m lovin it

Nickname: Macca

2 all Australian beef patties

Special sauce

Lettuce

Cheese

Pickles & Onions

Sesame seed bun

“A legend of the game”

SCOREBOARD – ROUND 23

BEST: Brisbane Lions – Neale, Cameron, McInerney, Dunkley, McKenna, Rayner, Zorko. Collingwood – Pendlebury, Mihocek, J. Daicos, Crisp, Elliott.

GOALS: Brisbane Lions – Cameron 4, Hipwood 3, Daniher 3, Rayner 2, Bailey 2, Ah Chee 2, McCarthy, K. Coleman, Fletcher. Collingwood – Elliott 3, Mihocek 2, McStay 2, Howe 2, Pendlebury, Noble, Ginnivan, J. Daicos, Cameron, Cox.

Substitutes: Collingwood – Cox (replaced Ryan);

Brisbane Lions – Lyons (replaced Ah Chee).

Umpires: C. Deboy, R. Findlay, N. Foot, H. Gavine.

Crowd: 39,350 at Marvel Stadium.

BEST: Richmond – Martin, Bolton, Taranto, Hopper, Ross. North Melbourne – Larkey, Sheezel, Thomas, Scott, Ziebell.

GOALS: Richmond – Bolton 4, Martin 3, Soldo 2, Balta 2, Prestia, Nankervis, Riewoldt. North Melbourne – Larkey 6, Thomas 2, Taylor, Curtis.

Substitutes: Richmond – M. Rioli (replaced Pickett); North Melbourne – Drury (replaced McDonald).

Umpires: N. McGinness, M. Nicholls, P. Rebeschini, M. Rodger.

Crowd: 59,555 at the MCG.

Carlton 1.2 7.5 8.12 13.13 (91)

Gold Coast Suns 6.5 7.7 9.7 13.9 (87)

BEST: Carlton – C. Curnow, Hewett, Newman, Fisher, Acres, Docherty, Weitering. Gold Coast Suns – Flanders, Swallow, Witts, Miller, Rowell, Ainsworth, Andrew.

GOALS: Carlton – C. Curnow 5, Martin 2, Motlop 2, Owies 2, Cottrell, McKay. Gold Coast Suns – Swallow 4, Ainsworth 2, Sexton 2, Chol, Ellis, Lukosius, Miller, Rosas.

Substitutes: Carlton – E. Curnow (replaced Cuningham); Gold Coast Suns – Macpherson (replaced Johnston).

Umpires: A. Adair, L. Fisher, J. Howorth, B. Wallace.

Crowd: 19,253 at Heritage Bank Stadium.

GWS Giants 7.3

Essendon 1.0

BEST: GWS Giants – Hogan, Green, Coniglio, Himmelberg, Ward, Whitfield, Kelly. Essendon – Parish, Hind, McGrath, Merrett.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Hogan 9, Daniels 3, Greene 2, Bedford 2, Riccardi, Lloyd, Himmelberg, Green, Fahey, Coniglio, Brown, Ash, McMullin. Essendon – Langford 2, Phillips, Menzie, Caldwell.

Substitutes: GWS Giants – McMullin (replaced Greene); Essendon – Stringer (replaced Guelfi).

Umpires: A. Gianfagna, D. Johanson, S. Meredith, R. O’Gorman.

Crowd: 10,281 at Giants Stadium.

St Kilda 4.3

(88)

Geelong 2 .3 4.4 6.5 8.7 (55)

BEST: St Kilda – Sinclair, Marshall, Crouch, King, Steele, Windhager. Geelong – Stewart, Atkins, Z. Guthrie, Duncan.

GOALS: St Kilda – King 3, Sharman 2, Higgins 2, Butler 2, Owens, Phillipou, Marshall. Geelong – Hawkins 2, Z. Guthrie, Stengle, Duncan, Holmes, Tuohy, Atkins.

COATES TALENT LEAGUE – ROUND 16

Northern Knights

Sandringham

Best: Northern Knights – Caddy, Green, Ferronato, Naish, McInerney, Galgano. Sandringham Dragons – Edwards, Szonyi, Sanders, Lord, Sulzberger, Voss.

Goals: Northern Knights – Caddy 4, Gresham 2, Johnson 2, Harvey 2, Franklin, Galgano, McInerney, Riley, Wallace. Sandringham Dragons – Edwards 2, Sulzberger 2, Sanders, Brown, Lloyd, McGee-Galimberti. Oakleigh

Gippsland Power

Best: Oakleigh Chargers – Gross, Brown, Philactides, Tovey, Eales, Smith. Gippsland Power – Z. Duursma, Lindsay, Dawson, Donohue, W. Duursma, Smith.

Goals: Oakleigh Chargers – Smith 2, Gross 2, Richardson 2, Hill, Thomas, Askew, Brown, Walker, Walters. Gippsland Power – Z. Duursma 4, Amoroso, Mentha, W. Duursma, Hanily.

Eastern Ranges 3.2 8.6

11.6

14.9 (93)

Geelong Falcons 0.3 2 .4 5.5 7.5 (47)

Best: Eastern Ranges – Tovey, Monteath, White, Anderson, Cantwell, Tanzimat. Geelong Falcons – George, Burke, Hastie, Peirce, Kershaw, Page.

Goals: Eastern Ranges – Cantwell 3, Tanzimat 3, Weatherill 2, Watson, Windsor, Anderson, Horlock, Ryan, Wright. Geelong Falcons – Page 2, McLachlan, Anastasopoulos, Lowther, Sinnott, White.

GWV Rebels 4.3 9.3 15.5 17.8 (110)

Bendigo Pioneers 4.3 8.4 8.7

Best: GWV Rebels – L. Charleson, Freijah, Faull, Lalor, Stevens, Byrne. Bendigo Pioneers – Travaglia, Nihill, Watson, Uerata, Watson, Smartt.

Substitutes: St Kilda – Clark (replaced Ross); Geelong – Parfitt (replaced Ratugolea).

Umpires: J. Broadbent, C. Fleer, J. Mollison, N. Williamson. Crowd: 40,103 at Marvel Stadium.

BEST: Sydney Swans – Heeney, Chad Warner, Gulden, Blakey, McLean, Hickey. Adelaide Crows – Crouch, Laird, Soligo, Rankine, O’Brien. GOALS: Sydney Swans – Heeney 3, McLean 2, Wicks, Papley, McDonald, Hayward, Francis, Campbell. Adelaide Crows – Walker 2, Rachele 2, Schoenberg, Rankine, McAdam, Crouch, Milera, Murphy.

Substitutes: Adelaide Crows – Pedlar (replaced Sloane); Sydney – Clarke (replaced Papley).

Umpires: C. Donlon, L. Haussen, J. Power, B. Rosebury. Crowd: 44,817 at Adelaide Oval.

BEST: West Coast Eagles – Kelly, Cripps, Duggan, Allen, McGovern, Gaff. Western Bulldogs – Bontempelli, Treloar, English, Lobb, Richards, L. Jones.

GOALS: West Coast Eagles – Cripps 5, Allen 3, Darling 2, Yeo, Trew, Maric, Hunt. Western Bulldogs – Lobb 3, West, Weightman, Ugle-Hagan, Treloar, Scott, Naughton, English, Bontempelli, Baker.

Substitutes: West Coast Eagles – Trew (replaced Chesser); Western Bulldogs – McNeil (replaced Macrae).

H. Birch, R. Chamberlain, C. Jones, E. Tee.

23,965 at Marvel Stadium.

BEST: Melbourne – Melksham, Lever, Viney, Rivers, Brayshaw, Petracca. Hawthorn – Worpel, Nash, Maginness, Day, Sicily, Amon.

GOALS: Melbourne – Melksham 3, van Rooyen 3, J. Smith 2, Brayshaw, Chandler, Oliver, Petracca, Sparrow. Hawthorn – Breust 2, Hustwaite 2, C. Macdonald 2, Day, Grainger-Barras, Moore.

Substitutes: Melbourne – Schache (replaced Tomlinson); Hawthorn – Serong (replaced Ramsden).

Umpires: B. Hosking, A. Stephens, N. Toner, A. Whetton.

Crowd: 50,142 at the MCG.

Port

BEST: Port Adelaide – Butters, Horne-Francis, Rozee, Williams, Powell-Pepper, Finlayson. Fremantle – Serong, Schultz, Brayshaw, Henry, Jackson, Emmett.

GOALS: Port Adelaide – Byrne-Jones 2, Finlayson 2, Powell-Pepper 2, Butters, Horne-Francis, Lord, McEntee, Rioli. Fremantle – Emmett 2, Frederick 2, Switkowski 2, Cox, Jackson.

Substitutes: Fremantle – Erasmus (replaced O’Meara); Port Adelaide – Boak (replaced Burton).

Umpires: P. Bailes, J. Dalgleish, C. Dore, A. Heffernan.

Crowd: 38,360 at Optus Stadium.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year

Votes Player Club

99 Nick Daicos Collingwood

92 Zak Butters Port Adelaide

90 Christian Petracca Melbourne

87 Marcus Bontempelli Western Bulldogs

80 Connor Rozee Port Adelaide

74 Toby Greene GWS Giants

73 Zach Merrett Essendon

73 Lachie Neale Brisbane Lions

71 Noah Anderson Gold Coast Suns

71 Jordan Dawson Adelaide

Note: Leaderboard after the completion of round 22. Votes from rounds 23 and 24 will not be released until the announcement of the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award winner next Wednesday.

LEADING GOALKICKERS

Goals: GWV Rebels – Charleson 8, Faull 4, Caldow, Jess, Lloyd, Renfree, Unwin. Bendigo Pioneers – Poole 3, Reid 2, Bennett, Blake, Hillier, Smartt. Tasmania

Best: Tasmania Devils – Beaumont, Nash, Blizzard, Dolliver, Summers, Payne. Calder Cannons – Croft, Mueller, Brodie, Bolmat, Taha, Gallagher.

Goals: Tasmania Devils – Dolliver 5, Leake 4, Ollington 2, McKercher 2, Blizzard, Curtis, Roney, Schoenmaker. Calder Cannons – Croft 2, Mueller, Allison, Goodman, McIlroy.

Dandenong

Best: Dandenong Stingrays – De La Rue, Frangalas, Langford, Simpson, Barnes, Hopkins. Murray Bushrangers – James, Willis, J. Whitlock, Newton, M. Whitlock, Clemson.

Goals: Dandenong Stingrays – Delarue 3, Simpson 2, Barnes 2, Doughton 2, Gillam 2, Frangalas, Langford, Rankin, Sinnema, Grant, Wilson. Murray Bushrangers – Way 2, Murphy 2, Hart, Darcy Wilson.

Bye: Western Jets.

LADDER: Tasmania Devils 36 (150.7%), GWV Rebels 36 (133.8%), Northern Knights 36 (122.8%), Sandringham Dragons 36 (120.8%), Eastern Ranges 32 (120.1%), Calder Cannons 28 (139.4%), Geelong Falcons 28 (110.4%), Dandenong Stingrays 24 (105.9%), Gippsland Power 24 (102.5%), Bendigo Pioneers 20 (93.2%), Oakleigh Chargers 16 (87.5%), Western Jets 16 (86.5%), Murray Bushrangers 12 (72.1%), Swans Academy 8 (92.2%), Suns Academy 8 (91.3%), Lions Academy 0 (58.5%), Giants Academy 0 (37.7%), Thunder Academy 0 (21.2%).

AFL SYDNEY – FINALS

Best: UNSWES – Geddes, Baxter, Unger, Morrison, O’Callaghan, Tikkeros. Pennant Hills – Carroll, Blow, Maguire, Boag, Preedy, Matthews.

Goals: UNSWES – Robin 2, Baxter, Emery, Foote, Foster, Romensky, Spencer, Tikkeros. Pennant Hills – Maguire 4, Boag 2, Eynaud, Hawkins, Preedy. ELIMINATION

Best: Sydney University – Lees, Fitzroy, Whitaker, McNamara, M. Krochmal, J. Tang. Manly-Warringah – Le Jeune, Wright, Fraser, Youlten, Gabila, Creighton.

Goals: Sydney University – Jones 4, Hughes 2, Kozlik 2, M. Krochmal 2, Fitzroy, Gibbs, Podmore-Taylor, Stevenson. Manly-Warringah – Youlten 4, Creighton 2, Behagg, Lawford, Le Jeune, Stubbs.

NEXT WEEK: Saturday, August 26: 2nd Semi-Final: North Shore v UNSW-Eastern Suburbs (1.20pm, Henson Park).

Sunday, August 27: 1st Semi Final: Pennant Hills v Sydney University (2.20pm, Henson Park).

VFL –ROUND22

Box Hill Hawks 2 .2 8.6 11.7 16.9 (105)

Frankston 2 .3 2 .3 8.4 10.6 (66)

Best: Box Hill Hawks – Mackenzie, Meek, Stephens, Porter, L. Bramble, B. Macdonald. Frankston – Mynott, Owens, Quirk, Voss, Johnson, Szybkowski.

Goals: Box Hill Hawks – Meek 3, Arundell 2, L. Bramble 2, Wynd 2, Bennetts, Bryce, Butler, Greene, Hall, B. Macdonald, Tucker. Frankston – Johnson 3, Owens 2, Davies, Newnes, O’Leary, Stern, Szybkowski.

Gold coast 3.3 14.7 2 1.9 23.11 (149)

Carlton 1.2 2 .2 2 .4 2 .10 (22)

Best: Gold Coast – Moyle, Burgess, Constable, Long, Faulkhead, Davies. Carlton – Parks, Cowan, O’Brien, Young, Lewis, Plowman.

Goals: Gold Coast – Burgess 8, McLaughlin 5, Day 3, Faulkhead 2, Davies, Graham, Hollands, Oea, Tsitas. Carlton – Crocker, Silvagni.

Footscray 4.4 7.6 13.9 16.11 (107)

Port Melbourne 0.1 1.6 2 .7 4.11 (35)

Best: Footscray – Sweet, Sullivan, McLean, Goater, Crozier, Khamis.

Port Melbourne – Cameron, Phillips, Anastasio, Clarke, Hird, Green.

Goals: Footscray – Khamis 4, Goater 3, Garcia 2, McLean 2,

Raak 2, Clarke, Sullivan, Sweet. Port Melbourne – Adams, Gasper, Hofert, A. Manton.

Geelong 3.3 8.5 12.6 14.8 (92)

GWS 3.4 5.5 9.8 11.12 (78)

Best: Geelong – Capiron, Whyte, Conway, Dempsey, Ham, Hardie. GWS – Peatling, Davis, Stone, Rowston, Gauci, Angwin.

Goals: Geelong – Hollard 3, J. Chalcraft 2, Dempsey 2, Annand, Byrne, Clohesy, Ham, Hardie, Knevitt, Riccardi. GWS – Cadman 3, Gauci 2, O’Connor 2, Derksen, Rowston, Stone, Varagiannis.

Collingwood 6.2 10.5 13.9 16.12 (108)

Southport 1.5 4.6 7.8 8.10 (58)

Best: Collingwood – Ruscoe, Macrae, Allan, Richards, McInnes, Bianco. Southport – Dawson, Woodcock, Heron, Spencer, Gahan, Foot.

Goals: Collingwood – McInnes 4, Hustwaite 2, Johnson 2, Kreuger 2,

Allan, Ashwin, Begg, Harrison, Macrae, T. Wilson Snr. Southport – McQueen 3, Doran 2, Pescud 2, Bowman.

Essendon 6.4 9.7 13.8 15.10 (100)

Coburg 0.2 4.7 9.8 12.13 (85)

Best: Essendon – Bryan, Setterfield, Stewart, Cootee, Voss, Lord. Coburg – Nelson, M. Podhajski, Watson, Moorfield, Gentile, Mason.

Goals: Essendon – Stewart 5, A. Davey 2, Voss 2, Bryan, Hallows, Jorgensen, McCarty, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Setterfield. Coburg – M. Podhajski 4, Clarke 2, Kemp 2, Mason, Simpson, Sturgess, Weightman.

Richmond 2 .5 5.8 11.9 13.10 (88)

North Melbourne 2 .1 4.3 6.6 11.10 (76)

Best: Richmond – Mansell, Banks, Trezise, Bauer, El Nour, Yassine. North Melbourne – Lazzaro, Watkins, Davis, Lienert, N. Stevens, Downie.

Goals: Richmond – Bauer 4, Yassine 3, Ryan 2, Brindley, Mansell, Olden, Sonsie. North Melbourne – Sellers 4, Lowson 3, Drury 2, Bath, Hope.

Brisbane Lions 1.4 5.7 9.10 11.14 (80)

Casey Demons 5.1 7.2 12.3 12.6 (78)

Best: Brisbane Lions – Mathieson, Reville, Gardiner, Lohmann, Prior, Sharp. Casey Demons – D. Turner, Dunstan, White, Spargo, Munro, McDonald.

Goals: Brisbane Lions – Buzza 2, Lohmann 2, Reville 2, Smith 2, Cockatoo, Fullarton, Tunstill. Casey Demons – McDonald 3, Dunstan 2, Toledo-Glasman 2, White 2, Jefferson, Spargo, Woewodin.

Werribee 4.5 7.6 10.9 13.11 (89)

Sydney 1.0 3.4 4.4 8.8 (56)

Best: Werribee – Sodomaco, Declase, T. Gribble, Garoni, Clohesy, Brew. Sydney – Melican, Rankin, Clarke, Roberts, Arnold, Gould.

Goals: Werribee – Garoni 3, Declase 2, Hanson 2, Mannagh 2, Keast, Malual, Paea, Porter. Sydney – Gould 2, Rankin 2, Bartholomaeus, Morrison, Rider, Corey Warner.

Sandringham 6.0 10.3 11.4 16.6 (102)

Williamstown 0.1 2 .5 7.6 10.7 (67)

Best: Sandringham – Heath, Hayes, Byrnes, Caminiti, N. Gown, Campbell. Williamstown – Toner, Hore, McDonald, Ottavi, Greiser, Preston.

Goals: Sandringham – Hayes 6, Caminiti 2, Gown 2, O’Leary 2, Billings, Heath, Hipwell, Owens. Williamstown – Ottavi 3, McDonald 2, Colenso, Cox, Ktona, Preston, Triffett.

BYE: Northern Bullants.

FINAL LADDER: Gold Coast 64 (184.5%), Werribee 64 (168.0%), Box Hill Hawks 56 (128.8%), Brisbane Lions 54 (152.7%), Williamstown 52 (110.4%), Footscray 48 (129.8%), Casey Demons 44 (128.0%), Collingwood 44 (118.9%), Richmond 42 (99.1%), North Melbourne 40 (109.9%), Carlton 40 (106.5%), GWS 36 (87.7%), Geelong 34 (80.5%), Southport 32 (107.5%), Port Melbourne 24 (84.0%), Sandringham 22 (87.6%), Essendon 20 (81.7%), Sydney 16 (75.2%), Frankston 16 (71.0%), Northern Bullants 8 (40.4%), Coburg 0 (55.8%).

THIS WEEK: Sunday, August 27: Wildcard Finals: 8.Collingwood v 9.Richmond (12pm, Swinburne Centre); 7.Casey Demons v 10.North Melbourne (2.45pm, Casey Fields).

South

SANFL – ROUND 17

Best: South Adelaide – Brooksby, Shillabeer, Haines, Freitag, Fitt. Port Adelaide – Pasini, Evans, Fantasia, Dumont, Narkle.

Goals: South Adelaide – Fitts 3, Freitag 3, Shillabeer 3, Schuback 2, Brooksby, Gibbs, Sproule, Wilkinson. Port Adelaide – Fantasia 4, Evans 3, Hagan 2, Burgoyne, Cheesman, Narkle, Scully, Szust.

Best: Woodville-West Torrens – Rowe, D’Aloia, Sinor, Beecken, Thompson. Glenelg – Lyons, Gerloff, Snook, Hosie, Stagg.

Goals: Woodville-West Torrens – Pearce 4, Beattie 3, Herbert 2, T. Menzel 2, Rowe 2, Ballenden, Buck, Toumpas. Glenelg – Hosie 5, Stagg 3, Searle 2, Holder, Reynolds.

Best: West Adelaide – Morrish, Johnson, Redfern, Ryan, Stevens. Norwood – Panos, Rokahr, Boyd, Lowe, Callow.

Goals: West Adelaide – Redfern 2, Beech, Delahunty, Gore, Mattingly, Mulady, Park, Ryan, Stevens. Norwood – Lok 3, Callow 2, Panos 2, Binder, Kennerley, Lowe, McLean.

Best: Adelaide – Hately, Parnell, Gollant, Berry, Sholl. Sturt – Hone, Page, Edmonds, Burrows, Grivell.

Goals: Adelaide – Gollant 3, McHenry 3, Smithson 3, Coleman 2, Brown, Cook, Dowling, Hately, Sholl. Sturt – Hone 5, Burrows 3, Fahey-Sparks 2, McFadyen 2, Mathews.

.1 5.6 8.7 8.10 (58)

Best: Central District – Grant, McCormack, McLennan, Hoskin, Munn. North Adelaide – Moore, Harvey, McCann, Elbrow, Finlay.

Goals: Central District – Grace 2, Munn 2, Dudley, Grant, Linke, Presbury. North Adelaide – Elbrow 2, Finlay 2, Casalini, Hilder, McCann, Ramsey.

LADDER: Glenelg 28 (58.5%), Adelaide 26 (61.4%), Sturt 26 (51.5%), Port Adelaide 17 (49.1%), Central District 16 (47.1%), North Adelaide 16 (46.9%), Woodville-West Torrens 12 (47.2%), South Adelaide 11 (45.5%), Norwood 11 (45.0%), West Adelaide 7 (45.4%).

* The SANFL 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.

QAFL –ROUND21

Best: Noosa – C. Crisp, Wilson, Flagg, R. Crisp, Vernon, O’Dwyer. Maroochydore – Moore, McLachlan, Stone, Wagner, O’Leary, Fleming. Goals: Noosa – Wilson 3, O’Dwyer 2, Pettigrove 2, R. Crisp, Evenden, Fitzpatrick, Stack, Tuohey. Maroochydore – Scholard 2, Thomas 2, Bennett, Jacka, McLachlan. Wilston

Best: Wilston Grange – Baker, Martyn, Snell, McGregor, Wilson, Pettigrew. Sherwood – Fletcher, Collins, Cooper, Clarke, James, Mitchell.

Wilston Grange – Derksen 3, Fazldeen 2, McGregor 2, Martyn, McFadyen, Richardson, Stewart. Sherwood – Bulley 3, Baker, Collins, Fletcher. Redland-Victoria Point

Best: Redland-Victoria Point – Murdock, Hammelmann, Hausfeld, Rolls, B. Aston, O’Sullivan. Morningside – Hodge, Robinson, Swann, Hille, Frame, Crawford.

Goals: Redland-Victoria Point – Hammelmann 8, Aston 2, Hausfeld 2, Steven 2, Benson, Brown, Lemana-Pakau, O’Sullivan. Morningside – Dadds 2, Robinson 2, Cameron-Reeves, Downie, Frame, Martin, McLeod.

Broadbeach 1.2 3.3

WAFL –ROUND19

Best: Claremont – Rogers, Edwards, Alvarez, England, Sheldrick. Swan Districts – Edwards, Clarke, McLachlan, Bright, Riley.

Goals: Claremont – Manuel 4, Rogers 2, Bolton 2, England 2, Delacey 2, Alvarez 2, Mainwaring 2, Eastland, Gowdie. Swan Districts – Edwards 4, Riley 3, McLachlan 2, Palmer, Clarke, Noble, Cipro, Lynch.

Best: East Fremantle – Leggett, Turner, McDonald, Marlin. Perth – Cary, Baldwin-Wright, Byrne, Sing, Thompson.

Goals: East Fremantle – Leggett 7, R. McGuire 3, B. McGuire 3, Schoenfeld 2, McDonald, Walker. Perth – Cary 2, Quartermaine 2, Byrne, Sinclair, Clarke, Stubbs, Davis.

Best: West Perth – Guadagnin, Dixon, Moulton, Munns, Pegoraro. Peel Thunder – Hamling, Middleton, Reidy, Colyer.

Goals: West Perth – Keitel 5, Dixon 3, Julian 2, Meadows, Peirce. Peel Thunder – Taberner 2, Wemm 2, Reidy, Middleton, Wilson, Sears, Stanley.

Best: Subiaco – Kentfield, Giro, Mayo, Borchet, L. Hickmott. South Fremantle – Miller, Drage, T. Blechynden, N. Strom, J. Blechynden.

Goals: Subiaco – Kentfield 4, Mayo 2, Borchet 2, Giro, W. Hickmott, J. Faraone, Rohde, Golding. South Fremantle – J. Blechynden 2, Dragovich, Russell, Colborne, Hall, Miller, Sinnott, Harbour.

East Perth 6.4 11.10 11.15 15.24 (114)

West Coast 3.2 4.2 7.5 10.6 (66)

Best: East Perth – Macreadie, Ameduri, Wright, Brayshaw, Scott. West Coast – Bazzo, Winder, Jamieson, Creasey, Dewar.

Goals: East Perth – Ameduri 3, Brayshaw 3, Schofield 2, Scott 2, Willcocks, Van Diemen, Bonomelli, Tedesco, Raykos. West Coast – Garlett 3, Winder 2, Kemp, Browne, Burke, Lucassen, Sambo.

LADDER: East Fremantle 52 (145.5%), Subiaco 48 (139.5%), East Perth 48 (133.7%), Peel Thunder 44 (131.2%), Claremont 44 (119.9%), West Perth 40 (120.0%), Swan Districts 32 (100.5%), South Fremantle 12 (89.2%), Perth 10 (65.9%), West Coast 2 (39.1%).

Best: Aspley – Craven, Dawson, Stackelberg, Toye, Allen, Arnold. Surfers Paradise –Rundle, Topping, Fraser, Corbett, Shea, Rekers. Goals: Aspley – Stackelberg 3, Dodge 2, Allen, Freeman, O’Dwyer, Peppin. Surfers Paradise – Brauman, Fraser, Ireland, Mitchell, Shea, Woodburn.

Best: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Nicholson, McBurnie, O’Brien, Thynne, Katsiris, Patterson. Mt Gravatt – Young, Halkias, Carbone, Clare, Griffiths, Grose.

Goals: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Nicholson 5, Katsiris 3, Harrison 2, O’Brien 2, Patterson. Mt Gravatt – Moncur 2, Carbone, Grose, Halkias, Leahy, Milford, Pearce, Seadon.

FINAL LADDER: Aspley 62 (181.2%), Redland-Victoria Point 56 (155.2%), Broadbeach 54 (140.2%), Surfers Paradise 48 (121.5%), Wilston Grange 44 (107.4%), Palm Beach-Currumbin 34 (87.5%), Labrador 30 (87.6%), Maroochydore 28 (102.3%), Morningside 28 (83.8%), Noosa 24 (79.3%), Mt Gravatt 20 (78.6%), Sherwood 4 (50.8%).

THIS WEEK: Saturday, August 26: Elimination Finals: Broadbeach v Palm Beach-Currumbin (2.10pm, Subaru Oval); Surfers Paradise v Wilston Grange (2.10pm, Sir Bruce Small Park).

.7 (43)

.8 (38)

Best: Broadbeach – Filippone, Jasper, Lower, Dawson, Bishop, Boakye. Labrador – T. Brown, Jayden Young, McEldrew, Lee, Coombes, Bristow.

Broadbeach – Jasper 3, Harrington, Lockett, Lowe. Labrador – Hoy, Law, McEldrew, Simpson, Wright.

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THE DAY A CLUB WAS REBORN

It was Sunday, June 27, 1993, and the Sydney Swans were at their lowest ebb.

The difficulties of just over a decade earlier, when the club had to relocate from South Melbourne to Sydney to survive, had returned.

The Swans were on a 26-match losing streak and conversations were many and varied around their viability and whether they should remain in the competition.

Two of their best players – Greg Williams and Barry Mitchell – had walked out over the previous two years and coach Gary Buckenara had been sacked just four rounds into 1993.

Then came the turning point.

After two weeks under interim coach Brett Scott, the great Ron Barassi answered the call to try to resurrect the Swans.

His first game, a 162-point hammering from the Brisbane Bears, immediately showed the enormity of the task.

Six weeks later, a Swans team missing leading goalkickers Simon Minton-Connell and David Strooper was given little chance against Melbourne, which had beaten Collingwood (fourth) and Essendon (third) in its previous two games.

Scores were level at quarter-time before Sydney edged to a three-point advantage at the main break, and what happened next will never be forgotten by any Swans supporter who saw it.

With Richard Osborne running riot on his way to a 10-goal haul, Sydney produced a 10.4-to-0.1 blitzkrieg to go 66 points ahead by the final change.

There were tears from afar, in the stands and no doubt on the ground – and Melbourne’s six-goal-to-two last term did not reduce the magnitude of the occasion.

It ended a 413-day wait to sing the song, with captain Paul Kelly and Neil Brunton having played in all 26 losses, while it was the first Swans win for 10 of the 20 players.

Barassi admitted to sydneyswans. com.au a few years ago that he had “cried a little”.

“I feel extra good. I haven’t been here as long as those other guys. They’re really crying,” he said.

Osborne’s 10 goals remarkably didn’t earn the three Brownlow Medal votes, which went to Scott Watters for 20 disposals, with David Murphy (26), ruckman Paul Bryce (25), Mark Bayes (21) and Daryn Cresswell (18, three goals) also prominent.

The red-and-white-letter day was Sydney’s only win that year, but the build had begun.

A third-straight wooden spoon followed with four wins in 1994 before the Swans won eight games in 1995 to climb to 12th and had 16 wins and a draw to take the 1996 minor premiership and reach their first Grand Final since 1945.

The wait for a flag would take another nine years, but the struggles of 26 losses in a row have long been consigned to the annals of history.

ROUND 13, 1993

Sydney Swans 5.4 11.4 2 1.8 23.11 (149)

Melbourne 5.4 10.7 10.8 16.13 (109)

BEST: Sydney Swans – Watters, Osborne, Brunton, Murphy, Bryce, Cresswell. Melbourne – Viney, Lyon, Neitz, Tingay, Stynes, Obst.

GOALS: Sydney Swans – Osborne 10, Cresswell 3, Direen 2, Bryce 2, Murphy 2, Mooney, Bayes, Higgins, Ambrose. Melbourne – Kowal 3, Lyon 3, Lovell 2, Grinter 2, Neitz, Viney, Stynes, Obst, Jakovich, Yeats.

Umpires: A. Coates, D. Goldspink. Crowd: 8250 at the SCG.

10-GOAL HERO: Richard Osborne was one of the stars as the Swans ended a 26-game losing streak in 1993.

I feel extra good. I haven’t been here as long as those other guys. They’re really crying

COACH RON BARASSI AFTER THE SWANS’ DROUGHT-BREAKING WIN

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SPECIAL WEEK FOR RECLINK

The Reclink Grand Final series will be held in Melbourne over three days next week, with all games to be played at Port Melbourne’s VFL ground, ETU Stadium.

The tournament starts on Tuesday at 10.30am with three games, followed by another three on Wednesday (also from 10.30am), with two on Thursday starting at 11am. Entry is free.

The Reclink Victorian Football League is in its third decade, growing from kick-to-kick in the streets of St Kilda to a current-day League featuring 15 teams that span all the way from Maryborough to Morwell.

The AFL Record caught up with Reclink founder and co-director Peter Cullen.

Tell us about Reclink Australia and the work they do?

u Reclink Australia provides evidence-based sport and recreation programs to disadvantaged Australians to create socially inclusive, life-changing opportunities. In partnership with more than 500 community organisations, Reclink Australia’s programs create pathways to improved health and wellbeing, education and employment outcomes for all participants.

What are some of the outcomes of the League and its Grand Final event?

u The League is a social football league that responds to social issues and social needs. Each year, the Grand Finals have become a celebration of football community and life. A celebration for people experiencing significant disadvantage and, in particular, mental health and isolation.

How do the participants feel about the day?

u Seeing our participants take centre stage brings a real sense of excitement and being involved in a significant event in the context of their lives. One of the most famous quotes that stands out from a previous player in the league is the Grand Final day for his team was “his Christmas Day”.

What can we expect to see across each of the three days?

u All 15 of the League’s teams play in a Grand Final and all teams

have the same experience in terms of feeling what it would it be like. Things such as running through the banner, singing the pre-game national anthem, performances from the Police Band, the presentation of medals, and reflections often conducted by a sports chaplain. It’s critical for our people to experience the power of inclusion. Can we expect to see some AFL personalities in attendance?

u Absolutely. Many past and present AFL players and personalities have always been very generous with their time to support Reclink and the League and this year will be no different. People such as Dermott Brereton, Billy Brownless, Michael Barlow and Peter ‘Crackers’ Keenan; and we’re even lucky enough to have the likes of Anthony Hudson, Andy

Maher, Tony Schibeci and ‘Smokey’ Dawson provide live commentary at various games as well. Current North Melbourne star Nick Larkey has also recently become a wonderful supporter of Reclink Australia and is expected to join us at some stage.

How else can people get involved to support Reclink and the League?

u We currently have a book titled The Power of a Football for sale via reclink.org, which is an inspiring collection of stories from the past 30 years of the League. All money raised will go towards supporting the League in the future. As quoted in the book, “we see our football as doing more than just winning a Grand Final, often as the book says – it can save lives”, so any support we can receive to support our work is truly appreciated.

REBUILDING LIVES: North Melbourne star Nick Larkey has come on board as a supporter of Reclink Australia and its founder Peter Cullen.

We see our football as doing more than winning a Grand Final

RECLINK DIRECTOR PETER CULLEN

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theTRADeRS

PIG OF THE WEEK

DANE SWAN MEDAL

that with several Fantasy studs stepping up for the all-important preliminary finals round. Given he has averaged an impressive 120 for the season, it was no surprise to see big Tim English (RUC, $1.03M) around the top following a dominant performance against the Eagles. The big Bulldog amassed a whopping 51 hit-outs to go with 21 possessions, nine marks and a goal for 146, with teammates

Adam Treloar (MID, $883,000) and Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1.03M) tallying 143 and 140 respectively – the Dogs captain overcoming a slow start to score 103 in the second half. Saint Rowan Marshall (RUC, $1.02M) was a popular VC option and didn’t let his coaches down, taking full advantage of the Cats’ depleted ruck stocks with 24 possessions, 10 marks, 28 hit-outs and a goal for 141.

TOP ROUND 23 SCORERS

CASH COW OF THE

WEEK

5 Harry Sheezel

NM, DEF/FWD – 129

u Being awarded the five votes for the 12th time goes to show that Sheezel is one of the worthiest ever winners of the Michael Barlow Medal. His 37 disposals helped take him to 80 votes.

4 Corey Wagner FREM, DEF/MID – 99

u Returning to the Dockers’ line-up in round 18, Wagner has polled Cash Cow votes four times to be equal fifth on the leaderboard. This would’ve been nice earlier in the season.

3 Dylan Williams PA, DEF/FWD – 88

u Uncontested marks can be Fantasy gold, even better when a kick follows. Williams took 10 marks in round 23 and, to please his coaches, he had 20 kicks … and no handballs. Tick.

2 Josh Weddle HAW, DEF – 76

u Increasing $272K in value, Weddle has played every game since making his debut in round seven. Last week, the Hawk racked up 10 marks and 16 disposals to post a solid three-game average of 73.

MICHAEL BARLOW MEDAL

u It was an unfamiliar face at the top this week as GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (FWD, $617,000) absolutely demolished the Bombers in a performance for the ages. With three hundreds to his name before round 23 and a three-game average of 51, the big fella turned it on for a round-high 188 that consisted of 24 possessions, 17 marks and nine goals. What a legend! The names became a lot more familiar after

Warnie

WARNE DAWGS

ROUND 23 2452 pts

What a dramatic end to round 23. My battle with Calvin went up a Zak Butters handball in the dying stages of the game had Calvinator in front by one point, but a late update that took two points off Butters’ score saw me celebrate an unlikely victory.

Roy

DESTROY

1 Judd McVee MELB, DEF/MID – 75

u Playing in the Demons’ backline, McVee took eight marks to help him to his highest score of the season. Impressively, McVee has played every game in his debut year, gaining $167K.

ROUND 23 2475 pts

With trade plans all but set, Luke Davies-Uniacke had me pivoting more than Hakeem Olajuwon in the low post. It is going to be important to remain agile this week given teams which are out of the finals race have no reason to risk players who aren’t 100 per cent.

Calvin

CALVINATOR

ROUND 23 2451 pts

My captains are peaking at the right time! Last week my top three picks scored more than 140. Hopefully coaches are following along to help get the best option for double points. This week, I can’t look past Marcus Bontempelli against a Cats team that is leaking points.

LEADERBOARD: 80 – Harry Sheezel; 42 – Will Ashcroft; 18 – Matthew Johnson; 17 – Will Phillips; 14 – Angus Sheldrick, Kade Chandler, Corey Wagner; 13 – Ollie Hollands, Dylan Williams; 12 – Darcy Wilmot; 11 – Reuben Ginbey; 10 – Josh Weddle; 9 – Alex Cincotta, Seamus Mitchell; 8 – Bailey Humphrey; 7 – Cameron Mackenzie, Anthony Caminiti.

THE TRADERS’ FANTASY CLASSIC STOCK MARKET

STOCKS UP

It’s not uncommon for coaches to ‘hit a six’ or at least swing hard in hope of a six in the final round of the season to chase a big score that could help them take home a car, cash, hat or, most importantly, a premiership cup. It is for that reason we see Crows power forward Taylor Walker (FWD, $704,000) sit at the top of the most popular trade table given his match-up with the Eagles. In the corresponding game in round 13, we saw ‘Tex’ have a day out with a huge 166, which included 11 marks and 10 goals. It’s not a move I would make, but I can see the appeal, especially given we saw Charlie Curnow back up his 151 with 146 against the Eagles following nine and 10 goals respectively. Tom Green (MID, $910,000) is a great option this week despite a tough match-up for midfielders against the Blues. The hard-nosed Giant is in such form that it doesn’t matter who his opponents are on the back of 141, 118 and 120 in his past three. Adelaide’s Rory Laird (MID, $963,000) also has a juicy match-up against the Eagles and he is heading west in ripping form, averaging 118 in his past six outings with a low of 102 in that time. He scored 124 against them earlier in the year and is a great target. Nic Newman (DEF, $943,000) continued his outstanding run of form and remains the pick of the defenders given his three-game average of 124. On paper the Giants aren’t a great match-up for defenders, but the accumulating Blue is in career-best form.

STOCKS DOWN

Retiring Roos star Jack Ziebell (FWD/DEF, $653,000) is the most traded-out player following his round 23 farewell game. It’s fair to say the former captain went out on a high, averaging an impressive 105 in his last three games. He is followed by teammate Luke Davies-Uniacke (MID, $871,000), who frustrated coaches once again following his second late withdrawal of the year, which turned trade plans upside down. The mysterious case of Bulldog Jack Macrae (FWD/MID, $694,000) continued in what looked like a great match-up with the Eagles. Following a performance against the Hawks in round 22 in which he managed just 45, the expected bounce back didn’t occur, collecting just 13 possessions and scoring 51 before being subbed out. He must be traded. Former Swans premium Callum Mills (MID, $670,000) finally returned to a predominantly midfield role, but it did nothing to turn his form around. He played 86 per cent of the game, but managed only 11 possessions for a score of 51, his second sub-60 score in the past four weeks. Docker Luke Jackson (FWD/RUC, $795,000) has been a handy pick-up the past three weeks, making the most of his No. 1 ruck responsibilities, averaging 112 in that time. Given he has a tough match-up with the Hawks this week, several coaches are moving him on for a player with a better match-up and higher ceiling.

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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, Collingwood’s Sabrina Frederick, the Brisbane Lions’ Josh Dunkley and Ruby Svarc and Essendon’s Madi Prespakis.

Prespakis, who was drafted by Carlton in 2018, joined Essendon in 2022 to play for the Bombers in their inaugural NAB AFLW season

She played all 10 games in NAB AFLW Season 7, averaging 24 disposals, 12 kicks and six goals, including a career-high 37 disposals against Geelong in round seven.

Prespakis won Essendon’s best and fairest to go alongside the three she won at Carlton.

She also won the AFLW Rising Star award in 2019, the AFLW Best and Fairest in 2020 and has been selected in the All-Australian team three times.

Prespakis is set for another big season in 2023 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 As a kid I was always riding my bike around town, going to the skatepark, kicking the footy in the paddock, shooting hoops at the local primary school or swimming in the pool. Much of my childhood was spent outside trying different sports and keeping as active as I could.

What healthy foods did you love as a kid?

u My family always encouraged us to grab a piece of fruit, apples were my go-to. At the footy club, we were given oranges at half-time. There was something about a half-time orange at junior footy that just hit different and was definitely one of my favourite healthy snacks.

What is your favourite healthy food now?

u Overnight oats are a staple breakfast for me. My favourite mix is oats, frozen raspberries, YoPro, peanut butter, chopped banana and strawberry. My secret ingredient is canned peaches on top just as you are serving up.

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

u It is important for kids to learn how to work collaboratively with others. Additionally, it is a great way to make friends and become part of the local community.

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

u My favourite memory was playing in my first grand final and receiving a pink footy from the umpires as the only girl playing in the match. I remember being welcomed by the boys and feeling just as much a part of the team as anyone else. That’s when I knew footy was a long-term thing for me.

Do you do any mindfulness or breathing activities?

u I like to relax by walking my dog Bam Bam with my headphones in. This allows me space in my own thoughts while enjoying fresh air and staying active.

How do they help?

u Time alone listening to music while walking my dog allows me time to reflect, it allows me to think about the week ahead and ensure I am in the right frame of mind to attack whatever training sessions or games I have coming up. It also gives me quality time with my dog. He brings me a lot of joy and will always put a smile on my face.

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

u It teaches them about the different food groups and helps them fuel their body for whatever activity they have that day. Whether it be school, sport or day-to-day life it is important they are fuelled for the day ahead. It also teaches them the importance of getting outside and remaining active in their lifestyles.

FRUIT A FAVOURITE: A healthy diet with plenty of fruit is Madi Prespakis’ tip for youngsters.

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

SAMURC ASADM

EJD WSEB

ENTTR VSIRRE AYRHR OWORNST

WORD FIND

Can you find the of these retiring players in 2023?

FACE FACE FACEMASH MASH MASH

Can you name the two players who have been merged to create these new faces? Hint: A – West Coast Eagles, B – Richmond

VFYJPPVMEVGTHCNYLC

RNFCZRFNILKNARFYGH

IWAUYEUHSRZLBZKJTB

EPAMIUNATIANEDSCOM

WRZCFWKJETTVOQANXE

OAWCJCBBFSMITHAVSK

LOTABSECASTAGNAXIP

DCERILLLAHDHURNGSS

TPKTLSANOJCOTCHINY

ZHXIMTNARRATLKVICY

IYBNPJFPSEEDSMANBQ

CACUNNINGTONOBHNTY

UNSCRAMBLE:

Marcus Adams B: Jed Bews C: Trent Rivers D: Harry Rowston E: Nick Bryan F: Josh Worrell

Luke Shuey, Shannon Hurn

: Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt

GO END TO END FOR A GOAL!

Your team is four points down with 30 seconds remaining. Can you help it score a goal from a kick-in to win the game?

ANSWER: Page 82

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE TO

WHERE’S THE BALL: H4, I4

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: The Under Armour logo is missing from Bomber Ben Hobbs’ shorts; the Puma logo on

Giant Josh Kelly’s guernsey is facing the opposite direction; Bomber Jake Stringer has extra hoops on his sock; the little finger on Giant Callan Ward’s right hand is missing; the colour of the Harvey Norman logo on Ward’s guernsey has changed colour.

ANSWER MAN with LACHLAN

With the AFLW season around the corner, what are some of the key stats since the competition started in 2017?

BRITTANY GARNER, AUBURN, VIC

LE: Since the League started in 2017, a lot has happened – 384 matches been played, 750 players have appeared at the highest level and all 18 clubs are now part of AFLW. In Season 7, we saw the youngest ever AFLW player, Essendon’s Mia Van Dyke, at 17 years and 241 days. In the same season, former Giants sharpshooter Cora Staunton retired at 40 years and 321 days, becoming the oldest player in AFLW history. Bulldogs star Ellie Blackburn holds the record for most AFLW Best and Fairest votes across her career with 68. Her former teammate Brooke Lochland still holds the record for most goals in a match with seven in round four, 2018. In 2019, the AFLW attracted its biggest crowd to a match with 53,034 fans watching the Adelaide Crows thrash Carlton in the Grand Final. Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich holds the record for most games as coach with 65, including four Grand Finals and a premiership.

CAN YOU ASSIST?

u Jess Trend was recruited from Eastern Devils and Essendon’s VFLW team to North Melbourne in 2018. Trend made her debut in North Melbourne’s AFLW inaugural match in round one, 2019, and played finals in 2020. Her grandfather Ray Yeoman played 74 games and kicked 47 goals for Hawthorn between 1955-60.

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

THIS TIME IN 2011 ROUND 24, 2011

A SNAPSHOT OF AFLW STATS

u With the introduction of Gather Round, an extra round will be played in 2023. And for the first time since 2011, fans will be treated to the 24th round of the season. The last time round 24 featured was in 2011 when there were 17 teams (GWS joined in 2012) and each had two byes during the season. The eight was well and truly decided coming into round 24, with ninth-placed North Melbourne 10 points behind eighth team Essendon. Collingwood couldn’t lose top spot and, somewhat controversially, the Magpies rested several stars, which gave second-placed Geelong the chance to unleash on them. The Cats won by a whopping 96 points, with Daniel Menzel booting five goals. Luke Breust kicked five goals as Hawthorn locked in third place and the double chance with a nine-point win over Gold Coast. Gary Ablett had 43 disposals for the Suns. West Coast also tuned up for the finals with a 95-point smashing of Adelaide at Subiaco to finish fourth.

GENERATION NEXT: Mia Van Dyke became the AFLW’s youngest player when she debuted for Essendon at 17 years and 241 days last season.

AFL

1

Which Lion played two minutes of the game without a guernsey against Collingwood last Friday night?

A Lachie Neale B Deven Robertson

C C harlie Cameron D Zac Bailey

2

The Magpies have conceded more than 100 points in how many games in a row?

A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4

3

Which of these club greats was not farewelled into retirement at the MCG last Saturday?

A Todd Goldstein B Jack Ziebell

C J ack Riewoldt D Trent Cotchin

4

Who had 31 disposals and kicked three goals to help Richmond get over the line?

A Dustin Martin B Dion Prestia

C S hai Bolton D Trent Cotchin

5

How many points did Gold Coast lead Carlton by during the second quarter last Saturday?

A 10 B 20 C 30 D 40

Wereyou payingattention?

6

7

Carlton’s win booked it a finals berth for the first time since when?

A 2009 B 2011 C 2013 D 2015

GWS’s win over Essendon broke two team records. What were they?

A Highest score, biggest win

B Lowest score conceded, biggest win

C Highest score, lowest score conceded

D Highest score, highest score conceded

8

How many marks did Giant forward Jesse Hogan take for his club record-equalling nine-goal haul?

A 14 B 17 C 20 D 23

9

How many points did Sydney lead Adelaide by before the Crows launched their ill-fated comeback?

A 22 B 33 C 44 D 55

Who kicked the ball that the AFL said was incorrectly judged as a poster late in the game?

A Ben Keays B Taylor Walker

C Izak Rankine D Matt Crouch

Who kicked five goals to spark West Coast’s upset of the season against the Western Bulldogs?

A Oscar Allen B Jamie Cripps

C T im Kelly D Jack Darling 13

The win made it how many victories in the Eagles’ past 48 matches?

A 5 B 7 C 9 D 11 14

Which Melbourne player did Hawthorn’s Finn Maginness hold to 10 disposals in the first three quarters?

A Christian Petracca B Angus Brayshaw

C C hristian Salem D Clayton Oliver

15

Who had 38 disposals to lead St Kilda to victory over Geelong?

A Jack Steele B Mitch Owens

C B rad Crouch D Jack Sinclair

Blastfrom thepast

Name: Jay Schulz

WITH LACHLAN ESSING

Games: 194 (Rich 71; PA 123)

Goals: 333 (Rich 58; PA 275)

Club span: Richmond 2003-09; Port Adelaide 2010-16

What was special about Port Adelaide’s win over Fremantle?

A Sealed a top-two spot

B F irst win at Optus Stadium

C F irst win over the Dockers at O ptus Stadium

D F irst away win of the year

whoamI?

6pts: I was born in 1990 and drafted from North Adelaide in 2008.

5pts: I played 18 games in three seasons for my first club and was a Rising Star nominee in 2010 before moving back to my home state in 2012.

4pts: I captained my new club for eight seasons, leading it into a Grand Final in my last year in that job.

3pts: I made the AFL’s 22 Under 22 team in 2012 but was never named an All-Australian despite being a star defender my entire career.

2pts: Injuries have caught up to me in recent years and I have played only 26 games since the start of 2020.

1pt: I announced my retirement this week after 194 games, having not been able to get on an AFL field this season.

Player honours: All-Australian nominee 2014; PA leading goalkicker 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014; NAB AFL Rising Star nominee 2004.

Recruited from Central Yorke and Woodville-West Torrens, Schulz was a strong-marking key forward and an accurate shot at goal for the Tigers and the Power. Struggled with consistency early on at Richmond but became a sharpshooter when he arrived at Port. Was the Power’s leading goalkicker in 2010 (33), 2012 (42), 2013 (49) and 2014 (66). He retired in 2016.

Who Am I?: Phil Davis

Hot Apple Pie Hot Fudge Sundae

Nickname: Scorch

Crispy pastry

All Australian apples

Served piping hot

“Known for their hot starts”

Nickname: Softie

Creamy soft serve

Gooey warm chocolate fudge

A combo of hot and cold

“Soft serve that hits hard”

Good for local clubs, great for footy fans!

The Toyota Good for Footy Raffle is back, raising millions of dollars for thousands of local clubs around the country. Buy a $5 ticket online and go in the draw to win a share in $250,000 worth of amazing prizes, like a Toyota Kluger Hybrid, a Corolla Cross Hybrid, or a Yaris Cross Hybrid. And for every ticket sold $5 goes straight to the grassroots club of your choice. Now that’s Good for Footy!

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