AFL Record Second Semi-Final, 2023

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ONE WEEK TIME

News from in and around the AFL

DÉJÀ VU FOR DEMONS?

Melbourne is staring firmly at some unwanted football history as it heads into Friday night’s cut-throat semi-final against Carlton at the MCG.

A loss would mean the Demons become the first team since the final eight was reconfigured to its current system in 2000 to suffer a straight-sets exit in consecutive years.

They were bounced out last season after losing to Sydney (22 points) and Brisbane (13), both at the MCG.

And they have endured a difficult lead-up to this week’s game after an emotionally-taxing seven-point qualifying final loss to Collingwood last Thursday.

Amid frenzied scenes at the MCG, Melbourne playmaker Angus Brayshaw was stretchered from the ground after being collected by the shoulder of Magpie Brayden Maynard, who had leapt from the ground and was attempting to smother Brayshaw’s kick.

Maynard was roundly jeered by the Melbourne fans for the rest of the evening and was suspended for three games by AFL Match Review Officer Michael Christian, at the behest of new AFL footy boss Laura Kane.

But after a marathon three-hour Tribunal hearing on Tuesday night, which followed five days of divisive debate and scrutiny across the country, Maynard was cleared.

Brayshaw will not line up against the Blues. Nor will

EDITOR’S LETTER MICHAEL LOVETT

forward Jacob van Rooyen, who was suspended for one match for striking Daniel McStay.

It continues the revolving door in Melbourne’s forward line, which has already lost Harrison Petty and Jake Melksham to season-ending injuries.

Coach Simon Goodwin has had eight days to rejig things.

The Demons made some dreadful decisions forward of centre and were woefully inefficient.

They won the inside-50 count 69-37, without winning the game.

Skipper Max Gawn, who was wonderful as he kept Melbourne in the game, will play despite a broken bone in his foot.

u At this time of the year, c ompeting clubs and their fans don’t like to get too far ahead of themselves.

But here at the AFL Record we must do precisely that as we approach our busiest week of the year.

The Record team has been hard at it preparing for next week’s preliminary final edition, which will be on sale at the MCG next Friday night and the Gabba on Saturday.

It was a nervy night for the Blues

Apart from dissecting the two big games which will feature Collingwood against either Port Adelaide or GWS and the Brisbane Lions, who will take on Carlton or Melbourne, there will be an in-depth look at the Brownlow Medal.

We will assess the main chances from every club, including their season stats, and senior writer ASHLEY BROWNE looks at the Western Bulldogs

and their incredible record in the Brownlow Medal.

Then it’s on to our premier publication of the year – the Grand Final Record There will be a round-by-round review of the 2023 season, statistical analysis of all 18 teams, a comprehensive match preview and a detailed look at the two competing teams.

AFL Media’s awardwinning photographer

Carlton outlasted Sydney by six points the following night, also at the MCG, to win its first final in 10 years.

It was a nervy night for the Blues, who twice pushed their lead out to more than four goals, only for the feisty Swans to work their way back into the game.

It was a win marked by the contribution of some lesser lights, with Matthew Cottrell, Blake Acres and Jack Martin all outstanding. However, Martin was reported and will serve a one-match suspension, while spearhead Harry McKay will miss through concussion.

The Demons won by 17 points in round 12, while the Blues won in controversial circumstances in round

MICHAEL WILLSON and his team will share the best images of a memorable season and we look back at some great Grand Finals, including the ‘Baby Bombers’ of 1993.

The retail edition will be available in newsagents in Grand Final week and the match-day edition can be bought at the MCG on Grand Final day. You can also pre-order your copy at aflrecord.com.au.

ASHLEY BROWNE

I can’t head to Woolworths in Glen Huntly Rd and buy one. They don’t have a half-price special ST KILDA COACH ROSS LYON ON THE SAINTS’ NEED FOR MORE A-GRADE MIDFIELDERS

D-DAY: The Demons are looking down the barrel of another straight-sets exit from the finals.

22 after Christian Petracca’s kick with 41 seconds remaining was ruled to have been touched on the line.

The winner will head to the Gabba for a preliminary final meeting with the Brisbane Lions.

The GWS Giants are riding their hot hand into Saturday night’s semi-final against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

Since starting the season with a 3-7 record, they have won 11 of 14 and they could not have been more impressive against St Kilda at the MCG last Saturday, especially when they kicked eight straight goals from late in the first term to lead by 43 points shortly before half-time.

The Giants move the ball with breakneck speed from half-back and their spread from the contest was too difficult for the Saints to manage. The final margin was 24 points.

Making the win even more meritorious was that key midfielder Stephen Coniglio was a late withdrawal because of an eye injury, but he should return to face the Power.

And even though the Giants lost by 51 points to Port at Adelaide Oval in round 22, they will be itching to return. The win over the Saints meant they have won at a record AFL 11 venues for the season.

The Power face an unsettled week.

They were on the wrong end of an eight-goal hiding from the Lions at

the Gabba last Saturday night, with the game getting away from them in the third term.

They were a bit undermanned.

Moments after substituting Darcy Byrne-Jones out for tactical reasons, defenders Dylan Williams (hamstring) and Trent McKenzie (ankle) were injured and forced from the ground.

Both will be given every opportunity to play this week, as will talismanic key forward Charlie Dixon, who has been out since a foot injury in round 20.

Saturday night also shapes as the last home game for Port icon Travis Boak, who has been the sub on four occasions this year.

He is reportedly keen to play on, but indications are the club believes that after a magnificent 347-game career, the 35-year-old should finish up at the end of this season, rather than as a mainly SANFL player in 2024.

Since winning 13 successive games through the middle of the season, the Power have lost five of their past eight and looked jittery and well off the pace against the Lions.

Coach Ken Hinkley was at his reassuring best afterwards saying: “We’ll be OK. We earnt the opportunity to play again, worked really hard all year to get that opportunity.

We earnt the opportunity to play again

8 STORIES. 1 ENDING.

“Obviously we would have preferred to not use it, but we now get to use it and we’ll be ready to go and looking forward to the opportunity to play.”

Saturday night’s winner will be at the MCG next week to play Collingwood in a preliminary final.

The opening weekend of the 2023 finals smashed the AFL’s week one attendance record, with 289,147 attending the four games.

In addition to crowds of more than 92,000 for the Thursday and Friday night games, there were 68,465 back at the MCG on Saturday afternoon and 36,020 at the Gabba that night.

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE PREMIER IN 2023?

FINAL FLING?: Power champion Travis Boak could be playing his last home game for the club.

PORT ADELAIDE COACH KEN HINKLEY

CAMPING AT IT’S VERY BEST

100 GAMES

DANIEL LLOYD

GWS GIANTS

CAREER GAMES

POWER FACING A GIANT CHALLENGE

LAURENCE ROSEN

Port Adelaide’s predicament heading into the second week of finals is a fascinating prospect. Using a theme around the box office hit movie Oppenheimer – which Power teammates Ryan Burton and Ollie Wines spoke about on SEN last week – the start of the finals did not go as planned after Port was comprehensively beaten by the Brisbane Lions in the qualifying final at the Gabba last Saturday night.

TRAVIS BOAK

PORT ADELAIDE

CLUB – GAMES

While the Power were competitive in the first half, their stoppage game – which has been their strength this year – was exposed as the Lions found plenty of joy in front of goal from stoppage plays.

Port is nursing several injury issues heading into Saturday night’s do-or-die semi-final against GWS at Adelaide Oval, headlined by Trent McKenzie who ended the game against Brisbane on crutches with an injured ankle.

Power coach Ken Hinkley flagged his intentions that he wanted to move on quickly from the defeat.

“We’ll have to do with what we have available and I’m optimistic that’s still strong enough and good enough, I don’t think that’s a problem,” he said post-match.

OLLIE WINES

PORT ADELAIDE

CLUB – GOALS CHARLIE DIXON

PORT ADELAIDE

CLUB – GOALS JESSE HOGAN

GWS GIANTS

Has

“We’ll be OK. We earnt the opportunity to play again, worked really hard all year to get that opportunity.

“Obviously we would have preferred to not use it, but we now

get to use it and we’ll be ready to go and looking forward to the opportunity to play.

“We played GWS at Adelaide Oval not that long ago and we had a nice strong win.”

The question remains just how much can be taken from that round 22 game, where the Power prevailed easily by 51 points.

The Giants were irresistible in their win over St Kilda in last

week’s elimination final and will fancy themselves as they head to Adelaide Oval where they have a not-too-shabby 7-9 win-loss record and are 3-3 there against Port Adelaide.

Fresh off a contract extension, Hinkley’s immediate future is secure.

But a win on Saturday night would stamp this season as a successful one for Port Adelaide.

SKILTON HONOURED

u Former Swans champion Bob Skilton has been elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

The Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend is a three-time Brownlow medallist (1959, 1963, 1968) who played 237 games for South Melbourne, kicking 412 goals during his career that spanned from 1956 to 1971.

He won the Swans’ club best and fairest nine times, equal record for a player from any club with Fitzroy’s Kevin Murray, and was named as first rover in the AFL Team of the Century.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan congratulated Skilton on his recognition by Sport Australia.

“As just the fourth player in our game’s history to be recognised with Legend status, Bob is among the greatest small men to have played footy,” McLachlan said.

“His incredible list of honours speak to his skills and brilliance, but Bobby has also been a lifetime ambassador for the game.

“He has been the bridge to the growth of the Swans in Sydney and the inspiration for so many thousands who love our game and cherish the red and white.”

Set to play career game No. 348, passing Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins in outright 23rd position on the AFL/VFL games played list.

Set to play game No. 228 for Port Adelaide, drawing level with Domenic Cassisi in equal ninth most games played for the club.

Needs two goals to equal Brett Ebert in sixth spot on Port Adelaide’s goalkicking list. He is on 238 goals.

kicked 99 goals for GWS. Set to become the ninth player to kick 100 goals for the Giants.

POSITIVE THINKING: Power coach Ken Hinkley is confident Port can bounce back from a disappointing defeat.

PROCESS u EXTRA-TIME

HEART BEATS TRUE FOR FOOTY LEGEND

BRENDAN RHODES

1. Goal umpires c onfirm scores are identical;

2. There is a six-minute break for coaches to speak to their players;

3. Te ams change ends;

4. Thre e minutes of additional time, plus time-on will be played;

5. Af ter the first extra-time period, the siren sounds and teams immediately change ends without a break;

6. The ball will be bounced (or thrown up) in the centre and a further three minutes of play (plus time-on) will start;

7. At the end of this period, the siren will sound and the team with the highest score is declared the winner;

8. If s cores are still tied, steps 3-7 are repeated until a result is determined.

u INTERCHANGE CAP

u Clubs will receive 10 interchanges for each two three-minute periods. Any leftover interchanges from each two-period section of extra time do not carry over into a subsequent period.

FACT FILE

RON BARASSI

Playing career: 1953-69 (Melb 1953-64, Carl 1965-69)

Games: 254 (Melb 204, Carl 50) Goals: 330 (Melb 295, Carl 35).

Player honours: Melb best and fairest 1961, 1964; Melb leading goalkicker 1958 (equal), 1959; Melb captain 1960-64; Melb premierships 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964; AFL Team of the Century; Melb Team of the Century (captain); All-Australian 1956, 1958, 1961 (captain); Victoria (19 games, 26 goals); also played Port Melbourne (VFA) 1972 (3 games, 1 goal).

Coaching record: Carl 1965-71 (147 games, 99 wins, 47 losses, 1 draw), premierships 1968, 1970; NM 1973-80 (198 games, 130 wins, 65 losses, 3 draws), premierships 1975, 1977; Melb 1981-85 (111 games, 34 wins, 77 losses); Syd 1993-95 (59 games, 13 wins, 46 losses).

It looks like it could be a date, or even a banking PIN, but 17410 just happens to be one of the most famous five-digit codes in football.

It represents 17 Grand Finals ‘4’ (as in for) 10 premierships.

It is the number proudly emblazoned underneath the signature of Ronald Dale Barassi, one of the 12 inaugural Legends of the Australian Football Hall of Fame, the ruck-rover in the AFL and Melbourne Teams of the Century (Demon captain) and a man who would probably be known as ‘Mr Football’ if the great E.J. Whitten didn’t get the moniker first.

Barassi is arguably the biggest football name of all-time – he certainly is at two different clubs, having led Melbourne and Carlton to multiple premierships, while there is an argument he could have the same mantle at a third, having

coached North Melbourne to its first two VFL flags.

And then there’s Sydney, where he came out of an eight-year retirement to save a beleaguered club from extinction and be similarly revered as a messiah, even if the on-field success didn’t follow until after his departure.

His name stands alone (with apologies to Norm Smith) at the Demons, where he was part of the club since birth (his father Ronald snr played 58 games, including the 1940 flag, before being killed in action in World War II as a Rat of Tobruk).

Barassi jnr played in six premierships from 1955-64, captaining two, winning two best and fairests, two leading goalkicker awards and three All-Australian blazers.

So it was dubbed “the most audacious signing in League history” when the 1964 premiership

captain and 204-game champion’s appointment as captain-coach of the Blues for 1965 dropped later that year.

He went on to play another 50 games for Carlton and was playing coach of the 1968 premiership team before masterminding the Blues’ record-breaking comeback against Collingwood in the 1970 Grand Final from the coach’s box.

His stints in charge at North Melbourne (1973-80), Melbourne (1981-85) and then Sydney (1993-95) changed the course of history of all three clubs.

Given the supporters of four clubs would bow down to his greatness if they got the chance, who will he be supporting when two of them –the Demons and the Blues – fight for their seasons at the MCG on Friday night?

As they say in the classics, ‘Every Heart Beats True’.

DEMON WITH WINGS: The most famous image of one of the most famous football names – Ron Barassi launches a long bomb towards goal during his playing days before becoming a coaching luminary at Carlton (left).

This is Footy Country.

It’s Wednesday night. Under 18’s training. But it’s not just the Under 18’s out there. It’s the little brothers and sisters weaving between their legs on the first lap of the field and a couple of oldies following half a length behind. It’s the vice president stocking the canteen fridge.

It’s the same surnames that appear generation after generation, gold gilt on wood. The same golden locks in team photo after team photo.

It’s uniforms getting washed. Programs going to press. Fresh lines marked. And finals and rivals debated over tinnies.

You know it’s not just the Under 18’s out there. Because come Saturday, Everyone in town turns up to play.

Don’t be mistaken,

This isn’t country footy. This is Footy Country.

Supporting footy at the highest level for 20+ years. And now we’re backing the heart of the game, because there’s no footy without country footy.

COACHING RANKS TAKE SHAPE

The annual coaching carousel has one last stop to make in 2023, with Richmond set to announce its replacement for Damien Hardwick sometime around the Grand Final.

Andrew McQualter, who led the Tigers to a 7-6 record after replacing Hardwick, is in the running, together with Melbourne senior assistant Adem Yze, who narrowly missed the Essendon and GWS Giants jobs 12 months ago.

The shuffling of the assistant coaching decks is well underway and Hardwick, now the coach of Gold Coast, has made his first hire, poaching Shaun Grigg from Geelong to join him at the Suns.

Grigg, a premiership player at the Tigers in 2017 under Hardwick, was highly rated for his midfield work at the Cats and is considered a future senior coach. The Cats released him despite having him under contract.

Elsewhere, major turnover is coming to the coaching staffs at two underperforming clubs.

The Western Bulldogs are following the lead of clubs such as Richmond, Collingwood and Geelong of recent times by retaining the senior coach but shaking up the surrounding staff.

Luke Beveridge remains in charge but will be replacing long-time Bulldogs player and assistant coach Rohan Smith as well as Marc Webb and development coach Travis Varcoe.

Alastair Clarkson is also making significant changes ahead of his second season at North Melbourne.

Brett Ratten, who filled in as senior coach mid-season while Clarkson took a mental health break, will not be returning to Arden St.

He wants to remain in football but is reportedly seeking a director of coaching position rather than an assistant role.

The Roos have also released long-time development coach Gavin Brown, a former Collingwood premiership player and captain, and John Blakey, a Roos flag winner.

Brent Harvey will also not retain his part-time development role.

The Kangaroos are looking to freshen up their coaching staff and bring in younger assistant coaches more recently out of the game.

West Coast is another club to keep an eye on.

Adam Simpson kept his job despite the club’s 18th-place finish, but big changes are afoot with the highly-regarded Matthew Inness moving from the Western Bulldogs as high performance manager.

ASHLEY BROWNE

REUNITED: Shaun Grigg has been poached from Geelong by new Suns coach Damien Hardwick; (inset) long-time development coach Gavin Brown has been let go by North Melbourne.

CAPTAIN CRIPPA IN BLUE HEAVEN

MCG, SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

u After waiting a decade to run out in a final for the first time, Patrick Cripps now knows what it feels like to win one. The Carlton captain and reigning Brownlow medallist was kept under wraps by Sydney counterpart Callum Mills in the elimination final, but still did some important things as the Blues built a five-goal lead at half-time and held on desperately until the final siren to win by a goal. The victory was thanks mainly to the heroics of unheralded wingman Blake Acres, who wouldn’t be listed in the club’s top 10 players but was its most important in front of 92,026 roaring fans at the MCG last Friday night.

PHOTO

PHOTO: MORGAN HANCOCK/ AFL PHOTOS

THE BIRTH OF

The AFL Players Association is celebrating its 50th birthday. It is now a key partner with the AFL in the growth of the game, but its origins were humble and even hostile.

ASHLEY BROWNE revisits those times and talks to some who were up for the fight.

The dusty books of football history record that Subiaco’s Peter Eakins was the best player in Australia in 1969, winner of the prestigious Tassie Medal for the best player at the national carnival held in Adelaide that year.

What they don’t tell us is his decision to move to Collingwood the next year was the first act that led to a push towards player empowerment, which in turn led to the players forming their own union (which they called an ‘association’ because it seemed less militant), and which today has led to the players being equal partners with the AFL in the growth, development and prosperity of the game.

But it started with Eakins and the unwitting role he played in all this.

He was the first big-name recruit in Collingwood’s history and, when

the erstwhile parsimonious Magpies offered him a $5000 bonus on top of a healthy weekly wage, longstanding Magpie champions Des Tuddenham and Len Thompson went on strike when their demands for an increase in pay went unheeded.

Tuddenham wanted $8000 for the next three seasons. Thompson wanted $30,000 over five years.

Their beef wasn’t with Eakins, but instead with belligerent Magpie officials, including one who claimed when things became a bit heated: “We own you”.

The pair returned to the Magpies after three weeks amid promises from the club that it would loosen the purse strings. But both were stripped of their leadership roles.

Eakins ended up playing 32 games in three years for Collingwood before returning to Western Australia.

But the entire episode didn’t sit well with the VFL playing cohort.

We were just the pawns in a game THEN-GEELONG

It certainly got their attention. Meanwhile, the unrest shifted to Essendon where five senior players – Barry Davis, Geoff Gosper, Don McKenzie, Geoff Pryor and Darryl Gerlach – chose to miss the final practice match against South Adelaide. Their demands were not especially exorbitant, especially when compared with Tuddenham and Thompson.

The ‘Essendon Five’ wanted $3 a training session (an increase from $1) and $40 a match (up from $25) until reaching 100 games, with another slight increase thereafter.

Unlike Collingwood, the Bombers claimed it was the League’s strict rules that prevented them from upping the payments.

The dispute dragged on for another week, with the five players not selected for the 1970 season-opener against Carlton.

In a recent interview with the AFL Record, Pryor, who played 137

games for the Bombers, said the growing agitation of and by the players reflected the times.

By the late 1960s, the Vietnam War was raging, but Australia’s involvement was being greeted with increased scepticism and eventually hostility.

Support for the governments of the day, usually conservative, was also starting to wane.

Younger Australians were leading advocates for societal change and the VFL playing cohort was caught up in it.

“What was really happening was a change in the way football was being played because of the social context surrounding it,” Pryor said.

“And it’s not so different from today in many respects.

“They were young people at the time who were beginning to see the world in a different way ... I mean, the 1960s was quite a different environment than the ’50s.

“And yet the people who were managing clubs were the people who actually came through the Second World War and were actually still behaving as if they were managing very hierarchical organisations.

“That clash led eventually to people saying, ‘Look, we’re not going to put up with this’.”

The pay dispute was the last of several sticking points between the players and Essendon.

By the late 1960s, training was starting to ramp up. Pre-season

training started earlier in the summer and another weeknight was being added to the usual Tuesday and Thursday night training regimen.

The home and away season also increased in length from 18 games in 1967 to 20 for the next two seasons and 22 from 1970, all of which meant a greater risk of injury for the players.

“It really started probably a couple of years before when we actually talked to the club about the lack of any health insurance and the concern that we had about what happened if we actually were injured,” Pryor said.

“People forget that at that stage we were fully employed (elsewhere).

“And so as time went on, the demands from the football club became more intense.”

It was a difficult time for all at Essendon.

Pryor recalled being grilled by club legend Bill Hutchison, who wanted to know why he was making things “difficult” for the club.

“I said, ‘Well, it’s actually quite the reverse. What I’m trying to do is work with the other players and with the club to make it part of an organisation fit for its time.’

“It was a response to the changed circumstances in which we found ourselves and the demands being made on us as players.

“The way we trained was pretty intense and we didn’t have any protection.

“We needed to be able to say to the club, look after us and if we work this through, we’ll all get there together and we’ll be a stronger club.

“I didn’t have any difficulty at all in continuing to support the club.”

There was some name calling and the animosity grew to the stage where well-connected club officials were threatening the livelihood of players in their jobs away from football.

But then came that opening game of the season. The below-strength Bombers went down to the Blues at Princes Park by 49 points and looked miles off being competitive against one of the best teams in the League.

The five striking players were at the game and visible with their support for their teammates.

After all, their grievance was not with them.

But the scoreboard didn’t lie, and it came as no surprise that negotiations between the players and the club resumed the following morning. By the following Saturday, they were back in the team.

But the ground had shifted.

Players from across the competition looked at what took place at Collingwood and Essendon and understood that their club might be next, so the conversations began in earnest.

Pryor was a driver and, despite his Wesley College education, was known for his left-wing politics.

His biggest beef was the game was starting to make a serious amount of money, especially off the back of media rights deals.

But he had an unusual partner in the very early days, Geelong defender Gareth Andrews, who said, “I was more right-leaning, but the issue for me was all about just misusing players.

“We were just the pawns in a game and the behaviour of the people in the game was pretty horrific.”

Carlton star David McKay, who was also instrumental in the players finding their voice, said: “Players from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, they funded VFL infrastructure at the time, such as VFL Park and VFL House.

“A lot of the money that was coming into the game was actually being used to develop the infrastructure of the competition.

“I don’t think it was ever recognised that players of those earlier eras had basically a fairly big investment in the game.”

Many of the early conversations about the formation of some sort of players union took place in and around Queen’s College at Melbourne University.

Look after us and ... we’ll all get there together and be a stronger club

revealing the VFLPA’s support from future Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and another (right) announcing the creation of the association.

TRAILBLAZER: Collingwood’s signing of Subiaco’s Peter Eakins was the spark that led to the creation of the VFLPA.

And by early 1973, Pryor and Andrews were joined by McKay as well as Barry Davis, Ray Smith, Des Meagher and Doug Wade.

Davis and Wade were among the biggest names in the game and, interestingly, were the beneficiaries of the short-lived 10-year rule, which basically gave full free agency rights to players who had played for 10 years at the same club.

Davis had recently joined North Melbourne from Essendon, while Wade crossed to the Kangaroos from Geelong.

Their involvement was seen as a big plus as the player movement started to take hold.

As the players moved closer to forming a union, they received help from outside.

The Trades Hall Council provided guidance around the creation of the first Articles of Association.

A chap named Ron Jordan, from the bootmakers union, also helped with the initial paperwork.

Noted South Melbourne supporter Bob Hawke, the president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, reached out to offer whatever support he could.

But what they didn’t do was call the new entity a union.

“We decided against the word ‘union’ because it really looked then too much like we were all about the money,” Andrews said.

“Which is interesting when you look at the CBA discussions today, which really is all about the money.”

The VFL Players Association came into being on December 10, 1973, at Melbourne University’s Union House.

Newspaper reports said players from all clubs except Carlton were in attendance, but journalists were locked out of the meeting and unable to see who signed the attendance book.

Pryor was named the inaugural president and told reporters waiting outside that some players feared victimisation from their clubs for being at the meeting.

As it turned out, 10 of the 12 VFL clubs were satisfied enough to recognise the association and the Blues were among them.

The recalcitrant clubs?

To the surprise of nobody in football at the time, they were North Melbourne and Richmond, whose respective powerbrokers, Ron Joseph and Graeme Richmond, were as old school as they came.

“Their basic thinking was, ‘We don’t need anybody that would

represent our players. You keep your nose out of it,’ sort of thing,” McKay said.

At one stage, Joseph wrote to the association after rejecting another request for formal recognition, saying, “If your main complaint is that this club is disinterested in your association, then you are quite correct.”

Andrews actually joined the Tigers in the middle of 1974 and had to stand down from the association’s executive for the first six months.

But the Tigers won the flag and Graeme Richmond grudgingly recognised that the association was there to stay and allowed Andrews to renew his involvement.

If your main complaint is that this club is disinterested in your association then you are quite correct

THEN-NORTH MELBOURNE SECRETARY RON JOSEPH

BRANDING: Carlton star and VFLPA vice-president David McKay helps model the T-shirts promoting the new association; (left) a letter to president Geoff Pryor by VFL administrative director Eric McCutchan; and (below) the VFLPA magazine for the players.

Thanks to the AFLPA for several photos used in this feature.

The initial meeting between the VFLPA and the League did not take place until August 16, 1974.

It came as no surprise that VFL administrative director Eric McCutchan had as little enthusiasm for the concept of a players’ union as some club leaders did.

“It was incredibly frustrating that, one, we just couldn’t get any sort of recognition and, two, get any answers to the issues we were raising,” McKay said.

And those issues were hardly earth-shattering.

Among the early achievements for the association was a T-shirt and a magazine, The Footballer, which was put together with the help of Bob Parsonage, who worked on the sports desk at The Age.

All the players were after in the early days were better arrangements for match-day parking, better seating at games for family members as well as creches for their children, and basic improvements to changerooms.

They had yet to turn their attention to meatier issues such as injury insurance, workers’ compensation, minimum player contracts and superannuation.

But they were emboldened, and on the eve of the 1976 season, they were addressed by Hawke.

It was just before the Victorian state election and such were the demands on his time that he had fallen ill and cancelled all speaking engagements.

But with one exception, so on a memorable night at a pub in North Melbourne, the future Australian Prime Minister rallied the players, telling them, “I don’t want to suggest that you become a bunch of wild firebrands or radicals.

“But I would like my affiliated unions to have the power you fellows have. You have an enormous amount of power … it’s incredible.”

Those who were there still tell stories of the supposedly “ill” Hawke drinking with the players until well into the night.

Eventually progress would be made.

And once the VFL became the AFL in 1990, the relationship between the League and the rebadged AFL Players Association became more collaborative, albeit with some hiccups along the way.

Standard playing contracts were introduced and the players held firm when the AFL, on a couple of occasions, tried to strike them down and force the players to negotiate individual agreements with their clubs.

The 1993 meeting at Melbourne’s Radisson Hotel, attended by just about every player in the League, was seen as the turning point.

It sent an unmistakably clear message to the AFL that the AFLPA meant business.

After that came collective bargaining agreements, free agency and, in more recent times, revenue sharing.

AFLW players were immediately welcomed into the association’s fold.

The players of today are incredibly well compensated, with their health and welfare at the forefront of every major decision in the game, while those of the past who are experiencing hardship are taken care of.

The pie might never be quite large enough, but everyone gets to take a bite.

AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield and chief executive Paul Marsh are now among the most powerful figures in the game, with Dangerfield even touted as a future AFL Commissioner, while still being a player.

Fifty years on, Pryor approves of what he has seen and what the AFLPA has become.

“Sport certainly has been financialised and one might argue about that. I probably might,” he said.

“But the fact is that it’s a community product and actually requires different way of managing it.

“And I think the ability of the players and the players association and their representatives to get to where they are now is just an absolutely stupendous effort.”

I would like my affiliated unions to have the power you fellows have

FUTURE

PRIME MINISTER BOB HAWKE IN 1976

POWERFUL: AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan; (above) minutes of an early meeting by the leaders of what would become the VFLPA. @hashbrowne

BULLDOG BONT ONE OF THE BEST

One of the few surprises about Marcus Bontempelli’s career is that he hasn’t already won a Brownlow Medal, although that could easily change on Monday week.

The ‘Bont’, who was earmarked as a future star before he was even picked up at No. 4 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft (behind Tom Boyd, Josh Kelly and Jack Billings), recently won his second Leigh Matthews Trophy for the AFL Players Association’s Most Valuable Player, presented by Snaffle.

After finishing second in the Rising Star to Lewis Taylor in a first year that saw him average 15.9 disposals and kick 15 goals in 16 games (the Brisbane Lion played 22 games, averaged 16.9 touches and kicked 12 majors), he has been on an upward trajectory almost ever since.

Bontempelli lifted his disposal average to 21.1 in 2015 and 24.4 in 2016, when he received a premiership medal in the Western Bulldogs’ drought-breaking result, and hasn’t dipped below 22.9 since, apart from the truncated 2020 season.

It’s hard to believe he has already played 10 years of AFL footy, racking up 216 games and averaging 23.7 disposals, 3.9 marks, 5.1 clearances and 5.1 inside-50s while kicking 200 goals and proving his defensive skills with 5.2 tackles a game as well.

And, at just 27, there is plenty more ahead of the man who has become an inspirational captain since taking on the role in 2020.

His honour roll is already as long as your arm – the two Leigh Matthews Trophies and AFLPA Best Captain awards in 2021 and 2023, five All-Australian blazers (two as vice-captain), five 22under22 selections (three as captain), four Charlie Sutton Medals for the Bulldogs’ best and fairest, the AFLPA Best First-Year Player in 2014 and the AFL Coaches Association’s Best Young Player the following year.

But you just know there is plenty more to come – this season alone he had at least 20 disposals in all but one match (against Hawthorn in round seven), the most consistent year of his career.

It took Bontempelli 44 matches before he broke through for his first 30-plus disposal game – 30 against Adelaide in round seven, 2016 – but he has achieved the feat 37 times in his past 172 matches, which is better than once every five weeks, with a personal best of 37 against Carlton in round 22, 2018 – and he has topped 20 on another 131 occasions.

And nobody has been immune to his prolific form – he has done it at least once against all 17 rival clubs, with Adelaide and the Blues copping it four times apiece.

Even more impressively, Bontempelli can impact games even when he is not racking up big numbers – of the 17 times he has kicked three or more goals in a game, only four have come in 30-plus disposal matches, and four times he had fewer than 20 touches.

It is why he is one of the best, if not the best, players in the competition and why many pundits are suggesting he could eventually surpass the immortal E.J. Whitten and the legendary Doug Hawkins as the most revered Bulldogs of all time.

THE BONT: BY THE NUMBERS

TOP DOG: Marcus Bontempelli, who recently won his second AFLPA MVP, is being hailed as one of the greatest Bulldogs in history.

NOTHING HALF-BAKED ABOUT THE SEMIS.

This weekend is the half-way mark of the Final Series and, for two teams, the point of no return. There’ll be no half-measures, no half-hearted efforts and for fanatical followers like you, things will get pretty full-on. Luckily, there’s plenty of sustenance in the form of footy’s golden flaky familiarity, Four’N Twenty. In the heat of the battle, our pies are the friendly fire every fan welcomes. So good luck to the semi final combatants, because whoever emerges victorious is definitely half a chance to go all the way.

HALF-BAKED SEMIS.

TOM GREEN

ST KILDA v GWS GIANTS

MCG, September 9

u There’s a big, big sound coming from the west of the town, and Tom Green is beating the drum as loud as anyone at the GWS Giants.

In just his second final (and first winning one), Green was one of the best players on the ground in a performance of a midfielder hungry for more.

Already one of the best ball-winners in the competition, 35 possessions (17 contested) for the 22-year-old wasn’t a surprise.

But his output of a game-high nine inside 50s, eight score involvements and five clearances speaks to a beast made for finals.

A game-high 705 metres gained and two goal assists saw Green as the No. 1 attacking on-baller for the game, while his five tackles was the best defensive effort of any midfielder.

Teammate Josh Kelly did most of the damage in the first half with 19 disposals and two goals, but as the Giants held off the Saints impressively in the second half, Green ran the game out best.

Apart from some efforts with ball in hand – to be expected for a contested midfielder – Green simply has no deficiencies in his game.

Some players just scream September, and Green would love to make good on that promise in the coming weeks.

SEB MOTTRAM

AFL TRIVIA QUESTION #21

What is the biggest AFL attendance at a match?

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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 looks at Blake Acres’ heroics for Carlton last Friday night.

Playing good footy on a regular basis is one thing, but the best way to earn the respect of your coaches, teammates and fans is to do it when it matters the most.

It’s why the term ‘big game player’ isn’t bandied about loosely and must be earned by standing up when the chips are down.

And Carlton recruit Blake Acres is doing just that.

After six seasons at St Kilda and two more at Fremantle, the hard-running wingman did not play a final until his ninth AFL season and 119th game when the Dockers lined up for their 2022 elimination final against the Western Bulldogs.

Far from being overawed, he turned in a terrific performance, winning 24 disposals, five marks, six inside-50s and 544 metres gained to help Fremantle overturn a 41-point second-quarter deficit to win by 13 points.

Acres went even better the next week in the 20-point semi-final loss to Collingwood, picking up 27 possessions, nine marks, five inside-50s and 569 metres gained.

And if that wasn’t enough, the West Perth product did it again for his third club Carlton last Friday night.

Having crossed to the Blues during last year’s trade period, Acres was the match-winner in his third final against Sydney,

gathering 26 touches, four marks, five clearances, eight inside-50s and 570 metres gained.

His desperate efforts to push back and get a goalsquare fingertip on two separate shots for goal from the surging Swans kept Carlton in front before he got on the end of a late forward push at the other end to kick what proved to be the winning goal, making him the most influential player on the ground given the six-point final margin.

Acres’ two most prolific games of his career came in consecutive weeks earlier this season –

36 against St Kilda in round six and 34 against West Coast in round seven – but his finals output of 27, 26 and 24 disposals sits comfortably in the top 25 games he has played in a career that now spans 10 seasons and 143 matches.

Heading into Friday night’s semi-final against Melbourne, he is averaging 25.7 disposals, 6.0 marks, 6.3 inside-50s and 561 metres gained in finals football. Big game player?

It’s hard to deny him that accolade.

FOOTY FUN FACTS

The largest plane in the world is the Airbus A380 which seats 853 passengers. It would take 50 A380 flights to fill the Gabba.

BIG GAME PLAYER: Carlton recruit Blake Acres enhanced his finals reputation with a match-winning performance for the Blues last week.

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AWAKENING THE SLEEPING GIANT

It had been a tough start to life for the GWS Giants in their inaugural season of 2012.

Hammered by 63 points (Sydney), 129 (North Melbourne) and 81 (West Coast) in their first three outings, the fledgling club was receiving a series of lessons in what AFL football was all about.

There had been one bright spark – a 27-point win over fellow newcomer Gold Coast at Canberra’s Manuka Oval in round seven – but as the season drew on, the losing margins continued to grow.

As GWS prepared for its round 19 clash against Port Adelaide at Giants Stadium, it was 1-16 and coming off consecutive defeats of 78 (Melbourne), 94 (Sydney), 162 (Hawthorn), 119 (Adelaide), 95 (Fremantle) and 120 (Collingwood).

The Power weren’t flying either, having lost six of their previous seven, but were still expected to take care of the new kids on the block.

Somebody, however, forgot to tell Kevin Sheedy’s babes.

Tomas Bugg kicked the first two goals, and when he snagged his third shortly after Devon Smith and Jon Giles had also hit the target, the home team was 32 points up after just 25 minutes and people around the country were tuning TVs to Sydney’s inner west.

Jay Schulz got one back for Port on the siren, but the first two goals of the second quarter put GWS 44 points up at the 13-minute mark.

The more-seasoned Power line-up rallied with seven of the next eight goals to get back within five points in the shadows of three-quarter time.

Surely coach Matthew Primus’ men would run over the tiring rookies?

No.

Jeremy Cameron booted his first goal in the 29th minute to restore a 12-point lead and the Giants piled on six goals to two in the last quarter to win by 34 points for their first victory in Sydney.

It was delirium for a Giants team featuring only five players still at the club today – Callan Ward (29

disposals), Phil Davis (16), Toby Greene (31), Stephen Coniglio (27) and Adam Kennedy (11), although Cameron (three goals), Adam Treloar (26 disposals), Taylor Adams (10), Sam Frost (16) and substitute Will Hoskin-Elliott (5) are still playing elsewhere.

“We learnt a lot playing against Adelaide, Hawthorn and Sydney … (this win) is great for the Western Sydney fans,” Sheedy said.

But it wasn’t great for Primus, who had already been the first coach to lose to the Suns the previous year.

“We were as bad as we’ve been,” he said. “The group has come on in leaps and bounds this year, but today just wipes that all out.”

The Power effectively sacked him two days later, with Garry Hocking coaching out the season before Ken Hinkley took over in 2013.

ROUND 19, AUGUST 4, 2012

GIANT RAMIFICATIONS: Coach Kevin Sheedy celebrates GWS’ first win in Sydney, resulting in vanquished Power coach Matthew Primus (inset) being sacked two days later.

GWS Giants 5.4 8.6 10.9 16.11 (107)

Port Adelaide 1. 2 4.5 8.9 10.13 (73)

BEST: GWS Giants – Giles, Ward, Coniglio, Smith, Treloar, Cameron, Greene.

Port Adelaide – Cornes, Hartlett, Pearce, Boak, Brett Ebert.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Bugg 3, Cameron 3, Giles 2, Smith 2, Treloar 2, Adams, Cornes, Hoskin-Elliott, Patton. Port Adelaide – Brett Ebert 3, Schulz 2, Brad Ebert, Hartlett, Moore, P. Stewart, Westhoff.

Umpires: C. Fleer, T. Pannell, D. Harris.

Crowd: 6811 at Giants Stadium.

GWS GIANTS

B: Kennedy, Frost, Hampton

HB: Bugg, Davis, Townsend

C: Coniglio, Treloar, Adams

HF: Cornes, Cameron, Greene

F: Smith, Patton, Giles

FOLL: Brogan, Ward, Scully

IC: Power, Buntine, Miles, Hoskin-Elliott (sub)

PORT ADELAIDE

B: P. Stewart, Carlile, Logan

HB: Jonas, Trengove, Cassisi

C: Cornes, Hartlett, Brad Ebert

HF: Wingard, Westhoff, Pearce

F: Brett Ebert, Schulz, D. Stewart

FOLL: Lobbe, Boak, Broadbent

IC: Thomas, McCarthy, Moore, Young (sub)

EVERY CHAMPION’S GLORY HAS A LOCTITE STORY

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2023

What I’m thinking

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Giants flagging success

It was by no means a big, big sound, but it was most certainly a sound as the “Giants” chant rang around the MCG in the dying moments of last Saturday’s elimination final at the MCG.

GWS came to town and left not just with a 24-point win to set up a semi-final clash with Port Adelaide, but the further respect of pretty much everyone in the AFL.

In addition to wins at their home grounds at Giants Stadium and Manuka Oval, the Giants arrived at and conquered Norwood Oval, the SCG, GMHBA Stadium, Blundstone Arena, Traeger Park, Adelaide Oval, Mars Stadium, Marvel Stadium and the MCG in 2023.

That’s 11 venues all up and it’s an AFL record.

“We enjoy playing away,” said coach Adam Kingsley in what might be the understatement of the year.

The Giants have always been laden with talent. They tend to draft early and they draft well.

And they have always been well coached.

Kevin Sheedy and Mark Williams created a blueprint when the club was formed, which Leon Cameron and now Kingsley have followed.

The club achieved most of its success under Cameron and history should regard him as a giant of the Giants. He just remained as coach perhaps one season too long. Footy history is littered with similar such examples.

But what was clear from talking to Giants officials amid the jubilant mood in the MCG

rooms post-match was how thrilled they are with Kingsley.

A premiership player with Port Adelaide and twice a premiershipwinning assistant coach at Richmond, he understands what a successful football program looks like.

But nobody believed the turnaround in the club’s fortunes would be as quick and impressive as it has been.

They started their season 3-7, but have lost just three games since.

Kingsley had belief that the wins would come once the game-plan became embedded and the ‘Orange Tsunami’ has been a sight to behold.

With their speed and brave ball movement, the Giants sliced and diced their way through St Kilda last Saturday. A Saints outfit that under Ross Lyon was supposed to be hard to score against.

No team played a more attractive and entertaining brand of football on the opening weekend of the finals than the Giants and they will head into the clash with the Power full of confidence, despite losing to them by 51 points at Adelaide Oval little more than a month ago.

Take away their first three seasons, during which foundations were laid and bodies grew, the Giants have made finals in six of the subsequent eight seasons. They have twice made the preliminary final and once a Grand Final.

They were humiliated in that 2019 decider by Richmond, but there was extra satisfaction last Saturday evening after turning on that sort of

performance at their next opportunity in a final at the MCG. It slayed a few, if not most, of the demons from that embarrassing afternoon.

The Giants continue to raise the bar for Gold Coast, the other expansion club which pre-dates them by one year.

The Suns have led a mainly sorry existence and have yet to make the finals in 12 seasons.

But help is on the way. Damien Hardwick – Kingsley’s former boss –is now in charge with a mandate to make the Suns (a) relevant and (b) successful.

He’s had some small wins already. He’s convinced highly-rated Geelong midfield coach Shaun Grigg – a 2017 premiership player under him at Richmond – to join the Suns, while all it took was a 30-minute chat over a coffee for Sam Flanders to abandon any plans to move back to Victoria.

And he might be making a long play for Dustin Martin.

The pair have been spotted catching up on the Gold Coast and, while Martin is likely to see out the 12 months remaining on his contract at the Tigers – and play his 300th game for the club while he’s at it – it seems quite possible he will finish his career in yellow and red instead of yellow and black.

Hardwick is too good a coach and there is too much talent already at the club for his move to the Suns not to be successful.

But as to which club might win that breakthrough flag first?

My money is on the Giants.

They (the Giants) have always been well coached

Other teams might be quaking after the Giants played the most entertaining brand of football of all four games in the opening week of finals.

TIGER TALK: Former Richmond assistant Adam Kingsley is making giant strides with GWS, while star Tiger Dustin Martin (inset) was spotted recently catching up with new Suns coach Damien Hardwick.

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BIG RACES IN FANTASTIC PLACES

Power v Giants

HEAD to HEAD

Played 14: Port Adelaide 8, GWS Giants 6.

Past five: Port Adelaide 4, GWS Giants 1.

Most recent game: round 22, 2023, Port Adelaide d GWS Giants by 51 points at Adelaide Oval.

Highest attendance: 34,693, round 18, 2018, at Adelaide Oval.

PORT ADELAIDE

Home record: 5-3

Away record: 3-3

Highest score: 21.10 (136), round 22, 2023, at Adelaide Oval.

Lowest score: 7.13 (55), round 19, 2019, at Adelaide Oval.

Greatest winning margin: 75 points, round 12, 2013, at Giants Stadium.

Longest winning sequence: 4, round 2, 2013, to round 20, 2015; round 6, 2020, to round 22, 2023.

Most goals in a game: 6, Jay Schulz, round 7, 2014, at Manuka Oval.

SNAPSHOT

FORM: PA – LWWWL GWS – LLWWW

IN FINALS: Never met in a final

KEY OUTS: PA – Clurey (back), Georgiades (knee), Jonas (calf); Visentini (quad); GWS – Kennedy (knee)

MILESTONES: GWS – Daniel Lloyd (100 games)

WATCH OUT FOR: When they met in round 22, Port’s midfielders had their way. Zak Butters (34 disposals), Ollie Wines (29) and Connor Rozee (28) were all outstanding. But the Giants don’t shape as a team that will change what has got them this far. Speed and spread is their recipe for success and that likely won’t change tonight.

Talking points

u Port forward Todd Marshall had the yips at the Gabba and missed straightforward shots for goal. It was later revealed he had a hip injury that affected his motion. But Charlie Dixon is back to share the goalkicking load.

u Hard to think of too many better key-defensive combinations than Sam Taylor, Connor Idun and Jack Buckley. They were outstanding for the Giants last week against the Saints.

u Josh Kelly had 19 touches in the first half last Saturday and absolutely torched St Kilda. Does Willem Drew try to run with him?

u Port lost sudden-death finals at home in 2017, 2020 and 2021. The pressure on the Power heading into tonight is enormous after an excellent home and away season.

ASHLEY BROWNE

Prediction: Port Adelaide by 11 points

GWS GIANTS

Away record: 3-5

Home record: 3-3

Highest score: 22.19 (151), round 4, 2016, at Manuka Oval.

Lowest score: 3.11 (29), round 17, 2022, at Adelaide Oval.

Greatest winning margin: 86 points, round 4, 2016, at Manuka Oval.

Longest winning sequence: 5, round 4, 2016, to round 19, 2019.

Most goals in a game: 6, Jonathon Patton, round 4, 2017, at Manuka Oval.

EAGLES CEO TO STAND DOWN

u West Coast’s Trevor Nisbett, the second longest-serving current club chief executive, will be stepping down from his position at the end of next season at the expiration of his contract.

Nisbett has filled the role at the Eagles since 2000, having been the club’s football manager for 10 years before then.

He has been a key figure at West Coast for all four premierships

and has helped drive it to its position as the wealthiest club in the competition and one of the largest and most respected organisations in Western Australia.

The Eagles have had more than 100,000 members for the past four years and by any measure are the most successful expansion club in the AFL.

West Coast chairman Paul Fitzpatrick said: “No one in the history

of our club has matched the impact that Trevor has had on our club and we will forever be indebted to him.

“The strong on-field performances are an obvious barometer, but he has been a visionary with so many of the off-field initiatives of our club.”

The Eagles have promised a national search to find his replacement.

ASHLEY BROWNE

MIDFIELD MAESTROS: The clash of young guns Tom Green and Zak Butters could be pivotal.

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POCKET PROFILE 16 Ollie Wines

Nickname: Wal

Which teammate will become an AFL coach one day: Dan Houston

What time should the Grand Final start: 2.30pm

Ideal length of the home and away season: 34 games

How do you pass the time before a night game when you’re on the road: Play Chase The Ace Dog person or cat person: Dog

Do you get your hair cut before a big game on TV: No

What sport do you suck at: Golf, cricket, darts and throwing things Favourite subject at school: Maths

Dream job after AFL footy: International pilot Sporting event you cannot miss: The Everest Hobbies or interests outside football: Golf, university, remote control car racing

What advice would you give a first-year player: Enjoy every day because it goes by quickly

What’s something you admire about your club: It’s founded on a grassroots club that works hard for everything it gets

Best advice your mum gave you:

Treat people how you’d like to be treated

Espresso or cold brew: Espresso

Favourite Shapes flavour: Pizza

Uber Eats or DoorDash: Uber Eats

Home delivery or pick-up: Pick-up

First concert you attended: The Amity Affliction

Your go-to karaoke song: No

Love by Eminem & Lil Wayne

Favourite podcast: Sword And Scale or Global News Podcast

Three things on your bucket list: Super Bowl, bungee jumping, skiing in Japan

Last book you read: Australia’s Secret Army by Michael Veitch

Favourite holiday destination: Byron Bay

Who should play your coach in a movie: Matt Damon

CLUB HISTORY

HIGHEST SCORE

29.14 (188) v Hawthorn, R13, 2005, Football Park

LOWEST SCORE

3.3 (21) v Collingwood, R20, 2011, Football Park

GREATEST WINNING MARGIN

117 points v Hawthorn, R13, 2005, Football Park

BEST WINNING SEQUENCE

13 games – R4, 2023 to R17, 2023

WORST

OVERALL RECORD: 618 games – 331 wins, 282 losses, 5 draws

RECORD AT CURRENT VENUES

8 Warren Tredrea (v Carlton, R7, 1998, Princes Park)

8 Jay Schulz (v Western Bulldogs, R14, 2014, Adelaide Oval)

7 S cott Cummings (v Essendon, R17, 1997, MCG)

7 Warren Tredrea (v Fremantle, R11, 2003, Football Park)

7 Scott Cummings (v Hawthorn, R2, 1998, Waverley Park)

7 Warren Tredrea (v Essendon, R9, 2003, Marvel Stadium)

7 Daniel Motlop (v Essendon, R7, 2008, Marvel Stadium)

7 Warren Tredrea (v Richmond, R8, 2009, Football Park)

7 Warren Tredrea (v Hawthorn, R13, 2005, Football Park)

7 Warren Tredrea (v Adelaide, R7, 2004, Football Park)

7 Jay Schulz (v North Melbourne, R13, 2010, Marvel Stadium)

7 Jay Schulz (v Brisbane Lions, R15, 2011, Gabba)

7 Jay Schulz (v North Melbourne, R8, 2012, Football Park)

7 A ngus Monfries (v Geelong, R20, 2013, GMHBA Stadium)

7 Jay Schulz (v Brisbane, R4, 2014, Adelaide Oval)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST

Ollie Wines* (2021)

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL

HALL OF FAME MEMBERS

INDUCTEES : Craig Bradley (also Carl), Nathan Buckley (also Bris Lions, Coll, coach Coll), Haydn Bunton snr (also Fitz), John Cahill (coach PA, also coach Coll), Russell Ebert (also NM), Bob McLean (admin PA), Geof Motley, Bob Quinn, Gavin Wanganeen (also Ess), Fos Williams (coach PA), Warren Tredrea, Greg Phillips (also Coll), Mark Williams (coach PA, also Coll, Bris)

INDIGENOUS TEAM OF THE CENTURY

Gavin Wanganeen (half-back flank), Byron Pickett (interchange), Peter Burgoyne (interchange)

NORM SMITH MEDALLIST

Byron Pickett (2004)

JOCK McHALE MEDALLIST

Mark Williams (2004)

AFL RISING STAR AWARD

Michael Wilson (1997), Danyle Pearce (2006)

MICHAEL TUCK MEDALLISTS

Adam Kingsley (2001), Nick Stevens (2002)

AFL COACHES ASSOCIATION

MVP AWARD

Zak Butters* (2023)

87 points v North Melbourne, EF, 2005

points v North Melbourne, PF, 2007

GREATEST LOSING MARGIN IN A FINAL

119 points v Geelong, GF, 2007

MOST GOALS IN A FINAL

5 Brendon Lade, v Sydney, QF, 2003

BEST FINALS WINNING STREAK

Four games (2004-05)

WORST FINALS LOSING STREAK

Four games (1999-2002)

PRE-SEASON/NIGHT SERIES

54 games – 29 wins,

TRAVIS BOAK

PORT ADELAIDE

GWS GIANTS

IN: Dixon OUT: Finlayson, Williams

IN: Coniglio OUT: O’Halloran, Haynes

PORT ADELAIDE

GWS GIANTS

PLAYER LIST

POCKET PROFILE 38 Daniel Lloyd

Nickname: Lloydy

Which teammate will become an AFL coach one day: Phil Davis

What time should the Grand Final start: 2pm

Ideal length of the home and away season: 23 games

How do you pass the time before a night game when you’re on the road: Coffee, walks, nap

Do you get your hair cut before a big game on TV: Yes

What sport do you suck at: Archery

Favourite subject at school: Maths

Dream job after AFL footy: Back on the tools

Sporting event you cannot miss: Masters Hobbies or interests outside football: Golf

What advice would you give a first-year player: Good luck

What’s something you admire about your club: Family

Espresso or cold brew: Espresso

Favourite Shapes flavour: Cheese & Bacon

Uber Eats or DoorDash: Uber Eats

Home delivery or pick-up: Home delivery Dog person or cat person: Dog

First concert you attended: The Beautiful Girls

Your go-to karaoke song: It will never happen

Favourite podcast: The Joe Rogan Experience

Last book you read: Atomic Habits

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Who should play your coach in a movie: Ted Lasso

PLAYER PERFORMANCE

SEASON SNAPSHOT

CLUB HISTORY

HIGHEST SCORE

25.12 (162) v Essendon, R23, 2023, Giants Stadium

LOWEST SCORE

3.7 (25) v Richmond, Grand Final, 2019, MCG;

3.7 (25) v Sydney, R12, 2020, Optus Stadium

GREATEST WINNING MARGIN

126 pts v Essendon, R23, 2023 Giants Stadium

BEST WINNING SEQUENCE Seven games – R13, 2023 to R20, 2023

WORST LOSING SEQUENCE 21

JOHN COLEMAN MEDALLISTS

2019: Jeremy Cameron (67)

RUNNER-UP

2019

WOODEN SPOONS

2012, 2013

FINALS

14 games, 8 wins, 6 losses MOST FINALS Nick Haynes* 14

CLUB FORMATION AND KEY DATES

March 13, 2008

The AFL wins the support of the 16 club presidents to establish an 18th team to be based at Blacktown Olympic Park in Sydney’s western suburbs.

October 20, 2009

The AFL Commission approves draft and player concessions for GWS in 2010 and 2011, for its entry to the AFL competition for the 2012 season.

November 9, 2009

Four-time Essendon premiership coach Kevin Sheedy is announced as coach.

July 29, 2010

The AFL Commission announces it has granted Team GWS a licence to become the 18th team, starting in 2012.

November 10, 2010

GWS announces a partnership with the ACT Government to play 30 premiership season games and 10 pre-season games in Canberra in the next 10 years.

November 16, 2010

GWS launches its name, logo and colours. The club will be known as the Greater Western Sydney Giants and will wear orange, charcoal and white, with the traditional NSW blue to feature in the away guernsey.

February 19, 2011

GWS plays its first games in the NAB Cup, losing to Sydney by 79 points and Gold Coast by 25 points.

April 9, 2011

The Giants play their first game in the newly formed North East Australian Football League.

November 24, 2011

HIGHEST SCORE IN A FINAL

19.11 (125) v West Coast Eagles, SF, 2017

LOWEST SCORE IN A FINAL

3.7 (25) v Richmond, GF, 2019

GREATEST WINNING MARGIN IN A FINAL

67 points v West Coast Eagles, SF, 2017

MOST GOALS IN A FINAL

6 Steve Johnson v West Coast Eagles, SF, 2017

RECORD AT CURRENT VENUES

BEST FINALS WINNING STREAK

Three games (2019)

WORST FINALS LOSING STREAK

Two games (2016-17)

PRE-SEASON/NIGHT SERIES

22 games – 9 wins, 13 losses

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

2012 (10,241), 2013 (12,681), 2014 (13,040), 2015 (13,480), 2016 (15,312), 2017 (20,944), 2018 (25,243), 2019 (30,109), 2020 (30,841), 2021 (30,185), 2022 (32,614), 2023 (33,036) * denotes current players or coach

GWS has 11 of the first 14 selections in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft. The No.1 pick is Jonathon Patton.

March 24, 2012

GWS loses its first AFL game, beaten by 63 points by Sydney. Callan Ward kicks the club’s first goal.

May 12, 2012

The Giants win their first AFL game, defeating Gold Coast by 27 points at Manuka Oval.

October 4, 2012

Highly regarded Hawthorn assistant coach Leon Cameron signs a four-year deal to join the Giants.

August 27, 2016

The Giants finish fourth on the ladder to qualify for their first finals series.

September 10, 2016

The Giants win their first final, defeating the Sydney Swans by 36 points in the qualifying final at ANZ Stadium.

September 28, 2019

The Giants play in their first Grand Final, going down to Richmond by 89 points.

August 22, 2022

Richmond assistant coach Adam Kinglsey announced as senior coach, replacing Cameron.

TOP GOALKICKING PERFORMANCES

9 Jeremy Cameron (v Gold Coast, R23, 2019, Metricon Stadium)

9 Jesse Hogan (v Essendon, R23, 2023, Giants Stadium)

7 Jeremy Cameron (v Collingwood, R18, 2013, MCG)

7 Jeremy Cameron (v Hawthorn, R6, 2015, Giants Stadium)

7 Jeremy Cameron (v Carlton, R22, 2015, Giants Stadium)

7 Jeremy Cameron (v Gold Coast Suns, R8, 2016, Giants Stadium)

7 Jeremy Cameron (v Richmond, R3, 2019, Giants Stadium)

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

LEGEND: Kevin Sheedy (coach GWS, also Rich, coach Ess)

CALLAN WARD

Prepare for life on and off the field

*Terms and conditions apply. Ends 27 Sep 2023

HOW YOUR TEAM RATES IN 2023

KICKING EFFICIENCY SHOT-AT-GOAL ACCURACY

OLLIE LORD

u Lord starred in his first AFL final last week against Brisbane, having an equal team-high five shots at goal, booting four majors and registering one behind. He was targeted inside 50 on four occasions and took two contested marks.

SCORES PER INSIDE 50

CENTRE CLEARANCES DIFFERENTIAL

STOPPAGE CLEARANCES DIFFERENTIAL

KIEREN BRIGGS

u Since round 20, Briggs has imposed himself at around-the-ground stoppages, winning a team-high 40 first possessions – 17 more than Tom Green. Briggs also leads the Giants for stoppage clearances with 28.

PRESSURE

FACTOR DIFFERENTIAL

A team’s pressure points* per 100 opportunities to apply pressure.

The first kick or effective handball in a chain that clears the ball-up or throw-in area. The first kick or effective handball

DIFFERENTIAL EXPLAINED

A statistical value is expressed relative to opposition teams. This is calculated as ‘For’ minus ‘Against’ within a game. For example, if Carlton has 15 centre

SCORE FROM OPPOSITION TURNOVERS SCORE CONCEDED FROM TURNOVERS

Points scored from chains after winning the ball off the opposition.

Points conceded to the opposition from chains after turnovers.

clearances to Essendon’s 12, Carlton’s centre clearances differential for the game is 15-12 = +3, while Essendon’s is 12-15 = -3.

DEFENSIVE-50 REBOUND TO INSIDE 50

Percentage of defensive-50 rebounds that led to a forward-50 entry within the same chain of possessions.

TACKLES IN FORWARD 50

UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS DIFFERENTIAL

Possessions gained while under no physical pressure, either from a teammate’s disposal or an opposition’s clanger kick.

u Rozee has turned the ball over 138 times this season –the most of any Power player. The side has conceded a team-high 16 goals from those turnovers and 105 points overall – the most of anyone at the club.

LACHIE ASH

u Ash won an equal team-high 20 uncontested possession in last week’s win over St Kilda. He gained 589 metres and had an equal team-high 31 disposals.

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS DIFFERENTIAL

CONNOR ROZEE

2023 LEAGUE LEADERS

DISPOSALS KICKS HANDBALLSMARKS

Disposing of the ball via a handball or kick.Disposing of the ball by foot. Disposing of the ball by hand.

SCORE INVOLVEMENTS AFL PLAYER RATINGS

Scoring chains where the player had a disposal, hit-out to advantage, kick-in or knock-on.

As seen on AFL.com.au. The most advanced metric of player performance available using data from 2023.

Catching a kicked ball that has travelled 15m.

HIT-OUTS TO ADVANTAGE STOPPAGE CLEARANCES

A hit-out that reaches an intended teammate.

CENTRE CLEARANCES

The first kick or effective handball in a chain that clears the centre bounce area.

The first kick or effective handball in a chain that clears the ball-up or throw-in area.

1 J.Witts (GCS) 21 12.4

2 R.O’Brien (Adel) 23 11.3

3 S.Darcy (Frem) 15 11.1

INSIDE 50s

Distance gained with the ball by running, kicking or handballing, combining measures towards and away from goal.

1 E.Gulden (Syd) 24 562

2 J.Short (Rich) 16 546

3 L.Ryan (Frem) 23 534

4 B.Smith (Adel) 22 520

5 C.Rozee (PA) 24 518

6 T.Stewart (Geel) 22 513

7 J.Dawson (Adel) 23 510

8 K.Amon (Haw) 21 504

9 J.Sinclair (StK) 24 501

10 Ch.Warner (Syd) 21 485

A mark under physical pressure of an opponent or in a pack.

PRESSURE POINTS

METRES GAINED TACKLES CONTESTED

Moving the ball from the midfield into the forward zone. Excludes multiple entries within the same chain of possession.

Weighted sum of pressure acts – 3.75 for physical pressure, 2.25 for closing, 1.5 for chasing and 1.2 for corralling.

1 M.Rowell (GCS) 23 72.2

2 T.Atkins (Geel) 23 70.7

3 J.Dunkley (BL) 22 68.6

4 T.Liberatore (WB) 21 66.1

5 J.Rowbottom (Syd) 24 65.0

6 T.Taranto (Rich) 23 63.8

7 M.Bontempelli (WB) 23 62.3

8 J.Steele (StK) 21 61.0

9 C.Oliver (Melb) 14 60.0

10 Z.Merrett (Ess) 22 57.7

Using physical contact to prevent an opponent in possession of the ball from getting an effective disposal.

2023 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON

ROUND

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)

12.5 (77) (AH)

Ess 15.14 (104) v Melb 11.11 (77) (AO)

PA 10.10 (70) v WB 8.8 (56) (AO) (N)

Sunday, April 16

Geel 21.10 (136) v WCE 13.11 (89) (AO)

GWS 10.17 (77) v Haw 11.9 (75) (NO)

Coll 10.10 (70) v St K 9.10 (64) (AO) (T)

ROUND 6

Friday, April 21

Frem 10.9 (69) v WB (OS) 17.16 (118)(N)

Saturday, April 22

PA 16.13 (109) v WCE 10.9 (69) (AO)

GWS 13.9 (87) v BL16.12 (108) (MO) (T)

Geel 20.10 (130) v Syd 5.7 (37) (GMHBA) (N)

Sunday, April 23

Haw 11.10 (76) v Adel 11.13 (79) (UTAS)

Carl 8.12 (60) v St K 12.10 (82) (MRVL)

Friday, August 4

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

Saturday, August 5

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

12.13 (85) v Syd 15.6 (96) (GS) (N)

Sunday, August 6

10.11 (71) v Melb 15.13 (103) (BA)

8.6 (54) v Carl 10.13 (73) (MRVL)

11.8 (74) v BL 11.11 (77) (OS) (T)

ROUND 22

Friday, August 11 Coll 16.13 (109) v Geel 15.11 (101) (MCG) (N)

Saturday, August 12

12.5 (77) v Ess 13.8 (86) (MRVL) Syd 18.6 (114) v GCS 13.12 (90) (SCG)

15.9 (99) v Adel 13.15 (93) (G) (T) Carl 9.6 (60) v Melb 8.8 (56) (MCG) (N) WCE 4.9 (33) v Frem 20.14 (134) (OS) (N)

Sunday, August 13

Haw 9.13 (67) v WB 9.10 (64) (UTAS) StK 14.9 (93) v Rich 8.9

ROUND

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

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

Sunday, August 20

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

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

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

ROUND 24

Friday, August 25 Ess 3.13 (31) v Coll 16.5 (101) (MCG) (N)

Saturday, August 26

Haw 8.8 (56) v Frem 14.9 (93) (MCG)

NM 20.12 (132) v GCS 14.13 (97) (BA)

BL 9.18 (72) v StK 9.6 (60) (Gabba) (T)

Geel 11.13 (79) v WB 16.8 (104) (GMHBA) (N)

WCE 12.6 (78) v Adel 17.21 (123) (OS) (N)

Sunday, August 27

PA 13.16 (94) v Rich 8.15 (63) (AO)

Syd 7.14 (56) v Melb 11.11 (77) (SCG)

Carl 11.7 (73) v GWS 16.9 (105) (MRVL) (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 (45) (GMHBA) (N)

Adel 8.9 (57) 6.4 (40) v GWS 10.11 (71) (AO) (N)

Sunday, July 16

NM 6.4 (40) v Haw 12.16 (88) (MRVL)

WCE 8.12 (60) v Rich 14.14 (98) (OS) (T)

ROUND 19

Friday, July 21

Ess 7.7 (49) v WB 13.12 (90) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, July 22

Rich 14.12 (96) v Haw 15.5 (95) (MCG)

Carl 21.14 (140) v WCE 10.9 (69) (MRVL) BL 9.10 (64) v Geel 7.11 (53) (G) (T)

PA 12.11 (83) v Coll 13.7 (85) (AO) (N)

Frem 12.4 (76) v Syd 16.9 (105) (OS) (N)

Sunday, July 23

GWS 15.13 (103) v GCS 9.9 (63) (MO) Melb 14.13

2023 TOYOTA AFL FINALS SERIES

Thursday, September 7

1st QF – Coll 9.6 (60) v Melb 7.11 (53) (MCG) (N)

Friday, September 8

1st EF – Carl 11.8 (74) v Syd 9.14 (68) (MCG) (N)

Saturday, September 9

2nd EF – StK 11.11 (77) v GWS 15.11 (101) (MCG)

2nd QF – BL 19.9 (123) v PA 11.9 (75) (G) (N)

Friday, September 15

1st SF – Melbourne v Carlton (MCG) (N)

Saturday, September 16

2nd SF – Port Adelaide v GWS Giants (AO) (N)

September 22-23

Week Three – Preliminary Finals

Saturday, September 30

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 – FINALSWEEK1

SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL

Collingwood

BEST: Collingwood – Sidebottom, Crisp, Quaynor, Hill, Moore, De Goey.

Melbourne – Petracca, Gawn, Oliver, Viney, Pickett.

GOALS: Collingwood – Hill 3, McStay 2, Mihocek, De Goey, Crisp, Cameron.

Melbourne – Fritsch 2, Sparrow, Smith, Pickett, Neal-Bullen, McDonald.

Substitutes: Collingwood – Ginnivan (replaced Cameron);

Melbourne – Laurie (replaced Brayshaw).

Umpires: C. Deboy, H. Gavine, A. Stephens, M. Stevic.

Crowd: 92,636 at the MCG.

BEST: Carlton – Walsh, Acres, Cerra, Cottrell, Saad, Hewett, Newman.

Sydney Swans – Gulden, McLean, T. McCartin, Mills, Parker, Blakey, Lloyd.

GOALS: Carlton – Cottrell 2, Martin 2, Owies, Docherty, C. Curnow, Cuningham, Cripps, Cerra, Acres. Sydney Swans – McDonald 2, Gulden 2, Parker 2, Hayward, Amartey, Hayward.

Substitutes: Carlton – Motlop (replaced McKay); Sydney Swans – Fox (replaced Amartey).

Umpires: J. Broadbent, R. Findlay, J. Mollison, M. Nicholls.

Crowd: 92,026 at the MCG.

AFLW – ROUND2

Best: Adelaide – Ponter, Marinoff, Allen, Gould, Biddell. Richmond – Conti, Seymour, Sheerin, Dempsey.

Goals: Adelaide – Gould 3, Martin, Ponter, Jones. Richmond – Conti, Kelly.

Best: Gold Coast – Rowbottom, Whitfort, Stanton, Dupuy, Bohanna. West Coast – Lewis, Roberts, Swanson, Gibson.

Goals: Gold Coast – Stanton 6, Bohanna 4, Dupuy 3, Whitfort, Membrey. West Coast – Gibson 3, Smith.

(26)

Best: Brisbane Lions – Anderson, Davidson, Dawes, Hodder, Conway, Svarc. Port Adelaide – Scholz, Foley, Phillips, Dowrick, Ballard.

Goals: Brisbane Lions – Davidson 4, Conway 2, McKee 2, O’Dwyer, Smith, Svarc. Port Adelaide – Foley, Houghton, Tahau, Teakle.

Best: Geelong – Scheer, Morrison, Parry, Amy McDonald, Prespakis, Emonson. Sydney – Gardiner, Molloy, Morphett, Newman, Heads.

Goals: Geelong – Scheer 5, Parry 3, Morrison, Amy McDonald. Sydney – Newman 3, Morphett, Molloy.

Best: Hawthorn – Lucas-Rodd, Bates, Ashmore, Bodey, Stratton. Western Bulldogs – Pritchard, Blackburn, Lamb, Fitzgerald, McLeod.

Goals: Hawthorn – Bodey 2, McDonagh, Lucas-Rodd, Hipwell, Gilroy. Western Bulldogs – McLeod 2, Newton, McFarlane, Hartwig.

Collingwood 3.1 4.3 7.4 7.4 (46)

Fremantle 0.0 1.3 1.3 3.7 (25)

Best: Collingwood – Sheridan, Davey, Bonnici, Rowe, Sansonetti. Fremantle – Bowers, O’Driscoll, Miller, Stannett, Strom.

Goals: Collingwood – Morris-Dalton 2, Rowe, Morris, Campbell, Davey, Frederick. Fremantle – Antonio, Stannett, Lally.

BEST: GWS Giants – Green, Kelly, Whitfield, Ash, Briggs, Bedford, Idun. St Kilda – Steele, Sharman, Marshall, Wanganeen-Milera, Hill.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Riccardi 3, Bedford 2, Brown 2, Hogan 2, Kelly 2, Callaghan, Greene, Daniels, Lloyd. St Kilda – King 3, Sharman 2, Hill 2, Higgins, Marshall, Owens, Wanganeen-Milera.

Substitutes: St Kilda – Stocker (replaced Caminiti); GWS Giants – Haynes (replaced Cumming).

Umpires: C. Donlon, N. Foot, R. O’Gorman, B. Rosebury.

Crowd: 68,465 at the MCG.

SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL

BEST: Brisbane Lions – Daniher, McCluggage, Rayner, Dunkley, Fletcher, McInerney. Port Adelaide – Rozee, Butters, Houston, Aliir, Lord, Lycett.

GOALS: Brisbane Lions – Daniher 5, Rayner 3, Fletcher 3, Cameron 2, Zorko, McCluggage, McCarthy, Lyons, Hipwood, Bailey. Port Adelaide –Lord 4, T. Marshall 2, Powell-Pepper 2, Byrne-Jones, Rozee, Rioli.

SUBSTITUTES: Brisbane Lions – Lyons (replaced Robertson); Port Adelaide – Boak (replaced Byrne-Jones).

Umpires: A. Gianfagna, B. Hosking, S. Meredith, N. Williamson. Crowd: 36,020 at the Gabba.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year

Best: North Melbourne – Garner, Riddell, Randall, Eddey, Kearney. Carlton – Hill, McKay, Cordner, Sherar, Pound.

North Melbourne – Randall 4, Shierlaw

E.King 2, Garner, Eddey. Carlton – Fitzpatrick.

Best: Essendon – Prespakis, Toogood, Gee, Walker, Alexander, Vogt. St Kilda – Xenos, Lambert, Smith, Vesely, Patrikios, McDonald.

Goals: Essendon – Vogt, Clarke, Gee, Toogood, Wuetschner, Radford. St Kilda – Xenos, Stevens, Lambert, Vesely.

Best: Melbourne – Hore, Lampard, Hanks, Pearce, Purcell. GWS Giants – Barr, Eva, Evans, Parker, Beeson.

Goals: Melbourne – Hore 5, Bannan 3, Purcell 2, Lampard 2, Zanker, Mackin, Mithen. GWS Giants – Garnett, Doyle, Eva.

LADDER: North Melbourne 8 (554.5%), Melbourne 8 (324.5%), Adelaide 8 (247.5%), Geelong 8 (229.3%), Essendon 8 (153.4%), Gold Coast 4 (218.3%), Brisbane Lions 4 (166.7%), Hawthorn 4 (86.4%), Sydney 4 (80.7%), Fremantle 4 (80.0%), Collingwood 4 (78.6%), Richmond 4 (69.3%), Carlton 4 (40.8%), Western Bulldogs 0 (50.5%), St Kilda 0 (45.8%), GWS 0 (45.3%), Port Adelaide 0 (40.3%), West Coast 0 (35.7%).

THIS WEEK: Friday, September 15: Geelong v North Melbourne (5.05pm, GMHBA Stadium).

Saturday, September 16: GWS v Richmond (1.05pm, Blacktown International Sports Park); Adelaide v Essendon (2.35pm, Wigan Oval, Unley); Melbourne v Western Bulldogs (3.05pm, Casey Fields); Fremantle v Hawthorn (3.05pm, Fremantle Community Bank Oval).

Sunday, September 17: St Kilda v Port Adelaide (1.05pm, RSEA Park); West Coast v Carlton (1.05pm, Mineral Resources Park); Collingwood v Gold Coast (3.05pm, Victoria Park); Brisbane Lions v Sydney (5.05pm, Michael Voss Oval, Brighton Homes Arena).

* All times local.

UNDER THE PUMP: Fremantle’s Madeleine Scanlon gets a kick away just before she is brought down by Collingwood’s Alana Porter.

JOE’S HANDFUL: Brisbane Lion Joe Daniher boots one of his five goals in the qualifying final thrashing of Port Adelaide.

LEADING GOALKICKERS

* Includes finals

Beyond Bank is for and with the dees.

As proud partners of the Melbourne Football Club and their community, we’re backing the dees this finals season.

Congratulations to the club for its outstanding achievements in 2023.

QAFL –FINALS

Best: Redland-Victoria Point – Hammelmann, Aston, O’Sullivan, William, Huddy, Johnson. Wilston Grange – Martyn, Fidler, Baker, Bowles, McFadyen.

Goals: Redland-Victoria Point – Hammelmann 7, Brown 2, Huddy 2, Benson, Johnson, Lemana-Pakau, Matthews. Wilston Grange – Budarick, Derksen, Fazldeen, Martyn, McFadyen, Richardson.

THIS WEEK: Saturday, September 16: Grand Final: Aspley v Redland-Victoria Point (2.30pm, Giffin Park). Reserves: Broadbeach v Aspley (11.30am). Colts: Maroochydore v Palm Beach-Currumbin (9am).

VFL –FINALS

FIRST

Best: Box Hill Hawks – Bramble, Mascitti, Greene, Koschitzke, Ramsden, Arundell. Footscray – Sullivan, Khamis, Sweet, Drummond, McComb, Macpherson.

Goals: Box Hill Hawks – Greene 3, Ryan 3, Arundell 2, Bennetts, Bramble, Butler, Koschitzke, Long, Ramsden. Footscray – Khamis 5, Goater 2, Clarke, Darcy, Macpherson.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL

Best: Brisbane Lions – Mathieson, Prior, Buzza, Gardiner, Tunstill, Rich. Williamstown – McDonald, Jones, Hore, Andrews, Triffett, Toner.

Goals: Brisbane Lions – Buzza 3, Cockatoo 2, B. Coleman 2, Barry, Dunkley, Fullarton, Lohmann, Sharp. Williamstown – Pickess 2, Andrews, Cox, Ebinger, McDonald, Ottavi.

COATES TALENT LEAGUE –SEMI-FINALS

Best: Tasmania Devils – Vandam, Depaoli-Kubank, Schoenmaker, McCormack, Callinan, Payne. Gippsland Power – Craven, Hoghton, Esler, Ward, Smith, Reid.

Goals: Tasmania Devils – Callinan 3, Douglas 2, Depaoli-Kubank, Leake, L. Ling, Schoenmaker. Gippsland Power – Campbell, Donohue, W. Duursma, Z. Duursma, Serong.

Best: Eastern Ranges – Sruk, Windsor, Weatherill, Anderson, George, Trembath. Oakleigh Chargers – Lorenz, Hartman, Elliott, Walker, Hicks, Gross.

Goals: Eastern Ranges – Weatherill 3, George 2, Hider, Macdonald, Ryan, Tanzimat, Watson, Windsor. Oakleigh Chargers – Brown 2, Elliott 2, Hicks 2, Gross, Smith, Thomas, Walker.

SANFL – FINALS

Sturt – McFadyen, Lewis, Mathews, Battersby, Dakin. Central District – Little, Hoskin, Schiller, Munn, McCormack.

Goals: Sturt – McFadyen 4, Hone 2, Mathews 2, Burrows, Lewis, Richards, Shute, Thiele. Central District – Grace 2, Linke 2, Barreau, Dudley, Hoskin, Larkins.

Best: Geelong Falcons – Murray, McLachlan, Pike, Hastie, Burke, Hughes. GWV Rebels – Rantall, Hannaford, Faull, Byrne, Renfree, Stevens.

Goals: Geelong Falcons – Anastasopoulos 3, Burke 3, McLachlan 3, Hughes, Ivisic, Rudd, Ward. GWV Rebels – Lloyd 2, Ough 2, Byrne, Charleson, Faull, Jess, Unwin.

Best: Sandringham Dragons – McGee-Galimberti, Visentini, Dear, Sanders, Lord, Voss. Northern Knights – Ferronato, Naish, Caddy, Lawson, Green, Heatley.

Goals: Sandringham Dragons – Brown 2, Dear 2, Lloyd 2, Ashcroft, Dolan, Edwards, Johnston, Lord, May, Reid. Northern Knights – Caddy 2, Galgano 2, McKenzie, Gresham.

THIS WEEK: Sunday, September 17: Preliminary Finals: Tasmania Devils v Eastern Ranges (11.30am, Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo); Sandringham Dragons v Geelong Falcons (2pm, QEO).

TSL – FINALS

Best: Clarence – Preshaw, Bealey, Green, Wylie, Smith, Alomes. Launceston – Tyrrell, Madden, House, Faulkner.

Goals: Clarence – Alomes 4, J. Preshaw 2, O. Preshaw 2, Holmes, Howlett, Norton. Launceston – Jake Hinds, Riley.

AFL SYDNEY – GRAND FINAL

THIS WEEK: Saturday, September 16: 2nd Preliminary Final: Werribee v Brisbane Lions (12pm, Avalon Airport Oval). 1st Preliminary Final: Gold Coast v Box Hill Hawks (3pm, Heritage Bank Stadium). UNSW-Eastern

Best: UNSWES – Thorne, Spencer, Foote, Baxter, Unger, Hawkins. North Shore –Crisafulli, Brewer, Campbell, Dillon, Veale, Chalmers.

Goals: UNSWES – Emery 5, Baxter, Foster, Jack, Rider, Spencer. North Shore – Campbell, Grace, Hopkins, Rayner, Rogers, Thomas.

Best: Glenelg – Snook, Scharenberg, Proud, McBean, Pink. Adelaide –Berry, Cook, Hamill, Madgen, Gollant.

Goals: Glenelg – Hosie 3, McBean 3, Allen 2, Reynolds 2, Turner 2, Bell, Lovelock, Partington, Snook. Adelaide – Cook 3, Gollant 3, McKenzie 2, Coleman, Dowling, Newchurch.

THIS WEEK: Sunday, September 17: Preliminary Final: Adelaide v Sturt (3.15pm, Adelaide Oval).

HOMEOF SPORT, INYOUR HAND.

Kingborough – L. Clifford, Tomkinson, Cole,W. Clifford, Zeitzen, Carter. North Launceston – Avent, Bennett, Chugg, Mitchell, Young, Sulzberger.

Goals: Kingborough – Carter 3, Zeitzen 3, Williams 2, Cole, Collidge. North Launceston – Cox-Goodyer 2, Griffiths, Ives, Simpson.

THIS WEEK: Sunday, September 17: Preliminary Final: North Launceston v Clarence (1.30pm, UTAS Stadium).

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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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PIES HOLD FIRM AFTER EARLY MAYHEM

The MCG was heaving as Melbourne playmaker

Angus Brayshaw was stretchered from the ground less than 10 minutes into last Thursday night’s qualifying final against Collingwood.

Magpie Brayden Maynard had leapt into the air in an attempt to smother, but instead cannoned into Brayshaw with his shoulder.

What followed was several minutes of mayhem as the Demons hunted Maynard every chance they could.

Brayshaw’s absence left the Demons short-sticked through the midfield and meant Christian Petracca, who coach Simon Goodwin had hoped to deploy primarily as a match-winning forward, had to spend more time in the engine room.

Petracca is a superstar, but could not be in two places at once.

The Demons held the edge 154-130 in contested possessions and 44-40 in clearances, but rarely has such a dominance in inside 50s – 69-37 – not led to a win.

They won many key indicators, yet lost the game by seven points,

QF1 QUALIFYING FINAL 1

WHAT THE COACHES SAID COLLINGWOOD

CRAIG McRAE

“To be able to hang in there and fight against the masses and the wave of ball in our defensive 50, I thought our backs were enormous. Keeping them to something like 28 per cent scoring inside-50, that’s a huge effort and a collective from our team defence. We’re really proud, winning your first final doesn’t come around too often.”

MELBOURNE

SIMON GOODWIN

“We dominated the game, post quarter-time, for a big part of it, and we were wearing them down. But the start was poor, and I thought we were pretty average in the contest early, and Collingwood made us pay. They hit the scoreboard, and from that moment on, we were chasing the scoreboard the whole game.”

9.6 (60) to 7.11 (53), sending them to a semi-final on Friday night against Carlton and the prospect of a straight sets exit for the second successive year.

And they lost the game in that frantic, fiery opening 33 minutes during which Collingwood jumped to a 20-point lead.

In a game where time and space were at a premium, Bobby Hill slipped away for two first-quarter goals. He was electrifying.

Thereafter the Magpies managed just five goals and, for the most part, the Demons played the game on their terms. Their backline was generally outstanding.

But the fear going into the finals series was how their forward line would function and those concerns were largely realised.

Melbourne’s attack has had a wretched year – Harrison Petty and Jake Melksham emerged as the answer at various stages alongside the ascending Jacob van Rooyen, but were cut down by season-ending injuries.

Tom McDonald stepped in and kicked a goal, but had just seven touches; Bayley Fritsch was the

only multiple goalkicker, but his radar was wonky as Melbourne paid a heavy price for its inefficiency.

The Magpies held their nerve in the second half as the Demons started to come hard with Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn and Petracca imposing themselves on the game.

But Darcy Moore, Nathan Murphy, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Maynard held firm against ferocious pressure.

Daniel McStay, who crossed from the Brisbane Lions, kicked two important goals in the third term, one after a courageous mark while running with the flight of the ball as the Demons mounted their charge.

And former Swan and Hawk Tom Mitchell won some key touches and kept surging the ball forward in that challenging third term.

They and the rest of the Magpies did enough to win, albeit just.

But that’s the beauty of finals football – percentage is irrelevant and style points count for zero.

We’ll see the Magpies next week in a preliminary final.

Oh, and somebody called Nick Daicos will be back.

ASHLEY BROWNE

THUMBS UP: Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw reacts to the crowd as he is stretchered off last week.

The Magpies held their nerve in the second half as the Demons started to come hard

LIONS ROAR INTO HOME PRELIMINARY FINAL

The Brisbane Lions put themselves in the box seat to advance to the AFL Grand Final after comfortably handling Port Adelaide in the second qualifying final at the Gabba last Saturday night.

The Lions outmuscled the Power 19.9 (123) to 11.9 (75) to book their spot in a third preliminary final in four seasons.

The Power were right in the game for a half before the decision to sub Darcy Byrne-Jones out was quickly followed by injuries to Dylan Williams (hamstring) and Trent McKenzie (knee).

McKenzie hobbled back on to the field in the fourth term, but was clearly limited.

The successive injuries zapped the energy out of Port as Chris Fagan’s Lions took control of the game with 11 goals to six in the second half.

The home team booted eight goals in the third quarter as Charlie Cameron broke free from Ryan Burton for a moment, firing home two quick majors in his 200th game.

Lachie Neale was well held by Willem Drew, but it didn’t stop the Lions from maintaining full

QUALIFYING FINAL 2

WHAT THE COACHES SAID BRISBANE LIONS

CHRIS FAGAN

“I’ve always felt we’ve gradually been getting better and I sensed this year we’ve taken another little step. I don’t know if it’s a big enough step to say we’ll go the whole way, but we’re certainly better equipped to do that and take the opportunity that presents itself.”

PORT ADELAIDE

KEN HINKLEY

“We’ll be OK. We earnt the opportunity to play again, worked really hard all year to get that opportunity. Obviously we would have preferred to not use it, but we now get to use it and we’ll be ready to go and looking forward to the opportunity to play.”

midfield control, kicking 13 goals from stoppages.

First-year father-son midfielder Jaspa Fletcher kicked three goals and provided a spark all night in a breakout performance, while Hugh McCluggage was dominant through the middle with 26 disposals and nine clearances.

But the major damage was done by Joe Daniher, who helped himself to five goals – his equal-best finals return – and Cam Rayner, who starred with three goals of his own.

The promising Ollie Lord, 21, broke out for the Power with four goals in just his 12th AFL match, but the success inside forward 50 was few and far between for the visitors.

Their efforts in front of goal, particularly from Todd Marshall, left a lot to be desired and put them on the back foot early.

While the Lions eventually won comfortably, the Power were competitive early but failed to get a full return for their efforts as they kicked 1.6 before booting their second goal.

Port Hall of Famer and former 300-game star Kane Cornes singled out several easy misses that he felt

the Power’s forwards would have nailed in the home and away season. He believes the pressure simply got to those Power players on the big stage.

“I thought it was men against boys kind of stuff last night,” Cornes said on Channel Nine.

“The Lions kicked 13 goals from stoppage and that had been Port Adelaide’s strength.

“What also hurt Port Adelaide early was easy misses. Todd Marshall is usually an excellent set shot for goal.

“This is the thing about finals, some players can cope with it (the pressure), others can’t. You could almost see the blood draining out of their faces when they were missing.

“This doesn’t probably happen in a home and away game. They weren’t able to cope with that pressure in front of goal. The routine deserted them.

“To miss by that far in a big game like that is a real concern.”

Port Adelaide returns home to Adelaide Oval to face a barnstorming GWS in a Saturday night semi-final.

Meanwhile, the Lions have the weekend off and will host the winner of the Melbourne v Carlton semi-final in a home preliminary final. NIC

JOE SHOW: Lions forward Joe Daniher mauled the Power with five goals.

The pressure simply got to those Power players on the big stage

BLUES HOLD OUT PLUCKY SWANS IN A THRILLER

Alarge part of Carlton’s rise from perennial cellar-dweller to a team that this year will finish in the top six at a minimum has been some individual brilliance from some of the most exciting players in the competition.

Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps. No.1 draft picks Jacob Weitering and Sam Walsh. Coleman Medal winners Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow

But the feature of last Friday night’s excruciating 11.8 (74) to 9.14 (68) elimination final win over Sydney at the MCG was the outstanding performances from some of the Blues’ lesser lights.

There was the tireless running of Matthew Cottrell, the desperate defensive goalsquare acts from Blake Acres and the smarts of Jack Martin at both ends of the ground.

Without them, the Blues might now be hitting the beach.

The Swans broke even in the first term, but were let down by some wayward finishing.

Their solitary poor quarter came next, and it wasn’t helped by being smashed at the contest

by Carlton, which had 20 more contested possessions.

But they largely got themselves going and were the better team after half-time.

There were significant momentum swings in their direction and they managed to draw within a goal with 33 seconds remaining.

But the Blues negated the next two stoppages to seal a nervy and, to be fair, deserving win.

Fan favourite Sam Docherty electrified the 92,026 fans at the MCG when he snapped the opening goal inside the first two minutes.

When the Blues surged forward from the next centre bounce and got the ball to McKay, who found Curnow to snap truly, a rout seemed on the cards.

But the Swans did as they so often do and worked their way back into the game.

Callum Mills blanketed Cripps for much of the game, Tom McCartin ensured a rare quiet game for the erstwhile mercurial Curnow and big man Hayden McLean played his breakout game.

WHAT THE COACHES SAID CARLTON

MICHAEL VOSS

“We won on defence at the end of the game. We didn’t have momentum at all, it was completely against us and we certainty weren’t winning it through ball use. In behind all that was a desperate will to win. We probably won on heart.”

SYDNEY SWANS

JOHN LONGMIRE

“What I’d rather do is try to climb the mountain and fail than never get to the base and not have a crack at it. If it doesn’t work or we don’t end up succeeding, then you get up next week and try again. I’d rather do that than not have a crack at all.”

Carlton’s second-term dominance looked set to continue in the third term when McKay marked at the top of the goalsquare with a chance to put the Blues 35 points ahead.

But he somehow missed and the Swans took full advantage, quickly kicking the next three goals.

Carlton then kicked the next three, although it was on the right end of a score review that denied a goal to Sydney’s Braeden Campbell thanks to a lunging save from Acres.

There were some brilliant individual acts from the Blues, especially from Martin, who fed the ball to Acres for the goal that ultimately sealed the game and also took two important defensive intercept marks as the Swans were pressing.

Martin came to the Blues from Gold Coast on a big money deal and has delivered mixed results, but he was magnificent when it mattered.

He won’t play in Friday night’s semi-final after taking Nick Blakey high and receiving a one-match suspension.

But you can bet coach Michael Voss – who knows a thing or two about finals footy – will be showing Martin’s sizzle reel in the lead-up to the Melbourne game.

It’s the blueprint for winning in September.

ASHLEY BROWNE

The Swans did as they so often do and worked their way back into the game

HEROICS: Blake Acres’ lunging save denied the Swans a goal during a dramatic final term.

GIANTS MAKE A BIG SOUND AS SAINTS SINK

The Greater Western Sydney fairytale lives on for another week while Ross Lyon’s dreams for an unlikely first premiership with St Kilda in 2023 are over.

It was an elimination final that lived up to all the billing at the MCG last Saturday afternoon, with the stars taking centre stage and momentum swings aplenty.

But it was the speed of Adam Kingsley’s men and their conversion in front of goal that allowed their story to live on.

This time last year, the Giants were on an off-season break having finished 16th on the ladder.

Twelve months on, they’ve fought and scrapped their way to the final six after finding themselves sitting 15th with a 3-7 record after round 10.

They have won 11 of 14 since.

The 15.11 (101) to 11.11 (77) victory was just the second time in 2023 that St Kilda had conceded more than 100 points, and in a common theme to this year’s finals series, the Saints had more inside 50s than the Giants (56-54).

However, they simply couldn’t control Kingsley’s new ‘Orange Tsunami’ on transition.

The visitors got on a roll early and edged away towards the first break before kicking on hard after quarter-time, putting the Saints in a position they had not found themselves in in 2023.

GWS was the first team to kick eight straight goals against St Kilda this year, with the margin exceeding 40 points at one point in the second term.

The Saints were leading clearances and contested possessions but still found themselves down by a significant margin.

Callum Wilkie played a pivotal role in St Kilda going into half-time with some chance, as did Max King at the other end.

King kicked two majors late in the second quarter and went on to finish with three, while Wilkie showed his All-Australian prowess as a calming influence down back.

But players such as Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Tom Green and others simply tore St Kilda to shreds on transition, with the

WHAT THE COACHES SAID GWS GIANTS

ADAM KINGSLEY

“As the year has progressed, we’ve improved significantly. We started to play a recognisable brand that I thought would stack up against quality opponents. Towards the end of the season, when we were up and going pretty well, I thought it was possible around then.”

ST KILDA

ROSS LYON

“Our weakness came to the fore, which we know and understand what we need to try and build out in there. It was never going to be a one-year build. We’ve got to build it up over a period of time. I think we’ve grown a lot. I’m proud of our growth. I’m proud of our mindset and our fight.”

Saints’ lack of speed consistently exposed in defence.

Kelly, who gathered 19 disposals and kicked two goals in the first half, copped a Marcus Windhager tag in the second half.

Three goals in the dying minutes of the third term took the clash from an inevitable St Kilda loss to a wave of Saints momentum in the blink of an eye, a burst that continued early into the last term.

But for the 60,000-plus St Kilda fans who turned the MCG red, black and white underneath a picturesque Melbourne sky, that comeback petered out.

For all that Lyon has achieved in his first year back at Moorabbin, it felt a hollow way for it to come undone.

A lengthy review of how St Kilda failed to defend the wide expanses of the MCG looms.

GWS will be a tough match-up for Port Adelaide in Saturday night’s semi-final at the Adelaide Oval.

There were few weaknesses in the Giants’ system or personnel and they’re well and truly in the premiership hunt.

SEB MOTTRAM

IRREPRESSIBLE:

Josh Kelly was part of a Giants midfield that constantly put the Saints’ defence under pressure.

They simply couldn’t control Kingsley’s new ‘Orange Tsunami’

THE NEXT BIG THINGS

u The 2023 NAB AFL Draft is looming ominously, with the fate of hundreds of talented youngsters set to be known in the coming weeks, and as the draft date nears, the nerves, anxiety and excitement will become palpable for these players.

The 2022 draft group was full of quality. North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel was a standout, battling it out with Brisbane Lion Will Ashcroft for the Rising Star award for much of the campaign before a knee injury cut short the Lion’s season.

Sheezel’s teammate George Wardlaw showed glimpses, as did Ashcroft’s colleague Jaspa Fletcher, while Gold Coast’s Bailey Humphrey, St Kilda’s Mattaes Phillipou, Hawthorn pair Cameron Mackenzie and Josh Weddle, West Coast duo Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett, Carlton’s Ollie Hollands and Adelaide’s Max Michalanney all had a significant impact in their debut campaigns.

The talk of the 2023 draft crop has undoubtedly centred around Harley Reid,

who has long been touted as the No. 1 selection. The hype is also plentiful on several other youngsters expected to go at the pointy end on the November 20 and 21 draft nights. Read on to discover more about some of these remarkably talented up-and-comers.

We have cast our eye over a select few names who are being billed as potential top-10 picks in this year’s NAB AFL Draft.

ANDREW SLEVISON

BUDDING STARS: Harley Reid (left) and Nick Watson are among the group of top prospects in the 2023 NAB AFL Draft.

NATE CADDY

NORTHERN KNIGHTS/VIC METRO

KEY FORWARD

DOB: 14/7/2005 HGT: 192 cm WGT: 91kg

u Caddy is a strong Victorian key forward with the ability to fly high and take big marks and appears to have natural key forward craft. He is the nephew of Richmond premiership player Josh Caddy, who built a solid career across stints with Gold Coast, Geelong and the Tigers. Caddy has the same strong build as his uncle, but stands at 192cm and plays well above his height as a key forward. He impressed in a VFL outing for Carlton, kicking two goals and having three inside-50s. He is seen as a first-round prospect and has had a strong year, especially given he suffered a fractured leg at the start of the season.

NIC NEGREPONTIS

JORDAN CROFT

CALDER CANNONS/VIC

KEY FORWARD

DANIEL CURTIN

METRO

DOB: 12/5/2005 HGT: 200 cm WGT: 80 kg

u The highly-touted father-son prospect looks set to follow in his father Matthew’s footsteps and don the red, white and blue of the Western Bulldogs. The 200cm key forward played 11 games for the Calder Cannons and three for Vic Metro in the Under-18 Championships and has emerged as a potential top-15 draft prospect. Croft kicked 21 goals for the Cannons, including a five-goal haul against Northern Territory in round four. He also had a standout performance for Vic Metro when he booted three goals against South Australia. With Croft likely to head to Whitten Oval, it will be intriguing to see what happens to the likes of Sam Darcy, Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan with another talented key forward added to the mix.

ETHAN DAFFEY

CLAREMONT/WESTERN AUSTRALIA

KEY POSITION/MIDFIELDER

DOB: 8/3/2005 HGT: 195 cm WGT: 94 kg

u Curtin has drawn comparisons with former Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich and looms as the best West Australian of the 2023 draft class. Likely to be selected inside the first five picks, Curtin starred in the Under-18 Championships playing in every position across the ground. Despite being named at centre half-back in the All-Australian team, the 195cm product proved he had the makings of an elite midfielder and presented a unique versatility with his forward craft as well. In August, draft expert Mick Ablett declared: “I think he could be Matthew Pavlich. His ability to play at either end of the ground as well as roll through the midfield, I think this kid is very, very special.” With West Coast at the top of the draft, the Eagles will heavily consider drafting Curtin, who could be the face of the club for years to come.

ZANE DUURSMA

GIPPSLAND POWER/VIC COUNTRY

MID/FORWARD

DOB: 28/8/2005 HGT: 189 cm

WGT: 80 kg

u The brother of Port Adelaide wingman Xavier, he looks certain to be an early pick in the 2023 NAB AFL Draft. Duursma is a wiry midfield/forward option with plenty of athleticism and plenty of tricks. On top of his penetrating kicking, Duursma is more than capable above his head, which could have him play AFL football early next season as a flank option. Duursma has been dominant in the Coates Talent League for Gippsland and franked his form for Vic Country in the Under-18 Championships when he booted four goals against Vic Metro to go with 10 marks and 22 disposals. There’s every chance Duursma will go inside the top five. Fans of one lucky club will have plenty of fun watching him develop.

LACHLAN GELEIT

COLBY McKERCHER

TASMANIA/LAUNCESTON/ALLIES

MIDFIELDER

DOB: 12/4/2005 HGT: 182 cm

WGT: 76 kg

u It has been a big year for Tasmanian football, and that’s set to continue with a Tassie local tipped to be one of the hottest prospects in this year’s draft. McKercher is a gun onballer, starring in 2023 for the Allies team that won the Under-18 Championships for the first time. Alongside his fellow Taswegian Ryley Sanders – who will also be taken early in the draft –McKercher has been lighting it up in the middle in underage football. The 182cm midfielder was best-on-ground in the Allies’ winner-takes-all game against Vic Country, kicking two goals in the crucial third term which saw his team cruise to victory. McKercher is all but guaranteed to be taken within the top 10 of the draft. He’s one to watch.

LAURENCE ROSEN

ETHAN READ

GOLD COAST ACADEMY/ALLIES

RUCK

DOB: 7/7/2005 HGT: 202 cm WGT: 87 kg u Likely the first ruckman to be taken off the board in this year’s draft, Read is highly touted due to his tremendous upside. Incredibly mobile for a ruckman, the 18-year-old frequently serves as an extra midfielder with his surprisingly strong foot skills providing a unique dynamic to the engine room. Read has also shown the ability to drift forward, using his athletic frame to provide another attacking option. He was dominant in the Under-18 Championships, claiming All-Australian honours as the primary ruckman for the title-winning Allies. He was no slouch in his VFL debut either, with 12 disposals and multiple shots at goal. With the potential to end up as a top-five player in this draft crop, the Suns will have to dig deep into their pockets to hold on to their Academy prospect.

JACK MAKEHAM

HARLEY REID

BENDIGO PIONEERS/VIC

MIDFIELDER

COUNTRY

DOB: 17/4/2005 HGT: 185 cm WGT: 85 kg u Reid is the headline player of this year’s crop. The Bendigo Pioneers midfielder has power and can burst from stoppages and hit the scoreboard if played forward. He has been compared to a young Dustin Martin given his strength and goalkicking prowess. Reid not only dominated the under-18 level in 2023, but also had three outings in the VFL (two for Carlton, one for Essendon) and looked immediately at home against the bigger bodies. He not only excels in stoppages, but has shown the ability to take big, contested marks. The question will be whether West Coast uses the No. 1 draft pick on the Victorian or whether it targets a local talent, leaving him available to North Melbourne. What is certain is that he enters the draft as the clear No. 1 ranked player in the pool.

NIC NEGREPONTIS

RYLEY SANDERS

TASMANIA/SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/ALLIES

MIDFIELDER

DOB: 21/1/2005 HGT: 186 cm WGT: 85 kg

u The Tasmanian midfielder has shone for both the Sandringham Dragons and the Allies in the Under-18 Championships, emerging as one of most consistent midfielders in this year’s draft crop. Sanders won the Larke Medal as the best player across the championships, averaging 35 disposals, five clearances and a goal. A player who has been rated well inside the top 10 of phantom drafts, Sanders could even end up at North Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player. While clubs are now unable to match bids inside the top 40 selections for Academy prospects, the Roos could receive access to the Tasmanian if the AFL allows them priority draft assistance – something the club has asked for. He’s a born ball-winner and could make an immediate impact.

LACHLAN GELEIT

JED WALTER

GOLD COAST ACADEMY/ALLIES

KEY FORWARD

DOB: 8/6/2005 HGT: 195 cm WGT: 94 kg

u The adulation and hype surrounding Walter has only been dwarfed by the fact Harley Reid is also in this draft class. The Palm Beach-Currumbin local is a unique player in that he stands as a key forward, yet he is athletic on the ground and applies an abundance of pressure when the ball hits the deck. Walter has been developing nicely in the Gold Coast Suns Academy and was dominant in the

NICK WATSON

EASTERN RANGES/VIC METRO

MIDFIELDER/SMALL FORWARD

DOB: 24/2/2005 HGT: 170 cm WGT: 76 kg

Under-18 Championships as the Allies claimed their first title. He made the All-Australian team at centre half-forward for the second successive season. Walter is expected to hear his named called early on draft night with rival clubs set to bid on his services, but the Suns will likely match anything that comes for him and provide him a home at Carrara.

ANDREW SLEVISON

u Watson is a genuine top-10 draft prospect. The Caulfield Grammar product has had a terrific year at all levels and is one of the most talented players eligible to be drafted this year. Standing at 170cm, he can play in the midfield and in attack. Watson has dominated for the Eastern Ranges and Vic Metro for the past two years. In 2022, he played as a

small forward but he has been working on his midfield craft this year. It will be interesting to see where Watson goes on draft night, but clubs certainly should not be deterred by his size. Watson is a mix of Tom Papley, Josh Rachele and Izak Rankine. He has match-winning ability you can’t teach and will definitely become a fan favourite.

HUGH FITZPATRICK

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.

Coles Healthy Kicks aims to educate, activate and motivate students to become more physically active, eat nutritious foods and develop a healthy mind while having fun with others.

The program is built on four key pillars – Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Heathy Food and Healthy Team.

Healthy Food is all about helping kids make the right choices.

Fuelling growing bodies with the right foods and nutrients is critical to development.

Coles Healthy Kicks aims to make preparing and cooking simple healthy food fun for the whole family.

GREEK CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH LEMON & OREGANO

Recipe by Courtney Roulston MAKES 12 SKEWERS

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 700g chicken breast, trimmed, cut into 2cm cubes

• 1 lemon, half zested, half cut into thin rounds

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

• ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

• 2 medium green zucchinis, sliced into 1cm rounds

• 2 medium red capsicums, cut into 2cm squares

• 1 large red onion, sliced into 2cm squares

• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Place the chicken into a large mixing bowl along with the lemon zest, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and oil. Toss well so the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.

Thread a cube of chicken on to a skewer, then a round of zucchini, a square of capsicum, a piece of onion and then another piece of chicken. Repeat again so each skewer is full. Repeat this process until all the chicken and vegetables are used.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the skewers in two batches for 3-4 minutes each side, turning occasionally so all the outside of the skewers are caramelised and the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to rest for two minutes. Grill the rounds of lemon in the pan for one minute each side, or until charred.

Place the skewers on to a serving plate with the grilled lemon. Garnish with parsley then serve warm.

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

ACNLAL RWDA AITRICSHN MLSEA

KZA URESBTT CRYDA OMEOR KEBAL CASRE

WORD FIND

Can you find the surnames of these Toms who play in the AFL?

Tom Atkins Tom Barrass

Tom Campbell

Tom Emmett

Tom Fullarton

Tom Green

Tom Hawkins

Tom Highmore

Tom Liberatore

Tom McCallum

Tom McCartin

Tom McDonald

Tom Papley

Tom Powell

Tom Sparrow

Tom Stewart

Tom Mitchell

Tom Wilson

Tom Jonas

Tom Cole

GREENZJSAJJRPMJMM

LLEWOPUZTETKPUXCM

WNMSOMUMKRNLVLOWK

WYMDXCVCIOOLXLSLQ

OEEJXCNDNTTEEASLU

RLTSSAOOSARBTCAEZ

RPTNARSNQRAPRCRHG

AARINTLADELMAMRCV

PPWKOIILZBLAWEATJ

SHAWJNWDKIUCEOBIV

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FACE FACE FACEMASH MASH MASH

Can you name the two players who have been merged to create these new faces?

Carlton

key footy word signs

Hold both hands in fists with thumbs extended and move forward with emphasis.

Both hands at waist height, index fingers extended, palms to midline. Bring hands to head height, then back to waist with emphasis.

GOOD LUCK

Extend and crook index fingers of both hands, thumbs tucked in, palms facing away from body.

Place edges of index fingers together then simultaneously twist hands around in a circle, so that edges of little fingers meet.

Extend index finger and thumb of dominant hand. Place index finger on nose, then move formation forward, closing index finger.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE TO FIND

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: There is an extra ‘N’ in the word SHERRIN on the football; the Puma logo on Giant Callum Brown’s guernsey is reversed; teammate Daniel

Lloyd has lost a finger on his right hand; Saint Hunter Clark’s headband is thicker; the MOSH logo is misssing from Clark’s guernsey.

ANSWER MAN with

Which players hold the record for most finals at each club?

BRAD WILLIS, PERTH, WA

LE: Geelong’s Joel Selwood holds the record for most finals in AFL/VFL history with 40. Selwood is also one of three players to have featured in the most finals series with 15, along with Collingwood’s Dick Lee and Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck Tuck was the previous League record-holder for most finals with 39 before Selwood overtook him in last year’s finals series. Defender Nick Haynes is the only GWS Giants player to have played in all 14 of the club’s finals. Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury is on 29 finals and could equal the club record held by Gordon Coventry (31), providing he doesn’t get injured and the Magpies make it to the Grand Final. Coventry has held the record since 1937. He also holds the AFL/VFL record for most goals in finals with 111. At other end of the scale, St Kilda legend Trevor Barker holds the record for most games (230) without ever playing a final.

CAN YOU ASSIST?

u Giants youngster Xavier

O’Halloran is the grandson of former Footscray premiership player Ron McCarthy, who played 42 games and kicked three goals for the Dogs between 1953-56. O’Halloran has played 46 games and kicked 17 goals for the Giants.

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.

FINALS W2, 2022

SEPTEMBER STARS – MOST FINALS BY CLUB

u The Brisbane Lions and Collingwood advanced to the preliminary finals after knocking out Melbourne and Fremantle respectively from the 2022 premiership race. The Lions, who were 0-11 at the MCG since 2015 and had lost their previous four encounters to the Demons, recorded a stirring victory. Without key forward Joe Daniher, who remained in Brisbane for the birth of his daughter, the Lions recovered from a 22-point half-time deficit to win by 13 points. Led by Eric Hipwood (four goals) and prolific midfielders Lachie Neale (27 disposals), Jarrod Berry (26) and Hugh McCluggage (25), Brisbane kicked 11.4 to 5.5 in the second half. In good news for the Lions, Berry’s one-match suspension for an alleged eye-gouge was overturned on appeal. More than 90,000 fans saw the Magpies continue their fairytale rise with a solid 20-point win over the Dockers.

Jordan De Goey (24 disposals) starred again for Collingwood as Fremantle farewelled 376-game veteran David Mundy. A minute’s silence was held before both games to honour the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

CAT SUPERSTAR: Former Geelong champion Joel Selwood played a record 40 finals in his celebrated career.

*Current Player. Note: University never played a final and Gold Coast is yet to play a final.

AFL

1

Which unlucky Magpie was dropped for the qualifying final despite playing every game this year?

A J ohn Noble B Finlay Macrae

C Is aac Quaynor D Brody Mihocek

2

3

Which player kicked the first two goals of the game?

A C hristian Petracca B Kysaiah Pickett

C Bo bby Hill D Brody Mihocek

Which Demon was knocked out in the first quarter in a collision with his Collingwood opponent?

A B ailey Laurie B Angus Brayshaw

C Ja cob van Rooyen D Bayley Fritsch

4

Which Carlton player twice touched Sydney goal-scoring attempts in the goalsquare to save the game?

A B lake Acres B Jacob Weitering

C Mitch McGovern D Caleb Marchbank

Wereyou payingattention?

5

Sydney’s loss stretched its losing streak against Carlton at the MCG to how many years?

A 1 0 B 22 C 38 D 105

6

7

Who took a game-high 12 marks for the match last Friday night?

A J acob Weitering B Tom McCartin

C Hayden McLean D Charlie Curnow

Who had 35 disposals and 705 metres gained to lift GWS to victory over St Kilda?

A Toby Greene B Tom Green

C La chie Ash D Callan Ward

8

Who went through two weeks of uncertainty about whether he would be able to play due to a round 24 report?

A J ake Riccardi B Lachie Ash

C To by Bedford D Toby Greene

Blastfrom thepast

WITH LACHLAN ESSING

Name: Brad Johnson

Games: 364

Goals: 558

Club: Western Bulldogs 1994-2010

Player honours: best & fairest 1999, 2002, 2006; 2nd best & fairest 2003, 2007; 3rd best & fairest 2000, 2004; leading goalkicker 2001 (48), 2005 (42), 2006 (74), 2007 (59), 2008 (50); All-Australian 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 (capt), 2007; Bulldogs Team of the 20th Century; Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee 2014.

Which Saints star did his best to turn the tide with a game-high 38 touches?

A J ack Steele B Brad Crouch

C Bradley Hill D Jack Sinclair

How long in total did Port Adelaide hold the lead during the match against Brisbane Lions (to the nearest minute)?

A 0 B 7 C 14 D 21

Who kicked four goals in a near lone hand up forward for the Power?

A Todd Marshall B Sam Powell-Pepper

C Willie Rioli D Ollie Lord 12

Who booted five goals for the Lions?

A C harlie Cameron B Eric Hipwood

C Ca m Rayner D Joe Daniher 13

Which Melbourne player announced his impending retirement last Sunday night?

A Mi chael Hibberd B Ben Brown

C Steven May D Luke Dunstan 14

When was the last time Melbourne played Carlton in a final?

A 20 10 B 2000 C 1990 D 1980 15

When was the last time Carlton defeated Melbourne in a final?

A 2 000 B 1994 C 1988 D 1962

whoamI?

6pts: Born in Adelaide in 1979, I played in the SANFL for Glenelg.

5pts: Drafted in the top 10 in 1997, I went on to play 239 AFL matches for my first club over 13 seasons.

4pts: I became a premiership player and a first-time All-Australian in my sixth year of senior football.

3pts: I retired in 2011 due to injury, but was lured back to play two seasons with my second club, adding another 16 games.

2pts: Finishing as a dual All-Australian, Showdown medallist, SANFL and club Hall of Fame inductee, I ended up in coaching roles at both clubs I played at.

1pt: My brother played 300 AFL games and shared the premiership with me, and my two clubs will face off in a semi-final on Saturday night.

Recruited from Williamstown and Western Jets under-18s, Johnson was one of the most durable players of any era. He played a club-record 364 games and kicked 558 goals, the second most for the Bulldogs, behind Simon Beasley (575). Johnson was a six-time All-Australian and captained the Bulldogs from 2006-10, winning three best and fairest awards. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

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”