AFL Record Round 18, 2009 by The Slattery Media Group

ROUND 18, 2009 JULY 31-AUGUST 2 $4 (INC. GST)

Darren

Milburn

Taking nothing for granted Brad Johnson

From one game to club legend

Simon Black Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all so simple

Farewell to

Adam Simpson PAGE 9

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22 RECORD-BREAKER:

Brad Johnson is still enjoying his football as he prepares to become the Western Bulldogs’ games record-holder this weekend.

ROUND 18, JULY 31-AUGUST 2, 2009 F E AT U R E S

Brad Johnson

The Bulldogs’ new record-holder.

Simon Black

Lions premiership star reaches 250 games.

Darren Milburn

Big milestone for the Cats’ quiet achiever. REGULARS

Backchat

Have your say about the football world.

The Bounce

Views, news, ﬁrst person, facts, data, culture.

Matchday

Stats, history and line-ups.

Dream Team

Advice from Mr Fantasy, our Dream Team expert.

68 72 76 78

Answer Man Testing your knowledge NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

The Magpies return to their spiritual home. THIS WEEK’S COVERS Darren Milburn (national) and Adam Simpson (North Melbourne-Carlton) appear this week. Go to slatterymedia.com. images to order prints.

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feedback

backchat HAVE YOUR SAY AY ON THE FOOTBALL WORLD

One of a kind Thank goodness for characters like Brian Lake. I’m not a Western Bulldogs supporter but I love watching him play and enjoyed the feature on him in the AFL Record last week. I know he gets some grief for making the odd clanger but he’s a seriously good player – I’d love to have him at fullback in my AFL team. The best thing, though, is he gives dour defenders everywhere a bad name, the way he ﬂies for his marks, runs off his man and drives Rodney Eade to distraction in the coach’s box. It’s compulsive viewing. Don’t change, Brian. STEPHEN, YARRAVILLE, VIC

Lack of consistency? After watching several games of football recently, including one live, I was troubled by the inconsistency in free kicks given. Are the rules open to interpretation or are there strict guidelines given to umpires? As a new supporter to the code, I would really like an explanation. LISA SETTERFIELD, COBDEN, VIC.

AFL umpires’ manager Jeﬀ Gieschen provided this response: It is really important that you read up on the laws and interpretations so you understand them as much as you can. The umpires will make errors occasionally when they are unsighted or an incident happens so quickly it is diﬃcult to see clearly what has happened. Often it is not until a slow-motion replay has been shown that we can see why the umpire

AFL CHIEF BROADCASTING & COMMERCIAL OFFICER Gillon McLachlan AFL CONSUMER PRODUCTS MANAGER Scott Munn AFL RECORD MANAGING EDITOR Geoﬀ Slattery AFL RECORD EDITOR Peter Di Sisto

has or has not awarded a free kick. Even some commentators do not fully understand the laws and interpretations, which can lead to confusion. (Feel free to write to the AFL and request a DVD explaining umpiring decisions.) Australian Football is one of the most difficult games in the world to officiate because it is a contact sport which has illegal contact that needs to be penalised; it has a large number of players on the field; it is played on large arenas; a range of tactics are employed by teams, and because the ball is oval-shaped, its movements are unpredictable.

PRODUCTION EDITOR Michael Lovett WRITERS Nick Bowen, Ben Collins, Jim Main, Peter Ryan, Callum Twomey, Andrew Wallace SUB-EDITORS Gary Hancock, Howard Kotton STATISTICIAN Cameron Sinclair CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Hutchison DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Sam Russell

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your feedback on n the Record and matters relating to the game, the clubs and the players. The best letter each round will receive a copyy of the AFL Record Season n Guide 2009. Email aﬂrecordeditor@ slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.

DESIGNERS Jarrod Witcombe, Alison Wright PHOTO EDITORS Kate Slattery, Melanie Tanusetiawan PRODUCTION MANAGER Troy Davis PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Stephen Lording DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Adele Morton COMMERCIAL MANAGER Alison Hurbert-Burns

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Nathan Hill AFL CLUB ACCOUNT MANAGER Anthony Palmer ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Deanne Horkings Advertising (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Garnsworthy, Michael Willson, Lachlan Cunningham AFL Photos (03) 9627 2600 aﬂphotos.com.au

EDITOR’S LET TER

A brave new world This past week has been an extraordinary one, marked by two bold, brave initiatives: the move by Collingwood to formalise a coaching succession plan (see page 7) and the signing of a rugby league international by the new Gold Coast club (page 20). Today, in football – and in sport in general – calculated risk-taking is constantly encouraged, both on the field and off it. In many areas of clubs’ operations, following the conservative path is no longer seen as enough, particularly when the competition is so even. Last year for example, Hawthorn won the premiership playing an unorthodox brand of football defined by a ‘cluster’ zone system, while Sydney Swan Nick Malceski (pictured) chose radical knee surgery that saw him return to the field within months. In explaining its plan, Collingwood said it wanted to move away from the old pattern of replacing a coach, dismantling what had been established and starting again. The Pies’ plan is about continuity of system and philosophy in a quest to achieve sustained success. Those who helped set up the Gold Coast club said it would take an innovative, cheeky approach. That’s exactly what they’ve done with the Karmichael Hunt signing. Both clubs deserve credit for broad thinking. PETER DI SISTO

PRINTED BY PMP Print ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO The Editor, AFL Record, Ground Floor, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Victoria, 3008. P: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 98, ROUND 18, 2009 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

4 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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the bounce PHOTO: SEAN GARNSWORTHY/AFL PHOTOS

VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

HISTORIC DAY: Collingwood president Eddie McGuire (middle) announces a ﬁve-year contract extension for Mick Malthouse (left) and the appointment of former

Pies captain Nathan Buckley. Malthouse will be the senior coach for two more seasons (2010-11) before moving to a director of coaching role. Buckley starts on November 1 as an assistant and will replace Malthouse as senior coach in 2012.

SUCCESSION PLAN

A win-win for Collingwood Eddie McGuire and his administration have calmly and cleverly resolved the Magpies’ coaching situation.

n this space last week, we lamented the fact footy clubs seem to have a universal distaste for coaches aged north of 50. We even wondered aloud what it was that was holding back Collingwood from reappointing Mick Malthouse, 56 in a fortnight, as its senior coach; we did add the rider that we understood the unique circumstances surrounding the Nathan Buckley factor. Now we know that Collingwood was actually thinking well beyond the square, while showing enormous respect for its most cherished

possessions – its playing list, now secure in the knowledge it will continue to be led by the coach rated as one of the best of the modern era, and a coachin-waiting whose personality, calm and calculated thinking, and love of the game has him at the top of other clubs’ wish lists; and its culture, tradition, and fan base, secure in the knowledge that, for all the hoopla that is modern Collingwood, it will continue to hold on to its own with a vice-like grip. There is much said and inferred about the way Eddie McGuire leads Collingwood, some of it in praise, some of

it in wonder, some of it with suspicion; what can never be disputed are three key points about the president: i) few people I have met in any walk of life have more ideas than he does, nor more commitment to putting the best of those ideas to action (sometimes impatience is his failing); ii) his love of club is as deep and true as any of those Collingwood icons who have come before him, the McHales, Copelands, Rushes, Richards, Roses; iii) Collingwood has never been better managed, nor

GEOFF SL AT TERY

gone forward more strongly and with more forward thinking than it has under his administration. This concept of an orderly transition has McGuire’s mind all over it; reappointing the master to work with a willing, respectful vacuum cleaner of an assistant, with the future of each of them secure, and any potential of politicising, or internal friction eliminated. The only issue that might cause wonder, at least from a distant viewpoint from outside the Lexus Centre, is how this CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

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thebounce

VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE

remarkable set of appointments will fall with the current clutch of assistants, all of whom have enormous talent, and whose opportunities to coach the Magpies are now kaput. That said, this is the reality in business: there are winners and losers whenever a person is appointed beyond another, whether from inside or out. Remarkably, there are shelves of books in business libraries screaming out for CEOs and chairmen to ensure smooth transitions to the next generation; just as remarkably such a fundamental has never been organised before this week – to our knowledge – by any AFL club. For those whose opportunities have been affected by Buckley’s appointment, the character of each individual will deﬁne his future. Those with greater ambition will seek a job elsewhere, already with the privilege of some years under the mentorship of Malthouse; those who understand their limitations (or who have lesser ambitions) will see this unusual appointment as a growth of opportunity for them, the chance of providing long-term input into a continuum of philosophy, all of it for the ‘good old Collingwood’. Geoﬀ Slattery is CEO of the Slattery Media Group, publisher for the AFL and of the AFL Record.

TAC T I C S

Tigers (and Cotchin) had a plan C A L LU M T WOMEY

s far as game-plans go, Essendon’s appears relatively transparent. Using the quick players at his disposal, coach Matthew Knights encourages run and risk-taking through the corridor. By ﬂicking handballs through trafﬁc, the Bombers try to create space and release an outside player with pace to deliver the ball forward. Pretty simple, but NEWS TRACKER

W H E N T H E Y ’ R E N O T P L AY I N G . . . Player

My most valued possession

us The most famous person I’ve mett

Fa Favourite movie

Angus Monfries (Essendon)

My dog, Pippi

Musicians Nelly and Janet Jackson in Los Angeles

Bl Blood Diamond

Josh Kennedy (West Coast)

First football jumper

Trent Cotchin says he has been inspired by Andrew the workGaze rate of Ben Cousins.

Ac Ace Ve Ventura

Callan Ward (Western Bulldogs)

Suits

John Howard

Coach Carter

Ryan O’Keefe (Sydney Swans)

Family

say Gordon Ramsay

S Snatch

WATCHING A MASTER:

it has generally been an effective method this season. Stopping that free-flowing, attacking style, however, is far from straight forward for opponents. But at the MCG last Sunday, Richmond not only curtailed the Bombers’ run, but beat them at their own game to record a five-point win. Employing tactics hatched by caretaker coach Jade Rawlings helped engineer the victory. “We focused more on trying to corral them, rather than going for the tackle and overcommitting,” young Tigers midfielder Trent Cotchin said after the win. “We were trying to hold them out and force them to make a decision or to push them down the line. I think it worked pretty well and that pressure is something we have to continue to work on.” Cotchin, a star in Richmond’s fourth win of the season with 23 disposals and six tackles, said the defensive tactic had been

enforced to restrict Essendon’s quick ball movement. “It was just about cutting off their free-ﬂowing run and trying to push the ball towards the boundary line,” he said. “From there we just had to put pressure on them from a

ADMIRER: Young Richmond star Trent Cotchin

distance rather than trying to close their space and it worked quite well.” As well as controlling the pace of the game, dominating at stoppages has been a way to beat the Bombers this year. Richmond did this comprehensively, with 40 clearances to Essendon’s 27. Ben Cousins, with five, had more than any Bomber, and was influential in swinging the contest the Tigers’ way. Cousins collected the ball 31 times playing mainly through the middle of the ground, and Cotchin, just 19, said he is learning plenty alongside the Brownlow medallist. (Interestingly, at times, Cotchin ran behind and to one side of Cousins, as if he were copying his running patterns.) “I look at his work rate and I see him when he’s already tired and then he goes on another 150-metre burst. It’s a pretty good example of where I’d like to be in the future,” Cotchin said. “He’s been terrific with blocking and things like that in making the midfield group work together, which has been fantastic.” * Riewoldt joins six-shooters, see page 12.

➡

says he is in awe of Ben Cousins’ work rate.

Hawthorn CEO Ian Robson resigns to take up the same post with Essendon.

8 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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XXXXXX: XXXXXX

FA R E W E L L

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Retiring Roo still putting the club ﬁrst NICK BOW EN

dam Simpson was understated to the end. As he made his way past the media throng that had gathered on Monday in an Arden Street meeting room to hear him conﬁrm his retirement, Simpson said, deadpan, “What’s going on, here?” Dressed in jeans and a club polo shirt, he cut a casual ﬁgure alongside the suit and tie of North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw as they sat down to begin the press conference. When Brayshaw threw to Simpson to explain his decision to retire after this Friday night’s game – his 306th – against Carlton, the former Roos skipper was succinct: “I just think it’s time.” At about the same time, his two-year-old son, Owen, said from the back of the room, “Where’s Daddy gone?” The youngster couldn’t see past the clamour of cameras aimed in his dad’s direction, but his father had a clear vision for his and his club’s future. FAC T F I L E

270

Adam Simpson Born: February 16, 1976 Recruited from: Eltham/ Northern U18 Debut: Round 18, 1995 Height: 188cm Weight: 90kg Games: 305 Goals: 83 Player honours: best and fairest 2002; All-Australian 2002; premiership sides 1996, 1999; captain 2004-08 Brownlow Medal: career votes 65

NEWS TRACKER

FAMILY MAN: Adam Simpson is looking forward to spending more time with his family – children (from left) Allie, Owen and Milla and wife Nicky.

We’re talking about a person of the utmost integrity, a player of enormous courage and underrated skill (and) an incredible leader NORTH MELBOURNE CHAIRMAN JAMES BRAYSHAW

Simpson, 33, said playing on until the end of the season would have denied a young teammate the chance to fast-track his development in the senior side. “Whether I play another three games or five games, it doesn’t really matter,” he said. Still, Simpson’s form in his 16th season had been so good, a sense of confusion pervaded the room. Unspoken questions hung in the air: ‘Why, Adam, would you retire when you remain as important a cog in the North midfield as ever? When, after round 17, you led North Melbourne’s possession count by a staggering 110 disposals (ahead of second-placed Andrew Swallow, 422 to 312)? When just last Saturday night against the Brisbane Lions, you were one of the Roos’ best, racking up 34 disposals? Perhaps sensing this confusion, Simpson stressed his body was “fine”, saying, while he had been tempted to

play on next year, the “selfish” chance to say farewell at home at Docklands (he played his 250th game on the Gold Coast against Carlton and his 300th in Adelaide against the Crows) against the club he barracked for as a kid (Carlton) on the prime-time Friday night stage had “a good feel to it”. An even more important factor in Simpson’s decision, it seemed, was his strong sense he was leaving the club in good hands, both on-field with Brent Harvey, who replaced Simpson as captain at the start of this season, and off-field with CEO Eugene Arocca and Brayshaw. Twice within a minute he said how excited he was about North’s future. “I don’t think you guys realise what we have achieved in the past 18 months,” he said, pointing to the soonto-be-completed $16 million redevelopment of the club’s Arden Street headquarters and its membership numbers that have topped 30,000 in the past two years. Ironically, Simpson, who will stay at the

club in a coaching capacity until the end of the season, will ofﬁcially ﬁnish at North on the day the new facilities open. Simpson said his departure would help Harvey grow as a leader. Like Harvey, when Simpson took over the Roos captaincy at the start of 2004, his predecessor, Anthony Stevens, stayed on for one season as a player. When Stevens left, Simpson said he “really felt like the team was (his)”. He suspected it would be the same for Harvey. When asked about Simpson’s contribution to North Melbourne, Brayshaw was lavish in his praise. “We’re talking about a person of the utmost integrity, a player of enormous courage and underrated skill (and) an incredible leader,” he said. “(He was) one of the greats to have played for our club.” Few would argue. Aside from captaining North from 2004-08 – the third-longest serving skipper in the club’s history – Simpson was a two-time premiership player (1996 and ’99), best and fairest winner and All-Australian (both 2002). North Melbourne coach from 1994-2002, Denis Pagan, told the AFL Record Simpson’s leadership helped keep the club together during the uncertain period that preceded its 2007 decision to remain a Melbourne-based side. “Adam was the one person who drew everyone together and really led from the front, and you can’t underestimate what he did during those tough times,” Pagan said. CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

IN FORM: Adam Simpson will hang up his boots even though he is in good form.

James Demetriou appointed executive director of North Melbourne’s rne’s Life and Learning Centre at Arden Street. AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 9

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thebounce

VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE

As excited as Simpson was about the Roos’ future on Monday, he was just as excited about his own future, which almost certainly lies in coaching. After Friday night, he will spend the remainder of the season working with the club in a development role and perhaps sit in the coach’s box on match-days. “I want to learn as much as I can,” he said. Brayshaw was in no doubt Simpson had “all the traits of a senior coach in the future”. In the background all the while were Simpson’s family, children Milla, 6, Allie, 5, and Owen, 2 – all understandably struggling to stay still and quiet – and wife Nicky. Towards the end of the conference, Brayshaw suggested to Simpson: “I’d be mentioning my wife at some stretch if I was you.” Showing the dry sense of humour he’s renowned for at North, Simpson responded: “No, she’s had a pretty good run.” The room collectively erupted with laughter. Genuine laughter, not the forced, polite kind. Soon after, Simpson left the room to a round of applause, then headed to a photo shoot with his family on the oval. As they were posing, Harvey, on his way to the weights room with teammate Michael Firrito, could not resist calling out to Simpson, “Nice photo”. It was, but Harvey could also have added, “Great career”.

EFFECTIVE SPOIL:

St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard and his fellow running defenders continually intercepted the Dogs.

PRESSURE

Saints in a class of their own TOM MINE A R

t Kilda has a slew of talented midfielders and a dynamic forward structure, but the Saints’ overpowering team defence has been the hallmark of an incredible 17-game winning streak. This was a striking feature of the team’s 45-point victory over the Bulldogs last weekend. The game shaped as a traditional clash of attack versus defence; the Bulldogs entered the game as the League’s highest-scoring team, while St Kilda had conceded just 60.4 points a game, the best mark of any team since 1965. Although many teams base their defensive strategies around a settled back six, the Saints succeed because of the tenacity and commitment of all 18 players on the field. This ‘total football’ style allows them to play matches on their terms, as was the case at Docklands last weekend. On many occasions, all 36 players on the ground were in St Kilda’s half for a stoppage, which created incredible difficulties for the Bulldogs. If they did manage to win the ball, their midfielders were suffocated by the lack of space, often overusing handball as

their forwards scrambled to regain some structure. While they managed to create opportunities with their excellent foot skills – they went inside 50 on 49 occasions, 10 more than the average conceded by the Saints – the pressure placed on their ball-carriers forced many errant kicks that were consistently intercepted by hard-running defenders such as Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard and Sam Gilbert. Most impressively, St Kilda’s ferocity created an irresistable current of momentum. While the Bulldogs controlled the ball for much of the third quarter, they never capiltalised on the scoreboard due to poor decisions, panicked kicks and constant fumbling caused primarily by St Kilda’s pressure around the ground. In fact, the Saints kicked 12 goals directly from turnovers, evidence of a team that is brutally methodical – they

never panicked with the ball in hand, instead being content to maintain possession, switching play back and across the ground to allow their forwards ample space in which to present. It was a truly intriguing contrast. The pace and skill of the Bulldogs has engaged observers; they have proven themselves a damaging, attacking team capable of booting high scores. Yet they could only register nine majors last Saturday, as their usually tight forward structure faltered while their prime movers lacked composure and their typical class. The Saints, meanwhile, simply continued to march on. They tackle, chase and harass unlike anyone else, routinely suffocating their opponents and causing damage where it really hurts – on the scoreboard. See The Godfather’s analysis of St Kilda on page 18.

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10 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE GOALKICKING

GAME S T YLE

Jumping to the Magpies’ defence NICK BOW EN

t has long been a popular view that premiership sides are built around a stingy defence, so Collingwood supporters would have been particularly happy with the performance of their backmen last round against Carlton. While they received considerable help from the pressure applied by their midﬁelders and forwards further up the ground, the Pies defenders’ ability to restrict the Blues to their lowest score of the season, a measly 40 points, was impressive. So, too, is the balance Collingwood now has down back.

Riewoldt joins six-shooters When Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt kicked his sixth goal against Essendon last week, he joined a small club at Punt Rd. He became just the ninth Tiger to kick six goals or more in a match since 1993 when a young colt from Tasmania – Matthew Richardson – made his debut. Richardson’s individual goalkicking dominance at Richmond has been staggering. He has bagged six goals or more 32 times in his 282-game career. Seven other Tigers – including Riewoldt – have achieved the feat just once while former spearhead Jeff Hogg, who played alongside Richardson in 1993, kicked four bags of six or more in that season before he joined Fitzroy in 1994. Richardson claimed his first six-goal haul in just his fourth game in 1993 and his best effort was 10 against the Western Bulldogs in 2004. He hasn’t kicked six or more in a game since 2006, due to a combination of injuries and playing up the ground during Terry Wallace’s tenure.

In Simon Prestigiacomo, the Magpies have a key defender who can negate the competition’s elite power forwards – he held Brendan Fevola to one goal last week – while maligned utility Leigh Brown showed with a tight-checking role on resting ruckmen Matthew Kreuzer and

‘RICHO’ RULES Tigers with six or more goals in a game since 1993 Player

Times

Seasons

Matthew Richardson

1993-2002, 2004-06

Jeﬀ Hogg

1993

Nick Daﬀ y

1995

Brendon Gale

1996

Brad Ottens

2001

Jay Schulz

2004

Nathan Brown

2005

Cleve Hughes

2008

Jack Riewoldt

2009

It was a big weekend for the Riewoldt family, with Jack’s personal best of six one better than cousin and St Kilda captain Nick, who slotted through ﬁve for the Saints against the Western Bulldogs. MICHAEL LOVETT

Shaun Hampson that he can stand opposition talls. In Heath Shaw (pictured left), they have a dashing half-back, in Harry O’Brien a defender who can play on talls or smalls, and in skipper Nick Maxwell a kamikaze happy to ﬂy third-man up to help his fellow defenders.

Shaw said: “We’re pretty close in the backline, so it’s exciting for us to restrict a side to 40 points. “I think everyone chipped in defensively. We rebounded pretty well, too, and managed to get the ball out to the other side of the ground and into the forward line pretty quickly.”

Official match day sponsor SKM Recycling provide a diverse range of recyclable sorting and collection services to councils and industry and have done so for over 10 years. We are proud sponsors of today’s game and in assisting the Roos recycle the Blues. Let us assist you with kicking goals in your recycling both at home and the office. For more information visit www.skmrecycling.com Or call us on:1300 796 533

12 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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M A J O R PA R T N E R

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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE

thebounce

MILES TONES – ROUND 18 AFTER THE SIREN

342 games Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs; becomes the games record-holder for the club, passing Chris Grant on 341)

Bartel’s rare eﬀort MICH A EL LOV ET T

250 games

eelong’s Jimmy Bartel is in rare company after scoring the most celebrated behind since Tony Lockett booted one to put the Sydney Swans into the 1996 Grand Final. Bartel’s behind that sunk Hawthorn at the MCG last Saturday was just the third occasion a point has been kicked after the siren to win a game. The previous was by Lockett, who kicked one after the siren in the 1996 preliminary ﬁnal against Essendon that put the Swans into their ﬁrst Grand Final since 1945. The only other known case was Geelong’s Ken Newland, who got the Cats over the line by one point against Collingwood at Kardinia Park in 1972. Essendon star Matthew Lloyd was the last player to kick a behind to draw a game, against the Western Bulldogs at Docklands in 2002. In fact, there are only two known cases of that happening – the other was way back in 1911 when Geelong’s Bert Whittington kicked a behind to tie the scores against Melbourne at Corio Oval.

Darren Milburn (Geelong) Simon Black (Brisbane Lions)

200 games Josh Carr (Port Adelaide) Scott Welsh (Western Bulldogs)

AFL 200 Club Darren Glass (West Coast Eagles) Leon Davis (Collingwood) WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: His teammates were never so pleased to see a behind

kicked after Jimmy Bartel’s shot gave the Cats a memorable one-point win.

There have been ﬁve instances of a player kicking a goal after the siren to draw a match – ‘Ginger’ Ryan for Collingwood against Fitzroy in 1935, Ron Baggott for Melbourne versus Collingwood also in 1935, Steve Macpherson for Footscray against North Melbourne in 1987, Ray Windsor for Brisbane versus West Coast in 1992 and Ashley Sampi for West Coast against the Bulldogs in 2003. The last player to kick a goal after the siren to win a game was Fremantle’s Justin Longmuir against St Kilda in 2005. There

are 31 documented cases of players kicking a goal after the siren to win a game. There was another interesting sideline to Bartel’s winning kick last Saturday. According to Champion Data’s system, a kick for a behind is usually classiﬁed as an ineffective kick. The only time a kicked behind is deemed effective is when it’s taken after the siren to win a game. A complete list of all matches decided by a set shot after the siren can be found on page 626 of the AFL Record Season Guide 2009, available in all newsagents or online at slatterymedia.com/books

150 games Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)

100 games Nathan Bock (Adelaide) Matt Maguire (St Kilda)

50 games Brad Symes (Adelaide) Raphael Clarke (St Kilda) Luke McGuane (Richmond) Will Thursﬁeld (Richmond) The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

KNOW EVERY GAME PLAN.

HEAR IT LIKE YOU’RE IN IT. 3AW is football. Get the complete run-down on Sports Today with Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell from 6pm Monday to Thursday on 3AW 693.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 15

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thebounce

VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE

Around Australia with Dipper Australian Football has an important role to play in the community. As you may know, I do a lot of work with the NAB AFL Auskick program, as well as being an ambassador for the game. I’ve been to Israel to work with the Peace Team that played in the Australian Football International Cup last year and all over Australia, working SPIRIT OF THE GAME: Dipper shows youngsters how it’s done. with kids, parents and corporations – I’ve indigenous kids around me. We put kicked footballs oﬀ Uluru, in caves, Hawks and Crows jumpers on them in the desert. Wherever I go, footy and had a game – they played for is alive and well. hours and loved it. In May this year, we went to Groote From there, we got the barbecue Eylandt, an island about 90 minutes out and organised a match between by plane from Darwin. We’ve got a the miners on the island and a local development guy in the community, indigenous ‘dream team’. but this visit was a ﬁrst. There was a crowd of about 500 We didn’t know how it was going people, and a real community spirit. to work, but I stood in the middle of It proved again how footy helps break an oval with a bag of footballs and down barriers. within half an hour, I had about 80

FOUR THINGS I’VE NOTICED It’s fantastic that the Saints are playing at another level. The recent St Kilda-Geelong game was one of the best I’ve seen for 20 years.

The pace of the game is full-on, and the skills we are seeing are a credit to the players and clubs.

Sometimes we take the game for granted, but the diﬀerent way teams are playing makes it quite intriguing.

The superstars of the game, guys like Nick Riewoldt, Gary Ablett and Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin (pictured), are just so exciting to watch.

BIG PICTURE I’m just so amazed how much football has grown in this country, especially in NSW and Queensland. Whether it is in indigenous communities or around big city oﬃces, it seems everyone is talking about the footy.

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16 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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O B S E R VAT I O N YO U N G R I VA L S

Hey Obama, pass the sauce

Set for their own showdown

Among the people mentioned during Collingwood’s Mick Malthouse-Nathan Buckley press conference last Tuesday were several you wouldn’t normally expect to see named in the AFL Record. How about this for a dinner party list:

SH A NE McNA L LY

hey didn’t make the best players’ lists but two young players with a lot in common showed enough in last weekend’s Adelaide-Port Adelaide match to suggest, regardless of setbacks, they can be forces in showdowns for years to come. The two No. 41s – Adelaide’s Brodie Martin and Port’s Jason Davenport – showed glimpses of talent and maturity beyond their years in showdown 27, even though they have played only nine games between them. We’ve seen the poise of Davenport, 23, in his seven games and the way Martin, 20, has adapted to the elite level after being promoted from the rookie list. The Crow had the audacity to take on and outrun St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in his ﬁrst game, suggesting Adelaide may have found a star of the future – although a seemingly minor injury from last weekend was diagnosed on Tuesday as a torn ACL, requiring a full left knee reconstruction and 12 months out of the game.

BITTER-SWEET:

Brodie Martin celebrates Adelaide’s win but he will miss the next 12 months with a knee injury.

Crows football operations manager John Reid certainly thinks Martin will be worth the wait, and is confident he could develop into a long-term player. “He’s done it tough from the rookie list after really having to earn his spot at Sturt (in the SANFL) and I was surprised he slotted in so easily,” Reid says. “He’s a pretty focused lad and wants to make a go of it. He definitely looks like a five or 10-year player.” If Martin makes a full recovery and Davenport progresses as

expected, they should be at the peak of their powers when the showdown matches their jumper numbers in several years’ time (around 2016). Brett Burton won’t be playing then, but he showed enough last week to indicate he will be a valuable member of the Adelaide line-up for a few years to come. Playing just his second game since returning from a full knee reconstruction – his ﬁrst was, by his own admission, forgettable – the ‘Birdman’ ﬂew like old times, roamed freely about the forward

St Kilda and Hawthorn premiership coach Allan Jeans

United States President Barack Obama

Melbourne coaching legend Norm Smith

Former United States President John F. Kennedy

Collingwood icon Jock McHale

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Western Bulldogs great Doug Hawkins

Collingwood CEO and former Magpies defender Gary Pert

Magpies VFL coach and former club captain Gavin Brown

line and kicked four goals. His effort to come back in ﬁne form should give young Martin plenty of encouragement as he works through his own rehabilitation.

KICK EVERY GOAL.

HEAR IT LIKE YOU’RE IN IT. 3AW is football. Listen to four quarters of all-star commentary with Rex Hunt, Dennis Cometti, Tony Leonard and Shane Healy at 3AW 693.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 17

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thebounce

VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE

A N A LY S I S

THE GODFATHER OF STATS

Ted Hopkins

Founder of Champion Data and Carlton premiership player

Attacking makes perfect defensive sense A very long time ago, The Godfather learned that a kick is more valuable than a handball. While history taught him some successful teams handballed a lot and some didn’t, the unmistakable feature of a premiership winner is that they kicked on target more often than the runner-up. St Kilda is on track for a ﬂag. It remains unbeaten, having carved up opponents with a range of attacking kicks. Although the Saints rank ﬁfth for handballs with 183 a game (Geelong is No. 1 with 210 a game), importantly they are the clear leaders for average kicks a game (221), ahead of Collingwood (215), the Western Bulldogs (210) and the Cats (209).

Curiously, observers appear obsessed with unravelling the Saints’ defensive secrets. But The Godfather is inclined to think they are looking at the wrong end of the ground. The Saints do volume and quality of kicks better than anyone else. This advantage is concentrated mostly in the section of the ground where eﬃcient ball use has the greatest inﬂuence on games: kicks originating in the defensive part of the centre square. The competition average for these centre-forward kicks is 100 per team with a retention rate of 59 per cent. The Saints are brilliant in this area, averaging 118 kicks at a high retention rate of 63 per cent. Meanwhile, the Saints form a defensive barrier designed to trap opposition defenders trying to escape the net. Going on the attack makes perfect defensive sense. Think

BECOME A WATERFRONT CITY

Saints getting their kicks Players

Kicks per game

Metres gained per kick

Retention

Brendon Goddard

26m

73%

Lenny Hayes

28m

69%

Leigh Montagna

31m

63%

Nick Dal Santo

27m

63%

tennis and a half-decent player up against Roger Federer. Federer keeps closing in on the net and guarding it while forcing his opponent further and further behind the baseline. The Godfather has marvelled at the picture of waves of Saints, including Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Jason Gram, Clinton Jones and others, forming around half-back and centre, powering forward to attacking targets Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke. Overall, the Saints average only 24 metres a kick, the lowest

distance of any team and well below the competition average of 27 metres a kick. But when they do go long, they do it better than anyone else. Goddard epitomises this capacity to call it short or long. His overall retention rate is 73 per cent for all kicks and a signiﬁcant factor is his ability from half-back and centre to kick long and ﬁnd a target. Only 33 per cent of his long kicks to contests end up in opposition hands, compared to the competition average of 40 per cent.

Warm up before the game at Waterfront City, Docklands with a huge range of FREE footy activities & kids competitions. Grab a tasty meal deal along the waterfront or a great bargain at Harbour Town Shopping Centre. FOOTY ON THE WATERFRONT CALENDAR SATURDAY, AUG 1 (2.10pm)

KICKING COMPETITION * GOAL OBSTACLE COURSE * FOOTY HANDBALL COMPETITION * FACE PAINTING * VIRTUAL * INTERACTIVE FOOTBALL

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HOW TO GET THERE... Take the free City Circle Tram to Harbour Town Catch the FREE Shuttle Bus from Southern Cross Station (Thursday – Sunday) every 30mins from 10am – 6pm Parking is free for the ﬁrst hour and then $5 ﬂat rate Melbourne Docklands Melways Ref 2E D4

SATURDAY, AUG 22 (2.10pm)

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle

Carlton v Melbourne

Activities between 11am - 2pm

SATURDAY, AUG 8 (2.10pm)

SUNDAY, AUG 23 (1.10pm)

Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles

St Kilda v North Melbourne

Activities between 11am - 2pm

SATURDAY, AUG 29 (4.10pm)

SUNDAY, AUG 9 (1.10pm)

Activities between 10am - 1pm

Carlton v Adelaide

North Melbourne v Melbourne

Activities between 1pm - 4pm

Activities between 10am - 1pm

SUNDAY, AUG 30 (4.40pm)

SUNDAY, AUG 16 (4.40pm) Essendon v St Kilda

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs

Activities between 1.30pm - 4.30pm

PRIZES TO BE WON!

VISIT WATERFRONTCITY.COM.AU FOR MORE DETAILS 18 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au WFC-REC-HALFHORIZ.indd 1

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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE LIS T BUILDING

P L AY E R S I G N I N G

Tasmanians on the move

Rugby star joins Gold Coast NICK BOW EN

NEWS TRACKER

PHOTO: JOHN NAPPER/AFL PHOTOS

n a major coup for the Gold Coast Football club and the AFL, the League’s newest franchise announced this week it had signed Queensland and Australian rugby league representative Karmichael Hunt. Hunt, 22, one of the NRL’s most exciting young players, becomes the first rugby league international to switch to Australian Football’s elite competition. It is the first time an established rugby league player has crossed to the VFL/AFL since Queenslander Ray Smith in the 1970s (Smith played 104 matches, 77 with Essendon from 1971-75 and 27 with Melbourne from 1975-76). Hunt, who last year became the youngest person in NRL history to play 100 first-grade games, departs rugby league at the end of this season, having played 10 State of Origin matches and 11 Tests. The Brisbane Broncos star has signed for three years with the Gold Coast, which enters the AFL in 2011. The club has also recently signed some of the best junior footballers from Queensland and throughout Australia (see breakout). In a boost for Australian Football in Queensland, when Hunt joins Gold Coast he will also work for the AFL and AFL Queensland in development and promotional roles for at least three years. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said Gold Coast’s ability to attract an established star from another code bodes well for the future of Australian Football in Queensland. “I think this is an exciting day for the Gold Coast Football Club and also for the AFL to have

CROSSING OVER: Karmichael Hunt with Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna.

such a talented sportsman, who has achieved so much in his own sport, wanting to take up the challenge to play for a new club in the AFL,” Demetriou said. Hunt played Australian Football at school in Brisbane and was identified as an elite junior talent by AFL scouts from a young age. While he was briefly lost to the game, Demetriou welcomed his return. “The talent managers in Queensland still talk about Karmichael as the standout schoolboy talent who got away,” he said. “We think he can make an impact as a player and also in developing the game in Queensland at community level.” Gold Coast CEO Travis Auld said recruiting Hunt confirmed the club’s broad approach to building its playing list. “We are on a journey to be the country’s most exciting sporting

club and that includes attracting talented athletes to our game,” Auld said. “As a new club not set in traditional ways, we can be innovative in the way we build our organisation on and off the ﬁeld.” Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna said he was conﬁdent Hunt could successfully make the transition to the AFL. “I’ve followed State of Origin, I know it’s not AFL football, but seeing how he moves and how he hits, he’s going to bring another dimension to an AFL team,” McKenna said. “Technically, we are going to have to do some work with him but that’s no different to some of the Irish players who have crossed over.” In explaining his decision, Hunt said he wanted to continue playing sport at the highest level but also wanted to stay in Queensland and represent his home state.

Tasmanian teenagers Maverick Weller (top) and Luke Russell (below) are set for a major change of lifestyle and climate, having this week signed with the ﬂedgling Gold Coast Football Club. In preparation for its entry to the AFL in 2011, Gold Coast is able to sign up to 12 of the best youngsters from around Australia who turned 17 between January and April this year. Weller and Russell, talented midﬁelders and part of the elite AIS-AFL Academy squad, will enter the new club’s training program under coach Guy McKenna from November. The pair will continue their schooling in Queensland, with the Gold Coast expected to play in the VFL or QAFL next year. ANDREW WALLACE

“For me, this is about the challenge of playing AFL at the highest level,” he said. “Gold Coast has given me a great opportunity to be part of its journey to the AFL in 2011. “I am really excited by the challenge to change codes and still play at the elite level, and for a Queensland team in a national competition. I can’t wait.” Hunt has been signed under player rule 21.3.4 (a) II, under which any AFL club can sign a player who has not been registered for at least three full years with any recognised Australian Football competition at any level. Carlton used this rule to recruit Setanta and Aisake O’hAilpin, while Sydney Swans rookie Jake Orreal and Collingwood rookie Lachlan Keeffe were also taken under the rule. Hunt will play the rest of this season with the Broncos before playing rugby union in Japan. He will return to the Gold Coast next May to start a development program with the club.

The 2009 International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland has been deferred 12 months – see page 34 for details.

20 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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WILL YOU HANDLE YOUR ALCOHOL?

OR WILL ALCOHOL HANDLE YOU? alcohol.vic.gov.au

ﬁrst person

From one game to Western Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson is set to move past Chris Grant as the club’s games record-holder this weekend when he plays his 342nd match. One of the AFL’s most popular players talks about his famous smile, school life, missed opportunities, his football idol and his plans for life after his playing career ends. J ENNIFER W ITH A M

I grew up in Hoppers Crossing (in Melbourne’s west) with my mother Lorraine, father Bruce, and older brother Nathan. I was always a happy kid and loved going to school. I went to St Peter Apostle Primary School, and just loved being around my mates. I took school more seriously as I went along, especially when I went to Chanel College in Geelong. I got into trouble sometimes, as kids do, but nothing major. My mother would describe me as a cheeky kid who loved life. Fun was the main part of my childhood. I was given the opportunity to do whatever I asked, and always enjoyed myself. My brother got up to the odd bit of mischief here and there, which is probably why I didn’t, but we were always a close family. My relationship with my brother has strengthened over the years. We shared a pretty good bond when we were young, but it’s even better now. We’ve had our odd disagreement as brothers do, but we had a good relationship growing up. Even today, not much makes me angry. I hate losing. I’m not

the happiest after a loss. I just take things as they come. My kids (Ella, six, and Jack, three) love to test my patience, but that’s just being a parent. I started to take football seriously at the Western Jets (in the TAC Cup) when I was 16. My first coach Merv Keane gave me an insight into what was expected at AFL level. He instilled a really good work ethic into everyone he coached. Terry Wallace turned me into a forward. I started my career at the Bulldogs playing on the wing with occasional tagging roles, and did that for a few years. Terry changed that. I did a lot of work with Brian Taylor when I moved into the forward line, and he taught me things I still use today. Missed opportunities still haunt me. I was shattered last year when we lost the preliminary final (to Geelong). In 1997 and 1998, we blew chances to make the Grand Final, and that was extremely disappointing. They are the three disappointments of my career, all on a par, because we had good sides and couldn’t capitalise. Missing shots after the siren has taught me not to dwell on things you can’t change. I was very flat when it happened (against YOUNG PUP: Brad Johnson in his

early days with the Bulldogs.

North Melbourne in 2008 and against Geelong in round nine this season). ‘Rocket’ (Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade) taught me how important it was to move on quickly and focus on the next opportunity. Rodney has been a huge influence on my playing career. The way he educates and gets the best out of players is first-class. He has been awesome to me over the past five years. I wouldn’t have played this many games if it weren’t for my wife Donna. We went to primary school together, and then got married at St Mary’s in Williamstown in 1999. Donna was into sport before we got married, but I wouldn’t say she was a footy nut. Her support has been massive, through good and bad times. She’s the one who gets me back up. I’m proud my kids will see me become the record-holder. They’ll get to share the day with me. I’m glad they’re both old enough to be able to look back and remember how special it was. They both love football – Ella more than Jack at the moment – and understand how important it is to me. Now, they both tell me how many goals I need to kick each week. Ella is starting to tell me I shouldn’t kick it to the opposition so much. They both keep me well grounded.

I’m not scared about life after football whenever that comes about. I’m not putting an end date on it at the moment, but I’m definitely not nervous. I’m an organised person, and when I think the time is right, I’ll move into the next phase. I was 14 when I met Chris Grant. He was playing his first year at the club. I remember seeing this skinny 17-year-old kid absolutely dominate. From that point, I basically idolised the man. He was an absolute champion from the first day he pulled on the jumper. He made new players feel welcome. He was always the first to introduce himself and that was no different when I walked in. Chris Grant, Scott West and Rohan Smith shaped my career. I latched on to them because they were older than me and playing senior footy. They were able to teach me a bit about training and how hard you have to work. They taught me how to push through pain, especially ‘Granty’. He played with some horrific injuries. One year, he had a broken jaw and ribs, but still played great footy. Their strength of mind and character, professionalism and durability, are things I got from them. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d break Chris’ record. I was just rapt to play one game with the club. I did that, and then just wanted to turn it into a career. How long that lasted was always the unknown. Jennifer Witham is a reporter for afl.com.au

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

eople always ask me why I smile so much. It’s pretty simple, really. I love my family, and being around my club and the players. I just have a great time whenever I walk into the footy club. It makes me happy. That’s just the way I’ve always been.

22 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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the interview I’m not scared about life after football whenever that comes about. I’m not putting an end date on it at the moment BRAD JOHNSON

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 23

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S I M O N B L AC K

With three premierships and a host of individual awards to his name, Simon Black has breezed through a glittering 12-season career. And on the eve of his 250th match, the twinkle-toed Lions star reveals he’s not ﬁnished yet. NICK BOW EN

hings have always seemed to come easily to Simon Black on the football field. While equally adept as an inside and outside midfielder, he does his best work at the bottom of packs and in heavy traffic, where, despite all the chaos around him, he is poised and precise, setting up teammates with an incisive handball. And, despite the occupational hazards of such grunt work, he always seems to emerge looking immaculate, not a hair out of place. Black made the transition from junior to AFL football look just as easy. After playing nine games in his debut season (1998), Black not only cemented a senior spot with the Lions in 1999, he became a key member of their midfield. A midfield that already included Michael Voss, Nigel Lappin, Jason Akermanis, Shaun Hart and Marcus Ashcroft. No mean effort at just 20. It was no coincidence Brisbane’s finals campaign that year ended with a preliminary final defeat to North Melbourne after Black left the field with a fractured eye socket early in the match. The Lions eventually rebounded from that disappointment to become one of the most successful teams of the modern era, winning three premierships in a row from 2001-03, with Black one of the key players as a member of the ‘Fab Four’ midfield (with Voss, Lappin and Akermanis)

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and the winner of the 2002 Brownlow Medal and 2003 Norm Smith Medal. That’s why it’s refreshing to hear not everything comes so easily to Black. First, there’s his dancing, which – if you believe his teammates – is as bad as his football is good. In last year’s AFL Record player profiles, Jamie Charman said Black’s antics on the dance floor made him laugh and cry, while Jason Roe, Jonathan Brown, Lachie Henderson, Daniel Merrett, Luke Power and former Lion (now Saint) Colm Begley all nominated him as the club’s worst dancer. Black says he enjoys a dance on the rare occasions the Lions can take in the Brisbane nightlife, but admits he’s no John Travolta. “I’ve got a whole lot of energy but I don’t know what I’m doing with it,” he says, laughing. Black has also struggled to accept the Lions’ fall down the ladder since their 2004 Grand Final loss to Port Adelaide. After playing 18 finals from 1999-2004, Black and his teammates have been forced to cool their heels over the past four finals series. “It has been incredibly frustrating. Obviously coming from some really great years, you understand there’s going to be a bit of a downturn. It’s hard to accept though,” Black says, a trace of passion seeping into his voice. Black is by nature laid-back and understated. A keen surfer since he was a young boy growing up in Western Australia, in some ways he has the stereotypical surfer mentality

POWERING ON:

Simon Black is showing no signs of slowing down and this week he chalks up his 250th game.

29/7/09 4:15:32 PM

– friendly, carefree, happy to laugh at himself and never one to take anything too seriously. Speaking ahead of his 250th game this weekend, he acknowledged reaching the milestone was “a thrill” but said he had been lucky with injury and downplayed his many individual achievements. But, while prepared to laugh at his near miss in last year’s Brownlow Medal count – he finished second, one vote behind winner Adam Cooney – when talk turns to Brisbane’s four-year September hiatus, Black becomes more serious, his determination to return to the finals obvious. Fortunately, it seems his wait could soon be over. After the victory against North Melbourne last week, the Lions sit sixth on the ladder, three games clear of eighth-placed Essendon, and look virtually assured of a finals spot. Although only five players from the 2004 Grand Final side – Black, Brown, Daniel Bradshaw, Luke Power and Tim Notting – remain on the list, the younger players could not ask for better mentors on how to handle, and thrive under, finals pressure. “I have been trying to describe to the young guys how great it is to play finals footy, the peak of football,” Black says. “‘Browny’, Luke Power and I have tried to give them that little bit more inspiration this year to try and get us over the line.”

FAC T F I L E

Simon Black

POPULAR LION: With three premiership medallions and a Brownlow Medal among his list of honours, it’s no wonder Black is adored by Lions fans.

A current co-vice-captain and co-captain from 2007-08, Black has increasingly enjoyed his leadership role at the club. “I like trying to pass on my knowledge to the younger guys and giving them some thoughts on the way I see the game and the dynamics of the team,” he says. While Black is happy to mentor the Lions’ cubs, he believes they already have the talent to play in the ﬁnals. “I know when we’re playing our best footy, we pressure sides really well. We can kick a pretty good score and give ourselves a good chance against most sides,” he says. “But how far into September we can go, I’m not sure.” Black is particularly excited by the

development of mid-level Lions such as Jared Brennan, Michael Rischitelli and Justin Sherman, youngsters Daniel Rich, James Polkinghorne and Sam Sheldon, and the defence led by Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull, which has held firm despite multiple injuries. Black says first-year coach Voss, who took over from Leigh Matthews at the end of last season, has refreshed the club with his new ideas and possession-based game style. “When Michael first walked in, he said, ‘I don’t care if you’ve played 200 games or no games, everyone’s got a clean slate’. “The thing I really like about his coaching at the moment, you can tell he has a real sense of

Born: April 3, 1979 Recruited from: East Fremantle Debut: Round 1, 1998 Height: 186cm Weight: 83kg Games: 249 Goals: 152 Player honours: Brownlow Medal 2002; 2nd Brownlow Medal 2007 (equal), 2008; best and fairest 2001 (equal), 2002, 2006; Norm Smith Medal 2003; All-Australian 2001, 2002, 2004; International Rules Series 2001; premiership sides 2001, 2002, 2003; co-captain 2007-08 Brownlow Medal: career votes 142

pride in the playing group. If you have put in and done a good job, he acknowledges that, and I know the guys are responding to that. “‘Vossy’ also enjoys a laugh, still. Leigh used to enjoy a joke from time to time, but no doubt, with Vossy, the mood is lighter around the place than what it was last year.” Black turned 30 in April and, despite recently buying two Bank of Queensland branches (in Kallangur and Southport), has no retirement plans, saying his body is still in good shape. Lions fans will be hoping both Black and his team’s winning feeling can continue for some time to come.

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n e r r Da

n r u b il A C AT W H O TA K E S N O T H I N G F O R G R A N T E D

Dar Darren Milburn is the epitome of a cool head in a crisis, a veteran defender who is unruﬄed, uncompromising and unaﬀected by his defe succ success. But as he prepares for his 250th match, the ever-reliable Cat explains it hasn’t always been plain sailing. BEN COLLINS

s much as he deﬂects praise by pushing the old line of simply wanting to play his role and contribute to the team in a behi behind-the-scenes capacity, Darren Milb Milburn is one of a kind. Th 32-year-old will this The wee weekend become just the seventh Gee Geelong player to notch 250 gam games (along with Ian and Bruce Nan Nankervis, ‘Sam’ Newman, Peter Ricc Riccardi, Garry Hocking and Paul Cou Couch), but he will stand alone as the only Cats premiership player to achieve ac the milestone. M Milburn is almost embarrassed whe when informed about the rare dist distinction. “It’s obviously a great hon honour, but to have it alone is a bit disa disappointing because you’d rather the cclub had a few more blokes play in pr premierships,” he says. “T club has won seven ﬂags, but “The you would’ve liked a few more along w Hopefully we’ll add to that the way. tally over the next few years.” M Milburn describes his 14 year at Geelong as “a long journey years with a few ups and downs”: the dow being earlier on, and the downs ups reinvigorating the latter part h career. of his

He’s content: “I wouldn’t change anything, I guess.” Well, there’s one on-field act he’d take back if he could. It was the last home-and-away round of 2001. The Cats were playing Carlton in what was to be Blues legend Stephen Silvagni’s last game at Princes Park. In the dying minutes, Silvagni ran with the flight of the ball and attempted to mark a hospital pass when he was met heavily by Milburn (who received a three-match suspension for charging). Both players were taken from the field: Silvagni on a stretcher; Milburn on coach’s orders. As Milburn made his way towards the bench, the Carlton faithful booed and hurled abuse. Milburn further incited them by clapping and smiling. Ironically, Milburn had been a Carlton fan in his youth and Silvagni had been one of his idols. “I don’t regret the incident itself because I still think I was attacking the ball,” Milburn explains. “But if I had my time again, I’d definitely change what happened after it. That wasn’t great, and wasn’t called for. It was just in the heat of the moment.”

AFL L RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 61

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Milburn still cops it from Blues fans. “I get the odd boo when we play Carlton, but when they’re booing, that means I’m getting the footy, so I don’t lose sleep over it,” he says. Milburn doesn’t lose sleep over many things. If he was any more laidback, he’d be having a nap. “I’m a pretty relaxed person off the field,” he says. “Sometimes my wife reckons I’m too calm, especially when the kids are playing up. I can tolerate it a bit more than she can.” It flows through to his renowned on-field composure under pressure. “Because I’m relaxed, I think it helps me sum up situations fairly quickly,” he says. “If you can take that extra second, it holds you in good stead. There’s no point panicking or rushing things because that’s when things tend to go haywire.” Things went haywire in 2003 – the year after the Silvagni incident, although he doesn’t believe there was any correlation between the two. “It was my worst season – I was really inconsistent,” he says. “I can’t put my finger on why I was so up and down. And I can’t put my finger on how I turned it around, either. If you knew the secret, you’d never have a problem. “I’ve been really consistent ever since. Having kids probably settled me down a lot more. All of a sudden I had to think about them and not just myself.” The way Milburn plays, it’s hard to imagine him ever only looking out for himself. Although in the twilight of his career, he is still perhaps the most reliable player in one of the best backlines of modern times. He has been the glue that has held the Cats’ back half together. He has finished in the top six in Geelong’s best and fairest on six occasions. He is brilliantly efficient, too – good enough to be an All-Australian in 2007, and represent Victoria in last year’s Hall of Fame tribute match against the Dream Team. Only the best achieve such things. Milburn’s gradual progression into a great would have surprised some people. Although he enjoyed a terrific 1995 season with the

CONSISTENT CAT:

Darren Milburn has been one of Geelong’s most reliable players for more than a decade.

I haven’t done it by putting my arm across my opponent and defending all the time; I’ve contributed to the attacking part of our game too DARREN MILBURN

Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup under-18 competition, making the Team of the Year and furthering his development as a reserves top-up player for both Collingwood and Sydney, he wasn’t drafted until pick 48. Then, after spending 1996 in the Cats’ reserves, Milburn’s life was turned upside down. Just as he was starting his senior AFL career early in the 1997 season, his world was rocked by tragedy. Milburn, then 19, was on his way to Cats training when he was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of another driver, a young man. More than 12 years on,

Milburn still ﬁnds it difﬁcult selecting the right words to express his feelings. “There’s probably not a day where you don’t think about what happened,” he reveals. “A family lost a loved one. That hurts, and I’m sure it always will … “I was pretty young at the time, and it was just a tragic accident. “It’s something I can’t change. If I could change it, I’d do it in a heartbeat. “I try not to think about it too much, but sometimes it’s hard not to.” Inevitably, the tragedy altered Milburn’s perspective on life. He

says he has emerged from the nightmare a “better person”. “You just can’t take life for granted,” he says. “Accidents can happen any time, and it could be you or a family member.” While many other teenagers in the same situation might have fallen off the AFL radar and perhaps even struggled to function in life in general, Milburn has humbly made the most of his precious opportunity in both spheres. As far as footballers go, few are more honest, reliable or selﬂess than Milburn. Away from football, he is just as genuine.

62 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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A proud family man, he and wife Tania – who he describes as “my wonderful wife” – have two children: six-year-old daughter Imogen and three-year-old son Jett. Both will accompany him on to Skilled Stadium for his 250th game against Adelaide. “Imogen has been wanting to know when she’s going to run out on to the ground,” he says. “She’s seen a few other kids do it with their dads, so she can’t wait.” The mini-Milburns naturally idolise their father. However, Imogen has a few favourite Geelong players – “The ones who kick the goals,” quips her dad, who, of course, has carved a reputation for saving and creating them. Jett is even less impressed. Unlike his father, he has a short attention span. “Jett hasn’t really got into footy yet,” Milburn says. “He occasionally comes down to watch, but he always says he wants to go home at quarter-time or half-time.” Milburn mentions his family several times during a half-hour interview. He says they are his source of inspiration. “The kids are great – they don’t care if you’ve played a bad game,” he says. “They make you laugh and take your mind a million miles away from footy. But they’ve helped my footy, too. “I’ve played my best footy since they were born. They give you another outlet, keep

you level-headed and are a great support.” Milburn doesn’t need any help remaining level-headed. It’s simply his nature. Although he has every reason to have a strut. As a footballer, he has become a truly great defender. But it wasn’t until his early 20s that he actually spent time in the back half. Recruited as a midﬁelder/ forward, Milburn can’t recall ever playing in the backline as a junior. After starting his AFL career in attack, he spent time in the middle before eventually being shifted to defence. His transformation into a quality backman is a great source of pride. “I had to learn from scratch because I didn’t have any experience of playing back there,” he recalls. “You have to learn to beat your opponent ﬁrst, then you can start trying to win the ball yourself. “I’m pretty proud of the way I’ve adapted my game. And I haven’t done it by just putting my arm across my opponent and defending all the time; I’ve contributed to the attacking part of our game too.” He certainly has. In 129 appearances since turning his game around at the start of 2004, Milburn has averaged 20.3 disposals. Nicknamed ‘Dasher’ – “because of my name, not for my pace,” he says – Milburn seems

to know exactly when to attack and when to defend. He says the secret to finding the balance between the two extremes is to be decisive and not “get caught halfway between”. Milburn was particularly decisive against the Bulldogs at Skilled Stadium in round 16 last year, when he amassed 19 disposals in the first quarter (32 for the match). It is believed to be the most recorded for a quarter of AFL football. Of that hectic half-hour, uld Milburn says: “The ball would wn the come to me and I’d run down d. Then ground and kick it forward. an and I’d run back to find my man here the ball would be down there g me. again. It just kept finding mazing “It was one of those amazing pened to quarters that hasn’t happened me before or since. I wass pretty d I spent tired at quarter-time, and ers the next couple of quarters trying to get my breath back.” ted Milburn was exhausted aying last week, too, after playing ole a typically stabilising role with 25 touches in the come-from-behind win over ad was Hawthorn. His cool head nsidering particularly crucial considering ders the Cats lost key defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry nd half. Taylor early in the second Although he hails it ass being “up there” among the ed wins he has been involved wn in, he plays down his own yed my performance. “I just played role and contributed,” hee says. ny less. We wouldn’t expect any

FAC T F I L E

Darren Milburn Born: April 15, 1977 Recruited from: Kilmore/Calder U18 Debut: Round 1, 1997 Height: 189cm Weight: 92kg Games: 249 Goals: 90 Player honours: 3rd best and fairest 2004; All-Australian 2007; International Rules Series 2005; AFL Rising Star nominee nomine nom o inee n e 1998 11998; 998; 9 ;p prem premiership remier miershi e ship hp side d 2 2007; 7 pre-season r s s premiership r i s p sides d 2006, 2 0 2009 2 9 Brownlow r n wm medal: a career a e votes ot s 23 3

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COACHES ON COACHING – PART 4

Coaching Mark Williams is one of the AFL’s greatest supporters of indigenous footballers, but not for the reason many think. In the fourth part of the AFL Record’s coaching series, the Port Adelaide mentor explains why he is so excited about working with Aboriginal talent.

any people assume I’ve had success with Aboriginal players because I’m Aboriginal myself. It’s a common and long-held misconception. Early in my ﬁrst year at Collingwood, I received a letter from the indigenous group in Victoria inviting me to represent the Aboriginals in a game. I told them I couldn’t play because I didn’t qualify – I wasn’t Aboriginal. But that wasn’t good enough for some people. In a game against Richmond not long after, I took a mark and was lining up for goal and Phil Egan was bagging me because I’d forgotten my heritage! Recently, I found out there is Jamaican blood on my father’s side, so that might explain some of my colouring. Although the misconception about my heritage can be frustrating, it’s also ﬂattering where it relates to coaching indigenous players because it suggests I create an environment in which they can prosper. It has been the result of many years of learning, respecting and understanding. Most of us wouldn’t know an Aboriginal person if it wasn’t for our associations with football, but I had the advantage of growing up with a lot of Aboriginal kids, and I enjoyed their company from a young age. Then there were the football links. In the SANFL at Port Adelaide, I played with guys such as Gavin Wanganeen and Che Cockatoo-Collins, so when I went to Essendon as an assistant

AR18 p65-66 Mark WIlliams.indd 65

coach, I already knew them. Then I got to know Michael Long, which was good to see how an older guy dealt with certain issues. And then there was the coach, Kevin Sheedy, who made Aboriginal players feel very comfortable, and they played for him. Back in my playing days, some clubs wouldn’t have had an Aboriginal player on their list. Hawthorn was one, but it won last year’s premiership with indigenous guys playing crucial roles. Every club has them now. People have become more tolerant, and wiser. At Port Adelaide, we target the best talent and we don’t care what colour they are. It’s easy to be excited by Aboriginal players because many of them boast great skill, speed, agility, anticipation and an ability to do freakish things that most of us can only dream of. I think that on the whole, Aboriginal kids probably practise their footy more than other kids, and they probably have higher quality practice too. In the past, other kids would have practised as much at school and in the park, but it doesn’t happen as much these days. Aboriginal kids also tend to play little games with their larger, extended families, so their skills develop to a higher level at an earlier age. That probably goes some way to explaining how Aboriginals make up less than three

It’s easy to be excited by Aboriginal players because many of them boast great skill, speed, agility ... and an ability to do freakish things per cent of the Australian population, yet comprise 11 per cent of AFL players. A coach should always encourage and nurture such natural ﬂair rather than try to knock it out of them because all you’ll end up with is a team of robots. Players hate that and so do the supporters. People love knowing somebody is capable of doing something absolutely brilliant at any second. You can’t

be outrageously one way or the other, but you can’t have a team of bland players if you want to be successful. And Aboriginal players are often capable of providing you with some spark and unpredictability that throws the opposition out. But you can’t just draft Aboriginal players and expect them to perform miracles overnight. A lot needs to happen before you reach that point. I don’t think it works as well if you have only one Aboriginal at your club. You need to ensure they have people – other Aboriginal players – to talk to on their level. They support, mentor and feed off each other, and that ﬂows through what they do on and off the ﬁeld.

IN HARMONY:

Working with indigenous players such as Danyle Pearce has been one of the highlights of Mark Williams’ coaching career.

29/7/09 4:06:06 PM

COACHES ON COACHING – PART 4

SUPPORT: Mark Williams says coaches

get better results with indigenous players by showing them respect and care.

1 They also keep a keen eye on other promising indigenous players, whether it be a brother or a cousin or someone else in the ‘brotherhood’. I have to confess that the Burgoynes (Peter and Shaun) told me about the Davey brothers (Aaron and Alwyn) and, to my eternal regret, I stupidly didn’t act upon it. A coach’s success with Aboriginal players is directly proportional to the level of respect and care you give them. If they know you believe in them, you’ll get much better results than you would if you hammered them. The stereotypical image of Aboriginals is of quiet, shy guys who take time to feel at home, but gradually reveal their true, fun-loving characters as they gain conﬁdence. But as one of my great Aboriginal friends Che Cockatoo-Collins would say, it’s almost racist to say all Aboriginals are the same because they are not. In fact, no player is the same as another, so we must treat every player differently – not because of the colour of their skin, but because of their needs. To work out their needs,

you need to delve into their backgrounds. The only way to gain a true understanding of the individual is to spend time in their environment with their extended families. Contrary to popular belief, the Aboriginal race comprises many different tribes with different customs and belief systems, and they produce many different individuals. If you can reach them on their level, you might ﬁnd out what makes them tick, and what it will take to get the best out of them as people and players. When I spent time in the Tiwi Islands, I found out that brothers and sisters aren’t allowed to look each other, or their elders, in the eyes at a certain age. People often judge Aboriginal guys if they don’t look them in the eye; they think they’re not listening. These are issues we need to understand. You shouldn’t necessarily put more effort into indigenous players than others, but you probably do. As a race, they haven’t had the support they have needed and deserved, so if we give them more support than what others get, it just evens it up a little.

A coach’s succes s wi players is directly th Aboriginal proportional to th respect and care e you give them. We must treat ev ery player diﬀerently – not because of the co lour of their skin, but their needs. The only way to ga in a true understanding of the spend time in their individual is to en their extended fam vironment with ilies. Ensure Aborigina l pl people – other Ab ayers have original players – to talk to on th eir level. Encourage natura l ﬂair rather than try to knock it ou t of you’ll end up with them because all is a team of robo ts. Listen when they suggest recruiting other promising indigenous player s.

g It might mean arranging a special dinner with the 2 g Aboriginal boys, or taking them to an art gallery – just a little novelty to get 3 them together for some quality time and see how they’re travelling. It’s important to make 4 them feel welcome and loved, and that they have someone to talk to if 5 they need it. In turn, people always want to talk 6 to Aboriginal players. More so than any other group of footballers, they become role models. (as a development coach at We see kids trying to kick and the Brisbane Lions) and Jason mark like Daniel Motlop, and Mifsud has been (an assistant at run like Adam Goodes. Playing the Western Bulldogs and AFL football gives them an St Kilda, and now CEO of the opportunity to show other AFL Foundation, and manager of young people what they need the AFL’s indigenous programs), to do to excel. They help break but we need more. down race barriers. As I say to the guys around me, Now we need to break “You’re not going to get a (senior) down another barrier. We job unless you’re qualified. You only ever see Aboriginals have to do the hard yards first, playing, but there are so many just like everyone else.” other roles they can fill in the And Aboriginals are just football world. I’m adamant like everybody else. we need Aboriginal coaches. AS TOLD TO BEN COLLINS Chris Johnson is in the system

66 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

AR18 p65-66 Mark WIlliams.indd 66

29/7/09 4:10:10 PM

“‰”, “Play “Play PlayStat Stat ation” at ion”,, “ ion” ”,, a and nd “ n ” ar are tr t adem dem marks ar or regi ark re egi gis ster ste ster t ed te d trade trade rad d m mark mar ar ark rks off So Son S y Co Compu mp m mput pu p put uter ut er Ent er ntertain nter nte tain ta ain ain nme ment ment e en ntt Inc Inc c. “ ” is is a regi eg egis e gistere t d tr te ter tradem ade ad dema arrk o ark off Sony on Corp orporat orat ora o ra a ion. HARRY HARRY POTTE POTTE OTTER R charac arracters ters,, names ters names e and all rela rel ted ind indi n ic ndi cia cia i are e trad ra ademar ema em mar m arks of an nd © Wa Warn arn ner er Bros. ros ro os s Ent ntterta erta ainme inme nm nt nt Inc. nc. Ha Harry Harr arry Po Potter tter Pub P Pu lish lis ishing ing ng g Righ Rig gh g hts © JKR KR.. WB W IE E LOGO, OG G W WB SHIELD: SHIE LD: ™ & © W Warner er B Bro ros. s. E Enter nte nter tertain tain ainment me t Inc ment Inc.. (s s09)) H HAR HARR ARRY POTTE ARR AR TTER TER ER AND AN ND THE HE EH HAL HA AL ALFF-BL F-BL BLOOD PRI PRIN PRIN RINCE E So oft oftw ft ftw tware tw ar © 20 2009 09 Ele lectroni lec lect ron roni oni niic Ar A tts Inc. Arts nc EA and d the he E EA A lo ogo o are e trade trade em mark ark ks s or regis regis stere tered d ttradem ade d arks ark of Elec E tron El ron on niic Arts ts Inc. Inc nc. All Al rig ghts hts rese reserved re eserve rved d. Al A l ot other he h er e trad trademar radema emar e em m mar arks ks k s are e tthe he e pro rop rop rope operty ope rtyy of of their he hei h e eir eiir ir res re respect pective pective ve e ow ow owne wne ne ners rs s pspin spinyour your ou o u hand ha ands.co s.co s co om SPS2 SPS 047/ 04 047 47/ 47 47/ 7/AFL /AFL AFL FL

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Answer man

time on

AFL history guru Col Hutchinson answers your queries.

NAME GAME

A bit tricky Sharpshooters

GOLDEN OLDIES:

Tiger Kevin Bartlett (left) and Magpie Gordon Coventry both won club goalkicking awards at the age of 36.

Who is the oldest player to be his club’s leading goalkicker for a season? What about the youngest? TROY BLACKBURN, COBURG, VIC

CH: Kevin Bartlett was more

than 200 days beyond his 36th birthday when he shared the Richmond honour with Michael Roach in 1983. North Melbourne’s Tom Fitzmaurice was just four months younger when he reached the achievement in 1934. Magpie champ Gordon Coventry was also 36 when he claimed not just the Magpies’ award, but the competition’s honour with 72 goals in his farewell season of 1937. Another Tiger, Mick Maguire, had celebrated his 16th birthday a little more than 100 days before notching his 20th goal to win

his club’s award for the 1910 season. Forty-four years later, Collingwood’s Keith Bromage was just short of 17 when he won the Magpies’ award with 22 goals.

WRITE TO ANSWER MAN The Slattery Media Group 140 Harbour Esplanade Docklands, 3008 or email michaell@slatterymedia.com

P L AY E R I N F O R M AT I O N S E A R C H

Are you, or do you know, a descendant of former Fitzroy player Ivan Astruc? Born in the mid-1870s in Mauritius, and likely to be of French descent, Astruc played for Essendon District team before joining the Roys as a follower in the ﬁrst six rounds of 1897. He registered a goal

against St Kilda at the Junction Oval. Coincidentally, he was a teammate of another of our ‘mystery men’, Bill McSpeerin. Sadly, Astruc died well before reaching the age of 30, on April 9, 1905, in Melbourne.

Should you have any information regarding Astruc, including his date of birth, height and weight, contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 or email col.hutchinson@aﬂ.com.au.

The surname Pratt may have its origins in the Latin h pratum (“meadow”/“ﬁeld”); p or in a Dutch word meaning o “proud” or “arrogant”; “p p or in a reference to the o buttocks (and hence, b especially in England, to e es an idiotic person). However, a the most likely origin is th in n the Old English word praett, meaning “tricky” p or “cunning” – although o these words did not have th h quite the same import q they th now have (i.e., usually “sly”/“underhand”). “s s Originally they were O attributed to someone who a at devised clever stratagems d or smart tactics, especially o in n war. It would be an ideal name for a coach or a n goalsneak. On current lists, the name is represented by North Melbourne’s Daniel (pictured) and Fremantle rookie Luke. There have been six Pratts who have played League football, the most notable being South Melbourne and AFL legend Bob Pratt, who shares with Hawk Peter Hudson the record for most goals kicked in a season. KEVAN CARROLL

68 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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COLLECTABLES WITH RICK MILNE

King of clubs A weekly look at collectables, memorabilia and all footy things stored in boxes and garages. I have a set of playing cards featuring North Melbourne players. Peter Bell is the nine of clubs, hearts, spades and diamonds, with David King as the number two, and so on. Value?

RICK’S RARITY BIG HAND: A reader

has a set of North Melbourne playing cards, featuring former stars such as David King.

This is a photograph of South Melbourne’s star-studded team of 1953, with Laurie Nash as coach and Ron Clegg as captain, two of the best players in football history. With other stars in Bill Gunn, Keith Schaefer and Jim Taylor, the Swans should have ﬁnished higher than eighth with nine wins and nine defeats. However, they did thrash Grand Finalist Geelong by 43 points in the penultimate round.

MILUTIN K., VIA EMAIL

RM: There’s not much value

here, I’m afraid. These playing cards were issued for all clubs, but didn’t catch on as well as expected. Maybe $50 for the set. I am seeking two books by the late Hugh Buggy, one of the all-time great football writers. The books are Footy and the Clubs That Make It and The Football Story. I am hoping you might be able to help me. FRANK R., VIA EMAIL

RM: I don’t have a copy of either

book, but if someone out there can help, please contact me via the details on this page. I collect all sorts of memorabilia relating to the mighty Adelaide Crows. I have four very unusual cards issued by Allen’s Sweets. Each has two cards joined. I have cards featuring Tony Modra, Tony McGuinness, Shaun Rehn and Chris McDermott, but each is attached to a non-Crows player. For example, Modra’s

card is attached to one of the Sydney Swans’ Dale Lewis. Are these rare cards? SCOTT PERRY, VIA EMAIL

RM: It is an unusual set, Scott,

but not rare. I know quite a few

collectors who cut each card across the middle to make separate cards. With a couple of exceptions, these sell at about $3 each as joined cards.

CONTACT RICK MILNE mrpp@iprimus.com.au or drop him a line: 5 Cooraminta St, Brunswick, Vic, 3056 or call (03) 9387 4131. One query per reader.

visit aﬂ.com.au

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18.indd 1 70 NAB_Tipping_60x179_Rd AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au

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KNOWLEDGE AC R O S S 1

DOWN

Crow premiership player who had played with the Bulldogs (3, 6)

6 9

Hearings undertaken by the Tribunal (5) Fans get ....... at the prospect of ﬁnals football (7)

Former SA legend, and coach Jack .....; never played VFL or AFL (5) Given name of Carlton goalkicking hero in 1970 Grand Final (3)

Etihad Stadium is a ...... stadium (6)

11 Only female to serve on AFL tribunal,

Dublin’s home of Gaelic Football (5, 4)

SA’s ruling body (5)

Famous during Grand Final half-time breaks (7)

12 Mid-season break in the ﬁxture (3) 13 Shane ..... played in two Crow ﬂag sides (5)

12 Former umpire (of the ‘60s)

14 Suﬀered a ferocious, debilitating bump

did this often with his whistle; also his surname (4)

(collq.) (8)

16 Former umpire Rowan ...... (6) 19 A speccie (collq.) (6) 20 .... Quade, Swans captain 1977-79,

15 Big Fitzroy captain from WA (9) 17 Been played only twice, in a ﬁnals match (5, 4)

former coach (4)

21 24 26 27 28 30

18 It was the ﬁnal .... from 1972-90 (4)

Premier position (3) Those who report on the game (5)

19 Well-beaten, almost shamed (7)

Often falls on losing coaches (3)

22 Former VFA team, called the Bullants (7)

A good half-forward can ﬁnd it (5)

23 Former Bomber, Cat ruckman, and

Former Eagle Karl ....... (7)

Essendon runner (6)

Liquid used to imprint logos on playing ﬁeld (5)

25 ..... Frawley, former Saints skipper (5)

31 ‘Twinkle Toes’ Lawrie ..... former ‘Roo (5) 32 West Coast’s Tyson ......... (9)

The ‘Galloping Gasometer’ (4,5)

3 4

Elaine ..... (5)

FIV to ﬁ E

Former Swan Paul Kelly broke one (4, 3)

nicknamed ‘Rhino’. Later won 2001 Magarey Medal (7)

10 Former Bomber and Swan ruckman,

Spot the diﬀerence

Scrambled footballer

27 Heat tends to do this to one’s energy (3) 29 Misnomer, in footy terms, for draw (3)

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

E-world

Cryptic footballers 1. Cousins, perhaps, has sign of

approval at Carlton. 2. Terms ﬁnally included in

ruling for Magpie. 3. Bomber has nothing on

motorcycle event. 4. Docker’s principal country. 5. Two cards at Geelong. 6. The French follow young male

at Hawthorn. 7. Hale upset in western extremes

– plays for Melbourne. reportedly able to slice through the opposition. 9. River joining lake, almost, at Richmond. 10. Drawback for Bulldog.

SCRAMBLED FOOTBALLER: Dowler CRYPTIC FOOTBALLERS: 1. Bentick 2. Rusling 3. Lovett 4. Headland 5. Tenace 6. Boyle 7. Whelan 8. Surjan 9. Polak 10. Ward SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Dreadlock missing, AFL logo missing on shorts, Hungry Jack’s logo missing the ‘S’, seam on shorts missing, Puma logo on jumper backwards.

8. Port Adelaide player

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

beforethegame.com.au LADDER ANDY DAVE LEHMO SAM MICK STRAUCHANIE

99 97 93 92 87 39

TIPSTERS

MICK Carlton Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats St Kilda Collingwood Richmond Hawthorn Essendon

72 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au b4thgame_RD18.indd 1

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LEHMO Carlton Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats St Kilda Collingwood Richmond Hawthorn Essendon

DAVE Carlton Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats St Kilda Collingwood Richmond Port Adelaide Essendon

STRAUCHANIE North Melbourne Fremantle Adelaide Sydney Swans Brisbane Lions Richmond Port Adelaide West Coast Eagles

SAM Carlton Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats St Kilda Collingwood Richmond Hawthorn Essendon

ANDY Carlton Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats St Kilda Collingwood Richmond Hawthorn Essendon

29/7/09 4:01:56 PM

29/7/09 4:09:14 PM

timeon

WHERE’S WALLY

Gee,

what a perfect day

For more than 110 years, the MCG has been a mecca for footy fans. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

ore than 90 million fans have watched football at the MCG since the Victorian Football League came to be in 1897. Now that’s a lot of tram rides, train rides, forsaken chores, hot pies, lost voices and time spent stuck in Punt Road traffic snarls. For those who have never ventured to the home of footy, last week’s HawthornGeelong clash was just about the quintessential Saturday afternoon football outing in Melbourne. A grey July day and two heavyweight clubs with plenty to play for – from a dispassionate perspective, Hawthorn striving to stay in touch with the top eight, Geelong looking to gather momentum as September approaches. But for the diehard fans flocking to the game, the outlook is different – the Hawkers are desperate to cling to bragging rights from last year’s Grand Final triumph, and the Catters are hungry for a bit of good, old-fashioned revenge, however lukewarm. As morning ticks towards midday, figures speckled in brown and gold and blue and white gather at the most frequented of Melbourne meeting points – beneath the Flinders Street clocks. Across the road, the more thirsty types sip pre-game drinks and talk tactics in Young and Jackson’s, famous for its central location and distinctive painting of Chloe, which has hung in the pub for a century. The No. 70 tram ships patrons from the city centre

MCG MAGIC: You can start your day by gathering at Flinders Street Station (top left), and catching a tram to the ‘G (above), or walking to the ground and taking in a view of the Yarra River (left). Some like to meet at watering holes such as the Cricketer’s Arms (left) or the London Tavern (below) in nearby Richmond. Then it’s time to take your seat.

to the ground, while others prefer the stroll through the skewed architecture of Federation Square and down to the stadium via the Birrarung Marr walkway, which snakes alongside the Yarra River. Across on the south-eastern side of the ’G, inner-city Richmond well and truly comes to life. The old suburb seemingly has a footy-friendly watering hole on every corner – there’s the Swan, the London Tavern, the Richmond Club (although presently closed due to fire damage), the Corner, the Precinct and the Cricketer’s Arms. A pot and parma is typical pre-match fare, while in funky cafes, punters peruse the Saturday morning sports section over lattes and late breakfasts. Experienced supporters have the timing of the final leg to the ground down to a fine art. About 20 minutes before the first bounce, they filter out of the various establishments, stride through the narrow streets, dart across Punt Road, jam an AFL Record in the back pocket, shuffle through the admission gates and take their seats at the precise moment the first team runs on to the ground. So where to watch the action from? Up high on Level 4 gives an overview of the game, Level 1 is about catching the players up close, standing room at the back is loud and tribal, the Southern Stand soaks up the sunshine, while the MCC Members is all about the prestige. Wherever you end up and however you get there, 90 million people over the past 110-odd years are definitely on to something – a day at the MCG is simply the ultimate football experience.

ADELAIDE OR BRISBANE OR PERTH OR SYDNEY to MELBOURNE

74 AFL RECORD visit(daily aﬂ record.com.au ﬂights)

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NAB AFL RISING STAR

Pie has fans beaming Colourful Collingwood youngster Dayne y Beams has made an indelible impact p in his debut season. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

he announcement of Collingwood’s third NAB AFL Rising Star nominee for 2009 could bring about mixed emotions for Magpie fans. Although the black-and-white masses will be delighted with the efforts of Dayne Beams in his debut season, the recognition will most likely make the 19-year-old an even juicier target for the new Gold Coast Football Club, set to enter the AFL in 2011. Born in Yarrawonga in country Victoria but raised on the Gold Coast, Beams has already fielded an offer of a three-year contract with the AFL’s 17th club, declining it in favour of gaining experience at the elite level. But, while he has a big decision to make next year when his contract expires, for now the young midfielder is making the most of his Collingwood adventure. “I’m not really thinking about it at the moment,” Beams said. “I’m just trying to play consistent footy and I’m really enjoying the club and the people in it. “I’ll start thinking about it (the possibility of a move) a bit more when the time comes but, at the moment, I’m very happy and hopefully I can stay here.” And if his first 11 games at AFL level are any indication, Beams has plenty to be pleased about. With his hardness at the contest and clean disposal, the teenager has slotted almost seamlessly into the strong Magpies line-up, averaging 18 possessions and one goal a game. Easily distinguished by the much-discussed tattoos covering

HIGH BEAM:

Dayne Beams stands out on the ﬁeld with his colourful tattoos.

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees Round 1 – Daniel Rich (BL) Round 2 – David Zaharakis (Ess) Round 3 – Patrick Dangerﬁeld (Adel) Round 4 – Jaxson Barham (Coll) Round 5 – Garry Moss (Haw) Round 6 – Stephen Hill (Frem) Round 7 – Jack Ziebell (NM) Round 8 – Jarryn Geary (StK) Round 9 – Andy Otten (Adel) Round 10 – Taylor Walker (Adel) Round 11 – Brad Dick (Coll) Round 12 – Aaron Joseph (Carl) Round 13 – Tayte Pears (Ess) Round 14 – Jack Grimes (Melb) Round 15 – Liam Jurrah (Melb) Round 16 – Chris Masten (WCE)

I’m just trying to play consistent footy and I’m really enjoying the club ... I’m very happy and hopefully I can stay here his right arm, Beams has an instant reply when asked if there are plans for more ink work in the near future. “Hopefully, a premiership one on my ankle,” he says, going on to outline the reasons for his passion. “I’ve had an interest in tattoos for a while now, so when the

time came, I just decided to get some. I’m not one that really has any regrets – I just see things and I do them. “I don’t know what other people think, but I don’t really care, outside the guys at the club.” The Queenslander’s singleminded approach was further highlighted in last week’s clash against Carlton, when he almost lost a tooth as a consequence of failing to don a mouthguard. “I ﬁnd it harder to breathe with one in, and if not wearing a mouthguard means I can get a little edge over my opponent with all the hard running we do, then I won’t wear one.”

Round 17 – Dayne Beams (Coll)

FA S T FAC T S

Teammates Jaxon Barham and Brad Dick received NAB AFL Rising Star nominations in round four and 11 respectively.

2 Beams drinks at

least three litres of water to hydrate himself before every game.

3 Always listens to

Eminem’s Lose Yourself before taking the ﬁeld.

Each week throughout the home and away season, a panel of judges will select the nominee for the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star. At the completion of the season, one outstanding player will be chosen as the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star winner. He will receive an investment folio, a dedicated personal banker, a financial planner and the Ron Evans Medal, all courtesy of the NAB. The NAB Rising Star award is the final stage of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL.

76 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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TALKING POINT

Back to their roots Collingwood’s return to its spiritual home for VFL matches has gladdened the hearts of diehard Magpie fans. PETER RYAN

n August 1999, hours after Collingwood played its last game at Victoria Park, grown men were seen crying into their beer at the nearby Retreat Hotel. Thankfully, lest we get too sentimental, other grown men, equally devoted to the Magpies, were laughing at them. Sufﬁce to say Collingwood’s announcement last week that its VFL team would be playing home games at Victoria Park in 2010 was a signiﬁcant announcement for many long-time Magpie supporters. “I had a bit of a tear in the eye,” said Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. “Leaving Victoria Park was the hardest thing we’ve ever done in our lives. It broke our hearts.” Collingwood was Victoria Park, and Victoria Park was Collingwood. The club took both its name and its attitude from one of Melbourne’s most famous inner-city working-class suburbs. With the announcement, Collingwood can now have its cake and eat it too: big crowds at the ’G for AFL games, community atmosphere at Victoria Park for VFL clashes. For most of my childhood, the cold, terraced concrete on the outer side was my vantage point. Dad would push me to the front where the senses would be overloaded with smokers’ coughs and fruity language, the smell of beer, pies and sauce smothering the nose, and a chorus of voices saying: “Let the kid through”. The umpire was always as blind as a welder’s dog and you learned to assess an opposition player’s worth by the amount of generous advice they received over the fence. Saturday afternoon would begin at 2pm when a magical, majestic, slightly threatening roar would rumble under skies that always seemed grey.

I had a bit of a tear in the eye. Leaving Victoria Park was the hardest thing we’ve ever done in our lives. It broke our hearts COLLINGWOOD PRESIDENT EDDIE MCGUIRE

HOME AGAIN: Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and senior player Heath Shaw celebrate the return of VFL matches to Victoria Park.

Collingwood’s coach would climb a ladder at the back of the stand to reach the coach’s box just as players took up their positions. That moment repeated nearly every second winter Saturday is ingrained in my DNA: forever Melbourne, forever Collingwood, forever me. From that vantage point, I saw 1000 great moments but nothing beats the triumphant roar that went around the ground when Melbourne kicked a goal in the last quarter of its round 22 match against Collingwood in 1979. I can still recall 30 years on the atmosphere at that precise moment as nearly every Magpies fan at the ground simultaneously heard via their transistors that Geelong had done enough to beat Fitzroy by ﬁve points at Kardinia Park to give

Collingwood the double chance. Nothing beats it. Well, maybe the night Collingwood celebrated the 1990 premiership just pips it. But the fact I will in the near future be able to wind down – or as the case may be – wind up at the venue is not what is important about the announcement. It’s what goes with it. A day (and that night) at the ground was, and now always will be, about community. Collingwood wants the ground to be the centrepiece for a number of community initiatives run in concert with the Yarra City Council. It will fund a full-time employee to run these programs, reinvigorating the culture that made Collingwood Football Club great: helping disadvantaged groups, working to support those

with ideas and passion and courage, making the players available to visit public housing estates in the area. It will be a partnership between council and club, the Magpies supporting the council’s plan for Victoria Park. The submission McGuire passionately delivered to Yarra Council at the Richmond Town Hall on July 21 underlines the extent of the club’s desire to harness football as a positive force. The plans, in association with the Pratt Foundation and the council, are major: to support the homeless; and engage with culturally and linguistically diverse communities; engage with social housing tenants and assist, where possible, council’s social welfare programs. Those endeavours will run alongside junior, school and women’s football programs and the gates will be open to all when the VFL team plays. To tie such initiatives in with Victoria Park, a symbol of everything Collingwood stood for, and continues to stand for, shows the club understands their importance. No wonder McGuire used the words he did when he made the announcement on the hallowed turf: “To walk back in today … is just one of the most wonderful moments in the time I’ve been Collingwood president.” Peter Ryan is an AFL Record writer and is writing a book outlining Collingwood’s 2009 season. It will be published by The Slattery Media Group in November.

78 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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TOY8704_FOOT.pdf

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LET’S USE OUR ENERGY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. PLANT A TREE FOR TREE DAY. Perhaps you’re a Prius person. If you are, you’ll certainly know that Toyota has a long history of caring for the

James Hird

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