AFL Record, Round 6, 2010 by The Slattery Media Group

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE TH T HE AFL AFL L GAME GAM ME

ROUND 6, 2010 APRIL 30-MAY 2 $5 (INC. GST)

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Features 57

Travis Johnstone

A long haul to 200 games.

Looking ahead

How the Eagles are rebuilding for the future.

Moments of the decade

The end of Kevin Sheedy as Essendon coach.

Regulars 4

Backchat

Your say on 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.

DEMON DELIGHT: Melbourne’s

Jack Trengove won the round ﬁve nomination for the 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star award.

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THIS WEEK’S COVER The West Coast Eagles are putting their faith in a crop of young stars who will take them well into this decade. See story on page 60.

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Answer Man Kids’ Corner NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

Ted Hopkins’ theory on kicking for goal.

PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM

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Your say on the world of football

EDITOR’S LETTER

Common bond unites rivals

Reading from the wrong book

We, being Bob and Len and Phil and Ryl, a foursome of old farts in Launceston who have seen almost every Hawks match at Aurora Stadium, reckon we’ve sussed out the Hawthorn Playbook under the current coaching junta: (i) Handpassing: always choose a stationary teammate or one surrounded by opponents, and if in doubt, select the latter; (ii) Kicking: always choose sideways or backwards, and if in doubt, select the latter; (iii) If in doubt between (i) and (ii), select (i); (iv) On rare forays forward, choose between ignoring one of the game’s best key forward pairs, or kicking to them when they’re surrounded by opponents, and if this is too hard to work out, revert to (i); (v) If (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) are all too hard to work out, just stick to (i). LEONARD COLQUHOUN, INVERMAY, TAS.

A grand occasion

I have experienced Grand Final Day live at the MCG, relaxing at home, with friends overseas and even in a London club as dawn broke. It does not matter what day the AFL Grand Final is on – whether it’s in September or October – as long as I get to see it. TIM BORTEN, MONTEREY KEYS, QLD.

HAWK STALKED:

Hawthorn’s Stephen Gilham is grounded by Roo Aaron Edwards – that’s not out of the playbook according to a reader.

Delighted for Dockers

I’m a passionate (and paid-up) Western Bulldogs member, but I want to offer my congratulations to Fremantle coach Mark Harvey and his players on what has been an outstanding start to the 2010 season. The Dockers are the real deal with four wins and a gallant loss to St Kilda after ﬁve rounds. I’m so pleased for inspirational captain Matthew Pavlich, who deserves to enjoy some success after remaining ﬁercely loyal to Freo for so many years. ‘Pav’ is one of my favourite players. I love Fremantle’s attacking style of play with the likes of Pavlich, Stephen Hill, Anthony Morabito, Hayden Ballantyne

PRODUCTION EDITOR Michael Lovett WRITERS GENERAL MANAGER, MARKETING Nick Bowen, Ben Collins, Jim Main, Peter Ryan, Callum Twomey & COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Paul Waldren SUB-EDITORS Gary Hancock, Howard Kotton AFL CORPORATE BUSINESS MANAGER STATISTICIAN Richard Simkiss Cameron Sinclair AFL RECORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Hutchison Geoﬀ Slattery DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR AFL RECORD EDITOR Sam Russell Peter Di Sisto

4 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

and Roger Hayden capable of running opponents off their feet. VFL recruit Michael Barlow is a ball magnet. Ruckman Aaron Sandilands might be on his way to winning the Brownlow Medal. I hope the Dockers maintain the rage (except when they do battle with my beloved Bulldogs). ZACHARY MILNE, BRUNSWICK, VIC.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Send us your feedback. The best letter each round willl receive a copy of the AFL Record Season Guide 2010. Email aﬂrecordeditor@slatterymedia. terymedia com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.

DESIGNERS Alison Wright, Daniel Frawley PHOTO EDITORS Natalie Boccassini, Ginny Pike PRODUCTION MANAGER Troy Davis PRODUCTION COORDINATORS Stephen Lording, Emma Meagher DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Adele Morton COMMERCIAL MANAGER Alison Hurbert-Burns

AFL CLUB ACCOUNT MANAGER Anthony Palmer ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Laura Mullins Advertising (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Garnsworthy, Michael Willson, Lachlan Cunningham AFL Photos (03) 9627 2600 aﬂphotos.com.au PRINTED BY PMP Print

� Some of the fiercest rivalries in the game (including Carlton-Collingwood, Essendon-Hawthorn, Adelaide-Port Adelaide and West Coast-Fremantle) will be reprised this weekend, with supporters of the clubs involved in these games doubtless keen to get ‘one over’ their opponents. Although not officially a themed round, these match-ups naturally draw plenty of attention about clubs’ recent (and in some cases past) histories, and also allow observers to ponder exactly what it is that sparked and then solidified these on-field rivalries. Look beyond the sometimes over-hyped nature of these rivalries, and you’ll generally find strong off-field bonds between players, coaches and administrators, mostly keen to support one another where and when appropriate. The background to David Rodan’s successful return to football after radical surgery (see page 11) is an example of this goodwill. When considering the surgery, Rodan sought out Sydney Swan Nick Malceski, who had a similar operation in 2008. The Swans were also happy to provide Port Adelaide with detailed information about how they had handled Malceski’s rehabilitation, giving the Power valuable insight. Rodan’s return makes for a good football story. That a rival club might have played even a minor role in it makes it an even better one. PETER DI SISTO

ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO TheTHIS Editor,WEEK’S AFL Record,COVER Ground Floor, XXXX XXXXX 140XXXXXXXXXXXXX Harbour Esplanade, X Docklands, Victoria, 3008. Go9627 to aﬂ photos.com.au P: (03) 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com to order prints

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AFL RECORD, VOL. 99, ROUND 6, 2010 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

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ON TARGET

SNAP SHOT

Collingwood v Essendon, MCG � In the space of about 10 minutes in the first quarter on Anzac Day, Collingwood forward Travis Cloke showed why many think he can consistently be a match-winner. Pitted against Bombers backman Cale Hooker, Cloke was unstoppable. He marked when under pressure, was dangerous up the ground and, unlike his efforts in previous weeks, was sharp when kicking for goal. He finished the quarter with three majors, including a set-shot banana goal from deep in the pocket. After he took the mark and went back for the shot late in the quarter, there was a sense his confidence was up, and that he might produce something brilliant. And he did, the check-side kick curling back beautifully. It was his day. CALLUM TWOMEY PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

GO DEES! Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, MCG

SNAP SHOT

� Too often in recent seasons, Melbourne fans have watched their team trudge oﬀ the MCG, heads bowed and spirits deﬂated. But this year, these Demons, as their theme song goes, have a heart that is beating true. They have been energised by a group of up-and-coming stars including Jack Trengove, this week’s NAB AFL Rising Star nominee, and Tom Scully, who looks like he was born to play football. But let’s not forget some of the older heads, such as Matthew Bate (front), Brent Moloney and Mark Jamar, who helped lead the Demons to a 50-point win over the Brisbane Lions last Saturday night, and have been pivotal in the club’s 3-2 start to the season. MICHAEL LOVETT PHOTO: GREG FORD/AFL PHOTOS

VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

AMAZING RECOVERY: Port Adelaide speedster David Rodan was back to his brilliant best last week, just four months after having a knee reconstruction.

COMEBACK

Rodan’s quick road to recovery SH A NE McNA L LY

avid Rodan should have been resting his injured left knee, weaning his way off crutches and thinking about playing again in 2011. When he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament after a seemingly innocuous training drill last December, the last thing Port Adelaide supporters expected to see was the little dynamo lining up in 2010 – let alone turning in a best-on-ground

performance last week to win the Peter Badcoe Anzac Medal and help the Power bring St Kilda’s unbeaten run to an end. Just as Sydney Swan Nick Malceski had done in 2008, Rodan defied conventional thinking and went for radical ligament augmentation and reconstruction system (LARS) surgery, where industrialstrength polyester fibres are attached to the damaged ligament. (According to larsligament.com, the fibres “resist fatigue and … provide strength and resistance”.) Two months of recovery, a few weeks’ full training and a couple of SANFL matches with Norwood later, the 26-year-old clearance whiz was lining up against Geelong

two weeks ago, four months after the injury. If he was being nursed through his ﬁrst AFL game of the season, there were no such luxuries in his second match back. Rodan threw himself into everything, twisted and turned like he had never heard of knee injuries and picked up a game-high 12 contested possessions among his total of 27 disposals, along with seven clearances to set up the win. It’s not the magnitude of Rodan’s performance last weekend that has amazed the football and ﬁtness worlds, rather that he was able to play so soon. Fortunately for Rodan, who ruptured the ACL in his right knee while playing for Richmond in 2005, this ACL

injury was a partial tear, which enabled him to seriously investigate LARS surgery. A full tear would have ruled it out and consigned him to the standard 10-12 months on the sidelines. He was also fortunate Dr Tony Spriggins, a world expert in LARS treatment, was Adelaide-based and available to perform the surgery. “I was very lucky that I still had some (part of the ligament) attached so they could stitch on top of that,” Rodan said. “I was sceptical at ﬁrst, but the doctor put forward that it was an option. I was asked again after having the scans and ﬁnding that I had only a partial tear, but I still wasn’t sure so I went home CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 11

the bounce

and researched the surgery,” he said. procedure on the “But I was walking internet and a couple of They sent slept on it.” days after this everything ... In a nod to the surgery and was they could not maturity and able to think professionalism positively about have been more of the AFL getting back to helpful community, playing. It was DAVID RODAN ON HOW THE SYDNEY Rodan was given convenient that SWANS HELPED HIS RECOVERY plenty of help from this happened just a player and club before Christmas. that could be a “By the time the boys major rival to Port this season. were back training in January, Rodan phoned Malceski, I was doing bike and grinder (a who reassured him the cardio workout) for two weeks. procedure was effective and Then I started to jog and was recommended he consider it. training ﬂat-out by the start of “(Port coach) Mark Williams March and running around with called (Swans coach) Paul Norwood a few weeks later.” Roos and Sydney sent over Both Williams and St Kilda all the information on Nick’s coach Ross Lyon endorsed the procedure,” Rodan said. surgery when asked to comment “They sent everything, from on Rodan’s effort. week one to his recovery and Williams lauded the surgery what he’s doing now. They for its ability to keep Rodan in couldn’t have been more helpful.” good spirits and involved in For Rodan, the biggest training. “It was just amazing; difference between his two it seemed like nothing more knee reconstructions was the than a hamstring or an ankle recovery period. While he was injury,” he said. immobilised and frustrated in Lyon said the procedure was 2005, this time he was back “great for football”. in full training in just over Carlton’s Brad Fisher had two months, with most of the LARS surgery after injuring his season ahead of him. knee in a NAB Cup match in late “With the right knee, it February. The Blues this week took a long time to walk and said Fisher would be ready to then run with the traditional play in about six weeks.

TACTICS

Beware the third man J IM M A IN & C A L LU M T WOMEY

awthorn vice-captain Luke Hodge battled manfully as a makeshift ruckman against North Melbourne in Launceston last week, with several of his teammates lending their assistance in ‘third-man-up’ situations. Hodge, the Hawks’ most versatile player, was asked to play the role after the late withdrawal of the team’s only ﬁt ruckman, Brent Renouf, and it raised the question as to when the ‘third-man-up’ role was introduced into football. Before the season, as Hawthorn prepared for a year with its ruck stocks decimated by injury – Simon Taylor, Max Bailey and Wayde Skipper, considered a ruck option when acquired last year, have longterm injuries – Hodge was seen practising the art of ruck-work. At centre bounces against North, Hodge (at 185cm and almost 20cm shorter than the ﬁrst-choice Kangaroos big man

SHORT-TERM SOLUTION: Luke Hodge had to battle in the ruck for the Hawks.

Hamish McIntosh) often stood as close to the opposition ruckman as possible, initiating a one-onone test of strength in an effort to limit his opponent’s chance at jumping at the ball and winning a clean tap to advantage. In engaging in this physical battle, Hodge opened the door for teammates to jump when appropriate. The Hawks lost the hit-out count 57-28 but were close to break-even in the clearances (32-27), underlining how important his efforts were.

REASONS TO WATCH THE FOOTY

Skills and thrills

� Adelaide’s Jason Porplyzia set the tone for a weekend of highlights when he took a superb mark over Western Bulldog Jarrod Harbrow in the second quarter last Friday night at Etihad Stadium (first in the series of photos). The next day at the SCG, Sydney Swan Kieren Jack booted a delightful running goal late in the second term. Having collected the ball at half-back, he took three bounces through the corridor and steadied before kicking from the 50m arc. Later that night at the MCG, Melbourne’s Nathan Jones won the ball from a stoppage at half-forward early in the third quarter, hurdled over Brisbane Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, who had fallen over, and surged through traffic to goal from outside 50. And then on Monday, late in the first quarter at the MCG, Geelong’s David Wojcinski pulled down a speccy over teammate Andrew Mackie at half-back, beating Blue Matthew Kreuzer to the contest. PLAYERS WE LOVED, PG 19 ➡

NEWS TRACKER

Bombers Kyle Reimers (broken hand) and Tayte Pears (broken forearm) both expected to miss at least six weeks.

12 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

Former North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson, now an assistant with Hawthorn, was a great exponent of the third-man skill, so it shouldn’t surprise that the Hawks are adept in this area. The use of smaller players (usually on-ballers) in the ruck is not new. In the earliest years of the VFL, giant ruckmen were few and far between and all clubs nominated what was described as a “following division”. This comprised two followers and a rover. One of the earliest ruck champions was Carlton’s Jim Flynn, who was about 180cm. In 1905, The Australasian’s ‘Markwell’ was impressed with the Blues’ tactic of using three followers against the bigger South Melbourne rucks, in particular, Bert Franks (only 180cm, but a massively-built 92kg). Carlton used Flynn, Fred ‘Pompey’ Elliott and Jim Marchbank to jump in turn against Franks, aiming to wear him down. The tactic was so successful that other clubs used one of their two designated followers to be the third man up. One of the best exponents of the art was South’s Bruce Sloss, who was just 180cm but had such a wonderful leap that he often took the taps instead of regular ruckman Vic Belcher.

NEWS TRACKER

In a later era, Fitzroy champion and triple Brownlow Medal winner Haydn Bunton snr might have been regarded as one of the greatest rovers in football history, but had other tactical strings to his bow. Relatively tall for a rover of the 1930s (179cm), Bunton was used as both a “hard-as-nails” follower and as a “nippy rover” by Fitzroy coach Percy Rowe. The idea was for Bunton “to use his own discretion whether to ﬂy for the ball, stand down or scout on the fringe”. And, although Melbourne’s Ron Barassi often has been described as football’s ﬁrst ruck-rover, capable of being third man up in ruck contests, this is a misnomer as Carlton’s Elliott was described as a ruck-rover through most of his 197 games from 1900-01 and 1903-11. There also is the longestablished tradition of key forwards being used in ruck contests close to goal. Melbourne’s big Bob Johnson who, in his 140 games with the Demons from 1954-61 kicked 267 goals, did his best work as a ruckman when close to goal. And, when Johnson was unable to compete in ruck contests, teammate and full-forward Athol Webb (usually as a decoy) became the third man up.

PONDERINGS PETER RYAN

Stats don’t always add up � The day is coming where more oomph is needed to make statistics closer to reality as an assessor of performance, taking roles and circumstances into account. You only need to listen to any post-match press conference to see clubs are way ahead of what many football watchers are being told is relevant. Clubs see the game through the perspective of team when they assess performance. Only when numbers are available that connect individual statistics to team outcomes will stats sheets allow outsiders to judge solo performances accurately. To be a useful tool, statistics need to ascribe more value to some actions – and when they happen and how they happen – than others. Some kicks and handballs are more critical than others. A chase-down tackle in the forward 50 is worth more (and makes the player able to execute them more valuable) than three tackles racked up around a stoppage. A desperate hand knock-on from Luke Ball or Brett Kirk that keeps a ball alive or out of an opponent’s hands may be more valued than the (recorded) possession it leads to. The real value of pivotal actions such as Sydney Swan Kieren Jack’s contested possession in the third quarter against the Eagles and Port Adelaide’s Chad Cornes’ mark running back with the ﬂight last week need to show up somehow; Ricky Petterd’s dropped mark against the Magpies in round two was one of the most obvious and costly (non) statistics this season, yet its impact does not rate at all (only sitters are recorded as dropped marks). Petterd has been a good player in 2010 but such an error should not, regardless of the player, be ignored when assessing overall performance.

IN THE CLINCHES: The eﬀorts of Luke Ball in tight contests often create valuable possessions.

The best tool when assessing performance is your eye. At best, statistics conﬁrm beliefs or raise questions. Collingwood’s Heath Shaw said after round one he determines whether he plays well or not by the run he establishes out of defence. Not kicks, not marks, not handballs but run. A couple of guides he uses are metres gained, rebounds from 50s and inside 50s. If he has an even spread of the last two, and his direct opponent’s inﬂuence is minimal, then he knows he is providing value to his team. After playing four games this season, Shaw’s inside-50 count sits at 12 and his rebounds at 27, yet he has clearly provided run in the past two weeks. During that time, his numbers are seven inside 50s and 11 rebound 50s – closer to his target. The game has come a long way in this area in the past 15 years. It needs to take another step. With perceptions counting for more than they should, and two new teams entering the AFL, assessing performance accurately is critical.

Peter Ryan is the author of Side by Side: A Season with Collingwood, published by The Slattery Media Group.

The 71,399 crowd for last week’s Carlton-Geelong match was a home and away record for the clubs. AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 13

the bounce

DOG-FIGHT:

FINALS REMATCH

Riewoldt is gone but not forgotten by Bulldogs

CHALLENGE

Bulldogs Daniel Cross (left) and Matthew Boyd (right) take on St Kilda’s Michael Gardiner in last year’s preliminary ﬁnal.

Tigers must stay positive NICK BOW EN

GLENN McFA R L A NE

t’s a fair bet to suggest that, if Nick Riewoldt had not played in last year’s St Kilda-Western Bulldogs preliminary final, we could still be talking about a BulldogsGeelong Grand Final, instead of the Cats-Saints classic we ultimately got. Even with Riewoldt kicked Nick out, they’ve four of his side’s nine goals on the still got a super night, as talented team, St Kilda advanced and we’ve got to to the premiership prepare properly playoff, destroying the Dogs’ dreams to the 32 they for that in the process. The kicked in four RODNEY EADE Saints’ own flag hopes matches against were doused a week the Saints last year later in heartbreaking fashion. (including a practice match). The Bulldogs were incapable St Kilda’s shutdown squeeze of finding a power forward on on opposition teams, so effective that September night to make a last season, is in stark contrast to difference when it mattered, its the Bulldogs’ more free-flowing general dominance undermined style. Yet both teams are the by Riewoldt’s spectacular efforts. masters of applying pressure Of course, St Kilda goes on the opposition, which has into this week’s game against made them two of the strongest the Dogs without the injured challengers to Geelong’s mantle. Riewoldt and with a serious While the Bulldogs chased question mark over its forward a power forward at the end of options, given the skipper is last year, the Saints settled on not expected to resume from pace as the area they needed to a hamstring injury until much bolster. That resulted in trades later in the season. for Andrew Lovett, whose The Bulldogs went out contract was terminated by the of their way to address their club after breaches, and Brett long-time forward shortfall over Peake, who has played every the summer months, securing game. St Kilda has lost Luke Barry Hall, who has booted 19 Ball from last year’s preliminary goals in five games. final team, while Scott Welsh is Hall also kicked seven goals no longer with the Bulldogs. in the club’s impressive NAB Each club has been mindful Cup Grand Final win over the of giving fresh players more of a Saints in March. chance this season. On that occasion, the The Saints did not have a Bulldogs also found a way debutant in the first five rounds, through the St Kilda fortress but David Armitage and Jarryn – kicking 15 goals, compared Geary have found more game NEWS TRACKER

time and played every match, as has 23-year-old James Gwilt, who has been in solid form down back. Mature-aged rookie Brodie Moles and 2008 draft pick Jordan Roughead have been blooded by the Bulldogs, while Jarrad Grant has added to his one game last year. Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said, even without Riewoldt, the Saints would be a tough nut to crack, especially after their loss to Port Adelaide. “They’ve got seven or eight super players so, even with Nick out, they’ve still got a super talented team, and we’ve got to prepare properly for that,” he said. St Kilda coach Ross Lyon would undoubtedly say the same about the Bulldogs, and will know their new-look forward line is a much more formidable one than previous years. Interestingly, it’s been a collective 100 years since either club won a premiership – 56 for the Bulldogs (1954) and 44 for the Saints (1966). GLENN McFARLANE IS A REPORTER FOR THE SUNDAY HERALD SUN.

Carlton’s Andrew Walker has surgery after breaking his collarbone against the Cats.

14 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

t can be daunting for the team on the bottom of the ladder to take on one of the competition’s best sides. Especially when that team is full of youngsters who are feeling their way at AFL level. That’s the position Richmond finds itself in against Geelong at Skilled Stadium this Sunday. The Tigers were impressive in the first half against Fremantle in Perth last week, but faded after the interval. Winless with an average losing margin of 55 points and perhaps mindful of the 95-point thrashing the Cats handed Port Adelaide two weeks ago – and even of the 157-point mauling they gave the Tigers back in round six, 2007 – first-year coach Damien Hardwick may be tempted to play numbers behind the ball to try to restrict Geelong’s scoring. But Robert Walls who, as Brisbane Bears coach from 199195, was on the receiving end of a number of thrashings, has urged Hardwick to take an attacking mindset against the Cats. “I wouldn’t be trying to minimise the damage. I would be trying to get my players to play attacking football and score as much as we can,” says Walls, who also coached Carlton to the 1987 premiership. “If the opposition happen to kick a hell of a lot more than us, so be it. My philosophy if you are coaching a struggling team is you have got to give your supporters something to go home and feel good about. “So, if Jack Riewoldt kicks four goals against Geelong, they can say, ‘How good was that? Here’s one of our guys who was able to kick four goals against a great side’.” Walls says even if the Tigers are thrashed this week,

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the bounce

VETERAN CAT STILL A FORCE

Imagine if Hardwick played four kids on Ablett, one each quarter? You can’t buy that experience ROBERT WALLS

they will still be able to take positives from the game. He points to his ﬁrst three years at the Bears, when his side lost 10 games by more than 100 points, but during which time players who would go on to become key members of the Brisbane Lions’ 2001-03 premiership teams were gaining invaluable experience. “If you look at those games, you’ll ﬁnd players like Shaun Hart, Marcus Ashcroft, Darryl White and a young Michael Voss were part of the Bears’

KEEP ATTACKING:

Damien Hardwick must resist the temptation to push numbers behind the ball against Geelong this week.

side, and they were playing against the best sides and the best players and seeing ﬁrst-hand the level they had to reach to be successful. “Richmond’s young guys can get the same out of playing Geelong. Imagine if Hardwick played four kids on (Gary) Ablett, one each quarter? You can’t buy that sort of experience.” Hardwick this week said the Tigers wouldn’t shy away from taking on the Cats. “We just want our blokes to play on them (Geelong’s stars) and see how they go. We don’t run away from a challenge; we approach it head on,” he said.

� There will be a touch of six degrees of separation when veteran defender Darren Milburn (right) moves into ﬁfth place on the all-time list of appearances by a Geelong player this week. Milburn is set to play his 260th game for the Cats when they meet Richmond at Skilled Stadium on Sunday, taking him past former centreman and 1989 Brownlow medallist Paul Couch, who retired in 1997 after 259 games. Milburn played his ﬁrst game for Geelong in round one, 1997, against Richmond at the MCG, with the Tigers recording a nine-point win. Among the players in the Richmond line-up that day were Brendon Gale, now CEO of the Tigers, Wayne Campbell, a current assistant coach with Richmond, and Duncan Kellaway, who is now a physiotherapist and match-day runner with the Cats. It was also the day Gary Ablett snr played his last game in Geelong colours. He injured his knee in the reserves – but not before booting seven of the Cats’ 11 goals in the curtainraiser – and never played again. Although he spent a season on Geelong’s list in 1996, Milburn did not manage a senior game and, with Ablett being

injured so early in 1997, the pair never played in the same side. However, on Sunday, Milburn will again line up with Ablett’s son, Gary jnr. They have played in the same Geelong side 160 times and were premiership teammates in 2007 and 2009. After Sunday’s match, only Ian Nankervis (325 games), John ‘Sam’ Newman (300), Peter Riccardi (288) and Garry Hocking (274) will be ahead of Milburn on the Cats’ games list. Interestingly, Milburn’s teammates on his debut in 1997 included Couch and Riccardi – Hocking was under suspension – and Cats’ current assistant coach Brenton Sanderson. Couch retired that season after just ﬁve games because of persistent knee problems. MICHAEL LOVETT

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the bounce

PLAYERS WE LOVED ROUND FIVE BARRY HALL � Hall always seems to be in the right spot, but you would be mistaken to think it was mostly blind luck. Forget for a minute the ‘Big, Bad, Bustling’ tag. Hall’s work rate, athleticism and pace are too often understated or even ignored, but they allow the 33-year-old to get in the right position to take full advantage of his marking ability and body strength. Against Adelaide last week, Hall put together another performance that highlighted his champion traits, slotting five goals and continuing his strong form for the Bulldogs. Despite being in its infancy, the Hall-Bulldogs relationship is flourishing and Hall’s presence in the forward line is going to be pivotal in the build-up to the finals. ALAN DIDAK � The question was posed on Melbourne radio over the weekend whether Alan Didak was the best ‘touch and feel’ player in the AFL when it comes to kicking. In Collingwood’s demolition of Essendon, the cheeky No. 4 proved he just

following week. Garlett was one such inclusion, and was a revelation in his second game of the year when he faced the Cats last week, zipping around the forward line at the feet of Setanta O’hAilpin. Garlett’s speed – and the way he combined with fellow forwards Chris Yarran and Eddie Betts – lit up the Blues and helped them to a 36-point win over the reigning premiers. The rookie kicked three goals, gave one away and was a threat whenever he went near the ball. CALLUM TWOMEY

DOMINANT DUO: UO:

Alan Didak excited the ith Magpies faithful with nst his deft touch against ve), Essendon (above), ft), while Barry Hall (left), ert pictured with Robert Murphy, was int again a focal point gs. for the Bulldogs.

m might be. Didak iisn’t the longest o or prettiest kick iin the game, but h his ability to def deftly hit targets with the inside, outside or middle of his left boot smacks of genius. He simply knows how to control the football, how to make it do things most others can’t. Didak had 27 touches (including 20 kicks) and the majority

were damaging. Such was his inﬂuence, he was probably a little unlucky not to have the Anzac Medal hanging around his neck at the end of the game.

BOL BOLT LT OUT OF THE E BLUE: Carlton

speeedster Jeﬀ speedster Garrlett left the Garlett Catss in his wake lastt week.

JEFF GARLETT � After being beaten for pace in round three by the Bombers, s, Carlton coach Brett Ratten brought in some players with fast legs to face Adelaide the

There’s a fresh new team in the AFL You won’t believe the big names lining up for 3AW in 2010. New recruits Brian Taylor, Tim Lane and Richo will join cult hero Dennis Cometti, Robert Walls and ‘Lethal’ Leigh Matthews. And there are even more names on our team sheet. Like Tony Shaw, Mike Sheahan and footy’s First Lady, Caroline Wilson, just to name a few. With a fresh new team like this, in 2010 Melbourne’s own 3AW is football.

Home team v visitors tonight

AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 19

the bounce

RIVALRY: The

CONSECUTIVE GAMES

pressure will be on from the word go when Carlton plays Collingwood this Sunday.

Streaks come to an end PETER RYA N

ast week was not a good time to be near the top of the consecutive games list. Two players who were among the six starting the year having played 100 or more games on end missed on the same weekend. Collingwood’s Tarkyn Lockyer was left out of the side for the first time since round 10, 2004. The Magpies were bottom of the ladder at that time. Injury forced the Bulldogs’ Matthew Boyd to miss his first game after 107 straight. To top it off, the Brisbane Lions’ Luke Power missed his first match after 60 in a row and Hawks captain Sam Mitchell joined the club’s long injury list after 47 games straight, a streak that included a premiership. It’s been a bad year for two other players who ended last season among the top 10 players for consecutive matches. West Coast’s Quinten Lynch made it to 95 before being dropped one game into the season, while North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie never had the chance to add to his tally of 89, his consecutive run over before the season began because of a foot injury. On the positive side, Port Adelaide’s Kane Cornes hit 150 consecutive games in round one and is still going strong after 154 straight. Carlton’s Kade Simpson racked up his 100th consecutive game for the Blues in round three and

his tally now sits on 102, while Fremantle’s David Mundy is this week set to move to fourth highest on the consecutive games tally from debut. He has not missed since playing his ﬁrst match in round six, 2005, and this week lines up to play his 114th in a row. Mundy is chasing recently retired Sydney Swan Jared Crouch, who played 194 games straight after making his debut. The reliability of Sydney players in this era has been extraordinary, with skipper Brett Kirk leading current players in consecutive games played. He has played 181, still 24 from breaking Adam Goodes’ club record of 204. That means at least one of Goodes, Kirk or Jude Bolton (112 in a row) – and generally all three – have played in the Swans’ line-up since round 22, 1999. Melbourne president and 1991 Brownlow medallist Jim Stynes holds the record for most consecutive games – 244 between 1987-98.

THEY’RE STILL STANDING:

» Players with more than 100 successive games Brett Kirk

Sydney Swans

181

Kane Cornes

Port Adelaide

154

David Mundy

Fremantle

113

Jude Bolton

Sydney Swans

112

Kade Simpson

Carlton

102

NEWS TRACKER

OLD RIVALS

No logic to Pies-Blues clashes NICK BOW EN

raditional rivalries are known for producing results that make a mockery of ladder positions, form and logic. And, 10 years ago, Collingwood and Carlton highlighted just how much their long-standing rivalry can make fools of footy tipsters. In round three of the 2000 season, Collingwood went into the game having won the previous season’s wooden spoon, while Carlton had played in the Grand Final. But it was the Pies who prevailed at the MCG, kicking a club-record score against the Blues, 24.16 (160), to run out 73-point winners. Sav Rocca (six goals), Nathan Buckley (34 disposals) and Scott Burns and Paul Licuria (both 26 disposals) were the stars for the Pies. But Carlton hit back in the clubs’ return clash that year, at Optus Oval in round 18, kicking its record score against the Magpies, 28.12 (180), and winning by a record margin

The build-ups to the games were so big, in the media and at the club ANDREW MCKAY ON THE CARLTONCOLLINGWOOD RIVALRY

against the Pies, 111 points. Lance Whitnall and Trent Hotton (both ﬁve goals) did the damage up forward, while Brett Ratten (31 touches) dominated in the midﬁeld. All three of these club records still stand. Former Carlton defender Andrew McKay played in both games and says they encapsulate the unpredictability of the Carlton-Collingwood rivalry. “One team could be on top of the ladder and the other on the bottom and you still wouldn’t know which way it was going to go,” he says. “The build-ups to the games were so big, in the media and at the club, and there was so much emotion riding on the result, that both sides could subconsciously rise to the occasion. “Those games in 2000 highlight that, no matter what the circumstances in the lead-up to a Carlton-Collingwood game, any side can win. There’s just no rhyme nor reason to these games.”

Saint Stephen Milne and Hawks Lance Franklin and Cyril Rioli nominated for Panasonic AFL Goal of the Year.

20 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

A S P E C I A L P L AC E

Barker’s legacy lives on in house of hope � It is hard to believe it is 14 years since former St Kilda captain Trevor Barker 1 lost his battle with cancer. But his name lives on, thanks to the work of the Trevor Barker Foundation. The foundation was established soon after Barker’s death by three of his close friends: Eddie McGuire (now Collingwood president), Simon Beasley (former Footscray player) and Don Hanley (former football administrator). They set about raising funds to help children living with cancer. Over the next decade or so, they raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, donating the money to Challenge, one of Victoria’s longest-running children’s cancer support agencies. The money was used to run camps and provide other services in Barker’s name. In 1998, the foundation bought a property in Torquay on Victoria’s surf coast. After refurbishment and the appropriate ﬁtting out, Trevor Barker House was ‘open for business’ as a place where children and their families could

We can’t thank you enough for the week full of laughter and amazing family times

MILESTONES ROUND 6

been able to afford. And, even though some of A MOTHER DESCRIBING HER these younger kids FAMILY’S STAY AT TREVOR BARKER HOUSE may not have much idea who Barker was, they enjoy muchcontinue to benefit from his needed time out from enduring legacy, and the vision cancer treatment. of those who helped establish it. Since then, more than 550 The impact Trevor Barker House, families have enjoyed a special one of St Kilda’s chosen charities, beach holiday at the house. For has can perhaps best be summed many, their visit is their first up by this comment written by a opportunity to enjoy a break/ mother in the visitors’ book: holiday/respite in many months, “You sense an amazing feeling and even years in some cases. of love, hope and tranquility as The opportunity to enjoy a stay soon as you step through the at the house provides them with front door of this amazing house. great comfort and enjoyment, “To know it has been part of individually and as a family unit. so many families’ journey and Some children who have has been a place to regroup, visited Trevor Barker House have regenerate, rejoice and relax elected to spend their last days for all of us on that journey, just on earth watching the ocean from adds to its warmth. the parents’ retreat located on “Amazing location, amazing the first floor. Experiences such provisions and such an amazing as these are both painful and organisation that provides it. precious for families, their fond memories of their child’s last days We can’t thank you enough for the week full of laughter and an invaluable and priceless gift. amazing family times.” Of course, the majority of visitors do not find themselves in this position and come to simply relax and escape the rigors of treatments and hospital routines. Just about every week of the year there is a family staying there. For some, it’s a holiday they might not otherwise have

TOM GLEISNER

TOM GLEISNER IS THE CHAIRMAN OF CHALLENGE AND A TRUSTEE OF THE TREVOR BARKER FOUNDATION.

Parents of children with cancer will hold a working bee at the house on May 15-16. To ﬁnd out more about the Trevor Barker Foundation or Challenge, go to challenge.org.au.

1 TREVOR BARKER WAS A GREAT OF THE MODERN ERA, A HIGH-FLYING DEFENDER ADORED BY SAINTS FANS. HE PLAYED 230 MATCHES FROM 1975-89 AND WAS TWICE CLUB BEST AND FAIREST.

200 games Travis Johnstone Brisbane Lions

AFL 200 Club Brent Guerra Hawthorn

150 games Martin Mattner Sydney Swans

100 games Jobe Watson Essendon Steven Salopek Port Adelaide Nathan van Berlo Adelaide Steven Dodd Fremantle

50 games Scott Harding Port Adelaide Matt Campbell North Melbourne

50 games coached Dean Bailey Melbourne

The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 21

the bounce

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Dawn helping to turn the MCG pink

STRIKING IMAGE:

The ﬁrst Field of Women event in 2005 attracted thousands of participants.

K A R EN LYON

art of the perfect green playing surface of the MCG will turn pink next Friday night, as the Field of Women event again takes centre stage on Australia’s most famous sporting venue, before the Melbourne-Western Bulldogs game. Dawn Leicester will be one of the 14,000 people expected to help create a ‘Pink Lady’ on the ﬁeld as part of a breast cancer awareness campaign supported by the AFL and the two clubs. A passionate Collingwood supporter and author of Real Women Love Footy, Leicester was at the MCG in 2005 for the ﬁrst Field of Women event.

On that occasion, more than 11,500 women and men wearing pink ponchos helped form the pink ﬁgure on the ground. But as breast cancer detection rates have increased, more women are needed this year to reﬂect the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer. Leicester’s personal journey started in 2003 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, soon after launching her book.

With her health restored by 2005, Leicester was thrilled to take part in the ﬁrst Field of Women event, the opportunity to walk on to the MCG a major incentive for the sports fanatic. “I wondered what it would be like beforehand and there was a real gasp of excitement as we walked out on to the ground. For football nuts like us, there was just pure excitement to be on the MCG,’’ she said.

As they did in 2005, friends and family who supported Leicester through her battle with cancer will join her on the ground next week. Walking on to the field will bring back memories of her fight against cancer, but it will also help her recall how important the first Field of Women event was. “I didn’t realise how confronting it (cancer) would be. I had five girlfriends with me and I will never forget the feeling of support. Still, I spent the whole weekend crying,” she said. From that point, Leicester became more involved with the Breast Cancer Network Australia and has spent time counselling fellow survivors. She said others who have walked her journey would need to make their own decisions about taking part, but she recommends it. “It’s an emotional experience, it will hurt a little bit but it is worth it. It is an affirmation. You do feel better and there is so much love,” she said. To register for the Field of Women or to donate to Breast Cancer Network Australia, go to fieldofwomenlive.org.au.

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Deceiving LION’S LOOKS CAN BE

T R AV I S J O H N S T O N E

With his laconic style and unkempt appearance, Travis Johnstone is one of the most intriguing players in the game. Yet, on the eve of his 200th match, the former No. 1 draft choice with the exquisite skills says he is as serious about his football as anyone. PETER RYA N

he Brisbane Lions’ Travis Johnstone has always been able to shift a game’s direction. He can do so while standing still, poised, with ball in hand, evading those who want to bring him down while the eyes search for space. At times, he makes his actions look effortless, but he is creating an illusion. This mirage has often coloured the perceptions of those assessing his career, discounting the hard work or the effort he

AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 57

TRAVIS JOHNSTONE

YOUNG DEMON: Travis Johnstone’s long AFL journey started back in 1998 when he made his debut for Melbourne.

puts in to play the game with the ﬂuency he does. Sometimes, he has attracted criticism for lacking the de defensive skills the game now demands; deem at other times, praise pr for his precise decisio on decision-making and kicking. He car rri a burden, the curse carries of thos se whose laconic style those disgui se whatever attitude disguises they may m have. “Som me “Sometimes frustration kicks in and d yo you look like you’re not trying gb but you actually are tryin ng, he says. trying,” “I do d don’t think any player shou uld come under a cloud should whe ere the media says he looks where like he he’s disinterested.” Su S Such a mixture of elements an d eemotions and talent and ha ave made Johnstone one have of th the more intriguing and wa atc watchable footballers to play thee g game in the past 13 years. Thi T This week, Johnstone is set to op play his 200th game, join in his 83-year-old joining gran nd grandfather Norm, who play yed 228 games with played Fitzr roy on the milestone. Fitzroy, It mak ke the duo just the makes second d grandfather-grandson g combin na combination to achieve the feat, match hed only by former South matched Melb bou Melbourne ruckman Jack Grah ha (227 games) and Graham form me Geelong skipper Ben former Gra ah Graham (219 games). Th T That Johnstone has rea ach such a milestone reached is a ttestament to his ability to endure en e in a game that d demands so much from its participants, mentally and physically. “It’s probably more tthe mental side that

NO. 1 DRAFT PICKS TO PLAY 200 GAMES

DREW D R BANFIELD IELD (West (W We Coast) 265 2 65 6 games (1993-2006) 9 993-2006)

Sometimes frustration kicks in and you look like you’re not trying but you actually are trying TRAVIS JOHNSTONE

comes into it when you get a bit older,” the 29-year-old says. “It’s just trying to stay mentally fresh to come up every week, especially during pre-season.” Johnstone joined the Lions when Melbourne traded him at the end of the 2007 season for pick No. 14 after 10 years and 160 games. The No. 1 selection in the 1997 draft was a good performer for the Demons and became a fan favourite. An excellent player in 10 finals with the club, he played well in the 2000 Grand Final and had an excellent 2002 finals series. In 2002, he was third in the club best and fairest. That same season, he was equal fourth in the Brownlow Medal, one of 11 players that season to poll 16 votes or more. In 2005, he won Melbourne’s best and fairest. The Lions were a better chance to play finals football than the Demons at the time and performing in big games has been one area where Johnstone has always excelled. He played in another two finals last season with Brisbane and has now played in seven finals series in 12 completed seasons, for six wins and six losses. His career record of 99 wins, one draw and 99 losses represents the balance

JEFF WHITE E (Fremantle/Melbourne) /Melbourne) 268 games (1995-2008)

DARREN D ARRE E GASPAR ((Sydney (S y e Swans/Richmond) ydne 228 games (1994-2007) 228 ga a

58 AFL AF A FL FL RECORD RE R ECOR CO C OR O ORD RD visit vviiissit aﬂrecord.c record.com.au com

of highs and lows throughout his time in the game. He enjoyed his time at the Demons and was initially surprised when the possibility of being traded to the Lions became a reality. “I was probably due for a bit of a change,” he says. “Once the opportunity came to play for Brisbane and my grandfather had played (with Fitzroy), I thought, ‘Why not?’ You only get one crack at it and I was more than happy to come up here.” The move north gave him a chance to play in the same colours his grandfather wore with such distinction. Norm won Fitzroy’s best and fairest in 1947, was the club’s leading goalkicker in 1955 and was named in the Fitzroy team of the century in 2001. While in Melbourne last weekend (to play his old club), Johnstone dropped in with his parents Jimmy and Doy to visit his grandfather. “We were totally different players,” Johnstone says. “I heard a lot of people classed him as the toughest player they ever played against. Of all those great players, he was the hardest.” The affection he has for Norm is clear, especially the role he has played in his life as a supporter. “He was really good. He was just making sure I was enjoying (football),” Johnstone says. “He was always encouraging and never said a bad thing to me. He never said play this way or that way. He let me be the person I am.” The long beard and unkempt hair shows Johnstone has never had a problem being himself.

FACT FILE

Travis Johnstone

Born: July 17, 1980 Recruited from: Chelsea/ Dandenong U18/Melbourne Debut: Round 1, 1998, v Fremantle Height: 184cm Weight: 84kg Games: 199 Goals: 135 Player honours: Melbourne best and fairest 2005 Brownlow Medal: Career votes 58

Although his appearance has drawn comments from beyond the fence, such issues are irrelevant to the coach. “I really don’t think ‘Vossy’ (Michael Voss) cares. He is so good at accepting people for who they are, there is not an issue with what guys are doing or the way they look,” Johnstone says. “He’s all about just wanting you to get the best out of yourself and every day he is about preparation.” Johnstone could not be more complimentary of his coaches and teammates, particularly the work they have put in to make his adjustment to playing across half-back, as he has this year, a successful one. “I think the move was good and I also had to. I had to mix it up, not just playing in the midﬁeld or forward,” he says. “Manuel Lynch and Jade Rawlings (assistant coaches) have been fantastic, always positive with me and directing me and telling me little things during games, as have the other backline boys. (There’s) pretty good communication with the boys down there.” After 39 games at the club he never imagined playing for, he is chasing success hard. As this week looms, his words are direct, the intensity clear. “It’s really important, milestone aside, to get back to the way we’ve been playing. When we do all the team things and work as a team we are a real exceptional team, but once we get a bit sidetracked, we really struggle,” he says. “Yeah, it’s exciting the 200, but I just want to get back to winning games.”

LETHAL LION: Looking more like a warrior these days, Travis Johnstone is enjoying his third season with the Brisbane Lions.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 59

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: West Coast’s

developing young players including, from left, Chris Masten, Mitchell Brown, Patrick McGinnity, Luke Shuey, Nic Naitanui, Brad Ebert, Scott Selwood and Tom Swift, have been earmarked to take the club forward.

FUTURE

60 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS

FACING THE

West Coast has won just 13 of its past 49 matches and is sitting in 13th position on the ladder with only one win this season, but with a host of youngsters developing together and a coach unwavering in his belief, the Eagles’ resurrection could be swifter than many expect. PETER RYA N

s a statement of intent, the words West Coast coach John Worsfold chose following the Eagles’ round-three loss to North Melbourne were powerful. “We are not playing this game to ﬁnish eighth,” he said. “We’re playing it to build a team that is good enough to win a premiership. You hear

some other teams that are probably two or three years ahead of us in development saying they are aiming to win a ﬂag in 2013 or 2014. “We’re not prepared to wait that long. We want to get up there quicker,” said Worsfold, who captained the club to ﬂags in 1992 and 1994 and coached its third premiership in 2006. The club is striving to become the second team to

win four premierships since the competition expanded nationally in 1987. After last week’s loss to the Sydney Swans, where the performance was, as Worsfold said, “well below what we would expect”, such ambitions would be easy to question. The media has been hard at it, querying decisions to leave premiership forward Quinten Lynch out of the team since AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 61

WEST COAST EAGLES round one. Other commentators wonder why Mark LeCras does not spend more time in the midfield, particularly when the delivery inside 50 has floundered at times. Ashley Hansen has been in, then out. Outsiders suddenly badged a board meeting already scheduled for this week, one that had the regular briefing from the coach on the agenda, as a crisis meeting. It was not that, but Eagles chairman Mark Barnaba admitted it had come at an opportune time. “This has been a disappointing start,” he told The West Australian. “We always knew it was going to be a several-year plan to get from where we were last year to where we want to be, but we thought we would probably be ahead of 1-4, that’s for sure.” That is the lot of the rebuilding team that puts in one uncompetitive performance, even against tough opposition, as the Swans are proving to be in 2010. The pressure rises. Doubters come from everywhere. It is one of the tests that always face clubs striving to regenerate. If expectations are not met, emotion threatens to become more of a factor in decision-making. At such times, insiders must maintain their faith and hold their nerve because, in a sense, although outside voices might become more strident, nothing changes. Questions are fine. Doubts are unhelpful. A forensic internal assessment of last week’s performance will provide important lessons and then, as ever, improvement will come only with hard work, the application of coaching intellect, discipline, teamwork and cohesion. Worsfold’s public comment during the week shows he knows how to keep his focus: “I’m feeling under pressure because we want to win more and our supporters want wins, but in terms of where the club and team are heading, I’m very confident in it. That doesn’t create pressure.”

ast week’s Eagles team featured eight players aged 21 or under. They are not only young, but most have shown their quality already.

62 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

they are going to be, so that is the exciting part. There is really not a lot of doubt about the fact they are going to be very good players. It’s just (a question of) when they break through and become that week-in, week-out strong contributor to the line-up, and that won’t be far away.” That is what will be occupying the coaching staff’s minds at the moment: creating from the talent present a team that becomes a contender.

RISING STAR: Young ruckman

Nic Naitanui has excited fans with his freakish skills.

Nic Naitanui only needs an introduction if you have been living on a boat in Siberia’s Lake Baikal for the past two years. He turns 20 next Tuesday. The others’ anonymity will disappear soon, even though their form has ﬂuctuated in 2010. Chris Masten (who turns 21 this Sunday, when the Eagles play Fremantle in the clubs’ 31st derby), Will Schoﬁeld, Brad Ebert, Mitchell Brown, Scott Selwood, Patrick McGinnity and Lewis Stevenson, although generally known in football circles, are hardly household names away from Western Australia. Invite Luke Shuey, Tom Swift and Eric Mackenzie (two matches this year for a total of

asten and Ebert made their debuts on the same day, in round two of the 2008 season. In Masten’s words, they “got pumped”, to the tune of 76 points, by Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. However, just two years and 30-odd games later (but only nine wins), the No. 3 pick from the 2007 draft displays enthusiasm for the future that is infectious. “We’re learning a lot together and having heaps of fun playing our footy together because we’re all good mates,” Masten said. “We enjoy training together and playing together and I think that is what good teams are built on: those friendships. We’re learning all these lessons on the way.” They are in that phase when every game is an adventure, when on-field success matters, but being on the field together matters more. Along the way they are learning about each 26) to the party and you have other and about themselves. 11 youngsters (with 213 games During the pre-season, the combined experience) who have group headed to the Stirling played promising football Ranges in Western at the highest level, the Australia’s south. oldest of whom was Little sleep and born five days after There is demanding the coach played days walking really not a lot of his 18th game up and down doubt about the with the club. In mountains fact they are going case the coach were is reading, that interspersed to be very good means they’re a with coaches players very young group. waiting at JOHN WORSFOLD This crop, which the top of each does not include peak to ask players the Eagles’ three questions about the selections (seventh pick Brad history of the club. Sheppard, 22nd Gerrick Ebert chuckles when Weedon and reminded of the trip: “You pick 23rd Koby Stevens) from last up little things from people’s year’s NAB AFL Draft, has the attitudes,” he said. “Everyone Eagles excited. got through the few days and “We think they are all talented everyone stuck together and kids,” Worsfold said. “They have did everything together. I guess all shown glimpses of how good it was all about leadership and

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WEST COAST EAGLES team building. There were some testing times.” Both Ebert and Masten laugh when asked to give an example of a testing time. Ebert: “‘Swifty’ (Tom Swift) lost the plot.” Masten: “Swifty gets angry at times.” Ebert: “(He’s a) pretty serious Sam.” After this rapid to-and-fro, Masten explains: “Up our fourth or fifth mountain, Swifty had had enough and there was a big boulder rolling down the hill. It was big, like a football, and we said, ‘Swifty, watch out’ and Swifty just kept going, head down and kept walking.” They both laugh at the memory, their banter amiable and fun, knowing of their mate, the metaphor of a developing team obvious. Such bonds are a feature of most AFL clubs. For the Eagles, forging connections between the experienced and inexperienced groups is critical for future success. “They (the coaches) encourage us to get around to the older boys and have a bit of fun with them as well because, although we’ve got a group of tight young guys, we’ve got to gel with the older guys as well to really get things happening,” Ebert said. Both players cite Daniel Kerr as a critical influence on their football, his role in their progress underestimated. The connection between Dean Cox and Naitanui has been highlighted recently. There is little doubt Darren Glass and Beau Waters would be working heavily with (Scott) Selwood and Thursfield.

ENJOYING THE CHALLENGE:

Youngsters such as Chris Masten are being given speciﬁc roles in the team and are learning their craft on the job.

You get thrown in the deep end pretty much. There is a spot for you to ﬁll in the team CHRIS MASTEN

Worsfold makes no bones about how the senior players have accepted that responsibility of teaching and connecting. “They don’t have a choice; that is the ﬁrst thing. But they are excited about it as well,” Worsfold said. “It means they have more to concentrate on than their own games at times, but they can see the potential in these young kids and they can see where the team is going to be fairly quickly as these kids develop.” Making progress is not easy. Worsfold admits there is a lot for a young player to take in. Patience is a necessary virtue

for a coach when the group is at this stage in its development, particularly when there is such an inﬂux of young players into the team at once. “A lot of the young players coming in are not necessarily doing things differently to what they have done before, but teams have to formalise their language and how they talk about (plans) so everyone is on the same page,” he said. “They are learning new terminology, learning set-ups, learning key words for centre bounce strategies and kick-ins and understanding their roles. “Often the thing with young players coming in is that they might get thrown around a bit. They might play half-forward or wing one week to the next; they learn a lot, they learn the most they ever do in probably their ﬁrst 18 months and then it settles down where they just

get back to playing footy and understanding everything.” It is a sentiment the two Eagles youngsters agree with. “You get thrown in the deep end pretty much,” Masten said. “There is a spot for you to fill in the team. It has been the forward pocket for me recently. You just get thrown up there and are expected to have a crack. It might not be your favourite role or what you are best at, but that is what your team needs, so your job as young players is to go and fill those roles.” Ebert said the adjustment is difficult but he makes no complaint. “You go from under-18s, where you are the player who was getting the ball the most, to playing different roles and adjusting to what the team wants,” he said. “In my first couple of years, I was playing defensive or stopping roles and I had never

WE CAN HELP YOU BUILD A WINNING TEAM!

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“When Experience Counts” Experience is something that cannot be bought, learnt or invented, only accumulated

64 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

SHANE CLAYTON North Melbourne Kangaroos Premiership Player

WEST COAST EAGLES

CONFIDENT: Coach John Worsfold believes

the Eagles’ improvement will come in a rush.

really done that before.” Such inexperience explains partly why just 13 wins have come from the past 49 games and underlines why one bad loss (or even a bad start to the season) should not be reason for panic. When emotion is removed, the scoreline should read: three acceptable, two below-par performances. Barnaba’s public comments demonstrate the board’s approach: “The start of the year has been disappointing. You want to read enough into it because you certainly want to react to what is happening. On the other hand, you don’t want to let the passage of just over a month dictate what your long-term plan is.” The reality is that decisions are always being made, regardless of results. For some

promising players, the best place for further education is back in the WAFL. Worsfold indicated after last week’s game that some of the young crop might be heading in that direction. This is just part of any development process. As skipper Glass said last Sunday when asked about the progress of Swift, who has spent the past couple of weeks in the WAFL: “There’s nothing wrong with working on your game at WAFL level. A lot of players have done that and played good, consistent WAFL footy. “They come back in (to the seniors) and they know their game better, they’re in good form, and they have learned a few more tricks. Spending time in the WAFL isn’t a bad thing.” Some expect youngsters to have an immediate impact, but

clubs such as the Eagles (and don’t imagine for one second they are the only one) set up a learning environment, with every game, every practice session seen as opportunities to teach and to learn. “The young players often look around and have young teammates alongside them so that is the challenge but we are aware of where that is all at. There are not too many chains of possession we will have without the ball going through one of those young player’s hands and that means they are getting a lot more opportunities to be in that learning environment,” said Worsfold. Before the Sydney game, Worsfold was confident in the teaching framework the club has in place to ensure their progress is consistent and yields sustainable results. At times that confidence is tested, but a high-performance culture ensures the coaches and players will keep persisting, tinkering and progressing. Development coach Gavin Bell is the first point of contact for first- and second-year players, his input into their football and non-football lives critical as they adjust to the demands of the AFL. “He talks to them about goal-setting, how to assess their games, making sure they are aware of what they are working on at any particular time and what the coaches are expecting of them,” Worsfold said. The big question is when will all the talent, all the training, all the investment yield dividends on-field in big AFL games. Worsfold’s answer

can’t be deﬁnitive, but it is a fascinating insight into where the Eagles see themselves. “It’s hard to pick but it will come in more of a rush then a trickle for us. Rather than seeing a couple of extra wins this year over last year and maybe a couple more next year, it will come in a bit of a rush, where all of a sudden we will be one of those top four competing sides and challenging for a ﬂag.” Worsfold knows what it takes to go from learner to contender to premiership winner. His statement is profound. “Improvement is often incremental, but the actual results don’t show the gradual improvement. They come in a big hit,” he said.

Players aged 21 and under in round ﬁve Team

Ladder No. position*

Richmond

16th

West Coast

13th

Brisbane Lions

5th

North Melbourne

11th

Melbourne

9th

Essendon

14th

Fremantle

4th

Carlton

6th

Adelaide

15th

Collingwood

3rd

Hawthorn

12th

Sydney Swans

1st

Geelong

7th

Port Adelaide

10th

Western Bulldogs

8th

St Kilda

2nd

* AFTER ROUND FIVE.

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

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ANDY

LEHMO

FITZY

MICK

TIPSTERS

FITZY St Kilda Melbourne Adelaide Hawthorn Sydney Swans Geelong Cats Collingwood Fremantle

66 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

MICK Western Bulldogs North Melbourne Adelaide Hawthorn Sydney Swans Geelong Cats Collingwood West Coast Eagles

SAM Western Bulldogs Melbourne Port Adelaide Hawthorn Sydney Swans Geelong Cats Collingwood Fremantle

DAVE Western Bulldogs Melbourne Adelaide Hawthorn Sydney Swans Geelong Cats Carlton Fremantle

LEHMO Western Bulldogs North Melbourne Port Adelaide Hawthorn Brisbane Lions Geelong Cats Collingwood Fremantle

ANDY Western Bulldogs North Melbourne Adelaide Hawthorn Sydney Swans Geelong Cats Carlton Fremantle

This week, special guest appearances by BRAD SCOTT & LENNY HAYES

Moments of the

2000-09

Drawing the curtain on the Sheedy era After 27 years at the helm, Kevin Sheedy’s departure as Essendon coach shocked the football world.

ASHLEY BROW NE

here are packed media conferences and there are the Really Important Media Conferences. When Essendon brought down the curtain on Kevin Sheedy’s 27-year tenure as coach of the Bombers at a media conference on July 25, 2007, there was barely a spare centimetre of space in the conference room at Windy Hill as CEO Peter Jackson and Sheedy strode towards the microphones. “You don’t make those decisions lightly. You don’t make them easily. It’s a very difﬁcult process,” Jackson said as Essendon ofﬁcially moved on to the post-Sheedy era. It had been a long time coming, but the announcement was stunning all the same. In the past, the Bombers would quickly move to re-sign their coach well before the expiration of his contract but, in 2007, it was obvious from early in the season they were in no such hurry. And so the murmurings began. Sheedy, in his usual style, handled the hubbub over his future with his usual mix of candor and humour, but a

touch of irritation (and perhaps hurt) was visible just beneath the surface. The entire episode won’t be recorded as one of Essendon’s finest moments. Not so much the decision itself, because there were signs at the time, and which became more apparent after the event, that the club needed an injection of fresh ideas and a new voice at the helm. It was more the fact it played out for several weeks, and so publicly. A media throng converged on Windy Hill one evening while ta ng a board meeting was taking place, amid word thatt Sheedy’s n item m on position was the main n pre sident the agenda. Essendon president ged from f Ray Horsburgh emerged eedyy’s the meeting to say Sheedy’s cussed, position had not been disc discussed, lateer only to backtrack dayss later ed it when he acknowledged had been. eel It was hard not to feel just a bit of sympathy for the Bombers. 0 With more than 600 our games as coach and four premierships, Sheedyy was the biggest name in efly the game. He was chiefl don’ss responsible for Essendon’s transformation from a sleepy suburban club to r. a national superpower.

END OF AN ERA: A huge media throng converged on Windy Hill to hear CEO Peter

Jackson (right) announce Kevin Sheedy’s departure. Sheedy and defender Dean Wallis (below) celebrate after the Bombers won the 2000 premiership.

Ever the innovator, he opened the door to the AFL for Australia’s indigenous population and helped fast-track the game towards full-time professionalism. So his departure was always going to be of massive interest

So long, Kevin Sheedy � “Sitting below the painted words ‘Heritage and Tradition, Success, Professionalism and Community’ – elements of football life that inspired Sheedy and that he inspired in others – Sheedy was in his element, performing for a full house, as he has often done since becoming the face of the Bombers in 1981. We heard that no other man had made an impact

68 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

on the club as Sheedy had. No other man in n more than 100 years. Sheedy shifted, and the he he cameramen lit up the room with a sustained ed d collective ﬂash. That was a statement for the he he ages, but no one blinked.” PETER DI SISTO, FROM THE AFL RECORD, ROUND 17, 2007

and the Bombers could only hope to control some of the spin, not stage-manage every single aspect. As Jackson stated so obviously at the media conference: “His con contract’s always been a bit of am media circus. You’re talking abo about a person who has had the mo most profound impact on this foo football club, more than anyone els else in the history of this foo football club.” S why the change? According So to Jackson, J the Bombers needed to take t a longer-term view of iits playing list and player dev development. Essendon was 8-8 at the time and still in the hunt for the 2007 ﬁnals, but was turning over its list at a rap rapid rate. It needed a fresh voice to take t that group forward. A After the event, it emerged the there were some at Essendon who felt Sheedy was no longer at the cut cutting-edge of AFL coaching. Am Among them were champion

T H E A F T E R M AT H

You don’t make those decisions lightly. You don’t make them easily. It’s a very diﬃcult process ESSENDON CEO PETER JACKSON

full-forward Matthew Lloyd, who said last year: “There were a few technical type of things, maybe numbers behind the ball and ﬂooding and all those type of things that we probably struggled to deal with.”

For his part, Sheedy described the Bombers as a “27-year-client”. “When you look back at all the coaches who’ve ever coached in any sport in this country, you’d be very lucky to have this opportunity,” he said. More than 88,000 fans attended the EssendonRichmond match in round 21, the last game in Victoria for both Sheedy and captain James Hird, who retired after the season.

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� Kevin Sheedy promised to remain in football and he did, serving as an AFL ambassador and as a marketing consultant to Richmond, for which he played with great distinction before becoming coach of the Bombers. But on November 9 last year, Sheedy was given the job for which nobody is better suited – the inaugural head coach of the new AFL club in Great Western Sydney, which joins the AFL in 2012. With his trademark zeal, gusto and a touch of chutzpah as well, he appears to have made a tremendous head start. Back at Windy Hill, a long list of names was touted to replace Sheedy, including favourite sons James Hird, Neale Daniher, Mark Harvey, Mark Thompson, Damien Hardwick, Gary O’Donnell and others such as Chris Connolly, John Longmire and Denis Pagan.

Matthew Knights was coach of the Bendigo Bombers at the time, and was well off the radar. According to Peter Jackson, a “very strong person” would be needed to fill such a large coaching job and, after a series of impressive presentations, the former Richmond skipper was identified as that person. And after just two seasons in charge, he had the Bombers back where many feel they belong, in the finals.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 69

Col Hutchinson

timeon Our AFL history guru answers your queries.

AFL mystery men BETTER LATE THAN NEVER:

Premiership glory was just as sweet for Collingwood (1990) and West Coast (1994), regardless of whether it was in September or October.

That one day in September

For how long has the Grand Final been played on the last Saturday in September? B. Starr, Glen Iris, Vic

CH: For more than 40 years, this has been the traditional date used for AFL/VFL Grand Finals, unless exceptional circumstances have forced a change. Tied ﬁ nals matches have seen the Grand Final pushed back to October in 1972, 1977 and 1990. In 2000, the season was brought forward by four

70 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

weeks to allow for the Sydney Olympic Games to proceed unhindered. The only other exception during the past four decades was 1994 when the Grand Final was played on October 1. The latest the Grand Final has occurred was on October 20, 1923, when Essendon defeated Fitzroy at the MCG by 17 points. The season did not start until the ﬁ rst Saturday in May, and two weekends were set aside mid-season to allow state matches to be played.

Joseph Sullivan � Sullivan played with Collingwood Imperials as a youngster before participating at VFA level with the Magpies and Port Melbourne. From 1900-03, he made 54 appearances h with Carlton and was the w cclub’s leading goalscorer in tthree seasons. He was born o on February 1, 1877, and died a about 1935. Andrew William Dougall A � Dougall was born on May 22, 1884, and completed M his education at Melbourne h University. He was recruited U by Carlton in 1902 as an b 18-year-old and played two matches as a wingman/ forward pocket. If you have any information regarding the above players, including their date of death, contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 or col.hutchinson@aﬂ .com.au.

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

NAME GAME

Players with Polish � Could Geelong newcomer James Podsiadly have somehow plotted the round two report leading to Cameron Mooney’s suspension from the side the following week? His name would suggest so. Podsiadly is based on the Polish nickname podsiadlo from the verb podsiadać (‘to supersede’ or ‘usurp’), applied to someone engineering the dismissal of someone else from a post, in order to take his place. The nickname is itself composed of the elements pod (“near”) and siadać (“to sit”/”move”). Podsiadly is not the only Polish inﬂuence on the Cats. The surname of teammate David Wojcinski is a habitation name based on the Polish word wojt, meaning “headman” or “mayor”, and perhaps indicates that Wojcinski is future captaincy material. The surnames Nathan Krakouer (German form of the Polish Krakowiak, a native of the Polish city Kraków) and of Graham Polak, discussed before, are other AFL Polish inﬂuences. KEVAN CARROLL

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COLLECTABLES

Just the ticket

Rick Milne

A weekly look at collectables, memorabilia and all footyy things g stored in boxes and garages.

I have three Melbourne tram and train tickets from 2000. They are for the Bulldogs, Saints and Hawks and open out with respective home games listed inside. Any value?

RICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RARITY

OSCAR CASSIDY, VIA EMAIL

RM: Believe it or not, these

seldom turn up. They were m issued by the then rail and tram companies and, if in excellent condition, are worth at least $10 each.

I have a complete set of 1965 Scanlenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VFL cards featuring such stars as Graham Farmer, Ted d Whitten and Ian Stewart. They aree framed and are in good condition.. I was hoping for a valuation. ANDREW, VIA EMAIL

RM: It all depends on the

framing, Andrew. If the cards are stuck to the backing board, the value might be $200. If the cards are faded, they might be worth just $100. On the other hand, if they are unattached and in perfect condition, they might be worth $3000.

My husband found an oďŹ&#x192;cial folder with slides of North Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1975 premiership win. There was a cassette tape to go in the folder, but it is missing. LISA, BY TELEPHONE

FOOTY FARE: Train and tram tickets from 2000 are worth about $10 each.

RM: Sorry, Lisa, but you are

missing the most important part of the package and, as is, it is worth just $5. The complete set, with tape, would be worth $75.

I have a 1957 Ross Faulkner football (never been kicked, but is deďŹ&#x201A;ated). It has a printed photo of a tiger, with the names of

oďŹ&#x192;cials and all players, including Roy Wright, Don Faser, Des Rowe (captain) and GeoďŹ&#x20AC; Spring. Value?

ďż˝ Collingwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Len Fitzgerald made his VFL debut as a 15-year-old in 1945, but crossed to South Australian club Sturt in 1951 after playing 96 games with the Magpies. He was a superstar in the SANFL and won the Magarey Medal three times, in 1952, 1954 and 1959. It was said he revolutionised handball in South Australian football, similar to thee inďŹ&#x201A;uence West Australian Graham Farmer had in Victoria with Geelong. This is a rare card and worth at least $250.

RUSSELL J. VINCENT, GLENHUNTLY, VIC.

RM: The tiger and all names

are original artwork done by a craftsman of the day. If anyone knows his identity, please let me know. These sell well, for about $1000.

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.

Âş)Âš,,Ă&#x20AC;+%%0Ă&#x20AC;0544).'Ă&#x20AC;-9Ă&#x20AC;"/$9Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC; Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;/.Ă&#x20AC;4(%Ă&#x20AC;,).%Ă&#x20AC;&/2Ă&#x20AC;9/5Âť Âż*!#+Âż:)%"%,,

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Everything you need to know about footy! Jam-packed with loads of footy facts, player proďŹ les and team-related stats to help you with your Dream Team this season. Available now from newsagents, all good bookstores and AFL stores. Visit footybookclub.com to order your copy today.

timeon

KIDS’ CORNER

IVE F TO FIND

Sudoku

� Solve this puzzle by ﬁlling in the empty squares with the nine letters of the player’s name. You must make sure you use each letter only once in each row, column or small box of nine squares. Do not guess, as there is only one correct solution.

PAUL BOWER P W

R U

W B

P P

L A

W P

QUICK QUESTIONS

1 Who was the Western Bulldogs’ best and fairest

winner last year?

2 Who coached Adelaide’s 1997-98

premiership teams?

o-captain 3 How many times has Sydney Swans co-captain Adam Goodes won the Brownlow Medal? al? l?

4 Who was Geelong’s leading goalkickerr

na als? 5 When did Fremantle last play in the ﬁnals?

last season?

THIS WEEK’S WEE EK’S ANSWERS 5 QUICK QUESTIONS: 1. Matthew Boyd; 2. Malcolm Blight; 3. Twice (2003 and 2006); 4. Cameron Mooney (46); 5. 2006. SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Daniel Wells’ left sock changed from blue to green; thick blue band on Wells’ right arm; line markings removed from grass; grass pink jacket of person in crowd changed to green; letter removed from sign on fence. B IG G MOUTH: MOU MOUT M MO O H: BIG SCRAMBLED SCRA SC S CRA AM MBLE BLE LE L ED FO FOOTBALLER: OTBA BALLER ER: ER CRYPTIC CRYP C RYP YPTIC TIIC T C FOOTBALLERS: FOOT FO F OO OO OT TBALLERS: LE

72 AFL RECORD RE R EC CO COR OR O RD visit RD viiissit vvis it aﬂ aﬂrecord.com.au record..co om m.a .a au

timeon

NAB AFL RISING STAR

Finding his bearings He has been lost in Melbourne ne a few times, but Jack k

T Trengove rengove knows his way aroun around a footy ﬁeld.

2010 NAB AFL Rising Star Nominees

n and off the field, HAIL A NEW HERO: Jack Trengove is a Young star Jack Trengove has helped young man adapting Melbourne make a to life in Melbourne as positive start to the an elite footballer. Selected with 2010 season. pick two by the Demons in last year’s NAB AFL Draft, the South Australian has shown he is not only comfortable on the ground, but also in enlisting the help of his older teammates for anything non-footy related. “I have a bit to do with James McDonald when playing in the midfield and it’s great to just get an insight into how he, Brad Green, Cameron Bruce and Brent Moloney go about their footy and, as a young guy, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible,” Trengove said. “They’re great to go up to for advice and they’re always willing to help out. The “They’ve also been a good preparation that help for me goes into a game settling into every week really Melbourne. Coming surprised me over here and Hawthorn, has JACK TRENGOVE trying to get steadily improved my bearings right to be an important when driving around contributor to the was tough, and I’ve got lost Demons’ midfield. a couple of times when I didn’t Last Saturday night in his know where I was going. side’s 50-point win over the “I live just around the corner Brisbane Lions, Trengove picked from Brad Green so, in the first up 24 touches, had four tackles few weeks when we had training and kicked two goals, earning at Casey Fields, I was getting a him the round five NAB AFL few lifts from him to help me Rising Star nomination. work out how to get there.” The understated Trengove Trengove certainly doesn’t said he is quickly gaining an look lost on the big stage, appreciation of what it takes to be however, and, since making a regular player at the top level. his debut in round one against “The preparation that goes into a

CALLUM TWOMEY

Round 1 – Chris Yarran (Carl) Round 2 – Daniel Hannebery (Syd) Round 3 – Ryan Bastinac (NM) Round 4 – Nic Naitanui (WCE) Round 5 - Jack Trengove (Melb)

THREE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW Trengove’s parents Colin and Deb were overseas for the ﬁrst ﬁve weeks of the season but will attend this week’s match against North Melbourne.

2 Away from football, he is

looking to start a university physiotherapy course next year.

3 On his day oﬀ each

game every week really surprised me,” the 18-year-old said. “I had never thought very much about preparation or any of that in the years of footy that I’ve previously played, but it plays a massive role with your diet and your sleep and just getting up for every game each week. “I’ve pulled up pretty sore after games just because of the pace and physical aspects, so getting the physio treatment is vital.” Trengove played senior football for Sturt in the SANFL last season (including its Grand Final loss to Central District)

week, he usually plays a round of golf with a few of his teammates.

and said that experience had made the transition to the AFL somewhat easier. And, despite the hype surrounding him and Tom Scully before the draft, Trengove said the pair had met only once before the Demons selected them. “He’s going to be a superstar of the competition in years to come, so it’s just great to think I might be playing a lot of footy alongside him,” Trengove said.

Each week throughout the home and away season, a panel of judges will select the nominee for the 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star. At the completion of the season, one outstanding player will be chosen as the 2010 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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LAST LINE

Applying data laterally

Let’s get it straight, accuracy is not in decline

ollingwood legend Peter McKenna often is cited as the most accurate kick for goal of all time. But, in a game against Hawthorn in 1969 (round 12 at Victoria Park, his home ground), McKenna booted 1.10 (including rushed behinds) from 13 shots. How could this be so? Similar bafflement followed round three this season, when we saw the lowest scoring conversion (only 45.5 per cent) for a full round since round 14, 1997 (45.2 per cent). Consternation quickly grew into calls urging a Royal Commission-type investigation into the apparent terminal decline in scoring accuracy, and why current players had become so pathetic at nailing the bloody pill between the big sticks. Amid this frenzy, none involved had mentioned the previous week, when St Kilda and North Melbourne played the second-most accurate match ever, scoring a combined 29.8 (182) at 78.4 per cent goalkicking accuracy. Or that round 11 last season was the most accurate round in history, with 60.8 per cent of shots converted, including the most accurate match in history: Essendon 18.6 (114) v Adelaide 21.4 (130), with the teams combining for a 79.6 per cent conversion rating. High and low blips on the radar such as these are random fluctuation outliers, and not necessarily anything to do with an overall trend. Highlighting a single round or even a few is insufficient to argue a trend. Indeed, rather than the round three furore signalling a terminal decline, the scoring details produced last week by

the AFL’s history and statistics department (refer to table below) reveal a remarkably stable, steady-as-it-goes picture over the past 40 years. The table summarising goals and goal conversion per team per match for each decade from 1960 highlights relatively low scoring and poor conversion during the 1960s (with an average score of 11.12 at a conversion rate of 47 per cent) compared to the following decades. Notable is the signiﬁcant jump onversion during in scoring and conversion the 1970s (14.14 at 50 per cent). coring g Thereafter, scoring and scoring conversion remained at a oals consistent 14 goals bove) (or a whisker above) eam, per match per team, n with conversion bove hovering just above 50 per cent. ng The most telling d by question invoked Why this proﬁle is, ‘Why the consistency despite the overwhelming sed changes witnessed in the rules and evolution of how the game is played?’ To appreciate the reasons, it iss rk important to hark

AVERAGE SCORE PER TEAM IN EACH GAME DECADE

But these factors alone do not explain why scoring conversion during the past 40 years appears to have reached a ceiling of 52-54 per cent. A contributing factor is by who and how goals are scored. Australian Football does not feature a designated specialist goalkicker as the rugby codes and American Football do. Within a perceived range and given opportunity, any of the 44 players involved invariably has a pot at it. Consequently, the largish pool of non-specialist players attempting goals in such variable and pressured situations means up-skilling opportunities are limited and the margins for random fluctuations wider. But mainly it is the ball, stupid! The cherished leather Sherrin now is much the same as it was 40 years ago. The head of RMIT University’s sports aerodynamics research group, Dr Firoz Alam, has tested the ball’s flight characteristics in the school’s multi-million dollar wind tunnel facility. “Immediately it starts spinning unpredictable wind disturbances are generated around the ball,” he says. “These turbulence effects mean the ball can easily go offline, irrespective of how the player kicks. “While it still has a lace on OFF TARGET: Even Magpie top and stitched panels, I doubt sharpshooter Peter scoring accuracy will ever improve McKenna had his beyond the current levels.” off days in front of He then shows me a version goals, kicking 1.10 in one game in 1969. of the new space-age soccer ball that will be used in the World Cup in South Africa, and smiles. “An AFL ball made ACCURACY like this would make a big 47% difference.”

GOALS

BEHINDS

1960-69

1970-79

1980-89

1990-99

53%

2000-09

54%

*INCLUDES RUSHED BEHINDS. SOURCE: AFL

78 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

back to the late 1960s and the mood of change sweeping society and sport. A young Bob Dylan was singing The times are a-changing, and this is what happened to scoring. The 1968 Grand Final between Carlton 7.14 (56) and Essendon 8.6 (53) was the lowest scoring in eight years (since 1960, when Melbourne and Collingwood combined for 76 points) and the first and only time a premiership was won by a team kicking fewer goals than an opponent. Alarm bells rang because it was said the game was becoming too defensive and boring. At the start of the 1969 season, the League responded by introducing the out-on-the-full rul rule, which crea a freerimmediately created con flowing game contributing to higher scoring. scorring At the tim e, another an time, factor was the th he adoption ad of the drop p pu punt in favour of d rop kicks and drop fla at pu punts. The av vaila availability off mo more st tream streamlined an nkle ankle-cut boots in nste of instead tthe h heavier var variety with leat leather nail-in stop stops also con contributed.

50% 52%

TED HOPKINS IS A CARLTON PREMIERSHIP PLAYER AND FOUNDER OF CHAMPION DATA. HIS CURRENT PROJECT IS TEDSPORT, A HIGH PERFORMANCE DATA ANALYSIS AND CONSULTING SERVICE.

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