AFL Record, Semi Final 1, 2010 by The Slattery Media Group

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FINALS WEEK TWO SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2010

DOCKERS ROCKING: Fremantle has been one of the stories of 2010, climbing from 14th in 2009 to a semi-ﬁnal berth. The Dockers beat Hawthorn last week, thanks to rising young stars such as Nick Suban.

Features 7

Moments in time

The best images of 2010.

31 Lessons of 2010

What we learned from a bumper season.

78 Breaking the drought The long, hard road to a premiership.

Regulars 4

Backchat

Your say on the football world.

39 The Bounce Views, news, ﬁrst person, facts, data, culture.

49 Matchday Stats, previews, history and line-ups.

89 Week one ﬁnals in review 114 Moments of the decade The AFL gives the green light to two new clubs.

116 Answer Man 120 Kids’ Corner

THIS WEEK’S COVERS There are separate covers for the two semi- ﬁnals to be played this weekend, featuring star players from each of the four competing clubs.

122 Talking Point Ted Hopkins says it’s time to overhaul the ﬁnals system.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 3

Your say on the world of football fo

feedback feedb

EDITOR’S LETTER

Much to ponder for the Hawks � All clubs eliminate eliminated from the finals race would be putting every aspec aspect of their football operations under scrutiny, but Hawthorn’s Hawth end-of-season rev review looms as the most impor important the club has conducte conducted since the end of 2004, when whe it cleared the decks and sta started a major rebuild. The Hawks stunned st observers when they won the 2008 premiership premi with a squad even the their own coaches believed wasn wasn’t quite ready to challenge. A tactical p ploy (a radical zone-based ‘‘cluster’ aimed at preventing opposition o teams moving the ball freely) helped build a perceived Hawthorn b advantage in 2008, but it’s it also benefited worth noting not from the eexquisite form of match-winners such as Lance match-w Franklin and Cyril Rioil. Hawks’ success that The H had many year ha believing they believin were capable c a of building buil modern dynasty. mode But tthey have ectively gone effec backwards, winning back just 21 of 45 matches since the premiership, missing the finals last year and playing poorly in losing to Fremantle last weekend. Granted, a rash of injuries have not helped, but they are not alone in that area. The acknowledgement from key people including coach Alastair Clarkson (above) and senior players that they’d fallen behind the pace strategically was a surprise. What emerges from the club’s review will be worth following.

A TRUE CHAMP: Peter Ryan’s article on

former Fitzroy and Footscray champion Bernie Quinlan in last week’s Record brought back fond memories for one reader.

A super er player

Loved your story on the greatt ‘Superboot’ Bernie Quinlan in last week’s AFL Record. What great memories it brought ﬂooding back from Fitzroy’s halcyon days at the old Junction Oval. Who could forget his 70m torpedo goal on the run against Carlton in 1981, or his huge goal from inside the centre square to bring up his 100th goal, against Collingwood in 1983? Along with Malcolm Blight and Peter Knights, Quinlan was one of the three best players of his era.

getting all worked up about umpiring decisions and the like. Last L st week’s Geelong-St Kilda qualifying ﬁnal was a great contest, a superb example of what makes our game so appealing. And yes, we know the free kick against Cameron Mooney was contentious. But to make it the focus of nearly all post-match discussion is absurd. Surely Geelong fans ought to be more annoyed about the team’s slow start and its inaccurate kicking when it had multiple chances late in the game than an umpiring decision?

PHILIP MENDES, VIA EMAIL.

AMANDA REDDEN, EAST BRIGHTON, VIC.

Unbiased view

Dockers vindicated

As a neutral observer, it’s amazing how you’re able to simply watch a game without

GENERAL MANAGER, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Darren Birch AFL CORPORATE BUSINESS MANAGER Richard Simkiss AFL RECORD MANAGING EDITOR Geoﬀ Slattery AFL RECORD EDITOR Peter Di Sisto

Kudos to Fremantle coach Mark Harvey for his planning and foresight in the past month or

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

so. His decision to rest players against Hawthorn in round 21 was widely questioned, but the fact the Dockers secured a home ﬁnal the following me ﬁnal week by beating Carlton lt n and then defeated Hawthorn comprehensively last weekend suggests he knew exactly what he was doing. BILL DURANT, MORLEY, WA

HAVE YOUR SAY

The best letter each round will receive the Gary Ablett jnr Australian Football Training DVD. Email aﬂrecordeditor@slatterymedia.com atterymedia 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

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PRINTED BY PMP Print WEEK’S COVER THIS ADDRESS TO XXXXCORRESPONDENCE XXXXX The Editor, AFL Record, XXXXXXXXXXXXX X Ground Floor, to aﬂEsplanade, photos.com.au 140Go Harbour Docklands, Victoria, to order prints3008. P: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 of this image. E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 99, FINALS WEEK 2, 2010 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 4

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You’re on a balanced diet of football and, well, more football. You’re tossing and turning at night, ‘could this be the year?’ Your breathing changes gear at the bounce of the ball. Yep, it must be September. So get on a train, tram or bus and get to the game. Make sure you have a valid public transport ticket on you. To plan your journey visit metlinkmelbourne.com.au or call 131 638.

IMAGES

2010

IN TIME

veryone has a favourite football photo, an image that sums up a special event, a poignant moment, a key milestone. By the time this year’s Grand Final is over, snappers representing AFL Photos, the AFL’s ofﬁcial photographers, will have taken more than 300,000 shots from the 185 home and away and ﬁnals games played across the country.

Here, and over the next few pages, we highlight but a few of those shots, images that capture aspects of the game: its great skill; the raw emotion of players, coaches and fans; its tough clashes when eyes are focused only on the ball; the desperation of players trying to win possession; the relief that comes with a win or a personal achievement, and the goodbyes we inevitably have to say.

MIXED EMOTIONS: The 2010 season provided all the highs and lows that football can throw up. Top, from left, Geelong star Gary Ablett picked up where he left off in 2009; St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt suffered a serious hamstring injury in round three, and Fremantle’s Michael Barlow soared to new heights before being cut down with a broken leg later in the season. Above, from left, Austin Wonaeamirri made a successful return late in the season to be part of an improving Melbourne team; star Adelaide Crow Andrew McLeod, with children Connor and Madison, said goodbye to fans in round 22, together with unlucky forward Trent Hentschel, and Mark LeCras starred in a struggling West Coast team. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 7

THE RAGE WITHIN Rd 13 Sydney Swans v Collingwood, ANZ Stadium

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� If your vision of Paul Roos is of some chilled-out dude whistling Dixie on the boundary line and preferring to have a laugh with his assistant coaches rather than barking instructions to his players, you obviously missed this moment. Collingwood – Sydney’s nemesis over the past five years – was again putting the Swans to the sword, and Roos had clearly had enough. A sheet of instructions that his team had evidently not followed was tossed away at the huddle and then Roos uncharacteristically roared at his team, singling out Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes. Goodes had a howler that night and finished with just 13 touches. Martin Mattner (left of Roos) appears in shock at the extent of the spray directed at his co-captain. The Magpies made it nine consecutive wins against the Swans that night – including the past five at ANZ Stadium – and Sydney’s chances of playing finals were put in jeopardy. CAMERON NOAKES PHOTO: KRYSTLE WRIGHT/AFL PHOTOS

8 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 9

HIP, HIP HOORAY Rd 7 St Kilda v Carlton, Etihad Stadium

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� No, it’s not a game of hoppo bumpo, but a Carlton celebration. Kade Simpson and Eddie Betts were jubilant as the Blues (in their white away strip) thrashed the Saints by 61 points, even though Betts might have been surprised by the vigour of his teammate’s antics. Carlton unpicked the lock to St Kilda’s defensive zone and its forwards gorged themselves on a 20-goal feast, with Betts kicking five and Simpson rated one of his team’s best players. The Blues led all the way after kicking five goals to two in the first quarter and, more significantly, their total of 20.9 (129) was the highest score St Kilda conceded all season. Carlton’s big win raised supporters’ hopes of a premiership challenge, but those hopes turned to dust when the Blues crashed to the Sydney Swans in last week’s elimination final at ANZ Stadium. JIM MAIN PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

10 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

IMAGES

2010F COLLISION COURSE O

Rd 3 Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, Etihad Stadium � Let this be Exhibit A for those who believe the game isn’t as tough as it used to be. Both Bulldog Jarrod Harbrow and Hawk Jordan Lewis had eyes only for the ball during their clash in round three but, just as Lewis gathered the errant pass from teammate Sam Mitchell, he was collected fairly and squarely by Harbrow in one of the most sickening – and talked about – incidents of the season. “Like a train wreck,” Hawks ruck coach Damian Monkhorst described the clash, which

happened only a few metres away from the interchange bench. Lewis was roundly praised for his courage and, after giving the thumbsup the to the crowd as he was stretchered from the ground, he bravely returned to the action in the ﬁnal quarter, although he had little impact. He admitted later that, while he passed all the mandatory testing for concussion and played the next week, in hindsight he should have missed a week or two in order to fully recover. ASHLEY BROWNE PHOTO: SEAN GARNSWORTHY/AFL PHOTOS

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JACK BE NIMBLE Rd 11 Richmond v St Kilda, Etihad Stadium � It was the night the football world hailed a new goalkicking star in Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt. Until that night’s match against St Kilda, the Tasmanian, 22, was regarded as a promising, but largely unproven talent more famous for being Nick Riewoldt’s cousin. He even started 2010 as a rank outsider for the John Coleman Medal as the AFL’s leading goalkicker in the home

12 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

and away season, but he turned those odds on their head against the Saints. Riewoldt kicked six of St Kilda’s eight goals and, here in front of the Saints’ Sam Fisher, pulled in a trademark grab with an exceptional degree of diﬃculty, cradling the ball in his right hand. Richmond lost by 38 points, but Riewoldt went on to win the Coleman Medal with 78 goals, ﬁve more than the Western Bulldogs’ Barry Hall. JIM MAIN PHOTO: ANDREW WHITE/AFL PHOTOS

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9am-noon: 1116 SEN’s Hungry for Sport with Kevin Bartlett broadcasting live Noon-4pm: 1116 SEN’s Harf Time with Daniel Harford broadcasting live 6-8pm: Crocmedia’s Sports Day with Wayne Schwass broadcasting live 7.30pm: Network Ten’s coverage of the Brownlow Blue Carpet, presented by Toyota’s Hybrid Camry live on the big screen 8pm: Network Ten’s coverage of the 2010 Brownlow Medal count live on the big screen

9am-noon: 1116 SEN’s Hungry for Sport with Kevin Bartlett broadcasting live Noon-4pm: 1116 SEN’s Harf Time with Daniel Harford broadcasting live 1.15-2.15pm: The Drawn Grand Final with Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight on the main stage 6-8pm: Crocmedia’s Sports Day with Wayne Schwass broadcasting live

DAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

1-1.30pm: Brownlow Medal Footy Panel 2-3pm: Fashion Parade – See the latest Brownlow-inspired fashion before the big night

DAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

10-11am: NAB AFL Auskick clinic in Birrarung Marr (pre-registration required) 11am-1pm: Camp Australia activities 2-3pm: NAB Ambassadors panel with 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star nominees

DAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

Join Video Hits host Fustina ‘Fuzzy’ Agolley with Thirsty Merc and The Potbelleez on the main stage, thanks to Network Ten 11.30am: Autograph session with The Potbelleez Noon: Live performances – Thirsty Merc and The Potbelleez

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23

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SPIRIT OF FOOTBALL

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9am-noon: 1116 SEN’s Hungry for Sport with Kevin Bartlett broadcasting live Noon-4pm: 1116 SEN’s Harf Time with Daniel Harford broadcasting live 4-7pm: 1116 SEN’s The Run Home with David Schwarz and Francis Leach broadcasting live 6-8pm: Crocmedia’s Sports Day with Wayne Schwass broadcasting live 7.30-8.30pm: Fox Sports AFL Teams broadcasting live DAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

12.30-1.30pm: BigPond live on the main stage, Premiership Cup on display

2.30pm: 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final, MCG

BROADCAST

6-9am: Channel 7’s Sunrise with Mel and Kochie broadcasting live 9am-noon: 1116 SEN’s Hungry for Sport with Kevin Bartlett broadcasting live 9am-1pm: Triple M’s Dangerous Dave broadcasting live 10am-noon: 774 ABC Melbourne broadcasting live Noon-1pm: Channel 7 News coverage of the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final Street Parade live on the big screen Noon-4pm: 3AW’s Afternoons with Denis Walter broadcasting live 4-7pm: Triple M’s Roy & HG broadcasting live 4-7pm: 1116 SEN’s Footy Fix with David Schwarz, Dr Turf and Matt Granland broadcasting live 6-8pm: Crocmedia’s Sports Day with Wayne Schwass broadcasting live 6.30-7.30pm: Fox Sports Before the Bounce broadcasting live Various Fox Sports News crosses throughout the day

7-9am: 1116 SEN’s AFL Auskick Show broadcasting live 11am-1pm: 1116 SEN’s Crunch Time broadcasting live 1.30-2pm: Channel 7’s coverage of the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final pre-match live on the big screen 2-6pm: Channel 7’s coverage of the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final live on the big screen DAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

10am onwards: Fun for the whole family, including footy activities, giveaways and live entertainment 6-8pm: Live bands on stage 8pm: Presentation of the winning 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final team on stage

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SPLASHING OUT Rd 10 Port Adelaide v Richmond, AAMI Stadium

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� Slip. Slop. Slap. We’re not talking about preventative measures on a hot and sunny day here, but rather, one of the filthiest, dirtiest days you could imagine at the football. The Port Adelaide-Richmond match in round 10 was played in muddy conditions, so rarely seen in this era of indoor stadiums and high-tech turf management. The rain poured throughout, reducing the game to a ground-level crash-and-bash exercise and a clash of wills. Which team wanted it more? Which team was prepared to put its head over the footy? They were the key requirements of the day and the answer to both those questions was resoundingly Richmond. The effort by the Tigers, typified here by Robin Nahas, was to be first to the footy. Richmond, winless in its first nine matches, kept Port to just three goals on its way to a 47-point win, its first of the year and the maiden win for coach Damien Hardwick. ASHLEY BROWNE PHOTO: SMG/AFL PHOTOS

16 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

AFL RECORD visit aﬂ record.com.au 17

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CLOKE IN COMMAND Rd 5 Collingwood v Essendon, MCG � The win-loss record on Anzac Day slightly favours Essendon but, for the second time in the past three years, Collingwood gave a commanding performance on the country’s most sacred day of military remembrance. The Magpies won by 65 points, the second biggest winning margin since the two clubs 18 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

started their Anzac Day rivalry in 1995. The Bombers lead 8-7 and there has been one draw in the 16 contests. In front of 90,070 fans – the biggest home and away crowd of the season – the Magpies were imperious, jumping to a 44-point lead at quarter-time. With Travis Cloke kicking four goals – and celebrating one of them here – they left the young Bombers in their wake.

Cloke has kicked 33 goals in 21 games this year, second only to Alan Didak (37) at Collingwood. He was also an important contributor when the Magpies destroyed Essendon in round 20, kicking ﬁve goals as the Pies won by 98 points. MICHAEL LOVETT PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

A REAL SPOILSPORT Rd 20 Western Bulldogs v Geelong, Etihad Stadium

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� Defence has always been critical but now every player on the ground is expected to defend, regardless of other roles they play. It’s one of the reasons there’s so much emphasis on structures and zones, and what players need to do in any given situation. Sometimes, though, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned spoil, as the Western Bulldogs’ Easton Wood executed against Geelong’s Steve Johnson. Here, attack met defence, grace met grunt and body met body, all in mid-air. One of several young Bulldogs to flourish in 2010 in his role as a running defender, Wood, with his arm stretched and fist clenched, managed to reach the ball just as Johnson looked set to mark above his head. It was one of the few times the Bulldogs were able to stifle the Cats, who returned to their free-running and skilful best in tearing the Bulldogs apart. CALLUM TWOMEY PHOTO: GREG FORD/AFL PHOTOS

20 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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BACK IN THE FOLD Rd 1 Brisbane Lions v West Coast, Gabba

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� There are few players more popular than 26-year-old Matt Maguire. His story is one of resilience and optimism. In round one this year, the mobile defender found himself in the unusual position of celebrating his 100th AFL game in his ﬁrst match with the Brisbane Lions. After suﬀering a badly broken leg while playing for St Kilda in 2006, he returned to play 10 games in 2007 and four games in 2008, spending most of those two seasons battling stress fractures in his left foot. He found himself stranded on 99 games when he left the Saints at the end of last season, having played his last match at AFL level in round seven of 2008. This year – after the Lions used their last selection to draft him in November – Maguire played 14 games, his big grin and football nous welcomed back to the game. PETER RYAN PHOTO: MERVYN LOWE/AFL PHOTOS

22 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

IMAGES

2010F BLIND SIDE O

Rd 13 Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG � Cyril Rioli has already shown himself to be a master of the blind turn. On this night against Essendon, he also demonstrated the latest weapon in his armoury – the blind handball. Despite a tackle laid on him that somehow lifted his jumper over his head,

24 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

Rioli managed to dish oﬀ the handball to a teammate running past. Indeed it was a night of trickery for the Hawks in front of a big Friday night audience. Michael Osborne and Rioli both took big marks and Lance Franklin kicked two almost identical running goals from the boundary on the northern side, the second being a

leading contender for the Panasonic AFL Goal of the Year. Franklin can be relied on a few times a year for a piece of wizardry. For Rioli, however, his tricks have become almost a weekly occurrence. ASHLEY BROWNE PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS

ON THE WAY UP Rd 22 Melbourne v North Melbourne, MCG

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� One picture, but so much to take in. There’s the emerging talent in one frame – Jack Watts, Liam Jurrah, Scott Thompson and Nathan Grima (with Brad Green and Scott Thompson). Then there’s the fact they’re all shaping to take a pack mark, a feature of the game that in this era of risk-free and rehearsed plays, is becoming less and less of a feature. Then there’s the growing rivalry. Much has been made of the fantastic young talent coming through at Melbourne, but North Melbourne is also of the firm belief that its young list is chock full of talent and has it on track to becoming a regular finalist in the next season or two. Then there was the game itself, a fast, free-flowing and lead-changing affair of the highest quality on the final day of the home and away season. With no next week to concern themselves with, the Demons and the Kangaroos went out there to entertain, and did that very well. ASHLEY BROWNE PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 25

ONE LAST TIME FOR ‘CHOCO’ Rd 15 Port Adelaide v Collingwood, AAMI Stadium

2010F

� It was a rushed farewell and fans hardly had time to say goodbye when Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams announced he was leaving the club on July 9, just hours before the Power was due to play Collingwood at AAMI Stadium. A few banners expressed fans’ thanks, and the 2004 premiership coach was given a standing ovation as he made his way to the coach’s box for the ﬁnal time. After a spirited performance, the Power couldn’t quite send Williams out on a high and the Magpies pulled away to win by 26 points. Williams bowed out having coached Port for a record 274 times since 1999, winning 151 games and taking the club into seven ﬁnals series. He retained his sense of humour to the end. “I have to announce that I am leaving today because of illness and fatigue,” the outgoing coach said. “The supporters have become sick and tired of me.” MICHAEL LOVETT PHOTO: SMG/AFL PHOTOS

26 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

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THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES Rd 1 Richmond v Carlton, MCG � Richmond great Matthew Richardson was universally loved. ‘Richo’ turned a day at the football into theatre. He could be breathtaking, frustrating, a champion, a villain, emotional, a machine, all in one game, sometimes in a quarter. But entertainer he was and a day at the football was never dull when Richardson 28 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

roamed Richmond’s front half. After 282 games and 800 goals, Richardson retired at the end of 2009, with injury preventing him from playing a farewell game. In round one this year, on a Thursday night, the Richmond faithful turned up in droves, the Tigers banner saluted him, he appeared on the cover of the Record for that speciﬁc game, and the football world said goodbye to this charismatic

champion who late in his career became known as the ‘The Richo Man’. Richardson walked on to the MCG through a gauntlet of children wearing his famous No. 12 on designer Richardson jumpers. He walked a lap of honour, waving to adoring fans who, needless to say, gave him a rousing reception. CAMERON NOAKES PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS

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0 1 0 2 N I D NE R A E L E W THINGS

Mature-age recruits, radical knee surgery urg gery and the ever-increasing number of interchange nge rotations were just a few of the trends that made the he game g even more fascinating in 2010. ASHLEY BROW NE, MICH MIICH A EL LOV ET T, M T WOMEY J IM M A IN, C A MERON NOA K ES A ND C A L LUM

That recruiters are branching out, with success James Podsiadly is a freak of nature, as 28-year-olds aren’t supposed to saunter into an AFL club after playing at state level in the VFL, command a regular game, kick 45 goals and become one of the cult heroes of the season, replete with a hip nickname, the ‘J-Pod’. We’ve all loved Podsiadly’s incredible story, but more illustrative and educative is the journey of Michael Barlow, the eighth selection at the 2010 NAB AFL Rookie Draft last December. Before he suffered a gruesome broken leg in round 13, Barlow was featuring in the top-three in most AFL media awards around the country.

Blessed with an innate skill enabling him to consistently ﬁnd the football, Barlow averaged 30 possessions for VFL club Werribee last season. He moved seamlessly into the top level, impressing during the NAB Cup and averaging almost 28 touches a game for the Dockers. He was a major factor in Fremantle’s strong early-season form. Barlow was ‘available’ for just $105,800 when the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition opened in February. When his leg buckled mid-season, he was valued at $454,600, only a few rungs below competition star Gary Ablett. The success of Barlow, Podsiadly, Hawthorn defender Ben Stratton (who played for East Perth in the WAFL before being drafted) and Fremantle defender

HAIL A NEW HERO:

Mature-age recruit James Podsiadly stepped up from the VFL competition to play a major role in attack for Geelong in 2010.

THINGS WE LEARNED IN 2010

The success of Barlow, Podsiadly, Stratton and Silvagni has sent more AFL recruiters to VFL, WAFL and SANFL matches this year than ever before RARE GEM:

Alex Silvagni (Casey Scorpions in the VFL) has sent more AFL recruiters to VFL, WAFL and SANFL matches this year than ever before. Orren Stephenson, Myles Sewell, Cam Pedersen and Ed Curnow are just some of those under the microscope and genuine draft prospects. The AFL’s mainstream talent pathway will continue providing clubs with the bulk of their stars of the future. But for the late bloomers, the slow developers and the plain unlucky, state league football now provides a genuine second chance for a pathway to the big time.

Defender Alex Silvagni starred for Fremantle this year after being discovered at state league level.

Malceski starred for Sydney this year and was one of three Swans picked in the initial 40-man All-Australian squad. Rodan hurt his knee just before Christmas and was back in Port’s team by round four, averaging 17 touches a match and kicking 10 goals for the season as a small forward/midﬁelder. Port saw enough with Rodan to book Ebert in for his surgery as quickly as it could. “Certainly it opens up the opportunity for him to play much earlier in the season,” Port general manager of football Peter Rohde said. “The good thing is you get up and about, and you don’t get the other associated effects you have with a normal reconstruction.”

That LARS is a real option In 2008, Sydney Swans half-back Nick Malceski was a guinea pig, at least from an AFL perspective, when he underwent radical

That Cats-Hawks is now the best rivalry in the game

QUICK COMEBACK:

Nick Malceski was up and running again 12 weeks after having the radical LARS surgery.

surg surgery ger after rupturing the ACL in his hiis knee k in a NAB Cup game. Ma Malceski had surgery kno k known as LARS (ligament augm augmentation and reco reconstruction system), with a synthetic ﬁbre used iinstead nstea of a traditional ACL gra aft to allow a graft for a shortened reco overy p recovery period. Malcesk M Malceski returned to the Swa ans team after 12 weeks, Swans rath her than 12 months, giving rather the A AFL med medical fraternity a new wayy forward when dealing with serio ous knee and ankle injuries. serious Si ince Malceski’s Malc Since operation, Carl lton’s Brad Fisher and Carlton’s

Port Adelaide’s David Rodan have had the surgery and have successfully returned to senior football. Brisbane’s Josh Drummond is recovering after his procedure, while another Port player, Brett Ebert, has just started his recovery after surgery to repair an ACL injury sustained in round 21. Instead of returning in 2012 (or late 2011 at the earliest), Ebert should be back by early next season. If clubs had any doubt about the radical surgery, then the form of Malceski and Rodan should give them comfort.

They have become the circle-in-your-calendar games. Make sure you get there if you barrack for either club, or make a date with your couch and your remote control if you don’t. Since the Hawks upset the Cats to win the 2008 Grand Final, the clubs have met four times. Geelong has won all four matches, but by a combined margin of just 20 points. Not since the Sydney Swans and West Coast in the middle of the decade can we think of two teams that played a string of consistently close matches. And with no disrespect to the 2005 and 2006 premiers, the recent Geelong-Hawthorn matches were much better games. The ﬁrst clash this season was on Easter Monday and it was as tough and as physical as we have come to expect from both teams. The Hawks lost Rhan Hooper to a torn hamstring, the

RIVALS: Hawthorn

star Lance Franklin and Geelong defender Harry Taylor have had some great duels in the past two years.

Cats debutant Steven Motlop with a dislocated shoulder. Hawthorn led by as much as four goals in the second term, with Geelong’s inaccuracy bringing back memories of the 2008 ﬂag-decider. But the Cats came back hard in the second half, threw Brad Ottens forward and watched him take the game by the scruff of the neck. Geelong won by nine points in a match so draining it took the victors a fortnight (and the Hawks considerably longer) to recover. Geelong won the round 15 match by one point. Again, it was hard and close, with the Hawks leading by less than a kick at every change before the Cats hit the front. The Hawks might have eked out a win with Clinton Young having two shots for goal late in the game, but the ﬁrst was spoiled on the line by Harry Taylor and the second, just moments later, sailed just wide. The Cats also have strong rivalries with Collingwood and

the Saints, as last week’s thrilling second qualifying ﬁnal showed. If Geelong wins this weekend, it will face the Pies in a preliminary ﬁnal for the second straight year.

And they weren’t finished there, with ‘Jumpin’ Jack Riewoldt booting 10 goals a fortnight later in a thrashing Richmond started this season of West Coast. with losses of 66, 72, 56, 55, 39, All up, the Tigers finished 108 and 50 points. with six wins for the year, That tough run had historians two clear of wooden-spooner harking back to 1964, when West Coast. Fitzroy went through a Hardwick coached well. season without a win, His goal at the start and commentators of the year was to Richmond calling for develop the list the Tigers to has developed a while trying receive special to win games midfield that in a assistance at of football. By year or so, with this year’s draft. season’s end, more experience, All the it was clear could be while, first-year he – and his coach Damien considered players – had Hardwick made signifcant elite remained cool, progress. calm, collected Richmond has and remarkably stoic. Stick to developed a midfield that the processes, he urged his team, in a year or so, with more and a win would come. experience, could be Against Hawthorn in round considered elite; its backline is eight, that win would likely learning how to shut down the have come had Sam Mitchell opposition and generate attack, not tackled Shane Tuck just as and it has a star full-forward. Tuck was running in to kick what Riewoldt emerged from would probably have been the obscurity to kick 78 goals and winning goal. win the Coleman Medal. Punters But that maiden win did come could have scored odds of 1000-1 a fortnight later, against Port on that at the start of the year. Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, and The Tigers demonstrated how in emphatic fashion. quickly the wheel turns. The Tigers restricted the Power to just three goals That coaches in a 47-point romp, which was can look back to followed by what might have go forward been the best rendition of We’re from Tigerland ever heard. What’s good enough for the under-9s coach in local footy is FIGHTING FURY: The Tigers celebrate now, apparently, good enough their first win in 2010, against Port for a growing number of AFL Adelaide in round 10. coaches, who rapidly abandoned the comforts of their elevated boxes for the cut and thrust of the boundary line. Paul Roos started the trend a few years ago when he became the first coach for about 40 years to decamp the coach’s box and base himself in the interchange dug-out and, this season, several of his colleagues followed suit. (Coaching from the boundary, of course, was once the norm.) Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson did it as a trial and liked it so much he never went back upstairs. His one-time assistant, Damien Hardwick, started out at Richmond this year with a brief to teach, as much as coach, his young squad and found the ability to communicate face-to-face with his players during matches a valuable teaching tool. By the end of the season, Dean Bailey (Melbourne), Brett

That things can – and will – turn

AFL RECORD REC CORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 33

THINGS WE LEARNED IN 2010

Ratten (Carlton) and Neil Craig (Adelaide) were also downstairs with their players. Writing on aﬂ.com.au earlier this year, Leigh Matthews said, while senior coaches used to be responsible for about 90 per cent of the decisions made on a match-day, that ﬁgure had dropped to about 60 per cent. Add to that the large number of rotations, and the move to the boundary line to monitor events made plenty of sense. Ratten was a fairly late adopter this season, but the wisdom of the move became apparent almost immediately. “When you have 130, 140 rotations, to actually help the players get a bit more focus on their role for that next block of time they’re out there really helped me,” he said recently. “I thought the interaction was really good.”

CLOSE TO THE ACTION: More

coaches are now calling the shots from the boundary line. Sydney’s Paul Roos (left) started the trend and he was soon joined by Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson (middle) and Carlton’s Brett Ratten (bottom).

Certainly, the Suns deserve a tick for respecting the commitment of their future players to their present clubs

That discretion still exists The entry of Gold Coast next year and Team GWS in 2012 and the introduction of free agency after the 2012 season is driving a sense of uncertainty with regards to movement of players between clubs. In particular, the ability of Gold Coast and Team GWS to each sign eight uncontracted players from rival clubs did create fears that the AFL competition would veer down the path of rival football codes, where players announce their intention in-season to play for a new club the following year. The fear-mongers envisaged a series of player announcements during the season and, if not, then a series of leaks as to the identity of the eight uncontracted players who would be donning Gold Coast’s red and gold next season. Thankfully it didn’t happen. By the completion of round 22, only Adelaide defender Nathan Bock had announced his intention to play for Gold Coast next year. And, even then, his departure from the Crows was only confirmed with two rounds to go. It took until three days after the final home and away game for the identity of the second player, Port Adelaide’s Nathan Krakouer, to become clear and this week the Brisbane Lions’ Michael Rischitelli joined them. It is likely that the identity of the bulk of the other players to 34 AFL RECORD RECORD D visit afl record.com.au

HEADING NORTH:

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock was the ﬁrst uncontracted player to sign with the Gold Coast Suns. He has since been joined by Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide) and Michael Rischitelli (Brisbane Lions).

join the Suns won’t be known until closer to the trade period, which starts on October 4. We’re not sure whether it has been by design that the veil of secrecy over which players would be joining the Suns was not lifted during the season. Certainly, the Suns deserve a tick for respecting the commitment of their future players to their present clubs, despite the obvious temptation to make announcements in a bid to secure sponsorship and membership.

Several big names have been linked to the Suns, and we’re intrigued when coach Guy McKenna says he is “fairly conﬁdent” of landing the players his club has targeted, particularly as it is common knowledge that Geelong superstar Gary Ablett tops that list. Some marquee names may soon announce they will be joining Gold Coast. But it won’t happen until all playing commitments with their existing clubs are completed for the year.

That the game still caters for all body shapes It only takes a quick look at this year’s Coleman Medal table to reinforce the view that the game still caters for all body shapes and types. Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt led the way, the charismatic forward using his natural spring and strong hands to claim the medal with 78 goals. But it was the performance of a number of others – many not conventional key-position

LeCras is small

forwards – which for a modern confirmed height and weight midfielder, but don’t necessarily over the past two determine seasons he someone’s ability to succeed at AFL level. has defied Behind Riewoldt convention sat Western Bulldogs recruit Barry Hall, a brute of a man, and behind him, in third place, was West Coast’s Mark LeCras. At ‘only’ 183cm, LeCras is considered small for a modern midfielder, let alone a marking forward, but over the past two seasons he has defied convention. His 12-goal effort against Essendon in round 16 was phenomenal. While the likes of power forwards including Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin, Fremantle’s Matthew Pavlich and the Brisbane Lions Jonathan Brown were among the top-10 goalkickers this season, mid-sized forwards were also busy. Geelong star Steve Johnson kicked a career-high 57 goals in home and away matches, while Melbourne’s Brad Green spent more time in attack this year and reaped the benefits – booting 55 goals and winning Melbourne’s best and fairest award. St Kilda forward Stephen Milne rounded out the top-10, but to define him as simply a ‘crumber’ would be to understate his influence. Only 22 players in the competition are smaller than Milne, yet the clever Saint is also a strong overhead mark and set-shot for goal. He is the ninth-highest goalkicker playing in the competition.

FLYING EAGLE: Despite his relative lack of height for a key forward, West Coast’s Mark LeCras certainly knows how to get oﬀ the ground.

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Melbourne’s own 3AW.

AFL RECORD REC CORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 35

THINGS WE LEARNED IN 2010

That some clubs believe absolutely in the value of high rotations If you’re sitting anywhere near the interchange bench at an AFL game, it might appear like rush hour in any major city. But considering the average player covers about 15km a game, it makes sense for high rotations to keep players, particularly midfielders, fresh enough to run the game out. Several years ago, that figure was tracking as high as 20km a game (players such as Robert Harvey and Peter Bell often covered more than that distance). Figures supplied by Champion Data show some correlation between high rotation figures and form. For example, Hawthorn was averaging 97 rotations a game from rounds 1-8 (16th in the AFL) and the Hawks were sitting in 14th spot (2-6). From rounds 9-14, Hawthorn increased its rotations to 133 a game (second in the AFL) and climbed to seventh (8-6). In fact, the top five teams in terms of rotation numbers all finished in the top eight. Some clubs argue high rotations have resulted in fewer injuries. Interestingly, Geelong and St Kilda, second and third respectively at the end of the home and away season, were 16th and 15th for interchange rotations. The Cats averaged 105 a match and the Saints 108. The Western Bulldogs led the AFL with 130 rotations a game. The AFL is considering restricting interchange rotations by introducing three interchange players and having one substitute player. Other suggestions in front of clubs include having two interchange players and two substitute players, or capping the number of interchanges a match (including changes at breaks) to 80. The AFL says interchange numbers have doubled from an average of 58 a game in 2007, to 116 in 2010. In 2003, clubs were interchanging players at a rate of just 22 a match. “Players are fresher and travelling at higher speeds, and the medical advice is telling us there is an increased risk of injury from high-intensity collisions if we were to let the speed of the game continue increasing unchecked,” the AFL’s general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson said. 36 AFL RECORD RECORD D visit afl record.com.au

QUICK CHANGE:

A normal scene at the interchange gate as North Melbourne’s Sam Wright dashes on to replace teammate Jack Ziebell.

The Bulldogs led the AFL with 130 rotations a game That goal umpiring remains one of the hardest – and most scrutinsed – jobs in the game

It appears inevitable that technology will one day be used to aid the judging of scoring shots in the AFL. Since Geelong’s Shannon Byrnes kicked a goal in round 19 that was judged a behind – the goal umpire ruled his foot was over the line, despite video evidence to the contrary – the discussion on goal umpires having technical assistance has run hot. Channel Ten has placed cameras on goal posts and

the AFL has also proposed changes that would see the ball hit the post and still be called a goal if it ricochets through the big sticks. Round 19 was a particularly tough weekend for goal umpires with three recorded errors, however, if you consider the previous season, when there were only three recorded errors from about 10,000 shots at goal, you can appreciate just how accurate goal umpires are. This year, there have been more errors than last season, due in part to more goals being kicked from within 15m, more shots

UNDER PRESSURE: Adam McPhee (partially hidden) has performed defensive roles on Chris Judd, here in round 22, and on Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge last week.

at goal created from turnovers, and fewer set shots at goal. This is a by-product of the all-ground or ‘frontal’ pressure that is now a focus of all teams and an emphasis on keeping the ball ‘alive’, which means it can bob out of a scrum and result in a sudden and unexpected snap at goal. Of course, while many of us demand 100 per cent accuracy, the number of times the goal umpire makes a mistake is still marginal. And just maybe, human error adds to the theatre of our game. It certainly gives us something to talk about.

That defensive pressure is now a fundamental part of the game When the Sydney Swans tackled the normally free-ﬂowing Western Bulldogs at the SCG in round 21, Swans coach Paul Roos adopted an unusual tactic. He played veteran tagger Brett Kirk at half-forward with the deliberate intention of preventing Bulldogs defender Robert Murphy running downﬁeld to wreak havoc with his pin-point passing. Kirk not only blanketed Murphy, but kicked two goals in the Swans’ 44-point triumph in a classic example of turning defence into attack. Roos said later he wanted extra pressure placed on the Bulldogs defence so it could not break the game apart with run and carry. Roos’ tactic, however, was not radical as most teams in 2010 applied defensive pressure close to goal, with Collingwood the master of keeping the ball

St Kilda also used its zone defence to strangle the opposition when it moved forward in its forward zone. The Magpies led the competition for tackles inside the forward 50 (with an average of 14.7 a game) and scores from turnovers (with an average of 74 points a game), so it was no coincidence they won the minor premiership. St Kilda also used its zone defence to strangle the opposition when it moved forward, with Zac Dawson, Sam Fisher, Jason Blake,

James Gwilt, Sam Gilbert and Jason Gram working as one. However, the Saints also applied tremendous pressure inside their own 50 and ﬁnished the home and away season with the lowest points against total of any team – 1591 – with Collingwood next on 1658. Another defensive trend saw Fremantle coach Mark Harvey use the big-bodied Adam McPhee

to run with Carlton champion Chris Judd in round 22 and with Hawthorn playmaker Luke Hodge last week. The Swans used the same tactic in the second half of last week’s qualifying ﬁnal against Carlton, using the powerful Josh Kennedy to restrict Judd. The Hawks, for example, used the likes of Jordan Lewis and Beau Muston as defensive forwards with success this year.

,7¶6 )227< :,7+287 7+( 58/(6 For a no holds barred view on everything footy, join Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell, 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday. Sports Today - only on 3AW 693.

AFL RECORD REC CORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 37

VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

IN OR OUT?: Sydney full-forward

Daniel Bradshaw has recovered from an injury that has sidelined him since round nine, but will the Swans gamble on playing him in this weekend’s cut-throat ﬁnal?

MATTER OF CHOICE

Selection dilemmas as clubs face no tomorrow C A MERON NOA K ES

hange. It’s a daunting word and people are fearful of it. When it creeps into the world of sport, fans can become resentful; change is the scapegoat, change is the thing we can easily identify as the reason for failure, change can break a player’s heart, change is a risk. Right now, there is no margin for error as clubs and their coaches contemplate change. Injuries will determine some of these decisions, but strategy will also play a role. Needless to say, it’s a time when sentimentality is discarded and coaches may take risks. However, the quandary confronting coaches is how will change impact the team. Will it NEWS TRACKER

destabilise? Will it rejuvenate? Does it surprise? Do we play someone who has a niggling injury? Experience or youth? These are the thoughts that would have been bouncing around the clubs’ various selection tables during the week. Four-time Essendon premiership coach Kevin Sheedy told the AFL Record this week, coaches had to back themselves. “Pick the best team,” Sheedy said. “You pick the best team, you see what’s left. It is a judgment call, but that’s what makes the coach the coach.” Sheedy is known for dropping Derek Kickett for the 1993 Grand Final after Kickett had played every game that year. He had also demoted Ron Andrews

for the 1983 Grand Final and selected youngsters Mark Thompson and Mark Harvey for the 1984 Grand Final. The 1984 decision worked for the master coach; the Bombers won, Harvey was one of the best, Thompson kicked a goal and two leaders were born. Harvey, now the Fremantle coach, and Thompson, the Geelong coach, would have learned valuable lessons about team selection under Sheedy and somewhere in their minds, as they considered their teams for this weekend and beyond, would be lurking the tutorials from the 1984 Grand Final, when they were named on the bench but ended up playing key roles in the win over Hawthorn. Fremantle’s main weapon, Aaron Sandilands, hurt his knee last weekend, but what is the bigger risk for Harvey when his team takes on Geelong: playing an injured Sandilands

Richard Douglas wins Adelaide’s club champion award, the Malcolm Blight Medal.

or going in without him? And what if Thompson brings James Podsiadly back into the team? He would add to the Cats’ marking options in the forward line, but would the team be weakened in other areas? Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade would have agonised over the decision to play skipper Brad Johnson. Is he ﬁt enough for a ﬁnal? Does his form warrant selection? Is the emotional fallout worth it? And Sydney coach Paul Roos would long have contemplated playing Daniel Bradshaw, pondering why he would tinker with a winning formula by playing someone last seen in round nine? Next week, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon will be forced to make a similar decision on Steven Baker (who last played in round 13), with Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse having CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

the bounce

to consider what he does with some of his senior players. Is experience better than youth? “I’m not part of (the Western Bulldogs), so I can’t tell Rodney Eade what to do with Johnson and I don’t know what the situation is with Bradshaw at Sydney, but the coach has to pick the best team. Sometimes that takes courage,” Sheedy said. FIXTURE

Two byes each in 2011

he AFL has confirmed next year’s 24-round fixture will feature 19 rounds with eight games and five rounds with seven matches. Gold Coast joins the competition next season and will play its opening match in round two, against Richmond at the Gabba while Carrara is being upgraded. The 17 clubs will have two byes each during the year and there will be 187 home and away matches, 11 more than what are played in the 16-club schedule. “The fixture we will use provides the best spread of byes across the competition for the season,” the AFL’s chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said. The AFL indicated three of the rounds featuring seven matches would probably be played in the early part of the season. The AFL expects to announce the full 2011 fixture late next month.

EARLY CELEBRATION:

DEBATING A DECISION

Cameron Ling, with Shannon Byrnes and Steve Johnson, thinks he has kicked the i i goal. l winning

Mooney free kick right call – Gieschen ASHLEY BROW NE

t was a decision that left Geelong supporters hopping mad, but one that was “100 per cent correct”, according to AFL umpires’ manager Jeff Gieschen. Cameron Ling’s apparent match-winning goal late in the final quarter of last Friday night’s second qualifying final against St Kilda was not allowed, with field umpire Matt Stevic ruling Cats forward Cameron Mooney had pushed Saints defender James Gwilt in the back before Ling’s kick. The ball had fallen from the Gwilt-Mooney contest, with Ling collecting and kicking what appeared to be a goal. “The bottom line was that it was a clear free kick,” Gieschen said this week. “It was unfortunate for Mooney that he fell into the middle of Gwilt’s back, but the onus on the umpire is to protect the player with the ball at all times, even if a player’s momentum carries him into an opponent’s back.” Gieschen said Stevic also ruled correctly in not paying a 50m penalty to Gwilt after Ling kicked the ball away. “The whistle went shortly before Cameron (Ling) kicked the ball, but with the roar of the crowd he couldn’t have

The bottom line was that it was a clear free kick ... it was unfortunate for Mooney

expected to “It probably have heard it, so wasn’t in the it was sensible spirit of the umpiring by game, but he Matt not to pay didn’t swear and JEFF GIESCHEN the 50.” he wasn’t overly Gieschen said demonstrative. Had he there was no need run at him or personally to pay a 50m penalty against abused him, then it would Mooney after the Cats’ forward have been a different story,” told Stevic his decision “cost us Gieschen said. “Again, it was the game”. well umpired.”

Pies, Saints have dream runs � Collingwood and St Kilda are well placed after winning their respective qualifying finals last weekend, with recent results suggesting at least one of them is guaranteed a spot in this year’s Grand Final. Since 2000 (when the AFL adopted a system with two qualifying finals and two elimination finals in the first week), both qualifying final winners have ended up meeting in that year’s Grand Final seven times. At least one of the qualifying final winners has reached the Grand Final in the past decade. PETER DI SISTO

NEWS TRACKER

SEASON QUALIFYING FINAL WINNERS 2000

Essendon and Melbourne

HOW THEY FINISHED Bombers beat Demons in the GF

2001

Essendon and Brisbane Lions

Lions beat Bombers in the GF

2002

Brisbane Lions and Collingwood

Lions beat Magpies in the GF Swans lost in PF; Magpies beaten by Lionss in GF

2003

Sydney Swans and Collingwood

2004

Port Adelaide and Brisbane Lions Power beat Lions in the GF

2005

St Kilda and West Coast

Saints lost to Swans in PF; Eagles lost to Swans in GF

2006

Adelaide and Sydney Swans

Crows lost to Eagles in PF; Swans lost to Eagles agles in the GF

2007

Geelong and Port Adelaide

Cats beat Power in GF

2008

Geelong and Hawthorn

Hawks beat Cats in GF

2009

St Kilda and Geelong

Cats beat Saints in the GF

2010

Collingwood and St Kilda

Former Collingwood and Carlton ruckman Chris Bryan signs contract to punt for NFL team Tampa Bay.

40 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

RETIREMENT

Johnson the ‘equal’ of Whitten, Sutton: Smorgon Western Bulldogs champion Brad Johnson announced he would retire at the end of the season. Johnson, 34, made his debut in 1994 and has played a club-record 362 matches. Here, Bulldogs president David Smorgon pays tribute to ‘Johnno’, one of the most popular players of the modern era. Brad Johnson has made a contribution to the Western Bulldogs that I would consider to be as important as any other player in the history of our club. I would rate it the equal of Ted Whitten, Charlie Sutton and the other champions of our club and I’m sure the magnitude of that contribution will be recognised in due course. From the time he first stepped into the side as a local western suburbs boy, ‘Johnno’ played the game like a seasoned veteran. And the longer his career progressed, there was always a youthful zest to the way he went about his football. He defied his age and played above his weight. As our captain, Brad did everything asked of him on the field, while away from the ground, his unconditional support and his leadership has been exemplary. I remember when he first came to the club and broke into the side in 1994. He was a red-faced youngster who wore No. 33 and he had this peculiar running style. But just the way he went about it demonstrated to me that he would be with the club for a very long time. He started as a half-back, moved to the wing and then Terry Wallace sent him to the forward line, where he knew how to find the goals. But the

NEWS TRACKER

EVER XXXXXXX: SMILING: XXXXXX Brad Johnson XXXXX

at the announcement of his retirement, with wife Donna, daughter Ella and son Jack.

great thing about Brad was his versatility and that, wherever he played, we knew we were going to get something valuable out of him. He was also remarkably consistent and, until this year, hardly missed a game. His capacity to heal from week to week was almost unheard of and his durability became one of his greatest assets. There used to be some questions about his ability to lead and he used to have this view that, when we were under the pump, he would have to push himself harder and try to win games oﬀ his own boot. But as a captain, he has learned to delegate, and the esteem with which he is held by the playing group is marvellous. This year has been trying for Brad and, while we laughed about the trolley incident at the time (Johnson was accidentally hit by a drink cart at training), it did set him back. Then came the achilles injury, which also aﬀected him. I just hope he can rebound on Saturday night, show everyone the champion he is and lead us to victory. His record in the game is second to none and all that’s missing is a premiership medallion around his neck. We live in hope. AS TOLD TO ASHLEY BROWNE

WHY FOX WAITED FOR A DOG � Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon gets a tremendous buzz when those outside the Bulldogs praise Johnson, with Linfox founder and former St Kilda player and president Lindsay Fox being a case in point. Fox waited outside the Bulldogs’ dressing room for 45 minutes after last year’s preliminary final, which St Kilda won by seven points, just to talk to Johnson. “He just wanted to tell ‘Johnno’ he thought he was an outstanding leader and to offer his commiserations after a game he said the Bulldogs deserved to win,” Smorgon said. “He told Brad to hold his head up and that he had the respect of everyone at St Kilda. “Brad was really touched that Lindsay would make that sort of gesture and it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment thing either, because Lindsay made a point of contacting me again in the week after the game to tell me what an inspirational sort of guy he thought Brad was.” Smorgon initially recounted this story at Johnson’s testimonial function last month, but thought it was worth airing again as the Bulldogs skipper puts the finishing touches on ASHLEY BROWNE a brilliant career.

YOUNG PUP: Johnson,

pictured in 1995, looked a future star from the ﬁrst day he took the ﬁeld.

Brad Green wins Melbourne’s best and fairest award, the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott memorial trophy. AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 41

the bounce

ACHIEVER

200 on the trot – Kirk a true marvel

MILESTONES FINALS WEEK 2

WHAT A WARRIOR: Brett Kirk will bring up his 200th consecutive game this week.

200 consecutive games Brett Kirk Sydney Swans Will become just the ﬁfth player in history to achieve this milestone.

ASHLEY BROW NE

aturday night’s first semi-final at the MCG will mark the 200th consecutive game for Brett Kirk and, in the eyes of someone who has walked in his shoes, the Sydney Swans co-captain is a living marvel. Former Melbourne forward Adem Yze, who played 226 straight games for the Demons, attributes Kirk’s streak to a combination of smart management of his body and “a little bit of luck”. Kirk, 33, has played 240 games for the Swans, 199 without a miss. He started the streak in round 15 of the 2002 season, a two-point loss to Port Adelaide at the SCG, and it includes 15 finals. He is set to become only the fifth player to achieve the feat and, should the Swans win through to this year’s Grand Final, he will fall two short of teammate Adam Goodes’ club record. Kirk finished last week’s elimination final against Carlton

100 games Mark Blake Geelong

100 club games on the sidelines, being treated for cramp. “He’s probably tried a few different types of treatment and medicines from time to time to get his body over the line, but it’s also really important to look after your body between seasons and I’m sure he’s done that really well,” said Yze, who played 271 games for the Demons from 1995-2008. “I had injections every week for eight weeks at one stage in order to play because of an injured shoulder. “It wasn’t until the mid-season break that I could rest it enough to play the rest of the year without the shots.”

According to Yze, the mental challenge was not so much about getting up to play each week, but to play well each week. “If he’s like me, he probably wouldn’t know how many games he’s played in a row, but he’d have a fair idea of how many of them were good. You want to play as many games as you can as well as you can. “He’s never shirked an issue and always puts his head over the ball. He’s been an amazing player.” Yze, 33 this month, is still playing for the Shepparton Swans, who won their ﬁrst semi-ﬁnal last week in the Goulburn Valley Football League competition.

Ted Richards Sydney Swans The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

200-PLUS WITHOUT T A BREAK 244 Jim Stynes Melbourne 1987-98 226 Adem Yze Melbourne 1997-2007 204 Adam Goodes Sydney Swans 1999-2007 202 Jack Titus Richmond 1933-43

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

42 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

the bounce

LION HEADS TO GOLD COAST

� Michael Rischitelli this week became the third uncontracted player to join new club Gold Coast, signing a three-year deal on Tuesday. Rischitelli, a favourite to win the Brisbane Lions best and fairest award, joins former Adelaide defender Nathan Bock and Port Adelaide half-back Nathan Krakouer at the Suns. “This a great opportunity for me and one that is often not available,” he said. “I love Queensland so to be able to join the Suns and be part of the excitement of a new team on the Gold Coast is going to be fantastic.” “We were very keen to deliver an inside midfielder with great skill and desire to tackle around stoppages into our mix,” Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna said. “Rischitelli is much more than this. He is a very clean ball-handler with excellent skills. He is of great character, reliable, and a very good worker on the training track. “He will bring fantastic eexperience ex xpeerriieen xp ncccee an a n and lleadership le lea ead ad der de der ers rsh shi hiip hip p to to our club.” Thee A Th The AFL AF FL Ld de et et determined thee L th the Li Lio Lions on ons nss would w wo o rreceive re ecceiv ceeivvee a pick at thee een th the nd of the end first fir firs stt round rro o of a su ssub ub bs b subsequent natio n na nat ati tio on draft o national (they (t (th th heeyy m must use thee p th the pi pic ic by the pick 2014 2 20 201 014 14 4 draft) drra as dra d ccompens co com om mp peens en nssat sa at compensation for llosing lo los osi sin ing ng g tth the hee 2 24-year-old, who wh who o played pllay pla p ayyed aye ed d 111 1 matches ffor fo orr tth the hee cclu cl u after club ma m a making his debut in 2004.

44 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

LEAVE PASS:

Ted Whitten was given special approval by the Prime Minister to play in the 1951 ﬁrst semi-ﬁnal.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

National Service release for Whitten J IM M A IN

eenage Footscray sensation Ted Whitten was devastated when he was declared “unavailable” to play in the 1951 ﬁrst semi-ﬁnal against Essendon. The 18-year-old was on National Service leave with the Australian Army and based at the Puckapunyal barracks near Seymour, north of Melbourne. The Minister for the Army, Mr M. Francis, declared there was a standing rule that trainees would not be granted weekend leave. Francis, a Queenslander who followed rugby, said: “It

all week because he thought he had no hope of getting leave from his army unit at Puckapunyal to play for Footscray. “‘I had been told I would not get leave, so I wandered into the camp barber’s shop to get my hair cut,’ Ted said last night. “‘The camp adjutant came in and said I had been granted a leave pass and had better hurry to catch the truck leaving for Melbourne. “‘I staggered out of the shop and wandered in a daze to my room. My mates packed my bag, dressed me and practically carried me to the transport. “‘Boy, I’m happy. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find the whole thing is a dream, but I won’t be dreaming when I get on to the MCG.’” Whitten had started with Footscray that season, making his debut in the opening round (against Richmond) after is regretted it is not possible to being recruited from local discriminate in the case of the club Braybrook. application for special leave for It was his first final – and Private E.J. Whitten.” the first for many of his He added that trainees could Bulldogs teammates. have a weekend off a month, Footscray had played just five but that it was difficult to finals up to that stage – all first arrange transport. semi-finals – and had lost them Whitten, understandably, was all, in 1928, 1942, 1944, 1946 miserable in the week leading up and 1948. to the final, convinced he would The 1951 first semi-final, even be stuck at Puckapunyal. with the youngster who was However, Prime Minister destined to become one of Robert Menzies (a the game’s greatest Carlton supporter) players, proved came to his rescue Boy, I’m happy. no different, and overruled the with Essendon I’m afraid I’ll Army Minister’s defeating wake up and find decision. Footscray by Whitten’s eight points. the whole thing reprieve came Whitten had is a dream just in time for a quiet game. TED WHITTEN AFTER BEING CLEARED BY THE ARMY TO PLAY IN THE him to rush to However, 1951 FIRST SEMI-FINAL Melbourne to take he played in his place in the Footscray’s first Bulldogs line-up, winning finals, in being named on a 1953, when the Bulldogs beat half-forward flank. Essendon by eight points in the The Herald reported: “For first semi-final, and was a star at Ted Whitten, it was one of the centre half-back in Footscray’s happiest hours of his short life. 51-point win over Melbourne ‘Teenage Ted’ had been gloomy in the 1954 Grand Final.

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

THE ELITE GOALKICKERS

his year’s NAB AFL Draft Combine (formerly the NAB AFL Draft Camp) will be held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from September 28-October 1. The nation’s best junior players eligible to be drafted this year have been invited to attend the combine, where they will be tested for their football skills, athletic capabilities and mental resolve. Representatives of all AFL clubs will be in attendance to make their nal assessments before this year’s NAB AFL Draft, to be held on the Gold Coast, on Thursday, November 18. Following are proles of players categorised as tall, medium and small forwards, with comments from AFL Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan. Proles of the other invited players will feature in next week’s AFL Record.

TALL FORWARDS ARIEL STEINBERG CLUB: Bendigo Pioneers AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 191cm WEIGHT: 84kg KS: “Tall forward who is quick on the lead and has an excellent natural leap. He played American football (gridiron) in Alberta, Canada, in 2009.”

CALLUM SINCLAIR CLUB: Port Melbourne AGE: 20 HEIGHT: 201cm WEIGHT: 96kg KS: “Mobile tall forward who is a strong lead and mark overhead. He reads the game very well and is reliable in front of goal.”

DARCY BARDEN CLUB: Northern Knights AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 192cm WEIGHT: 91kg KS: “Competitive tall forward with a great work ethic and strong hands overhead. He is a courageous player who was impressive for Vic Metro in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, averaging 13 disposals and six marks and kicking 11 goals.”

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46 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

AO>CQ @LJ?FKB

JACK DARLING

MARK OF THE DAY:

CLUB: West Perth AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 191cm WEIGHT: 94kg KS: “Athletic tall forward who attacks the ball with ferocity and is strong overhead. He provides excellent defensive pressure in the forward 50. He was named in the Under-18 All-Australian team in 2009 and again provided an excellent marking target up forward for Western Australia in 2010.”

High-leaping South Australian Sam Day is among this year’s draft hopefuls.

ANTON HAMP

JOSH WALKER

JAKE VON BERTOUCH

CLUB: Geelong Falcons AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 194cm WEIGHT: 87kg KS: “Tall forward with terric work rate and strong hands overhead. He impressed for Vic Country in the Under-18 Championships as a lead-up forward, averaging 12 disposals and ve marks.”

CLUB: Woodville-West Torrens AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 192cm WEIGHT: 80kg KS: “Tall forward who is quick on the lead and accurate in front of goal. He has strong hands and is team-orientated. He represented South Australia in the Under-18 Championships in 2010.”

LUCAS COOK CLUB: North Ballarat Rebels AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 194cm WEIGHT: 82kg KS: “Lucas is a tall forward who reads the game well and has sure hands. He is a mobile player who can go back, and makes good decisions. He received Under-18 All-Australian honours in 2010 and averaged 14 disposals and kicked nine goals at the Under-18 Championships.”

JAMIE SOLLY CLUB: Port Adelaide Magpies AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 192cm WEIGHT: 92kg KS: “Tall forward who can also play down back. He has strong hands overhead and is a reliable kick for goal. He represented South Australia at the Under-18 Championships in 2010, kicking 12 goals.”

LUKE MITCHELL

SAM DAY

CLUB: Calder Cannons AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 195cm WEIGHT: 93kg KS: “Tall forward/defender with strong contested-marking ability. He is dangerous around goals and presents well on the lead. He missed the Under-18 Championships due to shoulder surgery but is now back in the TAC Cup.”

CLUB: Sturt AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 195cm WEIGHT: 94kg KS: “High-leaping tall forward who can take contested marks and is skilful on both sides. He represented South Australia at the Under-18 Championships in 2010, winning All-Australian honours.”

TOM LYNCH

CLUB: Woodville-West Torrens AGE: 19 HEIGHT: 192cm WEIGHT: 84kg KS: “Versatile tall forward or defender who is strong overhead and an accurate kick for goal. He is a smart reader of the game and represented South Australia at the Under-18 Championships in 2010.”

CLUB: Dandenong Stingrays AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 196cm WEIGHT: 90kg KS: “Strong-marking tall forward with terric work rate and ability at ground level. He was impressive for Vic Country in the Under-18 Championships, averaging 13 disposals and four marks.”

ZAC FITZGERALD

CLUB: Claremont AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 193cm WEIGHT: 83kg KS: “Versatile type who makes good position and has good work ethic. He has clean hands and his pace is also a feature. He represented Western Australia at the Under-18 Championships in 2010.”

MEDIUM FORWARDS GEORGE HORLIN-SMITH CLUB: Sturt AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 186cm WEIGHT: 70kg KS: “Outstanding at winning the contested football and a very creative player. Also a talented junior cricketer who represented Australia at under-16 level.”

JACOB GILBEE CLUB: Lauderdale/Tassie Mariners AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 183cm WEIGHT: 76kg KS: “Lead-up forward with good hands and goalkicking ability. Provides good defensive pressure inside forward 50. Averaged four tackles a gamee and an nia in kicked seven goals for Tasmania s s.” the Under-18 Championships.”

NATHAN AH MAT-WATKINS WA ATKINS Pioneers (NT); SA) West Adelaide (SA) AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 186cm WEIGHT: 75kg KS: “Smart around the forward line and has excellent hands and awareness. Represented Northern Territory in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships this year and is playing for West Adelaide.” CLUB:

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

DANIEL FARMER

ARRYN SIPOSS

MATTHEW RANKINE

JED LAMB

CLUB: Sandringham Dragons AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 187cm WEIGHT: 80kg KS: “Quick and excellent one-on-one player who can play many roles for his team. Smart goalkicker, booting 17 goals in 10 matches with the Dragons. Attends Haileybury College.”

CLUB: Dandenong Stingrays AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 189cm WEIGHT: 80kg KS: “Strong-marking player who is an excellent kick for goal and very team-orientated. Averaged 15 disposals and kicked 34 goals for Stingrays this year. Represented Vic Country in the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.”

CLUB: West Adelaide AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 179cm WEIGHT: 70kg KS: “Quick and agile forward who can win the contested ball and is capable overhead for his size with his natural leap. South Australian representative at the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.”

CLUB: Gippsland Power AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 181cm WEIGHT: 78kg KS: “Clever forward with clean hands overhead and at ground level and very good awareness. Super-smart goalkicker in all situations, with 44 goals and 29 behinds for Power and Vic Country at the Under-18 Championships.”

AARON YOUNG

CLUB: Calder Cannons AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 175cm WEIGHT: 82kg KS: “Powerful inside midelder/ forward with excellent disposal skills and contested ball-winning ability. Averaged 28 disposals in the TAC Cup and represented Vic Metro at the 2010 Under-18 Championships, with an injury curtailing his carnival.”

KIERAN HARPER CLUB: Eastern Ranges AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 187cm WEIGHT: 78kg KS: “A quick and skilful player with great goal sense. Can take contested marks and impact a game. Vic Metro representative in 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, kicking seven goals, including four against Western Australia. Attends Yarra Valley School.

CLUB: Eastern Ranges AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 188cm WEIGHT: 76kg KS: “Outstanding mark for his size and very athletic. Wins contested ball and has pace and hardness. Represented Vic Country in the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, averaging 16 disposals, three tackles and four marks, as well as kicking six goals.”

DION PRESTIA

JARRYD LYONS

BEN NEWTON

THOMAS SCHNEIDER

CLUB: Sandringham Dragons AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 183cm WEIGHT: 77kg KS: “Agile player with terric ball-winning ability, footy know-how and endurance. Averaged 21 disposals and kicked 23 goals in 16 matches with the Dragons this year.”

CLUB: South Fremantle AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 183cm WEIGHT: 76kg KS: “Strong mark and wins contested football. Uses ball well with hand and foot. Represented Western Australia in the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and is an AIS-AFL Academy graduate.”

CLUB: Oakleigh Chargers AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 178cm WEIGHT: 77kg KS: “Very smart and courageous fall-of-the-ball player with clean hands and neat disposal skills. Smart around goals and very impressive for Vic Metro in the 2010 Under-18 Championships. Averaged 22 disposals at 75 per cent efciency.”

JOSH MELLINGTON

PATRICK KARNEZIS

CLUB: Murray Bushrangers AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 186cm WEIGHT: 78kg KS: “Clever opportunist around goals and in one-on-one marking situations. Kicked 38 goals and 16 behinds in 15 matches this year. Tackles well inside forward 50. Averaged three tackles per game.”

CLUB: Oakleigh Chargers AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 190cm WEIGHT: 78kg KS: “Well-balanced and team-focused and has set up many goals. He is also a clever goalkicker and has strong hands. He represented Vic Metro at the 2010 Under-18 Championships.”

VIV MICHIE

SMALL FORWARDS

CLUB: Oakleigh Chargers AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 185cm WEIGHT: 79 KS: “Well-rounded player who is dangerous as a forward and can play mideld or back. Excellent kick and reads game extremely well. Represented Vic Metro in the 2010 Under-18 sposals Championships, averagingg 16 disposals and two goals.”

JAYDEN PITT Geelong Falcons AGE: 17 HEIGHT: 188cm WEIGHT: 72kg KS: “Player with good d reactive speed, agility and smart user on both feet. m mely Reads ball off hands extremely 10 0 well. All-Australian at 2010 s,, Under-18 Championships, d averaging 18 disposals and kicking eight goals for the carnival.” CLUB:

JOSH GREEN CLUB: Clarence/Tassie Mariners AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 179cm WEIGHT: 76kg KS: “Quick and agile midelder/forward who wh reads the game extremely well and wins wi contested footy. Won Tasmania’s Most Mo Valuable Player award at the 2010 NA AFL Under-18 Championships and NAB Al All-Australian honours, averaging 25 dis disposals at the carnival.”

TIM MILERA T CL CLUB: Port Adelaide Magpies AG AGE: 18 HE HEIGHT: 170cm W WEIGHT: 72kg KS K KS: “Skilful and talented genuine small ffor forward in the Eddie Betts mould. Great goal ggo sense, clean hands and has been impressive im m at senior level this year.”

SAM CROCKER CLUB: Oakleigh Chargers AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 180cm WEIGHT: 73kg KS: “Midelder who can play forward and use his excellent disposal to set up goals. Quick and strong overhead for his size, he also makes good decisions with the football.”

CAMERON JOHNSTON CLUB: Geelong Falcons AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 181cm WEIGHT: 78kg KS: “Quick and versatile player who can play the hit-up forward role or go down back. Very athletic and a long kick.”

BEN REID CLUB: Bendigo Pioneers AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 181cm WEIGHT: 67kg KS: “Smart forward with good anticipation, clean hands at ground level and overhead. Uses ball well and impressed for NSW/ACT in the Under-18 Championships this year. Brother Sam plays for the Western Bulldogs.”

REECE CONCA CLUB: Perth AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 182cm WEIGHT: 76kg KS: “Versatile type who can play forward, mideld or back. His ability to run and carry and his football smarts were prominent in representing Western Australia at the Under-18 Championships this year. Averaged 18 disposals at 79 per cent efciency.”

HAYDEN YARRAN CLUB: West Perth AGE: 18 HEIGHT: 186cm WEIGHT: 75kg KS: “Very clever player around goal and accurate on the run or from set shot. Strong overhead and can also push up into mideld. Represented Western Australian in the 2010 Under-18 Championships.”

FOLLOW ALL THE OFF-SEASON AC TION � In the lead-up to this year’s NAB AFL Draft Combine and the NAB AFL Draft, make sure you follow all the latest news on a.com.au, with updates on delistings and trades. The website will review every club (with a prole of each player), analysing what went right, what went wrong and what each needs to do. There will be live chats with the website’s resident club experts, providing you the chance to ask the ‘hard’ questions.

There is also a ‘Rate Your List’ application (rateyourlist.a.com.au/), which allows you to make the call on who should be delisted or traded while also seeing what other supporters think. And keep reading a.com.au for in-depth analysis of the NAB AFL Draft Combine and proles of players eligible to be selected at this year’s NAB AFL Draft.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 47

Win

1 of 4

toyota aurions in sEPtEMBEr *

matchday FINALS WEEK 2, 2010

YOUR ULTIMATE GAME GUIDE INCLUDING STATISTICS, FACTS

CLUB NEWS

NO BREATHING SPACE: The Swans’

relentless pressure proved overwhelming for the Bulldogs in round 21 and could again be a factor in the ﬁrst semi-ﬁnal.

OVERVIEW

Bulldogs rule at the ’G

Swans are on a ﬁve-game winning streak, but Dogs hold the advantage in ﬁnals. Geelong Cats v Fremantle

Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans

against Geelong when they defeated the Cats by seven points at Subiaco in round three. It was their only meeting this season and took the overall record to 18-7 in the Cats’ favour. Fremantle scored its maiden win in the AFL when it defeated Geelong by 19 points in round four, 1995. That game was played at the WACA and this week’s semi-ﬁnal at the MCG will be just the fourth venue the sides have met at (all other matches have been at either Skilled Stadium or Subiaco). The Dockers have defeated the Cats only once in 12 trips to Victoria – they won by nine points at Skilled Stadium in 2005. Geelong’s average winning margin in Victoria is 38 points while, at Subiaco, the Cats have won seven times by an average of 32 points.

Bulldogs as recently as round 21, ending a five-game losing streak against the Dogs. One of the Bulldogs’ victories during that run was the 2008 semi-final at the MCG, where they scored by 37 points. Barry Hall, now with the Bulldogs, was one of Sydney’s best that night, collecting 16 disposals, taking 10 marks and kicking 4.2. Apart from the 2008 final at the MCG, all games between the Swans and the Bulldogs since round 14, 1999, have been played at either the SCG or Manuka Oval in Canberra. In that time, the Dogs enjoy a 9-6 win-loss advantage. These sides have never played each other in a home and away match at the MCG and this will be their third finals meeting at the venue. The Bulldogs won the 1997 qualifying final by 35 points.

» The Dockers broke a seven-game losing streak

» Sydney scored a 44-point win over the Western

AFL TIPSTERS

Peter Di Sisto AFL Record

Geelong Cats Sydney Swans

25 points 3 points

TOTALS: SEASON 110 FINALS 3

Gerard Whateley ABC Grandstand

Geelong Cats 60 points Western Bulldogs 8 points TOTALS: SEASON 111 FINALS 2

Brian Taylor 3AW

Geelong Cats Sydney Swans

50 points 3 points

TOTALS: SEASON 114 FINALS 2

Andrew Demetriou AFL CEO

To get involved in this weekend’s AFL semi-finals on Twitter, simply follow the #tags below and join in the conversation, with selected tweets appearing on the big screen. Geelong Cats v Fremantle #aflcatsfreo W Bulldogs v Sydney Swans #afldogsswans

Geelong Cats Sydney Swans

26 points 8 points

TOTALS: SEASON 107 FINALS 2

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 25

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AFL – FINALS WEEK 1 SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL St Kilda 4.7 8.8 11.11 12.11 (83) Geelong 3.4 5.6 10.6 11.13 (79) Best: St Kilda – Dal Santo, Hayes, Riewoldt, Jones, Goddard, Fisher. Geelong – Bartel, Kelly, Chapman, Milburn, Mackie. Goals: St Kilda – Riewoldt 3, Milne 3, Schneider, Jones, Goddard, Koschitzke, Gardiner, Montagna. Geelong – Mooney 3, Johnson 2, Stokes 2, Varcoe 2, Byrnes, Chapman. Umpires: B. Rosebury, M. Stevic, S. Ryan. Crowd: 63,608 at the MCG.

PURPLE PASSION:

Skipper Matthew Pavlich is embraced by teammates, from left, Chris Mayne, Michael Johnson and Nathan Fyfe, during the Dockers’ convincing elimination ﬁnal win over Hawthorn.

SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL Fremantle 4.3 6.4 12.7 14.10 (94) Hawthorn 1.4 1.11 4.13 8.16 (64) Best: Fremantle – Broughton, Mundy, Hill, Fyfe, Duffield, McPhee. Hawthorn – Mitchell, Burgoyne, Lewis, Sewell, Roughead. Goals: Fremantle – Pavlich 3, Mayne 2, Sandilands, McPhee, Crowley, Mundy, Hill, Walters, Broughton, Morabito, Silvagni. Hawthorn – Roughead 4, Franklin 2, Ladson, Whitecross. Umpires: C. Donlon, S. Meredith, H. Kennedy. Crowd: 42,719 at Subiaco Oval. FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL Collingwood 3.6 7.15 11.18 17.22 (124) Western Bulldogs 0.5 3.7 5.11 8.14 (62) Best: Collingwood – Swan, Thomas, Johnson, Pendlebury, Maxwell, Ball. Western Bulldogs – Griffen, Boyd, Cross, Lake, Hudson. Goals: Collingwood – Swan 3, Sidebottom 3, Brown 2, Didak 2, Pendlebury 2, Jolly, Davis, Cloke, Thomas, Dawes. Western Bulldogs – Hall 2, Griffen 2, Higgins 2, Giansiracusa, Hahn. Umpires: M. Vozzo, M. Nicholls, R. Chamberlain. Crowd: 66,545 at the MCG. FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL Sydney Swans 6.6 11.8 11.11 14.15 (99) Carlton 4.3 7.8 12.12 13.16 (94) Best: Sydney Swans – Kennedy, Dennis-Lane, Bevan, Malceski, McVeigh, Goodes. Carlton – Judd, Carrazzo, Russell, Jacobs, Murphy. Goals: Sydney Swans – Dennis-Lane 4, Bevan 3, Shaw 2, Goodes, O’Keefe, Jack, White, Jetta. Carlton – Waite 3, Walker 3, Warnock 2, Henderson 2, Garlett 2, Murphy. Umpires: S. McBurney, S. Jeffery, S. McInerney. Crowd: 41,596 at ANZ Stadium.

A F L S E A S O N S TAT S KICKS

Dane Swan Leigh Montagna Paul Chapman Matthew Boyd Bryce Gibbs Corey Enright Paul Duﬃeld Luke Hodge

MARKS

Brian Lake Sam Gilbert Adam Goodes Sam Fisher Jason Blake Brendon Goddard Travis Cloke Brad Green

HANDBALLS

Daniel Cross Brady Rawlings Gary Ablett Jobe Watson Joel Selwood Matt Priddis Kane Cornes Scott Pendlebury

Collingwood St Kilda Geelong Western Bulldogs Carlton Geelong Fremantle Hawthorn

449 390 379 363 342 340 337 335

Western Bulldogs St Kilda Sydney Swans St Kilda St Kilda St Kilda Collingwood Melbourne

227 182 169 165 160 156 155 153

Western Bulldogs North Melbourne Geelong Essendon Geelong West Coast Eagles Port Adelaide Collingwood

395 387 371 363 358 336 335 322

HANDBALLS RECEIVED Paul Chapman Brady Rawlings Leigh Montagna Dane Swan Gary Ablett Lenny Hayes Joel Selwood Corey Enright

Geelong North Melbourne St Kilda Collingwood Geelong St Kilda Geelong Geelong

76 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

331 326 318 298 282 273 272 269

TACKLES

Andrew Swallow Domenic Cassisi Kieren Jack Lenny Hayes Luke Ball Jude Bolton Matt Priddis Jordie McKenzie

INSIDE 50S

Ryan Griﬀen Adam Goodes Leigh Montagna Dane Swan Paul Chapman Chris Judd Danyle Pearce Gary Ablett

North Melbourne Port Adelaide Sydney Swans St Kilda Collingwood Sydney Swans West Coast Eagles Melbourne

183 176 145 144 144 136 130 128

Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans St Kilda Collingwood Geelong Carlton Port Adelaide Geelong

116 114 113 112 111 110 109 106

REBOUNDED FROM 50 Paul Duﬃeld Nick Malceski Brent Guerra James Frawley Brian Lake Heath Shaw Sam Gilbert Brett Deledio

HARD-BALL GETS

Gary Ablett Domenic Cassisi Matthew Boyd Chris Judd Jobe Watson Matt Priddis Ben Hudson Daniel Cross

Fremantle Sydney Swans Hawthorn Melbourne Western Bulldogs Collingwood St Kilda Richmond

130 111 106 102 99 95 94 93

Geelong Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Carlton Essendon West Coast Eagles Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs

145 143 142 136 132 128 126 122

LOOSE-BALL GETS Dane Swan Scott Pendlebury Marc Murphy Dale Thomas Gary Ablett Kieren Jack Jobe Watson Alan Didak

FREES FOR

Andrew Swallow Joel Selwood Daniel Cross Luke Hodge Dean Brogan Mark Jamar Marc Murphy Jimmy Bartel

FREES AGAINST Dean Brogan Mark Jamar Darren Jolly Michael Osborne Domenic Cassisi Luke Hodge Stephen Milne Lance Franklin

HIT-OUTS

Aaron Sandilands Mark Jamar Shane Mumford Dean Cox Darren Jolly Dean Brogan Matthew Leuenberger Brent Renouf

Collingwood Collingwood Carlton Collingwood Geelong Sydney Swans Essendon Collingwood

108 75 75 74 73 73 72 72

North Melbourne Geelong Western Bulldogs Hawthorn Port Adelaide Melbourne Carlton Geelong

52 49 46 46 45 45 42 42

Port Adelaide Melbourne Collingwood Hawthorn Port Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda Hawthorn

46 44 44 41 39 38 38 36

Fremantle Melbourne Sydney Swans West Coast Eagles Collingwood Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions Hawthorn

704 643 514 502 494 475 461 426

THE HIGH-DEFINITION SPECIALIST VFL – FINALS SEMI-FINALS Northern Bullants 6.3 8.6 10.7 10.11 (71) Casey Scorpions 3.1 5.5 6.6 9.6 (60) BEST: Northern Bullants – McLean, McCorkell, Johnson, Dare, Morgan, Arrowsmith. Casey Scorpions – MacReadie, Fieldsend, Lees, Riseley, Patti, Mohr. GOALS: Northern Bullants – O’hAilpin 3, J. Anderson, McLean, Fisher, Johnson, Hampson, Saad, Thomas. Casey Scorpions – Miller 2, MacReadie, Riseley, Creed, Wall, McNamara, Fieldsend, Healey. Box Hill Hawks 3.3 8.6 11.7 14.11 (95) Port Melbourne 1.5 5.8 9.14 12.17 (89) BEST: Box Hill Hawks – Suckling, Lisle, Pedersen, J. Hoegel, Shiels, Kayler-Thomson. Port Melbourne – Dwyer, Johnston, Lynch, Suckling, Pitt, R. McMahon. GOALS: Box Hill Hawks – Suckling 4, J. Hoegel 3, Kayler-Thomson 2, Milne, Neil, Moss, Breust, Savage. Port Melbourne – R. McMahon 3, Pitt 3, McGrath 2, Dwyer 2, Sinclair, Cain.

SANFL – ROUND 23 North 1.1 1.4 3.5 6.11 (47) Port 1.5 1.7 3.9 4.9 (33) BEST: North – Allan, Wright, Motlop, Ryswyk, Bennett, Younie. Port – Dolling, Milera, Biasci, Slattery, Summerton, De Pasquale. GOALS: North – Motlop 3, Whyman 2, Younie. Port – Milera 2, Harder, De Pasquale. Central 3.2 3.4 6.8 7.8 (50) Glenelg 0.1 2.6 2.6 3.7 (25) BEST: Central – Hayes, Havelberg, Sansbury, Spurr, Sibenaler, Williams, Jenner. Glenelg – Carr, Allen, Panozzo, Cranston, B. Kane. GOALS: Central – Havelberg 4, Sansbury, Dutschke, Gunston. Glenelg – T. Grima, Kirkby, Lally. Norwood 0.4 5.6 7.7 8.15 (63) West 0.0 1.3 2.9 2.9 (21) BEST: Norwood – Lower, Zorzi, Puopolo, Phillips, Gallagher, Dawe. West – Piasente, Ferguson, Willits, Caire, Morris. GOALS: Norwood – Terlich 2, Phillips, Donohue, Gallagher, Shenton, Lower, Rowe. West – Hartlett, Ben Fisher. Sturt 1.10 5.10 8.11 9.11 (65) Eagles 0.0 2.0 2.1 4.3 (27) BEST: Sturt – Hassan, McGlone, Cubillo, Crane, Fittock, Sheedy, Nelson. Eagles – Parry, Cicolella, Thompson, Rowntree, Powell. GOALS: Sturt – Crane 2, Chambers 2, McIntyre 2, Vassal, Johncock, Hassan. Eagles – Jarrad, Treeby, Smith, Goldsworthy.

FOR YOUR NEAREST STORE CALL

WA F L – F I N A L S FIRST SEMI-FINAL East Perth 3.2 9.6 10.8 15.12 (102) East Fremantle 7.2 8.4 10.9 13.10 (88) BEST: East Perth – Wulﬀ, Beeck, Oakley-Nicholls, Hancock, McKinley, Lee. East Fremantle – McNamara, McGough, Palmer, Cripps, Dodd, Teakle. GOALS: East Perth – McKinley 6, Oakley-Nicholls 3, Clarke 2, Beeck, Swan, Travers, Wulﬀ. East Fremantle – Green 2, Palmer 2, Cripps, Dunn, Foster, Horsburgh, Leslie, McGough, McNamara, Perham, Teakle. SECOND SEMI-FINAL Claremont 3.6 9.10 12.13 13.15 (93) Swan Districts 3.4 4.4 8.7 10.9 (69) BEST: Claremont – Blackwell, Mitchell, Ruck, Foster, Wilkes, Brabazon. Swan Districts – Krakouer, Twomey, Coniglio, Roberts, Geappen, Pratt. GOALS: Claremont – Foster 4, Crawford 3, Starling 2, Ninyette, Richardson, Ruck, Rudeforth. Swan Districts – Hansen 2, Geappen, Krakouer, Riggio, Roach, Roberts, Spaanderman, Twomey, Wolfenden.

TAC C U P – F I N A L S

Tie in VFL’s Liston Trophy

� Stephen Clifton (pictured left above) and Shane Valenti grabbed a special place in VFA/VFL history when they dead-heated in the JJ Liston Trophy. Port Melbourne’s Valenti is the first player to win the Fothergill-Round Medal and Liston Trophy. Valenti won the medal in 2007, awarded annually in honour of Des Fothergill and Barry Round, the only players to win a Brownlow Medal and Liston Trophy. It’s presented to the player under the age of 24 with the most potential to take his game to the next level. After winning the Fothergill-Round Medal, Valenti, then 20, was selected as a rookie by Melbourne, upgraded and played 15 AFL games with the Demons before he was delisted at the end of last season. Valenti came close to winning the coveted double in reverse order. He was runner-up in the 2007 Liston Trophy, the same season he was named Fothergill-Round medallist. Valenti shares the VFL’s highest individual honour with Clifton, who, like Valenti, progressed to the VFL via the TAC Cup competition. Clifton, a best and fairest with North Ballarat Rebels under current Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald in 2005, has enjoyed a breakout season for North Ballarat. After improving each season under Fitzgerald’s tutelage, Clifton, who finished in the top-10 in last season’s Liston, has made significant strides in 2010. He was selected for the VFL representative team against Western Australia and proved one of the catalysts in the emphatic 55-point win. He is also on the cusp of adding another premiership medallion to the ones he received in 2007 and 2008.

ELIMINATION FINALS Calder Cannons 4.3 7.4 7.7 11.9 (75) Geelong Falcons 0.2 1.5 3.6 7.8 (50) BEST: Calder Cannons – Sullivan, Wallis, Liberatore, Hunter, Prestia, Grenfell. Geelong Falcons – Dahlhaus, MacLeod, Sodomaco, Taylor, Smith, Smedts. GOALS: Calder Cannons – Meli 3, Sullivan 2, Mitchell 2, Schroder, Murphy, Guthrie, Williams. Geelong Falcons – Fisher 3, Smith 2, Dahlhaus, MacLeod. Dandenong Stingrays 4.3 6.9 10.11 15.17 (107) North Ballarat Rebels 1.2 1.2 4.4 5.6 (36) BEST: Dandenong Stingrays – Shiel, Siposs, Lynch, Treloar, Heddles, Buntine. North Ballarat Rebels – Barber, S. Ross, Mabon, Cameron, Arnott, Taggert. GOALS: Dandenong Stingrays – Lynch 4, Treloar 3, Greeley 2, Curren, Buchan, Benbow, Siposs, Shiel, Amalﬁ. North Ballarat Rebels – O’Brien 2, Hill, Cameron, Spriggs.

AFL QUEENSLAND – FINALS

Oakleigh Chargers 1.5 5.8 6.12 9.16 (70) Sandringham Dragons 2.1 7.4 8.8 10.8 (68) BEST: Oakleigh Chargers – Gaﬀ, Lester, Schneider, Michie, Cassidy, Batsanis. Sandringham Dragons – A. Woodward, Russo, Jacobs, Slonim, Reilly, J. Frost. GOALS: Oakleigh Chargers – Batsanis 2, Tomlinson 2, Golds, Lester, Castricum, Schneider, Michie. Sandringham Dragons – Farmer 2, Reilly 2, Sumner 2, Jacobs, A. Woodward, Russo, Sharp. Gippsland Power 4.2 7.2 7.7 12.10 (82) Northern Knights 3.1 8.3 10.6 10.8 (68) BEST: Gippsland Power – Butcher, Ross, Heppell, Smith, Northe, Lindsay. Northern Knights – Barden, Treloar, Grgic, Morris, Marcon, Caddy. GOALS: Gippsland Power – Northe 3, Butcher 2, Deery 2, Lindsay, Hoghton, Marusic, Pendlebury, Lamb. Northern Knights – Barden 3, Treloar 3, Marcon 2, Christopher, Longer.

A F L TA S M A N I A – F I N A L S

FIRST SEMI-FINAL Southport 3.4 12.6 14.9 20.10 (130) Mt Gravatt 3.4 4.9 6.13 8.15 (63) BEST: Southport – Daniel, Payne, Pfeiﬀer, Hughes, Lynch, Putt. Mt Gravatt – A. Tarrant, Smith, Head, Hamill, T. Tarrant, Lake. GOALS: Southport – Hughes 5, Knight 4, MacLaren 3, Pfeiﬀer 2, Grant 2, Daniel, Merrett, Payne, Van Unen. Mt Gravatt – Spencer, Morrison, Furfaro, White, Hamill, Steven, Pirika, Reid.

FIRST SEMI-FINAL Devonport 4.1 5.2 5.8 5.11 (41) North Hobart 2.1 3.6 3.6 5.9 (39) BEST: Devonport – Smith, Mott, Symmons, McDonald, McCrossen, Crowden. North Hobart – Hall, Darley, de Gooyer, Midson, Veitch, Muir. GOALS: Devonport – Mott, McDonald, Viney, Crowden, Kendall. North Hobart – Allison 2, Hall 2, Fisher.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL Labrador 4.3 8.5 8.8 14.12 (96) Morningside 3.2 7.6 11.13 12.17 (89) BEST: Labrador – Knobel, Allen, Paterson, Clarke, Mills, Wrigley. Morningside – Lucy, Upton, Kinch, Nash, Mugavin, Rogers. GOALS: Labrador – Howard 3, Featherstone 2, Notting 2, Vigus 2, Paterson, Alleway, Clarke, Wrigley, Sleeth. Morningside – Mugavin 5, Lucy 3, Brown 2, Upton, Gough.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL Clarence 3.5 6.11 8.13 11.16 (82) Launceston 2.1 3.1 3.2 5.3 (33) BEST: Clarence – Green, Savage, Thurley, Swan, Drury, Sharman. Launceston – Green, McCabe, Harris, Savage, Sheppard, French. GOALS: Clarence – Standen 3, Thurley, Paine, Castle, Setchell, O’Brien, Baker, Whiteland, Brettingham-Moore. Launceston – Stephens 2, Bristow, Campbell, Groenewegen.

AFL SYDNEY – FINALS

AFL CANBERR A – FINALS

FIRST SEMI-FINAL East Coast 1.0 6.2 8.2 12.5 (77) Pennant Hills 5.3 5.3 8.7 10.12 (72) BEST: East Coast – Steer, Charleston, Goodey, Dimery, Costello, Kruger. Pennant Hills – McCamey, Wright, Fraunfelter, Clarke, Brawn, Dell’Aquila. GOALS: East Coast – Goodey 4, Jamie Vlatko 2, Fitton, Dugmore, Baker, Chapman, Spiteri, Dimery. Pennant Hills – Brawn 4, Angel 2, Bills 2, Aitken, Bilbe.

FIRST SEMI-FINAL Eastlake 3.4 7.6 11.9 15.9 (99) Queanbeyan 0.4 5.7 8.9 12.12 (84) BEST: Eastlake – Dean, Gibson, McMahon, Roulstone, Wilson, Bruce. Queanbeyan – Jaques, Conroy, Daniher, Kavanagh, Irwin, Wescombe. GOALS: Eastlake – Roulstone 5, Bruce 3, Dean 2, Taylforth 2, Cummins, Wilson, Gumley. Queanbeyan – Daniher 3, Kavanagh 2, Stevens 2, Quade, Liddle, Griggs, Lieschke, Longmore.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL Sydney University 3.0 6.1 10.9 14.10 (94) Western Suburbs 2.3 8.4 10.6 12.9 (81) BEST: Sydney University – Mitchell, Caspersonn, McConnichie, Roberts, Kraeﬀ t, Martin. Western Suburbs – Linsen, M. Kassem, Lambert, Watkins, Eurell, Cusick. GOALS: Sydney University – Egan 4, Lee 2, Mankarious 2, Mitchell, McGuirk, McConnichie, Roberts, Kraeﬀ t, Martin. Western Suburbs – Eurell 4, E. Kassem 3, Cresswell 2, Lily, Cochrane, Absolum.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL Ainslie 2.2 7.2 7.9 9.11 (65) Sydney Swans 0.1 2.2 2.4 3.7 (25) BEST: Ainslie – Hughes, Andrews, Shirley, Argall, Crook, Holmes. Sydney Swans – Thornton, Currie, Sumner, Farrell, Gorddon. GOALS: Ainslie – Hughes 3, Harris 2, Stone 2, Holmes, Lawless. Sydney Swans – Bradshaw 2, Johnston.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 77

WORTH THE WAIT: Irish import Tadhg Kennelly celebrates the Swans’ ﬁrst ﬂag in 72 seasons in 2005 with an Irish jig (bottom), and coach Paul Roos hoists the premiership cup.

G N I K A BRE T H G U O R D THE

arating experience for all hil ex an is al Fin d an Gr a ing Winn family and fans. But it is even ls, cia oﬃ rs, ye pla – ed ern nc co a long drought. K A R EN LYO N sweeter when it comes after

78 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

n a temporary stage set up in the middle of the MCG, Tadhg Kennelly danced an Irish j likel jig, likely the ﬁrst performed at t hom the home of Australian Football. Aft a tense battle and a After ffour-po victory over West four-point C B Coast, Brett Kirk declared the premier p premiership fought and won f the Bloods. B for Footb Football’s longest drought, year between drinks, had 72 years b ﬁnally been broken. An emotional em Swans coach Paul Roos P Ro told thousands of Sydney fans still in the stands: ““I know it’s been a long time waiting w waiting, but I think it’s been worth tthe wait … here it is!” w As red re and white confetti dropped d dropped, Roos lifted the 2005 premier p premiership cup aloft. Minu Minutes later, hundreds poured into the Sydney dressing p rrooms iin the bowels of the MCG, but M b it was hardly the uncomf u uncomfortable crush usually associat a associated with the winner’s rrooms o on Grand Final day. IIt was a scene of pure joy.

Fans, family and friends and Swans of old formed part of a sea of bodies, jostling to get near their sons or brothers, friends or heroes. And in the middle of it all, a huge victory circle was forming. Players, coaches, administrators, trainers, anybody who had given something, anything to achieve what had been beyond the club for so many years, were part of the circle. And the rest of the room was drawn to it, like moths to ﬂames. Hundreds of voices, even those belonging to the supposedly impartial members of the football media, could not help but be swept up in the atmosphere. “Cheer, cheer the red and the white …’’ was sung with gusto by every person in the room. Victory is sweet, especially after a lifetime. The feeling in the rooms that day was born of joy and relief. Roos recently said it reﬂected the culture the Swans had built, one that embraced families and friends and allowed people into

the inner sanctum. This was a wholly inclusive occasion. Swans legends Bob Skilton, Barry Round and Paul Kelly stormed the field just seconds after the siren had sounded and Leo Barry’s now-famous mark had secured the club its first premiership since 1933. The win was celebrated by generations of former players and fans, even neutral onlookers happy for somebody else to have a turn. The enormity of the achievement only hit Roos after the cup had been put on display in the club’s Sydney offices. “When you’re involved, you don’t really feel the pressure of the drought,” Roos said when asked by the AFL Record to reflect on the win. “Just like the other clubs, you are simply trying to win a premiership. “You’re aware of the fans’ frustration. You get letters saying, ‘You haven’t won one for 68, then 69, then 70, then 71, then 72 years’. Until you win it, you don’t realise what an enormous relief it is,’’ he said. “It really hit me afterwards, as there were people who genuinely AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 79

ws ended 32 years of the premiership and then Colliwobbles by lifting the Magpies to the 1990 ﬁrst premiership joy since guided Brisbane to the 2001-03 ﬂags, the Lions’ r Tony Shaw (top) and Fitzroy won in 1944. He is pictured with Pies skippe Lions enjoy the moment Lions captain Michael Voss (middle), while the after receiving the 2001 cup (bottom).

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT – TWICE: Leigh Matthe

80 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

never thought they would see the under-19s had won a premiership Swans win a premiership. I used a couple of years back. We had a to have a joke that all the funeral different mix in our personnel,” parlours must be full because he said. I used to get so many letters Shaw believes the pressure of saying: ‘I can die happy now.’” the occasion is more acute than In its quest to break the long the pressure associated with a drought, Roos believed his team long drought. was helped by being away from Factors including the football’s epicentre, Melbourne. additional media interest, “A benefit of living in Sydney the requests from family and is that players don’t feel the extra friends for tickets, the 10,000 pressure. When they go to the people turning up for a training delicatessen for their chicken session and taking part in the and salad sandwich, people Grand Final parade can impact a aren’t always talking player’s mind more than about the premiership worrying about the and the papers last time the club in the milk bar won the flag. I used to aren’t full of “Leigh get so many the prospect.’’ Matthews is letters saying: It’s a point very controlled. not lost on He had been ‘I can die football great there (on happy now’ Leigh Matthews, Grand Final PAUL ROOS who coached two day) a number teams to droughtof times and it was breaking victories, his organisation that Collingwood in 1990 after 32 helped us,” Shaw said. years and the Brisbane Lions in “He sent us away on 2001, 57 years after Fitzroy’s last preliminary final night, straight flag, in 1944. after we won through to the Matthews argues that teams Grand Final. We went to a country based in non-traditional football club and got away from it all.” states have a slight advantage After being involved in two in that it’s “easier not to play the losing Grand Finals, Shaw was game” before the ball is bounced. determined to stayed focused He believes football clubs and not contemplate victory act as a “cocoon” by protecting until it was absolutely assured. players from the pressure and With about eight minutes expectations of the outside world. remaining in the final quarter He is convinced long-standing and Collingwood leading, droughts add no additional a nervous Shaw turned to pressure to clubs that have not Essendon champion Tim tasted success in a long time. Watson: “Do you think we’ve “I understand the history of got it?” he asked. “I think you the game but each match is a had us at half-time,’’ responded self-contained event,’’ Matthews a beaten Watson. said. Although a string of recent From then on, Shaw said losses can affect a team, the the match was “a bit of blur”, failures of previous generations but the real excitement came do not condemn a new later in the night, when the generation to the same mistakes. Collingwood celebrations were “For us (Collingwood), it was like a “rock concert”. the first experience of Grand “You can see it on different Final day as a playing group. levels. I remember thinking, The fact Collingwood hadn’t ‘Thank God, it’s over’ and it was won one in a long time didn’t a reward for organisation’. Then affect us at all,” the four-time there is the euphoria afterwards premiership coach said. that lasts for the next month or so. “The aftermath is great. There “I remember the joy on the are so many people you can enjoy faces of some of the trainers who it with, all these people who are had been there for 25 years or so overjoyed but, during the more, people who had started as event, it doesn’t enter your mind.” trainers in 1958.’’ Collingwood’s captain that day, While players and coaches Tony Shaw, was just one of the can wrap themselves in the three Magpies in the team (with “cocoon” and worry only Peter Daicos and Denis Banks) about performances, the who had experienced the pain of same luxury is not always losing on football’s biggest day. afforded administrators. “We had new players When Allen Aylett became from new cultures and our president of North Melbourne

Skipper Tom PATIENCE PAYS OFF: Thompson

k Harley and coach Mar ), ending 44 lift the 2007 cup (far left Geelong, while a years of heartache for Costa embraces proud president Frankthe match. Thompson (lef t) after

We had a barnstorming year and we did dare to dream GEELONG SKIPPER TOM HARLEY, ON THE 2007 PREMIERSHIP

in 1971, the Roos were the only club in the League without a premiership cup in their cupboard. The Aylett administration gave the club five years to win a flag, believing North’s future was at stake. The club was turned on its head. Brian Dixon was hired as coach until Ron Barassi became available in 1973. The administration was increased to 12, when just two or three people were running most clubs, and the Roos took full advantage of the 10-year rule, which delivered it Doug Wade (from Geelong), John Rantall (South Melbourne) and Barry Davis (Essendon), all club captains. The rule, which allowed players with 10 years’ experience to move clubs without a trade, was scrapped just three months later. Aylett, along with Ron Joseph and Albert Mantello, had struck while others were snoozing, and their proactive approach set the Roos up for success. North made the Grand Final in 1974 but lost to Richmond. Aylett claimed that was the day the Roos discovered what it took to win football’s ultimate prize. “It’s evident most clubs will go through an educational process (to win a premiership),” Aylett said. “Ron Barassi had tasted success (at Melbourne and Carlton), but he had also learned how to handle defeat. “He spoke at the function on the night and said we had to learn from the loss, about not performing on the day. “So we called a board meeting at Arden Street for 7am the next day. It was a dismal night, but it was a night about achievement.’’ Aylett and his board were always confident their plan

would end with the desired success. “The board members mortgaged their houses – our wives didn’t find that out for about 20 years,’’ he said, with a chuckle. But despite the confidence they were on the right track, people still could not believe success was finally about to come to Arden Street. “We were leading convincingly throughout the (replayed 1977) Grand Final, and you could hear people who had followed the club for 50 years saying, ‘This is it! This is it!’” Mark Thompson said the support of the Geelong administration was a key factor in the Cats breaking their 44-year premiership drought in 2007. The ability of the entire club to maintain its patience and stay the course was a test of nerve, but one Thompson said led to the victory. Early in his playing career, Thompson was part of Essendon’s first premiership in 19 years when the Bombers overran Hawthorn to win the 1984 flag. He joined the exclusive club of living Geelong premiership coaches (Bob Davis is the other member) when the Cats smashed Port Adelaide by 119 points in 2007. Thompson said the two experiences were different. As a young player, Thompson said he did not understand the significance of what the Bombers had achieved in 1984. “It was the most excited I had ever seen the club. Board members were crying and people I knew and respected were in tears. I have never seen ‘Sheeds’ (coach Kevin Sheedy) so happy in my life.” As Geelong’s mentor and as architect of the team that grabbed the 2007 premiership,

Thompson found the experience breaking Geelong’s drought both “exhilarating and petrifying”. When he took over at the end of 1999, Thompson knew he had to make the club hungry for success and desperate to win. He did not hide from Geelong’s recent past that included a string of heart-breaking losses in preliminary ﬁnals and Grand Finals. Instead, he used it as motivation, effectively creating a level of pressure on himself and the club to achieve success. Thompson invited Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett to address the players at the start of 2000. “He told us that if he was playing at the time, there were only ﬁve clubs he would want to be drafted by: Geelong,

Sydney, the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and St Kilda, because it would be special to be part of a drought-breaking premiership,’’ dual premiership captain Tom Harley recalled. Harley said the 2007 team – despite not being part of what had happened in the past – was aware it had the chance to break a long drought. “To say it wasn’t on our minds would be a bit of a furphy. Supporters did remind us and it was massive in the media,” he said. “We had a barnstorming year and we did dare to dream.” In the rooms after the Grand Final, with the goal achieved, Thompson and the great Davis – coach of Geelong’s 1963 premiership team – shared a special moment. “Bobby said something funny to me: ‘I’ve gone from being the only living Geelong premiership coach to the oldest living Geelong premiership coach’,” Thompson said. It made both men – and a legion of fans – very happy.

THE LONGEST WAITS � Of the six clubs left in this year’s finals, the Bulldogs (56 years since their first and only flag) and St Kilda (44) have the longest droughts. Collingwood last won 20 years ago, the Sydney Swans five years ago and Geelong, of course, is the defending premier. Fremantle remains the only club without a premiership.

LONE SUC CESS: It is 44 years since the Saints (pictured wearing Collingwood guernseys) won their only ﬂag. AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 81

Francis

BOURKE THE MOST

TENACIOUS TIGER OF THEM ALL R E C O G N I S I N G T H E G R E AT O N E S

Revered by Richmond fans and respected by all, Francis Bourke was courage personified on the football field. A five-time premiership star in the club’s golden era in the 1960s and ’70s, he was dubbed ‘St Francis’ because of his fearless approach and capacity to defy pain and injury. A member of the AFL Team of the Century, Bourke remains a Tiger through and through, being part of a proud family that provided three generations of players to the club. R HET T BA RT LET T

n the banks of the Darling River was where I found Richmond immortal Francis Bourke earlier this week. The Darling, co-incidentally, runs through the town of Bourke. Now 63, Bourke was about to tackle his next opponent – not a footballer, but the ﬁsh that swim in the fourth longest river in Australia. Bourke was on holiday with John Perry, a teammate from the Tigers’ 1967 premiership team. When I reached him on his mobile phone late on Monday morning, Bourke said the toughest decision he had to make that day was “whether I go for the cod or the yellowbelly”. Life after football has been pretty good for ‘St Francis’, the nickname given to him during his player career, from 1967-81. Bourke, from Nathalia in northern Victoria, just near the New South Wales border, was a courageous wingman who later played in defence, loved by Richmond fans and respected by all. He ran a newsagency in Canterbury in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs for many years after leaving the game, has always been a competitive cricketer, and loves the beauty of the Australian landscape. When you meet Bourke, you are struck by his honesty and the effort he puts into every response. No question is answered quickly, without thought.

82 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

When discussing his football career, a frown might come across his face, his mouth slightly opened and ready to begin a sentence, but there is always a pause. His eyes seem to search for the right words, and then he always delivers thoughtfully. Case in point: I asked him whether playing in finals gave him extra motivation, considering he was performing in front of tens of thousands of people. There was a long pause on the phone. “Not really. As the finals came, so the pressure rose for me. But it was all about stress management. When God Save The Queen was played before a match, I was a mess, I was so nervous.” A surprising answer from a man with one of the most impressive CVs in Australian Football. Bourke played 300 games at the highest level, was a member of five Richmond premierships teams spanning three decades (1967, 1969, 1973-74 and 1980) and won the best and fairest award in 1970. He was Richmond captain from 1976-77, skippered Victoria twice, was named in the AFL and Richmond teams of the century (on the wing in both), was honoured as a Richmond ‘Immortal’ and is the last person to coach the Tigers to a Grand Final (1982, against Carlton). He appeared in 23 finals as a player, third-most for Richmond behind Kevin Bartlett (27) and Jack Titus (24).

TIGER TALK: Francis Bourke reﬂects on another victory with teammate Kevin Bartlett as coach Tony Jewell chats to Mark Lee. AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 83

FRANCIS BOURKE

He played many of his 300 games while carrying substantial injuries that would have sidetracked the careers of others. But Bourke always seemed to overcome each setback. The leg. The eye. Two pieces of Bourke’s body, immortalised in the oral history of the club, and in pictures. Bourke broke his leg against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval in round seven of 1971. “I was given some kudos for being tough, and walking off the ground with a broken leg,” he told me a few years ago. But Bourke was back for the last six rounds of the season (all wins) and the two subsequent ﬁnals. Even more amazing when you consider he played another nine seasons. The bleeding eye, a result of an accidental collision with teammate Greg Strachan, against North Melbourne at Arden Street in round 21 of the 1980 season, looked gruesome when replayed. “I couldn’t see properly,” he admitted, but it didn’t stop him from kicking a goal. In a sense, the Toyota legendary moments television commercial made several years ago, in which Bourke’s courage and injuries are highlighted in an absurdly comical manner, provides a perfect snapshot of his football story. The Bourke family is a proud one. Bourke’s father, Frank, was a Richmond forward in the 1940s who had the football world at his feet (he kicked 48 goals in 16 games), until he suffered a serious knee injury. “He and Graeme Richmond (the Tigers administrator) are two of the most gifted people I ever met,” said Bourke, whose own son David made it three generations of Bourkes at Richmond, playing 85 matches for the club from 1995-2001.

84 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

FACT FILE

Francis Bourke

Born: April 2, 1947 Recruited from: Nathalia Debut: Round 1, 1967 v Essendon Height: 185cm Weight: 84kg Games: 300 Goals: 71 Player honours: 3rd Brownlow Medal 1976; best and fairest 1970; premiership sides 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980; captain 1976-77; AFL Team of the Century; Richmond Team of the Century; Australian Football Hall of Fame. Coach: 1982-83 (46 games, 26 wins, 20 losses) Brownlow Medal: career votes 122

ADMIRED: Francis

Bourke was loved by Richmond fans and respected by everyone outside the Tigers.

Here is an edited version of an interview with Bourke published in Richmond FC: A Century of League Football (by Rhett Bartlett and published by Slattery Media Group):

can remember my ﬁrst footy and my ﬁrst set of football boots. They weren’t really football boots; they were my school boots with leather soles that my father tacked in the knock-in stops, which were prevalent in those days. My father was a mentor but he never came and watched me because he didn’t like watching football. He saw very few games I played, even right

through to the League level. I think it was to do with getting too worked up, he didn’t want to make a spectacle of himself, or didn’t want to become critical. And they’re issues I grapple with when I go to the footy, too, because of my proﬁle. I wrote to (dual Brownlow Medal-winning Tiger champion) Roy Wright as a kid and he sent me back a photo of himself, autographed, which I thought was fantastic. Looking back, I am even more appreciative because of my own life and how it has evolved, I can

understand the trouble he went to. I was in primary school when that was h happening. I suppose Roy W Wright was the man for me. Graeme Richmond saw me p play for Assumption College, a and that started it. Graeme ccarted Jack Dyer around ba basically as the foot-in-the-door m man. But I always barracked for R Richmond because of my fa father – I didn’t need much ta talking or encouragement to come to Richmond. I didn’t want to play anywhere else but Richmond. But I wasn’t highly sought after, as Dick Clay and other people were. The ﬁrst year I stayed at the Glensborrow Hotel on Wellington Parade. On Friday, I went over and worked at the footy ground as assistant curator. It was my job to pick all the weeds, starting from the end of the big old stand, right around to the outer to where the terraces ﬁnished at the Cricket Club members. It took most of the year to do it because I was only there one day a week. I

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FRANCIS BOURKE

can remember looking at the ground on television one day, because Neville Crowe did an advertisement, and in the background you could see the terrace half clean of weeds one way and completely overrun with weeds the other way. I was the only one who appreciated the background. I was determined. I think I had good understanding and instinct for the game. I thought I was quite stylish but, when I looked at the television, I realised I wasn’t quite as stylish as I thought. I was motivated and it was important to me to play and play well. I think I had more weaknesses than people realised and I tried to keep pretty quiet. And I think if people had known the weaknesses I had, they might have been surprised, like a battle for confidence, battle for self-belief, battle for motivation. I never regarded myself as a particularly gifted player. I just couldn’t believe my luck that the ball came to me when it did. As I got older and slower, I really had to minimise the opportunities for exploitations in those parts of the game that I had deficiencies in and maximise my strengths. My best season individually was 1970, when I played on the wing. I won the best and fairest. It was my first year living in Melbourne, playing and training. But I think I had more valuable seasons for Richmond as I was moved to the backline and started on players who were more important and integral to the opposition’s prospects of winning the game. On the wing, I had a physical advantage over a lot of players.

COURAGEOUS: Francis

Bourke always put his body on the line, in this case against Carlton’s Garry Crane (left) and Ian Nicoll.

I’ve kept it (the ‘story’ of his broken leg) a secret. Don’t tell my kids. I always told them when I broke my leg at Glenferrie (that) I actually broke it on the Thursday night before the game and played on the Saturday with it, just to enhance the myth. I broke the ﬁbula bone in my left leg, which was not a weight-bearing bone, but that was sufﬁciently serious to have me come off the ground. At the time, I didn’t know it was broken, I just knew I heard this crack as I slipped to dodge an

I was given some kudos for being tough, walking off the ground with a broken leg. I spent six weeks in plaster and it probably took a couple of years before the soreness went. Some people say that was the start of me not being as quick. I’m not sure about that – my knee injury had more to do with that. I was only 22 when this happened. I think I played my best football at 24, 25 and 26 years of age. The ‘bloodied eye’ picture is, once again, a bit of a situation that looked worse than what it was. I got a cut when teammate Greg Strachan and I collided at Arden Street. He got me a beauty but we were both going different directions at the ball and were expecting each other to give way and I came off second-best. It was a nuisance while it bled, and I couldn’t see properly. It was crimson and, with colour I was television, all the determined. I embellishments and heroics have think I had good been attached. understanding I wouldn’t and instinct for have lost on-coming anything for the game Hawthorn FRANCIS BOURKE being a 299-game player. player. I’m glad I got I had the ball to 300. I couldn’t have and as I put my foot out to played one more game because I go that way, my foot slipped would have been in the seconds. and I heard this crack, fell over I’d run my race. I had made up and basically tried to see if it my mind that I was going to play would come good and it didn’t. It for Richmond for as long as I happened at the swimming pool absolutely could. But I elected end of Glenferrie Oval and our to retire before I played in the rooms were behind the goals at seconds. I just knew I wouldn’t the other end, so I just walked have got back because I wasn’t off the ground. At the time it was good enough anymore. I think sore; only later, when it cooled I was born lucky, and in the down, I couldn’t walk anymore. right place at the right time.

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SUPER SAINTS: An ecstatic Adam Schneider (left), Farren Ray and Nick Dal Santo react to the ﬁnal siren in last Friday’s second qualfying ﬁnal against Geelong.

FINALS REVIEW WEEK ONE

Saints push ahead

he push. Whatever else this year’s ﬁnals series throws at us over the next few weeks, the incident from last week’s Geelong-St Kilda qualifying ﬁnal involving Cat Cameron Mooney and Saint James Gwilt will long remain a talking point, a moment that shaped the direction of the series. From wherever your vantage point was, be it the pub, the couch or inside the MCG, the free kick against Mooney was

the correct decision and means Geelong needs to win three tough finals on the trot to claim its third flag in four years. And St Kilda is now perfectly placed to go one better than last year, when it endured a shattering Grand Final loss to the Cats. The Saints’ four-point win over Geelong in tough conditions on Friday night provided a stirring opening to week one of the finals, which finished with an equally pulsating match on Sunday afternoon

at ANZ Stadium, with the Swans leading, trailing, leading again, and then holding on to beat Carlton by a goal. The Saturday matches weren’t as close, but were intriguing all the same. Spurred on by a frenzied home crowd at Subiaco, Fremantle jumped Hawthorn in the ﬁrst term and cruised to a 30-point win. Young stars Anthony Morabito and Stephen Hill were among those who led the way. Indeed, there are exciting times ahead for the long-suffering Dockers fans.

On Saturday night, Collingwood doubled the Western Bulldogs’ score to win by 62 points. The result and the margin weren’t a surprise, given the contrasting recent fortunes of the two teams. But the Magpies were irrepressible and their fans were full in voice and number. Love them or hate them, it has to be good for football when the Magpies are tantalisingly close to winning the ﬂag. ASHLEY BROWNE

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PIES ON FIRE: Collingwood was always in control at the MCG last Saturday night as it thrashed the Western Bulldogs. In the main photograph, Alan Didak gets front position ahead of Bulldog Lindsay Gilbee; left, from top to bottom, Collingwood’s Leigh Brown ﬂies for a contest with Tim Callan; Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade makes a point to his players; young Pie Steele Sidebottom looks pleased, and Daniel Cross is under pressure from Pies Luke Ball (centre) and Brent Macaﬀer.

90 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL Collingwood 17.22 (124) d Western Bulldogs 8.14 (62)

Battered Bulldogs swamped by Pies An under-manned Western Bulldogs proved no match for a rampant Collingwood. PETER RYA N

hen the moment arrived, the rain stayed away. Despite thunderstorms and flooding in parts of rural Victoria, the only deluge at the MCG on Saturday night was Collingwood scoring as it thundered and roared through four quarters to defeat the Western Bulldogs by 62 points. The Bulldogs started the game underdogs, with their main playmaker Adam Cooney and their defensive scrapper Dale Morris missing with injury. So too was second ruckman Jordan Roughead, a shoulder injury keeping the promising 19-year-old out of what would have been his first final. Available but clearly battling injury were skipper Brad Johnson, runner Ryan Griffen and creative forward Collingwood Shaun Higgins. Collingwood was playing like gained the the hot favourite ascendancy late in it was in this the first quarter after a tight opening. The game Bulldogs – particularly Barry Hall and Johnson – were attempting to unsettle Magpies defenders Harry O’Brien and Nick Maxwell, but both shook off the challenge and responded by winning the ball. Dale Thomas was taking risks and his dare was paying off as he broke the lines and gave his teammates confidence with his sure ball-handling. Luke Ball was super-tough in the middle and provided runners Sharrod Wellingham, Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom with space. Ben Johnson was smart as he worked into space, creating the overlap and enhancing his reputation as a very good finals player.

Collingwood was playing like the hot favourite it was in this game. For the Bulldogs, Griffen and Robert Murphy were working hard the other way. Both have great evasive skills and are proven finals performers. Jarrod Harbrow was attempting to spark the group while Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross and Liam Picken were their usual, tireless selves. They took the game on but went without reward, as the Bulldogs forwards seemed more intent on showing aggression towards their opponent than getting into dangerous spaces. The Dogs’ forward pressure – a feature of their game when they’re at their best – was missing. Once Collingwood had the upper hand at the clearances and across half-back, it was a matter of scoring goals when it went inside 50. This was not always easy, with the Magpies kicking numerous behinds, the pressure of the moment sometimes getting to them, the lack of space at the goal-front and the pace of the game forcing kicks wide at other times. The Bulldogs’ defence was under siege and, despite Brian Lake throwing himself everywhere, Lindsay Gilbee’s uncertainty when kicking out (and lack of options) meant the ball too often remained in the Magpies’ forward half. Truth is, Collingwood has managed to unnerve even the surest opponents this season, the swooping at ground-level akin to seagulls arriving for Friday night fish and chips at the beach. A 7.15 (57) score at half-time to the Bulldogs’ 3.7 (25) revealed the Magpies’ dominance, but some of their fans were still chewing their fingernails at the main break. AFL RECORD visit afl record.com.au 91

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FINALS SERIES 2010 10

But that cosmetic interruption to the game served no other purpose, as Collingwood was not about to let its dominance slip. Swan ran his opponents off their legs while Darren Jolly and Leigh Brown worked over Ben Hudson and Will Minson. A chase from Brown when he ran down Daniel Cross showed the gap between the two teams on the night, in ability and attitude. The only downside for Collingwood came when Wellingham rolled his ankle after landing awkwardly reaching to mark a high ball in the middle of the ground. It was turning into a night to forget for the Bulldogs, as a third consecutive qualifying final loss loomed. They had only five goals to three-quarter time and were 43 points behind. Griffen had been tireless running the lines and working hard inside. He was the only Bulldog near the Magpies’ best five players. As the game unfolded, Collingwood’s ascendancy in pressuring the ball-carrier highlighted the major difference between the two teams. The final quarter belonged to the Magpies, as the battered Bulldogs took refuge in the fact they had the double chance. Collingwood kicked 6.4 to 3.3 for the term but it was a goal from Alan Didak late in the game that brought the crowd to its feet. A bouncing kick from Jarryd Blair hit Didak’s chest as he gathered the ball at full speed running away from goal and turned to the boundary. He burst away from his direct opponent Tim Callan, his tight turning circle putting a five-metre gap between the two in the blink of an eye. After assessing his options in front of goal, Didak kicked a banana with his left that went through post-high. No dribble goals from Didak, just dribbles from the adoring fans. Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse was happy but realistic: “Next game we play is a preliminary final – sudden death – that’s just the way the system works.” A deflated Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade found little to be enthusiastic about from the game, but had little doubt his players could bounce back. His job was simply to “get (the) mental state right for the next week.” 92 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

TRIPLE TREAT: Dane

Swan celebrates one of his three goals as teammate Jarryd Blair acknowledges the star Magpies midﬁelder. Bulldog Tim Callan was in no mood to join them.

IN FOCUS

Swan has a full bag of tricks � Dane Swan has many great assets: his running, his understanding of the game and its patterns, his strength, his marking power and his calmness under pressure. He demands support from his teammates, the Collingwood midfield working as a team within a team, blocking and creating space for each other. This ‘midfield-as-a-team’ aspect has been the most important component of Collingwood’s development and Swan has played a key role in leading the way. On Saturday night, he used his strength around the ball to put himself in positions in the centre square that made him dangerous. He was often in space, heading towards goals. He gave off a goal to Scott Pendlebury when it was desperately needed early in the game.

By the end of the game, he had But if you watch Swan kicked three goals, collected the closely, it’s his touch that ball and disposed of it 39 times stands him apart. He can gather and ran multiple opponents the ball under pressure while into the ground, using his guile on the move, which gives him at stoppages to get free momentum at stoppages. of opponents as Against the Collingwood’s Bulldogs, he midfield took collected 18 control. contested If you watch The possessions. Swan closely, inherent logic His marking it’s his touch of Swan’s power is running underrated. that stands defies taggers. Anyone him apart First, he uses who saw his the bench to contested mark his advantage, in the last quarter coming on and won’t underrate it off the ground in regimented much longer. shifts like an ice hockey player. Heading towards his third Second, he is tough, running consecutive best and fairest when his body screams, award, the AFL Players’ pushing hard back and even Association MVP award winner harder forward when every and Brownlow Medal favourite step he takes strikes fear into has his eyes on only one prize: his struggling opponent. the premiership. PETER RYAN

CUTTING IT FINE: Collingwood’s

Dale Thomas just manages to keep the ball in play as he scampers around the MCG boundary last week.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 93

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FINALS SERIES ES 2010

W H AT T H E C OAC H E S S A I D

BRAVE BULLDOG: Ryan Griﬀen

played a lone hand for the Western Bulldogs, despite being under an injury cloud.

Mick Malthouse COLLINGWOOD

I thought we played the percentages reasonably well, stuck to our formations and, in general, made it difficult for them, but there is no easy game. We’ve got an opponent in two weeks who will no doubt be very, very worthy. That is the bonus of finishing top and the bonus of winning your first final. You go into the next game and you know you have got an opportunity to tune up areas that need tuning up, rest a few tired bodies and have a good look at the opposition.

Rodney Eade

IN FOCUS

WESTERN BULLDOGS

When others were down, Griffen kept going � Ryan Griffen has always performed well in finals. His ability to gather the bouncing ball and go on swerving runs can break the game open. It is a devastating asset in hard-fought finals, when the ball rarely spills into open spaces and swoopers need to be brave and effective. Griffen was working against the tide last Saturday night. He was playing against a Magpies midfield that is purring, without his partner-in-crime Adam Cooney. Yet he took the game on. He got inside and under legs to extract the loose ball right from the start, winning the first clearance of the game, and did not stop running from then on. 94 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

He did this despite being win the ball and to stop the hampered by a knee injury opposition from getting it. suffered the week before He was a marking option against Essendon. for teammates kicking out and He kicked one classic Griffen he tackled hard. He led the team goal, running down the for inside 50s, putting the wing and spearing the ball into the scoring ball through. It was zone seven times. an attempt to lift His overall Griffen was his team, but effort enhanced working against it did not yield his reputation the result he as a big-game the tide last was after. His performer as Saturday night second goal he valiantly ... without Adam came from a fought what set shot late in became a Cooney the game when losing battle. the contest was On the bright effectively over. side, the 24-year-old is Griffen picked up 34 blossoming as a player, with possessions (including 11 119 matches under his belt and contested), putting himself in a two-year contract extension dangerous positions to both signed last week. PETER RYAN

Now we’ve just got to, more than anything, get the mental state right for next week. We can’t look backwards. We can’t change the result. It’s about now, this far into the season, getting the team right. We had a plan we wanted to go with early, which was pretty well executed until a couple of players didn’t do what they were supposed to do at certain times and it cost us two goals. Then, the same thing happened early in the second quarter and that cost us a couple of goals, which put us four behind, so we needed then to win the game. Obviously, then we’re going to take some risks. At times we opened them up and didn’t take our chances. If we were going to win, we needed to maximise our entries once we went in there and we weren’t able to do that.

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SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL St Kilda 12.11 (83) d Geelong 11.13 (79)

Roles reversed as Saints seal thriller St Kilda and Geelong turned on another epic battle, reminiscent of last season’s Grand Final, but this time it was the Saints who triumphed. MICH A EL LOV ET T

aybe it was This time, it was an the weather or errant Geelong that blew its perhaps it was opportunities when it mattered plain karma, most. The Cats bombarded their but there forward 50 in the final term but appeared to produced just 1.7, while St Kilda’s be some mystical element about solitary score was a crucial goal St Kilda’s heart-stopping victory to Adam Schneider – one of over Geelong in last Friday’s the bad kicking culprits from second qualifying final at last year’s Grand Final – at the the MCG. 12-minute mark. Certainly the weather created Schneider’s goal stretched uncertainty in the minds of St Kilda’s lead to 13 points and, most, including the coaching tellingly, the Saints defended staff of both sides, with several grimly for the rest of the quarter last-minute changes. St Kilda’s as the teams played out an Steven Baker was denied his amazing final 15 minutes. comeback game from suspension Although Geelong was cursing and Geelong substituted small a crucial free kick decision at forward Shannon Byrnes ahead the death, the Cats might have of tall defender Tom Lonergan been more concerned about before the match. Andrew Mackie’s decision The game to handball to an started in balmy unsuspecting conditions, the Travis Varcoe, Saints fans sort we expect causing the will rightly say at this time turnover the karma bus of the year, that led to and ended Schneider’s knocked Geelong in teeming goal. over in a rain which, as There was big way predicted, had also the fact blown in from Schneider was able over the South to convert a set shot Australian border. from 30m, whereas three The second half saw minutes earlier, Mathew Stokes conditions reminiscent of missed a similar opportunity at last year’s Grand Final and, the other end. in the end, it was an eerily Paul Chapman kicked truly similar result. In that case, from a difficult angle four one team – St Kilda – had minutes after Schneider’s dominated for most of the goal and, from then on, it was night, only to be reeled in by edge-of-your seat stuff. the fast-finishing Cats. A long bomb out of defence Saints fans will quite rightly from Matthew Scarlett somehow say the karma bus knocked landed in the arms of veteran Geelong over in a big way. Darren Milburn, whose kick St Kilda had so many chances set up the most talked about to win last year’s Grand Final incident of the match. and it had to contend with a The ball bounced goal (Tom Hawkins’ in the over a pack and just second term) that most short of St Kilda’s believe wasn’t. James Gwilt who 96 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

SAINTS ALIVE: Defender Sean Dempster shows better judgment than teammate Farren Ray and Cat Shannon Byrnes in this marking contest. Right, from top, Cats star Paul Chapman receives a heavy bump from Lenny Hayes; Geelong’s James Kelly looks for an attacking option; skipper Nick Riewoldt is embraced by teammate Brendon Goddard, and a disconsolate Cameron Mooney after the Cats’ loss.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 97

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FINALS SERIES 2010

lunged forward with big Cat Cameron Mooney right on his back – literally, as it turned out. As the ball spilled free, Geelong captain Cameron Ling grabbed it and kicked what he, and every Geelong fan at the ground, thought was the match-winning goal, with just 65 seconds on the clock. But umpire Matt Stevic ruled Mooney had fallen into Gwilt’s back and, in the mayhem that followed, the ball was returned to the scene of the crime only for the wrong player (Zac Dawson) to take the free kick. In almost comical circumstances, Dawson passed sideways to teammate Sam Gilbert, who had his back turned, but Gilbert managed to gather the ball and clear it from defence, with the Saints running down the clock to protect their four-point lead. While the Cats, most notably Mooney, protested the decision to award the free kick, the real damage had been done earlier in the game when Geelong looked like rabbits in the headlights against the pumped-up Saints. With inspirational skipper Nick Riewoldt on fire, St Kilda took control mid-way through the opening term and, by half-time, had scooted to a 20-point lead, on the back of a three-goal second-quarter burst from Stephen Milne. Riewoldt and Milne had clearly outpointed their respective opponents, Harry Taylor and Josh Hunt, and the normally unflappable Geelong defence looked frustrated at how easily the ball was coming into the Saints’ forward line. Their mood didn’t improve early in the third quarter when St Kilda kicked the opening two goals to stretch its lead to 33 points with the heavens opening up. But the arrival of the rain somehow sparked the lethargic Cats into action. Jimmy Bartel continued to inspire, Gary Ablett started winning important clearances, Steve Johnson found space and the defence finally tightened up as the Cats kicked five goals to one for the rest of the term. Geelong continued to press in the last quarter but to the Saints’ credit, they dug deep when it counted. Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo continued the early good work of Brendon Goddard, Brett Peake impressed with his pace and Sam Fisher led a solid defence. 98 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

INSPIRATIONAL: Stephen Milne set

the Saints alight with a brilliant burst in the second term that netted three goals.

IN FOCUS

Milne delivers with touch of magic � St Kilda goalsneak Stephen Milne squared his finals win-loss ledger in last week’s second qualifying final against Geelong but, more importantly, improved his September record in style. Milne was at his daring and dashing best, setting up the Saints’ win with a three-goal burst in the second quarter and giving the Cats’ defence nightmares. The victory meant Milne has played in 12 finals for an even split of wins and losses but, by every measure, it was his finest performance in the cut and thrust of September. Maligned for some of his poor finals showings, including last year’s Grand Final effort against Geelong when he fluffed what few opportunities he had, Milne was lively from the first bounce last Friday.

Going into the game, he had booted just 15 goals in 11 finals, compared to a career average of a little more than two goals a game. “I thought he worked really hard and stood up in a big final, which was fantastic,” St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said after the game. “He kicked three goals and he set up Nick (Riewoldt) with one (in the first quarter), which is what we want from him.” With an average of just under 10 disposals a game in finals, Milne finished with 19 touches and took nine marks – only Riewoldt (11) took more for the Saints. His forward pressure was commendable as he applied a career-high seven tackles, second to Lenny Hayes (nine) for St Kilda.

His opponent Josh Hunt had predicted in last week’s AFL Record to expect the unexpected from Milne and he was not far from the mark. Asked about Milne’s ability to out-body Hunt on more than one occasion, Geelong coach Mark Thompson said: “I was surprised (by it). He got three goals kicked on him in the second quarter and we’re down by 20 points at halftime, so that is not a great result.” Milne was a little quieter after half-time but, in the ﬁnal term, delivered a crucial pass to teammate Adam Schneider that set up the Saints’ only goal for the quarter. The 30-year-old has kicked 428 goals in 210 games, sits ﬁfth on the all-time list of goalkickers for St Kilda and is in the top 20 at the club for games played. MICHAEL LOVETT

BALANCE AND PRECISION:

St Kilda playmaker Brendon Goddard leaves Cats champion Gary Ablett in his wake.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 99

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FINALS SERIES 2010 0

W H AT T H E C OAC H E S S A I D

Ross Lyon ST KILDA

WELL HELD: Brilliant

midﬁelder Joel Selwood found it diﬃcult to escape the Saints’ clutches. On this occasion, it was Jason Blake applying the pressure.

IN FOCUS

A rare struggle for Selwood � It’s easy to forget sometimes that Joel Selwood is only 22 and playing just his fourth season of at AFL level. Geelong’s young star has achieved so much in such a short time, but you get the impression he has been around for 14 years, not four. But the football world discovered a couple of things about Selwood in last Friday’s second qualifying final against St Kilda at the MCG. He is human after all and he has a harsh critic – himself. His first half was so far from the performances Geelong fans have come to expect it wasn’t funny. He had just four touches to half-time and could not escape the clutches of St Kilda’s toughest midfielder Lenny Hayes. Again, it is no disgrace to have your colours lowered by Hayes, who thrives on the challenge of 100 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

contested football that finals invariably generate. But it was no consolation for Selwood, who, according to his coach Mark Thompson, was “bitterly disappointed” with his effort. “He would know that (he played a poor first half) and he’d be bitterly disappointed,” Thompson said. “If he doesn’t go well, he gets wound up and he thinks he’s letting everyone down. And it makes it worse. “We tried to relax him and we asked the players to give him a few touches. He got his game going in the second half and made a contribution.” Selwood picked up his performance, gathering 15 disposals in the second half. And in an ominous warning for Friday’s second semi-final against Fremantle, Thompson added: “I don’t think that will

happen again next week for Joel, he’ll be ready to play.” Selwood wasn’t the only Geelong player to struggle in the first half. Gary Ablett had his usual tagger Clinton Jones running closely with him and Cameron Ling had his hands full with Brendon Goddard in the first half before becoming a more effective player after half-time. With Jimmy Bartel leading the Cats’ midfield for the game, Geelong won more clearances after the main break and, despite the heavy rain, used the ball better than they did in the opening half. Interestingly, the loss marked only the second time Selwood has been involved in a defeat in 10 finals appearances. His only other finals loss was the 2008 Grand Final to Hawthorn. Overall, he has played 92 games for 78 wins and 14 losses. MICHAEL LOVETT

It’s draining to be perfectly honest. A lot of work goes in and it fell our way in the end. I thought for three quarters we were pretty bloody good but we still have a lot to work on. We’ll have to work out how they got back in the game, which was disappointing. I thought their small forwards got out the back, we lost some of our disciplines and invited them back into the game. They dominated the last quarter, their clearance work was good and they were stripping us of the ball, and putting us under real pressure. Thank goodness for the week oﬀ to regenerate and prepare for our next opposition.

Mark Thompson GEELONG

We see people jumping in at the end of the match when it’s really desperate but we want people to be desperate at the start. If that’s not a wake-up call then I don’t know what would be … ever. We got it right towards the end, but clearly there were way too many people at the start of the game not in the mood to play. I was really disappointed with some of them. But the thing about this group is you never write them oﬀ. When the rain came, I was thinking, ‘It’s going to be pretty tough from here’ but they do know how to play and they can turn it on when they want.

XXXXXXX: XXXXXX XXXXX

PURPLE REIGN: Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich led from the front with three important goals. Left, from top, Michael Johnson breaks away from Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell; the Hawks huddle before the ﬁrst bounce; Hawthorn’s Brad Sewell feels the heat from youngster Michael Walters, and Chris Mayne and Nick Suban celebrate just the second ﬁnals win in the Dockers’ history.

102 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL Fremantle 14.10 (94) d Hawthorn 8.16 (64)

Dockers were too quick for Hawks Fremantle produced an amazing 146-point turnaround from round 21 to send Hawthorn reeling out of the ﬁnals. ASHLEY BROW NE

hat Hawthorn was going to face a significantly different Fremantle team to the one it belted by 116 points in Launceston a fortnight ago was made abundantly clear just 20 minutes in, when Dockers youngster Anthony Morabito took three bounces through the middle of Subiaco, steadied and slammed through a goal from outside 50m. It put Fremantle a goal ahead and that was as close as the Hawks got for the rest of the match. Morabito’s goal typified the day and the difference between the two sides. The Dockers played with dash, dare and verve, breaking the lines – particularly early – and making the most of their opportunities. Hawthorn was tentative, didn’t hit the contests hard enough, in the first half in particular, and missed far too many targets by hand and foot, while The Dockers its conversion played with dash, was dreadful. Collingwood gets dare and verve, a bad rap for its breaking the conversion, and deservedly so, lines and making but the Hawks the most of their were particularly opportunities ordinary in that department last Saturday – and at important stages. So one goal became two goals and then it became four goals, and once Cyril Rioli tweaked his hamstring and Xavier Ellis rolled his ankle (within five minutes of each other), the Hawks were going to be coming from too far back. They were carrying Luke Hodge, whose bruised knee was obviously causing more discomfort than the club had been admitting all week, while

Grant Birchall, whose run and carry is critical on a ground like Subiaco, was out nursing a torn hamstring of his own. They were brave for a while and, as coach Alastair Clarkson admitted afterwards, were winning every KPI that mattered other than on the scoreboard. But they couldn’t buy a goal for love or money, and when Jarryd Roughead missed a sitter from 15m out right on half-time, it was pretty much game over. For Fremantle, the positives were overflowing. Let’s start with Adam McPhee. The Docker who became a Bomber then a Docker again was entitled to feel pretty good about himself on Saturday evening, after restricting Hodge to 13 touches and hurting the Hawks the other way, with 19 touches, eight marks and one goal. Then there’s Luke McPharlin, who got to have a close look at Lance Franklin in Launceston and then gave him a nice old touch-up this time round. Franklin worked him up and down the ground, particularly in the second half, but when Hawthorn was kicking long and high to Franklin in the first half, McPharlin had him covered in the air. McPharlin looked a satisfied man as he did a television interview after the match. And why wouldn’t he be? The past 10 seasons have mainly been a slog for the Dockers and before last Saturday, they had won just one final at home. So to play a key part in such a breakthrough performance would have made this veteran Docker (and former Hawk) particularly proud. The clearance work of David Mundy was first-class for Fremantle. Mundy AFL RECORD visit afl record.com.au 103

reviews

FINALS SERIES 2010

doesn’t get the credit he deserves from east-coast observers, but the All-Australian selectors certainly took notice, placing him in the top 40 ahead of selection of the final 22-man team. He’s a dasher, and let’s hope he makes the final cut on Monday night. Perhaps best of all for the Dockers is that they could win a final by five goals without particularly great contributions from their best two players. The stats will show Matthew Pavlich kicked three goals, including an important one courtesy of some fancy footwork and a clinical finish at a key part of the second term, but the Fremantle skipper only broke even with Josh Gibson in what was an entertaining contest. Pavlich, who signed a fouryear contract extension this week, is going to have to play one of the great games of his career on Friday night if the Dockers have any hope of springing an upset against Geelong. The other quiet player was Aaron Sandilands. The giant ruckman looked good early, with some deft work at bounces and he also pushed forward late in the first term to kick a goal after a mark. But, after a clash of knees with Wayde Skipper at a centre bounce, he hobbled from the ground for treatment, amid fears he may have suffered patella damage. But he came back on and played out the game without taking too many more centre bounces. It’s nice to be able to run out a final without getting out of second gear but, again, significantly more will be needed from the big bloke against the Cats. When they were up and about in the first half of the year, the Dockers played an attractive and, at times, carefree brand of attacking football. Harvey tapped into the exuberance of his mainly youthful players and gave them their heads. That sort of footy went missing for a time after that, with injuries and perhaps fatigue playing their part. But Harvey has somehow reignited the switch and the purple haze was back at its exuberant best on Saturday. The Dockers now grace the MCG for a final for the first time in their history and, if they’re as lively as they were against the Hawks, then Geelong will be in for a contest and we will be in for a treat. 104 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

REPAYING THE FAITH: Former

Bomber Adam McPhee has resurrected his career in his second stint with the Dockers, and kept Hawk star Luke Hodge to just 13 touches last week.

IN FOCUS

On McPhee, Harvey was ahead of the game � The AFL Record last week listed the ﬁve best coaching performances of the season and one writer who should have known better (yes, this one), neglected to include Fremantle’s Mark Harvey on that list. Mea culpa. Perhaps we got caught up in Fremantle’s late-season fade and were sitting on the fence to see whether the gamble to leave half his team at home rather than travel to Launceston a fortnight ago would pay oﬀ. It did, and Harvey has been vindicated. But the move that must particularly delight Harvey was when he reached out to bring Adam McPhee back to Fremantle at the start of the season. Harvey was widely criticised – ridiculed even – for getting McPhee, who was struggling to get a game with Essendon at

the end of last season. It There was a bit of push and was seen as one old mate shove between the pair but, from Windy Hill doing a favour sadly for Hodge, that was one of for another. the few times he broke even. Harvey defended the move, Hodge was kept to 13 citing the need to add important touches; McPhee had 19, kicked leadership and veteran savvy one goal and played a huge to a club that was placing its part in Fremantle’s win. future in its youth. Importantly, he kept a And it has steady head throughout, proved to be a particularly in the tremendous third term when, for There was move, with a brief period, the a bit of push and McPhee a Hawks threatened shove between the valuable to get back into contributor the game. pair but, sadly for all year, With plenty of Hodge, that was one no more run and height in of the few times he his side, Harvey so than last Saturday has recast McPhee broke even against as a run-with player Hawthorn. in the second half of the He was ﬂagged all season. He’s done it well and week as the likely opponent for you would expect he’ll get ﬁrst Hawthorn star Luke Hodge and crack at Brownlow medallist at the opening bounce, there Gary Ablett at the MCG on they were together. Friday night. ASHLEY BROWNE

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reviews

FINALS SERIES 2010

W H AT T H E C OAC H E S S A I D

Mark Harvey FREMANTLE

BEATEN FOR PACE: Sam Mitchell and the Hawks struggled as young Dockers such as Anthony Morabito and Stephen Hill cut a swathe through the midﬁeld.

IN FOCUS

Bridging the gap a must for Hawks � It was interesting to hear Alastair Clarkson’s response last Saturday evening when asked what his first moves would be as the Hawks enter the off-season. Clarkson said his priority would be to watch the rest of the finals, to see how the remaining six teams go about their business. The Hawthorn coach saw how teams last year picked up on his rolling zone from 2008, and added various wrinkles of their own. To be truthful, the Hawks have struggled tactically ever since. Clarkson played catch-up this year. After seven rounds, he instituted a slower, more deliberate approach and he also got with the program – belatedly – when it came to rotations, with

106 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

the Hawks moving from about 80 a game to a League-leading average of about 150. Now he gets to start all over again, with the Hawks facing an uncertain oﬀ-season. Hawthorn has largely underachieved in the past two seasons and it is refreshing Clarkson and skipper Sam Mitchell refused to use injuries during the year as a crutch. Still, expect the entire Hawks’ medical and conditioning team to be placed under the microscope after two years in which injuries have played their part. Clarkson will also take a close look at his playing list. Hawthorn needs an injection of pace through the midﬁeld, with Fremantle’s Anthony Morabito

and Stephen Hill cutting a swathe through the Hawks at critical stages last Saturday. Two years after winning the premiership, the Hawks haven’t backed up. Clarkson will be looking closely at his list and may need to make the move on some of his premiership players while they have some currency on the trade market and especially if he can ﬁnd some speedy types. He will also be wondering how a team that can beat Collingwood and the Bulldogs, draw with St Kilda and twice lose narrowly to Geelong could also lose to West Coast and Port Adelaide. The gap between Hawthorn’s best and its worst is still too vast. ASHLEY BROWNE

We’re playing a tough opposition but be daring and the most important thing when you play finals is to not be having indecision in what you do, so run with it but make sure that you back each other up. It’s the first final for many players and it’s been four years in the making really, where this club hasn’t played in this type of territory and to play that way in front of our crowd was sensational. Geelong has an elite midfield and we know what we’re up against, playing at the MCG Friday night, (it will be a) big occasion for our guys. You can’t look any further than playing Geelong. It is just a great compliment that we’re in the second week of the finals and we’re playing Geelong. That’s what we look forward to and it won’t be daunting to us.

Alastair Clarkson HAWTHORN

Rioli and Ellis being more or less out of the game by the second quarter ... we found it pretty tough. We won the tackles, won the inside 50s, just won the clearances, won the hard-ball gets, the contested footy; we won everything except the scoreboard in a sense. Full credit to Fremantle; they played very, very well today.

SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL Sydney Swans 14.15 (99) d Carlton 13.16 (94)

Young Swan comes of age in thriller Sydney youngster Trent Dennis-Lane was the unlikely hero with four goals and a match-deﬁning tackle to sink the Blues. C A MERON NOA K ES

reat football bounced and, from nowhere, games are often Dennis-Lane pounced to win a defined by free kick. singular acts. It is unusual to see a player Although a game caught mid-bounce, but plays out for Dennis-Lane had his man cold, two hours, comprises many pinged before the ball could highlights and there are 44 return to his hands. players who contribute to the The 22-year-old kicked the ebbs and flows, it is inescapable goal from a tight angle but that we, the viewers, hang on to later admitted even when he moments we can easily define as was walking in to kick, he was turning points or are crucial to uncertain if he would drill a drop the outcome. punt or attempt a banana-kick. The Sydney Swans-Carlton He chose the drop punt and it elimination final – the first time went gun-barrel straight. the Swans had beaten the The contest looked like it Blues in a final since belonged to the Swans 1918 – might be early on, when they The enduring remembered for banged on four talking point Adam Goodes’ goals before first half, when Carlton could will undoubtedly he appeared manage one. be Trent to be an However, Dennis-Lane’s unstoppable unlike their force. Or Chris previous tackle on Dennis Judd’s third encounter when Armfield quarter, when the Blues were the Carlton blown away in the captain almost first half, Carlron slotted single-handedly turned the three unanswered goals to make game around for his team. sure it kept in touch. But the enduring talking It was noticeable that this was point will undoubtedly be a different game of football from Trent Dennis-Lane’s tackle on the Swans’ famously defensive Carlton’s Dennis Armfield at finals we have been accustomed the 25-minute mark of the final to in recent years. term, and the young Swans Indeed, 10 goals were kicked forward’s composed shot at goal. in the opening term and Kieren Dennis-Lane kicked the Jack and Rhyce Shaw had the sealer, his fourth goal for opening goals of the game to the game, giving Sydney an highlight the changing of the insurmountable 12-point lead. guard at Sydney. Armfield was charging out Dennis-Lane was also on the of defence and thought he had board late in the opening term left Dennis-Lane in his wake. It and Goodes gave the was at that moment he decided Swans a 15-point break to bounce the ball. He slowed, at the first change. 108 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

A STAR IS BORN: A jubilant Trent

Dennis-Lane celebrates one of his four goals for the Swans as a forlorn Chris Judd looks on. Right, from top, Carlton forward Jarrad Waite is gang-tackled by desperate Swans defenders Heath Grundy and Paul Bevan; Carlton big man Robbie Warnock gets his hand to the ball in a ruck contest; Blues forward Lachie Henderson ponders what might have been, and retiring champion Brett Kirk lives to ﬁght another day.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 109

reviews

FINALS SERIES 2010

Dennis-Lane and Lewis Jetta kicked the openers of the second term to make sure Sydney kept heading in the right direction, while Goodes was the commanding presence on the ground, with Carlton seemingly having no way to stop the two-time Brownlow medallist. The problem for the Swans, however, was that the Blues kept scoring, and when Robert Warnock kicked two goals in a few minutes, they had every reason to believe the game was within their grasp. Late goals from Shaw and Paul Bevan (his third) gave Sydney a 24-point break at half-time, which appeared to be a comfortable-enough buffer, even though it probably deserved a bigger gap. The Swans certainly could have used a bigger advantage, for Judd owned the third quarter, producing one of the great single quarters of football. Carlton kicked five unanswered goals for the term and Judd had a hand in the first three. He controlled the stoppages as well and, at every clearance, the ball seemed to land in his hands and away he went, borrowing the speed from another time when he played in finals against the Swans in a different jumper. It was vintage Judd and the Blues led by seven points at the start of the final term. The skipper did it all in the third, but he will be disappointed he missed a snap at goal at the 12-minute mark. In the final term, the game tightened, the intensity lifted and goals became hard to conjure, physically and mentally. After 13 anxious minutes of high-pressured football, Sydney big-man Jesse White ripped his hand free of a tackle and banged the handball into space to release Dennis-Lane, who strolled into goal to boot his third. Carlton had shots at goal but failed to find the middle. Jarrad Waite missed a sitter and, at the 17-minute mark with the scores level, Jeff Garlett shot out a handball to Judd who missed another kickable shot, albeit from a tight angle. A few minutes later, the ball spilled to Sydney’s Ryan O’Keefe who kicked the goal that broke the deadlock and then Dennis-Lane ran down Armfield and showed the football world why he is a star of the future. 110 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

LUCK OF THE IRISH: After

achieving his goal of winning an All-Ireland ﬁnal last year, Tadhg Kennelly is again an integral part of the Swans defence, picking up 12 touches in a dominant last quarter against the Blues.

IN FOCUS

Kennelly got his timing right, again � Many players were out on their feet. The game was not a slog, but it was fast and intense and energy sapping. The Blues gave it their all in the third term and, at one stage, it appeared they would steal this match away from Sydney. The Swans needed a game-breaker. In the ﬁnal term, Tadhg Kennelly got away from the Blues. Kennelly had 12 touches – the most of any player in that quarter – to help propel the Swans into attack and give them the spark they needed. It had been a quiet day up until then for the Irishman, but he could not have bobbed up at a more pertinent time. It is Kennelly’s dare and dash that made him such a vital member of the 2005 premiership team and it was why he was so sorely missed when he decided to return home to pursue his dream of winning an All-Ireland Gaelic football ﬁnal.

Fortunately for the Swans, Kennelly achieved that goal in no time at all and he fronted up to the Swans at the start of the season fresh and ready for yet another tilt at the AFL. On his return, Kennelly said he felt the freshest he had in years and he highly recommended all players taking time off. Noticeably, last weekend, his shoulders were not strapped, the same shoulders that used to pop out of their sockets on a regular basis before his 12-month sabbatical. Kennelly must feel he lives in a dream – call it the luck of the Irish. It seems incredible that he can be an integral member of the Swans team that breaks a 72-year premiership drought, then leave the game, play in an All-Ireland final with County Kerry in his first year back home, and return to Sydney to be part of another Swans finals campaign, particularly when

no one expected the club to be there at the start of the season. Kennelly said before last week’s final: “This is why I came back here, to play finals football, to win premierships. That’s why any player plays, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We’ve got about six or seven players who haven’t played finals football.” He said he had spoken to those inexperienced players and his message was to play it like any other game. “That’s the advice I got from my father years ago, and it’s something I will pass on … don’t play the game before it’s been played, when you’re lying awake at home on Friday or Saturday. “It’s just another game of football. Yes, the intensity lifts, but you will lift with the intensity.” That’s exactly what he did, lift in the final term to again help his team to a famous finals victory. CAMERON NOAKES

W H AT T H E C OAC H E S S A I D

Paul Roos SYDNEY SWANS

IN VAIN: Carlton skipper Chris Judd’s heroics were to no avail as the Blues bowed out in the ﬁrst week of the ﬁnals for the second season running.

IN FOCUS

Judd was a gem, but it wasn’t enough � You have to feel sorry for the Carlton captain. In short, Chris Judd’s game last week was magnificent. Both his coach Brett Ratten and opposition coach Paul Roos raved about Judd after the game. Swans captain Brett Kirk also lumped glowing praise on him. Judd’s eight disposals in the first quarter and five in the second (while opposed to Kieren Jack) were nothing to be sneezed at, but he certainly was not the best player on the ground. Indeed, that honour went to the Swans’ dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes. In fact, there might have been a few who were better than Judd early. Jack, with 11 touches and one goal, was probably on top of the Blues star. Josh Kennedy was also very good for the Swans in finding plenty of the football.

But then Judd unleashed, playing like we expect a Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist to play, while also showing his pure leadership skills. He picked up his entire team and said: “You’re coming with me.” Few players can lift to that level. They are the game’s elite. In a stunning display, Judd had 10 possessions, six clearances and five contested possessions in the third quarter. But even he was disappointed with blowing a chance to kick a goal at the 17-minute mark of the final term that would have put the Blues six points clear. “It was a goal I should have kicked,” Judd said after the game. “You have to take your chances in finals. We see that time and time again. We worked hard enough to get them and we didn’t take them, so we were all part of that.” It is the second consecutive season Carlton has lost its

opening ﬁnal by ﬁve points. On both occasions, the Blues had opportunities to win, but let the game slip from their grasp. While that will sting over the summer for Carlton, Judd will also be smarting about again running into the Swans and coming out on the wrong side of the ledger after producing his best football. In 2005, Judd won the Norm Smith Medal for West Coast. Like last week, he was scintillating in that Grand Final and, like last week, his team came up less than a kick short. The retiring Kirk spoke to Judd after the game. When asked what he said, Kirk revealed: “I just said to him I’ve loved to watch him play football and loved the way he goes about it.” Football fans are unanimous on that, but unfortunately it doesn’t buy Judd or Carlton that goal. CAMERON NOAKES

(Jarrad) Waite’s miss … to be perfectly frank, that could have seen the end of us as a team as well. But you could just sense in the last quarter, after that, we just lifted. It was going to be a matter of who was going to win the ball often enough and who was going to use it well. We just probably used the ball a bit better and got a couple of goals from really good individual performances that got us over the line. People throw the word champion around willy-nilly these days. You play one game and you’re a champion now. (But a champion) is not someone who fronts up once a month, or plays one good game and ﬁve bad ones, or has one good season in ﬁve seasons. A champion is Chris Judd.

Brett Ratten CARLTON

I said back to the box, our skipper is getting us into the game. His third-quarter performance was as good as anyone this season and he said, ‘Boys, follow me’ and almost single-handedly won us the game. You look at our season and our progress as a team; people said we couldn’t play finals, we couldn’t score and even that we were making up the numbers. To put that effort in, I’m really proud of the players but we have let another opportunity slip by. We allowed (Tadhg) Kennelly to get away and he had 12 (disposals) in the last quarter. That hurt us more than Dennis Armfield trying to take the game on and getting caught from behind, getting run down. His efforts are justified. It’s what we love him to do. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 111

aﬂpamvp

2010

SWAN JUDGED THE BEST BY HIS PEERS Star midﬁelder Dane Swan will be hoping his selection as the AFL Players’ Association most valuable player is a good omen, as Collingwood’s only other success in the award was in 1990, the year the Magpies won their last premiership. C A L LU M T WOMEY

ollingwood star Dane Swan won his first Leigh Matthews Trophy as the AFL Players’ Association most valuable player, an award voted on by his peers. Swan, runner-up to Geelong champion Gary Ablett last year, is only the second Magpie to win the award since its inception in 1982. Darren Millane won in 1990, when the Pies won the premiership. Swan’s triumph ended Ablett’s record streak of three straight MVP awards (2007-09). After accepting the trophy, the 26-year-old said he was “humbled” to have beaten such a strong field. “I’m very honoured and humbled to have won, and also a little bit embarrassed given the talent in the AFL at the moment and the other five candidates up for the award,” Swan said. “I’m proud to have won.” Swan’s triumph was undoubtedly deserved. In the home and away season, the prolific midfielder collected a competition-high 701 disposals and kicked 18 goals. He has been one of Collingwood’s most important players – perhaps its key driver – as it strives towards a premiership. 112 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

His dominance was reflected want to do with my life?’ in the voting. With every player and I knew I wanted to be in the competition voting an AFL player. on a 3-2-1 basis, Swan polled “Mick sat me down and said 972 votes. I had one more chance, that I Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge was on very thin ice and I had to finished second (with 609), show the club why they would followed by Ablett (562), want me around. Fremantle ruckman Aaron “I realised I had to work pretty Sandilands (283) and Geelong hard to get to where I wanted to midfielder Joel Selwood (166). be, and I never thought I’d get to After a slow start to his career, this point in my wildest dreams. Swan has blossomed All I wanted to be was a consistent into one of the AFL player and hopefully most consistent I’ve done that.” players in the Modest and All I wanted competition in ready at every to be was a the past three opportunity to seasons. pass on credit consistent AFL Selected for his success, player and with pick 58 Swan, who hopefully I’ve in the 2001 has played 148 done that National Draft games, suggested DANE SWAN from the Calder the improvement Cannons in the in the Collingwood TAC Cup, Swan’s team had helped him as an transformation from individual, saying, “it’s a bit easier bit-part player to the AFL’s to play well when you’re winning”. leading midfielder was sparked “It’s been the club’s best season at the end of 2003 by a stern since I’ve been at Collingwood dressing down from coach and, although I was there in Mick Malthouse. 2002-03 (when the Magpies “When I first got drafted, all made successive Grand Finals), I I wanted to do was party and didn’t really play so I don’t count have fun with my friends outside myself as a part of that side,” said footy, and it took me a couple of Swan, who grew up a Hawthorn years to take footy as seriously as supporter and a massive fan I should,” he said. of Shane Crawford and North “I thought I was going to get Melbourne star Wayne Carey. sacked, but I survived and then “I think my form has mirrored I thought to myself, ‘What do I the team’s form,” he said.

LEADERBOARD Leigh Matthews Trophy voting for 2010 MVP

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER � Dane Swan accepts the Leigh Matthews Trophy from the former Hawthorn champion.

Dane Swan Collingwood Luke Hodge Hawthorn Gary Ablett Geelong Aaron Sandilands Fremantle Joel Selwood Geelong

972 609 562 283 166

HONOUR ROLL Previous MVP winners

MOST COURAGEOUS PLAYER � Hawthorn vice-captain Luke Hodge won the Robert Rose most courageous player award, ahead of last year’s winner Joel Selwood.

BEST FIRST-YEAR PLAYER � Fremantle’s Michael Barlow won the best ﬁrst-year player award, edging out Richmond’s Dustin Martin and Melbourne’s Tom Scully.

BEST CAPTAIN � Retiring Sydney Swans co-skipper Brett Kirk was voted the competition’s best captain, in front of the Brisbane Lions’ Jonathan Brown.

NOW A STAR: After being given one

last chance by the Magpies, Dane Swan has turned his career around and was a deserving winner of this year’s AFLPA MVP award.

EDUCATION & TRAINING EXELLENCE

� The Western Bulldogs’ Tim Callan was awarded the AFLPA education and training excellence award.

1982 Leigh Matthews Hawthorn 1983 Terry Daniher Essendon 1984 Russell Greene Hawthorn 1985 Greg Williams Geelong 1986 Paul Roos Fitzroy 1987 Tony Lockett St Kilda 1988 Gerard Healy Sydney Swans 1989 Tim Watson Essendon 1990 Darren Millane Collingwood 1991 Jim Stynes Melbourne 1992 Jason Dunstall Hawthorn 1993 Gary Ablett snr Geelong 1994 Greg Williams Carlton 1995 Wayne Carey North Melbourne 1996 Corey McKernan North Melbourne 1997 Robert Harvey St Kilda 1998 Wayne Carey North Melbourne 1999 Shane Crawford Hawthorn 2000 Anthony Koutouﬁdes Carlton 2001 Andrew McLeod Adelaide 2002 Luke Darcy Western Bulldogs 2002 Michael Voss Brisbane Lions 2003 Michael Voss Brisbane Lions 2004 Nick Riewoldt St Kilda 2005 Ben Cousins West Coast Eagles 2006 Chris Judd West Coast Eagles 2007 Gary Ablett jnr Geelong 2008 Gary Ablett jnr Geelong 2009 Gary Ablett jnr Geelong 2010 Dane Swan Collingwood AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 113

Moments of the

AFL’s bold vision now a reality The AFL’s expansion plans are coming to fruition, with Gold Coast entering the competition in 2011 and Greater Western Sydney joining the following season. ASHLEY BROWNE

here was a sense of unﬁ nished business when the Brisbane Bears decamped from Carrara on the Gold Coast at the end of 1992 to move into more salubrious facilities at the Gabba. Once the dog track was removed from the Gabba, it was clear the Bears belonged in the state capital, but there was always a tinge of regret that the AFL had moved from a part of Australia where the game had long ﬂourished. Even though the Gabba was just 60km up the road, many in the area were quick to remind the AFL that Brisbane is Brisbane and the Gold Coast is, well, the Gold Coast. The area was also home to one of the biggest non-AFL clubs in Australia – Southport – and continued to be a rich source of quality AFL talent. Today, the list of AFL players from the region is headed by St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt, but also includes Michael Osborne, David Hale, Dayne Beams and Kurt Tippett. Strategically, the AFL had long been of the belief

114 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

2000-09

that, in order to grow the game from a participation and commercial point of view, there needed to be a game played every week in the developing markets of Queensland and New South Wales. So it was with little surprise that on April 22, 2008, the AFL’s expansion process officially got underway, when it formally invited a group of Gold Coast business and sporting identities to form a board. Lawyer John Witheriff was placed in charge of the group, which was asked to start a six-month process of building a business case, with the aim of a new entity There being granted a needed to be a licence to join the game played AFL from 2011. All this every week in followed after the developing North Melbourne markets of had rejected a Queensland and the following money into the development massive offer from year, ahead of its of sporting infrastructure in New South the AFL at AFL debut in 2011. western Sydney and, in late the end of 2007 Wales By August 2008, just as the Gold Coast to relocate to southof 2008, two key move started to take shape, east Queensland. appointments were made – the AFL’s intentions for the Given the challenges the Collingwood assistant Guy vast western region of Sydney Brisbane Bears had in building McKenna was named coach were announced. their player list two decades and Scott Clayton from the Again, a steering committee before, the AFL was determined Western Bulldogs was was put in place to build the a new Gold Coast club (and any business case, while Allan other expansion clubs) would get appointed head of recruiting. In many respects, a club on McConnell, the former the opportunity to select better the Gold Coast was a no-brainer. Footscray player and Fitzroy players, with existing clubs to But the location of the 18th club coach, who had been heading receive adequate compensation occupied plenty of whiteboard up the AIS-AFL Academy for losing uncontracted players. time at AFL headquarters. squad, moved across to run the A working party drawn from Tasmania had plenty of the AFL and the clubs was claims, Canberra its backers and convened to shape the listthere was even some support building rules for the new clubs. for North Queensland. The By June of 2008, those rules AFL had been quietly investing were in place. By July, it was determined Gold Coast would SUNNY OUTLOOK: Gold Coast chairman field a team in the TAC Cup John Witheriff (centre) with original advisory board members (from left) Dale competition in 2009 and the VFL Dickson, Graeme Downie, Alan MacKenzie and Bob Gordon; and (below) the club’s home, away and clash guernseys.

SWITCHING CODES: Former Brisbane Broncos star Karmichael Hunt announces his signing with Gold Coast, much to the delight of coach Guy McKenna.

talent identiﬁcation program for the ﬂedgling club. But the key announcement for Team Greater Western Sydney came on November 10, 2009, when legendary former Essendon coach (and master salesman) Kevin Sheedy was named coach on a three-year contract, which would ensure he

was in charge for the team’s ﬁrst AFL game in 2012. Sheedy’s appointment reﬂected the bold vision the AFL had for its 18th club. Hardly an AFL hotbed, the League’s vision for the team was for the next 25-50 years and, in Sheedy, it had no better identity to sell the vision. “Kevin Sheedy has been a success as a player and coach and is without peer when it comes to engaging new communities in our game,” AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said. “The AFL is serious about this venture and today’s appointment of one of the biggest names in AFL demonstrates our commitment to this region.” The announcement, while not altogether surprising, was needed because, of the two expansion clubs, Gold Coast had made the biggest splash possible. On July 29 last year, following a stealth operation that would have made any intelligence operative proud, Gold Coast announced star rugby league player Karmichael Hunt from the Brisbane Broncos would switch codes and play for the club from 2010 in the VFL and 2011 in the AFL. The story made headlines across the country and the exposure and publicity the AFL received was valued at several million dollars.

T H E A F T E R M AT H

� Karmichael Hunt’s VFL debut for Gold Coast drew 6000 fans to Craigieburn, in Melbourne’s outer northern suburbs, and a television audience of more than 200,000. By season’s end, he had developed as a defender and has been penciled in by many observers for the club’s ﬁrst AFL game next season. Team GWS announced a huge signing of its own, with another Brisbane Bronco, Israel Folau, agreeing to play with GWS for three years from next season. Hunt had played some Australian Football as a

schoolboy; Folau hasn’t played a game in his life, but his raw skills and athleticism are plainly apparent. Earlier this year, Gold Coast conﬁrmed it would be known as the Suns, unveiled three jumpers (home, away and ‘clash’) and revealed a club song. Team GWS appointed a chairman (Tony Shepherd), CEO (Dale Holmes) and head of football (Graeme Allan). The Suns also secured their ﬁrst two uncontracted players, Nathan Bock (from Adelaide) and Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide), with six more to come.

ALL SMILES: Team GWS coach

Kevin Sheedy with prized recruit, former rugby league star Israel Folau.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 115

Col Hutchinson

timeon Our AFL history guru answers your queries.

AFL mystery men William Douglas Menzies � Born on January 28, 1915, Menzies joined Footscray from West Footscray as a 178cm, 73kg wingman, who could also play as a small forward or defender. He booted three goals in 14 appearances between 1937 and 1939. In his ﬁrst two seasons, he wore guernsey No. 21, before switching to 35. During World War II, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. EXPERIENCED ROOKIE: Geelong

forward James Podsiadly is in line to make his ﬁnals debut at the ripe old age of 29.

With luck on his side, James Podsiadly will play his first finals match in his first season at the age of 29. Would he be the oldest man to play in a final in his debut year? P. RODGERS, PERTH, WA

CH: ‘J-Pod’ is young compared with George Rawle, who made his ﬁrst senior appearance with Essendon aged 33 years, 322 days in the 1923 Grand Final, against Fitzroy at the MCG. The Dons were victorious and, amazingly, Rawle was also a member of the 1924 premiership team, before retiring during the following season. At the opposite end

116 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

of the spectrum, Geelong’s Ken Newland, in only his fifth League match, appeared in the 1965 first semi-final, against the Bombers aged just 16 years, 123 days. The next youngest was Magpie Len Fitzgerald, who was 131 days beyond his 16th birthday when he played his 20th game in the second semi-final against South Melbourne at Princes Park in 1945. WRITE TO ANSWER MAN The Slattery Media Group 140 Harbour Esplanade Docklands, 3008 or email michaell@slatterymedia.com

Donald Angus Wilson son � Wilson was born n on October 22, 1914, and played his early football with h Spotswood before gaining selection in seven senior matches for Footscray between n 1937 and 1939 as a 178cm, 73kg half-back fl anker with No. 13 on his back. He served in n the army during World War II. If you have any information orm mation regarding the above ve mystery m men, including date te of o death, contact Col Hutchinson inso on on (03) 9643 1929 or col.hutchinson@afl fl.c .com.au. com.au.

NAME GAME

Named to play

� There are at least three possible origins for the surname of Western Bulldog Shaun Higgins, all of them appropriate to him as a footballer. Higgins could be a patronymic (father-son name) of the medieval given name Higgin, a diminutive form Hick, itself a pet form of Richard. In this case, Higgins is the same name as Richardson. Richard is from the Old German ric, “ruler” and hard “strong”. Strong leaders e aree always w s welcome wee at at football fo tb ll clubs. cl b Higgins Hi H Higg g could c l also l be b an a English Englis E i form form of fo of the the Gaelic Gaeelicc Ó hUiginn h hU meaning m a g “descen “descendant descen d cendant d t of Uiginn”, U g n , a nickname nicknam n m me based ba a on o the h Old O Norse N r e viking vvikin n and meaning m n g “viki “viking” v ing” n o or “sea-rover”. e ro The T Bulldogs’ Bulldo ’ theme th heme h e e song iss based s on n the t song s Sons S n off th the hee Sea. Sea a Higgins g ccould o d also s be b an an Eng English n form r of o another a t anoth Irish h name name a Ó hAodhagáin, hAo Aodhag d g a descendant descenda e d off Aodhagán, Aodhag Ao d g a dh diminutive dimi m nutive v of Aodh Ao A odh meaning m me “fi fire”; ree ; a little l tle litt l fire r is always alwa l ays y a good attribute attrib r bute u for fo f a footballer. footb o baller a e KEVAN N CARROLL

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COLLECTABLES

Skills on show

Rick Milne

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

I have several photographs of players from the 1960s and early ‘70s doing promotional work for the VFL, showing the skills of the game. The photos include those of Footscray’s Bernie Quinlan and South Melbourne’s Peter Bedford and were taken at Carlton’s Princes Park. Value?

RICK’S RARITY

� Ear Early football star Billy E Dick Di ck wanted w to play for Carlton, Carlt r but the Blues told d him to go away and come com m back when he was a champion. cham a He went to Fitzroy and d became one of the best players play ay in the VFL, playing 53 games with the Maroons from gam 1908-10. Dick then played 190 10 games with Carlton from 100 1911-18, was captain of the 19 Blues and was best on ground Bl in their 1914 Grand Final win. This rare card featuring the T rruckman/forward c m / w r iss worth o h at least a l s $500. 5 .

GARY, VIA EMAIL

RM: These are rare photographs

and, of course, the Bulldogs and the Swans clash at the MCG this weekend. I value these photos at $25 each

I have a number of cricket magazines from the 1970s and one features Dennis Lillee on the cover. I was thinking about getting it signed and was wondering whether, in years to come, it would be more valuable with or without the signature. I also have a 1971 Grand Final Football Record and was thinking of doing the same as it features St Kilda’s Ross Smith and Hawthorn’s David Parkin on the cover. MAL PEARCE, PERTH, WA

RM: Go for it, Mal! Neither item

is particularly valuable in its own right, so it would do no harm to get both magazines signed. I have the AFL Record for the recent round 21 clash between West Coast and North Melbourne, celebrating Roo captain Brent Harvey’s 300th game. I got it signed by many of the Eagle players, including Nic Naitanui, Scott Selwood,

COLOURFUL CHARACTERS:

These rare photos of Brownlow medallists Bernie Quinlan (above) and Peter Bedford are valued at $25 each.

Andrew Embley and Callum Wilson, along with coach John Worsfold. How much would this be worth in 10 and 50 years’ time? I also would like the value of an Essendon guernsey signed by the entire Bomber team that played the Eagles late in the 2008 season. Again, I would like a 10-50-year valuation. LIAM SPENCER, PERTH, WA

RM: The AFL Record would not

be valuable as the Eagles lost, although it might be worth $50 well down the track. Your Essendon guernsey is worth $150 at present and not much more in years to come as

there are thousands of signed guernseys out there and not too many buyers. I have three football cards that have errors, i.e., incorrect club logo, wrong name and spelling mistakes. I was wondering whether these cards are rare or are more valuable because of the errors. STEPHEN TULLY, MITCHAM, VIC.

RM: There are a lot of errors on football cards and they are only worth more if they are withdrawn from the market and therefore rare. The three you have only have a modest value.

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

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

beforethegame.com.au

L ADDER SAM LEHMO FITZY ANDY DAVE MICK

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118 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

This week, special guest appearance by SAM FISHER

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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.

LUKE DARCY WESTERN BULLDOGS

K U

D C

E E

K D

Y A

D K

R K E

L C

D R

1 Where was Sydney Swans ruckman

Mike Pyke born?

2 When did Western Bulldogs captain Brad ad

A R

QUICK QUESTIONS

Johnson make his debut? 3 Who has played the most ﬁnals for Geelong? 4 How many ﬁnals has Fremantle won?

ecutive el eelimination imination 5 Which team has lost consecutive ﬁnals to non-Victorian teams ms on the road?

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Hoops on Jesse White’s sock changed to green; sign in background changed to pink; stripe on Brett Kirk’s shorts removed; Kirk’s tattoo on his shoulder removed; tape on Adam Goodes’ left hand removed.. 5 QUICK QUESTIONS: 1. Canada; 2. 1994; 3. Garry Hocking (21); 4. Two of ﬁve; 5. Carlton (to the Brisbane Lions in 2009 and the Sydney Swans this season). B IG G MOUTH: MOUT M MO O OU H: BIG SCRAMBLED SCRA SC S C CRA RA AM MBLE BLE LE L ED FO FOOTBALLER: OTBALLER BA LE LER ER E R: CRYPTIC CRYP C RYP YP T TIC IC C FOOTBALLERS: FOOT F FO OO OO OT TBALLERS: LE

120 20 AFL FL RECORD REC CO CO OR RD visit viissit vvis it aﬂ aﬂrecord.com.au rec re record eecc o ord or rrd d.com c m.a au

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LAST LINE

Applying data laterally

Minor premier deserves greater advantage

he introduction of two new clubs over the next two years provides the AFL with an ideal opportunity to redesign the finals system from 2012, as it is doing. In my view, the current system is groaning with inconsistencies in that excellence is not necessarily always adequately rewarded. I suggest the principle of ‘fairness’ according to merit and ‘a fair go’ for qualifiers lies within the heart of an Australian identity. Unfortunately, the finals system has become unbalanced, careering in the opposite direction. With two new teams, the inconsistencies might only be magnified unless there is redress. Let me explain. Since 1990, only seven of 20 minor premiership winners (first on the ladder at the end of the home and away matches) have won the Grand Final. This is ridiculously poor odds ($2.85 for $1), given the achievement of finishing first. Indeed, because each of the top four teams in this year’s series is based in Victoria, there is no advantage whatsoever in finishing first. Yes, each team gets a fair go but fairness in terms of merit does not come into play. The fact only seven minor premiers have been triumphant in 20 seasons debunks the argument first playing fourth in the first week is an advantage. Further complications arise because of home-ground advantage disparities. There is no distinct home-ground advantage if, say, two Melbourne-based teams finishing first and fourth meet at the MCG. However, if a Victorian-based team finishing second gets to play a non-Victorian team finishing third, then the 122 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

PLENTY TO CROW ABOUT: Adelaide in 1998

is the only team outside the top four to win a ﬂag in the past 20 years.

chances of that Victorian team winning the Grand Final are significantly higher than the team finishing first. At the other end of the scale, history tells us that teams finishing sixth-eighth have no chance of winning the premiership, with the fifth-placed team having a miniscule three per cent chance. A final-five system was introduced in 1972 and a sixteam finals system adopted in 1991. In that 20-year period, only Adelaide (in 1998) won the Grand Final from fifth, albeit in exceptional circumstances. That year, the Crows finished with the highest ladder percentage in the AFL (123.2), an indicator it was a stronger team than its fifth-spot placing might otherwise have shown. In summary, a progressive scale should be considered that gives teams in the lower order at least a slim chance of winning the Grand Final. At the other end of the spectrum, the top team should be assured the highest chance of winning the premiership. As it stands now, the system is a lottery of sorts for the teams

Before the formula’s introduction, there were howls of injustice and inconsistencies in outcomes. Now, there is acceptance. The targets (and outcomes) accord with public perceptions of fairness and a fair go, and these same principles should take precedence over any others in AFL finals scheduling. Marketing can also have a role to play in this debate if, say, it makes sense to upgrade the status of the McClelland Trophy awarded for winning the minor premiership. Having a highly visible and wellCollingwood regarded secondtier award that has had to wear sits below a ‘loser’ tag ever premiership since, but it was status can bring in the top four. easily the best more value and As noted in interest to the some cases, the performed team competition. second-placed that season A good example team has a better of why a highly chance than regarded second-tier the first. award is warranted is what A remedy for these happened in 1970. anomalies shouldn’t be too Collingwood was clearly hard to find, with input of the best team of the season, mathematical and marketing two games ahead of Carlton on experts probably more match points and 23.2 per cent important than what the in front on percentage. game’s administrators, media The Magpies won the second commentators and members of semi-final by 10 points but lost the public can add. the Grand Final to Carlton by Mathematicians have an 10 points. important role, for they can use Collingwood has had to wear sophisticated means to calculate a ‘loser’ tag for that performance odds according to various ever since but, overall, it was complicated scenarios. easily the best-performed team Their modelling can be of that season. designed to take account of It should, as other minor principles such as fairness premiers that have suffered a and a fair go. similar fate, be acknowledged, Their input would be not derided. even greater if splitting If a team wins both the minor the competition into premiership and the Grand divisional conferences, as Final, then it deserves even proposed, eventuates. higher accolades. An excellent example of mathematicians at work is TED HOPKINS IS A CARLTON PREMIERSHIP cricket’s Duckworth-Lewis PLAYER AND FOUNDER OF CHAMPION DATA. formula used for deciding the HIS CURRENT PROJECT IS TEDSPORT, A targets required for rainHIGH PERFORMANCE DATA ANALYSIS AND CONSULTING SERVICE, TEDSPORT.COM.AU. interrupted one-day matches.

We got Lance Franklin to hang up his boots. Now you can hang them at your place.

Artist: David Williams, Gilimbaa

Your chance to bid for a piece of AFL history. Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin, Ashley McGrath and Adam Goodes, as well as Indigenous stars from every team in the AFL, donated their playing boots to be painted by Australian Indigenous artists to create the Qantas Boots and Dreams exhibition. Each player’s club is auctioning the boots with all proceeds going to the AFL Foundation to support Indigenous programs. For more information about the auctions, visit afl.com.au/qantasboots

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advanced KDSS suspension adjusts to most off and on road changes and CRAWL (off-road cruise control), teams up with downhill and hill-start assist to help blitz the steepest slopes. prado.com.au com.au