AFL Record Round 10, 2009

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AFL GAME

Leon

Davis Becoming an elite Magpie

Bryce Gibbs

Blues leader B in waiting

Start to end

The life cycle of an AFL coach

ROUND 10, 2009 M MAY 29-31 $4 $ (INC. GST)

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ROUND 10, MAY 29-31, 2009 F E AT U R E S

57

Leon Davis

A Magpie star is proving his doubters wrong.

62

Bryce Gibbs

The young Blue is a leader in the making.

66

The life of an AFL coach

The highs and lows of a demanding job.

62 ON HIS WAY: Carlton youngster Bryce Gibbs is going places ... maybe to the top as a future leader of the Blues.

REGULARS

4

Backchat

Have your say about the football world.

7

The Bounce

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

25

Matchday

Stats, history and line-ups.

53

Dream Team

Advice from Mr Fantasy, our Dream Team expert.

68 72 76 78

Answer Man Testing your knowledge NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

The problem with being a tall poppy.

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

THIS WEEK’S COVER Leon Davis is one constant in a Magpie team striving for consistency.

Go to aflphotos.com.au to order prints of this image.

OUR LOW FARES MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO MISS THE BIG GAMES! Check out the fixture in the match day section to see when your team is playing their next interstate game! To follow your team around the country visit jetstar.com now.

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feedback

backchat HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE FOOTBALL WORLD

Double take

Thoughts on Lou Richards

What is happening with the AFL draw? Carlton is playing the Brisbane Lions in round 11, after having played them in round two.

I still cannot understand how Lou Richards was not made a Legend of the Hall of Fame this year. If it weren’t for Lou, where would the football media be today?

RAY, MURRUMBEENA, VIC

LUKE SICARI, GREENVALE, VIC

The AFL then moved to present Richards a Lifetime Achievement Award, but he declined the offer. At last week’s Hall of Fame induction dinner, the AFL indicated it would conduct a review of the charter before next year’s event.

Editor’s note: In 2008,

the AFL amended the fi xturing arrangement so that clubs were no longer required to play each other once before round 15. Under the new system, clubs can play each other twice with only a relatively short time between their first and second meetings, but clubs can not play each other twice before round 10 (this weekend).

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

Editor’s note: Under the

charter of the Hall of Fame, “a person may only be considered for ‘Legend’ status based on either their playing or coaching record, but not for their contribution as a media representative, umpire or administrator”. The Hall of Fame selection committee did not believe Lou Richards qualified for Legend status.

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

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your feedback on n the Record and matters relating to the game, the clubs and the players.

The best letter each round will receive a copyy of the AFL Record Season n Guide 2009. Email aflrecordeditor@ slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.

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

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

EDITOR’S LET TER

The life cycle of a coach The great Hawthorn premiership coach John Kennedy (pictured) once said of his coaching philosophy: “I guess I’d make an explanatory note at the start of the season and from then on, it was all in. In football, a man’s feelings don’t count and we’re here for the sake of the club.

“To some extent, he added, “there’s no sentiment at all.”

The only thing a coach was ultimately judged on, Kennedy said, was how often his team won.

Coaches at any level of the game need plenty to go their way in order to succeed (having the right mix of players is but one of many requirements), and they must be able to make hard decisions, devoid of emotion.

Importantly, they also need a mind of steel to cope with the scrutiny that comes their way, especially as the coverage and second-guessing becomes more intense.

This week, the Record features an essay on the life cycle of a coach (see page 66), based on observation and facts, and written with a little licence.

Every coach – and everyone else who works in the industry or follows the game, at any level – will recognise the cycle.

PETER DI SISTO

PRINTED BY PMP Print ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO The Editor, AFL Record, Ground Floor, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Victoria, 3008.

P: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 98, ROUND 10, 2009 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211.

ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

4 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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the bounce VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

GAME-BREAKERS:

PHOTO: GREG FORD/AFL PHOTOS

The Roos were able to apply more forward pressure with the move of Daniel Wells to attack to assist speedster Lindsay Thomas (pictured).

M O V I N G M AG N E T S

Restructured set-up helps Roos With some subtle changes to its big-man division, North Melbourne has taken on a different look.

T

here has been a lot of talk about North Melbourne’s wealth of tall timber this year.

With the emergence of youngster Todd Goldstein to support Hamish McIntosh in the ruck, the Roos have had the luxury of releasing Drew Petrie to partner David Hale on the forward line.

Last Saturday against Fremantle, Goldstein played his third straight game and fourth of 2009, but this time North coach Dean Laidley structured his forward line differently.

After falling 26 points behind in the first quarter, the Roos turned things around to beat the Dockers by 13 points. And the catalyst in the comeback was the quarter-time move of Daniel Wells to the forward line and the versatile Petrie to the wing.

With Aaron Edwards playing the lead-up forward role, Hale was often the only tall inside the Kangaroos’ forward 50.

He was surrounded by speed, with Lindsay Thomas and Wells, while medium forward Ben Warren provided another leading target.

Thomas said the Roos’ forward line had missed the pace and defensive pressure of the injured Matt Campbell in recent weeks, but Wells had been a brilliant substitute against the Dockers.

“It was good to have ‘Wellsy’ down there,” he said.

“Obviously, he’s very important to our side and he stood up.”

He certainly did. Just consider his opening 10 minutes of the second quarter.

Two minutes into the term, he took a handball from Jack Ziebell and passed to a leading Hale, who marked and goaled.

NICK BOW EN

Minutes later, he roved a ruck contest and snapped a point.

Next he won the ball 40 metres out near the boundary, centred it to the top of the goalsquare, where Petrie, who had drifted forward, marked and goaled.

Wells then won the ball in the forward pocket, danced around one opponent, then another and goaled, to put the Roos back within seven points.

Thomas also had a good day, racking up 19 possessions, three score assists, and exerting much CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 7

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

of the Roos’ inside-50 defensive pressure with five tackles.

The only blemish was his wayward kicking; he kicked three behinds.

But he almost kicked the goal of the game in the second quarter, when he ran back with the flight of the ball, spoiled a Dockers’ marking attempt without conceding a free kick, then kept the ball inside the boundary line before having a shot at goal. Unfortunately, it missed to the near side.

Thomas also had a good day racking up 19 possessions, (and) three score assists “I think I missed the chance to centre it to Wellsy too, which he let me know about,” Thomas said.

Late in the fourth quarter, though, Thomas helped North seal the game when he hit Hale on the lead. Hale’s subsequent goal put the Roos 13 points up with just a minute to play, and was his fifth major in a pleasing return to form.

Warren’s steady progress continued as he kicked two goals, although, like Thomas, he also added three behinds.

Better still, second-gamer Sam Wright also drifted forward to kick a goal and gave off two score assists.

Thomas said the Roos’ forward line had not been as potent as the club would have liked, but was starting to improve.

“We think we’re starting to become well balanced down there,” he said. “We can rely on David Hale to give a contest for us, while we’ve got ‘Drewy’ (Petrie) and a few other talls who can come down as well.

“Ben Warren can also play as a key forward or a medium forward, while Matty (Campbell), Wellsy and myself can feed on the crumbs.”

Obviously, how North’s forward line is structured in any given week will depend on opposition match-ups. But, last round, Laidley at least showed height was not his side’s only weapon.

NEWS TRACKER

N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

Promising cubs are pride of the Lions BEN COL LINS

I

t seemed almost inconceivable that the Brisbane Lions could be within three points of St Kilda in the dying minutes of their clash at Docklands last week.

Not only had the Lions been forced to combat star Saints forwards Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke without their two best key defenders – Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull – but they had also taken five virtually unknown youngsters into an encounter with an undefeated side that had won its previous 11 matches at Docklands by an average of eight goals.

The no-name Lion cubs – Tasmanian pair Tom Collier and Aaron Cornelius, and Victorian

ONE TO WATCH:

Brisbane Lion Aaron Cornelius in a contest with Saint Raphael Clarke.

trio James Polkinghorne, Matt Austin and Sam Sheldon (we could add Daniel Rich, 18, but he was drafted amid much hype, and has justified it) – entered the match with an average age of a

shade under 20 and a combined total of 20 games’ experience.

It was some achievement to be competitive, let alone mount a serious challenge.

The Lions adapted to their

THE SPECCIE

They’re flying high again Australian Football’s most unique and thrilling feature, the speccie, is alive and well.

It had been feared the reluctance of teams to kick long to a contest and the stricter interpretation of the hands-inthe-back rule at marking contests had grounded our high-flyers.

But just last round, we were treated to a swag of spectacular high marks, including the four pictured far right. Two Bombers electrified the MCG crowd with high-flying grabs, Nathan Murray soaring over Richmond’s Adam Pattison (2) and Patrick Ryder hitching an upward ride on the backs of Tiger Shane Tuck and teammate Jobe Watson (3).

The next day, Swan Heath Grundy sprung on to the

shoulders of teammate Darren Jolly and Port Adelaide’s Troy Chaplin to take a mark his coach Paul Roos described as the best he’d seen in 15 years (4). Frequent flyer Russell Robertson was at it again against Hawthorn, flying early, then hovering on the back of Campbell Brown to clutch the ball low to the ground (5).

Unfortunately, the Demon played on, kicking the ball while still on his back, only for it to be touched on the goal line.

These marks follow similar speccies taken by the Power’s Tom Logan against Hawthorn in round four, Pie Leon Davis against North Melbourne in round six (pictured right, 1) and Ryder, again, against Hawthorn in round seven.

NICK BOWEN

1

Essendon’s Andrew Welsh is expected to return to the VFL this weekend after breaking his leg three months ago.

8 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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Leppitsch believes they will each become “very good players”, citing their strong, developing bodies and aggression as common denominators.

“They’ve all got something of high quality about them, and they have leadership potential,” Leppitsch added. “They’re not flighty kids; they really embrace the team aspect of the club, which is rare for kids.”

s recently as the period from 2002-06, a road trip to Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane or Sydney was more than likely to end in a loss.

And, although the dominance of the Lions, Crows, Eagles and Swans

has waned in the past few seasons, winning in a hostile environment is still regarded as a bonus for some.

Collingwood, however, is a clear exception.

The Magpies have won nine of their past 11 games outside Victoria – a remarkable feat – underscored by last week’s gritty 22-point victory over West Coast at Subiaco.

For assistant coach Blake Caracella, the key factor is having a set routine.

“We try to stick to the same schedule each time we go interstate,” Caracella said.

“We get there and train the day before the game, and try to keep the routine as similar as possible to what it is at home.”

According to the former Essendon and Brisbane Lions premiership player, the club strives to pack the players’ schedules to avoid the boredom of waiting around in hotels, which can cause a unique level of fatigue.

Caracella revealed that Collingwood puts little time into adjusting to the varying ground sizes and does not alter its game-plan based on the venue.

2

3

4

NEWS TRACKER

T R AV E L FAC T O R

Pies’ road routine does not alter A NDR EW WA L L ACE

A

AWAY FROM HOME STATE RECORDS SINCE 1999 CLUB Coll BL PA NM Adel Syd Geel Haw WB WCE Ess Rich St K Frem Melb Carl

P 45 113 111 76 111 114 53 68 75 113 49 49 60 116 56 48

W 21 52 52 36 50 49 22 28 26 38 15 14 16 26 14 11

L 24 59 59 40 61 62 30 40 38 73 34 35 44 80 42 36

D 0 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1

% 47% 47% 47% 47% 45% 44% 42% 41% 41% 35% 31% 29% 27% 25% 25% 24%

• Includes ‘home’ games played in another state, i.e. Hawthorn hosting in Tasmania.

And he feels the travelling record has been overplayed.

“You can argue that we simply might match up well against teams like the Swans and West Coast, whether we play at home or away,” he said. “Part of the reason would be the team-versusteam strategy and tactics.”

The Magpies play Sydney at ANZ Stadium in round 12 and Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in round 19.

PHOTOS: DAVE CALLOW, LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM, MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

defensive dilemma by placing mid-tier player Joel Macdonald on Riewoldt and throwing the Koschitzke assignment to Cornelius, an 18-year-old debutant (he turned 19 on Friday) who actually supported the Saints until he was drafted as a key forward last November, and whose only experience in defence had been at QAFL level.

It seemed like the Lions coaching panel was simply shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic. But they knew more than we did.

The St Kilda duo bagged eight goals between them, and were solid contributors, but didn’t have the impact many would have expected.

Admittedly, Cornelius didn’t last long on Koschitzke, despite showing obvious promise. He was soon swung into attack and responded with two goals in the Brisbane fightback.

In fact, the youthful quintet combined for five goals (Polkinghorne also got two and Austin one). They didn’t star, but exceeded expectations as a group.

Lions assistant coach Justin

5

Geelong’s Jimmy Bartel failed in his attempt at the AFL Tribunal to reduce his demerit points after a tripping incident last week.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 9

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A N A LY S I S BLUE BLOW: Carlton’s Jarrad

Waite faces the rest of the season on the sidelines after injuring his knee last week.

THE GODFATHER OF STATS Ted Hopkins Founder of Champion Data and Carlton premiership player

Slick Watson weighs in The Godfather has weighed up Jobe Watson’s value to Essendon and the competition in general and concluded he is, at least, as important as Chris Judd is to Carlton and Adam Goodes to the Sydney Swans.

It’s a big wrap for the young Bomber, but the numbers stack up. Watson is prolific around the stoppages and super-slick in terms of setting up scoring opportunities from clearances.

Consider this: the Bombers have won 238 clearances, the fewest of the 16 clubs.

However, from these limited opportunities, they have scored 90 times (fifth best in the AFL), giving them a 38 per cent strike rate, the best in the competition. At the bottom of the pack and in heavy traffic, it is the slick Watson who provides the major ignition for Essendon’s successful scoring strike rate from stoppages.

Against Richmond, the Bombers lost the clearance count 25-37 but kicked 11 goals to five from the respective opportunities. Remarkable also is that Watson’s average game time is 96 minutes (17th for the Bombers and notably below Judd’s average of 106 minutes and Goodes’ 118).

These three are among the elite for clearance numbers and quality. Watson ranks No. 1 with a score strike rate of 33 per cent, Goodes 32 per cent and Judd 27 per cent.

At setting up scores from clearances per minute on the ground, Watson has no peer.

While clearance efficiency is a Watson specialty, as a package he offers more. He has a total of 71 score involvements (12th in the competition) contributing 30 per cent of his team’s scoring (ninth for

NEWS TRACKER

percentage involvements).

Only teammate Andrew Lovett ranks higher, with 82 score involvements and a 32 per cent contribution (fifth in the AFL). Watson has had 32 more contested possessions than any other Bomber, and ranks No. 1 for disposals and second for uncontested possessions.

His kicking efficiency is 66 per cent, which is the competition average for a midfielder.

BOTTLE DAVEY The Godfather is recommending Demon fans bottle up Aaron Davey, since he’s become such a precious item for Melbourne when it comes to scoring.

Along with Collingwood’s Dane Swan, Davey ranks equal second in the competition for percentage of team score involvements (34). Only Geelong’s Steve Johnson’s 38 per cent ranks higher in overall importance to team scoring.

Davey’s transformation from goalsneak and swift tackler into a scoring-chain dynamo appears to have been a deliberate move by coach Dean Bailey.

After nine rounds last season, his score involvements numbered just 44 and quota of team scoring 22 per cent.

LEADING SCORE INVOLVEMENTS Round nine Player

Club No.

S. Johnson A. Davey D. Swan L. Davis A. Lovett

Geel Melb Coll Coll Ess

109 61 78 75 76

% club’s scoring 38 34 34 33 32

Score involvements: The number of scoring chains a player has been involved in. If a player has five disposals in one scoring chain only one score involvement is recorded. Percentage of club’s scoring is the percentage of a club’s total scoring chains that a player has been involved in.

MEDICAL ROOM

Partial tears can be managed NICK BOW EN

A

s we learned earlier this week, Jarrad Waite’s season is over.

The Carlton star, who partially tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee against Adelaide, decided on Tuesday, after advice from his surgeon, to have a knee reconstruction.

But before arthroscopic surgery revealed the damage to his knee was significant, Waite had hoped he could play again this year, knowing players such as the Western Bulldogs’ Daniel Giansiracusa and St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt had come back successfully from similar injuries without surgery.

Dr John Orchard, a sports physician and co-author of the AFL Injury Report, says about 10 per cent of players who suffer

partially torn ACLs have a realistic chance of returning to play without surgery.

In determining whether a player’s injury is in that category, the key question according to Dr Orchard is whether the knee is going to be functionally stable when the player changes direction.

While that question is easily answered in the negative with substantial tears and in the positive with minor ones, Dr Orchard says in other cases MRI scans and arthroscopic surgery provided a good guide to whether a reconstruction could be avoided.

While there is always an increased risk of rupturing the ligament when players initially return without surgery, Dr Orchard says, in the right circumstances, it is a “sensible” option.

“Knee surgery itself is not 100 per cent successful and it puts a player out for an average of nine months,” he says.

“If you don’t have surgery, you’re out about six to 12 weeks, and if you can get back to playing. there’s a pretty good chance of the knee holding up long-term.”

Fremantle’s Roger Hayden expected to miss up to eight weeks after surgery to repair his broken right leg.

10 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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PAT I E N C E R E WA R D E D

Muston’s wasn’t longest wait

However, it is worth noting that the early drafts weren’t exactly the precise and meticulous recruiting tools they have become in the past decade or so.

HAWK TAKES OFF:

Beau Muston gathered 31 disposals on debut last week.

MICH A EL LOV ET T

B

eau Muston’s debut for Hawthorn last week answered two pertinent questions for Hawk fans and football followers in general.

The Hawks’ patient wait for Muston to play at the highest level after three knee reconstructions was worth it – the No. 22 selection from the 2005 NAB AFL Draft had 31 disposals and kicked a superb goal.

But it also raised another question: where did his debut rate in years taken from draft to first appearance?

Figures from the AFL’s statistical department show about 30 players have waited longer than Muston to debut since the first draft in 1986.

For example, Port Adelaide’s Darren Mead, who was drafted by Essendon in 1988, was prepared to wait until the Power entered the AFL in 1997 before making his debut.

Nathan Saunders, Nick Gill, Anthony McDonald and Haydon Kilmartin also had long waits, as they didn’t quite measure up with the original clubs that drafted them. They found opportunities elsewhere with the Western Bulldogs, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hawthorn respectively.

North’s Erich Lissenden is perhaps the most interesting story. Drafted in 1989, he didn’t make his debut until 1996 in the Roos’ premiership year, managing two games against Carlton and Collingwood.

“He was very unlucky with injuries,” former North Melbourne coach Denis Pagan said this week.

“He was the son of a dairy farmer from down Gippsland way (Neerim South) and no one kicked the ball further than him. He had big hands and was a good mark but I think shoulder injuries wrecked him in the end.”

DRAFT TO DEBUT Player

Year drafted

Drafted by

Debut

Club

Games

Span (draft to debut)

Darren Mead

1988

Essendon

1997

Port Adelaide

122

8 years, 124 days

Nathan Saunders

1994

Hawthorn

2002

Western Bulldogs

10

7 years, 160 days

Nick Gill

2001

Melbourne

2007

Adelaide

17

6 years, 230 days

Erich Lissenden

1989

North Melb

1996

North Melb

2

6 years, 222 days

Anthony McDonald

1990

Carlton

1997

Melbourne

104

6 years, 144 days

Haydon Kilmartin

1991

Melbourne

1998

Hawthorn

10

6 days, 137 days

Bryan Beinke

1992

Geelong

1999

Adelaide

38

6 years, 128 days

Beau Muston

2005

Hawthorn

2009

Hawthorn

1

3 years, 180 days

MILES TONES – ROUND 10

200 Games Tim Notting Brisbane Lions Dean Solomon Fremantle

AFL 200 Club Josh Fraser (Collingwood) Craig Bolton (Sydney Swans)

500 games as player and coach Terry Wallace (Richmond, Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn)

150 games Adam Hunter (West Coast) Lindsay Gilbee (Western Bulldogs)

100 games Matt Maguire (St Kilda)

50 games Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne)

By the numbers

49

The number of players who have debuted this year, taking to 11,759 the number who have played at League level since 1897.

12 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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We’ve kicked a few goals over the years JELD-WEN is the name behind the St Kilda Football Club. And we’re also the name behind iconic brands like Stegbar and Corinthian – leaders in door, window and showerscreen manufacture, supply and installation.

Great club, great brands. jeld-wen.com.au

M A J O R PA R T N E R

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

UMPIRING DECISIONS

Calls were on the mark NICK BOW EN

A

FL director of umpiring Jeff Gieschen says the umpires got it right with two crucial decisions in round nine.

The first related to Brad Johnson’s missed shot for goal after the siren against Geelong, which would have won the game for the Western Bulldogs (see accompanying item this page).

When the Bulldogs skipper marked near the goalsquare in the dying seconds, umpire Shaun Ryan blew time off. Johnson then tried to play on before play had been restarted, giving Ryan no other option than to call Johnson back, Gieschen says.

Gieschen concedes Johnson may have moved marginally off his line in his second approach to goal, but says Ryan was right not to call play on because he ran in in one continuous forward motion.

The second decision involved the free kick awarded against Fremantle’s Steven Dodd by umpire Stephen McBurney for a deliberate rushed behind – just the second awarded since the rule came in at the start of this season – after he punched the ball across the goal line against North Melbourne.

“This was pretty clear cut,” Gieschen says. “When Dodd elected to punch the ball through the scoring area, he wasn’t under any immediate pressure, there was no (North Melbourne) player who was an immediate threat to the contest.

“He also had other options.

He could have taken possession of the ball and he had room to run off.”

North Melbourne’s Daniel Pratt is the only other player to be penalised under this rule (against Essendon in round four), but Gieschen says only

NEWS TRACKER

one other free should have been paid, against Matthew Kreuzer against the Bombers in round three.

THE GA ME ABROAD

Small steps in Big Apple TIFFA N Y CHER RY

F

ive years ago, then-Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy and AFL game development manager David Matthews were guests at the eighth annual USAFL national championships in Atlanta.

Both gave the league the thumbs up, with Sheedy predicting an American-born player could debut in the AFL within 10 years.

The Americans like to think it will be sooner than that, with the game having expanded significantly since.

Sports fans have heard of Australian Football. Once they see it, they generally like it, so perhaps there is an opportunity for it to grow but it won’t be easy EX-BOMBER CHRIS HEFFERNAN

Australian Football is played in 25 of the 50 American states (and neighbouring Canada) with 30 men’s and six women’s teams, six college programs and a junior development league.

The country’s first full-sized Australian Football ground was opened last year in Florida.

The New York Magpies are one of the most popular teams in the country, and are helping build the game’s profile locally.

They train at Manhattan’s Central Park and in the Bronx, and the team features Essendon premiership midfielder Chris Heffernan, as well as a mix of local and Australian-born musicians, finance executives,

lawyers and advertising gurus.

Many of the Magpies were among about 1000 people who paid tribute to Australian servicemen and women at a ceremony by the Hudson River on Anzac Day. And just a few weeks ago, the club hosted the first Australian Football match under lights in Manhattan in a representativestyle clash between the club’s local and ‘international’ players, with AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson and the League’s lawyer Andrew Dillon both pulling on the boots for the internationals.

Anderson and Dillon were in New York to discuss issues relating to free agency with officials from local sports leagues.

Heffernan, who played 170 matches for the Bombers and Melbourne from 1997-2005, moved to New York 12 months ago, where he works as a financial analyst for Deutsche Bank.

He says former AFL players Sav Rocca and Ben Graham, now playing in the National Football League, have raised awareness of Australian Football among New York sports fans, although the code is still alien to most.

“Sports fans have heard of Australian Football but have absolutely no concept of what it is,” Heffernan says.

“Once they see it, they generally like it, so perhaps there is an opportunity for it to grow, but it won’t be easy.”

history, with video footage covering life as an umpire, the involvement of umpires in various wars, umpiring’s social impact and the development of its culture.

The association also launched a book at the function, The Man in White – the official history of the AFL Umpires’ Association.

Author Barry Dorr said it was important for the history of umpires to be properly recorded.

Dorr recalled a story in the book of an umpire who had returned to the game deaf after a stint in the military – he no longer had to worry about listening to insults.

Can lightning strike twice?

BRAD JOHNSON’S MISSED SHOT AT GOAL AGAINST GEELONG AT DOCKLANDS LAST WEEK GIVES HIM A UNIQUE – BUT UNWANTED – DOUBLE. LAST YEAR, ALSO IN A ROUND NINE MATCH AT THE SAME VENUE (AGAINST NORTH MELBOURNE), JOHNSON HAD A CHANCE TO KICK A GOAL LATE IN A MATCH THAT WOULD HAVE SEEN THE DOGS WIN, BUT ALSO MISSED.

Tiffany Cherry reports on the AFL and is working for ESPN in the US.

C E L E B R AT I O N

Ton up for umpires R ICH A R D TH WA ITES

U

mpires past and present and AFL officials were among more than 400 people who celebrated the centenary of the AFL Umpires’ Association at Docklands last Monday.

Attendees were given a snapshot of the association’s

Community Cup football match raising money for the disadvantaged to be played in Melbourne on June 21. Visit reclink.org.

14 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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PAT T E R N S

Quarter kings BEN COL LINS

T

he quarter-by-quarter breakdowns are intriguing reading. As expected, undefeated St Kilda and Geelong feature prominently, particularly in the first half of matches when they stamp their authority on contests. Between them, the Saints and Cats have won 16 of their 18 first quarters, storming to an average lead of 13 points by quarter-time (27 to 14), before extending their advantage to five goals by half-time (60 to 30).

Essendon, the Bulldogs and Collingwood are the worst starters, winning just seven of their combined 27 first quarters.

Meanwhile, the Eagles are thirdbest early, winning seven of their nine first terms.

The Bombers are the best third-quarter team, losing just one, with Richmond sixth (they are in the bottom four in each of the other quarters), while Adelaide has let itself down badly immediately after the long break, ranking 15th.

The Brisbane Lions are at their best in the middle quarters, ranking fifth in both the second and third terms. Carlton has the best last-quarter record (7-2).

FIRST QUARTER Club St Kilda Geelong Cats West Coast Eagles Carlton Adelaide Hawthorn Port Adelaide Sydney Swans Fremantle Brisbane Lions Melbourne North Melbourne Richmond Collingwood Western Bulldogs Essendon AFL average

SECOND QUARTER W 8 8 7 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2

L 1 1 2 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 7 7

D

W 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 1

L 1 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 8

D 1

1 1

For 247 250 226 224 186 204 183 221 199 172 157 165 182 162 166 136

Agst 113 136 155 161 156 182 214 188 210 215 188 222 228 230 246 236

% 218.6 183.8 145.8 139.1 119.2 112.1 85.5 117.6 94.8 80.0 83.5 74.3 79.8 70.4 67.5 57.6 21.4

For 261 259 202 220 233 232 233 229 204 246 238 231 187 208 160 149

Agst 198 164 167 200 145 200 202 227 219 233 243 276 212 279 276 251

% 131.8 157.9 121.0 110.0 160.7 116.0 115.3 100.9 93.2 105.6 97.9 83.7 88.2 74.6 58.0 59.4 24.3

THIRD QUARTER Club Essendon St Kilda Collingwood Geelong Cats Brisbane Lions Richmond Carlton Sydney Swans Fremantle Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide West Coast Eagles North Melbourne Hawthorn Adelaide Melbourne AFL average

Club Geelong Cats Hawthorn St Kilda Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Carlton Collingwood Essendon Adelaide Port Adelaide North Melbourne Sydney Swans West Coast Eagles Fremantle Melbourne Richmond AFL average

W 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1

L 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 7

D 1 1

W 7 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 1 2 1

L 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7

D

1

1

1

1

For 343 259 246 258 216 230 200 217 195 186 207 182 169 184 194 174

Agst 175 175 117 203 240 243 212 214 159 217 245 220 219 269 286 266

% 196.0 148.0 210.3 127.1 90.0 94.7 94.3 101.4 122.6 85.7 84.5 82.7 77.2 68.4 67.8 65.4 24

For 241 222 262 247 194 207 268 215 220 198 188 211 152 132 143 150

Agst 202 136 192 187 202 157 220 198 206 233 207 246 201 223 247 193

% 119.3 163.2 136.5 132.1 96.0 131.8 121.8 108.6 106.8 85.0 90.8 85.8 75.6 59.2 57.9 77.7 22.6

FOURTH QUARTER

1

Club Carlton St Kilda Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats Melbourne Essendon Port Adelaide Sydney Swans Collingwood Hawthorn Brisbane Lions Adelaide West Coast Eagles Fremantle Richmond North Melbourne AFL average

1

2 1

* Statistics supplied by Champion Data.

PREPARE FOR EVERY GAME.

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

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 15

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

I N F O R M AT I O N

Pies open doors to Irish pair A NDR EW WA L L ACE

T

here’s a school of thought that Australian Football’s relationship with Gaelic Football in Ireland has been all one way.

Gaelic stars such as Tadhg Kennelly and Marty Clarke have supposedly been poached by the Australian code, leaving the Gaelic Athletic Association-run competition weakened and without compensation.

Collingwood is working on changing that perception.

For the past few months, the Magpies have been hosting a pair of Irish sports science students on a funded scholarship program to share club knowledge and technology with the aim of eventually making a difference back in the Emerald Isle.

Kevin White, from the University of Limerick, and Tara Hamilton, from Dublin City University, earned their scholarships from a field of about 60 Irish applicants.

The rigorous selection process was conducted by Collingwood’s sports science director David Buttifant, who did a series of intense recruiting-style interviews, some of which were videotaped to gauge responses and body language.

Having made it through, White and Hamilton have almost unlimited access to one of the most technologically advanced sporting set-ups in Australian sport. “Gaelic Football is an amateur sport, but hopefully in the next few years if it does turn professional, there will be a big opportunity for sports science,” White says.

“Aussie Rules gets a lot of negative press back in Ireland, but Collingwood is going to offer a funded scholarship every year to Irish students, which will be invaluable later on.”

NEWS TRACKER

KNOWLEDGE BASE : Kevin White and Tara Hamilton can take their Collingwood information training back to Ireland.

White and Hamilton have been exposed to facets including strength and conditioning, recovery and rehabilitation, GPS tracking, altitude training, diet, match-day analysis and sports psychology.

Hamilton believes the benefits to the GAA could be endless.

“Even in the area of nutrition, it’s not greatly implemented in the GAA as such yet, so for us to introduce these things back home could be a major plus,” she says.

White agrees. “One of the things I notice over here is that, from about the age of 15 or 16, the younger scholarship players at the club are given weights programs and are introduced to (diet) supplementation,” he says.

“In Ireland, the senior players won’t have lifted any weights or have real knowledge about strength and conditioning until they hit 20 or 21.

“You can see for yourself at International Rules matches that the Australian players are a lot bigger and bulkier.”

Such exclusive access to an AFL club has left White and Hamilton hooked on footy.

“We got down on to the field

for Anzac Day for the minute’s silence and it was just an amazing experience,” Hamilton says. “To be in the heart of it was out of this world, and Collingwood has been brilliant at making us feel so welcome.”

White is due to head home after the Collingwood-Brisbane Lions match in round 18, while Hamilton’s departure is set for mid-September – unless, of course, the Magpies progress further. “I’ll miss out on the Grand Final, but if Collingwood makes it, I’m sure I could prolong my stay just a little bit,” she says, laughing.

HAROLD RIPPON

Another fallen hero J IM M A IN

F

ootball historians recently discovered yet another fallen footballer.

Harold Rippon, who played with Melbourne and South Melbourne in the VFL’s formative years, died of wounds

in France on January 16, 1917.

Private Rippon, of the Second Pioneers Battalion, had suffered multiple gunshot wounds two days earlier and died at a casualty clearing station behind the lines at Corbie.

He had played four games with Melbourne in 1898 and five with South Melbourne in 1903.

Rippon was one of three brothers, with Leslie and Norman, to play in the VFL. Leslie played 56 games with Melbourne from 1898-1902 and was a member of the club’s 1900 premiership side. Norman featured in one game with Melbourne in 1898 and 36 with South Melbourne from 1901-04.

The Rippons were recruited from Caulfield and Harold, in his enlistment form, gave his occupation as ‘farmer’.

He was almost 43 when he was fatally wounded and, because Harold had no wife or children, Leslie was presented with his brother’s war medals.

Rippon is the 151st League player known to have made the supreme sacrifice. The 150th confirmed to have died in battle was St Kilda player Otto Lowenstern.

Essendon to host ‘Walk in Harmony event’ before the Port Adelaide match on June 7. Go to essendonfc.com.au for details.

16 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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S C O R I N G TA N D E M S

Hawk pair still leads the pack BEN COL LINS

H

awthorn’s headline act of Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead have continued where they left off last year to be the leading goalkicking pair after the first nine rounds.

Hawthorn’s power forwards booted a combined 168 goals last year (home and away) and were, naturally, a key part of the Hawks’ premiership.

The Brisbane pair of Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw have started well, and have been significantly more accurate than the two Hawks and St Kilda duo Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke, the other two forwards who have made an impact to date. Of the three pairs, the Saints have been the strongest in the air, pulling in a combined 136 marks, some 40 more than Franklin and Roughead. Bradshaw and Brown have a slight edge over the St Kilda duo in contested marks.

Interestingly, the Hawks are way in front in the combined tackle count, and the three ‘teams’ have collected almost the same number of combined disposals.

Jarryd Roughead (left) and Lance Franklin

DYNAMIC DUOS

Daniel Bradshaw and Jonathan Brown

Lance Franklin/ Jarryd Roughead

v

Jonathan Brown/ Daniel Bradshaw

Justin Koschitzke and Nick Riewoldt

v

Nick Riewoldt/ Justin Koschitzke

18

18

17 (Koschitzke missed one)

61.29 - (Franklin 31.17, Roughead 30.12)

56.19 - (Brown 29.13, Bradshaw 27.6)

48.27 - (Riewoldt 28.18, Koschitzke 20.9)

Accuracy

67.8%

74.7%

64%

% of team score

45.4%

46.1%

32.3%

232 (153k, 79hb)

235 (170k, 65hb)

238 (181k, 57hb)

Marks

96

127

136

Contested marks

24

41

38

4+ goals

9

7

9

Tackles

41

16

27

Combined games Scoring

Disposals

FEEL EVERY BUMP.

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

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 17

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

GAME TRENDS

Complicating the art of goalkicking We are seeing more players passing off to teammates instead of having a shot for goal when in an advantageous position.

Two former players familiar with how to kick a goal believe this focus on team play may be detrimental. SHANE McNALLY

Y

ou have to wonder what a mathematician would make of an elite footballer crossing the 50-metre line on a 45-degree angle and trying to spot up, through a crowd of opposition players with a precision pass, a teammate 30 metres from goal on an even tighter angle.

For the manoeuvre to work, the initial kick needs to find a target much smaller than the goals and then it has to be marked, often under pressure.

Then the recipient has to go back, line up the goals and kick over an arm-waving opponent whose reach can extend to about three metres.

The alternative is to kick straight at the goals, usually not over the head of an opponent.

Do the maths: it’s one perfect kick versus a perfect kick, a mark and a second perfect kick.

If someone as accomplished and confident as Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown passes off to a teammate virtually on the fence, are we to assume players are overusing the ball?

That’s what happened when the Lions played Richmond at the MCG in round seven.

The recipient of Brown’s pass, Travis Johnstone, couldn’t see daylight between the posts.

Johnstone missed his shot; Brown looked a good chance to get his.

We are starting to see it every week, with even the most skilled players passing off.

The Western Bulldogs’ Jason Akermanis did it against Melbourne instead of taking a shot he likely would have converted nine times out of 10.

Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli looked like he couldn’t miss running through 50 last week against Melbourne, but passed to a NEWS TRACKER

RARE SET SHOT: Geelong key forward Cameron Mooney’s selfless style has seen him become a master of passing the

ball off despite being within kicking range of goal.

player in a worse position. His teammate kicked a behind. Rioli has shown, especially in recent weeks, that he is a more than capable goalkicker, particularly when on the run.

And Geelong’s Cameron Mooney is turning passing off into an art form.

Dual Adelaide premiership coach and 1978 Brownlow medallist Malcolm Blight believes the “pass off” is just another way players are overcomplicating a simple game.

He says players need to have the confidence and ability to kick the goal when in the right position.

“Unless it’s a great lead or there’s a chance to play on, why do it?” asks Blight, who kicked 444 goals for North Melbourne from 1974-82 and was known for his freakish ability.

“Let’s face it, Jonathan Brown usually makes all the right decisions, and he is a beauty at going back and slotting them, so why would you pass off?

“The way Geelong’s playing and sharing the footy, particularly in the forward line, has other teams thinking it must be the panacea.

The truth is, it’s not.

“They have a group of very talented players who make pretty good decisions and have won a lot of games by handling the ball a lot and bringing every teammate into play.

“Not every team has that talent, though, and they need to stick to the basics some times.”

F

ormer Collingwood and Richmond champion goalkicker and now radio and television commentator Brian Taylor is sympathetic to those who pass off, citing reasons ranging from “pressure” to knowing their own ability and seeking out a designated kicker.

Taylor booted 527 goals in 140 matches from 198090 and was known for his methodical approach to set-shot goalkicking.

“There’s a lot of pressure to get it closer to goal,” he says.

“It’s a case of knowing your capabilities – the guy with the ball might not have a kicking licence. “(Essendon’s) Jobe Watson is a good example. He’s a great ball-getter but it appears they don’t want him kicking

it, they want him handballing.

He might be 35 metres out running into an open goal, but he handballs it to someone next to him, and that’s the correct decision because he’s not regarded as one of the good kicks in the side.

“It’s a case of getting it in the hands of the ones who can do the most damage. But if you’re 35 to 40 metres out and in that 45-degree arc, you should go back and kick the goal.

“In fairness to Brown, he may have thought he was going to struggle from 50.

“As for Mooney, there’s a fine line between being selfish and selfless and I think Geelong is having trouble finding the right mix with him.”

Taylor believes more time needs to be spent on coaching players how to kick for goal from a set shot, replicating match conditions so that they can expect to convert every time they line up.

“I’ve been prattling on about this for years,” he says. “The clubs don’t do enough set-shot goalkicking and don’t formulate CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

AFL to trial Powerade-sponsored drinks carts for clubs’ use at quarter breaks during the three Docklands matches this weekend.

18 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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A new species

of television is born

SamSung

Introducing the next evolution in television, the new Samsung LED range. You’ve never seen anything like it.

Visit samsung.com/tv to find out more.

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

their training sessions to replicate the game as much as they can in terms of pressure and cardiovascular work. “There’s a huge difference between set-shot goalkicking and ďŹ eld kicking. When kicking for goal, a player is stationary, there can be mental issues and sometimes the ball is kicked high so it’s affected by the elements. “It’s a very precise skill in our game and we need to spend a lot more time perfecting it.â€?

Blight agrees more time should be spent on goalkicking technique rather than set plays in the forward line to give players the conďŹ dence and ability to back themselves. “Players have it drummed H A L L O F FA M E into them to share the ball, but I think the forward-line coaches could spend more time on kicking for goal at times, rather Seven former players and an administrator than getting the player to look were honoured at this year’s Australian for the option,â€? he says.

Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, “You’ve got to have some held at Crown in Melbourne on May 21. plan. Some plan is better than For the eight inductees, it was recognition of no plan but not when you’re 35 sustained excellence and achievement on and o metres out. If you’re balanced the ďŹ eld. Former AFL CEO Ross Oakley became and, unless it’s a soda for the just the 14th administrator to be recognised, while next bloke,&2 3PORTSENTRAL PDF 0kick it yourself.â€?

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

thebounce

Another eight honoured former players Mark Bickley, Peter Carey, Ken Hands, Chris Langford, Guy McKenna, Bill Morris and Paul Salmon joined 170 other players in the Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are pictured above; standing (left-to-right) are Bickley, Langford, Salmon, Carey and Guy McKenna, while seated are Oakley, Jill Morris (widow of the late Bill Morris) and Hands.

On-line Sport has a New Home Indulge your passion for AFL and all sport at sportsentral.com, Australia’s newest comprehensive all sport website.

It’s got the who, why, where, when, and how of sport.

And its right there at your fingertips.

� Breaking Footy News � Local and International Sport � AFL NRL EPL NFL and more � SEN TV and SEN Podcasts � Fixtures and Scores Melbourne’s Home of Footy

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the interview

Like most players in the game, Fremantle’s Dean Solomon has had his share of tough times. This weekend he is set to reach an important milestone, and is glad to have family surrounding him. GLENN McFA R L A NE

D

ean Solomon normally likes a bit of peace and quiet before games. He hasn’t managed to get it this week but, for once, the former Essendon and now Fremantle footballer couldn’t care less.

At least 12 of Solomon’s family and friends have made the trip across the Nullarbor to help him celebrate his 200th AFL game, against Richmond at Subiaco.

More than a few of them, including his sister, brother-in-law and their three young children, have been staying with the 29-year-old in the lead-up to his milestone.

“The old uncle might be worn out before he gets to play,” Solomon joked about the build-up to what he sees as a match that has as much to do with thanking his family for their part, as it is about his own career.

“My family have been unbelievable. They have gone out of their way to help me fulfil my dream.

“My parents and my grandparents drove me to every junior football match. I’ve got about a dozen of them coming over, so it is going to be a bit hectic in the Solomon house.”

Solomon grew up in the backblocks of Broken Hill in country New South Wales. A tough and uncompromising footballer, he has faced numerous hurdles, only to keep working hard to overcome them.

The first came after he broke into the exceptionally talented Essendon line-up in the late 1990s and played in the Bombers’ dominant 2000 premiership team.

All appeared rosy, until he injured a knee and needed a

full reconstruction. It cost him the entire 2002 season.

Then, three years ago, when the Bombers were punting on youth, he begrudgingly had to leave the club he loved to extend his AFL career at Fremantle, a club he now loves being a part of.

And last year, he overcame an eight-match suspension for a crude crunch on Geelong’s Cameron Ling that pushed his career to the brink, before he resolved to play on.

So much has been made of Solomon’s physicality over the years that he believes it is simply the way he was brought up to play the game – “I just play the only way I’ve known how, to see the ball, and try and get it.”

That much was evident from his debut as an 18-year-old in one of the biggest fi xtures of the 1998 season, the fourth Anzac Day clash between Essendon and Collingwood in front of 81,542 fans as the Pies won by 20 points.

“I guess ‘Sheeds’ (coach Kevin Sheedy) is pretty much renowned for throwing kids into the big occasion for their first games,” Solomon recalled.

“I was lucky enough to be told early in the week that I was playing, and that allowed my parents to come down to watch.

“It was a massive crowd, and just being out there and experiencing it was unbelievable.”

It was the first of Solomon’s 158 games with the Bombers from 1998-2006, and he credits Sheedy for much of his success.

“Sheeds doesn’t just recruit the player; he recruits the family, too,” he said.

“There were times when footy was tough, but you always knew you could go and

knock on his door and he would give you some advice.

“Sheeds has helped a lot of people over the years, and he has made them better people for having known him.”

After the heartbreaking one-point loss to Carlton in the 1999 preliminary final, the Bombers turned on an almost peerless 2000 season, winning all but one match.

My family have been unbelievable. They have gone out of their way to help me fulfil my dream.

My parents and my grandparents drove me to every junior match DEAN SOLOMON

“It was such a shattering thing to lose (the 1999 preliminary final) the way we did,” he said.

“What happened that day motivated us even more the next year. We had some really good young players coming through at the time – (Chris) Heffernan, (Blake) Caracella, the two Johnsons (Mark and Jason), (Justin) Blumfield. Even ‘Lloydy’ (Matthew Lloyd) and (Scott) Lucas were not that old.”

Solomon’s enduring memory of Grand Final day 2000 is of late in the last quarter.

“We were a long way in front and, in the last 10-15 minutes, we knew we had it in the bag,” he said. “But there is no better feeling than when that final siren sounds.”

One of his teammates that day was John Barnes. Solomon has never told Barnes, but as a young Geelong supporter, he had posters of Barnes and former Cats star Garry Hocking on his wall.

Although initially disappointed at having to leave the Bombers, Solomon has enjoyed his three seasons with the Dockers.

“It has been a great move for me,” he said. “In the last year or two at Essendon, I was struggling a bit mentally and physically, and was a bit run down.

“I wasn’t too keen to move because I had spent nine seasons at the one club.

But Fremantle has been sensational for me. I feel a real part of it now.”

More consolidation came last July when he was criticised for his clash with Ling.

Immediately after the incident, Solomon told his coach Mark Harvey that he wanted to apologise in the after-match press conference.

The club backed him and Solomon regained some respect for his unreserved apology over the regrettable incident.

“I can’t thank the club enough for their patience and support,” he said. “They stood by me in what was a very tough time for me.”

Solomon has played every game since the suspension ended after round one this season.

Ever the team man, he says he doesn’t want to be seen to be holding back the development of the Dockers, but could be convinced to play next season if it meant he was teaching the younger players something valuable.

“I’ve made no secret that I won’t be standing in the way of a young kid,” he said. “Still, if I could stay around and help those kids, I’d be happy to do that.”

Glenn McFarlane is a reporter for the Sunday Herald Sun.

22 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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HARD WAY:

Dean Solomon has had a tough road to 200 games but reaches a welldeserved milestone this week.

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What makes Australia great?

Weekend footy!

Is it the roaring crowd at a fan filled stadium?

Or the pride with which we sing our team song?

It’s a question with no single answer, and it’s a discussion that every Australian is invited to be a part of.

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Redemption at last for T H E M A K I N G O F A M AG P I E

It has been a long and at times painful journey but Leon on Davis Davvis has finally overcome the disappointment of successivee Gran Grand nd Final failures to become an elite midfielder. BEN COLLINS NS

R

eputations can be made and broken in Grand Finals, so it’s little wonder many people still don’t rate Leon Davis.“Can’t perform in big games,” they say of the highly critiqued Magpie. “Goes missing under pressure. Can’t rely on him.”

Without exception, Davis’ detractors cite shockers in successive Grand Final losses against the Brisbane Lions in 2002-03 as justification for their claims.

These are blindly stubborn views, of course, considering the player Davis has become, especially over the past 12 months.

And let’s not forget, either, that on the second of those dark days, Davis wasn’t exactly Robinson Crusoe – he had plenty of mates in black and white who also performed well below expectations. He was always going to find it difficult as an opportunist forward against the professional bullies that made up the Brisbane Lions defence.

And, perhaps more significantly, those individual failures (as a 21 and 22-year-old no less) were six and seven years ago – a virtual lifetime in football terms.

AR10 p57-60 LeonDavis.indd 57

Besides, plenty of players with far bigger reputations than Davis have played poorly in Grand Finals. Including many members of premiership teams, in which logic says it should be easier to get a kick.

But as much as Davis’ sympathisers defend him, the facts are inescapable.

In the 2002 Grand Final, he infamously recorded ‘donuts’ – ‘0’ in all the major statistical categories. (OK, he had three tackles – but that was only because he was chasing tail all day.)

Just months earlier, before Davis had even turned 21, Herald Sun chief football writer Mike Sheahan had hailed him the most exciting player in Victoria. But his effort on the biggest stage made him a talking point for the wrong reasons.

The next year he was twice dropped to the VFL and in the Grand Final managed just 10 touches, two marks, one tackle and a goal that came when the result was beyond doubt in the last quarter.

The barbs became even more cutting. Fans called for him to be traded. But such things were immaterial to an embarrassed “Davis. He was self-condemned.

“It honestly doesn’t matter what

27/5/09 5:19:51 PM

anyone else says because it can’t come anywhere near how disappointed I was in myself,” he says.

“The fact is I performed poorly in both of those games. I let us down. Looking back, I think I took it for granted, and didn’t fully respect the opportunity I was given.

“Like a lot of young blokes, I just thought I’d get another chance to redeem myself the next year. I just have to wear that.

Nothing anyone says about it can hurt me because I hurt myself.”

Such anguish often prompts serious soul-searching, and Davis had contemplated returning home to Perth.

No doubt the Pies considered trading him at various times. But both parties are being rewarded for maintaining the faith.

Davis, who will turn 28 on June 17, is in his prime, and has achieved a consistency that even some of his most ardent admirers would have found scarcely imaginable.

I’d give anything to be in the same position now. I’d absolutely love to play in another Grand Final. I’d have a totally different outlook. If we play the way Mick wants us to ... I’ve got no doubt we will be there in September Since round 19 last year – coinciding with the clubimposed suspensions of Alan Didak and Heath Shaw – Davis has come of age, and elevated his game to a new level, playing 14 games and averaging 23.1 disposals and 1.5 goals a game.

He was fourth in last year’s Copeland Trophy, a personal best, and is enjoying his best start to a season, averaging a competitionhigh 18.13 kicks (eclipsing Demon Aaron Davey’s 18.11) as a genuine midfielder, while still contributing 14 goals, at least one in each of his eight appearances.

The Herald Sun highlighted this week that no other player averaging at least 22 disposals boasts a goal average as high as Davis’ 1.8 a game. And in terms of Champion Data ranking points, he has the second highest

The rise of Leon Davis 2000 to round 18, 2008 Gms

Kicks

Marks

HB

Disp

20+ disp

Goals

Tackles

155

8.6

2.6

2.5

11.1

11

1.3

2.3

Since round 19, 2008 Gms

Kicks

Marks

HB

Disp

20+ disp

Goals

Tackles

14

17.5

5.6

5.6

23.1

11

1.5

4

average, behind only Gary Ablett.

Last week against West Coast in his native Perth (where he filled 13 ticket requests for family), he produced a scintillating performance, comprising an equal careerbest 32 disposals (the second time in four games), including 27 kicks (a personal best), 10 marks (one of which was an oldfashioned ‘hanger’), six inside 50s and three telling goals.

Retired Hawthorn great Shane Crawford, now a commentator, awarded him a perfect 10.

With 169 games to his name, Davis is the most prolific indigenous player in Collingwood’s history. He is also one of the key player in the current line-up, providing the Pies with much-needed class and clean disposal.

He almost drools as he ponders the prospect of an elusive third Grand Final appearance.

“I’d give anything to be in the same position now,” he gushes. “I’d absolutely love to play in another Grand Final.

Oh, mate. I’d have a totally different outlook.”

You sense Davis reckons he’d burn if given another chance on that last day. The pain of previous failures would drive him to exorcise his demons.

A Grand Final appearance this year appears unlikely, but Davis insists it’s not out of the question.

“If we play the way Mick wants us to – hard, team footy – I’ve got no doubt we’ll be there in September,” he says. “Then anything’s possible.”

The Pies’ perilous predicament is no fault of Davis’.

Stats aren’t everything, but they are an indicator of consistency and work ethic.

A couple demonstrate just how far Davis has come.

He broke the 20-possession barrier just seven times in his

first 141 games, but has done it 11 times in his past 14 games.

It hasn’t just been about quantity, either; the quality of his touches has been extraordinarily high.

Before he was a late withdrawal from the round seven clash with St Kilda, Davis ranked fifth in the AFL for ‘score involvements’ (ie. where he has had a hand in a chain of possessions that result in a scoring shot). And, more significantly, Champion Data founder Ted Hopkins marvelled that no player had matched his combination of 12 score involvements from the defensive arc and 23 from the forward arc.

At that point, even the superlative Ablett (before injury) had four and 21 respectively.

Basically, Davis has the Midas touch.

When enlightened to this fact, his response is classic Leon Davis – “I love kicking a goal myself, so I’d prefer to get on the end of ’em rather than set ’em up for someone else!”

Jokes aside, his serious response is more insightful.

“I pride myself on hitting my targets. There was a time where I didn’t do it consistently, but I’ve worked hard on it over the past few years to the point where I hate missing a target at training; I get really annoyed with myself.

“I took a leaf out of (former skipper) Nathan Buckley’s book – he hardly ever made a mistake, but when he did he was filthy.

“I never used to worry much about it, but the fact is that most goals come from opposition turnovers, so you need to be clean with your touches. That immediately raises my expectations of myself at training, and I then take it into games.”

Davis has adopted a few Buckley-like traits, along with

those of other former teammates Scott Burns and Paul Licuria, who he admired for their professionalism, intensity and “phenomenal” work-rate.

“It took a while for the penny to drop,” he admits.

“In my first couple of seasons, I was more worried about when I could go home (to Perth) than working hard on the track. I relied on talent and the results didn’t really come for me.

“But I had great support from ‘Bucks’, ‘Burnsy’ and ‘Licca’ and I paid closer attention to what they did. “I felt I owed something to the club, and that I had to repay the faith Mick (Malthouse) had shown in me, so I really knuckled down and put in the hard yards.

“My work rate has improved over time, which has allowed me to play more midfield.”

Confidence has been a big factor, too. Although Davis has always moved like a player brimming with self-assurance, it hasn’t always been the case.

“Early on, I didn’t feel I belonged in the AFL,” he recalls.

“I was in awe of my teammates and opponents. I’d always loved watching Bucks play and all of a sudden I was out there alongside him thinking: ‘I don’t deserve to be out here.’

“But after maturing as a player and a person over the years, I have a real sense of belonging out there now, and I go out there with confidence that we can win every game and that I’ll play my role.”

Davis’ goal of the year in round 22 last season against Fremantle at Subiaco was symbolic of his stunning improvement.

He pressured two ball-carriers, including Des Headland, who he FAC T F I L E

1

Leon Davis Born: June 17, 1981 Recruited from: Perth (WA) Debut: 2000 Height: 177cm Weight: 77kg Games: 169 Goals: 215 Draft history: 1999 National AFL Draft 3rd round selection (Collingwood), No. 34 overall, on-traded by Fremantle to Sydney for Andrew Schauble.

58 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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chased, tackled twice and dispossessed, before scooping the loose ball one-handed while simultaneously performing a blind turn, and threading a low drop punt from the boundary (on the ‘wrong’ side for a rightfooter mind you) 48 metres out.

We always knew Davis could perform each of those components very well in isolation, but we’d never seen him do it all in the same passage of play. Five efforts. Even he concedes the old Leon wouldn’t have been as persistent.

“Four or five years ago, I would’ve just stayed on the other side of the ground and left it up to my teammates to put pressure on them,” he explains. “But my fitness base is right up now and I’m can put in multiple efforts.

“I pride myself on my tackling and my pressure. I actually go out there with the intent to do that before I get the ball.

“I was a bit buggered, but all that goes out the window when you’re a chance to kick a goal – you grow another leg!”

The one-grab pick-up was significant. At times, Davis gathers the erratically bouncing ball so cleanly that he appears to have mini-vacs attached to his hands. It is a lesson he learned from Malthouse.

“When I started at Collingwood, I’d paddle the ball a lot,” Davis says. “But Mick ironed that out of me pretty early. He said: ‘Take the ball first, one-grab, and then you can worry about getting around players and doing all the fancy stuff’.”

The “fancy one-handed stuff” originated during childhood scratch matches with his brothers – the younger Robert and older Trevor. “We tried all the flashy things and it stuck with me,” Davis says.

The fourth born of five Davis children in Northam (about 100 kilometres east of Perth), his first love was basketball.

“My ultimate dream was to play in the NBA,” he reveals. “I played a lot of basketball and watched the NBA on TV, but obviously I wasn’t blessed with the height you need to do that, so I threw myself more into footy.”

He agrees that becoming an AFL player isn’t a bad consolation.

When Davis was “13 or 14”,

MATURITY: Davis has worked hard to perfect his skills and raise his expectations.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 59

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27/5/09 5:04:06 PM

his parents relocated their brood to Perth to give them the best chance to succeed, especially in their football.

Davis initially hated the move, but quickly changed his mind as he progressed through the WAFL juniors.

He barracked for Essendon, then North Melbourne, but mainly followed individual players, particularly indigenous stars Peter Matera, Chris Lewis, Michael Long and Gavin Wanganeen. At his best, Davis is as watchable as this quartet.

He is certainly living up to his various nicknames – ‘The Igniter’ (a creation of Triple M’s Brian Taylor), ‘Neon Leon’ (a name he hates but accepts) and ‘Magic’ (as his teammates call him).

Davis is out of contract at the end of this season, but he and partner Janelle have two children (daughter Shakari, six, and son Levi, two) and are happy to stay with the Pies. It must be a mutual feeling.

Davis insists he doesn’t care how anyone outside the Lexus Centre rates his playing ability.

“I can’t control that,” he says.

“I can only do what I do.”

It took a while for the penny to drop.

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feature

THE GROOMING OF

Gibbs C A R LT O N ’ S Q U I E T YO U N G AC H I E V E R

Young Carlton star Bryce Gibbs’ game and composure make him a genuine candidate to one day lead his club. NICK BOW EN

T

hey have an aura.

They have elite skills and decisionmaking ability.

They can impose themselves on a game and, more tellingly, compel their teammates to follow.

Take Wayne Carey, Michael Voss and Chris Judd, for example.

All three stood out as leaders almost as soon as they joined their AFL clubs, so much so Carey and Voss were installed as captain at North Melbourne and Brisbane respectively while still just 21 (in Voss’ first three seasons as Lions skipper he shared the role with Alastair Lynch), while Judd was made Eagles captain at 22.

But, as revered as all three are, none can lay claim to being part of his club’s leadership group before playing an AFL game.

Bryce Gibbs can.

After being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, Gibbs had barely settled into life as a Blue when then-Carlton coach Denis Pagan named him in the club’s 11-man leadership group.

When announcing the new group ahead of the 2007 season, Pagan said of the then 17-year-old Gibbs: “He’s quite a unique young man

AR10 p62-64 Gibbs.indd 63

and he’s going to really advance this club in terms of his leadership and the stamp he puts on it in the coming years.”

Even when Brett Ratten was officially appointed coach at the end of the 2007 season (he had coached the last six matches that year as a caretaker after Pagan’s departure) and stripped back the leadership group, omitting Gibbs, it was not a reflection the club had cooled on the young No. 4.

He’s quite a unique young man and he’s going to advance this club in terms of leadership and the stamp he puts on in the coming years DENIS PAGAN

Blues forward Brendan Fevola made this clear. “Gibbs is a superstar,” Fevola said last year. “He can play anywhere and leadership-wise (is) the best asset we have.”

So what is it about Gibbs the leader that has everyone at Carlton so excited?

Gibbs doesn’t give anything away. He’s very much the modern footballer, schooled in never talking himself up and always

27/5/09 4:55:39 PM

bringing conversation back to his team.

He downplays Fevola’s comments – “I think he was just trying to look after me” – and his early elevation to the leadership group, but does not rule out a future leadership role.

“It was a bit different to be in the leadership group not having played a game, but I think Marc Murphy and I were put in there for the experience and I know I got a lot out of it,” Gibbs says.

“This year, I’m part of one of our development groups. They see me as a bit of a leader and it’s something I’m getting better at. So who knows what will happen in the future?”

The AFL Record spoke with Gibbs last week when he was back in his hometown, Adelaide, having snuck over a day earlier than his teammates to catch up with family and friends ahead of the round nine clash with the Crows.

Just 20 and in only his third AFL season, Gibbs clearly misses Adelaide but he’s not homesick.

For him, you sense it will always be home, just not necessarily where he lives.

Gibbs’ love for Adelaide’s “easy-going” lifestyle and beaches will never waver. But for now he’s content at Carlton and says the “hustle and bustle” of Melbourne has grown on him.

Still he sneaks home whenever he can to catch up with his family (father Ross, mother Julie and younger sisters Kelly and Macey), his girlfriend Lauren and friends.

This also gives him the chance to get a fix of Farmers Union Iced Coffee, a South Australian favourite: “It’s pretty tough to find in Victoria”.

Even at Carlton, Gibbs has found connections to home.

From day one, he has had the company of former Glenelg teammate Mark Austin, who was taken by the Blues at pick No. 35 in the same draft. And, last December, together with another South Australian Carlton teammate, Sam Jacobs, they moved into a townhouse Gibbs had bought in Ascot Vale.

“Being from South Australia, we have a joke with the other boys that we stick together,” Gibbs says.

“We all chip in and have a

IN GOOD HANDS: Bryce Gibbs

and Marc Murphy represent the future of Carlton’s midfield.

This year, I’m part of one of our development groups. They see me as a bit of a leader and it’s something I’m getting better at cook and a clean. We just get along so well.”

But things could have been so different. At the start of 2006, confusion over Gibbs’ eligibility to play for Adelaide under the father-son rule had many South Australians hoping he’d become a Crow.

But Ross Gibbs fell just nine SANFL games short of the 200 required before Adelaide’s AFL entry in 1991 for his son to be claimed by the Crows.

At the time, the decision caused a furore in Adelaide. Ross was a star with Glenelg, having played 253 games from 1984-94 and Bryce was already playing for Glenelg’s senior team, having debuted as a 16-year-old in 2005.

All of a sudden, Gibbs was big news.

“I was at high school, doing year 12 and just playing footy.

The next thing you know, you’re on the front page of the paper and on the news,” Gibbs says.

“It’s a weird feeling.”

But – as has become increasingly evident in his

time with the Blues – he is not easily fazed. It is this quality as much as anything that has him earmarked as a future skipper.

“Obviously I would love to have stayed in Adelaide but, at the same time, I just wanted to play, that’s all that mattered,” Gibbs says.

Despite negotiating that distraction, Gibbs remained in the media limelight for the remainder of the year as expectations grew he would be the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft.

In round 16 that year, when Carlton and Essendon – the bottom two sides and only clubs still realistic chances of claiming the first pick – met, some dubbed it the clash for the ‘Bryce Gibbs Cup’, a game where the loser would be the winner.

While having his name read out first on draft day may have given Gibbs some relief after such a build-up, pretty soon the pressure was on to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being anointed the best junior in the land.

Once again, though, he was up to the challenge, playing all 22 games for the Blues in a solid first season across half-back.

But where Gibbs was solid, fellow 2006 draftee, and No. 7 pick, Joel Selwood was spectacular. In his first season, Selwood won a position in Geelong’s outstanding midfield, a premiership medallion and the NAB AFL Rising Star award.

Inevitably, comparisons were made between the two, but, again, Gibbs remained unaffected – and modest to a fault.

“Selwood’s a great player,” he says. “If he had played in the year leading up to the draft (he missed most of the year with a knee injury) I have no doubt he would have gone No. 1.”

Since that first season, Gibbs’ development has been rapid. He spent more time in the midfield last year and, in the second half of the season, shone in run-with roles on some of the competition’s best on-ballers, his scalps including Chad Cornes, Scott Thompson and Adam Goodes.

This season, Gibbs has had a more attacking role, taking his place alongside Judd, Murphy and Nick Stevens in what appears to be one of the better midfields in the competition.

Gibbs is by no means a ‘junior partner’ in the star foursome either. In the first nine rounds, he has averaged almost 27 possessions and four tackles, while he leads the Blues for kicks and is second for disposals, marks and tackles.

As always, stats tell only a fraction of the story. More compelling has been the composure Gibbs has shown compiling them. While not blessed with explosive pace like Judd, Gibbs is one of those rare players who never seems rushed.

Even in this age of unrelenting defensive pressure, FAC T F I L E

4

Bryce Gibbs Born: March 15, 1989 Recruited from: Glenelg (SA) Debut: 2007 Height: 188cm Weight: 84kg Games: 52 Goals: 22 Player Honours: Pre-season premiership 2007

64 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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opposition sides rarely seem able to force him into error, with his relatively poor game against Adelaide last Saturday totally out of character.

Normally, he seems to have the time and space to do as he pleases.

He takes full advantage of this ‘thinking time’ too, as one of the best decision-makers and kicks in the competition.

Earlier this year, Collingwood great and now-Channel Seven

AWARENESS:

Bryce Gibbs has the rare ability to find time and space on the field.

commentator Nathan Buckley said Gibbs’ teammates would be very happy to see him streaming down the field with the ball, such was the quality of his disposal.

Coming from someone acknowledged as one of the best kicks of his era, that’s quite a compliment.

It’s one of many accolades that have flooded Gibbs’ way this year but, bu as you’d expect, he’s keeping a level head.

While happ happy with his start to the year, h he says the main goal is to help take the Blues back to the th finals.

“We’ve got a bit of work to do, we’v we’ve had a couple of narrow los losses where, if we’d got lucky, lucky we might be a couple of games better off,” he says. ““But the next few we weeks are going to be cru crucial if we’re going to pla play finals.”

D Despite teammate Stev Stevens dubbing him ‘Mr S Serious’ in his AFL Recor Record player profile, Gibbs does unwind away from fo football.

He eenjoys golf, though he say says jokingly most of hi his rounds are spent “tryi “trying to find my ball in th the rough”.

He is also an adrenalin junkie junkie, having dabbled in bun bungee jumping in the past. De Despite an abseiling mishap iin the Grampians

Picking the brains of the best Bryce Gibbs has never lacked for mentors.

From the time he first picked up a football, he had his father Ross, who played 97 WAFL games with West Perth from 1979-83 and 253 with Glenelg from 1984-94.

Gibbs acknowledges his dad as one of the biggest influences on his career, but can’t resist a good-natured jibe when asked whether their styles were similar.

“He was pretty lazy. He played in the back pocket and did what he wanted to, whereas I see myself as a bit of a hard worker,” Gibbs says jokingly.

At Carlton, Gibbs has been lucky enough to work with a

last December when he narrowly averted disaster after free-falling from a 40-metre cliff, he says the thrill seeker in him has not been quelled.

“I like to challenge myself a bit,” he says. “With my mates back home, once one person does it, you don’t want to let them think they’ve got it over you.”

Gibbs has an eye on his future after football (he is studying marketing at university) but, for now, he is determined to be part of a successful young Carlton team.

“You look at the list now

coaching staff that includes some of the best midfielders of recent times – Brett Ratten (right), Greg Williams, Craig Bradley and Robert Harvey.

“To be able to pick their brains, ask what they think about this, or what I should have done in this situation on the weekend, it helps lift your game,” he says.

And, in skipper Chris Judd, Gibbs can learn from one of the game’s superstars at close quarters, week in, week out.

“He does everything right so I try to follow everything he does,” Gibbs says.

“His leadership is outstanding, especially the way he goes out of his way to put a block on for teammates.”

and think we could have some exciting times in the next few years,” he says.

“We’ve become really close as a group and starting to become really good mates and know each other’s games better and better every week.

“But if we get carried away and start thinking about what might be in the next few years, we might lose focus on the here and now, which we can’t afford to do.”

That’s Gibbs. Ever levelheaded. Ever composed.

Ever the leader.

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AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 65

AR10 p62-64 Gibbs.indd 65

27/5/09 4:56:16 PM

coaching

THE LIFE CYCLE OF AN

AFL coach Coaches come and coaches go. But for all of them, there is a similarity about their careers, a wonderful mix of highs and lows, and lows and highs. This is the story of a coach, any coach, any time. GEOFF SL AT TERY

1

The coach was a real player. No run-of-themill performer, but a player with oodles of class, and piles of persistence.

He had attitude when he started out, but he matured quickly, and worked out how to make a bankable, long-lasting blend of that class, persistence and now, acute powers of observation.

As the years rolled on, he was the player you could rely on.

Nobody who knew him in these years could recall any ‘in-depth’ discussions on the way footy was played, or could be played.

But they knew that whenever patterns of the game were discussed, he listened intently, taking it all in.

2

People noticed when he retired. He had made a difference at his club, or clubs. But he had run his race at the club that gave him fame. He left in search of new experiences, new knowledge, more information to file away.

3

He was an obvious choice as an assistant.

Respectful of the game, its strategies, personnel, and personality. A great playing record, well used to success. He was a voracious learner, never challenging the senior coach, but drawing from him every which way

he could. Often he surprised the boss with ideas that were way ‘out there’. Some of them were applied, some of them he filed away for another day. The media knew he was impressive in his role. He was always available – up front, or in the background. It all helped.

4

No surprise when his senior appointment was made. He was a natural, had great references from the senior coach and team leaders at his ‘training’ club. He interviewed well, he understood his role in the club, and the role of the board in hiring and firing. When his appointment was confirmed, it was mates all around. Happy days. The media embraced his appointment. Good for the club, ideal choice, great ideas, good with the media, good with people, they said.

5

Success came quickly.

His ideas worked. The players played hard, to systems organised well.

The club had a recruiting policy that was a blend of new, and old.

Some of the new players came and went, unable to settle into their new environment. Others came, and embraced coach and club. Veterans, superstars, found their way into the mix, and added experience, flair, common sense,

and that X-factor that only comes with years in the system. It was travelling beautifully.

6

They made finals. They made a Grand Final. The coach was lauded. This was his Grand Final, as much as the players. Look at the influence. You can see it all about.

The style of play. The fluidity of motion. The brilliant use of personnel. The blending of new into old, and old into new. This boy was here for the long haul.

7

The winning ratio held. The team was up for years, but up, not ‘up there’. Competitive mostly, but strangely not when it really counted. Soon enough there was a sense at board level

that maybe the coach could do more. Questions were asked.

One of the senior players had told the chairman that little things were not being attended to, as once they were. Too much strategy, not enough result.

Too much belief in self, not enough in the support team.

Playing stars out of position.

Personality volatile. The chairman listened, and decided it was time to front the coach.

8

The conversation was not a positive one.

Neither man would budge. The chairman had the ultimate say. “And don’t you forget it,” he said.

“Let me do my job,” the coach said in reply. These were passionate men.

66 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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the same thing anyway? Go now, and let the club rebuild. The administration reckons it knows it all, anyway. Or stay, and assist the process, meanwhile looking about for other opportunities?

I want to coach forever. What’s best for me? He holds his head in his hands. I can’t win if I stay. I’m going. Now. ILLUSTRATION: GUY SHIELD/THE SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP

“You’re under scrutiny,” said the chairman.

“Not a problem,” said the coach, with acid in his voice.

The air was thick, doused with ego, emotion without logic; me and you, not us. It ended poorly.

There was no trust, or belief, the one to the other.

9

The back page of the little paper had the first whispers. All is not well. The coach has been told to watch it. There are no quotes attached to the story, but everyone knows it’s right. Soon the club loses more than it should. Skills are down. Goals under pressure are missed. Players with silky skills become sulky. There’s an air of tension at press conferences.

Relationships fray. Harsh words are spoken. The rest of the media takes it up, one after the other. The word ‘embattled’ appears in copy. Photos are used that show the coach under pressure. The club feels the tension. A player speaks out.

He makes sense, but should he be speaking out of school?

Full support for the coach is expressed, but only until season’s end. “We’ll assess all positions at the end of the year,” the chairman says.

10

The coach knows it’s over.

Mulls over it.

Is wild. Then phlegmatic. Then wild again.

His team performs well and is tough, but doesn’t win. He gets

the tap. You won’t be here next year, whatever happens, he’s told. He’s wild again. Can’t they see the cyclical nature of this business? Haven’t they learned from what nearly happened to Kevin Sheedy at Essendon, or Mark Thompson at Geelong?

Don’t they know if we all work together, it’ll be fine?

He makes one last push for support, advice, from a trusty in the inner sanctum. No joy here. There’s no eye contact.

Don’t fight it mate, he’s told, you’re gone. Look forward.

11

Does he go now, or wait? Where will it leave him, either way?

Should he do the right thing for himself, or the club? And isn’t it

12

The footy world is shocked.

Wasn’t he confirmed in his job until the end of the season? The media thinks about it, then decides it’s right for both.

Go now, refresh yourself, and let the club refresh itself as well.

Who’ll take his place? It must come from within, surely.

13

There are still weeks to go in the season, but the process has already started again. A phone call from a friend, who was speaking with a friend, who had a chat with a president of a struggling club. He was all ears.

After one weekend at home, watching all the games on TV, he already knew he wasn’t cut out for such inactivity. He had learned from the final years.

He knew he was a good coach, and would be better next time around. He was ready again. He picked up the phone, and set up an interview in the little paper.

Yes, he wanted to coach again…

This is an edited version of a story first published on afl.com.au in 2002.

Geoff Slattery has reported on the AFL for more than 30 years and is the CEO of The Slattery Media Group, the official publisher of the AFL.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 67

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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

time on Answer man

AFL history guru Col Hutchinson answers your queries.

GARY ABLETT

p78

NAME GAME

Hearts of oak

Fast and furious Which player was the fastest, in terms of games played, to score their first 50 goals at senior level? I have done research of the players who come to mind and I came up with Allen Jakovich, who reached 50 goals in his ninth senior match in 1991.

JAMES GRAPSAS, VIA EMAIL CH: Your research is accurate.

Surprisingly, Jakovich was goalless on debut. John Coleman booted his 50th goal in just his 10th appearance for Essendon in 1949, as did Carlton’s Ross Ditchburn in 1982 and Adrian McAdam for North Melbourne in 1993.

Geelong’s George Moloney (1931) and Footscray’s Alan Rait (1933) took 11 games.

Coleman scored a dozen majors in his first match, while McAdam and Moloney registered seven each.

LEGEND: John Coleman kicked a record 12 goals on debut.

INSTANT IMPACT: Allen Jakovich took nine games to reach 50 goals.

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

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

Are you, or do you know, a descendant of former player Alfred L. Vary?

Vary played with Morwell Football Club in Gippsland before joining St Kilda in 1927.

He scored two goals in three appearances as a wingman for the Saints, making his debut in

round 10, wearing guernsey No. 21. His other appearances were against Carlton and Hawthorn. It is believed he may have a number of relatives still residing in the Morwell district.

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

There are a couple of possible origins for the surname of Melbourne’s Kyle Cheney (pictured), but there’s no doubt which one his club would prefer. The usual origin of Cheney is the French chêne from the Old French chesne meaning “oak tree”.

The name was applied to someone who lived near a landmark oak tree or in an oak forest. However, the name also sometimes arose as a nickname for a man with a “heart of oak”. The given name of Brisbane’s Cheynee Stiller is probably a variation of Cheney.

The other player with an oak connection on an AFL list is Richmond’s Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls. Leah is an Old English word for “meadow” (today’s “lea”), so Oakley simply means “oak meadow”. Kyle Cheney is the first of his surname to play League football, but there have been five Oakleys, including new Australian Football Hall of Fame member Ross Oakley.

K E VA N C A R ROL L

visit afl.com.au

NAB AFL Tipping - Win $20,000 The official tipping competition of the AFL The round nine weekly winner was Stuart Monger of Victoria.

The round nine celebrity competition winner was General Manager – Football Operations, Adrian Anderson.

There are fantastic cash prizes to be won every week – join in the fun now at afl.com.au

68 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au NAB_Tipping_60x179_Rd 10.indd 1

AR10 p68 Ask Col.indd 68

27/5/09 9:25:25 AM

27/5/09 4:51:57 PM

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COLLECTABLES WITH RICK MILNE

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

RICK’S RARITY

I have a North Melbourne jumper signed by the 1999 premiership team, including Wayne Carey, Glenn Archer and Anthony Stevens. The jumper still has its sale tag and I would appreciate an estimate of value.

NICK, VIA EMAIL RM: This will probably

ON THE RECORD: Hassa Mann (left)

and Royce Hart featured in a series of interviews with Tony Charlton.

I have what is known as a flexi-record of Melbourne’s Hassa Mann being interviewed

by Tony Charlton. It was issued

by Ampol and I would appreciate a valuation.

IAN, ROWVILLE, VIC. RM: There were 12 of

these issued, one for each of the then VFL clubs, and others interviewed included South Melbourne’s Bob Skilton, Richmond’s Royce Hart and North Melbourne’s Laurie Dwyer. They sell for about $75 each, but a bit more

if there also is a 3UZ radio station sticker.

I recently found a round metal badge in red, white and blue, for Footscray. The back reads Griffiths Cameo Milk Chocolate.

What is the value?

MAREE, ALBURY, NSW RM: I assume these badges

were given free on purchase of a chocolate product and I date these from the 1930s. They are difficult to find and those in good conditions are rare.

Yours is worth at least $80.

disappoint you, but North Melbourne items are the least collectable of the AFL clubs, which makes my Roo-loving wife Marg very sad. Countless hundreds of these jumpers are signed by every premiership team for fund-raising and seldom hold their value. They are being offered on the internet for $500, but the real value is $300.

Samuel Wells was a famous cartoonist who produced football items for newspapers from the 1920s to the 1960s.

His first published items were in the super-rare Wells Football Cartoons book issued in 1923. It features hundreds of caricatures of famous players and officials, including South Melbourne’s Paddy Scanlan and St Kilda’s Cyril ‘Jazz-Legs’ Gambetta. This 56-page book, in mint intt condition, is worth at least $500.

I have a John Platten testimonial guernsey and plaque which the former Hawthorn champion presented to me at work. Value?

ROCKY, VIA EMAIL RM: There are about half a

million football guernseys out there and few are worth much, although this one is quite good as Platten was a Hawk cult figure. Perhaps $750 on a good day.

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

One query per reader.

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

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

51 50 49 49 46 25

TIPSTERS

MICK Carlton Western Bulldogs North Melbourne Richmond St Kilda Hawthorn Geelong Cats Port Adelaide

70 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au b4thgame_RD10.indd 1

AR10 p70 RickMilne.indd 70

LEHMO Carlton Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Fremantle St Kilda Hawthorn Geelong Cats Port Adelaide

DAVE Carlton Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Fremantle St Kilda Hawthorn Geelong Cats Port Adelaide

STRAUCHANIE West Coast Eagles Sydney Swans North Melbourne Richmond Melbourne Adelaide Essendon Port Adelaide

SAM Carlton Sydney Swans North Melbourne Fremantle St Kilda Hawthorn Geelong Cats Port Adelaide

ANDY Carlton Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions Fremantle St Kilda Hawthorn Geelong Cats Collingwood

is week special guest appearances by

MICHAEL VOSS

26/5/09 4:59:00 PM

27/5/09 4:51:06 PM

Want the ultimate gift for footy fans?

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Latest AFL Prints now available Purchase now from your club or AFL store: SA Colonnades Elizabeth King William Tea Tree Plaza

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VIC Ballarat Chadstone Doncaster Highpoint Knox Fountain Gate Southland Traralgon Werribee

WA Booragoon Morley Karrinyup Whitford

6/5/09 10:32:57 AM

timeon

KNOWLEDGE AC R O S S 1

A huge kick; also nickname of Kangaroo Brent Harvey (6)

5

Former Carlton captain Lance Whitnall, ‘... Red’ (3)

7 10 11 12

Former St Kilda ‘Cowboy’ (5)

13

DOWN 2

Hawk 1976 and 1983 premiership defender; nicknamed ‘Rubber’ (9)

3 4

Former Crow, Docker goal star (5)

Diminutive of EJ’s given name (3) Former Essendon star known as ‘the Lizard’ (5)

5

Generous term for Jason Akermanis’ facial growth (5)

6

Jumpers, formally; derives from island in English Channel (9)

Given name of former Tribunal chairman Foley (3)

7

Essendon premiership captain .....

Daniher (5)

15

West Coast dual premiership player; midfield coach at Adelaide, 2005 (3, 4)

8

Jayson ....... was a Saint and Swan in the ‘90s; nicknamed ‘Jack’ (7)

16 18 20

Mental state required in tense moments (5)

European nationality, also a former Roo (6)

21 22

A century (3)

9 14 17 19

Sydney’s nickname (5)

34 35 36 37

Magpie, who came from Brisbane (5)

20 21 24 26 27 29 30

Blues’ 1995 premiership defender, Peter .... (4)

23 25 28 31 32

33

Bobby Skilton had this joint replaced, in 2003 (3)

Diminutive of given name of former AFL Commission chairman (3)

Limb joint, often twisted (5) Given name of not too ‘delicate’ Hawk strongman of the ‘60s (3) Nickname of first Brownlow Medal winner (5) St Kilda Brownlow Medal winner (7) Umpires say “it’s ... ball” (3) Nickname of white-haired Bulldog (3) Top teams meet head on, in vital match (5) ... final eight, for example (3) A young ‘...’ (3)

What a player sometimes should do in possession (3)

Warwick Capper had it (5) A former name of night trophy (6, 3) Given name of Saint Test cricket star, who died in 2004 (5)

‘Taz’ of the Dockers (7) The match-clinching goal (6) Geelong father/son, Rod and Mark ..... (5) Needles need to be very ..... (5) Brad or Craig, both Roos, one also a Cat (5) A gift, always officially endorsed by field umpires (4)

Surname of 2008 Rising Star Award winner.

Help Lance Franklin evade opposition full-backs, the umpire’s whistle and the weather to lead the Hawks to premiership glory.

Scrambled footballer Gents Line

Cryptic footballers 1. Return of alternative energy

at Brisbane.

2. Among the Lions who have

charm and poise.

3. Controversial meat ban at

Hawthorn.

4. Holden’s wrecked at Brisbane.

5. Hawk terribly ill between

fourth of June and first of September.

6. Somehow I’d feel grand playing with Adelaide.

7. Bad road to North for Port Adelaide player.

8. Weird, weird lot at St Kilda.

9. Dal Santo confused – not at ... at Hawthorn.

10. Second-rate, worn-out player at Brisbane.

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

SCRAMBLED FOOTBALLER: Stenglein CRYPTIC FOOTBALLERS: 1. Roe 2. Charman 3. Bateman 4. Sheldon 5. Ellis 6. Dangerfield 7. Rodan 8. Riewoldt 9. Ladson 10. Brown

72 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR10 p72 Knowledge.indd 72

27/5/09 4:50:06 PM

MARKING SKILLS

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29/4/09 12:11:02 PM

timeon

WHERE’S WALLY

A footy time warp Being two hours behind the eastern states is a football blessing for visitors to WA. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

I

t doesn’t take long to work out just how footy-mad Perth is.

Pull out of the airport and one of the first road signs you’ll see contains directions to the Graham Farmer Freeway, named in honour of the Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend who won premierships and countless honours with East Perth in the WAFL, before moving east to help Geelong to the 1963 VFL flag.

The tunnel section of the freeway is nicknamed the ‘Polly Pipe’, and as much as Melbourne boasts of being the birthplace of football, not even it can claim to have a major arterial named after a local champ.

Speaking of roads, if you’re hiring a car to get around Australia’s western-most capital, fork out the extra cash and grab a GPS – the streets go from being two-way to one-way, back to two-way, no left turn, no right turn and cause you to somewhat unfairly take your frustration out on the outdated street directory that really isn’t to blame for you ending up halfway to Fremantle instead of inner-city Northbridge!

Anyway, when some people from the eastern states think of Perth, they think time difference and inconvenience.

However, sitting in the Cottesloe Beach Hotel at midday on Saturday, watching rain lash the windows and wondering how Melbourne’s (pre-drought) weather managed to follow me more than 3000 kilometres in the wrong direction after six weeks of radiant sunshine in Western Australia, I discovered a wonderful thing.

Rather than having to wait until mid-afternoon for the first AFL game to appear on the pub’s TV, there it was – North Melbourne v Fremantle, live from the Docklands Stadium.

Magnificent. Thankfully, the weather held off for the evening’s West Coast-Collingwood clash, which took me to the famous ground at Subiaco, which is so long and large it almost stretches to West Perth.

Although the Eagles are struggling, one of the highlights of West Coast’s games comes at three-quarter time, when club mascot Rick ‘The Rock’ Eagle pumps up the crowd by dancing to the tune of Daddy Cool’s Eagle Rock.

Subiaco, the suburb, has an abundance of exclusive shops, restaurants and bars for before and after the game, while a short trip down the road to Fremantle is another good way to spend your downtime.

Those interested in taking the 18km ferry trip to Rottnest Island to catch a glimpse of local marsupial the quokka shouldn’t be as naïve as yours truly and expect to see thousands of the little tykes hopping all over the place – apparently, they are nocturnal, so you’d best be over at Rottnest around dusk or dawn.

Andrew ‘Wally’ Wallace travelled to Perth courtesy of Jetstar.

Subiaco Oval matches in ’09 Round Date 10

May 30

Frem v Rich

11

June 7

WCE v Geel

12

June 21

Frem v Geel

13

June 27

WCE v Haw

14

July 5

Frem v Carl

15

July 12

WCE v StK

16

July 18

Frem v BL

17

July 25

Frem v WCE

18

August 2

WCE v Ess

19

August 9

Frem v PA

20

August 15

WCE v NM

21

August 23

Frem v Ess

22

August 28

WCE v Rich

ADELAIDE

74 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

(daily flights)

AR10 p74 WheresWally.indd 74

Match

OR

WESTERN FRONT:

(from top) Wally checks out Subiaco Oval and Rick ‘The Rock’ Eagle’s moves at three-quarter time, as well as the Fremantle waterfront. Making sense of Perth’s streets proved a challenge, while this is as close as Wally came to spotting the local quokka. Bottom is the beautiful Cottesloe beach.

MELBOURNE to PERTH (up to 2 daily flights)

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27/5/09 4:49:07 PM

timeon

NAB AFL RISING STAR

All in his stride Rising Adelaide star Andy Otten is as comfortable in the media spotlight as he is on the field. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

L

ike most youngsters brought through the increasingly professional junior talent pathway, Adelaide’s Andy Otten is well schooled in dealing with the press. He is articulate, expansive and self-assured, without sounding arrogant.

However, Otten has an unfair advantage. In his first full year in Adelaide in 2008, the Victorian lived with Crows media manager David Burtenshaw.

“David and his wife Helen really made sure I settled in. He drove me around until I got a car and was always giving me media hints – he told me to be confident in what you’re saying,” Otten said.

Judging from the talent on display in 11 AFL games since arriving at the Crows as pick No. 27 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, Otten has plenty to be confident about.

Despite 2008 being a development year spent mostly in the SANFL, Otten handled the jump from under-18 to senior football well, breaking through for two AFL games, one of which was Andrew McLeod’s 300th.

“I was playing mostly in the midfield, working on my running and kicking as well,” Otten said. “I got a sniff last year and set myself for a big pre-season, because I thought I was capable of playing AFL footy this year.”

Having shaved 30 seconds off his personal best in the three-kilometre time trial, Otten felt ready to challenge for a place

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees Round 1 – Daniel Rich (BL) Round 2 – David Zaharakis (Ess) Round 3 – Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) Round 4 – Jaxson Barham (Coll) Round 5 – Garry Moss (Haw) Round 6 – Stephen Hill (Frem) Round 7 – Jack Ziebell (NM) Round 8 – Jarryn Geary (StK) Round 9 – Andy Otten (Adel) HIGH FIVE

Otten attended the same secondary school – Whitefriars College, Donvale – as Carlton star Marc Murphy, who he played against last week.

2 Has started a commerce degree at Adelaide University this year.

1

SURE HANDS:

Andy Otten has grabbed the chance to be part of Adelaide’s defence as the third tall.

I got a sniff last year and set myself for a big pre-season, because I thought I was capable of playing AFL footy this year in the Crows’ midfield rotation.

Fate, however, intervened – but in a good way.

With Adelaide undermanned in defence in pre-season matches, the Crows turned to

3 Played a lot of basketball

Otten, who is 192cm tall, to fill the void.

The move paid instant dividends, with the 20-year-old carrying his fine form into the home and away season.

Playing as a third tall, and at times on smaller, speedier forwards, Otten has adapted well to the role and used his ball-winning ability to great effect, averaging almost 20 possessions in nine games.

His latest effort against Carlton in round nine earned

as a junior, and believes this helps him with his in-close, contested play.

Eats a bowl of Just Right 4 and two pieces of toast before every game.

Enjoys a hit of golf in his 5 spare time, although describes his game as a “comedy act”.

him a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination, but Otten was more pleased to contribute to a much-needed victory and again honour McLeod, who broke the club games record held by Mark Ricciuto.

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

76 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR10 p76 RIsingStar.indd 76

27/5/09 5:13:58 PM

timeon

TALKING POINT

Don’t be so catty The recent criticism of Geelong champion Gary Ablett suggests a touch of Tall Poppy Syndrome.

N

o one is perfect or beyond criticism, but Gary Ablett junior is perhaps the closest thing to it as far as modern footballers go.

On and off the field, the Geelong champ is untouchable; an exemplary example.

He’s probably the best player in the AFL – the Brownlow Medal favourite for the third year running – and certainly one of the finest ambassadors for Australian Football, and Australian sport at large.

Ablett simply does everything right. And the team is everything to him. Individual accolades are merely a by-product of his total team approach. His modesty is disarming, and completely genuine.

Which makes it astounding, and a little disturbing, that Ablett has been publicly criticised – not once, but twice – over seemingly trivial, if not contrived matters in recent weeks.

Even more staggering is that in both instances – involving issues inside and outside the fence – his character and motives have been questioned, with some having the nerve to accuse him of acting selfishly, to the detriment of his team.

First, he was criticised for not staying to watch two Geelong home games at Skilled Stadium while nursing a groin injury. It’s about being part of a team, they said, and he should be there for every minute, rather than surfing with mates.

This argument clearly has merit, but it’s not a black and white issue.

That matter behind him, Ablett produced another near best-afield, 38-disposal performance in last week’s win over the Western Bulldogs.

Surely, there would be little to fault in his game.

NO CASE: Gary

Ablett does not have to justify his on-field decision-making.

The way some described Ablett’s crime, you’d think he was hemmed in on the boundary and blatantly ignored 17 of his teammates Wrong. Some experts actually labelled him selfish for taking two shots at goal from 50 metres (and missing) instead of passing to teammates.

Lucky Ablett shaves his head, otherwise he might be tearing his hair out.

He used his newspaper column to defend himself over the non-attendance issue – not that he needed to – and he certainly doesn’t need to justify his on-field actions.

One suspects there is more than a hint of Tall Poppy Syndrome at play.

Let’s deal with the most nonsensical accusation: Ablett’s so-called on-field selfishness.

The way some described Ablett’s crime, you’d think that on both occasions he was hemmed in on the boundary and blatantly ignored his 17 teammates who were queuing up in the corridor to accept simple passes. That didn’t resemble reality.

BEN COL LINS

The fact is he twice embarked on weaving, lightning bursts and had a ping from the arc on no worse than perhaps 45-degree angles. With no genuine central options presenting, he was entitled to take those shots.

He could see plenty of daylight between the posts and they were well within his extraordinary capabilities. (After all, he knows a thing or two about kicking goals.

It’s in the blood. He’s kicked 200 of them in his 153 games, and would likely kick 60 or 70 if used permanently in attack.)

Whatever happened to giving the genius some licence? Not that he needed any.

As usual, Ablett’s decisionmaking was spot on – it was the percentage play – but unusually, his skill execution wasn’t. If he’d nailed both kicks, no one would have said a word.

In fact, the Ablett legend would have been enhanced.

But that wasn’t good enough for some, who even drew parallels with teammate Brad Ottens’ decision in last year’s Grand Final to have a shot at goal instead of handballing to a free teammate in the goalsquare.

This, of course, is farcical considering Ablett’s team ethic.

He averages 23 handballs a game – the most in the competition by a country mile.

Significantly, coach Mark Thompson revealed Geelong wants to be the best and most selfless team in the AFL. Thompson wouldn’t allow anything – or anyone – to compromise this aim, and Ablett would feel his wrath if he did.

He hasn’t … because he is the best and most selfless player in the competition.

A lot of Cats fans would actually prefer him to be more selfish. But that’s not Ablett junior’s way.

78 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR10 p78 Column.indd 78

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TY6062-AFLR.pdf

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