AFL Record, Round 14, 2011

INSIDE

SUBS MAKING MAKING THE BIGGEST B IMPACT » THE ‘SUBS’

THE OFFICIAL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE MAGAZINE EOF OF O FTHE TH T HEAFL AF FL L GAME GA GAM G AME AM ME

ROUND 14, 2011 JUNE 24-26 $5 (INC. GST)

BRAD

SEWELL

Responding to the challenge P76

RISING STAR Daniel Menzel

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JOSH KENNEDY

Why going north was the best football decision he has made

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features

P76

7 STEFAN MARTIN

Just to get those three games ... I was ecstatic

The Demons’ back-up big man has grabbed his chance in the absence of Mark Jamar.

PETER RYAN reports.

57 BRAD SEWELL

RISING STAR NOMINEE DANIEL MENZEL ON HIS BRIEF TASTE OF AFL FOOTBALL IN 2010

How a wake-up call jolted the ultra-consistent Hawthorn midfielder into reality.

MARK MACGUGAN reports.

regulars

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Backchat The Bounce Matchday Dream Team Answer Man Kids’ Corner NAB AFL Rising Star

Geelong’s Daniel Menzel.

78 Talking Point

Ted Hopkins puts a diff erent slant on the value of contested possessions.

THIS WEEK’S COVER Brad Sewell has been a model of consistency as the Hawks surge to the finals.

64 JOSH KENNEDY A Swan with no regrets, despite his family links to Hawthorn.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Big improvers defy the critics

» Making predictions has

Umpires are only human Umpiring is a tough assignment.

You can make 100 correct decisions and yet you’ll get crucified for the one wrong one made at a critical stage in the game. Umpires are human.

They make mistakes.

TIM BORTEN, MONTEREY KEYS, QLD.

Will the real Demons please stand up

Melbourne’s inconsistency is tough to take. Are we a good young side on the up like we seemed to be when we thrashed Essendon and Fremantle?

Or are we still a long way off, as it seemed after the North Melbourne, St Kilda, Carlton and Collingwood defeats? I’m going to be an optimist and say it’s the former. The reason? Kids like Tom Scully (please, Tom, don’t go!), Jack Trengove and Cale Morton, who I reckon will all be jets. Oh, and Jack Watts is looking more and more like the key forward we drafted him to be. Let’s break the cycle of inconsistency.

TONY JOHNSON, CARNEGIE, VIC.

Lion a real showman

AFL CORPORATE BUSINESS MANAGER Richard Simkiss AFL RECORD MANAGING EDITOR Geoff Slattery AFL RECORD EDITOR Peter Di Sisto

4

AFL RECORD

Gold Coast’s Jared Brennan had a simple response to the freakish goal he kicked last week: “I just chuck it on the boot and hope for the best in most cases and that is what ended up happening.”

free kick straight in front of goal.

But where’s the fun in that? We should be encouraging our most talented players to fully express their talents rather than stifl ing them. The likes of Brennan are the reason I love the footy.

going to improve in the lead-up to the finals. He’s also going to give the Blues incredible fl exibility because he can play as a genuine ruckman and a genuine forward.

TOBY DRISCOLL, EAST MALVERN, VIC.

TED ROGERS, SOUTHPORT, QLD.

People can say what they like about Jared Brennan, but the man is a born entertainer.

How good was his goal against Hawthorn last weekend? People will tell you he should have kicked it with his right foot or that he shouldn’t have played on when the Suns already had a

GENERAL MANAGER, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Darren Birch

STAR FACTOR:

Kreuzer back with a bang

What can you say about Matthew Kreuzer? In just his second game back from a knee construction, he’s best on ground. Amazing.

And, as a Carlton man, what’s even better is knowing he’s only

PRODUCTION EDITOR Michael Lovett WRITERS Nick Bowen, Ashley Browne, Ben Collins, Paul Daffey, George Farrugia, Katrina Gill, Ted Hopkins, Ian Kenins, Mark Macgugan, Adam McNicol, Jason Phelan, Peter Ryan, Nathan Schmook, Callum Twomey, Michael Whiting SUB-EDITORS Gary Hancock, Howard Kotton, Michael Stevens STATISTICIAN Cameron Sinclair CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Hutchison

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HAVE YOUR SAY

The best letter each round nd will receive the 2011 AFL Record Season Guide.

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NATIONAL SALES MANAGER – SPORT Shane Purss ACCOUNT MANAGERS Kate Hardwick, Callum Senior, Rebecca Whiting ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Laura Mullins (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Garnsworthy, Michael Willson, Lachlan Cunningham, Tim Terry, Justine Walker, AFL Photos, (03) 9627 2600, aflphotos.com.au

long been part of the game.

At the start of the year, many observers predicted Carlton coach Brett Ratten and West Coast coach John Worsfold would need to perform miracles to retain their jobs beyond the end of this season.

This weekend, the two meet with their teams performing well above expectations.

Carlton, entrenched in the top four, is considered by some a realistic premiership chance; the Eagles are easily the most improved team of the year, jumping from last to fifth after 13 rounds, having already doubled their 2010 win tally, from four to eight.

The two coaches deserve credit. Ratten knew he needed to add a harder edge to his team. The Blues are playing ruthlessly and with flair, a combination they haven’t displayed consistently in a long time.

In an interview with theAFL Record in round six last year, Worsfold outlined his plan to build West Coast’s next premiership team, indicating the squad’s development over sseveral years would happen vvery quickly. He has been proven correct. p And the lesson for us armchair critics? We ought a to know what folly the prediction game is. p PETER DI SISTO P

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

T: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 100, ROUND 14, 2011 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211.

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12

DOMENIC CASSISI

14

Why the Port Adelaide skipper is so important to his side.

CRUISING

Woodville-West Torrens is a very healthy place for a junior footballer to be

Sky is the limit for Matthew Kreuzer, says ex-Blue.

Bounce views

news

first person

AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan, p17

facts

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culture

THE

Demon relishes opportunity to fill big shoes PETER RYAN

W

atching Melbourne’s Stefan Martin have such an infl uence against Fremantle was something of a revelation.

Here was a player proving – once again – that opportunity is sometimes the only gap between relative anonymity and kudos.

With the Demons’ All-Australian ruckman Mark Jamar missing through injury, Martin was invited to step into the No. 1 rucking position.

He was nervous, slightly uncertain of what lay ahead as he prepared to be the main man for the first time against North Melbourne in round eight.

He knew he would give it a crack but it would be a stretch to describe his mindset as confi dent.

Martin had not gone up against the opposition’s fi rst ruck very often, relieving as one of the second stringers clubs throw in the middle to give their fi rst ruckman some rest.

The Demons’ initial tactics indicated uncertainty, too, as they used the third-man up ploy at rucking contests to great effect.

BOOST: Stefan Martin’s confi dence has grown since

taking over as Melbourne’s No. 1 ruckman.

However, once those initial nerves disappeared, Martin found himself revelling.

“Once I started playing, it was really enjoyable because you get exposed to the ball and the action more and it gives you a chance to get involved in the game,” he said.

In rounds eight and nine, he was in the best players. In round

11 against Essendon, he had a breakout game, taking on and defeating the Bombers’ three talls. Not only was he mobile, but he played with a certain joie de vivre, running hard and intelligently into spots where his presence became dangerous for the opposition.

Last week against Fremantle, he showed he was no flash in the

pan; he kicked three goals playing both in the ruck and as a mobile tall forward. In fact, he suddenly seemed the ruckman/forward every club is searching for.

“I’ve just been getting more confident. That’s been the biggest thing. I’m wanting to have the ball and use it,” he said.

Martin had worked hard during pre-season to get his body in shape and now he was using that fitness base to its full extent.

He has always been a student of the game, diligent about trying to get better.

“The exposure (to the ruck) has been great, because I was playing probably 30 per cent ruck time while Jamar was playing,” Martin said.

Melbourne’s apparent setback (missing Jamar) had suddenly become a real bonus, for the team and for Martin.

“Having all that extra time (in the ruck), I feel like I have learned more in the last month or six weeks than I had in the previous three years,” Martin said.

“You can’t really replicate game-day at training as such, so in a way I’ve been fortunate to get more time.”

He now understands better where to run to and how to stay in the game. His confi dence has grown and so has his impact.

Giving opportunities to young talls has become an intriguing challenge for clubs since the sub rule was introduced.

With room for only one specialist ruckman, the position has become AFL’s equivalent of the

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West Coast vice-captain Beau Waters extends contract to the end of 2013 season.

wicketkeeper. It’s why some clubs cite developing second ruckmen without playing them at senior level as one of their concerns with the rule, fearful that athletic talls will not fi nd the game as attractive an option if they had to spend too long in a secondary competition.

Watching the performances of North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein (in the absence of Hamish McIntosh), Collingwood’s Cameron Wood (Darren Jolly), Fremantle’s Jonathon Griffi n (Aaron Sandilands) and the Sydney Swans’ Mark Seaby (Shane Mumford) has shown that many capable ruckmen can perform well, given the opportunity.

Rotating players becomes a possibility, but it is a luxury only winning teams can indulge in.

For Martin, though, the future seems rosy. Jamar has been a great teacher while on the sidelines and will appreciate the extra support Martin now has the confidence to provide, as he has always looked mobile enough to excel in many parts of the ground.

Melbourne has benefi ted too, with coach Dean Bailey speculating about whether he might be able to play three talls, including young beanpole Max Gawn (another beneficiary of Jamar’s injury).

Martin can play. Not only do we know it, but he believes it, too. An exciting career beckons. “Most of it comes back to confidence and believing in myself more,” he said.

MAKING AN IMPACT

EYE-CATCHER:

Tyrone Vickery made his mark last week, kicking four goals for the Tigers.

No fanfare as Tiger youngsters continue to grow CALLUM TWOMEY

I

n Richmond’s 31-point win over the Brisbane Lions last week at the Gabba, it was Dustin Martin who stole the show.

Martin’s fi ve goals – several were brilliant – turned the game the Tigers’ way and led to another chorus of support for the dynamic midfielder (who turns 20 on Sunday) and his quick transition from junior football to the elite of the AFL. But just as critical were the efforts of two other young Tigers, forward/ruckman Tyrone Vickery and 21-year-old defender Alex Rance, the pair quietly getting better with every game.

Neither made the immediate impact Martin did, but the duo’s improvement in 2011 has been crucial to the club’s rise up the ladder.

Against Brisbane, Vickery kicked four goals (to take his season tally to 22) and Rance held Lions captain Jonathan Brown to only two goals and little infl uence.

Rance is in his fourth season at the club and Vickery his third,

but Rance said becoming more familiar with the demands of playing at AFL level had been important in their development.

“I think that has a lot to do with it, but I don’t think we can take anything away from the coaching staff,” he said. “They’ve been fantastic this year, giving us the confidence to play at the highest level and backing us in.”

For Rance, selected with pick 18 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, and Vickery, pick eight in 2008, it has been a gradual process of learning their craft.

“I’m starting to get a lot better understanding and knowledge as to what’s required of me and what my role is in the side,” Rance said. “‘Leppa’ (backline coach Justin Leppitsch) has been really good with me, helping me with a lot of my body stuff and the

technical side of things, so I’ve improved a lot this year.”

Where Leppitsch has helped Rance with his aggression and body positioning, Tigers forwards coach Danny Daly said the more permanent move of Vickery into attack had been the impetus behind the 21-year-old’s form.

“His first couple of years he was a ruckman and a forward, and he never really got settled in one position,” Daly said.

“But (coach) Damien (Hardwick) and myself thought in the pre-season that it was a good idea to settle him down as a forward and really learn the art of the forward line.

“We spent a lot of time working on his motion patterns and bag jumping, and also added some muscle and agility. It’s arting to really starting tocome come n.” to fruition.”

SUPER ‘SUBS’ HAVING AN IMPACT The ‘super sub’ might not always be a super player on the day, but he often injects life and an added dimension to the game, especially when activated late in a tight contest. In the 101 matches played after 13 rounds, all 202 subs have been activated – or “had a run” – at some stage.

This is how they have fared statistically. Draw your own conclusions.

BEN COLLINS

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AFL RECORD

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45

min

»

Subs are averaging about 45 minutes’ game time, 7.5 disposals (one every six minutes), 3.2 contested possessions, 2.7 score re involvements, 0.3 direct score assists, 0.3 0.33 0. goals, 0.7 clearances, ess, es, nd d 5.6 ‘pressure acts’ and one clanger.

LEAST GAME TIME

MOST GAME TIME

116 31 min

» The TThe Th hee llea le least eas ast stt g ga gam game am mee tti tim time im mee seen s byy a su ssub ub b has ha hass been be been eeen n 14 14 14 minutes minu miinu min m nu u andd been 32 sse 32 seconds eco con ond nds dss (C (Co (Collingwood’s (Collingw Col olli llin ling ngw gw wo w Brent B Br Bre en ent ntt M Ma Mac Macaff acca aff ffer er, er er, rrou roun ro round ou un nd one) and a an nd d the th thee most most mo mos stt 116 11116 6min mi min min minutes and an nd d 31 31 seconds se sec seco con on nd nds dss (Gold ((G Go Gold old ldCoast’s’’ss JJosh Jo Jos ossh osh h To T Toy Toy, Toy oy y, rou ro rround oun und nd d seven). sev sse seve eve ven

ssec se eecc

Bombers Dyson Heppell, Stewart Crameri, Tom Bellchambers, Jason Winderlich, Heath Hocking and Cale Hooker agree to new contract

ILLICIT DRUGS POLICY

Positive drug tests continue to fall ADAM McNICOL

O

nly six positive tests were recorded during out-of-competition testing of AFL players for illicit drug use in 2010. This continues the downward trend in the rate of failed tests.

In 2009, there were 14 positive tests to illicit drugs, which represented 0.89 per cent of the 1568 tests carried out.

There was a record 1654 tests conducted in 2010, with a failure rate of 0.36 per cent.

This contrasts with 2005, when 472 tests were carried out and 19 players tested positive.

The testing for illicit drugs is separate to the AFL’s anti-doping regimen, which involves testing for performance-enhancing drugs in line with the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) guidelines.

“AFL players have taken a leadership position on this very important issue and the results speak for themselves, with the rate of positive tests falling strongly since the policy was introduced in 2005,” AFL Player Association CEO Matt Players’ Finnis said.

However, the latest “The events of last year figures show that one player demonstrate this and we have tested positive for a second confidence in the medical model time last year. which underpins this policy.”

The numbers also include the The 2010 results, released third positive test recorded by the AFLPA and AFL on by former Hawthorn Wednesday, showed midfielder Travis that five positive Tuck, which was tests were for announced and stimulants, a dealt with (he was group of drugs that suspended for 12 includes cocaine, matches and fi ned speed and ecstasy, $5000) last August. while one positive The Hawks test was for delisted Tuck cannabis. at the end of “The last season but achievement gave him the of a 10-fold opportunity reduction in to compete for failed test a place on the numbers is a club’s rookie testimony to list during the the success pre-season. of the policy Tuck also in being able MATT FINNIS received to change extensive behaviour, counselling as well as the and medical treatment for leadership of our player group depression. He is now playing in taking on such a policy, when for Werribee in the VFL. they had no requirement to do “Clearly, the complex issues so,” the AFL’s football operations surrounding illicit drug use general manager Adrian are the same for the broader Anderson said. community as they are for AFL Anderson said the players,” Finnis said. introduction in 2010 of

AFL players have taken a leadership position on this issue

BREAKDOWN OF POSITIVE TESTS Year200520062007200820092010 Cannabinoids604311 S M

t

i i

m x

u e

l d

a *

n 1

t 1

*WHEN A PLAYER IS DETECTED WITH BOTH CANNABINOIDS AND STIMULANTS IN HIS SYSTEM AT THE ONE TIME

0

s.

mandatory referrals to a drug and alcohol specialist for any player with a failed test had been successful.

He also thanked club offi cials for their support in identifying ‘at risk’ individuals who required extra support.

Players who have recorded a failed test continue to be target-tested.

“The policy and its achievements have attracted considerable interest from sporting organisations in North America and Europe for its cutting-edge approach in going above and beyond the WADA code,” Anderson said.

“AFL players, as a group, continue to lead the way in showing that they seek to change behaviour around the use of illicit drugs and the testing results under the policy clearly show behaviour changes, with a drop in the number of failed tests despite yearly increases in the number of tests being conducted.

“The focus on education, intervention, rehabilitation and welfare, with the opportunity for players to change their behaviour, has shown to be effective.”

The AFL is one of only three sports in the country that have an illicit drugs policy where players are tested for illicit drugs out of competition. The AFL is thes only sport 1 that 2publishes 8 its 1 results each year.

1

0

THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION OF A STORY PUBLISHED ON AFL.COM.AU

0

STATISTICS SUPPLIED BY CHAMPION DATA.

» 51 551 1 (2 (25 2 per cent) subs ubss ub ubs

have hav h ha ave ve played moree tthan th tha ha an 50 minutes, and aand an nd d 20 (10 20 (1 per cent) have (1 avee av ave played p pl pla la ayy more than n 70 m 70 minutes.

23

» All AAll Al lll subs have had d at a lleast leeas lea ast stt

one o on nee disposal, with n th h tth the hee most m mo mos most ost stt b be ein i 23 (in 90 minutes) m nute minutes) min minu nu utes tes) es) s)) being

by North by N Melbourne’s urne rne’s rn ne’s e’ss Ben B Be een n Speight.

MOST DISPOSALS

59.525.3 » 446 46 6 (23 per cent) t)) subs sub su ubs bs have hav ha ave ve combined co ccom om to score co oree 5 or ore 59 59.

59.52, 9.5 9.52 52, 2,, with wi wit w it 11 (5 per cent) ceent ent) en nt))being b being beeing bein ng g multiple mu m u scorers, rs, tthe rs rs, th hee b be bes best est st be bei b ei two eff orts rttss of of of three. tth thr hre ree ee. e. being

» 221 21 1 subs have taken ak ken k ke en n

25 2 5 contested marks ma arks ar ark rk kss between be bet b et them..

» JJust u 29 subs have us avvee h ha had ad d mo m more orree ore than th th ha one clearance. anccee. ance. an

MOST TIME EFFECTIVE

min » TThe Th The he 97 he 997 7 ssubs who have played less

tha tthan th han an n 40 4 minutes have averaged adi a dis disposal dispo d isp spo po o every 5.3 minutes. os However, Howev H Ho ow weevve wev v 13 of these players have rracked ra rac ack cke ked ed d up u double fi gures, with the racked prolific being Fremantle’s most m mo mos ost stt p pr with 14 disposals Rhys R Rh Rhy hyyss Palmer hys P Pa in n round rou rro ou und n two, and the most time-eff time-e ti tim im mee-e me-eeff ffective being North’s Cruize Cru Cr C ru u Garlett, who amassed 12 touches 12 t in 26 minutes and 39 seconds in round four.

39

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Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin suspended for one match for striking Gold Coast’s Maverick Weller.

MATURE-AGE ROOKIE

Versatility the key for Roos’ late bloomer

EXCITED: Patrick

Karnezis (right) booted goals with his first two kicks.

NICK BOWEN

C A double thrill for rookie Lion » Brisbane Lion Patrick Karnezis joined an exclusive club in his debut against Richmond at the Gabba last Saturday night.

No, not the ‘kicked a goal with his fi rst kick in League footy’ club, but the ‘kicked goals with his fi rst two kicks in League footy’ club.

On a special night for the 19-year-old former Oakleigh Charger, Karnezis came on as a substitute in the third quarter for the injured Mitch Clark, and made the most of his opportunity.

First, he snapped truly on his left foot after receiving a handpass from his captain Jonathan Brown and, then on the stroke of three-quarter time, he took a mark and went back to calmly slot a goal from 45m with his right foot.

The Tigers put the foot down in the fourth quarter to run out 31-point winners, but the night will always hold special memories for Karnezis.

“It was a bit of a blur but I was pretty excited,” he said.

“The first one I just sprinted my way forward and ‘Browny’ was open, then he had about four Richmond players on him and I just got the handpass off him and threw it on my left boot.

“It was weird. After that, we were in front and going well and I thought, ‘Gee, I’ve kicked my first goal with my fi rst kick’.

10

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“The second one I somehow got free and lined it up and it went through, fortunately.”

The Lions picked Karnezis with selection 25 in last year’s NAB AFL Draft. He said he never expected to see AFL action this season.

When he received the call-up from coach Michael Voss, Karnezis said he just wanted to see if he could cope at the next level.

“I felt OK and that I could match it,” he said. That was the worry when I fi rst came.

Physically, I didn’t think I was ready to play and didn’t expect to be playing at all.

“It was all an experience to go out and see what it was like, see if I could cope and do what I was doing in the reserves. I guess I felt pretty comfortable.

“Obviously, I was on the bench and pretty nervous, but when I got on there, all those nerves went away, which was good.”

Karnezis, who has a Greek background, said moving to Brisbane from Melbourne was tough on his family, particularly his parents Con and Sandra and older brother Leigh.

But they can say, along with some school mates who were at the Gabba last Saturday night, they saw the Lion who kicked two goals with his fi rst two kicks in League footy.

MICHAEL WHITING

ameron Pedersen is a walking advertisement for where versatility can take you in the AFL today.

Last Saturday against Essendon, the 24-year-old North Melbourne rookie impressed as a key forward, taking fi ve contested marks and kicking three goals.

The game was just Pedersen’s second on North’s forward line – the other was against Geelong in round seven – and he got the chance only when key forward Lachie Hansen was ruled out with concussion.

In the previous two rounds, Pedersen had played as a defender, having come into the team for the injured Daniel Pratt.

And, in round one, the 193cm Pedersen had made his AFL ruck, going goingup up debut in thee ruck, midable dable West Coast against formidable ox x (203cm) and Nic duo Dean Cox 01cm) after North North Naitanui (201cm) odd d Goldstein Goldstein was was ruckman Todd raw wal. a late withdrawal. to old the Pederson told is AFL Record thi this aciing week embracing had d versatility had helped him FL L reach the AFL level and remained his best bet of getting a me.. regular game.

After fourr yin ng seasons playing ntlly as as predominantly a key thee forward in the sen n VFL, Pedersen said Box Hillll ch Hawks coach lto on Brendon Bolton told him of at the start of uld d 2010 he would be “more employable

in the AFL” if he could also play as a key defender.

Pedersen embraced the move and starred for Box Hill in his new role, finally earning a chance in the AFL when North selected him with pick 17 in last year’s NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

Since joining North, he has been determined to establish himself as a tall who can play either end. “It is critical for me to get a game that I try to mark myself as a utility,” Pedersen said.

“Obviously, we’ve got an established defence and established attack, but by playing at both ends, I double my chances of getting a game when someone’s injured.”

As a utility, Pedersen has had to juggle his training time between the Roos’ defensive and forward groups and, unlike most players, has had to learn North’s structures all over the ground.

Not that Pedersen is complaining. As a latecomer to football, who was good enough to win junior best and fairest awards at Mooroolbark Football Club in Melbourne’s outer east but never invited to train with TAC Cup club Eastern Ranges, Pedersen thought the VFL would be the pinnacle of his football career. career.

Now he ha has joined the growing number growing of mat u mature-age state-l le state-league players makin ng a name for making thems se themselves in the AFL. A “A lot of p players start lla late or slip tth through the ccracks,” h he said.

“I guess so o people some de ev develop a bit late e and that later wa wass defi nitely me e me.”

DEVELOPING: DE EV A late

sta a starter to the game, Ca Cameron Pedersen m is making a name for himss with the Roos. himself

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Saint Justin Koschitzke and Swan Shane Mumford both suspended for two matches on rough conduct charges.

RESPECTED LEADER: Domenic Cassisi urges on his teammates in Port Adelaide’s improved performance against West Coast at Patersons Stadium last weekend.

LEADERSHIP

Low profile, but Power skipper shows his worth KATRINA GILL

C

aptain Domenic Cassisi’s stirring comeback from a broken leg failed to inspire Port Adelaide to an upset win over West Coast at Patersons Stadium last weekend, but it is no coincidence his return corresponded with one of the club’s best performances of the season.

Cassisi’s influence on the team is underestimated outside the walls of Alberton.

Earlier this year, Greater Western Sydney coach and Essendon great Kevin Sheedy ranked the 17 AFL captains for his regular column in the Sunday Herald Sun. Not surprisingly, courageous Brisbane Lions skipper Jonathan Brown received the top honours.

Sheedy could only find room for Cassisi at No. 15.

It was just an opinion, one from a coaching great renowned for having an opinion, but it’s reflective of how Cassisi is viewed by the wider football community.

Early departure helped Lyon clear the mind » To leave the coach’s box early,

or to stay until the end?

That was a topic debated this week after St Kilda coach Ross Lyon left his box with about two minutes remaining in last Saturday night’s clash against Geelong.

By that stage, a St Kilda loss was inevitable, yet, when Lyon was captured by Channel Ten’s cameras writing on a whiteboard in St Kilda’s rooms, his decision became an instant talking point.

It evoked memories of two-time Adelaide premiership 12

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The uncompromising midfielder doesn’t have the same profile as Brown, or Chris Judd, Luke Hodge or Nick Riewoldt, skippers of their respective clubs, nor is he – by his own admission – the same calibre of player, but his importance to the rebuilding Port Adelaide team is just as great.

This was highlighted in his – and his team’s – performance against the Eagles.

In his first AFL game in 10 weeks, the West Australian amassed 24 possessions and laid more tackles (11) than any other player in the competition in round 13.

Twice, he was forced from the ground to receive treatment for a nasty knock to the face, which coach Malcolm Blight walking around the boundary line at Football Park with about three minutes left in the Crows’ loss to Richmond in round eight, 1998.

Lyon typically downplayed the significance of his actions, telling Triple M radio the following day: “There’s certainly nothing in it.

A bit of solitude to gather yourself.”

Ex-St Kilda coach Stan Alves said he thought Lyon’s choice would have helped him deliver his post-match address in a calm and rational manner.

“From my own experience, when you’re up in the coach’s box, you can have a million and one things going through your head,” Alves said.

was eventually remedied by filling his nostrils with gauze.

Port Adelaide’s work rate, leadership and culture had been questioned in his absence, but none could be challenged in his presence last Sunday.

Cassisi’s physical impact on the contest was reflected on the stats sheet, but his infl uence over his teammates was harder to measure.

The 28-year-old played a typical captain’s game, throwing himself at the ball with little regard for his safety and – through his actions – demanding the same of his players.

The team appeared to lift with him, and around him, displaying a level of determination, which had been seen in only patches “So, I think taking the opportunity to get down to the rooms is a great idea. You get the chance to be in the rooms by yourself and can have clarity of mind.

“I noticed Ross was writing a few things on the board and was probably thinking: ‘What are the things I need to say when the guys come in?’

“Which would have meant when he spoke to the players, he was really in control of his feelings and would have got his key points across.”

Alves said Lyon would not have missed anything from the final two minutes of the game that his assistant coaching staff could not fi ll him in on.

before the game. Port laid an impressive 89 tackles.

“Dom’s a general with his inside stuff, hard-ball gets and clearances ... and it was terrifi c to have him back in there with his head over the ball,” coach Matthew Primus said after the game.

“We’ve got a few young midfielders going through there and Dom gives them a lift. We certainly missed his presence over the last 10 weeks.”

Instead of capitulating after conceding a 33-point half-time lead, Port Adelaide rallied and closed to within three goals midway through the final quarter.

It wasn’t enough and top-four fancy West Coast held on to record a 22-point win, but it was a performance Cassisi and his team could at least be proud of.

“I said to the guys after the game, ‘I can’t question the effort.

We just need to tidy up on a few things, review the game closely and see what we can improve on’,” Cassisi said.

“If we can use that as the foundation moving forward for the second half of the year (in terms of) our effort and intensity, I’m sure we can fi x up our skill errors and a few other little things and it should get us a few wins.”

It would have also been enough time for Lyon to compose himself, he said.

“I know from when I was coaching, it’s very easy to come into the rooms and blow your top,” Alves said.

“There were times when I got caught up in the emotion and said some things I wished I could take back almost as soon as they were coming out of my mouth.

“With Ross, I think it was just a case of an experienced coach who was in control of the situation and his emotions, so I give him full marks.”

Alves said he would not be surprised if Lyon’s ploy paved the way for other coaches to use a similar post-game approach. NICK BOWEN

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Collingwood defender Nathan Brown has surgery on right knee after injury sustained during club’s Arizona camp.

HIGH STAKES

Absolutely ... that will mean we are really improving

Resurgent Eagles are gunning for a big scalp

JOHN WORSFOLD ON THE CHALLENGE OF BEATING A TOP-FOUR SIDE

NATHAN SCHMOOK

T

here was plenty of hype surrounding Carlton and West Coast leading into this weekend, with both clubs in a great position to justify the excitement.

Their meeting at Etihad Stadium on Sunday will answer plenty of questions.

Is Carlton, as has been suggested this week, a legitimate premiership challenger? The Blues must surely beat West Coast in Melbourne to be considered such.

And can the resurgent Eagles go from ‘winning’ the wooden spoon in 2010 to challenging for a top-four spot in 2011? A win would cement them as serious contenders to snare a double chance in September.

This is a high-stakes game that will shape how these teams are perceived in the lead-in to the finals.

Following his team’s 22-point win over Port Adelaide last Sunday, West Coast coach John

Sky the limit for Blue chip Kreuzer » Former Carlton champion David ‘Swan’ McKay is more prone to understatement rather than overstatement when it comes to football, particularly when discussing the fortunes of the Blues.

But even McKay was in awe of young ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, whose best-on-ground effort last Sunday against the Sydney Swans won McKay’s hard-earned praise.

McKay was among the crowd of more than 42,000 at Etihad Stadium and spoke in rapturous tones about Kreuzer.

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OFFENSIVE WEAPON:

Shannon Hurn has developed into a key player for the Eagles.

Worsfold was asked if beating a top-four side was the next challenge for his group.

“Absolutely,” he replied.

“That will mean we are really improving.”

The fifth-placed West Coast has won eight games, but it is yet to beat an opponent above it on the ladder, losing to Hawthorn (seven points) and Collingwood (52).

Still, the club’s revival has been nothing short of stunning, with half-back Shannon Hurn

“The way he burst through packs was so impressive and it is rare to see a bloke of his size so good at ground level,” he said.

“He is such a powerful player who is only going to improve. He will end up as one of the elite to play at Carlton.”

McKay, a four-time premiership player who spent time in the ruck and played alongside great ruckmen John Nicholls and Mike Fitzpatrick in his 263-game career, was also impressed with Kreuzer’s strong marking around the ground and work as a forward.

Kreuzer kick-started Carlton’s revival after a slow start with two fi rst-quarter goals, finishing the game with

the latest in a long list of Eagles to enhance his standing with a superb month of football.

‘Bunga’, as he is known, has averaged 24 possessions since round nine, and capped a superb run of form with 25 possessions and three magnifi cent goals against the Power last Sunday.

The 23-year-old defender transformed into an offensive weapon for West Coast at Patersons Stadium, booting two running goals from 60m and a snap in the fourth quarter.

24 possessions, 13 hit-outs outs and seven tackles. attenwas wass Blues coach Brett Ratten in no doubt about Kreuzer’s uzer’s efforts in only his second ndAFL AFL game since returning from a year on the sidelines after after a knee reconstruction.

“He was the best player ayeron onthe th he ground,” Ratten said.

Kreuzer’s influence becomes even more important mportant in the next few weeks as asthe the Blues seek to find a replacement placemen nt for Shaun Hampson, whose form in the past monthhhad had been encouraging. d be Hampson is expected be out for at least six weeks ksafter after straining his posterior cruciate cruciate ligament last Sunday. HOWARD KOTTON

He was joined among his team’s best players by on-ballers Matt Priddis and Daniel Kerr, who combined for 30 contested possessions and 13 clearances.

Kerr’s battle with close friend and former teammate Chris Judd will be one of a number of intriguing match-ups on Sunday.

Young ruckman Nic Naitaui against contemporary Matthew Kreuzer, who was best afi eld in the Blues’ clinical 34-point win over the Sydney Swans, will be another.

Judd this week said the feeling building at Carlton was similar to that experienced at West Coast leading up to the 2006 season, when he led the club to the premiership.

Since Judd crossed to the Blues at the end of the 2007 season after 134 games with the Eagles, including the 2006 premiership, Carlton is undefeated in four matches against the skipper’s old team.

HIGH PRAISE:

Former Blue David McKay says Matthew Kreuzer will become one of Carlton’s greats.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig warns fans of “scary” times ahead as he seeks to develop the young squad.

UNDER-18 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Skipper inspires fighting SA win KATRINA GILL AND NATHAN SCHMOOK

C

aptain Chad Wingard inspired South Australia to an upset 46-point win over Vic Country at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships at Adelaide Oval last Saturday.

The following day at Patersons Stadium in Perth, Vic Metro forward Jonathon Patton was outstanding with four goals in Metro’s 10-point win over Western Australia.

Vic Country dominated play in the first half and deserved to be more than 22 points in front at the main change, but left the door open for South Australia because of errant goalkicking.

Led by Wingard, tough on-baller Mitch Grigg, left-footer Brad McKenzie and infl uential

ruckman Brodie Grundy, the South Australians started winning the ball out of the centre in the third quarter and piled on 14 goals to four in the second half.

Wingard, touted as a potential top-fi ve pick in this year’s NAB AFL Draft, had 27 possessions (12 contested), five clearances and two goals, including a brilliant left-foot snap from the boundary line.

Grigg gathered 21 touches, kicked three goals and had a game-high nine clearances, while McKenzie fi nished with 20 disposals across half-back and through the midfi eld.

Grundy (36 hit-outs) was the dominant ruckman on the ground and defenders Rory Laird and Alex Forster and big man Aseri Raikiwasa continued their impressive carnival form.

Glenelg star Ben Kennedy worked his way into the game, picking up 11 handball receives in a midfield/forward role.

He finished the day with four goals, including two in South Australia’s last-quarter blitz.

Defender Josh Tynan starred in defence for Vic Country, picking

u up 17 possessions ((12 contested) and ttaking eight marks.

Midfielders Clay S Smith (19 possessions a and a goal) and B Crouch (20 Brad po possessions) worked ha and 16-year-old hard se sensation Lachie Whitfield (20 disposals and two goals) also showed his class.

In a heavyweight clash involving the cream of this year’s under-age talent, Patton stood up in the second half and reaffirmed his status as the likely No. 1 pick at this year’s draft.

The talented youngster took nine marks (including six contested) and kicked a superb running goal in third quarter.

Patton’s main rival to be claimed by Greater Western Sydney with the fi rst pick, West Australian midfielder Stephen Coniglio, was the game’s other standout player, finishing with 25 possessions (11 contested), two goals and eight inside 50s.

The talented 17-year-old confirmed his status as the best junior midfielder in the country, willing his side to fi ght back from a four-goal margin in the last quarter.

Western Australia took a two-point lead into the fi nal quarter before tiring and conceding four straight goals to the visitors.

Vic Metro forward Hayden Crozier kicked four goals and took a soaring pack mark late in the second quarter.

The 17-year-old ran back with the flight of Patton’s long forward entry, leaping over three opponents and getting a boost to take a classic mark.

“When he kicked it up in the air I was about 30m away from the contest and I thought it was just going to carry through for a point, so I started jogging after it,” Crozier said.

“I realised it was going to drop short so I sprinted as hard as I could and went up for the mark.

“I can remember hitting the ground, but I can’t remember being up there for very long.”

Another highlight of the match was the battle between highly rated ruckmen Billy Longer from Vic Metro and Western Australia’s Myles Bolger.

Longer, who finished with 28 hitouts and four contested marks, took the points.

THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION OF STORIES THAT WERE PUBLISHED ON AFL.COM.AU.

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15

You can y into Etihad by tram, train or car.

THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO TRANSPORT YOURSELF QUICKLY IN AND OUT OF DOCKLANDS FOR THE FOOTY.

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Heath Scotland (one year) and Andrew Carrazzo (two) sign contract extensions with Carlton.

RECRUITING STUDY

Woodville a breeding ground of AFL stars JASON PHELAN

A

study commissioned by the AFL has identiďŹ ed SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens as the most effective developer of AFL talent in the country.

The Eagles had 19 players from their metropolitan zone selected at the NAB AFL Draft during the study period (1998-2010), from Matthew Pavlich and Brett Burton right up to ďŹ rst-round draftees from last year, Jared Polec and Brodie Smith.

The study into talent ‘hot spots’ around the country was undertaken by GrifďŹ th University on behalf of the AFL and used a formula based on the number of males aged 13-18 in each of the AFL’s 95 development

regions, the number of those males who played local football and the number who went on to be picked in national drafts.

The number of players drafted in each region per 1000 participants then yielded a ďŹ gure for each area, with the Eagles coming out on top. “We had an approach by GrifďŹ th University, which was fascinated by what it termed the ‘Wagga Wagga effect’,â€? AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan said. “Why did Michael Slater, Mark Taylor, Paul Kelly, Wayne

Carey and so many other great sportspeople come out of Wagga? Was it something in the water? So they did some signiďŹ cant research on our behalf into what we termed AFL football’s hot spots.â€?

Although it is a feather in the SANFL club’s cap, it is also important to note it is a relative ďŹ gure.

Victorian TAC Cup club Calder developed 70 footballers taken in the national draft during the 13-year study period but, with an average of 4262 participants per year (3584 more than

LEADING AFL NURSERIES AFL Region StateDrafted Woodville-West TorrensSA194.228.02 Western Border (Hamilton)VIC276.924.35 DarwinNT265.321.16 GlenelgSA215.119.61 Greater Hobart RegionTAS334.119.46 Mid-West (Geraldton)WA151118.73 West AdelaideSA173.618.52 East FremantleWA282.818.43 Calder CannonsVIC703.516.42 Central DistrictSA11216.37

Talent produced/ 1000 males

Talent produced/ 1000 participants = yield

Woodville-West Torrens), the Cannons’ yield per 1000 participants comes out at 16.42, seeing the club ranked ninth overall.

But that doesn’t diminish what the Eagles have been able to achieve with a much smaller talent pool. “The club’s been a wonderful production line for AFL talent as well as achieving many other things for its community,�

Sheehan said. “Most of the literature I read suggests that fantastic coaching is the key to developing junior talent – having good people with an eye for identifying lads with potential and then putting in the time and effort to nurture that. “It’s about smarter coaching, too. By that I mean not just taking training, but having people with a great technical eye and great passion and enthusiasm for the game that inspires these kids to want to be very good footballers. “It tells me that WoodvilleWest Torrens is a very healthy place for a junior footballer to be, along with the other clubs that received a high ranking.�

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BEHIND THE SCENES

There’s no pussyfooting g around for Cat mascot IAN KENINS

I

t might seem odd that someone who wears a giant cat costume and performs slapstick routines in front of thousands of spectators each week would claim to be “fairly introverted.”

But such is Steve Sobey’s love of Geelong that playing the role of his club’s mascot ‘Half Cat’ is something he loves.

He gets to run out with the team each week and is guaranteed a good seat when his job is done.

As a youngster, Sobey was a Geelong cheer squad member whose friend, Ian McKenzie, had the coveted role as mascot.

When Sobey learned his friend was about to hang up the giant paws at the end of 1995, he successfully campaigned to replace him.

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TOUGH DAY: Steve Sobey, aka Half

Cat, takes a breather (inset) and in full costume he greets Geelong fans at Skilled Stadium.

His predecessor offered a few helpful tips, such as how to walk with giant paws – “Take big strides and bend the knees” – and height awareness –“Being seven feet tall (more than 2.1m), you need to duck a lot.”

The costume’s head has small eyes that affect Sobey’s peripheral vision, so his wife Judy helps point out children waiting for a hug or photo during Half Cat’s pre-game routine.

Sobey has also learned a few gimmicks of his own.

“When we’re playing against “bird” teams (Magpies, Eagles, Hawks, Crows or Swans), I’ll bring some feathers to spit out.”

Then there are spontaneous moments – he recently used a Bulldog fan’s scarf to mock-wipe his backside.

“I have to be careful doing some things that might be controversial, such as fi ghting with other mascots.”

It was a lesson the schoolteacher learned in his debut game when

North Melbourne’s Boxing Kangaroo took a few playful jabs at him. They agreed to repeat the show at their next encounter.

“Nothing serious and no malice, but I landed one that broke his nose,” Sobey said.

Fortunately, the two became friends.

Aside from theatrical and pugilistic skills, Sobey also possesses true grit. He says wearing the 5kg poly-cotton and synthetic fur costume “is like a big sponge.”

During a family day in February of 2008, Sobey became so dehydrated he was rushed to hospital and put on a drip. Now he wears internal ice packs during the warmer early-season fixtures.

The head’s weight also results in regular migraines and visits to the chiropractor.

Sobey reckons his reign is the longest of any AFL mascot by almost eight years. His ambition is to reach 400 games, scheduled for 2013.

“I guess I feel unique. It’s given me a bit of celebrity status in Geelong … but I don’t make a big deal out of it,” he said.

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Cats Mathew Stokes and Josh Hunt each banned for one match after striking charges.

Promising Hawk followed doctor’s orders PAUL DAFFEY

N

ot so long ago, it was unusual for a footballer to be studying at a tertiary institution. And in those days, it was a tradition at footy clubs for any player with a few brains to be nicknamed ‘Professor’ or ‘Doc’.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Nick Wilton was a key-position player at Hawthorn who was known as Doc. In his case, it was for good reason: he was studying medicine.

His Glenferrie teammates were fascinated to be playing alongside a footballer who spent his weekdays with a stethoscope around his neck, rather than a hammer in his hand. Between training drills, players asked for a diagnosis on a problem that was ailing them.

“When they got injured, they used to ask me what was going on,” Wilton said, adding, when pressed, that Peter Russo and Gary Ayres were his most regular patients.

Now 53, Wilton recaps his career in a coffee shop behind his Moorabbin radiology practice, Melbourne Imaging Services, in Melbourne’s south-east. He is still tall and lean, only a few kilograms over his playing weight.

He envies 1990s Adelaide wingman Matthew Liptak, who managed to combine footy and medical studies because he spread those studies over several years, but in the early 1980s, deferral or part-time studies were not an option for medical students.

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TOUGH CALL: Nick Wilton gave up a promising football career with Hawthorn to pursue his medical studies – it paid offas he now runs his own radiology practice.

Besides being one of the His first last footballers to work full season back in the swing around a medical career, after the knee reconstruction Wilton’s background is unusual was 1981. in that his home address as a Unfortunately, that was teenager was in London, where the year that, as a fi fth-year his father was a member of the medical student, he was obliged diplomatic corps. to live in a hospital and be He boarded at Xavier College available to work from early in Kew, morning until which was in late evening.

Hawthorn’s He was suburban zone, forever but as a London swapping resident, he nights with his was not zoned fellow students to any club. so he could get Melbourne to training. On and St Kilda weekends, he THE DEAN OF MEDICINE’S tried hard to had to swap ADVICE TO NICK WILTON get him, but Saturday shifts Wilton chose just to be able Hawthorn to play. because the Hawks in that era Wilton squeezed in one were more successful. night’s training a week in 1981 In 1978, when Wilton was 20, and played a few more senior he played a couple of games in games but, by mid-1982, his the seniors. In 1979, he played a ambition to combine footy few more, only to wreck his knee and medical studies became halfway through the season. untenable when he fi nished

You either give up footy or you give up medicine

at the bottom of his class in his mid-year exams.

“The dean of medicine said, ‘You either give up footy or you give up medicine’,” Wilton said.

His Hawthorn career was over after 13 games and seven goals.

Wilton said his most memorable game with the Hawks was a reserves match. It was the opening round in 1982.

The half-forward line read: Dermott Brereton, Nick Wilton, Gary Ablett.

Wilton was playing on an old mate from Xavier College, Steve Curtain. At quarter-time, with a few goals under his belt, Wilton chided his mate.

“Don’t worry about you,” Curtain said. “The bloke next to yo is a champion.” you W Wilton was adamant Ab A Ablett had 50 po p possessions in that ga – and failed g game t utter a word to to hi teammates. h his “They’d just go him down g got ffr from Drouin th morning. I kicked that 1 that day. I reckon I 12 g eight from him.” got Players from both tte teams were shaking tth heads as they left their tth ground after the the final siren. All of them knew they had seen something special.

Wilton resumed his football career in 1983 at amateur club Old Xaverians, playing for another five years. After many of those games, he had to start a shift at Prince Henry’s Hospital at 6pm. On one occasion, he started the night by watching a Collegians player, whom he had just played on, being brought in to the ward on a stretcher.

For several years, Wilton injected AFL players with painkillers that enabled them to play, but, in recent years, he has given away the weekend work and stuck to radiology.

His winter weekends now include regular skiing and watching Hawthorn with his three sons, aged 22, 20 and 18. He goes to the occasional Hawthorn reunion and he often bumps into former teammates at social functions.

And they still call him Doc.

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Essendon defender Kyle Hardingham suspended one match for rough conduct against Kangaroo Lindsay Thomas.

HANGING UP THE BOOTS

MILESTONES ROUND 14

Sad end but ex-Lion star looks to life after footy

AFL LIFE MEMBERSHIP Barry Hall Wes Western Bulldogs

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MICHAEL WHITING

A

D Daniel Kerr W West Coast Mi Michael ich Gardiner St Kilda

knee injury that prevented Daniel Bradshaw from training at the intensity needed to play at AFL level finally forced him to retire, after 231 games and 524 goals with the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans.

“Once you’ve made that decision (to retire), the first thing you feel is relief,” the 32-year-old Bradshaw said.

“It’s sad the way it’s ended. I’ve lost a fair bit of confi dence in the knee and I don’t really think I’m going to get back to the way I want to play.

“I don’t really want to be out there playing at 80 per cent, because it’s obviously not good for myself, and not good for the team.”

Bradshaw finished his career with the Swans, but the Lions and their fans will always fondly remember him as a dual premiership player (2001 and 2003).

He was a low-maintenance, hard-working player with a no-fuss attitude and exceptional skills.

Unfortunately, his time in Brisbane ended on a sour note.

The Lions offered to trade him in their attempts to secure Carlton’s Brendan Fevola. That trade never eventuated, but he was hurt by the episode and left at the end of 2009 for a fresh start in Sydney.

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100 GAMES ES Sam Gilbert rt St Kilda Mark Nicoski ki West Coastt Hamish McIntosh tosh North Melbourne urne Shannon Byrnes nes Geelong

100 CONSECUTIVE UTIVE GAMES Harry O’Brien Collingwood

50 GAMES Josh Kennedy Sydney Swans SEE PAGE 64 The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

He played his first match for the Lions in 1996 as a 17-year-old against Richmond at Princes Park, displaying his athleticism, strong hands and accurate kicking.

In 1997, he earned a Rising Star nomination for his four goals against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval and backed it up the following week with six against Geelong.

As the Lions built towards the premiership years of 2001-03, Bradshaw was a central figure.

With Alastair Lynch the spearhead and a young bull by the name of Jonathan Brown cementing a spot at centre half-forward, quite often the haw squeeze was on to get Bradshaw in the starting 18. arrd But whether used up forward was or at centre half-back, as he was so often in the fi rst half of thee last decade, Bradshaw never complained. He just got on with the job – that was his way. iees, He overcame serious injuries, including leg stress fractures and a knee reconstruction.

Bradshaw’s performance against Carlton in an elimination final in 2009 wass arrly superb. Down by 30 points early in the final quarter, the Lionss iffted looked gone, but Bradshaw lifted p pire and kicked three goals to inspire la ast a remarkable win. It was his last game for the club. kiing Bradshaw said he was looking forward to moving back to ality Wodonga and a life of normality away from football.

“It’s going to be good to just live a normal lifestyle,” he said. “After playing footy for so long, it can wear you down sometimes.”

BOWING OUT: Daniel Bradshaw willllbe be esst remembered as one of the Lions’ best players in their premiership era.

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CROW CALLS IT A DAY

» Adelaide utility Scott

Stevens announced his retirement this week after failing to overcome postconcussion syndrome.

Stevens, 29, was concussed at training following the Crows’ roundthree loss to Fremantle and had been unable to train. It was his fourth documented concussion in the past two years.

Stevens played 144 matches and kicked 88 goals for the Swans and Crows from 2002-11. He will continue a coaching and development development d de dev eve veelo velo op opm pm meent men ntt role role ro ole leeat at atthe the tthe th heeclub. club. cclu ub ub. b.

JJONNO JO ON NN NO O NA N NASH AS SH H

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There’s nothing like seeing your team play interstate.

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JOLT: After facing the axe

during the 2010 season, Brad Sewell is back playing the hard-nosed football Hawthorn fans love.

BRAD SEWELL RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGE

Brad Sewell was stunned by his shock omission from the Hawthorn line-up midway through last season, but it was the wake-up call he needed. The ultra-consistent midfielder has not missed a beat since and has played a key role in the Hawks’ return to premiership contention.

I

MARK MACGUGAN

t was the week of round 16 last year. Hawthorn, after a dreadful start to the season, had won seven of its previous eight games and was getting set for a flight to Tasmania to play the Brisbane Lions.

Midfielder Brad Sewell had no reason to believe his services would not be needed on the trip.

Having broken his collarbone in a pre-season match against North Melbourne back in March, he had returned to the Hawks’ line-up by round five and played every match since.

Although a nagging PCL injury had restricted

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57

brad b r a d sewell sew e w ell

his run for much of the year, he thought he was going along OK. And 29 disposals against Port Adelaide in round 11 suggested the form that saw him win the best and fairest award in 2007 was not too far off.

But coach Alastair Clarkson saw it differently, and decided to deliver the then-26-year-old a very public wake-up call.

When the 22 whiteboard magnets fell into place on selection night, Sewell’s name was not on any of them.

“It did give me a jolt,” Sewell told the AFL Record this week.

“I knew it hadn’t been one of my better years, but I certainly hadn’t seen it coming, and it certainly gave me a nasty shock.”

As luck would have it, superstar forward Lance Franklin was struggling with an ankle injury and didn’t come up for the game, with Sewell the late replacement. (Did Clarkson have a plan all along? Sewell doesn’t know.)

That Sewell eventually took the field didn’t matter – he had heard the coach’s message.

“I’d played games throughout the first half of the season at a good level, and then dropped away again a week later,” he said.

“So consistency was the issue.

That was the message, and that scare against Brisbane in Tassie turned things around a bit.”

The turnaround was instant. also believed an increased level The 2008 premiership player of – that word – “consistency” was in devastating touch from senior players was as against the Lions, collecting 39 much a reason. possessions in a best-on-ground “It’s a lot easier for young performance in the 75-point players to come in and have an win. And his form has not been impact on games when the club an issue Clarkson has had to and the team itself are going well, worry about since.

Sewell averaged better than 22 and I think the majority of that responsibility rests on the senior touches a game for the remainder players,” Sewell said. of the 2010 season (and never “Last fell below 17), year, the and is tracking senior group at a similar level probably didn’t again this year, contribute to having played a level we’re every game. capable of.

It has been Whereas this well publicised year, the senior that an injection group has been of new talent a lot more into Hawthorn’s BRAD SEWELLON HIS NEAR-AXING IN 2010 consistent, line-up has been and that a major factor in instils confidence into the the team’s strong 9-3 start to younger players coming into the season. Sewell endorsed the side and enables them to that line of thought, but he

It did give me a jolt. I knew it hadn’t been one of my better years

58

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STRENGTH: Sewell has not lost his fi erce

desire for the contest as Gold Coast’s Karmichael Hunt discovered at Aurora Stadium last week.

FACT FILE

Brad Sewell

12

Born: February 2, 1984 Recruited from: Newlyn/North Ballarat U18 Debut: Round 3, 2004 v Port Adelaide Height: 181cm Weight: 86kg Games: 135 Goals: 20 Player honours: best and fairest 2007; 3rd best and fairest 2006; International Rules Series 2008; premiership side 2008 Brownlow Medal: career votes 44

play with a lot more flair and a lot more confi dence.

“That’s what we’re seeing at the moment.”

Sewell said it was hard to know exactly why the group had player better this season, after showing only glimpses of what it was capable of over the past two years. But he dismissed any notion that a “hunger” had returned that might not have been so strong in the aftermath of premiership glory.

“There are a whole number of reasons why we performed the way we did over the past two years, but that hunger aspect of it doesn’t really wash with me,” he said.

“It might be one of a large number of contributing factors, but we’d be talking about a very minimal percentage.”

More likely, it’s been the result of better health and a more

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brad sewell

complete pre-season. “I can’t say what it is; all I know is that our preparation, dating back to this year’s pre-season, has been a lot more consistent,” Sewell said.

“Across the board, we had a higher number of guys do a greater percentage of the pre-season.

“At the end of the day, it’s that indicator that suggests we’ll have a better year.”

That same health indicator is now pointing, in the eyes of many experienced judges, to a rapid slide out of premiership contention for the fourthplaced Hawks.

Key forward Jarryd Roughead (who had been a revelation in a ruck role) and ruckman Brent Renouf recently joined key defenders Ben Stratton and Stephen Gilham in the long-term injury ward.

Ruckman David Hale and other senior midfielders have also been hampered by injuries.

Adding to the worries, youngster Ryan Schoenmakers, who stepped seamlessly into the defensive role vacated by Gilham earlier in the year, is now struggling with a sore foot.

And there is the one-week suspension for Franklin, which will see the Hawks take the fi eld on Friday night missing both Franklin and Roughead for the first time since round 22, 2009.

FIRED UP: There will be plenty of passion in this week’s clash with Esendon, just as there was in 2009 when

Bomber star Matthew Lloyd (third from left) clashed with Sewell, leaving the Hawk lying semi-conscious.

All I know is that our preparation has been a lot more consistent SEWELL

“We haven’t bought into any of that sort of stuff,” Sewell said of talk the Hawks had their backs against the wall.

“And, to be honest, we hadn’t bought into any of it when they

» SAM AND I

Sharing highs and lows » Brad Sewell and Sam Mitchell have worked together in the clinches at Hawthorn for many years. Sewell debuted in 2004, two years after Mitchell, and the pair was together at centre bounces through a spell near the bottom of the ladder to the glory of the 2008 premiership.

Even now, Sewell continues to be wowed by the ball-winning power of the man dubbed ‘The Extractor’ by commentator Brian Taylor.

“It genuinely does amaze me.

I’ve asked him how he fi nds so

60

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much of the ball and he says he just takes his own,” Sewell joked about his former captain.

“He’s had an unbelievably consistent year. Week in, week out, he consistently racks the possessions up and, when he does, he doesn’t waste them.

“He uses it really well, and he’s been really eff ective.”

Mitchell was superb against Gold Coast last Saturday; it was his third 38-possession game this season and his ninth 28-plus disposal effort in 11 outings.

said we were contenders, as opposed to not being contenders.”

Instead, he and the club are focussing on the positive results the enforced changes have delivered.

“What it has done is given guys the opportunity to play at (AFL) level, where otherwise they might have battled to squeeze into the side,” he said.

“And that has been a huge bonus for those guys on a but, for for the the club, club, personal level but, sive positive positive ve it’s been a massive enable able that they’ve been to come in and not only influencee contribute, but infl all as as well.” welll.” games of football

Away from football, ootball, Mitchell and wife fe een Lyndall have been dealing with serious rious family health issues. sues.They Theyy have three children dren underr the age of one, including ncluding twin girls. One of ofthe the twins, Scarlett, stopped feeding soon after tershe shewas wa as born, leading to o Mitchell pulling out of the he roundthree clash with h Richmon Richmond. nd.

“It’s hard to comprehen comprehend nd how how footballthat t he that he he’s playing the football is,” Sewell said.

“But in some small small way, wayy, itit relieffor f him for him might be a bit off aa relief to get out theree on on the the weekend weeekend and just chase the theball, ball,instead in nstead rry about ab out of having to worry changing nappies.” es.”

That impressive young bunch, headlined by Shane Savage, Liam Shiels and Matt Suckling, faced another big test this week against Essendon in front what was expected to be a huge Friday night crowd at the MCG. Sewell expected the clash between the traditional rivals to be as heated as ever.

“Contests between Hawthorn and Essendon have always been very, very physical and quite emotional as well ,” he he said. said. well,” “T That h a brings t b r i nthe the g s best tbest h et b e s “That out in the players and and the supporters, and the games themselves themselves are are usually great.”

MARVEL: Sam

Mitchell has been a star this year, despite battling family health issues.

brad sewell

BIG CLASH: Sewell

said the Hawks were looking forward to this week’s match with the Bombers.

Sewell hadd no doubt the illl feeling feeling forged during during the the 1980s, whe n the teams team when played in three th hree straight straig Grand Finals Finalls (1983(1983 85) still burned burrned among amon current players. p current players.

A series s of vo olcanic volcanic enc counters encounters ove er the past over ei ight years, eight in ncluding th including the 2004 ‘line in 2 in th he sand game’ gam the an nd a 2005 and mat tch where match g Hawk Josh Jos young Thurgoo od had his Thurgood cheekbon ne broken broken in in cheekbone withMatthew Matthew a clash with ensureedthe therivalry rival Lloyd, ensured continued. So did the most mo continued. thelast last recent flashpoint, iinnthe Witth a finals nalsspot s round of 2009. With Hawthornup H u on the line and Hawthorn Llo oyd ran ran from from by 22 points, Lloyd cent re square square outside the centre ball was wasbounced bo ouncedto to as the ball qu uarterand and start the third quarter Seewell. cannoned into Sewell.

The tough midfifielder hea ap and and went down in a heap stretchered from fro omthe the was stretchered

field, suffering a fractured cheekbone and eye socket.

Essendon ran away with a three-goal win to eliminate the defending premier from the final race.

In an explosive post-match interview on Triple M, Hawks defender Campbell Brown – now with Gold Coast – was critical of Lloyd. Earlier, as the players and coaches left the fi eld, Clarkson had also shown his fury at Lloyd.

For his part, Sewell said he felt no ill-will towards the now-retired Bombers champion. “There’s no bad blood (with Lloyd), and there never really was,” he said.

“That incident effectively resulted in Essendon winning that game, and I’ve got no doubt one of our guys would do the same if that’s what was required.”

But that’s not to say the hit didn’t still sit fresh in the minds of Hawthorn players, who remained determined to ensure their opponents would have to earn every kick on Friday night.

“There was obviously a bit of bad blood (between the two clubs) around that incident at the time, and that’s the fuel that drives both clubs to have a win.”

STRIVING FOR A FAIR DEAL

» Away from football, Sewell has been active in preparations for discussions between the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association as the parties seek to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. A member of the AFLPA board, Sewell said players were united in their determination to receive a “fair share” of League revenue.

“We’re all very fortunate to be doing what we do, and there’s not a single player who would suggest otherwise.

“The issue for us, in relation to the game and how popular it is and how much revenue it generates, (is that) we just want a fair share.”

Sewell’s other passion as an AFLPA board member is in ensuring players find opportunities that will help set up careers post-football.

Sewell recently completed a degree in commerce, majoring in sports management.

“We encourage all our players to be active in something outside of football,” he said.

“We’ve found that guys who do that are genuinely playing better footy.”

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50 GAMES

A new home and loving it A rare third-generation League player, Josh Kennedy had to fight his way for recognition at Hawthorn, the club where his father was a star and grandfather a legend. When it didn’t quite work out, the Sydney Swans were quick to swoop and now he is an emerging player in his own right. C A L LU M T WOMEY

64

AFL RECORD

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J

osh Kennedy was asked to introduce himself.

On a leg of the Sydney Swans’ pre-season community camp in February, Kennedy, resplendent in a red club polo top and tossing a mini-football from hand to hand, was one of six Swans conducting a clinic at the Shell Harbour Junior Football Club on the south coast of New South Wales.

In front of more than 100 children – all of whom said they played “AFL” – Kennedy followed teammate Tadhg Kennelly to the stage with microphone in hand.

He introduced himself, explained what position he played and, tellingly, spoke of his background.

He told the crowd of his family history at Hawthorn, and then, without prompting, said he had made “the best decision of my life” when he left the Hawks for Sydney at the end of 2009.

Since joining the Swans, he has excelled and established himself as an emerging midfielder of the competition.

There is not much fuss about Kennedy as a player. He dives into packs unconcerned about what might lie ahead of him, gets the ball out, and then goes and does it again. He is an old-fashioned footballer. There are no theatrics; nothing fancy about his style.

It’s simple but effective.

Kennedy never appears flustered on the field. He calmly

bustles through traffic before efore deciding which teammate te to off-load the ball to. He has as a clear head off the ground, too.. Making the move to Sydney really ly was the best football-related decision he has made.

Kennedy’s Hawthorn background is well documented. umented.

When he made his debutt for the Hawks in 2008, he became me a third-generation Kennedy dy to play League football for the club. lub.

His grandfather, legendary dary Hawthorn figure John Kennedy ennedy snr, played 164 games forr the Hawks from 1950-59. Then, hen e , in 1960, aged just 31, he became came coach and transformed Hawthorn Ha H awthorn into the club it is today, leading ading it to its first three premierships, hips, in 1961, 1971 and 1976.

His father, John jnr, wa w was as a star for the Hawks, playing ying 241 games from 1979-91, 1, including four premierships hips (1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989).

989).

Naturally, football and d Hawthorn had always been een in the forefront of Josh’s mind. The game, he said, d,, was d something he’d “always loved”. loved”.

“I’m not sure whether I got a choice from a young age, ge, but when I did have a choice,, it was definitely No. 1,” Kennedy dy said.

“I was lucky enough to have ave so many people around me to teach me and guide me along tthe he way.”

Hearing a footballer talk alk of getting help ‘along the w way’ ay’ isn’t unusual, but Kennedy’s dy’s dy

FORGING HIS OWN IDENTITY:

Despite his family heritage with Hawthorn, Josh Kennedy describes his move to Sydney at the end of 2009 as the “best decision” of his life.

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65

JOSH circumstances certainly are.

He can call upon both his father and grandfather for football advice, as well as his uncle (Ray Ball, who played 55 games for Richmond and South Melbourne in the late 1960s and early ’70s), and cousins (Ray’s sons) Luke Ball, the Collingwood star, and Matthew Ball, who played 17 games for Hawthorn from 2004-06.

Josh’s mother, Bernadette, is the daughter of former St Kilda wingman Felix Russo (who played 14 games for the Saints in the 1950s) and sister of dual Hawthorn premiership player Peter Russo, who played 162 games for the Hawks from 1978-88 before playing two seasons at St Kilda.

But matching the achievements of his relatives only became an ambition Kennedy took seriously in 2005 when he was overlooked for the Vic Metro squad for the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships.

“From probably then,” Kennedy said, “instead of going out and playing and not thinking about it too much, I worked really hard and started thinking about my strengths and weaknesses more. I worked on them to become a better player.”

Hawthorn, John jnr said, had been interested in Josh for some time. After starring for prestigious school team Xavier College – the breeding ground of five players on Sydney’s list – the Hawks saw enough in Kennedy to announce mid-year in 2006 they would select him later that year under the father-son rule in the 2006 draft (40th overall.)

On July 19, Kennedy left school at lunchtime – “I was pretty happy with that,” he said, laughing – to be introduced at Hawthorn’s then Glenferrie Oval headquarters.

On his right sat his father.

To his left sat coach Alastair Clarkson, and to Clarkson’s left sat John Kennedy snr. Behind the four of them sat the club’s nine (to that stage) premiership cups, and a mural depicting Hawthorn’s Team of the Century.

“I remember it vividly,” he said, when reminded of the day.

“I was just overwhelmed, very excited and very proud. It was a great day and a great moment in my life. However, I knew – 66

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IMPACT: Kennedy finished third in the best and fairest in his first year with the Swans in 2010.

mainly because of the people to the club, but it was a long road next to me that day – that it was to my first game.” the easy part and it was only The knee injury limited his going to get harder from there.” first pre-season campaign, but “It was a big day for him,” he was still able to fi nish top-10 John jnr said, “but he understood in the Box Hill Hawks’ best and what lay ahead of him. It was fairest in the VFL. He found it never going to be an easy task.” tough preparing like he was

By November, 2006, Kennedy playing AFL matches, but then had finished Year 12 – he driving out to suburban grounds now studies part-time at the every week to put it into practice.

University of New South Wales, “I wasn’t always able to do saying “it can take footy off my that. It would be the same for mind or can most young just add to players who the pressure, are trying depending on to find that the week” – and consistency in had joined the preparation Hawks fulland time. performance,” However, he said. he didn’t join In round the club at nine, 2008, JOSH KENNEDY peak fi tness.

Kennedy A torn piece of finally made cartilage in his his debut knee had made 2006 a diffi cult as a Hawthorn player against season for him. Because he was Melbourne. He played another young, and had so much football two games that season. On ahead of him, it was decided to Grand Final day, as Hawthorn go for longer-term treatment upset Geelong by 26 points rather than a short-term fi x. to claim its 10th premiership, “I think it set me back a couple Kennedy sat in the second of years,” he said. “I felt I was tier of the MCG with the rest ready (to play) when I first got of the squad.

The week following the premiership is something I’ll never forget

He watched, and enjoyed the game, but by then his approach to Hawthorn and football as a profession had changed. He better understood the mechanics of football clubs and the game at the elite level, and just how fierce the competition was to get a game.

“I obviously would have loved to have been playing, but I was pretty grateful for the games I did play and really enjoyed that part of the year. I embraced it although I wasn’t playing, but there was obviously a difference,” he said.

“Having said that, the week following the premiership was something I’ll probably never forget, and something I want to experience on a first-hand basis.

It gave me a real desire to be able to be part of something like that.”

After playing the last nine games of 2009, Kennedy was offered a three-year deal by Sydney. He met with Hawthorn, which offered him a one-year deal, and Sydney, to see where he sat in both clubs’ plans.

Sydney had watched him closely all year, even at Box Hill, and wanted him. It was a perfect fit. With veteran on-baller Brett Kirk close to retirement, the Swans identified another inside midfielder capable of winning the ball and using it. Kennedy suited the Swans and the Swans were perfect for him.

“With a clear mind,” he said, “I was able to make the right decision for both parties.”

The choice was vindicated going by his first season at the Swans in 2010. Kennedy played every game (24), averaging 20 disposals a match and kicking 10 goals. He led the club for hard-ball gets (129), was fourth for tackles (107) and second for handballs (273).

Ironically, it was against Hawthorn in round 10 when he felt truly comfortable at the club. He had only 18 possessions and Sydney lost by two points, but it was the first time Kennedy had started on the ground for the Swans.

He carried that momentum through the year, and was rewarded at the end of the season with third place in the Swans’ best and fairest.

Kennedy was named the club’s best finals player, after collecting

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JOSH 12 S.M.F.C.

29 disposals in the elimination final against Carlton and 32 in the semi-final loss to the Western Bulldogs.

“I couldn’t have hoped for anything more,” he said. “I was completely and utterly ecstatic at the end of last year and I hope to be able to continue it and repay the faith Sydney has shown in me.”

Talking to the broad-shouldered midfielder, you get a sense he’s torn between playing the straight bat to some questions and opening up to others.

Few footballers openly suggest they are thrilled with how something has turned out, but Kennedy has reason to. Sydney welcomed him to the club; it wanted his services and made him feel like he belonged.

“I was obviously very nervous and anxious coming up, but as soon as I was here for a couple of days it felt like I had been here for a couple of weeks, and after a couple of weeks it felt like a couple of months and after a couple of months it felt like a couple of years,” Kennedy said.

“It’s something the club should be very proud of and something I hope remains that way.”

His decision was further vindicated at the end of 2010, when Hawthorn delisted Beau Dowler, Beau Muston, Garry Moss and Travis Tuck. Kennedy had spent time playing for Box Hill with all of them, battling for positions at AFL level. He

knew he could have been one of those sacked.

“The thing that separates me, I guess, was the opportunity to play (at Sydney). If I hadn’t de that decision, IIcould could have made very welll have been in the same rtunately, position. But, fortunately, he rightt one,” I made the Kennedyy said. eason, Kennedy K This season, as improved. imprroved. said he has He wantss to work on his ncy consistency ad – “I’ve had a couple of quieterr games” – but, st in the last unds, three rounds, n last notably in oss week’s loss n, to Carlton, een Sydney’s Syd dney’s he has been er. best player. losss to to Before the loss s, Kennedy Kenneedy the Blues, h had said the Swans had o the right blend of ce and andyouth youth experience nge the thee best best to challenge teams. week we’ve w we’ve “Everyy week proving g and andthe the been improving ce with hin the confidence within the as been been building building group has feeling gwe wecan can with the feeling th he teams teams match it with the s,” he said. sa aid. above us,” me quiet quiet The same n exists ambition existsin in y, who has h Kennedy,

developed a reputation for being one of the best clearance players in the competition.

Last year, only six players won more clearances for the season.

This year, he’s hes ranked ranked sixth, si with 74 in 12 games. But, put putting strength and and natural natu ability aside, what makes ma akes him h so good at the sto oppa stoppages?

He said he had h picked p up attributes fromhis hispeers attributes from at Hawthor n, in Hawthorn, including Sam Mitchell, Mittche Brad Sewe ell and an Luke Sewell Hod dge, and then Hodge, de evelo developed them al long alongside Brett Kirk and K a Jude Bolto B Bolton at the Swan S Swans. He had been h b able to o take little thin ngs ffrom things each and a create c a rounded approach, app however,, he said s it all came down down to a d simple philosophy. phillosop basissfor forme is “The basis that if it’s m turnto get myy turn it, then just go in in n and andget it, rea allyinstinctive in and the rest is really and habits I’ve developed devvelop over yearrs,” he h said. a number of years,” “Obviously a few w more mo technical aspecctscome c technical aspects IN FOR FORM: RM: Kennedy K has

been Sy been Sydney’s best playyer ov player over the past t three weeks.

FACT FILE

JOSH KENNEDY

Born: June 20, 1988 Recruited from: Xavier College/Sandringham U18/Hawthorn Debut: Round 9, 2008 v Melbourne Height: 188cm Weight: 96kg Games: 49 Goals: 20 Player honours: Sydney 3rd best and fairest 2010

into it in terms of positioning and flight of the ball, but it really comes down to that basic element.”

It shouldn’t surprise that Kennedy, who is in line to play his 50th game on Saturday night against Collingwood, brought matters back to basics. He is a footballer with a handle on the essentials. He is not quick, is not a brilliant kick or a great mark above his head, but knows what he is good at and plays to those elements.

Moving to Sydney, his Dad said, has seen Josh “develop as an individual as well as a footballer.” He lives with teammates, does his own cooking, cleaning and fi nances – he had lived at home before moving to the Swans – and understands the life of an AFL player better.

Right decision? “Defi nitely,” Kennedy said.

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col h hutchinson VARIED VOTES: Of the current AFL

captains, Nick Maxwell (far left) has the fewest Brownlow Medal votes while two-time winner, Carlton’s Chris Judd, has the most.

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Valle of the Dahls Valley » The Western Bulldogs’

Not flashy, but eff ective

Berlo eight. Others with fewer than 50 career votes are Domenic Cassisi (Port Adelaide) 16, Chris MICHAEL PURLEY, ELWOOD, VIC. Newman (Richmond) 16, Jarrad CH: Naturally, voting for this McVeigh (Sydney Swans) 20, season will not be revealed until Brad Green (Melbourne) 22 Grand Final week. To the end of and Jobe Watson (Essendon) 2010, Collingwood skipper Nick 36. The captain with the most Maxwell had polled just three is Carlton’s Chris Judd, who has Brownlow Medal votes, West accumulated 162, with quite a Coast leader Darren Glass seven few more likely to be included in and Adelaide captain Nathan van his total this season.

Which captain has the fewest career Brownlow votes?

GENUINE SENIOR FOOTBALLERS » One of the 17 League players to achieve Test cricket status is Sam Loxton. He made his debut for St Kilda as a full-forward in 1942. During a fi ve-season career, he made 41 appearances and booted an impressive 114 goals, including 52 in 1944. In a match against Geelong at

Kardinia Park in his last season, he kicked eight goals. Loxton played the fi rst of his 12 Test matches as an all-rounder in 1949. Later, he served the community with distinction as a state member of parliament. On March 29 this year, he celebrated his 90th birthday.

Do you have knowledge of any players who are close to 90 or older, or who reached such an age before calling it a day? Contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 orcol.hutchinson@afl .com.au 70

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Luke D Dahlhaus is the fi rst of that name to play League football. It is a name of footbal Germanic origin. Dahl is Low Germa German for “valley” (modern Germa German Tal, Swedish dahl) Germa and exi exists in English as “dale”. People were often named after a geographic feature (other AFL examples feature include Hill, Lake, Rivers) Rivers). Dale is both a given and a ssurname.

As the former, f it has featured several times on AFL lists; for example, Dale Lewis (former Sydney Swan) and Dahlhaus’s teammate Dale Morris; as the latter it is represented notably by Alan Dale, who played in the centre in Essendon’s 1950 premiership side. The dahlia, a popular flower, is named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. Haus is German for house. So Dahlhaus would indicate an ancestor who lived in a house in a valley.

Most people then lived in huts or cottages; “house” suggests someone who lived in grander circumstances, even if as a servant.

KEVAN CARROLL

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

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rick milne

Ask the expert about all ll your fo ffooty oo otty m me memorabilia. emo m rabilia.

I am collecting the 1909 series of West Australian footballers and need some help fi nding them.

Have you any spares of these coloured cards or know where I can find them? I also need 1907 West Australian sepia cards, too.

Any info would be appreciated.

RICK’S RARITY

» The VFL was launched in

1897. Before then, a variety of clubs played in the Victorian Football Association. Back in 1890, Essendon was one of the powerhouse teams. Although South Melbourne beat Carlton for the 1890 premiership, Essendon finished a creditable fourth. The following year, the Dons took the flag. Any football memorabilia from pre-VFL days sells for huge money. This membership card is no exception. In excellent condition, it would sell for at least $2500. $2500.

STEVE, VIA EMAIL

RM: As you can imagine, these

cards are extremely rare.

Originally issued by a cigarette company, they were released only in Western Australia. You can expect to pay at least $200 each for cards in nice condition – if you can find them. Good luck; it’s a ‘needle in a haystack’ job.

Just a big question I would like to ask. Have you seen any open or unopened boxes of 1960s and early ’70s VFL Scanlens football cards? Do they exist?

DEAN FREEZE, VIA EMAIL

RM: These are very rare. The

few I have seen are mostly owned by collectors in NSW, as Scanlens was originally a Sydney-based gum company.

I’ve not seen any with full packets of cards for years.

They’d be worth a fortune – especially those from 1963, the first year of issue.

I have a Gerry Gee ventriloquist’s doll in a Richmond outfit. I have

72

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GEMS: A reader has a Gerry Gee dolll

(above) in excellent condition while another uncovered a rare card of former Magpie Ray Gabelich (right)..

had it since the late 1950s and itt is in very good condition as it has hardly ever been out of the box. It was given to me by a neighbour.

Unfortunately, I was (and still am) a Melbourne supporter.

DANA TRUSCOTT, VIA EMAIL

RM: In some ways, that’s good

news, because your doll and box are obviously ‘as new’. It is rare to find Gerry Gee football dolls in any condition, let alone one that has never been used. At least $2000.

Clearing out Dad’s belongings, we came across some large black and white cards of Ray Gabelich,

Jim Taylor and Geoff Geoff Leek.

Leek They were issued by Golden n rwea ar.

Fleece & Kookaburra underwear.

Theyare in fairly good condition. ditio on.

KEITH PARSONS, ST ALBANS, VIC.

RM: These very large cardss

50ss were issued in the late 1950s and are super rare. If your n, cards were in top condition, han an they would sell for more than I’d $1000 each. As described, I’d $400 say you are still looking at $400 no each, providing there are no ay, creases or tears. By the way, yedffor or these great footballers played Collingwood, South Melbourne and Essendon respectively.

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

One query per reader.

BRAINS

answers at bottom of page

Find the 5 DIFFERENCES between the 2 cards

Unscramble Hanging Sushi to Can you guess this AFL discover the AFL player’s name! Player’s NICKNAME?

______ _____

What year did the Fremantle Dockers join the AFL?

NEW!

A. 1992

B. 1995

C. 1998

D. 2002

Silver CODE cards and enter codes to play

Answers: 1. Wig of his old hair, different face, wrist band, ‘SNUS’ instead of ‘SUNS’, different background 2. Hanging Sushi 3. Humpty Dumpty 4. 1995

4

______ ______

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

FIVE TO FIND

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Player on other side of the banner removed; fi rst letter on banner modifi ed; Chris Judd’s sock made longer; bandage on Nick Duigan’s left arm extended; club logo on Judd’s jumper changed.

EXTENDED PLAYTIME The AFL Playground outside the MCG will continue to operate for the rest of the season due to popular demand.

The playground, the coolest fan zone for kids looking to test their footy skills and warm up before watching the footy, attracted more than 14,000 kids and families in the first nine

rounds of the season.

Located below Gate 6, the playground features activities of all types for kids, with club mascots also in attendance.

It is open 90 minutes before the start of the match until the end of the half-time break.

Visit afl.com.au/ playground for more information.

FREE ENTRY Scrambled Sc S crra am mb blleed Footballer: Fo F oot otb ba all ller er: Cryptic Cr C ryyp pti tiicc Footballers: Fo F oo ottb ba alllleerrss:: BI B IG MOUTH: MO M OU UT TH H:: BIG

74 AFL L RECORD R EC RECO RE CO COR OR ORD RD visit viis vvis isit itafl afl afl flrec record.com.au rree ord.com.au

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Late call-up works rks for for Geelong’s Geelong’s Daniel Daniel Menzel.

Menzel.

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LUKE HOLMESBY

D

aniel Menzel’s appearance in the ardss Geelong team towards the end of last year was always only going to be a brief cameo.

As the Cats were preparingg for what they hoped would bee a fourth consecutive Grand Final appearance, they took a conservative approach withh brief players they felt could use a brief break. Joel Selwood, Andrew Mackie, Shannon Byrnes, Corey Enright and Cameron Ling all spent some brief time on the sidelines, knowing they would be back for the fi nals.

It was a situation that was clear as day to Menzel, who was just grateful for the experience of playing three AFL games before inevitably losing his spot to a more experienced player.

“I knew going into it there were a couple of players to come back in. I kind of prepared myself that I wasn’t going to be playing fi nals. It didn’t come as a shock and the coaches said they were happy with my role in those games,” Menzel said.

“I definitely saw it coming. I played my first game and we had a couple of injuries. Every game after that I just took as a bonus and didn’t expect to play my second or third game.

“Just to get those three games from where I had come from that year, I was ecstatic. I knew I wasn’t going to make the 22 come finals time anyway.”

With the Cats undefeated after 13 rounds this year (12 games) there is little chance Menzel will be forced out of the team at the business end of the season after consolidating his spot in the line-up.

2011 NAB AFL RISING STAR NOMINEES Round 1 Dyson Heppell (ESS) Round 2 Luke Shuey (WCE) Round 3 Mitch Duncan (GEEL) Round 4 Jasper Pittard (PA) Round 5 Brandon Matera (GCS) Round 6 Jack Darling (WCE) Round 7 Zac Smith (GCS) Round 8 Shane Savage (HAW) Round 9 Reece Conca (RICH) Round 10 Jack Steven (STK) Round 11 Jordan Gysberts (MEL) Round 12 Sam Reid (SYD) Round 13 Daniel Menzel (GEEL) EXPOSURE: A brief

THREE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

taste of AFL football late last year has helped Daniel Menzel’s progress in 2011.

Just to get those three games ... I was ecstastic DANIEL MENZEL

Menzel kicked four goals and had 15 disposals in last Saturday night’s win over St Kilda in what was his best performance of the season, winning him the nod as the round 13 NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.

He has played all but one game this year and said new coach Chris Scott had given him the confidence to believe he was a valuable part of the team.

“He came to me pre-season and said we we’re going to

need a much broader list this year. He said we’d need 25-30 contributors this year and, with injuries, it would be a lot easier to manage,” he said.

“The younger blokes coming through had to take that step forward. So it gave me confi dence to know I had his backing to give it a real crack and cement my spot.”

Menzel, Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt and Nathan Vardy have forced their way into the most successful team of the past fi ve years, an achievement that might have surprised many.

Menzel said the four, along with Allen Christensen and Josh Cowan, made the effort to encourage one another as they hunted senior positions.

“We did try and help each other out but we all knew it would be tough to crack into the team. We knew if we had a

1

Comes from SANFL club Central District, following the path taken

by Travis Varcoe.

2

Kicked three goals in his second AFL game, against Carlton last year. Two weeks later he was out of the team.

3

Is the fourth of six brothers.

decent pre-season there would be spots and opportunities to come along. We’ve all had a crack this year,” he said.

Not that there is any divide between the new generation and Geelong’s elder statesmen. Quite the opposite, according to Menzel.

He might be at the opposite end of his career to players such as Cameron Ling, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn and Cameron Mooney, but he said they had made it easy for the younger players to settle in.

Each week throughout the home and away season, a panel of judges will select the nominee for the 2011 NAB AFL Rising Star. At the completion of the season, one outstanding player will be chosen as the 2011 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 fulfi l their dream of playing in the AFL.

76

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Applying data laterally to analyse and understand the modern game.

Winning the ball just the start, not the end

WHEN IT COUNTS: 2004

premiers Port Adelaide were equal last for contested possessions – but the Power still made it hard for Lions stars such as Simon Black.

T

his may sound sacrilegious, but contested footy is overrated. This is not just my view – it is based on facts.

All agree the fi rst principle of footy is to win the leather.

Hence, it is not unexpected the most frequent and loudest battle cry heard these days is for players and teams to “win the contested ball”.

As I wrote last year, winning contested possession is crucial.

However, evidence claiming it is the key to winning games and premierships is ambiguous, and for good reason.

First, the second principle of footy says the player who has the ball must do something with it.

Simply, it is of no use gaining the ball in a spectacular manner, only to have an outcome that results in a turnover or dead end. Nor is there any value in a player who gains clear opportunity, but does not use it to advantage his team.

And second, not all hard-ball gets are equal.

The current defi nition of a contested possession (CP) includes all hard- and loose-ball gets, contested marks and free kicks for.

I introduced this formula at the start of the 1996 season.

My main reason then was to distinguish how individual players and teams won possession – when the ball was in dispute or received uncontested from a teammate’s disposal.

No weightings were given to the respective value of each CP category, or the respective

78

AFL RECORD

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values within each category.

Although the CP defi nition has served its original purpose well as a key performance indicator, it still falls short of the mark for any advanced analysis.

Meanwhile, the way footy is played today compared to then has changed, as has the technology and skill required to capture more sophisticated data and analyse it effi ciently.

Better measurement standards are required if coaches and commentators want to hang their hats primarily on contestedpossession stats, the most important being the intertwining of the first and second principles – winning the footy and doing something with it.

One cannot succeed in this increasingly chess-like game without the other. Rather than a one-dimensional focus on contested possession, more artfulness, more subtlety, please!

Super-toughness is no guarantee for success. Poetry PLUS toughness has a much better chance.

The facts speak for themselves.

From 2008-10, West Coast was consistently tough, winning the fourth-most contested

possessions of any team and ranked seventh for difference (average a game compared to the combined opposition). The Eagles finished 15th, 11th, and 16th on the ladder in those years.

This season, the Eagles rank fourth for contested possession and have improved their difference ranking to third.

No doubt, this improved difference ranking is a contributing factor for their rise up the ladder to fi fth.

However, I venture that West Coast’s improvement is more likely the result of better ball use.

Unbeaten Geelong is ranked a modest sixth for contested possession and fi fth for difference, while Essendon ranks second for CP average and fourth for difference.

The Bombers, however, are eighth on the ladder and fl agging.

Hawthorn, which is third on the ladder, is ranked 11th for CP and sixth for difference. An improving Richmond, 10th on the ladder, is ranked 15th for CP and last for difference.

There is no line-of-fi t here to explain certain success. There are too many anomalies to do so.

Winning the contested-possession

count is obviously an advantage.

However, if you don’t, it is not a death sentence. An examination of recent premiership success explains why.

When Port Adelaide won its premiership in 2004, the Power and the Sydney Swans (who had finished sixth on the ladder) shared equal billing for the least average contested possessions of any team.

The Power’s difference ranking was no better than the competition average and the Swans ranked only 14th for difference.

The Swans won the premiership the following season with a low contestedpossession ranking of ninth and a difference rating of seventh.

In 2008, Hawthorn was the next team to go all the way to a flag with a low contested-possession ranking (15th) and difference (12th).

In last year’s 2010 drawn Grand Final, Collingwood, ranked first for both average CP and difference, faced up to St Kilda, ranked 12th and sixth respectively. Score even.

The premiership favourites – Collingwood and Geelong – present a similar story.

The Magpies are thriving by dominating teams in contested possession, while Geelong manages to maintain an exceptional record with averages hovering just above the competition.

In sum, it is unwise to view the footy universe via single-purpose dimensions. Yes, displaying toughness is an essential requirement of the game and forms part of our love of it. But what you do with the ball counts just as much as winning it.

TED HOPKINS IS A CARLTON PREMIERSHIP PLAYER AND FOUNDER OF CHAMPION DATA. HIS BOOK THE STATS REVOLUTION (SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP) WAS RELEASED LAST MONTH AND IS AVAILABLE VIA FOOTYBOOKCLUB.COM .

SHORT STORY COMPETITION BROUGHT TO YOU BY VIRGIN AUSTRALIA

The 2011 AFL Record Short Story Competition is open to all football enthusiasts. We’re looking for the ultimate short story on the 2022 AFL World Rules. Entries must be previously unpublished and no longer than 2000 words.

The winning entry will be published in the2011 Toyota AFL Grand Final Record.

THE SHORT STORY COMPETITION HAS TWO GOALS: 1. To promote fine short story fi ction

about Australian Football.

2. To fantasise about the future of Australian Football.

THE TOPIC

AFL 2022: the game has gone international, with professional teams playing in Zones across Asia, Europe, America, South America, the Pacifi c and Australia.

Every four years, the world unites to play for the AFL World Rules.

This is the story of the 2022 World Rules – the second since the inaugural event held in Australia in 2018, to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of the game.

The first AFL World Rules was won by a team from Japan, beating Australia by two points (15.10.100 to 14.14.98) before 101,200 people at the MCG. The event is held from October 15 to November 20.

1ST 2ND 3RD

THE STORY MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:

How the game became international.

The Australian team is drawn from all leagues, including the AFL. The game took off internationally from 2013 with huge crowds across the globe.

Writers can concentrate on one Zone, describing the impact of the game on the local culture and how it has overtaken soccer as the “world game”.

The story can take the reader anywhere – from a team perspective, from an individual perspective, preparing for the series, the fi nal ... Let your imagination run wild.

The Laws of The Game are broadly the same, but innovations can be included in the text.

Preliminary events must be held internationally.

Total word count must not exceed 2000 words, but must not be less than 1000 words.

2 V AUSTRALIA RETURN INTERNATIONAL PREMIUM ECONOMY FLIGHTS TO LOS ANGELES 2 PACIFIC BLUE RETURN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY FLIGHTS TO FIJI 2 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA RETURN DOMESTIC ECONOMY FLIGHTS

WIN

Competition entry closes midnight, August 7 For entry and terms and conditions visit aflrecord.com.au/shortstory

the official airline of the AFL

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Kluger. It’s a family thing.

Kluger understands what you need to get your little legends to the “big� game on the weekend, offering enough safety, comfort and versatility to impress the entire team.

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