AFL Record, Round 22, 2010 by The Slattery Media Group

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AFL GAME

THE

SPIRIT OF THE COAST Coach Guy McKenna and the Gold Coast Suns prepare for their AFL debut

ROUND 22, 2010 AUGUST 27-29 $5 (INC. GST)

LUKE HODGE AM AN ON A MISSION PAGE 57

Whether it’s playing footy, hamming it up on television, or being a family man, one thing’s for sure – Shane Crawford will give it his all.

ROUND 22, AUGUST ST 27-29, 2010

Features 22

Moments of the decade

Wayne Carey’s ﬁrst match against the Roos.

Luke Hodge

Hawthorn’s star is on a ﬁnals mission.

FAREWELL TO A GREAT:

Andrew McLeod has played his last game and will be given an emotional send-oﬀ by Crows fans in this round.

Gold Coast prepares

A special report on the Gold Coast Suns.

Regulars 4

Backchat

Your say on the football world.

The Bounce

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

Matchday

Stats, history and line-ups.

Dream Team

Advice from Mr Fantasy, our Dream Team expert.

72 74 76 78

Answer Man Kids’ Corner NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

THIS WEEK’S COVERS

The national cover features Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna. Luke Hodge appears on the HawthornCollingwood cover.

Ted Hopkins on why this round’s Sunday games are so important.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

New rivalry beckons

End of an era

ROO HERO:

What a year it’s been for Adelaide, which has lost four of its greatest players: Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards, Simon Goodwin and Brett Burton. The four played more than 1100 games combined, contributing signiﬁcantly to the club’s extraordinary success in its relatively short period in the AFL. Crows fans will sorely miss what they meant to our club. We know we’ve got some promising youngsters coming through the ranks. And let’s hope they’re as good as the stars we’re saying goodbye to.

Brent Harvey is chaired from the ground after playing his 300th game last week.

ROBERT MAKIN, FLINDERS PARK, SA.

Editor’s note: see McLeod and Adelaide stories on pages 8 and 21.

Dogged by bad luck

The Bulldogs must be cursed. How could such a promising season have turned so quickly? First it was the Jason Akermanis saga, then a virus swept the club. And now, injuries are killing us. I’d hate to think what’s around the corner. SALLY, WILLIAMSTOWN, VIC.

Time to stay calm

CHRIS SIMSON, BOX HILL SOUTH, VIC

Everyone associated with Essendon needs to take a deep breath, and think before speaking.

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

The Bombers were only recently a club others modelled themselves on. Now, it seems, we’re struggling to stay credible, with the media having a ﬁeld day analysing the state of the club and the future of the coach, who has been treated poorly in this whole episode.

Take a bow, Boomer

Well done Brent ‘Boomer’ Harvey on a great milestone

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

4 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

(300 games). You’re a true blue Shinboner. KATHERINE, DOCKLANDS, VIC.

HAVE YOUR SAY

The best letter each round will receive the Gary Ablett jnr Australian Football Training DVD. Email aﬂrecordeditor@ slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.

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

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER – SPORT Shane Purss ACCOUNT MANAGER Kate Hardwick ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Laura Mullins Advertising (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Garnsworthy, Michael Willson, Lachlan Cunningham AFL Photos, (03) 9627 2600 aﬂphotos.com.au

� The new Gold Coast club has been planning meticulously for its entry into the AFL in 2011, aiming to find the balance between building a strong team for the medium-to-long-term and creating a club culture that properly reflects (and interacts with) its community (see story starting page 63). As the Suns continue finetuning before their debut, the other Queensland club is facing its own challenges. The Brisbane Lions will likely finish this season in the bottom four. Since their last Grand Final appearance, in 2004, they have averaged just nine wins a season, with only one finals appearance. Second-year coach Michael Voss faces a tough off-season. He recently acknowledged he had made mistakes, and the club has instigated a full review of its football operations. Voss has a list populated by ageing heroes, including some former teammates. He targeted veterans at the end of last year, but a rash of injuries stifled his hopes of putting a strong team on the ground for most of the season. In an interview with the AFL Record at the start of the year, Voss said he was looking forward to Gold Coast’s arrival, and the rivalry the two clubs could build. The Suns, naturally, will attract attention. How the Lions react to their entry will be instructive. PET E R DI SISTO

PRINTED BY THIS PMP Print WEEK’S COVER XXXXCORRESPONDENCE XXXXX ADDRESS TO TheXXXXXXXXXXXXX Editor, AFL Record, X Ground Floor, Go to aﬂphotos.com.au 140 Harbour Esplanade, to order prints3008. Docklands, Victoria, P: (03) 9627image. 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 of this E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 99, ROUND 22, 2010 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

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VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

DOCKER DILEMMA: Fremantle took a weakened

side to Aurora Stadium to play Hawthorn last week and left with a heavy loss.

LIST MANAGEMENT

Docker ploy: short-term pain for long-term gain

NICK BOW EN

s much as coaches and players like to hide behind the cliché of ‘taking things one week at a time’, Fremantle went into last week’s game against Hawthorn with an eye on round 22 and the ﬁnals. Ahead of their clash with the Hawks, the Dockers decided to leave seven regular players out of their team, all because of “soreness”, and an eighth, Paul Hasleby, was a late withdrawal. The absence of these players – captain Matthew Pavlich, Adam McPhee, Roger Hayden, David Mundy, Stephen Hill, Anthony Morabito and Nathan Fyfe – and other key players including Aaron Sandilands, Chris Mayne, NEWS TRACKER

Chris Tarrant and Ryan Crowley left Fremantle undermanned against a Hawthorn side that needed to win to clinch a spot in the finals. The result was a 116-point thumping, one that meant the Dockers slipped from fifth to sixth. To hold on to that spot – and a home-ground advantage in the opening week of the finals – Fremantle must beat Carlton at Subiaco Oval this Friday night. The Dockers will be well prepared. At his post-match press conference last Saturday, coach Mark Harvey said this week’s game and the finals had been their focus for the past two weeks. “We’ve made a decision as a club about what to do (against

Hawthorn) and we think it’s the right thing going forward,” Harvey said. “Maybe in the short term it doesn’t look that way, but we think (for) the next week or two that we needed to do that. “Nearly all the guys we left out have played nearly every game this year, some of our younger players particularly. “Unfortunately, because we’ve had some substantial injuries in the last six-to-seven weeks, we haven’t been able to rest those guys at any stage.” Most, if not all, of the seven players left out against Hawthorn are likely to return for the Carlton match, refreshed from the break. Harvey said last week Sandilands was also likely to return after missing three weeks with plantar fasciitis (a foot injury). And none of these players will be coming off the six-day

break (and a long-return ﬂight) they would have faced had they played the Hawks. Such team management is not new. The most publicised recent examples came last year when runaway ladder leaders St Kilda and Geelong each rested seven players in late-season games – the Cats in round 15 against the Brisbane Lions, the Saints in round 19 against Hawthorn. Both clubs’ decisions would seem to have been vindicated given they hit the ﬁnals in good health and good form, ultimately progressing to the Grand Final, where they waged an epic contest. However, the Dockers should note the Cats and Saints suffered minor form slumps after resting players in bulk. The Cats, who before their consecutive losses to the Saints CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

Brisbane Lions chairman Tony Kelly to stand down after 12 years as a club director. Deputy chairman Angus Johnson to take over. AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 7

the bounce

(round 14) and Lions (round 15) had lost just three games in more than two years, lost another two of their final seven home and away games, while three of their wins were by five points or less. Likewise, after a gutsy 25-point win against the Hawks, the previously undefeated Saints dropped their next two games, to Essendon and North Melbourne. In a recent AFL Record article, two-time North Melbourne premiership coach Denis Pagan warned resting players could cause form slumps. “If you start playing games and resting people, you flirt with your form. For me, winning form is good form and going into the finals I’d want to try and maintain that,” Pagan wrote. Unlike the Saints and Cats last year, however, the Dockers have little time to rediscover their form. But North Melbourne coach Brad Scott, whose side’s finals hopes were dashed by Fremantle’s loss to Hawthorn, said people outside the Dockers should pause before judging their player management. “We can’t possibly know the status and the health of their list,” Scott said after the Kangaroos’ win over the Eagles. “I know Stephen Hill and Anthony Morabito have played every game this year, so how Fremantle manages its list is completely up to them and I think it’s premature of people to criticise them.” Ultimately, though, a win against Carlton and a good finals campaign will be the best way for the Dockers to silence the critics.

CHAMPION RETIRES

McLeod bows out a true great

ASHLEY BROW NE

hose who like their footballers flint-hard will tell you Mark Ricciuto is the greatest Adelaide Crow. And with 312 games, a Brownlow Medal and a flag to his name, they may be right. But for the rest of us, the best Adelaide player was Andrew McLeod, with ‘was’ being the key word here because, hard as it is to believe, McLeod is now a former Crow. After a club-record 340 games,McLeod announced his immediate retirement last Monday. Forced out because of a dicky knee, which McLeod reckons he carried for the last seven seasons of his career, there will be no farewell game against St Kilda at AAMI Stadium this weekend. Instead, just a slow lap on the back of a Toyota Hi-Lux with his “two mates”, the also-retired Simon Goodwin and Brett Burton. McLeod could, and should, have been a Fremantle player. It took just two games for Adelaide’s ‘heist’ to pay dividends. On a rainy night at AAMI Stadium in 1995, McLeod conjured two goals out of nothing in the final term to help

the Crows storm back from seven goals behind to beat Hawthorn. But it wasn’t until Malcolm Blight arrived as coach of Adelaide in 1997 that McLeod became a star. “Get the ball to No. 23” was a cornerstone of the Adelaide game-plan, with Blight understanding McLeod’s suitability to a sweeping role across half-back. With his footy smarts, acceleration and pinpoint delivery, he became the prototypical playmaking defender when the role was still in its infancy. He did it beautifully in the 1997 Grand Final, launching wave after wave of attacks from half-back in the second half, as the Crows overcame St Kilda to win their first flag by 31 points. He had 31 touches and 11 marks that day to win the Norm Smith Medal and the following year joined Hawthorn’s Gary Ayres as the only players to win it twice, with 30 touches in the midfield and across half-forward as Adelaide beat North Melbourne by 35 points. There have been no flags since, but a swag of best and fairests (three), All-Australian selections (five) and a host of other honours. McLeod had a habit of saving his best footy for big games. Throw in his quiet but determined leadership of the AFL’s indigenous community and it is easy to mount the argument, with due respect to Ricciuto, that McLeod is the greatest Crow of all.

SMOOTH MOVER: With his exquisite skills, dual Norm Smith medallist Andrew McLeod was the prototype of the play-making defender.

Riewoldt has Coleman in his grasp � For Jack Riewoldt not to be awarded this year’s Coleman Medal, he will have to be kept goalless this weekend and Barry Hall will need to kick seven. It is highly unlikely. The bookmakers say Hall is an $8 chance, but the truth is he should be longer. Hall has kicked seven just once for the Bulldogs and you have to go back to round two

NEWS TRACKER

to ﬁnd a goalless game for Riewoldt, a time when Richmond was barely going. Indeed, it was in round eight when the Tigers came alive and shrugged oﬀ their uncompetitive tag, losing to Hawthorn by three points in a pulsating game at the MCG. Riewoldt kicked four goals that day in what was a taste of things to come.

The young forward ran hot for the next month and booted 30 goals in five games, the highlight coming in round 12 when he slotted 10 against West Coast in Richmond’s thumping 49-point win. His next best bag was seven last week and, if you were to take out the first one-third of the season when the young Tigers struggled to find their

AFL attendances up 2.24 per cent on last year to the end of round 21.

8 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

feet, Riewoldt has managed an impressive 4.28 goals a game. If he continued at that rate next year, he would kick more than 90 goals in a full season. Riewoldt continues Richmond’s love aﬀair with Tasmanian forwards. He has adequately ﬁlled the void left by the recently departed – and famous Tasmanian – Matthew Richardson and, if things go

BOWING OUT: Paul Hasleby has declared the 2010 season will be his last.

DOCKER TO DEPART

Hasleby selﬂess to the end

ASHLEY BROW NE

to plan, he will become the ﬁrst Richmond forward since Michael Roach to win the Coleman Medal. Roach, also Tasmanian, topped the goalkicking table twice, in 1980 and 1981, and was Richmond’s latest glamour forward, a title that in the early 1970s belonged to Richmond captain, and Tasmanian, Royce Hart. CAMERON NOAKES

NEWS TRACKER

COLEMAN MEDAL LEADERS

he playing chapter in the story of Paul Hasleby is about to come to a close, with the 207-game Fremantle midfielder announcing this There is such season will be his last. an abundance of The 29-year-old made the surprise decision talent and youth on Monday afternoon ready to take on in the belief that his the challenge of presence in the team from next season would an AFL career “When hold back one of the PAUL HASLEBY you walk emerging midfield stars the around Dockers have been harvesting this football the past few years. club, there is such an It was a brave and selfless abundance of talent and youth call by Hasleby because he still all with the ‘eye of the tiger’ boasts two of the most soughtready to take on the challenge of after abilities in footy – he an AFL career,” he said. can win the ball and kick an “That more than anything important goal when needed. probably signified to me that it In 2009, coming off a full knee was time to stand aside for the reconstruction, Hasleby played young guys to come in and do every match for Fremantle, their bit.” leading the club in possessions Not the quickest player and, at and handballs and finishing fifth 182cm, perhaps a fraction short in the best and fairest. for a modern midfielder, Hasleby He has been an important nevertheless forged a superb contributor this season in a side career with the Dockers. that made a stunning leap from A priority selection at the cellar-dweller to finalist, but 1999 draft, he racked up 30 smart enough to know that from touches on debut against next season, he may be facing Geelong in the opening game of stiffer competition for a place in 2000, which earned him an AFL the side. g Star nomination. Rising

JACK RIEWOLDT

By season’s end, he had won that award outright and finished second in Fremantle’s best and fairest. His finest year was in 2003 when he earned All-Australian selection, represented Australia in the International Rules Series and was a member of Fremantle’s first finals team. Perhaps of most significance for Dockers fans, he won four Ross Glendinning Medals for best-on-ground in derby matches against West Coast. Hasleby won’t be lost to the game entirely and has indicated a wish to remain in football – as a coach or in the media – and will enter his next phase armed with a glowing reference from Fremantle coach Mark Harvey, who lauded his role with the club as both a student of the game and as a mentor.

BARRY Y HALL

Rookie rules revamped � Changes to the rookie list system from next season will allow clubs to leave a rookie slot open to select a player via a draft in the window after the NAB Cup Grand Final and before the start of the home and away season. The AFL Commission approved the change last week. It also agreed to the introduction of an ‘inactive’ list (allowing players to take a 12-month leave of absence for “exceptional and compelling circumstances” without taking up a list spot) and an ‘alternative talent’ rule (enabling clubs to attract elite athletes from other sports). In theory, the option to leave a rookie spot open will allow clubs to top up their lists if they have a spate of pre-season injuries. For example, Hawthorn’s ruck stocks were decimated pre-season but it had no option to cover the losses. The rule will allow clubs to have up to three ‘trialling’ players as part of their squads any time during pre-season. Clubs can add international players and others who haven’t played in a registered competition for three years as additional rookies. The deﬁnition of an international scholarship player has been expanded to allow the inclusion of athletes born overseas but resident in Australia for no more than three years.

MARK LECR AS

75 69 62

Western Bulldogs midfielder Adam Cooney (hamstring) and Dale Morris (back) unlikely to play in the finals. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 9

the bounce

PREDICTIONS

MATHEMATICIAN AND IT CONSULTANT DARREN O’SHAUGHNESSY LOOKS AT THE CHANCES OF CLUBS IN THE FINALS RACE. IF IT...

EACH CLUB’S PROSPECTS � The top four is settled. The qualifying finals are certain to be Collingwood v Western Bulldogs and St Kilda v Geelong. The Saints and Cats would swap places if the Eagles win at Skilled Stadium and St Kilda wins in Adelaide, but that would not change the match-ups. � For the bottom four, there are 17 possible outcomes, although 10 of them involve ‘jokers’ like draws, or Fremantle’s percentage moving above Sydney’s (which would involve a 50+ difference in margins for the two teams, eg. Swans win by two and Dockers win by 52). In theory, all four teams could finish anywhere from fifth to eighth and play in any of the three states.

v Brisbane Lions Gabba, Saturday night

v Carlton Subiaco, Friday night

POSITION AFTER ROUND 22

WINS

Fifth and could host any of the three teams below it (sixth if the Dockers surpass its winning margin by 50+ points).

LOSES

Sixth if Hawthorn loses, meaning a home ﬁnal against the Hawks or Dockers; seventh if Hawthorn wins, forcing the Swans to Melbourne for a match against Hawthorn or Carlton.

WINS

Sixth, to host Hawthorn if Sydney wins; ﬁfth to host Carlton if Sydney loses.

LOSES

Seventh, playing away to Carlton or Sydney if Hawthorn loses; otherwise eighth against Hawthorn or Sydney.

WINS

Stays seventh and travels to Subiaco if Fremantle and Sydney both win; up to sixth and hosting Sydney or Carlton if one wins; ﬁfth, playing Fremantle in Melbourne if they both lose.

LOSES

Will only stay in Victoria if both Carlton and Brisbane win. Remains seventh and travels to Perth if Fremantle wins; drops to eighth if Carlton wins, and will play in Sydney unless the Lions can upset the Swans to put Carlton ﬁfth.

WINS

Guaranteed a final in Melbourne (unless Sydney draws with Brisbane and Hawthorn beats Collingwood). Will finish seventh but play Hawthorn if the Hawks and Swans both win; sixth, hosting the Dockers or Swans if one wins; can go all the way to fifth, playing Hawthorn, if both lose.

LOSES

Stays eighth and travels to either Sydney or Perth.

v Collingwood MCG, Saturday

v Fremantle Subiaco, Friday night

FINALS: FIRST TWO WEEKS ROUND 22

� The seven most likely outcomes are listed here, covering 99 per cent of possible finals match-ups. The other 1 per cent include Fremantle passing Sydney on percentage, which is slightly less likely (1 in 150) than a draw (1 in 100 each match). The home team is listed first for the elimination finals. After the first week, all finals will be in Melbourne.

10 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

Fremantle v Carlton Friday night

FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL: Collingwood v W. Bulldogs Winner advances to ﬁrst preliminary ﬁnal.

SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL: Geelong v St Kilda Winner advances to second preliminary ﬁnal.

Hawthorn v Collingwood Saturday

Brisbane v Sydney Swans Saturday night

Loser plays the winner of the FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL:

Loser plays the winner of the SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL:

Fremantle

any result

Sydney

Sydney v Carlton

Fremantle v Hawthorn

Fremantle

Collingwood

Brisbane

Fremantle v Carlton

Sydney v Hawthorn

Fremantle

Hawthorn

Brisbane

Fremantle v Carlton

Hawthorn v Sydney

Carlton

Hawthorn

Brisbane

Hawthorn v Fremantle

Carlton v Sydney

Carlton

Collingwood

Brisbane

Carlton v Hawthorn

Sydney v Fremantle

Carlton

Collingwood

Sydney

Sydney v Hawthorn

Carlton v Fremantle

Carlton

Hawthorn

Sydney

Sydney v Fremantle

Hawthorn v Carlton

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the bounce

END OF AN ERA

Farewell to the Cats’ saviour

MICH A EL LOV ET T

he Guinness Book of Records would have been well advised to come to Skilled Stadium for this final round of the 2010 season. There is every chance the world record for handshakes, backslaps and tributes will be broken. But this won’t be a Thursday night Footy Show stunt – every one of them will be genuine. It is Frank Costa’s final day as Geelong president before the Cats’ home ground faithful and it’s fair to say he will be given a farewell to match all farewells. And why not? A snapshot of Costa’s 12-year presidential reign makes impressive reading: two premierships, two ground redevelopments, record membership, 11 years of profit and more than $7 million in debt wiped out. He leaves his beloved Geelong – the club he started supporting when it was on its knees during World War II – as one of the benchmarks of the competition. As we sat recently in the living room of his Melbourne apartment (a refurbished old church), it became patently clear Costa abides by one of the great sayings in business and sport. The harder you work, the luckier you get. It has applied to his working life, helping to build his great-grandfather’s fruit shop into one of the biggest fruit and vegetable wholesale businesses in the country. At 8am over coffee, the 72-year-old chairman of the Costa Group is dressed in suit and tie, ready to catch a tram into the city to run his business. But he is happy to give up more than an hour to talk about the other great love of his life, outside his wife Shirley, eight daughters and 19 grandchildren (No. 20 is on the way). NEWS TRACKER

TOP CATS: Frank Costa

(left) and Brian Cook after Geelong won the 2007 premiership.

His love affair with the Cats started in the mid-to-late 1940s, a period when the club was fighting its way back after spending 1942-43 out of the competition due to lack of player numbers and petrol rationing. It continued when he sold copies of the Sporting Globe to football fans and drinkers at nearby hotels outside the T & G building in Geelong. “When we’d win, we’d sell out. When we lost, it was incredible, I’d take half of them back,” he said. Then it became an obsession by the time he was 13 and watching Geelong, with his heroes such as Bob Davis and Bernie Smith in full flight, winning the 1951 premiership. “We got lucky that year because we only beat Essendon by 11 points and John Coleman had been rubbed out,” he said. “But we won again the next year against Collingwood and I thought we’d be set for a long period of domination.” But even in an era before salary caps and drafting, clubs could rise and fall in an instant, a scenario Costa knows only too well after taking over as president at the end of 1998. He’d spent the 1998 season, his first year on the board, as vice-president and marketing director and had “an inkling” the club was not in great financial shape. Late in the season, before a game at the MCG, president Ron Hovey called an urgent board meeting. “Ron called for a spill of the board because our finances

were in too bad a shape,” Costa recalled. “He said to me if you think you can get a group together, it would be the right thing to do. We had a very spirited election … there were 19 candidates but fortunately we got our seven up and we haven’t had another election since.” But the newly appointed CEO Brian Cook, who had been lured from the West Coast Eagles, unravelled a financial mess in his first few months in the job. “Brian just kept finding more skeletons in the cupboard. Bills hadn’t been paid, players and staff were owed money – it was a mess,” Costa said. Cook devised a plan to pay out the club’s banker with funds from a new one and, over the next few years, the bank debt was paid out in full. From that moment, the club’s fortunes changed. Cook’s managerial skills were complemented by Costa’s honest and forthright approach while, on the field, a young side marched on under the guidance of Mark Thompson. Costa recalls with great pride that it was Thompson who told the board to be patient in the early 2000s as “kids” such as Gary Ablett jnr, Jimmy Bartel, Paul Chapman, Steve Johnson, Matthew Scarlett, Joel Corey and Corey Enright started to cope with the weekly demands of AFL football. “I have been blessed as president to have two people like Brian Cook and Mark

COACH MARK THOMPSON � “We have all been lucky to have had Frank as president during the past decade-plus. His passion for the club and his ability to be there not only for the highs but also as support during the low times makes him a truly remarkable leader. I have no doubt Frank will continue to be seen as a face of the club long after his retirement as president.” CEO BRIAN COOK � “Frank has made an enormous contribution to the club in his role. The club is unrecognisable from what it was in 1998. During Frank’s time as president, the club has won more games than any other AFL club and claimed two premierships. Skilled Stadium has been twice redeveloped and the club is conﬁdent that a third redevelopment will be starting in the future. Huge debts have been repaid and membership has grown from under 20,000 to over 40,000. “While the list of achievements is impressive, what is impossible to quantify is the quality of the man. Frank is an outstanding person who has served the Geelong Football Club brilliantly. The club is inﬁnitely better because of him, and we all hope that he will continue to be involved in the coming years in some capacity.”

Thompson working alongside me,” Costa said. Unless there is a major upheaval between now and the end of the year, Costa will pass the baton to respected football and business identity Colin Carter, a former AFL Commissioner. “I am going to miss it because they are a great bunch of people,” Costa said. “It is certainly tinged with regret but there is also great happiness being part of a great club that got itself out of serious trouble. The redevelopments, getting rid of all the debt and at the same time building a really good team has made it all worthwhile.”

Umpire Stuart Wenn apologises to Tiger Daniel Connors for his “comments and behaviour” in the St Kilda game last weekend.

12 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

the bounce

GOOD TIMES AHEAD: Chris

THE FUTURE

Skipper excited by Tiger progress

Newman (left) with Tiger rookie Robert Hicks, one of many newcomers in 2010.

NEWS TRACKER

Nathan Eagleton Western Bulldogs

200 games

200 games coached Paul Roos Sydney Swans

150 games David Rodan Port Adelaide

150 games coached Neil Craig Adelaide

100 games Jed Adcock Brisbane Lions Brad Fisher Carlton

50 games

I feel like we are going to get some success quicker than I anticipated

of footage, a David Gourdis. lot of data and “The young training and boys who have everything (we come in this CHRIS NEWMAN focus on) is gameyear have really speciﬁc. impressed me with “Damien has the way they have gone given us a licence to learn new about it,” he said. “They’re things. He is not whacking always keen to learn and are us over the head if we are very respectful. They are all very doing something wrong. He is good characters.” encouraging us to take risks and Such qualities were essential play our style, regardless early in the season because of the opposition.” Newman admits that until Newman mentioned Ben the ﬁrst win came in round 10 Nason and Jeromey Webberley (against Port Adelaide at AAMI as two players who showed in Stadium), it was hard to get the 2010 they were up to the level. ball rolling. Both were mature-aged recruits. “The wins (six in total) have Dustin Martin’s potential goes made us hungry for success. without saying and Newman The boys see the difference now has seen good signs from between when you lose and

South Australian Alex Carey wins Team GWS’s ﬁrst best and fairest award.

14 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

AFL Life Membership

Josh Fraser Collingwood

PETER RYA N

veryone has enjoyed Richmond’s efforts this season. Its performances are testament to what unity, a sound plan and a mindset focused on growth can achieve. Skipper Chris Newman is under no illusion about the work still in front of the young group, but he is excited. “I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can see what we’re trying do and can see the progression in the young guys, so it is a really exciting position to be in,” he said. “I am really lucky to be in this position (as captain), because I feel like we are going to get some success quicker than I anticipated.” There is no risk of heightening expectations. This version of Richmond is patiently walking down the path of continuous learning, risking failure to move closer to success. When you listen to Newman speak about the young players, you get a sense of why this year has been one of progress. “They (the youngsters) have made it really easy (for the more experienced players) to guide them through what is expected. They have a really good attitude, and that applies across the board,” Newman said. Introducing 11 ﬁrst-gamers – a 12th is likely this weekend with Dylan Grimes expected to play – is a challenge, but Newman said coach Damien Hardwick had created the perfect environment for young players to get better. “He provides a forum for those guys to be able to ask questions,” Newman said. “It really was a learning year for all of us. We go through a lot

MILESTONES ROUND 22

Courtenay Dempsey Essendon Scott Thompson North Melbourne Cale Morton Melbourne The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

when you win,” said Newman, who has played in just 56 wins in 174 games. “There is nothing better than the 10 minutes after you have won and you’re sitting down and having a stretch and a laugh without a care in the world.” Newman personiﬁes what Richmond is aiming to become: hard-working, humble and team-oriented. For the skipper, there is no bigger motivator than those outside the fence who have stuck by the team from start to ﬁnish in 2010. “The supporters have been outstanding this year.”

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the bounce

The West Coast coaching box was noticeably emptier last weekend, with defensive coach Daniel Metropolis and development coach Michael Broadbridge absent. The pair was not offered contract extensions after Worsfold conducted a review of the coaching structure and it was decided changes were necessary. C A MERON NOA K ES But not even a West Coast t has been a grim year for media release could conceal the West Coast and will result hurt felt by Broadbridge. in the club winning its first “I was informed … that my wooden spoon. contract will not be extended West Coast is not an old club, at West Coast. Unlike other joining the competition in 1987, members of the coaching staff, I but it is a proud club that has was not contracted beyond this netted three premierships. season,” he said. It was the first non-Victorian “I am surprised and club to win an AFL flag, when disappointed with the current coach John Worsfold club’s position regarding was captain. my employment. Since my But this year, the team has appointment to the football been dealt a cruel hand, club in November, 2007, hurt by injuries to I have received key players at overwhelmingly The West critical times positive and indifferent feedback from Coast coaching form, not just management box was noticeably from week and players emptier last week to week, but about my with Metropolis from quarter performance.” to quarter. There was and Broadbridge Last no comment absent weekend, the from Metropolis, club posted a teammate its eighth of Worsfold’s in consecutive the 1990s. loss at Subiaco – another first, “Daniel and Michael another unwanted record. have been solid contributors During the losing streak, for this football club over Fremantle – the Eagles’ West the last few years,” Worsfold Australian rival – thrashed said. “I would like to thank them by 75 points. them for their efforts and There is already fallout wish them every success from this annus horribilis. in the future.” DEPARTURES

Coaches go as Eagles’ fallout begins

PUBLIC NOTICE FROM THE AFL

2010 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL TICKET ALLOCATION � The capacity of the MCG will be approximately 100,000 on AFL Grand Final Day. The AFL proposes tickets to the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final be allocated in approximately the following manner: 1. Competing club members: 16,000-26,000 2. AFL clubs (16 x 1000): 16,000 3. MCC Reserve: 16,000-26,000 4. AFL Members: 13,000-23,000 5. AFL/Medallion Club members: 4500-5000 6. AFL entitlements/contractual obligations: 5000-15,000 7. Competing clubs: 0-2500 Total 100,000 (approximately) However, the AFL notes the fact that: 1. The configuration of the ground may change, which could affect the split of tickets between AFL members, the MCC Reserve and competing club members; 2. The number of standing room tickets to be made available will vary depending upon a variety of issues; 3. A substantial number of ‘walk-ups’ (50 per cent) in the MCC Reserve. There may be other functions that affect corporate/function spaces and/or AFL entitlements,

resulting in variations to the proposed allocation of tickets between now and September 25. AFL GRAND FINAL TICKET RETURNS POLICY � The policy/guidelines to be followed by the AFL will be as follows. Please note that this policy is not applicable to ticket holders who have procured a 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final ticket in the MCC Reserve: • General policy – tickets are not refundable. • Exceptions are made, however, if the ticket holder can demonstrate that they have a legitimate justification for wishing to return a ticket (eg. medical reason, death in the family, etc). • In these circumstances, the AFL may require that the ticket holder produce supporting evidence of his/her incapacity (eg. medical certificate). • Supporting evidence will always be requested should the AFL suspect that a ticket holder is actually a scalper who, for one reason or another, has been unable to on-sell the tickets at a premium. • All returned tickets shall be reissued for distribution. A complete list of all authorised 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final ticket on-sellers and all AFL Grand Final ticketing information, including allocation information, can be viewed at afl.com.au.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT BUYING 2010 TOYOTA AFL GRAND FINAL TICKETS Supporters should be aware it is now illegal for a 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final ticket to be sold for a premium on its own or as part of a package deal unless the seller is authorised in writing by the AFL. This follows the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final being declared an event under the ticketing provisions (Part 9) of the Major Sporting Events Act 2009 that came into operation in June 2009 to provide fairer access for supporters to major events and more transparent ticketing arrangements. Breaches of the Act can mean entry to the event being denied to the ticket holder and fines per ticket in excess of $7,000 for a person or $35,000 for a company - with multiple offences carrying fines up to 10 times these amounts. Each AFL club must detail its ticket distribution arrangements on its website. If unsure whether a ticket seller is authorised, please contact 16 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

the AFL on 03 9643 1999 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final tickets are subject to the following condition of sale: Condition: This ticket is sold or distributed on the condition that it not be resold or offered for resale at a premium or be used for advertising, promotions, competitions or other commercial purposes without the AFL’s prior written authorisation. Any breach of these conditions allows your ticket to be cancelled and for a Declared Event may be an indictable offence under the Major Sporting Events Act 2009. I thank the AFL for their cooperation with the Victorian Government to ensure their 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final Ticketing Scheme has transparent ticket distribution practices and deters scalping. James Merlino MP Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs

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WORLD VISION

Roo champ tackling childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health issues

McLaren at his best in Grand Finals

HELPING HAND:

Glenn Archer has seen ďŹ rst-hand the value of aid programs in countries such as Senegal.

SH A NNON GIL L

n a life-changing trip to Senegal ďŹ ve years ago, thenNorth Melbourne star and long-standing World Vision supporter Glenn Archer witnessed ďŹ rst-hand the signiďŹ cant impact aid programs can have on children living in poorer communities. This weekend, Archer, who retired in 2007 after 311 games with North, will be an ambassador for the MCG match between the Roos and the Demons, which the AFL is using to help raise awareness of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health issues. For the ďŹ rst time, the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual conference will be held in Australia, with more than 2000 health professionals from around the world in Melbourne to tackle this critical global issue at the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Advance Global Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; conference. The delegates will be welcomed to Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s match, with World Vision Australia

and Melbourne Football Club partnering for the conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public events launch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Making Health Globalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. World Vision Australia CEO Tim Costello welcomes the chance to raise awareness of global health to the football community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have enjoyed watching the AFL develop internationally over the years,â&#x20AC;? Costello said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Melbourne has developed a real international identity with an Irish president (Jim Stynes) who is passionate about charitable causes and is now taking the game to China.â&#x20AC;? (The Demons will play the Brisbane Lions in an exhibition match in Shanghai in October.) Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connection with World Vision has roots closer to home for exciting forward Liam Jurrah, with the organisation working in his home community of Yuendumu, a remote town in the Northern Territory. Archer is also been pleased to see the game

the bounce

expand globally. After his trip in 2005, he predicted Africanborn players would soon join the AFL. Five years later, North Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rookie list includes Sudanese-born Majak Daw. Archerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip to Senegal conďŹ rmed to him there is still a long way to go to ensure all ife. children get a healthy start to li life. One of the ways World Vision assists is through the United Nations world food program (WFP), which n eradicates child malnutrition d by delivering life-saving food aid to hungry children. o WFP matches donations to World Vision with 10 times the value in food. People can donate through World Vision by texting their name to 0488 883 240, calling 13 32 40 or via the website worldvision.com.au/ tentimes. SHANNON GILL IS THE AFLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ADVISOR.

ďż˝ Umpire Scott McLaren will leave the game this weekend after â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great rideâ&#x20AC;? that included ďŹ ve Grand Finals and the call on Swan Leo Barryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mark in the dying seconds of the 2005 Grand Final. McLaren, 42, said he had lost his physical and mental edge, having struggled this year after a limited pre-season because of knee surgery. The Melbourne-North Melbourne match at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon will be his 365th and ďŹ nal game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m leaving with a reasonable career behind me,â&#x20AC;? said McLaren, a pharmacist who plans to spend more time tim with family. AFL manager JeďŹ&#x20AC; L umpiresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; um Gieschen Giescheen lauded McLaren as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great Grand Grran Final umpireâ&#x20AC;? who bounced boun nce superbly and in recent reccen years had become a great grea mentor and role g model m od for young umpires. McLaren started with the AFL in 1994 and is th fourth on the list for fo most games umpired m behind Hayden b Kennedy (477), Rowan K Sawers (410) and S Darren Goldspink D (371). He oďŹ&#x192;ciated in 34 ďŹ nals, in including the 1999, 2001, ncl 2007 2005, 20 007 and 2008 Grand Finals and was the 2001 Fina als a All-Australian umpire. All-A Au

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PREPARING FOR 2011

Crows and Power primed for fresh starts

SH A NE McNA L LY

or only the second time since Port Adelaide joined the competition in 1997, both South Australian clubs will miss the ﬁnals this year. The two clubs played about 700km apart in round 21, one against the top side and the other against a team that won’t make the eight. Adelaide kicked only seven goals in losing a thriller to Collingwood, while the Power cruised home with 17 goals against Melbourne. Notwithstanding the contrasts last weekend, both gave their supporters reason for hope going into 2011, using new-look line-ups that are likely to form the basis of their respective squads in coming seasons. Missing from Adelaide’s team last week were Andrew McLeod, Simon Goodwin, Tyson Edwards, Brett Burton and Nathan Bock, while Port was without retired superstar Warren Tredrea, out-of-form Daniel Motlop and dual All-Australian Chad Cornes.

BRIGHT FUTURES: Port Adelaide and Adelaide will ﬁeld new-look line-ups next season, with an emphasis on developing youth.

After disappointing seasons, both clubs can go into next year with conﬁdence as they continue developing their youngsters. They both can approach trade week with room to move, particularly Adelaide, which will have plenty of space in its salary cap with the retirements of four veterans and the loss of Bock. With McLeod the ﬁnal retirement of Adelaide’s “big four” and the premature departure of injury-hit Trent Hentschel, who retired this week after a series of knee, hamstring and back injuries kept him to just 71 matches, football operations manager

Phil Harper acknowledges the Crows squad will have a vastly different look next year. Harper says it’s “as good a pool of talent” as the club has had, with coaches working on getting those young players to realise their potential. The Crows also need a new captain, with Nathan van Berlo favoured to lead the team next year. “We’ve put things in place to cover (the loss of experienced players) and the positive of the year has been our rookie list,” Harper says, with the likes of Ricky Henderson and Matthew Jaensch impressing when given opportunities.

the bounce

“I also think the forward strength has changed our style a bit. Our midfielders are much less hesitant to kick it long to the forward line, knowing (Kurt) Tippett’s there and (Taylor) Walker and (Jason) Porplyzia are around. It’s an exciting forward line and I think we’ve got plenty to work with. It’s an exciting list overall.” Port Adelaide’s football operations manager Peter Rohde says the Power’s list is primed for improvement, but the club needs to get more games into its youngsters such as John Butcher, a first-round selection from last year, who has been injured and is yet to play at AFL level. “We knew the list was aging,” he says. “It was always going to be a time for change, with limits to recruiting over the next few years with the expansion clubs, so we wanted to get in early and rejuvenate our list.” Rohde says it’s been an encouraging finish to the season, but there’s plenty of work to be done. That will include reviewing all football operations, ensuring the likes of Hamish Hartlett, Steven Salopek and Brett Ebert return from injury (Ebert had radical LARS surgery this week after rupturing his ACL last weekend) and settling on a new coach. Caretaker Matthew Primus is favoured to win the job, but a decision is not likely until Grand Final week.

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AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 21

Moments of the

Kangaroos hero returns as the villain Former North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey’s dramatic fall from grace and subsequent return to take on the Roos as a Crow produced one of the most anticipated and potentially explosive matches of the decade. ASHLEY BROW NE

ew AFL stories have brought much of the country to a screeching halt as the March day in 2002 when Wayne Carey quit North Melbourne. The nation watched on as details emerged of the affair between the Kangaroos superstar and Kelli Stevens, the wife of his teammate and vice-captain Anthony Stevens. The images of a distraught Carey dressed in jeans and a white tee-shirt, reading from a prepared statement at the ofﬁcess of his manager, Ricky Nixon, aree ng vivid, while on the-then ﬂedgling Fox Footy Channel, the exclusivee interview with Carey that evening conducted by Clinton g. Grybas was compulsive viewing. Carey disappeared from our radar that night, in disgrace at his club and with the wider football community mourning the abrupt halt to the career of one of the great centre half-forwards of the modern era. Even non-AFL fans were captivated by the story, which made the rounds of talkback radio and the glossy magazines for weeks and months afterwards. But in his interview with Grybas, Carey never totally shut the door on a comeback to football and before the end of the 2002 season, it emerged he was planning to play again the

22 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

2000-09

following season. And soon enough, it was revealed his new club would be Adelaide. It was a sensible choice. Carey had played in the SANFL for North Adelaide before joining North Melbourne. He knew the city, he had family and friends there and, despite the city’s obsession with the Crows, the glare of the tabloid media was likely to be less intense than in Melbourne. It was the perfect place to rebuild his life and his football career. When the draw was released for the 2003 season, many circled May 2 on their calendars. It was North Melbourne hosting Adelaide at Docklands and it was quickly grabbed by Channel Nine as a feature match for its Friday night coverage. Nine knew everyone would be watching. The build-up was insane, more akin to a prizeﬁght than a game of football. A crowd of 38,469 people was at the game, about 10,000 more than any other match in Melbourne between the two clubs (outside the 1998 Grand Final).

FIREWORKS:

After announcing he was joining Adelaide (above), Wayne Carey returned to face thee Roos in round six, h 2003, clashing with former teammate t) Glenn Archer (right) as and showing he was far from a spent th force (far right) with four goals in the Crows’ easy win.

In his biography, The Truth Hurts, Carey wrote of his increased anxiety in the lead-up to the game, to the point where he barely slept the night before the match. “The match began to consume my thoughts. I felt like a gladiator about to be released into the coliseum,

with the crowd baying for blood,” he wrote. “The whole experience was terribly uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than I ever expected it to be. From the moment we ran on to the ground, right up until the ball was bounced, I had this sick feeling in my stomach.” A bit had changed since Carey had left North Melbourne. His

FOND MEMORIES: Not all fans were baying for blood when former champion Wayne Carey tackled the Roos for the ﬁrst time after his bitter split with the club.

We were ready to rumble then and there; it was close to all-out war WAYNE CAREY

longtime coach and mentor Denis Pagan moved to Carlton as coach in 2003, replaced by Dean Laidley. Pagan was there on the night watching, as Carey wrote, “like a father, utterly

dismayed at seeing two of his sons fighting each other”. Carey and Stevens came into contact with each other twice in the first quarter, with a free kick to Carey the first time and Stevens the next. But the two protagonists on the night were always going to be Carey and the flint-hard Glenn Archer. It was after the second clash with Stevens, that Archer ran at Carey, his former Shinboner-in-arms. “‘Arch’ was right in my face, with a mad look in his eye,” Carey wrote. “He let rip with a short jab that hit me in the stomach and then he feigned a haymaker punch, which made me fl inch. I responded by cocking my

elbow and threatening to belt him back. We were ready to rumble then and there; it was close to all-out war. “This was my worst fear coming to pass. I secretly hoped we could play the game hard, but play it in the right spirit, and then get on with our lives. But the recriminations from my affair with Kelli were about to explode into fisticuffs on an AFL arena.” The Channel Nine commentary team was beside itself with excitement at this stage. This is what the 1.2 million viewers around Australia – the most of any match that year outside the Grand Final – had tuned in to see. But apart from another near clash between Carey and Archer in the final term, the rest of the match was anti-climactic. The Crows kicked away in the final quarter to win by 54 points, with Carey bagging four goals from just seven possessions. Leigh Colbert was the only North player who sought Carey out after the final siren for a chat and a handshake. ASHLEY BROWNE IS THE EDITOR OF BACKPAGELEAD.COM.AU

T H E A F T E R M AT H

� Wayne Carey wrote in n his biography that the most unsettling part of the match was when he caught sight of Stevens at one stage in the ﬁnal quarter when taking a shot for goal. He wrote of an enormous sense of remorse and of not being able to make eye contact with his one-time close friend. “It was a deeply unsettling way to end the match and it made me feel terrible, ﬁlling me with a sense of shame that has stayed with me to this day.” Carey played 28 games with Adelaide (after 244 for North) and retired in 2004. He has since made his peace with many at North Melbourne and has appeared at several club functions and premiership reunions.

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 23

LUKE HODGE

A MAN ON A

MISSION Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge is driven by just one thing – ﬁnals success. And the 2008 premiership star believes that if any team can defy logic and claim the ﬂag from outside the top four, it is the Hawks. ASHLEY BROWNE

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

n 172 games for Hawthorn in almost nine full seasons, Luke Hodge has amassed a football CV to die for yet, for all his achievements, there is one entry that irks. That is the listing ‘five’, as in the number of finals played. This season marks just the third in which the Hawk star will feature in the finals. He was a spectator in September during his first five seasons, played two finals in 2007 and three in the magical 2008 season, but missed out again last year.

LUKE HODGE

Finals are why we play this game ... we want to give it a red-hot crack LUKE HODGE

58 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

So it was with great relief and a bit of excitement for Hodge that Hawthorn did the job on Fremantle at Aurora Stadium last Saturday to confirm a finals spot. Relief because of what a rollercoaster ride it has been for the Hawks in 2010 and excitement because, as he said in an interview this week, “Finals are why you play this game.” It is a finals berth the Hawks were expecting as they flew through the pre-season largely

injury-free, but which then looked nigh on impossible when floundering at 1-6, a position from which no team has ever made the finals. “Our goal at the start of the year was to make the finals, so we’ve ticked that box,” Hodge says. “But we shouldn’t have let ourselves get into the situation we did. We’re happy to be in the eight.”

The injury bug that hit Hawthorn early in the season has been welldocumented. At one stage, the Hawks were forced to play Hodge in the ruck in a game it dropped to North Melbourne at Aurora Stadium. Hodge believes the round-five loss was the lowpoint of the season. “The North game was really disappointing. We fell behind then came back to hit the front, but to North’s credit, they came back again and beat us,” he says. “But the Hawthorn sides I know shouldn’t have lost the lead like that. The way we’ve played the last couple of years we would have kicked on once we hit the front.” Things didn’t improve the next week. The 43-point loss to Essendon on a Saturday night at the MCG deflated everyone with an allegience to the brown and gold. “We just looked second rate in every asp aspect,” Hodge says. “They beat us to the contested ball, ran ha harder than us, won contested m marks and pretty b much just bullied us. It got to w the point where I was thinking w doing and where ‘What are we goin are we going?’” wee later, the Hawks Two weeks were back iin business – finally fr – when a frantic tackle by Mitche on Shane Tuck Sam Mitchell preserved a three-point lead over Richm Richmond and got them four vital p points. It was symbolic, given the incessant in chat for much of the year over whether Mitchell or Hodge should captain the club, but the win also underl underlined what happens when you add a quality, namely Mitchell, La Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne and a a second ruckman (Wayde Ski Skipper), to the side. sparke a run of seven It sparked straight wi wins in which all was right in the Hawks’ universe once more more. fu complement of With a full fit midfield elders at his disposal, Hodge was given licence by coach Alastair Alas Clarkson to go where h he pleased and as Hawthorn racked up the wins, Hodge was performing matchsaving heroics across halfback one week, winning key clearances in the middle the next, and sneaking forward to kick clutch goals in between.

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LUKE HODGE He struck a rich vein of form that has him on the second or third line of betting for the Brownlow Medal with most of the bookies. Only in the last month has his form cooled, corresponding with a slight dip in the fortunes of the team. “For a lot of the year, it has felt like my most consistent season,” he says. “The last few weeks have been more quiet than I would have liked but, with a game to go and then finals, hopefully I can get back to the same level of consistency as earlier in the season.” There are some who believe the sole remaining weakness in Hodge’s game is to cope with a hard tag and to overcome the player whose sole focus for the day is to neutralise him. There was evidence of this in round 19, when Sydney’s Ryan O’Keefe stifled Hodge in the Swans’ win at the SCG, while also in hurting the Hawks vice-captain the other way with four goals. “He got me that day,” Hodge says with a shrug of thee ood shoulders. “That’s OK. He’s a go good need player, but I’m not too concerned a about it. I see it as a challenge and ou ur hopefully I can return the favour if we play them again.” ake And as he explains it, he’ll ta take aiin a hard tag every now and again n’tt if it means the opposition can’t n ne, simultaneously sit on Burgoyne, h her Mitchell, Cyril Rioli or any other midfielders. Hodge’s affection for Burgoyne is deep. It is almost as though he has improved ng with every match, culminating in a best-on-ground effort in Launceston last week. nd d “You notice the strength and ets composure he has when he gets st the ball. Watching him the last esst is few weeks, you can tell his best yet to come,” Hodge says. “Whenever we played him (when Burgoyne was at Port o Adelaide) he always seemed to lll towel us up, so hopefully we’ll ls.” see the best of him in the finals.” to Hodge is looking forward to this weekend’s game against o Collingwood. That the Pies so ruthlessly put to an end threee io on years’ of Hawthorn domination against them in round four a act sticks in Hodge’s craw. The fact hee it’s being pitched as one of the g games of the round with a big heese crowd expected (the norm these

days, it seems, for the Pies) simply adds to it. The Hawks face a tall order to win the flag from outside the top four – no team has done it under this finals format – but having beaten the Western Bulldogs, drawn with St Kilda and narrowly lost twice to Geelong, how Hawthorn stacks up against flag favourite Collingwood will be telling. “I see the improvement that we can still make and look at our side and see that if we keep working hard, we can go all right,” he says. But winning the premiership? “It’s doable,” Hodge insists. “It’s a case of getting a good run and doing what you know how to do best. You look at history and it’s not easy from outside the top four. But we want to give it a red-hot crack.”

FOCUSED: OCUS : Itt has as bee been a rollercoaster olle coaste

season for the Hawks, but Luke Hodge g from outside the top p believes a ﬂag four is “doable”.

TASSIE CONNECTION

POPULAR:

Luke Godge greets his Tasmanian fans.

Home away from home for Hawks � Luke Hodge’s most recent trip to Aurora Stadium wasn’t quite qui as productive personally as a he would have hoped, but the Hawthorn Ha H vice-captain just can’t get g enough of making the trip across acr a Bass Strait. He also acknowledges just H how h important playing in Tas T Tasmania is for the Hawks –on – and oﬀ the ﬁeld. Hodge spent most of the H sec second half last week on the bench ben with a wrenched knee, b but b was far more interested n the t team getting a big win in at a Aurora, A this time over a depleted dep d Fremantle. ““It’s just a great place to play fo oo football,” Hodge says of the club’s cclu ‘home’ away from home. “We “W W love playing down there.” H Hodge has a small slice of o history in regard to playing pla p at the venue. He and teammates teea Sam Mitchell and a Chance Bateman have played pla p more games at Aurora Stadium Sta S than anyone else. Each Eac has played 22 games E there, the with Campbell Brown on o 21, and Brad Sewell and Jordan Jor Lewis on 20. Fourteen of Hodge’s 22 F ma m matches have resulted in wins win for the Hawks. w ““We had a time (a few years ago when the record did not a ago) go g as well as we wanted,” Hodge Ho H says. “But we have alw a always had a pretty good strike str rate down there.

“The ground is fantastic. You never pull up sore from it. And the support the people give us when we are there is great, so we like to repay that a little bit as well.” Hodge says his favourite game at Aurora Stadium was in round 19 of 2008, when the Hawks easily accounted for the Brisbane Lions. It was Shane Crawford’s 300th game and Brent Guerra played his 150th. Crawford kicked a late goal in the game and was embraced by all his teammates just before the ﬁnal siren. “That’s a great memory,” says Hodge, who lists Crawford as one of his closest mates. Guerra was best man at Hodge’s wedding. Hawthorn traditionally has its community camp in Tasmania each February and the club makes a few other non-game related trips each year. That allows Hodge to indulge in one of his other pastimes, a round of golf. “We love having a hit at Barnbougle,” he says of one of the world’s top links courses, situated an hour from Launceston on Tasmania’s north-east coast. GLENN McFARLANE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TASMANIA, GO TO DISCOVERTASMANIA.COM.AU

AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au 60

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G O L D C OA S T S U N S

THE

SPIRIT OF THE COAST The Gold Coast Suns will be more than just the AFL’s 17th club b when they enter the competition in 2011. They will be an entity ntityy that embraces and reﬂects community values, fostering a sen sense nse of unity and pride for the people of the Gold Coast. PETER RYA N

erhaps the Gold de of unity, belonging and pride oastt. Coast image of our for the people of the Gold Coast. ames am ess dreams does exist. We don’t just exist to win games A woolshed doubles of footy.” as a gymnasium. A With the sky a bright bluee half-built stadium, with and the sun caressing the u yellow steel frames, and blinding back like a warm hand, you o white stands, dominates the can imagine it being hard to temporary offices next to what has talk football. But football iss become Gold Coast Football Club. just one of the topics being The receptionist is named, most spoken here. appropriately, Hope. It’s clear this new club Yet it’s the standing intends to reflect surfboard carrying more than just the club’s logo the sun’s rays he that brings the bouncing off the We’ve got g River. Rivver. space alive. Ten nearby Nerang to prove there nageed minutes by car In time, if managed h respect, respect, and the surf properly, with is substance above th he is sweeping it aims to reflect the the sizzle cultu ure swimmers off local football culture GOLD COAST CEO TRAVIS AULD th their legs. responsible forr the he Right now, the emergence of the b, a b, club is a name, an AFL’s 17th club, ial al idea, still developing its culture essential brand, values and personnel, to its future success. a point Suns CEO Travis Auld is It also aims to represent the se well aware of. community in the way those ant “We have to define our reason for living on the Gold Coast want being,” says Auld, who learned his to be represented. omess up craft in 10 years under Peter Jackson It’s why the word that comes at one of the game’s most famous most often when chatting to nn nna clubs and brands, Essendon. Auld and coach Guy McKenna ot to o “We play games of footy; is responsibility. “We’ve got bo bove everybody knows that, so why do prove there is substance above we exist? We exist to foster a sense the sizzle,” Auld says.

THE FUTURE: TH FU UT TURE:

Dav David avvid Swallow Swa wallow heads the li list off G Gold Coast’s impres esssive youngsters. y impressive

GOLD COAST SUNS THE SUNS: A SNAPSHOT Chairman: John Witheriff CEO: Travis Auld Football manager: Marcus Ashcroft Senior coach: Guy McKenna (contracted to coach the club’s first two seasons in the AFL, 2011-12). Assistant coaches: Ken Hinkley, Shaun Hart, Dean Solomon, Jeff White (ruck coach) Player development manager: Simon Fletcher Sports science, rehabilitation manager: Andrew Weller High performance manager: Dean Robinson Manager, list strategy: Scott Clayton Strength and conditioning coaches: Matthew Kennedy, Chris Gaviglio

LIS T CONCESSIONS

BIG LEAP: Zac Smith, one of Gold Coast’s brightest prospects, takes a strong mark in the VFL.

FL Queensland’s head The offices lacked natural office lives and dies on light and his budget reflected substance. Although his surroundings: $980,000 to it’s fair to say the develop the game and $20,000 office building has passed its to run the state league. use-by date – the Grogan Medal The bloke he appointed to run winners for the best and fairest the state league, David ‘Sloppy’ in the QAFL listed on the honour Heilbron, would administer the board in reception stops at 2007 competition from his Gold Coast winner Todd Featherstone – the cab while parked at Jupiters momentum those inside have Casino waiting for a fare. tapped into shows no signs On the surface it did not of slowing. look promising, but Griffiths The move into new digs at got lucky. He had arrived in a the AFL Queensland state with a hidden but Administration and lively AFL culture, Training Centre operating like an The kids at in Yeronga underground school said, ‘Do is keenly scene, a niche you want to play anticipated. in the rugby“The strength dominated footy?’ Then they of the AFL market, started throwing the populated brand will by ball backwards be truly good people THE AFL’S DEAN WARREN reflected by and some handy the headquarters footballers. we’ll be operating Dean Warren, from,” AFL Queensland CEO now the AFL’s national Richard Griffiths says. community development When Griffiths arrived from manager, had been part of that Melbourne in November of 1996 football niche since he arrived to lead the half a dozen staff from Victoria’s western district that made up AFL Queensland aged 12 and settled with his and took up residence in the family in Gympie, a country Clem Jones stand, years before town 160km north of Brisbane. the Gabba was redeveloped, he The town had one Australian knew the job was going to be Football and four rugby a challenge. league clubs. 64 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

“I had not even come across rugby league,” Warren says. “When the kids at school said at lunchtime, ‘Do you want to play footy?’ I thought that would be great. Then they started throwing the ball backwards and I thought, ‘What is going on here?’” Warren need not have worried. Aged 17, he moved from his junior career with the Gympie Cats to Brisbane and played in the state league for Wilston Grange, which became Kedron Grange in 1990. By 1993 he had won a Grogan Medal. The next year Warren was skipper as the team lost to Morningside in the Grand Final, the two-point margin still causing him to wince. “It was a really good, strong competition,” he says of the state league back then. It was a competition Gold Coast club Southport dominated. Inside the bar in the Wally Fankhauser Stand at the Southport Sharks home ground, where Gold Coast has been playing home games in the VFL this year, you get a sense of that domination. Framed newspaper articles celebrate ﬂag after ﬂag. An honour board for the Magpies Fishing Club and a boating chart

2009 NAB AFL Draft Gold Coast able to sign 12 17-year-olds born in the January-April, 1992, window. 2010 NAB AFL Draft Club has the first pick in each round, plus selections 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 in round one. 2010 NAB AFL Rookie Draft Club had selections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. 2011 NAB Rookie Draft Will alternate Queensland priority selections with the Brisbane Lions. Gold Coast has first selection. Zoned access Gold Coast has zoned access to up to five Queensland players before each of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 NAB AFL Drafts. The club has zoned access to up to three Northern Territory players before the 2010 NAB AFL Draft. 2010 post-season: AFL-listed player access The club has the capacity to pre-list 10 players who have previously nominated for the AFL Draft, or were previously listed with an AFL club. The Suns have the capacity to sign up to 16 uncontracted players. Nathan Bock last week told Adelaide he would look to sign a contract with Gold Coast. The club will have an expanded list size and Total Player Payments allowance in its first four AFL seasons (2011-14). PARTICIPATION Total participation topped 100,000 in Queensland for the first time last year. The number of NAB AFL Auskick participants reached 28,062. Source: 2009 AFL Annual Report

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GOLD COAST SUNS to the left of the entrance serve as salient reminders of other activities on offer nearby, but it is a football club through and through. A small photo of the bloodied face of former Footscray and North Melbourne star Gary Dempsey, who played in his only premiership with Southport in 1987 is most striking. His comment as he drank from his ﬁrst premiership cup was, “The bloody thing leaks.” It was into this environment that Queensland and New South Wales academies and talent manager Mark Browning, a 251-game veteran with South Melbourne/Sydney Swans from 1975-87, arrived to coach in 1994 after a stint in Hobart. Southport had won six premierships between 1983 (when it joined the state league) and 1992, so Browning arrived at the end of an era. The playing list was transient, no recruiting was required and the players’ proﬁle was low, but those involved were passionate, hard-working and smart. However, Browning could detect that the strength was dissipating as the Brisbane Lions took hold. So when Browning became director of coaching at AFL Queensland in 1996 after his two-year stint with Southport, he set himself two targets: to get youngsters into the AFL and to regenerate and grow the state league. “When you go to watch local football now it is fantastic,” he says. “I am seeing 27-year-old blokes who have been through our representative programs at 14 and are still playing.”

Queensland schools no longer hung up the phone when someone from AFL Queensland, based at Coorparoo by then, rang to offer players to visit the school and conduct a clinic. In time, Warren would bristle when he heard the state described as a developing market. He could see the shift and preferred the word emerging. “It’s gone from having a niche in the market to being a really strong player,” Warren says. At Brisbane’s Stamford Hotel late in 2003, AFL chairman Ron Evans asked representatives of AFL Queensland the pertinent question: “What do we need to do to accelerate the development of the game in Queensland?” The answer came back rapidly: “Start another team.” The seed for another AFL team in Queensland, this one based on the Gold Coast, was planted.

RELAXED: They won’t be

able to back up a ute at an AFL game but these locals enjoy the community feel about the Gold Coast’s recent VFL match.

He was also pleasantly surprised to ﬁnd an education system that exposed children to all sports. Slowly but surely, he began to see the game develop a ﬁrm footprint. Trust was critical, relationships essential. “We have never gone in with an arrogant attitude,” Browning says. “We want to be seen as part of the family. We are not the be all and end all.” Browning remembers what his dad Keith, a former League footballer (53 games for South Melbourne from 1951-54) and country sales representative, had once told him: if you don’t get back to your clients often enough, you are going to lose the business.

He made sure the development officers on the ground were seen and involved in football at the grassroots to maintain that connection. “I think that was really important for us,” Browning says. When the Lions won three successive flags (2001-03), the throwaway jibes occasionally heard from locals died. Participation grew and the Auskick development program gained respect. Griffiths says the Lions’ success was pivotal to the game’s progress in the state: “As the flagship for the code up here, their wins added enormous credibility to the game and the increase in kids’ participation was enormous.”

o ensure the AFL’s aim for a second Queensland club did not sink, the right people had to be involved. Football stalwart Alan ‘Doc’ Mackenzie and a good mix of the Gold Coast community, from the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Bob Gordon to Gold Coast City Council CEO Dale Dickson (who played 86 games for Melbourne and Brisbane between 1982-89) to lawyer John Witheriff, were on an advisory board, trying to develop a foundation for a new club. They wanted more than just a football team; they wanted an enterprise that would beneﬁt the local community. That is a mission everyone associated with Gold Coast uses as a mantra. “My focus early

Players to watch DAVID SWALLOW � Brother of North Melbourne’s Andrew, he joined the club this season after being identiﬁed as a potential top-three draft selection in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft. Such is his work rate coaches often direct him oﬀ the track before the end of training sessions so he does not overdo it.

ZAC SMITH � The big ruckman looks ook ooks oo kss an exciting He won wo w on n prospect. He the team’s mos most m mo ost stt professional al al award for his eﬀorts in 2010.

66 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

REX LIDDY � An eexcitement m machine in the hee b back half. He h has plenty to llearn and can n b be overeexuberant, b but with b ball in h hands, he iis electric.

BEST S AND ST FAIREST R REST 2010 10 1 Sam m Ile Iles Illes ess 2 Daniel anie niel n ni ell arrris arris ar iss Harris 3 David avvid vid d Swallow wallo wallow wa allow ow w

GOLD COAST SUNS on has been to build the trust of the community before we ask anything of them,” Auld says. Intent on listening, the club sat down with members and community leaders to understand what was important to the area. They developed five values that frame the new club: dependable, relentless, community (focused), bold and fresh. “I’m not so presumptuous to walk in from Melbourne and say we know what you guys want,” Auld says. “So we spend a lot of time asking. We need to make sure we know exactly what they need because when it comes to us playing in round one next year, they need to see their footy club and think, ‘These guys listened. This does reflect the Gold Coast. It reflects everything we love about our city. We’re going to give it our support’.”

hat debut AFL match is not far away. McKenna’s head lurches forward and his eyes widen in familiar style as he implores his team to dig deep in the last quarter of the Suns’ last home game in the VFL. Werribee has cut the margin from ﬁve goals to four points. McKenna directs his attention to the 18-year-old from Cairns, Lewis Moss, who could hardly breath moments earlier as he came off the ground. “‘Mossy’, you’ve actually been really good and the body is screaming mate. You know what? Your teammates’ bodies are screaming as well. We need 30 minutes of effort,” McKenna says. Young giant Charlie Dixon spreads his wings behind the group and the huddle tightens. The last address on home territory before the Suns hit the AFL in 2011 is nearing completion. “Let’s get in, win that hard ball and keep our structure. We know we have to lower our eyes going inside 50, but we can’t do that unless we get our hands on the pill,” McKenna says. In the forward pocket of the Fankhauser Oval, behind a brick Gold Coast Suns coach’s box that carries a ‘Visitors’ sign and pink cushioned chairs that serve as the interchange bench, stands 42-year-old Phil Amey from Reedy Creek.

68 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

IN CHARGE: Guy McKenna will coach the Gold Coast Suns in their ﬁrst two seasons in the AFL.

Amey is wearing a St George What those who follow the Illawarra jumper and a Gold game will have to support in Coast Suns cap. His connection football terms rests in McKenna’s to the local team has grown in hands. “I have no doubt it is the past two years as he has, in going to be a very, very tough his words, watched the team go year,” he says when asked about from being “scrawny teenagers on-field prospects in 2011. to where they are now, able to But he has been making present themselves so well on decisions that will, he hopes, and off the field.” increase the team’s prospects. Amey is a member and “We decided to go down the watched the team play in the conditioning/culture path, TAC Cup before graduating to rather than the training/gamethe VFL. He says the club is full sense and technical side of of good people. things,” McKenna says. The Suns win by a He figures that point. The players getting the bodies look at the boards right will put Once we carrying the young players get some big names, more quickly words of the theme song as it’s going to go nuts into a position they huddle where they I reckon, so it’s together and can dictate very exciting shout them out. terms, rather DANIEL HARRIS Karmichael Hunt than having them wears a relieved dictated to them. grin; captain Players are doing Marc Lock a three weight sessions big smile. a week, even hitting the The roar you hear is one of a gymnasium the day before football club. games. Alex Magin has gone Daniel Harris, a 149-game from 62kg to 70kg and needs to veteran with North Melbourne, put on another eight kilograms. sums up the vibe: “Once we Skills, tactics and even get some big names, it’s going opposition reviews are squeezed to go nuts I reckon, so it’s in to available time as the new very exciting,” he says. “There club takes an innovative path. is a lot of support up here for This year, Gold Coast analysed the AFL.” AFL teams when assessing which

playing styles their upcoming VFL opponents were likely to use. McKenna knows his team will be punching above its weight in 2011, but believes the Suns have the off-field personnel and strategy to help them to do that. “It’s a unique situation and we are going to have a talented list of boys. It’s not about 1000 kicks, it’s about 1000 push-ups,” McKenna says. The headline-grabbing signing of rugby league star Hunt was an endorsement for the code in Queensland. It also showed athletes there is an opportunity to stay home and play AFL. Griffiths is bullish about the positives the new recruit brings. “In this market, where we are competing against so many forces, (Hunt’s decision) will have so many benefits in a game development sense, in talent, in school participation and engaging with multicultural communities,” he says. Engagement is critical, according to Auld. Everyone at the club is, he says, trying to ‘sell’ it. “The real benefit of having a bunch of 18-year-olds is that they have the courage to take the challenge on; they do not have any preconceived ideas about what is right or wrong and they are prepared to give 100 per cent

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GOLD COAST SUNS of themselves,” he says. “Their “The club is doing so well enthusiasm has been beyond from my perspective because it my expectations.” is genuinely a community-based Every player qualified for a club,” he says. bronze medal in surf life-saving “There won’t be huge in January after training at the expectation on the club Kurrawa club. next year in terms of wins and The players banned losses, but I don’t think that themselves from the famous will matter because it will be a Cavell Avenue nightclub strip. team the community will have The club identified the three embraced because the club most pertinent local social issues embraced the community.” it could lend assistance Young player Taylor Hine to: youth homelessness, waves from his car as he domestic violence and building leaves club headquarters, his social infrastructure laconic, friendly gesture through the northern acknowledging the corridors towards stranger’s presence The club Brisbane. one way of giving is doing so well The club substance to is aware the sizzle. because it is uncontracted Next year, genuinely a players will be he will be community-based walking into joined by a club an environment bunch of some AFL QUEENSLAND CEO where staff and of the most RICHARD GRIFFITHS players understand talented the club’s place in youngsters in the community. the country – as well as Despite their AFL experience, established AFL players – as recruits will be advised to the Suns move into another, act like rookies, establishing exciting phase. an understanding of what is “We’ll have to include extra happening before asserting (money) in players’ contracts themselves too much. around the time of 21sts, as Harris knew immediately there will be that many presents the right approach to take: “I being bought at the one time,” needed to get the boys’ respect jokes McKenna, as he imagines and trust first before I started the future. barking instructions.” The traditional local community values this new AFL n field won’t be the club has adopted will remain at only place where its core. Staying connected while respect is gained. A continuing to grow remains the local football fraternity huge challenge as the Suns hit will continue supporting the prime-time. new club, provided the respect “People will judge this footy is mutual. Griffiths is sensing a club on every interaction we strong future. have with them,” Auld says.

70 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

Australian Fooball in Queensland 1879 The Queensland Football Association (QFA) formed to administer a game flourishing in the Brisbane/Ipswich area. 1883 Queensland sent delegates to the Inter-Colonial Football Conference where the Australian Football Council was formed. At the time, Queensland boasted more than 300 teams. 1903 Queensland Football League (QFL) formed (July 29). 1904 First game played at Queen’s Park in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens (June 18). 1905 Games first played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba). City became the first team to win the QFL premiership outright. 1914 A promotional carnival played in Brisbane involving VFL club Collingwood and teams from Perth, Adelaide and Hobart. 1948 Erwin Dornau was the first Queenslander to play in the VFL. A Kedron junior, he was a centre half-back who caught the eye of South Melbourne scouts when runner-up in the 1947 Tassie Medal at the national carnival in Hobart. He played 54 VFL games for South from 1948-52. 1950 Brisbane Exhibition Ground hosted the national carnival. 1952 Brisbane Exhibition Ground hosted a Monday night VFL match between Essendon and Geelong. 1954 Townsville Football League formed. This was a forerunner to regional leagues in Cairns (1955), Mt Isa (1957), Ipswich and West Moreton (1961),

1959

1961 1964

1981 1985

1986

1987

1993 1996

2003

Gold Coast (1962), Sunshine Coast (1969), Mackay (1970), Darling Downs (1971) and Rockhampton (1974). Australian Football returned to the Gabba after a long absence. Gabba hosted the national carnival. QANFL changed its name to the Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL). Essendon defeated Hawthorn in a VFL match at the Gabba. Queensland completed a hat-trick of wins in the quadrangular interstate series against Tasmania, the ACT and NSW – a huge fillip for the code in Queensland and a forerunner to the birth of a Brisbane AFL club. A privately-owned syndicate, headed by Christopher Skase and Paul Cronin and including the QAFL, awarded a licence to field a Brisbane team in the expanding VFL competition (October 6). The Brisbane Bears, based at Carrara on the Gold Coast, played in the VFL competition for the first time. The Bears relocated to the Gabba. The Bears merged with Fitzroy to form the Brisbane Lions (July 4), effective November 1. The Brisbane Lions completed historic premiership hat-trick after the Queensland Team of the Century, headed by captain Michael Voss and vice-captain Jason Dunstall, was named on June 16.

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Col Hutchinson

timeon Our AFL history guru answers your queries.

NAME GAME

As the season comes to a close, I have noticed the Tigers have had 11 players make their debut this season. I would like to know if this is the most ﬁrst-year players with one club in any year.

Active leader

BEVAN JURGENS, SOUTH MORANG, VIC.

CH: If we exclude clubs in their

first year at AFL level (Geelong 1897, Richmond 1908, Hawthorn 1925, Port Adelaide 1997, etc), the record is held by St Kilda. In 1909, the Saints had 55 players appear in at least one senior match. Remarkably, 35 of them were playing at the elite level for the first time. Ten of them became one-match wonders, but another became a club legend. Wels Eicke made his debut in round 15 and played his last match 17 years later. St Kilda also used as many as 33 first-year players in 1898 and 1911. The most recent notable case occurred in 1966, when Melbourne had 22 debutants. At the other end of the scale, there have been eight examples of clubs using just one new player for a season – Essendon (1964 and 2000), Carlton (1996), Brisbane (1999), North Melbourne (2002), Melbourne (2005), Richmond (2008) and St Kilda (2009). WRITE TO ANSWER MAN The Slattery Media Group 140 Harbour Esplanade Docklands, 3008 or email michaell@slatterymedia.com

TIGER CUBS: Jeromey Webberley

(left) and David Astbury are among 11 youngsters to debut with Richmond this season.

AFL mystery men Alexander Archibald Clarke � Born on May 25, 1907, Clarke joined North Melbourne from Fairﬁeld as a 180cm, 81kg defender. In 1930-31, he wore guernsey No. 3 in ﬁve matches. In 1932, he joined Albury Football Club, where his cousin Bert was playing. A year later, he returned with Bert to have another season with the Shinboners. He donned No. 47 in 10 more games.

Raymond George Clarke � Clarke was not related to Alex, but also represented North Melbourne in 1930 after playing earlier with Port Melbourne. As a small half-back, the 21-year-old made his only appearance in the opening round, coincidentally in guernsey No. 3. In the 1940s, he was a prisoner of war.

Should you have any further information regarding the above mystery men, including their date of death, contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 or col.hutchinson@aﬂ .com.au.

� Hawthorn’s more than useful pick-up Wayde Skipper has a surname with three possible origins, all of which could be tied into football. ‘Skipper’ is a title bestowed on the captain of a sporting team; in this sense it can be traced back to a medieval German and Dutch word schipper, meaning “master of a ship” – that is, the captain. Skipper could also be a derivative of the medieval English word skipen meaning “to jump” or “to spring”. Thus Skipper was an occupational name for an acrobat or a professional tumbler. By extension, Skipper could have also denoted a high-spirited person. Finally, Skipper could have been an occupational name for a basket-maker, deriving in this case from the medieval English word skippe, a basket. So Wayde could be a captain, an enthusiastic speccy-taker or someone who weaves through the packs. He is the ﬁrst of his name to play League football. KEVAN CARROLL

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72 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

MICK Carlton Geelong Cats Collingwood St Kilda Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans Richmond Melbourne

SAM Carlton Geelong Cats Collingwood St Kilda Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans Richmond Melbourne

DAVE Carlton Geelong Cats Collingwood St Kilda Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans Richmond North Melbourne

LEHMO Fremantle Geelong Cats Hawthorn St Kilda Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans Richmond North Melbourne

ANDY Carlton Geelong Cats Collingwood St Kilda Western Bulldogs Sydney Swans Richmond Melbourne

timeon

KIDS’ CORNER

IVE F TO FIND

Sudoku

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

J. RIEWOLDT RICHMOND

E D

T E

E J

players who are assistant coaches with h the Sydney Swans?

named after which Essendon great?

R E

hip 1 Name the North Melbourne premiership

3 The medal for the leading goalkicker is

QUICK QUESTIONS

2 This Melbourne player has two ﬁrst names. mes.

W O

L O

O O

4 Who did Andrew McLeod pass as the Crows’

games record-holder? 5 Who polled the most Brownlow Medal

votes for the Western Bulldogs last year? THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Colour of Sam Mitchell’s No. 5 changed to gold; funny glasses on Jarryd Roughead; background sign changed to pink; Michael Osborne’s (No 7) sock pulled up; Osborne’s undershort on the right leg is missing. 5 QUICK QUESTIONS: 1. John Longmire and John Blakey; 2. Cameron Bruce; 3. John Coleman; 4. Mark Ricciuto; 5. Matthew Boyd (14). B IG G MOUTH: MOU MOUT M MO O H: BIG SCRAMBLED SCRA SC S CRA AM MBLE BLE LE L ED FO FOOTBALLER: OTBA BALLER ER: ER CRYPTIC CRYP C RYP YPTIC TIIC T C FOOTBALLERS: FOOT FO F OO OO OT TBALLERS: LE

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

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NAB AFL RISING STAR

The Wright move Versatile youngster Sam Wright has found hiss niche since switching g to the forward line. li CALLUM TWOMEY

2010 NAB AFL Rising Star Nominees

hen Brad Scott was BUILDING UP: named coach of Sam Wright has North Melbourne added muscle to at the end of last his slight frame. year, he told Sam Wright it was Wright’s versatility that would see him cement a position in the team. It has been Wright’s ability to settle down in one position over the past month, however, which the 20-year-old puts down to his recent spurt of impressive form. That strong form culminated with a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination after his four-goal and 16-possession performance in the Kangaroos’ 14-point win over West Coast last week. I don’t think “When Brad came to the many people club, he told me that he expected me to get wanted me to play in the a game last year backline, on the wing and just because of as a mid-forward pushing my size up the ground, and I but to SAM WRIGHT thought that was a good get those opportunity to play all these games positions and be able to keep deﬁnitely my spot in the side,” Wright said. helped me set up for this “It just so happens that I’ve year and get to know what it’s been playing forward and have all about,” said Wright, who has been settled there, which has played 19 games this season. really helped me improve my Wright came to the Kangaroos game each week rather than via Katamatite in country being shifted around.” Victoria, where he represented North Melbourne selected the Murray Bushrangers, Wright with pick 27 in the 2008 playing in the 2008 TAC Cup NAB AFL Draft. He played four premiership alongside his now games last season. North Melbourne teammate – Though admitting his light and housemate – Jack Ziebell. frame made his introduction to Knowing Ziebell, Wright the AFL difﬁcult – he was only said, had made the transition 76kg – Wright said he was glad to city life easier. to have experienced the game at “I’ve got a big family and the highest level. am fairly close with my four “I don’t think many people brothers, so being away from expected me to get a game last them has been the hardest year just because of my size, thing about coming to

Round 1 – Chris Yarran (Carl) Round 2 – Daniel Hannebery (Syd) Round 3 – Ryan Bastinac (NM) Round 4 – Nic Naitanui (WCE) Round 5 – Jack Trengove (Melb) Round 6 – Todd Banﬁeld (Bris) Round 7 – Tom Scully (Melb) Round 8 – Jake Melksham (Ess) Round 9 – Nathan Fyfe (Frem) Round 10 – Dustin Martin (Rich) Round 11 – Jordan Gysberts (Melb) Round 12 – Ben Reid (Coll) Round 13 – Tom Rockliﬀ (BL) Round 14 – Ben Stratton (Haw) Round 15 – Jack Redden (BL) Round 16 – Phil Davis (Adel)

Melbourne and pursuing my dream,” Wright said. “It’s been pretty tough with home sickness, and last year was really challenging. The club has been really good, and they’ve supported me, and with Jack being here, I think it’s made it easier. I’m enjoying myself.” Being more settled is clearly impacting Wright’s on-field form. This year, he has averaged 12 disposals a game. In the past four weeks, he has averaged 15 touches and kicked 12 goals. Among a raft of impressive youngsters at the club, Wright said they were encouraged to play their natural game. “We’ve still got to follow team rules and instructions, but Brad definitely wants us to take the game on and not lose our natural flair,” he said.

Round 17 – Jarrad Grant (WB) Round 18 – Michael Hurley (Ess) Round 19 – Jeﬀ Garlett (Carl) Round 20 – Jackson Trengove (PA) Round 21 – Sam Wright (NM)

FOUR THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW 1

Wright plays cricket in the oﬀ-season for Katandra, a club near Shepparton.

2 His favourite movie is

Step Brothers, featuring Will Ferrell.

3 He didn’t have a job

before being drafted.

4 His ﬁrst car was a

Holden Commodore.

Each week throughout the home and away season, a panel of judges will select the nominee for the 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star. At the completion of the season, one outstanding player will be chosen as the 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star winner. He will receive an investment folio, a dedicated personal banker, a financial planner and the Ron Evans Medal, all courtesy of the NAB. The NAB Rising Star award is the final stage of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL.

76 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

timeon

LAST LINE

Applying data laterally

Youngsters provide a glimpse of the future

78 AFL RECORD visit aﬂrecord.com.au

PHOTO: THE SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP/AFL PHOTOS

he final Sunday of the home and away fixture culminates in two fascinating games featuring four teams, Richmond-Port Adelaide and Melbourne-North Melbourne, each competing for ‘youth policy’ bragging rights. The first time I heard the term youth policy uttered was not long after Eddie McGuire took over as Collingwood president and had to explain why the team was getting belted so often. He kept repeating the term and look what happened; in time, and with considerable patience and investment, Collingwood improved and appears certain to feature prominently in the finals this year, vindicating Ed and striking fear into the hearts of every non-Magpie. Now, it seems, all clubs cite a youth policy (and have specially devised game-plans) to explain what is going on. On Sunday, we have a unique opportunity to see a group of aspiring non-finalists and see just how different their game-plans really are. But, more importantly, we can assess the respective young talent each team has available for future cultivation. Personally, I fall into the category of game-plan sceptic. Footy is far too chaotic for regimented structures. Generally, it’s talent and education that works best within strategic guidelines and systems. My first preference for a budding team is tightening the defence resources. Which team has the potential A-graders of the

future operating in the back half? The top-four teams concede only 75 points a game or less and this is a benchmark emerging teams must aim for. Of the four teams involved in Sunday’s games, each can claim defensive prospects in various degrees. North’s future key defender options depend on the continuing development of Nathan Grima and the surprising development of Scott Thompson. Scott McMahon appears the Roos’ best bet as a mid-size backline sweeper, but no others appear to be on the horizon. Melbourne’s Jack Grimes is a beauty in the mid-size sweeper role and James Frawley an outstanding option for holding down a key defensive post. As a key defender, Colin Garland is showing good promise and Matthew Warnock, another tall, can improve. Port Adelaide’s key defender stocks look good,

it has won the most games of the four this My wish is for season (10). Its group the coaches to includes Andrew Swallow, Liam let us see how Anthony (injured), the youngsters Leigh Adams, Ryan can play Bastinac and Todd Goldstein (a ruckman), with more to come from Jack Ziebell (injured), Cruize Garlett, Levi Greenwood and Ben Cunnington. Richmond also has promising midfield prospects. Brett Deledio is still young, while Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Shane Edwards and Angus Graham (ruck) are good prospects. Port’s re-signing of Travis Boak is a blessing for its midfield EXCITING PROSPECT: Liam Jurrah showed his prospects. Hamish Hartlett is exquisite skills with this the Power’s next best-performed superb mark against young midfielder, while Justin Port Adelaide last week, Westoff is developing nicely a nomination for the Hungry Jack’s AFL Mark as a tall utility and Jackson of the Year. Trengrove as a ruckman. In the attacking half, Port’s best prospect is Robbie Gray, with Troy Chaplin and Alipate but the team appears to lack a Carlile. However, Port’s youthful key forward option investment this season in (other than Westhoff, who has shifting Nathan Krakouer into filled that role). a creative defensive role was In contrast, Richmond has an torpedoed first by injury, then outstanding key forward option, by his decision last week to tell Jack Riewoldt. the club he would leave at the Of the three developing end of the season. teams, Melbourne probably has Richmond’s key defenders of more on offer in attack with its the future include Luke McGuane options including utility/forward and Will Thursfield, while Daniel Ricky Petterd and forward Connors is their best-performed opportunists Liam Jurrah, Austin mid-size defender. Wonaeamirri, Matthew Bate A dynamic midfield is also a and Jack Watts still in the wings. pre-requisite for premiership North’s forward hopefuls include success and the dominant teams Lachie Hansen, Lindsay Thomas, all have strong on-ballers. Melbourne has good midfield Sam Wright and Ben Warren. With a lot riding on the prospects but still has some outcome of Sunday’s two games, distance to go in development my wish is for the coaches to let terms. Jordie McKenzie is the us see how the youngsters can Demons’ best-rating midfielder play. Discourage excessive packs this season, followed by Jack and going backwards, please! Trengrove, Rohan Bail and Tom Scully. North is ahead of the other three in this regard, with its midfield a major reason why

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

Proud supporter of dreams≥

Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin’s boots, part of the Qantas Boots & Dreams exhibition.

For 50 talented young Indigenous players the dream to learn from some of the best in the AFL came true at this year’s Qantas AFL KickStart Camp. Like Jarman Impey, one of the young stars: “Meeting former players like Michael O’Loughlin and Chris Johnson has been awesome. I reckon this camp helped me become a good leader, plus develop my footy skills and knowledge of the game.” Qantas is proud to help the next generation of AFL players realise their dreams. Visit qantas.com/kickstart

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