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INSIDE » Souvenir of the Gold Coast Suns’ first win
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round 6, april 28- may 1, 2011
features fe
62
Saint Brendon Goddard has an ideal kicking style.
57 BORN LEADER
Adel Adelaide captain Nathan van Berlo B is just 24 but is seen as the id ideal man to lead the Crows into a new era. NICK BOWEN
62 EVOLVING SKILL
Kicki is a fundamental of the Kicking game and, as PETER RYAN gam reports, clubs are going to great repo lengths to improve how players lengt use tthe ball by foot.
re regulars 4 7 25 53 70 72 74 76 78
Backchat The Bounce Matchday NAB AFL Rising Star Answer Man Collectables Kids’ Corner Dream Team Talking Point
Ted Hopkins on the Suns’ first win.
THIS WEEK’S COVER First-year Adelaide skipper Nathan van Berlo is one of the youngest leaders in the AFL.
76 DREAM TEAM
Mr Fantasy is happy to know Tiger Dustin Martin is talented.
COVER PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM COVER PHOTO EDITOR: NATALIE BOCCASSINI
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EDITOR’S LETTER
The simple joy of winning
» It’s easy to get carried
Footy is just a game
To paraphrase former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, this is the recession Port Adelaide had to have. I’m an ardent Port member and witnessed history last weekend when Gold Coast scored its first home and away victory. Port controlled much of the game until it took the foot off the pedal and gave the Suns a sniff at their first victory. The Suns’ will to win was impressive; the team deserved its win. Towards the end of the game, Port had a couple of opportunities to salvage victory, but a win in the dying stages would have been detrimental to Port’s long-term cause. Conversely, a win for the Suns was just what it needed after some unfair criticism of its team after only three weeks in the competition. Our game is national and supporters across the width and breadth of this great land need to appreciate that the AFL is more than a game. The AFL is a celebration of the diversity of culture that makes our country so rich and blessed. Sadly, at times, people blinded by their parochial allegiances to their individual clubs lose sight of the big picture. One of the reasons we play sport is to belong to a community of people who come together to share common dreams and values. This is the big picture of sport. Sure, winning premierships is
GENERAL MANAGER, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Darren Birch AFL CORPORATE BUSINESS MANAGER Richard Simkiss AFL RECORD MANAGING EDITOR Geoff Slattery AFL RECORD EDITOR Peter Di Sisto
4
AFL RECORD
RAW EMOTION: Luke McGuane
is embraced by jubilant fans after last week’s fighting win over North Melbourne.
something we all love to do and, as a Port Adelaide supporter, I have been very fortunate to witness many significant triumphs. Fans should keep believing in their teams and keep marvelling in the skills of the athletes. They should also remember that it’s just a game. BRUCE WERE, MOANA HEIGHTS, SA.
Tigers on right path
Well done Richmond on a fighting win last weekend. We’ve shown we’re on the improve, so let’s make sure this is the start of something big.
PRODUCTION EDITOR Michael Lovett WRITERS Nick Bowen, Ben Collins, Paul Daffey, George Farrugia, Katrina Gill, Ted Hopkins, Peter Ryan, Callum Twomey, Andrew Wallace, Jennifer Witham SUB-EDITORS Gary Hancock, Howard Kotton, Michael Stevens STATISTICIAN Cameron Sinclair CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Hutchison
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Credit ought to go to coach Damien Hardwick for rebuilding the players’ confidence after such a slow start last year. And well done to Chris Newman, one of the competition’s best leaders who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. VAL WATTERS, PORT MELBOURNE, VIC.
HAVE YOUR SAY
The best letter each round nd will receive the 2011 AFL Record Season Guide. Email aflrecordeditor@ slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Sam Russell DESIGNERS Alison Wright, Daniel Frawley PHOTO EDITORS Natalie Boccassini, Ginny Pike PRODUCTION MANAGER Troy Davis PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Stephen Lording DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Callum Senior COMMERCIAL MANAGER Alison Hurbert-Burns
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER – SPORT Shane Purss ACCOUNT MANAGERS Kate Hardwick, Callum Senior, Rebecca Whiting ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Laura Mullins (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY Sean Garnsworthy, Michael Willson, Lachlan Cunningham, AFL Photos, (03) 9627 2600, aflphotos.com.au
away with the peripheral business of the game and forget that the one thing that remains fundamental is the joy of winning. That was plain for everyone to see when new club Gold Coast scored its first home and away victory last weekend, against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, in thrilling fashion. That they managed to win after falling behind by 40 points late in the game at a venue they were playing at for the first time – and needed a prop to remind them of the words to the club song – simply added to the moment (see story by Katrina Gill and Callum Twomey and photographs from the game and the rooms afterwards, starting on page 7). The Suns had endured a tough start, with three heavy losses. And they had been forced to defend their captain Gary Ablett, unfairly treated by some in the media for supposedly failing to prepare properly for a game he ultimately missed with an injury. Not surprisingly, Ablett was one of the driving forces behind the win. fo The Suns have plenty of d development and learning ahead – and doubtless a ssome tough times. But for a moment last Saturday, only m one thing mattered. o PETER DI SISTO P
PRINTED BY PMP Print ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO The Editor, AFL Record, Ground Floor, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Victoria, 3008. T: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 100, ROUND 6, 2011 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109
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MARK JAMAR
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THE RIVALRY
Melbourne’s big man has When Greg Williams locked long-term leadership plans. horns with David Rhys-Jones.
18
PASSIONATE PIE
Paul Daffey tracks down ex-Magpie James Manson.
You can’t afford to be belted in the contested ball because everything else is generated from it
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THE
FIRST WIN: Gold Coast Suns (from left) Jared Brennan,
Sam Iles, Danny Stanley, Luke Russell, Brandon Matera, football department member Barry Lowe (holding the lyrics board), Maverick Weller, Trent McKenzie and high performance manager Dean Robinson belt out their theme song for the first time in victory, following their maiden AFL win, against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium last Saturday.
History in the making as Suns finally find their voice K ATR INA GIL L A ND C A L LUM T WOMEY
H
aving lost their first three games by an average of 93 points, learning the words to the club song might not have been an urgent priority for Gold Coast players. Fortunately, someone at the Suns had the presence of mind to pack a poster board with the song’s lyrics plastered across it for the trip to Adelaide, in case the competition’s new team could stage an upset against Port Adelaide. The poster appeared set to gather more dust when Port
Adelaide forward Daniel Motlop put the home side 40 points ahead late in the third quarter. The inexperienced Suns had been competitive, but had struggled to run out quarters (let alone games) in the opening weeks of the season and were in danger of another hefty defeat. However, goals to skipper Gary Ablett and substitute Luke Russell late in the third term changed the momentum of the game and, for the second week in a row, AAMI Stadium played host to a remarkable turnaround.
Ablett, who was well held in the first half, was the catalyst for the comeback, supported by ex-Brisbane Lions midfielder Michael Rischitelli. It was also Ablett, the Suns’ captain, who gathered the whole club together, including administrators, coaches and staff, for the song after the game. “There was full recognition of the moment,” Suns CEO Travis Auld told the AFL Record earlier this week. “Everyone understood that it was a historic moment and it was made more emotional by having to wait
until after the siren to know whether we’d won or not. “The moment we got into the rooms, before the boys sung the song, Gary grabbed everyone and made sure everyone was part of the circle. That’s not something that happens often; it’s saved for special moments, and no doubt that was one of the very special moments in the development of our footy club.” In the hour or so beforehand, the likes of David Swallow, Brandon Matera, Charlie Dixon and Zac Smith had taken major steps in translating AFL RECORD
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7
Carlton full-back Michael Jamison signs a three-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until of 2014.
their dominance at junior ranks to AFL level, reminding the football world why the Suns had been tipped to be a powerhouse of the competition by the middle of the decade. Swallow attracted comparisons to Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins with his gut running and clearance work, while Dixon and Matera combined for four lastquarter goals. Gold Coast kicked five of the first six majors of the final term to cut the margin to single digits and another goal to Russell gave the visitors the lead with about two minutes to play.
There’s nothing like a song after a victory TRAVIS AULD
Power forward Justin Westhoff had a chance to break Gold Coast hearts, with a shot at goal after the siren but there was to be no villain in this fairytale. His kick missed to the right and the Suns held on to record their first win. The Gold Coast club song rang out for the first time in victory, as the ecstatic players embraced and ran to both ends of the ground to celebrate with their supporters in the crowd. Coach Guy McKenna fist-pumped the air, while an inconsolable Westhoff stood motionless where he’d taken the kick. The poster board was dusted off and held aloft by football department member Barry Lowe, as the players, coaches and support staff made their way into the rooms. Every member of the club on hand at the venue locked arms to form a circle as big as the change room, with all eyes fixed on the poster, which Auld joked was useful for most inside the circle. “I was very pleased someone had shown the initiative to bring the board along, and it (the song) is something normally saved for the players and support staff, but this was a bit different,” he said. “The song has been played when we run out, but there’s nothing like a song when you sing it after a victory. That’s what really brings it to life.” 8
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Sydney Swans to announce “heritage list” of items it deems fundamental to the club’s history.
THE SUNS RISE: Gold Coast players (main picture, from left) including Danny
Stanley, Jack Hutchins, Sam Iles, Jared Brennan and Josh Toy celebrate the Suns’ first AFL win as Port’s Justin Westhoff, who had just missed a shot at goal after the siren that would have won the game for the Power, trudges from the ground. Minutes later, Gary Ablett (left) and Daniel Harris walked down the players’ race in triumph, while earlier Andrew Swallow’s (middle) attempted tackle on Port’s Cameron Hitchcock had typified the Suns’ desperation, and Brandon Matera had starred with four goals.
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9
Development work at Richmond’s Punt unt Road home unearths a p pa patron’s atro ro on s ba b barr used in th the 1930s, with original signage in place.
LONG-TERM LEADER
His fans are happy, but not Jamar BEN COL LINS
M
ark Jamar is not happy. Surprising really, considering the Melbourne ruckman actually has plenty to be happy about. Jamar, 27, is one of the AFL’s most improved players over the past 12 months, during which he has become an All-Australian for the first time (named back-up ruckman to Aaron Sandilands), finished third in Melbourne’s best and fairest (his first top-10 placing), earned a spot in the club’s leadership group and continued on this season in a similarly rich vein of form, finally reaching his 100th AFL game this week. Heck, there’s even a Mark Jamar Appreciation Society on Facebook. But Jamar dismisses the notion he would be content with his progress. “No, I’m not happy,” Jamar said. “I don’t think you’re ever happy. If you do get happy with yourself, you get complacent and that’s when you might slip up. “I’m determined to play consistent footy each week and keep improving.” Jamar knows only too well how things can quickly go awry. Originally from Port Pirie in South Australia, he was rookielisted by Melbourne in 2002, but was forced to wait in line behind the likes of Jeff White and Darren Jolly. He has also contended with his share of injuries. But injury-free, he has thrived on
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AFL RECORD
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Longngm, term, I want to be one of the leaders of the club MARK JAMAR
the responsibility of being the Demons’ No. 1 ruckman. Now into his 10th season, Jamar admits to suffering enormous self-doubt until recent times. “There were many times I wondered whether I’d ever establish myself at AFL level,” he said. “A good friend of mine told me, ‘Be patient because ruckmen mature at 26, 27, 28.’ They were wise words in my case. “It’s the old story: if you just put your head down and bum up, it might eventually turn your way. “I hope I can keep getting better, but the big thing is now I’ve got confidence that I can compete with the best of them.” And they don’t get any better than Jamar’s opponent this round, West Coast’s Dean Cox. “I’ve admired ‘Coxy’ for a lot of years,” Jamar said. “He’s got everything: great height, a big engine, speed, good mark, great foot skills and his ruckwork is probably the best in the game. “When I was younger, I really struggled against him, but last time we met (in round eight last year), we had a good battle. I’m just going to compete as hard as
I can, and hopefully that’ll help us win.” Jamar is forming a strong ruck combination with Stefan Martin. They are well suited to the new substitute rule (which Jamar says has added two-three per cent game time to his workload), as both are competent in other positions: Jamar can play as a deep forward, while Martin can play in attack and defence. “Stef will be a very good player for us for a long time,” Jamar said. “He’s improved out of sight.” As for himself, Jamar feels he can become a much tougher proposition in two main areas: his positioning around the ground to enable him to “dish off a few more handballs to the boys”, and by becoming a genuine target in attack, to create and kick goals. (He boasts a very accurate career tally of 43.17.) Jamar is the fourth-oldest player at Melbourne (behind Brad Green, Aaron Davey and mature-age rookie Robbie Campbell) and is on a three-way rotation with James Frawley and Colin Garland in the Demons’ leadership group, with Jamar the current sitting member.
“Long-term, I want to be one of the leaders of the club,” he said. So how long does he have left? “Because I haven’t played a lot of footy, I’d love to play another 100 games, another five years or so,” he said. “That would be the ultimate.” Life after football will have options for Jamar. A qualified personal trainer, he and a business partner have organised a 10-day trip to Thailand in October with 20 people they will train. It’s hard to imagine anyone challenging the hulking Jamar when he barks orders. “I’m firm but fair,” he said. He is also studying to become a registered builder and does work experience one morning a week. Jamar is certainly a cultured individual. He is also known as ‘The Russian’. “In my first few weeks at the club, a few teammates said, ‘He looks like a big Russian.’ I didn’t like it, so it stuck. Now I embrace it,” he said. Jamar isn’t even a Russian name. “Dad’s Dutch and Mum’s Italian,” he said.
EXPOSING A MYTH
Best-laid plans all rely on winning the ball
S
PETER RYA N
ome football phrases would be hilarious if their flow-on effect wasn’t potentially real. One such humbug notion is that some teams have a ‘Plan B’, while others don’t.
Collingwood defender Tyson Goldsack on track to return soon after recovering from m glandular fever. r.
During his career at the Crows, Adelaide coach Neil Craig has often dealt with this lazily framed criticism. I use the term ‘lazily framed’ because the charge levelled is lacking proper consideration. Plan B? It’s meaningless. The first place to start in dismissing the notion is to explain the hazy concept of a game-plan. Let’s start with a definition or equation former Melbourne coach and now West Coast football manager Neale Daniher provided three years ago when asked to explain the concept of a game-plan. A game-plan = team selection (who plays and where they play) + team and set-play structures + ability to win contested ball + ball use + defensive pressure. By that equation, there are many elements – both hidden and exposed – that make up the game-plan. Parts of the game-plan shift throughout the season as the game changes, personnel develop or are available, and particular opponents gain the ascendancy. Look at the equation. Selection is critical. Options might be limited before the game due to injury. Otherwise, many either/or decisions are made that can’t be changed once the team sheet is submitted on game-day. From those selections, positional change is an option, with coaches having many considerations to make depending on the state of the contest. Sometimes it may be to leave a player in a position to find out more about him despite the duel’s impact on the game. As Richmond coach Damien Hardwick did when he left first-year player Reece Conca on St Kilda’s Stephen Milne in round two.
MULTIPLE OPTIONS: Crows coach
Neil Craig knows winning contested possession is critical to the success of any plan.
At other times, a coach “We’ve had things in place might appear to be a genius. and basics done very well for a Remember Sydney Swans coach long period of time. But we’re John Longmire bringing Gary not adhering to any basics. Rohan on in the last quarter So that broke the spirit of the against the Eagles and pushing team,” Lyon said. Andrejs Everitt forward? The next part of Daniher’s Team play and set structures equation is where it gets evolve during the season but, interesting, from the point on any day, every player should of view of dismantling the know what is ‘no Plan B’ expected for a catchphrase. particular game Plan A, B, C and after through to Z each quarter. mean nothing Watching if the team is players not not winning fulfil those contested requirements ball. It’s like is the first thing trying to start NEIL CRAIG that disheartens a business with coaches. no capital. St Kilda’s Ross Lyon expressed Good luck. his disappointment with his That was the change that team after the round-three loss happened in round four’s to Essendon, when the playing Showdown after quarter-time. style and set structures that had Craig expressed it succinctly: brought the club much success “You can’t afford to be belted weren’t being followed. in the contested ball area
You can’t afford to be belted in contested ball
because everything else is generated from it.” As Craig explained, you can lose that contested-ball category and still be competitive. But when you’re smashed in that area, your ball movement will stagnate, power and run goes from your game and defensive pressure diminishes. The other team, with ball in hand, can dictate terms. Remember, having the ball is the best form of defence. Positional changes will take place but with that basic fundamental missing, the game-plan starts breaking down. By all means, question the coaches. Wonder about selection and starting positions and who is in the ruck and the combination up forward. Think about the structures and whether they work. Don’t settle for teams not winning the contested ball. But don’t fall for the lazy cry of the talkback set: say no to ‘no plan B’.
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11
The Essendon-Collingwood Anzac Day crowd of 89,626 was the 10th highest for a home and away match in League history.
PLAYERS WE LOVE
Scott Pendlebury COLLINGWOOD
» Scott Pendlebury wobbles
his way across the ground like he’s negotiating a simple suspension bridge. It’s a deceptive gait, attracting attention like an FJ Holden might at a Ferrari exhibition. Because he draws eyes on the field, his work never goes unnoticed. Successive Anzac Day medals, a Norm Smith Medal and 21 Brownlow votes in 2010 bear testament to that. What has been a little less heralded until recently are the reasons behind his consistency. He has what the experts call a positive mindset, an approach that sees mistakes as opportunities to learn. Where others might feel pressure, Pendlebury sees possibility. Soon after arriving at the club, he watched how dual best and fairest winner Paul Licuria trained and tracked him to reap the benefits. His improvement at stoppages came about because he listened to Collingwood’s midfield coaches, Guy McKenna, Brad Scott and now Mark Neeld, and learned. Perhaps his interest in all sports – particularly
basketball – also helped when football-speak started to include zones, fast plays and slow plays. Pendlebury also understood that getting the ball was only one part of the game. Working back defensively, blocking for teammates and being aware of where opponents were was also critical to team success. It’s why when he mentioned the importance of team after last Monday’s game, the words were genuine, a reflection of his sporting ethos. It is this complete outlook that explains why he might be the game’s best midfielder right now. Although Pendlebury can appear to be in slow motion, unpacking the action to his rhythm, the game remains as quick, demanding and tough for Pendlebury as anyone else out there. He will continue to improve because working to get better is part of his DNA. With 107 games under his belt, the 23-year-old elite athlete is demonstrating his prowess on the AFL’s biggest stages. PETER RYAN
When they’re not playing... PLAYER
Describe your perfect day off:
The person you would most like to meet:
How would your best friend describe you:
Favourite movie:
Mitch Clark Brisbane Lions
Sleep in, hit of golf and time with daughter
Dave Chappelle pelle
Driven, competitive, up for a laugh
The Hurricane
Alipate Carlile Port Adelaide
Sleep, lunch and then en catch a movie
Rih Rihanna
Lazy
Blood Diamond
Leroy Jetta Essendon
A 40-degree day ay spent fishing
Le L LeBron James
Funny and outgoing
8 Mile
Greg Broughton Fremantle
Nice 30-degree d day at the beach
Chad Reed
Quiet
Shooter
12
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199414_NAU
Adelaide Crows upgrade rookies Matthew Wright and Chris Schmidt to the senior list.
RIVALRY RENEWED
NINE STRAIGHT LOSSES
Tough duo –from fierce rivals to teammates
Port was powerless against Roo nemesis
HOWA R D KOT TON
W
NICK BOW EN
hile their rivalry is not among the biggest in the competition, there is nonetheless plenty of feeling when the Swans and Blues meet. This is sure to be the case when Friday night football returns to the SCG for the first time in eight years this round, particularly given the circumstances of last September when Sydney ended Carlton’s season in a thrilling elimination final. The clubs have met three times on a Friday night at the SCG. David Rhys-Jones, who started his career with the Swans before crossing to Carlton in 1985, played for the Blues in the first two games and Greg Williams was in the Swans’ colours. Fate decreed that their paths would cross in a memorable encounter at the SCG in 1989 before, in a bizarre twist, they became teammates for a season, at Carlton, in 1992. In the sides’ first Friday night encounter, in round six, 1987, Sydney won an entertaining contest by seven points. Tony Morwood and Barry Mitchell booted three goals apiece and Brownlow medallist Williams collected 26 possessions. “From a Swans’ point of view, beating Carlton would have been sensational,” Rhys-Jones said. “They would not have beaten us many times during the ’80s. It probably would have meant more to them than it meant to us.” But it was the second Friday night encounter at the SCG, in round 11, 1989, that lives long in the memories of both players and those who saw it. Alex Jesaulenko had taken over as Carlton coach after Robert Walls was sacked following the Blues’ loss to the Brisbane Bears the previous round. Carlton beat the Swans by 28 points, but the game is best
14
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T TWO-CLUB MAN: David Rhys-Jones (left) holds the 1987 premiership cup with Carlton teammate Richard Dennis, but he spent the first five years of his career with the Swans.
ven 1993 remembered for the fiery firstround seven, 1993. quarter clash between Williams Rhys-Jones played plenty and Rhys-Jones. The Blue had of football at the ground and his jaw broken by the Swan knows how tough it is for and, as a result, Williams was visiting sides to adapt. suspended for five matches, while “It’s a bit of a cauldron,” he Rhys-Jones had three charges of said. “It’s a different ground in a striking Williams dismissed. lot of ways because it is as wide When Sydney and Carlton last as it is long and you’ve got to be met on a Friday night at the SCG, smart about the way you play the in round eight, 1995, Williams ground. The Swans play there had become a so much more Blue but was on than other the sidelines and teams. Rhys-Jones had “It’s long retired as the probably one Swans thrashed of the few real Carlton by 72 home-ground points, one of advantages. only two defeats I think suffered by the you’ve got to Blues in their forget about DAVID RHYS-JONES premiership year. your centre The defection half-forward of Rhys-Jones and Williams from because the ball keeps going Sydney to Carlton added to the over their head. rivalry between the clubs. Swans “Full-forwards seem to excel 1984 best and fairest winner there. You’d get it out of the centre Bernie Evans joined Rhys-Jones and go straight to full-forward.” at the Blues at the end of 1985 and These days, Rhys-Jones Mitchell came across in 1994 after is heavily involved with a brief stint with Collingwood. the Blues’ past players in the “I think Carlton were pretty Spirit of Carlton, but still keeps good at picking the eyes out of in touch with some of his the opposition and getting what Swans teammates. they wanted,” Rhys-Jones said. “I’m still a past player of Sydney The Swans have won their and South Melbourne,” he said. past seven contests against the “You never forget where you come Blues at the SCG, with Carlton’s from, but I’m more aligned to last victory being by 44 points in Carlton than Sydney.”
Carlton were pretty good at picking the eyes out of the opposition
his Saturday’s clash between North Melbourne and Port Adelaide shapes as a must-win game for both sides following their disappointing starts to the season. But while both sides will be desperate to avoid the media inquisition likely to befall the loser, the game will also be another chapter in a unique rivalry. Initially, the sides’ battles were distinctly one-sided. They first met in round eight of 1997 but it was not until the corresponding round six years later that the Power tasted their first win over the Kangaroos. Before then, North enjoyed a nine-game winning streak. To put the Roos’ streak into context, Port beat 10 of its other 14 opponents in its first season (1997). By the end of its third year, just two of those other four clubs remained unbeaten against Port – West Coast and St Kilda. The Power beat West Coast for the first time in 2000 and St Kilda in 2001, the Eagles having won their first three games against Port, the Saints their first five. Denis Pagan was North coach throughout the nine-game winning streak. He said the strength of North’s team from 1997-2000 was the primary factor in its early dominance of Port. “We had some very good players like Glenn Archer, Anthony Stevens and Wayne Carey,” Pagan said. “They all had enormous pride and it was a personal affront to a lot of those guys to be beaten.” However, he said the Kangaroos’ confidence grew with each win, to the extent they established a mental stranglehold over Port Adelaide that survived even when they started to wane and the Power started to rise.
GRA23159
Gold Coast’s Michael Rischitelli wins Peter Badcoe VC Medal as best player against Port Adelaide.
“Every time we ran out against Port Adelaide, I think we became more and more confident our boys had the equipment and the talent to take them on and I’m sure it had the opposite effect on Port Adelaide,” Pagan said. “Even when we were on the slide around 2001-02, we were very confident and I think they were apprehensive about facing us.”
Every time we ran out against Port we became more and more confident DENIS PAGAN
The most memorable win for Pagan came in round one of 2002. It was Archer’s 200th game, North’s first match since Carey had left the club in disgrace, and it was at the Power’s home ground, AAMI Stadium. “We were massive underdogs. That was
ood a home probably ass good and away win as the Pag gan said. boys had,” Pagan “Somehow wee were d ourselves o able to build together. mem mber “I still remember ng Glenn kicking a goal from the ckett. forward pocket. There aren’tt many thingss I rom m remember from games. But late in that k game, I think Glenn put uss in front. It was just a great effort.”” 5 games The sides’’ 15 since those firstt nine ve North wins hav have even n, been more even, werr with the Power holding an 8-7 eedge. rt has h While Port only once won ames consecutivee ga games rth, they have had against North, nt finals finals victories two 87-point nga aroos, in the over the Kangaroos, lim mination final 2005 first elimination 07 second s and the 2007 n preliminaryy final.
IN FRONT: Port Adelaide has often chased the Roos as this contest between Kane Cornes (left) and Brent Harvey shows.
MILESTONES ROUND 6
100 GAMES Patrick Ryder Essendon
Hamish McIntosh North Melbourne
The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.
Great on paper. Even better on air.
The most entertaining team in footy and you’ll only hear them on 3AW. Your game. Your station.
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The round 12 Adelaide-West Coast match on Saturday, June 11, to start 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, at 2.10pm local time.
SUCCESS STORY: James Manson is
making a name for himself in the world of media and advertising.
Passionate Pie still inspired by artistic freedom PAU L DA FFEY
J
ames Manson is sitting in front of his computer at his family’s graphic design business in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Cheltenham. The first thing you notice is his size. He has a bull neck and puffy cheeks. A mighty gut bulges from the top of his jeans. Manson, 44, wasn’t always this big. In fact, six months ago, he was a fit man, a regular jogger by the bay. Then he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, which in his case, means a swelling of the lungs. It is a disease found most commonly in African-American women in the 20-40-year range. ‘Charlie’, as Manson is affectionately known, is not one to do things by the book. Manson is 194cm. He played as a tall forward and back-up ruckman with Collingwood and Fitzroy, during which time his weight fluctuated either side of 100kg, depending on the role expected of him. Six months ago, he was about 110kg. Then he was put on a steroid-based drug to combat the sarcoidosis and his weight ballooned to 125kg. When asked whether he resents having this unlikely disease, which is incurable, he speaks directly. “Anything bad in my life has turned into something good,” he says. “I’m doing pretty well.” Manson’s passions are also big. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he played guitar in a band called the Sharks. Instead 18
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of treating it as a side project to social network needs of clients – his footy career, he practised Twitter, Facebook, all that jazz. with the band for stints of He taught himself about seven hours. He estimates they websites by reading a manual. supported the Black Sorrows, a It was a small beginning to national act, 50 times. what has become a large part His football career ended with of his business. Fitzroy in 1995, when he was “Anything I want to do, I’m 28. He bought an Apple Mac passionate about,” he says. computer, a printer and some “I just go and do it.” software and set about becoming At 16, Manson embarked on a graphic designer. his unusual journey when he He taught began studying himself the at art school possibilities of in Hobart, his his equipment hometown. and he built the His interest business, CD lay in German Media, relying expressionism. on word of The next year, mouth and the he was at odd lucky break. Collingwood, It’s big enough where he now to take continued his JAMES MANSON care of all the fine art degree design, PR and at RMIT. advertising for major outdoor He regards his lucky break at shows. It employs his two this stage of his life as moving brothers, Grant and Ashley, as in with Mark ‘Choco’ Williams, well as his wife Adriana. who at the time was the In recent times, Manson’s Collingwood captain. passion has become designing Williams hauled Manson out websites and developing the of bed at dawn to go on a run. He
Anything I want to do, I’m passionate about. I just go and do it
had Manson on a Pritikin diet at 18. He also encouraged Manson’s interest in art and music. “He was very supportive,” Manson says. “Essentially, I was his first coaching project.” Manson says he became known for two things in his career: his kicking style and the day he was unable to take a free kick against Geelong at Waverley Park. He inherited his kicking style from his father, who is a legend at Hobart’s Glenorchy Football Club. As much as it was awkward, Manson has always maintained his kicking was effective, especially in front of goal. In 1990, he kicked 33.12. “My ratio was pretty good,” he says. In the game against the Cats in 1992, Manson was unable to take the kick because injury had reduced him to lying down. Ron McKeown took the kick and booted a goal. Manson then hauled himself up, prompting Peter McKenna to question on the television commentary whether Manson had perpetrated a set-play. Manson enjoys the banter over the incident, but says there was nothing premeditated about it. The obvious question when he recounts these stories is whether he is remembered for his part in Collingwood’s 1990 premiership. Manson says many people are unaware of his role in the Grand Final victory. Mostly, they want to comment on his kicking action. Collingwood has never forgotten about Manson’s place in the club’s history. Last year, president Eddie McGuire rang to ask whether he was interested in returning to the club to sit on the bench as an interchange steward. Manson went in and met coach Mick Malthouse and football manager Geoff Walsh to discuss the idea. “I said to Mick, ‘I think my wife knows more about the modern game than I do’,” he says. “They thanked me for my honesty. I think (ex-Saint and Hawk) Russell Greene took the job.” When asked why the Pies wanted him for the role, Manson says he’s unsure. But it’s fairly clear the Pies, like anyone who comes in contact with Manson, admire his ability to get the best out of himself and others. They rate his people skills. They rate his big heart.
Former Sydney Swans co-captain Craig Bolton to be honoured before Friday’s Swans-Carlton match at the SCG.
EXPANDING HORIZONS
Academy youngsters conquer foreign legion Âť The AIS-AFL Academy team
played a combined European team as part of its recent tour, which also included players and oďŹƒcials taking part in a dawn service at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula. More than 2000 people watched the match against the European Legion team at Dulwich College in south London, before the Australian party headed for Turkey for the Anzac Day service. The Academy squad comfortably won the match, but seasoned observers were impressed by the locals’ application and the pressure they applied on their more skilful opponents. The European team was coached by former Melbourne
GREAT EXPERIENCE: Jeager O’Mera (left, with ball in hand) and the AIS-AFL Academy squad defeated the European Legion side at London’s Dulwich College, and then, with team oďŹƒcials, took part in an Anzac Day dawn service at Gallipoli.
player Glenn Lovett and ex-Sydney Swans co-captain Brett Kirk and featured players from Sweden, Wales, Scotland, France, Denmark, England, Ireland and Croatia.
Victorian Lachie WhitďŹ eld was awarded the High Commission Medal as the AIS-AFL Academy team’s best player. Adam Ballard from
Newcastle in England won the Victorian Tourism Medal as the European Legion’s best player. The tour started with a training camp in Italy and ends this weekend, with the team playing VFL club Bendigo Bombers at Windy Hill on Sunday.
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KEEPING PACE
Fitter and faster – umpires moving with the times
A
J ENNIFER W ITH A M
FL umpires are succeeding in taking their fitness levels to new heights in a bid to keep up with the increasing physical demands of the game. The changing nature of the game, including the introduction of the substitute rule, has meant umpires – especially field and boundary – have had to further work on their fitness levels. Presses and zones have ensured close, tight play that requires field umpires to constantly rotate around the ball, and then hotly pursue it when a fast break occurs. The same applies to boundary umpires.
The substitute rule has resulted in players staying on the field longer and moving into different roles, rather than resting on the bench. That has had a direct impact on umpires. Field umpires, on average, run 15-18km a game. And they don’t have the option of coming off. “You look at what the clubs are doing with all these rotations – people forget the umpires don’t rotate. They’re out there for pires the full game,” AFL umpires ays. manager Jeff Gieschen says. “They don’t get tackled and to they don’t get slammed into ge, the ground but, by and large, nd they are running harder and re. further than the players are. “From a physical n perspective, it’s never been harder. With that in mind,, mpires we’ve really driven our umpires .” to greater levels of fitness.” le The AFL’s umpire stable ve already boasts impressive or fitness. The staple test for m the three groups is a 5km nt time trial, with a different e. standard set for each one. ment The umpiring department or the maintains the times set for test, (under 18 minutes, 15 mpires; seconds for boundary umpires;
18.45 for field and 24 for goal) are kept within an achievable window so as not to reduce the size of the umpiring pool. Still, over the past two years since the 5km trial replaced a 10km endurance test, 4km speed test and a 5x1km series of tests, field and goal umpires have shaved up to 10 seconds off their average times. In January, eight boundary umpires ran 5km times beneath 16 minutes, Darren Wilson with an amazing 14.48. Three field umpires broke 17 minutes; the quickest Matt Stevic, with 44-yearold Hayden Kennedy hot on his heels. “These standards are very challenging but also
RUNNING MEN: AFL umpires such as Brett Rosebury are running harder than ever, on and off the field.
achievable so that aspiring, talented umpires can achieve their goal of making it to the AFL level,” Gieschen says. Gieschen says the substitute rule has thrown up challenges, and expects GPS recordings scheduled for the middle of the season to show umpires are running around 500m further each game. But he said his crew has embraced the challenge to the extent where the standards set for goal umpir umpires may be tigh htened further. further tightened ““The sub rule h has had an imp pact in those areas ar impact and it’s cer tainly made our ou umpires work certainly tha at little bit harde that harder,” he says. ““All our indicators indicat suggested we had to get fitte tter, and they hav ve done that an have and, because of tha at, they’re keep that, keeping up with the gam me quite well.” game The two end-zo T end-zone umpires pre ess up to help adjudicate ad press con ngestion in the middle m congestion of the gro ound while ther ground there are more out t-of-zone free ki out-of-zone kicks being paid tha an ever before. But B Gieschen than sa ays the AFL will continue to says look at ways to share the load, including givin giving boundary and goal umpir a umpires more decision-makin d decision-making power.
TES TESTING STING G
Performance (NIRS - Near Infra Red Spectroscopy) testing by the Sports Science faculty at the University of Newcastle (2011) has identified that wearing ISC compression garments: • has a profound effect on venous function and allows for improved blood flow from the lower limbs • Increases the total blood flow by up to 15% at both the calf and the thigh during exercise
RESULT
• Reduction of muscle soreness post exercise – increased blood flow helps to remove acids in muscles • Wearing compression garments reduces muscle damage and provides faster recovery Figure 1
Changes in the haemoglobin concentration (Hhb) in the calf across the incremental and performance test in both control (grey) and ISC Compression garment (orange) conditions.
20
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Gold Coast’s Nathan Bock offered one-week suspension for rough conduct on Port Adelaide’s Jackson Trengove.
SANFL’S FINEST YEAR
The story of ’64 – a season to savour MICH A EL LOV ET T
PHOTO: HERALD & WEEKLY TIMES
C
oaches and commentators often talk about defining moments in a season, but South Australian football historian Michael Sexton has uncovered a defining year in the SANFL. Sexton has researched, written – and published – a book about the season that saw football in South Australia undergo unprecedented change. His book – 1964: A Game, A Season, A State – highlights how football in the state changed forever, notably with the admission of two new clubs, Woodville and Central District. It was also a season when the SANFL enjoyed record crowds, Port Adelaide’s domination of the competition was halted and a hard man of South Australian football inspired an upset premiership with the help of a brilliant recruit. Although Central District (0-20) struggled in its first season, it has become one of the powerhouse clubs of the SANFL, winning nine of the past 11 premierships. Woodville (3-17) fared slightly better in 1964 and later the Woodpeckers merged with West Torrens to form a combination that has been a regular finalist, albeit for just two premierships (1993 and 2006). But the story of the ’64 season was how former West Adelaide captain-coach Neil ‘Knuckles’ Kerley turned round
the fortunes of perennial battler South Adelaide. As captain-coach of West Adelaide, Kerley led his side to the premiership in 1961 and runner-up in 1962, but, as Sexton notes: “Kerley played the 1963 season in a barely contained rage.” He was no longer coach, his side lost five of its last seven games and he wanted out. Enter South Adelaide, which had collected 12 of the previous 19 wooden spoons, finished the 1963 season 2-18, had sacked its coach during the year, and boasted a better record as a social club. Television and radio personality Ernie Sigley regularly entertained South Adelaide players and fans on Saturday nights. On the casting vote of the club chairman, Kerley was appointed captain-coach of South Adelaide for the 1964 season and the man he beat for the job – Dennis Parham – became his assistant. The Kerley-Parham combination, as Sexton writes, “became a team” in 1964.
South Adelaide recruited Tiwi Island ruckman David Kantilla, who had been spotted a couple of years earlier jumping all over former Collingwood big man Ray Gabelich in a match in Darwin between Waratahs, which had lured the 109kg Magpie to play over summer, and St Mary’s. Kantilla, who was later named in the Indigenous Team of the Century, was the first player from the Northern Territory to make his name in the SANFL. With Kerley having an immediate impact as playing coach, South Adelaide rode the crest of a wave as it finished equal top of the ladder (17-3) with Port Adelaide. After losing the second semi-final by a point to Port, it reversed the result in the Grand Final, winning by 27 points, thanks to Kantilla’s best-on-ground performance. The win briefly ended Port’s domination of the SANFL – the Magpies had won nine of the previous 13 Grand Finals,
HAIL A HERO: Captain-coach Neil
Kerley is swamped by teammates and fans after South Adelaide outlasted Port Adelaide in the 1964 Grand Final to complete a memorable season in the SANFL.
including six in succession (1954-59). However, they did come back the following season to win the 1965 Grand Final. Sexton takes readers through the social and economic impact football was having in South Australia at the time and describes the personalities and characters of the day in great detail. You don’t need to be a South Australian to bask in some reflective glory. 1964: A GAME, A SEASON, A STATE BY MICHAEL SEXTON. PUBLISHED BY SPORTSWORDS. COM.AU. RRP $30
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NATHAN VAN BERLO
AN OLD HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS At just 24, Nathan van Berlo is in his element as Adelaide’s new skipper. Intelligent, articulate and a born leader, the classy midfielder is ideally equipped for the task of guiding a young side striving to make its mark after the exit of several club greats last season. NICK BOWEN
S
ome captains, even the most inspirational, can take time to grow into their leadership skin. Others seem almost born for the role. Two of this season’s new skippers, Adelaide’s Nathan van Berlo and Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge, are good examples. For some time, Hodge has been able to lift his
teammates with individual bursts of brilliance, while his uncompromising attack on the ball and man has almost demanded they emulate his example. Off the field, however, Hodge’s leadership skills have taken longer to develop. While he is now a down-to-earth and effective spokesman for his club, one of his former skippers, Richie AFL RECORD
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57
nathan van berlo
BORN LEADER: Nathan van
Berlo was promoted to the Crows’ leadership group when he was just 21.
Vandenberg, recently told The Age, Hodge’s appetite for “a good time” and “mischief” in his early years at Hawthorn had delayed his rise to the captaincy. Van Berlo, however, came to the Crows seemingly readymade to lead. His combined on-field and off-field qualities convinced teammates to elect him into the Crows’ leadership group after just three seasons and 53 games, at the age of 21. At the time, Adelaide coach Neil Craig was adamant the appointment was not a token attempt to introduce young blood into the leadership ranks. “He is not there for the experience, he is there because he can do the job required,” Craig said. Van Berlo’s predecessor, Simon Goodwin, said his 58
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leadership skills were obvious With Goodwin out from “day one”. injured, van Berlo was acting After van Berlo was captain. With one minute left announced as skipper in in the game, the Crows led by December last year, Goodwin one point. told The Advertiser: “He has a Taking matters into his own great head on hands, van his shoulders, Berlo ran the leads by length of the example on ground to and off the mark 45m out field, is a good from goal on a communicator tight angle. He and wants the went back and best for the kicked truly to club and other seal a sevenplayers. point win for “Put it all his team. STEVEN TRIGG together, and But Adelaide he’s the total CEO Steven package.” Trigg said, as A good example of van Berlo’s naturally as leadership had come on-field leadership came in to van Berlo, he had worked at it. round 20 last season against the “Nathan has immersed Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. himself in the art of leadership,
Nathan has immersed himself in the art of leadership
and worked hard on improving his effectiveness as a previous member of the leadership group,” Trigg said in December. Predictably, the 24-year-old van Berlo downplayed his own leadership skills when he spoke to the AFL Record recently. He preferred to talk about the people who have shaped his thoughts on leadership. He said he had been fortunate to have played under Crows captains Mark Ricciuto and Goodwin, and to have served in the latter’s leadership group for three years. While acknowledging the growing off-field demands on captains, van Berlo says watching Ricciuto and Goodwin had reinforced how important on-field leadership remained. “The big thing that stood out for me was the way both Simon
and Mark were able to lead on the field by their examples,” van Berlo says. “In my mind, that’s what the best leaders in the comp do.” Asked the best advice he had received since becoming captain, van Berlo said: “What Neil Craig constantly reinforces with me is that I need to be what I want my team to be. “I really relish those words. If I’m asking something of my teammates, they’re entitled to expect that I’m doing the same myself.” Perhaps van Berlo’s leadership qualities were fast-tracked when he was drafted by the Crows with the No. 24 pick in the 2004 NAB AFL Draft. A West Australian, van Berlo se-knit had grown up part of a close-knit h family in the northern Perth suburb of Hillarys. His parents, Garry and d Jenny, had earlier migrated tially from New Zealand and initially an had little time for Australian Football. Garry had been a rugby union man, having played for provincial side ny Waikato Chiefs, while Jenny h had played hockey in North s. Island representative teams. However, van Berlo fell in “love” with football oncee he started school, playing d with his mates at recess and kends lunchtime, and on the weekends at Auskick. At home, he and youngerr nt brothers Jay and Mitch spent aying most of their spare time playing d, or kick-to-kick in the backyard, ext taking on the three boys next door in “some big battles” on the street. Such was the level of competition between the brothers, van Berlo cites Jayy and nces Mitch as the biggest influences on his football career. ng Jay is 22 and an emerging AFL player with Fremantle.. He s’ was elevated to the Dockers’ senior list this season and kicked tern four goals against the Western Bulldogs on Anzac Day. ow the Mitch, 17, aspires to follow ten path his brothers have beaten into the AFL and is playing with de. West Perth’s WAFL Colts side. Given how close he was with an his brothers and parents, van ide Berlo said moving to Adelaide ench. as an 18-year-old was a wrench. p But it forced him to grow up
more quickly than he otherwise might have, he says. “It probably is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life,” he says. “But I think it forced me to grow up a bit. Living away from home, not having mum to do the cooking, the cleaning, the washing and everything you’re used to, it certainly makes you appreciate everything your parents have done for you growing up. “It also makes you take responsibility for those things yourself. But you’d probably have to ask mum to see whether I actually did mature.” The sixth Crows captain, van Berlo is the first non-South Australian to hold t post. With the f fellow West A Australian D Domenic C Cassisi Port A Adelaide’s c captain since 2 2009, both of
H HIGHLY REGARDED:
Van Berlo is only the sixth captain V in n the history of the Crows.
South Australia’s AFL clubs are led by Sandgropers. Van Berlo says this fact attracted media attention following his appointment, but little has been made of it since. Which underlines how truly national the competition has become, he says. In this environment, the Crows have to ensure they are doing everything in their power to retain their interstate recruits, van Berlo says. “We have to just back in our culture at the footy club to make sure everyone hangs around,” he says. “The club’s got a very good system in place to make new players from interstate feel at home as much as possible p when they first get here, because homesickness is a big part of footy now. “We try and keep them busy and get them to settle into the Adelaide lifestyle as quickly as possible.
FACT FILE
7
Nathan van Berlo
Born: June 6, 1986 Recruited from: West Perth Debut: Round 3, 2005 v Port Adelaide Height: 187cm Weight: 84kg Games: 120 Goals: 33 Player honours: captain since 2011 Brownlow Medal: career votes 8
“But we’re very lucky here that we have great supp support from our supporter base and the whole state in general – I can’t think of any b better place to play footy.” Ju ust as you imag Just imagine Craig migh ht say there’s no n better might perso on than van Berlo Be to help person hom mesick teenager homesick teenagers adjust to life in th he AFL. the Va an Berlo can al Van also be trusted to play play the off-field diplomat. Th he AFL Record quizzed q The him on some of foo football’s most conteentious topics and his contentious respo onses were considered con responses b e and balanced, reflecting an undeerstanding of b understanding both sides of d the debate. n the issue of player p On privacy, B says the “short van Berlo answ wer” is the media med has become answer” intrusive in recent rec too intrusive years. Bu ut he qualifies that t But answer tw wo fronts. First, First he on two ackn nowledges the role the media acknowledges playss in marketing the game. hi the papers “Thee stories that hit u wha people want are ultimately what reead about, they feed their to read interrest in the game,” gam he says. interest Seecond, he says dealing Second, h media scrutiny scrutin was an with inesccapable part of being an AFL inescapable playeer these days. player “W Whether you like lik it or not, as “Whether n as you come iinto the AFL soon systeem you’re under unde scrutiny, system whetther it be your lifestyle, your whether playiing form or any an other things playing abou ut your life,” he says. about “Y You’ve got to be aware of that “You’ve c w it pretty and come to grips with ca earlyy on in your career because not going away it’s n away.” n the substitut On substitute rule that was intro oduced this year, yea van Berlo introduced i says reducing the interchange bencch from four players pl bench to three wi increase and a substitute will AFL RECO RECORD ORD
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59
nathan van berlo player fatigue and make for a “tough season”. But he is not complaining, just calling it as he sees it. He is also quick to add: “Every team is in the same boat.” On the proposed move of AFL games from AAMI Stadium in West Lakes to the Adelaide Oval from 2014, he is excited but mindful of some supporters’ attachment to the club’s home of 20 years. “It would be a great move for us to try something new and move in close to the city,” he says. “But obviously we’ll still be based in West Lakes at our facility there.” Any Crows supporter can tell you about how van Berlo sets the standard for his teammates on the training track, most notably in running time trials. Van Berlo has led the way in the Crows’ distance running for some years, surviving a challenge this pre-season from first-year rookie Sam Martyn, who came to the club with an impressive athletics background. But van Berlo says while he also excelled in cross-country and athletics at school, he never enjoyed it. “I think mum would probably vouch for me here, I hated running,” he says. “It was something I was pretty good at, but I got pretty worked up and nervous about it. “Footy appealed to me far more, being able to play in a team game and run around with my mates.” Van Berlo has assumed the captaincy at an interesting time in the club’s history. Last year, club greats Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards and Goodwin retired, as did long-time club favourite Brett Burton. Meanwhile, 2008 AllAustralian and best and fairest winner Nathan Bock was snared by new club Gold Coast as one of its out-of-contract players under its recruiting concessions. Together, these departures represent a significant exodus of talent. But don’t mention
QUICK FACTS
ON THE MARCH: Van Berlo
believes Adelaide has the talent to be back near the top of the ladder.
Craigy’s philosophy is, ‘The game doesn’t know how old you are’, which makes perfect sense NATHAN VAN BERLO
the football cliché rebuilding. It’s not a theory Craig has ever believed in. And van Berlo is of a like mind. g I love “Part of the thing about ‘Craigy’, his coaching philosophy and the football club in general, is they don’t believe in going through a development phase,” he says. “Every year I’ve been
here, Craigy has put high expectations on us and I think that’s part of the reason we’re able to get such good results out ur young players. of our “They come into the system and they know what’s expected of them from day one. Whether you’re a first-year player or a 15-year player, the expectations are the same.
“Craigy’s philosophy is, ‘The game doesn’t know how old you are’, which makes perfect sense.” Not surprisingly then, van Berlo speaks excitedly about what lies ahead for the Crows’ young list. Despite losing so much experience and talent last year, he is confident Adelaide has the players to take it “back to where we should be”. That is, near the top of the ladder. And when van Berlo says that, he is talking in the present sense. His confidence is built on the way some of the club’s youngsters seized opportunities they were given late last year when Edwards had retired and McLeod and Goodwin were sidelined for extended periods. They included 2010 debutants Phil Davis, Ricky Henderson and Matthew Jaensch; Rory Sloane, who had played one game before last season; and Chris Schmidt, who made his Crows debut after playing two games with the Brisbane Lions in 2007-08. Van Berlo also sensed a “real” energy and enthusiasm among the group over the pre-season, particularly among its youngsters who, again, seemed to sense the opportunities awaiting them in 2011. After a bright start to the season against Hawthorn – when van Berlo kicked a last-quarter goal that sealed a 20-point win – Adelaide has struggled since its round-two bye. A home loss to Fremantle was followed by a galling capitulation to cross-town rival Port Adelaide, the Crows surrendering a 34-point second-quarter lead to lose by 32 points. Last round, Adelaide showed great heart to come back from a 27-point quarter-time deficit against Carlton to hit the front late in the game, before going down by six points. These results are not surprising. Young sides tend to be inconsistent. But there’s one thing Crows fans can count on this season: with van Berlo at the helm, their team will not want for leadership.
Van Berlo won a national tae-kwon-do title at under-13 level; he was a keen surfer growing up in Western Australia; he started a geophysics degree before he was drafted by the Crows and is now studying mining engineering.
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A KI RT CK O IN F G
GUIDE BALL TO FOOT LOOK AT TARGET
josh hunt
brendon goddard
The evolutio o Kicking remains the most fundamental and important skill in football, with a well-executed kick under the pressure of the modern game a sight to behold. With an estimated 446 different types of kick, from a statistical viewpoint, it is little wonder clubs are going to extraordinary lengths to develop and improve kicking techniques. PETER RYA N
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K
icking, a fundamental of the game, has been undergoing a silent, hidden revolution, one that’s gathering pace. Saying someone is a ‘good’ kick or a ‘poor’ kick is no longer an easy call, as the fundamentals that define players as good kicks have evolved, and the range of kicks an AFL player is expected to master has grown, and will continue to do so.
Even the most up-to-date historian might wonder at some of these: the hit-up kick, the switch kick, the dribble kick, the kick to advantage, the goal kick, the kick-in, the one-step kick, the kick around corners (all versions), the short, fast, low kick, the weighted kick, and static and dynamic field kicking. The ever-decreasing number of lairs in our game might also try the torpedo, for fun as much as effectiveness.
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n of kicking To think for a century we survived moving from the mongrel punt to the place kick to the drop kick to the flat punt through to the drop punt, with the torpedo punt and banana kick thrown in for variety. As with many parts of life, kickers face the paradox of choice. That is why decision-making separates the AFL-standard kickers from those a step below. Classic left-footer, Geelong’s Josh Hunt, says the demands on the man with ball in hand
have become huge: “In the last three or four years, it’s become a lot harder.” Harder to choose, harder to execute, harder to deliver to faster runners, running towards the kicker, away, or across the field. Wait, there’s more. Zoning – combined with the players’ ability to chew up space to either put pressure on the kicker or cut off the kick – has made pin-pointing a target like threading the eye of a needle.
Think about this for a moment. During summer when kicking back was the only kick on most of our minds, statistical provider Champion Data fed hundreds of variables into a model that takes into account pressure, the intended target, the kick’s direction, the foot used and degree of difficulty, to develop a measure that would give clubs the type of drilled-down information they now demand about the kick.
During that process, Champion Data came up with the hardest kick in football – the long kick into the forward 50 to a stationary target with an expected ‘hit-rate’ of just 22.2 per cent – as well as a hit-rate figure that will in the future give us a much more accurate reflection of a player’s kicking ability. There are now 446 different kicks in a game, from a statistical viewpoint. “The kick inside 50, where there is no one
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KI ART CK O IN F G else there and you kick it over his head and not make him stop, is one of the nicer looking kicks going around,” says Hunt. “You really have to take in a lot. You’ve got the wind and then the distance and then how far you have to kick it to not make him stop. If players can hit that one regularly, that makes them a really good kick.” Making players really good kicks is now one of the industry’s objectives. In 2009, clubs provided feedback to the AFL that they were sick of refining paddocks full of kickers who could not hit a freight train from a level crossing. They wanted players to be better kicks before they arrived at a club. And then, they wanted them to improve from there. Kicking experts narrowed the elements of what a player needed to get right to kick well. A kicking test was introduced to the NAB AFL Draft Combine and coach education workshops began. And the importance of play or street footy, as some coaches call it, was recognised. A laboratory in the bowels of Victoria University’s biomechanics department shows how far the examination of kicking has come. Melbourne kicking coach and, it’s fair to say, one of the art’s gurus, Kevin Ball, is measuring the technique of Demon rookie Michael Evans. The setting is like a film or television studio, with reflectors and lights and sports science students fluffing around an uncertain looking Evans, who is wired up to a range of computers tracking his technique. Also being measured is a force plate that takes the weight of his support leg as he roosts the ball into a net. Ball can measure such aspects as balance and how force relates to performance. He can also examine the technique of the player and ensure any tinkering he endeavours to make stays within the bounds of the player’s physiological (and it must be said psychological) make-up. 64
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EFFECTIVE: Collingwood’s Ben Johnson is a proficient kick, even though he looks awkward.
Ball is an expert, but he is careful when applying his knowledge to such an ancient skill. As the former hockey player’s understanding of kicking has grown and evolved, he is now able to make a huge difference without necessarily making huge overhauls to a player’s technique, which remains an individual thing. Ball assesses both the ball drop and the impact, as the two elements are interconnected, one flowing through to the other. He knows that 10 people will have 10 different styles according to their physiology, but what needs to be right every time with all players is that moment when the ball hits the boot. Coaches such as Ball are successful because they not only understand kicking, they can assess how to get the best out of each individual by applying their knowledge according to the needs of the player, rather than applying rigid rules on how to kick. The point of impact is where all kicking coaches start from,
before working backwards. That’s quite a shift. Forget about how to hold the ball – as a 1947 video recently unearthed focused on. Forget about the way the ball is held as most backyard experts do, although it still remains an important element in development terms. Forget about standing with
If players can hit that one regularly, that makes them a really good kick JOSH HUNT
your child and worrying about the way he or she looks when they kick. Better to throw youngsters an empty milk bottle or let them play with a round ball or a Sherrin, getting touch and feel and the correct transfer of weight. You can worry about the rest later, says AFL Victoria’s
high performance manager Anton Grbac. Coaches know not everyone can attain the mechanical perfection of Collingwood’s Alan Didak. But they can be nearly as effective. Grbac was part of a working group that designed the three non-negotiables that good kicks display: 1. The manipulation of the ball so it is in place for impact. 2. An impact line, in which the knee, ankle, toe and the apex of the ball all form one line. 3. Correct transfer of weight from front to back. “If the impact is consistent and there is a healthy (retention) rate, then leave it alone. The way he (the kicker) is getting there is his choice and depends on his comfort level,” Grbac says. So what if a player such as St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard wobbles the ball out wide when kicking on the run if all the essential elements fall into line when he makes impact? The Saints star is a good kick because he has the elements in place.
KI ART CK O IN F G Better understanding of what constitutes an effective kicker is good news for unfairly maligned kickers such as Collingwood’s Ben Johnson, who are more substance than style. Johnson was in the top 15 AFL kicks last season and has a retention rate above 80 per cent in 2011. But in the early part of his career, the perception that the master of the lateral step was a bad kick took root because of the way he looked. Luckily, those around him were smart enough to look deeper to understand the truth of his effectiveness. “Everybody within the club knew that my kicking was fine and so did the coach, so that was all that mattered,” Johnson says. Recognising individual differences is critical. During the game, everything needs to happen in an instant, so Hunt says players practise “loading up their technique quickly”, similar to a batsman getting their feet moving when facing fast bowling. The quicker a kicker is in position, the better he is placed to make decisions, so instinct is essential. One millisecond can make a huge difference when a player is assessing his options. “You need something that is going to catch your eye and, if there is someone free, you need to back your first option because, if you think ‘No, yes, no, yes’, the opportunity is gone,” Hunt says. Sports scientists use wordy phrases such as perceptual and cognitive function or advanced cue utilisation (that is basically about the rate someone sees what is about to unfold) when presenting research to peers to describe what Hunt is facing. The trick for the scientists and coaches is to apply such knowledge so players improve in the areas they need to on the track and by observation. Every kick – in a game and training – is recorded using video and the types of kicks players are rehearsing and their effectiveness is assessed. Some clubs look at each player on their list and identify the specific kick they are likely to be required to execute in a game and develop training programs that mimic and rehearse those kicks. 66
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KICK TO ADVANTAGE:
Matthew Pavlich has the ability to kick the ball to a position where he wants his teammates to be.
Building understanding about For Hunt, such capacity came what is required to benefit the with loving kicking the ball team is essential. while growing up. It’s what Kicking is not so much Boom, the experts now see as Crash, Opera as having to hit critical, those early days when up targets 25, 30, or 40m away ‘spontaneous play’ provides the with precision. touch and technique suitable to Brisbane Lion Daniel the individual. Rich admits that one trap he When the players become sometimes falls into is trying full-time professionals, they are to kick the ball too hard. That constantly mucking around with might look dynamic, but is no footballs and become masters at fun for the leading forward. manipulating them. Hunt finesses his kicks more Collingwood’s Leon Davis now than when rarely has a he first entered football out of the AFL. He his hands. He recognises the once described importance picking up a of placing footy as a habit the ball on a as familiar as plate for the putting on his receiver rather clothes. then drilling a Hawthorn’s bullet at them, Shaun although that Burgoyne, ANTON GRBAC kick remains in who recently his arsenal. toe-poked “The art of the kick is a high ball to himself before now a question of, ‘How do I turning around and kicking a manipulate the trajectory? How goal, says players muck around do I manipulate the distance?’ It’s with the ball like hipsters muck more a manipulation skill, not around with a hacky sack. just a power skill,” Grbac says. “It’s just kicking it around, just
The great kickers force the receiver to go where the ball is
practising with different kicks,” he says. Hunt’s comments confirm the play versus technique argument: “I didn’t really concentrate on technique, it was more just repetition,” he says. All kickers rely on more than just their own technique. Movement around them is essential. That’s why kicking can’t be assessed in isolation. The familiarity of teammates and skill of the receiver is vital. “You could be the best kick in the League, but if you don’t have targets to kick it to in the AFL these days, you are going to have someone chasing you down, pressuring you, either tackling or forcing you to kick,” Johnson says. “If you don’t have options to kick to, that is an ineffective kick and that can make you look bad.” However, Fremantle assistant and senior development coach Simon Lloyd says players such as Matthew Pavlich use their kicks to force teammates to move to where they want them to be, so they receive the ball in the best position possible. “You don’t see many players who can do that,” Lloyd says. “The great kickers force the receiver to go where the ball is,” Grbac says. Suffice to say, the issue is a lot more complicated now than when former Swans star, raking left-footer Mark Browning, made his name as a good kick in the 1970s and 1980s. Then, the only instruction Browning followed was to kick it long, a memory that makes him laugh. Now, as a talent spotter, Browning’s greatest challenge is encouraging youngsters to have the confidence to execute the hit-up kick. “That’s the one they struggle with,” he says. Browning says identifying players who can kick is only one part of the equation. Talented kickers can take time physically and mentally to adjust to the AFL. Clubs may want better kicks but talent spotters say they still need patience with some players. Grbac describes the physical maturation as the need to gain “football legs”. Strength through the core will allow players the space to set up and execute. They
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KI ART CK O IN F G also need the strength and feel to guide the ball down to their foot. Often, better decisions come with maturity, too. “Young players seem to think they have to thread the eye of a needle with every kick,” Grbac says. A key aspect of coaching is to recognise a player’s limitations and provide instructions accordingly. Aiming for a small gradient of improvement makes it easier to entrench a skill and then develop it. However, in the quick decision-making world of the AFL, time is not a luxury kickers and kicking coaches have. Many players are drilled to take the easiest option, with improvement to follow. A positive mindset can make all the difference, too. The good kickers want the ball in their hands, whether in the intensity of a game or during the week when the spotlight is off. Geelong’s Paul Chapman is renowned for his capacity to deliver in the big moments, but you can bet it was putting himself in the uncomfortable situation time after time that made him feel strong when the moment arrived. Even his new coach Chris Scott was moved to remark on his ability, after the Cats’ round four win against the Swans. “Chapman is such a beautiful kick even from outside 50 with a wet ball,” he says. Even in the world of hyperbole that football has become, Scott’s use of the word beautiful is not misplaced. A well-executed kick is something to behold, a combination of power, timing and decision-making in the heat of battle. As the range grows and understanding deepens and players need to provide a ‘wow’ factor as pressure on them increases, the thrills for the watchers will only grow. Grbac says coaches are allowing players to express themselves with kicks and we are seeing the results. “If you want the ‘wow’ factor, you have to create an environment where you don’t place constraints or expectations on the outcome,” he says. 68
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Various kicks and the great exponents exp The hit-up p kick: k Nick Dal Santo Sa anto
Th goall The kick: k ic Liam L iia Jurrah rrrah
Th The h short, fast lo low ow kick: Jo Josh o Hunt
Th kick-in: The k-in: Josh Jo o Drummond um mmond
Th The h weighted kick: St Stephen t Hill
The dribble lee kick: Stephen Milne Milne
Th one-step The -sstep kick: Alan Didak Al A a ak
St Static t and dynamic fieeld kicking: Pa Paul a Chapman
The kick to advantage: e:: Matthew Pavlich Pa avlich
Th kick The k around ar r co corners: orners: Cyril Cy y Rioli l li
Remarkable kicks seen in 2011
5
The switch h kick: Sam Fisher err
1
Fremantle’s Stephen Hill to Chris Mayne in the last quarter in round two against Geelong. Under pressure, Hill hit Mayne on the chest with a 40m drop punt as Mayne was running at full tilt away from the ball, with Geelong defenders chasing him.
2
Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury to Dayne Beams in the third term of round two against North Melbourne. Pendlebury was in traffic running into Collingwood’s forward line and had already prepared to handball with the ball resting on his right hand. He dropped the ball anyway, using his control to kick it on the outside of his foot and altered its direction, hitting Beams in space.
3
Hawthorn’s Shaun Burgoyne’s toe-poke to himself in the last quarter in round two against Melbourne. Cyril Rioli kicked the ball in high from a centre clearance and Burgoyne used his left foot to trap the ball while holding off defender James Frawley.
4
Port Adelaide’s Daniel Motlop’s flick off the ground to Steven Salopek in the fourth quarter in round four against Adelaide. Motlop was on the boundary and, instead of picking up the ball, used his foot to flick the ball up to Salopek, received the handball back and then dribble kicked the ball through for a behind.
Gold Coast’s Danny Stanley’s mid-air kick that went through for a goal in the third quarter in round four against Melbourne. Stanley was caught behind his opponent in the forward pocket, spoiled the contest then kicked the ball out of mid-air through for a goal.
The future
» Official AFL statistician Champion Data is developing a system that will measure a player’s kicking efficiency by focusing on their hit-rate. The formula is complicated but uses a range of parameters categorised, for example, by distance (long/short) direction (forwards, lateral, backwards), intent (on lead/open/one target/contest) and pressure (set/none/implied/physical) to name just a few. Trawling through match vision, Champion Data arrives at an ‘Expected Hit-Rate’ figure for each type of kick (there are 446 different types of kicks possible from a statistical viewpoint) and the average hit-rate a player is expected to attain based on the difficulty of kicks he has attempted. The rating a player receives is the difference between the actual hit-rate and expected hit-rate. Players will therefore be able to receive an overall rating and a rating for types of kicks. A simple example shows how it works. Imagine the kick being measured is a long forward kick
Th The h torpedo: D Dustin u Fletcher to a lead in the attacking midfield under implied pressure. It has been attempted 23 times in the AFL and 10 have hit their target, so the expected hit rate is 10/23 or 43.5 per cent. If a player takes this kick once and hits the target, his hit-rate would be 100 per cent, which means 100 minus 43.5 would give him a rating of +56.5. Every kick by the player is rated in such a fashion, then divided by the number of kicks to come up with an overall rating. If his kick had missed, he would have started with a -43.5 rating. It is detailed and all the punter needs to worry about is that the end result is more sophisticated and likely to more accurately reflect the game’s best kickers than ever before.
An early indicator
» After four rounds (with the sample size still too small for Champion Data to make any conclusive assertions) some insight is being gained. Of the players who have had 10 or more shots hots at goal, Melbourne’s rn ne’s Liam Jurrah hass been the best. From his 15 shots at goal, hee has kicked 12.3. The expected hit-rate of thesee 15 15 shots is 48 per cen cent, nt, given the degreee of o difficulty. Jurrah h has hit 80 per cent, en nt, giving him a +32 rating.
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Our AFL history guru answers your queries. YOU BEAUTY: Dockers Adam McPhee
and Dylan Roberton celebrate last week’s win over the Bulldogs.
col hutchinson NAME GAME
Royals not so common
» A royal wedding takes
Freo still not top draw
My team Fremantle has never played in a draw. That makes 16 full seasons plus five games, including six finals (363 games). Is that a record for a club from inception and also a record run in the history of the competition for time between draws? BRAD COLLETT, VIA EMAIL
CH: The previous record-holder,
Collingwood, played its first drawn match at AFL level in
round nine, 1909, against Melbourne at the MCG, after 226 games. The Dockers’ sequence of “drawless” matches is exceeded by just two other clubs. Adelaide’s only draw occurred at Waverley Park against St Kilda in round 14, 1994. Since then, it has participated in 388 matches. The most notable drought of drawn contest belongs to Melbourne. Between drawn results in round 18, 1971, and round seven, 1992, it participated in 462 games.
GENUINE SENIOR FOOTBALLERS » To the best of our knowledge, there are five former Melbourne players at least 90 years of age, who still enjoy following the progress of the Demons. They are Ken Feltscheer (born June 9, 1915), Ron Baggott (born January 16, 1917), Hughie McPherson
(born August 21, 1918), Don Hewson (born October 28, 1919) and Colin Bradley (born March 2, 1921). Baggott’s career, which began in 1935, consisted of 133 matches and 308 goals. He was a member of the 1939-41 premiership teams.
place during this round, a marriage between two seemingly common names: Windsor and Middleton. Yet, in the 114-year history of the AFL/VFL, there have been just three Middletons and one Windsor. The sole Windsor – Ray – played 23 games with the Brisbane Bears (from 1990-93), while the Middletons (Archibald, St Kilda, 1897; Lloyd, Essendon, 1951; and Graham, Essendon, 1973) played just four games between them. Windsor, a name assumed by the royal family in 1917 to replace Wettin because of war-time anti-German feeling (the same reason St Kilda changed its colours to the red, yellow and black of ally Belgium during World War I), is derived from Old English words windles (a windlass or winch) and ora (a riverbank) and referred to someone who operated the device in that place. Middleton means what it looks like – “middle town” – and presumably referred to someone who lived in the middle of the village. KEVAN CARROLL
WRITE TO ANSWER MAN Do you have knowledge of these or other players who are close to 90 or older, or who reached such an age before calling it a day? Contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 or col.hutchinson@afl.com.au 70
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The Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, 3008 or email michaell@slatterymedia.com
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rick milne
Ask the expert about all your footy memorabilia. lia lia. I heard someone on radio talking about a book featuring all the football grounds around Melbourne. Details please.
RICK’S RARITY
» Nearly 100 years ago, O.T.
MARTIN, VIA EMAIL
RM: Football Grounds of
Melbourne was released in 2002 and shows photos with stories of 41 footy grounds around Melbourne. They include Victoria Park, Junction Oval and Lakeside Oval. The book is still available for $30 from Santo Caruso at Melbourne Sports Books, phone: 9662 1085. Santo, along with Marc Fiddian and Jim Main, put the book together.
In cleaning up my late father’s estate, we found a large card featuring Fred Wooller, one of his favourite players for the Cats. However, this card has Fred Wooller, Penguin, printed on it. Any ideas? LEE STEWART, BELMONT, VIC.
RM: Lee, this postcard-sized
card was released by the Hobart Mercury in Tasmania in 1965 and is part of a set of 20, featuring the captains of the local Tasmanian sides during the 1960s. Fred coached the north coast team of Penguin, hence this card. They are very elusive. A set of 20 would be very rare.
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UPDATE: UPDA ATE A card d ffeaturing t i N North’s th’
Craig Sholl had to be reprinted.
When I was at Cadbury, we produced ‘Classic Grab’ football cards in 1998 and 1999. In the first trial run for 1998, we noticed Craig Sholl was spelt incorrectly (Scholl). This was subsequently corrected, so the vast majority (about 95 per cent) of cards were sold with the correct spelling. Like stamps, would this make the value of the card significantly higher? STUART C, VIA EMAIL
RM: Yes, a bit of extra value,
Stuart. I reckon the error card is worth maybe $75. I’ve not seen it before.
As a youngster in the 1970s, I kept a scrapbook of the mighty Saints.. I cut out every reference to St Kilda a – everything from photos to gamee results. The scrapbook covers thee period 1972-76. Any value? GARRY ELLIS, VIA PHONE
RM: Unless you have real
photos of players, footy cards k or autographs, your scrapbook won’t be worth much, Garry. Maybe $100 or so.
CONTACT RICK MILNE mrpp@iprimus.com.au or drop him a line: 5 Cooraminta St, Brunswick, Vic, 3056 or call (03) 9387 4131. One query per reader.
Company made a drink that was sold at all football games of the day. They advertised, ‘In cold weather, add a dash of O.T.’ What they didn’t say was the product was rum-based. No wonder it was so popular on a freezing Melbourne Saturday. With each bottle of the product, you would be given one of these peculiar hat-shaped team colour cards. Today, they are eye-wateringly rare. Easily $500 apiece. For more information, go to guruofgarbage.com.au.
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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Official AFL Colouring Books out now Great Players, Great Marks and Great Skills make up the new three-part series of AFL activity colouring books. Every AFL team is covered, as well as a selection of superstar players, including Dale Thomas, Jonathan Brown, Nick Riewoldt, Chris Judd, Lance Franklin and Jack Riewoldt. Next to each colouring outline is a matching full colour photograph, along with statistics and information on the featured player.
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Take the time to colour in Nathan van Berlo
G t Players, Great Pl G Great Marks and Great Skills are a must-have for every junior footy fan.
THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: White on fence in background removed; yellow on Bomber Kyle Hardingham’s boot changed to green; Hardingham has an extra red stripe on his right sock; tattoo on Magpie Dane Swan’s arm coloured green; little fi nger removed on Swan’s right hand.
Scrambled Sc S crra am mb blleed Footballer: Fo F oot otb ba all ller er: Cryptic Cr C ryyp pti tiicc Footballers: Fo F oo ottb ba alllleerrss:: BI B IG MOUTH: MO M OU UT TH H:: BIG 74 AFL L RECORD R EC RECO RE CO COR ORD OR RD visit viis vvis isit it afl afl flrec record.com.au rree ord.com.au
Advice from Mr Fantasy, the AFL Record’s resident Dream Team expert.
afl dream team 2011
Mr Fantasy ponders whether his future child will possess a special talent, even at Dream Team.
N
ot long ago, I found out I was going to be a dad. Undoubtedly, the overriding feeling upon hearing the news was one of joy, but – seeing I still have a lot of growing up to do – I had to ask myself how I would go as a father. Then, the questions started floating around in my head: will my child like football as much as I do? Will they barrack for the same team as I do? Will they be any good at Dream Team? Friends say I’m talking crazy, but it’s nothing compared to the frequent insane talk I hear from some parents.
ABOVE AVERAGE TALENT:
Young Tiger star Dustin Martin managed 141 Dream Team points last week.
» I hope you learn from some of your trades as a Dream Team coach and don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater, Mr Fantasy. Seriously, though, Dustin’s effort was magnificent, but North’s Drew Petrie bettered it, knocking up 143 points. It was timely, too, because I was close to giving him the chop. Or, in parent speak, sending him to boarding school.
If Dustin Martin’s parents said their child was gifted, I’d take notice The other day, a woman waiting for a coffee told the barista that her three-year-old was amazingly gifted for its age. You hear this kind of stuff so often you wonder where all the normal kids have gone. How gifted was that child? Did it know the difference between right and wrong, that it shouldn’t throw things out of its cot? Did it – unlike its mum – realise people don’t need to hear about how special it is? I’ve promised myself I’ll never be that kind of parent. In fact, I hope my kid is not gifted. An average kid would do me fine. A dad-in-waiting is not immune from this type of lunacy while bub is growing
HEAD-TO-HEAD MR FANTASY ANTASY Y (2016) v DR DREAM REAM TEAM TE EAM (1981)
inside mum’s tummy, either. “If you have itchy feet, you must be having a boy,” said the woman at the cash register at our local chicken shop. “The shape of your belly means you’re having a girl,” said another interested observer to the mother-to-be just days later. Where do these people come from? When did they get the time – during cutting chickens into quarters or selling moisturiser at a chemist – to complete their PhD in obstetrics?
I wish there were about 10 different genders to guess from, and then we’d see how skilful those who like to guess really are. Now, if Dustin Martin’s parents said their child was gifted (he scored 141 against North Melbourne on Easter Sunday), I’d sit up and take notice. But observations about a toddler yet to form any words? Give it a rest. To play the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition, go to afl.com.au/dreamteam
» With h a midfield e featuring three of the high highest hest scorerss of the round ro ound in Matthew thew Boy Boyd, yd, Scott Pendlebury Pendleburry and Leigh eigh Montagna agna (as captain), n), Mr Fantasy sy was able to o scrape ahead of Dr Dream m Team this week. eek. Cyril Rioli’s hamstrin hamstring ng injury ended any hopes opes the Doctorr had of surpassing ssing the 2000-point point barrier. barrrier.
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Gold Coast victory a case of ‘serendipity’
ONE DOWN: Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett in action during last week’s historic win.
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fter Gold Coast was flogged at the Gabba by Carlton in its inaugural home and away game by a whopping 119 points, many pundits turned nasty, predicting a long period of doom and gloom ahead for the club. A rare voice I heard shedding some light was sports mathematician and fellow football analyst, Darren O’Shaughnessy. He noted history showed clubs entering a competition not only had a surprising record of first-up wins, but, even if initially downtrodden, had a habit of turning around quickly and biting the doomsayers in the backside. As a cautionary tale for the negative pundits, he cited new rugby union franchise, the Melbourne Rebels, scoring only three points in their first game, while allowing their rampant opponents to score 53. Then, despite expectations they’d again struggle, they rebounded the next week by scoring 42 in an upset win. Another example he cited was when Port Adelaide joined the AFL in 1997. The Power lost heavily to Collingwood (by 79 points) in their first game, followed by a 33-point second-round loss to Essendon. Then, in round three, Port jolted a strong Geelong team at AAMI Stadium (then Football Park) to win by 39 points. In many ways, last Saturday’s three-point win by Gold Coast over Port at AAMI Stadium was unbelievable and it reconfirmed the faith of football romantics. 78
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But, as O’Shaughnessy had predicted – at least from an analytical perspective – there was good reason to say the victory was not unexpected. The first lesson might be ‘beware the scoreboard’. Often, too much is read into scoreboard thumpings. In the bigger picture, football features a fabulous random scoring system that fosters big swings either way, even within short time frames. The average winning margin is around six-seven goals and blowouts of 10 goals or more occur more often than generally perceived. Ultimately, to achieve success, what matters in such a dynamic game environment is having a talent base and the right structures underneath. Significant resources have been invested to ensure Gold Coast has both. It is a fledging team, but not hopeless. This is not to say its success is assured, but at least it can
muster the occasional bite to keep opponents and doubters on their toes. Port Adelaide was the first to suffer the price. Although the Power are rated a better team in most categories, even before the game, the Suns measured up reasonably well on several important counts. After four rounds, both teams were close to even in clearances and tackles (compared to their respective opponents) and Port ranked 15th for inside-50 entries. The Suns were 16th. Before the Easter-Anzac Day round, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast, along with the Brisbane Lions, Richmond and North Melbourne, had percentages below 70. Once a team drops below this threshold, I would argue it is in a state of disequilibrium. In other words, while any team in this territory is likely on a losing streak (or at least losing more than it is winning),
Often, too much is read into scoreboard thumpings
sometimes from the disorder something clicks, unlocking powerful forces. When two teams are in disequilibrium and opposed to each other – as was the case at AAMI Stadium – anything is possible. Before the game and for most of it, I didn’t have a clue which team would win, but I did anticipate anything could happen. In my new book, The Stats Revolution, I refer to this phenomena being founded on the principles of ‘serendipity’. In football terms, it means more than just ‘unusually good luck’. Football abounds with constant random events and chances. Most often, the winner is the team that makes the most of its chances. In sport generally, it is skilled alertness to the unexpected that can distinguish the elite performer from the novice. In the AFL, there is no room for novices. If you are not quite there as a player or team, you face a steep learning curve. Gold Coast reminds me of a new-age college team mainly comprising dedicated graduate and post-graduate students guided by a handful of masters. But on its day, like an enterprising terrier, it can run and sometimes trouble even the best. TED HOPKINS IS A CARLTON PREMIERSHIP PLAYER AND FOUNDER OF CHAMPION DATA. HIS BOOK THE STATS REVOLUTION (SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP) WILL BE RELEASED MAY 1. CAN YOU HELP IDENTIFY O ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO APPEAR ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK WITH TED HOPKINS? EMAIL A COM PETERD@SLATTERYMEDIA.COM
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