AFL Record, Round 8 2009

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AFL GAME

How it started

A re-creation of how the game’s first rules were written

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Michael Rischitelli A young Lion making his mark

ROUND 8, 2009 MAY 15-17 $4 (INC. GST)

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M A J O R PA R T N E R

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ROUND 8, MAY 15-17, 2009 F E AT U R E S

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Michael Rischitelli

A young Lion steps up to the mark.

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St Kilda’s surge

The Saints are mounting a serious challenge.

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In the beginning

It’s 150 years since the first rules were written.

REGULARS

4

Backchat

Have your say about the football world.

7

The Bounce

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

25

Matchday

Stats, history and line-ups.

53

Dream Team

Advice from Mr Fantasy, our Dream Team expert.

68 72 76 78

Answer Man Testing your knowledge NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

Why the Cats continue to set the standard.

ON THE WAY: Michael Rischitelli was once a devoted fan of the Bombers but now he’s flying high in Brisbane.

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THIS WEEK’S COVER St Kilda’s start to the 2009 season is in stark contrast to its form this time last year.

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

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feedback

backchat HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE FOOTBALL OTBALL WORLD

A Tiger’s tale I just wish to pass on my congratulations to Rhett Bartlett on a wonderful article in the AFL Record (round seven, ‘Tiger still haunted by the Windy Hill brawl’). What a terrific way with words.

Stephen Parsons in the article seemed very much at ease when you consider the lengths he went to previously not to do any interviews.

JANICE, VIA EMAIL

Flying the flag I recently attended a Fremantle game and found myself sitting among a group of supporters. As a non-Fremantle supporter, I was quite surprised at how passionate they were about their club – a point that was reinforced a number of times during the last quarter.

Let’s hope for their sake that, as the only club without a flag, they do not have to wait too much longer until they enjoy a premiership.

TIM BORTEN, MONTEREY KEYS, QLD, VIA EMAIL

Monday a must Critics of the Monday night match between Collingwood and St Kilda should note that similar reservations were made in the United States when ABC decided in 1970 to go live every Monday

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

night with an NFL game. It became a ratings bonanza for the network, a television institution and lifted the profile of an already great game. I say, give it a go.

A RIVETING READ: Former Richmond player Stephen Parsons broke his 35-year silence on the infamous 1974 Windy Hill brawl that changed his life in an interview with Rhett Bartlett in the AFL Record last week.

STEPHEN, BRIGHTON BEACH, VIC, VIA EMAIL HAVE YOUR SAY

A golden moment The AFL must allow the Gold Coast to play its first game at its home ground.

The redevelopment must be completed in time. The fans have a right to see their team’s first game.

FRANCIS JAMES, VIA EMAIL Editor’s note: see story on page 15

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

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

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

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

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

EDITOR’S LET TER

Jumping to conclusions A characteristic of the modern game is the way isolated events, including the result of one match, can suddenly be transformed into a ‘major’ media story accompanied by dramatic headlines.

Take the case of Fremantle, specifically its form in the first four rounds. Granted, the Dockers’ efforts in losing to the Western Bulldogs, Essendon, Adelaide and St Kilda were generally poor, but nothing to warrant the type of hysteria that accompanied their slow start, especially considering their efforts to overhaul an ageing list with the introduction of several young players.

Not surprisingly, three straight wins – against the Sydney Swans, West Coast and Carlton – has seen the hysterical discussion about the club diminish.

Fremantle starts round eight hosting reigning premier Hawthorn in a nationally televised match.

The Dockers sit 14th, but are only percentage out of seventh place.

A win over the Hawks at home – inconceivable only weeks ago but not impossible considering Fremantle’s recent good form and Hawthorn’s struggles to get its best team together – would not necessarily be a massive upset. What might the headlines be in that case?

PETER DI SISTO

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

P: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 98, ROUND 8, 2009 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211.

ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109

4 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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FLYING HIGH:

Young Bombers Tom Bellchambers (left) and Cale Hooker celebrate last Friday’s win.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Replacing stars easier than first thought Essendon’s 44-point win over Hawthorn last week reinforced that the Bombers are on track for a new generation.

I

n the 286 games Essendon has played since the start of the 1997 season, only 24 times have two or more of the Bombers’ star keyposition trio of Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas and Dustin Fletcher failed to take the field.

One of those occasions was last Friday night’s game against Hawthorn, when Lucas’ demotion to the VFL and Fletcher’s broken leg meant Lloyd had the unfamiliar feeling of running out without either of his 2000 premiership teammates by his side.

As exciting as the Bombers’ emerging batch of young talent has been recently, one question has loomed large – how do they replace players as valuable as Lloyd, Lucas and Fletcher?

After all, we’re talking about the Bombers’ full-forward, centre half-forward and best tall defender, the key-position planks around which the team has been built for the past 13 seasons.

In the games when two or more of the trio have been sidelined since 1997, the Bombers have won only 33 per cent of the time,

compared to their overall winning rate of 54.5 per cent in the same period.

But after running Hawthorn off its feet in the 44-point victory last week, Lloyd is optimistic the new group of key-position players will be ready when eventually called on to replace Lucas, Fletcher and himself permanently.

Praising the “great jobs” of defenders Tayte Pears, 19, and Cale Hooker, 20 – Pears kept Jarryd Roughead to two goals and, while Lance Franklin kicked five goals, Hooker held him to one mark and picked up

NICK BOWEN

21 possessions himself – Lloyd says the next generation of key backs looks promising.

“Along with Pears and Hooker, we’ve got (Michael) Hurley and (Darcy) Daniher who are playing in the VFL, so we’ve got four key backs who we’re working on,” he says.

Turning his gaze to his own domain, the forward line, Lloyd is similarly positive.

Although adamant Lucas, who kicked four goals for the Bendigo Bombers against North Ballarat last Sunday, is far from a spent force, Lloyd CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

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thebounce

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

says he was impressed with 21-year-old Jay Neagle’s game against Hawthorn.

With Lloyd starring as a roaming forward with 19 possessions and three goals, Neagle was able to work from his “best position” in the goal square, presenting strongly and kicking two important goals.

“He did a job for us,” Lloyd says. “Our forward line functioned really well.

“Obviously, Neagle and (injured forward Scott) Gumbleton will be there for the future at the key forward posts.

So the club looks in good stead.”

Lloyd is also buoyed by the development of ruckman Tom Bellchambers, 19, who played his first game of the year against Hawthorn. “He only got 25-30 minutes of game time but his impact was fantastic.”

As bullish as he is about the young talent, the Bomber skipper says the timing of when the veteran trio move aside will be important.

Lloyd expects they will weigh up their futures at the end of the season, taking into account not only their own form and desire to go on, but the development of their young protégés. “(As a team) you’ve just got to balance it out because you can’t afford to be too young when you lose players all at the one time,” Lloyd says.

“There were a lot of positive signs against the Hawks. To beat a side we haven’t beaten for four years is a fantastic effort.

“But obviously we’ve got to back it up like Hawthorn have done and Geelong and St Kilda are doing at the moment.”

The retirements of Lloyd, Lucas and Fletcher will be sad days for Bomber fans.

Collectively, they have played more than 800 games, won three best and fairests and earned seven All-Australian selections.

But when those days come, fans can at least console themselves that the side’s next generation seems ready.

Whether they can match their feats will be another thing entirely.

NEWS TRACKER

ON THE REBOUND

Bulldogs find their bark NICK BOW EN

D

espite three consecutive losses heading into round seven, the Western Bulldogs refused to panic, confident that once their execution matched their endeavour they would return to the winners’ list.

And so it proved against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

After leading by one point at half-time, the Dogs broke the game open with an eight-goal-toone third quarter, in which they again looked like the team that went close to beating Geelong in a preliminary final last year.

Where they had been error-ridden and lacked run from rounds 4-6, they rediscovered their free-flowing game and precise disposal against the Crows.

Assistant coach Peter Dean said the club’s faith in its game-plan and players was an important part of its turnaround.

“It’s a pretty major thing for an AFL team to try and change its game-plan drastically a third of the way through a season,” Dean said.

“We were always confident in the ability of our players and, as coaches, we just needed to tweak things a bit.

ALL CLASS:

Robert Murphy is now back fit and firing.

“It’s important to have a couple of different game-plans that you can tweak on any given day or adjust to a certain team, and ‘Rocket’ (coach Rodney Eade) has got the ability and the flexibility to do that.”

In the wake of the club’s round four loss to West Coast at Subiaco, Dean said the coaching staff identified the players had not been doing enough skills work at a high intensity.

He also said the injury interrupted starts to key players including Adam Cooney and Robert Murphy had been a factor in the Bulldogs’ patchy form.

Dean acknowledged players’ confidence could be affected during a lean run but hoped the stunning third quarter against the Crows would have erased any self-doubts.

“There are no tricks to finding your confidence,” Dean said.

“But sometimes it might take just one incident, one quarter or one game to turn things around and, bang, you’re away.”

SKILLS

Ryder climbs high Essendon’s Patrick Ryder flew high over Hawthorn captain Sam Mitchell at Docklands last Friday to take one of the best marks of the year. Here, he explains how he did it: I just ran out wide to provide the option up the line and ‘Stants’ (Brent Stanton) ended up giving it enough air-time for me to get there. I saw Mitchell underneath me and thought, ‘I’ll try and jump on him here’, and ended up getting up there.

I didn’t worry about what was around me. I was just going for the ball. I suppose if Mitchell had gone straight to ground then I probably would have missed the mark, so it was a good thing he was under there.

While I’m up there, I’m just focusing on taking the mark out in front and watching the ball

into my hands. There is a splitsecond where, when you jump and someone is underneath you, you get that extra lift and you definitely feel the hang-time.

Our coaches are always telling players like myself to launch at the ball at every opportunity, to take the mark if I can or bring it to ground. It’s a key to the way we play.

At training, whenever they get the bag out and boot the ball up for ‘speccies’, I don’t go anywhere near it. I find that if I do it too much I’ll fall over or land on my head, so I just leave them for the game.

C A L LU M T WOMEY

Collingwood pair Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas sign contract extensions with the club.

8 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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NEW ROLE:

Chris Tarrant makes a big defensive punch against the Blues.

RENAISSANCE

New goals for Tarrant

He (Fevola) just couldn’t get off the leash. Tarrant did a great job and really subdued him CARLTON COACH BRETT RATTEN

BEN COL LINS

C

he scrounged just one goal in the last three quarters.

That’s seven quarters for two goals against one of the most dangerous forward in the game.

In between, Tarrant – the formerly hot-and-cold forward who has resurrected his career as a defender – has produced several other impressive efforts on a variety of stars. A fortnight ago, the 28-year-old blanketed

Eagles goalsneak Mark LeCras. He has also performed admirably on the likes of Brad Johnson, Nick Riewoldt and Adam Goodes.

Contrary to popular opinion, Dockers assistant coach Chris Scott revealed Tarrant’s move to defence was not borne of frustration (“We were actually quite pleased with Chris as a forward in the pre-season,” he

said), but a need for greater flexibility on their list.

Significantly, though, he added that such a role was generally more conducive to consistent performance because it demanded total concentration.

“Chris has height, strength, genuine pace and he’s aerobically very good, which allows us to play him on all sorts of forwards, but his mental application has been the most impressive,” Scott said.

“He has exceeded our expectations. Some of the things he learnt as a forward are holding him in good stead as a defender.”

And it might be a case of give and take: that Tarrant might also learn a few new tricks from his opponents that will make him a new and improved forward when he returns to more familiar territory.

PHOTOS: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS

hris Tarrant probably didn’t receive the credit he deserved for keeping Brendan Fevola to just three kicks and one goal last week – an effort that was pivotal to Fremantle’s upset win over Carlton at Carrara.

Injury restricted the Blues spearhead, they said, when it was actually Tarrant who did the restricting, and constricting.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten admitted as much after the game: “I didn’t think he (Fevola) was hampered. He just couldn’t get off the leash. Tarrant did a great job and really subdued him.”

It was the second time the reborn Tarrant had beaten Fevola pointless inside two months. In a pre-season hit-out at Bunbury, Fevola booted three first-quarter goals before Tarrant moved on to him, and

NEWS TRACKER

AFL officials meet with North American sports leagues to discuss free agency and related issues.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 9

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thebounce

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A N A LY S I S

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

The turbo years The Godfather has witnessed enough footy to last a thousand years, and is still bewildered.

He is forever being asked, “Who will win the premiership?”

The Godfather would suggest those who ask consider the phenomenon of ‘the turbo years’.

It can help explain why Geelong has been so dominant since 2007, why Hawthorn was such a formidable challenger in 2008 and why St Kilda is looking so terribly hot in 2009.

The turbo years theory can be used when considering the special talent a team has in the 21-26 age bracket. By 21, elite players generally have gained enough games under their belts to be seasoned campaigners.

Beyond 26, as a general rule, players’ development tends to plateau. Generally, there is plenty of upside for players in this bracket.

If a team has a super crop of players in the turbo years bracket, the rest of the team tends to fall into place, and dominance is a possibility.

Consider the celebrated turbo years players Geelong had in its 2007 premiership season: Gary Ablett and Andrew Mackie (both 22), Jimmy Bartel and Steve Johnson (23), Paul Chapman, Joel Corey and Corey Enright (25) and Cameron Ling (26).

In the Hawks’ 2008 premiership season, they were able to draw on a decent bunch of turbo players worthy of challenging a rampant Geelong: Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis (21), Campbell Brown and Luke Hodge (23), Brad Sewell (24) and Sam Mitchell and Mark Williams (25).

This season, St Kilda is benefi ting from a group of

NEWS TRACKER

special turbo years players: Brendon Goddard (24 this month), Luke Ball and Jason Gram (24), Nick Dal Santo, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna and Clinton Jones (25) and Sam Fisher and Justin Koschitzke (26).

Playing alongside these in-form and peaking turbo years players, even an ancient Godfather reckons he could still get the occasional kick.

A WELLSY FLOWER The Godfather is stoked. In round seven he had the pleasure of watching North Melbourne’s Daniel Wells play a wing and flanker’s game reminding him of the legendary Melbourne winger Robbie Flower and North’s dual Brownlow medallist Keith Greig.

Until watching ‘Wellsy’ in action, the Godfather assumed modern-day coaches and players had killed the winger.

In a classic display, he accomplished one of football’s most daunting tasks – running rings around Port Adelaide’s super-stopper Kane Cornes – and was instrumental in setting up North’s win. Wells had nine score involvements contributing to 36 per cent of his team’s scores, the best mark for North players in the game.

LEADING SCORE INVOLVEMENTS Round seven Player

Club No.

M. LeCras S. Johnson N. Jones B. Moloney J. Moore

WCE Geel Melb Melb Syd

17 17 9 8 7

% club’s scoring 57 55 53 47 47

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

FINALLY: North Melbourne players celebrate their win.

THE MOMENT

It all adds up NICK BOW EN

N

orth Melbourne fans would have felt safe to claim victory against Port Adelaide last Saturday, when three consecutive majors put their side five goals up at the 26-minute mark. Even when Port rallied with four goals in four minutes to leave it just a goal down with 34 minutes on the clock, Roo supporters knew the siren would save them.

It did. But not before Port forward (and former Roo) Daniel Motlop had the chance to level the scores – a shot he pulled across the face of goal for a behind.

And not before the time clock had ticked over to 37 minutes and 19 seconds – the quarter having included a remarkable 17 minutes and 19 seconds of time-on.

In those frantic final minutes, fans looked around at each other in disbelief, all seemingly unable to remember a quarter running so long. And with good reason.

Since Champion Data started keeping statistics of quarter durations in 2004, it is the longest final term on record.

After reviewing the quarter this week, AFL umpires welfare and development manager Michael Aylen said the main reasons for its extraordinary length were the teams’ high scoring – 11 goals were kicked

– and a heavy concentration of players around the ball that forced 18 field bounces.

Aylen said after each of the quarter’s 11 goals, an average 46 seconds elapsed before the umpires bounced the ball to re-start the game, meaning the time-on added for centre bounces alone was eight minutes and 36 seconds.

He said an additional three minutes and 35 seconds of timeon was added because of the field bounces, with each taking an average of 12 seconds from the time the umpire blew his whistle, ran to the contest and got the ball off the player.

Aylen said the additional time-on was added because of the quarter’s six behinds (one minute and 43 seconds at an average of 17 seconds, including a 25-second stoppage for a 50-metre penalty against the Port runner); 11 boundary throw-ins (two minutes and nine seconds at an average of 12 seconds); two 50-metre penalties (46 seconds); and general play, including a delay when North’s Lindsay Thomas composed himself after a mark in the goal square (30 seconds).

Longest quarters since 2004 FIRST: 38:10, round 12, 2006 (Brisbane v Western Bulldogs, Gabba) SECOND: 36:46, round 18, 2005 (Western Bulldogs v Brisbane, Docklands) THIRD: 38:58, round 18, 2005 (Melbourne v St Kilda, MCG) FINAL: 37:19, round seven, 2009 (North Melbourne v Port Adelaide, Docklands)

Annette Campbell, mother of Hawthorn’s Robert, named AFL mother of the year.

10 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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THINGS WE LOVED FROM L A S T ROUND

A celebration of class and courage RIOLI MAGIC

COURAGE AT THE ’G

With one sublime act comprising several parts, Cyril Rioli last week reinforced the value of small forwards who are as adept at applying defensive pressure as they are piling on the pain with their offensive talents.

On a disappointing night for Hawthorn, Rioli – his team’s best player with 22 touches, eight marks and six tackles – provided one of the few highlights for Hawks fans.

Just before half-time, with Hawthorn trailing Essendon by 10 points, Rioli kept the Hawks in touch with an act of genius.

Bomber Bachar Houli ran the ball seemingly untroubled to his side’s defensive 50 when Rioli appeared out of nowhere and smothered his handball.

The Hawthorn prodigy then gathered the ball, ducked out of an attempted tackle by Henry Slattery and left Houli and Cale Hooker sprawling on the ground in his wake. He dished off to Chance Bateman then received the ball back while in full stride and kicked truly from 40 metres.

It was brilliant play, and similar to Collingwood counterpart Leon Davis’ 2008 Goal of the Year.

Rioli had found space where there was none. Created something from nothing. But one suspects he believed the opportunity was always there – we just didn’t see it.

And this from a 19-year-old (he’s 20 in July) with just 32 games to his name.

We agree with Channel Seven commentator Bruce McAvaney – Rioli is a “delicious” player.

We love our footy hard, tough and uncompromising – the kind that makes us simultaneously shudder and shout with approval.

Injuries aside, the heavy collision between Richmond youngster Alex Rance and Brisbane Lion Troy Selwood provided another reminder of the enormous courage and commitment demanded of AFL players.

We all know how tough the cement-boned Selwoods are, so the Lion midfielder’s effort was no surprise, but it was inspiring to see a teenager like Rance attack the ball with such ferocity and without hesitation. It gave Tigers fans something to be genuinely proud of.

THE ‘STEVIE J’ SHOW Is there anything Steve Johnson can’t do?

In a team of champions, the Geelong freak outshone them all against the Swans to produce what some of his teammates suggested was the best half by a Geelong player in their time at the club.

Big call considering the recent heroics of Gary Ablett.

At one stage, Johnson had contributed 4.3 of the Cats’ 4.5, including three consecutive majors in the space of four-and-a-half minutes early in the second term.

And then, after the Swans had kicked three goals in a row in the GENIUS: Cyril Rioli’s sublime skills were

on show in his goal against Essendon.

FREAKISH: Steve Johnson was in class of his own against the Swans at Skilled Stadium.

third quarter, Johnson intervened again, delivering a beautifully weighted pass for a Mathew Stokes goal, when he would have been well within his rights, and his considerable skill set, to have a ping at goal himself.

Aren’t we all glad the penny finally dropped for this gifted player after a club-imposed suspension at the start of 2007?

DEE-TERMINATION Melbourne might be back on the bottom of the AFL ladder but it showed impressive pluck in its narrow loss to the Eagles at Subiaco Oval. The contributions of youngsters Cale Morton, Jamie Bennell and Jack Grimes were particularly heartening.

BEN COL LINS

12 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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20/4/09,

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AM

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

I N C A S E YO U M I S S E D I T

POT OF GOLD: An artist’s impression

E X PA N S I O N

Stadium, club to unite Gold Coast

of the soon-to-be upgraded Gold Coast Stadium.

Monday on their mind With Collingwood and St Kilda drawing a crowd of 46,880 at Docklands and strong television ratings in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, the Herald Sun debated the merits of Monday night g football. o a

A NDR EW WA L L ACE

T

he funding “jigsaw” has finally come together – now Gold Coast Stadium as we know it will be torn apart.

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou lauded the announcement of $36 million in Federal Government funding for the redevelopment of the new Gold Coast Football Club’s home ground at Carrara.

With the project also including $60 million from the Queensland Government, $20 million from the Gold Coast City Council and $10 million from the AFL, construction is set to begin almost immediately after the third and final AFL game at the ground between Richmond and Adelaide on July 4.

It will be a major renovation – the only existing structures left standing will be the light towers.

The club’s chief operating officer Scott Munn has been at the forefront of the AFL’s Gold Coast planning for the past 14 months.

Munn is hopeful the upgraded ground will be ready to host

thebounce

the Gold Coast’s first AFL home game in the early rounds of 2011, with the fledgling club set to progress from the TAC Cup this year to either the Victorian Football League or the Queensland Australian Football League in 2010.

“It will be a boutique 25,000-seat stadium, but will be built so that it is expandable right out to 40,000 or 45,000 and can host other events like World Cup soccer or the Commonwealth Games,” Munn says.

Echoing the sentiments of Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff, Munn feels the stadium and the club will help strengthen the local community.

“It is the fastest-growing city in Australia and the infrastructure simply isn’t there to support this growth,” Munn says.

“The redeveloped stadium is something that offers that infrastructure, and the town can rally around the team.

“It’s all about giving the locals the chance to come and consume AFL with a club of their own to barrack for.”

Munn’s tenure in south-east Queensland has opened his eyes to the unique characteristics of the landscape.

“One of the great things about the Gold Coast is how young it is compared to other areas,” he says.

“Almost everyone’s wearing a pair of board shorts and a T-shirt, and everyone is equal.

“They don’t care much for the tradition and history of why something exists, they just want to live in the now, so it’s a really unique place.”

IIn an interview i t i with ith Fremantle’s Paul Hasleby, West Australian journalist Shayne Hope revealed how a leadership meeting helped turn the Dockers’ season around, from a 0-4 opening to wins in their past three games.

Patrick Smith, in his column in The Australian, urged both Richmond and coach Terry Wallace to remain steadfast in light of the Tigers’ poor start to 2009.

Speaking on Foxtel’s footy talk show On the Couch, AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou revealed the League is looking at moving the round 14 match between St Kilda and Geelong from Docklands to the MCG.

PREPARE FOR EVERY GAME.

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

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 15

AR08 p07-20 Bounce.indd 15

13/5/09 5:03:21 PM

thebounce

VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE L E AG U E L E A D E R S

Gaining ground Disposals directed sideways and backwards can be meaningless in the modern game, but those who can actually gain metres with runand-carry football are invaluable. These are the best in the business.

JOEL BOWDEN (Richmond) Has been playing the ‘quarterback’ role in Richmond’s back half, topping the AFL for metres gained.

1 ON SITE: St Kilda’s Jason Blake, Mark Bolton and MP Richard Wynne.

COMMUNITY

A kick along for homeless NICK BOW EN

Y

outh homelessness organisation Ladder this week launched Ladder Hoddle Street, a housing development in inner Melbourne that will offer accommodation for people aged between 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Ladder, a partnership between the AFL Foundation and the AFL Players’ Association, has undertaken the project in conjunction with the State Government, Yarra Community Housing and the Melbourne Citymission. The three-storey complex, which is expected to open in the middle of the year, includes 21 self-contained units, a communal kitchen and a common room with an adjoining outdoor area.

Ladder general manager and former Essendon player Mark Bolton says tenants at the complex – the first step in a planned national project that will give Ladder a presence in each state – would be housed for between six months and two years. In addition to having access to two full-time social workers and life-skills programs, the majority of the tenants will take part in a mentoring

program involving AFL players and elite female athletes.

“It a very exciting project and the result of more than two years’ hard work by a lot of people,” Bolton says.

“The AFL players we’ve spoken too are really interested in being involved in the mentoring program, which is a real boost because we think they can play an important part in helping these people get their lives back on track.”

St Kilda’s Jason Blake is one of the players who will take part in the program. “We’re aware of the privileged position we’re in and more than ever we want to get involved in the community and give back,” he says.

Victorian Housing Minister and Richmond MP Richard Wynne says: “This project is going to make a real difference in the lives of young vulnerable people. “It’s a groundbreaking example of what you can do in partnership and we acknowledge the leadership of the AFL to drive this partnership with us.”

Bolton says Ladder is seeking support for the project through donations or from businesses that can offer work experience to the tenants.

The Victorian Government and Yarra Community Housing have contributed $4.5 million and $1.4 million respectively to the project. In partnership with the South Australian and Federal governments, Ladder has bought a second building, in Port Adelaide, that it plans to open next year.

Disposals 191

LEIGH MONTAGNA (St Kilda) Last Monday’s 38-disposal effort was a career-best for the Saint, including four inside-50s and five bounces.

Disposals 179

Total metres 3893

3

JOSH DRUMMOND (Brisbane Lions) Injuries behind him, he averages the most metres gained per possession, thanks to his booming left foot.

Disposals 140

Total metres 3883

Total metres 3810

Average 24.3

LINDSAY GILBEE (Western Bulldogs) The man many regard as the best field kick in the AFL is proficient at slicing teams up from half-back.

5

Disposals 157

Total metres 3778

PAUL CHAPMAN (Geelong) Improved fitness and a move to the midfield have allowed Chapman to rack up more than 200 disposals.

Disposals 204

Total metres 3651

7

Average 24.1

6

Average 17.9

RHYCE SHAW (Sydney Swans) A change of clubs has brought freedom to Shaw’s game. Providing outstanding run from defence.

Disposals 156

AARON DAVEY (Melbourne) No longer just a dangerous, hardtackling small forward, Davey is using his skill and flair further up the field.

Disposals 174

Average 27.7

4

JASON GRAM (St Kilda) Like Montagna, is not afraid to stream forward and thump the ball long into his team’s forward 50.

Disposals 157

Average 21.5

2

Average 21.7

Total metres 3506

Average 20.1

STATISTICS COURTESY CHAMPION DATA

NEWS TRACKER

Total metres 4111

Total metres 3555

Average 22.8

8

A NDR EW WA L L ACE

Captain Brent Harvey and ruckman David Hale sign contact extensions with North Melbourne.

16 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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DOROTHY KIX

ADVICE ON FOOTBALL ETIQUETTE AND CULTURE FROM THE AFL RECORD’S RESIDENT SAGE.

A sore point Dear Dorothy KIX, I find it curious that clubs and commentators keep insisting that injuries can never be used as an excuse for poor performances when, in fact, any team with a handful of injuries must surely be impacted, especially when missing important players.

Can you please explain this?

I WANT EXCUSES, SHEPPARTON, VIC. Most everyone in football knows injuries ought never be cited as an excuse for a perceived terrible effort or a sustained run of bad form.

It’s one of those old-school football maxims that appears to defy logic, especially in a competition where the talent is generally spread so evenly across the 16 clubs.

Consider what happens to a workplace when, say, 25 per cent of the most important workers fall ill and are laid up at home, but activity must proceed regardless.

It’s generally chaotic.

Collingwood and Hawthorn are but two of the clubs that could rightfully play the injury card right now – both

UNFAMILIAR ROLE: Injuries to key

defenders has forced the Hawks to play ruckman Robert Campbell at full-back.

went into their respective round seven matches missing important players and, as far as we know, having to use players already carrying injuries.

Both were comprehensively beaten, although the Hawks’ loss to the Bombers was significantly more startling than the Pies’ loss to the Saints.

However, neither club would even dare contemplate citing the loss of players to injury as a genuine excuse. It’s just not the done thing.

Publicly at least, clubs would rather point to the opportunity

injuries provide to other players (“We went out there with 22 fit men!”), appearing to welcome the test of their depth when, in fact, behind closed doors, they ponder worst-case scenarios, knowing how powerless even two or three injuries can render them. (When a club has a rash of injuries, especially to key players, they tend to improvise, moving others to roles they’re not quite familiar with. In recent weeks for example, Hawthorn has had to use its best ruckman Robert Campbell at full-back against faster and more mobile forwards. This generally has a domino effect, and often can lead to strange results not even the best of tipsters could have anticipated).

The football culture also demands fans not cite injury as an excuse – but what else can they point to? Surely not the clichéd line used by some in the mainstream media when trying to explain perceived poor form: “They just don’t have the hunger.”

How would they know?

Catching my eye Regular readers would be familiar with my quasiobsession with footwear.

Although predominantly white boots (and those in even more ostentatious colours) are beginning to dominate, there appears to be more black boots being worn this year.

Interestingly, Essendon’s Matthew Lloyd wore one black and one white boot for part of last week’s game against Hawthorn. A fashion statement? Not quite. Those in the know suggest the boot on his left foot gives him better ‘feel’ for the ball when kicking. This is becoming a little fashionable, with Port Adelaide’s do-everything man Chad Cornes also seen wearing non-matching boots recently.

ODD BOOTS:

Matthew Lloyd.

HAVE YOUR SAY dorothykix@slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Vic, 3008

FEEL EVERY BUMP.

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

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 17

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13/5/09 5:04:36 PM

thebounce

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

MILES TONES – ROUND 8

150 games

C O M PA R I S O N S

Years apart but plenty in common

Their playing careers started 20 years apart, but there are more than a few similarities between former Carlton star 100 games Peter Bosustow and Port Adelaide’s Daniel Motlop.

Matt Maguire St Kilda Consider the things they have in common – position (medium forward), height (185cm), playing style (capable of freakish feats 100 club games in the air and on the ground) Scott Thompson and jumper number (4).

Adelaide Bosustow thrilled Carlton fans from the time he made his electrifying debut in the Blues’ 50 games 62-point demolition of reigning Sam Butler premier Richmond in round West Coast Eagles one, 1981.

A high-yer capable of kicking miraculous goals, Bosustow won both goal and mark of the year and was Carlton’s leading goalkicker (59) that season.

Known by the nickname ‘Buzz’, he was a key member of The number of Carltonthe Blues’ 1981-82 premiership Collingwood matches teams and averaged 2.2 goals a played since the ďŹ rst in game over his career.

1897. The Blues have won While Bosustow debuted as a 122 and the Pies 111.

23-year-old after crossing from &2 3PORTSENTRAL PDF 0Perth in the WAFL – he returned Michael Doughty Adelaide

By the numbers

237

DANIEL MOTLOP

Name

PETER BOSUSTOW

Port Adelaide

Club

Carlton

March 16, 1982

Born

October 27, 1957

Wanderers (NT)

Recruited from

1999 Draft (No. 29) 4 2001Medium forward

Draft history Number Debut Position

Perth (WA) 2000 rookie elevation 4 1981-83 Medium forward

1185cm

Height

185cm

91kg

Weight

85kg

104

Games

65

177

Goals

146

3

Finals

5

1

Grand Finals

2

0

Premierships

2

18

Brownlow votes

23

after just three League seasons – Motlop debuted for North Melbourne at 19 in 2001.

Although Motlop did not have Bosustow’s instant impact, he has since developed into a forward every bit as exciting – and with signiďŹ cantly more leg

speed – at the Power, with his ability to turn games.

While Motlop is yet to match Bosustow’s ďŹ nals record, he was Port’s leading goalkicker in 2008 (57) and averages a respectable 1.7 goals a game.

NICK BOWEN

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18 AFL RECORD visit arecord.com.au

AR08 p07-20 Bounce.indd 18

13/5/09 5:24:20 PM

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

O B I T U A RY

PA R T N E R S H I P S

Farewell Doctor Don

AFL forms college links

BEN COL LINS

D

PETER DI SISTO

T FOOTBALL ROYALTY:

Don Cordner photographed in the MCG Pavilion, in front of his portrait, for the 2003 book, The Brownlow.

from 1964 and ascending to the presidency, which he held from 1985-92.

Even in retirement, Cordner served as a voluntary guide at the MCG for more than a decade.

A doctor by profession known to many as to many as ‘Doctor Don’, he was a fine, upstanding contributor to society, a thorough gentleman and a most engaging

conversationalist who spoke the Queen’s English in refined tones.

Cordner’s recollections of the 1948 drawn Grand Final and replay were especially priceless.

Cordner is survived by wife Moyle, children Stephen, Christopher, Jenny and several grandchildren.

1

The others are Syd Coventry, Harry Collier, Dick Reynolds, James Hird, Michael Voss and Chris Judd.

W H E N T H E Y ’ R E N O T P L AY I N G . . .

Player

What do you like to collect?

The scariest moment of my life was

Jobe Watson (Essendon)

Passport stamps

Watching The Strangers y by myself at my country house

Cameron Mooney (Geelong)

Bills

Holidaying in Cancun with Brenton Sanderson

Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans)

Key rings

h Standing anywhere near Jude Bolton while playing golf

A Any of the d James Bond movies

Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)

Football boots

When I nearly died abseiling face first down a cliff

Cool ngs Runnings

Favourite movie

The Shawshank Redemption

S Super Troopers

PHOTO: SEAN GARNSWORTHY/AFL PHOTOS

on Cordner – who passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 87 – was a regal figure at Melbourne Football Club.

The Cordner name is royalty at Demonland, with Don Cordner and his three brothers (Denis, Ted jnr and John) followed in their father Ted snr’s footsteps by playing VFL football.

Cordner did it all for Melbourne – on and off the field.

A champion ruckman, he played 166 games from 1941-50, captained Victoria and is one of only seven Brownlow Medallists (he won it by one vote in 1946) to captain a premiership side.1 A proud amateur who was modest to a fault (“I wasn’t a pot-hunter,” he explained), Cordner regarded himself a poor trainer and a lazy player, and even suggested he was awarded a few Brownlow votes meant for his brother Ted. However, he was rated by fellow Demons legend Norm Smith as one of the greatest ruckmen he had seen, “just about impossible to beat”.

Cordner later became an administrator of great note, sitting on the MCC committee

he AFL believes that an emerging study exchange program with the body running collegiate sports in the United States and one of America’s most prestigious universities will help it better understand talent identification, recruiting systems, and player development and welfare issues.

National and international development manager David Matthews this week confirmed the AFL is working with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on a partnership model. The partnership has been facilitated by Sean Lennon and his organisation Education Abroad, which organises overseas student exchanges.

The partnership commenced this week with Notre Dame student, Tamba Samba, arriving in Melbourne on a six-week program. Samba, a high school football kicker and college soccer player, wants to pursue a career in sports management.

The AFL hopes his interest in Australian Football and the knowledge he acquires while here will make him an advocate for Australia and the AFL he returns home.

Matthews, AIS-AFL Academy high performance coach Alan McConnell and AIS-AFL Academy assistant coach Nathan Buckley will visit the NCAA and the university next month to research topics including how colleges prepare juniors for the transition to elite sport. As part of its talent pathway, the AISAFL Academy runs a 12-month coaching and development program aimed at preparing 30 of the country’s best young footballers for the AFL draft.

“We anticipate the partnerships can lead to opportunities for other areas of the AFL business,” Matthews said.

20 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR08 p07-20 Bounce.indd 20

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the interview

Brisbane Lions midfielder Michael Rischitelli is among a group of young players with the potential to take the club to another era of success. NICK BOW EN

A

other boys to them … let’s just say we’ve got a long way to go before we’re even in the same stratosphere.”

We’re talking in the Parkview Hotel in St Kilda Road, the Lions having jetted into Melbourne ahead of a match the following night.

A Melbourne boy who was a mad Essendon fan and played his junior footy at nearby Keilor, Rischitelli knows Melbourne’s weather well enough that the thunderstorm that delayed the Lions’ flight for more than an hour is almost expected.

A delayed training session means he is still in his training gear when we catch up. His teammates are either showering or filing into the hotel’s restaurant for dinner, but he’s more than happy to spend 15 minutes with me on a Melbourne late afternoon that – you guessed it – has just turned sunny.

He’s confident, but there’s not a trace of arrogance about him. He’s just enthusiastic about life and footy.

In a way, Rischitelli’s personality matches his football. As upbeat as he is in person, he brings a similar energy to the footy field.

At 23 and in his sixth AFL season, Rischitelli has made his name as an in-and-under specialist, throwing himself into every contest without reservation – he won the Lions’ most courageous player award last year – finding the footy at the bottom of packs and dishing it off to a teammate.

When he doesn’t have the ball, he is just as ferocious in his attack on the man, having won the Lions’ most effective tackler award last season.

While it’s a role big on grunt not glamour, Rischitelli loves it … hard knocks and all.

“I really enjoy the role,” he says. “Sure, you cop a few hits but I always think the earlier in a game you cop a hit the better.

It lets you know you’re in a game of football and puts you on the front foot.”

Rischitelli is also loving life in Brisbane. Now comfortable negotiating the city’s one-way streets – “all my mates who visit say, ‘What’s the deal with them?’” – he says Brisbane’s weather and “really casual lifestyle” are hard to beat.

It’s about time we stood up and played the sort of footy we’re capable of for the whole season Settled in his own home and with his pet dogs, a German shepherd and bullmastiff, to keep him busy, Rischitelli even admits his NRL allegiance lies more with the Brisbane Broncos than the Melbourne Storm these days.

He’s not so sure about what he’ll do after footy, but has a keen interest in the property market and likes to stay abreast of its current trends.

As entrenched as he is in the sunshine state, less than three years ago Rischitelli seriously considered returning to Victoria.

Drafted in 2003 with pick No. 61, Rischitelli played four games in his first two seasons, before enjoying a breakthrough season in 2006, when he played 18 games and earned a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.

Out of contract at the end of that year, and with clubs aware of what he was capable of at senior level, several tried to lure him away from the Gabba, most temptingly his former love, the Bombers.

“I like to finish what I start and felt I still had so much left to achieve at the Lions,” Rischitelli says, explaining what he admits was a tough decision to stay.

First and foremost, Rischitelli wants to help take the Lions back to the finals. While the club played its fourth consecutive Grand Final in his first season, 2004, it has not played a final since and Rischitelli is yet to taste September action.

“I hate having to watch the other sides playing finals every year,” he says. “That’s when it really hits you what you’re missing.”

This season offers Rischitelli and his teammates another chance to prove the Lions’ new generation is finally on the rise.

It’s a challenge they’re facing with a new coach at the helm, Voss having replaced Leigh Matthews at the end of last season.

Rischitelli says Voss has settled into his new role well and sees no reason why he can’t lead the Lions back to the finals in his first season in charge.

Sixth in the Lions’ best and fairest last year, Rischitelli has maintained his good form and, significantly, his appetite for the contest in 2009, leading the Lions in tackles with 40.

It’s a promising start for Rischitelli and his team, but the Lions have been in similar positions in recent seasons. This year, however, Rischitelli is determined it will be different.

“It’s about time we stood up and played the sort of footy we’re capable of for the whole season,” he says. “That’s the only way we’re going to get back into the finals. Until we do that, any talk about a new Fab Four, and any comparisons between us and our premiership sides, is a bit embarrassing.”

PHOTO: MERVYN LOWE/AFL PHOTOS

s far as football compliments go, they don’t get much bigger than being compared to the Brisbane Lions’ ‘Fab Four’.

The players who shared the moniker – Michael Voss, Simon Black, Nigel Lappin and Jason Akermanis – formed one of the greatest midfields in League history.

With the grunt of Voss and Black, the dash of Lappin and Akermanis, and the class and sheer will to win of all four, you had the complete midfield.

So complete it powered the Lions to their 2001-03 premiership hat-trick.

Collectively, they racked up three Brownlow Medals, 11 best and fairests, and 16 All-Australian selections.

Although Luke Power quickly emerged as another Lions midfielder worthy to run alongside the star foursome – so much so some commentators were soon referring to a ‘Fab Five’ – the Lions’ next generation of on-ball stars has been slower to emerge.

In the Herald Sun last August, Power and another senior Lion, Jamie Charman, were asked about the likely members of the club’s next Fab Four, the engine room that would hopefully drive the club to its next golden era.

They anointed Michael Rischitelli as one of those players.

It’s high praise and Rischitelli is flattered. But he’s reluctant to take on the Fab name when Black and Power are still the main men in the Lions midfield.

“With the Fab Four, we’re talking about all-time greats of the club, and ‘Blacky’ and Power are still getting the job done for us,” Rischitelli says.

“To compare me and the 22 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR08 p22-23 Rischitelli.indd 22

13/5/09 4:40:13 PM

the interview

I hate having to watch the other sides playing finals every year. That’s when it really hits you what you’re missing MICHAEL RISCHITELLI

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 23

AR08 p22-23 Rischitelli.indd 23

13/5/09 4:40:36 PM

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Bor n-again

Saints C O V E R S T O RY

St Ki Kilda has gone from pretender to contender co in the blink of an eye.

What has led to the Saints’ amazing Wha transformation? trans NICK BOW EN A ND BEN COL LINS

J

ust 20 games ago, the Saints were on the nose – roundly derided as a slow, unimaginative, under-performing side.

After 12 rounds last year, the S Saints had plummeted to an 10th position on the ladder.

5-7 and Aft riding the hype that After accom accompanied their stirring NAB Cup prem premiership against Adelaide at AAMI Stadi Stadium, and being widely touted to chal alle le challenge Geelong for the day premiership, Sa the Saints had hit rock-bottom.

Th had lost four of their past five They game were the fifth-lowest scoring team games, in the competition, and were near the tail-e of many key statistical categories tail-end (inclu (including being the worst hard-ball team in the AFL over the previous month).

Na Naturally, coach Ross Lyon was singl out for criticism of his singled game game-plan and methodology.

Be Before the huge strides came b the baby steps.

Th following week, in a round 13 The game against the 14th-placed Fremantle at Do Docklands, St Kilda scraped to an eight eight-point win after managing just 15 scori shots, and a mere 10 goals. scoring Th Saints won four in a row, The e and eight of their next 10, to finish in the top four. But they were elimi eliminated in a preliminary final after finals hidings from Geelong and event eventual premier Hawthorn. For all in the inroads, there was still a significant dista distance between them and the elite.

SAINTS, NOT SINNERS: A group of St Kilda players, led by Justin Koschitzke (No. 23), celebrate another victory.

AR08 p57-60 StKilda.indd 57

13/5/09 4:38:13 PM

But this year, along with Geelong, they are the elite.

They’ve taken their game to another level, cruising to 7-0 (equal with the Cats), top spot (by 54 per cent) and an average winning margin of 58 points.

As the figures highlight, St Kilda has rarely been challenged, its victims including four 2008 finalists – the Sydney Swans, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs and Collingwood.

In doing so, the Saints have undergone a stunning, almost overnight makeover, transforming themselves from a so-so team to watch into one of the most watchable.

What’s behind the transformation?

It starts with the unrelenting pressure the Saints put opposition sides under, denying them time and space and forcing them into error after error. There’s also their newfound speed of ball movement, their elite midfield and potent forward line.

But it’s also the emerging depth of St Kilda’s list and the fact its fitness team is finally winning the club’s long-running battle with injury.

Admittedly, the season is just seven rounds old but already there are compelling signs the Saints will be premiership contenders.

How genuine we may not know until their round 14 (Geelong) and round 19 (Hawthorn) games, but, at this stage, it seems the wait will be worth it.

UNRELENTING ALL-GROUND PRESSURE It takes a coach time to stamp his imprint on a club but, in his third season at St Kilda, Lyon has his men playing the style of uncompromising football he was renowned for as a hardnosed Fitzroy half-forward from 1985-94.

The Saints have been suffocating teams with defensive pressure all over the ground this year, chasing, harassing and tackling them into submission.

After seven rounds, they lead the competition in tackling with an average of 71 a game

Milne and Adam Schneider more room to work in.

Most importantly, it has helped the Saints regain their scoring potency – only Geelong has scored more heavily this season.

A MANIACAL MIDFIELD

LYON’S SHARE:

The Saints are stamping their authority in Ross Lyon’s third year at the helm.

The Saints have been suffocating teams with defensive pressure all over the ground, chasing, harassing and tackling them into submission – up a remarkable 18 on their 2008 average – overtaking the acknowledged masters of accountable football in recent years, the Sydney Swans.

The Saints are putting their opponents under almost non-stop pressure, rarely giving them time and space to play the way they want to.

This has translated into extremely low opposition scores. The Saints have conceded just 378 points – the lowest by a team in its first seven games since Collingwood in 1966 (369)1 – at an average of just 54 a game.

The next stingiest side, Geelong, is conceding 76 points a game which, coincidentally, is the highest score the Saints have conceded, against the Western Bulldogs in round six.

Remarkably, in six quarters this year, the Saints have kept their opponents goalless.

1

West Coast conceded 349 points in the first seven rounds of 1991, but had played only six games because of a bye.

Points conceded in home and away season Season

Total Points

2004 2005

1909 (7th) 1806 (3rd)

2006

1752 (3rd)

79.6

2007

1941 (7th)

88.2

2008

1923 (5th)

87.4

2009

378 (1st)

54

(after 7 rounds)

Avg per game 86.8 82.1

RISK AND REWARD: QUICK BALL MOVEMENT A common criticism of St Kilda during Lyon’s first two years at the helm was that it moved the football too slowly and lacked the flair it had under previous coach Grant Thomas.

During Thomas’ reign, the Saints were the highest scoring side during the 2005 home and away season and second in 2004.

However, in Lyon’s first season, 2007, they slipped to 16th.

While they rose to 10th last year, this season they have been in a far more attacking mood, willing to take the game and their opponents on.

Nowhere has this been more apparent than in their willingness to use handball – much like competition benchmark Geelong – to break through opposition zones and create loose men.

It has been a stunning transformation. Eleventh in handballs and handball receives last year, this year St Kilda is ranked fourth in both categories.

This preparedness to play on and move the ball quickly has also led to an increase in the Saints’ kicking and marking numbers, and been matched by improved scoring efficiency (see table top right).

It has also helped isolate key forwards Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke in one-onone contests more often, and given goalsneaks Stephen

Before St Kilda’s clinical destruction of Collingwood last Monday night, we already knew the team boasted enormous depth in the midfield, but sometimes you need to see it in the flesh to fully recognise the true quality of this group.

For many watching the game on television, this realisation hit home during the half-time interval when Channel Seven screened a pre-recorded discussion between commentator Bruce McAvaney and the eight core members of the Saints’ engine room – Lenny Hayes (who averages 26 disposals this season), Nick Dal Santo (29), Leigh Montagna (26), Luke Ball (22), Brendon Goddard (27), Clinton Jones (18), Farren Ray (23) and Jason Gram (22).

Seated in two rows of four, they warmed the screen with healthy self-assurance, measured affirmations and palpable trust, in themselves as individuals, and in their midfield unit within the broader team structure.

As a whole, this group is in its prime (with an average age of 25 and 113 games’ experience), harnesses a superb mix of talents that complements each component, and now understands and demonstrates the value of being utterly selfless.

While each are proficient inside and outside packs, Hayes and Ball generally provide much of the heavy grunt work in close, releasing elite and elusive runners such as Dal Santo, Montagna and Gram (who leads the AFL in inside 50s, with 52 of his 96 kicks entering the forward arc).

Goddard’s delivery is also a treat, while stopper Jones has added another dimension by applying the sleeper-hold to the opposition’s best midfielder.

The group readily acknowledges it has received great service from veteran ruck duo Michael Gardiner and Steven King.

58 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

AR08 p57-60 StKilda.indd 58

13/5/09 6:02:41 PM

Saints’ ball movement 2008

2009

Handballs

11th

4th

Handball receives

11th

4th

General kicks

7th

1st

Short kicks

8th

2nd

Long kicks

9th

2nd

General marks

5th

2nd

Contested marks

9th

4th

Disposals per goal Disposals

10th (25)

2nd (24)

6th

2nd

12th (3.6)

4th (3.4)

(inside attacking 50)

Disposals (inside attacking 50 per goal)

Points scored in home and away season Total points

Avg per game

2004

2443 (2nd)

111

2005

2407 (1st)

109.4

2006

2074 (8th)

94.3

2007

1874 (16th)

85.2

2008

2126 (10th)

96.6

2009 (after seven rounds)

787 (2nd)

112.4

FORWARD LINE ARTILLERY In Riewoldt, St Kilda has long had one of the competition’s best power forwards, and in the sometimes-maligned Milne, one of the most productive small forwards.

But there was a perception when two-time Coleman medallist Fraser Gehrig retired at the end of 2007 that St Kilda’s premiership hopes went with him.

In a way, the Saints fed this perception when they indulged Gehrig’s wish to cut short his retirement and play again last year. Though that decision backfired, this STANDING TALL: Once again, the Saints’ inspirational

captain Nick Riewoldt is leading from the front.

year Koschitzke has found the consistency the Saints have been looking for, and, like Gehrig did previously, has proved a handy stay-at-home foil to his hard-running skipper.

The ability of Gardiner and King to shoulder St Kilda’s ruck duties, and keep Koschitzke free to play a permanent forward role, remains vital to the Saints’ hopes.

Other factors in the added forward-line potency have been the goalkicking support offered to Milne by Schneider and Andrew McQualter’s and James Gwilt’s steely defensive edge.

Indeed, the Saints’ forward-line pressure has skyrocketed this year. Ranked 15th for tackles inside their forward 50 last season with an average of 6.8 a

game, they are now ranked third with 12 a game.

Milne said: “To be a top side like Geelong, you’ve just got to have that tackling pressure in your forward line. It was our focus over the pre-season and, seven games in, the pressure’s going well down there.”

DEPTH FINDERS A club’s depth is often measured by the calibre of players who don’t get a game, and St Kilda is no exception.

Much was made of Collingwood’s absentees last Monday, but feast your eyes on the names of these players who, for a variety of reasons (including injury, form and team balance), weren’t in the Saints’ line-up: King, Max Hudghton, Matt Maguire, Leigh Fisher, Xavier and Raph Clarke, Sean Dempster, David Armitage, Colm Begley and Robert Eddy. (Jarryd Allen is another promising youngster with AFL experience.)

With the development of Zac Dawson and Sam Gilbert bolstering a defence that once lacked tall options, Gardiner and King solving the club’s long-held ruck problem, and Jones, Ray and Jarryn Geary adding to the midfield rotation, the Saints suddenly appear to have ample quality and quantity to cover almost all contingencies … except perhaps an injury to Riewoldt.

But who could cover such a monumental loss? You can’t replace the irreplaceable, but in that event, it wouldn’t surprise if the Saints’ succeeded with a remodelled attack demanding greater contributions from Koschitzke and perhaps a relocated Goddard (after all, he did kick four first-quarter goals against the Eagles in round three), with the ever-present small-man threat of Milne and Schneider.

A HEALTHY LIST Several times this decade, the Saints have appeared to boast teams capable of winning premierships, but ultimately their long-suffering fans have been forced to revert to their seemingly perennial lament: “If only we could get our best team out on the park.”

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 59

AR08 p57-60 StKilda.indd 59

13/5/09 6:02:56 PM

Highest percentages after seven rounds % 231.4 211.1 210.8 208.2 204.9

Club Season Fitz Ess Fitz St K Fitz

1900 1911 1904 2009 1903

Rd 7 pos

Final pos

1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

2nd 1st 1st ?

2nd

The constant ailments of stars such as Aaron Hamill and Koschitzke, and with others including Maguire, Ball and the Clarkes also regularly among the walking wounded, circumstances conspired against St Kilda’s quest for an elusive second flag.

The frustration prompted the Saints to conduct a thorough review of their conditioning methods and injury management at the end of 2007, and the process resulted in an outstanding result – they lured fitness guru David Misson away from the Sydney Swans.

A former hurdler at international level who had previous fitness coaching appointments with the Australian and New South Wales cricket teams, Tennis Australia and the Wallabies rugby union team, Misson spent seven years with the Swans and was the man behind the club’s remarkable injury-free stretch that culminated in a premiership in 2005.

SHARING SAINTS: Leigh Montagna, Sam Gilbert and Stephen Milne (celebrating with Zac Dawson) have been key players.

Fewest players used after seven rounds (1995-2009) Players used

Club

Season

Rd 7 pos

Final pos 2nd

24

Sydney

2006

5th

25

Carlton

1995

1st

Ist

25

West Coast

2007

2nd

5th

25

Western Bulldogs

2008

3rd

3rd

25

St Kilda

2009

2nd

?

An eerily similar pattern is emerging with the Saints. After a testing teething period in 2008, when the Saints used 37 players (the most by the club since 2001), Misson’s magic is finally working.

St Kilda has used just 25 players this season – a feat bettered just once in the past 15 years, and that being by the Misson-trained Swans of 2006 (see table above).

Nineteen Saints have

St Kilda has used just 25 players this season – a feat bettered just once in the past 15 years and that being by the Misson-trained Swans played every game – one more than the Swans.

Apparently, one of the secrets is to ease the players’ workload during the week – and they certainly make up for it on weekends.

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SINCE 1858 F O R E WOR D BY K E V I N S H E E DY

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THE BEGINNING:

The meeting to create the Melbourne Rules was held in a room at Jerry Bryant’s Hotel in Wellington Parade, opposite the MCG on May 17, 1859. Mark Knight, the cartoonist and artist from Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper, has recreated the meeting vividly. Around the table (clockwise from left) are William Hammersley, James Thompson, Tom Wills (standing) and Tom Smith, while Bryant is is serving drinks.

AR08 p62-66 150 yrs rules.indd 62

13/5/09 5:23:00 PM

conspiracy This wee weekend marks the 150th anniversary of the writing of the first rul rules of Australian Football. Historian GILLI A N HIBBINS has used her latest research into the early history of the code to recreate a meeting at a hotel near the MCG attended by four key men: William Hammersley, James Thompson, Tom Wills and Tom Smith.

AUS TR ALIAN FOOTBALL IS BORN

T

hey had met at the Melbourne Cricket Club pavilion and now walked up the hill through the gums and she-oaks.

Willia William Hammersley looked sideways at his friend Tom Wills, boundin bounding along with the careless enthusia enthusiasm of youth. Hammersley too felt g good; he liked the colony, enjoyed being regarded as a swell.

Althou Although he had a wife and children in England, he was tempted to stay, especially as he had now met Maria … well, he would see. Com Coming from an aristocratic English ffamily, he should be treated as a gent gentleman, not treated like his father’s bastard that he was.

Ham Hammersley had met Tom Wills playing county cric cricket in England. What a luc lucky young gentleman was T Tom. A wealthy pastoralist M MP for a father who wanted h him to be a lawyer – some hope hope. Nobody spoke of h his convict ancestry.

A outstanding cricketer An but not very bright, Tom was inc inclined to think he knew it a all. It did not help that he wa was seriously flattered by the Melbourne press, but not reg regarded so highly by older and more mature men.

P Probably not by Thomas Hen Henry Smith, usually known as ‘Red’ Smith, for the colour o of his hair.

Striding along with a military gait, Smith was tthe classics master at Scotch College, having come from Ireland

AR08 p62-66 150 yrs rules.indd 63

with a Dublin University degree.

He was very disciplined, single, and a fine kick. Like all redheads, he was blamed for having a bad temper; in this case it was true. No doubt his students suffered.

As they dodged a bullock team being worked up dusty Wellington Parade, the door of the Parade Hotel opened and the publican, Jerry Bryant, appeared beaming.

“Welcome, gentlemen. I’ve set aside the back room for you.

Go through. Make yourselves comfortable. No doubt something wet would go down well? Good game, Saturday, wasn’t it?”

He had captained one side and Smith the other.

Just then James Thompson hailed them. He was smart and had been at Cambridge University. A good cricketer, just on the edge of making the Victorian XI. And a good rower and a good billiards player.

He was called JB, probably after a Dickens character; his second name was Bogue. His wife had just died and he tended to be irritable.

“Congratulations JB,” said Hammersley, “First secretary of the Melbourne Football Club! With you at the helm, it must go ahead.”

“Thank you. Well, I’ll do my best to publicise it in The Argus,” said Thompson. He had been writing for The Herald and not long ago had changed papers.

“We had a good turn up at the meeting on Saturday, didn’t we?” “Bell’s Life reckons 51,” said Wills.

“For a sporting paper, not bad.

I estimated 60 for The Argus.

13/5/09 6:02:20 PM

Nothing succeeds like success.

You have to exaggerate a bit if you are going to convince people a club will be worthwhile.”

“Are you the last? What about the other committee members?

Aren’t they coming to write some rules?” asked Bryant, as he shook Thompson’s hand vigorously.

“Drinks, gentlemen?”

There was chorus of assent.

In the back room as Bryant brought in the brimming glasses, JB laid out the copies of rules he had brought with him. There were the rules from Eton, Rugby School, Harrow and Winchester on the table.

“This is the way to go,” said Wills, firmly waving the Rugby school rules. “That’s what we were playing last year as best we could.”

“I’m not sure about that, Tom,” JB said, frowning. He did not much like the young man, unreliable and too inclined to quarrel on the field. “There were many complaints.”

“Too many technical terms and slang. Six rules to explain off-side – that had everybody confused,” Hammersley said in agreement.

“There are a couple of Etonians playing for the South Yarra team, or is it the St Kilda lot?” asked Red Smith.

“You need a glossary. Few of us have been that fortunate to have been fagged in either of those educational establishments.”

There was a strong hint of sarcasm from Thompson.

“We all know Tom’s the only one who has been to Rugby, learnt the game and had a fine reputation but I can’t think of anybody else in the colony –

although surely there must be someone.”

“Do we really want to copy these rules?” asked Hammersley, rolling up a trouser leg.

“I read in Bell’s that the English public schools are trying to agree, but none of them will give up their game. Remember

Nothing succeeds like success. You have to exaggerate a bit if you are going to convince people a club will be worthwhile JB, how when we were at Cambridge they tried to get a football club going and some compromise code and couldn’t agree. Especially the Rugbeians.

“Now, look here at my scars.

This kicking of shins that goes on in Rugby, this hacking, it’s not for me. What if you get laid up? I have to get some work.”

“The gold mining not profitable then?” Tom Smith had heard it said Hammersley had run through a large inheritance, gambling on slow horses in England by all accounts.

Hammersley shook his head ruefully. “One day we picked up 5 oz in the grass roots and we thought we were in for a pile but it was only a patch.

“Another day the river passed between my legs as I stood with each foot on a boulder and then the next day was a roaring torrent 30 yards wide.

“I’m thinking of taking a leaf out of JB’s book – try to get into journalism. Not the sort of thing a gentleman would

Melbourne: Rules of Football Agreed to at Jerry Bryant’s Parade Hotel, East Melbourne, on May 17, 1859.

I.

The distance between the Goals and the Goal Posts shall be decided upon by the Captains of the sides playing.

II.

The Captains on each side shall toss for choice of Goal; the side losing the toss has the Kick off from the centre point between the Goals.

III.

A Goal must be Kicked fairly between the posts, without touching either of them, or a portion of the person of any player on either side.

IV.

The game shall be played within a space of not more than 200 yards wide, the same to be measured equally on each side of a line drawn through the centres of the two Goals; and two posts to be called the ‘Kick Off ’ posts shall be erected at a distance of 20 yards on each side of the Goal posts at both ends, and in a straight line with them.

V.

In case the Ball is kicked behind Goal, any one of the side behind whose Goal it is kicked may bring it 20 yards in front of any portion of the space between the ‘Kick Off ’ posts, and shall kick it as nearly as possible in a line with the opposite Goal.

VI.

Any player catching the Ball directly from the foot may call ‘mark’. He then has a free kick; no player from the opposite side being allowed to come inside the spot marked.

VII. Tripping and pushing are both allowed (but no hacking) when any player is in rapid motion or in possession of the Ball, except in the case provided for in Rule VI. VIII. The Ball may be taken in hand only when caught from the foot, or on the hop. In no case shall it be lifted from the ground.

IX.

When a Ball goes out of bounds (the same being indicated by a row of posts) it shall be brought back to the point where it crossed the boundary-line and thrown in at right angles with that line.

X.

The Ball, while in play, may under no circumstances be thrown.

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do in England but we’re not in England, are we, JB?” “Well, except for young Tom here, we’re all in the same boat. If we get injured, we can’t afford not to work. Black eyes don’t look so good in Collins Street. Let’s ban hacking,” said Thompson, whacking the Rugby rules on the table.

Raising his sandy eyebrows, Tom Smith intervened: “Speaking of the weather, do you remember how dry it was last year? Hardly any rain at all.

“When I played in that Scotch College v Grammar match the ground was really hard, not like that sticky mud I remember in Dublin. There were certainly a few who came a cropper and did not like it much. A couple of the juveniles were injured and their parents not pleased.”

As the host came in and replenished the drinks, Hammersley asked: “What do you think, Jerry?”

“You know, I’m as keen as anybody but the Surrey Football Club had its own rules just before I left and one of them banned rough play. You have to consider tripping and holding.”

Thompson seized the opportunity. “I’m opposed to them too. I think you’re outgunned, Tom.” Wills rose to the bait. “I said in my letter to Bell’s I want to keep the cricketers from getting fat in the winter. Look at how we won against NSW.” He called for a refill. Wills had the taste already.

Tom Smith said, “Let’s get down to it. First, how to start the game. That’s easy. The captain winning the toss gets the choice of goal and the loser the kick-off. That benefits the

SO...

YOU THINK YOU KNOW FOOTY?

winner if there’s a wind.

“A goal? Should pass through the goal posts without touching the post …”

“Or a player. Out of bounds?”

“Out of bounds! We haven’t agreed on the boundaries yet.”

“At home that was left up to the captains. You need a couple of goal posts …”

“And a cross-bar.”

“No, Wills, no cross-bar,” said Thompson. “But we should have some kick-off posts either side of goal posts so that the ball can be brought in, say 20 yards, if the ball goes behind the goal posts and kicked back in. Out of bounds at right angles to the line. What do you think of the size of the ground? A maximum width?”

“Two hundred yards maximum. Lucky to have a number of cricket grounds around, even if they are not a rectangle. We could approach the cricket club to play on the cricket ground,” said Hammersley, doubtfully.

“If they’ll let us.” Thompson was cranky at the thought.

“They might get troublesome about the state of the ground, you know, football ruining the ‘sacred’ turf. We could play outside the cricket ground.”

“It would be a great benefit to have the ground trampled on – make the turf firm and durable.” Wills was repeating from that letter everybody mentioned although he had not personally followed through on his suggestion of a club and rules be formed. Wills was renowned on the sporting field as a tactician but not off the field as an organiser. His lamentable performance as the MCC

We will settle on a code of our own. Note 17th May, 1859. It will be a momentous date. So, gentlemen, a toast: The Melbourne Football Club rules secretary had soon proved that.

Credit Bryant, who had supplied the ball for the first scratch matches the previous winter, and Thompson, who had enthusiastically made it known when and where the games were afoot, thought Hammersley and Smith.

Thompson conceded: “There speaks the cricket captain. Perhaps you can persuade them, Tom.” “Well, I’ve had my differences with them,” said Wills, “but I’m sure they will – once anyway. But the game’s the important thing. When a man catches the ball from a kick he should call ‘mark’, mark the ground and get a free kick.”

Thompson objected, “If this game is football, then it is to do with feet and a ball; hand should not come into it.”

There was not much agreement for his point of view and a right royal argument ensued. There were raised voices, shaking of heads and emptying of glasses.

Bryant went off to get some more beer. He was reluctant to leave but being a professional cricketer he had not been elected to a gentleman’s committee. It was not done.

Eventually the others

compromised; the ball could be taken in hand but only when caught from the foot, or on the hop. The ball could not be lifted from the ground or thrown.

Finally Thompson said, warily: “I can see some problems coming up, particularly if we allow tripping and holding but I’ll get them printed and circulated soon.

“If a number of footballers get hold of them, the better chance we have of getting them accepted more widely. If one or two don’t work, we will change them to suit.

“Rumour has it Geelong is forming a club in a month or so and you know how full of themselves the Pivotonians can be.”

He stood and raised his glass.

“We will settle on a code of our own. Note 17th May, 1859.

It will be a momentous date.

So, gentlemen, a toast: The Melbourne Football Club rules.

May they have a long, long life and a happy one. And to all our footballing friends.”

Smith, Hammersley and Wills joined him: “The Melbourne Football Club rules – and footballing friends.”

Gillian Hibbins is a Melbourne historian and author of several books, including Sport and Racing in Colonial Melbourne (Lynedoch Publications, Richmond, 2007).

THE GAME’S HISTORY T M More extensive coverage of the game’s origins and history ccan be found in The Australian Game of Football (RRP $89.95). To order a copy visit slatterymedia.com/books $

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A troublesome bird First of the Irishmen Was Stewart Magee (South Melbourne and Footscray) the first Irish-born player to play 200 games?

A. Noakes, via email CH: Yes, he was. In round 19, 1974, he played his 200th match at AFL/VFL level. Jim Stynes is the record-holder in terms of the most games by an Irish-born identity. He accumulated 264 for the Demons from 1987-98.

Of the 16 senior players known to have been born in Ireland, five have made at least 100 appearances, including Bill McSpeerin (Fitzroy 1897-1904), George Hastings (Essendon 18971904) and Tadhg Kennelly (Sydney 2001-08).

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

TRAILBLAZER: Born in Belfast,

Stuart Magee played 84 games with South Melbourne and 132 with Footscray.

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

Are you, or do you know, a descendant of former player Alexander George Barlow?

Barlow made his first appearance for Carlton in round 14, 1901, after playing his early football with Yarram Yarram in Gippsland. In three seasons with the Blues, he gained selection in 14 matches, mainly as a

half-back flanker or small forward. Occasionally, he played in the last line of defence. It is believed he was born in Scotland in about 1880 and died at Brighton Beach on April 21, 1937, aged about 57.

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

Melbourne’s defence seems certain to be given a boost when first-year Demon James Strauss (right) makes his debut, if his surname is any indication. Strauss has a couple of possible origins, both appropriate for a defender. The name was sometimes given as a nickname to a belligerent person, or an awkward customer, Struz being German for “quarrel”. Most who have played have run up against those aggressive half-back flankers who make life so difficult for forwards. The name was also sometimes given to someone who lived in a house distinguished by the sign of an ostrich, or as a nickname to someone who wore a hat decorated with an ostrich feather – Strauss, in this instance, deriving ultimately from the Greek srouthion and the Latin struthio meaning “ostrich” and through the older German forms Struze and Struz. Ostriches are known for their speed – and so is James Strauss.

K E VA N C A R ROL L

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

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

37 36 35 35 34 21

TIPSTERS

MICK Hawthorn Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats Brisbane Lions Sydney Swans Richmond Collingwood St Kilda

68 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au b4thgame_RD08.indd 1

AR08 p68 Ask Col.indd 68

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

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

STRAUCHANIE Fremantle Melbourne North Melbourne Adelaide West Coast Eagles Richmond Carlton Essendon

SAM Hawthorn Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats Brisbane Lions Sydney Swans Port Adelaide Carlton St Kilda

ANDY Hawthorn Western Bulldogs Geelong Cats Brisbane Lions Sydney Swans Port Adelaide Carlton St Kilda

is week special guest appearance by

JARRYD ROUGHEAD

13/5/09 10:54:32 AM

13/5/09 4:35:10 PM

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COLLECTABLES WITH RICK MILNE

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

RICK’S RARITY

To celebrate the centenary of the AFL/VFL, Australia Post produced a 16-stamp booklet, with one stamp per club. I have the collection in its original plastic sleeve and it is in mint condition.

A dealer offered me 70 per cent of the face value of the stamps – $72.

What do you think it is worth?

ROB SUTHERLAND, COFFS HARBOUR

Henry ‘Tracker’ Young was one of Geelong’s first superstars. He was recruited from Geelong West in 1892 and went on to become club captain from 1901-09. Young won the club’s best and fairest in 1905 and 1906. A champion ruckman, he also was an outstanding rower, boxer and cyclist. This trophy was presented to him in 1892.

RM: There also were club

booklets and, although I value yours at $125, these booklets are slow sellers. The dealer’s offer was quite good as he could be still holding it a year from now.

CENTENARY CELEBRATION:

I have a 1975 North Melbourne premiership medallion. It is silver, with a Kangaroos logo on one side and the names of the team, president, vice-presidents, committee and coach on the other side. It is in excellent condition and has been kept in its original blue presentation box. Value?

BRIAN, VIA EMAIL RM: These sell quite well, even

though they have dropped off lately. It was North’s first premiership, so up to $200.

I have a framed photograph from Tamla Studies, Melbourne, taken on May 10, 1896, of the South

This Sydney Swans stamp is part of a booklet celebrating 100 years of the AFL/VFL.

St Kilda premiership team. It includes my grandfather, Alfred Marcus Rouvray (born 1874), and on the reverse is an original copy of the results from the 1892-95 seasons, plus comments on the team which won consecutive premierships from 1893-97. It is a family heirloom, but I was wondering about its value.

JOHN, VIA EMAIL RM: South St Kilda was a local

club and was not connected to

the St Kilda club, even though one or two of its players might have graduated to VFL level.

You have a good item and worth about $500.

HOT AUC TION

We have a big auction with 100 football lots this Sunday (May 17). You can see photographs of these items on guruofgarbage.com.au

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.

visit afl.com.au

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70 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au NAB_Tipping_60x179_Rd 8.indd 1

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13/5/09 4:34:03 PM

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KNOWLEDGE AC R O S S

DOWN

1 The point reached at 2pm on draft day (3, 3) 4 Rover in the Hawks’ first premiership (3) 6 Named himself centre half-forward in his greatest team (4)

10 Played his last AFL game in the Kangaroos’ 1996 Grand Final victory (3,7)

11 Given name of Essendon sharpshooter, who wore John Coleman’s number (4)

13 North Melbourne premiership player, played for Melbourne, and is now a Carlton administrator (4)

14 Went from West Perth to Richmond to West Coast. Career finished in 2002 (7)

17 Rookie elevation for Adelaide in 2002.

All-Australian full-back (3,6)

19 Last resort for hopeful fan (4) 21 Collective term for 22 players (4) 23 Renowned for kicking a goal to level scores in 1977 Grand Final (4,5)

26 The last place you want to be when you’re an AFL player (collq.) (7)

27 The essence of State of Origin Football for those born in Victoria (3, 1)

30 High-flying Bomber, needs Vander .... (4) 31 Won medals for B&F in under-19s, reserves, seniors (10)

32 Aromatic verb, describes state of wet footy gear left too long in kit bag (4)

33 Delicate ... Dickson, Hawk strongman of the ‘60s (3)

1 Given name of Power ruckman who went to St Kilda and finished at Carlton (4)

2 Given name of two great goalkickers of the ’90s (4)

3 Ex-Port midfielder who missed most of two seasons with a knee injury (7)

5 Red-haired Western Bulldog midfielder, but you wouldn’t know it (9)

7 Coach who introduced ‘sausages’ as being analogous to players! (5,5)

8 ‘Stinger’ - speedy Demon midfielder, whose ‘90s career ended due to leg injuries (6)

9 A donation to the opposition (4) 12 Perth’s first port of call (collq.) (4) 15 National broadcaster (3) 16 An important adjective in the national game (10) 18 Spinning mechanism; allows one fan at a time into ground (9)

20 Given name of the youngest player to make 250 games for the Crows (3)

22 Saints winger, with unfortunate nickname of ‘Mad Dog’ (4)

24 High-flying Roo, wore number 6 (7) 25 The Shinboner of the Century (6) 27 Brothers: one played for Essendon, one was a VFL field umpire (4)

28 His surname is Cats teammate’s given name (4)

34 Head of the AFL Umpires’ Association (6)

29 Governor-general of West Coast Eagles (4)

Scrambled footballer

These four footballers are going into town, but are going undercover so they’re not recognised.

Can you work out who’s who?

Dan’s island

Cryptic footballers 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

2.

1.

8.

(Bombers)

(Kangaroos)

10.

I won a flag with the Roos and am now a VFL coach.

3.

9.

I like to lead from the front.

Ban on public transport for Demon.

Defender grabs first loose player at Brisbane.

Hawk on the ground early?

Principal country for Docker.

PM rested fitfully at St Kilda.

Loud gas explosion at Adelaide.

Tiger and Bulldog at Hawthorn.

West leaves Wembley, plays for Eagles.

Cleaning lady’s male counterpart at Brisbane.

Risk wrongly filed for Adelaide player.

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

4.

(Saints)

I always keep my eyes on my surname.

(Cats) My surname suggests I like the colour red.

GUYS IN DISGUISE: 1.Shannon Grant 2. Matthew Lloyd 3. Luke Ball 4. Matthew Scarlett CRYPTIC FOOTBALLERS: 1. Bartram 2. Black 3. Dew 4. Headland 5. Dempster 6. Douglas 7. Whitecross 8. Embley 9. Charman 10. Dangerfield SCRAMBLED FOOTBALLER: Sandilands

72 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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WHERE’S WALLY

A touch of paradise Gold Coast’s entry into the AFL will provide fans with the perfect destination for a football weekend away. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

O

n April 20, Port Adelaide’s Dean Brogan appeared on Foxtel’s Monday night footy talk show On the Couch.

With the Power about to partake in Showdown XMVIKX (never was too flash on the Roman numerals) against arch rival Adelaide, the ruckman divulged that as soon as the fixture is released each year, he immediately checks to see when he will be meeting the Crows.

Football fans will soon be able to share a similar experience.

In 2011, the Gold Coast Football Club is set to join the AFL, meaning that late each year, supporters will be frantically scanning the draw to find out if and when their club is jetting to the AFL’s newest playground.

The League estimates that when the new club is fully up and running, it will generate thousands of interstate visitors and economic activity of up to $34 million a year. And if you can avoid the $60-plus cab fare (ouch) from Gold Coast airport to the centre of Surfers Paradise, it looms as one of the great weekends away.

For downtime, there is sun, sand, nightlife and more ‘worlds’ to check out than you can wave a palm leaf at – Movie World, Sea World, Dream World, Wet ’n Wild … the list goes on. Theme parks such as Sea World have something to make everyone feel at home – polar bears in specially cooled enclosures for the Victorians, sharks for the Sydneysiders and dolphins for old Flipper fans.

In terms of its footy, the Gold Coast is far from a wild new frontier. Wander down to local club Surfers Paradise on a Saturday afternoon and you could easily be at any metropolitan local league in Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth.

Small kids kick around footballs far too large for them and hover expectantly around the canteen, while characters larger than life roam either side of the fence.

During a Pineapple Hotel Cup reserves game between Surfers and Burleigh last weekend, Paradise player Ryan Pope (a Paul Medhurst look-alike) put on an unforgettable show.

Dragged for lairising in front of goal, Pope engaged in a heated running argument with his coaches from the pine throughout the third quarter, before returning to the field late in the last to slot the winning goal with a guttural cry.

Supporters will be frantically scanning the draw to find out if and when their club is jetting to the AFL’s newest playground The performance continued come the senior game, with Pope taking up a position behind the goals and proceeding to shred his vocal chords in support of his clubmates, particularly the dangerous Daniel Green.

“Green-dog, woof, woof!”

Pope cried after one goal. “Heel, Green-dog, heel!”

Fans of St Kilda, Melbourne, Richmond and Adelaide have the chance to taste life on the Gold Coast in two remaining AFL games this season, before construction gets underway at Carrara in preparation for 2011.

Andrew ‘Wally’ Wallace travelled to the Gold Coast courtesy of Jetstar.

(daily flights)

AR08 p74 Wheres Wally.indd 74

ffrom top left) Wally takes in tthe Carlton-Fremantle clash a at Carrara, makes a new ffriend at Seaworld, alights ffrom his Jetstar flight, gets w wet ‘n wild, rubs shoulders w with ex-star Warwick Capper, w watches a local match and m meets Gold Coast’s mascot.

Gold Coast Stadium matches in ‘09

ADELAIDE

74 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

COASTING ALONG: (Clockwise C

Round

Date

10

May 30

StK v Melb

14

July 4

Rich v Adel

OR

Match

MELBOURNE (up to 6 daily flights)

OR

SYDNEY to GOLD COAST (up to 9 daily flights)

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AFL merchandise varies by store. Not all styles or teams available in all stores.

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NAB AFL RISING STAR

Bounding ahead Brilliant young Kangaroos midfielder Jack Ziebell has already exceeded his goals in his debut season. A NDR EW WA L L ACE

F

rom the way he stalks the football, it should come as no surprise that North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell enjoys the odd hunting trip in his spare time.

The 18-year-old from Wodonga relishes the chance get out in the country air, but the young ball magnet’s biggest target has always been the shiny red Sherrin.

Father Gary introduced Ziebell to Auskick at the age of five, and from that point on it seemed the youngster was destined for big things on the football field.

Ziebell played senior football for Wodonga when he was just 15, and starred for Vic Country at the 2008 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, finishing in the top 10 for clearances, kicks and goal assists.

Come the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, which boasted rare quality in its talent pool, it appeared Ziebell was heading to the Brisbane Lions, with new coach Michael Voss perhaps seeing many of his own characteristics in the young midfielder.

However, circumstances led to Ziebell being selected by North Melbourne with pick No. 9, allowing him to remain in his home state.

“I’d been at Caulfield Grammar for year 11 and 12 and, as it worked out, I got to stay in Melbourne, which was fantastic, since I’ve made a few friends down here,” Ziebell said.

The on-baller, who had never

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees

NUMBERS MAN:

Jack Ziebell grabs another disposal for North.

Round 1 – Daniel Rich (BL) Round 2 – David Zaharakis (Ess) Round 3 – Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) Round 4 – Jaxson Barham (Coll) Round 5 – Garry Moss (Haw) Round 6 – Stephen Hill (Frem) Round 7 – Jack Ziebell (NM) HIGH FIVE

Best advice received was from father Gary, who told him to never leave anything on the field.

2 Also enjoys fishing and camping in his free time.

Improved fitness means 3 he has jumped from around 60 per cent to almost 80 per cent game-time.

Admired Collingwood’s 4 Nathan Buckley as a kid and strove to replicate his kicking and work-rate.

Has never suffered a 5 serious injury.

1

I just want to keep improving and playing my role in the team because, if I don’t, it makes it harder for us to be successful completed a full pre-season due to niggling injuries, immediately discovered that his fitness was not up to AFL standard and set about correcting this with North’s strength and conditioning coach Paul Turk.

Ziebell’s initial aim was simply to play a game in 2009.

However, as early as round one, he was forced to reassess his goal, with Dean Laidley throwing him straight into senior action.

He has not let his coach down, playing every game, averaging 17 possessions a game and, incredibly, leading the club for kicks (83).

“It’s been an unbelievable experience, but it’s really just like playing in any other game, only it’s a bit quicker and the skills are a bit better,” Ziebell said.

The teenager’s round seven performance against Port Adelaide included 23

possessions, four tackles and a goal, earning him the latest nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star award.

“The recognition is not too bad, but the more important thing is that we had a good win,” he said.

“I just want to keep improving and playing my role in the team because, if I don’t, it makes it harder for us to be successful.”

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

76 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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TALKING POINT

Better, better, best Maintaining a sustained level of excellence is the true indicator of a team’s greatness. MICH A EL LOV ET T

A

t all levels of sport, teams and individuals often set standards that leave us mere mortals shaking our heads. In recent years, Tiger Woods has stood so tall as the world’s best golfer that the gap between him and rest seems like daylight.

Roger Federer’s domination of tennis saw the Swiss master sweep all before him and, in a true test of sporting prowess, he maintained that domination on most surfaces. However, the past few months have not been as kind, as Rafael Nadal has caught Federer and is starting to leave him behind in second place.

The AFL landscape in the past two-and-a-bit seasons has had a similar feel as Geelong has cleared out in front, claiming a premiership in 2007 and generally enjoying a phenomenal period of sustained success, the disappointment of last year’s Grand Final loss to Hawthorn aside.

The Cats have motored out of the blocks this year, winning their first seven games. They look to be assured and they’re confident – but now there is talk of a footballing Nadal in their rear-view mirror.

St Kilda’s 7-0 start has prompted many comparisons with the Cats and there is a month or two of mouthwatering expectation ahead as the two clubs prepare for their round 14 meeting.

No sooner had the Saints comfortably beaten Collingwood at Docklands Stadium last Monday night, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was asked if his side deserved to be ranked No. 1 in the AFL. “There is a benchmark team in the competition called Geelong. They’ve won 48 out of

BEST IN THE BUSINESS: Despite losing last season’s Grand Final, Geelong is still the AFL benchmark.

50 and we need to win another 41 to try to catch them,” Lyon said. (Ed: Geelong has in fact won 49 of its past 52 games).

In other words, the Cats have reached a level of excellence and they are maintaining it.

The challenge for the Saints and others is reaching the same level – but don’t think for one minute that will be measured only by the win-loss column.

According to Ray McLean, who has worked with elite sporting and business groups in improving team performance and leadership, performing consistently well at the highest level is all about finding the ideal structure and sticking to team values.

McLean’s company, Leading Teams Australia, assisted Geelong in 2007 and 2008 (McLean was not directly involved as he worked with other AFL clubs) and established a leadership plan after the Cats had lost their way during 2006.

“I can’t talk on the specifics of what was done at Geelong but they have come up with a measure of strong performance

Geelong is in a situation where they don’t have to look over their shoulder or sideways. They are purely focused on what they can control ... this year’s not about redemption, it’s about how they improve RAY McLEAN, LEADING TEAMS

which includes an honest and frank agenda of reviewing yourself,” McLean said.

“Geelong is in a situation where they don’t have to look over their shoulder or sideways.

They are purely focused on what they can control.”

A case in point in “controlling the controllable”, said McLean, is the Australian cricket team.

For the best part of a decade or more, the Australians were nigh on invincible in all forms of the game.

But when he worked within the confines of the Australian team, McLean asked the players to make a distinction: did they want to be the best in the world or the world’s best?

“When they said they wanted to be the best in the world, that was obvious because they were

better than all the other teams,” McLean said.

“When I suggested they could be the world’s best, I said it in the context of not comparing yourself to others.

Set benchmarks in areas that include things like honesty, values and leadership.”

McLean admits that the waters are often muddied when team goals are set because, inevitably, many think ultimate team success – a premiership – is the only goal.

“Unfortunately, that is the reality of footy but the strongest – and I mean mentally – should not look at one event like a Grand Final,” he said.

“In Geelong’s case, they have picked up the pieces. (This year’s) not about redemption, it’s about how they improve.”

78 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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