AFL Record, Round 20

»Jonathan Brown: the man for the moment

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AFL GAME

ROUND 20, 2010 AUGUST 13-15 $5 (INC. GST)

57

ROUND 20, AUGUST T 13-15, 2010

Features 57

Jonathan Brown

PRIDE OF THE LIONS:

Despite a tough year with injuries and his team struggling, Jonathan Brown is due to lead the Lions out this week in his 200th game.

The Lions’ star hits the 200-game mark.

62

Brad Johnson

Why he wants to repay the Bulldogs’ faithful.

68

Moments of the decade

The introduction of the Match Review Panel.

Regulars 4

Backchat

Your say on 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.

70 74 76 78

Answer Man Kids’ Corner NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point

THIS WEEK’S COVERS All editions feature Brad Johnson and there are mock covers to support the TAC’s seatbelt campaign.

Ted Hopkins sings the praises of Jobe Watson.

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Dees’ amazing transformation

A new rivalry

The game between Melbourne and Richmond last Sunday was fantastic, and these two will become the two best teams in the AFL within the next five years. There may have been a rivalry between them in the early 1960s when Norm and Len Smith coached, and even in the early 1940s when they played in a Grand Final, but this will take it to a new level.

Expecting premierships from these two by the end of the decade. Go Dees.

MICHAEL THOMPSON, VIA EMAIL

GLORY DAYS: Melbourne and Richmond will be powerhouses of the AFL within the next five seasons, according to one reader.

Spoiling the party

Well done Pies and Cats for putting on such a great show last week at the MCG. It’s a pity the language and unruly behaviour of a few in a section of the AFL Members’ area spoiled what was a fantastic night of footy. Shame on them for their lack of control and for the disrespect they showed.

LISA, BENTLEIGH, VIC.

Roos’ bold vision

Credit to North Melbourne for considering playing matches in Tasmania. Surviving – and flourishing – in the modern game requires clubs to be bold and proactive. Yes, we all want to hang on to the past, but the most successful clubs find the right balance between maintaining traditions and

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

embracing what might be available to them.

JOHN, FLEMINGTON, VIC.

Follow the leader

It’s amusing how one coach does something and most of the rest seem to follow. Is coaching from the boundary line really providing that much of an advantage?

It’s interesting to note that the coaches of the top-four clubs (Collingwood’s Mick Malthouse, Geelong’s Mark Thompson, St Kilda’s Ross Lyon and the Bulldogs’ Rodney Eade) prefer to still use the coach’s box to do most of their work.

ANDREW WATTS, MANDURAH, WA.

Eagles hit rock bottom What a bizarre effort by West Coast supporters last week

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

4 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

when they cheered the players off after losing to the Brisbane Lions, the loss more or less ensuring the club would ‘win’ its first wooden spoon. That type of behaviour makes no sense. The Eagles are a shadow of what they once were, and desperately need to assess what they want to stand for.

It’s time to shake things up.

RYAN WADDLE, BALLAJURA, WA.

HAVE YOUR SAY

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

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

� From the outside at least, there was a thick cloud over Melbourne at the end of 2008.

After averaging 13 wins a season and making the finals from 2004-06, the Demons won just eight of 44 matches in 2007-08. They had debt of more than $5 million and were operating like nomads, their players and coaches moving between training venues postcodes apart while the administrators worked out of the MCG. Just before Christmas that year, the AFL Record met with CEO Cameron Schwab, back at the club for a second stint in charge. Schwab was open and honest about the club’s woes, including its struggles to attract corporate support, relatively small membership base and its lack of identity in the football community. But he remained optimistic about where it could go.

Melbourne has been transformed in almost every aspect since. It is now in surplus – president Jim Stynes orchestrating an impressive debt-eradication program – it has a new football base across from the MCG (as well as a secondary facility in Melbourne’s outer south-east, enabling it to build its community presence), and it is engaging with fans of all ages. Importantly, the team is playing competitively.

This weekend it meets Hawthorn, which it once considered merging with. A win would edge it closer to the finals. It’s been a remarkable transformation.

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. 99, ROUND 20, 2010 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211.

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VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE

CORNERED:

Fremantle youngster Stephen Hill (middle) had nowhere to go last Saturday as North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein (left) and Levi Greenwood applied defensive pressure.

LEARNING CURVE

Coping with tags the next challenge for young stars NICK BOW EN

S

econd-year Fremantle playmaker Stephen Hill has been one of the reasons behind the Dockers’ surge up the ladder this season.

At 20 and with 41 games’ experience, Hill has become an attacking weapon for Fremantle, his leg speed and penetrating kicking allowing him to cut through opposition defensive zones. However, having shown he belongs at NEWS TRACKER

AFL level, Hill is facing the next challenge of his football apprenticeship – learning to cope with taggers.

Last weekend, North Melbourne sent run-with player Brady Rawlings to stand Hill.

The result was a decisive win for the veteran Roo, with Rawlings racking up 39 possessions to Hill’s seven.

It was a tough football lesson for Hill, but one countless other youngsters have endured.

Brisbane Lion Daniel Rich, like Hill a first-round selection in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, is another example. After winning last year’s NAB AFL Rising Star award, and with injury hitting some of his senior teammates this season, Rich has also come under increased attention from opposition teams.

So, too, has impressive first-year Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin.

Being tagged presents a huge challenge for such youngsters.

So how do they rise to it?

Brisbane Lions welfare development manager and former star midfielder Craig Lambert says the challenge is primarily a mental one.

“The No. 1 thing is you have to match the tagger’s intensity,” he said. “All good run-with players are super-committed and super-disciplined and you have to match them in those departments because, if you don’t, they’ll sense you’re not up for the fight and prey on that.

“It’s also important you make it an individual contest – it’s me against him and it doesn’t matter if I don’t get 25-30 possessions so long as I beat my man.

“You’ve obviously got to have a hunger to win the contested ball but a big part of beating a tagger is to deny them easy possessions.

These players want to get reasonably high possessions CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE

Geelong defender Harry Taylor ruled out this week against the Western Bulldogs with a shoulder injury.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 7

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VIEWS | NEWS | FIRST PERSON | FACTS | DATA | CULTURE

themselves, so you try to make it frustrating for them as well.

“One mistake some young players make is trying to separate themselves from their tagger and not paying them enough respect defensively.

But this can backfire.

“If you go into quarter-time and they’ve had eight possessions and you’ve only had three, it can rattle you and you start trying to win the ball in low-percentage situations, which plays into the tagger’s hands.”

Lambert also says young players should try to take advantage of the fact their taggers will follow them wherever they go.

For example, he says they can position themselves at stoppages to create ‘two-on-ones’ for their side, fill defensive holes, or create space for their teammates.

Lambert says players such as Rich were sometimes unfairly judged for having lower-thanusual possession counts when tagged, despite performing an important role for their team.

“It’s been good to see ‘Richy’ work through the tags this year.

Everything we’ve asked of him, he has been doing,” he says.

“He would have been feeling the pressure at times that he’s not getting the possessions he’d like, but he’s been playing a valuable role for the team.”

Lambert also says even champion midfielders such as Geelong’s Gary Ablett need help from their teammates to break a tag.

“Geelong sets the example with the way its players block and bump Ablett’s taggers,” he says.

“I also remember (North Melbourne coach) Brad Scott saying earlier this year that Brent Harvey had not received enough support from his teammates when he was tagged by St Kilda.”

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey also made the point after last Saturday’s game that Hill had, at times, been left exposed by his teammates’ poor ball use.

“It doesn’t help when you turn the ball over and you’re trying to get something into your game and then you find yourself having to go back the other way quite quickly,” Harvey said.

NEWS TRACKER

TAKING A BREAK

Refreshed Roo reaps the rewards

NO HOLDING BACK:

Ryan Bastinac was supposed to be rested in round 18 but was given a break before last week’s clash with Fremantle.

R

PETER RYA N

yan Bastinac’s exciting first quarter against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium last Saturday, when he kicked three goals, did not happen by chance.

Bastinac felt fresh and re-invigorated after being given a break on the Thursday before the match to lighten the legs and ease the mind.

“I was meant to rest (the week before) to freshen up a bit, but I didn’t get that,” You need that Bastinac said break to freshen after the game. up in all areas as As a last-minute inclusion in round 18, it’s a really long he had to wait until out on the year two days before the weekend.

RYAN BASTINAC game against Fremantle His three in round 19 to get the first-quarter break he needed. goals were He acknowledged the rest opportunist ‘outside’ made a difference goals, making use of the space he to his performance: “You was able to create. He kicked one need that break to freshen from in close, one on his left up in all areas as it’s a really foot after a neat baulk and the long year, especially for a third on his right boot after first-year player, actually any receiving a handball from player I guess.” skipper Brent Harvey.

Bastinac is one of seven Harvey’s role with such players to debut with North a young group around him Melbourne this season, harks back to a time when the and the only one to play captain-coach was still part of every game. He is one of only elite-level football. three players – along with the Such leaders’ roles are now Brisbane Lions’ Todd Banfield multi-faceted: they ‘coach’ and and Fremantle’s Anthony play at the same time, making Morabito – to have debuted the individual performances of in round one and played players such as Harvey and Brady every game since.

Rawlings even more meritorious.

Banfield was drafted in 2008, The job is all about giving, of time with Bastinac (No. 21 selection) and expertise. Such selflessness and Morabito (No. 4 selection) makes clubs great. drafted last November.

Last week in the third quarter An exciting player, Bastinac as Sam Wright (another young is part of a talented, largely Roo gaining experience in 2010) unnoticed, midfield group North lined up for goal, Harvey was Melbourne is assembling. But he beside Bastinac, explaining the is young. The 19-year-old looks decision he thought Bastinac as though he would need to should have made in the carry ID with him if he ventures previous passage of play.

Bastinac had sent a looping handball to Lachlan Hansen when he might have kicked the ball. The handball did not hit the target and put Hansen under pressure. Hansen’s subsequent kick went to opponent Antoni Grover.

“He’s just a fantastic leader,” Bastinac said when asked about Harvey’s on-field role.

“I handballed and he just said ‘Kick it instead of handballing because you have to play on (when you do that). If you kick it, your teammate can hold on to it and see the options’. He was just giving me a bit of advice and it really helps.”

As a man prepared to give time to youngsters, Harvey is revealing his champion qualities.

It doesn’t end once the game stops either.

Last Sunday, ‘Boomer’ was prompted to jump on the phone to Triple M radio and join in a discussion about who was likely to win the NAB AFL Rising Star award, making sure Bastinac – nominated after round three – was part of the discussion.

It was a gesture, but one that should not be forgotten.

Hawthorn’s Brent Guerra free to play against Melbourne after successfully having his rough conduct charge downgraded.

8 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

PONDERINGS PETER RYAN CLOSE CALL: Goal umpire Daniel Wilson only had a split second to judge Shannon Byrnes’ goal .

Is technology the answer? � So the call to use technology to assist goal-umpiring decisions was, inevitably, a point of discussion again this week.

Although the AFL at the start of the season expressed concerns about the time it would take to watch a video replay – and no one is sure who should make the call as to when to ‘go to the tape’ – such debates about the possible use of technology to assist goal-umpiring calls will restart whenever a decision is shown to be wrong.

That’s fair enough, too. There is a lot riding on decisions in sport now and the argument that it is just a game no longer holds as much weight as it once might have.

One goal was the difference between Collingwood finishing third or fourth last season, so it is not always something that can be forgotten simply because it does not affect the result on the day.

That said, in the heat of a sporting contest, everyone makes mistakes and any sense that goal umpires should be immune to that inevitability is unrealistic.

All three goal umpires in error last weekend have performed well this season and, like players, can be expected to bounce back from last week’s disappointment.

Goal umpires are under no illusion. They are acutely aware they need to get decisions 100 per cent correct 100 per cent of the time. In fact, they live by that motto. And they hit the money most of the time.

Up until midway through the season, their record was sensational, yet eight errors in the past eight weeks (and three last weekend) mean it’s time to take stock.

So Daniel Wilson – who adjudicated the Shannon Byrnes’ decision – is going back to the VFL to work on positioning and concentration and, most likely, NEWS TRACKER

They are acutely aware they need to get decisions 100 per cent correct 100 per cent of the time

to regain the confidence that his decisionmaking processes will stand up when faced with the same circumstance again.

The other two umpires will continue at AFL level, straight back on the horse, a lesson learned as their experience (and therefore competency) grows.

It will have been a tough week for those involved, but the game will get better umpires from the experience.

Although umpires aren’t making excuses, it’s worth considering how difficult their role has become in the modern game.

The pattern of play has changed so more goals are being scored from within 15m this season (764 in 2010 compared to 628 in 2009), higher levels of pressure applied by forwards is creating more shots at goal when turnovers are forced, and set shots are down (3381 in 2010 compared to 3546 in 2009).

If you look at the errors from the weekend, they were from goals kicked within 15m. The Jay Neagle example was a kick so quick it was impossible for

the umpire (Chelsea Roffey) to move from perfect position in the middle of the goals to a position beside the post.

Cat Tom Hawkins’ goal in last year’s Grand Final was a snap from close range after a turnover.

The goal umpire covers a scoring area of 19.2m,, m of a soccer compared to 7.3m goal. The ball is coming coming from all angles and heights, eiights, from close range, long g range, nd d off the ground and along the turf, and nd d opposition players rs l y are happy if they lay just a fingernail on on it as it goes over the line.

That’s differentt from many other sports tss such as rugby and d soccer, where thee ball crosses a line low and in semi-predictablee fashion.

Many improvements have been made: taller goalposts, more appropriatee uniforms, fitness

tests to make goal umpires more agile, and a consultation process that should have been implemented at the weekend and might have averted wrong decisions.

Why the consultation process broke down would have been the focus of much of the umpires’ discussion this week.

Technology to support umpires is worth considering, but costs and the possible disruption to the game need to be properly considered.

Any change, however, needs to be based on empirical evidence that shows contentious decisions in all circumstances can be more accurately determined with the use of technology.

In reality, time is needed to test and implement any change.

That’s the rub: should potentially improving the accuracy of the result (correct 99.99 per cent of the time under current rules) receive a boost at the potential cost to both the flow of the game and the finances all clubs rely on?

Also worth considering is what impact reliance on technology might have on the current high rate of correct decision-making that comes at less cost? And A what will the role of a go goal umpire be technology starts once tec chn making decisions? de In n a no-mistake en nvi environment, with scrutiny wi ffrom all directions, the question is suddenly philosophical: ccan we live with goal umpires being goa g right 99.9 per cent rrig of tthe time? o ST STATISTICS TAT SUPPLIED BY YC CHAMPION DATA

T TOUGH TOU TO JU UD Chelsea JUDGE:

R ey was Roff cau caught out by a quick sho for goal. shot

Essendon assistant coaches Scott Camporeale and Ashley Prescott to leave at the end of the season.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 9

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PREDICTIONS

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

1

v Essendon MCG, Friday night

2

v Western Bulldogs Etihad Stadium, Saturday night

4

v Geelong Etihad Stadium, Saturday night

v Sydney Swans Subiaco, Saturday

5 6

v Richmond MCG, Saturday

7

v Fremantle Subiaco, Saturday

v Melbourne MCG, Sunday

8 9

v St Kilda Etihad Stadium, Sunday

10

v Hawthorn MCG, Sunday

FINALS CHANCES

WINS

First

Can’t see the Pies losing to both Adelaide and Hawthorn and falling off the top perch.

LOSES

Still first

One more loss could jeopardise the minor premiership.

WINS

Second

One more win (against Blues or Eagles) would ensure the Cats won’t face the Pies first up.

LOSES

Fourth if the Saints win and the Cats lose by more than two goals; third if the margin is less than that; can only keep second if the Saints lose too.

Likely to finish out of the top two, but would have to lose the rest of its games to give up the double chance.

Second if Geelong loses; third if it wins.

Can relax with the double chance and two non-finalists to come.

Fourth if Geelong loses; third if it wins.

10 per cent risk of exiting the top four; most likely to play Collingwood in first final.

All the way to second if the margin is more than two goals and the Saints lose; third with a narrower margin or a Saints win; otherwise stay fourth.

60 per cent chance to finish in the top three and avoid the minor premier, the danger game coming in Sydney next week.

LOSES

Stay fourth

Just 10 per cent chance to finish in the top three; 75 per cent to finish fourth.

WINS

Remains fifth

Keeps the pressure on the top four, but must keep winning and hope someone stumbles.

LOSES

Remains fifth but its percentage makes it vulnerable next week.

Virtually impossible to make the top four. If its percentage continues to tumble, a home final might slip away.

WINS

Sixth (can drop to seventh if the Swans exceed Carlton’s margin by 50 points).

99 per cent guaranteed finals action, but might need to find a win against Geelong or Fremantle to avoid an interstate final.

LOSES

Holds sixth only if Sydney and Hawthorn both lose; seventh if one wins; eighth if both do.

70 per cent likelihood of finals – will start underdog in last two games but one win could make a big difference.

WINS

Up to sixth if the Blues lose, or if the Swans can beat their winning margin by 50; or else seventh.

60 per cent probability of earning a home final.

LOSES

Drop to eighth if the Hawks win; seventh if they lose

Less than 20 per cent probability of earning a home final; might need to beat Lions in round 22 to make the eight.

WINS

Sixth if Sydney and Carlton both lose, seventh if one does; stays eighth if they both win.

More than 90 per chance of playing finals, having eliminated one of its main rivals for eighth.

LOSES

Only stays eighth if the margin is less than nine goals and the Kangaroos lose; othewise ninth or even 10th after a big loss and an upset win by the Roos.

About 50-50 for the finals. Must protect its percentage and look for a win against either the Dockers or Magpies.

WINS

Still ninth if the Hawks win; eighth if they lose.

Finals chances 50-50, with fate in its own hands against Melbourne in round 22.

LOSES

Still ninth if the Hawks win; 10th if they lose.

Has to win against both Eagles and Demons to deal itself into a shot at finals action.

WINS

Jumps into eighth with a nine-goal win if the Kangaroos lose; ninth if the margin is less than that or the Roos win and 10th if both happen.

40 per cent shot at reaching the eight and in control of its destiny, with games against Port Adelaide and North Melbourne.

LOSES

Remains 10th.

5 per cent shot at reaching the eight, relying on gifts from other clubs.

WINS v North Melbourne Etihad Stadium, Sunday LOSES

3

POSITION AFTER ROUND 20

WINS

THE LONGSHOTS � The Lions and Tigers have joined the Eagles in being formally eliminated.

The Crows, Bombers and Power can reach 40 points by winning their last three games, which will not be enough unless seven other results fall perfectly, starting with Melbourne and St Kilda winning this Sunday.

Even then, poor percentage will likely keep them out, with no more than a two per cent chance of finals for any of the three.

WINS NEEDED TO MAKE THE EIGHT � 11 wins (44 points) is probably enough; combined with a percentage above 100 makes it a virtual certainty.

Carlton and Sydney are a 40 per cent chance with the 40 points they already have, and more than 95 per cent with 44. Hawthorn has a 60 per cent probability with 42 points, while Melbourne has just 33 per cent – the Demons can improve those odds by inflating their percentage via a big win over the Hawks this week.

North Melbourne cannot compete on percentage, so must reach 44 points to become the favourite to take eighth spot.

PREDICTED FINAL LADDER 1. Collingwood 2. Geelong 3. St Kilda 4. W Bulldogs 5. Fremantle 6. Hawthorn (up two spots) 7. Carlton (down one spot) 8. Sydney Swans (down one spot)

THESE PREDICTIONS WILL FEATURE IN THE AFL RECORD FOR THE REST OF THE HOME AND AWAY SEASON.

NEWS TRACKER

Richmond’s Troy Taylor convicted of assault relating to an incident in December last year and given a three-month suspended sentence.

10 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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OBSERVATIONS MICHAEL LOVETT TOO SLICK: Dane Swan

� Five things we learned from Collingwood’s 22-point win over Geelong at the MCG last week, a game that drew that third-highest home and away crowd of the year.

burns off Cameron Ling in last week’s big clash at the MCG.

1

IF IT AIN’T BROKE… Collingwood’s game-plan is simple but effective. Sometimes maligned for their preference to push wide along the flanks and wings, the Magpies have stuck to their guns and resisted the temptation to play ‘corridor’ football. They back themselves in a contested situation around the boundary and it worked again last Saturday (the Pies won the contested ball 144-104). That last stat will irk the Cats – even West Coast, in a scrappy game the same evening against the Brisbane Lions, had 137 contested possessions in a loss.

straight to the chase. “We are a proud group and what we served up was despicable … we’re really embarrassed,” he said. They are not the words of someone looking for a trifling excuse or blaming his side for having a rare off night. The good thing about the champion defender is he will look his teammates in the eye and tell them the same thing – perhaps even more vociferously.

5

2

LOOKING GOOD The Magpies are better placed The Magpies heading into are better placed September than they were last heading into year, boasting a September than Brad Dick. greater spread Pendlebury, they were of depth and Jolly and Ball last year talent. Their last showed last finals side – the one Saturday just thrashed by the Cats in how important the 2009 preliminary final – their class and experience did not have Scott Pendlebury will be next month. (injured) while Darren Jolly (Sydney Swans) and Luke Ball BIG IMPROVERS (St Kilda) were elsewhere.

While there is no doubting Improving youngsters Chris Collingwood’s array of stars at Dawes and Ben Reid were not the top end, the Magpies’ bottom part of Collingwood’s best 22 half-dozen aren’t simply there then. They have replaced John for the ride. Given regulars Josh Anthony, Tarkyn Lockyer, Shane Fraser, Lockyer and O’Bree now O’Bree and Cameron Wood (all reside in the VFL, the pressure playing VFL) and the injured has been on players including

3

Brent Macaffer, Leigh Brown and Tyson Goldsack to hold them out.

They played their part against the Cats, with Macaffer winning a game-high 13 contested possessions and Brown applying 12 tackles (also a match-high), while Goldsack had 100 per cent disposal efficiency running out of defence.

4

WHEN SCARLETT SPEAKS Matthew Scarlett only talks to the media after the Cats have lost and, over the past three seasons, he hasn’t been called on to say a lot. But when he does, he cuts

CATS’ MALAISE Geelong’s biggest concern is sorting out its ruck and key forward structure over the next few weeks. The Cats were too top heavy last week and got little out of Cameron Mooney and James Podsiadly (below)as key forwards (one en en goal between them) and of nothing out of nss Tom Hawkins p as a back-up ruckman.

They might have to make a big call – one of Hawkins or the ‘Pod’ has to go and k either Mark en nt nt Blake or Trent n to to West return ad d support Brad ru rruc uck ck k.

Ottens in thee ruck. ome om me feel fee ffe eel ell However, some alre al alr rea ead ady dyy the call has already n Bla Bl Blake B lak ake kee been made o on has as only o on onl nly lyy while West has ra adically ad adi dic ica cal ally lyy (11 (111 played sporadically bein be bei ing ng g drafted dra drraft d raf afte fted ed games sincee being in 2005).

WORDS TO CONSIDER

I’ve never understood why so many ‘winners’ feel the need to ram their success down other people’s throats. It is an ugly side of sport.

How hard can it be to be gracious in victory?

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12 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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NEW RULES

Restricted rotations likely as AFL proposes changes

M

ajor changes to the interchange system are likely on the way, with the AFL considering a cap of 80 interchanges a match from next year. Some clubs are logging 150-160 a match.

The number of rotations per game could also be restricted by cutting the number of interchange players to three (or even two) and adding one (or two) ‘substitute’ players.

Changes to the interchange are among seven proposals released by the AFL for discussion this week.

Other possible changes are: • Adjusting the timing of quarters to keep the average length around 29-30 minutes; • Allowing players (not umpires) to decide if there is an advantage (as per the trial in this year’s NAB Cup); • Allowing boundary umpires to pay free kicks for holding and high contact at stoppages (as per the trial in this year’s NAB Cup); • Paying a free kick against the player who drags ball under opponent (as per the trial in this year’s NAB Cup); • Making the rule relating to rough conduct (shepherding) consistent with the ‘head over the ball’ rule so that a player who shepherds is guilty of a reportable offence if he makes forceful contact to the head or neck, unless the contact was caused by circumstances outside the control of the shepherding player; • Allowing a goal if the ball hits the posts inside the goal-scoring area and goes through. If the ball hits the NEWS TRACKER

CHAOTIC SCENES: The AFL

says research shows increased interchange rotations have contributed to more congestion, tackling and stoppages and greater risk of injury.

posts inside the point-scoring teams when area and goes through, it they had would remain a behind. an injury, “The AFL has been closely but it ith monitoring the rising number of now hinders th the tteam with interchange rotations for several an injury because they can no seasons,” Adrian Anderson, longer rotate their players as the AFL’s general manager of much as the opposition.” football operations, said.

“The research shows us the “Interchange numbers per increase in interchange rotations club have doubled from an is also linked to more congestion, average of 58 per game more tackling and more in 2007, to 116 per stoppages. game in 2010.

“Players are There is an In 2003, fresher and increased risk clubs were travelling at interchanging higher speeds, of injury if let players at a and the the speed of the rate of 22 per medical advice game continue match, less is telling us than 20 per cent increasing there is an ADRIAN ANDERSON of current totals.” increased risk He said the of injury from Laws of the Game high-intensity committee had focused on collisions if we were to let three areas when considering the speed of the game continue the proposed interchange increasing unchecked. reforms: fairness, congestion “The medical research and injuries. highlights the extent of this “The interchange is having injury risk, particularly in the an effect on match fairness,” situation where teams are trying Anderson said. to keep up with opponents who “The interchange was are rotating players more heavily originally designed to help than they are.”

The Laws of the Game committee had sought medical advice from the AFL Medical Commissioners, as well as the authors of the AFL injury survey.

All parties advised that continued increases in interchanges would further increase the speed of the game, and pose an increased risk of serious injury.

“A key focus of the Laws of the Game committee is to protect players, where possible, from the threat of serious injury,” Anderson said.

Under the proposed substitute system (which was tested in the past two NAB Cup competitions), the player who was substituted off cannot return to the game.

The play player would not be rrequired to have a an injury, and could b be substituted at a any time.

Under the proposed ca capping system, clubs wo would have a maximum of 80 rotations through the course of a game, inc including those made at b breaks. ““Over the past five seas seasons, average game ti time has risen from 117.3 minutes to 122.3 minutes,” Anderson said.

The proposal regarding a change to the scoring system emerged during consultation with the clubs and is mainly designed to reduce scoring errors, he said.

Under the proposal, a score would be registered as a goal or a point provided the ball crossed the whole of the scoring line, whether it touched a post or not.

If the ball hit a post and did not cross the scoring line, it would be registered as a behind (for hitting the goal post) or out of bounds (for hitting the behind post).

The AFL’s 17 clubs have been asked for feedback on the proposals, with the AFL also keen to hear from supporters, via afl.to/laws-survey-2010.

The Laws of the Game committee will present final proposals to the AFL executive and Commission for consideration later this year.

Suspended St Kilda defender Steven Baker set to return for the finals despite fracturing his toe last week.

14 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

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ROAD CAMPAIGN

Bombers buckle up to push seatbelt message

T

hree football competitions are joining forces this weekend to help promote a campaign that has been helping to save lives on Victorian roads for 40 years.

Teams in the AFL (Essendon), VFL (the Bendigo Bombers and the Coburg Tigers) and TAC Cup (the Bendigo Pioneers and the Oakleigh Chargers) are wearing jumpers that feature a mock seatbelt, as part of the Transport Accident Commission’s 40 years of seatbelts campaign.

In 1970, Victoria was the first jurisdiction in the world to make the wearing of seatbelts compulsory. The road toll

HELP SAVE LIVES: Nathan Lovett-Murray (left), David Hille (centre) and Jobe Watson model the special seatbelt jumper.

dropped 13 per cent after the first year of mandatory seatbelt-wearing, according to the TAC website. Since then, countless lives have been saved.

Last year, Victoria recorded its lowest road toll, with 290 deaths on the state’s roads.

Victoria’s decision was followed by the other Australian states within two years and has since been emulated around the world.

THE STORY

Drivers or passengers who don’t wear their seatbelt double their risk of death or serious injury.

But, disturbingly, some drivers and passengers still aren’t wearing seatbelts. In fact, 25 per cent of drivers and passengers who died in Victoria last year weren’t wearing a seatbelt.

Last year, Victoria Police issued about 30,000 penalty notices to drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts.

The TAC is working with the Bombers to remind people about the buckle-up message.

Essendon is wearing its seatbelt jumper (the ‘buckle’ features at the bottom of the red sash) against Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.

Wearing the jumper will carry particular meaning for Bombers ruckman David Hille, who was in a car accident on the Mornington Peninsula in 1998.

Eight teenagers were in the car.

Three were killed when the car hit a tree; Hille survived but the memory still haunts him.

“With eight young men loaded into one car, I took a ride that lasted less than a minute – unlicenced, without seatbelts and travelling at speed,” said Hille, an ambassador for the awareness program.

“Three lives ended that day, five others changed forever.

The smells of that day etched on my soul in a way only those who have been exposed to road trauma would understand.

“What is important to take from this campaign is that in wearing a seatbelt, you get to save a life.”

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MILESTONE

From rookie to 200 games, Cox one out of the box

H

C A L LU M T WOMEY

aving spent 10 years in the AFL system, Dean Cox has seen it all.

The West Coast ruckman, who dominated the competition for the best part of five seasons and is the pre-eminent big man of the past decade, has experienced plenty.

Be it winning a premiership to potentially ‘winning’ a wooden spoon, to well-documented player issues and All-Australian selections, Cox’s time at the Eagles has been anything but bland.

This week, as he prepared to face Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium for his 200th match, Cox reflected on a

career that saw him start in the “unlikely” basket.

“It’s something I never thought I’d reach when I started my career. To get to 200 is a huge honour and I’ve never really seen it coming,” he said.

“I’m just proud I’ve been able to string that many games together and play consistent footy.”

Cox is probably selling himself short. Since making his debut in 2001 – and establishing himself as the first-choice ruckman for the Eagles in 2003 – Cox helped reinvent the role of the ruckman in modern football.

At 203cm, Cox dominates in the hit-out department and has basically become an extra midfielder. With a huge aerobic capacity and excellent dexterity, he has made a habit of out-running smaller opponents and then pushing forward to kick a goal (on either foot). Put it down to hard work.

“Coming down from the country in Western Australia, I had pretty much no idea what an AFL pre-season entailed,” the 28-year-old said.

“The ones I was doing up there at home in Dampier began in the middle of February and, when

I got to the Eagles, they started on November 1, which was a complete shock to me, but from there I worked pretty hard.”

Dampier, with a population pushing 2000, sits about 1600km north of Perth and

is renowned as a major industrial port in the state.

Cox was born there, his family has a “shack” on one of the islands of the Archipelago, and he still visits home at least four or five times a year. Leaving

NO SECRET TO COX’S SUCCESS � Dean Cox is a product of hard work, not just freakish talent.

When Cox arrived at the Eagles in late 1999, his new teammates were amazed just how poorly he ran and wondered whether West Coast recruiters had made a huge mistake.

Cox regularly failed to meet cut-off standards in regulation time trials and was forced to run extra laps as punishment.

“Struggling through that first pre-season, I said I was

18 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

never going to put myself in that situation again. I had blokes around me who were superstars, but the reason they were so good is that they worked so hard during games and training and that’s something that stuck with me.”

Cox thrashed himself with extra running sessions and by his third pre-season, was joining the midfielders in running sessions to build endurance.

A devotion to basketball honed his ball-handling skills, and from a young age, he was taught he must use both sides of his body.

“It’s something I had a couple of uncles hammer into my younger brother and I early on, that as soon as you were able to start to play footy, you needed to kick on n both sides,” he said.

EXCERPT FROM AN INTERVIEW IN FOUR QUARTERS, MAY/JUNE, 2008

EARLY DAYS: A young Dean Cox

in his first season in 2000 as a West Coast rookie.

FROM ROOKIE TO STAR:

After an uncertain start to his AFL career, Dean Cox is now one of the game’s ďŹ nest ruckmen and is on the verge of 200 games.

Dampier in the ďŹ rst place, though, kick-started his football career.

He left home to play for East Perth in the WAFL in 1999, where he impressed. At the end of 1999, West Coast picked him up as a rookie, and by the end of 2000, he had been elevated to the senior list. “It was a pretty tough decision at the time to move away, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made,� he said.

“I missed out on the draft “I remember going to that and the state under-18 team game and leaving thinking that’s and didn’t start with East what I wanted to achieve and Perth’s Colts until mid-January, to do it was something I’ll never so I missed that pre-season forget,â€? Cox said. as well. But everything just “We knew going into every fell into place at the end of game against the Swans that we the year.â€? were in for a hard, contested, Though Cox developed one-on-one game of footy, and quickly at the Eagles, it was it was good because we liked it 2005 when he emerged as that way and so did they.â€? the dominant ruckman in In his ďŹ rst eight the competition. seasons, Cox proved Along with 595 remarkably hit-outs, Cox durable – he To get to 200 averaged 16 missed only 19 is a huge honour possessions a games from game and kicked 2001-08 – but and I’ve never 22 goals for the the last two really seen season on his way seasons have it coming to a shattering tested his DEAN COX four-point Grand resolve. He has Final loss to the been hampered Sydney Swans. by an ongoing groin Cox ďŹ nished third in the injury and, this season, best and fairest award and was challenged by his club’s slide named All-Australian ruckman down the ladder. (an honour he also received from “It’s been very frustrating.

2006-09).

Last year I probably became a In 2006, it was Cox, bit of a liability to the side; I lost along with midďŹ elders Chris all my strength and it was really Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel debilitating,â€? he said.

Kerr, who formed the most “Now, I’m just looking dangerous quartet in the forward to ďŹ nishing off the competition on their way to an season well and getting stuck incredible one-point win over into a pre-season heading the Swans in the Grand Final. into 2011.â€?

Playing in a winning Grand The Eagles need a minor Final team had been part of miracle to avoid their ďŹ rst Cox’s wish list since attending wooden spoon, and Cox is the 1999 Grand Final and mindful part of his role now is to watching North Melbourne help his younger teammates get beat Carlton. back on the path to success.

MILESTONES ROUND 20

200 games Josh Fraser Collingwood Jonathan Brown Brisbane Lions Dean Cox West Coast Craig Bolton Sydney Swans Justin Schmitt ďŹ eld umpire

AFL 200 club Adam McPhee Fremantle

100 games Brad Fisher Carlton

50 games Jay Nash Port Adelaide

The list includes those not necessarily selected but on the verge of milestones.

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AFL RECORD visit arecord.com.au 19

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GAINING MOMENTUM

Young Dogs leading the pack

POWER OF YOUTH:

Running defender Easton Wood is one of several youngsters who have re-energised the Bulldogs in the second half of the season.

A

C A L LU M T WOMEY

t the start of the season, the Western Bulldogs had the oldest list in the competition. It has been a new batch of Bulldogs, however, who appear to have rejuvenated the premiership hopes of everyone at Whitten Oval.

After round 11, and coming off a NAB Cup pre-season premiership that had the football world excited about the Dogs’ prospects, Rodney Eade’s team sat in sixth spot, with only six wins.

Since then, the Bulldogs have won seven of eight matches – the loss was by three points to Hawthorn in round 14 – steadily gaining momentum and with the verve back in their game.

Quite simply, they look dangerous; they’re a premiership threat, and might be better placed than they were the previous two seasons when they reached the preliminary final.

The changes made in this period have been subtle, and mostly youth-driven. Easton Wood, Brodie Moles, Jordan Roughead, Liam Jones and

Andrejs Everitt have come into the line-up, helping re-energise a team that looked tired in the first part of the season.

Wood’s influence as a mid-sized running defender has been important.

Last weekend, as Adelaide surged towards goal in the dying minutes of a close game, Wood found himself matched against

the bounce

wing, alleviating pressure and basically ensuring the Bulldogs would win.

Moles’ skill and ability to deliver precisely into the forward 50 have been telling factors, while Jones and Everitt have added more presence up forward.

It has been Roughead’s impact, however, that appears to be generating the most excitement.

The Bulldogs have won five of the six matches Roughead has played, with the 19-year-old squeezing fellow ruckman Will Minson out of the Dogs’ best side.

Roughead’s agility, skills by hand and foot, and ability to take marks around the ground look to have made him a better option for the Bulldogs as they head into finals.

Further, his attributes complement those of the Bulldogs’ The Bulldogs first-choice – and have won seven more physical – of eight – steadily ruckman, Ben gaining momentum Hudson.

Eade and with the verve hasClearly, overseen a back in their Crows forward quiet overhaul of Kurt Tippett. his squad. Last game As rain pelted week’s winning team down, the featured eight players who ball hit the ground and so did weren’t in the team that lost Tippett, trying to win a free kick last year’s preliminary final to after being out-bodied by Wood.

St Kilda.

The 20-year-old Bulldog Naturally, some more kept his feet, calmly picked experienced types will return, up the ball and delivered it but the subtle shift might prove precisely to a teammate on the critical this year.

,7¶6 )227< :,7+287 7+( 58/(6 For a no holds barred view on everything footy, join Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell, 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday.

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AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 21

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VIEWS | NEWS | FIRST PERSON | FACTS | DATA | CULTURE

COMMUNITY

Passionate Hawk helping to kick the habit

LENDING A HAND: Rick

Ladson with Odyssey House CEO Stefan Gruenert.

W

A LE X PAU L L

ith Hawthorn in a fight to stay in the top eight, one of the club’s 2008 premiership players has been taking time out to help people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.

Running defender Rick Ladson has struggled with injury since the start of 2009, but the 26-year-old has shown a passion for helping others.

“I love helping the underprivileged, especially young kids, which I did a couple of years ago with Chance Bateman,” he said.

“You get a bit of a kick out of it.

They love footy and they look up

22 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

to us. I like to get into that away from footy.”

Ladson’s work with Odyssey House – a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility – has been a source of inspiration for him and the club, which, in conjunction with Odyssey House, is helping to generate greater awareness of drug and alcohol problems through its ‘Kick the Habit’ program.

football team – and talk about healthy living.

“It’s a chance to do some exercise, promote health and look after their body, but also have a bit of fun and play some footy,” Ladson said.

Ladson spoke about dealing with injuries. He has played only 15 of a possible 41 games since the 2008 Grand Final.

“They really appreciate that sort of thing because they must think as footy players we’re superheroes and nothing bad You get a bit happens to us, but when we talk of a kick out of it. about injuries and They love footy what goes on in and they look your life, it makes up to us them realise we’re HAWTHORN’S RICK LADSON ON HIS normal as well,” WORK WITH ODYSSEY HOUSE “With an issue he said. like drug and Ladson returned alcohol abuse, to the team in round 18, it’s overpowering if you are an and the Hawks are focused on addict, and it’s tough to actually maintaining a spot in the eight realise you have to go and do after two straight losses. something about it,” he said.

“We’re trying to win the last Ladson and Hawks teammate three games and hopefully set Taylor Duryea visited Odyssey ourselves up for a long finals House last week to conduct series but, personally, I’m happy a training session with the trying to do my best for the team Odyssey Blues – the facility’s and keep enjoying my footy.”

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THE R O F N A M THE T N E M MO AME 200 G

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s ane Lion an Brisb jury and h t e r o casion m e a nagging in e e big oc h t s e Despit e tripl v o l Brown. ting season, th n re No one a h t a on cent n Jon ppoin to shine d. e champio nduring a disa c n a h se ther c eeken the Lion ip star has ano th game this w 0 h s 0 premier n he plays his 2 e his he help tak in stage w N goals to te

first-half 27-point lead la a an c s r e y team to ter. ew pla lves nd quar ack in the e s o c m e e s e th b e th s it o h p im les to The Eag nd looked set tch like a on a ma Brown. in lf a in h w d t n o in n sec one-po a wn Jonatha ok as r o r fo B l n lo , unti hold o And few le as the seconds agles g in y d b the ng E comforta when cled you own to mark per outmus Br ip k h s c s it n M r on e Lio defende goal.

Brisban of a game rests m lt 30m fro t back the resu n ’s e t. t o h w o e ig b n H their turday a S erted t t v s a n la t o Take and c st Coas e W t s with an ain – albeit ick game ag r example. t s incing k fo id v , m n o unco Subiac s in the ft n le – io d k L a te e e r With th ame losing str ce that sta d ightene ht-g e sin but stra of an eig g won only onc four in ed and hav r – Brown kick u round fo

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57

JONATHAN BROWN

RESILIENT: Despite being hampered with injuries this year, Jonathan Brown has still managed to kick 49 goals in 15 games.

FACT FILE

16

Jonathan Brown

– to give the Lions a moraleboosting five-point win.

Brown did all this despite appearing restricted by an abdominal/groin injury he has carried for much of the year.

It was a remarkable effort, but hardly surprising. Brown has been one of the AFL’s genuine match-winners since holding down centre half-forward for the Lions as a 20-year-old in their first premiership year, 2001.

As he prepares to play his 200th game, against Adelaide at the Gabba this Sunday, Brown’s list of achievements include three premierships (2001-03), two All-Australian selections (2007 and 2009), three Lions best and fairests (2007-09) and the 2007 Coleman Medal.

After round four this year, he had kicked 19 goals and been in such dominant form that some in the media pondered whether he was the best centre half-forward in League history.

58 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

His will is unbelievable … in big moments he rises to the occasion

Football The resilience greats Leigh Voss spoke of BRISBANE COACH Matthews and has perhaps MICHAEL VOSS ON BROWN Malcolm Blight been the most suggested Brown outstanding feature was fast closing of Brown’s play the gap on the man many this year. consider the greatest Having carried his injury since of all-time, dual North the Lions’ round-four win over Melbourne premiership skipper the Western Bulldogs, Brown Wayne Carey. has not been able to exploit his Lions coach Michael Voss, renowned running ability and, a teammate of Brown’s from at times, has lacked mobility and 2000-06, gave an insight into the speed off the mark. But, apart attributes that make him such an from missing four games from influential player. rounds 12-15, he has taken the “He’s a big-occasion player, a field and made a contribution big-moment player,” Voss said – he has kicked 30 goals in 11 after last week’s game. games since his injury – and, “He’s probably one of the perhaps most importantly, toughest, most resilient players led his young, injury-hit side I’ve played with and had the through one of the club’s most pleasure to coach. trying seasons.

“His will is unbelievable. He Brown’s leadership qualities leads his team so very well and have been apparent since he first you saw at the end why he’s the arrived at the Gabba, former player he is – in big moments he teammate Alastair Lynch told rises to the occasion.” the AFL Record this week.

Born: October 29, 1981 Recruited from: South Warrnambool/Geelong U18 Debut: Round 5, 2000 v Adelaide Height: 195cm Weight: 104kg Games: 199 Goals: 472 Player honours: best and fairest 2007, 2008, 2009; All-Australian 2007, 2009; Coleman Medal 2007; leading goalkicker 2007, 2009; premiership sides 2001, 2002, 2003; co-captain 2007-08; captain since 2009 Brownlow Medal: career votes 91

Lynch, who formed a formidable key-forward partnership with Brown from 2000-04, says Brown is a “natural leader”.

“He’s one of those guys who, regardless of whether he has a title or not, can draw people to him,” Lynch says.

“He just naturally leads and holds the floor in any sort of forum. The way he plays obviously has an effect on his teammates as well.”

Lynch says Brown’s ability and work ethic also stood out immediately.

“I think it was a year before he eventually started with the Lions (under the father-son rule) when (then-Lions coach) Leigh Matthews got me to do some one-on-one marking with him at training and it was noticeable how strong and competitive he was, even as a skinny 17-year-old kid,” he says.

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JONATHAN BROWN “So from that first training “He’s one of those players who session I thought, ‘Gee, this kid actually enjoys that occasion. goes all right’.

You see a number of players on “Once we saw how he could a big stage who don’t actually run and his natural football want the ball, they’re actually awareness and skills, we always scared to take the shot,” he says. thought he was going to be a “But ‘Browny’ is someone who pretty good player. actually wants it in his hands.

“He was also so hard-working He’s happy for the win or the loss – a big country kid who just to come down to his kick.” didn’t have a second and third Longevity, or more gear. Everything was just flat out specifically, the ability to on the training track, in practice perform at an elite level for a matches and certainly in games number of seasons, is inevitably as well. His work ethic seven one of the criteria when judging days a week is better than the game’s best players. so many I see.”

Now Brown has Lynch enjoyed fulfilled that I’ve played playing with criterion, where against some Brown, paying does Lynch rank tribute to him among the great forwards his former great centre and Brown is teammate’s half-forwards? certainly up there preparedness “Quite rightly with them to share the ball, after his first FORMER TEAMMATE but says it could be few games this ALASTAIR LYNCH dangerous sharing year there was the Lions’ forward discussion about who line with him. is the greatest centre “He used to kick the ball to half-forward of all time,” he says. me a fair bit but, when I saw him “Browny has two running back with the flight All-Australians but that’s not of the ball with almost stupid a true reflection of his standing courage, I just tried to keep my as a centre half-forward. man out of the road and make You’d probably put him up sure he didn’t clean me up as against a few others who well,” he says. have more All-Australians.

And, like Voss, Lynch says “I’ve played against some Brown thrives on the pressure great forwards and Brown is of having a match rest on his certainly up there with them in boot, like last Saturday night’s terms of his impact and the way game did. he can control a game.”

DEMANDING: Jonathan Brown

wants the ball in his hands in any situation, according to ex-teammate Alastair Lynch.

Rutten and Crows the only Lion tamers � Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown is the bogeyman of many key defenders but this weekend he comes up against his own nemesis, Adelaide.

Since 2005, Crows full-back Ben Rutten has not conceded more than two goals in a game to Brown, restricting him to a total of eight in the five matches the pair have gone head to head.

In the clubs’ most recent match, in round nine this season, Brown was marked principally by Nathan Bock – though Rutten manned him when he played closer to goal – but his poor run against Adelaide continued as he finished the game goalless.

60 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

In 12 games since round five of 2000 – his AFL debut – Brown has kicked just 13 goals against the Crows at an average 1.08 a game, considerably lowerr than his average against his second toughest opponent, the Sydney Swans (1.86).

6).

6) 6).

His return against nst ns s hiinn inn inner in neerr the Crows looks thinner still when compared reed ed to to his career averagee d his hiss hi of 2.37 a game and 2010 average of 3.27 a game.

NICK BOWEN

NEMESIS: Ben Rutten has a good record against Jonathan Brown.

BROWN AGAINST OTHER CLUBS CLUB

GOALS

GAMES

Carlton

49

14

AVERAGE 3.5

North Melbourne

46

14

3.29

Geelong

45

15

3

Melbourne

23

8

2.88

St Kilda

29

11

2.64

West Coast

31

12

2.58

Hawthorn

34

14

2.43

Essendon

36

15

2.4

Collingwood

34

16

2.12

Port Adelaide

38

18

2.11

Fremantle

23

12

1.92 1.89

Richmond

17

9

Western Bulldogs

28

15

1.87

Sydney Swans

26

14

1.86

Adelaide TOTAL

13

12

1.08

472

199

2.37

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62 AFL RECORD visit aďŹ&#x201A;record.com.au

The Western Bulldogs will honour favourite son Brad Johnson at a testimonial this weekend.

But, while the ever-smiling skipper and club games record-holder is appreciative of all the fuss, he has more serious team-orientated things on his mind. The 34-year-old is hell-bent on helping his beloved Bulldogs end a 56-year premiership drought. C A MERON NOA K ES PHOTOS: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS

T

here was a child, just like any other child, and he had a dream, just like any other dream.

It was about football, big-time football, and the child played for the team he loved, in the company of men he called heroes.

And in the dream, the child is the captain of the team … and there is a game where he kicks the winning goal … and there is a day, Grand Final day, where the child dreamed he was a man ... and the man stands on the MCG, and like the child, he believes.

Welcome to Brad Johnson’s dream, strangely, Brad Johnson’s reality; a life so unbelievably romantic that it reads like a fairytale; so incredibly unreal that it plays out like a child’s dream.

And not just any dream, the ultimate, or very close to it – it just needs one more page

to be written, and that page is turned and waiting.

It is blank, but it is right underneath Johnson’s nose.

To make this fairytale complete, it needs Johnson standing on a dais, in front of 100,000 people, holding aloft the Dogs’ second premiership cup.

And they are close, very close; everyone knows it, Johnson and his Dogs can sniff it.

This Sunday, the Western Bulldogs will celebrate Johnson’s amazing football career with a testimonial lunch at Melbourne’s Crown.

It promises to be a lavish affair. It also promises to be emotional and passionate.

It is hard to think of a man more popular in the game than Johnson. While his life at times seems close to a fantasy, he is indeed incredibly real and charming. His famous smile

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 63

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BRAD JOHNSON may seem painted on, but ut it ually too is very real, and virtually impossible to remove.

When Johnson poses for the g serious Record’s camera, looking ling is the difficult part. Smiling comes easy.

It is why he was once dubbed the ‘Smiling Assassin’ butt at naturally he laughs at that moniker. Happy, yes, butt the assassin’s bones and mind belong to another We used to man’s body. And do circle work Johnson has every reason to be happy. when I first turned He is the boy who up and, to mix it grew up in Hoppers up, we’d go the Crossing loving his Bulldogs – Footscray other way they were to him back BRAD JOHNSON then. Needless to say, to captain the club he loved a few suburbs away from his family home is the boy’s dream come true.

But not only is he captain, he has played 359 games, which puts him in the top 10 of all time, and he is closing in on the top four.

However, regardless of what that final tally will be, Johnson’s name as a greatt of the game, a legend, is already assured. lub Johnson is 34, but the club and the player stress this weekend’s funcrion is not a ssed farewell lunch. When pressed about this, Johnson says hee is re is undecided. And while there But Johnson is aware his never a reason to doubt his word, expiry date is looming. his language, even the slips of Indeed, he has been around the tongue, indicate he really is such a long time he says it is unsure about the future. almost embarrassing when he “Last year, I sat down with types in the date of his birth in ‘Rocket’ (coach Rodney Eade) front of the younger players. and we had a pretty good chat “It is a bit bizarre. I’ve got to type and I said: ‘I’m right to go for in 1976 and I’ve got a bloke come this season’, and I’ll do the same in and type 1991,” he says. again,” he says.

Such is his longevity, he has “I’ve got no other thought at outlasted four coaches (Eade the moment other than trying to is his fifth), he played against lead this side into another finals Geelong’s Gary Ablett snr, series and hopefully get some who booted 129 goals in 1994 success on the back of that.

(Johnson’s first year), and now “I’m not going to self indulge he is watching that man’s son in what I’m going to do or what dominate the competition for I’m thinking because my pure the same club. and true thoughts are only in “I played with Steve Wallis regards to this team and where and ‘Libba’ (Tony Liberatore); I know we can get to. next year their sons are “So I will sit down with potentially being drafted Rocket again at the end of the under the father-son rule to year and have a chat and we’ll our club,” Johnson says. work it out from there.”

DAD’S A CHAMP: Brad Johnson with children Jack and Ella before his 350th game in round one this year and (left) celebrating one of his 558 career goals.

“If I play on next year, that is p probably how I look at (my age); I could be potentially playing w with their kids, so that’s the b bizarre thing.”

And it is not just playing with former teammates’ sons that highlights Johnson’s remarkable durability.

Australian Football has “grown up” in this time, and morphed into an uber-professional pursuit.

Johnson has watched it all happen at close range, from the introduction of the racial vilification rules to changes to the football lexicon “Lateral kicking”, “corridor football”, “rebound 50s” and “run and spread” were all expressions belonging to a futuristic world in 1994. Now they are common vernacular.

“I guess you always had loose-ball gets and hard-ball gets and those sort of things but the language has changed and I guess it’s all statistical-based these days,” he says.

“We used use to do circle work when I firs rst turned up and, to mix it up, we’d go the other way. The b basic drills have always be been there: your fivestar handb handball, your five-star kick, your three- or four-man weaves and an your match-play, but I suppo suppose these days you do more mo sophisticated kicking dri drills, closer to the way we want to play.

“The list size is the other thing that h has changed. When I first started, starte there would have b b been about 60 guys trying to get on the list, whereas today there are 43 players on the list with the rookies.”

But for Johnson, these are merely superficial changes. For him, the spirit of football clubs has not changed and will always remain, from the junior level to professional. “(On the surface) it’s changed a huge amount but footy clubs in essence have not changed. The core within a football club I don’t think has changed throughout that time,” he says.

“Being a young kid coming in, you’re obviously really nervous, trying to get comfortable in that environment as quickly as you can.

“It was certainly intimidating in that sense, because I followed the club and coming in and having Doug Hawkins sit next to me and Steve Wallis and Steve MacPherson and all these players and you go, ‘Whoa’.

“But once you walk in – and this is the one thing that will never change – the guys in a footy club will never change from the time you enter the place. And that’s the most pleasing thing; they embrace you within the group.

“Then as the years flow on, you sort of try and use what you’ve learned when the new guys come into the group.

“And that’s been the No. 1 thing from the senior players right through to the whole group. You are just made to feel extremely welcome and that’s one thing that hasn’t changed since the time I entered the place.

AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 65

BRAD JOHNSON “That’s the best thing about footy and football clubs – those basic elements. The best parts of footy don’t change.

“Things change in regards to the environment we’re in, and the facilities we’re in, but the basic elements of a football club don’t really change no matter what level you’re at.”

One of the chapters in Johnson’s fairytale career is his 300th game. For many it is considered one of the great AFL stories, certainly one of the most dramatic season-openers in the game’s history.

The start of the 2008 season coincided with Johnson’s 300th game. Deep into the game, the Crows had pushed past the Dogs and it seemed they had an unassailable lead. But in the last five minutes, Johnson slotted three goals and, when Nathan Bock missed on the siren, the Dogs had won by three points.

The best way to highlight the jubilation of all those ALL SMILES: Brad Johnson pro-Dog fans who witnessed sports the big grin that makes the encounter is to recall the him a Bulldog favourite. reaction of Rohan Smith: the former Dog and Johnson’s great mate momentarily forgot he fi rst one and get your fi rst four was working as a boundary points on the board. rider for Fox Sports and “I was lucky to get on the end charged on to the ground to of the couple at the end of the give his friend a huge hug. game but, in reality, if ‘Huddo’ And such is the regard for (Ben Hudson) doesn’t get Johnson, that the devastated it down to ‘Coons’ Crows still formed a (Adam Cooney), you guard of honour to know? You’ve got to applaud him as he look at that.”

From what left the ground.

While the I’ve seen at the Again, they Dogs have been were thrilling, moment, I think he’s riding on the fairytale crest of a wave still got enough to scenes, but for the past go around the selfless few years and next year Johnson, who won the NAB BULLDOGS COACH finished the game Cup pre-season RODNEY EADE with five goals, premiership this typically refuses to season – the club’s see himself in the picture. first piece of silverware of “That game was about a any sort in 40 years – Johnson team that was down for most has endured some tough times of the day that responded; we at the Bulldogs. certainly, as a side, grew from These battles have been that occasion,” he says. on and off the field.

“Yeah, it was my 300th on “From about 2001, I the back of it but it was not think it was, we didn’t play something we really spoke finals for about six years,” about leading into it. There he acknowledges. was a little bit going on around In fact, as recently as 2007, it but, at the end of the day, it the Dogs finished 13th. The lean was a round-one game and you period also resulted in a wooden want to get off to the perfect spoon in 2003, however, to start; you want to win that illustrate just how quickly things 66 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

FACT FILE

6

Brad Johnson

Born: July 18, 1976 Recruited from: Williamstown/Western U18 Debut: Round 18, 1994 v Collingwood Height: 182cm Weight: 87kg Games: 359 Goals: 558 Player honours: best and fairest 1999, 2002, 2006; All-Australian 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 (captain), 2007; International Rules 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003; leading goalkicker 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008; Rising Star nominee 1995; captain 2006Brownlow Medal: career votes 79

can change, the Dogs stormed to third on the ladder in 2008 and have not looked back.

“We got Coons and we got Farren Ray (now at St Kilda) in that time and we got Ryan Griffen, and, in saying that, we really had a core group of young guys like Ryan Hargrave, Brian Lake, Mitch Hahn, ‘Gia’ (Daniel Giansiracusa), ‘Murph’ (Robert Murphy), ‘Gilbs’ (Lindsay Gilbee), who are probably the core of our group now.

“They got better and better as those years went on. We didn’t play finals in that time but the development in those players was quite high.”

Was it tough as his beloved team slipped down the ladder?

“You prepare to win, you don’t prepare any differently. As a club, we always prepared to win and we go out every single week to do that. It might have worked out that we weren’t good enough in those periods, but it certainly didn’t change our approach.

“It’s tough sometimes when you’re losing game after game, but the way the group really stuck together in those times, we really just tried to make the place as enjoyable as we could.

“We still tried to enjoy our footy regardless of the position we were in. That is what gets you through it. It can wear you down at times, obviously, but if you stick through those times, you know you can start to get some rewards.

“And it is not only just us as players, the supporters have had to stick through it as well, which they’ve done and now they’re starting to get some enjoyment because our win-loss record is quite good.”

Eade believes Johnson can play on next season, however, maybe not as captain.

“From what I’ve seen at the moment, I think he’s still got enough to go around next year,” Eade recently told the Western Bulldogs website.

“Whether he can mentally do that, because we all hit the wall at some stage, I don’t know.”

But no one should underestimate Johnson’s enthusiasm for football. He is aware of his AFL mortality, missing more games this year through injury than he has in the previous 17 seasons.

But he still dreams – and it is not just about holding that premiership cup aloft, and breaking a 56-year drought (the Dogs won their only cup in 1954 against Melbourne).

“Who’s to say the team can’t keep growing the following year and you couldn’t be a part of that?” Johnson says with legitimate enthusiasm.

Moments of the

2000-09

Revamped Tribunal system passes review Opinions will always be divided over controversial cases, but the introduction of the Match Review Panel has given the AFL’s judiciary system more transparency and certainty y and led to a reduction in Tribunal hearings. ASHLEY BROW NE

T

he football news officials and players. cycle takes all The Match Review Panel camee 5 sorts of twists and into being at the start of the 2005 turns over the season and was the first major course of the five initiative of Adrian Anderson, days between the who was appointed as the head completion of the last match of of the AFL’s football operations the round at about 7.30pm each 12 months earlier.

Sunday and the first game of the It replaced the AFL Tribunal following round the following system, which had been in Friday night. place since the foundation of Each week there seems to the League in 1897 and which be an issue of the day or a club resulted in virtually every reportt d under the pump. Goal umpires laid during matches being heard were the big story this week by the Tribunal. But it was a after a series of controversial system that after more than 100 decisions last weekend and this years was failing to keep pace week’s team receiving scrutiny with the increased sophistication was Hawthorn. of the game.

But while the issue of the A perceived lack of consistency week and the team most under in the findings, a large number pressure can fluctuate wildly of cases being thrown out within each week, what is minutes of a hearing certain about the starting and an weekly AFL increased number There is news cycle is of legal challenges a much more the growing to the Tribunal’s anxiety each findings left rigorous process Monday Anderson in than there was in as players, little doubt the past coaches, that football’s AFL FOOTBALL OPERATIONS officials, media judiciary system GENERAL MANAGER ADRIAN ANDERSON and supporters needed an await the weekly overhaul. findings of the AFL’s The new Match Review Panel. system was unveiled amid The weekly offering from great fanfare in December chairman Mark Fraser and his of 2004. The major changes panel can dominate the AFL’s included: news headlines each • The introduction of a Monday evening. three-person Match Review Panel to review and consider Having spent all of Monday all reports; reviewing every contentious • The introduction of a table issue out of the weekend, Fraser of offences and sanctions. and his panel validate some of Offences were ‘ranked’ against the reports made by officiating criteria including intent, impact umpires, throw out others and and severity, with the penalties make recommendations of their adjusted depending on the past own based on match videos and, record of the players; on occasions, discussions with

68 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

OUTED: O Under the old system, players

ssuch as Collingwood’s Anthony Rocca ((left) had their charges heard directly b by the AFL Tribunal. Rocca is seen h here after being suspended for two m matches, forcing him to miss the 2003 G Grand Final.

• Players being able to accept pre-determined penalties, with a 25 per cent reduction for a guilty plea while retaining the right to a Tribunal hearing; • The Match Review Panel consisting of recently retired players; • Legal representation to be allowed; • Appeals permitted only on the grounds of errors of law, unreasonable decisions, manifestly excessive classifications of offences and penalties.

The new system took some getting used to, although what became immediately apparent was that there were fewer Tribunal hearings each week.

It also created a cottage industry of analysts who quickly became experts in the workings of the Match Review Panel, with 3AW’s stats guru Graeme Bond and veteran Herald Sun journalist Bruce Matthews widely considered to be the experts without peer when it came to factors such as ‘reckless’ or ‘negligent’, ‘high impact’ or ‘low impact’ and poor records versus clean records.

The AFL has staunchly defended its new judiciary

system, and it would seem to have the support of most of the football community most of the time.

There are cases every season that place the system under the microscope, no more than the Steven Baker case earlier this season, which resulted in the rugged Saints defender being rubbed out for nine weeks as a result of pleading guilty to four separate charges arising from the Grand Final rematch against Geelong.

Many believed the penalty was manifestly excessive given the charges but, upon closer reflection, it became clear Baker was paying the price for his poor previous record, a factor that must be taken into account whenever a player is charged.

In an interview with afl.com.au after the Baker case, Anderson said the Match Review Panel system was transparent and offered more certainty.

Players are aware of their standing every time they step on to the ground.

“In Baker’s case, it was in the worst category when he got a 50 per cent loading,” Anderson said.

“Now every player knows what a record is, they know

T H E A F T E R M AT H POOR RECORD: St Kilda’s

� A hallmark of the old Tribunal system was the number of long and late Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights put in by not just the Tribunal members, but the AFL officials, player advocates and media members in attendance.

Since the introduction of the Match Review Panel in 2005, the number of Tribunal hearings has been reduced by 80 per cent, with 83 per cent of players accepting the penalty handed down by the Match Review Panel.

AFL football operations general manager Adrian Anderson (above) told the AFL website earlier this year that the judiciary structure would continue to be reviewed and tinkered with every year. But, he said: “The fundamentals, we’re really pleased with.”

Steven Baker (left) was suspended for nine matches earlier this year after accumulating a 50 per cent loading under the Match Review Panel system. The Match Review Panel uses a grading system (below) to determine penalties.

what hat benefi fit you ading ding get for pleading guilty and they know what factors the Match Review Panel assesses.”

Anderson said the system he helped create wasn’t perfect, but better than the previous one.

“There was widespread dissatisfaction with the

arbitrary nature of the decision-making g ((under the old Tribunal system), and not because it was arbitrary because it didn’t have any reference; it was purely discretional by the Tribunal,” he said.

“They won’t always get it right,” he said of the new system. “There will always be a

range of opinions on individual decisions but it is transparent, it is more certain and there is a much more rigorous process than there was in the past.

“This case was a particularly controversial one, but we had controversial cases under the old system.”

ASHLEY BROWNE IS EDITOR OF BACKPAGELEAD.COM.AU

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AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 69

Col Hutchinson

timeon Our AFL history guru answers your queries.

AFL mystery men John Daniel Joseph Dennington � Born on July 22, 1907, Dennington was a 170cm, 67kg small forward who came from Preston in the Victorian Football Association to represent Footscray in 10 matches in 1931. He wore guernsey No. 10 and booted three goals. On six occasions, he was a member of a winning team.

BEATING THE BEST: St Kilda finished wooden spooner in 1954 but the Saints

had the satisfaction of defeating the eventual grand finalists Footscray and Melbourne during the season.

West Coast has beaten Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions won against the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood. Has a wooden spoon team ever defeated the winning grand finalist in the same season?

MARILYN R, MT DUNEED, VIC

CH: There have been eight

cases. In 1904, St Kilda (eventual wooden spooner) defeated the premier, Fitzroy.

Fifty years later, the Saints, who again finished at the bottom of the ladder, outscored both eventual grand finalists Footscray (winner) and Melbourne (runner-up). In 1959, cellar-dweller Footscray

70 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

claimed victory against flag-winner Melbourne.

The other wooden-spooners to defeat premiers were Richmond (1960 v Melbourne), Fitzroy (1963 v Geelong and 1980 v Richmond), Footscray (1967 v Richmond) and Sydney (1992 v West Coast). In 1963, the Lions’ victory was their only one for the season.

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

Kenneth Raymond Rosewarne � Recruited from Ivanhoe, Rosewarne was a 179cm, 79kg half-forward who gained selection for Collingwood as a 20-year-old just twice – rounds six and seven in 1932.

His claim to fame was that he was never selected in a losing team. The Magpies’ winning margins in those games were 16 and 18 points, against Footscray and Melbourne respectively, both at Victoria Park.

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

NAME GAME

Brave Blue � Last week, we noted the Germanic element (h)ard meaning “brave”, “strong”, “hardy” which appears in names such as Richard, Gerard, Harding, etc.

Another name we could have mentioned is the surname of young Carlton rookie David Ellard.

In the most common version, this name derives from the Old French personal name Adelard, which was made up of adal (“noble”) and hard.

Ellard as a surname can be traced back to the early 13th century (albeit with the variant spellings Alard, Allard, Aillard, etc.). In another version of the name’s origin, Ellard is thought to have been the keeper of a hall.

In this version, Ellard is an Anglo-Saxon name composed of the elements hall (a name given to someone who worked at the manor hall) and ward (a watchman). David Ellard is the first bearer of that surname to play in the VFL/AFL. KEVAN CARROLL

timeon

Rick Milne

COLLECTABLES

A tasty menu item

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

RICK’S RARITY

I have a Brownlow Medal menu signed by medal winners Roy oy Wright (Richmond), Ross Smith mith (St Kilda), Fred Goldsmith (South South Melbourne), Wilfred ‘Chicken’ n’ Smallhorn (Fitzroy), Peter Box (Footscray), Gordon Collis lis (Carlton) and others. Value?

� Football programs vary enormously in value, with those from unusual venues bringing the best prices.

Programs from Harry Beitzel’s Galahs tours of Ireland from the late 1960s are rare and valuable. These can sell for up to $1000, especially if they have player signatures. But even those from the official 1984 and 1987 tours of Ireland are worth at least $50. Australian fans who went to these matches brought quite a few home with them.

PATRICIA ROBERTSON, VIA EMAIL

RM: Assuming the autographs hs

n are in pen and the menu is in eryy good condition, you have a very good item worth up to $750.

A few years ago, my brother bought a house in Geelong and came across a large storage cupboard which appears to have once belonged to the Geelong FC Past Players and Officials Association. It is very large and has an impressive hand-painted club emblem on one of the doors.

This emblem would look good if cut out and framed. I am guessing it is one of a kind, so should I frame the emblem? Also, which era is it from?

ROB DAHLOFF, VIA EMAIL

MEDAL COUP: COUP A reader d Brownl Medal has a Brownlow menu signed by Peter Box (above) and Gordon Collis (right).

I have a commemorative Brownlow Medal football with the signature of Hawthorn’s Shane Crawford. It is a limited edition of 750 and I would appreciate a valuation.

ANITA BROOKS, VIA EMAIL

RM: Footballs are not popular

RM: This is quite a story and I

with collectors and 750 is a big “limited” edition. I doubt if it is worth more than $250.

am guessing the item comes from the 1950s. I don’t think it is worth a fortune, but I can suggest a good home for it – the Geelong Football Club.

I suggest you contact club historian Carol Szymczak.

I have a limited-edition club series Carlton wrist-watch from the 1990s. It has a gold face and wrist-band and is numbered 137.

The certificate bears the signature of former AFL boss Wayne Jackson and I would appreciate a valuation.

THELMA POW, VIA EMAIL

RM: I have a feeling these

cost about $200 at the time.

The problem with modern collectables is that there are so many of them and even limited editions were issued in big numbers. A mate recently was offered a St Kilda version of this watch for $100 and I believe this is closer to the value.

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

One query per reader.

WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN

beforethegame.com.au L ADDER SAM 93 DAVE

93

ANDY

93

LEHMO

90

FITZY

89

MICK

80

TIPSTERS

FITZY Collingwood Carlton Fremantle Geelong Cats Port Adelaide Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda

72 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

MICK Collingwood Richmond Fremantle Geelong Cats Port Adelaide Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda

SAM Collingwood Carlton Fremantle Geelong Cats Port Adelaide Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda

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

LEHMO Collingwood Richmond Fremantle Geelong Cats Port Adelaide Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda

ANDY Collingwood Carlton Fremantle Geelong Cats Port Adelaide Adelaide Hawthorn St Kilda

This week, special guest appearances by HARRY O’BRIEN & JACK RIEWOLDT

TISSOT PRC 200 LIMITED EDITION 2010 The watch for all occasions with an automatic movement, scratchproof sapphire crystal, water resistance up to 200m/600ft and a 316L stainless steel bracelet, AFL engraved caseback

IN TOUCH WITH YOUR TIME

OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

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KIDS’ CORNER

IVE F TO FIND

Sudoku

MAZE

HELP BRENT HARVEY GET TO THE BALL

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

P. MEDHURST COLLINGWOOD

D

U

H

M

R

H P

S

U P

E

M T

E

E

T

D

P

T

D M H

S

E

U

M

R

P

R

D P

R S

T

U

H

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Goalpost in background added; Ben Cousins’ hoops on his left sock changed to red; letter R on background fence removed; football removed; Cousins has a Richmond tattoo on his left shoulder.

B IG G MOUTH: MOU MOUT M MO O H: BIG SCRAMBLED SCRA SC S CRA AM MBLE BLE LE L ED FO FOOTBALLER: OTBA BALLER ER: ER CRYPTIC CRYP C RYP YPTIC TIIC T C FOOTBALLERS: FOOT FO F OO OO OT TBALLERS: LE

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

timeon

NAB AFL RISING STAR

Bringing out the best Youngster Jeff Garlett is the latest atest

E

Blues Blues Rising Star nominee to t benefit from teammate Eddie Betts’ guidance. CALLUM TWOMEY

ddie Betts’ influence at Carlton clearly goes beyond kicking brilliant goals on a regular basis.

It comes as no surprise the two players Betts has taken under his wing at Visy Park, Chris Yarran and Jeff Garlett, have both received nominations for the NAB AFL Rising Star in 2010.

Yarran was nominated after his round-one performance against Richmond and Garlett joined his friend with a nomination following his six-goal effort against Essendon last week.

Garlett, 21, said Betts’ impact had been significant. “He’s been a really good role It was a model for Chris and myself,” Garlett said. good night and “We live together and I enjoyed it, but Eddie only lives about I was pretty 10 minutes away, so he about shocked to kick really took us under his Dempsey six goals wing. When I first came and what JEFF GARLETT over, I stayed at his place he does, so I and I’ve learned a lot thought about from him.” how I could go Against the Bombers last about beating him. week, Garlett proved to be more “I played the way I have than merely Betts’ understudy, been playing in recent weeks kicking three first-term goals by running up and then trying and breaking Essendon’s to beat my opponent on the backline apart. way back to goal and was lucky On several occasions, enough to get some space and Garlett, opposed to defender opportunities last weekend.”

Courtenay Dempsey, found Garlett has been a revelation space in his team’s forward 50 this season, and a look at his and extended his goalkicking family tree might help explain tally to 30 for the season. his emergence.

“It was a good night and Garlett’s cousins include I enjoyed it, but I was pretty Hawthorn star Lance Franklin, shocked to kick six goals,” he Fremantle midfielder Des said. “At opposition meetings, Headland and North Melbourne we talk about who we might youngster Cruize Garlett, and have playing on us, and we spoke one of his uncles is Collingwood

2010 NAB AFL Rising Star Nominees

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO:

Young forward Jeff Garlett emulated his mentor Eddie Betts with a six-goal haul against Essendon last round.

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

forward Leon Davis, not that Garlett is especially close to the Magpies match-winner.

“I didn’t even know that until my Dad told me, but I do have a few relatives who have played,” Garlett said. “Dale and Derek Kickett are also cousins of mine. It’s good to catch up with everyone.”

Picked by Carlton in the 2008 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, and elevated to the senior list last season to play 10 games, Garlett said he is starting to reap the rewards of his hard work.

“I thought I was a long way behind when I got to the club on the rookie list and thought it might take a couple of years to get on to the senior list, but I took my chance when it came and I’ve given it everything I could,” he said.

Round 15 – Jack Redden (BL) Round 16 – Phil Davis (Adel) Round 17 – Jarrad Grant (WB) Round 18 – Michael Hurley (Ess) Round 19 – Jeff Garlett (Carl)

THREE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW 1

Garlett is studying to become a physical education teacher.

2 Former Melbourne and

Fremantle forward Jeff Farmer was his football idol growing up.

3 He enjoys country music, his favourite artist being Alan Jackson.

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

76 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

timeon

LAST LINE

Applying data laterally

Watson continues a proud Bomber lineage

BLOODLINES:

Jobe Watson is following in his father Tim’s footsteps as a leader and a star.

J

obe can dance. I recently watched him perform at Etihad Stadium and was enthralled.

I had the privilege of a Watson front-row seat, just metres from captain’s game appears to be the Essendon was of the the ideal leader interchange highest order, of a club in bench. Close up, and the leader I saw glimpses certainly played transition of the Bomber one for all to see. captain’s sublime Obviously footwork as he bustled, restricted by a weaved and threaded his sore calf for way through heavy traffic, much of the game and urgently finding cracks and spaces no receiving rigorous attention one else could see or imagine. during brief stints on the bench, What he did was not in Watson had a game-high 38 anyway showy, but he had the disposals. Essendon won by single purpose of spearing a three points. handball or kick to a teammate All club captains have with a message on it: GO! enormous responsibility on The Watson routine pleasantly and off the field, but there’s reminded me of legends who extra burden on Watson: he is could tip-toe their way through leading the club at a time when avalanches: Saint Darrel Baldock, it is struggling for identity and Blue (and later Saint) Alex on-field success, and he carries a Jesaulenko and, indeed, Jobe’s revered Bombers name. father, Tim Watson, a 307-game Essendon has won the equal champion and Essendon skipper. most AFL/VFL premierships The occasion of the Jobe (16, with Carlton). The club Watson performance was is perched on Windy Hill, the round 17 match against amid what has morphed into North Melbourne. a leafy upper-middle class After a series of sapping suburb. Its status has made losses (six straight) and fans an excessively proud and supporter outcry, coach demanding lot.

Matthew Knights had drawn up During his successful era, a now-or-never scenario, with coach Kevin Sheedy built the Bombers still a chance to a strong Essendon brand play in the finals at that stage. that combined glamour and Under the circumstances, a toughness. James Hird, Matthew

78 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au

Lloyd, Mark Mercuri and Michael Long were highly skilled players who could also get physical when they needed to.

Tim Watson also symbolised this potent mix. He made a significant contribution when he returned in 1993 from an early retirement to help the so-called ‘Baby Bombers’ to the premiership.

Watson epitomised the Essendon brand cultivated by Sheedy, who set a path for the future: the Bombers had a real identity that would be carried for years to come.

Jobe has accepted the baton with distinction, but he certainly has more on his plate than others before him.

He travels in a post-Sheedy era. The special ingredients of glamour and toughness that made Essendon a success over such a long period are difficult to repeat in an environment shaped by drafting, micromanagement at a coaching level, an increasing emphasis on sports science and the advent of two new clubs.

Watson appears to be the ideal leader of a club in transition.

He can play the current style of game at the highest level, while providing a lineage to values that had made the club great.

How did Watson get so good at what he does? Simple. He practised a lot before he was drafted under the father-son rule.

Notably, the fathers of Essendon champions Dustin Fletcher (Ken), Hird (Allan jnr) and Lloyd (John) all played at the highest level.

(Ken Fletcher and Allan Hird played for the Bombers, John Lloyd for the Blues.)

We know the offspring of elite performers also can become gem players. A recent book, Bounce: How Champions Are Made, explains why.

Author Mathew Syed cites a wide range of studies and examples, concluding it takes at least 10 years of practice between first work and best work.

To master the complex tasks required of an elite performer, it requires around 1000 hours of practice each year for a decade. Syed refers to this as the “ten-thousand-year rule” – the time and dedication it takes to become a champion.

The more a youngster is steeped in a culture of continual and expert practice, the greater the chance of ultimate success. Syed claims talent is made, not born.

Reports from the Watson home front indicate young Jobe had lots of practice. As a three-year-old, he continually begged his father to let him have a kick.

When Tim became too tired, he asked one of his mates to take over. The list of those available to hone Jobe’s skills included Terry Daniher, Simon Madden and the rest of the Essendon team.

No doubt Jobe would have studied the footwork and, as an enterprising lad, added a few moves of his own. Now we know why he can dance.

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

Proud supporter of dreams≥

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

Qantas AFL KickStart Camp 2010 This weekend, Qantas is flying 50 talented young Indigenous football players from across Australia to Sydney. They’ll train with some of the best from the AFL, as well as learn from leaders including Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and Olympic champion Catherine Freeman.

Qantas is proud to help the next generation of AFL players realise their dreams.

Visit qantas.com/kickstart

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