July 2008 - AFL Talk

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AFL Talk - July 2008

Delistings (Part Two)

July 31st 2008 13:28

Players to be delisted at the end of 2008 (including those who are expected to retire):

Melbourne:

Nathan Carroll
Ben Holland (r)
Mark Jamar
John Meeson
David Neitz (r)
Matthew Whelan
Adem Yze (r)

North Melbourne

Leigh Adams
Leigh Brown
Ben Davies
Shannon Grant (r)
Blake Grima
Eddie Sansbury
Jess Sinclair

Port Adelaide

Greg Bentley
Adam Cockshell
Brendon Lade (r)
Nathan Lonie
Hugh Minson (r)
Damon White
Michael Wilson (r)

Richmond

Travis Casserly
Cameron Howat

Chris Hyde
Danny Meyer
Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
Kayne Pettifer
Greg Tivendale

St.Kilda

Shane Birss
Matthew Ferguson
Aaron Fiora
Leigh Fisher
Fraser Gehrig (r)
James Gwilt
Robert Harvey (r)
Michael Rix

Sydney

Jared Crouch
Nick Davis
Peter Everitt (r)
Nic Fosdike
Matthew Laidlaw
Ben Matthews
Tim Schmidt

West Coast

Steven Armstrong
Michael Braun (r)
Sam Butler
Chad Fletcher
Jaymie Graham
Chad Jones

Western Bulldogs

Andrew McDougall (r)
Wayde Skipper
Peter Street
Scott West (r)

Not surprisingly, Hawthorn, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have the least adjustments to make to their lists. Looking at Geelong's list, there is no reason that they can't be in contention for the next two to three seasons. Darren Milburn, at thirty, is their oldest player. It will be a matter of finding the right motivation to keep winning. In light of Scott West's most recent setback (he had arthroscopic surgery yesterday), his career will end in 2008. Robert Harvey is also likely to pull the plug on his prestigious career. Brendon Lade, an inaugural Power player, has also lost the physical conditioning to keep playing at the highest level.

It wil be interesting to see the delistings at Melbourne. The club is almost certain to delist John Meeson - the former Adelaide ruckman who they traded for last season. One of Mark Jamar and Jeff White will also go. In recent weeks Paul Johnson has established himself as the club's number one ruckmen. It is a matter of whether Dean Bailey thinks that Jeff White is capable of playing second fiddle. It is worth noting that White is over thirty and will have no trade value. On the other hand, Mark Jamar is a terrible footballer.

Sydney looks certain to make some significant changes this summer. Premiership players Crouch, Fosdike, Matthews and Nick Davis are almost certainly gone. Peter Everitt has laboured so far this season. It is unlikely that he has another season in his ageing body. Sydney will either have to trade for a back-up ruckman or put their trust in Jesse White or Daniel Currie. Is there any chance that they will make a play for Josh Fraser?

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Delistings

July 29th 2008 14:37

On Saturday afternoon the West Coast Eagles caused a huge upset by beating St.Kilda. Some of the Eagles' best players were those who were seemingly playing for their career. The final five rounds of the season might hold the key to some players - such as Brent Staker, Mark Nicoski and Steven Armstrong - retaining a spot on their club's list. The following is an estimate of the players who will be delisted by their club at the end of the season:

* 'r' denotes those who have, or are expected to, retire.

Adelaide

Rhett Biglands (r)
Trent Hentschel
Luke Jericho
Kris Massie
Ken McGregor

Brisbane

Robert Copeland
Nigel Lappin (r)
Beau McDonald (r)
Wayde Mills
Matthew Moody
Matt Tyler

Carlton

Cain Ackland
Jordan Bannister
Luke Blackwell
Richard Hadley
Ryan Houlihan
Setanta O'hAilpin
Jason Saddington (r)

Collingwood

Ryan Cook
Chris Egan
Brodie Holland
Sam Iles
Ryan Lonie
Simon Prestigiacomo (r)
Anthony Rocca (r)
Alan Toovey

Essendon

Ricky Dyson
Courtney Johns
Jason Johnson (r)
Andrew Lee
Mal Michael
Damien Peverill (r)

Fremantle

Peter Bell (r)
Heath Black (r)
Andrew Browne
Adam Campbell
Matthew Carr (r)
Andrew Foster
Mark Johnson (r)
Shaun McManus (r)
Luke Webster

Geelong

Nathan Ablett
Shannon Byrnes
David Johnson
Kane Tenace

Hawthorn

Shane Crawford (r)
Zac Dawson
Stuart Dew
Beau Dowler
Danny Jacobs (r)

It seems Hawthorn and Geelong have the least players to delist. Geelong may even manage to talk Nathan Ablett into staying at the club. Hawthorn might add Tim Boyle to the list, but will try to secure a trade first. It will be interesting to see the way that they use Stuart Dew for the remainder of the season. He has played well in the matches that he has been available. But he has suffered too many injuries. Fremantle and Collingwood seem certain to turn over almost a quarter of their list. This can often de-stabilise a club. For this reason some fringe players, such as Cook, Stanley, Cox and Dick, may retain their place on the list.

The final eight clubs will be listed on Friday.

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Round Seventeen

July 27th 2008 15:33

1. Collingwood blow it (again)

After almost beating Geelong in the preliminary final last season Collingwood was expected to have a serious tilt at a premiership in 2008. Last year Collingwood blooded several young players - Clarke, Goldsack, Toovey, Stanley, Cook, Dick, Cox - who were expected to help the club improve this time around. Despite a poor start to the season, the Pies beat Geelong by thirteen goals in round nine. It was a huge upset. But it should have signalled the beginning of Collingwood's climb up the ladder. This has not materialised. They have suffered some inexplicable defeats this season. A win against Essendon on Saturday would have put the Pies within two points of the top four. Now their premiership chances are in tatters.

The round nine match must now officially be ignored. Within the context of this season it does not make sense. Geelong have won their other sixteen matches and are the best team in the competition by a long way. At this point the only thing that can stop the Cats going back to back is injuries. Over the past two weeks the Cats have defeated their two main rivals while missing important players. It is time people stop judging Collingwood on their performance against Geelong. They rose to the occasion. But it counts for nothing if they can't beat Carlton or Essendon. Although the Bombers have been making steady improvement under Matthew Knights, it is inexplicable for Collingwood to lose to them. Behind closed doors Mick Malthouse will be making the same point - with a few more prophanities.

2. Saints succumb in the heat

The equation at the beginning of the round looked good for St. Kilda. They had won their previous four matches and had finally worked their way into the top eight. A win would have put them in outright fifth position, while maintaining their slim top four hopes. Their opposition - the once mighty West Coast Eagles - appeared to have thrown in the towel for the season. Saints fans could have been mistaken for thinking that the result would take care of itself. Unfortunately, this sentiment was probably shared by its players.

Last week there was a lot of hype about who would match up against Nick Riewoldt. In the end it didn't matter. Riewoldt tried hard and kicked five goals, but his side were too one-dimensional in their forward thrusts. It resembled Carlton when they become too Fevola-conscious. The Saints lost key defender Max Hudghton in the first quarter, which threw the balance of their side out. To make matters worse, their ageing ruckmen were slaughtered by Dean Cox. On the vast Subiaco Oval the Saints were exposed for their lack of leg speed. They often get away with this when playing at Telstra Dome. The young Eagles, buoyed by their home crowd, were too fast and committed for their more fancied rivals.

Worst of all for the Saints, they undid all of their good work from the previous week when they beat Hawthorn. They now sit outside the top eight. They have a favourable drawn, but are no guarantee to break back into the eight. Justin Koschitzke's return will help the structure of the team against Port Adelaide this week. The Saints lack the depth that teams such as Geelong, Hawthorn and the Bulldogs have. In the past two weeks the football world has seen the best and worst of the club. This week the Saints face another team who seems to have put the cue in the rack. Therefore it must be considered a danger game.

3. Tigers ready to pounce?

Richmond's last-gasp vistory over Brisbane brought them within two points of the top eight. While it remains unlikely that the Tigers can make the top eight, their coach will be pleased with their progress. For Terry Wallace to have his contract renewed, the Tigers must play finals football in 2009. At this rate, they will. The most pleasing aspect of their win over Brisbane was the fact that they were not too reliant on Matthew Richardson. In recent weeks the likes of Mitch Morton, Jack Riewoldt and Cleve Hughes have kicked goals. Add the skillful Nathan Brown to the equation and the Tigers suddenly seem to have found a potent forward line.

Terry Wallace is grooming Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore and Luke McGuane as his three tall defenders. All three have considerable improvement to make. At this point Thursfield looks like he will play full back for the next ten years. He is tall, agile and has a great ability to spoil the ball. Moore is making slow, but steady progress. He has played on some quality opponents this season and is learning how to curb their influence. McGuane needs to develop his physical ability more. He has been unable to hold his position in the team at times this season and still has a long way to go. Jay Schulz has also been used as a key defender, although there is a good chance that he will be traded to Port Adelaide. The Tigers defence is still too fragile to play finals football.

Brett Deledio is making fantastic progress as a footballer. He is agile, fast and good in the air. He is a natural goal-kicker and may be the next captain of the club. Trent Cotchin is a superb talent. He is already one of the Tigers' best midfielders. His ability to side-step opponents is second to none at the club. Nathan Foley is a proven ball winner who provides grunt at the clearances. And Richard Tambling is finally starting to play good football. He will be eternally ridiculed for being drafted ahead of Lance Franklin. But, like Terry Wallace, Tambling is starting to come good in his fourth season.

4. 'Buddy' Sumich

It is time that Lance Franklin received further advice on his kicking action. On Friday night he kicked four goals. In a pressure game four goals is a good return. But he should have kicked seven. While commentating the match Dennis Cometti said that the main thing standing in the way of a Hawthorn premiership was Franklin's kicking. While this may not necessarily be true, it does carry some substance. Franklin's kicking action resembles the way that Peter Sumich used to kick. He veers out to the left before hooking the ball back across his body. Once the ball has travelled twenty to thirty metres it gets a bit of 'irish' on it before swinging left. There are too many variables in this action.

There was nothing wrong with Tony Lockett's kicking action. While every player is an individual, Franklin's kicking action is a little too individual. In the future he may cost Hawthorn valuable matches. He does not need any drastic changes to his technique. It is worth noting that Franklin is a good field kick. On radio Jason Dunstall claimed that there was nothing that could be done to stop Franklin's errant kicking. This is a copout. He must run in a straighter line when taking a set shot. Perhaps the Hawks might stick cardboard cut-outs of John Anthony's ugly face between the sticks to encourage him to kick straight? If only Franklin was as lethal in front of goal as he is with glass in hand...

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Game, Set, Match - Stynes

July 24th 2008 08:55

On Tuesday Melbourne sacked their chief executive officer Paul McNamee. McNamee is the second CEO to have left the Demons in 2008. It has been a turbulent year for the club. They have lost their president (Paul Gardner), their captain (David Neitz), and two CEO's (Harris and McNamee). They also lost the majority of their board members when Jim Stynes took over as president. Out of the men who started the year in positions of power at the club, the only one to remain is coach Dean Bailey. Despite the Demons dismal on-field displays this season, Bailey's job appears to be as safe as ever.

At the beginning of the 2007 season Melbourne - who were coached by Neal Daniher at the time - believed that their list could seriously challenge for a premiership. Daniher resigned mid-season and the club finished second last on the AFL ladder. They traded Travis Johnstone - a talented, but much-maligned midfielder - to the Brisbane Lions for a late first round draft pick. This decision, above all others, ought to have given the football public a clue as to the direction the club was taking. Apparently McNamee wasn't paying attention

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Should They Stay or Should They Go?

July 22nd 2008 08:07

Yesterday Carlton chief executive Greg Swann emphatically ruled out the possibility of his club trading for Nick Davis. In recent weeks Davis’ management have been sounding out rival clubs for their interest in the fallen star. Davis now appears certain to leave the Swans at the end of the season. At age 28 – soon to be 29 – it remains uncertain as to whether any club considers him worth the trouble.

Davis is not alone. Every club has players who have fallen out of favour. Sometimes the player has fallen out of favour because of poor form. Other times the fall-out involves a dispute between the player and coaching staff. Davis has always been a problematic player. The Swans weren’t complaining when he single-handedly won them a semi final in 2005 against Geelong. Nor were they complaining about Barry Hall’s attitude when he punched Matt MaGuire off the ball. Now that Davis has lost form, his attitude has become the problem

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Round Sixteen

July 20th 2008 11:26

1. Bowden cool under pressure

With one minute remaining in Saturday’s match Richmond led by one goal. Joel Bowden ‘milked’ the clock by kicking the football to himself and remaining stationary in the goal square. The tactic caused valuable seconds to tick away, which ensured that the Tigers remained a slim chance of making the top eight. The tactic has generated much debate. Sydney coach Paul Roos appluded Bowden for his leadership and experience. Bombers player Mark McVeigh disliked the tactic and compelled the league to implement the ‘three point’ rule for rushed behinds that has been trialled in the NAB Cup

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The 'Sally Robbins' Eagles

July 17th 2008 12:00

Let us make no mistake. The West Coast Eagles have given up on season 2008. In the past week Chris Masten, Adam Hunter and Brett Jones have been booked in for season-ending surgery. Considering the team’s on-field position – they have won only two games out of fifteen – the decision makes sense. The club has a huge supporter base and can afford to lose games intentionally without attendances dwindling. Unlike Melbourne and North Melbourne, their long term survival is assured.

In recent years there has been much debate about ‘tanking’. It is unlikely that ‘tanking’ occurs in the sense that sides do not try to win on match day. The trick is for a club to make it almost impossible to win on match day. Regardless of what Andrew Demetriou says, this occurs every season. For better or worse, priority picks are a part of the game. Therefore ‘tanking’ is a clever ploy. Last season Carlton wrapped most of their good players in cotton wool and drafted Matthew Kreuzer. North Melbourne applied the same principle halfway through 2006. By booking players in for early surgery, the players get a full pre-season under their belt and the club gets better draft choices. Simple

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Indigenous All Star Team 2008

July 15th 2008 12:10

There are currently 73 indigenous players on AFL lists, including the most exciting player in the competition: Lance 'Buddy' Franklin. Never before have numbers been higher. Considering the importance that is being placed on pace and athleticism, these numbers will increase significantly in the coming seasons. In recent weeks there has been much talk about teams representing the Gold Coast, Western Sydney and Tasmania. Imagine if a team was based in Darwin. Imagine if this team enticed the best indigenous players in the competition to join forces...

It is always good fun selecting such a team. How would they fare in the competition? They would move the ball with breakneck speed down the flanks. Franklin, O’Laughlin and Motlop would provide marking options up forward, both in the air and on a lead. With the likes of Stokes and Leon Davis at their feet, the opposition defence would certainly have their hands full. The midfield brigade would be equally as exciting. The likes of Davey, Bateman, Wells and the Burgoyne brothers are quick and skilled. The only weakness is that the team would lack tall defenders. But there is still no shortage of talent. Could the following team beat the caucasians

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Round Fifteen

July 13th 2008 11:51

On Saturday afternoon Adelaide played Collingwood at the MCG. Halfway through the second quarter Adelaide led by almost five goals. The Crows were playing the type of football that their coach – Neil Craig – has built his reputation on. They were playing numbers behind the ball, which stifled the opposition, and were peeling away from the stoppages in numbers. Their spearhead, Brett Burton had just kicked his fourth goal, leaving the Crows on the verge of an upset victory.

After Burton kicked his fourth goal the Crows lost their way. They were already struggling to cover the loss of Jason Porplyzia in the first quarter. To make matters worse, Brett Burton injured his anterior cruciate ligament; an injury that will keep him out of action for the remainder of the season. Collingwood ran over the top of the Crows in the second half to record an important victory. By the end of the round Collingwood was only two points away from fourth position. In contrast, Adelaide were left clinging to their place in the eight

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Fabric Softener

July 10th 2008 10:48

During the week Fremantle’s Peter Bell pulled the plug on an illustrious career. Bell’s retirement took effect immediately. At the end of last season Bell signalled his intentions to retire. Upon the insistence of the club, he agreed to play on. In hindsight the move was a mistake. Bell played the first half of 2008 by correspondence. He lived in Geraldton and rarely trained with the team. There have been no issues with Bell’s form. The reason that the Dockers were so keen for him to play on in 2008 was because the club expected to be in finals contention.

The Dockers clearly overestimated the state of their list at the beginning of the season. Coach Mark Harvey made a mistake by bringing Mark Johnson and Kepler Bradley to the club. If either player had been worth a senior game, Essendon wouldn’t have delisted them. Although it has not been officially announced yet, this will be Johnson’s last year. Bradley will probably last one more year. It is time that Mark Harvey severed all ties with his previous club. He should never bring an ex-Essendon player to the club again

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Fisticuffs

July 8th 2008 12:50

On Monday the Sydney Swans suspended Barry Hall indefinitely. The move followed an off-the-ball incident in last Saturday night’s frustrating loss to Collingwood. In only his third game back from suspension, Hall attempted to strike his opponent – Collingwood full back Shane Wakelin – in the face. The extent of the contact was questionable. But Hall’s intentions were not.

Such was the hysteria generated by Hall’s hit on West Coast’s Brent Staker earlier in the season that footage of the incident was even shown in America. As a result of the Staker incident, Hall will play out the rest of his career with a television camera firmly focussed on him. Hall was aware of this. The question has to be asked: if Hall was not deterred by the Staker incident, what is it going to take for him to put away the dukes

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Scrooge McFevola

July 6th 2008 11:52

On ‘The Footy Show’ last Thursday night Craig Hutchison revealed that Brendan Fevola had been offered a contract by Sydney. The deal was reportedly worth three million dollars over four years. Although Fevola denied the story (in unconvincing fashion), many other people have come forward and said that Fevola boasted openly about the deal during the recent Jeff Fenech fight. The prospect of Fevola going to Sydney must now be taken seriously.

The Swans have a habit of pinching key forwards for the final third of their careers, as has been the case with Tony Lockett and Barry Hall. Any deal with Fevola would make good sense. No club will ever get Fevola to stay out of trouble, but the Swans do seem like as gooder fit as any. Fevola would benefit from the diminished scrutiny that would follow a potential move to the Swans

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Over The Line

July 3rd 2008 11:38

On Saturday night Will Minson clashed with Port Adelaide’s Kane Cornes. While they clashed, Minson aimed a sledge at Cornes’ two year old son, who suffers from a heart defect. After the match Minson rang Cornes to apologise. Later on he was reportedly telephoned by Chad Cornes, Kane’s brother, who unleashed a verbal tirade on the Bulldog’s ruckman. By Monday night Minson had made his apology public. He even consented to a television interview with Mike Sheehan. Minson was internally punished for the incident, but was not suspended.

Will Minson is widely acknowledged as being different to most footballers. He is probably the only ruckman in the league who enjoys playing chess and the clarinet in his spare time. Minson is enjoying his best season to date. He has been a flexible member of the Bulldog’s team; a team that has taken the competition by storm in 2008. The sledging incident was, seemingly, out of character for Minson. It will be interesting to see how it affects his form for the remainder of the season. But should he be playing in the coming weeks

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Psychic Wednesday

July 1st 2008 13:01

Wednesday’s Column

At the beginning of the season I predicted what the ladder would look like at season’s end. While some of my predictions came true, others – such as West Coast finishing third – were a long way off the mark. After fourteen rounds the season seems to be taking shape. I have had ample opportunity to study all sixteen teams. It follows that I am in a better position to make an educated prediction as to the final composition of the ladder. My predictions are as follows

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November 2008

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September 2008

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