Thursday
December 16, 2004
Week 449

updated every day

"The centre bounce or throw up shall be contested by one nominated player from each team. Such player shall be nominated to the field umpire prior to the bounce or throw of the football. The player contesting the centre bounce shall be positioned in his or her team's defensive half of the playing surface and with both feet within the 10-metre circle. The player may only enter the team’s attacking half after the football touches the ground in the act of bouncing or leaves the field umpire’s hand in the act of being thrown up. The player shall not be permitted to block an opponent's approach to the contest. Ruckmen must have both feet inside the centre circle at all times until they contest the bounce or until the umpire calls play-on due to an 'offline bounce'. No other player may enter the 10-metre circle until the football touches the ground in the act of bouncing or is thrown up by the field umpire."

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CARLTON: THE SHIP IS STARTING TO TURN AROUND
Carlton president Ian Collins likens the AFL club's mission to turning around an ocean liner – something not done quickly.

The Blues' on-going battle to regenerate their finances took another twist when they announced a new deal with their long-time sponsor.

Sportal reports Collins when speaking on Wednesday said Optus in a new one-year deal had become the club's joint sponsor, along with Toshiba, for the 2005 season. The pair will share guernsey signage. The Blues' jumper will feature the Toshiba logo for home matches while the Optus logo will be in place for away matches.

The Carlton venue of Princes Park, where the Blues will play their final "home" game on May 21 against Melbourne in Round 9, has been commercially known as Optus Oval from the start of 1994, from the deal first inked in November 1993.

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DRAFT-TAMPERING INVESTIGATION
The West Australian reports the move of Port Adelaide's Jarrad Schofield to Fremantle has sparked an AFL draft-tampering investigation.

Schofield faces a $50,000 fine and his career is in jeopardy with claims he tampered with Tuesday's pre-season draft.

AFL investigations officer Ken Wood has been instructed to review Schofield's drafting when he had told other clubs he would retire if drafted by a club other than Fremantle, said: "I left that to my manager."

Schofield's father, Neil, contacted Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley to say Schofield would retire if picked by the Roos. The Roos had a pick before Fremantle and chose Lance Picioane.

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the investigation would start immediately.

The League has severe penalties for draft tampering, including:

<||> Fines of $50,000 for the player or $100,000 for a club
<||> The club losing the services of a player for up to three years
<||> The player being prevented from playing up to three years and excluded from upcoming drafts
<||> The club being precluded from up to four drafts.

Andrew McKay, Robert Pyman and Brett Chalmers were all found guilty of draft tampering in 1993. Chalmers was fined $30,000 and banned from playing for Collingwood for three years while McKay and Pyman received $10,000 fines. The trio all advised clubs they wouldn't play for them if drafted.

Fremantle football manager Stephen Icke said he did not know Neil Schofield and wasn't aware that he had contacted the Kangaroos until after the draft. Kangaroos football manager Tim Harrington and Carlton football manager Grant Williams said they had not spoken to Schofield's manager Ron Joseph.

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LEAGUE CONSIDERS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT TRIBUNAL
The AFL website reports the League will consider establishing a sexual misconduct tribunal, after the release of a broad-ranging – and in parts radical – discussion paper on the matter of violence against women.

Emma Quayle reports today in The Age the discussion paper was sent to the 16 member clubs yesterday for feedback. The paper proposes the possible appointment of a sexual complaints officer and a new revised code of conduct for players, coaches and officials.

The working group was set up at the start of the 2004 season, after St Kilda pair Leigh Montagna and Stephen Milne were the subject of sexual misconduct allegations and several woman informed the League they had been assaulted by footballers.

The group was chaired by University of Melbourne law professor Jenny Morgan, and also features Lyn Walker, director of Victorian Health Promotion, Senior Sergeant Sue Clark from Victoria Police's sexual offences office and Pam O'Neill from the Centre against Sexual Assault.

About a dozen Western Bulldogs trialled the workshop that will be delivered to players next year and is set up like the racial vilification, anti-gambling and anti-drugs seminars they attend each year.

AFL official Tony Peek, another member of the working group, said interested groups had until February 11 to respond to the paper.

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BULLDOGS RE-SIGN COONEY AND RAY
The Western Bulldogs have secured the future of Adam Cooney and Farren Ray. The top draft pair have been re-signed – Cooney until the end of 2007, and Ray through to the end of 2006.

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BYRON PICKETT LOSES LICENCE
Port Adelaide premiership player Byron Pickett pleaded guilty on Wednesday in the Port Adelaide Magistrates' Court to driving with excess blood alcohol, driving with a suspended licence and driving without due care when he crashed his car at Port Augusta on the morning of October 14.

He was fined $900 and had his licence suspended for 10 months.

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Wednesday, December 15

Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts
ZANTUCK TO ESSENDON; CARACELLA TO MAGPIES
KNOBEL A TIGER; PICIOANE OVER TO KANGAS
Only eight selections were on the table when the Pre-Season Draft was held in Melbourne on Tuesday morning. Of those available, Richmond chose not to take its last option and passed.

TRENT KNOBEL, who could not agree to terms with St Kilda was taken first by Richmond. BLAKE CARACELLA, the dual premiership player with both Essendon in 2000 and Brisbane in 2003 moves to Collingwood, where he signed a two-year contract on Monday.

Carlton used the third selection to take EDDIE BETTS, an 18-year-old Aboriginal 173cm forward, described by Blues' coach DENIS PAGAN as a super talent.

Hawthorn discard LANCE PICIOANE moves to Arden Street; Fremantle snapped up Port Adelaide's JARRAD SCHOFIELD who returns to the west and will play alongside his Power premiership teammate JOSH CARR.

TY ZANTUCK swapped his gold sash for a red one when the 22-year-old defender was named by Essendon. Port Adelaide opted for a local lad when it named ELIJAH WARE from the SANFL premiers Central District.

The loser of the day was JUSTIN BLUMFIELD. At 27, the former Essendon premiership player. who was discarded after two injury-racked seasons with Richmond attracted no club in spite of his experience of 148 games.

Also overlooked were MARK PORTER and STEVE KcKEE.

The key players and selections were –

In the Rookie draft, 51 rookies between the ages of 18 and 23 were picked by the 16 clubs. Many of the names who were bypassed in the November draft found a new pathway toward their AFL careers.

All the details, club-by-club at the following link –
2004 TRADED, RETIRED, DELISTED, ACQUIRED ... more

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COLLINGWOOD CELEBRATE $35.5 MILLION REVENUE
The Magpies held their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday night at the new Lexus Centre at Olympic Park when their profit of $2,070,456 announced on November 15 was confirmed.

The Pies celebrated record membership, television ratings and the revenue of $35.5 million – up from $29 million last year.

Captain Nathan Buckley and president Eddie McGuire were awarded life membership of the club.

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SYDNEY:
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE CALLS FOR ELECTIONS
The AFL Commission on Monday (13th) approved changes to the Constitution of the Sydney FC which now provides a framework and process for the election by members of two Directors to the Board.

No elections to the board has been carried out since the South Melbourne FC relocated to Sydney in 1982 and became the Swans.

The club will hold its AGM on March 14th. Nominations for the board will be called from the membership. Voting will take place between February 17 and March 8.

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FIRST THE KOKODA TREK, NOW THE BOOK AND CD
The Hawthorn squad returned on the weekend following their gruelling trek of the Kokoda Trail.

Scot Palmer revealed in his Punchlines feature in the Sunday Herald Sun that Peter Everitt and Ben Dixon recorded every agonising step and will turn their hazardous story into a book and CD which hopefully will be on the shelves before Christmas.

Everitt's partner Sheree Orchard who runs their company SPE, organised the publishing deal.

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FURTHER SURGERY FOR JARED CROUCH
Sydney's tough tagger Jared Crouch, who fractured his collarbone playing for Australia during the International Rules series in Dublin on October 17 requires further surgery to the injury.

The 26-year-old had a titanium screw inserted into his collarbone after his returnn to Sydney but recovery has not gone according to plan as little bone growth has been observed.

Crouch will have a larger pin inserted on Friday and a bone graft from his hip into the fracture.

Jared has played 156 successive matches for Sydney since his debut in 1998 and is near to equalling or passing the record from debut of 158 matches set by Fitzroy's John Murphy between 1967 and 1974.

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Howard Bulldogs uproar
MISCHA SCHUBERT, The Age, December 14, 2004

A furore has erupted over a Western Bulldogs proposal to name a hall of fame at the working-class club after Prime Minister John Howard.

Club members, supporters and local politicians have reacted angrily to the news, reported by The Age on Saturday, that the new complex could be named "the John W. Howard Sporting Hall of Fame – Heroes of the West".

Bulldogs chief executive Campbell Rose has written to Mr Howard seeking permission before formalising the naming rights proposal that followed an $8 million federal grant pledged during the election campaign. Mr Howard reaffirmed the arrangement in recent weeks. His office said last night he was considering whether to accept the naming tribute.
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Please note: The Prime Minister declined the invitation on December 14th. Sportal noted that the facility instead will be named after an eminent sporting identity associated with Melbourne's western region.

Sunday, December 12

PETER SCHWAB WILL HEAD NEW REVIEW PANEL
Former Hawthorn coach Peter Schwab was named on Friday as chairman of the AFL's three-person match review panel as part of the overhaul of the AFL Tribunal process.

The panel will assess all reports, whether laid by an umpire, video reports officer, AFL investigations or by the AFL Football Operations Manager. The review panel will issue set penalties which are currently being drafted.

The remaining two positions of the Match Review Panel are expected to be filled by a former umpire and a former player and named within weeks. AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson said a shortlist of candidates had been drawn up.

Schwab played 171 matches for Hawthorn (1980-91), including three premierships. He was an assistant coach with both the Hawks and Richmond before taking over the brown-and-gold as head coach for 114 games between 2000 and 2004. He was also head of the AFL umpiring department in 1998 and 1999.

Schwab's appointment is for season 2005, with the intention of being extended. His new role does not preclude him from involvement in the media.

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FITZROY's MAURIE HEARN PASSES
Maurie Hearn, one of the last surviving members of Fitzroy's 1944 premiership team died at Port Fairy on Monday, December 6th, aged 92.

Hearn, the vice-captain, was one of the best field in the grand final playing in the forward pocket when they beat the minor premiers Richmond for the flag at the Junction Oval, 9.12-66 to 7.9-51.

Maurie played 128 matches for Fitzroy between 1934 and 1944, and captained the side in 1942.

Clen Denning and Laurie Dickerton are the surviving members of the Maroons' 1944 side.

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Friday, December 10

SEVEN SEEKS $480 MILLION DAMAGES OVER C7
The Seven Network is seeking $480 million in monetary damages from pay-TV group Foxtel and others over the failure of its C7 pay-TV sports channel.

Jane Schulze in The Australian writes this was revealed for the first time yesterday in the Federal Court.

Seven's damages claim does not include the structural relief it has also sought. Seven alleges that Foxtel, its owners and others acted anti-competitively in a bid to "kill-off" C7.

Seven also wants the court to force News Limited and Kerry Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd to sell their 25 per cent stakes in Foxtel and for Foxtel to agree to carry two C7 pay-TV sports channels in its basic package.

Seven also wants the broadcast rights of the Australian Football League and National Rugby League handed over to its pay-TV channels and an order preventing Foxtel, News, PBL, Ten, Telstra and Fox Sports from bidding for the AFL or NRL broadcast rights.

Schulze notes that damages statements from the defendants' expert witnesses are due to be filed by the end of February.

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LINKS TO OTHER FOOTY FEATURES

Martin Windsor-Black –
Pertinent Observations  

  Bruce Kennedy –
Perspective 2004

WHERE TO GET THE AMAZING  *FOOTY WORKS* ... more

 NSW HISTORY – more

John Devaney –
Full Points Footy

Robert Meredith –
Mero's Jumper Madness  

Rhett Bartlett – Rhettrospective

Dockerland – Fremantle FC

IN THE ARCHIVES
2005 Review
2004 Review
Past issues of the News Diary
Worth repeating

FOOTYSTATS – SEASON 2004
Match Review, details of every game, every round
Stats Update from every round

The 16 club-by-club history files
from links below

Ade	Bri	Car	Col	Ess	Fre	Gee	Haw
Mel	NMK	PA	Rch	StK	Syd	WC	WB

All–Time League Match Records, 1897–2004

Goalkickers, club-by-club history files
from links below

Ade	Bri	Car	Col	Ess	Fre	Gee	Haw
Mel	NMK	PA	Rch	StK	Syd	WC	WB

W-L-D sequence (win-loss-draw), club-by-club
from links below

Ade	Bri	Car	Col	Ess	Fre	Gee	Haw
Mel	NMK	PA	Rch	StK	Syd	WC	WB

Games – played, won, lost, drawn, 1897-2004
Coaches – every club, every game
200-Game Coaches, 1902-2004
Key Stats of Season 2004
Best of the Best, 1897–2004
The Big Ladder of 2004
Matches Played at 37 venues, 1897–2004
Tribunal – 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
Draw & Results – 2004, 2003, 2002
2003 Financial Results
The Brownlow Medal, 1924-2004
VFL-AFL Graph, 1897-2004
Membership numbers, 1984-2004
Attendances, 1991-2004
All-Time Attendances, venues
Rising Star Award, 1993-2004
Australia v Ireland, 1967-2004

2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup series

The Carlton Crisis File
Teams of the Century

Other *Archive* files ...
Chronology of the Game, 1858-2004
Consecutive Wins and Losses
The One-Point Result, all 284
Drawn Matches, all 133
Behinds, 2 to 9
Behinds, 25 or more behinds
Cliffhangers, the closest games
Least Accurate
Premiers, 1897-2004
Minor Premiership, 1897-2004
All-Time Goalkickers, club-by-club
All-Time Goalkickers, venues
Tops in Goals, 1987-2004
Milestones, club-by-club
Milestones, (winning)
Milestones, (in defeat)
Best & worst in a season
Aussies in American football

Footystats Diary, December 10-16, 2004 — Week 449
sources include:
afl.com.au, newslimited, The Age,
abc.net.au, sportal.com.au
Footystats™ is assisted by income from
Channel Nine, Fox Footy Channel

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2004
Profit (Loss)

Friday, 7.40pm AEDT
Collingwood v Richmond

Winner 1 v Winner 2

Winner 9 v Winner 10

Winner 13 v Winner 14