Thursday, April 10

20-year extension
Crows extend their Football Park lease
Adelaide have signed a 20-year extension to their lease at Football Park (aka AAMI Stadium), reaffirming that they do not want to be part of any transfer of AFL football to a new, multi-purpose venue in the city centre.

Adelaide's $16 million plan to redevelop its clubhouse on the eastern side of the stadium reinforces that top-tier football is staying at West Lakes, The Advertiser reports.

"This is our home," Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said. "This is where we intend to stay – and where we will invest, not only in this new building but in the community and people of the western suburbs."

South Australian National Football League chief executive Leigh Whicker, who is seeking Federal and State Government support for a $250 million redevelopment of West Lakes – meanwhile endorsed the Crows' redevelopment project on the eastern flank of the arena.

His League's commission also is considering expanding facilities on the western side of West Lakes to give Port Adelaide a match-day facility for its supporters and corporate backers.

The State Government last year announced a $9 million commitment to the proposal, but since sports minister Michael Wright made his presentation at Football Park on June 28 last year there has been no more detail presented publicly.

l Voss is front-runner as Gold Coast coach
Michael Voss says he is surprised to hear he is considered a near certainty to be appointed the inaugural coach of the AFL's new Gold Coast club as trumpeted on Wednesday by the Herald Sun.

Sportal reports: The three-time Brisbane premiership captain and the biggest AFL name in Queensland has just arrived back in Australia, having been in South Africa as part of his coaching duties with the Australian Institute of Sport.

But despite having no coaching experience at the top level, even as an assistant, Voss – who retired at the end of 2006 – is considered an unbackable favourite to be appointed the first coach of the AFL's 17th club.

While Gold Coast will not enter the AFL until 2011, the team could begin its existence as early as next year playing in either the VFL or the QAFL with the inaugural coach likely to be appointed later this year.

However Voss said on Wednesday he is yet to be approached.

l Peter Bell to equal AFL record
Fremantle midfielder Peter Bell will equal the record for the most number of VFL-AFL matches played by a West Australian when the Dockers take on Richmond at Subiaco on Sunday.

Bell will play his 277th game eclipsing West Coast's Glen Jakovich (1991-2004) and equalling the record of Wayne Richardson, who was drafted to Collingwood from South Fremantle in 1966, and played in VFL with the Pies until 1978.

Bell played two games for Fremantle in 1995 but was then dropped. He transferred to North Melbourne playing 123 games (1996-2000) including their premierships of 1996 and 1999 before returning to the Dockers in 2001 – ABC Sport

l Eagles lose Matt Priddis to knee injury
The West Coast Eagles have been dealt another injury blow with gun midfielder Matt Priddis forced to have surgery on his left knee after pulling up sore from the weekend's Western Derby.

Scans on Monday revealed loose fragments in the knee of Priddis' kicking leg and he will be sidelined for at least three games.

The 23-year-old has had a good start to the year and was one of his side's better players in the loss to Fremantle, amassing 28 possessions.

West Coast's midfield has felt the pressure in 2008, accommodating the departure of Brownlow Medallists Chris Judd and Ben Cousins, while star ruckman Dean Cox is on crutches and captain Darren Glass faces his own fitness tests.

West Coast face Sydney on Saturday night at Stadium Australia at Homebush.

l Wayne Carey hires sharp Sharpstein
ABC News Online reported Wednesday that former AFL player Wayne Carey has hired high-profile US criminal lawyer Richard Sharpstein to appear for him in his legal battle in Miami. Sharpstein is well known for representing American sports stars and celebrities.

A Miami court this week delayed Wayne Carey's case until July 11, with his trial due to start 10 days later,

The 36-year-old Carey has been charged with assaulting two police officers and resisting arrest after allegedly violent confrontation at a luxury Miami hotel in October last year.

l Umpire Scott McLaren reaches 300 games
AFL field umpire Scott McLaren will officiate in his 300th game this weekend, becoming only the 14th man in history to reach this mark.

McLaren commenced his umpiring career in 1984, officiating in his first AFL match ten years later in 1994.

He has umpired in 28 finals matches, including four grand finals in 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2007 – ABC Grandstand

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l Footy Works updates now available
Round 3 update is now available
Please direct software questions to Sorensen Technologies

The ultimate fan site
where passionate supporters gather!

Worth noting ...
n NAB Cup 2008 Match Review and details – more
n Tribunal 2008 – more
n Traded, Retired, Delisted, Acquired – more
n 2007 financial forecasts and results – more
n Footystats Classifieds – more

Wednesday, April 9

Swans back second Sydney team
New side as early as 2011

Sydney have agreed to work with the AFL on plans to include a second team from the city as part of the competition's expansion.

ABC Sport Online reported AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou met Swans chief executive Myles Baron-Hay and coach Paul Roos in Sydney on Tuesday.

There are plans to base a franchise in western Sydney as early as 2011.

Mr Baron-Hay says he has no problems helping the AFL install a rival team in Sydney.

"I think Andrew and the AFL appreciate that we're like their local franchise, and yes, together we need to grow the game, create the preconditions for that second team," he said.

"We'll be working very closely with the AFL to make sure the market's ready in time."
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Why?
But, Richard Hinds writes today in The Age:
Seven weeks ago, Swans officials were struggling to contain their astonishment at the AFL's sudden acceleration of the start-up date for a second Sydney franchise. Highly bemused would be the polite way of describing their response to the fact the Mayor of Blacktown knew of the plans before they did.

Yet now, if they are not exactly lining up to buy season tickets for the Western Whatevers, then the established club's attitude towards the impending arrival of a cross-town rival has softened from trenchant opposition to, at the very least, reluctant acceptance.

Swans chairman Richard Colless could rightfully argue he has not made a U-turn on the early start-up of a second franchise, given that he maintained a diplomatic silence when news of the new timetable broke. "We'll wait until we get more information," he said repeatedly at the time ... more – Whatever is behind softening of Swans stance?

l Adelaide to build new $16m training facility
The Adelaide club aim to spend $16 million – of which it already has $10.5 million – redeveloping its training facility at Football Park.

The Advertiser reports in 1996, the club built the AFL's then best training centre but now says it is out of date and superseded by half its 15 rivals. Under the proposal, the facility, on the stadium's western flank, would expand above the clubhouse.

But rather than just build new offices for its coaches, an indoor training centre and more treatment rooms for its doctors, Adelaide will seek to make money from the centre.

It will have a coffee and merchandise shop, a museum and facilities for corporate training schemes. Also, the club will have new facilities for community and school programs.

There will be 2000 square metres dedicated to a new social centre for club members. Its social base, The Shed, on Max Basheer Reserve, will be demolished.

If approval is granted by Charles Sturt Council, supports for the new structure would be in place next month. Work on the full project would begin in October and be completed by July next year.

The new "Shed" would open in the 2010 pre-season. During the week, it would serve as the Crows' indoor training centre.

Stab Kicks ...
n Correction to a correction – the MCG crowd which attended Sunday's Richmond-Collingwood match was 64,388, not 64,338 as reported somewhere – total for Round 3 was 350,885 ...

n The Carlton team on Sunday against the Magpies will be facing two bogies – the prospect of making club history by losing 15 matches on end for the first time but also matching the record 25 games in which Sydney conceded 100+ points or more between 1992-R9 to 1993-R11 inclusive ...

n Melbourne ruckman Paul Johnson will miss the AFL club's next four matches after breaking his hand. Johnson had surgery on Monday night to repair a fracture sustained during the second quarter of Sunday's match against Geelong.

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Tuesday, April 8

Match Review Panel – Round 3
Showdown rough-house given all clear
No case for Harvey to answer on Aker claim

The suggestion of rough-house tactics was removed when not one Port player was cited after an exhaustive review on Monday by the MRP of round three matches, which included the Power's Matt Thomas having his report of rough conduct against Crow Nathan Bassett dismissed.

There was also relief for St Kilda's Robert Harvey, who was cleared of any wrongdoing after the Western Bulldogs' Jason Akermanis claimed the Saints champ had grabbed his opponent on the testicles during last Friday night's game at Docklands.

However, Yahoo! Sports reports Hawthorn are again counting the costs of a game against North Melbourne, as midfielder Jordan Lewis faces a one-game suspension for striking Kangaroo Daniel Pratt in the midriff at Docklands on Saturday afternoon.

Lewis was suspended for two games after last year's semi-final for striking North's Brent Harvey, which prevented him playing in the first two games this season, but now faces another ban despite him being best-afield on the weekend.

Lewis' strike was viewed as intentional, of low impact and to the body, which drew five activation points, and 125 demerit points – enough normally to get a player off with an early guilty plea.

But Lewis' bad record, dating back to last year's offence, came back to hurt him and took his total to 163.75, which means an early plea would only reduce his tally to 122.81 and insufficient to get him off the charge.

Richmond's Kayne Pettifer is the only other player likely to be suspended this week, after he was offered a one-match suspension for striking Collingwood's Nick Maxwell at the MCG on Sunday.

Pettifer's strike was assessed as reckless, of low impact and high, but his poor record also inflated his demerit point tally, which means he cannot escape a suspension even with a guilty plea.

Hawk Michael Osborne and Essendon's Adam Ramanauskas and Mark McVeigh have all been offered reprimands for minor striking reports.

The panel also reviewed a string of contentious incidents including two involving West Coast star Daniel Kerr and one involving Collingwood's Dane Swan, but took no action.

l Cameron Schwab to quit Freo at end of season
Fremantle chief executive Cameron Schwab has resigned from the AFL club for personal reasons.
After seven years in the role, Schwab will finish up on October 30.

The Age reports: "In simple terms, the time has now come for me to return to Melbourne so I can be closer to my family," he said in a statement.

"I have taken great pride in our club's development, the achievement of milestones, making some history, and in particular sharing these challenges and moments with some wonderful football people."

Schwab first became involved with the Dockers in 1994 as a consultant ahead of their entry into the competition the following year before becoming chief executive in 2001.

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*The Stats that Matter* – *Match Review* ... more u The season in scores and results – Stats Update 2008

Stab Kicks ...
n Sydney was offering a swag of prizes for the *one-millionth* AFL fan to attend Stadium Australia at Homebush on Saturday night when the Swans play West Coast. Trouble is, AFL supplied figures shows the target was reached last August in the match against St Kilda when 1,025,106 over 21 matches was totalled ...

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Monday, April 7

"Inappropriate comments and gestures"
Dean Laidley apology to field umpires

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has quickly backed down from allegations that field umpires made inappropriate comments and gestures to his players during Saturday's loss to Hawthorn.

Thomas Arup reports in The Age: A statement released by the club said Laidley made the allegations after a senior player had come to him with concerns, and that his remarks were unfounded and unwarranted.

The back-down comes after the Kangaroos' football operations manager, Donald McDonald, met umpires chief Jeff Gieschen after the match, reportedly until 2am, reviewing a tape of the game. The club said in the statement that nothing untoward in the umpire's conduct was found on the tape.

"I was wrong to make any public statement about the umpiring in the match and accept that any concerns should have been directed to Jeff Gieschen through the normal channels," Laidley said in the statement.

"To (field umpires) Todd Keating, Martin Ellis, and Matthew Head, I unreservedly apologise for any inference caused by my inappropriate statements. I will make contact with Jeff Gieschen over the next 24-48 hours so that I arrange to speak directly to the umpires concerned."

The back-down seems to have averted a fine from the League for Laidley and the club. An AFL spokesman said Sunday that no action against Laidley was expected.

*The Stats that Matter* – *Match Review* ... more u The season in scores and results – Stats Update 2008

Round 3 – injury count
l Crows measure injuries from epic Showdown
The cost of Adelaide's epic AFL win over Port Adelaide can be measured in an injury list that should leave Hawthorn heavy favourites to beat the Crows in Launceston next week.

The AAP report on Fox Sports notes Adelaide defender Nathan Bassett must be in considerable doubt after suffering heavy concussion, while Kris Massie (hamstring), Jason Porplyzia (shoulder) and Luke Jericho (heavy knock) will be decidedly sore on today.

Even best afield Bernie Vince had to shrug off a hefty bump from Daniel Motlop that may have seen him spend more time off the field if the Crows weren't already down to 19 fit players. Jericho and Porplyzia were also forced to return to the field in the second half.

Crows coach Neil Craig though was confident of his club's recuperative powers. "(We will take time to recover) only because of the injury factor, we've got some injuries out of it but physically they're fine," he said.

Port Adelaide did not escape punishment either, as Shaun Burgoyne finished the match as a reduced capacity full forward due to an ankle complaint.

West Coast star ruckman Dean Cox will have scans to assess the extent of a foot injury sustained in the club's weekend AFL loss to Fremantle.

Cox was on crutches at the recovery session, although an Eagles spokesman played down the injury, saying the crutches were for precautionary reasons, to keep the weight off the big man's right foot.

The injury was sustained in odd circumstances, Cox's foot colliding with teammate David Wirrpanda as he was kicking in the first quarter.

He limped off the ground but returned not long after and played out the rest of the match without too much apparent restriction.

Meanwhile, pacey Essendon forward Leroy Jetta is expected to miss two or three weeks of football after injuring his hamstring in the club's narrow win over Carlton.

Jetta felt a twinge in his right hamstring during Saturday night's clash at the MCG, with the club rating it as a minor strain. "It is very disappointing because Leroy was a good contributor early in the game," Bombers coach Matthew Knights said.

Ruckman David Hille spent some time off the ground as a result of a pinched nerve in his neck, but returned to play an important role in the victory and is not expected to miss any games.

In other injury news, Hawthorn pair Tom Murphy (concussion) and Tim Boyle (buttock) copped heavy knocks in Saturday's win over North Melbourne at Docklands, causing them to finish the match in the rooms. But the Hawks are confident both players will be available to face Adelaide.

Fremantle pair Roger Hayden (knee) and Antoni Grover (buttock) will both need to prove their fitness ahead of next Sunday's Subiaco clash with Richmond, after sustaining minor injuries against the Eagles.

Stab Kicks ...
n Attendances for the Rivalry Round topped 350,885 (subject to correction) giving 982,264 for the first three rounds ... more

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Sunday, April 6

Round 3
Hawthorn overrun wasteful North; Franklin 5
Fremantle take another Derby from the Eagles
Sydney hold out dogged Brisbane
Essendon beat Blues in high-scoring shootout
Geelong by five goals over stubborn Demons
Collingwood outclass sorry Tigers
Crows pip Port by a goal in 24th Showdown

*The Stats that Matter* – *Match Review* ... more u The season in scores and results – Stats Update 2008

l North coach to lodge complaint over umpires
North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley will complain to the AFL over what he believes were inappropriate comments and gestures made by umpires towards players in Saturday's loss to Hawthorn at Docklands Stadium.

The Age reports in what was seemingly a bid to dodge restrictions on club officials criticising umpires, Laidley also blamed "a little bit of luck" for his side's 16-point loss in an intense, see-sawing contest.

The Hawks came from 17 points down at the last change to run over top of the Kangaroos – who ousted them from last year's finals series – outscoring them 6.3 to 1.0 in the final term.

"Look, it's gut-wrenching to lose and the players' faces, they were pretty downtrodden after the game," Laidley said. "I said games like that, you give it your best shot and what's left over is a bit of luck.

"Unfortunately we probably didn't get it today and they probably got a little bit of luck."

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Saturday, April 5

Round 3
Bulldogs fight back to smash St Kilda

The Western Bulldogs ran away with a 38-point victory against the odds over St Kilda in their round three AFL encounter at Docklands on Friday evening.

ABC Sport reports: Despite a scintillating start by the Saints, who cruised out to a six-goal quarter-time lead, the Dogs replied with 18 goals to six in the remaining three periods to keep their undefeated start to the season alive.

The turning point came in the third term when the Bulldogs hit the front on the back of five consecutive goals including two acute-angled efforts by evergreen finisher Jason Akermanis.

The Bulldogs were simply harder at the ball for the majority of the match, with sheer numbers around the contest serving well to nullify the delivery to St Kilda's towering forward line trio of Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke and Fraser Gehrig.

Koschitzke, in his 100th game bagged three with skipper Riewoldt kicking two but apart from a dominant first term they were reduced to mere spectators as the youthful Bulldogs ran wild.

Young guns Adam Cooney and Ryan Griffen were sensational for the Dogs in the midfield, racking up 28 and 25 possessions respectively as well as five goals between them.

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Friday, April 4

l Ben Holland sues Richmond
Veteran Melbourne player Ben Holland is suing his former club, Richmond, and former Tiger president Clinton Casey for lost "business and investment opportunities" that he claims he never received in a 2001 agreement that may have breached the AFL salary cap.

Thomas Arup reports in The Age: In a statement of claim filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria, dated September 27, 2007, Holland also alleges similar "opportunities" were offered to other Richmond players and officials "including business opportunities in property developments with which Casey was directly and indirectly involved such as the Sandhurst project".

The statement says that in October 2001, Casey, a property developer, in the presence of then Tigers coach Danny Frawley, offered inducements that would compensate him for the $530,000 difference between a contract offered by Adelaide, also in that month.

The allegations, which were raised on Channel Nine's The Footy Show last night, may mean Richmond contravened AFL salary cap regulations, for which the club can be fined and lose draft picks and premiership points.

Richmond said in a statement issued last night: "No formal claim has been served upon the club. RFC is currently awaiting legal advice in respect of these matters and we have notified the AFL of these claims. Once legal advice has been received this information will be made available to the AFL."

Round 3
l Fourth Selwood (Scott) will debut for Eagles
l Blues pick Matthew Kreuzer for first game
St Kilda's Brendon Goddard will play his first AFL matcn in almost a year against the Western Bulldogs tonight at Docklands.

Yahoo! Sport reports Goddard, who seriously injured his knee in round seven last year, has been named for the match after playing the past three games for the Saints' VFL affiliate Casey Scorpions.

The Saints, who have been constantly hampered by injuries in recent seasons, are now almost at full strength, with fellow defender Matt Maguire expected back from a leg injury in the next one or two weeks.

The Bulldogs made just the one forced change, half-forward Shaun Higgins out with an ankle injury, while running player Nathan Eagleton returns.

West Coast forward Josh Kennedy, traded from Carlton in the Chris Judd deal, will play his first game for the club in Saturday night's derby against Fremantle at Subiaco.

The Eagles will also unveil Scott Selwood for his AFL debut.

He will become the fourth Selwood to play in the AFL, joining Eagles teammate Adam, Brisbane's Troy and Geelong premiership player Joel.

Jaymie Graham and Chris Masten were the players dropped, after last round's bad loss to Adelaide.

The Dockers made one change, replacing Adam Campbell with Paul Duffield.

Hawthorn have regained midfielder Jordan Lewis from suspension, replacing injured utility Stuart Dew, for Saturday's meeting with North Melbourne at Docklands. The Kangaroos dropped tall defender Shannon Watt, bringing in young forward pocket Scott McMahon.

Collingwood named tall defender John Anthony on an extended interchange bench in their squad to play Richmond at the MCG on Sunday, in what would be his first AFL match.

The Magpies have so far cut two players from the side that lost narrowly to Brisbane last round, with Tyson Goldsack out with concussion and Chris Egan dropped.

The Tigers regain skipper Kane Johnson from a self-imposed suspension, while former West Coast player Mitch Morton was named in their squad for what will be his first match in Richmond colours.

Out of the side so far is Andrew Raines, with a knee injury, while Chris Hyde and Dean Polo were dropped from the team that went down limply against the Kangaroos.

Carlton included No.1 national draft pick Matthew Kreuzer to make his AFL debut against Essendon at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Bombers reacted to last weekend's huge loss to Geelong by making four changes, only two of them forced.

Patrick Dempsey (hamstring) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (groin) are out injured, but Jason Johnson and Henry Slattery were dropped. Into their side came youngster Kyle Reimers, Angus Monfries, Damien Peverill and Andrew Lovett.

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Stab Kicks ...
n Days after AFL legend Leigh Matthews called for an end to betting on games, a leviathan punter has weighed in with a massive $100,000 wager on Geelong to smash struggling Melbourne this weekend.

Sportingbet Australia snapped up the six figure bet at $1.04 and challenged heavyweight punters to continue unloading on what look to be the biggest certainties and hottest favourites to go around for some years.

While Geelong look "past the post" on form, major upsets often happen – don't they?

n A report from Alex Brown in The Age on Friday notes Tadhg Kennelly will find himself in the unusual situation of pursuing premierships in two sports, across two hemispheres, within a 12-month span.

The Swans defender has revealed plans to rejoin his old Gaelic football club, Kerry, next year and "try to win an All-Ireland title".

Kennelly's contract with the Swans expires at the end of next season, and the Irishman intends to return to Gaelic competition with Kerry immediately after his commitments with Sydney have finished. The 26-year-old has spent the majority of the past nine years in Australia since signing with the Swans as a teenager.

n Scott Gullan in the Herald Sun notes the Selwoods will become the 13th family in history to produce four AFL footballers when youngest son Scott debuts for West Coast tomorrow. Scott, who turned 18 last week, joins Adam in the Eagles line-up for the western derby against Fremantle.

He was taken by the Eagles with pick No. 22 in last year's national draft and will play in the midfield alongside his brother.

The Selwoods are the first family since the Daniher clan (Terry, Neale, Chris and Anthony), who played for South Melbourne-Sydney and Essendon from 1978 to 1997, to complete the feat.

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