|
AFL Players'
MVP Award
Collingwood's Dane Swan scoops the MVP
Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan, the Brownlow Medal
favourite was crowned the topline player of the season when he was
presented with the AFL players' association's most valuable player (MVP) on
Monday night.
 The
26-year-old broke the three-year reign of Geelong star Gary Ablett,
who was also last year's Brownlow winner.
Swan became the first Magpie to be named MVP since Darren Millane
in 1990, also Collingwood's most recent premiership year, in a
heartening sign for the flag favourites.
Swan was a clear winner, picking up 972 votes, ahead of Hawthorn's
Luke Hodge (603 votes), Ablett (562), Fremantle ruckman
Aaron Sandilands (279) and Cat Joel Selwood (166), with all
AFL players voting on a 3-2-1 basis.
Sam Lienert for Yahoo! Sport reported the prolific
ball-winner, who has gathered more disposals than any other player in
the AFL this season, including 30-plus in each of his past 13 games,
said he still struggled to see himself as an elite player.
Swan, drafted at No.58 in the 2001 national draft, did not make his AFL
debut until 2003, and said it was not until he was nearly sacked by the
club after an off-field disciplinary incident late that year, that he
got his career on track.
Hodge won the most courageous player award, retiring Sydney skipper
Brett Kirk was voted best captain and Fremantle's Michael Barlow
best first year player, some consolation for missing the Dockers' finals
campaign after breaking his leg in round 14.
Most Valuable Player
972–Dane
Swan (Col)
603–Luke Hodge (Haw)
562–Gary Ablett (Gee)
279–Aaron Sandilands (Fre)
166–Joel Selwood (Gee) |
Most
Courageous Player
200–Luke
Hodge (Haw
173–Joel Selwood (Gee)
125–Lenny Hayes (StK)
|
Best 1st-Year
Player
442–Michael Barlow (Fre)
129–Dustin Martin (Rch)
49–Tom Scully (Mel)
|
Best
Captain
142–Brett Kirk (Syd)
75–Jonathan Brown (Bri)
73–Chris Judd (Car) |
Week 2 –
Semi Finals
FIRST SEMI-FINAL
Loser 1QF
– West.B'dogs
v Winner 1EF – Syd or Car
Saturday, 7.20pm, MCG |
SECOND
SEMI-FINAL
Loser 2QF
– Geelong
v Winner 2EF – Fremantle
Friday, 7.45pm, MCG |
Week 3 –
Preliminary Finals
FIRST PRELIMINARY
Winner 1QF – Collingwood
v Winner 2SF
Friday, Sept 17, MCG |
SECOND
PRELIMINARY
Winner 2QF
– St Kilda
v Winner 1SF
Saturday, Sept 18, MCG |
Match Review Panel
– Week 1, Finals
Hall clear to play but fined $1950 for language
Burgoyne draws rough conduct charge
Western Bulldogs key forward Barry Hall is
free to play in Saturday night's First Semi-Final against Sydney after
the Match Review Panel on Monday decided against charging him for a left
jab to the chest of Collingwood's Harry O'Brien chest in the
second quarter of last Saturday's First Qualifying Final at the MCG.
Hall, who was fined $3000 in May for putting North Melbourne's Scott
Thompson in a headlock, was banned for a total of 10 matches in 2008 and
2009 while playing for Sydney for striking West Coast's Brent Staker,
Collingwood's Shane Wakelin and Adelaide's Ben Rutten.
With a penalty of at least one match likely if found guilty of striking
O'Brien because demerit points given to Hall carry a 50 per cent
loading, the 33-year-old breathed a sigh of relief on Monday.
Yahoo Sport reported: The MRP said Hall's contact with O'Brien
"was below that required to constitute a reportable offence".
However the Coleman Medal runner-up was charged with using abusive
language towards field umpire Mathew Nicholls during the second
quarter of the match, and can accept a $1950 fine with an early plea.
In other news on Monday, Hawthorn's Shaun Burgoyne was charged
with a Level One offence for engaging in rough conduct against
Fremantle's Alex Silvagni during the second quarter of their Second
Elimination Final on Saturday at Subiaco Oval.
Due to his previous poor record, his sanction must remain at one game,
even with an early plea.
As the Hawks are out of the premiership race, Burgoyne will serve the
ban in round one next year if he pleads guilty.
 |
|
Out in straight sets |
|
One of the most miserable experiences for a finalist is to earn a double
chance and lose both matches to exit the finals series, with tail
between the legs. The Bulldogs and Cats face that prospect this weekend.
Both clubs have endured this bitter experience in recent decades.
Although this misery has only been experienced by two clubs in the most
recent decade – West Coast in 2007 and Port Adelaide in 2001 – there
have been 27 instances in the last 50 years. Carlton has been knocked
straight out of the finals seven times, Collingwood five times, the
Eagles three times and the Bulldogs and Geelong twice. The Bulldogs
suffered this fate in 1999 and 1994. Geelong went out in straight sets
in 1997 and 1980.
The rot set in for the Bulldogs in both seasons after being nudged out
by five points in their opening final before copping hidings by 50
points or more in the second week. Geelong’s heaviest finals defeat in
its two seasons of pain was by 24 points.
The worst case of ‘straight sets’ was Sydney’s 1987 when it was blitzed
by 99 and 76 points. Carlton nearly emulated that in 1996 by falling by
55 and 97 points.
The closest near miss was the Eagles’ narrow defeats in 2007. Port
Adelaide pipped them by three points, then followed the draw against
Collingwood and the need for extra time, during which the Magpies made
the game secure.
Will either the Dogs or Cats face the music in 2010? The statistics
suggest not. Under the current finals system which began in 2000 there
have been 20 clubs (two each season, ie Qualifying Finals losers) which
become eligible for a straight sets finish. Only two of those (10
percent) have fallen over in straight sets. |
Bulldogs'
Brad Johnson prepares to retire
Captain Brad
Johnson confirmed his impending AFL retirement at the end of Western
Bulldogs' 2010 campaign, on Monday morning.
But the durable Johnson – who has battled an Achilles tendon complaint for much
of the year – is a definite starter in Saturday night's cut-throat semi-final
against Sydney Swans.
Fox Sports reported: The 34-year-old Bulldogs' games record holder said
he had made his mind up midway through the year that it would be his final
season.
But after some initial discussions with coach Rodney Eade he decided to
delay finalising the decision until the end of the year.
Johnson following his club-record 362nd game said he would need to undergo
surgery after the season and would not be able to maintain the necessary
preparation to play on for another year.
 |
|
Heavyweight title |
This is the first season since 1994 that the Heavyweight
title holders have not reached the Grand Final – or even the
finals.
St Kilda held the title after defeating Collingwood in Round
23, 1994 and finished in 13th place. The Premiers, West
Coast, then wrenched the title back in Round 1, 1995.
This year Adelaide hold the title after defeating St Kilda
in the final round. they held it briefly after defeating
Geelong in Round 16, but handed it to Port before they then
passed it on to St Kilda
It is the third time that Adelaide have held the title at
the end of a season following from their premiership years
1997 and 1998.
Hawthorn defended the title from Rnd 10 to 14 – their best
streak since 1998-R11-15.
Since Geelong held the title in last years Grand Final, it
had changed hands 10 times.. between Geelong, Fremantle, St
Kilda, Port Adelaide, Carlton, Hawthorn, and Adelaide ...
2010-R1-MCG(n) – Gee 19.11-125 v Ess 13.16-94 by
31pts
2010-R2-MCG
–
Haw 13.13-91 v Gee 14.16-100 by 9pts
2010-R3-S
–
Fre 18.17-125 v Gee 17.16-118 by 7pts
2010-R4-Dok
–
StK 16.12-108 v Fre 14.9-93 by 15pts
2010-R5-FP(n)
–
PA 7.12-54 v StK 6.8-44 by 10pts
2010-R6-FP
–
Ade 10.14-74 v PA 14.13-97 by 23pts
2010-R7-Dok
–
Ess 16.10-106 v PA 17.7-109 by 3pts
2010-R8-FP
–
PA 14.8-92 v Car 17.16-118 by 26pts
2010-R9-Dok
–
Car 8.12-60 v Haw 16.14-110 by 50pts
2010-R10-MCG
–
Haw 10.19-79 v Syd 11.11-77 by 2pts
2010-R11-MCG
–
Haw 10.14-74 v PA 8.15-63 by 11pts
2010-R12-YPL
–
Haw 19.10-124 v Ade 11.11-77 by 47pts
2010-R13-MCG(n)
–
Haw 14.18-102 v Ess 13.8-86 by 16pts
2010-R14-MCG(n)
–
Haw 12.7-79 v WB 11.10-76 by 3pts
2010-R15-MCG
–
Gee 12.13-85 v Haw 11.17-83 by 2pts
2010-R16-FP(n)
–
Ade 11.8-74 v Gee 9.9-63 by 11pts
2010-R17-FP
–
PA 13.10-88 v Ade 10.9-69 by 19pts
2010-R18-FP
–
PA 13.14-92 v Haw 12.12-84 by 8pts
2010-R19-Dok
–
StK 23.13-151 v PA 8.9-57 by 94pts
2010-R20-Dok
–
NM 9.9-63 v StK 17.13-115 by 52pts
2010-R21-Dok
–
StK 17.13-115 v Rch 14.10-94 by 21pts
2010-R22-FP
–
Ade 9.11-65 v StK 5.7-37 by 28pts
 It's
worth noting that the Crows have defended the title just 9
times - and only in odd years..93, 01, 03, 05......11?
1993-R4-FP(n)
–
Ade 15.13-103 v Fit 15.12-102 by 1pt
1993-R15-FP
–
Ade 23.18-156 v StK 8.15-63 by 93pts
1993-R16-FP(n)
–
Ade 26.15-171 v Rch 4.8-32 by 139pts
2001-R5-FP(n)
–
Ade 12.18-90 v Kan 10.15-75 by 15pts
2003-R19-S
–
WCE 10.7-67 v Ade 13.13-91 by 24pts
2005-R19-FP
–
Ade 13.22-100 v Mel 7.4-46 by 54pts
2005-R20-FP(n)
–
PA 12.9-81 v Ade 13.10-88 by 7pts
2005-R21-FP
–
Ade 22.19-151 v Col 5.11-41 by 110pts
2005-R22-S
–
WCE 10.14-74 v Ade 12.10-82 by 8pts |
Paul Roos: MCG holds "no mental scars"
Malcolm Conn
reports in The Australian: Sydney coach Paul Roos has dismissed
the Swans' recent diabolical record at the MCG as irrelevant going into Saturday
night's semi-final.
Sydney will tackle the Western Bulldogs at Australian football's spiritual home.
The Swans are best remembered for their epic winning and losing grand finals
against West Coast at the MCG in 2005 and 2006, however they've looked anything
but finalists at the ground more recently.
Sydney has lost nine of its past 10 matches at the venue, including all three
this season, against Hawthorn in round 10, Richmond in round 14 and Melbourne in
round 17.
While the loss to fellow finalist Hawthorn was by just two points, Roos
described the capitulation against the lowly Tigers as Sydney's worst game of
the season. The Swans surrendered a 33-point lead to lose by four points –
more ...
Sydney
at the MCG, 1997-2010–
| 1997-R18 |
Melbourne 7.11-53 v Sydney 25.19-169 – 116pts |
| 1997-2QF |
West.B'dogs 18.11-119 v Sydney 12.12-84 – 35pts |
| 1998-R7(n) |
Collingwood 12.7-79 v Sydney 18.7-115
– 36pts |
| 1998-R8 |
North Melb 15.15-105 v Sydney 14.11-95 – 10pts |
| 1998-R11(n) |
Essendon 24.16-160 v Sydney 15.10-100 – 60pts |
| 1998-R21(n) |
Melbourne 17.12-114 v Sydney 12.11-83 – 31pts |
| 1999-R2 |
Richmond 15.18-108 v Sydney 13.18-96 – 12pts |
| 1999-R3 |
Essendon 22.17-149 v Sydney 9.14-68
– 81pts |
| 1999-R15 |
Melbourne 10.14-74 v Sydney 18.17-125 –
51pts |
| 1999-4QF |
Essendon 18.15-123 v Sydney 7.12-54 – 69pts |
| 2000-R18 |
Melbourne 19.11-125 v Sydney 15.9-99 – 26pts |
| 2000-R19 |
Collingwood 12.12-84 v Sydney 15.14-104
– 20pts |
| 2001-R5 |
Melbourne 18.11-119 v Sydney 15.14-104 – 15pts |
| 2001-R15 |
Hawthorn 11.11-77 v Sydney 14.14-98
– 21pts |
| 2002-R14 |
Hawthorn 11.8-74 v Sydney 9.10-64 – 10pts |
| 2002-R21 |
Melbourne 11.11-77 v Sydney 23.7-145
– 68pts |
| 2003-R4(n) |
Hawthorn 17.8-110 v Sydney 10.8-68 – 42pts |
| 2003-R10(n) |
Richmond 10.12-72 v Sydney 16.8-104 –
32pts |
| 2003-R22 |
Melbourne 9.6-60 v Sydney 14.10-94 –
34pts |
| 2004-R6 |
Essendon 16.12-108 v Sydney 15.8-98
– 10pts |
| 2004-R22 |
Richmond 6.8-44 v Sydney 16.12-108 –
64pts |
| 2004-2SF(n) |
St Kilda 16.11-107 v Sydney 8.8-56 – 51pts |
| 2005-R14 |
Richmond 12.13-85 v Sydney 12.12-84 – 1 pt |
| 2005-R22 |
Hawthorn 11.9-75 v Sydney 20.9-129 –
54pts |
| 2005-1PF(n) |
St Kilda 9.11-65 v Sydney 15.6-96 –
31pts |
| 2005-GF |
West Coast 7.12-54 v Sydney 8.10-58
– 4pts |
| 2006-R9(n) |
Hawthorn 7.12-54 v Sydney 19.5-119 –
65pts |
| 2006-R19 |
Melbourne 10.3-63 v Sydney 14.11-95
– 32pts |
| 2006-GF |
Sydney 12.12-84 v
West Coast 12.13-85
– 1 pt |
| 2007-R2 |
Richmond 11.6-72
v Sydney 13.10-88 – 16pts |
| 2007-R11 |
Hawthorn 9.12-66 v Sydney 11.9-75
– 9pts |
| 2007-R21(n) |
Collingwood 15.11-101 v Sydney 11.10-76
– 25pts |
| 2007-2EF(n) |
Collingwood 18.17-124 v Sydney 13.9-87 – 38pts |
| 2008-R15 |
Hawthorn 15.16-106 v Sydney 10.15-75 –
31pts |
| 2008-2SF(n) |
West.B'dogs 16.10-106 v Sydney 9.15-69 –
37pts |
| 2009-R11 |
Hawthorn 12.14-86 v Sydney 11.9-75 –
11pts |
| 2009-R19 |
Richmond 10.8-68 v Sydney 18.15-123 – 55pts |
| 2009-R21 |
Collingwood 13.19-97 v Sydney 8.8-56 –
41pts |
| 2010-R10 |
Hawthorn 10.19-79 v Sydney 11.11-77 –
2pts |
| 2010-R14 |
Richmond 14.5-89 v Sydney 12.13-85 –
4pts |
| 2010-R17 |
Melbourne 22.10-142 v Sydney 10.9-69 –
73pts |
| 2010-1SF(n) |
West.B'dogs v Sydney |
Venue
performances, all clubs ...
more
|
 |
|
 There's
always another story ... |
|
|
Footystats is your home ground for all things AFL. Whether it is
the top of footy news, the updated
AFL ladder or the best footy stats out there we have what you are
you looking for. Should you have any questions or feedback please don't
hesitate to
contact us ... |
|
Elimination and
qualifying finals
High drama as Saints beat Cats by four points
Dockers easily beat Hawks by five goals
Collingwood humble the Bulldogs
Sydney recover to beat off Carlton
|
Facts and trivia from EF & QF's
*The
Stats that Matter* – *Match
Review* ...
more
The season in scores and results
–
Stats Update 2010 |
Week 1 –
Elimination & Qualifying
1st
Qualifying — 1 v 4
Collingwood v West.B'dogs
Saturday, 7.20pm, MCG |
2nd
Elimination — 5 v 8
Fremantle v Hawthorn
Saturday, 1.20pm, Subiaco |
2nd
Qualifying — 2 v 3
Geelong v St Kilda
Friday, 7.45pm, MCG |
1st
Elimination — 6 v 7
Sydney v Carlton
Sunday, 2.40pm, Homebush |
Above have double chance |
Losers eliminated |
Week 2 –
Semi Finals
FIRST SEMI-FINAL
Loser 1QF
– West.B'dogs
v Winner 1EF – Syd or Car
Saturday, 7.20pm, MCG |
SECOND
SEMI-FINAL
Loser 2QF
– Geelong
v Winner 2EF – Fremantle
Friday, 7.45pm, MCG |
Week 3 –
Preliminary Finals
FIRST PRELIMINARY
Winner 1QF – Collingwood
v Winner 2SF
Friday, Sept 17, MCG |
SECOND
PRELIMINARY
Winner 2QF
– St Kilda
v Winner 1SF
Saturday, Sept 18, MCG |
FROM
THE ELIMINATION & QUALIFYING
GEELONG v ST KILDA
 after
four defeats the Saints beat the Cats for the first time in a final
–
1968-1SF-MCG – Gee 19.13-127 beat StK 11,17-83 – 44pts
1991-2EF-P – Gee 15.14-104 beat StK 14.13-97 – 7pts
2008-1QF-MCG – Gee 17.17-119 beat StK 8.13-61 – 58pts
2009-GF-MCG – Gee 12.8-80 beat StK 9.14-68 – 12pts
Channel
7 in commentary noted that all players in the Geelong side were
premiership players ...
150th STEVE JOHNSON (Geelong), 2002-10
...
CAMERON MOONEY,
200th for Geelong,
2000-10); also 11 NM 1999 ...
FREMANTLE v HAWTHORN
the
ABC reported the Hawks fielded a side with 18 premiership players ...
Hawthorn
in their 66th finals match were 1.11 at half-time; previous lowest
at the long break was 2.7-19 against Essendon 8.7-55 in 2001-1PF at
the MCG ...
Fremantle
in their 5th final won a second time – the other win was in
2006-2SF(n) against Melbourne at Subiaco ...
COLLINGWOOD v WESTERN BULLDOGS
the
Bulldogs in their 42nd final kicked only five behinds in Q1, the
smallest opening tally of all; previous lowest first quarter was
1.1-7 v Essendon 1.3-9 in 1944-1SF at the Junction Oval ...
in
contrast the Magpies played their 167th final and won for the 72nd
time; they have lost on 91 occasions and drawn four times ...
the
win by 62 points ranks only 17th of the best victories Collingwood has
enjoyed over the Bulldogs during their 102 wins from 146 meetings
since 1925 ...
SYDNEY v CARLTON
the
Swans with 6.6 in Q1 enjoyed their best opening of the season ...
in
the 3rd quarter the Swans were goalless and kicked 0.3; twice before
in this season Sydney were 0.3, in Q3 versus North in R15 at the SCG
and in Q4 versus Richmond in R6, also at the SCG ...
Carlton
and the Swans met for just the 10th time in a final; it was the
first time since the 1918 Semi-Final that the red-and-white colours
had tasted victory (58 to 53) over the Old Dark Navy Blues, having
since lost the 1945-Grand Final (103-75) at Princes Park and the
1986-Qualifying Final (120-104) at the MCG ...
Carlton
played their 135th League final and lost for the 70th time; they
have won 63 and drawn twice ...
 |
|
For in-depth and obscure trivia from this
round of matches –
more ... |
|
|
|
Published
attendances, Finals, Week 1: 214,468.
Progressive for season 2010 – 6,710,292. |
|
Sydney
coach Paul Roos says Daniel Bradshaw is a good chance
of returning to face the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night after
playing his second reserves game in as many weeks.
Bradshaw, who has been beset by knee and hamstring injuries since
his last game in round nine, pulled up well after an 80-minute
hit-out against Ainslie on Saturday – AFL.com.au |
|
Fremantle
breathed a huge sigh of relief after scans cleared ruckman Aaron
Sandilands of serious knee damage to his left knee, freeing him
for Friday night's semi-final against Geelong.
Justin Chadwick reports for Fox Sports: Sandilands was
clearly hampered in Saturday's win over Hawthorn, playing most of
the match as a key forward after coming off second best in a heavy
first-quarter clash of legs with Hawks big man Wayde Skipper.
Dockers officials are hopeful Sandilands will be able to fulfil his
ruck duties against the Cats after scans showed no structural damage
to his left knee. |
|
Barry
Hall's temper is again threatening to disrupt a finals campaign
after the Western Bulldogs forward landed a punch on Collingwood's
Harry O'Brien in one of several heated clashes between the
pair.
Hall, who was booked for using abusive language towards an umpire
which could result in a fine, will face scrutiny from the Match
Review Panel over an incident in the second quarter in which the
fiery forward threw a left jab at O'Brien – Fox Sports |
|
|
Elimination and
qualifying finals
Dockers easily beat Hawks by five goals
Collingwood humble the Bulldogs
Sydney recover to beat off Carlton
|
Facts and trivia from EF & QF's
*The
Stats that Matter* – *Match
Review* ...
more
The season in scores and results
–
Stats Update 2010 |
|
Each club – 20 or
more goals this year |
|
Michael Rogers' research shows –
|
|
Players |
|
Geelong |
9 |
|
Collingwood |
6 |
|
North Melbourne |
6 |
|
Carlton |
5 |
|
St Kilda |
5 |
|
Sydney |
5 |
|
Western Bulldogs |
5 |
|
Adelaide |
4 |
|
Brisbane Lions |
3 |
|
Essendon |
3 |
|
Fremantle |
3 |
|
Hawthorn |
3 |
|
Melbourne |
3 |
|
Port Adelaide |
3 |
|
West Coast |
2 |
|
Richmond |
1 |
|
|
as the number of players
this season who kicked 20 or more goals for their club in the
home-and-away. |
Updates available
Michael Rogers
announces that scoring and results summaries including new records of
the 8 non finalists for 2010 – the top 8 will be added as they are
eliminated from the finals – the link ...
http://www.rogersresults.110mb.com/Rogers_Results/Tables/Season%20Summaries%202010.htm
|
|
|
Hawthorn
president Jeff Kennett wasn't present to see the tough
opening at Subiaco Oval on Saturday after his aircraft from
Melbourne, which also contained the match's MC Craig Willis
and other Hawks supporters, was delayed by two hours. Most arrived
around quarter-time – Yahoo! Sport |
|
Christian
Brunn, our regular reader from northern Germany was quick to
pick up on two typo's which appeared in Saturday's Diary.
Christian's e-mail enabled a quick correction and I thank him. |
|
Breezing
through Saturday's New York Times (4th) a headline caught my
gaze – "winning over new fans by speeding up the game" – had me
believing the newspaper had been tracking the AFL.
No! – lovers of chess accept that traditional games are too slow for
all but the die hard.
At the same time, blitz games — where players have only five minutes
for all their moves — are fun to watch and attract crowds on street
corners, but they are riddled with errors.
Rapid games, where each player starts with 20 or 25 minutes and then
has additional time — often 10 seconds — added after each move, seem
to be a happy medium. The format is becoming more popular, and there
are now many tournaments that feature it.
Maybe someone at Docklands headquarters are keeping a watchful eye
on the next move. |
|
Bruce
Kennedy observes:
A fortnight is a l-o-o-o-ng time in footy ...
Rd 21, 2010 – Haw 155 d Fre 39 – margin 116 points
A fortnight later …
Elimination Final – Fre 94 d Haw 64 – margin 30 points
A turnaround of 146 points.
Qualifying Final 1989 – Ess 157 d Gee 81 – margin 76 points
A fortnight later …
Preliminary Final – Gee 164 d Ess 70 – margin 94 points
A turnaround of 170 points.
Those examples show there is always hope.
And, Bruce notes another turnaround –
In both Geelong v St Kilda matches this season the Cats have kicked
6.7 – 4.3 in a half. And lost on both occasions. |
|
|
Elimination and
qualifying finals
High drama as Saints beat Cats by four points
|
Facts and trivia from EF & QF's
*The
Stats that Matter* – *Match
Review* ...
more
The season in scores and results
–
Stats Update 2010 |
Geelong 11.13-79
St Kilda 12.11-83
A controversial umpiring decision denied Geelong captain Cameron Ling
what would have been a match-winning goal as St Kilda survived a four-point AFL
qualifying final thriller in wet conditions at the MCG on Friday night before a
crowd of 63,608.
Sam Lienert reported for Yahoo! Sport: The Saints led by as much
as 33 points in the third term but had to hold on desperately to win as the Cats
surged home.
After kicking five of the last six goals of the third quarter, Geelong outscored
the Saints 1.7 to 1.0 in a final term played in driving rain, in which the ball
spent the majority of the time in their attack.
The Saints led from late in the first quarter but the Cats came incredibly close
to snatching the lead with 61 seconds left on the clock.
Ling pounced on the ball at half-forward after a Cameron Mooney tackle on
James Gwilt caused it to spill.
The Cats captain's shot bounced over the goal line as a push-in-the-back free
kick was being paid against Mooney for landing on Gwilt as he followed through
with the tackle.
The win gave St Kilda their first AFL finals victory over Geelong, their grand
final conquerors of last year, earning them a weekend off and a preliminary
final berth.
The Cats will have to return to the MCG next Friday night to face the winner of
today's Subiaco clash between Fremantle and Hawthorn, after losing on the
opening weekend of the finals for the first time in four seasons.
Club champion –
Adelaide
Richard Douglas wins Malcolm Blight Medal
Midfielder Richard
Douglas won the Malcolm Blight Medal as Adelaide's best-and-fairest
on Friday night.
Michelangelo Rucci reports in The Advertiser: Douglas
polled 35 votes to beat Scott Thompson by five, with Michael
Doughty third.
Adelaide coaches assessed players on a 4-3-2-1 basis.
Douglas played in all 22 games, polling in 19.
Raised at Broadford, north of Melbourne, Douglas was drafted from Calder
Cannons at pick No.16 in 2005 and made his debut in 2006 –
more ...
The leaderboard –
35 – Richard Douglas
30 – Scott Thompson
27 – Michael Doughty
26 – Brent Rielly
25 – Graham Johncock
24 – Kurt Tippett
23 – Ben Rutten
22 – Simon Goodwin
19 – Scott Stevens
19 – Nathan van Berlo
2010
Club Champions, Best & Fairest awards
–
more
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Elimination and
qualifying finals – selected teams
Bulldogs name Griffen despite fitness doubt
Didak, Johnson, Brown back for Magpies
Saints throw Steven Baker straight back in
The Western Bulldogs have named midfielder Ryan
Griffen for Saturday night's qualifying final against the Magpies
and they're likely to give the 24-year-old until the last minute to
prove his fitness.
Sportal report: The Dogs appear stronger on paper for the
inclusion of Shaun Higgins, Will Minson, Easton Wood
and skipper Brad Johnson, but two of them – Wood and Johnson –
are being rushed back from injury while Higgins is yet to prove that
he's fully recovered from the combined effects of a calf strain and
thyroid condition.
As expected, Alan Didak, Ben Johnson and Leigh Brown
return for Collingwood, though, for a third week running, veteran
defender Simon Prestigiacomo could not be considered because of a
badly corked quad.
Veteran ruckman Josh Fraser, who was repatriated from the VFL to
play his 200th AFL match last week, was unable to hold his place.
Rested from last Saturday's Round 22 win over West Coast, Joel
Selwood and Corey Enright are back for Geelong along with
Josh Hunt who's available after suspension for tonight's qualifying
final against the Saints.
Two-time premiership forward Shannon Byrnes, who was also rested
last week, was unable to force his way back into the 22.
Nine weeks in purgatory for his notorious running battle with Steve
Johnson back in Round 13 didn't deter the St Kilda selectors from
naming veteran defender Steven Baker for the MCG encounter.
Small forwards Adam Schneider and Stephen Milne were also
included at the expense of Sean Dempster, Luke Miles and
David Armitage.
Fremantle selectors adopted a conservative approach (compared to recent
weeks) to Saturday's home elimination final against the Hawks.
They mustered only three changes; one of them compulsory.
Defenders Ryan Crowley and Alex Silvagni return from
decent layoffs along with Jesse Crichton who was a late
withdrawal from last week's crucial final-round win over the Blues.
Making way are Jay van Berlo, the injured Hayden Ballantyne
and retiring midfielder Paul Hasleby who just may have played his
last AFL game.
There's just the one change for Hawthorn with Rhan Hooper
(soreness) making way for vice-captain and talisman Luke Hodge.
Tagger Andrew Carrazzo has been named in Carlton's extended squad
for Sunday's elimination final against Sydney at Homebush despite a
query over his fitness.
AFL Rising Star Daniel Hannebery is one of three important
inclusions for Sydney.
Tadhg Kennelly, who was a last-minute withdrawal from last
Saturday's clash with the Lions at the Gabba, returns along with
All-Australian nominee Shane Mumford who has recovered from a
medial ligament strain picked up a fortnight ago.
Club champion –
Melbourne
Brad Green wins 'Bluey' Truscott trophy
Brad Green has capped off a magnificent year by winning the Keith
‘Bluey’ Truscott trophy as Melbourne’s best and fairest which was
announced on Thursday night.
Luke Holmesby reported for AFL.com.au: It is Green’s first best
and fairest in his 11-year career with the Demons. His previous highest
placing was third in 2008.
Green kicked 55 goals this season as a wingman/forward, with his highest
tally a five-goal bag against North Melbourne in round 22. He played his
200th AFL game in round two against Collingwood.
He won the award ahead of two players who also had their highest-ever
placings in the club best and fairest – James Frawley who came
second and ruckman Mark Jamar who finished third.
Green took out three awards on the night. He also accepted the heart and
soul award and the Ron Barassi Jr award for leadership.
The leadership board:
295 – Brad Green
277 – James Frawley
231 – Mark Jamar
194 – Aaron Davey
170 – Colin Sylvia
168 – Cameron Bruce
166 – Brent Moloney
154 – Tom Scully
149 – Colin Garland
149 – James McDonald
2010
Club Champions, Best & Fairest awards
–
more
Updates available
Michael Rogers
announces that scoring and results summaries including new records of
the 8 non finalists for 2010 – the top 8 will be added as they are
eliminated from the finals – the link ...
http://www.rogersresults.110mb.com/Rogers_Results/Tables/Season%20Summaries%202010.htm
Re-signings ...
West Coast rookies Andrew Strijk and Callum Wilson
will be upgraded to the club's senior list for the 2011 AFL
season, but defender Matt Spangher has asked to be
traded.
And Ashton Hams has been offered another year on the rookie
list, although fellow rookies Adam Cockie and Will
Sullivan have been released.
The Western Bulldogs have re-signed midfield star Ryan
Griffen for the next two seasons – the pacy 23-year-old
South Australian, who has become an integral part of the
Bulldogs' midfield, is believed to have been a target of several
clubs, including Essendon and Adelaide.
Port Adelaide have announced the re-signing of three players,
with youngsters Matt Thomas, Matt Broadbent and
Mitch Banner inking new deals.
Fremantle have re-signed eight players – Stephen Hill was
already contracted to the club until the end of 2012 has signed
on for an additional year, meaning Gold Coast and Greater
Western Sydney will be unable to poach him under their generous
concessions over the next two years.
Defender Roger Hayden has signed a one-year extension
until the end of 2011, while Jesse Crichton, Matthew
de Boer, Garrick Ibbotson, Dylan Roberton and
Alex Silvagni have agreed to terms through to the end of
2012.
Hill and Greg Broughton are locked in until the end of 2013.
see
also – 2010 retirements and delistings
– regularly updated |
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The
Seven Network will broadcast the AFL Grand Final in high definition
3D.
3D coverage of major sporting events will continue a week later when
Nine beams the NRL Grand Final in the new format. |
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Hawthorn
publicly rallied around banned midfielder Travis Tuck on
Thursday, but coach Alastair Clarkson believes the Hawks
could have done much more had the AFL told the club about his
problems earlier.
Tuck returned to training with the Hawks just two days after he
became the first AFL player to fall foul of the league's "three
strikes" illicit drugs policy – Yahoo! Sport |
|
Week 1,
Elimination & Qualifying
1st
Qualifying — 1 v 4
Collingwood v West.B'dogs
Saturday, 7.20pm, MCG |
1st
Elimination — 5 v 8
Fremantle v Hawthorn
Saturday, 3.20pm, Subiaco |
2nd
Qualifying — 2 v 3
Geelong v St Kilda
Friday, 7.45pm, MCG |
2nd
Elimination — 6 v 7
Sydney v Carlton
Sunday, 2.40pm, Homebush |
All have double chance |
Losers eliminated |
|
NAB Rising Star
Award
Sydney's Daniel Hannebery takes the crown
Daniel Hannebery, 19, has become the second
Sydney Swan after their star Adam Goodes (1999) to win the NAB Rising
Star Award.
Soon after Wednesday's awards function
held at Crown Palladium
in Melbourne,
Hannebery said the achievement had not sunk in because he was focussed
on the elimination final this Sunday against Carlton at the Olympic
Stadium at Homebush.
Roger Vaughan reported for Yahoo! Sport: The Swans are on
a roll, having won their last four games, and Hannebery said if they
execute their disciplined game plan properly, they feel they can go a
long way this month.
 Hannebery
has become a key member of the Sydney team in only his second season,
playing 19 games this year.
He was the unanimous top choice of the nine Rising Star judges, polling
the maximum 45 votes, while Melbourne's No.1 draft pick Tom Scully
was 10 behind in second place.
45 – Daniel Hannebery (Sydney)
35 – Tom Scully (Melbourne)
24 – Tom Rockcliff (Brisbane)
11 – Jack Trengove (Port Adelaide)
6 – Ryan Bastinac (North Melbourne)
5 – Jeff Garlett (Carlton)
3 – Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
2 – Michael Hurley (Essendon)
2 – Nic Naitanui (West Coast)
1 – Ben Reid (Collingwood)
1 – Ben Stratton (Hawthorn)
Richmond's Dustin Martin also starred this season and was an
award nominee, but he was ineligible for the overall prize after
accepting a rough conduct charge in April.
Martin's ineligibility meant Hannebery became the favourite for the
Ron Evans Medal.
Luke Holmesby in his report for AFL.com.au noted: Originally from the
Kew Rovers Junior Football Club in Melbourne, Hannebery was selected by
the Swans with their second round selection at the 2008 NAB AFL Draft
(selection 30 overall).
He represented Vic Metro in the 2000 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and
turned heads at the 2008 NAB AFL Draft Camp when his endurance was
highlighted with his first placing in the 3km time trail.
Hannebery stayed in Melbourne in 2009 to finish his schooling at Xavier
College but still managed to play the last seven games of the season for
the Swans while based at his Melbourne home.
Club champion –
Richmond
Jack Riewoldt wins Jack Dyer Medal
Richmond's Jack Riewoldt has won the Jack Dyer Medal becoming the
first player in the club's history to win the AFL's best and fairest and leading
goalkicker award in the same season.
ABC Sport reports: The 21-year-old full-forward, who took out the Coleman
Medal, with 78 goals in the 2010 home-and-away season, edged out Tigers captain
Chris Newman in a thrilling Jack Dyer Medal count held at Melbourne's Crown
Casino on Wednesday night.
Riewoldt polled 210 votes to win by six from Newman, with team-mate Brett
Deledio, winner of the past two Jack Dyer Medals, coming in third on 193 votes.
Throughout the 2010 season, Riewoldt scored at least three goals on 14
occasions, and four goals or more on eight occasions.
From Round 8-15, he kicked 43 goals, which was the highest individual total in a
consecutive eight-game period by an AFL player since Essendon's Matthew Lloyd
in 2001.
Riewoldt came in on top at the club for total marks (123), was No.1 for
contested marks (54) and No.1 for marks inside-50 (79).
210 – Jack Riewoldt
204 – Chris Newman
193 – Brett Deledio
159 – Dustin Martin
153 – Shane Tuck
151 – Shane Edwards
131 – Trent Cotchin
123 – Kelvin Moore
117 – Jake King
114 – Daniel Jackson
2010
Club Champions, Best & Fairest awards
–
more
Nathan Bock and Nathan Krakouer sign with Suns
Former All
Australian defender Nathan Bock and exciting young defender
Nathan Krakouer have officially signed with the Gold Coast Suns
ahead of their inaugural AFL season.
 The
27-year-old Bock has played 113 games for the Adelaide Crows, winning
the Malcolm Blight Medal as the club's best and fairest in 2008.
Krakouer, 22, has played 40 AFL games for Port Adelaide after being
recruited from Western Australian side Claremont in 2006.
The pair are the first players to join the Suns under the clause which
allows them to recruit a maximum of one uncontracted player from each of
the 16 existing clubs.
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Tony
Sheahan reports in Melbourne's Herald Sun: Ex-Port
Adelaide coach Mark Williams has split from long-time manager
Ricky Nixon.
Williams and rival Dean Laidley were both Nixon clients, but
the senior coaches are vying for the vacant Essendon job.
Williams confirmed the split, but was unaware there was any conflict
relating to the termination –
more ... |
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Match Review Panel
– Round 22
Jake King takes early plea and one-game penalty
Jake King's
best-ever season has ended in disappointing fashion, with the rugged
Tigers forward accepting a one-match suspension for striking.
ABC Sport reported King took the early guilty plea yesterday for
striking Port Adelaide's Justin Westhoff in Sunday's clash at
Docklands.
With Richmond failing to qualify for the finals, King will miss the
Tigers' opening clash of the 2011 campaign.
The oft-maligned King, 26, originally from North Heidelberg, has been
reinvented as a forward in 2010 under new Richmond coach Damien
Hardwick. He has played 15 matches for a career total of 56.
Reports
from Round 22 –
refer
Tribunal
archives for wide detail of each
charge
Tuck: AFL Tribunal suspends him 12 matches
Hawthorn midfielder Travis Tuck has been banned for
12 matches, after becoming the first player to record three
strikes under the AFL's controversial illicit drugs policy.
But the 22-year-old son of AFL games record-holder Michael
Tuck has avoided a fine and was saved a more severe penalty
after the AFL Tribunal last night took into account the fact he
was suffering from depression.
Tuck, who has not played a senior game with the Hawks this
season, will also be given a chance to reignite his career, with
the club to include him in their training squad and allow him to
vie for a spot on their rookie list ahead of next season.
The League issued Tuck with a third strike after he was found
unconscious by police and transported to hospital on Friday
night.
He had twice previously tested positive to illicit drugs under
the league's testing regime.
Tuck, who appeared at tonight's hearing in person, did not
contest the AFL's decision to apply the latest strike, meaning
the hearing was only to decide a sanction, rather than determine
the player's guilt.
The closed hearing, chaired by former Victorian County Court
Judge John Hassett, with drug experts Susan White and
Andrew Garnham on the panel, lasted three-and-a-half
hours.
It took evidence from Tuck's treating clinicians and drug
counsellors.
Hassett said the tribunal imposed a six-match suspended ban and
$5000 fine held over from Tuck's first two strikes, as well as a
further six-match sanction for his third strike.
But he said Tuck's depression, for which he has been receiving
treatment, was deemed to constitute "exceptional and compelling
circumstances".
That prompted the tribunal to cancel the fine, as well as ruling
that Tuck can return to VFL football after serving the first
eight matches of his suspension.
Tuck, whose older brother Shane plays for Richmond, has played
20 senior games for Hawthorn since his 2007 debut, but none this
year.
Police have confirmed they will not lay charges against him.
See also –
Three Drug Strikes for Tuck – Herald Sun
See also –
AFL let us down over Tuck: Hawks – ABC Sport |
All Australian
Selectors name 40-man squad
The All
Australian selection panel met Tuesday to confirm the 40-man squad that
is in contention for selection for the 2010 Four’n Twenty AFL All
Australian Team.
The All Australian selectors were not asked to nominate the leading
players in each section of the field – forwards, defenders and
midfielders–ruckmen – as per recent seasons, but simply to name the best
players of the season. However, the final team of 22, to be named on
Monday September 13 in Melbourne, is selected to best fit team balance
as if to play a match.
The All Australian selection panel is: Andrew Demetriou
(chairman), Adrian Anderson, Kevin Bartlett, Gerard
Healy, James Hird, Glen Jakovich, Mark Ricciuto
and Robert Walls.
The squad members are:
Gary Ablett (Gee), Matthew Boyd (WB), Paul Chapman
(Gee), Adam Cooney (WB), Nick Dal Santo (StK), Brett
Deledio (Rch), Alan Didak (Col), Corey Enright (Gee),
Dustin Fletcher (Ess), Lance Franklin (Haw), James
Frawley (Mel), Brendon Goddard (StK), Adam Goodes
(Syd), Brad Green (Mel), Barry Hall (WB), Brent Harvey
(NM), Lenny Hayes (StK), Luke Hodge (Haw), Mark Jamar
(Mel), Steve Johnson (Gee), Darren Jolly (Col), Chris
Judd (Car), James Kelly (Gee), Brian Lake (WB),
Mark LeCras (WCE), Nick Malceski (Syd), Leigh Montagna
(StK), Shane Mumford (Syd), David Mundy (Fre), Harry
O’Brien (Col), Matthew Pavlich (Fre), Scott Pendlebury
(Col), Brady Rawlings (NM), Jack Riewoldt (Rch), Aaron
Sandilands (Fre), Joel Selwood (Gee), Andrew Swallow
(NM), Dane Swan (Col), Harry Taylor (Gee), Jobe Watson
(Ess).
No players were named
from Adelaide, Brisbane or Port Adelaide.
|
Worth attention ...
Sensitive St Kilda data stolen
Scott Gullan in Melbourne's Herald Sun reveals
top-secret information about St Kilda's finals campaign has been stolen
during a break-in at the club's headquarters.
Laptop computers containing sensitive data were swiped in the raid
on the Saints' Moorabbin base on Sunday night.
Victoria Police last night confirmed it was investigating but
refused to elaborate on the items stolen.
It's understood the thieves focused on the IT department, which
housed computers and cameras used by football staff.
The timing of the burglary, just days out from the club's
qualifying final with Geelong at the MCG on Friday night, has rattled
the Saints.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is understood to be furious about
the security breach –
more
... |
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Top and bottom sections of
the ladder
Matches between draws |
Geelong have overtaken the North side of the 70's and the
Brisbane side earlier this century in consecutive rounds in
the top section of the ladder.
They will only have the Bombers to overtake early next year
(remember the barometer?)
Most weeks in top section of the ladder
87 – Ess 1998-R17 – 2002-R15
83* – Gee 2007-R6 – 2010-R22*
82
–
NM 1976-R10
–
1980-R3
82
–
Bri 2001-R10
–
2005-R3
78
–
Fit 1913-R4
–
1917-R15
74
–
Car 1978-R15
–
1981-R22
71
–
Fit 1901-R17
–
1906-R2
69
–
WCE 2004-R21
–
2008-R1
66
–
Haw 1982-R1
–
1984-R22
65
–
Car 1975-R1
–
1977-R21
interesting
that the last 3 teams in the list above (chronologically)
are now in the bottom 4. (Brisbane 13th, Essendon 14th and
West Coast 16th)
Most weeks in bottom section of the ladder
265
–
NM 1927-R6
–
1941-R18
254
–
Haw 1925-R2
–
1939-R4
204
–
Fit 1961-R10
–
1972-R3
196
–
Haw 1943-R13
–
1954-R5
172
–
StK 1981-R5
–
1988-R22
164
–
StK 1941-R2
–
1950-R1
140
–
Rch 1958-R6
–
1966-R1
133
–
Fsc 1977-R4
–
1983-R4
116
–
Gee 1970-R17
–
1975-R22
106
–
StK 1897-R2
–
1903-R17
96
–
Mel 1980-R5
–
1984-R12
94
–
Fit 1935-R11
–
1940-R14
91
–
Fsc 1964-R2
–
1968-R20
89
–
Car 1897-R2
–
1902-R17
88*–
Mel 2007-R1
–
2010-R22*
87
–
Fit 1973-R2
–
1976-R22
If the Demons stay below the line until round 8 next season
they will surpass their club record in the early 1980's –
one suspects that this may not be the case.
Most matches between draws ...
462
–
Mel 1971-R18
–
1992-R7
406
–
Gee 1969-R2
–
1987-R6
403
–
Haw 1968-R2
–
1985-R11
384*–
Ade 1994-R14
–
2010-R22*
360
–
StK 1922-R13
–
1943-R2
356*–
Fre 1995-R1
–
2010-R22* – from first match
344
–
Col 1995-R12
–
2010-R12
344
–
Rch 1980-R3
–
1995-R15
335
–
NM 1988-R17
–
2003-R3
333
–
Mel 1992-R7
–
2006-R21
Geelong's win against the Eagles at Kardinia Park was their
23rd consecutive win there since 2008-R3 – surpassing the 22
consecutive wins between 1954-R9 and 1956-R16 (as mentioned
in "Rogers Results")
It puts them one away from the record of 24 consecutive
matches won at a venue by South Melbourne 1934-R8 - 1936-R17
at Albert Park's Lake Oval and Richmond's run at Punt Road
between 1932-R11 and 1935-R4.
Michael Rogers makes the important note: South
Melbourne's and Richmond's streaks had to beat all
existing 11 opponents at least once.
In Geelong's current run at KP they have only had to defeat
10 of 15 possible opponents – no Carlton, Collingwood,
Essendon, Hawthorn, St Kilda. |
Leonard Colquhoun
l
2010 attendances, Rounds 16-22
Footystats regular Leonard Colquhoun continues his compilation
of crowd attendances over the concluding eight rounds ...
more
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Tom
Mitchell, the 17-year-old son of Barry has signed with the Sydney
Swans under the father-son rule.
Melbourne's Sunday Herald Sun reported the young left-footer
plans to join the Swans at the end of 2011, following finishing
school at Hale College in Perth, where his father is an assistant
coach with Fremantle.
Following 170 highly-valued matches with Sydney (1984-92), Barry was
financially rewarded by a transfer to Collingwood where he played
just 13 games in 1993. After an ordinary season Mitchell was cleared
to Carlton where he ended his AFL playing career with 38 matches in
1994-96. |
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North
Melbourne has de-listed five players, including the retiring forward
Corey Jones.
Jones played his last game for the Kangaroos against Melbourne last
Sunday.
Senior players Josh Smith and Warren Benjamin and
rookie Alan Obst and the Irishman Conor Meredith will
not stay at the club next season – ABC Sport
see
also – 2010 retirements and delistings
– regularly updated |
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