Radio swaps continue; Tim Lane joins 3AW
Football's radio merry-go-round continued last night when Tim Lane, one of Australia's most respected sporting broadcasters, quit the ABC after more than 30 years, to join 3AW.

Caroline Wilson reports in The Age: Lane has signed on with 3AW to call football each Sunday until the end of 2011, the duration of the current AFL broadcast agreement. He will call the 2010 grand final with the station's other big-name recruit, Brian Taylor.

Lane's decision to quit 774 ABC, where he has worked as a contracted caller for five years after joining Channel Ten in 2003, follows Taylor's move from Triple M to head up 3AW's football team, replacing Rex Hunt – more ...

The following voices are set to burble their thoughts on AFL football in radio broadcasts next season:
3AW
Brian Taylor, Dennis Cometti, Tim Lane, Shane Healy,
Tony Leonard, Shane McInness
Special comments: Leigh Matthews, Tony Shaw
ABC 774
Gerard Whately, Drew Morphett, Dan Lonergan
Special comments: Stan Alves, Mark Maclure, Aussie Jones
SEN
Anthony Hudson, Matt Granland, Wayne Schwass, Kevin Bartlett
Special comments: Billy Brownless, David Schwarz,
Dermott Brereton, Terry Wallace
Triple M
Rex Hunt, James Brayshaw, Stephen Quartermaine,
Luke Darcy, Hamish McLachlan
Special comments: Garry Lyon, Danny Frawley, Jason Dunstall.



Geelong caps off premiership with $651,794 profit
AFL premiers Geelong have capped an outstanding 2009 by announcing an operating profit of more than $650,000.

The Age reports the Cats marked their 150th anniversary by winning their second premiership in three years when they beat St Kilda by 12 points in the grand final.

On top of that, Geelong said their operating profit of $651,794 was the club's 10th consecutive profitable result.

"The club's 150th anniversary season culminated in our second premiership in three seasons while works on the second stage of the Kardinia Park (aka Skilled Stadium) redevelopment continued, reducing our capacity," club chief executive Brian Cook said.

"To be able to return another strong profit in the circumstances that we operated under is a significant achievement."

Paul Kelly tipped to join Team GWS
Sydney legend and 1995 Brownlow Medal winner Paul Kelly is expected to sign a six-figure deal with the new AFL club being developed in western Sydney within days. He will be used to identify talented players and promotional purposes – Herald Sun

2009 Traded, Retired, Delisted, Acquired – your club – more ...

Jordon Bannister takes up the whistle
Delisted Carlton defender Jordan Bannister may soon find himself in charge of former teammates and opponents after joining a fast-track umpiring scheme set up by the League.

The AFL's Player to Umpire Pathway Academy aims to establish a process for ex-players to move into umpiring.

Bannister, who played 53 games for the Blues and 14 for Essendon, has signed on with the Academy in a bid to emulate former Collingwood and Essendon player Mark Fraser and win a position as a senior list AFL umpire.

Fraser umpired five AFL matches before a hip injury forced his retirement during the 2006 season.

The League intends to have up to three former players working in the program at any one time, according to AFL umpiring director Jeff Gieschen.

The former players will be under the direction of a specific coach who will be appointed in the coming weeks – AFL webpage

Death severs last link with legendary Roy Cazaly

Roy Cazaly's last surviving child – and the inspiration behind the Hawthorn team's nickname – died quietly on Monday (16th) at a Hobart nursing home. Launceston's Examiner newspaper reported in their obituary on Wednesday – the passing of Patricia Whitecross, 85, marks the end of an era, the severing of the closest remaining link with one of football's famous sons. Patricia Whitecross was born on November 17, 1923, the fifth of six children to Roy and Agnes Cazaly.   Patricia Whitecross The famous Cazaly tap Roy Cazaly Her arrival coincided with her fathers career taking off at South Melbourne where he was part of the team's famed ruck division. Although discouraged from going along to her father's football games, Patricia and her siblings played key roles in helping him prepare. Her duties often included polishing his boots and in later years she recalled that the family was always full of footballers. Over the years, Patricia and her family moved often as her father took up various playing and coaching positions in Melbourne, country Victoria, Launceston and Hobart. It was while her father was coaching Hawthorn during World War II that Patricia made her own mark on history. Roy was not impressed with the team's "sissy" Mayblooms tag and asked his family for a more manly nickname. Patricia suggested the Hawks and the rest was history, the club remaining her favourite team. Speaking to The Examiner in 2007, a year before their latest premiership, Patricia said: "Lord only knows how they would be going if they still had the nickname of a flower." The Cazaly family eventually settled in Tasmania on an old orchard at Lenah Valley and Patricia and her soldier husband Russell joined them there after the war. Patricia was immensely proud of her father and never tired of hearing Mike Brady's anthem Up There Cazaly even though it may her teary. She leaves a daughter, two sons, nine grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.

Collingwood will profit by $594,000 this year
Collingwood has ambitious plans to become the first AFL team to boast 60,000 members, as the club closes its books on a profit of almost $600,000 this year.
 
Glenn McFarlane reports in Melbourne's Herald Sun: Chief executive Gary Pert is confident the Magpies can push beyond this year's club record 46,327 members, with a 50,000 target next year and 60,000 a medium-term goal.

Only two clubs, Hawthorn and Adelaide, have surpassed 50,000 members in a season, with the Hawks' 2009 figure of 52,929 an AFL record.

"We have plans to work towards 60,000 members and, with that, 50,000 needs to be a realistic stepping stone within the next year or so," Pert said yesterday.

Pert said he was pleased with this year's operating profit of $594,061, particularly because the club had made a significant investment in the football department and membership services – more ...

They said it – Rebecca Wilson Why Sam must get the boot

Channel 9 is a blokey world that shamelessly exploits every antiquated notion of sexism in both its Sydney and Melbourne footy shows. I had the displeasure of working for a single show on the Sydney version, which I can safely say was the worst and most humiliating two hours of my life. The male hosts, former rugby league players Paul Vautin and Peter Sterling, refused to speak to me. They made it well known in the media before my appearance that I would not be welcome. They insisted they would not talk to me before, during or after the program. I was even forced to sit in a separate empty room before the show because they refused to be in the same space. They kept their promise during the telecast as well. The Jack Daniels-swilling audience of blokes sitting in the front row, loved the hatred, because it gave them a feeling that the old, macho world is pretty damned good after all. Just like Newman's small and vocal fan base, they refuse to believe footy is any different from the good old days and the public humiliation of a woman proved it – more ,,, REBECCA WILSON, Herald Sun, November 19, 2009

Stab Kicks ...

Former Carlton player Ian Prendergast has been appointed to the position of general manager – player relations for the AFLPA. He will take up the role in December. Since retiring as a player in 2006, Prendergast has worked as a lawyer in South Australia where he initiated the South Australian National Football League Players’ Association. He was also a member of the AFLPA’s Agent Accreditation Board.

Leonard Colquhoun is a lot more than your average reader, he carries a passion for noting the progressive history of the day. Without Leonard's nose of a good news item, we may have been denied the noting from Launceston's Examiner newspaper of the passing of Mrs Patricia Whitecross, the last surviving child of the legendary Roy Cazaly. Thank you, Leonard.

Former Fremantle ruckman Justin Longmuir has joined the AFL club's coaching ranks as a ruck and development mentor. Longmuir played 139 games for the Dockers over nine years (1999-2007) at the club but was forced to hang up the boots due to a degenerative knee injury. He takes over the ruck coach duties from Earl Spalding, who quit the role due to business and family reasons. The Age

 

Joel Macdonald fails to nominate for national draft
52 delisted players seek new homes
Joel Macdonald has joined fellow former Brisbane player Daniel Bradshaw in not nominating for the AFL national draft.

The Age reports Bradshaw is already training with Sydney and most likely headed to the Swans in the December pre-season draft.

But Macdonald was a notable name missing from Wednesday's list of 52 delisted former senior players who have nominated for the November 26 national draft.

Melbourne have first pick in the pre-season draft.

Delisted former senior players who have nominated for the 2009 NAB AFL Draft:

Luke Ablett (Sydney), Jarryd Allen (St Kilda), Luke Ball (St Kilda), Jordan Bannister (Carlton), Adam Bentick (Carlton), Ryan Brabazon (Sydney), Simon Buckley (Melbourne), Chris Bryan (Collingwood), Adam Campbell (Fremantle), Cameron Cloke (Carlton), Scott Clouston (Brisbane), Eljay Connors (St Kilda), Mark Coughlan (Richmond), Jake Edwards (Carlton), Leigh Fisher (St Kilda), Andrew Foster (Fremantle), Greg Gallman (Adelaide), Jonathan Giles (Port Adelaide), Nick Gill (Adelaide), Scott Harding (Brisbane), Daniel Harris (North Melb), Rhan Hooper (Brisbane), Aaron Kite (Adelaide), Matthew Laidlaw (Sydney), Nick Lower (Port Adelaide), Malcolm Lynch (West.B'dogs), Dan McKenna (Geelong), Jamie McNamara (West Coast), Matt Maguire (St Kilda), John Meesen (Melbourne), Michael Newton (Melbourne), Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls (Richmond), Daniel O'Keefe (Sydney), Guy O'Keefe (West.B'dogs), Paul O'Shea (West.B'dogs), Adam Pattison (Richmond), Kayne Pettifer (Richmond), Sam Power (North Melb), Dean Putt (Richmond), Matt Riggio (North Melb), Russell Robertson (Melbourne), Jason Roe (Brisbane), Scott Simpson (Geelong), Wayde Skipper (West.B'dogs), Jesse Smith (North Melb), Danny Stanley (Collingwood), Kane Tenace (Geelong), Mitchell Thorp (Hawthorn), Matthew Tyler (Brisbane), Cameron Wight (West.B'dogs), John Williams (Essendon), Michael Wundke (North Melb).

Richardson heads nominees for Madden Medal
Recently retired Tiger Matthew Richardson heads this year's list of nominees for the AFLPA's Madden Medal.

Mic Cullen notes on the AFL webpage, the medal is awarded to a player who has recently retired and who demonstrated outstanding on-field football achievements, a high level of off-field football achievements and a display of great personal growth over their career, community and charity endeavours.

The others to be shortlisted are Leo Barry (Sydney Swans), Matthew Lloyd (Essendon), Tom Harley (Geelong), Adam Simpson (North Melbourne), Joel Bowden (Richmond), Michael O’Loughlin (Sydney Swans), Jared Crouch (Sydney Swans) and David Wirrpanda (West Coast).

Robert Harvey was presented with the medal in 2008 and Glenn Archer in 2007.

Training with other clubs
Melbourne's Herald Sun notes that delisted Geelong winger Kane Tenace has been given permission to train with Melbourne.

The full list of unsigned players who have been given permission to train with AFL clubs are:

Adelaide – nil
Brisbane Lions – Niall McKeever (Ireland)
Carlton – Aaron Kite (Adelaide), Matt Maguire (St Kilda)
Collingwood – Daniel Frost (Collingwood, VFL), Kristopher Pendlebury (Collingwood, VFL)
Essendon – nil
Fremantle – Trent Dennis-Lane (Subiaco), Andrew Foster (Fremantle), Kyle Hardingham (East Fremantle), Matt Riggio (North Melbourne), Alex Silvagni (Casey), Danny Stanley (Collingwood)
Geelong – nil
Hawthorn – Dean Putt (Richmond), Wayde Skipper (Western Bulldogs), Jesse Smith (North Melbourne)
Melbourne – Kane Tenace (Geelong Cats), Mitchell Thorp (Hawthorn)
North Melbourne – Simon Buckley (Melbourne), Matthew Laidlaw (Sydney Swans)
Port Adelaide – nil
Richmond – Ryan Allen (Coburg), Ben Clifton (Coburg), Rhan Hooper (Brisbane Lions), Justin Kadhlefelt (Southport), Thomas McCann (Ireland), Jason Morgan (Coburg), James O’Rielly (Ireland), Graham Polak (Richmond)
St Kilda – David Moran (Ireland)
Sydney Swans – Luke Ablett (Sydney Swans), Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane), Sam Crichton (Sydney Uni), Henry Playfair (Sydney Swans)
West Coast – nil
Western Bulldogs – John Morris (Coburg), Dane Rampe (Williamstown), Patrick Rose (Williamstown).

They said it – Geoff McClure AFL trivia from 2009 Footy Almanac

The 2009 edition of the Footy Almanac will be launched in Melbourne today, and among lots of must-know information about the AFL season just gone are a couple of pages of some stats that are not so vital for footy fans. But they make some fun reading all the same. Including: During 2009, all but three of the margins between 0 and 50 were recorded at least once. And all of them ended in nine – 29, 39 and 49. It seems AFL footballers are an unromantic lot. Of the more than 700 players on AFL senior and rookie lists in 2009, not one has a birthday of February 14. St Kilda honoured Sam Fisher's 100th game in an unusual way in round four. The Saints' goal sequence across the four quarters was 5, 3, 4, 5. And 5345 is the postcode of the town of Fisher in South Australia. No wonder the Magpies got slaughtered by St Kilda in the season's only Monday night game, in round seven. Magpies v Saints is an anagram of ''massive pasting''. The only final score between 50 and 120 not recorded at least once during 2009 was 113. (Yet in 2008 it was recorded six times.) The most common score of 2009 was 85; it was registered 11 times, one ahead of 94 and 67. With North Melbourne's Jack Ziebell and David Zaharakis from Essendon playing their first AFL games in 2009, it marked the first year that two players having a surname beginning with ''Z'' had made their debuts in the same season. Five points was the most frequently occurring margin of the season. It was recorded nine times. Adelaide's 117-point win over Fremantle in round 15 was the only three-figure margin of the season. Not since 1973 has there been a season with fewer than two margins of 100 points or higher. GEOFF McCLURE, The Age, Sporting Life, November 19, 2009

Rex Hunt to leave 3AW after 21 years
Brian Taylor takes over footy helm at AW
After 21 years, Rex Hunt leaves a gaping hole in Melbourne football broadcasts following the announcement on Tuesday that he is leaving to pursue an offer from rival footy broadcaster Triple M on the FM band.

Hunt's unique style has found many devotees across Melbourne and the Victorian country network of stations who carried his broadcasts each weekend through two decades.

Hunt was said to have been offered to remain at AW at a significantly reduced salary – down from $500,000 to $100,000 – to call on Sundays only.

Triple M's offer to Hunt is for next year only as the FM station attempts to groom either Hamish McLachlan or Luke Darcy as its top caller.

Sportal in their reporting of the changes noted: Hunt, who played for Richmond, St Kilda and Geelong (202 games, 276 goals, 1968-78), has a distinctive calling manner and it has divided audiences.

But the station built its coverage around the former policeman, who became a celebrity during the 1990s with his work in both the football media and in promoting his favourite past time, fishing.

However, the combination of several incidents in his personal life and falling ratings for the station had led to speculation about his future. His decision to leave comes as only a minor surprise, with 3AW keen for a new start after being beaten by ABC 774 in Melbourne's radio football ratings this season.

Brian Taylor will move from Triple M to follow the tradition of top football broadcasters on 3AW down the years – Norman Banks (1953-71), Harry Beitzel (1972-88) and Hunt (1989-2009).

Taylor will head the 3AW broadcasts on Friday nights and Saturday afternoon. He will continue to call Sunday football for Foxtel and is expected to remain in the popular League teams program on Fox Sport each Thursday night during the AFL season.

Hunt will complete his assignments on 3AW this Friday when he will talk to Neil Mitchell for his last spot in the morning program (8.30am to 12 noon) and will host his final fishing program this Friday evening at 7pm.

Hear  Brian Taylor joins 3AW

Adam McPhee quits the Bombers
Essendon have confirmed Adam McPhee will leave the club, with the 2004 AFL All-Australian now expected to join Fremantle through the pre-season draft.

The Bombers say the tall utility rejected a two-year offer.

Fremantle have the second pick in the pre-season draft, behind Melbourne.

It is understood the Dockers have offered McPhee a three-year contract.

McPhee, 27, made his debut with Fremantle in 2001 and played 25 games there before joining the Bombers in 2003.

He played another 142 games with Essendon and also won the club's best and fairest award in 2004 – Yahoo! Sport

Financial, 2009 Hawthorn announce $2.7 million profit

Hawthorn have offset a disappointing 2009 on the field by announcing a net operating profit of $2.7 million. The Hawks finished ninth and could not defend their 2008 premiership win, but the financial results were pleasing given the difficult economic circumstances. Hawthorn said their membership reached 52,929 in 2009, three years ahead of the prediction they would break the 50,000-mark – Yahoo! Sport

Stuart Dew joins Sydney as development coach
Former Hawthorn and Port Adelaide premiership player Stuart Dew has joined Sydney as a development coach.

The 206-match veteran retired earlier this season, despite having first hung up the boots when at the Power in 2006.

ABC Sport reports he was coaxed out of his retirement and selected by Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson in the 2007 national draft before playing in the club's 2008 premiership.

He replaces Brett Allison, who has returned to North Melbourne.

Port Adelaide adopts the striking black jumper
Port Adelaide have entered a new era by adopting the striking black guernsey with a "V" that they wore in two matches last season as their permanent jumper from 2010.

Andrew Capel reports in The Advertiser the AFL has given the Power approval to don the new guernsey in at least 18 matches next season, with a new clash strip – which will be unveiled at Alberton Oval on Wednesday – expected to be worn in away matches against Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda, and possibly, Melbourne Demons.

Port's new main jumper – featuring a teal and white V – is based on the design of seven-year-old schoolgirl Lucy Burford, who won the club's Planet Teal guernsey design competition for South Australian primary school students this year.

Barry Hall still on crutches after ankle surgery
Western Bulldogs recruit Barry Hall is a fortnight away from walking without the aid of crutches following minor ankle surgery last week, according to coach Rodney Eade.

Martin Boulton reports in The Age: The former St Kilda and Sydney spearhead is expected to start jogging in three weeks, but Eade is confident the 32-year-old's fitness base will allow him to catch up to teammates who resumed training this week.

''He can start cross-training next Friday (and) start jogging and running in three weeks,'' Eade said.

''He probably should have had the op when he finished his footy mid-year … but he's done a fair bit of fitness work and a fair bit of weights so he's not going to lose a lot. He'll be fine.''

The veteran forward was among a dozen players at Whitten Oval to have post-season operations, but only Sam Reid and Stephen Tiller are expected to miss the start of the pre-season competition. Both had major groin surgery – more ...

WADA bans the "Chappy" treatment
The controversial blood injection therapy that helped Paul Chapman win this year's Norm Smith Medal has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Body Agency.

Jon Ralph reports in Melbourne's Herald Sun that Chapman's troublesome hamstring was helped by a technique in which blood was drained from his body, "spun" to increase its oxygen content, then re-injected into the injured muscle.

The technique was not illegal this year and was seen as critical in allowing Chapman to play in September, when he kicked three goals as best afield in Geelong's grand final victory against St Kilda.

But changes to the WADA code, which will apply from January 1, mean doctors can no longer inject blood back directly into a player's muscles.

The AFL is aware of WADA's change and will apply the new rules – more ...

Stab Kicks ...

Essendon announced its chairman Ray Horsburgh will stand down from the position in December. Horsburgh, who will officially step down at the club’s AGM, has endorsed David Evans as his successor. Evans is the son of former Bomber great and AFL chairman Ron Evans. Horsburgh, 65, joined the Essendon Football Club board in 2003 and became chairman in late 2005. His time at Essendon saw the appointment of Matthew Knights as senior coach and Ian Robson as CEO but was at his most high profile when he oversaw the end of Kevin Sheedy’s 26-year tenure as Bombers coach.

The Age reports Collingwood is bracing itself for the expected loss of the key Lexus sponsorship currently worth some $2 million a season.

 

Bulldogs director wins defamation action
Channel Nine pay-out near $750,000

Channel Nine will pay close to three-quarters of a million dollars for defaming Western Bulldogs director Susan Alberti, but Sam Newman remains unrepentant over his attack on her.

Alberti was one of five female AFL club directors Newman described as ''liars and hypocrites'' after they wrote a letter of complaint to Channel Nine last year about a skit in which Newman groped a lingerie-clad mannequin that had a picture of The Age newspaper's chief football writer, Caroline Wilson, stapled to it.

Alberti yesterday told The Age she felt vindicated by the $220,000 payout – close to the maximum under Australian law – which she insisted be made public and agreed to only minutes before a Supreme Court jury was due to be empanelled.

Kate Hagan and Samantha Lane report in The Age that under the settlement, Nine will also have to pay both parties' legal fees, which are expected to total half a million dollars.

Nine's lawyer Jeremy Ruskin, QC, yesterday read the apology in court on behalf of the network's executive director, Jeff Browne. He apologised ''if [Alberti] suffered any hurt or distress''.

But there was no personal apology from Newman or the show's co-host Garry Lyon, who were also sued as part of the case and were absent from yesterday's hearing – more ...

see also, Newman not sorry for Footy Show sketch – more ...

Three seasons, 2007-08-09 Geelong's extraordinary era

Geelong across its 113 League seasons of 2214 matches has enjoyed many patches of success but none quite as spectacular as during the past three years. Bruce Kennedy has committed the playing records of the 40 players involved over the span and extraordinary records by five players – Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Max Rooke, Brad Ottens and Travis Varcoe – who enjoyed playing success rates of 90 per cent. For the record – more ...

2009 Traded, Retired, Delisted, Acquired – your club – more ...

Blues eye Matt Maguire
Carlton are poised to take a punt on discarded St Kilda defender Matt Maguire in the AFL pre-season draft.

Yahoo Sport report while Blues coach Brett Ratten remained non-committal on whether the 25-year-old will be picked up, Maguire is training with the club and was involved in Carlton's first pre-season skills session in Melbourne on Monday.

Carlton have also cleared a spot on their playing list which could accommodate Maguire – axing ruckman Cameron Cloke late last week.

Ratten ruled out any play for ex-Melbourne forward Russell Robertson in the wake of Brendan Fevola's trade week departure for Brisbane.

Hurn and Kennedy added to Eagles leadership
West Coast have added defender Shannon Hurn and forward Josh Kennedy to their leadership group for the 2010 season.

Kennedy has only played for the Eagles for two years after moving West as part of the trade that saw Chris Judd move to Carlton.

Hurn and Kennedy were recognised by both their teammates and the club's match committee as suitable replacements for the retiring Tyson Stenglein in the leadership group.

Darren Glass has retained the captaincy, with Beau Waters, Dean Cox, Matt Priddis and Adam Selwood rounding out the leadership group – AFL webpage

New-look Lion sparks anger from Fitzroy fans
Angry Fitzroy supporters are pushing for court action and an extraordinary general meeting to stop Brisbane Lions from using their new playing jumpers.

Robert Craddock in The Courier-Mail reports the club on Friday unveiled new home-and-away strips, featuring a stylised Lion with a more hostile face staring out from the jersey, replacing the more sedate Fitzroy lion which was part of the old jumper.

A group of supporters, who have attracted more than 2000 signatures of protest to their "saveourjumper.com.au" website, announced they were hoping to attract the five per cent of the membership – about 1000 – needed to sanction an extraordinary general meeting.

They have called the new lion a "cartoonish monstrosity" – more ...

NEW		OLD

__________

Comment
Have the marketing people at Brisbane moved to make change just because it was needed to generate new interest?

It seems a rather doubtful reason the club put forward at the end of October – "Having a dated and complex logo that has been historically difficult to reproduce, especially on clothing fabrics, wood and metal, no longer fits with the fearless, determined and fresh outlook of our club that is constantly looking to improve and evolve forward," they said – Diary, October 30.

That reason sounds a lot of drivel in the age of technology where almost anything is possible and one can churn out a graphic in a split second.

The Brisbane marketeers will have to try a little harder to substantiate the need to change a design with traditional heraldic elements with modern simplicity.

Or, is it another instance of dumbing down?

*

Finals Attendances, 1898-2009

They said it ... Melbourne's "Herald Sun" Hawks snare teen

Hawthorn has signed New Zealander Kurt Heatherley, 14, as an international scholarship player and part of a community-based program called NANZ-YP! (Hawthorn and New Zealand). The program initially a three-year commitment, is the brainchild of Hawthorn player personnel and strategy manager Chris Pelchen. "Kurt is widely recognised as one of New Zealand's most talented junior athletes," Pelchen said. Herald Sun, Saturday. November 14, 2009