OCTOBER 1999

Trading reaches a hectic stage
The window of opportunity in pre-draft trading which began with the gabfest at Optus Oval on Tuesday (Sept 28) reached a stage of near frenzy with many players set to wear new colours in 2000.

Key to the discussions has been the trading of LEIGH COLBERT who wants to be a Kangaroo. Presently the deal said to involve as many as five clubs must soon be settled. Clubs have until 2pm Tuesday (5th) to complete all deals before the national player draft which will be held on October 31.

Others who have been traded include —

Brisbane ruckman MATTHEW CLARKE who returns to SA when he will boost the stocks of the Adelaide Crows ... Sydney's TROY COOK is on his way to Fremantle in exchange for draft pick #34 ... two Bulldogs, BRETT MONTGOMERY and STEPHEN POWELL are part of a three-way swap for NATHAN EAGLETON who only days ago re-signed with Port Adelaide on a two-year deal—Powell goes to Melbourne, while Demon defender MATTHEW BISHOP goes to the Power ... Geelong's MICHAEL MANSFIELD is now a Carlton player ... one player who is not moving is BARRY STONEHAM who will remain with Geelong ... West Coast's JASON BALL has spent time in the Harbour City as Sydney try to lure him from the Eagles ...

The out-of-contract 21-year-old JUSTIN BLUMFIELD wants to depart Essendon with both Sydney and Fremantle in the race—the Swans were said to be willing to offer up to $800,000 for three years. Essendon have countered, saying they may will willing to reduce their list in order to retain Justin.

The speculation of who may go where on the merry-go-round of trading will soon reach its conclusion.
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Port Adelaide takes its 36th SANFL flag
In a close finish in front of 39,135 at Football Park on Sunday (3rd), Port Adelaide narrowly defeated arch-rivals Norwood by eight points to take their fifth SANFL premiership of the past six seasons. It was the 36th title for the famous South Australian club. The SANFL Magpies went into the playoff as odd-on favourites at 1-5, the Redlegs were rank outsiders at 3/1.

The Age reported: Norwood hit the front midway in the last term with a spirited surge and appeared set to repeat its 1997 upset win over Port. But the Magpies levelled the scores in the 24th minute. Two minutes later Port scored another point swiftly followed by a goal from SIMON TREGENZA, who had been inducted into the Crows' Hall of Fame on Friday night.

Port, since the SANFL began in 1877 have now won 36 premierships, six of them against Norwood in 14 grand finals involving the two clubs.
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Nathan Buckley wins his fourth Copeland
Counting in club champion awards reached their peak at the weekend (Oct 2-3). For Collingwood, NATHAN BUCKLEY was a runaway winner of the best and fairest award at Victoria Park, netting him his fourth Copeland Trophy.

At Hawthorn, Brownlow winner SHANE CRAWFORD was predictably the standout in the count Hawthorn conducted at the Crown Casino on Saturday night.

In Sydney, WAYNE SCHWASS was the winner. DARYN CRESSWELL was runner-up in the Swans' award for a third successive year.

In Adelaide, retiring coach MALCOLM BLIGHT was honoured when the Crows re-named their Club Champion award after the dual premiership coach.
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Stab Kicks ...
** WESTERN BULLDOG members will pay less for a reserved seat at Colonial Stadium than they did at Carlton this year. Dog prez DAVID SMORGAN announced that members at Docklands will pay $14.55 per game in the 11-game membership package which costs $160. Members can save with a five per cent discount if they sign up before November 5.
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** In rugby league, Manly-Warringah and North Sydney will bring the third merger of long-standing clubs. The NRL have determined only 14 clubs will participate in the competition for 2000. This has resulted in the mergers of St George and Illawarra then Balmain with Western Suburbs. Only South Sydney as the 15th club remain with the prospect a legal challenge will result if the South club is cut when the October 15 deadline is reached. The team numbers are believed to allow provision at some time in the future for a further foray by rugby league into the Adelaide and Perth markets.
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** The prospect that the Melbourne Storm may try to shift its rugby league matches from the 22,000 capacity Olympic Park to the 54,000 seats of Colonial Stadium at Docklands is causing some concern in AFL ranks.
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** Under the father-son rule, Collingwood will will use its second-round draft pick to recruit RHYS SHAW, the teenage son on former Magpie captain RAY SHAW ... Sydney will use its second-round choice for STEPHEN DOYLE, whose father Robert played 77 games with South Melbourne (1969-75) ... Brisbane will use its second and third draft picks to acquire JONATHON BROWN and SHANE MORRISON—Brian Brown played 51 games for the Roys (1976-81) and two for Essendon in 1982. Peter Morrison played one game with Footscray in 1974 before 90 matches with South Melbourne between 1976 and 1981 before moving to Brisbane where he completed his career with the QSFL.
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** The restructuring of the Collingwood administration is near completion with GREG SWANN named the new chief executive at Victoria Park. In the past 12 months, the Magpies have gained a new president (Eddie McGuire), a new CEO (Swann), coach (Malthouse), and football manager (Neil Balme). The 37-year-old Swann was president for four years of former VFA club Williamstown (now VFL), has sat on the board of Football Victoria which has restructured the VFL competition and was a partner with the leading accountancy firm Ernest and Young.
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** DARREN CROCKER, former North Melbourne premiership player has been signed by Richmond as assistant coach to Danny Frawley.
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** BRIAN WALDRON commence duties as football operations manager with St Kilda on Friday (1st). Waldron held the same position for seven years at Richmond until 1997. Waldron replaces football manager PHIL ANSTEY in what has been a clean out of the Saints' support staff.
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** The Port Adelaide club are seeking to settle the dispute with John Cahill out of court. A proposal has been put before Cahill and his legal team to end the disagreement which had its roots at a June meeting when the Port club suggested the former coach and club legend had provided sensitive player information to rival clubs.
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They said it ...
GRAEME McMAHON, Essendon president, on the recent outburst by Carlton counterpart JOHN ELLIOTT who said the Bombers had "cheated" in 1993 — "John's a nice guy but sometimes he gets his mouth into gear before the gears change".
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KEN JUDGE on his appointment as coach of West Coast — "So there's a challenge for a few of the younger players to step up and take a bit more responsibility".
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DANNY FRAWLEY on his appointment as coach of Richmond — "... There were eight guys going for it and I was lucky enough to get that job, so I am really looking forward to the challenge ... I think the club is a bit of a sleeping giant ...''
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Big crowd see Ireland win
A balmy Friday night brought a strong attendance of 64,326 to the MCG to watch Ireland take out the First Test on October 8. By far this was the strongest support shown by an Australian crowd to the concept of International Rules between the Gaelic Athletic Association and the AFL.

Ireland started well and led by 17 points to nil before the Australians registered their first score. The Irish had the run of play in the early stages and not until after half-time when with fine displays from SCOTT WEST and CLIVE WATERHOUSE brought the Aussies within striking distance of victory. Collingwood captain NATHAN BUCKLEY was outstanding for Australia across the full match.

A late goal clinched a narrow victory for the visitors —
Ireland: 2 goals 16 overs 10 behinds (70)
Australia:  0 goals 16 overs 14 behinds (62)

Scores: Ireland: Goals (6 points): Whelan, Fallon. Overs (3 points): Canavan 3, Fallon 3, Kavanagh 3, Buckley, Dolan, Earley, Tohill. Behinds (1 point): Fallon 3, Canavan 2, Dolan, Earley, Giles, Giles, Stynes, Whelan. Australia: Goals: Nil. Overs: Buckley 5, Bell 2, Campbell 2, McRae 2, Waterhouse 2, Leppitsch, Smith, West. Behinds: Buckley 4, Croad 2, Burgoyne, Cousins, Crawford, Leppitsch, McRae, O'Loughlin, Waterhouse.
Best: Ireland: Giles, Moynihan, O'Keefe, Fallon, McDermott, Kavanagh. Australia: Buckley, Silvagni, Cousins, Waterhouse, Akermanis, Croad.
Umpires: Andrew Coates (Australia), Michael Curley (Ireland).
Crowd: 64,326 at the MCG.

The Second Test will be played at Football Park in Adelaide on Friday October 15 with Australia needing to win by more than nine points to halt the prospect Ireland will take the Cup again on aggregate.

It was interesting to view the overseas reports on the International Rules match. The Irish Times carried the following —

From Seán Moran in Melbourne
Gauging media coverage can be difficult given the extreme parochialism of the outlets. Melbourne's two biggest newspapers, The Age and The Sun-Herald both carried significant coverage on the day of the match and the day afterwards.

The Australian newspaper has the courage of its convictions to demonstrate Sydney parochialism in Melbourne (which tends to be uninterested in The Australian's favourite sport, rugby union) and its condescending attitude to the series drew a waspish aside from Australian coach Dermott Brereton at the post-match press conference on Friday.

Naturally, the paper was less than impressed by the events of the first Test. Reporter Warwick Hadfield stated that the difference between the sides would "despite the MCG crowd of 64,326 and the closeness of the contest, always mark these matches more as a fine curiosity than a genuine sporting contest.

"What the Irish did instinctively with the ball of their choice the Australians - even sometimes (Nathan) Buckley (Australia's captain and best player) - had to think about.

"In a game played at the blistering pace of this hybrid, that is an extraordinary disadvantage."

Martin Flanagan in the The Sunday Age was more intrigued.

Noting that the MCG "stadium glittered like a diamond for the occasion", he went on to say that "all the prerequisites for a memorable occasion were there - a balmy night, a pre-match cocktail of thumping fireworks and Irish music, an appreciative crowd of nearly 65,000, national flags and then, finally, the match itself."

Of the game itself, Flanagan believes it "a better showcase for Irish football than for our code. It is a breathtakingly offensive game - like watching soccer on speed."

Teams for the First Test in Melbourne were:
Ireland: Decian O'Keefe (Goalkeeper), Sean Og de Paor, Darren Fay, Finbarr Cullen (Full Backs), Glen Rana, Sean Lockhart, James Nallen (Half Backs), John McDermott, Claran Wheelan (Midfielders), Trevor Giles, Bryan Stynes, Peter Canavan (Half Forwards), Joe Kavanagh, Jariath Fallon, Anthony Tohill (Forwards).
Interchange: Kiernan O'Sullivan, Michael Donnellan, Seamus Moynihan, Dermot Earley, Niall Buckley, John Quane, James Horan, Graham Geraghty, Claran McManus, Derry Foley, Dessie Dolan.
Australia: Stephen Silvagni (Goalkeeper), Shane Crawford, Trent Croad, Ben Hart (Full Backs), Andrew McKay, Justin Leppitsch, Rohan Smith (Half Backs), Matthew Allan, Nathan Buckley (Midfielders), Peter Bell, Matthew Richardson, Scott Camporeale (Half Forwards), Ben Cousins, Clive Waterhouse, Michael O'Loughlin (Forwards). Interchange: Jason Akermanis, Marcus Ashcroft, Craig McRae, Jarrod Molloy, Ben Graham, Peter Burgoyne, Wayne Campbell, Nathan Burke, Scott West.
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Bombers pip Hawks in London
Essendon and Hawthorn played the annual AFL exhibition match at The Oval in London on Saturday October 10 to a mainly ex-patriate crowd of some 12,000. The contest was overshadowed by other sporting fixtures on the calendar.

The informal match returned the days of the old VFA as spectators were allowed to invade the ground and listen to the coaching addresses during breaks. The game had nothing at stake and lacked the bite of an earnest contest. The Bombers had a good first half and were able to withstand a great third comeback by Hawthorn, to sneak home by three points.

Essendon — 5.2, 7.3, 8.5 — 11.6-72
Hawthorn — 1.3, 4.4, 7.7 — 10.9-69
Goals: Ess: Milne 4, Blumfield, Carcella, Misiti, M.Johnson, Fletcher, Jacobs, Bolton. Haw: Lord 3, Baird 2, Cox, Collica, Harford, Thompson, Woods.
Best: Ess: Milne, Fletcher, Fraser, Misiti, M.Johnson. Haw: Woods, Baird, Lord, Thompson, Taylor.
Played Saturday October 10
at The Oval, London: crowd: 12,000.
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Pre-draft trading moves
At the conclusion of the pre-draft trading period the following exchanges were concluded before the October 31 National Draft —

Adelaide
Matthew Clarke (from Brisbane)
Scott Welsh (Kangaroos)
Brisbane
Michael Martin (Western Bulldogs)
Stefan Carey (Sydney)
Carlton
Stephen O'Reilly (Fremantle)
Michael Mansfield (Geelong)
Collingwood
Mark Kinnear (Sydney)
Stephen McKee (Richmond)
Andrew Ukovic (Essendon)
Essendon
Jonathon Robran (Hawthorn)
Fremantle
Troy Cook (Sydney)
Troy Longmuir (Melbourne)
Brendon Fewster (West Coast)
Geelong
Cameron Mooney (Kangaroos)
Hawthorn
Lance Picioane (Adelaide)
Melbourne
Stephen Powell (Western Bulldogs)
Kangaroos
Leigh Colbert (Geelong)
David Calthorpe (Brisbane)
Port Adelaide
Brett Montgomery (Western Bulldogs)
Matthew Bishop (Melbourne)
Richmond)
Clinton King (Collingwood)
Leon Cameron (Western Bulldogs)
St Kilda
Justin Plapp (Richmond)
Sydney
Jason Ball (West Coast)
Andrew Schauble (Collingwood)
Western Bulldogs
Nathan Eagleton (Port Adelaide)
Trent Bartlett (Brisbane)
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Dockers wield the axe
Fremantle dropped a bombshell when on the eve of their Club Champion function in Perth they sacked their captain and vice-captain of the season in a slew of delistings.

Axed by the Dockers were: skipper CHRIS BOND and vice-captain MATTHEW BURTON, PETER MANN, ANDREW WILLS, DANIEL PARKER, STUART ANDERSON, DARREN BOLTON and TONY DELANEY. Another who will be absent when 2000 comes is full-back STEPHEN O'REILLY (traded to Carlton).
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Players delisted
The culling period has commenced and will proceed until the cut-off date of October 22.  The following delistings have been reported —

ADELAIDE—Darryl Wintle, Lucas Herbert, Clint Kirey, Ian Downsborough, Brodie Atkinson.
ESSENDON—Peter Somerville
FREMANTLE—Chris Bond, Matthew Burton, Peter Mann, Andrew Wills, Daniel Hargreaves, Michael Clark, Tony Delaney, Michael Brown, Daniel Parker, Stuart Anderson, Darren Bolton, Andrew McGovern.
GEELONG—John Barnes, Brett Spinks, Cameron Roberts, Leigh Brockman, Tim Finocchiaro, Justin Wood.
KANGAROOS—Anthony Mellington.
PORT ADELAIDE—Chris Naish, Darryl Poole.
SYDNEY—Jason McPherson, Brett Rose.
BULLDOGS—James Cook.
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Stab Kicks ...
** The legal team's representing PORT ADELAIDE and JOHN CAHILL agreed to discuss mediation over their defamation dispute. The matter is due before the court on October 25. Meanwhile, Cahill is considering a nomination for the Port Adelaide board where a vacancy exists.
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** Free trams on match days in Melbourne will be offered to football supporters attending the MCG and Colonial Stadium. The newly privatised Yarra Trams have concluded deals with Collingwood, Hawthorn and a yet-to-be-named third club.
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** Richmond's chief executive JIM MALONE resigned on October 6. Malone informed the Tigers he would return to his native Western Australia in February to pursue a career in mining. Since his appointment at Punt Road, Malone brought the membership from 10,000 in 1993 to a 1999 figure of 29,351.
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** A racist remark during a practice match against an Australian junior player DAMIAN CUPIDO from the Australian Institute of Sport squad resulted in a one-match suspension against Irish team member GRAHAM GERAGHTY. Ireland's management committee of coach COLM O'ROURKE, captain JOHN McDERMOTT and GAA president JOE McDONAGH met on the issue and dropped Geraghty from the team for the First Test. The news made the front page of Ireland's biggest selling daily the Irish Independent.
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** PORT ADELAIDE opened the new ALLAN SCOTT POWER HEADQUARTERS building at Alberton Oval on October 6. The $4.5 million training centre includes a 25-metre swimming pool, gymnasium, weights room, rehabilitation area, lecture theatre, video analysis room, kitchen and player lounge. The centre is named after the Adelaide businessman who was the facility's major sponsor. The SANFL, the South Australian Government and the AFL also helped pay for the building.
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** Losing your temper at the new Docklands Stadium will lead to a visit to the AFL Tribunal. If a player deliberately kicks the ball up into the roof, the umpire will be allowed to award a free kick and lay a report. The lower roof line at Docklands will be 30 metres.
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** In coaching moves —
TODD VINEY and JIM STYNES will join the Melbourne squad. Viney will be a member of the match committee and coach midfielders ...

former Melbourne coach GREG HUTCHINSON and DAVID WHEADON from Collingwood move to Richmond—Greg as assistant to DANNY FRAWLEY ...

37-year old PETER CURRAN a former teammate at Hawthorn, will join GARY AYES in Adelaide — the line-up for the Crows under Ayres is, DAREL HART (assistant coach), MARK MICKAN (assistant coach, midfield) and CURRAN (assistant coach, defence) ...

GARY BUCKENARA will return to AFL ranks—he will move from Perth and assist PETER SCHWAB at Hawthorn; Buckenara and CHRIS CONNOLLY will help Schwab while DONALD McDONALD will coach Hawthorn's VFL club the BOX HILL HAWKS ...

MATTHEW RENDELL the former Fitzroy and Brisbane ruckman will be a second assistant to MARK WILLIAMS at Port Adelaide ...

ANDY COLLINS is the new full-time assistant to TIM WATSON at St Kilda—Andy joins PETER BANFIELD in the support squad ...
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** JOHN LONGMIRE is tipped to be seen more regularly on the Seven Network footy broadcasts next season—the Kangaroo ruckman is meanwhile pondering an offer to stay a further 12 months at Arden Street. He reached his 200th game in the Roos' grand final victory.
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** Approval is awaited from the Charles Sturt council for a $12.5 million proposal to add a 7,000-seat grandstand to Football Park.
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** DREW MORPHETT, IAN ROBERTSON and ROBERT DIPIERDOMENICO are the team named by the Seven Network to call the action from the MCG on New Year's Eve when Carlton play Collingwood in the 'Match of the Millennium'.
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Ireland takes the Test series
A three-pointer after the final siren by NATHAN BUCKLEY brought a draw (52-all) in the Second Test played at Football Park in Adelaide on Friday (15th). The result however gave the two Test series to Ireland on aggregate (122-114) with the visitors having won the First Test, 70 points to 62.

The vote by the fans for the two Tests staggered everyone—109,513 attending the matches in Melbourne and Adelaide which brought 45,187, the biggest crowd for any match at Football Park for 1999.

Australia looked the better side in Adelaide early on Friday, starting with much more skill than in the First Test and chipping the ball around well to get several shots at goal from close range.

Buckley, Australian's best in the first match, opened the game superbly and was the main goal scorer in the first quarter kicking all four of his team's overs. The homeside also managed a six point goal in the first quarter, something it could not do in the first test, SHANE CRAWFORD kicking the ball to the goal face from 40 metres then MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN punching it into the net out of a pack.

Australia led 19-13 at quarter time which seemed to be a decisive lead given the fitness edge and strong finish it displayed in the first test. And the lead was out to 12 points midway through the second term when Crawford scored his side's second goal from a soccer style penalty shot after he was pushed while trying to mark near goal.

But Ireland fought back close to halftime and was only down 33-26 at the long break.

Ireland continued to push hard at the start of the second half with BRYAN STYNES levelling the scores 34-34 midway through the term. But Australia's MATTHEW RICHARDSON broke the deadlock with a 35 metre over from a tight angle and Australia went into the final quarter with a two point lead giving it a shot at the nine point win needed to claim the series.

But Ireland dominated early in the final term scoring three overs and a behind to no score in the first five minutes to take a commanding eight point lead and effectively seal the series.

The match also looked in Ireland's keeping when the Irish were still six points ahead with a minutes to play but ROHAN SMITH capped a brilliant run from midfield with a long range over to close the gap with three seconds to play.

The Buckley received a free kick right on the siren 35 metres out then made the precious shot as Irish players celebrated around him to give Australia some reward from the clash.

Ireland: 2 goals 12 overs 4 behinds (52)
Australia:  1 goals 11 overs 13 behinds (52)

Scores: Australia:  Goals: (6 points) Australia: O'Loughlin, Crawford. Overs (3 points): Buckley 5, Smith 2, Ashcroft, Campbell, Graham, Richardson, Waterhouse. Ireland: Goals: McDermott. Overs: Buckley 2, Fallon 2, Tohill 2, Geraghty, Giles, Kavanagh, McManus, Stynes.
Best: Australia: Nathan Buckley, Jason Akermanis, David McKay, Ben Hart, Stephen Silvagni. Ireland: Seamus Moynihan, John McDermott, Decian O'Keefe, Trevor Giles, Niall Buckley.
Umpires: Andrew Coates (Australia), Michael Curley (Ireland).
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The future of the Coca Cola International Rules Series beyond the next three years remains uncertain, though a possibility exists that a tri-nations series may involve the United States. The Gaelic code is strong in Boston and New York where Australian sides have visited and played in as far back as 1967.

The squads for the Second Test were—
Australia: Stephen Silvagni, Ben Graham, Craig McRae, Nathan Buckley (captain), Rohan Smith, Scott West, Trent Croad, Shane Crawford, Marcus Ashcroft, Nathan Burke, Jason Akermanis, Ben Cousins, Matthew Richardson, Scott Camporeale, Jarrod Molloy, Michael O'Loughlin, Clive Waterhouse, Wayne Campbell, Justin Leppitsch, Peter Burgoyne, Peter Bell, Andrew McKay, Ben Hart. Coach: Dermott Brereton
Ireland: Declan O'Keeffe, Niall Buckley, Peter Canavan, Finbarr Cullen, Dessie Dolan, Michael Donnellan, Dermot Earley, Jarlath Fallon, Darren Fay, Derry Foley, Graham Geraghty, Trevor Giles, James Horan, Joe Kavanagh, Sean Martin Lockhart, Ciaran McManus, John McDermott (captain), Seamus Moynihan, James Nallen, Claran O'Sullivan, Sean Og de Paor, John Quane, Glen Ryan, Brian Stynes, Anthony Tohill, Ciaran Whelan. Coach: Colm O'Rourke.
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Bombers appeal on fines
Essendon's long-running salary cap saga boiled over again with the Bombers launching a surprise appeal against the penalty delivered from the AFL last February.

Legal argument was heard for some three-and-a-half hours by the AFL Appeal Board on Monday (18th) that centered on the Bombers' basic right to appeal against the penalties imposed. Anthony Howard, QC, appeared for Essendon; the AFL were represented by Neil Young, QC. Appeal board chairman John O'Callaghan, QC, adjourned the hearing, to consider the matter and reconvene possibly late on Friday.

Footystats Diary recorded earlier this year – The AFL on Friday February 5th 1999 revealed the Essendon club for the period from 1992 to 1995 exceeded the salary cap limit by $514,531.

Fines imposed by the AFL on the club including the $112,000 for the 1995 exposure will total $388,274.

Essendon were excluded from the pre-season and rookie drafts on February 9 and will not be permitted to take part in the first two rounds of the 1999 National Draft on October 31.

The AFL chief executive WAYNE JACKSON said the current administration of president GRAEME McMAHON and PETER JACKSON (their CEO) had fully co-operated with the AFL investigation conducted by MICHAEL EASY. In fact, the investigation followed the voluntary disclosure by the Essendon FC following the appointment of Peter Jackson in May 1996. No salary cap breaches subsequent to 1996 were discovered.

The investigation by Easy discovered undisclosed football payments for the period 1992-1996 were $651,494 but when permitted margins of error and allowances were taken into account, total payments exceeding the salary cap were $514,541. AAP reported breaches of the salary cap included such payments to players as home renovations, study fees, sign-on bonuses and provisions for motor vehicles.

Mr Wayne Jackson said: "The AFL has made a conscious decision not to penalise any of the players in question because we believe the ultimate responsibility rests with the club to ensure all of its employees comply with the rules."

It is understood the Australian Tax Office had requested a full copy of the findings in the 200-page report by Michael Easy to the AFL.

Stab Kicks ...
** The National Rugby League signalled the end of one its most famous clubs. On Friday (15th) is was announced SOUTH SYDNEY failed to meet the criteria and would be excluded from the 14-club competition beginning next season.

A foundation member of the 1908 formation, South Sydney won 20 premierships—the Rabbitohs began legal moves which may again disrupt rugby league.
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** JOHN LONGMIRE who received a premiership medallion when he played his 200th game for the North Melbourne-Kangaroo club on September 25 announced his retirement on Thursday (14th). John who was League Leading Goalkicker (and Coleman Medalist) in 1990 with 98 goals, kicked a career total of 511 goals for the Roos. Longmire was leading goalkicker at Arden Street for five seasons. At 28, he will take up a posting with the key management group IMG.
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** DAMIEN MONKHORST after 12 seasons of 205 matches (1988-99) with Collingwood when informed he was no longer welcome will nominate for the draft. The popular ruckman is hopeful his career will blossom at a second League club.
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** CRAIG KIMBERLEY announced he will retire as an AFL Commissioner when his term ends in February. Kimberley first became involved in football when elected president of South Melbourne in December 1975. Another Swan, GRAEME JOHN is tipped to fill the vacancy. John was overlooked when CHRIS LANGFORD was recently appointed to the Commission.
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** TONY LIBERATORE signed a one year deal with the Western Bulldogs which will extend his 227 matches (1986-99) into a 15th season.
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** The Charles Sturt Council have granted approval for a $12½ million grandstand extension at Football Park. The extra 7,030 seats will lift capacity to 53,000 and will feature a bar-bistro, three male and female toilets and six smoking areas. It will be built along the north-west corner of the oval, between the existing SANFL members' stand and the super screen. The stand should be finished near the start of new season.
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** Sydney have signed an Irish hopeful—18-year-old TADGH KENNELLY from county Kerry. A Department of Immigration clearance is expected, to allow Kennelly to join at the start of pre-season training in November.
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** GARRY HOCKING at 31, says he is ready to take up captaincy of the Geelong club. The vacancy exists follows the defection of Leigh Colbert to the Kangaroos. Hocking was appointed captain jointly with GARY ABLETT in 1995, but stepped aside after only six rounds.
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** Michelangelo Rucci reported in The Advertiser—Adelaide vice-captain NIGEL SMART has given up his day job. The 30-year-old Smart has quit his post as a dealer development manager with Toyota to take a professional stance to his game under coach GARY AYRES. Smart will be able to join the Crows' daytime training sessions.
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Carlton player convicted on tax charges
FRASER BROWN was fined $2000 and ordered to pay $5000 costs after being convicted on two taxation charges on October 19.

The Age reported Brown was found guilty by magistrate Mr Des Martin in Ringwood Court who said Brown's failure to provide information relating to one charge was "certainly more than an honest and inadvertent mistake".

Brown, 29, had pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless omission of information from statement, failing to furnish information and failing to produce documentation in relation to payments made by the Carlton Football Club.
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Bombers fail in appeal on fines
On Friday October 22, the AFL Administrative Appeals Board in a 31-page document detailed reasons for rejecting Essendon's appeal against the fines and penalties imposed last February for breaches of the salary cap.

The appeals board said it did not have the jurisdiction to hear the appeal and that Essendon had not adhered to the time limits to appeal under AFL rules.
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Port Power & John Cahill settle dispute
The fall-out between club legend JOHN CAHILL and PORT ADELAIDE ended harmoniously on October 22 when both parties dropped all legal claims.

In a joint statement, it was conceded that "other clubs may have misinterpreted" Cahill's talks with team officials. The statement added: "John Cahill has advised the Port Adelaide FC – and the Port Adelaide FC accepts – that while he had discussions with other clubs ... no confidential information was provided to other clubs."
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Pre-season training starts
Exactly one calendar month following the Grand Final brought the start of pre-season training for 2000 and the Ansett Australia Cup series.

Melbourne got the jump on their rivals at beachside Sandringham on Monday October 25. All other clubs will soon commence  their schedules with only Carlton and Essendon holding off until November 15 at Optus Oval.

The Blues' first game is against Collingwood at the MCG on New Years Eve for 'The Millennium Cup' as part of the Ansett series.
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Stab Kicks ...
** The Melbourne club made two key appointments on Friday (22nd). Former Bulldog rover BRIAN ROYAL was appointed assistant coach while JOHN ANDERSON was named the new Chief Executive. Royal moves from the Western Oval where for the past four seasons he has been the understudy. The Board of Directors approved Anderson's position—he has been the club's interim CEO following the resignation and departure in August of CAMERON SCHWAB.
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** BEV O'CONNOR, a passionate Demon supporter and a well-known ABC voice and face on both radio and television has accepted an offer to become the first female director in the 141-year history of the Melbourne FC.
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** STEPHEN KERNAHAN is the new chairman of Carlton's match committee. "Sticks" replaces BARRY RICHARDSON who served in the position for the past two seasons. The Kernahan appointment is viewed as another step toward a senior League coaching role in the near future. Richardson, the former Richmond champion in triple premierships for the Tigers in 1967, 1969 and 1974 is tipped for a return to Punt Road at board level.
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** DEAN LAIDLEY, BRAD GOTH and MICHAEL BROADBRIDGE will fill the roles of assistants to MICHAEL MALTHOUSE at Collingwood ... in other coaching moves, DAVID WHEADON was confirmed as assistant coach at Richmond for the next three years ... GARRY LYON accepted a part-time role as development coach at Melbourne, specialising in forward play. Lyon joins former teammates TODD VINEY and JIM STYNES in support roles to senior coach NEALE DANIHER ...
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** ESSENDON were quoted by Capital Sports as early favourites for the 2000 premiership at $6.50. Next best are the Kangaroos at $7.00 and Western Bulldogs at $11.00. The Dockers are tipped for the wooden spoon at $101 for a one dollar bet.
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** Prospects of a major rule change will be discussed by League coaches when they meet at the conclusion of the National Draft to be held on Sunday October 31. A proposal to pay a free against any player who tries to take possession of the ball while he is on the ground, may be trialled in the Ansett Australia Cup series. If  the trial is successful, the rule could be adopted for the regular 2001 season.
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** AAP reported Tuesday (26th)—Papua New Guinea's entire rugby league premiership team was held in police custody for several hours yesterday.
This followed a drunken off-the-field fight with their grand final opponents, an alleged assault on a law officer and armed intervention by police.
The fighting erupted after Mount Hagen Raiders won PNG's Cambridge Cup by defeating Port Moresby South 16-12 on Sunday afternoon at Goroka in the Eastern Highlands.
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**  Things are never the same—West Coast and Hawthorn unveiled new guernseys for the forthcoming Ansett Cup series. Navy blue and gold for the Wagles? Forget it—there's barely a hint of their original colours. Now it's ochre and sea blue, and an Eagle above the WA coastline. It's certainly eye-catching and is sure to grab the youngsters. West Coast CEO Trevor Nisbett was quoted as saying—the design was the popular choice with local schoolchildren. They're the ones who have the money to spend and keep up with the latest fashions.
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** JUSTIN MADDEN who played 332 matches with Essendon and Carlton (1980-96) was named on the front bench of the new Victorian Labor State Government with the portfolio of Sports and Recreation Minister. New Labor Premier STEVE BRACKS took office on October 20. Seven years of Coalition government ended with sweeping results in Victorian country seats on September 18 and the following by-election win in Frankston East on October 16 decided the change of power.
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** A confidential out-of-court settlement concluded the action by Essendon player JOE MISITI against the League and the Melbourne Cricket Club. Misiti suffered a broken jaw when he collided with BYRON PICKETT (NM) in the Saturday night, March 7 1998 Ansett Cup match at the MCG against North Melbourne. Misiti blamed the hard centre cricket pitch area for his injury. He missed six matches and sought compensation for the loss of earnings and pain and suffering.

Stab Kicks ...
** AAP reported the WA Football Commission on October 29 announced a new player initiative, following the unpopularity of the host club system adopted in the Westar Rules competition for the 1999 season.  Claremont will remain the 'host' club for West Coast, and South Fremantle for the Dockers. However, beginning in 2000, only players recruited from interstate will play for the host clubs, while those recruited locally will stay with their club of origin.

*** WARWICK HADFIELD in The Australian (October 29) speculated that the AFL is set to take the game closer to a seven-day a week competition as the next round of negotiations for television rights begin.
Hadfield noted that, of the 176 matches to be played next year, only 31 will be played on Saturday afternoon, the game's traditional time-slot.

*** PETER ROHDE coach at Norwood the past four seasons will return to the AFL as player development coach for the Western Bulldogs. Rohde led the SANFL Redlegs to the 1997 flag but were runners-up to Port this season. He played 117 League games with Carlton and Melbourne (1985-95).

*** PHIL MAYLIN will become an assistant coach to Terry Wallace. Maylin, chairman of selectors of the Western Bulldogs since 1997 will share understudy duties with DAVID NOBLE.
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They Said It
ROHAN CONNOLLY – The Age – Saturday, October 30 — Recent seasons have produced a spate of teams rising from the cellar to previously unthinkable heights in one season. Sydney rose from 12th to second in 1996. The next year, Adelaide (12th in 1996), St Kilda (10th) and the Western Bulldogs (15th) finished 1-2-3. Melbourne's 1997 wooden spoon became a 1998 preliminary final spot. Likewise Brisbane this year. But to what extent is the draft now responsible for fortunes that change so rapidly?

NOVEMBER 1999

Stab Kicks ...
** A stand-off has occurred between the out-of-contract DARREN JARMAN and the Adelaide club. The 196-match veteran since 1991 with both Hawthorn and the Crows missed the start of training at Footy Park, but made an appearance on Tuesday (2nd). A one-year, not a two-season deal appears to be the sticking point.
__________

** The SANFL in 2000 will have a 20-game season, over 23 rounds starting Friday March 10 with a 5.45pm start of a double-header between Port and the Eagles, followed by Norwood against West at Football Park.
Saturday September 9 will be the first SANFL Grand Final played on a Saturday afternoon for seven years.
__________

** ALEX McDONALD the recently retired Magpie moves from media manager at Collingwood to a position with the Ricky Nixon FLYING START outfit.
__________

** Sydney captain PAUL KELLY is unlikely to be considered for Ansett Cup duty. Kelly is recovering from a knee injury suffered in the Swans' Qualifying disaster against Essendon. Wire holding Kelly's kneecap together has been removed. Sydney media manager STEPHEN BRASSELL was quoted saying: "It doesn't look pretty. There are stitches and scars and a lot of the muscle has gone."
__________

** JOHN CAHILL has decided not to nominate for the Port Adelaide board. At the AGM on December 20, another former champion GEOF MOTLEY is among the six nominees for three vacancies.
Motley played in nine premierships with the SANFL Magpies in 1954-55-56-57-58-59-62-63-65 but parted company under bitter circumstances in 1977. President GREG BOULTON is seeking another two-year term.

Nicky Winmar quits the Dogs
The first player of Aboriginal descent to play 250 League matches has retired. NICKY WINMAR now 34, announced his retirement from the game on the weekend.

Citing personal reasons for his decision in an exclusive interview with Ken Piesse of the Sunday Herald Sun (7th), the Western Bulldogs through their chief executive MARK PATTERSON confirmed Winmar's retirement. Despite being pressed on Monday by his management PETER JESS, Nicky stood by his decision.

Originally from Pingelly, 120km south of Perth, Nicky arrived at St Kilda in 1987 via South Fremantle. He played 230 games with the Saints, winning their club champion award in 1989 and 1995 before leaving at the end of 1998. He played 21 matches for the Western Bulldogs in his final season of 1999 for a career total of 251 games and 317 goals.
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Around the clubs
ADELAIDE
The two big men the Crows were crying out for in 1999 are on track for comebacks in Round 1 of 2000. SHAUN REHN and BEN MARSH are coming along nicely. Rehn is returning from his third knee reconstruction, while Ben (Rehn's replacement) lasted only eight minutes of the opening round match against the Bulldogs.

BALRAJ SINGH, the first player of Indian descent to be drafted by a League club will start training with the Crows on November 15. Balraj has returned to Waikerie to complete his Year 12 exams, and will relocate to the city in January. He was born in our country after his parents moved to Australia from the Punjab 25 years ago.
This year he starred for SA in the national Under 18 Championships in Brisbane and played the last four SANFL matches with West Adelaide (not South as stated last week).

CARLTON
The Blues Reserves start in the VFL competition when they meet Box Hill in the curtain raiser to the match against Hawthorn at Optus Oval on Sunday March 16. They will play at some new, some familiar venues—Moorabbin, Sandringham, North Ballarat, Whitten Oval and Bendigo.

COLLINGWOOD
Former Fitzroy player SIMON HAWKING is training with the Magpies. Hawking was one of eight players who moved to Brisbane following the 1996 merger of the Lions, then to Sydney but failed to improve his League career of 60 games (1993-96). Hawking has nominated for the December 21 pre-season draft ...

The League refused to alter its rules and JOSH FRASER, the number one pick from the national draft cannot begin training with the Pies until January 1st. The collective bargaining agreement in place prohibits 17-year-olds training with their clubs until January 1.

FREMANTLE
Following the October cleanout of their playing squad, Docker coach DAMIEN DRUM went on the attack following the national draft. Drum said it would be unfair to expect the new faces to turn the club's form around instantly.
Drum who came from Sydney with big wraps, is contracted to Freo for another season.

HAWTHORN
** The Hawks conducted its second open day for another 5000 fans at the MCG on Sunday (7th) following the success of the first held on October 24 when 7000 attended. Star senior players showed supporters around features of the MCG, the new home venue for Hawthorn matches from next season after nine years at Waverley Park.
On trial was the new transport system which will operate in 2000 as buses ferry supporters from the south and eastern parts of Melbourne to the MCG. Pick-up points include Waverley Park, Rosebud, Mornington, Chadstone, Kilsyth, Knox City, Forrest Hill, Warrandyte, Doncaster and Glenferrie Oval.

** Hawthorn will feature in a new international advertising campaign. Representatives from PUMA and its advertising agency Gyron Advertising filmed NICK HOLLAND, DANIEL CHICK, MARK GRAHAM, JADE RAWLINGS, JONATHON HAY and LUKE McCABE on Thursday (4th) for the campaign. Other sports, including US Open Tennis champ SERENA WILLIAMS, boxer OSCAR DE LA HOYA and NBA rookie of the year VINCE CARTER will star in the commercials to focus on the "World of Puma" which will feature action shots from our game.
Puma and Hawthorn recently celebrated 30 years in partnership.

MELBOURNE
The Demons will hold a Christmas Party for their fans at Sandringham Oval on Sunday December 5. Between 10.30am and three o'clock that day, supporters of the Redlegs can join in the fun with bands, novelty events, meet all of the players and have a little ho, ho, ho with Santa.

PORT ADELAIDE
** The Power have invited three players from Norwood to train pre-season at Alberton—the 19-year-old ADAM CROUCH, 20-year old BRAD TAYLOR and 22-year-old BEN KEMP. Port won their 36th premiership when they beat the SANFL Redlegs in the Grand Final, when Crouch and Kemp came under notice during the close encounter.
Other SANFL players in pre-season with Port are—BRETT O'HARA (Woodville-West Torrens), Port players SCOTT HAHN, PHIL SMITH, DARREN BURTON and SHANE HOLMES; together with RYAN McGAHEY and BRETT WHITE (North Adelaide), CHRIS CHUBB (West Adelaide) and SAM McARDLE (Central District).

RICHMOND
MATTHEW RICHARDSON on his return from an overseas trip was taken to a Melbourne hospital on Monday (1st). Doctors at the Mercy Hospital removed Richo's tonsils to prevent further infection.

ST KILDA
The Saints will introduce a touch of glamour and excitement for its games at the new Colonial Stadium at Docklands. DAMIEN BARRETT in the Sunday Herald Sun reported St Kilda will adopt the fanfare from American National Basketball Association matches, with the arena blacked out and a spotlight beamed on players as they come on to the ground.
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Stab Kicks ...
** GREG ANDERSON, the former Essendon and Adelaide star of 162 games (1988-96) has been appointed senior coach of the SANFL's perennial cellar-dwellers SOUTH ADELAIDE. The Panthers who date back to 1877 have won only three League premierships since 1907 — 1935, 1938 and the last in 1964.
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** The grandstand at the Lake Oval, Albert Park is under threat of demolition. Built in the late 1920s following the destruction by fire of the main grandstand in 1926, it was the home of the South Melbourne club to the end of 1981 before the Swans migrated to Sydney. The Herald Sun urban reporter SCOTT THOMPSON said on November 5: Park Victoria has called for tenders to demolish the grandstand, despite its inclusion as a heritage building in Port Phillip Council's South Melbourne Conservation Study and Port Phillip Heritage Review.
The Council has no power of veto because of an exemption granted by the former planning minister Rob Maclellan before the recent change of State Government.
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** JOHN NORTHEY after an 18-month hiatus will return to football as coach of the QSFL club Broadbeach. Northey now lives on the Gold Coast where he operates a restaurant called 'Northey's' at Bundall.
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** Former Adelaide coach MALCOLM BLIGHT is enjoying his leisure away from footy. Having spent two weeks on a cruise, he is now at a Victorian beachhouse before a planned three weeks in the Queensland sunshine. Wonder what his plans are for 2000?
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** CAROLINE WILSON in The Age reported on November 5 — Sydney and Brisbane will receive preferential treatment in next year's National Draft, with the AFL Commission awarding the two 1999 finalists a free pick from local talent in exchange for a second round draft choice.

Caroline also noted: "The AFL Commission last month passed the rule, to be reviewed after the 2001 National Draft, to combat concern about the relatively poor standard of the Sydney metropolitan competition. The Swans will field a second team in the Sydney Football League from next season".
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** Financial figures are starting to surface—RICHMOND are set to announced a record profit of some $700,000 at their AGM in December. The Tigers will be debt-free and have $1.6 million in the bank.
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** VFL club Werribee has appointed former North Melbourne and Melbourne player ALASTAIR CLARKSON as coach for 2000.
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** The prospect of a combined Northern Territory team joining the SANFL in 2001 is still being floated.
Latest to support the push is high-profile aboriginal activist CHARLES PERKINS.
It is estimated the NT side of 36 players and officials would cost $1.5m per year, and a further $450,000 for travel costs.
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They said it
SCOTT PALMER, The Herald Sun — Sunday November 7 1999 — SEVEN'S late-night show for the discerning football fan, Talking Footy, is safe for 2000. Rumors of its demise have surfaced in the past fortnight, causing agitation at the network.

Talking Footy may not retain all current cast members, but Seven insists the show is on again. And no, foundation couch potato Malcolm Blight has not been approached, yet.

Labor tries to save Waverley
Recently installed Victorian Labor Premier STEVE BRACKS and Sports Minister JUSTIN MADDEN met with League toppers WAYNE JACKSON and RON EVANS on Monday (8th) on the issue of Waverley Park.

After the meeting Madden was quoted: "the AFL should not sell the Waverley Park stadium simply for economic reasons. It's very important that there's degree of community consultation and that we come to a resolution that is beneficial to the people of Victoria."

The rookie Sports Minister said he would continue pushing the AFL to consider scheduling games at Waverley Park.

Several Ansett Cup matches are already slotted for Waverley in February and March, and with the prospect of delays to the finish of the Colonial Stadium at Docklands, more night series matches may be switched to Waverley.

While all facilities at the Docklands venue may not be ready for the weekend of February 4-5 when Essendon v Western Bulldogs (Friday) and St Kilda v Melbourne (Saturday) are listed, there are those who say, these Ansett Cup games will not be moved and will go on at Docklands.
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Brisbane gets $400,000 cap bonus
The AFL Commission last week announced they were granting Brisbane a $400,000 bonus on its salary-cap next year to help the northern club retain its large list of interstate footballers.

Defending the AFL decision, Brisbane coach LEIGH MATTHEWS noted both Brisbane and Sydney had 31 players from out of state on their lists, compared with Carlton's 10 and West Coast's nine. St Kilda and the Kangaroos are the Victorian clubs with the most interstaters – 19 each – while Adelaide also has 19 from outside South Australia.

The initial reaction drew criticism, that the decision, ratified by the Commission on October 4, was withheld for five weeks when a letter was received by clubs.

However the AFL offered an olive branch to other clubs. The League at a meeting of club general managers on November 12 agreed to fully fund salary-cap increases of $300,000 for the next two years. Previously the AFL had considered subsidising the clubs to only 85 per cent of the $300,000.
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Think-tank at Cape Schanck
Thirty of the most powerful men in AFL football will gather at Cape Schanck on Victoria's south-western coast for a two-day think tank on Tuesday-Wednesday, November 23-24.

Items on the agenda include —

<> inequity of the AFL draw
<> duration of matches
<> National draft and player trade process
<> medical issues, HIV, drugs, injury management
<> the final eight
<> player contracts—whether they are binding
<> NSW and Queensland development
<> new technology
<> marketing
<> virtual advertising

Established under the AFL and AFL Players' Association's collective bargaining agreement, the think tank has summoned Commissioners BILL KELTY and COLIN CARTER, Adelaide captain MARK BICKLEY, former Geelong player MICHAEL MANSFIELD who is now with Carlton, Richmond's BRENDON GALE, Western Bulldog prez DAVID SMORGON, Sydney's RICHARD COLLESS.

Also attending will be player managers RICKY NIXON and DAMIEN SMITH, Seven's director of football GORDON BENNETT, together with CEO's TREVOR NISBETT (West Coast), BRIAN COOK (Geelong) and ANDREW IRELAND (Brisbane). Representing medical interests will be AFL staff KEN HARDY, HUGH SEWARD and HARRY UNGLIK. AFL marketing representatives will also attend while the Kangaroos' GEOFF WALSH and Hawthorn's JOHN HOOK will represent club football managers. League umpires will not be represented.

AFLPA chief ANDREW DEMETRIOU will play a key role alongside AFL CEO WAYNE JACKSON, football operations manager IAN COLLINS and strategist TONY PEEK.

The mediator of the two-day conference is solicitor JOHN ADAMS.
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Around the clubs
ADELAIDE
DARREN JARMAN (now 32) ended a stand-off and signed a one-year deal with the Crows.

The SA government on November 10th confirmed it would contribute $7.65 million to the $14.5m cost for a 7,000 seat extension on the northern side of Football Park. The 54,400 capacity will be the third biggest AFL venue in Australia, behind only the MCG and Homebush. Work at Football Park is expected to be finished in August 2001.

BRISBANE
DANNY DICKFOS at 29 after only two matches this season announced his retirement from League football. He played 65 games with Brisbane (1996-99).

ESSENDON
JOE MISITI has signed a new two year deal with the Bombers. However, the future of BARRY YOUNG remains unclear as the parties try to settle on terms.  MICHAEL SYMONS who was delisted appears certain to nominate for the December 21st pre-season draft.

The Bombers have appointed DEAN BAILEY as its development coach. Dean played 52 games for the Dons (1986-1992) and coached Mount Gravatt in the QSFL the past two seasons. Bailey replaces ROBBIE KERR who moves to co-ordinate player welfare and personal development programs with the AFL Players' Association. Over the next four years AFL footballers and retired players will receive $4 million as part of the newly established education and training fund.

FREMANTLE
Moves are being made to ensure TONY MODRA remains a Docker. The current two-year deal, reportedly at $250,000 a year and due to end in 2000 seems certain to be extended with Modra's manager MAX STEVENS flying in from Adelaide for talks. Modra after being dumped by the Crows kicked 71 for Fremantle this year, taking his career total to 511 from 138 League games (1992-99).

GEELONG—
BEN GRAHAM is a hot tip for the vacancy of captain following the defection of Leigh Colbert to the Kangaroos. Others in the running include TIM McGRATH and GARRY HOCKING.

KANGAROOS
JOHN GEORGIOU may return to League football. John is training with the Kangaroos following his J.J Liston Trophy win as best & fairest of the VFL competition this season. He began with St Kilda when just 16-years-old but was delisted in 1994.

MELBOURNE
JIM STYNES is being courted by the Dublin Demons to become their patron. The Dublin side, the inspiration of COLM CRONIN are lining up for matches against English sides, the Wandsworth Demons and North London Lions from the BARFL competition in the new year.

The Demons will hold a Christmas Party for their fans at Sandringham Oval on Sunday December 5. Between 10.30am and three o'clock that day, supporters of the Redlegs can join in the fun with bands, novelty events, meet all of the players and have a little ho, ho, ho with Santa.

PORT ADELAIDE
The Magpies of the SANFL are looking for a return to train at their spiritual home. The opening of the $4.5 million ALLAN SCOTT POWER HEADQUARTERS training centre building at Alberton Oval on October 6 is expected to ease requirements and enable both the Power and the Magpies to fit their schedules into Alberton. The SANFL squads have trained the past three seasons at Nazar Reserve at Ethelton.

SHAYNE BREUER recently delisted by the Power has put his football future put on hold. He may not play football again due to a chronic back injury. He will rest until Christmas before deciding on his future in the SANFL with Woodville-West Torrens.

RICHMOND
Whether LEON DAPHNE stays as President of the Tigers is not determined. Reform-groupers say things will heat up again, if he does not step aside at the December AGM.

Former Independent MP and coach of VFA club Coburg, PHIL CLEARY, confirmed he had been interviewed for the CEO position of Richmond. The appointment would commence in February on the retirement of JIM MALONE who is returning to West Australia.

ST KILDA
DAMIAN MONKHORST (ex Collingwood) and AARON KEATING (ex Adelaide) are both doing pre-season work with the Saints.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Doggies will have a twin-affiliation in the new VFL competition. They have split their players between Williamstown and Werribee. In the ballot which took place, it lines up CHRIS GRANT and BRAD JOHNSON as Seagulls at Fort Gellibrand, while DANIEL SOUTHERN and ROHAN SMITH when required will line up with Werribee.

** Former Fremantle captain CHRIS BOND has been appointed to a part-time coaching role. He will coach the team's mid-field. Chris will replace PHIL MAYLIN, who is now a full-time assistant at the club.

Fitzroy kicks back with Coburg
Fitzroy will again play at Optus Oval, Windy Hill and Victoria Park — the familiar gold lion on the maroon guernsey will feature in curtain-raisers at League venues when the restructured VFL gets under way in 2000. The Coburg-Fitzroy Lions club is a reality! — start queuing for membership tickets.

There's a certain irony here — just as the Reserves disappear, the Coburg name returns to where it started, in a revamped VFL competition to replace the Ressies. Coburg were members of the VFL Second 18 for four seasons finishing as finalists in 1921. When Footscray, North Melbourne and Hawthorn defected from the Association in 1925 to join the VFL, Coburg moved to the VFA competition when they promptly won triple premierships in 1926-27-28.

BOB PRATT was one Coburg's many famous players to wear the navy blue guernsey with a red sash. The ex-South Melbourne champion played with the VFA Lions kicking 80 goals in 1940 and a record 183 goals in 1941, including 22.4 in Coburg's total of 33.14 against Sandringham that year.

So, we have come full circle—Coburg once with the VFL, join them again and the VFA Lions embrace the VFL Lions to become Coburg-Fitzroy.

Who said there's no romance in football history.
__________

They said it
PATRICK SMITH, The Age — Friday November 12 1999 — The AFL is party to secret agreements that reward three Docklands clubs with cash bonuses if they draw crowds of 48,000. One club actually gets even more if it can produce a crowd of ``maximum viewing audience''. Because of the high corporate number at Docklands, a crowd of 48,000 guarantees a lockout of public seating.

Yet the AFL continues to talk about switching games from the Docklands to the MCG when the capacity of 54,000 is reached. That, clearly, is gibberish.
__________

CAROLINE WILSON, The Age — Saturday November 13 — In other developments, Seven, whose contract with the AFL runs out at the end of 2001, is outsourcing Monday night's Talking Footy as well as Friday Night Football. Speculation continues whether dual premiership coach Malcolm Blight will return to Talking Footy, and Garry Lyon's name has been mooted along with Brereton. It is unclear if Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace will return to the couch.
__________

JAKE NIALL, The Sunday Age — November 14 — "... the fish bowl existence that Denis Pagan has compared to the RACV, "you're on call 24 hours a day'' ...
__________

Seven axes four in shake-up
GERARD HEALY will be the new anchor of Talking Footy on the Seven Network next season. In a shake-up of Seven's football coverage, Healy replaces ABC Radio's TIM LANE after only one year.

The arrival of DERMOTT BRERETON at Seven has also resulted in the departure of several names from the commentary team. Gone are TERRY WHEELER, MICK McGUANE, PETER McKENNA and JOHN RUSSO.

CAROLINE WILSON in The Sunday Age (21st) stated Brereton after 12 seasons with Channel Nine has a three-year deal with Seven worth a reported $1.5 million.

A confusion of reports leaves unclear whether Jason Dunstall will be part of Friday Night Football. The Friday coverage will be outsourced by Seven to Vuecast, whose chief David Barham has chosen Brereton.

One Seven icon who jumped before he was pushed is 71-year-old BOB DAVIS. "Woofer" announced his retirement from the footy channel. The 'Geelong flyer' played 189 games with the Cats (1948-58) and coached them to their last premiership in 1963. He  started at Seven in 1959 and was a feature of World of Sport, League Teams and the Footy Panel.
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Greg Durham dies at 45
The former Geelong chief executive and long-serving AFL finance director GREG DURHAM passed away at Ballarat Hospital on Tuesday (16th) after a short illness. He was 45.

An integral member of the League administrations of Jack Hamilton and Ross Oakley for 14 years from 1977 to 1991, Durham was part of some of the most progressive and tumultuous years of Jolimont history.

As CEO of Geelong from 1991, Greg oversaw years of financial profitability at Kardinia Park through the introduction of gaming and putting in place the groundwork for the upgrading of facilities that have helped the club to continue to play out of Geelong.

More recently, Durham operated a hotel in Creswick. He is survived by his wife Jan and children Robert and Laura.

Around the clubs
BRISBANE
** Fourteen Queenslanders are among 18 AFL hopefuls doing summer training with the Lions. They include the 1999 Queensland Under 18 captain STEVE McKENNA—six other members of that team who have already tasted senior footy at QSFL level are also in the trial group.
Training for the Lions in November is at the University of Queensland, giving the Coorparoo oval a further three weeks to recover from a very wet season. They should return to Coorparoo on November 29.
CHRIS JOHNSON will be retained for another two seasons. The 23-year-old with 112 games to his credit with Fitzroy and Brisbane (1994-99) is expected to sign a new contract soon.

CARLTON
** GLENN MANTON ended his stand-off and signed a two-year contract with the Blues.
However, there is still no official word on the intentions of captain CRAIG BRADLEY—whether he is staying, or returning to the SANFL with Port Adelaide.

COLLINGWOOD
The Magpies are set to sign NATHAN BUCKLEY to a lifetime contract. Two years still remain on his existing deal worth a reported $500,000 per season but the Pies will have inked him to the end of his playing days. Buckley reached 27 in July and has played 142 League games since his debut with Brisbane in 1993. He has kicked 144 goals.

ESSENDON
** The Bombers started preparation for the 2000 season at Windy Hill just 57 days after their one-point Preliminary Final defeat at the hands of Carlton. There will be an average of eight sessions per week during the pre-season, with two weeks off during the Christmas period.
The players will be in a full-time camp at Essendon Grammar from January 6 through 16, with a practice match against St Kilda scheduled for January 21st before its Ansett Cup meeting versus West Coast at Marrara Oval in Darwin on Friday night January 28th.
BARRY YOUNG and the club have still not resolved their protracted negotiations. While MICHAEL SYMONS has been delisted and is likely to nominate for the Pre-Season Draft on December 21st, he still trains with the club

FREMANTLE
** Local business identity TONY BUHAGIAR has been appointed to the Dockers Board of Management. He played in the 1974 and 1979 East Fremantle premiership sides during 138 games in the WAFL. His AFL career followed in 83 games with Essendon (1981-84) and 25 games with Footscray in 1985.

HAWTHORN
** Shane Crawford and Peter Schwab will 'star' at the club's Christmas family day on December 5.

Fans can pay tribute to Crawford, who this year won the Brownlow medal and his second club best and fairest award, and meet new coach Peter Schwab, who returns to Glenferrie after two years as AFL director of umpires.

The tribute day will be held 11am-3pm Sunday, December 5, at Ausdoc Oval at Glenferrie.

Memberships and the latest merchandise range will also be on sale, with a special visit from Santa. Members can also learn more about the Box Hill Hawks, the club's VFL team.

PORT ADELAIDE
** MATTHEW PRIMUS is training well following a knee reconstruction. The 27-year-old 200cm ruckman injured his left knee in Port's round 3 game against Brisbane at the Gabba on April 10. Wearing a knee brace Matthew is training well and may return as early as the Ansett Cup.

RICHMOND
** The 115th Annual General Meeting of the club will be held at the Palladium Ballroom, Crown Entertainment Complex on Thursday December 16 from 8pm.

** Richmond president of the past six years LEON DAPHNE will not seek re-election. He said he felt an obligation "to honour my mid-season commitment to step aside if Jeff Gieschen did not continue as coach". MIKE SHEAHAN in the Herald Sun noted" "The decision will mean a smooth transition at board level, with a committee representing the club and a reform group providing a unanimous recommendation for three new board members."
In 10 years, the Tigers have gone from rattling tins on street corners to accumulated funds of $1.7 million.

WEST COAST
** The Eagles held a JOHN WORSFOLD Family Day at Ascot Racecourse last Saturday (20th) to honour the 209 game veteran (1987-98). Worsfold is now assistant to DAVID PARKIN at Carlton.
A special word on the Website for West Coast. It is a quick-loading, informative site, not only for supporters for the club. The site carries regular updates of interesting topics and is well worth the visit.

WESTERN BULLDOGS—
** Supporters will get the chance to rub shoulders with their favourite players and participate in the Touch Football Challenge to be held on Saturday November 27 at the Whitten Oval. A Bulldog player will captain and coach every side participating. Puppets, musicians, circus and street performers, and the Flying Fruit Fly Circus will provide entertainment from 12 noon until late night.

AFL Eagles & Bulldogs link with Sydney FL
WEST COAST and the WESTERN BULLDOGS will be linked to two Sydney Football League clubs.

Last Friday (Nov 26) at a press conference held at Sydney's Regent Hotel, the West Coast Eagles announced their plans to link with SFL club BAULKHAM HILLS. Known as the Eagles in local circles, Baulkham Hills will play in the new 'away' AFL strip as the EAST COAST EAGLES in the Sydney competition to which a 'Reserves' side from the Sydney Swans will be added in 2000.

The deal with Baulkham Hills will give the Sydney club access to the Eagles' expertise in off-field assistance, access to coach Ken Judge, however the Sydney East Coast Eagles will remain under the control of their own board and general manager.

The EAST SYDNEY club (formed in 1880) which have worn the Tricolour red-white-and-blue guernsey for as long as anyone can remember are set to be linked with the AFL Bulldogs.
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Footystats comment
AFL dumped by 2GB
NewsRadio will not increase AFL level
Sydney radio station 2GB at a cost of $1 million was granted the exclusive commercial broadcasting rights of National Rugby League matches for season 2000 at the expense of the much-troubled rival station 2UE.

The Australian Football League learned the news through newspaper reports published on November 24 severing a "three-year deal" signed only 10 months ago with 2GB to carry both local and interstate matches of the Sydney Swans until 2001. Seen as crucial to the development of the AFL in a "foreign" climate, the League were seeking urgent talks with 2GB.

Other than the major television coverage from the Seven Network, Sydney will be left with the substantially reduced NewsRadio cover. The ABC Parliamentary and News station earlier this year did not intend to program AFL in 1999 which they had done for several years. The AFL in turn threatened the cancellation of football by ABC Radio 3LO in Melbourne. The compromise reached between the AFL and NewsRadio, resulted in AFL broadcasts being cut to the bone with no commentaries of late-finishing Sunday matches from Perth and no pre-game presentations before a two o'clock cross on Saturday afternoon.

NewsRadio say their programming for 2000 has not yet been finalised.

However, NewsRadio say they do not have any plans to increase the level of AFL provided last season. They consider the limited service they provided in 1999 to Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Darwin was "far greater than anywhere else in the cities we provided such coverage".

No it wasn't — it wasn't good enough for the national broadcaster to deliver a piecemeal deal for the one true National code of football, supported by far more than the six million people who attend matches each season.
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Calthorpe is finally a Kangaroo
DAVID CALTHORPE, the former Essendon and Brisbane player finally became a Kangaroo on Friday (26th) when a two-year agreement was reached. It ended a fortnight-long saga closely reported by the media.

JAKE NIALL in The Age reported: Under the compromise deal, Calthorpe will still be paid significantly less that his Brisbane contract in his first year with the Kangaroos, but his income will rise in the second year of the contract.

Calthorpe became the victim of a messy and often confusing affair when he was traded from Brisbane to the Roos. He had signed a minimum wage contract with the Roos under the mistaken belief that Brisbane would pay the balance of his existing contract, estimated at more than $150,000 a season.

Kangaroos chief executive GREG MILLER said that all parties were happy with the new arrangements.

Obituary
Robert Nunn passes
ROBERT OWEN NUNN, MBE, passed away on November 23 aged 71. After training with Carlton and playing with Coburg Amateurs he took up the whistle following an injury, joining the VFL Seconds in the early 1950s. He began senior umpiring with the VFL in 1955 reaching 150 matches until his retirement in 1963.

In an eventful life, Bob was part of an Australian Antarctic Expedition as officer in charge of the station on Macquarie Island. On his return he was VFL Umpires' advisor for two years from 1966. He then worked for Channel 0 as a football commentator in the late 1960s and was a member of the VFL Tribunal for 25 years. He served the community as a member of the Peter MacCallum Hospital Board from 1982 to 1988, and was a JP.

In 1982, he became a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to Australian Football.

He is survived by his wife, Jill, and his daughter, Suzanne.

Stab Kicks ...
** Channel Seven signed Sydney superstar TONY LOCKETT to a three-year deal. Already a part-time member of the Seven stable, he will join anchor BRUCE McAVANEY at all SCG matches next season. Plugger will also be part of the new Thursday night program The Game, alongside DERMOTT BRERETON and JASON DUNSTALL.
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** NICKY WINMAR kicked four goals from full forward in his first NTFL game with the Palmerston Magpies on November 20 — the Saturday night match at Marrara Oval drew 3,286 ... Winmar seems a walk-up start to be included in the Buffalo squad which will play Norwood in Darwin on February 12 as well as being an ambassador for the formation of an NTFL side to play in the SANFL from 2001 ... DEAN MOORE from the AFL was in Darwin on Friday (26th) checking on the readiness for the Ansett Cup fixture to be played there on Friday January 28 when West Coast face Essendon ...
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** Following the League seminar held at Cape Schanck, the AFL will ask the MCC to waive a contract clause requiring a game to be played at the MCG each weekend of the finals.
The League is required to play four matches but may seek to have them played on three, rather than four weekends. This may result in a weekend where no finals are played in Melbourne.
It will however bring fairness for the non-Victorian finalists of the League.
__________

** PAUL SALMON, the Essendon and Hawthorn veteran has left Channel Nine following his appointment as manager of the Medallion Club at Colonial Stadium. He is expected to join the Seven Network.
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They said it
BOB HART, The Herald Sun, Tuesday November 23, 1999 — HAVE the Kangaroos really captured the hearts and minds of Sydney footy fans? Well ...
Wayne Carey strolled into Woollahra's Centennial Hotel to place a booking for a table.
And the waiter wrote it down as — "Kerry".
Now, if it had been Plugger, would the waiter have written it down as "Plucka"?
I don't think so.
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WEST COAST EAGLES Website, November 26, 1999 — Baulkham Hills President Peter Physick said the arrangement was perfect for his club.
"We have the largest number of junior teams in Sydney and we couldn't be happier because an alignment with the West Coast Eagles brings a connotation of success that we want to attract to our club," Mr Physick said.
"It is tremendous that West Coast want to assist Sydney football and this link will be a great thing for the game," he said.

DECEMBER 1999

Quarters to be shorter?
Controversy erupted following a December 2 newspaper report that "the AFL looks certain to shorten football matches by up to 30 minutes within two years" ... the report was discounted by AFL operations manager IAN COLLINS some days later.

In 1994, quarters were reduced from the traditional 25 minutes to 20 minutes plus time-on.
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Around the clubs
ADELAIDE
** DAVID PITTMAN, the retired Crows ruckman will front as a special comments man for Radio 5AA — David will also feature on Friday night and Saturday morning panel shows for the popular Adelaide station.

BRISBANE
** PETER BLUCHER tells the Diary — Brisbane Lions coach LEIGH MATTHEWS was named 'Coach of the Year' at the 1999 Queensland Sports Awards, and the Lions were finalists in the 'Team of the Year' category, beaten by the Queensland Women's K2 Canoe team of Katrin Borchert and Anna Wood, who were 1999 world champions — the awards were held in Brisbane on Monday, November 29.

** After rejecting offers from several clubs BRAD SCOTT will remain a Lion alongside his twin brother CHRIS. A broken arm suffered in Round 10 against the Bulldogs kept him sidelined for 10 weeks.

** The retirement of BRAD BOYD was hotly denied by the Lions. Brisbane media manager PETER BLUCHER said Boyd was still a required player and had not indicated a decision to retire.

CARLTON
** CRAIG BRADLEY who turned 36 last month will play into his 15th season next year. This year he reached 317 matches (1986-99), finished sixth in the Brownlow and was third in the Blues' club champion award.

COLLINGWOOD
** MARK KINNEAR gained from Sydney in a swap for ANDREW SCHAUBLE has retired before kicking a ball at Victoria Park. The 20-year-old said he cannot cope with the rigours of pre-season training.

** Have an easy week did you?
Try this for size — in preparation for the Millennium Cup match against Carlton on New Year's Eve, Magpie players this week were in a three-day camp at Sorrento. Pre-season is no picnic — they have 17 training session a week – 3 weights. 3 skills, 2 specialist skills, 2 stretching, 2 sprinting and 5 cross-training (boxing, swimming and cycling) — whew!

** JOSH FRASER, the number draft pick is in training and is a strong chance for being selected for his debut in the black-and-white on New Year's Eve at the MCG.

ESSENDON
** Following a full-time camp at Essendon Grammar from January 6 through 16, the Bombers will play one practice match against St Kilda on January 21. Next engagement is the Ansett Australia Cup fixture versus West Coast at Marrara Oval in Darwin on Friday January 28.

FREMANTLE
A welcome report on Freo from subscriber KEN BOOTH —
1. Fremantle has named co-captains for 2000 in ADRIAN FLETCHER and SHAUN McMANUS. No doubt the former because of his exemplary leadership example on-field and the prospect that he can only serve the club for a few more years. The latter, who endured a shocking run of injury with two knee re-constructions, has been in the squad since 1995 and is never short of effort - he may be the long term nominee in the "John Worsfold" mould. He, like all Dockers supporters, will be hoping for a career without further injury.
The vice captain for 2000 is to be JASON NORRISH, a player whose efforts in
1999 and 1998 were out of the box.

2. TONY MODRA has cashed in his two year contract to the end of 2000 for a new one to take him to the end of 2001. Apparently he just loves the Perth lifestyle – especially the beaches and surfing opportunities. It is reported that Adelaide draftee MATTHEW PAVLICH is willing to sign for three years with the Dockers, he's excited at the prospect of playing alongside childhood hero Modra.

3. JOHN DIMMER, coach of 1999 Westar premiers West Perth, has been appointed to a full time assistant coaching role with Fremantle.

4. The Dockers have spent a week in the south-west at Margaret River, with reports of a very successful training camp.

5. After five years without training facilities, building of Clubrooms at Fremantle Oval (home of Westar club South Fremantle) is under way. The project has been the subject of a big fundraising campaign. It is due to open during 2000. Up to now, the Dockers have used primitive facilities in the basement of the Victoria Pavilion, a turn of the century (last century, that is!) wooden grandstand at Fremantle Oval. They do rehab swimming at the heated outdoor Bicton water polo pool. (In the meantime, the WC Eagles are soon to occupy their whizzbang new facilities under the new stand at Subiaco Oval – word has it there is an Olympic size swimming pool in the bowels of the building).

6. It was reported in the Perth weekend press that the expansion of Subiaco Oval is presenting the Dockers with marketing challenges to sell corporate boxes – the need is desperate in relation to the ground rentals they have to pay.

GEELONG
** BARRY RICHARDSON was appointed chairman of selectors on December 1. He has just stepped down from the same role he held with Carlton in 1998-99. The talented Richardson played in three Tiger premiership during 125 matches for Richmond (1965-74) which he coached (1977-78) and was its president in 1985. He also was chairman of Melbourne's match committee when Ron Barassi coached the Demons in the 1980s. He is understood to have been an applicant for the football director's job at Punt Road but instead opted for his role at Kardinia Park

KANGAROOS
** The premiership cup is on its way to Adelaide — it's not a bad taste joke, but it's a great lift for the Kangaroos' staunch Adelaide supporters group when SHANNON GRANT and ADAM SIMPSON accompany the 1999 AFL Cup there on December 12.

MELBOURNE
** The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Bentleigh Club on Wednesday December 22. The Demons have appointed two new directors to the board following the resignations of BILL BALCAM and KEVIN JONES.
PETER HAYES, QC, who conducted Melbourne's internal investigation into its salary cap breaches, has been appointed together with GABRIEL SZONDY, partner of accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, who is ear-marked to be the club's new finance director. However, both new directors will face election at the AGM.

RICHMOND
** The 115th Annual General Meeting of the club will be held at the Palladium Ballroom, Crown Entertainment Complex on Thursday December 16 from 8pm.

ST KILDA
** The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Moorabbin Town Hall on Wednesday January 19.

SYDNEY
** JON ANDERSON reported in The Herald Sun on Tuesday (7th): "Once the Sydney Swans finish their 2000 season, 800 truckloads of turf will be removed in a $2 million remodelling."
It is said, the upgrade of the Sydney Cricket Ground is the biggest-ever revamp of the SCG surface. Did I hear another 15 clubs say — 'bout time ... the SCG is one of the few AFL venues where you can be certain to see a muddy surface after only a small amount of rain.

** RYAN FITZGERALD, the South Adelaide star who is still to play a senior AFL game is progressing well. Following shoulder reconstructions, first the right, then the left, Ryan should be ready to debut when the Swans play Brisbane in the Ansett Australian Cup fixture set for Cazaly Oval in Cairns on Friday January 28.

WEST COAST
** The West Coast Eagles will hold a Celebrity Pony Trot Race, at Gloucester Park, Friday, December 10, Gates open 4.00pm — Free to all WCE members on presentation of WCE membership card (1999 one or 2000 if they have it) — Ben Cousins and seven WCE players will be taking part in the race.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
** The Bulldogs are way ahead of their membership target — more than 8,500 have signed up for 2000. It is great support for the Westerners move to the new Colonial Stadium which the club are earnestly bidding for the venue to become known as "Doglands".

** The Bulldogs are not expected to announce captaincy roles until after Christmas.

They said it ...
JAKE NIALL, The Age, Monday December 6 — Please, for once AFL, heed the call of your core constituents. By all means stop ruckmen thumping the ball out of bounds, but don't let the game become a $25 trip to the pictures. You still produce more worthwhile afternoons than Hollywood.
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PAUL, a Footystats Diary subscriber — You mention St Kilda, regret to say that having been here (in Sydney) for nearly 11 years and now following the Swans with such passion, I don't feel as much for them as I used to. I think it's to do with watching players evolve, seeing boys become men, and besides I'm so tired of seeing the Saints self destruct, and we all know it'll happen again.

Crows post $1.75 million profit
Adelaide may have finished in the lowest position of its nine-season history but it failed to impact on the balance sheet — the Crows posted another $1.75 million profit.

$1.2 million went to the SANFL while the Crows retained a surplus of $546,297.

The revenue for the season climbed to $15,772,102 compared to 1998 of $14,141,698. In nine seasons, the Adelaide club have delivered $9,943,963 to the SANFL.

<> Adelaide a profit of $1.75 million.
<> Carlton should post a profit of almost $200,000.
<> Essendon are expecting to profit $150,214.
<> Geelong will announce they are $912,907 in the red.
<> Hawthorn will announce a profit of $723,000.
<> Melbourne will post a loss of $1,494,645.
<> Port Adelaide have a profit of $301,389.
<> Richmond are expected to profit by $700,000.
<> Sydney may post a $500,000 profit.
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Battle over light towers at Adelaide Oval
A battle is looming over light towers at Adelaide Oval. The $21 million retractable light towers have already cost the SA Cricket Association $7 million and $14 million for the builders Baulderstone Hornibrook — the problem is, they don't work, with one of the four towers collapsing last year, injuring two workers.

Adelaide City Council met on December 14 and voted 5-4 against a proposal to replace the fittings with fixed light towers. The following evening the Council reversed its decision with a vote of 6-2 when Adelaide Lord Mayor JANE LOMAX-SMITH was reported saying: all council members wanted retractable towers but it's clear they'll never work.

Work on the four fixed towers was expected to begin in February, with a completion date by the end of November.

However, an influential Adelaide businessman MR THEO MARAS, sometimes called the city's "development watchdog" is mounting a likely legal challenge by a community group opposed to the fixed towers.
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Daphne to pay $10,000 fine
The Age reported on Wednesday (15th): The AFL and Richmond struck a deal over the Tiger's 1999 salary cap problems that has seen the club fined $10,000 for a breach of players rules — a penalty outgoing president LEON DAPHNE has vowed to pay from his own pocket.

After being fined, Richmond will no longer face investigation for breaches of the salary cap. An AFL investigation found the club in 1999 had exceeded the $4.25 million salary cap by up to $100,000.

CLINTON CASEY replaced Daphne as president of the Richmond club at the AGM held on Thursday (16th). Former North Melbourne player MARK BRAYSHAW was named as the new Tiger CEO replacing the retiring JIM MALONE.

The salary cap for season 2000 will be increased to $4.75 million, when clubs will receive an increased AFL dividend of $500,000.
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Around the clubs
ADELAIDE
** SHAUN REHN has joined the leadership of the club. Shaun has been named as a third vice-captain for the trio who have held leadership for the past three seasons. MARK BICKLEY retains the captaincy, with Rehn joining NIGEL SMART and MARK RICCIUTO in vice-captaincy duties.

** Life memberships have been awarded to inaugural players DAVID PITTMAN, SIMON TREGENZA, MATTHEW LIPTAK and ROD JAMESON. All have now retired from the AFL squad. Current players MARK BICKLEY and NIGEL SMART who are both still playing have also qualified for life membership.

** Yellow numbers on the backs of player guernseys will return in 2000 following complaints from Crow members who suffered difficulties in reading the numbers from a distance. In 1999, the Adelaide numbers were changed to red.

BRISBANE
** BRAD BOYD, the injury-plauged midfielder and former Fitzroy captain confirmed his retirement from AFL football on Friday (17th).
The Age reported: Boyd said he had decided to retire after failing to overcome a serious back injury that had beset him since he joined Brisbane in 1997. He said the injury had been "so bad I couldn't even train" after re-injuring his back in the middle of last season.

CARLTON
** JOHN ELLIOTT has been re-elected as president unopposed for his 18th season. He has held the position since taking over from IAN RICE in 1983. Mr Ellliott is the longest-serving head of the Carlton FC, overtaking the 17 seasons when SIR KENNETH G LUKE held the chair between 1938 until 1955.

All four outgoing board members were re-elected unopposed with KEN HUNTER, PETER KERR and JOHN GURRIERI all returning to the board.

ESSENDON
** The AGM will be held Monday December 20 when Essendon will announce no changes to its board apart from the departure of BRIAN CROWE, who stepped aside as part of the Bomber's streamlining of its committee. Board members ALEC EPIS, BEVERLEY KNIGHT, chairman GRAEME McMAHON, NEIL McKISSOCK, TIM JONAS, NEVILLE GAY and BEN DUNN were all re-elected. FRANK McGUIRE, the brother of Collingwood president EDDIE, failed in his bid to win a position on the Essendon board.

** Following a full-time camp at Essendon Grammar from January 6 through 16, the Bombers will play one practice match against St Kilda on January 21. Next engagement is the Ansett Australia Cup fixture versus West Coast at Marrara Oval in Darwin on Friday January 28.

ST KILDA
** The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Moorabbin Town Hall on Wednesday January 19.

** The Age reported: St Kilda will establish a trust fund for the children of the recently retired NICKY WINMAR and in doing so wants to enlist the help of another former club champion, TONY LOCKETT.
The fund for Winmar's two children, 12-year-old TYNAN and 10-year-old daughter SHAKIRA, would be established with profits from functions and overseen by trustees including a representative from the AFL, Saints chief executive DON HANLEY and Winmar's manager PETER JESS.
Saints' president ANDREW PLYMPTON confirmed the club also planned to honour its two former heroes – who between them played 413 games for St Kilda – at the round one Colonial Stadium debut against Sydney on the Sunday night of Grand Prix weekend, March 12.

WEST COAST
** Subiaco Oval next year will have an electronic scoreboard to the same size of the MCG screen. The new facility will be in place in time for the Ansett Australia Cup match on February 12.

They said it ...
DAVID CARNEY, managing director of Fila, The Age, December 16 — "It's probably no secret that I think the AFL is a pretty second-rate organisation. We try to work with the AFL just as we try to work with the NRL and I can tell you our central dialogue with the NRL is vastly superior.

The commercial reality is that it is quite possible the AFL will destroy its authenticity relationships with all the big manufacturers. Adidas has withdrawn from its licensing arrangement with the AFL, Reeboks's walked away and Nike and Puma have issues as well ... If we are unable to achieve some reasonable solution we'll walk away too".

Pre-Season Draft
Hawks draft Barry Young
Saints take three scalps
In the pre-season draft held in Melbourne on Tuesday December 21st former Richmond and Essendon player BARRY YOUNG was chosen by Hawthorn, but the surprise choices were made by St Kilda who collected the scalps of DAMIEN MONKHORST (Col), FRED CAMPBELL (Syd) and SEAN CHARLES (Mel & Car).

Surprises were not limited to the Saints — Port Adelaide with the eighth pick overall chose injury-prone WADE CHAPMAN who has struggled with groin and hamstring injuries with the Swans for the past three years; another former Sydney player SIMON HAWKING found a new home at Victoria Park — he was second choice by the Pies who took Brisbane's SHANE O'BREE with their first selection.

Eighty-five players either returned to or made their way into the AFL system, 70 of them by way of the Rookie Draft.

The draft selections were:

Round 1
1. Collingwood — SHANE O'BREE (Brisbane)
2. Fremantle — BRAD BOOTSMA (South Fremantle)
3. Melbourne — JAMES COOK (Western Bulldogs)
4. Adelaide — JAMES BYRNE (Glenelg)
5. St Kilda — FRED CAMPBELL (Sydney)
6. Hawthorn — BARRY YOUNG (Essendon)
7. Sydney — BEN FIXTER (NSW-ACT Rams)
8. Port Adelaide — WADE CHAPMAN (Sydney)
9. Western Bulldogs — ANDREW WILLS (Fremantle)

Round 2
10. Collingwood — SIMON HAWKING (Sydney)
11. Melbourne — STEPHEN PITT (Norwood)
12. Adelaide — ANDREW CROWELL (Woodville)
13. St Kilda — DAMIEN MONKHORST (Collingwood)

Round 3
14. Melbourne — SIMON GODFREY (Supp list)
15. St Kilda — SEAN CHARLES (Carlton)

Those who were unable to attract attention were — Andrew Gowers, Peter Somerville, Michael Symons, Jamie Tape, Daniel Healy and Peter Mann.

The final and 70th selection of the Rookie Draft saw Brisbane select HAYDEN KLUVER from the "LA Dodgers". Kluver, a promising rep player for Queensland at Under 15 level hurt a knee three years ago and his quality as a baseballer attracted his $180,000 signing by the Los Angeles Dodgers where he played for two years at minor league level. He once kicked 100 goals in a season for the Sherwood under 15s and at 19 has the urge to return to football.

New AFL finals system
Following extensive research lasting several months the AFL on December 22 announced changes to the Final Eight system devised by Ken McIntyre and used since 1994.

The teams finishing in the top four positions will be guaranteed a double chance in the first week of the finals and will need to win three matches to claim the premiership. The top two teams will have a home state advantage at the AFL determined finals venue.

Teams finishing in positions five to eight will not have a double-chance and will be required to win four successive sudden-death matches to claim the premiership.

The AFL will request the Melbourne Cricket Club to consider and arrangement in which three finals would be played over the three weeks before the Grand Final, as distinct from one game each week for three weeks. (See also "They Said It" below).

The League in a press release expressed the advantages of the new system —

> Simple and readily understood ...
> Provides top four teams with a guaranteed double chance in week one ...
> Matches drawn from each group may be closer matches ...
> All games are live and team's fate not dependent on other matches ...
> Top two teams have home advantage ...
> Teams five and six have home advantage in week one of finals ...

Stab Kicks ...
** SPRINGVALE, current VFL premier will move its home base from Newcommen Road to the now redundant League venue of Waverley Park ...
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** The BRISBANE LIONS have secured one of the biggest sponsorship deals in AFL history. CELLULAR ONE, the mobile phone company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AAPT has signed a deal worth almost $1 million a year for the next three seasons.
__________

** GREG BOULTON was re-elected as president of the Port Adelaide FC for a further three-year term at the AGM held on December 20.
__________

** Seven's footy personality DOUG HAWKINS was recovering after pre-Christmas surgery to repair a heart blockage.
__________

** GREG TRAPPETT will become the new general manager of the Victorian Country Football League on January 31. The 36-year-old Trappett's working background was in finance and banking before taking up the position of CEO of the NTFL in Darwin in 1997.
__________

** NATHAN BUCKLEY signed a new four-year contract with Collingwood. The Pie captain was inked for what was believed is for $2.3 million.

Obituaries
Dennis Jones passes
DENNIS JONES, the man with a unique record as the only coach to have served at senior level in the VFA (Prahran, 1963-64), SANFL (Central Districts, 1968-71), WAFL (West Perth, 1973-74) and VFL (Melbourne, 1978) passed away in Melbourne on December 20, aged 63.

Dennis played 62 matches for Melbourne and was a defender in their 1959 VFL Premiership side.
__________

Swan song composer dies
LYNN LAURENCE who composed the lyrics of "Cheer, cheer the Red-and-the-White" in the early 1960s passed away on December 6 aged 78.

The Herald Sun in its obituary noted that in the 1960s Laurence contacted Notre Dame University in the USA, seeking permission to use the music played for their American football team's theme song for use by the South Melbourne club.

Permission was granted and Mr Laurence wrote the lyrics to "Cheer, cheer" — the song still sung around the nation by fans of the Sydney Swans.

Born in Sydney on June 21 1921 his parents moved to Melbourne when he was two, where he attended Wesley College.

He enjoyed a life-long association with the South Melbourne FC and served on the committee as vice-president during the period he made his lasting contribution with his words to the club song.
__________

Arthur Sanger passes
ARTHUR SANGER, a man instrumental in the formation of the Carlton Past Players Association died on December 3 at the age of 81. Arthur a talented young player with both Daylesford and Castlemaine made his debut with Carlton in 1938 after being signed by Newton Chandler. He was one of the best players in Carlton's 1945 premiership victory over South Melbourne and in all as a fine defender played 117 League games until his retirement in 1947.

He was named in the compilation of Carlton's 100 Best Players. His other sporting achievements included a hat trick in District Cricket, a hole-in-one, and an eight in lawn bowls—the highest possible score on one end.

JANUARY 2000

Carlton & United to run tipping contest
Carlton & United will promote the biggest and most lucrative footy-tipping competition on AFL football this season.

The Sunday Herald Sun announced the ground-breaking venture in an exclusive by ROD NICHOLSON on January 9.

The competition will kick off at 400 venues in Victoria this year, and will expand nationally next year.

The CUB SportsPick football tipping competition will offer –
> Cash prizes worth $400,000
> A $5 season membership card
> Punters will swipe their card in terminals at participating pubs and clubs to place their tips
> Victoria's top tipster will win $50,000 at season's end with weekly prizes including holidays to Queensland.

The concept is endorsed by the Victorian Casino and Gambling Authority. CUB advised the AFL of its competition but has not sought a licensing deal.

CUB will promote Carlton Draught, which represents 97 per cent of Victoria's bulk beer market. The competition is expected to attract 40,000 punters.

Stab Kicks ...
** FREMANTLE have been granted two fixture changes in Perth. To cater for the expected volume of Essendon supporters, the Sunday March 26 contest in Round 3 will now be played at Subiaco Oval.
The Saturday May 20 game in Round 11 versus the Western Bulldogs has been switched to the WACA Oval.
__________

** Three days before the start of the Australian Open tennis, three weeks until the tri-series cricket finals and a sweltering 34 degrees did not stop the Western Bulldogs kicking off their campaign with a fiercely contest intra-club match lasting more than two hours on Friday January 14.
__________

** COLLINGWOOD appointed former Victorian Cricket Association marketing manager DAVID EMERSON as its new marketing manager.
__________

** A dispute over catering at Waverley Park between AVS Catering and the League has brought a damages claim of more than $10 million against the AFL.
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Seven in joint venture creates AFL Films
** AAP reported on January 10 — the Seven Network entered a new joint venture to create a complete film and television library for Australian Football. The partnership with Vuecast Operations will result in the creation of AFL Films, which will have access to the existing film and television libraries of the AFL and Channel Seven.

Seven will take a large stake in Vuecast whose managing director DAVID BARHAM will become executive producer of Friday Night Football, Just Footy and Talking Footy.

Only three days later the Seven Network struck a long-term relationship with General Electric's NBC Internet. Seven's executive chairman KERRY STOKES said *NBCi* would take a significant shareholding in *i7* in the event of it listing on the ASX.

The Age reported Seven will now pay an undisclosed licence fee for access to NBCi's content. Elsewhere it was said that Seven's pay TV arm, C7, wants to deliver an Olympics channel and its AFL channel to Australian pay TV and has asked the Federal Court to force Telstra to open up its broadband cable.
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Gough to replace Lill at MCG
Carlton chief executive STEPHEN GOUGH will replace the retiring DR JOHN LILL as secretary-general of the Melbourne Cricket Club in March. Gough will be only the sixth secretary of the MCC since 1880.

Gough has been with Carlton for 18 years and became CEO of the Blues in 1993 replacing IAN COLLINS who became AFL operations manager.

The important post for the 46-year-old Gough comes at a time when the MCC as landlord of the Melbourne Cricket Ground face competition to maintain the rank of number one sporting venue in Melbourne from the new $460 million high-tech Docklands facility.

A lifelong Carlton fan and a member of the club's board and finance committee since 1995 was chosen to replace Stephen Gough, JOHN GURRIERI, a 50-year-old father of two will start on February 21st. Gurrieri recently resigned as CEO of South Pacific Tyres and from an industry where he had 30 years experience.

Unions delay Colonial Stadium
February 29 opening in doubt
Workers at the $460 million Docklands project on January 13 won a longstanding campaign for a 36-hour week, but the deadline of February 29 remains in jeopardy.

The Age reported the Electrical Trade Union won a deal with the major contractors to secure a 36-hour working week with a maximum of 10 hours' overtime a week. But the win came too late for striking workers to return to work before next Tuesday, adding pressure for it to be ready for the opening of the AFL season on March 9.

The sporting complex – which had its deadline extended by four weeks to February 29 – has suffered a series of unexpected delays, including 13 working days lost since November due to industrial action.

The first turf was laid out by StrathAyr Turf Systems on Tuesday (11th). BILL CASIMATY, managing director of StrathAyr said: "The rest of the two-hectare playing ground would have full established squares of turf laid in late February."

A spokesman for the stadium's builder, Baulderstone Hornibrook, said that if the project had the cooperation of unions, he was still hopeful it could be finished by March 9. Unions other than the ETU have yet to call off planned industrial action.

Two early Ansett Cup matches have already been moved from Colonial Stadium and will be played at Waverley Park.
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2000 draw revised: 16 changes
The League announced dramatic changes to the 2000 premiership season draw on January 20. Sixteen fixtures were altered.

Concluding a financial compensation package with the Carlton club enabled the AFL to move all non-Carlton matches to the new Docklands Stadium where 48 matches will be played this year, compared to 41 at the MCG.

A new seven-year agreement with the ground manager the Carlton Cricket and Football Social Club, eliminates the requirement to play a minimum of 16 games a season at Carlton until 2007. Only Carlton will play home games at Princes Park until the end of the 2006 season. The League stressed the Blues were under no pressure to leave the ground

Carlton's undisclosed compensation payout amounting to several millions of dollars will be split between Stadium Operations Limited, owners of Docklands, the AFL and the clubs.

The Age reported: "While details of the deal are confidential, it is believed likely that the cash injection will be used to accelerate the repayment of Carlton's debt of more than $10 million, most of which is owed on the Legend Stand."
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Around the clubs
** BRISBANE have been assured that the latest in soil technology will be used as the new surface is installed at the Gabba. The new grass will be used when the Lions play their first home match on Saturday night April 8 against Adelaide.

** After showing promising form in intra-club practice matches, Essendon's JAMES HIRD is tipped for a place in the squad to meet West Coast in the Ansett Cup match at Marrara Oval in Darwin on Friday January 28.

** Essendon's STEVEN ALESSIO lodged a writ with the County Court on January 14 over foot stress fractures he suffered early in the 1998 season. Alessio alleges the injuries occurred in the same Ansett Cup match against North when teammate JOE MISITI suffered a broken jaw. Misiti successfully sued the AFL and Melbourne Cricket Club.

** You can buy a Footy Paver on the Premiership Walk from The Port Club to the new Allan Scott Power Headquarters.

** Expect a big lift in membership as the smell of the leather gets stronger in Tigerland — last count showing was 10,493 members.

** The 2000 Foxtel Family Day for St Kilda is on Sunday March 5 ...

** The Swannies Big BBQ is set down for Sunday February 20 at Randwick Racecourse, with the first snag set to sizzle at 12 noon.

For Melbourne-based Swans supporters, make a date on Sunday February 6 at North Port Oval (TEAC Oval), Williamstown Rd, Port Melbourne — Time: 12:00 noon to 4:00pm when many of the senior Swans players will be flying in.

** The Bulldogs will unveil a new-generation website including audio and video on February 1st.

** DANIEL SOUTHERN is a likely starter at full-forward when the season gets under way. His form in practice has pleased coach TERRY WALLACE.
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More knee surgery for Paul Kelly?
Sydney were shocked by the announcement on January 24 that inspirational captain PAUL KELLY may miss all of season 2000.

The left kneecap which Kelly fractured in the 4th Qualifying Final at the MCG against Essendon on Sunday September 5 was found to be still fractured and may require further surgery.

The 1995 Brownlow Medal winner and four-time club champion had been running and training with the Sydney squad but was overcome with pain on Friday (21). Examination found the fracture had re-opened.

AAP reported on January 25 that an ultrasound (Exogen) machine hired from the United States at a cost of $5000 which promotes blood flow through low intensity pulsed ultrasound waves may save further surgery. Use in the United States had achieved a high success rate with Kelly quoted: "It hasn't been tried that much on the patellas (kneecaps), they've only done seven but of the seven people they used it on, they were all successful".

A decision on further surgery will not be made until mid-March.

In the absence of Kelly, ANDREW DUNKLEY will be captain.

In other news from the Sydney camp — the Swans have signed Optus to a three-year sponsorship deal worth almost $1 million. Players will wear the Optus logo of the leading telecommunications company on their shorts for the next three years beginning with the Ansett Cup clash against Brisbane at Cazaly Oval in Cairns on Friday night (28th).

Stab Kicks ...
** The AFL found agreements are worthless, when told by Sydney radio station 2GB to "sue us if you're not happy then"... (The Australian, January 25). 2GB had in January 1999 committed itself to broadcast AFL Sydney Swans matches both interstate and from the SCG  "for a period of three years". The agreement less than 12 months old was torn up when 2GB in November were awarded exclusive commercial broadcasting rights to call NRL Rugby League matches in 2000.
AFL legal action is not out of the question.
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** AFL radio listeners in Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Darwin will suffer a substantially reduced cover again in 2000. It is understood that ABC's NewsRadio will not cover AFL afternoon matches beyond five o'clock (Eastern Time), leaving listeners out in the dark for late-finishing games from Perth.
It is a frustrating situation for the League in their efforts to expand the code in "foreign" parts, and could well bring people to share the opinion, that it is a conspiracy by those who support Rugby League.
The AFL may seek to find alternatives via the Internet, but without direct TV cover, you can never beat live radio broadcasts.

Stab Kicks ...
** Essendon during their visit to Darwin where they play their Ansett Cup fixture against West Coast on Friday night (28th) will visit Nguiu on Bathurst Island, and Millikapiti and Garden Point on Melville Island. Bomber captain MICHAEL LONG will head a group of players who will talk with young people about their life experience and where they are heading.
ABC News noted: The visit comes in the wake of 13 recent deaths of young Tiwi people, the majority self inflicted, which the Northern Territory's Coroner has linked to alcohol and cannabis abuse.
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** Sydney have decided to retire TONY LOCKETT's No.4 guernsey for the year 2000.
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** Feast or a famine department — while some parts of Australia are begging for more radio broadcasts of AFL footy during the season, Radio 5AA in Adelaide will continue its cover of Ansett Cup matches. The League permits live radio cover provided the game is also being shown live on the Seven Network. The Port-Collingwood on Saturday night and Adelaide-Melbourne game on Sunday night will both be broadcast on 5AA this weekend.
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** Chances are that the Fremantle Dockers will face more competition comes with the news that Rugby Union will enter a Super 12 club from Perth in their draw for 2001 – it also raises the question, will or when will Rugby League re-enter the field?
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** Carlton's MURRAY VANCE had a plate inserted inserted in his broken jaw on Monday (Jan 31). Vance received the injury following a clash with Fremantle's CLIVE WATERHOUSE in the last quarter on Saturday night at Waverley — Vance is expected to miss four to five weeks.
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** Star Tiger forward MATTHEW RICHARDSON had surgery Monday (Jan 31) to repair torn ligaments in his left thumb resulting from a fall in a marking contest against the Kangaroos on Friday night. The 24-year-old had a similar injury in 1998 and this time will be out for a month and may even miss Richmond's first round engagement.
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** For the record — a Melbourne newspaper inadvertently confused dates when in a feature on Saturday January 29 they reviewed the demise of Waverley Park.

The first match was played at Waverley on Saturday April 18 1970 when in the third round of games, 27,557 watched Fitzroy 7.11-53 lose to Geelong 17.12-114. Adult admission that day was 90 cents, the Footy Record was 10 cents and it cost just 30 cents to park the car. SHANE MOLLOY for Fitzroy kicked the first goal at the venue in the Reserves for Fitzroy, while DOUG WADE for Geelong was the first to kick a goal in the senior game.

The 1970 season opened with five matches on Saturday April 4. The following day the first VFL Sunday match was played at the MCG in the presence of The Queen and HRH Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Fitzroy 16.20-116 defeated the reigning premiers Richmond 14.12-96. The attendance was 38,617.

Ansett Australia Cup
WEEK ONE – Fri-Sat-Sun, January 28-29-30.
FROM THE ROUND
<> West Coast and Essendon played the 500th night series match on Friday night at Marrara Oval, Darwin.
The first night series game was played at the Lake Oval, Albert Park on Thursday, August 23, 1956 when South Melbourne 13.15-93 downed St Kilda 10.13-73.
<> Richmond were held scoreless by the Kangaroos in the first term. The Tigers were the most immediate to be scoreless at the opening in an Ansett Cup fixture — they were against Port Adelaide in the Quarter Final last February at Football Park. It was seven years before since this had occurred in an opening quarter of the night series since Fitzroy 2.3-15 held Sydney pointless, 92-QF-P.

<> STEPHEN RODGERS noted DANNY FRAWLEY was the first coach in a senior debut to be held pointless since GRAHAM CAMPBELL’S Fitzroy lost to Carlton, 74-R20-PP.

<||> The vision of BRUCE ANDREW was realised when AFL football was played in Cairns. Andrew, a player in Collingwood's 1930 premiership, when secretary of the Australian National Football Council purchased swamp land in the early 1950s which became Cazaly's Oval and accommodated 8,000 on Friday night to see the Ansett Cup match between Brisbane and Sydney.

In steamy conditions on a beautiful surface, the Sydney Swans proved there will be life without Plugger when they convincingly downed the Lions. Leading by 49pts mid-way in the third quarter, a flurry of late goals brought a respectable margin of loss for the Brisbane side. The Harboursiders played fast-moving, attacking football down the corridor with MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN, ADAM GOODES and ROBBIE AHMAT a lively trio in a committed squad, too good for the Lions.
SYDNEY 17.10-112 (Goodes 4, O’Loughlin 3) best, O’Loughlin, Goodes, AhMat, BRISBANE 13.6-84 (Bradshaw 3) best, Molloy, Hart, Bradshaw.

<||> It was a horror senior initiation for Tiger coach DANNY FRAWLEY when his team was pointless in the first quarter against the Kangaroos at Waverley on a fine Friday night. In what turned out to be a ding-dong go by both squads, the Tigers hit the front for the first time 12 minutes into the last quarter.

The Roos however were the steadier and took the match by 11pts. The greater number of worries from the match was injuries. MATTHEW RICHARDSON had surgery following a thumb injury and may miss as much as a month ... in the Roo camp, COREY McKERNAN suffered back spasms while MATTHEW CAPUANO sustained a strained groin and may miss the next three weeks. Richmond gave good signs, but even in January, the Kangaroos are still a gutsy, give-it-all combination.
KANGAROOS 10.16-76 (Carey 3) best, King, Carey, Grant, RICHMOND 9.11-65 (Gale 4, Daffy 3) best, Daffy, Campbell, Hilton. Crowd: 16,512.

<||> Essendon on their seventh visit to the top end faced West Coast under clear skies but on an oppressive Darwin evening — 13,600 avid locals attended.
With players rotated off the eight-man interchange bench the key playmakers for Essendon were captain MICHAEL LONG who kicked the match-sealing goal; MATTHEW LLOYD with four goals and JOHN BARNES close to best afield on his return to the Essendon colours. West Coast have a lengthy list of stars on the sidelines and new coach KEN JUDGE said he expected he would continue to experiment when he meets his own side Hawthorn. A noticeable lift to the Eagles forward line was Judge's use of DAVID WIRRPUNDA as a goal kicking option.
ESSENDON 11.12-78 (Lloyd 4) best, Misiti, McAlister, Barnes, WEST COAST 8.10-58 (Wirrpunda 3) best, Wirrpunda, Banfield, White.

<||> Around 15,000 were at the recently completed Westpac Stadium in Wellington for the late Saturday afternoon contest which was played in wet conditions.

The Western Bulldogs finished strongly and posted a well-deserved 47pt win over the haphazard Hawks. Hawthorn always promised to score but they wasted almost every opportunity and struggled to kick four goals for the match. The experiment however was a positive result and may lead to more matches being played in Wellington.
BULLDOGS 13.7-85 (Johnson 3) best, Johnson, Darcy, Alvey, HAWTHORN 4.14-38, best Harford, McCabe, Barlow.

<||> Port and Collingwood at Football Park fought out a tight affair in good conditions on Saturday night. The Power lasted long enough to take a nine-point victory over a determined Collingwood side who will be encouraged that their revival cannot be far away.

Port enjoyed the return of two long-term injured players MATTHEW PRIMUS and DANNY MORTON, while recruit BRETT MONTGOMERY also gave promise. Although GAVIN WANGANEEN left the game with a leg injury in the third term, the match-up against rival captain NATHAN BUCKLEY was the match highlight. The Woods will have strong hopes for 1999 draft pick LEON DAVIS. The 17-year-old winger from Perth displayed super pace and many skills.
PORT 13.12-90, best, Bode, James, Kingsley, COLLINGWOOD 12.9-81 (Buckley 3) best, Buckley, Michael, Licuria. Crowd: 10,545.

<||> Carlton continued their surprising Ansett Cup form with an 84pt thumping of Fremantle on Saturday night at Waverley. Conditions were fine though some rain fell late in the match.

The road ahead continues to look bleak for the Dockers who were miles behind the Blues for class. This was emphasised when Carlton kicked the first eight goals of the second half when the margin blew out from 18 to 68 points. The Blues tried a new forward line look featuring Silvagni, O'Reilly, Whitnall (who took almost a dozen marks) and Fevola — he was well held and goaled only once as a follow-up to his dozen on New Year's Eve.
CARLTON 22.14-146 (Hamill 4, Allan 3) best, Koutoufides, Camporeale, Hickmott, FREMANTLE 9.8-62, best, Sinclair, Fletcher, T.Longmuir. Crowd: 5,692.

<||> JAMES COOK playing with his third League club had a great debut for Melbourne against Adelaide at Football Park in firm conditions on Sunday night. Marking strongly, Cook kicked long and accurately for six goals.
The Demons were under the hammer when Adelaide stretched their lead to more than five goals early in the second but Melbourne took charge and were never head again. Yze, Robertson, Woewodin and Leoncelli were the first-up stars for the Redlegs. Former Roo SCOTT WELSH playing his first for the Crows kicked five goals from full forward while the veteran DARREN JARMAN was in fine early touch.
MELBOURNE 19.11-125 (Cook 6, Schwarz 3, Powell 3) best, Powell, Cook, Leoncelli, ADELAIDE 17.5-107 (Welsh 5, Jarman 3) best, Welsh Jarman, James. Crowd: 12,239.

<||> Both Geelong and St Kilda were without several stars on a crisp Sunday night at Waverley — the Cats missed Hocking, Kilpatrick, Stoneham and Lynch while the Saints were without Harvey, Everitt, Loewe and Shane Wakelin. Geelong kicked nine behinds before their first goal 10 minutes into the second term. The contest then settled into frequent lead changes and went right down to the wire with the Saints getting home by four points.

Geelong's captain-in-waiting BEN GRAHAM played at full forward and kicked five for the night. Also under notice was newcomer DAVID SPRIGGS who did well from the forward pocket. LENNY HAYES  and GAVIN MITCHELL were regularly at the forefront for the Saints, who would also have been encouraged by CAYDN BEETHAM, their number one 1999 draft selection.
ST KILDA 11.12-78 (Mitchell 3) best, Burke, Delaney, D.Wakelin, GEELONG 10.14-74 (Graham 5) best, Graham, Arnott, Houlihan. Crowd: 7,394.

FEBRUARY 2000

Stab Kicks ...
** CHRIS LEWIS (WCE) who spent all of the 1999 season on the sidelines may return against Hawthorn on Sunday night (6th). The 212-match veteran and the remaining survivor from the 1987 Eagles squad has been training solidly.
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** The Age reported on Tuesday (2nd) that a Brisbane Lions player is being investigated over an alleged rape in London.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said detectives from Paddington police station in London were investigating a complaint from a Brisbane woman in her early 20s.
A number of Lions players travelled to London in October on an end-of-season trip to the Rugby World Cup.
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** Following two Ansett Cup matches, Manuka Oval in Canberra will be out of operation until the end of the year. A $10 million upgrade of facilities and added seating will take place as further AFL games, even premiership matches, are expected to be played at Manuka starting in 2001.
Sydney play the Kangaroos on Saturday and the Swans will return the following weekend when they meet Richmond on February 12. Both matches are timed to start at 4.30pm.
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** Membership fees showed a sharp increase for the 2000 season with Collingwood rising from from $98 to $115 or 17.3 per cent. Carlton's rose by 5.9 per cent, from $102 to $108.
However, the Victorian clubs are a long way behind what they pay in Perth where West Coast and Fremantle are paying up to 44 per cent more than their Melbourne counterparts. The cheapest 11-game ticket for the Dockers and the Eagles is $156.
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** Port Adelaide won their appeal to the League to have their Saturday February 5 Ansett Cup match against Fremantle switched from the WACA Oval to Subiaco. However, the WA Cricket Association may seek a legal challenge against the AFL. They say it has nothing to do over the hard surface of the WACA but is centered on a beer war between Lion Nathan, which owns WA's Swan Brewery and Carlton United.
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Ansett Australia Cup
WEEK TWO – Fri-Sat-Sun, February 4-5-6.
FROM THE ROUND
<> West Coast were goalless at three-quarter time on Sunday night versus Hawthorn.
A scan of the 512 matches played in the night series competition (1956-71 & 1977-2000) show it is the only occasion a team has been goalless at three-quarter time.
The lowest score at three-quarter time by any club in a night series match was Sydney 1.2-8 v Collingwood 11.14-80 in the 1985-1R-P match. The Pies went on to win 15.15-105 to the Swans 3.5-23.

<||> The Friday night opener at Waverley started in stifling 36-degree heat yet the small crowd of 11,391 were rewarded with a high-skilled contest. An eight-man interchange bench was used. The Bombers opened at a furious pace, the Bulldogs matched them in the second when the tempo did not slacken and took a narrow half-time lead.

Both found it hard to score in the third term when DEAN RIOLI (E) after kicking his fourth goal left with a corked hip. In spite of the absence of the injured key forward MATTHEW LLOYD, and when it was still 33.8 degrees, Essendon unleashed a last quarter burst of 8.3 (Ramanauskas, McGrath, Caracella, Johnson, Barnard, Mercuri, Jacobs, Misiti, each kicked one goal) to easily clinch the contest by 33 points.
ESSENDON 17.12-114 (Rioli 4) best, Rioli, J.Johnson, Mercuri, BULLDOGS 10.21-81 (Kolyniuk 3) best, S.Cox, Eagleton, Hunter.

<||> It was a warm, windswept Saturday afternoon at North Hobart Oval when ALASTAIR LYNCH who has battled chronic fatigue syndrome in recent years steered the Brisbane Lions to a comfortable 17 point win over Richmond.

Although playing only half a game, Lynch contributed five goals. It was a close affair until the Lions took charge in the last quarter. Overall it was the Lions' running players who did the damage with CHRIS SCOTT, SIMON BLACK, SHAUN HART and LUKE POWER prominent. Richmond noticeably lacked disposal skills and was guilty of many costly turnovers.
BRISBANE 15.9-99 (Lynch 5, Power 3), best, Scott, Black, Lynch, RICHMOND 11.16-82 (Holland 3) best, Campbell, Bowden, Daffy.

<||> A late Saturday afternoon start at Manuka Oval did not mask a Canberra temperature in the mid-30s—many players wore zinc cream on their faces. Kangaroo captain WAYNE CAREY was explosive, treating the 9,854 fans to a great display, by kicking six of the Roos' first seven goals and finishing with 8.1 for the match.

Sydney started in a fashion similar to the way they had beaten the Lions in Cairns the previous week, spreading the goals around and threatening a boilover against the favourites. However, the Kangas led by Carey controlled the third term by kicking seven goals to one. Though the Swans fought back in the last quarter, the Roos were clearly the better side.
KANGAROOS 17.10-112 (Carey 8.1) best, Carey, Abraham, Grant, SYDNEY 13.11-89, best, Schwass, Goodes, Ball.

<||> The young talent of Fremantle ran out nine-point winners over Port Adelaide in warm conditions on Saturday night at Subiaco Oval. The Dockers with up to 11 seniors injured called up many recruits who did the job with solid performances. PAUL HASLEBY an 18-year-old from East Fremantle booked a berth in the opening premiership round with a top display out of the centre.

BRAYDEN LYLE and PETER BURGOYNE were a solid duo for the Power, who suffered injuries to re-appointed captain GAVIN WANGANEEN as well as SHANE BOND.
FREMANTLE 10.18-78 best, Hasleby, Koops, Sinclair, PORT 10.9-69 best, Lyle, Bode, Burgoyne. Crowd: about 7,000.

<||> Melbourne gave promise their horror patch is behind them when ran in a 26pt victory over an under-manned St Kilda on Saturday night in firm though windy conditions at Waverley Park. Absent from the Saints were Loewe, Harvey, Hall, Everitt and Jones. Melbourne's JEFF FARMER with his tradesman-like leap, together with a good showing by rookie BRAD GREEN (North Launceston) were the boost the Demons would have been looking for.

Captain-in-waiting DAVID NEITZ had a fine game at centre half-back for Melbourne while CHAD DAVIS, the 18-year-old son of 1966 premiership player ALAN, gave a potent performance for the Saints and finished with three goals for the night.
MELBOURNE 13.14-92 (Chisholm 3, Farmer 3), best, Neitz, Woewodin, Farmer, ST KILDA 9.12-66 (Davis 3) best, Monkhorst, A.Thompson, Davis. Crowd: 10.533.

<||> Geelong looked great early but was overhauled by big Adelaide efforts in the second and final quarters in the match on Sunday night played in good but often windy conditions at Football Park.

The Crows were rampant with the breeze in the second term kicking 6.2 to one behind when the veteran DARREN JARMAN displayed fine early-season form—he finished with four goals. AAP reported that Geelong can take solace from the bright showing from young midfielder DANNY O'BRIEN while experienced players Riccardi, Milburn, Graham and Burns were in top touch for the Cats. Young Adelaide ruckman RHETT BIGLANDS, originally from Woodville-West Torrens, had a big one for the Crows.
ADELAIDE 19.10-124 (Jarman 4, Welsh 3, Johnson 3, Vardy 3) best, Jarman, Ricciuto, Johnson, GEELONG 15.12-102 (Graham 3), best, Riccardi, Milburn, King. Crowd: 11,326.

<||> Hawthorn were clearly the dominant force in Sunday night's cakewalk over the Eagles in clear conditions at Waverley Park—at one stage the Hawks led by 84pts. West Coast were goalless until the three-minute mark of the last quarter.
Hawthorn's match winners were SHANE CRAWFORD (6 goals) and the forward line duo of NATHAN THOMPSON (13 marks) and MARK GRAHAM. It was a horror return by KEN JUDGE who also failed with the move in attack of GLEN JAKOVICH—he failed to goal and was one of several players reported in a fiery contest.
HAWTHORN 17.14-116 (Crawford 6, Graham 3) best, Thompson, Barlow, Crawford, WEST COAST 5.10-40 (Cummings 3) best, Jakovich, Read, Bellotti.
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They said it …
JOHN ELLIOTT, Carlton president, Herald Sun, Friday February 4 – "… the compensation deal for moving games from Optus Oval was a great result for Carlton. "It was very important for us and it helped the AFL," he said.
"It's not impacting on Carlton supporters and if we had not done it, the AFL could have put the worst games at Optus and that wouldn't have been in our best interest."
He said the club would earn "a bit less" than $2 million a year for seven years from the deal."

Docklands still in doubt for start
Have we seen the last of Waverley?
Continuing industrial action at the $460 million Docklands Stadium places a cloud on whether the venue will be ready for the opening round of the AFL 2000 season.

The builders, Baulderstone Hornibrook on Monday (7th) conceded early League matches were under threat when they announced a mid-February handover date had been forced back by a further two weeks, to March 2nd.

Essendon have presented the suggestion that their opening round match against Port Adelaide be switched to Football Park which is vacant on Thursday March 9. Docklands has no football scheduled on June 24 when in Round 16 the Bombers were to meet Port under lights in Adelaide.

The season will open at the MCG on Wednesday night March 8 when Richmond play Melbourne, with the Kangaroos-West Coast (Friday night) and Hawthorn-Collingwood (Sunday afternoon) matches also rostered for the G.

Two matches are scheduled for Docklands in the opening round —
Essendon v Port Adelaide, Thursday night, March 10
St Kilda v Sydney, Sunday night, March 12

The Age reported: Although the League was still presenting an optimistic front yesterday, sources from within were flagging the possibility of Waverley Park being used in conjunction with the MCG, if necessary, to help carry the opening-round load.
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Stab Kicks …
** GAVIN WANGANEEN retains the captaincy of PORT ADELAIDE for a fourth season — DARREN MEAD, MATTHEW PRIMUS and WARREN TREDREA will be vice-captains of the Power.
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** Melbourne's CHANNEL TEN reported that The City of Geelong will act as guarantor for the Cats in a refinancing deal with BENDIGO FINANCE. It is understood that it will wipe 30% from Geelong's $7.5 million debt.
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** The Laws Committee of the AFL have ratified a simplified rule on "charging". The rule has been under attack for some time. MARK STEVENS in the Herald Sun observed: the current Rule 16.9.6 says intentionally, recklessly, carelessly, or negligently charging another person is a reportable offence, but offers no detailed definition of "charging".

The new definition is expected to be tabled to the AFL Commission on March 2 and be enforced from the start of the season on March 8.
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** SYDNEY and the KANGAROOS in separate efforts to improve membership and support from Canberra and the ACT announced strategic alliances with local clubs.

The Swans have joined with the Southern Cross (Social) Club and the Queanbeyan FC.

The Kangaroos have struck a similar deal with the Ainslie FC who will undergo a name change to the Ainslie Kangaroos. Ainslie who play in St Kilda colours, is considering changing their strip in 2001.
__________

** The entry of a combined Northern Territory team to the SANFL moved closer with discussions in Adelaide on Saturday (5th). Funding is the key issue with the NT government under pressure not to be viewed as a major benefactor at the expense of other Territory sports. The SANFL has committed $200,000 and the AFL $150,000 annually. The SANFL have agreed to a three-year trial for a NT team to be added from next season provided there was no financial risk to SANFL clubs.
Norwood will play a Northern Territory League combined squad in Darwin on Saturday.

First offenders can pay fine
Players now can choose to be fined for a first-time offence and will not be required to appear before the AFL Tribunal. Several have chosen to do already during the Ansett Cup series.
All member clubs were advised of the range and scale of penalties on Friday (11th). Players who are charged on a first offence, plead guilty and accept an automatic fine will still be eligible for the Brownlow Medal.
The procedure will be reviewed at the end of the season.
Penalties and offences —

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Ansett Australia Cup
WEEK THREE – Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon, February 11-12-13-14.
FROM THE ROUND
<> The Ansett Cup game between Geelong and Melbourne scheduled to be played on Sunday afternoon starting at 4.30pm was postponed until Monday night after a burst water main flooded a large section of Kardinia Park.
The wing on the members' stand side of the ground was waterlogged after an underground pipe burst on Sunday morning. Ground staff had been working furiously to remove the excess water from the surface.
AFL operations manager Ian Collins inspected the surface and late on Sunday afternoon transferred the game to Waverley Park, with a Monday night kick-off at 7.10pm. This followed a vote taken by Melbourne players that the match on Sunday would not proceed.

<||> The Friday night contest was started in good 15-degree conditions at Waverley following some rain during the day — the attendance was sparse.

ROHAN CONNOLLY in The Age reported: The Kangaroos produced a stunning finish to beat the Brisbane Lions by six points. The Lions led all evening and by as much as 25pts late in the third quarter, but, after a typically gritty fightback, the Roos hit the front for the first time with a goal to SHANNON GRANT just over a minute from siren time. It was cruel finish for the Lions, who must have felt a sense of deja-vu after having lost their last home-and-away meeting to the Roos at the MCG last year in similar circumstances.
KANGAROOS 11.8-74 (Carey 4, Abraham 3) best, King, Carey, Abraham, BRISBANE 10.8-68 (Lawrence 5) best, M.Voss, Lawrence, Black, crowd: 5,000.

<||> Manuka Oval in Canberra was a warm 29 degrees for both players and the 8714 fans. Sydney displayed some promise but Richmond struggled for rhythm in the hot conditions and neither side could possibly have been content with their displays.

It was scrappy throughout with CRAIG O'BRIEN showing early-season promise for the Swans while at the other end BRAD OTTENS booted four goals for the Tigers. WAYNE SCHWASS was active for Sydney-with 28 disposals, 19 kicks, nine handballs.
SYDNEY 12.14-86 (O’Brien 3) best, Schwass, D.McPherson, Stafford, RICHMOND 11.10-76 (Ottens 4) best, Ottens, Rogers, Daffy.

<||> Injuries, reports and a defeat made it a dismal Saturday night for Carlton at Football Park in front of 11,130 patrons—it was a good night and both sides used a firm breeze. Port got the laurels with a four-point win.

It was a rough, tough opening, certainly much more so than in most Cup matches with ALAN SHIELL noting for The Age — Carlton ruckman MATTHEW ALLAN and Port big man BRENDON LADE took an instant dislike to each other, as did Power ruckman MATTHEW PRIMUS and Carlton strongman AARON HAMILL. With a semi-final Cup berth secure, coach DAVID PARKIN took a back-seat, allowing WAYNE BRITTAIN to coach the match.

A groin strain sustained by STEPHEN SILVAGNI could keep him out of the Blues' line-up for up to four weeks.
PORT 12.8-80 (Brosnan 3, Tredrea 3) best, M.Stevens, Murray, James, CARLTON 11.10-76 (Hamill 5) best, Hamill, Camporeale, O’Reilly.

<||> Collingwood gained its first win of the Ansett series when they demoralised Fremantle by 63pts on Saturday night at Waverley—conditions were good. The Dockers were never in the hunt and wilted after their early playmaker TODY MODRA came down with an ankle injury after half time.

EMMA QUAYLE reported in The Age — 20-year-old forward BRENT TUCKEY (Col) was given control of the forward line and by the end had kicked double the Dockers' score ... in the middle, recruit LEON DAVIS (Col) did what he liked, in tandem with new half-backs SHANE O'BREE and ANDREW UKOVIC ... such was the Pies' dominance that even NATHAN BUCKLEY didn't need to do much.
COLLINGWOOD 13.14-92 (Tuckey 6) best, Burns, Tuckey, Richardson, FREMANTLE 3.11-29 best, Parker, Bandy, Holland.

<||> Coach KEN JUDGE finally got something to smile about when his Eagles blitzed the Bulldogs in fine conditions at Subiaco on Saturday night. The new forward structure worked better and though GLENN JAKOVICH kicked only one goal, he had a hand in several others.

The eight goal opening by West Coast steered them home, though TERRY WALLACE's charges did close the gap in the final quarter. However, the Eagles responded with the next four goals to ensure the final margin was an accurate reflection of events. The win was spearheaded by midfielder DEAN KEMP, half-forward MITCHELL WHITE and a solid contribution from SCOTT CUMMINGS.
WEST COAST 19.15-129 (White 4, Embley 3) best, Kemp, Wirrpunda, Bellotti, BULLDOGS 12.10-82 (Johnson 5) best, Johnson, Plunkett.

<||> The postponed Sunday match drew a meagre 4952 on a good Monday night at Waverley which brought Geelong's first win for new coach MARK THOMPSON. It was 26 degrees at the start and the Demons were hot—DAVID SCHWARZ and JEFF FARMER clicked for the D's with David kicking four goals in the opening quarter.

However, the Cats took control during the second term and never let Melbourne back. The tenacious Demons clawed their way to within five points at three-quarter-time. Overall, it was a seesawing struggle but Geelong proved the stronger, or were Melbourne wisely saving themselves for the task ahead in the Cup semi-final against Essendon only five days away.
GEELONG 17.12-114 (Burns 3) best, Sholl, Hocking, Arnott, MELBOURNE 11.16-82 (Schwarz 4, Farmer 3) best, Schwarz, Wodewodin, Rigoni.

<||> Spurred on by a parochial crowd of 13,086 in good conditions at Football Park on Sunday night, Adelaide just failed to deny St Kilda with almost the last kick of the night—the Sainters scraped home by seven points, sealed with goal from NATHAN BURKE.

PETER EVERITT marked strongly for St Kilda and playing a mainly close-to-goal forward role kicked five goals, four of them in a match-winning third term onslaught of 9.3 to 1.1. Roo premiership forward SCOTT WELSH again shone for Adelaide with six goals. Both sides were down on personnel but the Crows suffered the most when DARREN JARMAN limped off early in the first term with a bruised hip after a mid-air collision with St Kilda's MATTHEW CARR.
ST KILDA 15.12-102 (Everitt 5, Mitchell 4) best, Everitt, Hayes, Burke, ADELAIDE 14.11-95 (Welsh 6, McGregor 3) best, Welsh, K.Johnson. B.James.

<||> Essendon dominated the first and last quarters to win by 49pts on a fine Sunday night at Waverley, but the middle stretch of play was a different matter. Hawthorn proved to be a determined force mid-game. The third quarter was one of the best played so far this season with 13 goals kicked, six by the Hawks, seven by the Dons.

Hawthorn within 13pts at the last change missed two crucial opportunities and then Essendon put on the show—four quick goals (Johnson, Lloyd, Long, Caracella) and the margin continued to blow out to the end. MATTHEW LLOYD's six goals for the Bombers was a telling factor.
ESSENDON 19.11-125 (Lloyd 6, Rioli 3) best, J.Johnson, Caracella, Misiti, HAWTHORN 10.16-76 (N.Thompson 3) best, Barlow, Graham, Chick.

Crackdown on club cameras
The AFL copyright to all League matches will extend to clubs filming games for coaching purposes. Most clubs have been filming specific passages of play to add to their video resources — some passages have been used as evidence in Tribunal hearings.
Football operations manager IAN COLLINS was quoted: "They have done it in the past, but they can't do it any more."
__________

Cyberwar looms
A battle of a new form commenced on Tuesday (15th) when several AFL clubs indicated they were planning to show matches on their web sites. The League however are adamant the clubs do not have rights to the images.
Carlton, Collingwood, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs all launched updated web sites on Tuesday.
Fairfax Business web pages reported Tuesday (15th): The listed Web-development company MultiEmedia is moving into the sports webcasting business by taking a 23 per cent stake in Sportsview.com.au, a company involving Mr Steve Vizard and Mr Eddie McGuire. Sportsview has the Internet rights to four AFL clubs.
MultiEmedia, 5 per cent owned by a co-founder of Microsoft, Mr Paul Allen, listed in May as an Intranet and website development company. It has not revealed the price paid for the Sportsview equity.
But together the companies hope to create Australia's leading sportscasting Internet business, and already have their sights set on the AFL's Internet rights and the international market.
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They said it …
JOHN ELLIOTT, Carlton president, quoted in The Age, Wednesday, February 15 — "… "It's much better that clubs develop their sites because we know what our members want because we're interacting with them, rather than the AFL which is remote and really doesn't know what a Carlton supporter wants.''
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Docklands will be ready!
The general manager of the Colonial Stadium at Docklands MARTIN MOWLAM on Wednesday (16th) declared the AFL matches and Barbra Streisand concerts are expected to go ahead as planned.

The Herald Sun reported Mowlam predicted the stadium would be ready five days before the first AFL match on Thursday March 9. However, the open public days scheduled for March 3-4-5 were in doubt because of the amount of work remaining.

Work bans which have hit the Docklands project are being lifted following industrial action with unions pushing for a 36-hour week in the building industry.
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Stab Kicks …
** JAMES HIRD was re-appointed captain of Essendon (11th). MICHAEL LONG will retain the vice-captaincy.
__________

** The Brisbane Lions on February 15 finalised their on-field leadership for 2000 when 24-year-old JUSTIN LEPPITSCH was handed the rank of joint vice-captaincy. Dual captains for a fourth season are MICHAEL VOSS and ALASTAIR LYNCH while JUSTIN LEPPITSCH joins CHRIS SCOTT and CRAIG LAMBERT as the vice-captains.
__________

** FREMANTLE and WEST COAST will enjoy a week in Perth without travelling east before the season begins. The two cross-town rivals will play a practice match at Subiaco Oval on Saturday February 26 starting at 5.45pm. Port Adelaide and Adelaide will also clash on the same weekend at Victor Harbour.
__________

** FREMANTLE can no longer market itself as "The Dockers" after losing a battle with jeans giant LEVI STRAUSS. The wider exposure of AFL football in the United States caused a copyright storm with the name clashing with a popular line of casual clothing
The Sunday Times reported from Perth: An amicable agreement between Levi Strauss and the AFL has resulted with the Fremantle club agreeing to drop the word "Dockers" from its merchandising and clothing range.
Just maybe, an AFL premiership may help ...
__________

** Brisbane Lions coach LEIGH MATTHEWS during a TV interview on the Seven Network put forward the suggestion that six inter-change players be used in the main premiership season during the hot month of March–not be a bad idea.
__________

Elliott's radical fixture plan
Carlton president JOHN ELLIOTT has pushed a radical plan to overhaul AFL fixturing.
The Herald Sun on February 18 published the Elliott plan which recommended one group of eight of the Victorian clubs, with the second group comprising the other two Victoria clubs and the six non-Victorian clubs. Elliott named the "other two" Victorian clubs as the Kangaroos and either Western Bulldogs or Geelong.
He called for a 22 round season where each team plays every other team in its division twice, and every other team in the other division once.
For the finals, the John Elliott plan called for the old final four system to be followed. He said: "The only issue I think needs to be resolved is do you play out the premiership in each division, like they do in the United States? I've concluded you don't do that. You get the final two in each division and then you switch; one in Division A plays two in Division B, and  vice versa, to decide the grand finalists.

The revolutionary plan drew criticism, but also a keen observation from Adelaide chief executive BILL SANDERS: "We would incorporate the four weeks we have for the Ansett Cup into the premiership season and play a 26-game home-and-away season ... More importantly, it means we protect the integrity of a national competition, not a Victorian league against the rest of Australia".

THE JOHN ELLIOTT PROPOSAL

JOHN ELLIOTT's plan  received 55 per cent favouritism of the 653 readers who responded to a telephone poll conducted by the Herald Sun. While only a minuscule sample, 360 voted For, while 293 (44.9 per cent) were Against the division of the 16 AFL clubs.

The result was printed (Feb 22) on the day the familiar centre-page picture spread returned to the newspaper after an absence of several years.

Ansett Australia Cup
WEEK FOUR – SEMI-FINALS – Fri-Sat, February 18-19.

<> Kangaroo captain WAYNE CAREY played a dominating role in the 21pt point success enjoyed over Carlton. The Friday night semi final was played at Waverley in hot blustery conditions following daytime temperatures in excess of 35 degrees. Carey booted six of the first eight goals and by the 20 minute mark of the second quarter the Roos had taken a stranglehold, and the remainder of the contest was academic.

It was desperation rather than inspiration which forced the Carlton coaching team to relieve STEPHEN O'REILLY and appoint LANCE WHITNALL, TRENT HOTTON then GLENN MANTON to duties on Carey in an attempt to subdue the champion forward. The Blues were outclassed by a team who have a smart game plan and a number of solid contributors on the night — Carey (9.2), WINSTON ABRAHAM. BYRON PICKETT, RYAN PAGAN and PETER BELL to name but a few. In competitive games since last July, it was the Kangas 12th straight victory.
KANGAROOS 13.19-97 (Carey 9.2) best, Carey, Pickett, King, CARLTON 11.10-76, (M.Allan 3), best, Hickmott, O’Reilly, Camporeale.

<> Essendon led by 55pts early in the third term and seemed set to obliterate Melbourne in Saturday night's semi-final. Waverley Park was in immaculate condition for the final official League engagement at the venue, with only 16,384 watching on in 28 degrees.

Highpoint of the start was the presence of Essendon captain JAMES HIRD who after two and-a-half frustrating years of injuries snapped a behind over his shoulder in the first 30 seconds, and goaled twice before leaving the task and resting before half time.

The Demons gained respectability with a five-goal surge in the third term, and pulled the margin back to 24pts. But in spite of earnest contributions by Yze, Woewodin, Neitz and Steven Febey their effort fell short of the Bombers who gained competent performances from Lloyd (7.3), Denham and Misiti — Essendon were better prepared, sharper and wanted the win more desperately than the Redlegs.
ESSENDON 19.17-131 (Lloyd 7.3) best, Lloyd, Wellman, Misiti, MELBOURNE 16.9-105 (Farmer 4, Schwarz 3) best, Woewodin, Yze, Rigoni.
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Practice Matches
Five practice matches were played on Saturday (19th). Melbourne had searing heat of 38 degrees and a hot blustery wind — quarters were reduced to 20 minutes as players contended with unseasonable football conditions for the fourth successive weekend.

In sweltering heat in the Riverina city of Griffith, after his third knee reconstruction Adelaide's SHAUN REHN made a surprise and successful return in the middle two quarters at the Ex-Servicemen's Oval before 4,359 onlookers. The Crows who were down 10pts at the last change booted three late goals to snatch a five point win over Sydney, 12.10-82 to 11.11-77.

In other hit-outs, Collingwood 12.6-78 downed West Coast 6.14-50 by 28pts at Victoria Park ... the Bulldogs 14.11-95 won by 40pts over Fremantle 8.7-55 for about 750 people at Whitten Oval ... Richmond 13.11-89 beat Hawthorn 12.12-84 by less than a goal before 7,000 fans at Devonport Oval ... while under lights at Coorparoo Oval, about 3,000 patrons found the Brisbane Lions 14.17-101 too strong for the Saints 10.7-67 ...

On Sunday at North Ballarat for about 7000 fans, Geelong after a half-time blast from coach MARK THOMPSON kicked 14 goals to one to convert a 40pt second quarter deficit into a 32pt win over Port Power, 18.17-125 to 13.15-93.

Stab Kicks ...
** GRAEME JOHN, managing director of Australia Post has been nominated to fill the vacancy on the AFL Commission recently vacated by Just Jeans chairman CRAIG KIMBERLEY.
Graeme John played 77 games with South Melbourne (1964-69) where he also coached (1973-75) and later was president of the club from 1978 until ousted in September 1981 by the ill-fated "Keep South at South" movement which dedicated itself to halt the relocation of the Swans to Sydney.
__________

** Melbourne will experience its hottest February on record. The previous highest average for the month of 30.2 degrees recorded in February 1898 will be overtaken with a new high of at least 31 degrees.
With city reservoirs little more than half full, the Melbourne City Council turned off fountains, reduced watering of median and nature strips and warned sporting bodies it was vital to take action. Up to a quarter of Victoria including the entire Geelong-Bellarine Peninsula area have some levels of restrictions.
__________

** Broadcasts of AFL matches on ABC Radio will replace the live coverage of Tasmanian State Football League matches which have existed since the inception of the State League in 1986. ABC Radio said it had dropped live radio broadcasts in response to changing listener demands.
However, ABC TV will not only continue its live coverage of statewide football but expand it to include other fixtures like the Tassie Mariners and Southern Football League matches.
__________

** WEST COAST have reappointed GUY McKENNA as captain for a second season. Veteran PETER MATERA has been added to the leadership team, sharing the vice-captaincy duties with GLEN JAKOVICH and MITCHELL WHITE.
__________

** CARLTON revealed they will use a committee-style coaching panel this season. There is uncertainty when senior coach DAVID PARKIN will end his coaching career which extends back to 1977 (he was VFL umpires' specialist coach for two years, 1989-90).
He is only seven short of coaching in 500 matches with Hawthorn (1977-80), Fitzroy (1986-88) and Carlton 1981-85 & 1991-99).
This season Parkin will act as Coaching Manager and WAYNE BRITTAIN as the game-plan strategist, STEPHEN KERNAHAN (forwards coach), JOHN WORSFOLD (defence), GREG WILLIAMS and BARRY MITCHELL (midfield) and ROSS LYON (reserves and assistant).
Parkin is scheduled to reach his 500th game as coach when Carlton play Richmond at the MCG in the Easter Monday game on April 24.
__________

** Coming back from a left-knee reconstruction suffered at Southport on February 6th last year, Geelong teenager MARC WOOLNOUGH lasted only 10 minutes of a Reserves practice game at Victoria Park on Saturday (19th). His left knee collapsed and he faces a second operation certain to sideline him a second year.
Woolnough is determined he will be back and add to the two senior games he played for the Cats in 1998.
__________

** The Melbourne board confirmed the appointment of 25-year-old DAVID NEITZ as the 39th League captain to lead their famous club since 1897. David takes over from TODD VINEY who retired at the end of last season.
Vice captain named for the Demons in 2000 is DAVID SCHWARZ with SHANE WOEWODIN and ANDREW LEONCELLI as deputies.
__________

** The North Melbourne-Kangaroos club in their 1999 premiership season increased their profit by $65,972 to $595,909, up from a 1998 surplus of $521,317.
__________

** Melbourne's hot weather, an earlier start to the season and competition from other sports have contrived to bite into the chase for members. Hawthorn, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are reporting a 50 per cent lag on final 1999 figures.
Hawthorn had 32,341 members last year but have only signed 14,500 ... the Demons with 19,713 last season have attracted only 11,500 ... while the Western Bulldogs whose target is 25,000 have only yielded 14,000 to date. The Herald Sun reported (22nd) that Essendon has already signed 26,000 members.
__________

** A two-year contract extension will ensure Essendon vice-captain MICHAEL LONG will remain at Windy Hill until the end of 2002.
__________

Paul Kelly shows improvement
The Sydney club on Tuesday (22nd) reported the ultrasound treatment carried out on the injured knee of captain PAUL KELLY showed improvement has been achieved.
Sydney media manager STEPHEN BRASSEL reported to AAP: "The news is a bit positive .. There's been some growth in the area and there'll be no operation at this stage ... we'll know for certain in another month".
Brassel said Kelly would have another scan in a month, but the club was hopeful he could be fit by midway through the season.
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They said it ...
Herald Sun, Saturday February 19 — JOHN ELLIOTT's radical fixturing plan for the AFL drew this keen observation from Adelaide chief executive BILL SANDERS:
"We would incorporate the four weeks we have for the Ansett Cup into the premiership season and play a 26-game home-and-away season ... More importantly, it means we protect the integrity of a national competition, not a Victorian league against the rest of Australia".

Practice matches
Five practice games were played on Saturday, two on Sunday —
<> On Saturday, West Coast came from behind and with five unanswered last quarter goals stole their hit-out at Subiaco by five points from Fremantle — WEST COAST 16.21-117 (best: Cousins, Kemp, Peter Matera) to FREMANTLE 15.22-112 (best: Fletcher, Hasleby, Norrish) ... <> at Southport, JUSTIN LEPPITSCH was outstanding in the Lions comfortable win over the Demons, BRISBANE 13.11-89 (best: Leppitsch, Voss, Lappin) to MELBOURNE 10.8-68 (best: Powell, McDonald, Woewodin) ... <> CRAIG BRADLEY at 36 showed great pre-season form in their 34pt win over a disappointing Hawthorn at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton, CARLTON 14.9-93 (Best: Bradley, Allan, Hamill (5 goals), HAWTHORN 8.11-59 (best: Chick, Smith, Barker) ... <> Collingwood took the points for a third week with a solid showing against a disjointed Sydney to 3500 at Manuka Oval, COLLINGWOOD 15.14-104 (best: Buckley, Johnson, L.Davis (6 goals), SYDNEY 8.12-60 (best: Goodes, Warfe, Fosdike) ... <> in a one-side romp at Waverley, the Saints charged home against a woeful Tiger display, ST KILDA 14.11-95 (best: Burke, Thompson, Harvey), RICHMOND 5.6-36 (best: reported as 'nil') ...
<> On Sunday at Encounter Bay for 9195 fans DARREN JARMAN and SCOTT WELSH each booted five goals in the Crows' 16pt win from the Power helped largely by a 9.2 second term, ADELAIDE 19.9-123 (best: Bickley, Hart, Koster), PORT ADELAIDE 16.11-107 (best: Francou, Morton, Bode) ... <> at North Hobart Oval, a slim 3709 watched the Cats overcome a poor start to easily beat a second-string Bulldog outfit minus 13 senior players, GEELONG 17.14-116 (best: Sholl, Milburn, King), WEST.B'DOGS 10.8-68 (best: Dimattina, Contessa, Bartlett).
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Ian Collins jumps AFL ship for Docklands
IAN COLLINS, the AFL's head of football operations resigned on Monday (Feb 28) to take up the post of chief executive of Stadium Operations Limited, who control Colonial Stadium at Melbourne's Docklands. The 56-year-old Collins replaces JACQUES MERCUS who was terminated on Friday.

Collins has enjoyed a 40-year career in football starting with Sale in the 1950s, then Carlton from 1961 where in 161 games as a tough back pocket player he was a member of two grand final teams for the Blues in 1962 and 1968. After coaching the VFA's Port Melbourne for two seasons (1972-73) when the Borough boasted in its line-up Ron Barassi, Bob Skilton and Ricky Spargo, Collins returned to Princes Park in 1974 where through the roles of team manager and Board member, he became executive director of Carlton in 1981.

He left the Blues in 1993 to join the AFL, replacing the late ALAN SCHWAB. Collins was widely tipped to become the successor to ROSS OAKLEY as chief executive of the League in 1996 but was overlooked for WAYNE JACKSON.

Ian Collins will leave the League at the end of this month.
__________

Stab Kicks ...
** Richmond's MATTHEW RICHARDSON has taken legal action. The Age reported on Feb 24: Richardson has lodged a writ in the County Court against United Sports Corporation, the Australian distributor of boot and sports apparel manufacturer Lotto. Richardson's manager, Ricky Nixon of Flying Start, confirmed that legal proceedings had been instigated on behalf of the Richmond forward.
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** The Cats have reached a five-figure deal with the Target retail group for a one-metre target to be suspended behind the goals at Geelong. When a Geelong player kicks a goal and the target, a reserved seat-holder will receive $1000. Geelong are also considering reviving the popular half-time sprints from the VFA days of the 1970s.
__________

** The Sydney Swans will field its reserves in the Sydney Football League competition this year. The difference in class was apparent in their first outing in the NSW-ACT-RFL pre-season competition when the Swans 20.7-127 walloped the East Coast Eagles (formerly Baulkham Hills) 3.2-20 — straight 17½ minute quarters were played. Several Sydney regulars including TROY LUFF and JOHN STEVENS returned from injury.
__________

** Former West Coast veteran CHRIS MAINWARING has been added to the judging panel of the NORWICH UNION RISING STAR AWARD — Chris replaces former teammate JOHN WORSFOLD. Other panel members to recognise talented first-season players are — Gerard Healy, Kevin Bartlett, Robert Walls, Neil Kerley, Rod Austin and Wayne Jackson, who is non-voting chairman. The new AFL football operations manager will also be a member when a replacement for IAN COLLINS has been appointed. The award carries a prize of a $20,000 investment portfolio.
__________

** BEN GRAHAM was appointed captain for the season by the Geelong club. KAREN LYON noted in The Age, Graham's appointment continues a family tradition. His grandfather Jack captained South Melbourne (1946-48) playing 227 games for the Bloods (1935-49). Jack Graham holds the goalkicking record against Geelong — he booted 10 goals versus the Cats in 1948s Round 8 at Kardinia Park.
PETER RICCARDI (vice-captain) and TIM McGRATH (deputy vice-captain) complete Geelong's leadership team.
__________

** DENIS PAGAN signed a new three-year deal and will coach the Kangaroos to the end of 2002. It was announced at the club's guernsey presentation on Sunday. Media speculation suggested the deal was worth $2.3 million. Pagan when pressed on the Seven Network Sportsworld program said "don't believe all the figures that you read".
Pagan and Carey are now on secure contracts at Arden Street.
Pagan has started his eighth season with the Roos, equalling Ron Barassi's record for consecutive years. The club record at Arden Street is held by WALLY CARTER who coached 214 matches, 1940, 1948-53 and 1958-62. (Carter also coached Williamstown where he won triple VFA premierships, 1954-55-56.)
__________

** MELBOURNE will move into MCG offices when the AFL move out to Docklands — but it will not happen until November. The Demons will lease 1200sqm including the AFL executive suites on level two, and space on level three.
__________

** The League will beef-up administration in Sydney. DEAN MOORE, once with the Swans before he switched to the League about 10 years ago will relocate back to the Harbour City. His brief will include the Olympic Stadium at Homebush. AFL footy will be played there from next year.
__________

** Footy's golden voiced DENNIS COMETTI signed a new two-year deal with Seven.
__________

** Draft dates for later this year were announced by the AFL (Feb 23) —
> Exchange period – Tuesday Sept 5 to 2pm Tue Sept 12
> National Draft – close of nominations Friday Oct 20, 2pm
> Delisted players – nominations Wednesday October 25, 2pm
> National Draft Selection Meeting – Sunday October 29 at 12 noon, Melbourne Park.
> Pre-Season Selection Meeting – Tuesday December 19, 10am
> Rookie Draft Selection Meeting – Tuesday December 19, 11am
> Draft Camp – Wed Sept 20 until Sunday Sept 24, AIS, Canberra.
__________

** ALAN PIPER, chairman of the Brisbane Lions has stepped aside to focus on his two-year fight with cancer. His place will be taken by deputy chairman GRAEME DOWNIE.
__________

They said it ...
The Sunday Times, reporting Seven's re-signing of Perth-based DENNIS COMETTI contained the following par — Cometti's commitment coincides with expected revision to football telecast rights, tipped for a major overhaul and almost certain to see a new network televising some AFL games.

SCOT PALMER, in his "10 Things I'd like to see" in 2000, Sunday Herald Sun, February 27 — That some of those in high office forget their paranoia about rugby league and soccer encroaching on their turf and just busy themselves making sure our game remains the best administered, best attended and best to watch.

IAN COLLINS, on his resignation from the AFL, conveyed many thoughts, Herald Sun, February 29, including — Himself: Sometimes I may be a bit direct and a bit blunt and a bit straightforward, a bit cranky, but over time people would understand where I'm coming from, would understand that my word is my bond and in football that's just got to be the way it is.

MARCH 2000

AFL Annual Meeting
Footy is a financial bonanza

Football is a bonanza for Australia’s economy and Victoria gets the lion’s share. TERRY BROWN reporting for the Herald Sun on the League AGM held on Thursday March 2 showed $1.7 billion went into the ecomony with $866 million into the coffers of Victoria.

A socio-economic study commissioned by the League found the home-grown game created the equivalent of about 13,300 full-time jobs. And in 1998 about 45,000 volunteer workers put in almost 5.7 million hours.

Across the nation, more than 13.9 million people go to the footy each year, more than half them to AFL games.

The AFL's 2000 Annual Report was made available from the AFL Internet site — the document was contained in 45 parts.

The Annual Report revealed player salaries have risen from an average of $41,871 in 1990 to $117,398 last season. Total payments were $68 million. The tripling of player payments over the past 10 years will see the League budget for a $4 million shortfall in 2000 and an $11 million loss in 2001.

The AFL added 25 life members of the League at the Annual Meeeting.
Changes to the eligibility now combines the number of games played and coached at senior level, as well as the inclusion of International matches against Ireland.

The departing IAN COLLINS has been honoured for his Special Service to the Game, together with GRAHAM ARTHUR and STUART SPENCER.

The new life members are —
300 games — STEWART LOEWE (StK), NATHAN BURKE (StK), STEPHEN SILVAGNI (Car), BRYAN SHEEHAN (umpire).
Special service to the game —
GRAHAM ARTHUR (Haw, AFL, VCFL),
IAN COLLINS (Car, AFL, AFL director)
STUART SPENCER (Mel, AFL director).
Career total 300 games, including matches against Ireland —
ROBERT FLOWER (Mel, 300 games)
JOHN PLATTEN (Haw, 303 games)
JIM STYNES (Mel, 300 games).
Player, coach of more than 300 games
STAN ALVES, 413 games (283 player, 130 coach)
WALLY CARTER, 360 games (138, 222)
JACK CLARKE, 362 games (295, 67)
BOB DAVIS, 330 games (206, 124)
CARL DITTERICH, 316 games (299, 17)
BRIAN DIXON, 268 games (268, 45)
RODNEY EADE, 393 games (292, 101)
JIM FRANCIS, 325 games (225, 100)
BILL GOGGIN, 409 games (270, 139)
KEN HANDS, 351 games (226, 125)
PETER KNIGHTS, 398 games (286, 112)
DENIS PAGAN, 336 games (149, 187)
BILL STEPHEN, 408 games (177, 231)
DES TUDDENHAM, 305 games (260, 45)
TERRY WALLACE, 375 games (287, 88)
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In the black, in the red ...
Final financial figures for the 1999 season were tabled by most clubs —

__________

Stab Kicks ...
** The new AFL season starts on a Wednesday night and the first round will be played over six days — two matches remain of the four-day domestic cricket competition before its final, and the first of three Test matches against New Zealand will not begin until March 11.
Fixturing for the 2000 season met requests by the Government of the day there be no League competition against the staging of the Melbourne Grand Prix to be raced on the Albert Park circuit on Sunday March 12.
No day matches of Round One will be played in Melbourne until the holiday Monday, with the only match of the first weekend being a Sunday night game at Docklands.
__________

** For the first time since Carlton raised their 1995 premiership pennant, the Kangaroos will line-up to watch the official unfurling on Friday night before their match at the MCG against West Coast. Retired players John Longmire and Mark Roberts will assist Pauline Casey, the wife of chairman Ron Casey to raise the flag.
__________

** The Roos under direction, failed to watch their 1996 premiership unfurled, as the Adelaide club had done when they banned their players from taking part in the flag ceremonies following their 1997 and 1998 premierships.
__________

** A one-hour highlights package of each round will reach a potential audience of 300 million people around the globe in association with Fox Sports in the USA, BSkyB, Channel 5 and TG4 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Prime TV in New Zealand and Canal+ in Spain.
The program to be hosted by GERARD HEALY will be sponsored by Foster's which is sold in more than 140 countries. The company sells two and a half million pints a day in Britain.
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** The Age reported through STEPHEN RIELLY (March 3) the AFL is considering an FA Cup-style barrel draw to set next year's Ansett Cup program. The League are also keen to bring starting times back to 7.40pm.
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** Rugby league made an appearance again at the MCG on the lay weekend before the start of the AFL. On a rain-sodden Friday night, 23,239 watched Melbourne Storm 70 defeat St George-Illawarra 10.
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** The AFL launched its 2000 advertising campaign. The "I Was There ..." theme focuses on a call by genuine AFL supporters to see the real thing. The new campaign replaces "I'd Like to See That" which served the League since 1994.
In Adelaide, the SANFL have adopted the "Local Footy" theme with the catchline "Show Us Your True Colours".
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** According to researchers who have conducted an analysis of Australian Football and rugby fatalities in Victoria a death occurs in one of 30 million games. Dr Paul McCrory, a neurology researcher at the University of Melbourne, he identified 25 Victoria football and rugby fatalities between 1969 and 1999. The analysis published in the Medical Journal of Australia, failed to identify any aspects of the sports which could be modified to prevent such deaths.
Among Australian Football players they identified eight brain injury deaths and 14 deaths due to other causes, mainly heart problems.
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** Following a breakdown in negotiations with the Collingwood FC, AVS Catering launched a Supreme Court action seeking $1 million damages. The writ alleges Collingwood breached the agreement by failing to play at least 20 home-and-away matches at Victoria Park between January 1 1994 and January 1 1997.
AVS is also suing the AFL as a result of the decision to abandon Waverley Park.
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** Fans in Adelaide will have to wait until 2001 for an additional 7476 seats — work on the new grandstand at Football Park will start in June. Meanwhile, 1000 more car parking spaces at the venue will soon be available which means the Crows shed parties will accommodate 6000 people at post-match celebrations. SANFL's chief exec LEIGH WHICKER claims it is the largest supporter facility of its kind in Australia.
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** The Kangaroos voiced concern after the Olympic Stadium at Homebush was labelled a "windy mixmaster" following recent athletic trials.
The AFL plans 11 home-and-away games at Homebush from 2001. An Ansett Cup match is also on the agenda, as is a Sydney final if the Swans qualify.
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** The Swans following an income of $18.2 million in 1999 plan to be all over Sydney this season — boosting their advertising budget by $750,000. Sydney in Rounds 3 to 11 will play eight out of nine games at the SCG, including five straight. There is a downside for the Swans, only one of their last five matches is at the SCG.

Obituaries
John Lauritz & Peter Hammond pass
JOHN LAURITZ, the man who was chief executive of Hawthorn during their power period of the 1980s died suddenly on Sunday March 5 aged 69.
He was a former chief executive of the Shire of Swan Hill and loyally served the Victorian Country Football League as president and director. He was a life member of the Hawthorn club and the AFL. Mr Lauritz is survived by his wife Margaret and four children.

PETER HAMMOND, a vice-president of the Collingwood club passed away on Friday March 3 aged 57.
Since 1986 Peter was managing director and CEO of Spicers Paper where he had worked since 1958. Mr Hammond devoted years of volunteer service to the Magpies and when the club was under financial strain in 1989 his company became a major sponsor. In September he had been diagnosed with a malignant tumour in his neck. Mr Hammond is survived by his wife Diana and five children.

Heat exhaustion a major factor
Docklands hosts its first premiership matches
Bombers blitz the Power
Eagles thrash the Roos

ROUND ONE – Wed-Thu-Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon, March 8-9-10-11-12-13.
MILESTONES — JOHN BLAKEY played his 300th League match (165 North Melb-Kangaroos 1993-2000, also 135 Fitzroy 1985-92) ... 200 games for DEAN RICE, 84 with Carlton (1994-99), also 116 St Kilda (1987-93) ... 200th for PAUL HUDSON, 66 with Western Bulldogs (1997-2000), also 134 Hawthorn (1990-96) ... MARK RICCIUTO played his 150th for Adelaide (1993-2000) ... 50th League matches arrived for BRAD SCOTT (28 Bri 1998-2000, also 22 Haw 1987); JAMES THIESSEN (43 Ade 1998-2000, also 7 Rch 1993); LEO BARRY (Syd) 1995-2000 ... LEIGH MATTHEWS coached his 250th game on Monday – 224 Col 1986-95, 26 Bri 1999-2000 ... RICHMOND in their 1,827th match since joining in the League in 1908, posted their 950th victory ...

<> The $460 million Docklands stadium opened for it first AFL premiership match between Essendon and Port Adelaide on Thursday night, March 9th. The day after the opening, the Commonwealth Bank launched a $9 billion takeover of Colonial Bank.

<> First measurements of the playing surface at Docklands indicated it is 159 metres long by 130 metres. The length is the same as the MCG, but narrower in width by eight metres.

<> The round produced a new high of total points — 1868 points were kicked in the eight matches of Round One. The previous highest points for a round was in 1987 when 1755 points were kicked in seven matches by the 14 clubs of the day.
The previous best since the League extended to 16 clubs was 1747 kicked in 1995s Round 22.

FROM THE ROUND
<> RICHMOND's 7.1-43 (to 4.3-27) on Wednesday night was their biggest opening quarter versus Melbourne for 19 years since they kicked 7.4-46 to 5.2-32 in 81-R11-MCG.
<> The last two point result between the Tigers and Demons was 1957 Round 7 at Punt Road Oval.
<> Richmond's BEN HOLLAND on Wednesday night kicked the first goal of the new century five minutes into the first quarter. His goal came from a 50 metre penalty and he roosted it into the third tier of the Great Southern Stand at the MCG. Holland's kick was the 276,000th goal in League football since 1897.

<> Essendon vice-captain MICHAEL LONG kicked the first goal at Docklands, six minutes into the first quarter.
<> MATTHEW LLOYD playing his 82nd match for the Dons passed 250 career goals – he kicked 7.2 against Port Adelaide at Colonial Stadium.
<> Essendon's 94pt victory brought Port's heaviest AFL defeat — previous highest, 85pts by Geelong 1997 Round 18, 85pts by Richmond 1997 Round 21.

<> West Coast with 11.4-70 against the Kangaroos on Friday night kicked the biggest second quarter of their 311 League matches since 1987.
<> Only one match has produced a bigger half-time score for the Eagles — 92-R20-WCA, 17.7-109 to Brisbane 5.2-32. West Coast won that game by 131pts, 29.12-186 to 8.7-55. On Friday at the long break they were 17.4-106 to the Roos' 9.7-61.
<> West Coast's final score of 24.10-154 on Friday was eight points short of their best versus North Melbourne, 24.18-162 to 13.10-88 — 87-R6-S.
<> SCOTT CUMMINGS (Ess, PA, WCE) passed 100 career goals at the MCG.
<> The 24.10-154 on Friday was the ninth highest score by the West Coast club. The top is 29.18-192 versus Brisbane 10.14-74 — 88-R3-WCA.

<> The WESTERN BULLDOGS made it three on-the-trot over the Crows at Football Park — winning in 1997, 1999 and 2000. The Doggies' 19.17-131 was their biggest score at Footy Park versus Adelaide.
<> Saturday's failure brought the Crows a double-barrel — their record-equalling fifth successive loss which matches 1996 R9 to 13, 1996 R18-22 and 1999 R7 to 11. It was the fourth successive defeat at Football Park — their worst run of outs in 104 matches played on their home turf. It was greater than their three 1995 defeats in R17, R20 and R22. They last won at home on July 25 last year when they defeated Hawthorn, 18.17-125 to 11.10-76. Since then, Adelaide have lost at Football Park to Brisbane, Port, the Kangaroos and the Bulldogs.
<> At Football Park, JOSE ROMERO (WB) kicked his 150th goal in game 183 ... ANDREW McLEOD (Ade) passed 100 goals in game 102 — with three goals McLeod reached a career total of 101 goals.

<> GEELONG enjoyed their best-ever finish of 8.4-52 against Fremantle on Saturday night and just failed by 10pts to match their best-ever top score versus the Dockers which was 21.13-139 kicked at Kardinia Park in R22 last season.

<> For the fourth successive year, the reigning premier was defeated at the start of the new season. Carlton as 1995 premiers won the first two games of the 1996 season. Not so lucky have been the premiers of the following years, North Melbourne (1996), Adelaide (1997 & 1998) and the Kangaroos (1999).
97-R1-MCG, Melbourne 10.10-70 d North Melb 7.13-55
98-R1-PP, Carlton 10.13-73 d Adelaide 9.9-63
99-R1-FP, West.B'dogs 13.13-91 d Adelaide 12.6-78
00-R1-MCG, West Coast 24.10-154 d Kangaroos 16.15-111

<> Published attendances for Round One were 269,829.
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<||> The Demons and Tigers provided 41,648 partisans with a thrilling opening to the new season in fine conditions on Wednesday night at the MCG. Richmond led at every change but they tired badly in the second half when Melbourne came at them hard.

CHARLES HAPPELL for The Age reported: Richmond meant business from the start, showing an intensity that would have brought a smile to the face of DANNY FRAWLEY, the one-time career full-back. Their tackling was fierce, and on several occasions two or more Richmond players were on hand to effect a smother. But, after half-time, they appeared to slow to a walk.

Melbourne, by contrast, lack cohesion. They turned to ball over too often in the early stages and lacked a marking target in attack ... Melbourne's cause was not helped by the umpires who were in a particularly trigger-happy mood. The Demons extended their losing sequence to 10 matches—they haven't won since June 27 last year – RICHMOND 14.10-94 (Richardson 3, Holland 3) best, Gaspar, Knights, D.Kellaway, MELBOURNE 13.14-92 best, A.McDonald, White, Powell.

<||> With much work still to be completed to the surrounds, the Colonial Stadium at Melbourne's Docklands ushered in a new era for football on Thursday March 9. The retractable roof remained open (due to technical problems) to a warm Melbourne night as a modest fireworks display launched the stadium. A below-capacity 43,012 attended. The day after the opening, the Commonwealth Bank launched a $9 billion takeover of Colonial Bank.

MARTIN BLAKE reported the occasion for The Age: Without breaking stride after their Ansett Cup triumph, Essendon began the first AFL season of the new millennium in ominous form, with a clinical and smooth execution of Port Adelaide. The Bombers took only half the game to extinguish any thought of a contest. With MATTHEW LLOYD and the resurgent JAMES HIRD providing nightmare's for Port's defence, Sheedy's team was almost nine goals up at the long break.

All that remained was to see how many goals Lloyd could boot, and the left-footer promised a bundle when he roosted his seventh, halfway through the third quarter. But Lloyd was injured in a collision with GAVIN WANGANEEN, and had to leave the ground. Port was a profound disappointment ... Essendon as 94pt victors became immediate premiership favourites ... ESSENDON 24.12-156 (Lloyd 7.2, Hird 4) best, Hird, Misiti, Lloyd, PORT ADELAIDE 8.14-62 (Morton 2) best, Wanganeen, Mead, James.

<||> The Eagles playing scintillating football under new coach Ken Judge, obliterated the Roos with an 11-goal highest single quarter in their 311-game history. It provided the first major upset of the season on an overcast and humid Friday night at the MCG. It was a dirty night for the Kangaroos. Only 20,580 people turned out to watch Victoria's unloved team.

West Coast kicked eight straight before their first behind and at one point had 15.1 on the board. The Roos had no answer to the free-running and skilful Eagles. The Kangaroos went in three to four players light – Martyn (suspended), Sholl (suspended) Pike (absent for disciplinary reasons), Colbert (injured), while WAYNE CAREY injured his troubled left shoulder early. Off-field all was not rosy for the Roos as MARK DAWSON, their chairman of selectors resigned, and with Carey's left arm in a sling for at least a fortnight, the Roos have struck problems – WEST COAST 24.10-154 (Phillip Matera 6, Cummings 5) best, Peter Matera, Phillip Matera, Gehrig, KANGAROOS 16.15-111 (Hewitt 3) best, Clayton, Hewitt, Harvey.

<||> The mid-afternoon match was played in 34 degrees and a stiff south-westerly wind to the Lake end when a below-average 37,222 at Football Park saw the Western Bulldogs hand the Crows a lesson. It was a typically gutsy Bulldog effort, with CHRIS GRANT at the forefront in a match-winning forward display.

When Adelaide did come back in the last term, it was the Doggies relentless running and stubborn refusal to submit which proved the decisive factor. Adelaide's SHAUN REHN returned from his third knee construction. In his first senior game since 1998 his touch started to return. SCOTT WELSH (the Kangaroo import) was also an effective forward for the Crows. For the Bulldogs it was very much the same as we have expected from them for the past three years – BULLDOGS 19.17-131 (Grant 5) best, Grant, West, Brown, ADELAIDE 15.18-108 (McLeod 3) best, Ricciuto, Bickley, Edwards.

<||> Perth was hot and humid on Saturday night at the impressively redeveloped Subiaco Oval – only 19,777 were present. Geelong defeated Fremantle by 22pts but it is difficult to assess if either side has improved from last season.

In a match likely to be remembered for low standards of play, the injury-prone PAUL LYNCH was one of the few players to create and take his chances — his four second-half goals brought a welcome victory for the Cats.

A notable highlight was the showing by PAUL HASLEBY who displayed poise in his debut for Fremantle which earned him the Norwich Union Rising Star nomination for the first round – GEELONG 19.15-129 (Lynch 4) best, Lynch, Graham, King, FREMANTLE 16.11-107 (Modra 5) best, Michael, Hasleby, Walker.

<||> The roof of Colonial Stadium remained opened for the second AFL match on a warm Sunday night of 25 degrees. The crowd of 31,440 was below expectations but they witnessed a startling debut for Sydney by RYAN FITZGERALD. After being sidelined last season by reconstructions to both shoulders, the 23-year-old former South Adelaide player gave a mature performance and goaled with his first two kicks in League footy.

Sydney took control of the match in an impressive third quarter (8.3 to 2.3). They regained control of the midfield and had several decisive centre breaks that enabled their forwards to out-position a suspect St Kilda defence. WAYNE SCHWASS and DARYN CRESSWELL were prominent after playing only moderate first halves.

Other than GAVIN MITCHELL and PETER EVERITT who produced nine goals between them, the Saints were inept. MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN was an outstanding feature of Sydney's accurate and surprisingly easy win – SYDNEY 21.8-134 (Fitzgerald 5, O’Loughlin 5) best, O’Loughlin, Schauble, Goodes, ST KILDA 15.10-100 (Mitchell 5, Everitt 4) best, Mitchell, Delaney, Burke.

<||> Carlton's superior fitness lifted them to an impressive 40-point victory over Brisbane in a sweltering 34 degrees at Optus Oval on Monday afternoon. Players were constantly in need of fluid, wore ice jackets while on the bench and took cold showers at half-time to revitalise their bodies.

GREG DENHAM reported for The Age: The skill level for a round-one game, particularly from the home side, was excellent as Carlton players distance themselves from football politics over controversial legal threats surrounding television rights. The Blues were kept in the contest by accurate kicking in the opening term from livewire rover DARREN HULME and damaging half-forward MATTHEW LAPPIN.

Brisbane's dominant midfield of last year did not eventuate, with the likes of MICHAEL VOSS and CRAIG LAMBERT, in particular, appearing short of a gallop. On the other hand, the oldest player in the competition, 36-year-old Carlton captain CRAIG BRADLEY in his 313th game, led his fellow-midfielders from the front – CARLTON 22.20-152 (Lappin 5) best, Lappin, Bradley, Ratten, BRISBANE 16.16-112 (Molloy 5) best, Leppitsch, Akermanis, Ashcroft. Crowd: 22,374.

<||> Extreme conditions were experienced at the MCG on the Labor Day Monday holiday afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-30s. One Hawthorn player CHRIS BARLOW was reported as suffering from heat exhaustion. The biggest crowd of the opening round (53,776) attended the MCG.

A 54-point victory sweetly ushered in the new Malthouse era at Collingwood. In her review of the match, LINDA PEARCE for The Age said: Collingwood's effort was an impressive mix of the old (Nathan Buckley, Anthony Rocca, Mal Michael) and the new (Andrew Ukovic, Shane O'Bree, Damien Adkins, Ben Johnson). This is the wooden spoon club of 1999 but a far different team, with 15 players cut after Malthouse's arrival, and six players, including four first-gamers, representing Collingwood for the first time. Hawthorn's Brownlow medalist SHANE CRAWFORD had many who shared his inability to win the ball — he had only two handpasses after halftime and was benched in the last quarter – COLLINGWOOD 20.20-140 (A.Rocca 4) best, Buckley, A.Rocca, O’Bree, HAWTHORN 13.8-86 (Holland 6) best, Holland, Hay, McCabe.

Obituary
Trevor Coote passes
TREVOR COOTE who presided over the Hawthorn club from 1988 to 1993, during which they won three premier-ships passed away on March 14. He was also president of the social club from 1980 to 1987.
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Lucky escape for Anthony Stevens
ANTHONY STEVENS, vice-captain of the Kangaroos is recuperating at home after an accident early on Saturday morning almost cost him his life.

Following Friday's loss to West Coast at the MCG, Stevens attended a late supper at the Redback Brewery Hotel on Flemington Road which is part-owned by Kangaroo captain WAYNE CAREY. As Stevens was departing, a shard of glass fell from the window of a room above gashing his face and neck. Stevens with deep wounds was rushed to the nearby Melbourne Private Hospital where he underwent surgery and an emergency blood transfusion after losing about two litres of blood.

Released from hospital on Monday, Stevens wore the evidence of 50 stitches to his face and neck. He has been cleared of nerve damage and will return to hospital to have stiches removed in a few days.

Stab Kicks ...
Fremantle's PAUL HASLEBY, the number two pick in the AFL National Draft is the first nominee of the Norwich Rising Star Award. On debut against Geelong on Saturday night, Paul collected 16 kicks and 14 handpasses.
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The events which led to the resignation by MARK DAWSON as chairman of the Kangaroos match committee and from the Board were short lived. Favourable talks took place between coach DENIS PAGAN and Dawson on Tuesday (14th) and he returned to his position as Chairman of Selectors on Thursday (16th).

First indoor League match played
Sydney break the Subiaco hoodoo
Pies, from spoon to undefeated

ROUND 2 — Thu-Fri-Sat-Sun, March 16-17-18-19.
MILESTONES — ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES played his 150th match for Carlton ... 100 games for Hawthorn's NICK HOLLAND ... 50th games by NATHAN G BROWN (WB 1997-2000); SEAN CHARLES (2 StK 2000, 1 Car 1998, 47 Mel 1992-97); SIMON PRESTIGIACOMO (Col 1996-2000) ... PETER BELL played his 100th with the Kangaroos (1996-2000, also 2 Fre 1995) ... WINSTON ABRAHAM played his 50th for the Roos (1998-2000, also 38 Fre 1995-97) ... ST KILDA suffered its 1200th League defeat ... on Sunday night the roof of Colonial Stadium was closed bringing the first League match to be played indoors ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> MELBOURNE ended their run of 10 successive defeats.

<> For the first time since 1991 Round 18, both WAYNE CAREY and ANTHONY STEVENS were absent from the Kangaroos' team.

<> St Kilda's PETER EVERITT kicked a personal-best of 9.6 versus Geelong — STEWART LOEWE kicked nine against the Cats in 1996-R2. The top St Kilda performance against Geelong is 10.2 by DAVE McNAMARA in 1922.

<> FREMANTLE at their seventh visit to Football Park posted their first victory at the venue over either the Power or the Crows. Wins favour Adelaide three   to nil and Port three games to one.
<> Saturday night's crowd of 24,695 for Port Adelaide v Fremantle at Football Park was the smallest attendance to watch the 135 AFL matches played there since 1991. Previous smallest was 25,597 on Saturday night July 25 1992 when the Crows played Fitzroy in Round 19. There have been 11 attendances below 30,000 at Football Park, 10 of them featuring Port.

<> The 11pt margin between the Magpies and the Crows was the fifth-straight finish by less than two goals.
<> ADELAIDE suffered its sixth straight defeat — the longest sequence of losses in their 209 AFL matches since 1991.

<> SYDNEY scored only their second victory from eight visits against West Coast at Subiaco Oval. Their first and only previous success was in 1987.

<> NATHAN BUCKLEY (Collingwood) in his 144th match reached 150 career goals ... Magpie teammate PAUL WILLIAMS with 5.2 reached 203 goals in game 170 ... Brisbane's JUSTIN LEPPITSCH kicked his 150th goal in his 109th match ...
<> The 1794 points kicked in Round 2 is the second highest tally on record for a single round. It is second only to the record of 1868 established last week in the opening round.

<> Published attendances for Round Two were 234,864.

<> A senior boundary umpire was noted wearing a cap in an opening round day match. Umpire JOHN HARVEY (No. 25) extended the peaked cap fashion to central umpires on Sunday March 19. Mr Harvey wore a cap at the early (12.10pm) start of the Carlton v Hawthorn match. He dispensed with the cap after half time when cloud cover appeared.
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<||> Essendon reinforced its leadership position with a comprehensive 43pt win over Richmond in the Thursday night start to Round 2 at the MCG. It was a great night of 22 degrees, with a minor breeze favouring the scoreboard end — the crowd built to a satisfying 49,521.

LINDA PEARCE summarised proceedings for The Age — Essendon's disposal was more precise, its options greater and its height advantage substantial. Richmond was at its most competitive from the middle of the second quarter until the end of the third, before MATTHEW LLOYD settled the issue with the fifth of his seven goals. The Tigers' inability to hit targets was a grim reminder for second-game coach Danny Frawley of how much work is still to be done at Punt Road ... Richmond's cause had been seriously wounded earlier in the day when MATTHEW RICHARDSON was forced out with hamstring soreness and replaced by DAVID BOURKE.

Essendon substituted former Hawk JONATHON ROBRAN for MARK MERCURI who withdrew following the death of his younger brother – ESSENDON 20.10-130 (Lloyd 7.0, Alessio  3) best, Lloyd, Wallis, Fletcher, RICHMOND 12.15-87 (Holland 2, Ottens 2, Rogers 2) best, Rogers, Cameron, Bowden.

<||> Following another hot Melbourne day of 34 degrees it was still in the low 30s when play commenced with a slim 15,000 present. The final crowd posted on Friday night at the MCG (23,348) was another worrying low for a match involving the Kangaroos. An accurate, and doggedly determined Melbourne earned their first points of the season.

LEN JOHNSON observed for The Age — The Kangaroos have lost their first two games in an uneasy start to their premiership defence. With winged captain WAYNE CAREY sitting in the stands alongside their No.1 recruit LEIGH COLBERT and a rift between long-time match committee allies DENIS PAGAN and MARK DAWSON freshly healed, the mood at Arden Street must be sombre.
JAMES COOK and newcomer CAMERON BRUCE were the Melbourne forwards the Kangaroos could not contain. Cook who had a slow start outplayed a succession of opponents to finish with six goals, while Bruce wove webs around ADAM LANGE and DAVID KING to finish with four – MELBOURNE 23.7-145 (Cook 6, Bruce 4, Robertson 4) best, Cook, Bruce, Robertson, KANGAROOS 17.18-120 (Hewitt 3, Harvey 3) best, Abraham, Bell, Blakey.

<||> Fine and warm conditions were enjoyed at Corio Bay on Saturday afternoon however only 20,476 attended. St Kilda started well enough and looked set to assume control with three goals in the first 10 minutes. But individual effort was overcome by team-oriented footy from a dedicated bunch of Cats. Geelong led at every change and were comfortable 40pt victors.

St Kilda's PETER EVERITT provided a towering problem for Geelong captain and full-back BEN GRAHAM but even though Everitt kicked a personal-best of 9.6 from 12 marks, it wasn't enough. Geelong were tenacious and with a more direct approach did not have to rely on their taller players to make an impact. DAVID SPRIGGS, one of the new breed of Cats showed great speed and pulled in 17 possessions. The late last quarter goal by RONNIE BURNS, a reverse left-footer, was a gem – GEELONG 21.13-139 (Burns 3) best, Hocking, Burns, Spriggs, ST KILDA 15.9-99 (Everitt 9.6) best, Everitt, Harvey, Burke.

<||> Fremantle defied the critics when it posted a solid 38-point victory over Port Adelaide on a warm Saturday autumn night at Football Park. It was the first win over Port and the Dockers now have at least one success against all other AFL teams. The match was watched by 24,695, the lowest AFL crowd of 135 games at Football Park.

Port displayed little rhythm in their attack and were not helped when BRENDON LADE crashed from a marking contest when the match was only 12 minutes old, breaking his right leg in two places. PAUL HASLEBY gave another star performance in his second game for Freo, greatly assisted by DANIEL BANDY, ASHLEY PRESCOTT, TROY LONGMUIR and CRAIG CALLAGHAN – TONY MODRA with four goals was another willing contributor. A lack of confidence is clearly evident at Port, while Fremantle got their first points after seven successive defeats. Even though they won, Freo coach DAMIAN DRUM fired off a salvo across the bows of the Perth media for their treatment of the Dockers – FREMANTLE 19.11-125 (Modra 4, Waterhouse 3) best, Hasleby, Michael, Waterhouse, PORT 12.15-87 (Morton 3) best, Cornes, Kingsley, Francis.

<||> The early start at 12.10pm on Sunday delivered one of the most frantic quarters of footy seen at Princes Park in a long while, and a bit of biffo which resulted in 13 players facing charges. The Carlton venue was picture perfect in the fine and windless conditions. Yet in spite of this, only 21,161 attended.

Professional and clinical was the assessment of ANDREW RAMSAY in The Australian — "From centre bounces it was the old firm of CRAIG BRADLEY, BRETT RATTEN and SCOTT CAMPOREALE who were able to whisk the ball away before many Hawks realised it was in play ... In attack, Carlton could choose from the brute strength of LANCE WHITNALL, the aerial menace of AARON HAMILL, and the freakish ground skills of MATTHEW LAPPIN ... No wonder they booted more than 20 goals for the second consecutive week."

Carlton's ability to work hard pressured a rash of errors by Hawthorn who were well down on skills. SHANE CRAWFORD had another quiet outing. Pitted against Camporeale, to half-time, Crawford had three possessions to Campo's 21, who finished with 36 disposals for the match. ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES played his 150th for the Blues – CARLTON 22.22-154 (Whitnall 5, Fevola 4, Camporeale 3) best, Camporeale, Ratten, Bradley, HAWTHORN 18.4-112 (Holland 6, Chick 3) best, Chick, Holland, Rock.

<||> The MCG had cloud cover at the 2.10pm bounce on Sunday which turned to drizzle by half time then rained more heavily in the closing stages of the game. Adelaide kicked the first four goals and the Pies had to work like Trojans to get back into the game. The Age journalist MARTIN BLAKE noted the game as a tremendous arm-wrestle, played in warm, dry conditions for one half and on a slippery track for the second. The rain just after half-time surprised everyone, not the least the Magpies, whom coach Malthouse confided had not even considered the possibility of wet weather.

Collingwood finished faster, ultimately sneaking ahead on the back of another stellar game from NATHAN BUCKLEY, whose 55-metre goal in the final term was the icing on the cake. Adelaide chose ANDREW McLEOD to run with the Collingwood captain, knowing that he would extract his 25 touches whoever they used. Buckley dominated the game, twice finding SAVERIO ROCCA from centre-bounced clearances when it really counted in the final quarter, each time for goals. Collingwood won their second game — Adelaide extended their losing run to six, their longest run of outs in 209 League matches – COLLINGWOOD 14.19-103 (Williams 5, S.Rocca 5, Buckley 3) best, Buckley, Williams, S.Rocca, ADELAIDE 13.14-92 (Marsh 3) best, Johnson, Bickley, Rehn.

<||> The roof of Colonial Stadium on Sunday night was closed, providing the League with a history making occasion — the first of 11,742 League contests to be played indoors. The Docklands venue was less than half full, only 24,460 were present.

Brisbane staged a remarkable turnaround, overcoming a big early deficit to defeat the Western Bulldogs by 29 points. The Lions trailed by 35 points midway through the second quarter. By half-time, they led by a goal and, after an arm wrestle in the third quarter, they booted the first four goals of the final term to seal their first win of the season.

JAKE NIALL noted in The Age: The momentum for Brisbane's second-quarter fightback came in the centre square, when young ruckman BEAU McDONALD won several decisive hit-outs and on-ballers Voss, Black and Lappin started to win the ball. It was a disappointing performance by the Bulldogs, whose skill level appeared to falter when Brisbane applied the blow torch and whose shortish defence was exposed against a side that moved the ball quickly. To make matters worse, star midfielder SCOTT WEST limped off in the third quarter with a jarred knee.

For the third time in as many seasons, tensions between the two clubs boiled over when Brisbane on Monday lodged an official complaint with the AFL, alleging JOSE ROMERO deliberately scratched SIMON BLACK in the last quarter. A League investigation was launched – BRISBANE 21.13-139 (Bradshaw 7.2) best, Bradshaw, Black, White, BULLDOGS 17.8-110 (Smith 4, Hudson 3) best, Smith, Romero, NG Brown.

<||> Subiaco Oval was in superb condition on a clear and balmy Sunday night. The 38,127 which attended watched a gritty Sydney break a 13-year drought with a thrilling two-goal victory over West Coast. ANDREW HAMILTON recorded in The Age: After dominating possession for most of the first three quarters, the Swans spent 15 desperate minutes in the last term camped in their own 50m arc as the Eagles midfielders continuously pumped the ball towards goal.

But the Sydney defence, led by captain ANDREW DUNKLEY and the underrated ROWAN WARFE, stood firm, before veteran DALE LEWIS kicked the sealing goal one minute from full-time. Swans' midfielders WAYNE SCHWASS and DARREN CRESSWELL and ruckman GREG STAFFORD had the better of the centre clearances but were let down by inaccurate kicking from their forwards, AhMat, O'Loughlin, Goodes and Ball who were all guilty of missing relatively simple set shots from inside 50m. Ex-Eagle JASON BALL now with Sydney dislocated his right ankle in the second quarter when he landed awkwardly after taking a strong mark. His recovery maybe as long as two months – SYDNEY 12.10-82 (Fitzgerald 2, Lewis 2) best, Schwass, Fitzgerald, Stafford, WEST COAST 10.10-70 (Gehrig 2, Phillip Matera 2, Williams 2) Best, Wirrpunda, Peter Matera, Bellotti.

Stab Kicks ...
** GEELONG gained breathing space from Australia's oldest bank, which wiped a debt of almost $2.5 million to allow the Cats to continue in the AFL.

GREG DENHAM reported in The Age (18th) that Geelong was on the brink of going bankrupt and folding as an AFL club if Westpac, via its Victorian subsidiary the Bank of Melbourne, demanded the repayment of a loan of almost $5.5 million. After weeks of negotiations, Westpac agreed on March 17 to sign off the loan and accept $3 million as full payment from the Cats.
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** Former South Melbourne champion FRED GOLDSMITH will become the third footballer to sell his Brownlow Medal. Auctioneer Christie's will offer the Brownlow for sale on April 17 and believes it may fetch between $60,000 and $80,000. Goldsmith, the 1955 winner is the only full-back to have won the Brownlow outright.
The heirs of DES FOTHERGILL recently announced the sale of his 1940 Brownlow. Last September, Collingwood ruckman LEN THOMPSON's 1972 Brownlow was auctioned and brought $74,000.
The West Australian and VFL legend GRAHAM "POLLY" FARMER has indicated a need to sell his trophy collection, which include Sandover Medals from the WAFL which he won in 1956, 1957 and 1960, along with his MBE. Farmer played a total of 392 games for Geelong, West Perth and East Perth.
__________

** GEELONG's Shell Stadium will join Adelaide's Football Park and the MCG as a smoke-free venue in 2001.
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** Sydney captain PAUL KELLY received a clearance to resume training in the next fortnight. His left knee was refractured in January but a recent bone scan has shown a marked improvement. Club doctor NATHAN GIBBS reported: "the fracture line is much harder to see." If all goes well, Kelly may be ready to return for the Swans sometime in June, about Round 14.
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** Five or six expressions of interest have been received for naming rights to Football Park. A deal may be worth as much as $1 million a season to the SANFL.
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They said it ...
ANDREW RAMSEY, The Australian, Monday March 20 — "... the starting time which was just minutes after midday on a Sunday, the 13th different starting time the Australian Football League has employed in 16 matches this season".
__________

ROSS BRUNDRETT, Herald Sun, Saturday March 18 — "SATURDAY TOO FAR AWAY" ... "For years now the AFL has been tossing up the idea of a night grand final. So much so that most commentators have already suggested that it's not a case of if it will happen, just when.
When that day finally arrives, who knows where it will lead us. Perhaps like baseball and basketball, day games of footy will become a true novelty".
__________

MIKE SHEAHAN, Talking Footy, Monday March 20 — "I do have a feeling the AFL have been so rocked by the reaction out in the electorate that we'll certainly have more Saturday footy next year".
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Western Bulldogs president DAVID SMORGON, The Age, Wednesday March 22: "This shows John Elliott for what he really is. The Carlton Football Club has been unmasked.
"He has shown he obviously only has the Carlton Football Club at heart. He doesn’t care about Victorian football, he doesn’t care about the AFL. It’s a pretty sad day for Australian football."

Pies slaughter the Blues by 73pts
Dons, Pies, Cats, Swans unbeaten
450th game by Kevin Sheedy

ROUND 3 — Fri-Sat-Sun, March 24-25-26.
MILESTONES — KEVIN SHEEDY coached Essendon in his 450th premiership match (1981-2000) ... in their 220th meeting since 1897, COLLINGWOOD with 24.16-160 recorded their highest score against the Blues — the Pies by two points topped their previous best of 24.14-158 over Carlton kicked in 71-R11-P ... DALE KICKETT reached his 150th League game (1990-2000) with five clubs Fitzroy, West Coast, St Kilda, Essendon and Fremantle ... 150 matches also for two Bulldogs, ROHAN SMITH (1992-2000) and SCOTT WEST (1993-2000) ... 50 matches for BEN DIXON (Haw, 1997-2000), MICHAEL MARTIN (48 FWB 1995-99, 2 Bri 2000), CHAD RINTOUL (23 Ade 1997-98, 27 WCE 1999-2000) ... ROWAN WARFE reached 50 matches with Sydney (1997-2000), also 26 Fit 1994-97, SIMON GARLICK reached 50 with the Bulldogs (1998-2000), also 44 Syd 1994-97 ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> The Roos and Richmond produced a 47-goal game on Friday night—Kangas 27.8-170, Richmond 20.14-134-an aggregate of 304pts. This is one point short of the 1989 Round 5 game at the MCG between the two which brought 305 points, Richmond 26.15-171 to North Melb 20.14-134.
<> Richmond's 20.14-134 is their highest losing score against the Roos.

<> St Kilda and West Coast recorded the 127th League draw — the first between the two clubs and the first at the Docklands venue.

<> The Western Bulldogs' 10.2-62 on Sunday at Colonial fell short of their all time best for a second quarter — their best second term is 11.5-71 against Melbourne's 1.5-11, 1941 Round 6 at the Western Oval.
<> At Docklands on Sunday afternoon CHRIS GRANT (WB) with the first of his seven (7.3) for the day reached 400 career goals in game 216 ... PETER BELL (NMK and Fre) passed 100 career goals in game 103 ... MATTHEW ROBRAN (Ade) reached 100 goals in game 104 ... ANTHONY ROCCA (Col and Syd) passed 100 goals in game 81.

<> Carlton with 0.4 had their worst third quarter for 16 years against Collingwood — they kicked only 0.2-2, in the First Semi of 1984 at VFL Park.
<> Collingwood's 73 point victory on Sunday was the biggest of their 36 matches played against Carlton at the MCG (1905-2000) and ranks an equal fifth-best by the Magpies from an overall 220 matches since 1897.
<> Sunday's crowd ranks seventh of the best to watch Carlton and Collingwood in a home-and-away contest at the MCG.

<> The round produced another deluge of point scoring with another greatest tally of 1894 points registered for the eight matches. It is greater than the 1868 points, the previous highest tally recorded in this year's opening round.

<||> Fine conditions were experienced at the MCG on Friday night when the Kangaroos drew their first premiership points of the season — they blasted Richmond with a seven-goal final quarter for a 36pt victory in front of 37,543 patrons.

The Kangas stuck to their game plan of being simple and direct while Richmond overused the ball and went "via the Cape" at almost every opportunity. The final term emphasised the difference in tactics — the Tigers accumulated 99 disposals to 62, yet the Roos kicked 7.1 to Richmond's 1.7.

DAVID KING had an outstanding game for the Blue and White while Carey carrying a shoulder injury was quiet. MATTHEW RICHARDSON was underdone but was present with five marks in the third term, as was RORY HILTON (six marks in the third) when Richmond threatened to break into the lead. However, the good defensive work by Martyn, Archer and McCartney held the Roos together giving a never-ending run of opportunities for King, Grant, Simpson and Harvey.
The match was a 47-goal shootout with 24 of the 44 players kicking a major, 12 by each team – KANGAROOS 27.8-170 (King 5, Calthorpe 3, McKernan 3) best, King, Simpson, Harvey, RICHMOND 20.14-134 (Richardson 4, Ottens 3, Dragicevic 3) best, Richardson, Hilton, Gaspar.

<||> Saturday produced a beautiful autumn day — however, only a tiny 20,374 responded through the gates of the cavernous MCG. Despite Brisbane taking a 25pt lead late in the third term Hawthorn desperately clawed their way back to capture their first points of the season by a narrow margin.

Hawthorn responded magnificently after losing ruckman PAUL SALMON (groin) and full-forward NATHAN THOMPSON (sprained ankle). KAREN LYON reported in The Age: Former Lion JOHN BARKER was an unlikely hero, booting four goals in the second half when it seemed Brisbane might run away with the game. Without a ruckman, Barker was at times doing the ruckwork with the help of BRENDAN KRUMMEL and JADE RAWLINGS. As they say necessity is the mother of invention. SHANE CRAWFORD and DANIEL HARFORD were racking up possessions, while ANTHONY ROCK, RICHARD TAYLOR and TONY WOODS were being rotated through the centre, their fresh legs often too much for the Lions, who have travelled to Melbourne in each of the opening three rounds.

It was TRENT CROAD doing all the damage streaming out of defence to create play for his forwards ... disciplined hard-at-the-footy won the day for the Hawks.
Hawthorn had already won the game but the match had not officially ended when NICK HOLLAND's shot on goal after the final siren, was tumbling toward an unguarded goal when an MCC employee in a red coat ran from the boundary and grabbed the rolling ball. The Hawthorn club lodged an official complaint about the incident in a game which the Hawks won by seven points but could have won by 13 – HAWTHORN 16.14-110 (Barker 3, N.Thompson 3, Dixon 3) best, Croad, Crawford, Barker, BRISBANE 15.13-103 (Lynch 4) best, Lynch, M.Voss, Martin.

<||> It was a fine and mild Saturday night as recently installed Adelaide coach GARY AYRES faced his old club. Geelong survived the test, posting their third successive win under MARK THOMPSON, sending Adelaide to their seventh straight defeat. Only 39,179 attended, the smallest crowd of the eight contests between the two at Footy Park—after eight attempts it also brought the Cats' first success over the Crows in Adelaide.

Geelong's long and direct game plan was put to the test when Adelaide with four goals in eight minutes wiped a 25pt deficit and swept to the lead at the half-way mark of the last term. Geelong, not noted for its fight-back qualities steadied and late goals to GLENN KILPATRICK and STEVEN KING, and a crucial tackle by the in-form PETER RICCARDI on MARK BICKLEY, clinched an 11pt victory in a desperate finish. RONNIE BURNS kicked four of the Cats' 17 goals in a typically elusive display. DAVID CLARKE's drive from the wing was important for Geelong as was Riccardi's on-ball influence.

PATRICK MILES noted in The Australian – Once the ball enters the forward line ... Adelaide's system and purpose too frequently unwind. They blazed away against Geelong who had significantly less of the ball, yet the returns inside 50 metres were lean.

Adelaide next travel to Perth for West Coast then to the Gabba and in a fortnight may well be staring at a 0+5 start – GEELONG 17.9-111 (Burns 4) best, King, Burns, McGrath, ADELAIDE 14.16-100 (Welsh 3) best, Ricciuto, McLeod, Robran.

<||> After another fine and mild day the roof of Colonial was open on Saturday night when a disappointing 21,215 followers watched the first recorded draw at the new stadium and the 127th tie overall. Both St Kilda and West Coast appeared certain of victory at different stages of the final quarter, but in the end the Saints accuracy prevailed.

GREG DENHAM reporting for The Age – The Saints salvaged a poor start by coming from a seemingly impossible position approaching time-on in the final quarter. West Coast led by 21 points, 20 minutes into the final term, then the Saints with five goals in seven minutes, appeared certain to record their first win of the season.

Two late goals by the Eagles, to DANIEL METROPOLIS and CHAD MORRISON, levelled the scores with less that 90 seconds remaining. In a hectic final minute, St Kilda defender DARRYL WAKELIN had the last shot at goal, albeit under pressure from outside the 50-metre arc, which rolled out of bounds. PETER EVERITT kicked seven goals while STEWART LOEWE was consistent all night, but his centre-square ruck work in the final quarter was brilliant, as well as his 11 final-term kicks – ST KILDA 18.6-116 (Everitt 7.0, A.Thompson 3) best, Harvey, Loewe, Everitt, WEST COAST 17.14-116 (Gehrig 3, Cummings 3, Phillip Matera 3) best, Peter Matera, Wirrpunda, Morrison.

<||> Australian football's spiritual home welcomed 82,669 of the faithful on a fine and mild Sunday. The MCG erupted as the Malthouse-era Magpies stamped their credentials in the best possible manner by obliterating arch rivals Carlton by 73 points. Collingwood kicked their highest score of 220 contests against the Blues, topping their previous best of 24.14-158 over Carlton kicked at Waverley in Round 11 of 1971.

ROHAN CONNOLLY noted in The Age – SHANE O'BREE lifted another notch after featuring in Collingwood's best the first two weeks. Up against two of the game's very best midfielders in BRETT RATTEN and FRASER BROWN, O'Bree made all the running. By half-time, the tough and talented midfielder had reaped 19 touches to the Carlton pair's combined tally of 16.

It was that sort of day for Carlton, which turned in a stinker of the proportions of its pathetic 12-goal drubbing against Essendon late last year, or its semi-final loss up in Brisbane. If you had told even the most optimistic Collingwood fans they would be witnessing a drubbing before the game, you might have just about stopped them going. Now the hardest part is going to be finding some room on what could end up being season 2000's biggest bandwagon – COLLINGWOOD 24.16-160 (S.Rocca 6, O’Bree 3, Brown 3) best, O’Bree, Buckley, Williams, CARLTON 11.21-87 (Whitnall 5) best, Whitnall, Camporeale, Lappin.

<||> The roof was open for the fine and mild conditions experienced on Sunday afternoon at Docklands. Another poor roll out of only 18,134 fans shows the League have a lot of selling to do to get the support required at the new $460 million venue. Long queues at ticketing entrances were one of the complaints, while the patchy playing surface had noticeably been coloured in several spots to cover problems.

After trailing by 12 points at quarter-time, the Bulldogs kicked 16 of the next 18 goals, including 10 in an outstanding second term were part of the observations reported in The Age by LINDA PEARCE. The game turned with the switch of LUKE DARCY into the ruck in place of fading captain SCOTT WYND while Port's ruckman MATTHEW PRIMUS was also being spelled on the bench and, in the absence of the injured BRENDON LADE, relieved by BARNABY FRENCH. While confirming that the athletic Darcy is ready to inherit Wynd's ruck role, the second quarter also brought five of CHRIS GRANT's seven goals, including the 400th of his career. ROHAN SMITH and SCOTT WEST both played their 150th matches in the Doggies 47-point demolition of Port – BULLDOGS 22.9-141 (Grant 7.3, Garlick 4, Dimattina 3) best, Darcy, Grant, Contessa, PORT 14.10-94 (Tredrea 4) best, Primus, Kingsley, Tredrea.

<||> Following several days of rain Sunday afternoon turned to be fine and a mild 26 degrees for a disappointing SCG crowd of 26,920. The first Sydney match of the season also received live local TV cover. Until three-quarter time the Swans dominated their contest against Melbourne holding a comfortable 35-point lead.

The Swans received tremendous drive from WAYNE SCHWASS and DARYN CRESSWELL and the great opportunist BRETT ALLISON. RYAN FITZGERALD continued his promising entry to League ranks with another four goals while MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN appeared untroubled by his groin injury, creating space in the confines of the tight SCG to kick three goals and set up several others.

With DALE LEWIS (broken left arm) and JARED CROUCH (ankle) already out of the game, the Swans were in trouble as ANDREW DUNKLEY cramped and GREG STAFFORD nursed a corked thigh. Seizing the initiative, Melbourne were sparked in the last quarter by midfielders SHANE WOEWODIN and ANDREW LEONCELLI, together with the determination of JEFF FARMER and DAVID SCHWARZ. The Demons however could get no closer than 11 points. A tiring and wounded Sydney held on to post their third consecutive win – SYDNEY 19.12-126 (Fitzgerald 4, Barry 3, O’Loughlin 3, Allison 3) best, O’Loughlin, Allison, Cresswell, MELBOURNE 17.12-114 (Farmer 3, Leoncelli 3) best, Leoncelli, Powell, Woewodin.

<||> Essendon maintained their leadership status when they cruised in for their third successive victory over a plucky though deficient Fremantle in good Sunday night conditions at Subiaco Oval. The six-goal margin was a case of skill overcoming endeavour. A fair 27,230 fans rolled out for the occasion.

SCOTT LUCAS returned following his broken ankle last season and added bite to the already vastly talented Essendon forward zone of Hird, Lloyd and Alessio. Add the silky skills of Bomber vice-captain MICHAEL LONG who bobbed up whenever he was needed, the Dons are a positive and effective unit.

MARK DUFFIELD noted in The Age: Fremantle full-forward TONY MODRA overcame a slow start to produce a fine performance opposed to DUSTIN FLETCHER, kicking five goals ... CLIVE WATERHOUSE worked hard against DEAN SOLOMON to create chances but finished the first half with three points from what were relatively easy chances ... DANIEL BANDY in defence and TROY COOK on the ball lent strong support for the Dockers, but Lloyd and Hird were having strong games for the Bombers.

The Dockers indeed are improving — Essendon however are clearly the early premiership favourites – ESSENDON 19.10-124 (Lloyd 4, Hird 3) best, Misiti, M.Johnson, Blumfield, FREMANTLE 12.16-88 (Modra 5) best, Cook, Fletcher, Hasleby.

Stab Kicks ...
** The extensive space required to cover the match details of the 18-team VFL competition has sadly resulted in the disappearance of interstate matches in Monday editions of most newspapers in the east. Seems as though the days have passed when one could steal a glance to see how West Perth or Sturt were going in Perth and Adelaide.
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** Western Bulldogs player JOSE ROMERO following his two week suspension by the AFL Tribunal for scratching Brisbane's SIMON BLACK received a "please explain" letter from the League and a reprimand by his club for his comments made on Channel Nine's Footy Show on Thursday (23rd).
Brisbane club doctor PAUL McCONNELL was also considering his legal options.
__________

** The first arguments were heard in the Victorian Supreme Court by Justice Philip Mandie on Friday (24th) in the action by Carlton against the AFL and Channel Seven for breach of contract and trespass.
The date of the next hearing is Friday April 14.
__________

** Brisbane Lions coach LEIGH MATTHEWS in his weekly Queensland Sunday Mail column called on the AFL to reintroduce umpire inspections of the nails of AFL players before matches saying — "The umpires haven't lined the teams up and checked players' fingers and stops for the best part of 20-25 years."
__________

** In his third senior game for Collingwood, 19-year-old DAMIEN ADKINS received the Round 3 nomination for the NORWICH UNION RISING STAR AWARD. The speedster gathered 19 possessions and kicked two goals in the Magpies 73-point demolition of Carlton.
__________

** Renegade Sydney radio station 2UE though denied the commercial rights to broadcast rugby league continue to do so successfully, calling games from TV monitors in their studios. They announced they will provide direct cover of the Sydney-Collingwood match from the SCG on Saturday night. Their last foray into the AFL market was for the 1996 Grand Final when Sydney played North Melbourne. It is hoped 2UE will not resort to using the match as "joke material".
__________

** Richmond took the unusual step of suspending star midfielder NICK DAFFY for one match. Daffy was arrested by police on a Bendigo street at 4.30am last Sunday morning, having been involved in an altercation minutes earlier at a nearby nightclub. He was charged with being drunk in a public place and spent two hours sobering up at the police station.
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** It was announced that Sydney and Collingwood in future matches played at the SCG will play for the Lockett-Coventry Cup.
__________

** GEELONG moved closer to their membership target of 23,300 which is required to meet its budget. Wins in the first three rounds has boosted membership to 22,200.
__________

** PATRICK SMITH in The Age on Wednesday (29th) wrote: "Carlton and the Melbourne Cricket Club are believed to want more than $10 million annually from the AFL in return for a promise to drop court proceedings against the League."
__________

** A poll conducted by the Herald Sun revealed that football supporters have an overwhelming preference to see matches played on Saturday afternoons by a ratio of almost 20 to 1. MIKE SHEAHAN noted: "A total of only 29 games will be played in Victoria on Saturday afternoons during the home-and-away series this year. Another 14 will be played here at night."
The League has indicated they will look more closely at fixturing for season 2001 and return to Friday-Saturday-Sunday programming.
Does anyone feel that another expensive AFL survey will soon be launched?

Bulldogs pummel 'tragic' Blues
Scott Cummings kicks 14 goals
Adelaide fall to bottom place

ROUND 4 — Fri-Sat-Sun, March 31, April 1-2.
MILESTONES — WAYNE CAREY led the Kangaroos for the 150th time and equalled the club record of WAYNE SCHIMMELBUSCH ... DARREN JARMAN played his 200th League game (109 Haw 1991-95, 91 Ade 1996-2000) ... 100 AFL games for CRAIG McRAE (Bri) 1995-2000 ... JARROD MOLLOY, 59 Fit 1994-96, 41 Bri 1997-2000 ... STEVEN SZILLER (StK) 1995-2000 ... DARRYL WAKELIN (StK) 1995-2000 ... FRASER GEHRIG (WCE) 1995-2000 ... DANIEL SOUTHERN (FWB) 1994-2000 ... 50 League matches by PAUL CORRIGAN (Gee) 1997-2000 ... DARREN MILBURN (Gee) 1997-2000 ... JOE McLAREN (StK) 1996-2000 ... JASON McCARTNEY (NMK) played his 50th for the Roos (1998-2000), also 38 Col 1991-94, 37 Ade 1995-97 ... COLLINGWOOD and SOUTH MELB-SYDNEY met for the 200th occasion since 1897 ... the SWANS lost their 100th match at the SCG (1981-2000) ... SCOTT CUMMINGS (West Coast) became the 21st player to kick more than 13 goals in a game. His 14.1 against Adelaide on Saturday night at the WACA was a new club record, topping the 13.3 kicked by PETER SUMICH, 91-R13-WCA versus Footscray. Cummings effort is a new record for a match in Round 4 ... the winless ADELAIDE fell to 16th position, their lowest placing in their 211 match AFL history ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> The North Melbourne Kangaroos recorded their 50th victory since 1925 over Geelong. The Cats have won on 81 occasions, one game in 1961 was drawn.

<> Collingwood from wooden-spooners to winning the opening four matches of the following season have done something only achieved once before — by North Melbourne. North with only three wins from 20 rounds finished in 12th place of the VFL in 1968 and took the wooden spoon. In 1969, the Kangas burst into the scene beating South at Arden Street, the Demons then Richmond at the MCG, and Fitzroy at Arden Street to head the ladder at the end of Round 4. North lost in Round 5 to Essendon and won only four more matches for the year to finish in eighth place in the VFL's 12-club 1969 competition.
<> Collingwood by five points won had their tightest victory over the Swans in 39 years. It was a four-point win in 62-R14-VP, 11.10-76 to 10.12-72, and 11 years earlier in 51-R17-AP it was a one-point victory, 12.10-82 to 12.9-81.

<> West Coast with 29.13-187 against Adelaide fell five points short of their highest League score in 314 matches. They kicked 29.18-192 also at the WACA in Round 3 1988 versus Brisbane 10.14-74.

<> MELBOURNE kicked their highest score against St Kilda for 22 years — 77-R20-MCG, 27.13-175.

<> RICHMOND and FREMANTLE in their second successive meeting had a one-point result — the Tigers by one, 99-R13-S — the Dockers by one, 00-R4-Dok. The two great stats-heads Col Hutchinson and Stephen Rodgers scoured the records and believe this has only happened on two previous occasions in 104 seasons.

<> In 1951 and 1952, Fitzroy and Hawthorn had one-point margins in successive meetings at Brunswick Street, then Geelong and South Melbourne emulated the feat in 1974 with one-point results in both their Kardinia Park and Lake Oval contests.

<> Collingwood's SAVERIO ROCCA reached 500 career goals in game 148 ...
SCOTT CUMMINGS (WCE) passed 300 career goals in game 105 ...
Hawthorn's NICK HOLLAND reached 150 goals in game 102 ...

<> Richmond's one-match suspension of NICK DAFFY caused him to miss his first after 70 consecutive games since 1996 Round 22.

<> A winless St Kilda suffered a 90pt drubbing on Sunday. From their 1,941 matches since 1897, it was the 62nd occasion in which St Kilda have been defeated by 90pts or more in a game. Their most recent thrashing in was in 1999s opening round when the Brisbane Lions won by 89pts at the Gabba.
__________

<||> Clear skies above ensured the roof of Colonial Stadium was open on Friday night for a thrilling contest which went down to the last kick of the game—a crowd of 34,623 witnessed a terrific tussle.

The Kangas provided two highlights—the first match by LEIGH COLBERT for the Roos, against his old club Geelong. Colbert started well and booted 2.1 for the night but spent time on the bench and registered only four kicks for the game. The other focussed on coach Pagan's decision to play WAYNE CAREY in defence at centre half-back from where he exerted considerable influence in distributing his 32 disposals, 29 kicks, three handballs.

The Kangaroos wrested control of the game from Geelong with a six goal third quarter to lead by 20 points at the final break. But then the Cats kicked the first four goals of the last term and it was goal for goal. Had a booming torpedo (reported later at 76 metres) from CLINT BIZZELL right on the final siren gone through for a goal, the Cats would have snatched a draw – KANGAROOS 15.14-104 (Harvey 3, McKernan 3) best, Bell, Carey Harvey, King, GEELONG 15.9-99 (Stoneham 3) best, Sholl, King, Sanderson.

<||> Essendon maintained its unbeaten start to the season with an effortless 47pt win over Hawthorn in fine conditions at the MCG on Saturday afternoon when 46,889 attended.

The Hawks in the first three minutes booted two goals but from there were outclassed by the Bombers. JAMES HIRD rotating between the midfield and attack was in superlative touch for the Dons in his first full-game performance since 1996 picking up 10 marks, 22 kicks, eight handballs and two goals. Hawthorn even with a great showing by SHANE CRAWFORD (31 disposals) had no answer to Essendon's attack as SCOTT LUCAS booted five goals and MATTHEW LLOYD four, despite being beaten by the Hawks' full-back JONATHAN HAY. The Dons had 11 goalkickers. The midfield fire which MICHAEL LONG ignited for Essendon was largely overlooked in reports.

As the benchmark, the Bombers have kicked 23, 20, 19 and 20 goals in their first four victories. Next up for them, arch rivals Carlton – ESSENDON 20.17-137 (Lucas 5, Lloyd 4) best, Hird, Lucas, Misiti, HAWTHORN 14.6-90 (Dixon 4) best, Rock, Hay, Dixon.

<||> The Western Bulldogs responded to recent inflammatory criticism of their club by the Carlton president JOHN ELLIOTT with a through 39pt victory over the Blues under Saturday sunshine at Colonial Stadium—30,576 watched a game which never reached great heights.

ANDREW RAMSAY noted in The Australian: The Bulldogs were more precise when running the ball out of defence thanks mainly to the skills of ROHAN SMITH and BRAD JOHNSON, were less prone to embarrassing errors and had agile defenders and reliable goalkicking options in attack. TRENT BARTLETT, a Tasmanian recruited from Brisbane, stood out with six strong marks and five goals against three opponents. Equally effective was Sydney discard SIMON GARLICK who ran rings around MICHAEL MANSFIELD and, with three goals, exposed the Blues' lack of speed in their back half ...

An interesting observation on the Docklands venue by Bulldog coach TERRY WALLACE was quoted in the Herald Sun: "There's no doubt the ball carries further in this stadium. When we had our first couple of training sessions here, there were guys missing the ball in lead-ups by five metres. You get more yardage on the ball here and if that give us an advantage of others coming here to play, well that's terrific." – BULLDOGS 14.14-98 (Bartlett 5, Garlick 3) best, Bartlett, Dimattina, Garlick, CARLTON 8.11-59 (Hamill 2, Allan 2) best, Camporeale, Beaumont.

<||> A crowd of 34,687 at the SCG on a clear Sydney Saturday night witnessed one of the closest League contests on record. Margins at the breaks were one point, level at half-time and again at three-quarter time, with a zooming 55 metre goal on the final siren by Collingwood's ANTHONY ROCCA deciding the contest in favour of the Magpies by a mere five points.

It was a torrid encounter between the two undefeated sides, and it wasn't pretty. Neither were several umpiring incidents which included a goal umpire going to ground under the force of the pack when a critical kick by Sydney's WAYNE SCHWASS immediately preceded Rocca's match-winning goal. Schwass' kick to the scoreboard end was judged to have been touched on the line and indeed the ball was deflected to hit the Brewongle side goalpost. After consulting with both field and boundary umpires, the goalie signalled a "poster" to the surprise of most people—however for a minute it put Sydney a point in front.

Both sides had their stars – GREG STAFFORD was clearly the dominant big man for Sydney and his four goals up forward nearly stole the show ... PAUL WILLIAMS in his 172nd game for the Pies was as dangerous as ever with 29 disposals but a wayward 2 goals 4 behinds ... Schwass was also wayward for the Swans, while O'Loughlin failed to have his usual impact ... the Magpies now have as many match points as they collected for all of last year – COLLINGWOOD 15.16-106 (Tarrant 4, A.Rocca 3) best, Tarrant, Williams, Buckley, SYDNEY 15.11-101 (Stafford 4, Allison 3) best, Stafford, Schwass, Nicks.

<||> West Coast demolished Adelaide by 114 points in clear weather at the WACA Oval on Saturday night. 26,008 fans saw SCOTT CUMMINGS kick 14.1 for the night (3, 3, 5, 3) becoming the new club record holder for the Eagles. Adelaide's loss brought their eighth successive defeat with the side only a ghost of SA's pride which took dual premierships in 1997-98.

SCOTT COGLAN recorded for The Australian: Cummings kicked six goals on an underdone MARK STEVENS, playing his first game back from a knee injury, two more on BEN HART, another two on NIGEL SMART and capped his night with four goals on the unlucky KEN McGREGOR.

Despite having 16 premiership players in the team, the Crows played with barely a trace of passion, commitment and pride after quarter time. And DARREN JARMAN's 200th game quickly turned from celebration to nightmare.

Adelaide coach GARY AYRES blasted his players attitude: "You can't kid yourself about a performance like that. The one thing you have to do is have a go. If you are pretending to have a crack you will get found out in this environment and we didn't have a red-hot go ..." – WEST COAST 29.13-187 (Cummings 14.1) best, Cummings, Peter Matera, Banfield, ADELAIDE 10.13-73 (Jarman 3, Vardy 3, Welsh 3) best, Ricciuto, Jarman, Cicolella.

<||> The Brisbane Lions were in their seventh week on the road (three Ansett Cup games and the first four rounds) when Port Adelaide struck home for their first points of the year on a great autumn day at Football Park. It was however a new low for an AFL match in Adelaide with just 24,458 on hand. There was immense relief as the Power broke a club-record five-match losing streak.

ALAN SHIELL noted for The Age: Port looked good from the outset, with a more aggressive, direct and skilful style as it strove to recover from losses to Essendon (94pts), Fremantle (38) and the Western Bulldogs (47) in the three previous games. Brisbane, though, bore little resemblance to the team that finished fourth last season with 18 wins in 25 matches. It was a measure of Port's form-finding performances that MARK HARWOOD who had played the previous day for Glenelg, and a necessary late inclusion due to injuries to Port's three emergency players, came off the bench in the second quarter, and joined in the scoring spree with three goals. As Port kicked their second highest score in AFL company, Brisbane coach LEIGH MATTHEWS predicted changes: "We're struggling to get 18 on the field to do the job at the moment." – PORT 23.11-149 (Burgoyne 5, Harwood 3) best, Burgoyne, Wilson, Bishop, BRISBANE 15.16-106 (Lynch 3, Bradshaw 3, McRae 3) best, Lappin, Black, Heuskes.

<||> Melbourne continued its promising form when it strangled a listless and spiritless St Kilda in the last half in great Sunday conditions at the MCG for 31,642 enthusiasts. The Saints led by 16pts late in the first quarter. Ten minutes into the second term, the Demons still trailed by 10pts and then rookie BRAD GREEN kicked the first of five Melbourne goals in a brilliant six-minute burst. With BARRY HALL off with a corked thigh, the Saints were forced to recast their side when key forward PETER EVERITT had to be shifted into the ruck to curb the dominance of Demon pair TROY SIMMONDS and JEFF WHITE.

After the break, Melbourne began to dominate at ground level as SHANE WOEWODIN, ADEM YZE, GUY RIGONI, STEPHEN POWELL and ANDREW LEONCELLI rammed the ball forward. Woewodin in particular, put his body on the line at every opportunity. The standout for St Kilda was Mr Perpetual, ROBERT HARVEY who battled his heart out to stir his teammates. The Saints in the capitulation were recorded with just four effective tackles after halftime.

JIM MAIN noted in The Australian, the caustic reaction from Saints coach TIM WATSON: "You're not going to beat Dimboola Thirds playing like that." Watson to get to the post-match press conference ran the gauntlet of boos and abuse from angry St Kilda supporters – MELBOURNE 25.15-165 (Farmer 5, Green 4, Robertson 4) best, Woewodin, Yze, Rigoni, ST KILDA 11.9-75 (Everitt 3) best, Harvey, Delaney, Burke.

<||> Richmond and Fremantle provided 23,578 fans on Sunday afternoon at Colonial with a tight contest, the equal of their last meeting—a one-point result. The fine but hard conditions saw the Dockers streak out to a 27pt lead at quarter-time after TONY MODRA kicked three of Fremantle's first four goals in the opening seven minutes.

The Dockers in the first term cut the Tigers up with crisp ball movement through the middle of the ground but Richmond turned the focus midway in the second quarter when they applied physical pressure and brought themselves back into the contest by half time. Then the Tigers in the third kicked five unanswered goals to make the difference only four points at the last change.

In a tight finish, it was the seventh behind from a wayward Modra (who finished with 7.7 from 12 marks and 16 kicks) which captured the win for Freo. MATTHEW RICHARDSON was productive with six goals for Richmond but he was taken to hospital on landing awkwardly in the last quarter. Cleared of any break, his left ankle injury however will sideline the champion forward for at least a fortnight — something further to hurt the 12th placed Tigers – FREMANTLE 12.16-88 (Modra 7.7) best, Modra, McManus, Fletcher, RICHMOND 13.9-87 (King, Richardson, Torney.

Gutnick attacks the AFL
The pre-game President's lunch at the MCG on Sunday provided Melbourne president JOSEPH GUTNICK with the platform for him to launch a scathing attack on the AFL.

Gutnick accused the League of being untrustworthy, discriminatory and employing bullying tactics. He called for changes to the AFL Commission which included the installation of three club presidents to non-voting commission seats.

A report in The Australian by ANDREW RAMSEY and JIM MAIN noted: Gutnick has become increasingly outspoken in his criticism of the AFL in the wake of last week's decision by the league to enshrine harsh penalties for any breach of its broadcast rights access agreement.
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AFL and MCC in talks
The AFL chief executive WAYNE JACKSON and Melbourne Cricket Club general manager STEPHEN GOUGH had discussions for some two hours on Monday.

Little was revealed from the talks however it is understood the League was prepared to play more games at the MCG to help redevelop the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Stab Kicks ...
** The Collingwood coach MICK MALTHOUSE responded to comments made by his Brisbane counterpart LEIGH MATTHEWS over the travelling factor the Lions have faced in the first month of the season. With the Gabba unavailable due to resurfacing, the Lions were on the road for three Ansett Cup matches and the first four rounds of the premiership season. Malthouse noted when coaching West Coast they had endured six straight road trips one year.

In 1990, the Eagles played R21, R22, then the Qualifying Final and Replay, and the First Semi-Final and Preliminary finals in successive weeks at Carrara Oval, Kardinia Park, and the four finals at Waverley Park. He said — "Travelling? Go to Perth a few times, that's travelling."
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** Richmond's MATTHEW RICHARDSON will have to wait until Saturday to learn the extent of an injury to his left foot. His surgeon will examine the injured foot under anaesthetic.
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** Richmond forward NICK DAFFY on Monday (3rd) was discharged from Bendigo Magistrates Court without penalty on a charge of being drunk in a public place about 4am on March 26. Daffy was one of nine called to the court to face a similar charge, of which none appeared.
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** The injured Brisbane ruckman CLARKE KEATING is unlikely to play until mid-season. A scan of tendon damage showed his knee has not improved and his return to training will be delayed a further six weeks.
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** Western Bulldogs midfielder JOSE ROMERO has incurred an AFL fine of $5000 over his public comments made following his two match suspension for scratching Brisbane's SIMON BLACK in Round 3.
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** Richmond ruckman BRENDON GALE replaced Fremantle player PETER MANN as president of the AFL Players' Association on March 29. The same day the AFLPA announced the funding of 275 current and former players under its education and training account. The Association said half of its annual $1 million budget is spent on grants. It also launched the MIKE FITZPATRICK scholarships, named after the former Carlton captain which are designed to give financial support to future AFL players. The five $10,000 grants will run for 12 months and be available to juniors between 15 and 17 years of age.
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Obituary
David Starbuck passes at 49
DAVID STARBUCK lost his fight with cancer and passed away on March 29 aged 49. He played just 13 games with Essendon in 1970-71 but the family was well-known in VFA circles where his father Dave served as president of the Coburg club for many years.

Video producer and raconteur STEPHEN PHILLIPS reminded me by phone that young David had his face rearranged when playing with Coburg in 1973 against Port when he unfortunately ran into a forearm of IAN COLLINS, after which he was spitting teeth, not chips. Collins, the former tough Carlton defender was then captain-coach of the Borough, later CEO of Carlton and the last operations manager of the AFL.

West Coast's SCOTT CUMMINGS on Saturday night at the WACA wore a black armband to commemorate the life of David Starbuck — Cummings paid his friend the ultimate respect when he kicked a new club record of 14 goals.

Essendon, masters over Carlton
Pies win five; create new record
Cats give Eagles a shellacking

ROUND 5 — Fri-Sat-Sun, April 7-8-9.
MILESTONES — COLLINGWOOD became the first club to win its opening five matches after being wooden spooners the previous season — North Melbourne won its opening four matches in 1969 after being wooden spooner in 1968 ... ADELAIDE suffered a record ninth successive defeat ... RODNEY EADE coached Sydney for the 100th time ... MARK BICKLEY captained Adelaide for the 89th occasion, equalling the club record of CHRIS McDERMOTT ... 150 matches for DREW BANFIELD (WCE) 1993-2000 ... 100 League games by JASON AKERMANIS (Bri) 1995-2000, DANIEL HARFORD (Haw) 1995-2000, RICHARD TAYLOR (Haw) 1992-2000, LUKE DARCY (FWB) 1994-2000 ... 50th matches for GUY RIGONI (Mel) 1998-2000, PETER BURGOYNE (PA) 1997-2000, JASON SADDINGTON (Syd) 1998-2000 ... WAYNE SCHWASS played his 50th for Sydney, also 184 North Melb (1988-97) ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> ABC Radio noted that Carlton and Essendon on Saturday both had the same number of scoring shots as they did in the 1999 Preliminary Final.
Difference was, last September Carlton from 24 shots kicked 16.8-104 to Essendon 14.19-103 from 33 shots.
<> SCOTT LUCAS (Ess) passed his century of goals in game 72.

<> The Bulldogs' 7.3-45 on Friday night was a record third quarter tally against the Magpies, topping 7.2-44 from 1935-R6-VP.

<> ALASTAIR LYNCH kicked Brisbane's first goal on Saturday night at the Gabba with a drop kick from inside the goal-square. Former League coach JOHN NORTHEY was asked on ABC Radio by commentator PETER WALSH what is was worth? Swooper answered — "50 push-ups" ...

<> The KANGAROOS enjoyed a 44pt turnaround in the closing 12 minutes of the third quarter at the SCG on Sunday. They were trailing the Swans by 32pts at the 20 minute mark then kicked away to be leaders by 12pts when the quarter ended at 32 mins 20 secs.
<> MIKE McCANN on ABC Radio noted that the last five meetings between the Roos and Sydney have ended with margins 10pts or less, 10, 10, 2, 10, 8.

<> ST KILDA's capitulation on Sunday was the sixth occasion in the past 25 seasons (1976-2000) where the Saints have led at half-time by 28pts or more and lost the game. Richmond on Sunday was 32pts down at the 10-minute mark of the third term.

<> Stats expert STEPHEN RODGERS noted there were 11 players for West Coast and nine for Geelong who each kicked a one goal. The 20 single goalkickers is a new League record topping the 18 from 87-R5-PP Hawthorn v West Coast and 98-2PF-MCG North Melb v Melbourne.
<> The 11 single goalkickers for West Coast at Geelong is a new club record topping the 10 versus the Bulldogs, 97-R21-WO.

<> PORT ADELAIDE drew only 22,083 against Hawthorn, a new AFL low at Football Park.

<> Master statsman COL HUTCHINSON noted – five Victorian-based sides hold the top five places on the ladder – for the first time since 1995-Round 15.
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<||> Collingwood continued its stunning opening to the season when it withstood a furious fightback by the Western Bulldogs to win a Friday night thriller in fine conditions at Colonial Stadium to a near sell-out 45,141. The match was telecast live in Melbourne and Victoria.

The Magpies had all the early running, displaying ferocity and proved they are capable of standing the pressure when the Bulldogs struck back from a 32pt half-time deficit to kick a record 7.3 third term (against the Pies) and set up a dramatic finish when the lead changed four times in the last quarter.

An often spiteful encounter (two reports), the Dogs with CHRIS GRANT and PAUL HUDSON absent through injury lacked goalkicking power in the first half. The Tricolours found the answer after the long break when TODD CURLEY and JOSH MAHONEY emerged from the midfield. The Pies can be grateful for the fine first half performance at centre half-back by MARK RICHARDSON in his 104th game; the always-present ANTHONY ROCCA and veteran PAUL WILLIAMS who is back to his best – COLLINGWOOD 17.16-118 (Buckley 3, Williams 3, S.Rocca 3) best, Buckley, Richardson, Burns, BULLDOGS 16.14-110 (Johnson 4, Curley 4) best, S.West. Dimattina, Johnson.

<||> The MCG welcomed 64,658 on Saturday afternoon for a clash of League heavyweights Essendon and Carlton. It was a warm 25 degrees at ground level and the fans were given plenty of thrills in the opening minutes when the Blues were ready to make a game of it. The unbeaten Bombers however took control with the margin blowing out to 57pts in the third term.

When Essendon had achieved its objective by mauling Carlton and gaining revenge for last year's preliminary final defeat, Bomber coach KEVIN SHEEDY turned the knife further as he almost insultingly moved his players to unfamiliar positions — MATTHEW LLOYD and JAMES HIRD to defence on arguably Carlton's best player LANCE WHITNALL — DUSTIN FLETCHER to the forward zone (where he kicked two goals). It emphasised Sheedy's inventiveness.

The final margin was cut to only 24pts and Carlton not only lost the game but their aggressive midfielder FRASER BROWN lost his cool, to face three charges at the Tribunal with all incidents occurring within 20 seconds – ESSENDON 18.15-123 (Lloyd 3, Lucas 3) best, Solomon, J.Johnson, Hardwick, CARLTON 15.9-99 (Whitnall 4) best, Whitnall, Koutoufides, Ratten.

<||> The Gabba's new surface was in a perfect condition on Saturday night — and although it brought a new AFL crowd record it was still a disappointing 26,395, only 71% per cent of the new 37,000 capacity.

The Brisbane Lions won by 30 points and inflicted Adelaide's ninth successive defeat—five of them under new coach GARY AYRES. The Lions exerted authority in the midfield as Brisbane co-captain ALASTAIR LYNCH marked tirelessly in a dominant but off-target effort of 5.5. BILL McDONALD noted for The Age: Ruckman BEAU McDONALD (Bri) deserves special mention, outplaying former Lion MATTHEW CLARKE in the ruck and around the ground. He played well above his 20 years and finished with two fine goals.

Adelaide's endeavour could not be questioned in the first half, by unforced errors and turnovers punctuated its second half. MARK RICCIUTO was Adelaide's best finisher with 29 touches, while SCOTT WELSH was dangerous with four goals but both faded out in the middle stages. Both sides during the match demonstrated a lack of skills and confidence—each coach will need to address this factor – BRISBANE 17.20-122 (Lynch 5) best, M.Voss, Lappin, Martin, ADELAIDE 13.14-92 (Welsh 4, Jarman 3) best, Ricciuto, Bickley, Koster.

<||> A fine Perth night drew only 20,484 to the WACA where Melbourne continued to build on their promising start by restricting Fremantle to just four second half goals to record a 31 point victory.

The Dockers seemed favoured when they held a 29pt lead in the second term but the Demons were fired when rookie CAMERON BRUCE and SHANE WOEWODIN seized control of the midfield. From just before half-time to the end of the match, Melbourne kicked 10 of the next 14 goals. WOEWODIN finished with 33 touches while others to catch the eye were STEPHEN POWELL, ADEM YZE, STEVEN FEBEY and GUY RIGONI.

Fremantle forwards were starved of opportunities despite the lead given by TONY MODRA who kicked three goals in five minutes in the first quarter. Poor skill errors by the Dockers which coach DAMIAN DRUM described as "horrible turnovers" and the failure of several of their 'star' players to stand up ruined any chance they had – MELBOURNE 14.22-106 (Schwarz 3) best, Woewodin, Yze, Schwarz, FREMANTLE 10.15-75 (Modra 5) best, McManus, T.Longmuir, Cook.

<||> Fine and firm conditions were experienced at the SCG on Sunday afternoon, but there was one dreaded 'injury cloud' under which WAYNE CAREY led the Kangaroos in their 'home' game which drew 19,306. Carey defied the medical prognosis and "he took just about everyone's place, roaming the midfield, attack, defence and almost single handedly kept his team in a contest it had every right to lose" as noted by RICHARD HINDS in The Age.

At the 20-minute mark of the third quarter Sydney led by 32pts—MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN had been lighting quick and WAYNE SCHWASS had given them great drive. Suddenly, the Kangaroos' small men, Bell, King and Harvey took control—they kicked seven unanswered goals in 13 minutes, five of them within five minutes before the three-quarter time siren—to lead by two goals at the final break.

Despite that disastrous blitz, the Swans could–perhaps should–have won. Goals from LEO BARRY and STUART MAXFIELD levelled the scores 11 minutes into the final term but yet again Sydney fell on its own sword. The Roos got over the line by eight points with up to nine frontline players absent—imagine them with a full muster. It was the fifth successive Roo-Swan contest decided by 10pts or less – KANGAROOS 19.14-128 (Grant 4, Carey 3, McKernan 3) best, Bell, Carey, Grant, SYDNEY 18.12-120 (Barry 3) best, O’Loughlin, Mathews, Seymour.

<||> The winless St Kilda added further pressure on coach TIM WATSON when they surrendered a 32pt third quarter lead to lose to Richmond in the Sunday afternoon contest played in fine weather at Colonial Stadium attended by 26,374.

Richmond were undermanned without their best forward, key backman and most productive midfielder (Richardson, Gaspar, Campbell) yet humiliated the Saints—it was an amazing turnaround when St Kilda had seemingly been in control. They had started so well and with the old hands of Everitt, Harvey and Burke in touch, looked set for their first victory. They then stopped to a walk as Richmond swarmed downfield in the last half kicking 12.5 to 2.11. Had the Tigers converted all their chances in the first half, they would have won by a much greater margin. JOEL BOWDEN starred for Richmond with 34 touches and kicked four goals – RICHMOND 17.8-120 (Ottens 5, Bowden 3) best, D.Kellaway, Knights, Ottens, ST KILDA 11.16-84 (Everitt 5) best, Burke, Traianidis, Peckett.

<||> Fresh from their 114pt win over Adelaide, a confident West Coast travelled to Geelong on a fine Sunday afternoon—22,623 made up the throng at Shell Stadium. The "week is a long time in footy" adage was proven right once again as the Cats handed the Eagles an 81pt shellacking.

RONNIE BURNS, DAVID CLARKE, CLINT BIZZELL, STEVEN KING, DAVID MENSCH (six goals) relished the lack of pressure applied by the Eagles. From one week to the next, SCOTT CUMMINGS kicked just one goal, was dragged twice and finished the game at full back, gaining three kicks and one mark ... the Eagles most decorated player PETER MATERA was benched for lack of discipline, and also booked for wrestling ... West conceded six free kicks inside 50m which resulted in five Geelong goals ...

Geelong led by 51pts at the last change and toyed with West Coast in the final term booting 9.3-57, their biggest finish of 26 matches against the Eagles. The 11 single goalkickers by West Coast was a new unwanted club record. Add the nine singles by Geelong, it brought a new League record of 20 single goalkickers in a match – GEELONG 24.18-162 (Mensch 6, Burns 4, Bizzell 3) best, Clarke, Riccardi, Milburn, WEST COAST 11.15-81, best, Cousins, Morrison, Kemp.

<||> The drop of fans supporting Port Power reached a new low on Sunday night when only 22,086 came through the gate at Football Park where there was no rain. It was a sport-filled weekend in Adelaide with the Davis Cup and Clipsal 500 car race competing for fans, but it further adds to the talk of declining support for football.

Both entered the critical contest with only one victory to their credit. Hawthorn achieved a rare win over Port when they brushed aside an outfit which continues to disappoint. The Hawks had to recast their line-up following the withdrawal of NICK HOLLAND and TONY WOODS. Hawthorn controlled the centre square for most of the match through their two 100-gamers RICHARD TAYLOR and DANIEL HARFORD. Both sides regularly turned the ball over but a tighter Hawthorn defence cleared in numbers or pressured Port to hurried shots.

The game was there for the taking and while is was a less than memorable affair, the Hawks won their third at Football Park from nine attempts – HAWTHORN 16.17-113 (Croad 6) best, Croad, Graham, Harford, PORT 10.14-74 (Tredrea 3) best, Tredrea 3) best, Tredrea, Bishop, Primus.
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Saints call for curtain-raisers
CAROLINE WILSON detailed in Tuesday's Age (11th) the call by St Kilda's chief executive DON HANLEY for the AFL to reconsider its policy on curtain-raisers at Colonial Stadium.

He said the club would make a presentation to the League to "add value" to the stadium for Saints' fans in the form of an early football game. "We've got to get our supporters in earlier," said Hanley, "and we've got to give them an incentive to get there early.

"There's no doubt 100 years of Victorian culture of going to VFL-AFL games has been an early game. If you were in marketing, you'd talk about value added and at Colonial there's no value added.

"Clearly what's on offer is not enough. Ideally what you'd like is another game of football."

Tigers lose Richardson for a year
Richmond announced on Monday (10th) that MATTHEW RICHARDSON's damaged left foot may take the best part of 12 months to completely heal.

The Age reported the Tigers' doctor CHRIS BRADSHAW explained that Richardson had a rare diagnosis known as LisFranc injury, which is a ruptured ligament on top of his foot. When surgery was performed on Saturday, Richardson had four screws inserted to stabilise the foot and assist in the mending process.

Because of extensive ligament damage Matthew will not be able to run for at least four months.
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Seven gains assurance from Carlton over telecast
The Seven Network wrote to the Carlton Football and Social club, ground manager of Optus Oval, regarding coverage of Saturday's match against Port Adelaide.

Seven placed a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday and received assurances from Carlton on unrestricted access.

Obituary
Brisbane Lions' chairman passes
ALAN PIPER, chairman of the Brisbane Lions FC passed away on Tuesday April 12 aged 55. He died following a four-year battle with cancer.

Mr Piper was unanimously re-elected Chairman of the Brisbane Lions on February 9, but stepped down shortly after. A prominent Brisbane businessman he was pivotal to the establishment of an AFL club in Queensland in 1986 where he was a driving force and a foundation board member.

He was a Victorian schoolboys football and cricket representative and Under 19 captain of Hawthorn in 1962 where also played Reserve Grade in 1962-64 then with Waverley in the VFA in 1964-65. Before moving to Queensland in 1976, Mr Piper was assistant football secretary of Hawthorn.

Essendon crush the Bulldogs
Roos break the Magpie spell
Roller-coaster ride for Eagles
Saints slip to bottom place

ROUND 6 — Fri-Sat-Sun, April 14-15-16.
MILESTONES — SAVERIO ROCCA played his 150th for Collingwood ... 100th games by AARON LORD (68 Haw 1997-2000, also 32 Gee 1994-96); TONY BROWN (StK 1995-2000); ADEM YZE (Mel 1995-2000) ... 50th matches for STEPHEN DANIELS (PA 1997-2000) and PHILLIP READ (WCE 1998-2000) ... MATTHEW ROBRAN played his 100th for Adelaide, also 7 Haw 1991 ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> Essendon kicked their second-highest score of 134 contests since 1925 against the Bulldogs — the top is 29.15-189, 77-R6-WH ... Essendon's 10-straight in the last quarter fell short of their best against the Bulldogs — 10.5-65 in 80-R8-P and 10.3-63 in 83-R6-WH. It was the 11th occasion of 788 matches of the past five seasons (1996-2000) where 10-goals or more have been kicked in the final quarter. The biggest finish in that span is Richmond's 11.7-73 against Fitzroy, 96-R21-MCG

<> Against Port, Carlton recorded their Highest Score of 26.13-169 and Biggest Winning Margin of 91pts ... the Blues against the Power recorded "best-ever" scores in the second, third and fourth quarters ... in their fifth meeting versus Carlton, Port registered its lowest score.

<> The Pies kicked one of its lowest half-time scores of 135 contests since 1925 against the North Melbourne-Kangaroos. The Pies have only four other scores of 21pts or less –
1927-R10-VP — Col 2.3-15 v NM 1.6-12 — final, Col 8.11-59, NM 3.11-29
1985-R12-VP — Col 3.3-21 v NM 7.9-51 — final, NM 14.17-101, Col 9.10-64
1987-R13-P ––– Col 2.4-16 v NM 5.5-35 — final, NM 10.12-72, Col 2.6-18
1993-R10-VP — Col 2.7-19 v NM 9.6-60 — final, NM 19.12-126, Col 5.13-43
2000-R6-MCG – Col 2.9-21 v Kan 7.5-47 — final, Kan 17.2-114, Col 11.16-82

<> For the second week in a row, West Coast were added to the list of All-Time Turnarounds — in successive weeks they have won by 114pts, lost by 81, then won by 117 ... the Eagles kicked a new record score of 28.10-178 and registered their Greatest Winning Margin of 117pts against the Dockers ... West Coast's 28.10-178 was their third highest League score ... the Eagles GWM in League ranks is 135pts v Adelaide, 95-R19-S ... the crowd of 40,460 was second only to the 41,601 for the first Derby in 1995 ...

<> The Lions notched a record fifth successive win against the Saints ...

<> The Cats equalled their Longest Winning Run of 10 consecutive victories against Melbourne, first set 1965-1970 ... the Demons lost their seventh successive game at Kardinia Park. Melbourne last beat Geelong at the Cattery, 88-R14 ...

<> Against the Hawks, the Crows' 86pt win on Sunday equalled their best-ever kicked 91-R1-FP (155-69) and established their LWS of five, 1997-2000 ... Hawthorn's 8.9-57 is the lowest tally kicked so far in 2000 ... Adelaide also equalled their best second quarter of 7.2-44 against the Hawks, kicked 93-1EF-MCG ... the win ended Adelaide's longest losing sequence of nine games ...

<> Essendon's six wins to start 2000 is their best since, 7 by the 1962 side under JOHN COLEMAN and the 7 in 1942 under DICK REYNOLDS — 1962 and 1942 were both premiership years ...
__________

<||> Too slick, too polished – was the assessment, when Essendon continued their unbeaten run with a 63pt victory over the Bulldogs under a closed roof on Friday night at Colonial Stadium—the crowd was 42,029.

Essendon kicked the opening six goals and came home with a barnstorming 10-straight. The Bombers took instant control, running the Dogs off their feet to stamp their authority. The flag favourites were taller, stronger and exuded confidence. KAREN LYON noted for The Age – The problems were mounting for Bulldog coach Terry Wallace, who (after an injury to Steve Kretiuk) was forced to shuffle his backline. KINGSLEY HUNTER was moved on to Lloyd, DANIEL SOUTHERN picked up Alessio and TODD CURLEY was then moved on to Lucas. Ellis would later get that job once Hird left the field but the damage was done. Therein lies the problem for any team that confronts Essendon this season—how do you stop all those forwards?

Chief worry of the night happened early in the second term when Essendon captain JAMES HIRD went off with bruising to his lower back and kidney region. Hird accepted the E J Whitten trophy from the dais at the end of the match. Despite his side's impressive start to the season, Bomber coach Sheedy insisted it still had plenty of improvement in it. Players, wives and girlfriends will go away as a group to plan the next stage of their campaign – ESSENDON 22.12-144 (Lucas 6, Blumfield 3, Caracella 3, Lloyd 3) best, Caracella, Lucas, Fletcher, BULLDOGS 12.9-81 (Darcy 3, Southern 3) best, Darcy, S.West, Smith.

<||> Carlton following three successive losses, and playing lowly Port Adelaide, discouraged even the most loyal of the Blues—a mere 16,415 were at Optus on a cloudy and humid Saturday afternoon. The fans missed an avalanche of goals as Carlton kicked their highest score against Port and won by the widest margin.

MELISSA RYAN in The Age reported: If there was any mercy, the game would have been called off at half-time ... instead, Carlton ripped out the Power's heart with a midfield dissection that had the club hovering on the edge of a post-mortem for the season after only six rounds ... so often the path to goal was through Bradley, Camporeale, Hickmott and Ratten that the game felt like it was in perpetual replay ...

For the record, Carlton had 233 kicks to Port's miserable tally of 146 and 172 handballs to 63. Carlton also took 102 marks to Port's 49.

Another central umpire suffered from a clash in play when ANDREW COATES was run down by Carlton's BRENDAN FEVOLA in the last quarter. Coates retired with a corky and was replaced by McLaren, the emergency – CARLTON 26.13-169 (Ratten 6, Whitnall 4, Hamill 3) best, Ratten, Camporeale, Bradley, PORT 12.6-78 (Bode 3) best, Kingsley, Paxman, Francis.

<||> A cloudy, humid day with patchy sunshine drew 55,082 to the G on Saturday afternoon as the undefeated Magpies faced the power of the reigning premiers. The Kangaroos rightly claimed victory by 32pts over Collingwood, but the emerging Pies were not disgraced.

The Roos started the game with six of their best 22 out, after COREY McKERNAN failed to overcome a kidney problem suffered in the Sydney game. Collingwood with slick movement and a fierce attack enjoyed the early running but the professional game by the Kangas soon came into play — the 2.9 which the Pies had on the board to 7.5 at half time told much of the story. Collingwood kicked the first two, the Kangas the next eight while it took the Maggies almost an hour to kick their third goal.

WAYNE CAREY in monotonous fashion was head and shoulders above the rest—Magpie coach MICK MALTHOUSE unreservedly declared Carey a champion, "possibly the best player he has seen". While the Kangaroos won, unnecessary lapses of discipline showed through as GLENN ARCHER and MARTIN PIKE were reported for digressions. For Collingwood, the veteran SHANE WATSON (game 136), SCOTT BURNS, CHRIS TARRANT and GLENN FREEBORN were the best and while the Pies may have lost their first for the year, but there's no doubting their pluck – KANGAROOS 17.12-114 (Carey 4, Grant 3) best, Carey, Martyn, Blakey, COLLINGWOOD 11.16-82 (Watson 3) best, Tarrant, Freeborn, Watson.

<||> A top AFL crowd of 40,519 turned out on Saturday night for the 11th Western Derby between the Eagles and Dockers. In fine Subiaco conditions West Coast savaged Fremantle by 117 points, creating a roller-coaster ride for Eagles coach KEN JUDGE. He has a W-L-D-W-L-W record and watched his side over three weeks win by 114pts, lose by 81, then win by 117. In parallel is the performance by full-forward SCOTT CUMMINGS who has kicked 14, 1 and 10 goals in successive games.

This was West Coast's biggest win against their WA rivals, eclipsing the 85pt margin of their first encounter in 1995. In was simply a case of quality over quantity. In a critical blow for the Dockers, after only seven minutes the linchpin of their gameplan was on the sidelines—TONY MODRA was heavily brought to ground by ASHLEY McINTOSH, and suffered a shoulder injury—he watched on with his arm in a sling as his teammates fell apart.

After quarter-time the Eagles took complete control and had many vying for best player honours — CHAD MORRISON,  MICHAEL BRAUN, DAVID WIRRPUNDA, MICHAEL GARDINER while for Freo, TROY COOK did a mountain of work in the midfield against great odds, as did SHAUN McMANUS – WEST COAST 28.10-178 (Cummings 10.2, Morrison 4, Peter Matera 3) best, Cummings, Gardiner, Wirrpunda, FREMANTLE 9.7-61 (Waterhouse 2, Pavlich 2) best, Bandy, Cook, McManus.

<||> The roof remained closed for the Saturday night contest at Docklands where the second smallest crowd to date was reported—18,194. Brisbane was never seriously threatened as the winless St Kilda fell to bottom place on the ladder for the first time since 1999s Round One.

The Age recorded: Brisbane players were given far too much latitude around the ball and cut through the middle of the ground time and time again. The Lions' forwards ran back into space as the midfield streamed into attack. DANIEL BRADSHAW had three goals in the first term, forcing Saints coach TIM WATSON to move DARRYL WAKELIN on to Bradshaw and MAX HUDGHTON back to JARROD MOLLOY. To compound the normally reliable Hudghton's poor start, Molloy immediately added two goals of his own.

The Saints clearly missed ANDREW THOMPSON, a late withdrawal ... while ROBERT HARVEY was, characteristically, one of his team's main contributors in the first half before leaving with a groin strain the third term.

Brisbane could be well pleased with a 3+3 record after six rounds, with a great run home at the Gabba awaiting them to round off the season. For St Kilda, it just gets worse — next up are the Kangaroos – BRISBANE 15.15-105 (Power 3, Molloy 3, Bradshaw 3) best, Leppitsch, Heuskes, Johnson, ST KILDA 9.12-66 (Everitt 3) best, D.Wakelin, Everitt, Loewe.

<||> Geelong climbed to second place with a 25pt victory over Melbourne in often sunny conditions before a good Kardinia Park crowd of 25,049 on Sunday afternoon. The Cats booted a match-winning third term and were able to withstand a determined fight-back by the Demons in the last quarter.

JAKE NIALL summed it up for The Age: "The new Cats, coached by MARK 'Bomber' THOMPSON are not blessed with half a dozen champions, nor do they possess the outlandish flair that Geelong teams exhibited during the memorable Malcolm Blight era. But Thompson is proud of the blue collar qualities that enable his team to prevail." The Demons buried themselves when they did not kick a goal from the 13-minute mark of the second quarter when they led by 16pts, until deep into the third quarter when Geelong were 15pts in front. By three-quarter time the Cats had control with a 34pt lead.

Whereas against the Eagles the previous week, it was not Geelong's taller forwards but their smaller brigade of Houlihan, Lynch, O'Brien and Clarke which contributed nine goals between them which was the undoing of the Demons – GEELONG 15.19-109 (Houlihan 3, Mensch 3) best, Hocking, Graham, Bizzell, MELBOURNE 12.12-84 (Farmer 4) best, Rigoni, Woewodin, S.Febey.

<||> The SCG was slippery following overnight and morning rain for Sunday's clash—the fans stayed away from the 12.40pm start in droves with only 25,049 attending—many preferring to watch the live local TV cover. Richmond held on to narrowly win by six points over a lethargic Sydney. The Tigers are now 3+3 and back into calculations.

It would have been highway robbery had the Swans downed Richmond who in spite of the absence of key players, were well served by two of the best on the park—NICK DAFFY and MATTHEW ROGERS, while ruckmen-forwards BRAD OTTENS and BRENDON GALE each kicked four goals to fill the gap. CLINTON KING blotted out Sydney's WAYNE SCHWASS, and the Swans had only one effective forward in ADAM GOODES who provided some class and kicked five goals.

A free kick against Sydney from the first centre bounce, then a tardy late kick-out was punished from the Swans' goal square—all in the first minute—things just got worse from thereon. Importantly for the Swans, they failed in their third successive SCG match and played with such a lack of intensity, which wastes away their great opening. The Tigers however are back on track – RICHMOND 17.10-112 (Rogers 4, Ottens 4, Gale 4) best, Ottens, Gale, Knights, SYDNEY 16.10-106 (Goodes 5) best, Goodes, Shauble, Mathews.

<||> Adelaide crushed Hawthorn to end a club-record nine-game losing streak before a raving 38,158 fans on Sunday afternoon—Football Park was slippery after overnight rain. In a 200-point turnaround the Crows didn't so much beat the Hawks, they thrashed them—by the same margin of 86pts which Adelaide had made their entry to AFL footy in 1991—same team, same margin, same place.

ALAN SHIELL observed for The Age: The bonus from the victory was the significant contribution made at centre half-forward by SHAUN REHN, who seemed on the verge of being eased back to his SANFL club West Adelaide to try to regain touch, agility and especially confidence in the left knee that was reconstructed early last year. Rehn kicked four goals and when he wasn't taking marks he was at least bringing the ball to ground so teammates could help themselves to it. His second goal brought a roar—he was back. So too, were MATTHEW ROBRAN, mercurial forward DARREN JARMAN and two dynamic midfielders MARK BICKLEY and MARK RICCIUTO.

In The Australian, ASHLEY PORTER noted: "For 260 days Crows fans had lived in misery, but this was a game they were never going to lose." – ADELAIDE 22.11-143 (Jarman 5, Beinke 4, Rehn 4, Welsh 3) best, Ricciuto, Goodwin, Koster, HAWTHORN 8.9-57 (Croad 2) best, Croad, Rawlings, Vandenberg.

Colonial's unpopular ticketing revised
The Age reported Wednesday (19th) that Colonial Stadium will revise its unpopular ticketing system following a Tuesday meeting of tenant clubs, Essendon, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda. Also attending were the AFL, Ticketmaster and stadium management including Colonial boss IAN COLLINS.

Tickets will now be sold on a "first-in, best-dressed" basis. Until now, the better seats had been sold late – discouraging the public. Ticketmaster has hired extra staff to significantly reduce its transaction time.

AFL chief executive WAYNE JACKSON said he was satisfied, and indicated that extra resources and reduced transaction times would now be a priority.

However, Melbourne, Collingwood and Richmond have made the call to the AFL that neither wants any home matches scheduled at Docklands next year.

Another embarrassment for Colonial was caused on Tuesday when a zealous security guard tried to stop a Channel Ten crew from going to air from outside of the stadium. The unexpected clash was seen live to air as the guard manhandled reporter GERARD WHATELEY and cameraman JARROD PINDER.

Colonial boss IAN COLLINS later apologised and said he expected the security man would be "counselled" by the sub-contractor.
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Appeal Tribunal
Leppitsch suspension set aside
The Brisbane Lions appealed the suspensions handed down by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday April 18. The Lions' full-back received three matches for striking GAVIN MITCHELL (StK) and two matches for striking PETER EVERITT (StK), both incidents occurring within 60 seconds of the April 15 contest at Colonial Stadium.

The Appeal Board met on Thursday (20th) and in a sitting lasting more than three hours, quashed the three-match suspension for striking Gavin Mitchell, based on the evidence of the reporting umpire DEREK HUMPHREY-SMITH.

A further one-hour sitting upheld the decision of the Tribunal of a two-match suspension for striking Peter Everitt.

Leppitsch became only the third footballer to successfully have a suspension set aside since the formation of the Appeal Board on February 11 1998.

In 1999, Essendon's DEAN RIOLI had a tripping offence from R12 overturned, while Carlton's AARON HAMILL had his two-match suspension for kneeing in the Second Preliminary Final suppressed.
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Stab Kicks ...
** PATRICK SMITH moved from The Age and on Monday April 17 commenced as a featured columnist with The Australian.
__________

** What a pleasant surprise on Saturday night to hear the familiar tones of PETER LANDY on ABC Radio calling the play in the Saints v Brisbane match from Colonial with CLINTON GRYBUS.
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** The 1955 Brownlow Medal won by South Melbourne champion full-back FRED GOLDSMITH was sold for $43,700 at Christie's sporting memorabilia auction at South Yarra on Monday evening (April 17th). The buyer was RUSSELL FOGARTY, a life-long supporter of the South Melbourne-Sydney Swans back to the Lake Oval days. It was the third highest price paid in Australia for a piece of sporting memorabilia. On September 14 last year the 1972 Brownlow Medal of Collingwood's LEN THOMPSON brought $74,000 at auction while one of DON BRADMAN's cricket bats fetched $48,000.

The two Brownlow Medals of Collingwood champion DES FOTHERGILL which resulted from the tie in 1940 failed to reach the $60,000 reserve and were passed in at $59,800. Two Copeland trophy's won by Fothergill in 1938 and 1940 were sold for $6,235 and $7,475 respectively.

Members of the family put the Fothergill items to auction. Des Fothergill passed away in 1996.
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** Kangaroo player SHANNON GRANT was struck in the face by a Collingwood supporter after he chased the ball over the boundary line during Saturday's match at the MCG.
The matter was reported to police who interviewed a 54-year-old Hobart man on Sunday. The man who was expected to be charged with unlawful assault later apologised to Grant who indicated he would be loath to take the matter further.
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** Early figures at the start of April tabled by the 16 AFL clubs show Collingwood have suffered a big decline in membership. From a record 32,358 members in 1999, the Pies have slipped to 24,070 which is down 15 per cent when compared to figures at April 1999.

Carlton have enjoyed the biggest increase for the period by 16.77% while the Brisbane Lions are up by 16.31% and the Bombers have added 14.48%.

Hawthorn figures are off by 14% after recording 32,120 last season. Other clubs to report downturns are — Adelaide (down 0.08%), Port Adelaide (down 6.87%), Richmond (down 8.85%) and Sydney (down 2.49%).

Final membership figures will be tabled on June 5.
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** The Age reported that according to NEIL TREZISE, the AFL is alienating grassroots supporters. Tresize was a great rover of Geelong sides of the 1950s and a former Victorian Minister for Sports.

Tresize said that he was resigned to the rapid changes that had transformed the game since he played, adding that the excessive salaries of players and administrators lay at the root of the alienation.

The former club president said his nostalgia for a time of Saturday afternoon games and unerring loyalty was shared by many left behind by the AFL's new order.

He joined a chorus of disapproval at the direction of the game, most notably the sometimes bizarre schedule at the behest of Channel Seven. Tresize said the AFL has made the product more television friendly in exchange for the huge sums paid by Seven for telecasting rights.
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** The formation of INDIGENOUS SPORTS MANAGEMENT was announced by former Carlton star SYD JACKSON on Tuesday (18th). Jackson has combined with former North Melbourne gm DAVID ROBB and businessman TERRY KENNEDY to form ISM.

The support for the game's indigenous players aims to start recruiting players who are picked in this year's National Draft. ISM plans to set up a trust to finance an indigenous players' camp and a national database of Aboriginal footballers.

AFL Legend RON BARASSI who was coach of Carlton when Syd Jackson started with the Blues in 1969 applauded the launch of ISM saying "the club support for players, including Aboriginal players, is very, very good but this is an extra thing and it's aims are excellent."
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They said it ...
JOHN ELLIOTT, Carlton president, speaking before the Optus Oval match versus Port Adelaide, predicting a win for his side in the court battle with the AFL — The Age, April 15 — "As Churchill used to stand there on a Sunday night during the war and say, 'I thought I'd tell you the development of the war as we see it'".
"We learnt this week that Channel Seven, which is bidding for the rights, also wants to buy the Internet rights, so they can bury them."
"Carlton is in a strong position to fight for this ... I think we do have some support on the commission and this is one of the principal matters that this battle is all about."
"In the end, we actually can disrupt the process of televising league games and we can disrupt the negotiations of the AFL for the next (rights) contract."
"It's not our intention to do that, other than the Internet matter, and until the AFL sits down and deals with the matter properly, well, we'll fight and we'll be in court and we will win and they will look very stupid."
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MALCOLM BLIGHT, Talking Footy, Monday April 17 — "I think the Mick Malthouse line is the best I've heard in footy about coaching — 'I don't want to be a great coach – I want to be a premiership coach' ..."

Anzac Day event draws 88,390
Dons too polished for Magpies
Bulldogs lose their third in-a-row

ROUND 7 — Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue, April 22-23-24-25.
MILESTONES — DAVID PARKIN coached his 500th League match following in the footsteps of Colling-wood's JOCK McHALE 714 games, ALLAN JEANS (575), TOM HAFEY (522) and RON BARASSI (515). ... 200 games for ANTHONY ROCK (22 Haw 1999-2000, also NM 1988-98) ... 100 games for GLENN KILPATRICK (Gee, 1992-2000) ... 50 games for GARY MOORCROFT (Ess, 1995-2000), CARL STEINFORT (Gee, 1996-2000), TROY COOK (7 Fre 2000, also 43 Syd 1997-99), SHANE CLAYTON (32 NMK 1999-2000, also 12 Fit 1996, 5 Bri 1997-98), TONY DELANEY (7 StK 2000, also 15 Ess 1993-94, 28 Fre 1995-99) ... JEFF WHITE his 50th for Melbourne (also 32 Fre 1995-97) ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> The Hawks with 19.9-123 kicked their highest score of the season ... Hawthorn ended a string of four defeats and posted their first win over the Bulldogs since 96-R19-P ... the Western Bulldogs lost their third in-a-row of this season ...

<> A proud moment at Colonial Stadium when four Aboriginals, Gary Dhurrkay, Byron Pickett, Winston Abraham and Shannon Motlop were members of the Kangaroo team ... the Roos have won nine of the past 11 against the Saints — the two games which St Kilda have won since 1993 were meetings during their 1997 Grand Final season ... though defeated, the 18.9-117 was St Kilda's top score of 2000 ...

<> Geelong against Sydney kicked 12-goals straight from quarter-time (3.3-21) to three-quarter time (15.3-93) ...

<> Adelaide's 6.5-41 to seal Showdown VII was five points shy of their best last term against Port – 7.4-46, 98-R18-FP ... Sunday's seven point margin equals the result of the second meeting between the two, 97-R19-FP ... Adelaide were 42pts down seven minutes into the third quarter—the Crows staged the greatest revival of their 214-game history, to win by seven points ...

<> The Demons equalled their Greatest Winning Margin against the Eagles, 61pts, 87-R21-MCG ... Melbourne's 20.18-138 was one-point short of their record best versus West Coast, 21.11-139, 90-R20-S ... Jeff Farmer's 7.2 for the Demons was the highest goalkicking effort for both sides of the 25 contests since 1987 ...
<> The roller coaster ride of West Coast went into a fourth week—the Eagles formline reads, W114, L81, W117, L61—a remarkable statistic.

<> In the 201st meeting between the Pies and Bombers, Essendon recorded their fourth successive victory ... the 88,390 which attended is the second highest to watch the Pies and Dons in a home-and-away contest ... Essendon with their seventh victory equalled their best start to a season — the Dons won the first seven in 1942 and 1962 ...

<> Published attendances for Round 7 were a new record of 315,636, boosted by the two MCG crowds of 63,149 on Monday and 88,390 on Tuesday.
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<||> The MCG welcomed 29,405 fans under clear skies on Easter Saturday.
The contest which was played on a firm surface saw Hawthorn with an emphatic 31 point victory over the Western Bulldogs to record its third win of the year. The Hawks with a switched-on forward line of NATHAN THOMPSON (six goals) BEN DIXON (four), TRENT CROAD and NICK HOLLAND proved the match-winning influence.

The Bulldogs were again slow to start and looked set for a hammering. They fought back tenaciously in the third term when they reduced a 37pt deficit to just 10 points. Even in the last term, the match was balanced but Hawthorn put the issue to rest when they slammed on six-straight goals. Drifting between half-back and half-forward BRAD JOHNSON was superb for the Tricolours but the task was beyond him, SCOTT WEST and JOSE ROMERO who were the best for the Dogs.

The Westerners with their third-straight defeat slipped out of the top eight and face a tough task ahead – HAWTHORN 19.9-123 (Thompson 6, Dixon 4, Crawford 3) best, Thompson, McCabe, Dixon, BULLDOGS 14.8-92 (Johnson 3) best, Johnson, Romero, NG Brown.

<||> In spite of continuing ticketing problems and crowd entry, 25,977 were on hand under the open roof of the Docklands venue on Saturday night. Against the Kangaroos, the winless Saints played with spirit and passion unseen in many of their recent outings and hit the Roos hard in the early stages.

Playing a sweeping role across half-back the dashing WAYNE CAREY was again in superb touch for the Kangas. Another highlight of the contest was the return of JASON HEATLEY to the St Kilda line-up. Heatley's presence at full-forward with six goals, released PETER EVERITT for duties further afield and the Saints looked better for it. However, the Kangaroos mid-match dominance and their ability to finish well in each quarter were the factors to bring about their fifth successive win. BRENT HARVEY delivered a standout performance for the Roos with 38 possessions, 29 kicks, nine handballs and took six marks, while ADAM LANGE coming off the bench made a significant contribution – KANGAROOS 19.15-129 (McKernan 3, Lange 3) best, Carey, Harvey, Bell, ST KILDA 18.9-117 (Heatley 6, Thompson 3) best, Thompson, Delaney, Burke.

<||> After a cool, fine Sydney day, 27,040 attended the SCG on Saturday night. Geelong continued their great opening to the season when they inflicted Sydney's fourth successive defeat, by eight points or less.

The first half was a crucial arm-wrestle and Sydney buoyed by the forward-focus provided by the return of JASON BALL threatened to take control early in the third. From here however, the Cats emerged with eight goals as did their youngsters DAVID CLARKE and DAVID SPRIGGS. The match was provided with two pivotal plays favourable to the Cats — Clarke's explosive dash and a 45 metre goal early in the third and when veteran GARRY HOCKING found ruck giant STEVEN KING who goaled from 55m. Time and again it was Hocking who shone both for his quality of possession and clarity of leadership.

CHIP Le GRAND for The Australian recorded the confession of Swans' coach RODNEY EADE, on Hocking — "his is the sort of polish (Sydney) has been desperately missing this year" – GEELONG 17.6-108 (J.Mooney 3) best, Clarke, Hocking, Kilpatrick, SYDNEY 15.9-99 (Ball 4) best, O’Loughlin, Schwass, Stevens.

<||> Near-perfect conditions brought 41,101 to Football Park on Sunday afternoon for the seventh hit-out between the Adelaide cross-town rivals. It was a pressure game, which created many turnovers and was not a match of the highest calibre. However, it resulted in the greatest revival in Adelaide's 214-game history and one of the best finishes of the season.

Port on-ballers JOSH FRANCOU, PETER BURGOYNE and NICK STEVENS enjoyed early prominence while MICHAEL WILSON did a good job of containing Adelaide's DARREN JARMAN and Port would have been further ahead if not for their poor kicking. The Crows were down by 42pts seven minutes into the third term and then produced a stunning revival led magnificently by MARK RICCIUTO. It was the Adelaide of old, reminiscent of some great efforts of 1997 and 1998, providing another disaster for Port Power who slip now to 1+6.

Adelaide vice-captain MARK RICCIUTO who finished with 41 possessions was awarded the inaugural WEST END MEDAL for a best-on-ground performance in Showdown VII – ADELAIDE 14.14-98 (Ricciuto 4, Vardy 3) best, Ricciuto, McLeod, Robran, PORT 13.13-91 best, Lyle, Burgoyne, N.Stevens.

<||> Just as AFL fans felt they were being treated like garbage at Colonial Stadium, a sickening stench of rotting waste surrounded the small crowd of 20,774 which attended the Sunday afternoon fixture—the roof remained open under fine weather. The roller coaster ride of West Coast went into a fourth week—the Eagles formline reads, W114, L81, W117, L61—a remarkable statistic.

With an even spread of young talent, Melbourne slammed home their fourth victory with a decisive 61pt win over West Coast. The Demon’s 22-year-old "wiz" JEFF FARMER with blistering speed and breath-taking ball skills in a little over three quarters booted 7.2 before being forced off with hamstring soreness in the last term. Farmer was capably supported by a great effort by the high-leaping JEFF WHITE who dominated centre bounces giving Melbourne the vital first use factor. Add Woewodin, Leoncelli, Rigoni, Yze and Powell to the pot, the Demons seem capable of reliving their recent glory days of 1998.

West Coast's lone winner was GLEN JAKOVICH who handed Melbourne's DAVID SCHWARZ a "football lesson" — it is doubtful the Demon vice-captain will discuss this further on 3LO – MELBOURNE 20.18-138 (Farmer 7.2, Bruce 3) best, White, Farmer, Powell, WEST COAST 12.5-77 (Gehrig 3, Gardiner 3) best, Jakovich, Cousins, Gehrig.

<||> A good crowd was present at the MCG on Easter Monday for the solo AFL match of the day—fine conditions brought in 63,149. The day marked DAVID PARKIN's 500th game as an AFL-VFL coach with Hawthorn, Fitzroy and Carlton.
After Richmond drew to within three points early in the third quarter, the Blues steadied, applied real pressure through ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES. ANDREW McKAY and DEAN RICE and went away to win easily by 51 points. Overall, Carlton were well served when you view the in-depth contributions from ANTHONY FRANCHINA, ADRIAN HICKMOTT, AARON HAMILL and TRENT HOTTON. While LANCE WHITNALL was well held by the AFL's in-form centre half-back DARREN GASPAR, many of the lesser lights stepped up.

MICHAEL DAVIS noted for The Australian: "There was not a lot Frawley (Richmond coach) could take out of the game other than the effort of JASON TORNEY, who shadowed Bradley effectively ..." – CARLTON 18.12-120 (Fevola 3) best, Koutoufides, Silvagni, McKay, RICHMOND 10.9-69 (Rogers 3) best, Gaspar, Bowden, Rogers.

<||> The Anzac Day event under blue skies on Tuesday afternoon drew an impressive 88,390 to the MCG. For more than a half, Collingwood gave Essendon its most serious challenge to date but the Bombers clinically took the Pies apart in the second half to post a thorough 40 point victory.

JAKE NIALL in his review of the game for The Age — If you look at the two halves of football, Essendon's defence was supreme in both halves and its midfield and forward line, dominant in the first half, were ascendant only after half-time. Collingwood's midfield and defence, superb in the first half, crumbled ... Collingwood was briefly ignited in the second quarter when NATHAN BUCKLEY exploded, booting three goals and pushing forward from the midfield to provide the marking target across half-forward that the Magpies so desperately needed ... This all changed very quickly and dramatically in the opening minutes of the third quarter when Lucas and Lloyd switched positions, unsettling the hitherto sound McKee and Richardson.

The Bomber forward unit of SCOTT LUCAS, MATTHEW LLOYD and JAMES HIRD were potent. Hird was a major catalyst for the turnaround. He cruised between the ball and half-forward, winning the ball 10 times in the third term and, for his qualities – courage and persistence – RON BARASSI later presented him with the inaugural RSL ANZAC MEDAL – ESSENDON 21.14-140 (Lucas 6, Lloyd 5) best, Lucas, Hird, Wellman, COLLINGWOOD 15.10-100 (Buckley 4) best, O’Bree, Buckley, McKee.

<||> Heavy showers before the first bounce led to slippery conditions at Subiaco Oval for the Tuesday afternoon Anzac Day clash—the rain persisted after half-time. Only 19,800 watched the Dockers win by 11pts over the more-favoured Brisbane Lions.

GARY STOCKS in The West Australian noted — Led by a supreme performance by DANIEL BANDY, the Dockers excelled in the clinches where LUKE TOIA was so adept and wonderfully supported by TROY COOK and SHAUN McMANUS, while JAMES WALKER and DALE KICKETT were resolute in defence ... While the Dockers excelled, Brisbane struggled to get any cohesion through the midfield and without contributions of youngster CRAIG BOLTON, tough utility CHRIS SCOTT and class on-baller MICHAEL VOSS, they would have been out of the game long before the end – FREMANTLE 17.9-111 (Pavlich 3) best, Cook, McManus, Toia, BRISBANE 15.10-100 (Molloy 4, Bolton 3) best, Bolton, Black, M.Voss.

Stab Kicks ...
** The KANGAROOS who have tried for five years, made the call once again for AFL matches to be played on Good Friday. They had better look carefully at the response other codes received in Sydney on the day. The rugby league fraternity played a Test match against NZ at the cavernous Homebush Stadium which drew only 26,023, while across town a big soccer contest between Marconi and Perth Glory at Marconi Stadium, Bossley Park, the crowd was a bare 5,721.

To paraphrase a comment I heard somewhere — the AFL have got enough problems with fixturing and Colonial without trying to sell the churches and the public on the need to play on Good Friday ... let's keep it sacrosanct.
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** The term "Aussie Rules" has leapt back into usage like a cancer.

It is as offensive as the "aerial ping-pong" insult once used to describe our code. From the 1970s, and during the strong VFL presidency of Dr Allen Aylett, great effort was used to gain respect for our national code of "Australian Football" — why has the NSW–Queensland put-down come back to haunt us?

Australian Football — poulo ludus populi — the game of the people for the people — one game, one nation, one destiny — that's what they said in 1905 when the Australian National Football Council was formed.

Has anything changed?
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** An Anzac Day medal worth $3,000 and a $20,000 cup donated by Anzac biscuit maker Unibic have been added to the annual event. Essendon captain JAMES HIRD who met the criteria for the bronze cross incorporating battlefield metal won the first Anzac Medal. The award calls for an individual "whose conduct and play during the game best exemplifies the 'Anzac spirit' – skill, courage, adversity, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play".
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** WEST COAST and FREMANTLE will both seek to have late starting matches in Perth eliminated from the draw for season 2001. Several games have commenced at 8.10pm Perth time. When the matches are televised on the east coast, they do not start until 10.10pm, and finish as late 12.45am the following day.

They said it ...
CHIP Le GRAND, The Australian, reviewing the Sydney v Geelong match — "It is not that (Wayne) Schwass isn't getting the ball. He is. In fact he got it more times than any other player on the ground including 10 times in the vital third quarter.
But once he gets it, it is almost becoming a raffle as to whether the ensuing kick will favour a team-mate or the opposition. Such is the bizarre unreliability of Schwass' disposal that Swan members have taken to referring to the former Kangaroo premiership player as 'Hansie' ..."

Essendon's record start
31,887 sets new Gabba record
Five blow-out results
Fraser Gehrig cleared of striking umpire

ROUND 8 — Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon, April 28-29-30, May 1
MILESTONES —ESSENDON with eight victories created a new club record, the Dons best start to a season, greater than 7 games in 1942 and 1962 ... the BRISBANE club played their 300th League match ... NATHAN BUCKLEY played his 150th game (20 Bri 1993, 129 Col 1994-2000) ... 50th matches for ANTHONY JONES (Fre, 1995-2000), MICHAEL GARDINER (WCE, 1997-2000), KINGSLEY HUNTER (41 Fre 1995-98, 9 WB 1999-2000) ... BRENTON SANDERSON played his 100th for Geelong 1995-2000 (also 6 Ade 1992-93, 4 Col 1994) ... STUART MAXFIELD played his 100th for Sydney 1996-2000 (also 89 Rch 1990-95) ... MATTHEW PRIMUS played his 50th for Port Adelaide 1997-2000 (also 20 Fit 1996) ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> Hawthorn's 61 point win was their best victory over the Roos since 91-R15-MCG when they won by 64pts …

<> The Crows won their third on-the-trot …

<> West Coast posted their 50th win in a night match …

<> Melbourne kicked a new Highest Score in meetings against Port, topping the 14.18-102 kicked 98-R5-MCG ...
<> Melbourne's win was the 50th by an 'away' side at Football Park (including all Showdowns) ... the Demons have now won all DAY games against Port — the Power have won all NIGHT matches against the Demons …

<> Carton and the Swans met for the 200th time … five of the last six meetings between the Blues and Sydney have been played at Carlton …

<> The Tigers had their biggest win over Geelong since 1982-R18-P when Richmond kicked 24.19-163 to 11.13-79 and won by 84pts … Richmond had 12 goalkickers, two short of their record of 14 set in 1999-R4-MCG v Collingwood …

<> An new AFL crowd record was set for the Gabba—31,887 … Essendon kicked 14 of the last 18 goals in their 64pt win …

<> Fremantle beat Colling-wood for only the second time … the Pies have won all DAY games – Freo have won all NIGHT games …

<> MARK RICCIUTO (Ade) reached 100 goals in game 157 … MATTHEW ROGERS reached 100 goals in game 128 …
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<||> Under clear skies and on a superb MCG surface, Hawthorn gained a confidence boosting 61pt victory over the Kangaroos on Friday night in front of 36,514 fans. The Roos were without the injured Carey and five-or-six of their regulars but there was no glossing over the fact that the Hawks were a vastly improved combination to the one thrashed a fortnight earlier in Adelaide.

Hawthorn's veritable truckload of tall forwards caused havoc for the Roos' defence. TRENT CROAD epitomised his quip earlier in the week of younger, faster, stronger and harder with two goals in the space of a minute in the first quarter and finishing with three for the night. The deficiencies in the Kangaroo forward line were stark early on, reporter MELISSA RYAN said in The Age—with CRAIG SHOLL often the only operator within the attacking 50 metres. McKernan had no influence with only two marks to half-time—Hawk MARK GRAHAM played sterling defence in easily his best game of the year, forcing Roo coach Pagan to drag Sholl before half time. Fellow defenders LUKE McCABE, JADE RAWLINGS and JONATHAN HAY also streamed it toward goal, their potency enhanced by effective clearances.

Time will prove if the freedom to exhibit their flair will last the distance for the Hawks. The Cats are next up – HAWTHORN 18.20-128 (Thompson 3, Croad 3) best, Graham, Croad, Hay, KANGAROOS 9.13-67 (King 2, Motlop 2) best, Bell, King, Clayton.

<||> On an unseasonably warm Melbourne Saturday afternoon of 25 degrees the roof was open at Docklands. The playing area was marginally reduced by widening the distance between fence and boundary line to provide better sight lines for spectators on higher levels of the new arena. An afternoon power blackout to half of the stadium threatened to delay the game—however, the single AFL match being played started on time for a disappointing 20,125. Those that missed may have been lucky.

After a poor start to the season, Adelaide posted their third consecutive win over the less than sparkling St Kilda outfit—it was widely proclaimed the Saints are a dreadful team and days later their embattled coach TIM WATSON admitted the season "was over" for his winless Saints. The effect of playing St Kilda spilled over to the Crows who made as many mistakes in a terrible game. The telling factor was Adelaide had 38 scoring shots to 18 and won by a margin of 4 goals 16 behinds, or 40pts in clearer terms.

The Crows were superior overhead taking 81 marks to the Saints' 54 and had MATTHEW ROBRAN, ANDREW McLEOD, MARK BICKLEY and MARK RICCIUTO firing. Adelaide has a future—the Saints are gone – ADELAIDE 14.24-108 (Perrie 3, Vardy 3) best, McLeod, Robran, Bassett, ST KILDA 10.8-68 (Everitt 3) best, Sziller, Burke, D.Wakelin.

<||> The WACA on a fine Saturday night had 26,554 on hand to farewell the retiring CHRIS LEWIS who ran through a special banner, took part in the pre-match warm-up and tossed the coin—Lewis is the last player from the inaugural West Coast squad of 1987. The WACA was hard-and-fast and the action was willing in another roughhouse affair between the Eagles and Bulldogs. Tension between the two clubs has existed since a vicious half-time brawl at Subiaco in 1994.

This Round 8 game will always be remembered for the incident after the siren to end the second quarter when Eagles ruckman FRASER GEHRIG took exception to bad-mouthing from Bulldog NATHAN BROWN as they left the field for the break. Gehrig took a left-handed swing at Brown, missed and struck central umpire BRYAN SHEEHAN to the right side of his head. Sheehan had stepped forward to caution the players. The umpire dropped to ground and was stunned for up to a minute. After receiving attention from trainers and inquiring policemen, Sheehan walked from the ground and resumed his duties in the second half. No video vision of the incident was captured, but still photographs appeared in the press. After the match Sheehan is understood to have said, the incident was an accident – (see box below).

West Coast withstood a late Bulldog surge to win by six points. Honours for the night went to the Eagles' DEAN KEMP with a game-breaking 33-possession display in the centre. It was the Bulldogs fourth-straight loss – WEST COAST 15.18-108 (Phillip Matera 3, Cummings 3) best, Braun, Wirrpunda, Gardiner, BULLDOGS 15.12-102 (Hudson 4) best, Grant, Hunter, Eagleton.

<||> Football Park after receiving substantial overnight rain was in good shape on Sunday afternoon when a paltry 22,490 watched Melbourne down Port Adelaide by 25pts. The win raised the Demons to third place on the ladder with a 5+3 record.

ALAN SHIELL recorded in The Age—Melbourne owed its win mostly to its now-familiar, but still exciting, non-stop run and slick midfield–on-ball movement, in which SHANE WOEWODIN, STEPHEN POWELL, ANTHONY McDONALD, GUY RIGONI and ruckman JEFF WHITE were the prime instigators, while DAVID SCHWARZ was a powerful four-goal target up forward and DAVID NEITZ and STEVEN FEBEY led a rebounding defence.

Port coach MARK WILLIAMS rightly bemoaned his players' poor kicking for goal saying: "Things are certainly not quite going for us." The Power are consigned to the bottom rungs with a 1+7 return. Next up for the Demons, Essendon at the G – MELBOURNE 17.9-111 (Schwarz 4, A.McDonald 3) best, Woewodin, Schwarz, White, PORT 12.14-86 (Schofield 3) best, Francis, Francou, Primus.

<||> Generally good conditions were experienced on the lush surface of Optus Oval in spite of early Sunday rain. The 200th meeting between the Blues and Swans draw only 19,964 and ended as expected with a thumping 45pt victory for Carlton—it was the 96th failure by the red-and-white at the ground against the Blues.

An even contest to half time, Carlton exploded in the third quarter when the Swans left their spirit and commitment in the rooms. JIM MAIN noted in The Australian: ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES, who had been a good defender over the first half, became a match-winner in the third quarter. He not only drove Carlton forward from his groundwork at centre bounces but took seven marks and finished the match with 39 possessions and 13 marks. The Swans also had difficulty in stopping Carlton dasher SCOTT CAMPOREALE not only from getting his hands on the ball, but using almost every possession to perfection. About all that Sydney could salvage from the thrashing was an encouraging performance by JUDE BOLTON.

Sydney coach RODNEY EADE, normally so bouncy, looked deflated after his side's worst performance of the season. Prospects for the Swans darkened further mid-week when it was revealed their inspiring captain PAUL KELLY will not play this year after it was found his knee cap has failed to heal – CARLTON 16.13-109 (Lappin 2, Camporeale 2, Allan 2, Beaumont 2, Koutoufides 2) best, Koutoufides, McKay, Whitnall, SYDNEY 9.10-64 (Stevens 2, Schauble 2) best, Dunkley, Schauble, Saddington.

<||> On Sunday afternoon Colonial's curse lifted when angry queues disappeared and the 35,171 which attended gained smooth entry—the power was back on, and just maybe fans will accept that most teething problems at Docklands have been overcome. With rain falling outside, the roof was closed for the game. The Tigers overwhelmed the heavily favoured Geelong by 70 points.

Richmond posted one of its best wins of recent years when "they played a skilful, almost clinical brand of football seldom seen from Richmond teams" JAKE NIALL observed for The Age. JOEL BOWDEN was the most influential player afield. In the first quarter when it really counted, he had the ball a dozen times and booted two goals. By the middle of the second quarter, Bowden had forced Geelong to sacrifice its most destructive midfielder, PETER RICCARDI, to a defensive run-on role.

With Riccardi seldom seen and DUNCAN KELLAWAY smothering GARRY HOCKING, Geelong's midfield was utterly overwhelmed. DAVID CLARKE, a surprise prime mover this season, was quiet. Only DAVID SPRIGGS provided any consistent drive. Geelong coach MARK THOMPSON said he had sensed that his players might be off-key last week.

"During the week it felt that way. A few people had too many smiles around the office." The Tigers are now up from 11th to 8th — Geelong though defeated held on to second place behind the unbeaten Essendon – RICHMOND 23.9-147 (Rogers 5, Ottens 3, Dragicevic 3) best, Bowden, Knights, D.Kellaway, GEELONG 11.11-77 (Spriggs 2, Stoneham 2, Mensch 2) best, Spriggs, Sholl, Riccardi.

<||> After days of wet weather the Gabba was miserable on Monday night though it failed to deter a new AFL record crowd of 31,877 attending. Sheets of rain descended throughout the match but it failed to slow the Bombers. Essendon extended their winning run to eight games and established a new club record with their best start to a season.

The Bombers steamrolled an under-manned Brisbane, playing the smarter football in the conditions, continually creating numbers around the ball, and marking as if it were a dry night. Their control of the game was noted on ABC Radio by former coach JOHN NORTHEY — their precise delivery, their understanding of each other, the range of options they employ ...

Brisbane made too many mistakes and early on were congesting play around the ball, allowing Essendon to offload to loose men. The home side's skill level dropped off in the slippery going, and it was just as tough in the middle, where Essendon again had a pretty good handle on the ball most of the night.
The Lions slid to 14th on the ladder, with Collingwood their next challenge at the Gabba on Sunday – ESSENDON 19.13-127 (Lloyd 5, Moorcroft 4, Hird 3) best, Caracella, Fletcher, Barnes, BRISBANE 9.9-63 (Black 2, Picken 2, Akermanis 2) best, M.Voss, Heuskes, Black.

<||> A mild Monday night brought a healthy throng of 33,947 to Docklands where the roof remained open. Fremantle brought about a huge upset when it held back a resurgent Collingwood to win by 22 points. Sensing fatigue and a let-down from the Anzac Day event, Fremantle ran the Pies off their feet in the early stages and had it not been for wayward kicking could have wrapped up the contest by half time.

For Collingwood, it was a third straight defeat after five wins to open a season that began as a Mick Malthouse fairytale. The Dockers were the unexpected bad guys, but thoroughly deserved their second win at Colonial — the first was by a point over Richmond in Round 4.

LINDA PEARCE reviewing the match for The Age said: The third quarter was Fremantle's most decisive, turning a 13pt lead into 45 at the last change. It was only at the start of the fourth that the Magpies responded to the urgency of the situation, banging on three goals in little more than three minutes, with JOSH FRASER winning the ruck contests, Buckley lifting and ANTHONY ROCCA back on top of DANIEL BANDY ... the Magpies surged home and at the 19-minute mark got to within 16pts ... it was left to star rookie PAUL HASLEBY to kick the steadier and then the sealer both within 90 seconds, and soon after Koops goaled to put the result beyond doubt – FREMANTLE 15.17-107 (Waterhouse 4) best, Fletcher, Bandy, Cook, COLLINGWOOD 12.13-85 (S.Rocca 3, A.Rocca 3, Freeborn 3) best, Licuria, A.Rocca, Ukovic.
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Stab Kicks ...
** Sydney's inspirational captain PAUL KELLY will not play again this year after a scan revealed the fracture in his kneecap has failed to heel. Further treatment which may result in surgery will follow. Kelly was injured last September in the Qualifying against Essendon.
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** The Bulldogs on Tuesday (2nd) announced a new sponsor LIBERTY FINANCIAL will underwrite Friday night's match at Colonial Stadium to the tune of $250,000 enabling thousands of Bulldog and Saints fans to gain free admission. Distribution to membership ticket holders began in Melbourne today (Wednesday). The public will be invited to access the remaining tickets from Thursday.
Liberty Financial will also donate $10,000 to either the E J Whitten Foundation or the Trevor Barker Foundation on the result of the game.
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** GEELONG are lobbying the League to extend the season to 24 weeks beginning in 2001 in a plan where all 16 teams would play each other three times over two years.
CAROLINE WILSON reported in The Age: The proposal urged the AFL to embark upon 2001 with a 'clean slate', ridding the fixture list of a series of deals that have helped lead to an unfair draw – getting rid of the blockbusters and the derbies and Anzac Day games and stifling ground agreements.
The 16 member clubs have been asked to submit preferences by May 5.
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** FREMANTLE have announced a six-figure sponsorship deal with BANKWEST. The deal places BankWest of the Dockers second tier of sponsorship, below naming right sponsor ALINTA GAS.
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** Scotland Yard detectives flew to Australia to interview several Brisbane players over the alleged rape of a Brisbane woman in London on October 6 last year. The Age reported on May 3, up to 12 present and former players and a staff member are believed to have been interviewed in the case.

In Perth, police have taken DNA samples from two of four West Coast players accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls who allege they were assaulted by the footballers three weeks ago. No charges have been laid.
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** The AFL are expected to name a replacement next week to fill the vacancy left by IAN in the football operations department.
Leading candidates are said to include Adelaide's operations manager JOHN REID and Kangaroos' chief executive GREG MILLER. There has been speculation that the League has strongly considered an applicant with no football experience.
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They said it ...
PATRICK SMITH, The Australian, Monday, May 1 — "…the AFL last week recorded its seventh-highest figure for any round in its history—an 88,000 crowd at the MCG for Collingwood and Essendon was more than attended a complete round of NRL fixtures…"
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STUART RINTOUL, Man in the Outer, The Australian, Monday May 1 — "By the end of the third quarter, the Swans were looking like they'd just come through the Blitz. The moment that crystallised it was when Ryan Fitzgerald — one of the first season players Eade identified afterwards as needing to get some games under his belt as quickly as possible — took possession, didn't look, and blazed out of bounds on the full. The Carlton players nearby shook their heads and smiled."

Bombers take three-game lead
283,846 is new Round Nine record
No Tribunal required

ROUND 9 — Fri-Sat-Sun, May 5-6-7.
MILESTONES — A new crowd record of 283,846 for Round Nine topped the 259,941 set in 1999 ... BRAD SEYMOUR played his 100th (Syd 1994-2000) .... a century also for SIMON GARLICK (56 WB 1998-2000, 44 Syd 1994-97) ... JOSE ROMERO played his 100th for the Bulldogs 1995-2000 (also 89 NMK 1988-94) ... 50th games for ROBERT AHMAT (25 Syd 1998-2000, 25 Col 1995-97), JARED CROUCH (Syd 1998-2000), BRENT GRGIC (Mel 1997-2000), JONATHON HAY (Haw 1997-2000), JAMES McDONALD (Mel 1997-2000) ... a corked thigh to Brisbane's MARCUS ASHCROFT halted his run of 170 consecutive matches since 1992s Round 20 ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> The Tribunal was not required to convene. After a video review two charges were both withdrawn. The most recent occasions the Tribunal was not required for senior matters following a round were —
99-R15, 99-R11 – 98-R10 –95-R20, 95-R6  – 94-R15, 94-R6  – 93-R20, 93-R18 ­ 92-R20, 92-R16, 92-R9, 92-R4.

<> Not since  Round 4 of 1992 have Victorian teams held the top eight places of the national competition ladder.
Eight years ago (when there was a Final Six) the League leaders were — Collingwood, Carlton, Footscray, Geelong, Fitzroy, Hawthorn, St Kilda and North Melbourne. Essendon then were 10th, Melbourne 12th, Richmond 15th, while the interstate-based members of the AFL were placed, 9th West Coast, 11th Adelaide, 13th Sydney and 14th Brisbane …

<> St Kilda with 8.3-51 kicked their best third quarter under Tim Watson ... it was the first one-point result between the two for 44 years ... there have been three one pointers from their 131 meetings since 1925 ... the Saints had 12 goalkickers, one short of the record 13, set three times at Waverley, 82-R7 v Rch, 93-R16 v Gee, 97-4QF v Bri …

<> The Hawks won their fourth-straight over Geelong ... Hawthorn have won eight of the past 10 meetings with the Cats …

<> Richmond figured in their fourth single-digit margin of the season …

<> Brisbane posted their highest club score of 20 meetings against the Pies — the Lions kicked the last six goals from the 20 minute mark of the final quarter ... it was Brisbane's fifth successive win over Collingwood …

<> The Blues kicked their Highest Score against Freo, topping the 23.7-145 kicked in 1996-R18-PP ... six goals by CLIVE WATERHOUSE is the highest goal tally by a Docker against Carlton ... the 28,191 was the biggest crowd to watch the two at Subiaco, higher than 25,067, 1995-R13 ... Fremantle registered the least number of behinds of their 119 League games—the 13.4 is close to their 14.4 kicked against Carlton, 97-R9-PP …
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<||> In spite of steady rain, a healthy 35,505 attended Docklands on Friday night where under the closed roof, free seats had been underwritten by a $250,000 contribution from a Bulldog sponsor. Notwithstanding one of their better performances of the season, St Kilda remained winless as the Western Bulldogs fought back from a 31 point last change deficit to snatch a thrilling victory by one point. The win stemmed a flow of four successive losses by the Dogs.

An eight-goal third quarter appeared to have set up the Saints' first win. LEN JOHNSON noted for The Age: True to the traits that have bedevilled them, the Saints then tried their best to give the game back. Four unanswered goals at the start of the final term brought the Bulldogs to within seven points. Finally, after 19 minutes, PETER EVERITT marked and goaled for St Kilda's only score for the term. The Saints then led by 13pts, but a behind to BRAD JOHNSON and goals to CHRIS GRANT brought the teams back to level pegging and set up the desperate final last minutes. Both sides were given inspirational efforts from veterans ROBERT HARVEY (Saints) and TONY LIBERATORE (WB).

The image of St Kilda's MAX HUDGHTON captured by Channel Seven cameras as his passion overflowed after the game will be long remembered – BULLDOGS 16.9-105 (Grant 3, Hudson 3, Romero 3) best, Liberatore, Grant, Romero, ST KILDA 16.8-104 (Everitt 2, Hall 2, Loewe 2, Thompson 2) best, Harvey, Hayes, Traianidis.

<||> Overcast conditions at the MCG on Saturday afternoon brought mist and rain in the first half, then patchy sunshine for the remainder of the match—there were 39,116 patrons. Hawthorn to many were big winners over a haphazard Geelong but the margin was only 25 points with the Cats within two goals, 10 minutes from the final siren.

In a low scoring game which produced only 24 goals, the difference between the two were the forwards where the Hawks had eight goals from Holland, Croad and Barker, while the Cats could muster only eight marks from their three big forwards Stoneham, Mooney and Mensch. It spurred Geelong coach MARK THOMPSON to swing captain BEN GRAHAM into attack.

Hawthorn led at every change and withstood two genuine challenges. The Cats came at them in the third and again in the last but on both occasions Hawthorn resisted and responded. Following good wins against the Bulldogs, Kangaroos and Cats, they will be tested further versus the Eagles at Subiaco on Friday – HAWTHORN 14.14-98 (Holland 3, Croad 3) best, Holland, Hay, Graham, GEELONG 10.13-73 (Arnott 3) best, King, Arnott, Kilpatrick.

<||> A bumper 40,402 were at Football Park on Saturday night where conditions were generally good following rain during the week. A heavy downpour during half time made conditions slippery for the last half. The Kangaroos destroyed Adelaide by kicking eight goals in a paralysing 10-minute burst immediately before and after quarter time.

WAYNE CAREY was yet again the centre of attention with another extraordinary display (6.3) and early in the third his side led by 47pts. With his Kangaroos still leading comfortably he cramped and retired from the match 17 minutes into the last quarter after BRENT HARVEY kicked his fourth goal to "seal" the result. With only 11 minutes remaining the Crows trailed by 31pts.  After being horribly outplayed for most of the game, Adelaide in a remarkable turnaround kicked five unanswered goals and went within a breath of stealing the result. The Roos survived by only three points in a desperately fought finish.

The question remains—no Carey, no Roos? – KANGAROOS 19.14-128 (Carey 6, Harvey 4, McKernan 4) best, Carey, McKernan, Harvey, ADELAIDE 19.11-125 (Vardy 5, Jarman 4, Welsh 3) best, McLeod, Jarman, Vardy.

<||> The roof was open at Colonial Stadium on Saturday night when Richmond consolidated their position in the top eight with their third in-a-row when they outlasted West Coast to win by nine points—26,304 watched proceedings. The Tigers led brilliantly by MATTHEW KNIGHTS can thank an outstanding second term for victory as they did not kick a goal after the 12-minute mark of the third quarter.

BRENDAN GALE (back spasms) was a late withdrawal leaving the Tigers depleted. Coach Danny Frawley worked the team's lack of height, rucking BRETT OTTENS at centre bounces before basing him mainly at full-forward, and using the versatile BEN HARRISON to run with the Eagles' MICHAEL GARDINER. Injuries late in the game to both Ottens and Harrison further restricted the Tigers. The Eagles booted the last five goals of the game to get within 10pts with four minutes to play. It was, however, only in the final minutes that West Coast threatened to tear the result from the gritty Tigers' grasp. West Coast who played without the injured PETER MATERA may have pinched the win had SCOTT CUMMINGS kicked four goals instead of four behinds – RICHMOND 11.13-79 (Holland 4, Rogers 3) best, A.Kellaway, Holland, D.Kellaway, WEST COAST (Phillip Matera 4, Gehrig 4) best, Phillip Matera, Jones, Morrison.

<||> The Gabba looked a picture in the fine sunny conditions of Sunday with the playing arena firm and fast following considerable rain during the week—the roll-up numbered 29,046 to watch a critical contest between the Lions and Magpies. Brisbane broke a two-match losing streak while Collingwood from a 5+0 opening, dropped their fourth on the trot.

With the match tight throughout—the opening 10 goals by both sides were without blemish—the contest was still in the balance until early in the last quarter after the lead had changed six times. The Magpies had been impressive with NATHAN BUCKLEY leading the charge with 16 possessions in the opening quarter (40 overall). It was his Lions' counterpart MICHAEL VOSS who stepped up to tilt the scales. Off early with an ankle injury which seemed to have ended his season, Voss returned late in the third term. With the Lions up by two points, seven minutes into the last, Voss unloaded a booming 60 metre-plus kick which goaled to knock the stuffing out of the Pies. Finishing strongly, the Lions won by 29 points – BRISBANE 22.14-146 (Power 6, Lynch 4, Black 3) best, Power, M.Voss, McRae, COLLINGWOOD 18.9-117 (A.Rocca 4, Tarrant 3, Tuckey 3) best, Buckley, Tarrant, A.Rocca.

<||> A fine Sunday brought good Subiaco conditions and 28,421 as Fremantle aimed for three in-a-row. Carlton however showed their class, softening up the Dockers in the first half, then landing the killer punch by kicking 8.6 to three goals in the third to bury their opposition.

MARK DUFFIELD reported in The West Australian: ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES and tough midfielder BRETT RATTEN were the stars but the Blues had plenty of winners on a day when Fremantle's new and tougher midfield learned that there were still some older and tougher outfits around. Fremantle coach Damian Drum was disappointed to lose but rated the Blues as close in standard to Essendon.

Freo was still competitive into the last quarter but Carlton had well and truly taken its foot off the pedal by that stage. Had it not been for on-ballers PAUL HASLEBY (29 possessions) and LUKE TOIA (27) and enigmatic forward CLIVE WATERHOUSE, who kicked six goals, Fremantle's plight would have been far more alarming – CARLTON 21,21-147 (Koutoufides 4, Freeborn 3) best, Koutoufides, Ratten, Whitnall, FREMANTLE 13.4-82 (Waterhouse 6) best, Hasleby, Waterhouse, Toia.

<||> An assembly of 62,606 were at the MCG on Sunday where Melbourne issued a firm challenge to the unbeaten Essendon. MATTHEW LLOYD and JAMES HIRD were, collectively, the difference—Lloyd booted six goals—no other player on the field booted more than three. JAMES HIRD had the ball 35 times and booted two goals—no other player had so much football and few used it with such finesse.

JAKE NIALL noted in his review for The Age: The Dees were sound in defence, where ANTHONY INGERSON and PETER WALSH were terrific. They broke even, at worst, in the midfield. But they did not finish as well as Essendon and they made more errors, especially when the ball entered their forward line.

The Demons booted four of the last five goals, but they were playing for the honour of being Essendon's most competitive opposition this season. It says something about this Essendon side that teams are judged on how long they remain competitive and how close they get – ESSENDON 15.16-106 (Lloyd 6) best, Hird, Lloyd, Hardwick, MELBOURNE 13.15-93 (Robertson 3) best, Leoncelli, Woewodin, Ingerson.

<||> One of the smallest crowds to watch a Sydney home game at the SCG for five years attended on a sunny Sunday when just 22,446 went through the gate—playing conditions were generally good, with only a few slippery spots. The Swans' horror run of five defeats ended when they invented a victory against Port, who were rated as "diabolical" by their coach Mark Williams.

After leading by two points at the first break, Port Adelaide proceeded to add 5 goals 18 behinds for the remainder of the game. They still however got to within four points early in the last quarter when they added 2.9.

As RICHARD HINDS observed for The Age: "...the Swans always looked likely to pull away. ADAM GOODES' four first-half goals and a slight edge in the midfield, partly due to the hard work of youngster JUDE BOLTON, gave them a lead they were able to protect. ... Yet, at their best, it was also one they should have enhanced. Instead the Swans relied partly on the Power's terrible conversion. That CHAD CORNES was then able to enliven the Power attack in the last quarter, left the question unanswered; had the Swans done well to eke out an important victory or was this no more than a battling effort against the AFL's 15th team? – SYDNEY 16.15-111 (AhMat 5, Goodes 4) best, Dunkley, AhMat, Stafford, PORT 11.19-85 (Schofield 2, Burgoyne 2) best, N.Stevens, Kingsley, Burgoyne.
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They said it ...
SAM NEWMAN, on Melbourne's Triple M commenting on Saturday's match — "The Geelong forward line are like Stonehenge—too old, too slow and no one knows why they are positioned that way".
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MIKE SHEAHAN, Talking Footy, Monday, May 8, on the issues facing the AFL Commission — "There's the disenfranchisement of the electorate. The people are angry—they're hostile, of what's happening to their game—that to me is the bigger issue. Programming, seat surcharges—all these things that have suddenly been thrust upon the people who have been going to the game for years and suddenly feel that their game has been taken away".

AFL announces
Demetriou takes football operations post
The 39-year-old ANDREW DEMETRIOU was named football operations chief of the AFL on Thursday night (11th). He will take up the post next month, replacing IAN COLLINS who is now head of Colonial Stadium.

The AFL Players' Association executive, where he has been CEO since May 1998 has agreed to release Demetriou from his contract.

WAYNE JACKSON, the AFL chief, said the League was "absolutely delighted" to secure its man after a two-month search for the job regarded as the No. 2 position in the AFL.

Andrew played 106 League matches for the Kangaroos (85 games, 1981-87) and Hawthorn (3 games, 1988).

MARK STEVENS noted in the Herald Sun (13th) that by the time Demetriou crossed to Hawthorn, at 27, his company, The Ruthinium Group, a dental health business, had an annual turnover of $12 million. From a humble start importing acrylic teeth, Demetriou was the chairman of the world's fourth-biggest supplier of false teeth.

Demetriou travelled the world, forging new markets when the approach came from the AFL Players' Association in 1998 to take over from JUSTIN MADDEN. He scaled down his role in business and concentrated on the players' union role.

His impact on the AFLPA was immediate, building a more professional, corporate image and setting his sights on the collective bargaining agreement which was successfully concluded in June last year.

Demetriou's role with the AFLPA will be filled by ROB KERR, the executive director of player development, until a permanent replacement is known.

Kangas' record MCG finish
Tigers & Demons consolidate
'Mother's Day massacre' at SCG

ROUND 10 — Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon, May 12-13-14-15.
MILESTONES — JOE MISITI (Ess, 1992-2000) played his 150th ... a century of games for ADAM SIMPSON (NMK, 1995-2000) and GREG STAFFORD (Syd, 1993-2000) — Stafford is the first Sydney-born to play 100 for the Swans ... 50 games for DANNY MORTON (20 PA 1998-2000, also 30 Fit 1993-96) ... FABIAN FRANCIS played his 50th for Port, also 1 Mel 1991, 22 Bri 1993-94 ... STEVEN FEBEY in game 227 for Melbourne became the 6th longest-serving player for the club ... trailing by three points at half-time, the Kangaroos produced one of the great turnarounds, kicking the record MCG last quarter score of 12.3-75 to defeat Fremantle by 88 points ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> Only 12,400 attended the MCG Kangaroos-Fremantle match on Sunday afternoon. It was the lowest at headquarters since 1993. In the early 1990s the lowest to attend the G was 8,653 watched NM v Bri, 93-R1 …
<> The Kangaroos trailed by three points at half-time, and produced one of the great turnarounds, kicking the record MCG last quarter score of 12.3-75 to defeat Fremantle by 88 points …

<> FRASER GEHRIG (WCE) reached 150 goals in game 106 ...¾ Collingwood lost their fifth in-a-row ... the Pies kicked 7.12-54, the lowest score of the season …

<> In their 77th League game Port Power tied their third game ... STEPHEN PHILLIPS pointed out this is a ratio of 1:26 — the normal ratio is 1:92 ... the final quarter at Footy Park lasted only 24m 07s — players were stunned when the siren blew and took time to realise the game had finished …

<> Carlton posted their third in-a-row ... the Saints remained winless …

<> CHRIS GRANT's seven goals for the Bulldogs was the best against Sydney since DANNY DEL RE booted 7.1, 92-R4-SCG ...

<> The Bombers 46pt margin equalled that of 93-R9-MCG, but both trail the 122pt pasting Essendon handed the Crows, 95-R14-MCG ...

<> Melbourne’s RUSSELL ROBERTSON reached 50 goals in game 42 ... the 24,908 at Colonial was the biggest to see the two in action, passing 21,753 at the Gabba, 99-R6 ...
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<||> Substantial rain fell in Perth in the 36 hours before Friday night's clash at Subiaco and falls were experienced during the match to which 37,549 attended. West Coast regained a place in the top eight with a 30pt victory over Hawthorn who slid back below the line.

The Hawks started well and with a fierce possession rate quickly had the Eagles staring down the barrel. Enter FRASER GEHRIG—he had only three kicks in the first quarter but all were goals including one from the boundary on the run from 55 metres—the Eagles took the lead by quarter time. Across the game it was the SCOTT CUMMINGS and Gehrig show with both kicking five goals. Hawthorn were a long way from the slick outfit which had comprehensively beaten the Bulldogs, Tigers and Cats in successive weeks. Crucial to their defeat was mishandling of the greasy ball and the failure of the young Hawk forward line to break clear of a ferocious Eagle defence led by GLEN JAKOVICH and ASHLEY McINTOSH, who is playing hard and spirited football under Judge – WEST COAST 17.16-118 (Gehrig 5, Cummings 5) best, Kemp, Gehrig, Gardiner, HAWTHORN 13.10-88 (Croad 3) best, Vandenberg, Bowyer, Harford.

<||> Grey skies overhead with the chance of a shower failed to deter 64,769 filing into the MCG on Saturday afternoon. It was good footy weather for the clash between two old rivals. Collingwood were playing their fourth game in 18 days but fitness wasn't the reason for the 48pt thrashing they received from Richmond.

The Tigers with a committed midfield and a hard working forward line performed as a "fair-dinkum" footy club as their coach Danny Frawley rated them. Collingwood were outplayed, outmarked and outkicked as the two Kellaway brothers, Andrew and Duncan were in superb form—Andrew kept Rocca (the younger) quiet, while Duncan constantly frustrated Pie captain NATHAN BUCKLEY. Richmond had numerous winners with MATTHEW KNIGHTS commanding the centre zone of the ground while WAYNE CAMPBELL and MARC DRAGICEVIC playing off the bench broke the game open with individual brilliance. Held to the lowest score of the season so far, Collingwood after a great start face the prospect of falling by the wayside. The Tigers with their third on-the-trot appear to be homing in for only their second finals appearance in almost 20 years – RICHMOND 15.12-102 (Campbell 3, Dragicevic 3, Gale 3) best, D.Kellaway, A.Kellaway, Campbell, COLLINGWOOD 7.12-54 (A.Rocca 2) best, Betheras, Prestigiacomo, Tarrant.

<||> Football Park on Saturday night was cold, windy and miserable with the smallest crowd to attend an AFL game in Adelaide—only 19,511 witnessed the first draw after 143 encounters at the ground. As a relief for many, the final quarter lasted a surprising but accurate 24 minutes and seven seconds.

PETER KRUPKA reviewing the result for The Australian said: Port Adelaide and Geelong achieved the kind of result that many thought impossible in Australian football—a boring draw. The only emotion or feeling which Saturday night's encounter stirred was pain.

It was painful to watch the 3rd-placed Cats make so many basic errors that the prospect of them unleashing a match-winning manoeuvre, or finding a match-winning player, was impossible ... The more this miserable game was analysed, the more the result seemed fitting—Geelong have forgotten how to win a game and Port do not know how to win – PORT 10.18-78 (Cornes 3) best, Cornes, Kingsley, Montgomery, GEELONG 12.6-78 (Mensch 3) best, Mensch, Houlihan, King.

<||> Gremlins were still in the works on Saturday night at Colonial Stadium—with showers forecast, only one section of the roof closed, the other half was finally activated to shut during half time. A good crowd of 38,151 was present.

Carlton did not shake off the persistent Saints until the final quarter, with the Blues often wasteful or forced into error—it may also have resulted from the prospect of being the first side to lose to St Kilda for the year. The in-form ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES was a fine performer for Carlton but the strength of the win came from MATTHEW ALLEN who dominated the ruck in a best-on-ground showing. In contrast, St Kilda's PETER EVERITT took only two marks, had seven possessions and gave two away two costly free kicks. MATTHEW LAPPIN also stood out in the last term, kicking two goals inside a minute which sealed the result.

St Kilda have a chance to break through when they play Port Adelaide, the second-worst side in the AFL on Friday night – CARLTON 15.19-109 (Lappin 4, Whitnall 3, Koutoufides 3) best, Koutoufides, Silvagni, Lappin, ST KILDA 11.16-82 (Hayes 2, Loewe 2, Hall 2, Moyle 2) best, Harvey, Hall, Burke.

<||> The Western Bulldogs experiment of playing a 'home' game at the SCG though below target was termed a success when 18,817 were catered for on a fine Sunday afternoon with Dogs' president DAVID SMORGAN estimating his club would pocket some $200,000 from the venture. The Dogs following a run of recent outs annihilated the Swans by 58 points.

CHRIS GRANT led the way for the Bulldog slaughter with seven-straight for day however, there were many other Dogs who put up their hand—clever midfielders TONY LIBERATORE, JOSE ROMERO, SCOTT WEST, BRAD JOHNSON, together with the ruck dominance of big men SCOTT WYND and LUKE DARCY.  Whatever ails the Swans evades logic and explanation following their great start in the Ansett Cup and a treble of opening wins but clearly, they are out of the race for this season. The Bulldogs after five weeks absence returned to the top eight – BULLDOGS 21.11-137 (Grant 7.0, Smith 5) best, Grant, Johnson, S.West, SYDNEY 12.7-79 (Barry 2, Bolton 2) best, Bolton, O’Loughlin, Schwass.

<||> On a cold and windy Sunday afternoon, the smallest crowd for seven seasons were at the MCG—12,400 was the figure posted. In a sloppy affair, Fremantle led the Kangaroos by three points at half time.  WAYNE CAREY moved from defence to attack in the second half, taking 11 marks (seven contested, four uncontested) and in another stellar performance kicked seven goals, one behind.

After a blistering half-time address from Denis Pagan, the Roos lifted and Fremantle simply folded under the pressure with only SHAUN McMANUS, TONY MODRA (three goals in the second) and BRAD DODD able to hold their heads high. The Kanga quartet of MATTHEW BURTON (23 hit-outs), PETER BELL (25 touches), BRENT HARVEY (four last-half goals) WINSTON ABRAHAM (20 possessions) as well as Carey went on a record-breaking rampage. Their 88pt win was achieved by kicking 18 goals to three after half time, with a finishing burst of 12.3-75, the biggest last quarter kicked in 1,927 League matches played at the MCG. The 91pt turnaround after half time is the fifth highest on record – KANGAROOS 22.16-148 (Carey 7.1, Harvey 4) best, Carey, Harvey, Burton, FREMANTLE 8.12-60 (Modra 3) best, McManus, Toia, Waterhouse.

<||> Under a closed roof on Sunday afternoon, a Dockland gallery of 34,626 at three-quarter time would have felt they were about to see a "major upset". In a pretty good contest, Adelaide though only by two points, was still leading the undefeated Bombers. In the last quarter, the Crows were allowed to only add another two behinds.

The Crows had Essendon's measure for most of the game and chopped the Dons up in the midfield—BEN HART shut down the League's leading goalkicker MATTHEW LLOYD, forcing Sheedy's hand to switch DUSTIN FLETCHER forward, releasing Lloyd to defence. Fletcher kicked two goals in the comeback while Lloyd marked well on the backline. The Bombers in the concluding stages of the match from being 21pts down kicked 11 unanswered goals.
When the last quarter commenced MICHAEL LONG had one goal to his name, kicked late in the third term—in a vintage burst by the end of the match he had added another five, a personal best six for the day. MARK ROBINSON noted in The Herald Sun: Long's goals came from three marks, a devastating three-bounce run through half-forward and a timely snap over his shoulder that iced the cake.

Essendon unleashed a booming 8.4-52 finish to win their 10th-straight—they have now led the AFL ladder for 17 weeks—the record is 27, still 10 weeks away when they are drawn to play Carlton – ESSENDON 20.12-132 (Long 6, Lucas 3, Hird 3) best, Misiti, Long, Fletcher, ADELAIDE 12.12-84 (Jarman 4) best, McLeod, Ricciuto, Burton.

<||> Monday night was chilly in Melourne but it was warm and comfortable under a closed roof at Docklands where 24,908 of the faithful rolled up. Melbourne held its nerve after being headed by Brisbane in the final term to win a thriller by 18 points.

The Lions had a terrific first half leading by 19 points at the first change, extending this to 27pts. They seemed set to bury the Demons before descending into a period of appalling inaccuracy in which they kicked 11 successive behinds before their ninth goal, 10 minutes into the last term. In contrast, Melbourne in the same time frame kicked eight goals.

Midway in the last quarter Brisbane hit the front, after Akermanis and Lynch (2) goaled, then with the game in the balance, 20-year-old CAMERON BRUCE stepped up for the Demons with two goals in the frantic final minutes. Brisbane co-captain ALASTAIR LYNCH had a super night in goals with 6.4, although had his four misses hit the mark it could have had a different ending. His opposite number DAVID NEITZ led the Demons well, with 25 kicks, six handballs and 14 marks—a big game – MELBOURNE 15.12-102 (Farmer 3, White 3) best, Neitz, Leoncelli, White, BRISBANE 11.18-84 (Lynch 6) best, Lynch, White, Johnson.
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Tribunal
Everitt off; Hilton, Embley & Heuskes suspended
At Monday's Tribunal, St Kilda's PETER EVERITT was found not guilty of charging Carlton's STEPHEN O'REILLY.

RORY HILTON (Rch) pleaded guilty and was suspended for two matches on the charge of striking Collingwood forward CHRIS TARRANT. It was the second suspension this year for Hilton who received two-games for striking TONY BROWN (StK) in a practice match.

ANDREW EMBLEY (WC) faced the Tribunal on Tuesday and was found guilty of striking JOHN BARKER (Haw). Embley was suspended for two matches.
On Wednesday the Tribunal head the charge against ADAM HEUSKES (Bri) who from video evidence was cited for tripping ADEM YZE (Mel). Heuskes was found guilty and suspended for one match.

Melbourne Radio Ratings
3LO leaders for Saturday call
The latest Melbourne radio ratings for the 2000 season were published on Wednesday May 10.

The ABC Melbourne team led by TIM LANE and DWAYNE RUSSELL narrowly hold favouritism for the Saturday afternoon call over EDDIE McGUIRE's MMM team. The movement of SAM NEWMAN from 3AW to MMM this season may be responsible for a dramatic shift in the preference of listeners.

MMM hold favouritism of Melbourne listeners on Sunday.

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They said it ...
MIKE SHEAHAN, Herald Sun, May 13, on the appointment of ANDREW DEMETRIOU as AFL football operations manager — Demetriou comes with solid credentials. He has elevated the players' association to previously unattainable heights, and widespread respect.
He did such a good job for the players in the collective bargaining agreement, perhaps the commission decided it was again time to turn the poacher into a gamekeeper, the case when it lured Collins away from Carlton.
While Demetriou certainly doesn't have the experience of Miller and Cook at club level, no one is better acquainted with the mechanics of the salary cap or workplace conditions for players.
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FRANCIS LEACH, Time On, ABC Radio — If Tim Watson appeared on 'Sale of the Century' it wouldn't be as a contestant ...
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Stab Kicks ...
** The official attendance of the R10 Western Bulldogs v Sydney match on Sunday (14th) was reduced from 23,085 to 18,085. An AFL spokesman said the attendance issued on match day was the number of tickets sold for the game. However, the figures had to be reduced because 5,000 people who purchased tickets as part of a Sydney membership package did not attend the game.
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** Giant Adelaide ruckman SHAUN REHN suffered a fractured cheekbone in a clash of heads with Essendon midfielder MARK JOHNSON on Sunday at Docklands—Rehn will miss six weeks to two months. The hairline fracture will not require surgery.
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** Melbourne businessman and arts patron RICHARD PRATT has resigned as a director of the Carlton FC. Pratt has a long association with Carlton—as a 17-year old he played for Carlton Under 19s from 1952 and won the Morrish Medal as Best & Fairest for the Under 19 competition in 1953.
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** Richmond suspended BRETT OTTENS for one senior match for being drunk in public. The 20-year old Ottens was collected by coach Danny Frawley from St Kilda Police Station early on Sunday morning (14th) after spending four hours in a cell. Ottens will miss a senior match and will appear for Richmond Reserves in the VFL. He is the fourth player to be suspended by Richmond this year for a similar digression.
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** With Collingwood expressing interest in playing up to three games in Sydney next season, Melbourne have indicated they want to initiate a regular Anzac Day 'grudge" match against Sydney at the SCG—between teams representing Australia's two biggest cities.
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** AAP reported: Sydney was seeking legal advice in relation to what it called "offensive" comments by Collingwood president EDDIE McGUIRE. McGuire is reported to have said to The Age, Collingwood was now dealing with Sydney as the Magpies' worst enemy. "Sydney spoke to us last year about Collingwood playing a game there this year and the deal that they put forward to us tried to stitch is," McGuire said.
Sydney chairman RICHARD COLLESS hit back: "The Sydney FC believes the comments by Mr McGuire do more harm to the fabric of the game than virtually anything else," he said.

Koutoufides stars in Carlton win
Bulldogs set new Perth records
Bombers remain unbeaten

ROUND 11 — Fri-Sat-Sun, May 19-20-21.
MILESTONES — MICK MARTYN (NMK, 1988-2000) played his 250th game ... BRETT RATTEN (Car, 1990-2000) reached his 200th ... MAL MICHAEL (Col, 1997-2000) played his 50th ... 18-year old Brisbane player DAVID CUPIDO became the first South African born to play League football ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> Collingwood coach MICHAEL MALTHOUSE equalled a personal record when his Magpies suffered their sixth successive defeat on the weekend. When coaching Footscray in 1989 he lost six matches in R2-3-4-5-6-7.

<> St Kilda won their fifth-straight over Port ... 8.4-52 on Friday night was the biggest last quarter by the Saints versus the Power — the 62pt margin equalled that of 99-R9-P but fell short of the 65pt difference recorded 97-R7-P ... PETER EVERITT (StK) reached 250 goals in game 143 …

<> The match at Princes Park produced 24 goalkickers, 13 by Carlton, 11 by the Roos—one short of the record 25 when the Geelong (15) and Bulldogs (10) met 99-R2-PP ...  The Blues beat the Kangas for the time since 95-2PF-MCG ending six successive defeats, the best run by the Arden Street unit against the Blues in 132 games since 1925 ... SIMON BEAUMONT (Car) reached 50 goals in game 70 ...

<> Richmond in 2000 have won six of their past seven matches and climbed to third, their highest ranking since 1997-R2 …

<> The Bulldogs against Freo kicked the highest score and won by the greatest margin in 204 games by a side visiting side Perth. Previous highest score at both the WACA and Subi was only two rounds back by Carlton, 21.21-147 versus Freo in R9, while Saturday's GWM of 93 points topped the 71pts registered by Hawthorn 94-R5 v WCE then North Melb 95-R11 v Fremantle, both at Subiaco Oval ... the Bulldogs equalled a club record with 12 goalkickers for the match, set five times previously …

<> ABC Radio reported former champion TONY LOCKETT made a cameo appearance on the SCG during half time — someone handed him a footy and from 30 metres he slotted it through the goalposts at the Paddington end ... shortly after 5pm, the ground sprinklers briefly came to life early in the third quarter—play was not disrupted ...
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<||> St Kilda surged to their first victory of the season on Friday night at the expense of a hapless Port Adelaide. Only a lean 17,509 were present under the closed roof at Docklands. The first quarter with only two goals scored was full of all the errors one would expect from a battle of the two bottom sides.

The Saints took over in the second quarter and inaccuracy was the only reason they didn't bury the Power before half-time—Port couldn't buy a goal. Mindful of their fadeouts in recent encounters, St Kilda broke the drought with a cloudburst in the final term kicking 8.4 to annihilate Port by more than 10 goals.

STEWART LOEWE in one of his best games for ages was a standout performer for the Saints, taking 13 match-breaking marks in a 30 possession game – Loewe was ably supported by veteran captain NATHAN BURKE in game 281, BARRY HALL (six goals), ROBERT HARVEY and JASON TRAIANIDIS – ST KILDA 17.15-117 (Hall 6, Loewe 3) best, Loewe, Burke, Traianidis, PORT 8.7-55 (Montgomery, Francis, Wilson.

<||> Heavy rain early on Saturday afternoon cleared to sunshine at Princes Park, which was packed with 28,944 fans. Carlton and the Roos delivered a game of quality football under the conditions. The Blues in a great team performance won by five goals in which the athletic utility ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES was outstanding with 36 possessions, 17 kicks, 21 handballs—he took eight marks in an awesome display which Roo coach Denis Pagan identified as the difference between the two sides.

Carlton maintained a game-long intensity to produce an emphatic victory, which broke a six-match losing streak against the Kangas dating back to 1996 including the 1999 Grand Final. MICHAEL DAVIS noted in his assessment for The Australian: Carlton's MATTHEW ALLEN controlled the ruck contests and BRETT RATTEN (in his 200th game) was superb, picking up 30 possessions ... ANDREW McKAY defended with dash and ADRIAN HICKMOTT, who spent a lot of time on the bench, was a creative midfielder.

MICK MARTYN playing his 250th was one who did not let the Roos down—he had the better of his duel with Carlton's key forward LANCE WHITNALL – CARLTON 20.9-129 (Koutoufides 5) best, Koutoufides, McKay, Hickmott, KANGAROOS 15.9-99 (McKernan 3) best, Bell, Makepeace, Blakey.

<||> Richmond won their sixth game from the last seven starts when they came from behind in a desperate last term to beat Hawthorn by three points at the MCG on Saturday afternoon. A good crowd of 41,057 attended, braving heavy rain before the match, which turned to sunshine for the rest of the day. The Hawks failed to nail the Tigers when they led by four goals late in the third quarter.

Richmond was seriously undermanned but the energy, spirit and desperation won through against the odds. The Richmond victory inspired Hawthorn president IAN DICKER to go to the rooms after the match to congratulate the victors. TONY JEWELL, Richmond's 1980 premiership coach told JIM MAIN (The Australian) it had been a quarter of a century since a club president had made such a gesture.

NICK DAFFY was back to his best form for the Tigers, while Campbell, Knights and Cameron stood tall in a game which the Richmond coaching panel must take the plaudits for cleverly using their gun players in positive roles. Hawthorn managed only one goal in the last 40 minutes of the match – RICHMOND 11.14-80 (Daffy 3) best, Daffy, Knights, Campbell, HAWTHORN 11.11-77 (Holland 3, Croad 3) best, Rawlings, Holland, Crawford.

<||> The Bulldogs unleashed a powerful last half to record the highest score and greatest winning margin by any visiting side in the 215 matches played in Perth since 1987. The 20,821 present in the fine conditions at Subiaco Oval watched a side running back into form as the Dogs relentlessly disposed of Fremantle by 93 points.

The Bulldogs pounced on the Dockers whose opposition diminished as injuries to ANTHONY JONES, DANIEL BANDY, LUKE TOIA and DALE KICKETT took them out of the game. Even at full strength, Fremantle on the night were unlikely to have found counters to the Dog ball-winners SCOTT WEST (31 possessions), JOSE ROMERO (29), TONY LIBERATORE (28) and PAUL DIMATTINA (21) who were rampant. PAUL HUDSON with six goals, ROHAN SMITH four, led the Bulldog blitz in a club record-equalling tally of 12 goalkickers.

The devastating trio of losses by 246pts—R9 v Car (65pts), R10 v Kan (88), R11 v WB (93) has brought a critical loss of morale to the Dockers' camp. Injuries are also biting deeply into Freo. ANTHONY JONES during the match suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung and was still hospitalised midweek, while veteran DALE KICKETT may have a cracked vertebrae and will be out for up to two months – BULLDOGS 27.12-174 Hudson 6, Smith 4, Romero 3, Darcy 3) best, S.West, Hudson, Grant, FREMANTLE 12.9-81 (Waterhouse 4) best, Waterhouse, Bandy, T.Longmuir.

<||> The Saturday night contest drew 47,071, the biggest crowd to attend Colonial Stadium—the roof was closed. Essendon faced a challenge for the third week in a row, but Geelong's lasted only as far as the first quarter as the Bombers kicked 18 goals to six to cruise in for their 11th straight-win.

MELISSA RYAN reported for The Age: The devastating twin towers of MATTHEW LLOYD and SCOTT LUCAS blasted Geelong's defence into oblivion with 11 goals between them, while Geelong's only major scoring contributor was CLINT BIZZELL, who piled on six goals of his own, but had little support elsewhere ... the form of ADAM RAMANAUSKAS on the wing was integral to maintaining the Bombers in attack—Ramanauskas' flowing football was astonishing, capturing him a best-on-ground 31 possessions and 14 marks.

Though JAMES HIRD wasn't the best, his 29 touches including 11 in the third term were full of elegance and skill. When added to the ability of DANNY JACOBS, AARON HENNEMAN, DUSTIN FLETCHER, MARK MERCURI and the sharp-shooting MATTHEW LLOYD, it prompted ANDREW RAMSAY in The Australian to muse—"The only real quandary facing head coach KEVIN SHEEDY is which of his worthy squad members will be left out of his 22 come grand final day." – ESSENDON 22.13-145 (Lloyd 7.2) best, Hird, Mercuri, Ramanauskas, GEELONG 13.9-87 (Bizzell 6) best, Riccardi, Bizzell, McGrath.

<||> A good assembly of 37,871 enjoyed the sunshine and a fine Adelaide win on Sunday at Football Park—that it was only by a 35pt margin over an appallingly inaccurate Melbourne is curious. The Crows often displayed a skilful style recalling some of their headier days, yet failed to punish the visitors.

Melbourne led 3.3 to 0.1 at the 19-minute mark of the first quarter but didn't score its fourth goal (by ADEM YZE) until 25 minutes in the third term. Melbourne added 13 successive behinds. In their final score of 8.22, eleven Demons kicked behinds. DAVID SCHWARZ and JEFF FARMER led the way with five each, RUSSELL ROBERTSON got three and eight others contributed one each—one was also rushed.

For The Age ALAN SHIELL noted: Adelaide were well-served by BRETT BURTON and SIMON GOODWIN who kept pumping the ball forward where PETER VARDY (five goals) and DARREN JARMAN (three) cut holes in the Demons' defence ... from the backline NATHAN BASSETT and BEN HART were strong on the rebound. 21-year old IAN PERRIE, the left-footer from East Perth in only his ninth game (over two seasons) again looked the part at centre half-forward against DAVID NEITZ – ADELAIDE 15.15-105 (Vardy, Jarman 3) best, Goodwin, Bassett, Vardy, MELBOURNE 8.22-70 (Robertson 3) best, Robertson, Powell, Leoncelli.

<||> West Coast after a big start led by six goals at quarter-time and held off any challenge which Collingwood served to win by as much in the Sunday afternoon match played under sunshine and blue skies at Colonial Stadium—29,072 were present.

The Magpies crept as close as 17pts in the third term but generally were never in the hunt against the Eagles. GREG BAUM reporting for The Age noted: The difference was starkest in the ruck, where MICHAEL GARDINER (WC) dominated. Gardiner is two years older than JOSH FRASER (C), two years more seasoned and two years' stronger in the body, and it showed in his 31 hit-outs ... with Gardiner dominant, the Eagles had the run of the game from midfield. DEAN KEMP played his usual polished game, ANDREW DONNELLY was prominent and ROWAN JONES did a vigilant smothering job on NATHAN BUCKLEY ... FRASER GEHRIG got his hands dirty to kick five goals, and the Matera brothers in forward pockets threatened always to make something from nothing, and frequently made that threat good.

Collingwood with their sixth successive loss slipped from the top eight to 10th place, while the Eagles went from 7th to 5th – WEST COAST 18.20-128 (Gehrig 5, Phillip Matera 4, Peter Matera 3) best, Gardiner, Peter Matera, Donnelly, COLLINGWOOD 13.14-92 (A.Rocca 2, Williams, 2, Tarrant 2, Michael 2) best, Licuria, Tarrant, Buckley.

<||> The sliding fortunes of Sydney was reflected by the smallest crowd to watch a "home" match at the SCG since 1996—only 19,789 attended. The game was played in fine conditions in spite of recent rain. Brisbane kept their finals hopes alive when they inflicted Sydney's fifth single-digit defeat at the SCG this season suffered in rounds 4-5-6-7 and 11.

The Lions looked gone when they trailed the Swans by 31 points at halftime. Sydney had enjoyed an impressive first half when they kicked long and took marks in their attacking 50 metre zone—they rediscovered the form and style that had been so successful earlier in the season, seven long weeks, and six defeats ago. However a 10-goal to four last half by the Lions turned it around. Sydney were without captain ANDREW DUNKLEY in the last half who was forced from the field with a corked thigh. His opponent ALASTAIR LYNCH kicked five straight for the Lions.

After leading by 36pts, Sydney scored 10 successive behinds from the 22nd minute of the third quarter until their 14th goal near the final siren to lose by three points – BRISBANE 16.14-110 (Lynch 5, Power 3) best, Black, Akermanis, Power, SYDNEY 15.17-107 (O’Loughlin 3, Goodes 3) best, Cresswell, O’Loughlin, Crouch.
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Ladder at half-way mark

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No tribunal required
No senior reports were lodged for the 11th round.
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Stab Kicks ...
** The Herald Sun reported on May 22 that a police investigation is continuing after several formal complaints were made about violence that led to a town's football and netball teams being banned.

The Central Highlands FL in Victoria on May 17 banned Hepburn's four football and four netball sides until 2003. The ban followed a vicious brawl involving senior and reserves players, spectators and officials on Saturday April 15 during a match against Dunnstown. The aftermath left two people in hospital and in need of facial surgery.

Townsfolk have complained the penalty punishes many for the sins of a few.
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** IAN COCKERILL reported in The Age on May 19 that Channel Seven has negotiated a new deal that will see at least five domestic rugby union Tests each year will be shown in Melbourne in prime time on Saturday nights which will squeeze out AFL telecasts.

Although the five-year deal does not take force until 2001, Seven has already pledged to screen live the forthcoming Australia-South Africa Test on July 8 from Colonial Stadium and two other Tests in the same month.

The decision means AFL telecasts of night games cannot begin until 10pm Eastern that will affect the Kangaroos-Richmond game from the SCG on July 8. The same applies to the following week's Essendon-Hawthorn match on July 15 and the Round 21 games between Richmond and Sydney, and Brisbane versus St Kilda on July 29.
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** Further surgery has been ruled out for Sydney's PAUL KELLY. The champion midfielder fractured his left kneecap in the Qualifying Final last September that has not healed. He is continuing his rehabilitation process of running, cycling and swimming, but will not play this season.
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** Though there is angst between the Sydney and Collingwood clubs, the Magpie president EDDIE McGUIRE announced on May 21 his club was still seeking to play three AFL matches in Sydney next season but not at the expense of any of its Victorian matches.
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They said it ...
ANDREW RAMSAY, The Australian — "The only real quandary facing head coach KEVIN SHEEDY is which of his worthy squad members will be left out of his 22 come grand final day."
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Obituary
Jack Williams passes
South Melbourne legend JACK "Basher" WILLIAMS passed away on May 16 aged 82. A rough and tough player, Jack was famous for his part in the 1945 'Bloodbath' Grand Final.

Williams was suspended for 12 weeks on two charges arising from the Grand Final — for adopting a fighting attitude to central umpire Frank Spoke for which he was suspended for eight matches, and for abusing a goal umpire which added a further fours weeks. In the same season, Williams had also received an eight week suspension for striking Essendon player TED LEEHANE.

A light-heavyweight boxer, Jack Williams played 61 games with the Bloods in 1939-40 and 1942-46. He was centre half-back in the 1945 Grand Final.

Described as a "lovely bloke" by Swans champion BOBBY SKILTON, who said "he was always in the rooms and on our first trip to Surfers with South, Basher was like a father to all of us."

Only four survivors remain from South Melbourne's 1945 Grand Final team.

Cats' comeback leaves Pies cold
Bulldogs run over Demons
Ruthless Blues expose Eagles

ROUND 12 — Fri-Sat-Sun, May 26-27-28.
MILESTONES — AFL support of National Reconciliation Week placed the Aboriginal flag beside the national emblem at all League venues … ADRIAN FLETCHER played his 200th League game (48 Fre 1998-2000, 23 Gee 1989-91, 22 StK 1992, 107 Bri 1993-97) ... SHANE PARKER (Fre 1995-2000) played his 100th ... 50 games for TRENT CROAD (Haw 1998-2000) and NICK STEVENS (PA 1998-2000) ... Essendon's MATTHEW LLOYD passed 300 goals in game 93.

FROM THE ROUND
<> Essendon's 25.19-169 overtook the 1911-R16-JO score of 23.20-158 as the fourth-highest of 190 contests against the Saints since 1897 ... 9.5-59 by the Bombers equalled their best second quarter posted 89-R17-M ...

<> Geelong's half-time score of 1.7-13 was their lowest against the Pies since the 1927 Second Semi when the Pies led 9.10-64 to 1.7-13 and won by 66pts ...

<> The Hawks beat the Dockers for the fifth successive time ... seven-straight goals brought a new highest third-quarter by Hawthorn versus Fremantle ...

<> The Roos continued their clean sweep versus Port, winning their sixth successive game ... the six contests since 1997 have been played at five venues, Princes Park, Football Park, Manuka Oval, the MCG (2), and the SCG ... the small crowd of 7,334 left only five smaller attendances to see AFL footy at the SCG ...

<> Carlton produced a last half of 12 goals to four finish and their second best last quarter effort (8.1-49) against the Eagles to record an emphatic 50pt victory ... it was West Coast's biggest defeat in Perth since Hawthorn beat them by 71pts, 94-R5-S ... Subiaco had 39,968 to see the contest which just failed to match the 42,764 who watched a soccer game the night before—82,732 through the Subi gates in 24 hours ...

<> The Bulldogs produced one of the greatest revivals of their 1,515 League matches when they came back from a 34 point half-time deficit to kick a triumphant 12 goals to three and defeat Melbourne by 25 points.
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<||> A chilly Friday night drew 39,836 fans to Docklands where St Kilda under the closed roof burst away by kicking two goals in the first five minutes. Thereafter it was academic as Essendon assumed all control of the contest to effortlessly win their 12th successive game by almost 15 goals.

The Bombers moved into top gear from near the end of the first quarter and the landslide continued when two minutes into the second quarter the Saints' PETER EVERITT departed with a serious knee injury. The second quarter produced an Essendon burst of 9.5-59 and the remarkable fact that no St Kilda player managed a solitary statistic for the first seven minutes of the term.

The Dons led by as much as 98 points early in the last quarter before the Saints kicked some belated goals. Essendon became the first side to win the opening 12 games of the year since West Coast in 1991 and have now won 26 of their past 28 premiership contests—blighted only from their defeat by Port Adelaide in last year's 15th round and the now legendary one-point defeat by Carlton in the Preliminary Final – ESSENDON 25.19-169 (Lloyd 6, Moorcroft 3, Caracella 3) best, Fletcher, Lloyd, Blumfield, ST KILDA 13.5-83 (Hall 4, Loewe 3) best, Jones, Hall, Harvey.

<||> Saturday afternoon was miserable as 34,367 braved single-digit conditions at the MCG—snow was falling in the nearby Dandenong Ranges. The rain stopped just before the first bounce and the lights were turned on at quarter time. It was wet, slippery and windy as Collingwood raced to a five-goal lead over Geelong by half time and were on track to halt their sequence of six defeats.

After GLENN FREEBORN kicked the first goal of the second half, it seemed the Collingwood procession would continue. The Cats were lifted from their knees by a standout performance from ruckman STEPHEN KING who had the better of the two young Magpie big men in BRAD SMITH and JOSH FRASER. Geelong which had managed only one goal in 72 minutes of footy then kicked six in the next 18, with three goals (5 for the day) from ADAM HOULIHAN a huge factor.

In a tremendous struggle with lead changes, it went down to the final siren as the Cats in a Houdini-like escape brought up their first win in five matches – GEELONG 10.11-71 (Houlihan 5) best, King, Houlihan, Steinfort, COLLINGWOOD 9.13-67 (Freeborn 3) best, Adkins, Freeborn, O’Bree.

<||> It required raw courage to attend Football Park on Saturday which was reported as "the coldest May night on record"—30,350 souls were there to watch Adelaide record their fifth win from the past seven games to keep their finals hopes alive.

Adelaide displayed greater skills and endeavour than offered by Sydney who were inept with their forwards unsighted. ALAN SHIELL in The Age reported: ANDREW McLEOD, MARK RICCIUTO and BRETT BURTON led the charge which swept the Crows to a comprehensive 50-point win ... DARYN CRESSWELL and WAYNE SCHWASS piled up possessions but Sydney could not establish any sort of authority up forward against a well-drilled Adelaide defence, in which, significantly, SIMON GOODWIN smothered MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN, while NIGEL SMART, NATHAN BASSETT and BEN HART rebounded strongly from the last line and MATTHEW ROBRAN again was a resounding success at centre half-back.

The win lifted the Crows to 10th place—for the Swans, danger times ahead as wins may become as scarce as supporters – ADELAIDE 14.14-98 (Edwards 2. Welsh 2, Perrie 2, Ricciuto 2) best, McLeod, Burton, Ricciuto, SYDNEY 7.6-48 best, Schwass, Cresswell, Saddington.

<||> A healthy crowd of 29,967 swarmed to the Gabba where conditions on a fine Saturday night were good. After half time however, dew started to take effect. In one of the toughest road assignments, Richmond continued its remarkable winning run when it outlasted Brisbane by a margin of two goals.

As BILL McDONALD observed for The Age: Like many of the Tigers' wins this season, it was only sealed late in the game after another typically gutsy arm wrestle with Brisbane, which threw everything at them ... Brisbane again was outplayed in the marking department by the taller Tigers, led by ruckman BRAD OTTENS, who came back strongly after his enforced lay-off. DARRYL WHITE tested him in the ruck contests, but Ottens was still dominant.

ROHAN CONNOLLY in The Age also noted: Richmond survived a ferocious Brisbane opening, rattled off a string of 10 straight majors including a freakish boundary snap from MARK CHAFFEY as skilled as any other goal kicked this season, then, fuelled by the rock-like presence of DARREN GASPAR in defence, held on for dear life. It was Richmond's fifth successive win and their seventh from eight games – RICHMOND 17.9-111 (Rogers 3, Campbell 3) best, King, Campbell, Gaspar, BRISBANE 14.15-99 (Power 5, White 3, A.Lynch 3) best, Lappin, White, Hart.

<||> A closed roof at Colonial Stadium on Saturday night protected sparse 16,004 fans from a cruel Melbourne wintry night outside. Fremantle with another disappointing last half were steamrolled by Hawthorn which arrested a two-game losing streak.

Skill errors were present—JIM MAIN reported in The Australian: The Hawks can consider themselves fortunate to have had (NICK) HOLLAND in such fine first-half form, as most of his teammates were almost as bad as the woeful Dockers. Although Hawthorn led by 13 points at the main break, Hawk fans were disgruntled. Their team were playing like zombies.

The Dockers are now in danger of total capitulation, as their present four-game losing streak has blown out to a combined margin of 305 points. Away from Perth, Fremantle has won only 11 times interstate in its six years in the AFL – HAWTHORN 19.7-121 (Holland 3, Crawford 3, Thompson 3) best, Thompson, Salmon, Vandenberg, FREMANTLE 8.14-62 (Hasleby 3) best, Hasleby, Fletcher, Michael.

<||> One of the smallest crowds to watch an AFL contest at the SCG were present when the Kangaroos beat Port Adelaide in the cold sunshine of Sunday afternoon—only 7334 were present. In a less than inspiring event, the Roos beat the Power by a small 17 point margin.

RICHARD HINDS reported for The Age: The "King" provided the answer to an age-old question at the SCG: If WAYNE CAREY kicks five goals in front of a forest of empty seats, no, it doesn't make much of a noise. But the Kangaroos get the four premiership points ... it was the stamp of class applied by Carey on a game marred by a difficult swirling breeze, and turned into an arm-wrestle by the worthy Port Adelaide midfield, that was the most important factor in the Roos' 17-point win.

Together with Carey, DAVID KING, GLENN ARCHER, MICK MARTYN and JASON McCARTNEY held off a persistent Port who stifled the Roo midfield. ADAM KINGSLEY, PETER BURGOYNE, NICK STEVENS and FABIAN FRANCIS found plenty of ball for the Power, but not enough to stop the Kangaroos posting their eighth win – KANGAROOS 10.16-76 (Carey 5) best, Blakey, Martyn, King, PORT 8.11-59 (Lockwood 3, Cornes 3) best, Francis, Lyle, Bassett.

<||> It was fine and 21 degrees at Subiaco on Sunday when a great crowd of 39,968 watched Carlton continue their run of success with their ninth win from the past 11 trips to the west. In windy conditions, the Blues kicked 15 of the last 19 goals to win their seventh successive match with a 50-point victory and seriously dent expectations of the Eagles. It was West Coast's biggest defeat in Perth since Hawthorn beat them by 71pts, 1994-R5-S.

For a quarter and a half it was a fierce stuff as both tested the other—then, the Eagles led by two goals. ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES and SCOTT CAMPOREALE lifted to add support to the winning ruckman MATTHEW ALLEN and the prime mover BRETT RATTEN. The Eagles stocks went down further as PETER MATERA limped off before half time, and the Blues hit the front for the first time.

The Eagles hit back in the third quarter but Carlton's intensity did not flag. Indeed, the last quarter turned into a rout with the Blues adding another eight goals to be emphatic winners. Carlton's defence was superb with STEPHEN SILVAGNI, ANDREW McKAY and SIMON BEAUMONT showing a touch of class – CARLTON 20.8-128 (Lappin 3, Camporeale 3, Whitnall 3) best, Ratten, Camporeale, Koutoufides, WEST COAST 11.12-78 (Gardiner 2, Ph.Matera 2) best, Kemp, McKenna, Jakovich.

<||> For the second time in two days, the fat lady started to sing at half time. Just as Geelong had seemed dead-and-buried at the long break against the Pies, so did the Western Bulldogs after Melbourne had dominated the first half of the Sunday afternoon contest at Docklands. Outside was cold and rain—inside, under the roof were 26,180 spectators awaiting the Bulldogs to slump to their sixth defeat.

Melbourne deserved their 34-point half-time lead—JEFF WHITE had been dangerous, DAVID NEITZ was good at centre-half forward, as was DAVID SCHWARZ at centre half-back, while RIGONI, LEONCELLI and WOEWODIN were doing as they liked out of the centre. Dogs coach TERRY WALLACE launched a paint-blistering half-time address—LUKE DARCY was challenged, SCOTT WYND was benched, ANDREW WILLS and NATHAN EAGLETON went into the fray. The game changed complexion immediately and within 18 minutes the Bulldogs were within three points.

The Demons struggled to hold to on as the last quarter unfolded. After 14 minutes the Bulldogs hit the front and their marauding pack continued on to a 25 point victory in one of the best comebacks of the 1,515 League games by the Footscray-based club – BULLDOGS 16.12-108 (Smith 5, Wills 3, Grant 3) best, S.West, Smith, Johnson, MELBOURNE 13.5-83 (White 4, Neitz 3) best, White, Rigoni, Schwarz.

Stab Kicks ...
** AAP reported the Canberra Raiders defeated West Tigers 24-22 on Sunday at Bruce Stadium in Canberra "in the first rugby league premiership match in Australia played in snow." — that code obviously has never been to Ballarat ...
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** ADELAIDE and MELBOURNE will play the annual end-of-season exhibition match at The Oval in London on Saturday, October 7.
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** Sydney Swans fans have lost their video link to the Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club where they had watched interstate matches via a live feed from Channel Seven. After the Adelaide match, Channel Seven removed the cables, saying they were required in preparations for the Olympics.
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=Essendon president GRAEME McMAHON at the pre-match luncheon on Sunday (27th) announced members of the Bombers had reached a record 34,025.
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** Despite calls from several clubs to change the format, the AFL will retain a 22-round home-and-away draw for next season with all matches to be played over three days starting on Friday nights.
GREG DENHAM reported in The Age on May 26, an AFL source said no Sunday night games would be scheduled in 2001 and more Saturday afternoon games are planned. The League believe few games in the future will be played outside the Friday night-Saturday-Saturday night-Sunday time slots, thus eliminating matches on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
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** The Geelong FC are seeking an apology following a newspaper article alleging an AFL draft policy document compiled in 1988 discriminated against Aborigines. Geelong denied the allegations.
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** The AFL Umpires' Association seeking to raise the image and profile of its men are considering carrying an advertising logo on the flags used by goal umpires.
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** Injuries have struck two important St Kilda players. PETER EVERITT will have arthroscopic surgery to repair a snapped posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He will be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks. STEWART LOEWE will be out for the next month after breaking a bone in his left hand in an incident from last Friday night's match against Essendon. Loewe was booked from video for striking Essendon's JASON JOHNSON who received a broken nose.

Essendon savage the Kangaroos
MCG melee draws $18,500 in fines
Lions belt injury-crippled Eagles

ROUND 13 — Fri-Sat-Sun, June 2-3-4.
MILESTONES — NIGEL SMART (Ade, 1991-2000) and MICHAEL SEXTON (Car, 1991-2000) played their 200th League match ... 150th games by COREY McKERNAN (NMK, 1993-2000) and DAVID NEITZ (Mel, 1993-2000) ... a century of games for CHAD MORRISON (WCE, 1996-2000) and DANIEL METROPOLIS (WCE, 1992-2000) ... 50th games by TRENT BARTLETT (11 WB 2000, also 39 Bri 1995-99), WARREN TREDREA (PA, 1997-2000), JASON TRAIANIDIS (StK, 1997-2000) and CHRIS HEFFERNAN (Ess, 1997-2000) ... PETER BELL played his 100th consecutive game for NMK ...

FROM THE ROUND
<> PAUL BRODERICK (Rch) reached 150 goals in game 231 ...

<> CARLTON kicked a new highest fourth quarter of 10.1-61 versus Melbourne, greater than 9.3-57, 81-R17-PP ...

<> BRISBANE in their 22nd game against the Eagles enjoyed their best last quarter of 8.3-51 and kicked a new highest score, bigger than 25.16-166 versus West Coast, 99-R17-BCG ...

<> Collingwood's suffered their 8th successive defeat ... Port's had their first win in 10 weeks ... the 22,691 to watch the two was the smallest—previous lowest was 29,462, 1999-R14-MCG ...

<> ESSENDON have won 13 on end, the best start to a season for 44 years since Melbourne in 1956—the Demons lost in R14 to Footscray ...
<> The KANGAROOS were scoreless in a first quarter for the first time since 1978-R6-KP v Geelong ... it was the third occasion in 133 contests where the Kangas have been held to a scoreless opening against the Dons—previously 1961-R12-WH and 1943-R3-WH ... Essendon had 14 goalkickers on Sunday –  two short of their League record 16 set versus Brisbane, 1988-R9-MCG ... JOHN SPAULL for the Roos kicked a goal with his first and only kick for the match—he did better than teammate SHANNON MOTLOP who failed to trouble the statsmen in any category ...

<> With 8.3-51 GEELONG produced the biggest opening quarter of the season ... the 18.11-119 is the highest losing score by the Bulldogs in 132 contests since 1925 versus the Cats ...

<> ST KILDA’s half-time score of 1.4-10 was the lowest by the club since they were 0.6-6 at the long break v Gee 7.9-61, 87-R14-KP.
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<||> Adelaide continued their resurgence when they halted Richmond's five-week winning run in Friday's dramatic match at Colonial Stadium which experienced multiple lead changes—32,959 were present under a closed roof. The injury-plagued Tigers charged back from 26 points down in the last quarter with five goals in 12 minutes to hit the lead with five minutes left. However, missed opportunities and late goals got the Crows home for an important nine-point win.

The Tigers, already hit by a long list of injuries, sustained two more—key playmaker WAYNE CAMPBELL was off in the first five minutes with a shoulder injury from a heavy bump laid by MARK BICKLEY, and CLINTON KING was carried off in the third term with a broken left leg. Adelaide were also without several injured stars including Rehn, Jarman, Johnson, Stevens and Caven.

Focus for the night was on PETER VARDY whose six-straight goals for the Crows was the difference between winning and losing. NIGEL SMART was a fine defender in his 200th game for Adelaide, the first Crow to reach this milestone and one of only three members remaining from their inaugural squad in 1991. The others are MARK BICKLEY and SHAUN REHN – ADELAIDE 17.19-121 (Vardy 6, Welsh 4) best, Smart, Goodwin, Ricciuto, RICHMOND 17.10-112 (Broderick 3, Knights 3) best, Gale, Bowden, Gaspar.

<||> Sunshine and blue skies welcomed 41,889 to the MCG on Saturday, however the gloom descended, and the lights were on before three-quarter time. By this stage the lights were out in the Demons' camp as they slumped to a third successive defeat and their heaviest loss of the year.

Most of the first half was tight and often fiery before the Blues started to exert pressure around the field. Although the Demons kicked the first goal after half-time from there on many of their star players went missing with DAVID SCHWARZ, JEFF WHITE and JEFF FARMER put to question. The team ethic by Carlton was outstanding as they romped away to their eighth successive win with a 10 goal to one last quarter.

It was not merely the big names of Bradley, Camporeale, Koutoufides and Allan who shone for the Blues, add players such as SIMON FLETCHER, ANTHONY FRANCHINA and AARON HAMILL who have taken the team to the next level.  Bradley who is 37 next October had a remarkable 15 possessions in the last quarter, however it was ADRIAN HICKMOTT with a personal-best five goals who iced the cake for Carlton's great efforts upfield. ANTHONY KOUTOUFIDES was again a standout for Carlton with a 32 possession game, the equal of Bradley – CARLTON 25.9-159 (Hickmott 5, Camporeale 4, Whitnall 3, Allan 3) best, Koutoufides, Beaumont, Ratten, MELBOURNE 9.7-61 (Schwarz 2) best, Whelan, Walsh, Ingerson.

<||> A fine Saturday night at the Gabba brought in 25,359 fans. West Coast went into the game seriously under-manned with eight of their regular 22 sidelined by injury—Cummings, Gehrig, Wirrpunda, Cousins, White, Phillip Matera, while McKenna and Banfield were late-withdrawals; McIntosh was an injury in the game and did not return after half time.

The Age reported: The most impressive part of the evening was not the winning margin—although the percentage was gratefully received—but the outstanding performances of young forwards DANIEL BRADSHAW (7.2) and DAMIAN CUPIDO. Best player on the ground though was NIGEL LAPPIN, who collected 31 possessions and was highly effective with his use of the ball.

CHAD RINTOUL and GLEN JAKOVICH in defence and ruckman MICHAEL GARDINER served the Eagles well, while RYAN TURN-BULL provided four goals. It was the Eagles' second hiding at the Gabba, following their 100pt loss last season – BRISBANE 27.11-173 (Bradshaw 7.2, Lynch 4, Cupido 3) best, Lappin, Johnson, Bradshaw, WEST COAST 13.11-89 (Turnbull 4) best, Jakovich, Gardiner, Wooden.

<||> Another cold night at Football Park kept the crowd down to a disappointing 22,691—slippery conditions were the order. Port Adelaide were in control for most of the match, and although Collingwood occasionally edged closer, the Power outlasted the visitors to win by 14 points—it brought Collingwood's eighth successive defeat.

Though they played with courage and persistence, poor kicking at goal was again a feature of Port's limitations—WARREN TREDREA's contribution in his 50th game was one goal, six behinds. His counterpart ANTHONY ROCCA had no impact for Collingwood— he marked once only in the first half and finished with one goal as his effort for the night.

FABIAN FRANCIS and NICK STEVENS stood out for Port, together with second-gamer BRENT GUERRA while GAVIN WANGANEEN's return from a seven-week foot injury was welcome. Collingwood captain NATHAN BUCKLEY despite playing in borrowed boots (his bag was lost in transit) had 28 regulation possessions but most of his disposals were under pressure. ANDREW DIMATTINA made an impressive debut for the Magpies – PORT 12.17-89 (Burgoyne 3, Lockwood 3) best, N.Stevens, Francou, Francis, COLLINGWOOD 11.9-75 (Brown 3) best, Adkins, Betheras, O’Bree.

<||> A moderate crowd of 21,353 were treated to sunshine then later cloudy periods at the SCG on Sunday afternoon. In good conditions the Swans gave their fans something to cheer—a good last half, and a 31pt victory over Hawthorn. MARK RAY noting inspirational effort by Sydney's JUDE BOLTON said in The Age: Bolton, in his 18th senior game, kicked three goals, two of which were clever efforts under pressure, but it was a tackle and turnover towards the end of the third quarter that had all the qualities Sydney supporters expect of their now injured Kelly. With the Swans ahead by a point, Bolton tore into a contest with ANGELO LEKKAS across half-forward, won the ball and quickly disposed of it for a goal to LEO BARRY.

The Swans maintained that lead for the rest of the game, clearing away in the final quarter to win by 31 points ... the win did not come without cost for Sydney. Captain ANDREW DUNKLEY was booked for striking JOHN  BARKER while JOHN STEVENS sustained a broken thumb. The Hawks suffered a last half fade-out, kicking only 3.5 to Sydney's 9.10 – SYDNEY 16.13-109 (O’Loughlin 5, Bolton 3) best. Saddington, Schwass, Bolton, HAWTHORN 11.12-78 (Smith 2, Thompson 2) best, Harford, Barlow, Rock.

<||> Essendon further stamped their authority on the season when they blanketed the Kangaroos in front of 67,172 spectators on Sunday afternoon at the MCG. By quarter time, the scoreline was 7.5 to nil. The game was dead. Essendon, a ruthless killer had murdered it with the same brand of skilful, aggressive yet clinical football that has killed 12 others this season.

With a deep distribution of talent, Essendon dominated, as reflected in its spread of goalkickers—14 in a total of 17 goals. JAKE NIALL noted in The Age: From quarter-time, there wasn't much to talk about, besides a fight that erupted late in the third quarter at the Ponsford Stand end. GLENN ARCHER, reported for attempting to strike was the star of the melee, ably supported by Essendon's Solomon and Wallis, with several others testing their wrestling skills ...

It says something about the game that the scuffle was also the only period of the game in which – supporters of both clubs – really found voice. Kevin Sheedy, ever the promoter, argued there was nothing wrong with a bit of a wrestle. "The fans don't mind a bit of that." – ESSENDON 17.17-119 (Lucas 3, Caracella 2) best, Misiti, Caracella, Hird, KANGAROOS 11.4-70 (Lange 3) best, Pickett, Martyn, Carey.

<||> Under a closed roof at Docklands on Sunday afternoon, 30,573 saw Geelong tear away with 8.3-51, the biggest opening quarter of the season so far.  The Cats swamped the Bulldogs with GARRY HOCKING and PETER RICCARDI in the thick of every contest. As the Bulldogs struggled with their matchups, CLINT BIZZELL's quick leads from full-forward created other problems.

Though 41pts down at half time, the fans anticipated another trademark fightback by the Dogs—and they delivered, putting on eight of the last ten goals before three-quarter time to haul back the lead to 21pts. The rarely sighted PAUL HUDSON kicked his only goal in the first two minutes of the final term and the murmurs became louder. ROHAN SMITH got hungry, NATHAN EAGLETON slipped closer to goal and became even more dangerous and Hocking was sitting on the bench.

A chain of handballs set up a PAUL DIMATTINA snap 20 minutes in and there only three points in it, until Geelong laid a few ferocious tackles, a fresh Hocking came back on, and Mooney took a desperate lunge to stop a Grant dribbler on the goal line. But Geelong were able to hold firm in the dying minutes. Big man STEPHEN KING with 37 hit outs had another notable game for the Cats – GEELONG 19.12-126 (Bizzell 4, Houlihan 4, Riccardi 3, Snell 3) best, King, Bizzell, Houlihan, BULLDOGS 18.11-119 (Eagleton 7.2, Grant 3) best, S.West, Eagleton, Liberatore.

<||> Fremantle posted their fifth win of the season on a warm Sunday afternoon—21,278 were at Subiaco Oval where St Kilda fell to a new low with only one goal to their credit at half time. The Saints were deficient in manpower but as MARK DUFFIELD described in The Age: If this game was a fish, it had to have been one that John West rejected—at times the match got as bad as an AFL game possible can.

Despite the fact the Dockers had lost their four previous games by a total of 305 points they went in as firm favourites to win. After playing shocking football in the first half, the Saints improved and with DAVID SIERAKOWSKI providing a forward focus (he kicked four goals) and a tireless ROBERT HARVEY working hard, the predictable Freo fadeout almost brought St Kilda back into the game.

To be fair, Fremantle never let the lack of skill get them down. TROY COOK persisted all day and with 29 disposals played his best game of the season. TROY LONGMUIR, Hasleby, Walker, Michael and Bandy also kept things going – FREMANTLE 14.16-100 (Cook 3) best, Cook, T.Longmuir, Walker, ST KILDA 8.8-56 (Sierakowski 4) best, Harvey, Sierakowski.