Tex Walker ditches the crutches

Adelaide Crows superstar Taylor Walker has taken the first steps on the road to recovery. Source: News Limited

TAYLOR Walker has ditched the crutches and started swimming as his knee rehabilitation begins in earnest.

Two months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when landing awkwardly against Carlton at the MCG, the burly forward has made a smooth recovery from surgery.

"There have been no setbacks to date and we wouldn't expect there to be any because he hasn't done much,'' Crows football operations manger Phil Harper said.

"But it was a fairly severe knee injury.

"He's started doing some rehab but nothing too major, a lot of physio and he's started swimming.

``He can start driving again in a couple of weeks and will begin weights.''

Knee reconstruction patients usually start light jogging about 10 weeks after surgery.

As promised by coach Brenton Sanderson in the wake of last week's loss to Richmond, most of Adelaide's squad had two big days of training on Thursday and Friday rather than being given the week off with the bye.

Friday's session included two hours of running, football drills and conditioning while fringe players were set to have their main hit-out in SANFL games yesterday and today.

Apart from longer-term injuries to Taylor Walker and Lewis Johnston, Adelaide's list is relatively healthy with only Brodie Martin (ankle) expected to be unavailable for selection to play Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

Last week's loss to Richmond followed the thrashing from Sydney and Harper said spots were up for grabs.

"They were two really sub-par performances,'' he said.

"Good form in the SANFL has always been rewarded and I would like to think that it will continue.''

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Danger could be 'the best': Roo

Crows legend Mark Ricciuto says Patrick Dangerfield is "a captain in waiting". Source: News Limited

MARK Ricciuto has never been given to hyperbole.

He wasn't as a player, and sure as hell isn't now that he is in the football media.

So when he says Patrick Dangerfield is potentially the best player he has ever seen in an Adelaide jumper, you cannot help but sit back and take notice.

Dangerfield makes that impression on people. And Ricciuto says he has never seen a player with as much speed, strength and one-on-one smarts as the man who currently wears his famous No. 32 jumper.

"From day one, he has had this ability to explode unlike anyone I had ever seen, other than Chris Judd,'' Ricciuto said.

"The difference with Danger is he is taller, a bit heavier and stronger than Chris Judd.

"The problem for Adelaide is that they don't have more Dangerfields.''

Champion Data's exclusive One-on-One Contest stats highlight just how critical Dangerfield is to Adelaide.

The measurement is recorded when there is a clear contest for the ball after a kick and there is no chance of a third player to affect the outcome.

To win the contest, a player must gain possession or spoil the ball to advantage.

Dangerfield is the only midfielder to be leading a club's one-on-one contest stat, with the others being rucks or key position players.

Incredibly, he not only leads the Crows, but also leads the entire AFL competition on winning percentage.

He has won 12 of his 20 one-on-one contests so far this season with a winning percentage of 60.

Hawthorn's Jack Gunston (52.6) is the only other to have a rating of 50 per cent or more. Swans ruckman Mike Pyke sits in third spot with 48.1 per cent.

"If he is given a bit of space inside 50m, he is so good one-on-one that he is going to be extremely hard to beat,'' Ricciuto said of Dangerfield.

"His speed, his strength and his attack on the ball is as good as anyone I have seen. Ever.''

Collingwood's power forward Travis Cloke might not have the highest winning percentage (35.5 per cent) on this measurement, but he has an uncanny knack of being involved in one-on-one contests.

Cloke has had 76 one-on-one contests (more than anyone else in the top from each club), winning 27 of them.

Ricciuto insisted the measurement is becoming an increasingly important one.

"When we were kids, you used to call it winning 50-50 balls,'' he said.

"Now it is called one-on-ones and that comes back to winning the hard-ball gets and the contested ball. Danger does all that and more.

"It has always been an important part of the game. It still is, but I suppose it has never been as scrutinised as much as it is now.''

The Brownlow Medal winner said Dangerfield has learnt to deal with close tags this season.

"He is a ripper. He just ticks all the boxes,'' Ricciuto said.

"Quite often blokes who are a bit like that on the field are at times a little bit wayward off it, but he is the complete opposite. He is a complete professional.

"He is a captain in waiting.''

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Saints win, Dees grin

St Kilda stars Nick Riewoldt and Nick Dal Santo chaired off after their 250th games. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

WHEN it was all said and done, milestones, Milney and the makeshift coach were irrelevant.

The reasons St Kilda won this game were an edge in class and its poise under pressure.

After a sluggish start, in which it was belted in the centre-square clearances, Melbourne ground its way back into the contest by halftime through pure hard work, tackling and trying to take the game on.

But its atrocious decision-making and poor disposal continually let it down.

Time and again the Demons would send numbers to the ball, scrap and fight for possession, only for a defender to kick the ball straight to an opponent, a midfielder to handball into a teammate's back, or a forward to miss what seemed a certain goal.

St Kilda emerged from this game with a much-needed 35-point win, but also a reminder of why it has only won three matches this season.

SuperCoach scores, stats

There were the same encouraging signs that Saints fans have witnessed all season. Jack Steven and David Armitage continue to look like they can become consistently elite midfielders.

Steven set the tone early. Matched against David Rodan he had four of the game's first five centre clearances and was instrumental in St Kilda bursting to a 25-point lead midway through the first term.

Coach Neil Craig shifted Matt Jones on to Steven at quarter time, but the Saints speedster remained steadily influential over the next three quarters.

Five Saints in the next experience tier down - Jack Newnes, Seb Ross, Brodie Murdoch, Tom Simpkin and Sam Dunnell - showed enough to suggest they can become important players in the next few seasons.

Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna produced their usual silky contributions, while James Gwilt was a superb defensive general in the absence of the injured Sam Fisher.

But the Saints gave the impression of a team that was largely going through the motions, only lifting the intensity when they either had to, or it suited them.

Their transition into the forward line was occasionally slipshod. The St Kilda players looked too intent on passing the ball to skipper Nick Riewoldt, who managed three goals but was well countered by the disciplined Tom McDonald.

It seemed Riewoldt was unable to exploit his trademark gut-running against McDonald, who is one of the Demons better endurance athletes.

The St Kilda skipper responded at times with shows of petulance that would have been the subject of fierce scrutiny and criticism if they had come from his cousin Jack.

Riewoldt shook his head in disgust at the umpires and remonstrated with teammates kicking into the forward line.

For long-suffering Melbourne fans hoping to see improvement after a change of coaches, there were certainly glimpses of promise.

Its best players were its youngsters, notably Dean Terlich, first-gamer Mitch Clisby and high draft pick Jimmy Toumpas. All three looked prepared to run and take risks.

The Demons seemed to play with greater freedom and rallied whenever St Kilda looked like careering away with the game.

After quarter-time, when an animated Craig ripped into his charges, singling out the midfielders and seemingly imploring them to apply more physical pressure, they responded, winning clearances and continually pumping the ball inside their forward 50.

Alas that second-quarter burst went unrewarded, with four consecutive points.

Melbourne ruckman Jake Spencer was reported for a crude head-high bump on St Kilda rival Ben McEvoy while St Kilda defender Tom Simpkin floored Demon Chris Dawes with a roundhouse hook to the side of the jaw.

Encouragingly, the Dees won the final quarter for one of the few times this season.

Two of Melbourne's enigmatic footballers also produced significant performances in this match.

The much-maligned Jack Watts was played as a key forward and contested with a desperation and purpose not often seen in his game.

And Colin Sylvia worked hard and played team football in his 28-disposal game, two qualities that make him a far better player.

St Kilda took the four points, but Melbourne took as much as from the game given where it is at just now.

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Contribution to win Buddy tremendous

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin's one-percenters didn't go unnoticed by his coach. Picture: Getty Images Source: Herald Sun

IT wasn't his biggest game statistically, but Lance Franklin's efforts against West Coast delighted Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.

The 20-point win in Clarkson's 200th game in charge was testament to his team's forward-line efficiency with five multiple goalkickers.

Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston led the offensive charge with five majors apiece and Luke Breust booted another three.

Franklin's brace left him alongside Shane Savage in an unfamiliar "off-Broadway" role in the Hawks' 11th consecutive victory.

But his one-percenters didn't go unnoticed by his coach. "He played a tremendous game last night," Clarkson said yesterday.

"Everyone will judge his game by the goals he kicks ... but there were at least two or three that I know of that he created for our side that in years gone by he might have had a shot himself, or tried to do something different.

"He competed hard, he tackled hard and he caused so many errors from the West Coast defence just because of his presence.

"It wasn't a big night for him in terms of goals or marks, but jeez he competed well and we loved the way he went about it."

Clarkson played down his milestone, but the win put him in elite company by historical comparisons.

With 118 wins and a draw, his 59.25 per cent strike rate ranks him behind only seven others in league history who have coached at least 200 games. And it's the who's who of footy: David Parkin, Perce Bentley, Allan Jeans, Tom Hafey, Frank "Checker" Hughes, Jock McHale and Dick Reynolds.

The Hawks have a shot at club history facing Brisbane next week in Launceston looking to equal its best run of 12 consecutive wins.

But after the fierce clash with West Coast, several Hawks will face tests this week before facing the Lions.

Paul Puopolo withdrew before the game, suffering a tight quad in the final warm-up, while Brent Guerra also copped a big early knock.

Josh Gibson also played through an early hit, then suffered an ankle injury late in the match. But the focus will be on Grant Birchall who was listed as having a "corkie" but had tape around his knee in the rooms.

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Simon's home run must be fitting

It is an absolute must that Simon Black is afforded the appropriate send-off which his close mate Luke Power was denied. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: The Courier-Mail

MANAGING Simon Black's exit is going to be an important challenge for the Brisbane Lions in the second half of the AFL season.

The transition into retirement is always an issue in elite sport.

Given Luke Power's farewell two years ago was hardly a public relations blockbuster for the Lions, it is imperative they get it right this time with Black.

The sight of the 2002 Brownlow medallist in green or red substitutes vests during the past 12 months has created plenty of public comment.

The sitution is made more difficult by the fact that, for the first time in his illustrious career, the champion midfielder does not have a decent pre-season under his belt.

Black is limited in what he can contribute in comparison to previous years, and maximising his output is a delicate balancing act.

Last week against Fremantle, when Black was subbed out of his record-breaking 319th AFL game for the club, one commentator took a swipe at coach Michael Voss by suggesting it was like "killing Bambi".

That commentator did not know that Black had been sick during the week and, in typically unselfish fashion, had made the call himself. Blacky will never complain, but nobody wants to take advantage of that or do the wrong thing by the future Hall of Famer.

It is all about treating the retiring champion with due respect, and the key is communication between the player and the coaching and conditioning staff.

Black, among the most professional and competitive players I have seen, is still a fantastic ball-winner. But there is no making up for his lack of preparation and everyone, including fans, has to remember that.

It is going to be all about managing expectations and ground time so as to maximise his contribution in what I expect to be the last 11 games of his career, starting with Geelong at the Gabba today.

It is an absolute must that 34-year-old Black is afforded the appropriate send-off which his close mate Power was denied when he made a rushed decision to retire late in the 2011 season, missing the final game of the season in Sydney.

Without apportioning blame, teammates arrived at the Gabba for the round 23 game against West Coast not knowing it was to be Power's swansong.

What should have been a momentous occasion fell a little flat.

It's a shame that the Lions' last game this year will be away to Geelong. So the round 23 clash with the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba will be the last chance for Brisbane fans to celebrate what has been a magnificent career.

I'm sure it will be done well.

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Black returns to peak condition

Supporters have been urged to wear black at the Gabba today as a tribute to the triple premiership star in his first home game since surpassing Marcus Ashcroft's 318-game mark. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

SIMON Black is back to 100 per cent fitness and ready to celebrate his Brisbane games record at the Gabba today when the Lions take on Geelong in Round 13.

Black was subbed out of his record-breaking 319th AFL game in Perth last week after being overcome by a mystery illness that forced the Lions legend to endure sleepless nights and anxiety attacks in the build-up.

Black completed yesterday's final training session and even participated in a high-flying marking drill.

The club has struck specially designed jumpers honouring Black, which the players wore at training yesterday.

Supporters have been urged to wear black at the Gabba today as a tribute to the triple premiership star in his first home game since surpassing Marcus Ashcroft's 318-game mark.

Black himself appears ready to rise to the occasion.

"You wouldn't even know (he was ill last week)," defender Daniel Merrett said.

"He seems fine this week. I think he's been fitting in a few afternoon sleeps so he looks fine to go. I'm glad I get to jump in this week (after serving a three-game suspension) and enjoy the guernsey.

"What a player he's been for the club and also the AFL. I'm glad I get to celebrate the great man's career."

Brisbane is poised to receive a huge boost with midfielder Daniel Rich set to re-sign by the end of the week.

Rich will follow in the footsteps of Matthew Leuenberger and Dayne Zorko, who recommitted to the club last week.

Rich is set to sign a new three-year deal. Irishman Pearce Hanley is also expected to re-sign in the coming weeks.

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Nic Nat or Jack - Watt if?

The Jack Watts-Nic Naitanui debate has raged for years. Source: Herald Sun

If the Dees had taken Nic Nat with pick 1 in the 2008 draft, would the Eagles have used pick 2 on Watts?|

THERE are numerous legitimate reasons to criticise Melbourne's decision making in the past seven years, but the flak that is perhaps most unfair is the Demons' decision to take Jack Watts with the No.1 selection in the 2008 draft.

Whether it's a case of brilliant hindsight or maybe winners getting to write history, what the critics have conveniently forgotten is that there were 15 other clubs who would have been rapt to snatch the Sandringham teenager had he been available when their turn came.

The Dream Team Melbourne could have had

Watts was a 195cm All-Australian key forward, winner of the Larke Medal for best player at that year's Under 18 championships.

He had pace, athleticism, clean hands and his character was widely admired.

The three standout contenders for the No.1 pick that year were Watts, Nic Naitanui and Daniel Rich, and Melbourne, West Coast and Fremantle were all confident they were going to secure 200-game AFL players with picks 1, 2 and 3.

When contacted by the Herald Sun West Coast recruiting manager Rohan O'Brien said the AFL recruiters "were all reasonably excited with the quality of that year's draft''.

"Those three were probably the ones being spoken about, but from memory we also had Stephen Hill, Michael Hurley and Chrissy Yarran on our radar,'' O'Brien said.

"Looking at those names, for anyone with a top-five pick if you lost the toss and got one or the other you probably weren't going to be that upset.''

But O'Brien rejected the view of those revisionists who have since suggested that Watts was not worthy of a top pick .

Picture: Salpigtidis George Source: Herald Sun

"If we had pick 2 or 3 or 4 and we thought Jack Watts was the best player available to us, we would have had no hesitation at all in taking him,'' O'Brien said.

"You'll understand if I don't want to comment on what other clubs have done, but I will say that we rated Jack really highly and if it had've worked out that Jack Watts was the player available with our pick we would've been happy to have him.

"Jack's been a little up and down in his form but I still think he'll be a pretty good player in the AFL. Hopefully it starts to pick up a bit for him.''

Melbourne needed a key forward, a ruckman and a quality midfielder at the time, so its decision was not made on the basis of playing position. Going into the mid-year U18 national championships, the freakishly athletic but very raw Naitanui was the Demons' preferred choice.

But as O'Brien pointed out "Jack had a terrific Under 18 championships - I think he clunked a big mark and kicked the winning goal against Vic Country - and he had tremendous credentials.''

Melbourne was concerned about the go-home-to-Perth factor with Naitanui, and probably thought it could snare a comparable midfielder to Rich with its second pick (17, which it used to take Sam Blease).

So, on the night before the 2008 draft, a Melbourne delegation of coach Dean Bailey, recruiter Bary Prendergast, president Jim Stynes and chief executive Cameron Schwab went to the Watts family home in Sandringham to officially confirm that Watts would be their choice the next day at the Telstra Dome.

"He's got great acceleration and speed and lateral movement,'' Prendergast said back then.

"He's a developing power forward who reads the ball well in the air. We haven't seen him lead up and outwork his opponents that much, but that is the way Vic Metro has set up.''

The talent pool in that year's draft was exceptionally strong, with all of the 2008 top 10 picks now entrenched in their respective AFL teams' core group. There was still gold to be found as low down as picks 29 (Dayne Beams), 30 (Daniel Hannebery), 39 (Steven Motlop) and 44 (Rory Sloane).

The fascinating question remains what would the Eagles have done had Melbourne opted to take Naitanui with pick 1. Would West Coast have used pick 2 on Watts?

"He certainly would have been right in the mix, although because of the local WA connection so would've Rich and (Stephen) Hill and (Chris) Yarran,'' O'Brien said.

"Like we do every year, we'd done all of our homework on those boys. We spent a lot of time looking into the boys' character, visiting their families, just trying to get as complete a picture as we could about them.''

MAN OF STEEL: Nic Naitanui celebrates with the crowd after his match-winning goal. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

"We went through it all and came to the conclusion that every one of those guys would bring something good to a footy club.''

He said the Eagles decided "pretty late'' that Naitanui was going to be their man.

"To be honest (whether to take Watts) wasn't a decision we had to make because we did get that late inkling that Jack was going to Melbourne and Nic was going to be available at No.2, which saved a bit of debate.''

THE TOP 10

Selections in the 2008 AFL national draft
1 Jack Watts (Melb)
2 Nic Naitanui (WC)
3 Stephen Hill (Frem)
4 Hamish Hartlett (Port)
5 Michael Hurley (Ess)
6 Chris Yarran (Carl)
7 Daniel Rich (BL)
8 Tyrone Vickery (Rich)
9 Jack Ziebell (NM)
10 Phil Davis (Adel/GWS)

HONOURS

PREMIERSHIP PLAYERS
11 Steele Sidebottom (Coll)
29 Dayne Beams (Coll)
30 Daniel Hannebery (Syd)
73 Leigh Brown (Coll)

CLUB CHAMPIONS
22 Jackson Trengove (Port)
23 David Zaharakis (Ess)
29 Beams (Coll)

ALL AUSTRALIANS
2 Nic Naitanui (WC)
29 Beams (Coll)

CAPTAINS
10 Phil Davis (Adel/GWS)

RISING STARS
7 Daniel Rich (BL)
30 Daniel Hannebery (Syd)

SOME OTHER NOTABLES
16 Ryan Schoenmakers (Haw)
18 Luke Schuey (WC)
21 Hayden Ballantyne (Frem)
31 Jordan Roughead (WB)
34 Liam Shiels (Haw)
39 Steven Motlop (Geel)
40 Mitch Robinson (Carl)
44 Rory Sloane (Adel)
49 Taylor Hunt (Geel)

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Koch: Crows should copy us

Port Adelaide president David Koch talking at the SA Press Club luncheon. Source: News Limited

PORT Adelaide president David Koch is challenging the Crows to build an SANFL club and not just a reserves team to prove their commitment to SA football.

And Koch is offering the Adelaide Football Club a copy of the Power's blueprint for SA football in a bid to get the two SA-based AFL clubs on equal terms in the vexing reserves debate.

The Power's grand plan to convert the SANFL-based Magpies into its support team and keep the Magpies' reserves and under-age teams and recruiting zones is at risk while the Crows are proposing to form only a reserves side that would be the SANFL's 10th team.

The SANFL league directors are favouring the Crows' model and want the Crows and Power licences sold back to the AFL Commission on equal terms, particularly on how they access the SANFL. This would spell the end of the traditional Magpies.

One of the key issues for the SANFL directors on the equality front is how the Crows would seek "top up'' players for its reserves team from all SANFL ranks while the Power would develop its own at the Magpies.

Koch yesterday was emotive in fighting to keep the Magpies saying he would ``walk over hot coals to keep the Magpies heritage''. But he did concede it is the SANFL league directors who will have the final say, despite the Power having a covenant with the AFL to keep the Magpies protected in the new Power licence.

"But we are beholden to the SANFL league directors and if they want to cut the most successful club in the competition, it will be on their heads,'' said Koch.

The Sydney-based television presenter argued the SANFL league directors should be demanding more of the Crows rather than reducing Port's presence in the state league.

"Why would the directors want to reduce the contribution of one of the state's two AFL clubs,'' Koch told The Advertiser.

"We are always accused as AFL clubs of being high and mighty and elitist. But we are an AFL club that is wanting to contribute more to the SANFL.

"It would be nonsensical to say to a major contributor to the grassroots of SA football that we are going to force you to cut back.

"Tell me, how is that good for football? Give me a break.

"I think there is an argument to ask the Crows to buy in to every level of the SANFL rather than have us take the Magpies out. And if the Crows want to see our blueprint for SA football, we're more than happy to show it to them.

"It can only be good for the community and SA football.''

Port chief executive Keith Thomas last night rejected a compromise plan to have the Power reserves dressed in the Magpies jumper in the SANFL.

"That would be tokenism and not Port Adelaide,'' he said. ``Everyone has a self-interest in this debate, but we have to come up with a solution that helps grow the game in SA.''

Speaking at the SA Press Club yesterday, Koch declared he was ``baffled by SA footy politics where some disputes have run longer than (wars) in the Middle East.''

Koch also noted the ``One Club'' deal with the SANFL that reunited the Power and Magpies includes a clause allowing the Magpies to exist on a year-to-year basis.

The SANFL league clubs will have presentations from the Power and Crows in the next fortnight ahead of a directors meeting early next month. At least six of the eight directors must approve any change to the SANFL.

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Port's plan to snap elastic band

Sydney Swans champion Adam Goodes is one of the best at taking advantage of the sling shot attack. Source: News Limited

NOT since David slayed Goliath has a slingshot been used with such telling effect.

The Sydney Swans method of moving the ball from defence to attack helped them win a premiership and will again be at the forefront of Port Adelaide's planning for today's game at AAMI Stadium.

But what exactly is the slingshot? How do you set it up? And more importantly for the Power, how do you defend against it?

Teams have been developing ways to move the ball from attack to defence after packing their backlines since the flood first became prevalent in the early 2000s.

Most sides used a slow-moving, chip-around style to allow their forwards to run back into position and reset the forward line.

But this made attacking hard because the opposition also had plenty of time to set up its defence whether it be with an extra man back, a press or a rolling zone.

So the Swans, blessed with players with both elite speed and endurance, devised a new strategy.

Port assistant Alan Richardson has studied the Swans closely and describes the slingshot as a "play that sees the ball move incredibly quickly from the back to the front after there are a lot of numbers in a team's backline''.

"The pulling back of the slingshot is your forwards and your midfielders getting back to help the defence, and then once you've regained possession, there's the release,'' Richardson said.

"Their focus and initial intent is all about defence but once they regain possession because they've created enormous space in their own front half they're looking to move the ball incredibly quickly into that space.

"Players like Adam Goodes, Ben McGlynn, Daniel Hanneberry, Lewis Jetta etc have the ability to work really hard into that space that's been created.

"They're running forward either on a really aggressive 45-degree angle to the opposite side of the ground, or if you come out the front of the stoppage they're just heading straight towards goal to almost create the football equivalent of the alley-oop.''

Melbourne journalist Rohan Connolly seems to have been the first to coin the phrase, describing the Swans defence in the 2010 semi-final against the Western Bulldogs as ``like a slingshot back into attack''.

But it was not until Jetta's famous run down the wing in last year's Grand Final that the term entered the average fan's consciousness.

Exasperated Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson described how the ploy had allowed the Swans to overcome a 61-43 discrepancy in inside 50s and still win.

"That's the way Sydney play. They quite often lose that inside-50 battle,'' Clarkson said. ``They like to play that slingshot footy and get it out the back and it's been a part of their play that's been consistent throughout the course of the season.

"It's very difficult to defend against. They're the premier side in the competition this year because they've been able to do that consistently with the playing group.''

Like any successful tactic, the slingshot has been copied by other teams this season.

"Sydney are the team people focus on because of the Jetta plays and the way they scored in the Grand Final particularly, but Geelong also do it pretty well,'' Richardson said.

"When we've had Chad Wingard, Jake Neade, Angus Monfries and Justin Westhoff that combination forward of the ball we're able to get some reasonably strong running.

"Kane Mitchell has done that type of running in his short time with us as well.

Unfortunately for the Swans' rivals there is no foolproof defensive counter to the play. Teams have instructed their defence to hold their shape and not get sucked up the ground but the Swans are experts at overlapping handball.

Richardson said there were two keys stopping the play at the source and simply working as hard as your opponent.

"The focus is making sure there's enormous pressure on the ball when they do regain possession because if you stop it there it won't happen,'' Richardson said.

"It's just incredible concentration and workrate to defend it. Making sure you're always aggressively goal-side of your direct opponent, being prepared to roll the sleeves up and work as hard as they do.''

Richardson said Geelong, Fremantle and Collingwood had shown an ability to defend the slingshot.

"All the teams that are pretty good defensively,'' he said.

"And we think when our guys are up and going we defend it pretty well. We're ranked pretty highly in defending that rebound to inside 50 play.''

The Power will need to be today.

FOOTY BUZZWORDS

Slingshot: Style of play where a team packs into its defence to force a turnover before exploding forward into vacant space.

Plus One: A defender without a direct opponent

Caravan: A defender who follows his opponent around, never taking front position or running forward.

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Embley's knee drop 'brainfade'

A screenshot of the incident, taken from Channel 7. Source: Supplied

ANDREW Embley is set to come under scrutiny from the match review panel after an unsavoury off-the-ball incident in tonight's clash against Hawthorn.

The star Eagle appeared to drop his knee into Hawk Ben Stratton after a tackle when the ball had left the area during the second term.

Embley then appeared to shove Stratton's head into the turf.

There was a strong reaction to the incident - both in the commentary boxes at the ground and on social media.

"Andrew Embley has just had a brainfade. He's going to have something to answer," Melbourne great Garry Lyon said on Triple M.

Collingwood president and Fox Footy commentator Eddie McGuire said it  was 'like Wrestlemania.'

Speaking on Fox Footy, Herald Sun football writer Jon Ralph said if it is graded as low and intentional, Embley would receive 225 points - which would result in a one week suspension with guilty plea.

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Sharpshooting Hawks down Eagles

Jarryd Roughead of the Hawks is congratulated by Lance Franklin after kicking a goal during the round 13 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the West Coast Eagles at Etihad Stadium. Source: Getty Images

• Hawthorn 19.9 (123) bt West Coast 16.7 (103)

FOR the second successive Friday night, an opposition threw the kitchen sink at Hawthorn.

In Round 12, Carlton tried to dazzle Hawthorn with midfield speed and, for the most part succeeded. Statistically at least. But on the only count that mattered, the Hawks held sway on the scoreboard.

Friday night, West Coast - a vastly improved outfit on the one that hobbled past St Kilda at its most recent start - emerged as if shot from a cannon.

With big men blazing at centre clearances and up forward, the Eagles looked the real deal for one of the few times in a season that could generously be described as erratic.

SuperCoach scores and stats

The tactic was clear. Again pump the hosts in the middle and bomb it as high and as quickly as possible to stretch the shorter Hawks backline.

Statistically, again, it worked a treat. By halftime, the Eagles had 33-24 inside-50s, a 22-18 clearance edge and accordingly had the ball in their forwardline an amazing 66 per cent of the time.

Scott Selwood of the Eagles handballs whilst being tackled by Luke Hodge of the Hawks during the round 13 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the West Coast Eagles at Etihad Stadium.

But there was one problem.

Hawthorn booted six goals in each quarter and led by an ultimately critical 26 points.

It's that critical time of the year when coaches are sizing up exactly how to counter the league's powerhouses.

There's talk of slingshot footy off half-back, or of stacking half-back lines to form walls with space ahead into which rebounding teams can run.

But the explanation for Hawthorn's 11-game winning streak - just one off the club record with lowly Brisbane to come next week - is actually far more simple.

The forwardline is elite, perhaps the deepest in years.

Lance Franklin works his magic against the Eagles. Picture: Michael Klein

Reams of paper have been dedicated to Lance Franklin, and his partner in crime Jarryd Roughead - the matchwinner Friday night - has found career-best form.

But it's more than that.

Jack Gunston is ruthlessly efficient when the ball comes his way and Luke Breust would be in All-Australian reckoning as a mediums-sized opportunist.

Tackling terrier Paul Puopolo was a late withdrawal, while livewire Cyril Rioli is poised to return within a fortnight to add to the firepower of a unit that last night produced an extraordinary set of numbers.

Six of nine times the Hawks went inside 50 in the first quarter they kicked a goal.

By halftime that was 12 of 24 -- a staggering 50 per cent success rate.

Shane Savage of the Hawks celebrates kicking a goal during the round 13 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the West Coast Eagles at Etihad Stadium.

This from a team that already leads the league in that category with a season average of 30.7 before this game.

That it tailed off to 16 of 35 and 19 of 49 by fulltime was an invevitable "market correction".

But keep in mind that West Coast played arguably its best game of the past two months and still came up 20 points short with eight more forward 50 entries.

For other clubs, there's no solution to those numbers just yet.

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Hawks, Eagles pay price for shootout

Brent Guerra clears during the third term against West Coast. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

HAWTHORN and West Coast will this morning count the cost of a frenetic shootout at Etihad Stadium last night.

The Hawks extended their winning streak to 11 with an entertaining 20-point win.

But Grant Birchall (knee) and Paul Puopolo (quad) will be monitored ahead of next Sunday's clash with Brisbane while Luke Breust (ankle) will wake up sore.

Brent Guerra also copped a couple of heavy knocks to the head.

Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell said the game was as physical as any he has played this season.

"It was a hot game out there,'' Sewell said.

"They had a genuine crack and probably caught us on the hop a little bit in that first quarter.

"I thought we fought our way back in to it in terms of contested ball in the second quarter and then from there it felt like a real arm wrestle around the ball.

"There wasn't too much clean ball outside of the stoppage. There were some bodies cracking in from both sides I thought.''

Puopolo didn't even make it to the opening bounce after suffering quad tightness during the warm up.

His replacement, Xavier Ellis, was the sub but was called to warm up early on after Birchall copped a heavy knock to the outside of his knee.

He played on, but never looked 100 per cent fit and was eventually substituted late in the third quarter.

Eagles defender Mitch Brown fell across Breust's right ankle in a failed attempt to smother his kick off the ground for goal during the second term.

Breust's ankle twisted inwardly and he immediately left the field, but later returned to play out the game.

Sewell said the win was all the more pleasing given West Coast displayed the type of form that has been missing for much of the season.

"There's no doubt West Coast are a better side than their ladder position suggests,'' he said.

The Eagles are not without their own worries.

Andrew Embley is set to attract Match Review Panel scrutiny for his bizarre knee to Ben Stratton's chest, while Shannon Hurn (ankle) is in doubt for Thursday night's home game against Essendon.

A screenshot of the incident, taken from Channel 7. Source: Supplied

Stratton was lying on the ground on the wing before Embley, who was standing above him, forcefully dropped both of knees in to him.

He then followed up with a shove to Stratton's face.

Hurn was substituted early in the second term after spending all of eight minutes on the field, while Scott Selwood also hurt his hand during the game.

Worsfold said he was relatively pleased with his side's display against the league leaders.

"It was a pretty good performance tonight,'' Worsfold said.

"There are parts we're disappointed with, really disappointed with ... but overall there was a lot of good stuff to come out of it.

"It really means nothing unless we keep building on that.''
 

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Bobby puts hand up to tackle Kurt

Port Adelaide key defender Alipate Carlile has put his hand up to take on Kurt Tippett in his first game for Sydney. Source: News Limited

ALIPATE Carlile had just finished taking care of business against the Giants on Sunday when his attention turned to his old Crows sparring partner Kurt Tippett.

"I texted Kenny (coach Ken Hinkley) soon after we left the ground and said I wanted to play on him,'' the Port Adelaide full back revealed.

"He said `yeah, no worries', so it was pretty straightforward.

"He (Tippett) is obviously lining up with a different team now (Sydney) but it should be interesting.

"I've played on him a few times and he's a monster, so it's always a challenge.

"But I like challenges and I love playing on him.''

Carlile has Tippett's number.

The pair went head-to-head nine times when the giant 202cm Tippett wore the Crows tri-colours.

Carlile's record against him is outstanding, despite Tippett having a significant 10cm height advantage.

Tippett has only kicked eight goals on Carlile in the 610 minutes they have been dhopposed.

He has kicked multiple goals on Carlile just once three in round six, 2010.

Now Carlile is poised to tackle Tippett in different colours and he will have almost all of South Australia barracking for him when the Swans run on to AAMI Stadium tomorrow.

In an ironic twist, Tippett's Sydney debut will be at the ground where he has kicked most of his 188 goals and gave so much joy to Crows fans for five years.

Now after serving an 11-match ban for his role in the salary cap scandal which has hurt Adelaide on and off the field he returns as the enemy.

Port fans want Carlile to hold him goalless. Crows fans also want the Power full back to stitch up a player who has gone from their hero to villain.

"That will be good,'' said Carlile, who finds it strange that many Adelaide supporters will be barracking for him for the first time.

Carlile described Tippett as "a big lad'' who is a "difficult'' match-up because of his size and skill set. He modestly plays down his previous success on him.

"He's over 200cm, weighs more than 100kg and moves really well, so it's a big challenge,'' said Carlile, whose chief defensive sidekick Jackson Trengove will miss a seventh consecutive match with a foot injury.

"Kurt's a monster physically and his contested marking is a feature of his game. It was something he was renowned for at the Crows and I'm sure he's taken that with him to Sydney.

"He's got a few centimetres on me so I'll have to be a fair bit more physical (than usual).

"But everyone in our back six has a massive job and there will be a certain emphasis for each player.

"Tommy Jonas did a great job on Jeremy Cameron last week and we'll all have our jobs to do again.''

Power defensive coach Matthew Nicks said super stopper Jonas and the impressive Jack Hombsch could also spend time on Tippett but that Carlile was likely to get first crack at him.

"Bobby (Carlile) was the first one to put his hand up and say he wanted the gig,'' Nicks said.

"And that's what he should be doing. Straight after the GWS game he was on the front foot saying, `I got the job done this week (against Adam Tomlinson), give me the role on Tippett next week'.

"That's something we'll discuss more as a backs group and see what our match-ups are but I've got no doubt that Bobby will end up on Tippett at some point during the day.''

Nicks said Port's defensive preparation for the Sydney attack was unusual, given the fact that Tippett had not yet played for the club.

"It's tough,'' said Nicks.

"We've seen plenty of Kurt as an individual, with him obviously playing at the Crows, and we've studied them like you wouldn't believe, being in the same town.

"But I guess him fitting into the Sydney line-up, it will be something different, it's something that no one's seen.

"So how do you prepare for that? I guess we look at it the same as we do with most sides.

"We look at how their current forward line has been operating and we anticipate Kurt coming in and adding to that. Clearly he's going to be a really tough player to match-up on.''

Port is planning for Tippett to start at full forward and then to spend time further up the ground and in the ruck.

Nicks said while he hoped Carlile could do a good job on him, much of his club's planning revolved around team defence.

Dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes who Jonas silenced in the pre-season and talls Mike Pyke and Jesse White also loom large, along with the Swans' mosquito fleet which has been hurting opposition teams on the scoreboard.

"Probably the one real focus we've had over the past month or so has been team defence the six of the guys working together,'' Nicks said.

"If you look at the past month there's been a number of match-ups where we've probably looked outsized.

"We've had Jonas and Hombsch playing as talls, even though they are not regular key backs, and 'Bobby' Carlile has spent time on mediums.

"So we'll have a look at how they (the Swans) structure up because there is a difference between Kurt playing deep inside the forward 50 and coming up the ground to centre half-forward.

"That is something we'll have to adjust to during the game.''

But all eyes will be on Tippett on Saturday.

###

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Put Ben in Hall of Fame

Ben Cousins is eligible for the Hall of Fame next season. Picture: Michael Dodge

CHRIS Judd says his troubled former teammate Ben Cousins deserves to be inducted to the AFL Hall of Fame next year, when he becomes eligible for the first time.

Cousins' decorated career sadly has been overshadowed by a turbulent private life that reached its low point when he was banned for a year for bringing the game into disrepute.

POLL: Have your say below

His self-confessed drug addiction threatens to delay his entry to football's prestigious honour roll in much the same way Wayne Carey and Gary Ablett Sr were held back for off-field incidents.

Carey was overlooked for the Hall of Fame for two years, and Ablett was delayed entry by four years.

Judd acknowledged the difficult task selectors faced, but said Cousins' long list of achievements made him a worthy choice.

"In my eyes he'd be in," Judd told the Herald Sun.

"I'm no expert. I don't know who does or doesn't get in. But I would have thought what he achieved on-field would be enough to earn him Hall of Fame status, under the proviso I couldn't tell you what the criteria is for judging it."

Cousins played 238 games for West Coast from 1996 to 2007, establishing himself as one of the game's most relentless and hard-running midfielders, winning a Brownlow Medal and premiership among four best-and-fairests and six All-Australian selections.

He was sacked by the Eagles in October 2007 before Richmond gave him a second chance with 32 games in the following two years.

"He's probably the best player I played with," Judd said. "He did it in a side that was really struggling and in a side that was good and he even did it when he had to change his role a bit.

"He was an amazing player."

The Hall of Fame selection committee considers candidates on the basis of "record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character".

It makes a point of declaring games played or years of service is a consideration only and "does not determine eligibility".

2006 Grand Final. Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles. MCG. Ben Cousins. Picture: Michael Dodge Source:

Players are eligible for induction to the Hall of Fame only once they have been retired for at least three years. Cousins left the game in 2010.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees were Matthew Lloyd, Scott West, Hassa Mann, Brian Peake, Rick Davies and Bryan Sheehan. Royce Hart was elevated to Legend status.

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Power push spells end of Magpies

Port Adelaide Magpies coach John Cahill, centre, celebrates after the grand final win in 1994. Source: The Advertiser

PORT Adelaide's push for an AFL reserves team in the SANFL will spell the end of the Magpies.

SANFL directors will not endorse Port's plan to put its excess AFL players in the Magpies league team and keep the Magpies' reserves, under-age teams and recruiting zones.

This would be in conflict with the Adelaide Football Club's wish to have a stand-alone Crows' seconds team in the SANFL.

WE CAN'T LOSE THE MAGPIES: THOMAS

The SANFL league directors, in a two-hour meeting at AAMI Stadium on Wednesday night, learned the deal to sell the two SA-based AFL licences back to the AFL Commission demands the Crows and Power have identical terms in the SA market.

This cannot be achieved if the Crows set up a league team in the SANFL while the Power operates a full-blown league club in the state league.

The Port Adelaide Football Club would be held to the original terms it accepted when chosen as SA's second AFL licence holder in December 1994 - removing the century-old Magpies from the SANFL.

Formed in 1870, Port was a founding member of the SANFL in 1877 and established its black-and-white traditions with the Magpies from 1901.

As an SANFL club, it has won 36 premierships and is the most successful team in SA football.

To have an AFL reserves team in the SANFL, Port would have to concede the Magpies.

SA Football Commission chairman John Olsen yesterday told The Advertiser: "Both clubs (Adelaide and Port) will be treated equally under the transfer of their licences (to the AFL Commission later this year). But each club's request to access the SANFL is in variation.

"The league directors believe both clubs have to be viewed as equal when it comes to considering (AFL reserves) teams in the SANFL."

North Adelaide president and league director Bohdan Jaworskyj added: "It will be interesting to see if the Power is prepared to shift on their position (of keeping the Magpies and all their teams).

"One thing is evident, whatever the Crows get, it must be on equal terms with the Power."

Adelaide does not want to establish a full presence in the SANFL by setting up the league's 10th club or by aligning with a financially troubled SANFL club such as Sturt.

Crows chairman Rob Chapman said: "We have one proposal on the table - a stand-alone seconds team in the SANFL league competition. That is the one we want."

Power chief executive Keith Thomas described the scrapping of the Magpies - for the sake of AFL reserves teams - as an inconceivable notion.

"We will argue there is no justification for the AFL reserves models needing to be the same," he said. Both the Crows and Power will be invited to present their cases to the eight SANFL clubs' boards in the next fortnight.

The league directors have agreed to meet again in the next fortnight when there could be the first vote on introducing AFL reserves to the SANFL league competition.

This requires at least six of the eight directors to approve any change to the structure of the state league.

The Crows and Power reserves teams - because of their AFL connections - would immediately replace the Magpies as the SANFL team to beat.

The Crows argue this would re-invigorate interest in the SANFL and improve crowds to inject an extra $400,000 to each of the traditional SANFL clubs' strained coffers.

Olsen said the league directors' final vote should not be based solely on finances.

"Finances make up one issue of many the league directors have to consider," he said. "Protecting the integrity, quality and standard of the SANFL are not to be over-ridden by finances."

PORT ADELAIDE MAGPIES HISTORY

FORMED: 1870

JOINED SANFL: 1877, as founding club

JOINED AFL: 1997, as Power

PREMIERSHIPS: 36 in SANFL; one in AFL

FIRST PREMIERSHIP: 1884

ORIGINAL COLOURS: Blue and white

MAGPIES: Club changed colours to black-and-white in 1901

CURRENT COLOURS: Black-and-white in SANFL; black, white, teal and silver in AFL

CLUB GREATS: Bob Quinn, Fos Williams, Geof Motley, John Cahill, right, Russell Ebert, Gavin Wanganeen, Warren Tredrea

Q&A: KEY ISSUES IN THE BATTLE

Chief Football Writer MICHELANGELO RUCCI looks at the key issues in the battle to remodel the SANFL without the Magpies.

Q: Why are the Magpies at risk?

A: SA's two AFL clubs want reserves sides next year. But the Crows and Power each have different proposals for setting up their seconds teams. The Crows want a stand-alone team. The Power wants to keep the Magpies and all its SANFL add-ons. The sale of the SA-based AFL licences to the AFL Commission later this year demands the Crows and Power have "equal access" to the SANFL. This means if the Crows have a stand-alone reserves team in the SANFL, the Power must have the same - and no more.

Q: Who decides?

A: Eight of the nine SANFL league directors. Independent director Rob Kerin has no vote. The Magpies lost their place at the directors table two years ago when the SANFL club was aligned to the Power's business.

Q: Is it a majority vote?

A: There must be a 75 per cent approval - six of eight directors - to change the structure of the SANFL league competition.

Q: When will they vote?

A: The next meeting is due in a fortnight.

Q: What will happen to the Magpie players?

A: They will be free to join other SANFL clubs or become "top-up" players for the AFL reserves teams.

Q: What will happen to the Magpies' metropolitan and country recruiting zones?

A: There will be a redistribution among the other SANFL clubs.

Q: Why can't the Magpies stay and the Crows have a reserves team in the SANFL?

A: This is only possible if the Crows adopt an SANFL club such as Sturt or agree to set up a new SANFL clubs with league, reserves and under-age teams. The Crows do not favour either option.

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Ultimate SuperCoach formguide

Scott Gullan and Sam Landsberger explain how to make the most of the captain loophole and name the stars too cheap to ignore in SuperCoach

If your vice-captain stinks it up, use the loophole and put the "C" on Nat Fyfe on Sunday. Source: PerthNow

THE best SuperCoach tips including who's hot, who's not and best captain picks. Everything you need to give your team the edge.

NATHAN Buckley said last week he was a "glass half-empty" guy.

But this ain't the week for negativity. With Gaz, Swanny, Pendles, Bryce Gibbs, Jobe and Patty Dangerfield on holidays this week we need to stay positive.

And when the Round 13 teams lobbed it was just the kick we needed. Relief.

The Eagles brought back Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras and Beau Waters. Love your work, Woosha.

Forgotten defender Jasper Pittard was recalled by the Power. Cheers, Ken.

Not only did bubble boy Nathan Hrovat win his place back at the Doggies, but they also named debutant Lachie Hunter – a kid who averaged 138 SuperCoach points in the TAC Cup last year. On ya, Macca.

And the Cats brought back ruckman Mark Blicavs and named Jackson Thurlow on the extended bench.

Sorry, Scotty, but your praise is on hold.

First we want final confirmation Thurlow is safe in the final 22 and that Jimmy Bartel will play despite heading to the United States for some NBA action last week.

Jimmy Bartel and Ollie Wines Source:

Please, Scotty. Please.

With a sea of blue dots dominating our sides – particularly the engine room – team selection went rosy.

Remember, only your top 18 scorers will count this week, so as long as you can scratch and crawl your way to that number you'll be in the box seat for a Round 13 win.

Make it a glass half-full kinda week.

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter @SamLandsberger

Scott Gullan and Sam Landsberger explain how to make the most of the captain loophole and name the stars too cheap to ignore in SuperCoach

CAPTAINS CORNER

First things first. With no Ablett this week the captain's loophole simply must be used this week. How does it work?

Simply pick a star player lining up early in the round and make him your vice-captain. Pick a player with the bye as captain. If your vice-captain tears it up (scores, say, 130 or more) leave your side as is and his points will double. If he has a stinker, login and change your captain to another star who hasn't played yet.

I'll be making Trent Cotchin vice-captain this week and if Nick Lower does the job on him I'll switch to Nat Fyfe, who's playing Sunday. Easy.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin in action against Adelaide. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

Cotch has scored 139 and 175 against the Dogs the past two times they've met, while Fyfe averages 126 against the Roos of late and traditionally bounces straight back to his best after an off week – as he endured last week.

For all the other captain advice check out Al Paton's game-by-game SuperCoach Skipper Selector HERE.

JUMP ON

Forget jumping off, we need only need players to jump on this week given the perilous situation the byes have us in.

Tom Mitchell (Sydney, $115,900 – mid)
IF you don't have this bloke in your side you're kidding yourself. Forests have been wiped out with the amount of ink this wunderkid has been afforded. He's scored 213 from six quarters and will rise about $110k come the final siren on Saturday. Nuff said.

Joel Selwood (Geelong, $492,800 – mid)
WITH midfield carnage everywhere, Selwood might be your man. He scored 137 before the bye and averaged 110 after the mid-season break last year. Yep, he loves a freshen-up and a price tag sub-$500k simply won't last.

Grant Birchall (Hawthorn, $415,800 – def)
IS he back or just a flat-track bully? Birch has reached triple figures his past two outings and is at a rock-bottom price with a break-even of just 34 this week. Many bought him when he was about $560k so he's a bargain and a prime upgrade target this week.

Hawk Grant Birchall dominated play out of defence against Fremantle. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

Nathan Hrovat (Western Bulldogs, $114,500 – mid)
THIS little midfield terrier is on the bubble and didn't see vests of either colour in his first two matches, which is a promising sign. A prime down-grade target if you've already got Mitchell and want to offload a Crouch or Viney.

Viney out for three more

Stevie Johnson (Geelong, $594,200 – mid/fwd)
YES, his break-even is 170 and his previous scores against the Lions aren't great. But after a shift to the midfield the mercurial master is racking up huge numbers and looks like he should form part of your finished side. Therefore, why not sacrifice a bit of cash and make the trade now, given how depleted our sides are and the urgency for points this week?

Others to consider: Blayne Wilson, Lachie Hunter, Dustin Martin and Brett Deledio.

Shane Crawford trades out Jaeger O'Meara and puts the "c" on Ryan Griffen before heading off on his epic bike ride across Australia.

CRYSTAL BALL

ONCE we weave our way through this bye mess there will be three names to ponder.

1) Heath Shaw
2) Pearce Hanley
3) Joe Daniher

The first two are genuine premium defenders who are ripe for the picking. If you've got trades to burn, look at upgrading Nick Vlastuin and Brett Goodes. If you want to pull the trigger on both, jump on Joey Daniher this week to free up some cash and the trade flexibility. He won't play this week, but neither will Brent Macaffer who looks a shrewd downgrade option.

Joe Daniher celebrates his first goal in AFL football. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

CHAMPION DATA SUPERCOACH FORMGUIDE

Every week the stats gurus at Champion Data crunch the numbers to find the best buys. Click here to see the best SuperCoach bargains and busts of the week.

TWITTER TALK

@LuffG0305 Jaeger O'Meara averaged 86 #supercoach points in the NEAFL last year. Jack Martin averaging 119 this year

@SammyHeraldSun Amusing @FOXFOOTY #supercoach show from 6pm. @Browndogg_30x caught out & the 244-ranked @RalphyHeraldSun fills in. #happytommitchellweek

@SamLandsberger Lachie Hunter scored 130 #supercoach pts in the VFL last wk and averaged 138 in the TAC Cup. Damaging player. Will debut against the Tiges.

SUPERROUND

Want to walk away from SuperCoach with a Nissan Navara valued up to $63,444? The winner of Nissan Super Round - the highest single round score of the year - will do just that. So cheer on all 22 of your men this week for big hundreds and you could be holding the keys.

The SuperRound winner will receive a Nissan Navara ST-X 4x4 Dual Cab. Source: The Daily Telegraph

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Milne could win court challenge

Stephen Milne jogs alongside Nick Dal Santo (left) as the Saints trained last night at Seaford. Source: Getty Images

LEADING sports lawyer Paul Horvath said a Supreme Court challenge to Stephen Milne's playing ban could succeed.

But he warned any court challenge would be entering "unchartered territory".

Buddy bigger than Hawks

Milne has been ordered by St Kilda to take "indefinite leave" from playing after he was charged with four counts of rape.

St Kilda players yesterday lobbied for the Saints to let Milne play again this season, but even if the club relented, the AFL could step in.

"If he's cleared of the charges, how does he get that back? He never gets those games back if he's cleared," Horvath said.

Milne gets players support

"That's where a real issue arises for me in terms of him serving arguably any suspension prior to a court hearing.

"In my opinion, the balance of fairness falls on his side as far as whether or not he should be able to play prior to his case being tried before a judge and jury."

Horvath said there was no precedent to judge the prospects of a successful challenge to the playing ban.

"I can't think of the last current player who has faced such serious charges," he said. "In my opinion the balance favours him continuing to play until his case is heard.

"I'm also saying if someone said to me do you think it's a case worth running for him to be able to play, I would say yes.

"But I'd say from what I know, and I don't know all the facts, it's finely balanced in his favour.

"Do I think he'd win a Supreme Court challenge on that?

"I would say probably. In my opinion I think the law works just in his favour to allow him to play.

"But I guess at the same time as a lawyer - I'm being conservative - if a client says, is it worth me spending the money, I'd say well there's close to a 50 per cent chance that you won't win, but there's also probably a 51 per cent chance that you will win."

AFL rules allow a player to take an issue to a special grievance tribunal.

If a player is still unsatisfied, he would have the option of launching legal action.

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Hawks bigger than Buddy

Say it ain't so, Buddy? Source: Getty Images

HAWTHORN seems determined not to be the jilted lover left weeping at the altar.

Buddy Franklin is almost certainly gone, a crushing blow some clubs would struggle to recover from.

Yet Hawthorn is a cutting-edge football club in a modern world.

So a club which itself poached Shaun Burgoyne, Jack Gunston, Brian Lake and Josh Gibson will treat his likely departure as a business decision like many it has made before.

How do you replace the game's best forward?

You don't.

But you fight hard for him in a mature manner until he is officially gone.

See all the Round 13 line-ups

And then when all hope is lost you spend that $1 million acquiring someone else to help keep the premiership flame alight.

In the matter of months since last year's off-season Hawthorn's mood has turned from anger, to shock, to quiet realisation.

The anger was apparent when Alastair Clarkson went to Las Vegas to confront Franklin about various issues, and the shock was there when Franklin postponed his deal until season's end.

Ultimate Round 13 Formguide

Yet the realisation and acceptance has come as Hawthorn has itself done the sums it knows Franklin and his manager Liam Pickering are adding up.

Everything is unofficial half-way through the season: GWS hasn't officially lodged an offer, and Hawthorn isn't officially conceding he is going, the AFL's can't officially countenance that ambassadorial role.

Yet tally the figures, and look at the history of those who have already postponed deals before jumping ship to expansion sides and it is a no-brainer.

Hawthorn's absolute best offer for Franklin has been $4.5 million over four years, an entirely reasonable offer for the game's most exciting player.

The fifth year has not yet been forthcoming - but could be - given the Hawks' question marks over Franklin's durability past 30, again an entirely reasonable query.

Yet their best offer, one that will see them enduring significant salary cap stress, doesn't even come close to the GWS football component.

And that is before any AFL money comes surging through the expansion pipeline.

GWS will have to - and plan to - offer around $1.5 million a season, because Franklin wouldn't leave for $1.2 million a year, which is less than $90,000 a year above their offer.

Lance Franklin marks on the lead at Hawthorn training. Picture: Jay Town Source: Herald Sun

GWS will offer six years and a package worth as much as $12 million over that period because it can, and because it needs to.

It needs a figurehead, it needs instant improvement, it needs a foothold in the competitive New South Wales market.

Hawthorn doesn't need any of those things.

It needs on-field talent and not much else given its off-field millions.

Clarkson is still confident, and said yesterday the status quo remained.

"Nothing has changed from our point of view,'' Clarkson said yesterday.

"Whilst he is contracted to Hawthorn we want to make sure he plays the very best footy he can. The contract stuff will sort itself out in due course.''

The AFL yesterday confirmed the Hawks had no hope of increased free agency compensation, which means the club would receive just pick 20 in exchange.

AFL executive Andrew Dillon told the Herald Sun: "The AFL executive has not yet had a final discussion but it is extremely unlikely there would be any change to the compensation formula after just one year of its operation, either to increase it or decrease it.''

Hawthorn not only believes its fan-base would not revolt if Franklin departed, there is an inner steel among insiders about their prospects without the spearhead.

Franklin is not 27 until January, and has perhaps another two years at his absolute peak.

Yet with his penchant for off-field fun, his form fluctuations, and the reality key forwards rarely fire post-30, Hawthorn wouldn't come close to matching that six-year deal.

Franklin still leads the team in goals, but the match-winning performances of previous years are rarer.

And consider the goal spread - Franklin (31), Jarryd Roughead (31), Luke Breust (20), Jack Gunston (15), Shaun Burgoyne (14), Cyril Rioli (12 from five games) and David Hale (nine).

They would be diminished without Franklin, but if they could afford a Stewart Crameri and a Mark LeCras, does anyone doubt Hawthorn would still contend?

The best result all round: Buddy and Franklin get their second premiership together on the last Saturday of September, and both parties move on amicably.

LANCE FRANKLIN'S OPTIONS

1. Lance Franklin stays.
Franklin makes the decision thousands have made before him _ that team success is bigger than any pay cheque. The problem for Franklin is that the difference in pay cheques is bigger than that faced by anyone in his position.
This option seems to be evaporating by the day, but it would make him a Hawthorn hero forever.

CHANCE: 10 per cent. Even this is probably optimistic.

Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

2. Lance Franklin nominates Greater Western Sydney as his free agency home and Hawthorn FAILS to match it.
If Buddy nominates GWS, Hawthorn has 48 hours to match the bid. The bid would include only the football component of the deal.
Free agency starts on September 30, two days after the Grand Final.
So Franklin could be a Grand Final hero for Hawthorn on the Saturday, nominate GWS on the Monday and be a Giant by the Wednesday.
He can nominate only one team, and Hawthorn has to match the exact offer in its total player payments year by year, even if it is heavily front-ended.
Hawthorn has handed Franklin's management its best offer, so this is the most likely outcome.

CHANCE: 80 per cent. Becoming increasingly certain. No one who has scrutinised precedent or the figures in front of Franklin really believes he will stay.

3. Lance Franklin nominates GWS as his free agency home and Hawthorn DOES match it.
This is the least likely outcome, but it is still possible.
The Hawks could match the $1.5 million football offer, then go about trying to fit Franklin in whatever the cost.
It would result in the jettisoning or trading of key out-of-contract players, with Hawthorn needing to save as much as $400,000 a season.
Because even second-year players can be paid up to $100,000, it would need to cut a $500,000-a-season player such as Jordan Lewis or Shaun Burgoyne.
This is completely untenable to Alastair Clarkson, who will not toy with his playing culture or toss a player to the wind just for Franklin's pay packet. That would send the worst message to a playing list that has sacrificed plenty before.

CHANCE: Zero per cent. Hawthorn can't afford $1.5 million a year for one player.

4. Hawthorn matches Franklin's free agency offer, then tries to trade him.
Theoretically the Hawks could call GWS's bluff, matching the offer even though it has no intention of paying the $1.5 million a year.
Then with Franklin still listed, they could go back to GWS and try to broker a trade that could involve a higher draft pick than the likely pick 20 they would have received in free agency compensation.
Two problems:
GWS could call Hawthorn's bluff back, leaving them with a player they could not afford.
And Hawthorn would not do it, believing it would send an atrocious message to the rest of the playing group.
They remain adamant: If Franklin wants to be here we will pay him what he is worth .th.th. if not, he can leave for the highest bidder.
Any player who has their free agency bid matched can remain with his original club, seek a trade, or enter the draft. So even if Franklin's bid was matched, he could enter the pre-season draft with a huge price on his head and be picked up by GWS for nothing.

CHANCE: Zero per cent. If Franklin wants to go to GWS that desperately, Hawthorn won't chase him.

2012 Preliminary Final. Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows. MCG. Lance Franklin celebrates on the siren as the hawks win. Source: Herald Sun

5. Hawthorn tries to trade Franklin before the free agency period.
This would require Franklin to be extremely proactive, telling GWS he would be happy to accept its offer but only if it sweetened the deal for his existing club.
In reality, GWS would tell Hawthorn no deal.
Whey should it have to hand over draft picks when it didn't for Tom Scully, and Gold Coast didn't for Gary Ablett?
Franklin will be reassured by his management that the reason compo picks were introduced was to help the club a player leaves.
He has given eight years of service to Hawthorn _ that is enough reward.

CHANCE: Five per cent. If Hawthorn knew Franklin wanted to leave, they might at least make the call to GWS. The call would be succinct and pointless.

6. A rival club swoops in at the last minute and trumps GWS.
The only small chance would be Gold Coast.
It has the salary cap room but probably not the AFL marketing support, given Gary Ablett and Karmichael Hunt already are paid by the league.
The Suns admit it would cost them at least two quality players, and with Charlie Dixon, Tom Lynch, Sam Day and Stephen May emerging as key talls, they don't really need him.
No Victorian side can afford even the $1.5 million-a-season football component, let alone the marketing allowance.
Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich did not rule out that club's interest several months back, but Ross Lyon says now he has no interest and has told Alastair Clarkson that. It would be the height of hypocrisy to back-flip.

CHANCE: Five per cent. If Day and Dixon both did their ACLs in the next ten weeks, Gold Coast could change its mind. But right now they are saying they don't want Buddy.

BEST FIVE FREE AGENTS:

1. Dale Thomas (Collingwood)
2. Mark LeCras (West Coast)
3. Colin Sylvia (Melbourne)
4. Eddie Betts (Carlton)
5. Alan Toovey (Collingwood)

BEST KEY TALLS OFF CONTRACT
1. Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
2. Stewart Crameri (Essendon)
3. Jay Schulz (Port Adelaide)
4. Shane Mumford (Sydney)
5. Jack Watts (Melbourne)
6. Mitch Brown (West Coast)
7. Scott Gumbleton (Essendon)
8. Tayte Pears (Essendon)
9. Max Gawn (Melbourne)
10. Majak Daw (North Melbourne)

Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt celebrates his fifth goal against St Kilda. Picture: Ludbey Wayne Source: Herald Sun

 

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Bulldogs' sights set on Crows' Noble

Adelaide Crows list manager David Noble is being headhunted by the Western Bulldogs. Source: News Limited

ADELAIDE'S enormous task of managing its recruiting plans against the Kurt Tippett draft sanctions is to be made tougher by the Western Bulldogs targeting Crows list manager David Noble.

The Advertiser understands Noble and former Richmond captain and current Tigers assistant coach Wayne Campbell are the last two contenders for the football operations job at the Bulldogs.

The seat has been vacant since the start of the season when another former Crows staffer, recruiting manager James Fantasia, quit to lead Hawthorn's football department.

Noble, a former assistant coach at the Bulldogs (1998-2002), did not return calls to The Advertiser last night after being in lengthy meetings at the Crows' West Lakes headquarters.

A raid on Noble is ill-timed for Adelaide considering the complications that the Crows face in October and November during the trade period and national draft.

Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson is demanding Noble and Crows recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie find a way to trade back into the first two rounds of the national draft.

The Crows have lost these picks as penalties for draft tampering in the Tippett saga that unfolded during last year's trade period.

Losing Noble would cost Adelaide critical time that would need to be dedicated to finding his replacement rather than scouting and luring new players to West Lakes.

Adelaide chairman and acting chief executive Rob Chapman last night was wanting to talk Noble into staying at West Lakes rather than issuing a blunt ``hands off'' warning to the eager Bulldogs.

"I will never stand in the way of someone improving themselves by going to a bigger and better job,'' said Chapman.

"But at the same time I don't want our club to lose a quality person like David Noble.

"We understand people have ambitions - and sometimes there are not opportunities to fulfil these ambitions at our club.

"We also understand good people get hunted - and David Noble is a quality person.

"His work in our recruitment and analysis of players has been first class for us.

"He also has a great depth of experience as a player, a coach and in football administration.

"Good people do get headhunted ...

"I will have a mature discussion with David, I'm sure, before a final decision is made.''

Noble joined the Crows in 2005 as an assistant coach for Neil Craig after coaching Glenelg in the SANFL in 2003-04.

He recently has developed a stronger resume in football administration, in particular during the summer when Chapman remodelled the Adelaide football department in the wake of the Tippett scandal.

Noble's portfolio advanced from list management to more contract negotiations and long-term strategy planning.

Adelaide's vision for Noble in its total administration - where a succession plan for the chief executive role needs to emerge - was emphasised last month when Noble was enrolled in a Harvard University management course.

This vast experience makes Noble appear to stand out ahead of Campbell.

While the Tippett saga drags on until November for the Adelaide Football Club, it closes for Crows chief executive Steven Trigg on July 1 when he returns to his office after serving a six-month ban.

The issue ends for Tippett, who was hit with an 11-game suspension, on Saturday when he will play his first game for Sydney at AAMI Stadium against Port Adelaide.

###

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New chapter in season of shame

Stephen Milne may be playing his final AFL season. Source: Getty Images

JUST eight days ago Stephen Milne was lauded as a statesman holding court with the AFL to discuss preventive measures to minimise crowd abuse.

Today he is accused of four counts of rape, yet another figure turning the spotlight on the code as it suffers through its never-ending Season of Shame.

No doubt the resilient 33-year-old will try to let his football do the talking as he has in 267 games and 559 goals.

That record is good enough to have him statistically behind only greats Leigh Matthews and Kevin Bartlett as a goalkicking small forward.

Yet the question must be asked despite all those goals: is Milne's AFL career now on borrowed time?

Has he played his last game of AFL football?

St Kilda now has enough evidence to stand down Milne indefinitely ahead of a court case that experts predict is as many as two years into the future.

St Kilda AFL player Stephen Milne has been charged with rape.

In 2004 Milne faced a recommendation to charge the Saint with rape, but he was never actually charged with that offence.

Now he faces four rape charges at a club which has already shown it has a no-tolerance policy in relation to offences against women.

Jason Gram was stood down after repeatedly breaking protocols, and Andrew Lovett's rape allegations were the last straw after repeated misbehaviour.

Given those precedents, is a St Kilda club trying to transform itself with a new squeaky-clean "No Dickheads" policy prepared to stand by Milne?

Andrew Demetriou's strong statement last year over the presumption of innocence for Liam Jurrah while he continued to play after being charged with serious offences will give Milne some strong backing.

As should the continued presence in Collingwood's backline of Marley Williams despite charges of grievous bodily harm.

Yet football clubs are places of expediency, even if that creates double-standards.

If Milne was a 22-year-old superstar rather a 33-year-old almost certainly in his last season, would St Kilda be more determined to keep him playing?

If the Saints were heading for another of those Grand Final charges rather than in a rebuilding mode with multiple small forwards on their list would they be more prepared to stand by Milne at all costs?

They are all impossible questions to answer, as St Kilda tries to balance the AFL's respect and responsibility policy, the alleged victim's pain, Milne's presumption of innocence, and the demand that the Saints take this issue seriously.

Whatever St Kilda decides, there is another hammer blow for the AFL as a code.

First salary cap deceit, then tanking, then a peptides scandal which has spread to four clubs.

Now a nine-year old rape charge.

It means the AFL must bid a hasty retreat from the moral high ground that saw it once favourably compared to codes like the NRL.

This case might hark from 2004, but even then it was the murky intersection of club politics and favours and interference that allegedly saw any potential justice postponed.

Now it has come sweeping back in from the cold, plunging St Kilda into controversy and the game into a new level of turmoil.

Milne should be allowed to play on this season under the presumption of innocence, but not even 18 goals in 10 games are likely to save him at season's end.

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Milne: Let me play Dees

Stephen Milne celebrates a goal against West Coast two weeks ago. Source: Getty Images

STEPHEN Milne wants to play this weekend despite being charged yesterday with four counts of rape.

The St Kilda forward trained yesterday and has told the club he wants to play beside great mates Nick Riewoldt and Nick Dal Santo, who will play their 250th games for the Saints on Saturday.

A source close to Milne said the Saints forward was shocked and raw when he was alerted to the charges on Monday.

The source said Milne was in a better head space yesterday and was determined to play against Melbourne at the MCG.

A decision on Milne's immediate future rested with a crisis teleconference last night, which involved the entire Saints board, chief executive Michael Nettlefold, who is In Italy, acting CEO Terry Dillon and head of football Chris Pelchen.

An earlier meeting at the AFL was attended by Milne's management and the AFL Players' Association, and senior AFL staffers including deputy CEO Gil McLachlan and cultural strategy and education manager Sue Clark.

There was no discussion about immediate retirement for Milne.

St Kilda AFL player Stephen Milne has been charged with rape.

It was acknowledged that Milne had copped years of spectator abuse and that if he did play this weekend, he could expect the same.

The AFLPA last night said: "The right to the presumption of innocence is essential to our system of justice and that is important for everyone that Stephen is afforded that basic right.

"The AFLPA will support Stephen in continuing his football commitments as these charges are being dealt with.''

His manager Tom Pretoro refused to comment.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou yesterday described the charges as "serious'', and said that the league had sought more information from the Saints board, which will be relayed today.

Milne, 33, has played 268 games and kicked 564 goals since making his debut in 2001.

He is out of contract at the end of this season.

Milne is the second St Kilda player to face rape charges in four years.

In 2010, the Saints sacked Andrew Lovett on February 16, a day after he was charged with one count of rape stemming from incident on December 24th, 2009.

The Saints claimed Lovett's sacking came not because of the charge, but because he "engaged in actions that were failures to comply with our standards of expected behavioural conduct''.

The failures related to training commitments and communications with club officials, and the club admitted they could not ignore the "damage being done to St Kilda's reputation".

At the time, the AFL supported the club's decision to sack Lovett. In July 2011, Lovett was found not guilty of rape.

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Gram backs 'St Kilda great'

Teammates Jason Gram and Stephen Milne sing the song after a St Kilda victory. Source: News Limited

SACKED St Kilda midfielder Jason Gram has urged the club to stand by Stephen Milne and allow him to play despite four rape charges.

Milne was yesterday officially charged over a 2004 incident, with the club deciding last night whether to stand down the veteran goalsneak.

Gram was sacked by St Kilda last year after several warnings involving conduct towards women. He still believes his contract should not have been terminated by St Kilda, but said yesterday Milne deserved the presumption of innocence.

"I love Milney, he's one of my best mates, and I do hope the club stand by him, just like I hoped and think they should have with me'' he told the Herald Sun.

"He's one of the greats of the St Kilda football club.''

Former Essendon and St Kilda player Andrew Lovett was sacked by St Kilda after being charged with rape. He was later acquitted.

An Instagram account belonging to Lovett had a message about double standards yesterday, but it was quickly taken down.

"Wow, I wonder if Milney will get the a--- like I did? #sacked #unfair,'' it said.

Milne is believed to be keen to play, and can point to the precedent that AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou set last year regarding Melbourne's Liam Jurrah.

Jurrah faced charges over a serious assault, of which he was later acquitted, and Demetriou said at the time he should be allowed to continue to play.

"He's not the first player who's been charged who's been allowed to play football,'' Demetriou said at the time.

Jurrah was jailed earlier this month over a separate case.

"We've even got Heath Scotland at the moment who's facing charges playing for Carlton, I think Dane Swan was another one who had charges against him and he continued to play," Demetriou said.

"I really, really value the presumption of innocence in this country.''

Collingwood defender Marley Williams recently pleaded not guilty to a charge of grievous bodily assault in Albany, and is still being allowed to play senior football for the club.

He will appear again in Albany District Court on August 29.

Milne is ranked 38th on the AFL's all-time goalkicking tally with 559 goals at an elite average of 2.09 a game, and after early form concerns this year has rebounded strongly.

He kicked five goals against West Coast on Sunday in another strong showing, but before this incident he was still considered likely to retire at year's end despite season-ending goals tallies of 57, 56, and 56 in the past three years.

The AFL Players' Association yesterday backed that right to innocence, with chief executive Matt Finnis saying it was important for Milne to be afforded that right.

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Melbourne players out of excuses

Colin Sylvia must decide if he wants to be a key player for Melbourne. Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE'S players seem to be an extraordinarily sensitive lot.

In 2010 they whispered in corridors and at secret meetings with president Don McLardy as their season turned to rot.

They complained about a split football department, about the actions of chief executive Cameron Schwab and bemoaned the lack of support for coach Dean Bailey.

Which Dees need to stand up or get out? Chat live at noon Wednesday EST

Then they effectively had their beloved coach sacked in one foul afternoon in 2011 at Skilled Stadium when their words of support proved empty. In the past 18 months they have had to endure plenty under Bailey's replacement Mark Neeld - support structures they held dear were stripped away and a massive dose of tough love administered.

Eventually, they got their man, with Neeld's downfall expedited by, if not a player revolt, then at least deep dissatisfaction with him on many levels.

Now two coaches are gone, and the Demons are a laughing stock.

Stats say Neil Craig is in strife

Can it scarcely be possible that the collection of humble champions, premiership players and superstars at Geelong are paid the same $9.139 million salary cap as Melbourne?

It is inarguable the Demons have been let down by poor coaching, a crumbling administration and poor development.

The contenders: Who will coach Dees next year?

But enough of the excuses.

The next 10 weeks will show how many players actually value their careers as highly paid professional players.

Chat live with Jon Ralph from noon EST below.

On a mobile device? Click here for a better chat experience

Right now, Colin Garland, Nathan Jones, Jeremy Howe and only a handful of others refuse to allow excuses, and poor teammates, and tough circumstances, affect their performance.

Way too many Demons have a kitbag of excuses on show when the going gets tough.

The coach is mean to me. The forward-line delivery isn't good enough. The player development is lacking.

Now it is time for the tail to stop wagging the dog.

Time for the players to realise it is their careers on the line, too.

We hear Jack Watts is under-developed and played out of position.

Yet has Watts ever gone away during the off-season and attacked the weights and training track like a man possessed, taking responsibility for his own career?

Who at Melbourne has done what Jobe Watson did at Essendon, ntsGreinventing his body shape and nteputting the onus on himself to save a career on the fast track to nowhere?

Nathan Jones does that, playing like an animal who could be dropped at any moment, never to return to the AFL.

Does Sam Blease?

Or fellow high-draft pick Luke Tapscott?

Or Cam Pedersen, given a three-year deal but showing no signs of repaying the faith?

Does Colin Sylvia, who is on track to becoming a great wasted talent?

Mark Jamar was All-Australian in 2010, and was apparently mystified when ruck coach David Loats was sacked by Neeld.

But is Jamar happy to coast along on a three-year deal, or does he devote every waking hour to leading this football club?

"Karma is a bitch,'' former Melbourne midfielder Brent Moloney wrote of Neeld's sacking.

Yet Moloney is another who allowed himself to be sucked down into mediocrity under Neeld.

Neeld felt Moloney simply refused to play to any game plan that did not include him getting every hitout from Jamar.

Neeld preached the benefits of a varied midfield setup that also gave Jack Trengove, Jordie McKenzie and the young kids a chance to receive Jamar's centre-square largesse.

Neeld pushed that mantra mid-week.

Moloney continually circumvented it mid-game, demanding his teammates ignore Neeld.

So Neeld pushed him out, never to return.

He might be laughing at Neeld, but now it is Moloney getting tagged out of the game in a weak Brisbane midfield. 

Time for Melbourne's list to grow up.

To realise they better start justifying the inflated pay packets they are handed, or a new coach will simply tear those contracts up and push them out the door.

Fitzroy simply ceased to exist despite fighting to the end.

Melbourne has beaten one club bar the two expansion sides in its past 33 games of football.

Extraordinary.

Does the coach need to take some blame? Sure.

But now he is gone, and the blowtorch turns firmly to a playing list that has nowhere left to hide.

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Demons to call Lethal

Triple Brisbane premiership coach Leigh Matthews could be part of the search for a new Melbourne coach. Source: News Limited

MELBOURNE'S search for a new coach will include a call to AFL legend Leigh Matthews.

Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson has not named a list of candidates, but has spoken privately of his determination to cast his net across all premiership coaches of the current era.

Former Swans coach Paul Roos is the leading contender ahead of Port premiership coach and current Tigers assistant Mark Williams.

West Coast's John Worsfold is also in the mix but is believed to be leaning towards a break from football.

Rodney Eade tops the list of senior coaches without a premiership to their name.

Matthews is still heavily involved in football during his roles as a commentator for Channel 7.

But he lives in Brisbane and commutes to Melbourne on weekends and a return to the coaching ranks would be a major upheaval to a lifestyle he is said to be greatly enjoying.

The contenders: Who will coach Demons next year?

However, a host of his former premiership players, who did not want to go the record because they held senior positions at rival clubs across the league, were unanimous that Melbourne should make an approach to the four-time premiership coach.

Melbourne is believed to be prepared to make Roos an offer he can't refuse.

Sydney's 2005 premiership coach appeared to distance himself from the position on Fox Footy's On the Couch program, but later told News Limited he would "take a call'' from Melbourne.

However, his Fox Footy colleague Anthony Hudson said yesterday he did not believe Roos was considering the Demons job and if he coached again was "more likely to end up at Brisbane'' next season, replacing Michael Voss.

A former colleague of Jackson's said he "would not be surprised'' if Matthews come into the equation.

He stressed he had not spoken to Jackson about the issue and had not heard the AFL player of the century linked to the job but said it would not be out of place with Jackson's methods.

"He will want someone who can bring credibility to that football club and build the culture of that football club,'' he said.

"It will be someone the players will follow and respect and someone the fans and sponsors believe will take the club somewhere.

"Paul Roos does that and so does Leigh Matthews.''

Rodney Eade and Paul Roos react to being linked with the recently vacant Melbourne Demons coaching job.

Roos was unequivocal that the Demons needed a high-profile coach that could revitalise the club and buy time with fans and sponsors while the rebuild took place.

"I think they have to get an experienced coach for all those things ... hope and brand, etc,'' he said.

"I think it's got to be someone who you can sell to the members immediately because this is the hard thing for the Melbourne supporters they may not win next year.

"So that's a long rebuilding process and a young coach is going to find that very, very difficult.

Meanwhile, Voss said he could not see how Mark Neeld's situation could be linked in any way to his own.

Voss is out of contract at the end of the season and has come under much scrutiny for the Lions' 3-8 record.

He stressed he could not allow the public's desire for results to shift his focus from developing for the long-term.

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