Hird ready to plan Dons’ summer

Essendon recruit Adam Cooney admits it was bittersweet to leave the Bulldogs and move to the Bombers in a trade for pick 37 at next month's draft. Cooney says the lure of playing at a 'big club' was main reason for his move.

James Hird exercising on the oval at Essendon's training facility. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: News Corp Australia

ESSENDON can look forward to a "meat and potatoes type pre-season" as James Hird takes the reins of his side for its 2015 campaign.

Hird is back in charge after the Bombers board backed him to retain the top job earlier this month.

And after returning from overseas where he was finishing some studies, Hird is looking forward to planning the club's pre-season with his assistants.

WINDERS: VETERAN BOMBER SHELVES RETIREMENT

Hird said the Bombers, like other clubs, would scale back their high-altitude activity this summer.

A smaller group of just four or five players will travel to Colorado in December but the majority of the club's playing group will stay at its Tullamarine base.

Essendon coach James Hird at Essendon's training facility with Neil Craig. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: News Corp Australia

Earlier this month Hird said his club would stay closer to home to work on specific requirements.

"We will train pretty hard, it will be a meat and potatoes type pre-season but one where we work on all things we need to work on to get them in the conditioning they need to be in throughout the year," he told essendonfc.com.au.

RING-A-DING: BELLCHAMBERS LOOKING GOOD

This week the Bombers will narrow their focus on the long summer ahead.

"At the beginning of this week the coaches start to come back from their break," Essendon high performance manager Neil Craig told the Bombers' website.

"James comes back from overseas over the weekend and he is really keen to sit down with Mark Harvey, Nathan Bassett and Matty Egan to plan.

"They have done some planning but this is about 'let's really roll up the sleeves and get the detail into the program'.

"The players start to come back the week after and then all of a sudden it is back on you again so it is amazing how quickly it comes around."

Essendon's youngsters, including the likes of Dyson Heppell and Jake Carlisle, return to training on November 5.

Originally published as Hird ready to plan Dons' summer

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clubs cash in on poker machines

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan says gaming revenue is a chief reason why the league has introduced equalisation measures Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

VICTORIAN AFL clubs creamed more than $88 million from pokies punters in the last financial year, with Hawthorn and Carlton leading the way.

Gaming revenue has become such a factor in football that AFL boss Gillon McLachlan recently cited it as one of four chief reasons why the league had introduced equalisation measures.

The 19 gaming venues operated by the AFL clubs generated $88.7m in net gaming revenue, according figures published by the industry regulator.

North Melbourne is the only Victorian AFL club not to have poker machines.

Net gaming revenue is what the machines take after winnings. The figures do not represent the profits made by clubs.

Hawthorn's club Vegas at Waverley Gardens generated almost $11m while its 73 per cent interest in the West Waters Hotel brought in a further $7.6m.

Carlton's four pokies clubs took $17.5m, Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation figures show.

Figures have revealed Hawthorn and Carlton were the biggest winners from gaming revenue last financial year. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

Collingwood and Essendon also generated more than $10m in the year to the end of June.

Speaking at a recent business event, McLachlan named gaming revenue as one of the factors that prompted the league's recent competitive balance push.

"Equalisation is characterised as taking from the rich and giving to the poor — but what it is actually for is to compensate the smaller clubs for the structural inequities they have in their business," McLachlan said.

"They are their stadium deals — some have got good ones, some have got bad ones; the size of their supporter base, and that is an historical thing; the fixture which has some indirect structural stuff in their like Anzac Day and others; and the fourth one is gaming, where some clubs — you take a Hawthorn who make about a $4 million net profit out of their gaming business — and in Western Australia, you can't own machines."

In 2012, then AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said clubs had shown interest in getting out of pokies, but since then the number of machines run by AFL clubs has grown.

Next year, the Western Bulldogs will more than double their stake in pokies, when 70 machines go on line at the club's long-awaited Edgewater development in Maribyrnong.

*****

Victorian AFL clubs and their pokie takes in 2013-14

CARL $17.5m (4 pokie clubs)

COLL $12.7m (3)

ESS $11.9m (2)

GEEL $8m (2)

HAW $18.6m (2)

MEL $9.4m (2)

NM — Nil

RICH $4.1m (1)

STK $2.2m (1)

WB $4.3m (2)

TOTAL = 19 pokie clubs — $88.7m

* SOURCE: Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation

** Net gaming revenue is the total amount lost by players in the 2013/14 financial year

Originally published as Clubs cash in on poker machines

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boyd departs Giants for Griffen and picks

Tom Boyd traded to Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

IF Tom Boyd doesn't want to be a Giant then the Giants players and coaches don't want him.

That's the game-changer which has seen Boyd swapped to the Western Bulldogs for their captain Ryan Griffen move the Giants along with pick six in the draft and a large slice of salary cap relief.

On Monday and Tuesday GWS were adamant the number one draft pick was going nowhere but on Wednesday the massive deal was done.

After just nine games and eight goals Boyd will become one of the AFL's richest players signing a Buddy Franklin type deal worth $7 million over seven years.

"If someone doesn't want to be part of this footy club you have to look to see if you can get a suitable trade," Giants coach Leon Cameron told the Daily Telegraph.

"Clearly he's stated his intentions that his future was elsewhere, you work through that and see whether it's workable or not and after consulting with our leadership group and having a good think about it and he was probably lost to us so you wish him all the best at his new footy club.

"We're rapt to have Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull (Brisbane Lions) come in and go to the draft again (with picks 4, 6 and 7). It's a great endorsement of our footy club and the direction we're going in."

The worry for the Giants will be the message it sends to a host of their young stars who are out of contract at the end of next season- If they are prepared to trade a number one draft pick like Boyd what is stopping GWS from trading them?

Jeremy Cameron, Adam Treloar, Dylan Shiel, Stephen Coniglio, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Devon Smith and Adam Tomlinson are all in the final year of their agreements.

"We have to work hard on making sure our players are in a great environment and our culture is heading in the right direction," Cameron said.

"If people buy into the footy club then we've got them for life, they invest in the footy club like someone buying shares. We feel as though the majority of our players are doing that year by year under tough circumstances.

"If you create a good club players want to buy in and 90 per cent of our players have. They also understand the dream of where we want to get this club to. Guys like Adam Treloar, Devon Smith and Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton they can all see that.

They can see the vision, the mateship and how we started from scratch.

"If some players can't see that you try to convince them that it's going to be a great club, if you can't see that in individuals it becomes about how you can negotiate the best outcome for the footy club."

The Giants have lost Boyd but now have two more experienced quality players in their prime. They also have picks 4, 6 and 7 which could still be traded for St Kilda's number one pick or for another senior player. The salary cap relief will be $1 million over four years and could prove vital when it comes to re-signing some of their talented youngsters.

"Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull add value to our list and that comes after adding Shane Mumford and Rhyce Shaw this year. It balances our list and helps our young players understand how hard AFL is but also how exciting it can be if we get it right.

"We feel like we're getting it right."

Originally published as Boyd departs Giants for Griffen and picks

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bulldogs buy Boyd in Buddy-style coup

Tom Boyd is on his way to the Whitten Oval. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

TOM Boyd has joined Western Bulldogs on a Buddy Franklin-style contract after a sensational about-face by Greater Western Sydney.

The Giants stated on Monday that "under no circumstance" would they release last year's No. 1 draft pick and they took an even stronger stance on Wednesday.

But the Bulldogs on Wednesday sealed a deal to send disaffected captain Ryan Griffen and their prized No. 6 pick to the Giants in exchange for the 200cm, 104kg monster likened to Tom Hawkins.

Giants chief executive David Matthews said Boyd's position had become untenable as the players no longer wanted him.

Boyd, 19, will earn his base draft salary next season — about $180,000 — and his annual salary will then skyrocket to more than $1 million, making him the richest Bulldogs player in history.

He played nine AFL games this year.

Tom Boyd is a much-needed power forward for the Bulldogs. Picture: Simon Cross Source: News Corp Australia

The Bulldogs will also pay about a third of Griffen's 2015 salary, believed to be around $650,000.

The Herald Sun has been told that the subsidy for Griffen extends beyond next year.

Dogs president Peter Gordon said on Monday that a straight Griffen-Boyd swap was "fair and equitable" but the Dogs threw in their first pick to land their man.

The shock exchange leaves the Dogs without a captain and coach but with the young power forward they have craved.

Senior assistant Brett Montgomery is favourite to win the vacant coaching post.

PICK ME: WHAT'S ALL THE BOYD FUSS ABOUT?

Dogs chief executive Simon Garlick said the move to sign Boyd until 2021 was a "really strong, prudent and responsible decision".

Prominent player agent Liam Pickering orchestrated both Boyd and Franklin's deals — Franklin's $10 million for nine years at the Swans — with the Giants missing out on Franklin and now losing Boyd.

Boyd is in Thailand but will be unveiled by the Dogs next week.

All eyes will be on Victorian Tom Boyd at the AFL draft, with the highly-rated forward expected to be recruited as the number one pick by the GWS Giants.

Dogs chief executive Simon Garlick said the deal, "out of circumstances that were far from ideal (Griffen walking out) ... is a magnificent outcome".

"There will be conjecture ... some people think we might have paid overs or given them a bit much," he told AFL Trade Radio.

"But we think it's a really strong, prudent and responsible decision."

Pickering was adamant on Wednesday that if the Giants held Boyd to his contract next year he would walk after the season.

In a parting whack, Matthews said Giants coach Leon Cameron had consulted the leadership group about Boyd's intentions.

"We are proud to represent western Sydney and Canberra and it's critical that our players share that value," he said.

"Clearly Tom doesn't and the best course of action is for him to leave the club."

Ryan Griffen will head to GWS. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

The Giants' sole All-Australian, Jeremy Cameron, tweeted: "Yes! A city slicker for a pig shooter."

Griffen was due to return from a hunting expedition in South Australia today to explain his controversial move north.

Cameron headlines a list of prized baby Giants out of contract next season with Victorian clubs now expected to queue up with bags of money.

There were concerns over Boyd's management at GWS this year with the power forward bulking up too much, limiting his mobility and speed.

He was told to strip back down late in the season.

Recruiting experts rated Boyd the standout No. 1 pick in the draft era before his name was read out last year.

Originally published as Bulldogs buy Boyd in Buddy-style coup

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trio of Magpies turn up the power for final

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Sydney	22	17	0	5	142.88	68
2	Hawthorn	22	17	0	5	140.78	68
3	Geelong	22	17	0	5	113.77	68
4	Fremantle	22	16	0	6	130.40	64
5	Port Adelaide	22	14	0	8	129.92	56
6	North Melbourne	22	14	0	8	117.04	56
7	Essendon	22	12	1	9	106.34	50
8	Richmond	22	12	0	10	105.77	48
9	West Coast	22	11	0	11	116.86	44
10	Adelaide	22	11	0	11	114.05	44
11	Collingwood	22	11	0	11	94.14	44
12	Gold Coast	22	10	0	12	93.74	40
13	Carlton	22	7	1	14	89.75	30
14	Bulldogs	22	7	0	15	81.95	28
15	Brisbane	22	7	0	15	69.26	28
16	Greater Western Sydney	22	6	0	16	76.72	24
17	Melbourne	22	4	0	18	68.37	16
18	St Kilda	22	4	0	18	60.76	16

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Overall it’s a great result for Panthers

Young Panthers, from left, Sam Overall, Caleb Daniel and Jake Veide will be hoping to take South Adelaide into its first grand final in 35 years. Picture: Dave Cronin. Source: News Corp Australia

NINE months ago, Sam Overall's SANFL footy dream appeared over. On Sunday he might be a key factor in taking South Adelaide to its first grand final in 35 years.

Juggling work as an apprentice carpenter and cricket with Encounter Bay, Overall was cut during pre-season by Glenelg where he had played a handful of lower grade games in 2013.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BOTH PRELIMINARY FINAL TEAMS

Resigned to playing footy in the Great Southern League, the 19-year-old's mum then contacted South, and new coach Brad Gotch decided to take on the 193cm Overall as a long-term project.

But this "project" has come to rapid fruition, with Overall named as the Panthers' attacking spearhead against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval this afternoon.

''He's from Victor Harbor and I think he was having trouble getting to training during the early part of the year,'' Gotch said

''He got cut because I think (Glenelg coach) Nick Stevens had about 90 players he was going through at that stage.''

Gotch said Overall's schedule created similar challenges when he began training at Noarlunga. He missed most of the pre-season matches, busy playing his part in Encounter Bay's cricket Premiership.

"He was training with us three times a week, training cricket twice a week and also playing some basketball," Gotch said.

"He's an active kid and that's what he wanted to do but he started to get tired.

"He was getting up at 6am every morning then not getting home until 9pm. So we cut him back to two nights a week to balance that out.

"We had a little bit of a talk to him about pulling back just to keep him in the program. We just decided we didn't want to lose him."

Overall spent the season developing in the reserves until he produced two standout games six weeks ago, forcing selectors to offer him a league debut against the Eagles in round 16.

This afternoon's Preliminary Final will be his sixth league game, and he has made the goal-kickers' list in all bar one of his senior matches so far.

"He showed something in his first game," Gotch said.

"And he's just picked up week-in, week-out leading him to kicking three goals last week."

PORT ADELAIDE v SOUTH ADELAIDE

Adelaide Oval, Sunday, 2.40pm

MAGPIES

Backs: Krakouer, Clurey, Russell

Half-backs: Heath, Stevenson, Amon

Centre: Hitchcock, Logan, Stewart

Half-forwards: Byrne-Jones, J. Butcher, Newton

Forwards: Ah Chee, Harvey, Shaw

Ruck: Bruggemann, Summerton, S. Gray

Interchange (from): A. Young, Impey, Mitchell, Flynn, Slattery

In: J. Butcher, Mitchell, Russell, Hitchcock

Out: R. Young (finger), Biemans

PANTHERS

Backs: Dale, Crabb, Fields

Half-backs: Murphy, Thewlis, Taylor

Centre: Veide, Cross, Rose

Half-forwards: C. Daniel, Eddy, Rolfe

Forwards: Macleod, Overall, Gulden

Ruck: Brooksby, Liddle, Gotch

Interchange: Bass, Secull, N. Daniel

Radio: 5RPH, LifeFM

TV: 7mate

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Swans and Buddy could be a AFL’s dream scenario

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Sydney	22	17	0	5	142.88	68
2	Hawthorn	22	17	0	5	140.78	68
3	Geelong	22	17	0	5	113.77	68
4	Fremantle	22	16	0	6	130.40	64
5	Port Adelaide	22	14	0	8	129.92	56
6	North Melbourne	22	14	0	8	117.04	56
7	Essendon	22	12	1	9	106.34	50
8	Richmond	22	12	0	10	105.77	48
9	West Coast	22	11	0	11	116.86	44
10	Adelaide	22	11	0	11	114.05	44
11	Collingwood	22	11	0	11	94.14	44
12	Gold Coast	22	10	0	12	93.74	40
13	Carlton	22	7	1	14	89.75	30
14	Bulldogs	22	7	0	15	81.95	28
15	Brisbane	22	7	0	15	69.26	28
16	Greater Western Sydney	22	6	0	16	76.72	24
17	Melbourne	22	4	0	18	68.37	16
18	St Kilda	22	4	0	18	60.76	16

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Time for Crows to make strong decisions

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Sydney	22	17	0	5	142.88	68
2	Hawthorn	22	17	0	5	140.78	68
3	Geelong	22	17	0	5	113.77	68
4	Fremantle	22	16	0	6	130.40	64
5	Port Adelaide	22	14	0	8	129.92	56
6	North Melbourne	22	14	0	8	117.04	56
7	Essendon	22	12	1	9	106.34	50
8	Richmond	22	12	0	10	105.77	48
9	West Coast	22	11	0	11	116.86	44
10	Adelaide	22	11	0	11	114.05	44
11	Collingwood	22	11	0	11	94.14	44
12	Gold Coast	22	10	0	12	93.74	40
13	Carlton	22	7	1	14	89.75	30
14	Bulldogs	22	7	0	15	81.95	28
15	Brisbane	22	7	0	15	69.26	28
16	Greater Western Sydney	22	6	0	16	76.72	24
17	Melbourne	22	4	0	18	68.37	16
18	St Kilda	22	4	0	18	60.76	16

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Live: Power surge has Freo in strife

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Sydney	22	17	0	5	142.88	68
2	Hawthorn	22	17	0	5	140.78	68
3	Geelong	22	17	0	5	113.77	68
4	Fremantle	22	16	0	6	130.40	64
5	Port Adelaide	22	14	0	8	129.92	56
6	North Melbourne	22	14	0	8	117.04	56
7	Essendon	22	12	1	9	106.34	50
8	Richmond	22	12	0	10	105.77	48
9	West Coast	22	11	0	11	116.86	44
10	Adelaide	22	11	0	11	114.05	44
11	Collingwood	22	11	0	11	94.14	44
12	Gold Coast	22	10	0	12	93.74	40
13	Carlton	22	7	1	14	89.75	30
14	Bulldogs	22	7	0	15	81.95	28
15	Brisbane	22	7	0	15	69.26	28
16	Greater Western Sydney	22	6	0	16	76.72	24
17	Melbourne	22	4	0	18	68.37	16
18	St Kilda	22	4	0	18	60.76	16

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

‘Hard to see Boomer playing prelim’

Jon Ralph discusses the clash between Brent Harvey and Joel Selwood during Friday night's AFL semi-final between Geelong and North Melbourne.

Brent Harvey and Joel Selwood had a running battle all night. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

AS much as it's unpalatable and seemingly unfair, it is difficult to see how North Melbourne's Brent Harvey can avoid being suspended for this week's preliminary final.

Everyone by now should understand the stricter bump rule — if you choose to bump and make forceful head contact, even accidentally, then you're responsible for the consequences.

LET BOOMER PLAY: ARCHER

KANGAROOS ESCAPE CATS COMEBACK

Harvey chose to jump and bump Joel Selwood when the ball wasn't even in the vicinity. Not a wise decision.

North Melbourne have won a thrilling AFL semi-final against Geelong, holding on for a six point victory.

Yes, you could argue the head clash wasn't forceful, but a key opposition leader and playmaker was forced off the ground with blood streaming from an eyebrow cut. Not a good look.

Geelong's compulsory medical report to the AFL match review panel will state how Selwood had to be stitched up during the half-time break. Not a good read.

Even with the lowest rough conduct gradings of negligent conduct with low impact, Harvey attracts 125 demerit points. With a clean record, he pleads guilty and escapes with a reprimand.

Do you think Brent Harvey will be suspended?

Alas, he's lumbered with 41 carry-over points and a 10 per cent bad record loading from the three-game suspension from his Round 21 misconduct offence.

The 25 per cent discount for an early guilty plead would still leave him with 137 points and an automatic one-match ban. Only a successful tribunal challenge to, perhaps, question Selwood's eyebrow scar tissue would allow him to play against the Swans.

You have to feel for the popular Kangaroo, but he had been warned.

* Bruce Matthews has been covering the VFL/AFL tribunal for more than 20 years.

Originally published as 'Hard to see Boomer playing prelim'

20.11 | 0 komentar | Read More