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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