HAWTHORN’S campaign for back-to-back premierships kicked off today as the players hit the training track for the the first time since their victorious grand final.
“It’s good to be back. We had a fairly good break, everyone got away and recharged the batteries and everyone came back and has been training really well so far, so positive signs,” said Hawks captain Sam Mitchell.
Mitchell said the players were doing everything they could to avoid a premiership hangover and said they would not enter the 2009 season with an arrogant attitude.
“I think if we had the attitude that we’re the hunted then we’d get beaten every week,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said premiership players who became complacent risked losing their spot in the senior line-up.
“We’ve got a very good strong group of probably 30-35 players that could have played on that last Saturday in September if injury or form or opposition had have gone a different way, so if you are resting and thinking you’re going ok because you played in it last year you’re probably going to get passed by someone that didn’t,” Mitchell said.
FootyHeads, Can the Hawks win back-to-back premierships?
Ben Cousins will return to the AFL next season as the most scrutinised player in the history of the game after being accepted back into the competition by the AFL commission this afternoon with a number of conditions set down upon him.
Cousins is now able to nominate to enter either the Pre-season or National Draft to return to the AFL with the front runners at this stage being St. Kilda and the Brisbane Lions.
In handing down the decision in Sydney this afternoon AFL ChiEf Executive, Andrew Demetriou outlined the conditions of Cousin’s return; “That Ben shall ensure that any Club to which he is drafted has an appropriate drug and alcohol management program in place for its players that has met the approval of the AFL Medical Officers prior to the National Draft Selection Meeting and Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting to be conducted in 2008.”
“That, from the date of this Resolution, an in addition to any testing under the AFL Illicit Drugs Policy or the AFL Anti-Doping Code, Ben will be subject to testing for illicit drugs by AFL or its representative as follows:
- Urine testing up to three times per week at the direction of the AFL or its representative;
- Hair testing up to 4 times during the year at the direction of the AFL or its representative.
- The results of these tests will be advised to the AFL Medical Officers and they will disclose these results to any AFL personnel they think appropriate.”
A statement is expected from Cousin’s management, Flying Start shortly and we will bring that to you here on Footyheads when it comes to hand.
RETIRING AFL greats will gather to honour one of their own when the second annual Madden Medal is awarded on Friday 5th December at Peninsula in Melbourne’s Docklands.
The AFL Players Association will hold the event to recognise the achievements of AFL players who retired in 2008.
Four awards will be presented on the day, including:
The Football Achievement Award (Received by Nathan Buckley and James Hird in 2007)
The Personal Development Award (Received by James Hird in 2007)
The Community Spirit Award (Received by Paul Licuria in 2007)
The Madden Medal (Received by Glenn Archer in 2007)
The Madden Medal will be presented to a departing player who demonstrated excellence in each of these categories and looks set to be hotly contested with possible nominees including Scott Burns, Shane Crawford and Robert Harvey.
The medal was named in honour of Simon and Justin Madden, both former premiership players and AFLPA presidents.
If you would like to join the celebrations call Stride Sports to book tickets on (03) 8623 2810.
FootyHeads, Who do you think deserves the 2008 Madden Medal?
COLLINGWOOD forward Anthony Rocca is on the verge of signing a new contract that would take him into his 13th season with the club.
The Pies veteran told the Herald Sun that he was close to finalising a one-year deal.
“I am in the process of nutting out a one-year contract and whether I am still good enough to keep going after that, we will see how my year goes,” Rocca said.
Rocca is widely tipped to head to America and follow in his brother Saverio’s footsteps and seek a punting career in the NFL but says he has not considered his life after AFL yet.
“If I feel the body can go again and the club wants me to go again, I will play. I want to get everything possible out of my body in the AFL scene,” Rocca said.
“Once I have done that, well that’s when I will move on.
“In a sense I am playing like this is my last year, because I don’t know where next year will take me,” he said.
Rocca made a solid start to the 2008 season, featuring in seven of the Pies’ first 12 games before succumbing to a recurrence of foot fractures. He sat out the remainder of the season but said his recovery is on track.
“I haven’t joined in main group (training) but it won’t be too far off. I am doing a little bit of running on specific days and before Christmas I am going to be on a pretty modified program and after that I should be full steam ahead,” Rocca said.
FootyHeads, How many years do you think Anthony Rocca has left in him?
SPECULATION is mounting as to who will take over from Adam Simpson as the captain of North Melbourne after the club’s third-longest serving skipper announced yesterday that he would step down from the position.
Simpson relinquished the captaincy but will play on next year in circumstances reminiscent of his predecessor Anthony Stevens, who stood down at the end of 2003 but played on for another year.
The names that have been bandied about to succeed Simpson include Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Brady Rawlings, Daniel Pratt and Michael Firrito and the club is set to make the appointment by the end of the month.
According to The Age, Harvey, 30, is the front runner for the role and is well-practiced in such a role after leading the Australian team in the recent International Rules series.
With a young emerging list, North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley said they are open to appointing a young captain who could develop into a long-term leader, an indication that they would be willing to take a punt on Petrie, 26, or Pratt, 25.
Simpson’s successor will have big shoes to fill, with the Kangaroos making the finals in three of the five season he lead the team, including a preliminary final in 2007.
FootyHeads: Who should North Melbourne appoint as their captain for 2009?
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has left open the possibility of state of origin returning to the football calendar.
Demetriou and president of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Nickey Brennan, have agreed on a three-year fixture, which includes a test series in Australia one year, in Ireland the next, and the third year of the cycle is to be left empty.
Speaking yesterday, Demetriou admitted that, whilst a decision is yet to be made, he would consider the state of origin.
“I started to think about that sort of option when we agreed that it would be better to have a two-year cycle,” the CEO said.
“We’re obviously concerned about player welfare issues and the drain (from) the number games all of our players are playing.”
The final game of the two-test series is to be played at the MCG this Friday night, with Ireland holding a one-point aggregate lead.
FOOTYHEADS: Are you going to be at the ‘G for the decider?
AFL legend Kevin Sheedy is proposing a significant change to the salary cap system that he believes will expand the talent pool in the league going forward as expansion looms.
At the launch of his book Stand Your Ground, yesterday at the MCG, Sheedy said he believes the salaries of indigenous players should be exempt from the salary cap.
The plan would not only ensure the talent is not watered down when the proposed Gold Coast and West Sydney teams come into the league, but it would also encourage more indigenous players to join the league.
“Maybe we need to look at a new rule, and that new rule, from about 2010 onwards, where you would be able to recruit any indigenous player in this country and he would be on the list and his salary would not be included in the salary cap,” Sheedy said.
“That would be a tremendous boon for clubs that are worried about losing their quality players.”
It is understood that the plan has reached AFL House, with game development manager Dave Matthews saying the proposal has some merit.
“It’s just a typical example of the way Kevin thinks laterally about it,” he said.
“We’ve got to expand our talent pool, so we welcome any ideas that are put forward.”
NORTH Melbourne has overnight joined the other nine Victorian sides by handing back equal voting rights to all of its members.
The move comes after 22 years of private ownership and a structure that displeased the AFL enough to threaten to cut funding to the club.
“The AFL have made it very clear repeatedly that unless we do it, they’re not going to fund us,” chairman James Brayshaw said last night.
“They said to us, ‘We’re prepared to help you with it, more than happy to help you with it, but you can’t be privately owned’. That’s been a very consistent message right the way from the end of last year.”
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said yesterday that it was a move that needed to be made by the Kangaroos.
“I wish the club well and I think they can take a huge leap forward after tonight with our support because I think it’s a positive move for the club,” he said.
The meeting of around 350 members took less than 30 minutes to come to the decision to hand back power to the members, with just the one member voting against the motion.
THE Western Bulldogs have added to their off-field ranks, yesterday announcing the signing of international triathlon coach Bill Davoren.
Davoren will assume the position of head of physical conditioning when he commences at Whitten Oval on November 5.
Davoren ended his six-year stint as Triathlon Australia’s national performance director after this year’s Beijing Olympics.
“This is a very exciting challenge, being involved within the AFL has been a long term goal,” Davoren said in a statement released by the club yesterday.
TRADITIONALLY AFL footballers who fly stateside to try their luck at a punting career in the NFL do so at the end of their playing days in Australia but Prokick Australia is set to reverse this sequence and are targeting youngsters, The Age reports.
“For the 1500 kids who don’t get drafted next month, and their AFL dream might be over, there’s still an avenue to play top-line sport, in America, and get an education with it,” Prokick Australia’s Nathan Chapman said.
“There’s 400 colleges offering scholarships. We want to be sending kids to college to get four years of experience and a good education and have them ready at 24 years of age to play NFL.
“We want to get a Sav Rocca at 24, not at 34,” he said.
Chapman is well versed in the transition from AFL to NFL, having been signed as a punter by Green Bay in 2004 after he hung up his AFL boots in 2000.
He was given his marching orders after eight months with the Packers, only two weeks before the first game, but has since identified a hole in the market and is looking to use his technical knowledge to nurture young hopefuls.
Chapman will show videos of his proteges to college scouts and is confident four or five of them will be signed by Christmas.
GEELONG defender Josh Hunt is looking forward to taking the field in the second test of the International Rules series on Friday night but concedes he has a lot of catching up to do to match the round ball skills of his teammates.
“You might have to have a chat to me in about half-an-hour after I’ve had a kick of one. I haven’t kicked on yet,” Hunt said yesterday.
“I’m sure it’s a different kettle of fish than kicking the oval one.
“It’s a bit daunting actually,” he said.
Hunt received the call-up after his Cats teammate Max Rooke withdrew with an illness on the weekend and is keen to join the national line-up.
“At the moment I’m not too sure what my role is, so I’m here to have a kick around and enjoy it and whatever happens, happens,” Hunt said.
“It’s always an honour to wear those (representative) jumpers and obviously try to do it proud,” he said.
AMID threats that out-of-condition Carlton players would be subjected to peer pressure tactics, the young crop of Blues have returned in better shape than last year, according to coach Brett Ratten.
Sixteen of the club’s first to third year players returned to pre-season training yesterday and underwent a skin-fold test and medical examination before hitting the track.
“I think last year we might have come back a little bit not in the correct manner, you could say,” Ratten said yesterday.
“So far the boys that have come back have been in tip-top shape. Nearly every player has bettered their skin-fold or the target that was set for them,” he said.
Ratten said the club’s decision to stagger the return of its players allowed the coaching staff more one-on-one time with the younger players.
“I suppose for the coaches that are here and for myself to get that week with the young blokes, 16 players, you get a lot more one-on-one with them,” Ratten said.
“You just start that relationship again, talk about what the expectation from my point of view is for them this year and what they need to do through this 10-week period,” he said.
VICE-CAPTAIN Campbell Brown has conceded that his bump on Friday night that saw him yellow-carded in the first test of the International Rules series was outside of the rules.
Brown was forced to sit out the last ten minutes of the match after the fourth-quarter incident in which he heavily shepherded Ireland’s Finian Hanley.
“I’ve got a pretty good understanding now - you’re allowed to bump, but you’ve got to be side-to-side,” Brown said yesterday.
“On the night I thought it was alright, but looking back on the replay, it was probably borderline,” he said.
Campbell is keen to strap on the boots again this Friday for the second test at the MCG after the match control committee decided to take no further action.
“The referee made the right decision and I copped my whack (and) I’m glad I’m playing this Friday night,” Brown said.
While Brown’s incident came under the wrath of officials, the crowd at Subiaco Oval showed their appreciation for Brown with a standing ovation.
“It was a little bit loud, it’s probably the only time I will get a standing ovation in Subiaco,” Brown said.
BRISBANE Lion hard nut Jonathan Brown has been selected to lead his team in a sole captaincy role next year.
After sharing the duties with Luke Power, Simon Black and Nigel Lappin for a number of years, the Lions yesterday announced the decision to scrap the multi-captain system.
“It’s a great honour - I don’t know how to put words to it,” Brown said yesterday.
“I’m thrilled to be the captain - I’ve obviously been co-captain for the last couple of years and that’s been a great honour.
“I’m the official figurehead now of the playing group, but my philosophy is to try to be the same the whole way through. Your actions are always going to be the thing that will make you a good captain,” he said.
New coach Michael Voss, who emerged as sole captain in 2001 one in similar fashion after sharing the duties with Alastair Lynch, said it was a hard decision.
“I think that there’s a lot of qualities that Browny’s universally admired for, and when you’re looking at those things, okay, well, who lives them the absolute best?” Voss said.
“And you’re splitting hairs, really.
“But I think that for all the reasons that factor into it - not just on-field ability, but the face of our football club, who that’s going to be … so I couldn’t give you a specific answer because it is a pretty large, encompassing role, I believe,” Voss said.
TELSTRA Dome will be no longer in 2009, following a major new deal today by United Arab Emirates airline Etihad Airways.
The Docklands arena, as of March next year, will be officially named Etihad Stadium.
Ground boss Ian Collins says footy fans will take time to adjust to the new name.
‘’It might take footy fans a while to get used to saying Etihad Stadium,'’ Collins said. ‘’But not too long, it’ll soon become part of Melbourne’s sporting vernacular.'’
The contract is for five years and will have the opportunity to be extended for further years.
FootyHeads, will you still refer to it as the ‘Dome’?
JUST when the players at Windy Hill thought they were safe, the Bombers have wielded the axe again, adding youngster Tom Hislop to the five players already delisted by the club.
Hislop, who was picked up by the Bombers with pick 20 in the 2006 draft, joins Damien Peverill, Andrew Lee, Courtney Johns and rookies Dean Dick and Danny Chartres to be dropped by the club, as reported by afl.com.au.
Hislop had an injury-plagued season, battling wrist, hip, shoulder and groin complaints, and managed only four senior games and six VFL matches.
In other news from the Bombers, 2008 rookie Jarrod Atkinson has been promoted to the senior list.
ST KILDA has plans to bolster their forward line but will look to youngster Jarryd Allen rather than axed Sydney Swan Nick Davis to fill the void.
As reported earlier on FootyHeads, the Saints delisted seven players yesterday, including Charlie Gardiner, Jayden Attard, Matthew Ferguson, Michael Rix, Shane Birss, Glenn Chivers and Luke van Reenan.
The Saints are confident Allen has the potential to develop into a key component of the side’s forward structure.
St Kilda had hoped Gardiner would step up to this role when he was recruited from Geelong last year but, in the wake of the delistings, the club said they would look to the next generation of Saints rather than trying to lure Davis.
“Probably not with where we’re heading. There’s no doubt a player like Nick, in terms of a lead-up forward, you probably can’t have enough of them,” Saints general manager of football and list management Matthew Drain said on Melbourne sports radio station SEN today.
“Structure is important and Charlie Gardiner did play an important role in our structure, but we think that Jarryd Allen can fill that role reasonably well.
“He got injured in the finals, but he’s one that we’d like to invest more games into.
“That’s our plan, but essentially we are looking to the draft to recruit young players,” he said.
In accordance with this plan, Drain said the club would seek to develop young players rather than poach recycled players.
CARLTON players have been told to shape up or ship out, literally.
The Herald Sun reports that coach Brett Ratten has warned all players that there will be severe repercussions for anyone who returns from the break overweight or unfit.
The playing group has been divided into groups of three and if one player returns to the first training session out of condition then all three members of their group will be forced to train with the Blues’ VFL affiliate the Northern Bullants.
Only when the player meets the stipulated fitness requirements will the group be allowed to rejoin Carlton’s main training sessions.
Ratten has implemented the new system in the wake of individuals returning to training unprepared in previous years.
“I thought last year we didn’t come back in the greatest physical condition and I have told them and warned them, if that’s our big stepping stone, that we need to get a really big start,” Ratten said.
“They are grouped in threes, so if the players don’t come back in the physical condition that is required, all of the three will train at a different venue at a different time,” he said.
Vice-captain Nick Stevens has previously been forced to undergo extra training sessions and intensive boxing programs after conceding he returned from the end of season break overweight in 2006 and 2008.
The players will returned to training in staggered groups with the first-third year players resuming on Monday while the fourth-seventh year players have an extra week off and will recommence training on November 10.
