Here follows the AFL news list for this week.

1 PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)

AFL (Round 18):
Friday July 21
Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm; Curtain Raiser – NGA v SANFL Junior Diversity Team, 5.15pm

Saturday July 22
Essendon v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 1.45pm
Melbourne v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 2.10pm
Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns at Cazalys Stadium, 4.35pm; Curtain Raiser – North Queensland v South Queensland, 1.40pm
Fremantle v Hawthorn at Domain Stadium, 5.40pm; Curtain Raiser – Freo Dockers Cup, 3.10pm
Sydney Swans v St Kilda at the SCG, 7.25pm; Curtain Raiser (NEAFL) – Sydney Swans v NT Thunder, 3.45pm

Sunday July 23
Richmond v GWS Giants at the MCG, 1.10pm
Collingwood v West Coast at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm
Brisbane Lions v Carlton at the Gabba, 4.40pm; Curtain Raiser (NEAFL) – Brisbane Lions v Redland, 1pm


2 IMPENDING MILESTONES

550 father / son games – Gary Ablett senior / Gary Ablett junior. Gary junior is due to play his 302nd game this week, after father Gary senior played 248 games for Hawthorn and the Geelong Cats. The pair will become the fifth in VFL/AFL history to reach 550 games by a father/son pair. The most games by a father/son pair are Fletcher (664 games comprising 264 games for Ken and 400 games for Dustin), Tuck (599 games comprising 426 games for Michael and 173 games for Shane), Cloke (585 games comprising 333 games for David and 252 games for Travis), Silvagni (551 games comprising 239 games for Sergio and 312 games for Stephen), Ablett (549 games comprising 248 games for Gary senior and 301 games for Gary junior), Watson (521 games comprising 307 games for Tim and 214 games for Jobe), Scarlett (496 games comprising 212 games for John and 284 games for Matthew), Murphy (476 games comprising 246 games for John and 230 games for Marc), Whitten (465 games comprising 321 games for Ted snr and 144 games for Ted jnr), Tuck (446 games comprising 426 games for Michael and 20 games for Travis).

300 Games Coached – Alastair Clarkson, Hawthorn. Alastair will become the eighth person in VFL/AFL history to coach 300 games at one club behind Jock McHale (714 games with Collingwood); Kevin Sheedy (635 games with Essendon); Dick Reynolds (415 games with Essendon); David Parkin (355 games with Carlton); Allan Jeans (333 games with St Kilda); Norm Smith (307 games with Melbourne) and Reg Hickey (304 games with Geelong).

300 games umpired – Matthew Nicholls
200 games – Josh Kennedy, West Coast
200 games umpired – Troy Pannell
150 games – Lachlan Henderson, Geelong Cats
150 games – Luke Shuey, West Coast
150 games – Jack Watts, Melbourne
100 club games / 100 games at two clubs – Danyle Pearce, Fremantle
100 games – Charlie Dixon, Port Adelaide
100 games – Elliot Yeo, West Coast
100 consecutive games – Eddie Betts, Adelaide Crows. Eddie is due to play his 100th consecutive game this week since round 11, 2013.
100 consecutive games – Shaun Burgoyne, Hawthorn. Shaun is due to play his 100th consecutive game this week since round 19, 2013.
50 games – Jake Lever, Adelaide Crows
50 games – Tom Boyd, Western Bulldogs


3 TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

The expected process for the 2017 AFL Season under the AFL Match Review system is that the AFL will issue a media release late on the Monday after each round detailing the penalties to be offered to players for incidents from that round of matches, or the reasons why no further action was to be taken.

The clubs and players then have until 11am on the Tuesday morning to decide whether to accept the penalty on offer, or whether they wish to contest the charge at a Tribunal hearing, to usually be held on the Tuesday night. The AFL will formally detail all instances on the Tuesday of whether cases will proceed to the Tribunal or not.

The following players were reported from the weekend’s matches:

Taylor Walker, Adelaide Crows, reported by umpire Brett Rosebury for striking Jordan Lewis, Melbourne, during the first quarter of the Round 17 match between the Adelaide Crows and Melbourne, played at TIO Stadium on Saturday July 15, 2017.

Bernie Vince, Melbourne, reported by umpire Chris Donlon for making forceful contact from front-on against Richard Douglas, Adelaide Crows, during the second quarter of the Round 17 match between Melbourne and the Adelaide Crows, played at TIO Stadium on Saturday July 15, 2017.

Nick Robertson, Brisbane Lions, reported by umpire Leigh Fisher for head butting Trent Cotchin, Richmond, during the third quarter of the Round 17 match between the Brisbane Lions and Richmond, played at Etihad Stadium on Sunday July 16, 2017.


4 TRIBUNAL HEARING LOCATION

The AFL Tribunal is held in the AFL media room on Level LB2 at Etihad Stadium. The AFL wishes to advise that all media covering the Tribunal hearings at Etihad Stadium need to park in the B2 car park (entry off the Bourke St extension) and report to the Etihad Stadium security office to gain admittance via the internal ring road. There will be no access via AFL House to any AFL Tribunal hearing through the season, as our offices will have closed by 6pm each day.


5 CURRENTLY SUSPENDED PLAYERS

The AFL wishes to advise the players that have completed and currently serving MRP suspensions across the competition are as follows:

Completed:
Cam McCarthy, Fremantle. Two matches from round 15.
Jimmy Webster, St Kilda. Two matches from round 15.
Easton Wood, Western Bulldogs. One match from round 16.
Levi Greenwood, Collingwood. One match from round 16.

Currently Suspended:
Tomas Bugg, Melbourne. Four matches to serve. Six matches from round 15.
Bachar Houli, Richmond. One match to serve. Four matches from round 14.
Tim Membrey, St Kilda. One match to serve. Two matches from round 16.


6 UPGRADED ROOKIES

As a reminder to all media, the following players have been upgraded to senior lists under the provisions of the pre-season / mid-season nominated rookie rules:
Collingwood – Henry Schade (pre-season).
Collingwood – Josh Thomas (mid-season).
Essendon – Shaun McKernan (mid-season).
Gold Coast Suns – Ryan Davis (mid-season).
GWS Giants – Daniel Lloyd (pre-season).
GWS Giants – Sam Reid (pre-season).
GWS Giants – Jake Stein (mid-season).
Melbourne – Joel Smith (mid-season).
North Melbourne – Cameron Zurhaar (mid-season)
Port Adelaide – Brett Eddy (pre-season).
Port Adelaide – Dan Houston (pre-season).
St Kilda – Rowan Marshall (mid-season).
West Coast – Fraser McInnes (mid-season).


7 LONG TERM INJURY LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following changes have been made to club lists via the long-term injury list rules;

The GWS Giants have placed Adam Kennedy on the long-term injury list and upgraded Zach Sproule from the rookie list as his replacement.


8 KEY DATES, NAB AFL TRADE PERIOD / DRAFT PROCESS

Please find below the INDICATIVE key dates for the 2017 season around club list requirements, NAB AFL Trade Period and the NAB AFL Draft Process:

Tuesday 3 October – Friday 6 October – AFL Draft Combine
Friday 6 October - AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period Commences
Monday 9 October 9am - NAB AFL Trade Period Commences
Saturday 14 October - South Australian Draft Combine
Sunday 15 October - West Australian Draft Combine
Sunday 15 October 5pm - Close of AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period.
Wednesday 18 October - AFL Restricted Free Agency Matching Offer Three-Day Period Ends
Thursday 19 October 2pm – NAB AFL Trade Period Closes
Friday 20 October 5pm - Application to Relist a Player Close
Tuesday 31 October 2pm - List Lodgement (1) ; Rookie Promotion to Primary List; Retained 2nd & 3rd Year Rookies; International Scholarship Player; Alternate Talent Player Nominations; Club Notification of Rookie Players Not Accepting a Contract of Offer; Nomination of Draft Eligible Father/Son; Northern Academy, Next Generation Academy Players Lodged; TPP Pre-Season Estimates (1).
Wednesday 1 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (1) Commences
Wednesday 8 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (1) Closes, Out of Contract Listed AFL Primary List Players Draft Nomination Form and Player Request for Removal from List Form Lodged with AFL
Thursday 9 November 2pm - List Lodgement (2); TPP Pre-Season Estimates (2)
Friday 10 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Commences
Friday 17 November 2pm - Delisted Primary List Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Non–Retained Rookie Players Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Players Not Registered or Played for Three years Rookie List Form lodgement; New or Expired (after 3 years) Draft Nomination Form Lodgement, AFL Father-Son Bidding Nominations, Final Draft Nomination Form Lodgement.
Friday 17 November 5pm - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Closes
Friday 24 November - NAB AFL Draft Selection Meeting (Sydney, time and location tbc) including Father/Son & Academy Players Bidding.
Saturday 25 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (3) Commences
Sunday 26 November 2pm - AFL Delisted Free Agency Period (3) Concludes
Monday 27 November - AFL Club List Lodgement (3).
Monday 27 November 5pm - NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting (Telstra Webex)
Monday 27 November 5.05pm - Notification of Pre-Selected Rookies if not selected in the Pre-Season Draft.
Monday 27 November 5.10pm - NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection Meeting (Telstra Webex)
Wednesday 29 November 2pm - Final AFL Club List Lodgement; Final TPP Pre-Season Estimates


9 AFL PHOTOGRAPHER ONFIELD VESTS

For all accredited photographers for the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, only those with an on-field vest may access the playing surface inside the boundary line for the quarter breaks and post-game when players are leaving the field. All other photographers must remain between the fence and boundary line under the accreditation terms. 2017 on-field vests are fluro green with 2017 on back (accredited organisations), dark blue (AFL photos) and light blue (club/AFL social media).


10 2017 NAB AFL DRAFT – TRADED FUTURE SELECTIONS / DRAFT PENALTY

As a reminder to all media, the following selections at this year’s 2017 NAB AFL Draft were traded during last year’s trade period.

Round One:
Brisbane Lions, received from Port Adelaide.
St Kilda, received from Hawthorn.
Richmond, received from the Geelong Cats, via Carlton and GWS Giants’ on-trades.

Round Two:
Geelong Cats, received from Carlton.
Gold Coast Suns, received from Fremantle.
Gold Coast Suns, received from Richmond.
Gold Coast Suns, received from Hawthorn.
GWS Giants, received from Collingwood.
GWS Giants, received from St Kilda.
Hawthorn, received from GWS Giants, via Carlton.

Round Three:
Brisbane Lions, received from Collingwood.
Collingwood, received from the Brisbane Lions.
Western Bulldogs, received from North Melbourne.
Richmond, received from the GWS Giants.
North Melbourne, received from the Western Bulldogs.

Round Four:
Collingwood, received from the Brisbane Lions.
Fremantle, received from the Gold Coast Suns.
St Kilda, received from North Melbourne, via Western Bulldogs on-trade.
North Melbourne, received from the Western Bulldogs.

Round Five
Western Bulldogs, received from St Kilda.

Further, the GWS Giants had a penalty of 1000 draft points imposed by the AFL Commission at a hearing in Melbourne on December 22, 2016.


11 2017 CLUB NEXT GENERATION ACADEMIES, 2017 DRAFT ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

The following players, who are registered with Club Next Generation Academies, are draft-age eligible for the 2017 NAB AFL Draft:
Carlton – Ethan Penrith (Reservoir); Artan Cabdi (Heidelberg Heights).
Essendon – Daniel Hanna (East Keilor).
Geelong Cats – Titak Nyak (Corio).
Hawthorn – Tony Olungu (Marrara); Changkuoth Jiath (Morwell); Bol Jok (Pakenham); Tyrone Hayes (Lakes Entrance).
Richmond – Derek Smith (Mildura); David Smith (Shepparton); Anthony Walker (Kialla).


12 MEDIA ENTRY TO THE MCG

The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) wishes to advise all media working at matches at the MCG they should enter the ground through Gate 3, unless they have underground parking for particular matches. Access control at the ground does not allow entry at Gate 2, for AFL accreditation passes. Further, the MCC also wishes to advise that any equipment being taken up to the host radio boxes or television broadcast boxes should be taken up via goods lift 8, and not the patron lifts 5-7.


13 MEDIA ENTRY TO ETIHAD STADIUM, PRIOR TO PUBLIC GATE TIMES / COLLECTION OF AFL RECORDS

All media who require entry to Etihad Stadium before public gates are open can do the following: Media may enter via Gate 9 from Level B3 (carpark) and Level 1 (concourse) one and a half hours prior to gate entry time. There will be a staff member at each entry point who will check AFL accreditation and will grant access to the Corporate Suites Level where they can access the Press Box, Radio Boxes and TV Broadcast area.