Parkin to help judge Voss
THE BRISBANE Lions have confirmed four-time premiership coach David Parkin will join former Adelaide football manager John Reid on a special panel to assess Michael Voss and his coaching team.

On Monday, The Courier-Mail reported a "high-profile football identity" would join this panel, saying industry sources suggested former Carlton and Brisbane Bears coach Robert Walls would be the man.

However, on Tuesday, The Courier-Mail and The Age reported the Lions had confirmed Parkin's appointment to the panel.

Parkin is not only a four-time premiership coach (one with Hawthorn and three with Carlton), he is also the AFL Coaches' Association president.

His appointment to the panel, alongside Reid, Lions football manager Dean Warren, chairman Angus Johnson and director and former chairman Graham Downie, follows Reid's independent review of the Lions' football department last year that sparked a significant personnel overhaul.

Lions chief executive Malcolm Holmes told The Courier-Mail Parkin's appointment should not be misconstrued as a sign Voss, who comes out of contract at the end of this season, had lost the club's faith.

"It's not a show of no confidence, none whatsoever," Holmes said.

The panel will reportedly make its judgment on Voss and his coaching team as early as next month.

Age chief football writer Caroline Wilson echoed previous reports, saying the panel is likely to recommend Voss be offered a contract extension but could recommend changes to his team of assistants, with the addition of an experienced mentor one possibility.

This seems the most likely, and most sensible, result.

Yes, Voss badly overestimated the quality of his club's list after guiding the Lions to a semi-final in his first season at the helm.

Yes, he resembled a kid in a lolly shop during the 2009 trade period, dispensing with draft picks in exchange for a raft of experienced players such as Brendan Fevola, Brent Staker, Amon Buchanan, Andrew Raines and Xavier Clarke.

Yes, that strategy has since proven a failure and, worse still, both directly and indirectly, led to the exodus of experienced players Jared Brennan, Michael Rischitelli, Justin Sherman and Daniel Bradshaw.

But Voss has learnt from it, quickly shifting his focus to a youth-based rebuild that has unearthed a promising core of youngsters headed by Mitch Clark, Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff and Jack Redden.

Although his mistakes of the past should not be forgotten, Voss deserves to be judged on what he can bring to the Lions from 2012 onwards. 

The reinvention of Walker and Motlop
At the end of last season, Andrew Walker and Daniel Motlop were on the outer at their respective clubs.

Carlton and Port Adelaide put both on the trade table but when there were no takers - at least not at an acceptable price - Walker and Motlop had to stay put, their only option to attempt to win back the faith they'd lost in recent seasons.

Walker, in particular, has done so spectacularly this season.

Recast as a leading forward after spending most of his previous seven seasons in the midfield and defence, Walker has been a revelation in 2011, kicking 25.10 from the Blues' first 10 games, including a career-best six goals against Port Adelaide on Sunday night.

Walker's athleticism has never been in doubt - Carlton chief executive Greg Swann told the Herald Sun he wins the Blues' distance runs and sprints - but his early career was dogged by serious shoulder injuries and he subsequently struggled to find an on-field niche.

Those struggles now seem behind Walker as the Herald Sun reports he has entered talks with Carlton on a new two-year deal.

Swann told the tabloid the Blues were thrilled with Walker's form in 2011 and the No.2 pick in the 2003 NAB AFL Draft had indicated he was happy to stay at Visy Park.

Swann said he hoped the deal would be finalised in the next month.

Meanwhile, Motlop's return to the Port Adelaide fold has not been so smooth.

As the Power have struggled in 2011, so too did Motlop in his customary forward role. Although he kicked 14 goals from his first six games, too often Motlop did not marry his freakish talents with the work rate required at AFL level.

However, like Walker, a role change seems to have reinvigorated Motlop.

Recast as a defensive playmaker in recent weeks, Motlop has shown he has more tricks in his bag than just freakish snaps for goal.

Port coach Matthew Primus told The Advertiser Motlop had shown he could play defensively and also play a part in  improving the Power's ball movement from defence.

Primus said in today's game it was hard for someone to play as a permanent forward, so it was important Motlop had the flexibility to adapt to other roles.
Hopefully, he can be as successful in his new role as Walker has been in his.  

In defence of Pavlich
Herald Sun chief football writer Mike Sheahan had Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich in his sights on Tuesday.

Sheahan posed this question: "Am I hard on Matthew Pavlich, as Gerard Healy and Dennis Cometti like to tell me, or does his record flatter him?"

Sheahan acknowledged Pavlich's record as a five-time best and fairest winner was outstanding, but said it was "the record of an outstanding player in a team of modest returns".

In support, Sheahan said Pavlich had not been able to lift Fremantle higher than fourth on the ladder in his 12 seasons at the club and had shown "a certain fragility… in the big games". This fragility was characterised by missed shots at goal and poor first and last quarters, Sheahan said.

On this basis, Sheahan said Pavlich did not deserve to be rated alongside great leaders such as Wayne Carey, Michael Voss, James Hird and Mark Ricciuto. 

Sheahan's criticism was sparked by Pavlich's disappointing recent form, including a moderate 15-possession game in Freo's fadeout loss to Hawthorn on Sunday.

After averaging 30 disposals a game in Fremantle's first six this season, Pavlich has averaged just 22 in the four games since.

But veteran Fremantle defender Antoni Grover has defended his captain in The West Australian.

Grover told the paper Pavlich was a "champion" and would bounce back.

"I know Matthew Pavlich's character and he's a terrific leader of the club and he works really hard," Grover said. "He will definitely turn it around."

It would seem the only way Pavlich can prove to his critics he is a great leader in the mould of Carey, Voss, Hird and Ricciuto is to lead Freo to sustained finals success.

At 29, and with his young side a strong chance to build on its 2010 semi-final appearance in coming seasons, Pavlich should still get his chance. 
 
In short
Advertiser chief football writer Michelangelo Rucci says Port Adelaide have become the AFL's "Turnover Dunces" in 2011. As the Power announced they would spend the two weeks either side of their round 12 bye working on their skills, Rucci said Port's ability to retain the ball this season had been "very poor".  

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire said reigning club best and fairest winner Kieren Jack may have to return via the Swans reserves after missing a month with an ankle injury, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Longmire joked that Jack had not taken the news well: "Being the reigning best and fairest winner, he thought he may have had a gold card."

Although Adelaide coach Neil Craig is feeling most of the heat following the Crows' poor start to 2011, the Advertiser reports midfield coach Scott Camporeale and ruck coach Matthew Clarke would also come under scrutiny this week over the Crows' misfiring midfield division.

Rookie Luke Dahlhaus is in contention to be elevated to the Western Bulldogs' list and make his AFL debut against St Kilda on Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.