THREE seasons ago Carlton players wore wristbands with a simple message that became their mantra that season.
Media Watch is a family-friendly column so we can't reprint that message verbatim, but essentially it was a reminder to "harden … up".
But, as recently as last year, the Blues hierarchy still held concerns their players' intensity and attack on opposition ball carriers was lacking.
But instead of wrist bands, this time they turned to one of only five Brazilian jujitsu black belts in the world.
A man who has served as a bodyguard for names such as US General Norman Schwarzkopf, former South African president Nelson Mandela, former US boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, supermodel Naomi Campbell and our own Kylie Minogue.
The Herald Sun reports the man in question, John Donehue, has toughened the Blues up with tackling and grappling sessions.
"They're very confronting but very rewarding for the players," Carlton football manager Steven Icke said of Donehue's sessions.
Donehue worked with other AFL clubs, including Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions, before Carlton cornered his services, although he still works for NRL side Melbourne Storm.
An unnamed official from another AFL club told Herald Sun reporter Sam Edmund Carlton's players would have been shocked by Donehue's sessions, which they said were "some of the most brutal things I have ever seen".
The official said Donehue was "a genuinely nice bloke, almost your smiling assassin type."
"He's all calm, but you know at the back of your mind that this bloke could kill you with a single move."
Although many AFL clubs use boxing to boost their players' physical confidence, Edmund said Carlton had employed Donehue's methods on the basis footballers can't box on the field, but can tackle.
Edmund said this season's tackling statistics suggested Donehue's sessions were having the desired effect: the Blues are ranked second in the competition for tackles, averaging 74 a game; and equal first, with Collingwood, for tackles inside 50m, averaging 15.5 a game.
Two years ago, the Blues bragged: "They know we're coming".
Although that may have been premature, it's fair to say, the Blues are coming in 2011 and are armed with more than just novelty wristbands.
GWS Watch
There was good news for Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and Melbourne supporters in GWS Watch on Friday.
The news for Bulldogs and Kangaroos supporters was the best kind - their young stars Callan Ward and Ryan Bastinac want to say put.
Ward told the Herald Sun he had no plans to leave the Bulldogs, despite his manager Paul Connors' comments last week that the Giants would likely make him one of their main targets.
"I've loved the club ever since I started here," Ward, 21, said.
"I was born in the western suburbs and I want to stay here. I see no reason to move.
"I just want to work out a deal with the Dogs and hopefully move on."
Ward told the tabloid's Glenn McFarlane he hoped a new deal with the Bulldogs could be sorted out "sooner rather than later", saying their facilities were as good as any in the competition.
Given Ward bought a house in Altona North a year ago and his family live nearby in the western suburbs, Bulldogs supporters are entitled to feel confident they'll keep their man.
It seems North supporters can also be confident they'll hang onto Bastinac. The 20-year-old Roo midfielder told the Herald Sun he would sign with North next season.
"My future is here," Bastinac said. "I'm happy at North... I'm loving every minute of it."
Bastinac is not so sure about what his good mate Scully will do. The two played together with TAC Cup side Dandenong Stingrays and, although Bastinac does not know whether Scully will join GWS or stay at Melbourne, he says Scully has probably already made up his mind.
"He will definitely make the right decision for him and the footy club," Bastinac said.
Media Watch is not sure Demons supporters would regard Scully deciding to become a Giant as the "right" decision. But if the worst does come to pass, the blow will be softened somewhat, according to Jake Niall's report in Friday's Age.
If Scully leaves, Niall said the Demons would likely receive similar compensation to that Geelong received when Gary Ablett joined Gold Coast.
Niall said there was a "strong perception" among the clubs Melbourne would receive just one first-round pick as compensation for Scully.
Geelong received two first-round compensatory picks for Ablett in a formula that calculated, among other things, his achievements, age and the Suns' contract offer.
Scully, 20, obviously does not boast Ablett's many individual accolades and two premierships. But Niall said his youth - he is seven years younger than Ablett - standing as a No.1 draft pick and a speculated Giants contract offer of $800,000-$1 million a year for five years meant he could be worth two first-round picks to the Demons.
This would be cold comfort for Demons supporters, but some comfort at least.
Wood's brother gives perspective
As hard as life has been for him and the Western Bulldogs in 2011, Easton Wood's elder brother has helped keep things in perspective for him.
Wood seemed ready for a breakout season in defence this year after a standout pre-season, but an ankle injury in round one sidelined him until round nine.
We all know life this season has not treated the Bulldogs any more kindly. After 12 rounds, the 2008-10 preliminary finalists sit 14th on the ladder with just three wins, over the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast and Richmond.
But Wood told The Age his hardships had been trivial compared to those of his brother McLeod, who was, until recently, serving with the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan.
"The current spot we're in, it's bloody tough," Wood, 21, told the broadsheet.
"But then you think, I finish here and go home to my bed, there's no one shooting at me, I won't drive over a mine on the way home."
For Wood, the deaths of four Australian servicemen in the past fortnight - bringing the total lost in the Afghanistan campaign to 27 - have only rammed home the dangers McLeod faced.
"You hear it on the news and think: 'Jeez, I'm glad it's not my brother'," Wood said.
"You feel so much for the poor families - you know it’s your worst nightmare getting that call, seeing it on the news."
But McLeod, 24, has dreamt of serving his country, from the time he rifled through his uncle's army chest, heard about his grandfather's stories of serving in the navy in World War II and befriended the old Diggers at the local RSL.
After completing a scholarship at the Australian Defence Force Academy and a year at Duntroon, McLeod emerged as Lieutenant Wood.
In February this year, McLeod flew out of Darwin bound for Afghanistan. As a cavalry troop leader, McLeod had up to 250 men under his charge, their job to protect the infantry as they moved through local villages.
"We're basically the big guns who, if something happens, we take over the fight and help them get through it," McLeod said.
His tour of duty was punctuated by a serious scare. McLeod's light-armoured vehicle drove over a mine one day. It detonated but the full charge of the explosives did not go off.
"It shakes you up a bit … that should have been the end of it," McLeod said.
Wood put the bravery of McLeod and the rest of our service men and women in its proper perspective: "I'm proud to have him as a brother - to have people who are willing to do that is pretty special."
In short
Jarryd Roughead is confident he will make a full recovery from his ruptured achilles tendon. The 24-year-old Hawthorn star told Channel Nine's The Footy Show he was not concerned ex-players Anthony Rocca (Collingwood) and Russell Robertson (Melbourne) had not recaptured their best form after returning from similar injuries, saying he had age on his side. Rocca and Robertson were 29 at the time of their injuries.
Channel 10 is still in the running to televise AFL games from 2012-16, The Herald Sun reports. While Channel Seven has already secured the free-to-air broadcast rights for the next five years for a reported $475 million, the tabloid says Ten is "edging closer" to meeting Seven's demands for a share of those four games.
Port Adelaide forward Daniel Motlop, 29, wants to stay at Alberton Oval next year, confident the Power's "close" playing group has an exciting future, The Advertiser reports. Motlop is hopeful the Power will offer him a contract extension at the end of this season after his good recent form at half-back and improved off-field discipline.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
