1 PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)
Round Three
Friday April 17
Collingwood v St Kilda at the MCG, 7.50pm
Saturday April 18
Adelaide Crows v Melbourne at Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm
Carlton v Essendon at the MCG, 1.45pm
Sydney Swans v GWS Giants at the SCG, 4.35pm
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 7.20pm
Brisbane Lions v Richmond at the Gabba, 7.20pm
Sunday April 19
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs at Aurora Stadium, 1.10pm
West Coast v Fremantle at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm
Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns at Simonds Stadium, 3.20pm
2 IMPENDING MILESTONES
Most Club Games – Jimmy Bartel, Geelong Cats. Jimmy is due to play his 274th game this week, drawing level with Garry Hocking in eighth spot in the club’s history. The most games for the Geelong Cats are Ian Nankervis (325 games), John Newman (300 games), Darren Milburn (292 games), Corey Enright (290 games), Peter Riccardi (288 games), Matthew Scarlett (284 games), Joel Corey (276 games), Garry Hocking (274 games), Jimmy Bartel (273 games) and Paul Couch (259 games).
250 games – Brendon Goddard, Essendon
Most club games – Jarrad McVeigh, Sydney Swans. Jarrad is due to play his 246th game for the Sydney Swans this week since his debut in 2004. This will take him level with Stephen Wright and Mark Bayes in seventh spot on the all-time club list. The most games in Sydney / South Melbourne history are Adam Goodes (353 games, 1999-current), Jude Bolton (325 games, 1999-2013), Michael O’Loughlin (303 games, 1995-2009), Ryan O’Keefe (286 games, 2000-14), John Rantall (260 games, 1963-72; 1976-79), Mark Browning (251 games, 1975-87), Stephen Wright (246 games, 1979-92), Mark Bayes (246 games, 1985-98), Jarrad McVeigh (245 games, 2004-current), Daryn Cresswell (244 games, 1992-2003).
150 games – Tom Hawkins, Geelong Cats
150 games – Brad Ebert, Port Adelaide
100 games coached – Chris Scott, Geelong Cats
100 games – Ben Howlett, Essendon
100 games – Mitch Clark, Geelong Cats
100 games – Ben Reid, Collingwood
50 games – Cameron Sutcliffe, Fremantle
50 games – Jack Newnes, St Kilda
50 games – Charlie Dixon, Gold Coast Suns
50 consecutive games – Dane Rampe, Sydney Swans. Dane has played 49 games in succession since Round 4, 2013.
3 TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS
The expected process for the 2015 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:
Billie Smedts, Geelong Cats, reported by umpire Rob Findlay for striking Lee Spurr, Fremantle, during the fourth quarter of the Round Two match between the Geelong Cats and Fremantle, played at Simonds Stadium on Sunday April 12, 2015.
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:
Brett Deledio, Richmond. One match from round one.
Matt Shaw, Gold Coast Suns, One match from round one.
Currently Suspended:
Nil.
6 LONG-TERM INJURY LIST CHANGES
The AFL wishes to advise the following recent changes have been made to the long-term injury list.
Brisbane Lions – Placed Pearce Hanley on the long-term injury list and upgraded Zac O’Brien from the rookie list as his replacement.
Essendon – Placed Jason Winderlich on the long-term injury list, and upgraded Shaun McKernan from the rookie list as his replacement.
7 APPLICATIONS FOR DAY PASSES FOR AFL MATCHES
The AFL wishes to advise it has updated its system for the production of day passes for late accreditation applications to cover single matches during the Toyota AFL premiership season. Day passes are now printed with a headshot, meaning any application must be lodged by Wednesday 5pm in the week of the match being requested, with a suitable headshot. Please contact Patrick Keane for any further queries.
8 NOMINATED ROOKIE PLAYERS
The following list changes were made in the lead-up to round one under the AFL player rules regarding Nominated Rookie Players, who can play during the premiership season:
Carlton – Ciaran Sheehan and Cameron Wood.
Collingwood –Jack Frost.
Gold Coast Suns – Greg Broughton and Adam Saad.
Richmond – Kane Lambert.
9 GWS GIANTS EXPANSION COMPENSATION PICK
As a reminder to all media, the AFL wishes to advise the following GWS Giants expansion compensation pick MUST be used at this year’s 2015 NAB AFL Draft. Expansion picks were able to be activated in any of the five drafts in the period 2011-2015 and the following selection remains available.
Gold Coast Suns, end round one selection. Received from Fremantle (compensation for the loss of Rhys Palmer) via a trade to the GWS Giants in 2011 and then a trade to the GC Suns in 2012.
The club is able to trade this selection in the 2015 AFL Exchange Period.
10 2014 LAWS OF THE GAME – INSTRUCTION DVD
A video on the AFL Umpiring Department approach to the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season can be found at this link - http://www.afl.com.au/video/2015-02-18/how-the-game-will-be-umpired-in-2015 . In 2015, umpires have a number of cues to look for when paying a stricter interpretation of Holding the Ball, and also how to adjudge blocking / shepherding in marking contests when it is a 2v1 contest. The full explanation is detailed here for all interested media.
10 2015 NAB AFL U18s CHAMPIONSHIPS
Please find attached the fixture for the 2015 NAB AFL Under 18s Championships. Please note the fixture is subject to change (all times are local).
Division One
Round One
Saturday May 23 – WA v SA at Lathlain Park, 11am
Sunday May 24 – Vic Metro v Vic Country at Simonds Stadium, 11am
Round Two
Saturday May 30 – SA v Vic Metro at AAMI Stadium, 10.45am
Sunday May 31 – WA v Vic Country at Medibank Stadium, 12pm
Round Three
Saturday June 6 – SA v WA at AAMI Stadium, 12pm
Sunday June 7 – Vic Country v Vic Metro at Simonds Stadium, 12pm
Round Four
Saturday June 13 - WA v Vic Metro at Domain Stadium, 11.20am
Sunday June 14 – SA v Vic Country at AAMI Stadium, 11am
Round Five
Friday June 26
Vic Country v SA at Simonds Stadium, 12.35pm
Vic Metro v WA at Simonds Stadium, 2.35pm
Round Six
Wednesday July 1 – Vic Metro v SA at Etihad Stadium, 5.05pm
Thursday July 2 – Vic Country v WA at Simonds Stadium, 1.15pm
Division Two
Round One
Saturday June 20
NSW/ACT v Tasmania at Gold Coast, 10am
Queensland v NT at Gold Coast, 12.30pm
Round Two
Saturday June 27
Tasmania v Queensland at Simonds Stadium, 12pm
NSW/ACT v NT at Simonds Stadium, 2.10pm
Round Three
Wednesday July 1 – NT v Tasmania at Etihad Stadium, 3.05pm
Thursday July 2 - NSW/ACT v Queensland at Simonds Stadium, 11.05am
11 2015 AFL KEY DATES
Please find below the INDICATIVE key dates for the 2015 season around club list requirements, AFL Trade Period and the NAB AFL Draft Process:
Friday 9 October - NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period Commences.
Friday 9 October by 2pm – NAB AFL Father-Son Bidding Nominations; Academy Bidding Nominations lodged with AFL.
Monday 12 October 10am - Father/Son & Academy Players Bidding Meeting; NAB AFL Trade Period Commences.
Sunday 18 October at 5pm - Close of NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period.
Wednesday 21 October - NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Matching Offer Three-Day Period Ends
Thursday 22 October at 2pm – NAB AFL Trade Period Closes.
Friday 30 October by 2pm - List Lodgement (1); Rookie Promotion to Primary List; Retained 2nd & 3rd Year Rookies; Scholarship Players; Alternate Talent Player Nominations, TPP Estimates.
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. A match day AFL record can be collected (one per person) from the customer service staff on the corporate suites level.
