FEVOLA ANTICS PUT MAD MONDAY IN PERIL
The AFL is under pressure to ban Mad Mondays after another drunken disgrace left one footballer injured and another in trouble, reports The Herald Sun. Melbourne forward Ben Holland was allegedly injured after a scuffle broke out when he tried to help teammate Nathan Carroll into a taxi. The alleged incident outside St Kilda's Barkly Hotel early yesterday followed a long drinking session known as Mad Monday to mark the end of the footy season. It is believed Holland needed medical treatment. Melbourne Football Club is investigating the incident, which follows anger over the shocking antics of Carlton star Brendan Fevola. Premier John Brumby lashed the Blues forward who paraded outside a city bar in a nightie with a sex toy protruding from his pants. Mr Brumby condemned the Mad Monday disgrace as a very poor example to the community. "The (players') behaviour is inappropriate," he said. "You expect footballers to have a bit of fun and let off a bit of steam at the end of the year but you don't expect them to parade around Federation Square in public the way these footballers were. All of our elite athletes set an example to the rest of the community and this is a very poor example to set."
HEAT ON FEV
“Here’s a question without notice for Brendan Fevola,” writes The Herald Sun’s Mike Sheahan. How does he think he might feel in a few years' time, strolling through Federation Square one spring afternoon, hand in hand with his two daughters, when a bozo pops up in front of them wearing a nightie and an outrageous dildo? What does he think he might say when one of the girls asks, "Daddy, why is that man dressed like that?" If he thinks like the rest of us, he would say, "He's a dill; ignore him." Sadly, it seems, the Carlton full-forward doesn't think like the rest of us during most of his waking hours. What on earth was he thinking dressed as he was in perhaps the busiest precinct in Melbourne on Monday afternoon? Mad Monday, a notorious day on the football calendar, reached a new level this time. Police have not ruled out charging Fevola for his public display.
VOSS WILL MAKE HARD DECISIONS
The Michael Voss revolution begins today at the Brisbane Lions, reports The Courier-Mail. Moments after the announcement that Voss would replace long-time mentor Leigh Matthews as senior coach of the Lions, the premiership skipper was locked away in a meeting with senior club officials preparing for his first day on the job. Today he will front the playing list and hammer home his expectations. "They will be told, this is what is required of you for us to make some ground," Voss said yesterday. The players will then embark on annual leave. But for Voss the hard work will be just beginning. Priority one is sorting out Brisbane's playing list for next season, and personal relationships will not be taken into account. "The key point is that Michael is prepared to make hard decisions. We have no doubt about that," chairman Tony Kelly said. The signing of Voss, on a three-year deal, is set to spark a wave of signings. Co-captain Simon Black and midfielder Michael Rischitelli are two key players on the verge of re-signing. Troubled speedster Scott Harding was looking for a new club a month ago; he now wants to talk with Brisbane. But some players will not be there next year, and the future is clouded for his dual premiership teammates Tim Notting and Robert Copeland.
CATS TO DOMINATE ALL-AUSTRALIAN AGAIN
Premier and flag favourite Geelong again dominates the list of players in contention for All-Australian selection, reports The Herald Sun. The Cats, who had nine players and coach Mark Thompson selected in last year's All-Australian team, yesterday had 10 players named in the 40-man squad in line for 2008 honours. Corey Enright, skipper Tom Harley, Andrew Mackie, Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett, Steve Johnson, Gary Ablett, Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey and Joel Selwood are the Cats' contenders for a place in the nation's top 22. Enright, Mackie, Selwood and Harley are the four additions to last year's Geelong representatives, but 2007 All-Australians Cameron Ling and Cameron Mooney missed out.
AFL NOW COULD CHANGE FINALS STRUCTURE
The AFL has indicated the finals series could be extended to nine or 10 teams when the Gold Coast and west Sydney clubs join the competition, reports The Herald Sun. League boss Andrew Demetriou said yesterday the final eight was not necessarily the best fit for 18 teams. "We are looking at different models for the expansion," Demetriou said. "Is eight the right fit into 18? We haven't finalised that work yet." Asked if the AFL would need to expand to a final 10, Demetriou replied: "I don't know. You will have to wait and see." And he did not rule out returning to an odd number of finalists, with a final nine. “Why can't we do a final nine? We used to do a five," Demetriou said. The Gold Coast team will play in the AFL from 2011, with a team from west Sydney expected to arrive in 2012. Any change to the finals would almost certainly be delayed until the second Sydney team was included.
The AFL is under pressure to ban Mad Mondays after another drunken disgrace left one footballer injured and another in trouble, reports The Herald Sun. Melbourne forward Ben Holland was allegedly injured after a scuffle broke out when he tried to help teammate Nathan Carroll into a taxi. The alleged incident outside St Kilda's Barkly Hotel early yesterday followed a long drinking session known as Mad Monday to mark the end of the footy season. It is believed Holland needed medical treatment. Melbourne Football Club is investigating the incident, which follows anger over the shocking antics of Carlton star Brendan Fevola. Premier John Brumby lashed the Blues forward who paraded outside a city bar in a nightie with a sex toy protruding from his pants. Mr Brumby condemned the Mad Monday disgrace as a very poor example to the community. "The (players') behaviour is inappropriate," he said. "You expect footballers to have a bit of fun and let off a bit of steam at the end of the year but you don't expect them to parade around Federation Square in public the way these footballers were. All of our elite athletes set an example to the rest of the community and this is a very poor example to set."
HEAT ON FEV
“Here’s a question without notice for Brendan Fevola,” writes The Herald Sun’s Mike Sheahan. How does he think he might feel in a few years' time, strolling through Federation Square one spring afternoon, hand in hand with his two daughters, when a bozo pops up in front of them wearing a nightie and an outrageous dildo? What does he think he might say when one of the girls asks, "Daddy, why is that man dressed like that?" If he thinks like the rest of us, he would say, "He's a dill; ignore him." Sadly, it seems, the Carlton full-forward doesn't think like the rest of us during most of his waking hours. What on earth was he thinking dressed as he was in perhaps the busiest precinct in Melbourne on Monday afternoon? Mad Monday, a notorious day on the football calendar, reached a new level this time. Police have not ruled out charging Fevola for his public display.
VOSS WILL MAKE HARD DECISIONS
The Michael Voss revolution begins today at the Brisbane Lions, reports The Courier-Mail. Moments after the announcement that Voss would replace long-time mentor Leigh Matthews as senior coach of the Lions, the premiership skipper was locked away in a meeting with senior club officials preparing for his first day on the job. Today he will front the playing list and hammer home his expectations. "They will be told, this is what is required of you for us to make some ground," Voss said yesterday. The players will then embark on annual leave. But for Voss the hard work will be just beginning. Priority one is sorting out Brisbane's playing list for next season, and personal relationships will not be taken into account. "The key point is that Michael is prepared to make hard decisions. We have no doubt about that," chairman Tony Kelly said. The signing of Voss, on a three-year deal, is set to spark a wave of signings. Co-captain Simon Black and midfielder Michael Rischitelli are two key players on the verge of re-signing. Troubled speedster Scott Harding was looking for a new club a month ago; he now wants to talk with Brisbane. But some players will not be there next year, and the future is clouded for his dual premiership teammates Tim Notting and Robert Copeland.
CATS TO DOMINATE ALL-AUSTRALIAN AGAIN
Premier and flag favourite Geelong again dominates the list of players in contention for All-Australian selection, reports The Herald Sun. The Cats, who had nine players and coach Mark Thompson selected in last year's All-Australian team, yesterday had 10 players named in the 40-man squad in line for 2008 honours. Corey Enright, skipper Tom Harley, Andrew Mackie, Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett, Steve Johnson, Gary Ablett, Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey and Joel Selwood are the Cats' contenders for a place in the nation's top 22. Enright, Mackie, Selwood and Harley are the four additions to last year's Geelong representatives, but 2007 All-Australians Cameron Ling and Cameron Mooney missed out.
AFL NOW COULD CHANGE FINALS STRUCTURE
The AFL has indicated the finals series could be extended to nine or 10 teams when the Gold Coast and west Sydney clubs join the competition, reports The Herald Sun. League boss Andrew Demetriou said yesterday the final eight was not necessarily the best fit for 18 teams. "We are looking at different models for the expansion," Demetriou said. "Is eight the right fit into 18? We haven't finalised that work yet." Asked if the AFL would need to expand to a final 10, Demetriou replied: "I don't know. You will have to wait and see." And he did not rule out returning to an odd number of finalists, with a final nine. “Why can't we do a final nine? We used to do a five," Demetriou said. The Gold Coast team will play in the AFL from 2011, with a team from west Sydney expected to arrive in 2012. Any change to the finals would almost certainly be delayed until the second Sydney team was included.
CLARKSON BACKS RIOLI
Cyril Rioli should win today's Rising Star award because of his mastery of the AFL's most difficult position, his coach says, according to The Herald Sun. First-year small forward Rioli yesterday had his Rising Star credentials stamped by Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson before today's Crown casino ceremony. And while Clarkson admitted his bias towards anyone in brown and gold, he said Rioli's achievements had been astounding. He said if 19-year-old Rioli could dominate in a position in which many players spend a career trying to carve a niche, he had to be truly special. Fremantle midfielder Rhys Palmer ($1.33) is expected to win, from Rioli and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin.
PLAYERS KEEN ON FREE AGENCY
AFL players continue to put the squeeze on the league to introduce a form of free agency, reports The Herald Sun. An overwhelming 95 per cent of 600 players questioned in the Herald Sun-AFL Players' Association survey have labelled freedom to move to a new club of their choice as a key issue of importance. "These figures haven't been doctored. It's a demonstration of the will of the players," AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale said. "They feel that way and it's grown each year. These internal labour market rules are operating unfairly against a particular group of players. They think there's genuine circumstance where players who are out of contract should be able to go to a club of their choice."
NO ORIGIN SOON
The AFL is set to rebuff the players overwhelming desire to play regular representative games, citing a crowded playing schedule, reports The Herald Sun. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou yesterday ruled out playing Hall of Fame or State-of-Origin games more frequently than once every four years. His ruling comes despite 90 per cent of AFL players supporting the State-of-Origin concept. While it is easy to back a concept, 77 per cent of players say an All-Star game is a perfect replacement if a state-based game is not played. The survey was taken after the successful Hall of Fame game earlier this year watched by 70,000 fans. An amazing 35 per cent would like to play State-of-Origin yearly, 48 per cent would like it played every two years and only 15 per cent say it would work best on a four-year cycle.
ABLETT TO GO BUSH
Geelong premiership player Nathan Ablett has walked away from football to become a builder in far-north Queensland, reports The Herald Sun. But the Cats are using his replacement Tom Lonergan, who came back from a career-threatening injury, as the spur to provide him with an AFL premiership medal. Lonergan, who was gravely ill from a ruptured kidney late in 2006, has nailed down a key forward role with 31 goals for the flag favourites this season. "When you go and visit someone in hospital and they were only minutes away from dying and they've lost a kidney, you would never have thought in your wildest dreams he would ever play footy again and then he decided to make that decision to play," coach Mark Thompson said yesterday. “Then to make his way back into the team and play the sort of footy he has played, it's just fantastic. I know there for a while he was just motivating the whole footy club because he's that sort of special person around the club."
FARMER RETIRES
Fremantle forward Jeff Farmer has retired after his hopes of a new contract with the Dockers were dashed, reports The herald Sun. The former Melbourne star announced his retirement after discussions today with senior coach Mark Harvey and general manager of football operations Chris Bond. “After talking to Mark and Chris today it is clear that the club is moving in a different direction and I have decided, after a 14-year career, to retire from the AFL,” Farmer said. “I am grateful and feel privileged to have played for so long at the highest level of the game.” Farmer, who was affectionately known as the Wiz for his natural footballing talent, thanked Fremantle and Melbourne for allowing him to "fulfil my childhood dream". “Among the things I have really enjoyed throughout my career are the camaraderie of my team mates, the guidance of my coaches and the loyalty and support of fans at Fremantle and Melbourne,'' Farmer said.
CHARMAN BEATS CHARGE
New AFL senior coach Michael Voss chalked up his first victory when Brisbane ruckman Jamie Charman was cleared of a striking charge, reports The Herald Sun. Charman, facing a one-game suspension, had the penalty overturned by the AFL Tribunal without uttering a word. The Lions’ No.1 ruckman listened in silence on video-link from Brisbane while football operations manager Marcus Ashcroft, convinced the jury of ex-players, Emmett Dunne, Wayne Henwood and Wayne Schimmelbusch, that contact to Sydney’s Brett Kirk was a push rather than a punch in the second quarter at the SCG on Saturday night. Charman, who pleaded not guilty, didn't even explain how and why his left forearm struck an unsuspecting Kirk to the lower back. Ashcroft, acting as defence counsel for the first time, argued the force of the contact was inconclusive if relying solely on the video evidence. The three-time premiership midfielder described Charman's action as "niggle contact" that happened regularly during the game. He said it was part of a "healthy rivalry built up over years" between Brisbane and Sydney and that it had no effect on Kirk.
LIONS MAY NOMINATE MATTHEWS FOR COMMISSION
The Brisbane Lions will nominate club legend Leigh Matthews for a seat on the AFL Commission, reports The Herald Sun. Queensland has never had a representative on the AFL governing body. Last year former Lions chairman and now GC17 director Graeme Downie's nomination was overlooked. Lions chairman Tony Kelly said Matthews was the ideal candidate. "If Leigh was prepared to consider it, we'd back it to the hilt," Kelly said. "The commission has always insisted it is an expertise-based board, and that location has nothing to do with it. If that is the case, who has more football expertise than Leigh Matthews? He would be a fantastic appointment and it is time Queensland, and NSW for that matter, had adequate representation."
ROOS SET TO COACH ON
Sydney coach Paul Roos has scoffed at criticism of his team's ageing list and supposedly bleak future and pointedly described the praise heaped upon the 2008 performance of teams such as Carlton as "extraordinary". Giving his strongest indication yet that he would extend his coaching contract with Sydney beyond 2009, Roos indicated to The Age that he had no intention of walking away from the senior coaching position and expected to meet football operations boss Andrew Ireland in coming weeks to discuss a deal.
"For a team that everyone says is too old, I would say we are better than Richmond or Carlton or Essendon," Roos said. "We might finish 16th next year but no one tipped us to make the eight this year and, right now, I'm probably better placed than Matthew Knights or Brett Ratten. I just find it extraordinary that people celebrate teams that finish ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th. You might as well have a cut-off and just have a top four. I keep reading about what a great season Carlton had. Where did they finish? It really is extraordinary."
