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Brown can be a force, says Priddis

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 11 November 2012 | 23.03

BRIGHT FUTURE: West Coast defender Mitch Brown is an important part of the club's defensive depth, says Matt Priddis. Source: Getty Images

WEST Coast midfielder Matt Priddis has thrown a challenge to teammate Mitch Brown, refusing to believe the defender is fourth-fiddle in a strong Eagles backline.

Brown has a year to run on his contract, but went through a tumultuous trade period after declaring his desire to join St Kilda due to a lack of playing opportunity in the west.

The 23-year-old, who recently got engaged to partner and West Coast Fever netballer Shae Bolton, sits behind skipper Darren Glass, the club's Player of the Finals Eric Mackenzie and Will Schofield in the key position stakes.

But Priddis said Brown was more than capable of leapfrogging his way into the best 22.

"Obviously, he's got his family and friends in Melbourne, but he's been at West Coast since he was 17," Priddis said.

"The opportunity for him is there and I'm a big believer that, if he gets a full pre-season into him with no injuries, then he's as good an athlete as we've got.


"He could force his way into the side on form and that should be his absolute focus; to make sure he has the best pre-season possible and puts his hat in the ring to be in the starting 18.

"He's definitely capable of doing that and it's great we've been able to keep him, he's a good guy to have around the club and he'll be a good guy to fill Darren's shoes once he does decide to retire."

Brown's request to head east came amidst an active trade period for West Coast as the club moved away from its recent development mindset of utilising higher picks, instead bringing in the WA trio of Collingwood's Sharrod Wellingham, Melbourne midfielder Cale Morton and small Saints utility Jamie Cripps.

Premiership on-baller Daniel Kerr said the personnel focus reminded him of the build-up to the Eagles' 2006 flag, when the club brought in the hard bodies of Hawthorn's Daniel Chick and Adelaide's Tyson Stenglein.

"We seem to have a squad capable of making the four, we just need a couple of additions, a couple of tweaks and a little bit of a better run of good luck with injuries and I think we'll be a force," Kerr said.

"Morton has a lot of talent, he was an extremely high draft pick and you don't lose that talent overnight, so hopefully he can come home to WA and break into the side. Wellingham's a proven performer and he can only bring strength to our side."

Priddis and Kerr are supporting the Sunshine Beach Run, dedicated to anyone touched by the death of a child, with aims to raise funds for research into SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and SUDC (Sudden Unexpected Death of a Child), while providing grief counselling for those affected by the loss.

The second instalment of the run will be held on Sunday, February 10, with distances ranging from a 1km run/walk to a 5km run/walk.

Go to www.sunshinebeachrun.com.au


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dockers head abroad for coaching clues

HEADING ABROAD: Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon and his coaching staff are scouring the world to gain a tactical edge. Picture: Anthony Reginato Source: PerthNow

FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon and the club's senior coaching brains trust have spent the past week in the US and UK visiting some of the biggest sporting organisations in the world.

Lyon, who has been joined by assistant coaches Peter Sumich and Simon Lloyd and football operations manager Chris Bond, spent time at English Premier League giants Liverpool and will attend tonight's glamour fixture between the Reds and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London.

Earlier in the week, the group visited reigning Superbowl champions the New York Giants, along with fellow NFL teams the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings.

The 10-day research trip is to look at coaching methods, sports science and athlete development.

Lyon is known for his obsession with "team defence" and it is understood he has taken a special interest in the defensive mechanisms employed at the highest levels of American Football and soccer.


The Dockers coaches have also been happy to share some of their knowledge.

Fremantle's youngest players will return for pre-season training on Wednesday. The rest of the squad will join in over the next fortnight, with the oldest players due to return on November 28.

The Dockers will welcome new assistant coach Brett Kirk, who retired at the end of the 2010 season after playing 241 games for Sydney, including the 2005 premiership.

"Having two years away from the game allowed me to see footy from a different angle, but it did make me realise my strong desire to coach," Kirk said.


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lions aim to lighten the load

Brisbane Lions doing high-altitude training in Arizona. Source: The Courier-Mail

HIGH-ALTITUDE training is still at the cutting edge of physical conditioning, according to Brisbane Lions, who began their Arizona boot camp this weekend.

While at least half of the 18 AFL clubs are destined for pre-season conditioning stints on higher ground, the value of training in the thinner air is being questioned.

West Coast's sport science team is not convinced such summer camps provide lasting benefits, while Port Adelaide's high-performance manager Darren Burgess argues that heat training can be more beneficial.

"Altitude has certainly been pretty popular with a lot of the clubs and a lot of the disciplined sports like cycling and running.

"But we'll stick to the heat in Adelaide I reckon," Burgess said.

After last year's experiment with their leadership group, Brisbane has sent the senior half  of their list to Flagstaff's Northern Arizona University where they will spend the next fortnight hiking, running, climbing, cycling and lifting, all at 2500m above sea level.

Strength and conditioning coach Matt Hass says their point of difference - and perhaps competitive advantage - is a less-is-more approach.

"We're not here for the traditional reasons, and we're comfortable with that," he said. "We're not looking for real blood changes. Our philosophy is to reduce their running load to get them through to Christmas really healthy and fit."

The scientific thinking behind altitude training is: less oxygenated air at higher altitude makes it harder to breathe - therefore the body adapts by increasing red blood cells or triggering a shift in metabolism.

Once back at sea level, it means the athlete experiences performance gains for the same perceived effort.

The benefits of altitude training for two weeks or more can last a month.

Lions captain Jonathan Brown stayed home to be with family after the birth of his second child last weekend but was so convinced in the method he installed an altitude room at his Morningside fitness centre.

Another club veteran, Simon Black, had a leave pass until Christmas but insisted on travelling to Arizona.

"Just walking down to the training fields, you start to feel your lungs burn a little," full back Daniel Merrett said.

"Last year I got super fit here." There are other benefits, such as the effect of a training camp.

"Being around each other for two weeks, the quality training in different surroundings is stimulating," Hass said.

For the whole two weeks all they do is eat, sleep and train - an environment that drives a spirit of unity and cohesion.

"Blacky's in his 15th year and I've been here about 10 years. It's  a nice change of scenery," Merrett said. "We're in each other's back pockets a bit, with no distractions, and that builds a bit of a bond."

Then there are the excellent facilities. The Lions have access to Skydome, a $30 million, 10,000-seat university stadium where they can train beneath the roof, which shields them from single-digit temperatures.

There is a gym with 30 tonnes of free weights which, according to Hass, is "very American. It's more than what we need".

Indoor and outdoor rock climbing, an indoor athletics track and endless mountainbike and running trails add to the overall package.

"The facilities are like nothing we've seen in Queensland. We fell very lucky to be here," Merrett said.


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Magpies' oval begins to take shape

Change of scenery: Nathan Buckley calling the shots at Gosch's paddock will become a thing of the past once its new oval is up and running from March. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

The Melbourne Demons will have Gosch's Paddock all to themselves from March next year. Source: Getty Images

REDEVELOPMENT at Olympic Park is on track and Collingwood is set to train on its new oval from March.

The move means the Pies will be able to train adjacent to their headquarters at the Westpac Centre and will also signal one last shift among co-tenants of the Olympic Park precinct.

Melbourne will then permanently train on the Gosch's Paddock oval currently used by the Pies, leaving rugby league club Melbourne Storm and A-League team Melbourne Victory with permanent access to the rectangular fields there.

"It's going really well. The oval is starting to take shape now and they'll be laying the grass in the second or third week of December," said David Emerson, the Collingwood executive in charge of venues.

"We're on track at the moment to be on the ground some time in March, which will be great."

The Westpac Centre is also being refurbished, but neither development will affect the players during the pre-season.

Chief executive Gary Pert said he expects a smooth transition for all clubs.

"It's worked really smoothly because I think all of the clubs understand the pressure in the area and because, ultimately, the development is going to be so good for everyone, no one's really cared about the slight inconvenience," Pert said.

However the addition of lights at the ground will not bring about training under lights, according to Pert.

The Magpies played 20 night games this year and will play at least another 16 games under lights in 2013.

"We don't deliberately put the lights up there to prepare to play for night games," Pert said.

"We don't line it up to say 'we're playing Friday night so why don't we train under lights midweek' - it's one of those things that we don't see as being significant or ... making a difference.

"Other community groups and clubs are also going to be using the ground and they are more likely to use the lights than what we would."


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cook D-Day looms for Cats

Geelong could learn Brian Cook's fate as early as Wednesday. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

GEELONG could learn on Wednesday whether chief executive Brian Cook will make a shock switch to North Melbourne.

Industry speculation is rife Cook is weighing up a lucrative offer to become the Roos' new CEO after a highly successful 12-year reign at Geelong.

Geelong president Colin Carter plans to meet with Cook this week, following his return from a holiday in Nepal over the weekend. Cook has been trekking to the Mt Everest base camp with his son.

The man widely regarded as one of Australian sport's top administrators is due back at the club on Wednesday, which marks his 57th birthday.

Carter said the Cats were hopeful of keeping their long-term CEO, but have pledged not to stand in his way. 

"Obviously he's being chased by other people, but that happens to a lot of our people all of the time," Carter said.

"We will talk about what that means, as we do with everyone.

"We hope he stays, but at the end of the day, there are lot of issues that go into making decisions. So, we'll see how we go."

Cook is contracted to Geelong next season but could be enticed by a new challenge helping guide the Roos beyond the AFL's next broadcast rights agreement in 2016. 

The Roos, led by chairman James Brayshaw, have been intent on landing a top-flight CEO to replace Eugene Arocca, who quit after a fall-out with other club figures on June 5.

Cook's signature would be a massive coup for North as it endeavours to consolidate a second home base in Hobart and continue to build a growing membership.

Cook took over Geelong in 1999 after a nine-year stint at West Coast.

Wiping off a $7 million debt, he helped transform the Cats from a financial basket case to an on and off-field powerhouse. 

In that time, the club has won three premierships in six years and posted 12 straight profits under a business plan, which has attracted nationwide acclaim, entitled "Good to Great".

The Cats will play night games for the first time at Skilled Stadium next year as part of the continued redevelopment of its home ground.


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Power may re-draft Jacobs

Ben Jacobs will for the draft, where the Power will have the option to re-draft him. Picture: Simon Cross. Source: adelaidenow

PORT Adelaide will consider re-drafting Ben Jacobs, despite the defender quitting the AFL club and nominating for this month's national draft.

Victoria-born Jacobs on Friday told Port he will nominate for the November 22 draft, hoping to be picked up by a Melbourne club.

But Port say they could re-draft the 20-year-old.

Port and North Melbourne failed to strike a deal for Jacobs during last month's AFL trade period.

The Kangaroos offered draft pick 38, which the Power refused.

"We were not prepared to let Ben go for a pick that was below his value," Port's football general manager Peter Rohde said on Friday.

"Had North Melbourne been willing to negotiate over their first round No.15 pick, we would have been able to come to an arrangement, but they were adamant that wasn't on the table.


"Port Adelaide wanted to do the right thing by Ben but we make no apology for protecting the club's interest and not allowing it to be cornered."

Port used pick 16 at the 2010 draft to recruit Jacobs.

Rohde said he tried to convince Jacobs to stay at Port, where he played 26 AFL games.

"Everyone can see by the opportunities Ben was given here that we rate him highly," Rohde said.

"It certainly wasn't a case of Ben being unhappy at Port Adelaide but in the end it was more about a calling to be back in Victoria with his family and friends, and where he sees his future."

Rohde said Port would consider selecting Jacobs again at the draft later this month.

"We might lose Ben and if we do we hope it works out very well for him, but it won't always work that way for a player and we have stood firm as a club to make our position clear to everyone," he said.


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Crows missed a shot at Clark

Melbourne ruckman Mitch Clark talks with coach Mark Neeld. Picture: Quinn Rooney. Source: Getty Images

ADELAIDE could have had Mitch Clark in a straight swap deal for Kurt Tippett last year if the Crows had put the right offer to him.

The former Brisbane forward, below, shocked the AFL by signing with Melbourne, after strongly indicating he would only consider offers from his home state of WA.

Clark's manager Colin Young yesterday revealed the 198cm spearhead would have been open to a move to the Crows, which in hindsight may have been Adelaide's best replacement option for wantaway forward Tippett.

"Adelaide never came up, never ever came up," Young said.

"Mitch would have gone. There's no problems with Adelaide, they're a great club. You wouldn't mind any player going there ...

"In the end Melbourne's presentation was too good to refuse (but) the Crows could have matched the offer." At the time Brisbane was strongly pursuing Tippett, but only offering the Crows pick No. 8 in the draft and a later pick.

The Lions didn't offer Clark and the Crows didn't inquire about him because of the perception he was determined to move to Fremantle.

"Mitch Clark was going to Freo," Crows list manager David Noble said.

"All the discussion through that initial period of time with (Brisbane national talent manager Rob Kerr) was that was absolutely where he was going to go."

Whether the Crows would have been better off with Clark, particularly given what they stand to get for Tippett now, is a question all Adelaide supporters will be asking themselves.

Clark kicked 29 goals in 11 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury against GWS in Round 13. Tippett kicked 39 goals in 21 games but was hampered by a string of concussions.

Noble said it was "an interesting debate".

"I think if you went back and had a look at Tippett's year versus Clark's year, who is front?" he said.

"If you go back and have a look at the way Kurt pulled himself together in that last final, it was outstanding."

Noble said Clark wasn't on the club's radar at the time because they were banking on keeping Tippett at the club.

He said it would have been difficult to pull a last-minute trade for Clark because the club hadn't gone down the path of monitoring his form, investigating his character and all the other processes it goes through before pursuing a player.

"At no point did we have Kurt Tippett on the table last year to be traded. He was a required and a contracted player," Noble said.

"Our clear directive from a club perspective - with a new coach coming in - was that we wanted to back ourselves in to keep him."

At the time, Noble was also confident that the continued development of Josh Jenkins, Shaun McKernan and Lewis Johnston would leave the club in a good position to cover Tippett, if he left a year later.

"We still felt we had enough in the group we were going to develop underneath to step into that breach," he said.

In retrospect, Noble appears comfortable with the club's decision to take it's chances with Tippett, despite having lost him without compensation.

"I'm not a big one for looking in the rear vision mirror - we've made the call," he said.

"We played in finals and we were five points short of playing in a Grand Final... quite often it's easier in hindsight.

"Having also coached in the forward line, I know that quite often Kurt would take the number one (defender) so Taylor Walker than has a slight change in his defensive player who might play on him.

"Kurt's reliability in his competitiveness has been something that has helped out our small blokes on the deck as well."


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Suns to continue US adventure

Guy McKenna says the Suns derive great benefit from an annual pre-season trip to Flagstaff. Picture: David Clark

SUNS coach Guy McKenna says training in Arizona is almost certain to become a regular fixture in the Suns' pre-season plans each year.

A big advocate of training at high altitude, McKenna said he could find little reason why the club would deviate from their current pre-season trip to Flagstaff in the near future.

"There is plenty of evidence out there that suggests (Flagstaff) is clearly one of the best venues to go to for a sporting camp," McKenna said.

"It ticks a lot of the boxes and as far as the town itself is concerned there isn't a lot of distractions for the blokes.

"That's what you want and you want the blokes to be focussing on training hard for two weeks."

McKenna said the only reason to change destination would be if the players became stale.


"In five or six years of us coming here, David Swallow or Dion Prestia and those boys who have been here for a while may need a change," he said.

"I'm sure we will accommodate them but I reckon we will always come back to Flagstaff."

Apart from the physical gains of training at high altitude, McKenna said the benefits from travelling overseas were endless.

"I was speaking to a few of the corporates who had been on the camp the previous year as well and they commented on how close the group was this year," McKenna said.

"It's amazing the transformation in 12 months and its really encouraging going into next season.

"The more times we can be isolated and learn to get on with each other and understand each others' mental and physical capabilities, then the better we will be.

"Clearly that is what we have seen."

The Suns return home on Wednesday.


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rarefied air for Blues and Bombers

A long way from home: Carlton players train in freezing temperatures in Arizona. Source: Herald Sun

Essendon's Brendon Goddard and Jobe Watson take part in a boxing drill while in the United States. Source: Herald Sun

CARLTON braved a chilly start to its altitude training camp in Arizona as the players adjusted to the thin mountain air.

After a 22-hour journey, the Blues arrived in Flagstaff on Saturday and got to work with a running session at the Northern Arizona University.

The Blues were greeted by chilly winds and light snowfalls, while the players have noticed a difference to their breathing patterns as they train at 2500m. The camp is the first under coach Mick Malthouse.

While the Blues acclimatised to their conditions, Essendon was a week into its altitude training in Boulder, Colorado.

The Bombers sent 10 players to the camp, including star recruit Brendon Goddard, who was in the thick of it with a sparring session with captain Jobe Watson.


 


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Power forward Membrey makes impact

Old-fashioned footballer who is strong overhead, has a thumping kick, and sports a palm tree tattoo.

Big wraps: Gippsland Power coach Nick Stevens says Tim Membrey is a more accurate kick for goal than Brendon Fevola. Source: Herald Sun

TIM Membrey's September was over almost before it started.

The power forward decided to pull the boots on for Gippsland Power 20 minutes before its qualifying final after not training because of a groin injury.

A month later and the Traralgon lad was locked in as a first-round draft pick.

Likened as a player to West Coast's Jack Darling, Membrey kicked 8.2 in the preliminary final to drag Gippsland to the grand final, where his fourth goal handed the Power a last-quarter lead.

"It was awesome. One of the best efforts I've seen, from a junior footballer," Power coach Nick Stevens said of his captain's haul.

"He was marking really strongly. He beat everyone that came to him. They had two on one in the end and he was still catching everything.

"He kicked three goals from outside 50m at crunch times and one from about 58m to put us in front."

Stevens said Membrey was a better kick for goal than Brendan Fevola.

"He's such a powerful and penetrating kick for a kid his age and he just doesn't miss many," he said.

Recruiters have told Membrey to work on his endurance as he is too short to hold down a key position.

While Darling was pick No.26, Stevens said Membrey deserved to go in the top 10.

"I rate him as a top-10 pick and think it'd be crazy if he doesn't go top 10," he said.

"He'll end up being a high half-forward and he's ready. I've got no doubt he'll line up (for) Round 1 next year."


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More
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