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Nod to Neil Craig for shaping Crows

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 16 Desember 2012 | 23.03

Former Adelaide Crows coach Neil Craig is getting credit from new fintess coach Nick Poulos for developing the current squad's work ethic. Picture: Chris Mangan. Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE'S new fitness coach Nick Poulos has credited Neil Craig and the previous regime for instilling a sound work ethic into the Crows squad.

With Brenton Sanderson, who still outdoes some of the players by lifting heavier weights in the gym, Poulos has set out to add a new level of punch to the squad.

But he spoke highly of the culture of the Crows, cultured both by Craig and his successor, Stephen Schwerdt, who is now working with the Gold Coast Suns.

Poulos and Schwerdt still compare notes, speak over the phone from time to time, and as much as Poulos is looking for another spark, he is quick to recognise the good work of those before him.

"He was fantastic," Poulos said of Schwerdt. "And we had a really good (fitness) team."

A point of difference: where Craig and his mentor, former national cycling coach Charlie Walsh, were big on endurance and training on stationary bikes, Poulos and Sanderson are looking for a more explosive edge.

But Poulos could not have spoken more highly of the work ethic that Craig and Schwerdt had instilled, and the culture which had been built up from their endeavours.

"This group of players is extraordinarily hard-working and I think that foundation was laid by my predecessor and previous coaches," Poulos said.

"The regime under Neil Craig is something you still have to respect.

"The players, the way they presented themselves when I first arrived at this club - it was just astounding. It was just the attitude they showed.

"They asked the right questions but still, as a playing group, they were prepared to work their a ...  s off.

"They were definitely a good running group but their strength and power needed a lot of work.

"I needed to strip it right back to basics and build from the bottom up.

"Technique is another one. To me, they are still developing."


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Watters issues challenge to Saints

St Kilda coach Scott Watters, left, and captain Nick Riewoldt watch a Denver Broncos training session in Englewood, Colorado. Picture: Dustin Bradford. Source: Getty Images

Lenny Hayes, centre, is working just as hard as every other player at St Kilda pre-season training. Picture: Chris Eastman Source: Herald Sun

LENNY Hayes turns 33 on January 14, is fresh from heart surgery, and is St Kilda's best and fairest player, the Trevor Barker medallist.

Hayes could be forgiven for coasting through what might yet be his final AFL pre-season.

Skip the odd training session, duck out early, and sidestep some of those tiresome meetings and leadership responsibilities.

But not at St Kilda, and not on coach Scott Watters' watch.

Twelve months into his tenure at St Kilda, Watters has issued every player "the challenge".

Watters, speaking on the final day of the club's Colorado training camp, says Hayes must - and will - give more.

As will every player on the Saints list.

"I watched him at a training session today and marvelled at his ability - his one-touch football, the balls coming at him at full pace and the half-volleys. His ball use (is) as exquisite as it normally is," Watters says.

"I don't see any reason why he shouldn't have another strong year like last year.

"The only difference is that last year we eased Lenny back into it, and had him in a mentoring role from a leadership point of view. But the challenge is going back to Lenny this year to put his hand up for the leadership group.

"It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.

"I want Lenny to step up again.

"There are times to step into the leadership group and have a direct impact. One of our themes of the year is looking for the challenge, and just not wanting to accept any sort of mediocrity or complacency.

"So I am challenging all players, if they are 200-gamers or (first-year forward) Tom Lee, to find another level and challenge themselves individually."

If Twitter is a 140character summation, then wrap a bow around those words by Watters, because they encapsulate what St Kilda's new season is all about.

The Saints might have won 12 games last season - and lost five by 13 points or fewer - but you can hear the urgency in Watters' voice.

He might be a man in a hurry, but you get the feeling supporters wouldn't have it any other way.

Those who worried about the prospects of anyone stepping into the vacuum created by Ross Lyon's abrupt departure would have quickly had their fears allayed.

Watters is on his way to transforming a playing list seen to be headed for a cliff, has made minor but successful changes to the team's style of play, and recently took a strong stance on the loss of Brendon Goddard.

Saints' fans are already sold on him, and you can quickly see why.

It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.

Nowhere at St Kilda can you find even a hint the club is resting on its laurels after three Grand Final appearances since 2008.

"There is not a player at the moment who isn't trying to push their own personal boundaries," Watters says.

"We have spoken about how it is easy to become conditioned to acceptable levels of performance.

"The media have their viewpoint on us individually and as a team. All of it is irrelevant.

"It is about them individually challenging themselves daily and as a team, and choosing their own destiny rather than listening to others."

Intentions are one thing, but turning strong words into performances invariably comes down to talent, and that is where the excitement kicks in for the club's football department.

The Saints moved on or lost nine players in the off-season - high-profile midfielder Goddard, the troubled Jason Gram, first-round pick Jason Cripps, and Dean Polo, Brett Peake, Raph Clarke, Sam Crocker, Daniel Archer, and Nicholas Winmar.

In their place came Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey, former Fremantle defender Dylan Roberton, WAFL key forward Tom Lee and five young national draft selections.

Goddard will take some replacing but the changes give Watters huge flexibility with his structure.

Now the forward line options include talls Nick Riewoldt, Lee, Rhys Stanley, Justin Koschitzke, Arryn Siposs, Beau Wilkes and, potentially, Sam Gilbert, as well as ground-level terriers Terry Milera, Ahmed Saad, Stephen Milne, and Adam Schneider.

St Kilda couldn't secure West Coast defender Mitch Brown but James Gwilt, 2012 revelation Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Tom Simpkin, Jason Blake, Gilbert and Roberton are tall defensive options.

Hickey, Ben McEvoy and, potentially, Koschitzke round out the ruck department, with the midfield strength a given.

"Our list is definitely progressing," Watters says.

"When we look at where we were 12 months ago there were some considerable vulnerabilities and it hadn't been developed for a while.

"So it's a work in progress, but with the players we have brought in we feel there is a starting point for a real foundation which complements our senior players."

You can't digest that statement without considering its relevance to Lyon's list building, but St Kilda wouldn't have revamped its recruiting department and list management if it didn't have issues.

Across every line, there is competition for a spot.

Bottom line: St Kilda won't be falling back on Raph Clarke and his ilk if injuries hit this year.

"The players look at the maths and they look around and they look at the list, and there wouldn't be too many players on our list who would feel comfortable about being in the Round 1 side," Watters says.

"Maybe it hasn't been that tight for a number of years, but it's getting tight."

The chief victim of that selection squeeze might be Koschitzke.

Hickey, McEvoy and Stanley will likely ruck ahead of him and, while Watters isn't so pessimistic about the 30-year-old, he makes no promises.

"Kosi is no different to any player on the list. I am not one that selects on emotion. Players effectively select themselves. Those who are physically prepared and absolutely exhaust every avenue over summer are the ones who show good pre-season form, and they ultimately find their way into the Round 1 side," he says..

"I make no apologies for the competition. It's the game we are in, and it's been a brutally tough and competitive pre-season so far and it will remain that way."

Goddard has three top-four best-and-fairest results (and a ninth) in the past four seasons, yet no one at the club is curled up in a corner struggling to cope with his absence.

This week, Goddard again failed to fully explain his decision to leave, but given the messy circumstances of Luke Ball's departure under Lyon, why did Watters push the money angle?

"I didn't choose to focus on that specific angle. I gave a direct answer to a direct question. I have a lot of time and respect for Brendon. We had, and continue to have, a terrific relationship," Watters says.

"Ultimately, people can speculate on the reasons for (him) wanting to leave and I will leave it to them to speculate. We made what we thought was a really strong offer to Brendon and he made a choice." 

The coach won't be wasting time on players who have left, preferring to focus on how his club climbs the ladder.

Watters believes in the club culture, which starts at the top.

It is hard to envisage Riewoldt not being reappointed captain next month.

The Riewoldt of 2011 was grumpy and sullen, battling knee issues and controversy after controversy.

Just married to partner Catherine Heard, Riewoldt enjoyed a better 2012, kicking 47 goals, and seemed to be in a good place mentally.

"We have had some brief discussions but nothing massive yet," Watters says of the captaincy issue.

"We will cross that bridge in January, but what I thought was a real bonus for the club last year was the way Nick led.

"I don't think it was given as much credence as it (deserved). He really got outside of himself, and had a really positive influence on a number of players.

"His understanding of the captaincy showed a really strong progression."


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Roos cop horror draw

Ryan Bastinac leaves Patterson's Stadium after the Kangaroos were knocked out of the 2012 finals by West Coast. Picture: Justin Benson-cooper Source: The Sunday Times

AFTER climbing peaks in Utah, North Melbourne faces another uphill battle after being ranked with the toughest draw in the AFL.

Champion Data has ranked the difficulty of every club's 2013 draw, with the Kangaroos sitting on top ahead of Grand Finalists Hawthorn, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.

Every club's ranking has been reached by totalling the 2012 premiership points from each of their 22 opponents - with five opponents doubling up.

After receiving the fourth easiest draw last year, the Kangaroos' difficulty climbed after being drawn to "double-up" against three top-four sides - Hawthorn, Adelaide and Collingwood. The Roos will also face Geelong twice.

Their combined opposition reached a total of 1036 points, marginally ahead of the Hawks (1028), the Magpies (1004) and Bulldogs (998). Compounding this, the Kangaroos, along with West Coast, have eight six-day breaks - more than any other side.

See the full fixture ladder below

At the other end of the scale, Melbourne has been ranked with the easiest draw. The Demons had a combined opposition total of 912 points, the lowest tally of any club.

Gold Coast (17th) and Brisbane (16th) ranked just above the Demons with the ease of their draw.

Adelaide has also been identified as a big winner with its 2013 draw - for the second year running.

The Crows, who are ranked with the 15th toughest draw, don't play any of their fellow top-four teams twice, but have two meetings against Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs.

EASY STREET

Adelaide has been blessed for the second season. The Crows don't face any other top-four team twice, but they get to play Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs twice.

Premier Sydney plays Hawthorn and Collingwood twice, but doubles up on Greater Western Sydney and the mid-range Saints.

To avoid blowouts, seven of the eight finalists don't play GWS or Gold Coast twice during the year.

Carlton and Richmond each play one just finalist twice - the only sides drawn that way without finishing in the bottom four last season.

See the full 2013 fixture here

SIX-DAY BREAKS

Geelong faces a tough opening month, playing Hawthorn, Carlton and Sydney away in the first four rounds, with three consecutive six-day breaks in this time. The Cats don't play at Simonds Stadium until Round 10 because of the ground redevelopment.

North Melbourne and West Coast have eight six-day breaks - more than any other side.

HOW YOUR SIDE RANKS

(draw ranked from toughest to easiest based on total 2012 premiership points by 2013 opponents)

1 North Melbourne (1036)
2 Hawthorn (1028)
3 Collingwood (1004)
5 West Coast (988)
6 Geelong (982)
7 Sydney (976)
8 Fremantle (970)
9 Carlton (968)
10 Essendon (966)
= 11 Port Adelaide (962)
= 11 Richmond (962)
= 11 St Kilda (962)
14 GWS (942)
15 Adelaide (938)
16 Brisbane Lions (916)
17 Gold Coast (914)
18 (Melbourne)


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Young gun bonds as Dees feel heat

Aaron Davey shows youngster Dominic Barry the ropes on an Abrams tank at Robertson's Barracks in Darwin. Picture: Justin Sanson Source: Northern Territory News

ALICE Springs' speedster Dominic Barry feels a sense of belonging at Melbourne after completing a gruelling training venture in the Top End on Saturday.

The 18-year-old joined the Demons in a pre-draft trade with Greater Western Sydney and was thrust into a nine-day camp designed to build physical and mental strength.

The squad completed a 35km trek through Kakadu National Park a week after a first training session was cut short because of sapping heat and humidity on the hottest December day in Darwin for 36 years.

Barry said there was a noticeable difference within the playing group when they left the Territory yesterday.

"It was good to bond with all the boys, because on these sort of trips there is nowhere to hide," he said.

"Alice Springs is as far (north) as I go, so I'm one of the boys that are unfamiliar with this weather and I'm in the same position as the other guys.

"Everyone is told to get out of their comfort zones on these trips, so I think everyone contributed in a way to help the team. On the walk, there were a few younger boys lifting the older ones up, and that's what it's all about."

Pic gallery: Dees' Top End commando course

Fellow Territorian Aaron Davey, 29, said the midfielder had taken his AFL journey in his stride.

"It's always good to have more indigenous boys at the club, obviously with Aussie (Wonaeamirri) and Liam (Jurrah) gone," he said. "Dom has fitted in well and gotten on with all the boys."

GEELONG recruit Josh Caddy did his best to make an immediate impact on his new captain Joel Selwood by breaking the skipper's nose at their Falls Creek training camp on Friday.


23.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boost for Eagles as Shuey signs on

STAYING ON: West Coast's Luke Shuey has re-signed with the club for two seasons. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

WEST Coast midfielder Luke Shuey has resisted the temptation to return home to Victoria, re-signing with the Eagles for two more years.

The gun midfielder was hot on the radar of several Melbourne-based clubs looking to lure home one of the competition's premier young ball-winners.

But it is understood the 22-year-old agreed to a contract worth about $500,000 a season, making the 52-gamer one of the AFL's top-paid players for his age.

Shuey, who finished second to Essendon's Dyson Heppell in last year's Rising Star award, made the commitment with one year remaining on his current deal.

It ties the classy right-footer to West Coast until the end of 2015, in a major coup for a club intent on making a genuine tilt at next year's premiership.

Shuey's manager, Nick Gieschen from Elite Sports Properties, would not comment yesterday, but is believed to have signed off on the new contract last week.


West Coast officials have lauded Shuey for his character after overcoming a nightmare injury run and the tragic death of his sister Mel shortly after he was drafted with pick No.18 in 2008.

From Oakleigh, Shuey has since become one of the club's key midfield pillars, finishing fifth in the Eagles' best-and-fairest award after his stunning 2011 season.

He backed it up in 2012 averaging 23 touches and a goal over 21 games.

Shuey was a priority signing for West Coast after the departure of fellow young midfielders Koby Stevens (Western Bulldogs) and Tom Swift (retired) at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Champion Data has ranked West Coast's draw fifth-toughest in the AFL next season. The Dockers' draw is rated eighth-hardest.

After climbing peaks in Utah, North Melbourne faces another uphill battle after being ranked with the toughest draw.

Champion Data has ranked the difficulty of every club's 2013 draw, with the Kangaroos sitting ahead of grand finalist Hawthorn, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.

Every club's ranking has been reached by totalling the 2012 premiership points from each of their 22 opponents  with five opponents doubling up.

-with Rebecca Williams


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Players to speak on drugs

Eagle Adam Selwood marks in attack. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times

WEST Coast players' delegate Adam Selwood says players are determined to have their say at next month's AFL drugs summit.

As debate swirls around the league's contentious illicit drugs policy, the AFL Players Association discussed the issue at its annual directors and delegates conference on Friday.

Selwood said players discussed the importance of their views being well represented at the summit.

"We are pretty keen and eager to make sure we have players in attendance to make sure that our voice is heard, that they understand the situation of players and everything else that goes along with it," he said.

"With the clubs, if there is an issue out there, we want to help it. And also, we're concerned with the players' wellbeing while they're in the game, but also post their career as well.

"If there are changes (to the policy), we want to be as proactive as we possibly can and we want to get as many guys in this summit to express their views."

Selwood said he was comfortable with the AFL's illicit drugs policy as it stands, but the players remained open to finding ways to improve the system.

"We are all in agreeance that the policy is set up for the right reasons and that's (to) try and help people who may have issues or that may have had an event that happened with an illicit drug," Selwood said.

"The numbers are extremely low ... Can we make the policy better?

"Obviously it has come to light in the last few months that maybe changes can be made."


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Suns gun recruit moves like Jaeger

RISING STAR: New AFL sensation Jaeger O'Meara cools off at the end of training at Kurrawa beach. Picture: Glenn Hampson Source: PerthNow

HE'S got the rock-star name and the game to match.

Recruiters call him the next Chris Judd and say he can virtually play anywhere and do anything.

And 103 days before the WA teenager makes a likely Round 1 debut for Gold Coast against St Kilda, he's already been installed as the favourite for next year's NAB Rising Star Award.

The excitement has been building around Jaeger O'Meara since he kicked four goals in a classy WAFL debut for Perth in August 2011.

For a youngster surrounded by hype, he either does a brilliant impersonation of someone who hasn't been affected or he's not affected one bit.

With fate sending him to the Gold Coast a year earlier than draft age via the 17-year-old mini-draft, O'Meara could hardly be better prepared for his debut season.


He's spent the past 12 months getting his body and mind ready for his AFL entrance in the relative anonymity of Queensland, something O'Meara sees as a blessing.

"I like to stay pretty low-key, so it definitely suits me being on the Gold Coast. It's a lot more relaxed," he said.

"They say time flies when you're having fun, so I'm definitely having a lot of fun.''

The "next Judd" tag has been thrown at O'Meara in enough interviews for an answer to be virtually rehearsed.

"It's definitely very humbling, but I'm yet to play an AFL game," he said.

"I think those comparisons are slightly premature.''

Rising Star expectations are similarly batted away.

"It's not in my thoughts too much; I'm not much of a punter myself," he said.

What is in O'Meara's thoughts, though, is football. The Dongara product says he loves the game and has done ever since his dad put a footy in his hands at the age of five.

O'Meara's 2012 campaign for the Suns' reserves was interrupted by groin and hernia problems, but last season was always about preparing for the big time.

"They told me they don't really like to call it OP (osteitis pubis) anymore, but they term it as chronic groin pain," he said.

"I think it comes down to probably getting into the gym and heavy weights with a bit of a weak core, so I've been doing a lot of work on my core.

"I struggled with it for a little while and I just needed to get it done. I haven't felt any pain in my groin since surgery, so I'm pretty confident in it.

"That's something I've had to learn along the way. I've learnt a lot about my body in the time that I've been in rehab, so even though it was a negative, I probably looked at it as a bit of a positive as well."

Having used his time at the club to add another 7kg of muscle to his already strong 184cm frame, O'Meara is ready to go in every sense.

"I'd be happy to play anywhere, but my favourite position would be in the midfield," he said.

"I like to be in the thick of things and if there's a spot for me there then I'll be taking it with both hands.

"I feel as though I can play inside mid or outside mid, depending on where the coaches like to play me."

O'Meara, who will turn 19 on the day the Suns begin their NAB Cup campaign against Brisbane and Hawthorn, was allowed a taste of senior football during the last pre-season competition before being barred from playing in the season proper.

He didn't look out of place, but is confident he'll be far better prepared 12 months on.

"They say NAB Cup is probably AFL at about 60 per cent," O'Meara said.

"It was still pretty fast for me. It was definitely a step up from WAFL footy and I'm sure that once I do eventually get a game in the home-and-away season then it's going to be another step up."

O'Meara prefers to talk about the team rather than himself and it's clear he appreciates the timing of his entry.

With what were designed to be Gold Coast's two most difficult seasons out of the way, the Suns' lofty goals were recently outlined by chairman John Witheriff, who's targeted a premiership within three years.

"We need to improve as a team and I think this time of year is all about working hard and smashing yourself," O'Meara said.

"We've still got a few gains we need to achieve and we're going the right way about it at the moment. Hopefully by Round 1 we'll be fit and firing to go.

"The boys are coming into their third years now, so they know what AFL footy's all about and they've definitely shown that they can compete against the big clubs.

"Hopefully we can take that into this year and we can keep going with that for the next few years and maybe even win a premiership."

While O'Meara has been compared to Judd, it's another Brownlow medallist - Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett - who he's more likely to model his game on.

"He can do everything and I'd love to maybe one day become half the player he is because obviously he's a bit of a freak," O'Meara said.

"I've got a lot to learn but I'll pick his brain as much as I can. He's obviously one of the best players in the AFL, if not the best.

"I think he's probably the ultimate package. His willingness to execute skills at AFL pace at training is something that I've taken from him.

"He leads by example and he also tells boys how they can do things better and how they can improve."


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

No half measures on road back

Extended break: Popular Bulldogs defender Dale Morris has worked tirelessly to be fully fit after breaking his leg in 2011. Picture: Rob Leeson Source: Herald Sun

DALE Morris got a blunt reminder about his football mortality when moving house earlier this month. While unpacking a few boxes in his new study, the Western Bulldogs defender stumbled on a dog-eared cardboard folder.

"It had all of these X-rays of my leg, which I'd never really looked at before," he said. "I had a look at them and called my wife (Gemma) in for a look, thinking, 'Holy moly, have a look at this, how bad it was'."

The X-rays showed a clean break through the right lower leg, with both the tibia and fibula off-set. The injury occurred when Morris's leg was caught awkwardly beneath him during a marking contest in the final quarter against Essendon in Round 21, 2011.

"That night was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life," Morris recalled.

"I had three or four of those pethidine pens and they felt like they did nothing. Then I got to the hospital and had more pain-killers and it finally settled down, but just a cough or a sneeze was enough to bring the pain flooding back. It was intense."

Morris remembered lying in a hospital room that night wondering if he would play football again.

"I'd had the X-rays and I was lying there with a million things going through my head and in walked Boydy (captain Matthew Boyd). He'd come straight from the game. I don't even think he'd had a shower, and he just sat with me.

"We had a little bit of a chat, but he didn't even have to say anything."

Another teammate, the injury-plagued Tom Williams, brought over a laptop loaded with dozens of movies - "he knew what was ahead of me" - and Daniel Cross's wife Sam dropped off some containers of home-made pasta sauce at the Morris home.

Although Morris faced months on the sidelines, that weekend confirmed what he had always known: that Whitten Oval was and would remain his second home.

"If anything it really felt like I was even more a part of a team," he said. "That's the beauty of the Bulldogs."

That weekend Morris had an epidural while doctors manipulated the bones back into place under X-ray.

"Fortunately there were no shards of bone or anything," Morris said.

Then the protracted rehabilitation began.

I was in a plaster cast up to my hip for a month; I went from running around and playing a game of footy to not being able to move at all. I was on the couch, foot up on the bean bag, and at the time Gemma was pregnant and feeling really sick.

"My two-year-old, Riley, clued on to it pretty quick that when he was out of arm's reach I was powerless and he could get away with plenty."

Almost more disturbing was the day the cast was cut off. "I looked at the leg and it had wasted away to nothing, it was just skin and bone. At that moment I thought to myself, 'Whoa, I've got a long way to go'."

The next major step in his recuperation came in late November, 2011, when Morris ran for the first time on the club's Alter G device - a treadmill that controls how much body weight goes through the runner's legs.

I was that scared, stressed, I didn't know what to think. Would my leg snap? I was telling my brain it was OK to put all my weight on the leg but it wasn't computing all that well. We started at 50 per cent body weight but day by day it improved: 70 then 80 per cent and before I knew it I was making the transition to running outside.

Morris returned in a VFL reserves game with Williamstown in late April. "Everything felt right about the situation. It was at Werribee, where I'd set out on my AFL career and it just felt like it was going to work out perfectly."

But during the first quarter he started to feel pain and tightness in the lower leg and more X-rays revealed a stress fracture three centimetres below the original break.

As the season wore on, it became clear that Morris would be better served setting himself for a full pre-season and returning in 2013.

Ever the team man, he concentrated on keeping a positive mindset, an approach not lost on coach Brendan McCartney who said recently: "He has had setback after setback after setback, but he keeps walking in with a smile on his face and goes to work."

A self-confessed "shocking spectator", Morris channelled much of his energy on game day into helping the batch of young pups at the club, often sitting in the grandstand with defenders on the verge of senior selection, pointing out where forwards and defenders were running and explaining why.

When he does return to the fray, some of those players are likely to line up beside him now that long-time teammates Brian Lake, Lindsay Gilbee and Ryan Hargrave have all departed in the time since he broke his leg.

"We worked really well together," he said. "You develop an understanding. We didn't need to tell each other where we would run or were kicking it. We just knew.

"Now it's me and Murph (Bob Murphy) at the top, and then there's a fair drop in experience to the next group. But I'm really excited about that next crop of defenders - Daniel Talia, Jordan Roughead, Easton Wood ... then there are others like (Jason) Johannisen and (Daniel) Pearce."

There are some who query whether Morris, 30 next season, can return with the versatility and pace that has been a hallmark of his 151 games. On the weekend, ex-Bulldog and Tiger Nathan Brown, who suffered a broken leg in 2005, suggested Morris would "definitely (find it) harder to play on the quicker guys" and his place might be jeopardised.

Morris is unfazed - and stimulated by the prospect of playing under McCartney.

"The thing about 'Macca' is he wants things done right rather than quick," Morris said. "If you do it right the success will come, whereas if you rush it you might get some success now but it might also fall away down the track."

He might just as easily have been talking about his recovery from that broken leg.

THE Bulldogs will hold an open training session at Whitten Oval from 9.30am today, with an autograph session at 11am.
 


23.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

2012 countdown: Top 10 games

The best pictures of the 2012 AFL season

Sydney's Nick Malceski is mobbed by teammates after kicking the winning goal in a classic Grand Final win against Hawthorn at the MCG. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: Herald Sun

START our countdown of the best and worst of the year in footy with the top 10 matches of the season.

Over the next 10 days we'll name the highlights, lowlights and simply strange moments of the year in footy in a countdown of top 10 countdowns (still with us?).

To kick off the series here are the best 10 AFL games of 2012.

There were 187 premiership matches this year and a fair few were quickly forgotten. But a few deserve to stick in the memory for a lot longer - at least until Round 1 next season.

Did we get it right? Vote in our poll and leave a comment below

Let the countdown begin...

10. GWS d Gold Coast, Round 7
The AFL's newest franchise went into this Manuka Oval clash against the competition's second-newest team with no wins from six outings at an average losing margin of 71 points. But after trailing by four points with a quarter to go, the Giants stormed home, kicking five goals to none in the last quarter, to claim their first-ever premiership points. Well, there's a big, big sound from the west side of town...


9. Port Adelaide d North Melbourne, Round 8
This game didn't rise to any great heights in the early stages - in fact, some scribes were starting to pen Matthew Primus's obituary as the Roos cruised to what looked like an easy victory. Lindsay Thomas missed a sitter from the goalsquare but it didn't seem to matter as North led by 29 points halfway through the final quarter. Then the game turned on its head. With Jay Schulz marking everything, Port came from the clouds to kick five goals in little over 10 minutes, Paul Stewart putting the Power in front for the first time in the match with a goal on the run 30 minutes into the final term. The siren sounded soon after to record an unbelievable two-point win.

8. Sydney d Essendon, Round 11
Essendon kicked the first goal of the game but could manage only 11 more behinds in the first half as the Swans skipped to a 47-point lead at three-quarter time. But the Bombers launched an improbably charge and all of a sudden they couldn't miss, piling on nine goals including a Leroy Jetta mid-air volley to cut the margin to four points with five minutes to play. The last roll of the dice fell to Courtenay Dempsey, who marked on the 50m line with a second on the clock. As Dempsey wheeled on to his right boot the siren sounded and the umpire called play on, ending the Bombers' dream of the greatest comeback win in history.

Essendon v Sydney Swans. Etihad Stadium. Courtenay Dempsey, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: The Australian

7. Brisbane Lions v West Coast, Round 10

Another nailbiting finish, with the Lions storming home with an eight-goal final term to record one of the upsets of the season. Super sub Josh Green kicked three goals in a marathon final quarter and the winning play was a long Josh Drummond kick-in that ended up with James Polkinghorne who somehow found himself alone in the centre square with seconds to play. He launched a torpedo which flew 60m, straight through the middle. Lions win by two.

6. Gold Coast d Richmond, Round 16
The Tigers are somehow the only team to have never beaten the Suns, denied this year when NRL convert Karmichael Hunt marked on his chest moments before the siren in Cairns. Hunt's post-siren shot never looked like missing. The Tigers had led by 10 points with less than a minute remaining - then came what Paul Roos called "the worst 47 seconds in footy". Richmond suffered two more heartbreaking losses in the next two weeks, the third in a row by less than a goal to an undermanned Carlton which came back from 13 points behind late in the final quarter. Former Demon Brock McLean's wobbly kick from 50m on the boundary cleared a pack of players and rolled through for a goal to Carlton the lead with 90 seconds to play.

Karmichael Hunt celebrates with his team-mates after kicking the match-winning goal after the final siren against Richmond Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images


5. Richmond d St Kilda, Round 10
It wasn't all heartbreak for Richmond fans in 2012. The Tigers and Saints put on one of the most entertaining games of the season at a packed Etihad Stadium on a Friday night in June. The match produced 34 goals and more than 10 lead changes, including several in a rollicking last quarter as both sides grabbed the momentum only to have it ripped away again. The final say fittingly went to Jack Riewoldt, who booted his eighth goal of the match (his 100th AFL game) to seal a memorable Tiger victory.

St.Kilda v Richmond at Etihad Stadium. Tigers fans go nuts as Jack Riewoldt kicks goal. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun

4. Collingwood d Essendon, Round 5
The Pies led a tight contest all day only for Brent Stanton to snatch the lead for Essendon late in the final term. The ball then fell in the Magpies goalsquare, Jarryd Blair threw a leg at it and 87,000 fans held their breath as the AFL's new video goal review system swung into action. The third ump ruled Blair got his shin to the ball just before it crossed the goal-line to hand Collingwood a remarkable one-point win.

The annual blockbuster game between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG. A last-minute goal from Jarryd Blair. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun


3. Hawthorn d Sydney, Round 22
Dubbed by many as the match of the season, the two heavyweights slugged it out on a wet SCG in August. The Swans dominated early, jumping to a 38-point lead, only for Lance Franklin - returning from injury - to drag the Hawks back into the match with three second-term goals. It was goal for goal in a breathtaking and bruising second half, with Ryan O'Keefe putting the Swans in front with 70 seconds to play only for Shaun Burgoyne and Brad Sewell to reply.

Fox Sports: Vote for the biggest AFL moment of 212 here

2. Geelong d Hawthorn, Round 19
The legend of footy's greatest modern rivalry grew again in 2012 with two more epic battles. In Round 2 Geelong, inspired by human battering ram Joel Selwood, kicked 4.1 to 0.5 in the final quarter to conjure a two-point win. But they went one better in Round 19 with one of the great home-and-away clashes.  The Cats were on fire early, ramming home 9.3 in the first term. But the Hawks crawled off the canvas, coming from 51 points down to hit the lead late in the final term. Enter Tom Hawkins. The maligned key forward had been unstoppable all night and when his sixth goal sailed through from 55m as the siren sounded Geelong players ran from everywhere - and the Kennett curse was alive.

Geelong key forard Tom Hawkins celebrates after kicking the winning goal against Hawthorn after the siren. Picture: George Salpigtidis. Source: AdelaideNow

1. Sydney d Hawthorn, Grand Final
With momentum swings all day and possible heroes appearing at every turn, one of the great Grand Finals wasn't decided until Nick Malceski snapped a goal over his head with 32 minutes gone in the final term. Hawthorn, the hot favourite, was stunned and Sydney has its second flag in 78 years.

TOMORROW: TOP 10 MARKS OF 2012

Follow Al Paton on Twitter: @al_superfooty

Sydney celebrates its Grand Final victory over Hawthorn in style. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun


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They make tasty Pies up north

Adam Oxley will join Collingwood best-and-fairest winner Dayne Beams (above) as another Queenslander at the club. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

THE AFL'S rookie draft barely registered on Adam Oxley's radar.

He knew it was looming but if the Redland Bombers utility was to step outside his home last Tuesday it would be for a round of golf, not football matters.

Then his life turned on a phone call from Redland teammate Blake Grewar congratulating him on his recruitment by Australia's biggest football club.

"I thought he wanted a game of golf but it turns out that he was congratulating me," said Oxley who flew to Melbourne last week to begin training with Collingwood.

"I was pretty surprised at the time and it still hasn't sunk in, I guess."

Oxley's selection continues Collingwood recruiter Derek Hine's recent fascination with Queenslanders.

He will join best-and-fairest winner Dayne Beams and Cairns product Peter Yagmoor at the club while former Brisbane Lion, Bulldog and Crow Ben Hudson was also rookie listed.

The 20-year-old modelled himself on Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow, yet if you read between the lines on all his scouting reports, Oxley is a clone of former Brisbane superboot Josh Drummond.

He played most of his junior football at half-forward and grabbed attention for a seven-goal haul earlier this year against Mt Gravatt.

After answering a call to switch to defence, Oxley added another element to his game and Collingwood started calling.

"He played that sweeping role across half-back, playing on some really well credentialled Gold Coast and Brisbane players," Hine said.

"The pleasing thing from our side of things for Adam was there was a real cross-section of players he was playing on.

"He's an elite kick, he's a right footer, so that complements our group in terms of the depth of his kicking and his ability to use the football.

"We see him predominantly playing wing (or) half-back and if he can develop into that role, particularly on a wing, it gives us real power across there with (left-footer) Clinton Young."

The 190cm Oxley played in two national under-18 championships for Queensland but was overlooked in the past two national drafts.

Rather than sulk, he committed to enjoying his football in the NEAFL last season and the results were obvious.


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