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Saints seek Longmire talks
St Kilda will this week make its first formal contact with John Longmire, but only after a phone call is made to his boss at Sydney, Paul Roos. The Saints will do as they have with many other contracted coaches and ask Roos if he would consider becoming Grant Thomas's replacement. Roos has been identified by the St Kilda coaching sub-committee as the blueprint for a modern coach. St Kilda president Rod Butterss would not comment on Roos yesterday, but it is known he intends following up an informal call made last month by his chief executive Archie Fraser, a long-time friend of the Swans coach. "Anyone who has the credentials to coach our club . . . we owe it to our supporters and we owe it to ourselves to at least make a call," Butterss said.
The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/02Oct06
Saints set to seek Roos Damian Barrett/TheAustralian/02Oct06
When they go, I'll go: Roos Michael Cowley/SydneyMorningHerald/02Oct06
Australian rules over league in ratings
It seems Australian rules football is more popular than rival code rugby league. Television ratings figures show the Australian Football League (AFL) grand final decider between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles attracted more than three million viewers nationally. That compared to about 2.5 million people who watched Sunday's National Rugby League (NRL) grand final clash between the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm.
The Article AAP/TheAge/02Oct06
List Management
Which way forward?
by SaintsRrising
Status:
In terms of building the perfect premiership team our needs are:
• True tall tap ruckman
• Two more quick and skilled midfielders
• One Gorilla full back.
Now having said that there is no such thing as a perfect team. The Eagles are for example chock full of some sensational players . . . but do not have a perfect list. The Eagles though are working hard on their weaknesses. i.e. KFs. Glass emerging as big full back this year was a big plus for them. Hansen and Lynch who are both 23 are likely to both get better for the Eagles thus improving their team.
There is a high benchmark at present and the Saints need to improve in order to exceed it.
Raw potential:
Talking Windows I think we have seen the first window of a premiership for the Saints has closed . . . i.e. the one that would have been led by our older core of players. Peckett, Powell and Aussie are now gone . . .
Our older guard players that are now remaining will be support players rather than the core that we win with.
However our second window of opportunity is fortunately already opening for us . . . and if a lot goes right it may even snag us a flag in 2007 which would be great for Banger.
Our current list has the raw talent required to win a flag . . . but only if a number of players improve. ie any or all of:
• Brooks and Rix in the ruck. That this two develop into a reasonable ruck duo . . . and by that I mean have the ability to palm the ball to the advantage of our midfielders.
• Hamill actually playing
• The Clarke's finding fitness and Raph learning to dish the ball off to adavantage.
• Fiora playing good football week, in week out.
• McQualter stepping up to earn a regular spot in the midfield rotation.
• Kosi having a solid year.
• Gilbert ripening a year earlier than expected to give us that extra tall backman option in 2007.
• Rix to improve as ruck or key defensive back. There were good signs in 2006 and remember that he is 25 and that players of his height often bloom late ( ie Troy Simmonds turned 28 this year and had arguably his best year ever).
• That Joey and Gram conitinue on with the years that they had this year . . . and indeed that Gram morphs into a midfielder.
• That Roo learns how to kick straight at goal (. . . and one hopes to hear that a secret new football boot is about to be launched onto the world market that improves accuracy and power in kicking).
• That GTrain has a consistently good year.
• That Milne is returned to the forward pocket and plays like we know he can . . . and that he learns how to stick a tackle.
• That Hayes and Maguire as a minimum are fully fit and firing by mid-way thru 2007.
• That Ball's Op allows him much greater freedom and ability to kick than he had in 2006.
• . . . and maybe just maybe McG being harnessed to make effective use of his ball winning ability (though I am willing to skip this one).
However that is a lot of if's . . . we do not need all of them but yes, you would need most of them.
To top up . . . or to be slow and steady???
Will the "new order" emphasis be to put absolute priority to win the flag in 2007 and 2008 . . . or will the attitude be more to win it in 2007 if we can but to recruit more on the basis of best possible winning chance from 2008 to 2012.
Both approaches still require:
• True tall tap ruckman
• Two more quick and skilled midfielders
• One guerrilla full back.
Winning it in 2007 and 2008:
If this is the absolute main focus, then this will see greater weight being giving to trading either players or draft picks to get our needs addressed with players that can play now.
In terms of rucks . . . the only real option would appear to be Everitt . . . a bit of a gamble here given his lust for $ and off field antics. However no other quality ruckman, in term as of football ability is likely to be available on 2007. Everitt could possibly be taken in the PSD making his acquisition trade wise a "steal". As his salary can be halved as a veteran the first 8 teams would be unlikely to take him in the PSD . . . except maybe the Cats. He is worth more to the Saints than the Cats though.
With a ruckman, players such as Cox, Sandilands and Hudson have all been overlooked . . . so there is some gold out there for either the draft or rookie draft if we are able to spot it. JB needs to be given some extra resources.
Midfielders:
Pick 9 should probably gain us one. A second quick and skilled midfielder may not be available but someone like Kelly could be picked up for better midfield depth.
Thommo would be retained.
Aka would be looked at . . .
Full back:
For a Gorilla FB Mal Michael is the obvious option. However his team mate in Bradshaw is also well worth a look. At 27 is younger and also has the advantage of being a true swing player that can play either end. However you would imagine that the Cats and Dogs would be desperate for him and that this would bid up his trade value.
Look at one of the younger key backs who are currently not "happy" with their club.
Best possible winning chance from 2008 to 2012
With this scenario in trades for players are less likely . . . however the club will still be alert to deals of advantage. Players that address our weaknesses that can be obtained for a reasonable trade. i.e. Fiora and Meesen . . . or Fiora and Salopek (though this would require something extra from the Saints but Fiora is a PA boy . . . )
Kelly
Everitt would not be traded for, but may still be taken in the PSD.
Our first 2 picks of 9 and 27 would definitely not be traded . . . and most likely all would be kept. Of the 5 (or 6 picks) expect 3 to be midfielder types.
Gilbert will be the player we back to be our next back . . . along possibly with Rix for selected games and opponents.
The ruck stocks will be boosted by at least one draft pick (maybe a player aged 22+) and/or a rookie selections. A lot of effort needs to go into identifying possible ruck talent. Look at aquiring a young ruckman who has done a couple of years development.
Thommo may be retained.
With both approaches we need to do more with our Rookies . . . and to resource JB better . . . this means extra staff . . . or contractors.
Now which way will the Club go????? It will be interesting to watch.
The Post and Thread - 'saintsRrising' et al/saintsational.com
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Swans and St Kilda suitors :Everitt's Manager
. . . It is understood Everitt could command as much as $400,000 a season to play in Sydney. St Kilda has done its sums on Everitt, checking his veteran status for Total Player Payments forecasts. But Saints chief executive Archie Fraser said last night the club was still "miles away" from a definitive move. "We'd have to talk to the leadership group and players before we made any move on Spida," Fraser said. The Swans made it clear yesterday they will vigorously pursue Everitt if co-captains Barry Hall, Brett Kirk and Leo Barry give coach Paul Roos their blessing today.
The Article Mark Stevens & Nikki Tugwell/HeraldSun/03Oct06
Swans prepare to swoop (As above) CourierMail/03Oct06
Sizing up Spida (As above) HeraldSun/03Oct06
Leo Barry backs Spida recruitment ABCSport/03Oct06
Hardy at Fever pitch
We hear the only shining light of the show, comedian Matt Hardy, is re-visiting his acclaimed Saturday Afternoon Fever role for St Kilda Football Club's best and fairest award tonight. After Molly Meldrum, Hardy would have to be the maddest Saints fan around -- penning a tribute to the club in the Saturday Afternoon Fever book and taking it to the stage for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. No surprise then that he's been asked to co-host the Vodafone Arena event alongside Sandy Roberts and Peter Mitchell. AFL glamour boy Nick Reiwoldt, beau of Stephanie McIntosh, is not only favourite to win tonight, but rumoured to be handed the No. 1 guernsey in a ceremony that is part of a plan to make it as iconic as soccer star David Beckham's No. 7 shirt while he was at Manchester United.
The Article HeraldSun/03Oct06
Best & Fairest: Who will win in 2006?
Tonight's Best and Fairest is sure to be a memorable one, as the Saints are set to present a show stopping event at Vodafone Arena. Who will take home the Trevor Barker Award? Will it be Nick Riewoldt, who has had a consistent season, or perhaps Sam Fisher who has had a defining year in the backline? Whatever the result, St Kilda's Best and Fairest will be an entertaining evening. Live music and comedy in a festival-type atmosphere will bring the crowd to its feet, with this year's Trevor Barker Award sure to set the standard for future Best and Fairest Awards.
The Article St Kilda Football Club/saints.com.au/03Oct06
Players to make call on Everitt
. . . "We take it [a player's character] pretty seriously. Any new guys that come into the footy club, we look at how they can affect us and how we are able to manage them, (Roos said) Spida has obviously demonstrated he is a super player and the way he has conducted himself at Hawthorn, he's obviously a guy that would fit in really easily with the club, and that will be something we will address tomorrow."
The Article Michael Cowley/SydneyMorningHerald/03Oct06
Fox Footy's couch missed
Gerard, Wallsy and I felt a little sorry for ourselves last night, even more so for the footy tragics all over Australia. The Fox Footy channel, our Monday night meeting rendezvous every week of the past five football seasons, is no longer. Gone, taking On the Couch, White Line Fever, League Teams, Grumpy Old Men and assorted other Fox programs into history. Oblivion . . . We loved doing ``the couch''. Reviewing the weekend's games like you do at a barbie, then chatting with the biggest names in the game, going Australia-wide at a respectable time . . . No, it never was going to match The Footy Show for numbers and it was never going to be invited to join The Comedy Festival, but it met a need for those people who wanted a weekly hour-long dose of pure footy.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/03Oct06
Sydney move for Everitt, Tarrant looks unlikely
Sydney coach Paul Roos appeared to cast serious doubt yesterday on the club's ability to secure Hawthorn ruckman Peter Everitt or Collingwood forward Chris Tarrant when he said the Swans needed to use their first two picks in the national draft on young talent rather than as bargaining chips. Sydney and Everitt have been linked all season after a late, unsuccessful attempt to strike a deal with the Hawks in trade week last year . . . Hawthorn has indicated that it wants, as a starting point, a first- or high second-round pick in exchange for Everitt, who will be 33 in May.
The Article Stephen Rielly/TheAge RealFooty/02Oct06
Roos not hitting panic button yet Richard Hinds/SydneyMorningHerald/02Oct06
Spriggs ponders past . . . and future Lyall Johnson/TheAge RealFooty/02Oct06
New year revolution
. . . I think West Coast will still be challenging for the premiership, Sydney will again be thereabouts, while St Kilda will improve with a new coach. But the pressure will be on Fremantle, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne to not only maintain but improve on their 2006 campaigns . . . Melbourne was poised to go further this year but fell way short. Even though the Demons will argue they weren't far away, they were lucky to get past St Kilda in the elimination final.
The Article Brad Hardie/CourierMail/01Oct06
Players will decide on Everitt: Roos
Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos says the playing group - and not his coaching staff - will have the final say on whether the club pursues a deal for want-away Hawthorn ruckman Peter Everitt. Everitt, 32, sounded out the Swans about a move to Sydney during last year's trade week and, while a deal failed to materialise, 'Spider' is reportedly still eager to play for Sydney next year. Speaking at the traditional 'Mad Monday' end-of-season break up in Paddington, Roos said while he and his assistants would strongly consider taking on the triple All-Australian, the players' leadership group could veto any move. "We've spoken about (Everitt) this morning, we'll speak to the leadership group tomorrow about him and we'll probably proceed on whether the leadership group says yes or no," Roos said.
The Article AAP/TheAge RealFooty/02Oct06
Swans leaders to decide on pursuing Everitt
Michael Cowley/TheAge RealFooty/03Oct06
AFL moves to catch leaked $1bn
The AFL might buy new stadiums or enter into joint ventures with ticketing companies as it seeks to grow its asset base and capture some of the estimated $1 billion being "leaked" from the game each year. But chief executive Andrew Demetriou told Sky News Sunday Business that while the AFL wanted to build its investments, it had no plans to list on the stock exchange. He said some of the club presidents had raised the idea of listing the league "from time to time" but the AFL was "as public a company as you can get without being public" . . . He said the AFL had 45,000 members apart from club members and "we think our game is run by our supporters and our clubs, and the AFL at the end of the day is anyway a large extension of our supporter base". Mr Demetriou said recently that the AFL would distribute $1.4 billion in revenue over the next five years, of which the clubs would get $650 million . . . "To their credit we have got some clubs that are very entrepreneurial - if you look at Collingwood it will turn over something like $40 million to $50 million this year and it just acquired some gaming hotels for about $14 million - and Essendon is a very entrepreneurial football club" . . . "And we also have a radio rights deal being announced on a national basis in the coming two weeks."
The Article Jane Schulze/TheAustralian/02Oct06
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The Saints are unlikely to make a decision in the next week and will enter trade week on Monday without a senior coach. Negotiations on player trades will be held by recruiting manager John Beveridge, assistant coach Matt Rendell and former player and coach Ken Sheldon. - ABC Sport
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Everitt looking for new contract
. . . Everitt said last night he remained uncertain about where his playing future lay. But, with pre-trade talks expected to gain momentum today, Everitt is expected to meet Swans officials . . . Sydney's interest in Everitt, although well established during last year's trade period and throughout this year, has gained strength in the wake of the grand final. Roos offered a frank assessment of senior ruckman Darren Jolly's "disappointing" performance against the Eagles on Saturday and no guarantee of a contract for injury-prone understudy Stephen Doyle.
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/02Oct06
Longmire ready for Saints
After five years assisting at Sydney, Longmire says the lessons learnt have been invaluable and he believes he is ready for the opportunity to be a senior coach. Speaking just minutes after Sydney's Grand Final loss, Longmire said: "I'm lucky to be at a great club and I've enjoyed every minute. My focus has always been here . . . (but) if the opportunity presents itself I will certainly be talking (to other clubs). I'll just see what transpires. I'd assume that anyone who wants to have a chat, this week would be the week to do it".
The Article Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/01Oct06
One step at a time for Maguire
It was difficult to tell who was more excited to be out in the sun in Federation Square during Grand Final week - Matt Maguire or the dozens of kids chasing footballs around in the Toyota Footy Zone. The big Saint is up and about after the sickening leg fracture he suffered against the Eagles in round 18 and he couldn't be happier to be taking his first tentative steps toward a full recovery. "The leg is seven weeks in so I'm walking around and feeling OK, I've still got a fair limp on me, but apart from that everything is healing well," a beaming Maguire says. "All the complications that I had are fine, no infections, so I'm feeling good. There's not a hell of a lot of pain, there's just an ache. It's not actually painful, it's just aching."
The Article Jason Phelan/Sportal/saints.com.au/30Sep06
Swans put Spida through his paces
Sydney is not prepared to let the dust settle on its grand final appearance, putting imminent ruck option Peter Everitt through a medical assessment early this week. The Everitt Swans union, foreshadowed earlier this season by 'Pssst' as a fait accompli, moves up a gear when he undergoes a fitness assessment and medical in the next 48 hours. While Sydney is the most likely destination for the out-of-contract Hawk, St Kilda is still in reckoning. A new ruling has given the Saints the option of making a last-ditch bid to foil the move to the harbour city and allow a return to Moorabbin. Everitt's manager Ricky Nixon learnt last Thursday that Everitt was eligible to be included as a veteran on St Kilda's list. "I've been over the collective bargaining agreement and because of his 10 years at St Kilda previously, he would qualify as a veteran," Nixon told us. Former Saints coach Grant Thomas had categorically said Everitt would not return to the club under his control, but Thomas' sacking has changed the landscape. A change of coach, the return of Everitt fan Ken Sheldon to the Saints hierarchy and news half Spida's wage could be excluded under veteran status has moved the goalposts slightly.
Pssst Craig Hutchison/TheAgeSport/01Oct06
(Scanned from newspaper and reformatted)
The year that was
. . . THE SIREN FIASCO - . . . If St Kilda had kept those extra two points, the Saints would have finished in the top four, secured the double chance and a home final, and perhaps Grant Thomas may have been spared the axe . . . BONECRUNCHERS - . . . The accident-prone Saint Justin Koschitzke fractured a skull in a collision with Bulldogs Daniel Giansiracusa, then managed to knock himself out running into an umpire, and faint on live TV. But the broken leg suffered by Kossie's fellow Saint Matt Maguire, Adelaide forward Trent Hentschel's "car crash" knee injury and the neck injury which ended Blake Caracella's career at Collingwood were truly frightening.
The Article
Michael McGuire and Jesper Fjeldstad/SundayMail/01Oct06
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"The players are always going to be disappointed that we lost a coach. We had faith in [him] so with that said we were always going to embrace the next coach that comes in as well . . . It's an exciting time, my second coach now coming in and I'm really looking forward to who it is and hopefully it can all go well." - Matt Maguire
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Restoring Victorian pride
Jon Ralph ranks the premiership pecking order
. . . 3 - ST KILDA
The list has stars in spades, but it is the midfield warriors St Kilda must find to surge towards premiership success. The club hasn't recruited a pure first-rate midfielder since 2001, with Brendon Goddard, Raphael Clarke, Jason Gram and Fergus Watts (trade for pick 17) all highly rated but preferred in other positions. The exception is Andrew McQualter. He and Leigh Montagna, the Clarke brothers and, perhaps, even Goddard and Gram must be tried in the midfield to bolster what is football's most important area. If they can find some class in there, the forward line and defence takes care of itself, notwithstanding what might be a write-off for Matt Maguire next year.
The Article Jon Ralph/HeraldSun/01Oct06
Leave Mark Williams alone
. . . Williams, who is under contract to the Power next season, has been linked to the vacancy created at St Kilda after Grant Thomas was sacked. The Power suspects Williams, along with other contracted AFL coaches, has been approached by St Kilda agents. But Port president Greg Boulton yesterday declared the Saints faced big trouble if they persisted with Williams. "There would be serious legal issues if St Kilda tries to entice anyone from our club to break a contract," Boulton said.
The Article Michelangelo Rucci/HeraldSun/30Sep06
Future for Bundy, Mifsud and Cripps??? 'Joffa Burns' et al/saintsational.com
Cathal Corr bashed 'Sainter_4_life' et al/saintsational.com
Talls the key for Adelaide
Tall, key-position players will be Adelaide's priority in the NAB AFL Draft on November 25 . . . "If you look at our list at the moment - Trent Hentschel and Rhett Biglands with the knee injuries and the loss of a Fergus Watts, who we had earmarked as a key-position forward for us - we need to, as a priority, look at that type of player," (said Neil Craig) . . . "What I won't allow to happen in our football club is people not being able to prepare to perform. You've got to be able to do the work."
The Article Sportal/30Sep06
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". . . Victoria's senior AFL coaches would have watched the spectacle and realised how far off the pace they are right now. Rivals often try to replicate the reigning premier - bulk up like the Lions or become tight-knit brethren like Sydney. But tinkering will not be enough next year." - Jon Ralph (Herald Sun)
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Footy's the winner - eventually
Prematch takes on a whole new meaning on grand final day. Channel Ten, adhering to the maxim "too much footy isn't enough", opened proceedings at 8am with a broadcast of the grand final breakfast, which featured Michael Gudinski making a speech about Molly Meldrum. Andrew Demetriou was also at the table, so clearly there was some footy connection, but it remained obscure. Then came the long, long build-up to the game, with lots of pictures of Chris Judd testing his hammies and Adam Goodes tossing a ball in the air. Nothing wrong with that, but three or four hours of it is probably stretching the material a bit.
The Article Melinda Houston/TheAge RealFooty/01Oct06
Couple alleges AFL players in fracas
A Melbourne couple alleges they were set upon by a group of St Kilda and Brisbane Lions AFL players in a hotel fracas. Sporting a blackened eye and a cut on his left cheek, Jarrod Rouse claims he was attacked by several players after one of them made a suggestive remark to his girlfriend Jaclyn Cameron last night. Saints full-forward Fraser Gehrig and Brisbane Lions champion Michael Voss were among the present and past players named as allegedly being involved in the fracas at the Prince of Wales hotel in St Kilda, in Melbourne's inner south.
The Article CourierMail/30Sep06
Police Appeal for Witnesses to St Kilda Brawl
St Kilda Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding a brawl at a licensed premises in the early hours of Friday morning. It is believed the incident began in the public bar and ended on the footpath outside, on the corner of Fitzroy and Acland Streets about 1am. Police have been told a 21-year-old woman from Port Melbourne was approached by a male inside the bar which prompted a 27-year-old Box Hill man to come to her defence. It is alleged that this man was then set upon by a group of males. As a result of the incident, the man received lacerations to his face and bruising to his arm and upper body. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or "www.crimestoppers.com.au"
The Media Release Senior Constable Karla Dennis/VictoriaPolice/30Sept06
AFL stars in pub fight
. . . Lawyers for Gehrig, Lawrence and former Lion Craig McCrae told Channel 7 yesterday the players were drafting statements understood to be against the informant, her boyfriend and her brother. The lawyers said there was security camera footage from the Prince of Wales Hotel that clearly shows what happened. Witnesses said the players did not start the brawl. Dylan Brown, visiting Melbourne from Adelaide, told Seven the footballers were defending McCrae. " They were sticking up for their mates because Craig McCrae got hit - he didn't deserve it."
The Article Mark Buttler/HeraldSun/30Sep06
Bookies draw sigh of relief
. . . "Normally a draw would be a dream result for us, but because of the tight history between the teams, the punters just kept backing the draw. We opened it $41 and by the bounce of the ball the draw was into $18. It wasn't a case of any big individual bets, just a constant flow of $100 here and $200 there." The draw was backed from $41 to $26 with Centrebet. Both TAB Sportsbet and Centrebet were cheering for the Swans. "We definitely wanted the Swans because there was an amazingly strong move for the Eagles in the head-to-head betting for the week leading up to the game," Centrebet's Gerard Daffy said.
The Article Adam Hamilton/HeraldSun/02Oct06
Jason Akermanis asked to stifle bark
It's understood Akermanis's comments on The Footy Show on Thursday night, when he again taunted the Brisbane Lions, infuriated the Bulldogs. The outspoken Brownlow medallist could not be contacted last night amid claims the Dogs had gone lukewarm on luring him to Whitten Oval. Bulldogs champion Scott West told ABC radio yesterday that he was taken aback by the Akermanis comments on Thursday night.
The Article Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/02Oct06
Bulldogs see red over Akermanis outburst Michael Gleeson/TheAge RealFooty/02Oct06
West warns Aka: Lift your game ABCSport/01Oct06
AFL stars in footbrawl spotlight
A brawl in which a Box Hill man was allegedly assaulted at a St Kilda hotel on Thursday night has again shone the spotlight on the off-field behaviour of AFL players. Jarrod Rouse alleges he was set upon by a group of eight footballers at the Prince of Wales Hotel when he took umbrage with one of them insulting his girlfriend, Jaclyn Cameron. Ms Cameron told Channel 7 News last night that St Kilda full-forward Fraser Gehrig and other players were involved in a fracas with Mr Rouse when he was on the ground.
The Article Rohan Connolly/TheAge RealFooty/30Sep06
Get a slice of the Aker action - for a cool $4.85 million
Exiled Lions champion Jason Akermanis has listed his Brisbane property holdings with characteristically ambitious $4.85 million expectations. His three-bedroom Bulimba residence has a $1.85 million asking price. The traditional Queenslander, with city views, has been renovated since being bought by Akermanis and his wife, Megan, in 2002 for $805,000. Akermanis has also listed the adjoining property, which he bought shortly before the flare-up with his team in May, when he was axed for poor form and disciplinary reasons. He has put a $3 million asking price on the 2024-square-metre development block that cost $2.15 million in March.
The Article Jonathan Chancellor/SydneyMorningHerald/30Sep06
Full-time siren blows for Fox Footy channel
This weekend is not only the conclusion of another AFL season, it also marks the end of one of subscription television's great experiments. Early on Sunday morning, after its second replay of the AFL grand final, the Fox Footy channel will expire after five years on air. It all started so conspicuously. At a lavish launch at Melbourne's Park Hyatt in 2002, the station announced itself as one of only four sport-specific TV channels in the world, counting among its peers the US Golf Channel and the Manchester United and the New York Yankees' club networks.
The Article Michael Bodey/TheAustralian/30Sep06
Judd named MVP
West Coast superstar Chris Judd has defeated Sydney dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes to win this year's AFL Players Association Most Valuable Player award - the Leigh Matthews Trophy - at a gala awards night held at Melbourne's Park Hyatt. Judd was named the competition's MVP by 181 players, while Goodes, the 2006 Brownlow winner, gained 73 votes. Earlier in the week, Goodes suggested winning the AFLPA's MVP award would be the 'biggest mark of respect', as it is voted by his peers. Adelaide's Simon Goodwin came third with 49 votes, while West Coast's Daniel Kerr was next in line with 47. Over 600 players voted for this year's award. Judd, 23, is regarded by many as the best player in the game. Since making his AFL debut in 2002, Judd has won the 2004 Brownlow Medal, West Coast's best-and-fairest in 2004 and the Norm Smith Medal in 2005.
The Article Sportal/30Sep06
Lyon could be Saints contender
Retired Melbourne champion-turned-star AFL commentator Garry Lyon is weighing up his football future and must decide over grand final weekend whether to throw his hat into the St Kilda coaching ring. Lyon met Saints' chief executive Archie Fraser last week to discuss the prospect of quitting television and several of his vast other media interests to move to Moorabbin, replacing Grant Thomas as coach of one of the most highly rated lists in the competition. Should Lyon decide to take the next step, he will join a shortlist of candidates already booked in for second-stage interviews over a two-day period next week. Three AFL assistant coaches, along with Thomas' lieutenant Matt Rendell, already have been booked for extensive interviews and at least two candidates will then move to the final stage, which would involve extensive psychological assessment. Rendell, who worked closely with Thomas, put up his hand for the coaching position and has been moved through to the next stage, while an early fancy, Don Pyke, now seems to have ruled himself out.
The Article Caroline Wilson/TheAge RealFooty/29Sep06
Why we win: lessons from the Sydney Swans
. . . The Roos vision of how the Swans will win is based on inspiration from other games around the world. Building the social architecture with a balance of intuition and statistics that assist in monitoring progress and supporting fast decision-making. The Swans understand why they win and have developed the statistics to communicate to the team . . . The rate of change in Australian Rules football, like all industries, is accelerating. Roos comments that the changes in just the last five years have been dramatic, with profound implications for players, coaches and management. Take the draft and the challenge of fielding the most competitive team. Research by Roos and his team over the past three years has highlighted a number of opportunities which the Swans have been able to turn to their advantage. The draft story also reveals the Roos philosophy of well thought-out strategies with a fact-based research foundation. The balance of intuition and analysis is a consistent theme.
The Article 'Splurty' et la/saintsational.com
I can't find the link to the Finacial Review. Ed
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"We have worked out exactly what we want and we have just put a bit of finishing touches to it. It's the first time the entire group (Sub-committee) has got together and it was important everyone was across the steps we are taking. What we are going to do now is go underground and we are off the radar . . . We certainly won't be talking about any individuals that have been considered and now it's a case of head down and bum up. We just have to ensure that we get it right and all our emphasis now is making sure we do get it right." - Rod Butterss
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