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'Footy First' on drug and alcohol Butterss furious, Westaway calls it a good idea The head of the group challenging for power at AFL club St Kilda insists anyone who takes offence at their drugs and alcohol policy is "thin-skinned". Members of the Footy First group have said they reacted to "rumour and innuendo" by committing to a policy where they will ban themselves from drug-taking as well as excessive alcohol intake at club functions. Club president Rod Butterss is reportedly furious at the implication behind the proposal. But Footy First leader Greg Westaway added that rather than take the idea as an affront, everyone should back it. "That's the message we want to say - there has been innuendo and rumour and I stress, again, it is only innuendo and rumour, it's nothing else," Westaway said on Radio SEN. "Nobody should take any offence at it. I can dispel any rumour or innuendo about the (proposed) new board by coming out and saying, 'This is what we propose'. I'm going to repeat it - innuendo and rumour - and if you can't take it as that, and I mean we've been emphatic about it, then you're pretty thin-skinned. If it was me, I'd be jumping on the bandwagon and saying, 'What a good idea'." The Article Roger Vaughan/AAP/FoxSports/12Sept07 NEC reviewing its options A third company, NEC, is reviewing its St Kilda sponsorship. Bill Express has already quit as a co-naming rights sponsor of the club, and Vodafone is considering switching allegiances to Carlton. NEC is one of two second-tier Leadership Group sponsors of St Kilda, along with The Age. "We will be reviewing that contract over the next few weeks," an NEC spokesman said. "We review all sponsorship deals when they are due to expire." St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser confirmed that NEC was assessing its options for 2008. "I am aware of that, but we are hopeful they will still (be) on board for next year," he said. The Article Mark Hawthorne/RealFooty/12Sept07 Saints put profit before premiership: Thompson Less than a fortnight after he left the MCG for the last time on the shoulders of his teammates, Andrew Thompson has suggested the under-resourcing of St Kilda's football department may have cost the club a premiership . . . After a period of deliberation during which he sought guidance from his father-in-law, former International Cricket Council president Malcolm Gray, the 221-game midfielder decided to "take a stand", and joined former Saints captain Nathan Burke on a ticket seeking to depose president Rod Butterss and his board. Thompson, who would also sit on a football sub-committee with Burke, Olympic swimmer Michael Klim and former player Mordy Bromberg QC, said he had not discussed his decision to run for the board with the teammates who gave him and Fraser Gehrig a rousing send-off in round 22. The 34-year-old will accompany his former teammates on an end-of-season trip to Thailand before working full-time with a stockbroking firm and preparing for a possible board election in November. "I suppose the only thing was whether I would take some time out of football, but I think this is a good group, and you've got to take a stand at some point. I think we do need to spend more money on football. I think there's been some issues off field, and I think it's just time." Thompson expressed strong support for Lyon, but said he needed more resources. "We've had so many soft-tissue injuries over the course of the last five or six years. ". . . It's very hard to say, but if the players were out on the ground, and we didn't have the injuries we had, we may well have won a flag." The Article Chloe Saltau/RealFooty/12Sept07 Saints greats waver on board challenge Recently retired St Kilda player Andrew Thompson was wavering last night whether to be part of a rebel challenge to the club's board. A new group - Footy First - will launch a seven-man ticket at a press conference at Telstra Dome this morning. The launch was scheduled for yesterday, but was changed until 10am today. Thompson was linked to the new group, headed by Gregorys Transport founder Greg Westaway, but is yet to commit after being questioned by some his former teammates and associates on the weekend. A St Kilda director - John Gdanski - will also been named on the rival ticket, which will challenge St Kilda president Rod Butterss and his board. It's expected that the Westaway group will call for a spill of all directors. Former St Kilda captain and triple best-and-fairest winner Nathan Burke will join Thompson, who retired just two weeks ago, on the ticket . . . Butterss said last night he was disappointed a group would start a challenge without contacting the current board to discuss any issues. He said the club was in tremendous financial shape and was confident the Saints would improve its on-field performances next season, after injuries hampered the club's start this year. "I don't know what their issues are," Butterss said. "They haven't spoken to me or any other director to inform of us of any concerns." Butterss said it was remarkable that current directors, who had been part of the club's decisions, had not had the "guts" to say they had problems. "You think they would have shared those concerns with someone," he said. The Article Daryl Timms/HeraldSun/12Sept07 St Kilda rebels ban drugs, booze Members of the ticket seeking control of the St Kilda Football Club will commit to a policy banning drug-taking as well as excessive alcohol consumption at club functions. St Kilda president Rod Butterrs is under siege from a rival group who want to topple his reign. The Footy First group made the pledge after it lodged papers calling for an extraordinary general meeting of the Saints on November 12. With backing from the powerful Fox family, Footy First is hoping president Rod Butterss will stand down before the meeting. Greg Westaway, head of the seven-person Footy First group, said the drug and alcohol policy would set an example for all at the Saints. "A board of a football club has to lead by example and we will be adhering to that -- that there be no illicit or illegal drugs taken by any board member," Westaway told the Herald Sun yesterday. "Our members will also sign a policy that they not be intoxicated at board meetings, or club functions or in front of the players. That can only send the wrong message. How can you expect the players to behave if that is happening? So, that will be put to the board that you take it on as a condition of board membership, and if you don't want to do it, well, you won't be part of it. I don't think it is too much to adhere to." The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/12Sept07 Saints become a plaything for rich boys When the 2007 season ended for St Kilda, the club was considered to have underachieved. Upon reassessment, given all the dirty laundry and division that clearly has haunted the club for much of the year, it seems a miracle Ross Lyon and his team were still a chance to play finals into round 22. You have to feel for Lyon. He has been around football clubs, including feuding ones, for many years but his previous job was at Sydney during that club's most united and successful era. How he must be missing it now. Lyon replaced a coach who had fallen out with his president in a feud that was not only financial but became legal. The board handed him a football operations boss in Ken Sheldon who Lyon initially had his doubts about but determined to make the relationship work. In the meantime, the president, Rod Butterss - a likeable but unpredictable leader who destabilised the club with his ill-timed attack on former coach and ex-best friend Grant Thomas back in June - fell out with chief executive Archie Fraser, who in turn appeared to have issues with the football manager. The two couldn't seem to agree on anything. Early in the season, Fraser fell foul of the AFL's new human resources set-up because he had been too tough on several staff members - all of whom seemed stressed and overworked because there were so few of them. Fraser also fell out with his deputy James van Beek, who had some issues of his own with staff members. Van Beek departed to work for Concept Sports - a company several St Kilda directors own shares in. And still the Saints kept getting injured. Despite their bad injury record for most of Thomas' tenure, only a year ago did the club get serious about tackling it. The latest in a long list of fitness and conditioning managers, Craig Starcevich, departed over summer for personal reasons. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/12Sept07 St Kilda excels at eating its own This is going to be one hard sell . . . Westaway, take note. The club is financially secure. By your own admission. In the past four years it has made $4.5m profit. And it has been successful. From 2004 to 2006 the club played in six finals, two of them preliminary finals. Under a new coach, Ross Lyon, and a new game plan but struck down by injury, the club missed the finals this year by half-a-game. It is a vibrant club. But it is the first one in AFL history to be challenged for making a profit. The rebel group claims this: every effort put into the club will pave the way to the next premiership and the board has a mix of business experience and football knowledge. Glib, self-serving platitudes not worthy of the administration of your local footy club. Here is the heart of Footy First's grievance according to their documentation: • The $1m profit, boasted by the St Kilda president, has been made by cutting costs and not having staff in the right places. • How is it that St Kilda was 11th in footy department spend in 2006, but have 16 less footy department staff than the 2006 premiers and St Kilda coaches were paid the fourth-highest in the AFL? • How is it that St Kilda was ninth in fitness spend but has the worst record, in fact double the AFL average of soft-tissue injuries. • How is it that St Kilda spent the second-least amount ($213,000) on recruitment. By comparison, Collingwood spent $787,000. That is $574,000 more than The Saints in 2006 just on recruitment. It should be self-evident that, under Butterss, the club had to stabilise the financial position of a club that had traditionally been going broke every other week. Costs must be cut, profits made. St Kilda has achieved that. The Article Patrick Smith/Patrick Smith/12Sept07 Butterss should stay: Patrick Smith . . . St Kilda may face some board turmoil. But this would seem more mischievous than well-placed. As of yesterday, the coup leaders remained nameless and their concerns nebulous. While St Kilda slipped out of the finals this year it had a wretched run of injuries under new coach Ross Lyon but won seven of its last 11 matches. Under the board of president Rod Butterss the club has returned four consecutive profits of more than $1 million and is yet to knock back an expenditure request from the football department. Debt has been retired. The football spend will be increased again next season. Butterss commissioned an AIS review to find the reasons for its debilitating run of injuries and already problems have been identified and remedied. All this off an historically small revenue base. Butterss momentarily lost focus when the club felt former coach Grant Thomas was a destabilising factor but it was an issue that nonetheless had to be addressed - though in less spectacular fashion. The main problem confronting the club now is to build depth around its small collection of very good players. Fraser Gehrig must be replaced but Rob Harvey's high regard for Lyon might see him play on next year. If there are people concerned about St Kilda they should relax. The hardest marker is the AFL and the heavies there seem to think the club is in good hands and with a bright future. Thomas needed to be moved on for the club to be rebuilt. Butterss needs to stay on to complete the reconstruction. The Article Patrick Smith/FoxSports/04Sept07 Grant Thomas lodges writ Grant Thomas claims the St Kilda board had decided to sack him before the Saints had played their final match of the 2006 season, as his ugly fallout with the club yesterday immersed it in more turmoil. Thomas yesterday lodged a 10-page statement of claim in the County Court seeking $272,800 damages from the Saints . . . St Kilda's board is already fractured, with Butterss' handling of many facets relating to Thomas's time as coach, as well his dismissal, believed to be among reasons for a standoff with vice-president Ross Levin. A powerful group of Saints identities has approached Gregorys Transport chairman and founder Greg Westaway to head the challenge, with former playing great Nathan Burke seriously considering a place on the same ticket . . . Thomas asserts St Kilda "exerted illegitimate commercial pressure and issued unlawful threats" against him and that it had "acted unconscionably" . . . Thomas alleges St Kilda officials put a document to him "on about 6 September 2006, being three days prior to a St Kilda and Melbourne final, and stated to him and insisted that the declaration had to be signed immediately in circumstances where the St Kilda Football Club knew that the contents of the declaration were incorrect and untrue". He continues, arguing the signature request came in "circumstances where the St Kilda Football Club had already decided to terminate GDT Solutions (a Thomas-run company) and Thomas". The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/06Sept07 Saints board faces new challengers Deep divisions have emerged at St Kilda as the club moves into a potentially tumultuous off-season with a split board, unsigned key players and the threat of not one but two challengers to Rod Butterss and his team. The Age believes that Butterss and his inner circle have been at odds in recent months with fellow directors John Gdanski and Ross Levin, with tensions spilling over at the Saints-West Coast game last Friday week about a dispute originating in part from the handling of the Steven Baker tribunal hearing. Further fuelling the tension is the fact that neither former club captain Nathan Burke, who will consider his final position this week, nor the transport boss emerging as an alternative president, Greg Westaway, have returned Butterss' calls. A separate challenge is also being looked at by a former St Kilda director. One year after the sacking of coach Grant Thomas, the club is also divided over Ken Sheldon's position as head of the Saints' football department. Sheldon has been placed in charge of player contracts and that decision was a matter of some heated debate at a recent board meeting. Justin Koschitzke, who has been the subject of renewed interest from Carlton, Xavier Clarke, Baker and Matt Maguire all remain unsigned. The retirement of Fraser Gehrig makes the retention of Koschitzke all the more crucial for the Saints. Sheldon's handling - with the help of club directors but not the lawyer Levin - of the Baker charge after the Fremantle game in round 20 raised eyebrows among the Saints hierarchy and was criticised on radio SEN by coach-turned-commentator Thomas. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/04Sept07 Saints boardroom challenge looms St Kilda is headed for a boardroom showdown, with two outside groups now preparing for a challenge amid claims of a messy confrontation between president Rod Butterss and one of his vice presidents. Following yesterday's revelation in the Herald Sun that Gregorys Transport founder Greg Westaway had been approached by a group of Saints identities to take on Butterss, it has emerged a former St Kilda director is also being sounded out to head another group. David Strange, who sat on the board when Butterss ousted Andrew Plympton as president in 2000, has been linked to that group. While Butterss spent yesterday attempting to appease several people seriously considering challenging his board, it has been revealed he has been in an intense stand-off with club vice-president Ross Levin. It is believed the two have been at odds for several months and their relationship dramatically soured during the opening minutes of the Saints' Round 21 match against West Coast at Telstra Dome. The Herald Sun has learned Butterss and Levin were involved in a disagreement as they watched that game, which the Saints lost, after which Levin and his wife left their designated seats to finish watching the match elsewhere. The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/04Sept07 Butterss challenge Rumours continue . . . St Kilda looks set to brace itself for some boardroom turbulence of its own with president Rod Butterss' seven-year tenure at the club on shaky ground. Saints legend Nathan Burke appears to be one of a collection of prominent St Kilda identities forming a ticket to usurp control of the club from Butterss. One of the key reasons motivating the alternative board to challenge the incumbents is the public tit-for-tat battle between Butterss and recently sacked coach, and former best friend, Grant Thomas. The Article Ronny Lerner/Sportal/03Sept07 Butterss presidency under pressure Rod Butterss' seven-year hold on the St Kilda presidency will come under pressure this week, with club greats and big-business identities ready to support a rival ticket. The challenge to the Butterss board has been speculated for the past two months, but those preparing for the coup will finalise their plans this week after the Saints failed to qualify for the finals. Greg Westaway, chairman and founder of Gregorys Transport, is believed to have been approached to head the rival ticket. Nathan Burke, the 323-match Saints legend, has also been sounded out for a place on the alternative board, along with other significant St Kilda figures. Another season of Butterss-versus-Grant Thomas distractions as well as concerns about the running of the club, mainly the football department, and low revenue streams, have prompted dozens of secret meetings and phone calls in the past month among those seeking change. While some identities have committed to joining or supporting the rival ticket, others are weighing up the potential cost to the club in what could become a messy showdown. Butterss has been aware of the looming attack on his leadership for some time and has tried to talk challengers out of taking him on. The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/03Sept07 Unsung, often unknown, coach's right-hand man is a key player Some are seen but not heard. Others often talk in the public arena. Some sit above the coach in the management structure and others below. But each plays a pivotal role in his club's success. They are unique, yet incredibly similar, each with a slightly varied role and responsibilities, yet all with the same inherent trust and respect. In times of success, they won't get the credit they deserve - at least not outside their own club. Yet in tough times, they'll be right in the middle of it. Who are they? They stand beside the men in the AFL coaching hot seat. The general manager of football operations, or just general manager, football. The chief of football operations or simply director of football. Or at the Western Bulldogs, where coach Rodney Eade has the title "head of football", it's the high-performance manager. Call him what you like but most clubs have a "football boss". Such as: John Reid (Adelaide), Steven Icke (Carlton), Geoff Walsh (Collingwood), Robert Shaw (Fremantle), Neil Balme (Geelong), Donald McDonald (Kangaroos), Peter Rohde (Port Adelaide), Greg Miller (Richmond), Ken Sheldon (St Kilda), Andrew Ireland (Sydney), Matthew Drain (Bulldogs) and Steve Woodhouse (West Coast). . . . It's a bizarre situation. Connolly applies for the top job and misses out to Dean Bailey. Then Connolly accepts a seemingly secondary position and becomes Bailey's boss. Or maybe not. It hasn't been clearly stated who reports to whom at the Demons. Only that Connolly is head of the football department and Bailey is coach. And it doesn't really matter. The Article Michael Voss/RealFooty/09Sept07 Talk says Burke to take on Butterss . . . The Thomas-Butterss feud was inflamed publicly by the president in June. The impression is that "jobs for the boys" continues to pervade the St Kilda mindset. One big sponsor indicated at the end of June it would not be renewing its deal with the club, although the board insists that vacancy is already in hand. If Butterss is challenged - and the indication is he will be - the president will reasonably point to the successive million-dollar profits he has achieved over recent years when there was every chance early in his tenure that the club would be forced to turn to the AFL for special assistance. Questions will be asked about how the club has been forced to compromise and cut costs in order to achieve such a successful bottom line. The club's resources must be expanded. It seems remarkable after all St Kilda's injury problems over so many years and so many "training services" changes that it took until 2007 to attempt a thorough sports science review. Rightly or wrongly, none of this would have been written today had Collingwood won on Friday night and the Saints reached the finals. Football can be fickle at times and supporters care little about off-field deals and profits and medical resources when you're winning. But Butterss and his supporters knew that once the Saints' season was over - particularly if its coach of choice failed to lead his new team into the finals - that it would have a battle on its hands. The rumblings should become a reality soon. The challengers, if they are serious, should put their hands up or go away. Then we will learn what both sides are truly made of. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/02Sept07 Supporters Comments on article 'JeffDunne' et al saintsational.com A Saintly soap opera . . . So no more what ifs for season 2007. We didn't start the fire either; at times we barely smoldered, but toward the end of season 2007 a new hope started to flicker to life for the Saints. In line with the teachings of my Guru and beer swilling Zen philosopher of rock, Noel Gallagher, I choose to not look back in anger. Instead I look over the horizon with a list of things that give us all reason to believe for season 2008. 1. Sam Gilbert: Since the early part of the decade with the arrival of the Nicks, Kozi, BJ and The Goose, the Saints haven't had too much success in introducing ready made talent from the draft. Since his debut in round eight last year this kid has become an essential part of the team. His hard running and deceptive physical strength have become real assets. Plus, he looks remarkably like Shaggy from Scooby-Do and you know how we love our Scooby snacks down Moorabbin way. 2. Sam Fisher: Brilliant again this season, the dashing South Australian is a rare success for the Saints when it comes to recruiting Croweaters. Milan Faletic, Tony Antrobus or Daryl Hewitt anyone? I thought not. "Chips" had to play on the goal square monsters in the absence of Max and Goose throughout the season and he didn't let us down. Thankfully he's benched the Simon Le Bon hair-do, but when it comes to winning the pill he's still very much hungry like the ... oh, enough with the bad new romantic puns already! 3. Ross Lyon: I don't know who was suffering the greater culture shock - us or him - when Ross Lyon arrived at The Club. It can be a bit awkward when a new bloke moves in. It's all a bit Mike and Carol Brady and while the kids are trying to get along with everyone there's always a chance you'll find a Cindy sulking in the corner wanting it to be like the good old days. The Boss might have come across as a bit narky and defensive when he started the job but he's warmed to the task and one thing is for sure - he can coach. You just know he's already started planning for bigger and better things in 2008. The Article Francis Leach/saints.com.au/05Sept07 Three Saints in All-Australian Team The 40-man squad features 22 players that are yet to receive All Australian honours, with the Cats the team with the most nominees. Defenders: Jed Adcock (Brisbane Lions) Craig Bolton (Sydney) Campbell Brown (Hawthorn) Matthew Egan (Geelong) Sam Fisher (St Kilda) Dustin Fletcher (Essendon) Darren Glass (West Coast) Roger Hayden (Fremantle) Andrew McLeod (Adelaide) Nick Malceski (Sydney) Darren Milburn (Geelong) Matthew Scarlett (Geelong) Forwards: Jonathon Brown (Brisbane Lions) Brett Ebert (Port Adelaide) Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) Brent Harvey (Kangaroos) Brad Johnson (Western Bulldogs) Steve Johnson (Geelong) Corey Jones (Kangaroos) Scott Lucas (Essendon) Cam Mooney (Geelong) Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) Matthew Richardson (Richmond) Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) Midfielders/Ruckmen: Gary Ablett (Geelong) Jimmy Bartel (Geelong) Joel Corey (Geelong) Chad Cornes (Port Adelaide) Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) Dean Cox (West Coast) Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda) Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) Nathan Foley (Richmond) Daniel Kerr (West Coast) Brett Kirk (Sydney) Brendon Lade (Port Adelaide) Nigel Lappin (Brisbane Lions) Cameron Ling (Geelong) Hamish McIntosh (Kangaroos) Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) Seven backs down but no apology to players After a week-and-a-half of acrimony, an uneasy peace descended over football last night as Channel Seven backed down in its bid to name several players who have allegedly tested positive to illicit drugs. The players and the network agreed to bury the hatchet after a day of frenetic lawyer-to-lawyer negotiations between Melbourne and Sydney, and a telephone conversation between Seven chief David Leckie and AFL counterpart Andrew Demetriou. It was an uneasy accord, brokered by the AFL, and negotiated over the phone and via email. Seven blinked. This morning, it will drop its legal challenge to the injunction taken out by the doctor treating several players, which has prevented publication of their names or their club. But it did not capitulate. The network did not apologise, as requested by the players and the AFL, and did not acknowledge that it was wrong to publish the original story, in which it named the club, resulting in a player boycott of the code's official broadcaster. The Herald Sun, which had also considered fighting the injunction, declared last night that it would not publish the material or fight the suppression . . . The AFL Players Association executive was meeting last night and was expected this morning to lift a ban on players speaking to reporters from the network or participating in interviews as part of Seven's football coverage. Rather than apologising for its behaviour in airing the program, the TV station settled on expressing regret for the subsequent damage caused. "The Seven Network values the cooperation it receives from AFL players and sincerely regrets any damage which has been caused to our relationship with the players," the statement said. The Article Dan Silkstone/RealFooty/05Sept07 7's man hits out at AFL Sam Edmund/RealFooty/04Sept07 Gehrig loses bid to avoid assault charge St Kilda footballer Fraser Gehrig must face court on an assault charge that stems from a fight at a Melbourne pub on grand final eve last year. Gehrig, who retired from his AFL football career last weekend, stepped into the melee to try to break it up, his lawyer, Marita Altman, told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court . . . In applying for the matter to be dealt with through a diversion order, Ms Altman said the fight was triggered after a billiard ball was thrown at one of Gehrig's group. As Gehrig tried to break up the brawl he turned around and pushed a woman from the other group, Jaclyn Cameron, and she slipped on the floor, Ms Altman said. "A large number of people had already started fighting, his role was simply to intervene in what was going on, he didn't start any of the fight, didn't participate in any of the fight," she said. A magistrate can issue a diversion order for a first offence for matters at the lower end of the scale. It allows an offender to avoid a conviction and often involves making an apology and a fine. However magistrate Duncan Reynolds rejected the application, saying the circumstances of the alleged incident and the complainant's opposition made it inappropriate for the matter to proceed to diversion. Gehrig must now return to court on November 12 on one charge of unlawful assault. As Gehrig tried to break up the brawl he turned around and pushed a woman from the other group, Jaclyn Cameron, and she slipped on the floor, Ms Altman said. The Article AAP TheAge/04Sept07 Black day for five as Blues cut their list Carlton will have a minimum of five draft picks and is likely to make further cuts to its list after the club yesterday axed five players from its list. The Blues delisted 2004 best-and-fairest David Teague, ruckman Dylan McLaren, Anthony Raso, Ross Young and Craig Flint. The retirements of Anthony Koutoufides and Matthew Lappin mean the club has already lost seven players from its 2007 senior list, with more departures expected before the national draft. Carlton is set to promote rookies Michael Jamison, Aisake O'hAilpin and Ryan Jackson onto the senior list for next year - Jamison as the "nominated rookie" that gives the club a 39th player - and will have at least draft picks at the national draft, plus the No. 2 pick in the pre-season draft for uncontracted players. The future of the club's 2007 captain, Lance Whitnall, will be determined after he sees a knee specialist next week. The Article Jake Niall/RealFooty/07Sept07 No ban on stem cells The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority last night declared stem cell replacement was not on a list of banned performance-enhancing methods as AFL clubs consider the radical injury treatment. AFL, NRL and rugby union clubs are considering the technology, which could have players store their stem cells in a laboratory. They would later be transplanted into major injuries to hasten the healing process. The cells would be taken from the bone marrow of a player's spine in a short procedure. The treatment could fall into a cloudy area as the World Anti-Doping Agency has had issues with blood products being stored and then returned to the body. But ASADA chairman Richard Ings said there was no reason why the AFL and clubs could not consider the move. Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney have expressed interest in the technology, developed by Melbourne company Mesoblast. The Article Jon Pierik/HeraldSun/07Sept07 Ticket sales through the roof Ticket sales for the first round of the 2007 AFL finals series have already exceeded 161,000. More than 33,000 tickets have been snapped up for tonight's game between Port Adelaide and West Coast at AAMI Stadium. Ticket sales for the first elimination final between Hawthorn and Adelaide were at 30,400 as of 5pm last night. Collingwood's elimination final against Sydney at the MCG tomorrow night has attracted 44,000 ticket sales. And ticket sales for Sunday's qualifying final between Geelong and the Kangaroos at the MCG had reached 54,000 last night. The Article HeraldSun/07Sept07 'Trust me', said Spida ' . . . he won't be going anywhere' Darren Jolly comes out of contract on October 31 and with the season over for eight clubs, four of whom are Victoria-based, rumours this week that he wants to return to his home city of Melbourne have been circulating. Swans football operations manager Andrew Ireland, in Melbourne ahead of their elimination final against Collingwood, will meet Jolly's manager Michael Quinlan today. "It (the contract) is not at the point of falling over at all," Quinlan said. "When they are coming out of contract, there is also interest from the state where they are from. He is very attached to the Swans and is looking at re-negotiating his contract at the Swans and moving forward." The Article Nikki Tugwell/RealFooty/07Sept07 Swan may head south next winter - Saints interested Sydney ruckman Darren Jolly may play his last game for the Swans this weekend, with the lure of a return to Victoria said to be tempting him away from the SCG. The 25-year-old, who will split Sydney's centre-square responsibilities with Peter Everitt in Saturday night's elimination final against Collingwood, is out of contract at the end of the season and is understood to be contemplating a return to Melbourne to resettle his wife and infant daughter closer to family. Sydney general manager of football Andrew Ireland is to meet Jolly's manager, Michael Quinlan, tomorrow in the hope of further negotiations but said he was aware of Jolly's 'circumstances'. It is understood that as many as six clubs have expressed interest in acquiring Jolly, who played in Sydney's drought-breaking 2005 premiership in his first year with the club. The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda, Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood are all in the market for ruckmen in a year that isn't offering many opportunities to recruit one through the draft . . . .It is understood that as many as six clubs have expressed interest in acquiring Jolly, who played in Sydney's drought-breaking 2005 premiership in his first year with the club. The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda, Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood are all in the market for ruckmen in a year that isn't offering many opportunities to recruit one through the draft. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/06Sept07 'Impossible' to lure Judd home AAP/HeraldSun/06Sept07 Eagles dismiss Cousins retirement rumour AAP/TheAge/06Sept07 Seven calls off the dogs - belatedly . . . Clearly the situation had moved out of hand when footballers were threatening to boycott the Brownlow and Brendan Fevola, of all people, was claiming media persecution regarding his behaviour in Ireland last year. But the players took a stand and won despite the fact that even some coaches were becoming tired of the boycott - namely Paul Roos, who yesterday declared enough was enough. Dylan Howard, the journalist at the centre of it all who could still face police charges, became a loose cannon doing neither his cause nor his network no good at all by repeatedly granting interviews and becoming more pious regarding his cause celebre. Howard was eventually sacked by 3AW for revealing more supposedly private information, which was deemed incorrect and inappropriate by the station, and he has been strongly cautioned by his own network regarding contractual requirements. But, of course, Howard's handling of the story was only the end result of an increasingly intense media atmosphere that pervades the AFL. He did not dig up the story himself. He was instructed to do it. He either ignored or did not get enough guidance following the story, and hopefully chequebook journalism as a result has been tainted from both sides of the fence, while some private areas of players lives must clearly be considered sacrosanct. Seven capitulated yesterday because Howard was becoming increasingly discredited, ratings were naturally a concern and the players were sticking to their guns. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/05Sept07 AFL finals schedule Friday Second qualifying final, Port Adelaide v West Coast, AAMI Stadium, 8.20pm (AEST) Saturday First elimination final, Hawthorn v Adelaide, Telstra Dome, 2.30pm (AEST) Second elimination final, Collingwood v Sydney, MCG, 7.30pm (AEST). Sunday First qualifying final, Geelong v Kangaroos, MCG, 2.45pm (AEST). Saints re-sign Sam Fisher and Justin Koschitzke As expected St Kilda Football Club has today announced the re-signings of Sam Fisher and Justin Koschitzke each for a further three years. Sam Fisher had one more year to run on his current contract, which has now been extended for an additional two years. Justin Koschitzke will continue his career at the Saints for three more seasons, which will see both players at the Saints to 2010. St Kilda Football Club CEO, Archie Fraser said, "On behalf of the St Kilda Football Club, I'm delighted to announce the re-signings of both Sam Fisher and Justin Koschitzke. This is a fantastic result for the Club and indicates the players' commitment to the Club, our members and supporters." Fisher has gone from strength to strength this year and is in contention for selection for the 2007 Coca Cola All Australian Team. A strong-marking defender who wins plenty of the ball, the young South Australian is a vital unit of the St Kilda backline. Koschitzke has had a solid 2007 season, with the versatile player displaying stand out performances against West Coast and Richmond in the second half of this season. The Article saints.com.au/08Sept07 Time's up for Ten's clock For six years, Channel 10 has thrust its five-minute warning upon us. The clock goes red and starts counting up in the latter stages, supposedly to add to the drama. But on Saturday the red time caused nothing but red faces. Viewers at home, shielded from the real countdown clock, were left hanging as Lance Franklin lined up beyond the 29-minute mark. Yet moments after Franklin slotted it, Channel 10 managed to ruin its own tightly held surprise. The camera turned to the Hawthorn coach's box and the wild celebrations had started. The clock was still ticking up, but the hugging and back-slapping from Alastair Clarkson and Co meant everyone at home knew it was game over. As usual, the Hawks weren't relying on Channel 10's red clock. They had a countdown clock in the box and knew exactly how long was left when Franklin was lining up. The coaches are no dummies. And the viewers shouldn't be treated that way either. If the technology is there to give more detail, why not provide it? Channel 10 does a lot right. It ticks more boxes than its rivals. But the red clock must go. The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/10Sept07 GO BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE
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