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Round 17 AFL 2007 Premiership Season - Pre-game Articles - Carlton versus St Kilda
Nervous Ratten looking to play youngsters Carlton caretaker coach Brett Ratten says he is nervous about taking over from former boss Denis Pagan. Ratten, a former Carlton captain and premiership player, yesterday accepted an offer to coach the Blues until the end of the season after Pagan was sacked with more than a year remaining on his contract. The Blues lie in 14th position on the AFL ladder with just four wins this season, and take on an in-form St Kilda side on Saturday. But Ratten, who was an assistant to Pagan this season, said the result this weekend was not important in the club's development and indicated he would be blooding some younger players in the coming weeks. "Win, lose or draw what I want to achieve is, I want to get a lot of spirit back in the place," he said. "And I want to play the young kids and we need to see where our list is for 2008. There's been players that have been on our list for two seasons and they haven't played. So we need to see if they're right to go for next year, so we'll be trying everyone." Meanwhile, the Carlton board has asked former captain and current board member Stephen Kernahan to come up with a shortlist for Pagan's long-term replacement. The Article ABCNews/25Jul07 Fev to miss three for carltonfc.com.au/saints.com.au/23Jul07 St Kilda looking for numbers Carlton may gain some lift from its change of senior coach, but St Kilda is already on the rise. The Saints look too well-equipped for today's match at Telstra Dome as Brett Ratten coaches the Blues for the first time, following Monday's sacking of Denis Pagan. While statistics suggest it is roughly 50-50 whether a team wins after sacking a coach, the Saints have won four of their past five matches. They are among four teams on 8-8 records, putting them in the finals hunt. A notable feature of last Saturday night's upset win against Hawthorn was St Kilda putting extra players through the midfield. In particular, Leigh Fisher matched up on Sam Mitchell and Jason Blake played on Shane Crawford. Fisher and Blake showed enough to suggest they will spend more time in running roles. Saints coach Ross Lyon said it was imperative the team developed effective support for on-ball stars Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna and Robert Harvey. "All clubs are looking for extra midfielders and extra runners, skilled players," Lyon said. "Clearly we have four or five standout midfielders -- Ball, Montagna, Hayes, Dal Santo -- but we want to add a second tier. That's the area we're really trying to build. You need nine or 10 to go through there." The Article AAP/TheAustralian/28Jul07 Saints look too good for Ratten's Blues Roger Vaughan/AAP/saints.com.au/27Jul07 Match Previews - Carlton vs St Kilda . . . Jarrad Waite v Nick Riewoldt - Waite had a ringside seat as Jonathan Brown booted a club record 10 goals last Sunday. This week, he'll likely get the "pleasure" of minding an in-form Riewoldt, who kicked three against the Hawks last week. Andrew Carrazzo v Nick Dal Santo - One of the competition's most-improved players this year, Carrazzo has been averaging 24 touches a game. Dal Santo still struggles with a hard tag, but will likely get more room to move against Carlton's onball brigade. Heath Scotland v Lenny Hayes - Both of these players get plenty of the ball. Whoever uses it best will have a big say in the match's outcome . . . How many goals will the Saints kick? The Blues' defence has been leaking like a sieve recently, and it now faces a side not lacking in firepower. Can the Carlton forward line cope with Fevola's absence? Even when he's not kicking bags of goals, Fev is the focus of the opposition's defensive structure. This week, the other Blues forwards will have to step up. Will Ratten flood? Denis Pagan refused to try and stem the bleeding by putting players behind the ball. Will the new coach be as brave? AFL MATCH PREVIEW afl.com.au/25Jul07 REALFOOTY MATCH PREVIEW realfooty.com.au/25Jul07 . . . Max Hudghton v Brendan Fevola//Brad Fisher - It's hard to see Fevola coming up given he'd supposedly torn a muscle earlier in the week. Regardless, the Saints' reliable veteran will likely get the job on the Blues' most dangerous forward. While most of the action is likely to be taking place at the other end of the field, if he holds up his part of the bargain, the Saints should maintain their roll. Lenny Hayes v Marc Murphy - Hayes hasn't dominated this season but there are signs that he's starting to get back to his best. The Blues are down on manpower but Murphy has already shown his class in 18 months of AFL footy. Hayes should be able to use his stronger body on whichever Blue runs with him on Saturday. Fraser Gehrig v Jason Saddington - At least Saddington will give Carlton caretaker coach Brett Ratten a contest in the air against Riewoldt or Gehrig. Class and speed however, may be another thing, as Saddington is returning after three weeks in the VFL. SAINTS MATCH PREVIEW saints.com.au SPORTAL MATCH PREVIEW Sportal/26Jul07 Tuesday Training Reports Training Report Post 1 This site - 'carn_sainter' saintsational.com Training Report Post 2 This site - 'joffaboy' saintsational.com Carlton Wednesday Training Report Alison Smirnoff/carltonfc.com.au/saints.com.au/25Jul07 External motivation an indictment on the group: Ross Lyon . . . St Kilda will go into its match against Carlton on Saturday without Justin Koschitzke after the club decided to accept a one-game sanction for striking Hawthorn's Robert Campbell during the second quarter of their match on the weekend. With the match being the Blues' first after sacking Denis Pagan as coach, Lyon said the Carlton players were likely to have a heightened level of emotion, but that that should not have a major bearing on the match. "I'm sure they'll be emotional and the spotlight now goes squarely on their players and their new coach and they would be looking for an improved performance," he said. "When there's a statistical analysis done on it it's actually a 50-50 result so that's a bit of an urban myth that teams get up and win when they sack their coach. You hear John Worsfold talk a lot that if you need external motivation it may be an indictment on the group. But I was at Richmond when Robert Walls got sacked and they sort of lifted and won four out of their last five under Jeff Gieschen and you clearly saw Fremantle on the weekend put on a tremendous display. (Football's) played by men of flesh and blood, and emotion and spirit goes along with that." Hamill facing season-ending surgery Lyall Johnson/RealFooty/25Jul07 Kosi accepts one-match ban St Kilda big man Justin Koschitzke will miss Saturday's clash with Carlton at Telstra Dome after accepting a one match penalty for striking. Koschitzke was offered a two-match ban by the match review panel for striking Hawthorn's Robert Campbell at Telstra Dome last Saturday night, reduced to one match with an early plea. St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said the decision to accept the ban was not his call. "The heart wanted to but it's not my decision. We get advised by a QC and there's always a risk," Lyon told his weekly press conference at Moorabbin on Tuesday afternoon. "There was some sort of arguing the impact from medium to low, but we decided to accept the discount and one week and move forward." The Article Sportal/24Jul07 Hamill nears decision day St Kilda's Aaron Hamill is expected to make an announcement about his future next week after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday. The Article Daryl Timms/HeraldSun/27Jul07 Hamill underwent arthroscopic surgery St Kilda's Aaron Hamill yesterday underwent arthroscopic surgery after consultation with his surgeon. The results have indicated that he will be prevented from playing for the remainder of the 2007 AFL Season. How his knee responds to the rehabilitation process will determine Aaron's ability to return to AFL football in 2008 and beyond. General Manager of Football, Ken Sheldon said, "The Club is providing Aaron with every opportunity to play football and will offer every support for Aaron in his endeavours to return to the game next year" The Article Vanessa Gigliotti/saints.com.au/26Jul07 St Kilda's Hamill out for rest of season AAP/RealFooty/26Jul07 Saints on the march At the halfway mark of the season, the Saints had won only four games and their season seemed shot. New coach Ross Lyon was receiving a baptism of fire and there were plenty who thought the move to replace Grant Thomas had been a bad one. But there were genuine reasons for the Saints' poor showing. Injuries had cruelled them almost as much as they had Melbourne; the Saints couldn't get anywhere near a full-strength team on the park. On top of that, there was a new coach with a new game plan. It was going to take some time. Lyon had taken over a team that didn't have the fitness base or the physical standards that he had become used to in his time as an assistant at Sydney. There was also a group of midfielders who were predominantly "downhill" skiers. That is, they were very good at attacking and running forward when things were going their way, but when the tide turned against them and they had to push back to fill space and be accountable, they struggled. Lyon's game plan was designed to win finals games in which the pressure is more intense and goals just can't be given away. It took a while for the St Kilda players to adjust. They became too defensive. Overreacted. Too many numbers pushed back. It was ridiculous to see Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt in the defensive 50. The Article Robert Walls/RealFooty/28Jul07 Hamill unlikely to play this season Coach Ross Lyon sat with round 16 NAB AFL Rising Star winner Sam Gilbert by his side before Tuesday's training session, but it was Hamill's on-field future this season - and whether or not there would in fact be one - that sparked interest. "I think it's highly unlikely (that he'll play this year)," Lyon said. "It clearly hasn't settled. He trained on the weekend (and) it's not perfect. He's speaking to the surgeon and (he'll) more than likely have investigative surgery then look at a decision once we know the facts." Hamill has not played senior football in 2007 after playing just nine matches last season, most missed also due to a knee injury. While news of the aggressive forward's setback is a worry for the St Kilda faithful, their side's recent form and weekend results have given them plenty to smile about. The Saints, with an 8-8 record, are outside the eight only on percentage and this week face embattled Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday afternoon. Lyon is confident his side can continue its charge at the finals providing it maintains focus on the basics - the things he believes are responsible for their recent good form. Nevertheless, he is wary of the Blues and facing a team with a new man at the helm. The Article Ben Broad/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Short odds for all clubs this week . . . (TAB Sportsbet's Glenn) Munsie said that on Monday a TAB Sportsbet punter had $30,000 on St Kilda at $1.15 to beat the hapless Carlton, with the Saints now into $1.09. Sydney, despite a loss to West Coast last weekend, have been well backed against Richmond, with bets of $20,000 at $1.11, $20,000 at $1.10 and a further $20,000 at $1.09, while another punter had $30,000 on a treble of St Kilda, Sydney and Port Adelaide (v Melbourne) at $1.34. John Schell/smh/27Jul07 Grand final tickets up 9% . . . The cheapest grand final tickets - for standing room or a restricted view - will cost $159.50, up $12.50 from last year. But, as promised by the AFL earlier this year, ticket prices for the first two weeks of the finals have been frozen. The cost of a seat at the opening six finals - elimination, qualifying and semi-finals - will stay the same as last year. A standard adult ticket for a match at the MCG in the first week of the finals will cost $41.70. In week two, a standard seat at the MCG will cost $42.90 and $71.40 in week three. At the Telstra Dome, standard seats will cost $37.80 in week one, $42.90 the following week and $71.40 in week three. The biggest rise in the 2007 regime is for premium seats, up $16.30 to $205.30. The Article Daniella Miletic/RealFooty/25Jul07 Grand Final ticket prices soar Sam Edmund/HeraldSun/24Jul07 Mitchell comes in from the cold Carlton assistant coach Barry Mitchell was brought back into the football department by caretaker coach Brett Ratten yesterday. Soon after being confirmed as Denis Pagan's temporary replacement, Ratten requested that Mitchell's banishment, instigated by Pagan, should end. Mitchell yesterday attended his first Blues match committee meeting since his fallout with Pagan last year. The Article Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/25Jul07 Nervous Ratten looking to play youngsters ABCNews/25Jul07 Footballers to get the message on drinking The AFL yesterday identified the curbing of binge drinking as a priority, labelling it a common denominator in players behaving badly. Under a new plan to be directed by the AFL Players' Association, all players will be warned about the perils of excessive drinking the moment they begin their annual holidays, rather than at the end of them, after a Melbourne University study into the AFL's drinking culture found that players are most likely to cause trouble at the beginning of their break. Behind closed doors in a two-day conference between the AFL's executive and the 16 club chief executives, league chief executive Andrew Demetriou floated the possibility of working in partnership with brewer Foster's, one of the competition's major sponsors, to promote responsible drinking. The Article Samantha Lane/RealFooty/27Jul07 State of Origin tipped to return AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has given the biggest hint yet that State of Origin football will be reintroduced in 2008 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the game. Speaking at the annual meeting between the AFL and the 16 club CEOs, Demetriou said he would like to see the return of State of Origin football and that it would make perfect sense for it to occur in 2008. "From our perspective it is really desirable if we are celebrating 150 years of football next year that we have something to commemorate this great game on a national basis," Demetriou said. "I can't think of anything better than having 98,000 people at the MCG celebrating the greatest game on earth." The Article Jonathan Healy/Sportal/26Jul07 Clubs split on three-strikes policy Angus Morgan/Sportal/26Jul07 Teams not tanking: Demetriou Ronny Lerner/Sportal/26Jul07 Priority picks face drafting out when all have come through system AFL priority picks, loved by struggling clubs so much they are seemingly prepared to sacrifice short-term pain for long-term gain to achieve them, could be phased out. While the league vehemently rejects the suggestion that AFL teams would not seek to win if they could gain priority picks, it believes the draft structure itself will soon become sufficient for such picks to be scrapped. AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the removal was likely to occur once the draft system had been in place so long that every player had come to the game through it. The Article Michael Gleeson and Samantha Lane/RealFooty/27Jul07 Clubs urged to maintain VFL links Victorian AFL clubs will be urged to retain their alignments with VFL clubs instead of going it alone in the state's second-tier competition. While some clubs, including Carlton and Collingwood, intend fielding their own teams in the VFL in the future, the AFL would prefer current affiliations were kept. The AFL recommendation was revealed to club chief executives at a two-day meeting in Melbourne that concluded yesterday. The AFL is yet to finalise its ideal format for the second-tier competition, but it is known consideration is being given to also align under-18 teams competing in the TAC Cup with VFL clubs. Such an initiative would introduce a pathway for draft hopefuls to play against men, as is the case in other states. The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/27Jul07 New wave of radio vests no longer under radar In what is believed to be a world-first for a football code, Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions will have vests fitted with radio transmitters tomorrow night to enable the clubs and Channel Ten to receive live information about speed, endurance, collisions and heart-rate of players. Four Collingwood players and five Lions will carry the radio transmitters under their vests, which means television viewers - and clubs - will see: • Distance covered and top and average speed of those players. • G-force, which measures the impact of their collisions, including their biggest hits. • Heart-rates of two players from each club, with the average and highest rates covered. • Number of collisions for those nine players and the average force of their hits. • A breakdown of how much jogging, running and sprinting the measured players do. The Article Jake Niall/RealFooty/27Jul07
Fremantle caretaker coach Mark Harvey has strongly indicated he wants to stay in Perth, rather than apply for the three Melbourne-based AFL positions. As Michael Voss flew into Melbourne, amid speculation Carlton was interviewing him for their job, Harvey made it clear during a Perth function he would prefer to become the Dockers' permanent coach. The Article AAP/RealFooty/27Jul07 Voss key to coach race . . . Voss flew into Melbourne yesterday and held talks with Carlton trio Stephen Kernahan, Greg Swann and Stephen Icke. The previous day he was contacted by Essen don and is understood to have held informal talks via the telephone with that club's chief executive, Peter Jackson. There is no doubt that Pagan's sacking hastened Sheedy's departure at Essendon. It is true that the coach's future had not been on the agenda in the lead- up to Monday night's board meeting but once Carlton sacked Pagan on Monday morning it became - for both clubs - all about Michael Voss . . . The inescapable truth is that Leigh Matthews comes out of contract at the end of next season and while Brisbane could move to re-sign its three- time premiership coach tomorrow, the unpredictability of the business could mean Voss is a candidate to take over his old club by 2009. When asked whether Voss would make a successful coach, Matthews replied: "How long is a piece of string? I've been asked the question so many times and I'm not going to keep answering it. In summary, he is a very capable person but he hasn't done the training." The Article RealFooty/28Jul07 Blues and Bombers seek Voss Michael Voss, the retired Brisbane premiership captain, has been approached by Carlton and Essendon about coaching next season. Voss flew into Melbourne yesterday for talks with Carlton. On Thursday, he was contacted by Essendon and is believed to have spoken to chief executive Peter Jackson. The Article RealFooty/28Jul07 (Brief 'stop-press' article posted here in its entirety) Watson: Isn't elementary for Voss Michael Voss should be a good coach. Just as Tim Watson should have been a good coach . . . St Kilda thought the same thing and dumped Stan Alves after the 1999 season and two years in the finals in favour of Watson . . . Consider these names: Graham Farmer, Royce Hart, Wayne Schimmelbusch, Kevin Bartlett and Tony Shaw. Great players, all of them. While the circumstances of their coaching careers vary, history says none of them succeeded. None lasted more than four seasons (Bartlett and Shaw), none coached finals. None got another chance. Many veteran football watchers are sceptical about Voss's anticipated move into coaching so young, so soon after ending his playing career. He is 32, just turned. He has three children and a wife, Donna, who reportedly isn't dancing in the street at the thought of setting up house in Melbourne and enduring its winters. Voss, though, like so many high achievers, has huge self-belief and a competitive spirit to match. The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/28Jul07 Voss can do it: Leigh Matthews In nearly 20 years, Leigh Matthews has coached only two players he believed could walk straight out of the game into senior coaching jobs. One was Tony Shaw. The other is Michael Voss. Shaw was destined for a miserable fate at Collingwood. So what does this tell us about Voss? "That is the $64 question," Matthews laughed this week. A question Carlton will spend $600,000 a year to answer. There are plenty of smart, experienced people in football who have argued, in polite terms, that this amounts to reckless behaviour by the Blues. The modern AFL club is a multi-faceted, $30million sports/entertainment business in which the senior coach is the most important position and Voss has not one day of coaching experience. Matthews said to equate coaching with playing is to compare jockeys to trainers. "You are in the same industry but it is completely different," Matthews said. "A jockey steers the horse but the trainer prepares the horse." The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/28Jul07 Voss can't do it: Leigh Matthews Coaching veterans pay the penalty Superhuman when they are winning but as popular as al-Qaeda when results go the other way; such is the life of the modern AFL coach, according to Collingwood's Mick Malthouse. These are dangerous times for older men wearing tracksuits. Two premiership coaches have been sacked this week and a flagging prime minister has fallen flat on his face. Add to that the top of the Victorian Government stepping down yesterday and coaching veteran-cum-philosopher Malthouse was feeling contemplative, if not endangered. In his 24th season, he is now the most experienced coach in the game. Yesterday, Malthouse said he felt particularly for Denis Pagan, who has received far less fanfare this week than the outgoing - in both senses of the word - Kevin Sheedy . . . "Steve Bracks has done it the right way," Malthouse said. "Just surprised everyone. At the top of his game, he jumps out." The treatment of Pagan this week made him consider the impact a similar frenzy would have on his family. "I'm not planning on us having a bad year but when it happens, I hope I read it before other people do," he said. The Article Dan Silkstone/RealFooty/28Jul07 We're the plum job, say Dons Essendon immediately has moved onto the front foot in its search for a replacement for Kevin Sheedy, saying it was the most attractive of all the four clubs looking for a new coach. Club chief executive Peter Jackson last night said: "I think Essendon is the best job going out of the four and we expect people wanting to coach will respond to that." As the football world came to terms with the fourth coach sacking in a month and the impact of Sheedy's imminent departure, it emerged that: • Coaching aspirant Michael Voss had been approached unofficially by Carlton, Fremantle and Melbourne and was to spend the weekend considering his immediate future; (not confirmed by Voss: WoM Ed) • Mark Thompson had knocked back an overture by Geelong to reconsider their handshake agreement not to look at his contract until the end of the season; • Melbourne will look at both Sheedy and Denis Pagan to move onto its shortlist for a new senior coach, expected to be completed next week; • Both Sheedy and Essendon vehemently denied reports that the coach of almost 27 years had considered walking out before round 22. (? WoM Ed) The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/27Jul07 Michael Voss Carlton lure Michael Voss has conceded he might be flushed into an AFL coaching post earlier than he intended. A betting plunge on Tuesday night left two agencies suspecting he had already been given the Carlton job. Voss's claims to a $600,000-a-year deal as an untried AFL coach strengthened yesterday when Essendon's Kevin Sheedy became the second veteran coach this week to be shown the door by clubs wanting to look to the future. Carlton chief executive Greg Swann last night said Voss would be interviewed by the Blues about the job taken from Denis Pagan this week. Swann said the triple Brisbane premiership star's lack of coaching experience would not impede his chances. "It is not an issue with us," Swann said. "No one can make a judgment on a coach until he is in there. In a previous life (as Collingwood chief executive) I had a bit to do with Nathan Buckley and I sensed he could go straight into the job as well" . . . Betting agencies Sportsbet and Sportingbet suspended markets on the Carlton job late on Tuesday night after Voss was backed from $4.50 to $2.25. Neither had plans to reopen the market. The Article Robert Craddock and Paul Malone/CourierMail/28Jul07 Voss: I'm keen, the question is: am I ready? Michael Voss/RealFooty/29Jul07 Barassi wants Sheedy for Demons AAP/FoxSports/30Jul07 Salesman Sheedy keeps it cryptic Andrew Wu/Sportal/28Jul07 Jackson: Sheeds don't coach again Daryl Timms/HeraldSun/30Jul07 Barrett: Truth is, clubs lie Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/30Jul07 Mark Harvey still No. 1 for Freo Tim Clarke/HeraldSun/30Jul07 Sheedy sought to push Gold Coast case Jon Ralph/CourierMail/29Jul07 Matthews lashes Gold Coast 'invaders' Laine Clark/AdelaideAdversier/30Jul07 Pagan Pink Slipped by Pratt & Co The decision was made aboard the private jet of wealthy club President Dick Pratt. He and other club officials, including Director Stephen Kernahan, were flying home from Brisbane, where Carlton had just been humiliated by the Lions. The final vote to sack Pagan was up to the club Board, but they were acting on the recommendation of other club officials. The performance of the team over the previous five weeks, losing those games by a combined total of over 300 points, was discussed aboard the jet and Pagan met with club officials on Monday to receive the bad news. Pagan, 59 . . . will get a $600,000 payout. The club began an immediate search for a replacement. Former Lion Michael Voss is already being tipped as a strong candidate for the position of senior coach. The Article Lisa Albergo/Australian Football Association of North America/25Jul07 AFL considers Bracks for commission The AFL will approach outgoing Premier Steve Bracks about potentially joining its commission next season. While chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and his subcommittee already have compiled a shortlist of roughly 12 prospective candidates to fill two vacancies on the AFL board, they now will add Bracks to their list of candidates. Bracks enjoys a number of close relationships with key AFL figures and has been an invaluable supporter of the game through the State Government's new funding arrangements with some Victorian clubs in a bid to improve their facilities for club and community use. A staunch Geelong supporter, he was instrumental in pushing through the profitable redevelopment of Skilled Stadium. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/29Jul07 Blues get good vibes from Voss Carlton has made explicit its preference for a contemporary coach capable of galvanising its young list, with chief executive Greg Swann saying Michael Voss had conducted an impressive first interview and ruling out Kevin Sheedy and Neale Daniher. A subcommittee of Swann, Stephen Kernahan, Adrian Gleeson and Steven Icke began the process of choosing a replacement for sacked coach Denis Pagan when it met Voss while he was in Melbourne for media work on Friday. While Voss is yet to declare that he is ready to coach in 2008, Swann emerged from Friday's meeting convinced the Brisbane Lions' triple-premiership captain would get a senior coaching job somewhere. Other candidates for the Carlton job include Brett Ratten, who won the immediate support of injured captain Lance Whitnall, Collingwood assistant Guy McKenna and West Coast assistant Peter Sumich, who was over for Friday's match and met with Carlton officials yesterday. But Swann said former Melbourne mentor Daniher and Sheedy, whose 27-year reign at Windy Hill ends this year, did not fit the Blues' vision. The Article Chloe Saltau/RealFooty/29Jul07 GO BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE
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