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Liniment junkies: old footballers don't fade, they keep on kicking
The Sunday Herald Sun has contacted every country and metropolitan football league to find out which former AFL players are still going round. There may be some who have slipped through, but across 24 leagues 100 players were identified. Last month a still-fit Stewart Loewe made his return with Old Haileybury in the VAFA. And wouldn't the 35-year-old be handy now, considering St Kilda's ruck problems?
More - Jackie Epstein- HeraldSun - 22Jun03

Nicky Winmar
"I do miss it . . . I really enjoyed my time," Winmar said. "It's good to be playing though, because once it's over it's over and once you get to a certain age in life it's hard to keep going." He has slotted into the Seville line-up with his cousin, Lorrence Farmer, 22, an exciting talent who has kicked 30 goals in five games.
More - Jackie Epstein- HeraldSun - 22Jun03

Mid-season review: The eye catchers
Standout players includes Robert Harvey and teen tyros includes Brendon Goddard and Luke Ball. Robert Harvey: 'Talk about reborn. After a couple of injury-plagued years, the dual Brownlow Medallist is back big time. His role has slightly changed with a few run-with roles thrown into the mix. Has amassed 328 possessions to lead the competition with Port's Nick Stevens, who is eight years his junior.'
More - Scott Gullan - The Australian - 23Jun03

Inside the inner sanctum
St Kilda's Grant Thomas is said to talk frequently to his players on the phone after they've been dragged but didn't once during a recent game. Richmond's Danny Frawley often has encouragement for his assistants as well as his players when a particularly piece of strategy comes off. Coaching box veteran Richardson, who put himself through the pressure cooker coaching Richmond in 1977-78, said that while the tantrums have remained essentially the same over the years, it's the nature of dialogue between the senior coach and his cohorts has shifted, particularly that between he and the various 'zone coaches'.
More - Rohan Connolly and Peter Ker - TheAge RealFooty - 22Jun03

State of denial is national affront
Take some of the knee-jerk responses coming thick and fast since it became clear the half-dozen non-Victorian teams were the pacesetters of season 2003. It began with the letters to the editor, written by the same usual suspects who save their other football-related correspondence for their one game of the year, the grand final on telly.
More - TheAge - 22Jun03

Uncertain future haunts footy fans
An overwhelming 91 per cent of fans expect at least one club will drop out of the competition or merge with another by 2010, and most say they will not follow their team if it merges. The majority believes the AFL has sold them out over Grand Final ticket allocations and split television coverage. They are also concerned that players are overpaid. Most fans do not enjoy the game as much as they did five years ago and do not feel their club memberships are giving them value for money.
More - Chris inkler - HeraldSun - 22Jun03

History says strugglers won't wake after lull of bye
Dermott Brereton: 'When the teams that have been winning get the chance to freshen up, and bring back their injured stars, it tends to solidify the state of affairs for the top four at very least. There is always the chance that a talented team decimated by injuries may get its act together after the bye, but history shows us that few buck the system.' 'Everyone will get roughly the same percentage of players returning. So the teams on top that have won consistently until now will, like the others, include a rejuvenated, better-standard player.'
More - Dermott Brereton - TheAge RealFooty - 20Jun03

Play origin in bye: Sheedy
Football's ultimate ideas man believes the AFL should have capitalised on the bye weekend with a match between a Victorian team and an Aboriginal All-Star outfit. "A game like that would not only be a marvellous game of football but an important bridge-building exercise," Sheedy said on Essendon's website. " It is an opportunity lost." He said reintroducing the state of origin, which was scrapped in 1999, would give football the chance to be "played to a different rhythm."
More - Bridie Smith - TheAge RealFooty - 22Jun03
Sheedy: Its a Football Tragedy - Bomberland - essendonfc.com.au - 20Jun03

Williams cans Origin games
Williams emphasised a return to Origin football - as trumpeted by Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy - would place another inequity against the Power, Adelaide, the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle. "State-of-Origin affects the WA and SA teams to the greatest extent," Williams said, noting that the Crows, Power, Eagles and Dockers would supply most Origin team players for SA and WA.
More - SundayTimesWA -22Jun03
Croweaters too good again - Trevor Sprigg - SundayTimesWA -22Jun03

Let's go shopping for a ruckman
Rod Butterss was quoted today (12th June) as saying the Saints might go shopping this summer for a 26yo premiership-calibre ruckman if the club thinks we'll be a serious premiership threat in 2004. Who should we have on the shopping list? Here's a few ideas . . . - marto
Forum Thread - Saintsational Forum

AFL 2003: Mid-year report
EXPERTS' PRE-SEASON PREDICTION: 13th
WIN-LOSS 6-6 (10th)
FIXTURES: Melbourne, Essendon, Sydney (a), Kangaroos, Adelaide (a), West Coast (h), Richmond, Carlton, Bulldogs (n), Geelong (a)
THE STATE OF PLAY: Not a bad effort from the Saints, but their ruck deficiency, in the wake of Matthew Capuano's sacking and injuries to young replacements Barry Brooks and Trent Knobel, could yet prove costly. Coach Grant Thomas also needs to ensure precocious young talent isn't burnt out before season's end.
THE VERDICT:
Rohan Connolly: Has made good strides in the first half of 2003, but can the kids keep going all the way? 12th
Robert Walls: The Saints are shaping up as one of the most exciting combinations in the game, but the young boys may tire. 9th
Dermott Brereton: Could miss the finals by one win or less as they build to a leap in 2004. 11th
More - Rohan Connolly - TheAge - 21Jun03

Wayne Jackson eyes state job
WAYNE Jackson has been earmarked as a trouble-shooter for the South Australian economy. The outgoing AFL chief is tipped to join former prime minister Bob Hawke on the peak Labor Government body, the Economic Development Board. The SA Government wants him to use his expertise to help breathe life into the economy. More - John Ferguson - HeraldSun - 23Jun03

Footy's big issues: fact or fiction?
This article is pretty boring for mine, a cleche reference to GT and Matthew Capuano and our ruck situation. Probably worth a look if you are bored s...less. - A Saint in the West
The Article - Glenn McFarlane and Mark Harding - HeraldSun - 22Jun03

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