Ooops... Error 404
Sorry, but the page you are looking for doesn't exist.
You can go to the HOMEPAGE

OUR LATEST POSTS

The forward/ruckman with Briggs-like qualities who starred for the Knights

0

There is a promising ruckman/forward at the Northern Knights who starred in Round 1 of the Coates Talent League.

Thomas Sims started the 2024 season in fine fashion with a bag of five goals in his side’s 43-point victory over the Western Jets at Trevor Barker Oval last Saturday.

Player manager James Pitcher, from Bravo Talent Management, was taken by what the 199cm Sims produced with his handful of goals, 14 disposals, nine hit-outs, seven marks and three tackles.

“There were some good performances, in particular Thomas Sims who kicked five,” Pitcher said on SEN’s Future Stars.

“He’s a physical ruck/key forward who also had 14 touches. He really impressed me as someone who is probably not one who is in the Metro squads or national academies.

“But he has really come out and announced himself in Round 1.”

While Sims does spend a bit more time inside attacking 50 than a regular ruckman, he does remind Pitcher of a young Kieren Briggs.

The GWS big man has been an intimidating force in the AFL since coming of age with the Giants during the 2023 campaign and there are specks of his game in Sims.

“This guy took a while to come on from an AFL sense, but he (Sims) is Kieren Briggs,” Pitcher added.

“So Briggs as a junior would intimidate those around him, put the fear of God through them a bit like the ‘Mummy’ (Shane Mumford) used to do.

“Thomas was doing that. He made sure that his presence was felt.

“He really covers the ground well and is versatile in that he can play ruck, push forward, take a mark and put it through.”

According to Pitcher, the Montmorency product was the most impressive player across the Victorian underage competition on opening weekend.

“I was really impressed by Sims,” he said further.

“When the game was on the line he really intimidated the opposition, he spread the game well, he was great up forward, a great pair of hands and he kicked it well.

“From what I saw, he was the player of the weekend.”

Sims and the Knights take on the Eastern Ranges at Belvedere Reserve in Seaford on Good Friday from 1:30pm AEDT.

Eagles turn to young tall to lend a hand in attack

0

Jack Darling has endured a poor start to the season, but he will be given a helping hand in Sunday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs

Jack Darling and Sam Taylor are pictured during West Coast’s clash against Greater Western Sydney in round two, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

WEST Coast hopes the addition of Jack Williams in attack will help Jack Darling regain his mojo in Sunday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.

Darling has kicked just 1.2 across the opening two rounds, with the loss of fellow spearhead Oscar Allen to a knee injury after round one placing even more pressure on the veteran’s shoulders.

West Coast brought in 20-year-old ruckman Harry Barnett for last week’s 65-point loss to GWS so that Bailey Williams could spend more time in attack and ease the pressure on Darling.

The move didn’t pay dividends, with Barnett comprehensively beaten in the ruck and Bailey Williams having little impact up forward.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson confirmed Bailey Williams will return to the No.1 ruck position this week, Barnett will go back to the WAFL, and Jack Williams will partner Darling in attack.

Last week’s sub Ryan Maric is also set to start the game in attack, giving West Coast plenty of marking options, especially if Jake Waterman retains his spot.

Harry Barnett and Ryan Maric warm up ahead of the R2 match between West Coast and GWS at Optus Stadium on March 24, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Jack Williams managed just five goals across 10 games last year during West Coast’s injury crisis.

The 20-year-old has taken huge steps forward during the off-season and Simpson hopes the 198cm spearhead will team well with Darling.

“I think he played probably before he was ready last year, just through circumstances – a bit of last man standing stuff,” Simpson said on Friday.

“But he’s had a really good pre-season. He took 10, 11 marks last week and kicked four goals.

“He comes in as a forward who can support Jack, and he’ll second ruck for us.”

Jack Williams celebrates a goal during West Coast’s clash against Adelaide in round 24, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Simpson wants to see more from Darling, who managed just 26 goals last year and is already under pressure in 2024.

“We need the best out of him, that’s for sure,” Simpson said.

“We’re probably not getting that at the moment.

“I thought his energy and effort around halving contests was there (against GWS), we just didn’t get any production with hands on the ball.

“Talking to him, he felt as good as he’s felt all year in the last quarter, which is a good sign that the couple of little niggles he’s carrying are gone.

“We’re hoping for a better output this week. We’ve backed him in, we need him to play well, and that’s our expectations.”

Simpson said veterans Andrew Gaff and Alex Witherden will spend another week in the WAFL to regain form.

Andrew Gaff and Sam Berry compete for the ball during the AAMI Community Series match between West Coast and Adelaide at Hisense Stadium on March 2, 2024. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

In some good news on the injury front, Harry Edwards will play WAFL this week after recovering from a broken finger, while Dom Sheed (foot) and Jai Culley (knee) could return next week.

Star forward Liam Ryan (hamstring) could return via the WAFL in a fortnight.

The Bulldogs have lost Nick Coffield (shoulder) and Ed Richards (concussion) to injury.

LIVE: Fast-starting Freo aims to prolong Crows woes amid plea for ‘magic makers’

0

Fremantle looks to continue its undefeated start to the season against the winless Adelaide Crows on Good Friday at Optus Stadium.

The Dockers (2-0, 5th, 133.6%) had to overcome a 33-point deficit against the Kangaroos last Saturday at Marvel Stadium in order to remain perfect on the new season.

Meanwhile, the Crows (0-2, 13th, 84.0%) remain without a victory in 2024 after dropping their home opener to Geelong by 19 points.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Set a deposit limit.

Exposing footage shows Pendlebury whack | 00:31

Fremantle is unchanged heading into the Good Friday evening clash, while Adelaide excluded midfielder Sam Berry (omitted) and key defender Jordon Butts (injured) in favour of like-for-like backman James Borlase and utility Lachie Sholl.

“I don’t think they are good enough yet to compete with the big boppers,” two-time premiership Kangaroo David King told Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“This midfield is vanilla; they don’t have tackle breakers in there, guys that threaten space – they don’t have magic makers in there.”

Veteran Crow Brodie Smith will play game 250 after being drafted in the first round of the 2010 national draft.

Milestone Crow Brodie Smith. Photo: Daniel Carson.Source: Getty Images

The Crows boast the all-time advantage over the Dockers, 24-19.

This match gets underway at 7:20pm AEDT from Optus Stadium.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504) from 7:15pm AEDT.

Follow Fremantle v Adelaide in the live blog below!

“He’s definitely got the capability”: The positional change Brisbane needs to make with Hipwood

0

Former Crows forward Josh Jenkins has outlined the change he wants to see from Eric Hipwood to have a bigger impact on the game.

Hipwood has struggled to start the season, kicking just four goals as the Lions have limped out of the gates, losing their first three games in their worst start since 2018.

The Brisbane forward is coming off the back of a career-best 41-goal campaign, however Jenkins believes performances like Thursday’s goalless outing indicate Hipwood has stagnated.

“I’m a big fan of his game but he probably has just stagnated a little bit,” Jenkins said on SEN’s The Captain’s Run.

“He’s a fantastic athlete of course and that’s obvious but I don’t know how he can go about getting involved in a game unless it’s an athletics contest and that’s a tough way to go about it.

“He’s often quicker than his opponent and he’s often more athletic and I think that plays on his mind a little bit too much, he’s got to find some ways to get involved in the game that don’t rely on running and sprinting.”

Considering Hipwood’s agility and lighter build, Jenkins believes the Lion would be better served higher up the ground rather than spending so much time deep in the forward line.

“You can’t expect him to turn into a rampaging forward like Tom Hawkins, a physical beast like Tom Hawkins overnight, or at all considering his frame, but he can be more crafty,” he said.

“He can be a little bit more subtle and slick with his movements, get in behind and then hit up.

“He’s definitely got the capability of being one of those higher running forwards who can get involved in the game early.”

Jenkins pointed directly to Harry McKay’s resurgence at Carlton as the blueprint that Hipwood should replicate.

“Eric probably is focused on taking marks inside 50 and taking shots at goal but maybe he needs to think about getting involved up the ground earlier, like Harry McKay has to an extent,” Jenkins said.

“I know Harry is reliant on his contested mark more so but Harry’s game has improved this year because he’s been willing to come up the ground whether it be in the ruck or as a forward and get involved.

“You build your confidence, you get the ball a few times early in the game and you’ve got confidence versus waiting and waiting and waiting and then beginning to start to hope that you’re going to be involved.

“I think Hipwood is probably hoping he’s going to be involved rather than making it happen.”

Hipwood and the Lions will have a perfect opportunity to get their season back on track next week, taking on North Melbourne in Gather Round.

Bulldogs coach takes aim at AFL drugs policy for failure to protect players who don’t take drugs

0

The AFL’s illicit drugs policy fails to cater for the vast majority of players who don’t use drugs, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says.

Beveridge wants an overhaul of the current policy amid revelations of a secret regime protecting drug-taking players from testing positive on match day.

“All I want is for the new model to cater for the people who don’t take illicit drugs,” Beveridge told reporters on Friday.

“I want it to cater for the vast majority, the 99 per cent, of the playing cohort who don’t take them.

“This is where the PA (AFL Players Association) and their attitude and their perception of how clubs would manage situations forget that it’s the playing cohort who are affected by it as well.

“They (the cohort) are trying to play in winning teams, premiership teams, and all staff want to do is support their playing group and each other and the current model doesn’t do that.

“So whatever it is, it needs to take that in and be mindful that people in the industry need to be supported by whatever the new model is as well.”

Bailey Smith screams

Bailey Smith was suspended for two games by the AFL for conduct unbecoming after footage emerged of him with a bag of white powder.(Getty Images: Daniel Pockett)

In 2022, Beveridge called for the policy to be scrapped after his star player Bailey Smith’s drug case that year.

Smith, in June 2022, was suspended for two games by the AFL for conduct unbecoming after footage emerged of him with a bag of white powder.

This week, Sport Integrity Australia launched an investigation into claims raised under parliamentary privilege by federal MP Andrew Wilkie of secret drug testing of AFL players.

Under the so-called medical model, club doctors tested players midweek and then told them to fake an injury and miss a game to avoid testing positive on match day.

The practice has drawn widespread criticism with most coaches and players unaware it existed.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said on Wednesday the league was “unapologetic” about giving club doctors powers to withdraw players from games to prevent testing positive on game day.

Both Dillon, who said the policy was under review, and AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said only a handful of players had been protected by the secret testing policy, but some reports state the number is about 100.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon called for clarity about the numbers.

“Statistically, whatever is occurring, probably everyone would like to know … these are the numbers and this is the success or failure of the program,” he said.

“That’s something that would probably put us all at ease, to be fair, it’s not as opaque then. That could help inform us [as] to whether we support it or not.”

On Friday, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley and his Richmond counterpart Adem Yze said they would support whatever policy the AFL adopted.

“I am a bit more matter of fact,” Hinkley said.

“The AFL and the AFLPA have a policy on drugs and my job is to respect that policy and that’s all I do … I don’t have a view that I’m prepared to share either way, personally, around that situation.”

Yze said the welfare of players was paramount.

“Whatever comes of the new policy, in the end for us it’s about the welfare and wellbeing of our players,” he said.

“We abide by the AFL rules and whatever they are, if it’s a new policy we will abide by those.”

AAP

Sports content to make you think… or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Friday.

AFL statement from CEO Andrew Dillon and Tanya Hosch

0

The AFL takes this opportunity to remind everyone at all levels of the game, that racist behaviour is never welcome

Once again, we find ourselves in a position where we must express our strongest condemnation against another example of overt racism, this time targeting children playing sport in their own front yard.

We acknowledge the leadership of Eddie Betts for bringing this to national attention.

Racism is wrong. Racism is harmful. Racism requires a response.

The AFL takes this opportunity to remind everyone at all levels of the game, that racist behaviour is never welcome. Anywhere.

We invite everyone to follow Eddie’s example in calling out racism when you hear, read or see it. We invite everyone to report racism wherever possible. 

The AFL wish to express our love and best wishes for healing, for the children and families who were subject to the racist abuse shared in the video last night. 

We wish to stand with Eddie and his family and thank him for bringing this disturbing behaviour to our attention. We must not look away, rather we must stand together to play our part to reduce racism.

The AFL has this morning reached out to the Betts family to offer our support.