New rule, bad result

Eagle Mark LeCras broke his arm in a clash with Docker Tendai Mzungu. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

HAS the AFL's new sliding rule claimed its first broken limb?

West Coast's Mark LeCras will miss up to six weeks after breaking his arm in a collision with Docker Tendai Mzungu, a collision that saw LeCras stop in his pursuit of the ball and Mzungu crash into him.

Both players kept their feet, which was exactly what the rule was designed to do - avoid forceful contact below the knees.

Only LeCras can tell us if he decided to not dive for the ball for fear of giving away a free kick.

Certainly, if he did dive for the ball there would've been contact below Mzungu's knees, whose commitment to the contest was absolute.

The Dockers midfielder crashed into LeCras, with the impact sandwiching LeCras arm between Mzungu's body and his own.

LeCras was then forced to leave the field with his arm cradled in his jumper.

Footage of the incident shows both players electing to keep their feet in a contest that saw Mzungu arrive first, by a fraction.

LeCras isn't Glen Archer in his desire for the pill, but he isn't fairy floss either.

The contention is LeCras had the option to dive at the ball and didn't.

The result was a broken arm for LeCras instead of a free kick to Mzungu.

While AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said players would continue to adapt to the new rule, AFL umpires boss Jeff Gieschen was unavailable yesterday for comment on the LeCras incident specifically.

The broken arm was desperately unlucky for the All-Australian forward. After missing all of last season after an ACL operation, LeCras suffered the break in the third quarter of his return.

"It's terrible for him. But depending on what it is, it's not necessarily a long period out," Eagles coach John Worsfold said post-match.

The setback, according to Worsfold, would allow his players to learn how to deal with loss of key players.

"It's not hard to cope with, because you just cope with it," Worsfold said.

"Players get opportunities, and learn and improve.

"But we want to get our best team out there as soon as we can, so we can see how good we are."

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Sandi to miss up to three months

Aaron Sandilands is out of action and needs surgery. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

FREMANTLE have received mixed news on star ruckman Aaron Sandilands - he will need hamstring surgery, but should return midway through this AFL season.

The three-time All-Australian consulted with surgeon Julian Feller in Melbourne on Monday after aggravating the injury to his left hamstring.

Pavlich report thrown out

The Dockers announced on Monday night that Sandilands will be out of action for eight to 12 weeks.

"It's very disappointing for Aaron and the club but with the appropriate period of recovery and a structured rehabilitation program, it is possible he will be available for selection mid-way through the season,'' said Fremantle football manager Chris Bond.

"But at this stage we will have to wait until after his surgery and the recovery phase before we can be more specific about when Aaron will be available for selection.''

The Barometer: who's on track for Round 1

Sandilands originally tore the muscle during the pre-season and was expected to return in round two.

But he aggravated the injury last week and that forced the Melbourne visit.

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What you missed on TV last night

GWS Giants coach Kevin Sheedy is back in the headlines. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph

DID you miss last night's AFL television shows? Rewind and catch up here on all of hot topics and big issues discussed.

AFL 360

* GWS coach Kevin Sheedy joined Robbo and Gerald Wheatley in the AFL 360 Studio.

* Sheedy discussed the shared responsibilities between himself and assistant coach Leon Cameron. "Melbourne is different from Sydney - we need to sell game as well as coach the game," Sheedy said.

* The GWS coach said his club should make a play for Lance Frankin, and placed his value at around $1.2 million a year. Said it would be 'enormous' to get him, liking it to when Tony Lockett went to the Swans. READ THE FULL STORY AND SHEEDY'S COMMENTS HERE.

* Bomber Thompson said James Hird deserved the big win in Adelaide after all the controversy of the past few months.

Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

ON THE COUCH

* AFL boss Andrew Demetriou was the guest in the second show the year.

* All the issues of the off-season were raised, with Demetriou declaring intergrity and pureness of the game was more important than anything.

* Demetriou said he believed the AFL had responded correctly to their off-season controversies.

* Demetriou has long been concerned about  the influence sport scientists were having on football clubs and he admitted the AFL should have intervened earlier. "Maybe they do have a place in the game, but the marginalisng of club doctors is unacceptable," he said.

* The AFL boss said he had no regrets about his well publicised two-month holiday during last year's AFL season.

* Paul Roos declared Gary Ablett Jnr is a better player than his father. "Gary Snr could do things no one else could, but I think Gary Jnr is a better player," Roos said.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou. Source: Herald Sun

OPEN MIKE

* Gary Ablett Jnr was the guest, who admitted how he nearly gave up football as a teenager. READ MORE OF WHAT ABLETT SAID HERE.

* Admitted he was homesick for the first year on the Gold Coast.

* Said part of the reason for his move to the Gold Coast was because he was no longer enjoying football and needed a change.

* Publicly expressed his support for Essendon high performance manager Dean Robinson, who is currently embroiled in ASADA's current investigation on the Bombers.

Suns skipper Gary Ablett. Picture: David Clark Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

FOOTY CLASSIFIED

* Former Bomber great Matthew Lloyd reiterated his belief Essendon will not make the eight this year, despite gritty win over Essendon.

* The new sliding rule continues to be a talking point with panel believing players will take awhile to adjust to it.

Jobe Watson and Essendon celebrate. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: Herald Sun

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Cancer fighter Rowe pushing to play

Sam Rowe takes a solid mark during the NAB Cup Grand Final. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

SAM Rowe is expected to make his AFL debut for Carlton on Thursday night, less than 12 months after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Rowe, 25, impressed the Blues in the NAB Cup of 2012 before consulting a specialist after he consistently tired during games.

He underwent chemotherapy and was given the all clear by his surgeon to return to the training track late last year.

The Barometer: Round 1

With Jarrad Waite's short-term availability unknown because of a persistent calf injury, 198cm Rowe has emerged as a forward-line target along with Levi Casboult and either Robbie Warnock or Shaun Hampson.

Rowe was taken by Sydney in the rookie draft of 2006, and joined South Australian club Norwood after failing to make it with the Swans.

Playing in the same side as Nick Duigan, Rowe's contested work on the forward line prompted the Blues to take him with pick 44 in the 2011 national draft.

His form has been solid in the pre-season and his attack on the ball has won praise from his coach Mick Malthouse.

Carlton's selection for its traditional season opener against Richmond will be a hot topic today with 28 players in the mix.

Chris Judd will start despite playing just one match in the pre-season. Another player may well have been given the substitute's vest, but Carlton know Judd will find a way to get up for a match with serious consequences.

Both clubs are desperate to increase membership and an opening win is the best way to do that.

Players in the selection mix include Tom Bell, Josh Bootsma, Aaron Joseph, Jeremy Laidler, Kane Lucas, Simon White plus Warnock/Hampson.

If the Blues choose to tag Richmond's Trent Cotchin then first option will be Andrew Carazzo, although Malthouse was never a heavy user of tags during his 12 years at Collingwood.

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Let's get Buddy: Sheedy

Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

KEVIN Sheedy believes Greater Western Sydney should make a play for free agent Lance Franklin.

The veteran coach last night said he would pay the Hawthorn superstar up to $1.3 million a year to move north.

Money saved by the departure of failed cross-code recruit Israel Folau would help, Sheedy said.

"If it was my advice and it was on the table, I would say go after him," Sheedy said on Fox Footy's AFL 360.

"If you have a package of money left after (Israel) Folau (left), then you get it right.

"And then you might have a (Tony) Lockett. And that injection into Sydney would be fantastic ... it would absolutely enormous."

Franklin has put off contract talks with Hawthorn until the end of the season.

Sheedy, who will hand over the coaching reins to deputy Leon Cameron next season, said Franklin was worth up to $1.3 million a season, which would place him in the realm of the AFL's top earners such as Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett, himself the benefit of a huge play by an expansion team.

"If that is what it takes to get him to Sydney ... and I believe this team would blossom with another great player," Sheedy said.

The Herald Sun this month reported Franklin could be paid by the AFL outside the salary cap, for promotional duties, if he did join the Giants.

League boss Andrew Demetriou said the league would not be party to recruitment negotiations.

GWS is looking to establish a foothold in a crowded sporting market, not helped by the stunning emergence of A-League team, Western Sydney Wanderers.

The Swans were in a similar situation before Lockett joined the club in 1995.

Lockett was paid by the league as a game ambassador, similar to Folau, and Karmichael Hunt in Queensland.

"I would think it is a great opportunity ... if Franklin is ever thinking of leaving Hawthorn, and he could be - nobody thought Lockett would leave St Kilda at the time, or Barry Hall," Sheedy said.

"But the greatest thing the Swans ended up getting was those two key forwards."
 

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Sliding rule poses a new challenge

Chris Mayne says the new rule went against the "natural instinct" of footballers. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

UMPIRES and players face ongoing challenges with the new sliding rule.

That's the view of Fremantle forward Chris Mayne, who admitted the new rule went against the "natural instinct" of footballers.

"It is still very instinctive to lunge at the ball and dive at it," Mayne said.

"I think it will be like that all year."

On Friday night Adelaide captain Brent Reilly became the first victim of the new rule, and conceded a goal because of the change.

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It's over to you, Tiges

Mark Robinson's hard-hitting column The Tackle is back. Picture: Michael Klein Source: HWT Image Library

ESSENDON coach James Hird said it as nicely as he could, that his team had lacked resilience in times of troubles.

In less flattering words, that his team had collapsed under pressure and expectation, that they were softish.

It's why Friday night's win over Adelaide was important on many fronts, all of it with a backdrop of syringes and drugs and inappropriate activities.

The fact was Essendon, after being three goals down and perhaps consumed by self-doubt, won on the back of intent.

Intent drove their defensive mindset and actions, and together with superb coaching, and individual standout games from Howlett, Watson, Hocking, Carlisle and Dempsey, the Bombers announced themselves as a team to consider worthy of serious consideration.

It's why Friday night will be a reference point for the Bombers as the season progresses and why Richmond should draw reference from Essendon's performance.

These two teams, with North Melbourne, St Kilda, Brisbane and Carlton, are peas in a pod. They sat mid-table last year and all need to improve if they are to play finals in 2013.

Intent is not the single most defining factor in either winning or losing, but without it, the odds of winning plummet.

After the ramshackle start against the Crows, the Bombers won the tackle count (73-47) and squared the contested ball after the 12th minute of the first quarter.

Patrick Dangerfield was set upon, the ruckmen kept jumping into Sam Jacobs, missed tackles were rare, numbers were at the contest, mids pushed back, forwards pushed up, the back half attacked wide and through the corridor - so much so that the Crows were dismantled at their own so-called fortress.

Like it or not, the Tigers have been soft in their Round 1 encounters against Carlton.

Since 2007, they have played six times, and Richmond has been smashed four times in contested footy and four times in the tackle count.

The year they won the contested ball and squared the tackle count was in 2008, when the Tigers won by 30 points, their only victory in the six outings.

Winning both these categories gives you a margin of success. In 2012, if you won in both areas you won 74 per cent of games.

It's not rocket science, but it is, and always is in football, a science of the mind.

The Tigers have plenty of positives.

Their ball movement is frighteningly quick - remember the Swans and Hawks wins in 2012? - they have midfield talent and depth, more options in the front half other than Jack Riewoldt and a defence now headed by Troy Chaplin.

But when you beat the grand finalists and then lose close games to Geelong, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and, heavens above, Gold Coast in the same year, the obvious question is: are they mentally fragile?

The answer is yes.

Against Carlton in Round 1s, it is clearly yes.

The intent to show intent is evident, however.

They won close games in the pre-season, which also is a reference point, and even coach Damien Hardwick has announced it's time.

And just yesterday, new captain Trent Cotchin featured in an advert about the season ahead.

In a moving realisation of where his team is and where it wants to get to, Cotchin spoke of Sydney's summer of celebration, while 17 other teams had a summer of reflection.

"We have been waiting," he said, "for redemption to prove things to ourselves, each other, our families, fans and to our opposition."

They are wonderful words. But still only words.

Because, really, we're sick and tired of hearing how the Tigers are going to do it.

Thursday night can't come quick enough.

Every week Robbo will list his biggest likes and dislikes.

And you can have your say on what's making you angry and happy in the footy world - connect via Twitter by following @Robbo_heraldsun and using #thetackle hashtag.

Join Robbo from 11.30am today - and every Monday - for a live chat.

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Dee-Day for Clark and Dawes

Chris Dawes has played 32 minutes in the shortened NAB Cup game before being substituted because of calf soreness. Picture: Derrick Den Hollander Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE faces tough decisions on million-dollar forwards Mitch Clark and Chris Dawes this week after they combined for just 100 minutes of football in the pre-season.

Coach Mark Neeld will have to decide whether to risk both against Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.

Dawes, who signed a $500,000-a-year contract to move from Collingwood, played 32 minutes in the shortened NAB Cup game against North Melbourne before being substituted because of calf soreness.

He missed the rest of the NAB Cup with a hamstring problem.

While he trained strongly last week, Dawes will not have played for five weeks.

Clark has been steadily building after a foot fracture and played 3 1/2 quarters for Casey in the VFL on Saturday.

Co-captain Jack Trengove (foot) also returned in the VFL on Saturday.

Football manager Josh Mahoney said Neeld would weigh up all the information on the trio this week.

"It'd be hard to put a percentage (on it). Both of (Trengove and Clark) would be a chance," he said. "(Dawes) will train fully (this) week, and again we'll consider him if he's ready to go."

Highly rated midfield draftees Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas should make their debuts.

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Back pain torments Saints

Sam Fisher will need to train well to play the away game against the Suns on Saturday night. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

ST KILDA faces a defensive crisis that has turned its Round 1 clash with Gold Coast into a danger game, with Sam Fisher no guarantee to play.

The key defender pulled up sore after the club's last NAB Cup match and, while cleared of a stress fracture, doubts remain.

Fisher, who wore a moon boot as a precaution last week and withdrew from an AFL golf day on Thursday, has battled stress fractures in his career.

He will need to train well to play the away game against the Suns on Saturday night.

St Kilda football manager Greg Hutchison said Fisher had been cleared of serious foot concerns.

"He will train this week and be up for selection during the course of the week, so whatever happens happens," Hutchison said.

"He will train this week and be available for selection."

St Kilda has five of its seven key backs facing injury concerns, troubling for a club that tried and failed to recruit West Coast's Mitch Brown and then attempted to lure Collingwood's Chris Tarrant out of retirement.

All-Australian defender Sean Dempster is out with a hamstring injury, Rhys Stanley is lineball for Round 1 after hyper-extending his knee three weeks ago, and Tom Simpkin is returning after an interrupted pre-season.

Even rookie defensive tall Jackson Ferguson is on the injury list with a knee problem.

The club has few other injuries and will hope to paper over the cracks against the Gold Coast with James Gwilt and Jason Blake before reinforcements return.

Simpkin played in the VFL at the weekend and could be rushed into the side, while Stanley trained on Friday and will have to prove his fitness this week.

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Ablett once lost interest, quit footy

Gold Coast Suns skipper Gary Ablett once quit football. Now he wants to win a flag up north. Picture: Darren England. Source: News Limited

GARY Ablett lost interest in football as a teenager and hoped to launch a professional surfing or skating career.

The Gold Coast captain has revealed he quit footy for two years, partly because of the pressures of his name, and chose to follow the sporting interests of his mates before returning to join TAC Cup club Geelong Falcons.

"I stopped playing from the age of about 14 to 16,'' Ablett said in an interview to air on Fox Footy's Open Mike tonight (Monday).

Live HQ: SuperCoach scores, video, stats and more

"Football was something I wasn't that interested in. There was a year there where I didn't play at all and the following year I played every second or third week.''

Ablett, 28, also confirmed reports that after the 2006 season senior Geelong players, led by Cameron Ling, sat the Brownlow medallist down and had a frank discussion about his lack of training intensity.

He admitted "it was hard to take'', but reflected on the moment as a turning point.

"When I first got to the club I just used to go through the motions a bit,'' he said.

"I didn't realise how hard you had to train to make it. I thought I was going to make it off the talent I had and I kind of went along like that for three or four years.''

The Cats' leaders told Ablett: "look mate, you're not training hard enough, you're not working hard enough, it's just not acceptable''.

One year later Ablett led the Cats to a drought-breaking flag, won his first of four Leigh Matthews Trophys and the first of four club best-and-fairests.

Ablett also:
 - ADMITTED he was homesick for his first year at the Gold Coast, but adamant he made the right decision to walk away from Geelong.
 -TRIED to talk brother Nathan Ablett out of quitting Geelong.
 -RATED his father as the best to ever play the game.
 -REVEALED he had enjoyed a laugh with Mark Thompson since their feud in 2010.

Ablett downplayed speculation he would seek a return to Geelong when his Suns contract expires at the end of 2015.

"It's hard to say because I don't know where I'll be,'' he said.

"I'm loving it at the Gold Coast at the moment and I really want to win a premiership up there.''
 

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