Hunt set for tagging job

A trim Karmichael Hunt runs during Gold Coast pre-season training. Picture: Tim Marsden Source: The Courier-Mail

GOLD Coast code-hopper Karmichael Hunt says he is relishing the prospect of locking horns with the game's best midfielders.

Nearly three years after he started his AFL education, Hunt is again on a learning curve, this time to become the Suns' chief tagger.

"They just think with my strength and ability to probably lock on as a defender early, that I could nullify a few of those threats to our team," Hunt said.

"Obviously, it's still a work in progress and a very new role. With the scrimmages we've been doing ... I'm starting to lock on to a few of the younger boys."

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna and assistant Matthew Primus believe Hunt's strength and defensive instincts could transform him into a natural stopper.

"I guess I was a little surprised, but in a good way," Hunt said.

"Obviously, I haven't played that role before, but it's a job the coaches entrust in you and if you can help the team in any way, shape or form it's hopefully going to be beneficial to the result."

Hunt is noticeably slimmer than last year as he continues to shave weight from his one-time bulky rugby league frame.

"I am slimmer. I would have dropped another 3kg or so, which has been nice," he said.

"Our training has picked up another notch and like everyone else on the team, I'm fitter than last year so I feel great for it.

"There's premier midfielders right across the competition ... it's going to be a pretty big year and hopefully I'm fit for the challenge."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dane Swan in career-best shape

Dane Swan takes part in match simulation during Collingwood's family day at Victoria Park. Picture: Scott Chris Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD midfielder Dane Swan says his fitness levels and motivation to perform this season are at career-high levels.

And engine room partner Dale Thomas is confident he will be fit to play in Round 1, despite Nathan Buckley's prediction that ankle surgery will keep the star out of the side for "months".

Thomas said yesterday he intends to begin running next week, while Swan continued his impressive pre-season campaign in the club's hour-long match simulation session at Victoria Park yesterday.

The Brownlow Medalist has been unfazed by criticism of his off-field lifestyle and proved he was in top shape, posting a series of personal best time-trial results over summer.

"It's certainly been one of the best (pre-seasons) for a long time,'' Swan said at the club's family day.

"I came back (from the Christmas break) in reasonably good condition, so that always helps.

"I've just done everything that's been asked of me so far and ran personal bests in all my time-trails, (so there's) not much more I can ask for.''

The Pies served the 28-year-old with a two-game suspension for an alcohol-related indiscretion last year, prompting speculation about his future at the club.

Summer Barometer: Track the Pies' pre-season

But the three-time best-and-fairest winner said he was committed to helping lead the Pies to on-field success this season.

"I actually feel pretty good and feel pretty keen to get back out there, which is probably changed compared to a couple of other pre-seasons,'' he said.

"I just can't wait to get back out there and get amongst it.

"While I've got 'Johnno' (Ben Johnson) and 'Dids' (Alan Didak) here, they make me feel pretty young, because they're getting pretty old, so while I'm here I feel pretty youthful.''

Picture gallery: Collingwood family day

Buckley cast doubt on Thomas's ability to be ready for Round 1 this week but the line-breaker said he wanted to play in the season-opener against North Melbourne.

"It depends who you ask, Nathan said I was a couple of months away, so hopefully I am a bit quicker than that,'' Thomas said.

"(I'm) Aiming for Round 1, so hopefully (I'll) get back running next week, get some decent training in.

"If all goes to plan, (I'll play) Round 1, or hopefully a week or two earlier.''

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cloke is Lynch's No.1 fan

Collingwood recruit Quinten Lynch works up a sweat in pre-season training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

TRAVIS Cloke has lots to be excited about.

With last year's contract circus behind him, the Collingwood spearhead will enter 2013 with a clear mind and niggle-free.

But there's something else that is giving the Magpies' chief goalkicker plenty to smile about as the club stepped up its pre-season with a solid one-hour match simulation session yesterday.

The man who replaced Chris Dawes as Cloke's new key forward partner, Quinten Lynch, has been one of the standouts of Collingwood's summer.

While the 30-year-old may not have attracted as much pre-season hype as some of the other club's big-name recruits, the West Coast premiership forward's physical game style is set to bring an imposing and versatile edge to the Pies' forward setup.

Cloke, who ranked No.1 in the AFL for contested marks last season, yesterday warmly welcomed the aerial support Lynch is poised to provide.

"He's going to help us out and and obviously 'Jolls' (Darren Jolly) and 'Huddo' (Ben Hudson) in the ruck, so he's a massive plus for the team and also myself," Cloke said.

"I'm looking forward to working with him. He's an amazing (physical) specimen and he's a very big man and he can run all day, so it's great.

"I got to know him quite well the last couple of months, he's a fantastic man and a lovely family man."

Adding to their Magpies' delight, fellow free agent Clinton Young, from Hawthorn, joined in on the match simulation after spending much of the summer carefully managing his recovery from foot surgery.

Jordan Russell and Ben Hudson also impressed in the full-ground workout at Victoria Park, adding vital playing depth to the club's premiership tilt.

Picture gallery: Collingwood family day

After booting 33 goals mainly playing deep forward for West Coast last year, Lynch yesterday said he was relishing the move to the Westpac Centre.

" I just feel there's a hunger in this group at the moment to succeed and it's really exciting for me," Lynch said.

"I've obviously come in as a tall forward to help Clokey out up there and that's exciting and no doubt I'll have a little bit of a run through the ruck if needed, so there are two good roles there," he said.

"These boys made the prelim final last year and hopefully I've come over here and we can go one better."

Cloke, who kicked 59 goals last year, downplayed the distraction caused by his contract saga, which looms for Hawthorn and its superstar Lance Franklin this season.

"I spoke to Bucks and said earlier in the year: 'Mate, this is what I want to do and he knew the whole way along what was happening'," Cloke said yesterday.

"And I had faith in him and he had faith in me, so we knew what was happening, it was just a matter of getting pen to paper."

These boys made the prelim final last year and hopefully I've come over here and we can go one better.

Midfield dynamos Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan continued their impressive build-up to the season yesterday as Dale Thomas and Dayne Beams watched the match practice from the sidelines.

Beams, whose enjoyed a career-best year last season winning his first Copeland Trophy, said he had overcome a few niggles in the pre-season.

"(I've had) a couple of little hiccups along the way, but it has probably been one of my better pre-seasons," Beams said.

Luke Ball and Lachy Keeffe continue to make solid progress in their comeback from knee reconstructions, training away from the main group yesterday.

Andrew Krakouer, who had a quick-fix type of knee surgery to repair his ruptured ACL, also looked in excellent touch with a bag of goals deep forward.

Summer Barometer: Magpies injury, training latest

Hoping for a better run of injury luck in 2013, coach Nathan Buckley is expecting more welcome headaches picking the Pies' best 22 this season.

"The great thing we have got is we have competition for spots, so we'll spend the next two or thee weeks in practice matches and through the early part of the NAB Cup working out who is going to be putting their hand up to play senior footy early in the first couple of rounds," Buckley said.

"We've probably got 30-35 blokes that we're trying to squeeze into 22.

"You will be rewarded in selection for your efforts."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tippett's still got friends in Adelaide

Sydney recruit Kurt Tippett at pre-season training in Coffs Harbour. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

CONTROVERSIAL Sydney recruit Kurt Tippett talks to Neil Cordy about the Swans, being a villain and his salary-cap ban.

How are you settling into the Swans?

I couldn't be happier. Coming into the team a little bit later than I expected was a little bit daunting. I thought it might be hard to get to know the boys, but they've been incredible in welcoming me.

Did you ever think you wouldn't make it here?

Nothing was certain during the (contract drama) so it was hard to feel confident about my chances of getting to Sydney. It's great that it worked out.

You are the first player since Greg Williams in 1992 to be penalised for a salary-cap breach, do you feel hard done by?

That's a tough question to answer. I feel very fortunate to be in Sydney, where I always wanted to be. In regards to the sanction, it's very disappointing that I can't play and I will find it very hard to sit out the first 11 rounds of this season.

I'm trying to move forward the best I can with the cards I've been dealt. I'll spend all my time and energy trying to play the best I can when I get back.

Your first game back will be in Adelaide against the Power, what are you expecting?

I'll probably be a bit nervous having sat out for so long. I'll be anxious to get out there and put my best foot forward and hit the ground running. It will be a bit of an odd one going back to Adelaide for the first one I play for my new side, but that's the way it is. There will be a lot of things going through my head.

Kurt Tippett leaves the AFL Commission with his legal counsel David Gallbally. Picture: Norm Oorloff Source: adelaidenow

Do you think there will be Crows supporters turning up to give you some stick?

Quite possibly. Hopefully there are some people there to support me.

An unnamed Adelaide player said your name was mud and that it would be hard for you to have any relationship with the your former teammates. How do you feel about that?

There was a lot of emotion floating around at that time. It wasn't a perfect situation or a perfect exit from a football
club. It's not the way you would like to leave.

In saying there was a set of circumstances and things evolved in a certain way. It wasn't ideal, I understand
that. But, in moving forward, I don't see why things should change. Friends are friends, teammates are teammates and I think everyone respects and understands why people do certain things, looking after their future and making themselves as happy as they can.

You said when you departed Adelaide that you wanted to maintain contact with your teammates. Have you?

Yes. I played there for six years and have a lot of good friends in Adelaide whether they be teammates or people outside the football club.

How did you feel being cast as the villain?

I didn't enjoy it at all. In challenging times, you learn a lot about yourself.

You're joining the premier, does that make it an even bigger challenge?

I know I'm coming into a very good side and a very well respected side. That's exciting for me because I know I'll get the best out of myself as a footballer. I hope to make this team even better if I can.

Kurt Tippett wrestles with Swans big man Mike Pyke. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

You are going to sit out the first half of the season, how are you going to handle that?

I've had brief discussions about it. I guess the first thing is to prepare like I'm going to play in Round 1.

The intra-club matches will be your only game practice before you play. Does that give them extra importance?

I'm going to concentrate on every session from now until the guys ease back from training into their preparation to play because it's also important for me to learn the way my teammates play and the game plan and the structures.

Each session, I'm really going to treasure because having the whole squad out there training at 100 per cent is not going to happen for very long.
 

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sharrod denies Buddy pact

Lance Franklin tells Hawthorn he will not discuss a new deal until the end of the year, sparking fears at the Hawks that he may walk.

West Coast recruit Sharrod Wellingham. Picture: Will Russell Source: The Sunday Times

LANCE Franklin's good mate Sharrod Wellingham believes the Hawthorn champion will remain a one-club player, despite stunning the Hawks by putting off contract negotiations to the end of the season.

Hawthorn had been confident of securing Franklin's signature before Round 1 in an effort to avoid a drawn-out Travis Cloke-style saga providing a distraction.

Fremantle and West Coast management refused to comment yesterday, and the WA clubs are set to publicly pour cold water on Franklin talk throughout the season.

The Dockers and Eagles will be buoyed by the twist and are likely to ask privately what it would take to bring the competition's biggest name back home.

Wellingham, Franklin's former housemate, denied the pair had planned to play for the Eagles together from 2014 and said he did not know why Franklin, 26, had walked away from contract talks with Hawthorn.

"I've sensed that he would like to finish his career at Hawthorn," Wellingham said.

"We'll find out at the end of the year.

"He'll make the decision in due time.

"I'm not sure why he's done that.

Summer Barometer: See how the Eagles are tracking this pre-season

"It's probably similar to all the stuff we went through last year over at Collingwood with Travis - put it at the back of his mind and worry about footy through the year.

"It's just going to be one of those merry-go-rounds throughout the year, I suppose.

"I haven't been in his ear yet (about coming to West Coast). I'll have a whisper in his ear, but I'm not sure how far it'll go."

Wellingham and Franklin will play together for the first time when they run out for the Indigenous All-Stars in Alice Springs on Friday.

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Carrazzo firms as new Blues leader

Carlton coach Mick Malthouse with captaincy contenders Andrew Carrazzo, Kade Simpson and Marc Murphy at D.O.C Delicatessen in Lygon St. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

THE three contenders for Carlton's captaincy will get a chance to lead the team during the NAB Cup before coach Mick Malthouse makes his decision next month.

The Blues face a tough call on who will succeed Chris Judd, with Andrew Carrazzo in front of Marc Murphy and Kade Simpson.

The decision is seen as critical at a club that according to both former coach Brett Ratten and Malthouse has a host of natural introverts.

The trio will be given their auditions after the Blues' round-robin NAB Cup opener against Greater Western Sydney and Sydney on February 24.

Carlton president Stephen Kernahan said yesterday it was exciting to have so many contenders for the position, while conceding Murphy and Carrazzo were likely to fight out the job.

He said once Malthouse made his decision, it would be ratified by the club board.

"Mick came to us and said, 'That's the way I would like to do it, with the three of them in the NAB Cup'," Kernahan said.

"He will make a call to us and the board will ratify it. Murphy and Carrazzo are probably the favourites, but it's exciting for all three of them.

"Carrazzo is the experienced leader and Murph is the up-and-comer. Juddy will be a hard act to follow and could have done it for as long as he wanted, but we have some really strong senior leadership." 

CLICK HERE TO START PICKING YOUR SUPERCOACH SQUAD NOW

Carrazzo would be a departure from Judd -- the Brownlow medallist led by example and expected his teammates to follow -- and Kernahan praised the tagger's communication skills.

"'Carrots' is a real professional," Kernahan said.

"He has great support from his family (Carrazzo is the father of one-year-old triplets) and it will be interesting to see which one Mick picks. They are all great candidates."

The Blues take on Fremantle and then Adelaide in full-length games before a potential NAB Cup grand final or regional cup game in which the third contender would lead the side.

Carlton's first season under Malthouse will hit its stride from Wednesday's first practice match, with another intra-club game on February 15.

At this stage only Andrew McInnes (knee reconstruction) has been ruled out for Round 1, a far cry from Ratten's final season in which plenty of players entered the season after serious surgeries.

Ratten, sacked for Malthouse last year, said last year the club had psychologically tested its players and felt that many of them went into their shells too often.

Malthouse is known to share that view, which was also voiced towards the end of last season by club legend and former coach Robert Walls.

"One of the problems with Carlton's leadership group, if you want to extend that to your senior eight players who played last night, the majority of them are introverts," Walls said last year.

"(Chris) Judd is not a vocal player, but he does it (lead) by example."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daisy in doubt for Round 1

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley reveals star midfielder Dale Thomas is no certainty to be fit for the start of the season following ankle surgery.

Collingwood stars Dale Thomas, Heath Shaw, Dane Swan and Ben Johnson talk shop at training yesterday. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Injured Collingwood star Dale Thomas remains in doubt for Round 1. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has cast doubt over Dale Thomas's availability for Round 1.

The midfielder has yet to resume full training as he recovers from ankle surgery.

The news comes as Buckley accused his onballers of being downhill skiers at times last year.

"He is still a couple of months away," he said of Thomas.

"He will need to get some solid training in and get up to speed before he is ready to play some games of footy, whether that is late in the NAB (Cup) or early in the home-and-away (season) will depend on the speed of his recovery.

"He has had a modified pre-season and has got a lot of fitness work in, but not on legs. So we will have to judge that as we go."

As the Magpies gear up for Round 1 against North Melbourne on March 31, Buckley said yesterday players who could not instil defensive pressure all over the ground would not be selected.

CLICK HERE TO START PICKING YOUR SUPERCOACH SQUAD NOW

Brownlow medallist Dane Swan has been criticised for his one-way running, but Buckley felt he was not alone.

"We were too offensive out of stoppages and with our transitional running at times," he said.

"And not clean enough to support that offence. If we were cleaner and more efficient inside 50, you can run forward all you like. The ball is never going to come back. But when you come up against other sides, the ball comes back at you more often and you need to be able to handle that.

"I believe in team defence. You need 22 players to be defending. We improved our transitional defence as the year went on and we were better for it. We have some real depth now in our squad.

"If you are not going to tip into the defensive aspects, you are going to struggle to get a game of footy for us."

Buckley said the club's review of 2012 also identified the need for a tagger and that the Pies kicked to Travis Cloke to often.

He said the club had scored on only 40 per cent of its inside-50s, despite going to Cloke 80 per cent of the time.

"We need to be more aggressive with our ball movement," he said.

The off-contract Thomas said last week he was in no rush to start negotiating a new deal until he recovered.

But he said he was wary of letting contract talks turn into the "circus" that engulfed Cloke last year.

Buckley said: "We have got about 40 per cent of our list coming out of contract this year and we will deal with those guys, appropriately, at the right times."

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Buddy suspends contract talks

HAWTHORN superstar Lance Franklin has told the club he will not discuss a new contract until the end of the season, sparking fears he may leave.

Franklin is a restricted free agent at the end of the year, meaning he can entertain offers from rival clubs.

The Hawks said yesterday they made a "very good offer" to Franklin -- understood to have been between $900,000 and $1 million a season for up to four years -- and were stunned when told this week all negotiations were off until the end of September.

The offer also included a healthy slice of the club's marketing allowance.

"Buddy has made it pretty clear he'd prefer to leave the discussions to the end of the 2013 season," Hawthorn's head of football Mark Evans said.

Franklin's manager Liam Pickering said last night: "Buddy has 12 months to go on his contract and he wants to concentrate on playing.

"He said he didn't want the distraction of a contract and he has advised me talks are off until the end of the season.

"He doesn't want to entertain discussions and, whilst Hawthorn aren't happy, that's how it is, unfortunately."

Hawthorn is unable to pay Franklin market value as skipper Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell are on massive contracts, and Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Grant Birchall, Brian Lake, Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell are on sizeable deals.

Fremantle has been linked to Franklin, though the Dockers have not spoken to Pickering. Last year the Dockers offered Collingwood's Travis Cloke about $1.1 million for five years, but failed to land him. 

CLICK HERE TO START PICKING YOUR SUPERCOACH SQUAD NOW

The expectation is Franklin, who is from Western Australia, would be offered more than Cloke.

The Hawks yesterday confirmed six months of discussions had hit a brick wall this week.

Evans admitted Franklin's decision had rocked the club and already there were fears the constant talk about Franklin's future would become a major distraction, as it did at Collingwood with Cloke.

"It is not an ideal situation because we'd prefer to close off the distraction for Buddy, for the club, for supporters, for Pickers, and have a free run at our 2013 campaign," Evans said.

"We've been having a number of discussions over the past 5 1/2 months, and we've put together what we think is a very good offer, and Pickers is on record as saying it is respectable.

"Obviously, we had a few things to sort out.

"We know our offer is a strong offer, but at the moment it's not that the offer hasn't been accepted or rejected, it's only the discussions have been put off until the end of the season."

The Hawks accept Franklin can explore free agency.

"He's a free agent at the end of 2013 and he's got every right to proceed with contract discussions as he wants to," Evans said.

Despite Franklin's decision to cease discussions, the Hawks said they would endeavour to keep contact.

"We need to make sure we have regular contact with Pickers and Buddy and, should the situation change, our door is open," Evans said.

Pickering also manages Gary Ablett, who left Geelong for Gold Coast after announcing at the start of 2010 that contract talks were on hold until the end of the year.

Greater Western Sydney's Tom Scully said the same, then left Melbourne.

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Davey back in frame at Dees

Melbourne veteran Aaron Davey turned heads at the club's pre-season training camp in Darwin. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun

THE "weight of the world" has been lifted from Aaron Davey's shoulders as he attempts to revive his flagging career this season.

After a slow start to the pre-season, the Melbourne veteran turned heads with his performance on the club's Darwin training camp, thrusting him back into calculations for early-season senior selection.

Davey, 29, has played 19 games in the past two seasons because of knee problems and form lapses.

But Demons vice-captain Nathan Jones said the 2009 best-and-fairest winner could yet play a key role in the Demons reshaped forward line.

"He's had some real injury trouble and he's probably found the pre-season and the workload pretty tough and it's been an area that he's obviously needed to work on," Jones said.

"He's really been trying to work hard on the fitness and get his body right and build the strength back in his legs.

"At the moment, I see him looking refreshed and pretty excited about the year ahead, so it's almost like the weight of the world is off his shoulders." 

CLICK HERE TO START PICKING YOUR SUPERCOACH SQUAD NOW

Davey, who played one game after Round 8 last season against Greater Western Sydney, was subject to intense trade speculation last year. He played only eight games in 2012 and produced his least number of disposals (84) since his 2004 debut season.

Earlier in the club's pre-season campaign, it appeared the 158-gamer had been leapfrogged by the club's influx of recruits and draftees, such as Jack Viney, Jimmy Toumpas, Shannon Byrnes and David Rodan.

But Jones was adamant Davey's fitness has improved since December.

"He started to find some real endurance in training and as long as he starts to get some continuity and confidence back in his body, who knows?" Jones said.

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Auld tackles drug issue front on

Gold Coast Suns CEO Travis Auld was part of a special AFL committee at this week's drug summit. Picture: David Clark Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

TRAVIS Auld strode into Wednesday's summit determined to get a spot on the frontline of the AFL's war on drugs.

Ever since he arrived on the Gold Coast as the CEO of the AFL's 17th side, Auld had heard the horror stories warning him of the dangers lurking in the shadowy corners of Surfer's Paradise.

The club's location on the outskirts of Sin City, coupled with the fact the side was predominantly filled with teenaged draftees, was supposed to mean the Suns faced unique cultural risks.

That myth was one of many shattered during the summit when one expert presented data that showed Queensland fell well behind Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales in the availability of drugs and recorded drug related crimes.

But just because his players weren't likely to slip over on a bag of pills every time they ventured out at night, does not mean the risks aren't there.

"I don't have heightened concerns about our players, but I am a realist," Auld said. "I know what goes on in society and I am aware they are exposed to the same temptations as other 18 to 29-year-olds."

Auld was in the room during last year's draft on the Gold Coast when Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert called for a summit with an impassioned plea that something had to be done about the "serious issue" of drugs.

If the most powerful club in football felt powerless against the threat of drugs, what hope did the newbies have?

Auld got his wish when he was appointed alongside big guns Pert, Ian Robson (Essendon), the AFLPA and drug experts on the special AFL committee that was formed to tackle the issue and propose changes to the league's existing Illicit Drugs Policy.

CLICK HERE TO START PICKING YOUR SUPERCOACH SQUAD NOW

And he supports proposals to reveal to clubs the identity of players who record positive strikes and is all for tightening the regulations around the self reporting loophole to eradicate the risk of abuse by players.

"Clubs are a lot more sophisticated than they were when this policy was introduced and are best placed in terms of understanding players, the pressures they face and the needs they may have," Auld said.

Auld is also determined to explore an idea that by reducing the commitments clubs place on their players, and shortening their pre-seasons, they may ease the desperation with which some players attack their rare nights out.

Another myth is that footballers were drawn to party drugs because they do not affect skinfolds like alcohol consumption does and there is less of a hangover effect.

The data presented revealed that in 97 per cent of positive tests under the AFL's illicit drug policy the players had been drinking heavily.

The AFL, the clubs and the AFL Players Association did their best to present a united front after the nine-hour talkfest, but there remains one key battleground -- when and how much information clubs receive about their players' drug use.

The players demand confidentiality and the AFL's medicos remain firmly behind them because they do not trust football managers and coaches.

Footy managers could wash their hands of a problem by trading out players with a strike beside their name, while coaches could take the information with them if they switched clubs.
 

20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More