IT was a Christmas delight turned nightmare. A cute, cuddly robotic toy-come-pet Furby. It was cheeky. Adorable. A little demanding. So why did it suddenly turn nasty?
IT WILL soon be legal to get high at some shops in the US, as America sets its sights on the tourism trade dominated by Amsterdam.
Scott Pendlebury picks up the pace at pre-season training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited
COLLINGWOOD star Scott Pendlebury says he's not letting captaincy thoughts cloud his pre-season as he focuses on helping get the Magpies "back on track'' for 2014.
While he is widely regarded as the successor to premiership skipper Nick Maxwell, Pendlebury says his attention is focused on preparing for next year's campaign.
COLLINGWOOD'S BEST 22
The Magpies are expected to make a call on the captaincy in February.
"We do our leadership as a playing group, so come February when we sit down and we do that we will go from there,'' Pendlebury, 25, said.
"Maxy has been fantastic for the footy club and it's been great to learn off him and guys like Bally (Luke Ball) as well.
"I haven't been in the leadership group for a while for no reason, it's something that I want to do, but at the same time it's up to the players to decide.
"That's something that all the players respect.''
SHOULD SCOTT PENDLEBURY BE NAMED COLLINGWOOD'S NEXT CAPTAIN? LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW
It has already been an off-season of change for the Magpies, who said goodbye to Darren Jolly, Alan Didak, Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas and Andrew Krakouer.
Despite the loss of considerable experience, Pendlebury said the Magpies' blooding of young players in 2013 had them well placed.
"We have lost a fair bit of experience and we have replaced that with some youth,'' the midfield ace said.
"We have also got a lot of games into young guys at our footy club so it should hold us in good stead.''
After a disappointing finish to last season, which ended in an elimination final loss to Port Adelaide, Pendlebury said talk of the need for cultural change at the club had been "a bit misleading".
"Guys were frustrated we weren't winning," Pendlebury explained.
"In 2009, '10, '11 we won a lot of games and footy clubs are great places to be around when you win.
"(We were) just dealing with up and downs. It was a bit of a bumpy ride last year and we just want to get back on track next season and hopefully win lots of games of footy next season and everyone will be happy."
Pendlebury said the Pies had made a positive start to pre-season under the club's new high-performance manager Bill Davoren, who has crossed from St Kilda.
"It's been a bit different this year not going away (on an overseas camp),'' Pendlebury said.
"It's been a good change for us just to stay here and (with) new head of sport science Bill Davoren taking over, it was good to get him on top of the program.
"He has been really good and pre-season's going well.''
The Magpies resume pre-season training on January 6.
THE supplement saga that derailed Essendon's season is set to be a distraction again in 2014, assistant coach Neil Craig has warned.
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All eyes will be on Victorian Tom Boyd at the AFL draft, with the highly-rated forward expected to be recruited as the number one pick by the GWS Giants.
The Giants latest draft class Cameron McCarthy, Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited
GWS is banking on the addition of premiership stars plus development from its young guns to move it up the ladder
Herald Sun writers name your club's best 22 in 2014, today is Greater Western Sydney.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
OUT
Dom Tyson (traded to Melbourne)
Taylor Adams (traded to Collingwood)
Sam Darley (traded to Western Bulldogs)
Josh Bruce (traded to St Kilda)
Kurt Aylett (traded to Essendon)
Shaun Edwards (traded to Essendon)
Chad Cornes (retired)
Dean Brogan (retired)
Setanta O'hAilpin (delisted)
Bret Thornton (delisted)
Gerard Ugle (delisted)
Josh Growden (delisted)
Joe Redfern (delisted)
REPLAY THE CHAT: Relive the questions fired at Sam Landsberger on the prospects of the Giants and the summer developments at the other 17 teams
IN
Heath Shaw (Collingwood), defender
Shane Mumford (Sydney), ruckman
Jed Lamb (Sydney), small forward
Dylan Addison (Western Bulldogs), utility
Josh Hunt (Geelong), defender
Tom Boyd (Eastern Ranges), power forward
Josh Kelly (Sandringham Dragons), midfielder
Cameron McCarthy (South Fremantle), key forward
Rory Lobb (Swan Districts), ruckman
Jake Barrett (Temora), midfielder
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COACHES
Leon Cameron
Alan McConnell (senior assistant)
James McDonald (midfield coach)
Luke Power (assistant coach)
Chad Cornes (assistant coach)
Dean Brogan (ruck coach)
Brett Hand (NEAFL coach)
Amon Buchanan (development coach)
Sam Reid (development coach)
Jeremy Cameron was outstanding in just his second year in the AFL. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: News Limited
GIANTS' BEST 22
B: Josh Hunt, 31, 198 games Stephen Gilham, 29 113 games Tom Bugg, 20, 32 games
HB: Curtly Hampton, 20, 35 games Phil Davis, 23, 53 games Heath Shaw, 28, 173 games
C: Lachie Whitfield, 19, 19 games Tom Scully, 22, 71 games Adam Treloar, 19, 38 games
HF: Jed Lamb, 21, 12 games Jeremy Cameron, 20, 37 games Stephen Coniglio, 20, 30 games
F: Devon Smith, 20, 38 games Jon Patton, 20, 10 games Dylan Addison, 26, 88 games
R: Shane Mumford, 27, 100 games Callan Ward, 23, 101 games Dylan Shiel, 20, 33 games
INT: Adam Tomlinson, 20, 26 games Toby Greene, 20, 38 games Will Hoskin-Elliott, 20, 19 games Jon Giles, 25, 42 games
HOW WILL THE GIANTS PLAY?
EXPECT a more aggressive and creative GWS next year. The Giants were all about self-preservation in their first year, with Kevin Sheedy and Mark Williams instructing the baby side to hold the ball up and crack in at stoppages.
But in their third AFL season, and after adding four premierships among 571 games experience to their squad, Leon Cameron's side will now gain a layer of flair.
The brand of footy which saw GWS scoot three goals up against Collingwood at the MCG and maul Melbourne late this year will become the norm as the young but talent-laden midfield looks to get the pill into the hands of Cameron, Patton and Boyd with added speed and precision.
READY TO FLY
GET set for the draft class of 2011 to make its mark.
The Giants are bullish about their third-year players zeroing in on 50-game milestones. We haven't heard much about Curtly Hampton, but the Alice Springs product with enormous athleticism added 18 games to his tally this year, excelling as a rebounding backman.
Adam Treloar has raced to 38 games and, along with the Chris Judd-like Dylan Shiel, has all the tools to blossom into one of the game's hottest young guns.
Adam Tomlinson took big strides forward as a key defender in 2013 which should continue, while last year's No. 1 pick Lachie Whitfield's debut season was rated as outstanding internally. Add him to Tom Scully, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Josh Kelly and GWS boasts four young, elite midfield running beasts.
Sandringham Dragons midfielder Josh Kelly is likely to score a place at GWS with pick two in the 2013 AFL Draft following an outstanding TAC Cup season.
