'O'Meara will lead Suns': Ablett

Gary Ablett says Jaeger O'Meara, right, could be the next captain of the Gold Coast Suns. Picture: Glenn Hampson Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

GARY Ablett says he expects to retire a Suns premiership player but not captain and has anointed teenager Jaeger O'Meara as his potential replacement.

Ablett also identified David Swallow and Tom Lynch as young players with outstanding leadership credentials who would make worthy skippers.

O'Meara has yet to play an AFL game as he was ineligible because of age restrictions in 2012.

But Ablett said O'Meara displayed maturity beyond his years and the fact he has yet to taste senior action did not mean he could not quickly emerge as his successor.

"He has got a lot of talent, he is a very hard worker and leads by example," he said.

"As soon as he gets the confidence and starts speaking up a bit more he could be the future captain of our football club."

Ablett has always maintained the Suns' first premiership would not come until the senior players recruited in 2010 to build the club were no longer the headline act on the football field.

He also believes that extends to the leadership of the side.

"I think we need it for the side to get better, and a couple of them have already stepped-up in the leadership group," he said.

"I think a lot of guys can step up into the leadership group next year and if they squeeze us older blokes out, they can take those duties and we can concentrate on our footy.

''Ablett is by no means trying to dump the captaincy but says he expects to play out his career under another captain."I'm enjoying it at the moment," he said.

"But when the coach and club think someone else is more suitable I'll happily hand it over.

"I've come here to win premierships and if that means someone else stepping into the captaincy that is fine by me."

Ablett's nomination of Lynch may surprise Suns fans but he is highly regarded by the match committee for his enormous work ethic and competitiveness and is one of the most respected voices in the side.

Ablett said this was the first pre-season where he felt the younger generation were ready to stamp themselves on the competition and take control of the side's destiny.

He said O'Meara, Swallow and Lynch were the drivers behind a new level of confidence and maturity from the side's crop of exciting young talent.

"Sometimes talented kids come to clubs but they don't really understand what it takes to be an AFL footballer," he said.

"From day one they have worked hard and they have listened, that is the main thing."

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Merrett poised to sign again

Daniel Merrett is set to sign a deal that will make him a Lion for life. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

BRISBANE vice-captain Daniel Merrett will be a "Lion for life".

The 28-year-old is poised to sign a contract extension with Brisbane that will see the vice-captain finish his career as a one-club player.

The fullback would have been a free agent at the end of this season but he will sign a new deal before this year's competition starts.

"I've got every intention of being a Lion for life. I'm very close to re-signing," Merrett said.

"I'm a Queensland boy and I want to stay in Queensland and be a one-club player.

"This club has a proud history, I love the club and I love the jumper.

"The club has invested a lot into me and I want to repay that. I'm happy where the club is headed and I want to be a part of it."

Merrett has played 135 senior games since his debut in 2005 and at his best is an All-Australian contender.

The Gold Coast junior spent most of last season in the forward line but will return as a full time defender this year.He is a contender for the vacant co-captaincy post but expects the club to give the nod to a youngster.

"We've got a great group of young guys coming through who can step up to the plate. I don't whether or not I take on a mentoring role and allow these young guys to spread their wings and grow as leaders," Merrett said.

Merrett and Lions captain Jonathan Brown visited flood-affected areas of Grantham and Laidley yesterday as part of Brisbane's two-day community camp in Toowoomba.

Brown visited the Grantham State School two years ago, soon after the town was ravaged by flood waters.He said the community had done an "awesome job" of rebuilding.

"The community spirit is incredible. I know, being from a small country town myself, how strong people are in the country," Brown said.

"These people know how to get up after they've been knocked over. You wouldn't have blamed them for leaving but they have rebuilt and stayed strong."

Merrett said it was a humbling experience to see the community triumph over hardship.

"When you see what these people have gone through, it puts things like a bad week on the training track into perspective," he said.

"It's definitely inspiring to see the smiles on faces no matter how tough times have got. We'll probably get more out of this than the kids will."

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Back on, but off the Record

Essendon James Hird gets back to basics ringing the changes as the Bombers go down in a preseason thriller. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

TO THE vast relief of the besieged Essendon Football Club and concerned coach James Hird, the black clouds lifted just a little last night.

By becoming the first team to win a match for the new season, a low-key NAB Cup encounter with the Western Bulldogs, and then failing by only seconds to repeat the feat against Collingwood, the Bombers gave their many fans good reason to believe that, if nothing else, they are not buckling under the extreme pressure of the drugs scandal engulfing this proud old club.

Normally, this would have been an assignment of little consequence - glorified match practice.

But in the current context of uncertainty, if not naked fear, about what lies ahead, a morale boost was desperately required and gratefully received, despite the disappointment of watching the Magpies dramatically snatch a game that had seemed safe.

If there was any extra burden on the usually unflappable Hird, whose own future has a large question mark against it, it wasn't obvious from the grandstands at Etihad Stadium, where 27,000 Essendon, Bulldogs and Magpie supporters soaked up their first footy fix of the year.

Oops, make that their first taste.

Hird went on TV beforehand and repeatedly declined to talk about anything other than the games about to be played.

He eventually handed the microphone back and walked away.

 The AFL, too, appeared to have a "don't mention the war" policy in place.

The Record, its official organ, ran to 124 glossy pages but not one of the 100 or so journalists employed in the league's enormous media department was required to write one word about the issues that have dominated the mainstream media for nearly two weeks.

Two pages headed Ins and Outs of a Busy Off-season stopped in January, before Essendon asked for itself to be investigated and the Crime Commission dropped its "sport's blackest day" bombshell.

Must have been the deadline, the bane of all print media.

The section devoted to Essendon read: "All eyes will be on the talent-laden Bombers as they hope for a better run with injuries in James Hird's third season as coach". Well, that's true enough - there already are a lot of eyes fixed on them, but not necessarily to check out the talent.

There were no banners, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any taunting from rival fans, with one lot sending up Essendon's song - See the Bombers fly up, up - with their provocative version: see the Bombers shoot up, up ... "

Dressed for the 30C heat in club-issue grey shorts and T-shirt, Hird attracted plenty of applause each time he entered and left the arena.

In times of trouble, it is important to keep the faith - and that's exactly what the defiant Dons were doing. They may be required to keep doing it for some time yet.

ron.reed@news.com.au

Twitter: @Reedrw

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Footy's back: What we learnt

Essendon coach James Hird heaps praise on his players after they finally played some footy after a tough couple of weeks.

Essendon star Brendon Goddard dishes off a handball in last night's match against Collingwood. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

WHAT did we learn from last night's NAB Cup round robin between Collingwood, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs.

ESSENDON

BRENDON Goddard showed us why the Bombers were so keen to snare the big-bodied utility from St Kilda. Goddard was dangerous every time he went near the ball last night against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.

PLENTY to like about the way Nick Kommer goes about his football. The mature-aged recruit, who cut his teeth in the WAFL, attacked every contest with vigour.

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AGE shall not weary Dustin Fletcher. The 37-year-old demolished an inexperienced Western Bulldogs forward line in the NAB Cup opener last night. Fletcher denied the Doggies forwards time after time before sitting out the second game.

Picture: Getty Images. Source: Getty Images

WESTERN BULLDOGS

DANIEL Giansiracusa is still the most dangerous Bulldog inside 50. And, that's a worry. Despite fielding a full strength side against Collingwood and Essendon the Bulldogs failed to fire a shot inside the arc. Giansiracusa provided a spark against the Magpies but it was short-lived.

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MATURE-aged recruits Brett Goodes and Nick Lower performed admirably in their first runs as Bulldogs. Goodes was solid across half forward while Lower had the football on a string in the midfield.

IT was great to see Dale Morris back in the mix after an 18-month lay off rehabilitating a broken leg. The All Australian defender lowered Essendon sharpshooter Michael Hurley's colours in game one of the triple header. Morris sat out game two against Collingwood.

COLLINGWOOD

NATHAN Buckley put his stamp on the Magpies last night with recruit Clinton Young, the chief destroyer, working the ball through the corridor. Under predecessor Mick Malthouse it was boundary at all costs, but the 2013 Magpies looked dangerous when flirting with danger on the back of pin-point passing out of defence

IT was the Travis Cloke of old last night. The spearhead, no longer troubled by protracted contract negotiations, single-handedly sealed victory against the Bulldogs with back-to-back marks and goals. Cloke ($436,300) is a SuperCoach steal as one of the premier forwards in the competition.

PINT-sized forwards are back in vogue at the Westpac Centre with the Magpies reaping the rewards of Brent Macaffer's and Jamie Elliott's ferocious attack on the contest. Good times to come if these two can make a habit of mopping up Cloke and the Q-Stick while punishing teams on the scoreboard.

Follow Gilbert Gardiner on Twitter: @gilbertgardiner

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West Coast 2013 SuperCoach preview

IN AND UNDER: West Coast's Matt Priddis is one of the competition's best contested ballwinners. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

WHICH West Coast players should you pick in your SuperCoach team and who should you avoid?

Over the next month we'll count down every team in the AFL with a comprehensive SuperCoach preview. We looked at Fremantle yesterday, and now it's time to turn to their cross-town rival in West Coast today.

There's a wealth of SuperCoach options available at the Eagles, with two of the game's best ruckmen in Nic Naitanui and Dean Cox supported by an explosive group of midfielders.

Which Eagles will be in your SuperCoach squad? Leave a comment below.

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West Coast fell short of a preliminary final last season after a string of injuries cruelled their top-four chances. But the Eagles' pain could well be your gain this season as a fantasy footy coach.

Mark LeCras, Josh Kennedy and Mark Nicoski are all underpriced and represent great value for money in the mid-priced forward tier. There's also the addition of Sharrod Wellingham, who will appeal to many as a dual-position prospect as he settles in at his new club.

BYE: Round 12 (with Geelong, Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney)

SUPERCOACH STAR

Nic Naitanui (ruck) $611,000

He's highly unlikely to be playing in Round 1, but don't let that put you off. Naitanui well and truly cemented his place among the competition's elite ruckmen in 2012, and looks set to continue his progression upon his early-season return following groin surgery.

The All-Australian does it all. He ranked second in goals kicked by ruckmen last year (beaten only by teammate Dean Cox), can climb high for a truckload of hitouts, and collects around three-quarters of his possessions in contested fashion.

It all adds up to pure gold from a SuperCoach point of view. Jump on and enjoy the ride.

BANK EM

Matt Priddis (midfield) $588,300

Four straight years averaging 104 or better. That's all you need to know.

The durable midfielder simply knows how to find the footy, and has turned contested ball-winning into an art form. Only five players in the competition had more contested touches last season, and just three enacted more clearances.

Priddis rarely has a bad week and is receiving more midfield support than ever from his Eagles teammates.

Beau Waters (defender) $536,500

The pool of defenders in SuperCoach is traditionally not as strong as that of the midfielders or forwards, so it's imperative to pick the top talent available.

Waters is undoubtedly among the AFL's top half-dozen SC backmen when fit. He's coming off an All-Australian season, with his marking - including high-scoring intercept marking - the main feature of his game that appeals to coaches.

Be prepared for the odd missed game through injury or suspension, but it's hard to overlook the future Eagles skipper.

BUY EM

Mark LeCras (forward) $369,200

Mark Nicoski (forward) $280,100

The two Marks are ready to make their mark in 2013 after missing the entirety of last year with serious injuries.

LeCras didn't even make it to the NAB Cup in 2012 after a training mishap that led to a knee reconstruction. Nicoski was primed to consolidate his newfound role in West Coast's forward 50 before hitting the deck in the pre-season grand final with a serious hamstring injury.

Provided he can get through the NAB Cup with no setbacks, LeCras should be right for Round 1. Nicoski may take a bit more time to return to senior action but has to be considered at the discounted price.

BURY EM

Daniel Kerr (midfield) $476,900

The most decorated of West Coast's midfield unit, it seems surprising that the veteran is the least relevant SuperCoach-wise.

But while Kerr remains an important influence in the Eagles' set-up, there are plenty of other similarly-priced players around the league that are capable of bigger and better things in the SC realm this season. Players that may escape more tags than Kerr, too.

Cale Morton (midfield) $305,600

There'll be a few people tempted by the returning West Aussie, who showed he was capable of posting the odd reasonable score at Melbourne.

But Morton looks set to begin the year a fair way off the Eagles' best 22 and could take time to work his way in. At this price, he's not worth the pick-up.

SUPERCOACH DRAFT WATCHLIST

Scott Selwood (midfield)
His season average has risen from 65 (2010) to 104 (last season) in no time at all. Not as glamorous as some of the other top-bracket midfield choices, but works exceptionally hard and is worth a look after the top 20 or so mids.

Shannon Hurn (defender)
Another quality SC backman on West Coast's list. Can be susceptible to a hard tag, but uses the ball better than most in the league.

Josh Kennedy (forward)
Underpriced coming off an injury-affected 2012. Should be entering the prime of his career and looms as the focal point of the Eagles attack.

Follow Chris Robinson on Twitter: @CJKRobinson

 

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Byrnes lights up Dees' trial game

Shannon Byrnes booted five goals today. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HWT Image Library

CREATIVE forward Shannon Byrnes underlined his value to Melbourne's forward set-up with five goals in an intra-club game at Casey Fields in Cranbourne today.

Byrnes bagged three goals in a lively opening term at his new club in the heat and swirling wind that made it difficult for ball handling.

Demons coach Mark Neeld said later the dual Geelong premiership forward's verbal directions were equally as important as his precise finishing skills.

"Shannon has been really good for us over summer with his leadership and the way he trains. And for him to come out and play pretty well was good,'' Neeld said.

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"He might be short in stature, but in terms of volume, he's pretty loud. And that's good for our young players to hear and see the way that he moves.

"The boys were ripping into him out there. Look, he played well. It's February, but it was a good start. Better than playing poorly.''

David Rodan was another new Demon to find the ball regularly during the simulated match practice over four 20 minutes quarters.

"He's very similar to Shannon in terms of personality. They'll like two little mossies that have been let loose in the change rooms,'' Neeld said.

Jack Watts was steady across half-back, best and fairest winner Nathan Jones racked up plenty of possessions and youngsters Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas quickly adjusted to the tempo.

Eddie: Let the Dees off the hook

Co-captain Jack Trengove, key forward Mitch Clark, new goalkicker Chris Dawes and high-leaping forward Jeremy Howe didn't play the Demons first practice match.

Neeld said Dawes and Howe will play next Friday's NAB Cup opening round against North Melbourne and Richmond and he remained hopefully Trengove and Clark, still in rehab from serious foot injuries, may be ready for the AFL season opening round.

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Tippett fires in Swans' intra-club

Kurt Tippett looked the goods. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: HWT Image Library

KURT Tippett showed more than enough in a Sydney intra-club match to confirm he should make a major contributon to the Swans' premiership defence.

The only problem is he will now have to wait until June 22 before entering the fray again.

The former Adelaide ruck-forward fired alongside Sam Reid in the game at Lakeside Oval, earning plenty of praise from coach John Longmire.

The contest was a long way divorced from the rigours of an AFL match but the quality of Tippett's opponents, including Ted Richards and Heath Grundy, was not to be sneered at.

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Longmire said Tippett had ticked all the right boxes during the reigning premiers' pre-season, but that the biggest test would come now - an 11-match suspension for his part in the Crows' salary cap saga.

"It's good to see Kurt Tippett have a really good strong hit-out and have five or six shots at goal - against a quality defence," Longmire said.

Daily Telegraph. The Sydney Swans practice match in Moore Park today. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: HWT Image Library

"He's obviously got to make the most of these opportunities because he doesn't have too many games coming up."

Longmire acknowledged managing his star recruit's workload, and balancing the fact he'll be minus half an AFL season of match fitness, would be a challenge for the club.

"He looked really good today, he looked sharp. He's been doing all the training," he said.

"Obviously we need to make sure he gets enough conditioning and he keeps his conditioning up. We'll work out a program.

"We'll also work through the frustrations that he no doubt will feel at different times during the year when he's not able to play.

"But we're confident he'll be able to round his game off really well in that period, work on some things he needs to work on."

The Swans start their pre-season campaign on Sunday week against Greater Western Sydney and Carlton and at least four premiership players will be sidelined.

Co-captain Adam Goodes (knee), Marty Mattner (hip), Nick Smith (knee) and Shane Mumford (ankle) are likely to be missing, but all are expected to be ready for the season proper.

Longmire said the side's grand final win over Hawthorn was nothing but a memory and counted for nothing now.

"Everyone's on the same number of points at the start of the year and we need to get better.'

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McLean, Graham sizzle for the Blues

Brock McLean and Tom Bell were among the standouts. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HWT Image Library

A RESURGENT veteran and a teenage draftee were the headline acts in Carlton's intra-club match this morning.

Brock McLean and Nick Graham dominated the Blues' second internal hitout at Visy Park in the absence of a host of stars.

McLean's transformation from VFL specialist to influential AFL ball-winner has gained more pace over summer, with the former Demon finishing with 22 disposals and three goals in a clear best on ground performance.

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Graham, 18, was outstanding. Last year's Morrish Medallist had 17 touches and, along with fellow draftee Tom Temay, looked right at home.

Carlton intra club practice game,Mitch Robinson marks,3rd term, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HWT Image Library

Blues director of coaching Rob Wiley admitted both boys had exceeded expectations.

"Nick has got that great ability to find the football. He did that in the under 18s and he reads the play, has good composure and he's certainly heading in the direction of being a very good AFL footballer," Wiley said.

"Carlton is very fortunate to have him."

Tom Bell was eye-catching, Kane Lucas was again among the best and Matthew Watson is on the way to cementing a defensive post.

Bryce Gibbs played in the midfield for the vast majority of the three quarters he played and was solid, while Jeremy Laidler is back to his best across half-back.

Carlton Intraclub practice match at VISY Park. Levi Casboult goes hard on Matthew Watson. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: HWT Image Library

Malthouse rested a stack of his best players, with Marc Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo, Kade Simpson, Andrew Walker, Matthew Kreuzer, Eddie Betts and Heath Scotland among the spectators.

But the Blues are ecstatic about the health of their list, with only Jarrad Waite (calf) and Chris Judd (hamstring) carrying legitimate injuries.

Carlton Intraclub practice match at VISY Park. Mick Malthouse. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: HWT Image Library

Robbie Warnock (corkie) and Rhys O'Keefe (neck) were casualties today, but they are not considered serious.

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Reasons to watch the NAB Cup

The Pies, Dons and Dogs will kick off the NAB Cup. Picture: Scott Chris Source: HWT Image Library

FOOTY is just one sleep away, with Essendon, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs set to ignite the NAB Cup. So, what should we look forward to from their triangular series?

SuperFooty takes a look.

ESSENDON

How will the Bombers react after their two weeks from hell?

THERE are infinite questions surrounding the Bombers' arrival tomorrow night. What mental state will the players be in following two weeks of front and back page media scrutiny following their drugs scandal?

What reception will Hirdy get? How will the fans react? Will the opposition players get stuck into them? Is this side in the right frame of mind to play footy?

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Will they look to make a statement or use the NAB Cup for what its worth – an experimentation tool?

This will be enthralling to witness. From an on-field perspective, Bomber fans must be disappointed they have to wait for their first look at Joey Daniher, but at least Brendon Goddard will be unleashed.

And for SuperCoaches out there, keep an eye on mature-aged recruits Dylan Van Unen (Frankston VFL) and Nick Kommer (WAFL). Youngster Nick O'Brien has also caught the eye this summer and could impress.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 14: Coach James Hird walks back to the club rooms during a Essendon Bombers AFL training session at Windy Hill on February 14, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: HWT Image Library

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Keep an eye on the young and the old

IT'S all about two players when the Dogs take the stage for their pair of lightning encounters – the youngest in Jackson Macrae and one of the oldest in Dale Morris.

Both are ripping stories for polarising reasons. Macrae, the prized No. 6 draft pick, represents hope and optimism for Bulldog fans after two seasons of pain. Morris, one of the most popular stars at the kennel, will provide a spark when he runs out for his first game in 18 months after horrifically snapping his leg – also against Essendon.

It's a remarkable comeback and a much anticipated debut – even if it only is February.

Watch for a beefed-up Macrae's freakish sidestep and elite vision, while all eyes will also be on Adam Cooney after a faultless summer.

From a SuperCoach perspective, Brett Goodes is the man to zero in on. If he takes another step towards a Round 1 debut, pencil him in.

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter @SamLandsberger

Western Bulldogs training at the Whitten oval., Dale Morris during training Picture: Salpigtidis George Source: HWT Image Library

COLLINGWOOD

Q-Stick and the game plan - are they really all the rage?

THE Magpies have chosen an impressive squad and after the buzz surrounding the Q-Stick all summer, keep your eyes glued on the former Eagles spearhead.

Quinten Lynch will partner Travis Cloke in attack for the first time (if they play in the same match) and it will be fascinating to see how the new-look one-two punch attack fires.

Brent Maccaffer and Andrew Krakouer are also fit and firing after a full pre-season following their knee-plagued 2012s, while Collingwood's trio of VFL rookies will be on show.

Jack Frost, a key defender highly rated for his ability to spoil, classy midfielder Sam Dwyer who is a pure footballer and goalkicking onballer Kyle Martin are in the squad and are looking impressive.

If they can fire and ramp up competition for places at the Pies this year it'll add another dangerous ingredient into Nathan Buckley's quest for a premiership.

Players aside, it'll be fascinating to get a glimpse at the revamped game plan under Bucks. Direct, down the guts and rapid ball movement is the word filtering out of the Westpac Centre.

And lastly, Ben Hudson v good mate Robert Murphy and his old mob the Western Bulldogs. Bring on the footy.

Stay tuned for reasons to watch the other triangular series this weekend, featuring Geelong, Fremantle, West Coast on Saturday night and St Kilda, Port Adelaide and Adelaide on Sunday.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 12: Quinten Lynch kicks the ball during a Collingwood Magpies AFL session at Westpac Centre on February 12, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: HWT Image Library

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AFL umpires given extra powers

AFL Umpire's manager Jeff Gieschen will oversee the rule changes to be implemented in the NAB Cup. Picture: Greg Scullin Source: Herald Sun

THE AFL will unveil a series of rule changes during this weekend's NAB Cup matches, with sliding the most contentious.

Under the new rules, a free kick will be paid against a player who slides into a contest, taking out an opponent's legs.

The crack down follows an incident last year when Sydney speedster Gary Rohan had his leg snapped in a legal contest with North Melbourne goalsneak Lindsay Thomas.

Thomas received a three-match ban for the challenge later dismissed as an accident by the AFL Tribunal.

Sydney champion Adam Goodes was also pinged for sliding into Port Adelaide defender Jacob Surjan.

"The free kick for forceful contact below the knees was aimed to protect players from serious lower limb injuries such as broken legs, ankles and knee ACL injuries," the league said in a statement today.

"The change to throw the ball up around the ground at stoppages has been introduced to help alleviate congestion and encourage quick ball movement and genuine marking contests."

But Geelong great Cameron Ling expects the sliding rule to divide opinion.

"Contact below the knees is going to be an interesting one this year!! Could be a lot paid early and some confusion!" the triple premiership star and football commentator tweeted today.

The new rules include:

Forceful contact below the knees – A free kick will be awarded against any player who makes forceful contact below the knees of an opponent (excludes smothers)

Ball up around the ground – Umpires will only bounce the ball at the start of each quarter and after goals.

Ruckman at stoppages – Ruckman will not be allowed to make contact at stoppages until the ball has left the umpire's hand.

Umpires will also be clamping down on holding the ball decisions, the time allowed for kick ins (reduced to 5-6 seconds) and blocking in marking contests.

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