Crows tinker with secret tricks

Richard Douglas admits the Crows need to win at least seven from their remaining 10 home-and-away games to qualify for finals. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE players returned from their mid-season break yesterday further behind in their chase for an AFL finals berth - and with much to learn with changes in their playbook.

It will take until Saturday's re-start against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium to see how coach Brenton Sanderson's rethink on the Adelaide game plan will manifest as a circuit-breaker against a three-game losing streak.

In the meantime, secrecy was the order of a farcical morning at West Lakes that might have reflected the pressure that increased on the 11th-ranked Crows (5-7) at the weekend.

They have moved from four to eight premiership points from a place in the AFL top eight.

A publicly declared open training session on Max Basheer Reserve at West Lakes was moved to an equally chopped up Thebarton Oval.

The reason for the move, according to Crows officials, was safety issues on Adelaide's regular training ground outside AAMI Stadium.

Yet, the surface was still safe for some Crows - such as young midfielder Brad Crouch, veteran Graham Johncock and in-form SANFL player Richard Tambling - to practise their craft.

Not only was there a change of venue but a rethink on training session status. It went from "open" to "closed" with two media outlets not only asked to leave Thebarton Oval but directed to stop filming despite being on public property.

Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas may have been playing down how much change the Crows are being asked to embrace but he was not denying his team will be playing to a different theme.

"With tactical skills, we always have a closed session - as we did today," he said.

The Gold Coast scouts shut out of Adelaide's workouts this week can only report to Suns coach Guy McKenna the obvious. The Crows have recognised they have to rethink defence.

"We think we are playing some good footy (to attack) but the defensive side of the game has to improve a bit," said Douglas. "Hopefully, this week you will see much more pressure on the ball carrier and some stronger tackles.

"We'll tinker with a few little things. You will see that at the weekend.

"Nothing too major."

To qualify for consecutive finals series Adelaide needs at least seven wins from its remaining 10 home-and-away games - against the Suns, West Coast (home), Collingwood, Geelong (home), Fremantle, Port Adelaide (home), North Melbourne (home), the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne (home) and West Coast.

"We have to win seven of the next 10. We believe we're a chance," said Douglas.

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

No gift farewell game for Johncock

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	12	11	0	1	143.00	44
2	Essendon	13	10	0	3	129.51	40
3	Geelong	12	10	0	2	126.27	40
4	Fremantle	12	9	1	2	132.29	38
5	Sydney	13	9	1	3	131.15	38
6	Richmond	12	8	0	4	119.36	32
7	Collingwood	12	8	0	4	108.47	32
8	Port Adelaide	12	7	0	5	115.57	28
9	Carlton	13	6	0	7	113.90	24
10	West Coast	13	6	0	7	110.02	24
11	Adelaide	13	6	0	7	105.72	24
12	Gold Coast	13	5	0	8	90.94	20
13	North Melbourne	12	4	0	8	107.00	16
14	Brisbane	12	4	0	8	76.08	16
15	St Kilda	12	3	0	9	89.80	12
16	Bulldogs	12	3	0	9	73.38	12
17	Melbourne	12	1	0	11	50.87	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	12	0	0	12	51.41	0

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Moored in misery

Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon issues instructions. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: Sunday Mail (SA)

THE man who preaches defence more than any other in football had to employ it when he was announced as the new coach of Fremantle.

It was September, 2011, and the Perth media was fuming at the injustice of the sudden sacking of Mark Harvey.

Ross Lyon walked into a press conference fire pit.

The first question was: "Ross, do you feel you've stabbed Mark Harvey in the back?" They kept coming.

"Has your reputation been tarnished?"

"How hard is it to arrive at a club where the members and fans don't really like you?"

"How can you honestly say you've been loyal and held integrity with St Kilda ... ?"

Lyon remained ice-cold. Unfazed, his poker-face was never close to cracking.

The resolve he displayed in the face of a baying media pack some 21 months ago has rubbed off on his players with admirable success.

Like their coach, the Dockers' defence has been close to impregnable.

In clashes with Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and North Melbourne, Fremantle has conceded only 43.5 points per game. The Bombers of 1989 are the only side since 1966 with such a points-against profile in a four-week block.

After a shaky start to Lyon's debut season, the Dockers' suffocation techniques are now sending shockwaves through the competition.

Thirteen rounds into the season, they are conceding 66.5 points a game - 10.1 fewer than any rival. They allow opponents to go inside 50m only 43.4 times a game - 2.8 fewer than any other side.

What former Melbourne coach Mark Neeld declared in his first press conference is a reality out west - Fremantle is the hardest team to play against.

Sides who win the ball behind centre in games against the Dockers face a monumental task just to advance up the ground.

From Rounds 9-13, the Dockers have allowed rival teams to execute a chain of possession from defensive 50m to forward 50m only 11.9 per cent of time, ranked No.1 in the competition.

From defensive midfield to inside 50m, it's a paltry 21.1 per cent - ranked No.1 - and from a centre clearance to inside 50m, it's 44.1 per cent, again ranked first. To put the latter stat into perspective, Geelong is the next best at 60 per cent.

It's a road trip to face the Cats - winners of 43 of their last 45 games at home - that presents the greatest challenge to Lyon's pressure pack. But after this weekend the Dockers face a dream run home; the second easiest according to Champion Data. A top-two berth is probable rather than possible and that means two home finals.

The fact All-Australian pair Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands are still to return only adds to the ominous look about the purple haze.

Among the loaded questions and accusations at that first press conference, Lyon remarked: "It's about possibility. You can be what you want to be."

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Final Demon pillar topples

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	12	11	0	1	143.00	44
2	Essendon	13	10	0	3	129.51	40
3	Geelong	12	10	0	2	126.27	40
4	Fremantle	12	9	1	2	132.29	38
5	Sydney	13	9	1	3	131.15	38
6	Richmond	12	8	0	4	119.36	32
7	Collingwood	12	8	0	4	108.47	32
8	Port Adelaide	12	7	0	5	115.57	28
9	Carlton	13	6	0	7	113.90	24
10	West Coast	13	6	0	7	110.02	24
11	Adelaide	13	6	0	7	105.72	24
12	Gold Coast	13	5	0	8	90.94	20
13	North Melbourne	12	4	0	8	107.00	16
14	Brisbane	12	4	0	8	76.08	16
15	St Kilda	12	3	0	9	89.80	12
16	Bulldogs	12	3	0	9	73.38	12
17	Melbourne	12	1	0	11	50.87	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	12	0	0	12	51.41	0

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Crows tinker with secret tricks

Richard Douglas admits the Crows need to win at least seven from their remaining 10 home-and-away games to qualify for finals. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE players returned from their mid-season break yesterday further behind in their chase for an AFL finals berth - and with much to learn with changes in their playbook.

It will take until Saturday's re-start against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium to see how coach Brenton Sanderson's rethink on the Adelaide game plan will manifest as a circuit-breaker against a three-game losing streak.

In the meantime, secrecy was the order of a farcical morning at West Lakes that might have reflected the pressure that increased on the 11th-ranked Crows (5-7) at the weekend.

They have moved from four to eight premiership points from a place in the AFL top eight.

A publicly declared open training session on Max Basheer Reserve at West Lakes was moved to an equally chopped up Thebarton Oval.

The reason for the move, according to Crows officials, was safety issues on Adelaide's regular training ground outside AAMI Stadium.

Yet, the surface was still safe for some Crows - such as young midfielder Brad Crouch, veteran Graham Johncock and in-form SANFL player Richard Tambling - to practise their craft.

Not only was there a change of venue but a rethink on training session status. It went from "open" to "closed" with two media outlets not only asked to leave Thebarton Oval but directed to stop filming despite being on public property.

Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas may have been playing down how much change the Crows are being asked to embrace but he was not denying his team will be playing to a different theme.

"With tactical skills, we always have a closed session - as we did today," he said.

The Gold Coast scouts shut out of Adelaide's workouts this week can only report to Suns coach Guy McKenna the obvious. The Crows have recognised they have to rethink defence.

"We think we are playing some good footy (to attack) but the defensive side of the game has to improve a bit," said Douglas. "Hopefully, this week you will see much more pressure on the ball carrier and some stronger tackles.

"We'll tinker with a few little things. You will see that at the weekend.

"Nothing too major."

To qualify for consecutive finals series Adelaide needs at least seven wins from its remaining 10 home-and-away games - against the Suns, West Coast (home), Collingwood, Geelong (home), Fremantle, Port Adelaide (home), North Melbourne (home), the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne (home) and West Coast.

"We have to win seven of the next 10. We believe we're a chance," said Douglas.

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

No gift farewell game for Johncock

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	12	11	0	1	143.00	44
2	Essendon	13	10	0	3	129.51	40
3	Geelong	12	10	0	2	126.27	40
4	Fremantle	12	9	1	2	132.29	38
5	Sydney	12	8	1	3	130.22	34
6	Richmond	12	8	0	4	119.36	32
7	Collingwood	12	8	0	4	108.47	32
8	Port Adelaide	12	7	0	5	115.57	28
9	Carlton	12	6	0	6	116.89	24
10	West Coast	13	6	0	7	110.02	24
11	Adelaide	12	5	0	7	103.55	20
12	Gold Coast	12	5	0	7	92.55	20
13	North Melbourne	12	4	0	8	107.00	16
14	Brisbane	12	4	0	8	76.08	16
15	St Kilda	12	3	0	9	89.80	12
16	Bulldogs	12	3	0	9	73.38	12
17	Melbourne	12	1	0	11	50.87	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	12	0	0	12	51.41	0

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Moored in misery

Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon issues instructions. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: Sunday Mail (SA)

THE man who preaches defence more than any other in football had to employ it when he was announced as the new coach of Fremantle.

It was September, 2011, and the Perth media was fuming at the injustice of the sudden sacking of Mark Harvey.

Ross Lyon walked into a press conference fire pit.

The first question was: "Ross, do you feel you've stabbed Mark Harvey in the back?" They kept coming.

"Has your reputation been tarnished?"

"How hard is it to arrive at a club where the members and fans don't really like you?"

"How can you honestly say you've been loyal and held integrity with St Kilda ... ?"

Lyon remained ice-cold. Unfazed, his poker-face was never close to cracking.

The resolve he displayed in the face of a baying media pack some 21 months ago has rubbed off on his players with admirable success.

Like their coach, the Dockers' defence has been close to impregnable.

In clashes with Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and North Melbourne, Fremantle has conceded only 43.5 points per game. The Bombers of 1989 are the only side since 1966 with such a points-against profile in a four-week block.

After a shaky start to Lyon's debut season, the Dockers' suffocation techniques are now sending shockwaves through the competition.

Thirteen rounds into the season, they are conceding 66.5 points a game - 10.1 fewer than any rival. They allow opponents to go inside 50m only 43.4 times a game - 2.8 fewer than any other side.

What former Melbourne coach Mark Neeld declared in his first press conference is a reality out west - Fremantle is the hardest team to play against.

Sides who win the ball behind centre in games against the Dockers face a monumental task just to advance up the ground.

From Rounds 9-13, the Dockers have allowed rival teams to execute a chain of possession from defensive 50m to forward 50m only 11.9 per cent of time, ranked No.1 in the competition.

From defensive midfield to inside 50m, it's a paltry 21.1 per cent - ranked No.1 - and from a centre clearance to inside 50m, it's 44.1 per cent, again ranked first. To put the latter stat into perspective, Geelong is the next best at 60 per cent.

It's a road trip to face the Cats - winners of 43 of their last 45 games at home - that presents the greatest challenge to Lyon's pressure pack. But after this weekend the Dockers face a dream run home; the second easiest according to Champion Data. A top-two berth is probable rather than possible and that means two home finals.

The fact All-Australian pair Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands are still to return only adds to the ominous look about the purple haze.

Among the loaded questions and accusations at that first press conference, Lyon remarked: "It's about possibility. You can be what you want to be."

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Final Demon pillar topples

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	12	11	0	1	143.00	44
2	Essendon	13	10	0	3	129.51	40
3	Geelong	12	10	0	2	126.27	40
4	Fremantle	12	9	1	2	132.29	38
5	Sydney	12	8	1	3	130.22	34
6	Richmond	12	8	0	4	119.36	32
7	Collingwood	12	8	0	4	108.47	32
8	Port Adelaide	12	7	0	5	115.57	28
9	Carlton	12	6	0	6	116.89	24
10	West Coast	13	6	0	7	110.02	24
11	Adelaide	12	5	0	7	103.55	20
12	Gold Coast	12	5	0	7	92.55	20
13	North Melbourne	12	4	0	8	107.00	16
14	Brisbane	12	4	0	8	76.08	16
15	St Kilda	12	3	0	9	89.80	12
16	Bulldogs	12	3	0	9	73.38	12
17	Melbourne	12	1	0	11	50.87	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	12	0	0	12	51.41	0

14.58 | 0 komentar | Read More

Player in coma after on-field incident

South Barwon co-captain Casey Tutungi suffered a suspected serious spinal injury in a match on Saturday. Source: News Limited

GEELONG skipper Joel Selwood and young star Allen Christensen have thrown their support behind a local Geelong footballer who suffered horrific injuries in an on-field clash.

South Barwon footballer Casey Tutungi was placed in an induced coma with a suspected broken back yesterday.

The former Geelong VFL-listed player, was flown to the Austin Hospital last night after running head first into an opponent during the late stages of his team's clash against St Joseph's at McDonald's Reserve.

South Barwon football manager Bill McCann said the scene was shocking.

"He started yelling out `I can't move, I can't feel anything'. There was no feeling, no pain,'' he told the Geelong Advertiser this morning.

"From where I stood, it was a pure accident. He had the ball and had just picked it up and he has lifted his head and headbutted the bloke's belly button and didn't move from then on.

"There was certainly no angst from any of the players, he actually got a free kick paid against him for dropping the ball.''

Tutungi never lost consciousness, and team mates immediately started screaming for a stretcher.

The ambulance arrived within 10 minutes and the game, which had about six minutes left to run, was called off.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said the player was treated at the ground before being taken via ambulance to Geelong Hospital with neck and suspected spinal injuries.

He was later flown to the Austin Hospital.

South Barwon, which is unbeaten and has been the powerhouse club of the GFL for the past decade, won the match 11.14 (80) to 6.12 (48).

Players have gathered at the club this morning to be briefed on the update of Tutungi's condition.

The former Lorne star, who has also played for the Casey Scorpions during his career, has been a dominant local player in recent seasons and was part of the GFL's interleague team which won the Victorian Country championship title over Goulburn Valley at Simonds Stadium last month.

The injury has sparked well-wishers to flood social media, with Selwood among those to take to Twitter to offer support to the 27 year-old.

"Sending best wishes to Casey Tutungi from everyone at the Cats!'' Selwood wrote, while Christensen tweeted:

"Thoughts and prayers go out to casey tutungi #spirit''

Geelong Lord Mayor Keith Fagg, members of the St Joseph's football club and the Geelong VFL side were among others to send tweets of support.

Friends also flooded his Facebook site with messages of support.

"He is a much-loved player,'' McCann said.

"He is certainly held in very high esteem.''

14.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

SuperCoach studs and duds

HURTING: An injured Shannon Hurn arrives at Perth Airport this morning. He scored just eight SuperCoach points. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

SEE who starred and who stunk it up in SuperCoach this weekend.

WESTERN BULLDOGS 61 defeated by RICHMOND 121

Bulldogs studs: Ryan Griffen (143) had 38 disposals including eight inside 50s while Matthew Boyd (137) helped himself to 34 in a head-to-head duel with Trent Cotchin. Clay Smith provided a spark around the stoppages.

Bulldogs duds: Daniel Giansiracusa (14) didn't get much of a run as the substitute while Nathan Hrovat (30) could only manage six disposals. Luke Dahlhaus (42) butchered his 10 disposals.

Tigers studs: Jack Riewoldt (108) finished with three goals and three score assists, Tyrone Vickery (108) rose to the occasion booting two goals while Bachar Houli (103) rebounded at will out of defence.

Tigers duds: Nick Vlastuin (31) slammed into the rookie wall finishing with five disposals while Steve Morris (56) worked hard in defence.

ST KILDA 104 d MELBOURNE 69

Saints studs: Farren Ray starred with 29 disposals and seven marks for 152 points. Leigh Montagna racked up 35 disposals for his 143 while Jack Steven, Nick Riewoldt and Sean Dempster were locked on 99 points apiece.

Saints duds: Ben McEvoy (53) was subbed out with concussion thereby limiting his output. Dylan Roberton (61) has dropped off after making a flying start in Saints strips.

Demons studs: Colin Garland (144) broke new ground cracking the tonne for a third consecutive week, the first Demon to do so in 2013. Nathan Jones was as consistent as every scoring 118 points off 23 disposals.

Demons duds: Chris Dawes (30) carried an injury into the match and it showed, struggling to leave his mark close to goal. Dean Kent (49) struggled while Jimmy Toumpas (52) was schooled by one-time No.4 draft pick Farren Ray on the wing.

PORT ADELAIDE 72 def SYDNEY 54

Power stud: ROBBIE Gray was instrumental in the last quarter and duly rewarded with a game-high 124. Wingard scored 103, while the "Hoff" was one of eight Port players to crack the ton.

Get every SuperCoach score from Round 13

Power dud: PITTARD returned but was forced to start at the sub. He was on -4 at the last change and finished with 18. Just 79 for Hamish Hartlett.

Swans stud: WHEN Jack and Kennedy top the scoring you'd think surely the Swans have had a win. Another impressive 84 for gun father-son pick Tom Mitchell.

Swans dud: GOODES was subbed out injured at the last change, finishing with 63. Just 60 for Dan Hannebery.

HAWTHORN 123 def WEST COAST 103

Hawks stud: ONLY three Hawks hit triple figures in a surprise. One was Jarryd Roughead who's bag of five earned him 145 points, while Hodge and Lewis also raised the bat.

Hawks dud: GRANT Birchall. He was subbed after a knock to the knee and finished with 40. Oh dear! Sam Mitchell's 74 also let plenty down.

Eagles stud: JOSH Kennedy was the man for the Eagles. His five goals equated to 125 points ensuring another price rise is imminent. Dean Cox (115) and Nic Nat (114) again showed their value as the best ruck tandem in the league.

Eagles dud: UNLUCKY if you had Shannon Hurn. He was subbed out in the second quarter with an ankle injury, finishing with just eight points. That hurts! Another so-so score of 77 for the Frenchman Mark LeCras.

14.57 | 0 komentar | Read More