AFL News: Noble SACKED while Roos star under the blowtorch, Fremantle call out vile racist messages, Dusty still not right

North Melbourne have sacked coach David Noble after a run of 14 successive AFL losses.

Noble had held the post for less than two seasons – a period which delivered just five wins from 38 matches.

Assistant coach Leigh Adams is expected to fill in as interim coach for the remainder of the 2022 campaign for the bottom-placed Kangaroos.

Adams’ first game in the hot seat will be against Richmond on Saturday.

An official statement from the club is expected later on Tuesday.

Noble’s tenure was increasingly insecure given the string of poor results and the pressure intensified when North brought in former administrator Geoff Walsh to review the football department late last month.

But Noble remained steadfast that he was the man for the job despite a widespread expectation that he would be removed.

“I believe in what I’m doing. I believe in the group that we have got,” Noble said after Saturday’s loss to Collingwood.

“We’re resolute on where the direction needs to go.

“If there’s feedback for me as an individual to get better, I’m all for improving as a coach.

“But having been around the block, I think I’ve got a clear idea as to what needs to happen and that is what we’re pursuing.”

North have been approached for comment.

(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

With Noble departing, the Kangaroos are certain to sound out four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, who played for the Roos.

Clarkson, taking a year away from coaching, has spoken to GWS about taking on their vacant head coaching job from next season but is yet to signal his intentions.

Meanwhile, North Melbourne’s Jaidyn Stephenson has hit back at high-profile critics who questioned his competitiveness in the AFL loss to Collingwood.

Stephenson agreed with some of the criticism, admitting he was a “liability” towards the end of last Saturday’s contest as the Kangaroos threw away a big lead.

But the 23-year-old said that was due to back and leg injuries that ultimately forced him to be substituted out of the game.

“I wasn’t able to compete properly in those contests and that was due to my pain in my leg and my back,” Stephenson told the Nine Network.

“I ran off and said, ‘I’ll get subbed out, I’m a bit of a liability here at the moment’.”

Ex-Saints and Dockers coach Ross Lyon was scathing in his criticism of Stephenson, accusing him of being a “non-competitor”.

Former Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes said an incident where Stephenson failed to stick a tackle on Collingwood’s Beau McCreery cost North Melbourne victory.

(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Kangaroos led by 26 points at three-quarter time but went down by seven, extending their losing streak to 14 matches.

“All the people that commented have achieved a lot more than I have and it does hurt, I suppose,” Stephenson said.

“You’ve got to be resilient and probably the negative stories sell more than the positive stories.

“I suppose the disappointing thing is that these blokes make comments without actually indulging in the finer details or the circumstances as to why an event may occur.”

Last-placed North Melbourne take on Richmond in round 18, with Stephenson’s availability unclear after he had scans on Monday.

Stephenson is in his second season of a five-year deal with the Kangaroos after being moved on by Collingwood

Fremantle call out vile racist messages

Fremantle have called out “cowardly” racist abuse sent to two of their players through social media after their AFL win over St Kilda.

Indigenous forward Michael Walters and teammate Michael Frederick, who is of South Sudanese descent, were both subjected to vile messages online from a football follower.

The pair shared screenshots of the messages from their Instagram accounts on Monday night.

“The s*** you have to put up with after a game of football,” Walters posted with his screenshot.

“After every game I’m sick of opening my socials to uneducated messages like this.

“Take a hard look at yourselves.”

Frederick, who kicked three goals in the 41-point win over St Kilda, said the racist messages are “what you cop from a low life”.

Fremantle have reported the matter to the AFL.

“There is absolutely no place for online abuse and our club will not tolerate it at any level,” Dockers chief executive Simon Garlick said in a statement.

“Nobody in the community deserves to endure the hurtful and harmful comments experienced by our players over the weekend.

“They are two much-loved members of our Freo family who have been vilified in a cowardly way and we are working through the matter with the priority being the wellbeing and support for our players.”

Davis given freedom on future

GWS will give Phil Davis time to decide his own AFL playing future after the defensive stalwart’s season was ended early by another serious hamstring injury.

Davis ruptured a tendon in his right hamstring during the Giants’ defeat to Port Adelaide on Saturday.

The latest damage is on the opposite leg to the hamstring injury that sidelined Davis for three months in the first half of the year.

Davis, who turns 32 next month, reportedly has an option to play on in 2023 after deferring payment from his most recent contract to next season.

He will see a specialist this week to determine the next step with his injury and faces a tough call on his future after managing just five AFL matches this season.

“We certainly don’t want to make quick decisions with him,” GWS interim coach Mark McVeigh told Fox Footy.

“He’s a forward-thinker and he’ll see it in the right light and he’ll make the right decision about what he wants to do.

“We’ll sit back and work through that with him.”

McVeigh said Davis will have the biggest say in the decision.

“Ultimately I think he’s earnt the respect and the right to make that decision come season’s end around what he would like to do,” McVeigh said.

Davis’ latest injury came during his third game back from the previous setback.

“It was heartbreaking to see,” McVeigh said.

“When players have significant injuries that are really hard to rehab and come back like he did … to go down in this way was heartbreaking for us.

“We know that his professional level is as high as anyone I’ve seen in footy.

“He worked extremely hard to get to this point but unfortunately it’s occurred in the other hamstring.”

Davis has played 192 AFL games, having left Adelaide to join GWS as the expansion club’s first signing more than a decade ago.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Mixed news on AFL injury front for Tigers

Richmond superstar Dustin Martin could miss another two matches with his hamstring injury as the Tigers press their case for an AFL finals berth.

Tom Lynch (hamstring) and Ivan Soldo (broken thumb) have also been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne, with Richmond looking to bounce back from a horror loss to Gold Coast.

Toby Nankervis (knee) is “doubtful” this week but Noah Balta (hamstring), Trent Cotchin (clavicle) and Josh Gibcus (illness) are all pushing to return.

Martin was sidelined as Richmond coughed up a 40-point lead in their loss to the Suns last Saturday night, having sustained the hamstring injury against West Coast the previous week.

The Tigers hold some hope their talisman will return in the Friday night clash with Fremantle in round 19.

“He’s progressing his speed and some kicking and agility,” Richmond physical performance manager Peter Burge said.

“He won’t be available this week, and given next week it’s a short turnaround on the Friday night, it’s going to be touch and go.

“Dustin’s missed some footy earlier in the year as well with some time off, so it’s really important that we maximise his preparation and make sure that when he comes back, he’s safe and he can finish off the year strongly.”

Key forward Lynch was hurt during the Gold Coast loss, injuring the hamstring on the opposite leg to the one that sidelined him earlier in the season.

“He’s going to miss this week and we’ll put him though a short rehab phase,” Burge said.

“Hopefully it will be a very short-term injury, but we’ll wait and see.”

Soldo will have surgery on his broken thumb this week and is expected to miss just one match.

Richmond (9-7) sit precariously in eight spot – just percentage clear of Sydney – and can ill-afford a loss to last-placed North Melbourne..