Melbourne skipper Max Gawn hopes the fallout from Dayne Zorko’s personal sledge towards Harrison Petty can prove a “line in the sand” that spells the end of similarly nasty comments in the AFL.

The Demons’ thumping win over Brisbane on Friday night was overshadowed by Brisbane captain Zorko’s comments to Petty about a family member that left the 22-year-old in tears at three-quarter-time.

While stressing Zorko had crossed a pre-existing line, and he hadn’t heard a similarly “deep” personal sledge before, Gawn hoped the incident would prove the last of its nature.

“I don’t necessarily think we needed those comments for it to be a line in the sand, it’s pretty clear to me going out to games that some of those stuff are off limits,” he told reporters on Wednesday. 

“But definitely now the comments are done, I do hope that it is a line in the sand and those sorts of comments can stay away from the footy field.

“(It was the) first time I’ve heard anything that deep. 

“I’m not here to talk about it and go on about it and bring it up. I actually think it’s been well handled post, but it’s certainly rare.”

The Lions and Zorko apologised after the incident, and the AFL will not pursue the matter further.

Brisbane football boss Danny Daly indicated there wouldn’t be any further repercussions for Zorko, such as stripping him of the captaincy.

Gawn wouldn’t be drawn on whether there should have been further ramifications.

“That’s not my space. There was an apology, it read well, the apology, and Harrison’s taken the apology and has come in happy today,” Gawn said. 

“That’s all that matters, that Harrison’s come in with a big smile on his face.”

Gawn delighted in how Melbourne had handled the situation, while acknowledging maybe a few too many players had tried to speak to Petty to check in on him.

He said coach Simon Goodwin, defensive coach Troy Chaplin and full-back Steven May had got the young defender back on track.

“Obviously the scenes weren’t great in and around three-quarter time, but if you look into the fourth quarter, he did a couple of really good team efforts,” he said.

“We all want to help. That can be an issue, a lot of voices can be quite tough to listen to. 

“But Harry’s one of us. We love what he does for the football club.

“I’m really proud of how the club handled themselves in and around the third and fourth quarter.”

8Rayner fails to have finals ban overturned

Brisbane dynamo Cam Rayner’s bid to be available for the Lions’ AFL elimination final has failed after an unsuccessful trip to the tribunal.

In a massive blow for the Lions’ chances against Richmond on September 1, the rough conduct charge against Rayner was upheld following a marathon tribunal hearing on Tuesday night.

The tribunal panel deliberated for 35 minutes after lengthy debate between the AFL’s counsel Andrew Woods and Lions lawyer Adrian Anderson.

Rayner answered a barrage of questions, first from Anderson, before Woods, tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson and tribunal panel member Stephen Jurica all had further queries.

The 2017 No.1 draft pick was reported for a strong tackle on Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown during the first quarter of Friday night’s game at the Gabba.

Rayner said he did his best in trying to wrap up Brown, who is more than 10cm and 10kgs heavier than him.

Brown was assessed by medical staff off the ground after suffering abrasions to his face, but was able to come back and play a starring role in Melbourne’s thumping victory. 

Anderson said Rayner did “nothing unreasonable” in tackling a player with Brown’s momentum.

“Because it’s a cricket wicket it’s very hard in there,” Rayner told the tribunal.

“If the tackle had happened anywhere else on the ground I’m not sure the abrasions would have happened.”

Debate raged about the match review officer’s grading of the impact as medium, with the Lions arguing it was low.

The MRO on Saturday assessed the incident as careless, medium impact and high contact.

The AFL’s lawyer suggested to Rayner he should have given more consideration to how hard the cricket pitch area is at the Gabba when tackling Brown.

“In a split second during a game of footy I’m not thinking about what the surface is like,” Rayner replied.

The Lions will also be without defender Noah Answerth after he accepted a one-game suspension for striking Melbourne’s Alex Neal-Bullen.

Rankine asks out to fly south to Crows

Gold Coast forward Izak Rankine has officially requested a trade from the AFL club and is set to accept a big-money offer from hometown club Adelaide.

The No.3 pick at the 2018 draft, Rankine has overcome serious hip and hamstring injuries to become a regular starter at the Suns.

The 22-year-old made 48 appearances for Gold Coast and enjoyed a career-best year in 2022, kicking 29 goals.

Rankine was also above his career average for disposals, marks inside 50 and goal assists this season.

Gold Coast had been confident of extending Rankine’s time at the club before the Crows tabled a massive five-year offer which could reportedly make him the highest paid player at the club, earning as much as $850,000 a season.

“We have created a football club where our players and staff are committed to success, so we’re disappointed with his decision,” Suns player talent and strategy manager Craig Cameron said in a statement.

“We’ve provided an environment and support network around Izak since he was drafted to help him play his best football and it’s disappointing that journey won’t continue.”

The Suns will now enter negotiations with the Crows to finalise the trade with Adelaide’s pick five and a second-round selection in the draft the most likely options.

Rankine’s move to the Crows would give coach Matthew Nicks a potent forward line including Josh Rachele, Wayne Milera and Taylor Walker.

Cunnington re-signs as Clarkson to splash cash on recruits

Ben Cunnington has signed a two-year contract extension with North Melbourne after overcoming cancer to make a successful AFL return this year.

Cunnington underwent surgery in 2021 to have a testicular tumour removed, but a routine check-up earlier this year detected a secondary cancer.

The 31-year-old underwent chemotherapy before making an emotional AFL return two weeks ago, tallying 17 possessions and six clearances in a 29-point loss to Adelaide.

North Melbourne on Tuesday announced Cunnington’s inspirational efforts to return to the field had been rewarded with a fresh two-year deal.

“Ben is a great North Melbourne person, he personifies the spirit of our club,” North Melbourne’s football talent manager Brady Rawlings said in a statement.

Catching up on the time together we've missed.

Ben Cunnington has committed to another two seasons with North Melbourne ✍️

— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) August 23, 2022

“Our players stand taller when they’re around him and after watching the journey he’s been on over the past 12 months, our members and supporters’ connection to him is as strong as ever.

“Ben’s commitment to the club over many years speaks to his loyalty as a player and person. He is as committed to us as we are to him, so we are delighted.”

Cunnington has played 229 matches since being snared with pick No.5 at the 2009 national draft.

Meanwhile, incoming North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has continued to unveil his vision for the Kangaroos, admitting he’s already speaking with potential recruits.

Clarkson says he’ has “crossed paths with one or two” players from other clubs, although he added no discussions had been of great depth.

But asked if he would target players he had coached as well as experienced talents to bolster the young list, Clarkson confirmed he was interested but would also look for existing Kangaroos players to step up.

“I think a couple will help,” he told Fox Sports.

“We need a couple of guys around that 27, 28-year-old bracket … but some of the guys like (Aidan) Corr and (Ben) McKay and even (Nick) Larkey, these guys are sort of mid-20s and in a couple of years … they’re gonna be the guys that you build your club around.”

North have already been linked with former Clarkson players Bradley Hill, who has three years left to run on a big-money deal at St Kilda, and Jack Gunston, who is a free agent.

They will also be bolstered by the return of inside midfielder Ben Cunnington, who played one game in 2022 while battling testicular cancer.

The Kangaroos will also hope to retain No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis, who has been been linked with a return to his home state of South Australia, despite having only spent one year with the side.

Clarkson said he hadn’t yet spoken with Horne-Francis, but saw his challenging first season as an opportunity to grow.

“He’s probably been a star right through his juniors and he’s got to an environment where they weren’t going so well, he wasn’t performing to the levels that he’s been so used to throughout his junior career.

“This will be a great learning year for him and hopefully with a bit of guidance, another pre-season, a realisation that despite being the No.1 draft pick, this game is pretty hard.

“He’s got a long journey ahead, hopefully all at the North Melbourne footy club.”

"Yeah just crossed paths with one or two Gaz"

Clarko MIGHT have had a few informal chats with players from other clubs ????

WATCH #OntheCouch on CH504 or stream on @kayosports. pic.twitter.com/WpuWdQEi6w

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 22, 2022

Clarkson also addressed rumours he would bring a number of backroom staff with him to North Melbourne, saying they weren’t accurate.

But he said he would like to bring former Melbourne great Todd Viney to the club in a football director role.

“It’s important you have a really strong team of people around you, but that’s not going to be a huge team, all this speculation about a whole uplifting of staff at North Melbourne and bringing in a whole new crew of people isn’t actually right,” he said.

“We’ll try to take a couple of people to North Melbourne, but by and large, the improvement of that footy club is going to come with the people that are already there.”

Carlton can bounce back, says CEO

Carlton are reeling after throwing away their AFL finals berth in catastrophic fashion but chief executive Brian Cook hopes the heartbreak can hold the Blues in good stead.

Carlton sat in the top-eight all season and appeared primed to end a nine-year finals drought.

Then, in the space of nine days, the Blues slipped to a last-ditch loss to Melbourne, before capitulating to Collingwood by a point on Sunday.

The Blues led by 24 points at three-quarter-time but kicked 0.6 to the Magpies’ 5.1 in the last quarter to send their arch-rivals into the top-four, while falling outside the eight themselves.

“It really hurts at the moment. We went back to Ikon Park last night, the families, players, staff. The players are completely devastated – we’re all devastated really,” Cook told SEN Breakfast on Monday.

“We wanted to play finals footy, we fought really hard to do that, but we were unsuccessful.

“In the end, when it comes down to it, we threw away a couple of games, we didn’t play well in the key moments, the most accountable moments and we have to live with that. You need to live with that for a while.

“I don’t think we will forget about this moment and hopefully it will be a motivator in the years to come.”

Cook was at Geelong when Sydney’s Nick Davis broke their hearts in 2005, before the Cats had their own breakthrough in 2007.

“Whilst at the time (those moments are) devastating, they do build up some sort of resilience,” he said.

“It happens for a reason and so long as we can learn from what’s happened the last couple of weeks in particular, then it’s worthwhile

“But at the moment it’s really hard to be rational about these things. We’re still wiping the dirt off our knees at the moment and trying to think about where we go from here.”

Cook felt Carlton’s season was generally positive, noting they beat four of the top eight sides and lost by less than a goal three times. “There’s capability there and there’s talent there,” he said. 

Riewoldt delivers high praise for Kingsley

Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt says he learned more about forward-line play from new GWS coach Adam Kingsley than any other AFL mentor. 

It’s some praise from a man who kicked 467 goals before Kinglsey joined the Saints in 2011 as an assistant coach before finishing his career with 716 majors.

Riewoldt was one voice in an outpouring of approval when the Giants announced Kingsley had won the role on Monday after a 15-year coaching apprenticeship finally netted him a lead job.

Kingsley will be unveiled as GWS coach on Tuesday, a moment that will continue to bring joy to his former protege.

“When I heard the news I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face,” Riewoldt told Fox Sports.

A new chapter begins.
Welcome to the GIANTS Adam Kingsley ????

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) August 22, 2022

“I’m genuinely so happy for Adam, he has done the most remarkable apprenticeship.

“He arrived at St Kilda at a time when as a player and a group, (we) needed fresh minds, fresh voices.

“He taught me more about forward play and forward craft than than any other coach I’d had at any stage.

“For a guy that played back pocket and midfield predominantly, I think that says a lot about his ability to see all parts of the game.

“Great communicator, great motivator will be able to challenge strongly and understand what it takes to bring a great team together.”

Collingwood coach Craig McRae was another high-profile figure thrilled for Kingsley, having coached with him at Richmond.

McRae had a similarly long wait for a senior role, but if his brilliant first season with the Magpies is anything to go by, the Giants might be onto a winner.

“I’m rapt for ‘Kingers’ … he’s had a long apprenticeship, similar to myself, I think 15-odd years in the system,” McRae told Fox Sports.

“I worked with him for three or four years at Richmond, he’s gonna be a huge asset for GWS.

“He’s got a huge footy, enormous footy brain and he’s a strong leader.”