AFL News: Premiership hero un-retires for injury-hit Eagles, Pies star's partner responds to video scandal

West Coast’s dire injury run will see 2018 premiership player Will Schofield pull the boots on and make a shock comeback for the club’s WAFL team.

The 34-year old defender, who retired from the game in 2021 and last played at AFL level in 2020, has answered a call to fill in for the Eagles’ clash with East Fremantle on Sunday, with the club severely struggling to find sufficient numbers to fill their two teams.

Eagles WAFL coach Rob Wiley told Perth Now Schofield’s return may not be a one-off.

The club’s AFL injury list is a league-most fifteen players strong, with coach Adam Simpson revealing during the week he has as few as 24 fit players to choose for their clash with Port Adelaide on Saturday.

“It’s terrific that Will has reached out to come back and help the club he previously played for in its time of need,” Wiley said.

“Our WAFL list has also lost a significant amount of on-field leadership in recent weeks with vice-captain Zane Sumich recovering from surgery, while Harry Creasey and Mitch Henderson have both sustained significant ankle injuries that are going to keep them on the sidelines for a long period of time.

“It’s a fantastic gesture that Will has put himself out there to come back and help and we look forward to his contribution starting this weekend against the Sharks.”

Writing for Code Sports, Schofield revealed a weekly chat with Simpson sparked his return, revealing he refused money in exchange for helping the club out.

“On Monday I was involved in my weekly segment with Adam Simpson and I mentioned it again, half jokingly, that I was available if needed,” Schofield wrote.

“The wheels were in motion.

“I took a call from Rob Wiley, West Coast’s WAFL coach, who spoke about what the club needed, where I would be playing and what was expected of me.

“Then I signed a zero dollar contract. I was actually offered a sum of money to play, but I didn’t really need it, and said I would prefer to play for nothing.

Schofield’s return was confirmed after successfully making it through his first training since a serious back injury while playing for Peel Thunder in 2021 led to his retirement.

“I spoke to the boys before training about what my intentions were (just in case they wondered why some old, decrepit bloke was standing in front of them in training gear). And then it was down to business,” he wrote.

“I thought I trained pretty well all things considered – I kicked a goal, grabbed a couple of marks, played down back, as a swingman and generally got stuck in. I feel good heading into the game this weekend.”

For Schofield, the reason for his return is twofold: to help his former club out of a jam, and to provide leadership and experience to a group in dire need of both.

The Eagles are winless after two WAFL games with a percentage of just 33.54, and were last week demolished by West Perth to the tune of 169 points.

“I’ve been taught from a young age that when someone needs help you give it to them, and I find myself in a position where the club could use some assistance and I am in a position to provide some,” Schofield wrote.

“Will I be the fittest player to pull on a WAFL jumper? No.

“Will I be able to help steer some of the young players in the right direction?

“Yep, I think so.”

Since retirement, Schofield has become a prominent media personality, co-hosting the popular The BackChat podcast and regularly appearing on Fox Footy as an expert commentator for Western Australian games.

He played in the Eagles’ thrilling 2018 premiership win over Collingwood and reached 194 AFL matches.

Will Schofield of the Eagles celebrates after the 2018 Grand Final. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Players seek ‘clarification’ over dangerous tackle crackdown

Confused players have called on the AFL to provide greater clarification around dangerous tackle rules leading into the biggest game of the home-and-away season.

About 90,000 fans are expected to attend the Anzac Day blockbuster that pits second-placed Essendon against third-placed Collingwood at the MCG.

Both sides will be missing key players after Bombers skipper Zach Merrett and Magpies vice-captain Taylor Adams were handed one-match suspensions at the tribunal for rough conduct.

Merrett and Adams were both charged over tackles that were considered careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, and unsuccessfully challenged the impact gradings.

GWS midfielder Tom Green this week accepted a one-match ban for a similar incident.

The latest batch of suspensions have come amid an AFL crackdown on head contact and an increased focus on the effects of concussion in world sport.

Essendon vice-captain Andrew McGrath said there was still confusion within the playing group about what actions were permitted in tackles.

“All the players would love clarification,” McGrath told reporters on Wednesday.

“We play a game that’s so random and chaotic at times and you’re not exactly sure what’s allowed and what’s not allowed.

“There’s been a lot of cases in the last few weeks of players getting done for similar incidents so it would be great to get a little bit of clarification.

“As the cases are going, we’re sort of figuring out what’s fair and not fair and what’s being permitted.”

Earlier in the season Richmond defender Nathan Broad was hit with a four-match suspension for his sling tackle on Adelaide’s Patrick Parnell.

Hawthorn midfielder Will Day (two matches) and Geelong forward Gary Rohan (one match) were also suspended over dangerous tackles this month.

Collingwood captain Darcy Moore said players were taking note of the match review officer’s assessment of incidents, as well as tribunal decisions, but admitted behavioural change would take time.

“You look back at footage of the game from five years ago and there are things that happen that are far less common now than back then,” Moore said.

“Maybe we’re caught in one of those periods where a sling tackle is slowly being phased out of the game.

“There’s certainly no one answer to it but I think we’re just trying to find the best way to strike the balance between being a physical game that’s tough to play but also giving due attention to players getting concussions and the ramifications of that.”

Adding to the confusion is a widely circulated clip of Melbourne star Clayton Oliver performing a seemingly textbook dangerous tackle on Sydney’s Luke Parker back in Round 3, for which he escaped any sanction.

Speaking on AFL 360, Demons great said Oliver was ‘damn lucky’ to avoid a ban given the recent crackdown, while co-host Gerard Whateley explained why the Brownlow Medal favourite was reprieved.

“That’s a dangerous tackle free kick instead of a dangerous tackle suspension because Parker doesn’t land on his head,” Whateley said.

“If he does, Oliver serves multiple weeks on that. If he [Parker] hits his head, the potential to cause injury is going to cost Oliver a lot.”

(with AAP)

Clayton Oliver of the Demons and Jy Simpkin of the Kangaroos look on. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Moore backs returning utility to address Pies’ ruck crisis

Collingwood captain Darcy Moore has backed Nathan Kreuger to help solve the Magpies’ ruck crisis as they prepare for the Anzac Day blockbuster against Essendon.

Pies coach Craig McRae has had to get creative during the early stages of the season with Darcy Cameron, Mason Cox, Aiden Begg and Dan McStay all unavailable through injury.

Regular defender Billy Frampton was used in the lead ruck role during last week’s win over St Kilda and Ash Johnson provided some support.

Kreuger’s imminent return could provide some relief.

The 23-year-old underwent a right shoulder reconstruction in January and has not played a senior game this season, but returned to action in the VFL last week.

Kreuger was spotted palming ruck taps to McRae during Wednesday’s training session.

Moore declared the versatile ex-Geelong tall ready to play in what would be his eighth senior game in the second-versus-third clash with Essendon at the MCG, where about 90,000 fans are expected to be on hand.

“He’s certainly in a position to come in,” Moore said on Wednesday.

“He’s spent a few months in rehab with his shoulder injury so it always takes a little bit of time to get match practice, but he’s a super-competitive player and he played like it on the weekend at VFL level. 

“He’s definitely someone who won’t care what position he’s in. If he’s asked to come in and play in the ruck, he’ll come in and do his job for sure.”

In comparison to their rivals, Essendon’s tall stocks are relatively healthy despite leading goal-kicker and part-time ruckman Peter Wright being sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Sam Draper and Andrew Phillips have formed a strong ruck partnership under new coach Brad Scott this season and were crucial in the Bombers’ upset win over Melbourne last week.

“The way they’ve worked in synergy and freed each other up to go forward and get on the scoreboard has been massive for us,” Essendon vice-captain Andrew McGrath said.

“They’ve given us another option up forward and it really helps with our small forwards with bringing the ball to ground.

“They rarely get out-marked and their competitiveness, both of them, and their willingness to do anything for the team has been a standout.

“They were two of our best on the weekend and we’re hoping they have another really good game against the Pies.”

(AAP)

‘We all make mistakes’: Pies star’s wife opens up on video scandal

The wife of Collingwood star Jack Crisp has opened up on a controversial video that was shared on social media in recent weeks.

The video, believed to be several years old, showed graphic images of Crisp and referenced illicit substances.

Crisp avoided sanction for the incident but was ordered by the AFL to undertake an ‘appropriate education program’, with the 29-year old apologising and admitting he was ‘disappointed in myself’.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Mikayla Crisp responded to the incident, saying ‘time moved on, and so did we’.

“A heartfelt thank you to those who have taken the time to reach out and offer support or kind words these past few weeks. We see you. We appreciate you,” she wrote.

(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“It hasn’t been easy to have our private relationship be publicly commented on in a negative manner. This is especially so when matters reported are historical, private, and were appropriately dealt with at the time.

“Time moved on, and so did we.

“No marriage is perfect, and I have always maintained that our relationship has had its ups and downs.

“We are all human and we all make mistakes. Strength of character is shown in those who face their mistakes head on by owning them and learning from them.

“Jack and I have both grown significantly as individuals, and as a couple, in the years that have passed since the incident occurred.

“The strength of our relationship is a testament to the work we have put in, and continue to put in, to respecting each other’s humanity and journey in life.

“We love sharing our family life with our community and look forward to sharing in the many adventures ahead with you all.”

The pair have been married since 2016 and have two children under the age of six.