#Ross Wright

Cousins is an excellent example.

Timeline at a basic level.
1997 Justin Charles tests positive and suspended for 16 weeks.

During the mid 2000s the existing testing saw the top line players regularly tested (ASADA testing) – which meant the likes of Scotty West at the Doggies would be tested again and again (why? because the ‘podium’ equivalent players were those in the top group of each clubs B&Fs).

Ben Cousins must have been tested repeatedly by ASADA. Absolutely must have been.

What burst the Cousins bubble?……was actually when the AFL brought in the illicit drugs testing over and above the ASADA testing. That was what brought the Cousins scenario out.

It was through 2007 that the AFL program first began and it started slowly.

The thing here – there was a heap of ignorance – even then PM John Howard didn’t comprehend that the AFL policy was ADDITIONAL to and NOT replacing of the ASADA program.

Note – – not being an Olympic sport – the AFL had to pay for their own testing regimes……unlike say soccer or hockey.

#Don Freo

The A-League has never shown interest in Tassie thus far. The irony is that they are interested in slotting into the new stadium if it’s built.

Bartlett though – – the irony is he kicked up a fuss and resigned the presidency in April 2021……….in the year they won the premiership. And now he’s looking at going after Gawn, Pert and Goodwin for defamation. And feeding info to Wilkie to put out in the public domain via Parliamentary Privilege. Doesn’t that smell rotten to you??

And seriously – – – why is Wilkie running with this sort of story in Fed Parliament?? Why that platform?? THAT to me is what seems really odd about this. Why that forum and why now??

And perhaps just perhaps Bartlett was the problem anyway?? Where are his supporters from the Melbourne Board?

In June 2022 the Melbourne FC released THIS statement.

#matth

The signed documents…….Glenn Bartlett resigned from Melbourne back in 2021 and has been clearly on the outer with the club and the coach. More going on there than meets the story……….smells of personal vendettas. I’m no fan of Melbourne FC…….but generally if there were real substance then across the 2-3 years since then something would’ve happened.

The docs reference Dr Peter Harcourt. He stepped down end of 2021 so he’s not in the building anymore either.

These ‘allegations’ aren’t actually anything new. We’ve actually known for quite some time that there’s every chance that the odd ‘managed’ player will be ‘managed’ for reasons other than general soreness or slight hammy awareness.

That’s the system.

It’s a system that cares over the top about whether a player might have a slight trace of weed or cocaine in their system. Why do we care so much? Why do we not have zero tolerance on our politicians? It’s fair to care about a bus driver or airline pilot…….but…..a back pocket for Melbourne???

So we have a health focus to the Illicit drugs policy; whilst also running the WADA/ASADA policy with a punitive focus (such a great system that it couldn’t detect Ben Cousins who was a premiership player, brownlow medalist……that’s effectively the 100m gold medalist not being picked up). The ultra conservatives will go on about “but…..but it’s illegal”!! And they’re right. So what do they want? Ban anyone from the AFL who has ever done anything illegal? Like 3kmh over the limit?

#Andrew01

Part of the problem here is that Bartlett has been on the outer since he resigned back in 2021 and seems to either have issues or a vendetta.

Bartlett was attacking coach Simon Goodwin over drug use and misconduct.

It might be that Bartlett is on to something. It might be that he is unhinged and has a personal vendetta.

I take it with a grain of salt.

Dr Peter Harcourt also stepped down back in 2021, after 15 years at Hawthorn and 10 years at the AFL.

So…….there’s an issue here. You’ve got an accuser who stepped out of his role 3 years ago along with an accused who did likewise.

And within the AFL we have an entirely new leadership group under Dillon and Kane.

And then we have Wilkie…….who has a conflict of interest here in that he’s been pushing for an A-League franchise in Tassie for a decade (had Turnbull supporting a North Hobart option in 2016).

#Don Freo

Exactly. It’s old news. Wilkie is trying to present it out of context.

I suspect he kept this one up his sleeve; first see how the election played out and now – – he’s now arguably providing Jacqui Lambie with the ammunition she needs to extort the Libs in Tassie.

The frustration here is that the Jacqui Lambie Experience…….had zero policies. She…………sadly…….is just a loud mouth. It’s easy to shout out at any thing and everything however it’s far, far harder to get in and do things and make them work.

#Birdman

ironically – – remember when Andrew Demetriou went public with his concerns about the ‘phys-edders’ having too much control within AFL clubs; he got shut down by the likes of Malthouse; and it wasn’t that long after that Essendon got exposed and that didn’t go well for them.

The AFL wasn’t running protection on the clubs at that point.

There have been many times where the AFL have pulled back in clubs that were going a bit rogue.

This is Andrew Wilkie.

He is an outright anti AFL campaigner – and has labelled the proposed Mac Point stadium as “unconscionable, unnecessary”.

That despite that he – back in 2018 – was pushing hard for a Tassie A-League team and stadium:

“It would inject millions of dollars into the Tasmanian economy, boost TV audiences and establish soccer as the only true national football code.

“While Premier Peter Gutwein is to be commended for declaring his support for Tassie’s own A-League team, he must also deliver a purpose-built soccer stadium in Hobart.

“Let’s hope all politicians and the Football Federation Australia see the benefits of a Tasmanian team and what it will do for the state and the sport.

“I will continue to look for ways to champion Tasmania’s A-League case at a federal level.”

Ironically of course – the old FFA failed to short list Tassie as an option.

Now – – the oddity here is that he is opposing the AFL expansion and stadium even though – a true oval stadium at Mac Point can host cricket (a purpose built soccer venue can’t) and can host ALL the rectangular sports.

And seriously – – -as of yesterday over 170,000 foundation members.

Mr Wilkie is pushing an agenda here. And arguably via an abuse of power via parliamentary privilege.

#Don Freo

However last year – – when Darcy was out – Jackson was superb. When Darcy was in – Jackson as a stay at home forward got lost more often than not.

Perhaps – – like when Zac Clarke was playing ruck rover to Sandilands???

#Jack

The NRL………..spends a pittance on stadia. Agreed. Likewise Union and Soccer.

The AFL however have hardly ‘blackmailed’ Tassie/Fed Govts. The simple fact is that Tassie has been pushing and pushing for a team for decades and……..Bellerive is not fit for purpose.

Pretty sure if this roofed stadium gets built in Hobart that…….perhaps the Socceroos might pop down and play the likes of Lebanon there too?? When’s the last time the Socceroos played in Tassie??

#Waz

What? The 100% Govt funded AAMI Park wasn’t enough for you? $267.5 million to build. Not a cent from soccer, Union or League.

Contrast that to the MCG (100% rebuilt around $580 mill with only $77 mill from Govt) and Docklands 100% privately funded and bought out by the AFL.

So what do you want in Melbourne??? You’ve already got Latrobe Uni with the ‘Home of the Matildas’ (haven’t seen any there for……ever??).

Anyway……..perhaps put up some of your own capital and work in partnership………..rather than hands out whinging all the time.

#JamesH

Yeah – nah.

At no point is Wright playing the ball.

When out on the ground and you see these things unfold……it’s pretty obvious when the bloke was always going to struggle to get there and just had to have a ‘plan B’. Wright completely butchered this scenario. You can’t just tuck the arm in and jump into the guy. And he elected to do that on HIS approach to the contest that HE had by far the best visibility on.

Must go – – 4 weeks.

Sidebottom in particular is making errors; even when he ideally has a little bit of time/space. Pendlebury appears to be getting caught more often as well.

Is that because of the shorter preseason that a GF side has compared to other sides in a season with an earlier start and only 1 and a bit practice matches?

Or…..have Pendles and Sidebottom gone one year too many?? Looking back at Boomer Harvey at North……did he and Brad Scott make the right call? We will never know. I did expect at least one of this Pies part to retire on the high of a GF win.

The Elliott mark was a clear error – and the umpire if in the right position would see that the ball never went into the hands and then if the elbows are apart then it can’t not hit the ground.

The Higgins one is interesting because BOTH boundary umpires were unable to 100% assert that the ENTIRETY of the ball was over the line. It was close. No doubt. However the Elliott one was a far, far clearer ‘error’.

Get over it. Really.

As long as we have byes ANYWHERE in the season – – there is inequality.

As long as we don’t have a perfect H&A season – – there is inequality.

That we have more teams in Vic than interstate combined – – there is inequality.

That the AFL acknowledges other inequalities via the distribution of centralised revenues is sometimes argued against by people who don’t understand the ‘functional’ inequalities that are pivotal to the game.

And one of those – – Richmond and Carlton want to kick off footy in Victoria with a stand alone Thursday night slot.

I guess one could argue – – that ‘O’ Week NOT involve ANY Victoria teams at all. Or that Richmond and Carlton NOT play in ‘O’ Week.

re the early start – – the contrast of current grounds to the ‘old days’ of rock hard cricket pitches in the middle of the ground; is chalk vs cheese.

As it is – – the Coleman knee can’t be attributed to anything but bad luck.

Someone like Brennan Cox at Freo – – was battling to be ready for Round 1 after a leg stress fracture. In his case with his bad hammy injury – the question should MORE be levelled at Freo as to the wisdom of rushing him straight in.
A lot of the surfaces – – such as Optus in Perth and Marvel in Melbourne – – aren’t going to vary an awful lot unless it’s raining on the day (with the roof open – at Marvel).

But……….it is of course more fun to attack the AFL

#mrl

???

A competition still involving foundation club Melbourne (est 1858) and Geelong (est 1859) who have been playing each other since in the peak competition. The current VFL/AFL dates to 1897 while the old VFA was formalised in the 1870s. Contrived???

Equality?? Is achieved via such elements as a fanatical devotion to the pope, the element of surprise and the player draft and the salary cap and the AFL centralised revenues distributions to clubs that account for inequities in the draw etc. So……..no equality??? It’s arguably the most egalitarian competition going around. I would more expect you to assert a ‘socialist’ competition rather than ‘no equality’.

Exists for TV ratings?!?! Were that so – then the AFL GF would’ve moved to twilight/night 20 years ago. It hasn’t. Were it so – the AFL would’ve reduced game time by a third to bump up the ‘average’ viewers metric.

re the idea of ‘red cards’; well the irony is that at pretty well all levels BELOW the AFL – red/yellow cards are used and also in juniors the ‘white card’ for abusive benches.

Will Tarryn Thomas be a reformed person by then to be the inaugural captain??

I suspect it will ‘evolve’ by the time the first senior AFL side takes the field in a few years time.

#Adam

AFL in Qld is going quite nicely.

#Brett Allen

Only half owned……….the abhorrence of a media/broadcast company half owning the league and owning expansion clubs such as Storm – – for the first 15 years.

No conflict of interests there!!

It was ugly plastic sports. At least Kerry Packer never owned Cricket……well…….he owned WSC.

#Grem

This is where it’s interesting. The official talent pathway is based around registered participants.

In 2019 FA National Summary the total outdoor affiliated was listed as 539K and the 2022 report listed as 543K. That’s around roughly a 4:1 ration male to female.

The male/female divide is greatest at the ‘senior’ level but…how many are hitting the high performance pathway from that cohort??

In essence – – the mixing pot is 239K Miniroos (4:1 male/female) and 165K ‘youth’ (3:1 male/female). Based on 2022 participation.

And beyond that……..the schools………..the schools……….THAT I put is the key battleground. 591K in School programs/comps in 2019 and post covid rebounding 476K in 2022.

Schools is it!!

so………you’ve dismissed India outright as a ‘weak attack’……..to ignore the Madras miracle double ton??

that series in late 1986 was a spinners series. It was an AWAY series for Australia at a period where Australia was rebuilding. Greg Matthews (14) and Ray Bright (8) were the only Aussies to get more than 2 wickets. Kapil was wicketless for India and Yadav, Maninder Singh and even Ravi Shastri formed a very good spin attack.

Jones was highest scorer across both teams for the series. I’m pretty sure AB and Boony aren’t suggesting no one count their stats from that series?? Greg Ritchie and Swampy Marsh with 24 and 33 averages respectively would have loved a 92.75 avg!! S.Waugh ended with a 59 average based around 3 not outs and only one dismissal.

And then you entirely dismissed the Sri Lanka matches – – late ’92 an AWAY tour again and Jones scores more than any other player on either side…..ironically other than Greg Matthews!! (who made 50+ in 5 of his 6 knocks). To write of Jones’ form there when – AB went at 40.5, Boon 26.8 and M.Taylor 24.66, Moody 11.83 and M.Waugh 10.16.

You can’t just dismiss this out of hand.

The narrative you are pushing here just doesn’t hold.

That ‘weak’ SL attack included a bloke who took 17 wickets at 25.52 (Ramanayake) ; Australia’s best was McDermott with 14 at 24.42.

So where are you getting over excluding anything you don’t like for your narrative??? Pretty sure scoring runs when other don’t…..and Jones was dropped after that series!?!??! That’s what never added up. Had he failed in Sri Lanka………then fine. He excelled when others failed and M.Waugh failed miserably.

#BT

So…..Nani…..nearing the end of his career arguably gets paid overs to rock up for Victory…….do you reckon there was a reasonable ROI on that move?? How many games did he actually play??

Not sure putting forward Nani disproves my suggestion.

Were he brought out for a 4 year contract at age 31 then mebbe. But his term with MVFC looks a massive financial blunder.

Perhaps someone at MVFC forgot to ‘stay in their lane’.

Just sayin’.

#Grem

Question. Are you satisfied with the structure of the ‘talent pathway’?

If not – – what would you like to see in place.

Reason I ask – – given Australia is arguably the worlds most competitive domestic ‘football’ market – – ALL 4 codes have to be exceptionally efficient within their own talent pathways.

#Brett Allen

Corporate owned…..when established….a News Ltd half ownership model. With the News Limited owned ‘expansion’ clubs.

AFL is not corporate owned at all. That’s frankly a silly suggestion.

#Tony

AFL……Australian Football – founded 1858 IN AUSTRALIA. Two of the original clubs Melbourne (1858) and Geelong (1859) continue to play against each other in the top competition 165 years on.

NRL…….Rugby League – established in England 1895 and picked up on by the Kiwis All Golds tour 1907 and started in Sydney 1908. A corporate owned entity……it’s plastic at best and the corporate expansion clubs the epitome of that.

Melbourne vs Sydney. tell me again – – when do they run the Sydney Cup??

Or the Sydney F1 GP or the Sydney Grand Slam tennis?? All of those have far, far greater history/heritage in Melbourne. Like wise the finest old theatres…….and……for very, very good reason – McCafe was first established in…….Melbourne.

Oh – Sydney has Bondi, the Bridge (turns 92 in a couple of days) and the Danish Designed Opera House (how many Sydney authored Opera’s have been held there??)……seems more famous for having projections onto it………all class. And that’s why V’Landys is a perfect fit in Sydney. Remember – Sydney is where dingbats like Kyle Sandilands thrive…….Alan Jones……John Laws……we sent you Steve Price and somehow he thrived up there too?!?!?