Spot on Hyena. Apparently we don’t count, yet again.
Being a Victorian Swans fan from the old South Melbourne days it gets quite infuriating to watch the nightly news knowing any non-negative mention of the Swans is extremely unlikely. Thank heavens for Foxtel at least giving us some coverage.

I don’t know of any player as universally liked and respected as Robert Murphy. Players of the ilk of Robert Harvey and the late Robert Flower come to mind. If this is the end for Murphy – and I fear it will be – then I hope to all the Gods of Football that the Bulldogs win the big one this year, even if they beat my Swans in doing so, and that Murphy is sent out to receive the Cup he gave so much to achieve for his team and his mates. Robert Murphy was never the most talented player in the league but you would be hard pressed to find one who got more out of himself and gave it so passionately with never a thought of self glory. A champion man and I wish him well, whatever his future holds.

Let me get this straight. I admit that I have not seen the incident but, based on what I have read, it seems Duncan delivered a fair hip and shoulder bump in the course of play and although he avoided the head, acted against no rule of the game which suggested more action than a free kick should result, and had no intent to break an arm, he should still be suspended. For what offence? Playing the game legally but too hard? Taking his eyes from the ball so he could see the person he was going to bump and ensure he did so within the rules? Tucking himself in to avoid possible injury to himself?

In the same round during a marking contest, Sydney’s Luke Parker tangled with Collingwoods Dane Swan, causing Swan to land awkwardly and break his fibula. Parker also avoided the head, infracted against no rule of the game and had no intent to injure. By your logic in which we should hang the player for the result and just ignore the rules, how many weeks would you suggest Parker should be suspended for? After all, he was playing the game hard too and someone got hurt, so he must also be guilty?

It is indeed sad that footballers, especially champion ones like Hodge and Swan, are injured whilst playing a high impact contact sport but that contact is judged by the rules of the game and not the unintended injury which may result. I respect the author’s obvious passion and right to have an opinion but, really, it has been a while since I’ve seen such a flawed proposition put forward. Here.

Incidents like this are always contentious and cause opinions to be aired. I’ve made mine pretty clear but, I trust, politely. Let’s all do the same, air our thoughts and get on with Round Two!

Firstly, allegiances out the way. I’m a Sydney née South fan and though I believed we’d win I expected to be fighting us all the way in a very close tussle. No one is more surprised tham I at what was almost an amateurish display by the Pies who, barring our poor kicking, might have lost by 20 goals.

I can understand Mark Robinson running the “drug story” given that he received the information and is, rightly, concerned with ratings points and sales of the newspaper both print and electronic. I can also understand Nathan Buckley’s anger. I don’t think shooting the messenger helps though. The person at fault is the low life who leaked the information to the Media and that person has AFL after their name, not Herald Sun. Leaking that information is the act of someone with no concept of honour or trust and I hope the AFL moves heaven and earth to name, shame and dismiss this person. On behalf of all fair minded football fans I will be barracking for the AFL to succeed in finding him or her

We will never know how much, if at all, the leaking of the information played in Saturday nights dismal Pies performance. Whether their next game is better, worse or the same as the Sydney cannot indicate what part, if any, drug allegations played in one specific game already in the stats book. Personally, I expect a much improved performance from what I consider a talented Collingwood side despite the absences of Shaw and Sidebottom (enjoy your much deserved holiday young man) but the ball is now firmly in their court to show the passion they are famous for. The saving grace is that when you play that poorly you can only improve. Likewise, Sydney needs to be as hard and skilful this week against the Blues to show how their season may pan out. My honest opinion is, for whatever reason, we learned nothing conclusive for either Club’s longer term results this season.

I’m at a loss today, albeit a most pleasant one.

As a lifelong Bloods supporter who is old enough that I can remember cheering Tom Papley’s grandfathers on the field at the Lake Oval, I went into this season with optimism tempered by what I felt were reasonable expectations – that we would make the eight because of the sheer amount of talent at the club but that in doing so we would be only making up the numbers and could have our season cruelled by a relatively small number of injuries to key personnel for whom we either had no ready replacement or for whom our replacements needed a few pre seasons of seasoning yet. Out come the ‘New Bloods’ and blew me ( and Collingwood ) away. TomPapley is a nugget in both size and class and he, with the absent James Rose, may well be the small crumbling forwards we have needed for so long. George Hewitt showed poise, strong hands and pinpoint kicking and Heeney and Mills both lived up to the hype surrounding them. Buddy was back and loving it, Tippett was exceptional and Sinclair will develop nicely. Lloyd and Mitchell turned in their best games ever, Jack, Parker and Hannebery all showed why they are champions and Kennedy got better as the game continued. Everywhere you looked – Grundy, Towers, Cunningham, Smith, Robertson, Rampe, Laidler, Talia – you saw players doing a team job with aplomb. Given that this is a team that needs to find room for McGlynn, Rose, Reid, Rohan, Nankervis and McVeigh, the signs are positive indeed.

So, what do we make of Collingwood?

I’ll say this first up. I think the Collingwood squad in general is one of talent, skill, determination and potential across all lines. This loss will not define their season and I expect them to shape the eight if not make it. Swan’s injury is a huge setback but they are far from a one man team. Scharenberg’s continued absence continues to hurt their structure going forward and I am no fan of Cloke, who I believe is the least effective and threatening of the power forwards going round. White and Grundy are better forward options and Reid is needed back desperately. Their midfield, Pendlebury aside, is blue collar but very deep and Treloar is a huge bonus for them. What went wrong yesterday then? Firstly and most importantly, the were beaten by a team with more skill, better structure and match ups, a better game plan and a ravenous hunger to win in front of their home crowd. Simply put, Collingwood is a good side; Sydney is a better one.

The second thing which must be mentioned is the breaking drug allegations now receiving wide media comment. Depending on whom you listen to, the number of players directly implicated range from under eleven to thirty or more. The woeful Brian Taylor on Fox Footy raised this matter ad nauseum as a reason why the Magpies were playing so poorly, claiming it had affected the players between the ears. Even if this is true I feel it disrespects the efforts of the Sydney club to suggest it as the defining difference between the sides, but be that as it may. If these allegations did indeed derail the Pies then it highlights to all their future opponents a potential lack of mental fortitude which can be used against them; a case of bring the pressure to them and watch them fold. This leaves Collingwood in a difficult position – if they admit the pressure of drug allegations caused their poor play then they expose their mental Achilles heel. If they deny it had any impact then what is the explanation for such an abysmal showing?

One way or another, right now I’ve never been more glad to not be a Collingwood supporter!

My apologies Northerner. I wasn’t personally aware that the Quebecois viewed things in those terms and I apologise to them and you for any unintended insult made through ignorance

If the club was to honour Adam in an ongoing way and Adam gave his agreement to such an award, I think the ideal choice would be best First Year Player, given Adam’s own successes in his first season and his untiring efforts over many years as a mentor to the young players coming through.

Eddie McGuire lost my respect totally after the Infamous radio broadcast, and so did Luke Darcy for not immediately remonstrating with McGuire and apologising to Goodes, though I mitigate my anger towards him because of the invidious circumstances he found himself in. I was not aware of the comments allegedly made by McGuire regarding Colless and Longmire ruining his career but have no problem accepting they were made; they fit McGuire’s personality perfectly – it’s always someone else’s fault, after all.

The best award the Swans could give in Goodes’ name is to go out tonight and defeat Collingwood by ten goals then, as a team, dedicate the win to their retired mate. That’s how the Bloods do things and Adam will always be one of their number. Go Swans – if you win only one game for the season (and I know you’ll win many more than that) do it tonight! Go Swans and let’s make the Premiership in 2016 “Goodesy’s Flag”.

Onside, this is about culture, not DNA. Adam accepts himself wholly as an indigenous Australian culturally and spiritually and that is the end of the debate. What a Franco-Canadian may choose to accept themselves as is completely irrelevant. Adam accepts himself as an Aboriginal man and whilst he may acknowledge other cultural aspects of his make up he chooses not to embrace them, as is his right. I don’t need his DNA profile to accept his choice and support both that choice and his right to make it fully.

As always Ryan, an excellent article.

I agree that the AFL’s unwarranted draft interference has hurt us badly but that is not the only issue we face going forwards. Let’s look seriously at the Sydney list. Alex Johnson will never play football again and that is a tragedy. Sam Reid and Ben McGlynn has not played a pre season game and due to injury will always be a week to week proposition; with Reid, this seems to be a family curse. Deryckx, Aliir, Naismith, Hewitt and Xavier Richards are not up to Senior football at this level. On its own, that is 20% Of our playing list.

Marsh, Lloyd, Cunningham, Robinson, Rohan, Brandon Jack, Talia and Hiscox are Jack Dyer’s quintessential “good, ordinary players” and manage to play their niche roles with more dedication and heart than real skill. Another 20% of our list.

The jury is out on some of the younger blood. Tom Papley, Cameron Rose, the surprising Jordan Dawson, Toby Nankervis, Tyrone Leonaidis, Sean McLaren, Nic Newman and some of the other rookies and lower end draftees could be anything, or nothing. Only time willtell, but we’re now up to 60% of the list and beginning to understand why Sydney played the fewest number of players in 2015.

The backline is the home of aging warriors and players who punch above their weight week after week. Ted Richards is the glue holding it all together and is a true champion, but age and injury are catching up with him. Nick Smith is as good as any small defender going round and Grundy, Laidler, Rampe and probably McVeigh when fit will do their usual honest, serviceable job. The loss of Shaw will hurt greatly and there is no obvious replacement. Callum Mills may have the talent bu,t not the body as yet.

The midfield is a quandary. They have the talent to chew up and spit out any opposition yet rarely do it as a unit. Parker and Kennedy would be champions in any team and I think by the end of this year Heeney will be added to that list. Hannebery is the fourth of the genuine champions but I think that, due to ongoing injury issues, no further improvement can be reasonably expected in his stellar game. A move to half back might rejuvenate his career. Mills is another Jack Martin – not if, but when – and Mitchell has issues to work on but will get there. What can I say about Kieran Jack other than to say he needs a REALLY good season to show his best is not behind him. As for the rucks/utilities, Towers has taken steps in the right direction as a wing/forward and Callum Sinclair looks an excellent pick up. The combination between he, Tippett and probably Nankervis should be successful if well time managed.

Then, we have the forward line.

Lance Franklin remains a puzzle through no fault of his own. I’ve watched him carefully in the pre season and the body seems good but the fire and arrogance seem gone from the eyes. I would give him the simple role of”the 60 metre arc is yours, use it”, have the resting ruckman be the pack crasher and encourage Parker, Towers, Rose, Heeney, Kennedy and the other mids to press forward at every possibility whilst ensuring Franklin has a clear run. They cannot rely on their big forwards kicking most of their goals – that is too easy to shut down. It is far harder to shut down two goal kickers than ten and the Swans simply cannot rely on their big two to get the job against top level opposition.

I believe this will be a down year for the swans. A finish around seventh or eighth may be the realistic point to aim for though, with Sydney, you just never know !

Ah, what days those were. Murph doing his no 35 proud. Greg Smith the unbreakable ironman, Brett Scott who only played when Williams missed but would have been a walk up start for many other sides, the desperately unlucky Jamie Lawson who could have been anything, Tilt Carter kicking his one and only career goal, Bayes, Tony Morwood, Browning, Derek Kickett’s belly casting solar eclipses but his talent obvious, a kid from Noble Park named Capper, Ironmonger in the ruck. I remember crying when Micky Conlan’s last moment goal – virtually his only kick for the day – took a Grand Final berth away from us but I also remember beating Essendon by 163 points and missing against Richmond by two points from scoring 200 points in three consecutive games in 1987. Success was a rare beast for us in the 80’s but that just made us savour it all the more. Great memories.

An interesting and very fair article. Had the stadium had decent football atmosphere and a surface fit to play on the Swans – players and fans alike – may have embraced it as a home, but each passing year saw the discontent grow. The disgraceful injury to a champion in Roughhead should have been the final straw and it is pleasing to see the AFL finally do the right thing by its most important assets, the players.

As a Swans supporter I am overjoyed at the decision if for no other reason than we have consistently played poorly against Collingwood. Round one was really looming as a potential season opening setback against a seemingly improved Pies outfit. I am confident, however, that playing at the SCG should see a comfortable Swans win. For the first time in many seasons we have the situation where all our home games ARE home games and that will benefit us.

I admit to being frustrated by this article.

The club I support, Sydney, took a speculative idea and created a system whereby talented boys who might well otherwise be lured by the greatly more visible Rugby League organisation were offered an alternative career path. For all the money spent – their money, not AFL funding – we have seen one success (Isaac Heeney) and one very promising selectee (Callum Mills). Include the dozens of young men who will return to there local areas as walking promotion for our great game and I consider the Academy to be an unqualified success. Of course, the AFL no longer desires Sydney to be a success – it has slipped the corporate leash, shown it can be successful despite the AFL and not because of it so, by what in their minds was necessity, the AFL has intervened once more and altered the playing field. The first result of this was the inability to draft Josh Dunkley. Now, we will play the ‘Musical Academies’ game for a few years with results to become apparent only in the future.

Every change to the Draft, be it point systems or the removal of the father son pathway which did so much to provide links between past and present iterations of the club for its supporters, weakens the Draft to the point where it’s original purpose of talent equalisation is now invalidated and acts only to bring forward the first legal challenge to the Draft on the basis of restraint of trade – a challenge I am confident the AFL would lose. They tamper with the Draft at their great peril and the active support, financial and otherwise, of multiple academies will make the Draft further and further from its original purpose.

One solution is to give every club one free Academy draft and one free father son pick. Make these selections tradable co a club with no great prospect may trade off their selection in return for a suitable pick in the main draft but make them independent of the draft and announced prior to the Draft. Then, let the draft proper unfold.

Sorry for being so long winded

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A well written and thoughtful piece. Congratulations to the author for shining the light of reason on a complex subject that has already attracted far too much hyperbole.

Did Martin do wrong? Almost certainly according to the statements made and apologies issued.. Should he be penalised? In my opinion, a certain yes.. Do I know what punishment would be fair? A certain no for I am not, and never will be, privy to all the facts.

Dustin Martin appears to be a young man whose social skills have been formed from an apparent difficult childhood. Whilst his actions must be recognised as unacceptable and deserving of punishment, the punishment must in some way be predicated towards rehabilitation as much, if not more, than to retribution. A balanced and well considered response is needed and we will not receive meaningful input into that balance from the talking heads of the media for whom the ultimate quest is not justice but audience share.

Whatever the outcome, I hope it is the.considered opinions of cooler and wiser heads which decide it.

A Merry Christmas to you all.

Especially given the near gushing praise he was given by Nat Fyfe on Brownlow night, I would not be at all surprised if Sydney did not lock Brett Kirk in for an end of 2017 handover from John Longmire. Ross Lyon credited Kirk for much of the midfield group improvement at Fremantle and their subsequent ladder rise.. Kirk is a revered figure at Sydney and as great an exponent of the famed Bloods Culture as you could find. With two years as understudy in waiting he would be ideally placed to seamlessly take over from Longmire, who, like Roos before him, would leave the head coaching position with his head held high and reputation as a great coach and club servant forever in place.

What is certain, however, is the club will never sack Longmire even if we lose every game in 2016. He has too much credit built up after seven great seasons, two Grand finals and one flag for the club to make such a knee jerk decision.

I will treasure my memories of the skinny kid from country Victoria who went on to grace the football fields of Ausrealia, won everything the game had to win and became the greatest Blood of them all, Belcher, Pratt, Skilton and Kelly notwithstanding,

An ornament to the game, a champion of the cause of reconciliation and recognition foe his people and the greatest Swan to ever don the Red and White. We may never see his equal for talent and longevity.

I hope the AFLPA will consider the Adam Goodes medal for the fairest and best indigenous player each season

Congratulations on an excellent first article Simon, and welcome to the team.

Sometimes players do go on beyond their body’s ability to perform at that level.. Speaking now on Goodes in particular, whom on the Swans list is her keeping from getting a game to the detriment of the entire team? The answer is, simply, no one. Even though diminished by age compared with his once lofty heights, there is no one more talented waiting in the wings for an opportunity. I think Adam will choose to retire at season’s end but, whether he does or does not, his deserving a game on merit remains definite.

An excellent article Jay.
I feel the challenge for the Swans is not just integrating their marquee signings but also the AFL rules which are preventing the team from any trade based rebuilding. The gap between our best and least players is too vast and, special cases like Isaac Heeney aside, we are currently unable to rebuild internally in the manner of teams such as West Coast, Collingwood and GWS. Andrew Pridham spoke strongly on this topic at Friday’s pre game Chairmans function and I sense the Club is ready to legally challenge the AFL over the matter,
It is hard to build belief amongst the players when they see obvious deficiencies in the squad which are not being addressed because of League interference. The currently imposed restrictions must be removed and Sydney must be an active player in Trade period, willing to lose some genuine talent in the short term to facilitate medium to long term success. Names such as Reid, Jetta, Jones, and even Hannebery must be available if the right offer is made – and in Hanners’ case it would need to be an amazing offer

Why? Because he is a man – an Aboriginal man – who has had the temerity not to just be a champion footballer but to also be a successful, articulate and highly vocal advocate for reconciliation, equality and human dignity and brought to the fore the numerous wrongs committed upon his people. He dared stop in the middle of a game – against Eddiewood of all teams – and publicly identify the espoused of racist comments, and then further upset by not laughing at President Eddie’s King Kong comment. He has directly confronted and challenged the notion of white Australian privilege and, for sadly all too many white Australians, this has combined to make him a threat to the way the Universe is supposed to be. This is the core group of those who boo him and the rest are sheep who simply follow along.

Each boo I hear makes me ashamed to be an Australian. Until it makes most of us feel that way, that vocal minority of hard core racists who think the passion of AFL gives their vile rankings an anonymous platform will continue, and the sheep will continue to baa.

I believe that, as a people, we are better than this. The remaining rounds will prove me right, or wrong. It’s up to you, folks.

What he said!

Sean, thank you for your unbiased, calm, erudite and compelling article. It says everything I would have said but in such a concise and educative way that I clearly see the difference between Guro’s and Experts when it comes to writing on here.

Bravo Sean and Bravo Adam Goodes who, as shown by Sean, has done nothing in his life or his football to warrant such offensive behaviour. I am sometimes put down by other writers here who feel that I have Goodes on too high a pedestal, I disagree. Both as a man and as a footballer I do not find any pedestal too high for him. He has earned every accolade ad deserved all the glory and honouration which has come his way.

No matter what I write though, some will continue to boo. Shame of you. To the decent and reasonable members and attendees of sporting clubs, don’t sit silently. Speak out, tell your fellow’supporters’ to can it and,mid they add racist commentary to their booing, name and shame them though speaking out and having them ejected or arrested. Take a stand,must as Adam has done and Nicky and Michael in years past. It is said that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to sit silent and do nothing. Be string all of you and let the silent minority be loud and clear in their message – racists and rabble rousers go home; our club does not support you and does not need you. As a community of sporting supporters we can do this!

An earlier comment observed that this behaviour will not stop until the opposition team walks off in support of Goodes. I believe the AFLPA has considered a similar approach, whereby the players will simply stop playing mid match until the booing stops and, as a flow on, hope we would then see those mindless morons who continue driven out of the ground by public pressure.

Although I believe personally that most of this booing is not racially motivated, it remains undeniable that the sheep in the crowd who find it somehow amusing to follow and join the booing are following a group for whom this IS racially motivated. Thus, these sheep unwittingly become racists by default.

I am a Swans supporter but this goes beyond my club allegiance. Goodes is undeniably a champion – you do not win two Brownlows by accident – and his tendencies in latter years of sliding into contests and playing for free kicks are not enough to tarnish the image of a champion who took the game to a new level and awed fans across the AFL. It is sad that the girl from Collingwood was not displaying her birth certificate before she was called out for racist behaviour but, in my eyes, even a thirteen year old is well aware of the difference between right and wrong. Her comments WERE racially motivated and Goodes had every right to act as he did, just as Nicky Winmar did years before.

Adam Goodes is a remarkable man. Behind the scenes of his football he co-headed a Foundation for indigenous youth with close friend Michael O’Loughlin and championed the cause of changing life outcomes for indigenous children, work he now continues through the Recognise movement. He may have won his Australian of the Year award because of his sporting fame but there is no doubt his work in bettering the life outcomes for indigenous Australians made him a worthy nominee and an equally worthy winner – no more so than the other nominees but, equally, no less so.. Should he be criticised for being selected by an independent committee of assessor so over whom he had no influence? I will never believe so.

AFL fans, you are better than this. By all means revel in the banter that has always been part of our great game but don’t be mindless sheep. Be conscious that your “innocent” and “humorous” booing of Goodes acts as protective cover for hard core racists who hate Goodes because he has had success, experienced fame and stood up against attacks and apathy towards his Perple; the most marginalised segment of our population. He stands for unity and equality – why would you.boo that?

Someone on here called Goodes a tosser. We are all entitled to an opinion, so here is mine; if you wish to truly see a tosser, simply look into a mirror.

Thank you for reading and, in advance, thank you for the replies I am sure to receive.

Although I don’t place the blame for our decline solely at Longmire’s door, I’m forced to concede that Cameron’s article and the points he raises are well made. Given that, as a team we are in a period of transition, perhaps it is also time to have a transition of senior Coach in place as with Paul Roos at both Sydney and Melbourne. We’re this to be adopted I feel we already have the ideal successor in Stuart Dew. Let’s sign him before either Adelaide or Carlton has the chance.

We have three identified personnel deficiencies at the club – small forward, ruck and defence. Taking the latter first, I think we must accept that Alex Johnson I’d doomed to a fate similar to Anthony Morabito; a great talent cruel led into retirement from the rigours of AFL through a serious injury that just never came right. Within two years Shaw, Grundy and Richards will also be gone and there is no one on the list showing any indication that they can grow into those positions,

The ruckm stocks are better placed in the longer term. Nankervis is still a kid but is developing well and I like what I have seen of him. Pyle and Deryckx have limited futures and Tippett cannot be in two places at once. Stocks are thin in AFL ranks but one player ID love to trad in and groom would be Gold Coasts Daniel Gorringe. Hawk John Ceglar would also be attractive.

The small forward position is crucial and currently vacant, within a year I believe injury or age will see the departure of mcGlynn and Adam Goodes leaving a huge hole in the front 60 metres. Luke Parker is an obvious choice with his marking above his height and excellent skills on both sides, with the advantage that Isaac Heeney is a running start to fill the midfield hole he would leave. Sadly, both my expect ions of, and lack of faith in, Lewis Jetta, mean I cannot consider him for the role de spite his break out 2012 season. My views on him may have much to do with poor coaching not utilising his skills to the best but although he would appear ideal for the task he shows very little. The same can be sain for Gary Rohan though in his case injuries have been his enemy above also and no one can predict his future.

So, where to from here. Well, assuming the AFL ever decides to let us trade actively again we may have to offer some real juicy offers to get what we need. Josh Dunkley, our father son selection, had a solid U18 carnival and a young lad from WA named Cameron AhChee impressed me as a live wire small forward. Though I would expect him to go top ten much will depend on the draft camp. If he were to be available to us I’d like to see us grab him and set him loose at Tippet’s feet.

Some of the players we might have to part with have real talent and, whilst I would hate to see them leave, the time has come to accept that our days of getting something for nothing have passed. Bird, Reid, Cunningham, Mitchell, Lloyd, Jetta! Robinson, Towers and Naismith should all be considered for deals but they would need to attract a quality offer to be considered for release. It would be up to Andrew Ireland his recruiting team to ensure we we dived maximum value,.

This isn’t a case of patching holes but, rather, of proactively restructuring the list to ensure we remain highly effective at the sharp end of the ladder for many s easiness to come. I believe we can do it.

I agree Christo. I can see Tippett taking on a Brad Ottens type of role where he can hurt you in the middle and on the scoreboard. If the interchange numbers do end up being lowered substantially, such a player becomes worth his weight in gold as a genuine threat even when resting forward. He has a long way to go yet but I liked the little we saw of Toby Nankervis. Give him a few years and he and Tippett could be an imposing combination

Ryan, may I say the Expert tag is most appropriate for you. That was a superb analysis and, as a Swans madwoman when it comes to team allegiance, showed me some of the reasons I have been trying to find to explain what I consider to have been a mediocre season at best so far – if you can say that of a team sitting in third place.

One question I hope you can answer for me. Over many seasons I have watched us play down to the level of lower placed opponents. Our skill levels seem to drop, structures unravel and what should be a ten goal plus percentage boosting win becomes just a dour struggle where we finally pull ourselves together just enough to win. Is it a mental issue? Do we look at our opponents and consider the game won before it begins, or have those lower teams found the secret that intensity and effort can outweigh skill? Thank you for the article and I’d love to hear your assessment.

Is Sydney- you know, that team in the top four – even playing this week?

I don’t have the words to express how I am feeling.

What a sad, senseless waste and I grieve for family and friends and for all connected with the Adelaide Football Club.

The fixture involving Adelaide this weekend MUST be cancelled as an act of simple decency to the players. They will all need counselling over this and it could be psychologically harmful in the longer term to make them play. They might feel they want to go out and play in his memory but the truth is they need time to process this horrible loss and they cannot do that AND prepare for a match. The AFL needs to step in quickly and protect the players from feeling forced to choose.