Swan denies Buckley rift rumours

Updated April 23, 2012 13:45:55

Collingwood superstar Dane Swan has dismissed rumours of a rift with his coach Nathan Buckley, saying they have a great relationship.

The Brownlow medallist fronted the media before the Magpies strolled around the Botanical Gardens as part of their rehabilitation before their massive Anzac Day clash with high-flying Essendon at the MCG.

"People can believe what they want," Swan said.

"I have a great relationship with him, just like I did with Mick (former Collingwood coach Malthouse).

"We're fine and we have no issues."

Former North Melbourne great Wayne Carey said last week that up to seven Collingwood players had fallen out with Buckley, a claim which was denied by the club.

In addition to the Buckley rumour, the heavily-scrutinised Swan has been criticised for being out of shape.

Swan said he was an easy target because until his stand-out performance in their last-round win over Port Adelaide, he had not been playing well.

"I think I wasn't playing well and we were losing so people tend to pick on you when you're not going well and you're at a high-profile club," the 28-year-old said.

"For everyone who has any interest, which I'm not sure why, I'm about 800g heavier and my skinfolds are two points lower so for all the people who care about that, there you go."

He said rumours were made up by some people to feed their inflated egos but it did not affect the players or the club.

"They think they're reasonably important so they make up rumours to get their heads in the papers and their name on Twitter.

"We only care about what happens internally at the club so people can write what they like."

Swan had 36 touches in Collingwood's 24-point win over Port on Saturday as his side got its spluttering season on track.

The Magpies are set to have Alan Didak and Nathan Brown back in the line-up against the Bombers after strong showings in the VFL.

"If Bucks (Buckley) decides to play them, they're both premiership players and in our best 22 so whether they'd be right to come in off a four-day break or wait until after Anzac Day, that's for the coaches to decide."

Swan described the clash with unbeaten Essendon as a "massive challenge".

"It was good to get a win on the weekend but we weren't at our best," he said.

"We'd like to think we kick-started it on Saturday and we'll hopefully build on that."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted April 23, 2012 13:34:22

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Giddings denies pushing AFL sponsorship

Published:Wednesday, June 8, 2011 7:00 AESTExpires:Tuesday, September 6, 2011 7:00 AEST

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings says she did not pressure state owned TT-Line to provide $1.5 million to sponsor North Melbourne games in Hobart.

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Tags: liberal-party, greens, states-and-territories, australian-football-league, tas, hobart-7000

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Folau denies he's going anywhere

Posted May 13, 2011 18:18:00

Million-dollar AFL investment Israel Folau has scuttled reports within his own code that he wants to return to rugby league.

Former premiership-winning player and coach David Parkin said he had heard Folau had confided in "certain people" he no longer wanted to continue with his AFL odyssey.

"That's certainly not true," said the softly-spoken Folau on Friday in Brisbane.

"I'm here (AFL) now and I am certainly enjoying it.

"All the people on the outside can say what they like. I can't control that, but I'm fully committed for the next four years and I am loving it at the moment.

"I don't worry about it to be honest.

"I'm just trying to train hard and improve myself, develop the body of an AFL player and continue to learn to play that game."

While they were close mates playing rugby league for Brisbane and Queensland, Folau had not spoken much to Karmichael Hunt since they both switched.

"I've been watching his games closely and he's going pretty good," said Folau, who had shed six kilograms as part of his transition.

"He's one bloke I know who doesn't listen to the criticism he gets from the outside and he's going well."

Folau, who has found reading the play and being in the right position to get the ball hardest to learn, continues his development at Brisbane's Giffin Park on Saturday when the GWS Giants play a trial against the Lions reserve grade.

"I just have to be patient and that will come over time as I play more games," he said.

GWS assistant coach Craig Lambert felt Folau was making "unbelievable progress".

"He knows he's still got to improve a lot, but the way he supports our younger players, he's been enormous for us," Lambert said.

While Lambert was disappointed with Parkin's comments, he said Folau was a strong young man.

"He knows he's going to cop that most of his career," he said.

"I remember when Daniel Merrett arrived at Brisbane, with little experience at playing AFL, it took him five years before he was a consistent full-back.

"With Israel, we all want him to be this superstar straight away.

"It would be nice for everyone just to be patient."

Lambert admitted when he arrived at the Giants last November, Folau looked "big and awkward".

"His ability to work hard, to learn and to seek help - his development has been fantastic," he said.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, blacktown-2148

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Craig denies he's lost support of players

Posted May 10, 2011 13:20:00

Adelaide coach Neil Craig denies he has "lost" his players in the wake of their 96-point AFL drubbing by Melbourne.

The Crows languish in 12th spot with two wins for the season and further injury concerns heading into a home match against Gold Coast on Saturday.

Asked if he had lost his players, Craig said: "Not at all.

"As a coach, you always ask that question," he told Adelaide radio station 5AA.

"But this playing group, no.

"Have I asked the question? Absolutely - of course you do.

"You sort of ask that after every loss.

"But I'm really confident that I know where this playing group is going."

Main midfielder Scott Thompson is battling a calf injury while fellow onballer Patrick Dangerfield was concussed during a loss to the Demons which Craig described as "one of our worst efforts for many years".

The defeat was Adelaide's heaviest since 2004 when walloped by 141 points by Brisbane, four games after Craig was appointed caretaker coach.

The Melbourne thrashing, coming a week after Adelaide's fighting win over last year's beaten grand finalist St Kilda, puzzled Craig.

"It would be lovely to know the answer," he said.

"I guess the key thing for us was it was pretty much through the whole group.

"That is probably of one our worst performances for many years and I certainly didn't see it coming ... the players are bitterly disappointed with what we served up on the weekend.

"Our challenge now is to get back and try and recapture some of the form we have been able to demonstrate this year."

-AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, sa, adelaide-5000

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