Power dash Jurrah's AFL draft hopes

Updated December 10, 2012 20:55:25

Troubled ex-Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah will not be in the AFL next season after Port Adelaide ruled out punting on him in Tuesday's pre-season or rookie drafts.

Ex-Adelaide star forward Kurt Tippett is set to finally get his wish to join reigning premiers Sydney.

Tippett is the one big fish among the many recycled AFL players set to dominate the off-season's last recruiting opportunity.

But Jurrah faces at least a year in AFL exile.

The 24-year-old, who walked out on the Demons at the end of the 2012 AFL season, is due to face court in Alice Springs next March over assault charges.

He has trained with the Power in recent weeks.

But Port football manager Peter Rohde said injury-related fitness concerns and Jurrah's off-field troubles had put them off drafting him on Tuesday.

The Power have instead offered him a spot with their SANFL club, help with his court battle, assistance regaining fitness and a promise they will consider recruiting him for 2014.

The Swans will not enter the pre-season draft until pick number 11.

But with Greater Western Sydney, who have the top pick, having ruled out taking Tippett - who is suspended for next year's first 11 rounds over a draft and salary cap saga - and no signs of interest elsewhere, the way is clear for Sydney.

GWS plan to re-draft veteran ruckman Dean Brogan and are likely to also extend ex-Carlton key position player Bret Thornton's career.

The Crows will re-draft Nick Joyce, the youngster they de-listed before November's national draft when they were not allowed to cut Tippett.

Andrew Collins (Carlton), Ariel Steinberg (Essendon), Callum Bartlett (Brisbane), Peter Yagmoor (Collingwood), Jesse Crichton (Fremantle), Ben Speight and Cameron Richardson (North Melbourne) are others likely to be welcomed back onto the main or rookie lists of clubs that delisted them.

Collingwood will give veteran ruckman Ben Hudson his fourth AFL home through the rookie draft.

Ex-Geelong ruckman Orren Stephenson could be picked up by Richmond.

Former Geelong and Essendon midfielder Brent Prismall is hoping to join the Western Bulldogs.

He is battling for a spot with VFL player Brett Goodes, the brother of Sydney's Adam.

Other relatives of AFL players hoping for selection include Xavier Richards and Brandon Jack, the brothers of Sydney's Ted and Kieren respectively, who are on the Swans' radar.

Jordon Bourke, the son of former Geelong and Brisbane big man Damien, is seeking a spot with the Lions.

Dayle Garlett, cousin of Carlton's Jeff, is hoping to join Essendon, where he has been training after being overlooked in the national draft because of disciplinary concerns despite being rated one of the nation's most talented youngsters.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000, sa, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted December 10, 2012 20:55:25

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Petrenko hopes to play against Hawks

Updated September 17, 2012 15:55:51

Adelaide forward Jared Petrenko trained with the Crows on Monday and remains optimistic about lining up in Saturday's preliminary final against Hawthorn at the MCG.

Petrenko dislocated his right shoulder during Adelaide's semi-final win against Fremantle.

Crows assistant coach Mark Bickley says the team would miss his energy and aggression if he is ruled out.

"He's important, not just to structure but also his attack on the opposition is really good and he's fervent in his pressure," Bickley said.

"Having said that if it's not Jared we've got plenty of other options for people to be able to play that role."

Petrenko was close to tears after the Dockers game, in clear discomfort and fearing for his ability to play on in the finals.

The 22-year-old - who has kicked 16 goals for the season so far - incurred the injury in the final minutes of the match.

But Bickley said Petrenko was still optimistic of taking his place against Hawthorn.

"He is quite buoyant in terms of his chance," Bickley said.

"Obviously it's going to be tough for him to get up, and the style of play he plays, he's a pretty rugged type.

"But at the same time he's also a very professional and very determined young man."

Bickley said the club's medical staff will have the final say.

"You take a little bit of responsibility as the player in being honest about how you're feeling," he said.

"But it's not like we'll play him without testing it at some stage so I'd suggest later in the week if he was still in the mix that he would have to prove to the coaching staff that it is capable of standing up."

Adelaide's structure is already under serious stress in the back six following the first two rounds of the finals series.

The Crows have lost two key defenders - Rising Star winner Daniel Talia (broken arm) and Sam Shaw (hamstring) - for the season.

This weekend Adelaide will have to find a way to stop Hawthorn's stellar forward line, with the likes of Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Jack Gunston and David Hale providing a stern test for any AFL defence.

Crows defender Andy Otten has played only five games in 2012, but he has already been identified as a likely replacement for Shaw.

"We are delving pretty deep into our key position stocks in key defenders," Bickley said.

"And we have lost a couple with injury late this year.

"So to be able to have a player in the calibre of Andy - had finals experience before, bigger body and has proven that he can stand up and play on a big stage - that is probably a fortunate position to be in."

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

First posted September 17, 2012 15:40:39

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AFL hopes soar, until reality sets in

Comment by Neil Cross

Updated June 08, 2012 11:55:41

There are three critical times in the AFL calendar when expectation appears to overwhelm reality. At the beginning, in the middle and then in September.

At the start of each season, every team talks of records being broken in the gym and on the track. Every club talks of a finals finish. Every fan is filled with hope.

Around mid-June, there is again a good deal of hyperbole based on the performances of the clubs during the first half of the season.

Some of the discussion deems clubs worthy of a place in the eight. Then there is a list of battlers just beyond the worthy and finally the clubs deemed also-rans.

Again in September, the expectation rises. Usually it peaks after the first week of finals. Inevitably the winners in the lower half of the eight are talked up as being real contenders for the premiership. Reality is usually restored after the second week of finals.

So there are three distinct times when clubs are universally assessed and their futures guessed at. Then there are the Tigers.

Richmond has become a special case. And it is happening again. While it happens to be mid-season, the reality is this. Any time the Tigers put together a few wins there is a rising tide of emotion that declares the yellow-and-black is back.

Once again, the Tigers are supposedly contenders. Their young players have developed, their game plan is locked in and their performances back up the assessment that they are the real deal. The Tigers have won four of their past five games, among them solid wins over top eight sides, Sydney and Hawthorn.

Hang on. They are 10th on the ladder.

But in the world of the Tiger fan - and plenty of others - that's just a minor detail. For supporters who have seen their side play in the finals just twice since their last grand final appearance in 1982, any sign of progress is to be firmly embraced, hugged, gripped, squeezed and - only when all hope is gone - discarded.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has tried to manage expectations, but nevertheless is a believer.

"We've got the players to take us wherever we need to go," Hardwick said in recent days.

"The core group is here that's going to take Richmond, I think, to its next finals campaign."

But he added a note of caution.

"We've just got to keep adding players along the way," he said. "I've got no doubt they'll get there at some stage."

At some stage. The reality for Richmond is that, with five wins after 10 rounds, another seven victories, perhaps even eight, are going to be needed to ensure a place in the top eight come the finals. That would be seven (or eight) wins from 12 remaining games. In the cut-throat world of the AFL that will be no easy task.

On the other hand, as the ladder stands now, the Tigers will only have to play three sides in the top eight during those 12 games.

The Tigers passed 50,000 members this week and have a target of 75,000 by 2014. There have even been suggestions the 100,000-member mark is not beyond the club.

Performance on and off the field are intrinsically linked. The major problem remains whether expectation and reality are still too far apart for the Tigers.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sa, vic, richmond-3121, australia

First posted June 08, 2012 11:55:41

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Merrett's return boosts Lions' hopes

Updated January 16, 2012 18:45:52

It is not just Lion king Jonathan Brown who Brisbane believes will lift it out of the AFL cellar in 2012.

Brown's vice-captain Daniel Merrett is also ready to provide a significant boost from the other end of the ground this season after a full recovery from a serious back problem.

Full-back Merrett was in wonderful form over the first 10 rounds of 2011 before a stress fracture ended his season as the Lions, sorely missing their influential bookends, slumped to 15th.

But, like Brown who is now well over his horrific facial fractures, the 27-year-old is champing at the bit following a lengthy preseason which has him in the best shape of his career.

Despite few changes to Michael Voss's young list, Merrett stressed confidence of a jump back up the ladder was high at the club.

"To have your skipper out there is always pretty handy," the defender said.

"When he is missing most of the year, especially the influence that Browny has, it's pretty tough.

"The group definitely walks taller whan he's out there."

While there is little change to personnel, Merrett stressed it would be a stronger young list.

"Our young boys are another year older as well and they're stepping up," he said.

"Even (2011 club champion) Tommy Rockliff, the amount of influence he has on the group now and he's only 22, he has another year under his belt and he will take a lot of confidence out of last year.

"Across the board, you're just going to get that improvement from everyone and more blokes chipping in."

One new face is Hawthorn recruit Jordan Lisle, 21, who has impressed in training to be a prime candidate to partner Brown up front.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted January 16, 2012 18:44:50

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Lion Clark's trade hopes stall

Updated October 10, 2011 20:34:29

Mitch Clark's hopes of being traded from Brisbane to Fremantle hit a brick wall on Monday as the Lions declared there was a significant gulf between the clubs over the ruck-forward's worth.

Clark's manager Colin Young said he hoped a deal would be finalised with the Dockers before trade week ends on October 17.

"Mitch has met with Fremantle, he's met with Ross (Lyon), and he just loves where they're going and he wants to be there. I think he is Fremantle-bound," Young told afl.com.au's Trade Week Radio.

But Brisbane national talent manager Rob Kerr said West Coast had been more reasonable than Fremantle.

"It's fair to say there was next to no movement with Mitch Clark today," Kerr said.

"We value Mitch in a different way to what Fremantle values him."

Kerr said Clark had requested a trade to Western Australia and the Lions would try to secure a suitable trade.

"If a deal's not done then Mitch is a required player at Brisbane and we'll be doing our best to retain him from then on," he said.

Kerr said there was a reasonable possibility Clark would remain with the Lions.

"We feel we have put a fair position (to Fremantle). It takes two to negotiate and we haven't seen much sign of that," he said.

"I would say that West Coast have been much more reasonable."

Fremantle's first selection is number 16 in the November Draft.

"Pick 16 in this draft, when you are talking about a player of the quality of Mitch, is probably not enough," Kerr said.

Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said the Dockers would continue to negotiate.

"We've got Mitch who wants to come to us and obviously we'd like to get a trade done because I think having him at the club by the end of trade week helps everyone involved," Bond told reporters on Monday.

West Coast football operations manager Neale Daniher said the Eagles were still in the running.

One of the big rumours of day one of trade week was that some of St Kilda's stars such as Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo would be thrown up for discussion because of salary-cap pressures.

However St Kilda's head of football Chris Pelchen sought to play down what he called the hysteria surrounding the Saints, who are still to sign a coach for next season.

"I can certainly say with conviction that none of those boys will be traded," Pelchen said.

"It's certainly well known that our TPP (Total Player Payments) is challenged.

"There seems to be a lot of hysteria around our TPP position.

"It's strained, it's somewhat delicate. But at the same time it's manageable."

Pelchen says the Saints are confident of retaining out-of-contract trio Farren Ray, Brett Peake and Zac Dawson.

Two trades were finalised on Monday, both involving Greater Western Sydney.

Collingwood regained 46-game wingman Marty Clarke in a trade, two years after he left the club to return to Ireland.

The Magpies gave up their first pick in November's national draft, number 25 overall, in return for Clarke, Murray Bushrangers junior Jamie Elliot and pick 67 from GWS.

Richmond recruited 22-year-old defender Steven Morris, son of former Tiger Kevin Morris, in a similar deal with the Giants.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, fremantle-6160, wa, australia

First posted October 10, 2011 20:34:29

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