Thomas is AFL's new king: Lyon

Updated May 30, 2011 15:28:00

Chris Judd is the Brownlow Medal favourite but according to St Kilda coach Ross Lyon, Dale Thomas is the AFL's best player.

While Carlton skipper Judd has been widely praised for his inspirational efforts in midfield during the first 10 rounds, Thomas blitzed West Coast on Sunday with a 30-possession game to lead Collingwood to a 52-point win.

The 11th-placed Saints take on Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night in a grand final re-match and Lyon says he is in awe of 23-year-old midfielder Thomas.

Lyon went along to the MCG on Sunday with assistant coach Robert Harvey.

"I turned to Robert Harvey and I said 'geez, he is the best player in the competition at the moment'," Lyon said.

"He has been outstanding.

"Everyone has talked about (Brendon) Goddard's finals.

"But what Thomas did in the finals and the grand finals, what he does without the ball, against Adelaide (in round nine), he turned that team around with his fanatical chasing.

"He covers that much territory. He's unbelievable. I really admire him.

"Not only what he can do with the ball, you saw his left-foot snap (against West Coast).

"But he'll run from the forward pocket to the back pocket to spoil the ball and get in the way.

"He chases down, he's really inspirational to watch."

Thomas was third in Collingwood's best and fairest behind Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury in 2010 and Lyon faces a difficult task to keep the Pies' star-studded midfield quiet.

St Kilda has registered only three victories and a draw from nine games but has strung two wins together over Melbourne and Fremantle.

"Certainly we've improved," Lyon told SEN Radio.

"We have more consistency and greater effort over long periods of the game.

"In a lot of ways West Coast were outstanding. They're still an emerging team.

"What Collingwood have got is class all over the paddock.

"You make a half-mistake and great teams make you pay and they've got that capacity."

Lyon described the Saints as a different team to last year, pointing to the batch of inexperienced players in the current line-up including Tom Lynch, Nick Winmar, Arryn Siposs, Jack Steven and David Armitage.

"It's going to be a great challenge for them. They get an opportunity play the best team in the competition," Lyon said.

The Saints are confident Goddard (neck) and Sean Dempster (concussion) will be fit to play against Collingwood.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, vic, collingwood-3066, st-kilda-3182

First posted May 30, 2011 14:24:00

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Power cut off: financial crisis point

Port Adelaide Football Club's financial problems have gone from bad to worse after the SANFL withdrew support and credit lines to help the debt-riddled club. Moves may be made for the SANFL to take over Power.

SANFL appointed Power board member John Irving tendered his resignation, with pressures placed for club president Brett Duncanson and chief executive officer Mark Haysman to do the same.

Talking to 891 Breakfast, The Advertiser chief football writer Michelangelo Rucci said the SANFL keeping the AFL club licence in the state was essential to the success of the Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

"Does the AFL then start writing cheques?

"And then if they're writing the cheques, they would inevitably demand that their people be running the footy club."

He told Matthew Abraham and David Bevan that he believed it would be unlikely that the current administration would continue tenure.

Falling home-ground crowd attendances have not helped the financial plight of the Port Adelaide Football Club, with the club still failing to produce profits.

"The reality is you have to get people to your games and you also have to have a stadium deal that allows you to profit from those people at the game.

"It is a continuation of what is a major issue on the governance of SA footy, when the Adelaide Football Club couldn't make a profit last year and will not make a profit this year, something is not adding up is it?"

891 Grandstand AFL commentator and former development coach for Port Adelaide Stephen Williams said the club may need to renegotiate its deal with SANFL to get to the larger Adelaide Oval grounds sooner.

"The club certainly is in a bad way.

"The people that are running Port Adelaide have a plan in place, and Port Adelaide people have to have the confidence that these guys know what they are doing."

Meetings will be held today to decide the financial future of the club and its current leadership group.

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Government told to reject AFL games in the south

Posted May 30, 2011 08:13:00

The Tasmanian Government's controversial decision on whether to fund AFL games in Hobart is expected to stir heated debate in state cabinet today.

State Cabinet is expected to consider a proposal for North Melbourne to play two matches a season at Bellerive Oval.

The deal would cost half a million dollars a year.

The Greens leader Nick McKim says it can not be justified when public sector jobs are on the line and a tough budget looms.

"It's just not justifiable to spend yet more government, tax payer money on AFL football," he said.

The Premier Lara Giddings says she is listening.

"They're certainly considerations that I'm undertaking now as to is now the time or not," she said.

The proposal has created divisions between the north and south, because of concerns it is not sustainable to have AFL venues in both Hobart and Launceston.

Tags: australian-football-league, tas

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Demons' injury list grows

Published:Monday, May 30, 2011 7:22 AESTExpires:Sunday, August 28, 2011 7:22 AEST

Melbourne is likely to be without Aaron Davey for six to eight weeks due to a knee injury.

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Tags: australian-football-league, sports-injuries, melbourne-3000

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Power back among winners

Expires:Saturday, August 27, 2011 11:20

Port Adelaide has ended a six-game losing streak with a 89-74 win over Richmond in their AFL game in Darwin.

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Tags: australian-football-league, darwin-0800, sa, adelaide-5000, port-adelaide-5015

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Crunch time looming for Pt Adelaide footy club

The SANFL adviser appointed to Port Adelaide Football Club board, John Irving, has resigned.

There are reports the League could take over the debt-ridden club.

The SANFL is said to have no cash reserves to let it keep underwriting the football club.

The Power says it is continuing to work with the SANFL.

In a statement, the club says it expects to report a significant financial turnaround of at least $2 million in 2011.

Former development coach with the Power and former SANFL Magpies player and coach Stephen Williams concedes it is a difficult time.

"If the Adelaide [Crows] footy club can't make money in Adelaide how is Port Adelaide going to make it?" he said.

"And the [Adelaide Oval] stadium deal is just not favourable to both clubs.

"Football certainly brings a lot of money to the SANFL in Adelaide but it goes straight to the SANFL and then they give it back to Port Adelaide."

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