Mick Malthouse fears thrashings will turn off fans

Jesper Fjeldstad From: Sunday Herald Sun August 07, 2011

PREMIERSHIP coach Mick Malthouse has expressed deep fears for the pulling power of the AFL competition after the Magpies' 138-point win over Port Adelaide to continue the theme of the haves belting the have-nots by monster margins.

Malthouse feared spectators would turn away from the game with more thrashings likely over the next few seasons because of the inclusion of the two new franchises and the introduction of free agency.

He was also concerned about the length of matches, wondering if matches like the one on display at AAMI Stadium entertained anybody other than masochists.

"I just think the scoreline at the moment in AFL football has to be a worrying trend for the AFL," Malthouse said. "It has to be. This is not going to bring football people to the football.

"At halftime we were 70 points in front and there was no suggestion of rubbing their face in it or humiliating them. It was simply about going about your role.

"Two new sides by next year ... consideration has to be given to who plays who, and the game is too long. Far too long.

"We're entertainers - not masochists. As a purist, you want to see games that are relatively even and Port, unfortunately, had a lot of injuries.

"It's only going to get worse. It'll get worse when free agency comes in. History has shown that players don't change clubs for money; they change for success. It will make the strong clubs stronger and the weak clubs weaker.

"Unfortunately, I think we're going to create something that's not ideal for the competition."

Matthew Primus said it was doubly embarrassing to suffer such a humbling defeat because it was premiership player Chad Cornes's final game - and the club had spent much of the week seeking to emulate Cornes's traits of passion and competitiveness to honour him.

The effort had been reasonable enough, Primus said, referring the contested ball and endeavour. But the players' ability to follow instructions had left much to wish for.

He also declined to use the difference in wealth between the two teams as an excuse and said he felt for the fans who had been suffering throughout the season after he embarked on a youth policy.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mick-malthouse-fears-thrashings-will-turn-off-fans/story-e6frf9jf-1226110022563

AFL must tackle club money woes: Kennett

August 7, 2011 - 1:56PM

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says the proportion of AFL clubs that rely on league handouts to stay afloat raises questions about the competition’s financial stability.

Kennett said he expected half of the 18 clubs next season would need AFL special assistance.

The Hawthorn president, whose six-year tenure will finish at the end of this season, said while the AFL remained Australia’s premier sporting code, its executives should not let ‘‘hubris’’ cause them to downplay the issue.

‘‘We’ve got a lot of work to do within the AFL as we go into next season,’’ Kennett told a pre-match function at Launceston’s Aurora Stadium on Sunday.

‘‘There’s no doubt in my mind that at least half the clubs will fundamentally be in administration.

‘‘By that, I mean they will be dependent on the AFL for continuing financial support above the dividend that is paid to each club, in order to keep them financial.

‘‘It is an issue that has to be addressed. It cannot be ignored. You cannot have a healthy competition if more than half of the clubs are fundamentally under administration.

‘‘It brings up the question of the sustainability of the code.

‘‘We can cover up the cracks if we wish, but there is something more deep-seated.’’

Kennett, attending his final match in Tasmania as Hawks president, also criticised AFL bosses for not attending a game in the island state during his time.

‘‘The chairman of the AFL Commission, nor the CEO, nor any commissioner has seen fit to come down to a game here in Tasmania,’’ he said.

‘‘I say that with deep heart, because the Tasmanian community, 500,000 of them, per capita are more pro-AFL football than any other community.’’

Prime Minister Julia Gillard attended the opening of a new 2125-seat stand at Aurora Stadium on Sunday, bringing the venue’s capacity to 21,000.

It replaced a stand which was damaged by fire in 2008.

The federal and state governments and Launceston city council jointly contributed most of the $9.9 million cost, with the Hawks ($300,000) and AFL ($200,000) also helping.

AAP


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-must-tackle-club-money-woes-kennett-20110807-1ih90.html#ixzz1UKVd7Mnf

Viewers turn off Magpie mauling

Confidential writers From: Herald Sun August 08, 2011 1:44PM

EVEN the pulling power of Collingwood and Carlton couldn't attract viewers to the one-sided matches they were involved in broadcast by Channel 10 on Saturday.

The Saturday night broadcast in which Collingwood demolished Port Adelaide by 138 points drew an average audience of only 265,000 Melbourne viewers.

That was barely more than the average audience of 246,000 for Channel 10's live football show Before The Game.

The figures were well down on Friday night's delayed broadcast of the St Kilda-Fremantle game on Channel 7 which attracted an average of 350,000 viewers in Melbourne and 171,000 in Perth.

But Collingwood fans don't mind wacthing their team inflict a thumping - they stayed tuned in throughout the broadcast despite the lop-sided contest.

And the Magpies' big win was still clearly the most watched program of the evening. An average Melbourne audience of 186,000 watched National Treasure on Seven, 197,000 tuned into Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on Nine, and the ABC's Kingdom brought in 182,000 viewers.

But there's no truth in a rumor that a repeat of Iron Chef on SBS gave the Saturday night footy a run for its money. The program only averaged 39,000 viewers in Melbourne.

Pay TV subscribers would have turned to the Essendon-Sydney game, which was one of the matches of the season, and drew 247,000 pay TV viewers nationally on Fox Sports with an average of 88,000 in Melbourne.

Channel 10's footy coverage was further hit with only 170,000 viewers in Melbourne tuning into the Saturday afternoon broadcast of the Carlton-Melbourne game in which the Blues also scored a runaway victory.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/confidential/viewers-turn-off-magpie-mauling/story-fn9eu7in-1226110990519

AFL's push north backed by numbers

Patrick Smith From: The Australian August 10, 2011 12:00AM

BRISBANE and Gold Coast combined have won just six out of 36 games this season but have still produced evidence that AFL expansion into northern markets will prove a significant boost to the code's influence and profit.

Figures obtained by The Australian yesterday show that 77,000 more people have attended AFL games in Queensland up to round 19, a jump of 28 per cent on 2010. Importantly though for broadcast partners the Seven Network and Fox Sports, 1.2 million extra Queensland viewers have been drawn to games involving the Lions and Suns.

Even though both attendances and ratings had to rise because of the introduction of the Gold Coast, which has meant a game in Queensland every week, the league considers the figures significant given the poor on-field performance of the rebuilding Lions and the tottering steps of the league's latest baby.

The extra game available to the AFL after expansion to 18 teams in 2012 has been valued at $150 million over the life of the five-year broadcast deal that begins next year. The AFL's broadcasters will pay $1.2 billion over the five years.

While AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou would not confirm the figure of $150m for the ninth game, it is about the range that the AFL boss has been telling players as he goes about explaining the league's position in the continuing CBA dispute with the footballers' union.

"The figure for the ninth game will drive recurrent growth," Demetriou said. "The AFL has set aside $220m over six years to underpin and develop Gold Coast and GWS. That is a finite figure. The ninth game will continue to deliver bigger earnings with each new broadcast deal.

"We have always said that one of the reasons we wanted second teams in Queensland and Sydney, on the Gold Coast and in western Sydney, was to grow the game, both in spectators and TV ratings. A game every week in those markets will do that. The ratings show how the extra team enhances the broadcast rights.

"The round seven game between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, the first Q Clash, drew an audience of 357,832, which is the highest-rating AFL game ever on Fox television."

Nonetheless, club presidents Jeff Kennett (Hawthorn) and Eddie McGuire (Collingwood) continued their harsh criticism of the league administration and its commission on Melbourne radio yesterday.

McGuire criticised the league for its paltry support of weaker clubs.

"Have a look at what welfare has done for Aboriginal Australia - it's been fantastic hasn't it? And this is what we're getting with the AFL. If you've got clubs who think the only way they can prosper is to meekly put their hands out and maybe get a few crumbs off the table of the AFL, they're never going to fight their way to the top."

At the heart of McGuire's position is fear that limited support for the AFL's smaller clubs only confirms their mediocrity.

"If the clubs had a greater investment from the league then they would be more adventurous in the market place and have the capital to drive their own and different revenue streams," he said.

"You're never going to thrive and prosper being on the drip. You've got to enthuse people to go and break new ground."

Kennett continued with his anthem that half of the clubs in the competition would need special assistance from the league next year and this could prove the tipping point for the health of the overall game.

"The welfare of the 18 clubs, half of them will be receiving special assistance payments from the AFL in order to continue to operate or be more competitive. I've always argued that if 50 per cent of the clubs need financial support then you have a very real problem," Kennett said. "Those who will be receiving that assistance, the chances of them rebounding financially in the next five years is very limited."

Both presidents argued that clubs dependent on the league for financial assistance where too timid to criticise the AFL administration in case of retribution from headquarters. McGuire said: "So many clubs are frightened to even say anything to the AFL, frightened to fight. If you haven't got a club that's prepared to fight off the ground, you're not going to have one that's going to fight on the ground either."

Demetriou yesterday dismissed Kennett's claims out of hand. "If the AFL stopped all extra assistance to clubs today the only club that would not be able to pay its way would be Port Adelaide. That's a club with deep problems that are mostly historical and we have been working with for two years," Demetriou said. "With the other clubs it is not an issue."

Both Port Adelaide and Adelaide will move to the city-central Adelaide Oval after its redevelopment is completed in 2013. The AFL announced assistance packages of $9m for Port and $3m for Adelaide to support the clubs until the change to the new venue is complete.

Demetriou was equally disdainful of the criticism that clubs were fearful to speak up in fear of an angry reaction from the league. "Not in any discussions with clubs has the AFL mentioned the ASD (assistance payments). It is total nonsense. Just wrong," he said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/afls-push-north-backed-by-numbers/story-e6frg7mf-1226111938355

Bulldogs to beef up with AFL funding

Jake Niall
August 12, 2011

THE Western Bulldogs will focus primarily on beefing up their football department, rather than eliminating debt, with the new funding the club receives from the AFL.

The Bulldogs have confirmed they plan to increase spending on their football operations, which were clearly the lowest in the AFL in 2010 when player payments are subtracted.

Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick and president David Smorgon said the club's main focus would be on football when it received its revised distribution from the AFL.

This follows comments from St Kilda and North Melbourne about the unequal nature of the competition.

As an example of how the club had been unable to match the resources of richer clubs, Smorgon said last night the Dogs had been unable to purchase a high-tech ''Alter G'' machine, which is used for rehabilitation of injured players and was in use at most rival clubs.

''They're $100,000. We just do not have the capacity today to be able to go out and buy that machine,'' he said.

''So we send our players to some place in Richmond, where they use it as necessary, where other clubs can be using it every day on their facility.''

Smorgon said the club had also gone without a list manager this year due to financial constraints, but had made provision for that position in next year's budget.

He pointed out that the AFL's equalisation priority was to even up football department resources, leaving debt elimination to the clubs.

He said the Bulldogs had taken its own debt-reduction program (it has held a ''bulldoze the debt'' function). ''I don't think the league are going to be paying off debts,'' Smorgon said.

''We've taken our own initiative on that and I think the emphasis from the league is about footy department spend - don't cap other clubs in terms of what they spend, but try and make sure - because of so many inequalities in the system - that those smaller clubs can get access to having the same sort of resources.

''To at least the fundamentals of what a football department should be structured in 2012 and beyond.''

The Bulldogs spent about $300,000 less on their football department, excluding player payments, than any other team last year - a fact that Garlick pointed out at a debt-reduction fund-raiser earlier this year.

North Melbourne was the second-lowest spender in this category, and Richmond third from the bottom.

Smorgon said the Dogs were 14th, or third from the bottom, in overall football department costs once player payments were included.

He said when asked about the dollars required in football: ''But it's more to do with have we got the capacity to have what we would regard as the appropriate level of resources to run a football department that can make us, or make sure, that we maintain our competitiveness?''

Smorgon said the club had ''obviously been competitive over the last three years'' while spending in the bottom quartile each year, but added: ''Clearly we've been able to do that with some compromises.''

Smorgon said the ''explosion in football department spending'' in the AFL had left some clubs behind.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/bulldogs-to-beef-up-with-afl-funding-20110811-1iovs.html#ixzz1UpCN4n1q

Five of the last six posts in this thread are Joffa. How the hell are you a mod?

Meet the 20 AFL players who deserve more love

Mark Stevens From: Herald Sun August 14, 2011

HARDBOILED names the top 20 most underrated players in the AFL.

1. JOSH KENNEDY (Sydney)

In the top five for average contested possessions per game in the competition, joining Matthew Boyd, Gary Ablett, Chris Judd and Matt Priddis.

Also averages six clearances, which puts him in elite company.

If he was still playing at Hawthorn and having those numbers alongside Sam Mitchell we'd be raving.

2. BEN REID (Collingwood)

Doesn't get the press or photo opportunities of the over-hyped Harry O'Brien, but is a star.

Best defender in the comp at picking off opposition marks and bound for All-Australian team.

Role still undervalued ... which is amazing considering the club he plays for.

3. DALE MORRIS (Western Bulldogs)

Has been All-Australian, but still doesn't get due credit. Can beat Eddie Betts one week, then match it with Nick Riewoldt the next.

Broken leg last night a massive blow for the battered Dogs. He is their rudder.

4. SHARROD WELLINGHAM (Collingwood)

Just a support act at the Magpies. Would he a headliner just about anywhere else.

Clean ball user with tricks, who shines every time he is asked to fill the void when a superstar teammate is missing.

5. JOSH GIBSON (Hawthorn)

Perceived as a regular in the social pages. Maybe for that reason, some don't take him seriously enough on-field.

The No.1 player in the game for effective spoils, he has held up an undermanned Hawks defence.

6. COREY ENRIGHT (Geelong)

Has been All-Australian. He's won two flags, too. But surrounded by so many other stars, Enright has not been given the credit he deserves.

7. HEATH SCOTLAND (Carlton)

Unfashionable, old-fashioned, but keeps getting it done.

Averaging 26 disposals a game, but overshadowed by the usual suspects - two No.1 picks and a bloke called Chris Judd.

Forget his quiet one yesterday, he has been a revelation.

8. SHANNON HURN (West Coast)

Arguably the most damaging kick in the game. Ideal set-up man in defence, who just goes about his business. Imagine the hype if he roosting it at the Pies.

9. TOM ROCKLIFF (Brisbane)

Out of sight, out of mind. Does his best work up in the tropics, but it is time we took note. Averaging 27 disposals.

10. KYLE HARDINGHAM (Essendon)

Has been solid all year, even if he has a licence to fly for hangers. As a constant with so many others dropping around him, deserves far more kudos than he has received.

He was just more marketable as a forward when he was wildly celebrating goals last year.

11. ANDREW CARRAZZO (Carlton)

Gets knocked for his kicking, probably unfairly. The hard things make up for it. Now super-important to Carlton amongst all the big names.

12. JACK REDDEN (Brisbane)

A tackling machine, averaging eight a game. Giving Michael Voss a foundation, yet he could walk down Bourke St unnoticed.

13. ALEX SILVAGNI (Fremantle)

Has been a solid senior player from the moment he was plucked from VFL. Even looked handy up forward yesterday.

Just gets to the right spots and does the right things. It's a simple game footy when you can do that. How the #$%& did Melbourne-based clubs overlook him?

14. CLINTON JONES (St Kilda)

Kicks high seven irons and can miss leading targets, but in many ways the heartbeat of St Kilda. Love his energy and ability to play a role.

Surely, one of the of first blokes Rossy Lyon would pick.

15. SCOTT THOMPSON (Adelaide)

Just keeps getting the pill. Has carried the whole team on his shoulders this year, averaing 29 disposals - two less than Sam Mitchell at Hawthorn. Talk this bloke up more, please.

16. JORDIE McKENZIE (Melbourne)

All the hype goes to others at the Demons. He's the grunt player. Other teammates should watch his tapes.

17. GREG BROUGHTON (Fremantle)

Unassuming type who just keeps racking them up. The original and best SuperCoach bargain.

18. CHRIS NEWMAN (Richmond)

Is skipper and revered by his own, but doesn't get enough love from the outside. Reliable in defence and a clever distributor.

19. SCOTT SELWOOD (West Coast)

Seven times this year has managed 10 tackles or more. Gets a job every week and rarely lets the coach John Worsfold down.

20. FARREN RAY (St Kilda)

Has lost the flair he had at the Dogs, but can now be relied on to play a role each week. Value to Saints as a recruit has been understated - perhaps because it's not fashionable to fall for Farren.

Will play more than 200 games. More than acceptable.

AND FINALLY ...

COULD Port Melbourne push Port Adelaide ... particulary if the game was played at TEAC Oval?

LIKE Freo's guernsey, BUT it seems ridiculous in reflection that the Dockers were able to go with dark purple and white - so close to Carlton's traditional dark navy and white.

Carlton was forced to wear baby blue yesterday. Would have thought it was in the AFL's interests to have a wide mix of colours.

SURELY Luke Dahlhaus gets a Rising Star nomination this week. Was electrifying last night.

MICHAEL Hurley suddenly looks a natural born forward ... who said he should play back?

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/meet-the-20-afl-players-who-deserve-more-love/story-fn7si05c-1226114536271

Swans skipper Jarrad McVeigh's baby daughter Luella dies

Al Paton From: Herald Sun August 24, 2011 6:22PM

THE Sydney Swans are in mourning after co-captain Jarrad McVeigh's baby daughter passed away today.

Luella McVeigh, born on July 25 with a serious heart condition, died this afternoon in Sydney's Westmead Hospital.

McVeigh and his wife Clementine were by their baby's side.

Swans players will wear black armbands against Geelong on Saturday in Luella's memory.

"We are all so very sad for Jarrad and Clementine and their families," coach John Longmire said.

"Our hearts go out to them in deepest sympathy. We will be doing everything we can to support them through this terribly difficult time."

McVeigh, who was best afield in the Swans' crucial win against St Kilda last Sunday, will not take his place in the side for the game against Geelong.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/swans-skipper-jarrad-mcveighs-baby-daughter-luella-dies/story-e6frf9jf-1226121476560

Eddie says nothing's changed ... for now

Sam Edmund From: Herald Sun August 26, 2011 6:58AM

COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGuire refuses to deny reports coach Mick Malthouse has decided to leave the club at season's end.

A Mike Sheahan column in today's Herald Sun claims Malthouse will not be with the Magpies in any capacity next year, but that no announcement will be made until Collingwood completes its 2011 campaign.

McGuire, speaking on his Triple M radio show this morning, was adamant Malthouse wouldn't coach another club in 2012, but danced around questions as to whether he's already decided to leave.

"Good story and it's good story to talk about, but it's not relevant until the end of the season," McGuire said.

Asked if he could guarantee Malthouse would be at the Westpac Centre next year, he said: "I can guarantee he's got a contract. I'm confident about things.

"Mick's the coach, Bucks (Nathan Buckley) will be the coach next year. I'm anticipating that Mick will be there in the position of director of coaching. If, at the end of this campaign, Mick needs a break then we'll consider that as we go. But he has a three-year contract with the football club and that's as much as I can say in a nutshell.

"Nothing has changed. Mick Malthouse has a three-year contract with the Collingwood Football Club post this year. He knows very much at the moment what's in front of him and what the agreement is. He knows what the role is ... and as far as I'm concerned it's business as usual as regarded in the contract we announced two years ago."

McGuire said there would be speculation for the next six weeks until the club "comes out and has an announcement on different things".

"The bottom line on this and I've been saying to people is relax," he said.

"For two years every other story in all papers has been 'Rift at Collingwood', 'Stupid idea', 'Great idea', all the rest of it and I think we've lost one game in that period nearly. We know what we're doing at the club.

"Always in life you've just got to let people settle and react on moments in time. This is a highly, highly emotional time. Mick will be close to exhausted. They all take their time, you don't make rash calls and people change their mind.

"I tell you what's not going to happen - we're not going to be talking about this for the next six weeks. We need to be around for the next six weeks (playing finals) that's the first thing."

It has been reported Malthouse had grown increasingly frustrated with having a use-by date thrust upon him and Buckley's determination to assume total coaching control as promised after this season.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/eddie-says-nothings-changed-for-now/story-e6frf9io-1226122530761

Two is company, but where's the footy crowd?

Jason Dowling
August 29, 2011

THE AFL is on track to record its lowest average match crowds since 2004 and television broadcasters are reporting mixed results in audiences for games this season.

The patchy results have added to growing calls for the AFL to reform its fixture to improve the closeness of games and the fairness of the competition.

The average attendance at AFL games at the end of round 22 was 34,950 - the lowest average crowd per game since 2004.

Last season's average crowd was 36,908.

Channel Seven has recorded a 3.4 per cent decline in national metropolitan audiences this season for Thursday and Friday night AFL broadcasts and a 2 per cent audience decline for Sunday afternoon football.

Network Ten has recorded a 2 per cent audience increase during Saturday afternoon matches and an 8 per cent increase for Saturday night AFL broadcasts. Foxtel declined to release its figures.

One argument is that lop-sided games have deterred fans. Football great David Parkin said he could not remember a season when so many matches were so predictable and the AFL should consider taking action to improve the situation.

''If there is any way of increasing the number of close games when the fixture is done or reducing the number of blowouts then that … has to be a real consideration,'' he said.

''I think for the first time that I can remember - 50 years in the game now - I have seen people leaving the game and not wanting to see the finish because they know what to expect for the next half and the fact that one side is going to be smashed.''

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said ''television audiences have increased in 2011 both in averages and total watches'' when metropolitan, regional and pay television audiences were combined.

Keane said reduced average attendances at matches was expected this season with the introduction of the Gold Coast, which often played at venues with small capacities.

''The history of expansion has shown there is a drop when a new side comes into the competition,'' he said.

''Our average attendances dropped from 1986 to 1987 when West Coast and Brisbane joined the competition, before rising again each year over the next three years.''

Reinforcing Keane's point, the MCG and Etihad Stadium have recorded slight increases in average crowds per game this season.

MCC chief executive Stephen Gough said attendances at the venue had remained strong this season with the ''strength of Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, Carlton, Essendon and St Kilda''.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/two-is-company-but-wheres-the-footy-crowd-20110828-1jgnm.html#ixzz1WNZacseO

AFL's average player will pocket $1.4 million over the next five seasons

Michael Warner From: Herald Sun September 01, 2011

FOOTY'S average player will pocket $1.4 million over the next five seasons under Andrew Demetriou's final pay offer.

The AFL played its $1.144 billion hand in the pay war with the AFL Players' Association, upping its previous offer by $54 million.

But the league has flatly rejected the players' demand for a fixed share of revenues.

"This is a final offer. There is no more money," AFL chief executive Demetriou said.

The AFL has set a September 15 deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The players were last night considering their options.

Under the five-year cash bonanza on the table, the average player wage will jump from $236,000 to $262,000.

By 2016, the average player will take home $301,000.

The game's superstars are poised to become richer with an "ambassador" fund of $2 million a year to be shared by the league's top talent.

Rookies would cash in with base salaries rising from $35,000 to $49,000 next year, excluding match payments.

Retirement funding is set to double from $36 million to $72 million.

The AFL's offer for the next CBA is a $333 million increase on the last deal, which expires this year.

The number of players will rise to 850 next season after Greater Western Sydney joins the competition.

The AFLPA and player delegates were last night digesting the complex offer, but had previously flagged industrial action if their push for a cut of percentages was denied.

AFLPA boss Matt Finnis last night would not be drawn on whether the league's refusal to entertain such a model was a deal breaker.

"Our principle is the players need to maintain their fair share," Finnis said.

"The AFL has shifted and the players welcome that move. The players will need to determine whether that offer achieves their reasonable objectives."

The players have ruled out any form of disruptive action during the finals.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afls-average-player-will-pocket-14-million-over-the-next-five-seasons/story-e6frf9jf-1226126848365