AFL Record – Finals Week 2, 2021

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CONTENTS 7

FINALS WEEK TWO, SEPTEMBER 3-4, 2021

TOP CAT: Joel Selwood will become Geelong’s games record-holder this week.

FEATURES

ROLLING THE DICE

5

NEW DRAFT CLASS

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The Cats are in a familiar finals funk, the Lions are under the pump and the Bulldogs and Giants are hanging in.

ASHLEY BROWNE reports.

The Record’s experts have sifted through the top prospects for the 2021 NAB AFL Draft. Who are the next generation of stars?

REGULARS

One Week At A Time Best of the Best Answer Man Kids’ page Match Centre Opinion: Ashley Browne

Owned and produced by Sports Entertainment Network

AFL Record Editor Michael Lovett Production Editor Gary Hancock Senior Writer Ashley Browne Writers Hugh Fitzpatrick, Lachlan Geilet, Nathan John, Nic Negrepontis, Laurence Rosen, Andrew Slevison, Alex Zaia Statisticians Col Hutchinson, Mark Genge

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(03) 8825 6600 Michael.Lovett@sen.com.au AFL Record, Vol. 110, Finals Week 2, 2021 Copyright.

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5 36 40 42 45 86

It was a bit hairy there in the last three or four minutes GIANTS COACH LEON CAMERON AFTER HIS SIDE’S ONE-POINT WIN OVER SYDNEY – PAGE 24

THIS WEEK’S SPECCY LEGEND IS...

Congratulations, you took our Local Legends Mark of the Week.

You’ve won 250 Four’N Twenty pies for your club and Local Legend status forever.

Know a Local Legend? To enter, post your photo or video by 12 noon (AEST) every Wednesday on Instagram @Fourntwenty #FNTmarkoftheweek and hashtag your club. T&Cs apply.

Matilda Bennett, Kingsley Women’s Football Club, B Grade, Perth Football League Photo Credit: Louis Hood

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ONE WEEK at a TIME FINALS

W2

News from in and around the AFL

We’ve worked hard for the double chance and we have an opportunity to bounce back next week COACH CHRIS FAGAN AFTER THE LIONS’ QUALIFYING FINAL LOSS TO MELBOURNE

CATS’ CURSE STRIKES AGAIN

SLOW STARTERS: The Cats have won just two of their past 10 games in the first week of finals.

O

ASHLEY BROWNE

MICHAEL LOVETT

EDITOR’S LETTER

nce again, Geelong has dug itself a hole after the opening week of the finals.

Last Friday night’s 43-point loss to Port Adelaide was its sixth defeat in eight qualifying finals in Chris Scott’s 11 seasons as coach.

Add a 0-2 record in elimination finals and it is clear that for whatever reason, the Cats are slow out of the gate when it comes to the finals.

The better news for the Cats is that week two of the finals is upon us. They have a 4-1 record in the second week when facing a straight-sets elimination, and their confidence likely won’t be dented when they ‘host’ the GWS Giants at Optus Stadium on Friday night, especially a weakened GWS that surely won’t have its best player, Toby Greene, available.

But Scott will have had a busy week. Tom Stewart’s absence leaves a gaping chasm in the Geelong backline that hasn’t been patched and its ball movement against the Power was achingly slow.

The Cats need to get more speed on the ball and make it harder for key forwards Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins to be defended.

The crack pair kicked just three goals between them against Port Adelaide, but the service up the field wasn’t exactly first-class.

They will have to find a replacement for the injured Mark O’Connor, with Zach Tuohy set to return.

Patrick Dangerfield suffered a finger injury against Port, but will manage it through the rest of the finals.

The Giants spent the first part of the week recuperating in Tasmania after their thrilling one-point win over Sydney at UTAS Stadium.

They now have a 3-0 finals record against their older sibling, but this was one was awfully tight with the Swans kicking 2.7 to 0.1 in the final term.

GWS controlled the game through the middle stages, but clearly held

u Three weekends, five games.

That is the scenario fans face over the next couple of weeks, starting with games on opposite sides of the country this weekend.

Optus Stadium and the Gabba host two semi-finals this week, setting the scene for Port Adelaide to host a preliminary final in Adelaide against either Brisbane or the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne to take

on either Geelong or GWS in the other preliminary final in Perth.

Then the AFL has a decision to make leading into the Grand Final, slated for Optus Stadium.

Does the League keep rolling along and ditch any thought of a pre-Grand Final bye or does it roll the dice and try an NFL Super Bowl style two-week party leading into the big one?

I reckon it might be the latter for a couple of reasons. While it was

GWS held on for dear life at the end

on for dear life at the end as Sydney rocketed home.

It might be time to give the Giants their due. They’ve won finals in five of the past six years and, in 2021, they have developed an admirable, blue-collar aspect to their game.

But with a day less to prepare and missing key personnel, they face yet another uphill battle this week.

Saturday night at the Gabba looks harder to handicap. Brisbane had two exceptional performers in its 33-point loss to Melbourne on Saturday night.

Reigning Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale collected a finals-record 46 disposals and Charlie Cameron booted five goals, but the output fell away considerably from there.

The Lions didn’t get enough from the rest of their crack midfield –

a novel experience to have the Grand Final in Brisbane last year and Queenslanders jumped on board, Perth is a big, big footy city.

West Australians will tell you that “back in the day”, their local players were as good as any over there in the east.

They despised Victorian clubs who would regularly raid their best talent with open cheque books and lure them across the Nullarbor.

But given WA, through its government’s stringent border control, has kept COVID well under control, then Perth can become party central.

Think Brownlow Medal, a ‘Festival of Footy’, the Grand Final parade … you name it.

The AFL would dominate the sporting and media landscape for two whole weeks – and West Australians would be right on board.

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Dayne Zorko, Hugh McCluggage and Jarryd Lyons in particular.

They will also need to find a replacement this week for key forward Daniel McStay, who was heavily concussed in a friendly-fire episode with teammate Nakia Cockatoo.

Brisbane’s attack has been the most prolific in the AFL this season, but now faces some challenges.

The Lions will be wary of the Western Bulldogs, whose opening half of their elimination final against Essendon last week was finals footy laid bare – brutal and uncompromising with every possession hard won in dismal Tasmanian conditions.

But the Dogs took charge after half-time, winning the clearances and monstering Essendon at the contest.

They powered home, kicking eight unanswered goals in the second half and looking very much like the team that for much of 2021 was the one to beat for the premiership.

Sydney and Essendon are now finished for the year, but for their supporters, 2022 cannot come quickly enough.

The Swans redefined themselves this year as a slick, attacking unit and their ranks are full of emerging young talent.

But they do have tricky list management issues to confront, with joint skipper Luke Parker and

6

BACK TO BRUTAL BEST: Aaron Naughton kicked three goals as the Bulldogs sent Essendon packing.

important midfielder George Hewett among those out of contract.

The Bombers’ wait to win a final now stretches to more than 6200 days.

Widely tipped as a bottom-four team, they nevertheless exceeded expectations, including their own.

Ben Rutten deserves huge plaudits after his first season in charge, but needs more key-position depth at both ends of the ground.

Melbourne and Port Adelaide are putting their feet up this weekend.

The Demons are flying and have pretty much a full list to choose from. There are going to be some

There are going to be some hard-luck stories

hard-luck stories, in particular former skipper Nathan Jones, who pretty much carried the Demons through some of their dim, dark days but now cannot crack a place in the side.

Port Adelaide’s reputation as a flat-track bully can also be put to bed.

Successive wins over the Bulldogs and the Cats make the Power deserving preliminary finalists and they will milk every bit of the clear benefit they get from the week off and with a home preliminary final at a raucous Adelaide Oval next on their agenda.

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Supporting AFL for 19 years

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TOP CAT’S EYES ONLY ON A WIN

FINALS WEEK 2 MILESTONES

ONE WEEK at a TIME FORGET MILESTONE: Joel Selwood will become Geelong’s games record-holder this week, but nothing but a win will satisfy the Cats champion.

CLUB GAMES RECORD

MICHAEL LOVETT

J

oel Selwood would have been in no mood to discuss his pending game-breaking milestone when he walked off Adelaide Oval last Friday night.

The Geelong captain has set high standards for himself and his teammates from the very first day he walked into GMHBA Stadium in the summer of 2006-07.

But last week those standards were well below par, personally and from a team perspective, as Port Adelaide tore Geelong apart in the 2021 finals opener.

Fortunately, one of the beauties of finishing in the top four is that the season doesn’t end after one week of finals.

And history says if Selwood and the Cats are angry with their performance – and they will be – then look out.

Since Chris Scott took over in 2011, Geelong is 2-6 in qualifying finals, but 4-1 in semi-finals.

Joel Selwood GEELONG

Selwood will break Corey Enright’s record of 332 games

MOST FINALS GAMES

Joel Selwood will move into equal second for the most finals games played (35) with Shaun Burgoyne (Hawthorn/ Port Adelaide). Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) has played the most finals (39).

150 GAMES

Josh Jenkins

GEELONG/ADELAIDE

u FACT FILE

100 GAMES

JOEL SELWOOD

Born: May 26, 1988 Recruited from: Sandhurst (Vic)/Bendigo U18 Debut: Round 1, 2007, v Western Bulldogs Height: 183cm Weight: 84kg Games: 332 Goals: 168 Honours: 2nd Brownlow Medal 2013; best and fairest 2010, 2013, 2014; 2nd best and fairest 2012, 2016; 3rd best and fairest 2015; All-Australian 2009, 2010, 2013 (capt), 2014 (capt), 2016 (capt), 2017; All-Australian nominee 2008, 2011, 2012; International Rules Series 2014 (capt), 2017; NAB AFL Rising Star 2007; premiership sides 2007, 2009, 2011; Michael Tuck Medal 2009; pre-season premiership side 2009; captain since 2012 Brownlow Medal: career votes 201

For Selwood, a personal milestone such as breaking the Cats’ games record on Friday night will mean nothing if his side bows out in straight sets.

Selwood will overtake former premiership teammate Corey Enright, whose 332 games in the blue and white hoops were of the highest order.

The Cats skipper isn’t big on individual honours, even though he has racked up his fair share since his debut in the opening round of 2007.

Eight touches in a 20-point loss to the Bulldogs wasn’t much. In fact, those eight disposals paled compared with Bulldog star Brad Johnson’s eight goals.

But by season’s end he was a premiership player and the NAB AFL Rising Star.

More flags followed in 2009 and 2011 and they are rewards he cherishes most.

But post retirement, Selwood can reflect on achievements such as three best and fairests, plus three other podium finishes, six All-Australian blazers – three as captain – and a second-place finish in the 2013 Brownlow Medal, beaten by one vote by former teammate and then Gold Coast superstar Gary Ablett.

Selwood, who was elevated to the top job in 2012 after 2011 premiership captain Cameron Ling retired, is also on the verge of becoming the AFL’s No. 1 captain.

Selwood is in third place for most games as captain (222) and is set to reach Essendon legend Dick Reynolds (224) in second place and then early next year he will sit atop the list when he overhauls ex-Carlton premiership skipper Stephen Kernahan (226).

Jesse Hogan

GWS/FREM/MELB

COACH – 100 WINS

Leon Cameron GWS GIANTS

Currently on 99 wins

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ONE WEEK at a TIME

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

E

leven debutants were named as a new breed of stars of the AFL took centre stage when the 2021 All-Australian team was unveiled last week.

Minor premier Melbourne supplied five members of the side, with three from the Western Bulldogs and two apiece from Carlton, Essendon, Geelong and Port Adelaide.

A total of 11 separate clubs supplied at least one representative.

Melbourne skipper Max Gawn, who was awarded his fifth blazer, was named captain.

He is the first Demon to be named All-Australian captain since Ron Barassi at the 1961 National Carnival.

Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who was chosen in his fourth All-Australian side, was named vice-captain.

Seven players retained their spots from the 2020 team – Tom Hawkins, Jack Macrae, Nic Naitanui, Christian Petracca, Jack Steele, Bontempelli and Gawn.

Geelong key forward Tom Hawkins received his fourth blazer, while Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir became the first South Sudanese player to be named as an All-Australian.

Gawn was joined in the star-studded line-up by Melbourne

ALL-AUSTRALIAN

teammates Steven May, Jake Lever, Clayton Oliver and Petracca.

May and Lever were two of the 11 first-time selections, which also included Brisbane veteran Daniel Rich.

Carlton’s Coleman medallist Harry McKay, another first-time selection, was named at full-forward.

Once again, there was a fair mix of midfield guns spread through the team.

They included Bulldogs ball-magnet Jack Macrae, who averaged almost 34 disposals a game, Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines, Essendon’s Zach Merrett and Carlton’s Sam Walsh.

The interchange bench comprised West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui – named as a back-up to Gawn – and midfielders Touk Miller from Gold Coast, Essendon’s Darcy Parish and Steele, who is St Kilda’s co-captain. Miller was the first Suns player named since Gary Ablett in 2014.

Aliir confirmed his status as the recruit of the year, selected as a key defender alongside May and Lever

DEMON RISES TO THE TOP

u Melbourne big man Luke Jackson

has been crowned the 2021 NAB AFL Rising Star.

Jackson won the award with 51 votes, ahead of GWS midfielder Tom Green (38 votes) and Port Adelaide forward Mitch Georgiades (28).

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TEAM 2021

LEADERSHIP: Max Gawn was named captain, while Harry McKay (inset) was one of 11 new faces.

for his intercepting exploits, while Bailey Dale and Geelong’s Tom Stewart joined Rich in the back six.

The forward line comprised Hawkins, McKay, Bontempelli and Petracca, along with Greater Western Sydney’s Toby Greene and Swan Tom Papley.

The hard luck stories were headlined by Essendon’s Jake Stringer and Carlton’s Jacob Weitering.

Stringer kicked 39 goals in 18 games and was equally as damaging through the midfield, averaging 4.5 clearances and 4.9 inside 50s a game, exploding into career-best form.

Weitering, who was also overlooked last year, was a rock down back for the Blues, with an elite rating in disposals, marks, spoils, one-on-one contests and rebound 50s.

The All-Australian selection panel was Gillon McLachlan (non-voting chairman), Andrew Dillon, Chris Johnson, Glen Jakovich, Warren Tredrea, Cameron Ling, Jude Bolton, Matthew Richardson, Nick Riewoldt and Kevin Bartlett.

He received the Ron Evans Medal, a $20,000 personal investment portfolio and a dedicated private banker, courtesy of NAB. Jackson has played 28 games in his first two seasons after being selected with the Demons’ first pick and No. 3 selection overall at the 2019 NAB AFL Draft.

He became Melbourne’s third NAB AFL Rising Star, following Jesse Hogan (2015) and Jared Rivers (2004).

Before his football career, Jackson was a promising junior basketballer.

He was Australia’s best player at the under-17 World Cup in Argentina in 2018.

Jackson started his junior football career with Bullcreek Leeming JFC in Western Australia before joining East Fremantle in the WAFL. See voting page 51.

B: Jake Lever (Melb), Steven May (Melb), Tom Stewart (Geel) HB: Daniel Rich (BL), Aliir Aliir (PA), Bailey Dale (WB) C: Zach Merrett (Ess), Ollie Wines (PA), Sam Walsh (Carl) HF: Christian Petracca (Melb), Tom Hawkins (Geel), Marcus Bontempelli (WB, vice-capt) F: Tom Papley (Syd), Harry McKay (Carl), Toby Greene (GWS) FOLL: Max Gawn (Melb, capt), Jack Macrae (WB), Clayton Oliver (Melb) IC: Jack Steele (St K) Nic Naitanui (WCE) Touk Miller (GCS) Darcy Parish (Ess)

RIGHT MOVE: Luke Jackson’s decision to switch from basketball has been vindicated.

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LOG

Sure Hamish and Brian are excited about the finals

But they’re even more pumped about their new siren Getting the AFL Premiership Cup to visit your hometown is good. But scoring a shiny new siren to ring out across your home ground? That’s ‘gooder!’ Stawell Swifts’ Timekeeper Brian Barber asked Toyota for help to replace his club’s broken-down old hooter, with something more like the one at the mighty MCG. So we did.

And yep… it sounds just like the ‘G on Grand Final Day! Toyota has made footy better for Brian, Hamish, the Swifts and hundreds of people in the Aussie footy community this season. Because that’s Good for Footy!

Visit toyota.com.au/gooder for more great stories from the Suggestion Box.

ONE WEEK at a TIME

OLIVER GETS THE NOD FROM COACHES

SUPER CONSISTENT: Demon Clayton Oliver polled votes in 17 games to claim the AFLCA’s champion player award.

T

he good times keeping rolling on for Melbourne with star midfielder Clayton Oliver taking out the 2021 AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.

The prolific midfielder averaged 31 disposals in the home and away season, ranking first in the League for contested possessions with 17.7 and fourth for clearances with 7.5.

Oliver polled in 17 games to finish with 114 votes, earning maximum votes in three rounds.

The most notable 10 came in the Demons’ come-from behind-win over Geelong in round 23 which sealed the award and his team’s status as minor premier.

Western Bulldogs captain and 2019 winner Marcus Bontempelli and Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines tied for second on 101 votes.

St Kilda co-captain Jack Steele was next on 100 votes.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said it was the work Oliver had done without the footy this season that had seen him take his game to another level.

“Clayton has had an unbelievable season and should be proud to be recognised with this award from the coaches. I believe

it’s the highest award you can receive,” Goodwin said.

“He has taken his game to new heights this year. It’s the work he’s done without the footy that we’ve been impressed with.

“He’s transformed his game and getting the rewards for being a really good teammate.”

Oliver said he was honoured to be recognised by the coaches.

“I’m humbled and proud to be recognised by the coaches with their Champion Player Award,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be receiving this without my teammates, coaches

and staff, so I thank them all, and especially to ‘Goody’.

“He took me under his wing this season and I couldn’t thank him anymore.”

The AFLCA Champion Player Award is voted on by the 18 coaching panels on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis after each home and away game, acknowledging outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.

Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson and Fremantle’s Caleb Serong shared the 2021 AFLCA’s Best Young Player award.

Last season Serong edged out Anderson for the NAB AFL Rising Star Award, but the coaches couldn’t split the pair after their first two seasons.

Following his impressive first year for the Dockers, Serong started the year with high expectations and had 30 disposals or more on five occasions.

Anderson was one of the Suns’ most consistent contributors, averaging 22.7 disposals, 4.2 clearances, 4.2 marks and 8.9 contested possessions a game.

The pair received 35 votes each from the coaches during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, finishing five ahead of Anderson’s Gold Coast teammate Matt Rowell, on 30.

The Best Young Player Award is presented in recognition of the player based on performances in his first two seasons of AFL football and is determined by the weekly votes of the AFL coaches.

Meanwhile, defender Dylan Grimes won his first Richmond best and fairest and Rory Laird won Adelaide’s best and fairest for the second time.

u FOOTY FUNNIES – Bob Dikkenberg

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AFL RECORD REFLECTIONS OF 2021

A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER Senior writer ASHLEY BROWNE literally wrote the book on the 2020 season, one which was like no other in the history of the game. The 2021 season, as it turned out, threw up plenty of quirks and oddities of its own.

STERILE CORRIDORS u It was quite the juggling act to get

the 198-game home and away season away without skipping a beat, as the AFL managed to do in 2021.

At some stage, every state in the country faced restrictions that meant games had to be relocated elsewhere.

Crowds rarely reached full capacity and in too many cases, especially late in the season when the Delta variant started to bite, they were again locked out of games altogether.

To overcome the difficulties, the AFL in conjunction with airlines, hotels and health authorities, established what were known as sterile corridors, which meant seamless transport for players between their homes, their clubs, airports and interstate venues, all while minimising the risk of exposure to those outside their family and football bubbles.

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For teams visiting Perth, it meant hard, week-long quarantines at the Joondalup Resort and city hotels, venturing out only for training.

In Adelaide, teams would fly in on the day of the game and be sequestered in the indoor cricket nets next to the Adelaide Oval, lounging on bean bags, snoozing under tables, or in the case of hyperactive Geelong wingman Isaac Smith, bowling the equivalent of 40 overs just to keep himself limber and his mind occupied.

And yes, he played well and the Cats beat Port Adelaide that evening.

But the season will be remembered for games being postponed and then moved interstate in a matter of hours and match-ups at venues we hopefully will never see again – Fremantle hosting Carlton at the MCG, Gold Coast and Hawthorn at the SCG, St Kilda and Fremantle in Hobart and a GWS Giants-Gold Coast clash at chilly Ballarat.

UP IN THE AIR: Matches were often moved interstate at short notice.

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CLARKO GONE …

u Alastair Clarkson started his 17th

season as Hawthorn coach trying to reverse the club’s sliding fortunes and to start the build towards that “next piece of silverware”. He ended it out of work.

With heir apparent Sam Mitchell quickly identified as a leading candidate for the vacant Collingwood senior coaching role, the Hawks made the brave and swift decision to call time on Clarkson’s incredible tenure at the end of his contract and install Mitchell as coach from 2023.

But the handover was ill-conceived and poorly executed. The ‘family

club’ started to unravel at the seams as it became clear the 12-month transfer of power arrangement was unworkable.

The normally watertight Hawks were leaking everywhere as the dissatisfaction of various parties made its way into the media.

Eventually, Clarkson negotiated a $900,000 payout, paving the way for Mitchell to take over next season.

After a record-breaking 390 games and four premierships with the Hawks, Clarkson will cast a huge shadow over the 2022 season,

The handover was ill-conceived and poorly executed

whether as coach of another club (unlikely, but not out of the question) or as No. 1 on the wish-list for any club seeking a new coach in 2023 and beyond.

Hawthorn came good in the second half of the season with wins over premiership aspirants Sydney, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs and a draw with Melbourne, and in the eyes of many, Clarkson was coaching as well as ever.

At some stage, some other club will reap the benefit of Clarkson’s genius, while Mitchell is about to step into the biggest shoes in the game.

PUSHED OUT: Alastair Clarkson and retiring star Shaun Burgoyne.

… AND BUCKS TOO u There is a fair argument that

MAGPIE LEGEND: Nathan Buckley’s long association with Collingwood ended on a high.

Nathan Buckley is the greatest figure at Collingwood for the past half a century, perhaps even longer.

The mutual love affair started when he joined the club in 1994 and was immediately Collingwood’s best player and, apart from a brief sabbatical in the media, the partnership flourished as player, assistant coach and, from 2012, senior coach.

He was one minute away from winning the flag in 2018.

But the Pies had been to the well one time too many under Buckley and, with his No. 1 supporter Eddie McGuire no longer the president, it was mutually decided the club

needed a fresh voice for its next rebuild, although just like Clarkson at the Hawks, the team lifted once it knew he was leaving.

The Pies won their last two games with Buckley in charge, including a 17-point victory over ladder-leading Melbourne at the SCG on Queen’s Birthday.

Remarkably in footy-obsessed Victoria, Buckley has kept a low profile since his mid-season departure and he figures to have a role in the media at least in the short-term.

But it won’t be long before his name surfaces again for coaching or other high-profile roles in the game.

He is a footy philosopher with still so much to offer.

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AFL RECORD REFLECTIONS OF 2021

GOOD OMEN: The last time the Demons finished on top of the ladder was the premiership season of 1964.

MELBOURNE MINOR PREMIER u It took until a Max Gawn kick after

the final siren of its final home and away game to do it, but Melbourne won its first minor premiership in 57 years.

The Demons followed up that triumph in 1964 with the premiership four weeks later and are a step closer in 2021 after seeing off the Brisbane Lions last Saturday night to advance to the preliminary final.

It has been a fantastic year for Melbourne, which won 10 successive games to open the season.

The only down period came in rounds 18 and 19 when it drew with Hawthorn and lost to the Western Bulldogs.

Further signs of the Demons’ all-round excellence came with seven

players nominated for the All-Australian team and five making the final cut. Gawn was named skipper as well.

The win over Geelong sent Melbourne supporters into raptures, and deservedly so.

And while the comparisons with 1964 were easy to make, it was also 10 years since a 186-point loss to the Cats at the same venue, the darkest day for the club in recent memories.

There have been many steps forward since then – and a few back – but if this is a season like not many others, then a minor premiership to Melbourne is more than fitting and long overdue.

NORTH MELBOURNE TAKES THE SPOON u For the first time in 49 years, North

Melbourne finished on the bottom of the ladder.

But while the Kangaroos of 1972 were generally regarded as hopeless – they won one game for the year – there was a much different feel about the 2021 outfit.

They were barely competitive through their first eight games under new coach David Noble, but once they opened their account by coming from the clouds to beat Hawthorn at its Launceston fortress, they were

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ultra-competitive for the rest of the season.

They drew with the Giants in Hobart, beat West Coast at Optus Stadium and Carlton at Marvel Stadium when the Blues were hunting a finals berth.

The final month of the season was a bit flat, but Noble has a fair bit to work with and he will have more elite young talent walking through the doors at Arden St this summer as the climb up the ladder takes off in earnest.

BOTTOM’S UP: The Roos finished last, but have plenty of talent to work with, such as young star forward Nick Larkey.

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8/30/21 4:31 PM

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7/5/21 10:06 am

AFL RECORD REFLECTIONS OF 2021

RICHMOND CRASHES AND BURNS u The Tigers started

the season aiming for a hat-trick of flags and their fourth in five years … and ended up in 11th place.

It was the biggest tumble by a reigning premier since Adelaide plummeted to 13th in 1999.

Things looked a bit off for the Tigers from the time they were steamrolled by the Sydney Swans on the MCG in round three.

They never won more than two matches on the trot and the injury gods that were firmly on their side the past few years disappeared.

DOWN AND OUT: The loss of superstar Dustin Martin was costly for the Tigers.

Key weapons such as Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia, Nick Vlastuin, Kane Lambert, Noah Balta, Shane Edwards, Toby Nankervis and Bachar Houli all missed significant chunks of football throughout the season.

The winds of change are already sweeping through Punt Rd, with Houli and David Astbury both retiring.

The Tigers have a strong hand at the draft and a long off-season to rest and recuperate.

There is every chance they will bounce back in 2022.

THRILLING FINALE: Hugh McCluggage, Charlie Cameron and Dayne Zorko were ecstatic as the Lions secured a top-four finish.

It was as exciting a finish as fans could wish for

ROUND 23 DELIVERS u Gawn’s goal to clinch the minor

premiership for the Demons was the exclamation point of a thrilling final round of the season, the likes of which we haven’t experienced for years.

Port Adelaide went to Marvel Stadium on the Friday night, trailed the Western Bulldogs for most of the game, then stormed home to win by two points.

A long shot from Bulldog Bailey Smith just before the final siren fell agonisingly short.

It left the Bulldogs needing Brisbane to lose to West Coast at the Gabba (preferably) or win by less than five goals for them to keep their double chance.

For much of that game, the Eagles were doing the right thing by the Bulldogs, but a snap point from Lincoln McCarthy with less than 30 seconds left lifted the Lions ahead of the Dogs on percentage and into the double chance.

The Saturday night game was equally epic, with the Demons coming from 44 points behind to snatch the win and claim top spot.

It was yet another game played behind closed doors, which rendered it the status of a made-for-TV event.

In a season a bit too much like the last, it was as exciting a finish as fans could wish for. @hashbrowne

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18/6/21 11:58 am

AFL RECORD FINALS REVIEW

DYNAMIC DEE: Christian Petracca was at his brilliant best in the midfield and up forward with two goals.

QUALIFYING FINAL 1 V WHAT THE COACHES SAID

MELBOURNE

SIMON GOODWIN

‘ROUTINE’ AS DAZZLING DEMONS TAME LIONS

T

here is nothing essentially complicated about Melbourne in 2021. You turn up to watch the Demons – or more likely this season, switch on the TV – and you know what you are going to get.

Midfield dominance from Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, with a couple of goals thrown in from the latter. Outside running from Ed Langdon and Angus Brayshaw.

Steven May and Jake Lever setting up the play from the backline.

Bailey Fritsch chiming in with a few goals.

There’s your starting point for Melbourne. Curb that as best you can and you are in with a fighting chance.

Sadly for the Brisbane Lions, they weren’t able to put the clamps on the Demons last Saturday night in the first qualifying final at Adelaide Oval.

Yes, Lachie Neale racked up an astonishing 46 disposals, but Oliver with 33 and Petracca with 30 were more damaging.

Crafty forward Charlie Cameron kicked five goals for the Lions and proved a handful, especially early.

But Fritsch kicked four and was more dangerous the longer the game went.

And as for May and Lever, they pretty much had control throughout.

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All up, it was a routine night for the Demons, who won by 33 points to move through to the preliminary final against the winner of Geelong and GWS. And they are going to take some beating.

To be fair to the Lions, they were dealt a hammer blow early when presenting forward Daniel McStay was badly concussed in a ‘friendly fire’ collision with teammate Nakia Cockatoo.

Brisbane finished the home and away season with the most points for, despite the absence since round 17 of Eric Hipwood because of a torn ACL. But once McStay went down, it wasn’t able to stretch Melbourne’s backline, with Lever and May always finding a match-up they liked.

Even in the third term, when the Lions put the defensive shackles on the Demons, keeping them to just two points, they could kick only 2.1.

The damage had been done when Melbourne kicked 4.6 to 1.2 in the second term and there was no real coming back.

With their 68-45 edge in inside 50s, 15-5 marks inside 50 and 12-2 in contested marks, the Demons were always going to be hard to stop.

There is a Richmond of 2017 feel about Melbourne. Simon Goodwin’s team is predictable and the game plan is not overly complicated.

“As coaches and as a leadership group, we’ll go away and find areas of our game that we want to continue improving in.

That’s been the great thing about our team and throughout the whole year, they’re never satisfied and they want to find ways to get better. We have to keep looking for ways to get better. We’ll train, we’ll prepare, we’ll have a few days off, reset ourselves again and build up a really good program over the next week-and-a-half.”

There is a Richmond of 2017 feel about Melbourne

BRISBANE LIONS CHRIS FAGAN

“I’ve been at various clubs who have finished top four and lost that first final and been able to bounce back. We always tend to over-react to the team that loses that qualifying final and then we’ll think the team that wins that elimination final is in great form, so we might go to the extreme with both teams. We’ve worked hard for the double chance and we have an opportunity to bounce back next week.”

It is also settled and injury-free.

Adam Tomlinson is the only long-term injury and Harrison Petty has filled in for him admirably.

Hard-running half-back Jayden Hunt should be available for the preliminary final, but Jake Bowey has proved a more than adequate replacement.

At one stage late in the game, the Channel Seven cameras panned to the non-selected Melbourne players in the grandstand, and seated together were Jake Melksham, Michael Hibberd and Nathan Jones.

There are going to be hard-luck stories at the Demons this year, Jones especially, and Hunt might be about to join them.

The Lions live to fight another day and will relish returning to the Gabba for their knockout semi-final.

But Neale and Cameron will need a few of their mates to lift, otherwise a straight-sets elimination is on the cards.

ASHLEY BROWNE

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30/8/21 5:42 pm

BEATEN TO THE PUNCH: Key defenders Jake Lever (left) and Steven May (right) worked tirelessly to keep the Lions’ attack in check.

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30/8/21 5:42 pm

AFL RECORD FINALS REVIEW

QUALIFYING FINAL 2

ALL CLASS: Robbie Gray fires out a handball as Port advanced to its second successive preliminary final.

V WHAT THE COACHES SAID

PORT ADELAIDE KEN HINKLEY

SAME OLD STORY AS POWER SHOCK CATS

F

or the second successive year, Port Adelaide is through to a home preliminary final. And for the second straight year, the Power overcame Geelong to get there.

Last year’s winning margin was 16 points. Had the Cats kicked straighter that night and Port not been unerringly accurate, then that result might have been reversed.

But last Friday night at Adelaide Oval looked and felt different. Port bullied the Cats. The final margin was 43 points, which might have even flattered Geelong by the end.

Port Adelaide is back into a preliminary final and the hopeful mood of 12 months ago has been replaced by one of expectation.

Ken Hinkley’s men bat deeper than last year and have more weapons across the ground.

They have won seven games on the trot and successive wins over the Bulldogs and now Geelong suggest they are no longer the flat-track bullies of earlier this season.

And while much was made of the Cats loading up their plate at the trade table last year, Port Adelaide’s strategic strike has added to the real sense of optimism at Alberton.

Fresh off earning All-Australian selection, Aliir Aliir dominated with his intercept marking and rebound off half-back.

Geelong successfully blunted his influence when the teams met earlier

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this year, but Hinkley successfully engineered a series of match-ups for Aliir against smaller opponents and he took full advantage.

He took four towering grabs in the first quarter alone – two of which directly resulted in Port goals – and if he wasn’t the best player on the ground, he was the most influential.

And then there was Orazio Fantasia, who left Essendon for the Power at the end of last season with the express purpose of playing finals footy, and the irony is noted that the Bombers also made the finals.

But last Friday night he torched the Cats with four goals, before being subbed out of the game with a knee injury that is not expected to keep him out of the preliminary final.

Port broke things open in the first quarter and, with a 29-point lead at half-time, the game was as good as done.

Ollie Wines and Travis Boak (33 and 32 disposals respectively) were dominant through the midfield, although it was a curious game in that the Cats won the centre clearances 15-3.

But they weren’t necessarily clean getaways and Port, through Tom Jonas and Ryan Burton, were super organised behind the ball.

Geelong laid just three tackles inside forward 50. Nothing worked and it would be disappointed that the crack Tom Hawkins-Jeremy Cameron

“It’s big in the overall goal because we get the perfect preparation for what we would like. We haven’t had the pre-finals bye, so this is a bye I feel like is a bonus and benefit to us, clearly. It’s probably what the old system looked like a little bit and now it works pretty favourably for us. We get to play at home again, we get to play after being a bit fresh. There’s some risks with that, but it’s the perfect preparation in a tough, hard game of football and a bit of a rest.”

Ken Hinkley’s men bat deeper than last year and have more weapons

GEELONG CATS CHRIS SCOTT

“It was a poor performance, virtually everything that could go wrong did go wrong over the course of the night.

A strong part of our game over the years and when we’re playing our best, even now it should be a strong part of our game, is we just don’t hand the opposition easy goals. There were two parts to that, we made some uncharacteristic decisions to give them really easy looks which always hurts you. And it was uncharacteristic for us how easily Port were able to get the ball from our forward 50.” combination kicked just three goals between them in the biggest game they’ve played together.

At the other end, Geelong missed perennial All-Australian defender Tom Stewart. He might be the Cats’ best and most important player and the backline lacks structure and rebound without him.

Mitch Duncan started brightly in his first game for two months and then faded, while Gary Rohan and Lachie Henderson had forgettable games. Zach Tuohy will be back this week, but Mark O’Connor is likely to miss the rest of the finals with another hamstring injury.

It was a dirty night for the Cats, but they know what to do next. They are 1-8 in the opening week of finals over the past 10 seasons and 4-1 when they back up the next week.

Still, they have some work to do.

ASHLEY BROWNE

SEN.com.au

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30/8/21 5:45 pm

POWER AND PRECISION: Orazio Fantasia torched the Cats with four goals, while Ollie Wines was dominant in the midfield with 33 touches.

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AFL RECORD FINALS REVIEW

ELIMINATION FINAL 1

STEMMING THE TIDE: All-Australian defender Bailey Dale leads Jye Caldwell to the ball in the Bulldogs’ 49-point win.

V WHAT THE COACHES SAID

WESTERN BULLDOGS LUKE BEVERIDGE

“We live our lives turning what may be considered joyous celebratory occasions into relief as coaches and players. But the satisfaction in the players’ eyes and the looks on their faces and the understanding that our supporters would get a massive lift out of that. I am relieved we have got the win, but I am so satisfied to see the joy and the happiness and looks on people’s faces.”

RUTHLESS DOGS BREAK BOMBERS’ HEARTS

T

he Western Bulldogs progressed to the second week of the finals after downing Essendon by 49 points in a hard-fought elimination final battle in Launceston last Sunday.

In rain-soaked conditions at University of Tasmania Stadium, the Bulldogs, coming off three successive losses, kicked 11 of the last 12 goals and kept the Bombers goalless after half-time to book a semi-final date with Brisbane.

Four goals from livewire Cody Weightman and three from Aaron Naughton inspired the Dogs to victory, extending Essendon’s 17-year wait for a finals win.

The Bulldogs’ star-studded midfield took control in the second half as Tom Liberatore (35 disposals and seven clearances), Marcus Bontempelli (23 and eight inside 50s) and Jack Macrae (36 and eight inside 50s) asserted their dominance at the coal face.

Luke Beveridge’s side had more contested possessions (102-69), clearances (27-17) and inside 50s (32-21) after half-time, allowing it to reign supreme in the wet.

It was the Bulldogs’ first finals win since 2016 – the year they won the premiership from

22 AFL RECORD

seventh – and Macrae said it was a relief to break the five-year September drought.

“Obviously we haven’t been at our best the last three weeks, so it was great to get back to some of the best footy that we know we’re capable of,” the three-time All-Australian told Fox Footy.

Winning it around the contest and playing it in our own half,” “It was a bit of a monkey off the back for a lot of the boys.

“It was probably half the team’s first finals win and I hadn’t won a final in five years.

“It was great recognition for the work we’ve done this year.

“We’re going to have to go the long way if we want to go all the way, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

It was a tough way to end a year of progress for Essendon after winning its last three games to secure an unexpected finals berth.

While disappointed with the result, Bombers captain Dyson Heppell is excited about the trajectory the club is heading in under senior coach Ben Rutten.

“I felt like we gave ourselves a real opportunity,” he told Essendon Media.

ESSENDON BEN RUTTEN

It was a bit of a monkey off the back JACK MACRAE ON THE BULLDOGS’ FIRST FINALS WIN SINCE 2016

“I’m just so proud of this group and this footy club with some of the gains that we’ve made in such a short period of time. The way they’ve applied themselves and the work that they’ve put in. They’ve given of themselves and put the team first. All those sorts of things are going to hold us in really good stead.”

“We came in with a lot of belief. It’s flattening, guys are really disappointed.

“I thought we were outstanding in the first half, and we stood up to the heat.

“They just showed the next level above that the Doggies, they’re an outstanding outfit and shows the layers that we have to build on.

“It’s been an outstanding season. I’m super proud by the development of our players.

“I’m proud to play for ‘Truck’ (Ben Rutten) – I think he’s been unbelievable in the way he’s approached his coaching along with the rest of the coaching staff and the broader club.

“We’ll be back bigger and better next year.”

Essendon will now look ahead to 2022, while the Bulldogs travel to Brisbane to face the Lions at the Gabba for a spot in a preliminary final.

ALEX ZAIA

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DOGGED DEFENCE: Alex Keath shows the desperation against Matt Guelfi that enabled the Bulldogs to extend the Bombers’ winless finals stretch to 17 seasons.

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30/8/21 5:48 pm

AFL RECORD FINALS REVIEW

ELIMINATION FINAL 2

BRUTE STRENGTH: Ruckman Shane Mumford muscles the ball forward for the Giants.

V WHAT THE COACHES SAID

GWS GIANTS LEON CAMERON

“Our entire group probably just got a little bit spooked and lost our way a little bit (after three-quarter time). We’ve still got a lot of learning for a young group. It was great courage to hold on at the right time. We pride ourselves on winning close finals. (But) it was a bit hairy there in the last three or four minutes.”

SYDNEY SWANS

GIANTS HOLD ON AS SWANS BLOW CHANCES

M

atches between GWS and Sydney have not let us down in 2021. The two home and away fixtures during the season were beauties, resulting in the Giants and Swans sharing a 1-1 record.

In round five, the Giants’ inaccuracy almost cost them the victory in a game they won by just two points courtesy of a superb match-winner from Josh Kelly.

In the return bout in round 18, drama hit when players from both sides were withdrawn late due to a COVID scare, with the Swans powering from 35 points down to nail the Giants by 26 points.

There was a sense of theatre once again when the New South Wales rivals met for the third time in a finals setting.

This one was played on neutral territory in Tasmania amid another season impacted by coronavirus.

On a Saturday afternoon in Launceston, proceedings ebbed and flowed throughout in a tense affair which fell the way of the fortuitous Giants by the barest of margins.

Leon Cameron’s side traded goals with John Longmire’s charges in a high-octane first quarter which ended 3.2.(20) apiece, with respective stars Toby Greene and Lance Franklin among the majors.

24 AFL RECORD

GWS flexed its muscle against the ‘older brother’ in the second term when piling on six goals to three despite using a very different path to goal.

The Giants were more efficient with their attacking entries, while the Swans were taking the ball through the corridor but finding it difficult to score freely.

The third term was more of a turgid affair after Zach Sproule and Tom Papley traded early blows.

After that there were no goals in more than 10 minutes as the true arm wrestle started.

Sydney began to get on top with Isaac Heeney making his presence felt, finishing with a flurry with two goals from three shots in the second half of the quarter before Jesse Hogan, who had been profligate earlier, steadied the ship for the Giants.

GWS could barely miss in the first half before returning 2.4 to Sydney’s 3.2 in the ‘premiership quarter’.

Entering the fourth term, the Swans needed to become the first finals team to come from 19 points or more down at the final change since Hawthorn in the 2013 preliminary final.

That pursuit started well through a golden Heeney pair

JOHN LONGMIRE

The Giants were more efficient with their attacking entries

“We’re a shattered group at the moment. Players, staff, everyone who has contributed to what has been an incredible experience for us. We had 20 more inside 50s and kicked 2.7 in the last quarter. It’s a gut-wrenching way to end the season. The players have been magnificent … and our families. You can’t help but reflect on the chance that might have been there and we let slip.”

inside the first 10 minutes, with his fourth major cutting the deficit to single figures.

With things drying up inside the Giants’ attacking 50, it became apparent they were trying to save the game.

Meanwhile, Sydney required some composure at its end to come over the top.

Sadly for the Swans, that calmness eluded them, evidenced by six successive behinds which saw them fall agonisingly short of their local rivals by one point.

The game will be remembered as another case of Giants star Greene’s innate ability to find controversy wherever he goes after making contact with umpire Matt Stevic, sparking yet another MRP/Tribunal furore.

That aside, GWS managed to pull it off, giving the Giants a perfect 3-0 finals record over the Swans in the process, and edging their way through to a semi-final where a mentally wounded Geelong awaits.

ANDREW SLEVISON

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30/8/21 5:51 pm

NO BEG YOUR PARDONS: Harry Perryman and James Rowbottom collide during the Giants’ thrilling one-point win over their arch rivals.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

IN A FAIR OLD FLAP UTAS STADIUM, AUGUST 28, 2021 u The Giants had just knocked

their feathered rivals from Sydney out the 2021 finals and that was enough to send young defenders Connor Idun and Sam Taylor (closest to camera) into a bit of a flap. After looking home and hosed at the last change of last Saturday’s elimination final, the Giants stopped to a walk as the Swans flew home. In the end, the pecking order was restored as GWS held on by the barest margin.

Taylor continued his impressive form in an enthralling battle with Swans superstar Lance Franklin while Idun has been one of the rising stars of the competition in 2021.

PHOTO: GRANT VINEY/AFL PHOTOS

ARF2 p26 Pic of the Week1.indd 26

8/30/21 4:16 PM

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

ZINGING IN THE RAIN UTAS STADIUM, AUGUST 29, 2021 u The weather gods smiled on the

Western Bulldogs last Sunday as they arrested a late-season slump to knock Essendon out of this year’s finals series and advance to a semi-final final showdown with the Brisbane Lions on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who lost their last three home and away games to tumble out of the top four, are blessed with some big-bodied midfielders who thrive in wet conditions. They also have one of the craftiest young forwards in the AFL in Cody Weightman who showed he is a genuine wet-tracker by kicking four goals in the low-scoring contest. The 20-year-old was playing his first final but showed nerves of steele.

PHOTO: STEVE BELL/AFL PHOTOS

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29/7/21 3:40 pm

AFL RECORD 2021 NAB AFL DRAFT

DRAFT SHOW ROLLS ON

u The football hopes of thousands of

teenagers around Australia with their sights set on the NAB AFL Draft have been dampened over the past two years.

Life as we know it is much different now to what it was only a couple of years ago, with variations of coronavirus upending the best-laid plans of talented underage players.

We first saw it with the 2020 draft crop unable to play consistent footy around the

country because of COVID. But it did not stop the likes of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Riley Thilthorpe, Will Phillips, Logan McDonald, Braeden Campbell, Errol Gulden, Denver Grainger-Barras, Nik Cox, Archie Perkins, Lachie Jones, Finlay Macrae and Ollie Henry, among others, making their presence felt in their first seasons in the AFL system.

Almost 12 months on from their draft day and things are eerily similar

for their successors, with plenty of local and state competitions put on hold throughout 2021.

But a lack of games across Australia will not impact the 2021 NAB AFL Draft with all 18 clubs seeking to bring in new talent to help take them forward.

Who are the names of the future? Read on to find out.

ANDREW SLEVISON

DRAFT PROSPECTS: (From left) Campbell Chesser, Nick Daicos and Josh Sinn at the NAB AFL Academy jumper presentation at the MCG earlier this year.

30 AFL RECORD

SEN.com.au

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MAC ANDREW

FINN CALLAGHAN

NICK DAICOS

Developing big man Andrew has the most intriguing story of all the draft hopefuls in that he was born in Egypt to South Sudanese parents. A Next Generation Academy prospect for Melbourne, Andrew has put up some impressive performances at NAB League level for the Stingrays, and also produced an eyecatcher in the Vic Metro v Vic Country challenge match. A multi-cultural talent who stands at 200cm, Andrew is a smooth-moving ruckman who can also play as a key forward with impressive athleticism and lovely skills. Changes to the NGA system prohibits clubs from bidding inside the top 20 picks, meaning the Demons may not necessarily have first access. Andrew is seen as a longer-term prospect and one to watch in years to come.

ANDREW SLEVISON

The Sandringham Dragons product has shot up draft boards in his top-age under-18 season, and may well be the second live pick in November’s draft. At 189cm, and with elite speed, agility and spatial awareness, clubs will be lining up to get their hands on this modern prototype player.

Having featured primarily on the wing and as a receiver at the contest, Callaghan possesses elite traits of an outside player at the top level.

His composure is his biggest attribute, which comes as no surprise given he models his game on fellow left-footers Marcus Bontempelli and Josh Kelly. Like that star duo, Callaghan seems to have more time than players around him, and never rushes with ball in hand. Clubs will hope he can grow the tackling and contested side of his game once he reaches the top level to become a complete midfielder.

LACHLAN GELEIT

Daicos looms as the consensus No. 1 pick after dominating at junior level for the past two years. The Oakleigh Chargers prospect is a midfielder who can rack up big disposal numbers but also has a great goal-sense and the ability to play across half-forward if required. As of July, he was averaging 36 disposals a game and has been compared with previous No. 1 picks such as Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell and Carlton’s Sam Walsh. Daicos will join Collingwood as a father-son selection in a huge coup for the club. He is the son of Magpies great Peter Daicos, who played 250 games in the black and white. His brother Josh has been on the club’s list since 2016 and has played 52 games.

NIC NEGREPONTIS

DANDENONG STINGRAYS/VIC METRO RUCKMAN DOB: 12/4/2003 HGT: 200CM WGT: 70KG

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/VIC METRO MIDFIELDER/WING DOB: 26/4/2003 HGT: 189CM WGT: 82KG

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC METRO MIDFIELDER DOB: 3/1/2003 HGT: 183CM WGT: 72KG

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AFL RECORD 2021 NAB AFL DRAFT

SAM DARCY

BEN HOBBS

SAM DARCY

GWV REBELS/VIC COUNTRY MIDFIELDER DOB: 16/9/2003 HGT: 183CM WGT: 80KG

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC METRO FORWARD/DEFENDER DOB: 19/7/2003 HGT: 204CM WGT: 75KG

One of the most talked-about prospects in this draft, Darcy is poised to continue father Luke’s legacy at the Western Bulldogs when he will be up for grabs early on via bidding. While there hasn’t been much NAB League or school footy this year due to various COVID lockdowns in Victoria, Darcy has impressed on the few occasions games have been played. Darcy put his name forward after kicking six goals in Vic Metro’s trial game against Vic Country earlier in the year, with some even tipping him to challenge Nick Daicos as this year’s No. 1 pick. Wherever the bid may come, Darcy should become the third member of his family to pull on a Bulldogs jumper following dad Luke and grandfather David. At 204cm, he’ll be hard to miss in 2022.

LAURENCE ROSEN

JOSH GIBCUS

BEN HOBBS

GWV REBELS/VIC COUNTRY KEY DEFENDER DOB: 4/4/2003 HGT: 195CM WGT: 84KG

The highest-rated key defender in the draft, Gibcus can lockdown on dangerous talls and dominate aerially as an interceptor. With great hands and an elite jump, he has been compared with GWS star Nick Haynes. While his most obvious trait is his aerial work, he looms as a player who can turn defence into attack at the top level, with strong running power and ability to rack up possessions in the back half. Having lined up on and competed strongly against the draft’s best key forward prospect Sam Darcy in the Vic Country v Metro clash, clubs won’t have doubts about his ability to sacrifice his game for the betterment of the team.

As he still possesses a light frame, expect Gibcus to start his career as more of a third tall/intercept option than a one-on-one defender.

LACHLAN GELEIT JOSH GIBCUS

32 AFL RECORD

One of the top prospects not tied to a club, Hobbs will appeal to both rebuilding teams craving a centrepiece and more mature teams desperate for engine room clout. The Greater Western Victoria Rebels graduate has the frame and upper body strength to take his time, hold opponents off and stand in the tackle, creating space for teammates. However, Hobbs is not all grunt. He booted two goals against the Murray Bushrangers in his return from an ankle injury, and he had seven clearances against Vic Metro. In a top 10 to be shaped by pick swaps and father-son selections, more than a handful of clubs will be eyeing the 183cm midfielder. The Gold Coast Suns and Adelaide Crows would be happy to have a hard-headed country lad, while Fremantle and Richmond could top up their rotations without sacrificing competitiveness.

NATHAN JOHN

JASON HORNE-FRANCIS

SOUTH ADELAIDE/SOUTH AUSTRALIA MIDFIELDER DOB:21/6/2003 HGT: 183CM WGT: 77KG

JASON HORNE-FRANCIS

Widely regarded as the best player in this year’s draft crop outside the father-son prospects, Horne-Francis appears a readymade midfielder who could make an instant impact at AFL level. The 18-year-old has been turning heads in the SANFL plying his trade for South Adelaide, playing through the midfield and across half-forward.

Horne-Francis is an aggressive player who doesn’t shy away from the contest – his bone-crunching tackle on Adelaide forward Darcy Fogarty a case in point. South Australia’s under-19 squad coach Tony Bamford says the Panthers teenager “oozes leadership”, has an “unbelievable work ethic” and can be equally as damaging when deployed forward. Horne-Francis is an exciting package and has drawn comparisons with Geelong captain and champion midfielder Joel Selwood.

ALEX ZAIA

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ultimate

your

bedroom

style guide

AFL RECORD 2021 NAB AFL DRAFT

JOSH RACHELE

JOSH RACHELE

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS/VIC COUNTRY FORWARD DOB: 11/4/2003 HGT: 180CM WGT: 78KG

Rachele has been likened to GWS star Toby Greene due to his forward craft and ability to conjure something from nothing. A talented soccer player who was part of Australia’s under-17s squad three years ago, Rachele decided to pursue an AFL career and is now considered a top-10 pick in this year’s draft.

The 18-year-old has caught the eye in the NAB League, kicking six goals from 17 disposals for the Murray Bushrangers against the Northern Knights. He also impressed for Vic Country against Vic Metro, collecting 20 disposals and kicking a goal. An exciting small forward who has pushed into the midfield, Rachele has X-factor in spades, knows where the goals are and can get it done in the air and at ground level.

ALEX ZAIA

JOSH SINN

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/VIC METRO HALF-BACK/MIDFIELDER DOB: 7/1/2003 HGT: 186CM WGT: 73KG

A lightning quick product from the Sandringham Dragons, Sinn looms as one of the top picks in this year’s NAB AFL Draft, largely due to his versatility in the midfield and across half-back. The Dragons skipper has had to fight through a hamstring injury that sidelined him from NAB League action for several months. Immensely gifted with speed and poise, Sinn has been touted as a top draft pick for months and would fit into most sides.

He’ll be looking to impress for Vic Metro at the NAB AFL Under-19 Championships in September after a run of injuries that have cruelled a large chunk of his year.

LAURENCE ROSEN

TYLER SONSIE EASTERN RANGES/VIC METRO MIDFIELDER DOB: 27/1/2003 HGT: 181CM

JOSH SINN

TYLER SONSIE

34 AFL RECORD

WGT: 77KG

The Eastern Ranges youngster is a proven goalkicker and midfielder who will add firepower to any club that selects him. Sonsie has faced several injury setbacks in his journey, but the rewards look to be paying off.

In one game for Box Hill in the VFL this season, he kicked two goals from 24 disposals. Sonsie has long been on the draft radar, bursting on to the scene in 2019 to take out Vic Metro’s under-16 MVP award, before becoming a member of the Eastern Ranges’ minor premiership-winning side which contested the NAB League Grand Final. Sonsie is one of the more damaging midfielders in this draft and is ready to go.

HUGH FITZPATRICK

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AFL RECORD PROMOTION

BEST of the

BEST FINALS WEEK 1

MELBOURNE v BRISBANE LIONS

Adelaide Oval, August 28, 2021

u The Brisbane Lions might have been

LACHIE NEALE KEY STATS DISPOSALS 46 CONTESTED POSSESSIONS 25 CLEARANCES 13 CENTRE CLEARANCES METRES GAINED

3 582

beaten by Melbourne by 33 points in their qualifying final, but it was not through a lack of effort by Lachie Neale.

The reigning Brownlow medallist set a record for most disposals in a final when he amassed a remarkable 46 in the loss to the Demons.

Neale has endured multiple injuries this season, but has rediscovered his best form over the past few weeks, culminating in his record-breaking display.

The previous record was held by Dane Swan who racked up 43 touches for Collingwood in the 2011 qualifying final against West Coast.

Neale attempted to set the scene for the Lions with 11 touches and five clearances in the first quarter, before playing a lone hand in Brisbane’s engine room.

The former Docker added 21 possessions to his tally across quarters two and three before doing all he could in the final term to stem the bleeding with 14 disposals.

His 13 clearances and 25 contested possessions were clear game-highs, further highlighting his endeavours up against a beastly Melbourne midfield of Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney.

Despite his prolific performance, Neale was unable to drag the Lions over the line and they will now look to keep their season alive against the Western Bulldogs in this Saturday’s semi-final.

ANDREW SLEVISON

36 AFL RECORD

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TopSport.indd 1

21/4/21 4:25 pm

BRING ON YOU SUPER SUBS. At the business end of the season, each and every one of your team has to put their best foot forward. And that’s definitely the case with our irresistible plant-based, meat free pie and roll options. Put them on your bench, warmed up and deliciously ready to please anytime. Available in your supermarket freezer aisle and selected convenience stores.

ARF2 pXX-FourN'Twenty-SuperSubs-DPS.indd 1

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OUR S. ARF2 pXX-FourN'Twenty-SuperSubs-DPS.indd 2

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QUESTIONS?

Ask Col via email at col.hutchinson@afl.com.au or write to him at AFL House, PO Box 1449, GPO, Melbourne, VIC 3001

ANSWER MAN If we could go back in time and change the Grand Final results to make all the runner-up teams the premiers, what would the list look like?

with LACHLAN ESSING TEARS TO CHEERS: If Grand Final losses became wins, the Magpies would have 27 premierships, while the Hawks (inset) would have only six.

THOMAS HADEN-CHURCH, HOBART, TAS LE: If that were the case, history as we know it today would look a lot different, that’s for sure. For starters, Carlton and Essendon hold the record for the most premierships with 16 each, but if we changed runners-up to premiers, Collingwood would be the dominant team with an amazing 27 cups! Six other teams would benefit from this

REWRITING HISTORY

u The flamboyant

Peter Bosustow started his WAFL career with Perth in 1975 and became a spectacular half-forward.

He played in the club’s 1977 flag and the following season booted seven goals in a losing Grand Final team.

Bosustow made an instant impact when he joined Carlton for the 1981 VFL season, playing in a premiership, heading the club’s goalkicking and winning both the VFL goal of the year and mark of the year.

CHANGING RUNNERS-UP TO PREMIERS TEAM

Adelaide

PREMS R/UP

2

1

DIFF -1

Brisbane

3

1

-2

Carlton

16

13

-3

Collingwood

15

27

+12

Essendon

16*

14

-2

Fitzroy

8

5

-3

Fremantle

0

1

+1

Geelong

9

10**

+1

Gold Coast Suns

0

0

0

GWS Giants

0

1

+1

Hawthorn

13

6

-7

Melbourne

12

5

-7

North Melbourne

4

5

+1

Port Adelaide

1

1

0

Richmond

13

12**

-1

St Kilda

1

6

+5

Sydney

5

12

+7

University

0

0

0

West Coast

4

3

-1

Western Bulldogs

2

1

-1

*Essendon won the 1897 and 1924 premierships after round-robin final series. **Geelong and Richmond were runners-up in 1897 and 1924 respectively.

40 AFL RECORD

ARF2 p40 Answerman.indd 40

scenario, with Sydney gaining another seven premierships, St Kilda five, Geelong one and North Melbourne one, while Fremantle and GWS would both have their first ever premierships.

At the other end of the scale, Hawthorn and Melbourne would suffer the most from this situation, losing 14 premierships between them. Not only would it affect clubs’ results, but it would also change players and coaches’ success rates. Richmond legend Jack Titus holds the record for most losses in a Grand Final with six, but that would change to only two. Rene Kink would be a five-time premiership player, as he played in five losing Grand Finals.

Among the many others who would benefit would be Jack Dyer, Tom O’Halloran, Jack Bisset, Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison.

CAN YOU ASSIST? u We are keen to know the preferred kicking foot of the following Grand Final players since the end of World War II – South Melbourne (1945): Jack Dankert, Don Grossman, Ron Hartridge, Brian Kelly, Billy King, Alan Linden, Bob Matlock, Reg Richards, Ted Whitfield, Billy Williams, Jack ‘Basher’ Williams; North Melbourne (1950): Bob Brooker, Jack Hedley, Ted Jarrard, Pat Kelly, Jim Malone, Gerald Marchesi, Jock McCorkell, Les Reeves, Tim Robb, Col Thornton; Footscray (1954): Brian Gilmore, Alan Martin, Ron McCarthy, Doug Reynolds, Ron Stockman.

If you can assist, contact Col Hutchinson at col.hutchinson@afl.com.au.

His spectacular goal came during the second semi-final against Geelong at VFL Park.

Cat Ian Nankervis’ attempted clearing kick from the back pocket was smothered by Bosustow, who jumped up with the footy, snapped a freakish goal over his shoulder and raised his arms in triumph.

Carlton won the match and moved into the Grand Final.

Bosustow played three seasons for the Blues, kicking 146 goals in 65 games, and featured in two premierships.

Despite his brief time at the club, the ‘Buzz’ made a lasting impression.

MARK GENGE

Have a great goalkicking story?

Email Mark Genge, AFL Historian, at mark.genge@afl.com.au.

SEN.com.au

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kids 4 kids kids 4 kids

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you find the SURNAMES of these NAB AFL Rising Star winners?

Luke Jackson (2021) Caleb Serong (2020) Sam Walsh (2019) Jaidyn Stephenson (2018) Andrew McGrath (2017) Callum Mills (2016) Jesse Hogan (2015) Lewis Taylor (2014) Jaeger O’Meara (2013) Daniel Talia (2012) Dyson Heppell (2011)

Dan Hannebery (2010) Daniel Rich (2009) Rhys Palmer (2008) Joel Selwood (2007) Danyle Pearce (2006)

FFAACCEE MAASSHH M Can you name the two players who have been merged to create these new faces?

Hint: A – Brisbane Lions B – Geelong Cats

42

A

S C U T Z M F R Y A C A X

N O S N E H P E T S X S L

P R I C H Y U M Z M D E X

L P W B R T L L L Z L L K

A S F R I F F A F T L W M

H D U Q O Q F P E M E O W

B

J K Y D Q L H V K T P O F

I H S L A W Y T R Z P D S

J S L H X K K A A R E A S

A I L A T V O C T R H C V

W O I W K F H B N A G O H

F X M U H W D J Y G H C F

H A N N E B E R Y S G O M

J U R F L W S N J T N M B

D

P E A R C E E B B Q O E G

E R A D I N D B O G R A N

Q A F C R F R U Q N E R O

C N O S K C A J L D S A A

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: The sponsor logo on Swan ‘Buddy’ Franklin’s shorts is upside down; the blue band has been removed from Demon Harrison Petty’s left sock; the brand logo has disappeared from teammate Jayden Hunt’s guernsey; there is extra stitching on the ball; a green band has been added to Swan Will Hayward’s right sock.

FACE MASH: A – Daniel Rich and Oscar McInerney.

B – Cameron Guthrie and Isaac Smith.

WORD FIND

TO FIN

AFL RECORD SEN.com.au

ARF2 p42-43 KidsPage Quiz.indd 42

8/30/21 3:52 PM

New Hall of Fame Legend Jack Oatey coached which SANFL club to seven premierships?

A Norwood B Sturt C West Adelaide D Glenelg

2

3

Hall of Fame inductee Chris Judd won Brownlow Medals at West Coast and Carlton in what years?

A 2004, 2011 B 2005, 2010 C 2004, 2010 D 2005, 2011

Who was runner-up to Harry McKay (below) in this year’s Coleman Medal?

A Jack Riewoldt B Taylor Walker C Lance Franklin D Tom Hawkins

How many draws were played in 2021?

A 192 B 194 C 196 D 198

A7 B6 C5 D4

12

4

5

7

How many goals did McKay kick for the season?

13

A 54 B 56 C 5 D 60

Brett Rosebury, Matt Stevic and which other 2021 listed umpire have officiated more than 400 games?

A Ray Chamberlain B Chris Donlon C Dean Margetts D Simon Meredith

8

9

A One B Two C Three D Four

W hich team won the most quarters (56) in the home and away season?

A Brisbane Lions B Melbourne C Port Adelaide D Geelong

W hich team won the fewest quarters (31)?

A Collingwood B North Melbourne C Gold Coast D Adelaide

W ho was named vice-captain of the 2021 All-Australian team?

A Max Gawn B Toby Greene C Jack Steele D Marcus Bontempelli

W ho finished second behind Luke Jackson in the 2021 NAB AFL Rising Star Award?

A Mitch Georgiades B Tom Green C Justin McInerney D Errol Gulden

14

RECOGNITION: Jake

Lever was one of how many Demons in the All-Australian team?

How many drawn games were played in the 2021 home and away season?

W hich club finished the home and away season in ninth place?

A West Coast Eagles B St Kilda C Fremantle D Richmond

6

In what years did Chris Judd win his two Brownlows?

How many games were played during the 2021 home and away season?

How many Melbourne players were selected in the 2021 All-Australian team?

SUPERSTAR:

10 11

SHARING THE POINTS:

15

W ho was named the 2021 AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year?

A Clayton Oliver B Marcus Bontempelli C Ollie Wines D Jack Steele

W hat business does 2021 Richmond best and fairest Dylan Grimes run outside football?

A Stud farm B Tattoo parlour C Winery D IT

WORKING MAN: What

business does Tiger star Dylan Grimes run?

ANSWERS: 1. B; 2. C; 3. D; 4. C; 5. A; 6. D; 7. C; 8. A; 9. B; 10. D; 11. C; 12. D; 13. B; 14. A; 15. C.

1

THE FOOTY QUIZ

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 43

ARF2 p42-43 KidsPage Quiz.indd 43

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MCD7639_Maccas_50_AFL_RECORD_DOUBLES_DPS_420x275mm_R2.indd 1 AR22 p28-Maccas-Arches.indd 1

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MATCH CENTRE FINALS WEEK 2 | SEPTEMBER 3-4, 2021

ARF2 p45 MC Opener 2021.indd 45

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2021 LEAGUE LEADERS DISPOSALS

KICKS

Disposing of the ball via a handball or kick.

PLAYER

HANDBALLS

Disposing of the ball by foot.

Disposing of the ball by hand.

MARKS

Catching a kicked ball that has travelled 15m.

MTS AVE EFF %

PLAYER

1 T.Mitchell (Haw)

22 34.3 74.5

1 D.Rich (Bris)

23 21.5 77.4

1 T.Mitchell (Haw)

22 19.7 82.0

1 T.Stewart (Geel) 20 8.9

2 J.Macrae (WB)

23 33.9 75.7

2 A.Hall (NM)

20 21.2 72.8

2 R.Laird (Adel)

22 17.7 82.1

2 J.Rotham (WCE) 19 8.5

3 O.Wines (PA)

23 32.1 68.5

3 J.Ziebell (NM)

21 20.3 84.7

3 J.Macrae (WB)

23 17.6 85.4

3 D.Moore (Coll) 13 8.2

4 R.Laird (Adel)

22 32 70.6

4 T.Stewart (Geel)

20 18.9 84.4

4 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 17.3 80.7

4 H.Andrews (Bris) 22 7.9

5 T.Miller (GCS)

21 31.8 71.6

5 J.Short (Rich)

22 18.7 78.8

5 O.Wines (PA)

23 17 84.4

5 J.Lukosius (GCS) 22 7.8

6 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 31.7 69.8

6 J.Lloyd (Syd)

22 18.4 85.1

6 S.Walsh (Carl)

22 16.3 83.8

6 S.Docherty (Carl) 14 7.6

7 Z.Merrett (Ess)

23 31.5 74.3

7 S.Docherty (Carl)

14 18 78.6

7 T.Miller (GCS)

21 15.9 77.2

7 J.Weitering (Carl) 22 7.6

8 D.Parish (Ess)

23 30.5 72.3

8 L.Ryan (Frem)

19 17.5 84.9

8 Z.Merrett (Ess)

23 15.8 86.0

8 C.Mayne (Coll) 17 7.5

9 S.Walsh (Carl)

22 29.8 74.4

9 J.Lukosius (GCS)

22 17.4 72.5

9 D.Parish (Ess)

23 15.7 81.9

9 A.Hall (NM) 20 7.5

10 C.Guthrie (Geel)

21 29.3 74.0

10 S.Hurn (WCE)

15 17.3 85.8

10 P.Cripps (Carl)

20 15.3 79.7

10 J.McGovern (WCE) 15 7.4

SCORE INVOLVEMENTS

Scoring chains where the player had a disposal, hit-out to advantage, kick-in or knock-on.

PLAYER

MTS AVE EFF %

STATS PROVIDED BY

AFL PLAYER RATINGS

As seen on AFL.com.au.

The most advanced metric of player performance available using data from 2021.

MTS AVE

PLAYER

MTS AVE

PLAYER

MTS AVE EFF %

PLAYER

MTS AVE

HIT-OUTS TO ADVANTAGE

CENTRE CLEARANCES

STOPPAGE CLEARANCES

A hit-out that reaches an intended teammate.

The first kick or effective handball in a chain that clears the centre bounce area.

The first kick or effective handball in a chain that clears the ball-up or throw-in area.

PLAYER

MTS AVE

PLAYER

MTS AVE

PLAYER

MTS AVE

1 T.Greene (GWS)

18 8.3

1 N.Naitanui (WCE)

22 18.8

1 N.Naitanui (WCE)

22 12.3

1 T.Adams (Coll)

14 3.9

1 N.Naitanui (WCE)

22 4.7

2 C.Petracca (Melb)

23 8.0

2 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 17.4

2 B.Grundy (Coll)

20 10.7

2 D.Parish (Ess)

23 3.8

2 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 4.7

3 D.Zorko (Bris)

22 7.8

3 J.Stringer (Ess)

19 17.2

3 M.Gawn (Melb)

23 10.2

3 B.Cunnington (NM) 15 3.7

3 T.Liberatore (WB)

22 4.5

4 T.Walker (Adel)

17 7.8

4 M.Bontempelli (WB)

23 17.1

4 S.Darcy (Frem)

21 10.0

4 E.Yeo (WCE)

12 3.7

4 J.Lyons (Bris)

23 4.0

5 D.Parish (Ess)

23 7.6

5 J.Macrae (WB)

23 16.9

5 M.Pittonet (Carl)

13 9.9

5 T.Liberatore (WB)

22 3.2

5 L.Neale (Bris)

16 4.0

6 N.Fyfe (Frem)

15 7.6

6 D.Martin (Rich)

16 16.6

6 O.McInerney (Bris)

22 9.4

6 J.Stringer (Ess)

19 3.2

6 H.Greenwood (GCS) 15 4.0

7 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 7.3

7 T.Liberatore (WB)

22 16.4

7 T.Goldstein (NM)

22 9.1

7 J.Macrae (WB)

23 3.0

7 J.Hopper (GWS)

8 M.Bontempelli (WB) 23 7.3

8 D.Zorko (Bris)

22 16.4

8 P.Ryder (StK)

12 8.9

8 R.Laird (Adel)

22 2.9

8 B.Cunnington (NM) 15 3.9

9 T.Hawkins (Geel)

23 7.2

9 D.Parish (Ess)

23 16.3

9 S.Mumford (GWS)

13 8.7

9 T.Boak (PA)

22 2.9

9 R.Laird (Adel)

22 3.9

10 C.Wingard (Haw)

16 7.1

10 T.Miller (GCS)

21 16.2

10 R.O'Brien (Adel)

20 8.2

10 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 2.9

10 L.Dunstan (StK)

12 3.8

METRES GAINED

Distance gained with the ball by running, kicking or handballing, combining measures towards and away from goal.

CONTESTED MARKS A mark under physical pressure of an opponent or in a pack.

PLAYER

MTS AVE

INSIDE 50s

Moving the ball from the midfield into the forward zone. Excludes multiple entries within the same chain of possession.

PLAYER

MTS AVE

PRESSURE POINTS

Weighted sum of pressure acts – 3.75 for physical pressure, 2.25 for closing, 1.5 for chasing and 1.2 for corralling.

MTS AVE

TACKLES

Using physical contact to prevent an opponent in possession of the ball from getting an effective disposal.

PLAYER

MTS AVE

1 A.Hall (NM)

20 650

1 H.McKay (Carl)

19 2.6

1 C.Petracca (Melb)

2 D.Rich (Bris)

23 636

2 C.Dixon (PA)

23 2.5

2 M.Bontempelli (WB) 23 6.7

2 J.Viney (Melb)

13 64.9

2 J.Steele (StK)

22 8.5

3 J.Lukosius (GCS)

22 626

3 A.Naughton (WB)

22 2.5

3 D.Zorko (Bris)

22 6.5

3 J.Steele (StK)

22 64.4

3 J.Viney (Melb)

13 7.3

4 B.Smith (Adel)

21 616

4 M.King (StK)

20 2.4

4 D.Parish (Ess)

23 6.0

4 W.Drew (PA)

23 62.9

4 T.Miller (GCS)

21 7.1

5 P.Seedsman (Adel)

22 606

5 M.Gawn (Melb)

23 2.3

5 P.Seedsman (Adel)

22 5.7

5 D.Zorko (Bris)

22 61.0

5 W.Drew (PA)

23 6.8

6 J.Short (Rich)

22 555

6 D.Cameron (Coll)

18 2.2

6 Z.Merrett (Ess)

23 5.5

6 T.Miller (GCS)

21 60.5

6 J.Lyons (Bris)

23 6.5

7 M.Bontempelli (WB)

23 549

7 A.Aliir (PA)

23 2.1

7 B.Keays (Adel)

22 5.4

7 J.Graham (Rich)

22 60.5

7 J.Rowbottom (Syd)

17 6.2

8 B.Dale (WB)

23 536

8 M.Flynn (GWS)

12 2.1

8 P.Dangerfield (Geel) 14 5.4

8 B.Keays (Adel)

22 60.4

8 D.Zorko (Bris)

22 6.1

23 6.8

PLAYER

22 4.0

1 H.Greenwood (GCS) 15 67.5

PLAYER

MTS AVE

1 H.Greenwood (GCS) 15 8.7

9 C.Petracca (Melb)

23 527

9 R.Marshall (StK)

13 2.1

9 C.Oliver (Melb)

23 5.3

9 J.Lyons (Bris)

23 60.0

9 B.Keays (Adel)

22 6.0

10 L.Ryan (Frem)

19 520

10 D.McStay (Bris)

19 2.0

10 D.Martin (Rich)

16 5.3

10 T.Liberatore (WB)

22 59.9

10 R.Laird (Adel)

22 5.9

46 AFL RECORD

SEN.com.au

LeadersPlayer.indd 46

8/30/21 4:57 PM

OFFICIAL 2021 TOYOTA AFL

PREMIERSHIP SEASON LADDER AFTER ROUND 23, 2021 P

W

L

D

Gls

For Beh

Pts

Gls

Against Beh Pts

Mtch Home Away Form Scores pts W L D W L D W/L High Low

%

Av margin W < 7 L < 7 Pls Rnd 23 1st Yr Qtrs 4th W L pts pts used 2020 Players Won Qtrs W

1 Melbourne

22 17 4

1

270 268 1888

211

177 1443 130.84

70

7 3 1 10 1 0

4W

128

55

28

11

1

1

34

9

2

55

13

2 Port Adelaide

22 17

5

0

276

228 1884 210

232 1492 126.27

68

8 3 0 9 2 0

6W

140

44

32

31

4

0

35

1

5

51

13

3 Geelong Cats

22 16 6

0

269

231 1845 205 226 1456 126.72

64

9 2 0 7 4 0

1L

136

50

30

17

3

2

35

4

4

52

14

3W

142

54

44

19

1

1

32

2

3

56

15

3L

167

37

40

16

0

2

41

7

6

52

12

4 Brisbane Lions

22 15

7

0

313

213 1599 133.27

60

9 2 0 6 5 0

5 Western Bulldogs

22 15

7

0

288 266 1994 215

211

1501 132.84

60

7 4 0 8 3 0

6 Sydney Swans

22 15

7

0

293 228 1986 237

234 1656 119.93

60

9 2 0 6 5 0

2W

136

51

30

18

2

2

37

16

3

52

13

7 GWS Giants

22 11 10

1

258 220 1768 255 243 1773

99.72

46

4 7 0 7 3 1

3W

107

56

22

25

2

2

39

10

6

44

8

8 Essendon

22 11 11

0

287

231 1953 261

224 1790

109.11

44

5 6 0 6 5 0

3W

143

45

37

22

0

3

37

13

7

47

14

9 West Coast Eagles

22 10 12 0

257

210 1752 274

236 1880

93.19

40

7 4 0 3 8 0

4L

132

26

29

35

1

0

37

5

3

44

10

10 St Kilda

22 10 12 0

237

222 1644 260 236 1796

91.54

40

5 6 0 5 6 0

1W

128

33

29

37

0

1

39

6

5

42

11

11 Fremantle

22 10 12 0

219

264 1578 265

235 1825

86.47

40

7 4 0 3 8 0

1L

108

31

23

39

2

0

39

12

5

39

6

253

225 1743 258

12 Richmond

22 9 12

13 Carlton

22 8 14 0

1

253 2131

231

232 1780

97.92

38

6 4 1 3 8 0

1D

134

22

31

26

1

3

40

3

7

40

13

250 246 1746 288 244 1972

88.54

32

3 8 0 5 6 0

3L

123

44

22

29

0

0

39

11

3

36

8

14 Hawthorn

22 7

13 2

239

195 1629 282

220 1912

85.20

32

4 7 0 3 6 2

1D

102

46

16

30

2

1

38

15

8

32

8

15 Adelaide Crows

22 7

15 0

230 236 1616 287

249 1971

81.99

28

5 6 0 2 9 0

1W

109

21

19

32

2

3

37

18

9

32

11

16 Gold Coast Suns

22 7

15 0

201

224 1430 268

255 1863

76.76

28

4 7 0 3 8 0

2L

113

30

27

41

1

0

38

14

3

37

10

17 Collingwood

22 6 16 0

225

207 1557 269 204 1818

85.64

24

1 10 0 5 6 0

3L

106

42

20

23

1

2

39

8

9

32

9

18 North Melbourne

22 4 17

210

198 1458 299

70.27

18

1 9 1 3 8 0

4L

116

39

16

40

0

0

38

17

6

31

7

5

Leigh Haussen

1

281 2075

AFL UMPIRES 2021 1

Chris Donlon

Games 352 Finals 15

6

Dean Margetts

Games 377 Finals 12

11

Curtis Deboy

Games 130 Finals 4

16

Brendan Hosking

Games 186 Finals 2

21

Simon Meredith

Games 412 Finals 36

26

Craig Fleer

Paul Rebeschini

Games 21 Finals 0

umpire.afl

Nick Foot

Games 171 Finals 2

7

Jeff Dalgleish

Games 237 Finals 6

12

Andrew Stephens

Games 152 Finals 3

17

John Howorth

Games 42 Finals 0

22

Nathan Williamson

Games 109 Finals 2

27

Games 162 Finals 5

31

2

Andre Gianfagna

Games 64 Finals 1

32

Jacob Mollison

Games 280 Finals 4

3

Leigh Fisher

Games 174 Finals 1

8

Brett Rosebury

Games 456 Finals 44

13

Nick Brown

Games 83 Finals 0

18

Ray Chamberlain

Games 353 Finals 29

23

Robert Findlay

Games 277 Finals 8

28

Cameron Dore

Games 40 Finals 0

33

Brent Wallace

Games 85 Finals 0

4

Justin Power

Games 44 Finals 0

9

Matt Stevic

Games 424 Finals 45

14

Hayden Gavine

Games 91 Finals 1

19

Alex Whetton

Games 53 Finals 0

24

David Harris

Games 153 Finals 1

29

Andrew Heffernan

Games 18 Finals 0

34

Games 83 Finals 0

10

Robert O’Gorman

Games 148 Finals 1

15

Mathew Nicholls

Games 380 Finals 27

20

Jamie Broadbent

Games 23 Finals 0

25

Nathan Toner

Games 5 Finals 0

30

Dan Johanson

Games 22 Finals 0

Eleni Glouftsis

Games 51 Finals 0

ROOKIES: Andrew Adair, Matthew Baigent, Peter Bailes, Tom Bryce, Jordan Fry, Dean Garroway, Courtney Gibson, Louis Jago, Nicholas Jankovskis, Giles Lewis, Nicholas McGinness, Chris Melin, Michael Pell, Luke Porter, Martin Rodger, Leighton Rowe, Gabby Simmonds, James Strybos, Nathan Toner. BOUNDARY: Jordan Andrews, Michael Baker, Michael Barlow, Adam Bastick, Peter Bock, Chris Bull, Ian Burrows, Sean Burton, Adam Coote, Patrick Cran, Damien Cusack, Brett Dalgleish, Chris Delany, Patrick Dineen, Nathan Doig, Chris Esler, Daniel Field-Read, Joshua Furman, Josh Garrett, Christopher Gordon, Patrick Jackson, Matthew Jenkinson, Matthew Konetschka, Drew Kowalski, Mitchell Le Fevre, Tim Lougoon, Ben MacDonald, Damien Main, Michael Marantelli, Josh Mather, Jason Moore, Sean Moylan, Lachlan Rayner, Adam Reardon, Michael Saunders, James Scully, Sam Stagg, Nick Swanson, Shane Thiele, Mark Thomson, Matthew Tomkins, David Wood. GOAL: Steven Axon, Jesse Baird, Dylan Benwell, Sally Boud, Matthew Bridges, Peter Challen, Alex Chisholm, Michael Craig, Matthew Dervan, Luke Edwards, Mark Ensbey, Daniel Hoskin, Sam Hunter, Brodie Kenny-Bell, Matt Maclure, Angus McKenzie-Wills, Alistair Meldrum, Steven Piperno, Simon Plumridge, David Rodan, Chelsea Roffey, Brett Rogers, Sam Walsh, Stephen Williams, Daniel Wilson, Adam Wojcik, Jason Yazdani (rookie).

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 47

ARF2 p47 Ladder-Umpires.indd 47

8/30/21 3:02 PM

2021 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON ROUND 1

ROUND 7

Thursday, March 18 Rich 15.15 (105) v Carl 11.14 (80) (MCG) (N) Friday, March 19 Coll 7.11 (53) v WB 10.9 (69) (MCG) (N) Saturday, March 20 Melb 11.14 (80) v Frem 8.10 (58) (MCG) Adel 15.13 (103) v Geel 13.13 (91) (AO) (T) Ess 13.13 (91) v Haw 14.8 (92) (MRVL) (N) BL 14.10 (94) v Syd 19.11 (125) (G) (N) Sunday, March 21 NM 9.11 (65) v PA 17.15 (117) (MRVL) GWS 11.12 (78) v StK 13.8 (86) (GS) WCE 12.11 (83) v GCS 8.10 (58) (OS) (T)

Friday, April 30 Rich 11.11 (77) v WB 7.13 (55) (MCG) (N) Saturday, May 1 Coll 7.13 (55) v GCS 12.7 (79) (MCG) Adel 4.15 (39) v GWS 15.16 (106) (AO) StK 19.14 (128) v Haw 9.5 (59) (MRVL) (T) BL 13.15 (93) v PA 5.14 (44) (G) (N) Syd 14.6 (90) v Geel 12.16 (88) (SCG) (N) Sunday, May 2 NM 11.7 (73) v Melb 16.7 (103) (BA) Ess 16.11 (107) v Carl 19.9 (123) (MCG) WCE 20.12 (132) v Frem 11.7 (73) (OS)

ROUND 2

ROUND 8

Thursday, March 25 Carl 13.7 (85) v Coll 16.10 (106) (MCG) (N) Friday, March 26 Geel 12.9 (81) v BL 11.14 (80) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, March 27 Syd 18.13 (121) v Adel 11.22 (88) (SCG) PA 18.11 (119) v Ess 9.11 (65) (AO) (T) St K 11.7 (73) v Melb 12.19 (91) (MRVL) (N) GCS 14.14 (98) v NM 5.9 (39) (MS) (N) Sunday, March 28 Haw 7.7 (49) v Rich 11.12 (78) (MCG) WB 14.16 (100) v WCE 14.9 (93) (MRVL) Frem 11.21 (87) v GWS 7.14 (56) (OS) (T)

ROUND 3

Thursday, April 1 Coll 11.6 (72) v BL 11.7 (73) (MRVL) (N) Friday, April 2 NM 5.9 (39) v WB 25.17 (167) (MRVL) (T) Adel 14.11 (95) v GCS 12.13 (85) (AO) (N) Saturday, April 3 Rich 10.12 (72) v Syd 17.15 (117) (MCG) Ess 22.11 (143) v StK 9.14 (68) (MRVL) (T) WCE 16.12 (108) v PA 11.5 (71) (OS) (N) Sunday, April 4 Carl 16.13 (109) v Frem 9.10 (64) (MRVL) GWS 11.2 (68) v Melb 15.12 (102) (MO) (N) Monday, April 5 Geel 10.9 (69) v Haw 9.10 (64) (MCG)

ROUND 4

Thursday, April 8 Syd 11.17 (83) v Ess 12.8 (80) (SCG) (N) Friday, April 9 PA 11.13 (79) v Rich 11.11 (77) (AO) (N) Saturday, April 10 WB 10.13 (73) v BL 8.6 (54) (MARS) StK 15.12 (102) v WCE 13.4 (82)(MRVL) (T) GCS 8.11 (59) v Carl 9.16 (70) (MS) (N) Coll 9.6 (60) v GWS 14.6 (90) (MCG) (N) Sunday, April 11 NM 10.8 (68) v Adel 16.13 (109) (MRVL) Melb 12.13 (85) v Geel 9.6 (60) (MCG) Frem 13.18 (96) v Haw 12.9 (81) (OS) (T)

ROUND 5

Thursday, April 15 StK 7.6 (48) v Rich 20.14 (134) (MRVL) (N) Friday, April 16 WCE 16.7 (103) v Coll 11.10 (76) (OS) (N) Saturday, April 17 WB 17.16 (118) v GCS 8.8 (56) (MRVL) Syd 10.9 (69) v GWS 9.17 (71) (SCG) Carl 9.14 (68) v PA 15.6 (96) (MCG) (N) BL 15.12 (102) v Ess 6.9 (45) (G) (N) Sunday, April 18 Adel 11.6 (72) v Frem 12.12 (84) (AO) Haw 8.6 (54) v Melb 15.14 (104) (MCG) Geel 10.17 (77) v NM 7.5 (47) (GMHBA) (T)

ROUND 6

Friday, April 23 GWS 9.11 (65) v WB 15.14 (104) (MO) (N) Saturday, April 24 Geel 21.10 (136) v WCE 5.9 (39) (GMHBA) GCS 15.10 (100) v Syd 9.6 (60) (MS) Carl 12.13 (85) v BL 15.13 (103) (MRVL) (T) Melb 12.10 (82) v Rich 6.12 (48) (MCG) (N) Frem 14.15 (99) v NM 6.12 (48) (OS) (N) Sunday, April 25 Haw 15.12 (102) v Adel 16.3 (99) (UTAS) Coll 13.7 (85) v Ess 16.13 (109) (MCG) PA 14.9 (93) v StK 5.9 (39) (AO) (N)

48 AFL RECORD

ARF2 p48 Fixture 2021.indd 48

Friday, May 7 Rich 9.9 (63) v Geel 19.12 (126) (MCG) (N) Saturday, May 8 GWS 16.11 (107) v Ess 16.9 (105) (GS) GCS 7.12 (54) v StK 8.15 (63) (MS) NM 11.10 (76) v Coll 14.10 (94) (MRVL) (T) Melb 10.7 (67) v Syd 8.10 (58) (MCG) (N) PA 12.15 (87) v Adel 5.8 (38) (AO) (N) Sunday, May 9 Haw 8.12 (60) v WCE 14.14 (98) (MCG) WB 16.11 (107) v Carl 13.13 (91) (MRVL) BL 14.11 (95) v Frem 10.11 (71) (G)

ROUND 9

Friday, May 14 StK 5.17 (47) v Geel 10.8 (68) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, May 15 Syd 10.12 (72) v Coll 5.12 (42) (SCG) Haw 12.8 (80) v NM 13.9 (87) (UTAS) GCS 7.9 (51) v BL 19.10 (124) (MS) (T) Rich 13.9 (87) v GWS 12.11 (83) (MRVL) (N) PA 12.5 (77) v WB 15.6 (96) (AO) (N) Sunday, May 16 Ess 10.8 (68) v Frem 8.13 (61) (MRVL) Melb 13.16 (94) v Carl 10.8 (68) (MCG) WCE 16.10 (106) v Adel 11.10 (76) (OS)

ROUND 10

Friday, May 21 BL15.12 (102) v Rich 11.8 (74) (G) (N) Saturday, May 22 Carl 13.8 (86) v Haw 9.9 (63) (MCG) Geel 14.7 (91) v GCS 8.9 (57) (GMHBA) Adel 15.6 (96) v Melb 14.11 (95) (AO) (T) WB 21.18 (144) v StK 5.3 (33) (MRVL) (N) Frem 12.14 (86) v Syd 13.6 (84) (OS) (N) Sunday, May 23 GWS 13.15 (93) v WCE 11.11 (77) (GS) Coll 8.10 (58) v PA 8.11 (59) (MCG) Ess 22.9 (141) v NM 10.9 (69) (MRVL) (T)

ROUND 11

Friday, May 28 WB 8.11 (59) v Melb 13.9 (87) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, May 29 Coll 6.15 (51) v Geel 8.13 (61) (MCG) BL 19.15 (129) v GWS 10.5 (65) (G) StK 12.16 (88) v NM 10.8 (68) (MRVL) (T) GCS 17.11 (113) v Haw 11.10 (76) (SCG) (N) WCE 11.5 (71) v Ess 12.15 (87) (OS) (N) Sunday, May 30 Rich 17.9 (111) v Adel 12.11 (83) (GS) Syd 15.10 (100) v Carl 11.12 (78) (SCG) PA 18.7 (115) v Frem 9.15 (69) (AO) (T)

ROUND 12

Friday, June 4 Melb 14.13 (97) v BL 11.9 (75) (GS) (N) Saturday, June 5 Syd 13.14 (92) v StK 12.11 (83) (SCG) Adel 10.13 (73) v Coll 12.6 (78) (AO) T Ess 12.12 (84) v Rich 19.9 (123) (OS) (N) Sunday, June 6 Carl 10.13 (73) v WCE 14.11 (95) (SCG) Frem 9.11 (65) v WB 13.15 (93) (OS) (T) Byes: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide

ROUND 13

Thursday, June 10 PA 14.7 (91) v Geel 17.10 (112) (AO) (N) Friday, June 11 Syd 7.9 (51) v Haw 14.5 (89) (SCG) (N) Saturday, June 12 Frem 11.10 (76) v GCS 6.13 (49) (OS) (T) StK 8.12 (60) v Adel 9.12 (66) (CS) (N) Sunday, June 13 NM 14.10 (94) v GWS 14.10 (94) (BA) WCE 13.7 (85) v Rich 12.9 (81) (OS) (N) Monday, June 14 Melb 9.9 (63) v Coll 11.14 (80) (SCG) Byes: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Essendon, Western Bulldogs

ROUND 14

Friday, June 18 Geel 12.11 (83) v WB 11.12 (78) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, June 19 GCS 4.7 (31) v PA 12.9 (81) (MS) NM 6.9 (45) v BL 9.14 (68) (BA) (T) GWS 16.6 (102) v Carl 9.12 (66) (GS) (N) Sunday, June 20 Haw 10.13 (73) v Ess 13.8 (86) (UTAS) Byes: Adelaide Crows, Collingwood, Fremantle, Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles

ROUND 19

Friday, July 23 PA 14.13 (97) v Coll 10.9 (69) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 24 Carl 11.11 (77) v NM 18.8 (116) (MRVL) BL 17.18 (120) v GCS 10.11 (71) (G) WCE 14.10 (94) v StK 13.8 (86) (OS) Melb 9.11 (65) v WB 13.7 (85) (MCG) (N) Adel 16.6 (102) v Haw 13.5 (83) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, July 25 Syd 14.14 (98) v Frem 8.10 (58) (MS) Geel 15.5 (95) v Rich 8.9 (57) (MCG) Ess 7.11 (53) v GWS 9.12 (66) (MS)

ROUND 20

Friday, July 30 StK 12.9 (81) v Carl 18.4 (112) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 31 WB 15.15 (105) v Adel 8.8 (56) (MARS) NM 6.6 (42) v Geel 8.14 (62) (BA) Coll 14.6 (90) v WCE 6.9 (45) (MCG) (T) Sunday, August 1 GCS 4.6 (30) v Melb 18.20 (128) (MRVL) Haw 14.8 (92) v BL 12.8 (80) (UTAS) Ess 16.6 (102) v Syd 17.7 (109) (MCG) GWS 11.7 (73) v PA 15.10 (100) (MRVL) (T) Frem 7.13 (55) v Rich 6.15 (51) (OS) (T)

ROUND 21

ROUND 15

Friday, August 6 Geel 8.17 (65) v GWS 13.6 (84) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, August 7 Carl 8.9 (57) v GCS 11.10 (76) (MRVL) Rich 13.11 (89) v NM 8.8 (56) (MCG) (T) Adel 7.9 (51) v PA 7.13 (55) (AO) (N) StK 14.9 (93) v Syd 10.4 (64) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 8 Haw 15.7 (97) v Coll 12.6 (78) (MCG) WB 12.12 (84) v Ess 15.7 (97) (MRVL) Frem 8.6 (54) v BL 18.10 (118) (OS) Monday, August 9 WCE 9.9 (63) v Melb 10.12 (72) (OS) (N)

ROUND 16

Friday, August 13 GWS 16.10 (106) v Rich 10.7 (67) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, August 14 Haw 9.10 (64) v WB 5.7 (37) (UTAS) Geel 13.7 (85) v StK 11.5 (71) (GMHBA) (T) PA 21.14 (140) v Carl 5.15 (45) (AO) (T) BL 22.10 (145) v Coll 8.9 (57) (G) (N) NM 12.5 (77) v Syd 13.13 (91) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 15 Melb 16.8 (104) v Adel 9.9 (63) (MCG) GCS 4.6 (30) v Ess 14.14 (98) (GMHBA) Frem 12.7 (79) v WCE 9.10 (64) (OS)

Thursday, June 24 BL 13.16 (94) v Geel 7.8 (50) (G) (N) Friday, June 25 Rich 2.10 (22) v StK 9.8 (62) (MCG) (N) Saturday, June 26 NM 9.18 (72) v GCS 9.9 (63) (BA) Coll 12.7 (79) v Frem 14.7 (91) (MRVL) (T) PA 12.9 (81) v Syd 10.11 (71) (AO) (N) Ess 8.9 (57) v Melb 9.14 (68) (MCG) (N) Sunday, June 27 GWS 11.6 (72) v Haw 13.12 (90) (MCG) WCE 6.7 (43) v WB 13.20 (98) (OS) Carl 12.11 (83) v Adel 10.13 (73) (MRVL) (T) Thursday, July 1 GCS 10.17 (77) v Rich 10.7 (67) (MRVL) (N) Friday, July 2 Geel 15.8 (98) v Ess 8.9 (57) (GMHBA) (N) Saturday, July 3 Melb 7.13 (55) v GWS 9.10 (64) (MCG) Adel 8.11 (59) v BL 17.9 (111) (AO) Haw 7.11 (53) v PA 13.9 (87) (MRVL) (N) Frem 8.16 (64) v Carl 12.8 (80) (MCG) (N) Sunday, July 4 Syd 18.10 (118) v WCE 3.8 (26) (GMHBA) Coll 8.13 (61) v StK 10.10 (70) (MCG) WB 16.12 (108) v NM 11.13 (79) (MRVL) (T)

ROUND 17

Thursday, July 8 PA 8.7 (55) v Melb 12.14 (86) (AO) (N) Friday, July 9 Ess 11.18 (84) v Adel 2.9 (21) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, July 10 Haw 6.10 (46) v Frem 16.12 (108) (UTAS) Carl 5.14 (44) v Geel 10.10 (70) (MCG) (T) BL 8.15 (63) v StK 14.11 (95) (MS) (N) Sunday, July 11 GWS 9.10 (64) v GCS 10.5 (65) (MARS) WB 8.12 (60) v Syd 11.13 (79) (MRVL) Rich 11.5 (71) v Coll 13.9 (87) (MCG) (T) Monday, July 12 WCE 8.12 (60) v NM 10.10 (70) (OS) (T)

ROUND 18

Thursday, July 15 Frem 3.13 (31) v Geel 14.16 (100) (OS) (N) Friday, July 16 Rich 16.10 (106) v BL 13.8 (86) (MS) (N) Saturday, July 17 StK 8.13 (61) v PA 10.14 (74) (MRVL) GCS 11.13 (79) v WB 14.6 (90) (MS) (T) Melb 11.13 (79) v Haw 12.7 (79) (MCG) (T) Sunday, July 18 NM 11.8 (74) v Ess 13.14 (92) (MS) Coll 9.8 (62) v Carl 13.13 (91) (MCG) Adel 8.8 (56) v WCE 14.14 (98) (AO) (T) GWS 11.6 (72) v Syd 15.8 (98) (MS) (N)

ROUND 22

ROUND 23

Friday, August 20 WB 10.4 (64) v PA 9.12 (66) (MRVL) (N) Saturday, August 21 Rich 12.11 (83) v Haw 12.11 (83) (MCG) Syd 21.10 (136) v GCS 6.13 (49) (MRVL) BL 19.11 (125) v WCE 13.9 (87) (G) (T) Geel 12.5 (77) v Melb 12.9 (81) (GMHBA) (N) Carl 11.9 (75) v GWS 12.17 (89) (MRVL) (N) Sunday, August 22 StK 17.5 (107) v Frem 6.13 (49) Ess 16.6 (102) v Coll 9.10 (64) (MCG) Adel 13.20 (98) v NM 8.6 (54) (AO) (T)

2021 TOYOTA AFL FINALS SERIES

Friday, August 27 PA 12.14 (86) v Geel 5.13 (43) (AO) (N) Saturday, August 28 Syd 10.13 (73) v GWS 11.8 (74) (UTAS) Melb 13.15 (93) v BL 9.6 (60) (AO) (N) Sunday, August 29 WB 13.7 (85) v Ess 4.12 (36) (UTAS) Friday, September 3 2nd SF: Geelong Cats v GWS Giants (OS) (N) Saturday, September 4 1st SF: Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs (G) Friday, September 10 1st PF: Melb v winner of Geel/GWS (OS) (N) Saturday, September 11 2nd PF: PA v winner of BL/WB (AO) (N) September 25 Toyota AFL Grand Final *Fixture is subject to change.

SEN.com.au

8/30/21 4:50 PM

Ends 11:59pm (local time) 19/10/21. Total prize pool value up to AU$616,775,460.28. Must be mymacca’s club member to redeem prizes.

Full terms/privacy info: www.mcdonalds.com.au. NSW Permit No. TP/00246. ACT Permit No. TP 21/00468. SA Permit No. T21/413. MONOPOLY TM & © 1935, 2021 Hasbro. All Rights reserved.

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26/8/21 15:23 8/27/21 12:00 PM

SCOREBOARD – FINALS WEEK 1 SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL Port Adelaide 4.3 8.7 9.10 12.14 (86) Geelong Cats 2.5 3.8 3.11 5.13 (43) BEST: Port Adelaide – Boak, Aliir, Fantasia, Wines, Duursma, Byrne-Jones.

Geelong Cats – Duncan, Henry, Smith, Dangerfield, Parfitt.

GOALS: Port Adelaide – Fantasia 4, Motlop 2, Powell-Pepper 2, Butters, Gray, Ladhams, Marshall. Geelong Cats – Hawkins 2, Cameron, Selwood, Simpson.

Substitutes: Port Adelaide – Powell-Pepper (replaced Fantasia). Geelong Cats – Higgins (replaced O’Connor).

Umpires: C. Deboy, S. Meredith, J. Mollison.

Crowd: 19,712 at Adelaide Oval.

SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL GWS Giants 3.2 9.3 11.7 11.8 (74) Sydney Swans 3.2 5.4 8.6 10.13 (73) BEST: GWS Giants – Greene, Taranto, Kelly, Perryman, Mumford, Hogan, Sproule, Taylor. Sydney Swans – Heeney, Parker, Franklin, Dawson, Papley, Hewett, Hickey.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Greene 3, Sproule 2, Himmelberg 2, Hogan 2, Taranto, Lloyd. Sydney Swans – Heeney 4, Franklin 3, Papley 2, Bell.

Substitutes: Sydney Swans – Fox (replaced McLean). GWS Giants – Bruhn (replaced Cumming).

Umpires: R. Findlay, M. Nicholls, M. Stevic.

Crowd: 8635 at UTAS Stadium.

FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL Melbourne 5.4 9.10 9.12 13.15 (93) Brisbane Lions 4.2 5.4 7.5 9.6 (60) BEST: Melbourne – Oliver, Petracca, Lever, Viney, Fritsch, Neal-Bullen, Gawn.

Brisbane Lions – Neale, Cameron, Rich, McCluggage, K. Coleman, Bailey.

GOALS: Melbourne – Fritsch 4, Pickett 2, Petracca 2, B. Brown, Sparrow, Oliver, Langdon, Spargo. Brisbane Lions – Cameron 5, Bailey, J. Berry, McCluggage, McCarthy.

Substitutes: Melbourne – Jordon (unused). Brisbane Lions – Mathieson (replaced McStay).

Umpires: R. Chamberlain, C. Donlon, C. Fleer.

Crowd: 13,784 at Adelaide Oval.

FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL Western Bulldogs 2.1 5.4 8.5 13.7 (85) Essendon 1.4 4.7 4.10 4.12 (36) BEST: Western Bulldogs – Macrae, Liberatore, Weightman, Bontempelli, Naughton, B. Smith. Essendon – Parish, Draper, Merrett, Ridley, Heppell.

GOALS: Western Bulldogs – Weightman 4, Naughton 3, Schache 2, Hannan 2, Vandermeer, B. Smith. Essendon – Stringer 2, Smith, Parish.

Substitutes: Western Bulldogs – Johannisen (unused).

Essendon – Cox (unused).

Umpires: B. Rosebury, A. Stephens, N. Williamson.

Crowd: 9760 at UTAS Stadium.

ON A MISSION: The Demons are all smiles after their big win over the Lions.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Votes

Player

Club

114

Clayton Oliver

Melbourne

101

Marcus Bontempelli Western Bulldogs

101

Ollie Wines

Port Adelaide

100

Jack Steele

St Kilda

97

Touk Miller

Gold Coast Suns

92

Sam Walsh

Carlton

91

Zach Merrett

Essendon

LEADING GOALKICKERS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Player Harry McKay Tom Hawkins Charlie Cameron Jack Riewoldt Lance Franklin Bayley Fritsch Taylor Walker Josh Bruce Ben King Charlie Dixon Toby Greene Joe Daniher Aaron Naughton Tom Papley

Club Goals Behinds % (Carl) 58 33 63.7 (Geel) 56 34 62.2 (Bris) 52 32 62.0 (Rich) 51 29 63.8 (Syd) 51 24 68.0 (Melb) 51 21 70.8 (Adel) 48 29 62.3 (WB) 48 21 69.6 (GCS) 47 25 65.3 (PA) 46 23 66.7 (GWS) 45 41 52.3 (Bris) 45 32 58.4 (WB) 43 38 53.1 (Syd) 43 27 61.4

Note: includes finals

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50 AFL RECORD

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SANFL ROUND 18 (SPLIT RD)

WAFL ROUND 21 Peel Thunder 1.0 6.3 11.9 16.10 (106) 7.1 7.2 7.3 10.3 (63) Perth BEST: Peel Thunder – Crowden, Giro, Hancock, Sears, Bell, Lawler.

Perth – Sinclair, Gray, Byrne, Grey, McInnes.

GOALS: Peel Thunder – Lawler 3, Sears 3, Bell 2, Bennell 2, Watson, Thorne, Western, Meek, Banfield, Giro. Perth – McInnes 3, Byrne 2, Grey 2, Cary, Giblett, Sanderson.

Glenelg 2.1 6.5 9.6 15.8 (98) 0.2 2.2 4.5 9.8 (62) West Adelaide BEST: Glenelg – Bradley, Turner, Snook, Agnew, Curran. West Adelaide – Ryan, Stevens, Redfern, Chamberlain, Keough, Hill.

GOALS: Glenelg – Bailey 3, Hosie 2, Reynolds 2, Agnew 2, Turner, Bradley, Snook, Landt, Pink, Hannath. West Adelaide – Keough 3, Duval 2, Beech 2, Lemmey, C. Fairlie.

Subiaco 3.6 9.10 10.11 12.13 (85) 3.0 5.1 8.4 11.5 (71) East Perth BEST: Subiaco – Delahunty, Harris, Kitchin, Heal, Walters, Sokol.

East Perth – Ameduri, Lynch, Scott, Msando, Watts.

GOALS: Subiaco – Walters 2, Sokol 2, Golding 2, Braut, Harris, Martin, Hickmott, Brandon Matera, Clinch. East Perth – Lynch 2, Ameduri 2, Magro 2, Young, Edwards-Baldwin, Dobson, Simpson, Merritt.

Eagles 4.0 7.3 10.4 11.6 (72) 4.2 4.3 8.5 9.8 (62) Sturt BEST: Eagles – Tsitas, Redden, Sinor, Knight, Poole, Beecken. Sturt – Carey, Davis, Fahey-Sparks, Slimming, Illman, Coomblas GOALS: Eagles – Poole 2, Stengle 2, D. Menzel 2, Knight, Comitogianni, Haylock, Beecken, Firns. Sturt – Davis 3, Penfold 2, Hone, Battersby, Burrows, Carey.

4.1 9.2 15.3 20.3 (123) East Fremantle 2.9 5.14 7.22 9.23 (77) West Perth BEST: East Fremantle – Baskerville, Tassone, Dixon, Meade, O’Reilly.

West Perth – S. Nelson, Black, Kernutt, Munns, O’Donnell.

GOALS: East Fremantle – Dixon 5, Monaghan 3, Boekhorst 2, Marsh 2, Lester-Smith 2, O’Reilly 2, Kommer, Jansen, English, Holmes. West Perth – Black 2, Knott 2, Keitel 2, S. Nelson, Peirce, Delaporte.

Norwood 5.2 9.2 11.5 13.7 (85) 2.5 6.10 9.11 10.13 (73) North Adelaide BEST: Norwood – Pedro, Boyd, Douglas, Grigg, Rokahr, Heard. North Adelaide – Harvey, C. Combe, W. Combe, Hender.

GOALS: Norwood – Pascoe 3, Boyd 2, Pedro 2, Grigg, Binder, Richards, Nelligan, McKenzie, Rokahr. North Adelaide – Ramsey 2, Hender 2, Finlay, Mercovich, Minervini, W. Combe, Clisby, Schwarz.

3.2 5.4 9.11 10.16 (76) South Fremantle 1.2 5.2 7.3 11.5 (71) Swan Districts BEST: South Fremantle – Suban, Shaw, Schloithe, Dragovich, Dent, Pearson.

Swan Districts – Jones, Beck, Fisher, Erceg, Germs.

GOALS: South Fremantle – Suban 2, Shaw 2, Dragovich, Ninyette, Pearson, Donaldson, Kelly, Schlensog. Swan Districts – Noble 3, Ottaviano 3, Palmer, Clarke, Fisher, Ireland, Wilson.

8.5 9.11 14.14 19.15 (129) Claremont 0.4 1.6 3.8 4.9 (33) West Coast BEST: Claremont – Rogers, Hardisty, Mountford, Barton, England.

West Coast – Marlin, Sumich, O’Neill, Johnson, Brayshaw.

GOALS: Claremont – Barton 5, Manuel 4, Rogers 3, Buller 3, House 2, Bolton, Hardisty. West Coast – Johnson, Hug, Nitschke, Sumich.

STATE LEAGUE

NAB U19 CHAMPIONSHIPS Western Australia 3.2 5.6 8.12 9.13 (67) South Australia 0.2 2.5 2.5 5.8 (38) BEST: Western Australia – Van Rooyen, Johnson, Sheldrick, South, Gorringe, Hough. South Australia – Litster, Adams, Steene, Wanganeen-Milera, Becker, Roberts.

GOALS: Western Australia – Hough 2, Amiss 2, Motlop, Dittmar, Regan, Williams, Paton. South Australia – Stagg, Roberts, Draper, Horne-Francis, Becker.

NAB RISING STAR VOTING Votes Player 51 Luke Jackson 38 Tom Green 28 Mitch Georgiades 14 Justin McInerney 11 Errol Gulden

Club Melbourne GWS Giants Port Adelaide Sydney Swans Sydney Swans

TSL FINALS

SECOND SEMI-FINAL 1.2 4.3 7.5 10.8 (68) North Launceston 4.4 5.8 7.10 8.11 (59) Launceston BEST: North Launceston – Lee, Walsh, Edmunds, Cox-Goodyer, Foon, Pearce.

Launceston – Smith, Wright, Woolley, Groenewegen, Hinds, Seymour.

GOALS: North Launceston – Pearce 3, Cox-Goodyer 2, Leary 2, Donnelly, Foon, Bennett. Launceston – Hinds 4, Hodge, Thorp, Groenewegen, Musicka.

FIRST SEMI-FINAL 2.3 3.4 7.9 8.12 (60) Clarence Tigers 0.1 2.5 4.7 5.9 (39) BEST: Clarence – Buechner, Norton, Holmes, Harper, Alomes, Howlett.

Tigers – Clifford, Campbell, Davies, McCulloch, Reihana, Ashlin.

GOALS: Clarence – Alomes 2, Garland 2, Smith, S. Green, Burgess, Howlett.

Tigers – Campbell 2, Reardon, Keogh, Duigan.

The Lost Season

u The Lost Season is an

observational documentary following four teenage football players – Zec Cuppens, Dan O’Bryan, Matty Wilson and Liv Cicolini – as well as the local coach Tom Doyle, who all hail from the small country town of Finley in New South Wales (home of AFL legends Shane Crawford and Tom Hawkins and legendary coach Allan Jeans).

‘Cuppo’, ‘Dano’ and ‘Matty’ are part of a talented young group of players affectionately labelled ‘The Chicken Boys’ which is destined to take the men’s side to its first premiership in 32 years under the caring guidance of ‘Doyley’.

Meanwhile, ‘Chicka’ harbours a lifelong dream of being the first girl from Finley to be drafted to the AFLW. All of this is thrown into turmoil, however, when the outbreak of

COVID-19 threatens to derail the season as each character questions just how much football means to them and what their future might hold.

The Lost Season explores the soul of rural footy and the way it binds a country town together.

The debut feature documentary from Tim Davis and Al Moore (Back Pocket Films) premiered on Fox Footy and Kayo this week.

DREAMS DERAILED: COVID-19 has put the AFLW hopes of Liv Cicolini on hold; (inset) Finley coach Tom Doyle.

AFL.com.au AFL RECORD 51

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Cats v Giants PRESSURE: The ‘blue collar’ Giants made life difficult for Cats stars such as Cameron Guthrie in their round 21 win at GMHBA Stadium.

HEAD to HEAD Played 12: Geelong Cats 7, GWS Giants 4, draws 1.

Since 2016: Geelong Cats 3, GWS Giants 4, draws 1.

Most recent game: round 21, 2021, Geelong Cats lost to GWS Giants by 19 points at GMHBA Stadium.

Highest attendance: 30,087, round 23, 2017, at GMHBA Stadium.

GEELONG CATS

Highest score: 24.13 (157), round 11, 2013, at Giants Stadium.

Lowest score: 8.17 (65), round 21, 2021, at GMHBA Stadium.

Home record: 4-2 Away record: 3-2-1 Greatest winning margin: 65 points, round 10, 2012, at GMHBA Stadium.

Longest winning sequence: 4, round 10, 2012, to round 17, 2015.

Most goals in a game: 6, Harry Taylor, round 10, 2012, at GMHBA Stadium.

GWS GIANTS

Match Preview

u One of the great wins by the Giants in 2021 came against the Cats barely a month ago on a Friday night at a deserted GMHBA Stadium. The re-configured, blue-collar Giants were on full display that night and simply outworked the Cats for a deserved win. But they needed a touch of brilliance as well and it came from Toby Greene, who booted four goals and was the best player on the ground. He is the fire-starter for GWS, but is unlikely to be playing due to suspension and will be badly missed. The subtraction of Greene from the GWS line-up and the addition of Jeremy Cameron for the Cats could make all the difference here.

52 AFL RECORD

SEN.com.au

The foundation Giants spearhead missed the first opportunity for a reunion with his old mates and will be keen for a better outing than last week.

He and Tom Hawkins combined for just three goals in the disappointing 43-point loss to Port Adelaide. Indeed, Geelong had few real winners in what has become its traditional poor opening week of the finals, but it tends to bounce back strongly in week two. The Giants just held on against the fast-finishing and inaccurate Swans last week and will have a light few days before travelling to Perth. If the Cats can inject more speed into their game, they should win through to another preliminary final.

ASHLEY BROWNE

Prediction: Geelong by 10 points

Highest score: 17.3 (105), round 1, 2020, at Giants Stadium.

Lowest score: 4.8 (32), round 7, 2018, at GMHBA Stadium.

Away record: 2-4 Home record: 2-3-1 Greatest winning margin: 32 points, round 1, 2020, at Giants Stadium.

Longest winning sequence: 3, round 4, 2019, to round 11, 2021.

Most goals in a game: 4, Jeremy Cameron, round 11, 2013, Sydney Showground Stadium; Jonathon Patton, round 15, 2017, Giants Stadium; Toby Greene, round 1, 2020, Giants Stadium; Harry Perryman, round 1, 2020, Giants Stadium; Toby Greene, round 21, 2021, GMHBA Stadium.

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GEELONG CATS

GWS GIANTS

Coach Chris Scott Captain Joel Selwood

Coach Leon Cameron Captain Stephen Coniglio GOALS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

BEHINDS

GOALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 50

Rhys STANLEY Zach TUOHY Brandan PARFITT Shaun HIGGINS Jeremy CAMERON Jordan CLARK Isaac SMITH Jake KOLODJASHNIJ Max HOLMES Ben JARVIS Josh JENKINS Cooper STEPHENS Joel SELWOOD Nathan KREUGER Sam DE KONING Esava RATUGOLEA Charlie CONSTABLE Quinton NARKLE Oscar BROWNLESS Nick STEVENS Mitch DUNCAN Gary ROHAN Jed BEWS Lachie HENDERSON Tom HAWKINS Sam MENEGOLA Darcy FORT Cameron GUTHRIE Tom ATKINS Francis EVANS Gryan MIERS Shannon NEALE Patrick DANGERFIELD Paul TSAPATOLIS Sam SIMPSON Jack HENRY Zach GUTHRIE Luke DAHLHAUS Cameron TAHENY Mark O’CONNOR Stefan OKUNBOR Tom STEWART Brad CLOSE Mark BLICAVS

Phil DAVIS Jacob HOPPER Stephen CONIGLIO Toby GREENE Tanner BRUHN Lachie WHITFIELD Lachie ASH Callan WARD Ryan ANGWIN Jacob WEHR Braydon PREUSS Tom GREEN Isaac CUMMING Tim TARANTO Sam TAYLOR Brent DANIELS Conor STONE Nick HAYNES Tom HUTCHESSON Matt BUNTINE Josh KELLY Jesse HOGAN Matt DE BOER Lachlan KEEFFE Jake RICCARDI Harry HIMMELBERG Zach SPROULE Cameron FLEETON Matt FLYNN Jeremy FINLAYSON Kieren BRIGGS Xavier O’HALLORAN Nick SHIPLEY Will SHAW Harry PERRYMAN Bobby HILL Daniel LLOYD Connor IDUN Adam KENNEDY Shane MUMFORD Jake STEIN Jack BUCKLEY James PEATLING Callum BROWN Sam REID

RUSHED 1ST QTR

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

RUSHED FINAL

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1ST QTR

2ND QTR

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BRISBANE LIONS

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Coach Chris Fagan Captain Dayne Zorko

Coach Luke Beveridge Captain Marcus Bontempelli GOALS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

GOALS

BEHINDS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 41 42 43 44 46

Brock SMITH Deven ROBERTSON Joe DANIHER Callum AH CHEE Mitch ROBINSON Hugh McCLUGGAGE Jarrod BERRY Ely SMITH Lachie NEALE Daniel RICH Lincoln McCARTHY Nakia COCKATOO Thomas BERRY Grant BIRCHALL Dayne ZORKO Cam RAYNER Jarryd LYONS Keidean COLEMAN Henry SMITH Jaxon PRIOR Tom FULLARTON Harry SHARP Charlie CAMERON Marcus ADAMS Daniel McSTAY Connor McFADYEN Darcy GARDINER Cameron ELLIS-YOLMEN Eric HIPWOOD Harris ANDREWS Tom JOYCE Zac BAILEY Blake COLEMAN Ryan LESTER Rhys MATHIESON Brandon STARCEVICH Connor BALLENDEN Carter MICHAEL Jack PAYNE Deividas UOSIS James MADDEN Noah ANSWERTH Archie SMITH Kalin LANE Oscar McINERNEY

Adam TRELOAR Lewis YOUNG Mitch WALLIS Marcus BONTEMPELLI Josh DUNKLEY Bailey SMITH Lachie HUNTER Stefan MARTIN Hayden CROZIER Easton WOOD Jack MACRAE Zaine CORDY Josh SCHACHE Rhylee WEST Taylor DURYEA Toby McLEAN Josh BRUCE Louis BUTLER Cody WEIGHTMAN Ed RICHARDS Tom LIBERATORE Jamarra UGLE-HAGAN Laitham VANDERMEER Buku KHAMIS Ben CAVARRA Dominic BEDENDO Patrick LIPINSKI Anthony SCOTT Mitch HANNAN Lachlan McNEIL Bailey DALE Will HAYES Aaron NAUGHTON Bailey WILLIAMS Caleb DANIEL Roarke SMITH Riley GARCIA Jason JOHANNISEN Jordon SWEET Alex KEATH Ryan GARDNER Tim ENGLISH Lin JONG RUSHED

RUSHED 1ST QTR

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

FINAL

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BEHINDS

1ST QTR

2ND QTR

3RD QTR

FINAL

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What I’m thinking with Ashley Browne

Derailed Teague pays the price David Teague’s recent sacking again highlights interim coaches are exactly that – interim.

A

ll the elements seemed to be in place for David Teague when he was installed as the permanent coach of Carlton with two games remaining in 2019.

Teague became the Blues’ interim coach midway through the season and oversaw five wins from nine games before the ‘interim’ tag was removed from his job title.

His most impressive win was his first – against finals-bound Brisbane – while subsequent wins came over Fremantle, Sydney and Adelaide, none of which made the finals.

But given Carlton had just one win before then, it could rightly be argued Teague had momentum on his side and had reversed the Blues’ sliding fortunes.

Teague also had support from the three key stakeholder units.

The players. Tick. Past players (of which he was one). Tick. And supporters. Tick.

The ‘Teague Train’ had left the station and the Carlton board felt it had no choice but to climb aboard.

But in taking the popular option, instead of what might have been the best, the Blues fell into the same trap that several clubs have before them.

They followed their heart and not their head.

86 AFL RECORD

The Blues followed their heart and not their head

In 1997, Jeff Gieschen replaced the unpopular Robert Walls at Richmond (Tiger conspiracy theorists still maintain he was a Carlton plant!) with five games remaining and the wins started to come.

Before the final game, the cheer squad was on board with an ‘Unleash the Giesch’ message planted on one side of the banner.

When the Tigers knocked the Blues out of the finals that afternoon, the board had seen enough and gave the job to Gieschen on a permanent basis. Two years later they were looking for another new coach.

When Terry Wallace advised the Western Bulldogs he was moving on at the end of 2002 – he thought he had the Sydney job locked away – the Dogs asked him to finish up with one game remaining.

Peter Rohde took over and after a huge win over eventual grand finalist Collingwood to finish the season, he was almost immediately given the job on a permanent basis.

He, too, was sacked two years later after an internal review found he had failed to meet several of his deliverables.

Rhyce Shaw was also anointed as permanent senior coach of North Melbourne in late 2019 at around the same time as Teague won the job at the Blues and he lasted just one full season.

Shaw was dealt a lousy hand during a pandemic-affected season, but the process to appoint him wasn’t thorough enough and the Kangaroos found themselves looking for a new coach twice within 15 months. Thankfully, they appear to have nailed their selection this time around with David Noble.

SHORT-TERM FIX: With the exception of Sydney’s Paul Roos (inset), appointing interim coaches to the full-time job has proved unsuccessful, with Carlton’s David Teague the latest victim.

Brett Ratten replaced Alan Richardson in late 2019 and steered the Saints into the finals last year before a stumble in 2021.

But he has the advantage of this being his second stint as an AFL senior coach. He knew what he was getting into.

The one interim coach who worked out in the long term was Paul Roos.

He stood in for Rodney Eade midway through 2002 and overwhelming player and fan support meant the club had no choice but to scupper plans to replace Eade with Wallace.

Roos took the Swans to the finals every year but one, including the drought-breaking 2005 flag.

But that’s the one. By and large, elevating interim coaches into the role on a permanent basis has not really worked.

With five clubs having coaches entering the final year of their contracts next year, recent history would suggest there is likely to be at least one that will require an interim coach to complete the season.

That being so, the way forward for those clubs is clear. Thank the interim coaches for their service, ignore the white noise and … look elsewhere for the next permanent coach.

@hashbrowne

SEN.com.au

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