The Hawks opted not to challenge Worpel’s dangerous tackle charge on Sydney’s Harry Cunningham, where he had hold of the Swan’s left arm as he brought him to ground.Another incident, where Worpel was similarly tackled in the centre, was not cited.The 22-year-old will miss Hawthorn’s clash with Essendon in Launceston on Sunday, with Harry Morrison (hamstring) also out from the team that upset Sydney at the SCG on Friday night.Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now >Debutant midfielder Jai Newcombe’s inclusion against the Swans saw coach Alastair Clarkson tweak Mitchell’s role, resulting in the 28-year-old spending more time forward.Mitchell excelled in his new position, winning a game-high 34 disposals and 16 contested possessions, to go with seven tackles, four inside 50s and three clearances.James Cousins and Damon Greaves were dropped last week – making way for Jaeger O’Meara and Will Day – while ruckman Ned Reeves was a late withdrawal and his replacement, Jon Ceglar, starred.Cousins is the likeliest inclusion if Clarkson wants a like-for-like replacement for Worpel and to continue to experiment with Mitchell in attack.One of Greaves or untried draftee Connor Downie – an unused medical substitute in Round 1 – could come in for Morrison, but the Hawks may choose to go taller.Key forward Mitch Lewis (concussion) could be available for selection, assuming he has sufficiently recovered after being knocked out in a club boxing session at the start of last week.Lewis, who’s kicked at least one goal in all eight of his games this year, went out of the side after going into the AFL’s new 12-day concussion protocols.Ceglar’s performance against in-form Sydney big man Tom Hickey and Lewis’ potential return may see two-gamer Reeves be the unfortunate one, even if he’s fit again.
SuperCoach Plus gives you an entire treasure chest of nuggets to boost your score this week and for the rest of the season.It also gives you exclusive access to weekly analysis articles just like this one.Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >From price and score projections to Aaron Hall’s stunning streak, captaincy tips, Tom Highmore’s eye-popping breakout game and the players who cost you the most points through free kicks and clangers, here are 11 things you need to know for Round 14.MORE: AL PATON’S TOP BYE TRADE TARGETS1. Aaron Hall might not overtake teammate Jack Ziebell for total points this season (he’s 402 behind), but he certainly has him covered over the past six rounds. Since Round 7, Ziebell’s average has dropped from 123.7 to (a still very respectable) 98.7, while Hall has averaged 116.2 in that time. Last weekend he shrugged off attention from master tagger Matt de Boer to score a season-high 141 points. His improvement is reflected in his ratings across the competition as a general defender — first for uncontested possessions, second for metres gained and fourth for disposals, with a kick rating 4.5 per cent above the AFL average.2. Hall is the third-most popular trade target this week so far, behind rookies Jai Newcombe and Luke Edwards. Newcombe was a late call-up to just over 20,000 KFC SuperCoach teams ahead of his AFL debut following selection in the mid-season draft, and he didn’t let them down. He smashed the tackle record for a debutant, applying 14 from his 15 tackle attempts. He racked up 41 points from tackles alone and earned another 22 points from his contested work. It was an efficient display, losing 6.5 points from two free kicks against and a further two points from one clanger kick.3. Newcombe is priced at just $102,400 and won’t rise in value until after his third game. Edwards is on the bubble with a price rise due after his next match — but that won’t be until at least Round 15, after the Eagles’ bye. Edwards is projected to rise $74,000 after that game following scores of 63 and 96 in his first two senior appearances. His break even of -89 is the second-lowest in the competition, behind Hawks ruckman Ned Reeves (-98), who was a late out against the Swans. If Reeves returns this week he is projected to jump in value by more than $80,000, but Alastair Clarkson might find it hard to drop his replacement Jonathon Ceglar, who scored 131 points — the best return in his 94-game career.4. Tom Highmore rewarded KFC SuperCoaches who kept the faith with a career-best score in a bye round. Of his 111 points, 50 came in a blistering opening term. He earned 43 points from intercepts alone, including three contested intercept marks, worth a combined 19.3 points. He took 13 marks in total and had 15 kicks and seven handballs, as well as laying four tackles worth 15 points. Highmore’s value spiked by $22,800 after Round 13 and his break even is back in the negatives (-2), so he has a lot more cash to make. Unfortunately, he won’t be available this week thanks to St Kilda’s Round 14 bye.5. Highmore isn’t the only popular player who is unavailable this round. In fact, 15 of the 20 most-selected players have a bye in Round 14, including eight of the top 10. Of the five top-20 players not on the bye, two of them are Dayne Zorko (suspended) and Tyler Brockman, who hasn’t played since Round 4 but still features in more than 53,000 teams. 6. Struggling for cash and looking for a bargain-priced premium scorer to complete your backline? Nick Haynes could be your man. The GWS interceptor averaged 98.4 in a breakout 2020 season but has battled this year, averaging just 65.3 in nine matches (including a score of just 2 when he hurt his hamstring against the Bulldogs). But he may have turned the corner against the Kangaroos, posting a season-best 118 points from 26 disposals and 14 marks. One match doesn’t make a trend, but he did score 139 and 148 the last time he played the Giants’ next two opponents, Carlton and Hawthorn, respectively. Remarkably, Haynes lost more than $200k from his starting price before bottoming out and rising $31,300 this week. He’s still available for the crazy price of $335,600 (break even 32).7. Choosing the right captain will be crucial this week, with some of the most popular choices unavailable. But even though there are just five matches, we still have some great options. Tom Mitchell scored 135 against Essendon in Round 1 and an average of 130.6 from his past five against the Bombers. Zach Merrett scored 105 in the opening round but put up 145 and 138 in his previous two against Hawthorn. Giant Josh Kelly averages a massive 144.7 in his past three against Carlton, including a 205 in 2018. Sam Walsh has only played the Giants twice in his career but the last time they met, in Round 15 last year, he posted 132. Brisbane’s Jarryd Lyons averages 123 in his past three against North Melbourne while Roo Aaron Hall is one player who might not have been too upset about this week’s fixture changes. He loves playing at Blundstone Arena, averaging 123.5 from two matches at the venue.8. It might pay to steer clear of the Dogs big guns against the Cats. Jack Macrae’s career average of 86.2 against Geelong is his worst of any team, and while his past three average against the Cats (112) is respectable, he averages 90.2 at GMHBA Stadium. Marcus Bontempelli averages 121 in his past three against Geelong but just 91 from five career games at the Cattery. Caleb Daniel is another Dog who has struggled down the highway, averaging just 72.8 from four appearances there.9. There is a lot more to KFC SuperCoach scoring than kicks, marks and handballs. Champion Data awards points for effective spoils — a punch that goes to a teammate, out of bounds or anywhere not directly to an opponent. Hawk Changkuoth Jiath had a bounce-back game against the Swans, scoring 112 points, aided by six effective spoils. Steven May leads the competition for spoiling efficiency this season, with 56 of his 67 spoils effective. Dane Rampe (82.9 per cent) and Dylan Grimes (78 per cent) are also in the top three but the name that jumps out for KFC SuperCoach players is Max Gawn, who ranks sixth in the competition with a spoiling efficiency of 74 per cent from his 50 spoils this season.10. Gold Coast gun Matt Rowell has the highest break even in the competition at -237 after scoring 54 in his first game since hurting his knee in Round 1 (when he scored just six points). SuperCoach Plus is projecting a score of 60 against Port Adelaide this week and a massive price drop of close to $80,000. He is likely to drop under $400k the following week, which could be the perfect time to snap him up as a cheap recruit for the run home. Other players of note with huge break evens are Clayton Oliver (199) and Patrick Dangerfield (191), who is projected to shed another $42k off his price tag if he scores 94 on Friday night. He does have a good recent history against the Bulldogs — since 2016 he has faced them seven times for scores of 132, 115, 146, 118, 151, 173 and 144. 11. Owners of Jack Steele were rubbing their hands together at the prospect of another huge score after he passed 100 points before three-quarter time against Adelaide. But his last quarter was a bust, finishing on 126 points. He spent a decent portion of the quarter stuck on the bench but also paid the price for negative acts that cost players KFC SuperCoach points. He lost 17.5 points in the final quarter and 28 for the match from free kicks against (six) and clanger kicks. But his performance didn’t even make the top 30 in most points given away by a player in a game this season. Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko holds the top two spots on that unenviable list, headlined by his Round 4 effort against the Western Bulldogs when he lost 40 points from negative acts — five free kicks against and six clangers from his 23 disposals. Zorko lost 38.5 points against the Cats in Round 2 (four frees against), while other players to have given back large chunks of their score include Brodie Grundy (-38 against GWS in Round 4), Marcus Bontempelli (-37 against Carlton in Round 8), Tim Taranto (-34 against Collingwood in Round 4), and Clayton Oliver (-33, also against the Blues).
Seb Ross and Tim Membrey came under fire from journalist Caroline Wilson on Monday night for skipping the Saints’ clash with Adelaide in Cairns to return to Melbourne and support their wives.Father-of-three Ross and his partner welcomed twins in early May, while Membrey’s wife is due to give birth to their first child any day.The Saints emphasised on Tuesday that they had repeatedly stated their support for both Ross and Membrey to fly home from interstate.Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now >Wilson reported that senior St Kilda figures had asked them to remain with the side and that their absence may have cost it victory despite the Saints leading by six goals at one stage.“I’d almost say they would have beaten Adelaide,” Wilson said on Footy Classified.“Instead, Seb Ross left to be with his wife Marnie, who gave birth to twins five or six weeks ago. He missed the game when the twins were born and he wasn’t prepared to stay in Sydney and go to Cairns for another week.“This, despite the fact several senior leaders at the club asked him to stay.“I must stress there is no medical problem with the twins. I know it’s tough when you’re home alone with twins, but there are other family people that could have been with her.“And I think supporters and sponsors and members and other teammates would have every right to be a bit disappointed.”Were Membrey and Ross right to skip the Crows game?Ross’ uncle, ex-Essendon champion Tim Watson, said Wilson’s stance was “extraordinary”.Watson’s SEN colleague and fellow AFL great Garry Lyon was also gobsmacked at Wilson’s commentary on the matter, questioning why she thought she knew better than the players and their family.“I would suggest that’s a conversation she would not want to have with Seb Ross’ wife and/or mother or family members that she has, in her opinion, said there are no medical problems,” Lyon said.“How can she make a judgment on the family situation of a young mother with twins from afar and say, ‘Why didn’t they bow to peer pressure these blokes and stay’?“I’m almost speechless with this one. To think you can sit there on national television and speak for the family, ‘I must stress there is no medical problem’.“Oh, really, Caro? You stress that, do you? You would know, would you?”Lyon added that these decisions were “none of our business” and the industry in general had become more “empathetic”.Watson said he believed there wasn’t any medical problem but looking after three young children was a difficult task.“I don’t think anyone who’s not had twins could understand what it might be like having two babies and the anxiousness and the stress associated with that,” Watson said.“Extraordinary that she of all people would say that.”
AFL: Seasoned journalist Caroline Wilson has come under scrutiny for her comments on Footy Classified in regard to St Kilda platers Seb Ross and Tim Membrey.
Wilson said Saints players and fans had reason to be disappointed with Seb Ross and Tim Membrey after they missed their club’s nailbiting six-point loss to Adelaide on the weekend.Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now >Ross reportedly left to be with his partner, who gave birth to twins about five weeks ago, while Membrey skipped the clash in Cairns as his wife prepares to give birth shortly. Both players flew home after St Kilda’s defeat to Sydney at the SCG two weekends ago.Wilson said “there was no medical emergency” with regards to the players’ families, adding she would question the decision of two senior stars to miss such an important game as St Kilda’s season hangs in the balance, particularly as she revealed the pair had been encouraged to stay on.“It is a very odd situation when you have two leaders of the club, particularly one where the babies were born five or six weeks ago, to leave when this was probably their last shot at making finals,” Wilson said.“I think supporters and sponsors and members and other teammates would have every right to be a bit disappointed.”However, Lyon said Wilson was out of line.“So, Caro is suggesting she knows better than the Ross family? I would suggest that’s a conversation she would not want to have with Seb Ross’ wife and/or mother or family members that she has in her opinion said there are no medical problems,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday.“How she can make a judgment on the family situation of a young mother with twins from afar and say, ‘Why didn’t they bow to peer pressure these blokes and stay?’“I’m almost speechless with this one. To think you can sit there on national television and speak for the family, ‘I must stress there is no medical problem’. Oh really Caro? You stress that do you? You would know, would you?”Lyon also said there needs to be a greater acceptance of sensitive issues around footy players.“We are trying to have our minds around if a player says they need time out for whatever reason we go, ‘OK, there’s a great reason for that, we respect it, good luck’,” he said.“If a player says they have a family issue, a baby pending, I need to be home — the footy world goes, ‘OK’. We’ve been conditioned to be much more empathetic.“I’m almost speechless … they may need to take time away. It’s none of our business.“If someone says they need to be at home with their family, good. We love you and we support you.“Not, ‘Supporters, sponsors and everyone else is going to be disappointed with you’.”
The 23-year-old key forward has enjoyed a breakout year in 2021, kicking 38 goals in just 12 games to lead the AFL. McKay’s twin brother, Ben, plays at North Melbourne but despite speculation he could seek to link up with him, the 23-year-old key forward has committed his future to Carlton. His new deal is thought to be worth more than $800,000 a season. The Blues have launched a review into the club’s coaching after winning just four of 12 games this season. But McKay said he was excited for the future.“I was always staying a Blue,” McKay said.“This playing group have been through a lot together since I came to the club. A lot of us have been part of what we are building from day one. I’m committed to being here and helping us achieve our ultimate goal of winning our 17th premiership. “To the members and supporters who are sticking by us right now, it is an honour to play for you, to wear our club’s guernsey, and we will be doing everything we can in the next few years to make you proud to be Carlton.“I can’t wait for the second half of the year to get started and for us to perform to the level we know this group is capable of.”Carlton list boss Nick Austin said McKay’s commitment was a testament to what the playing group was focused on achieving.“Throughout this entire process Harry has always stated his intention to remain a Carlton player, and not at any stage did he waver from that,” Austin said.“As we’ve all seen, Harry has developed into an exceptional footballer. To lead the Coleman Medal at this stage of the year is a credit to the amount of dedication to his craft he has shown – he is the ultimate professional.“What people perhaps don’t see are the steps forward Harry has taken as a leader of the football club. He cares a great deal about his teammates and knows to get the best out of himself that comes from helping his teammates get better. “
AFL: Nick Riewoldt has slammed the AFL's handling of David Mackay's bump on Hunter Clark after it was referred straight to the Tribunal without being graded.
While Melbourne-based teams were again unable to play due to government restrictions, Geelong Falcons scored a 10-point win over Bendigo Pioneers at Ballarat’s MARS Stadium before Greater Western Victoria Rebels posted a 79-point win over Gippsland Power at the same venue in a double-header on Saturday.Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No-brainer. Register Free NowIn Sydney, Tasmania Devils pipped the Sydney Swans Academy by four points, while the Greater Western Sydney Academy side thumped Northern Territory by 78 points.For the Falcons, inside midfielder Mitchell Knevitt continued a strong start to the year to be the top-ranked player on the ground with 28 disposals (15 contested), six clearances, six tackles, five score involvements, four inside-50s and a goal.Midfielder-forward Cooper Whyte was named best afield for the Falcons with 22 disposals (16 contested) and five clearances, while ruckman Toby Conway also impressed. Returning from a hip injury, Sam Conforti wasted no time finding form for the Pioneers, the hard-at-it midfielder logging 24 disposals, four clearances, eight tackles and six score involvements. Midfielder-forward Harvey Gallagher was also a standout for the Pioneers with 24 disposals and two goals.GWV Rebels midfielder-forward Sam Butler had a huge day out against Gippsland Power, with 27 disposals, five clearances and two goals leaving him the highest-ranked player on the ground.Onballer Fraser Marris was also prolific with 38 disposals and five clearances, while bottom-age player Vincent Huf booted five goals in his NAB League debut.Gippland Power onballer Jai Serong, the brother of Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong, recorded 18 disposals and kicked two goals in his side’s loss. GEELONG FALCONS 9.10 (64) def BENDIGO PIONEERS 7.12 (54)GEELONG FALCONSMitchell Knevitt 140Noah Gadsby 134Cooper Whyte 118Noah Gribble 110Toby Conway 100Lachlan Kidd 95Gennaro Bove 95Tom Gillett 87Max Annandale78Jhye Clark 76Ted Clohesy 71Blake Reid 65Tanner Owen 63Jak Tute 57Oscar Morrison54Oliver Wiltshire53Mitchell Langan48Euriah Hollard 48Oliver Northam 46Rory Diamond 42Alex Dunn 39Will Baker 33Alastair O’Donnell 27Will Parkhouse 19BENDIGO PIONEERSSam Conforti 127Harvey Gallagher 111Bode Stevens 98Cooper Smith 98Aiden Hare 98Anthony Depasquale 82Finn Ellis Castle81Ben Cameron 78Jed Brereton 70Harley Reid 69Noah Long 66Jack Stewart 63Oskar Faulkhead 60Mitchell Hallinan 59Ryan O’Keefe 59Jack Hickman 57Corbin Anderson 55Zavier Murley 51Will Sheahan 49Lachlan Wright 46Cobi Maxted 39Jason Gillbee 30Ricky Monti 28Jacob Nihill 28GWV REBELS 16.20 (116) def GIPPSLAND POWER 6.1 (37)GREATER WESTERN VICTORIA REBELSSam Butler 158Fraser Marris 149Sam Breuer 142Charlie Molan 127Kai Lohmann 121Vincent Huf 119Jye Lockett 115Jamieson Ballantyne 103Hamish Sinnott 97Marcus Herbert 95Joshua Gibcus 89Angus Bade 85Jake Drever 80Isaac Lovison 79Flynn Loader 78Archie Stevens 69Josh Rentsch 68Ben Kellett 45Blake Scott 40Aaron Cadman 40James Van Es 39Nick Hodgson 39George Stevens34Jack Brambury 29GIPPSLAND POWERJai Serong 115Jess McGrath 102Mitchell Moschetti 97Cooper Vickery85Mason Hawkins73Max Walton 65Cooper Alger 63Luis D’Angelo 58Rhys Galvin 58Aaron Turton 57Liam Heasley 57Nathan Noblett56David Brinker-Ritchie 56Tristen Waack 52Harry O’Brien 52Lachlan Rathjen39Joel Scholtes 34Bailey Humphrey 31Harvey Howe 29Jenson Garnham 29Jonti Schuback 29Jacob Konstanty 28Hugh Dunbar 20Zane Duursma 15SYDNEY SWANS 13.6 (84) def TASMANIA DEVILS 14.4 (88)SYDNEY SWANSMarco Rossmann 166Felix Rogers 142Pierce Roseby 114Jordan Endemann 104Jacob Bauer 99Kale Gabila 90Jeremy Woodford 87Luke Giacometti 83Austin Ball 83Thomas Longmire 82Liam Puncher 77Billy King 64Louis Wilson 55Byron Middleton 54Thomas Trevaskis 53Robert Mueller 44Jasper Crouch 43Willem Smit 40Sam Eynaud 38Toby Alker 37Jeremy Woods 30Jackson Tikkeros 29Oscar Davis 27TASMANIA DEVILSBaynen Lowe 130Seth Campbell 114Jye Menzie 112Samuel Foley 99Sam Tilley 98Baker Smith 98Will Splann 87Sam Banks-Smith 86Dom White 84Tony Aganas 72Lachlan Borsboom 62Tyler McGinnis 62Liam Jones 60Ryley Sanders 59Jayden Hinds 56Jacob Young 54Bailey Gillow 50Keegan Ryan 50Zachary Morris48George McLeod 46Logan Elphinstone 45Tom McCallum 34Blade Sulzberger 28Jonty McIvor 24NAB LEAGUE SUPER RANKINGS (THROUGH ROUND 8)Ranking, Player, Club, Position, 2021 Games, 2021 Av. KFC SuperCoach points1. Joel Trudgeon (Northern Knights), MID, 4 games, 181 points2. Max Pescud (Gold Coast Academy), GEN DEF, 1 game, 174 points3. Saxon Crozier (Brisbane Lions Academy), MID/FWD, 1 game, 170 points4. Nick Daicos (Oakleigh Chargers), MID/FWD, 4 games, 164 points5. Bailey Reeves (Gold Coast Academy), GEN FWD, 1 game, 145 points6. Ned Long (Northern Knights), MID, 3 games, 144 points7. Cody Raak (Western Jets), GEN DEF, 4 games, 142 points8. Pierce Roseby (Sydney Swans Academy), MID, 3 games, 142 points9. Bayleigh Welsh (Dandenong Stingrays), GEN DEF, 1 game, 142 points10. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast Academy), KEY DEF, 2 games, 141 points11. Samuel Banks (Tasmania), GEN DEF, 2 games, 139 points12. Zavier Maher (Murray Bushrangers), MID, 1 game, 138 points13. Connor MacDonald (Dandenong Stingrays), MID, 3 games, 138 points14. Felix Rogers (Sydney Swans Academy), GEN DEF, 3 games, 133 points15. Joel Fitzgerald (Northern Knights), GEN DEF, 4 games, 131 points16. Maximus Monaghan (GWS Academy), GEN FWD, 2 games, 131 points. 17. Samuel Frost (GWS Academy), MID, 2 games, 131 points18. Oliver Davis (Tasmania), MID, 2 games, 129 points19. Oliver Sanders (Tasmania), MID, 3 games, 128 points20. Fraser Marris (Greater Western Victoria Rebels), MID, 5 games, 128 points21. Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons), GEN DEF, 6 games, 124 points22. Nick Hodgson (GWV Rebels), MID, 6 games, 123 points23. Sam Conforti (Bendigo Pioneers), MID, 4 games, 123 points24. Ewan MacPherson (Northern Knights), MID, 3 games, 122 points25. Vincent Huf (GWV Rebels), GEN FWD, 1 game, 119 points26. Chance Doultree (Gippsland Power), MID, 4 games, 119 points27. Jordan Endemann (Sydney Swans Academy), GEN DEF, 3 games, 117 points28. Liam Conway (Western Jets), MID, 4 games, 115 points29. Charlie McKay (Sandringham Dragons), MID, 4 games, 115 points30. Josh Ward (Northern Knights), MID, 3 games, 115 points31. Mitchell Knevitt (Geelong Falcons), MID, 5 games, 115 points32. Tyler Sonsie (Eastern Ranges), MID, 4 games, 115 points33. Hugh Fidler (Brisbane Lions Academy), MID, 2 games, 115 points34. Ryan Pickering (Gold Coast Academy), RUCK, 1 game, 114 points35. Noah Gadsby (Geelong Falcons), GEN DEF, 2 games, 114 points36. Joshua Rachele (Murray Bushrangers), GEN DEF, 3 games, 113 points37. Sam Butler (GWV Rebels), MID-FWD, 6 games, 113 points38. Toby Conway (Geelong Falcons), RUCK, 4 games, 113 points39. Lachlan Riley (Sandringham Dragons), MID, 3 games, 111 points40. Ned Moyle (Oakleigh Chargers), RUCK, 4 games, 111 points41. Thomas Clarke (NT Thunder), MID, 1 game, 119 points42. Joshua Green (GWS Academy), MID, 2 games, 111 points43. Flynn Lakey (Calder Cannons), MID, 4 games, 111 points44. Zac Young (Brisbane Lions Academy), N/A, 2 games, 111 points45. Darcy Gardner (Tasmania), MID, 3 games, 110 points46. Henry Brown (Oakleigh Chargers), MID, 3 games, 110 points47. Harrison White (Western Jets), MID, 4 games, 109 points48. Baynen Lowe (Tasmania Devils), MID, 3 games, 108 points49. Angus Anderson (Sydney Swans Academy), MID, 2 games, 108 points50. Jacob Edwards (Sandringham Dragons), RUCK, 3 games, 107 points
The Dees headed into the clash with a full head of steam having just registered back-to-back wins against fellow flag threats Western Bulldogs and Brisbane, but the ladder leaders were brought undone by sloppy skills and substandard pressure against the bottom-three Magpies.And with Melbourne enjoying its mid-season bye next round, Goodwin said the break came at a good time for his side.“We certainly didn’t play the way that we’d like to play and that’s full credit to Collingwood, I thought they were outstanding. They played a great game and they were better than us in a lot of areas, especially the areas that we really value,” Goodwin said post-match.“We had more (forward-50) supply but we were really poor executing forward of centre which gave them great looks with the ball in hand, so they certainly played the game and set the game up better than what we did.“They had 125 uncontested marks and they had 12 intercept marks in our forward 50 so once they get an intercept mark, that starts their chain of possession and our inability to defend that at times made it look like an ‘un-Mebourne’ game and our pressure factor would suffer on the back of that.“We need to acknowledge where we sit, we’ve had a brilliant first half of the season, we’re 13 rounds in, we’re 11-2 and we sit in a pretty healthy position.“We need to use this bye in the right way to refresh mentally (and) physically and we need to make sure we find a way to improve in the back half of the year … whether that be through personnel and method, we know we’re going to be challenged in a lot of areas.“We learned today that our ability to use the ball effectively is an area we need to get better at.”Goodwin was unsure if the emotion surrounding Nathan Buckley’s last game as Collingwood coach gave the Magpies an extra boost, but was adamant his team thoroughly prepared for whatever the Pies were going to throw at them.“They were certainly tougher and harder in the scrimmages than what we were,” he said.“But we want to play in those games – we want to play in games where there are emotions, where it is a big stage and we had to perform under that and today we didn’t.”In some better news for the Demons, former captain Jack Viney could line up against Essendon in round 15 as he continues to make strong progress in his recovery from a toe injury while the likes of Nathan Jones, Jake Melksham, Aaron vandenBerg and Neville Jetta are all pushing hard for senior recalls.Meanwhile, Goodwin paid tribute to Melbourne club legend Neale Daniher whose inspirational ‘Fight MND’ fundraiser raised in excess of $2 million on Monday.“It’s an incredible response and I think for Neale he’s just done such a wonderful job, he’s a wonderful ambassador for the Melbourne footy club but what he’s been able to do in this space has been incredible and he’s an inspiration to all,” he said. “We’re very privileged to be involved in it.”
In an attempt to regather the loose footy, Mackay careered into Clark early in the second term of Adelaide’s win against St Kilda on Saturday night.The bump left the 22-year-old Saint with multiple jaw fractures that will sideline him for at least six weeks.Mackay’s bump divided opinion within the AFL community in the days that followed the game.While some argued the veteran Crow only had eyes for the footy, a statement released by the AFL on Monday explained the Tribunal Counsel would argue Mackay’s contact was “unreasonable in the circumstances”.“The AFL will argue that, regardless of whether Player Mackay was (1) contesting the ball, (2) bumping Player Clark or (3) both, he still contravened the general prohibition on unreasonable conduct (including in contesting the ball),” the statement read.The AFL plans to contest that the “severe impact” and “high contact” of the incident should equate to a minimum of three weeks suspension.In his tenure as the AFL’s sole Match Review Officer, Michael Christian has only once before referred a player to the tribunal without an initial charge. After a bump off the ball in 2019, AFLW star Nicola Barr was directly referred to the tribunal and served a one-match suspension.It is the first time Christian has made the call in his officiating of the men’s premiership.Mackay will face the AFL’s tribunal on Thursday afternoon, rather than on Tuesday as had been originally planned.The incident continued to provoke debate on Monday night’s episode of AFL 360.“What we’ve got to do, we’ve got to change the way the game is played because guess what? People are killing themselves,” The Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson said, referencing the link between repeated traumatic brain injuries and mental illness.“We love this game but we’ve got to save the participants in this game. “Too many people are getting hurt by this game … we’ve got to stop saying, ‘He’s going for the ball’. That was ballistic. “The AFL has told us today that we no longer want that ballistic behaviour in the game.”Geelong coach Chris Scott countered Robinson, but admitted the incident was “a tough one” to rule on.“On first glance most football people that I know I think would take the view that if you approach the contest with good intent, to go for the ball, and there are unfortunate consequences, that you shouldn’t be held liable,” he said.“But I think the other side of it is, the world’s changing. Not just footy. “It’s incumbent on us to jump on board with that and forecast where we want the world to be in five or ten years’ time.“I’m not sure where I sit on it right at the moment but I think it’s a conversation worth having.”
AFL: Collingwood has defeated Melbourne in Nathan Buckley's final game as head coach for the Magpies.
Collingwood are still languishing in 16th on the ladder but claimed back to back wins with the victory over the high flying Demons.While off the field things are no less cleaner with a potential boardroom coup underway it was a sweet send off for the nine-year Pies coach as the AFL community gave him a fond farewell.Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now >The decision that Buckley was moving on from the Magpies mid-season shocked the AFL last week despite the crisis going on at the club and the fact his job has been a hot topic of discussion.But all that was forgotten as Buckley finished up in the role that saw him take the club to within a kick of a premiership in 2018.Buckley kept his emotions in check at full-time after the 17-point win despite hugging every player and staff member on the team as well as his sons.On 3AW, Tony Shaw called it “Great scenes”.“Nathan Buckley goes out with 2 wins out of his last 2 games. It’s a sad day for the club – this man has been around the club for a long period of time. One of the greatest players ever to put the jumper on.”Post-game, Buckley couldn’t wipe the smile off his face, telling Channel 7: “It’s going to be a pretty good footy team. They’re on their way.”Buckley also spoke in his press conference saying that he’d continue to support the team that has taken up so much of his life.“Collingwood will always be a passion and I will always want to see it as an organisation and the people within it prosper and I’ll be supporting from afar,” Buckley said. “I’ll sit down and have a couple of beers with everyone tonight. The club goes into a bye, it’s a good feeling to go into the bye with. “For me, I’ll go in when no one’s around and clear the office and consider what my next step is. I believe that where you’re in something you’re 100 per cent in and I think when you’re out of something, you’re 100 per cent out, otherwise you’re wasting energy."Magpies skipper Scott Pendlebury was the best on ground in the match and told Buckley after the match “It was great to send you out on that note mate, that was awesome, well done.” “Three-quarter time was a little bit emotional but we stuck to the task and got it done,” Pendlebury said post-game.“The hole left by a guy like Bucks I don’t know if it ever gets replaced. He’s a champion on and off the field.”Channel 7 reporter Hamish McLachlan called it “a black and white fairytale”.Social media erupted after the game with well wishes, as well as some calling for Collingwood to sack a coach every week if they play like that.Brisbane Lions great Jonathan Brown also praised Buckley as the On the Couch team discussed whether he would be back in the hot seat in the future.“I’ve seen this first-hand how difficult it is for past champions to coach their footy club. I saw it with Michael Voss, incredibly difficult to coach players that you’ve played with,” he said during Fox Footy’s On The Couch.“Bucks has had a very successful career doing that over 10 years.“He’s been there 10 years, he was the coach of the year in 2018 when they were within 90 seconds of a premiership.“We can’t underrate how difficult that would have been, and obviously the circumstances around Collingwood and how big of a club they are.”
AFL: Collingwood Magpies head coach Nathan Buckley on his team's victory to Melbourne in Round 13.
AFL: Melbourne Football Club head coach Simon Goodwin on his team's defeat to Collingwood in Round 13.
Neale’s Big Freeze at the ‘G preceded Buckley’s final curtain at the SCG.The Pies won narrowly, and it was incredibly moving, a gift of thanks and respect to Buckley on the final day of a quarter-century career at Collingwood.Daniher and his cause won, too. They always do. And Daniher will always be a winner.The Queen’s Birthday Monday is always a day of mixed emotion, even more so on Monday because the illustrious career of Buckley wound up with the Magpies.He masterminded yet another dogged and united performance, a miracle in footy terms against the top-of-the-table Demons. Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No-brainer. Register Free NowThe Pies were in for the fight and the Demons not so much.At the final siren, Buckley gave out more hugs than Melbourne laid tackles.“In the moment, it’s awesome,’’ Buckley said.Good things happen to good peopleCertainly, he’ll know he had the hearts and minds of the players, maybe not always through his career, but certainly at the end.Skipper Scott Pendlebury — his long-time trusted lieutenant — was best afield and Jordan De Goey gave him his best and Brayden Maynard, well, he always gives his best.The song in the rooms was all-in — Bucks, his boys, his players and all the staff.And then it was over.It was a day of smiles, nevertheless.Buckley, 48, and Daniher, 60, can’t be compared and Bucks, nor anyone, would begin to entertain the comparison.Buckley was a footballer and was a coach. He was high profile, a high achiever and highly motivated.Daniher was a footballer, was a coach and then, because of the way he has fought his beastly illness, moved into another stratosphere.Respect is always front of mind when it comes to Neale and even more so this year.Respect, because he was only supposed to live for three years and he’s more than doubled that.“I’m hard to kill,’’ he loved to say.He was right. And still is right.But behind the smiles and the TV appearances that we’ve seen these past two weeks, is a man with a broken body. Despite that, he still put his hand up to be at the ‘G when we would have forgiven him for resting instead.Fittingly, the Queen finally gave “The Reverend’’ the nod on Monday — an OAM for a bloke from the bush with bung knees who began a cause, and movement, that has captured the nation.For the seventh year, Daniher and his family and their merry band of sliders made it to the MCG.The ground was empty, but it looked to bubble with spirit and the league ceo Gillon McLachlan was all revved up as Meat Loaf.We might not see the Reverend next year, but we said that last year and the year before that.Bucks surely would call him a tough ol’ bastard.What would Daniher say of Bucks?Really, what hasn’t been said of Buckley in the past five days? He joked in the pre-match on Fox Footy that it had been like reading his eulogy.“That’s the end of something and the start of something and that’s the cycle of life,’’ Buckley said of his final day for Collingwood.Always, champs come and go and it’s sad for footy, but they leave their footprint on the game and on others.It was Buckley’s 218th game as coach yesterday. He also played 260 games.He joins Jock McHale, Bobby Rose, Gordon Coventry, Peter McKenna and Peter Daicos, among others, as legendary contributors to the black and white.Buckley may or may not be the best there ever was at Collingwood, but clearly he was on a different plane to most.I was sent an email by a Mr Glenn Smith at the weekend, which included an article dated April 5, 1950. It was about the resignation of McHale, who coached the Pies from 1912-1949.It was nine paragraphs long.Buckley’s coaching career at the same club bit the dust last Wednesday — he coached from 2012-2021 — and the Herald Sun published 14 pages.“He embodies everything great about our game and about Australians, still the humour, courage and commitment to his community.’’That was McLachlan talking about Daniher at the MCG yesterday.The same could be said of Buckley and his commitment to Collingwood and for the greater game.Will we see him the year after next or maybe the year after that at another club? Who knows.The first two chapters of his football life have been captivating, love him or hate him, so we look forward to whatever comes next.