Gerard Whatley – Michmutters

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AFL 2022: Alastair Clarkson to sign with North Melbourne, contract, GWS Giants, Adem Yze

AFL 2022: Alastair Clarkson to sign with North Melbourne, contract, GWS Giants, Adem Yze

North Melbourne are reportedly set to land the man they covet with the news to be announced next week.

The bottom of the ladder club have offered master coach Alastair Clarkson a monster five-year contract, according to The Age’s Jake Niall.

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Clarkson’s signature has been the hottest commodity around the league with multiple clubs said to be chasing his services.

Along with North Melbourne, the GWS Giants were in hot pursuit of the mastermind who led Hawthorn to four premiership victories.

The Giants have not yet offered Clarkson a contract and while Niall reports Clarkson has not yet responded to North’s offer – Triple M’s Tom Browne says otherwise.

“Coaching update, this is just dot joining according to sources you speak to. There’s not a lot of leaks coming from North Melbourne or the Giants coaching process,” Browne said on Triple M.

“It’s certainly the strong view of sources that I speak to that Alastair Clarkson will end up as soon as next Friday at North Melbourne.

“That remains to be seen but that’s the consistent view that I’m getting is that North Melbourne is very much in the box seat to land Alastair Clarkson for a whole host of reasons.

“The Giants are now looking closely, very closely, at Adem Yze and I think they will also sound out Ross Lyon at some point in their process as well.

“Yze Giants, Clarkson North is the jungle drums in terms of the sources that I speak to at the moment.”

Journalist Mark Robinson believes a Clarkson-North Melbourne deal is “past the post”.

“Everyone’s a little bit scared to declare it because Alastair Clarkson has got the ability to change his mind and say: ‘I’m not coaching’,” he said on 3AW.

“But the further this goes on, I find that can’t happen.”

North have been the reported front runner for Clarkson’s signature for multiple weeks. A report in late July indicated he was seeking an eye-watering contract of $1.6ma year. Clarkson rubbed those reports.

Clarkson and Gerard Whateley co-hosted a function where the Hawks mentor put rumors of his big payday to join North Melbourne to bed.

“How explicit do you want me to be?” Whateley said on SEN when asked about Clarkson’s response from her.

“(He says it’s) bulls**t.

“That was Alastair Clarkson’s reaction to what’s in the public domain about $1.6 million to join North Melbourne.”

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Wayne Carey, Anthony Stevens, altercation, North Melbourne, 25-year premiership reunion, affair, scandal, cheated, Yarraville Hotel, celebration, wife, Glenn Archer

Wayne Carey, Anthony Stevens, altercation, North Melbourne, 25-year premiership reunion, affair, scandal, cheated, Yarraville Hotel, celebration, wife, Glenn Archer

AFL commentator Wayne Carey has hit out at the journalist who reported he “came to blows” with ex-teammate Anthony Stevens at the club’s 25-year premiership reunion last weekend.

SEN’s Sam Edmund broke the story on Monday that Carey and Stevens – whose then-wife Carey infamously cheated with back in 2002, had an altercation at the Yarraville Hotel on Saturday night.

Edmund said witnesses had told him the pair were “separated”, with fellow ex-Kangaroos left “stunned” by the verbal attack.

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But on Wednesday, Carey came clean on what sparked the “firm conversation” he had with Stevens, and labeled Edmund a “dill.”

“The first story said came to blows and that’s factually incorrect. There were no blows,” he said on Triple M.

“There was a firm conversation – altercation I think is even too firm to say that occurred.

“I wanted to have a conversation about Stevo, I was worried about him. I said ‘I’m worried about you’ and he obviously took a little bit of umbrage to say I was worried about him.

“I said I’m worried about, I want him to look after himself like people want me to look after myself.

Greene to miss the rest of the season | 00:43

“To say that it was a massive altercation and it came to blows and then we left there and everyone was upset with everyone and it was a big thing is totally incorrect – that’s the disappointing thing about it.

“It wasn’t a story and still isn’t a story.

“I hope I’ve just cleared up that once again this has been blown into something it wasn’t.

“I’m not sure why it should always be talked about – it doesn’t make sense.

“(Sam’s) let himself down with this.

“You know what Sam? We all have bad days. You’ve had a shocker.”

Carey admitted it was well known he and Stevens “aren’t best mates”, but felt Edmund only reported half the story on Monday.

“What he did leave out was at the end of the night or the evening or late afternoon or whatever it was, Stevo and I actually had a couple of beers together and left together,” he said.

Jamie Elliot signs with Feet until 2025 | 00:37

“We were standing out the front both waiting for our respective Ubers to leave the particular venue. I have left that out.

“It sounds like we’ve had this massive blow up and an altercation and as he said we came to blows which was clearly factually incorrect.”

Carey said the fact Stevens failed to show for Sunday’s motorcade celebrations – in which 17 players including Carey and coach Denis Pagan were present at Marvel Stadium – was unrelated to the “firm conversation” as far as he knew.

“I don’t know whether Stevo was upset the next day or not, and that’s why he didn’t come to the motorcade,” Carey said.

“What I do know about that, and my understanding and I’ve spoken to Arch (Glenn Archer) and I’ve spoken to Kingy (David King) and I’ve spoken to heaps of other players that are close with Stevo and some of those players I’m close with and Stevo wasn’t well.

“He’d had a reasonable night. It would be fair to say. We all had a reasonable day. Stevo maybe bigger than others so he didn’t attend the Sunday.

“If there was a big issue and this big thing happened and it had upset all these ex-teammates of mine and everyone else, on Sunday I sat there with Darren Crocker, I sat there with Danielle Laidley, sat with Glenn Archer, sat there with Sholly (Craig Sholl), all and some of them really mutual friends of both of ours – if I’d upset the apple cart or they were really disappointed with what occurred that day then that next day would not be happening.”

Crows apology for camp a little too late | 02:12

Admitting the story didn’t “disappoint” him, Carey said felt for the two families involved every time the 2002 scandal – which cost Carey his North Melbourne career and saw him finish up in Adelaide – gets brought up.

“This is what really hurts every single time. So when dill’s like Sam overexaggerate something that’s happened, who affects it,” he said.

“What he doesn’t realize is it affects Stevo’s daughters, my daughters – not my son because he’s really young. It affects family members and everyone else. That’s what these types of things do.

“Who cares if Stevo and I had a firm conversation together? How is that an actual story?”

Carey had spoken earlier this year on Channel 7 about the affair that rocked North Melbourne, labeling it the “biggest regret of his adult life” and admitting it had “haunted me for over 20 years”.

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Taylor Walker speaks on Adelaide Crows pre-season camp, former captain, fractures in playing group, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs

Taylor Walker speaks on Adelaide Crows pre-season camp, former captain, fractures in playing group, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs

Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker says it’s “upsetting” to hear the distress past players feel towards the infamous 2018 pre-season camp, but insists he did everything he could as captain at the time to address “fractures” within the group.

The Crows in a lengthy open letter to the club’s fans on Monday night apologized to Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and others who had a “negative experience” at the controversial camp following last week’s shock new revelations — revelations that prompted the AFLPA to indicate it’ I’ll reopen its investigation into the event.

Reflecting on the fallout at West Lakes in 2018, Walker acknowledged it was a turbulent period at the club despite his best efforts.

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“I can put my head on the pillow at night, and put my hand on my heart and say that I did everything I could,” he told Triple M.

“I knew something was not right post the camp, I knew blokes weren’t feeling that great about it, there were fractures within the group like some of the boys have said… and I was having one-on-one meetings, I was having some confidential meetings at my house to try and work out exactly the path to take, and I can honestly say that I did everything I could to try and fix it.”

Walker leads the Crows out the race alongside Betts (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Betts and Jenkins were among the former Crows to last week detail their distressing first-hand experiences at the Gold Coast Coast-based camp in 2018 that led to several players, including Betts, and officials to depart the club in the following years.

Walker maintains that he still took a “positive experience” away from it, but admitted it was tough hearing his ex-teammate’s disturbing accounts.

“Yeah I sit here as captain at the time of the footy club, and those boys being past players… not great to be honest. It’s quite upsetting to hear that those guys are still feeling the effects of the camp,” Walker said.

“What I will say is that, the camp, a lot of people took different things out of it and I personally, I’ve said it, I took a positive experience out of it… but that does not take away from the feelings of hurt that those boys are going through at the moment.”

Adelaide overcame the intense spotlight on the club last week to defeat the West Coast Eagles by 16 points at Optus Stadium.

And Walker suggested the scrutiny hadn’t affected the vibe at the Crows, estimating “10-2o per cent” of people who attended the camp remained at the club.

“Our mantra is prioritizing others and we’re certainly doing that to the best of our ability,” he said.

“As a footy club we still have to work through this, because sitting here you don’t like hearing that past players are feeling that way,” he said.

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Adelaide Crows pre-season camp, Caroline Wilson, San McClure, media coverage, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, AFLPA

Adelaide Crows pre-season camp, Caroline Wilson, San McClure, media coverage, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, AFLPA

Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson has taken aim at the Adelaide media for its response to coverage of the Crows’ infamous 2018 camp amid more calls for club figures responsible at the time to take ownership.

The Crows on Monday night released a lengthy open letter to the club’s fans, apologizing to Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and any players who had a “negative experience” at the pre-season camp after shock new revelations emerged last week.

It comes after Adelaide journalist David Penberthy earlier this year slammed Nine’s Sam McClure and Wilson, who’ve both extensively reported on the camp, saying the latter’s coverage was a “miserable way to spend your post-journalistic career.”

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And speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Monday night, Wilson said she remained “baffled at the collective chip on the shoulder of certain sections of the Adelaide media where that camp was concerned”.

“I don’t know the above mentioned commentator (Penberthy), but I gather he’s flipped around a bit on the camp story since then,” Wilson said.

The Crows camp that ‘ended careers’ | 02:10

“Graham Cornes in his Advertiser column recently tried to portray another side of the story, and talked about more brutal camps of days gone by, and asked where then was the Victoria media piled on. Seriously Graham?

“You boys, all of you, need to grow up, this is so childish. That story would’ve been a massive yarn wherever it’d taken place, and equally condemned. In fact it would’ve been a much bigger story if it had taken place at Collingwood or Richmond. Talk about shooting the messenger.”

The directors of Collective Mind, who organized the camp, Amon Woulfe and Derek Leddie told the Advertiser in February the Crows’ then chief executive Andrew Fagan and the club’s board had “full awareness” of the program.

The story also states the program was approved by senior club figures including coach Don Pyke, head of football Brett Burton, and doctor Marc Cesana who cleared every player as mentally and emotionally fit to attend, and was even pilot tested by one of the coaches.

And while current Crows bosses and the AFL have both apologized following last week’s revelations, McClure, who in 2020 broke the story of the camp’s details, still wasn’t satisfied those who oversaw the controversial pre-season event have taken ownership.

Jenkins full statement on infamous camp | 15:39

“We’ve talked a lot about the potential cover-up and to what extent it went. I know there’s been apologies and elements of contrition, but I stand here today still wondering who is going to take responsibility for some of the things that went on at that camp,” he said.

“They either knew about it and they deliberately lied, or they didn’t know. I’m not sure which one’s worse.”

Fox Footy AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley called for all Crows figures in power at the time who’re still at the club to depart.

“I hold to the view that those who were in positions of authority at the time and oversaw this and who have actively participated in the cover-up over four and half years should depart their positions,” he said.

“(Crows director of footy Mark Ricciuto) would be one, but I doubt he’s the only one within that club that would still occupy one of those positions.“

Wilson also hit out at the AFL’s lack of accountability and why it took so long for it to act.

“For Gillon McLachlan to take four years — given the AFL’s known since 2020 what went on — to actually apologize in a stand up at an airport with Channel 7 in an exclusively arranged interview is frankly quite pathetic,” she said.

“Our game betrayed him” Robbo on Betts | 01:02

“Why the AFL did nothing then still baffles me. The cover-up has been astonishing.”

The AFLPA (Players Association) last week indicated it would effectively reopen its investigation into the camp and contact all players for a “better understanding” of what occurred, saying it would’ve taken more immediate action had it known all the information from the outset .

However McClure believes putting the onus on the players to divulge the information is “classic victim blaming” and that more action should’ve been taken at the time.

“The last people who are responsible for what went on at that camp are the players,” he said,

“It is absolute garbage to think that we could sit here and label any of those players as part of the problem. And yet when people come out and speak the truth and show great courage, we suddenly turn around the responsibility on them.

“If the AFLPA wanted to know what was going in that camp, they could’ve asked, because from where we sat, it wasn’t that hard to find out.”

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Carlton Blues, Patrick Cripps, court, appeal, suspension, ban, bump, Callum Ah Chee, West Coast Eagles, Willie Rioli, Matt Rowell, appeal

Carlton Blues, Patrick Cripps, court, appeal, suspension, ban, bump, Callum Ah Chee, West Coast Eagles, Willie Rioli, Matt Rowell, appeal

Carlton needed to use the Willie Rioli defense in a bid to free skipper Patrick Cripps to play in this weekend’s must-win clash with Melbourne, according to Jonathan Brown.

Like Cripps, Willie Rioli was banned for his mid-air collision with Sun Matt Rowell as the Eagle’s impact sent the midfielder crashing into the turf.

Rioli was given a one-match ban for the heavy bump, but was successful in overturning the suspension at the court by arguing his actions were not “unreasonable”.

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Cripps has been hit with a two-match ban for his similar action that left Lion Callum Ah Chee concussed on the Gabba turf.

Brown believes a “precedence” was set in Round 1 – with the difference being Cripps’ has been graded as high impact and not medium like Rioli’s.

“The end of the day, the precedence has been set for my belief when Willie Rioli was let off with Matty Rowell in Round 1. I don’t think there’s been a rule change,” Brown said On the Couch.

“To me, it looked like Willie Rioli was later (in making contact).

“Yes, you can argue that it was a marking contest however it was an aerial contest. One was in play, one was a marking contest.

Longmuir confident yet coy on Freo | 03:48

“They were both scenarios where the player’s had to leave the ground. I don’t think Patty Cripps could do much. I actually think that (Rioli’s) looks worse and was let off.”

Fellow panelist Nick Riewoldt agreed that the Blues needed to use Rioli’s appeal as the basis for their challenge, should they decide to make one by 11am AEST on Tuesday.

“Whether you are jumping in the air in a marking contest or to intercept the ball from a handball is irrelevant,” he said as Brown added: “It should be irrelevant.”

“So they walk in (to the court), you press play on the Willie Rioli tape and you walk out five minutes later – that’s how it should go down,” Riewoldt said.

Brown felt Rioli’s argument that his conduct was “not unreasonable” should apply to Cripps as well.

“The argument for Willie Rioli (was) he couldn’t reasonably expect contact in that situation and obviously had to brace – but so did Patty Cripps.”

Fans were shocked back in Round 1 when Rioli escaped sanction for the hit on Rowell, with some calling on the Eagle to “buy a Lotto ticket”.

Koch statement awkward for Hinkley? | 01:36

Gerard Whateley said the Blues were in the process of preparing for an appeal on Monday night, but didn’t think the Rioli comparison was as “cookie cutter” as some believed.

“First they have to show it’s not a bump. The second part is there an alternative?” he said.

AFL360 co-host Mark Robinson agreed with coach Michael Voss that it was a “split second decision” for Cripps.

“My flinch reaction was: ‘You’re gone Patrick Cripps’ … but I said the same with Willie Rioli,” he said.

“We were gobsmacked at the time they appealed and got off. I don’t think the court can suspend him if they put up the Rioli (vision).

“But my gut feels is you can’t have that in our sport anymore.

Feet rebound from cap scandal | 02:10

“He didn’t mean to do it – but what’s more important? He didn’t mean to do it or the health and safety of Ah Chee?”

On the Couch host Garry Lyon believes Cripps’ actions are worthy of suspension, claiming it was “not a great surprise” the Match Review handed down a two-game ban on Monday.

“It’s a hold your breath moment,” he said.

“I don’t think in this state that we are in and the game we’ve got, if that goes unpunished, then we are kidding ourselves.”

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Ken Hinkley contract, Port Adelaide coach, sacked, will he be there next year, David Koch interview

Ken Hinkley contract, Port Adelaide coach, sacked, will he be there next year, David Koch interview

Ken Hinkley is renowned for his honesty.

He’s honest to his players, honest to his fans, honest to his assistants and searingly honest to the media when he fronts the cameras each week.

Now, with Hinkley’s contract nearing the end of his tenure, will Port Adelaide deal in honesty as well as its senior coach has over the journey?

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Tigers down Port to keep finals alive | 01:09

If it is time to part ways – and every week suggestions keep bubbling away that it could be – how do Port Adelaide and Hinkley come to terms on a respectful way to end a partnership that has lasted nearly a decade?

Hinkley has to this point dismissed any links with the vacant Greater Western Sydney senior coaching job, let alone North Melbourne’s, and as he said after last Saturday’s loss to Collingwood, “I’ve had a habit of being true to my word”.

Speak to those in and around Port Adelaide, however, and the narrative appears to have shifted.

Where once Hinkley was a guarantee to be coaching the club in 2023, chances to categorically declare that (and there have been plenty) have been passed up in recent weeks.

Hinkley has bristled at questions surrounding his future and understandably was upset at club supporters who stuck a ‘Sack Hinkley’ sign on club property.

Regarding Hinkley’s future, the general belief is that any conversation would have to be initiated or at least welcomed by him – There is simply too much respect between Hinkley and the club for it to get ugly.

The Giants and Leon Cameron proved this year there’s merit in avoiding ‘the long goodbye’ and coming to a somewhat mutual agreement to end things before the fallout becomes too arduous.

Last year, the same situation was faced by Collingwood and Nathan Buckley, with a decades-long partnership ending as cleanly as it possibly could’ve given the length of the relationship.

Cameron’s scenario, in particular, shares echoes with Hinkley.

“The Leon Cameron example sits really heavily,” Gerard Whateley observed on AFL 360 this week.

“Leon went to a final series, won a final, he goes into the last year of a contract where they start poorly and it’s over. You do have to weigh that up.

“I hope if they’re going to do it they do it early enough because he’s a godsend for North Melbourne or the Giants. Don’t do it so late that everything else is done.”

That will cost them at the end’ | 00:51

As things stand, it will all be done in the postscript of 2022 – any possibility of a home Showdown send-off being announced ahead of time are remote, mostly because Hinkley and the club itself seem undecided on what the best move is heading into next year.

From all reports, Hinkley still has the players, while injuries and close losses have made the ladder situation perhaps an unfair reflection on where the side is at.

Still, the reality is Port Adelaide lost its first five matches, recovered, and now has lost four of its last five games.

There have been considerable declines in several key statistics, including points for (from sixth in 2021 to 15th), points from turnovers (sixth to 13th), inside 50 differentials (fifth to 10th) and contested possession differentials (fourth to 10th).

Winnable games against Essendon and Adelaide will close out the season and all focus is on the final fortnight, but it’s hard to imagine the results won’t have at least some influence on how the club sees itself heading into next year.

Also as big a question for Port Adelaide would have to be: If Ken goes out, who comes in?

Perhaps the easy first option would be Alastair Clarkson, but the Power are a few meetings behind North Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney in that race already.

The Power could easily appeal to Clarkson’s sense of coming full circle given the four-time premiership coach spent a couple of years there as an assistant coach, including their run to the 2004 premiership under Mark Williams.

Clarkson understands what it means to represent Port Adelaide, much like Hinkley has learned in his time at the club.

Then there’s the likes of Adam Kingsley, Ashley Hansen and Adem Yze, who lead a pack of assistant coaches just waiting for their opportunity to lead an AFL side, with Craig McRae a prime example of how well such a move could work.

Speaking on Monday, club president David Koch insisted post-season deliberations will not center squarely on Hinkley, but did nothing to suggest the winds of change won’t be sweeping through the club this off-season.

“It’s not just about one individual person. It’s the whole program. Turn it around or watch out,” he told FIVEaa.

“Because every single person’s role will be assessed at the end of the year, as we do each year. But this year is more important than ever and we are not afraid to make change. We have made plenty of changes.

“We have got to win games and we know that is what we exist to do.

“We will be making those hard decisions at the end of the year across the entire program to make us better next year.”

Whatever happens next deserves to happen on Hinkley’s terms, such has been his incredible contribution to the club for such a long period of time.

And if anyone is truer to their word about their belief they’re the best person to take Port Adelaide forward or to hand over the reigns, it’s Hinkley.

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Caroline Wilson slams AFL, Mark Ricciuto over Eddie Betts camp revelations

Caroline Wilson slams AFL, Mark Ricciuto over Eddie Betts camp revelations

The AFL has been shamed for its lackluster response to Eddie Betts’ damning revelations about the infamous Adelaide Crows 2018 pre-season training camp, which has been branded a “miserable failure”.

Betts thrust the controversial camp — which followed Adelaide’s 2017 grand final loss to Richmond — back into the spotlight on Tuesday night, detailing behind-the-scenes information on it in his upcoming autobiography The Boy from Boomerang Crescent.

The three-time All-Australian alleged confidential information shared in counseling sessions had been misused, writing that the camp misappropriated sensitive Aboriginal cultural rituals.

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Following the ordeal, Betts said he approached the Crows and voiced his concerns with the camp, only to be dropped from the leadership group three weeks later.

Six players requested a trade out of Adelaide between 2018 and 2020, while an additional four free agents left the club following the camp.

Speaking to Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Wednesday, Betts claimed those running the camp told them not to say “anything to anybody”.

“We weren’t even allowed to tell teammates. To this day, our teammates still don’t even know what we did in our group … that’s how we feel very divided and the club kind of broke down from that point,” he explained.

“I could see that we were all hurting and we tried to make change at that point. But it felt like you couldn’t speak up and it felt like you couldn’t tell all.”

Initial investigations into the damning camp received the all-clear from the AFL’s integrity unit and SafeWork SA.

The AFL Players Association will now open a fresh investigation into the camp, set to contact all Adelaide players to seek a “better understanding” of what occurred during the trip. However, the AFL and SafeWork SA confirmed on Wednesday they would not re-open investigations into the camp.

Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers apologized to Betts in a press conference on Wednesday.

“Anyone who leaves our club that doesn’t have a positive experience, we’re sorry,” he told reporters.

“I think we can move forward, but we’d like to say sorry to Eddie and anyone else that had a negative experience throughout the camp.”

Speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classifiedveteran reporter Caroline Wilson criticized the AFL and WorkSafe SA for not taking substantial action after their initial investigation.

“It required discipline and a punishment,” she said on Wednesday night.

“The AFL is saying to me today they broke no rules. What about bringing the game into disrepute, or conduct unbecoming?

“Surely what we’ve heard from Eddie Betts is bringing the game into disrepute?

“How could they not take action? I know they put measures in place, but that wasn’t good enough for me.

“They knew all of this and they did nothing.”

Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto, who represented the club for 15 seasons, has also copped backlash for his response to Betts’ damning allegations on Wednesday morning.

“Player welfare is always number one, no matter what’s going on,” he told Adelaide’s Triple M Breakfast with Roo, Ditts and Loz.

“You always want everyone to be happy and all that. It’s very sad that Eddie’s written that, and I think the club’s been on record at times to say that they’ve acknowledged that it wasn’t handled perfectly.

“It had all good intentions, but it didn’t go perfectly. They’ve acknowledged that.”

Wilson blasted those comments on Footy Classified: “It’s obviously devastating, what Mark Ricciuto says is so inaccurate.

“(They say) ‘we’ve moved on from this as a club’, they’ve never moved from it. The AFL will tell you that’s part of the problem.

“How can you describe some of those revelations as not perfect? They’re horrifying.”

Meanwhile, SEN broadcaster Gerard Whateley called the AFL’s statement a “miserable failure”.

“It took 28 words to acknowledge the hurt Eddie Betts experienced. And 177 words of pathetic self-justification of all the good the league has done and no one put their name to it. No sorrow, no regret, no commitment to action,” he said.

“Reading between the lines you’d guess the AFL lives in fear of a class action from the players who were mistreated.”

Wilson also called out AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh, claiming she had urged him to further investigate the Crows camp several times to no avail.

“I spoke to Paul Marsh on countless occasions… I repeatedly called him over an 18-month period,” she said.

“How he can say he wasn’t aware (of details Betts’ book reveals)? I’m shocked by that more than anything.

“Then I rang him with other allegations, terrible allegations from other players.

“How he can say this now … they (AFLPA) get paid a lot of money, surely their investigative resources are better than that.”

The Age’s Sam McClure continued on 3AW’s sports day: “The statement from Paul Marsh, to put it bluntly, is convenient.

“The AFL and the AFL Players’ Association had access to all the information that journalists reporting the stuff had access to. All they had to do was pick up the phone and have a private conversation.

“They’re now saying this is all new information and will go back and reinvestigate – I’m sorry that’s too little and too late for mine.”

Marsh confirmed the AFLPA first became aware of issues from the Crows camp following media reports, but emphasized that players initially told the union “there was nothing to it”.

“It’s not that we haven’t had conversations – and I’m certainly not saying we didn’t know there was a level of angst about this,” he told SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning.

“I’m open to a view from some maybe that we could’ve tried harder, so I’m not saying everything that could’ve been done was done. But we certainly tried to get to the bottom of what happened with players — and I don’t feel as though we did.

“Players I think were silent on this issue for fear reasons and some players had good experiences, so we understand some of the reasons as to why that happened. But it’s made this issue quite a difficult one.

“Maybe with Eddie now having spoke about it, it might empower other players to want to speak about it.”

Meanwhile, Geelong Cats champion Patrick Dangerfield, who currently serves as the AFLPA president, said it would have been difficult for the union to take immediate action due to the circumstances at the time.

“We’ve gone off the information we were given at the time. And quite clearly, it’s difficult to articulate that, I think, for the players that were there at the time when they’re still playing for Adelaide. So we, as much as we could and as best we could, got the information that was relevant,” Dangerfield told sports day.

“Had we known all the information from the outset, I clearly think a more immediate reaction would have taken place. But that wasn’t the case.

“I don’t necessarily agree with the fact that we didn’t do anything. I think we exhausted a lot of our resources around how we could support the players, but at the same time, you need that open, free-flowing communication between two — and that was a challenge.”

AFLPA Statement

“The details outlined by Eddie Betts in his new book about the 2018 Adelaide Crows training camp are extremely concerning and difficult to read. We commend Eddie on the courage he’s shown in telling this story and are troubled by the ongoing hurt caused to Eddie and his family from him.

Much of the information detailed in Eddie’s book about the camp is new information to the AFLPA and we are extremely concerned about this information on three levels. Firstly, the lack of psychological safety afforded to the entire playing group, secondly the cultural appropriation of Indigenous artefacts and, thirdly, the deliberate gathering of confidential information on players for the purpose of harmfully misusing the information.

At the time that some details of the camp started to emerge, the AFLPA spoke to a number of Adelaide players about the camp. What we now believe is clear from our discussions with those players and the information contained in Eddie’s book is that players felt pressured into remaining silent about the details of the camp.

On the back of the new information that has emerged, the AFLPA will be contacting all Adelaide players since 2018 to seek a better understanding of the details of the camp and any individual issues that may have arisen from it.”

AFL Statement

“The AFL acknowledges the hurt Eddie Betts, his family, his community, and by extension all Indigenous players experienced as a result of Adelaide Crows’ pre-season camp in 2018.

The AFL investigation in 2018 into the Adelaide Crows camp concluded there were failings in the manner in which the football club identified, implemented and managed the pre-season program however it was ultimately determined there was no violation of industry rules. As a result of the investigation, the AFL made recommendations (which were adopted), on improved governance and compliance in relation to the protection of the players, officials and staff at the Club, including further investment into the Adelaide Crows’ integrity area. Further, the investigation led to the introduction of an agreed AFL approval process ahead of any club pre-season camp or activity that involves an external provider.

Additionally, over the last 15 months the AFL CEO has had regular conversations with a senior Indigenous players group which provides a sounding board for key industry and club decisions impacting our Indigenous players. One of the most important outcomes of the regular dialogue with the group has been the introduction of mandatory Indigenous Player Development Managers at all 18 clubs to provide cultural guidance and support for players.”

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Chris Judd Josh Kennedy trade 2007, who won, West Coast Eagles champion retires

Chris Judd Josh Kennedy trade 2007, who won, West Coast Eagles champion retires

It’s one of the most famous and unique trades in footy history.

Famous because it involved two players, Chris Judd and Josh Kennedy, that end their careers with stacked CVs, with surely the latter to join the former in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

And unique because both Carlton and West Coast could claim they ‘won’ the trade.

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Debate over the famous 2007 deal between the Blues and Eagles has, inevitably, emerged this week after Kennedy announced West Coast’s upcoming match against Adelaide would be his 293rd and final AFL game.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old will depart as the Eagles’ greatest goalkicker, as well as several accolades including a dual Coleman Medallist, seven-time Eagles leading goalkicker and triple All-Australian. He was also a pivotal member of West Coast’s thrilling 2018 premiership triumph over Collingwood.

‘Josh is the greatest Eagle ever!’ | 03:56

Kennedy’s achievements came almost exclusively at the Eagles after Carton’s No. 4 pick from the 2005 draft was central to one of footy’s most famous trades.

In late 2007, Judd – West Coast’s 2005 premiership captain and arguably the best player in the AFL at the time – wanted to return to Victoria, with the Blues keen to secure his services.

After 11 goals from 22 games at Carlton, Kennedy moved back to Western Australia – although he was happy and settled in Melbourne at the time.

As part of the deal, Carlton acquired Judd and Pick 46, which it used to select Dennis Armfield, who played 145 games for the Blues). The Eagles got Kennedy, as well as Picks 3 (Chris Masten – a premiership Eagle that played 215 games for West Coast) and 20 (Tony Notte, who played two games in three seasons).

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The struggling Blues not only needed a star player, they sought a leader and standard-setter, hence he was made captain in his first year. In his first four seasons at the Blues, Judd made the All-Australian team in each year, won the Blues’ best and fairest in the first three, claimed the 2010 Brownlow Medal and won the AFL Players’ Association’s MVP award.

Judd was four years older than Kennedy when the 2007 trade went down. He was also already a Brownlow Medallist, Norm Smith Medallist and premiership captain.

But as Judd was coming to the end of his career, Kennedy reached his prime. He kicked 59 goals as a 23-year-old before a golden run where he booted 60, 61, 80 (Coleman Medal), 82 (Coleman Medal) and 69 majors across five seasons. Most crucially, the next year he kicked 3.2 from 18 disposals and 11 marks in a winning Grand Final.

Ex-Carlton coach Brett Ratten with Chris Judd on the day he officially became a Blue. Picture: Simon MossmanSource: AAP

Injury forced Judd to retire at 31 following a couple of seasons where it was clear he was part of his incredible prime. Kennedy will retire after a mighty, warrior-like finish to his career that’s seen him kick 43, 49, 34, 41 and 29 goals from the past five seasons. Considering the Eagles’ plight, the poor delivery inside 50 and his own injury niggles, the fact Kennedy has booted 29 goals this year is remarkable.

Ultimately, the Blues got seven seasons out of Judd and the Eagles got 15 out of Kennedy.

So all things considered, who won the 2007 Judd-Kennedy trade?

Fremantle legend Matthew Pavlich perhaps put it most diplomatically.

“Probably West Coast in the long run, but it’s one of those ones where you could probably argue the case either way on who had the better result,” Pavlich told foxfooty.com.au.

“Judd was captain and All-Australian and took the Blues to a finals win in 2013. So maybe the short-term winner was Carlton, but definitely the long-term winner has been West Coast in terms of Josh Kennedy being an incredible forward for a long, long period of time, All-Australian, Coleman Medalist and eventually a premiership player in 2018. He’s been a star for a long time.

Eagle calls time on phenomenal career | 04:15

“So short-term Carlton, long-term West Coast – it’s not usually you get a trade like that where both teams could argue that they got a better result.”

Ultimately, the business of footy is winning, which is what swayed two Fox Footy pundits to the Eagles.

“Without judging the individual players but judging from the time of the trade, I would feel West Coast won the trade,” triple premiership Lion Alastair Lynch told foxfooty.com.au. “That’s not reducing or belittling Judd’s contribution because he is one of the all-time greats of the game, but post-trade, West Coast got a flag out of it and I suppose Carlton didn’t, so I’d have them just in front.”

Bulldogs games record-holder Brad Johnson told foxfooty.com.au: “Well West Coast won a flag, so I think with what West Coast got out of Kennedy was absolutely spot on for what they needed as a team.”

Triple premiership forward Cameron Mooney also leant towards West Coast – but not by much.

Josh Kennedy with the 2018 Premiership Cup. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

“I think it worked out pretty well for both. But if I had to pick, being a forward and knowing how hard it is to kick 700 goals and to win a premiership, which is the main game of the game, you have to think probably West Coast,” Mooney told foxfooty.com.au. “But I would’ve been very, very happy if Chris Judd walked through my doors.

“The thing for Carlton was at the time, the club just wasn’t a good club – and it’s probably the perfect example of one person cannot change a football club. He’s in the top handful of players this century and as great as he is, he couldn’t change a club that, probably until recently, had been seen as a poor club.”

AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson declared it a win-win for the Eagles and Blues.

“They both won. Judd was a champion and Kennedy played 15 years,” Robinson told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“His second headline in football was ‘Carlton are giving away Josh Kennedy’ – and his last headline will be ‘Josh Kennedy retires a champion of the game’. It’s a great story.”

AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley added: “It’s quite clear Carlton didn’t know what they were trading, because nobody trades THAT player. He was two years in and the forecasting wasn’t he was going to become one of the top 25 goalkickers of all-time. He might’ve been reluctant at the start, but he found his home from him and West Coast and he won his reputation from him at West Coast.

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GWS next coach, Mark McVeigh press conference, comments about players, interview for the job, candidates, latest

GWS next coach, Mark McVeigh press conference, comments about players, interview for the job, candidates, latest

AFL 360 co-hosts Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson have defended Greater Western Sydney caretaker coach Mark McVeigh’s passionate post-match press conference.

McVeigh drew criticism from some within the AFL world for his withering take on many players’ performance during the 73-point Sydney derby loss, which he labeled “embarrassing” and accused players of “checking out”.

The interim coach interviewed for the position on Tuesday, but Whateley was puzzled by those who took issue with McVeigh’s post-match comments.

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“I’ve been really surprised by the reaction to his condemnation of a pitiful performance by a team in a big game,” he said.

“If you’re going to be the coach, if you’re going to live the role of the coach, you have to impose these standards and be prepared to tell these home truths.

“As I understand it, this was all said behind closed doors before it was said publicly and the real feedback was player-to-player; they drilled each other. Then he gave public voice to that.”

Robinson was of the view that, if anything, McVeigh’s honesty publicly could help him in his bid to become the side’s permanent senior coach, saying “I would’ve put that in my offering of ‘I want to coach, here it is, what have you got? I’ve got that.’”

McVeigh, 41, has been an assistant coach at the Giants since 2015.

His longevity at the club, Whateley said, meant his comments were within reason.

“He’s got long-term relationships with these players, I don’t think any of that would’ve been damaged,” he said.

“If he’d gone ‘Do you know what? This is the end of the season, I’m the interim coach, lets just leave that’, I’d be going ‘mate, you can’t be a coach’.”

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finals predictions, Carlton Blues fixture, run home, loss to Adelaide Crows was insipid says Mark Robinsion

finals predictions, Carlton Blues fixture, run home, loss to Adelaide Crows was insipid says Mark Robinsion

Carlton’s “insidious” display against Adelaide on the weekend suggested it had “pop-up problems everywhere”, according to AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson, ahead of a fight to remain in the top eight.

But Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy believes there’s been an overreaction to the loss, claiming some Blues fans “want to death-march their team to ninth spot on the ladder”.

Carlton suffered a shock 29-point loss to the Crows on Saturday night, leaving Michael Voss’ side vulnerable inside the top eight with three tricky home and away matches left. The Blues need one more win to guarantee them a finals spot, but games against top-four sides Brisbane, Melbourne and Collingwood will make it no easy task.

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“It was really insipid. Most Carlton people would say that,” Robinson told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 when analyzing the Blues’ performance against Adelaide

“Adelaide, fantastic performance… But this mob (the Blues) let themselves down badly and they let themselves down in a couple of areas.

“They’ve got pop-up problems everywhere. I describe it like a water park where the water keeps on popping up … it’s like Vossy’s saying: ‘We’ve got a problem there, problem there, problem there.’

Crows surprise Blues at Adelaide Oval | 01:31

“They had problems on the weekend in defence, they had problems turning it over, they’ve got two players getting 40 (disposals) and only one having impact, the forward line’s struggling – Harry (McKay) is not marking the ball, the smalls aren’t kicking goals – and now we’re saying Jack Silvagni didn’t play and it had a psychological impact on the club. Well if it did, how fragile is the team if Jack’s not playing? That’s just crap.

“They had their chance and they blew it badly.”

Co-host Gerard Whateley said it was “a significant misstep” by the Blues.

“If you missed the eight from 8-3, it would be bitterly disappointing for all the work that’s gone into it,” Whateley told AFL 360.

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“I think we accept they’re a futures stock who there might’ve been a moment for now and that’s going to play a major role in thwarting the capacity to do that. But don’t be missing your spot from here.

“I don’t know whether they can take care of their business before then, but you have a sneaking glance at Carlton and Collingwood on that last Sunday of home and away football and if the Blues are scratching for it at that stage to book themselves a place … maybe they’re good enough to do it before then, but they’ll have an angry Lions to deal with (this weekend).”

Robinson added: “Part of building your future is playing a final at the MCG in front of 80,000. Even if you get beaten, it’s getting out there and building up and running out there and the expectation’s rally high and the pressure is hot – that’s part of the building. You can’t do that sitting on your ass after Round (23) when you were 8-3 at the half.”

Harry McKay of the Blues. Picture: Sarah ReedSource: Getty Images

Speaking on 3AW’s sports day on Monday night, Healy said he’d noticed a lot of negative feedback from Blues fans after the loss – feedback that didn’t truly reflect where the Blues were at.

“Yes, it was a horrible loss on the weekend, but the negative reaction to it for mine at this stage has been over the top,” he said on Sportsday.

“It seems Blues fans, or many of them, want to death-march their team to ninth spot on the ladder, despite being so good for most of the year and doing so with a lot of injuries.

“I reckon the team is entitled to a mulligan – and they got it on the weekend – and a bit more belief from those who have already written them off.

“It’s been a tough journey over the last 10 years for the Blues fans and they’re getting used to disappointment too much. But I wouldn’t be writing them off just at the present time.”

Healy said Carlton’s best footy was still at the top-end of the competition. He said the returns of George Hewett and Jack Silvagni, as well as a form lift from Harry McKay, should help turn things around.

“So much to think about for Michael Voss, but at this stage it’s still glass three-quarters full for me for the Blues, not the totally empty schooner or pot that too many Carlton fans appear to be drinking from this weekend,” Healy said .

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