Leon Cameron – Michmutters
Categories
Sports

AFL: ‘Reaching my prime’: Star GWS Giants forward Jesse Hogan excited for future

Reborn spearhead Jesse Hogan’s emergence from a difficult few seasons is complete, with a new two-year deal the reward for his best campaign since 2018.

The star Giants forward booted a season-high four goals last week in a best-on-ground performance as they put a disastrous derby defeat to the Swans behind them to take down Essendon in Sydney.

Hogan is up to 30 goals from 16 games this season, and 50 from 25 overall since crossing to Greater Western Sydney on a one-year deal after a somewhat tumultuous end at Fremantle.

Another one-season, prove-it-to-us pact followed his first year with the Giants but now the ex-Demons prodigy has security again amid what he describes as the “most consistent” football of his life.

As pleasing for the 27-year-old as his goal tally is how many matches he has played this season, after managing no more than 12 in any of the past three years, when foot and soft-tissue setbacks besieged him.

Former coach Leon Cameron and the Giants’ high performance team hatched a pre-season plan for Hogan to rest twice this year either side of the mid-season bye, which has worked wonders for him.

“Last year wasn’t ideal with being injured and having a few calf injuries to deal with, and not really having too much confidence in my body,” Hogan told News Corp.

“Then this year, being able to link together 14, 15, 16 games and play some more consistent footy has been massive for me mentally, just to have faith in my body again and a decent season overall.”

Hogan’s agent, Matt Bain, of TLA Australia, is thrilled to see him playing well again and optimistic about greater things ahead.

“It’s a great result for Jesse. He’s happy there and deserves the two years,” Bain said.

“He’s put in a lot of work and it’s showing in his footy. I’m very proud of him.”

No key forward in the competition is averaging more than Hogan’s seven marks per match this season, with that part of his game always serving as a barometer for his performance.

“It’s not that I’m chasing marks or chasing kicks but that’s something that’s always kept me in the game – my ability to find a pocket of space,” he said.

“I’m not the most athletic, I’m not the quickest and I’m not the fittest but I think I’ve got a pretty high IQ when it comes to forward craft.”

The next step for Hogan is playing a full year, which he thinks is within his grasp if he can enjoy a big summer and enter the 2023 season injury free.

Part of that goal is also to ramp up his training between games, too, after largely staying off his legs until Wednesday or Thursday after a match and completing just one main session weekly this year.

“I’d get everything I needed to out of that session to feel sharp, then not much after that,” he said.

“But with the confidence I have in my body going into next season; I feel like I can get more training done, keep working on my craft during the week and be more confident going into games.”

Hogan, who has moved out of Shane Mumford’s Maroubra granny flat into a Balmain home, was among the eight players spared interim coach Mark McVeigh’s wrath after the disappointing display against the Swans.

The Giants’ underwhelming season has frustrated Hogan at times and he has spoken strongly recently about the players needing to be better defensively, but he has come a long way personally.

Hogan conceded several times since his Dockers exit that he made mistakes but also that escaping the constant houndings in Perth for somewhat of an anonymous existence in Sydney was badly needed.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It’s kind of hard to reflect on – I have a lot of regrets and you can’t change the past, so I’ve just done the best I can to move on,” he said.

“It’s a bit of a littered few years, unfortunately, and that’s something I’m just going to have to live with, but this year and last year, I’ve taken steps forward.

“Hopefully, I’m just reaching the prime of my career and I can finish off my year really well and play some good seasons and have some deep finals runs.”

.

Categories
Sports

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?

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

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.

.

Categories
Sports

GWS Giants, salary cap, Josh Kelly, Nick Haynes, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn, Lachie Whitfield, Tom Green, trade, whispers

GWS need to follow Collingwood’s lead and commit to a salary cap dump in a bid to rejuvenate a list that’s missing “an A-grader”, according to journalist Jon Ralph.

The Giants are languishing in 16th position with just five wins for 2022 – with coach Leon Cameron an early casualty.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s On The Couch, Ralph said the GWS salary cap reset was “officially on”, with a host of players set to be put up for trade.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

“I think rather than an exodus of players wanting to flee this club, I think it’s a really calculated decision by this club (that) we need to fix this salary cap issue once and for all,” he said.

“If you are going to do it, over three or four years, do it now with really tough decisions.

“Josh Kelly’s contract hits $1.2m at some stage – it’s back-ended, Nick Haynes next year is on over $800,000 – back-ended. That’s a decision the club’s made, but you can fix it right now.

“The inside mids will depart; Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn, Bobby Hill as a small forward, I think to Collingwood.

“The Giants would love to keep Tim Taranto who can play as a medium forward, but he wants to play as an inside mid but they will not push him out.

“I think if someone wanted to pay Haynes’ salary, I think he’d be available.”

Super Swans clobber sub-par Giants | 01:02

Ralph said rumors of a Lachie Whitfield exit were incorrect, and said Tom Green would remain at the club too.

“Lachie Whitfield will not be part of a trade … he’s had an ankle that’s been so bad since Round 8 he’s needed surgery but he’s battled on,” he said.

“Tom Green, happy, contracted, part of those 14 players (called out by caretaker coach Mark McVeigh) and that brings the speculation that he won’t be there.

Collingwood missed the flag. Two years later, the salary cap exodus. I think it’s taken one more year but they are going to do something about it and it’s going to cause a ripple effect.

“Over a million bucks of cap space over next year and potentially years to come as well.”

GWS Giants press conference | 10:43

Ralph said the exits of Hopper, Bruhn, Hill and Taranto would still leave the Giants with the likes of Stephen Coniglio, Kelly, Green and Whitfield.

And it would free up some space to target an “A-grader” like Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy.

“They’ve got three ruckmen who are probably worth $1 million (combined) – none of them are A-graders,” Ralph said.

“Would you make strong decisions to bring in Brodie Grundy, pay him his $1 million and you’ve got A-graders, difference makers.

“You might create space for the key position forward. It’s not they’ve got too many stars, it’s they are an unbalanced list which is why they want to bring in a key position forward and maybe a ruckman.”

.

Categories
Sports

GWS Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh post-match press conference, rivals urged to take advantage, trade news, rumors, whispers, reactions, response, commentary, latest

Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh’s brutally honest assessment that his players “checked out” in the club’s 73-point Sydney derby loss have raised the eyebrows of pundits including a call for rivals to leverage the situation to try and raid his talent.

McVeigh didn’t hold back in his assessment of his team’s post-match performance, labeling it “embarrassing,” and even saying only eight players “went to the wall” and that the club has “got to shift the standards.”

It comes as several stars including Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper face uncertain futures at Western Sydney and have been linked to trade talks.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

And former Melbourne skipper Garry Lyon believes rivals should look to take advantage of McVeigh’s post-match comments in their bid to lure players out of the club.

“In the ruthless industry that we’re in, those comments for me also give Richmond, just for example, if you were interested in Tom Green before the weekend and those comments, then now you are going as hard as you possibly could – or Taranto or Hopper for that matter,” he said on SEN Breakfast.

“Whoever the teams are that are interested in them, you’re going ‘righto, this is where they see you, and here’s your opportunity’.”

Several Giants including Hopper and Taranto have been linked to trades (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

It comes after St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt feared McVeigh’s comments could cost the caretaker coach a full-time gig in 2023.

The Giants have now fallen to 3-7 under McVeigh since he took over from Leon Cameron in Round 10 including dropping their last four consecutive games to slide to 16th on the ladder.

And speaking on McVeigh’s bold statements on Fox Footy’s First CrackRoos legend David King questioned whether an interim boss was in a position to launch such a scathing assessment.

“They’re huge statements, and this is a bit of an awkward situation, it’s a caretaker coach. I know he’s been (in charge) for 10 weeks and there’s some frustration there … but I’m not convinced that a caretaker coach can make those sorts of grand statements,” King said.

“I’m not sure he can question the standards of your football club and (say) that they’ve got to shift, he can name only eight players and isolate the rest.

“(Saying), ‘We’ve going to find players who want to fight it out,’ I’m comfortable with that, of course, that’s the gig. But questioning whether players have checked out — they’re pretty bold statements and sweeping statements that go across a club.

“Gee whiz, I wonder whether the footy manager would grab him and say, ‘hey, listen, (saying we) embarrassed the club’s a bit strong. We’ve still got three weeks to finish off here. We still need a positive environment, we still need to challenge everyone to get better, absolutely.’

“But saying, ‘we’ve got to shift the standards of our football club’ is a poor reflection on the total club, not just not just the representation on field for that two hours.”

NEW FIRST CRACK PODCAST — R20 wrap: ‘Arrogant’ Blues torched, Danger’s best flag chance

Listen below or subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna believes isolating the performances of eight players was the most damning, saying it “threw the other 14 under the bus”.

“The eight he mentioned were the leaders including Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly, who I didn’t think they had a huge influence,” Montagna said.

“Basically he’s throwing all the kids under the bus — James Peatling, Jacob Wehr, Leek Aleer, Xavier O’Halloran, Lachie Ash and Tom Green. They’re all still trying to find themselves as players.

“To not include them almost saying, ‘well, they didn’t go to the well for the team,’ I thought was a bit unfair. Start with the leaders, they need to change the culture of the footy club. He did mention a few of the younger ones who are coming up, Sam Taylor and Harry Perryman, but I think it needs to start right at the top.”

The Giants are 3-7 under McVeigh (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon also wasn’t a fan of McVeigh’s post-match criticism.

“Instinctively I didn’t like it at all, because you’re individualizing the ones who did and the ones that didn’t, and you’re distancing yourself,” he said on Triple M.

“I think there’s conversations you have behind closed doors. I didn’t like it at all… there’s three rounds to go, there’s things you often want to say as the senior coach, but you can be too honest.

“You can’t do that to your playing group… you lose them straight away. What’s the reason they’re like that? Your job is then to dive in and try and get to that and turn it around. I don’t know how that’s being achieved by saying it publicly.

“At the end of the day you’ve taken the reins, it can’t be all care and no responsibility. When you put your hand up to take the chair you can’t separate yourself.

“He’s a really strong character and really well respected, but just saying it doesn’t mean things are going to.

.