With Port Adelaide’s prison bar guernsey out of bounds, skipper Tom Jonas has declared he’ll be happy to beat Adelaide in whichever guernsey he’s given on Saturday night.
Club chairman David Koch has been fighting a losing battle to gain permission from Collingwood for Port’s players to don the fabled prison bars in their home Showdown at Adelaide Oval.
But winning, not his wardrobe, is on Jonas’s mind in a natch that matters no matter when it’s played in a two-team town, more so given the Crows won the first stoush in 2022.
“It would be nice to wear the prison bars, but that’s a decision that is well beyond me,” Jonas said on Monday.
“I’ll run out there and beat the Crows in whatever they want me to wear.
“Certainly, we were on the wrong end of it last time and we want to make amends for that, for sure.
“I don’t think there’s any such thing as a dead rubber when it comes to a Showdown. There’s a huge amount of pride on the line.
“Essentially, there’s bragging rights around the state and you can walk around with your chest puffed out.”
The clash of cross-town rivals could be Robbie Gray’s farewell match, with the five-time Showdown Medal winner mulling retirement.
The four-time All-Australian, who was rested for the 84-point thumping of Essendon, has played 15 games this season to take his career tally to 270 but has been hampered by persistent knee problems.
Jonas remains unsure which way the 34-year-old is leaning as he considers his future.
“Robbie is a very private person,” he said.
“He’ll make the decision that’s right for him at the right time.
“I’m sure that he’s consulting all of the people that are important in his life.
“As far as I’m concerned, he’s an absolute champion of our club … he’ll do what’s right for him and the club at the right time.”
The Power bounced back into form in emphatic fashion against the Bombers, with the lopsided victory at Marvel Stadium snapping a four-game losing streak that dashed finals hopes.
While pleased with the performance, many fans will be left asking why Port was unable to perform at the same high standard more consistently in a season that started with premiership aspirations.
“There’s a lot of factors that go into that,” Jonas said.
“We’ve played some really quality sides in the last four to six weeks and Essendon are probably at a similar point in their season where you’ve got to find motivation and I think we had a great purpose and that made a huge difference.
“We got a good run on and played some exciting footy.
“Why we haven’t been able to do that consistently is the question we’ll be asking ourselves over the pre-season.”
The 52nd meeting of Adelaide’s AFL rivals will bring both clubs’ seasons to a close, but there is no shortage of motivation for each side despite the lack of a finals angle.
The Crows, who will take the momentum of a three-game winning run into the clash, famously claimed Showdown bragging rights earlier this season when Jordan Dawson kicked the winner after the siren.
Essendon coach Ben Rutten could be sacked as early as today as the club holds a second meeting in the space of 24 hours.
3AW’s Neil Mitchell reports there is a strong belief that Rutten will not coach the final round of the season with assistant Daniel Giansiracusa to take charge of the team.
It comes as Essendon president Paul Brasher is understood to have stood down in the wake of their humiliating loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday.
The 84-point loss at Marvel Stadium looks likely to also spell the end for Rutten as well who was under intense pressure to hold onto his job just a season after leading them back into the finals.
The Bomber board will then decide whether to make a play for Alastair Clarkson.
The Hawks coaching great is the most talked about coach in the competition — and he doesn’t yet have a home, after leaving the Hawks in 2021.
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Essendon Press Conference | 03:59
The Bombers have a 7-14 win-loss record in 2022 ahead of the final match of the regular season, where they will play Richmond on Saturday night.
Brasher indicated he would step down at year’s end earlier in the season, but their sorry defeat on Sunday has seemingly sped up at that process.
“I think you’re going to see real improvement in the second half of the year,” he said at the time.“
“We don’t want honorable losses. We’re happy about effort, but that is the baseline and we’re looking to improve upon that and not going to take to light about losing to good sides by narrow margins.”
Dud Bombers pumped by Port | 01:39
An earlier internal review is said to have fallen short of what some believe is required, with AFL.com.au reporting that there is a push for an external review wanted by some.
Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
“Were bitterly disappointed,” he said.
“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.
“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”
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Bombers coach Ben Rutten following their heavy loss at Marvel Stadium against the Port Adelaide Power on August 14, 2022 in Melbourne. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Brasher has been unwavering in his support behind Rutten, but with the president gone a push for Clarkson has been made.
Clarkson has received formal offers from Greater Western Sydney as well as North Melbourne, with the Kangaroos tabling a five-year deal for the respected coach.
The former Hawks coach was said to have wanted to make his decision early this week, but a late push from the Bombers could see Clarkson want more time to make his decision.
On Sunday, Kangaroos great David King hit out at the Bombers for failing to make a serious play at Clarkson.
“For six months, if not 12 months, Alastair Clarkson has been sitting idle ready to be grabbed by a football club,” King said on First Crack.
“Why haven’t Essendon taken that step?
“Right now they lack system, they lack motivation and they lack standards as a footy club and I reckon the Essendon faithful are sick of it.
“Why are they gambling on a coach that is still developing when the absolute finished product is there?
“OK you’ve got to jump through a lot of hoops to get over the line, but if (Clarkson) signs at North Melbourne this week and Essendon could have got him with the list they’ve got right now, I think it’s a mistake they will rule for years.”
Dons fans heard slamming players | 00:46
King slammed the Bombers for failing to turn up and said some of the players were not playing to “AFL standard”.
“This is Essendon in a nutshell,” King lamented.
“How lax is this? Have a look at them just standing around, ambling around. This is the forward 50. There’s 10 players within arms reach of this stoppage. That (game style) is going nowhere.
“I can’t understand what they look at when they review games at the moment if that is the output of a weekend.
“We can only judge the actions they put in front of us – that is not AFL standard.”
Essendon Bombers president Paul Brasher has reportedly stepped down from his position after the club’s embarrassing 84-point loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday evening.
After playing in finals last year, the Bombers have endured a horror season, slumping to 15th on the AFL ladder with seven wins in the opening 21 rounds.
Earlier this year, Brasher announced an internal review of the club with opinions split on whether it should have been an external review.
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Brasher told members the club was “examining every aspect of our football program”, with football director Sean Wellman overseeing the review.
“I think you’re going to see real improvement in the second half of the year,” he said at the time.
“We don’t want honorable losses. We’re happy about effort, but that is the baseline and we’re looking to improve upon that and not going to take to light about losing to good sides by narrow margins.”
But on Monday morning, several reports emerged Brasher had resigned after the Essendon directors once again pushed for an independent review at a board meeting over the weekend.
According to Herald Suncoach Ben Rutten, who is contracted for next year, is also under serious threat of losing his position, with the Essendon board preparing for a major upheaval.
Channel 7 journalist Tom Browne suggested Brasher’s resignation could prompt a last-minute play for legendary coach Alastair Clarkson, who led the Hawthorn Hawks to four premiership titles.
Essendon will reportedly hold another board meeting on Monday to determine the presidency.
Essendon recorded several unwanted milestones on Sunday, including Rutten’s biggest-ever defeat as coach, his most points granted as coach and Essendon’s second-biggest loss against the Power.
On Fox Footy’s coverage, a spectator was overheard screaming after the final siren: “This is f***ing embarrassing.”
Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from Marvel Stadium.
“Were bitterly disappointed,” he said.
“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.
“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”
St Kilda great Leigh Montagna has implored the club to trade out some of its star senior players to bring more youth into the club in a “reset”, saying he thinks it “needs to go back to go forward.”
The Saints had their final hopes dashed after losing to Brisbane, falling to 11-10 to continue St Kilda’s drop off after a promising 5-1 start to the season.
Since Round 7 St Kilda has ranked bottom six in the ‘Core Four’ stats — with the footy (15th), without the footy, clearance and post-clearance contest (all 12th).
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“They’re in a real predicament … this is 15 rounds of football, it’s a bottom-four profile, so they have really struggled with their game,” Montagna said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.
Asked if their issues lie with personnel or system, Montagna said: “I think it’s a combination of both.”
The Saints’ finals hopes are over (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
It comes after St Kilda has aggressively recruited players via trade and free agency over the last four years, bringing Paddy Ryder (35 years old), Dan Hannebery (32), Tom Campbell (31), Brad Hill, Dean Kent, Mason Wood, Brad Crouch (all 29), Jarrod Lienert, Zak Jones (both 28), Dougal Howard (27), Dan Butler, Jack Hayes (both 26) and Jack Higgins (24) into the fold.
Looking at the age profile of those players combined with the rest of the senior core, Montgana questioned how much upside the Saints’ list has.
“This is the concern for St Kilda supporters when you think about where the improvement is going to come from in the years to come,” he said.
“How much room for improvement have they got these guys? How high is their ceiling? And that’s in conjunction with their core group of Seb Ross, Tim Membrey, Jimmy Webster, Jack Sinclair, Jack Billings, Rowan Marshall and Jack Steele, who are all 26 plus years old as well.
“There’s not a lot of ceiling room within the core group of players on top of that profile… the upside is a very small margin.”
“Heartbreak” awaits whoever finishes 6th | 02:27
Montagna did praise young guns Max King, Cooper Sharman (both 22), Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (20), Marcus Windhager and Mitch Owens (both 19), who’ve joined the club over the same four-year period, but said he had “question marks” on their other youngsters.
He believes St Kilda should follow Port Adelaide’s blueprint from post 2018 and trade out their players with currency to try and bounce back quickly.
“I think they need to go back to go forward,” Montagna said.
“I think they need to trade out some of those players they’ve brought in and bring in some more young talent and reset — Brad Hill, Zak Jones and maybe Jack Billings or Jade Gresham to try and get some other young talent in.
“I look at Port Adelaide — they went through a period for five years where they were mid-table — then traded Chad Wingard, Jasper Pittard and Jared Polec when they were playing good footy — Jack Hombsch, Paddy Ryder and Dougal Howard.
“They made some change and got in those young players — Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee and Mitch Georgiades — then all of a sudden played in back-t0-back preliminary finals (in 2020 and 2021).
“I think there’s some concerns there for St Kilda, they need to have a real hard think about where their list is at moving forward.”
The Essendon hierarchy will “rue” the decision not to pursue four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, Fox Footy’s David King has warned as the Bombers hit a new low on Sunday.
Players were booed by their own fans as they left Marvel Stadium after the 84-point loss to fellow non-finals contender Port Adelaide.
King said questions needed to be asked of the decision to implement the Ben Rutten handover from John Worsfold back in 2020.
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“For six months, if not 12 months, Alastair Clarkson has been sitting idle ready to be grabbed by a football club,” King said on First Crack.
“Why haven’t Essendon taken that step?
“Right now they lack system, they lack motivation and they lack standards as a footy club and I reckon the Essendon faithful are sick of it.
“Why are they gambling on a coach that is still developing when the absolute finished product is there?
“OK you’ve got to jump through a lot of hoops to get over the line, but if (Clarkson) signs at North Melbourne this week and Essendon could have got him with the list they’ve got right now, I think it’s a mistake they will rule for years.”
Essendon Press Conference | 03:59
Rutten remains contracted until the end of 2023, but has managed just seven wins this season.
The loss to Port Adelaide is their worst for 2022, and both the worst defeat and the most points conceded under Rutten.
King said matches late in a season showed the faith in a coach and the set up at a club when there was nothing but pride to play for.
“It’s very hard to get motivated and that’s when you find out what sort of football club you’ve got,” he said.
“That’s when you find out, can your coach continue to drive standards and continue to enforce non-negotiables?
“I’m looking at the Essendon hierarchy – are they ruthless enough from the top down?
“The 2020 Worsfold handover year, six and a half wins – Rutten was in charge of the tactical side of the game then. They won 11 games last year, they’ve won six this year.”
King showed vision from the second quarter when Bombers players were walking and allowing their opponents to get forward of the ball.
“This is Essendon in a nutshell,” King lamented.
Port Adelaide Press Conference | 03:57
“How lax is this? Have a look at them just standing around, ambling around. This is the forward 50. There’s 10 players within arms reach of this stoppage. That (game style) is going nowhere.
“I can’t understand what they look at when they review games at the moment if that is the output of a weekend.
“We can only judge the actions they put in front of us – that is not AFL standard.”
King said now was the time for “honest conversations” at the club after 2021’s surprising finals finish.
“I’m not just talking about the captain and vice-captain, I mean the whole football club,” he said.
“These guys have signed Ben Rutten – if they have to assess their own role in the football club and move on well so be it.
“When was the last time Essendon were genuinely ruthless as a football club? It was a long time ago.”
Speaking after the shocking loss, Rutten apologized to the club’s fans for the lack of effort on Sunday.
“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch,” he said.
“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”
Port Adelaide ended a turbulent week with a statement win against Essendon at Marvel Stadium by 84 points.
The Power kicked nine goals in a row, including seven in a second-quarter onslaught, to put an at times insipid Essendon to the sword and condemn the Bombers to their biggest loss of the season.
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It was an emphatic response from Port, whose embattled coach Ken Hinkley was given assurance during the week from club president David Koch that he would remain as coach in 2023, after losing its past four games.
Essendon recorded several unwanted milestones including coach Ben Rutten’s biggest-ever defeat — his most points conceded as Bombers coach and Essendon’s second-biggest loss against the Power.
Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from the ground.
On the Fox Footy coverage, a spectator was overheard screaming: “This is f***ing embarrassing.”
Former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes told SEN: “Essendon is just been a nice team. At not one point today has someone thrown their weight around. They’re too nice, and that’s been on full display this afternoon. Not one Port Adelaide player will be sore after this game.”
After announcing a record number of members during the week, Rutten apologized to Essendon fans.
“We’re bitterly disappointed,” he said.
“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.
“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”
Rutten said he couldn’t put his finger on where it fell apart for the Bombers, who had the better of territory and seven shots to five in the first quarter.
But from there it was all the Power, who slammed on 18 goals to six.
The Essendon coach said while the result wasn’t acceptable, it didn’t shake his belief in where his side is going.
“At the back end of the first quarter we got ourselves back into the game,” Rutten said.
“But from the second quarter it was really poor.
“It doesn’t shake my belief in where we’re going. It’s not a great result in terms of tonight’s performance.
“It’s about us being strong and clear on where we’re going and what we’re trying to build because it’s never going to be a clean progression in becoming a great team.
“Performances like that is not stuff we can accept or tolerate, and we won’t.”
Rutten stopped short of saying whether he would give his players a chance to bounce back next week against Richmond or if there would be wholesale changes, but said everyone connected to the side felt the loss.
“It hurts me, it hurts the players and everyone who is putting in to get us to where we want to get to,” he said.
“I’ll have to have a look at that (making wholesale changes).
“The good thing is there is one week to go for us and an opportunity for us to finish the year playing a brand of footy the way we want to.”
Michael Hurley took another step towards an AFL return by getting through a VFL game on Sunday, and Rutten hinted the veteran swingman could play his first game in more than two years.
“That’ll be a discussion point for us, he got through the game at VFL level, that’s certainly something we’ll be looking at,” Rutten said.
Essendon has been demolished by Port Adelaide – 23.8 (146) to 9.8 (62) – in a dismal showing sure to ramp up the pressure on the Bombers heading into the off-season.
Barring a third-quarter fightback, Port Adelaide was barely troubled by the Bombers, kicking its highest score of the year.
It marks a welcome pressure release for Port Adelaide and sets the stage for a Showdown with Adelaide to close out its season.
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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER RECAP
There were no late changes for either side. Ben Hobbs (Essendon) and Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide) were the medical substitutes.
Port Adelaide got off to the perfect start, with Travis Boak finishing off a crisp bit of play in the first 15 seconds of the match.
Essendon responded via Nic Martin, who streamed into the forward 50 and finished cleanly.
Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades combined for the next two majors, then a brilliant mark from Charlie Dixon was followed by an assured set shot, giving the Power some breathing room on the scoreboard.’
Mid-season draftee Massimo D’Ambrosio helped bring his side back into the mix, kicking his first AFL goal and then his second just minutes later.
Essendon gave away a costly free kick during a scuffle with Jeremy Finlayson, which resulted in Sam Powell-Pepper kicking a goal just before the quarter-time siren.
Port Adelaide led by eight points at the first change.
Powell-Pepper’s late goal was only the beginning of the Power’s surge, with Ken Hinkley’s side running rampant over Essendon as the second term began to unfold.
Essendon barely fired a shot as Port Adelaide kicked four goals in seven minutes, with some passaged dubbed “a training drill” by Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell.
The Power continued to pile on the goals, with Karl Amon making it a 52-point margin and eight unanswered goals.
“It seems like they’ve given up in a sense Essendon,” Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy, pointing to the Bombers’ lack of communication and effort.
By half-time, the Bombers trailed by 51 points.
Todd Marshall kicked the first goal of the second half, but Essendon was then let off by a couple of misses from Port Adelaide in front of goal.
An Archie Perkins set shot finally broke Essendon’s goal drought, but Zak Butters restored a 60-point lead for his side with a goal shortly after.
Peter Wright and Nick Hind got back-to-back goals for the Bombers as they began to show a bit more fight through the middle of the ground, but Port Adelaide still managed to get looks at goal.
By three-quarter time, Essendon had won the quarter, reducing a 51-point margin to 49.
Unfortunately for Essendon fans, the final quarter was far from impressive, with Port Adelaide rapidly extending its lead.
Several goals for the visitors came with alarming ease as the margin continued to grow as much of the Bombers crowd began to head home.
THE 3-2-1
3) PRESSURE SOARS FOR BOMBERS AFTER BRTUAL LOSS
Ben Rutten must be wondering why the message didn’t get through to his players.
The Bombers were well beaten by Greater Western Sydney last week and, heading into Sunday, the focus was clear.
“We need to respond really quickly, in particularly in and around the contest,” Rutten told Fox Footy pre-game.
“Our ability to tackle and win our share of contested ball and pressure the opposition… we’re really looking forward to seeing how we shape up against them tonight.”
With such a focus on the contest, it must’ve been quite alarming for Rutten at the main break, with his side conceding 43 points from stoppage while scoring just seven on its own end.
“Around the contest it’s terrible … they’d been the number one stoppage team in the last month of football but were smashed last week and were absolutely smashed around the football today, especially in the second quarter,” Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy at half-time.
“It started from the centre-bounce in the first quarter but then around the ground in the second quarter.
“They’ve given up seven goals from stoppage, which is an unbelievable number for a game of football let alone a half.”
The midfield responded with a better showing in the third quarter, but limped to the finish line, doing nothing to mask questions the Bombers must address ahead of a searching off-season.
“Parish is there, Shiel is back, Merrett is there, they’ve got dominance in the ruck because Draper has height over Finlayson … they need to change something,” Brown said.
“I’d be saying if I was Ben Rutten, ‘if you boys want to play in the midfield you need to earn it, so out’.”
Such was the scale of the loss, Brown in the immediate aftermath noted: “I don’t know what to say.”
2) ALIIR’S GREAT STRIDES
Aliir Aliir has been a tremendous intercept defender, but perhaps that description is selling him short.
Few players this season have been able to stop Peter Wright from having an impact on the scoreboard or up the ground, but Aliir provided an exception to the norm.
“He’s been outstanding, Aliir Aliir,” Jonathan Brown said.
“I’ve been really impressed. He’s not just a zone-off defender. Peter Wright is one of the best key-position forwards in the competition this season.
“He has not only shut him down, he’s had an impact offensively as well and been able to get across and spoil not just Peter Wright but other opposition players as well and help out his teammates.
“I think he’s had an outstanding game and I think it highlights his development as a key defender.”
1) RIVETING RUCK CONUNDRUM
Ken Hinkley has a lot of headaches after a disappointing season, but perhaps a good one is in the ruck.
Scott Lycett’s injury early in the season certainly hurt the side in the short-term, but as the season has progressed there have been promising signs in that department.
Sam Hayes came in for a lengthy period and showed promise with the number one ruck mantle, then Brynn Teakle burst onto the scene as a mid-season draftee, showing plenty before going off injured on his AFL debut.
Jeremy Finlayson, however, could be the pick of the bunch and a shrewd bit of recruiting.
Many questioned the need for Finlayson when he came across via trade at the end of last year, but he has shown some incredibly impressive potential when handed the reigns in the ruck.
On Sunday, he demolished opponent Sam Draper and made the ruck case even more curious for Port Adelaide in 2023.
“We’ve pumped up Draper a lot this season, we think he’s going to be a really good ruckman in the competition going forward,” Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy.
“He’s had four disposals, his opponent Jeremy Finlayson has had 21, four clearances and two goals.
“It shows the difference in the day, it also shows the impact a player like Finlayson can have.”
Brodie Grundy reportedly walked away from a recent meeting with Melbourne very impressed.
Plus why the Power are well placed for the next few years and the two-club race for a Giants star.
Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!
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PIES STAR ‘BLOWN AWAY’ BY DEES IN MEETING
Brodie Grundy was reportedly “blown away” by Melbourne when the Collingwood star met with key Dees figures in recent weeks.
The Demons, as well as Geelong, last week emerged as “potential new suitors” for Grundy, who’s now central to ample trade speculation as the Pies consider offloading the 28-year-old’s lucrative contract — worth around $1 million per season until 2027 — to clear cap space for the likes of rival players Dan McStay, Bobby Hill and Tim Taranto.
Giants football boss Jason McCartney was seen meeting Grundy’s manager last month, while Port Adelaide has also been linked to the dual All-Australian.
While the Giants are now considered out of the race, the Dees have emerged as the front-runners for Grundy, who reportedly met with Melbourne figures, including coach Simon Goodwin, footy boss Alan Richardson and skipper Max Gawn, in recent weeks.
Lewis 50/50 on Gawn & Grundy tandem | 01:24
And SEN reporter Sam Edmund said Grundy liked what he saw from the Dees.
“He was so impressed by the vision Melbourne set, their professionalism and what they sold to him,” Edmund told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“It doesn’t mean that Melbourne are going for Brodie Grundy as a priority, I’m told they might want to go younger, they might want to go cheaper, but they have met with him and been very impressive getting in front of Brodie Grundy.”
Edmund pointed out the Dees also impressed Adam Cerra in a presentation, only for the midfielder to choose Carlton as Melbourne “didn’t have the levers to pull to get him in the door”.
While Goodwin last week didn’t confirm the club had met with Grundy, he said the Dees were keen to play two rucks next season amid Luke Jackson’s strong links to Fremantle.
Grundy, who hasn’t played an AFL game since Anzac Day due to a knee issue, had been nearing a return to the AFL before suffering a stress fracture in his ankle in a VFL match, ruling him out for the rest of the home and away season.
POWER PRIMED TO LAUNCH IN OFF-SEASON
Port Adelaide is well prepared to pounce on a star rival player at some stage over the next two years thanks to clever list decisions, reports the Herald Sun.
While the Power will miss finals this year after two straight preliminary final appearances in the previous two seasons, they’re in a good position to launch into the market either this year or next year.
the Herald Sun reported the Power have the capacity to be “bold and adventurous”, thanks to shrewd list management calls that have seen them generate more salary cap space than most other rival clubs.
Koch keeps Hinkley for 2023! | 02:49
According to the newspaper’s ‘AFL Rich 100’, which ranks the top 100 highest-paid players in the competition in 2022, only one Power player sits inside the top 50 – Brownlow Medalist Ollie Wines at $750,000 to $850,000 – with Scott Lycett (No. 75) and Charlie Dixon (No. 100) next in line.
It means they could make a big play for Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley or contracted Magpie Brodie Grundy, should either of them wish to move to South Australia.
The Power are preparing to lose wingman Karl Amon, who’s set to exercise his free agency rights and join a rival Victorian club.
TIGERS ‘RIGHT IN THE MIX’ FOR GIANTS STAR
Collingwood could have a fight on its hands to land Tim Taranto, with Richmond “coming hard” for the off-contract Giant.
The Giants, again, are set to be active during the upcoming AFL exchange period, with several players, including Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn and Bobby Hill linked to rival clubs.
Taranto has been linked to four Victorian-based clubs, but the Tigers and Magpies appear best placed to fight for his services.
Despite the strong links to Collingwood, SEN reporter Sam Edmund said the Tigers were “right in the mix” for Taranto.
Rutten optimistic Heppell will stay | 00:48
“I know he’s been linked heavily with Collingwood, but Richmond (is) coming hard for Tim Taranto as well,” Edmund told Crunch Time.
“If you’re sitting here right now, you’re saying he’s either going to be at Punt Road or Collingwood next year.”
Taranto, who is out of contract but not a free agent until 2024, would be worth a first-round draft pick, according to Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy.
The on-baller has played 113 games for the Giants since being drafted with Pick 2 in the 2016 draft. He won the club’s best and fairest in its Grand Final year of 2019.
Fremantle expect Rory Lobb to back up against GWS, despite being subbed out of the win over West Coast.
While the Roos are counting the injury toll from a bruising encounter with the Crows.
Get the latest AFL injury news in our Round 22 Casualty Ward!
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FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir has defended the club’s decision to sub Rory Lob out of the win over West Coast late, despite then admitting he expects the star to play next weekend.
Lobb has been carrying a shoulder injury for the past few weeks and appeared to aggravate it in a marking contest in the third term.
But the big forward waved away medical staff and played on, despite clearly carrying his right shoulder.
“He’s sore,” Longmuir admitted post-match. “We don’t think it’s too significant. We’re proud of his efforts after he got injured and halved some contests and remained in the game and kept working his way through it.
“(We) expect him to play (against GWS).
“Players have played plenty of times after they’ve been subbed out.
“He was carrying his arm around so he’s got an injury. He’s been carrying it for three weeks so he got a stinger on it and couldn’t go on tonight but we think he’ll be alright.”
Longmuir said he would enjoy the win over West Coast before contemplating having both Lobb and fellow big forward Matt Taberner unavailable for the away clash with GWS.
“I’ll worry about that when I get home,” he laughed.
“It’s not ideal and I’d love Lobby to play next week. We haven’t really crossed that bridge yet.
“When you see a player out there carrying their arm, you want to protect them so that’s why we subbed him out.
“He’s a fast healer. He played the week after he hurt it the first time from memory. So fingers crossed he gets up. He doesn’t let on when he brings injuries into games and he pushes through it really well.
“He’s 205cm and we needed to contest forward of the ball.
“I’m really proud of his efforts to keep competing, sometimes with one arm.”
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The call to sub Lobb out of the contest came with just four minutes remaining when the match was all but won.
“The docs went out and checked him and probably decided that he couldn’t go on anymore,” Longmuir said.
“He battled as well as he could for as long as he could. We needed to get him off for his own welfare from him.”
Lobb’s potential absence could hurt Fremantle’s top four push with Taberner already sidelined. skipper Nat Fyfe is no guarantee to return from his hamstring injury in Round 23 with Longmuir adamant the club would take a cautious approach.
“We don’t need to (bring him straight back), but if he’s fit to play, he’ll put his hand up for selection,” Longmuir said.
“If he’s not declared fit, we’re not going to put him out there and risk him. You injure yourself at this time of year and have a repeat injury to that hammy, then your season’s almost done.”
Longmuir said Fyfe may even go back to the WAFL for a second time this year to build fitness heading into finals.
“If it’s not this week, then we’ve got the bye and a WAFL game in the bye so we’ll look at that,” he said.
ST KILDA‘s Jimmy Webster‘s season is all but over after he injured his hamstring in the loss to Brisbane.
With the Saints now only a mathematical chance of finals, Webster is set for scans in the coming days.
He was subbed out of the loss to Brisbane early and was iced up for the remainder of the clash.
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ADELAIDE forward Shane McAdam is in doubt for this weekend’s Showdown with Port Adelaide.
McAdam was subbed out of the win over North Melbourne with a hamstring complaint.
“Forward Shane McAdam injured his hamstring while leading for the ball in the final quarter and was subbed out of the game,” Crows high performance manager Darren Burgess said.
“He will be assessed in coming days ahead of next week’s Showdown.”
NORTH MELBOURNE are counting the cost of a bruising loss to the Crows, with three players injured and young Paul Curtis now racing to be fit for the final match of the season.
jed anderson suffered concussion and won’t play again this season under the AFL’s protocols.
skipper jack ziebell is also likely done for 2022 after suffering a “significant” shoulder injury.
“It didn’t look great for Ziebs in particular,” coach Leigh Adams said.
“It’s some sort of shoulder injury. I think we all know Jack Ziebell is going to put his body on the line every time.
“I’m not sure if its collarbone or a dislocation but for him to come straight off and get subbed off, it must have been pretty bad. He doesn’t come off unless something is wrong.
“Fingers crossed it’s not too bad but it looks like his season is over.”
Kangaroos miss chance against Crows | 01:34
Jaidyn Stephenson will have to prove his fitness to play again this season after coming off with a back injury.
“Stevo’s had a bit of back issues that can come good pretty quick.”
Adams defended the club’s decision to send Anderson back out into the contest, as he was later ruled out with concussion.
“I haven’t seen the vision yet – I’m comfortable our doctors will have made the right decision,” he said.
“I know he came off with the blood rule and I was told at three quarter time he’d gone into the concussion protocols.”
Adams said the club wouldn’t take any risk with young Curtis after he copped a knock to his shoulder.
“This time of year obviously with one game to go, we won’t take any risk with a young kid like that,” he said.
GWS could be without Lachlan Keeffe after he complained of groin soreness in the loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Caretaker coach Mark McVeigh said the club would take precautions with the veteran.
“We’ll assess Keeffey who complained of a bit of groin soreness. We’ll take precautions there,” he said.
Tanner Bruhn won’t play again this season after entering the AFL’s concussion protocols.
“Tanner Bruhn with the HIA so he’ll enter those protocols which is not ideal for him,” McVeigh said.
the WESTERN BULLDOGS admit skipper Marcus Bontempelli is not fully fit but continues to press on.
“I finished the game off alright didn’t he?” coach Luke Beveridge said.
“He’s struggling a little bit with a niggle or two. I had Marcus and Chrissy Bell in my office yesterday talking through, he’s got a bit of an adductor issue going on.
“Both Marcus and Chris were sure he’d get through the game.
“He’s not 100 per cent. I have pushed through a bit of discomfort today.”
Bulldogs keep finals in sight | 02:53
GEELONG Coach Chris Scott has hinted at resting more players for the final round clash against West Coast.
With top spot assured, the Cats do have one injury concern with Rhys Stanley subbed out of the win over the Gold Coast.
“They tell me he’s got a low grade adductor strain,” Scott said.
“Generally when they say low grade it’s a week or two. It will be unlikely he’ll play next week is the feedback I’ve got but they are not too worried beyond that.”
GOLD COAST coach Stuart Dew says he feels for Sam Day after the forward re-injured his knee.
“Suspected that he’s hurt his meniscus that he’s had repaired last year and it was the same mechanism the way he slid and jammed that joint so we’ve got fingers crossed but unfortunately I think Sam might have hurt his knee which is really unfortunate,” Dew said.
Izak Rankin also remains in doubt for Round 23 after injuring his shoulder.
“He hurt that shoulder a few weeks back… clearly awkward landing/hit and he’s stirred that up,” Dew said.
“We’ll just see how that settles.”
WEST COAST could be without both Nic Naitanui and jamine jones for the trip to Geelong.
Jones was subbed out of the loss to the Dockers with a back issue.
“His back just seized up. We weighed up before the game whether to pull him out … He’s had a big year and carried some injuries. He just couldn’t last,” coach Adam Simpson said.
Simpson also admitted Naitanui was playing through the pain.
“He’s playing because the club needs him,” Simpson said.
Isaac Heeney was 12 years old, nursing a broken hand and sitting in a mostly empty grandstand with his mother Rochelle.
A junior football carnival was playing out in front of them that he was supposed to be captaining an under-12s team in, before suffering his injury in one of the early games.
Then up walked a man, seemingly unaware of how many seating options he had, to slide in next to the Heeneys.
“We were like, ‘Go and sit somewhere else; you don’t have to sit in our laps’,” Heeney, 26, recalled, laughing about the memory, which he said made him “feel old”.
“Then he introduced himself: ‘I’m Chris Smith from the Sydney Swans Academy. I’ve been watching you for a little while.’”
Heeney’s life changed forever in that moment. The Swans had found a future superstar, one who will play his 150th AFL game at the SCG on Sunday against Collingwood.
Rochelle, a dairy farmer, started working half-days on Thursdays to drive Heeney and his brother, Beau, two-and-a-half hours each way from the outskirts of Newcastle to Sydney for a 90-minute Academy training session.
Their dad, Adam, a butcher, would sometimes drive them as well but also spent countless hours with his sons kicking the Sherrin on their hobby farm.
“I had the best childhood in the world. It was a really simple way of living but it was epic,” Heeney said.
“My parents were so supportive and loving and it was simple and cheap. We never had much money… we’d come home, eat sausages for dinner and always be outdoors.
“Mum and dad, being sporty people themselves, loved being outside and having fun with us, too.”
Their home doubled as a field of sporting dreams and was the scene of all sorts of other “sketchy” adventures, from tree parachuting to propelling into a dam at full speed on a bike.
Heeney only half-jokingly reflects on how Beau almost killed himself a couple of times.
“We built a ramp that we would go down on this hill and it was sort of like a quarter pipe but shooting off into the dam,” he said.
“You’d probably be a good four or five meters in the air with a pushbike that had a couple of milk cartons on it, so it didn’t sink to the bottom and just launches into the dam.
“Dad, Beau and I would also set these star pickets as goals and we’d just kick the footy to each other every afternoon and pretend to take hangers on each other – just like kids do.”
But not every kid is as gifted as Heeney.
He once kicked a ridiculous 68 goals in 12 games of junior soccer, and averaged 216 with the bat while playing up an age group but still in the top division.
A friendship developed in those soccer days with a boy who lived down the road, plus a family decision to delay him playing either of the rugby codes for fear of head knocks were critical in setting Heeney on his AFL path.
That friend was Will Quade, the grand-nephew of Rick Quade, the inaugural coach of the rebranded Sydney Swans’ team in 1982.
Will’s cousin also just so happened to be Charlie Dixon, who has played 187 games and counting for Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.
In a further twist of fate, big brother Beau ended up marrying Rick Quade’s niece, Amanda. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
Will wanted to start playing Australian rules football and asked Heeney if he wanted to join him, so they headed down to sign up for Wallsend Swans.
The problem was there weren’t enough players to field a team – participation numbers have skyrocketed in Newcastle in recent years – meaning they instead ended up at Cardiff Hawks, which now has bragging rights as Heeney’s junior club.
“I loved it from the get-go, and credit to Cardiff Hawks. It was a really fun, family sort of vibe and I think that’s why mum and dad loved it, too,” he said.
“Everyone knew each other and was really welcoming and they were amazing for me.
“At the same time, I was the only kid in my primary school who played it, then at high school there was only a handful of us out of like 1000 kids.”
Heeney’s star rose quickly but his Academy invitation came at just the right time, as he started playing rugby league at school.
But not rugby league or any of the gentle teasing about him playing “aerial ping pong” dissuaded him from chasing his AFL dream.
Heeney became not only the standout Sydney junior but arguably in the entire country for his 2014 draft year, when the likes of Paddy McCartin, Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw and Darcy Moore were also selected.
He has lived up to the hype and inked a bumper new six-year deal worth about $900,000 per annum on season eve this year that adds up to his growing importance at the Swans, which goes well beyond the field.
In Heeney, Sydney has a homegrown, Academy-bred star with an overflowing highlight reel to win over the masses.
The Swans now have a series of Academy graduates on their list, from Heeney to Callum Mills, Nick Blakey, Errol Gulden, Braeden Campbell, James Bell, Sam Wicks and more.
But does Heeney himself realize how meaningful he has become in the club’s bigger picture?
“I know there’s some significance there, absolutely. But I just look at myself as another player and whenever I can give back, whether that’s to the club or the fans, I definitely will,” he said.
“I know that I’m a decent role model to a lot of kids out there and I understand there’s a fair significance I’ve got around the club. I don’t know how to word it but it’s humbling.”
