AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson believes Port Adelaide president David Koch “made an error of judgment” with recent comments about the club’s football department.
Koch told FIVEaa this week “every single person’s role” would be assessed at the end of the season, which has seen the Power drop out of finals contention after back-to-back preliminary final runs.
Senior coach Ken Hinkley is contracted until 2023, but a question mark remains over whether he’ll continue in the role, despite Hinkley himself at this stage still expecting to be there next year.
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Koch statement awkward for Hinkley? | 01:36
Koch’s comment, “turn it around or watch out”, drew criticism from Robinson.
“David Koch has been a tremendous president but he made an error of judgment in my opinion by saying what he said,” Robinson posed.
“I don’t think he gets football in the sense where if he knew this was going to be the fallout – that every media organization in Australia is going to be looking at it saying ‘are you going to get rid of him or not’ – that’s not how to treat a guy who has been there for 10 years.
“Just hold the horses a little bit. I think that’s been the fallout from this.”
Robinson labeled the comments “footy-naive”, but added they should not be misinterpreted as a call for prospective coaches to make their intentions known.
“What Koch said yesterday was not an open invitation for Alastair Clarkson’s people to ring the club,” he said.
“I know that’s been floating around … but that’s not my information.”
The brilliant contribution of Sydney and Fremantle’s young guns to their respective teams’ surges up the ladder this year have been recognised, with the two clubs making up a quarter of this year’s 22under22 squad.
The AFL Players’ Association on Tuesday night released the 40-man squad for the 10th edition of the 22under22 team, which recognized the best players aged 22 and under in a season.
Sydney, which sits fourth on the ladder, boasts a competition-high six nominations, while five players from the sixth-placed Dockers are in the mix for final selection.
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Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin, Chad Warner, James Rowbottom, Justin McInerney and Errol Gulden from the Swans have all been nominated, while Dockers young guns Hayden Young, Jordan Clark, Andy Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Michael Frederick are all in line to be named in the final 22under22 team.
Remarkably, Serong is in line to be selected in the final 22 for the first time, despite his impressive first two seasons that included the Rising Star award in 2020.
Surprise packets Collingwood has four nominees (Isaac Quaynor, Nathan Murphy, Nick Daicos and Jack Ginnivan) as does Melbourne (Harry Petty, James Jordon, Kysaiah Pickett and Luke Jackson).
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Daicos, the odds-on Rising Star favourite, has is one of only two first-year players in the squad of 40, with Essendon’s Nic Martin the other. Hawks midfielder Jai Newcombe was nominated just over 12 months after he was picked up in the mid-season draft.
Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton and Carlton midfielder Sam Walsh are looking to be selected for a fourth time in their final year of eligibility. If selected, they’ll join Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli (five selections) and Bombers defender Andy McGrath as the only players to have completed the feat.
Brayshaw, Adam Cerra, Bailey Smith and Max King are looking to be selected for a third time.
Jamie Elliot signs with Feet until 2025 | 00:37
Overall, 17 of the 18 clubs are represented in the squad, with no West Coast player in the squad.
The final 22-man team, which will derive from the squad of 40, will be announced online on August 23.
Players must have played at least 11 games in a year and be aged 22 and under for the entirety of the season, including the finals series, to be eligible for 22under22 selection.
Fans can vote on the 22under22 side by tapping here, with voting closing on Wednesday August 17.
THE 22UNDER22 SQUAD OF 40 FOR 2022
Adelaide Crows – 2: Sam Berry (midfield/wing), Darcy Fogarty (forward)
Carlton – 2: Adam Cerra (midfield/wing), Sam Walsh (midfield)
Collingwood – 4: Isaac Quaynor (defender), Nathan Murphy (defender), Nick Daicos (defender), Jack Ginnivan (forward)
Essendon – 1: Nic Martin (forward)
Fremantle – 5: Hayden Young (defender), Jordan Clark (defender), Andy Brayshaw (midfield), Caleb Serong (midfield), Michael Frederick (forward)
Geelong Cats – 1: Sam De Koning (defender)
Gold Coast Suns – 3: Noah Anderson (midfield), Matt Rowell (midfield), Izak Rankine (forward)
GWS Giants – 1: Tom Green (midfield)
Hawthorn – 1: Jai Newcombe (midfield)
Melbourne – 4: Harry Petty (defender), James Jordon (midfield/wing), Kysaiah Pickett (forward), Luke Jackson (ruck)
North Melbourne—1: Bailey Scott (defender)
Port Adelaide – 2: Connor Rozee (midfield/forward), Zak Butters (midfield/forward)
Richmond – 1: Noah Balta (ruck/forward)
St Kilda – 1: Max King (forward)
Sydney Swans – 6: Nick Blakey (defender), Tom McCartin (defender), Chad Warner (midfield), James Rowbottom (midfield), Justin McInerney (midfield/wing), Errol Gulden (forward/midfield)
West Coast Eagles-0
Western Bulldogs – 3: Bailey Smith (midfield), Aaron Naughton (forward), Cody Weightman (forward)
Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes has blasted club chairman David Koch after he appeared to say no one’s job is safe after a horror 2022 season.
The team has made the preliminary final in the last two seasons but not been able to get over the hump to a grand final but have slumped to miss the playoffs, sitting 14 points out of the finals with just two matches remaining.
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It was a slump few saw coming and sparked fury from certain supporters, who plastered a “sack Hinkley” poster over a sign near the club’s headquarters last week.
Although Hinkley brushed it off, his ears no doubt would have pricked up when Koch appeared to state on radio he was “not afraid to make change”.
“It’s not just about one individual person, it’s the whole program. Turn it around or watch out,” Koch told Fiveaa on Monday.
“Every single person’s role will be assessed at the end of the year, as we do each year.”
But for Cornes, those comments were not good enough, believing Koch had bowed to the pressure from the loudest voices.
“This is a classic example of a chairman kicking with the breeze,” he said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“He had felt the angst from the supporter group, he felt like he needed to make a strong statement to alleviate some of the concerns from the very Port Adelaide supporter group who share their feedback regularly.
“Their desire to sack Ken Hinkley right now, Kochie (Koch) listened to that and he’s said, ‘even though my language has been one way all year, with two games to go I’m going to alleviate some of the concerns from the Port Adelaide supporter group and make a big, strong, sweeping statement about the coaching with two weeks to go’: ‘turn it around or watch out’.
“Turn what around? There are two weeks left in the season. What do you need to know in the next two weeks regarding Ken Hinkley’s ability to coach this club that you haven’t already discovered in the last ten years?
“Either make a call or back him in… ‘turn it around or watch out’, what a ridiculous thing to say.”
Although it appeared to be somewhat supportive of Hinkley’s position, Cornes continued, calling for Koch to make a decision, whether sacking the long-term coach or wholeheartedly committing.
“The thing that David Koch needs to do is make a call, is he your coach or is he not your coach?” Cornes continued.
“And if he’s not your coach, you have to tell him now so that he has the opportunity and you give him the respect to go and find another job.
“There are two vacant coaching jobs right now that Ken Hinkley would absolutely be in the mix for, but he can’t be in the mix for it if he thinks he’s going to be coaching Port Adelaide next year.
“Conversely, if he is your guy and you’ve contracted him for next year, which they have, back him in now. There’s nothing to be learned in the next two weeks that you don’t already know and you haven’t already discovered in the last 10 weeks.
“It was a stupid thing to say, it sent the media into a spin and it now has everyone questioning if Ken Hinkley will be there next year.”
Hinkley has coached Port Adelaide since 2013 and twice won AFLCA coach of the year but the Power have not made a grand final since 2007.
Hinkley is the second longest-serving coach behind only Mark Williams, the club’s sole AFL premiership winner.
Hinkley’s contract runs until the end of 2023.
Despite the comments, he told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 he knew where he stood as Port Adelaide coach.
“David (Koch) himself has said that he expects me to be coaching Port Adelaide in 2023, as I do and that’s what I am preparing for,” he said.
“I think I’ve been given enough assurances (he’ll see out his deal) through the season, not that I needed them to be fair.
“We all get there’s a finish line for everyone at some point.
“But as I sit here tonight, I’m more than confident that that won’t be at the end of 2022.”
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.”
A teal independent is pushing to change the way junk food advertising and marketing is regulated in a bid to stop Australia’s growing childhood obesity “epidemic”.
Sophie Scamps, who was a GP on Sydney’s northern beaches until recently becoming the MP for Mackellar, will put together a private member’s Bill to target fast-food advertisement and sponsorship.
The Bill is focused on the impact junk food has on children’s health, with Dr Scamps seeking to tackle the industry’s prevalent advertising during prime-time television, promotion on social media and its sponsorship of children’s sport.
“We do have an epidemic of overweight and obesity in this country and children are affected by that,” she told NCA NewsWire.
“We need to make the healthy food choices that parents are providing for their children the easy choice, we need to minimize that pest power.
“What I’m calling for really is a regulation of junk food advertising to children across TV and social media channels.”
Dr Scamps said childhood obesity not only creates issues for the individual involved, but the whole Australian health industry.
She said this makes taking preventive measures early on in people’s lives so important.
“Obesity and being overweight creates so many chronic diseases, everything from cancers, to diabetes, to heart disease, strokes, even depression,” she said.
“We also know with children that it’s much harder to gain a normal weight into the future if you have the problem when you’re a child.
“You can see into the future there’ll be a massive burden of disease created by this epidemic. So we either act now or we start investing in our public hospital system.”
But junk-food advertising remains a fixture of any prime-time television viewing experience, and some of the industry’s biggest restaurant chains sponsor the largest sports codes and teams from around the country.
Dr Scamps said junk food advertising through sport can have a big impact on a child’s health choices.
“We know that sport does influence children’s decisions, and we no longer advertise tobacco or alcohol to sport,” she said.
It’s another thing to look at, who is advertising or children’s sport?
The National Obesity Strategy, which was released in March earlier this year, noted that Australians “are regularly exposed to unhealthy food and drink marketing”, which included multimedia advertising and sports sponsorship.
It revealed an average five to eight-year-old child who watches around 80 minutes of television per day is exposed to 827 advertisements and four hours of “unhealthy food advertising” each year on free-to-air television.
A key potential strategy in the 10-year framework is reducing “unhealthy food and drink advertising, branding and sponsorship” to stop childhood obesity.
While the Bill is in its “early stages”, Dr Scamps believed it would be supported by parents and other MPs.
“It’s a common sense measure, it’s something that there’s precedent for. Mindsets change quite quickly once they’re introduced,” she said.
“I think parents will welcome because parents want the best for their children. They want those healthy choices to be the easy choices, they don’t want to be pestered at the checkout.
“As we’ve seen, there’s a lot of doctors who are new in the parliament as well.”
The Bill has the support of the Obesity Policy Coalition, with the group’s executive manager Jane Martin calling for urgent action to improve children’s diet habits.
“Our children deserve to go about their daily lives without being bombarded by ads for unhealthy food and sugary drinks which is the wallpaper that surrounds their lives,” Ms Martin said.
“Kids should be free to enjoy their favorite prime-time TV shows like Lego Masters without seeing ads for cookies or attend their weekend footy or netball games without fast-food sponsorships.
“This marketing influences children’s diets and impacts what kids want to eat, what they ask for and shapes their palates from an early age.”
The practices of the advertising industry are generally self-regulated through the Australian Association of National Advertisers’ Ad Standards code.
The code was updated last year to stop images of junk food being used in sponsorship advertising targeting children.
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.
There’s fears Sydney veteran Josh Kennedy has played his last match after suffering another hamstring injury in the VFL.
Plus the Saints’ sweat on Dan Hannebery’s fitness after the luckless midfielder goes down once again.
Get the latest AFL injury news in our Round 21 Casualty Ward!
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SYDNEY veteran Josh Kennedy could potentially be “pushed into retirement” after another hamstring injury; this time suffered in the VFL on Sunday.
Kennedy missed 10 matches after a horror hamstring tendon injury suffered against Carlton back in Round 10.
He made his return as the medi sub last round, but didn’t get on the field.
So the Swans made the call to send Kennedy back to the VFL. But he has now injured the hamstring on his opposite leg.
Kennedy limped off the ground in the second term after trying to lay a tackle on North’s Tarryn Thomas.
“It’s disastrous developments,” Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph said.
“It seemed to be a really serious hamstring injury.
“The worst case scenario for a hamstring tear at the high end scale or a tendon injury probably puts him out for the rest of the season and potentially pushes him into retirement.”
Riewoldt on ‘mind-boggling’ McEvoy trade | 01:14
PORT ADELAIDE star connor rozee will undergo scans after a knee scare in Saturday night’s loss to Richmond, but club doctors are confident the mercurial midfielder has avoided significant damage.
The 22-year-old limped from the ground in the second quarter at Adelaide Oval after his left leg twisted awkwardly under him as he attempted a quick change of direction.
He was clearly in pain as he was assessed on the sideline and was taken to the changerooms for treatment before half-time, then shortly emerged with the knee heavily strapped to play out the second half.
The Power was playing for pride only, having been knocked out of finals contention by Collingwood, but coach Ken Hinkley was comfortable with the decision not to put the young star in cotton wool.
“What you do when you manage a player is you have good conversations with the medical team and they were very certain and sure that there was not going to be any further damage done,” Hinkley said.
“It was about whether the pain was manageable for Connor and he seemed to think it was.
“You wouldn’t take a risk with a player like Connor, and we never do, regardless of the state of the season.
“(The medical staff) said structurally it’s all fine so that should give us confidence.”
RICHMOND are waiting on the results of scans on defender Nick Vlastuin after he was subbed out of the win over Port Adelaide.
Vlastuin sustained rib damage in a collision with Charlie Dixon, with Richmond coach Damien Hardwick conceding it is unlikely the important defender will be fit to take on the Hawks on Sunday.
He could also be in doubt to face Essendon in Round 23.
Tigers down Port to keep finals alive | 01:09
GEELONG are taking a cautious approach with star Patrick Dangerfieldafter the veteran was a late withdrawal from Saturday’s win over St Kilda.
But Cats coach Chris Scott is confident Dangerfield will be fit to face the Gold Coast next weekend.
“The feedback I’ve got from him and the medical staff is that he’s fine,” Scott said.
“He just felt some awareness (of calf tightness) in the warm-up and I think in the past he’s pushed through these things thinking he’d be fine.
“And even if there was a one per cent chance that he might do some damage, he wasn’t prepared to take it. So it seemed a logical call.”
ST KILDA coach Brett Ratten says Dan Hannebery is in a race to be fit for the must-win clash with Brisbane on Friday night.
The injury-prone Hannebery was subbed out of the loss to Geelong with an ankle injury.
He’s managed just 17 games for the Saints since crossing from Sydney at the end of 2018 due to ongoing soft tissue injuries.
Hannebery is also out of contract at the end of this season.
“We’ve just got to look after him,” Ratten said.
Geelong stay top with massive Saints win | 02:30
“It was a risk to put him back out there; we’re not taking a risk with a player we are trying to get up for next week.
“He might not even get up this week. We’ve just got to work through what it will look like for Dan post this game.
“He’ll be a test all the way until the last day. It’ll be tight.”
Ratten conceded Hannebery was in “a bit of discomfort” post match but said if he provided himself fit, he’ll keep his spot in the line up to face the Lions.
FREMANTLE‘s Matt Taberner is racing to be fit to face West Coast in next weekend’s Western Derby after being subbed out of the win over the Western Bulldogs.
Taberner failed to see out the match once again, this time with a calf issue, after being restricted to just 12 games in 2022 due to back and hamstring complaints.
Coach Justin Longmuir said the latest setback was disappointing.
“He was looking dangerous again so it’s disappointing for him and us,” he said.
“We’ll rehab it and see what the rest of the year looks like.
“We’ll see what the scan says and see what the doctors recommend for his time out but there’s not much of the season left to be too cautious so we’ll see how it pans out over the next couple of days.”
Former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes has accused Sydney Swans forward Lance Franklin of selfishness, suggesting the eight-time All-Australian’s contract saga is distracting his teammates ahead of the finals.
Earlier this week, Nine journalist Michael Atkinson reported that Franklin was considering turning his back on the Swans for a deal with the Brisbane Lions.
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But on Saturday, Franklin’s management released a statement confirming the 35-year-old was still “undecided” about his future in the sport, officially putting contract talks on hold and hinting at a possible retirement.
“At this stage conversations have been paused around my contract so I can put all my focus on playing footy,” Franklin said.
“No further comment will be made until the season is done and I have decided about my future.
“I am still undecided and need time after the season to make a family decision about whether I continue to play next year.”
Speaking on Channel 9’s AFL Sunday Footy ShowCornes argued that Franklin’s “very strange” statement didn’t stop speculation about his future in the sport, but rather fanned the flames.
“It was a very ‘me, me, me’ thing to do, I thought, from Buddy Franklin when the Sydney Swans are flying,” he said on Sunday morning.
“They’d paid him $10 million over nine years… I’m not sure you need to release a statement prior to the game.
“What was the point of Buddy doing that?
“It didn’t alleviate any of the talk. It made the talk fester more.
“The day before a game to release a statement like that, I thought it was very strange.”
Franklin has been in excellent form this season, kicking 41 goals in 17 games for Swans. However, the ongoing contract drama has become a significant distraction for John Longmire’s side as they approach September.
Lions coach Chris Fagan believes that if Franklin is considering a move to Queensland it would be more likely to be for retirement rather than continuing his football career.
“I would have thought if they are moving to Queensland, that’s perhaps an indication that Bud’s going to retire from AFL football,” he said on Friday.
“If it came to pass down the track that they do move here, and. someone reaches out from his camp and suggests that he still wants to play, then we would be remiss as a footy club not to go and have a conversation with him.
“As far I’m concerned he’s a Sydney Swans player, and if any of that was going to happen, it would happen when the season’s all over.
“My latest communication with him was a text message I sent to him when he kicked his 1000th (AFL) goal which was four months ago.
“I don’t know what will play out in the future but the way I see it right now is if he is moving to Queensland to live, I would suggest that he’s going to retire.”
Franklin joined the Swans from the Hawthorn Hawks in 2014 on a nine-year, $10 million deal.
While he has been injured prone in recent years, the scenes of fans flooding onto the SCG when he kicked his 1000th career goal showed he is still one of the sport’s biggest drawcards.
The Swans will face North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with the first bounce scheduled for 1.10pm AEST.
A former first-round pick is drawing interest from clubs in his home state of Victoria.
Plus Geelong’s “number one target” in the upcoming trade period revealed.
Get the latest AFL player movement news in Trade Whispers!
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POWER FIRST-ROUND PICK COULD BE HEADING HOME
Miles Bergman is drawing interest from Victorian clubs and veteran SA journalist Michelangelo Rucci believes he will not be at Port Adelaide next year.
The 20-year-old has played seven games this season after featuring 23 times in his 2021 debut season, including playing in both finals.
A first-round pick in 2019, Bergman is contracted for another season but Rucci reported he is drawing interest from teams in his home state.
“We know there’s going to be an enormous trade market, but it’s not just going to be players falling out of contract,” Rucci said on SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“Miles Bergman is under contract until 2023, the end of next season. But he has – what I’ve been told – fair interest from a few Victorian clubs to lure him back to Melbourne.
“He was a first-round draft pick, number 14 for Port Adelaide in 2019, has a Rising Star nomination last year and had a difficult past 12 months with Covid.
“If he gets tempted to move, Port are going to have some interesting talks with clubs about what they want back.
“I don’t think (he will be at Port next year).”
Bergman was the Rising Star nominated in Round 21 last year after being selected with Pick 14 in the 2019 draft, in between Will Day (Hawthorn) and Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs), and just before Mitch Georgiades (Port Adelaide) and Sam De Koning (Geelong).
Best three kicks at goal since Plugger | 00:58
CATS’ NUMBER ONE TARGET REVEALED
Geelong is prioritizing contracted GWS midfielder Jacob Hopper in the upcoming trade period, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.
The Cats are one of a number of clubs showing interest in Hopper, who is among a group of Giants expected to depart the club this off-season.
His midfield mate Tim Taranto has been linked to clubs including Richmond and Collingwood, while the Tigers and Adelaide have interest in Hopper.
The Cats have also been linked to Geelong Falcons product and 2020 first-round pick Tanner Bruhn, but reported Edmund Hopper is their number one target.
“GWS, all bets are off here, they might be the most active in the trade window which we’ve spoken about as they look to balance the books,” he said on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“It’s not an exodus as such, I think it will be really targeted in terms of who they let go and they’ve got some levers to pull here given not all their players are in contract.
“Tanner Bruhn is definitely out, he wants to get back to Victoria only two years after being taken with Pick 12 in the 2020 draft.
“Bobby Hill has wanted a trade since this time last year, and Tim Taranto is out of contract and widely expected to seek a fresh start.
“And then there’s his midfield running mate Jacob Hopper, who’s got a year to run but Geelong have expressed a real interest in him, as well as Jordan De Goey.
“I think Hopper is their number one target there.
“Nick Haynes has been raised, contracted long term, Lachie Whitfield even just around the edges as well as someone who’s locked in for the long term as well.
“So there’s a bit to work out at GWS also with a new coach coming in.”
The Western Bulldogs and Fremantle are both desperate for a win as the race for top four and finals positions heats up.
Earlier, Hawthorn claimed a hard-fought win over the Gold Coast to end the Suns’ slim hopes of making finals.
Later, Geelong take on St Kilda and Port Adelaide host Richmond.
Follow the live scores, stats and results below.
Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle
Team stats
Player stats
Hawks hold on to end Suns’ finals hopes
Hawthorn have all but snuffed out Gold Coast’s AFL finals hopes, holding off a final-quarter Suns fightback for a seven-point win in the milestone match of skipper Ben McEvoy.
Veteran Hawk Jack Gunston picked up five goals in Launceston on Saturday afternoon in the 10.10 (70) to 8.15 (63) result in McEvoy’s 250th appearance.
The Hawks claimed a well-earned win in Tasmania.(Getty Images: Dylan Burns)
Despite leading at each change, the Hawks had some nervous moments late with the Gold Coast virtually setting up camp in their half.
Trailing by 17 at three-quarter time, the Suns kicked the opening two goals of the fourth term and got within a goal with about five minutes left on the clock.
The Gold Coast were left to rue several muffed opportunities in the final quarter, with big man Mabior Chol and rookie Mac Andrew missing gettable set shots.
McEvoy picked up a crucial mark in defense inside the final two minutes as the Hawks scrambled for their eighth win of the year despite scoring just one point in the last term.
The result leaves the Suns in 11th position on the ladder, two wins outside the top eight with two rounds remaining and a host of teams above them still to play in round 21.
Gunston was on fire early, picking up four of his five goals before half-time.
The Suns were slow out of the blocks and took until the 21st minute to register their opening major but trailed by just eight at the first break.
Hawthorn pulled ahead in the second term with three goals straight, including Gunston’s third which was followed shortly by a fourth on the run, for a 21-point half-time lead.
Hawthorn’s Jarman Impey was put on report in the third quarter for contact on Darcy Macpherson after he kicked the ball following a mark.
Despite having the breeze at their back in the all-important third term, the Suns could only equal Hawthorn’s two goals.
Suns’ livewire small forward Izak Rankine picked up 11 disposals amid reports the Adelaide Crows have offered the 22-year-old a $4 million deal over five years.
Giants finish stronger to beat Bombers
GWS have responded to a week of intense focus and strong internal criticism with a rousing 27-point AFL triumph over Essendon at Giants Stadium.
The fired-up Giants were looking to bounce back after an insipid performance last week but were unable to shake off the Bombers until slamming on seven consecutive second-half goals to set up a 14.12 (96) to 10.9 (69) victory on Saturday.
The Giants came out on top of the scrap against the Bombers.(Getty Images: Brendon Thorne)
The Bombers (7-13) came into the clash having won four of their past five matches but had little answer to the Giants’ improved effort after briefly claiming the lead with two majors just after the main change, only kicking one consolation goal from there .
Jesse Hogan (four goals, 12 marks) set the tone with his intensity as he collected three tackles inside 50 as the Giants dominated that count 16-1, while the key forward was also his usual threat around goal and in the air.
Giants co-captains Stephen Coniglio (20 disposals, one goal) and Josh Kelly (19, one) led from the front in the midfield, while Lachie Whitfield (30, one) was one of the best afield and did plenty of damage with his sharp foot skills.
Harry Perryman (23 touches) was one of few Giants lauded by their coach last week and backed it up with a crucial role keeping Zach Merrett in check.
The Bombers’ star midfielder gathered 19 disposals but his influence on the contest and especially around the stoppages was down on his usual output.
Toby Greene (two goals) looked dangerous throughout but young forward James Peatling had to be subbed out in the second term after he chose to bump rather than tackle Mason Redman and they clashed heads.
Darcy Parish was straight back to his prolific ball-winning best after a month out with a calf injury, collecting 28 disposals and seven clearances and Sam Durham collected 23 touches.
Bombers spearhead Peter Wright had an enthralling duel with the Giants gun defender Sam Taylor but made the most of his chances with two goals, while Matt Guelfi slotted four goals from just six kicks.
The Giants looked eager to make an early impact after coach Mark McVeigh’s scathing post-match criticisms last week, with spot fires breaking out around the ground as both teams lined up for the opening bounce.
When play finally started, Stephen Coniglio rushed forward and snapped a goal after 47 seconds, and after Jake Stringer knocked Harry Himmelberg over before the ball had gone back to the middle the Giants had two goals in as many minutes.
The Giants’ victory snapped a four-match losing streak and lifts them to a 6-14 record and within reach of avoiding their first bottom-four finish since 2014.
GWS will be on the road next week to face arch-rivals Western Bulldogs on Saturday, while Essendon are at home to Port Adelaide on Sunday.
