Best Off Ground

Kevin Sheedy, it’s time to shut up

2010-07-22T16:04:00.003+10:00

A large part of Kevin Sheedy’s job description at GWS is to get his name in the paper. That’s fine, I get that. But last time I checked, he has two roles that should take precedent over that, especially when it comes to criticising fellow coaches – something that he’s been doing quite a bit of lately.

He’s publicly criticised the appointment of his successor at Essendon, Matthew Knights, and – the day after Collingwood assumed top spot on the ladder – he took an extraordinary swipe at Mick Malthouse, saying he’s never built a premiership side from scratch and that the Pies won’t win the comp this year.

If Sheedy were nothing more than a retired coach, committing to nothing other than media gigs, accepting these comments would be easy. But he’s not.

He’s a current coach, and he’s the president of the Coaches Association.

Now fair enough, his role at GWS this year is less hands-on than it will be in the next two, but he’s still considered that club’s head coach. And that fact alone would make his public statements puzzling.

It is accepted among the coaching fraternity that coaches do not publicly criticise each other. After all, coaches are scrutinised enough without having to deal with their own peers turning up the heat.

This unwritten rule has been thrown out the window by Sheedy.

The fact he is president of the Coaches Association, however, takes it to a whole new level entirely. It’s simply astounding that the person with that job title would so blatantly, and so publicly, call out two of his members.

The Coaches Association is supposed to support its members. It’s there to make sure they get a fair go. And if the body were a true representation of the coaches, then it’d definitely oppose the intense media spotlight that’s all too easily thrust on coaches under pressure.

In Knights’ case, he certainly didn’t need Sheedy’s comments adding fuel to an already strongly-lit fire.

Tellingly, even Sheedy’s own chief executives have had a gutful. GWS chief Dale Holmes has said: “I don't think it's gracious or dignified for us to be getting involved in other club's business. We really need Kevin to be focused on our club.”

CEO of the Coaches Association, Danny Frawley, has had enough too: “He’s been a frontier man as far as getting the association off the ground. But maybe it is time to have a look at someone that hasn’t got a conflict of interest as a president.

Both men are on the money. If Sheeds does not know how to juggle so many different hats, then he should do the decent thing and start handing them over to people who will be able to do those jobs without a conflict of interest.

In the meantime, just shutting up about other coaches would be a good start.

AFL must sort out WA and SA broadcast quirks

2010-07-17T12:30:00.002+10:00

It was undoubtedly one of the games of the season, a blockbuster in the true sense of the word, yet somehow footy fans in South Australia and Western Australia were unable to watch last Saturday’s epic between Geelong and Hawthorn.

With West Coast’s clash with Adelaide a designated Fox Sports game, that match ended up being shown on both Fox and Ten (plus One HD) in both states. Geelong and Hawthorn were nowhere to be seen.

It was a farcical situation, made worse by the sort of coverage the MCG epic got elsewhere.

Curiously, in the so-called “foreign” territory of Sydney and Brisbane, the game was shown live on Ten.

Amazingly, in the actually foreign territory of the United States, the game was shown live to a potential audience of 98 million-plus on ESPN2.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better advertisement for the game than Geelong-Hawthorn, so it’s comforting to know the coverage in these markets was above what would be considered acceptable. But that doesn’t excuse such poor coverage in two of the game’s heartlands.

Obviously, it would be foolish to suggest the fixture can run smoothly without presenting such glitches. The AFL are juggling multiple broadcasters, timeslots, markets and time zones. We have to accept that issues such as this are unavoidable.

But there are ways to avoid what happened last week and it all starts with the AFL taking some initiative. Just look at how the Main Event channel delivers Friday night football into New South Wales and Queensland.

Why couldn’t that happen in South and West Australia, if only as a one-off whenever there’s a game as big as last week’s?

Hopefully this all gets sorted in the next broadcast deal.

Match Review: Barlow injury sours Freo win

2010-07-03T18:23:00.003+10:00

Fremantle 17.13 (115) def. Port Adelaide 8.10 (58)

Unfortunately for Fremantle, today will be remembered for what happened with six minutes left on the clock.

It won’t be remembered for handing Port Adelaide a 57-point belting, or for moving two games clear of the three sides most likely to bump them from the top four.

Ryan Crowley’s superb five-goal second half won't stand out, either.

Because with six minutes left on the clock, Michael Barlow broke his leg as he entered a marking contest and collided with teammate Rhys Palmer.

Barlow, one of this year’s best stories, doesn’t look like he’ll play again in 2010. It could have a huge impact on Freo’s prospects.

The stunned Subiaco crowd, though silent, said it all.

The Dockers dominated the early stages, with Aaron Sandilands the source of many forays forward and Barlow continuing his fairytale season.

Port could only manage one goal for the first quarter, which came late, although they were cruelly denied of a second as the siren sounded while Brett Ebert was running in for what would have been a certain goal.

It was a sign of things to come as Port continued to work their way back into the game in the second quarter, cutting the margin to 10 by half time.

An upset was seemingly brewing at that point, with both Antoni Grover and Nat Fyfe succumbing to game-ending injuries. Garrick Ibbotson, Kepler Bradley, Hayden Ballantyne and Crowley also had injury troubles at various stages of the match.

However, Crowley’s efforts playing up forward drove a complete reversal of momentum. He booted the first three goals of the third quarter and added a further two as the Dockers put the game beyond doubt in the fourth quarter.

The bright sport for Port was the strong showing of fifth-gamer Mitch Banner, who backed up his reputation for being a ball magnet with 23 possessions.

Tom Logan led Port in possessions with 27, and Jay Shulz managed to bag two goals.

Meanwhile, Palmer had possibly his best game for Freo since returning from knee surgery, picking up 31 disposals.

However, in a sign of what the side have lost today, Barlow wasn’t far behind. He had 25 possessions, a goal and a real impact.

His injury will no doubt sour what was an otherwise successful afternoon for the Dockers.

There's no middle ground in 'soccer' debate

2010-07-01T19:14:00.005+10:00

You know what I want to see?

I want to see an article that is able to cast a critical eye over the code formerly known as soccer - that doesn't resort to pathetic cheap shots.

Neil Mitchell wrote in today's Herald Sun:

"This temporary fascination will soon end and soccer in Australia will resume its appropriate place alongside such riveting and massively popular spectator sports as lacrosse and croquet."

Yes, Mitchell actually compared the sport's popularity to lacrosse and croquet. He might have had a valid point or two somewhere in his article, but comments like that make you turn off immediately.

Jason Akermanis wrote the other day:

"Anyone can play soccer, but not everyone can play our native game."

Obviously, not everyone can play Aussie Rules. But to place our game on some big pedestal, especially in light of recent events, is a bit much.

Rebecca Wilson, true to form, wrote in the Daily Telegraph:

"A penny should have dropped in the last few weeks that players coming out of the A-League have not got a hope against the world's best."

She wrote this despite the run of New Zealand's All Whites, with their A-League coach and eight A-League players, not to mention those below A-League standard, who held Italy - the world champions, no less - to a 1-1 draw. Who held the rampaging Paraguay to a scoreless draw. Who earned the world's respect despite being written off prior to the tournament.

The digs - both subtle and not-so-subtle - did not end there.

It's a shame these people had to stoop to such a level. Because there are some topics stemming from this World Cup that could do with a critical eye cast over them.

The empty seats were a joke. How can there be empty seats at the freakin' World Cup? Honestly, how is it even possible?

Kaka's red card was a joke. The fact FIFA didn't overturn it and allow him to play the next game is an even bigger joke.

The prevalence of acting/diving/simulation is a joke. Unfortunately, I didn't think to write a note after every incident that struck me as suspicious. Luckilly, there's YouTube for that:

And again:

(Having said that, I got this message when looking for footage of the Kaka incident: "This video contains content from FIFA, who has blocked it on copyright grounds." That's a joke, too.)

Pim Verbeek being made the sole scapegoat is a joke. He screwed up the Germany game, yes, but it's not like Guus Hiddink didn't make the odd bad judgement. Anyone remember Željko Kalac getting the job between the sticks against Croatia? Anyone remember the substitutions not used in the Italy game in the hope of extra time?

The way the Socceroos carried on when things didn't go their way was a joke. Their whining at a number of referee decisions looked very much like poor sportsmanship to me. In all sports, players should rise above challenging the officials over almost every contentious call they make.

Hopefully you get the point. Quite a few things at the World Cup were a joke.

Those outside of the sport are well within their rights to point such things out. But I, for one, would like to see the quality of their criticism go up a few notches.

Selling draft picks a bad move for Memphis Grizzlies

2010-06-27T20:09:00.009+10:00

The hard part of being a Memphis Grizzlies fan in Australia isn't that they don't get shown on One HD or ESPN. Like, not even once in a season.

It isn't the issues presented by being in a different time zone, either.

It isn't not being able to read about your favourite team in the paper. It isn't that nobody else shares the same favourite team as you. It isn't the fact Rebel Sport sell the jerseys of half the other teams in the NBA.

No, the hard part of being a Memphis Grizzlies fan in Australia is probably exactly the same as being a Memphis Grizzlies fan everywhere - those mind-boggling decisions from those who run the team.

Owner Mike Heisley is known to do things on the cheap side, without all that much consideration for the, you know, basketball side.

And evidence of this pops up so often you question the point of following the team at all.

Heisley signed Allen Iverson at the start of last season, for example. It sold a lot of season tickets. It sold a lot of Grizzlies merchandise. But the one thing it didn't do was produce results on the court.

This was because, well, nobody thought about how Iverson might react to coming off the bench.

He hated it. He even told reporters after his first game that he "had a problem with my butt sitting on the bench so long," while also adding: "Look at my resume and that'll show I'm not a sixth man." It proved a major distraction and, to the surprise of few, the Grizzlies started the season 1-8.

Iverson was gone not long after, but by then it was too late. A few more wins in that early block of games and the Grizzlies would have been in the playoff race a fair bit longer than they were. They may have even gotten over the line.

But hey, the franchise got a little bit of extra revenue because of Iverson. So it had to be a good thing, right?

No, being able to sell playoff tickets wouldn't have brought in extra revenue, why would you bring that up?

Oh, wait. That's right. Making the playoffs would have brought in extra revenue.

And this exposes why Heisley's way of running the team is flawed. Success on the court leads to success on the balance sheet. It doesn't work so well the other way around.

In fact, every time Heisley makes a decision that puts money before basketball, the Grizzlies end up taking a step backwards on the path towards the place they really want to be. That is, in the playoffs and with lots of fans in seats.

This week's NBA Draft provided another unfortunate example. The Grizzlies traded the 25th pick to the Dallas Mavericks for, err ... cash considerations.

Yep, they sold a first-round draft pick for cash.

Sure, they had three first-round picks in all. Sure, Rudy Gay is probably about to get a great big contract that won't pay itself. But all that means nothing when you read just how much cash was involved - a paltry $3 million.

The line out of the Grizzlies organisation is that the $3 million will help sign Gay. But $3 million wouldn't put a dint in the sort of contract Gay was seeking late last year - a five-year $50 million deal.

Sure, he might not get that deal. But given he's a restricted free agent, having to overpay for his services is a very real proposition. The likeliness is that $3 million won't seem like much in comparison.

The worst part of it all was hearing Heisley say he could have traded the 28th pick as well. "I could have sold the 28th pick if I wanted to but we liked (Greivis) Vasquez," he said.

It just goes to show how far off the mark his mentality is. Talking like that won't get this team anywhere near the playoffs, let alone the NBA Finals, which should be the ultimate goal.

That's not to say every decision the Grizzlies have made has been disappointing.

The Pau Gasol trade - laughed at by the entire league when it happened - gave them Marc Gasol and a couple of other handy players, and allowed the team to rebuild almost from scratch. So it didn't turn out too badly.

The trade for OJ Mayo on draft night two years ago also turned out pretty well. Really bloody well, actually.

Bringing in the unwanted Zach Randolph proved to be a masterstroke too, even if issues off the court haven't completely gone away.

But the key theme in the above moves was not money. It was about being adventurous in a bid to become better.

You might say the Pau trade saved a fair bit of money, which is true. But the effects of that trade were more far-reaching than just that.

This week's trade with Dallas was about money and money only. Last year's farcical Iverson signing was about money and money only.

They weren't, sadly, examples of "being adventurous in a bid to become better."

If anything, both were simply more steps backward. The fans deserve better.

Why Israel Folau is worth the big bucks

2010-06-05T18:46:00.003+10:00

Israel Folau’s defection from rugby league to the AFL’s new Greater Western Sydney club has given rise to the argument that the money the AFL have spent on landing NRL recruits should have been spent on grassroots or development. It’s a noble argument, but it needs to be put to bed.

I know, Michael Voss, Leigh Matthews and others have been freely trotting out that line. I know, the reported $4 million-plus contract given to Folau is a lot of money. But there’s a bigger picture at play here than just the money.

Folau’s signing on Tuesday was a message to the kids of Western Sydney – even those in their teens who’ve played rugby league their whole lives – that it’s never too late to pick up a footy and give Aussie Rules a go. That’s a pretty powerful message. And it’s one that carries obvious advantages when it comes to grassroots and development.

Just look at rugby league’s development approach in Victoria since the Melbourne Storm came into existence. They’ve put programs in place to get young kids to play the game and then nurture those kids to make it to the elite level. Eleven years after the Storm’s formation, we’re still waiting on a Victorian born-and-raised NRL star.

The AFL’s approach isn’t just limited to the kids, who they’ve been going after for years anyway. Instead, the AFL are casting the net wide. They want teenagers. They want athletes. They want Polynesians. They want Islanders. They want rugby league players. They want the youth of Sydney’s west.

Up until now, a talented boy from a rugby-mad Polynesian family probably wouldn’t have even thought of playing Aussie Rules. He would have now. A couple of years ago, a rugby league prospect from an NRL heartland wouldn’t have given it two thoughts, either. He would have now.

The potential of the Israel Folau signing, as far as grassroots and development go, is actually quite huge.

Even then, there’s still a bigger picture at play – the fact two new clubs have to emerge from nowhere and become a viable part of both the AFL and Gold Coast/Western Sydney communities.

The AFL have to get people talking about these new teams. Rugby league converts, like it or not, accomplish this better than any coach signing – although Kevin Sheedy hasn’t done too bad – or big-name player signing – Gary Ablett’s profile up north ain’t what it is in Victoria.

And it’s not just at the announcement, either. Look at Karmichael Hunt’s itinerary this week.

After meeting his new teammates, he’s done his first training session, been on the Matty Johns Show, been interviewed by Malcom Blight for Channel Ten, been interviewed by Liegh Matthews for Channel Seven, recorded an ad for the club at a local radio station, shot an ad for the club on a Gold Coast beach, been interviewed by a local radio station and replied to countless fans on Twitter.

Anyone want to put a dollar figure on all that publicity?

You can’t, really. Especially when you consider there isn’t a player on Gold Coast’s current list other than Hunt that would warrant a Matty Johns Show appearance, or any national TV interview, let alone would attract the media throng Hunt did at his first training session. Which leads to the question – where would Gold Coast be if they hadn’t have signed Hunt?

Chugging along nicely? Probably.

Making any real waves in the media? Being the subject of water cooler conversations nation-wide? Probably not.

The same equation will apply for Greater Western Sydney, which is why throwing so much money at Israel Folau isn’t such a bad idea.

Another line that’s been trotted out is that Hunt and Folau will be taking a spot away from someone who has been playing the game for their whole careers.

This ignores the fact Gold Coast will have a whopping 48 players on its senior list. We can only assume Greater Western Sydney will have a similar amount, too. That means that by the time these new clubs are in the AFL, almost 100 new senior list positions – positions that didn’t exist previously – will have been created.

Hunt and Folau won’t be taking spots away from someone playing the game their whole careers, because those spots didn’t even exist until now. And even then, Hunt and Folau won’t even occupy a spot on the senior list – at least to start out with – as they are outside the main list as non-registered rookies.

Finally, some have questioned whether Folau is the right man for the job and whether he can handle all the interviews and that stuff. But a look at his interview with the NRL Footy Show last week – before the code switch was announced – showed a man who can definitely handle an interview, and even throw in that warm Polynesian smile that will only endear him to fans.

The only point of the interview – which was conducted via video link, it must be said – that he struggled with was the one or two awkward, yet well intended, questions thrown at him by Wendell Sailor. But that’s forgivable.

Israel Folau’s the right man for the job, on so many levels. So, to answer that infamous question: Izzy worth it?

Absolutely.

For more of my writing on this topic, see Israel Folau signing another win for the AFL and The myths of NRL players moving to the AFL.

Fremantle this year's big interstate threat

2010-05-31T14:08:00.002+10:00

Four weeks ago I put the question out there on Twitter, "Which interstate side will still look the goods four weeks from now?"

I then listed the upcoming four matches of the Brisbane Lions, Sydney and Fremantle. All three sides were thought of as real contenders at that stage, but we were still waiting on a bit more confirmation.

Fast forward to today and, well, we have our answer.

Fremantle not only beat both of Brisbane and Sydney (on the road, it must be said) but they finished the four week period with a 3-1 record. The only poor performance came in their loss to Collingwood.

The Lions saved face with a win over the Pies in the final weekend, so we can't mark them too harshly. The Swans hit a few injury concerns, Daniel Bradshaw among them, so they have a slight excuse.

But at the end of the day, the Dockers were the clear leaders of this pack and their reward is second spot on the ladder, equal on points with Geelong.

I've already gone into detail about why Fremantle have had a remarkable turn of fortunes, so it's not something I'm going to do again. But I will say one thing.

The Dockers are genuine. This is their St Kilda/Geelong 2004 moment, the year they arrive. In other words, expect them to be a real pest come finals.

Write them off at your peril.

At the very least, don't do a Craig Hutchison and have them down for "10 or 11 wins" - as he did three or so weeks ago.

They are deserving of a lot more respect than that.

When clash strips go bad

2010-05-28T21:59:00.004+10:00

Clash strips have long gotten on the nerves of footy fans. Some people say that if we can survive the days of black and white TV and mud-filled suburban grounds, why do we need them now?

Others say a little distinction can only improve the viewing experience.

From a personal perspective, somewhere in between two views is where the game should be. There are times where sides really shouldn't run out in their respective home guernseys. And certainly, there are times where a change of strips simply isn't called for.

Like last weekend, for example...

Hawthorn did not require the above strip for their game against Carlton.

The predominant colour on their home guernsey is yellow - nothing close to navy blue. There's also a lot of white on that jumper too - both in the space surrounding the numbers on the back and obviously in the white shorts they wear when playing away.

The only dark colour there is the brown. But if that was the issue, their clash strip - which is entirely brown on the back - surely can't be worn.

If anything, the darkness of the back of the clash strip created more of a clash...

Of course, the other factor you can throw into this debate is the sheer ugliness of that jumper. Or Brisbane's equivalent. Or Adelaide's equivalent. Very ordinary-looking jumpers, the lot of them.

But at the end of the day, clash jumpers have their place. It's just, that place should be forever known as "Only when absolutely necessary."

After all, you tell me where the clash is here...

As an aside, there were whispers last weekend that North Melbourne would ditch their Argentina-style clash strip. An all-blue strip with a white vee was mooted as a replacement.

But here's another idea.

Considering Collingwood are a big reason behind North needing a clash strip, and considering Collingwood apparently get away with not having one by replacing their black-and-white with white-and-black, why not intentionally stick it to Eddie McGuire by replacing the white-and-blue with blue-and-white?

Instead of white being the predominant colour, let blue play that role. In other words, produce an inverted version of the current jumper.

Collingwood would have no cause for complaint. North would keep their stripes. Where's the issue?

A bit of smart thinking is what the clash strip debate needs.

Umpires, not Thompson, to blame over Hall incident

2010-05-25T17:40:00.000+10:00

The biggest story to come out of the weekend was Barry Hall's latest brain snap, which came in the form of grabbing North Melbourne's Scott Thompson in a head-lock.

There's been a lot of condemnation of Thompson's tactics prior to the incident, but for mine going after Thompson isn't where we should be looking.

Yes, his provocation led to Barry's head-lock. I get that. But I also get Scott Thompson. From seeing him play a couple of times, it's easy to notice the way he goes about his footy.

He treads the line until he's told he's overstepped it.

And this is how he plays week in, week out. Which is why it was surprising to see people suddenly shocked at how he could treat Hall in such a manner.

Why hasn't there been the same level of shock after any of his previous 36 games?

Better yet, why weren't people calling for Cam Mooney to avoid suspension after he snapped at Thompson's tactics only last year?

It was hard to miss the double standards there. (Mooney did end up suspended, by the way.)

Another curious aspect was the reaction to Thompson pushing Hall over when he was doing up his shoelaces - which is, let's face it, a schoolyard prank. It was the little things that pushed Hall over the edge and it was a shame that one incident got highlighted the way it did.

For all that though, Barry's punishment - a fine - is the right course of action. It seems to be in line with other head-lock incidents, so it's fair enough.

What didn't seem fair was the insinuation Barry should have got off because of the provocation.

If a player is silly enough to fall for what Thompson is trying to get them to do, they should be punished accordingly.

But at the end of the day, it should never have gotten to the point it did. Remember, Thompson treads the line until he's told he's overstepped it.

The job to deliver that message rests with the umpires.

They didn't make the call on Saturday and that's the real reason we've been talking about a Barry Hall brain snap all week.

Hats off to Basketball Australia

2010-05-15T12:06:00.000+10:00

I've had a few cracks at Basketball Australia in the past. And not without reason, too. This is a crucial stage for the sport in this country and the opportunity for reform - genuine reform - can't be squandered.

But it's time to give credit where it's due.

Some of the decisions made by BA in recent times have been music to the ears. They've signed on with One HD and Ten. They've brought back the Sydney Kings. And on a much more minor note, they've singed on with AND1 as the league-wide apparel partner (not major news, but positive nonetheless).

It's enough to make you overlook the fact they'd somehow allowed Fox the right to bid last. It's also enough to make you ignore Larry Sengstock's comments last year that, "While we won't have Sydney or Brisbane playing ... I'm very confident they'll be back in 2010."

On the TV deal thing, we got what we wanted anyway.

On the bringing back the Kings, Bullets and (reduce enthusiasm here) Dragons thing, well, we'd take just about anything at this stage.

If all this sounds like a back-handed compliment, it is. But hey, the NBL is going to be on free-to-air next season. And they'll have a team Sydney actually in some slight manner gives two hoots about.

Oh yeah, and they'll all be dressed in pretty matching uniforms.

Is this a great time for the NBL or what?

The AFL has it right on illicit drugs policy

2010-05-14T20:10:00.008+10:00

If you missed either of them during the week, make sure you have a look at the Ben Cousins interview on On The Couch and Scott Gullan's article on Mathew Stokes from the Herald Sun.

The stories of both these men serve as the best possible reminder that the AFL's "three strikes" policy when it comes to recreational drugs is the only way to go.

The policy is criticised for protecting the players caught, especially by the media.

But of course, this is a topic we must be cautious when listening to the views of the media. I've already addressed the media's treatment of Ben Cousins this season, but the issue runs deeper because it is the media that stands to gain from publishing the names of players on one or two strikes.

The evidence: Just look at how big the Cousins story has been. Look at how big the Stokes story was when it broke.

It is in the media's best interest for players to be linked to recreational drugs publicly.

But is it in the player's best interest?

That's the question we all should be asking during weeks like this.

Recreational drugs are separate to performance enhancing drugs. For the latter we should hold very little regard for the player's welfare, because it's cheating - plain and simple.

For the former, though, the player's welfare should be paramount. It's a serious issue. Just look at Cousins talk about his life on Monday night. Read about Stokes breaking down in his jail cell.

The fact they've both had to deal with the media spotlight on top of all that stuff is a testament to their respective characters.

Cousins described the AFL's three-times-a-week testing as "a good safety net" but reminded us that there are other elements of the AFL environment that were "counterproductive" to his recovery. The media scrutiny was the reason he gave.

For Stokes, a business opportunity fell through because the media reported on a person linked to the coffee shop he and James Kelly were looking at buying. The man was a convicted drug trafficker.

So ask yourself the question, is having their plight thrashed out in the media in the best interest of players?

Clearly, it isn't.

AFL Dream Team: How to fix the dual position rule

2010-04-30T15:46:00.004+10:00

So Gary Ablett isn't playing this week because of "hamstring soreness". Great.

Oh well, at least there's that new "dual position rule" they've brought in this year ... oh wait, that's right. We decided not to use that rule when we were putting our team together, didn't we?

We thought to ourselves, why would you have a forward in the midfield? Or a defender even? There are too many good midfielders for that!

In fact, why would you have a defender anywhere on the field other than in defence? Recipe for disaster, that is!

And as for ruckmen, there's no need to trade around there. How hard is it to pick two blokes that'll give you a full season of serviceable scores, like Mitch Clark and Kurt Tipett? (Surely I'm not the only one who fell for that option?)

Stuff the dual position rule, we thought.

What's the point?

Fast forward to round 6 and well, for mine at least, right now a little bit of flexibility would be pretty freakin' handy.

Ablett's out. Trent Cotchin's out. Dustin Martin's out. Mitch Banner has been on the bench collecting donuts. And I can't swap any of them for another player anywhere else on the field.

(Not that it really matters, of course. My scores have been absolutely s***house. But, as I say every year, next year I'm gonna be right up there. I'd hate to see a couple of petty little "hamstring soreness" injuries get in the way of me and my future Toyota now, would I?)

The problem is, the dual position rule sounds pretty good in theory - but it's, well, absolutely s***house in practice.

There isn't all that much to be gained by having a team littered with dual position players. But there's a heck of a lot to lose.

Having a Luke Hodge or Brendan Goddard in the middle, for example, might save you during a week like this. But without their scores down back, you'd struggle to get big numbers out of your defenders.

Similarly, having both a forward and a defender - or even a ruck - in your midfield restricts the number of actual midfielders you can have. And midfielders represent some of the best value out there and have the highest scoring potential. You could easily argue that's where DT is won and lost.

The flow-on effect of going after dual position players kills the temptation.

So things need to change. Especially with the advent of a bye next season.

The first step is to open up the swapping of players so that it's not restricted to two players with the same characteristics.

At the moment, to swap players, you must have two players who play in the same two positions (ie, you must swap a DEF/MID with another DEF/MID, etc.)

What you should be able to orchestrate is a three-way swap - or even a four-way swap - using different types of players. For example, you could move a DEF/MID from your backline to your midfield, then a MID/FWD from your midfield to your forward line, then a FWD/DEF from your forward line to your backline, taking the place of the first player involved in the swap.

It's not the most drastic change, but it opens up a few more options when it comes to dual position players.

And it also means you don't need to worry about having a dual position player for every possible scenario (and having all sorts of different players in your midfield).

The second step is to be less strict in defining what position(s) a player plays in. Those who decide positions seem to be too quick to ensure the majority of players are only one-position players. (And I suspect they were even stricter this year to coincide with the rule change.)

One example is Paddy Ryder at Essendon. He plays one season in the ruck - in a season where David Hille was missing with injury and in need of a replacement - and all of the sudden, he's listed as a ruck and nothing else.

Another example is Tom Lonergan, who moved between being a forward and a defender last year, and has done so quite a bit throughout his career, but is listed solely as a forward. Curiously, this year's he's become a fully-fledged defender for the Cats.

There are also players that change roles at different stages of games. Some of you out there may even put forward Ablett as a candidate for dual position status. He regularly spends time up forward.

That might be the place to draw the line, mind you. I don't have the stats of what time he spends at what part of the ground.

But it's all about finding the right balance. Surely a little more leniency can be afforded.

It might be the key to making that good idea in theory start to work in practice.

For this week's footy tips, follow @mdifabrizio on Twitter.

Why all the Hawthorn bashing?

2010-04-23T19:56:00.008+10:00

So last week I said Adelaide were this year's Hawthorn, and this week I said Eddie McGuire is the new Jeff Kennett.

But what does that make Hawthorn?

According to many voices in football this week, the Hawks are stuffed. 1-3 doesn't read well. Their 64-point loss to Collingwood didn't look too good. The injury curse has stuck around, too. That can't be good.

So, again, what does that make Hawthorn?

Well, when you look at things like win-loss records after four games, it's hard to draw conclusions. Similarly, when you look at and scrutinize just one single game, it's ridiculous to draw conclusions. And judging a team being hit by injuries ain't so smart either.

Which is why the media have come down too hard this week.

Footy Classified, in their infinite wisdom, chose to run with the state of the Hawks as its lead - ahead of the state of Adelaide, a club with four losses, none of which were particularly close contests and none of which were against top four teams from last year.

I couldn't believe it.

The Hawks took it right up to both Geelong and the Western Bulldogs, two genuine premiership contenders and top four teams of last year. Commendable losses, they were.

They didn't show up against Collingwood, their third such opponent in as many weeks, but that was their first genuine bad performance for the year.

One bad game and the media circles. It doesn't seem fair.

Now look, personally I believe their chances of a premiership are slim to none. Their depleted ruck stocks - and the fact the ruck stocks don't look so great even when they aren't depleted - create problems. Their key defenders aren't great, either.

But they will ruffle some feathers as the year goes on. They will continue to take it to the big sides. They will, according to this writer at least, go on to make the finals.

They've only put in one bad performance. So let's get off their backs.

Adelaide, on the other hand ...

For this week's tips, follow @mdifabrizio on Twitter.

Are Adelaide this year's Hawthorn?

2010-04-16T18:45:00.007+10:00

This is a huge weekend for the Adelaide Crows.

It's a home game against Carlton, who haven't exactly gotten off to a flying start. Under normal circumstances, tipping this game would be elementary. But not after the start the Crows have had.

0-3. Losses against bottom four sides from '09. 15th on the ladder, just one spot ahead of Richmond. A horror injury list that's showing no signs of improving.

The club many thought of as top four contenders are struggling big time.

It is reminiscent of Hawthorn last year, who everyone had penciled in for a top two spot. At the Hawks, the off-season didn't run smoothly, the injury list built up and never fully recovered, and early losses put the pressure on.

That describes what's been happening at the Crows.

Which is why this week is so important. They need to start winning to avoid a similar fate.

A win this weekend would offer some hope. It mightn't mean reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated, but it would be a step forwards instead of backwards.

And with the direction they've been headed up until now, they'd take that.

The tip: Carlton by 20.

Other tips:

West Coast by 18
Sydney by 56
Collingwood by 12
Western Bulldogs by 9
Melbourne by 30
Geelong by 6
St Kilda by 24

Five solid reasons to tip Freo, and one reason not to

2010-04-09T17:42:00.000+10:00

Okay here's the deal.

I'm a fan of what Fremantle have been able to do so far this year. I'm a fan of what they are doing with their list. Heck, I was even a fan of Mark Harvey getting a contract extension, before being a fan of Mark Harvey getting a contract extension was cool.

But this one has me stumped. Do I go with my heart and tip Freo, or do I go with my head and tip Geelong?

Decisions, decisions.

The best thing to do in these circumstances is to write down the good old "pros and cons". Maybe then you'll find the answer. Or it'll just make your decision tougher. Either way...

The pros

Fremantle's record at Subiaco vs. the Cats - The past two years, Geelong have been lucky to come away from their away clash against Freo with four points. And no, that isn't a typo. On both occasions (the one-point loss in '08 and the 19-point loss in '09) it was Freo's inability to play a full four quarters that cost them.

Fremantle now have the ability to play a full four quarters - In the past two weeks, Freo have outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter 66-6. Yes that's right, not a single goal has been kicked against them in the final term. Can you believe it?

Momentum and form - The Cats have won their first two, but they did so by playing well at the right time. Moving up a gear, if you will. Freo's wins have been impressive, consistent and, better yet, perception-altering. They are the buzz team of the comp.

The dominance of Aaron Sandilands - A lot of people have said that for the Dockers to take the next step, the midfield will have to capitalise on Sandilands' dominance. Not only does it seem like that's starting to happen, it seems the big behemoth has taken his game up a notch as well.

The fact Brad Ottens isn't playing - You would think, given Sandilands' big start to the year, that the Cats losing their No. 1 ruckman would be a major factor in this game. It certainly seems like a good way to even up the midfield battle a tad.

The cons

They are playing Geelong - Let's face it, if it were most other teams, you wouldn't bat an eye lid. This wouldn't be an issue and you probably wouldn't have bothered clicking on the link to this article. The Cats are simply doing whatever necessary to get the four points and I'm not sure this will be any different against Fremantle.

Yes, they've lost both Matthew Scarlett and Cameron Mooney. But that sentence doesn't read anywhere near as badly as it would have last year. Scarlett didn't even take a key forward until the final quarter last week, as Tom Lonergan has come along in leaps and bounds over the break. And up forward, mature-age former VFL captain James Podsiadly has been waiting in the wings, ready to show what he can do.

Oh yeah, and they are the reigning premiers.

The conclusion

So, who to tip then? Well, I'm still not sure I have an answer.

It's easy to fall in love with Fremantle right now - they've got a lot going for them - but in a weekend where there are too many uncertainties tipping-wise, the safe option looks like a good idea. Cats by one point.

Good Friday footy and the round two tips

2010-04-01T18:39:00.004+11:00

Once again the AFL have opted against playing footy on Good Friday. The way Andrew Demetriou talks that probably won't change any time soon but still, that won't stop us fans complaining now, will it?

The religious-based arguments no longer really stack up. When you get a president like Geelong's Frank Costa bidding to host a game on Good Friday - this being the man whose biography was entitled Family, Faith and Footy - I think we can all agree that times have changed.

Besides, the AFL has always rolled on in spite of other religion's holidays. Why should it be any different on Good Friday?

The real sticking point is, of course, in Melbourne at least, the Royal Children's Hospital's Good Friday Appeal.

But who said a game of footy couldn't end up actually benefiting the Appeal?

As I wrote this time last year: "One need look no further than February's bushfire relief match (between Essendon and the Western Bulldogs) to see the role a game of footy can play in fundraising efforts. The AFL raised $1.2 million through that game for the Red Cross' bushfire appeal."

So with all that in mind, just what is holding the AFL back?

Now, the tips!

Brisbane Lions v Carlton (Thu N) - The attention has been on Brendan Fevola all week, but looking a tad broader, it will be interesting to see which of the much-touted "new-look" forward lines pick up where they left off last week.

Brisbane by 22.

Collingwood v Melbourne (Sat) - Yeah, give that Dean Bailey guy a contract extension. I mean, seven wins in two seasons. The figures speak for themselves, don't they?

Collingwood by 60.

St Kilda v North Melbourne (Sat N) - Don't write off a North side back in Victoria and, more importantly, back indoors away from the horrid weather they copped in Adelaide last week. But still, an easier opponent wouldn't have hurt.

St Kilda by 18 points.

West Coast v Port Adelaide (Sat N) - Two sides that didn't play four quarters last week. Home ground advantage might be what swings this one.

West Coast by 12 points.

Adelaide v Sydney Swans (Sun E) - Two sides that kicked off the season with a loss. The difference? One of those sides lost admirably. The other had a turnover-filled game that resulted in a massive win to - wait for it - Fremantle.

Sydney Swans by 38 points.

Essendon v Fremantle (Sun) - I'm all aboard the Freo bandwagon. So much so that I'm ignoring all available evidence and tipping them to win at Etihad. There, I've said it. What are you going to do about it?

Fremantle by 30 points.

Richmond v Western Bulldogs (Sun T) - Brace yourselves. This could get ugly.

Western Bulldogs by 79 points.

Hawthorn v Geelong Cats (Mon) - A lot of potential about this game. Hawks looked good against lowly opposition but as their NAB Cup showed, that can be a tad deceptive. Cats have room to improve. Should be close.

Geelong by 7 points.

2010 AFL Dream Team: The must-haves, part two

2010-03-19T10:08:00.001+11:00

I've never finished in the top 10. Or top 100. Or top 1,000. In fact, I've never even been in the top 1,000 full stop. So if you want to leave a comment at the end of this article asking "What the f**k would you know," feel free. For the more open-minded, just enjoy Best Off Ground's look into the world of AFL Dream Team in 2010.

Following on from part one yesterday, here's the second and final edition of this year's must-have DT acquisitions. Enjoy!

Luke Ball (MID, Pies, $366,500)

I stumbled across a little-known fact about Ball the other day. It shocked me enough to bring him straight in my team (well, that and his ridiculously-big NAB Cup scores, of course). His troubles in getting game time last year have been well documented. The assumption among DT-ers is that with more game time at the Pies, his average (83 last year) will go up. The problem with that is, in the past his highest average for a season has been 94, which mightn't be quite what you're after given an 11-point increase, whilst good, isn't the best you can aim for.

But here's the thing. According to last year's Prospectus, Ball only got 72 per cent game time in 2008, where he averaged 92. So it turns out that his game time issues at St Kilda were existent before last year. Which means that those thinking that his ceiling (the highest possible average he can reach) is only 94, might have to think again. With bigger (hopefully more than 72 per cent) minutes at the Pies, who knows how far he can go?

Oh, and as for those ridiculously-big NAB Cup scores? 105, 91, 103. Not bad, huh?

David Armitage (MID, Saints, $321,100)

Two things are keeping Armitage in a lot of teams. The first is how massive his DT scores were when he was given a chance to play last year (he averaged 91 from three games). The second is the fact he's likely to benefit from the sagas involving Luke Ball and Andrew Lovett.

There are two other things that should also be factored in, that some people are overlooking. The first is that playing three games gave him a healthy price reduction. He has the same price as those who averaged 73 last year, which is 18 points less than his true average.

The second is his NAB Cup form. Whilst he was inconsistent, in two of his games he posted scores of 99 and 104. It's obvious that he's capable of notching up big scores.

Michael Barlow (MID, Freo, $105,800)
Last year Freo gifted us some pretty freakin' handy rookie-priced talent. Most serious teams had at least one or two of Stephen Hill, Nick Suban, The Man Without A Neck (Hayden Ballantyne) and of course, Greg Broughton. It might be a bit harder for the young-uns to earn a spot this year, but that doesn't mean some won't get one anyway. The standout, DT-wise at least, is Barlow.
He is a mature-age recruit, just like Broughton, which is perfect for us DT-ers. Plucked from Werribee in the VFL, he's gone straight into his new club's line-up and has been tearing it up in the NAB Cup, with scores of 94, 96, 77 and 109 to his name.
Anthony Morabito is another option, he should get a few games, but Barlow's sheer point-scoring ability wins this contest hands down.

Tom Rockliff (FWD, Lions, $101,100)

There aren't too many rookie-priced forwards (or defenders or rucks, for that matter) screaming for our attention with massive NAB Cup scores. But Rockliff bucks the trend completely. He put up 87 and 89 in the first two weeks of the pre-season tournament. Not too shabby.

Perhaps the best part is he's not even a first-year player. He got just 67 minutes of game time against Collingwood last year (the only match of his career) leaving him to scrap together a score of 23. That score of 23 converted into a very healthy price tag this year.

Judging by his AFLQ and TAC Cup performances, he's a bit of goal kicker, which means he may just slot in nicely alongside the taller targets of Jonathon Brown and Brendan Fevola. Given the lack of players in his price range that aren't midfielders, he simply has to be a lock.

Paul Duffield (DEF, Freo, $392,700)

Yes, yes, I know. Another Freo player. I should really hold back. But the thing with Duffield is, not many people seem to think he can back up his breakout year in 2009. Over at FanFooty, he made the list of "underhyped players" - players that aren't making it into many teams. A quick Control+F on a couple of the "rate my team" pages confirms his unpopularity.

So by picking up the Docker, you'd be getting a player not too many other teams have. He's a unique pick, if you will. I'll admit Corey Enright, Luke Hodge and Heath Shaw are mighty tempting. I've got them all at this stage. But it's not as though Duffield is going to plummet in price or average. His NAB Cup scores included a 93 and a 111.

It does seem like he'll be backing up that ripper form from last year. The only question is: are you a follower or a leader?

2010 AFL Dream Team: The must-haves, part one

2010-03-18T14:09:00.003+11:00

Every year there are players you simply have to get on if you're going to do any damage. Like Missy Higgins at the Western Bulldogs last year, for example. This year, I'm going to put myself out there and name of few of my "must-haves".

You can pay attention or not. It's completely up to you.

Part two will be up tomorrow.

Buddy Franklin (FWD, Hawks, $354,900)
There's some value at Hawthorn this year. And why wouldn't there be? After a shocking year last year, of course certain players will have lower than normal averages, and Buddy Love would have to be one of those players. Needless to say, his 2009 wasn't quite up there with his Coleman Medal-winning 2008.
A rejuvenated Hawks list means more likely than not, the old Buddy will be back. Matthew Lloyd has tipped him to reach triple figures again goal-wise (although he might as well have been talking about his DT average). For the record, last year his average sunk from 96 to 81. All he has to do is get back to that old form and he's made you a lot of money and given you a lot of DT points at a very cheap price.
Of course, some of you might dare to question whether or not he can get back to such form. But I wouldn't be so quick to write off someone like Buddy. Just cross your fingers and hope he doesn't give away too many free kicks.
Mitch Banner (MID, Port, $94,500)
By now you've probably all heard of him. He's been putting up ridiculous numbers in the NAB Cup and he's all the talk on DT sites. For me, that kinda sucks. I had this bloke pencilled in ever since the round 22 team sheets came out last year and he wasn't named, meaning he would keep his ultra-cheap rookie pricing. Why would I get so excited about a virtual unknown, you ask?
Well, his Under-18 numbers weren't just good. They were phenomenal. Crack open last year's Prospectus and look for yourself. At the U-18 Championships, he had a "raw" average of 75 (games at the Championships aren't as long as AFL ones) and a "scaled" average of 113. He was the third-highest DT scorer, behind Mitch Robinson and Jay-Z (Jack Ziebell) but ahead of Daniel Rich, Stephen Hill and basically anyone else who was drafted in '08.
Not only that, he backed it up in the TAC Cup. In that comp, he was the second-highest scorer, behind only Dayne Beams, with an average of 118. Niggling injuries (seemingly nothing serious) kept him in the SANFL last year, but this year he's a "mature age" (sort of) DT slut ready to go off!
Nick Malceski (DEF, Swans, $242,800)
Back in 2007, Malceski averaged an awesome 87 DT points. Prior to the '08 season, though, he had a revolutionary knee surgery and really hasn't looked the same since. His average in the past two years has been 67 and 55. But that trend could seriously reverse this year.
In the NAB Cup, he's looked born again with scores of 83 and 100 in the first two weeks, which was a Swans-high for those two rounds.
And the best part is that he's a defender. Finding cheap defenders with so much upside is not easy. Some DT coaches might be enamoured by Josh Hunt or Tadgh Kennelly, but they have never been huge scorers. They're never going to get their average up to the point where you'd still have them in your team come round 22. Malceski might just be that player.

Chris Mayne (FWD, Freo, $220,800)

His average last year was 62, but due to the fact he only played six games he got a price reduction - meaning he has the same pricetag as players who averaged around 50. For this fact alone, the kid has value written all over him.

But here's the thing. Even without the price reduction, Mayne probably would've found his way into my team. You see, he's basically the second best forward Freo have, behind some guy named Matthew Pavlich. (Although Hayden Ballantyne's form of late has made that statement lose a bit of its punch. Oh well.) Plus, he's entering his third season - the season where players of that size tend to break out when it comes to DT scores.

I'd say there's almost no chance he'll end up with an average below 70, but more than that is a real possibility. Any player that can effectively manage a 20 point rise in average (with every chance it could end up even higher) seems like a bit of a lock to me.

Dustin Martin (MID, Tigers, $149,500)

Of the higher draft picks, you sense that Martin is the one who will make the biggest impact early on. He gets lots of the ball. He has shown his potential in the NAB Cup. He's in a team where he'll get a lot of game time, but not the opposition's best tagger. Everything falls into place with this kid.

That's not to say you should ignore other higher picks like Tom Scully and Jack Trengove, mind you. If you've got the balls to have four rookies in your midfield, then they'd be two names I'd be throwing up alongside Martin, Barlow and Banner. But if you're after a little more bang for your buck, the Tiger shouldn't let you down.

He's quick, can find the footy and has walked straight up to his spot in the team. Don't hesitate in starting him on the field.

Luke Hodge (DEF/MID, Hawks, $366,800)

Speaking of undervalued Hawks, how can you go past Hodgey? Al Clarkson has admitted they made mistakes last year with him (like trying to bulk him up a bit) and, like Buddy, he was one of those Hawks that just seemed to have an "off year".

His average took about a 13-point slip in '09, but if he can reclaim those points this year he'll have served your team well. That sort of value is not bad at all for a defender.

Of course, just like with Buddy, some of you party poopers might ask the inevitable (what if he doesn't get back to form?) To that, I simply respond by pointing to his NAB Cup scores. He played all four pre-season matches for an average of 84.3, the second best for a Hawk behind Sam Mitchell, who went absolutely bloody nuts in the pre-season. So yeah, get Hodgey in your team.

2010 AFL Preview: Geelong Cats

2010-03-12T11:10:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Geelong.

Last year: 18-4, 2nd
Finals: Won grand final v St Kilda
Best and Fairest: Corey Enright, Gary Ablett (tie)

Additions: Marcus Drum
Losses: Tom Harley, Shane Mumford, Kane Tenace, Matthew Egan, David Johnson
Draftees to keep an eye on: Daniel Menzel (pick 17), Mitchell Duncan (28), James Podsiadly (rookie)

"The first year was a bit of a shock. We didn't know where we were going and I don't think we drafted that well after our 2007 (premiership) campaign. I think this year we've drafted really well, I think this year we've got our medical staff under control and we're ready to launch."

-Coach Mark Thompson, looking forward to 2010

First time around it was about that 44-year drought. Last year’s premiership was about redemption. So what’s left to drive this crop of Cats?

Well, there’s only one thing left to drive them – greatness.

Another premiership would, in many people’s minds, put them on par with the three-peat Brisbane Lions. Their superior home and away season record is not yet matched by premierships, but that can all change this year.

That said, it won't be an easy task. Many are predicting that this is the year they start to slip.

Tom Harley’s gone. Darren Milburn and Matthew Scarlett are getting deeper into their 30s. This makes the defence look a tad fragile.

But with Josh Hunt returning from injury, and the potential for young gun Tom Gillies to attract more game time, and the recruitment of Marcus Drum from Fremantle, the possible impact of changes down back has been cushioned.

Perhaps the biggest area of concern should be the other end of the ground.

Last year the forward line, at times, seemed like a shambles. Tom Hawkins wasn’t ready. Cameron Mooney had the yips. Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman were injured on and off.

As the season rolled on, everything fell into place with Hawkins finding form, Mooney improving and injury concerns being alleviated.

But for 2010 to run smoothly, a more consistent year up front will be needed. And a breakout year for the Tomahawk – which is entirely plausible – would certainly be of assistance.

In the middle, you can’t really fault the likes of Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood. Up-and-comer Simon Hogan will keep the pressure on for spots among the fringe players.

What will be interesting to see, with the loss of Shane Mumford during trade week, is how the ruck division shapes up. Brad Ottens is still finding new ways to get himself injured, even whilst water skiing. Mark Blake still isn’t the greatest asset around the ground.

If the Cats don’t have Ottens going into September, it will hurt them.

The pre-season hasn't been all smooth-sailing, however anyone expecting a major drop-off, without the occurrence of an injury wave like last year, should think twice. They have what it takes to win another premiership.

Just like last year, they will be tested. Whether or not they can withstand that test will reveal the true nature of this Geelong team.

Prediction: 1st-4th

Premiership: $4.20 (2nd)
Top 8: $1.03 (=1st)
Wooden Spoon: $501 (=15th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

A grand final hero speaking to Before the Game.

Round 1: v Essendon, MCG, Seven
Round 2: v Hawthorn, MCG, Ten
Round 3: v Fremantle, Subiaco, Fox
Round 4: v Port Adelaide, Skilled, Seven
Round 5: v Carlton, MCG, Ten

2010 AFL Preview: St Kilda

2010-03-11T12:26:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is St Kilda.

Last year: 20-2, 1st
Finals: Lost grand final v Geelong Cats
Best and Fairest: Nick Riewoldt

Additions: Brett Peake, Jesse Smith, Adam Pattison, Andrew Lovett (suspended indefinitely)
Losses: Max Hudghton, Luke Ball, Matt Maguire, Xavier Clarke, Leigh Fisher
Draftees to keep an eye on: Nicholas Winmar (pick 32), Tommy Walsh (int'l)

"Deep down we've got to learn from this. We've got to savour it, bottle it, and make sure we learn from the experience. Geelong were in exactly the same position 12 months ago, and they were good enough to come out and go one step better this year. We're at that level."

-Captain Nick Riewoldt, rallying his troops after their grand final loss

St Kilda dominated the home and away season last year and fell agonizingly short in the grand final. They took their game to an unprecedented new level in a season where everything – well, almost everything – seemed to fall into place.

But can they repeat the style of play they executed so brilliantly in 2010?

Will we see the same St Kilda we saw last year?

It’s almost impossible to answer. A lot of people thought early in the season they couldn’t keep up the pressure for a full season, and those people were proven wrong. Of course they’ll have added motivation this year, too.

However on the other hand, the Saints had a dream run with injuries last year and their depth wasn’t really tested. A couple of headlines of the wrong sort during the break have complicated matters further.

The club will be impacted by the loss of Luke Ball, and will further hurt by the fact they got nothing in return for him and Andrew Lovett's sacking.

Having said that, quality certainly still exists all over the park. Sam Gilbert and the re-born Zac Dawson will be responsible for holding the fort down back, and they are surrounded by a lot of talent in Brendan Goddard, Sam Fisher and Jason Gram.

With the assistance of defensive pressure all over the ground, the Saints’ backs earned much praise last year.

The side’s midfield has evolved into one of the competition’s best. With guys like Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna, who were all spectacular in 2009, as well as the tagging abilities of Clint Jones, it’s not hard to see why.

An ageing ruck division – with Steven King and Michael Gardiner – could provide a headache, however.

Up forward they have easily one of the best players in the comp, Nick Riewoldt, and his more than able strike partner, Justin Koschitzke.

The concern lies with smalls like Stephen Milne, Adam Schnieder and Adam McQualter, who all copped criticism late in the season and, more specifically, on grand final day. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond in 2010.

Which is pretty much how it is for this entire team. It certainly will be interesting to see how the Saints respond.

Prediction: 1st-4th

Premiership: $3.80 (1st)
Top 8: $1.03 (=1st)
Wooden Spoon: $501 (=15th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Saints Footy.

Round 1: v Sydney Swans, ANZ, Ten
Round 2: v North Melbourne, Etihad, Ten
Round 3: v Collingwood, Etihad, Ten
Round 4: v Fremantle, Etihad, Fox
Round 5: v Port Adelaide, AAMI, Ten

2010 AFL Preview: Western Bulldogs

2010-03-10T12:30:00.003+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is the Bulldogs.

Last year: 15-7, 3rd
Finals: Eliminated in preliminary final v St Kilda
Best and Fairest: Matthew Boyd

Additions: Barry Hall
Losses: Scott Welsh, Wayde Skipper
Draftees to keep an eye on: Christian Howard (pick 15), Jason Tutt (31)

"To finish like we did this year (2009), the expectation, and certainly the internal expectation, is that we'll make the grand final at least (in 2010)."

-Coach Rodney Eade, talking about managing expectations

In 2009, for the second year in a row, the Doggies fell a game short of the grand final. They’ll be wanting to go one better this year, and new recruit Barry Hall has been hailed as the man that can take them to that elusive next level. But will it be enough?

A host of premiership contenders are lurking. Sides that bow out in preliminary finals do not traditionally bounce back (last year being the exception, rather than the rule).

And of course there’s the concern over the age of some of the side’s star players, the most notable of which all happen to roam the forward line – Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis and now Hall.

It’s a risky proposition when arguably your best three forwards have a combined age of 99.

Whilst Hall does indeed fill an obvious void – that of a key forward – it will be important for all three of the over-30s up forward to withstand any major injury, form or fitness worries if the Bulldogs are going to do some serious damage this year.

That said, the midfield has never looked better.

Matthew Boyd has been accumulating a fair amount of praise lately, and Adam Cooney and Daniel Cross are in their mid-20s. A bigger role awaits Shaun Higgins after his successful return last season, plus youngster Callan Ward will only improve.

Down back, there’s a heap of quality. Brian Lake is simply elite and when paired with Dale Morris, the Doggies have an answer for most of the competition’s key forwards. Lindsay Gilbee and Ryan Hargrave are great players. And there’s some youth knocking at the door in defence, too.

Rodney Eade has a quality list at his disposal. He has the tools needed to win a premiership.

Accomplishing that in 2010, however, will be dependent on a few factors. It’ll be reliant on the continuing of their stretch of top-four finishes, the quality of the other sides that are up that high, and whether or not the forward line can stand up despite the concerns.

In other words: It’s a real possibility, but don’t be surprised if it all falls apart, too.

Prediction: 2nd-5th

Premiership: $7 (3rd)
Top 8: $1.10 (3rd)
Wooden Spoon: $251 (14th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

A bit of fun from Before The Game.

Round 1: v Collingwood, Etihad, Seven
Round 2: v Richmond, MCG, Fox
Round 3: v Hawthorn, Etihad, Seven
Round 4: v Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Fox
Round 5: v Adelaide, Etihad, Seven

2010 AFL Preview: Collingwood

2010-03-09T12:19:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Collingwood.

Last year: 15-7, 4th
Finals: Eliminated in preliminary final v Geelong Cats
Best and Fairest: Dane Swan

Additions: Darren Jolly, Luke Ball, Simon Buckley
Losses: Anthony Rocca, Shannon Cox, Marty Clarke
Draftees to keep an eye on: Ben Sinclair (pick 62), Seamus McNamara (int'l)

"We know the best two sides played off, there is no question about that statistically and the way they played throughout the year ... We believe our recruitment has brought us a little bit closer and we believe the maturity of the younger players who have played first, second and third years with us will be better again."

-Coach Mick Malthouse, on the Pies bridging the gap

The Magpies made it to the preliminary final in ’09 and it has to be said, an even bigger 2010 is entirely on the cards.

Darren Jolly and Luke Ball were two of the biggest recruitments during the break. Their significance is huge. Jolly is the first genuine ruckman the Pies have had in a long time. Ball adds that little bit extra their midfield was craving.

To some, they still seem to be lacking a genuine forward target (which we’ll get to in a second), but on paper the list appears markedly better than last year.

Their backline is filled with quality, featuring the likes of captain Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw and Harry O’Brien. The obvious (and legitimate) worry is whether Simon Prestigiacomo can replicate his form of last year, at the tender age of 32.

Youngsters Nathan Brown and Ben Reid could battle it out for the other key defender spot, and if either can muster a breakout season then this would boost the Pies defence even further.

With Jolly, the ruck situation is looking a lot brighter. He’ll become the No. 1 option, with Josh Fraser and Cameron Wood open to different roles.

Ball’s arrival should serve to assist Scott Pendlebury and prolific ball-winner Dane Swan in the midfield, which was an area of concern at times last year.

Complementing the midfield are the quality small-to-medium forwards on the list that are able to push up the ground and blend in quite well. Leon Davis, Alan Didak, Dale Thomas et al. This is one of the Pies’ great assets.

Their great concern, however, is their tall forwards. Obviously, they don’t have a combo like Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke.

But John Anthony did manage to boot 50 goals last year. In his second season. There’s plenty of upside there.

And with Travis Cloke, a freed-up Fraser and a – finger’s crossed – injury-free Sean Rusling, who knows?

It could be a big year for Collingwood’s talls.

Just like it could be a big year for the entire team. If they can get that situation sorted, and their backs hold their ground and build on last year's form, anything is possible.

Prediction: 1st-4th

Premiership: $11 (6th)
Top 8: $1.20 (=5th)
Wooden Spoon: $201 (=12th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

The Jack Anthony goal from last year's semi final.

Round 1: v Western Bulldogs, Etihad, Seven
Round 2: v Melbourne, MCG, Fox
Round 3: v St Kilda, Etihad, Seven
Round 4: v Hawthorn, MCG, Ten
Round 5: v Essendon, MCG, Seven

2010 AFL Preview: Adelaide

2010-03-08T12:04:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Adelaide.

Last year: 14-8, 5th
Finals: Eliminated in semi final v Collingwood
Best and Fairest: Bernie Vince

Additions: Nil
Losses: Robert Shirley
Draftees to keep an eye on: Daniel Talia (pick 13), Jack Gunston (29), James Craig (61)

"Clearly, we played some exciting footy towards the end of the year. We played a style of footy that I believe if we can continue to work on will be good enough to get the ultimate prize."

-Coach Neil Craig, on getting to the premiership

The Crows won applause in the latter two thirds of last season as they made a charge towards September. They couldn’t make it past week two of the finals, but they were undoubtedly one of the season’s better and most exciting teams.

Each year they are a side that are up there in contention, but the biggest prize continues to elude them.

In 2010, they’ll most likely be in contention again. But as for that biggest prize?

The biggest concern over the past few months has been injuries. Andy Otten is gone for the season. Jason Porplyzia, Nathan van Berlo, Chris Knights, Brett Burton have all had issues and are in doubt for round one. Others, including Bernie Vince, Patrick Dangerfield, Kurt Tippett and Scott Thompson, have had hiccups.

The injury list can become a massive issue for a club, just look at how it engulfed Hawthorn last year. So the status of these players should be monitored.

Injuries aside, there’s a lot of talent on the Adelaide list. There’s a lot to like about Vince, about Tippett, about Dangerfield.

Up forward, Richard Douglas could be on the verge of a breakout year and we could definitely start seeing more out of young tall Taylor Walker, so there’s absolutely upside there. You could also expect another year of improvement from Tippett.

In the midfield, the status of both Thompson and Vince will be crucial. Losing both would leave a major hole. Improvement could come in the form of Dangerfield, who should spend more time on the ball this year.

In defence, they’ve got key defenders like Nathan Bock and Ben Rutten, and exceptional smaller talent like Andrew McLeod and Michael Doughty. The injury plague seems to have avoided this end of the ground, Otten aside, so more of the same should be expected in 2010.

They’re an easy team to write off, Adelaide. Hey, I do it almost every year. But there’s enough talent there to persuade you to do otherwise.

Prediction: 4th-7th

Premiership: $9 (4th)
Top 8: $1.15 (4th)
Wooden Spoon: $201 (=12th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

A glorious day in the history of the Adelaide Football Club.

Round 1: v Fremantle, Subiaco, Fox
Round 2: v Sydney Swans, AAMI, Fox
Round 3: v Melbourne, MCG, Fox
Round 4: v Carlton, AAMI, Ten
Round 5: v Western Bulldogs, Etihad, Seven

2010 AFL Preview: Brisbane Lions

2010-03-05T10:10:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Brisbane.

Last year: 13-8-1, 6th
Finals: Eliminated in semi final v Western Bulldogs
Best and Fairest: Jonathan Brown

Additions: Brendan Fevola, Amon Buchanan, Xavier Clarke, Brent Staker, Andrew Raines, Matt Maguire
Losses: Daniel Bradshaw, Tim Notting, Bradd Dalziell, Lachlan Henderson, Rhan Hooper, Joel Macdonald
Draftees to keep an eye on: Callum Bartlett (pick 27)

"I realised I could not look those guys in the eye and say we are going to be a good footy side - but not for five years. They're not going to play forever and now we've presented them with another chance. They were entitled to that."

-Coach Michael Voss, explaining the reasoning behind off-season changes

After a year in which he returned the Lions to September action, this off-season Michael Voss tinkered with his list the way you or I would our Dream Teams the week before lockout. Players were coming, players were going. It was crazy.

So crazy it just might work?

Well, that’s up for debate. Where the Lions end up in 2010 will be dependent on how well Voss can utilize the new tools he has at his disposal (not to mention whether those tools can stay on the park) and also how well he can minimize the effect of so many losses.

Make no mistake, despite his football brains, Voss is taking a punt. There’s risk involved. It may not end pretty. But for now, we might just have to give the man benefit of the doubt.

Because even though Daniel Bradshaw is gone, Brendan Fevola might add another 10-20 goals per year. Even though Rhan Hooper and Lachie Henderson are gone, Amon Buchanan and Brent Staker come in with something those two couldn’t offer – grand final experience.

Even though Joel Macdonald’s gone, depth has been added down back in Matt Maguire and Andrew Raines. And then there’s Xavier Clarke, too, who might be able to find a place at the Lions, unlike his recent history at St Kilda.

So maybe, just maybe, there’s a method to all the madness.

The worry amid all the trading, however, was the area of the ground Voss actually lost more than he gained – the midfield. The addition of Daniel Rich last year helped cure the side’s inside 50 troubles, but they are still far from a force at stoppages.

That’s not to say there isn’t talent beyond the likes of Rich, Simon Black and Luke Power. Justin Sherman had a good year last year, for one.

But what is perplexing about the decision to not bolster the midfield is that there’s no use having a forward line bursting at the seems with two dominant power forwards such as Jonathon Brown and Fevola, unless you’re able to deliver them the footy.

The backline may improve with its new-found depth, and the forward line may be able to improve ever so slightly. But if the midfield improves, that’s when this team will become a dangerous proposition.

Can it happen in 2010? We’ll have to wait and see.

Prediction: 5th-8th

Premiership: $13 (7th)
Top 8: $1.25 (7th)
Wooden Spoon: $101 (10th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

A worthy rising star winner.

Round 1: v West Coast Eagles, Gabba, Fox
Round 2: v Carlton, Gabba, Seven
Round 3: v Port Adelaide, AAMI, Fox
Round 4: v Western Bulldogs, Gabba, Fox
Round 5: v Melbourne, MCG, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Carlton

2010-03-03T12:18:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Carlton.

Last year: 13-9, 7th
Finals: Eliminated in elimination final v Brisbane Lions
Best and Fairest: Chris Judd

Additions: Brock McLean, Lachlan Henderson
Losses: Brendan Fevola, Nick Stevens, Cameron Cloke, Jordan Bannister, Adam Bentick
Draftees to keep an eye on: Kane Lucas (pick 9)

''We don't have one [key forward], which is really exciting. I suppose for the last 10 years we've had Brendan as one forward. All clubs used to know to drop off for Fev. Now we've got a potent forward line. We'll chuck [Matthew] Kreuzer down there and [Simon] Wiggins. We don't want someone who's going to kick 80 goals; we want four or five who are going to kick 30 goals and make it hard for the opposition to defend [against] us.''

-Key position player Jarrad Waite, on filling Fev's void

Last year they were coming. They came as far as seventh place. But without Brendan Fevola, could 2010 be the year the Blues take a backwards step?

It’s a plausible scenario. Fev was the centrepiece of their forward line, and there is no instant fix when you need to replace the 89-plus goals he’s booted in each of the past two seasons.

The trade with Brisbane was like the Judd trade, in reverse. Instead of Carlton losing a long-term project and gaining a superstar, they gained a long-term project and lost a superstar.

If the trade does pay off, it won’t be in 2010.

That said, the Blues have a midfield that is nothing short of elite. Chris Judd, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy and now Brock McLean, who was plucked from Melbourne during trade week, should be able to stand up to the league’s best.

Provided Matthew Kreuzer stays in the ruck, rather than being used as an attempt to plug the hole left by Fevola, then they should remain a force in the middle.

Down back, the Blues have a few players that missed large chunks of game time last year in Jarrad Waite and Andrew Carrazzo, so improvement is possible. In Paul Bower and Michael Jamison they have two young key defenders that should continue to develop.

Up forward is where all eyes will be on, though. Eddie Betts will be relied on more than usual, and there’s a lot riding on another small, Chris Yarran, announcing himself to the footy world.

But when it comes to the tall timber, guys that can directly fill Fev’s place, the team might struggle. Setanta O’hAilpin is an option. So is Henderson. A Waite or Kreuzer might even be used.

Whatever the solution, a re-structuring of the forward line will have to occur, which may not be as bad as it initially sounds. After so many years with Fev as the focal point up forward, maybe a more team-oriented approach is exactly what the Blues need.

A drastic improvement on last year, though, seems like a big ask.

Prediction: 7th-10th

Premiership: $17 (8th)
Top 8: $1.60 (8th)
Wooden Spoon: $67 (9th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

One of the Blues more memorable wins from last year.

Round 1: v Richmond, MCG, Ten
Round 2: v Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Seven
Round 3: v Essendon, MCG, Ten
Round 4: v Adelaide, AAMI, Ten
Round 5: v Geelong Cats, MCG, Ten

2010 AFL Preview: Essendon

2010-02-26T11:20:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Essendon.

Last year: 10-11-1, 8th
Finals: Eliminated in elimination final v Adelaide
Best and Fairest: Jobe Watson

Additions: Mark Williams
Losses: Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas, Andrew Lovett, Jay Nash, Hayden Skipworth
Draftees to keep an eye on: Jake Melksham (pick 10), Jake Carlisle (24), Travis Colyer (26), Anthony Long (33)

"I am very excited about the direction this football club is heading. We have unearthed a number of talented young players this season (2009) but there is still a lot of hard work to be done - we are under no illusion about that."

-Coach Matthew Knights, upon getting a contract extension

The Bombers surprised a few people last season by sneaking into the eight. They were handed a lesson in the finals by Adelaide, but the margin from that game was not reflective of how far along the side came in 2009.

The question now turns to whether Matthew Knights and his players can back it up this year.

The midfield seems pretty underrated when you look closely. Jobe Watson ain’t bad. Brent Stanton ain’t bad. We’re about to see just how applicable the “ain’t bad” description applies to Brent Prismall, too, now that he’s starting a season at his new club injury-free. I don’t mind the likes of Mark McVeigh, Andrew Welsh and Jason Winderlich, either.

Throw in a formidable pair of rucks in David Hille and Patrick Ryder and hey, what’s not to like?

Well, there is the loss of Andrew Lovett. They’ll have a hard time replacing his run and X-factor.

The forward line could go either way. Some are saying that without Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas, the Bombers are doomed. That is not true. The truth is they are doomed without Matthew Llyod, Scott Lucas and the same injuries to young key forward talent that have hit them in previous years.

Lloyd and Lucas were major goal-kickers last year but so was Mark Williams in his (pre-Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead taking off) days at Hawthorn. Other medium-sized forwards like Angus Monfries and Kyle Riemers are also handy options.

The departure of the two stalwarts of the club will only have a truly significant effect if the likes of Jay Neagle and Scott Gumbleton can’t get on the park. And you never really know with those two.

Down back, you’ve got some absolutely phenomenal young tall talent in Tayte Pears and Michael Hurley (although the latter may be groomed as a forward this year if Knights ever does forgive him for that incident with a taxi driver). The ever-reliable Dustin Fletcher provides more handy assistance against the game’s big men.

There’s improvement to be made in some of the non-key defenders, though. Young David Myers is one who had an unexpectedly off year in 2009.

Prediction: 9th-12th

Premiership: $41 (9th)
Top 8: $3 (=9th)
Wooden Spoon: $17 (7th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

The future's looking good at Essendon.

Round 1: v Geelong Cats, MCG, Seven
Round 2: v Fremantle, Etihad, Seven
Round 3: v Carlton, MCG, Ten
Round 4: v West Coast Eagles, Subiaco, Seven
Round 5: v Collingwood, MCG, Seven

2010 AFL Preview: Hawthorn

2010-02-24T12:21:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Hawthorn.

Last year: 9-13, 9th
Best and Fairest: Sam Mitchell

Additions: Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson, Wayde Skipper
Losses: Stuart Dew, Mark Williams, Robert Campbell, Josh P. Kennedy, Ben McGlynn, Mitch Thorp, Tim Boyle
Draftees to keep an eye on: Sam Grimley (pick 39)

"To win 10 and a half games and qualify for finals - we didn't deserve to be there and we need to play a hell of a lot better than that if we're going to get ourselves into finals footy on a regular basis."

-Coach Alastair Clarkson, after the Hawks missed out on finals last year

The Hawks disappointed many in 2009. Barely anyone tipped them to finish outside the top two – a pertinent reminder of how much one can draw from season previews like this – and they surprisingly spiralled outside the eight.

As far as premiership defences go, it was far from the strongest.

However off-season moves have provided cause for optimism at Waverly Park. Midfielder Shaun Burgoyne and key defender Josh Gibson are important additions when you look at the side’s important losses over the past two years (like midfielders Shane Crawford and Stuart Dew and key defender Trent Croad).

Another cause for optimism is the trimming down of the injury list. According to Al Clarkson, half of the Hawks list required surgery over a ten month period last year. Obviously, going into 2010 without anywhere near as many injuries is a plus.

On the field of play, the Hawks have some of the competition’s best onballers, and Burgoyne only boosts this area further. The likes of Brad Sewell and Sam Mitchell ensure the midfield can mix it with the league’s best.

One to watch, should he eventually return from injury, is Clinton Young – after a massive 2008 he was nowhere to be seen last year.

Despite Luke Hodge’s run out of defence, the back line is perceived as a bit of a weakness. Without Croad, the key position stocks aren’t great but it is an area that will only improve this year given last year Stephen Gilham lined up just ten times, Ryan Schoenmakers was in his first season and Gibson was at North Melbourne.

Of the smaller types, the return of guys like Xavier Ellis and Rick Ladson is a definite bonus.

Up forward, the twin towers of Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead will ensure the goals keep flowing. Losing Mark Williams does hurt, but expect the continued rise of Cyril Rioli to help put that concern aside.

Where the biggest concern lies, of course, is in the ruck. Robbie Campbell’s retirement only exacerbates the problem, and it is unlikely the solution comes in the form of Simon Taylor, Brent Renouf or Wayde Skipper. Not if they want to mix it with the best, that is. Put simply, the ruck division isn’t up to scratch.

Having said that, though, many of the other criticisms don’t fully add up.

With the players they’ve got coming back, and the players they’ve added, a return to the top four is definitely on the agenda.

Prediction: 3rd-5th

Premiership: $10 (5th)
Top 8: $1.20 (=5th)
Wooden Spoon: $151 (11th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Rioli making an early impact.

Round 1: v Melbourne, MCG, Fox
Round 2: v Geelong Cats, MCG, Ten
Round 3: v Western Bulldogs, Etihad, Seven
Round 4: v Collingwood, MCG, Ten
Round 5: v North Melbourne, Aurora, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Port Adelaide

2010-02-22T12:01:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Port Adelaide.

Last year: 9-13, 10th
Best and Fairest: Warren Tredrea

Additions: Scott Harding, Jay Nash, Jay Shulz, Cameron Cloke
Losses: Peter Burgoyne, Shaun Burgoyne, Brendan Lade, Toby Thurstans, Mitch Farmer
Draftees to keep an eye on: John Butcher (pick 8), Andrew Moore (9), Jasper McMillan-Pittard (16)

"Our club's got the same freshness about it now as we had back in '97, so there's some really exciting times ahead for our supporters. They are going to see young players do new tricks and new things and if they project forward, well, I'm sure they'll like what's to come."

-Coach Mark Williams, looking back to the future

Port were massive underachievers in 2009, and not for the first time. A year earlier they fell below expectations, too, missing the finals despite making the grand final in 2007.

We were told at the start of last year that another disappointing season would lead to mass upheaval. So what was the response?

Dean Laidley and Garry Hocking were added to the coaching staff. This is good.

It was announced the team would be kitted out in sweet new guernseys. This is fair enough.

However the one area that seemed most in need of a freshening up – the playing list – looks as though it’s been downgraded. This is not good.

In all honesty, the addition of names like Jay Nash, Jay Schulz and Cameron Cloke do not fill one with much confidence.

Especially when you’ve lost names like Peter Burgoyne, Shaun Burgoyne and Brendan Lade.

As a result, Port will not enter this year with the same expectations of the past two seasons. And that may not be such a bad thing, considering how the past two seasons panned out.

Up forward, the leading goal-kicker last year was Warren Tredrea, who is now 31. The club will be trying to unearth key forward prospects as the year progresses. Nick Salter and Justin Westhoff, both in their early 20s, as well as the traded-in Cloke, will need to start showing more.

After an injury-interrupted year, Daniel Motlop’s return will be welcome.

The middle of the ground has plenty of youth that continue to improve. With guys like Travis Boak, Robbie Gray (assuming a move up the ground occurs) and ’09 debutant Hamish Hartlett, they may be able to overcome the loss of Shaun Burgoyne with more ease than most expect.

In Alipate Carlile and Troy Chaplin the team have a great pair of key defenders. Jacob Surjan is another impressive member of the backline.

The ruck department will be tested now without the services of Lade and Dean Brogan hitting 31. Matthew Lobbe has been earmarked for some game time, but the previously mentioned second-tier key forwards might be given a shot too.

In order for a strong season, several players will need to step up and fill such voids. This is the reason behind that notable expectation drop.

Prediction: 13th-16th

Premiership: $67 (=11th)
Top 8: $3.50 (=11th)
Wooden Spoon: $13 (5th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

That footage of Motlop.

Round 1: v North Melbourne, AAMI, Fox
Round 2: v West Coast Eagles, Subiaco, Fox
Round 3: v Brisbane Lions, AAMI, Fox
Round 4: v Geelong Cats, Skilled, Seven
Round 5: v St Kilda, AAMI, Ten

2010 AFL Preview: West Coast Eagles

2010-02-19T12:01:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is West Coast.

Last year: 8-14, 11th
Best and Fairest: Darren Glass

Additions: Bradd Dalziell, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
Losses: Chad Fletcher, Brent Staker, Mark Seaby, David Wirrpanda, Tyson Stenglein, Adam Hunter
Draftees to keep an eye on: Bradley Sheppard (pick 7), Gerrick Weedon (22), Koby Stevens (23)

"We are set up now as a very young team for the next four to five years. The team still has to prove it has got the desire and the talent to become a force in the AFL but they are certainly at the right age and the right level of maturity."

-Chairman Mark Barnaba, discussing where his club is at

A late-season run of form may have been a case of “too little, too late” for the Eagles in 2009, but things are certainly looking up this year. Many have them pencilled in to challenge for a top eight spot.

When you look at the young talent on the brink of either breaking out or starting to show signs of breaking out, it’s easy to see why.

In defence, they’ve got Scott Selwood, entering his third season, and tall Eric Mackenzie, entering his fourth.

In the midfield, they’ve got Chris Masten, Brad Ebert and recently-acquired Bradd Dalziell, entering their third seasons, as well as the much-hyped Tom Swift, entering his second.

Up forward, they’ve got the likes of Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras who, despite being around longer and perhaps already “broken out”, still carry plenty of upside.

And who could forget the excitement that Nic Naitanui provides.

All of these players are capable of lifting their games up a significant notch going in to 2010. On top of the upside in these guys, there are the returning players as well – Daniel Kerr and Dean Cox.

Kerr missed a lot of 2009, but even when he has been around in recent years the midfield has been questioned. Since the departures of Ben Cousins and Chris Judd, whenever he is playing, Kerr has copped a tag. A lack of strong support has hurt the Eagles in these games.

The aforementioned young guard looks set to finally fill that important void.

Also of assistance will be the return of Cox, who is undoubtedly the league’s best ruckman when fully fit. He missed almost half of last year.

The forward line hasn’t been a real strength of the Eagles in recent times, even going back as far as their grand final years, but in LeCras and Kennedy they have what it takes to – slowly but surely – improve.

Down back, Darren Glass is an important figure given his experience and the fact he’ll take the best defender most weeks. The emergence of Mackenzie and Matt Spangher, both above 190cms, has helped in this regard though, and the talls are supplemented by the likes of Shannon Hurn and Selwood.

They are still developing, and the club did lose quite a bit of talent at the end of last year, but a top eight push shouldn’t be ruled out for these kids.

Prediction: 7th-10th

Premiership: $67 (=11th)
Top 8: $3.50 (=11th)
Wooden Spoon: $14 (6th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Let's hope he can produce more of the same in the future.

Round 1: v Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Fox
Round 2: v Port Adelaide, Subiaco, Fox
Round 3: v North Melbourne, Etihad, Ten
Round 4: v Essendon, Subiaco, Seven
Round 5: v Sydney Swans, SCG, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Sydney Swans

2010-02-17T12:01:00.003+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Sydney.

Last year: 8-14, 12th
Best and Fairest: Ryan O'Keefe

Additions: Daniel Bradshaw, Shane Mumford, Mark Seaby, Ben McGlynn, Josh P. Kennedy
Losses: Darren Jolly, Barry Hall, Michael O'Loughlin, Leo Barry, Amon Buchanan, Luke Ablett, Jared Crouch, Nic Fosdike
Draftees to keep an eye on: Gary Rohan (pick 6), Lewis Jetta (14), Trent Dennis-Lane (55)

"The challenge for this footy club and for the AFL bringing in a second team is if we go down for three years, well, it could be absolutely catastrophic ... We can't go down for two or three years."

-Coach Paul Roos, making headlines last year

Mature-age recruits. That’s what Paul Roos and coach-in-waiting John Longmuir are hoping will arrest the slide of the Swans in 2010, after dropping outside the eight last year.

Not only was the club active during trade week, at the draft table they picked up two of the best over-19 prospects in Lewis Jetta and Trent Dennis-Lane. Rounding out the recruiting spree was the selection of ex-Lion Daniel Bradshaw in the pre-season draft.

The Swans have lost a lot of mature-aged talent, mind you. The likes of Darren Jolly, Barry Hall, Michael O’Loughlin and Leo Barry will take some replacing.

But the club appear motivated to avoid slipping any further, as evidenced by Roos’ comments last year and their recent recruitments.

In terms of key defenders, the Swans are serviced well by Craig Bolton and the younger Lewis Roberts-Thomson.

The backline as a whole will benefit by the return from Ireland of Tadgh Kennelly and hopefully another strong year from Rhyce Shaw, whose run out of defence was a revelation last season.

Ruckmen Shane Mumford and Mark Seaby will replace Jolly in quantity, if not quality. Whilst this should mean they’ll be less potent in the ruck, it will keep youngster Jesse White up forward, where he is developing quite well.

The midfield stocks have experience in them, with guys like Brett Kirk and best and fairest winner Ryan O’Keefe. Jarrad McVeigh’s another quality player.

However given retirements and the age of the side’s older stars, attention will be on youngsters like Patrick Veszpremi, Dan Hannebery, Nick Smith, Matt O’Dwyer and Brett Meredith, who could all step up this year.

The arrival of Bradshaw is a major coup that not only fills Hall’s shoes, but also gives breathing space to White and could set up a powerful three-pronged attack if Adam Goodes remains a forward.

Outside of the talls, additions like Ben McGlynn and Dennis-Lane are sure to help.

Even though the Swans have lost a lot of talent lately, and an air of negativity has formed in some quarters about the team’s direction, don’t be surprised if this team is in finals contention deep into the season.

Prediction: 10th-13th

Premiership: $51 (10th)
Top 8: $3 (=9th)
Wooden Spoon: $18 (8th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Trent Dennis-Lane, certainly one to keep an eye on.

Round 1: v St Kilda, ANZ, Ten
Round 2: v Adelaide, AAMI, Fox
Round 3: v Richmond, SCG, Fox
Round 4: v North Melbourne, Etihad, Fox
Round 5: v West Coast Eagles, SCG, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: North Melbourne

2010-02-15T16:04:00.002+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is North Melbourne.

Last year: 7-14-1, 13th
Best and Fairest: Andrew Swallow

Additions: Nil
Losses: Josh Gibson, Adam Simpson, Shannon Watt, Jesse Smith, Sam Power, Daniel Harris
Draftees to keep an eye on: Ben Cunnington (pick 5), Ryan Bastinac (21), Aaron Black (25), Majak Daw (rookie)

"I've said a few times already that it's time to shed the image that we are a struggling, battling club which has to fight for every inch. Those old fashioned perceptions and stereotypes can - and will - change."

-New coach Brad Scott, making an early impact

Last year could have gone a lot smoother for North. There were ups like that round 21 victory over St Kilda, and then there were downs like a couple of coaching changes and a bottom four finish.

Worse still, perhaps, is the fact they were the lowest scoring team for the season. Yes, they even scored less than Melbourne.

Brad Scott is now at the helm, offering a fresh start for the club. Helping him turns thing around will be a host of young talent.

Another of the highlights from last year was the emergence of players like Jack Ziebell, Liam Anthony, Nathan Grima and Levi Greenwood in their debut seasons. None of that quartet played more than 13 games last year, so a full season from them in 2010 is a tantalising prospect for Roo fans.

A couple of new draftees, like Ben Cunnington and Ryan Bastinac, are also looking likely to get a fair amount of game time.

North have a significant advantage in the middle of the ground thanks to ruckman Hamish McIntosh, who is developing into one of the best rucks in the league.

The midfield does have some experienced heads, with Brent Harvey and the improved Andrew Swallow at the top of the pack. Youth, however, is where the improvement will come from, particularly following the loss of Adam Simpson.

Ziebell and Anthony, along with Cunnington and Bastinac, will be interesting to monitor this year.

Obviously, given their scoring issues, the forwards are a concern. Drew Petrie and David Hale are the Roos’ tall timber, but they can hardly be considered prolific scorers.

Whether new coach Scott can improve his side’s efficiency inside 50 could be a major factor in where they end up this year.

Down back, things aren’t as bad. Sure, losing Josh Gibson and Jesse Smith stings a bit. But they conceded fewer points than a couple of top eight sides last year.

Scott Thompson was a revelation. So too was Grima. Scott McMahon is quality. Another name you could through up is Lachie Hansen, who could be in for a big year, no matter which end of the ground he ends up in.

But overall, matching it with the top eight in the area that counts – the ladder – will be a tough ask for this group.

Prediction: 11th-14th

Premiership: $81 (=13th)
Top 8: $5.50 (=13th)
Wooden Spoon: $5 (4th)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

That round 21 victory over St Kilda.

Round 1: v Port Adelaide, AAMI, Fox
Round 2: v St Kilda, Etihad, Ten
Round 3: v West Coast Eagles, Etihad, Ten
Round 4: v Sydney Swans, Etihad, Ten
Round 5: v Hawthorn, Aurora, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Fremantle

2010-02-12T09:20:00.000+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Fremantle.

Last year: 6-16, 14th
Best and Fairest: Aaron Sandilands

Additions: Adam McPhee
Losses: Brett Peake, Marcus Drum, Daniel Gilmore, Andrew Browne, Andrew Foster
Draftees to keep an eye on: Anthony Morabito (pick 4), Nat Fyfe (20), Joel Houghton (36), Jesse Crichton (48)

"You look at the young kids that came through last year. We have got a new bunch of kids coming in this year. Give them a couple of years and there is no reason why we can't play in a successful side."

-Star ruckman Aaron Sandilands, just after becoming a "Docker for life"

Finishing 14th in an injury-plagued rebuilding year – with 11 youngsters debuting – doesn’t seem like such a bad return. Unfortunately for Mark Harvey and the Dockers, the most pertinent memory of the side’s 2009 season, for some commentators at least, was the 1.7 (13) effort against Adelaide.

Or the 83-point loss to St Kilda. Or the 84-point loss to Collingwood. Or the 63-point loss to Melbourne, of all teams.

But those types of results are to be expected of such a young team. The real indicator for rebuilding teams – that young talent is developing – was going absolutely nuts in 2009.

Greg Broughton. Stephen Hill. Nick Suban. Hayden Ballantyne. Those are just four of Freo’s debutants that, after just one season, look like having a lengthy career ahead of them. Then there are the likes of Matt DeBoer, Clancee Pearce and derby hero Tim Ruffles, who also impressed.

Entering the fray in 2010 will be a swag of new recruits – including the returning Adam McPhee and fourth overall pick Anthony Morabito – and, thankfully for the Docker faithful, a few players that saw little game time last year.

Injuries to ’08 Rising Star winner Rhys Palmer (who played only five games), tagger Ryan Crowley (six), Chris Mayne (five) and Roger Hayden (eight) had an effect last year.

Palmer and Crowley, in particular, are welcome returns given the state of the Docker midfield last season. Star forward Matthew Pavlich was forced to play up the ground to help out.

The return of injured players, coupled with the possibility for McPhee and Morabito to make an impact, means that 2010 should see improvement in the middle of the ground. Capitalising on the dominance of ruckman Aaron Sandilands will be essential if the team is to take that next step.

With Pavlich returning to forward duties, and Mayne back from injury, improvement this year should also be expected up forward. What is concerning, however, is the fact Pavlich (despite his different role) was still leading goal-kicker last year, with just 28.

Down back, with a reinvented Chris Tarrant and the experienced Luke McPharlin, things are looking solid for now. Docker fans will be hoping for more of the same from Paul Duffield and Broughton after their brilliant '09 seasons.

There’s plenty of room for improvement in this side, it’s just a matter of the players answering the call.

Prediction: 10th-13th

Premiership: $101 (15th)
Top 8: $6 (15th)
Wooden Spoon: $4 (=2nd)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Proof that Craig Hutchison has no clue.

Round 1: v Adelaide, Subiaco, Fox
Round 2: v Essendon, Etihad, Seven
Round 3: v Geelong Cats, Subiaco, Fox
Round 4: v St Kilda, Etihad, Fox
Round 5: v Richmond, Subiaco, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Richmond

2010-02-10T11:59:00.002+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. Next up is Richmond.

Last year: 5-16-1, 15th
Best and Fairest: Brett Deledio

Additions: Mitch Farmer
Losses: Matthew Richardson, Joel Bowden, Kane Johnson, Nathan Brown, Mark Coughlan, Kayne Pettifer, Andrew Raines, Jay Shulz, Cleve Hughes, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, Adam Pattison
Draftees to keep an eye on: Dustin Martin (pick 3), Ben Griffiths (19), David Astbury (35), Troy Taylor (51)

"Sometimes I reckon you can take shortcuts to get to where you need to go. I reckon a lot of coaches come into this industry and have a three-year or a five-year plan. The strength of the coach, I reckon, is to stick to that plan. We'll be sticking to the plan."

-New coach Damien Hardwick, taking the club in a new direction

Last year did not go to plan for the Tigers. Going into the season full of expectation and surrounded by hype, they quickly faltered and endured another year in the bottom four.

Since then, new coach Damien Hardwick has swept into Punt Road armed with a Hawthorn-esque broom. He’s cleaned out the over-30s. He’s cleaned out fringe players. He’s even trying to clean out the club’s culture which has failed to bring premiership success in 30 years.

It’s a big job, and Hardwick has a long-term view on how to get it done. But what does that mean for 2010?

It means results aren’t going to be at the height of importance. It means a lot of games given to young guys that will still have plenty of development ahead of them. It means – more likely than not – another year down the lower end of the ladder.

But hey, it isn’t all doom and gloom for the Tigers.

A host of young players emerged last year, like Alex Rance, Robin Nahas, Jayden Post and Tyrone Vickery. Others were able to start delivering on their potential, like forwards Mitch Morton and Jack Riewoldt.

Add to that list Trent Cotchin – the gun 19 year-old midfielder who missed half of the year through injury – and Hardwick’s commitment to youth looks like it could pay off instantly.

The Tigers are still reasonably strong in the middle of the ground, with the experienced Ben Cousins and best and fairest winner Brett Deledio at the top of the pack. Richard Tambling taking his game to the next level last year also helps.

The backline, meanwhile, doesn’t fill you with a lot of confidence. There’s a lot of young and inexperienced talent there, but it will take time to nurture that talent. The Tigers conceded the most points of all teams last season, and it could happen again.

Up forward, with Matthew Richardson now retired, the “kick it to Richo” strategy is no longer an option. The likes of Morton and Riewoldt will be important, but more will also be needed from the smaller forwards.

Retirements have hit Richmond all over the ground, and the void they leave will have to be filled by kids. Knowing Hardwick’s history, a lot of time will be given to youngsters.

For that reason, significant improvement this year will be hard to come by.

Prediction: 14th-16th

Premiership: $81 (=13th)
Top 8: $5.50 (=13th)
Wooden Spoon: $3.75 (1st)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

What the draft brought the Tigers, Dustin Martin.

Round 1: v Carlton, MCG, Ten
Round 2: v Western Bulldogs, MCG, Fox
Round 3: v Sydney Swans, SCG, Fox
Round 4: v Melbourne, MCG, Fox
Round 5: v Fremantle, Subiaco, Fox

2010 AFL Preview: Melbourne

2010-02-08T12:56:00.002+11:00

Before the opening bounce, Best Off Ground is taking a trip around the country to look at all 16 clubs with its 2010 AFL Previews. First up is Melbourne.

Last year: 4-18, 16th
Best and Fairest: Aaron Davey

Additions: Joel Macdonald
Losses: Brock McLean, Russell Robertson, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan, Simon Buckley, Shane Valenti, John Meesen
Draftees to keep an eye on: Tom Scully (pick 1), Jack Trengove (2), Jordan Gysberts (11), Luke Tapscott (18), Max Gawn (34), Jack Fitzpatrick (50)

"It's certainly not another rebuilding year, it's time to start winning games. We haven't set benchmarks or goals about how many games we're going to win. But I've got a feeling that we're going to surprise teams and we are going to get some more wins on the board."

-Senior player Brad Green, talking up the new season

The Dees have claimed the wooden spoon the past two years. On both occasions they did it with four or less wins, meaning – aside from the fact they really weren’t any good – the club landed a priority pick during the off-season.

But is this the year thing’s will change? Is this the year claims of “tanking” and “not developing a winning culture” will be put to rest?

Thankfully for Melbourne fans, it seems so. The wheels will really have to fall off for the club to finish last again.

Yes, they’ve lost Brock McLean to Carlton. That is a blow. But the time for the young talent to start stepping up is now.

Last season, it was second-year players Cale Morton and Jack Grimes, as well as the third-year key defender James Frawley, that began that process.

This season, the spark could come from any number of the side’s nine 2009 debutants. And there’ll be plenty of new debutants taking the field as well.

Among those, you’d expect, will be top two draft picks, Tom Scully and Jack Trengove.

Those two, along with Morton, paint a bright picture of the future of the Dees’ midfield. They might not be dominant in the middle just yet, but things should only improve from here.

In defence, with guys like Colin Garland, Frawley, Grimes – all young – and Jared Rivers – in his mid-20s – things stack up a bit better.

Last season’s biggest losing margin was 66 points, compared to the seven losses of more than 70 points they copped a year earlier. The backs are doing their job.

Up forward, right now things don't look too good. There really isn’t too much quality running around. The hope for 2010 will be that young talent like Liam Jurrah and Jack Watts can show progress.

Of the older brigade, Aaron Davey will be coming off a brilliant year in which he successfully moved into more of a midfield role. Colin Sylvia was another to show improvement.

On the whole, however, the Dees are developing all over the ground.

So whilst a better year than 2009 should be expected, a sudden rise to top eight contention shouldn’t.

Prediction: 12th-15th

Premiership: $151 (16th)
Top 8: $6.50 (16th)
Wooden spoon: $4 (=2nd)

Source: TAB Sportsbet

Tom Scully gives us a taste of what we're in for.

Round 1: v Hawthorn, MCG, Fox
Round 2: v Collingwood, MCG, Fox
Round 3: v Adelaide, MCG, Fox
Round 4: v Richmond, MCG, Fox
Round 5: v Brisbane Lions, MCG, Fox

There are other things Twenty20 can teach NBL

2010-01-22T23:59:00.010+11:00

A family of four can go see the Victorian Bushrangers for $25. That's one dollar less than the cost of the cheapest single adult ticket to see the Melbourne Tigers.

The Tigers' cheapest family ticket will set you back - wait for it - $91.

Don't believe it? See for yourself.

Now, look at those prices and tell me which team competes in that hot new competition everyone wants to be seen at, and which one competes in the NBL.

I don't get a lot of satisfaction out of pointing out stuff like this. But I love my basketball and living without a team for a whole season - and most likely another one yet if early indications are anything to go by - does things to my young mind.

I start to wonder what it would be like to live in a world where broadcasters like One HD and sponsors like Foot Locker, Nike et al would feel more comfortable with aligning themselves with the NBL rather than starting their own domestic competition instead.

But back on topic, it must be said that ticket prices aren't the only issue at hand.

A few nights back I enjoyed a rare night with an Austar remote in hand. I was channel-surfing between a Twenty20 Big Bash game at the Gabba and an NBL game in Perth.

There was a difference between the two that really irked me. It was the music.

At the Gabba, they were pumping out all the latest tunes. You know, Ke$ha and La Roux and David Guetta and all that crap the kiddies dig these days.

At Perth, they did whip out a little bit of that stuff. But only when the cheerleaders were out. (How family friendly, right?)

The overwhelming majority of the playlist was stuff that was seemingly popular before I was even born. It was very much like that 101 80s Hits CD that was going around last year.

Just who is that music going to drag in to the arena?

Seriously, I really want to know the answer to that.

With all the talk of the new Foot Locker Elite Classic High Stakes Hoops - is there a shorter way to say that? - being modelled on Twenty20, one hopes that influence extends beyond new rule gimmicks, and that it filters back to our main domestic competition.

There's a lot that the NBL, the Elite Classic and basketball at the elite level in general can learn from Twenty20 cricket.

Let's hope the lessons can be heeded.

What if Melbourne Heart can't pull a crowd?

2009-12-23T21:46:00.000+11:00

Around this time last year I wrote a particularly rosy-sounding article about the prospect of Melbourne having a second A-League team. (And, if you don't mind me saying, it was one of the most creative-sounding articles I've ever written, so please click on the link if you haven't already read it.)

A year on, the whole idea behind the introduction of Melbourne Heart (if that is their real name) still seems pretty solid.

Some might question the timing, but what other option is there? Wait until Melbourne Victory grow even more and leave even less room for a competitor to be introduced?

Some might question why another Melbourne team got the nod against others, but - as I discovered this week road-tripping up to Cairns - there are a couple of good reasons behind that.

At several stops throughout the beautiful state of Queensland, I picked up a copy of the Courier Mail, the major daily paper of Brisbane. Inside was a similar level of coverage to the code formerly known as soccer than what's offered down here in the Herald Sun.

But there was a key difference. A lot of that coverage was about the A-League, as opposed to stories about how Aussies are doing abroad, or what Cristiano Ronaldo is up to.

They ran stories on North Queensland Fury, they ran stories on Gold Coast United, they ran stories on Brisbane Roar.

They previewed the entire weekend's matches, as opposed to the Herald Sun's usual token who-Victory-are-playing-this-week with a paragraph on the "player to watch" from each team.

More teams equals more headlines. It's a simple equation.

Not that headlines are the be-all and end-all, of course. But a big driving force behind the "code wars" going on at the moment is the desire to simply have a "presence".

The AFL certainly doesn't want to be left behind in New South Wales and Queensland, that's what won over the 16 club presidents in regards to the expansion issue.

The A-League shouldn't want to be left behind in Victoria. Two Melbourne teams would go a long way toward boosting the league's presence.

Finally, some might question where Melbourne Heart will get its fans from. A year ago, I acknowledged this was an issue but that it was not impossible to overcome.

After all, with the right moves being made, it's hard to see Heart doing any worse crowd-wise than the Gold Coast at the moment, or some of the original teams in their first season for that matter.

What's wrong with an expansion team averaging close to or perhaps even around 10,000 supporters per game?

Then, on the way home from my road trip, it hit me. I was on the train passing Hisense Arena when it happened. I was surprised it hadn't occurred to me earlier.

When you're playing out of a venue controlled by the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust that holds 30,000 people - as Heart will be - there is something decidedly wrong with averaging close to or around 10,000 supporters.

Somebody has to foot the rental bill.

Hisense Arena has killed an NBL team or two (the Victoria Titans-turned-Giants) with its high rental costs. It made another (the South Dragons) bleed millions in its formative years and forced the only remaining Melbourne side (the Tigers) to the 3,500-seat State Netball and Hockey Centre shortly after the place opened.

During the Dragons time in the NBL, rental costs were bemoaned by management and fans alike. Although no figure was ever officially uttered, it seemed as though without an average of 4,000 or more, the venue was simply unviable over consecutive seasons.

Hisense Arena's capacity is around 10,000.

The new "bubble dome" will have a capacity around 30,000.

If the MOPT keep their track record - and it's hard to see why they wouldn't - Melbourne Heart would need to fill about 40% of the venue on average. That's 12,000 fans.

Only three A-League teams pulled those crowds in their first season.

It will be interesting to see what would happen if Heart fall well below that mark. Basketball never got any concessions, and as a result they were - and still are - in need of a more suitable venue. Something that's not too small and not too big.

With Olympic Park Stadium soon to be out of the picture, where is there for Melbourne Heart to run to when things go bad?

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Hopefully we don't get the same stadium-related madness Clive Palmer dumped on the Gold Coast this season.

That would be the last thing the A-League wants.

Now's not the time to look down on Dragons

2009-06-01T21:22:00.006+10:00

As a South Dragons fan, there's one thing that gets on my nerves more than anything else about the fact the club will be spending a year – at best – in exile, with the very real possibly of never returning.

It has nothing to do with Mark Cowan and how the club has handled things.

It has nothing to do with Seamus McPeake and how the Melbourne Tigers have 'dogged' their rivals once again.

It has nothing to do with (pre-Larry Sengstock) Basketball Australia and how their failure to deliver on promises forced both clubs into rebellion in the first place.

It has nothing to do with (Larry Sengstock-led) Basketball Australia and how, according to Cowan, the Dragons didn’t get any of the information – if it even existed – that was used to force the Tigers’ hand.

Rather, it is the knowledge that were the South Dragons introduced today, they would thrive.

The NBL of late 2005 – when Cowan obtained the license of the old Victoria Giants – was not ready for the vision of him and his team. Back then, the concept of reform wasn't taken anywhere near as seriously as it should've been.

The NBL was a league where clubs had to spend more money than they should to have a genuine shot at winning the championship. This was a practice that the Dragons, from the outside looking in, were reluctant to partake in.

Sure, they were big spenders. But it seemed that they’d rather get stuck into promoting their games, putting on a show to gather return visits and, more importantly, set a new benchmark for the rest of the league to follow.

You know, like Melbourne Victory did with the A-League.

But the difference between the two clubs was the environment around them. Victory’s opponents were bound by a salary cap; the Dragons’ opponents were bound by a salary cap that wasn’t policed.

Some of those opponents, for obvious reasons, weren’t profitable. And when their owners ran out of money – or, in the case of the Sydney Kings and their infamous owner Tim Johnston, out of the country – no investor wanted to touch the damn clubs.

At the same time, the Dragons languished down the bottom half of the ladder, accumulating an embarrassing number of losses. The lack of success was hurting the club.

Responsibility was eventually thrown out the window, with the Dragons belatedly joining the group of clubs with suspiciously ‘stacked’ rosters. It won them a championship from finishing last place just a season earlier.

But it was a sad consequence of how the ‘old NBL’ operated.

Any league that forces clubs to ‘sell out’ to win a championship has a serious problem. Clubs shouldn’t have to compromise on what’s best for the game just to taste success.

Thankfully, it’s all in the past.

Despite some concerns that the previous set-up was to remain, recent reports suggest there will, in fact, be a policed salary cap in the ‘new NBL’.

The clubs in the league are more committed to reform than ever, even if it will be stagnated over another thrown-together season.

With a level playing field in place and other clubs committed, the obstacles that held back the Dragons in their initial years are far less evident. The league is ready for a benchmark-setting, Dragons-like club to step in and lead the way.

You know, like Melbourne Victory did with the A-League.

Unfortunately, it seems the opposite is happening. Instead, the Dragons are being looked down on as traitors, as part of the old days where owners controlled the game and drove their own agendas.

In a way, it’s true. That does reflect how the club acted, even though my personal opinion is that BA have more to answer for in that little saga, but to only look at their recent history is to ignore all the good they had been doing for the game.

What really gets me riled is that the same people who have been looking down on the Dragons – and even though I love his work, I am thinking of Boti Nagy as I write this – are now welcoming Seamus McPeake back into the fray with open arms.

Is there anyone still involved in the game today that embodies the bad ways of the past more than McPeake?

In an ironic way, the Dragons – before the days of excessive player spending – embodied more of what basketball should aspire to than probably any of the clubs that will partake in the upcoming season.

Right now, the new league needs more South Dragons about it than some people’s pride will let on.

How did basketball's reform get to this?

2009-05-12T20:00:00.002+10:00

If long posts aren't your thing, avoid this one. I'm finding it hard to string together a coherent post on recent events, so you'll have to put up with this copy-and-paste-induced trip through time for now.

When the long-anticipated review in to basketball was tabled in September of last year, this was what I wrote:

Listed in the review are four key objectives for the next four years.
These include doubling player registrations to 500,000, an amicable
target; being ranked by FIBA in the top three nations in the world, we're
already second so that can't be too hard; and also reducing government funding
to 25% or less.
But the big one is, obviously, the aim to become a "Top 3 recognized sport
measured by viewers/attendees."

Dragons co-owner Raphael Germinder also recalled the promises made back then on the weekend:

(The reform's) charter was to deliver financial stability, broadcasting of
all games, government funding, a new governance and leadership group, a viable
budget to connect with community and market the game, adequate player salaries
to attract the best talent and finally playing a different period in the
year.

So basically, at this point in time, it was all happy-happy joy-joy. They were big goals, but they weren't unattainable.

Things soon started to go wrong, however. Grantley Bernard's November 14 column in the Herald Sun raised brewing concerns:

But just what is going to be different about the relaunched competition other
than its name?
Are the teams going to change? No.
Are the venues going to change? No.
Is the level of play going to change? No.
Maybe the only thing you can really change about the new NBL is the
perception.

Two days earlier, then-CEO of Basketball Australia Scott Derwin dropped a bombshell with a throw-away line in The Australian:

"We are also looking at doing away with the salary cap."

At this point, the promises stemming from the review into the sport and early discussions on what the New NBL would look like were starting to fade away.

But Derwin felt there was no need to panic, assuring us in that same article:

"But with a new NBL, new criteria, we as a national body would be silly not
to have a team playing out of Brisbane.
"A decision will be made by late January or early February."

It's interesting, in light of recent events, that once upon a time BA expected to know about the inclusion of a team by late January or early February.

Anyways, by December I was on my soap box:

Since the document's release back in September, the sport's interim
administration has been disturbingly contradicting many of the review's
recommendations. [...]
We may just end up seeing the exact same teams, give or take a Sydney-based
side, of course. [...]
According to the timeline set out by the review, "key appointments" were
supposed to take place in November. [...]
And it seems key appointments are not the only area that has been running
behind schedule. The release of the review was delayed. Voting on the review's
recommendations was delayed. Question marks surround whether or not bids coming
out of Brisbane and Sydney can be prepared in time.
Running on such a tight schedule puts the sport in a dangerous position. If
history is anything to go by, this is a frightening proposition. Remember that
the Razorbacks becoming the Sydney Spirit was a decision made on a short time
frame. Allowing Tim Johnston to own the Sydney Kings was a similarly rushed
decision. What about the move to summer?

Also around this time, the first real key decision the "new" BA involved itself in, the establishment of the Sydney Spirit, proved to be the failure everyone expected it to be. I wrote about that issue here.

By the end of the month, Grantley Bernard was producing some of his sharpest work yet again:

Seriously, the proposed reform of basketball in Australia, especially the NBL
as the masthead of the game, is not reform. It is more like an adjustment that
will have the NBL, or whatever it is going to be called, heading down a familiar
path. [...]
The most visible aspect of the reform process, the NBL, its teams and games,
will not change to the extent that people see change. [...]
The NBL needs to take a big dose of reform. All it is getting is a spoonful
of adjustment.

Exacerbating fears over a lack of change, it was even reported that the new league would bear the exact same name as the old one, the NBL.

In the next few months the focus shifted to the thrilling finish to the present NBL season. But the fact there was little reform news over this period would've been a factor in this.

A team in Sydney had not been found. A team in Brisbane had not been found. There were no major announcements late in January or early in February, despite the claims by BA there would be.

A post over at Scibz' Spiel looked at the timeline set out by the review and noted how behind things had become:

It's January 2009 and the important step of accepting expressions of interest
from current and prospective team owners is yet to be taken. In fact, the most
recent closing date given for applicants was January 16, which appears a
pipedream considering the interim board hasn't even finalised what the criteria
for licenses will be.

And another important grab from that post:

After the recent resignation of interim CEO Scott Derwin, the leadership
waters have only become murkier.

From this point on, BA were well and truly behind schedule.

The new bids they were expecting didn't eventuate, and even current clubs struggled with the criteria. The search for a new leader (although didn't Derwin always carry that "interim" tag anyways?) complicated things further.

Without the new bids, the reform could never gain any momentum, particularly with the rapidly shortening time frame. Sponsors were never going to warm to a Sydney-less and Brisbane-less league.

Going on recent reports, Fox Sports didn't like it either.

My thoughts following Larry Sengstock's belated appointment last month as the new CEO summed up the lack of progress:

There is, however, enough of a reason to remain cautious in spite of today's
announcement. Like how ridiculously deep into the reform process this
appointment is, for example.
The new NBL is only – supposedly – six months away.
We haven't got any idea on which teams will be competing. We haven't got any
idea on the name of the competition. And it has taken until now just to find
someone to oversee the competition?
The introduction of the new league was always going to be a race against the
clock. But you have to wonder if the sport is rushing into this too fast.

Clearly, I wasn't the only one wondering that.

On Friday, the Dragons pulled out of the 2009/10 season. Their reasoning was perfectly understandable.

A couple of days later, the Melbourne Tigers joined them on the sidelines. Their reasoning was perfectly understandable.

Now, Basketball Australia say they'll press on without them, even if it means enduring another half-arsed season. Their reasoning is, well, I'll let you decide that...

Is 0-3 really that much of a surprise?

2009-04-16T14:45:00.003+10:00

Is it that time of year already? I could've sworn "Annual Bash the Tigers and Call for Terry Wallace's Head Week" occurs during the middle of the season.

Nonetheless, the knives are out, after just three games, and Richmond's clash with Melbourne this week has already been labelled "Bloody Sunday".

Mike Sheahan, in big giant letters on the back page of the Herald Sun, said Wallace is on "death row".

Beneath the hype, it seems everyone is talking about how horrible the Tigers have been.

Under normal circumstances, going in to bat for Richmond is not my style. In fact, I don't think much of Wallace as a coach. His interviews tend to leave me unconvinced and he doesn't have an overwhelming track record when it comes to getting results.

But the past couple of days have been brutal (too brutal, in fact), and I think we should all put the 0-3 start in to some form of perspective.

Just consider a few points:

- The Tigers have been without midfield gem Trent Cotchin since the pre-season.

- The Tigers have been without midfield gem Ben Cousins since round one.

- The Tigers have also missed out on the services of returning stars Andrew Raines and Mark Coughlan.

(As it turns out, all of the above are on the verge of returning in the next couple of weeks.)

- The Tigers are implementing the rolling zone – something that should not be expected to make an impact overnight.

(As it turns out, the side that began the rolling zone craze, Hawthorn, took three years to finally get it right.)

- The Tigers have played three of the competition's best and most in-form sides. They certainly haven't had the benefit of playing a Melbourne, West Coast or Fremantle.

(As it turns out, they get to face Melbourne this week.)

- The Tigers led Geelong, arguably the best side going around at the moment, by one point going into three quarter time.

(As it turns out, even Collingwood couldn't manage such an influence over the Cats beyond the first quarter.)

- The Tigers have played THREE games for crying out loud! The season is still young!

(As it turns out, there are another nineteen rounds of footy still to be played.)

Judging a team on three weeks of the season is absurd, especially the three weeks Richmond have been through. So why don't we just wait until the season has progressed a little further before we start calling for Wallace's head?

His job this year, after all, is to make the finals. He's got another nineteen weeks of footy to meet that challenge.

In the meantime, is it so hard to just give the guy a break?

Photo credit to k-BeckS on Flickr.

Don't get carried away, basketball has a while to go yet

2009-04-07T21:50:00.004+10:00

Basketball Australia announced Larry Sengstock as its new CEO today, along with its new catch-cry "basketball: everyone's game". The sport's administrators have assured us all that they're taking a step in the right direction.

You know, just like they did with the Sydney Spirit.

Just like they did with the Singapore Slingers.

Just like they did with mid-week games.

Just like they did with Rick Burton's appointment.

Just like they did with the move to summer.

Just like, well, you get the idea...

My personal favourite out of the lot comes in the form of this piece in The Age in 2003, which read: "Burton said public negativity made his task greater, but hoped in five years to talk about the 'meteoric rise of the NBL'."

Yes, that's actually what he said.

For the record, at the end of said five-year period, the NBL lost the Sydney Kings and Brisbane Bullets (and the Slingers too, ironically.) It was also forced into a last-minute broadcast deal with Fox Sports well down (both in coverage and financial terms) on the deal from when Burton arrived.

So forgive me for not completely eating up comments like "we are poised on the brink of what could be a new golden age for basketball," as Sengstock indicated today.

It's seems more appropriate to approach this "new age" with caution.

Of course, as a basketball fan, there's always been that instinct to be optimistic about the future. To be optimistic that maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.

Which is why today's CEO announcement was a touch easier to swallow than, say, the Sydney Spirit announcement.

Sengstock's appointment is not in the same league as that of John O'Neill's – the man chosen by Frank Lowy to turn around football – but it is, nonetheless, impressive.

What Sengstock brings to the table is not only a love of the game – Burton, Chuck Harmisson and Scott Derwin all had that down pat – but he also has significant experience working in the Australian sporting landscape outside of basketball.

He was head of sport and athlete services at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and is currently a senior consultant of international projects for SGL Group, a sports consultancy firm.

Another guy plucked straight from the basketball fraternity wouldn't really raise too many eyebrows, let's be honest.

There is, however, enough of a reason to remain cautious in spite of today's announcement. Like how ridiculously deep into the reform process this appointment is, for example.

The New NBL is only – supposedly – six months away.

We haven't got any idea on which teams will be competing. We haven't got any idea on the name of the competition. And it has taken until now just to find someone to oversee the competition?

The introduction of the new league was always going to be a race against the clock. But you have to wonder if the sport is rushing into this too fast.

You don't need me to reel off another multi-paragraph list of examples to know that basketball administrators have a history of rushing into things, too.

The oddest part for mine is that running a September-March season is widely accepted as less than ideal. The season begins during the footy finals (a disaster in terms of generating media attention) and ends at a time when the focus turns right back to footy again (a disaster in terms of generating media attention.)

The start of a new league is the perfect opportunity to make the switch to a more media-friendly schedule once and for all. And best of all, it delays the start of the new competition.

It makes perfect sense, but yet this is another area in which Basketball Australia is opting to take the easy option and stick to the status quo.

Need another example?

The sheer fact they'd even consider running a league in this day and age, in this country, without a salary cap is ludicrous. But it is, after all, easier to stick to the status quo on that front, too.

And what about all those nasty rumours of the New NBL being called the, err, NBL?

Perhaps that'll be Sengstock's biggest challenge in the immediate future: to start making decisions that may not be easy in the short-term, but will reap benefits in the long-term.

Because if that doesn't happen, the game's administrators could really mess things up.

You know, just like they did with the Sydney Spirit.

The Variety Bucket: Happy blog birthday!

2009-04-06T00:01:00.004+10:00

April the 6th marks the anniversary of Best Off Ground's first ever post, a delightful piece about the Wellington Phoenix and their rejection from both Asia's and Oceania's club competitions.

The only regret? I didn't manage to sneak the words "plight of the Phoenix" into the title.

Since then, some 74-odd posts have been added! Hopefully we'll see a lot more in the next 12 months.

Thanks to all my readers and everyone who has helped out over the past year.

The finals format of the future?

2009-03-23T20:08:00.003+11:00

The NBA's Development League, known as the D-League to us younger types, is used as a stepping stone for players, coaches, officials and executives to get to the NBA.

It is also used as a breeding ground for ideas.

One of these ideas, set to be put on trial later this season, could revolutionize the way playoff teams are seeded. Not just in the D-League, not just in the NBA. Many leagues in many sports could use a bit of innovation like this for their post-season showpieces.

The D-League announced this month that it will implement a new seeding system – one where the top seeds get to choose which bottom seed they want to play.

Sounds interesting, right?

In the case of the D-League, there are eight teams. This means that the first-placed side, instead of automatically being drawn against the eight-placed side, will get to choose any side that finished between fifth and eighth.

Then, the second-placed side chooses from the three remaining sides, then the third-placed gets a go and the fourth-placed gets the leftover.

The move makes sense. After all, isn't the whole point of seeding to give the higher finishing teams an advantage?

Why not give them the best possible advantage?

Just because a team finishes lower than another, that does not mean they are necessarily better or easier to beat. Letting them pick and choose ensures they do actually hold the upper hand, not only over the team they are playing, but their fellow seeded teams as well.

Another benefit is the added bit of show-biz to the playoff process.

Rivalries can grow off the back of teams being "called out" by other teams – or by being sent to by a higher seed to an opponent with a strong record against that team.

It gives the whole finals series a strong reality TV feel.

Finally, there is also a renewed emphasis on the regular season.

Under the D-League model, every seeded position genuinely counts for something, which keeps interest rolling as the season goes by. Of course there's no guarantees for the lower seeds, but a lot of these sides are staving off falling below the eight, so interest keeps going there, too.

The current system in the NBA (where first plays eighth) seems on the face of it a fair system. But given how the D-League shifts the power completely into the hands of the higher seeds, the new kid on the block might just upstage the older brother on this issue.

Who knows? Maybe this concept will even filter to Australian shores before too long?

The AFL system has to change once new teams are brought in, and the current set-up is complicated enough already.

(And anyway, I know for a fact Geelong would not have wanted to play Collingwood up front in the finals last year.)

The NRL endures complaints about its first-versus-eighth system every year. Perhaps it may be time to shake things up.

Even if Nathan Jawai is recalled to the Toronto Raptors some time soon, here's one blogger who'll still be keeping an eye on the D-League, if only for their playoff format.

Photo credit to Nick Belardes.

Unlikely heroes give Dragons a championship

2009-03-17T23:10:00.008+11:00

Welcome to the new-look Best Off Ground, look-wise and writing-wise. Of course, there's the new look (but when isn't there a new look, right?) On top of that, if all goes to plan, BOG will become a more lighthearted, thought-provoking read from now on... stay tuned!

Had I not been too lazy/preoccupied and actually bothered to write a preview piece going into the NBL grand final series, the sentence I would've finished with would've read: "My heart says Dragons, but my head says we'll have to wait until game five to find out."

Sure, it wasn't exactly groundbreaking stuff. But at least it was closer to the mark than Grantley Bernard's prediction of 3-1 to the Tigers in the Herald Sun.

As it turned out, the series did go to game five. The South Dragons conquered the Melbourne Tigers with a 3-2 series win.

It was as if the whole thing had been scripted beforehand. Only you can't help but think that some of what happened couldn't be scripted.

Surely, no one would've scripted the MVP would be Donta Smith, of all people.

Surely, no one would've scripted the standout in game five would be Tremell Darden, of all people.

To script such things, one must first forego the notion that imports on Brian Goorjian-coached teams merely fill in the gaps not occupied by local talent. (It's not a steadfast notion, but generally speaking it works.)

You'd be mad to script such things looking at both players' form early on in their Australian stints.

Donta Smith arrived mid-season (his first game was on Boxing Day) and took his time to work into the system.

Tremmell Darden had his fair share of struggles early on. It wasn't until about half way through the season that complaints about his using up of an import slot died down.

But perhaps the most remarkable thing about the performances of these two imports in the grand final series came before they'd even arrived in Australia.

Smith only arrived to replace the injured Cortez Groves. As Joe Ingles said after game five, if Groves was still fit, Smith wouldn't have been called on.

Darden only got his spot after – anyone for irony? – Ebi Ere doggedly ditched the Dragons for – here it is... – the Melbourne Tigers. He almost certainly wouldn't have been here if Ere hadn't gone walkabout.

So, when you sit back and think about it, these two guys were actually second-choice options for Goorjian and the Dragons.

Had a rather exceptional set of circumstances not occurred, neither of them would have found themselves on the Dragons roster.

We would have never got to compare the pair's dunking abilities.

We would have never seen Smith's series-long effort.

We would have never seen Darden's 21-point third quarter in game five.

And maybe – just maybe – we would have never seen a Dragons championship.

But thankfully, things didn't go that way. Instead we got a grand final that will be remembered for years to come.

Whilst the league now faces an uncertain future, the Dragons-Tigers rivalry, on the back of that series, is guaranteed to continue.

Photo courtesy of Joseph on Flickr. (More photos of the game at his website, here.)

Dragons and Tigers closer than they appeared

2009-03-07T14:18:00.003+11:00

You can also read this here.

Before a single game had been played in the NBL season, South Dragons coach Brian Goorjian made some peculiar remarks on the prospects of the cross-town rival Melbourne Tigers.

Speaking in reaction to the hype surrounding the club’s “stacked” roster, Goorjian said: “I don’t see any one in the league near that and I think they are going to have to fall on their own sword or stumble somewhere along the line (not to win it this season).”

“Just talent-wise, in my time in the league, I haven’t seen separation from one team to the rest of the competition like that.”

The irony here?

Now, six months after Goorjian said that the Tigers would have to “fall on their own sword,” his Dragons face the task of beating them in a best-of-five grand final series.

And if the Dragons are to win this series, it won’t be due to a mere Tigers “stumble”.

On Friday night, the series was levelled to one game apiece. Throughout game two, save for a brief lapse in concentration deep in the fourth quarter, the Tigers were looking as dangerous as they have all season.

Even then, they did it with American import Ebi Ere looking unusually-tame.

This came on the back of the team’s barnstorming form since recruiting Luke Kendall and Dave Thomas to come off the bench early in the New Year. Going into the grand final, they had won 12 games from their last 14.

It took some time, but they’re finally living up to some of that pre-season hype, when it was said nobody could defeat them in a five-game series.

But if anyone can put up a challenge, it’s Goorjian and his Dragons. They’re one of the few sides to have the Tigers’ number this year.

In the regular season, the Dragons claimed three Melbourne derbies and lost only one. They also finished atop the NBL ladder in a season it was considered fait accompli that the Tigers would.

Crucially, the men in black also hold home court advantage in games three and five. Although it may not seem like much in a local derby, the two games so far have seen boisterous support given to the home side.

Speaking of the advantage, Goorjian said: “We’ve worked all year for it and we want to maintain it and if we maintain it through the series we win the championship.”

Which is a lot more convincing than the “if the Tigers screw up, we win the championship” line, hey?

The reality is, in spite of talk about stacked rosters and unbeatable teams, this series could fall either way.

Each side goes into the final two or three games of the series – quite likely the final two or three games of the NBL entirely – with their destiny in their own hands.

Tiger fans know that so far in this series, we’re yet to see the best of Ebi Ere. Dragon fans would tell you to expect more out of young sensation Joe Ingles, who was benched at a crucial stage late in game two.

We will find out who can lift their game up a notch tomorrow night, in game three at Hisense Arena.

For the loser, it will take two consecutive wins to claim the championship.

For the winner, they will be just one step away from lifting the trophy.

The Variety Bucket: Making up for lost time...

2009-02-26T22:51:00.004+11:00

I've been away from the blogging scene for a while, so I thought I might drop a few notes while kicking back with Ben Cousins on the tube...

- Year 12 sucks. You can blame that for my absence.

- February/March is a ridiculous time for the NBL finals. How the eff do I get along to Saturday's game when Melbourne Victory are shooting for the A-League grand final at the same time and the Cats have a game on too?

- The Christmas/New Years period would be a far better time for the NBL finals. Get in before the tennis, before the cricket hits prime time, before people start caring about the A-League, before the footy media hype... oh, and capitalize on that whole public holiday thing.

- Ben Cousins hasn't been fabulous tonight. All that talk about taking some time to settle in was right on the money.

- Dream Team has a tendency to take over my life. You can also blame that for my absence.

- Where have all the Victory scarves gone? This time two years ago, they were EVERYWHERE!!!

- Signing Carlos Hernandez is a no-brainer. Pay whatever the Costa Ricans want. Remember, it took Fred half a season to settle into that attacking midfielder role. It took Carlos an entire season. Who knows if someone of their calibre can be found for a third time?

- There should be a rule: tickets for the first round of any finals series should be EXACTLY the same price as their regular season equivalents.

- Adidas are ruining the football guernsey.

Confusion reigns in Docklands' name game

2009-02-26T22:20:00.000+11:00

For anyone headed to the A-League grand final on Saturday night, here’s a warning: stick around too long after the final whistle and the stadium you leave may carry a completely different name to the one you arrived at.

As of Sunday, Telstra Dome will become Etihad Stadium.

This comes just over six years after Colonial Stadium became Telstra Dome.

Which itself came less than three years after the stadium opened.

Which is a scary thought, really. Three different names in the space of a decade is hardly a decent track record.

And it seems with each name change, opposition to the concept builds.

Throughout the decade, quite a number of organizations have rebelled against the venue’s ridiculous name game. The ABC, for example, has referred to the ground as “Docklands Stadium” since its opening.

More recently, AFL clubs with major sponsors that rival Telstra have been known to refer to the ground as simply “the Dome”.

But this latest change has managed to irk a much larger stakeholder – the AFL itself. The league refuses to recognize the Etihad deal.

The official line is that the AFL wants to protect its own sponsor, Qantas. Yet the league’s biggest club, Collingwood, is sponsored by Emirates. Figure that one out.

For a more accurate reasoning behind the league’s steadfast opposition, one must look no further than the legal stoush between the AFL and stadium management.

The two are headed for the Supreme Court over a range of issues – naming rights being just one of them – with the AFL primarily seeking better venue deals for its clubs. Current arrangements make it hard for Melbourne-based clubs to compete with others that have far more friendly deals.

“From our perspective, we will call it Telstra Dome or Docklands Stadium until this issue is resolved,” chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan told the Herald Sun this week.

“We would be very keen to reach an agreement but the ball is in their court.”

The official 2009 fixture refers to the ground as Telstra Dome. The league also reportedly sent a memo out to its clubs urging them to not acknowledge the Etihad moniker.

Given the fear over the viability of clubs like the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne – both Dome tenants – the AFL is right to push the issue. By not recognizing the Etihad deal, they will be rocking an already-shaky boat.

Because as it is, with parties divided over the name change, fans would be forgiven for not knowing what to call the venue in 2009.

The sign out the front will say Etihad. The AFL will say Telstra. Certain clubs will call it “the Dome” again. Other factions will stick to “Docklands”.

Right now, there is no clear frontrunner for what supporters will call the place from Sunday onwards.

It’s one thing for organizations such as the ABC or the AFL to rebel against naming rights, but will the wider public join in too?

Sheer confusion may be enough to force their hands.

Variety Bucket: An all-Melbourne NBL grand final?

2009-01-29T11:29:00.007+11:00

Head over to The Roar for my two cents on the rest of the NBL season. Really, it all comes down to the Breakers. They're the only ones capable of crashing this Rod Laver Arena-bound party.

(If only there wasn't a Kings of Leon concert on the night of game five!)

I guess after tonight we'll know how much to read into their recent run of losses.

Also, apologies for a lack of posting. The only reason I'm writing now is because school was cancelled. I love heat waves...

Expect a bit more regularity now that the routine of school life is starting to kick in.

EDIT: The air-conditioner is broken. So I actually hate heat waves now...

EDIT AGAIN: Dragons 101, Breakers 94. For the most part, it wasn't even that close. Need I say more?

Tomic barely puts a foot wrong in first steps as pro

2009-01-19T18:36:00.001+11:00

Fourth set. Tie-break. The younger-than-me teen sensation Bernard Tomic was leading two sets to one. Potito Starace was trying to even it up with two set points in hand.

The kid had never even seen what a fourth set looked like before. It was his first ever grand slam match as a pro.

But regardless, with the same fighting spirit Australian tennis was once renowned for, Tomic struck.

Starace’s advantage was wiped clear. Then it was Tomic holding set, err, match point. And then, with that backhand that is quickly becoming his trademark, Tomic was through to the second round of the Australian Open. 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6.

At 16, he became the youngest ever winner in the men’s draw of the Open.

How fitting is it that in a year when there are no genuine Aussie contenders to claim the men’s or women’s title, that Tomic would emerge in the way he did?

Of course it is too early to go around bandying him as the saviour – despite what a rogue editor on his Wikipedia thinks – but he can at least provide us all with some hope for the future. He’s someone we can get excited about.

The setting was perfect. Tournament organizers could’ve easily thrust him onto the big stage under the bright lights of Rod Laver or Hisense Arena, but instead chose the open-air Margaret Court Arena.

Far away enough from the spotlight, but still accessible for the fans lucky enough to find a seat.

Tomic himself at times appeared uneasy. Nerves must’ve played a big part in him dropping multiple set points in both the first and third sets, only to recover in the tie-break.

He might as well have sat out in the second set, which he lost 1-6.

But that could all be forgotten with just a mere glimpse of that killer backhand – something that never failed to ignite the small but patriotic crowd.

Channel Seven ran updates throughout the match covering the number of backhand winners each player had. At a late stage in the broadcast, Tomic lead the stat 18-1.

An enjoyable sight came near the end of the fourth set, when Starace appeared agitated by his young opponent.

Which was great. Tomic proved that not only can he make the leap from junior to pro, but he can even ruffle some feathers in the process.

It certainly came out of the blue for someone of his experience to be playing with such confidence at such crucial stages in the match. How many elite players can say they won three tie-breaks in their grand slam debut?

Nobody can say Tomic is out of his depth.

Better yet, nobody can say Australian tennis has dropped off the map completely. Even if, for the first time in a long time, we haven’t produced a “contender”.

In completely unrelated news, another Aussie youngster Brydan Klein defeated German Bjorn Phau in four sets.

Jelena Dokic’s comeback got off to a smooth start also, beating Tamira Paszek. More Aussies will be in action later tonight and tomorrow.

But enough about that, today’s accolades belong to Tomic.

Calling him the saviour may not be appropriate just yet, but at least he’s given us all something to look forward to.

The Open is here, even if Aussies are not

2009-01-16T10:23:00.001+11:00

It’s time to slap on the sunscreen, jump on V/Line and head to Melbourne Park, because my favourite time of the year has arrived. The Australian Open for 2009 begins next week and there is no shortage of talking points.

It seems that this year, those points are beginning and ending not with which Aussies fair a chance – unfortunate as that may be – but with one Andy Murray.

The Scot is yet to win a grand slam title, but many expect that that he will break that duck right here in Melbourne in just a couple of week’s time. There’s some pretty substantial evidence to back up this assumption, too.

Just look at his track record so far in ’09: he’s beaten Roger Federer – twice – as well as Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick. All in the space of two tournaments, no less.

Then go back to ’08 and the promise he showed: winning the Masters tournaments in Cincinnati and Madrid, producing an inspired run at Wimbledon and making the U.S. Open final a month later. He was the fourth-highest earner on the men’s tour.

The wave of momentum he’s riding right now can’t be a fluke. It has been building since the middle of last year and from what we’ve seen so far this year, it hasn’t slowed down.

Its little wonder pundits are so eager to slap the “favourite” tag on him for Melbourne.

But one mustn’t get too carried away, there are actually factors working against Murray, too. Like how his form in Melbourne hasn’t left much to be desired.

Last year, he dropped out in the first round. In 2006, it was the same. Only his fourth round exit in ’07 serves to bolster his case.

Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, has not disgraced himself in lead-up events – bowing out to Murray and “my man” Gael Monfils at the business end of both tournaments. Yet many expected more from the world number one.

Nadal has not gotten past the semi finals in either of the hard court slams – the Australian and U.S. Opens – but famously claimed Wimbledon over Roger Federer on grass last year. This suggests he’s been underachieving on the supposedly “neutral” hard courts.

One thing’s for sure: he’s no longer playing the role of number two. He’s ranked number one. He’ll be seeded number one. But can he play like a number one?

His predecessor in that regard, Roger Federer, has an interesting 2009 ahead of him. This year will in all likeliness determine just where his place in history lies.

Yes, last year he still managed to win the U.S. Open, but he also lost at Wimbledon, on his preferred surface of grass. And since his victory in New York, he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire.

The Swiss last won a title in October.

It’s too early to write off a player of Federer’s quality, particularly at an event he’s enjoyed so much success at. However you get the feeling it will take something truly special for him to prove the critics wrong this time.

Another player who has enjoyed success in Melbourne, last year’s champ Novak Djokovic, is putting his hand up once again and rounds out what is looking like “the big four”.

That said, even he is looking shaky on the form front. He lost out in the first round of the Brisbane International the other week.

But don’t worry, it was the racquet’s fault, honest…

Behind the pack there is always one man who can pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in Melbourne. Think Marcos Baghdatis. Think Fernando Gonzalez. Think Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Three straight years, three straight finalists nobody expected to be finalists.

And with the fact that none of the big four are unbeatable in hand, there is a good chance that this year will be no different.

I could talk all day – and kinda already have – about the potential of unheralded Frenchman Gael Monfils. He’s shown how to light up Melbourne Park before, and after missing out on last year’s tournament to injury, he’ll be ready to pick up where he left off.

Another name bandied around with “upset potential” written all over him is Gilles Simon, also from France. Despite being ranked number seven in the world, he’s virtually unheard of in Australian circles – a dangerous mix in Melbourne, it seems.

No matter who ends up lifting the trophy, it’s sure to be another cracking Open.

Let the two weeks of madness begin.

Winning Melbourne hearts a matter of perspective

2009-01-14T14:58:00.003+11:00

Warning: This piece is the product of a 1am creativity spurt. If it does not meet your usual quality expectations of Best Off Ground (which I assume aren’t that high in the first place), you’ll know why…

When the FFA unveils the A-League’s eleventh and twelve franchises later this year, it is a near-certainty one of those will fall to the consortium seeking to form a second Victorian club, who are tentatively known as Melbourne Heart.

Reports indicate the club will base itself and train at Casey Fields, in Melbourne’s Southeast, and play out of the new ‘bubble’ stadium and…

“Wait, hold on. What is this? Another team for Melbourne? Don’t they already have the Victory? Surely the FFA has rocks in their head…”

Yes there is Victory, but in a sports market the size of Melbourne, games need to be held more regularly than just every second week (or once a month, as has been the case with Victory on occasions.) Having a game a week in Melbourne will keep media interest constant and ensure the A-League doesn’t drop off the radar.

“Yes, but just look at Victory. They are embedded in the Melbourne sporting landscape, and are doing a darn good job of representing the A-League. Now they want to bring in a new team five years later?”

Five years may seem big now, but consider this: Liverpool was formed 14 years after Everton. Look at those two now. AC Milan and Inter Milan were formed over eight years apart. Even Bayern Munich was formed 40 years after the cross-town 1860, and they play out of the same stadium!

“Ah yes, the stadium. WTF? How can they make it work playing out of the same stadium as Victory? At least a second team in Sydney would be based away from the SFS…”

Don’t forget venue sharing is commonplace in the AFL – the nine local teams play out of just two stadiums. It doesn’t seem to bother them. Heck, even Geelong has a couple of home games in Melbourne each year.

“But how does it work? The bids surrounding Sydney – West Sydney and Wollongong – appeal to a completely different audience to Sydney FC.”

That’s true. But remember, what works for Sydney does not necessarily work for Melbourne. Sydney is a spread out place and whilst Melbourne is not immune to this, the city does have a more ‘centralized’ nature. This also helps to explain the recently mentioned venue sharing culture.

“But even those AFL teams had suburban – geographically distinct – roots. The only other two-team sport in town, basketball, worked its way to two teams via – now this is kinda funny – the collapsed merger of two rivals being re-born with a completely new and separated brand following a two-year hiatus.”

Ah, now we’re closing in on agreement.

“Really? So that’s it? It’s impossible. After all that, this new team is screwed?”

I don’t think the message to get out of the other codes is geography is the all-important deciding factor. But there certainly does need to be something to ‘get the ball rolling’, so to speak. And one thing’s for sure: copying Victory is destined to fail. They’ve already found their audience.

“So just where is this un-tapped audience hiding?”

Aside from the inevitable bandwagon jumpers stemming from the World Cup – which will conveniently wrap up within months of the new club’s first game – there are the Euro-loving fans who snub the A-League (presumably) over a lack of quality.

“Good luck getting the Euro-lovers off their couches. The A-League is no EPL, remember.”

There is a club that for most issues expansion teams should avoid looking to for advice, but in this particular instance is useful: Sydney FC. Players (and even coaches) of international renown, such as Dwight Yorke and Juninho, successfully got these fans through the gates. Who knows what the crowds would’ve been like had they got the rest of their house in order?

“So basically, they need to be a ‘bling’ club?”

I think the signing of players (and maybe even coach) is where the learning from Sydney FC should end. Community engagement is a must, and there is enough room in a city as big as Melbourne to manage this between two clubs. But the bling tag would certainly contrast to the way Victory operates, and it seems to be creating a lot of hype on the Gold Coast, so it could prove useful.

“So that’s how they appeal to a different audience than Victory?”

Yep. They’ve got to be more adventurous. Stand out. Have flair. Generate publicity where it otherwise wouldn’t be generated. And maybe a returning Socceroo or two might help also, especially on the back of South Africa. If they stand still and just 'blend in', you'd have to wonder if that proverbial ball will ever start rolling.

“And once the ball is rolling, the rest will take care of itself?”

I doubt there’s anyone who thinks the A-League in Melbourne has reached its pinnacle. Some optimists will tell you the Victory will be on par with some of the stronger AFL clubs before too long. In the meantime, it’s about finding a place for all these new fans to go. Then hopefully one day, we’ll have our very own Merseyside Derby right here in our own backyard.

36ers, and NBL, better off after Hodge fiasco

2009-01-11T21:45:00.000+11:00

Perhaps it was fitting that in a year where media, sponsors, marquee clubs and unstable owners have all deserted the NBL, the league’s best player departed in the manner he did.

Julius Hodge sensationally left the Adelaide 36ers and the league in a mess last week, walking out on the club by not showing up to the nationally televised clash with Wollongong.

What was scary was the source of the fiasco: a pay dispute.

For a moment it looked like amateur hour at the NBL all over again, as if clubs struggling to see out the season hadn’t already sent that signal to mainstream sports fans. Only there was more to this story than what the words “pay dispute” imply.

The 36ers fronted the media and told their side of the story. Hodge then “hit back” via a YouTube video. So we’ve heard both sides of this story.

Neither of them paint Julius Hodge in a good light.

The dispute arose after payments did not arrive in Hodge’s American bank account. This was reported well before Hodge’s walkout, when it was also revealed the import played two games without having that money in the bank.

The article in the Adelaide Advertiser also stressed that the missed payment was due to the fact the bank code provided by Hodge was missing four digits.

“It cleared my account on the 19th,” club owner Mal Hemmerling said. “Because (the bank) didn’t have the four-digit code, it was held in a transfer account.”

“As far as I’m aware, the transfer has gone through as of today.”

That was back on the 2nd of January. A clearly embarrassed 36ers management followed that up by bringing forward the remainder of Hodge’s salary up front.

Hodge conceded in his YouTube clip – which has suspiciously been removed – that what was initially reported in the media was true.

“It came out and I was upset and I went to the management and I said ‘Who would leak this story?’” he revealed. “No one had any answers but, you know, it was the truth.”

Curiously, he then went on to take aim at 36ers management because of the problem.

It’s strange how Hodge can on one hand acknowledge a story saying the payment issues were not the fault of the 36ers to be true and then in the same eight minutes of YouTube footage whinge about the club letting him down over those exact same payment issues.

As a matter of fact, it’s hard to trawl through the footage and find anything that disputes what the 36ers have said.

It was also contradictory to see Hodge play in games without pay, yet walk out on the club after they brought forward his entire salary.

Hodge took to the court on December 27 against the Tigers and on New Year’s Eve against the Blaze. Both games were in the time period where it was reported money wasn’t going into the star’s bank account.

It provokes suspicion that he walked out after it was reported the money owed reached his bank account and the 36ers moved all future payments forward. In fact, it has been revealed the club even set up an Australian bank account to avoid any future troubles.

No one can dispute they went out of their way to rectify the situation.

“To me the problem was he wasn’t going to train or wasn’t going to play until he got his money. Well he’s got his money and he’s not here, so you can do the maths yourself,” said a rightly peeved Sixers coach Scott Ninnis after Hodge’s no-show on game night.

In a blog post on that same day, Hodge spoke in length about his desire to return to the NBA and praised New Jersey Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe for helping him with his shooting during his pre-season stint with the club.

His mind clearly seemed elsewhere and conspiracy theorists amongst the Sixers cognoscenti suggest the payment fiasco was just an excuse.

At the end of the day, whether it was an excuse or not, Hodge doesn’t come out of this looking full of class.

He strung the club along until ten minutes before tip-off as to whether he would be playing or not. He fronted YouTube, but not the media. He pulled the old “take the money and run” move.

It’s fitting, then, that in the post-Hodge era, the 36ers are 2-0 and charging towards the playoffs. Scott Ninnis says it will be great not having the distraction of Hodge around anymore.

The NBL can be thankful that there wasn’t the same media beat-up seen twice already this season with the demise of the Sydney Spirit and Cairns Taipans.

You’d have to say both organizations are grateful this is all in the past and that a cracking finals series is just around the corner.

Predictions: Who will win what in 2009...

2008-12-30T22:15:00.004+11:00

As I sat down to write this piece, I quickly realized that it'd be near-on impossible not to be biased. When you're a fan of the South Dragons, Melbourne Victory and Geelong – all genuine contenders in '09 – it's hard to side against your own mob.

But nevertheless, I've had to accept reality and that has meant that I did not end up going with all three of my teams in this instance. Well, almost. Once you get to the A-League you'll know what I mean.

Anyways, here is my light-hearted assessment of what silverware will be going where in 2009...

Australian Open (mens): Rafael Nadal

Nadal has won both the French and Wimbledon titles and is on track to become the Australian champ. As for his opponent, it's hard to proclaim before we see the seeding, but my tip for surprise finalists (there's one every year) is Gael Monfils. The unheralded Frenchman is ready to explode.

Betfair is paying $130 for him to win it, you know, if you're into that sort of thing...

Australian Open (womens): Serena Williams

I'm saying this less-confidently than the men's winner. Actually, I'm only really putting my money on Serena because she's in my SuperTennis team.

A-League premiership: Adelaide United

They can have it. Even if some fans like the romance of the regular season, all the clubs really strive for is winning the championship.

Super Bowl: Tennessee Titans

Do I have any idea what I'm talking about when I say this? Not really. Heck, I'm a Detroit Lions fan – the team mocked the world over for finishing 0-16. But seriously, the Titans started the season well and currently sit atop ESPN's power rankings, so they're a good enough choice for me.

A-League championship: (Insert team here) beating Adelaide United

I won't be able to confidently say Victory until the next two matches are over with (they are against the only two teams above us, Queensland and Adelaide). But I've already decided the loser of the grand final, as United have clearly overtaken Port as Adelaide's chokers.

They can win a semi final, a preliminary final, even a Club World Cup play-in game, but a grand final? History says it, that's just beyond them.

NBL championship: South Dragons

After another thirty-something-point thrashing on Boxing Day, Brian Goorjian's Dragons are showing no signs of slowing down. Only problem is that elephant in the room, the Melbourne Tigers.

If those two teams meet in the GF, I can guarantee I'll do this.

Indian Premier League: Kolkata Knight Riders

Why, yes. Yes I did just pick the team with the coolest name.

The Ashes: see below

If Ricky Ponting is captain, it will be England. If he isn't it, will be Australia. Yes, it is as simple as that. Maybe it's time we gave this guy a crack at the captaincy.

NHL Stanley Cup: Detroit Red Wings

Again, I must plead bias. The Sharks are, admittedly, capable of stopping them. But I don't see it happening. As for their opponents, the Washington Capitals is my tip. Why? Alex Ovechkin, that's why.

NBA championship: LA Lakers

I'm no fan of big market teams. But it appears that the Lakers and Celtics are the two standouts yet again. So it pains me to say the Lakers will be able to reverse last year's result.

AFL premiership: Geelong

Ultimately, Geelong's half-arsed attempts at building a "dynasty" will be eclipsed by the much-younger Hawks. But until then, redemption is on the minds of Cats players. 2009 will be their year.

Richmond and Carlton will make the eight. Guaranteed.

NRL premiership: Who cares?

I'm hearing rumours Benji Marshall is going to defect to union. There goes my last excuse to watch the NRL. Well, okay, I still have a soft spot for Souths. But they aren't exactly going gangbusters on the field now, are they?

FIFA Club World Cup: Newcastle Jets

That was a joke, by the way. The Jets are screwed. They're not gonna get past the group stage of the Champions League the way their list is bleeding players right now. I just really needed a good excuse to get that off my chest.

That's pretty much the only reason I wrote any of this, actually.

Are organized flares a solution for the A-League?

2008-12-30T19:01:00.005+11:00

Tomorrow night, millions of Aussies across capital cities and regional centres alike will gather to bear witness to organized fireworks displays.

And why wouldn’t they?

They look cool, the kids love ‘em and when properly organized, they are safe, too.

Last Saturday night, over 25,000 at Telstra Dome were treated to a pre-game flare stemming from the Blue and White Brigade, accompanying the message “welcome to hell.”

Now usually, the appearance of a flare at a football match brings about widespread condemnation. Especially in this country.

Yet peculiarly, that was not the case on Saturday night.

The SEN commentary team noted it was an intimidating way to start the game. Two years ago, they would’ve been the first to criticize the “minority” of supporters who don’t have the best interests of the game at heart.

Other Victory supporters at the game noted that the display looked impressive and sent a strong message of support, whilst at the same time trying to not condone the act.

Despite the FFA’s best efforts, flares still remain a part of crowd behaviour at A-League games. All three matches between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory (in both cities) this season have featured flares.

In addition to media outlets and supporters, it can be argued that even the FFA has cooled their stance on the issue. The supporters’ code of conduct is nowhere to be found on the A-League website these days. We’re also not hearing any public statements on the issue after matches.

So have the FFA – and indeed the wider community – accepted flares as a fact of life?

Have they become so prevalent that we’ve given up on condemning and eradicating them?

If that is indeed the case, then we’re all running a pretty big risk. They are dangerous. There is a significant public safety risk. And (now here’s one for the ever-sensitive FFA) they carry negative connotations.

Rather than letting the status quo evolve into something more dangerous, we should start to seek out new and different solutions.

Given the fight so far has been to no avail, perhaps the next attempt to combat flares should set about managing the problem, not continuing the frivolous dream of removing the problem altogether.

Which brings us back to the fireworks. Organized fireworks displays enable everyday Aussies to safely enjoy an otherwise-illegal activity.

So why can’t we do the same with flares?

If A-League clubs were to organize their own flares away from supporters, professionally and safely, as part of the pre-game activities, it would only serve to add to the atmosphere. Just as it did on Saturday night.

It would not interrupt the game itself. More importantly, it would not endanger fans or damage the stadium.

Such a plan would give flares a place at the football. Having that avenue for flares would help dent the motivation of flare-lighters who believe that all they are doing is adding colour to the game.

It appears that little precedent has been set in this area anywhere in the world. The closest a Google search brought to a similar plan is at the MLS' Chicago Fire, where the main supporter group is working with the club and stadium to produce a safe flare display.

There is, it must be said, a genuine chance that a “if we can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach may legitimize the act of lighting flares.

The plan also rests on the notion that most flare-lighters are merely trying to add colour to the game and do not have more sinister motivations.

But if the FFA were serious about minimizing the prevalence of flares that we see at the moment, an out-of-the-box solution may be worth a try.

Besides, just think how many more illegal fireworks would be lit tomorrow night if we had no organized displays.

Accountability not a stop for Spirit ghost train

2008-12-29T19:35:00.001+11:00

All I can say is thank you Grantley Bernard!

As I woke up this morning (okay, maybe it was the afternoon already,) grabbed an Up&Go out of the fridge and sat down to read the sport section, I was pleased to see an article actually addressing the key concerns with the game’s direction right now.

The Herald Sun scribe nailed it almost perfectly, right down to the final paragraph: “The NBL needs to take a big dose of reform. All it is getting is a spoonful of adjustment.”

Bernard is critical of the size of the reform, saying not much will change, and that we’re merely on the same old path we’ve travelled before.

What was surprising, however, was that Bernard placed a lot of the blame on the review itself, when in fact the interim administration has been responsible for deviating from that review with too much consideration towards current stakeholders. Even when those stakeholders are themselves.

Remember, the review outlined “key appointments” were supposed to be made way back in November. Now it looks a certainty that we will welcome in a new year before we do a new management – if we ever will actually see new management at all.

And it is hard to mount a case against the fact they’ve overstayed their welcome.

The first big test for “the new Basketball Australia” was the West Sydney Razorbacks.

It didn’t have to be. They could’ve just sat back and left it as a club matter. But instead, they stuck their hand up and decided to be actively involved in the transition of the Razorbacks to a club encompassing all of Sydney – not just the west.

The plan was flawed from the outset, any Razorbacks or Sydney Kings fan could’ve told you that. Heck, any 16-year-old blogger from down in regional Victoria could’ve told you that.

Yet, on the official Sydney Spirit website, when the name change was announced, Basketball Australia's interim CEO Scott Derwin was quoted as saying “the NBL are supportive of the name change and we believe that it will provide the club the best possible opportunity to capture the full support of the Sydney marketplace.”

Not only did the interim administration support the creation of the Sydney Spirit, but they even unashamedly assumed a hands-on roll in the process.

That much was made abundantly clear in the famous Bendigo Spirit branding squabble. And it came as no surprise to see whose side Basketball Australia ended up taking on that issue.

Now, just five months later, the interim administration is throwing money at the Spirit (money that could be put towards far more useful things like, say, reforming the sport) to effectively clean up the mess it created.

You can’t deny the interim administration have blood on their hands.

Those at the Spirit – owner Greg Evans and CEO Steve Aquilina – certainly make for easy scapegoats. Aquilina even recently referred to the club as the “Sydney Spirit/West Sydney Razorbacks” on the club website – wearing a Razorbacks polo shirt, no less.

But there must also be accountability for those overseeing the transition from above. These are the people that gave approval (and endorsement) to the move. The people that believed the Spirit were “the best possible opportunity to capture the full support of the Sydney marketplace.”

It was the first real test for the interim administration and it was their first big disaster. Their track record is now tainted.

If they’ve failed so miserably at introducing one team in the space of an off-season, how the heck are they going to introduce an entire league (and its eight or so clubs, not to mention a coordinated marketing campaign and a salary cap that’s actually policed) in that exact same time-frame?

Perhaps the worst part of it is that no lessons have been learned.

If the example of the Victoria Titans didn’t make things clear enough, then the Sydney Spirit confirms it: mergers and so-called “olive branches” do not work.

Yet unbelievably, Scott Derwin is still pushing for it to happen all over again. It’s been reported on the Gold Coast that he wants the Blaze to reach out to the Brisbane market from next year onward.

The review at least provided the sport with some achievable goals to aspire to. The review certainly adhered to lessons of the past. The same cannot be said about the interim administration.

A few months back basketball was promised the A-League.

Now we’re getting the ANZ Championship. Before the Channel Ten deal.

The time is ticking to turn things around. Just don’t go making the mistake of getting your hopes up that things will change.

When mass change is in order, all Basketball Australia have supplied us with is a mere “spoonful of adjustment.”

The myth of a World Cup venue shortage

2008-12-16T22:17:00.008+11:00

Kevin Rudd has given the FFA the money it needs to make a play for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but there are still those who doubt if we can even get close to hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.

There are the obvious drawbacks, most notably the notion that 2018 is destined for Europe. Or that China is lurking around the corner ready to dash our hopes.

However, as yet China isn’t pushing the envelope and whilst Europe is certainly of concern, it will take more than one continent to bring down the bid.

Another concern you hear raised a lot locally is that Australia does not have the stadiums to host the tournament.

FIFA reportedly requires between nine and twelve venues, although they’ve recently showed flexibility in this area by pressing the 2014 World Cup hosts, Brazil, to use between eight and ten. Another part of this requirement is that only one city may have two venues.

The other major sticking point is that a World Cup stadium must have a capacity of at least 40,000, with at least 60,000 needed for semi final and final venues.

As it stands, the FFA can barely bring itself to letting the Socceroos play in a city that doesn’t reside along the east coast.

But it must be said, the status quo in Perth and Adelaide is not going to last until 2018, with or without a World Cup. A successful bid will ensure these changes won’t be AFL-centric and stadiums of World Cup quality will be ready.

So with that in mind, and a quick stroll around the other major cities, the stadium glass begins to look half-full, not half-empty.

Going by order of capacity, the MCG tops the list. Although some may criticize the ground for its oval shape, it is worth remembering that at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, several rows of seating had to be removed to accommodate the running track.

At the final of the 2006 World Cup, Berlin’s stadium had a running track around it.

Next up is Sydney’s ANZ Stadium. It's proven itself as a world-class venue and will fit in well at a World Cup.

Following closely behind is Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. With a minor upgrade to nudge the capacity over 60,000, it would be perfect for a semi final.

To complement the Melbourne and Sydney venues, either one of the Sydney Football Stadium and an upgraded Melbourne “bubble” stadium would work nicely. (As a preference, however, bending FIFA’s rules so both can be used would be ideal.)

So to get to FIFA’s Brazil target of eight, it would take just one or two regional centres to jump on board. If nine is the preferred number, at most it would be three.

That’s not to say work doesn’t still need to be done. But you only have to look as far as the next two host nations of the event – South Africa and Brazil – to realize just how good we’ve got it.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa will feature five venues built completely from scratch, one with a major overhaul and four that have undergone renovation work.

No current venue in Brazil in its present state is ready for the 2014 edition of the tournament.

Alexandre Massura, a special project manager for the bid, told USA Today last year: “The last venue built was 50 years ago, and by 2014 we have to give the world 12 new facilities.”

Australia has four venues either ready to go or just in need of a minor face-lift. In that regard, we’re on par, if not slightly ahead, with South Africa.

Australia will in all likeliness only need two new venues, the rest will be upgrades of existing stadia. In that regard, we’re well ahead of both South Africa and Brazil.

And in terms of the number of stadiums over 40,000, we're easily comparable to one of our biggest rivals for 2018, Spain.

Governments at both a state and federal level have shown their support, and will no doubt be aware of what they’re getting themselves in to.

We’re no England. We're no USA.

But in the bigger scheme of things, we’re really not that far off.

Also published on The Roar.

The Variety Bucket: Time for a bit of head-wobble

2008-12-11T11:26:00.004+11:00

Oh, Lordy. Just when you thought this blog had nothing to do with serious sport analysis, bam: Best Off Ground predicts Cousins to Richmond.

Wednesday of last week, right here, I said that Richmond was the perfect fit for drafting Ben Cousins. Just about every club in the league was singled out, but none seemed more appropriate than the Tigers.

Now it is on the front page of the papers. “Tigers eye Ben,” the Herald Sun read. The Tigers are actually looking to sign Ben!

For once, you actually did hear it here first.

Well it’s good to know the director of football operations at the Tigers loves a bit of Best Off Ground during his recruiting sessions. (Kidding!)

And it’s also good to know I can still hit the mark sometimes. (I stress the word sometimes.)

Anyways, my head-wobble session is now officially over, let’s take a look at some other things from the world wide web.

The Roar

I know I promised like no more head-wobble and stuff. But, err, here is a follow-up to Tuesday’s Julius Hodge article.

It’s also got a bit of a 36ers-Crocs game review and delves deeper into the Julius Hodge story.

So all in all, probably a much better read than the original. Forget I even mentioned the Tuesday one.

Just as an aside, I recommend to any hoops writer that they post some stuff on The Roar. We're a little outnumbered over there at the moment.

Scibz’ Spiel

We shouldn’t plagiarise the A-League, according to Scibz. The whole eight team thing is still a hot topic of discussion.

That said, the way things are, the new national league might be lucky to get eight bids anyway!

Oh, and one mental note to come out of it from this end: a national league without New South Wales is not a national league at all.

Write that down, interim administrators, I’m kinda on a roll here.

With Hodge, the 36ers are dangerous

2008-12-09T13:59:00.002+11:00

The return of Julius Hodge to the Adelaide 36ers has given the team a genuine shot at making the playoffs. Not only that, his return has brought back quite a number of fans, too – over 5,000 came to see his homecoming.

And on Wednesday night, the Julius Hodge Experience lights up Adelaide (and, thanks to Fox Sports, the rest of the country also) once more in a juicy date with the in-form Townsville Crocodiles.

Last season, Hodge was an absolute revelation for the team. The 20th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft and North Carolina State alumn arrived in the city of churches in December of last year, replacing underperforming import Mike Chappell.

After chasing a spot on an NBA roster in the off-season, he has crash landed back in Adelaide mid-season again, this time replacing underperforming import Mark Tyndale.

In his four games so far since returning, the 36ers appear a team born again.

In the pre-Hodge era, the 36ers were lingering in the bottom four with a disappointing 5-7 record. A swag of promising off-season moves did not deliver what the fans had hoped for.

There were some positives, such as the outstanding debut NBL season of Aussie centre Luke Schensher. But a playoff push seemed enormously unlikely.

Hodge burst on the scene in his first weekend back in the country. He dropped 26 points against the Sydney Spirit and backed it up just a night later with 27 against the South Dragons. His two standout performances earned him the NBL’s player of the week accolade.

The only downside was that the team couldn’t take a win out of either game.

Perhaps more critical, albeit less statistically appealing for Hodge as an individual, is what has happened since the American’s first weekend back down under.

The 36ers are actually back on the winners list.

They claimed the scalp of the surprisingly competitive Wollongong Hawks two weekends back. Then they backed it up with an eight-point win over the Melbourne “greatest-of-all-time-if-only-they-had-a-point-guard” Tigers on Saturday night.

Hodge appears to be the missing piece to the puzzle. He has led his team in assists in three of his four games to date. He has been solid defensively.

He provides the firepower that was missing with Mark Tyndale occupying an import slot.

The scary thing is we are yet to see the best of him. In January last year, he famously exploded for 39 points against the Cairns Taipans. It may only be a matter of time before he finds himself in the thirties once again.

Thanks to the arrival of Hodge, it now it seems as though the 36ers are making a genuine run for the playoffs. They sit just one position out of the top six and a win tomorrow night would put them on par with the next-best side, the Spirit.

Standing in their way is the fourth-placed Crocs, the side that last weekend toppled the New Zealand Breakers – who are currently sitting second on the ladder – in Auckland, an arduous task to say the least.

It is fair to say the Crocs themselves are looking good for a spot in the top six come season’s end.

However with the dominance of the Dragons and Breakers, the loaded rosters of the Tigers and Wildcats and the fairytale-in-waiting Spirit not too far behind, the playoff race is looking tight.

Both sides can’t afford to slip up from here and will be desperately seeking a win.

In the end, the Hodge factor seems too big to ignore. The 36ers are riding a wave of momentum and don't look like slowing down any time soon.

Expansion alone won't save A-League crowds

2008-12-09T05:55:00.000+11:00

As the season rolls on, this year’s A-League is looking more and more like Baz Luhrmann’s “epic” Australia: a lot of hype and promotion, a lot of hope pinned on expensive local talent (hello John Aloisi) and more than anything, a poor reception at the box office.

Despite the fact highlight reels have been flooded with superb goals over the past few weeks, fans have been staying away in their droves. The weekend’s second-straight round without a crowd of over 10,000 officially marked the end of the honeymoon period.

No longer can the A-League pitch itself as the bright, young new kid on the block.

The drastic decline in support has revealed that the problem runs deeper than first expected. Those within the football family that expected expansion would turn things around must surely have to think again.

It was assumed that watching the same eight teams running around for going on four years had grown tired and that the influx of two new teams would provide a much-needed injection of variety to the competition.

But seriously, if variety was everything, we wouldn’t have seven clubs still sporting white playing strips every time they’re on the road.

And when fans are not pointing to expansion as the saviour, they are pointing to the global financial crisis as the reason for the decline.

This is despite the fact that, according to Roy Morgan research, consumer confidence began to plummet back in January and has levelled off since then.

Admittedly, things aren’t what they were a year ago.

But if a cutback in spending was truly a driving force behind football’s crowd woes, there would’ve been similar evidence of struggle in the winter codes.

Clearly, there wasn’t.

AFL crowd figures actually increased. The NRL escaped a tumultuous year off the field to see only a small drop in support.

Alas, it is fair to say there is more to it than just monotony and the economy.

Put simply, the A-League has had its day in the sun. Things haven’t been the same in Melbourne since the Victory tore season two to shreds. Things haven’t been the same in Sydney since “All Night Dwight” was bringing in the fans.

The momentum fuelling those glory days is the same sort of stuff that made the Reds take over Adelaide during the AFC Champions League.

Expansion will not address the issue of how to ensure A-League clubs are not just one-hit wonders. If anything, it will create two more one-hit wonders, exacerbating the problem down the track.

Of course, expansion also presents concern in the fact that a 10-team competition will require a 27-round season.

This works against the principle of bringing fans through the gates on two fronts.

Firstly because it is asking fans to rock up for an additional three home games. Membership numbers, which have only just found themselves solid foundation after a dreadful first season, will take a hit solely on this basis.

Secondly, we are likely to see mid-week games introduced to accommodate the extra rounds. Wednesday night games are hardly a big drawcard and have yet to prove themselves in this country outside of major events (such as State of Origin and the business end of the ACL).

Kudos must be given to the FFA for not underestimating the issue. They are currently conducting market research on the state of the competition.

Hopefully the research will help re-kindle that old spark the A-League once had.

After all, it’d be scary to think that a couple of extra teams only differentiated by the colour of their sleeves should have to shoulder all the burden.

Also published on The Roar.

The Variety Bucket: The best of, err, Best Off Ground...

2008-12-04T20:50:00.006+11:00

So now that the blog is back in action, I thought I might test out a bit of a new concept: writing pieces light on hard-hitting sports opinion and heavy on, well, just about anything.

I'm not promising anything like JR's jockstrap write-up, that is clearly in a league of its own. But you will see a bit about the world of blogging, exciting news about my foray into the world of sports writing (here's one I prepared earlier) and maybe even a couple of odd stories I find lingering out there in the wide world of sport.

It'd also be nice to enter the world of linking some great stuff from other blogs, but we'll see how we go with this piece first.

I guess I'll start by joining the queue of bloggers praising Google Analytics. I've been on it since the start of July and it has been a revelation.

The tool helps you find out what sites are sending links your way, what country your hits are coming from and other bits of useless information you probably didn't need to know but it's cool to know anyway.

The stat I enjoy the most is all about which posts are being read and which ones aren't. So I figured I'd run through which ones you guys, the readers, have been reading.

Thanks in large part to the fantastic online hoops community, basketball dominates the top ten.

The South Dragons' import saga was a major discussion point earlier in the year (and some would argue it still is,) so it's no surprise to see my take on that issue rack up the most hits.

Coming in second is my initial digestion of the review, with some comparisons to football's Crawford Report. Back then I was screaming out "leadership!" at the top of my lungs. Nothing has changed.

The first AFL piece in the line-up has become synonomys with a Google search of "AFL expansion." (Or the second page of it at least!)

And it seems there were quite a few people sharing my frustration toward the AFL's grand final ticketing farce. Not that it mattered, I never ended up getting tickets to the big game.

As for football, well, the round ball game surprisingly doesn't feature in the top ten. But the highest ranked piece appears to be well ahead of its time.

The plight of the Phoenix (Wellington Phoenix, that is) has been big news in recent weeks, but here I was back in April (this blog's first piece) standing up for the Kiwi battlers. Now that they're a success story, everyone seems to be showing them some love.

So there you have it. Let me know your thoughts, even if that involves giving me a list of my worst posts, by dropping a comment or using the all-new "reactions" bar just below.

Clubs could do worse than drafting Cousins

2008-12-03T20:11:00.004+11:00

Amidst all the deliberation going on at practically every AFL club over whether or not Ben Cousins would make a good pick up, one thing seems to have slipped off the radar: just how good a footballer he is.

He’s won a Brownlow. And a premiership. He was a vital part of West Coast’s success during his time at the club. There are few midfields in the league that would be disadvantaged by adding Cousins.

Some question his age. But, at 30, he still has a lot to offer. Players of Cousins’ quality have proven that they can keep up well in to their thirties. Look at recent retirees Robert Harvey (who ran out for his last game at age 37) and Shane Crawford (at 34.)

Some question his relationship with drugs. But there would be a level of hypocrisy in ignoring him for that reason, as there are several AFL players sitting on two strikes under the AFL’s recreational drugs policy. He bucked the trend by going public and is committed to moving on with his life.

(And, technically, Cousins never even sat on one strike. No AFL test found drugs in his system.)

Some question the public relations risk. But, now more than ever, Ben Cousins is his own entity. If he hits the news for the wrong reasons again, the media will hang Ben Cousins out to dry. Not the club. They won't be immune to the media, but Cousins will definitely take the spotlight.

Besides, you can be assured they’d be a bunch of positive news stories if he does come good. Which, remembering his age and ability, is a genuine possibility.

Yet most clubs still seem to baulk like signing him would be the worst move since Bold & the Beautiful to 6.00 weeknights. No club drafted him at the national draft last weekend. His only hope is this month's pre-season draft.

It makes no sense. Ben Cousins has much more talent to offer than a draft day reject lingering in the pre-season draft.

Sure, the kids have potential. In fact, the clubs with a genuine youth policy would be crazy to draft a 30-year-old.

But clubs on the verge of September action, such as Richmond, have few excuses. Clubs looking to replace a recent retiree in the midfield (which obviously included St Kilda, who sadly do not have a pick at the pre-season draft) would also need to think twice before giving him the flick.

Even legendary coach Kevin Sheedy, now employed at Richmond, has grilled the Tigers’ football operations manager Craig Cameron on the issue based on that exact line of thinking. In public, too.

Those in the room at the time say it was a heated discussion.

Of course no club can draft him without forking out extra resources to accommodate Cousins’ unique needs. But let’s face it, given he’ll only be on a draftee’s salary, it’d be like paying for a star outside of the salary cap.

Cousins has accepted the AFL’s tough testing regime and has come a long way during his time away from the game. He’s committed to returning to the sport he loves.

All that’s needed now is a home for this fallen superstar.

Essendon, Richmond, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Carlton and Melbourne all have picks at the December 16 pre-season draft. Of those clubs, only the Bombers, Power and Demons can truly hide behind a focus on recruiting youth.

Brisbane has reneged on their once keen stance on Cousins. With a first year coach in Michael Voss, it is hard to blame them.

Carlton already has a reasonably stacked midfield. The romance of a reunion with Chris Judd would wear off quickly.

That leaves the Tigers.

Considering a finals appearance in 2009 is likely, the club would be perfectly justified in bringing in someone of Cousins’ experience. He could easily be the Stuart Dew to their Hawthorn.

Now is clearly the time for someone to take a punt at Punt Road.

Basketball's reform a poisoned chalice

2008-12-01T20:49:00.004+11:00

Credit must be given to basketball administrators for recently voting unanimously to merge Basketball Australia and the NBL and adopt recommendations set out by a wide-ranging review. It's clearly a step in the right direction.

However since the document’s release back in September, the sport’s interim administration has been disturbingly contradicting many of the review’s recommendations.

And that's not all, they are also seriously undermining the next administration (although we’re still waiting to hear when there will actually be a next administration.)

In order to win approval for the reform from current NBL clubs, the interim administration declared that clubs competing in the NBL this season will be guaranteed a spot in the new national league, provided they meet the financial criteria.

By giving this guarantee, they have left the new administration with little flexibility.

For example, even if the new administration sees fit to stay out of football codes’ “expansion wars” (in markets like West Sydney and the Gold Coast,) the Gold Coast Blaze could still walk up with a pile of cash and they’ve automatically got a spot in the new league.

A similar predicament would exist if all current clubs want in and consortiums out to revive the Sydney Kings and Brisbane Bullets emerge. Would broadcasters want to handle a 12-team competition? Isn’t it widely accepted that having 12 teams is too many anyway? What limitations would that put on expansion down the track?

If either of these scenarios were to eventuate, the new administration could be forced into making a decision that is not in the best interests of the game. It would hardly be a good start to the so-called “reform.”

Not only that, the guarantee has also made it much harder to give the perception that this new national league is any different to the previous one. We may just end up seeing the exact same teams, give or take a Sydney-based side, of course.

The interim administration is also pursuing an offer from Fox Sports to telecast the new national league and national teams for five years, bringing a healthy $35 million into the game’s coffers. This is another example of the interim administration going into areas they shouldn’t.

It’s a lot of money, yes, but the deal will no doubt be exclusive. If the sport pushes ahead it runs the risk of being frozen away in the oblivion of Foxtel, away from the mainstream fans that have so famously deserted the game.

Even beyond the “mainstream,” there are plenty within the basketball community that do not feel a connection with the NBL. The review has stated this. A lot of these types are the people that are avid NBA fans and are all over college hoops, but have no time for their “local” team.

Interestingly, as of next year, the NBA and college hoops will be shown free to anyone with a set-top box or built-in tuner on One HD, Channel Ten’s new secondary channel. It’s scary to think that American hoops would take a more prominent position than the new national league, especially given how things are now.

On the five-year front, it is worth noting that the two competitions this new league is likely to be modelled on – the A-League and netball’s ANZ Championship – both started out with one-year broadcast deals before moving on to bigger and better things.

If One HD isn’t biting (and their severe lack of local content makes that seem unlikely) then it would be far better strategically to opt for a one-year deal.

Basketball, sooner rather than later, needs free-to-air. This is too big a call to be leaving in the hands of an interim administration.

According to the timeline set out by the review, “key appointments” were supposed to take place in November. It is December already and there’s still an interim board and there’s still an interim CEO in the form of Scott Derwin.

Leadership was critical to the reform of football, which poached John O’Neill from rugby union (and has since poached Ben Buckley from the AFL.) At board level, Frank Lowy has been running the show. A lot of basketball fans may envy Lowy for his money, but it is his brains that should be desired most.

Just where is basketball's leadership? Where is our John O'Neill?

And it seems key appointments are not the only area that has been running behind schedule. The release of the review was delayed. Voting on the review’s recommendations was delayed. Question marks surround whether or not bids coming out of Brisbane and Sydney can be prepared in time.

Running on such a tight schedule puts the sport in a dangerous position. If history is anything to go by, this is a frightening proposition. Remember that the Razorbacks becoming the Sydney Spirit was a decision made on an short time frame. Allowing Tim Johnston to own the Sydney Kings was a similarly rushed decision. What about the move to summer?

In an article in The Australian last month, Derwin pointed to “shifting the competition from a winter to a summer league” as a key reason for the league's demise.

Curiously, Derwin and the rest of the interim administration have not seen fit to rectify that. The new national league will stay in summer, even though the advent of twenty20 cricket and the A-League has made the summer market all that more competitive.

A move away from summer would allow for quite a few extra months off, alleviating the aforementioned time constraints and, heaven forbid, there might even be enough time to see this new administration brought in.

But of course that would sound an awful lot like those crazy “season off” rumours circulating not too long ago. “Season off” are the two words nobody wants to say because nobody wants to hear them.

Just like none of the clubs wanted to be told their spot in the new competition isn’t safe. It seems that nobody is prepared to get on anybody’s nerves.

In that same article in The Australian, Derwin touted the possibility that the new national league may not have a salary cap. The current NBL has both a salary cap and a points cap, although the salary cap is too hard to police and the points cap is similarly inadequate.

However to simply give up on it would mean the league's credibility would take a serious hit. The extra resources brought about by the reform were supposed lead to a policed salary cap. This is another contradiction of the review and, frankly, it's just plain lazy.

Nobody ever said reforming an entire sport was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to hurt – no pain, no gain. By cushioning the ride for stakeholders and taking the easy option where possible, the interim administration is limiting the sport's potential.

Now is the time to get serious about reform. Let’s bring in the guys that will be running the show a year from now today and stop beating around the bush. And let’s hope they know how to make a tough call.

Readers, I'm happy to inform you I'm back and will be continuing blogging. Also, just as a bit of an "experiment," this article has been published on The Roar too.

The Variety Bucket: The end of Best Off Ground?

2008-11-05T19:40:00.003+11:00

Hi there, readers. It seems I'll be on a bit of a break from blogging over the next few weeks. You can blame upcoming exams and the fact my regular computer has conveniently decided not to start up for that...

(It's a shame because I've just found myself a new favourite word, cognoscenti, but without a blog post to sneak it in to it's almost worthless.)

The hope is that sometime next month I'll be back into the swing of things.

But even then a bigger predicament will still need to be resolved. Year 12 is around the corner next year and I'm not sold on the idea of continuing blogging at the same time as tackling the daunting task of getting a 95 Enter Score (anything less would mean a campus further out from the city.)

I don't consider blogging any different to any other after-school activity or hobby that any other kid might have. I certainly have blogging to thank for improving both my writing ability and confidence.

If I hadn't started blogging, the prospect of a 95 Enter Score would be a pipedream. I'm not kidding.

But I have the next month to weigh all that up. If a less demanding, more flexible option were to arise then I'd probably take it.

At this stage, I'm well and truly on the fence.

In the meantime, there seems to have been an explosion of great basketball blogs out there you can divert your attention to. One in particular I recommend is Scibz' Spiel, which seems to be getting better with each post.

Check the blogroll on the right to find a blog catered just for you.

Congrats to Obama.

Cheers.

Crowd control not one of Buckley's strengths

2008-10-27T22:39:00.001+11:00

Two things I read in the news today had me rather bemused. And they were surprisingly intertwined.

First of all, the Herald Sun actually ran an article praising football crowds, pointing out just how little crowd troubles there are.

Yeah, I know, shock to the system, right?

Usually a mere arrest at a Victory game is enough to warrant back page news. But no, today the paper conceded that the likes of cricket, horse racing and tennis were by far the biggest offenders. Even the AFL grand final was listed as a tonne worse than the football game they mentioned, which was this year’s World Cup qualifier with Qatar.

It was the closest thing the Herald Sun could’ve done to coming out and admitting they’ve exaggerated crowd violence in football.

But that didn’t matter so much. By the end of the day all the positives had been eradicated by the other bit of news that caught my eye, the FFA’s decision to enforce (and later retract) the request that the Eureka flag, a symbol of victory over tyranny – essentially the first flag to bind us as a nation – be banned.

What a shocking move that was.

Anyone with an inkling of what that flag represents (which should be every single mature-aged Australian) would have to agree it’s not out of place at a sporting event. The whole “flag” clause only came about in the first place to prevent ethnic ties creeping in to the game again.

Weren’t A-League clubs pitched as being “Australian” when the league began?

Aside from the real Union Jack-bearing national one, it’s hard to think of a flag more Aussie than the Eureka flag. Heck, if we ever do bite the bullet and become a republic, the Eureka symbol would be a shoo-in for our new flag.

Ben Buckley and the FFA had already found themselves in the bad books of fans following an off-season security review, which led to the disastrous attempt to have active support areas fully ticketed.

On that issue, general admission was always the way to go. The Victory told them that, the supporter groups told them that, you could’ve picked an everyday fan off the street and they would’ve told them that. And yet they pressed on.

Their plan didn’t even last six weeks.

The absence of disapproving fans won out and the decision was overturned.

But the damage had already been done. Victory chairman Geoff Lord had to call in to SEN Radio after the Perth Glory game and practically beg disenfranchised fans back to games.

Just over 31,000 turned up on Saturday night to see the clash with Sydney FC. For a normal game that wouldn’t be so bad, but for a 1-versus-3 match-up, the biggest two teams in the land, the “blockbuster” fixture…

There should’ve been more.

And perhaps the most concerning part of Buckley’s security review is that a pretty damaging problem still lingers: flares.

In both Victory-FC games so far this year (both before and after the review alterations) a flare has managed to show up. It’s disappointing because they give the experience of going to a football game a bad, dangerous name.

They should not be showing up so frequently in major games like Saturday night’s.

(I might add that another concern is the crowd’s reaction to the flare on Saturday night. Sure there was a boo – but that lasted about five seconds. The “you are a wanker” chant didn’t extend beyond the South End. These people should be the most hated in the stadium. There needs to be more shaming of the flare throwers! But I digress…)

How the off-season review has failed to correct so many of the issues pertaining to crowd behaviour is beyond me.

Buckley has made some positive moves in his reign as CEO. I like the kid. But ever since the need to stamp out negative crowd matters became imminent, he’s repeatedly dropped the ball.

If he had taken the same route into Telstra Dome on Saturday night as I did, he would have overheard a pretty disheartening conversation or two coming from the passionate fans that fill the active support areas.

That said, the time to listen to fans was long ago. Perhaps now is the time to follow the lead of Geoff Lord and beg to them.

The Bad News Blaze and the Sinking Spirit

2008-10-26T20:25:00.003+11:00

Surely walking under ladders, smashing a few mirrors and offending a couple of ancient pharaohs make up an integral part of Shane Heal’s preseason routine.

How else could you explain his unique tendency to start seasons with a lengthy losing streak?

The Dragons in ’06 went, aptly, 0-6. The Dragons in ’07 backed up with 0-6 again. An off-season move to the Gold Coast was not enough to prevent the same fate again this year – the Blaze are currently 0-9.

Talk about bad luck.

It’s not really a true representation of Heal’s abilities. In fact, two years ago he was able to guide the aforementioned Dragons side off the bottom of the ladder and into the playoffs. He has also put in some decent performances so far this season, meaning age – despite what certain critics might say – has yet to fully get the best of him.

But it does not paint a good picture for the Blaze, a side many had high hopes for this season.

Things went from bad to worse over the weekend, losing out on the road to Wollongong in an oh-so-close encounter 98-96. Then a night later, the so-hot-right-now New Zealand Breakers came to town to rub salt into the wounds, winning another close one 116-113.

Going within two points of a side on the road is not usually something to be ashamed of. Falling just three points short of a side like the Breakers is certainly no embarrassment either.

But starting the season 0-9 is, well, bad news – something which has been following the team wherever they go this year (the Brendan Joyce press conference outburst is ringing a bell.)

There’s still time yet to shake the “wooden spoon favourite” tag, but this weekend officially rendered Joyce’s “No we’re not out of the playoffs” comment meaningless.

It’s just not a great year for basketball in Southeast Queensland.

And it appears that the other abandoned NBL market isn’t going so strong either. (Don't say I didn't warn you.)

Much was made of the Sydney Spirit's sub-1,000 crowd a week ago for Brian Goorjian’s return to the Entertainment Centre. Similarly, tonight’s crowd of 1,350 didn’t exactly speak wonders for the way they’ve chosen to go about things.

It didn’t help that they named themselves after a Leona Lewis album. And it probably didn’t help that in the process, they swiped value off the brand of a WNBL carrying the same name.

It clearly didn’t help that the olive branch extended to disenfranchised Kings fans was somewhat half-arsed. And it probably didn’t help that in the process, they disenfranchised many Razorbacks fans too.

For mine, the biggest no-no was chasing after the Victoria Titans model of re-branding. The way that was handled had me more puzzled than the first time someone told me I smelt like updogg.

But at least there is one thing that stands out about this team: they’re trying.

The team on the court won’t be enough to bring a championship to the Harbour City in these trying times, but they are doing enough to ruffle some feathers. In games they are not expected to win, they put up a pretty decent fight.

They’ve ended up causing some pretty big upsets along the way, the most noteworthy scalp so far being the Perth Wildcats.

In the round just past they provided the much-fancied Crocs a tight contest, losing by a respectable two point margin. Tonight they convincingly creamed the Hawks 99-86.

It is still hard to imagine they are the answer to basketball’s woes in Sydney, but at least they’re out there on game night backing their product. They want to unify the Sydney basketball and they ain’t going down without a fight.

It’s admirable. Like watching the violinists play away whilst the Titanic slowly sinks to the bottom of the Antarctic.

Only question is: will we see the Kings and Bullets lifeboats return to pick up the surviving fans?

Ingles sends NBA signals in a game to savour

2008-10-19T21:17:00.007+11:00

It was a night where you could easily forget the poor crowd in Sydney just one day earlier. It was easy to forget the NBL’s “policy of containment” when it came to promoting the game, too.

It was especially easy to forget allegations of cap rorting at the Melbourne Tigers.

Because Saturday night’s Melbourne derby had no room for negativity. (Other than the fact family commitments had me consigned elsewhere, but that’s another story…)

One neat little thing I’ve been able to take out of the Dragons’ 108-80 thumping of the Melbourne Tigers – aside from the joy of Ebi Ere losing out – is Joe Ingles’ performance.

I can recall the Boxing Day derby two years ago where he was able to turn that game on its head. That was something special.

I can also recall the “junk time” he received late in the Boomers clash with Team USA at the Olympics and how undaunted he seemed by the opposition as he was dropping in threes ad nauseam.

But it wasn’t until I opened up the Sunday paper and read how he yet again was able to step up on the big stage, undaunted, that I truly realized he is a man for the big occasion. His 26 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and sheer domination set him apart.

It's the second time this season I've had such an epiphany over Ingles. In the Dragons’ home encounter with the Crocs, with the game on the line and little over a second remaining, he had the opportunity to shoot but – that word again, undaunted – took a bounce to line up a better shot.

To me, it didn’t matter so much he missed – well, okay, I was a little peeved as it had cost us the game – the composure he showed took me back to a Pistons-Celtics game I watched last season. (Scroll to about 2:15 to see the moment.)

Facing similar time constraints to Ingles, Chauncey Billups decided to fake a shot and hope to draw the foul. He remained calm under pressure and, luckily, the gamble paid off.

Joe Ingles continues to rise to the occasion. This is a trait that will serve him well on his quest for a roster spot in the NBA.

If the signs presenting themselves in recent months continue, the gap between Ingles and the NBA may soon be bridged completely. Saturday night’s performance did nothing to sway opinions any other way.

And speaking of swaying opinions, my question of who would stand up at the Dragons – Darden or Goorjian – seems to be answered.

In the absence of Mark Worthington, it was pleasing to see Tremmel Darden make a statement two nights in a row. He led the way against the Spirit on Friday and even achieved the goal I had secretly hoped he would reach by outscoring Ebi Ere in the derby on Saturday.

Oh, and the crowd! How could I go this long without mentioning the crowd?

9,308 – Melbourne’s biggest crowd for a game of hoops in seven years. Who said basketball was dead?

Now, if only we can entice the Tigers away from that puny little home they call The Cage and put this rivalry under the spotlight it deserves, Rod Laver Arena. If game one of this series can pull as many as it did, then why not?

Saturday night’s game put on show this sport’s potential. Young talent, big crowds, more column space than the Victory game…

Let’s hope for more of the same in years to come. And not just in Melbourne, either.

The Variety Bucket: Not just a one-trick pony...

2008-10-16T17:40:00.003+11:00

...actually, I'd hate to think I'm much of a pony at all!

But on a serious note, this young blogger has been spreading his proverbial wings of late. His work has made it's way over to the84thminute, a fabulous online magazine about Australian football.

The topic up for discussion is the FFA's broadcast deal with Fox (the network that, conveniently, ensured I couldn't watch last night's game against Qatar.)

Make sure you check it out, and explore the rest of the site while your there.

A big thanks to Neil, who also runs the Victory in Melbourne blog, for providing this opportunity.

Will all go quiet on the western front?

2008-10-15T20:33:00.002+11:00

Banks collapsing, Kevin Rudd hijacking the start of Neighbours, my brief foray into the share market being totally butchered...

The times are certainly changing, and not for the better.

For some time now we all thought the biggest change confronting the football codes was the much-hyped expansion wars. With economic downturn in the backdrop, and a sheer lack of enthusiasm on the front lines at the forefront, the “wars” may not end up being all they were cracked up to be.

The Gold Coast battleground is still what it was before the recent crisis. The AFL is arguably in too deep and certainly has the cash reserves to support their push. One would assume the same logic applies for Gold Coast United backer Clive Palmer – a billionaire, no less.

However Western Sydney is starting to look more pessimistic.

Football has been inundated with support for bids in Canberra and New South Wales’ South Coast. But the same excitement has not been replicated in the region the FFA desires most, Sydney’s west. At the same time, curiously, a second Melbourne-based team has been rushed through for approval without the same troubles.

The AFL meanwhile, initially pushing for its new Western Sydney club to be introduced at the same time as the Gold Coast, has been having second thoughts. Whilst the “GC17” consortium is now ready to face the AFL Commission, the 18th team is yet to even have such a consortium established.

Of course not knowing what’s around the corner comes hand in hand with the situation the world now finds itself in. But it is seriously hard to imagine, with the economic uncertainty that now lingers, that we’re about to see a resurgence in support for either push.

What is starting to seem more and more likely is that we’ll see the war over Sydney’s west put on the backburner for the time being. The football codes would no doubt love to weather the storm as best they can. Now they have the opportunity.

It seems the only thing standing in their way may be their egos.

After all this year’s hullabaloo over who would win the west, no code wants to be the one to back out first. No code wants to be seen retreating.

This attitude was exposed during the past week, with both the FFA and the AFL announcing to the world they’ll be pushing on. Can’t wait to hear the statement after the next Wall Street collapse…

The other obscure fear that may have to be overcome is that of having an odd number of teams. Both codes don’t deny it gets on their nerves. In times like these, they may just have to deal with it.

The most important thing for both forms of football is that the game’s good standing is not compromised by squabbling over territory they shouldn’t have been anywhere near in the first place.

In a normal world, the push into Western Sydney would be warranted. But this isn’t a normal world anymore.

May the smartest code win.

A Sydney Open? Get your football sorted first...

2008-10-13T19:49:00.002+11:00

The Australian Open is Melbourne. Not Sydney. Not Dubai. Not Shanghai.

Taking the Open out of Melbourne would be like taking the beach out of the Gold Coast, the Harbour Bridge out of Sydney or the Colletto Fava bunny out of the northern Piedmont region in Italy. It would leave a gaping hole.

In a city renowned for its major international events, it would be hard to argue one captures the locals’ imagination more than the Australian Open.

Yet the suggestion over the weekend was that the Open was in sights of interstate and international rivals. And it is a suggestion that has been lingering for some time now.

Melbourne, thankfully, is locked in as host until 2016. Whilst branching out the grand slam format into tennis’ new pot of gold (Asia and the Middle East) would certainly be fair, the sacredness of having four mountains to climb to achieve the sport’s ultimate goal is not something to be done away with quickly. If ever.

The other way to embrace Asia would be to do away with a current grand slam and replace it with a Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Shanghai-based Open. Australia – a puny little market that is no longer a world power in the game – is no doubt vulnerable.

It puts tennis in somewhat of an ethical quandary. The Australian Open has been around since forever. The crowds are constantly increasing. The government is fully behind it (and wants to continue to build up Melbourne Park.)

But will it be enough?

The scale of this debate shows how truly out of their depth Sydney is by throwing their hat into the ring. If tennis were to turn their back on Melbourne, they would have to turn their back on Australia altogether – Sydney can’t offer anything Melbourne can’t.

And I mean anything. Perhaps the most amusing part of the weekend's news was the fact the New South Wales government was prepared to build “a stadium” in order to snare the Open. In case you haven’t noticed, you need a whole bloody park to host a tennis event of that scale.

I’m tempted to remind Sydneysiders that they had an Olympics only eight years ago, which landed them a “stadium” and, conveniently, a tennis centre. My how little foresight they must have…

But I digress. These rants from north of the border are like a cry for attention to us so-called “Mexicans.” It’s almost sad, really.

In fact, just two days after the papers ran riot with this story, a peculiar new story came out of Sydney’s own FFA. It was enough to make any musings about New South Wales snaring a major event instantly irrelevant.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground has been chosen to host the final match in our World Cup qualifying campaign against Japan.

And this just two years after Sydney’s Daily Telegaph had this to say when then-premier Morris Iemma announced a venue deal with the FFA: “Iemma was gloating that Sydney – and not Melbourne – would again stage the final round World Cup qualifier in 2009.”

Tough break, Sydney. Don’t take it too hard. Oh, wait, that is word for word what Morris Iemma said two years ago.

Oops. My bad.

Okay, fair enough, Sydney didn’t exactly get dudded by the FFA’s arrangements. Two of the four home qualifiers will be in the Harbour City, and the Cup spot-clinching match may end up being one of those two and not the one in Melbourne.

But the NSW government – how's that recession coming along? – back flip shows that when it comes to these sorts of things, Sydney is all talk, no action.

Melbourne is major events. Not Sydney.

Tigers toppled again, but where was Fox Sports?

2008-10-09T21:45:00.004+11:00

The stage was set. The game was scheduled on a Wednesday night. The two title favourites were playing. So just where was Fox Sports last night?

In case you missed it – and I wouldn’t blame you for that – the Perth Wildcats, facing three road games in just the one round, upset a team touted as one of the best ever, the Melbourne Tigers, 105-101 last night at The Cage.

The game itself wasn’t so bad. The Tigers, despite being outplayed for the majority, rallied in the fourth to close out a 15-point deficit and take the lead with two minutes remaining. But like any good contest, the Wildcats weren’t going to give up that easily.

The boys from Perth fought back and took the game at the death.

Then it all happened again tonight. The previously-undefeated New Zealand Breakers were brought down by the Cairns Taipans in a high-scoring affair, 122-111.

It all sounds like a pretty decent advertisement for an NBL struggling for exposure. Or at least it would’ve been, had the game been placed in the spotlight it deserved.

The makeshift television deal drawn up between the league and Fox Sports provides significantly less coverage for the game for a significantly less amount. It does not come into effect until October 22 – in round six, which simply isn't good enough.

Sure, the league had a tumultuous off-season and uncertainty reigned supreme, but this deal had been nutted out over a month and a half ago. And the argument that Fox is waiting for the footy finals to finish is, as of this week, meaningless.

Fox Sports’ cameras should’ve been at the Tigers-Wildcats game, especially considering it was in Fox’s usual Wednesday night timeslot. The same logic could be applied to tonight’s game, given Breakers home games are covered by Maori TV in New Zealand – Fox wouldn’t have to foot the production bill.

But this is just the world the NBL has chosen to live in. The Fox delay is one of many instances where the game’s exposure has been crippled. Earlier in the season the league was criticized for not having a season launch. The combination of these two events are particularly concerning because they are not media-driven, they mostly stem from the NBL office.

It has got on the nerves of many – from Boti Nagy to John Rillie – who think that the cut back discredits the quality of the league this year. Which is fair enough, the NBL does deserve more.

However the NBL/BA perspective is similarly understandable. This is a time when resources are stretched, and Chuck Harmisson is no Rick Burton when it comes to promoting.

Secondly, the focus on next year (with this year being an afterthought) makes some sense. It is imperative that the decisions made over the next 12 months are the right ones for taking the game to greater heights; the spotlight should not be taken off them.

Another, albeit concerning, factor may be that the NBL brand is unlikely to see action from next season onwards, meaning there is little motivation to pump it up too much. If that's the case, then that's where this blogger draws the line. The NBL’s brand isn’t going to boom any time soon, so what’s wrong with at least propping it up so it can stay afloat?

Overall, the balance between being exposed and not exposed could be managed better.

You never know, with games like last night’s, you might pick up a few fans to follow the game through to the new league.

Think how happy Fox would be then.

Headaches for Goorjian as import saga continues

2008-10-04T23:54:00.009+10:00

At half time in tonight's game against the Hawks, Brian Goorjian’s Dragons were up by 20. But that, of course, was not his concern.

His starting small forward, and occupier of an all-too-important import slot, Tremmel Darden, was having another shocker.

He shot three field goal attempts. He made none. He shot two three-point attempts. He made none. And his stats barely improved in the second half; a late field goal in the fourth provided little consolation.

“It’s early in the year, but I see this as a ‘statement weekend’ on how we’re moving along,” Goorjian said during the week.

Whilst toppling two sides that are near-on certainties to miss the playoffs can hardly be considered a statement, regardless of the margin, the master coach was on to something. With a lengthy break, a Melbourne derby and a second clash with Cairns on the way, these were games they couldn’t afford to drop.

And so the onus was on the players to provide their “statement.”

Unfortunately, unless you’re the kind that considers scoring two points a statement, Darden did not provide.

This once again puts Goorjian under the pump.

It is fair to say the recruiting of imports earlier in the year did not go to plan. Cortez Groves, who turned it on with 25 points tonight, was on the outer during the off-season. Many expected his spot would be vacated for a new, high-profile import.

The second import slot was initially given to last year’s MVP runner-up Ebi Ere. He was a key acquisition in the Dragons’ quest for a championship.

What happened next, as they say, is history. Ere went to chase his NBA aspirations – and in the process successfully obtained a release from the club – only to go back on his word and sign with the Melbourne Tigers.

Ere’s dog act left a gaping hole. When he confirmed he’d be, err, “staying” in the States to play NBA, the Dragons set about finding a replacement.

They went with Darden, and his signature was met with much promise. Some were willing to tout him as a better player than Ere.

But now Goorjian probably can’t help but scratch his head at the way the import merry-go-round has left him. A string of bad games has put Darden on the outer.

Ironically, the man fighting for a spot before the season, Cortez Groves, has been able to answer the coach’s call.

And as if to rub salt into the wounds, the man who defected for the cross-town rivals, Ebi Ere, has burst out of the blocks at the Tigers – he was the team’s leading scorer in all three of their wins so far this season.

If Darden comes out and out-scores Ere in the Melbourne derby, I’d be the first to make him the feature of my blog’s background.

But one thing’s for sure, the status quo can’t continue. Sooner or later someone will have to come out and make a “statement.”

It's just a matter of who – will it be Darden or Goorjian?

Money isn't everything, just ask Tampa Bay

2008-10-02T19:50:00.003+10:00

For all you NBL fans who accuse the Tigers of cap cheating, for all you football fans who criticize the EPL for its “big four” culture, for all you capitalists: take heart, there's a story out there for you – the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays.

Prior to this year, the team then-known as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays finished last place in Major League Baseball nine out of the ten years of their existence. Last year, their entire team’s payroll was worth less than that of one Yankees player, Alex Rodriguez.

When you add to that the low attendance figures, it is easy to know why the Rays were once considered the joke of baseball.

This year things changed. The payroll is still mild – although you could now hypothetically buy two Yankee outfielders – and the crowds are still underwhelming. But for the first time in franchise history, the Rays are in the playoffs.

“It’s something I’ve never experienced, to be looking down on the American League, instead of looking up,” said the Rays’ Jonny Gomes.

The further you look into the Tampa Bay situation the more you understand why this is such a rare experience. Not only is the American League generally considered the tougher conference, they have to share their division with the likes of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

And you know big market teams like that are going to throw money around.

The Rays’ circumstances were clearly not conducive to such a remarkable turnaround.

After all, the Red Sox spend over $133 million on their players. The Yankees spend more than anyone in baseball, dropping a cool $207 million on salaries.

The Rays? They come in second-last in the payroll stakes, just scraping over the $43 million mark.

And now they’re in the playoffs. Ahead of the Red Sox (who limped in with a wildcard) and ahead of the Yankees (who missed out altogether.)

It clearly defies any logic that salary capped competitions will tell you. Occasionally you might see a team like Geelong or Hawthorn, where players might take a pay cut to play for a premiership team, but Tampa Bay couldn’t be further from that.

Who wants to take a pay cut to play for the perennial cellar dwellers in front of a half empty stadium?

It beggars belief how this team of underdogs would carry the “best record in baseball” mantle several times throughout the season, top their division (and what a division!) and now line-up for their first playoff series in the franchise’s history.

Yet early tomorrow morning, that is exactly what will happen. It begins with a five-game series against the Chicago White Sox.

Then if they can go on to claim the American League championship, it’ll be the World Series. A far cry from their previous ten years of existence.

The Rays – along with the Chicago Cubs, who will attempt to break their 100-year championship drought – are a fairytale waiting to happen this October.

Even without a salary cap, baseball remains competitive. It is nice to know there is room for a Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs.

Oh, and for all those playing at home, the three biggest spenders in baseball all happened to miss the playoffs. Some advantage money is.

Salary caps, like the Yankees, may be overrated.

It's basketball, but not as you know it

2008-09-29T22:33:00.002+10:00

It took some time, but the long-anticipated review into basketball has been completed and presented to the basketball community.

It has been likened to the famous Crawford Report which brought about reform within football (then known as soccer.) That report was the catalyst for mass change and is essentially the reason why football is in such a commanding position today.

The basketball review rightly points out the huge disparity between the quality witnessed on the court and the support off the court. It also points out the huge participation and interest figures and how that, too, does not translate at the elite level.

Listed in the review are four key objectives for the next four years.

These include doubling player registrations to 500,000, an amicable target; being ranked by FIBA in the top three nations in the world, we’re already second so that can’t be too hard; and also reducing government funding to 25% or less.

But the big one is, obviously, the aim to become a “Top 3 recognized sport measured by viewers/attendees.”

Now there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious, however that sort of status does not happen by accident.

With the review now out there in the open, what needs to be of high priority is securing the leadership that has been all too nonexistent over the years. That’s what will ensure that the sport’s lofty ambitions will materialize. It may cost a stack, but that leadership should be sourced from one of the football codes.

After all, if basketball wants to become a top three sport, it has to start acting like a top three sport. Frank Lowy knew this when he hired John O’Neill to lead football’s new direction. Basketball needs to do the same.

(The principle of acting like a top three sport must surely also extend to venues. Can you imagine a top three sport playing out of a venue the size of The Cage?)

One aspect of the review that will help, although it flies in the face of reducing government funding, is the call for more international games and further engagement with Asia.

You just need to look at football and the Socceroos to see the benefits of having a marketable national team, that’s a no-brainer. But engagement with Asia could prove more crucial.

Again, football has shown the way on this one. They receive more funding from the federal government than any other sport mainly because of the bridges they pave with our Asian neighbours. Basketball’s immense popularity in the most important of Asian neighbours, China, will help win over Kevin Rudd if the sport can get it right. (So far, he's not complaining.)

However football can only show the way on some aspects of reform.

Following the A-League’s model is not a sure-fire way to gain a foothold in the market. There are some good pointers, like having strong leadership and making moves in Asia, but there is more to football’s story than meets the eye.

First of all, in the past week there has been a suggestion that the NBL as a brand has been so tainted by the events of the most recent off-season that it must re-brand. Names being thrown around include “The Big League” and “Premier Basketball.”

The A-League did it, so what’s the big deal?

Basketball shouldn’t be so quick to jump the gun. The NSL brand was tainted by ethnic-based clubs and the detrimental effect it had in the stands.

People legitimately thought “I’m not going to the NSL because there is a good chance there will be ethnic violence.”

I doubt the phrase “I’m not going to the NBL because they’ve lost the Kings and Bullets and they have a history of poor management” comes up much outside of Sydney and Brisbane. You’ve also got to doubt whether “Premier Basketball” would change any perceptions for the better.

It’s the same deal with the one-team, one-city rule. Many proponents view that as a way forward.

Again, the A-League did it, so what’s the big deal?

The A-League did it because in cities where multiple teams existed the only way those sides were able to differentiate from each other was through the ethnicities they were attached to.

In basketball, cross-town rivalry is a healthy thing. It’s not something you’d want to lose. Although some of the early plans for the new competition suggest that, in spite of all the benefits, local rivalry might have to give way.

Thankfully, the jump from the NBL to the new league (whatever it may be called) will be bigger than most thought. It will not be a “cull” but rather an entirely new league. Existing NBL clubs will need to apply for a new license.

It may end up being a case of whoever has the money is in. At this stage, it is all mere speculation.

Another A-League trait that should be snubbed is the willingness to jump into bed with Fox. This blogger suspects the troubles over in Perth can be attributed to the low pay TV take-up rates out west.

Changes to the multi-channeling abilities of free-to-air networks that come into effect next year will provide a neat alternative. That appears to be the path netball has decided to go down.

Of course there is a lot of work still to be done. The review has provided the blueprint, now it is time to put that plan into action.

And it’s not as if the new governing body will have nothing to work with.

There have been positive signs all over the NBL in the first couple of weeks. The expected increase in competitiveness has been truly evident; in round two, four out of the six games saw the underdog get up.

Crowds in Townsville, Adelaide and Perth have hit the 4,000 mark. The Dragons will join them in a couple of weeks with the local derby and Cairns have nudged the figure. New South Wales and Southeast Queensland remain the biggest concerns, but change is still on the way in these markets.

Regardless, the review has set out a number of important goals. Getting the next few years right will be absolutely critical, but so far – with the sport united in the quest for a new direction – things are on the right track.

With the right leadership and attention to detail, basketball in Australia can go a long way.

Well, that wasn't what I was talking about...

2008-09-28T13:36:00.008+10:00

Yesterday the Cats seemingly abandoned all hope of forging a dynasty and in the process handed that exact opportunity on a platter to Hawthorn. It was enough to make any optimistic Geelong fan re-think what they had to say in the week leading up to the game.

“The Hawks’ severe lack of high-pressure September experience must surely work against them,” I wrote.

And it did. However Geelong’s usually-reliable ability to capitalize on opponent’s shortcomings was nonexistent.

“Whilst there is no such thing as an easy premiership, Geelong will have to earn their stripes in the next couple of years.”

And they did have to. Did nobody pass this on to them?

“When people look back in the annals of history at this Geelong team, they will judge them on one thing and one thing only: premierships.”

And they will. Again, did nobody pass this on?

“Another note you can take from this time last year is the fact you can bet the house on Geelong bringing their A-game come that last Saturday in September.”

And this is where my plan falls apart. Hence the reason this next quote didn't add up.

“Cats by 50.”

Yeah, about that…

Put simply, Geelong did not play like Geelong. Cameron Ling even labelled it “unGeelong-like.”

They weren’t moving the ball well. They weren’t kicking straight. The fringe players didn’t stand up. The magic was missing.

Even when they were in control early on, it was not the same dominant Geelong we had seen all season. They looked fragile.

Had they played “Geelong-like” then none of this would’ve happened. They would be back-to-back premiers. The “handbaggers” tag would be dead for good. Heck, they might’ve even won by 50!

What makes this loss particularly hard to swallow is that it doesn’t get any easier from here. Hawthorn is only going to get better. Collingwood, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda are all looking for big trade weeks.

And the all-conquering Geelong is no longer unbeatable. The shine has been taken off.

As for the Hawks, they have every right to be a happy team. Massive kudos has to go to what the likes of Ian Dicker and Jason Dunstall did to build that team.

They were always destined for a premiership, and it arrived earlier than most expected. Alastair Clarkson made reference to the fact Geelong was one of the main sides they looked at when they began to re-build.

It’s scary to think Hawthorn right now is somewhere in between where Geelong was in ’04 and ’05.

If they can continue to take their opportunities like they did yesterday, then many more premierships may be headed their way in the not-too-distant future.

I dare say they could build a dynasty.

But Geelong’s so-called “dynasty” looked to have died a slow and painful death at the MCG yesterday. Only something truly special next year will be able to revive it.

Post-match, Cats coach Mark Thompson had a clear and simple message for his players to digest.

“I basically told them it was a wasted opportunity,” he said.

Yep, it seems everyone looks like an expert after the game.

World's worst: the AFL's ticketing shame

2008-09-25T00:37:00.010+10:00

The AFL has laughed in the face of “the people’s game” all the way to the bank with its ticket distribution scheme for this weekend’s grand final.

For the second year in a row, more than half of Geelong’s members were denied a ticket. This year Hawthorn fans have experienced the anguish, too. The only alternative out there is the array of corporate hospitality packages, costing in the vicinity of $1,500.

It’s pretty hard to stomach. I know first-hand because I am a paid-up Geelong member who looks consigned to the idiot box this weekend.

Were the AFL’s corporatization of the grand final justified, maybe I would just accept it.

But it isn’t. For the everyday fan, the grand final has unnecessarily become the least accessible sporting event of its kind in the world.

No venue at the 2006 FIFA World Cup had a capacity of 100,000. Neither does Wembley, home to the FA Cup final. Same for this year’s Super Bowl host.

Yet all these events managed to service more everyday fans and less “corporates” by percentage than the AFL grand final.

FIFA provided 9.64% of tickets to each of the competing teams at each World Cup match in 2006. An additional 36.22% were made available – at standard prices – via the online ticket ballot.

More than half the crowd at the FA Cup final derives from the competing clubs; each of whom receive 27.78% of available tickets.

Even the so-called beacon of commercialization in sport, the Super Bowl, manages to dish out 17.5% of tickets to each of the competing teams.

You would like to think the AFL, which loves to put itself in line with global trends, would be on par with these major events.

Far from it.

A paltry 11.5% of grand final tickets go to each competing team.

Oh, and did I mention that the other major leagues in America have “playoff priority” for season ticket holders? Or that last year UEFA gave 17,000 seats to each club competing in the Champions League final?

Did I mention that every other major grand final in the country has tickets – at standard prices – available to the general public and, more importantly, all members?

The AFL is in a league of its own when it comes to cutting up the grand final pie.

Adding to the ticketing dismay is the fact the league worked so hard to get scalping outlawed, when in fact the biggest scalpers appear to be the AFL and the clubs it hands 16,000 tickets to.

I can buy a ticket to Geelong’s grand final brunch for $225 and, if I were only lucky enough, score a ticket in the ballot for $161. So why is it that, after missing out on the ballot, I go to buy both of them as a package through an official AFL agency and it costs $1,200?

Why is it that after being given tickets by the AFL, most clubs hand them straight back again to be part of the “Centre Square” rort?

All I want to do is see my team play in a grand final. I, clearly, do not have a spare $1,200 lying around.

So much for “the people’s game.”

Best Off Ground is blogging daily during grand final week. Yeah…

As rivals close in, the juggernaut will be tested

2008-09-24T18:19:00.008+10:00

Forget all the quirky stats Champion Data might throw at you, when people look back in the annals of history at this Geelong team, they will judge them on one thing and one thing only: premierships.

Of course they’re one of the best sides to have played the game. Nobody can doubt that.

But they are yet to reach Brisbane Lions 2001-2003 territory. Right now they start to look good when pitted mano a mano against Essendon at the turn of the millennium.

And we all know what sets those two sides apart: premierships.

The current crop of Cats has the ability to keep producing good footy for a few years yet. With the superb recruiting of Stephen Wells, which has unearthed Joel Selwood and Harry Taylor in the last two years alone, their dominance may well last into the next decade.

Although that's something that is expected to be tested more and more as time goes by. To date, few quality challengers have emerged. Last year seemed to exemplify this lack of competition.

On grand final day, Port Adelaide was clearly a class below. Their awkward mix of youth and experience meant they were lucky to get as far as they did.

The other sides touted as contenders pre-season, notably St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Fremantle, all managed to drop out of the eight.

The seasoned Sydney and West Coast sides conveniently dropped off the pace. The other finalists weren’t quite at the right stage of development to mount a challenge.

This year, both St Kilda and the Bulldogs, whilst competitive, have been playing catch-up. Again, old stayers were hanging around. Again, sides that just weren’t ready helped make up the numbers.

The emergence of the Hawks has no doubt been a sight for sore eyes.

The jury is still out as to whether they’re able to be competitive on the biggest stage, for this year at least, but their ability to win the premiership one day is unquestionable.

Much like Geelong, Hawthorn has been built to win a premiership. Whether it is this year, next year or in two years, it will happen.

And the list of potential challengers may not end there. Collingwood is looking to take a gamble or two during the off-season. Names like Cousins and Kerr have been bandied around. It is very much a “watch this space” proposition for the time being, but if they can make some strong changes, they’ll be up there.

Western Bulldogs are looking to rectify their long-standing height problems. Although it does reek of Fremantle’s moves in the wake of their preliminary final visit in 2006, the addition of Barry Hall (who they’re reportedly talking to) would definitely give them a lift.

Whilst there is no such thing as an easy premiership, Geelong will have to earn their stripes in the next couple of years.

They’ve still got tricks up their sleave – the “Tomahawk” has been hiding away in the VFL all year and All-Australian Matthew Egan will be a deadly addition down back should he stay injury-free – so it is unlikely their list will begin to stagnate any time soon.

But perhaps the main concern is the risk of becoming complacent. Were that risk to eventuate, Geelong’s credentials of being “the greatest team of all” would be seriously harmed.

After all, great teams are judged by one thing and one thing only: premierships.

Best Off Ground is blogging daily during grand final week. -- Insert funny, topic-related sentence here --.

A final nine? You've got to be joking!

2008-09-23T20:15:00.007+10:00

Perhaps the biggest irony in the debate over whether the AFL or NRL system works better is that, for this year at least, only the latter has been able to produce tight contests, unpredictable results and compulsive viewing.

What the AFL supporters like to hang their hat on is that the top teams are rewarded for their good seasons through double chances and (in some cases more than one) home ground advantage.

And usually, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of reward.

But the dull, lifeless finals series that has been produced as a result is rather concerning. Before the AFL begins to consider any final nine concepts, something Andrew Demetriou was hyping up only a few weeks ago, it should take a good hard look at the current system.

The poor crowds in Adelaide and Sydney in the first week can be largely attributed to the fact qualifying finals only rate when a young, re-building side at long last breaks their finals drought. Fans of old stayers on the decline have all been there, done that. No point in forking out exorbitant amounts again.

Week two seemed like little more than two battles to decide who will be flogged in the next battle in week three, against Geelong and Hawthorn.

And now here we are – Geelong and Hawthorn in the grand final. Is there anybody who didn’t see that coming?

Meanwhile, the NRL witnesses the eight-placed New Zealand Warriors topple the minor premiers Melbourne Storm. And then they advance to the preliminaries, too.

Last weekend saw another Storm classic, with the Brisbane Broncos dropping it at the death. And their series is only half-way through!

Comparisons aside, the AFL system has lost a lot of its polish this year. One would hope that the influx of two extra teams would help retain competitiveness come September.

Err, wait, this is the AFL we're talking about. Cue the Footy Show's cash register sound bite...

The AFL would hope the influx of two extra teams would bring in more money.

Instead of taking the logical route, they want a final nine, with an extra weekend (ka-ching!) and two more matches (ka-ching!)

The complicated system would also give the team finishing first as many as two weeks off. One team contesting the grand final will get the preliminary final weekend off. As Geelong demonstrated on Friday night, even the best can get jitters in that environment.

This re-hashed version of the status quo would only serve to prolong what is already a tired set-up. Fans have shown they are willing to stay at home during the first week of finals.

Imagine what it would be like if your team finished second was only playing for the right to play the team that finished first for the right to play another team for a grand final spot and a week off.

Confused?

Spare a thought for those lowly-ranked sides. If you finish ninth, you’ve got to beat the fourth-placed team one week, a top three side the next, another top three side after that and then, and only then, line up in a preliminary final.

With the odds stacked so fiercely against you, would you even bother turning up?

Sorry, Andrew Demetriou, a final nine – no matter which way you put it – is as out of order as those pesky envelopes at the Brownlow last night.

Best Off Ground is blogging daily during grand final week. But seriously, anybody got tickets? Email thesubstitute-at-live.com.au if you do…

Nice tickets, if you can get 'em

2008-09-22T15:38:00.014+10:00

“Did we get tickets?” I rapidly typed. I had been here before.

For some reason me and grand finals don’t seem to get along all that well. The first grand final involving “my team” came in the magical summer of 2006/’07, when Melbourne Victory come of age.

I was there at the successful semi final second leg and basically swore at that moment two weeks later, I’d be back watching the grand final.

My normally-reliable dad was charged with the responsibility of buying tickets when I was at school. To this day I don’t know why, but it was a responsibility he didn’t live up to. The game was sold out in 30 minutes.

I learned a valuable lesson that day: grand finals are worth wagging school for. I’m still waiting for the opportunity to apply that logic.

Then came Geelong’s magical run in 2007. Of course I wanted to be there, too. Although any chance of seeing the 44-year drought broken was destroyed by virtue of geography.

I was off to America for six months right before the finals kicked off. I was watching Geelong cream the Kangaroos in round 21 one day and off to the other side of the world the next.

As if to epitomize my disastrous connection with grand finals, there was nowhere to watch the big game, either. Triple M’s call via the AFL website was the only way I could follow along.

So yeah, me and grand finals – not a good mix.

I had hoped this year would be different. I got myself registered in the member’s ballot, so that was a good start. I was in the country, so that certainly helped.

As a sign of good faith to the football gods, I even continued to don my Geelong guernsey well after the final siren on Friday night – I’m still wearing it now.

But the odds provided little optimism.

The MCG has a capacity of 100,000 and could therefore easily fit every member from both clubs. But when you factor in the MCC members, AFL members, Medallion Club members, each of the 16 AFL clubs and what the AFL refers to as “entitlements” and “contractual obligations,” that figure gets slashed.

So when filtered down, each competing club gets a paltry 11,500 tickets for its members.

Geelong has 36,850 members. That means less than a third of Geelong’s members can get in through the ballot.

Then throw in the priority handed down to Social Club and September members and the odds are almost nonexistent.

What gets one particularly aggravated is that so many of the tickets allocated to clubs get passed on to corporate hospitality agents who combine them with a pre-game brunch and sell them at a premium price (out of reach from the everyday fan.)

Clubs don’t use them as something to pass on to major sponsors, as you would like to expect, they use them as part of a greedy grand final day cash-grab.

And why do Medallion Club members deserve tickets, anyway?

Telstra Dome is happy – their members get in. The MCG is happy – their members get in. The AFL is happy – their members get in.

The most passionate supporters aren’t happy – because the real members don’t get in.

Which meant the result of the member's ballot came as no real surprise.

“No we missed out,” read the reply. I had been here before.

Best Off Ground is blogging daily during grand final week. No matter how unsuccessful his quest for tickets may be.

GF will be epic, but is Hawthorn really a chance?

2008-09-21T19:10:00.008+10:00

Before I go on my now-annual tirade of why Geelong is destined for a premiership and why their opponents aren’t capable of matching them, I have two disclaimers:

1. I am an avid Cats fan.

2. In spite of disclaimer #1, last year I tipped a 114-point victory to the Cats.

For the record, they won by 119. But as far as I can recall, none of the so-called “experts” in the media were outlandish enough to suggest the greatest grand final victory of all time.

I was. And I was right. So unlike most issues written about on this blog, I have some credibility on the subject of grand final tipping.

And with my small dose of head-wobbling out the way, let’s take a look at Saturday’s game.

The Cats and Hawks were undoubtedly the best two teams of the year, both are clearly deserving of their places. Geelong has gone oh-so-close to perfection, only held back by the solitary aberration against Collingwood.

Hawthorn have risen to the challenge and continued to grow into the force we’d all anticipated they would become. Buddy Franklin has had a breakthrough year, Stuart Dew has become the off-season recruit of the year and the team’s overall development has exceeded expectations.

Unfortunately, having the best two teams in the comp facing off on grand final day doesn’t always translate into a good contest. Last year’s one-sided affair is testament to that.

So don’t let Hawthorn’s polished performance against St Kilda fool you, don’t let it paint the picture that they are “ready.” Too many people last year succumbed to that symptom in talking up Port Adelaide’s chances. Preliminary final form does not translate into grand final glory.

Of course, if the Hawks were the real deal, a preliminary final win would only serve to enhance their flag credentials. But I am a sceptic.

The Hawks’ severe lack of high-pressure September experience must surely work against them. Prior to this year, this crop of Hawks had just two finals games under their belt. This year, the only finals games they’ve played in have been blow-outs.

Perhaps they needed to play the Western Bulldogs last night, who would've given them a run for their money, and not St Kilda, who let them run riot.

Another note you can take from this time last year is the fact you can bet the house on Geelong bringing their A-game come that last Saturday in September.

This is the day their season builds toward, and with the experience of ’07 (an experience only one Hawthorn player has) you can be rest assured the Cats will be at their best.

The Hawks are a different proposition; they are a young side who’ve been built to win a premiership. And it seems fait accompli that they will.

But as it stands, stack their list next to Geelong’s and the balance will be tipped in the Cats’ favour, no matter which way you look at it.

The parallels between the Hawks and Port Adelaide are strong and hard to ignore. Perhaps the only difference is that this is Hawthorn, the side built to win a premiership. They are not Port Adelaide, the oddly-comprised balance of youth and experience that happened to be in the right place at the right time.

It’d be hard to see this one going over 100 points.

Another concept bandied around in the wake of last night’s victory has been what I call the “reverse ’89.” Basically, it sees the roles of the 1989 grand final (where Gary Ablett Snr and his Cats stood up to the elite Hawks, only to lose by a goal) swapped.

When you’ve got someone like Buddy Franklin to fill the role of Ablett, you can’t help but get caught up in the romance of the idea.

The parallel, much like the one with Port Adelaide, seems to check out. The Hawks are on the rise, much like the Cats of ’89, and the Cats are the ones to beat, much like the standout Hawks of ’89.

But romance aside, it is hard to see Hawthorn bridging the gap. At least not to the extent that the Gary Ablett and his army did.

So which will it be – an ’07-esque blow-out or a reverse ’89?

Somewhere in between the two sounds about right. Cats by 50.

Best Off Ground will be blogging daily during grand final week. Except maybe Saturday, he's expected to be somewhere over the moon on Saturday.

What's the story, fallen Glory?

2008-09-15T21:42:00.001+10:00

We’re just four rounds into this year’s A-League and already the Perth Glory fans are back to experiencing some all-too-familiar emotions.

Frustration, hopelessness, despair, just to name a few.

3 down, 87 more to go.

In spite of their competitiveness and the fact they’ve dropped games they really should’ve won, the Glory sit on the bottom of the ladder with one, solitary point.

This week, the club has come out and announced a wide-spread internal review, with David Mitchell (and no doubt some players too) being put under the spotlight.

“In the last couple of games we’ve done well enough and it has been a bit of a hard luck story… this is probably a bit of a reality check,” Mitchell said.

“Today could have been a massive wake up call.”

But the review is only this week’s solution.

A week ago it was no different. With an extra week off to re-build, they plucked Stuart McLaren out of the Queensland state league to help organize the defence.

On the weekend, they leaked three goals.

Sounds organized, doesn’t it?

If history is anything to go by, this week’s news isn’t much to get excited over. Glory fans know all too well that this back-and-forth dwindling is not an uncommon sight at Member’s Equity.

If anything, the internal review has come as too little, too late. Their season may already be dead.

Such a drastic post-mortem was something that should’ve really come after last year’s calamity of a season.

Owners have come and gone. Coaches have come and gone. But finally, at the end of last season, they had the opportunity to jump from one season to another with consistency in both areas.

With reviews the new flavour of the month in Aussie sports, their ability to become a catalyst for change is undoubtable. Perth seems to like the concept, and their chance to put things in order was there during the off-season.

Instead, the the likes of Colosimo, Bertos, Celeski and Prentice were lost to rival clubs. Some questionable recruits were brought in.

The opportunity to restore order to the once-powerhouse was there. And yet here we are.

Too little, too late.

In presumably unrelated A-League news, Melbourne Victory on Friday night survived a key test on their road to redemption.

Last season was a disaster; a stark contrast to their premiership-championship double in season two.

This season they’ve come out of the blocks nice and fast. On Friday, they were without Lopez and, after an accusation of spitting, they lost Fabiano early too.

However after a year of trying to shake the “No Fred, No Victory” tag, they seemed to stack up nicely.

Despite being a man down, they took the chocolates. A reasonably dominant second half was able to turn things around and the Victory has deservingly broken free as the sole leader at the top of the A-League table.

No surprise there, really. Given the furore on the back of last year’s calamity of a season, some off-season soul-searching took place at MVFC.

“Today could’ve been a massive wake-up call,” said Mitchell.

Today Victory is first.

Today Glory is last.

A wake-up call was needed long ago.