Goal review system to stay for now

Calls for dramatic changes to the way the AFL reviews goals is set to reach new heights after controversial decisions in Round 5.

The goal review system has come under fire. Picture: Michael Klein

AFL footy operations boss Mark Evans is in favour of the controversial goal review system remaining while the league assesses better technology.

But adding further confusion to the contentious issue today, asked if he could guarantee the system would remain for the rest of the season, Evans answered no.

Evans admitted the system wasn't perfect but stressed only 1 per cent of scores were reviewed.

"There are two options for this year really, you can either run the system that we have got or that you can get rid of it and go back to the goal umpires call,'' Evans said.

"At the moment the system provides the opportunity for us to review something that was a very clear error. The issue for us that we're monitoring and we'll need to watch across the rest of the season is there appears to be far more inconclusive episodes this year than there was last year.

"No (I can't guarantee the system will stay for the rest of the season). I'd say we'll keep watching where we're going at the moment.

"If it's going to reduce the error rate by the absolute shockers, removing those, then I think it stays while we assess other options.''

He said the league was considering new goal-line technology, including new camera angles and the plausibility of a microchipped football, but it was yet to find a suitable product for the code.

He didn't think an answer to the problem was two goal umpires.

"My personal view is that microchipping the ball will lead us down the path towards a better solution,'' Evans said.

"But there are other systems that are camera based systems, some that triangulate where the position of the ball is and others that sue a magnetic force.

"We'll look at all of those but at the moment, the clear message is there's no system out there at the moment that covers the complexities of  our game.''

He said he was unsure when a new system could be in place or how much it would cost.
 

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Knee puts Walker out for season

Injured Crows forward Taylor Walker watches from the bench in the match against Carlton. Picture: Michael Dodge. Source: Getty Images

ADELAIDE'S worst fears with Taylor Walker are now confirmed with scans revealing a rupture to the key forward's anterior cruciate ligament to his right knee.

He will miss the rest of the AFL premiership season as he begins a 12-month rehabilitation of the knee.

Walker's injury - so soon after becoming the kingpin of Adelaide's attack after the defection of Kurt Tippett to Sydney - is a major blow to the Crows' hopes of reaching consecutive final series.

Adelaide fell to a 2-3 count at the weekend when Walker was injured in the first term of the 32-point loss to Carlton at the MCG.

Walker will have a traditional knee reconstruction later this week or early next week.

Crows football opeartions chief Phil Harper issued a club statement saying: "The whole club feels devastated for Taylor, but we know how professional he has become in his treatment of injuries.

"He will be given the best possible treatment and rehabilitation program to help him get his knee prepared for the rigours of AFL football."

Earlier today, defender Ben Rutten said he expects the Crows to find enough options to restock a forward zone that was already dealing with the defection of key forward Tippett.

"It is something we are going to have to do ... we have guys (in the SANFL where) Shaun McKernan kicked five goals, Lewis Johnston is in some reasonable form," said Rutten who plays his 200th AFL game on Saturday when Adelaide hosts premiership favourite Hawthorn.

"It is not going to be one guy who is going to replace (Walker). We need more contributors scoring goals. That is the way we are going to have to approach it for however long Tex is out.

"It is disappointing for him and we are going to have to cover it. We saw with Carlton at the weekend the way they can score heavily without having a dominant key forward.

"We rely on big guys in the forward line to compete, so we are going to have to rejig it and find ways to score goals."

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Crows join race for Buddy

Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

ADELAIDE is joining the queue for Hawthorn free-agent key forward Lance Franklin as the Crows deal with the double loss of Kurt Tippett and Taylor Walker.

Crows football operations chief Phil Harper today put Adelaide in the field for Franklin who will be the Crows' enemy at AAMI Stadium on Saturday evening and would-be big signing in October.

Adelaide is dealing with the loss of Walker for the rest of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

This follows Tippett defecting to the Swans in the off-season. Adelaide is now without the attacking tandem on which it wanted to build its third AFL premiership.

And with the Crows locked out of the first two rounds of November's national draft - in its penalties for the Tippett saga - Adelaide is now compelled to be a big player in the free agency market for a key forward.

"There is free agency ... and of course Buddy Franklin would be nice," said Harper.

"Whether he wants to come to Adelaide or not, I know there are a few people putting their hands up and maybe will do that as well."

Harper concedes Adelaide may not be able to meet the $1 million-plus salary Franklin commands in the free market.

"I wouldn't think we could outbid (the rest of Franklin's suitors)," said Harper.

"There is a salary cap and you have to stay within it, but if he is interested we would certainly put something there."
 

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Bradley blow for depleted Dockers

DOWN AND OUT: Fremantle's Kepler Bradley grimaces in pain after suffering a knee injury. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

FREMANTLE will have to enact plan 'C' in their AFL forward line after Kepler Bradley suffered a suspected season-ending knee injury.

Fremantle started the season light-on for tall targets in attack, but are now scraping the bottom of the barrel after Bradley damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Friday night's one-point win over Richmond.

Bradley was set to play a crucial role for the Dockers over the next two months weeks while skipper Matthew Pavlich recovers from surgery to his plantaris tendon.

But with no Pavlich, Bradley or ruckman Aaron Sandilands (hamstring) to throw up forward, the Dockers will rely heavily on one-game players Tanner Smith and Jack Hannath over the coming weeks.

Ruckman/forward Zac Clarke, who has been plagued by leg injuries this season, is also a chance to bolster the forward line for Saturday night's away clash with Gold Coast.

While Fremantle's spearheads keep getting struck down by injury, their small forwards continue to thrive, with Hayden Ballantyne the hero against Richmond.

Ballantyne booted four goals - including the match-winner with just 84 seconds remaining - to lift the Dockers to their third win of the year, while fellow goalsneak Michael Walters and medium-sized forward Chris Mayne also played crucial roles in the 12.9 (81) to 12.8 (80) triumph.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon said he felt for 27-year-old Bradley, who is a cult hero among Fremantle fans and booted three goals in a lion-hearted effort against Hawthorn last week.

"It's really sad for any player, but when it's one of your own it makes it worse," Lyon said.

"We'll support Kepler and rehabilitate him.

"But, you know, one door shuts another one opens.

"Tanner Smith and Jack Hannath will continue. So we'll find a way. That's what we're paid to do."

Hannath was quiet in his AFL debut, tallying just four possessions and 11 hit-outs.

But the 21-year-old took a solid pack mark with just 30 seconds remaining to help keep Richmond at bay.

Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe is facing a nervous wait after kicking out at Richmond midfielder Daniel Jackson.

Fyfe was lying on his back and trying to get Jackson off him when he kicked out his leg, but the star Docker may escape suspension given the contact was merely a minor glancing blow.
 

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A review was needed, say AFL

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has blasted the umpires for not calling for a goal review in a decision that could have cost the Tigers victory against Fremantle.

Fremantle post a thrilling one-point victory over Richmond in their AFL clash at Patersons Stadium.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon addresses the media after his side's thrilling one-point win over Richmond.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick shows his anger after losing the match by one point to the Dockers. Picture: Paul Kane. Source: Getty Images

THE AFL has conceded a score review should have been called in the dying minutes of last night's Fremantle and Richmond clash at Patersons Stadium.

Tiger Matt White snapped a shot at goal with about four minutes remaining that would have put his side four points in front.

The ball bounced in to the leg of the goal umpire standing against the post as it appeared set to cross the goal line.

Play on was called, before the Dockers took the ball over the line for a rushed behind.

A furious Damien Hardwick labelled the call a "joke" after the game and insisted a score review should have been called for because, from his vantage point, he felt the ball had crossed the line for a call.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane admitted today the goal umpire made an error.

"(The) AFL view is that a review should have been called by goal umpire last night,'' Keane said.

The AFL will also ask the umpiring department to review line positioning of goal umpires.

Both Hardwick and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon believed the ball had gone through for a goal before bouncing off the umpire's leg and back into play

Freo break Richmond hearts

White ended up kicking a goal a minute later to give Richmond the lead, but Dockers goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne snapped the winner with 84 seconds left to secure the 12.9 (81) to 12.8 (80) triumph.

"We've got this fantastic thing called a review system haven't we? Fair dinkum,'' Hardwick said. "Use it, or don't bother.

"At the end of the day there's a field umpire, a goal umpire, and four or five blokes sitting up in a box upstairs. Someone make a decision.

"Seriously, in a tight game - joke.''

Lyon said he understood Hardwick's frustrations all too well.

In the 2009 grand final when Lyon was coach of St Kilda, Geelong forward Tom Hawkins was awarded a goal despite his shot shaving the post.

The Cats ended up winning the match by 12 points.

"I've seen the other side of the coin,'' Lyon said. "At the end of the day, we're all humans. We all make mistakes.

"Damien is entitled to voice an opinion but I'll leave it to the papers and the AFL to sort it out.''

Hardwick was confident captain Trent Cotchin would be fit for Saturday night's clash with Geelong at the MCG.
Cotchin hyper-extended his knee late in the second quarter, but managed to play out the match and finished with 26 possessions and seven clearances.

Tigers debutant Nick Vlastuin put in a gutsy effort in defence, while former Crow Chris Knights played his best game for Richmond with three goals from 20 possessions.

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LIVE: Saturday arvo footy

Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett is ready for the Giants. Picture: Getty Source: Herald Sun

FOLLOW our live coverage of the clash in Canberra between the GWS Giants and the Gold Coast Suns right here.

Carlton v Adelaide
NO CHANGES
SUBSTITUTES: Eddie Betts (Carlton) and Rory Laird (Adelaide)

THREE QUARTER-TIME

GWS Giants 12.6 (78) Gold Coast Suns 13.18 (96)

THE Suns have failed to put away the Giants, who just keep coming.

Two goals late in the term has the Giants in touch at the final change.

Charlie Dixon has five goals for the Suns.

Charlie Dixon fires off a handball to Jared Brennan. Source: Getty Images

HALF-TIME

GWS Giants 7.4 (46) Gold Coast Suns 10.11 (71)

THE Suns lead by 25 at half-time, but it could be by a lot more.

They led by as much as 38 during the term before the Giants kicked three quick ones.

Charlie Dixon kicked a steadier right on half-time, his fourth, to help regain the ascendency.

Gary Ablett leads the match for SuperCoach points on 82.

Get all the stats and SuperCoach scores by clicking here.

Jarrod Harbrow of the Suns gets a kick away under pressure from Dylan Shiel. Source: Getty Images

QUARTER-TIME

GWS Giants 3.3 21 Gold Coast Suns 3.3 (21)

Scores are level at quarter-time in Canberra.

Big Charlie Dixon kicked the first goal of the match, but the Giants were soon on the board through Rhys Palmer and Jeremy Cameron.

Jarrod Harbrow (10 disposals) and Gary Ablett (9 disposals) are leading the way for the Suns.

For the Giants, Dylan Shiel (10 disposals) and Devon Smith (9 disposals) are winning the ball.

Get all the stats and SuperCoach scores by clicking here.

Gary Ablett and Tom Scully go head to head. Picture: Smith Kym Source: The Daily Telegraph

PRE-GAME:

There are no changes to either side.

The substitute for the Suns will be defender Jack Hutchins, while Tom Bugg will wear the green vest for the Giants.

The Suns, who are 1-4, head into the clash as favourites.

But the Giants' first win came against their fellow expansion club in Canberra this time last year.

So they will rate their chances today.

Don't miss any of the action by following the game at Live HQ by clicking here.

The match gets underway at 1:45pm AEST, followed by Carlton and Adelaide at 4:40pm AEST.

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Clark to miss Lions rematch

Shane Crawford is in Hawaii but he's still thinking about SuperCoach - and Travis Cloke.

Melbourne forward Mitch Clark after hurting his foot last week. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE forward Mitch Clark will miss at least the match against his old club Brisbane on Sunday, but the Demons say he has avoided serious injury.

Clark was rested for most of the final quarter of the Demons' big win against GWS last weekend - his troublesome right foot packed in ice.

There were fears he may have reinjured a bone in his foot - an injury which cost him half a season in 2012.

But coach Mark Neeld said scans this week showed only a minor problem, and no recurrence of the bone issue.

"The majority of it is really good news," Neeld said today.

"He's got a mid-foot sprain and he's rolled the ankle - all in that one area.

"He's not going to play this week. It will be a week-by-week thing."

Clark won't be risked in the Gabba clash on Sunday, with the Lions also hampered with the loss of key midfielder Daniel Rich for two months with a broken shoulder blade.

The Demons eased some of the pressure on themselves with a club record 12-goal final quarter to put away GWS last weekend and post their first victory of a tumultuous season.

But Neeld played down any outside pressure to back up the GWS performance with victory against another struggling club in the Lions.

He said it was more about improving weaknesses and building on strengths for a club in a rebuilding phase.

"When you're restarting a footy club and rebuilding a list, it's not done that way," Neeld said.

See all the Round 5 teams as they drop from 6pm at SuperFooty

"It's about 'this is what we did well', and we work to continue those strengths.

"And 'these are the areas we continue to need to improve', so we'll go and do that.

"Clubs in our position, you don't say: 'We won this week and it's really important to back it up this week'.

"We see things a whole different way."

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Leuey a big trade target

Charlie Dixon of the Suns takes on Matthew Leuenberger of the Lions. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

BRISBANE Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger is on course to become one of the AFL's most wanted players at season's end.

The athletic big man is out of contract at the end of the year and is looming large for new club Greater Western Sydney.

While the Giants' remain genuinely interested in Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin, Leuenberger, 24, has emerged as an ideal back-up recruiting target.

GWS has made no secret of its desire to add an established blue-chip ruckman, and potentially some key defensive reinforcement, to help bolster its glittering young midfield.

Live HQ: Essendon v Collingwood

The club's list management chiefs, Graeme Allan and Stephen Silvagni, have been lauded for the Giants' start-up recruiting, but are yet to finalise their key trade options for October's exchange period.

Should Franklin, 26, accept a big-money bid from the Giants, Leuenberger could also come into the Hawks' contingency plans as a mobile ruck-key forward.

The Lions remain confident Leuenberger, a No. 4 draft pick, will remain in Queensland, having recovered a debilitating achilles injury.

But it is likely the Perth-raised big man will wait to finalise his contract later in the season, after only three games last year.

If the 204cm ruckman's recovery continues without setback, Leuenberger's value is expected to soar.

The Lions' direction will also be a factor for the 72-gamer, with coach Michael Voss again under pressure after a sloppy start to the season.

West Coast's Mitch Brown is also expected to lob on the Giants' radar.

Brown, a versatile key position player, has put off contract negotiations with the Eagles until the end of the season, after failing to secure a trade to St Kilda last year. The Saints are expected to continue to pursue Brown.

Gold Coast's Daniel Gorringe could also be on the move next season.

Gorringe, who is third in line in the Suns' ruck stocks behind Zac Smith and Charlie Dixon, has been trialled as a centre half back this year.

Out of contract at the end of the year, it is believed Gorringe, from South Australia, is being keenly pursued by Adelaide and Port Adelaide.

North Melbourne's Daniel Currie's deal also expires at the end of the season.
 

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Lyon aims to tame Tiger midfield

TAB's Adam Hamilton and Nick Quinn bring you the latest news and information for this week's AFL action.

The Dockers will try to put the brakes on Brett Deledio. Source: Herald Sun

FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon says his team can't afford another mental lapse if it is to tame Richmond's talented midfield tomorrow night at Patersons Stadium.

The Dockers (2-2) are yet to put together a consistent four-quarter effort this season, with a horrible third term against Essendon in Round 3 and a similarly bad opening stanza against Hawthorn last week costing them dearly.

Lyon is well aware of the threat Richmond's midfield poses, with the likes of Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Shane Tuck and Shaun Grigg able to tear the game wide open, with the help of ruckman Ivan Maric.

Fremantle has its own midfield matchwinners in the form of David Mundy, Nat Fyfe, Michael Barlow and Stephen Hill, but Lyon said consistency would be the key to victory.

"Richmond have got real speed. That midfield they've invested in over five or six years now is really strong," Lyon said.

"So we understand what we're up against is very impressive. And there's a reason everyone's talking about Richmond, because their best is very good.

"We think we're quite a good team, but we've been a bit inconsistent, which concerns us. But we get a real opportunity to fix that."

Lyon said the club's annual Len Hall tribute match was a good chance to honour Anzac Day.

But given sport wasn't a life-and-death scenario, Lyon said it would be disrespectful to compare footballers to soldiers.

"The Australian and New Zealand forces over a long period of time have been sent to battle by their governments to protect the country and represent the free world," Lyon said.

"But for our players, I don't ask them to play like the Anzacs and live like the Anzacs because that, to me, would almost be disrespectful.

"What we ask is an effort that honours that day.

"(Anzac Day) is a lot about mateship and the view on mates and trust, and where it originated from under real pressure."

Fremantle utility Matt de Boer, whose grandfather served in World War II, echoed Lyon's thoughts.

"It's silly to try to compare us to the bravery and the actions the Anzacs did for us to ensure that we live today the way we do," de Boer said.

"But we'll go out there and do our best job to honour them in our special way."

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Scott irate over Brayshaw 'vendetta'

Behind-the-scenes footage of Majak Daw receiving his North Melbourne jumper in the rooms before his AFL debut.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott claims a journalist has a vendetta against club chairman James Brayshaw. Source: Herald Sun

NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott says the club may consider legal action over a journalist's alleged "personal vendetta" against club chairman James Brayshaw.

Scott was furious today over claims that Kangaroos medical services director Steve Saunders had been overruling the club's doctor since 2011.

Brayshaw had earlier criticised the AFL's insistence that club doctors have the final say on medical matters, as the doctors are part-time employees and other sports science and fitness staff are now full-time.

Scott described the comments, by Caroline Wilson on Footy Classified, as a "lie" and "potentially libellous" and said North Melbourne would be seeing an explanation.

"One thing that we are concerned about is that there are false accusations that any one of our staff would overrule a doctor. That is simply a lie," Scott said today.

"It's very dangerous territory when you start making those accusations without any evidence to back it up. I can categorically say that's not true.

"And, unfortunately, when Caroline Wilson speaks these days about North Melbourne most people think that it's just pursuing a personal vendetta that she's had against James Brayshaw for a long time."

Scott said North Melbourne would ask Wilson for an explanation before pursuing legal action.

"I think professional credibility and reputation is everything and when that's brought into question I think you've got a right to defend yourself," he said.

"So I think we'll be seeking explanation of those comments."

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