Crows, Power players are eager to play in Victoria versus All Stars bushfires appeal game
Crows head of football Adam Kelly says he has no doubts Adelaide players will want to make themselves available for the Victoria versus All Stars bushfire appeal match. It's just a matter of how they will be selected.
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Adelaide’s best players are lining up to play in next month’s bushfire relief match, according to new head of football Adam Kelly.
While the club is waiting to hear just how the teams will be selected for the ‘State of Origin’ game between Victoria and the All Stars at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on February 28, Kelly said the entire Crows squad wanted in.
It is understood each club will be asked to put three names forward to filter between the two teams for the exhibition match, where funds raised will support communities impacted by the bushfires sweeping Australia.
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“We’re still yet to know exactly what the selection process will look like and we’ll confirm that with the AFL in the coming days but our players, throughout these devastating bushfires, have been keen to demonstrate their willingness to support the community,’’ Kelly said.
“I’ve got no doubt the players are going to want to make themselves available, so now it’s up to us to work with the AFL about the selection process.
“There’s been a bit of speculation about what the two teams would look like and we’ve seen Daniel Talia named at full back for Victoria and Rory Laird and Brodie Smith named in defence for the All Stars team, so we could have players spread across both teams.’’
Port Adelaide also has backed the fundraising concept, saying, “as a club, we are more than willing to support the All Stars game and will provide players accordingly’’.
Robbie Gray and Travis Boak (Victoria) and Connor Rozee (All Stars) have been mentioned as possibilities from the Power for the clash.
Former Crows star and current Cat Patrick Dangerfield said he was confident the league’s biggest names would take to the field for the one-off clash, which comes in the middle of the Marsh Community pre-season series.
“I’ve got no doubt we’ll have the best players in the competition playing in this game,” said Dangerfield, who is president of the AFL Players’ Association.
“We’ll see the best players from around the league participate in this game and it will be one you don’t want to miss.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the league was working through the process of how the players would be selected for the match, with football boss Steve Hocking in talks with the clubs.
“What I do know is and from conversations I’ve had is the players are really keen to play,” McLachlan said.
“I’m confident (we’ll get the best players). I’ve been overwhelmed by the positivity from the playing group and from our clubs.
We are asking all clubs to put three players forward, which I know they’ll do, then there is a bit of flexibility to work through that.’’
The match is to be held in the Crows and Power’s bye week during the pre-season competition and Kelly said the club would “manage our players’ load through the pre-season period’’.
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Dual Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick will coach Victoria, while Sydney coach John Longmire will marshall the All-Stars team.
The match will be part of a double header and follow the AFLW clash between Collingwood and Melbourne.
All money raised on the night will go to supporting bushfire recovery.
The AFL, in conjunction with its clubs and the AFLPA, also has pledged a $2.5 million donation to the bushfires fund.
The fundraising match will be the first game of its kind since the 2008 Hall of Fame Tribute Match that saw Victoria beat the Dream Team by 17 points in front of a 69,294 fans at the MCG.
Kelly, meanwhile, said Adelaide and Port were still considering playing a “Showdown’’ Twenty20 cricket match to raise more funds for the bushfire appeal.
“We have discussed opportunities where we can come together in solidarity to support the SA community but there are multiple stakeholders involved so we are still working through whether the T20 can happen,’’ he said.