A quick bite of the local, national and world sporting landscape

The Advertiser’s Sport Editor at large Michelangelo Rucci gives his take on what’s happening locally, nationally and on the world stage of sport.

• Gallery: Elite footy in the suburbs
• AFL coaches pressure test
• SANFL needs quick history lesson
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IT is the reporting season in football - that is financial reports.

The SANFL on Tuesday night will lodged its annual report that is certain to draw more attention than usual because of the parliamentary select committee hearings on the proposed hotel development at Adelaide Oval. The football league is - with the SA Cricket Association - a 50:50 partner in the Adelaide Oval project.

Already there are many interesting financial documents filed in Hansard as the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority has lodged its papers detailing how the financial model works at the Oval. The eye-opening figure is the jump in the electricity bill at the Oval - from $1.5 million in 2016 to $2.5 million last year.

And the millions in State-legislated taxes (written by Treasurer Rob Lucas when he was in opposition) that hit the SMA books each year.

The move from Football Park to Adelaide Oval in 2014 was always positioned by football as requiring everyone - in particular the SANFL, Crows and Power - to be better off. The financial figures after five years would tell if that case is made or not.

The Roast understands the number crunching of the Adelaide Oval financials reveals the revenue streams for football’s key players are -

SANFL, 6 per cent better off than at Football Park

Crows and Power, more than 100 per cent better

Crows and Power collecting 73 cents - more than the 70 promised - on every football dollar spent at the Oval.

Maybe there are still some rivers of gold out there ...

MONEY GAME

Anyone else notice that when AFL chief executive GILLON McLACHLAN has his salary package questioned, there is the comparison of his earnings with those of the Prime Minister. And the loudest critics are usually radio commentators who earn more than the PM themselves.

The new coach of AS Roma, Claudio Ranieri, attends a press conference at the Fulvio Bernardini training center in Trigoria, near Rome, Italy, Sunday March 10, 2019. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP)

HOME ... FINALLY

Claudio Ranieri - always to be known as the man who led Leicester City to the English Premier League title - is finally home at Rome.

Born in Roma (in 1951), Ranieri played six times for AS Roma in 1973-74. His return to the “Lupi” follows the sacking of Eusebio Di Francesco. It is his second calling to Roma as the manager after a solid run of 90 matches from 2009-2011. His contract this time is for just 12 games.

“I’m happy to be back home ... when Roma call you, it’s impossible to say no,” Ranieri said.

But will Roma call Ranieri for the 2019-2020 campaign?

SERIOUSLY

Did anyone else notice during the Fox Footy coverage of the Port Adelaide-North Melbourne trial at Alberton Oval on Saturday a young lady seated at a table in front of the RB Quinn Stand with a high tray of cakes as if she was in a tea room in Paris?

This is not the Port Adelaide image at all.

West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern holds the premiership trophy after winning during the 2018 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Julian Smith/AAP

LIGHTS OUT

AFL commissioners on Thursday will decide the timeslot for the AFL grand final - day, twilight or night.

AFL Commission chairman RICHARD GOYDER has said: “While we’re all traditionalists, a twilight grand final with the right entertainment would be amazing.”

AFL Fans’ Association president GERRY EEMAN has said: “Poll after poll shows a clear ­majority of fans don’t want it. So why do something your largest stakeholder clearly doesn’t want? It’s not a lineball ­decision, it’s a clear majority.”

AFL chief executive GILLON McLACHLAN has said: “None of us like change (when asked to declare a position for a survey).”

It was a pretty good - and entertaining - grand final last year with a 2.30pm start, wasn’t it?

PARDON?

Along with surfing, climbing and skateboarding, break dancing is on the agenda for inclusion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

IF an AFL club is generating $4 million in profits, should there be no increase in membership ticket prices to say thank you to the membership?

Crows chairman ROB CHAPMAN was posed this question on SEN1629 last week. He responded: “Let me assure you, raising ticket prices are a last ‘go-to’.”

TWEET OF THE WEEK

I did not use the word "love". Who writes these headlines? https://t.co/kdQnijXTH2

— Graham Cornes (@Cornesy12) March 9, 2019

Inaugural Crows coach GRAHAM CORNES @Cornesy12 still trying to dismiss his heart was moved at the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame inductions where his son KANE CORNES was honoured - and Graham was asked to take a moment of applause from the 800 in the room.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’d been hearing that stuff from the moment people would say if your name ended in a vowel you could not play footy. As a kid from an Italian background I was not going to take no for an answer; I had resilience and a determination to prove people wrong.”

Port Adelaide SANFL premiership defender GEORGE FIACCHI on being inducted to the club’s Hall of Fame.

VALE

AUSTRALIA’S Olympic movement lost one of its great sportsmen on Sunday, LOU HAILEY.

A member of the Australian Olympic team at Melbourne in 1956 and Rome in 1960, Hailey not only served the Australian men’s hockey side as a goalkeeper but also later as a national selector.

Hailey is to be remembered as one of the true gentlemen of Olympic sport.

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