By Scott Spits and Jon Pierik
In today’s AFL Briefing, your daily wrap of footy news:
- Melbourne name six new players to take on Giants, five of them debutants.
- Hopes of the Sheffield Shield final being held Adelaide Oval have been kiboshed by the AFL.
Lynch banned for De Koning bump
Scott Spits
Tom Lynch’s return to the AFL after an injury-hit two years has already suffered a hiccup after the Richmond spearhead was hit with a one-match ban for rough conduct.
The Tigers are still basking in the glory of their stunning come-from-behind win over Carlton on Thursday night, but they’ll have to do without Lynch for next weekend’s trip to South Australia to take on Port Adelaide.
Lynch’s hit on Carlton’s Tom De Koning was deemed careless conduct, with medium impact and high contact – resulting in a one-game ban.
The two-time premiership Tiger played just eight matches in two seasons before his return from injury in the surprise 14-point over the Blues, a game in which Richmond trailed by 41 points in the second quarter.
The bump in question: Tom Lynch’s clash with Tom De Koning.Credit: Channel Seven
Lynch was cleared of a rough conduct charge at the AFL tribunal two years ago, avoiding a three-match ban for his clash with then-Western Bulldog Alex Keath.
The tribunal ruled that the forward, who broke his foot in that 2023 match, did not take his eyes off the ball in his clash with Keath.
Demons name five debutants in new-look line-up
Melbourne have made a major selection statement for the start of the AFL season, naming five debutants to play against GWS.
Former Brisbane player Harry Sharp will also make his Demons debut in “Jim’s Game” at the MCG, which will honour club and AFL great Jim Stynes.
Harvey Langford (left) and Xavier Lindsay will be among five debutants in Melbourne’s team on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
There were loud cheers in the change rooms at Melbourne’s Casey Fields headquarters on Friday morning as the six newcomers were told the good news.
Last year’s first-round draft picks Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay, along with fellow 2024 draftee Aidan Johnson will join Matt Jefferson (2022 draft), and Jack Henderson, who joined the Demons last month, as the debutants.
“It’s pretty exciting ... (it’s) a lot, but they’re ready to go,” said coach Simon Goodwin.
Asked why he was so confident that they are ready, Goodwin said: “evidence through the pre-season, evidence through the match simulation and training, and the performance they’ve been putting in.
“Some of their desire to compete has been really high.
“We see in the game at the moment if you’re prepared to compete and put pressure on the ball, it can take you a long way. All those guys do that for us.”
Goodwin said Lindsay had been “super-impressive” since overcoming injury when he joined the Demons last year.
“He’s a smooth mover who uses the ball incredibly well,” he said.
Goodwin agreed there was some risk in having so many new players. GWS are a formidable opponent who took apart Collingwood last weekend.
“Obviously, when you’re implementing a new way of playing, and you combine that with some new players, there’s a freshness and a newness to it,” Goodwin said.
Former Brisbane Lion Harry Sharp will play his first game for Melbourne.Credit: Getty
“Cohesion is a big part of footy, so how quickly we adapt and get everyone on the same page is something we’re really looking forward to seeing.
“With that comes a little bit of danger in terms of what that might look like, but in terms of the evidence we’ve been able to see within our training and match simulation, we feel they also understand what their roles require.”
Melbourne’s tumultuous off-season has been well documented and Goodwin’s message is that they are now focused on fulfilling their potential as a team.
He is rapt that Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, the subject of much trade speculation after last season, will join Jack Viney and Max Gawn in the midfield.
“For a better word, get the band back together in the midfield, it’s fantastic,” Goodwin said.
“Clayton’s had an enormous pre-season, and he’s as fit as I’ve seen him for a couple of years.
“To get Christian back to full health and playing the way he’s playing – I can’t wait to see Viney, Oliver, Petracca – the lads going to work inside.”
AAP
AFL says ‘no’ to Shield final at Adelaide Oval
Jon Pierik
Cricket Australia says it is disappointed after the AFL blocked its bid to have the Sheffield Shield final at the Adelaide Oval.
Game over: A bid by CA and SACA to stage the Sheffield Shield final at the Adelaide Oval has failed. The match would have been wedged between two AFL games.Credit: Getty Images
The marquee domestic fixture, involving South Australia and a yet-to-be determined opponent, will now be held at the suburban venue, Karen Rolton Oval.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian Cricket Association had pushed for the five-day match to be held at Adelaide Oval, shoehorned between Port Adelaide’s match against Richmond on Saturday, March 22, and the Adelaide Crows’ game against North Melbourne at the same venue the following Sunday.
But the AFL, which has rights to the ground from March 15 each year, and the Crows raised concerns about player welfare. One issue was that the outfield would need to be shaved for cricket, and the grass would not grow back to meet AFL requirements before the Crows’ game.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg maintains the Adelaide Oval should have held the final.
“We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval,” Greenberg said on Friday.
“The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue.
“I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval.
“March is a very important month for cricket, including the Sheffield Shield and premier and club cricket finals.
“We will continue to work collaboratively at all levels to ensure cricket gains and provides appropriate access to shared venues across the country.”
The AFL released a statement on Friday, saying it was unwilling to risk the safety of its players by allowing the cricket game to go ahead.
“After extensive consultation with a range of AFL stakeholders, the AFL has determined that the risks involved in turning around the Adelaide Oval in time to meet the safety and playing standards required for AFL matches are not acceptable,” the statement said.
“The tight turnaround required to remove the cricket pitch and restore the surface for football, including the Adelaide home game on the Sunday into the demands of Gather Round, where multiple matches will be played over a short period, meant the AFL felt it couldn’t be satisfied that the quality of the playing surface could be guaranteed to the requisite level.
“This challenge was further heightened by the potential impact of any adverse weather conditions. The AFL has explored all reasonable options to make this work, but after extensive discussions and advice this week, was not satisfied that the planned arrangements met the appropriate risk profile for a safe surface.”
Malinauskas had shut down any talk of government compensation for the AFL and its clubs to allow the switch.
“We are asking people to act rationally and pragmatically in the interest of fans,” Malinauskas said on FIVEAA radio in Adelaide earlier this week.
“The South Australian government has already shown an awful lot of support to both footy clubs locally, particularly the Adelaide Football Club, which has done very well from the support we have provided them to get through the issues at Thebarton [Oval] – we have backed them all the way.”
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said earlier this week that football would not seek anything more than “risk mitigation” from cricket.
While the stadium’s drop-in pitches had already been removed, they could still have been reinstalled, with ground officials insisting there would be minimal impact on the playing surface.
Former Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett said that there were no safety concerns for players as far as he was concerned.
The Redbacks, having already locked in their berth in the final, will have their opponent confirmed after the final round of Shield matches, beginning this weekend. They have not won a Shield title since 1996.
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