The Tackle: Bryce Gibbs set to sign but Blues face civil war
THE good news is Bryce Gibbs is set to re-sign with Carlton. The bad news is a civil war could erupt at board level. REPLAY ROBBO’S CHAT
Mark Robinson
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THE good news is Bryce Gibbs is set to re-sign with Carlton, ending months of speculation about his future.
The bad news is a civil war could erupt at board level, continuing months of speculation about the club’s future.
REPLAY ROBBO’S CHAT IN THE WINDOW BELOW
Gibbs’ management and Blues football boss Andrew McKay are understood to be tidying up the final sticking points in a contract probably worth about $500,000 a season, with $50,000 depending on other variables.
An announcement could be made within a fortnight.
It’s welcome news at a club which has had a topsy-turvy season.
The Blues play St Kilda on Monday night at Etihad Stadium and a loss would be — and it is said every other week at Carlton — devastating for this occasionally proud football club.
Things have gone haywire under coach Mick Malthouse.
Blues fans must be disillusioned — and confused.
One week, against West Coast, Malthouse rated the victory as one of the best of his career and the next, against Collingwood, he says the club has to take “heavy falls” and his team has “passengers”.
LISTEN TO SAM EDMUND, MICHAEL WARNER AND ANTHONY HUDSON WRAP UP THE WEEKEND IN THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST:
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Off the field, there is a whiff of blood in the air.
And the worst case imaginable is possible, and that is a Pratt v Mathieson board showdown.
The two billionaires — Jeanne Pratt and Bruce Mathieson — are not close and Pratt is not entirely satisfied with the club’s direction.
She — and others — were not happy about Mathieson’s outspoken comments made after Round 1 and after the loss to Melbourne.
That Mathieson is not a board member and pulls the strings from Queensland has also prompted questions for the board, namely: Who is running this club?
It is a cluttered leadership at the Blues.
Stephen Kernahan was president, and he had three vice presidents — Mark LoGiudice, Pratt and businessman Ryan Trainor.
The club announced two weeks ago LoGiudice would replace Kernahan in June, which prompted Trainor to resign, while Pratt remains in her position.
A smooth transition from Kernahan to LoGiudice might suddenly not be so smooth.
LoGiudice has strong support from Mathieson — it is said he rang Mathieson seeking his blessing — and certainly Pratt and her gang on the board, which includes son-in-law Raphael Geminder and billionaire Zac Fried, initially supported LoGiudice’s selection.
Pratt is understood to be wavering.
It’s understood she recently approached former vice-president Richard Newton and asked him to consider returning to the club.
It’s too early to speculate if a ticket will be formed to challenge the leadership, but you’d suspect Pratt wouldn’t be asking Newton to come back and cut up the crayfish at the monthly board meetings.
Remember, too, there has been murmurings for two months about a board challenge, and names such as Tom Elliott and former player Fraser Brown have been linked to a possible takeover, which both have softly denied.
Tom’s father John Elliott and Mathieson are not friends, and in fact John Elliott savaged Mathieson after he recently called for Kernahan and chief executive Greg Swan to immediately resign. It’s also known the Elliotts and Jeanne Pratt are close.
Mathieson might plough millions into the club, but there are some at the Blues who thinks he is destabilising and that if he disappeared, the club would be all the better for it.
But now, of course, Mathieson has his man as chairman-elect in LoGiudice.
An extraordinary general meeting might not be a terrible outcome, either. It could finally reduce the board from current number of 12 to a more manageable six or seven and in doing so rid the club of factions on the board.
As for Newton, who served under Kernahan as vice-president for several years and was once tipped to be Kernahan’s replacement as president, he might suddenly have a massive decision to make.
He did not return calls last night.
KENNEDY’S 11 A MODERN MIRACLE
BAGS of 11 goals or more brings back Saturday afternoon memories from the likes Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett and Modra.
For some reason, I can remember Lockett’s 10.7 against Carlton in Round 2, 1989, as clear as Ablett’s 14 at the MCG versus Essendon in 1993, Dunstall’s 17 against Richmond in 1992 and Modra’s 13 against the Blues in 1994.
I wasn’t at Moorabbin for Lockett’s haul. I was instead at Windy Hill for a pedestrian game between Essendon and Melbourne, won by the Bombers by 26 points.
Leaving Windy Hill, a man listening to the radio said Lockett had just marked in front of Stephen Silvagni and was lining up to kick his 10th with only moments to play.
Lockett did kick the winner, the Saints won by four points, and Lockett started the season with bags of nine, 10 and eight on the way to 70 goals from the first nine rounds.
West Coast’s Josh Kennedy kicked 11 goals on Sunday, 11 straight, to take his season tally to 24.
He trails Port Adelaide’s Jay Schulz who has 25.
And, yes, this after eight rounds of footy.
At the same time in 1989, Lockett had 58 goals. He would kick 12 against West Coast in Round 9 and when people whinge about the loss of the full-forward, season 1989 could be Exhibit A.
Dunstall finished the season with 138 goals, which included two hauls of 11, a nine, three eights and three sevens. He finished equal fourth in the Brownlow Medal on 16 votes, made up of just two best on grounds.
Amazing voting, really. It means he wasn’t given maximum votes in either of his nine-goal performance or eight-goal performances.
Kennedy’s effort is a miracle in today’s football and deserving of three Brownlow votes
Flooded backlines, two on ones, pressure on the midfields and more avenues to goal doesn’t allow for double-digit goals from an individual.
The Eagles had 11 goalkickers on their way to 30 goals for the match.
And what a difference accurate kicking makes. They kicked 30.8 against mediocre opposition, but it followed scores of 7.12, 12.17, 7.8 and 4.8 in their previous four games.
As much as it was a commanding performance, the Eagles and Kennedy by extension can be accused of being flat-track bullies.
Their four wins have been against the Western Bulldogs at home, Melbourne, St Kilda and now GWS.
They have lost to Fremantle, Carlton, Geelong and Port Adelaide.
They beat the poor teams and succumb to the better teams, although the Carlton loss wasn’t exactly to one of the league’s better performers.
The positive is they are in the eight with a healthy percentage of 131.8.
The negative is they face Collingwood, North Melbourne and Hawthorn in their next three outings.
We’ll find out soon enough if they are fair dinkum or feeders on bottom dwellers.
By the way, when St Kilda beat Carlton in ’89, Lockett’s 10.7 was from St Kilda’s total score of 13.18, playing on Stephen Silvagni.
How times have changed.
LIKES
1. THE CHAD. Discussion on Sunday about the best player at the 50-game mark, and if we’re talking about the modern era, then Chard Wingard rates better than the likes of fellow high forwards such as Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman, Bulldog and Tiger Nathan Brown, and Mark LeCras. He can do everything and most of all at times when games are at their tightest. He is a big-moment player who kicks goals and he is just about the most important player on the ground.
2. MUMS LOVING THEIR JOSH KENNEDY. One kicked 11 goals, the other pushed for best afield against the Hawks on Friday night. Sydney’s Kennedy had the best stats imaginable for a midfielder: 36 disposals, 23 contested disposals, 11 tackles and 10 clearances. Could he a smokie for a Brownlow? Three games of plus 30 disposals and another three games plus 27 disposals. His problem is Dan Hannebery has nailed some big games, as he did again on Friday night
3. RYAN GRIFFEN. Tom Liberatore will likely get the votes, but this bloke gets a pat as well. Not as efficient as he usually is (went at just 45 per cent), but 12 of his 20 possessions were contested. Career-high 15 tackles and only the third time he has accumulated more than 10 tackles in a game in his 190-game career. Elite on the outside, Griffen is proving to be an elite all-round player with the responsibility of captain also.
4. CALE HOOKER. If the All Australian was squad as being selected now, Hooker would have one of the positions as a key tall. The Bombers wanted to off-load him to West Coast a year ago, but Hooker said no, he wanted to prove himself at Bomber-land. Takes the best or second-best key forward each week and has become a marking sensation. Taken 16, 10, 9, 10, 15, 3, 13 and another 10 on the weekend. Some are as the clock winds down, some come when the Bombers criss-cross across half-back, and some come in packs. Whatever. He is one the reasons why Carlisle stays as a forward.
5. JAMES AISH. When in Brisbane’s position, you look to the future and Aish has been standout this year, not just at the Lions, but across the competition for first-year players. Aish, Paparone and Mayes will be strong contributors for many years, and let’s hope they recommit to the Lions when contract talks begin. Missed Aish in my SuperCoach team and now it’s too late.
6. BUDDY. Love him on the burst and still love him when he’s kicking points, for he’s compulsive viewing either way. His two goals in the final quarter came after seven behinds in the first three quarters, and they were vintage Franklin, especially the first one. A drop punt from 55m and the Swans didn’t look back. And did you see him getting mobbed by his teammates? So much for all the talk about how he’s not fitting in to the bloods culture.
7. THE PINK MCG. Other than Anzac Day, there’s not a more emotional game on the calendar. Another tick for footy in the community.
Honourable mentions: Impey on Ballantyne, Nathan Fyfe, Trengove in the ruck, Jack and McVeigh as forwards, King Tutt’s key goals, Tom Williams on one leg, Dom Tyson’s class, Tommy Rockliff is a star, so is Callan Ward, and so is Dyson Heppell.
DISLIKES
1. THE BUMP. Why-o-why after the week we all experienced, not least Adelaide’s Tom Lynch who has a busted jaw, did players lose their heads? Liam Jones is a dead-set goner, Mark LeCras should be embarrassed for crunching Will Hoskin-Elliott a week after returning, Paul Chapman was plainly stupid lifting the elbow, Paul Duffield got Chad Wingard late and Jarryd Roughead took the risk - in his eyes took it fairly and responsibly - and collected former teammate Ben McGlynn in the head. Feel for Roughead only, because the other three had serious intent.
2. ADAM GOODES. Extraordinary footballer but also an extraordinary actor. He took a dive on Friday night after a Hawthorn player ran across his path as the Hawks took the ball out of the backline. It was captured briefly on camera and it showed Goodes wheeling back as if he had been hit with a sledge hammer. Perhaps it’s time the AFL starts issuing fines for acting, starting with the dual Brownlow Medallist.
3. GWS GIANTS. False dawn after the victory over Sydney in Round 1 and Sunday was as bad as we’ve seen. Those commentators predicting a tsunami of talent from Sydney’s west can rest easy for a while. Coach Leon Cameron said his players didn’t “hang tough’’. He could’ve easily said worse, such as pathetic and embarrassing. They were wiped from Subiaco, giving up 19 goals in the second half, telling us the long journey is still longer than we thought.
4. AL CLARKSON. He’s a snarly man isn’t he? This time it was Tom Harley on the end when he accused the Channel Seven commentator of having a Geelong leaning after Harley said Jarryd Roughead was in trouble for his hit on Ben McGlynn. Leigh Matthews and Jason Dunstall also offered than Roughead could be suspended, but nothing from Clarkson on those two former Hawks greats. At least Clarko didn’t swear. The last time he was annoyed with a media person, he called him a c...head.
5. JAKE CARLISLE. What can be done about the big man? I think the answer is an easy one: Put him to the backline. Clearly, he’s given up on being a forward and coach Mark Thompson must do what’s best for the team. The frustration is obvious. Wrestling players who verbal him is the sure sign Carlisle has let the opposition, let everything, get into his head. At least playing the Swans next gives Mark Thompson a reason to send him back to help counter Sydney’s forward line.
6. DANYLE PEARCE. Took it from the coach and it obviously wasn’t the first time Pearce has made the same error, because coaches don’t usually leave the box to deliver a personal spray. It looked like, but not confirmed, that Ross Lyon was stressing the point he doesn’t like Pearce going for the ball one-handed. He’s one of those players, Pearce, that when it works it looks classy, and when it doesn’t, it looks horrible. That said, Pearce was one of several issues for the Dockers who, it must be said, didn’t have McPharlin or Dawson at the back.
7. INFRACTION NOTICES. Jungle drums are beating Essendon players might receive show-cause letters from ASADA which has the capacity to rip the heart out of Essendon and the competition. Feel for the players if true, for their faith was placed in the hands of people who needed to be trusted. If it does happen, it won’t be the end of the matter. Expect strong legal opposition from the players which might end up in court.
Dishonourable mentions: The byes, hate them. The free to Stu Crameri at the end, hated it.
BEST TWEETS
@mickbrennan20: Underrated role last night from JayKennedyHarris only kept Murphy to 15 touches and he kicked 2 rippers#risingstar
@Marajax: LIKE Jetta doubled his tackle count for 3Y in one game DIS. split round = washing car mowing lawn shopping #nowheretohide
@gregp3000: Dislike a lot of the AFL’s scheduling this year – Monday nights are bad enough but to have it in a split round?
@cmanifis: likes jk 11 straight. Dislikes the amount of time katich spent on the ground as a runner.
@aussiedutchman: Like - Dee’s (bar j watts) effort. Dislike - The amount of bumps to the head.
@jrulach: Dislike Bombers lack of a plan B. Completely impotent up forward yet no changes are made in game.
@mickobrien83: Likes all the player’s mums out there who have sacrificed so much so their sons could achieve their goals...!
@blitznu: L: dees being in the game now.D: its so bloody stressful being in the game.L:2day break between rounds D:1 game on Sunday
@asoufan96: Like: Good week to be a Josh Kennedy Dislike: Monday night footy and Split bye rounds. Just take a week off!
@dannnnryan: dislike: how overrated nic naitanui is... He averages 2 marks a game
@b0ycee: like, New contract for Josh Jenkins & a fantastic indigenous rd guernsey designed by McLeod. dislike, bye rounds
@smokiedawson: Dislike: the ‘below-the-knees-sliding-rule’. It penalises players who are attacking the football & inconsistently applied
@ben_s_downey: Like: @Jacksontrengove with an incredible last quarter. Only 2 days between another round starting
@pedrossa87: Like:- Aish, Taylor, Paparone Dislike:- lions rebuilding for what seems the 4th year in a row
@jimmybennett18: dislike the split round. Disliked it in round one. Disliked it this week & will dislike it for the next 2 weeks
@mattpolo8: big dislike: the terrible ball tosses from bound umps and bounce ups from fld umps. Enough is enough.
@SidebySide: L: BCNA - what a fabulous site it was. In awe of the women D: the byes - don’t get me started #hateit
@VibeRadioShow: Dislike - Brian Taylor spending the 1st Qtr dogs vs dees paying out on umpires, Grow up and Call the game #noumpiresnogame
@ryant56: like: Dom Tyson. Best player under 21 in comp. dislike: split rounds having Monday and Thursday games
@kanga37: like Eurovision scheduled alongside Dogs v Dees. More talent in the Polish milkmaids than on the entire field
@BeccaHayne: L: The Crameri free kick...unprintable response in the pub. D: Having a bye after 8 rounds. Season spluttering along.
@Matthew_Dower: Like: Dom tyson, best game for Melbourne, possibly for his career to date. Contention for votes. Put the critics to bed.
@realpaulhogan: dislikes: when your team has the bye. No emotional investment. Who won this weekend?
@coops5585: like: Chad Wingard. Already in the top few most entertaining and best players in the league..
@matywubla: LIKE 11 straight is a phenomenal performance! JK couldn’t miss. Even the lamb shanks went through! Amazing
@swuchat: Dislike: WCE took 123 marks against GWS, one player in the team failed to take one - NicNat. Not good enough for $4m man
@monbug63: Libba’s game against the Dee’s & Tom Williams heroic last quarter effort, dislike blowouts!
@Crooksy18: L. Brendan McCartney having a winner at @FlemingtonVRC and the @MCG on the same day. Love that I backed both
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