AFL Daily: Carlton defender Liam Jones signs contract extension
With the club's defensive stocks pretty thin, Carlton has handed polarising defender Liam Jones a new long-term contract extension. RECAP THE DAY'S NEWS
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July 11, 2019 - 9:17AM
Nick Riewoldt says the draft doesn't have the same affect as rival codes.
Carlton has locked in polarising backman Liam Jones for another three years, in a bid to shore up its thin key defensive stocks.
With only Jacob Weitering and makeshift forward-cum-defender Levi Casboult available in the key posts, the Blues thought it important to pin down the 28-year-old to a long-term extension.
Jones, who came to the Blues as a forward, has played 55 games for Carlton, resurrecting his career in defence in the latter half of 2017 and has made a name soaring for high marks.
Jones, who has been both feted and maligned by supporters in his time at the club, said he had enjoyed his journey at the Blues.
“It’s great to re-sign, I love playing my football here and I feel like this group can achieve something special,” Jones told the club's website.
“My time here at Carlton has been quite the journey. Going from a forward to a defender, the transition certainly had its challenges, but I’ve loved every minute.
“It’s been great to hone my defensive craft with (backline coach) Dale Amos, who has backed me since day one and encouraged me to do it my way.
Liam Jones has signed a new deal with the Blues.
“The club has shown great belief in me since I walked through the doors and I’m looking forward to working hard every day to help this group achieve success over the next three seasons.”
Carlton list manager Stephen Silvagni said the club held Jones in high regard, hence the long-term deal.
“Through sheer hard work and determination, Liam has become an integral part of our backline and has developed into a great leader among our defensive group,” Silvagni said.
“He shows such dedication to his defensive craft and it’s a credit to Liam that he has become one of the best defenders in the competition.”
RECAP ALL OF THE DAY’S AFL NEWS AS IT HAPPENS IN THE BLOG BELOW
Even the Hawthorn players aren’t sure whether coach Alastair Clarkson’s ban on long-sleeved jumpers is myth or fact because they are too scared to ask.
Mid-July heading to Launceston with a forecast of morning frost due to a minimum of zero degrees and a top of 12 for Saturday’s clash with Fremantle would be ideal long-sleeve conditions.
But Hawks star defender James Sicily said there won’t be any full-length brown and gold jumpers on show at the University of Tasmania Stadium.
“I don’t know if there is a ban, and I don’t know who the last person was to wear one,” Sicily said.
“I don’t think he (Clarkson) likes it but no one knows as no one’s game enough to ask him.”
The Hawks head to Launceston on back of a surging win over Collingwood, which coincided with the return of captain Ben Stratton.
Stratton missed the two previous games through suspension for pinching and stomping.
Sicily, who played his best games of the year against the Pies, said the players had rallied around their skipper.
“It (the ban) was a bit of an outlier in his behaviour,” Sicily said.
“I mean considering how respected he is among Hawthorn folk but I imagine he’s got a fair bit of respect from players that have played on him because he’s a very good defender.
“He just obviously had this a little bit of a hiccup but other than that he’s a ripper.
“It was good to get him back.”
He said Stratton was most likely to get the job on Fremantle star Michael Walters on Saturday.
Lions set to rule out Hodge, Hipwood
Chris Vernuccio
Andrew Hamilton
Brisbane is considering a shock line-up change with banged-up veteran Luke Hodge set to miss the trip to take on the Power in Adelaide on Sunday.
The four time premiership winner’s name is expected to be missing when a squad is named later tonight.
Key forward Eric Hipwood is also unlikely to play due to a knee injury.
Hodge was crunched by GWS wrecking ball Jeremy Cameron during Sunday’s gutsy 20 point victory over the Giants in Sydney.
Although he took a while to regain his feet and stood doubled over for some time, he refused to leave the ground and battled on in one of his best games for the club.
Brisbane say Hodge did not suffer any rib damage in the collision with Cameron.
The Lions say they had always intended to find a game to freshen Hodge up for the finals and the back to back travel schedule made this week the ideal time.
Bevo: Dogs can sniff finals
Chris Vernuccio
Premiership coach Luke Beveridge knows anything can happen in September and has declared the Western Bulldogs’ best football is good enough to make them a serious contender.
The Bulldogs have been on a hot streak since their mid-season bye, building upon victories over Carlton and Port Adelaide and a tight loss to Collingwood with an impressive 16-point win over ladder-leaders Geelong last week.
While the Dogs sit 12th on the ladder, they are just four points shy of seventh- placed Port with seven rounds remaining.
Sunday’s clash with Melbourne at Marvel Stadium presents another opportunity for the Bulldogs to continue their hot form, although important midfielder Tom Liberatore’s knee injury will keep him sidelined for another week.
Beveridge says the renewed energy among his players since the bye has been obvious and isn’t keeping a lid on what they can achieve.
“Every club who’s got a bit of a sniff of what’s up ahead finds themselves at times preoccupied with what the possibility is,” Beveridge said on Thursday.
“Whether I take the boring ‘just focus on this week’ line or not, the opportunity is there. We’re playing good enough footy to be one of those teams but time will tell.
“Some of our form and our games have been really encouraging in that first half of the year. And the opportunities in the back half await the teams that endure and persevere and are prepared to dig deep.”
“I think the way that the rounds are unfolding, you’re seeing new teams produce different things and one or two teams who have established themselves at the top of the ladder start to feel the pinch here and there as far as their wins and losses,” he said.
“Who knows over the ensuing rounds what’s going to happen. But there’s no doubt that once we get to the end of the year, whoever’s in that top eight I think they’ll all consider themselves a genuine chance to be there on that last day.”
Veteran Dale Morris will spend another week in the VFL while Liberatore is expected to be available next week.
– AAP
Jay Clark
St Kilda stopper Nathan Brown could be recalled to help shut down Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins on Saturday night.
The Saints have lost defender Josh Battle to a knee injury and are considering bringing back Brown to help man Hawkins.
Brown, 30, was dropped to the VFL after the Round 13 win over Gold Coast and has pushed for a return to the senior side.
His experience would also be important for the young St Kilda side which will be missing injury-plagued recruit Daniel Hannebery.
Hawkins is a key to Geelong’s forward operations, booting 39 goals from 15 matches this season.
Brown is facing an uncertain future beyond this year. He is out of contract at the end of the season.
Hinkley backs Port pair to face Lions
Chris Vernuccio
Andrew Capel
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says he expects former captain Travis Boak to play against the Brisbane Lions in the top-eight clash at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
And Hinkley said lead ruckman Scott Lycett would tonight be named in his 26-man squad before undertaking a fitness test on his sore knee at training on Saturday which will determine his fitness fate.
Star midfielder Boak was a late withdrawal from the Power’s 57-point Showdown 47 thumping of Adelaide after suffering back spasms in the warm-up.
Lycett hurt his knee in a ruck contest in the first half but after limping from the ground he returned to play strongly.
St Kilda stopper Nathan Brown could be recalled to help shut down Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins on Saturday night.
The Saints have lost defender Josh Battle to a knee injury and are considering bringing back Brown to help man Hawkins.
Brown, 30, was dropped to the VFL after the Round 13 win over Gold Coast and has pushed for a return to the senior side.
His experience would also be important for the young St Kilda side which will be missing injury-plagued recruit Daniel Hannebery.
Hawkins is a key to Geelong’s forward operations, booting 39 goals from 15 matches this season.
Brown is facing an uncertain future beyond this year. He is out of contract at the end of the season.
Fremantle defender Joel Hamling has thrown his support behind Ross Lyon, declaring the under-fire coach is the right man for the job.
Some Dockers fans are calling for Lyon to be sacked following the club’s 91-point AFL loss to West Coast last Saturday.
Fremantle’s three-game losing streak has left them a win and percentage adrift of eighth spot ahead of Saturday’s clash with Hawthorn in Launceston.
Lyon is contracted until the end of 2020 and is keen to stay on beyond that.
Hamling, who won a premiership with the Bulldogs in 2016 before crossing to Fremantle, was glowing in his praise of Lyon. “Ross has been brilliant. I’ve had no better coach than Ross,” Hamling said.
“He’s really taught me the rights and wrongs of playing AFL football. There’s no better man for the job.
“I respect Ross. The whole playing group is behind him as well. For myself personally, I’d love to have Ross around as long as I can.”
The Dockers have tasted success just once in 11 trips to Launceston’s York Park and Hamling said the group were determined to put in a good show to make up for last week’s derby flop.
“We’ve got to go and put on a good show for our fans and also our coaching group as well. We’re a proud football club,” Hamling said.
“It’s certainly a big one. Our record hasn’t been great down there. There’s no better chance for us to get down there and showcase what we’re made of as a group.
“We will hang around and really bond together and get out and play Hawthorn. It’s an opportunity for us to rebound.”
Ruckman Sean Darcy will return to replace Aaron Sandilands (rested).
Skipper Nat Fyfe has been cleared to play despite battling a sore shoulder against the Eagles last week.
– AAP
DOCKER BACKS LYON
Michael Randall
Fremantle defender Joel Hamling has thrown his support behind Ross Lyon, declaring the under-fire coach is the right man for the job.
Some Dockers fans are calling for Lyon to be sacked following the club’s 91-point AFL loss to West Coast last Saturday.
Fremantle’s three-game losing streak has left them a win and percentage adrift of eighth spot ahead of Saturday’s clash with Hawthorn in Launceston.
Lyon is contracted until the end of 2020 and is keen to stay on beyond that.
Hamling, who won a premiership with the Bulldogs in 2016 before crossing to Fremantle, was glowing in his praise of Lyon. “Ross has been brilliant. I’ve had no better coach than Ross,” Hamling said.
“He’s really taught me the rights and wrongs of playing AFL football. There’s no better man for the job.
“I respect Ross. The whole playing group is behind him as well. For myself personally, I’d love to have Ross around as long as I can.”
The Dockers have tasted success just once in 11 trips to Launceston’s York Park and Hamling said the group were determined to put in a good show to make up for last week’s derby flop.
“We’ve got to go and put on a good show for our fans and also our coaching group as well. We’re a proud football club,” Hamling said.
“It’s certainly a big one. Our record hasn’t been great down there. There’s no better chance for us to get down there and showcase what we’re made of as a group.
“We will hang around and really bond together and get out and play Hawthorn. It’s an opportunity for us to rebound.”
Ruckman Sean Darcy will return to replace Aaron Sandilands (rested).
Skipper Nat Fyfe has been cleared to play despite battling a sore shoulder against the Eagles last week.
– AAP
-BEN BROAD
GWS will finally welcome back star midfielder Lachie Whitfield for Sunday's clash with the Tigers.
Whitfield suffered a broken collarbone in his side's round 11 clash with Gold Coast.
After being close to being selected last week, GWS held him back. But coach leon Cameron seemed more certain on Thursday.
When asked about Whitfield and fellow midfield star Stephen Coniglio, the coach said : "They’ll train."
"Barring something unusual, they’ll play."
Cameron said big man Shane Mumford was "60-40" to face Richmond at the MCG.
"He’s been doing some training behind closed doors," he said.
"It’s general soreness, but also his knee."
The Giants hope the inclusion of debutant Ian 'Bobby' Hill will bring some excitement as GWS – like some fellow flag aspirants – has hit a snag in recent weeks.
"It’s like anything, we’re in a bit of a form slump," Cameron said.
"With that, your confidence drops. Every side will go through it, we’ve just got to work out how to get through it."
GUN GIANT BACK
Michael Randall
-BEN BROAD
GWS will finally welcome back star midfielder Lachie Whitfield for Sunday's clash with the Tigers.
Whitfield suffered a broken collarbone in his side's round 11 clash with Gold Coast.
After being close to being selected last week, GWS held him back. But coach leon Cameron seemed more certain on Thursday.
When asked about Whitfield and fellow midfield star Stephen Coniglio, the coach said : "They’ll train."
"Barring something unusual, they’ll play."
Cameron said big man Shane Mumford was "60-40" to face Richmond at the MCG.
"He’s been doing some training behind closed doors," he said.
"It’s general soreness, but also his knee."
The Giants hope the inclusion of debutant Ian 'Bobby' Hill will bring some excitement as GWS – like some fellow flag aspirants – has hit a snag in recent weeks.
"It’s like anything, we’re in a bit of a form slump," Cameron said.
"With that, your confidence drops. Every side will go through it, we’ve just got to work out how to get through it."
