Standout Northern Blues trio Hugh Goddard, Patrick Kerr and Matt Kennedy stuck in VFL despite Carlton struggles

Carlton's VFL affiliate Northern Blues has four wins from five games this year and Hugh Goddard, Patrick Kerr and Matt Kennedy have been key figures. So, why can't they get a game in the Blues struggling senior side? 

When Brendon Bolton became a unanimous choice as Carlton coach in 2016, part of his platform centred on a process he described as “selection integrity”.

In simple English it sees players who are both fit and in-form picked, while those who require a run or two at VFL level must bide their time.

It’s what every coach strives for but circumstances sometimes sees integrity around the selection table challenged, and some would say that has been the case this season.

Surprisingly, given the senior side has won just one game, the Josh Fraser-coached Northern Blues are sitting on four wins from five games and regular watchers suggest there are at least three members of that side extremely unlucky not to have seen senior action in 2019.

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Starting up back, 22-year-old 198cm key defender Hugh Goddard has steadily built on his form since being recruited from St Kilda, but has watched on as forward/ruckman Levi Casboult was preferred in the unfamiliar territory after Liam Jones was concussed.

Goddard received a further kick when promising defender Harrison Macreadie was rushed into the team against GWS despite limited game time, and form, for Northern Blues.

In the midfield, and it’s hardly a field of gold at senior level right now, former GWS on-baller Matthew Kennedy continues to rack up contested numbers in the VFL.

Hugh Goddard hasn't played a game for Carlton since crossing from St Kilda.

With David Cunningham injured last week, Lochie O’Brien was brought in as a like-for-like, despite being dropped two weeks earlier and then missing VFL action due to a bye. Surely Kennedy’s inside grunt would have been more beneficial against the rampant GWS mids.

And up forward Patrick Kerr has played solid football until a breakout six-goal game last Saturday against Frankston, one highlighted by his team play away from goal as much as the bag.

Given the events at Sydney Showgrounds last Sunday, Brendon Bolton’s 2017 words of “our match committee makes sure it holds its integrity on picking people on form” all the more pronounced

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Updates

9:21 pm October 14, 2024

AAP

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has revealed that Matt Taberner’s foot injury could be season-ending, potentially opening up a spot for the club at the AFL mid-season draft.

Taberner will miss at least eight weeks of action after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot.

The club is still investigating whether it’s a season-ending fracture.

The 25-year-old missed 15 weeks last season after breaking a metatarsal bone in the same foot.

Although the latest injury isn’t directly related, the club is investigating whether there are problems with Taberner’s running mechanics.

Lyon was reluctant to point the finger at Optus Stadium, which West Coast have blamed for a spate of foot and toe issues.

The AFL’s mid-season rookie draft will be held on Monday, and Fremantle will have a pick if Taberner’s injury turns out to be season-ending.

“It’s in its early stages of assessment, but that would certainly be a consideration,” Lyon said on Wednesday.

“I feel disappointment and a real empathy for Matt.

“One of the hardest things being an AFL player is that resilience of your body, and he’s one of our great preparers and he’s a really good story of hard work, improvement and growth.

“It’s part of the journey. We’re going to have to find a solution.

“Two years in a row now. It’s the same foot. There’s some mechanics issues there. We’re going to have to find an improved method for him.”

Fremantle’s preferred option to replace Taberner would have been to send Rory Lobb into attack and recall Sean Darcy to lead the ruck.

But with Darcy now set to miss up to six weeks with an ankle injury, those plans have been scuppered.

Instead, Cam McCarthy now leads the race to replace Taberner for Sunday’s clash with Brisbane at Optus Stadium.

4:30 pm May 22, 2019 Highlight

TABERNER COULD BE OUT FOR SEASON

AAP

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has revealed that Matt Taberner’s foot injury could be season-ending, potentially opening up a spot for the club at the AFL mid-season draft.

Taberner will miss at least eight weeks of action after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot.

The club is still investigating whether it’s a season-ending fracture.

The 25-year-old missed 15 weeks last season after breaking a metatarsal bone in the same foot.

Although the latest injury isn’t directly related, the club is investigating whether there are problems with Taberner’s running mechanics.

Lyon was reluctant to point the finger at Optus Stadium, which West Coast have blamed for a spate of foot and toe issues.

The AFL’s mid-season rookie draft will be held on Monday, and Fremantle will have a pick if Taberner’s injury turns out to be season-ending.

“It’s in its early stages of assessment, but that would certainly be a consideration,” Lyon said on Wednesday.

“I feel disappointment and a real empathy for Matt.

“One of the hardest things being an AFL player is that resilience of your body, and he’s one of our great preparers and he’s a really good story of hard work, improvement and growth.

“It’s part of the journey. We’re going to have to find a solution.

“Two years in a row now. It’s the same foot. There’s some mechanics issues there. We’re going to have to find an improved method for him.”

Fremantle’s preferred option to replace Taberner would have been to send Rory Lobb into attack and recall Sean Darcy to lead the ruck.

But with Darcy now set to miss up to six weeks with an ankle injury, those plans have been scuppered.

Instead, Cam McCarthy now leads the race to replace Taberner for Sunday’s clash with Brisbane at Optus Stadium.

9:21 pm October 14, 2024

By Ben Horne

Sydney Swans premiership-winning great Heath Grundy has announced his immediate retirement from the AFL.

Grundy has been battling a chronic back injury that has allowed him just one match this season, and with no prospect of a return date, the 32-year-old has decided to call time on his stellar career.

The lion-hearted defender might not go down as one of the Swans biggest ever stars, but he will be remembered as one if its most unsung heroes.

Grundy finishes on 254 AFL matches and was a key part of the club’s 2012 grand final triumph over Hawthorn.

He is the most capped rookie in the history of the club.

The key defender informed teammates of his decision to retire this afternoon at the SCG and was warmly embraced as one of the Bloods’ most popular members.

“Heath has been an unbelievable servant of our club for a long time and there’s no doubt he will be missed,” coach John Longmire said.

“In terms of leadership, Heath set an example for all of us with his meticulous preparation, dedication and passion for his craft.

“Each week he’d line up on the opposition’s most damaging and biggest forward – and he’d just get the job done.

“He’s a premiership player and a champion of our club. We wish Heath, Elise, Reggie and Jameson all the best for the next phase of life.”

3:42 pm May 22, 2019 Highlight

SWANS CHAMP ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

By Ben Horne

Sydney Swans premiership-winning great Heath Grundy has announced his immediate retirement from the AFL.

Grundy has been battling a chronic back injury that has allowed him just one match this season, and with no prospect of a return date, the 32-year-old has decided to call time on his stellar career.

The lion-hearted defender might not go down as one of the Swans biggest ever stars, but he will be remembered as one if its most unsung heroes.

Grundy finishes on 254 AFL matches and was a key part of the club’s 2012 grand final triumph over Hawthorn.

He is the most capped rookie in the history of the club.

The key defender informed teammates of his decision to retire this afternoon at the SCG and was warmly embraced as one of the Bloods’ most popular members.

“Heath has been an unbelievable servant of our club for a long time and there’s no doubt he will be missed,” coach John Longmire said.

“In terms of leadership, Heath set an example for all of us with his meticulous preparation, dedication and passion for his craft.

“Each week he’d line up on the opposition’s most damaging and biggest forward – and he’d just get the job done.

“He’s a premiership player and a champion of our club. We wish Heath, Elise, Reggie and Jameson all the best for the next phase of life.”

9:21 pm October 14, 2024

Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield says AFL players who sledge umpires should be educated, rather than fined in the wake of Blue Dale Thomas’s sanction.

Thomas was last night slapped with a $7500 fine by the AFL tribunal for calling an umpire a “F***ing cheat” during Carlton’s weekend loss to GWS.

But Dangerfield, the AFLPA president, has echoed the sentiments of fellow players Jordan Lewis and Jack Riewoldt, saying the penalty was too harsh.

He said instead of fines, the AFL should hand out community service to give players a taste of what umpires go through when adjudicating the game.

“It’s a pretty steep fine, I think there is a way we that we can do this without the significance of those fines and get a better outcome,” Dangerfield said on SEN’s Whateley.

“Whether that’s setting up…for Daisy’s example, rather than fine him $7,500, which is a huge amount of money, let’s bring him down to whatever local football game over the next few weeks, or whatever it might be, and have him umpire or boundary umpire.

“It’s a great story, for one, it’s better education for the players too, and if we are trying to encourage more people to take up umpiring within our game, I think it’s a good way of potentially doing that.”

Dangerfield said the AFL had shown it’s had enough of umpire abuse.

“Clearly this is a directive from AFL House around ‘we’ve had enough of both player and supporter base abuse when it comes to umpires’, which is fair enough,” he said.

“We’ve got to make sure it’s an environment that we want kids to take up and jobs to take up in the future.

“So I think there’s a way that we can do it better, rather than just slapping players with heavy, heavy fines.

“We don’t have a game without someone being able to adjudicate it, so it’s a really important part of our game.

“But I just think that level of financial sanction is really quite severe and how beneficial is it?

“I think there is better ways to skin the cat, and better ways to educate and better ways to promote umpiring within our game than just smashing players with really excessive fines.”

9:21 pm October 14, 2024

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin threw a scare through the club when he suddenly cut short his weekly media conference today because of a dizzy spell.

Goodwin immediately went to see a doctor, but the Demons are confident he would coach them in Sunday’s match against GWS at the MCG.

He was taking questions about Melbourne injuries from reporters at AAMI Park when his voice started wavering.

Goodwin then looked over at Demons football boss Josh Mahoney and asked for some time out.

He immediately left the room and a few minutes later, assistant Troy Chaplin stepped in to finish off the media conference.

“He’s catching up with the doctor now, he just said he was feeling a little bit light-headed,” Chaplin said.

“We expect him to coach this week … it’s a little bit of a shock. Goody will be fine.”

Before his dizzy spell, Goodwin had been upbeat as he spoke about the easing of the injuries that have plagued Melbourne so far this season.

Defender Jake Lever will have at least another week in the VFL as he returns from his knee reconstruction.

“Another week won’t hurt him and make sure we really finish that rehabilitation off strongly,” Goodwin said. “I think Jake will end up indicating to us when he’s ready to play .. he’s getting very close.”

Goodwin also said the signs were good for Tim Smith, Alex Neal-Bullen and Christian Salem after they were concussed last weekend in the loss to West Coast.

He said they all ran on Tuesday and remain in the mix for selection.

“It’s only early, but they’re progressing well, so we’re hopeful they’ll play,” he said.

Goodwin added that Jordan Lewis, Sam Weideman, Charlie Spargo, Mitch Hannan and Jay Kennedy-Harris were also available after recovering from injuries.

2:59 pm May 22, 2019 Highlight

'Dizzy' coach sends scare through Demons

Al Paton

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin threw a scare through the club when he suddenly cut short his weekly media conference today because of a dizzy spell.

Goodwin immediately went to see a doctor, but the Demons are confident he would coach them in Sunday’s match against GWS at the MCG.

He was taking questions about Melbourne injuries from reporters at AAMI Park when his voice started wavering.

Goodwin then looked over at Demons football boss Josh Mahoney and asked for some time out.

He immediately left the room and a few minutes later, assistant Troy Chaplin stepped in to finish off the media conference.

“He’s catching up with the doctor now, he just said he was feeling a little bit light-headed,” Chaplin said.

“We expect him to coach this week … it’s a little bit of a shock. Goody will be fine.”

Before his dizzy spell, Goodwin had been upbeat as he spoke about the easing of the injuries that have plagued Melbourne so far this season.

Defender Jake Lever will have at least another week in the VFL as he returns from his knee reconstruction.

“Another week won’t hurt him and make sure we really finish that rehabilitation off strongly,” Goodwin said. “I think Jake will end up indicating to us when he’s ready to play .. he’s getting very close.”

Goodwin also said the signs were good for Tim Smith, Alex Neal-Bullen and Christian Salem after they were concussed last weekend in the loss to West Coast.

He said they all ran on Tuesday and remain in the mix for selection.

“It’s only early, but they’re progressing well, so we’re hopeful they’ll play,” he said.

Goodwin added that Jordan Lewis, Sam Weideman, Charlie Spargo, Mitch Hannan and Jay Kennedy-Harris were also available after recovering from injuries.

2:53 pm May 22, 2019 Highlight

Bucky's top mid-season draft prospects

Al Paton

Footy fairytales, delisted players hoping for a second chance and kids on the rise – who will get picked in Monday's pre-season draft?

Recruiting expert Gary Buckenara has been keeping a close eye on the VFL, SANFL and WAFL – here are the names he'll be watching on Monday night.

More: bit.ly/2wfCup6

9:21 pm October 14, 2024

– Jon Ralph

Fox Footy will telecast Monday’s mid-season draft at 6.30pm, with about 15 players expected to be taken by AFL clubs.

Three recruiting representatives from each club will attend the AFL House event, which is expected to last about 30 minutes.

No players will attend given the uncertainty about their selection.

Players selected will be eligible to play for their new teams the next week.

Coburg’s Sam Lowson, Gippsland Power’s Kyle Dunkley, South Fremantle’s Marlion Pickett and Williamstown’s Mitch Hibberd are some of the players being considered by clubs.

AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan believes the players most likely to actually play AFL this year are those chosen by a club from its aligned VFL team given the challenges of learning team tactics and playing styles.

But Geelong coach Chris Scott told AFL 360 on Monday clubs were simply stockpiling players instead of securing them for roles within the 2019 season.

““I don’t think that was the intention, and it looks like that’s the way it might be used,” he said.

“Stephen Wells, who I have an enormous amount of respect for, our list manager and recruiting manager, has been opposed to the idea for a long time on the basis that the art of list management is getting your team ready for the whole season.”

You can also follow the draft live here at SuperFooty!

2:24 pm May 22, 2019 Highlight

How to watch the pre-season draft

– Jon Ralph

Fox Footy will telecast Monday’s mid-season draft at 6.30pm, with about 15 players expected to be taken by AFL clubs.

Three recruiting representatives from each club will attend the AFL House event, which is expected to last about 30 minutes.

No players will attend given the uncertainty about their selection.

Players selected will be eligible to play for their new teams the next week.

Coburg’s Sam Lowson, Gippsland Power’s Kyle Dunkley, South Fremantle’s Marlion Pickett and Williamstown’s Mitch Hibberd are some of the players being considered by clubs.

AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan believes the players most likely to actually play AFL this year are those chosen by a club from its aligned VFL team given the challenges of learning team tactics and playing styles.

But Geelong coach Chris Scott told AFL 360 on Monday clubs were simply stockpiling players instead of securing them for roles within the 2019 season.

““I don’t think that was the intention, and it looks like that’s the way it might be used,” he said.

“Stephen Wells, who I have an enormous amount of respect for, our list manager and recruiting manager, has been opposed to the idea for a long time on the basis that the art of list management is getting your team ready for the whole season.”

You can also follow the draft live here at SuperFooty!