AFL Daily: St Kilda offers new contract to Jack Newnes, rolling footy news for Thursday, August 22, 2019
St Kilda has put an contract on the table to wingman Jack Newnes but he could look elsewhere if a rival comes with a better offer. Get the latest on the Saints trade moves and recap all today's footy headlines.
Jay Clark
less than 2 min read
August 22, 2019 - 7:00AM
John Worsfold.
St Kilda has offered wingman Jack Newnes a two-year deal to remain at Moorabbin beyond this season.
The free agent looks vulnerable to a poaching raid from a rival who is prepared to offer the hard-running midfielder a longer contract.
Newnes, 26, has been a solid contributor for the Saints over his 154-game career, averaging 18 possessions across 21 matches this season.
But he finished outside the top 10 of the best-and-fairest last year and a modest two-year deal from the Saints could see Newnes look elsewhere for 2020.
Newnes is a restricted free agent, meaning the Saints have the capacity to match any deal.
At his age, a rival’s offer up to $450,000 per season over three years for Newnes could potentially net the Saints a second-round pick.
St Kilda is keen to bolster its midfield with top-end talent in this year’s exchange period and has targeted Fremantle running machine and triple Hawthorn premiership player Brad Hill.
Hill, 26, is contracted to Fremantle for next year but is weighing up several options to return to Victoria next season.
Greater Western Sydney utility Adam Tomlinson, 26, is also expected to depart the Giants at season’s end after having his attempt to move to St Kilda scuttled two years ago.
As a free agent, Tomlinson would cost the Saints nothing at the trade table.
His flexibility and running power are his main weapons, with the Oakleigh product able to impact the game in a key position or on the wing.
It means the Saints are set for a busy trade period as the club looks to build around a solid core group of midfielders including A-graders Jack Billings, Jade Gresham and Seb Ross.
Four-time best-and-fairest winner Jack Steven, 29, looks set to pursue a move to Geelong, although he is contracted at Moorabbin for one more season.
The Saints may entertain an offer from Geelong in the vicinity of a second-round draft pick.
Hard-nosed Geelong midfielder Charlie Constable has also been linked to a move to St Kilda and could be part of a Steven swap.
Updates
Bomber rookie set for AFL debut
Al Paton
– Tim Michell
Tuth Jok will complete his swift rise from amateur football to an AFL debut when he plays his first game for Essendon tomorrow night.
The No.8 selection in last year’s rookie draft, Jok was playing for St Kevin’s in the Victorian Amateur Football Association last year and trialled with St Kilda.
The 22-year-old, who stands 190cm, is expected to feature on a wing with David Zaharakis ruled out after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury.
After Jok was taken in the rookie draft, Dons list boss Adrian Dodoro said: “Tom has a huge motor and has been around for a couple of years. He played for Collingwood in the VFL and really impressed us with the way he developed. We think he’ll be able to give us some versatility. He’ll actually come to the club close to our best athlete.”
The Bombers could get a double boost with Cale Hooker and Tom Bellchambers a chance to return.
Essendon has been weighing up whether to bring Bellchambers back through the VFL from a calf injury, with the club locked in to finals after last week’s stirring win over Fremantle.
He would be a direct replacement for Zac Clarke, who will be sidelined with bone stress in his leg.
Prepare for Friday night footy traffic chaos
Al Paton
The MCC has advised fans travelling to tomorrow night's Collingwood v Essendon clash to beware of car park and road closures.
The MCG car park will be completely closed due to recent rain.
There will also be numerous road closures near the ground as White Night Reimagined kicks off around the city.
Parks of Wellington Parade and Lansdowne St will be closed from 5.30pm, while Brunton Ave will be closed in both directions after the game.
Out tip – top-up your Myki!
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has hit out at the commentary this week surrounding the controversial non-suspension of his superstar Marcus Bontempelli.
The Brownlow Medal fancy this week escaped a possible two-week suspension because of a missing medical report.
Bontempelli’s high hit on Nick Haynes has left the GWS defender with a fractured larynx, an injury that could keep Haynes sidelined for up to a month.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has hit out at the commentary this week surrounding the controversial non-suspension of his superstar Marcus Bontempelli.
The Brownlow Medal fancy this week escaped a possible two-week suspension because of a missing medical report.
Bontempelli’s high hit on Nick Haynes has left the GWS defender with a fractured larynx, an injury that could keep Haynes sidelined for up to a month.
Essendon coach John Worsfold says he has chosen to brush off speculation about his future even though criticism from club greats Matthew Lloyd and Tim Watson during the year has turned up the heat on him.
Lloyd said the Bombers were underachieving under Worsfold and should look at other options, while Watson said he was under “enormous pressure” to keep his job when the club was 6-7.
Worsfold said Lloyd and Watson had a right to express their views in their media roles and hasn’t let the negative comments worry him.
“Look, those guys are commentators, they’ve got a job to do,” Worsfold said.
“It may put me under the microscope and heat at times, but, you know. I don’t really care about the names of who’s making the comments.
“Really my focus is on the criticism is there, you should be aware of it and take it on board, but filter it through and act on the stuff that you think will make you better, and the stuff that you don’t necessarily think is gonna help too much, you can just let it slide.”
Essendon’s 104-point capitulation to the Western Bulldogs in Round 21 put Worsfold’s position under the spotlight.
His calm demeanour on the bench as the Dogs kicked 21 straight goals was the focus of media backlash.
“I understand why people like to see those things at various times but also understand that my personality is staying really focused and strong whether it’s good times or really tough times and not wavering off the course too much and that’s been successful for me,” Worsfold told Triple M.
“I really feel that’s what Essendon’s needed over the last four years. It was an emotional and dysfunctional time when I first arrived at the football club and we had to work through some amazingly tough things over a long period of time.
“The fact that we’ve done that going into our second finals series in the last three years, just really proud of the way everyone has pulled their weight and the club’s stayed really strong with the focus that we’ve had.
The Bombers locked in their finals spot after defeating Fremantle last Saturday night but Worsfold admits some of the negative reaction over certain performances this season were warranted.
“We’ve had some performances that we’ve we deserved to cop stick,” he said.
“We had a very slow start in Round 1, we had a couple of poor weeks against Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs but the season in 23 weeks long. It’s a gruelling, tough season … you’ve just got to wear all that and stay focused on the big picture of where you’re trying to get to.”
Woosha's response to Lloyd, Watson criticism
Chris Vernuccio
Essendon coach John Worsfold says he has chosen to brush off speculation about his future even though criticism from club greats Matthew Lloyd and Tim Watson during the year has turned up the heat on him.
Lloyd said the Bombers were underachieving under Worsfold and should look at other options, while Watson said he was under “enormous pressure” to keep his job when the club was 6-7.
Worsfold said Lloyd and Watson had a right to express their views in their media roles and hasn’t let the negative comments worry him.
“Look, those guys are commentators, they’ve got a job to do,” Worsfold said.
“It may put me under the microscope and heat at times, but, you know. I don’t really care about the names of who’s making the comments.
“Really my focus is on the criticism is there, you should be aware of it and take it on board, but filter it through and act on the stuff that you think will make you better, and the stuff that you don’t necessarily think is gonna help too much, you can just let it slide.”
Essendon’s 104-point capitulation to the Western Bulldogs in Round 21 put Worsfold’s position under the spotlight.
His calm demeanour on the bench as the Dogs kicked 21 straight goals was the focus of media backlash.
“I understand why people like to see those things at various times but also understand that my personality is staying really focused and strong whether it’s good times or really tough times and not wavering off the course too much and that’s been successful for me,” Worsfold told Triple M.
“I really feel that’s what Essendon’s needed over the last four years. It was an emotional and dysfunctional time when I first arrived at the football club and we had to work through some amazingly tough things over a long period of time.
“The fact that we’ve done that going into our second finals series in the last three years, just really proud of the way everyone has pulled their weight and the club’s stayed really strong with the focus that we’ve had.
The Bombers locked in their finals spot after defeating Fremantle last Saturday night but Worsfold admits some of the negative reaction over certain performances this season were warranted.
“We’ve had some performances that we’ve we deserved to cop stick,” he said.
“We had a very slow start in Round 1, we had a couple of poor weeks against Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs but the season in 23 weeks long. It’s a gruelling, tough season … you’ve just got to wear all that and stay focused on the big picture of where you’re trying to get to.”
Michael Randall
Scott Thompson says new member of the ruptured testicle club Steele Sidebottom should have no problems once he recovers from the tear-inducing injury.
The retiring Kangaroo suffered a ruptured testicle during a July game against Brisbane and played on, before undergoing surgery and he says Sidebottom should be prepared for some early pain.
The Magpie star was kicked in the groin during training and had to leave the track, exams finding he had suffered the shocking injury.
Thompson only missed a week and he expects Sidebottom to be firing come finals.
“(It’s) obviously not good for him — if it’s similar (to mine) the first week’s very painful but it actually heals up pretty quickly and obviously he’s not playing this weekend,” he said.
“Then they’ll have the bye, so you’d hope that he’ll make it back for the finals.
“So yeah, a bit painful at the start but it definitely improves quickly.” Thompson said he returned to the field without any trepidation.
“The surgeon said ‘if you get hit, you get hit’ and it’s just like normal,” he said.
“I’m sure he’ll be the same, you’re a footballer so you’re expected to cop a few knocks and you just deal with it.”
Thompson reassures Steele after groin blow
Chris Vernuccio
Michael Randall
Scott Thompson says new member of the ruptured testicle club Steele Sidebottom should have no problems once he recovers from the tear-inducing injury.
The retiring Kangaroo suffered a ruptured testicle during a July game against Brisbane and played on, before undergoing surgery and he says Sidebottom should be prepared for some early pain.
The Magpie star was kicked in the groin during training and had to leave the track, exams finding he had suffered the shocking injury.
Thompson only missed a week and he expects Sidebottom to be firing come finals.
“(It’s) obviously not good for him — if it’s similar (to mine) the first week’s very painful but it actually heals up pretty quickly and obviously he’s not playing this weekend,” he said.
“Then they’ll have the bye, so you’d hope that he’ll make it back for the finals.
“So yeah, a bit painful at the start but it definitely improves quickly.” Thompson said he returned to the field without any trepidation.
“The surgeon said ‘if you get hit, you get hit’ and it’s just like normal,” he said.
“I’m sure he’ll be the same, you’re a footballer so you’re expected to cop a few knocks and you just deal with it.”
Ratten out to spoil Buddy's big day in final job pitch
Chris Vernuccio
St Kilda caretaker coach Brett Ratten remains in the dark over his future, but believes he has put a good case forward to become the club’s next senior coach, guiding the team to three wins from his five games in charge.
He will make his final presentation to the coaching selection panel next week with a decision to follow soon after.
Ratten has urged his players to ignore the hype around Lance Franklin’s milestone game and Sydney’s retiring stars to finish a disappointing season on a high note.
Franklin will play his 300th match and the Swans will farewell Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack and Nick Smith.
But the game is no less important for the Saints and Ratten, who will get one last chance to push his case to become the club’s next senior coach.
“The last game – win, lose or draw – it’s just the way that you play because it can leave a bad taste in your mouth,” Ratten said.
“We want to finish strongly whether we win or maybe not get the points but play the way that we want to play.
“I think if we do that we’ll leave this season and move into 2020 with really good energy and a vision of where we want to go whether I’m the coach or not.
"… If we allow the commentary and the hype around (the Swans) to get into our thoughts and distract us then it will be an issue but we’ll just focus on what we can control and respectfully acknowledge those players.”
Ratten won’t have Jade Gresham at his disposal in Sydney after he failed to overcome an eye socket injury.
However, Dan Hannebery will play against his old side for the first time and Jack Steven will get the opportunity to bounce back from a flat performance in the loss to Carlton that followed his stellar return from a lengthy mental health break.
– AAP
Essendon midfielder David Myers is retiring after losing the drive to play at the top level.
The 30-year-old Bomber has battled with injuries since being recruited at pick 6 in the 2007 draft, playing 123 games.
He has spent most of this season in the VFL and remains available for selection for Round 23 and the finals.
“Football is a brutal game, and it requires you to give every part of yourself in order to have a chance at being successful,” he wrote in a letter to Essendon fans.
“I have known for a while that I no longer carry the level of drive and motivation that the game demands and that my teammates and coaches deserve.
“I know in myself that the time is right for me to step away from the game at the end of this season and allow others to have the chance to live their dream.”
St Kilda veteran David Armitage and Adelaide's Richard Douglas have joined the ranks of AFL retirees today, taking the league total to more than 25 – see the full list here.
In more Bombers contract news, young midfielder Dylan Clarke has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until the end of 2021.
Former Eagles boss Dalton Gooding has revealed he pushed for a club-controlled funding program for former stars during his time at West Coast, in the wake of the tragic death of Adam Hunter.
