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AFL Daily: Nat Fyfe Brownlow puzzle, rolling footy news for Tuesday 24 September, 2019
Nat Fyfe was universally acclaimed as a worthy Brownlow winner, but his votes in three games must have puzzled coaches who saw them very differently.
Every Brownlow throws up voting anomalies, and Monday night produced three rippers.
They concerned runaway winner Nat Fyfe, who polled the maximum total of nine votes after best-on-grounds in Round 6 (v Western Bulldogs), Round 7 (v Adelaide) and Round 10 (v Brisbane Lions).
In the same games the AFL Coaches Association Award – in which the coaches of both teams each vote 5-4-3-2-1 – awarded Fyfe just five of a potential 30 votes, including one in Round 6 and none in Round 10.
The AFLCA award was won clearly by Marcus Bontempelli, ahead of Patrick Dangerfield and Marcus Bontempelli.
ROUND 6 v WESTERN BULLDOGS (lost by 19)
Brownlow: 3 Nat Fyfe, 2 David Mundy, 1 Tim English
Coaches' votes: 10 Lachie Hunter, 8 David Mundy, 3 Bradley Hill, Caleb Daniel, 2 Joel Hamling, Nathan Wilson, 1 Nat Fyfe, Tim English
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ROUND 7 v ADELAIDE (lost by 17)
Brownlow: 3 Nat Fyfe, 2 Matt Crouch, 1 David Mundy
Coaches' votes: 8 Brodie Smith, 6 Reilly O'Brien, 5 Matt Crouch, 4 Nat Fyfe, 3 Alex Pearce, 2 Luke Ryan, Rory Sloane
ROUND 10 v BRISBANE LIONS (won by 1)
Brownlow: 3 Nat Fyfe, 2 Hugh McCluggage, 1 Brad Hill
Coaches' votes: 10 Brad Hill, 7 Nathan Wilson, 5 Harris Andrews, Hugh McCluggage, 3 Luke Ryan
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Updates
WA coach: Pickett wouldn't let Tigers down
– Jon Ralph
Marlion Pickett’s WAFL coach Todd Curley says he has the tough inside game to replace Jack Graham in what would be a stunning AFL Grand Final debut.
The uncapped Tiger would be one of the modern era’s biggest selection shocks if the makes his debut years after being jailed for a series of burglaries in Perth.
Pickett, 27, is legitimately in the selection picture for Richmond after his best-afield display in the VFL Grand Final, his nine tackles just as important as 20 silky disposals.
Kamdyn McIntosh was held out of the VFL game as security for Nathan Broad given he can play in defence, but could miss both deciders given Broad is expected to recover from concussion.
Graham was today ruled out after dislocating his shoulder five times in the Tigers' preliminary final win.
First-year midfielder Jack Ross, also held out by the Tigers, is the most likely replacement for Graham given his strong inside game.
But Curley said Pickett is far more than an outside player.
Pickett was brilliant in South Fremantle’s finals campaign last year, playing pure midfield after starting his WAFL career as a running defender.
“The great thing about Marlion, and it’s been an enormous journey to get there, is that doesn’t matter if he plays in front of 100,000 or 100 people. He would be himself,” Curley told the Herald Sun.
“He was fantastic in his time here. He was great in the midfield in that final and he would be a great story. He was good yesterday (in the VFL) so hopefully he is in the mix.
“He is fiercely loyal, he loves his teammates and I think Richmond has done a great job of making him feel comfortable. He loves his teammates and loves the club and if they played him he wouldn’t let them down.
“He feels comfortable and he would deliver in spades for them on the big stage.”
Ross has averaged 17 possessions and 3.14 tackles in his seven AFL games this year, and given GWS’s stoppage-based game has to be in front of Pickett.
Collingwood was smashed around the ball by the inside beasts of GWS on a sodden day at the MCG.
– Lauren Wood
Jack Graham is out of the Grand Final.
The premiership defender dislocated his shoulder several times in Friday night's preliminary final win, and after training today decided the risk of further injuring it proved too great.
“We’re so proud of Jack for playing on after he was injured on Friday night, he is the ultimate team man,” Tigers football boss Neil Balme said.
“He has tried his hardest to be available to play this Saturday, and we commend him for that, but there’s a high probability that he will re-injure himself in Saturday’s game, which has influenced our decision.
“While he may not be out there on Saturday, his contribution to the team this season has been invaluable.”
Recurring shoulder dislocations tend to only become more frequent as shoulder ligaments loosen further with each dislocation.
In Graham's case, it was deemed more than likely that he would only dislocate the shoulder again.
Jack Ross – who was a late withdrawal from the VFL Grand Final on Sunday as a precaution – looms as the likely inclusion for Graham.
It would be only his eighth AFL game, just two years after Graham claimed premiership glory in his fifth game.
BREAKING: Tiger out of Grand Final
– Lauren Wood
Jack Graham is out of the Grand Final.
The premiership defender dislocated his shoulder several times in Friday night's preliminary final win, and after training today decided the risk of further injuring it proved too great.
“We’re so proud of Jack for playing on after he was injured on Friday night, he is the ultimate team man,” Tigers football boss Neil Balme said.
“He has tried his hardest to be available to play this Saturday, and we commend him for that, but there’s a high probability that he will re-injure himself in Saturday’s game, which has influenced our decision.
“While he may not be out there on Saturday, his contribution to the team this season has been invaluable.”
Recurring shoulder dislocations tend to only become more frequent as shoulder ligaments loosen further with each dislocation.
In Graham's case, it was deemed more than likely that he would only dislocate the shoulder again.
Jack Ross – who was a late withdrawal from the VFL Grand Final on Sunday as a precaution – looms as the likely inclusion for Graham.
It would be only his eighth AFL game, just two years after Graham claimed premiership glory in his fifth game.
Solomon working on Fremantle application?
By Jordan McArdle
A photo has emerged of Fremantle coaching candidate Dean Solomon working on what appears to be his interview presentation to the club on a flight.
The image, which appeared on social media on Monday, showed the Gold Coast assistant sitting down with a computer in front of him with the Dockers logo and a player clearly on the screen.
The West Australian understands the photo was taken on Saturday.
Solomon has already been spoken to by the Dockers earlier this month amid predictions by industry observers that he was ready to take on a senior role.
The 39-year-old, who played the last three seasons of his 209-game AFL career at Fremantle, is currently on the seventh line of betting on the coaching market at 8-1.
Fellow ex-Docker and current Collingwood assistant coach Justin Longmuir and West Coast great Peter Sumich are the bookies' joint-favourites to get the job at $2.25.
Like Longmuir, Solomon has done the AFL’s level four coaching accreditation course which is considered a good guide and tool for developing future AFL senior coaches.
A member of Essendon’s 2000 premiership team, Solomon played 158 games for the Bombers and 51 at Fremantle before a knee issue forced him into retirement in 2009.
He was an assistant coach at the Dockers in 2010 before joining the Suns in 2011 as an assistant.
His only senior coaching experience was a three-game caretaker stint at the end of 2017 after Rodney Eade’s exit.
North Adelaide coach Josh Carr and first-year Port assistant Jarrad Schofield have also been spoken to by Fremantle, one of two clubs without a coach after the shock resignation of Adelaide’s Don Pyke this month.
It comes as Power assistant and former Brisbane coach Michael Voss has pulled out of the race.
Fremantle football manager Peter Bell and club great Luke McPharlin were in Melbourne at the weekend as part of their search for long-term coach Ross Lyon’s replacement.
Saint Roberton on comeback trail
JAY CLARK reports …
St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton has already resumed training in his bid to overcome a career-threatening heart problem.
The gun backman has remained in good shape throughout his time out of the game and wants to rejoin teammates on the track at Moorabbin for the first day of preseason training.
But it has emerged that Roberton’s heart medication is crucial to his hopes of playing on.
The Herald Sun revealed yesterday Roberton has been given conditional clearance to pull the boots back on next season after seeing a top cardiologist in the United States.
On the trip, Roberton, 28, found that more than 500 athletes play professional sport despite having the same or similar heart irregularity issue.
The specialist was adamant the defender was safe to re-ignite his career if Roberton remained diligent with his medication.
Otherwise, he could put himself at risk of suffering another serious scare.
The clearance is a huge boost for the Saints and a welcome relief for Roberton who feared his career was over after collapsing in-game against Geelong in Round 4 last year.
He suffered a second serious scare after a preseason game this year when his heart reached 280-300 beats per minute in Ballarat, ending his season before it began.
Roberton will undergo more testing – after high intensity exercise – to secure final approval form the league, the Saints’ medicos and club board.
Our head of digital AFL had a couple of days without his wife at home. He did not waste it….
When the wife's away.....
Our head of digital AFL had a couple of days without his wife at home. He did not waste it….
By Glenn McFarlane
Maureen Hafey, the widow of Richmond’s legendary coach Tom Hafey, will present the cup to the Tigers if they win Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.
In what could be an emotional salute to the club’s glory years of the late 1960s and mid 1970s, Mrs Hafey will present the premiership cup to captain Trent Cotchin and coach Damien Hardwick if the Tigers can knock our Grand Final first-timers Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.
Hardwick would become only the third person to coach Richmond to multiple premierships if the Tigers prevail on Saturday.
Hafey coached Richmond to four flags – 1967, ‘69, ‘73 and ‘74 – while Dan Minogue was playing coach in the club’s 1920 and ‘21 premierships.
Hafey, one of the game’s most revered figures, died in May 2014, aged 82.
Tigers CEO Brendon Gale said Maureen had “coached the club in partnership” with her husband and had become a club life member in her own right in 2015.
Cup presentation
By Glenn McFarlane
Maureen Hafey, the widow of Richmond’s legendary coach Tom Hafey, will present the cup to the Tigers if they win Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.
In what could be an emotional salute to the club’s glory years of the late 1960s and mid 1970s, Mrs Hafey will present the premiership cup to captain Trent Cotchin and coach Damien Hardwick if the Tigers can knock our Grand Final first-timers Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.
Hardwick would become only the third person to coach Richmond to multiple premierships if the Tigers prevail on Saturday.
Hafey coached Richmond to four flags – 1967, ‘69, ‘73 and ‘74 – while Dan Minogue was playing coach in the club’s 1920 and ‘21 premierships.
Hafey, one of the game’s most revered figures, died in May 2014, aged 82.
Tigers CEO Brendon Gale said Maureen had “coached the club in partnership” with her husband and had become a club life member in her own right in 2015.
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