By Angus Delaney and Vince Rugari
In today’s AFL Briefing, your wrap of footy news:
- Carlton coach Michael Voss says an internal investigation into a manager at the club is not impacting on his team.
- Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has gone in to bat for Simon Goodwin and distanced himself from the under-fire Melbourne mentor’s job.
- Swans coach coach Dean Cox is considering whether to roll the dice on an underdone Logan McDonald to boost their forward line.
Club investigation is not impacting Blues players, says Voss
Angus Delaney
Carlton coach Michael Voss says an internal investigation into a manager at the club is not impacting on his team, which will head into the Good Friday clash against North Melbourne with just one win for the season.
Blues coach Michael Voss.Credit: AFL Photos
As reported by this masthead on Wednesday night, a manager at the club is being investigated internally after a number of complaints from other staff members. A club whistleblower raised concerns with both Carlton and the AFL and the league had immediately referred it to its integrity unit.
“That’s been dealt with, and the club’s taking care of it,” Voss said on Thursday when asked about the investigation.
“I don’t have a hell of a lot of visibility on that. What I do know is that the club’s obviously managing it, and it’s been managed at club level.”
It is a second controversy for the club in recent months, since the departure of president Luke Sayers following the publication of a lewd image on social media. Sayers denied posting the image and an AFL investigation found he had not posted it.
Voss said there had been no impact on the team’s culture.
“From my point of view, it’s really comfortable with where our playing group’s at, you know, really comfortable with where our environment is,” he said.
Carlton have had an underwhelming start to the season and are coming off their first win against last-place West Coast to move to a 1-4 record.
On Friday, the team will look to best North Melbourne – also 1-4 – in the traditional Good Friday showdown and begin to turn their season around.
Injuries to tall forwards Harry McKay (concussion) and Brodie Kemp (ruptured Achilles) means ruck Tom De Koning will likely spend time playing forward alongside Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow.
De Koning’s future has been under a microscope amid growing speculation he could leave the club to play for St Kilda, who have reportedly offered him a contract of $1.7 million a year.
Beveridge rules out coaching move to Melbourne
AAP
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has gone in to bat for Simon Goodwin and distanced himself from the under-fire Melbourne mentor’s job.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has backed in Simon Goodwin at Melbourne.Credit: via Getty Images
Beveridge, who is out of contract this year, is no certainty to continue at the Bulldogs beyond this season and has been linked with a switch to Melbourne.
But the 54-year-old is adamant that move is not going to eventuate.
“I don’t know where it’s come from, but ultimately our players and people that I work with understand and know that I’m totally invested here,” Beveridge said on Thursday.
“We went into the year just feeling our way through and understanding that we’ve got to find what’s right for everyone.
“On a personal note, you don’t stay where you’re not welcome. From a club perspective, they’ve got more to consider than just my personal interests.
“And ultimately if I’m not coaching here next year, I won’t be coaching anywhere else.”
Beveridge added he has not spoken to anyone at Melbourne who is involved in decision-making around their coaching situation.
The 2016 premiership mentor is the Bulldogs’ longest-serving coach, with 235 games over 11 seasons.
“The agreement between myself and the club to enter the season just feeling our way through what’s going to be right for the club and me, that prevails,” Beveridge said.
“We haven’t had any formal talks about a new contract or anything like that. That’s something that hasn’t been discussed at this stage.”
Goodwin, the 2021 premiership coach, has come under an intense spotlight as a result of the Demons’ horror 0-5 start to 2025.
The Dees’ scoring woes have been a major contributor to the string of losses, with only last-placed West Coast averaging lower tallies this season.
Another defeat to Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday could be catastrophic for Goodwin, but Beveridge said his counterpart simply needs time.
“Simon has achieved a lot at the Demons and they’ll evolve and come again,” Beveridge said.
“They’re going through a period of change, but he’s an outstanding coach and he’s an outstanding person.
“They’ve got some kids coming through and they’ve been stiff with an injury or two.
“They’ll find a way through their scoring as they evolve, but I’ve got no doubt they just need a bit of patience.
“Teams and clubs go through these periods where they need to be strong and they need to back their people in.
“And why wouldn’t you back Simon Goodwin in? He’s got a terrific track record and I believe that they’ll come good.”
McDonald a chance for first game of season for Swans
Vince Rugari
The injury-hit Swans are bracing for another onslaught of “emotion” from Port Adelaide as coach Dean Cox considers whether to roll the dice on an underdone Logan McDonald to boost their depleted numbers in attack.
Logan McDonald is a chance to play his first game of the season for the Swans this weekend.Credit: AFL Photos
Cox said he was not surprised at the way the Power steamrolled Hawthorn on Sunday night in the Gather Round finale, their resounding 30-point win breathing life into what had been an ailing season amid doubts over the coaching succession plan from Ken Hinkley to Josh Carr.
Port will bring confidence from that result into the Easter Sunday SCG clash with a Swans side lacking in it, due to their own results and their ongoing injury crisis, which claimed a new victim.
Key forward Joel Amartey hobbled off with a hamstring problem early in Sydney’s 31-point loss to Collingwood and will miss between four and six weeks, joining a lengthy injury list featuring skipper Callum Mills, Errol Gulden, Tom Papley, Taylor Adams, Robbie Fox and Harry Cunningham, who hurt his calf at training over the weekend and will be sidelined for a further six weeks, having previously been out with a foot injury.
The Swans haven’t faced Port since last year’s preliminary final, which they won by 36 points – but a few weeks before that, the Power smashed them by 112 points in a shocking performance which raised question marks over Sydney’s mentality, which was further exposed on grand final day against the Lions.
“I think what they’ve shown over a long period of time, certainly under Ken, is they play with a lot of emotion, and we don’t expect anything different,” Cox said on Thursday.
“Knowing Ken briefly, it’s a one-wood of his coaching to get his players up and about and the care he has for his players ... they played some phenomenal football [against Hawthorn]. You’ve just got to know that it’s coming and be aware that you don’t get shocked by the initial start of it. We’ve got to make sure that our players come with the right emotional state to get into a position where we can really fight from the first bounce.”
McDonald, meanwhile, looms as one of few options available to Cox as a replacement for Amartey. But the 23-year-old is yet to play at the top level this year for the Swans after undergoing surgery in the off-season, and his minutes have been managed carefully at VFL level.
Alternatively, with defender Lewis Melican also due to return this week, the Swans could look to send one of Tom McCartin or Joel Hamling forward.
“That’s something we’ve got to look at again through the main session, and then have a really good discussion,” Cox said.
“We’re still three days out from the game. We’ll look through everything. I want to make sure the players, when they come back in, can perform at our level. Logan’s done a solid training block. We’ll get all that data in front of us, and then make a decision from that in the next couple of days.”
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