By Peter Ryan and Hannah Hammoud
In today’s AFL briefing, your daily wrap of footy news:
- St Kilda confirm they have met with controversial former Roo Tarryn Thomas.
- James Hird removed from race to coach VFL club Port Melbourne.
- Finer details of round 24 fixture released.
- Goodwin keeps faith on Demons finals prospects.
- West Coast aims to help Andrew Gaff to 300 games.
St Kilda remain tight-lipped about a meeting between the club’s head of player acquisition, Graeme Allan, and suspended former North Melbourne midfielder Tarryn Thomas.
The Saints told this masthead that “‘Gubby’ [Allan] has a lot of lunches with a lot of people as part of his role”, and did not make any comment about whether the club had any interest in reigniting Thomas’s career after Nine reported the catch-up.
Tarryn Thomas playing for North Melbourne last year.Credit: Getty Images
Thomas was suspended for 18 games and the Kangaroos sacked him in February after the AFL integrity unit found him guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards a woman.
He was then charged by police in May with using a telecommunications service to harass and for breaching a court order with a court hearing set down for November.
The AFL banned him from playing at any level until the completion of that hearing.
The AFL said in a statement at the time that “the AFL will specifically not permit Mr Thomas to join the list of any AFL club pending the hearing and determination of the charges that have now been brought against him and subject to the outcome of those proceedings”.
Thomas, 24, showed his talent in 69 games with the Kangaroos before the club decided his off-field actions left them with no choice but to sack him.
Hird turns down return to coaching
Essendon great James Hird has decided not to coach Port Melbourne in 2025 after the famous VFL club pursued him to take over from Adam Skrobalak, who is departing at the end of the season.
Hird met with club last week to discuss the prospect of coaching the club his son Tom plays for, in what would have represented a return to senior coaching for the first time since he finished at Essendon at the end of 2015.
James Hird in 2022 while working as an assistant coach for the GWS Giants.Credit: Getty Images
The Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist would have been a coup for the famous VFL club, who celebrated their 150th anniversary on Saturday night, although sources close to Hird who preferred to remain anonymous said last week Port Melbourne’s bid was always a long shot.
Various options were explored to allow Hird to combine coaching with his role as managing director of Euree Asset management, which manages about $150 million of investor funds. Two sources familiar with the discussion said that, in the end, the time commitment required to perform both jobs well was considered impossible.
Port Melbourne supporters have been rapt with the way the Hirds have embraced the club and know they will remain very welcome in 2025.
Port Melbourne are now expected to turn their attention to other coaching candidates, with former Western Bulldogs star and assistant coach Rohan Smith one possible candidate, as the Borough meet the challenges facing standalone clubs in the VFL, which includes the northern-based AFL clubs and Southport.
The club had great success under Hawthorn great and ex-AFL coach Gary Ayres.
Hird has been a regular attendee at Port Melbourne matches this season to watch his son and has been overwhelmed by the way he has been welcomed into the fold.
However, he was always considered a long shot prospect of taking the job given his business commitments and his time out of coaching, with his most recent stint being as an assistant to Mark McVeigh at the Giants in 2022.
James Hird with friends Dean Solomon and Mark McVeigh, then the Giants’ interim coach, during the 2022 season. Credit: Getty Images
He also interviewed for the vacant Essendon job after the club sacked Ben Rutten at the end of 2022, but the Bombers decided to appoint Brad Scott rather than returning to one of their most famous names. Hird left Essendon late in the 2015 season, when the Bombers underwent upheaval during the club’s drugs scandal.
Port Melbourne remain one of the strongest clubs in the VFL, and continue to create opportunities for players to find their way on to AFL lists. One of the club’s most recent graduates to the higher level was Tigers ruckman Sam Naismith, who resurrected his career at Port Melbourne before unfortunately injuring his knee playing for Richmond.
Round 24 fixture details confirmed
By Hannah Hammoud
Kids under the age of 14 will be able to attend all five of the AFL’s round 24 matches that will be held in Victoria, for free.
The AFL released its fixture for the final round of the 2024 home and away season on Wednesday, alongside Premier Jacinta Allan and Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos.
Victoria will host five games in the final round, with Melbourne and Collingwood to kick it all off on Friday, August 23 under the MCG lights.
Speaking outside the MCG, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the league would forgo its revenue for children aged 14 years and under to allow them to access free general admission entry.
How round 24 looks
Friday August 23
- 7.40pm: Melbourne v Collingwood, MCG
Saturday, August 24
- 1.45pm: Geelong v West Coast, GMHBA Stadium
- 2.10pm: Richmond v Gold Coast, MCG
- 4.35pm: Hawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium, Launceston
- 7.25pm: Brisbane Lions v Essendon, Gabba
- 7.40pm: Sydney v Adelaide, SCG
Sunday, August 25
- 12.30pm: Western Bulldogs v GWS, Mars Stadium, Ballarat
- 3.20pm: Carlton v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
- 6.10pm (AEST): Fremantle v Port Adelaide, Optus Stadium, Perth.
“We’ve had one of the most competitive seasons in our history, and we’re here today to announce the fixture for round 24. As we sit here now there’s no team that’s in the eight that’s mathematically is locked in. So we’re really looking forward to a big round 24,” he said.
Allan said the Kids Go Free initiative would make it easier for families to attend the final round of the home and away season.
“It’s a really exciting round, we’ve got five of those games here in Victoria,” she said.
“If you look at the five games, they’re not just here in Melbourne. There’s two games at the MCG, there’s a game at Marvel, but also ... a game down the road at Kardinia Park and another one out to the west in Ballarat with the Western Bulldogs. These are games right across the state.”
Round 24 features a “Super Saturday” of footy on August 24, when Hawthorn will take on North Melbourne at UTAS Stadium in Launceston, Geelong will host West Coast at GMHBA Stadium, Essendon will play the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba and Sydney host Adelaide at the SCG.
On the Sunday, the Western Bulldogs and GWS Giants will play in Ballarat, Carlton and St Kilda will play off at Marvel Stadium, and Fremantle will host Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium.
Demons keep faith, but know they’re a ‘small chance’ for finals
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is refusing to give up on his side’s “small chance” of reaching the AFL finals ahead of a make-or-break clash with Port Adelaide.
The Demons sit 12th, eight points and a significant percentage gap outside the top eight after losing their past three matches.
Backline general Steven May won’t be available for selection at Melbourne for round 22.Credit: Getty Images
And they will be without star defender Steven May (ribs) against the red-hot Power at the MCG on Saturday night.
The run home includes games against Gold Coast (away) and Collingwood, and they need to win all three to stand a chance of sneaking into the finals.
“We’re still in the mix, it’s a small chance, but we want to give ourselves the best opportunity,” Goodwin said on Wednesday.
“We want to make sure as a footy club that we play unconditional footy no matter what time of the year it is and no matter what the situation is.
“That’s how you develop winning habits that lead to ultimate success.”
Melbourne endured challenges over the off-season, including Clayton Oliver’s interrupted preparation and Angus Brayshaw’s enforced retirement. Fellow premiership star Christian Petracca sustained season-ending injuries halfway through the campaign.
“We’ve certainly had some challenges and we’ve transitioned a lot of younger players, but that’s not an excuse,” Goodwin said. “We want to be playing finals footy and right now we’re still a chance.
“When that chance leaves we’ll continue to work on the things that will drive success moving forward. But right now we’re in the mindset of winning.”
Goodwin expects May to miss at least two matches with fractured ribs, opening the door for Adam Tomlinson to return in defence alongside Jake Lever, and was buoyed by the re-signing of winger Ed Langdon to the end of 2028.
AAP
Gaff joins ranks of 2024 retirees
West Coast Eagles wingman Andrew Gaff is hoping for two farewell games after announcing on Wednesday his impending retirement from the AFL.
Andrew Gaff’s running ability was a hallmark of his game.Credit: Getty Images
Gaff – an All-Australian in 2015 and 2018 and club champion in 2015 – has played just three games this season for a total of 278 as his career stalled because of a degenerative ankle injury. But when pre-season and international games are included, his tally climbs to 298, two short of eligibility for AFL life membership.
The Eagles have said they want him to get on the park for the games against North Melbourne in Hobart on Saturday and in Perth the following week later against Carlton, to reach the coveted milestone.
Regardless, Gaff will leave the AFL as the Eagles’ all-time leading disposal winner with 7158.
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