Here follows the AFL news list for this week.

1 PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)  

Round 20

Friday August 8

Richmond v Essendon at the MCG, 7.50pm; Curtain Raiser – Herald Sun Shield Grand Final

Saturday August 9

GWS Giants v North Melbourne at Startrack Oval, 1.45pm

Carlton v Gold Coast Suns at Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm

Hawthorn v Melbourne at the MCG, 4.40pm

Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm

Geelong Cats v Fremantle at Simonds Stadium, 7.40pm

Sunday August 10

Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows at the Gabba, 1.10pm

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm

West Coast v Collingwood at Patersons Stadium, 2.40pm; Curtain Raiser – Eagles School Boys Cup

2 IMPENDING MILESTONES

150 games – Nathan Foley, Richmond

100 games – Matt Thomas, Richmond

50 games – Tom Jonas, Port Adelaide

50 games – Toby Greene, GWS Giants

50 games – Jasper Pittard, Port Adelaide

50 games – Rory Thompson, Gold Coast Suns

50 consecutive games – Nathan Jones, Melbourne. Nathan is due to play his 50th consecutive game this week, dating back to round Round 15, 2012.

50 games umpired – Jordan Bannister

Most Career Goals – Lance Franklin, Sydney Swans. Lance has kicked 630 career goals and needs three goals to reach David Neitz (633 goals for Melbourne) and Alastair Lynch (633 goals for Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears / Brisbane Lions) in equal 23rd spot in the game’s history.

3 TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

The expected process for the 2014 AFL Season under the AFL Match Review system is that the AFL will issue a media release late on the Monday after each round detailing the penalties to be offered to players for incidents from that round of matches, or the reasons why no further action was to be taken.

The clubs and players then have until 11am on the Tuesday morning to decide whether to accept the penalty on offer, or whether they wish to contest the charge at a Tribunal hearing, to usually be held on the Tuesday night. The AFL will formally detail all instances on the Tuesday of whether cases will proceed to the Tribunal or not.

The following players were reported from the weekend’s matches:

Reece Conca, Richmond, reported by umpire Nick Foot for striking Devon Smith, GWS Giants, during the second quarter of the Round 19 match between Richmond and the GWS Giants, played at the MCG on Saturday August 2, 2014.

Daniel Merrett, Brisbane Lions, reported by umpire David Harris for striking Cam Pedersen, Melbourne, during the fourth quarter of the Round 19 match between the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne, played at Etihad Stadium on Sunday August 3, 2014.

4 TRIBUNAL HEARING LOCATION

The AFL Tribunal is held in the AFL media room on Level LB2 at Etihad Stadium. The AFL wishes to advise that all media covering the Tribunal hearings at Etihad Stadium need to park in the B2 car park (entry off the Bourke St extension) and report to the Etihad Stadium security office to gain admittance via the internal ring road. There will be no access via AFL House to any AFL Tribunal hearing through the season, as our offices will have closed by 6pm each day.

5 ROUND 23 FIXTURE

Round 23 was originally left as a floating round when the AFL fixture was announced in October 2013. The schedule of games will be as follows (local time and host broadcaster in each case):

Friday August 29

Collingwood v Hawthorn at the MCG, 7.50pm (Channel 7)

Saturday August 30

Carlton v Essendon at the MCG, 1.45pm (Channel 7)

Fremantle v Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium, 1.10pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)

Sydney Swans v Richmond at ANZ Stadium, 4.40pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)

Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions at Simonds Stadium, 7.40pm (Channel 7)

North Melbourne v Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 7.40pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)

Sunday August 31

Gold Coast Suns v West Coast Eagles at Metricon Stadium, 1.10pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)

Adelaide Crows v St Kilda at Adelaide Oval, 2.50pm (Channel 7)

Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants at Etihad Stadium, 4.40pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)

6 AFL INJURY LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following recent changes have been made to the long-term injury list:

Essendon - Placed Nick Kommer on the long-term injury list and upgraded Ariel Steinberg from the rookie list as his replacement.

Gold Coast Suns – Placed Zac Smith on the long-term injury list with no replacement named from the rookie list at this time.

St Kilda – Reinstated Sam Gilbert to the senior list from the long-term injury list and returned Cam Shenton to the rookie list.

St Kilda - Placed Tom Hickey on the long-term injury list and upgraded Cam Shenton from the rookie list as his replacement.

Western Bulldogs – Placed Clay Smith on the long-term injury list and upgraded Lin Jong from the rookie list as his replacement.

7 CURRENTLY SUSPENDED PLAYERS

The AFL wishes to advise the players that are serving or have completed MRP suspensions across the competition are as follows:

Completed:

Mitch Robinson, Carlton. Two matches. Two matches from round 18.

Currently Suspended:

Brian Lake, Hawthorn. One match to serve. Four matches from round 16.

Ty Vickery, Richmond. Three matches to serve. Four matches from round 18.

8 UPGRADE OF NOMINATED ROOKIES TO SENIOR LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following list changes have been made in the pre-season period and after round 11 under the AFL player rules regarding Nominated Rookie Players.

Pre-Season

Carlton – Jaryd Cachia

Carlton – Heath Scotland

Collingwood – Ben Hudson

Richmond – Matt Thomas

Richmond – Orren Stephenson

Mid-Season

Mav Weller - St Kilda

Mark Austin – Western Bulldogs

9 2014 INTERNATIONAL RULES SERIES

Australia will host Ireland in a one-off Test at Patersons Stadium in Perth on Saturday November 22. Tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com.au or on 136 100 with prices as follows:

10 2014 INTERNATIONAL CUP

The 2014 International Cup will be played in Melbourne from August 9 to 23. There will be 18 men’s and seven women’s teams competing.

Men’s teams: Canada, China, Fiji, Finland, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Great Britain, India, Japan, Nauru, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sweden, Tonga, USA.

Women’s teams: Canada – Northern Lights, Canada – Midnight Suns, Ireland, Fiji, Tonga, USA – Freedom, USA – Liberty.

The women’s grand final will be played at Punt Road Oval and the men’s grand final will be the curtain-raiser to the Round 22 AFL match between Hawthorn and the Geelong Cats at the MCG.

The men’s fixture is divided into three pools. Each team will play three pool matches and will then be ranked from one to 18. Teams will then be split into three groups for finals; top four, Division One and Division Two.

Saturday Aug 9           Official Launch – Federation Square

Parade of Nations – MCG

Sunday Aug 10           Round One matches – Royal Park

Wednesday Aug 13    Round Two matches – Royal Park

Saturday Aug 16         Round Three matches – Community Round

Tuesday Aug 19          Round Finals & Division matches – Royal Park

Friday Aug 22             Third place play off & Division matches – Royal Park

Saturday Aug 23         Women’s Grand Final – Punt Road Oval, Richmond

                                    Men’s Grand Final – MCG

The full fixture can be viewed at www.aflic14.com.au

11 GOLD COAST SUNS EXPANSION COMPENSATION PICKS

As a reminder to all media, the AFL wishes to advise the following Gold Coast Suns’ expansion compensation picks MUST be used at this year’s 2014 NAB AFL Draft. Expansion picks were able to be activated and used in any of the five drafts in the period 2010-2014 and the following three still-unused selections must therefore be used this year.

Gold Coast Suns, round one selection. Received from the Geelong Cats (compensation for the loss of Gary Ablett) in a trade in 2012.

GWS Giants, end round one selection. Received from the Brisbane Lions (compensation for the loss of Jared Brennan) via a trade to the GC Suns in 2010 and then a trade to the GWS Giants in 2012.

Gold Coast Suns, round three selection. Received from Collingwood (compensation for the loss of Josh Fraser) via a trade to West Coast in 2010 and then a trade to the GC Suns in 2013.

Clubs are able to trade these selections during the 2014 AFL Exchange Period.

12 2014 AFL KEY DATES

Please find below the key dates for the 2014 season around club list requirements, Gillette AFL Trade Period and the NAB AFL Draft Process. Please note there have been a number of date changes which are underlined, including the date of the 2014 NAB AFL Draft:

Friday 3 October - NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period Commences.

Friday 3 October by 2pm – NAB AFL Father-Son Bidding Nominations; Academy Bidding Nominations lodged with AFL.

Monday 6 October 10am - Father/Son & Academy Players Bidding Meeting; NAB AFL Trade Period Commences.

Monday 13 October at 5pm - Close of NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period.

Thursday 16 October - NAB AFL Restricted Free Agency Matching Offer Three-Day Period Ends

Friday 17 October at 2pm - NABAFL Trade Period Closes.

Friday 31 October by 2pm - List Lodgement (1); Rookie Promotion to Primary List; Retained 2nd & 3rd Year Rookies; Scholarship Players; Alternate Talent Player Nominations, TPP Estimates.

Saturday 1 November - NAB AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (1) Commences.

Wednesday 12 November - NAB AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (1) Closes; Out of Contract Listed AFL Primary List Players Draft Nomination Form and Player Request for Removal from List Form Lodged with AFL; New or Expired (after 3 years) Draft Nomination Form Lodgement.

Thursday 13 November by 2pm - List Lodgement (2).

Friday 14 November - NAB AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Commences.

Wednesday 19 November  - Delisted Primary List Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Non–Retained Rookie Players Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Players Not Registered or Played for Three years Rookie Nomination. NAB AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Closes.

Thursday 27 November –(CONFIRMED DATE) - NAB AFL Draft Selection Meeting (Gold Coast Convention Centre).

Friday November 28 (new date)– NAB AFL Delisted Free Agency Period (3) Commences.

Monday December 1 (new date)- NABAFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (3) Concludes.  AFL Club List Lodgement (3) and TPP Estimates.

International Players Inclusion on Rookie List Form; Scholarship Players Rookie List Form Lodged; Father-Son and Academy Pre-Selected Rookie Nominations.

Wednesday December 3 (new date)- NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting (11am, Telstra Webex); Notification of Pre-Selected Rookies Nominated on Monday November 25 if not selected in the Pre-Season Draft (11.05am); NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection Meeting (11.10am, Telstra Webex).

Monday 5 December – Final Club List Lodgement.

Friday 12 December by 2pm - International Players Inclusion on Rookie List.

13 MEDIA ENTRY TO THE MCG

The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) wishes to advise all media working at matches at the MCG they should enter the ground through Gate 3, unless they have underground parking for particular matches. Access control at the ground does not allow entry at Gate 2, for AFL accreditation passes. Further, the MCC also wishes to advise that any equipment being taken up to the host radio boxes or television broadcast boxes should be taken up via goods lift 8, and not the patron lifts 5-7.

14 MEDIA ENTRY TO ETIHAD STADIUM, PRIOR TO PUBLIC GATE TIMES / COLLECTION OF AFL RECORDS

All media who require entry to Etihad Stadium before public gates are open can do the following: Media may enter via Gate 9 from Level B3 (carpark) and Level 1 (concourse) one and a half hours prior to gate entry time. There will be a staff member at each entry point who will check AFL accreditation and will grant access to the Corporate Suites Level where they can access the Press Box, Radio Boxes and TV Broadcast area. A match day AFL record can be collected (one per person) from the customer service staff on the corporate suites level.