Callum Twomey, AFL Record writer: Neil Craig was made a permanent employee of the Crows at the start of the year ostensibly to ensure he could avoid speculation about his future. It hasn't worked. Can we safely say this strategy will be a one-hit wonder?
Peter Ryan, AFL Record writer: Given how football works, it is unlikely to be repeated for a while. But people forget the other reason it was implemented: so the club was not stuck paying out a contract where the coach and the club wanted to part ways. It was a mature approach that sadly does not seem to have been able to show its benefits.
Nick Bowen AFL Record writer: Definitely. It may work for the club on one level — it can cast a coach aside just by giving them notice like any other employee. But I can't see anything in it for the coach. They've got no security. And it certainly does nothing to take the heat off a coach. The only thing that will do that is a contract extension. And even that wouldn't have taken the heat off Craig this year.
Michael Lovett, AFL Record writer: I'm not sure the plan to make him full-time staff hasn't worked. The Crows have fallen in a massive hole, plan or no plan, and it looks as though Neil Craig's time is up. I feel for him because I don't think he's lost the players, rather they have lost their way and need a new voice and a new direction. Adelaide is a strong, well-run club and will work their way through this.
Geoff Slattery, Managing Editor, AFL Media: The Craig "solution" is fascinating, in that it defines a football club as a business, respecting the energy and efforts of a long-term employee. Craig has given Adelaide great service and deserves to be respected for that, not discarded and never seen in the blue and gold and red colours again. One season of failure — or reduction of expectations — should never define a person's legacy. I hope the club and Craig stick with each other, and he is able to act in a new role of importance. Given his tremendous capacity to communicate clearly and without hubris or emotion, it may well be as the club's long-term ambassador. Heaven knows it needs one.
Ben Collins, AFL Record writer: Maybe we'd better ask ourselves another question: is a one-off experiment enough to come to a concrete conclusion one way or another? I think not. Surely there are circumstances where it can work — ie. When the team is winning, or even travelling in something resembling mediocre fashion, rather than the train wreck that has become the Crows' season after so much was expected of them pre-season. Craig's belief that the Crows list is the most talented he's seen in his time at the club — which includes the 1997-98 period when he was the fitness guru — also haven't helped the perception that he is underachieving or past his use-by date.
Nick Bowen: You can always salvage something from a season, principally by playing your kids at every opportunity. When in doubt the Crows should play the kids — and first-year 28-year-old Ian Callinan.
Peter Ryan: Michael's right. Speculation would have been just as rife whether he was on contract or not. This way Craig's intellectual property remains with the club whatever happens and if the club makes a decision to go with a different coach then they do not face a massive payout. Mature because both parties were able to come to an agreement and as I understand it Craig remains an employee of the club if his tenure as coach ends — has a short break and comes back in to support the club in a way suitable. That's something football historically has not been good at doing. Using the talents of past coaches. Plenty to salvage — every moment now leads into next season in a learning environment, leaders show their wares, players get fitter.
Nick Bowen: Pete, how is it mature? To me, it's nothing more than Neil Craig having the gumption to back himself in without the safety net of a long-term contract. I think it will be interesting to see whether the AFL Coaches' Association has anything to say about this type of arrangement in the future. Can't see any manager of a coach wanting their client to enter such an arrangement either.
Where does Walker rank?
Callum Twomey: Andrew Walker has been trying to take mark of the year since his first game in 2004, when he soared above the pack against West Coast at Optus Oval. On Saturday night, he finally pulled one in. Where does it rank?
Mark Macgugan, AFL website writer: Short memory, Callum. Walker took a screamer against Adelaide in round five at Etihad Stadium as good as the one he took on Saturday night. The man can jump. Nic Nat's is still the best of 2011, but none are a patch on Jurrah's against Port last year or Goddard's in the Grand Final.
Michael Lovett: Shaun Smith's at the Gabba in 1995 is No.1 for me. Walker and Ashley Sampi in equal second. Walker's has to be mark of the year [so far].
Callum Twomey: I remember it, Mark, but I don't think it was as good as his effort on Saturday night. To have the spring in his legs to basically leap straight off the ground and onto Jake Carlisle's shoulders was astonishing. I think it was also enhanced for me being at the ground.
Ben Collins: Where it rates depends on the criteria. No doubting 'Sky Walker's' athleticism and brilliance, but he took it in junk time in a landslide win. Give me a Leo Barry matchsaver or a Brendon Goddard almost near-matchwinner in the dying moments of a Grand Final any day. It's almost a footy version of Mick Dundee's classic line: "That's not a mark — this is a mark."
Howard Kotton: I was there on Saturday night, as I was for the Naitanui mark, and I believe Walker's was better. He has been threatening to take one for a long time. He took a great mark earlier this season against the Crows. I was asked yesterday where it ranks and I believe it is the mark of the year so far and maybe even the mark of this century. When you are there, I admit you can be caught up in the excitement of the moment. He also kicked the goal to complete the perfect play.
Michael Lovett: Good point Ben. Importance of the game should count. If we are going Grand Final marks only, it's Jezza, Leaping Leo, Goodard and I'll throw Harry Taylor late in the final quarter in 2009 given the stage of the game.
Callum Twomey: Gary Moorcroft's mark in 2001 has it just over Walker I say, having been at both games.
Nick Bowen: I reckon every time someone takes a hanger these days people everywhere want to dub it the best of all time. Walker's was a cracker, no doubt. But I've seen better. One of the best no one seems to remember is Brett Allison's against Collingwood in '91. 'Fruity' got the perfect ride — he launched on Gavin Crosisca's shoulders and then got a second ride when Crosisca straightened his back. It was a classic but the remaining footage of it is sketchy so it's not brought up. A shame.
Geoff Slattery: Simple point here: we love the big grabs, and we love the audio from the broadcasters: OOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!
A breach of trust?
Callum Twomey: Matthew Lloyd's autobiography has predictably caused quite a stir with his comments on former coach Matthew Knights, with Knights responding that Lloyd should not have divulged information from leadership meetings in the book. Is anything off-limits in a book?
Mark Macgugan: Not sure, but Knights has no doubt done Lloyd's back pocket no harm by giving the book such a nice bit of publicity.
Ben Collins: Regarding the Lloyd-Knights spat, our every own author Pete Ryan, who spent the 2009 season embedded with Collingwood, would have a fair perspective on this I reckon. Pete, you would have kept a lot of confidences.
Peter Ryan: Interesting question. My personal experience is that you should be acutely aware of the subjects involved and write with respect to them. Few changed their behaviour that I was aware of and although I was exposed to a lot the basis of what I wrote was whether it would interest the readers, reflect the reality and be an interesting narrative. Collingwood opened their doors on that basis and trusted my judgment. The notion of club leaders writing books is a bit different. I think people in that environment have a right to know what is going on, but should always support the truth being told.
Callum Twomey: Lloyd said this morning on SEN that the only reason he had written about the leadership meeting was because Knights himself had taken the info of the meeting and aired it to the whole playing group.
Ben Collins: Airing it to the players and airing it publicly in print are two entirely different things.
Michael Lovett: He said, she said ... as Mark says, it will only boost sales. Maybe Knights should return serve and write his account of his final year with the Bombers.
Ben Collins: Anyone who writes a book about the inner sanctum of an organisation needs to make a judgment call on what they do and don't include, keeping in mind they might burn some bridges along the way. Can't imagine Lloyd would have burnt anyone he didn't intend to.
Nick Bowen: I think it's hard for anyone in the media to criticise Lloyd. We're always bemoaning the fact players give us 'nothing' in interviews these days other than talk of structures, the team and how good their upcoming opponent is. So it's great to hear some revelations from behind the changeroom doors. That said, I can understand a club may not be thrilled a former leader would air such events in public. I can also see how Knights himself, might feel betrayed.
Geoff Slattery: Lloyd is right, and Knights is right. There are times in any sporting or business environment when what is said in the room stays in the room. It is up to the character of the individual involved to know what stays and what is required to explain. The problem here is that the rhetoric has become personal. Knights' response on ABC on Sunday was mature and considered, and explained why Essendon chose him in the first place. Unfortunately, from the outside at least, it seems that some coaches should always be assistants - providing wisdom without the need to be the total package of strategist, marketer, psychologist, manager, etc.
Peter Ryan: I have not read what Lloyd has written but I think he has enough runs on the board in a credibility context to know what is important to put in and what is not. He made the judgment call and should be applauded for it because he obviously thought it was necessary to explain the situation accurately. One thing that should not be forgotten: writing about people and events as they happen is never easy. Non-fiction is also the truth as a writer sees it.
Deliberating over deliberate
Callum Twomey: After the decision to award Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne a free kick in the dying moments on Sunday for deliberate out of bounds, how deliberate is deliberate?
Callum Twomey: It's obvious when a player is going for the boundary, but as we preach in local footy, the boundary line is your friend. It was certainly Ballantyne's friend on Sunday, but it was a harsh decision in a pressure situation, seemingly influenced by a pro-Fremantle crowd. Earlier in the game, Matthew Pavlich was penalised in his own forward line for taking the ball out of bounds deliberately. I didn't agree with either free kick.
Nick Bowen: With all of those rules, all you want from the umpires is consistency. And that, when in doubt, the umpire keeps his whistle dry.
Peter Ryan: Made for a cracker ending, drama, emotion, footy folklore, It was almost from the same spot Pavlich hit the post against the Cats a couple of years ago.
Ben Collins: Having only seen a snippet of it without the value of replays from different angles, it appeared a harsh decision. He was under pressure with opponents within close proximity and was penalised for choosing to punch the ball clear rather than take possession and be instantly tackled. I think that's unfair.
Michael Lovett: The last out of bounds was a tough call but to the letter of the law it was correct. Matt Rosa had only one intention (to smash it out of play) and he had the option of hitting it up the ground. But I loved the theatre of it all and the tension and drama of the last kick. AFL footy is alive and well in Perth. Imagine that finish in a few years when they are playing in their new 60,000-seat stadium.
Ben Collins: Cal, are you suggesting it was a case of hometown umpiring?
Callum Twomey: Either way that would have been the case, Ben. But it was a Freo home game and they were overly vocal by that stage of the game. The umpires are only human.
Geoff Slattery: The deliberate out of bounds rule is up there with the advantage rule as the laws we all love to hate, and have no idea what's likely to happen. Every week we see different examples of 'why?' and 'why not?' for each. The more I watch the game on TV the more I can add two more — incorrect disposal, and holding the ball. Fascinating example in the Hawthorn-Melbourne match when Lynden Dunn had the ball between his legs, and two Hawks were on top of him. Free was paid because the two Hawks had held it in. I'd hate to be explaining the game to a crew from overseas.
Peter Ryan: Easy to explain the game to overseas guests: "I have no idea what is going on with any of those laws and nor does anyone else, so just watch and pray".
Howard Kotton: Yes, they are human, and I believe a free kick should have been paid to the Dockers in the goalsquare a minute earlier. Maybe the deliberate out of bounds decision was the square-up.
Geoff Slattery: There is no way the free should have been paid. I reckon there's one record that should be played in the heads of every umpire: Would you pay it in a Grand Final?
Nick Bowen: Agreed, Geoff. The umpiring in last year's Grand Final draw should be the template for the men in white/green/orange etc.
Ben Collins: When in doubt, leave the whistle out.
Peter Ryan: Fair to say it is a tough game to umpire, particularly with the number of rules and interpretations changing year-to-year. They do a really good job but those critical decisions in critical moments can have a HUGE impact. But I think we forget sometimes contentious decisions have always happened: Remember when Mike Fitzpatrick was done for time wasting exactly 30 years ago against Essendon?
Milne among the best?
Callum Twomey: It was a weekend for the small forwards with Stephen Milne and Eddie Betts both kicking eight goals. Where does Milne stand among the greats, and can a team go far in the finals when its dominant goalkickers are small crumbers?
Mark Macgugan: Milne doesn't stand anywhere among the greats, but as far as small forwards go he's a very good one. Eight goals in that role is just about the perfect game, provided you lay a few tackles inside forward 50 too.
Geoff Slattery: Milne is a master of his craft. In his role, stats tell the tale, and he's now kicked 473 goals 254 behinds from 229 games. That's 727 shots, or 3.17 shots per game, and 2.06 goals per game. Kevin Bartlett averaged 1.93, Brad Johnson 1.53, Peter Daicos 2.20. By the way, Peter Hudson's average is 5.64!
Peter Ryan: Milne's year has been exceptional even when the Saints were struggling. He performed well in last year's finals too when doubts were around. He's a bit like Sav Rocca in that his goalkicking numbers are better than the regard in which he is held. Just getting better and better is Milne. And a reliable kick for goal is worth their weight in gold these days.
Mark Macgugan: OK, well, maybe he's somewhere among the greats then.
Nick Bowen: Milne is one of the most underrated players in the game today. Yes, he's easy to 'hate' as an opposition supporter but that shouldn't detract from his achievements. One of the major knocks on him used to be that he went missing in finals but he was one of the Saints' best when they knocked off Geelong in last year's second qualifying final. Deserves to be ranked as one of his era's best goalsneaks.
Ben Collins: The difference Geoff is that Daicos, Bartlett and Johnson spent large chunks of their careers in the middle. You're not comparing apples with apples. And how many goals has he set up for others. He's improved at this and his general team ethic and decision-making, but there were many reasons he was such a cause of frustration for his coaches at different stages of his career.
Peter Ryan: What he has improved is his forward pressure. Small forwards make a contribution now other than on the scoreboard so in some ways it's less of a graveyard. Still a tough position to play I imagine.
Callum Twomey: That Milne has kicked more goals than his champion teammate and captain Nick Riewoldt underlines his scoring ability. I know they play different positions and in different roles, but Milne continues to produce every year. He's going to finish his career with more than 500 goals and probably more than 250 games under his belt. It's a great effort.
Nick Bowen: You're right, Ben. Daicos, Johnson and 'KB' would have had better goalkicking averages if they'd been stay-at-home forwards. But I think that also highlights just how well Milne has done to survive as a permanent small forward. Surely one of the hardest positions on the ground given your teammates generally kick to the tall targets.
Geoff Slattery: The best Milne comparison might be Paul Hudson, who played a little further up the ground (in a different era). For the Hawks and the Dogs, he kicked 478 goals from 242 games. That's 1.97 per game. His first 200 games he kicked 404 goals. Milne has now kicked more than 40 goals in seven of 11 seasons, and at the end of this year will have a career average of about 44.
