RICHMOND UTILITY IN INDUCED COMA
Richmond Football Club's centenary celebrations on Saturday night came to a tragic end when defender Graham Polak suffered a serious brain injury when he was hit by a tram, reports The Age. Polak's condition improved slightly yesterday but he remains in a medically induced coma in The Alfred hospital. He was last night listed in a critical but stable condition. His mother, Judy, and three brothers flew to Melbourne from his home state of Western Australia yesterday to join his partner, Alyce, at the hospital. Polak, 24, was struck in Armadale just hours after he played in the Tigers' 30-point loss to Carlton at the MCG. He was among players, staff, supporters and past players to attend a centenary function at the MCG on Saturday evening until about 8.30pm. A club spokesperson said it was still unclear whether alcohol contributed to the accident about 11.30pm, after Polak had returned home to change his clothes. After leaving his house, Polak was running for a taxi with teammates Cleve Hughes and Jordan McMahon across Dandenong Road, near its intersection with Orrong Road, when he was struck.
BIZARRE DEFEAT FOR LIONS
Melbourne’s second victory of the season has been marred by a bizarre series of errors that could have changed the result of the game, reports The Herald Sun. Brisbane handed Melbourne two free shots at goal via 50m penalties after an interchange blunder and the Lions physio running through a mark. The third error came from a goal umpire who deemed a Daniel Bradshaw shot for goal out of bounds in the third quarter when it appeared clearly a behind. Given the shock loss could have severe ramifications for Brisbane's top-four chances down the track, Lions coach Leigh Matthews was left wondering how players and officials still don't know the rules. "They were our mistakes, that's the rules," Matthews said. "When you have an interchange shot at goal and a physio runs across the mark, have two free kicks against you, it is a bit of an indication of the type of day that has been had." Two of the most experienced Lions were involved in the interchange blunder in the second quarter, with Luke Power stepping on to the ground before Simon Black, who was several metres away at the other end of the interchange box, had crossed the boundary line. Brisbane physio Nathan Carloss was penalised early in the final quarter when he mistakenly ran through the mark.
KNIGHTS LAUDS COURAGE
Adam McPhee's courageous act that secured Essendon's win was the best example of the club's new spirit, coach Matthew Knights told The Herald Sun. Essendon was four points up against Fremantle with less than one minute to go when McPhee, in the backline, collided heavily with Docker Byron Schammer to send a crucial loose ball in to the possession of the Bombers. Both players were struggling from the force of the blow after they slid into each other, leaving Knights more confident than ever about the direction of his young group. "After 99 per cent of the game, to get two individuals run at the ball like they did, and Adam and Byron, who has a lighter frame than Adam, is amazing," Knights said. "It's why it is such a great game to have two players commit themselves like that, similar to the Judd one where it was hard but fair.
KERR OKAY AFTER STINGRAY TANGLE
WestCoast expects gun midfielder Daniel Kerr to train normally this week after his run-in with a stingray on Saturday, reports The Herald Sun. Kerr was stung by a stingray as he waded in the shallows with his teammates during their recovery session at St Kilda beach. "He is fine," club spokesman Gary Stocks said. "When we start training on Wednesday he will be ready to go."
OUTSPOKEN MANAGER SLAMS CLUBS
Ben Cousins's manager Ricky Nixon has lashed out at the AFL clubs who have already shut the door on the recovering drug addict, reports The Sunday Herald Sun. Nixon said the clubs have shown little compassion for the player or his wounded family. Nixon took particular aim at Adelaide football manager John Reid, claiming his sharp dismissal of the former West Coast star showed a lack of feeling. Nixon indicated Reid was outdated and irrelevant in modern football. Reid was one of a number of club representatives who this week ruled themselves out of taking Cousins should he be granted permission to resume his once-stellar career after a season banned from the game. When asked if the Crows were considering drafting Cousins, Reid said dismissively: "We're just not interested."
SHAW BACKS MALTHOUSE
Heath Shaw was oblivious to the media maelstrom surrounding him when he walked into the Lexus Centre one cold morning 12 days ago, reports The Sunday Herald Sun. Shaw knew he had not played to the lofty standards he had set himself against Carlton two days earlier and the creative defender knew he had been tagged for much of the match in an effort to make him invisible. But what he didn't know was that his uncle - Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw - had criticised coach Mick Malthouse in the Herald Sun for not shifting his nephew from defence when his tagger, Bryce Gibbs, moved into the midfield. Tony created headlines with comments that Malthouse's inactivity had perhaps cost Collingwood the match. As fate would have it, the first person Heath saw when he walked into the club was Malthouse. The coach looked at him, a wry grin broke out below his grey moustache, and said: "What's Uncle Tony been saying?" It was only then Heath realised what had happened. Fast forward and, after a best afield 31-possession performance in the club's loss to the Western Bulldogs, Heath almost sees the funny side of it. He has not spoken to his uncle since - "he only deals with me through the media now," he jokes, but says he is happy to play wherever his coach wants him to play.
Richmond Football Club's centenary celebrations on Saturday night came to a tragic end when defender Graham Polak suffered a serious brain injury when he was hit by a tram, reports The Age. Polak's condition improved slightly yesterday but he remains in a medically induced coma in The Alfred hospital. He was last night listed in a critical but stable condition. His mother, Judy, and three brothers flew to Melbourne from his home state of Western Australia yesterday to join his partner, Alyce, at the hospital. Polak, 24, was struck in Armadale just hours after he played in the Tigers' 30-point loss to Carlton at the MCG. He was among players, staff, supporters and past players to attend a centenary function at the MCG on Saturday evening until about 8.30pm. A club spokesperson said it was still unclear whether alcohol contributed to the accident about 11.30pm, after Polak had returned home to change his clothes. After leaving his house, Polak was running for a taxi with teammates Cleve Hughes and Jordan McMahon across Dandenong Road, near its intersection with Orrong Road, when he was struck.
BIZARRE DEFEAT FOR LIONS
Melbourne’s second victory of the season has been marred by a bizarre series of errors that could have changed the result of the game, reports The Herald Sun. Brisbane handed Melbourne two free shots at goal via 50m penalties after an interchange blunder and the Lions physio running through a mark. The third error came from a goal umpire who deemed a Daniel Bradshaw shot for goal out of bounds in the third quarter when it appeared clearly a behind. Given the shock loss could have severe ramifications for Brisbane's top-four chances down the track, Lions coach Leigh Matthews was left wondering how players and officials still don't know the rules. "They were our mistakes, that's the rules," Matthews said. "When you have an interchange shot at goal and a physio runs across the mark, have two free kicks against you, it is a bit of an indication of the type of day that has been had." Two of the most experienced Lions were involved in the interchange blunder in the second quarter, with Luke Power stepping on to the ground before Simon Black, who was several metres away at the other end of the interchange box, had crossed the boundary line. Brisbane physio Nathan Carloss was penalised early in the final quarter when he mistakenly ran through the mark.
KNIGHTS LAUDS COURAGE
Adam McPhee's courageous act that secured Essendon's win was the best example of the club's new spirit, coach Matthew Knights told The Herald Sun. Essendon was four points up against Fremantle with less than one minute to go when McPhee, in the backline, collided heavily with Docker Byron Schammer to send a crucial loose ball in to the possession of the Bombers. Both players were struggling from the force of the blow after they slid into each other, leaving Knights more confident than ever about the direction of his young group. "After 99 per cent of the game, to get two individuals run at the ball like they did, and Adam and Byron, who has a lighter frame than Adam, is amazing," Knights said. "It's why it is such a great game to have two players commit themselves like that, similar to the Judd one where it was hard but fair.
KERR OKAY AFTER STINGRAY TANGLE
WestCoast expects gun midfielder Daniel Kerr to train normally this week after his run-in with a stingray on Saturday, reports The Herald Sun. Kerr was stung by a stingray as he waded in the shallows with his teammates during their recovery session at St Kilda beach. "He is fine," club spokesman Gary Stocks said. "When we start training on Wednesday he will be ready to go."
OUTSPOKEN MANAGER SLAMS CLUBS
Ben Cousins's manager Ricky Nixon has lashed out at the AFL clubs who have already shut the door on the recovering drug addict, reports The Sunday Herald Sun. Nixon said the clubs have shown little compassion for the player or his wounded family. Nixon took particular aim at Adelaide football manager John Reid, claiming his sharp dismissal of the former West Coast star showed a lack of feeling. Nixon indicated Reid was outdated and irrelevant in modern football. Reid was one of a number of club representatives who this week ruled themselves out of taking Cousins should he be granted permission to resume his once-stellar career after a season banned from the game. When asked if the Crows were considering drafting Cousins, Reid said dismissively: "We're just not interested."
SHAW BACKS MALTHOUSE
Heath Shaw was oblivious to the media maelstrom surrounding him when he walked into the Lexus Centre one cold morning 12 days ago, reports The Sunday Herald Sun. Shaw knew he had not played to the lofty standards he had set himself against Carlton two days earlier and the creative defender knew he had been tagged for much of the match in an effort to make him invisible. But what he didn't know was that his uncle - Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw - had criticised coach Mick Malthouse in the Herald Sun for not shifting his nephew from defence when his tagger, Bryce Gibbs, moved into the midfield. Tony created headlines with comments that Malthouse's inactivity had perhaps cost Collingwood the match. As fate would have it, the first person Heath saw when he walked into the club was Malthouse. The coach looked at him, a wry grin broke out below his grey moustache, and said: "What's Uncle Tony been saying?" It was only then Heath realised what had happened. Fast forward and, after a best afield 31-possession performance in the club's loss to the Western Bulldogs, Heath almost sees the funny side of it. He has not spoken to his uncle since - "he only deals with me through the media now," he jokes, but says he is happy to play wherever his coach wants him to play.
LAIDLEY LASHES OLD HEADS
North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has vowed to make experienced players pay for the Kangaroos' loss to St Kilda at the Gold Coast on Saturday night, reports The Herald Sun. After leading by as many as five goals and still yet to be headed 18 minutes into the last quarter, the Roos surrendered by 15 points and gave up their place in the eight to the Saints in the process. "In the first 20 minutes (of the final term) I think it was 30 possessions to about 68 - and our midfield didn't win the football," Laidley said. "We can't rely on Adam Simpson being as brave as he was. We need his understudies to be consistent and they're not. So we need to make sure we don't stand for that as a football club. We talk about mental toughness and the ability to act in critical moments, some of our guys can't do that at the moment. So we're going to introduce some new guys. I've got seven games to do that now and we're really going to push forward with it. Absolutely we are."
RICHO TO HAVE SCANS
Richmond’s Matthew Richardson will have scans to find out if he will be sidelined after the mid-season break with a hamstring injury, reports The Herald Sun. The Brownlow Medal fancy sat out most of the last quarter in the loss to Carlton at the MCG on Saturday. But his injury appeared a small concern for the Tigers yesterday as they came to terms with Graham Polak's condition after he was hit by a tram in a freak accident on Saturday night. The Tigers meet West Coast at Subiaco on July 13. "Richo has pulled up as expected with a sore hamstring," Tigers football manager Paul Armstrong said. "He will have a scan early in the week to help determine whether he will be available after the bye."
PRECAUTION FOR DOGS
TheWestern Bulldogs planned to send Scott Welsh and Ryan Griffen for precautionary scans after the pair dislocated fingers in Saturday's night's win over Port Adelaide in Darwin, reports The Herald Sun. But Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia did not expect either to experience further trouble. "They were going to get them checked," Fantasia said. "We've got the week off, so we're pretty confident there won't be any problems. "Even if there was, the doc said to me that it wouldn't be a problem for them playing in a couple of weeks.
North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has vowed to make experienced players pay for the Kangaroos' loss to St Kilda at the Gold Coast on Saturday night, reports The Herald Sun. After leading by as many as five goals and still yet to be headed 18 minutes into the last quarter, the Roos surrendered by 15 points and gave up their place in the eight to the Saints in the process. "In the first 20 minutes (of the final term) I think it was 30 possessions to about 68 - and our midfield didn't win the football," Laidley said. "We can't rely on Adam Simpson being as brave as he was. We need his understudies to be consistent and they're not. So we need to make sure we don't stand for that as a football club. We talk about mental toughness and the ability to act in critical moments, some of our guys can't do that at the moment. So we're going to introduce some new guys. I've got seven games to do that now and we're really going to push forward with it. Absolutely we are."
RICHO TO HAVE SCANS
Richmond’s Matthew Richardson will have scans to find out if he will be sidelined after the mid-season break with a hamstring injury, reports The Herald Sun. The Brownlow Medal fancy sat out most of the last quarter in the loss to Carlton at the MCG on Saturday. But his injury appeared a small concern for the Tigers yesterday as they came to terms with Graham Polak's condition after he was hit by a tram in a freak accident on Saturday night. The Tigers meet West Coast at Subiaco on July 13. "Richo has pulled up as expected with a sore hamstring," Tigers football manager Paul Armstrong said. "He will have a scan early in the week to help determine whether he will be available after the bye."
PRECAUTION FOR DOGS
TheWestern Bulldogs planned to send Scott Welsh and Ryan Griffen for precautionary scans after the pair dislocated fingers in Saturday's night's win over Port Adelaide in Darwin, reports The Herald Sun. But Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia did not expect either to experience further trouble. "They were going to get them checked," Fantasia said. "We've got the week off, so we're pretty confident there won't be any problems. "Even if there was, the doc said to me that it wouldn't be a problem for them playing in a couple of weeks.
