ROCCA FUTURE IN US?
Magpie Anthony Rocca's AFL season is over after a severe ankle injury, now bringing into focus a possible NFL punting career, reports The Herald Sun. Rocca, who is 31 in August, will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks after Sunday's injury, which reopened the fracture that had been operated on at the end of last season. Rocca has made it known he is interested in following his brother Saverio into the million-dollar punting business in the US's National Football League. Needing to end his AFL career to prepare for NFL camps, which start in July, Rocca will have to decide at the end of this season whether to play on and risk further injury to the ankle, or retire and try out in the US. Rocca, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will be operated on today.
SWANS CONSIDER GOODES QUANDARY
Sydney is considering going to the AFL Tribunal tonight to try to save ace onballer Adam Goodes from a one-match suspension, reports The Herald Sun. It's the only avenue for Goodes to be available for Saturday week's split-round home clash with Collingwood after he was nabbed on his second rough-conduct charge this season. But the Swans would run into double trouble should they fail to overturn the charge from a high bump on Melbourne's Clint Bartram early in the second quarter in Canberra on Sunday. Goodes, who has played 204 consecutive games, risks a two-game penalty by fighting the charge assessed by the AFL match review panel as negligent conduct with low impact. Even admitting guilt to sit out the Magpies game will leave the dual Brownlow medallist with 64.06 demerit points - more than halfway to another one-game sanction if he was charged with any offence involving points.
DOGS SIGN UP STARS
The Western Bulldogs have slammed the kennel door on potential raiders, signing eight key players to new deals, reports The Herald Sun. Exciting midfielder Ryan Griffen has agreed to a two-year extension, killing off any hope the South Australian clubs had of luring him home next season. And the Dogs, now equal-second favourite for the flag, have also re-signed the core of their leadership group. All-Australian contender Robert Murphy has re-committed to the Dogs until at least the end of 2011. Midfielders Daniel Cross and Matthew Boyd have also signed for another three years. Defender Dale Morris has gone from promoted rookie to valuable commodity with a new three-year deal. Veteran skipper Brad Johnson has signed a new one-year arrangement. Daniel Giansiracusa, considered a strong candidate to eventually replace Johnson, is the latest to agree to terms. Rising Star nominee Josh Hill has also been tied up to a new two-year extension.
MCLEOD OUT FOR THREE
Adelaide playmaker Andrew McLeod will have surgery on his troublesome right knee and is likely to be sidelined for three weeks, reports The Herald Sun. Last year's All-Australian captain consulted a specialist yesterday and it was decided to have the surgery as soon as possible. "Andrew has had ongoing issues with his right knee and we think it is the appropriate time to have the arthroscopy and a clean-out," Adelaide's head doctor Andrew Potter said yesterday. "We would expect him to be back in full training in two to three weeks." Adelaide has this week off and plays Geelong in the second week of the split round in a Friday night clash at AAMI Stadium.
TIGERS’ SPONSOR SCARE
Richmond is facing the prospect of losing one of football's best sponsorships in the week it will celebrate its 100th year in the VFL/AFL, reports The Herald Sun. The club is in talks with mortgage broking firm AFG (Australian Finance Group), which contributes nearly $1 million a year to the Tigers, with serious doubts on the company extending its four-year deal beyond this season's expiry. Complications attached to a global economic downturn and Australian interest rate rises are believed to be behind the company reconsidering the Tigers' deal. Discussions about AFG's future with Richmond began early this year, and have not been resolved. It is believed AFG, which with Dick Smith is a co-major sponsor of the Tigers, has told the club it will inform it of its intentions beyond 2008 by the end of the month.
HAWKS ADMIT TO ROOS STEW
It's official: North Melbourne has the wood over Hawthorn, and even the players agree, reports The Age. Hawks' ruckman Robert Campbell dubbed the Kangaroos his team's bogey side after they beat the Hawks by 27 points at the MCG on Saturday. “There's bogey sides for certain teams and they're definitely one of ours," Campbell said yesterday. North Melbourne has beaten the Hawks six of the nine times they have met since Alastair Clarkson took the reins at Waverley Park, and 11 of the 18 times they have played this decade. Campbell put the Roos' good record against his side down to their even spread of contributors rather than any outstanding individuals. "They've just got a consistent line right across the side and they just come out and play hard at the footy and take a lot of teams by surprise," he said.
COSTA TO FIGHT FOR COOK
Geelong president Frank Costa has urged his long-time lieutenant Brian Cook not to quit the Cats for the new Gold Coast team, despite strong entreaties from the AFL, and revealed last night he would take his case to the league should Cook choose to take over the 17th club, reports The Age. Costa said that the Geelong board had summoned Cook to a special meeting at Skilled Stadium after the round 12 Port Adelaide game nine days ago in a bid to convince the respected club chief executive to commit to the club for a further three years. "I love the AFL but I worship the Geelong Football Club," Costa said. "Brian asked for my permission to speak to the AFL and I didn't stand in his way. I would have been disappointed if they had ignored him but I don't want them to get him either. "I've given Brian up until mid-July to make up his mind, I didn't want to step across Cookie's path but if he did talk about leaving I will go to the AFL because they face great challenges with this new Gold Coast team, but we have got an equally big challenge down here." The Cats' board will meet again tomorrow night to discuss its strategy to retain Cook, which Costa described as "probably the club's No. 1 priority in 2008".
HOW TO SORT OUT FEV
Brendan Fevola has kicked 30 of his 57 goals this season against two teams — Essendon and Collingwood, reports The Age. Yet the pattern goes beyond a warrior rising to meet his most despised foes. Neither the Bombers nor Magpies chose to attack Fevola in numbers, backing instead a trusted key defender one-out. Mal Michael, Paddy Ryder and Dustin Fletcher shared Fev duty for the Dons; Harry O'Brien and Nathan Brown the Pies. Nary a ruckman was to be found filling the space in front of him, although Collingwood did use Nick Maxwell in "the hole" at times a fortnight ago. Different approaches have brought contrasting results: 30 goals in four games of essentially man-on-man football, 27 from the other nine where Fevola has seen his empty nest become more of a crowded house.
DOGS SIGN UP STARS
The Western Bulldogs have slammed the kennel door on potential raiders, signing eight key players to new deals, reports The Herald Sun. Exciting midfielder Ryan Griffen has agreed to a two-year extension, killing off any hope the South Australian clubs had of luring him home next season. And the Dogs, now equal-second favourite for the flag, have also re-signed the core of their leadership group. All-Australian contender Robert Murphy has re-committed to the Dogs until at least the end of 2011. Midfielders Daniel Cross and Matthew Boyd have also signed for another three years. Defender Dale Morris has gone from promoted rookie to valuable commodity with a new three-year deal. Veteran skipper Brad Johnson has signed a new one-year arrangement. Daniel Giansiracusa, considered a strong candidate to eventually replace Johnson, is the latest to agree to terms. Rising Star nominee Josh Hill has also been tied up to a new two-year extension.
MCLEOD OUT FOR THREE
Adelaide playmaker Andrew McLeod will have surgery on his troublesome right knee and is likely to be sidelined for three weeks, reports The Herald Sun. Last year's All-Australian captain consulted a specialist yesterday and it was decided to have the surgery as soon as possible. "Andrew has had ongoing issues with his right knee and we think it is the appropriate time to have the arthroscopy and a clean-out," Adelaide's head doctor Andrew Potter said yesterday. "We would expect him to be back in full training in two to three weeks." Adelaide has this week off and plays Geelong in the second week of the split round in a Friday night clash at AAMI Stadium.
TIGERS’ SPONSOR SCARE
Richmond is facing the prospect of losing one of football's best sponsorships in the week it will celebrate its 100th year in the VFL/AFL, reports The Herald Sun. The club is in talks with mortgage broking firm AFG (Australian Finance Group), which contributes nearly $1 million a year to the Tigers, with serious doubts on the company extending its four-year deal beyond this season's expiry. Complications attached to a global economic downturn and Australian interest rate rises are believed to be behind the company reconsidering the Tigers' deal. Discussions about AFG's future with Richmond began early this year, and have not been resolved. It is believed AFG, which with Dick Smith is a co-major sponsor of the Tigers, has told the club it will inform it of its intentions beyond 2008 by the end of the month.
HAWKS ADMIT TO ROOS STEW
It's official: North Melbourne has the wood over Hawthorn, and even the players agree, reports The Age. Hawks' ruckman Robert Campbell dubbed the Kangaroos his team's bogey side after they beat the Hawks by 27 points at the MCG on Saturday. “There's bogey sides for certain teams and they're definitely one of ours," Campbell said yesterday. North Melbourne has beaten the Hawks six of the nine times they have met since Alastair Clarkson took the reins at Waverley Park, and 11 of the 18 times they have played this decade. Campbell put the Roos' good record against his side down to their even spread of contributors rather than any outstanding individuals. "They've just got a consistent line right across the side and they just come out and play hard at the footy and take a lot of teams by surprise," he said.
COSTA TO FIGHT FOR COOK
Geelong president Frank Costa has urged his long-time lieutenant Brian Cook not to quit the Cats for the new Gold Coast team, despite strong entreaties from the AFL, and revealed last night he would take his case to the league should Cook choose to take over the 17th club, reports The Age. Costa said that the Geelong board had summoned Cook to a special meeting at Skilled Stadium after the round 12 Port Adelaide game nine days ago in a bid to convince the respected club chief executive to commit to the club for a further three years. "I love the AFL but I worship the Geelong Football Club," Costa said. "Brian asked for my permission to speak to the AFL and I didn't stand in his way. I would have been disappointed if they had ignored him but I don't want them to get him either. "I've given Brian up until mid-July to make up his mind, I didn't want to step across Cookie's path but if he did talk about leaving I will go to the AFL because they face great challenges with this new Gold Coast team, but we have got an equally big challenge down here." The Cats' board will meet again tomorrow night to discuss its strategy to retain Cook, which Costa described as "probably the club's No. 1 priority in 2008".
HOW TO SORT OUT FEV
Brendan Fevola has kicked 30 of his 57 goals this season against two teams — Essendon and Collingwood, reports The Age. Yet the pattern goes beyond a warrior rising to meet his most despised foes. Neither the Bombers nor Magpies chose to attack Fevola in numbers, backing instead a trusted key defender one-out. Mal Michael, Paddy Ryder and Dustin Fletcher shared Fev duty for the Dons; Harry O'Brien and Nathan Brown the Pies. Nary a ruckman was to be found filling the space in front of him, although Collingwood did use Nick Maxwell in "the hole" at times a fortnight ago. Different approaches have brought contrasting results: 30 goals in four games of essentially man-on-man football, 27 from the other nine where Fevola has seen his empty nest become more of a crowded house.
