After lampooning Shane Warne's relationship with Liz Hurley and questioning his and other cricketers' motivations, and suitability, for charitable work, the former federal treasurer and reluctant right-hand man of Prime Minister John Howard turned his attention to footballers.
He said footballers were asked to "use their celebrity" to advance worthy causes like disaster relief appeals, but their celebrity status was based on football ability alone.
He then raised the recent scandal involving a schoolgirl whose school was visited by St Kilda footballers as an example that footballers had no place "to give guidance on life skills" to impressionable young minds.
"Any right-thinking parent would quake with fear to hear that footballers were coming to their daughter's school to give a bit of inspiration," he said.
Costello's example is alarmist. Does he really mean to suggest footballers regard school visits as anything other than the chance to help boost football's appeal among kids?
Costello also conveniently ignores the fact investigations revealed the St Kilda players implicated in the scandal were found to have done nothing wrong, and that they had not met the girl at the school visit, but later outside the school and outside the football club.
Not done, Costello then turned on the AFL, saying its motivation for such school visits was simply to promote its brand.
He obviously did not have a League star visit his school when he was a kid, and he has not seen the joy kids get from such visits.
Perhaps Costello spent too long in Canberra. Not every philanthropic act has an ulterior motive.
Scott takes command
New Geelong coach Chris Scott is profiled by the Herald Sun's chief football writer, Mike Sheahan, on Wednesday.
In the interview, the former Brisbane Lions defender comes across as a respectful and thoughtful leader, who is grateful for the opportunity to take the reins of a strong side, and smart enough to realise the game plan and club structures that have served Geelong so well in recent years need only minor tweaking.
Accordingly, Scott tells Sheahan he has no intention of overhauling the Cats' renowned offensive game plan, just to add a slightly tougher defensive edge to it. He also believes the Cats can target the premiership this year, while at the same time blooding the youngsters who will form the nucleus of the side in four to five years.
Scott did, however, say the Cats had worked harder on their fitness this pre-season, but again did not seek to suggest the former coaching team had neglected this area, pointing out their recent pre-seasons had been compromised by late finishes to their seasons.
Richmond's favourite son pitches in
Kevin Bartlett's reconciliation with Richmond has taken yet another step, The Age reported on Wednesday, with the former playing great and coach agreeing to be the front man for the Tigers' ambitious plan to raise $6 million over the next year.
After a self-imposed 16-year exile from the club following his sacking as coach, Bartlett was enticed back by former Tigers coach Tom Hafey four years ago, and at CEO Brendon Gale's request, will now give the keynote address at the launch of the Fighting Tiger Fund campaign that aims to eradicate Richmond's debt.
This, in turn, will allow the club to increase its football department spending, so it can compete with clubs like Collingwood.
"I think it's one of the most positive things they've done in a long time. This is not about surviving, it's about winning," Bartlett said.
And one thing's for sure, Bartlett, a five-time premiership player with the Tigers, is synonymous with winning. His increased presence, along with the credible start made by coach Damien Hardwick in 2010, can only rally the Tiger faithful to the cause.
Fevola set to leave rehab
Brisbane Lions forward Brendan Fevola has been cleared to leave the clinic where he has treated for alcohol and gambling problems for the past seven weeks, and will soon meet the Brisbane Lions in a bid to salvage his AFL career, The Courier Mail reports.
Fevola's manager Alastair Lynch said Fevola faced an on-going battle with depression but had received medical clearance to resume his normal life. However, Lynch acknowledged the Lions might not be prepared to welcome Fevola back.
"He is prepared for that. (But) it is obviously not what he wants and he is determined to do whatever is needed to win back the trust of the football club," Lynch said.
The Age shed some light onto Lions coach Michael Voss' thoughts on Fevola's possible return. Voss said he'd ruled Fevola out of round one and didn't know if and when he'd return, the report said.
"He's got a number of things he's got to overcome first," Voss said.
It's a huge decision for the Lions, but with new Lions football manager Dean Warren talking tough about creating the right culture at the club in the wake of Albert Proud's recent sacking, it's hard to see Fevola playing alongside Jonathan Brown again.
North Melbourne election 'rigged'
The tension at North Melbourne continues to bubble ahead of its board election on Wednesday night.
Former North Melbourne director Peter de Rauch has now alleged the election has been "rigged" in favour of the three board members seeking re-election, The Age reports.
De Rauch refused to rule out legal action if, as he expects, his challenge is unsuccessful, while he has already insisted on his own scrutineer overseeing the vote count.
De Rauch's main gripe is that the club sent out proxy forms in mid-January without his name and that of the other challenger, David Wheaton, on them.
It's a messy situation for the club - something de Rauch himself acknowledges - but one that will hopefully be resolved after tonight. In the interests of the club, all parties need to accept the members' decision and move on. The last thing North needs is petty personal agendas to divert the attention of the club from the massive on-field and off-field challenges it faces in 2011.
Eade taking it year by year
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade is happy to wait until the end of the year before discussing whether his contract is extended beyond 2011, the Herald Sun reports.
"I'm happy to focus on this year and what happens will look after itself," Eade said.
Just as he takes a season week by week, it seems Eade is taking his coaching career year by year.
Eade also reiterated he saw his coaching future at the Bulldogs, while Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph suggested the Bulldogs also saw Eade as their future.
"It would take an unexpected slump for the Dogs to consider letting him go," Ralph wrote.
GWS watch
Jimmy Bartel was the latest player linked to Greater Western Sydney, in the Melbourne dailies and afl.com.au on Wednesday. All three media outlets covered Chris Scott's press conference on Tuesday, when the Geelong coach said he was "confident" Bartel was happy at Geelong and would extend his contract into next season and beyond.
Scott conceded, however, that Bartel faced a "really hard decision" if Gold Coast offered him a similar salary to that offered to Gary Ablett.
The Herald Sun speculated any GWS offer to Bartel could be expected to be about $800,000 a year, an amount it said was "significantly higher" than what the Cats could be expected to offer the Brownlow medallist.
As we saw last year with the Suns, that sort of money is hard to refuse, even for the most loyal clubmen.
Meanwhile, The Advertiser reports Adelaide has decided it will not banish any player who announces he has signed with GWS like it did with Suns defector Nathan Bock last season.
Addressing the possibility forward Taylor Walker may announce during this season he will be at GWS in 2012, Crows coach Neil Craig said he would continue playing Walker and "not treat him any differently".
Crows player Andy Ottens also said he would be happy to play alongside any GWS defector this year.
"If they are committed to the playing group to play out the full season, I think that is enough," Ottens said.
The Crows' shift is at odds with former Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos' stance that would he summarily dismiss any player who announced he was moving on.
The Crows' stance is realistic and sensible. Isn't it enough a club is going to lose a player at the end of the year? Why would it deprive itself of his services before then, especially if it's finals bound?
In short
Fourth-year defender/midfielder Jack Grimes has all the makings of a future Melbourne captain, the Herald Sun reports.
Defender Nathan Brown's season is almost certainly over after Collingwood confirmed he would have a traditional knee reconstruction rather than LARS surgery: afl.com.au.
Leon Davis could return to training with Collingwood on Wednesday after arriving back in Melbourne on Tuesday, The Age reports. He had been in Perth supporting his family, which is dealing with the death of his 17-year-old cousin, Rowan, and a family illness.
The Adelaide Crows coaching staff could move their coach's box behind the goals at AAMI Stadium after trialling the move in round one of the NAB Cup, The Advertiser reports.
Fremantle's Garrick Ibbotson will be sidelined for the next two months after he injured his ankle stepping on a sprinkler at a local park last week, The West Australian reports.
Gold Coast Suns coach Guy McKenna said he would play former rugby league international Karmichael Hunt on Sydney Swans co-captain Adam Goodes in the sides' NAB Cup clash this Saturday night, The Courier Mail reports.
