Here follows the AFL news list for this week.
1 PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)
Friday September 23
Second Preliminary Final, Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans at the MCG, 7.50pm
Saturday September 24
First Preliminary Final, GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs at Spotless Stadium, 5.15pm
2 IMPENDING MILESTONES
Longest Wait For Grand Final Appearance – Footscray / Western Bulldogs. The Western Bulldogs have played 1212 matches since the 1961 Grand Final, which is the longest wait for any club in VFL/AFL history for a Grand Final appearance. The longest waits in the game’s history are Footscray/Western Bulldogs (1212 games currently active since r1, 1962); Fitzroy (1070 games between r1, 1945 to r22, 1996); South Melbourne/Sydney Swans (1041 games between r1, 1946 to preliminary final, 1996); St Kilda (883 games between r1, 1914 to second semi final, 1965) and Richmond (755 games currently active since r1, 1983.
Most Finals Played – Jimmy Bartel, Geelong Cats. Jimmy is due to play his 28th final, which would place him in equal seventh spot in VFL/AFL history. The most finals played are Michael Tuck (39 for Hawthorn), Shaun Burgoyne (33 for Port Adelaide and Hawthorn), Gordon Coventry (31 for Collingwood), Bruce Doull (29 for Carlton), Leigh Matthews (29 for Hawthorn), Wayne Schimmelbusch (29 for North Melbourne), Jason Akermanis (28 for the Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs), Gary Ayres (28 for Hawthorn), Adam Goodes (28 for the Sydney Swans), Bill Hutchison (28 for Essendon), Chris Mew (28 for Hawthorn), Jimmy Bartel (27 for the Geelong Cats), Kevin Bartlett (27 for Richmond), Harry Collier (27 for Collingwood), Martin Pike (27 for Melbourne, North Melbourne and Brisbane Lions) and Dick Reynolds (27 for Essendon).
Most Finals Goals – Lance Franklin, Sydney Swans. Lance Franklin needs three goals to draw level with Stephen Kernahan and Alastair Lynch to move into the top five finals goalkickers in VFL/AFL history. The leading goalkickers in finals are Gordon Coventry (111 for Collingwood), Jason Dunstall (78 for Hawthorn), Jack Titus (74 for Richmond), Leigh Matthews (72 for Hawthorn), Stephen Kernahan (65 for Carlton), Alastair Lynch (65 for Brisbane), Gary Ablett senior (64 for Geelong), Doug Wade (64 for Geelong and North Melbourne), Kevin Bartlett (62 for Richmond), Lance Franklin (62 for Hawthorn and the Sydney Swans), Dick Lee (62 for Collingwood), Jack Meuller (62 for Melbourne), Peter Sumich (62 for West Coast).
3 TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS
The expected process for the 2016 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:
Sam Jacobs, Adelaide Crows, reported by umpire Simon Meredith for engaging in rough conduct against Ben McGlynn, Sydney Swans, during the fourth quarter of the First Semi Final between the Adelaide Crows and the Sydney Swans, played at the SCG on Saturday September 17, 2016.
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 CURRENTLY SUSPENDED PLAYERS
The AFL wishes to advise the players that have completed and currently serving MRP suspensions across the competition are as follows:
Completed:
Simon Tunbridge, West Coast. Three matches from round 21. Now eligible to play at start of 2017 season.
Currently Suspended:
Steve Johnson, GWS Giants. One match from First Qualifying Final.
6 BROWNLOW MEDAL – INELIGIBLE PLAYERS
The AFL advises the following players are ineligible for the 2016 Brownlow Medal, after having served a suspension at some point through the home and away season: Rory Sloane (Adelaide Crows); Daniel Merrett (Brisbane Lions); Levi Casboult (Carlton); Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood); Mark Jamar (Essendon), David Zaharakis (Essendon); Zac Dawson (Fremantle); Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats); Steven May (Gold Coast Suns); Jon Ceglar (Hawthorn), James Sicily (Hawthorn); Neville Jetta (Melbourne), Bernie Vince (Melbourne), Jack Viney (Melbourne); Lindsay Thomas (North Melbourne); Tom Jonas (Port Adelaide), Jackson Trengove (Port Adelaide); Alex Rance (Richmond); Scott Lycett (West Coast), Simon Tunbridge (West Coast); Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs), Jack Redpath (Western Bulldogs).
7 OFFICIAL AFL LADDER ORDER, FOR DRAFT PURPOSES
For any media who are unsure, the AFL officially re-confirms that Hawthorn and the Adelaide Crows finish fifth and sixth respectively for the 2016 season for the purposes of the ladder and the official draft order at the NAB AFL Draft. Hawthorn is placed fifth on the ladder having finished higher than the Crows at the end of the home and away season. West Coast was placed seventh, with North Melbourne eighth.
8 APPLICATIONS FOR DAY PASSES FOR PRELIMINARY FINALS / GRAND FINAL SEATING REQUESTS NOW CLOSED
1 - During the Toyota AFL Finals Series, day passes are now printed with a headshot, meaning any application for this week’s preliminary finals must be lodged by Wednesday 5pm, with a suitable headshot.
2 - The due date for requests for the Grand Final has passed and the AFL cannot accept any more application requests. Please contact Patrick Keane for any further queries.
9 NOMINATED ROOKIE PROMOTIONS
The AFL wishes to advise the following players have been promoted to the senior list for the finals teams under the various provisions of the rookie rules:
Western Bulldogs – Roarke Smith (mid-season rookie promotion).
10 LONG TERM INJURY LIST
The AFL wishes to advise the following changes are in place to player lists for teams contesting the finals, via the long-term injury list rules:
Geelong Cats – Tom Ruggles is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Jackson Thurlow.
GWS Giants – Sam Reid is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Paul Ahern.
GWS Giants – Daniel Lloyd is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Jarrod Pickett.
Sydney Swans – Tom Papley is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Alex Johnson.
Sydney Swans – Harrison Marsh is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Michael Talia.
Western Bulldogs – Jed Adcock is currently upgraded from the rookie list in place of Josh Prudden.
11 KEY DATES, NAB AFL TRADE PERIOD / DRAFT PROCESS
Please find below the INDICATIVE key dates for the 2016 season around club list requirements, NAB AFL Trade Period and the NAB AFL Draft Process:
Thursday 6 October – Sunday 9 October – AFL Draft Combine
Friday 7 October - AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period Commences
Monday 10 October 10am - NAB AFL Trade Period Commences
Sunday 16 October 5pm - Close of AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period.
Wednesday 19 October - AFL Restricted Free Agency Matching Offer Three-Day Period Ends
Thursday 20 October 2pm – NAB AFL Trade Period Closes
Friday 21 October 5pm - Application to Relist a Player Close
Monday 31 October 2pm - List Lodgement (1) ; Rookie Promotion to Primary List; Retained 2nd & 3rd Year Rookies; International Scholarship Player; Alternate Talent Player Nominations; Club Notification of Rookie Players Not Accepting a Contract of Offer; Nomination of Draft Eligible Father/Son Players Lodged; TPP Pre-Season Estimates (1).
Tuesday 1 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (1) Commences
Tuesday 8 November - 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
Wednesday 9 November 2pm - List Lodgement (2); TPP Pre-Season Estimates (2)
Thursday 10 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Commences
Friday 18 November 2pm - Delisted Primary List Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Non–Retained Rookie Players Draft Nomination Form Lodgement; Players Not Registered or Played for Three years Rookie List Form lodgement; New or Expired (after 3 years) Draft Nomination Form Lodgement, AFL Father-Son Bidding Nominations.
Friday 18 November 5pm - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (2) Closes
Friday 25 November - NAB AFL Draft Selection Meeting (Sydney) including Father/Son & Academy Players Bidding.
Saturday 26 November - AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period (3) Commences
Sunday 27 November 2pm - AFL Delisted Free Agency Period (3) Concludes
Monday 28 November - AFL Club List Lodgement (3).
Monday 28 November 4pm - NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting (Telstra Webex)
Monday 28 November 4.05pm - Notification of Pre-Selected Rookies if not selected in the Pre-Season Draft.
Monday 28 November 4.10pm - NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection Meeting (Telstra Webex)
Wednesday 30 November 2pm - Final AFL Club List Lodgement; Final TPP Pre-Season Estimates
12 2016 NAB AFL DRAFT – TRADED FUTURE SELECTIONS
As a reminder to all media, the following selections at this year’s 2016 NAB AFL Draft were traded during last year’s trade period.
Round One
Gold Coast Suns received Melbourne round one selection.
GWS Giants received Collingwood round one selection.
GWS Giants received Geelong round one selection, via Carlton on-trade.
Round Two
Brisbane Lions received St Kilda round two selection, via Collingwood on-trade.
Gold Coast Suns received Fremantle round two selection.
Gold Coast Suns received Port Adelaide round two selection.
Gold Coats Suns received Richmond round two selection.
GWS Giants received Adelaide Crows' round two selection.
Round Three
Brisbane Lions received North Melbourne round three selection.
Carlton received Western Bulldogs round three selection.
Geelong Cats received Brisbane Lions round three selection.
Round Four
Western Bulldogs received Carlton round four selection.
Western Bulldogs received Sydney Swans round four selection.
Round Five
Geelong Cats received GWS Giants round five selection.
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.
