Source :- THE AGE NEWS
In yesterday’s AFL Briefing, your normal pack of footy information:
- Brisbane will reveal its future course of action after Lachie Neale resigns as co-captain.
- The first game of each new year’s AFL season should be held in official sports.
- GWS injuries mount as Tom Green (ACL ) is officially ruled out for the season.
After appointing Harris Andrews, Hugh McCluggage, and Josh Dunkley as co-captains for their three-peat force, Brisbane may wish three can show their special number.
After leading the Lions and Andrews to back-to-back premierships, Lachie Neale resigned as co-captain in January a turbulent and content wedding break.
It meant alter was expected, though it was questionable whether Harris would be only captain or if one or both of his vice-captains, Dunkley and McCluggage, did move away.
All three of The Lions ‘ members announced on Monday that they would discuss the part.
Neale doesn’t actually make an appearance in the Lions ‘ extended management team, which includes Jarrod Berry, Cam Rayner, Jaspa Fletcher, and Will Ashcroft, a enlist and former West Coast commander Oscar Allen.
Discipline Chris Fagan has never been a big fan of the idea of holding the captain, but he didn’t want to alter a proven winning formula.
” It was quite unique to have three people that are more than worthy of being great officers at your a membership at the one day”, he said in a statement.
” Why not have three officers if you have three great people?
We work really hard to increase management mass at our footy team because having three officers reinforces that idea.
These three are our best” trademark players,” according to the statement,” They are fine young men, they are different personalities, and they each bring their own strengths to the table.”
AAP
AFL optimistic Origin can have lasting place with shorter quarters
Michael Gleeson
State of Origin should be a regular part of the sports calendar, with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon calling for member sport to be played at the end of each new year.
The AFL deemed the gain of State of Origin on Saturday night a success with Dillon saying he now wants State of Origin activities or an Aboriginal All Actors game to be played in the pre-season each year on movement.
The group wants to step another State of Origin activity next pre-season with the site and groups involved still to be decided.
” We think there is sufficient momentum then to build on Saturday evening and continue into next year and beyond as a permanent fixture on the footy calendar,” Dillon said.
The people showed they wanted to play reps footy, and that was evident in the level of the game.
” The size of the crowd gives us great trust, and the way the fans but fervently embraced it, both in direct up and on Saturday is a great element.”
On Saturday night, there were 58, 000 spectators at Optus Stadium, with more than a million people watching the game on pay-per-view and free-to-air channels on average.
I believe the window is ideal for it to be played in the pre-season. I think the first game of the season being played by the best players in a representative game is a good way for footy to return for the year,” Dillon said.
Players expressed satisfaction with the game’s continuation.
After the game, Victoria’s Toby Greene said,” I would rather play this than a practice match.
Several clubs ‘ general managers of football, who did not want to be named, said they supported State of Origin becoming permanent but wanted shorter games of 16 or 18 minute quarters with time-on added. During COVID, shorter games of this length were played.
In order to customize the players ‘ pre-season training program around it, clubs also wanted to be aware of any potential players who might play. They also wanted better financial coverage and salary cap relief in the event a player was injured and missed club games.
” The thing for us now is to iron out the details of what it looks like into the future. We will collaborate with the players and clubs on that, according to Dillon.
There is scope for one game per pre-season, in my opinion. I think the game could probably be a bit shorter, 26–27 minutes quarters not 31–33 minutes.
I believe there is, in theory, an appetite for it to grow and make the most of the momentum we have. The Indigenous All Stars game was held last year, and I believe there are more scheduled events like that. So, possibly, another State of Origin Game next year and an Indigenous all-stars game the year after”.
The AFL will choose South Australia or WA to host again in 2019. Due to the additional TV audience it attracts, broadcasters are incredibly likely to want Victoria to play in any game.
Players and fans from NSW, Queensland and Tasmania will want to be involved in State of Origin games but the football managers spoken to by this masthead described the Allies concept as a flawed compromise and none of those states presently would be strong enough to field a stand-alone team.
The AFL general managers of football will meet the following week, with origin on the agenda. One of the topics being discussed is salary cap relief, player payments, injury payment protection for clubs, and other considerations.
The players wanted origin to be permanently, according to James Gallagher, the AFL Players Association’s CEO. The AFLPA reached an agreement with the AFL for this year as a one-off game, but they were happy to negotiate a long-term agreement to maintain the concept.
Players were paid a base of$ 20, 000 per game, with the captains making more money and some other players getting extra money as “ambassadors” from the WA state government and Tourism WA.
” Before the game, players believed there was a place for State of Origin to permanently return. The discussions I’ve had with players during the week and after the game have been overwhelmingly positive and reinforced that”, Gallagher said.
” The players ‘ commitment was amazing,” he said. You could tell from their eagerness to pull on the Victorian and WA jumpers.
” We worked with the AFL for a deal for this year’s game. We’ve already gotten to the players in our review. Once finished, we’ll go over the details and move forward with the AFL.
Giants star eyeing quick recovery as GWS injuries mount
Finn Callaghan, a midfielder for GWS, is confident he will recover from a minor pre-season injury in time for the opening round.
Due to his mild hip flexor strain, Callaghan is unable to play in the club’s pre-season games against Collingwood and Sydney.
The Giants are already counting the costs of last week’s intra-club match simulation, with fellow midfield bull Tom Green (ACL ) ruled out for the season.
Callaghan, who didn’t participate in the simulation from last Friday, will be watching until the club’s March 7 opener against Hawthorn.
It’s a little grating, they say. I just felt a little bit tight in my hip flexor, and it didn’t settle down there for a few days, “he told AAP.
It shouldn’t be a bad thing, they say. I won’t participate in any of the practice matches, but I should be back for the first round.
” I’d love to play the practice games, but priority is to make sure I’m ready to go for the opening round against the Hawks”.
Small forward Toby Bedford was also among the casualties from the intra-club clash, and is set for at least five to six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring issue.
Sam Taylor, a key defender, was subbed out of Saturday’s State of Origin game due to “hamstring awareness,” and GWS also lost him for the start of the season.
The club stated in a statement that scans from Monday on Monday had revealed a “high-grade hamstring strain,” which is “expected to rule him out for the opening rounds of the 2026 season.”
Veteran midfielder Josh Kelly ( hip ) and forward Darcy Jones (ACL ) aren’t expected to appear until the second half of the season at the earliest.
AAP
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