Draft delight for Dogs, Dees

Lachie Plowman could be the draft surprise at pick three. Picture: Robert Mckechnie Source: Herald Sun

GREATER Western Sydney is set to spring the surprise of this year's national draft, allowing Melbourne and Western Bulldogs to secure their dream midfield targets.

With their No. 3 pick, the Giants are eyeing Calder Cannons defender Lachie Plowman, who has impressed despite missing four months with a dislocated elbow.

Plowman, 18, was thought to be drifting down the order when he missed the national carnival after surgery restricted him to just six games this year.

But the Giants, who are intent on bolstering their defensive stocks, are set to swoop on the rebounding backman after calling the names of midfield pair Lachie Whitfield and Jimmy Toumpas with the first two picks next Thursday night.

Pick Me: Exclusive vision of this year's No. 1 pick

Cannons regional manager Ian Kyte said the 191cm defender, likened to Geelong's Andrew Mackie, had the potential to play on the ball and would have rivalled Whitfield for the No. 1 spot had he remained fit this year.

"He's so reliable down back and I think he can develop to go through the midfield," Kyte said.

"His ability to read the game, play off his man and judge when to go impact a contest is fantastic."

The draft shock will ensure the Dees land ferocious onballer Ollie Wines, who is the best mate of father-son gem Jack Viney, at No. 4.

Pick Me: The Dees are set to draft the next Jobe Watson

The pair would slot into coach Mark Neeld's Round 1 side next year, injecting the Dees engine room with some desperately needed grunt.

The Bulldogs are poised to add the speed and polish they crave by using pick No. 5 on Jono O'Rourke, a slick ball-user from Calder Cannons, and are happy to roll the dice on agile half-forward Troy Menzel at No. 6.

Pick Me: The Dogs love the next Trent Cotchin

High AFL draft pick hopeful Jono O'Rourke breaks a tackle. He could be headed for the Western Bulldogs. Source: Herald Sun

The goalkicker had LARS surgery on his knee as a 16-year-old and damaged the posterior cruciate ligament in his other knee late this year, but on talent alone is widely rated in the top two.

South Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy has tumbled down the order and is fancied to land at Port Adelaide with pick No. 7.

One source said the Giants' reluctance to take a big man with an early choice would hand the Power a steal.

"He could kick 50 or 60 goals playing in the ruck after two or three years, he's that good," the scout said.

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Tippett manager's fate put on hold

The Giants are out to snare Tippett

A lot of water will have to flow under the bridge in the Kurt Tippett saga before the fate of player agent Peter Blucher is determined. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

KURT Tippett's besieged agent Peter Blucher is likely to be spared the investigative heat of leading QC David Galbally.

Galbally probed Ricky Nixon's involvement in the "St Kilda schoolgirl affair" on behalf of the agents' accreditation board, but it is almost certain to appoint an investigator from within to tackle the Blucher issue.

The board, chaired by AFL Players' Association player relations manager Ian Prendergast, will not decide its course of action until after next week's AFL commission hearing into the Tippett saga.

"Once the commission has dealt with the charges laid, the agents' board will review the situation and determine the appropriate course of action," Prendergast told the Herald Sun.

An investigation is almost certain to be launched regardless of the outcome of Tippett and Crows officials fronting the commission.

The worst-case scenario for Brisbane-based Blucher would be deregistration.

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North still confident of luring Cook

North Melbourne still believes it can poach highly regarded Geelong chief executive Brian Cook. Picture: Blair Hamish Source: Herald Sun

Jimmy Bartel continues to make progress from a serious leg injury. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

NORTH Melbourne remains confident it will poach highly regarded Geelong chief executive Brian Cook.

The long-serving Cats boss was undecided last night about accepting an offer, estimated at $1 million a year, to lead North.

The Cats could get an answer from Cook, who turns 57 today, when he returns to work from holiday this morning.

Geelong president Colin Carter yesterday confirmed the Cats had put a new offer to Cook, with whom he spent two hours discussing the situation on Monday.

"We've responded. I won't say what it is, but we've responded to address some of those issues," Carter said.

"Obviously he and we would like it (an answer) sooner rather than drag it out too long, but I'm expecting a decision to be made certainly this week."

North chairman James Brayshaw will update members on the chief executive search at the club's best-and-fairest award tonight.

Captain Andrew Swallow is expected to win his third Syd Barker Medal.

Meanwhile, the Cats are confident veteran midfielders Jimmy Bartel and James Kelly will join pre-season training before Christmas.

Bartel, the 2007 Brownlow Medal winner, started his off-season wearing a moonboot after suffering a broken foot late in the season, and Kelly had surgery on his hips.

Cats captain Joel Selwood said yesterday he expected his midfield teammates to be back in the thick of it within a few weeks.

"Jimmy had a small fracture in his foot towards the end of last year and obviously hasn't done a lot over the break," Selwood said.

"He'll be back. Before Christmas I'm sure you'll see him out there.

"James had his hips done at the end of the year, but we hope to get him back before Christmas also.

"(Travis) Varcoe's up and running behind closed doors and also (Daniel) Menzel's up and running."

Varcoe's season was ruined by a persistent foot injury, while fellow forward Menzel had a second knee reconstruction in June.

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AFL needs more 'razzle dazzle'

New Etihad Stadium chief Paul Sergeant said the AFL should look at offering more entertainment at live footy games. Picture: Stuart Walmsley Source: Herald Sun

THE new boss of Etihad Stadium says the AFL should turn to US and English sport to build better atmosphere at live games.

Paul Sergeant said the AFL should consider sound and light shows, more pre-game and half-time entertainment and better use of scoreboards to find new ways to entertain crowds.

Concerned about a drop in AFL attendance and a surge in TV audiences, the UK-born stadium chief said TV advances threatened to keep fans away from games and spoil the traditional atmosphere of live footy.

Should the AFL add razzle-dazzle sound and light shows to footy games? Vote now and have your say below

He said the AFL, rival codes and Australia's stadium chiefs should look to the English Premier League and NBA basketball for inspiration.

"The whole experience of going to an NBA game blows your socks off because they make use of the arrival experience, the video boards, the monitors around the venue, the PA system," he said.

"Those sports in different parts of the world are out there. It's about going, 'well what can we look at? What can we learn from them?' then translate it back into what can we do at our venues."

Mr Sergeant said the AFL should look to international sports like the NBA basketball for inspiration for live game entertainment. Picture: Eric Gay Source: AP

Mr Sergeant, who replaced outgoing chief Ian Collins, said Etihad Stadium's future success would rely on a "staple diet" of AFL along with soccer, concerts, international sports and special events such as rugby league's State of Origin.

But the former boss of England's Wembley Stadium and Millennium Stadium in Wales said Australian sports chiefs needed to lift live experiences to a new level just to keep fans coming back.

He said he had raised the matter with AFL chief Andrew Demetriou and chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan, labelling modern TV coverage the "biggest challenge" to live sport.

"The TV has moved on in leaps and bounds with HD, 3D, surround sound, stats, pause live action - all the things you can do. So we've got to compete with that and that's all about the live match day experience.

"We've collectively got our heads together as to what that...means and what we can do to drive that forward."

Last season's AFL crowds fell by more than 360,000 yet home TV audiences were up.

peter.rolfe@news.com.au

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Lachie a tip to be Giant of the game

The Giants are out to snare Tippett

Master of his art: GWS appears destined to get someone very special at the draft table in Lachie Whitfield. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Laid-back Lachie Whitfield it seems is big on the couch and Foxtel. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

BIGGER rewards will come to Lachie Whitfield but for now the GWS Giants' likely No.1 draft pick is happy with a Foxtel subscription and the chance to veg out on the couch.

His father Richard believed multiple TV channels would be too big a distraction for the young sports nut while he was juggling his football commitments and studying for his Year 12 exams.

But now the 19-year-old can sit back and relax in front of the box, confident in the knowledge he will earn the marks he needs for tertiary studies in Exercise and Sports Science.

"I'm pretty glad it has come to an end," Whitfield said. "I struggled a bit towards the end of the season because my body gave way a bit."

Being touted as the top pick in next week's national draft only added to his stress.

"I didn't (feel the pressure) throughout the year but when the Nationals came around, all the articles came out and there was a bit of pressure then," he said.

If he was feeling the heat, it didn't show because he won the Larke Medal for the best player at the National Championships.

The performance confirmed his dad's description of his son as a "pretty laid-back kid".

The AFL's national talent manager Kevin Sheehan believes the Giants are about to get someone very special.

"He's probably one of the best young players we've seen emerge in the last decade," Sheehan said.

"His kicking with right and left boots is at the very elite level.

"You could compare him to the best in the AFL. He is a magnificent kick. That's unique."

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Clurey's skills hard to resist

2012 AFL Draft: Pick Me - Tom Clurey

PRESENTED with chewing gum, Tom Clurey couldn't make it stick.

The key defender was bamboozled when, in his first interview with an AFL club, Essendon officials handed Clurey a pack of gum and asked him to sell it back to them at Etihad Stadium last month.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Watch highlights of Clurey and get our expert analysis in the video player above

Unable to use his aerobic power or pinpoint skills on his non-preferred left foot, Clurey stumbled to find an answer to the imposing band of 10 Bomber officials and moved on.

Pick Me: The next Daniel Talia could head to the Saints

Luckily for Clurey, his footy aptitude and consistency - and not his marketing nous - is why experts are tipping he will be snapped up inside the first 30 picks at next week's draft.

AFL Draft,Tom Clurey,country boy from Shepparton,running across hay bails on his farm, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

"As a key defender he hasn't been cleaned out, he's never had a bag of goals kicked on him,'' Murray Bushrangers region manager Andrew Carson said.

"He can play on key forwards and he can play as a key forward. He's so reliable and he's got elite decision making skills.''

Clurey's endurance is already at the top level, with the 192cm target burning rivals at draft camp.

"He ran a 15-1 in the beep (test) and if the AFL caps rotations in (2014) or change the sub rule it'll make him even more damaging with that big tank,'' one recruiter noted.

Clurey, who lives on a 600-acre farm filled with canola crops and sheep in the remote town of Katamatite, put his powerful fitness levels down to his active childhood.

"I was always out kicking the footy with my brothers or riding bikes or skateboards or anything with wheels. I didn't spend much time inside watching TV,'' he said.

AFL Draft,Tom Clurey,country boy from Shepparton,on his motorbike, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

"I think I can have an impact next year. I've had so many injuries that having that full-time environment will help me become stronger now and stay fit.

"On the small or medium forwards I back myself in to mark it and I feel a lot more comfortable.''

Pick Me: The next Jack Darling is a better kick than Fev

Clurey grew up neighbours with North Melbourne's Sam Wright and remains best mates with younger brother Joey.

"He (Sam Wright) has told me that talent will only get you so far so it's how hard you work,'' Clurey said.

AFL Draft,Tom Clurey,country boy from Shepparton,diving into local swimming channel on his farm, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Carson praised Clurey's ability to cut sides up with his rebound from defence, while his stocks rose with impressive negating roles on hot 2013 prospect and spearhead Tom Boyd.

TOM CLUREY

AGE: 18
HEIGHT: 193cm
WEIGHT: 83kg
FROM: Murray Bushrangers
POSITION: Centre half-back
DRAFT RANGE: 15-30
IN THE MIX: Pies (18), Crows (20), Saints (25), Hawks (29)
PLAYS LIKE: Sam Fisher

Tom Clurey of the Bushrangers in action during the TAC 1st Elimination Final match between theMurray Bushrangers and Geelong Falcons at Visy Park in Melbourne. (Photo: Darrian Traynor/AFL Media) Source: Herald Sun

 

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Watters: Goddard is the past

St Kilda coach Scott Watters isn't worried by Brendon Goddard's departure to Essendon, saying there's "no disappointment" with the talent coming through at the club.

No loss: St Kilda coach Scott Watters insists he is not bothered star utility Brendon Goddard has quit the club. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Brendon Goddard claims the talent at the Bombers was a major factor in his decision to walk out on the Saints. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

ST Kilda coach Scott Watters has fired back at Brendon Goddard, insisting he is not bothered the star utility quit the club.

Goddard this week broke his silence on his free agency switch to Essendon, saying the talent at the Bombers had been a major factor in his decision to walk out on the Saints.

But Watters said he couldn't care less.

"There's absolutely no disappointment from my side of the fence," he said yesterday.

"I've just finished a session with 14 young players that want to play at this football club and my energies are focused on them."

Watters, who yesterday unveiled young Saints recruits Tom Hickey, Tom Lee and Trent Dennis-Lane, added: "I've got no interest in other people's perceptions either. We deal with what we deal with here internally and we're excited about what's ahead.

"Brendon's an Essendon player. We're pretty keen to deal with the St Kilda players that are here."

Watters said last month Goddard's decision to leave was purely financial.

"The reason is about money. It's that simple," he said.

St Kilda's other high-profile departure, Jason Gram, remains in touch with the club after he was sacked because of off-field behaviour. Gram was dumped a fortnight ago for failing to honour repeated club warnings about his behaviour.

"Coaches care for their players so you don't like to see a player fall out of the system, but at the same time we've got a club culture and set of values and standards that we need to really strongly defend," Watters said.

"Really, at the end of the day players make a choice on whether they want to stay and be involved with what we want to try and deliver and unfortunately some of Gramy's choices preclude him from that."

Most of St Kilda's senior players reported back for training on Monday. Midfielder Lenny Hayes was among them as he recovers from corrective heart surgery to repair a leaky valve.

Watters said Hayes was making excellent progress and, barring an unforeseen setback, was on schedule to join in full training early in the new year.

"You run out of superlatives to describe the way he goes about his work. The way he's presented himself after the operation; he's in terrific condition," he said.

"At 32, he would be on a modified program regardless. I would think by early January he would be in full combat mode."

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Rocked Tippett says I'm innocent

Kurt Tippett's playing future remains uncertain, with the real prospect he could be banned for all of 2013 by the AFL Commission. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

Tippett has engaged leading Melbourne QC David Galbally. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis Source: Herald Sun

KURT Tippett has declared his innocence in the Adelaide salary cap scandal and threatened to sue the club if the AFL deregisters him.

Lawyers for Tippett will argue at Monday's AFL Commission meeting the star forward was coerced and manipulated by the Crows into signing the secret agreement that could lead to him being banned from the game.

Adelaide last night confirmed it had received papers from Tippett's legal team notifying he intended to sue for damages and loss of earnings if banned.

While it will enrage Crows fans, it sends a message to the AFL he will battle to the end, taking the dispute to the courts should he be punished for his part in the deal.

Tippett has engaged leading Melbourne QC David Galbally, who will on Monday tell the commission the 25-year-old is the innocent party in Adelaide's salary cap dealings.

Galbally is expected to argue that Tippett was all but out the door to Gold Coast in 2009 before the Crows pressured him to stay. Resulting third-party payments worth $300,000 triggered the AFL investigation.

"As far as I see it, Kurt is an innocent player. I can't see that he has done anything wrong," Galbally told the Herald Sun.

"He stayed at Adelaide to his significant detriment.

"He was a 22-year-old kid at the time."

Galbally has an intricate knowledge of the AFL's rules and regulations, having acted for the league when it successfully deregistered sacked West Coast player Ben Cousins for a year.

The Tippett camp will argue it would be a "drastic" step to deregister the player, given no Carlton player was sanctioned in 2002 for their part in salary cap breaches, including under the table payments to players.

Galbally was yesterday to receive the entire brief of evidence against Adelaide and Tippett.

Tippett's playing future remains uncertain, with the real prospect he could be banned for all of 2013 by the AFL Commission.

That would force him to reapply to the AFL for the 2014 season, which happened in the Cousins case.

Yet the more likely scenario would see Tippett permitted to enter next month's pre-season draft but suspended for a chunk of the 2013 season.

The Herald Sun understands both Sydney and Greater Western Sydney would still recruit Tippett at his nominated salary even if he had to sit out an eight or 10-week suspension.

Those close to Tippett say he is shell-shocked by the scandal, and would prefer not to play at the Giants.

Yesterday the Giants delisted fellow ruckman Dean Brogan to create list space for Tippett.

The club seems intent on selecting him if he remains available.

His failure to nominate for the national draft by yesterday's 2pm cut-off means his only option to move clubs is to nominate for the December 11 pre-season draft by November 28.

The Giants hold the first pick in that draft, with cashed-up clubs such as the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle having picks ahead of premier Sydney.

Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland said yesterday the club could only await the AFL's verdict before considering its next move.

"We need to consider the circumstances once we know the outcome of next week's ruling," he told the Herald Sun.

"It's an unusual circumstance. We are still keen for Kurt to become a Swans player, but we will have to wait and see now."

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said yesterday: "We are really looking forward to being able to explain ourself to the Commission.

We know what we are dealing with, we know the timelines."

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Tippett threatens to sue Crows

Kurt Tippett is claiming his innocence in the secret deal with Adelaide Crows. Picture: Simon Cross. Source: adelaidenow

KURT Tippett has declared his innocence in the Adelaide salary cap scandal and threatened to sue the club if deregistered by the AFL.

In a move which will further incur the wrath of Crows fans, Tippett has accused Adelaide of inducing him to enter into an unlawful agreement with the club in 2009.

A Crows spokesman last night confirmed "some legal correspondence" had lobbed at the club from the Tippett camp, angrying officials.

"We've looked at it and it's disappointing but we're not going to act on it until we see what happens on Monday," the spokesman said.

"At the moment we've got another case to prepare."

Monday is D-Day for Adelaide, which has been summoned to appear before the AFL Commission to answer charges of draft and salary cap breaches emanating from the contract Tippett - who has walked out on the club and wants to join Sydney - signed three years ago.

If found guilty, the Crows face a hefty fine and suspension from up to four drafts.

Tippett - who yesterday failed to nominate for the November 22 national draft and is now likely to be selected at the December 11 pre-season draft - is confident of escaping a penalty.

He (Tippett) stayed at Adelaide to his significant detriment

Like Adelaide, he has been charged with conduct prejudicial to the draft and a breach of AFL rules on total player payments.

Under AFL rules, he could be suspended or deregistered.

But the man representing him at the commission hearing, David Galbally QC, said he viewed Tippett as an innocent player in an off-field drama which has rocked the Crows.

"He stayed at Adelaide to his significant detriment," Galbally said.

"I can't see that he has done anything wrong."

Galbally said deregistration would be a massive over-reaction and believed Tippett had several legal avenues to sue the Crows, who are accused of agreeing to trade him for a second-round draft pick at the end of his contract and paying him up to $200,000 outside the salary cap.

Tippett's failure to nominate for the draft yesterday put Greater Western Sydney on red alert.

The Giants cut veteran ruckman and 2004 Port Adelaide premiership player Dean Brogan to make more room on its playing list to accommodate Tippett.

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