Loading
“We are keen to offer one more chance for clubs to provide your feedback/insights into some key competitive balance topics. We will be presenting in this session some of the changes that we are proposing based on the project work completed,” the league’s email to football heads this week said.
The AFL is also examining changes to the points bidding system on father-son and next generation academy players. The AFL has indicated an appetite to tweak the points system in the draft to deliver a closer to market value for clubs to pay when matching bids.
Some club figures believe no change is necessary, and that the league should not react to the exception rather than the rule.
Some senior league figures dislike the system where father-son players like Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos, who were bid on in the first four picks of the 2021 draft, could be secured by their clubs using a handful of picks in the late 30s.
The league will also look at changes to the academy system where clubs are only entitled to get priority access to a player if no bid is made on that player before pick 40.
That has been widely criticised as a disincentive to clubs investing time, effort and money in identifying and developing a player if they are only valued as a third round pick or later.
The West and South Australian clubs have pushed for a national reserves competition and join the VFL, which has already expanded into an eastern seaboard competition taking in the four northern clubs. The clubs believe there is an impact on the development of their young players by playing in the two state leagues.
Two AFL sources familiar with the review, who would not speak publicly because it had not yet been presented to the clubs, said that because of the likely expense, the AFL was more likely, in the first instance, to persuade the SANFL and WAFL to change rules around top-up players and issues such as fixturing to bring them into line with how the VFL operates before it jumped to expanding to a national reserves competition.
Loading
A push by Fremantle and West Coast for concessions due to their far more onerous travel demands is another issue for the commission to decide. The clubs want to play at least one more home game each or have clubs come to Perth for a mini hub for several weeks as a way of mitigating travel. They also want to have no six-day breaks between games after travel.
Daicos all clear to take on the Roos
AAP
Collingwood coach Craig McRae has confirmed Nick Daicos will play in the clash with North Melbourne, brushing off concerns over his star’s corked shin.
Nick Daicos limps from the field with a leg issue.Credit: AFL Photos
Daicos has had a light week of training since receiving a knock to his lower leg during the Magpies’ convincing win over Melbourne on Monday.
But the Brownlow Medal fancy passed a fitness test on Friday, running at full pace and taking part in football drills with his teammates. He has been given the green light to take on the Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
“He’s good to go. He’ll play,” McRae said. “We played Monday, so we didn’t do anything on Wednesday with him. Today was an opportunity to get out and move. He went really well and he’ll be right to play.”
McRae said Oleg Markov is in a “race to the line” because of a jarred back, with lightning-quick defender Tew Jiath on stand-by. Jiath, the younger brother of Hawthorn’s Changkuoth Jiath, has been named among the Magpies’ emergencies and is a chance to debut. The 19-year-old was selected with pick 37 at last year’s draft.
“I just love the way that he expresses himself on the footy field,” McRae said. “He goes for his marks, much like his brother from Hawthorn, and he’s a serious talent. He’s going to be a really nice player for us.”
North Melbourne have been buoyed by last week’s breakthrough win over West Coast, and defender Charlie Comben boldly declared Collingwood to be “really, really gettable” in a radio interview ahead of Sunday’s clash. The Magpies, who are battling a host of injuries, in particular through the midfield and forward-line, have lost just once since round three.
Bont backed to front up after illness
AAP
Coach Luke Beveridge has backed skipper Marcus Bontempelli to overcome illness to front up in the Western Bulldogs’ clash with Fremantle.
Loading
But he says it’s up to his other midfielders to take on some of the superstar captain’s workload.
Bontempelli, 28, didn’t train for most of the week but will be desperate to front seventh-placed Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, with opponents the Bulldogs just four points outside the top eight.
“He has been ill,” Beveridge said on Friday of Bontempelli. “He was crook a couple of weeks ago, too. That was before the Collingwood game, actually, and he came out and played an extremely influential game.
“He hasn’t trained with the group this week. He comes in today — it’s a pretty early game tomorrow so we’ll hardly do anything at our captain’s run.
“He’s had a different preparation, and as you’re aware and as you can understand with him, it’ll take something pretty significant to stop him from playing. Hopefully he’s not affected by it too much.”
Bontempelli exploded with 38 disposals and two goals against Collingwood, but Beveridge said the Bulldogs couldn’t rely on his brilliance alone.
“We’re going nowhere if we keep relying on the skipper,” Beveridge said. “He’s having a really strong year, he’s had some extraordinary performances over his journey. But we need an even spread of contributors to beat Fremantle because … their great strength is their work ethic. They’re systematic with some of the things they do, they’re a difficult team to beat.
“So we need to rely on everyone, and Marcus is just one of 23.”
Loading
After he was tagged with some success by Brisbane’s Jarrod Berry, limited to 19 disposals and three goals, Bontempelli could attract close attention from Fremantle midfielder Hayden Young.
On his return from concussion, Ed Richards will likely join Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar, Ryley Sanders and Harvey Gallagher among Bontemptelli’s fellow midfielders. Beveridge expected Rory Lobb (ankle) to be fit to face his former club.
The Bulldogs have already regained Cody Weightman (elbow) in a massive boost to their attack, while Anthony Scott has been recalled. Alex Keath will miss six to eight weeks with a hamstring strain, while Riley Garcia and Lachie McNeil have been dropped.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.