LIVE: AFL practice matches

Join Mike Sheahan, Gerard Whateley, Mark Robinson and Jon Ralph as they discuss the tough questions ahead of this years AFL season.

Brett Deledio kicks the ball. Source: Getty Images

ESSENDON forward Jake Carlisle has been reported for kneeing in the Bombers' practice match against Richmond.

SCROLL DOWN TO JOIN OUR LIVE COVERAGE ALL DAY

The field umpire ran straight to Carlisle and put his name in the book after a clash with Tiger Steven Morris in the second quarter at Punt Rd.

The Tigers made a strong start, with Trent Cotchin backing up his four-goal return against Collingwood last week by drifting forward to kick two goals from strong marks.

The 1pm clash will see thousands of fans flock to Richmond's traditional home and we'll have live updates throughout the clash.

SEE EVERY PRACTICE MATCH SQUAD HERE

At 4pm we'll cross to Visy Park as Carlton hosts the Western Bulldogs, while at 2pm Greater Western Sydney will unveil No.1 pick Tom Boyd against Adelaide at Blacktown.

Mike Sheahan discusses his decision to omit Jack Riewoldt from his top 50 AFL players once more.

'GIVE UP THE MEDIA BAN, JACK'

DEES, HOGAN SWEAT ON SCANS

The action continues tonight with Geelong and North Melbourne set to do battle under the Simonds Stadium lights.

FOLLOWING ON A MOBILE DEVICE? CLICK HERE FOR A BETTER VIEWING EXPERIENCE

Read More..

Rucci’s Top 50 AFL players revealed

Mike Sheahan discusses his decision to omit Jack Riewoldt from his top 50 AFL players once more.

Dockers Captain Matthew Pavlich. Source: Getty Images

DEBATE always shadows any AFL Top 50 list and Michelangelo Rucci's will be no different. Check out this EXCLUSIVE sneak-peek of his top 50-30 players.

Rucci's full list will appear in Saturday's paper, but in the meantime mull over his first 20 picks and tell us if he's got it right or is way off.

Scroll through the list and comment in the box at the bottom of the page.

What do you think of Rucci's 50-30 top players list?

See Mike Sheahan's Top 50 right here

50. R. Douglas (Adelaide)

Richie Douglas looks for options. Source: Getty Images

49. Ted Richards (Sydney)

Jonathan Patton goes up against fellow big man Ted Richards. Source: Getty Images

48. Scott Thompson (North Melbourne)

Scott Thompson on the run. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

47. Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne)

Andrew Swallow watches on closely during a training session. Source: Getty Images

46. Leigh Montagna (St Kilda)

Leigh Montagna goes back after taking a mark. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

45. Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs)

Matthew Boyd cuts through the corridor at Etihad Stadium. Source: Getty Images

44. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)

Matthew Pavlich looks at the new Adelaide Oval as he leaves the field. Source: Getty Images

43. Tom Rockcliff (Brisbane)

Tom Rockliff puts in the hard yards at a Gabba training session. Picture: Jono Searle. Source: News Limited

42. Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)

Cyril Rioli finds a spare moment for a laugh during a Hawks training session. Picture Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Limited

41. Drew Petrie (North Melbourne)

Drew Petrie marks the ball despite pressure from Kurt Heatherley and Kyle Cheney. Source: Getty Images

40. Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood)

Steele Sidebottom stops Heritier Lumumba in his tracks at Collingwood training at Olympic Park. Picture: Nicole Garmston. Source: News Limited

39. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)

Nick Riewoldt tries for an overhead mark in Wagga Wagga. Source: Getty Images

38. Alex Rance (Richmond)

Alex Rance takes a kick. Source: Getty Images

37. David Mundy (Fremantle)

David Mundy dishes off the ball. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

36. Brett Deledio (Richmond)

Brett Deledio tries to sidestep a Collingwood player. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

35. Josh Kennedy (West Coast)

Tanner Smith spoils the mark for Josh Kennedy. Source: Getty Images

34. Jarred McVeigh (Sydney)

Jarred McVeigh takes off at the SCG. Source: News Limited

33. Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)

Tom Liberatore finds and option he likes. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

32. Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide)

Justin Westhoff boots the ball on the run. Source: Getty Images

31. Jack Steven (St Kilda)

Jack Steven has a shot on goal in the wet. Source: Getty Images

30. Corey Enright (Geelong)

Corey Enright takes a solid mark for the Cats. Source: News Limited

Read More..

Lynch ready for GWS comeback

Tom Lynch runs through some drills during a training session. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia

ANOTHER piece in Adelaide's revamped forward line will fall into place tomorrow when Tom Lynch makes his first appearance of the preseason.

Lynch, who had major foot surgery at the end of last season, is the only player named for the trial against Greater Western Sydney who didn't feature in either of the Crows' NAB Challenge games against Port and Carlton.

Adelaide isn't releasing its full squad until 11.30am today but assistant coach Scott Camporeale confirmed Lynch would play.

"He's had limited preparation but he's right to go now so we'll give him a few minutes and see how he goes," Camporeale said.

"He's a real club favourite, the boys really enjoy playing with him and he's a different type of forward for us.

"It will be interesting to see what the chemistry is like with him and Betts and Podsiadly up there."

Brad Crouch and Rory Laird have not made the flight to Sydney as they continue to recover from preseason injuries.

It leaves them with only SANFL trials to build match fitness before the season opener against Geelong on March 20 but Camporeale isn't ready to rule them out.

"We've still got three weeks ... I'm not sure," he said.

"They're two really valuable players for us — particularly now with the other two (van Berlo and Henderson) going down."

Matt Crouch has been named to face the Giants, increasing the likelihood of a round one berth against Geelong.

Camporeale said Adelaide was treating the game like a regular season contest and wouldn't be taking the Giants lightly.

Read More..

Adelaide Oval wows AFL captains

AFL leaders, back row from left, Phil Davis, Nathan Van Berlo, Andrew Swallow, Gary Ablett, Darren Glass, Kade Simpson, Jed Adcock, Jack Grimes, front from left, Nathan Jones, Ryan Griffen, Jobe Watson, Kieran Jack, Harry Taylor, Luke Hodge, Matthew Pavlich, Scott Pendlebury, Travis Boak, Brett Deledio and Nick Riewoldt. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

ADELAIDE Oval became the crown jewel of Australian football on Wednesday night.

Retiring AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou launched the AFL premiership season at the redeveloped Oval declaring the return of elite football to the Adelaide CBD as one of his greatest achievements - and the Oval as the game's best venue.

And this verdict had the unanimous endorsement of the 18 AFL club captains who saw the new Oval for the first time yesterday while work continued on the eastern stand with the rush to the Showdown opener on Saturday, March 29.

Fremantle captain, South Australian Matthew Pavlich, could appreciate the $535 million transformation of the Oval more than most of his AFL rivals.

He played SANFL league and under-age football at the Oval a decade ago when footballers changed in cramped changerooms under the western stand where tall players would bump their heads on the corrugated iron ceilings.

Outgoing AFL Chief Executive Andrew Demetriou has left some departing words at the season launch, discussing the long-term plan for the competition.

Pavlich will return to the Oval on May 10 to lead the Dockers against Port Adelaide from the AFL's most spacious and modern facilities for both players and spectators.

"I'm gobsmacked," Pavlich said on Wednesday.

"They have retained the hill, the Adelaide Oval feeling and made it look spectacular. They have done a fantastic job. It looks brilliant.

"All credit to the AFL for finally getting the SACA and the SANFL together to make this work. It looks fantastic.

"I never thought I would play an AFL game here - it just seemed a fait accompli that the SANFL would stay at Football Park and that is how it would be forever. And I didn't think I would be playing this long to see it through."

Pavlich's - and his colleagues' - excitement on seeing the new Oval on Wednesday confirmed Power coach Ken Hinkley's view that neither SA-based team, the Crows and Port, will command an on-field advantage this season.

But Pavlich says the one edge that can be transported from Football Park to the new Oval is the fervent support the Crows and Power have from South Australian football fans.

"When there is 50,000 Croweaters - whether they are Crows or Port supporters - making some noise, I'm sure that will be an advantage to the home side," Pavlich said.

The Crows and Power teams will get their first practice runs on Adelaide Oval in the next fortnight before they are locked out the venue for the Rolling Stones concert on Saturday, March 22.

Port captain Travis Boak played in the only AFL game at the old Oval, the 2011 season-closer with Melbourne.

He returned to the new Oval on Wednesday noting the stadium is a new symbol of pride for SA football - and the state.

"Walking across the grass today was exciting in itself, so we're looking forward to playing here," Boak said.

Read More..

Tippett saga not my fault: Demetriou

Andrew Demetriou talks to the AFL 360 panel, saying that the most important job of the CEO is protecting the integrity of the game.

Australian Football great Kevin Sheedy commends retiring AFL boss Andrew Demetriou

Andrew Demetriou will resign as boss of the AFL, at the end of the season

Kurt Tippett during a training session with the Swans. Source: Getty Images

RETIRING AFL chief Andrew Demetriou wants Crows fans to look at their own Adelaide Football Club for blame rather than his office as the fall-out of the Kurt Tippett saga lingers.

Adelaide Oval: Demetriou ready to hand over cash

"I don't know why (they take issue with me) because I was not responsible for what happened with (Tippett's illegal contract)," Demetriou said in Adelaide today.

Who do you think will replace Andrew Demetriou?

"It is interesting commentary that if you want the AFL to protect the integrity of the game then people have to stop blaming the AFL for what happened to Adelaide ... and to Melbourne (with tanking) and Essendon (with the supplements saga). If you don't want the AFL to protect the integrity of the game, then the concept of turning a blind eye to those things will be abhorrent."

Contenders: Who will replace Demetriou?

Adelaide was fined and removed from last year's draft and had key officials including chief executive Steven Trigg banned for offering key forward Tippett in 2009 an illegal contract with secret clauses that challenged the AFL's salary cap and draft system.

Q & A: Robbo vs. Demetriou

Read More..

Let’s get Bryce: Betts

Adelaide recruit Eddie Betts has slipped seamlessly into a Crows jumper, kicking five goals in his side's 60-point win over Port Adelaide in the mini-Showdown.

Adelaide has already declared an interest in Bryce Gibbs, but he's not the only Carlton free agent that will attract plenty of attention this year.

NEW Crows small forward Eddie Betts is joining the Adelaide players' push to lure Carlton free-agent midfielder Bryce Gibbs back to SA.

Betts, who last summer made the free-agency crossing from Carlton to Adelaide, is following the player-inspired appeals being led by ruckman Sam Jacobs, another Blue who became a Crow.

"I might have to give (Gibbs) a call and say come back to your home state," Betts said at Crows training at West Lakes today. "Big 'Saucy" Jacobs is getting into his ear as well which is good.

"I'd give him a call and say, 'Wanna come back home?' He'd be welcome any time."

Gibbs and Melbourne key defender James Frawley are Adelaide's prime target in the free-agent market this year.

Betts' public support for the club's big raid on Gibbs follows acting captain Patrick Dangerfield using his television segment a fortnight ago to endorse Adelaide's free-agency strategy for the 25-year-old Carlton midfielder.

Betts will return to the Adelaide attack for Friday's trial game against Greater Western Sydney at Bankstown. He missed the rematch with the Blues at Etihad Stadium in the NAB Challenge last Monday.

Read More..