“Where do Port go to from here, and how do they get better”.

Now the anger is subsiding for Port fans following their disastrous 71-point car crash Preliminary Final, the next question that must be asked is “where do we go to from here, and how do we get better”.

It’s not a question that's easily answered.

After last year’s preliminary final loss to eventual Premier Richmond by 6 points, the focus was clear, Port had glaring issues with their list that needed to be fixed.

Enter Port’s gun list manager Jason Cripps and recruiting manager Geoff Parker.

No sooner had the trade window closed Port Adelaide had acquired the two key focusses of the trade a period, a key defender in Aliir Aliir from Sydney and a small forward in Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia.

Both were overwhelming successes in 2021, Aliir was named All Australian Centre half back and Fantasia kicking 28 goals in 15 games, it would have been more had it not been for mid-season knee surgery.

Throw in the recruitment of academy young gun Lachie Jones and Port had ticked three very important list replenishing boxes.

Fast forward 12 months and the same questions – how do we get better?

Last Saturday’s horror prelim final identified once again Port Adelaide midfield is too similar – Brownlow favorite Ollie Wines, Travis Boak, Wilem Drew and Sam Powell Pepper all tough as nails but lack poise and precision with their disposal under pressure.

Something Grand Finalist Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs possess in abundance.

And if you take a closer look at the clubs list dynamics you soon realise, they have five players in the ilk of Boak, Gray, Jonas, Motlop and Dixon who are already into their 30’s, while Trent McKenzie turns 30 early next year. 

They also possess young guns in Connor Rozee, Zak Butter, Xavier Duursma, Miles Bergmann and Lachie Jones.

But they don't have not enough key players in the 24-28year age bracket who dominate the competition week in week out – except for Ollie Wines, Karl Amon and Aliir Aliir.

Because of this, it puts an unhealthy strain on the 30+ to carry the load with the game’s demands constantly increasing.

In comparison, Grand finalist Melbourne’s best players are in the 24- 28 age bracket, stars of the competition Petracca, Oliver, Lever, Langdon, Salem, Viney, Brayshaw and Fritsch are all in career best form.

Their opponents the Western Bulldogs are also blessed with Bontempelli, MacCrae, Dale, Daniel, Dunkley, Dale, Hunter and Treloar.

These list dynamics require Port to reboot once again on the run.

Jordan Dawson has had interviewed and undergone a medical at both Adelaide clubs over the past few days, and he’s expected to finalise his decision of where he wants to play over the weekend.

The silky left footer, finished third in Sydney’s best and fairest in 2021 and the Swans are fifthly to be losing him. He’s a star on the rise and sits comfortably in the perfect age demographic at 24, with huge upside.

Aside from list managements acquisitions and departures, for Port to fly, they must put the acid on their young guns of Butter, Rozee and co to get better and challenge them to become fitter over the break and dangle a carrot of guaranteed midfield time. 

Much like what Richmond did with Dustin Martin and more recently what Melbourne have done with Christian Petracca, when they went from inconsistent bit part role players to game breaking superstars of the competition.

To be fair Zac Butters was well on his way after an electric start to 2021 before he was struck down with the dreaded syndesmosis ankle sprain injury which resulted in nerve complications.

We can’t see Butters and Rozee wasted as half forward flankers when they have the attributes and game breaking ability to play and develop as superstar midfielders of the future.

Dan Houston must also be re-assigned into the midfield rotation. Only two years ago he excelled in the role when injuries struck, Port can do with his run, carry and elite execution by foot.

There is also early draft pick Jackson Mead who remains untried at the senior level after serious injuries and Dylan Williams who has had a taste of the big time.

Unfortunately for every player that comes in others must fall out. 

And great a warrior as Travis Boak has been over 300 games, I can see him adopting a similar role to how Shane Crawford was used by Hawthorn by coach Alistair Clarkson in the final years of his career. 

Boak must be moved out of the centre square to create space for others to flourish and be re-aligned as a high half forward/wingman or even in a run with role.

It doesn’t sound sexy, but a bold move like this could be the moment when ports talented kids emerged from the shadows of superstars Robbie Gray, Travis Boak and makes them even stronger.

Footy boss Chris Davies, List manager Jason Cripps and Recruiter Geoff Parker have made the right calls at the right time in the past and the power faithful must let them go to work again.

Much like they did last year, Ports list bosses were able to successfully acquire Aliir, Fantasia, Jones and co whilst also reducing the average age of the Preliminary final team from 28.4 years of age in 2020 to 23.2 years of age in 2021.

The retirements of 2020 club’s stalwarts Brad Ebert and Justin Westhoff have already been followed by Tom Rockliff hanging up his boots in 2021 and leadership member Hamish Hartlett was told on Monday his contract wouldn’t be renewed.

Tough calls are often unpopular but must be made.

If Port can restock their list with a couple of other gems over the next month all the while reducing their list age demographics.

Who knows they could go one better in 2022. 

The Western Bulldogs were too tough, disciplined, desperate and efficient.

Port on the other had were pathetic.

With the stakes so high, they offered so little.

They knew what they were coming up against and they failed to rise to the challenge.

The worst part was it happened from the very first minute.

Well rested, playing on their home ground, only missing one player Mitch Georgiades from their best 22 and with the luxury of living in their home state free from the covid mayhem.

While their opposing the Western bulldogs have been on the road for weeks and jet setting around the country, having recently travelled to Tasmania, Brisbane, Perth then onto Adelaide while living in quarantine hubs.

Port fans deserved better.

But the players must take their share of the heat, it’s an indictment of the group of not coming to play when the stakes were so high.

You only get blown off the park at the start of the game when you aren’t mentally prepared for a ruthless finals contest.

As Senior coach, Ken Hinkley must also feel the heat, it’s his job to keep his players motivated and mentally on edge ready to perform in the biggest game of their careers.

They looked unprepared for what was coming.

Hinkley’s coaching tactics must also be questioned, why did run with midfielder Willem Drew start on the bench instead of alongside Bulldogs clearance king Tom Liberatore, a job he performed perfectly only a few weeks ago.

The Bulldogs are the best clearance team in the competition, and Libber is the linchpin averaging close to 8 clearances per game. 

The coaching clanger was obvious for all to see, before Drew entered the arena, Liberatore had already collected five disposals and had two scoring involvements.

Before you could blink the score was 5.1 goals to nil - game over.

Port Adelaide coaching department has been in public denial about their troublesome first quarters against the competitions best.

In four matches against 2021 grand finalists the Western Bulldogs (3 matches) and Melbourne (1 match), Port has lost every first quarter. 

Collectively the Demons and Bulldogs have kicked 20.6 goals in first quarters to the Powers miserly 6.7goals.

While a lot of the pre-game commentary was about the undermanned Dogs, the reality was they still possessed a proud and lethal midfield brigade.

They were so quick with the hands and feet in the contest and they denied Port the space they thrive in.

It was a coaching masterclass, Baily Smith pushed up the ground as high half forward, ripping Port apart with his gut running and link up chain play, while the Power chose to let him go and keep a defensive back 6.

It was at their peril, Smith kicked the first goal of the game and after the dogs had kicked their fifth major in a row, he led the disposal count with 6 possessions, 2 in50’s - he finished the game with 23 disposals, 6 inside 50’s and 4 goal best on ground performance.

He wasn't alone early on the Dogs lead the clearances 7-1, doubled Port in both uncontested and contested possessions and marks were 13-4, they couldn’t be slowed down.

Ports round 23 scrappy 2point win clearly diluted the coaches thinking, because at quarter time of the Round 9 loss to the Dogs the statistics mirror those on Friday night.

The Bulldogs dominance once again highlighted Port Adelaide’s forwards reluctance to lead at the kicker and dictate the forward play.

I have said for years, forward first lead must be at the kicker, it makes defenders more accountable and brings midfield runners in to the play with overlap play.

Ports key forwards always call for the ball long while stationary or want the balled kicked over the back into space running back towards goal. That only works when there is no pressure on the kicker – and always breads down in high pressure games like finals.

You needn’t look any further than the way Josh Schache played on All Australian star defender Aliir Aliir. He lead up hard at the kicker and demanded the ball be kicked to him marking the ball. This instantly made Aliir accountable and in-turn dragging him out of the dogs attacking 50 to intercept the ball.

It was a coaching masterclass by premiership mentor Luke Beveridge. After traveling the country with the attitude of we will play “anytime anywhere”, he also picked a fight with SA health about not being able to train on Adelaide oval the day before the game.

This re-enforced the message he was selling to his players and kept them on edge, “It’s us against the rest”.

Too tough, too ferocious, too desperate, and disciplined head the Grand Final.

While Port were ambushed, outcoached, soft and showed no fight when it mattered most.

The ‘brutal’ Power no one can stop

Only now are we seeing the real Port Adelaide.

After weeks of finding a way to win, the Power’s best form has emerged at just the right time and it’s no coincidence.

Season 2021 has been a hard slog for all at Alberton. Smashed with 15 surgeries to key players, Ken Hinkley and his coaches have been robbed of fielding their best 22 for most of the year.

But that’s now a thing of the past.

It wasn’t so long ago players of the ilk of Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Steven Motlop, Robbie Gray, Orazio Fantasia and Xavier Duursma were unavailable and facing weeks on the sidelines.

But instead of dropping its bundle, Port did what good teams do, the Power stayed focused and used it as an opportunity, rather than an excuse.

Players like Riley Bonner, Sam Mayes, Boyd Woodcock and Willem Drew found themselves regularly in the team and, in Bonner and Drew’s case, their form has been so good they held their spot.

As Port kept chalking up wins, players gained valuable AFL experience, all the while keeping the team in touch of the top-four.

Winning ugly was their way, and it’s hard to believe Hinkley’s side had won six straight games heading into last week’s home final against Geelong.

But as any premiership player will tell you, premiership-winning team’s seasons are littered with ugly wins.

No one remembers how you win, as long as you do – like Port did against St Kilda (13 points), Adelaide (4) and Western Bulldogs (2) in the minor round.

Over the past month, we have seen the elusive, talented, and dynamic special six of Butters, Duursma, Motlop, Gray, Fantasia and Rozee slowly return to the team.

And while their impact wasn’t immediate, in last Friday night’s 43-point qualifying final win over Geelong, the football world was quickly reminded how lethal they really are - combining for eight of Port’s first ten goals.

It’s the best I have seen Port play since marching to within a kick of the 2014 Grand Final.

We can’t underestimate how strong Port have been behind the ball with Tom Jonas leading the AFL’s third most miserly defence, nor their on-ball brigade, led by All Australian bull Ollie Wines and Travis Boak.

We also can’t ignore the most underrated return of the year by on-baller-tagger Willem Drew who has been nothing short of outstanding after failing to register a single game in 2020.

Topping it off is the hunger for the contest. One word describes last Friday’s win - brutal.

The Power attacked the contest like men possessed and when they didn’t have the ball, they used their bodies as tackling battering rams to win it back, smashing the Cats in tackles 66-49, while still dominating possession.

Some say it was one out of the box, but I disagree.

Port have been finding a way to win for the past few months while key players rested up, rehabbed, and finally returned to the team to gain vitally important match fitness.

Last Friday night it clicked, and now that’s the standard.

They now know that if they can bring the heat no-one can stand in their way.

The key pieces of the player puzzle have returned.

To the players, it’s over to you.

Taylor Walker should not play on with Adelaide next season

I cannot see how Taylor Walker can return to the Adelaide Football Club in 2022.

Breaking his silence in an awkward, staged, and scripted video message, apologising for his racial slur towards North Adelaide’s Robbie Young, Walker may have done as much harm as good.

It’s been 24 days since the incident at Prospect Oval, and instead of putting the story to bed, the video only identified further that Walker hasn’t addressed the questions that need answering.

Why did he make the racist comment? How did it happen after 14 years of extensive education, indicating he needs more? Does he truly understand the impact that past incidents have had on former teammates such as his longtime offsider Eddie Betts? And lastly, how does he plan to make himself better and contribute to the community?

These questions remain unanswered as Walker heads off for time away from the club.

No doubt he is struggling and would be taking it hard. As a former mentor, I feel for him. But that is no excuse for what happened.

While some online are treating Walker as the victim, he is anything but. Rather, he is the cause for the latest off-field storm engulfing the Crows.

If anyone else in their workplace had said what Walker did, they wouldn’t be treated so lightly – with a six-week suspension and $20,000 donation to charity. They’d be sacked, probably on the spot.

Adelaide’s chief executive Tim Silvers and senior coach Matthew Nicks have offered no guarantees that Walker will return to fulfil his recently signed one-year contract for season 2022. Silvers, doing the media rounds on Monday, stated: “[The] culture of our football club is first and foremost, and we need to get that right and then look at reintegrating Taylor back into the club when the time is right.”

Adelaide must first wrap their arms around and support their hurt players and staff. Only then will they have a clear view of what the future looks like.

The fans are angry and disappointed that their former pin-up boy could have messed up so badly.

No doubt the club’s image has taken a hit. Only those inside the walls at West Lakes will know the true monetary cost of this – no sponsor likes being partnered with culturally divisive headlines.

The club distanced itself from Walker’s video message, filmed without the usual sponsored backdrop or club attire.

The club’s list rebuild must take priority, with Tom Lynch recently informed he won’t be offered a contract in 2022 and Daniel Talia expected to follow suit.

Fresh from inking a new one-year extension worth approximately $500,000 after showing career-best form early in the 2021 season, Walker’s suspension now shines a bigger spotlight on the club’s desperate need to develop and expose young forwards Riley Thilthorpe, Darcy Fogarty and Elliott Himmelberg to regular AFL action.

And for a team that currently sits six points clear of North Melbourne in 17th place on the ladder, spending time and money on re-integrating Walker into the playing group appears a backwards step.

Walker will be 32 years old next April, and almost certainly in his last year. Should he choose to return to the Crows it would appear the only one benefiting would be “Tex”.

After fulfilling a childhood dream of playing for his beloved Crows, as difficult and painful a decision it would be, for the sake of the current players at the Adelaide Football Club, the game, the Indigenous community, wider society, and perhaps even Walker himself, the best way forward is to retire.

And should he choose, the opportunity exists to be the new spokesperson, driving change in the racial and religious vilification space going forward.

Showdown - staying mentally fresh is the best

Showdown – the game that stops a state.

As a player it’s both brilliant and suffocating.

A week of media and fan focus close to home like no other.

It also provides our teams with a very unique atmosphere – two sets of fans sitting side by side – unlike the unbalanced parochial home crowds they’re used to experiencing.

But the game is so different for many other reasons.

As a player your preparation gets thrown out of whack, the odd favour for a free ticket or two turns into an avalanche of friends looking to secure their way into the Showdown pressure cooker – many of whom you haven’t heard from in years.

The home team treats the opposition like the enemy. Instead of the players, officials & wives/partners sitting in prime-position seating, they’re often dispatched to far inferior seating locations – the clubs are as bad as one another.

But the mental side of the game is where a player can do the most damage to their game preparations in the build-up to the game.

There are always extra media appearances and press conferences where reporters hang off every word. Not to mention the sponsors functions and luncheons.

Showdown rookies must beware - the game is one thing, but the week is highly emotional and can mentally fatigue you more than the physicality of playing game itself.

I didn't like showdown week, As a player it was just another game worth four points - albeit against your fiercest rival.

For everyone else, it was so much more than that. Bragging rights, friendly wagers, us against them, it’s more than a game.

But as a player, a simple visit to the shops to get milk, dropping the kids off to kindy or a quick coffee at Henley Square would quickly turn into a footy chat with an avid fan about the upcoming match – either wishing you well or praying for your demise.

Don't get me wrong, playing AFL is a privilege given to too few, but staying mentally fresh is a must in SA footy’s week of weeks.

Getting caught talking shop too often can wear you down – that's why twice a year (Showdown week) I turned into a recluse.

As a player you cant afford to enter the game mentally flat – something I did in my first showdown outing in 1998 and I suffered the overthinking affects – feeling flat and not performing on the ground – I’d played the game in my head all week long, By the time the game came around on Sunday afternoon I was mentally exhausted.

Football is as much a game played between your ears as it is on the field – every player will tell you staying mentally fresh allows you to perform your best.

The older and wiser you got, you soon realised your best chance of success was keeping your emotions in check and that meant keeping Showdown week as normal as possible.

And that meant playing the game on gameday and not during the week.

Showdowns are the best days of the football calendar, and this one shapes as a beauty, with both Adelaide and Port keen to atone for last weekends’ poor performances.

But as the week slowly builds, the players can’t forget the game is worth only four points, but for the fans it’s so much more than that and Saturday night’s game is still a long way away, Rest up.

Take less to win more, that's my message to AFL players who are approaching the end of their contracts.

In an era where free-agency has given players more power than ever before, they’re being pigeon-holed as being football mercenaries who are all about the dollar - But it’s not true.

Sure, they’re on the lookout to maximize their financial worth and set themselves up for life, but to say they will always go to the highest bidder is simply incorrect.

You only need to look at history to see not all the big-name players jump ship for a bigger pay check when they fall out of contract.

Local stars like Travis Boak, Rory Sloane, Robbie Gray and Daniel Talia shunned big money offers to return home to Victoria, instead choosing to re-commit to their clubs and continue to chase the ultimate success in South Australia.

And who can forget Dustin Martin recommitting to Richmond when superior offers were on the table, so to when Andrew Gaff ignored the lure of a big money move home to Victoria to stay for much less in the hope of claiming premiership glory with West Coast.

First and foremost, players play AFL because they love it and they want to achieve ultimate success.

And while money is a serious consideration, it’s by no means the sole reason when deciding your playing future.

Throw in the club’s culture, staff, fans, lifestyle and geographical location - there are many reasons why some fail to understand why a player elects to stay put.

From personal experience there is nothing like being part of building a premiership project from the bottom up. It means so much more after going through the tough times and coming out the other side.

That's why it will be interesting to see what Essendon restricted free-agent Zac Merrett chooses to do with his looming contract decision.

Will he look to move on? potentially to a ready-made final’s contender, or does he re-commit Essendon and Ben Ruttens re-build?

A similar scenario confronts Carlton’s skipper Patrick Cripps, does he head home to Western Australia as a restricted free-agent or will he re-commit and see through the Blues long-standing rebuild.

It’s not too dissimilar to the recent decision facing some of our coaches.

It wasn't long ago North Melbourne approached former Kangaroos premiership player and Sydney premiership coach John Longmire with an open checkbook to take over the coaching reigns.

However, he declined the offer, opting instead to re-commit to the Swans rebuild for another three years until 2023.

Many believe it was a fate’ accompli, like players, coaches are invested in their clubs 100% and for a coach to move on it normally means there’s an unhappy relationship between coach and club - something clearly not the case in Sydney.

And while the regular commentary is always about the size of the deal on offer and how much a player or coach will earn, it is so much more than that.

The notion that players and coaches will always leave for money shows a complete lack of understanding and appreciation for the individual in question and the culture of the club they are at. And we should never underestimate the valued relationships they form.

Historically premiership teams are made up of players and coaches who have had to sacrifice money and financial gain to keep the group together to claim premiership glory.

And that's why when players and coaches weigh up their future I urge them to take less so they can win so much more.

Why Dimma’s mid-year loan system is on the money.

I love the idea of a mid-season trade window to develop young players and support injury plagued clubs, especially if it means canning the mid-season draft.

Reinstated to limit the impact long-term injuries and retirements have on clubs during the season, this window gives teams a chance to replenish their lists for the second half of the year.

In theory the mid-season draft seemed straight forward, but in two years it has damaged the fabric of second tier competitions like the SANFL, VFL and WAFL. 

The fear in that AFL clubs with deep pockets knocking on the door of lower leagues, will poach their best players and decimate their team’s chance of success in the process has been proven true.

Clubs flagged that they’ll chase the best available young talent, who have either been in the system previously or who were ignored at last year’s national draft.

The total opposite reason as to why it was brought back in the first place.

It's a club’s list managers’ role to recruit players and manage their list for both the now and for the future – all the while keeping player payments strictly under the salary cap.

With more than 40 players on a club list, clubs have already built-in adequate depth to their playing stocks to cope if injuries and retirements hit.

It's a non-negotiable when developing and structuring lists in the first place.

As then Sturt coach and former AFL defender Nathan Grima revealed “the AFL has all the resources in the world, if you can’t go 22 weeks with 44 blokes on your list, what are you doing wrong?”

He’s right, Clubs must attempt to full proof their lists as much as possible.

And that's why Damien Hardwick’s suggestion of introducing a loan system makes far better sense “Anything that gives a young player a chance to play the game, I love,"

I get it the AFL wants as much player movement as possible. By creating more talk and player movement, the focus on Aussie Rules only becomes stronger and the coverage of the game increases.

But we should be looking internally, not externally, when trying to fix our list management problems during the season.

Why can’t we use the midseason period that starts in the split rounds as a mid-season trade window? Where clubs can trade in and out players currently on AFL lists to fix their own needs, instead of tearing apart second tier competitions playing stocks?

If a team needs a Ruckman, I would much rather see that club strike a trade for a player starved of opportunities at an opposing AFL club for the remainder of the season, than picking off easy targets from the level below.

We could even take it further and follow Soccer’s lead of loaning players in and out when the necessity arises.

All a club would need to do is take over the players salary, provided they have room in their salary cap and possibly strike a financial or trade deal with his club so they are fairly compensated.

And once the short-term loan expires, clubs may have the opportunity to make the loan/trade permanent - if not, the player returns to his original club after gaining valuable match experience at the top level in another AFL Clubs’ system.

This way players starved of opportunity in the system don't need to sit and wait until the end of the year to seek greener pastures and greater opportunity.

Either way, it’s better than tearing apart the lower leagues playing stocks.

It’s time to throw out the mid-season draft and make it a mid-season trade window like both the NBA and Soccer do, where players can move freely and clubs looking for short term replacements can deal to repair the holes on their list.

The mid-season draft is a waste of time. Let’s quit messing around and follow Dimma’s lead and rip off the bandaid and do it properly.

That way we all get what we want. Players get more opportunities and movement, and while we’re all talking about it - that suits the AFL just fine. 

Key forwards are redundant no more

And we have AFL house to thank for it.

Sure, it’s not as simple as that, but take former Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker for example.

In previous years he looked out of touch, bereft of confidence and struggling to cover the ground, now his mojo is well and truly back.

He’s fitter, playing full of confidence and nailing his shots on goal, but its more than that.

We’re now seeing the competitions key forwards finally getting the game played on their terms.

Only twelve months ago, the key forward was on the verge of extinction, shortened quarters, negative tactics and low scoring. And aside from All Australians Tom Hawkins and Charlie Dixon, the rest struggled to make a genuine impact.

Hawkins claiming the Coleman medal with a lowly 49 majors at an average of 2.3 goals per game.

Fast forward to 2021 and the big fellas are back.

After three uncompleted rounds Taylor Walker leads the goal kicking tally with 17 goals at an average of 5.6 per game, Bulldog Josh Bruce sits second with 14 majors (4.6per game) and fresh off a bag of 10 goals against the struggling kangaroos, while young Sun’s star Ben King is third with 10 goals at 3.3 per game.

Sure, all three can be damaging players on their day, but it’s fair to say the AFL’s rule changes have help all three, rise to the top.

The new stationary man on the mark rule has killed off the players ability to cut the angles and defend the mark, slowing down the player with the ball.

It has in-turn created more opportunities for players to run past for a handball receives and keep the football in motion, making it almost impossible for the opposition to flood.

An Extra 5metres at kick ins, regularly sees the defensive kick-in from full back land deep in the centre square corridor, opening up the ground and making it harder to defend.

Restricting interchange to 75 rotations puts players under more fatigue and unable to cover as much ground at speed, preventing them from getting behind the ball to clog up scoring opportunities and help out their defence.

Gone are the days, where forwards were expected to empty out of attacking 50 to help apply defensive pressure or being pushed into defence to clog up space when they are under the pump.

All too often forwards found themselves having to deal with a +1 seventh defender with the brief of “don’t be out marked”.

Defenders had it far too easy, opposition forwards had to deal with extra numbers, slow ball movement and no space to move in amongst a full 18-man press.

For far too long the games power forwards have had to toil away with little reward – but not anymore.

The game has been flipped on its head, lots of space to lead into, no drop off defenders, fast ball movement and one on one contests all over the ground.

The game is moving so fast, that it now resembles a good old-fashioned shootout where the ball bounces back and forward like ping pong, and the fans are loving it.

Coaches too have had to re-think their defence first game styles to adapt to the more fluid attacking style in 2021.

I’m loving the new look of football so far in 2021.

And so too are the key forwards, big marks, bags of goals and no longer looking like being made redundant.

Why Port Adelaide must wear its iconic prison bar guernsey

If it’s good for the fans, is it good for footy? That's what the AFL must ask themselves.

If the answer is yes, they must allow Port Adelaide to wear its iconic prison bars guernsey in Showdown clashes going forward.

Standing against them is former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.

However, his main reason for opposition is the money Collingwood brings into the game "the Collingwood Football Club jumper is one of the most sought-after, expensive jumpers." says McGuire

"Collingwood receives $6 million a year less than Port Adelaide, so Collingwood is a net-giver every year and has been to the competition right the way through.”

"If they (Port) want to celebrate something big, when they start becoming a net-giver instead of a net-receiver, then we'll have a bit of a look at it”. “That jumper of Collingwood's keeps them going because we make a lot of money off the back of that.” says the former president.

But as passionate as Eddie is, he has identified one of the key reasons why saying yes to wearing the jumper will go a long way towards fixing Ports’ financial challenges.

In the COVID hit 2020 season, it was Port Adelaide’s prison bar guernsey that topped the AFL’s most sold list.

And with club debts soaring to record levels, surely this cash boost softens the blow.

Let’s not forget, when the AFL was looking to bring in a second AFL licence out of South Australia, they identified they needed an already established successful club with a rich history – They chose Port Adelaide and in turn their rusted on loyal fans.

But it’s hard not to notice how deathly silent the current Collingwood officials have been on the jumper debate.

You have to wonder if they really care if Port wear it for only two games? Or are they letting their former President fight this one for them?

And as much as Eddie is kicking up dust, this it isn’t his decision – it's ultimately the AFL’s call.

The AFL are the ones who own all club colours, designs, emblems and trademarks of the guernseys, not the clubs themselves – so it is they who must have the final say.

Unfortunately, the AFL more often than not chooses to govern by sitting back and waiting for the two parties - in this case Port and Collingwood - to come to an amicable outcome.

But as Port Chairman David Koch revealed yesterday “this issue is not going away because Eddie McGuire wants it to go away. We are simply asking to celebrate our heritage by wearing this guernsey in two showdowns a year at Adelaide Oval”.

Not worn in Victoria, not against Collingwood and in most cases not broadcast on free to air TV, such is the reluctance for the AFL’s free to air broadcaster Channel 7 to show our great home-town rivalry on prime-time national TV.

There is also the common belief amongst interstate teams that the AFL governs by keeping the big powerbroker clubs happy and it will once again rule accordingly in favour of Collingwood.

Need I mention the AFL’s inability to demand Collingwood produce a genuine clash guernsey like the rest of the competition has done.

Its time they pushed back against the big clubs and showed they have the courage to lead for all 18.

Allowing Port Adelaide to wear their iconic jumper would be a win for the fans - the people who pour their heart, soul and hard-earned cash into their club.

And as Koch revealed, still “respecting the clubs past heritage.”

Two games doesn't sound like such a big ask.

Change for the sake of change

That's the only way to describe the AFL’s new injury sub rule.

To be clear, the rule doesn't fix the on-going issue of concussion in the game, nor does it prevent players suffering any more injuries.

So why do it in the first place?

Football has always been a game of attrition, where the team who performs best under pressure and against the odds comes out the winner.

I thought the AFL nailed it when they introduced a mandatory concussion rule where any player who suffers a concussion must sit out to the game for 12 days – no questions asked.

But the new injury sub rule only opens the door for the game to be manipulated by the coaches – especially when the player subbed out through injury is still available to play the following week.

Some argue the game suffers when a team loses a player through injury or concussion, but last year’s Grand Final puts that argument to bed when eventual Premiers Richmond lost Nick Vlastuin to concussion early in the first quarter, but still went on to win the game.

Take yourself back to the 2020 preliminary final clash between Port Adelaide and Richmond in Adelaide.

Midway through the third quarter, Power defender Ryan Burton injured his quad, and to not affect the teams interchange rotations, Port moved him forward to play as a decoy forward for the next quarter and a half – it didn't work as he could hardly move.

But under the new injury replacement rule, Port coach Ken Hinkley could have subbed Burton out of the game through injury and replaced him with a fresh 23rd man, all the while fatigue was taking its effect on the game – giving Port Adelaide a huge advantage and the potential to change the final six-point result of the game.

Key injuries in football have always affected the outcome of matches - that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Every year during Grand Final week, footy fans focus on those players under an injury cloud. In the past clubs, were forced to make delicate decisions at selection; can the player get through the game and perform? Or will selecting them bite us in the butt?

History is littered with teams who run the Grand Final injury gauntlet and get away with it, while many others have been bitten hard and as the old saying goes, “never take injured players into a Grand Final.”

Unfortunately, tough decisions no longer need to be made, senior coaches can now simply pick the in-doubt player in the team and if their injury blows up during the match or they get concussed, they can be subbed out and replaced by a fresh 23rd player.

It is also clear to see why the new injury sub rule of introducing a fresh-player into the contest is counter-productive to the other recently installed rule changes.

To improve scoring the AFL has cut interchange rotations to 75 per team, returned to full 20minute quarters and are also restricting the player on the mark to create more play on opportunities.

The Rule has clearly been pushed hard by the coaches – who are concerned injury numbers will spike with the extra workload facing players and they will be caught out.

AFL football boss Steve Hocking stated, “the decision made is to ensure the League continues to best protect the health and safety of all players in the AFL competition.”

I ask how?

If a player gets concussed, he is ruled out through the 12-day concussion rule and if the player is injured, they receive the best medical support – both of which were on offer before, this new rule hasn't changed any of this.

Rather it is another way of showing the world how concerned the AFL is about injuries to its players and in particular head/concussion injury issue of the past, and the legal minefield that comes with it.

And even though the new rules don't fix this issue, it has been ridiculously rushed in only one day before the 2021 season kicks off.

Once again, it’s change for the sake of change.

The AFL must sort out the clash guernsey farce once and for all.

After a great first week of finals football where Port Adelaide and Brisbane flexed their muscles, we are now facing the same issue of playing strip clashes - between Geelong and Collingwood - that left a sour taste in the mouth of footy fans 12 months ago.

The higher ranked Cats have earned the right to wearing their home strip by finishing on top of the ladder after the minor round - hoops guernsey, and socks and their traditional navy blue shorts.

While the away team, Collingwood, should be wearing their traditional guernsey, black socks and white away shorts.

But it now appears the lower ranked Magpies get to wear black shorts while the higher ranked Cats will have to wear white shorts.

Once again it has highlighted the desperate need for all clubs to have a clash strip.

While the AFL’s football department are responsible for these decisions, it is clearly evident that teams who have guernseys that clash with their opposition, must have fall back clash jumpers that are distinctly different to their opponents.

Collingwood President Eddie McGuire was quick to voice his displeasure for the kit clash a year ago after fans struggled to differentiate between competing teams. “20 years ago, Frank Costa (former Geelong President) and I shook hands on an agreement that Geelong would always wear white shorts, white jumper and the hoop socks (against Collingwood) and we’d wear all black, we’ve never had an issue.”

However, current Cats’ President Colin Carter revealed, “I have no issue with the jumper clash, and talk of a handshake agreement is news to me, I talked to CEO Brian Cook and he hadn’t heard of it either.”

In short, clubs will never agree, and that's why the AFL must take control of the situation.

And as great a contributor as Eddie McGuire is, so-called handshake agreements from over 20 years ago are antiquated.

For as long as I can remember, clubs with the greater financial standing in the game have dictated to the AFL on the big issues.  But in 201920 it should be more about the collective 18 clubs, not just appeasing the financial powerhouse clubs.

Whilst some clash guernseys have been brilliant, others like Collingwood’s predominantly white with smaller black vertical stripes clash guernsey is too similar to their traditional home strip back with white vertical stripes.

The hard and fast rule is whoever is the home team - or in the case of finals, the home team is determined by the team who qualifies the highest on the ladder - gets to wear their home strip.

So why is it we are still facing the same issues from over 10 years ago? When we have managed to get a season up and running out of hubs in the face of COVID-19?

The answer is simple.  All clubs haven’t been forced by the governing body to come into line – one traditional strip for home games and a clash strip that is distinctly different from teams their home strip clashes with.

Some will argue that tradition take precedence.  The fact of the matter is,  clubs aren’t in a very strong position.

What is unbeknown to many footy fans is in the mid 1980’s when the AFL commission was established, the AFL took back control and ownership of the clubs guernseys.

It didn't stop there.  

Not only did they trademark and copyright the club’s names, guernseys, logos and jumper designs, they also had control over the exact colors as well – the AFL owns the lot.

From there, they sub-licensed them back to the individual clubs.

So, from a legal perspective, the governing body - the AFL - have the power to make any decision they want when it comes to who wears what.  At present, the AFL sits back, and only step in if the clubs can’t find an amicable solution.

The clubs have always looked out for their own best interests and that’s why it’s time for the AFL to adopt the absolute mantra of the “home” team takes precedence.

Sure, every club wants to wear their home strip on the biggest occasion of all, big time finals.

It's also worth noting that in the 2017 Grand Final, the higher qualifying Crows wore their home strip while their opponents, and eventual premiers, Richmond had to wear their predominantly yellow clash strip.

I don't think Richmond would think twice or feel like it was any less of an achievement by winning a flag in yellow with a black sash, rather than the usual black with yellow sash. 

And when you take a look at all the big sporting organisations around the world such as the NBA, NFL and European Champions League whose teams are supported my billions worldwide and have revenues that leave our game in their wake, they too have multiple playing strips and understand it's a way of the times by avoiding a clash.

AFL is clearly the biggest and best sporting code in the country and has recently recorded a huge spike in TV ratings in the face of COVID-19.

But to keep it strong, we can’t have a product where we can’t clearly distinguish one team from the other.

If it’s good enough for the LA Lakers, New England Patriots or Real Madrid to have a clash strip that is distinctly different to their traditional home strip and their opponent, then it’s good enough for us.

It’s time it became a thing of the past.

When will AFL players grow up?

That's a question all footy fans are asking themselves.

Fresh from suspending Port Adelaide players Dan Houston and Pete Ladhams for breaking AFL COVID-19 protocols for two and three weeks respectively, is it impossible to think that the penny might drop sometime soon?

For the AFL, it’s been a case of breach after breach when all they are trying to do is keep their season alive and in turn keep the game financial.

While the majority of players continue to do the right thing, a small minority keep stuffing it up for everyone else.

And while some say boys will be boys, I’m sorry that excuse doesn't wash.

The stark reality facing the powers that be at AFL house is, if the game is forced to shut down, the finances would grind to a halt and thousands of employees – players, coaches and broader staff included - would lose their jobs.

No games equate to no broadcast money and the game goes under.

Unfortunately, it appears a minority of players think that won’t happen to them.

The breaches have been coming thick and fast. First it was the Adelaide Crows training breach in their Barossa Hub, then Ollie Wines conducted a TV interview with Channel 7 outside his own home.

It hasn't ended there. Who could forget Steele Sidebottom’s drunken breach? The Dockers house party? Or Bulldog Lachie Hunters’ grand slam breach including an alleged DUI, car crash and a Victorian law COVID-19 breach?

Then there was Sydney youngster Elijah Taylor’s suspension for the rest of the season after his girlfriend entered the Swans WA hub, breaking AFL COVID-19 protocols and West Australian Government quarantine directions.

And of course there have been others, but you get my point.

It’s no wonder we’ve all had enough.

When you sign up to be an AFL player, like it or not, so does your family and extended friends.

As some players have echoed, they never signed up for going into hubs and while it is true, it's a small price to pay to keep the game going while you are still earning approximately 70% of your salary.

And as one high profile player who will remain nameless told me “(QLD)Hub life is amazing, the facilities and weather are perfect.”  Sounds to me like it's a pretty privileged setup in a horror financial climate.

I can guarantee you it doesn’t shine the players in a great light when so many others outside of the football bubble are doing it tough, especially those living in Melbourne who have spent the past month locked down in their homes with at least another month to come.

Nor the hundreds of football club employees who have either been stood down or lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 restricted season.

Sure, there are restrictions being placed on the players, but the positives of living and working as a full-time athlete far outweighs the negatives.

I struggle with players who never truly appreciate the wonderful opportunity they have at their feet being a highly paid full-time athlete.  For most, the glass is half full while others it’s always empty.

As one angry Port fans revealed to me on social media - they had pledged 100% of their membership money to their club this year, yet they find themselves unemployed having lost their job recently due to COVID-19 related cuts.

It’s time AFL players took ownership of their behavior and grow up.  They live a great life.

And as Port Coach Ken Hinkley put it so brilliantly about his players breach “I am really clear, this is not an easy mistake to make when you know all the information, it’s a selfish mistake.”

And not only have the players breaches hurt their themselves and their clubs, it has also hurt the paid-up fans, teammates, they have also cost the game.

Anymore breaches and it might just cost us this season.

The Festival of Footy must stay

Football in 2020 has taught us one thing – the players can handle the heat.  

And it’s been an overwhelming success.

Sure, the “festival of football” has tested the players by cramming in 30 games in 20 days, but it has also sparked a TV Ratings bonanza.

It wasn't so long ago the league was scratching their heads as to how they’d land their next big TV broadcasting pay day.

Through footy’s bonanza, players have shown they’re more resilient, fans are tuning in to watch at record levels, while the host broadcasters have a live product to sell every night of the week.

That's why in 2021, provided the COVID crisis is behind us, the league should include a “festival of footy” that kicks off in the August school holidays.

It gives the league another valuable asset to sell off to their broadcasters in the years to come.

Right now, there is no greater test for the players than backing up and performing on shortened breaks between games.  

And for the coaches, they’ve been forced to carefully manage the health and well-being of their players, so they remain in peak condition for the entire season.

Geelong premiership coach Chris Scott spoke openly about the new challenges facing players “Four days to recover, I’ve got to say shortened games are helping, but there’s nothing that I’m seeing that says this sort of model is impossible into the future”

However, crammed fixtures in professional sport are nothing new.

Big European soccer clubs are regularly scheduled to play on weekends in their domestic leagues whilst also having to squeeze in mid-week Cup or European fixtures.

Trophies are often won by the teams who perform the best whilst also being able manage their individual players fitness and form.

And who could forget legendary San Antonio Spurs NBA coach Gregg Popovich, who regularly rested his ageing stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili so they were at their peak come NBA finals time.

Implementing a mid-year school holidays football bonanza similar to what we are seeing now wouldn't deter families with school children from attending games, as they don't have to front up for school the next day – the same goes from country based fans.

It would also allow the AFL to extend the season by scrapping pre-season trial games that have lost appeal and relevance in recent years.

All clubs incorporate regular competitive match simulation into their training before the trial games kick off, so the need for a hit out isn’t as important as it once was.

By doing this, we could extend the fixture by an extra two rounds giving the league an extra 18 matches to sell off to hungry broadcasters, in turn slowly wiping away massive COVID related debts, whilst still being able to retain a mid-season bye for each club.

This small increase won’t affect the game like it did with Big Bash cricket, where Cricket Australia increased the season from 10 matches to 14 matches per team, forcing fans to tune out.

And as recent AFL TV rating prove, its effect will only be positive on the game.

While player injuries are starting to mount up in season 2020, I’d argue they have more to do with the players interrupted preparations in having to complete two pre-seasons either side of a 12-week COVID shutdown before returning to play.

We also can’t ignore the positive evolution of the game by fixturing 30 games in 20 days.

Coaches are forced to rotate their squads and expose inexperienced players or those on the fringe at the highest level enhancing their development, whilst also keeping their stars fresh for the big games.

The AFL must turn the 2021 season on its head by sending its season spinning with another mid-season festival of footy.

They won’t regret it.

Strap yourself in and get ready.

That's my message to AFL players who are set to embark in playing 33 games of football in 20 days.

In a season like no other, players are about to come under mental and physical strain like they’ve never felt before.

Already living in hubs all around the country, the players’ norm of living in their own homes with family and friends has already been disrupted.

After a few weeks of Melbourne based players voicing their concerns about hub life, it now appears they’re set to make the best of a bad situation.

But let’s face it.  It could be a hell of a lot worse, considering the season is still going ahead and the majority of people associated with the AFL industry are still in a job – while others in society fare much worse.

The team that knuckles down the best will bear the fruit of their hard labor.

Ladder leaders Port Adelaide have clearly improved on the field, but I suspect it’s their attitude of embracing and enjoying what the 2020 season has thrown at them, including hub life and game day fly in and outs which has them kicking goals.

Vice-Captain Hamish Hartlett revealed, "there's no doubt that we are having some downtime and really enjoying ourselves when we get a chance to but when we need to train hard and put the work in, we're making sure we are doing that.”

But as the games are set to come thick and fast, it’s the players and ultimately their teams who put the recovery of their bodies and mental well-being first who will be the ones who come out best in 2020.

Playing with 4-5 day breaks is far from ideal.  As you get older, recovery takes longer and the ability to back up for games becomes harder.

But with shorter quarters and every team having to play with short turnarounds, it's the players who invest time in themselves recovering and staying mentally fresh who will come out the best.

AFL players aren’t alone.  The big European Soccer clubs have been doing it for years, playing mid-week European and Cup games in between their usual weekend league fixtures.

Tapering of training loads and a focus of quality over quantity training will help, but it's the players themselves who must take the lead.

Sure, a Head of Fitness/Sports Scientist knows what you need, but no one knows your body better than yourself.

And that's why if you are struggling with niggles, sacrificing going without a regular golf game or surf is a small price you have to pay to ensure on-field success.

More games mean higher fatigue, quicker turnaround and it’s most likely that the majority of players won’t be able to fully recover between games - but all players are in the same boat.

As AFL Fixture Boss Travis Auld revealed on South Australian radio, “rather than sit around they (the players) would rather play more often.”

It makes sense having already had a 12-week gap between round one and two.

That’s why it’s imperative that clubs carefully manage players game time and training loads, but it also requires coaches to carefully consider whether resting senior-players at times may be better for individuals but also for the club by exposing youngsters to senior football.

Should they be called upon, a rotation of the full playing squad during the crammed mid-season fixture could be an option.

Quality sleep, healthy diet and maintaining a positive attitude is the way through the upcoming footy fixture cluster.

The team that apply a “can do” attitude to the coming months of football will set their teams up for premiership glory.

And while the league is facing great uncertainty with what lies ahead, be assured, the teams who embrace season 2020 as an opportunity will succeed far greater than those who see it as an inconvenience.

It’s Port Adelaide’s last roll of the premiership dice.

Sitting atop of the AFL ladder, a win and almost 40% ahead of second placed Geelong, there is no better time than now to win its second AFL premiership.

Power and Senior Coach Ken Hinkley must be congratulated. His players and club as a whole have embraced AFL 2020 as an “opportunity” and not an “inconvenience”.

12 months ago, I challenged both Adelaide and Port Board to be “brave” and make senior coaching changes for 2020 after both Don Pyke and Ken Hinkley’s teams underachieved for back to back years.

I felt had both coaches fallen out of contract at the end 2019, that they wouldn’t be coaching in 2020.

Shortly after, Don Pyke departed the Crows with a rumored six figure payout, whereas Ken Hinkley received the backing of his board to fulfill his contact, whilst not having won a final since 2014.

Fast-forward eight months and Port are leading the way.

To understand why, you have to dig deeper to see what has really taken place at Alberton.

Senior Coach Ken Hinkley, Assistant Michael Voss and others have undertaken personal development programs overseas to improve, with many having noticed significant improvement.

After missing the 2018 finals series less than a year after attracting high profile recruits Tom Rockliff, Steven Motlop and Jack Watts to chase the premiership glory, something had to change.

Not only did they need to re-boot their playing list, but a statement needed to be made.

Football department heavy hitters, Football Manager Chris Davies, Senior Coach Ken Hinkley, List Manager Jason Cripps and National Recruiter Geoff Parker formulated a plan to attack the upcoming super draft and make big decisions on senior players to re-boot their playing stocks.

That's when Port Adelaide became a ruthless club again, putting culture first.

Superstar Chad Wingard departed for Hawthorn in exchange for young gun Ryan Burton and picks 15 (Xavier Duursma) and 35.

Port’s draft hand landed them Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma, and Zac Butters – replenishing Ports playing stocks with three young stars.

12 months later, after once again falling short of finals football, Port followed the blueprint of 12 months earlier by trading out key defender Dougal Howard, veteran Paddy Ryder and pick 10 to St Kilda in exchange for picks 12, 18 and St Kilda’s 2020 future third round pick.

Port once again bolstered their youthful stocks claiming Miles Bergman (pick14), Mitch Georgiades (18), Dylan Williams (23) and father son Jackson Mead (pick 25).

Fast forward to season 2020, with teams living in interstate hubs and as Port has experienced lately having to fly interstate on the same day of a game - a lot has changed, but Port have flourished.

Their willingness to adopt the “we’ll play anywhere, anytime attitude” has been a breath of fresh air while other clubs appear reluctant to embrace disruption to their lives.

Ken Hinkley’s men need another five wins to play finals. If they do, it will also ensure Hinkley coaches on in 2021, triggering an extension clause in his contract.

But finals aren’t enough.

As Hinkley stated in the pre-season “I love this club and I love the history of this club and this club's history is premierships. So, that's what we're starting out to try and do. We're going to start this year wanting to win the premiership in our 150th year. We're going to do everything we can to do that. To do that, you have to qualify for finals, so look out, we're coming."

It was brave, bold and I loved it. No spin, just honesty from a coach who knew he needed results to survive.

Before season 2021 kicks off contracted players of the ilk of Robbie Gray will be 33 years of age, Travis Boak 32, Tom Rockliff 31, Steven Motlop 30 and Skipper Tom Jonas 30.

Throw in soon to be out of contracted stars Justin Westhoff, Brad Ebert and Charlie Dixon who will turn 34, 30 and 30 respectively next year.

It won’t be long until the backbone of Port Adelaide’s last decade is tipped out into retirement and their list takes on a whole new look.

And while Port has got off to a flyer with five wins from six matches, their loss to Brisbane was a reality check. Ken Hinkley revealed "we were beaten badly at the contest, which is an area where we've been really solid and where we've been pretty good for a fair while now. But tonight, we were given a good uppercut."

However, it was how they reacted to their disappointing loss to the Lions, by bouncing back to beat the Giants that has me excited.

In past years Port have failed to respond when they have been challenged by a top eight contender.

But on the weekend (against the Giants) they found a way to win when they were clearly below their best. When momentum was against them early in the last quarter, they wrestled back control of the game to run away 17-point winners.

Six rounds certainly doesn't make a season, but make no mistake, Port is in the running.

With fixtures still to come against last year’s premiers Richmond, finalists Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs there is still a lot to play out.

But if they keep their current attitude intact in the unpredictable COVID 2020 season, anything is possible.

They must strike now.

In 2020 who cares about the look of the game - Footy is back so let’s celebrate it.

It wasn't long ago footy fans were desperate for the game to return from its COVID-19 hiatus.

But all of a sudden, some have the season marked with an “asterisk” and we’re constantly hearing “the game is too short”, “low scoring”, “boring” and “we don't pay enough holding the ball free kicks”.

Our memories are short.

When Hawthorn Super Coach Alastair Clarkson fronted his post-match press conference after the Hawks narrow four-point win over North Melbourne, he clearly had something on his mind.

Clarkson didn't mess around saying “I thought it was a terrible spectacle, 69 tackles and not one of them can be adjudicated as holding the ball? What happened to our game?” He even went as far as saying the game is in a “dreadful space”.

That’s where he lost me.

Sure, holding the ball and prior opportunity have been an issue for years, we rarely reward the tackler and play turns into a rolling maul.

But, in a “Dreadful Space?”  Give me a spell.

He we are living in a world where COVID-19 is running rampant infecting millions of people all around the word, yet we in Australia appear on top of it and sporting organisations like the AFL have already been able to return to play, while the rest of the world is still in sporting lockdown.

We should be thanking our lucky stars we’re actually back playing - season 2020 is a blessing we could so easily have missed out on.

Sure, the game appears different with no crowds and fake noise on telecasts but instead of bashing the game, let’s take a look at why the product is the way it is.

On the eve of the season, game time was cut back from 22 minutes plus time on quarters to 16-minutes plus time on to restrict the players workload should they have to play back to back games within a short space of time.

After players spent the summer getting ready, no sooner had round one completed, the season went into lockdown for 12 weeks.

Players were forced to train on their own, then after weeks away they returned to their clubs in limited training numbers.

Clubs were only allowed to complete five competitive training sessions before the season re-start, when normally they complete three competitive sessions per week.

Players are expected to live a quarantine-type existence at home and only permitted to leave for necessities, exercise and travel to and from training, whilst also undertaking regular COVID-19 testing.

Teams have been expected to move into interstate hubs and play games away from loved ones for weeks on end. While other teams have been forced to adopt a same day fly-in fly-out model for interstate matches.

Rolling fixtures are the norm and players are now operating in clubs that have suffered significant job losses and pay cuts to existing staff.

It’s little wonder we are seeing the game below its best.  

The players have had compromised preparations and have less resources at their disposal and are expected to be ready to play at the drop of a hat.

When you take into account matches are at least six minutes + time on shorter, players aren’t under as much fatigue as in past years.

Late in quarters used to be the time when players’ decision making was under the most pressure as fatigue set in, skill execution was at its most difficult.  This was when games would be broken open.

And because of shorter quarters, games are now closer and scoring is well down – with only four teams having kicked 100points or more so far in 2020.

Before COVID-19, AFL has regularly toyed with making the game more entertaining.

However, I find it very hypocritical that AFL Coaches like Alistair Clarkson say the game is “in a dreadful space” because no sooner has a new rule or interpretation been introduced, the Coaches are the first ones who are trying to manipulate it so their teams can get an advantage to “win”.

It’s not hard to see why the game has changed.

The 6/6/6 centre bounce rule was introduced to stop coaches sending an extra defender behind the ball to stifle scoring.

3rd man up was outlawed to give ruckmen an opportunity to evenly contest the ruck.

Holding the ball was tightened to stop teams causing repeated stoppages and slowing the game down.

And deliberate rushed behinds were outlawed after players chose to concede a point and take advantage of the quick kick in to catch opposition players out of position.

The list goes on and our coaches are to blame, but they are only doing what they are paid to do - install a game plan and tactics that helps them win games of football.

However, the AFL must be happy, they have kept the season alive when the game looked in strife and the TV ratings are through the roof, with fans tuning in at record levels.

Sure, the game needs to address whether to add new rules to call play on when players kick the ball backwards in their defensive halves or if they should cut the interchange rotations cap in half - but that can wait for until next year.

And hopefully once the minor round is completed this year, we can revert back to 22 minutes plus time quarters for the Final Series.

But we mustn’t forget season 2020 is like no other, and we could have ended up with much worse, but we haven’t.

A Premiership will still be won at seasons’ end and the team that achieves it would have had to experience more than anyone in the past to taste the premiership glory.

Anyone saying 2020 is an asterisk year, needs a good hard look in the mirror.

Grand Final must hit the road.

Forget an MCG Grand Final, 2020 is the year the AFL’s showpiece must go on the road.

With Victorian Covid-19 cases spiking and restrictions being ramped up rather than being relaxed, the AFL must break with tradition and do what is best for our game.

Sure, footballs new normal isn’t what we have grown to love, empty stadiums with no atmosphere and players living pretty much in quarantine.

But fast forward to late October, the stark reality of little or no crowds at the MCG isn’t what we need on Grand Final day.

That’s why 2020 is the year to take it on the road.

It’s enough to make any Victorian footy fan shudder, but it’s worth remembering we play in the AFL competition and not the VFL.

Many will point to the April 2018 announcement that saw the Victorian Andrews state government lock away playing the AFL Grand Final at the MCG until 2057. 

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced at the time “This is for fans giving them the best venue, better access to the sports they love and keeping the Grand Final where it belongs at the MCG”

It was an announcement great for Victoria and its clubs, but it held little value outside its borders.

In return the state government agreed to spend $500million in upgrades including the AFL owned Marvel Stadium.

Geelong coach Chris Scott didn't like it saying “we’re a truly national competition now, to have the Grand Final locked into the MCG is a travesty”

Many argue that it has to stay at the MCG as it’s the only stadium that can hold 100,000 fans.

But non-Victorian footy fans are quick to mention the NFL Superbowl is the single biggest annual sporting event in the world, and if it’s good enough to take it on the road every year, why not us?

The NFL has never decided a Superbowl host solely by how many fans the stadium can hold.

With recent outbreaks of Covid-19 in Victoria and restrictions making life tougher rather than easier, the idea of taking the GF on the road, is gathering steam.

And as Victoria goes into lockdown, the rest of the country appear to have new covid-19 cases under control.

One thing that is almost certain - Victoria are next to no chance of being able to let large sized crowds into games anytime soon.

Why not move the AFL’s showcase event to either South Australia or Western Australia so our grand finalists can play in front of a full house at either the Adelaide Oval or Optus Stadium?

West Australian premier Marc McGowan announced on Monday that WA would go to phase 4 eased restrictions by Sat 27th June, meaning Optus Stadium would be able to host 30,000 fans from this weekend and a full stadium from Round 7 (July 18).

A fortnight ago South Australian was the first state to host fans (2240) for the recent Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. And with no active cases in SA it wouldn’t be out of the question for both states to be able host a full stadium on Grand Final day in four months time.

So long as Covid-19 cases keep heading in the right direction.

AFL finances having taken a significant hit during the pandemic, being able to play the Grand Final in front of 55,000 fans at Adelaide Oval or 60,000 at Optus Stadium, would see the league net millions of dollars in gate takings.

The South Australian and Western Australian state governments have also recently lobbied the ARL to host Rugby League State of Origin games, they could do the same with the AFL.

And with little opportunities for the average interstate footy fan to ever experience a Grand Final, this could be their only chance.

Covid-19 has smashed the world with the loss of lives and health issues, it has also wreaked havoc on the world’s economy.

This is the only chance to make the Grand Final a showcase event in 2020.

I’d take a healthy, full stadium at either Adelaide Oval or Optus Stadium over an empty MCG any day.

And with the Grand Final set to be anchored at the MCG until 2057 with Victoria looking after Victorians, it’s time someone stood up for the rest of Australia and took our season decider on the road.

Not to, doesn’t make sense.

Delusion has set in at the Crows

The Adelaide Football club need to start listening and stop deflecting.

They must get their own house in order.

The offseason departures of senior coach Don Pyke, Assistant Scott Camporeale and Football manager Brett Burton was supposed to right the ship.

But still, the Crows are off course.

That's’ why, simply selecting a few fall guys was never going to be the quick fix the club’s hierarchy had hoped for.

But unlike the past, the clubs huge fan base is no longer believing what the club tell them and they want cultural change.

Only a fortnight ago the clubs greatest player Andrew McLeod broke ranks to question the club about feeling “unwelcome” and challenged the club’s leadership on his own podcast.

Instead of embracing him and taking his feedback on board and admitting to past mistakes, they tried to discredit his argument and change the narrative by suggesting he hasn't ever voiced concerns privately, took issue with the past players group and painted McLeod as bitter.

This backfired big time, especially when McLeod decided to set the record straight by reiterating that his comments are solely directed at the leadership of the club.

This was quickly embraced by disgruntled Crows fans, who finally feel like they have a voice.

On the field the Crows remain winless and are fresh of a record 75-point drubbing to cross town rival Port Adelaide.

They lacked fight and the will to compete. And all of a sudden rookie coach Matthew Nicks is under the pump and now having to coach his players on effort and not tactics.

An indictment of a playing group that needs an overhaul, where there appears no quick fix.

But to make matters worse only four days after their Showdown shellacking, club football director and past great Mark Ricciuto went into detail on his radio program why former Crows Patrick Dangerfield, Charlie Cameron, Jake Lever, Mitch McGovern, Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast) and Alex Keath (Western Bulldogs) left the club, he revealed in some cases for more money.

He also chose to reveal confidential salaries players like Alex Keath (Bulldogs), Mitch McGovern (Carlton) and Jake Lever (Melbourne) are earning.

This invoked a strong rebuttal by former teammate and now Melbourne senior coach Simon Goodwin, calling it “wrong, unfair and just not right”.

McGovern’s manager Colin Young also fired back immediately saying “The reasons Mitch left the Crows was because of the (Gold Coast) camp and the Adelaide Football department, and that's it, again with Charlie (Cameron) it was not the money, let’s just leave it at that”.

Ricciuto’s love for his club is obvious, but his conflict of interest is clear for all to see.

He failed to disclose why McGovern was traded 12 months after signing a lucrative three-year deal to stay at the Crows, when they could have held him to his contract.

Nor did he reveal the clubs list management strategy, when they offered Eddie Betts (already in his 30’s) an extension ahead of time and Josh Jenkins a five-year deal - both on big money.

Yet the Crows are now paying at least half of their contracts to play elsewhere.

Further, why did Adelaide give up the farm to acquire Bryce Gibbs from Carlton on a four year deal on big money. Yet the player can’t consistently perform to a high enough level to lock down a position in clubs best 22, and is repeatedly dropped, yet still holds a contract for the 2021 season.

In list management you can’t pick and choose.

Only he can reveal why he felt compelled to orbit the Crows back into the AFL headlines with inappropriate comments about other club’s player salaries as a current Crows director.

It has only damaged his club further.

Once again highlighting his club hierarchy’s inability to read the room.

Maybe Andrew McLeod was right saying “for me this is the exact problem with the club, the lack of genuine willingness to listen, self-reflect and improve”

And while he was ridiculed for being a bitter and temperamental soul, maybe he was just right.

But if the club thought off the back of an independent review that flicking Pyke, Burton and Camporeale would suffice, yet the three key pillars that governed the club through the same period in Chairman Rob Chapman, football director Mark Ricciuto and CEO Andrew Fagan remain - then delusion has really set in.

Its time for real change.

The constantly changing AFL landscape means we need to celebrate all the greats

Who is the greatest player of all time (GOAT)?

It’s a question that’s divides opinion, no matter the sport.

In Australian football, names such as Leigh Matthews and Wayne Carey are regularly debated, while in the NBA, the GOAT discussion focuses on two players, “His Airness” Michael Jordan and “The King” LeBron James — but who is the best of all.

Career statistics quickly follow to back up their cases. For Jordan, it’s six championships and five Most Valuable Players (MVPs), against Lebron’s three titles and four MVPs.

 The same argument is also happening right now in soccer — Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Both continue to dominate, having won five Ballon d’Or awards each as World Player of the Year. They have combined for nine Champions League titles, with five for Ronaldo and four for Messi.

But shouldn’t we be celebrating all the wonderful athletes around the world instead of arguing who’s the best. Close to home, the AFL has taken another almighty shift in the off-season with new rules and interpretations, making the discussion of who is the GOAT even more irrelevant at the moment.

Unlike basketball and soccer, which have seen only slight tinkering to their rules, AFL fans are having to deal with changes to the game they love each year. We’ve had a pre-season taste test but I suspect for the first time in a long time, coaches are still working out how they’ll manipulate the new rules to suit their teams.

I hate constant changes in football but I must say one amendment that has me excited is the 6-6-6 starting positions at centre bounces.

For the first time in a while, defenders will have to win one-on-one contests and not rely on team-mates for help.

Go back 30 years and football was one-on-one all over the ground. And team defence only kicked in when you were close enough to lay a tackle.

Key forwards were in vogue and superstars Tony Lockett and Jason Dunstall regularly dined out on opposition full backs, booting bags of goals.

And as the end of each season neared, they’d often be in a race with each other as to who would first crack the magical 100-goal milestone.

Funnily enough, the last player to crack the ton was Lance “Buddy” Franklin in 2008. He booted 113 goals, won Hawthorn’s best and fairest and claimed the premiership.

Football is an evolving beast. When Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams and assistant Phil Walsh put their heads together at the end of the 2006 season, they embarked on a new way to defend — and like sheep, everyone followed.

Instead of one-on-one match-ups or the use of a stationary zone, “the press” was implemented. Teams used all 18 players on the field in a defensive set-up to press up the ground and turn up the heat on the kicker. The plan was to cause a turnover and win the ball back. One-on-one defenders were quickly replaced by elite kicking players who won plenty of possession, rather than players who defended first and attacked second

From that moment, defensive turnover football has taken precedence. Teams played extra players behind the ball the clog up their defence, to kill the opposition’s scoring. It’s no coincidence since that time that forwards had to deal with not only their opponent but also extra players dropping off, denying them space, making one-on-one contests nearly extinct.

Fast-forward to 2019 and after installing the 6-6-6 starting positions, defenders are once again being asked to defend first and win the ball second. The game has changed so much over the years, it’s impossible to compare players from different eras. And instead of looking for a reason why one player is better than the other, it’s important we celebrate all the wonderful careers of our great game.

Comparing football royalty Barrie Robran and Russell Ebert with Gavin Wanganeen and Andrew McLeod, or modern-day heroes Rory Sloane and Robbie Gray, is ridiculous.

Football as we know it has changed once again in 2019.

But one thing is certain — the cream will always rise to the top and deliver on the big stage by finding a way to win.

So let’s celebrate the transformation of the game — and as for who’s the best, who really cares?