A Fighting Fury

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2010-12-11T14:03:00.001+11:00

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2010 AFL Round 3 Tips

2010-04-09T17:10:00.004+10:00

Round 2 came and went with me picking up an average 5 tips correct. Adelaide losing yet again hurt me as did Fremantle's first victory in Melbourne in three years. The other incorrect tip for the week was the tight victory by Port Adelaide over West Coast at Subiaco. On to this week.

St Kilda vs Collingwood @ Etihad Stadium, Friday 9th April, 7:40pm
What a match we have to kick off Round 3 of 2010, two top sides and Luke Ball playing against his former club for the first time. The Saints are in terrific form and are coming off a very comfortable 100+ victory over the Roos with captain Nick leading the way with 7 goals. Collingwood nearly slipped up last week against the lowly Demons but always seem to get themselves up for the big clashes. Expect a close match with Riewoldt and St Kilda's ability to rebound off half back the keys to victory. With John Anthony omitted from Collinwood's side they will be hoping for Travis Cloke to fire. I just can't see it happening. Saints by 12.

North Melbourne vs West Coast @ Etihad Stadium, Saturday 10th April, 2:10pm
Two struggling clubs face off here in a must win match for both if they have any intentions of making the top 8. Both sides need to find a way to score. LeCras in for the Eagles definitely helps them in that area but surely the Kangaroos legend Brent Harvey can't have two shockers in a row. I have to tip the home team. North Melbourne by 8.

Port Adelaide vs Brisbane @ AAMI Stadium, Saturday 10th April, 3:10pm
Another top match. Port Adelaide have been surprisingly good so far and find themselves undefeated after two rounds. Brisbane also find themselves undefeated, thanks largely to inspirational forward and captain, Jonathan Brown, who finds himself on top of the Goal Kicking table. Jared Brennan out for the Lions is a huge blow but I just can't see the Power containing both of Brisbane's power forwards in Brown and Fevola. Lions by 3.

Sydney vs Richmond @ SCG, Saturday 10th April, 7:10pm
Look out. Th tigers are struggling while the Swans are seemingly back to their near best. Goodes is on fire and will rack up the disposals again this week. For my Tigers, I am hoping to see continuing improvement in the players ability to apply the gameplan. Cousins and Tuck back in will probably help a little but I'm tipping the Swans here by 48 points.

Carlton vs Essendon @ MCG, Saturday 10th April, 7:10pm
Both teams aren't great but Carlton seem to have the better form of the two. Essendon must win this match. If they don't they are in for a very long season. McVeigh and Monfries out won't help the Bombers cause. For me, the Blues have just that more class in the middle and will win this one. Carlton by 22.

Melbourne vs Adelaide @ MCG, Sunday 11th April, 1:10pm
One month ago you would have marked this game down as an automatic win for the Crows. Now things aren't quite as certain. On paper the Crows have the far superior team, but last week saw the young Demons put in a sterling performance and nearly beat Collingwood. On the flip side, the Crows last two games have been abysmal, getting flogged by the Dockers in Round 1 followed by a home loss to Sydney. I'm giving them one last chance. Crows by 19.

Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn @ Etihad Stadium, Sunday 11th April, 2:10pm
Another cracking game. The Doggies and Hawks are both in reasonable form with the former notching up their first win of the proper season with a comfortable flogging of Richmond. The Hawks took it up to Geelong in Round 2 and will need to do so again to have a chance of winning. Barry Hall has yet to fire in the proper season but this could be the round he does. With the Hawks coming off a short break I am going to tip the Dogs by 8.

Fremantle vs Geelong @ Subiaco, Sunday 11th April, 4:40pm
They couldn't possibly, could they? No doubt the huge surprise of the first two rounds has been the form of Fremantle. Not only did they thump the much fancies Crows in Round 1, they also managed to win in Melbourne for the first time in three years. If it was any other team besides Geelong (Or St Kilda), I would be tipping Fremantle, but unfortunately for Dockers fans I can see the Cats midfield dominating despite the huge presence of Sandilands. Cats by 6.

Fightingfury's Tips
St Kilda
North Melbourne
Brisbane
Sydney
Carlton
Adelaide
Western Bulldogs
Geelong

Last Week: 5
Season Tally: 11

2010 AFL Round 2 Tips

2010-04-01T16:10:00.006+11:00

A solid outing last week saw me come home with 6 correct tips, missing out on only Carlton and Collingwood. I must learn to tip more with my head than with my heart. This week sees a few more tough matchups, starting with tonights clash at the Gabba.

Brisbane vs Carlton @ Gabba, Thursday 1st April, 8:40pm
It's Fevola vs his old side Carlton and just quietly I think Fev and his new mate Jonathan Brown are going to be too hot to handle for the Carlton defenders. Should be a tight match with the Lions getting up by 12.

Collingwood vs Melbourne @ MCG, Saturday 3rd April, 2:10pm
The Pies proved last week that they are a side to be reckoned with, comprehensively beating the pre-season premiers in the Western Bulldogs. The Demons struggled against an undermanned Hawthorn and will find this match even harder. Collingwood by 58.

St Kilda vs North Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium, Saturday 3rd April, 7:10pm
Last week the Saints fought out a tough one against the Swans while North stormed home to nearly snatch it from the Power. St Kilda just seem to have too much class in this match and will continue to cover for the loss of Sam Fisher across the half back line as well as the suspension of Koschitzke up forward. North will have to bring their A game to even stand a chance of winning this one. Saints by 18.

West Coast vs Port Adelaide @ Subiaco Oval, Saturday 3rd April, 8:40pm
Tough one to tip this one. West Coast took it up to Brisbane for three quarters last week while Port Adelaide were the dominant side for three quarters before nearly losing the match against North Melbourne. This match should be a ripper with an even contest all over the ground. Whoever wins the midfield battle should win the match. The old adage of always tipping the home team comes into play here. West Coast by 9 points.

Adelaide vs Sydney Swans @ AAMI Stadium, Sunday 4th April, 1:10pm
Another tough one to pick. After being highly touted during the pre-season, Adelaide were given a hiding by perennial under-achievers Fremantle. Sydney on the other hand were brilliant against last years runners-up St Kilda, winning everything but the match. Both teams are experienced and play their own styles of football. If new Sydney recruit Bradshaw can start to find his usual form after an interrupted pre-season it could go a long way to deciding the match. I'm willing to give Adelaide the benefit of the doubt for last week's loss however and will tip them at home. Crows by 5.

Essendon vs Fremantle @ Etihad Stadium, Sunday 4th April, 2:10pm
In years past you would automatically pencil in the home team when Fremantle were traveling away from Subiaco Oval. Last weeks performance by the Dockers however have people asking if they are finally going to push for the top eight this year. Barlow was terrific against the Crows and with Pavlich and Sandilands in the side you always have a shot of winning. Essendon weren't too bad either last week, taking it right up to Geelong for most of the match with their run and carry style footy. I'm not game enough to tip Fremantle away from home yet. Bombers by 22.

Richmond vs Western Bulldogs @ MCG, Sunday 4th April, 4:40pm
This could be ugly. My team the Tigers used the ball terribly last week and the Dogs will be out to prove critics wrong with last weeks shock loss to Collingwood. Barry Hall may be to big and strong for Richmond's defenders and the Dogs midfield should be too strong as well. The Tigers are young and won't give in. I'm tipping a closer than expected, but still solid victory for the Dogs. Dogs by 38 points.

Hawthorn vs Geelong @ MCG, Monday 5th April, 2:10pm
What a match this should be. Geelong looked to be a little rusty before blowing away the Bombers last week while the Hawks cruised to victory over the hapless Demons. Hawks are set to regain Franklin, a huge addition, who if switched on could turn the game in Hawthorn's favour. Hodge looks back to his best and the entire Hawthorn team look like they are back to their 2008 form. Is that enough to beat the juggernaut that is the Cats though? With a midfield of Ablett, Bartel, Corey and Selwood I think the Cats will just get over the line. Geelong by 5 points.

Fightingfury's Tips
Brisbane
Collingwood
St Kilda
West Coast
Adelaide
Essendon
Western Bulldogs
Geelong

Last Week: 6
Season Tally: 6

2010 Richmond Family Day

2010-02-21T17:12:00.005+11:00

This morning I made the trip with my brother up to Craigieburn for the Richmond family day to get a good look at all of our young recruits. Firstly, the new oval there looks like it is going to be a beauty, looks very nice and will be a huge asset for the Club, especially since it is going to be the same size as the MCG. The family day however was not held on the oval, but instead on the other side of a paddock.

Like usual players were wandering around the place while a select few players were sitting in marquee tents with long lines waiting for their prized signatures. The first player I noticed was big Angus Graham standing around looking lost surrounded by a group of eager tiger fans. My brother and I wandered on over and patiently waited for the younger kids to get their hero's autograph before we approached Big Gus. After he signed our Richmond tops we had a little chat and took a picture. By brother seemed to hit it off with our ruckman, perhaps because he mentioned to Gus that he was his favourite player. We decided to let Graham free and released him to a now bigger throng of Richmond fans.

My brother and I next managed to catch a lion-turned-tiger in Justin Leppitsch. I asked him how things were going and he mentioned that everything was good but everything was also a bit new. I also noticed that Leppa still signs with his number 23 next to it that he wore during his playing days at Brisbane. My brother and I wished him luck and began to walk over to one of the marquee signature tent queues when in the corner of the eye we saw another familiar face, Craig Cameron. The conversation went something like the following:

Brother: "Hey Craig, can you sign my jumper?"
Cameron: "Are you sure?"
Brother: "Yeah"
Cameron: (While signing jumper) "I've never signed on a body before"
Brother: "That was my nipple"
Cameron: "I'm not that high"

Craig smiled then walked away, leaving me standing there without the prized autograph of Craig Cameron.

Un-deterred, we lined up for the Marquee tent signatures which took plenty of time, standing around in the sun waiting was exactly fun but each time we did it we were rewarded with more Richmond signatures. Dustin Martin seemed to dislike sitting around doing basically nothing it but as long as he plays good footy it isn't a problem to me. Jack Riewoldt being the person he is, spent his spare time between signings de-facing a cut-out cardboard Nathan Foley face mask. Jack asked my brother and I wether he could have the other players' face masks we had with us which we happily agreed to.

My brother and I also noticed that Gus Graham had now managed to get out of the sun and was also sitting in the shade of a marquee tent signing even more autographs for those who were waiting in line. Happily we lined up at the back of that queue and once again patiently waited.

Once we managed to get to the front of the queue we once again met up with our now good friend Goose Graham. Since we already had obtained his signature earlier in the day we asked the big fella to sign my brother's 'guns' (ie arms). Gus was more than happy to oblige while Robbie Hicks looked on with a sort of 'What on earth' look on his face. Too bad for Gus though, he forgot that sunscreen will wreck a permenant marker. With big Graham unable to sign any more autographs, my brother and I felt bad that Gus couldn't spread the love and as such provided him with a permanent marker we had of our own. With our work at all the marquee tents now done we decided to look for a little shade.

Wandering around in the area however was another big Ruckman and now CEO Brendan Gale. Walking over too him he happily signed away. Hanging off his arm however was a young daughter who by the looks of things was annoying Benny with constant moans of 'Can we go now?' Not wanting too annoy Brendan we let him leave with his daughter still tugging on his arm.

By this time it was now time for the much anticipated Jumper presentation. Gary March was the first Richmond official to talk and he mainly spoke about the Craigieburn facility and how good it is going to be. He mentioned how we are going to have the best training facilities in the AFL and how we want the best team to go with it. Also called for supporters to embrace the future. March spoke of how this year will be a transistion year for the Tigers but that by no way means that there will be no Richmond wins this year. Gary spoke of how he was asked by a Tiger fan when we were going to win any games this season and our President responded with "Round 1". Much applause resulted from the Tiger crowd.

New coach Damian Hardwick then spoke briefly. He talked of how we are laying the foundations for premiership success and also mentioned that we have been focusing on defence and match-orientated training. He said there will be disappointing moments like the NAB Round 1 match last weekend but that he knows we are heading the right way. Hardwick mentioned that we now have three full-time recruiting staff which shows how far behind we have been playing from in previous years. He also mentioned that all the players we have recruited all have excellent foot skills.

After his brief speech the jumper's were presented to each player with every new player to the club getting a little bio-commentary from the coach. Dimma mentioned that he and the recruiting staff believe we have an absolute beauty of a player in Relton Roberts and also mentioned that the entire coaching box leapt out of their seats when Nason ran through premiership player Jordan Lewis in the NAB Cup match against Hawthorn. During the presentations the roar for Cousins was loud and Jack revved up the crowd with his usual outgoing antics but perhaps surprisingly the largest cheer was reserved for that of Graham Polak.

The final speech was reserved for Chris Newman who mentioned nothing new, just that there is an exctiting and different feel around the club. The Richmond Theme Song 'Yellow and Black' then belted out over the speakers and players and fans alike walked out to their cars in attempt to beat the inevitable traffic that would soon consume the Craigieburn streets.

15 Points, 10 Rebounds, 2 Blocks

2010-02-02T11:50:00.007+11:00

15 Points, 10 Rebounds, 2 Blocks. What's so special about these numbers you ask? Well, in the current NBA season there are only two players who average these numbers. Predictably, one of the players is superstar Orlando Magic centre, Dwight Howard. The other name however may come as a bit of a surprise to some though; Andrew Bogut.

That's right, the number 1 draft pick of 2005 is really starting to hit his straps. Bogut has always had the defensive presence during his career, constantly taking charges and providing help defence, but now he has taken his individual game to a new level. No longer does he seem afraid to rise up high and turn back opposing players, where in the past he would be more than happy to flop, take the hit and leave the decision in the hands of the ref.

Perhaps more importantly for Milwaukee though is that Bogut has lifted his offensive output. With traditional scorer Michael Redd out injured, it appears Bogut has taken it upon himself to pick up the offensive slack. Instead of posting up his opponents, Bogut now faces up and beats his slower opponents with an impressive first step for a man of Andrew's size. There have also been signs of Bogut's weakest area, his jumpshot, of finally beginning to click. The jumpshot has always been there, it featured prominently during his college years and we see it regularly in his international appearances. It just seems to have disappeared during his NBA career. However, we are seeing more regularly Bogut taking and making jumpshots from just inside the 3 pt line. If he can add this jumpshot to his game consistently then opposition teams will have there hands full covering him.

Bogut has seemingly made the jump from a 10 points, 10 rebounds per game player to a 15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks per game player with ease. With a little more confidence in his ability, a a little bit of hard work, there is no telling how far Bogut can take his game. I for one am excited to see the improvement in Bogut's game and am looking forward to further developments from the big 7 footer from Australia.

Bogut Coming of Age

2009-12-23T17:23:00.009+11:00

It's tough being a number 1 draft pick in the NBA, particularly when everyone expects you to be of Lebron or Bryant standard. Even more so when a quality player like Chris Paul is picked shortly after you. But that's life for Andrew Bogut, the number 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Currently in his fifth season in the NBA and the Milwaukee Bucks, Bogut has endured more than most. It was only last season that Bogut suffered a season ending Back injury, cruelly it occurred during a time when Andrew was playing arguably the best Basketball of his life, consistently notching up double-doubles, leading his team the Milwaukee Bucks to a possible play-off berth. However, perhaps the hardest thing for Bogut to endure is the constant expectations of fans and critics. Recently Bogut signed a multi-million dollar a year deal, putting him second to Micheal Redd in terms of salary paid in the Bucks organisation. With these increased earnings comes even greater expectations to perform on a consistent basis.

Bogut will never be a flashy player who drives hard to the rim and finishes with a powerful dunk atop of his opponent; instead he is the kind of team player that distributes the ball, defends well, grabs rebounds and scores points when he can; and there is nothing wrong with that. But it is most likely this reason that Bogut finds it hard to be noticed for the things he does in the NBA, because as to be expected, people tend to notice the flashy things more.

It seems however that times are a changing for the 7 foot Milwaukee Center. With the sensational Rookie Point-Guard Brandon Jennings at his side, Bogut is seemingly stepping up to lead his team to it's first playoff series since Andrew's Rookie year in season 05/06. Most notably Bogut is increasing his offensive output, averaging 16 points and 2.2 assists per game 26 games into the season. Importantly he is doing this while also managing to maintain his great defensive presence, averaging 10 rebounds (3 Offensive) and 2.0 blocks per game.

In a recent game against the Indiana Pacers, Bogut perhaps gave us a glimpse of his potential and potentially the future; dominating a low scoring contest with a career best 31 points to go along with his 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. The performance lead his team to a much needed win away from home against a similarly ranked opponent. In the match Bogut dominated from start to finish, scoring 12 points in the first quarter alone. The performance has no doubt made others take notice and could possibly lead him to his first ever All-Star appearance. Not that that would matter much to the non-flashy, team-orientated Bogut, who I am sure would much rather lead his team to a playoff series; and it would appear as if this a real possibility if Bogut can keep a clean slate of health.

2009 AFL National Draft

2009-12-01T17:28:00.005+11:00

Found below is the complete list of the 2009 AFL National Draft picked players in order courtesy of the Herald Sun. (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-picks-round-by-round/story-fn4hg9de-1225804305210)

Round 1

1. Tom Scully (Melbourne)
Dandenong Stingrays
Midfielder, 18, 182cm, 74kg
A left-footer with super evasive skills and gut-running likened to that of Ben Cousins. Missed TAC Cup grand final with a knee injury. Logged a 15.8 beep test last year.

2. Jack Trengove (Melbourne)
Sturt
Midfielder, 18, 185cm, 82kg
A mega-fit runner who is a strong mark and classy finisher. Had superb under-18 carnival as SA captain and was best-on-ground in the SANFL preliminary final with 29 disposals.

3. Dustin Martin (Richmond)
Bendigo Pioneers
Midfielder, 18, 187cm, 86kg
Hardball winner from Castlemaine who averaged 25 disposals with Bendigo in the TAC Cup this year. Ranked equal second in the inaugural kicking test at draft camp.

4. Anthony Morabito (Fremantle)
Peel Thunder
Midfielder, 18, 190cm, 90kg
A tall, quick winger who should be perfectly suited to the wide open spaces at Subiaco. Likened in style to Adam Goodes with a thumping kick.

5. Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
Geelong Falcons
Midfielder, 18, 186cm, 84kg
Regarded as the perfect replacement for retired great Adam Simpson. The Falcons skipper is a tough, clean ball-winner and runner-up in the Morrish Medal after averaging 23 disposals a match.

6. Gary Rohan (Sydney)
Geelong Falcons
Half-forward, 18, 186cm, 79kg
Cobden youngster with explosiveness, speed and aerial marking that makes him an excitement machine according to the Falcons. Vic Country's MVP at under-18 carnival.

7. Bradley Sheppard (West Coast)
East Fremantle
Running defender, 18, 186cm, 78kg
Great kick and good overhead. Under-18 All-Australian who was also a state under-17 cricketer for WA. West Coast had been torn between the local trio of Sheppard, Kane Lucas and Lewis Jetta.

8. John Butcher (Port Adelaide)
Gippsland Power
Key forward, 18, 197cm, 84kg
Uutstanding contested mark with excellent agility, pace and endurance for his size. Seen as Warren Tredrea's long-term replacement. Poor under-18 carnival saw him slip from top three.

9. Andrew Moore (Port Adelaide)
Eastern Ranges
Midfielder/forward, 18, 188cm, 81kg
Younger brother of Richmond's Kelvin who has been compared to Swan Ryan O'Keefe. Topped the running vertical jump test at draft camp with 85cm.

10. Jake Melksham (Essendon)
Calder Cannons
Midfielder, 18, 185cm, 75kg
Well-balanced, skilful inside/outside player who was best-on-ground in Calder's TAC Cup grand final win at Etihad Stadium. Excellent agility, beep test and 20m sprint results at draft camp.

11. Jordan Gysberts (Melbourne)
Eastern Ranges
Midfielder, 18, 188cm, 83kg
Smart footballer who can play forward or back, he is efficient by hand or foot.

12. Kane Lucas (Carlton)
East Fremantle
Wingman, 18, 188cm, 79kg
Highly-skilled midfielder ranked in the top echelon for speed, agility and endurance at draft camp. Father Jack played 18 games for Sydney. Had 27 disposals, 11 marks and three goals in final round of WAFL.

13. Daniel Talia (Adelaide)
Calder Cannons
Key forward/defender, 18, 194cm, 89kg
Versatile tall who played centre half-forward for Calder and was under-18 All-Australian at centre half-back.

14. Lewis Jetta (Sydney)
Swan Districts
Small forward/midfielder, 20, 178cm, 72kg
Has blistering pace (he clocked 2.95 seconds in the 20m sprint at draft camp) who has shone in WAFL and represented the WA senior team kicking three goals, including the match-winner in the dying stages.

15. Christian Howard (Western Bulldogs)
Glenelg
Defender, 18, 184cm, 81kg
Glenelg's under-18 designated kicker, he combines dash and superb foot skills off half-back.

16. Jasper McMillan-Pittard (Port Adelaide)
Geelong Falcons
Half-back/wing, 18, 185cm, 70kg
Super smooth rebounder with great smarts and a nice kick. Impressed Paul Roos with knowledge of game.

17. Daniel Menzel (Geelong)
Central District
Utility, 18, 185cm, 77kg
Has ability to play down back, up forward or on the ball and is noted for his rebound, footy smarts, endurance and efficiency.

Round 2

18. Luke Tapscott (Melbourne)
North Adelaide
Midfielder, 18, 180cm, 86kg
Powerfully-built midfielder/forward has been compared to Lion Daniel Rich and is widely acknowledged as the best kick in the draft, capable of thumping the ball more than 60m.

19. Ben Griffiths (Richmond)
Eastern Ranges
Key forward, 18, 199cm, 98kg
Long-term key forward prospect. A strong contested mark, quick for his size and a thumping kick.

20. Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
Claremont
Forward, 18, 186cm, 73kg
Has flown up the chart in recent times on the back of his six-goal performance for Claremont in the WAFL colts grand final. Strong mark for his size.

21. Ryan Bastinac (North Melbourne)
Dandenong Stingrays
Midfielder, 18, 183cm, 74kg
At draft camp he recorded a level 15.1 beep test. Co-captain of Dandenong with Scully, he has fine foot skills and is clean in heavy traffic.

22. Gerrick Weedon (West Coast)
Claremont
Forward, 18, 186cm, 80kg
Highly-skilled with a great set of hands and applies good defensive pressure.

23. Koby Stevens (West Coast)
Gippsland Power
Midfielder, 18, 187cm, 83kg
Tough and ferocious inside midfielder, who was the equal-leading tackler in this year's under-18s (averaging six a match) and averaged 26 disposals with Gippsland.

24. Jake Carlisle (Essendon)
Calder Cannons
Forward, 18, 196cm, 83kg
An elite junior cricketer who can play forward or back and has good skills for his size and is strong on the lead.

25. Aaron Black (North Melbourne)
Peel Thunder
Key forward, 18, 193cm, 78kg
Strong mark who shot into calculations mid-year, particularly after starring in a WAFL colts match with six goals, 26 disposals, seven marks and 13 hit-outs.

26. Travis Colyer (Essendon)
Claremont
Midfielder, 18, 175cm, 73kg
One of smallest players in draft, he is an attacking midfielder with exceptional pace and has been compared to North Melbourne skipper Brent Harvey.

27. Callum Bartlett (Brisbane)
Geelong Falcons
Midfielder, 18, 179cm, 75kg
A goalkicking midfielder and a fine user of the ball, he missed the 2009 season following a knee reconstruction, but has been compared to Luke Power.

28. Mitchell Duncan (Geelong)
East Perth
Forward, 18, 188cm, 81kg
Strong-marking lead-up forward, he can also play across half-back and has been likened to West Coast's Andrew Embley.

29. Jack Gunston (Adelaide)
Sandringham Dragons
Utility, 18, 191cm, 74kg
Versatile forward/defender has climbed up the rankings after booting six goals against Murray Bushrangers late in the year. Outstanding overhead and flexible enough to play on smalls or talls.

30. Luke Ball (Collingwood)
St Kilda
Midfielder, 25, 183cm, 84kg
Out-of-favour hardball winner at St Kilda under Ross Lyon, he was St Kilda captain in 2006 and co-captain in 2007. An All-Australian and St Kilda best-and-fairest winner in 2005. Played 142 AFL games.

31. Jason Tutt (Western Bulldogs)
ACT Rams
Defender/midfielder, 18, 177cm, 72kg
The last player of note from the Canberra suburb of Ainslie was James Hird. Great runner with plenty of penetration with his kicks.

32. Nicholas Winmar (St Kilda)
Claremont
Running defender, 18, 190cm, 78kg
A second cousin of St Kilda great Nicky Winmar, he has versatility and ability to run from half-back. Equal second in the kicking test at draft camp.

33. Anthony Long (Essendon)
Calder Cannons
Running defender, 18, 187cm, 74kg
The nephew of Essendon's 1993 Norm Smith medallist Michael, he moves like his uncle and is noted for his footy smarts. Agile and has an excellent vertical leap.

Round 3

34. Max Gawn (Melbourne)
Sandringham Dragons
Ruckman, 17, 208cm, 104kg
Had a knee reconstruction early in the season but used his time out to bulk up in gym. Youngest player in draft and only 3cm shy of Aaron Sandilands and still growing.

35. David Astbury (Richmond)
Tatyoon/North Ballarat Rebels (VIC)
Forward, 18, 195cm, 81kg
Astbury is a lead-up forward/key defender with strong foot skills - he was ranked among the top-10 in the kicking test at draft camp. He also possesses a strong work rate and good endurance for his size.

36. Joel Houghton (Fremantle)
Perth
Forward, 18, 194cm, 82kg
Outstanding endurance and agility for a player of his size. Marking on the lead and an ability to play present up to the kicker are assets. His level 15-1 beep test at WA screen outstanding. WA Under-18 representative in 2009.

37. Jamie Macmillian (North Melbourne)
Oakleigh Chargers
Midfielder, 18, 188cm, 81kg
Regarded as a freaksihly-good decision-maker, he can play as a flanker or in the midfield and has pace and clean hands. Also a talented cricketer at Scotch College.

38. Sam Reid (Sydney)
Murray Bushrangers
Key defender, 17, 194cm, 87kg
Younger brother of Collingwood's Ben, he made the draft cut-off date by just four days. Superb athlete and still growing. At draft camp, he ran 20m in 2.92 seconds, a high 14.7 beep test. Equal second in the kicking test.

39. Sam Grimley (Hawthorn)
Northern Knights
Defender, 18, 199cm, 85kg
A late bloomer, having played basketball. He did a useful job for the Northern Knights in a final when opposed to towering Gold Coast centre half-forward Charlie Dixon.

40. Allen Christensen (Geelong)
Geelong Falcons
Midfielder, 18, 176cm, 75kg
Touted as a possible top-10 earlier in the year, he finished runner-up in the 2009 Morrish Medal, averaging 26 disposals a match. Nephew of former Geelong players Damien and Marty.

41. Ayden Kennedy (North Melbourne)
Eastern Ranges
Forward, 18, 192cm, 81kg
A tall forward who can play down back. Quickest player at draft camp, running 20m in 2.88 seconds.

42. Nathan Vardy (Geelong)
Gippsland Power
Ruckman, 18, 198cm, 89kg
Excellent foot skills and agility for his size, alongside quality tap work. Mobility gives him the edge over Sandringham Dragon Max Gawn and North Adelaide's James Craig.

43. Marcus Davies (Carlton)
Tassie Mariners
Half-back/midfielder, 18, 188cm, 84kg
North Hobart youngster with elite endurance (15.1 beep test at draft camp).

44. Matthew Dea (Richmond)
North Ballarat Rebels
Utility, 18, 186cm, 83kg
Former elite junior basketballer with an exceptional vertical leap, explosive pace and the ability to play forward or back.

45. Sam Shaw (Adelaide)
Oakleigh Chargers
Tall defender, 18, 191cm, 80kg
Xavier College student with elite speed for his size, is agile and possesses a fine leap.

46. Ben Stratton (Hawthorn)
East Perth
Defender, 20, 190cm, 83kg
Versatile, rebounding defender from Augusta who impressed with his one-on-one contests, overhead marking and good pace in the WAFL this year.

47. Ryan Harwood (Brisbane)
Tassie Mariners
Midfielder, 18, 183cm, 81kg
The leading clearance player in this year's under-18 championships, he spent time at Arden St during his AIS-AFL Academy stint. Excellent agility.

48. Jesse Crichton (Fremantle)
Tassie Mariners
Midfielder, 18, 184cm, 72kg
Crichton will jostle with Tassie teammate Ryan Harwood as the first Apple Isle player selected. Creative playmaker who was the equal-leading tackler in the under-18 championships.

49. Dylan Roberton (Fremantle)
Dandenong Stingrays
Defender, 18, 191cm, 80kg
Flexibile defender who can play on all types. Outstanding endurance and excellent user of the ball.

Round 4

50. Jack Fitzpatrick (Melbourne)
Western Jets
Ruckman, 18, 201cm, 85kg
Excellent contested mark and is hard to stop on the lead. He topped the repeat sprints at draft camp and is very agile for his size.

51. Troy Taylor (Richmond)
NT Thunder
Forward, 18, 189cm, 77kg
Likened by some recruiters to Michael O'Loughlin and Daniel Motlop, he can play tall, mark against bigger opponents and win the contested ball. Convinced by Pies to nominate and reject Gold Coast overtures.

52. Justin Bollenhagen (Fremantle)
Reynella/South Adelaide (SA)
Midfielder, 17, 183cm, 75kg
Outstanding skills and beautiful, long left-foot kick. Strong overhead for his size with clean hands and good awareness in traffic. SA U18 representative in 2009. Tested soundly at draft camp with 3.01secs for 20m and 13.6 beep test.

53. Brayden Norris (North Melbourne)
Murray Bushrangers
Forward, 18, 186cm, 69kg
Norris' elite performances at draft camp helped promote his chances considerably. He equalled the beep test record held by Swan Jarrad McVeigh, achieving level 15.6. Norris also ran the 3km time-trial in 10.05 minutes.

54. Byron Sumner (Sydney)
Woodville South/Eagles (SA)
Midfielder, 18, 174cm, 68kg
Possesses great pace and evasive skills as well as a penetrating left-foot kick. Performed very well for SA at NAB AFL U18 Championships.

55. Trent Dennis-Lane (Sydney)
Subiaco
Forward, 21, 182cm, 74kg
Had an outstanding year in the WAFL kicking 57 goals, including four in the senior grand final, to finish second on the league goalkicking table. Quick crumbing forward who has been training with Fremantle.

56. Josh Cowan (Geelong)
North Ballarat Rebels
Wingman, 18, 184cm, 72kg
Smart run-and-carry wingman/half-back, with excellent endurance. Averaged 20 disposals at an efficiency rate of 78 per cent in the TAC Cup this year.

57. Jordan Williams (Hawthorn)
Bendigo Pioneers
Wingman/defender, 18, 185cm, 80kg
Impressed at draft camp. Run-and-carry style and contested ball-winning ability won him admirers.

58. Rhan Hooper (Hawthorn)
Brisbane Lions
Forward, 21, 177cm, 72kg
His four-season, 48-game career at the Lions was littered with discipline problems. It was hoped a new environment would trigger a better commitment.

59. Rohan Kerr (Carlton)
Dandenong Stingrays
Forward/midfielder, 18, 184cm, 79.6kg
Footy smarts, run and carry and very good foot skills are the reasons he looks so dangerous when in possession.

60. Jesse W Smith (St Kilda)
Aberfeldie/Calder Cannons/North Melbourne
Midfielder/half-back , 23, 191cm, 83kg
The ex-Roo was strongly linked to Geelong during trade week. Injuries are a concern, but will be steal if he gets his body right.

61. James Craig (Adelaide)
North Adelaide
Ruckman, 18, 195cm 92kg
The standout ruckman at the under-18 champs he recorded a standing vertical jump of 76cm at draft camp, behind only Trent Croad and Nic Naitanui on the all-time list. Mobile enough to a key position.

62. Ben Sinclair (Collingwood)
Oakleigh Chargers
Midfielder, 18, 181cm, 68.8kg
Never shirks a contest. Breaks the lines with the footy in his hands and delivers the ball well inside 50. Tremendously courageous player. Speed a feature at Victorian screening with 2.90sec for 20m.

63. Lukas Markovic (Western Bulldogs)
Eastern Ranges
Defender, 22, 193cm, 94kg

64. Adam Pattison (St Kilda)
Old Paradians/Northern Knights/Richmond (VIC)
Ruckman, 23, 197cm, 99kg
Ex-Tiger who played 61 matches from 2005-09.

65. Jeremy Laidler (Geelong)
Geelong
Defender, 20, 189cm, 81kg
Promoted rookie selection.

Round 5

66. Pass (Melbourne)

67. Jeromey Webberley (Richmond)
Clarence
Defender

68. Pass (Fremantle)

69. Taylor Duryea (Hawthorn)
Murray Bushrangers
Forward, 18, 179cm, 74kg
Overhead ability belies his height. Quick, agile and athletic with the abilty to go through the middle. Foot skills are supreme whether it be delivering inside 50 or kicking for goal.

70. Matthew Suckling (Hawthorn)
Hawthorn
Defender, 21, 183cm, 73kg
Promoted rookie selection.

71. Ben Nason (Richmond)
Central Districts
Forward/midfielder, 20, 179cm, 73kg
Takes the ball cleanly and uses it well off both sides of his body. Can be damaging when playing the role of an instinctive crumbing small forward. Good goal sense.

72. Sam Jacobs (Carlton)
Carlton
Ruckman, 21, 202cm, 100kg
Promoted rookie selection.

73. Jesse O’Brien (Brisbane)
North Adelaide
Midfielder, 18, 184cm, 71kg
Has the ability to break a game open with his run. Smart player with good awareness through traffic, has quick hands and sound endurance.

74. Brodie Martin (Adelaide)
Adelaide
Midfielder, 21, 181cm, 72kg

75. Josh Thomas (Collingwood)
Broadbeach
Half-back, 18, 176cm, 74kg
Brisbane fan who rejected an offer to become a member of Gold Coast team in 2011, instead opting for the draft. Good contested ball-winner with sharp kicking skills.

76. Shane Thorne (Western Bulldogs)
Northern Territory
Forward, 23, 183cm.

77. Will Johnson (St Kilda)
Sandringham
Defender, 20.

Round 6

78. Pass (Richmond)

79. Greg Broughton (Fremantle)
Fremantle
Defender, 23, 185cm, 86kg.
Promoted rookie selection.

80. Cruize Garlett (North Melbourne)
North Melbourne
Forward, 20, 174cm, 77kg
Promoted rookie selection.

81. Pass (Sydney)

82. Daniel Stewart (Port Adelaide)
Port Adelaide
Forward, 21, 199cm, 90kg.
Promoted rookie selection.

83. Aaron Joseph (Carlton)
Carlton
Midfielder, 20, 180cm, 76kg.
Promoted rookie selection.

84. Bryce Retzlaff (Brisbane)
Labrador.
Ruckman/forward, 18

85. Simon Buckley (Collingwood)
St Pauls/Sandringham Dragons/Melbourne
Midfielder, 22, 190cm, 90kg.
The Magpies believe he can add some run-and-carry. Buckley played 21 matches for Melbourne from 2007-09, but managed just one appearance this season due to groin/hip injuries.

86. Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs)
Western Bulldogs
Midfielder, 23, 183cm, 80kg
Promoted rookie selection.

87. Zac Dawson (St Kilda)
St Kilda
Defender, 23, 195cm, 95kg
Promoted rookie selection.

88. Wade Thompson (Port Adelaide)
Port Adelaide
Forward, 21, 176cm, 76kg
Promoted rookie selection.

Round 7

89. Robin Nahas (Richmond)
Richmond
Forward, 22, 176cm, 67kg
Promoted rookie selection.

90. Kristin Thornton (Sydney)
Sydney
Midfielder, 21, 184cm, 80kg
Promoted rookie selection.

91. Matt Maguire (Brisbane)
St Kilda
Defender, 25, 192cm, 100kg
The likeable defender had his career derailed when he broke his leg in 2006. But he has no doubt he can still contribute at the highest level despite only playing 14 games in the past three years.

92. James Mulligan (Western Bulldogs)
Western Bulldogs
Ruckman, 20, 199cm, 93kg
Promoted rookie selection.

93. Luke Miles (St Kilda)
St Kilda
Midfielder, 23, 186cm, 78kg

Round 8

94. Andrew Browne (Richmond)
Richmond
Midfielder, 19, 204cm, 104kg
Promoted rookie selection.

95. Pearce Hanley (Brisbane)
Brisbane
Midfielder, 21, 184cm, 83kg
Promoted rookie selection.

Farewell to a Champion

2009-11-13T17:27:00.015+11:00

It is the end of an era at Richmond. After 282 games, 800 goals, ups and downs and a lifetime of memories the champion Richmond Tiger Matthew 'Richo' Richardson has retired from AFL. Personally I don't think any words can capture what this man means to Richmond fans. For over a decade Richo has been a permanent fixture in the Richmond lineup and in every single one of these years Richo has provided entertainment, courage, loyalty and passion for his team and even the AFL in general. Wether it be taking a speccie in the goalsquare, galloping around the middle of the ground, taking a game saving mark or even shanking a shot at goal Richo gave 100% effort and nothing less.

It is hard for me to imagine a life without Richo, I for one can't remember a season without him on the Tiger's list. The big number 12 is almost as big as the team and I mean that in the best way possible, for you see to me Matthew Richardson is Richmond. Richo being the team man he is though knows when his time is up and once again puts his beloved team before any personal glory. He is afterall only 12 games short of 300 career games. Sadly Matthew will never reach that milestone and won't even get a farewell match to play in. Instead he leaves us in the offseason with minimal fuss.

Perhaps Richo's passion for the Tigers comes from his father Alan, who also played for this proud club many years ago. Like so many of us supporters, Richo has grown up living and breathing everything Richmond. More than anything Richo wanted his team to win. Yes this sometimes resulted in a few dummy spits in years past but if there is one thing you can't doubt about the big man it is his love for the Tigers.

Looking back on Richo's career you just can't help but remember the highlights of which there are many. Who could forget the ten goals he kicked against the Bulldogs, single-handedly lifting the team onto his shoulders and making the game his own like so many times before. Or perhaps the 2008 Brownlow Count is your favourite, in which Richo was mounting a charge for the top individual award with the entire room, and perhaps most of Australia, behind him cheering all the way. Or maybe your favourite is the Voss vs Richardson one on one battle where Richo beats the Brisbane captain and champion hands down with his desperation and desire to win the ball for Richmond. Whatever your favourite memory is it is sure to be a beauty.

It will be impossible to replace Richo and there will never be another player quite like him. The passion, strength, loyalty, agility and character he showed for Richmond will take some beating. As a supporter I am sad to see Matthew Richardson go and all I can say is thank you Richo for such a wonderful career full of entertainment, passion and courage. The place won't be the same without you and you will never be forgotten.

Jawai Hitting Straps

2009-11-12T11:03:00.012+11:00

It was because of the Aussie number one draft pick Andrew Bogut that I began to follow the NBA more closely; in particular the Milwaukee Bucks to whom he was drafted to. Over time my interest in the game grew from only getting the results of the match to following the whole season closely, watching the trades come and go and hoping that my team will qualify for the playoffs. Now I even watch other teams play and share my opinion on the games with the rest of the online community. The Aussie interest is forever there however and I always find time for any Australian player in the NBA.

Right now there are four players currently listed NBA teams. Andrew Bogut for the Milwaukee Bucks, Patty Mills for the Portland Trail Blazers, David Anderson for the Houston Rockets and Nathan Jawai for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The last player on that list, Nathan Jawai, has had a rather unusual start to his NBA career.

Jawai's NBA career began after initially being drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 41st overall pick in the 2008 Draft. Immediately after being drafted, Jawai was traded to the Toronto Raptors. Nathan's career took a turn for the worse when he was not allowed to participate in any physical activity because of a heart problem. All of this occurred before Jawai had even played a game and it appeared as if his NBA career may be over before it even began.

Finally, after being cleared of any problems and waiting so long, Jawai made his debut on the 21st of January 2009. The big Aussie had little impact and even smaller game time and during the preseason he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Before any actual game time with his new team Jawai was once again traded, this time to his current team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Minnesota big man Kevin Love forced out of the team with injury, Jawai has finally had the chance for extended minutes. While his performances haven't been dominant he has been a solid performer for the struggling team. On November the 9th Jawai showed a glimpse of what he could produce, scoring 16 points and 6 rebounds against the Portland Trailblazers. With Jawai's health problems seemingly over and the opportunity for minutes presenting itself, it appears that Jawai's NBA career has really only just started. Being an Australian, I will definitely find it interesting to see just how 'Big Nate' performs against the toughest competition there is; so far it seems as if he is definitely up for the challenge. I will be cheering him on and wishing him the best of luck, except when he plays against the Milwaukee Bucks of course!

Milwaukee Bucks NBA Season 09/10 Preview

2009-10-22T20:36:00.008+11:00

While there is still the AFL drafts left, the 2009 AFL season is officially over and it is the time of the year when my mind turns to other sports. In past years my attention would have turned almost entirely to the upcoming cricket season, but for the last few years a change has been brewing. While cricket still plays a major part in my summer a new sport addiction is slowly but surely sharing the limelight with my longtime summer favourite. The new sporting crush? Basketball, in particular the NBA.

The attraction started a few seasons ago when Australian Basketballer Andrew Bogut was drafted to the Milwaukee Bucks with Pick number 1. Since then, my attraction has grown to the point where I follow every NBA match I can, particularly those involving my favourite team, the Milwaukee Bucks. How will Andrew Bogut and his team go this year however? Have a look below for my mini review of the upcoming season for the Bucks.

A major roster overhaul was undertaken at the end of the 08/09 season by the Bucks with the main aim to shed salary. Gone for virtually nothing are Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villenueva while Richard Jefferson left via a trade for expiring contracts from the Spurs. All three players were a huge part of the Bucks offense last season and it is difficult to see the team having the same offensive firepower as it did in 08/09.

New to the team this season is veteran big man Kurt Thomas, guards Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic, rookies Brandon Jennings and Jodie Meeks and forwards Walter Sharpe and Hakim Warrick. Also returning to the team after his stint in the Europe League is forward Ersan Illyasova.

While the Bucks may have lost plenty of offensive firepower, the key to Milwaukee's upcoming season will be coach Scott Skiles favourite attribute; defense. If the bucks can bring defense and energy into their games then they will find themselves beating more fancied opponents. Mbah Moute will be a key figure in this area alongside the big centre Andrew Bogut. Kurt Thomas will provide a matchup for the bigger Power Forwards in the game and will always be reliable with respects to positioning and team play.

On the offensive end their is the ever reliable shooting of Micheal Redd to rely on; Illyasova and Warrick should also be able to provide a bit of firepower when on song and young Rookie Brandon Jennings will have nights he is hot and nights he is not. The big key will be Andrew Bogut; if he can increase his offensive output to match his defensive skills then the Bucks will go a lot further than many predict.

Overall I believe the Bucks have the ability to reach the playoffs, but only if everything goes right and the team brings energy into every match. Without the energy the team will be relative easy-beats. Most likely the team will be somewhere in between the two and end up with a mid to late lottery pick. My Predictions for the upcoming Bucks season are below:

Bucks record - 31-51
Bucks seed in the East - 12
Number of games Bogut plays 65
Number of games Redd plays 71
Where the Bucks rank in Defensive efficiency 12th
Where the Bucks rank in Offensive efficiency 26th
Bucks second leading scorer and PPG (Behind Redd) - Bogut 12.1ppg

2009 AFL Grand Final

2009-09-28T17:55:00.008+10:00

Well footy season is over with the Grand Final finished and Geelong being declared as premiers for 2009. One thing I have noticed however is the poor ratings and match appraisals people in the media have been giving to the Saints. I would actually argue that StKilda were probably the better team for most of the match. They lost by two goals; one of which was after the siren and the other can perhaps be attributed to an umpiring error. If it wasn't for missed opportunities, or perhaps even a little bit more sunshine, or luck, then we may well be talking about a Cats side that has failed in two out of three premiership attempts.

Yes the Saints captain didn't play that great but he did run Harry Taylor off his feet. Numerous times Taylor had to go to the interchange bench huffing and puffing while Riewoldt was still running all over the place. Yes, Nick didn't score much either, but the conditions made it much harder for big men to take grabs, especially when the delivery was so low from both teams for the entire match. Being teamed up 3 against 1 probably didn't help either but on a few occasions he manged to crash the pack allowing the ball to spill out to now free StKilda players.

The fact is that these two teams were by far the best in 2009 and they showed that in the Grand Final. Both teams exerted extreme pressure on the opposition in conditions that demanded toughness at the ball. Both were evenly matched and slugged it out all day and I would say that the only difference between the two teams really came down to past experience in Grand Finals. One team had been here before and knew what to do while the other had it all new to them and couldn't quite handle the pressure. When the game was up for grabs in the last quarter, Geelong took control as StKilda desperately tried to hang on.

If the Saints players really were as bad as what the media has mentioned then I would say they are by far and away the best team in the competition when going at or even near 100%. I may be a little biased as I have family connections who barrack for StKilda but I was happy to see a truly tough and close encounter of AFL on Grand Final day. Sure does beat the shellacking of 2007.

2009 Brownlow Medal Predictions

2009-09-21T20:30:00.000+10:00

Tonight is the night of nights in terms of individual AFL awards with the Brownlow Medal being count starting at roughly 8:30pm Below are my predictions for the night with a little review of each Brownlow medal favourite.

My predictions:
Winner: Nick Dal Santo
Smokie: Lenny Hayes

Gary Ablett (Geelong) - Odds: 2.20
For the third year in a row Gary is the hot favourite to take out the prestigious medal. Will it be third time lucky for the Geelong favourite or will someone else take out the prize?
Pros: Racks up massive amounts of possessions which is sure to catch the umpire’s eye. His team won 18 games for the season so there will be plenty of 3 votes up for grabs. Could poll in up to a whopping 15 games of the season.
Cons: Injured for 3 games of the season but the main dent in Ablett’s chances come from his own teammates. Players such as Bartel, Selwood, Johnson and Corey could take votes away from him.

Dane Swan (Collingwood) – Odds:5.00
Had a stellar year for the Pies racking up numerous possessions in the middle and across half back. Major cog in Collingwood’s success this year.
Pros: The only real standout in the Collingwood team this year means it is less likely teammates will take votes off Dane. Less outstanding performances than Ablett but likely to poll more consistently.
Cons: Hasn’t really been a favourite for the Brownlow before so it is a bit of an unknown in terms of how heavily the umpires will vote for him.

Chris Judd (Carlton) – Odds: 11.00
Judd’s affect on Carlton was been so great this season that he pushed them into their finals series since 2001.
Pros: Judd has won it before at the Eagles and the Umpires seem to take notice of him. Not a lot of competition from teammates except for perhaps Murphy and Fevola.
Cons: Carlton won only 13 games for the year so there won’t be as many 3 votes available to Judd compared to other favourites.

Leigh Montagna (StKilda) – Odds: 13.00
Had a great year in 2008 and backed it up in 2009 with an even better performance.
Pros: Runs the lines and finds the ball quite a bit so is sure to pick up quite a few votes. Not as many outstanding games as other contenders but quite consistent over the entire season. StKilda won almost all of their games so plenty of votes up for grabs.
Cons: So many contenders at StKilda means so many votes taken off each other. Missed a game in Round 19 due to injury.

Joel Selwood (Geelong) – Odds: 15.00
Finds the ball himself and proved this year that he is a certain star of the future.
Pros: Goes in hard and the Umpires seem to like him as he has already polled several votes in a short but already stellar career.
Cons: Like Ablett, Selwood plays in a Geelong team littered with stars who are likely to take votes of each other.

Adam Goodes (Sydney) – Odds: 12.00
Dual Brownlow medallist who once again led from the front at Sydney producing yet another solid year.
Pros: Perhaps the only Sydney player who will poll any large amounts of votes. Has proven before that he attracts votes from the Umpires.
Cons: Unlike previous years, Sydney have lost more games than they have won and missed out on the finals. Will need to poll 3’s in Sydney victories.

Nick Dal Santo (StKilda) – Odds: 13.00
Classy midfielder who took his game to another level in 2009 and in the process lead StKilda to the top of the ladder.
Pros: Sublime ball use and mass disposals means Dal Santo can’t be ignored when talking about Brownlow contenders. StKilda won plenty of games which traditionally means plenty of votes up for grabs in his team.
Cons: Will suffer from being in a team full of midfield champions who will no doubt take votes off him. Missed one game in Round 19.

Alan Didak (Collingwood) – Odds: 126.00
Clever and classy around goals, Didak took his game to another level in the Magpie midfield.
Pros: When he was on fire he was very difficult to miss, Umpires must have noticed him too. Plenty of flashy goals won’t do his chances any harm. Only Swan to really contend with in terms of votes.
Cons: Missed a massive 5 games in 2009 so will need to poll extremely well in the games he did play in.

Brendan Goddard (StKilda) – Odds: 34.00
Rebounding defender who let loose in 2009 amassing plenty of disposals across half back and in the centre.
Pros: Was the standout in a terrific StKilda defence and midfield, setting up wave after wave of attack with his long, booming kicks. His team won 20 out of 22 matches for the season.
Cons: Like his teammates, will have plenty of competition for votes amongst teammates. Time in defence may hurt his chances.

Marc Murphy (Carlton) – Odds: 61.00
Young Carlton midfielder who had a solid year in the Carlton midfield.
Pros: Found quite a bit of the ball in 2009 and used it well most of the time. Few other Carlton players will steal votes off him.
Cons: Perhaps overshadowed by the superstars of Carlton; Chris Judd and Brendan Fevola.

Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs) – Odds: 26.00
Had an absolutely amazing year for the Bulldogs and was a key reason for their success in 2009.
Pros: Will only have a few other players on his team who will take votes from him.
Cons: May not be as well known or noticed by umpires compared to well known teammates Jason Akermanis and last year’s winner Adam Cooney.

Nick Riewoldt (StKilda) – Odds: 17.00
StKilda captain who lead from the front with courageous marks and his never ending running.
Pros: Superstar of the game who no doubt gets noticed by the Umpires. Had a great year with plenty of marks, lots of them contested.
Cons: Will have plenty of teammates to contend with. Brownlow has been a midfielders award for quite a while.

Jonathan Brown (Brisbane) – Odds: 101.00
Brisbane spearhead who lead his team to their first finals appearance since 2004.
Pros: Courageous, strong, match winning ability. All three are attributes that should be noticed by the Umpires. Not many at Brisbane will take votes off him.
Cons: Like Riewoldt, plays as a forward when the Brownlow has recently been a midfielder’s medal.

Jobe Watson (Essendon) – Odds: 151.00
Came of age in 2009 leading the Essendon midfield into a finals berth.
Pros: Little competition in terms of teammates.
Cons: Team won few games despite making the finals.

Bernie Vince (Adelaide) – Odds: 51.00
Had a great year at Adelaide in good year for the team.
Pros: Not too many players will take votes off Vince.
Cons: May have flown a little under the radar at the Crows and may not have been noticed by umpires.

Simon Black (Brisbane) – Odds: 15.00
Once again another great year from the Brisbane veteran, racking up mass disposals yet again.
Pros: Always polls well on Brownlow night even when not considered a favourite.
Cons: Not a lot of standout matches and may struggle to pick up lots of Best on Grounds.

Jack Dyer Medal Results

2009-09-21T17:05:00.004+10:00

Well I managed to tip four of the top 5 players in Richmond's Best and fairest, even if they were in the wrong order. Also managed to tip the best first year player correctly. Lids stormed over the top off Jackson late in the count to claim back to back Jack Dyer Medals. Well done to him. The results of the night are shown below.

Jack Dyer Medal (1st place in the B & F): Brett Deledio
Jack Titus Medal (2nd place in the B & F): Daniel Jackson
Maurie Fleming Medal (3rd place in the B & F): Chris Newman
Fred Swift Medal (4th place in the B & F): Richard Tambling
Kevin Bartlett Medal (5th place in the Best and Fairest): Ben Cousins

Bill Cosgrove/Harry Jenkins Best First Year Player: Robin Nahas
Francis Bourke Award: Luke McGuane
Michael Roach Award for Leading Goalkicker: Mitch Morton
Most Improved Player: Daniel Jackson

Place Player............ Votes
1.... Brett Deledio...... 190
2.... Daniel Jackson..... 175
3.... Chris Newman....... 162
4.... Richard Tambling... 152
5.... Ben Cousins........ 145
6.... Nathan Foley....... 128
7.... Shane Tuck......... 124
8.... Jack Riewoldt...... 121
9.... Dean Polo.......... 118
10... Mitch Morton....... 115

Jack Dyer Medal Predictions

2009-09-16T19:25:00.005+10:00

The 2009 Jack Dyer Medal is on tonight (16th September) at Crown, starting at 7.30pm. Here are my predictions for the night.

Jack Dyer Medal, 1st place : Daniel Jackson
Jack Titus Medal, 2nd place : Richard Tambling
Maurie Fleming Medal, 3rd place : Brett Deledio
Fred Swift Medal, 4th place : Chris Newman
Kevin Bartlett Medal, 5th place : Dean Polo

Francis Bourke Award (Most Courageous): Alex Rance
Rising Star: Tyrone Vickery
Most Improved : Dean Polo
Best First Year Player: Robin Nahas
Best Player at Coburg: Adam Thomson

It will be interesting to see how everyone polls!

Shining White

2009-09-10T10:30:00.006+10:00

You give a guy and chance and there is no limit to what he can achieve. This is definitely the case for Victorian and Australian cricketer Cameron White. For years now White has been in and out of the team, batting in slot number six or seven, usually when the run rate needs lifting towards the end of the innings. Understandably, White's batting average was fairly low for a batting all-rounder.

For the first three games of the Nat-West one Day series against England however the story has been completely different. With Ricky Ponting being rested for the first three games of the series Cameron White has been promoted up the batting order to the number three batting position. This position is usually reserved for the best batsman on the team and with it comes great responsibility.

In contrast to the crash and bash of position five or six, White has now been able to build his innings; he definitely hasn't disappointed either. The first two matches saw White come to the crease with the Australian team in a shaky position and on both occasions he steadied the innings with a solid innings of 40 or 50 before being dismissed.

The third match however was perhaps White's turning point in his International career. Chasing a modest target of 228, Australia started badly losing their first wicket for just 16 runs. White strode to the crease and took a while to get going, scoring just 1 run in his first 15 deliveries. Australia's newest debutant Tim Paine then fell with the score only on 52 and there was no doubt the English team could smell blood. Joined by his captain Michael Clarke, White not only steadied the ship but almost sealed the game for Australia, sharing in a 143 run partnership with his stand in skipper. In this time White raced passed his previous best score of 53 on his way to a brilliant and match winning century off just 116 balls.

With the game all but won, White was deceived by a slower ball and finally dismissed for 105 runs. With the score now on 4-220, the Australian team cruised to victory, scoring the remaining 9 runs with more than an over left to bowl. For his efforts Cameron White was deservedly rewarded with the Man of the Match award and no doubt, a position in the Australian team when Ricky Ponting returns for the next four ODI's. With the maturity and skill Cameron White has shown batting in the number three position, one can only hope that he is still batting in the top order when his skipper returns.

Season Over

2009-09-01T20:10:00.010+10:00

As quickly as it came, it is over. Richmond has finished a season that promised so much but delivered so little, once again missing out on the finals. The team, supporters and administrators started the preseason full of confidence after picking up gun recruit and Brownlow medalist Ben Cousins. The media was talking up the Tigers finals chances and the fans demanded a good year. Everything was looking good coming into the Round 1 clash against arch rival Carlton.

However the season was effectively over in just one half of football with the Blues completely dominating the Tigers. With the result of the game already decided the Blues continued to push home their dominance, completely thrashing the Tigers. Sadly this game was an omen for the season to come. The confidence of the team was destroyed, the media jumped off in numbers and the team was never in the finals hunt. The media pressure mounted on Terry Wallace and he was eventually sacked half way through the season. With a new caretaker coach in charge fans looked for a better showing in the second half of the season.

Despite a few early wins under Jade Rawlings and a few patches of brilliance here and there the season still stayed on the same old disappointing track. Week after week, loss after loss, slowly but surely the players' performance dipped, culminating in a trashing at the hands of the lowly West Coast Eagles in Round 22. Perhaps it was fitting to finish the season the way it started; with a humiliating loss.

There is hope however. A new coach resides at Richmond, this time in the form of tough nut Damien Hardwick. Already he has swung the axe with Bowden (Retired), Johnson (Retired), Brown (De-listed), Oakley Nicholls (De-listed) and Coughlan (De-listed) all shown the door. Plenty more are sure to follow in what is a much needed clean out at Punt Road. The real test however will come next season. How will Hardwick's gameplan measure up against quality opposition and will he be able to develop the young core of players at Tigerland? Only time will tell wether or not Hardwick is up for the task and there is one thing for sure; time is definitely needed. Results will not come overnight and it is going to take a little while for the players to gel under their new coach. It will happen eventually though, perhaps sooner than we all think, and when it does the victories will be all that much sweeter.

Hardwick It Is

2009-08-26T16:16:00.014+10:00

After almost four months of searching Richmond have announced their new coach heading into the next season and beyond as none other than Damien Hardwick. Hardwick beat out numerous other prospective coaches to land the position, just pipping Ken Hinkley from Geelong. No doubt Hardwick has some real good coaching credentials and coming through on top after such a thorough process is a real feather in Hardwick's cap but having said this, now is when the hard work begins.

The first thing Hardwick will have to do is sit down and try and work out which players deserve to stay on the list next year and which of those don't. This gets particularly difficult when you get to the senior names such as Matthew Richardson, Ben Cousins and Nathan Brown. These players all have shown in the past that they can play but does the new coach want to keep older players on the list or replace them with youth? In due time Hardwick will answer this question and many more.

After hearing Hardwick speak at his press conference at Punt Road I have to say I am quite impressed with his attitude. There was plenty of talk about putting the team first, showing pride in the jumper and going in hard. These are all things that the Richmond team seem to lack and improvement in these areas will no doubt help the team immensely. Of course saying something is completely different to actually doing it so there is still some time left until we see if Hardwick really can implement this culture change at the club.

It's quite exciting really to think that come the start of the 2010 season Richmond will have a new coach, some new assistant coaches, new players and a new game plan. Hopefully the result of all this will be a completely different Richmond team that takes the game on but also shows some real endeavour to do the team things such as tackling and shepherding.

Now that Hardwick is on board I fully support him and any decision he makes no matter how painful it may be. Richmond Football Club is finally looking sound off field and it is now time for Hardwick to step up and make us great on field as well. I for one think he can do it. It won't happen overnight and it definitely won't be easy but if Hardwick sticks to the attitude that he showed in his press conference then I believe we will get there. As all supporter all I can do is wish the best of luck to him and support him 100%. Go Tigers!

Ashes to Ashes....

2009-08-24T21:00:00.006+10:00

It's all over. It's gone. It took us only four days to lose it. We don't get it back for at least two years. I am of course talking about The Ashes. For Australian and English cricketers nothing is more important than the Ashes and as a fan I was absolutely devastated to hand back the urn to the old enemy.

After fighting so hard to level the series at 1-1 in the last Test, I, and I daresay the Australian team, were full of confidence. The bowlers were full of confidence and the batsman full of runs. England were on the back foot and desperate, even going as far as selecting a 28 year old debutant by the name of Jonathan Trott. It all came unstuck for Australia however in 1 lousy day.

It was day 2 on a wearing but good pitch at the Oval. Australia were cruising at 0-73 in chase of England's 332 when suddenly Watson was trapped in front by Broad for 34. From there Australia collapsed, losing all of their wickets, and any chance of winning the Test match, for only 87 more runs.

It was always going to be an uphill battle from this position and although there were moments of hope, Australia never had a realistic chance of retaining The Ashes. Particularly after England posted a 2nd innings of 373 to leave the Aussies chasing a mammoth total of 545 for victory. The only incredibly small positive to come out of the match however was the seemingly return to form of Hussey, who posted his first century for quite sometime. It was far too little far too late from the one named Mr Cricket however.

To rub salt into Australia wounds, England's debutant Jonathan Trott posted a match guaranteeing century while Stuart Clark, who was retained in favour of spinner Nathan Hauritz, claimed only 1 wicket. England's spinner Graeme Swann meanwhile destroyed Australia in both innings, picking up match figures of 8-158.

The interesting thing now will be how the Australian team responds to the series loss. There is no doubt that the team is in a rebuilding phase with young players such as Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Hughes and Watson in the squad. A closely lost series like this may bond a team together or conversely, destroy a team's confidence. We won't know exactly how the Aussie team responds until the 1st Test match against West Indies in Brisbane starting on the 26th of November. Personally I think the team will respond magnificently and with the likes of Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Hughes in the team the future looks bright, even if the present is a little cloudy.

Until the next Test we have the one-dayers against England (And India) to keep us entertained. Hopefully we can extract a tiny bit of revenge on the Poms for our Ashes loss by winning the series, showcasing our young talent on the way. The times are definitely changing in the cricket world. For me it's actually a little exciting to see the younger players given a chance in the Baggy Green or Green and Gold and despite The Ashes loss I just can't help but shout 'C'mon Aussie C'mon!'

Polak Back in Black (And Yellow)

2009-08-24T19:30:00.002+10:00

Forget the Ben Cousins saga, forget the Saints near unbeaten run, and forget the coaching circus that was Nathan Buckley. Graham Polak's comeback is the greatest AFL story of the year. When Polak ran out for the Tigers last Saturday night he completed a miraculous return to the sport he loves and while his stats don't read much; 1 kick, 5 handballs, 1 mark, 1 tackle and 1 free for; his achievement is nothing short of amazing.

It is hard to imagine but a little over one year ago Graham Polak was fighting for his life after being hit by a tram. Being the fighter he is, Polak survived, but the brain injuries he received that night meant no one knew how much, or even if, Polak would recover. The thought of Graham playing Aussie Rules at any level was optimistic, at AFL level the thought was a mere pipe-dream.

The fairy tale was completed however when Polak finally ran onto the MCG donning his now compulsory playing helmet. His tenacity at the ball was unquestionable with Graham constantly throwing himself into packs and every possession Polak gained was cheered by myself and all of the Richmond faithful. It was just wonderful to see the number 6 back out on the park wearing the yellow and black.

While Polak's position on the list may be tedious, I for one am just happy to see Graham's life is back on track. No matter what happens in his footballing future Graham has already proven his bravery, commitment and heart in returning to the highest level of sport. The fact that Polak is still alive means he is already a big winner in my book and I would like to wish him the best of luck for the future, no matter where it may lead him.

Richmond's Next Coach Down to Four

2009-08-17T20:25:00.002+10:00

Hardwick, Hinkley, Rawlings and Richardson. These are the final four names hoping to land the vacant Richmond coaching position for the 2010 season. Each potential coach has their own pros and cons, but which man is the right fit for Richmond?

When Terry Wallace coached his last game against the Bulldogs in Round 11, Jade Rawlings took over and immediately made his mark by dropping several senior players for the Round 12 clash against West Coast. Fielding it's youngest side for quite a long time, the Rawlings coached Tigers jumped out of the blocks with a 15 point win. When Rawlings coached his team to a thrilling 5 point win over the much fancied Essendon in Round 17, Jade became an outright favourite for the Richmond coaching position. Since then however the Tigers have struggled, just managing to defeat the lowly Demons with a kick after the siren followed by two humiliating losses to both Sydney and Collingwood. Unfortunately for Jade I believe that these recent poor performances may have cost him a chance of becoming Richmond's next coach. There is no doubt however that Jade has great knowledge of the entire Richmond list and is very much liked by all of the Richmond playing list; because of this he cannot be completely discounted. Personally I would like to see Rawlings kept on as an assistant coach or full time Coburg coach.

Wherever Hardwick has gone, success has soon followed. Firstly as a player at Essendon in 2000 and Port Adelaide in 2004 then as an assistant coach with Hawthorn in 2008. Will that success follow him though if he takes the full time Senior Coaching role at Richmond though? Who knows. As a player Hardwick was as tough as nails and didn't take a backwards step; it is a pretty sure thing that an as a coach Hardwick would be very much the same. This is good. Richmond have the talent but need someone to be stern, honest and direct with them and I believe Hardwick would be the most likely of the remaining four candidates to bring this to the team. If something isn't right or Hardwick was unhappy with a player's performance or attitude I am sure Hardwick would let them know in no uncertain terms. It has even been alleged that the only reason Hardwick lost the most recent Essendon coaching position to Knights was that he gave a much less optimistic appraisal of where the Bombers list was at the time compared to the now current Essendon coach. Herein however perhaps lies the only problem with Hardwick's CV. He has already lost out on two coaching positions in the past at Melbourne and Essendon. Perhaps if he isn't good enough for those two teams then he isn't good enough for us?

Ken Hinkley's coaching CV certainly is an impressive read. He has coached two teams of his own, Camperdown in the Hampden league and Bell Park in the Geelong league and has brought both of them a premiership. Since then he has served a short apprenticeship as assistant coach to Malcolm Blight at the Saints before a much longer stint of 5 years (and still counting) at the Cats. In that time he has helped break a 44 year premiership drought for the Geelong team. Breaking a premiership drought..... now that is something I can relate to the Richmond Tigers. There isn't too much you can hold against Hinkley, the question really comes down to wether you prefer his skills over the other coaching candidates' skills.

I have to admit that despite sharing the surname with a certain Richmond legend I do not know much about potential RFC coach Alan Richardson. Currently he is an assistant coach under Matthew Knights and before that he was a development manager at Collingwood. Highly respected too apparently. If there is one thing that Richmond need then it is someone who can develop our extremely young list. With young talent including Cotchin, Deledio, Tambling, Vickery and Riewoldt in the side all it may take to turn Richmond from cellar dweller to powerhouse is the right coach to develop the youngsters in this team. For that reason Richardson has to be considered.

Personally, I wouldn't mind to see any three of Hardwick, Hinkley or Richardson to be appointed Richmond senior coach. Having said that, I can't look past the coaching credentials of Ken Hinkley. The vast experience he has and the ideas and tactics he can bring across from the highly successful Geelong team would be invaluable to the team. I am happy enough however to allow those at RFC to continue their process and pick the coach that they believe will take us forward into a period of sustained success. They afterall have seen all the presentations, all the speeches and all the probable pros and cons of each potential coach. As a supporter I can only hope that the right choice is made and in the not too distant future I get to see my beloved team win a Grand Final for the first time in my life. Go Tigers!

Ashes 2009 5th Test - Who do Australia Pick?

2009-08-14T10:22:00.004+10:00

In the last Test Match Australia thumped England inside three days to tie the series at 1 all and even though Australia only have to draw the final Test, the Ashes are definitely not guaranteed to stay Down Under. When England are up and about they are a strong team and difficult to beat; and if one thing is for sure it is that England will try to redeem their performance at Headingley and come out with all guns blazing when the match begins on Thursday Night (Australian Time). Freddie Flintoff should be back for his final Test Match adding some real firepower to both England's bowling and batting attacks as well as some real match winning capabilities. This makes it even tougher for the Aussies to walk away with the Ashes. So the big question needs to be asked: Who do you pick to represent Australia in the 5th Test? Do you stay with the same team that thrashed the English last time round, or do you change things around a bit?

Firstly the batting lineup. Most of the batsmen are in fine form and fresh from the smashing of England's bowling attack they are full of confidence of well. There is one batsmen however who may be on shaky grounds. His name is Michael Hussey. Mr Cricket is so out of touch that his average has dropped considerably over the last 18 months without a single Test century in that time. If it wasn't for the lack of a serious replacement in the Aussie Ashes squad I daresay he would be on very shaky ground. All rounder Andrew McDonald, wicket keeper Graham Manou and batsman Phillip Hughes are the only reserves with a chance of replacing Mr Cricket. Out of these three Phillip Hughes is the only adequate replacement for the out of touch Hussey, but Hughes has already been dropped in order to bring in the all rounder Shane Watson. Because of this, Hussey stays for mine. Perhaps an idea would be to drop Hussey to the number five position and allow Vice Captain Michael Clarke to bat at number 4. Both batsman have proven in the past that they can bat in these positions and who knows, Hussey may find that run scoring knack again in his old batting position.

Now to the bowling. Australia have the option of bringing spin to the final Test at The Oval in the form of Off Spinner Nathan Hauritz. Hauritz has performed admirably in the first three Tests taking 10 wickets at an average of 32.10, but was dropped in the 4th Test for veteran paceman Stuart Clark. Hauritz has the ability to tie down one end but seems to lack the ability to get quick wickets and personally I see his selection as too defensive. Going in with a defensive mindset and only a draw in mind will most likely end up in negative cricket, with a real possibility of an England win the result. We need to go on the attack and attempt to win the final Test match. The four paceman already in the team; Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Clark, are more likely to pick up wickets than the inexperienced off spinner Hauritz. If spin is an absolute must then the slow bowlers Marcus North and Michael Clarke are more than capable of performing the role that Hauritz does. Heading into the Ashes it was widely believed that North was the premier off spinner in Australia anyway.

Brett Lee is back to near full fitness and says he is ready to go but realistically he hasn't played Test Cricket for over 6 months. In the past Australia would have suffered dearly without Lee in the team; but with Johnson stepping up and Siddle and Hilfenhaus performing admirably I see no place for him in the side. Sadly, no longer is Brett an automatic selection in the Aussie team. He has lost most of his pace which was his major weapon in years past and even before he succumbed to injury late last year, Lee had seemingly lost a lot of his ability to take wickets.

Personally I say we go in with an unchanged lineup. We saw the value of Clark in the last Test Match, particularly in the first innings. He has the ability to hit the same spot time and time again, nagging away at the opposition, extracting seam and bounce from the pitch. Something that was unexpected from Clark however was the amount of swing he got from the ball. For the first time in the series we really saw an Australian bowler using good swing bowling to get his wickets. The wickets he got tore the England batsman to shreds and set them well on their way to a measly 102 all out in the first innings.

It may be a little unconventional to play a four prong pace attack, but the thing that allows the Australian team to do this is the different style of each pace bowler. We have Johnson, the left arm quick who angles the ball across the batsman; Hilfenhaus, a big swinger of the ball; Siddle, a real hard working bowler who hits the deck hard; and Clark, a nagging seamer much in the same mould of Glenn McGrath. Each bowler has a different strength and together they compliment each other well. We need to pick our four most likely bowlers to bowl the opposition team out twice and unfortunately for Hauritz and Lee, that doesn't include them. The four bowlers already in the team are full of confidence and form so I see no reason to tinker with a winning team. Having said this, no matter who we pick, if we go on the attack early and attempt to win the final Test Match we are already half way to victory. I know I for one will be glued to my TV screen when the fifth and final Test Match begins on Thursday night (Australian Time) hoping for another brilliant performance from those wearing the Baggy Green. Go Aussies!

Joel Bowden's Final AFL Game

2009-08-13T23:01:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I heard some quite sad news. I knew it was coming but I still didn't like to hear it all the same. It was confirmed in a 3pm press conference at Punt Road that this Saturday afternoon against the Collingwood Magpies, Joel Bowden will be playing his 265th and final game in the AFL. This news may not mean much to others but to me it is quite significant.

Firstly, a little bit of history about Joel Bowden and what he means to me. Joel Bowden was drafted to the Richmond Tigers in 1996 under the father-son rule. At the time I would have been a mere 7 years old and was just starting to form my first memories of the mighty Richmond Tigers. In fact, one of my first ever AFL memories, along with the famous 1995 semi-final win against Essendon, was reading about Joel Bowden breaking his collarbone and being unable to play for the rest of the season in one of his first ever years. Ever since that day Joel has been one of my favourite Tigers to don the famous Yellow and Black. You have to remember that along with club champion Matthew Richardson, Joel Bowden has been apart of the Richmond Tigers for as long as I can remember and imagining a life without him on the team is unfathomable.

During his playing years Joel has contributed to so many great Richmond memories in my life, particulary last season. What Tiger fan could forget the game saving mark against Port Adelaide, the controversial rushed behinds against Essendon or the match winning after the siren goal against the Brisbane Lions. Despite all this, over the years some people have questioned Joel's place and importance on the team. My answer to this would be that it is arguable that Joel has been one of the most important players in our team for close to a decade. No other player has been moved and switched positions as much as Joel has done. Be it up forward, down back or in the middle of the ground against taller, stronger or quicker opponents, Joel has performed his task for the betterment of the team without question. There is a reason he has won two Jack Dyer medals and All Australian Guernseys afterall.

If there is one thing nobody can question about Joel Bowden then it is that he has Yellow and Black in his blood, one only has to listen to his retirement press conference to confirm this. It's not surprising really considering his father and 2 brothers all have played in the Richmond team. Another thing you cannot question is the quality of this bloke. Nobody else has promoted the game in the Northern Territory like JB has. He did grow up there afterall, and every year it seems he makes the trek up north to play a little bit of kick to kick with the local kids during his spare time. Perhaps the greatest testament to the character of Joel however is the fact that Joel was elected as AFLPA president in 2007.

To finish off, I urge everyone to acknowledge the great contribution Joel Bowden has made to the Richmond Football Club and indeed the AFL. I know for a fact that I won't be the only one missing the number 11 running out in a Tiger Guernsey next year and I will be making sure I get one last glimpse of one of my all time favourite players doing what he does best. Play AFL.

As a side note: my current favourite Richmond Tiger Dean Polo plays his 50th AFL game in this same game. Good luck Dean!

Information

2009-08-13T22:27:00.000+10:00

Well, I never thought I would be doing this. I've seen other blogs before and wondered what on Earth attracts someone to do such a thing. Who on earth would read Blogs about other people, their life and their opinions? But here I am. And if you are reading this then firstly I thank you, then I ponder why you would do such a thing as read about my life and opinions. Oh well, it doesn't really matter anyway; perhaps we are all a little bit crazy.

Firstly, let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Hayden and I am a 20 year old (DOB 08/12/88) Male who grew up in country Victoria. I'm now living in the big city of Melbourne and am 1 and a half years into my 4 year Civil Engineering Degree at RMIT University. To all those ladies out there, I am sorry but I do have a girlfriend. She is a very beautiful and intelligent girl and makes me happy whenever I think about her. Oh and she is a red-head too!

Now, what will I be blogging about here on this site you may ask? That's a good question and the answer will be 'anything that interests me'. That generally means a tonne of sport news and opinions, in particular anything related to the Richmond Football Club in the AFL. Cricket is also likely get a good run in here too. Not to mention Basketball, Soccer, Formula 1, V8's, Rugby, Cycling... the list goes on and on. That doesn't mean that everything will be Sport related however, I'm bound to share any interesting news I have or stumble upon. Not to mention anything that I may find amusing, which is quite a lot really.

That just about wraps up my first blog, thanks for taking the time to read through the brief overview of my life and interests. I hope you stick around for my future blogs and I hope you find them just as interesting as I do. Cheers!