Power spark lights up dreary capital

Last updated: May 04, 2014

PORT Adelaide brought its free-wheeling act to Canberra on Saturday and did its best to brighten up a dreary afternoon in the nation's capital.

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Dee-saster as Crows hit a new low

ADELAIDE'S season has hit another low after being stunned by Melbourne by three points at Adelaide Oval in one of the biggest upsets of the season.

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Dee-saster as Crows hit a new low

Melbourne held on to claim a morale-boosting victory over Adelaide Crows on Saturday night.

ADELAIDE'S season has hit another low after being stunned by Melbourne by three points at Adelaide Oval in one of the biggest upsets of the season.

The Crows are still 3-4 and not out of the finals race but the loss to a vastly improved Demons side has exposed several holes in the way Adelaide plays and there will be some serious questions asked of the players as they prepare for Collingwood in two weeks' time.

The first is how poorly they start, with a lack of intensity and desperation, the second is the attitude they brought out.

It gets worse — they were beaten at the stoppages, found themselves outnumbered and the forward line was not functioning.

They came back at Melbourne after giving away a big start, but they left it too late and to too few players.

What's worse, if they begin this poorly against one of the top clubs, they will get slaughtered.

Two things stood out in the Crows' fightback in the third quarter, when they were starting to look lively again.

The partnership between ruckman Sam Jacobs and Scott Thompson helped Adelaide get the ball moving forward and David Mackay's drive and pace from half back was prominent when it was forced to rebound.

His run and carry was invaluable and he epitomised how the complexion of the match changed as the Crows were closing in.

Discarded Crow Bernie Vince celebrates the Demonss upset win over Adelaide. Picture: Morne de Klerk.

Adelaide also lifted it intensity after looking shell-shocked and out of sorts for much of the first half.

Adelaide has developed a pattern of slow starts but there were greater concerns to deal with after they opened their first match against the Demons, which included former teammate Bernie Vince.

None was greater than the Crows' lack of ability to win the ball back when the Demons were in possession. They were lacking in spark, work rate, pace and desperation.

But Melbourne, the widely considered as the competition easybeat, has transformed rapidly under Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos.

Not only has he introduced a ruthless full-field defence, he has also transplanted the Swans' stingy ways with the ball.

When the Demons had it, they held on to it and guarded it as though it was a box of cash: they were prepared to go sideways, stand still and kick to numbers only when the numbers were in the teams' favour.

More importantly, they worked mercilessly to make sure they had at least even numbers at each contest. More often than not, they had an extra man around.

Jeremy Howe was dominant across half back, around the stoppages they could bank on the burst of Lynden Dunn and Jack Viney and when the ball was in dispute few read it better than co-captain Nathan Jones, an experienced player who has a bit of clout and calm about him.

Melbourne players celebrate a goal during the match against Adelaide. Picture: Simon Cross.

And up forward was Chris Dawes, the former Collingwood player, who kicked two important goals and taught the young Crows defenders a bit about strength and positioning.

The Crows had their highlights and they came from the usual suspects: Patrick Dangerfield had minutes of dominance, Rory Sloane kept putting his head over the ball without any sense of self preservation and James Podsiadly took a super mark for the highlight reel and was a presence in attack.

But the forward line, of which the players have spoken so highly, was not functioning. It was partly a result of what the midfield did: entries were shallow — around the 50 or 60-mark rather than deep into attack where it can be locked in or an easy goal can be kicked.

It didn't help that Tom Lynch, the club's most obvious lead-up forward, came off with an injured in the 13th minute of the first quarter after clashing with both Viney and Lynch and Georgiou Alex Georgiou.

Then Matthew Jaensch, who has been in fine form, came off with what appeared to be a corkie and the Crows were one down one on the bench. But the biggest question is this: where are the goals going to come from?

Adelaide got the ball into the forward-50 enough, but nothing happened. This was how bad the early goal drought was: the Crows' first came in the first quarter, their second in the 22nd minute of the second.

Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson laments his side's performance as they slumped to a defeat at the hands of Melbourne.

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An open letter to Gillon McLachlan

New AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan. Picture: Jay Town. Source: News Limited

DEAR Gillon, Just a quick note to say congratulations on your recent appointment.

Great to see some commonsense prevail at AFL House and a South Aussie given the controls of our great game.

Despite the great work Andrew has done during his time as "Top Dog" it's fair to say the game needs some serious attention at the moment.

With this job comes great responsibility and not just to the top end of town. We are sure you are well aware of that, but given we are going OK as a football state at the moment and given we are also boasting the best venue in the country, we thought it was an ideal opportunity to run some ideas past you for your perusal.

Please don't take for granted all of the mums, dads and kids that this game was built for.

Sometimes we appear to get overlooked when the big decisions are made and we all reckon the game's in a bit of a mess.

Not that it's an issue for us here in SA!

The Power is absolutely flying and a rough chance to win it and don't you worry about the Crows, their second part of the year will be as good as any and a top six spot is not out of the question.

But we all reckon it's about time our voice got heard and while the game is still great it just needs a bit of a tweak here and there.

Yes, yes, yes we hear you and yes we did see the Anzac Day clash at the G and a couple of other beauties but it hasn't been the best start to a season and the confusion on ground with the umpiring isn't helping.

We all agree that the less they blow the whistle the better the game is but they are simply ignoring far too many "obvious "free kicks in general play and then pull one out of their backside in front of goal.

Go figure!

Surely a free is a free no matter where it is? In front of goal, in the centre or deep in defence?

And Gillon, please, that congestion around the footy this year with all the bounces, give me a break.

I don't go to the footy to watch those blokes in white bounce the ball all bloody day!

Fix it, please!

Get them to blow the bloody whistle. Please! And throw it up!

While I'm on the umps can you do a favour for a mate of mine called Crowie and get Razor Ray to umpire some other games bar the Crows all the time.

We reckon we had him eight times last year and we know he's a good umpire but my mate reckons we get a rough trot when he's in charge.

Not a big one but had to mention it just to keep Crowie quiet.

One quickie before we leave on field issues.

What's the chance we can get the odd marquee game over here and perhaps more than just one Friday night game between the two teams?

Fair dinkum, we are all getting tired of watching Collingwood in every blockbuster!

Any chance we could at least get one decent timeslot, not just 12.40pm or 4.10pm all the time.

Some of us have got cranky wives at the moment and kids that are tough to get up on a Monday morning after another Sunday late game.

Anzac Round is great for the Power, thanks, but surely given where they are sitting at the moment one more would be OK and the Crows surely deserve one.

Good Friday is available I believe.

Some of us also think the game is getting a bit out of our reach every week.

Many of us have got kids and by the time they have a pie and a coke and the wife does like a quiet chardonnay or two during the game its hurting our hip pockets more than ever before.

I know we have a nice new Oval to be proud of but a little help please.

We don't want to miss our teams play but I might have to reconsider our options next year if we don't get some relief.

I can get the kids to BYO but I can't upset the missus!

OK that's enough grizzling, I'm sure you've had plenty of that over the last few days.

Good luck with the new gig, just don't forget it may be a National competition but we South Aussies stick together.

Cheers

The South Australian Football Fan.

P.S. Can you fix Essendon's issues quickly, equalise the comp as best you can, sign off on a night grand final and please let Andrew call the Brownlow votes for one last time, it's our highlight of the season.

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Sando: We gave Dees a headstart

ADELAIDE has a problem, and for a football club chasing a finals spot it's a grave one: the Crows only get going when they are under the pump.

Adelaide Crows press conference

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Clubs act on ‘other’ drugs saga

The Essendon football club has called a crisis meeting with 14 current and former players, with reports they allegedly admitted to taking banned substances in 2012.

Port Adelaide says it is leading the way in illicit drug testing. Picture: SARAH REED. Source: News Corp Australia

PORT Adelaide hair-tested its squad in the off-season as part of the Power's determined campaign to fight the illicit-drug culture among AFL players.

Port was among a small group of AFL clubs - at least three - that used hair testing in the summer, a period both the league and players' union regard as "high risk" for illicit drug use.

But the greatest frustration at Alberton is how the debate on illicit drugs - that sparked a club summit in Melbourne at the end of January last year - has been lost amid the Essendon supplements saga.

Port's push to have club chief executives alerted as soon as a player fails his first drug test - rather than on the third that leads to suspension - is unlikely to progress at this week's AFL meetings in Adelaide.

Power chief executive Keith Thomas notes the "distractions" from the Essendon crisis and football's other off-field battles to carve up the league's money pool have virtually pushed the illicit-drug issue off the AFL agenda.

Fox Sports AFL correspondent Julian de Stoop says players named as having admitted to taking banned substances in their interviews with ASADA face an anxious wait to find out if they will be served with infraction notices.

This is despite concerns the drug problem has not improved 12 months after the AFL summit and the league last year revealed 26 players had failed drug tests with three players on two strikes.

"(Club) visibility is still restricted," said Thomas, declaring his frustration with the three-strike policy informing club leaders on the third strike. "The issue is still there."

Port - and other AFL clubs - were able to use the AFL Player Association-approved policy to seek hair tests of the Power squad when it returned from their end-of-season break.

The Power absorbed the cost - about $200 for each hair test.

There is no indication the hair tests at Alberton revealed a concern for the Power administration. But Port's exposure to the detail of the test results was limited.

The clubs also do not get the individual results. Rather, the hair-test results are viewed by the AFL's medical officer who presents each club with a "drug profile" of the player list while not identifying any player who has a drug problem.

And while the hair tests reveal any drug a player has used in a three-month period, the results do not count as a strike against a player.

The clubs, however, can then seek target testing of their players - at the club's cost - with urine tests that do count.

If these target tests identify a player "acting or displaying an attitude contrary to the objectives and spirit of the illicit drugs policy", he will be enrolled in intense education and counselling programs. But he will be identified to his club's chief executive only if these programs lead to no change in behaviour.

Thomas notes this emphasises the AFL and players' union see illicit-drug use as a "health issue" rather than an integrity battle - and the club are being locked out of helping on either front.

The AFL can now use hair, blood and urine tests. Only results from blood and urine tests count against a player's record because the hair tests are still not endorsed as reliable evidence in courts.

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Thomas acknowledges Demetriou support

AFL 360's Gerard Whateley says Andrew Demetriou got the timing of his resignation as AFL Chief Executive spot on, with the problems that have developed under his watch seemingly unable to go away.

PORT Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas has lavished praise on outgoing AFL boss Andrew Demetriou.

Thomas says Demetriou played a major role in keeping the club afloat with his words as much as his actions.

"The two things I remember in our relationship with him were first of all in August, 2011, which was about when I started at the club and we were in awful trouble, very difficult situations," Thomas said.

"I remember Andrew coming out really aggressively to media reports about our viability and long-term position in the AFL and saying that he could not imagination an AFL competition without Port Adelaide in it.

"I thought that was a really strong statement of leadership and a very comforting thing to say from this club's point of view.

"His second most significant issue for us was his role in getting us to Adelaide Oval.

"So not only did he stabilise the ship with his words but he was a principle member of the team which negotiated the opportunity for us to take footy back to Adelaide Oval, which changes the financial model for Port Adelaide and will ensure our long-term financial security is there.

"So for us he's been a great friend of this football club, a great administrator for the AFL and we are better off for him being in the chair."

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‘I leave the game with no regrets’

ANDREW Demetriou will step down as AFL chief executive at the end of this year after 11 seasons in charge, with Gillon McLachlan his likely replacement.

Andrew Demetriou resigns as AFL Chief Executive

Jon Ralph discusses Andrew Demetriou's potential successors

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Saints' woes are set to go

James Gwilt is recovering from a knee injury. Source: News Limited

NEW St Kilda coach Alan Richardson is hopeful of a full list for the NAB Challenge despite a dozen players battling injury complaints in recent months.

Richardson is confident the Saints' injury list is rapidly shrinking, as the likes of James Gwilt (knee), Rhys Stanley (hip/shoulder), Dylan Roberton (ankle) and top draft pick Jack Billings (quad) return to training.

The Saints faced a defensive crisis early last season, and many key defenders are still easing back to training, including Tom Simpkin (shin) and Luke Delaney (hip).

Nathan Wright (shin) and Tom Lee (shoulder) are both not yet in full training, while Jack Newnes (shoulder) and Aaron Siposs (shoulder) have overcome their issues.

SAINTS' STARS REUNITE

But Richardson says the Saints have a key group of about 35 players having completed much of the pre-season, with many of those officially on the injury list also having got through a solid chunk.

No. 3 draft pick Billings tweaked his quad in early December on the club's Colorado training camp and will finally return to full training this week.

Young forward Daniel Markworth, who needed an arthroscope in December after a setback for the ACL rupture he had suffered late in 2012, is not far behind him.

The Saints take on the Western Bulldogs on February 19 in their first NAB Challenge game, then Greater Western Sydney on March 1.

Their Round 1 opener under Richardson is against Melbourne on March 22.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson is optimistic his list is taking shape. Picture by Colleen Petch Source: News Limited

"We are in pretty good shape, we would be mid-30s (training well), and those guys would have been able to get significant load into them in terms of preparation for a game in a few weeks time,'' Richardson said last week.

"There would be others who aren't in the 35 who are in pretty good shape who would add to that group by the time we get to matches. We will certainly be healthy enough. You can tell when you put them in a game simulation, they are cracking in, they are getting ready to play."

ST KILDA'S BEST 22

Captain Nick Riewoldt has completed a strong pre-season despite being held back from some drills and training.

The 31-year-old is a strong favourite to again be skipper in his 14th season, with fellow veteran Leigh Montagna the only other option for the Saints.

Both players last year signed contract extensions, with new father Lenny Hayes also in great shape for his 16th season.

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Chappy has Bomber excited

NEW Essendon coach Mark Thompson has recast the Bombers forward line, excited by the summer progress of Paul Chapman and determined to play Jake Carlisle in attack.

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No guarantees in Bombers case

ESSENDON looks almost certain to embark upon a new season without any action from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority over doping charges - but still without an iron-clad guarantee that infraction notices won't come.

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