Latest news with #Brownlow
Courier-Mail
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
AFL stars question rules after Steven May's three-game suspension
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. AFL players have already begun to 'hesitate slightly', knowing the 'margins' between a fair contest and a lengthy ban are slim as the impact of a three-match suspension handed to Melbourne defender Steven May reverberates through the game. May was suspended despite the AFL tribunal conceding his collision with Carlton's Francis Evans last Saturday night was not a bump. In the final minutes of his defence, May's legal counsel Adrian Anderson declared 'there was not much more he could do', but after more than 90 minutes of deliberation, the three-man tribunal panel determined he should have slowed down or changed his path to avoid Evans. Debate has raged since the incident, with some pundits adamant the game could no longer allow players to charge headlong towards opponents, whether the ball was in play or not. Steven May v Francis Evans. Picture: Fox Footy Evans, who lost a tooth and was left bloodied and bruised, conceded to the tribunal that he didn't think he was going to get to the ball before May, adding to the confusion over the ban. Essendon vice-captain Andy McGrath conceded the incident was a 'tricky' one for the tribunal but said over the course of his career his on-field attitude had changed, and he now asked himself questions despite the 'split second' nature of making calls. 'They are split-second decisions, there are so many in game, and the longer I play – this is my ninth season – those split-second contests have changed a lot,' he said. 'If you are second to the ball, you have a big responsibility to not make contact with your opponent's head. Evans came off second best. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images 'It definitely comes through your mind, whether that causes us to hesitate slightly, I am questioning that more and more in the game to protect the opposition player's head.' Carlton captain and Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps said he wasn't sure what May could have done and McGrath agreed. 'It didn't look great but it's really hard to pull out of that contest at the last second,' he told SEN. 'As players, it's pretty tricky to know what penalty lies based on the act and we know that's margins between a fair play and a pretty significant sanction.' Melbourne has the opportunity to appeal the verdict, with Demons great Garry Lyon believing the club will take up that option. Lyon did not agree with the AFL tribunal's argument that May 'had sufficient time with an unimpeded view of what was before him to determine what he could and should do in the likely event that he did not reach the ball either first or at the same time'. 'That's nonsense, which is why I've lost a bit of faith in this and why I think they'll appeal,' Lyon told SEN Breakfast. 'No-one could reasonably think that they weren't going to get to that football. (Evans) thought Steven May was going to get there first.' Originally published as Confused players starting to hesitate in games knowing they could be banned for accidents
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Tricky': AFL ban sparks furious debate
AFL players have already begun to 'hesitate slightly', knowing the 'margins' between a fair contest and a lengthy ban are slim as the impact of a three-match suspension handed to Melbourne defender Steven May reverberates through the game. May was suspended despite the AFL tribunal conceding his collision with Carlton's Francis Evans last Saturday night was not a bump. In the final minutes of his defence, May's legal counsel Adrian Anderson declared 'there was not much more he could do', but after more than 90 minutes of deliberation, the three-man tribunal panel determined he should have slowed down or changed his path to avoid Evans. Debate has raged since the incident, with some pundits adamant the game could no longer allow players to charge headlong towards opponents, whether the ball was in play or not. Steven May v Francis Evans. Fox Footy Credit: Supplied Evans, who lost a tooth and was left bloodied and bruised, conceded to the tribunal that he didn't think he was going to get to the ball before May, adding to the confusion over the ban. Essendon vice-captain Andy McGrath conceded the incident was a 'tricky' one for the tribunal but said over the course of his career his on-field attitude had changed, and he now asked himself questions despite the 'split second' nature of making calls. 'They are split-second decisions, there are so many in game, and the longer I play – this is my ninth season – those split-second contests have changed a lot,' he said. 'If you are second to the ball, you have a big responsibility to not make contact with your opponent's head. 'It definitely comes through your mind, whether that causes us to hesitate slightly, I am questioning that more and more in the game to protect the opposition player's head.' Carlton captain and Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps said he wasn't sure what May could have done and McGrath agreed. 'It didn't look great but it's really hard to pull out of that contest at the last second,' he told SEN. 'As players, it's pretty tricky to know what penalty lies based on the act and we know that's margins between a fair play and a pretty significant sanction.' Melbourne has the opportunity to appeal the verdict.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nick Daicos offers explanation after Kane Cornes floats ugly theory around Brownlow Medal
Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has opened up on why he's chosen not to rest his ailing body more, with the Magpies sitting pretty atop the AFL ladder. With just six weeks until the finals, some have questioned why the Pies haven't been managing the workload of their gun midfielder. Daicos copped a knock against the Suns two weeks ago, but managed to finish the game. He then spent a large chunk of time at half-back against Fremantle, which the Pies lost by a point for their second-straight defeat. Daicos didn't look hampered against the Dockers, racking up a career-high 43 disposals. But Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes questioned whether some of the Collingwood players were pushing through for 'selfish' reasons. 'Nick is sore, clearly sore and has been throughout the year,' Cornes said on Channel 7 program 'The Agenda Setters'. 'Is he playing for a Brownlow? 'My theory is that those players are not being managed to get themselves right to win a second or a third premiership in (Scott) Pendlebury's case. Are they playing for individual reasons more so than getting themselves right when they need to be right (in September)?' Cornes suggested Daicos might be trying to garner as many Brownlow votes as possible, rather than resting with the bigger picture of finals footy in mind. But speaking to Channel 7 on Tuesday night, the midfielder explained why he hasn't taken a break. Nick Daicos opens up on decision to keep playing Daicos said he feels much better when continuing to play, as it means he doesn't have to build himself back up after a rest. 'I'm feeling really good,' he told 7News Melbourne. 'My body likes continuity and just to continue being out there playing is the main thing for me. Body's feeling really good. It's a good time to be feeling good coming into finals so just need to stay on top of everything.' Nick Daicos has declared he doesn't need a rest as the Pies close in on September. The Brownlow Medal favourite spoke exclusively to @XanderMcGuire7 on Collingwood's path back to premiership glory. @7AFL #7NEWS — 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) July 22, 2025 Daicos pointed out that after two losses on the bounce, the Pies are no guarantee to keep the top spot. Brisbane are now just two points in arrears, while Adelaide are only four points back. 'Definitely doesn't feel like we have a comfortable buffer,' Daicos said. 'I know the boys are keen to continue playing ... ultimately we need to be playing good footy going into the finals. We've got to continue to win and put ourselves in the best position going into finals." RELATED: Collingwood tipped to 'up their price' to get star player from Carlton Coach rejects Harley Reid claim as Hinkley wows with Ginnivan response Speaking after their loss to the Dockers, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said he's worried his team might have lost some of their 'spark' in close games. Their one-point loss to Freo came nine days after they fell six points short against the Suns - an uncharacteristic trait under McRae. "This is not something you've ever got handled because every game is opportunity," McRae said in his post-game press conference. "Managing those moments will forever be something we need to do. If the scoreboard is an indication, we haven't managed it well enough (in the last two weeks). "We've lost three close games this year. Have we lost our spark? You'd hope not. But reality is, we'll keep getting better at it. I'd rather learn these lessons now."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Dockers make call on Fyfe and Pearce's fitness for the derby
Security ejected the man after he got in the face of the media personality Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe will be given another week to recover from injuries instead of being rushed back to play in Saturday's western derby, as the Dockers received promising news surrounding midfielder Matthew Johnson. Fyfe travelled to Victoria to be with the team last weekend and trained strongly after the club's Captain's Run, but won't be considered to play at any level until next week. The Dockers have taken the same approach with Pearce who has played only one match in the second half of the season due to leg soreness. Johnson is expected to miss only a small number of games after injuring his ankle against Collingwood on Sunday, as the club breathed a sigh of relief that he'd avoided major damage. Fremantle have worked hard to carefully re-introduce senior players to the team while winning eight of their last nine games. Hayden Young was influential as the sub against Collingwood in his first match back since injuring his hamstring on May 2. Hayden Young in action. Credit: Robert Cianflone / Getty Images Forward Sam Switkowski said Young's impact was huge as he prepares to move into the starting 22 against West Coast. 'It was really good to see him back,' Switkowski said. 'He was in the tempo of the game, which is pleasing after having such a stint out. I know first-hand how hard it can be when you've been out for a little while and the coaches put a lot of trust in you to come back in and be able to perform. 'I think he did a great job. It's a good stepping stone for him. He'll get a few more minutes coming up this week.' Fremantle selected their most experienced team of the year against Collingwood. They had 2177 combined games on the field, which was significantly more than the 1727 games they selected against the Magpies earlier in the season. Fremantle forward Sam Switkowski. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos / AFL Photos via Getty Images Jaeger O'Meara had 23 possessions against the Pies in his third game back from injury. Switkowski had six score involvements after being best on ground with three goals when returning from injury against Hawthorn last week. Switkowski said it was no coincidence that the team was playing well when the experienced players were available. 'Personnel is important,' he said. 'We'd love to have our best 22 out there every week. Every team would. Clearly experience is a really important part of the game. 'The guys with experience often are the ones who hold up under pressure, can lift in big games and keep everyone composed like we saw on the weekend. It's been great to have some of those guys back.'
West Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers to give star pair Nat Fyfe and Alex Pearce another week to recover from injuries
Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe will be given another week to recover from injuries instead of being rushed back to play in Saturday's western derby, as the Dockers received promising news surrounding midfielder Matthew Johnson. Fyfe travelled to Victoria to be with the team last weekend and trained strongly after the club's Captain's Run, but won't be considered to play at any level until next week. The Dockers have taken the same approach with Pearce who has played only one match in the second half of the season due to leg soreness. Johnson is expected to miss only a small number of games after injuring his ankle against Collingwood on Sunday, as the club breathed a sigh of relief that he'd avoided major damage. Fremantle have worked hard to carefully re-introduce senior players to the team while winning eight of their last nine games. Hayden Young was influential as the sub against Collingwood in his first match back since injuring his hamstring on May 2. Forward Sam Switkowski said Young's impact was huge as he prepares to move into the starting 22 against West Coast. 'It was really good to see him back,' Switkowski said. 'He was in the tempo of the game, which is pleasing after having such a stint out. I know first-hand how hard it can be when you've been out for a little while and the coaches put a lot of trust in you to come back in and be able to perform. 'I think he did a great job. It's a good stepping stone for him. He'll get a few more minutes coming up this week.' Fremantle selected their most experienced team of the year against Collingwood. They had 2177 combined games on the field, which was significantly more than the 1727 games they selected against the Magpies earlier in the season. Jaeger O'Meara had 23 possessions against the Pies in his third game back from injury. Switkowski had six score involvements after being best on ground with three goals when returning from injury against Hawthorn last week. Switkowski said it was no coincidence that the team was playing well when the experienced players were available. 'Personnel is important,' he said. 'We'd love to have our best 22 out there every week. Every team would. Clearly experience is a really important part of the game. 'The guys with experience often are the ones who hold up under pressure, can lift in big games and keep everyone composed like we saw on the weekend. It's been great to have some of those guys back.'
