Latest news with #ShaneCrawford
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
AFL great's exile set to end
AFL great Cyril Rioli will make his first public football comeback since his messy exit and prolonged absence from the game when he runs out in the reborn EJ Whitten Legends Game. After a six-year break the charity match is returning in August with a raft of big names locked in including Rioli and Gary Ablett junior. Rioli, a four-time premiership player and Norm Smith Medal winner, was unveiled as the All Stars' No.1 pick on Tuesday morning. The selection of the former excitement machine is a positive sign after he was involved in a lengthy battle with his former club over historical claims of racism including some levelled at his premiership coach, Alastair Clarkson, first raised in 2022. The matter involved mediation and court proceedings before being settled by the Human Rights Commission in May without a determination of the allegations. Rioli has played several matches in the Northern Territory but has lived a concealed life since his premature retirement. Another all-time great in Gary Ablett Jnr was named Victoria's No.1 pick. All Stars coach Shane Crawford said he was looking for a 'bums on seats player' and found the perfect type in his former premiership teammate. 'We thought we might go with Kane Cornes when they said (Gary) Ablett Jnr so we could tag him,' Crawford told SEN. 'Our number one pick, we want to have fun, we've gone the ultimate 'No. 1 bums on seats player'. 'A player with one of the all-time great highlight reels in the history of the games and that is Cyril Rioli.' There was a report earlier this year Rioli pondered an AFL return under coach Alastair Clarkson when he accepted the role as North Melbourne coach. Rioli's return never eventuated but he will lace up the boots at Marvel Stadium for the charity match which will be played on Thursday, August 28.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hawthorn great and Norm Smith medallists Cyril Rioli is set for a football comeback this year
AFL great Cyril Rioli will make his first public football comeback since his messy exit and prolonged absence from the game when he runs out in the reborn EJ Whitten Legends Game. After a six-year break the charity match is returning in August with a raft of big names locked in including Rioli and Gary Ablett junior. Rioli, a four-time premiership player and Norm Smith Medal winner, was unveiled as the All Stars' No.1 pick on Tuesday morning. The selection of the former excitement machine is a positive sign after he was involved in a lengthy battle with his former club over historical claims of racism including some levelled at his premiership coach, Alastair Clarkson, first raised in 2022. The matter involved mediation and court proceedings before being settled by the Human Rights Commission in May without a determination of the allegations. Rioli has played several matches in the Northern Territory but has lived a concealed life since his premature retirement. Another all-time great in Gary Ablett Jnr was named Victoria's No.1 pick. All Stars coach Shane Crawford said he was looking for a 'bums on seats player' and found the perfect type in his former premiership teammate. 'We thought we might go with Kane Cornes when they said (Gary) Ablett Jnr so we could tag him,' Crawford told SEN. 'Our number one pick, we want to have fun, we've gone the ultimate 'No. 1 bums on seats player'. 'A player with one of the all-time great highlight reels in the history of the games and that is Cyril Rioli.' There was a report earlier this year Rioli pondered an AFL return under coach Alastair Clarkson when he accepted the role as North Melbourne coach.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Lance Franklin kickstarts his new career with a sensational statement that will make some AFL figures furious
Lance Franklin has put a rocket booster under his new career as a footy commentator by making a sensational call for Carlton coach Michael Voss to be sacked. Franklin made the head-turning statement on his podcast with former Hawthorn teammate Shane Crawford after the Blues were slammed by fans and experts after their shocking 11-point loss to North Melbourne on Saturday. 'I'm going to put this out there, I know this is a big call, I don't think he sees out the year,' Franklin said on Monday's instalment of The Buddy & Shane Show. 'I think they've got a pretty good list, I do. I think the issue is the messaging is not getting through to the players. 'I think there needs to be change and we've said it before, we're all about the players and coaches, but I think this is a change that needs to happen, and it needs to happen ASAP. 'All of the Carlton supporters would probably say the same. I'm probably speaking on behalf of them. 'I think there needs to be a change and it'll probably happen in the next few weeks, is my tip.' Franklin's take is sure to rankle figures at Blues headquarters, with the club and captain Patrick Cripps publicly backing the coach in the wake of the defeat. Voss, who was seen yelling at his stars at three-quarter time, deflected questions about his future in his post-match press conference. Just 64 days after smashing North by 82 points on Good Friday, the Blues went goal-less from midway through the first quarter until 10 minutes into the third term on Saturday. During that period, the Kangaroos produced some of their best football in Alastair Clarkson's three-year tenure to set up the 13.6 (84) to 10.13 (73) victory in front of 56,236 fans. Voss gave a stern three-quarter-time address to his under-performing midfield group when they trailed by 46 points. The spray from the coach worked as the Blues kicked 5.5 to 0.0 in the final quarter, but it was too late for Carlton. Trailing by nine points at quarter-time, the Kangaroos surged in the second term with 6.2 to 0.1, prompting sections of the pro-Carlton crowd to boo their team off at halftime. The Blues boss launched into a fiery tirade at his stars on Saturday (pictured) but couldn't inspire them to beat one of the AFL's worst teams Fans again jeered the team at three-quarter time, and again coming from the field post-match. 'It's not time to isolate, it's time to come together,' Voss said of the booing. 'We love coming to the ground and having the supporter base we have and the passion that our supporters have, but we share in their disappointment.' Voss's animated huddle spray looked targeted at the midfield group, but he insisted it was to the whole team. 'That's not acceptable the way that we played through that period of time ... it just didn't sit with the mids,' he said. 'North Melbourne were much too good around the contest for us. 'I felt like for a middle patch there, they probably bullied us.' Asked if he was coaching for his future over the next two months, Voss simply put the focus on Carlton's next game against Port Adelaide on Thursday night.
News.com.au
21-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hawthorn icon absent from club's premiership three-peat celebration
Lance 'Buddy' Franklin made an appearance at Hawthorn's celebration of their 2013-2015 premiership three-peat on Friday night, but a fan favourite was absent from the anniversary function. Players from Hawthorn's most recent golden premiership era attended a commemorative function in Melbourne, with the club's premiership cups from 2013, 2014 and 2015 proudly on display. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Franklin played in the 2008 and 2013 premierships with Hawthorn but missed out on the rest of the three-peat after he moved to the Sydney Swans, playing out the rest of his career there and losing three grand finals, including the 2014 decider to Hawthorn. The legendary goalkicker was in good spirits as he chatted to former Hawks spearhead Jarryd Roughead and the likes of Luke Hodge, Isaac Smith Sam Mitchell. Franklin, who is expecting his third child with wife Jesinta, didn't attend Hawthorn's 100-year club anniversary earlier this year. One fan commented on Instagram: 'Seeing Bud at Hawk functions and talking about Hawthorn warms my heart.' Franklin now co-hosts a podcast with Hawthorn champion and 2008 premiership teammate Shane Crawford. But not every player from Hawthorn's premiership three-peat could attend, and one notable absentee was legendary small forward Cyril Rioli. The 2015 Norm Smith Medallist was one of just six players to play in the three-peat and the 2008 flag, but his relationship with Hawthorn has soured over allegations of racism during his time at Hawthorn. Rioli retired in 2018 after playing 189 games across a career that saw him win Goal of the Year in 2009 and named to the All Australian team on three occasions. Neither Rioli or former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, now the coach of North Melbourne, were at the three-peat function. One fan commented on social media: 'Someone missing', while a second said: 'Where's Cyril?' A third said: 'Cyril will never come back it's sad.' Another commented: 'I do miss Cyril hopefully under Mitchell he'll feel comfortable enough to come back.' In May, triple premiership captain Luke Hodge greeted Rioli at an AFL game in Darwin and stopped to chat to his old teammate in the crowd. 'I hadn't seen him since about 2018,' Hodge said. 'I saw Mark Evans (Gold Coast Suns CEO) talking to him so I just wanted to go over and say g'day. It was good. 'He's looking great and had a smile on his face. He said his cousin was flying out there running across the halfback line. It was great to see him and Shannyn over there.' Earlier this year, Hodge told Channel 7's Agenda Setters: 'We understand that Hawthorn and Cyril haven't come to the stage where Cyril feels comfortable back in the football club just yet. 'There's been a number of guys that have reached out to Cyril. And we left on really good terms. When he retired he sent me a message saying 'thanks for all the development and help'. I've had no issues with Cyril ever, but it's almost like he's parted ways with everyone there. Even a lot of the mentors in that forward line (at the time he played) haven't been able to connect with him either.' Hawthorn have won premierships in every decade since the 1960s and now as the team's coach, Mitchell will he hoping that streak can continue in the 2020s. Jordan Lewis, who missed the event due to commentary duties with Fox Footy, said Hawthorn's dominant premiership teams were defined by their 'competitiveness'. 'You need the game plan, you need to be fit and healthy and everything to go right, but if you're not competitive, you can't sustain that long period of success,' Lewis told 'Players recognise that when they've been successful for one year and find it really hard to back it up. Then you really appreciate how good those teams that were able to stay at the top of their game and win multiple premierships in a row.'
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bailey Smith hits the right note at Geelong but he is no showstopper
Bailey Smith could easily have coasted along against Essendon on the weekend. He could have racked up a few dozen disposals for Geelong and saved his hamstrings for the far more onerous challenge of Brisbane this Friday. But that's not how he's wired. Everything is at full throttle. There is not a lot of craft or guile to how he plays. He simply runs the opposition into the ground. With apologies to Shane Crawford and Robert Harvey, he runs harder than any footballer I can remember. Prior to his knee injury at Western Bulldogs, Smith had been gradually squeezed out of favour. The coach Luke Beveridge didn't quite know what to do with him. The fanbase was increasingly frustrated with him. He was a hard footballer to place. He was a subdued, resentful figure. Advertisement Related: From the Pocket: Australian football is notably richer when it's open to everyone The ACL in many ways clarified things. Smith was barely at the club during rehab. 'A lonely, shitty period,' he called it. He was training on his own. He led an interesting social life. Relationships with teammates and the coach were fractured, perhaps forever. The Dogs were in an early season rut and he was swanning about with his shirt off in the European summer. Understandably, it rubbed a few of them up the wrong way. They'd protected him and tolerated him. Now he was singing off with a very strange Instagram post; 'To those praying for my downfall, thank you.' It was probably best for everyone that he left. The Bulldogs and Cats are two very different midfields, and Smith and his coach ultimately struggled to find his right fit. Beveridge was overloaded with midfielders, and the Cats were crying out for one. His personality and his game wasn't suited to being a fourth or fifth stringer. Since changing clubs, so many ridiculous things have been said and written about Smith. Here's Steve Crawley, the managing director of Fox Sports, speaking to The Age recently; 'Big-time sports need show-stoppers like Bailey Smith. Think [David] Beckham. Think Pat Cash at 18 with the bandana, Tiger Woods, think David Warner. Mortals are OK, but superheroes are better. He is Shane Warne-like.' Advertisement I mean, just settle yourself down! Smith isn't really a showstopper at all. He's a grinder. He's an accumulator. He's a death-by-a-thousand-cuts footballer. And clearly, if a recent podcast is any indication, he's caught between being Crawley's 'superhero' and the frankly pretty boring life of a professional footballer – eat, sleep, train, sauna, cold plunge, rack up 41 touches, repeat. Some of the language Smith used on the Real Stuff podcast would be familiar to anyone who suffers extreme anxiety – 'obsessive', 'perfectionist', and so on. As early as year 10 at school, he had injuries from overtraining and even a bout of pneumonia he says was caused by stress. In every article I read about Smith, the word 'complex' bobs up. We write about him like he's Hamlet. But in this interview, I simply heard a young man who's still figuring out who he is, who needs to be well managed, who's still learning how to manage himself. To his credit, he called out a lot of the analysis of the game, calling it 'toxic'. It can only help that he got out of Melbourne. If ever someone needed a bit of peace and quiet, it's him. It would be ever better if he got off his phone. But of course, that's the great paradox of his life. He has built his brand on that phone. Other influencers or fitness models of a similar social media reach would encounter all sorts of negativity and trolling. But there are many different layers when it comes to what Smith would cop – 17 supporter bases willing him to fail, a governing body that will fine him without hesitation, imbeciles screaming at him from over the fence, taggers, his former club, and an entire industry of analysis shows designed to pick apart, scold and rein him in. Related: Bailey Smith embraces the big stage as Geelong hold nerve in another Easter classic | Jonathan Horn Advertisement With Bailey Smith, it has always been about something else other than football. It has always been about the brand, the monkey mind, the fireside chats, the abs, the smartassery, the sculptural miracle of the hair, the petty offences. However, he has been an outstanding footballer at Geelong. He resembles Fabio and still occasionally kicks like him, but given the frantic, full pelt way his new team seeks to play, the odd stray kick isn't necessarily a bad thing. Watching someone like Scott Pendlebury play footy is like settling into a pair of old slippers. Watching Smith is very different. The hyperactivity of his game can make it seem as though he is constantly on the verge of blowing up, of running out of batteries. You worry about him but there he is, moving like a shovel snouted lizard, notching up his 41st possession, and moving into Brownlow medal favouritism.
