Latest news with #TheAgendaSetters
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Bigger than one premiership team': North Melbourne greats furious over AFLW side's inclusion at centenary celebrations, as Wayne Carey tells Sam Kekovich to ‘bite the bullet'
AFL icons are at loggerheads over the North Melbourne's upcoming centenary celebration, with club legends slamming the decision to combine the commemoration of Kangaroo's 1975 VFL premiership with its 2024 AFLW success - all at a single cocktail function before a Thursday night match. Sam Kekovich, a key figure in North Melbourne's first-ever premiership, has publicly declared he will not attend, calling the event a 'token gesture' and a 'political stunt' that diminishes the significance of the club's greatest sporting milestone. 'You can't conflate a VFL premiership with an AFLW flag,' Kekovich said earlier this month. 'We were the trailblazers. We deserve more than a stand-up, finger food reception before a game.' Joining Kekovich in the boycott is former teammate John Burns, who booted four goals in the 1975 Grand Final and says the club should have staged a marquee weekend gala to mark the occasion. Adding fuel to the fire is club legend Wayne Carey, who says he, too, is disappointed with how the event is being handled - but has urged his former teammates to attend anyway. 'I love Keka, but sometimes you've got to bite the bullet,' Carey said on the You Cannot Be Serious podcast. 'You do it for the benefit of more than just yourself. 'There are many, many people who've made this club what it is. This is bigger than one premiership team.' But Carey's own place in the club's legacy was called into question just months ago, after North Melbourne omitted him from a promotional video marking the centenary - despite his role in delivering two premierships in 1996 and 1999. The centenary celebration, set for next Thursday at Marvel Stadium, has drawn criticism for its structure and timing. Instead of a sit-down gala, the club opted for a 500-person cocktail reception before its prime-time clash against the Western Bulldogs. The switch from a round 20 fixture against Geelong - the club's first VFL opponent in 1925 - to a midweek slot has only intensified player frustration. Former Roos coach and legend Malcolm Blight said many players had already booked holidays and were blindsided by the last-minute changes. 'We went from a gala dinner to sausage rolls and stood around in the cold,' Blight said. 'No wonder some of the boys are out.' Footy commentator Sam Newman was more blunt: 'It's a disgrace. You've got Malcolm Blight flying in from Queensland for a pissy stand-up function. If you'd done a proper dinner at Crown, you'd have had 1000 people through the door and filled the club's coffers.' Journalist Caroline Wilson suggested a key point of contention is the club's decision to honour both the men's and women's teams at the same event. 'This is largely about gender,' Wilson said on The Agenda Setters. 'Some of the old guard clearly don't like that the women are sharing the stage.' AFL 360's Lauren Wood also argues that the club's women's program is an essential part of its future - and deserves equal spotlight. 'The AFLW team is part of the club. This isn't a premiership reunion - it's a centenary celebration. Both milestones matter,' she said on Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle. North Melbourne maintains it has invested over $150,000 in the celebrations and is doing everything possible to include as many figures from its past as possible. Former CEO Eugene Arocca also weighed in, expressing surprise that only one of the club's seven living CEOs had been invited. 'It seems odd when clubs like Hawthorn invited all their ex-CEOs,' Arocca told the Herald Sun. 'A 100-year celebration only comes around once.' Despite the growing discontent, the club says more than 40 players will take part in the on-ground ceremony next week, including Brownlow medallist Keith Greig and Carey himself.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Premiership coaches share new details of AFL's grand final recordings: ‘That's the danger'
Former Sydney coach John Longmire has explained why he has kept the SD card — which he was meant to be returned to the AFL's media team — from the 2024 grand final. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed on Monday that Longmire never handed back his audio data from the grand final — where his team was humiliated by Brisbane to the tune of 60 points — which was needed to produce a documentary for the league's website. 'We've seen plenty of the audio come out and it's been fantastic viewing,' Cleary said on The Agenda Setters on Monday night. 'Last year's grand final, John Longmire was mic'd up on the day, had the pre-game address, the half-time address, the in-box — everything that came with it. 'But post-game, when he handed back the equipment to the AFL, he took the SD card and, to this day, the AFL don't have the SD card — he never gave it back.' Now Longmire has addressed the issue, while West Coast premiership coach Adam Simpson has called the recording of the coaches dangerous. 'I thought I'd given up coaching and would be safe from all that speculation,' Longmire said on Fox Footy. 'I suddenly realise someone has thrown up something I thought was no big deal, but apparently a bit of an issue this week. 'It's strange. When you're coaching and you've been in grand finals, your natural assumption is you own the IP.' But Longmire — who retired at the end of last season after his grand final record slumped to one win from five and includes beltings in 2014 (63 points), 2022 (81 points) and 2024 (60 points) — revealed he hadn't listened back to the 2024 audio. 'I've listened to all the grand finals I've been in, some have been pretty tough listening, as you can imagine. I intended to do the same with this one,' Longmire said. 'But I did two things, One: I didn't have a card reader. I had no idea with the technology. But two: I just didn't want to re-live it again. 'I'd done it before, I'd listened and tried to learn something out of those games before. I just didn't want to do it again. Simple as that ... my assumption was it was my IP. ' I don't think I got paid for it. I think over the finals series now you get paid as coaches.' Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson said the audio of the coaches on grand final day could spell 'danger' for the people involved. 'It wasn't a negotiation (with the AFL), in 2015 and 2018. It was, 'Here's the microphone, put it on',' Simpson said. 'But we had right of veto. In 2015 it was my second year and I didn't know it was the way it was done. 'I think Horse (Longmire) was the one who actually brought in a bit of ownership of it and getting rewarded financially. Simpson said the AFL recorded the coaches movements on grand final day from 'literally the second' they walked into the MCG. 'Everywhere — with toilet breaks, in the box, up the stairs,' he said. 'Other than Horse's (audio that he's) decided not to hand in, there's hours of audio probably kept somewhere. 'That's the danger, I suppose — or the positive — that in 15 or 20 years something comes from a game that's been kept in the vault.'
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Wild accusation emerges behind AFL's club memo on illegal boot studs
There has been an intriguing layer added to the AFL's illegal boot studs drama with claims that a 'top club' is going to extreme lengths to 'break the rules'. It emerged on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday that the league has sent a memo to clubs, reminding them they are liable to a $40,000 sanction should a player be caught in metal or illegal stops. 'This is a timely reminder regarding the type of football boots which may be worn in AFL matches, specifically the prohibition of metal stops, which pose a serious risk of injury to players,' the memo said. 'To prioritise player safety, the AFL strictly enforces regulations that prohibit the use of metal stops or studs on football boots. 'As such, it is the responsibility of all AFL clubs and players to ensure that boots worn during matches fully comply with these rules. 'Under AFL regulations 4.8, clubs may be sanctioned up to $40,000 breach.' Despite the memo, veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson said coaches around the league were still concerned because the injuries keep happening. 'According to many coaches and footy bosses I've spoken to today, these boots, often the stops, are really sharp and dangerous. The coaches say this is happening more and more; horrible injuries from boots,' she said on Tuesday. South Australian radio host Chris 'Ditts' Dittmar has accused one club of a wild act of deception, saying the players are deliberately breaking the rules to get an advantage. 'I've delved a bit deeper into this. So what's happened is the rules did change and it turns out that clubs were told previously, you can't wear that's those types of boots any longer, and it will be a fine, OK, $40,000, quite hefty,' Dittmar said on Triple M Breakfast. 'Going on from Caro's story, what I've learned ... is that there's a club, and I'll say they're a top club, they're going pretty well, one of the top clubs, have got players, would you believe, painting the studs on their boots to make them look different? 'So they're deliberately wearing illegal studs for better grip.' Dittmar said fans and commentators 'get frustrated' when they see players 'slipping over'. 'So I asked a leading player one of these questions (about the boots). He said, 'Well, we have to wear these moulded soles that are slippery. They've got too many studs in them,' according to this player. 'Whereas if you wear the other ones that are better for wet, longer stops, less studs, that makes it better to grip, believe it or not, with less studs. '(But) there's a club out there that are breaking the rules, and we think that's why this memo has been sent again this week.' Channel 7 commentator Dale Thomas speculated that the new plastic blade-style boot could actually cause more damage. 'The plastic, blade style, they become more sharp than the metal ... it's a longer blade along the boot, rather than just a stud, it's almost making it worse,' he said. On the weekend North Melbourne's Jack Darling suffered a large gash in his shin when he tangled with Carlton's Jack Silvagni during the first quarter. The veteran was in immediate discomfort by the large wound, which raised concerns around infection. But he heroically managed to play out the match, but was taken to hospital after the match where he had the wound stitched up. Silvagni was cleared of any wrongdoing with his boots given the tick of approval.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
True story emerges behind Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis's absence from three-peat function
Hawthorn's premiership heroes from 2013-15 celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the club's famous threepeat on Friday night, but the absentee of some high-profile greats caught the attention of devoted fans. Among those who missed the event were master coach Alastair Clarkson and 2015 Norm Smith Medal winner Cyril Rioli, with the much-loved Rioli still in a sad cold war with his former club. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Former superstar and four-time premiership hero Jordan Lewis did not attend the event at Melbourne Town Hall, either, due to his commentary commitments ... and fans were quick to point the finger. Fans raged on social media about Lewis's absence, gobsmacked that he wasn't given the night off by broadcaster Fox Footy. But former captain and Channel 7 star Luke Hodge has now explained exactly what happened. 'It was a great celebration,' Hodge said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters. 'It was the three-peat so for all three years. It wasn't just the 2015 flag. We missed 14, because obviously we had a fair bit going on last year, so it was good way to celebrate, and majority of the guys got along which was great to see and, I guess, reminisce and talk about what we were able to (achieve).' Hodge was pressed on the absence of Lewis, which he revealed was simply because of an innocent mix-up. 'He got his dates mixed up,' Hodge said on The Agenda Setters. 'We threw around a couple of different dates. So he put in for a date to take it off from work on a Friday night, but then the dates were changed.' Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson also said it was disappointing' Clarkson wasn't there. 'We wanted everyone to get along,' Hodge said. 'But obviously people had prior engagements. Clarko had to coach the following day. Lewie had to work. There's a few other guys that had prior engagements as well. 'So no doubt, when we do it again, we're going to try and make it a little bit more of a player catch-up every year from now on. So hopefully they'll get along to do the next year or in the years after.' Hodge said earlier this year that Rioli was not 'comfortable' with the idea of returning to 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,' he said previously. '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.' Hodge caught up with Rioli in Round 10 this year when Gold Coast played Hawthorn in Darwin. 'I haven't seen him since about 2018. I saw (Gold Coast CEO) Mark Evans talking to him so I just wanted to go across and say g'day. 'It was just good, he was looking great, he had a smile on his face, he said his cousin (Daniel) was flying out there and has made a real difference to the Gold Coast Suns. 'It was great to see him.'
7NEWS
4 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Crunch meeting set to seal St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's fate as AFL contract call looms
St Kilda believe they have edged closer to securing a commitment from Carlton's Tom De Koning while a crunch meeting in the coming days will go a long way to settling Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's future. The Saints have been active once again in their pursuit of a high-profile recruit, with De Koning facing the ultimate test of cash versus loyalty. He has received a monster $12 million, seven-year offer from St Kilda that would not be matched by the Blues. But while they would celebrate poaching Carlton's ruckman there is every chance it will be a bittersweet trade period for the Saints. Wanganeen-Milera has emerged as one of their leading lights but appears to be seriously considering a move home to South Australia. 'We still can't say with any certainty where he's going. St Kilda still very much believe they are in the box seat,' Caroline Wilson reported on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters. 'They'll know more in coming days. 'My understanding is there is going to be a meeting between the two camps in the coming days, certainly within a week. I think St Kilda will know a lot more then.' Concrete plans for a sitdown is a shift from just a few weeks ago when the camps were still not set to meet. Asked if the 22-year-old will now be delivering a decision, Wilson suggested it is not at that point but the direction of the conversation would be telling. 'If the manager's prepared to talk terms and money when they meet in the coming days — I assume he's meeting (list manager) Stephen Silvagni and (recruiting boss) Graeme Allen — then St Kilda will be pretty confident,' Wilson said. 'If he is not prepared to talk money and he's not prepared to talk terms then I think it will be pretty obvious he is going home to South Australia.' Pressed on whether the Saints are 'clearly the frontrunner', Wilson said club bosses 'think they're in the box seat' to keep Wanganeen-Milera. 'But you know, they thought they were pretty confident of keeping Josh Battle, too, so they're keeping their powder dry,' she added of last year's loss of their key defender to Hawthorn. 'I think they're more confident of getting the big bloke from Carlton. 'I think Tom De Koning is 90 per cent now going to St Kilda and St Kilda are quite happy with the way those negotiations are going. 'They are rapt with Tom De Koning.' De Koning turns 26 in July.
