One Percenters - Today's AFL News

Author Photo
Sporting News Logo

Louie The Lip
Lou Richards has been named the inaugural recipient of the AFL's John Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award. The 91-year-old Collingwood Premiership captain from 1953 was presented the award for exploits both on and off the field as he enjoyed a long media career after hanging up the boots in shows such as World of Sport, League Teams and The Footy Show. Richards was also a match-day commentator for many years. "Lou Richards has had a profound and enduring influence on our code, both with a football in his hands and also, at the end of his playing career, with a microphone and a pen," AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said. "In each of these guises, he became synonymous with Australian football and the larrikin streak that often characterises our game. He never took himself too seriously and revelled in the opportunity to have some fun and to add some colour to the debates of the day.

Good Day for Footy
Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney is hopeful his side gets the chance to play a marquee match on Good Friday as the AFL look to introduce footy on the public holiday for 2015. "We'd love to be involved in a game like that. Clubs seem to be queuing up," said McCartney amid reports Essendon were to be offered what would be their third marquee match after ANZAC Day and the Dreamtime encounter. "Probably for a long time I have agreed with not playing on Good Friday. As a kid I grew up with the Good Friday Appeal. It was something that was always on in our house. It's a Victorian institution. But it's time for a game of footy now. We can probably do both."

Fyfe Dumps the Bumps
Fremantle gun midfielder Nathan Fyfe says he is determined to take the bump out of his game after serving a two-match ban for a head-high bump on Gold Coast's Michael Rischitelli that left the midfielder with a bloodied face. Fyfe was forced to sit out a big loss to Hawthorn and Fremantle's return to form against Essendon last weekend but is available to play against Sydney on Saturday evening. "Initially it was quite frustrating, as all suspensions and time away from the game are," Fyfe told the West Australian. "But for the betterment of my footy I really had to accept it, cop it on the chin and throw myself into my training and getting ready to play the Swans. The protection of my shoulder was borne on the back of some shoulder instability in 2011-12 and that was a habit that I've created and now I've got to get out of that habit. The shoulder's fully stable again, so I really have to retrain my body to go to tackle instead of bump because it could get me into trouble again." 

Tex in the Mex 
Adelaide's Taylor Walker could possibly be available for the Crows in two weeks as the power forward steps up his return from a knee reconstruction. If given the all-clear by his surgeon, Walker is a chance to play for Adelaide in the SANFL this weekend against Glenelg.

Crows Lynched
Sticking in South Australia and Adelaide veteran Scott Thompson says the absence of forward Tom Lynch for the first four rounds may have played a role in the Crows' poor start. "The way he reads the game is really good, his running patterns make him really hard to match up on," Thompson told the AFL website. "He's an outlet player for us … when we're going forward with our ball movement so he does help us out with those key areas and he's just this type of bloke who gets everyone up and about. He's great to have in the side."

Free-er Agency
The Age are reporting that the AFLPA are asking the AFL to consider a radical change to free agency. The AFLPA are proposing that players be free to move to a third club if they have been at their current club for four years and if they have spent a total of eight years in the AFL system. "We think this adds an element of fairness for those players who play at more than one club throughout their career, and are hopeful it receive the support of the AFL and clubs," said AFLPA acting CEO Ian Prendergast.

Easter Goodies
The AFL are looking at a big response to 2014's dud opening to the season by producing an Easter blockbuster to begin next year that includes Good Friday footy. Although the Western Bulldogs have made an official request to play on Good Friday, the AFL may turn to the drawing power of Essendon, especially as it may be James Hird's first game back in charge. According to the Herald-Sun, the AFL season could launch with the one-two combo of Richmond v Carlton on Easter Thursday, followed by Essendon playing on Good Friday. Although Essendon has blockbuster appeal to the AFL, they also play a marquee game on ANZAC Day, while the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne are definitely interested in Good Friday footy.

Author(s)