Crows missed a shot at Clark

Melbourne ruckman Mitch Clark talks with coach Mark Neeld. Picture: Quinn Rooney. Source: Getty Images

ADELAIDE could have had Mitch Clark in a straight swap deal for Kurt Tippett last year if the Crows had put the right offer to him.

The former Brisbane forward, below, shocked the AFL by signing with Melbourne, after strongly indicating he would only consider offers from his home state of WA.

Clark's manager Colin Young yesterday revealed the 198cm spearhead would have been open to a move to the Crows, which in hindsight may have been Adelaide's best replacement option for wantaway forward Tippett.

"Adelaide never came up, never ever came up," Young said.

"Mitch would have gone. There's no problems with Adelaide, they're a great club. You wouldn't mind any player going there ...

"In the end Melbourne's presentation was too good to refuse (but) the Crows could have matched the offer." At the time Brisbane was strongly pursuing Tippett, but only offering the Crows pick No. 8 in the draft and a later pick.

The Lions didn't offer Clark and the Crows didn't inquire about him because of the perception he was determined to move to Fremantle.

"Mitch Clark was going to Freo," Crows list manager David Noble said.

"All the discussion through that initial period of time with (Brisbane national talent manager Rob Kerr) was that was absolutely where he was going to go."

Whether the Crows would have been better off with Clark, particularly given what they stand to get for Tippett now, is a question all Adelaide supporters will be asking themselves.

Clark kicked 29 goals in 11 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury against GWS in Round 13. Tippett kicked 39 goals in 21 games but was hampered by a string of concussions.

Noble said it was "an interesting debate".

"I think if you went back and had a look at Tippett's year versus Clark's year, who is front?" he said.

"If you go back and have a look at the way Kurt pulled himself together in that last final, it was outstanding."

Noble said Clark wasn't on the club's radar at the time because they were banking on keeping Tippett at the club.

He said it would have been difficult to pull a last-minute trade for Clark because the club hadn't gone down the path of monitoring his form, investigating his character and all the other processes it goes through before pursuing a player.

"At no point did we have Kurt Tippett on the table last year to be traded. He was a required and a contracted player," Noble said.

"Our clear directive from a club perspective - with a new coach coming in - was that we wanted to back ourselves in to keep him."

At the time, Noble was also confident that the continued development of Josh Jenkins, Shaun McKernan and Lewis Johnston would leave the club in a good position to cover Tippett, if he left a year later.

"We still felt we had enough in the group we were going to develop underneath to step into that breach," he said.

In retrospect, Noble appears comfortable with the club's decision to take it's chances with Tippett, despite having lost him without compensation.

"I'm not a big one for looking in the rear vision mirror - we've made the call," he said.

"We played in finals and we were five points short of playing in a Grand Final... quite often it's easier in hindsight.

"Having also coached in the forward line, I know that quite often Kurt would take the number one (defender) so Taylor Walker than has a slight change in his defensive player who might play on him.

"Kurt's reliability in his competitiveness has been something that has helped out our small blokes on the deck as well."

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Ultimate deal a win for SACA members

An aerial view of the extensive work being done on Adelaide Oval. Photo courtesy of Aeropix. Picture: Ian Roddie. Source: adelaidenow

THE South Australian Cricket Association has embraced the new Adelaide Oval Ultimate membership offers and SACA members will retain their full privileges if they switch.

The view is in sharp contrast with crossing football members, who will be considered Stadium Management Authority customers rather than members who contribute directly to the clubs.

The key to retaining a SACA member's card if taking up the $795 ultimate membership - which gives patrons access to all regular season football and cricket - is having paid SACA's joining fee when first becoming a member.

The $795 Ultimate membership gives patrons access to all regular season football and cricket.

The key to retaining a SACA member's card is having paid SACA's joining fee when first becoming a member.

The entrance fee, which is now priced at $299, also stands in the way of other Ultimate members to have full SACA privileges; the most obvious one being allowed to vote.

If Ultimate members who joined because of their memberships with the SANFL, the Crows or the Power, wanted to become full SACA members, a waiting period and an entrance fee still applies.

It means the new Stadium Management Authority membership category cannot be used as a way to bypass the waiting list that exists to join the SACA.

SACA president Ian McLachlan said the SACA membership had never been more attractive.

"We're now going to have, depending on the game, 7000-8000 seats, in the shade, in the southern stand (to go with the western stand seating allocation)," McLachlan said.

"That's just beautiful. You can be behind the bowlers' arm, which we've never had, and in the shade.

"Or you can be side-on. I think a lot of people will continue to move around, and I think the back of the (northern) mound will be an extremely popular area.

"I know I'll spend some time there."

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Brown can be a force, says Priddis

BRIGHT FUTURE: West Coast defender Mitch Brown is an important part of the club's defensive depth, says Matt Priddis. Source: Getty Images

WEST Coast midfielder Matt Priddis has thrown a challenge to teammate Mitch Brown, refusing to believe the defender is fourth-fiddle in a strong Eagles backline.

Brown has a year to run on his contract, but went through a tumultuous trade period after declaring his desire to join St Kilda due to a lack of playing opportunity in the west.

The 23-year-old, who recently got engaged to partner and West Coast Fever netballer Shae Bolton, sits behind skipper Darren Glass, the club's Player of the Finals Eric Mackenzie and Will Schofield in the key position stakes.

But Priddis said Brown was more than capable of leapfrogging his way into the best 22.

"Obviously, he's got his family and friends in Melbourne, but he's been at West Coast since he was 17," Priddis said.

"The opportunity for him is there and I'm a big believer that, if he gets a full pre-season into him with no injuries, then he's as good an athlete as we've got.

"He could force his way into the side on form and that should be his absolute focus; to make sure he has the best pre-season possible and puts his hat in the ring to be in the starting 18.

"He's definitely capable of doing that and it's great we've been able to keep him, he's a good guy to have around the club and he'll be a good guy to fill Darren's shoes once he does decide to retire."

Brown's request to head east came amidst an active trade period for West Coast as the club moved away from its recent development mindset of utilising higher picks, instead bringing in the WA trio of Collingwood's Sharrod Wellingham, Melbourne midfielder Cale Morton and small Saints utility Jamie Cripps.

Premiership on-baller Daniel Kerr said the personnel focus reminded him of the build-up to the Eagles' 2006 flag, when the club brought in the hard bodies of Hawthorn's Daniel Chick and Adelaide's Tyson Stenglein.

"We seem to have a squad capable of making the four, we just need a couple of additions, a couple of tweaks and a little bit of a better run of good luck with injuries and I think we'll be a force," Kerr said.

"Morton has a lot of talent, he was an extremely high draft pick and you don't lose that talent overnight, so hopefully he can come home to WA and break into the side. Wellingham's a proven performer and he can only bring strength to our side."

Priddis and Kerr are supporting the Sunshine Beach Run, dedicated to anyone touched by the death of a child, with aims to raise funds for research into SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and SUDC (Sudden Unexpected Death of a Child), while providing grief counselling for those affected by the loss.

The second instalment of the run will be held on Sunday, February 10, with distances ranging from a 1km run/walk to a 5km run/walk.

Go to www.sunshinebeachrun.com.au

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Victory is tweet for AFL players

AFLPA general manager (player relations) Ian Prendergast. Picture: Nicole Garmston. Source: Herald Sun

AFL players will now have greater protection against internet identity theft after having their Twitter accounts verified.

The AFL Players' Association has moved to guard its members from Twitter fraud by working with the social networking site to verify the official accounts of players.

Accounts received the blue tick on Thursday from Twitter Australia to signify their authenticity. The AFLPA said the accounts of 425 listed players and 72 past players had been verified.

The players' association has been working with Twitter for the past two months on the authentication project as part of a longer-term relationship with the social media site.

AFLPA general manager, player relations, Ian Prendergast said the move would help prevent bogus accounts.

He said it would give confidence to supporters in their interactions with players. "The digital space has become increasingly important in the relationship between players and fans," Prendergast said.

"We believe this is a great step forward in ensuring fans have the comfort of knowing they are connecting with a genuine AFL player account.

"In the past we have had players become the target of imitation.

"This step will certainly help prevent this from occurring."

The players' association said it had been able to work with the social networking site to have fake player accounts taken down very quickly when they had appeared in previous years.

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Dogs hope for a dream element

A ball-magnet who can play both inside and outside, and can cut up games with devastating bursts.

High AFL draft pick hopeful Jono O'Rourke breaks a tackle. He could be headed for the Western Bulldogs. Source: Herald Sun

THE Western Bulldogs midfield of the future is shaping as a band of ferocious ball winners which relishes tough contests.

The missing ingredient - polish - could be delivered at next week's draft in the form of Jono O'Rourke, who is firming as the Dogs' prized No.5 pick.

And the classy, smooth-moving midfielder would be a steal according to some rivals, who rate O'Rourke as the third-best talent in the draft.

But with GWS unlikely to chase midfielders with all of its first three selections, and Melbourne's infatuation with hard-nut Ollie Wines, the Dogs could be delivered a dream result.

"The Bulldogs are probably my preferred club," said O'Rourke, who is mates with Dogs defender Michael Talia.

"I think it's a team I could get involved in and use my strengths for. It's close to home and a good area, too."

Calder Cannons talent manager Ian Kyte said Whitten Oval would be a good fit for "Rolls-Royce" O'Rourke.

"He'd be sensational there. I wouldn't mind getting off (Tom) Liberatore and (Mitch) Wallis' handballs from inside and streaming down the wing," Kyte said.

O'Rourke shone for Vic Metro this year with his ball use tracking at 78 per cent and his ability to cut sides open with devastating bursts impressing coaches.

"He seems to glide around the ground and not be over-extending himself, but he never gets caught," Kyte said.

w"A couple of times he won the centre clearance and then hit a Joey (Daniher) up on the lead and it was AFL-like, it was very enjoyable to watch."

O'Rourke put his mix of inside and outside work down to decision making and modelling his game on Trent Cotchin and Scott Pendlebury.

"If I see a player who can win the ball you rely on them to get it out to you, but if you're in the spot to be that ball winner you have to make that decision, you cant be half-hearted," he said.

"If I'm in space I like to take my time to help my execution, but if I'm under the pump I can use that breakaway speed to give that extra bit of time."

THE JONO O'ROURKE FILE

AGE: 18

HEIGHT: 184cm

WEIGHT: 73kg

FROM: Calder Cannons

POSITION: Classy midfielder

PREDICTED DRAFT RANGE: 3-8

IN THE MIX: GWS (No.3), Dogs (5), Lions (8)

PLAYS LIKE: Trent Cotchin

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Dockers head abroad for coaching clues

HEADING ABROAD: Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon and his coaching staff are scouring the world to gain a tactical edge. Picture: Anthony Reginato Source: PerthNow

FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon and the club's senior coaching brains trust have spent the past week in the US and UK visiting some of the biggest sporting organisations in the world.

Lyon, who has been joined by assistant coaches Peter Sumich and Simon Lloyd and football operations manager Chris Bond, spent time at English Premier League giants Liverpool and will attend tonight's glamour fixture between the Reds and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London.

Earlier in the week, the group visited reigning Superbowl champions the New York Giants, along with fellow NFL teams the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings.

The 10-day research trip is to look at coaching methods, sports science and athlete development.

Lyon is known for his obsession with "team defence" and it is understood he has taken a special interest in the defensive mechanisms employed at the highest levels of American Football and soccer.

The Dockers coaches have also been happy to share some of their knowledge.

Fremantle's youngest players will return for pre-season training on Wednesday. The rest of the squad will join in over the next fortnight, with the oldest players due to return on November 28.

The Dockers will welcome new assistant coach Brett Kirk, who retired at the end of the 2010 season after playing 241 games for Sydney, including the 2005 premiership.

"Having two years away from the game allowed me to see footy from a different angle, but it did make me realise my strong desire to coach," Kirk said.

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Ricky up for grab at second chance

Ricky Petterd will train with Richmond in a bid to revive his AFL career. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

FORMER Melbourne forward Ricky Petterd has been invited to train with Richmond next week as he seeks to resuscitate a career that has stalled at just 24.

Petterd yesterday said he was desperate for another chance - most likely as a rookie - after revealing his achilles soreness was so painful he struggled to walk at times this year.

The talented mid-sized forward underwent surgery after Round 18, and was subsequently delisted by Melbourne on the last day of the trade period.

Petterd knocked back a lucrative Gold Coast offer just two years ago, and is aware how quickly his reputation has slumped.

Richmond is one of several Victorian clubs considering him as a rookie option, and Petterd says he is training hard for a second chance.

"I have had a couple of chats with Richmond and a couple of other clubs, so I will just have a run around with them," he said.

"I kind of had an idea it was coming. I had a couple of years with injury and I am a realist - footy clubs can't hold on to players forever. For 20 months I have had a really bad achilles and it was grounding me. I lost a lot of pace and jump.

"It was affecting my mechanics with the way I ran, and then I started doing hammies and calves. I wasn't being honest about how my body was feeling. Halfway through the year I couldn't walk when I got out of bed.

"The pain was excruciating, but I tried to get through it and I knew I was playing for a contract or to impress other clubs and I kept playing."

Surgery to ease the pressure on the sheath that surrounds his achilles was successful, with Petterd working recently with former teammate and personal trainer Daniel Bell to regain fitness.

He can run with only minimal pain, and given the lack of scar tissue has no doubt his best football is ahead of him.

The 54-game player says he had no regrets about knocking back the Gold Coast's cash as well as other rival offers to stay put at the end of 2010.

"(My career) has turned around a fair bit," he says.

"I had a chat with other clubs too, and knocked them back to give Neeldy (Mark Neeld) a chance. It wasn't his fault what happened. It was me. But I definitely feel like I can get back to that early-2010 form.

"If a rookie spot came available somewhere, I would be stoked. I would have that year to prove myself and fit in, and try to go from there."

Petterd was a regular in Dean Bailey's forward line during the much-scrutinised late-2009 games, but is adamant he was never given instructions not to try to win matches.

"Yeah, it was a little confusing but we got told by Bails he was trying to play people in different positions to see what they had to offer, and we have to take his word on that, and I do.

"He was really good to me, and he backed me in, so that will all unfold under time. There was definitely no talk in the locker room of whatever is being discussed in the media at the moment," Petterd said.

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Lions aim to lighten the load

Brisbane Lions doing high-altitude training in Arizona. Source: The Courier-Mail

HIGH-ALTITUDE training is still at the cutting edge of physical conditioning, according to Brisbane Lions, who began their Arizona boot camp this weekend.

While at least half of the 18 AFL clubs are destined for pre-season conditioning stints on higher ground, the value of training in the thinner air is being questioned.

West Coast's sport science team is not convinced such summer camps provide lasting benefits, while Port Adelaide's high-performance manager Darren Burgess argues that heat training can be more beneficial.

"Altitude has certainly been pretty popular with a lot of the clubs and a lot of the disciplined sports like cycling and running.

"But we'll stick to the heat in Adelaide I reckon," Burgess said.

After last year's experiment with their leadership group, Brisbane has sent the senior half  of their list to Flagstaff's Northern Arizona University where they will spend the next fortnight hiking, running, climbing, cycling and lifting, all at 2500m above sea level.

Strength and conditioning coach Matt Hass says their point of difference - and perhaps competitive advantage - is a less-is-more approach.

"We're not here for the traditional reasons, and we're comfortable with that," he said. "We're not looking for real blood changes. Our philosophy is to reduce their running load to get them through to Christmas really healthy and fit."

The scientific thinking behind altitude training is: less oxygenated air at higher altitude makes it harder to breathe - therefore the body adapts by increasing red blood cells or triggering a shift in metabolism.

Once back at sea level, it means the athlete experiences performance gains for the same perceived effort.

The benefits of altitude training for two weeks or more can last a month.

Lions captain Jonathan Brown stayed home to be with family after the birth of his second child last weekend but was so convinced in the method he installed an altitude room at his Morningside fitness centre.

Another club veteran, Simon Black, had a leave pass until Christmas but insisted on travelling to Arizona.

"Just walking down to the training fields, you start to feel your lungs burn a little," full back Daniel Merrett said.

"Last year I got super fit here." There are other benefits, such as the effect of a training camp.

"Being around each other for two weeks, the quality training in different surroundings is stimulating," Hass said.

For the whole two weeks all they do is eat, sleep and train - an environment that drives a spirit of unity and cohesion.

"Blacky's in his 15th year and I've been here about 10 years. It's  a nice change of scenery," Merrett said. "We're in each other's back pockets a bit, with no distractions, and that builds a bit of a bond."

Then there are the excellent facilities. The Lions have access to Skydome, a $30 million, 10,000-seat university stadium where they can train beneath the roof, which shields them from single-digit temperatures.

There is a gym with 30 tonnes of free weights which, according to Hass, is "very American. It's more than what we need".

Indoor and outdoor rock climbing, an indoor athletics track and endless mountainbike and running trails add to the overall package.

"The facilities are like nothing we've seen in Queensland. We fell very lucky to be here," Merrett said.

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Cook D-Day looms for Cats

Geelong could learn Brian Cook's fate as early as Wednesday. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

GEELONG could learn on Wednesday whether chief executive Brian Cook will make a shock switch to North Melbourne.

Industry speculation is rife Cook is weighing up a lucrative offer to become the Roos' new CEO after a highly successful 12-year reign at Geelong.

Geelong president Colin Carter plans to meet with Cook this week, following his return from a holiday in Nepal over the weekend. Cook has been trekking to the Mt Everest base camp with his son.

The man widely regarded as one of Australian sport's top administrators is due back at the club on Wednesday, which marks his 57th birthday.

Carter said the Cats were hopeful of keeping their long-term CEO, but have pledged not to stand in his way. 

"Obviously he's being chased by other people, but that happens to a lot of our people all of the time," Carter said.

"We will talk about what that means, as we do with everyone.

"We hope he stays, but at the end of the day, there are lot of issues that go into making decisions. So, we'll see how we go."

Cook is contracted to Geelong next season but could be enticed by a new challenge helping guide the Roos beyond the AFL's next broadcast rights agreement in 2016. 

The Roos, led by chairman James Brayshaw, have been intent on landing a top-flight CEO to replace Eugene Arocca, who quit after a fall-out with other club figures on June 5.

Cook's signature would be a massive coup for North as it endeavours to consolidate a second home base in Hobart and continue to build a growing membership.

Cook took over Geelong in 1999 after a nine-year stint at West Coast.

Wiping off a $7 million debt, he helped transform the Cats from a financial basket case to an on and off-field powerhouse. 

In that time, the club has won three premierships in six years and posted 12 straight profits under a business plan, which has attracted nationwide acclaim, entitled "Good to Great".

The Cats will play night games for the first time at Skilled Stadium next year as part of the continued redevelopment of its home ground.

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Power may re-draft Jacobs

Ben Jacobs will for the draft, where the Power will have the option to re-draft him. Picture: Simon Cross. Source: adelaidenow

PORT Adelaide will consider re-drafting Ben Jacobs, despite the defender quitting the AFL club and nominating for this month's national draft.

Victoria-born Jacobs on Friday told Port he will nominate for the November 22 draft, hoping to be picked up by a Melbourne club.

But Port say they could re-draft the 20-year-old.

Port and North Melbourne failed to strike a deal for Jacobs during last month's AFL trade period.

The Kangaroos offered draft pick 38, which the Power refused.

"We were not prepared to let Ben go for a pick that was below his value," Port's football general manager Peter Rohde said on Friday.

"Had North Melbourne been willing to negotiate over their first round No.15 pick, we would have been able to come to an arrangement, but they were adamant that wasn't on the table.

"Port Adelaide wanted to do the right thing by Ben but we make no apology for protecting the club's interest and not allowing it to be cornered."

Port used pick 16 at the 2010 draft to recruit Jacobs.

Rohde said he tried to convince Jacobs to stay at Port, where he played 26 AFL games.

"Everyone can see by the opportunities Ben was given here that we rate him highly," Rohde said.

"It certainly wasn't a case of Ben being unhappy at Port Adelaide but in the end it was more about a calling to be back in Victoria with his family and friends, and where he sees his future."

Rohde said Port would consider selecting Jacobs again at the draft later this month.

"We might lose Ben and if we do we hope it works out very well for him, but it won't always work that way for a player and we have stood firm as a club to make our position clear to everyone," he said.

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