Suns role for Hardwick’s partner ticked off; freak injury forces star forward out of opening round

Her experience and the club’s need for such expertise meant the Suns were always confident the AFL would support their decision.

Hardwick joined the Suns at the end of the 2023 season, with the pair moving to the Gold Coast where Crow has a consulting firm, Hutson Consulting.

Football department employees are agitated that the football department soft cap has only been marginally readjusted since it was dramatically cut at the start of COVID. It is the only part of the industry that has not seen a bounce back to pre-COVID levels.

Club and AFL administrators’ wages have returned to market rates, while player wages received a huge boost in the latest collective bargaining agreement.

Clubs did not raise the issue at the CEOs meeting held in Sydney on Tuesday. The AFL were contacted for comment.

Freak injury sidelines Giants spearhead

AAP

Greater Western Sydney will be without Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer after both star forwards picked up injuries in the lead up to their AFL season-opener.

Reigning Coleman medallist Hogan broke his thumb after accidentally jamming it in a door, while off-season recruit Stringer has been sidelined with a low-grade hamstring strain.

The duo are expected to miss at least two weeks, though Hogan could miss up to three.

Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer will both miss our Opening Round clash with Collingwood this weekend.

It is a major blow to the Giants ahead of their Sunday clash against Collingwood at Engie Stadium, already without star midfielder Tom Green (calf).

The Magpies are dealing with an injury concern of their own, with star Jordan De Goey ruled out of facing the Giants due to knee bruising.

Even though he has been training fully for the last three weeks, the Collingwood premiership hero suffered a setback during the pre-season and has not progressed enough to be considered for selection.

The Magpies remain hopeful De Goey could be available for their second match of the season against Port Adelaide on March 15.

Stringer, who already has a sordid history of soft-tissue injuries, had complained of hamstring tightness in a VFL practice match on Saturday, leaving the field after one quarter.

Hogan broke his thumb after their final pre-season hit-out against Carlton.

GWS coach Adam Kingsley was already mulling the make-up of his squad after the departures of mainstays Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling.

Jake Riccardi, Harvey Thomas, Toby McMullin and Joe Fonti will also have to serve two-match bans for their involvement in a post-season function last year, with fringe Giants player Josh Fahey out for four.

The surprising results from the club captains poll

Jon Pierik

The Brisbane Lions are favourites to claim back-to-back flags, and the Showdown between Adelaide and Port is the most anticipated match of the season, according to a poll of the 18 AFL club captains.

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos, who finished second in last season’s Brownlow count and third a year earlier, is favoured to be crowned this year’s medallist. Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli was also heavily tipped, but the poll was conducted before his ankle injury last Thursday, which has ruled him out of the start of the season.

Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron has been backed to win this year’s Coleman Medal ahead of defending champion Jesse Hogan and Carlton star Charlie Curnow, a dual winner.

Captains were largely split on who will win the Rising Star award. Sam Lalor, the No.1 draft pick and the man Richmond hope will eventually play a key role in their rebirth, had four votes. However, a dozen different players were also tipped to claim the prestigious award. Carlton’s Jagga Smith also had support with three votes, but the No.3 draft pick has since been ruled out for the entire season with an ACL injury.

There was a surprise result when it came to picking the game the captains were most looking forward to. Five captains plumped for the South Australian Showdown as their preferred clash, while the potentially spicy preliminary final rematch between Hawthorn and Port Adelaide, the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster between Essendon and Collingwood, and the NSW derby each had three votes.

Bruce McAvaney, the legendary Seven commentator, was voted by six captains as their preferred caller, ahead of a season where McAvaney makes a regular return to AFL action. Former Carlton and Collingwood player Dale Thomas was second (two votes).

There were mixed responses when it came to the ideal grand final pre-game entertainment, with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard earning two votes, and the rest one vote each. That list included Tame Impala and Dua Lipa, AC/DC, Robbie Williams, Dido, Charli XCX, Led Zeppelin, Mumford & Sons, SZA, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beyoncé, Zach Bryan, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Kings of Leon and Chris Stussy.

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Lance Franklin (three) was the favoured past player in their prime the current generation would like to have played with. Some interesting names were thrown up, including Geelong great Billy Goggin, St Kilda and Sydney goalkicking champion Tony Lockett and Robert DiPierdomenico, the five-time Hawthorn premiership player and joint 1986 Brownlow medallist.

The list of players to get a vote for best haircut comprised Bailey Smith, Mabior Chol, Brandon Walker, Harry McKay, Kamdyn McIntosh, Lachie Jones, Aaron Naughton, Bayley Fritsch, Zak Jones, Dane Rampe, Gryan Miers’ old dreadlocks style, Griffin Logue (in 2019), Luke Davies-Uniacke, Sam Draper, Taylor Walker and Hugo Ralphsmith. But the winner with two votes was Max Gawn.

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