logo
AFL inspects SCG as decision day looms over Dockers game

AFL inspects SCG as decision day looms over Dockers game

Perth Nowa day ago
Confidence is growing that Sunday's game between Fremantle and Sydney will remain at the SCG after an AFL expert examined changes made to the playing surface on Tuesday.
Ground staff have been working since Friday to fix the issues that left Swans and Western Bulldogs players constantly falling over on Friday night. Work will continue throughout the week with a decision expected to be made on Friday as to whether the game will remain at the SCG or be moved.
Dockers coach Justin Longmuir addressed the issue with his players during a team meeting on Tuesday, telling them to focus on their preparation instead of concerning themselves with where the game will be played.
But vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw won't be taking any risks with his ability to stand up. Brayshaw will be packing multiple sets of boots and making a decision on which gives him the most traction during the warm up. Footwear will be vital if the Dockers play at the SCG. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian
'Obviously we're not allowed to wear metals but you can get some moulded screw ins to try to give yourself an advantage there. I just wear normal Nike boots but I do have a pair of screw ins that aren't metal. I'll definitely be bringing them,' Brayshaw explained.
'They're studs but a little bit longer than what they would usually be.
'I always travel with a couple of pairs. I'll definitely bring a pair of screw ins as well this weekend so I have a few options.'
'You've got to try to keep your feet as much as you can. There's a lot of footwork we do as midfielders particularly to try and stay on your toes because if you fall over you are no good to anyone.' Fremantle star Andrew Brayshaw. Credit: Daniel Carson / AFL Photos
Greater Western Sydney took to social media on Tuesday to cheekily invite the Swans to move the game to their home ground at ENGIE Stadium. They also suggested ENGIE Stadium as a venue for Fremantle's Captain's Run on Saturday given it is unlikely they'll get early access to the SCG even if the game is played there.
The Dockers have won their past two games at the SCG and also won at ENGIE Stadium during their clash against the Giants there in round 10.
Fremantle are in form having won six games in a row and have only produced seven-match winning streaks three times in club history. Brayshaw said they were excited about playing anywhere.
'JL did touch on no matter where we play, we are going to try and bring our brand of footy,' he said. Justin Longmuir chats at training. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian
'We've played well on the SCG in the last couple of times we've been there. So I don't mind where we play. JL said in the meeting that we'll play on the moon if we have to. We'll go out there and try to get a win.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy says SCG may be slippery but not unsafe to play
Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy says SCG may be slippery but not unsafe to play

News.com.au

time29 minutes ago

  • News.com.au

Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy says SCG may be slippery but not unsafe to play

Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy has defended the state of the SCG surface, rejecting a claim from Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir that it's 'unsafe' ahead of Sunday's clash at the venue. The AFL has sent its own turf expert to Sydney, which was hit with a deluge of rain on Wednesday, to look at the surface that has failed to recover from a concert held at the ground in April. After his players were caught slipping badly last Friday, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said the surface would get worse before it got better because of the weather hitting NSW and would be 'extremely slippery' on Sunday. Longmuir, who watched last Friday's clash from the stands, didn't like what he saw and the Dockers have been in conversation with the AFL this week before heading to Sydney for a crucial clash with the Swans. It was even reported that Venues NSW, which looks after the SCG, was possibly going to ask the Swans to not wear football boots for training this week to help it recover. GWS captain Toby Greene also revealed that he wore metal studs during the round-8 derby at the venue because of the 'shocking' conditions, risking a $40,000 fine for players caught wearing prohibited studs. The Swans moved this week's SCG training session to nearby Tramway Oval and while Grundy conceded the surface wasn't at its best last weekend, he said it wasn't unsafe. 'We play on it, well not every week, but train on it most weeks and have been for the last six to eight weeks,' he said on Wednesday. 'It's our home, so we're pretty used to it. 'Was it ideal? No, but I'm looking forward to playing there this week.' Grundy said 'dewy' conditions contributed to the slipping last Friday. 'Looking back, there's little moments where people are slipping over and whatnot,' the star said. 'But that's going to happen when it's dewy and Friday night footy. 'I thought the contest, generally, was a real spectacle that I thought fans got to enjoy. 'And as a player, I certainly enjoy playing in that (sort of) game.'

AFL 2025: Essendon coach Brad Scott on Zach Reid, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford and injury opportunity
AFL 2025: Essendon coach Brad Scott on Zach Reid, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford and injury opportunity

News.com.au

timean hour ago

  • News.com.au

AFL 2025: Essendon coach Brad Scott on Zach Reid, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford and injury opportunity

The narrative reads a little differently to Essendon coach Brad Scott. The Bombers' wretched run of injuries has deepened over the past fortnight, with Mason Redman, Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford and Zach Reid all pulling up sore from training. Setbacks to Parish, Langford and Redman all occurred during the Bombers' bye week while Reid was injured at training on Wednesday. Return dates for Parish (calf) and Langford (quad) are undetermined, while Redman (hamstring) will miss at least a week. Reid was sent for scans on a hamstring issue after edging closer to a return from previous injury. Essendon has 11 unavailable for Gold Coast this weekend – nine of them serving long-term stints on the sidelines. But Scott — prior to training on Wednesday — refused to view it as a 'crisis' and said he shared the same view of the fringe players who are getting premature chances at senior level. 'That's the thing about the headlines, 'injury crisis' and all these things – I guarantee you it's not a crisis to those players who are on the fringe of selection,' he said. 'It's an opportunity to put their name up in lights and get their opportunity they've been working so hard for. 'That's the silver lining for us. It's clearly not ideal, we'd love to have better availability, but we've had players emerge who wouldn't have had their opportunity. 'Even if we did make seven changes this week, Angus Clarke wasn't going out regardless. I couldn't have said that seven weeks ago.' Parish has played just three matches this year after missing the start of the season with the same calf issue. Langford, six games, has also been troubled by a quad issue in the past. Scott admits there is a level of concern for the pair, as their injuries are a repeat of previous setbacks – but he hasn't put a line through their respective seasons. 'I've heard some people say, 'That's it for the season', that's not our attitude. We're going to rehab them as best we can and get them back playing as soon as possible,' he said. 'It leaves (Parish) in rehab again trying to get back before the end of the season. He's a really important part of our team and he come back in after a long lay-off and looked pretty sharp. 'It's a loss to us but we've got to keep pushing ahead and (Parish), with our full support, got to try get to the bottom of why he's had another recurrence. 'It's always a concern when you have a recurrence, injuries are an unfortunate part of our game. You try to minimise them as much you can, but when you have a recurrence to an existing injury it is a concern. 'We've got to deal with it, I understand the interest in it … but my focus is purely on the 23 we pick to go and get the job done on Saturday.'

AFL Players' Association says 'fines aren't proportionate to the acts' amid latest umpire contact crackdown
AFL Players' Association says 'fines aren't proportionate to the acts' amid latest umpire contact crackdown

ABC News

time3 hours ago

  • ABC News

AFL Players' Association says 'fines aren't proportionate to the acts' amid latest umpire contact crackdown

The AFL has been slammed for dramatically increasing penalties for contact with umpires, placing a number of players at risk of suspension. The AFL Players' Association has called the move "disappointing", saying it wasn't consulted before the sudden change ahead of the upcoming round. Starting on Thursday night, a player charged with careless umpire contact for a fourth time or more during the past two seasons can be referred directly to the tribunal and face possible suspension. Fines have skyrocketed recently, with the total amount to exceed a record $1 million over the past 24 months by the end of this season. While agreeing umpires needed to be protected, interim AFLPA boss Ben Smith said the match review officer and tribunal system was "not working and needs to be reviewed and revised". "The safety of umpires is a critical component for the game, and it's one the players wholeheartedly agree with," Smith said. "However, unilaterally deciding to increase the penalties on the playing group to greater extremes without consultation is disappointing. "The AFLPA wrote to the AFL weeks ago to request a forum where the players can sit down and genuinely discuss these issues holistically with the AFL. "There are multiple factors that go into the number of fines increasing for careless contact with an umpire, such as additional umpires on the field and greater congestion around the ball, and the players feel the threshold of what constitutes incidental or accidental contact between players and umpires continues to shift. "They ultimately believe these fines aren't proportionate to the acts committed." Newly re-signed Gold Coast star Matt Rowell has already been fined three times this season for umpire contact. A fourth offence would likely send Rowell to an unprecedented tribunal appearance. There have been 63 careless contact fines this season, with 56 last year and only 20 in 2023. A change mid-season could impact the Brownlow Medal, with Rowell expected to poll well. Essendon coach Brad Scott warned the AFL was already asking a lot of the playing group. "I just hope there's a deep dive being done into umpire positioning for umpires on the ground," he said on Wednesday. "Player fines are getting out of control at the moment. "I understand the reasoning for it. The AFL has had their hand forced on this one … everyone's got to take some responsibility for this, not just the players." Bombers players took part in drills at training on Wednesday to ensure they aren't making unnecessary contact with umpires. "The ball-ups are the problem," Scott said. "The incidental umpire contact around the ground doesn't happen very often." AAP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store