logo
Greg swans into AFL job with a radical plan to exercise common sense

Greg swans into AFL job with a radical plan to exercise common sense

The Swann era has started, and it sounds more Ian Collins than Adrian Anderson, Steve Hocking or Laura Kane. That is not to say it will be better, worse or otherwise. But it will be more entertaining.
Loading
For each topic raised, he had an answer, and the answers were reasonable. Most would hold broad appeal on talkback radio. Why do we wait for ruckmen? And why do they have to nominate for the ruck like it's an Auskick game? And what is it with quarters going 35 minutes and longer?
Possibly because he had not yet had time to be briefed by his new staff on the myriad reasons why things are the way they are, his answers were pleasingly frank and not hysterical.
The AFL wanted challenging views from someone who was a game insider but an outsider at league headquarters, so they hired Swann. They wanted a sop to clubs and to return to speaking openly in the football vernacular to fans. Swann was getting in early to deliver on their request.
The AFL wanted someone from 'clubland' as though it is some amorphous beast where Swann speaks the groupthink. Being from clubland and knowing the interests and preferences of all clubs are two different things, but at the very least, Swann has the connections to temperature-check if his views accord with others.
Even CEO Andrew Dillon standing next to him at a press conference on Swann's first day laughed at the club man idea, saying 'give it six months'.
Amusingly, Swann chuckled up to the press conference and laid out some plans for change, then praised the good work of everyone whose work he had just been saying he wants to change.
Some of his preferred changes he reckons he could get in quickly. There is no real integrity problem in refusing to wait for ruckmen, but it could be his first introduction to unhappy coaches when the ball is thrown up before that club's ruckman is there.
Simplifying rules like holding the ball and the stand rule, to make umpiring easier, might take more time. Ditto throwing the ball up instead of bouncing. That might need to wait until next year. Resistance might come in surprising places when he presses the issue.
He told critics to suck it up about a rare 50-metre penalty for dissent that was paid at the MCG on Sunday when Fremantle's Karl Worner pointed to the scoreboard replay.
'I think everyone knows you're not allowed to do that, so don't do it,' he said, admitting others will complain of similar instances that were not penalised. Oh well, that'll happen.
His style was ironically more Peter V'Landys than Andrew Dillon. The AFL ordinarily ignores the belligerent V'Landys, Swann was more unafraid to dare utter the three letters N. R. L.
Swann took the lead of Andrew Dillon to remind all that his suggestions were all minor tweaks and that the overall game was in rude health. Best game in the world. He then went where the AFL seldom does and name-checked the other codes.
'From my point of view (AFL) is a fantastic game. It's the best game in the world,' he said.
'I mean, I've moved up to Queensland, obviously, and you get rugby league and everything else, the British Lions were there on the weekend. And our game leaves them in the shade.
'The things (changes) I'm talking about, hopefully are tweaks, there's nothing radical needs to happen.'
Loading
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sad truth as legend misses Western Bulldogs celebration
Sad truth as legend misses Western Bulldogs celebration

News.com.au

time3 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Sad truth as legend misses Western Bulldogs celebration

Bulldogs legend Chris Grant was the big name missing from the Western Bulldogs' centenary gala on Monday night. On a special night for the football club, it was sad for many fans to see Grant did not attend the event as rumours of a rift between the former centre half-forward and club officials continue to swirl. As first reported by Channel 9's Tom Morris, Grant was not at the Whitten Oval gala where the club celebrated its 25 greatest players of the past 100 years. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. It is a concerning update following months of rumours the 52-year-old fell out with sections of the club before his departure as football department boss last year. According to Code Sports in March, Grant and Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge were not on speaking terms towards the end of the 2024 season. Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains in February, 2024, said there had been 'tensions in many quarters' but denied there was a rift between Grant and Beveridge, saying those reports had been 'grossly exaggerated'. However, it is clear the dynamic deteriorated, leading to Grant's decision to step down in November — ending his 31 years with the club. Since debuting with the club in 1990 as a 17-year-old, Grant developed into one of the club's greatest players, twice winning the Charles Sutton Medal. He was named captain in 2001. His retirement in 2007 was the end of an era. Grant was loved on and off the field as a loyal club servant, reportedly turning down a monster contract offer from Port Adelaide to stay with the Bulldogs during his playing career. He was appointed to the club's board of directors in 2011 and moved into a role as football department boss in 2016 to oversee the men's and women's teams. Both sides won premierships, in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Grant's decision to step down came after the Bulldogs created a new position in 2023 which created distance between him and senior coach Beveridge. Former Geelong defender Matthew Egan was appointed as general manager of football operations following a review of the club's football department. It meant Beveridge no longer reported to Grant directly. According to The Age, Grant's role shifted to focus more on the club's AFLW program. It is clear Grant's messy split from the club cut deep, judging by his no-shows at recent club events. 'One person who isn't here is Chris Grant, who had an acrimonious split with the club last year when he was the club football boss,' Morris said on 9News. 'He missed the Round 2 gala at the MCG. And he's also missing tonight, saying he's unavailable.' 25 of the greatest all together. â�¤ï¸� — Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) July 21, 2025 Grant missed the club's 100 year celebration — against Collingwood in March — with the club saying he was overseas at the time. He played 300 games for the club and it would have been fitting for Grant to attend both of this year's big events. His farewell statement in 2024 showed how sad his separation from the club has been. 'I've spent over half of my life with the club as a player and administrator and will cherish the many memories we have created together at the Western Bulldogs,' Grant said. 'While the decision to pause and map out the next stage of my professional career has not been an easy one, I leave knowing the club is in a great position to succeed and write the next chapter in the amazing history of the red, white and blue.' Six living Brownlow medallists, including recently distant 2008 medallist Adam Cooney, attended the March celebration where greats of the club were recognised before the game on the MCG playing surface. Club champions, including Brad Johnson, Doug Hawkins, Rohan Smith, Scott West and Bob Murphy were present. It has been a turbulent time at The Kennel in recent years with the departure of several football department figures, but the club has banked on stability in handing Beveridge a two-year contract extension through to the end of the 2027 season. The Bulldogs have not won a final since 2021.

‘So rare': Tough trade truth behind bombshell Curnow report as contender considers play
‘So rare': Tough trade truth behind bombshell Curnow report as contender considers play

News.com.au

time4 hours ago

  • News.com.au

‘So rare': Tough trade truth behind bombshell Curnow report as contender considers play

Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow has expressed his desire to leave Ikon Park and play for the Gold Coast, it has been revealed. As first reported by Nine's Tom Morris on Tuesday evening, the dual Coleman Medallist is keen on relocating from his club of a decade, citing lifestyle reasons and a desire to leave the at-times unforgiving Melbourne 'football bubble.' FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. 'Charlie Curnow would like to play for the Gold Coast Suns. This is based around lifestyle, living in Melbourne and the football bubble — getting out of the spotlight here in Melbourne,' Morris began on 9News. 'Crucially, Carlton knows this. They've told him in the last couple of weeks that he's not for sale. Graham Wright also met with his management when the possibility of a move north was floated. It was made clear that Curnow is a required player, and contracted until 2029. 'His agitations have also peaked the interest of at least two other Victorian clubs, who are keeping tabs on his availability — no matter how unlikely a trade appears at this point.' Curnow returned to form with three goals in the Blues' eight-point win over Melbourne last Saturday night at the MCG, after going four consecutive weeks without a major. The 28-year-old signed a six-year contract extension with Carlton in August of 2022, with only Adam Cerra (2030), Harry McKay (2030) and Jacob Weitering (2031) signed on longer deal at the club than him. Gold Coast are currently fielding a forward line with three tall forwards in Ben King, Ethan Read and Jed Walter — the latter two each members of the club's Academy program in their second year as an AFL-listed player. King, who was drafted in 2018, reportedly has clubs attempting to lure him back to his home state of Victoria at the end of next season; namely Collingwood. 'They (Gold Coast) haven't chased Curnow, but they're aware of his interest in them,' Morris added. 'Curnow's not unhappy; I've got to make that very clear. Nor is he kicking the door down like (Christian) Petracca at Melbourne last year. But he's clearly been pondering what life in Queensland would look like.' Morris also noted on X that Carlton officials have told their superstar key forward more than once that he won't be traded this off-season. Reacting to the shock reports around Curnow's desire to move elsewhere, Fox Footy reporter Jon Ralph flagged the sheer difficulty of any hypothetical trade. 'We've told you a couple of times before that Charlie Curnow is grumpy. Now (there were) reports from Nine today that Carlton have had to tell him that they're not trading him to a club like the Gold Coast, that he's looking around,' Ralph told Midweek Tackle. 'There are various reasons that he's grumpy. He's got four years left on a deal. I can't see that would work at the Gold Coast: 'Alright, we'll trade you to the Gold Coast for a generational player. We'll have Matt Rowell? No. We'll have Noah Anderson? OK, no. We'll have Ben King'. 'It's easy to say one generational player will move. It's so rare to get two players of almost equal stature to swap clubs, especially when the Gold Coast is flying right now.' Midweek Tackle panellist Corbin Middlemas added: 'I spoke to people close to this today and essentially their feeling is at least one of them (Curnow, McKay or Walsh) won't be there next year.' 'We know Graham Wright doesn't have a lot of flexibility in the way things look at the moment. That would obviously give him some. The other thing I can tell you tonight is there have been at least half a dozen players meet with Graham Wright in recent weeks basically to search a direction for the club, which is hardly surprising given the comments from the president a couple of weeks ago that we're going to wait until the end of the season to re-assess what it looks like. 'So, a number of senior players have effectively tried to get ahead of things, go and chat to Graham Wright themselves and work out exactly what it looks like moving forward.' North of 15 players are still out of contract heading into the end of this year's home-and-away season, as much-loved Carlton veteran Sam Docherty announced his retirement from the game after this Thursday's clash with Hawthorn at the MCG>

Powerhouse sports company Nike warns AFL players about illegal studs
Powerhouse sports company Nike warns AFL players about illegal studs

7NEWS

time12 hours ago

  • 7NEWS

Powerhouse sports company Nike warns AFL players about illegal studs

A powerhouse sportswear brand has sent a memo to AFL players in the aftermath of the league's crackdown on illegal studs. It was revealed on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters in June that the AFL had sent a serious warning to players about wearing metal studs or stops. In that warning, the league reminded players they were liable to a $40,000 sanction should they be caught in metal or illegal stops. Not long after in July, Adelaide was slapped with a $7500 fine after Ben Keays and Josh Rachele repeatedly ignored the league's warnings. Along with the club financial sanction, Keays copped a $5000 fine, while Rachele's sanction was $2500. Now Nike has made it clear that the players are totally responsible for their own footwear, and has also issued a statement 'Please note: When ordering Nike SC plated (metal stop) boots, a player acknowledges that they are selecting a model equipped with screw-in metal studs,' the statement said. 'If the player intends to wear these boots in an AFL match, the metal studs must be replaced with compliant plastic studs.' Questions are still being asked of the AFL, however. 'We broke the story about the AFL warning (to players),' veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night. 'What has happened in my absence, is the AFL have finally admitted that the biggest club at fault was Adelaide. Ben Keays was fined $5000. He ignored four warnings. He wore metal-studded boots for five weeks. 'They said (fines were) up to $40,000 .... Josh Rachele, he was fined two-and-a-half grand. He only wore them two more times. 'And Nike, we've now found, has sent a memo to all of their players, warning them (about the boots) and absolutely taking away any responsibility from themselves, and saying, 'If you buy our boots, you better make sure you remove the metal studs'.' Wilson also wondered why GWS captain Toby Greene wasn't fined for wearing the illegal footwear. Greene actually admitted to wearing metal studs while he was on air as a guest commentator during a Channel 7 game. 'Why was Toby Greene not fined after admitting, as we found out, that he had worn boots with metal studs?' Wilson said on The Agenda Setters. 'The AFL said, look, he only did it once. He was given the rounds of the kitchen by Jason McCartney, his head of footy. 'But hopefully boot-gate is well and truly over.'

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