Latest news with #CarltonFC
ABC News
a day ago
- Business
- ABC News
AFLW remains 'investment worth making' despite concerns, says Andrew Dillon ahead of 10th season
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon insists the AFLW remains an investment "absolutely worth making" as the competition battles with stagnating crowds and ratings ahead of its milestone 10th season. The competition kicks off with Carlton playing Collingwood at Princes Park on August 14. In recent years, the AFLW has expanded in size and season length while players are receiving far better salaries and conditions, but it has dropped off in attendances and TV ratings. The AFL has reportedly told clubs the women's competition is losing $50 million a year, though Dillon says that's not a "line" that's ever been run by the league. "We have a big investment in AFLW, but it's an investment absolutely worth making," he said. "And you can talk about direct profit losses, but I think what's also important when you're looking at a competition like AFLW, are the indirect benefits that we have from having an elite women's competition. "The increase in women and girls coming to our games, increasing women and girls playing our game, the opportunities that it opens up for our clubs in terms of infrastructure, the opportunities that it opens up for the clubs in the AFL in attracting and retaining broadcasters, commercial partners and just attracting fans. "I think it's an investment well worth making." Dillon was speaking at the AFL's industry summit involving staff from all clubs. Tuesday's summit included a presentation making it clear the AFL considers the AFLW a key "lever" in achieving its overall attendance and membership targets. Dillon was confident the AFLW was heading in the right direction. "Coming into season 10, we've got a really solid base from which I think we'll grow," Dillon said. "We've got incredible athletes coming into the game, incredible athletes playing and now what we want to do is just continue to promote the game and get more people to come and see it in person and then watch it on TV. "I think if you haven't watched it more recently, you'll be really pleasantly surprised. The style of play is really exciting, and I'm really looking forward to season 10 starting in a couple of weeks." AAP
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
AFL star Jacob Weitering surprises teammates with shock baby announcement with wife Isabel
AFL star Jacob Weitering has shocked his teammates, with a surprise baby announcement this week. The Carlton star, 27, who celebrated his 200th game with the club on Thursday, revealed that he and his wife Isabel were expecting their first child. And he did it in unique fashion, too, telling teammates in the dressing rooms following Carlton's bitter 24-point loss to Hawthorn. As he stepped up to accept a plaque commemorating his milestone, Jacob had just the news to lift the defeated team's spirits. The announcement was captured in a clip that was shared to Carlton's official Instagram on Friday. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'And to my close family, my sister couldn't be here tonight. She's in Japan with her boyfriend. I love Grace very much,' Jacob said. 'To my parents, thank you for everything you've done. You've been my absolute rock forever. I can't thank you enough. 'And to my wife, Isabel, you've been there from the very start. I'm so lucky to have you.' He then shocked the room with: 'For those that don't know, we're starting a family.' The news was met with a wave of cheers and applause from teammates and staff, as Isabel stepped into the frame for a romantic moment. The post was captioned: 'Weiters announcing this in his post-200 game presentation wasn't on our bingo card. Congratulations to Jacob and Isabel.' It was also met with a flurry of congratulations from Carlton supporters, with one offering an excited: 'The next generation of blues is going to be nothing short of amazing.' Another chimed in with: 'You played your heart out and you are one of the best players. I couldn't be happier for you, congratulations.' A third echoing the sentiment of many, added: 'Congratulations Jacob and Isabel, another Blues Baby.' Not ones to shy away from shocking friends and fans, Jacob and Isabel tied the knot in what was a 'surprise' wedding back in November. The pair had kept the secret quiet over the weekend, with the couple announcing the news the morning after the big day. Isabel posted several videos on Instagram, captioning the post: 'The best day'. The big reveal came five months after they got engaged, with multiple names from around the AFL in attendance for their big day. Jacob's teammate Sam Docherty and his partner Natalie played a big role in the day, with Natalie going on to post several videos on her Instagram story of the newlyweds after the ceremony. The ceremony took place at the gorgeous Ripponlea wedding venue, Quat Quatta, with Isabel stunning as she walked down the aisle. The pair were seen delivering their vows, sharing a kiss before being seen walking back down the aisle again, before stopping to pose for pictures.
ABC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
When the British and Irish Lions played Victorian Rules Football — and beat one of Adelaide's best
It's June 16, 1888, a "gloriously fine" Saturday afternoon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where 20 men representing Carlton had taken the field. That in itself was not unusual. It was the year of the 12th Victorian Football Association (VFA) season and Carlton were the defending premiers. Australian football crowds had always been strong, so Carlton's presence on the MCG turf would have been reason enough for a big crowd to have gathered, although this was even larger than normal. About 22,000 people packed the stands according to report in The Age, "one of the largest ever seen on the ground," while some other sources claim as many as 25,000 were in attendance. That's because this was no ordinary match. Instead of one of Carlton's regular VFA opponents, this team was international. England had come to play. As the modern vintage of British and Irish Lions continue their limited program of tour matches against Australia's Super Rugby franchises and invitational teams, it is worth remembering that in years gone by tours were extraordinarily lengthy affairs consisting of many more matches across the country. The reason for this is simple — it took months for tourists to make the long trip south and so, while they were here, they wanted to make it worth their while. That 1888 tour, for example, involved a whopping 54 matches being played across Australia and New Zealand, starting in Dunedin on April 28 and ending more than five months later in Wanganui on October 3. The Australia leg of that tour spanned from June 2 to August 29 but, from June 16 to August 1 as the tour ventured through Victoria and South Australia, they played only two games of rugby union. The other 18 games that took place over that month-and-a-half period were played under Australian Rules, while also playing an additional game of the domestic code on August 14 in Maitland, New South Wales. Eight of those matches in Victoria were against leading VFA clubs, with all four games in South Australia taking place against SAFA teams. But what on earth were a group of rugby footballers from England doing playing a game they had never seen played before, let alone had any experience playing? The answer lies quite simply in money. Britain's first rugby union tour of the Antipodes was arranged by Arthur Shrewsbury, Alfred Shaw and James Lillywhite, with the side captained by the tragic figure of Robert Seddon. Sports historians may recognise those names as being associated more with cricket than rugby union — all three played for England and all three were responsible for bringing separate English cricket teams for Ashes contests throughout the 1880s. That proliferation of cricket tours was starting to wear slightly thin on the Australian match-going public. Football, however, was an untapped resource and, during discussions with locals on their cricket tours, the large crowds that attended the local games were of such size that they piqued the promoters' interests. Football tours had been suggested throughout the previous two decades, but the details were proving troublesome. Getting a collection of footballers to give up their jobs for a period of some months was a far different proposition to encouraging the gentlemen cricket players to do so. Shrewsbury, Lillywhite and Shaw needed to make it worth all their whiles, a tough enough prospect given the Rugby Football Union's draconian adherence to the ideals of amateurism. The loose and nebulous application of expenses was normally sufficient to allay the authorities concerns and so they managed to convince the tour to take place, albeit without the authorities' blessing. The Victorian games were crucial to the coffers of the venture, so the playing of the Australian Rules matches was a non-negotiable. That being said, the tourists did not come in completely blind to the Australian game. In his book, The First Lions of Rugby, Sean Fagan writes that "the codes, both in Britain and in Australia, weren't yet so far apart that swapping from one to the other was seen as foolhardy for an individual". Lillywhite noted that, having studied the rules, "there was not a great deal to learn that our players did not already know". A copy of the rules had been sent to the UK the year prior and, according to The Age, "two well known and capable Victorian players, PG McShane and J Lawler, met them in New Zealand, and have since (when ever opportunity, has offered) been instructing them in the rules of the Australasian game." The first Australian Rules contest of the tour — despite being sixth match on Australian soil and 15th in total that the tourists had played — attracted considerable attention, described in The Age as a "red letter day in the history of Victorian football". The correspondent was scathing in the "inhospitable and discreditable" way the VFA had approached the endeavour, and the "reprehensible" way that the two largest clubs had demanded a share of the gate receipts. The writer was full of praise for the English approach, however. "The visitors have done no 'pointing' to work up the interest in their play, but although new to the Australasian rules, and therefore manifestly at a great disadvantage, have boldly determined to open their Victorian campaign by meeting Carlton, the premier club of the colony." That write-up and the good will had clearly created a significant interest in the sporting public. "The Melbourne Cricket Ground was literally packed in the grand stand, the reserves and all round the playing ground," noted the Sportsman correspondent, writing under the alias "Goal Point". "Every inch of space being occupied by some portion of a man, woman or child, all eager to see how the Britishers would shape in their opening contest." It turned out, they would not shape up particularly well. "The Englishmen … never got the dash of their opponents, and the dribbling game which they tried several times, was not effective," wrote The Age in its report. "Of their whole game it may be said that they worked harder, but achieved less than their opponents; but it will be admitted by all who saw the much that they are a splendid lot of men, and only require coaching and training in the Victorian game to make a very fine team. "They made a very creditable show for a first appearance in a game new to them, and against a team of such calibre as the Carlton." The Bendigo Advertiser was less kind. "From the start it was evident the Englishmen did not understand the game, and the result was that the Carlton simply did what they liked with them," wrote their Melbourne correspondent. Carlton won 14 goals 17 behinds to England's 3 goals 8 behinds (in this era, only goals counted as scoring shots, even though behinds were noted). Of course, the fact that Carlton won the match should not be a surprise. But there was, incredibly, some success in this foreign game for the tourists. The Lions beat Bendigo by five goals to one in their second match, just four days after their visit to the MCG, before drawing 1-1 with Castlemaine. There were no other victories during their first stint in Victoria, but there was more success after they hopped across the border to South Australia in July. The interest was high in South Australia. The South Australian Register noted that between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended the first match against South Adelaide but the uncredited correspondent was not all that impressed with the tourists. "Taking into account their wants of knowledge of the rules it would have been a surprise if the Englishman had won," noted the writer. "They often made breached of the rules … but the umpire only penalised them for the most flagrant breaches. The reporter criticised the team for failing to keep their places on the field and criticised their marking and ability to drop punt, but did see promise — "in the ruck they were strong and generally managed to get rid of a too-clinging opponent". "If they only knew the rules better they would make a warm team," the reporter wrote. If only they knew. Just two games later, the Lions earned their first win in South Australia against non-other than Port Adelaide, eight goals to seven at Adelaide Oval. Port Adelaide was a strong team in 1888. At the time of the match they were second in the South Australian Football Association (SAFA) ladder and would end up finishing just half a win behind eventual premiers, Norwood. The South Australian Register noted that, "although the game was regarded as a foregone conclusion nearly 2,000 people were present" on a "rather showery" afternoon. "The Ports had a strong team," the article read, with a "J McKenzie being the only notable absentee" and yet, against the odds, "the Englishman" won. "When the bell rang the board showed that the Englishmen had won their first important match under the colonial rules," the South Australian Register proclaimed. "If ever a team deserved to win the Englishmen did … in the last twenty-five minutes their play was as brilliant as anything Adelaideans have ever seen at the finish of a game." The Lions lost their next two games in Adelaide against Adelaide and Norwood, the latter coming in front of "one of the largest attendances witnessed on the oval this season, there being about 8,000 spectators in the pavilion and around the chains," despite the "very threatening" weather, according to the South Australia Weekly Chronical. "Interest was maintained in the game during the whole afternoon, the Englishmen playing in a most determined fashion," the reporter noted. "Those spectators who had only witnessed the match on the previous Saturday [against South Adelaide] were greatly struck with the wonderful improvement in the Englishmen's play, and the opinion was freely expressed that they will make matters very warm for the clubs in Victoria on their return to that colony." And so it was proven, the "Englishmen" winning four of their six matches upon their return to east, against Horsham, Sandhurst, Ballarat and Kyneton, even if the short report in the Argus was rather snooty, "The Sandhurst men played the best game, but failed in kicking for goals," it read, adding "One of the goals scored by the Englishmen was kicked by a Sandhurst substitute." The closest the Lions of 2025 will come to Victorian Rules football on this tour is by re-visiting Adelaide Oval, the MCG and playing once more at the AFL-owned Docklands stadium. The success of those first, retrospective Lions did not result in the proliferation of the Australasian game around the world. It's success for rugby's codes is evident though. Fagan, in the introduction to his book, writes that the "remarkable and lasting influence of the 1888 team on the development and popularity of rugby football in Australia and New Zealand cannot be understated". He argues that the game changed dramatically for both spectators and players, changing the entire way the code was played in New South Wales and Queensland. There were other, perhaps unintended effects too. The financial potential revealed by the 1888 tour inadvertently resulted in a fateful meeting in 1895, where rugby clubs from Yorkshire and Lancashire formed the Northern Rugby Football Union, the sport that would evolve into rugby league. Of the 22 players initially selected on that first tour, 14 played for clubs that, by 1898, had switched to rugby league. Overall Australian Rules Record: Played 19, won 6, drew 1, lost 12. Record in rugby matches in Australia: Played 16, won 14, drew 2. Record in rugby matches in New Zealand: Played 19, won 13, drew 4, lost 2.
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Carlton coach Michael Voss says he needs Tom De Koning forward and there's nothing sinister behind his move
Carlton coach Michael Voss insists the way he has been using big man Tom De Koning is not a public concession the club was resigned to losing the out-of-contract star to St Kilda. De Koning copped the Bronx cheers, and even some boos, from Carlton fans when he took his first mark seconds before three-quarter time during their 37-point loss to the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night, Having stamped himself as one of the most influential ruckmen in the league in the first half of the season, De Koning has been stationed up forward for most of his last four games. In that time he's only managed one goal, while his understudy Marc Pittonet has taken on the bulk of the ruck duties. But Voss dismissed any suggestion that playing De Koning out of position so regularly was punishment for deciding to join the Saints. Instead, Voss said that was a long bow to draw as De Koning's move to Moorabbin remains firmly in the realm of speculation for now. 'It's pretty black and white for us … we need a role filled forward of the ball at the moment,' Voss said. 'We're challenged with some talls right now and 'Pitto' is in great form, so he deserves to be in the team. 'We need some tall timber forward of the ball that can draw the footy. 'You don't need to read into it too much more than that.' but Voss remained hopeful he would resist the Saints' big-money overtures. 'Tom is a very important person to us and he's grown at this football club,' Voss said. 'We'd love to see him see out his career here and we're really hoping that that's the case.' In an all-too-familiar tale for the Blues, their skill errors and inefficiency conspired against them in going down to Brisbane. 'Every time we felt like in the first half that there was maybe a window or a little opportunity where we could peg back the scoreboard, it was sort of taken off us,' Voss said. Carlton might've shown some slight improvement against Brisbane, compared to their three previous train wreck performances against North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Collingwood, but Voss said his team simply was 'still not good enough'. 'We want to value how we defend and appreciating that we've played against two really good offensive teams (Collingwood and Brisbane), but there's still things in our control that we can do a hell of a lot better and we're not quite at that level yet,' he said. The Blues coach also conceded that their chronic substandard ball use may create the impression that they didn't focus enough of on improving their skills over the summer heading into this season. 'We have to take notice of that,' he said. 'But in terms of what we actually did focus on throughout the pre-season, we spent a fair bit of time on it. 'It was a key part of the way we wanted to be able to change slightly the way we wanted to play in our game style.'
ABC News
09-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Carlton coach Michael Voss responds as AFL investigates threatening message left on MCG's anti-social hotline service
Carlton coach Michael Voss has delivered a powerful response to a threat aimed at him amid the club's poor form. A threatening text message directed at Voss was left on the MCG's anti-social hotline service during the team's loss to Collingwood on Friday, and is currently being investigated by the AFL's integrity unit. Voss admitted he was initially dismissive of the threat, but then delivered a take-down of frustrated fans who have responded to the club's current slump with anger. "We think by showing passion is about anger — and it's not about that at all," he said at a press conference on Wednesday morning. "There's a way we need to behave and there's a way we need to go about it — and when things are tough, you've got to show that support the right way. Not the wrong way. "Now if that's a measure for some people on what it should look like, then I'm sorry you don't belong here. "We'll move on and we'll make sure we continue to bring a supporter base that will support in the good times and it will support in the bad and we'll continue to support our people to be able to do that." Voss said while he was "dismissive at first", he quickly thought about the impact such a threat would have on his loved ones. "The first thing you always think about is the person beside you or the family member or the team. Because, as a result of what I do, you appreciate there's an element of scrutiny that comes with that," he said. "But then there's a part that's completely unacceptable — and I think we can all agree that part is unacceptable. And we don't tolerate that as an industry. "We leave that with the AFL Integrity (Unit) at the moment and I expect a pretty forthright response. But this is the current nature we need to consider within the AFL environment and we all have responsibilities … and you've got to understand that the ripple effect goes beyond what your opinion is. It reaches deeper." Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan described the threats aimed at Voss as an unfortunate constant of the AFL's coaching caper. "We've all been through that," he said. "It's tough. I see there was some death threats … that's pretty average. "I've got no doubt he'd be doing the best job that he can, but that's just the world AFL coaches live in. "Faceless people, lack of courage. As coaches, we try to brush those things off, to be honest."
