Latest news with #JoshSinn
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Alastair Clarkson ‘pretty certain' AFL will make MRO grading change
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson foresees a shift to the match review officer's grading following the controversial ban to star forward Paul Curtis. Curtis returns to the Kangaroos side this week after serving a three-match suspension for his run-down tackle on Port Adelaide's Josh Sinn. Curtis was sanctioned through the severe and high-impact measures as Sinn was concussed in the tackle. The four-time premiership coach says the Curtis ban is 'done and dusted' for the 'Roos now but still expects the system to undergo change at season's end. 'I think Laura (Kane) went public when she said 'there's probably a flaw in the system',' Clarkson said. 'Somewhere in there there's just no scope for a two-week suspension or a one-week suspension on these sort of tackles. 'We thought he should have got off all together but we can sort of half cop and understand what they're trying to do when you get a week. 'For the system to not allow that to be the case and it be a three-week ban, I think the whole competition was sitting back and saying 'geez, somewhere that needs to change'. 'I would be pretty certain that there would be some sort of modification to that grading system with the MRO at the end of the year.' Clarkson is content with his stance on the timing of changes and hopes no team suffers the 'injustice' of a similar sanction in finals. 'My argument was 'if you know it's flawed now, change it now' – there's other things in the game we change mid-term,' he said. 'What happens if the Paul Curtis thing happens to a team in the finals or a player in the finals and they miss three weeks because of it? 'That would be a real injustice, I feel. Anyway, they will address it at the end of the year. 'It's done and dusted for us, we've got Paul back now, we're pleased he's back and it's unfortunate he's missed the three week.' Curtis is a welcome addition for Clarkson's men, who tackle ladder-leaders Collingwood at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night. Clarkson says facing any top side can be a 'daunting' challenge but is itching to see how his Kangaroos stack up against the well-drilled and experienced Magpies.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL round 9: Port Adelaide's four Showdown debutants prepare for fierce clash against Adelaide
Some have waited years, others have only had to wait for months. Regardless, four Port Adelaide players will get their first on-field taste of the incredible rivalry that is the Showdown on Saturday night. While for first year player Christian Moraes the experience of playing against fierce rivals Adelaide comes in just his seventh game and around six months after he was drafted, Josh Sinn's maiden Showdown game on Saturday comes after he was selected at the end of 2021. For key forward Ollie Lord the wait has been a year less despite him playing 24 games for the Power at AFL level. 'Yeah I know, it is funny (the stat),' he said. 'I'm bloody excited. 'I think, just the atmosphere I have been in the stands for quite a few of the Showdowns and it has been quite remarkable. 'It goes to another level, the crowd is insane and the games are of high intensity and I feel like I can feed off that. 'I have played in a couple of finals so I am expecting a similar atmosphere.' Lord's journey to taking on the Crows this year has been a different one to what many were expecting following Charlie Dixon's retirement. He wasn't selected for Rounds 1 and 2, but after injury gave him an opportunity against St Kilda in Round 4 he has grasped that with both hands. 'I'm pretty happy with how I have been able to build on my games week to week, I had a bit of a down week last week so it has been about just building consistency and I feel like every single game I play a new part of my game is unlocked and evolves,' he said. 'A little bit (it tested his patience) but I probably understood that I wasn't where I needed to be. 'Patience is a good thing and everything happens for a reason.' Small forward Joe Richards has played in some all-Victorian blockbusters for previous club Collingwood at the MCG. He said he was extremely keen to find out what Showdowns were all about. 'It obviously wasn't the whole reason why I came over here but it was part of the reason,' he said. 'It was part of the sell as well, coming over to Adelaide and playing in the Showdown. 'From what I have been told by the guys, it is a pretty hot contest and it seems to be that way for four quarters.' Richards got a taste of what Adelaide Oval can be at full flight when the Power shocked Hawthorn to end Gather Round last month. 'I'm expecting it to be a little bit bigger than the Hawthorn game and that was a big one in itself,' he said.
