My Footy

Chelsea Roffey is one of the AFL's top goal umpires, says Adrian Anderson

AFL FOOTBALL operations manager Adrian Anderson has stressed the League’s desire to see an increase in the number of women officiating in matches.

Anderson told afl.com.au that the ultimate goal is to see a female field or boundary umpire officiating at the highest level.

“One of our best goal umpires is Chelsea Roffey, so we’d love to see some others make the elite level,” he said.

“Obviously there are intense physical and mental demands on field umpires, but they’re demands that could be met by women.”

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ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig says it would be the AFL’s loss if departing Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams walks away from the game for good.

Williams will step down as head coach of the Power after Friday night’s clash with Collingwood at the MCG, with rumours the 51-year-old could become Kevin Sheedy’s assistant at Greater Western Sydney.

Either way, Craig hoped Williams, who guided Port to the 2004 premiership, would remain involved in the game in some capacity down the track.

“I hope Mark stays in football,” Craig said in Perth today.

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Dean Robinson

GEELONG has lost some talent to Gold Coast although not of the on-field variety, with high performance manager Dean Robinson accepting a position with the League’s 17th team.

While Robinson will not begin his official duties at Gold Coast until October, his departure from the Cats is effective immediately.

Robinson’s tenure at Geelong has coincided with a golden era for the club. In his first full season after joining Geelong from NRL club Manly, the Cats won the flag in 2007.

Two more grand final appearances followed, with another premiership being snared in last year’s thrilling win over St Kilda.

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Opposition to the new plan for the cricket ground could delay the project.

A $7.5 million redevelopment of the Williamstown Cricket Ground could be delayed because of one resident’s objection.

The project, funded by the AFL, Williamstown Football Club, Victorian Government, Hobsons Bay Council and other parties, is due to be finished by mid-2012.

The council’s works and assets director Phillip McDonald said the objection, from a local resident, had to be heard by planning tribunal VCAT.

“Mediation between the parties has been unsuccessful and the VCAT hearing will take place in early August,” Mr McDonald said.

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A WAFL player faces a two-year ban after testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

East Perth midfielder Dean Cadwallader, 19, returned the positive result for nandrolone in an out-of-competition test carried out by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) during this year’s WA state program.

Both Cadwallader’s A and B samples were positive.

The prescribed penalty for using anabolic steroids under the WAFL’s anti-doping code is a two-year ban from all levels of the game.

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Vic Country's Shaun Atley. Photo: Ken Irwin

THE national under-18 championships have concluded with clubs still considering the approaching national draft a challenge.

Recruiters surveyed by The Sunday Age during the week expected many clubs to take a minimum number of picks in the compromised November draft, and for “needs” to influence first-round decisions more than they have in past years.

Having already removed 11 players from the draft pool – under the rule that allowed them to pre-sign a dozen 17-year-olds last year – the Gold Coast will make nine of the first 11 choices in the draft, pushing the existing clubs’ first-round choices well down the order.

Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said while the championships had confirmed to him that each club would still have access to a talented player in the first round, clubs that were taking their first pick in the 20s – rather than at 10 or 11 – would naturally be making a more speculative choice.

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BEN Cousins is still being assessed by doctors in the emergency department of the Epworth hospital after suffering a recurrence of a stomach complaint.

The Age understands the 31-year-old recovering drug addict is not in intensive care, as has been reported.

The Richmond onballer was rushed to hospital in an ambulance around 11:45am today and was still having his condition assessed in an emergency department booth at 1:20pm.

Richmond released a statement saying Cousins had suffered from “an adverse reaction to a sleeping tablet” and that the club was awaiting further updates.

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Music, footy and beer A suggestion to enliven AFL grand final pre-match entertainment. Photo: Joe Armao

FEMALE players and umpires mixed it up with the blokes, dogs and kids ran around the ground during breaks, fans feasted on cold cans of beer and were entertained as much by streakers and live bands as the football.

It was about as far away as you get from the corporatised AFL as you can get, but the 10,000 people who turned up to Elsternwick Park yesterday to cheer on the musicians and radio broadcasters duking it out in the annual Community Cup proved that there is still plenty of love for the suburban game.

The match wasn’t much of a spectacle – professional sportsmen have not had much luck in crossing over into the arts, and it seems to apply the other way around.

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Andrew Lovett faces a committal hearing over rape charges. Source: Herald Sun

AT least two AFL clubs will consider drafting Andrew Lovett if he is cleared of rape charges next month.

The sacked Saint is due to face a committal hearing on August 10, at which a Melbourne magistrate will decide whether he goes to trial.

Lovett’s management yesterday confirmed recruiters from two clubs had expressed interest in reigniting his career if the charges are dropped.

“Andrew hasn’t given up on his dream of playing in the AFL, but he knows he has a very serious and sensitive legal issue pending,” Alex McDonald of Stride Sports Management told the Herald Sun yesterday.

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INTERLEAGUE 2010

SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

VS

RIDDELL DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Saturday 3rd July 2010

Springvale VFA Ground, Newcomen Road Springvale

Entry:
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Under 15, Pensioner, Concession
$5.00 Car Parking

Colts (Under 18′s) commence at 12:15pm

Seniors commence at 2:30pm

Tune into 88.3 Southern FM or 100.7 Highlands FM for a comprehensive live broadcast of the SFL v RDFL Senior Interleague match from 2pm.
Interviews and commentary with SFL’s Ro-Dog, Hammers, Jase & JC and 100.7’s own Wally Yeendy & J – Keep up with the all the action and live scores on 88.3 or 100.7 – where the locals are legends!!!

Final training session this Wednesday 30th June followed by a team meal for the players where the final 26 for each team will be selected.

FINAL TEAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BE VIEWED BY THIS THURSDAY!

Join the SFL Group on Facebook and RSVP to the Interleague event for discounted entry into this years match:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=105084517887&ref=ts

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