Buddy puts contract on the other boot

Adidas wins the lace: Hawthorn's Lance Franklin has traded in his Nike boots for those made by its rival. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

NIKE has lost its No.1 footballer Lance Franklin to rival adidas.

Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin has worn Nike boots since he made his debut in 2005, including when he won his first Coleman Medal in Hawthorn's premiership season of 2008.

It's understood the new deal is worth about $150,000 a season.

Hawthorn recently announced the end of its 30-year association with Puma, striking up a new apparel deal with adidas.

While players must wear the club's official apparel, they retain the right to wear their choice of boots.

It's understood adidas is in the final stages of finalising the deal and would not comment.

Franklin's manager Liam Pickering did not return calls from the Herald Sun, while Nike's George Lawlor was reluctant to discuss the deal. Asked whether Franklin was staying with Nike or looking elsewhere, Lawlor replied: "No idea."

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2012 countdown: Top 10 goals

The best pictures of the 2012 AFL season

Sydney speedster Lewis Jetta celebrates his incredible goal in the Swans' preliminary final win against Collingwood. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: Herald Sun

CARLTON speedster Chris Yarran won the official goal of the year, but an even quicker Swan might have gone one better.

Over the next 10 days we'll name the highlights, lowlights and simply strange moments of the year in footy in a countdown of top 10 countdowns.

We kicked off the series on Monday with the best 10 AFL games of 2012, and followed that with the top 10 marks yesterday.

Today the countdown continues with the top 10 goals of the year.

Did we get it right? Leave a comment below

10. James Polkinghorne v West Coast

Torpedo punts that sail through the middle are great to watch any time, and even better when your side is less than a goal down with about 30 seconds to play. That's when Polkinghorne pulled this one out of the bag from inside the centre square against the Eagles in June, pulling off one of the upsets of the season.

9. Ahmed Saad v Geelong
This might have been the moment Matthew Scarlett decided 'stuff it, I'm going to leave this to the younger blokes'. Isolated against the Geelong champ in St Kilda's forward 50, Saad gathered the loose ball, turned Scarlett inside-out and burnt him off before snapping truly from the boundary line.

Ahmed Saad kicks a goal ahead of Matthew Scarlett. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

8. Luke Breust v Collingwood
Third-man up specialist Jordan Lewis tapped a ball-up towards the boundary line where Breust gathered, spun onto his left and bounced through the goal from next to the behind post. Don't you love it when a plan comes together? It was the third of Breust's five goals for the day in the Hawks' big win.

Luke Breust celebrates a snapped goal with Jordan Lewis and Cyril Rioli. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

7. Jonathon Griffin v Richmond
An almost identical effort to Breust, with a few extra points for degree of difficulty due to heavy rain and the fact 201cm ruckmen aren't meant to do this kind of thing.

6. Lindsay Thomas v Carlton

The man who couldn't kick a goal from the goalsquare last year picked up a bouncing ball on the boundary line about 55m out and somehow wobbled through a bouncing reverse torpedo. Unfortunately for Lindsay, this game is remembered for another incident when the Carlton captain had a sudden taste for chicken wings. 5. Hayden Ballantyne v West Coast
Ballantyne was front and centre when Matthew Pavlich spilled a mark in the western derby, pouncing on the ball then shrugging a Will Schofield tackle, dodging Sam Butler then leaving Shannon Hurn sitting on his backside wondering which way the Dockers pest went before slotting the goal on the run. You can imagine the celebration. 4. Lewis Jetta v Western Bulldogs
Hard to believe this guy couldn't buy a goal in his first season. Jetta ran on to a loose ball at half-back, put on the afterburners and slotted the goal from 45m near the boundary after two bounces. We didn't know it at the time, but it was just a teaser of what was to come.

Lewis Jetta in action during the Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs AFL game at the SCG in Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

3. Chris Yarran v Richmond
Yarran won Goal of the Year for his Round 1 effort against the Tigers. He took Chris Judd's handball on the wing, shrugged off Ivan Maric then stepped around Steve Morris and goaled from the forward pocket. If only Dustin Martin had chased a little harder ...

Carlton's Yarran snaps a wonder goal from near the boundary line against Richmond. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun

And we won't ruin the party by asking if Yarran took the ball over the boundary line during his explosive run.

Chris Yarran runs along the boundary line on the way to kicking goal of the year against Richmond. Source: Herald Sun

2. Rory Sloane v GWS
The Sloane Ranger lived up to his namesake with his solo effort against the Giants. Gathering at half-back, Sloane sprinted up the wing, taking three bounces before sending an absolute mongrel finger-breaker inside the forward 50. He made up for that mistake with his follow-up, grabbing the ball off the boot of Taylor Walker and snapping truly on his left. Although Bernie Vince evidently thought he should have handballed.

Rory Sloane goals against GWS. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

1. Lewis Jetta v Collingwood
Ineligible for Goal of the Year because it came in a final, but that doesn't bother us. We'll also conveniently overlook the fact Jetta should have been pinged for running too far given he bounced the ball only three times while covering about 90m. Jetta left scorched turf behind him after he took off from the back of the ANZ Stadium centre square and ran all the way to the goal-line. Kudos to Magpie defender Nathan Brown, who chased Jetta the whole way knowing he was no hope of catching him - and earned himself a cameo in one of footy's great highlight reels.

Sydney's Lewis Jetta burns off his Collingwood opponents to kick an amazing running goal last weekend. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

Lewis Jetta at top speed on the way to one of the great finals goals against Collingwood. Source: Getty Images

Sydney's Lewis Jetta celebrates goal against Collingwood in the first preliminary final at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

TOMORROW: TOP 10 BRAIN FADES OF 2012

Follow Al Paton on Twitter: @al_superfooty

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Pendles makes switch to Tigers

Kris Pendlebury was named full-back in the 2012 VFL team of the year. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD'S VFL captain, Kris Pendlebury, hopes a move to Werribee will enhance his AFL draft prospects next season.

Pendlebury, 26, has informed the Pies he will leave the club after five seasons, including three as skipper.

The brother of superstar midfielder Scott, Pendlebury was overlooked again in this year's drafts, despite some interest from Collingwood and St Kilda.

Instead, the Pies opted for another key defender from the VFL, Williamstown's Jack Frost.

Pendlebury was named full-back in the 2012 VFL team of the year.

After 93 VFL games, Pendlebury yesterday told the Herald Sun he still wanted to play AFL.

"I had done everything I could to get noticed (at Collingwood) but it wasn't happening," he said.

"So I wanted to go to a successful club like Werribee.

"The Western Bulldogs drafted Brett Goodes at age 28, so you never know what's around the corner."
 

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Cats pour praise on recruit Caddy

Recruit Josh Caddy (right), kayaking with Shane Kersten, has impressed the Geelong crew since joining the club. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

GEELONG has lauded recruit Josh Caddy for his hard work since he arrived from the Gold Coast two months ago.

"He's been fantastic," assistant coach Nigel Lappin said. "He hasn't done a lot of contact work yet, that will start for him after Christmas.

"We had a time trial up the mountain ... on the bikes and Josh finished with the third-best time.

"He's another strong body for us in the midfield to take some pressure off (Jimmy) Bartel and (Joel) Corey and (James) Kelly and (Joel) Selwood, so we're really excited."

Caddy's power and poise were on show at yesterday's training run in Mt Beauty, despite the midfielder being on a slightly restricted program due to post-season shoulder surgery.

"It's never easy walking into a side with this much experience and this many good players, but I had a pretty good start to the pre-season," Caddy, 20, said.

Former elite runner Mark Blicavs blitzed teammates in two-minute sprints - after more than two hours of training in 27C.

Gallery: Cats roam the highlands

Blicavs tried out for the London Olympics before being picked up by the Cats.

The 198cm rookie finished streets ahead of the chasing pack, including Selwood, Josh Walker and Jesse Stringer.

"He's an amazing athlete, a terrific person and a fantastic trainer," Lappin said of Blicavs.

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Fiacchi secures Port position

Magpies premiership players Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi (right), who has been appointed to the board of the Port Adelaide Football Club. Picture: Simon Cross Source: Herald Sun

SEVEN-TIMES Port Magpies premiership player George Fiacchi has been appointed to the board of Port Adelaide Football Club.

His member nominated position was ratified by the SA Football Commission yesterday.

He replaces Alex Panas, who had held the position since 2006.

Fiacchi, who signed a three-year deal, has a strong background in marketing, media and sports administration. He is client manager for Australian Radio Network National.

Crows chairman Rob Chapman, former player Andrew Payze and Robert Foord have been reappointed to the Adelaide Football Club board - for three-year terms.

"The SA Football Commission looks forward to working with the directors of both Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs as we enter the 40th anniversary year of AAMI Stadium," SANFL executive commissioner Leigh Whicker said.

"I am confident the Commission and two AFL club boards will continue to work for the overall benefit of the game at all levels as football makes its historic transition to Adelaide Oval."

PORT'S round 17 clash against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on July 20 has been moved from a day to night timeslot.

The match will now start at 7.10pm after Greater Western Sydney asked the AFL to reschedule its night match against Essendon at Skoda Stadium to the afternoon.

This was to avoid clashing with English soccer giant Manchester United's exhibition match against the A-League All-Stars at ANZ Stadium in the Sydney Olympic Sporting Precinct.

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Talia, Petrenko ahead of schedule

Adelaide Crow and Rising Star Daniel Talia after breaking his forearm against the Sydney Swans in the second qualifying final this year. Picture: Simon Cross Source: Herald Sun

KEY Crows Daniel Talia and Jared Petrenko are on track to be fit for the start of next season.

AFL Rising Star winner Talia has almost fully recovered from the broken forearm he suffered in Adelaide's qualifying final defeat to Sydney, while tough-tackling forward Petrenko has resumed light skills work after having his right shoulder reconstructed.

"They are both tracking really well and we'd expect them to be right for Round 1," Crows list manager David Noble said.

"They're not doing any competitive stuff yet because we don't want to risk any setbacks but their running and general fitness is very good.

"Overall we are very pleased with how their recoveries are going and at this stage we'd expect them to get some pre-season games under their belts."

Petrenko who had previously had his left shoulder reconstructed had been expected to miss Adelaide's opening premiership season match against Essendon at AAMI Stadium on March 22.

But he is a month ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation.

"It's a lot better than I first thought," Petrenko told the club's website.

"It's usually a six-month rehabilitation but I'm looking to get back in five, which would be late February or early March.

"I was anticipating I'd miss all the NAB Cup, come back through the Eagles (in the SANFL) and possibly miss the start of the AFL season proper. Now I'm hoping to sneak in a couple of NAB Cup games.

"It still seems a long way away when I think about it, but it's looking a lot brighter than two months ago."

Petrenko, 23, dislocated his right shoulder in the Crows' semi-final win against Fremantle and took painkillers to get through the preliminary final defeat to Hawthorn.

"The damage to my shoulder was just enough to require surgery," he said.

"It wasn't a full-blown mess, so it didn't take as much work to repair."

Key defender Talia is taking part in all training except contact drills.

He must protect his rebuilt arm from a heavy hit until the end of January after having a large plate and nine pins inserted in the arm.

"I'm doing all the running and skills work. I just can't receive any direct contact because if it hits the exact spot where the bone was broken I might re-injure it," Talia, 21, said.

Talia who was a revelation in defence last season has spent the off-season improving his running. He said he was already ahead of where he was at the end of last pre-season when he was coming off an achilles injury.

The only other players in the Crows' rehabilitation group are Bernie Vince (shoulder), Luke Thompson (ankle) and Matthew Jasch (groin).

All three had minor end-of-season surgery but are expected to join in full training when the players resume training after Christmas on January 7.
 

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Malthouse's bruise-free Blues

Carlton coach Mick Malthouse and Eddie Betts after the talented small forward was made a life member with the Blues last night. Source: Herald Sun

CARLTON forward Eddie Betts has welcomed a no-tackling pre-season training policy designed to help avoid a repeat of last season's savage injury run.

Betts, who last night was made a Blues life member, praised the club for persevering with him despite some off-field setbacks.

He said he wanted to repay the club, declaring that under coach Mick Malthouse the Blues were capable of winning two premierships before he retired.

While tackling was a non-negotiable in-season, Betts said Malthouse had directed players to avoid heavy contact until the pre-season games began in February.

Betts said the strategy had left the players in their best physical condition.

"It's been pretty solid, training-wise, but Mick's a lot about getting everyone fresh and getting us all through pre-season not injured, (so) we don't tackle," Betts told the Herald Sun.

"If you want to play, you have to tackle (in games), he's certainly going down that line.

"(But) it's not worth training it (tackling) because it's a teammate and you play footy - you know how to tackle.

"Until January-February when we get into practice matches - that's when it will come out.

"Mick just wants everyone fresh because last year we had Waitey (Jarrad Waite) with a back injury; Luke Mitchell shoulder; Levi Casboult knee. Walks (Andrew Walker) did his ankle for the first four rounds last year, so we really had no talls.

"But everyone is holding up all right, and all the bodies are really fit and there is no injuries for the first time in a long time, which is really good."

Betts, 26, enjoyed a career-best season in 2012, kicking 48 goals and finishing second in the club's best-and-fairest award behind Heath Scotland.

He rated last night's honour as one of the highlights of his 166-game career, but said all the focus was on delivering on the team's potential under Malthouse next year.

With some experts questioning clubs' attitudes toward indigenous recruitment, Betts said he would be eternally grateful for Carlton's support.

"I thank them a lot. They did stick with me through a lot of stuff, being arrested in the last three years going out for some Christmas drinks, you learn a lot from that," he said.

"I was late for a few trainings down the track and they really stuck by me.

"It's pretty hard (at times). I've been here through two wooden spoons.

"Now we've built into a really good side and just sitting back watching last year in the Grand Final, you think, 'That could be us in the next couple of years'."

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Onballers take Lion's share of heat

Lions champ Simon Black is no certainty to line up in the season opening clash after undergoing knee surgery. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: The Courier-Mail

BRISBANE Lions coach Michael Voss says he is pleased his incumbent midfielders are feeling the heat on two fronts.

With injured veteran Simon Black no certainty to be available for round 1 of the AFL premiership season, Voss's onballers are rising to face the challenges of the sweltering pre-Christmas weather and competition for their positions.

Daniel Rich, Tom Rockliff, Jack Redden and Andrew Raines have been making the most of their final training sessions at Coorparoo ahead of a two-week Christmas break.

Despite the humidity, the players charged into one another during opposed drills, a pleasing sign for Voss who had been hoping his players would respond to the injection of former Demon Brent Moloney.

"That was the intended plan," Voss said.

"We've got a list that has to challenge for their spot.

"It puts a rocket under them and what you notice is they're really propelling each other."

Voss said third-year player Claye Beams was another midfielder who was heaping more pressure on the established ball winners with an intense pre-season.

Raines and Moloney are the most experienced onballers on the training track after Black had surgery last week on his knee.

Initial predictions were for Black to make a training comeback by the end of January and a cameo appearance during the NAB Cup. But Voss said the former skipper could be in a race against time and his ageing body to be ready by the round 1 game on March 31, away to Western Bulldogs.

"The surgery doesn't change his actual timeline. But obviously we would like more time for him to feel good about his pre-season," Voss said.

The coach is confident that dealing with Black's knee now will enable the team to see more of the three-time club champion next season.

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Scorpions turn a shade of Blue

The Casey Scorpions will be hoping new coach Rohan Welsh can produce some winning moves next season. Picture: Peter Ward Source: Herald Sun

VFL club Casey Scorpions has appointed former Carlton forward Rohan Welsh as its coach.

Welsh, 42, agreed to a part-time role last night after meeting Casey officials and Melbourne senior coach Mark Neeld. Casey is Melbourne's VFL-aligned club.

The Scorpions interviewed Welsh about the position three years ago, but he was unable to commit to what was then a full-time job.

Welsh played in Dandenong's 1991 VFA premiership and went on to 42 senior games with the Blues.
 

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Tredrea backs double act at Port

Travis Boak, here tackling Luke Ball, and Brad Ebert could make a good captaincy combination at Port Adelaide. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

CLUB great Warren Tredrea says Port Adelaide should consider breaking with tradition and appoint dual captains for the first time.

With veteran skipper Dom Cassisi set to be replaced by a younger leader as the Power starts a new era under first-time coach Ken Hinkley, Tredrea said that with no standout replacement, the club should consider introducing the dual leadership model that has been so successful in Sydney.

The Swans, notably, have successfully employed joint skippers since 2006, with Adam Goodes and Jarrad McVeigh leading them to this year's premiership.

Tredrea suggested that midfielders Travis Boak, 24, and Brad Ebert, 22, would make a good captaincy combination.

"I just think for where Port is at, having dual captains would make a lot of sense," Tredrea said.

"The dual model has worked unbelievably well in Sydney for many years and it's certainly something Port should give a lot of thought to.

"There's a lot of pressure on captains in this town in particular so if Port can share the responsibility among two players I think it would be a good, positive step ..."

Hinkley who has put the captaincy vacancy sign up at Alberton is understood to be open to the idea of appointing joint skippers.

Cassisi is highly respected for the work he has done as captain in the past four years but he has failed to lead the club to higher than 10th.

Hinkley said he was not expecting to make a call on the Power captaincy until February or March, after he has seen how the players performed and led at training and in pre-season games. The playing group will also have a say on leadership.

Football operations manager Peter Rohde said that appointing more than one captain would come up for discussion but that it had its drawbacks.

"We haven't got into those discussions yet because at the moment Dom is our captain and we want to see how the pre-season pans out," he said.

"But the first thing that comes to mind when you're talking about dual captains is who wears the No.1 (guernsey)? The tradition at this club is that the captain always wears No.1, so that will also come into our thinking.''

Port has had four captains since entering the AFL in 1997 Gavin Wanganeen (1997-2000), Matthew Primus (2001-05), Tredrea (2006-08) and Cassisi (2009-12).
 

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