Maxwell poised to lead Pies again

Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD is expected to announce this morning that Nick Maxwell will continue as captain for the fifth straight season.

Former Pies' premiership captain Tony Shaw had voiced his support for Scott Pendlebury's leadership claims, but the star onballer is tipped to remain vice-captain.

It will also be the fifth season Pendlebury, 25, has held the position.

Onballer Luke Ball is also set to play a key role in the leadership group this season.

Heath Shaw, Travis Cloke, Dale Thomas and Harry O'Brien rounded out the group last year.

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Judd holds off on new deal

There is a line of thought that Carlton champion Chris Judd may decide to retire at the peak of his powers to pursue other interests. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Judd stretches his back before training. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

CARLTON star Chris Judd has delayed contract talks until mid-season at the earliest as he contemplates his future.

Judd has told the Blues he is not prepared to discuss extending his six-year tenure at Visy Park until he plays a significant portion of the season.

The dual Brownlow medallist turns 30 in September - an age that sees many footballers leave the game - but his brilliant form means his future is in his hands.

The fact he will not consider a deal now leaves it open that Judd may not play a 13th season next year.

Carlton would sign a deal with him now but is content to wait most, if not all, of the season, hopeful that relinquishing the captaincy will invigorate him.

There is a line of thought that Judd may decide to retire at the peak of his powers to pursue other interests. Carlton president Stephen Kernahan yesterday told the Herald Sun he believed Judd could play on for many years.

But he said he was aware that Judd might leave earlier than many believe.

"Put this on the record: he is 29 and I reckon he's got years to go. Will he last as long as we hope he does? I have a feeling maybe not," Kernahan said.

"He's got some serious football left in him, and that's my personal opinion.

"But he might surprise us.

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 "I have heard the things where he might only have a couple of years left.

"You hear all the stories, but Judd will know himself.

"He has been around the coalface for all his career, and he obviously made the call along those lines to release the captaincy, and give someone else the chance.

"He has had to do a hell of a lot at our club in the last five years but, if it's typical Juddy, he won't change at all."

Judd retiring as early as this year would be a stunning turn of events, given his performance level at Carlton: three best-and-fairests, a second placing (2011) and last year's third placing.

But Judd has long said he is not obsessed with the game and he has business and other interests outside football.

If Judd was keen to maximise his value for the 2014 season, he would sign a deal this pre-season.

But if he decided to play on, he may choose one-year deals like many veterans, including North Melbourne's Brent Harvey and Essendon's Dustin Fletcher.

Judd has admitted he has had "brain fades" in recent years with a pair of notable tribunal appearances for his "pressure point" and "chicken wing" tackles.

But when he does leave the AFL, the dual Brownlow medallist will be considered one of the greats of the game.

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Roberts quits to sign on with Fox

Channel 7 broadcaster Sandy Roberts is moving to Fox Footy. Picture: Cifra Manuela Source: Herald Sun

EXCLUSIVE: SANDY Roberts has walked out on Channel 7 after 34 years as a broadcaster to sign on with Fox Footy.

In the latest development in TV's news wars, the Herald Sun understands the Seven stalwart has been poached to call games and host programs on the football-only station.

Roberts, the weekday sports news reader for Seven, will inform the station today he is leaving, the latest dramatic change to Seven's news after the departure of veteran meteorologist David Brown.

Weatherman Brown has been replaced by former Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney, amid simmering tensions over the personnel changes at the network.

Seven and Nine continue to fight a pitched battle over nightly news ratings, and Nine's commanding lead has forced Seven into recent changes.

Seven insiders said they believed Brown, 52, was unhappy about the decision to push him aside for Rooney, 30.

Roberts has not called games in recent seasons, but it is believed that after broadcasting to regional areas with radio callers Crocmedia he became confident he still had the fire in his belly.

He said in 2007 it was his decision not to call games for Seven given his weekday commitments with the network.

But the 62-year-old was constantly stopped in the street by fans asking about his absence, so his return clearly would be well received.

Fox Footy is known to believe the signing is a major coup given his reputation as a fan favourite in AFL circles. His son works at the network as a producer and Roberts will work across several shows.

The network will use him not only as a caller but also as host of some of the network's regular one-off specials.

Fox Footy has the rights to the All-Australian awards and AFL MVP award.

Roberts showcased his hosting skills at the 2009 Brownlow Medal when called in with only hours' notice after Bruce McAvaney was forced to withdraw.

Seven recently tried former Western Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy as a stand-in sports presenter when Roberts and weekend news reader Tim Watson were on leave.

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Buddy-minded season begins

Hawthorn may only receive a draft pick at the end of the first round as compensation, if Lance Franklin decides to leave as a restricted free agent.

Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Shane Crawford channels his inner Liam Neeson when he discovers Gary Ablett is 'taken' and tries to organise a swap with one of his mates

LANCE Franklin says he wants to stay at Hawthorn, but recent history means his words will do little to allay Hawks fears of a dramatic departure.

Franklin, 26, will become a restricted free agent in October, making him available to offers from rival clubs. He chose to suspend contract talks with Hawthorn until season's end.

The superstar forward yesterday declared he had "no intentions of leaving".

"I obviously love Hawthorn. They've been an absolutely great footy club for myself and I'm coming up to my ninth season," Franklin said.

"It was my decision. It was something I wanted to do and I wanted to leave it until the end of the season.

"I know there's going to be a lot of speculation about what I'm going to be doing at the end of the season. I've got no intentions of leaving the football club, but it is what it is - I just want to play footy."

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 Gary Ablett, Tom Scully, Brendon Goddard and Kurt Tippett chose to delay contract talks in the past three years, citing the need to concentrate on their football and stressing their intent to stay. All left.

Only days after cancelling negotiations, Franklin fronted the media yesterday in his role as captain for the indigenous All-Stars side that plays Richmond on Friday, and he was unapologetic over his decision.

"It's going to be a distraction and obviously the footy club is shocked that I didn't sign either, but it's my decision," he said.

"I don't get entangled in anyone else's contracts or any boys from the the footy club. It's just something that's not talked about, internally it won't be spoken about.

"We'll just look forward to playing footy and hopefully winning a premiership."

Asked if he was open to leaving for another club, Franklin said: "No, not at this stage. I want to stay at Hawthorn, but I just want to leave it until the end of the season and go from there."

He rejected suggestions his decision would haunt Hawthorn throughout the season, much like it did for Collingwood during last year's Travis Cloke saga.

"Not at all. The football club we've got is very strong, we've got some really good leaders and our group is very tight," Franklin said.

"I have no real issues there. It's obviously going to be the media that is going to pump it up more than ever. It is what it is and I'll just wait until the end of the season and make my decision then."

A 2008 premiership player and two-time Coleman medallist, Franklin is arguably the game's biggest drawcard.

Industry speculation puts Hawthorn's offer about $1 million a year over four years.

It is understood Franklin, was last year not among the games biggest eight earners, who all received more than $1 million in total earnings.

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Franklin's  contract revelation led to a media frenzy across the weekend, with the line from Buddy's  management eerily similar to that of Tom Scully, Gary Ablett and Kurt Tippett before that trio walked out on their clubs.

SuperFooty explained how history revealed this could spell disastrous news for the Hawks, while club legend Dermott Brereton told the Herald Sun that Franklin had made the right decision.

It was also revealed that Franklin had not struck a secret pact with Magpie-turned-Eagle Sharrod Wellingham to relocate to Perth and again shack up with his former housemate.

But Adelaide jumped on the front foot,  yesterday declaring it could make an audacious end-of-season play for the champion goalkicker.

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Watson, Rioli suffer corkies

Jobe Watson has suffered a corked thigh after initially sending a scare through the Essendon camp when he limped from an intra-club practice match at Melbourne Airport with what looked like a knee injury. Picture: Andy Drewitt Source: Herald Sun

ESSENDON and Hawthorn have been dealt fresh injury blows less than a fortnight from the start of the NAB Cup.

But Bombers skipper Jobe Watson and Hawks livewire Cyril Rioli have escaped major damage, with both suffering corked thighs.

Watson sent a scare through the Essendon camp when he limped from an intra-club practice match at Melbourne Airport with what looked like a knee injury.

But coach James Hird was later relieved to learn his most important player had only sustained a knock above the joint and would be a short-term casualty.

Rioli's corked thigh, which was aggravated at training yesterday, has made him the latest casualty for the Richmond-indigenous All-Stars game in Alice Springs on Friday night.

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 There were also reports yesterday that injury-prone Carlton forward Jarrad Waite was nursing a calf strain.

All-Stars skipper Lance Franklin confirmed Rioli would join Shaun Burgoyne and Adam Goodes as spectators at Traeger Park.

"He's a little bit sore at the moment so he'll miss. He was pretty disappointed, with me being the captain he wanted to run out with me," Franklin said.

"It's a little bit disappointing 'Goodesy' is not playing and Shaun Burgoyne and Cyril, but the young boys we've got out there running around can play some football. Shaun is coming back from his knee. He's a little way away, but hopefully he'll be right for Round 1."

Trent Cotchin will lead Richmond out for the first time since being named captain last November in a squad missing Troy Chaplin (knee), Nathan Foley (Achilles) and Dylan Grimes (hamstring).

"They'll be a good mix of senior players, but also an opportunity for some young players who have come into the system over the last couple of years," Cotchin said.

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Saints follow the leader

Scott Watters implemented the leadership model last season and believes it is starting to pay off. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

ST KILDA pioneered co-captaincy in the 1990s and introduced captaincy rotation a decade ago, but under Scott Watters' coaching the Saints are employing a leadership model inspired by the all-conquering Hockeyroos.

St Kilda's structure involves 19 players spread across three leadership tiers: leaders, emerging leaders and mentors.

"I always watched with interest and admired what Ric Charlesworth was doing as coach of the Australian women's hockey team in the early 1990s," Watters said.

"They basically had Rechelle Hawkes as their captain, but they went through a phase where they made a deliberate decision to spread leadership among the whole group."

The four-time Olympian captained the Hockeyroos from 1993 to 2000, during which time they lost only one international tournament.

"They went through arguably their most successful period without a traditional captain, with the philosophy being that they were after a critical mass of leaders," Watters said.

"Part of it is that your leadership model needs to have a little bit of flexibility as your group grows.

"But to me it's less about the obvious leader at a club. It's more about how many people can we get into that frame of mind and have that skills set to drive the environment."

Watters implemented the structure last season and believes it is starting to pay off.

The Saints have a group of six mentors with 1305 games experience between them, one of whom attends meetings of the leadership group (twice a week) and emerging leaders (weekly).

"Every player on the list has a responsibility to lead.

"It's not just about the captain or even the leadership group, it's far broader than that. I'm not even concerned who tosses the coin on match day. In many ways it's one of the great traditions of the game, but it's not something that drives the group and their program," Watters said.

"It's the leadership throughout the week, throughout the game, after a win, after a loss, during training. They're the things that are critical."

The Saints are looking to fast-track the development of their younger players.

"We now have 26 players aged under 23 on our list, and 21 of those have really come in over the past 12 months. So it's a list that has some outstanding experienced leaders, but it also has some players who are pretty new to the system.

"So the more we get interaction between those two groups I think it helps bridge that gap," Watters said.

LEADERSHIP GROUP (8)
Nick Riewoldt (capt), Leigh Montagna, Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy, James Gwilt, Jarryn Geary*, David Armitage*, Sean Dempster*
*elevated this season

EMERGING LEADERS (5)
Sam Dunnell, Jack Newnes, Arryn Siposs, Tom Curren, Seb Ross.

MENTORS (6)
Lenny Hayes, Sam Fisher, Justin Koschitzke, Jason Blake, Stephen Milne, Adam Schneider.

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Crows jump on the Buddy train

We're in the mix: Adelaide has announced it will be a big player in this year's free agency market even before Lance Franklin's surprise decision. Picture: Mark Dadswell Source: Herald Sun

ADELAIDE has thrown its hat into the Lance Franklin money ring, declaring it could make an audacious end-of-season play for the champion forward.

Armed with plenty of salary cap room after Kurt Tippett's controversial departure to Sydney, the cashed-up Crows say they will "keep a close eye" on Franklin's contract status and could be in a position to offer the looming free agent a multi-million dollar deal to lure him from Hawthorn.

Only Fremantle is understood to have as much cash to spend on free agents as Adelaide at the end of the season.

Franklin - a superstar who is arguably the game's best player - could hit the open market after shocking the Hawks on Friday by knocking back a four-year deal understood to be worth about $4 million and telling the club he will not discuss a new contract until the end of the season.

This has sparked fears the restricted free agent could leave and put rival clubs with money to spend on red alert.

Adelaide - robbed of key draft picks for its role in the Tippett salary cap scandal - had announced it would be a big player in this year's free agency market even before "Buddy" Franklin's surprise decision.

Its failure to re-sign Tippett has saved it about $750,000-a-season in salary cap room.

Chairman Rob Chapman told The Advertiser "we will be pro-active in that (free agency) area, no doubt. We are well placed to spend some money on players we think can help our football club and the process of identifying those players will start shortly."

Franklin, who has kicked 520 goals in 161 games, has quickly jumped to the top of the queue.

It is likely to take an offer of at least $5 million over four years to get Franklin to leave Hawthorn, where he has become the AFL's most marketable player.

Fremantle last year offered Collingwood key forward Travis Cloke $1.1 million for five years but failed to land him.

While 26-year-old Franklin is favoured to stay at the Hawks, the Crows point to former Saint Brendon Goddard's free agency move to Essendon as evidence that big-name players are prepared to switch clubs in the new free agency era.

"The landscape is certainly different than it was a few years ago," Adelaide list manager David Noble said. "Free agency has changed that."

Noble said the Crows would "clearly be interested in a player of Franklin's quality".

But he acknowledged there would be plenty of water to go under the bridge before Adelaide got close to securing him.

Noble said the club was in no hurry to speak to Franklin's manager, Liam Pickering, about his future.

"Any club would love to have a Lance Franklin on their list but the season hasn't even started yet so we will just sit and watch how things unfold with him," Noble said.

"Like most clubs we will be watching developments closely. You would expect it would take a lot to get Buddy to leave Hawthorn but as we've seen with these things you never say never."

Noble said his club's most pressing need at this time of the year was to find an in-house replacement for Tippett, who has left Taylor Walker as Adelaide's only recognised key forward.

Josh Jenkins, Shaun McKernan, Lewis Johnston and Tom Lynch are vying to be Walker's new key position goalkicking sidekick.

"And just how those players develop could impact on the philosophy we take with free agency," Noble said.

"First you have to see which players are available in free agency and then you have to decide how they fit in with the make-up of your team."

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AFL players join Gay Pride March

Richmond's Daniel Jackson , Yarra Glen's Jason Ball and Carlton's Brock McLean at the march. Picture: Andrew Tauber Source: Herald Sun

AFL players Brock McLean and Daniel Jackson have called for more action against homophobia in footy after becoming the first league players to take part in Victoria's Gay Pride March.

The Carlton and Richmond players spoke out on the issue at the 18th annual Gay Pride March at St Kilda.

"The AFL and players have been so quiet on this issue for so long, they're sort of pretending like it's not there," McLean said.

"But there is an issue there. There is homophobia in sport," he said.

"And if we could start to get more people to talk about it, and more people to voice their opinion and talk about what's right - and that's treating everyone equally - then I guess that's a win-win for everyone."

The Blues midfielder last month revealed his younger sister was gay.

McLean said it would be groundbreaking if an AFL player came out.

And more needed to be done to support players who were dealing with their sexuality, he said.

The Gay Pride March in St Kilda. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Tigers midfielder Jackson joined the march with McLean and gay community footballer Jason Ball.

"It would be great for the AFL to do more," he said.

"They've done such great work with racial vilification and respect and responsibility for women. So if they could fit in the gay movement and anti-discrimination as a whole, I think that'd be great for the Australian community."

Letters of support from the AFL Coaches Association and Richmond Football Club were read out before the march, led by Ball and teammates from Yarra Glen Football Club, began.

The largest ever police contingent joined the march in Fitzroy St, as did paramedics and groups from as far afield as Shepparton and Geelong.

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Indigenous still get chance

Michael O'Loughlin says there was big uproar about why there weren't more indigenous players drafted last year, but for him it was purely a quirk of the system. Picture: Stephen Harman Source: Herald Sun

ALL-STARS coach Mick O'Loughlin has dismissed worries that AFL clubs are increasingly unwilling to draft indigenous players.

Only three indigenous footballers were selected in last year's national draft and talented but troubled WA youngster Dayle Garlett was notably overlooked due to anxieties about his off-field behaviour.

Former Swans premiership forward O'Loughlin, who will coach Indigenous All-Stars in a match against Richmond in Alice Springs on Friday night, said the issue would "no doubt" be discussed at the three-day camp leading up to the match, but he believed 2012 was an anomaly.

"There was a big uproar about why there weren't more indigenous players drafted last year, but for me it was just a quirk of the system," O'Loughlin said.

"My personal opinion is just that these things ebb and flow. One year there may not be many ruckmen, another not enough mids. Or if you have one draft where there's hardly any kids out of Western Australia, does that mean you need to hit the panic button about footy in that state? There's no panic stations from where I sit.

"The indigenous pathway is there and producing players."

About 60 indigenous AFL players will gather in Alice Springs from Tuesday for a three-day camp that includes a leadership program and community visits.

O'Loughlin said former Lions premiership defender Chris Johnson had drawn up an agenda of subjects for discussion at the camp.

"We'll talk about everything from drafting to financial planning and how to invest your money. I think the younger boys will be surprised about how open the older guys will be about their experiences," O'Loughlin said.

He said there would be discourse about the pitfalls of drug and alcohol.

"Absolutely. Just like at any AFL club, that will be a discussion point. That will certainly be raised. It's a chance for blokes to have an open discussion about any issue in the AFL industry," he said.

Another topic would be the number of indigenous footballers who have walked away from the system, such as Zeph Skinner (Western Bulldogs), Liam Jurrah and Kelvin Lawrence (Melbourne), Nathan Krakouer (Gold Coast), Nathan Djerrkura (Bulldogs), Troy Taylor and Relton Roberts (Richmond) and Rhan Hooper (Brisbane Lions).

"This camp is a chance for the younger players to get to know the older guys and pick their brains, learn from them how they've survived in the cut-throat environment that is AFL," O'Loughlin said.

"We've been playing in a bloody tough industry and there's a lot of pressure that goes along with it, so a lot of these guys need to learn how professional you need to be.

"I know it took me a few years to find my feet, and it's going to take some of these kids time, as well.

"They'll get the opportunity to sit down and have breakfast with Goodesy (Adam Goodes) or Buddy (Franklin) or Shauny Burgoyne."

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Chappy happy with fitness

Paul Chapman says he is in a wonderful place injury-wise for the first time in four seasons. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

GEELONG veteran Paul Chapman has flagged his intention to spend more time in the midfield after his best pre-season in years.

The 31-year-old has clocked career-best training times, including in a 2km time-trial.

"Probably for the last four years I haven't really had a pre-season like this one, due to injuries and everything," Chapman told Geelong's website.

"Last year I had a consistent pre-season, ... but I didn't get the volume of work that I wanted."

Chapman said he had struggled to get consistency into his training since his 2009 Norm Smith Medal, often being forced to miss sessions because he was to sore. He said that had restricted him to playing mostly as a forward.

"I love playing up forward, but there were times when the mind wanted to do things that the body couldn't cash in on."

Chapman said he was unlikely starter for the team's NAB Cup opener in Perth, but expected to play against Adelaide and North Melbourne in Rounds 2 and 3 of the pre-season.

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