Love your work, but where's Jack

Richmond star Jack Riewoldt missed the cut in Mike Sheahan's Top 50 list. Source: Getty Images

Like many in our football-obsessed city I have long been an avid reader of your Top 50 AFL players, in fact dating back to 1990 when Stephen Kernahan pipped Jason Dunstall and Greg Williams for your inaugural No.1.

Sitting alongside you during your arduous compilation of the list has allowed me to realise just how diligent you are when rating the young men who make our weekends more enjoyable.

Naturally, given it is such a subjective exercise, there can never be a definitive list and the general consensus would suggest you do better than most could hope (otherwise, it wouldn't still be running).

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But as is always the case with a complimentary build-up there must come the obligatory whack, and mine is what in the heck did Jack Riewoldt do for you exclude him from your Top 50?

We are talking about the 2012 Coleman medallist, someone who was proficient enough at his craft to boot more goals than Travis Cloke, Buddy Franklin, Tom Hawkins, Matthew Pavlich and Taylor Walker.

Free agency compo in the gun

Yet that crew all rated not in your top 50 but in your top 20 players in the following order: Franklin (4th) Walker (9th) Cloke (12th) Hawkins (17th) and Pavlich (19th).

Every 2013 free agent listed

Maybe you based it on the fact the Riewoldt could only finish ninth in his club's best-and-fairest, yet that argument becomes void given Cloke had the same finish at Collingwood.

Currie in a hurry for Round 1

Or maybe you just don't rate the cousin of Nick that highly. And given your Top 50 is based on who you think will be the best 50 players in 2013, as distinct who were the best in 2012, then you clearly don't think Riewoldt is in for much of a season.

I beg to differ given his 2012 season, while far from his maximum output, was achieved on the back of a severely restricted pre-season because of injury.

This pre-season has seen him moving freely, even if he has developed a strange penchant for wanting to give the ball off when he is in position to score.

Or maybe, and I think this must be the real reason, you haven't been too impressed with "Jumping Jack's'' desire to become involved in ridiculous arguments with umpires in games that mean nothing.

No doubt the Richmond hierarchy has been in his ear to stop wasting his breath on no-win situations and to save it for repeat efforts.

But isn't everyone allowed a weakness? And wasn't it Matthew Richardson who was once criticised for the same before becoming the competition's most loved player?

Best wishes, Ando

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Face facts, Ablett just too good

Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett reclaims top billing from Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin, who has dropped to fourth spot in Mike's Top 50. Picture: Adam Head Source: The Courier-Mail

IS THE worth of a great player diminished in a team sport simply because he plays for a lowly team, as some would have you believe of Gary Ablett?

The cynics argue the Gold Coast champion is pretty much allowed to do as he pleases by the better teams because those teams know they are vastly superior overall.

They say it doesn't matter as much if he has 40-plus possessions, the result in most cases is a foregone conclusion.

I say that's nonsense.

It seems to me every team that has a player good enough to run with Ablett assigns that player to the little bloke; he simply burns them off as the game unfolds.

Consider the following stats from 2012 and then find a fault in the Ablett package.

He finished sixth in the Brownlow in a team that won three games, he led his club in the following categories: long kicks, short kicks, handballs given, handballs received, tackles, inside-50s, rebounds from defensive 50, hardball gets and looseball gets.

He was equal-third for contested marks, too.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: CLICK HERE TO SEE MIKE'S FULL LIST PLUS EXCLUSIVE FOX FOOTY VIDEO AND RATE EVERY PLAYER

If there was a category for ground covered in a game, I suspect he would have won that one, too.

Even his famous father would have to nod in appreciation of such a comprehensive list.

Gary Ablett Jr is the most complete player in the game.

It was the view of a massive percentage of the player group of 2012, it is the assessment of so many neutral supporters and me in my annual task picking the top 50 players in the AFL in order.

The argument that he should be downgraded because his team is down the bottom is simplistic, fatuous, disrespectful.

Is Bobby Skilton's exalted status in the game diminished by the fact he won more Brownlows (three) than he played finals (one)?

The same question can be asked of Kevin Murray, who played finals in just two of his 18 seasons with Fitzroy, yet won nine club best and fairest awards and represented Victoria 24 times. Another all-time great.

TONIGHT: WATCH MIKE LIVE ON AFL360 ON FOX FOOTY FROM 7.30pm EDT

Ablett Jr plays a different game to his father, yet both will be remembered as legends of the game.

The younger Ablett has been voted by his peers the most valuable player in the game four times - at two clubs.

His father, widely regarded as the most talented player ever, won the award once. Wayne Carey, the best player I have seen, won the MVP twice.

Enough. Surely the debate is won.

Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury comes in second.

He is a superb player, deceptively tall at 191cm, not a speedster yet rarely run down, possessed of huge endurance and resilience, and he has an outstanding work ethic - he led Collingwood for tackles last year despite missing four games.

He has finished top three in Collingwood's best-and-fairest in five of the past six years.

TOMORROW: BLOG LIVE WITH MIKE FROM 11.30AM AEDT

I have elevated Patrick Dangerfield to third spot.

While it's death by a thousand cuts with Ablett and Pendlebury, Dangerfield can turn a game in five minutes.

They say his teammates call him "Raging Bull''; what the rest of us know is he was born to wear Mark Ricciuto's No.32 guernsey.

He is about to turn 23, he has played 89 games and kicked 94 goals, he is the most dynamic midfielder in the game, a reminder of the young Chris Judd at West Coast.

Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun

I have pushed Buddy Franklin down from No 1 12 months ago to No 4.

He remains the most exciting player in the game, yet the flaws remain.

He isn't strong overhead and no one with any level of interest in football needs to be told about his kicking for goal.

He booted 69.64 from 19 games last year, including 3.4 in the Grand Final. Remove the 13 he kicked in the picnic against North Melbourne in Launceston in Round 10 - OK, give him five, his next best return last year - and it's an average of just better than three a game.

What was encouraging was a one-grab pack mark against the Western Bulldogs in the recent NAB Cup game and a significant reduction in the bend in his run-up when kicking for goal.

Franklin is followed by four high-quality midfielders - Josh Kennedy, Joel Selwood, Trent Cotchin and Jobe Watson - who could have come in any order.

Cotchin might end up being the best of them because of his dash, but, for the moment, Selwood's record is amazing, while Kennedy and Watson are blue-collar men with energy, strength, nous and impact.

Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

The second punt in my top 10 - Dangerfield might be seen as a gamble at No 3 - is his Adelaide teammate, Taylor Walker.

He is a natural key forward who reminds me a little of the young Tony Lockett.

He is a superb athlete for a man of such imposing dimensions - 192cm, 100kg - has nice hands and is a thumping kick. Accurate, too (63.35 last year).

He kicked four or more goals in 11 of his 19 games. He thrived under Brenton Sanderson, although a couple of lapses of discipline cost him five games to suspension.

At 22 (23 late in April), the sky is the limit for him.

There's a school of thought he will suffer from the departure of Kurt Tippett, with more opposition pressure coming his way.

His ability to cover ground and score from up to 60m will solve that potential problem.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MIKE'S FULL TOP 50 AND HAVE YOUR SAY

Dayne Beams rounds off the top 10. His development - on and off the field - in the past couple of years is extraordinary.

Best-and-fairest in 2012, a member of the leadership group in 2013. Wow. That's what a wild young man can do when he realises he has both rare talent and a rare opportunity

As always, lots of good players miss a berth in the 50.

Jordan Lewis is desperately unlucky, but how many midfielders can you have before the list becomes unbalanced? I have 30.

Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Lewis Jetta also was in until the final scan. He is a gamebreaker who was the leading goalkicker for the premiership team last year. Spots in the 50 don't come easy; he needs to back up again this year.

Then there's Matthew Boyd and James Kelly and Eddie Betts and Michael Hurley ...

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Jurrah target in 'bid for revenge'

Former AFL footballer Liam Jurrah arrives at the Alice Springs court house for his assault trial. Picture: Justin Brierty Source: adelaidenow

FORMER AFL star Liam Jurrah's lawyer has claimed the delisted Melbourne player was singled out over a wild brawl between feuding families because of his status within the community.

Jurrah, 24, has denied he armed himself with a deadly weapon and bludgeoned his cousin during a brawl between two feuding family groups at the Little Sisters town camp, on the outskirts of Alice Springs, in March last year.

Jurrah, who was still living in Melbourne and a listed Demons player at the time, has pleaded not guilty in the Northern Territory Supreme Court to unlawfully causing serious harm to his cousin, Basil Jurrah.

Prosecutor Stephen Robson told the jury yesterday there had been ongoing ill-will between the groups leading up to the confrontation, in which Jurrah allegedly joined other men in attacking the group living at the camp.

Mr Robson said Jurrah had been involved in two bouts of fighting at the camp, the first when he allegedly struck a woman and a man in the head before fleeing when police were called.

Jurrah allegedly returned later, and with another man, Christopher Walker, chased Basil Jurrah to the rear of a house, where he was struck with weapons then repeatedly hit while on the ground.

Fallen AFL star Liam Jurrah has gone on trial in Alice Springs over a violent assault at a town camp

"The accused and Christopher Walker chased Basil Jurrah into the rear yard ... and used weapons to strike Basil Jurrah about the head and body," Mr Robson said.

The court heard Basil Jurrah suffered a fracture to the top of his skull, fractures to his eye socket and nose and four lacerations to his scalp.

Jurrah's lawyer, Jon Tippett, QC, told the jury witness accounts of his client's actions were unreliable because the incident happened at night and many were drunk.

"There were two groups of people and they don't like one another very much and there was one person in this court who stood head and shoulders above all of them," he said.

Mr Tippett said many of the witnesses bore a grudge towards Jurrah and his family and a way to exact revenge would be to "bring him down".

AFL footballer Liam Jurrah arrives the Alice Springs court house for the first day of his trial Picture: Justin Brierty

However, Mr Robson claimed Jurrah had lied to police the next day by telling them he was an innocent bystander.

Mr Robson said witnesses had given varying descriptions of the weapon allegedly carried by Jurrah, who was delisted by Melbourne last year and now lives in Adelaide.

"The Crown cannot say with precision the exact kind of weapon the accused used in the assault on Basil Jurrah ... but it is of the kind that was capable of inflicting the injuries that were sustained," Mr Robson said.

The trial, before Chief Justice Trevor Riley, is expected to run for six days.

AFL footballer Liam Jurrah prepares to enter the Alice Springs court house with lawyer John McBride Picture: Justin Brierty

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Every AFL free agent

Jobe Watson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

IT WAS only last October that Hawthorn played the compensation selection jackpot and came up empty.

In the space of days Clinton Young and Tom Murphy walked out under free agency and all Hawthorn had to show was a useless third-round draft pick (No.66).

"It is like we've been pick-pocketed and somebody has put an old $2 scratchy ticket back in our pocket," said football manager Mark Evans.

"I don't know if anyone could look you in the eye and say this is a just system."

Five months on and the picture isn't looking any rosier for 2012's beaten Grand Finalists.

Not only do the Hawks have their six best players out of contract in the next two seasons - five under free agency - there is no guarantee even a scratchy ticket would be available if those players left.

As the Herald Sun revealed last month, the rules for the second season of free agency are not yet set for this October's meat market.

Scroll down to see every free agent at your club this year

Some list managers want compensation watered down so the best pick in return would be the last selection of the first round - selection 27 in last year's national draft.

Free agency compo in the gun

Some want compensation abolished altogether, including the AFLPA which reasons that it is too messy.

Currie in a hurry for Round 1

The AFL's official list of free agents will come out later this month, but the Herald Sun today assembles its own unofficial list of restricted and unrestricted free agents.

Love your work, but where's Jack

It is worth noting that of the 10 free agents who departed last year, four were restricted (eight or nine years of service) and six unrestricted (10 or more years at one club).

Face facts, Ablett just too good

Yet no club matched a bid for a restricted free agent, with Hawthorn also conceding it would be almost no chance to match an outlandish offer for Lance Franklin this year.

If Hawthorn can secure the big four this year, next season Jarryd Roughead becomes a free agent with Cyril Rioli also out of contract.

Of Hawthorn's free agents this year, captain Luke Hodge and former captain Sam Mitchell are clearly staying put.

But neither of them will come cheap, which puts even more pressure on the negotiations with Lance Franklin and Jordan Lewis.

Hawthorn can offer Franklin a deal up above $900,000 a season, but will a contender emerge to try to prize Lewis away?

He offers the entire package: leadership, big-game performance, the ability to play inside and outside, and only turns 27 in April.

If Hawthorn can secure the big four this year, next season Jarryd Roughead becomes a free agent with Cyril Rioli also out of contract.

Rioli isn't a free agent by then, but consider the clamour to secure him.

Welcome to the brave new world of free agency.

No wonder president Andrew Newbold has hit out at the list allowances of Sydney and GWS in recent weeks: he has done the sums and will be aware of the magnitude of the challenge ahead.

Free agency - the year one experience

St Kilda
LOST: Brendon Goddard (restricted) to Essendon
COMPO: Pick 13

Adelaide
LOST: Chris Knights (unrestricted) to Richmond
COMPO: Nothing

West Coast
LOST: Quinten Lynch (unrestricted) to Collingwood
COMPO: Pick 62

Port Adelaide
LOST: Danyle Pearce (restricted) to Fremantle and Troy Chaplin (restricted) to Richmond
COMPO: Picks 30 and 31

Geelong
LOST: Shannon Byrnes (unrestricted) to Melbourne
COMPO: Nothing

Melbourne
LOST: Jared Rivers (unrestricted) to Geelong and Brent Moloney (restricted) to Brisbane Lions
COMPO: Pick 49

Hawthorn
LOST: Tom Murphy (unrestricted) to Gold Coast and Clinton Young (unrestricted) to Collingwood
COMPO: Pick 66

RISKY BUSINESS
Jon Ralph and Michael Warner assess the free-agency landscape at your club this year

ADELAIDE
Jason Porplyzia, 28, unrestricted
Brent Reilly, 29, unrestricted
Ben Rutten, 29, unrestricted
Nathan van Berlo, 26, unrestricted
Graham Johncock, 30, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Keeps losing players - Phil Davis, Kurt Tippett and Nathan Bock - and can't afford to have another one depart. Skipper Van Berlo won't be leaving, but Victorian clubs close to a flag would love a wildcard like Johncock, Porplyzia or defender Reilly.

BRISBANE LIONS
Simon Black, 33, unrestricted
Jonathan Brown, 31, unrestricted
Joel Patfull, 28, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Brisbane's exposure to free agency is limited given a young list with several loyal superstars _ Black and Brown aren't going anywhere. Daniel Merrett is locked away until 2016.

CARLTON
Eddie Betts, 26, restricted
Andrew Carrazzo, 29, restricted
Heath Scotland, 32, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Betts is a star but seems happy. So is likely captain Carrazzo, with Scotland on one-year deals. The big challenge comes next year with Marc Murphy out. Last year the Blues tucked away Jarrad Waite and Andrew Walker. In a good spot.

Collingwood v Carlton. MCG. eddie betts and ben reid, Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD
Alan Didak, 30, unrestricted
Ben Johnson, 31, unrestricted
Nick Maxwell, 29, unrestricted
Dale Thomas, 25, restricted

EXPOSURE: Dids says he will retire after this year, while Dale Thomas is content to wait until mid-year. Like Travis Cloke before him, you figure he will play hard ball but has the intention of staying. Harry O'Brien is out next year.

ESSENDON
Dustin Fletcher, 38, unrestricted
David Hille, 31, unrestricted
Nathan Lovett-Murray, 30, unrestricted
Jobe Watson, 28, unrestricted
Jason Winderlich, 28, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Not too many difficulties for Essendon apart from satisfying captain Watson. Potential free agents Brent Stanton and Paddy Ryder signed last year.

FREMANTLE
Michael Johnson, 28, restricted

EXPOSURE: Fremantle's issues will come next year, with a clutch of players out of contract including Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Pavlich, Paul Duffield, David Mundy and Luke McPharlin.

GEELONG
Paul Chapman, 31, unrestricted
Joel Corey, 31, unrestricted
Corey Enright, 31, unrestricted
Mathew Stokes, 28, unrestricted
Josh Hunt, 30, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: The Cats are masters at keeping their stars. Tom Hawkins signed for three years in 2010, with Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan also committing long-term last year. Jimmy Bartel is locked away until 2015, James Kelly until next year, and Steve Johnson also signed on again last year. Stokes is the only free agent who would attract rival interest and would likely be unrestricted given he wouldn't be in the top ten highest-paid players.

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

HAWTHORN
Max Bailey, 26, unrestricted
Xavier Ellis, 25, unrestricted
Lance Franklin, 26, restricted
Luke Hodge, 28, unrestricted
Sam Mitchell, 30, unrestricted
Michael Osborne, 30, unrestricted
Jordan Lewis, 26, restricted

EXPOSURE: Danger signs for Hawthorn, which not only has its best player out of contract, but arguably four of its best six players as free agents. Hodge and Mitchell will stay, but Jordan Lewis is out too. Someone would offer him $700K plus to move given his leadership and grunt. Roughead is out next year, as is Cyril Rioli. Birchall and Sewell are out in 2015.

Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis is looking forward to Brian Lake bolstering the Hawk's backline. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE
Aaron Davey, 29, restricted
Colin Sylvia, 27, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: The Demons lost Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers last year, and while it was probably the right decision to let them go given the club's age profile, they just can't afford to let Sylvia go too. Nate Jones is signed until 2015, with Mark Jamar also committing last year.

NORTH MELBOURNE
Michael Firrito, 29, unrestricted
Brent Harvey, 34, unrestricted
Scott McMahon, 26, unrestricted
Drew Petrie, 30, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Daniel Wells has recently committed to a new deal and Drew Petrie has spoken of his determination to sign again. Daniel Swallow has re-signed, with Leigh Adams out next year.

PORT ADELAIDE
Alipate Carlile, 30, restricted
Kane Cornes, 30, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Not too many issues for the Power, who lost both Danyle Pearce and Troy Chaplin to free agency last year but traded in Angus Monfries. Dom Cassisi has signed until next year.

RICHMOND
Daniel Jackson, 26, unrestricted
Luke McGuane, 26, unrestricted
Chris Newman, unrestricted
Shane Tuck, 31, unrestricted
Matt White, 25, restricted

EXPOSURE: Richmond has contract concerns this year with Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin all out, but the free agency picture is brighter. Newman is a one-club player and the rest wouldn't attract rival interest. Deledio signed for five years in 2012, with Nathan Foley signing for three seasons.

Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin had a difficult year on and off the field. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

ST KILDA
Jason Blake, 31, unrestricted
Lenny Hayes, 33, unrestricted
Justin Koschitzke, 30, unrestricted
Stephen Milne, 33, unrestricted
Nick Dal Santo, 29, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: The Saints cleared salary cap room when Goddard departed, so should have enough folding stuff to secure Dal Santo, who comes up after signing for three years in mid-2010. Skipper Nick Riewoldt last year signed a one-year extension, so comes out next year.

SYDNEY SWANS
Jude Bolton, 32, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Not a care in world. Adam Goodes, Ryan O'Keefe and Josh Kennedy have just extended their deals, Jarrad McVeigh signed a three-year deal last year, and Ted Richards and Lewis Roberts Thomson signed for an extra season in December.

WEST COAST
Dean Cox, 31, unrestricted
Andrew Embley, 31, unrestricted
Darren Glass, 30, unrestricted
Mark LeCras, 26, restricted
Mark Nicoski, 29, unrestricted
Adam Selwood, 28, unrestricted
Beau Waters, 26, unrestricted

EXPOSURE: Plenty of big names out. Rivals would pay the world for LeCras but Cox, Embley and Glass are going nowhere. Sam Butler, Shannon Hurn and Daniel Kerr have another year.

Eagle Mark LeCras comes off for a break during the NAB Cup. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times

WESTERN BULLDOGS
Adam Cooney, 27, restricted
Daniel Cross, 29, unrestricted
Daniel Giansiracusa, 31, unrestricted
Dale Morris, 30, restricted

EXPOSURE: No issues for the Dogs, who were smart in trading off Brian Lake a year short of free agency last year when well aware they would have got little compensation for him had he left. Cooney has 10 years service but given he signed a three-year deal after seven seasons, he is still a restricted free agent. Ryan Griffen signed a three-year deal at the start of last year.

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Free agency compo in the gun

Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis was one of seven Hawthorn free agents up for grabs this year, but has just signed a long-term contract. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

HAWTHORN would not be compensated for the loss of Lance "Buddy" Franklin under proposed changes to the AFL's free agency rules.

But the Hawks yesterday struck a blow against would-be raiders, signing star midfielder Jordan Lewis to a long-term deal.

Lewis was one of seven Hawthorn free agents up for grabs this year, but the Herald Sun can reveal he is now off limits.

The AFL last night confirmed it had asked clubs for submissions to a review of free agency, including the compensation model.

Some key figures believe compensation should be scrapped to simplify the system.

The AFL Players' Association said yesterday that compensating clubs with draft picks was not in the "spirit of free agency".

The players' union said clubs that lose a free agent were able to clear salary cap room, allowing them to pursue other free agents.

Leading player manager Marty Pask, who oversaw Brian Lake's move from the Western Bulldogs to Hawthorn last year, supports a compensation-free system.

Every 2013 free agent listed

Pask has argued clubs such as St Kilda, which received pick No.13 for Brendon Goddard last year, were reluctant to chase their own free agents because it would have diluted their compensation selection.

Love your work, but where's Jack

He said he believed the system stopped as many as 12 free agents from finding a new club last year.

The biggest free agents this year include Franklin, Jobe Watson, Dale Thomas, Colin Sylvia and Mark LeCras.

Currie in a hurry for Round 1

AFLPA general manager of player relations, Ian Prendergast, said yesterday: "Overall, the feedback we've received on how free agency operated in its first year has been very positive."

"But we did see some confusion around how the compensation model works," Prendergast said.

"This led to a number of clubs getting frustrated about not knowing their compensation position during the free-agency period or disgruntled about the pick they received for losing a free agent.

"In our view, it would be easier to scrap compensation all together. We also think this is more in line with the spirit of free agency.

"These players have provided great service to their clubs for over eight years.

"If they are within the top 10 paid players, the club has the opportunity to retain the player by matching the offer."

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said: "We have sent out provisional dates (for free agency) but if there is an overwhelming mood (from clubs) that can change.

"We have asked clubs for feedback across the whole process."
 

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Kennedy to stick with Sydney

Going nowhere: Josh Kennedy won All-Australian honours and finished tied for eighth in the Brownlow Medal count in 2012. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: Herald Sun

FIRST Adam Goodes and Kieren Jack, now Josh Kennedy. The Sydney Swans will today confirm they have re-signed the supremely talented midfielder for four more years.

"I will be forever grateful to the Swans for this opportunity," Kennedy told The Daily Telegraph.

"When I came here four years ago to think that I would be in the position that I'm in now signing another four-year deal is an amazing feeling. I've played this game since I was two years old and always loved it and always believed that I could do it."

Kennedy, the third generation of a Hawthorn family dynasty, has gone from also-ran to superstar at Sydney to become one of the game's truly elite midfielders.

He arrived at the Swans having played just 13 senior games in two seasons at the Hawks. His father John Kennedy Jr played in four Hawthorn premierships in the '80s and his grandfather John Sr coached the club to three titles in the '60s and '70s.

After debuting at the Swans in 2010, Kennedy finished third (2010), second (2011) and first (2012) in the club's best-and-fairest award.

In 2012 he won All-Australian honours and finished tied for eighth in the Brownlow Medal count.

Kennedy has made the most of his chance in Sydney and will remain here until the end of the 2017 season at least.

"It was something I always wanted to do and, given the opportunity, I felt that I could turn things around for myself and the Swans were willing to give me that opportunity," Kennedy said.

"They were really clear with what they expected from me in my role and it's just gone from there with games and confidence. I just love being part of this group with ... my teammates who are now my family up here. It's a fantastic journey and hopefully it's still only beginning."

Kennedy said his decision to stick with the Swans was about winning premierships.

"A lot of things come into it but at the end of the day you play football to be part of a successful team," he said.

"Last year we showed we can be a successful team and I want to be part of that. Once you've tasted that success nothing else compares. There is no high quite like it.

"We've got a really good group here and hopefully we can continue that success."

In other news, Swans premiership defender Alex Johnson will have scans after sustaining what medical staff believe to be a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Should he need a knee reconstruction he is expected to consider LARS surgery. Premiership hero Nick Malceski has had two LARS procedures and recovered to play in less than half the time of conventional surgery.

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Cotchin is hungry for success

Carlton v Richmond. MCG. Trent Cotchin goal in the fourth Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

TRENT Cotchin is mortal. Which is a relief, given many might question whether the Richmond star had any weakness.

A season of sustained brilliance was rewarded with a runner-up finish in the 2012 Brownlow Medal.

He has since taken over as Tigers captain.

He seemingly can't be tagged, stopped or hated. In short, Cotchin has become the new Lenny Hayes: the player everyone loves to love.

But the relief comes from finding that Cotchin can be jealous like everyone else, as well as nervous.

Those emotions came to the fore in September as he found he envied those teams contesting the finals, and he proposed to his girlfriend Brooke in Bali.

Cotchin admits another September spent watching, rather than playing in, finals was hard to take.

"It's a funny one. I try to take myself away from me as a footballer when I watch those games. If I get too involved, I become too jealous and upset about the whole thing that I am not playing on the big day," he says.

"They are fantastic games to watch, and you can enjoy them, but there is always that little bit of hunger when you are watching them and a fair bit of jealousy as well."
That hunger - from Richmond's 12th consecutive failed campaign to make the finals - would eventually drive Cotchin to his biggest pre-season yet, but first he had a personal matter that needed his attention.

A matter that needed detailed planning and precise execution given his determination to propose to Brooke at the luxurious Semara villas.

"I had planned it prior to going to Bali and we had friends over there who helped me out with organising it at a specific beach in Uluwatu," Cotchin says.

"We booked one night at the place and, thankfully for me, there was a wedding up the top (of the resort) so the only option was a beach-front restaurant (Finn's Beach Club).

"So you catch the inclinator (escalator) down and as we went down there was "Marry Me" in candles on the beach.

"I stopped the inclinator on the way down and proposed. Then we went on down to the beach to have a nice dinner for two. And she said yes!"

The wedding will take place post-season, but Cotchin has unfinished business beforehand.

His drive to improve on his breakout season is enormous, as is his desperation to focus on the team's performance as its new captain.

New Richmond captain Trent Cotchin at punt Rd today. Cotchin wont be wearing the number 17 jumper made famous by Jack Dyer but will instead stick with his number 9 Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun

YOU hear the throw-away line issued by most players fresh from a stellar season: I can get better.

In Cotchin's case it seems possible, given the achilles injuries that once plagued him are gone.

"I reckon I would have probably done 90 per cent of every (training) session and I think that's about a 30 per cent increase in load in comparison to last year," he says.

"So that's massive for me and my head and confidence going into the season.

"You still need to get a kick and you can be as fit as you want without getting a kick, but it does give you confidence going into games.

"Having more load during pre-season, your body backs up quicker and faster and the more fit you are, the quicker your body recovers.

"Last year there were times I couldn't even train one session during the week.

"But hopefully that's not the case this year and I will be able to get decent work in between games rather than sitting on the sidelines making sure I am ready for the weekend."

Cotchin's style of play comes close to insulating him from taggers.

He is a pure ball player, ripping the ball loose from packs, winning his own possessions, linking up in scoring chains, and then marking as a forward in the manner of Jimmy Bartel.

Perhaps that is where the admiration comes from, with Cotchin happy that his conduct has impressed the football world.

"Look, it's almost humbling for people to have so much respect for you," Cotchin says.

"You are always going to have respect from your own supporters so it's nice to have people from other clubs or who don't even support the AFL say it's fantastic to see what you are doing, or congratulations on the captaincy, or good luck with it all.

"It's what you are after in life whether you are in football or business or working for someone.

"You are always after that respect and it's what I strive for in my life in general. Not too many people have much bad to say about me.

"I don't know if I am speaking out of line, but hopefully not too many people have negative thoughts."

Most people also wouldn't know that he won a car in a media award last year and donated it to a children's charity.

Richmond's Trent Cotchin reaches for the ball during the round one AFL NAB Cup match between the Tigers and Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Cotchin has a straightlaced image - he was home for dinner close to sober following the club's Mad Monday celebrations - but now that he is captain he says he actually has to go out more, bonding with his fellow teammates.

"I am pretty much a clean skin. A lot of the boys say I am a bit of a grandpa and so forth. I always cop stick for that," he says.

"I enjoy my time with the boys, but I don't do too much of it. I have to have that balance because it's important to be part of the team and know what they are up to as a group."

HIS hobbies are simple - working with Brooke on her baby clothing business, travelling overseas, and getting down to the beach with family and friends.

They have two enterprises in development - homewares business Nooks & Crannies, and the clothing company Miku.

Cotchin's focus over the pre-season has been "more of a team approach", helping challenge the young players who will help Richmond rise up the ladder.

He is excited by the progress of young players such as Matt Arnot, Matt Dea and David Astbury, aware that Richmond must find a level of consistency across four quarters if it is to play finals football.

"I felt last year in the majority of matches I had an influence at some stage, but like we did as a team we probably failed to play out the entire game," Cotchin says.

"It's been well documented we lost a number of games by under two goals, and if we were more focused for the majority of games we would have won them, and then played finals."

Cotchin knows expectations will continue to build until they reach a crescendo with the Round 1 blockbuster on Thursday, March 28 against Mick Malthouse's Carlton.

He is smart enough not to make empty promises, except to state the Tigers will be ready.

"It is the first time Mick is coaching an actual game for them, and obviously (close mate Matthew) Kreuzer and I banter about who is in a better position coming in," Cotchin says.

"But when it comes down to the crunch it will be those willing to put their head over the ball and win the contested footy.

"One percenters will win that game, not the showy things.

"We have lost the last four or five (Round 1) games, so it's going to be so exciting."

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Cotch learns from Katich

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin is learning about leadership from former Test opener Simon Katich. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

NEW Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has prepared himself to lead the club through an unlikely alliance with cricketer Simon Katich.

The former Australian Test star meets Cotchin often to discuss leadership strategies.

Cotchin says it has given him a better understanding of dealing with the complex range of personalities that feature in any group.

"He is a Richmond supporter and a really good guy. He is a bit of a mentor to me," Cotchin said of Katich, who played the last of his 56 Tests in 2010 and captained Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League this season.

"(Richmond assistant coach) Wayne Campbell came up with the idea at the start of last year, that it would be good to have someone who is quite similar in personality and has had a fair bit of experience in leadership in a different caper, and we came up with Simon.

"We had met him a couple of times in Sydney when he was living there.

"He has been captain of a few sides and been around a lot of the stars of Australian cricket, and I catch up with him to talk about life in general and about any feedback he has for me."

Most cricket fans would consider Katich's most dramatic intervention the time he pinned Michael Clarke to the dressing room wall for leaving a Test celebration early.

That is not Cotchin's style, but he says he wants to stand for something.

"There are examples of dealing with different personalities in a side, and there are always different personalities," he said.

"It's just about finding a balance and always sharing your thoughts and making a stand about things you believe in."

Cotchin said he had tried to become a sponge when surrounded by leaders, learning from predecessor Chris Newman, talking to captains of industry, and reading the books on leadership Richmond great Tommy Hafey leaves for him at the club's reception desk.

"Even just things like doing an appearance on Game Day, you might speak to Tom Harley very briefly and get one point to take forward."

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Face facts, Ablett just too good

Veteran FOX FOOTY expert Mike Sheahan reveals his always popular top 50 AFL players. Find out who made the cut.

Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett reclaims top billing from Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin, who has dropped to fourth spot in Mike's Top 50. Picture: Adam Head Source: The Courier-Mail

IS THE worth of a great player diminished in a team sport simply because he plays for a lowly team, as some would have you believe of Gary Ablett?

The cynics argue the Gold Coast champion is pretty much allowed to do as he pleases by the better teams because those teams know they are vastly superior overall.

They say it doesn't matter as much if he has 40-plus possessions, the result in most cases is a foregone conclusion.

I say that's nonsense.

It seems to me every team that has a player good enough to run with Ablett assigns that player to the little bloke; he simply burns them off as the game unfolds.

Consider the following stats from 2012 and then find a fault in the Ablett package.

He finished sixth in the Brownlow in a team that won three games, he led his club in the following categories: long kicks, short kicks, handballs given, handballs received, tackles, inside-50s, rebounds from defensive 50, hardball gets and looseball gets.

He was equal-third for contested marks, too.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: CLICK HERE TO SEE MIKE'S FULL LIST PLUS EXCLUSIVE FOX FOOTY VIDEO AND RATE EVERY PLAYER

If there was a category for ground covered in a game, I suspect he would have won that one, too.

Even his famous father would have to nod in appreciation of such a comprehensive list.

Gary Ablett Jr is the most complete player in the game.

It was the view of a massive percentage of the player group of 2012, it is the assessment of so many neutral supporters and me in my annual task picking the top 50 players in the AFL in order.

The argument that he should be downgraded because his team is down the bottom is simplistic, fatuous, disrespectful.

Is Bobby Skilton's exalted status in the game diminished by the fact he won more Brownlows (three) than he played finals (one)?

The same question can be asked of Kevin Murray, who played finals in just two of his 18 seasons with Fitzroy, yet won nine club best and fairest awards and represented Victoria 24 times. Another all-time great.

Ablett Jr plays a different game to his father, yet both will be remembered as legends of the game.

The younger Ablett has been voted by his peers the most valuable player in the game four times - at two clubs.

His father, widely regarded as the most talented player ever, won the award once. Wayne Carey, the best player I have seen, won the MVP twice.

Enough. Surely the debate is won.

Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury comes in second.

He is a superb player, deceptively tall at 191cm, not a speedster yet rarely run down, possessed of huge endurance and resilience, and he has an outstanding work ethic - he led Collingwood for tackles last year despite missing four games.

He has finished top three in Collingwood's best-and-fairest in five of the past six years.

TOMORROW: BLOG LIVE WITH MIKE FROM 11.30AM AEDT

I have elevated Patrick Dangerfield to third spot.

While it's death by a thousand cuts with Ablett and Pendlebury, Dangerfield can turn a game in five minutes.

They say his teammates call him "Raging Bull''; what the rest of us know is he was born to wear Mark Ricciuto's No.32 guernsey.

He is about to turn 23, he has played 89 games and kicked 94 goals, he is the most dynamic midfielder in the game, a reminder of the young Chris Judd at West Coast.

Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun

I have pushed Buddy Franklin down from No 1 12 months ago to No 4.

He remains the most exciting player in the game, yet the flaws remain.

He isn't strong overhead and no one with any level of interest in football needs to be told about his kicking for goal.

He booted 69.64 from 19 games last year, including 3.4 in the Grand Final. Remove the 13 he kicked in the picnic against North Melbourne in Launceston in Round 10 - OK, give him five, his next best return last year - and it's an average of just better than three a game.

What was encouraging was a one-grab pack mark against the Western Bulldogs in the recent NAB Cup game and a significant reduction in the bend in his run-up when kicking for goal.

Franklin is followed by four high-quality midfielders - Josh Kennedy, Joel Selwood, Trent Cotchin and Jobe Watson - who could have come in any order.

Cotchin might end up being the best of them because of his dash, but, for the moment, Selwood's record is amazing, while Kennedy and Watson are blue-collar men with energy, strength, nous and impact.

Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

The second punt in my top 10 - Dangerfield might be seen as a gamble at No 3 - is his Adelaide teammate, Taylor Walker.

He is a natural key forward who reminds me a little of the young Tony Lockett.

He is a superb athlete for a man of such imposing dimensions - 192cm, 100kg - has nice hands and is a thumping kick. Accurate, too (63.35 last year).

He kicked four or more goals in 11 of his 19 games. He thrived under Brenton Sanderson, although a couple of lapses of discipline cost him five games to suspension.

At 22 (23 late in April), the sky is the limit for him.

There's a school of thought he will suffer from the departure of Kurt Tippett, with more opposition pressure coming his way.

His ability to cover ground and score from up to 60m will solve that potential problem.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MIKE'S FULL TOP 50 AND HAVE YOUR SAY

Dayne Beams rounds off the top 10. His development - on and off the field - in the past couple of years is extraordinary.

Best-and-fairest in 2012, a member of the leadership group in 2013. Wow. That's what a wild young man can do when he realises he has both rare talent and a rare opportunity

As always, lots of good players miss a berth in the 50.

Jordan Lewis is desperately unlucky, but how many midfielders can you have before the list becomes unbalanced? I have 30.

Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

Lewis Jetta also was in until the final scan. He is a gamebreaker who was the leading goalkicker for the premiership team last year. Spots in the 50 don't come easy; he needs to back up again this year.

Then there's Matthew Boyd and James Kelly and Eddie Betts and Michael Hurley ...

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Judd set for final

Carlton star Chris Judd is set to play against Brisbane in the NAB Cup grand final. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

FORMER Carlton captain Chris Judd will make his first appearance for the season when he lines up against Brisbane Lions in Friday night's NAB Cup grand final at Etihad Stadium.

It will be Judd's first game of the season.

Judd, who relinquished the captaincy at the end of last season after five years in charge, has been nursed through the pre-season after straining a hamstring.

The Blues are expected to name the 29-year-old's successor - tipped to be Andrew Carrazzo - at Wednesday night's season launch and Hall of Fame dinner.

Carlton is also expected to recall Bryce Gibbs and Tom Bell for the grand final after they were rested from Friday night's clash with Adelaide.

The last time Carlton and Brisbane made the final of the pre-season competition was in 2007, when the Blues won by 25 points.

While Lions veteran Simon Black (knee) is likely to miss the clash, ruckman Matthew Leuenberger may join Billy Longer and Stefan Martin to help combat Carlton's three-pronged ruck division of Robert Warnock, Matthew Kreuzer and Shaun Hampson.

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