Archive for June, 2011
Farmer hit with ban for race snap
0Racism in football has again reared its ugly head with former Fremantle Dockers star Jeff Farmer leaving the field to confront a spectator after he was abused in the North Pilbara Football League.
Farmer has spent the past two seasons playing for Wickham Wolves. He was targeted by a spectator during a match against Dampier on June 10 and pushed him in the chest after being called a “black c…”.
But the issue took a dramatic turn when the 33-year-old was reported for misconduct for making contact with a spectator. Farmer pleaded guilty and accepted a two-week ban. Farmer, who is working for Woodside in Karratha, spoke to his club about the racial abuse but chose not to make a complaint.
“Jeff was playing in the forward pocket and a spectator was quite vocal,” Wickham president and player Matt Dyson said.
“He said something which tipped Jeff off. I was on the ground and the umpires were quite close too.
“Jeff pushed the guy and was upset that he did that because he wants to set a good example.”
WA Country Football League general manager Cameron Knapton said racism would not be tolerated, but neither would players taking the law into their own hands.
Pav inspires in costly win
0Fremantle 2.5 5.6 10.8 12.16 (88)
Brisbane Lions 4.1 7.5 10.5 10.5 (65)
GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich 5, Broughton 2, Hinkley 2, Crowley, Johnson, Lower
Brisbane Lions: Brown 2, Rich 2, Retzlaff, Polkinghorne, Karnezis, Bewick, Redden, Rockliff
BEST
Fremantle: Pavlich, Broughton, Silvagni, Fyfe, Crowley, Palmer.
Brisbane Lions: Black, Stiller, Rockliff, Redden, Rich, Leuenberger.
INJURIES
Fremantle: Barlow (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Hayden, Mzungu (calf) replaced in selected side by Hinkley, McPharlin (groin), Sandilands (foot).
Brisbane Lions: Nil.
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Luke McPharlin replaced by Roger Hayden at half-time.
Brisbane Lions: Patrick Karnezis replaced by Ryan Harwood in the third quarter.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Ryan, Pannell, Keating
Now Pavlich a Fremantle casualty
0By SportsNewsFirst
Fremantle’s horror run of injuries is escalating with mounting prospects that powerhouse captain Matthew Pavlich could miss Saturday’s important home clash with Brisbane.
Pavlich, 29, is battling an ankle problem and could be sidelined for a showdown the Dockers must win to retain a flimsy grip on a top eight spot.
Fremantle could be bolstered for the Lions clash with a return from champion ruckman Aaron Sandilands, but the triple All-Australian is only considered a 50-50 chance to resume this week.
Barlow to miss Brisbane game
0Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow has general soreness and will miss tomorrow’s game against Brisbane at Patersons Stadium.
“After such a long time out of the game at senior level it was always an option, after he resumed last week against Melbourne, to rest Michael for the Brisbane game,” general manager of football operations Chris Bond said.
“We wanted to give Michael every chance to play, and waited until today to make a decision on whether or not he was ready.”
Sandi’s back, Mellington to debut
0Youngster Josh Mellington has been selected to play his first AFL game, while the other ins include some big names, headed by the return of ruck champ Aaron Sandilands.
Leading goal kicker Kepler Bradley is also back after he was a late withdrawal last week.
The defence has been weakened by the loss of Antoni Grover with an adductor injury, but Alex Silvagni’s return helps offset that.
Rhys Palmer and Dylan Roberton have earned reprieves following good WAFL form.
The players to make way were Jay van Berlo, Jesse Crichton, Ben Bucovaz, Clayton Hinkley and Jon Griffin, who have all been omitted.
No sub for Sandi
0Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says he won’t recall any players from injury this week, including star ruckman Aaron Sandilands, unless they are capable of playing a full game against the Brisbane Lions at Patersons Stadium on Saturday night.
Sandilands, who has been sidelined for four weeks with a toe injury, will join in full training on Wednesday night and is one of four key players pushing to return from injury.
Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring), Roger Hayden (foot) and Alex Silvagni (groin) are others in line to return, while Antoni Grover (adductor) faces a fitness test on Friday to determine his availability.
Harvey said the sub rule would not be used to nurse any of the club’s key players back into AFL action against the Lions.
“We’re not carrying them through using a sub player or rotating them more than we should – the game’s beyond that,” Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday.
Perspective needed
1A disappointed Matthew Pavlich says Fremantle’s players have a searching and challenging week ahead of them as they look for answers following an 89-point loss to Melbourne.
Fremantle, which has been decimated by injury to key players this season, lost its 10th consecutive match at the MCG on Sunday, and is now hanging on to its spot in the top eight by half a game.
The Fremantle skipper refused to offer injuries as an excuse for Sunday’s performance, with key players Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Hayden Ballantyne and Kepler Bradley, among others, missing.
Pavlich said the club needed to maintain some perspective when assessing why it had lost five of its last seven games.
“We’re certainly very disappointed in the way we played yesterday,” Pavlich said from Fremantle Oval on Monday.
“Our fans should be disappointed and it’s going to be a searching and challenging week internally for us.
No solace for Barlow
0Michael Barlow would be excused for seeing Sunday’s game against Melbourne as a massive triumph.
Twelve months on from horrifically breaking his leg in Perth, Barlow finally set foot on an AFL field again.
There were setbacks along the way and some external doubts that he would play senior football again after such an impressive 13 games in his debut season.
So to not only return, but to be his team’s highest possession winner in his first game back, is nothing short of a monumental achievement.
But the statistics showing that he did eventually get to his 14th match and that he got 25 touches in it were not occupying Barlow’s thoughts in the aftermath of Sunday’s match against the Demons.
It was the fact his team that lost by 89 points that was foremost in his mind.
“There’s no mixed emotions at all. It was pretty devastating what went on today. It was really deflating. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve had in football,” Barlow said.
Injuries ‘no excuse’
0Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has refused to use his team’s growing injury toll as a reason for its poor showing against Melbourne on Sunday.
Fremantle lost to the Demons by 89 points without senior players David Mundy, Aaron Sandilands, Kepler Bradley, Adam McPhee and Nick Suban, among others.
It suffered further woe when Antoni Grover (adductor) and Ryan Crowley (back spasms) came from the ground during the loss.
“If we look to injury and losing two players throughout the course of the game, under that duress your players become a little more fatigued than normal, but reality is they should be able to hold their own regardless,” Harvey said after the defeat.
“You can have as much structure as you like but if you blatantly turn the ball over, particularly backward of the centre, you are going to pay an enormous penalty.”
Harvey said skill errors were a main reason for the final margin.
Fremantle humbled at ‘G
0Melbourne 6.5 10.7 14.12 22.17 (149)
Fremantle 1.4 6.6 7.10 8.12 (60)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 5, Martin 3, Watts 3, Howe 2, Jurrah 2, Frawley, Gawn, Nicholson, Petterd, Sylvia, Trengove, Jones
Fremantle: Johnson 3, Mayne 2, Pavlich, Pearce, McPharlin
BEST
Melbourne: Martin, Green, McKenzie, Watts, Scully, Howe
Fremantle: Fyfe, Barlow, Mzungu, Johnson, McPharlin
Injuries
Melbourne: Garland (leg)
Fremantle: Grover (leg), Crowley (back)
Substitutes
Melbourne: Colin Garland replaced by Jamie Bennell at three-quarter time
Fremantle: Antoni Grover replaced by Ben Bucovaz in the second quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Kennedy, Leppard, Wenn
Crowd: 19,092