McKernan, Jenkins jostle for key role

Adelaide Crows big man Shaun McKernan struggling with the heat at pre-season training. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: Sunday Mail (SA)

IT'S the biggest question mark hanging over the Adelaide Crows line-up.

Will it be basketball convert Josh Jenkins or the unproven Shaun McKernan who steps into the space left by departed key forward Kurt Tippett?

After a season where Adelaide's forward line efficiency was a major reason behind its surprise run to the preliminary final, the ability of the Crows to cover Tippett's absence and replicate the high-octane offence we saw a year ago, could decide their success.

"Kurt obviously played a pivotal role last year," Crows forward coach Mark Bickley said.

"But we've got a couple of guys who played a bit last year who can step into that role."

The Crows will continue to send the message - at least until the season starts - that Lewis, Johnston and Tom Lynch are in a four-man race with Jenkins and McKernan for the berth.

But the truth is, at 193cm and 190cm respectively, neither Johnston nor Lynch is tall enough to fill the pack-crashing, ruck-relieving role Tippett did last season.

So unless the Crows decide to play Angus Graham in the same line-up as Sam Jacobs, which would be a surprise, either Jenkins or McKernan is going to play. So who is best placed to become Tippett 2.0?

We're dealing with relatively small samples but there are still conclusions to be drawn from what we have seen of the pair at AFL level.

Jenkins finds more of the ball (averaging 10.6 disposals to McKernan's 8.4), is more physically imposing (averaging 2.2 tackles to McKernan's 1.3) and is a better shot for goal (he has kicked 11.3 in 11 games compared with McKernan's 13.13 from 23).

He also finished the season as the Crows first option if Tippett was not available after McKernan was sidelined with a broken jaw. So on the surface he looks to have his nose in front.

But McKernan also has his real strengths.

He is a better pack mark and a better ruckman - averaging 7.7 hitouts to Jenkins' 5.5 - so if the Crows are confident Taylor Walker and Co can kick a winning score and they're more concerned about having someone to ease the load on Sam Jacobs, McKernan might just be the answer.

The key for McKernan will be to stop giving away so many free kicks - his career count is 18 for, 42 against - and to improve his consistency.

That not only applies to AFL level, but also if his season begins in the SANFL with South Adelaide, where his performances have ranged from outstanding to head scratching in recent seasons.

"That's one of the things we're continuing to work on with Shaun," Bickley said. "He's been a bit guilty of (it) when he hasn't played well, the contribution has been quite small. We want to narrow the gap between his best and his worst.

"If you look back at where Taylor Walker was a year or two ago, his form line was similar. Outstanding when he was great but when he wasn't ... "

Whether it's Jenkins or McKernan who steps up, there's reason to believe the Crows can survive life post-Tippett.

They averaged 118 points in the seven games Tippett missed, or when he left the field early, because of concussions last year.

That average was helped by the score of 27.16 Adelaide kicked against GWS in round 16, but there were also healthy totals tallied against West Coast, Fremantle and Essendon.

"It wasn't like we had the same players in, week in, week out," Bickley said.

"We had to use quite a few numbers through there and, at different stages, improvise.

"Both of those guys have had a taste ... and had some credible performances.

"It will be interesting to see how they go, you just never know who is going to jump up and grab the opportunity."

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Cheers to a fresh start for Gray

Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray serves a beer at the Dublin Hotel in Glenelg, which he has invested in with Travis Boak. Picture: Keryn Stevens Source: Sunday Mail (SA)

PORT Adelaide small forward Robbie Gray has asked the Power faithful to be patient with him as he takes a no-risk approach to his rehabilitation of a long-term knee injury.

Gray is pleased with the progress he's made since the Christmas break but is realistic about what he will be able to achieve on his return this season.

"I know it's not going to be a massive year for me," Gray said.

"I just want to get some confidence in my body, some fitness back and some form back.

"If I can get 10 or 12 games in   ... I just want to get back and once I do have a really smooth year and get some game time back into me."

Gray, who tore the ACL in his right knee against Collingwood in round four last season, has begun running at a higher speed in the past fortnight - although still not at full pace - and tried changing direction.

"It's stepped up a bit in the last couple of weeks," he said.

"I still don't know when (my return is) going to be exactly, we'll just play it by ear and see how it goes.

"But I'm really happy with how it's coming along at the moment."

Gray is one of the few undoubted elite performers in Port's squad, achieving top four best-and-fairest finishes when he's been injury-free.

The Power lacked a genuine crumbing forward in his absence last year, with Brett Ebert - who is more of a lead-up player - the only small forward to pass double figures in goals.

Gray, who will change from guernsey number 17 to nine this season as he looks for a "fresh start", hasn't spoken to new Power coach Ken Hinkley about whether he sees him as a forward or a midfielder.

He just wants to get back on the park.

The 24-year-old is fully aware draft classmates Joel Selwood and Bryce Gibbs are on track to chalk up 150 games this season, while he's stuck on 70.

"I debuted halfway through my first year and have missed a lot of games through injury," he said.

"Just when I thought I was starting to get on top of it, this happened. It's definitely frustrating  ... but that's footy, these things happen."

Gray is confident he'll suffer no long-term effects and has taken note of Minnesota Vikings player Adrian Petersen, who narrowly missed out on breaking the NFL rushing record in his first year back from a knee injury.

"I did take notice of that," Gray said.

"Even in the AFL lots of guys have done it and gone on to have successful careers. I think once I'm back and confident it will hold up well."

He's also excited about his investment in Glenelg's Dublin Hotel.

Gray, teammate Travis Boak and Crows defender Ben Rutten bought into the pub just before Christmas in a deal that was instigated by Gray and Rutten's former West Adelaide teammate Luke Donaldson.

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One tiny reason why Roberton left Freo

FAMILY FIRST: Former Docker Dylan Roberton with the reasons he left Fremantle to return to Victoria - his Girlfriend Amy and their 11-week old baby boy Boston. Picture: Paul Loughnan Source: PerthNow

MEET baby Boston - the reason Dylan Roberton walked out on Fremantle at the end of last season to return home to Melbourne.

Roberton, who played 37 games for the Dockers in three seasons, decided he and partner Amy Capp needed to return to Melbourne to be near the support of family after she fell pregnant last year.

Fremantle could not get a deal done for Roberton during the October trade period, with the 21-year-old becoming a father in early November, at a time he did not have a club or know if he had a future in the AFL.

He continued to train by himself in the hope of a lifeline and St Kilda became his dream suitor in late November when it signed him as a delisted free agent.

The Saints' Seaford training base is just minutes from Frankston, where he and his childhood sweetheart grew up and have now returned.

"I didn't know what was going to happen, so I was a bit worried there for a little bit, but obviously it all turned out pretty good in the end," Roberton said.

"I tried to steer clear of thinking about (whether my career could have been over). I just kept training and kept talking to my manager and he sort of said that we should be able to get something done."

Roberton said he was coping well with fatherhood and predicted it would help his football.

"I've matured a lot over the past couple of months," he said. "I'm not just supporting myself now. I'm supporting a family, so I'll try to play as good as I can for as long as I can and stay at the club.

"Amy does a lot of the work, and being so close to the club makes it a lot easier as well.

"It feels like home and being back home with family to help out makes it easier than obviously if we were still back in Perth."

Respected WA football figure Tony Micale was instrumental in getting Roberton to St Kilda after he coached him at East Perth, before moving to the Saints as a development coach.

"I think this has turned out favourable for everyone,"  Micale said.

"It's a fantastic story.

"He's got back home. He's going to play his role very importantly as a father and he's got the opportunity to pursue his lifelong love of playing football."

Micale said Roberton's ability to remain focused on his training, despite the uncertainty regarding his future, had laid the foundation for a successful season.

"Considering what he was going through in his personal life, he turned up in good condition," he said.

"For a young kid of 21, there must have been a lot going on in his mind. It sends a real good message regarding his character.

"I think he'll play a real part in the direction we're going in as a football club.

"He can play a variety of roles. He reads the play extremely well as a defender and he sort of gives you that run and penetration."

Roberton, who will play under his third senior coach in four seasons this year, was grateful to the Dockers for their understanding of his reasons for wanting to go home.

"I think my first year was probably my best year and then I sort of dropped off a bit," he said. "But it was a good experience and I learnt a lot."

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Birthday boys stump Suns

Young Gold Coast stars Harley Bennell (left) and David Swallow (centre), pictured running with Jaeger O'Meara, are among 17 Suns players who will celebrate their 21st birthday this year. Picture: David Clark Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

TWENTY One today, 21 today ... and next week and on NAB Cup Grand Final week, and dotted throughout the season and the finals.

It is party season on the Gold Coast with 17 Suns players preparing to celebrate their 21st birthdays.

It is a dilemma never before encountered by an AFL club and one the Suns admit to being a bit baffled by.

A committee planning the best course of action has been established that includes football operations manager Marcus Ashcroft, player welfare officer Sam Coen and football administration manager Kristy Hamson.

The 17 birthday boys have also met to discuss some proposals; three representatives will be elected to join the group that will make the final decision.

If it seems like overkill, consider it for a minute.

You can't let one player have a party and deny another.

Nor can you have 17 parties in a football season and hope to be also celebrating a few wins.

Even the dates that fall after the Grand Final, such as star duo David Swallow and Harley Bennell, coincide with the start of the next pre-season, the most physically taxing part of a footballer's year.

Then there is alcohol. Can you put a blanket ban on it without losing your players?

And what about all the 21sts of their best mates they'll be missing back in their home towns?

The options include having one group function after the NAB Cup or at season's end where the players can let their hair down, or a series of small individual dinners with the player's parents flown in for the occasion.

Ashcroft said the club's preference would be to host one major function prior to the start of the premiership season.

He said in that scenario alcohol would not be banned.

"It is a real dilemma, but it is also a great opportunity to get them all together for a group celebration,'' he said.

"Most of these guys came to us as 17-year-olds, they have been part of our family for a while now and we want to celebrate with them and for them.

"If you have 17 different dates, it would be hard to celebrate with families and mates because you are in season.

"They have been going pretty hard over summer and they have come a long way with their professionalism, we can work out a date that suits the players and has minimum impact from a conditioning point of view we think they deserve a party.

Summer Barometer: Click here for Suns training, injury latest

"We'll let them tell us what they want to do.''

Utility Steven May was the first to blow out the candles, celebrating his 21st birthday last week, smack bang in the middle of the first week of training after the Christmas break.

Not a good time for a bender for a player who is yet to cement himself in the club's best 22.

May said all the younger players understood the club could no longer afford to be critiqued any differently to other AFL side.

"The first two years I think everyone expected there would be growing pains, as the boys had to learn how to conduct themselves as professionals on and off the field,'' he said.

"Although most of us are still only in our early 20s, we've all had to fast-track our development and take a more mature approach to our football of our current senior players are now in the back-end of their careers and won't be around to guide us forever.

"Bluey (McKenna) said at the start of pre-season that we shouldn't to use the word 'young' any more around the club, he wants the players to be more accountable.''

Steven May at Gold Coast training. Picture: David Clark Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Gold Coast Suns turning 21 in 2013.

January
10th Steven May
24th Luke Russell

February
5th Matt Shaw
13th Mav Weller
20th Jack Hutchins

March
4th Tom Nicholls
11th Brandon Matera

April
3rd Trent McKenzie

June
2nd Daniel Gorringe
17th Jeremy Taylor

August
6th Seb Tape

September
6th Sam Day
13th Jacob Gillbee

October
2nd Harley Bennell
12th Dion Prestia
31st Tom Lynch

November
19th David Swallow

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New Roo can run and jump again

Former Port Adelaide utility Ben Jacobs is relishing a fresh start at North Melbourne. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

BEN Jacobs felt anchored to the ground. The problem was the bones impinging on nerves in his ankles.

After surgery to remove them, even more restrictive was the scar tissue that formed in his joints.

By the time the curtain fell on his second season at Port Adelaide last year, the man once likened to a young Luke Hodge had lost all power and flex in his ankles.

There was only frustration at the prospect of an AFL career going backwards and a feeling in his gut that things had to change.

Now, at his new club North Melbourne, the former Brighton Grammar captain can finally run and jump again, without feeling like there is concrete in his boots.

After another operation to clean out the scar tissue, he is no longer a tied-down footballer.

"When I saw the surgeon he was pretty amazed how I could still run and even get through games at all," Jacobs told the Herald Sun.

"There was so much scar tissue which was blocking the tendons from moving freely, so there was no range of motion.

"I was literally running without any flexion in the ankle, which meant I couldn't sprint. After I strung six games together, just even trying to jump was a task."

As trade time crept closer last year, the just turned 21-year-old desperately wanted two things -- a club that could offer him top-line medical facilities and a life closer to home, near his bayside family and friends.

If North was hamstrung by the AFL's worst resources in the past, it now has some of the best at its Aegis Park headquarters, with an injury management record last year to back it up.

From their first meetings, Jacobs and Roos' coach Brad Scott clicked. The prospect of a permanent midfield berth also appealed.

During the trade period, Port tried hard to hang on to the 185cm utility, turning down the offer of a second-round draft pick from North. But in Jacobs' mind, he was already gone, albeit at the risk of being picked by another club in the national draft.

"It was a long process and I got along so well with the people at Port Adelaide that for it to be extended and as long as it was -- it wasn't ideal," Jacobs said.

"I was certain it (my new home) was going to be North, but I think a few clubs tried to play a few mind games and throw off North.

"I got late mail that I was going somewhere else (Essendon). But I think anyone other than North would have been stupid to take me because North was the only club I wanted to come to.

"So I'm loving it and very happy to be back."

The bonus for North Melbourne was it eventually secured Jacobs with pick No.37, only two years after it was prepared to part with pick No.17 (which it used on Shaun Atley) for him.

Including a bout of glandular fever, which stripped 12kg from his frame and hospitalised him for five days during his first year at Port, it has been at times a torturous start to life in the AFL.

"Because of the sickness and the injuries I just never felt myself (at Port), so it's hard to play like yourself," Jacobs said.

"For me, personally, to get my body back on track and actually play consistent quality AFL footy I needed to be back home and around family and get the resources I could around here.

"I was obviously struggling a bit there physically, needing to get my body right and to fast-track that being home, I think for everyone it was the best option."

North recruiters recall his dominant under-18 form.

Back in 2010, he was an authoritative, mid-sized ball magnet.

He was someone who could mark overhead, take an intercept mark in defence or barge through a contest and use his penetrating kicking to set up attacking opportunities.

Throughout the 2010 national championships, the strong-bodied utility averaged 29 possessions at 69 per cent efficiency, including a 47-possession haul against South Australia.

But his allround, long-kicking style is yet to materialise at AFL level.

Champion Data rated his kicking efficiency last year (60.7 per cent) as below average. For a defender, his rebounds per game (1.2) was classed as poor.

But Scott believes his new ball-carrier has weapons in his game and wants to shift the 26-gamer upfield, where he can hit the scoreboard.

"We were really looking to build the versatility of our midfield and Ben shows a lot of flexibility on mostly wing/back," Scott said.

"But we think he can play forward as well as an inside midfielder.

"Once we sat down and talked to him about what we could provide, he was really keen to come here.

"I think it is a great step for North Melbourne that a player who has pretty much got a choice as to where he can go, decides that 'I'm going to North Melbourne'.

"We had a lot of data on him from the (Draft) Combine because he went only one pick before Shaun Atley and we had him in the mix for our first pick (No.17) then."

Regarded as an elite kick in his junior days, Jacobs has not lost faith in his disposal. Now his ankles are on the mend, the confidence is returning.

"I think that has got to be a weapon for me to play good footy and make a mark in the AFL," Jacobs said. "I've got to be kicking well and that's something I still want to be a big weapon for me."

After a devastating elimination finals exit, copping a 96-point thrashing from West Coast in Perth, North made some aggressive moves in the off-season, securing two former first-round draft picks -- Jacobs and Melbourne midfielder Jordan Gysberts (No.11), in an exchange for versatile tall Cameron Pedersen.

Whereas Gysberts is a more reserved character, Jacobs is already a strong, encouraging voice around the club.

His leadership quickly came to the fore during the club's high-altitude pre-season camp in Utah.

"He is just a really driven guy, bordering on almost too serious," Scott said.

"We have a lot of players who drive the culture of the club, but we've also got a lot who do their job -- they don't necessarily want to drive the direction, they just want to be part of it.

"But Ben will be a player who will drive the future direction of the club."

A high achiever by nature, the former Sandringham Dragons player has put extreme pressure on himself throughout his ups and downs.

It is something he has learned to manage better in his first two years.

"I'm pretty hard on myself," Jacobs said.

"I think I could have been a bit impatient early and it could have led to me being so sick and injuries and stuff.

"But I'm finding that balance now and growing up as a player and more mentally.

"I think you've got to be hard on yourself if you are going to get anywhere being in a such a cut-throat system.

"It's one of those things that you can do so you can sleep easy at night and not have any regrets.

"I love that I've got that trait, but I'm definitely getting smarter about it.

"The guys here at North -- being in a professional system -- you have to realise you've got to put some faith in them.

"When you've got the faith you can kind of relax a bit yourself, know that your body is being taken care of and so is your footy."

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Tex just one of six Crow targets

Taylor Walker has been a standout for the Adelaide Crows on the track this pre-season. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

CROWS fans may want to hold off on loading up on Taylor Walker for the Coleman Medal because of Adelaide's determination to keep an unpredictable forward line this season.

Walker (63 goals) was one of four Crows - along with Kurt Tippett (39), Ian Callinan (39) and Jason Porplyzia (30) - to pass the 30-goal mark last season, giving Adelaide the most balanced forward line in the competition outside of Hawthorn (five with 30-plus).

Adelaide forward coach Mark Bickley said it was essential a similar balance was maintained this season, even if it meant Walker - who is in peak physical condition - had to make some sacrifices.

"Our efficiency was number one or number two in the competition (because) we had a really even spread of goalkickers," Bickley said.

"If we try and isolate Taylor and every entry that goes in our forward 50 goes to him, yeah, he'll probably kick us 70 or 80 goals.

"But we'll also become very predictable to the opposition and they can drop extra numbers back and make it very difficult.

"We need to make sure we provide plenty of options for our midfielders."

Walker is paying $5.50 with Sportsbet to take home the league's leading goalkicker award (Lance Franklin is favourite at $3.25).

"I don't really care too much if Taylor kicks 25 goals; if we're winning it means we're doing something right," he said.

"I can assure you it won't be all about Taylor Walker this year and he certainly knows that as well.

"He's one of six guys in our forward line and it's more about us kicking a winning score than him kicking a massive bag of goals.

"Taylor is a very selfless player. He showed in the preliminary final last year he is prepared to play a different role."

The Crows hope to have small forward Jared Petrenko (shoulder) available close to the start of the season, but will give Brad Crouch, Sam Kerridge and Tim McIntyre a chance to show their wares during the NAB Cup.

They also plan to develop Patrick Dangerfield more as a forward this season.
 

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Surgery success for Morabito

Fremantle midfielder Anthony Morabito had LARS surgery to repair his injured right knee. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

LUCKLESS Fremantle midfielder Anthony Morabito has undergone LARS surgery on repair his damaged left knee.

Morabito, 21, tore his ACL for third time in his short career during a training mishap earlier this month, but opted not to have another full reconstruction.

The Dockers released a statement this evening to confirm Morabito would begin his rebhabilitation program in the coming weeks after successful surgery in Sydney today.

No timeframes or expectations will be placed on his recovery despite the often quick turnaround associated with the LARS procedure.

Fremantle football operations general manager Chris Bond said Morabito was in good spirits after the operation.

"We heard directly from Anthony after his surgery today and from all reports it went very well," Bond said.

"He is in really good spirits and looking forward to getting started with his recovery."

Morabito was taken with the club's first pick (No.4 overall) in the 2009 National Draft and he played 23 games in his first season.

The Peel product has not played an AFL game since Fremantle's semi-final loss to Geelong in September 2010.
 

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Matera 'booted' for foot injury

Gold Coast youngster Brandon Matera is in a moon boot after complaining of foot soreness. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

SUNS forward Brandon Matera has been placed in a moon boot for a week and sent for new orthotics after complaining of soreness in his troublesome right foot.

The Suns say it is not a recurrence of the stress injury he incurred last year which kept him out of the side between rounds 6 and 10.

The West Australian small forward (pictured) complained of soreness in a different part of the foot last week and because of his previous problems, was sent straight for scans.

Matera said the setback was only expected to cost him two weeks of training, leaving him on track to play at least two NAB Cup games.

"The doc has me wearing a moon boot for the rest of the week as a precaution, and I'll be back training in runners the week after," he said.

"It's a minor setback. I've had a really good pre-season so far so it's not ideal but I'm confident, based on the training I've done, that I'll be available for the NAB Cup."

Suns coach Guy McKenna was yesterday handed AFL life membership after passing the 300-game mark as a player and coach.
 

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AFL banks on blood profiles

The AFL has introduced the same blood profiling system used in cycling to catch doping cheats. Source: Supplied

THE AFL says it has built a bank of biological data on its players equal to the profiling system that has helped clean up cycling post-Lance Armstrong.

League medical commissioner Dr Peter Harcourt said yesterday records from five years of blood testing AFL players were available to doping investigators.

Changes in biological profile would alert authorities, led by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, that a player required close scrutiny.

Cycling's "biological passport" is being adopted by other sporting bodies around the world.

But Harcourt said the AFL was ahead of most sports. He said its testing, in partnership with ASADA, was almost identical to that of cycling.

"We are effectively already doing it," he said.

"We have been blood testing in the AFL for four or five years -- and now ASADA are introducing the Athlete Biological Passport, we are morphing our blood profiling, which is essentially the same, into the biological passport.

"But basically it's exactly the same as what we have been doing with the blood testing and urine testing. That was a part of the strategy -- to get ahead of the game.

"We do about 1000 tests (a year) all up . . . and a lot of our blood profiling is about trying to see if someone looks a bit unusual.

"And then if they look a bit unusual, then we do more tests.

"There's a lot of intelligence that sits behind it -- analysing things," he said.

"We started doing it four years ago and we picked it up because cycling were doing it. We were the first sport in Australia to do it."

Harcourt said the only major difference with the passport was a requirement for players to be rested for two hours before a blood sample is taken.

He said players identified by ASADA had been blood or urine-tested up to nine times in a year.

Samples can be stored and re-tested for up to eight years.

Asked why some players would be targeted, Harcourt said: "Well, they would have had some irregularities. We have had individuals who have had strange test results . . . but none of them have come through as anything other than natural."

Former Richmond ruckman Justin Charles is the only AFL player to have been found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs. He was suspended for 16 matches in 1997 after admitting to using anabolic steroids.

Biological passports measure and monitor an individual athlete's blood over a period of time.

Testing agencies can create a profile on a sportsperson and are able to uncover irregularities.

While not necessarily detecting the type of prohibited substance used by an athlete to cheat, the passport can indirectly reveal the effects of doping.

"The athlete biological passport testing differs from traditional testing by looking for the effects of blood doping rather than detecting the prohibited substances or methods used," an ASADA spokesman said yesterday.

ATHLETE BIOLOGICAL PASSPORT

* Measures and monitors an athlete's blood variables over a period of time

* Catches cheats by flagging abnormalities and irregularities

* Indirectly reveals the effects of doping, as opposed to a reliance on traditional detection tests

Source: WADA
 

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