Opinion Commentary & Media IX

[tazaa]

Daniel Hoyne has basically said we will win the spoon! Listen to his 6 minute segment on SEN…. Extraordinary.

We are nowhere near being the finished product, but even the harshest critics can see the changes Barlow and LittleJohn have worked on over the summer.

It’s not perfect and it’s a small sample size thus far but we’ve seen good footy in patches that touch wood will start to be displayed more frequently.

Hoyne is a donkey just like his dad Luffy.

 

[footy2016]

We are nowhere near being the finished product, but even the harshest critics can see the changes Barlow and LittleJohn have worked on over the summer.

It’s not perfect and it’s a small sample size thus far but we’ve seen good footy in patches that touch wood will start to be displayed more frequently.

Hoyne is a donkey just like his dad Luffy.

Couldn’t agree more. I am not sure why Hoyne is criticising the uncontested mark gamestyle when both Port Adelaide and Essendon forced us to play that way and it worked for 7 of the 8 quarters. The one time we didn’t play a high possession gamestyle we got into a shootout with West Coast and lost?

As for Ken claiming that gamestyle gives us 12 goals, does he not realise in the first 3 games we have kicked 17 goals, 15 goals and 12 goals?

All for opinions and I think we are a long way off being a consistent ball moving side, however the ‘grave concerns’ are not warranted off the back of 1 poor quarter against Essendon.

Facts are, we have played 3 games, won 2. Won 9 of 12 quarters, hardly a doomsday situation.

 

[DuckYeah]

Couldn’t agree more. I am not sure why Hoyne is criticising the uncontested mark gamestyle when both Port Adelaide and Essendon forced us to play that way and it worked for 7 of the 8 quarters. The one time we didn’t play a high possession gamestyle we got into a shootout with West Coast and lost?

As for Ken claiming that gamestyle gives us 12 goals, does he not realise in the first 3 games we have kicked 17 goals, 15 goals and 12 goals?

All for opinions and I think we are a long way off being a consistent ball moving side, however the ‘grave concerns’ are not warranted off the back of 1 poor quarter against Essendon.

Facts are, we have played 3 games, won 2. Won 9 of 12 quarters, hardly a doomsday situation.

He’s right though. the 3 teams we played are potentially bottom 4 teams. Lets see how we go against Brisbane. That will show how we hold up. Their pre season is now done, they will fire right up now.

 

[Its a Process]

11.20in

I like Hoyne’s segment but he actually didn’t use that much data to explain his thought process.

His biggest mantra is wait for 6 weeks so least and see.

Other good stats are our %, the fact we we’ve won 9 of 12 quarters and given up under 70 points in 2 of 3 matches.

He is right in that we rely on clerance dominance and with no X this will be harder.

 

[An Ardenary Life]

Having sat through a succession of shocking Good Friday matches, I'm far from confident but curious about how we'll show up - and how we handle a possible Carlton rampage (especially early). There's really no excuse not to win this, even without Xerri.

 

[Gasometer]

We have the midfield talent to cover X. Yes it will be a challenge but they have the ability to win the ball.

 

[DuckYeah]

The 25, April edition: Dees pair make big moves, two Lions drop out

Welcome back to 'The 25', where AFL.com.au's team of experts rank the best players in the game

www.afl.com.au

I thought Sheezel would be in there

 

[ferball]

#1 for disposal efficiency was the surprise for me. Our skills against WC were horrendous, not great against * either

The pressure is noticeable. Last year it was JK and Paul Curtis, now its everyone and even CZ puts in.

 

[ferball]

He’s right though. the 3 teams we played are potentially bottom 4 teams. Lets see how we go against Brisbane. That will show how we hold up. Their pre season is now done, they will fire right up now.

I'm sure some people will laugh at this but last year I thought what we were doing reminded me of Brisbane more than any other side. Not at the same level obviously. Richmond and * will probably be bottom two. Dunno about the Eagles.

 

[King Corey]

We are so messed up in the brain and downtrodden that we are already discussing getting the wooden spoon. Usually, we have to lose a few games before that happens. Talk about trying to bring ourselves down! This board is seriously in need of therapy.

It was a media clip suggesting it C-Man, not a poster.

 

[Masked Avenger]

The 25, April edition: Dees pair make big moves, two Lions drop out

Welcome back to 'The 25', where AFL.com.au's team of experts rank the best players in the game

www.afl.com.au

I thought Sheezel would be in there

Given the criteria, some of those players ahead of Harris Andrews, wow!

 

[ferball]

The 25, April edition: Dees pair make big moves, two Lions drop out

Welcome back to 'The 25', where AFL.com.au's team of experts rank the best players in the game

www.afl.com.au

I thought Sheezel would be in there

FOS will be at some point.

 

[Disco Dew]

FOS will be at some point.

By years end. Bookmark it

 

[Shermanator]

I like Hoyne’s segment but he actually didn’t use that much data to explain his thought process.

He is right in that we rely on clerance dominance and with no X this will be harder.

To be fair, itchyscratch 84 year old neighbour with his fly open and no false teeth could comfortably pick that too.

 

[DuckYeah]

I'm sure some people will laugh at this but last year I thought what we were doing reminded me of Brisbane more than any other side. Not at the same level obviously. Richmond and * will probably be bottom two. Dunno about the Eagles.

They dont **** up ball movement anywhere near the level we do. But yes, I agree we are definitely trying to play that style and rightfully so, its a system that should bring a threepeat

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Dick pic saga getting more interesting.

Bombshell AFL texts and emails emerge in Luke Sayers ‘dick pic’ saga​

Text messages and emails sent by senior AFL officials in the days following the eruption of the Luke Sayers lewd scandal threaten to reveal a cover-up.

Michael Warner

March 31, 2026 - 6:45PM

AFL texts and emails have emerged in the Luke Sayers lewd scandal. Picture: Michael Klein

Bombshell texts and emails sent by senior AFL officials in the days after the eruption of the Luke Sayers “dick pic” scandal threaten to expose a cover-up.
The Herald Sun can reveal lawyers for Mr Sayers’ estranged wife Cate are set to subpoena correspondence between top league figures and members of his camp as part of the couple’s escalating Supreme Court fight.

Sources close to the feuding couple say the communications paint a picture of an AFL hierarchy desperate to exonerate Mr Sayers and accept his claim that his wife was mentally unstable and responsible for the posting.

In documents filed as part of their defamation battle, Mrs Sayers’ lawyers have accused the AFL of colluding with Carlton and Mr Sayers, who was then president of the club, to clear him of the scandal.

AFL spin doctor Sharon McCrohan has already been hit with a legal letter, warning her to preserve all correspondence relating to her involvement in the saga.

Luke Sayers. Picture: Ian Currie

It is understood AFL commission chairman Craig Drummond and league chief executive Andrew Dillon are aware of the letter.

McCrohan - a former media advisor to premier Steve Bracks, federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten and the CFMEU - was engaged by Mr Sayers to crisis-manage the dick pic fallout early last year, before landing her current job as head of the league’s corporate affairs department.

Mrs Sayers is suing her husband over a statutory declaration he submitted to the AFL integrity unit, in which he blamed Cate for the posting of the photograph of his penis in January last year.

A series of communications between multiple AFL figures including league general counsel Stephen Meade, integrity unit boss Tony Keane and ex-corporate affairs chief Brian Walsh with members of the Sayers camp, including McCrohan, are understood to be central to Mrs Sayers’ case.

Stephen Meade. Picture: Getty Images

Former Labor minister Martin Pakula, who was working as a consultant for the AFL at the time, is also expected to be issued with a subpoena.

Briefings given to senior Melbourne football journalists who published articles favourable to Mr Sayers’ version of events are also under scrutiny.

At least one senior AFL figure is accused of repeating the claim that former PwC chief Mr Sayers was responsible for the lewd posting to journalists in recent weeks.

Mrs Sayers’ lawyers claim the AFL integrity unit made no attempt to verify any of Mr Sayers’ claims in the statutory declaration and have accused the three parties of releasing coordinated media statements as part of the collusion strategy.

Brian Walsh. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Martin Pakula. Picture: Getty Images
“The public communications of the AFL, Carlton and Luke were issued simultaneously and aligned in terms of messaging,” a filing last week said.

Mrs Sayers’ lawyers further allege that the investigations conducted by the AFL and Carlton were “not conducted adequately or honestly”.

A key focus of the Supreme Court fight is the involvement of Mr Sayers’ camp in the drafting of an AFL statement released on January 21 last year which cleared the Blues supremo of breaching any competition respect and responsibility rules.

The statement included the assertion that the picture of the penis had been “posted by a person not being Luke Sayers”.

Text messages between some of the AFL’s highest-ranked officials and members of the Sayers camp immediately after the resolution of the probe are also expected to be subpoenaed.

In last week’s filing, Cate’s lawyers said that documents would be sought from “relevant parties” under discovery and subpoena.

Sayers resigned from Carlton early last year. Picture: Michael Klein

One AFL insider said Ms McCrohan had appeared distracted in recent weeks and was often seen cutting laps in the bowels of Marvel Stadium in deep conversation on her mobile phone.

“Rule 1.01 in media and reputation management is that you don’t let yourself become the story,” the league figure said.

“But Sharon’s underlings are now fielding more questions about her than any other issue.”

Ms McCrohan came to prominence in the late 1990s as a crisis communications expert as Mr Bracks’ media chief.

She had previously advised Mr Sayers during a parliamentary inquiry into a PwC tax leak scandal.

Ms McCrohan replaced Mr Walsh, who now works for the DAZN-owned Australian pay TV operator Foxtel, last October.

The AFL integrity unit has come under intense scrutiny in recent years for its handling of scandals including the Essendon drugs debacle, Melbourne tanking affair and Hawthorn racism fiasco.

Big surprise. Not.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Laura Kane shunted sideways again. Not having a happy time at HQ.

Laura Kane’s role changes again​

Andrew Wu and Michael Gleeson

Having previously run the men’s AFL competition, Laura Kane will take over executive control of the AFLW as the league seeks to fix the problems that have plagued the women’s competition.

Kane will add the executive role in the women’s game to her existing operational job in the men’s competition.

Laura Kane, will take over as AFLW executive while retaining an operations role in the men’s game. Pictured here with CEO Andrew Dillon and AFL football performance executive Greg Swann.AFL PHOTOS VIA GETTY IMAGES
The move follows a major restructure at AFL House last year.

Kane’s role as head of football was carved up and significantly reduced to an operations portfolio with most of the key areas of football taken over by veteran administrator Greg Swann. Kane was still on the executive and kept the same salary but was left with a drastically scaled back portfolio.

There have been tensions within AFL house between Kane and Swann since the former Brisbane CEO’s arrival as senior executive in charge of football. Swann has largely taken over all significant football issues other than operational matters connected to the staging of games, which still fall under Kane’s purview.

AFL General Manager of Football Laura Kane.SIMON SCHLUTER
Kane had been under-utilised since the restructure. Expanding her duties with AFLW is partly a recognition of that, and the fact an AFL review identified under-investment and resourcing of the women’s game.

Kane’s title now is executive general manager of AFLW, health and football operations.


The quality of AFLW games has improved year-on-year, but the league has been beset by problems, with issues including the timing of the season, the number of games played and, most critically, the AFL expanding the league too quickly for the depth of the talent pool.

RELATED ARTICLE​

• Analysis
• AFL 2025

‘Teething problems’, or something untenable? Behind the brewing tensions at AFL House​

Emma Moore, who was brought in from NAB in 2024 to run AFLW, will move to head up AFLW growth, while Trish Squires will be head of AFLW operations. Both roles will report to Kane.

Five new roles in AFLW partnerships, fan development, internal and external stakeholder engagement and operations will also be created.

“This new leadership structure, alongside increased investment in growth and operations, will see the competition better positioned than ever to have more people engaged in AFLW,” AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said.

A salary cap will be introduced for the AFLW from 2027.

Imagine if Laura and not old mate Swanny had been in charge of the last touch hang on thats not right how about this way rule changes.

 

[Loose_Cannon]

Classic case of sports data nerd labouring under the misapprehension that just because he can read numbers it follows that he also understands how to extrapolate what they mean and the extent to which they actually matter.

Yes, but it's hard to quantify those intangibles. Like the absolute terror that Bard has wrought upon the psyche of your average Essnington player. There's not a stat sheet in circulation for that kind of thing.

Serious note: in Hoyne's defence Essendon of 2024 and pre-injury woes 2025 was actually not a bad outfit. They been Barded hard since then.

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[Devington]

Mired in Mediocrity, the Brad Scott special before the wheels fall off.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Clarko getting necked?

 

[Samsquanch]

Clarko getting necked?

Who knows? I doubt it is poort, and he would (should) hate * so not there. He might look at Carlton an Voss is surely done but Clarkson has been in the media telling of the toll of the last few years, plus he probably feels like the north list is getting closer to being in a fit state to hand over than it has been in yonks, so…

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Clarko getting necked?

More likely Voss.

 

[Tiberius]

Might need to check the date on this one...