AFL Blog - ContestedFooty

Kennelly returns to Sydney

2009-11-13T09:16:00.001+11:00

Former Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly is returning from his stint in Ireland to reignite his AFL career at the Sydney Swans. Kennelly who left on the verge of the 2009 AFL season will resume his career at the Swans with the signing of a 2 year deal. Kennelly left after playing 158 games...

Matthew Richardson retires

2009-11-12T21:35:00.006+11:00

The oldest and one of the most popular personalities in the AFL, Matthew Richardson (more commonly known as ‘Richo’), has announced his retirement from the Richmond Football Club and AFL after a remarkable 17 seasons. Earlier this week, Richo received medical news that if he were to continue...

Shannon Cox retires

2009-11-12T10:47:00.003+11:00

Late Wednesday evening, the Collingwood Football Club announced on their website that defender Shannon Cox was retiring from AFL. Cox during the off season realised that he no longer had the desire and hunger to commit to the high demand of AFL Football. He started pre-season training with the...

Luke Ball and the inevitable road to free agency

2009-11-11T18:13:00.001+11:00

After trade week had ended, those at AFL HQ would have been quite happy with the outcomes. If only it wasn’t for Luke Ball… 23 trades went through this year. That figure is massive; especially when you consider only 6 players were traded in 2008. Though there was the usual small name types traded...

Jason Akermanis to remain a Dog

2009-11-11T17:35:00.002+11:00

Three time premiership player with the Lions and Brownlow medalist Jason Akermanis has signed a one year contract extension which will see the 32 year old remain a Western Bulldog. The deal in which Akermanis has reportedly taken a pay cut will surely see the 316 game player end his career as a...

Benjamin Stratton - 2009 AFL Draft prospect

2009-11-11T12:57:00.003+11:00

Benjamin Stratton Age: 20 Statistics in the WAFL for East Perth: Year 2009Club East PerthGames 20Kicks 145Handballs 88Disposals 233Marks 71Goals 3Points 1Tackles 0Hitouts 5Frees For 27Frees Ag. 25Sandover0 Position: Ruckman Benjamin Stratton is a tallish (189cm) defender who can...

Nathan Vardy - 2009 AFL Draft prospect

2009-11-11T12:00:00.003+11:00

Nathan Vardy Age: 18 Statistics in the TAC Cup for the Gippsland Power: M14Last13/09/2009Gls3Bhd4HS2HSDate4/04/2009HSVenueMorwell Football Ground HSOppDandenong Stingrays B38NB9GlsAv- KE52KIE26HE28HIE20HR17Mks58Tks26FF14FA14HO274CM17UCM41 Position: Ruckman Nathan Vardy is set to be one of the...

Collingwood Signs American Seamus McNamara for 2 years

2009-11-10T20:29:00.002+11:00

The Collingwood Football Club has announced that they have signed 24 year old American; Seamus McNamara onto a two year international rookie contract for 2010-2011. McNamara sent Collingwood his ‘resume’, in what is reported to be in video format, in the hope of being trialled by the Magpies. At...

Luke Ball leaves St Kilda

2009-11-10T13:57:00.001+11:00

After much speculation and many rumours Luke Ball has decided to part way with the St Kilda Football Club and nominate for the pre season draft. The ex-skipper of the Saints played a total of 142 games for the club and spent much of the 2009 campaign in the reserves. He managed to break back into...

Essendon's vision for a Windy Hill Upgrade

2009-11-10T11:32:00.003+11:00

The Essendon Football Club is in the process of planning for a meeting to occur later this month, with the Federal Government in Canberra to attract funding for a state-of-the art high performance facility to be developed and constructed at the Windy Hill precinct. If Essendon club representatives...

Jack Fitzpatrick - 2009 AFL Draft prospect

2009-11-10T10:36:00.006+11:00

Jack Fitzpatrick Age: 18 Statistics in the TAC Cup for the Western Jets: M7Last18/07/2009Gls8Bhd6HS5HSDate19/04/2009HSVenueABD Group Stadium HSOppCalder Cannons B6NB2GlsAv1KE31KIE20HE32HIE6HR20Mks28Tks12FF5FA1HO15CM8UCM20 Position: Ruckman/Key Position Forward Jack Fitzpatrick is an agile...

Troy Taylor - 2009 AFL Draft Prospect

2009-11-10T10:19:00.005+11:00

Troy Taylor Age: 18 Statistic averages in the Under 18 Championships: Team NT Matches5 Kicks9.6 Kicking Efficiency %45.8 Handballs3.4 Disposals13 Disposal Efficiency %47.7 Marks3.4 Contested Possessions7.2 Uncontested Possessions5.4 Clearances1.2 Tackles3.2 Goals1.4 Behinds1.6 Position:...

Sam Ried - 2009 AFL Draft Prospect

2009-11-09T22:48:00.005+11:00

Sam Ried Age: 18 Statistic averages in the TAC Cup for the Murray Bushrangers: M12 Last29/08/2009 Gls8 Bhd7 HS2 HSDate18/04/2009 HSVenue Queen Elizibeth Oval HSOpp Geelong Falcons B14 NB6 GlsAv1 KE30 KIE26 HE41 HIE12 HR15 Mks27 Tks23 FF11 FA3 HO47 CM25 UCM17 Position: Small Midfielder Sam...

Andrew Welsh and Nathan Lovett-Murray Sign Two Year Deals with Essendon

2009-11-09T16:04:00.001+11:00

With just a few days until teams must submit their finalised lists for 2010 to the AFL, Essendon has successfully re-signed key players in Andrew Welsh and Nathan Lovett-Murray. Each player will be 27 come the start of next season, and have played some of their best football in recent...

Tom Harley joins the AIS-AFL academy

2009-11-09T14:36:00.002+11:00

Former Geelong Dual premiership captain Tom Harley has taken up a role as a Mentor and Assistant coach at the Australian Institute of Sports AFL Academy. Harley joins the likes Michael O’Loughlin, Gary Lyon and Matthew Lloyd who have also joined the AFL program at the AIS. Since retiring Harley...

North Melbourne Appoints Jason Lappin & Shane Watson for 2010

2009-11-09T12:42:00.005+11:00

North Melbourne has finally filled all its coaching positions for 2010. The Kangaroos have appointed Jason Lappin (two-time Wangaratta Premiership Coach) and Shane Watson (former Collingwood utility) as their final two coaches in a mostly new coaching squad. Shane Watson will be joining the...

Geelong's Senior Players not needed at training until 2010

2009-11-09T11:59:00.004+11:00

A short list of Geelong’s most senior players will not be beginning pre-season training with the remainder of their team mates until training re-starts post Christmas and New Year in January. The Cats are trying to avoid any sort of fatigue caused last season and in the past three seasons, by...

Kevin Sheedy coach of GWS (West Sydney)

2009-11-09T11:37:00.004+11:00

Kevin Sheedy has been appointed the head coach of team GWS (West Sydney). Sheedy has signed a three-year contract (believed to be worth over a million dollars). His 3 year contract means he will not only assist with the development of the players and coach them in the TAC Cup in 2010, but also...

Tom Harley to commentate with Channel 7

2009-11-05T14:51:00.004+11:00

Two-time Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley has announced that he will be joining Channel 7 as a commentator for the 2010 AFL Premiership season. During season 2009 Tom Harley was a regular panellist on Channel One’s AFL Program called “One Week at a Time” and left a good impression not only...

Nathan Ablett Signs with GC17

2009-11-05T12:18:00.002+11:00

Nathan Ablett, son of Geelong great Gary Ablett Senior and brother of current Geelong star Gary Ablett Junior, is one step closer to making his AFL comeback after signing a contract with the new Gold Coast team. He will spend the 2010 season playing with Gold Coast in the VFL in a bid to ready...

Anton Woods - 2009 AFL Draft Prospect

2009-11-05T11:21:00.007+11:00

Anton Woods Age: 18 Statistic averages in the TAC Cup for the Northern Knights: M 19 Last 5/09/2009 Gls 11 Bhd 11 HS 2 HSDate 19/04/2009 HSVenue Trevor Barker Beach Oval HSOpp Sandringham Dragons B 54 NB 11 ...

Kyle Hartigan - 2009 AFL Draft Prospect

2009-11-05T10:55:00.003+11:00

Kyle Hartigan Age: 18 Statistic averages in the TAC Cup for the Western Jets: M14Last29/08/2009Gls2Bhd1HS1HSDate3/05/2009HSVenueBuninyong Recreation Reserve HSOppNorth Ballarat Rebels B17NB5GlsAv- KE73KIE58HE80HIE12HR68Mks74Tks29FF9FA9HO1CM8UCM73 Position: Tall Defender Kyle Hartigan spent his...

Gold Coast recruit Nicky Price returns to Rugby Union

2009-11-04T17:36:00.002+11:00

Nicky Price, 18, one of the Gold Coast Football Club's first contracted players will be returning to Rugby Union after being delisted by the Gold Coast. Both Gold Coast and Price have agreed to part ways in their initial three-year contractual agreement. Price grew up playing a variety of sports...

Dylan Grimes - 2009 AFL Draft Prospect

2009-11-04T12:42:00.003+11:00

Dylan Grimes Age: 18 Statistic averages so far in the Under 18 Championships: Did not play. Statistic averages in the TAC Cup for the Northern Knights: M 16Last 5/09/2009Gls 3Bhd -HS 2HSDate 18/07/2009HSVenue NAB OvalHSOpp Gippsland PowerB 19NB 6GlsAv -KE 97KIE 51HE ...

Carlton promotes Robert Harvey to Assistant Coach role

2009-11-04T11:07:00.003+11:00

Robert Harvey, who joined Carlton’s development team for the 2009 season, has accepted an elevation to an assistant coaching position with the Blues for the 2010 season. After retiring from an outstanding 383 game career (spanning 21 years) with St Kilda, Harvey joined Carlton in a development...