Part II: 2013 fixture preview

Bulldogs star Adam Cooney will play against good mate Brian Lake in Round 17. Picture: Norm Oorloff Source: Herald Sun

North Melbourne will be looking to limit Lance Franklin's influence when the two sides meet in 2013. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

THE Hawks twice or the Giants twice? Two trips to Perth or an array of Friday night blockbusters? Six-day breaks or a lengthy spell? These are the quirks that can define a club's season and the careers of coaches and players alike.

Over the next few days SuperFooty will bring you a comprehensive guide to the fixtures of all 18 clubs.

Today we look at Sydney, West Coast and Western Bulldogs.

Over the past few days we've looked at Adelaide, Brisbane, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

HAWTHORN:

EASY GAMES:
The Hawks face GWS, Gold Coast and Melbourne – the bottom three sides from 2012 – leading into their bye. That shapes as a soft month they can use to build percentage. They also travel to hostile interstate venues on just four occasions.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The two clashes with Geelong will be pivotal. Shane Crawford wrote on the verge of last year's Easter Monday clash that if the Hawks couldn't topple the Cats then they wouldn't for the year. He was dead right, and they need to leap this rising mental hurdle in Round 1. The Round 7 Grand Final rematch against Sydney at the MCG could also be a testing match crucial to the Hawks' mental belief.

TOUGH GAMES:
An absolute horror start to the season. The Hawks face all 2012 finalists in the first seven rounds, which includes trips to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, West Coast in Perth and concludes with the Grand Final rematch. A nightmare start – but if they can escape with a positive win-loss ratio they'll be well on the way to the top four again.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Hawthorn's opening two months is littered with blockbusters, but you can't go past the Grand Final rematch. The Hawks must be looking for another crack at the Swans and while it might not be September, it shapes as a pivotal game given Alastair Clarkson's draw early. The match against Collingwood in Round 3 will be huge, too, and gives the Hawks the chance to square-off with Clinton Young after he defected to the Westpac Centre.

SUMMARY:
Hawthorn was disappointed the AFL did not fulfil its request to host seven matches at the MCG, while the opening two months loom as a major danger. But, that means the middle chunk of the season is extremely friendly. A SuperFooty poll recently revealed readers think Hawthorn has the toughest fixture – and by some margin.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Geelong (MCG)
Round 2 v West Coast (PS)
Round 3 v Collingwood (MCG)
Round 4 v Fremantle (AS)

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter @SamLandsberger

MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
The Dees have a mortgage on the MCG for most the season. In the first 15 rounds, they play just two games away from the home of footy – both interstate trips. Home bouts against Port Adelaide, GWS and Gold Coast in the first seven weeks presents an opportunity for the new-look Dees to create the winning culture Mark Neeld is desperate to implement.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The Round 2 match against Essendon should be interesting. The Dees have the wood over the Bombers and would love that streak to continue. The two games against the Dogs in the back half of the season will also be telling with both clubs in a similar bracket.

TOUGH GAMES:
The three-week stretch of Fremantle away, Hawthorn and Collingwood will test the Demons' improvement. Games against Adelaide away and Geelong in Geelong will also be tough to compete in.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
As if Queen's Birthday wasn't a big enough duel for the Dees, they now to go show off star recruit Chris Dawes against his old Magpie premiership teammates. Added to that Mark Neeld's former stint at the Pies and it shapes as a juicy contest.

SUMMARY:
Only three six-day breaks is a win, as is playing fellow bottom-four sides GWS, Suns and Dogs twice each. But the Dees missed out on Friday night action and must play a home game at Etihad Stadium, against their request.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Port Adelaide (MCG)
Round 2 v Essendon (MCG)
Round 3 v West Coast (MCG)
Round 4 v GWS (MCG)

NORTH MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
Not many. The Roos don't play any of the bottom-four sides twice, but a run of five-straight games again non-finalists from Rounds 14-18 should give a platform to launch a run at September.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The opening five weeks could set up North Melbourne's year. The Roos face Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney in Tasmania, Brisbane and Hawthorn and will be desperate to walk out with a few of wins. They will also be without Brent Harvey for the first six weeks, adding to the early challenges.

TOUGH GAMES:
Plenty. Two trips to Perth and return bouts against Hawthorn, Adelaide Collingwood and Geelong. Eight six-day breaks to boot makes it a hard draw on paper.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
You suspect a few North boys wouldn't mind a crack at Carlton in Round 17, and another look at Chris Judd after last year's chicken-wing gate. The clash with West Coast in Round 8 will also be eagerly-anticipated after North Melbourne's finals capitulation last year. And the Roos' backline will hopefully be devising some new plans for the Round 5 clash with Hawthorn – and 13-goal terroriser Buddy Franklin.

SUMMARY:
A difficult draw on paper, and a mixed bag commercially. Two home Friday night games (three in total) should help boost the bottom line, but the club wasn't overly thrilled with receiving three home Sunday twilight games this season.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Collingwood (ES)
Round 2 v Geelong (ES)
Round 3 v Sydney (BA)
Round 4 v Brisbane Lions (ES)

PORT ADELAIDE

EASY GAMES:
New coach Ken Hinkley will be gifted the chance to ignite his coaching career with winnable games against Melbourne, GWS and Gold Coast inside the first month. The Power travels to Darwin to meet the Dogs and doubled-up against the two expansion sides – but, being the sole club to have suffered defeat against both new franchises, will be wary of those matches.

CRUNCH GAMES:
It has to be the home matches. Port Adelaide hosts Richmond, Brisbane Lions and Carlton at home this year and to leap forward the Power has to restores some fear in a trip to AAMI Stadium.

TOUGH GAMES:
Road trips to face Fremantle, Carlton and Geelong come with warning bells. Hinkley will be hell-bent to compete with Collingwood, Hawthorn and Sydney at home, too.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Hinkley would love to get one over his mates at Geelong in Round 9, while the next week a few Power players might be eager to atone against Will Minson and his Western Bulldogs, even if Danyle Pearce has departed. The Round 14 Port Adelaide-Collingwood duel – the two clubs John McCarthy played for – promises to include some touching moments and tributes.

SUMMARY:
A commercially strong fixture with home matches big-drawing sides Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn and Carlton. The Power is also looking forward to farewelling AAMI Stadium in Round 23, where the club won 23 SANFL flags.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Melbourne (MCG)
Round 2 v GWS (AAMI)
Round 3 v Adelaide (AAMI)
Round 4 v Gold Coast (MS)

Port Adelaide Power footballers training at Montefiore Hill and then finishing at McKinnon Parade, North Adelaide. Picture: Dean Martin Source: HWT Image Library

RICHMOND

EASY GAMES:
The Tigers' trademark "easy games" are scattered throughout the season, which isn't a bad result. They open with three matches against non-finalists, giving the chance to sing the song early – something they struggled to do last season. Four of the final five games are at the MCG, with the exception a trip to Skoda Stadium to face GWS.

CRUNCH GAMES:
It starts with Round 1 against Carlton. Can the Tiges finally get some success to start the season? The month leading into Richmond's bye will also be telling – it faces Port Adelaide away, Melbourne, Essendon and the Eagles in Perth. Dare we mention the trip to Cairns to host the Gold Coast?

TOUGH GAMES:
Two trips to Perth and a clash with Sydney at the SCG hurt, but other than that it looks a friendly year for the Tigers. They also meet top-four outfits Collingwood and Hawthorn just once each. The Tigers smashed grand finalists Hawthorn and Sydney last year, can they repeat those performances in 2013?

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Blues – courtesy of a Brock McLean shank – nailed Richmond's coffin shut last season, so expect some fireworks in Round 1 for Mick Malthouse's Carlton coaching debut. The Blues have won the past nine against Richmond, while surely, SURELY it can snap the curse of Cairns and topple Gold Coast this year.

SUMMARY:
After some uncertainty owing to the MCG availability, the Tigers kept their Round 1 blockbuster against Carlton, while 13 games at the MCG will please the club and fans alike. A balanced draw with a spread out travel load presents the ideal chance for a red-hot crack at the finals.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Carlton (MCG)
Round 2 v S Kilda (MCG)
Round 3 v Western Bulldogs (ES)
Round 4 v Collingwood (MCG)

AFL. Richmond Training at Cazaly's in Cairns. Alex Rance and his team mates show the strain in the heat during sprint work. Picture: Stewart Mclean Source: HWT Image Library

ST KILDA

EASY GAMES:
The Saints should dodge a few bullets early, avoiding a 2012 finalist until Round 5. That's a nice stepping stone into the year, while a six-week midseason stretch of games against the Dogs, Roos, Eagles (home), Dees and Tigers – with a bye tossed in the middle – gives another chance to spear up the ladder.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The stakes will be high for the Anzac Day clash with Sydney in Wellington, adding to the excitement. Another two duels with former mentor Ross Lyon's Fremantle are on the cards, while the Saints face Richmond, Essendon, Carlton and the Roos a combined six times. Those matches will be pivotal with those sides clunked in the same ladder bracket as the Saints in 2012.

TOUGH GAMES:
Road trips to face Adelaide, Fremantle and Sydney will be mighty tricky, but the Saints will tackle Collingwood and Hawthorn just once each – both at their Etihad fortress.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Brendon Goddard showdown in Round 4 will be big. It has already been hailed as a "grudge match" externally, while there will again be intrigue when the Saints meet Lyon's Dockers. You can bank on some hype when Stephen Milne and Harry O'Brien come toe-to-toe in Round 6 as well, after the goal sneak allegedly made a homophobic sledge to the Magpies defender last year.

SUMMARY:
Three Friday night games as well as the Anzac Day clash is a ripping result commercially, but not a great result for the fans. Eight times the Saints play outside of Melbourne (including Geelong), a number comparable to non-Victorian clubs. On the field it's a fairly balanced draw.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Gold Coast (MS)
Round 2 v Richmond (MCG)
Round 3 v GWS (MO)
Round 4 v Essendon (ES)

St Kilda training at Seaford. Stephen Milne enjoying being back on the ground Picture: Chris Eastman Source: HWT Image Library

SYDNEY

EASY GAMES:
No excuses for a premiership hangover early, with Sydney set to open its premiership defence against GWS and Gold Coast. The Swans don't face a top-four side until Round 7, while three of their final four games are at home ahead of September.

CRUNCH GAMES:
Duels with Adelaide away, Collingwood, Fremantle and Hawthorn in the first half of the season – without Kurt Tippett – will be telling. The Anzac Day trip to face St Kilda in Wellington will come off a five-day break, and the Saints don't mind playing the bloods.

TOUGH GAMES:
In addition to the short lead-in to Anzac Day, the Swans have six six-day breaks which could prove tricky. Geelong at Geelong late in the season looms as a challenging fixture, as does West Coast in Perth – although the Swans did triumph in the corresponding game last season. At least Tippett will be onboard for those encounters.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Swans narrowly miss their chance to parade Kurt Tippett in front of the Adelaide backline, but his debut should still come at AAMI Stadium when Sydney meets Port Adelaide in Round 13. The eyes of the football world will be on the No. 8 Swan that day, while the Grand Final rematch with the Hawks in Round 7 will also be a huge battle. And the Hawks could enter in desperate need of a victory given their hellish start to 2013.

SUMMARY:
The Swans' bookkeepers will be pleased. The two ANZ Stadium clashes are against preliminary and Grand Final opponents in Collingwood and Hawthorn, while the premier also hosts powerhouses Geelong, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond at the SCG – including two Friday night blockbusters. Swans fans can lock in the Round 1 date against GWS as a must-see match, with Sydney set to unveil the premiership flag before the match.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v GWS (ANZ)
Round 2 v Gold Coast (SCG)
Round 3 v North Melbourne (BA)
Round 4 v Geelong (SCG)

Source: HWT Image Library

WEST COAST

EASY GAMES:
The first 10 rounds presents a great opportunity for West Coast to put a mortgage on a top-four place. It plays six games at Patersons Stadiums and travels to meet stragglers Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Brisbane Lions and GWS. The Eagles also avoid the dreaded long trip to Tasmania.

CRUNCH GAMES:
It starts Round 1, when the Eagles face Fremantle in a stand-alone derby. That will be massive, while the following week West Coast hosts Hawthorn. They could be 2-0 and flying or 0-2 and in early trouble. The final three games, against Geelong, Collingwood (MCG) and Adelaide could also decide just how high the Eagles finish on the ladder.

TOUGH GAMES:
Must face the Hawks and Crows twice, while West Coast has drawn eight six-day breaks in addition to its hefty travel load. The five-game stretch after the bye – against Hawthorn (away), Essendon, Adelaide (away), Fremantle and Sydney will also examine West Coast's double-chance credentials.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Round 1 derby – a home game for Fremantle – will be a monster clash. These sides hate each other and it'll be great for the entire football world to tune in and see it with no other matches that day.

SUMMARY:
Logistically, West Coast's fixture presents challenges. In addition to the eight six-day breaks and hefty travel load, it plays four away games at night – which makes return and recovery a tough ask. A home match the week before finals is a bonus.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Fremantle (PS)
Round 2 v Hawthorn (PS)
Round 3 v Melbourne (MCG)
Round 4 v Carlton (PS)

The West Coast Eagles are back into pre season training. pictured - Mark Nicoski Picture: Justin Benson-cooper Source: HWT Image Library

WESTERN BULLDOGS

EASY GAMES:

Not a whole lot to choose from. The Dogs face GWS, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast once each – all interstate – but have drawn the Dees twice. Brendan McCartney's side does have the chance to spark some serious optimism early with winnable duels with the Lions, Dockers and Tigers to start the season – all at Etihad.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The two showdowns with Melbourne will be big. The clubs haven't met since Round 4 last season, but both remain in the same bracket. The Dogs host five interstate clubs at Etihad Stadium and would give themselves a chance in all of those as they look to take a step forward in 2013.

TOUGH GAMES:
Road trips to face Adelaide and West Coast, as well as duels with Collingwood, Hawthorn and Geelong will prove tricky. Seven interstate trips is a lot of travel, but that does include a home game in Darwin.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Nothing which blatantly stands out, but the two battles against Melbourne in the final nine rounds will be hotly contested. The Dogs might also enjoy a crack at former star defender Brian Lake when they meet Hawthorn in Round 17.

SUMMARY:
No Friday night games and the lack of battles with fellow bottom-four clubs makes for a demanding season. Strange that Port Adelaide, which finished outside the bottom four, meets the two expansion sides twice each, but the Dogs cash in just once. But, as the Dogs said when their draw was released, it creates a sound opportunity to test their improvement against the best sides.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Brisbane Lions (ES)
Round 2 v Fremantle (ES)
Round 3 v Richmond (ES)
Round 4 v Adelaide (AAMI)

Footscray (Western Bulldogs??) training/video launch...Western Oval. Picture: Mike Keating Source: HWT Image Library

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Stars align for the Cats

Jimmy Bartel is set to resume full training as he continues to make excellent progress from off-season surgery.l Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

James Kelly has impressed the Geelong camp since surgery. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

KEY Geelong stars Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly and Josh Caddy are set to resume full training after making encouraging progress from off-season surgery.

Assistant coach James Rahilly said yesterday the trio had recovered strongly after injury-enforced layoffs.

The injury news came as a near-full Geelong list battled it out with North Melbourne in a scratch match behind closed doors at Simonds Stadium yesterday.

Former Roo Hamish McIntosh was one of few to miss the interclub match arranged by the clubs' coaches, brothers Chris and Brad Scott.

McIntosh is recovering from knee surgery.

Bartel (foot), Kelly (hip) and Caddy (shoulder) were restricted to laps and light drills in a half-hour warm-up at the nearby St Mary's Oval, but all played in a short, sharp match at Simonds Stadium against a North Melbourne side that featured star forward Drew Petrie.

Rahilly said he was pleased with the trio's progress.

"Jimmy's travelling pretty well. He's starting to train and do a few sessions," Rahilly said.

"I'm not sure when he'll be doing a full session, but it won't be too far away.

"James Kelly is pretty much up to full training as well, so they're going along very well."

Gold Coast recruit Caddy has handled full-contact sessions and is close to joining the main group, while McIntosh remains on a restricted training program.

"I can't see him being too far away," Rahilly said. "He's a little bit slower than the others, but he'll be back in full training soon as well.

"He's still doing a lot, but when he joins the match-simulation drills will be up to the docs and physio. He's on the track completing drills and doing some one-on-one stuff, so I wouldn't think he'd be too far away at all."

Rahilly said the scratch match with the Roos was low-key.

"We only did a couple of drills with them. It only went for 15-20 minutes max and then we completed our training," Rahilly said.

"The main reason (for the scratch match) is they don't have a ground and wanted to come down to use our ground.

"It's something we've done to help out other sides and have a bit of combative training. It was nothing too silly.

"There was no real tackling to ground or ridiculous spoiling. We had a match-simulation drill, but it wasn't very long.

"We worked the ball down one end, our defenders had a go, their defenders had a go, and then the forwards.

"It was a test for where we're at and where they're at, but the bulk of our session was done on our own."

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Playing the pain game

Back to work: Richmond Tigers player Daniel Jackson and Melbourne Vixens netballer Bianca Chatfield hit the pavement after the Christmas break. Source: Herald Sun

IN the age of the professional athlete, Richmond's Daniel Jackson and Melbourne Vixens' Bianca Chatfield compare a combined 25 pre-seasons at the coalface of their respective codes. Eliza Sewell reports.

Eliza Sewell: Now, you've both done a few pre-seasons, how many in fact?

Daniel Jackson: Ten.

Bianca Chatfield: I think this is my 15th.

ES: Oh, goodness.

DJ: That hurts.

BC: And I'm still going.

DJ: It hurts the mind more than the body.

BC: I often enjoy pre-season. During the season I get sick of being on court all the time and it all being just about netball. During pre-season you have a little bit of everything. It's kind of nice to mix it up.

ES: What's a story from a pre-season that sticks in your mind?

DJ: A few years ago they told us a training camp was going to be fairly relaxed, that we could bring tennis racquets and golf clubs. We met on Monday morning, I think at 5.30am, to start this camp, I think I even brought a book to read while I was away. We were standing in the gym waiting and these special operations group police officers walked in, starting ranting and raving. We all just looked at each other. We knew exactly what we were in for, four days of brutal activity. No sleep, no food.

ES: They fooled you.

BC: We went on one where we couldn't eat or sleep for 48 hours. Or they'd give you little bits of food, but you had to stay awake the whole time. I hated life. It made us stronger as a team, though, because we hated all the staff that were on it. As a team we were like, 'We're not going to let them beat us, we're not going to show that we care'.

ES: Sometimes do you think it's more mental training than physical?

DJ: It's certainly a combination.

BC: They're on par. We've done one where they took us down the Mornington Peninsula and we went to a day spa and did things like that. We thought that was heaven but we didn't do very well that year (laughing).

ES: So how much time do you get off after your season?

BC: We have to have eight weeks off, but I probably spent two, even only a week, doing nothing and the rest of it you start building up again. I also had (foot) surgery during that time.
 

ES: So you have a break, but you don't really.

DJ: It's getting harder and harder. I had eight weeks. But it's the same thing (as Bianca). We're given a full training program. I think we got 10 to 14 days of no training after the end of the season and then it's a five-day-a-week program. We've got apps that tell us what training we have to do, we've got GPS watches that measure all of our running. You just can't come back unfit any more.

BC: That's probably the biggest battle for our sports is that they tell you to go away and have a break, but you can't possibly. So mentally you don't get to fully escape.

ES: What do you dread the most about pre-season?

DJ: The long days. It's so hard to have a balanced life when at the end of a long training day you've got no energy to do anything else.

ES: So how long would your day generally be?

DJ: This morning I was at the club at 7.20am. I should have finished at 4pm, but they wrapped me up at 3pm. So it tends to be 7.30am-4pm. People will say, 'Oh that's not too hard, I work till 6.30pm'. But they go home and they've still got energy. We get home and we sit on the couch.

BC: For me, it is (that) you know once you come back in January, if you're successful in making the Aussie team as well, you won't finish until November. You've got to look after your body to make sure you get through all that way, but also it's the mental pressures of getting selected and then gearing yourself up to make the Aussie team. You're never really 100 per cent secure in your position, which you shouldn't be, either. But that's always the tough challenge.

Bianca Chatfield

Age: 30 Height: 189cm

Professional netballer - Vixens, Australia

ANZ Championship average wage: $21,000

Education: Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) and Bachelor of Education

Other interests: Runs leadership consultancy Pivot Performance with teammate Sharelle McMahon, Australian Netball Players Association delegate

Pre-season workload: Monday-Saturday, Sunday off
3 weights, 3 on-court, 2-3 conditioning (running/bike/cardio), 1-2 rehab (pilates), 1 massage

Season starts: March 25 (14 games plus finals)

ES: What do you love about pre-season?

BC: You miss your teammates over Christmas, and really I just love getting back and hanging out with everybody.

DJ: That's a good point. I like the bonding, you spend so much time together, it's like being at school together. It's nearly a little bit sadistic, but I quite like the hard work.

ES: Is there an activity that you're really good at or that you like?

DJ: The guys would hate me to say it, but they already know it, I actually enjoy running. Everyone hates running, they just want to play footy. I don't mind a tough running session.

BC: Um ...

ES: You can say 'nothing'.

BC: Yeah, I don't really know what I love so much about it.

DJ: Massage?

BC: Yeah, the massage at the end of the day.

DJ: I kill the massage, I'm good at that.

ES: Of your teammates, who lags? Or is there someone who tries to avoid a certain activity?

DJ: Jake King cannot swim. If you threw him in the pool, he would drown. We would swim 50m before he's even finished 25m, probably 100m. He pretty much dog paddles.

BC: Karyn Howarth - this is her second year at the club, it's fair to say she hates the running sessions.

ES: And who powers through? Who irks you with their enthusiasm?

BC: Maddie Brown, she's good at everything, it kind of makes you sick. She swam the Pier to Pub, she's good at running, she's an all-round powerhouse.

DJ: It's probably Alex Rance. He's a good sprinter, he's now really good at endurance running, he's a good swimmer. He can't box, but otherwise he smashes everything.

ES: What's changed this pre-season?

BC: We've got a new coach (Simone McKinnis). She's right into being on court early and building in fitness and skills together. Normally we would be doing our running and fitness and build up to being on court, but we've been on court straight away.

DJ: Over the last few years it's become a lot more footy-orientated, which probably sounds obvious. A lot of the fitness is incorporated into drills. There's a lot more match play rather than just running the Tan. You still have to run the Tan, but just not as often.

BC: Who does it the quickest?

DJ: We've gone to Princes Park now, but I have the Tan record. I told you, I like running.

ES and BC: What do you do it in?

DJ: 12.36. I couldn't do that at the moment. Now we just do 2km time-trials at Princes Park.

ES: Why did they change?

DJ: The 3.8km (Tan distance) is unrealistic for our game now, we never really run for that distance (in a game). Even 2km is a little bit irrelevant, except that it's a good gauge of where guys are at.

BC: When I first started, we would do lots of long-distance running and it's just pointless. Our court is 30m long and we need to be powerful and quick.

DJ: What testing do you do?

BC: We've been doing the Vo2 max test on the treadmill.

DJ: I don't mind that.

Daniel Jackson

Age: 26 Height: 188cm

Professional footballer - Richmond

AFL average wage for senior player: $260,000

Education: Bachelor of Commerce

Other interests: AFL Players Association board member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Australia board member, Headspace ambassador, presenter for Step Back Think

Pre-season workload: Monday-Saturday, Sunday off
3 main football sessions,  4-5 weights, 3 skills, 4 running, 2-3 cross training (swim/bike/boxing), 2 yoga/pilates, 2-3 massage

Season starts: March 28 (22 games plus finals)

ES: What is it?

DJ: You're on a treadmill with a snorkel in your mouth and you run until you can't run any more. They keep speeding it up, and eventually when it's at a speed where you can't go any faster, they start raising the gradient until you're knackered.

ES: So how long would you last on that?

DJ: People who struggle, 10 minutes. I think the longest we had was 14 minutes.

BC: And they take your blood lactate every minute, they'll prick your finger and take the blood out.

ES: So you're animals?

BC: Yeah, you are. Sometimes you do feel like that. You get your skinfolds done, everyone's poking and prodding you.

DJ: That's the scary part, the skinfolds. We just had two weeks off and everyone tiptoes around the dietitian because we have measures we have to meet, and if you've been having too many non-green tea related drinks ...

BC: ... you're in the fat club.

DJ: Exactly.

ES: So how often do you get them checked?

BC: We're monthly.

DJ: About every fortnight.
 

ES: What is your personal motto for this season?

DJ: Train smart. When you're younger, you need to push the boundaries because that's the only way you're going to catch up to all the established players, just to do more, and if you get injured, you wear it. When you get older, it's more about getting yourself right to perform.

BC: I would definitely say train smart, too. But also just to love it. You don't know how much longer you can play for, and I just really want to take in every moment that I've still got playing.

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Fledgling Crows stretch their wings

Adelaide Crows youngsters Sam Siggins, Brad Crouch and Rory Atkins. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE expects a number of its young guns to stake a claim for senior action this season after returning from a development camp that highlighted the maturity of its first and second-year players.

Luke Brown and Sam Kerridge are expected to push hard for regular berths after earning debuts in their rookie seasons last year, while Brad Crouch leads a host of untested players looking to make gains.

"Everyone wants to talk about Crouchy but there are a number of guys training well and any number of them could put their hands up and play a game here or there," Crows leadership development manager Paddy Steinfort said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was a second or a third- year (player) who pushed up to become a regular contributor," he said.

Adelaide took 13 of its first and second-year players on a development camp at the Gold Coast last weekend and Steinfort was impressed by the professional attitude of the young players.

"There was a bit more maturity shown from the group compared to last year, which was the thing that probably stood out," he said.

"That's a credit to the rest of the playing group ... our leaders and emerging leaders are as mature and professional as I've seen."

The Gold Coast trip - which differed from last year's development camp in that it focused more on education than physical activity - gave the players an insight on what it takes to succeed at the elite level.

They had sessions with world championship winning Northcliff Surf Lifesaving Club, London Olympics gold medal winning kayaker Tate Smith and Australian national team gymnastics coach John Curtin.

"Last year we took them out to the bush and left them for dead for a couple of days," Steinfort said.

"That was about resilience. This year they had a bit of trepidation heading up there because they thought it was going to be the same thing again, but this year it was more about looking at professionalism and developing good professional habits.

"A lot of these guys have come out of under-18s football where they're not really at the elite professional level. So we try and fast-track them into that.

"We've got a fair bit of research that shows us if we can develop their conscientiousness and these habits quicker than other clubs we're going to have a fair advantage."

WHO WENT TO THE CAMP

Rory Atkins, Brad Crouch, Nick Joyce, Sam Siggins, Luke Brown, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, Sam Kerridge, Mitch Grigg, Rory Laird, Dylan Orval, Kyle Hartigan, Tim Klaosen and Jack Osborn.

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Demon tapes may explain tactics

SuperFooty analyse the match at the heart of Melbourne tanking allegations.

Dean Bailey's legal team is hopeful the audio tapes have not been destroyed and may help explain the motives behind the Dees' 2009 campaign. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

AUDIO recordings of Melbourne's coaching box during Dean Bailey's tenure could unlock the answer to whether the club tanked in 2009.

It is understood the club taped the box on game day as part of its coaching program.

But mystery surrounds the status of the recordings and whether they formed part of the AFL's 1000-page tanking report.

The AFL was unavailable yesterday to confirm if it had sought or obtained the tapes as part of its tanking investigation.

It is believed Bailey's legal team remains hopeful the audio has not been destroyed and it is trying to track down the necessary files.

The recordings could help explain the motives behind the club's 2009 campaign and provide context to the series of unusual tactical moves made by Melbourne during several losses being put under the AFL microscope.

They include decisions to move regular defenders Matthew Warnock (to full-forward) and James Frawley (centre half-forward) at the start of the last quarter of their controversial Round 18 loss to Richmond.

Regular forwards Brad Miller and Matthew Bate lined up in the centre square. Miller (194cm) stood beside young Tiger midfielder Trent Cotchin (185cm) at the bounce.

The tapes could provide some of the only hard evidence in the tanking case, aside from the statements provided to AFL investigators Abraham Haddad and Brett Clothier during their five-month probe.

It is understood the AFL has grilled about 20 current and former Melbourne staff and employees, some as many as three times.

A source close to Melbourne said the Demons taped its coaches box during games, but was unsure if all of the matches in Bailey's tenure were recorded.

"The coaching group would sometimes listen back to them throughout the week, just to review what was said during the games," the source said.

"So whatever was said in the coaches box was recorded. It was all there.

"But whether the audio is still around, who knows?"

AFL clubs are known to record their coaches box during games.

The source said Bailey's instructions and other coaches' directives were also noted on paper throughout his coaching stint.

The AFL's probe has also centred on Melbourne's losses against Sydney, Carlton and St Kilda.

The club has to respond to the AFL's tanking findings by January 29.

Melbourne won four games in 2009, ensuring it secured the first two picks of the national draft to claim gun midfielders Tom Scully and Jack Trengove.

Bailey and Melbourne, including CEO Cameron Schwab and ex-football manager Chris Connolly, are intent on defending the tanking allegations.
 

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Young star quits to play for free

ONE of the brightest young stars of Gaelic games has turned his back on AFL stardom, saying professional sport couldn't match the "satisfaction" he gets from playing for free at home.

Ciaran Kilkenny has announced his departure from Hawthorn just weeks after moving to Australia, saying the passion he has for his indigenous sports could never be matched by playing footy.

The 19-year-old, who made a huge impact for the Dublin senior Gaelic footballers last season, thanked the Hawks but said the lure of home meant he could not give the 100% commitment the club required.

In a statement, the teenager said that while he had relished the challenge of taking on a different code, "it would never matter as much to me as the sense of community and joy I get from togging out and playing alongside the people with whom I grew up and live".

"Achieving success and realising my potential as a hurler and footballer with my club and county will always be more important to me than any of the benefits to be obtained from professional sport.

"I've come to realise also that although I enjoy the game of Australian Rules football, it could never replace the satisfaction I get from the round ball or a sliotar (hurling ball).

"Sport has always been something I did for enjoyment and I have found that it's not something I can do merely because it's my job. The passion I feel for hurling and football is not transferrable to any other sport and seeing my neighbours and team mates happy when we do well is reward enough."

Kilkenny played both hurling and Gaelic football for Dublin at underage level, and had been earmarked as a potential great in either code, especially after his explosive debut season at senior level, when his side reached the All Ireland semi-final.

Hawthorn signed Kilkenny as an international rookie shortly after that game and he began training with the squad on the players' return for pre-season at the end of November.

When his move was announced last September, Kilkenny spoke of returning to Ireland in about "six to eight years", before homesickness got the better of him more rapidly than he expected.

Hawthorn's recruiting manager Graham Wright said the club was disappointed with Kilkenny's decision, but respected his reasons for making it.

"While we're extremely disappointed, we respect and accept Ciarán's decision at this time," Wright told the club's website.

"Ciarán transitioned into the club well, enjoyed all aspects of training and all of his feedback was positive, so news of his decision was quite unexpected.

"We understand that ultimately the pull of home in Ireland; his family, friends, football and hurling was a significant factor in Ciarán's decision, which was easier to accept having acknowledged that our club and its members demand a degree of commitment and dedication from every player on the Hawthorn list."

The Hawks will have a new international rookie on their list later this year after committing to New Zealand junior rugby star Shem Tatupu.

Tempu is not eligible to join the club until after the draft in November but the 17-year-old has already agreed to a three-year contract.

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SuperCoach won't be same again

Why should recruiters like Scott Clayton have all the fun? Now we can all have our own draft day. Source: Herald Sun

SAY goodbye to everyone having the same team and book in your draft party - the exciting new face of SuperCoach is here.

When SuperCoach opens on February 1, players will also be able to sign up for free for the new SuperCoach Draft game using the same login - the game will run alongside traditional SuperCoach and you can have teams in both competitions, or continue to play traditional SuperCoach only.

But players who sign up for SuperCoach Draft will be able to take the game to an amazing new level.

The biggest change is that every player is selected in a unique private league draft - which means they can be selected only once; if you take Gary Ablett with pick one, no one else in your league can have him.

So much for concerns about the same players ending up in every side.

It also makes getting the right players at the start of the season crucial - check SuperFooty in coming weeks for plenty of tips on how to do that.

SuperCoach draft also brings a new level of flexibility and customisation to the game - you can set up your league to run exactly how you want it.

Users can set up leagues of six, eight, 10 or 12 teams, choose their preferred fixture and whether to play finals or head-to-head matches, or just compete for total points.

There are seven options for team squads, ranging from 12 players to 22.

A rolling lockout every weekend is optional, and so is giving double points for your captain.

And players will also have a huge say over their league draft - which can be conducted live, automatically or in users' own time based on several formats - and trading rules.

Unlike traditional SuperCoach, there are unlimited trades in SuperCoach Draft and players can orchestrate trades between each other - but other players in their league will have the option of a veto to prevent Kurt Tippett for Jesse White style shenanigans.

If all that sounds daunting, don't worry. There will be step-by-step guides on how each option works or you can just click on the "quick start" button to create a league based on a default set of rules.

Organising a draft party with your mates is a great night in - or out; a team of sports nuts with laptops is a common sight in US sports bars and restaurants at the start of fantasy season.

The game brings new challenges and a lot more fun - this is where the real bragging rights are.

SuperCoach and SuperCoach Draft are both completely free and open on February 1, and drafts can be run from February 11.

Meanwhile, a new rule has been confirmed for the classic SuperCoach game, with only your best 18 scoring players to count towards your team score during the three bye rounds.

With players from six teams unavailable each week from Rounds 11-13, the new rule levels the playing field and will help avoid having your season derailed by one disastrous round.

Check out the other new rules for SuperCoach 2013 HERE.

For more SuperCoach news and tips, check out the SuperCoach Facebook page and follow @superfooty and @al_superfooty on Twitter.

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Part II: 2013 fixture preview

North Melbourne will be looking to limit Lance Franklin's influence when the two sides meet in 2013. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

THE Hawks twice or the Giants twice? Two trips to Perth or an array of Friday night blockbusters? Six-day breaks or a lengthy spell? These are the quirks that can define a club's season and the careers of coaches and players alike.

Over the next few days SuperFooty will bring you a comprehensive guide to the fixtures of all 18 clubs.

Today we look at Hawthorn, Melbourne and North Melbourne.

Over the past few days we've looked at Adelaide, Brisbane, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

Tomorrow we preview Port Adelaide, Richmond and St Kilda.

HAWTHORN:

EASY GAMES:
The Hawks face GWS, Gold Coast and Melbourne – the bottom three sides from 2012 – leading into their bye. That shapes as a soft month they can use to build percentage. They also travel to hostile interstate venues on just four occasions.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The two clashes with Geelong will be pivotal. Shane Crawford wrote on the verge of last year's Easter Monday clash that if the Hawks couldn't topple the Cats then they wouldn't for the year. He was dead right, and they need to leap this rising mental hurdle in Round 1. The Round 7 Grand Final rematch against Sydney at the MCG could also be a testing match crucial to the Hawks' mental belief.

TOUGH GAMES:
An absolute horror start to the season. The Hawks face all 2012 finalists in the first seven rounds, which includes trips to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, West Coast in Perth and concludes with the Grand Final rematch. A nightmare start – but if they can escape with a positive win-loss ratio they'll be well on the way to the top four again.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Hawthorn's opening two months is littered with blockbusters, but you can't go past the Grand Final rematch. The Hawks must be looking for another crack at the Swans and while it might not be September, it shapes as a pivotal game given Alastair Clarkson's draw early. The match against Collingwood in Round 3 will be huge, too, and gives the Hawks the chance to square-off with Clinton Young after he defected to the Westpac Centre.

SUMMARY:
Hawthorn was disappointed the AFL did not fulfil its request to host seven matches at the MCG, while the opening two months loom as a major danger. But, that means the middle chunk of the season is extremely friendly. A SuperFooty poll recently revealed readers think Hawthorn has the toughest fixture – and by some margin.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Geelong (MCG)
Round 2 v West Coast (PS)
Round 3 v Collingwood (MCG)
Round 4 v Fremantle (AS)

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter @SamLandsberger

MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
The Dees have a mortgage on the MCG for most the season. In the first 15 rounds, they play just two games away from the home of footy – both interstate trips. Home bouts against Port Adelaide, GWS and Gold Coast in the first seven weeks presents an opportunity for the new-look Dees to create the winning culture Mark Neeld is desperate to implement.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The Round 2 match against Essendon should be interesting. The Dees have the wood over the Bombers and would love that streak to continue. The two games against the Dogs in the back half of the season will also be telling with both clubs in a similar bracket.

TOUGH GAMES:
The three-week stretch of Fremantle away, Hawthorn and Collingwood will test the Demons' improvement. Games against Adelaide away and Geelong in Geelong will also be tough to compete in.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
As if Queen's Birthday wasn't a big enough duel for the Dees, they now to go show off star recruit Chris Dawes against his old Magpie premiership teammates. Added to that Mark Neeld's former stint at the Pies and it shapes as a juicy contest.

SUMMARY:
Only three six-day breaks is a win, as is playing fellow bottom-four sides GWS, Suns and Dogs twice each. But the Dees missed out on Friday night action and must play a home game at Etihad Stadium, against their request.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Port Adelaide (MCG)
Round 2 v Essendon (MCG)
Round 3 v West Coast (MCG)
Round 4 v GWS (MCG)

NORTH MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
Not many. The Roos don't play any of the bottom-four sides twice, but a run of five-straight games again non-finalists from Rounds 14-18 should give a platform to launch a run at September.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The opening five weeks could set up North Melbourne's year. The Roos face Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney in Tasmania, Brisbane and Hawthorn and will be desperate to walk out with a few of wins. They will also be without Brent Harvey for the first six weeks, adding to the early challenges.

TOUGH GAMES:
Plenty. Two trips to Perth and return bouts against Hawthorn, Adelaide Collingwood and Geelong. Eight six-day breaks to boot makes it a hard draw on paper.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
You suspect a few North boys wouldn't mind a crack at Carlton in Round 17, and another look at Chris Judd after last year's chicken-wing gate. The clash with West Coast in Round 8 will also be eagerly-anticipated after North Melbourne's finals capitulation last year. And the Roos' backline will hopefully be devising some new plans for the Round 5 clash with Hawthorn – and 13-goal terroriser Buddy Franklin.

SUMMARY:
A difficult draw on paper, and a mixed bag commercially. Two home Friday night games (three in total) should help boost the bottom line, but the club wasn't overly thrilled with receiving three home Sunday twilight games this season.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Collingwood (ES)
Round 2 v Geelong (ES)
Round 3 v Sydney (BA)
Round 4 v Brisbane Lions (ES)

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Roos to help Tassie rebuild

Aerial photos show the destruction wrought on the Tasmanian town of Dunalley. Picture: Toby Zerna Source: The Mercury

The remains of Dunalley Primary School outside Hobart . Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

NORTH Melbourne has pledged to help rebuild the Dunalley Primary School after it was destroyed in Tasmania's devastating bushfires.

The primary school was completely destroyed by the blaze which razed about 70 buildings in the coastal town 57km from Hobart.

The Roos have established close ties with Tasmania and will play two home matches in Hobart this year.

"It's obviously an extremely difficult time for all Tasmanians and we will be doing everything we can to support and assist in the recovery efforts," interim CEO Cam Vale said.

"We want to express our deepest sympathies and pass on our best wishes to everyone involved and affected by the fires."

Vale said the club's first-year players would be in Hobart next week for a training camp and the club was investigating how they could join the recovery effort.

"If we can utilise our players and coaches in some way, then we will definitely do that. All of that is still to be determined.

"Right now it's important that we stay in direct contact with the Premier, AFL Tasmania and the AFL to ascertain what the community needs and where best we can focus our efforts and energy to help the various areas and residents get back on their feet."

AFL Tasmania chief executive Scott Wade said football clubs had escaped the worst of the fires so the AFL community would rally to rebuild the Dunalley school.

On Monday Hawthorn, which also has strong Tassie ties, made a $10,000 donation to the Red Cross Tasmanian Bushfire Appeal.

 

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J-Pod set to reload in defence

James Podsiadly could bolster Geelong's defence this season. Picture: Michael Klein Source: HWT Image Library

COULD James Podsiadly become the new Matthew Scarlett?

The Geelong spearhead is set for a shock move to defence this season after a summer learning how to spoil, rebound and clog the holes he has desperately led into for his entire career.

Podsiadly has been training with the Cats' backline as coach Chris Scott looks to add a touch of versatility to the veteran and open opportunities for his young, power forwards light on for AFL experience.

"He's just getting a look at both ends," Geelong defender Tom Lonergan told the AFL site.

"Obviously he has played a lot forward, so he knows what that is about, so he is just getting a look at playing down back at the moment.

Podsiadly, 31, has kicked 136 goals in his 59 games since winning a fairytale AFL listing three years ago.

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