AFL Community Club: Latest News http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/ Latest news from Manage Your Club en AFL Community Club: Latest News http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/ 18 16 Latest news from Manage Your Club TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thu, 17 May 2012 16:46:00 +1000 Interactive Indigenous Players' Map http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=711&cHash=41d965615f Online map highlights Indigenous players around the country www.aflplayers.com.au/interactive_map Featuring 79 current players from 41 language and/or cultural groups in Australia, the map aims to inform and educate the football community and wider public on the various language and cultural groups of Indigenous AFL players. Adam Goodes, AFL Players’ Indigenous Advisory Board Chairman said, "Indigenous players represent a diverse range of language groups across the country. The different language groups each have their own distinct traditions and culture and can differ greatly between each group. "The Indigenous Advisory Board worked together with the Players’ Association on the concept of the map, and we are thrilled to see it brought to life to celebrate Indigenous Round and the contribution of Indigenous players to the game. "The map profiles each of our countries – not necessarily where we were recruited from, but where our families originate from. It is important for us to share our stories and where we come from with each other, and the interactive map is a way of sharing this with the wider community." Interactive Indigenous Player Map Facts:
  • There were once over 250 known language groups across Australia
  • Each language group has its own distinct culture and traditions
  • There are currently 79 Indigenous players on AFL lists
  • In 2012, Indigenous Players represent 41 language and/or cultural groups
  • Cultural groups are a collective of language groups who have a common cultural identity
  • The largest cluster of players is in the Noongar (Southwest Region of WA) cultural group with 33 players originating specifically from here
  • The AFL Players’ Association Indigenous Advisory Board is the first of its kind in Australian sport, and was established by players to continue to improve the AFL landscape for Indigenous players
  • The Advisory Board liaises directly with the Players’ Association to provide guidance on the development of the programs and support services which directly relate to Indigenous players within the AFL
]]> Manage Your Club Play AFL Indigenous Thu, 17 May 2012 12:14:00 +1000 Clarification on Sliding Rules http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=709&cHash=b67e79b315 Football Operations GM, Adrian Anderson clarifies the AFL rules on sliding Adrian Anderson, GM, AFL Football Operations The Match Review Panel and Tribunal have recently made decisions in regards to players sliding knees or feet first into a contest and making contact with an opponent. This practice has emerged recently and is increasing in prevalence. In light of medical advice received that this is an extremely dangerous mechanism of injury and should be prohibited, the AFL Football Operations Department would like to further clarify how this action will be interpreted. Background
The 2012 Laws DVD which was presented to all AFL clubs earlier this year, referred to "the tactic of sliding into a contest" and stated:
  • Emerging dangerous tactic
  • Potential to cause serious injury
  • Free kick will be awarded
  • May be referred to the Match Review Panel 
In addition, the memo circulated by me on Friday 27 April provided clear information about what is prohibited when a player elects to slide into a contest: "The action of sliding itself is not prohibited. However, players have a duty of care not to slide where it is reasonably foreseeable that this may cause injury to others. In particular players risk offending under the rough conduct rule if they slide: Feet or knees first where they should know contact to an opponent could result; or Late into a contest and with force (regardless of whether it is feet/knees first or not)." In addition, Law 15.4.5(a)(ii) already states a prohibited contact free kick can be paid for making contact with an opposition player below the knees. Umpires will pay free kicks in relation to sliding AFL umpires have been instructed to fully enforce existing rules by paying free kicks against players who slide into contests feet or knees first or late when contact to an opponent occurs. Please note free kicks will be paid for feet/knees first contact even where the offending player is first to the ball (e.g Thomas or Broughton examples). We are taking this action after consulting with the AFL Medical Directors and AFL Medical Officers Association who have shared with us their concerns about the practice of sliding into a contest (particularly feet or knees first), whether a player does so in the act of gaining possession or not. Amendments to Laws in relation to sliding may be pursued It is clear that under our present rules, sliding incidents involving Thomas and Broughton (while free kicks) are not considered Reportable Offences by the AFL Tribunal. We will be monitoring and considering if formal amendments to the Tribunal Guidelines, Player Rules or Laws of the Game are warranted to address this issue. This will be done in consultation with the Laws of the Game Committee and Clubs. As part of this process, we will continue to monitor the tactic of sliding and the player response on field to the enforcement of free kicks.   ]]> Play AFL Coaching Manage Your Club Umpiring Thu, 17 May 2012 11:28:00 +1000 2012 Indigenous Round http://www.afl.com.au/more/communityprograms/indigenouscommunity/indigenousround/tabid/17845/default.aspx Celebrate land, country and culture and the importance of Indigenous players to AFL Play AFL Indigenous Manage Your Club Tue, 15 May 2012 09:28:00 +1000 Concussion Survey will Help Research http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=691&cHash=f10e0b2fab Researchers are inviting coaches and trainers to do online survey on concussion as part of study Take the survey now
Why participate in this study?
The aim of this study is to determine how and to what extent the AFL concussion guidelines are (or aren’t) being used and obtain public opinion on how accessible, relevant and practical the resource is. Responses to the survey will help improve the design, application and distribution of future AFL concussion guidelines. This study is part of a larger research project being funded by a Victorian Sports Injury Prevention Grant through the Department of Planning and Community Development Sport and Recreation Victoria, and involves a collaboration of Australian and international sports concussion and injury prevention researchers, two sports bodies (the AFL and the NRL) and Sports Medicine Australia. The AFL greatly apppreciates participation in this survey as we continue to develop policies and programs in the important area of safety in the game. For further information please contact
Dr Peta White
Research Fellow
Monash Injury Research Institute
Monash University
Clayton Campus
Ph: 03 9905 9669
Email: Peta.White@monash.edu More about Concussion Management ]]> Latest News Coaching Manage Your Club Schools Umpiring Mon, 14 May 2012 14:14:00 +1000 Experience DraftStar Camps http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=607&cHash=a136c97aa2 Lift your game at an AFL endorsed DraftStar Camp taking place during the July School holidays http://www.draftstar.com.au/camps 
DRAFTSTAR CAMPS
DraftStar are running camps during the 2012 July School Holidays, including:
  • Wesley College, Glen Waverley July 2nd and 3rd
  • Assumption College, Kilmore July 4th, 5th and 6th
  • Wesley College, Melbourne July 9th and 10th
  • Toorak College, Mt Eliza July 11th, 12th and 13th.
Please do not hesitate to contact DraftStar to discuss the DraftStar Camps on 03 9020 5655. For further information or to enrol a player in a DraftStar camp, visit http://www.draftstar.com.au/camps  Young players can make new friends, learn skills and get a real AFL experience through DraftStar Camps.  ]]> Play AFL Latest News Manage Your Club Wed, 09 May 2012 10:25:00 +1000 Crawford Joins Auskick http://www.aflauskick.com.au/news/article/2012/april/shane-crawford-is-the-new-nab-afl-auskick-ambassador/ Former Hawthorn star Shane Crawford takes on a new role as NAB AFL Auskick Ambassador Manage Your Club Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:40:00 +1000 Valuing the Academy http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=672&cHash=b7987b6bf0 AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan hits back at critics of the AIS/AFL Academy program by Kevin Sheehan I read with interest on arriving home from the recent AIS-AFL Academy Tour of Europe an article on the back page of the sports section in The Age in relation to that tour and the program for those young footballers. It was written by Greg Baum, an experienced journalist with a long history of high quality articles. On this occasion, though, he got it wrong on several levels. Or at the very least a different point of view needs to be presented. It is easier addressing some of the article's content around a few issues:
1.    The value of international markets for AFL
2.    The AIS-AFL Academy program for AFL footballers
3.    The AIS-AFL Academy Trip to Europe We have a great game, in that we are not in any disagreement, but I believe the article perpetuates the view that the game doesn't need a wider vision. Why does a view prevail that only those who live in Australia can love the game? Surely if you have watched the International Cup when it is held in Australia every three years, you can't help but be convinced that people from all around the world want to play, coach and watch the game with the same passion as those of us who have grown up on it. In the 2011 U16 National Championships South Pacific and the World XV111 won their first games against traditional states in Tasmania and Northern Territory respectively.This suggests there is also talent in different markets. The South Pacific, in particular, is a genuine football region for both talent and participation. What holds it back like most places around the world is finance. Despite this significant hurdle, the 2011 census shows there were 77,000 participants in the region. It is easy to dismiss the game in international markets because the game may not be played at a high level. Most of Australian Football is not played at a high level, but it is still played by people who love it. The international market is no different. As for Greg's comments about the AIS-AFL program they are disparaging and dismissive of fine young men who have been awarded an AIS scholarship. Does he know any of them? Has he met any of them? Spoken to any of them? I think the term of "privileged prepubescent's" being "fawned over" is disrespectful and misguided. Yes they are privileged to be in an AIS program, but they have earned that right, and they are grateful for the opportunity.
Why should boys who choose to play AFL football be disadvantaged compared to other sports and not given access to the AIS because there is no true international competition for AFL? It is right and it is appreciated that the AIS believe in our game and provide a scholarship program, in partnership with the AFL, to help assist the best young players in their development as athletes and as people. International competition is a mandatory requirement of being involved with the AIS and over the 15 years the AFL-AIS program has been in existence, the AFL has experimented as to which international market it will be involved. The AFL is trialling Europe as its international destination. Way back in 1998, on the first tour, Cameron Ling was captain and the game discovered an Irish lad named Tadhg Kennelly, who played against the Australians that year. As we know he went onto become a premiership star for Sydney. He is a great advocate for our game internationally. No-one is denying the current focus on the European market is largely about the promotion of the game to support existing participation and to help grow this aspect. But we can't dismiss the fact we may uncover a European who will make an impact at AFL level somewhere down the track. Of course the AFL realises the current European team is not going to be competitive against the best 30 young players in Australia, but there is more to the overseas AIS trip than the game. The trip is also about intensive training and education from the likes of head coach Michael O’Loughlin and other great football mentors such as Matthew Lloyd. In addition, the squad is supported by a team who have current or past experience with elite environments in the areas of medical, physical preparation, sport psychology and nutrition. They ensure the young players understand the requirements in those areas when they step into the competitive environment of the AFL. It is also a great learning experience to be in a different country. Two significant events on this particular trip were the after match function where a room of Australians and Europeans, watched a tribute to Jim Stynes. It was a powerful and poignant moment. It was also a reminder to all of us present that we must share this game with those outside of Australia. Without the vision of Ron Barassi or the Melbourne Football Club, we would have been deprived of ever knowing someone like Stynes, whose story is arguably the greatest in the history of our game. The other experience was the visit to Villers-Bretonneux, a French village, whose citizens still recognise with great respect the many Australians who died defending it in the First World War. For any young Australian, to visit a place such as this and to engage with young children of the village school via Australian Football can only be of immeasurable historic value, connection and learning. Later on in the article there are valid observations about the harsh reality of the AFL competition which can break young men's dreams as quickly as create them. No-one who has existed in elite competitive sport, or who has observed it as closely as Baum has, will deny that player turnover is a factor and that some of the AIS squad will suffer that fate. But in that, the AFL is no different to any other elite sporting environment. Again the AIS program addresses this as part of their education, making the players aware of the incredibly competitive and ruthless world they are entering. Despite this, in 2012 there are 192 listed players (23% of total players on lists) who have benefitted from the experience of being in the AIS-AFL Academy. Included are the likes of star players and leaders such as Joel Selwood, Luke Hodge, Lance Franklin, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd and Daniel Wells. It is accepted that the preparedness of youth for elite competition, which Baum raises, is always worthy of serious discussion, but why I felt compelled to write in response to the article was in the misrepresentation of the fine young men who are in the current AIS squad and for the overall value of the AFL-AIS program. These young men know they are lucky to be in such a program and are well aware of the privileges they receive, and as a result they are learning and working hard to become not only better footballers but better people. Reprinted with permission from afl.com.au ]]> Play AFL Manage Your Club Latest News Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:32:00 +1000 Love of the Game http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=668&cHash=73abfc8881 Schwab: everyone has a role in creating supportive match day environments for umpires By Peter Schwab
AFL Director of Coaching Community football has well and truly started and as we do every year, we allocate a particular round of the season to focus on the important role of the umpire in our game. So this year Round 6 of the AFL season will be designated umpiring round throughout the whole country with a particular focus on community football where the bulk of people play the game. The evolution of football which is always driven at the AFL level will have a significant impact on umpiring. The current AFL game in simple terms is a game where a significant number of players are battling for possession under extreme pressure in a confined space of the ground in their effort to keep the ball in motion and going their way. Umpires are under instruction to encourage the ball to remain in motion and avoid calling for stoppages. This combination has made football a very difficult game to umpire.  Thankfully, we have people willing to take on the role of umpie at all levels. At community level, many of them I am sure will be doing it for the very first time, and like playing football for the very first time, they will be nervous and apprehensive, but willing to get in there and do their best. Like first-time players, first-time umpires will make mistakes, that’s naturally going to happen, it’s the only way they can learn and improve. However it does seems we are more forgiving of players making mistakes than umpires. It is rare, and unacceptable to hear the coach or crowd yelling and abusing a young player because he dropped a mark or didn’t shepherd when he could have. In fact, we’d be shocked if we witnessed that behaviour. But it seems umpires are fair game when it comes to how we respond to their mistakes. Maybe there is a positive in all of this. Maybe it’s because people have higher expectations from those who umpire, as though an umpire is somehow incapable of making a mistake.  You’d be right to wonder if umpiring was a thankless task. The umpiring groups around the country will tell you it can be at times, but it certainly isn’t all bad, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. In fact, it was the umpires and the umpiring fraternity who told us to do away with the concept of Thanks Ump Round. They didn’t want to be seen as seeking a thank you or even appreciation for the part they play in the game, although I am sure words of encouragement and appreciation won’t go astray. In reviewing the key messages umpires around the country wanted to convey to the broader football public about the role of umpires it settled upon a few key points. They simply want to convey to people that umpires enjoy umpiring for a variety of reasons like learning new skills, having fun and enjoying what they do, getting fit, getting paid and probably the most important point was being seen as a part of our great game. At our AFL National Coaching Conference in February this year Paul Reiffel, former Australian cricketer and current International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire and referee, spoke about his transition from player to umpire and the adjustments and learning process he needed to undertake. It was a thoughtful and insightful presentation. But the one point Reiffel made, which most of us in the audience had never considered was that umpiring was “cool” or we needed to sell the message it was cool. What he felt was most cool about umpiring was that you actually had the best seat in the house to view the game. This leads very strongly into the message umpires want people to understand. Umpires like players, love being a part of the game and they love the game as much as anyone involved in it does. Trawling through the worldwide web (read Google) I read many things about umpiring, refereeing and judging. Some of what I read was very technical, but fortunately some of it was very personal. One in particular I really liked was by a man called James Rodrigues, an American, who spoke of his experiences as a volunteer umpire for the Redmond Little League (Washington). He outlines below why he found umpiring to be a rewarding undertaking. “Firstly, you know that you are helping make the baseball game a better experience for both the players and the fans, which gives you a sense of accomplishment. Secondly, the kids, coaches, and parents (from both the winning and losing teams) often thank you for your effort after the game, which shows appreciation. Thirdly, it is neat to get that close to the game and have the umpire stories to tell—which, unlike the talks of your child's first day at school, you find to be met by attentive folks who are interested in hearing your tale (which they, in turn, will likely tell others about later). I think that I'll keep doing it, and I would encourage others to try it out. If you stick with it, I guarantee your decision-making and assertiveness will readily improve.” You may still be unconvinced about umpiring and even why we take a round of our season to even think about them, but if you can see it in the context of making the environment within how the game is played, coached, administered, supported and umpired as being as positive as possible then you have to understand why we should. If you are still not convinced? Then think about this. Do you agree that every participant in our game should be free of abuse and disrespect for taking part? If you said no, then have a good hard look at yourself. If you said yes, then well done, but understand that in a survey of retiring umpires last year approximately 20% of them list poor match day environment as a major factor in not continuing. As a game we have certainly made progress with creating more welcoming, inclusive and respectful match day environments. This has been possible through the great work and education done by our community leagues and clubs. That’s a major reason why umpire round remains an annual fixture. It is an easy cliché to conclude this article on, but as we continue to grow the number of players participating we will need more grounds on which to play, more work will fall onto leagues and clubs to administer the increased participation, more coaches to coach more teams and finally more umpires to umpire more games. It’s good if you can take the time to thank the umpires, but better if you understand why they love being a part of the game.]]> Coaching Play AFL Umpiring Manage Your Club Peter Schwab Latest News Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:09:00 +1000 Step Back Think http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=47&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=655&cHash=ca3f240cef Players in the VFL and TAC Cup will wear orange laces to support anti-violence campaign, Step Back... Step Back Think Background Step Back Think was formed in the wake of the horrific injuries sustained by James Macready-Bryan in 2006. James – better known to his mates as MB – was assaulted in the CBD on his 20th birthday on October 13th, 2006. A single punch knocked MB to the ground where his head smashed against the pavement, resulting in catastrophic brain damage from which he will never recover. In the year after Step Back Think’s formation, Matt McEvoy, 24, and Justin Galligan, 16, died from brain injuries similar to MB’s, in two separate incidences that mirrored the tragic senselessness of MB’s assault. The sole mission of Step Back Think is to educate people on the catastrophic consequences one punch can have, and from this, reduce levels of street violence.]]> Play AFL Manage Your Club Latest News Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:49:00 +1000 KickStart Championships http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/index.php?id=728 News & results from the 2012 National Indigenous U15 KickStart Champs Manage Your Club Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:13:00 +1000