Tiger goes under knife

Dylan Grimes was enjoying a good pre-season before hurting his hamstring again. Picture: Ben Swinnerton Source: Herald Sun

RICHMOND hopes Dylan Grimes will be available for Round 1 next season after surgery on his cursed hamstring.

Grimes went under the knife today after hurting his left hamstring for the third time this year. It is understood he suffered a small split in the tendon.

Grimes, who had been firing in pre-season training, pulling up sore at training last Friday.

He is the only Richmond player not taking part on a training camp in Cairns.

Grimes, 21, has played just 17 games but is seen as a key to the Tigers' young backline.

He has been plagued by hamstring injuries, travelling to Germany for treatment by soft-tissue expert Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt this year after injuring his left hamstring twice.

In 2011 he tore the hamstring tendon in his right leg.

"Given Dylan's history with hamstring injuries, we believe surgery was the best option," Richmond's elite performance manager Peter Burge said.

"We won't know the extent of his recovery time until it settles from the surgery.

"Despite the setback, Dylan is keen to start his rehabilitation and is hopeful of being ready for the start of the 2013 season."

Grimes tweeted today: "Just about to go under the knife.. Thanks everyone for the support, it has been so overwhelming! Can't wait to see the boys back in melb!"

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Winmar manager slams AFL

Nick Winmar has been cut by the Saints. Picture: Chris Eastman Source: Herald Sun

Classic all-rounder who can break lines from defence, rotate through the midfield, and sneak forward to kick goals.

THE manager of axed St Kilda youngster Nick Winmar has lashed out at the Saints and says Winmar could turn his back on the AFL.

St Kilda announced today it was delisting Winmar, 21, meaning every player brought into the club in the 2009 draft and trade period is now gone.

The speedster was the last player left on the Saints' list of those brought in after the Grand Final loss to Geelong.

The wretched two-month period saw St Kilda cough up prized picks for Andrew Lovett and Brett Peake, lose Collingwood-turned premiership midfielder Luke Ball for nothing and draft Winmar, Jesse Smith, Adam Pattison and Will Johnson - who have all since been delisted.

Agent Paul Connors said Winmar returned from the players' six-week post-season break with his teammates and was cut after a bad time-trial.

"There's no way this sort of thing should happen," Connors said on his website sportsnewsfirst.com.au.

"It's a poor reflection on the St Kilda football club and the system.

"It makes it extremely difficult for any player who is delisted after the national draft to be picked up by another club."

Exclusive video of St Kilda's top draft pick Nathan Wright

Winmar now has the option of nominating for the December 11 pre-season and rookie drafts, but due to a reduction in rookie lists next season picks there will be far less selections than in recent years.

The Saints have now lost their first selection in the 2008-10 drafts, with Tom Lynch (Adelaide) and Jamie Cripps (West Coast) traded in the past two seasons.

Winmar, who was recruited using pick 32 overall, played just two matches in his three years at the club and had a year left on his contract.

"Late last week we advised Nick and his manager that we would be releasing him from the final year of his contract," Saints footy boss Chris Pelchen said.

"This was a difficult decision, however we feel it is the right one for both Nick and the club. Nick has been a respected member of the Saints over the past three years and we wish him every success for the future."

The Saints will now carry an extra pick on December 11.

The Saints have been linked to former West Coast midfielder Adam Cockie, who impressed at VFL affiliate Sandringham this season.

St Kilda today flies to Colorado for its high-altitude training camp under respected new fitness chief Bill Davoren.

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Power aims to raise extra $2m

New Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley will play a major role in the club's recovery. Picture: Calum Robertson. Source: adelaidenow

PORT Adelaide has devised an ambitious strategy to raise an extra $2million in membership revenue ahead of the club's shift to Adelaide Oval and is aiming for 40,000 members for next year.

The Power is coming off a rotten run on the premiership table but believe the combination of the impending shift to the city and the sense of a fresh beginning under coach Ken Hinkley and a new board will raise their membership by 5,000 next season and up to 50,000 in the long-term.

The club has been encouraged by the extra interest from members to secure an Adelaide Oval permanent seat by signing up before February 28 and has cast a wide net in membership categories - including options to sign up a baby or a pet to Port Adelaide.

Port Adelaide marketing and operation general manager Matthew Richardson said another bonus was the addition of a general admission 11-game category at Adelaide Oval, which will not guarantee a seat but will ensure entry to watch games from the northern mound or in one of the standing room bays at the back of the concourse walk on top of the lower bowl of the stadium.

"It just depends on what you're experience you're after," Richardson said.

"You might go an have a bite in the city before hand and then come in for the general admission category or you might want to be in the western stand, with the seat that is tranferrable.

"But we've had a lot of people asking about upgrades for getting access to a better seat at Adelaide Oval."

It comes as Port Adelaide:

HAD just above 35,000 members this year - which only a few hundred fewer than its first year in 1997, but has dropped its average crowd number by more than 15,000 per home game (35,703 in 1997 to 19, 911 this season

WANTS to find at least 50,000 members who have dropped off to add to their existing 35,000 - finding only 10 per cent of them would bring the club into the respectable 40,000s.

WANTS to increase the amount of traditional 11-game members, which are now around 22,500, and hope that the new category of three-game members will become full-fledged ones

SEEKS to get in touch with their whole supporter base. The Power's research tells them they have as many as 260,000 to 270,000 supporters but fewer than half of them are on the club's data base. It means the club has no means of communicate with them directly.

"Our club is focused on connecting with these people," Richardson said.

Port Adelaide's membership plans come as the AFL is understood to be in the throes of further seeking to bridge the gap between the wealthy and not-so-wealthy clubs, potentially through channelling more of gate revenue into general revenue so that clubs which don't have blockbuster matches don't continue to fall behind.

AFL chief executives have been invited to write submissions to the AFL by early next year how to best alleviate the problem of the gap after meeting on the Gold Coast at last week's AFL draft.

David Noble represented Adelaide, with Steven Trigg being under investigation by the AFL and preparing his defence ahead of the commission hearing on Friday.

The Crows were in a board meeting last night.

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Ace recruit Wines ready for battle

Port Adelaide recruit Oliver Wines is thrilled to have been picked up by the Power, saying he wants to have a long career at the club.

Port Adelaide's top draft pick, Ollie Wines, left, works out in the gym with fellow draftee Mason Shaw. Picture: Tait Schmaal. Source: adelaidenow

PORT Adelaide's new clearance machine, Ollie Wines, has embraced his "man's man" reputation, saying that he prides himself on his toughness.

Described as one of the toughest inside midfielders to come out of the under-18 system, Wines said he knows no other way than to bash and crash and win the hard ball.

"That's how I play my football and always will," said the 188cm, 90kg man of steel. "I just love a contest and I hope our supporters will love that too."

For a side criticised for being feeble in recent years, Wines is a godsend for the Power, having fallen into its lap at No. 7 at the national draft after being tipped as a top-five prospect.

The 18-year-old attacks the footy like former Port hardman Josh Carr but has the ball-winning ability and class of Essendon Brownlow medallist Jobe Watson.

"I was brought up in the country, so I learnt to be tough," Wines said.

"Being in the country you do things country boys do and I developed my football playing for Echuca against a lot of senior footballers. It's made my transition (to the AFL) easier."

Wines' style was moulded by the tutoring of Melbourne development coach Todd Viney, who coached him at junior level and focused heavily on his tackling.

He helped build a player the Power says "will fight and fight to win every contest".

New Port coach Ken Hinkley was rapt to make All-Australian under-18 midfielder Wines his first draft pick, describing him as "the type of person you want to build a football club around".

"He's a really strong, hard, contested footballer but he's got the character as well," Hinkley said.

"Since I've gone to Port Adelaide we're big on talking about character and we have got the absolute number one character in our club right now and we're pleased about that.

"Knowing what I already know about him and the way he's going to go about his football, the way he's going to compete, I know what I'm getting and I'm really excited about what we are getting.

"We know our club's going to be a better place for having him come into it."

Oozing leadership qualities - he captained the Bendigo Pioneers - and amazingly articulate for a teenager, Wines has embraced the club.

While fellow Victorian and former first-round draft pick Ben Jacobs quit the Power after just two years to return home, Wines insists he is at Port for the long haul.

"I'm over the moon to be picked up by Port Adelaide and I'm not thinking about moving away at all," said Wines. "I would have gone anywhere to chase my AFL dream. Port has given me that opportunity and I'm going to run with it.

"I'm going to try and find a career here and try and make a successful AFL career playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club."

Wines was one of three interstate players Port selected at the draft, along with Victorian key defender Tom Clurey (from the Murray Bushrangers) and West Australian forward Mason Shaw (South Fremantle).

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Port sets guidelines for Jurrah

Former Demon Liam Jurrah is currently training with Port Adelaide. Picture: Alex Coppel. Source: Herald Sun

PORT Adelaide has put strict conditions on drafting Liam Jurrah.

The former Demon must report to training in reasonable shape today and attend every session in the lead-up to the pre-season and rookie drafts to be considered for one of the three remaining spots on its remodelled list.

Port says talent alone will not win the indigenous ace a position at the club.

"We know Liam is talented and that's why we are looking at him," national recruiting manager Geoff Parker said.

"But that's only part of the package now. On Thursday night (at the national draft) we saw a couple of very talented players miss out for various reasons.

"Talent might get you looked at but other things get you picked."

All eyes will be on the 24-year-old forward when he trains with Port for the first time at Alberton Oval this morning.

It will be Jurrah's first training session since walking out on Melbourne in August after what he described as the "worst year" of his life.

He moved to Adelaide to live with family members but faces a court hearing in March to answer three counts of aggravated assault and intent to cause serious harm relating to a February incident in Alice Springs.

But his talent is undeniable. He has kicked 81 goals in 36 games and was Melbourne's leading goalkicker in 2011 with 40. He played only one AFL game this year because of off-field problems and injury.

Jurrah has fallen behind former Bomber Brent Prismall in Port's pre-season pecking order but is in contention for one of two rookie-list spots.

The pair are among nine players the Power has invited to training alongside Central District's Sam Colquhoun, Norwood's Jaryd Cachia and the Port Magpies' Kory Beard, Aseri Raikiwasa, Justin Hoskin, Sam Gray and Sean Lemmens.

Jurrah has 14 days to prove he is worthy of the Power rolling the dice on him.

"The coaches want to see what condition he's in, how he fits in with the group, how he trains and where his mindset is at," Parker said.

"We expect him to be at every session we have in the next two weeks and then we'll make an assessment."

Jurrah is reportedly overweight but Parker said he hadn't seen him.

"So we'll see how he turns up," he said.

"Like the other players we've invited out we'll give him the chance to show his talent in front of the coaching group and see how hard they attack training mentally when it gets hard," he said.

Essendon coach James Hird has virtually conceded Prismall will end up with Port after previously guaranteeing he would re-draft him when he was delisted at the end of the year. The 26-year-old midfielder started training with the Power on Monday.

"Brent's now on the open market and Port sound like they're pretty keen on Brent and that's good for him," Hird said.

"As a professional footballer, we would have offered him a one-year deal and they look like they'll offer him a bit longer than that, and good on him to secure his future.

"In the time of professional football, that's a sound business decision by Brent."

Prismall - who has played under new Power coach Ken Hinkley and assistant coach Alan Richardson at Geelong and Essendon respectively - ticked "a few boxes" for Port.

"He's a very smart player, he kicks the ball really well, he makes good decisions and at 26 he brings some leadership and experience to a pretty young side too," Parker said.

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Voss studies world's sporting elite

Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss has travelled the world to study how the best sporting teams in the world operate. Picture: Mark Cranitch Source: The Courier-Mail

MICHAEL Voss says his globe-trotting voyage across four countries and almost 40,000km will make him a better coach and help the Lions rejoin the AFL's elite.

The Brisbane senior coach has been on a three-week study tour funded by the club, the AFL Coaches Association personal development fund and Voss himself and will return home this weekend.

After spending four days in Flagstaff, Arizona, with the Lions at the start of their high-altitude pre-season training camp, Voss embarked on a journey that took in fact-finding missions at the US football programs at Florida State University and Notre Dame University.

He then travelled to Holland for a visit with the powerful FC Twente football club before spending time at English Premier League club Tottenham and Italian giants AC Milan.

Speaking from Milan yesterday, Voss said the whirlwind tour had uncovered invaluable information on a whole range of issues from team facilities and infrastructure, post-match processes and training practices.

"I've been gallivanting all over the place, but the main aim was to look at what the elite are doing. To look at world's best practice," Voss said.

"I've been coaching in the AFL system for four years and I thought it was time to have a look at how others do it and see what I could bring back to help both me and the football club as a whole.

"We demand that our players look to constantly learn and improve. Our focus this pre-season is being really specific with them about how they can go about that.

"I need to do learn and improve myself. I've seen a million things over the past few weeks that will help our footy club prosper.

"What I have learned is that there are a lot of things that we are already doing very well but there are also areas where we are a long way off."

Voss said wherever he has visits he had been well received.

"The amount of information that has been provided has been fantastic," he said.

"They wouldn't know me from a bar of soap but that sort of fly-on-the-wall access has been tremendous and I'm looking forward to applying it to our game when I get home."

Voss said his absence would not have an impact on Brisbane's pre-season training program as the side was still in its conditioning phase.

Brisbane's more experienced players have been given this week off after arriving back from Arizona last weekend and will resume training this Monday.

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Pies chief warns of AFL drugs problem

Collingwood CEO Gary Pert says drugs have become a significant industry issue that must be addressed as soon as possible. Source: Herald Sun

Collingwood's Gavin Crosisca confessed to the Herald Sun in September that he is an addict who used illicit drugs throughout his 25-year playing and coaching career. Picture: Joe Mann Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD chief executive Gary Pert has raised serious concerns about a growing illegal drug culture in football.

Pert told the Herald Sun last night drugs had become a significant industry issue that must be addressed as soon as possible.

"This is a serious issue with young men in the community and we'd be naive to think it didn't happen in the AFL," Pert said.

"It will be an ongoing challenge - as it is in the community - from this point on."

Pert said he raised it now because he had seen the impact that drugs had had on the community and on a number of players.

"I have seen examples of players who have played AFL football and who have left addicted to drugs, like Ben Cousins and Gavin Crosisca, who came out recently," Pert said.

"We have watched Lance Armstrong destroy the credibility of an entire sport and we see that drugs are in the clubs because the AFL releases the amount of positive tests (each year).

"So someone needed to put this on the table as a priority for the industry to deal with it."

Magpies president Eddie McGuire said Pert was speaking with the board's imprimatur.

"I first brought up the issue of recreational drugs - as they were called back then - at the very first meeting I attended as president in 1998," McGuire said.

Pert raised his concerns at the end of a meeting of club CEOs on the Gold Coast last Wednesday, a day before the national draft.

Several AFL bosses, including Andrew Demetriou and Adrian Anderson, heard Pert's concerns.

Crosisca: Grog and drugs cost me the lot

Cousins breaks silence on drugs case

A specific AFL forum has been put in place for late January to tackle the drugs issue.

" I asked whether we would like to deal with the issue in a forum (to be held in 2013)," Pert said.

"I had several of the CEOs and the AFL thank me for bringing up the issue and that it was important to make it a high priority."

Two of those present who preferred to remain unnamed yesterday told the Herald Sun they were stunned at Pert's speech.

Pert emphasised that he was not talking about any particular players or club but that the issue needed to be addressed.

"Categorically, there was no reference to any specific player or any specific club," he said.

- with Glenn McFarlane and Michael Warner

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Bucks doesn't stop with just kicking

Simon Buckley caught these two giant snapper off Mordialloc on Saturday morning. Source: Herald Sun

HERE are two that didn't get away. Simon Buckley, who parted company with Collingwood last month, can now add big fisherman to his reputation as a big kicker.

He caught these two giant snapper, one weighing more than 6kg, off Mordialloc last Saturday morning.

A keen fisherman, the Darwin Buffaloes have used a good lure to get him to the Top End.

His weekly routine will be to fly to Darwin on the Friday, play the next day and then go fishing on Sunday before returning home.

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Menzels' mum sticks to the winner

Troy Menzel with his mother, Cathy, and girlfriend Alyce James-Tronnolone. Picture: Roy Vandervegt. Source: adelaidenow

WHEN Carlton plays Geelong next season, Cathy Menzel will be in the crowd wearing a plain blue and white scarf.

One of her sons, Central District's Troy Menzel, was selected for Carlton in last week's AFL draft, while older son Daniel, 21, already plays for Geelong.

"If they play against each other, I'll just go with the team that wins," Ms Menzel says.

Troy, 18, was drafted by the Blues with pick No.11 on Thursday night (November 22).

Ms Menzel says having two boys make the big league is exciting and makes the sacrifices worthwhile.

Ms Menzel raised her six sons on her own - Troy, Sam, 19, Daniel, Chris, 22, Matt, 29, and Adam, 30 - in Greenwith.

"When Daniel was drafted I wasn't at the draft and being there this time was really exciting.

"Four of the boys played football and there was a bit of competitiveness there, especially with Troy and Daniel, so it's no surprise how they've ended up."

She says Troy and Daniel have done all the hard work to overcome their own hurdles and she is just glad to be able to lend a hand.

Troy required a knee reconstruction when he was just 16 and spent a slab of this year on the sidelines after hurting it again in an SANFL finals match for Central District.

Daniel has also had two knee reconstructions since being drafted to Geelong.

"It's been tough but for them to achieve what they've set out to achieve brings tremendous joy, not only to them but (the family)," their mum says.

"Having them both in Victoria makes it easier because we can go and visit them at the same time. I was a bit concerned they'd end up in different states.

"I just think both boys have been rewarded for their dedication.

"They've both had the skills but their hard work and passion for the game has probably got them over the line."

Troy arrived at Carlton for his first AFL training session yesterday (Tuesday, November 27).

He says he owes a lot to his mum.

"She's quite happy it's all over now and she can sit back and enjoy it, she's definitely done a cracking job with us boys," Troy says.

"I think she was still as nervous for Daniel, but going through it twice she knew the process."

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Union to challenge Winmar axing

Nick Winmar in action for Sandringham. He has been dumped by St Kilda with a year to run on his contract. Picture: Stuart Milligan. Source: Herald Sun

THE AFL Players' Association will push the league to close the loophole that allowed St Kilda to dump Nick Winmar with a year to run on his contract.

Winmar was told by the Saints on Friday that he would be delisted ahead of the pre-season draft despite being midway through a two-year deal.

The AFLPA is uneasy about the 21-year-old's contract not being honoured and the fact the cut was made so late, ruling him out of last week's national draft.

Winmar's manager, Paul Connors, is also furious at the treatment of his client, saying he was stunned to learn of the axing on Friday night.

Winmar will be paid out, but loses the opportunity to earn match payments next season and faces an uncertain future with spots on rival lists now so tight.

AFLPA general manager of player relations, Ian Prendergast, is likely to front the AFL on the issue of broken contracts and the timing of the call.

"We believe that if a club contracts a player for two years then they should honour that contract, unless they have grounds to terminate, which is not the case here," Prendergast said.

"We are particularly concerned about the timing of the club's decision, being after the national draft and the adverse impact this will have on Nick furthering his career - especially given the compromised rookie draft due to rookie list positions being reduced by two spots for next season."

Connors said Winmar had returned to pre-season training two weeks early and had been given no warning.

"Late last week we advised Nick and his manager that we would be releasing him from the final year of his contract," St Kilda's head of football Chris Pelchen said.

"This was a difficult decision, however, we feel it is the right one for both Nick and the club.

"Nick has been a respected member of the Saints over the past three years and we wish him every success for the future."

Winmar was drafted by the Saints at pick 32 in the 2009 draft and played two games.

The Saints said they were yet to determine whether to use the additional selection at next month's pre-season or rookie draft but are tipped to pick up former West Coast midfielder Adam Cockie.

Cockie is training with StKilda and was a member of WAFL side Subiaco when Scott Watters coached the side.

Prendergast said Winmar, believed to be deeply upset by his sudden exit, would be financially compensated.

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