VFL Round 3 TAC Cup Round 4 22 - 24 April 2016 $3.00 Photo: Jenny Owens Love of the game, not the odds At our season launch in late March, AFL Victoria announced its continuing relationship with the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF). AFL Victoria is committed to ensuring our clubs provide a safe, healthy and inclusive environment for players, families, members and supporters. At the launch we endorsed the VRGF Charter that we encourage our clubs sign up to. AFL Victoria understands the importance of responsible gambling and will encourage clubs to focus on the love of the game, not the odds. Talking about the love of the game, last weekend Channel 7 viewers were treated to an enthralling contest in the Peter Jackson VFL Grand Final rematch between Williamstown and Box Hill Hawks, with the Hawks turning the tables on the Seagulls to win by 15 points. VFL football has returned to our TV screens on Channel 7 in its new Sunday home for season 2016. One of the most pleasing aspects of the coverage this year is the variety of ways in which our VFL audience can access matches. Games this season are not only broadcast on TV, but also via the PLUS7 website and mobile app opening up the games to an Australia wide audience. Replays of all Channel 7 games are also available via the PLUS 7 website and on 7MATE of a Tuesday. Those on social media will also have noticed the game highlights and behind the scenes access via @7VFL on Twitter and Facebook, providing our competition with unprecedented coverage in 2016. We look forward to the ANZAC Day eve clash this Sunday between Collingwood and Essendon at VFL level at 2pm. Across all games this ANZAC Day long weekend, it is a fitting time to reflect and honour the memory of the fallen and recognise the sacrifices made by those currently serving in the Australian Defence Force. Steven Reaper AFL Victoria CEO Contents 3 5 Fraser & Sam Russell 12 Stats Centrall 7 Joel Garner 13 VFL Women’s’s 8 Jamie Grindal 14 15 TAC Cup weeklyweekly contentcontent 9 AFL Vic News 17 The Big League 10 11 VFL weekly content 64 Quiz Who’s playing who 48 49 Bendigo vs Oakleigh 30 31 North Ballarat vs Geelong 50 51 QLD vs Western 32 33 Coburg vs Box Hill Hawks 52 53 Sandringham vs NT 34 35 Frankston vs Richmond 54 55 Dandenong vs NSW / ACT 36 37 Northern Blues vs Port Melbourne 56 57 Calder vs North Ballarat 38 39 Sandringham vs Footscray 58 59 Geelong vs Northern 40 41 Casey Scorpions vs Williamstown 60 61 Eastern vs Tasmania 42 43 Collingwood vs Essendon 62 63 Murray vs Gippsland Editor: Ben Pollard [email protected] Contributors: Anthony Stanguts, Kirstie Fitzgerald Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photos (unless otherwise credited) Advertising: Rosanna Butler (03) 8341 6021 Ikon Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Cover: Lachie George celebrates a goal during Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 North Ballarat’s Round 1 VFL win against Coburg www.aflvic.com.au www.taccup.com.au 01 Television Online VFL Online Website: www.vfl.com.au Twitter: @VFL #PJVFL Facebook: www.facebook.com/vflfooty Sunday April 24 – 2pm TAC Cup Online Collingwood v Essendon Website: www.taccup.com.au Next week: Williamstown v Port Melbourne Twitter: @TACCup Facebook: www.facebook.com/taccupfooty Download the PLUS7 Live app to stream games live Watch a replay at: au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl Instagram: @aflvictoria or on 7Mate at 1am Tuesday morning Radio L VFL Live I Saturday April 23: Sandringham v Footscray from 1.45pm V Live on Aussie digital, Red Time Sport iPhone and Android apps, plus online via vfl.com.au E Next week: Footscray v Werribee R TAC Cup Radio A D Sunday April 24: Murray Bushrangers v Gippsland Power from 12.45pm I Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone App or www.taccup.com.au O Next week: Geelong v Eastern Ranges 3WBC Saturday April 23: Coburg v Box Hill Hawks from 1pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or the Tune In Radio app Next week: Box Hill Hawks v Frankston Casey Radio Saturday April 23: Casey Scorpions v Williamstown from 6.30pm Tune to 97.7fm in Melbourne, via the web at www.caseyradio.com.au, or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next week: Essendon v Casey Scorpions Video Streaming Visit vfl.com.au on Saturday April 23 for our VFL match of the day: Sandringham v Footscray from 2pm Watch the action and listen to the call from the VFL Live Next week: Footscray v Werribee 02 www.vfl.com.au Blues brothers reunite They’ve followed vastly different sporting paths since leaving high school, but brothers Fraser and Sam Russell have reunited at the Northern Blues. Fraser (left ) and Sam Russell. Photo: Northern Blues Football Club www.taccup.com.auwwww.tataaccuccc p.cpcp com.om.aua 0303 Fraser, 23, and Sam, 20, last played in the same Fraser and Sam’s paths have now converged aft er football team at Geelong College when Fraser was both were delisted by their clubs last year. Neither in Year 12 and Sam in Year 9, before both progressed had made their AFL debut, but Fraser’s one year with through the Geelong Falcons TAC Cup program. the Blues and Sam’s two with the Power had given Aft er turning 18, they developed very diff erent them an enticing taste of the elite level. sporting ambitions. Suddenly their ambitions are aligned again. To While Sam continued playing football aft er being continue playing football at the highest level they selected by Port Adelaide in the 2013 AFL Rookie possibly can, Fraser is staying at the club where he Draft , Fraser had turned his eye to a potential career played 10 senior Peter Jackson VFL games last year in athletics in 2011. and Sam decided to join him. The elder sibling became a Victorian 400m hurdles Sam said being able to play alongside his brother champion and competed against international was the primary reason he signed with Northern. athletes on the Australian Athletics Tour before The fact Fraser had gone through the same returning to football in 2014. Shortly aft er playing “devastating” experience of being delisted has four games at Northern late that season, he joined helped Sam through the months since it happened his brother in being on an AFL rookie list at Carlton. in September. “Athletics can be a very lonely sport,” Fraser said. “It was definitely easier doing it together than being on your own,” Sam said. “The thing I missed most about footy was the social side and the mateship. I probably had eight to 10 “Fraser came over in that week (of being delisted) training sessions a week as an athlete and when to watch me in the SANFL finals and he was actually you’re doing seven of them by yourself at 7am there on the day it happened. Then I was back home on a freezing cold winter’s morning, it’s not that in Victoria with him the day it happened for him as glamorous. well. “I sort of sat myself down and thought I’d love to “It all happened pretty quickly.” give footy another go. It’s a lot easier when you’re Despite their youth, that shared devastation means training with 40 other blokes.” the Russells have plenty of life experience to share Fraser Russell in action for the Northern Blues in 2015. Photo: Tim Murdoch 04 www.vfl.com.au Sam Russell playing for the Northern Blues this year. Photo: Ashley Perez with their teammates. Indeed, Fraser said he learned “For a young guy, he’s got a very mature head on his a lot about himself aft er he was delisted by Carlton. shoulders,” Fraser said of Sam. “That was obviously a pretty hard time,” Fraser said. “He’s not the loudest bloke out on the track but “You go through a lot of emotion. leads by example and really doesn’t put a foot “There’s anger and then you feel a bit sorry for wrong. yourself, and then you get to the point where you “He’s someone for the younger fellas to look up to, could either go away from footy completely, play at having been at Port – he knows what it’s all about. a local club or get the best out of yourself. He’s sort of taken charge of the younger guys “I think it’d be a bit of a waste if I just went back and without meaning to I think.” played at local level. I want to be able to play the As he’s always done in his usual on-field role, Sam best footy I can.” said he’s just trying to do his job for the team off - The brothers will continue developing their games field as well. under new Northern Blues coach Josh Fraser in “I’m happy to give my opinion, because I’ve 2016, Fraser as a 185cm forward who can move into been coached by some pretty intelligent people the midfield and Sam primarily as a pacy 181cm (including Ken Hinkley at the Power),” Sam said. “I lock-down defender. try and pass on little things I know to help blokes at They haven’t yet had a chance to take the field training, but I just do what I can.