VFL Round 4 TAC Cup Round 5 30 April - 1 May 2016 $3.00 Photo: Jonathan Di Maggio VFL an international training ground We oft en look at the role the Peter Jackson VFL plays in the development of VFL-listed players. There have been a number of success stories, with 42 players draft ed over the last five years including names such as Adam Saad (Coburg/Gold Coast), Kane Lambert (Williamstown/ Richmond), Dean Towers (North Ballarat/Sydney), Ben Brown (Werribee/North Melbourne) and Tory Dickson (Bendigo/Western Bulldogs). One area of development that can oft en be overlooked is that of the AFL-listed players in the competition. A prime example of this development is American-born Collingwood player Mason Cox who, aft er 21 games in the VFL, made his AFL debut in front of 80,000 fans at the MCG on ANZAC Day. For a player that had never heard of the AFL less than two years ago, it is a major achievement to progress so quickly to an AFL debut. Credit must go to the Collingwood coaching staff that has worked with Cox to help him reach his first game at the elite level. We would hope the high standard of football he has been exposed to each week at VFL level over the last 12 months has aided his development, like a number of other international rookie players in recent years. Over the last two years we have seen the likes of Cox, Kurt Heatherley (Hawthorn/ Box Hill Hawks), Jason Holmes (St Kilda/Sandringham) and Conor McKenna (Essendon/Essendon VFL), along with the new crop in Padraig Lucey (Geelong/Geelong VFL) and Matthew Korcheck (Carlton/Northern Blues) develop their game at VFL level with the aim of forging an AFL career. The role VFL clubs and the competition as a whole play in this development should not be forgotten when players like Cox debut on the main stage. Steven Reaper AFL Victoria CEO Contents 3 5 Ben Ainsworth 15 Stats Centrall 6 7 Jordan Russell 17 The Big Leaguegue 8 9 VFL weekly content 19 AFL Vic Newss 11 VFL Women’s 20 23 Club Whiteboardsbd 12 13 TAC Cup weekly content 64 Quiz Who’s playing who 32 33 Footscray vs Werribee 50 51 Gippsland vs Calder 34 35 Northern Blues vs Collingwood 52 53 Geelong vs Eastern 36 37 Richmond vs Sandringham 54 55 Oakleigh vs NT 38 39 Williamstown vs Port Melbourne 56 57 Northern vs Tasmania 40 41 Essendon vs Casey Scorpions 58 59 North Ballarat vs Bendigo 42 43 Geelong vs Coburg 60 61 Murray vs Sandringham 44 45 Box Hill Hawks vs Frankston 62 63 Western vs Dandenong 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: Lachlan Murphy in action for the Northern Knights Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 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 May 1: 11.30am TAC Cup Online Williamstown v Port Melbourne Website: www.taccup.com.au Next week: Footscray v North Ballarat 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 30: Footscray v Werribee from 11.45am V Live on Aussie digital, Red Time Sport iPhone and Android apps, plus online via vfl.com.au E Next week: Essendon v Geelong R TAC Cup Radio A D Saturday April 30: Geelong Falcons v Eastern Ranges from 12.45pm I Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone App or www.taccup.com.au O Next week: Dandenong Stingrays v Northern Knights 3WBC Sunday May 1: Box Hill Hawks v Frankston from 1pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or the Tune In Radio app Next game: Werribee v Box Hill Hawks Casey Radio Sunday May 1: Essendon v Casey Scorpions from 11am 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: Casey Scorpions v Northern Blues Video Streaming Visit vfl.com.au on Saturday April 30 for our VFL match of the day: Footscray v Werribee from 12pm Watch the action and listen to the call from the VFL Live Next week: Essendon v Geelong 02 www.vfl.com.au Ainsworth aims to meet expectations TAC Cup players who excel in their bottom- age years don’t have the luxury of playing in their draft year without the weight of expectation on them - Gippsland Power captain Ben Ainsworth is one such player. After showing how much damage he can do as a small forward in 2015, AFL recruiters told the 18-year-old he should use 2016 to develop aspects of his game people haven’t yet seen. www.taccup.com.au 03 The first aspect of his game Ainsworth has sought sustaining a cork in the area around his knee that to address this year is his leadership ability. The subsequently aff ected his performance in one Morwell junior skippered U10, U12, U14 and U16 of the Academy’s recent matches against VFL teams in his younger years but recruiters wanted to opposition and has kept him sidelined since. see him do it at the elite under-age level. Fortunately, Ainsworth doesn’t expect the niggle So he put his hand up for the Gippsland captaincy. to prevent him from representing Vic Country “I’ve always wanted to step up into a leadership at the NAB AFL U18 Championships in June. He role and take it upon myself to guide a few of the first announced himself to the football world at youngsters, because we have a pretty young side last year’s Championships, booting 15 goals in this year,” Ainsworth said. six games for the undefeated Country team and earning selection in the U18 All Australian forward “I had it in the back of my mind because a few of line. the recruiters wanted to see my leadership skill and mindset this year. I took it upon myself in It’s fair to say Ainsworth will be more closely pre-season to become a bit more vocal around the scrutinised in this year’s Championships than he group and give indications to the young people was in 2015. coming in to the club.” “I just went out there last year and played freely I Ainsworth said he was naturally more of a leader guess,” Ainsworth said. by example on the field than a rousing pre-match “I only played a few TAC Cup games early on and speech-maker – “I always stutter under pressure,” then had a few trial matches for Vic Country, and he laughs. obviously I got in the side and made the most of it. He certainly demonstrated his ability to inspire “There’s a great deal of expectation this year but by his actions in Round 1, tallying 22 disposals, I’m trying to ignore that, and just playing footy is seven tackles, seven inside-50s, six clearances and my main goal. The (Gippsland) captaincy’s sort of kicking 2.2 in a loss to the Dandenong Stingrays. taken it off my mind briefly but there’s still a bit of The AFL Academy member did so even aft er expectation you go into games with.” 04 www.vfl.com.au Ben Ainsworth (centre) is congratulated by Vic Country teammates during the 2015 NAB AFL U18 Championships The other aspect of his game recruiters are similar heights and Gray’s ability both in the middle expecting Ainsworth to develop in 2016 is his ability and in front of goal. to play through the midfield. While it can be diff icult to escape the weight of His performance against the Stingrays five weeks expectation, Ainsworth can take comfort in the ago showed how dangerous he can be as an on- recent AFL Draft success stories of 2015 TAC Cup baller who also goes forward, and Ainsworth thinks players such as Darcy Parish, Darcy Tucker and he’ll perform the same role for Vic Country at the Rhys Mathieson, who starred in their bottom-age U18 Championships. years and carried on with it as 18-year-olds. “Everyone wants to see me in the midfield,” he said. He can also look to fellow Gippsland native and “I know a few of the recruiters have challenged me former forward-line teammate Tom Papley, who with that and I’m looking forward to the challenge. I has made an instant impact for Sydney in 2016 aft er know I can play there, it’s just displaying it. being selected in last year’s Rookie Draft . “I’ve taken it upon myself to get around the right Despite the Power’s winless start to the season, people who have been there and done that. I’ve Ainsworth said Papley’s success gave him hope for been involved with (Geelong’s) Patrick Dangerfield his own prospects in football: “It’s just great to see and (Essendon’s) Matty Stokes (through the AFL someone from down here get the opportunity and Academy program) – pretty experienced heads. the possibilities that are available to get up into the I’m trying to get as much information in terms of big league.” structure and stuff like that to better my game in By taking on the challenges of developing his the midfield.” leadership skills and ability to play through the The Academy has also worked with Port Adelaide midfield, Ainsworth is giving himself every chance star Robbie Gray, who the 179cm Ainsworth said of meeting expectations and making the big league was a good model for his own game based on their too.