Dockers flag would be bad for bookies
The West Australian
PerthNow
Bookmakers are bracing to take a hit on an historic western derby grand final as West Coast’s odds of claiming the club’s fourth premiership shortened even further on the back of sustained support.
The Eagles firmed into outright $2.48 flag favourites yesterday with the TAB after starting the season at $23.
West Coast were wound out to $51 in the wake of their round-three humiliation to Fremantle, a defeat which came a fortnight after losing to the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
Half of the TAB’s traffic on the premiership market has come since last Friday night’s eclipsing of Hawthorn.
The plunge has coincided with the Eagles winning through to a home preliminary final on September 26 when they will play Sydney or North Melbourne.
Peel keep faith in Shepherd
The West Australian
Cam Shepherd has been re-signed as Peel Thunder’s senior coach for another two years on the back of leading the WAFL club to their first finals campaign.
The contract extension comes in the wake of the Fremantle affiliated club bowing out of the finals in straight sets courtesy of defeats to West Perth and East Perth.
Shepherd will remain in charge of the league team until the end of 2017 under the announcement.
The reappointment was ticked off by Peel’s board, with the club having officially finished the year in third place - the best result in the Thunder’s 19-year history.
Peel chief executive John Ditchburn said Shepherd was passionate about the development of young footballers.
“Over the past two seasons, we have seen Cam develop on a personal level and this season’s success is well deserved reward for hard work, commitment and his desire for continuous improvement,” Ditchburn said.
Crutches a precaution for Fyfe, says Lyon
The West Australian
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon insists Nat Fyfe pulled up “incredibly well” from Saturday’s qualifying final win over Sydney after the Brownlow Medal favourite was spotted on crutches yesterday.
Fyfe returned to the side after a fortnight out with a leg injury in the nine-point win over the Swans at Domain Stadium and did not disappoint, gathering 32 possessions.
But the 23-year-old appeared sore late in the game and was icing his lower left leg in the rooms afterwards.
“I was in there, spoke to them,” Lyon told 6PR last night.
“He’s really pulled up incredibly well. That (the crutches) is just precaution. Matthew Pavlich is in a moonboot as well, so you just immobilise it.
“But we were thrilled with him (Fyfe). He was best on the track on the Thursday. He has pulled up exceptionally well. He was all smiles today.
Grand Final ticket registration
AFL Finals: Ross Lyon says Nat Fyfe is fit to play in Fremantle prelim
PerthNow
Ross Lyon says Nat Fyfe will be fit for Fremantle’s preliminary final despite spending two days on crutches with a leg injury.
The Dockers coach also defended his renowned defensive style which continues to be scrutinised as new flag favourites West Coast out score the AFL ladder’s top finishing team.
“There’s been plenty of finals where you’ve had more shots and lost,” he said on Perth Radio 6PR.
The Dockers held on against a brave Swans who missed chances to possibly overrun the home outfit with Fremantle posting 10.9 (69) to Sydney’s wayward 7.18 (60).
AFL Grand Final: How to get tickets if you’re a West Coast or Fremantle fan
AAP/PerthNow
PERTH footy fans will be paying a small fortune to get to see their beloved teams play in the AFL Grand Final — if one or both of the teams make it through preliminary finals.
As a western derby showdown is now odds-on for the Grand Final, airlines have increased their prices for a direct one-way flight across the Nullarbor by up to 370 per cent.
The cheapest flights available the day before the October 3 match range from $1040 to $1385, but as tickets sell out prices could climb even higher.
AFL finals: Ross Lyon blast got us home — Pavlich
PerthNow
FREMANTLE skipper Matthew Pavlich said a three-quarter-time blast from coach Ross Lyon laid a platform for the Dockers’ victory over Sydney on Saturday.
The Dockers slammed on two rapid fire goals straight after the final break when Lyon addressed the playing group throughout the interval without allowing players to go to their usual line coach discussions.
“It was more on our use and our structure in front of the ball really and we were over handballing with the ball and that invited their pressure and tackling in,” the veteran captain revealed.
Record breakers: Goldstein, Sandilands in hit-out battle
AFL.com.au
TODD Goldstein and Aaron Sandilands are locked in a battle for the VFL/AFL hit-outs record after both ruckmen passed Gary Dempsey's 33-year-old mark last weekend.
Former Kangaroo Dempsey set the previous League hit-outs record in 1982, when he had 952 in 24 games at an average of 39.7.
Sandilands, who entered the finals on 915 hit-outs, broke Dempsey's mark in Fremantle's qualifying final win over the Sydney Swans when he had 43 hit-outs.
But Sandilands' new record of 958 stood for just one day, with Goldstein breaking it in North Melbourne's elimination final win over Richmond.
Goldstein entered Sunday's game on 937 hit-outs and added 46 against the Tigers to set a new record of 983.
Goldstein and Sandilands have both played 22 games this season, with the Roo averaging 44.6 hit-outs a game to the Docker's 43.6.
Both ruckmen are set to play at least one more game for the season, with Goldstein set to shoulder North's ruck division in a semi-final against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night and Sandilands set to play in a preliminary final on Friday week.
