Football flexes muscle, forces Sheffield Shield cricket final switch

“We see in the game at the moment if you’re prepared to compete and put pressure on the ball, it can take you a long way. All those guys do that for us.” Goodwin said Lindsay had been “super-impressive” since overcoming injury when he joined the Demons last year. Loading “He’s a smooth mover who uses the ball incredibly well,” he said. Goodwin agreed there was some risk in having so many new players. GWS are a formidable opponent who took apart Collingwood last weekend.

“Obviously, when you’re implementing a new way of playing, and you combine that with some new players, there’s a freshness and a newness to it,” Goodwin said. “Cohesion is a big part of footy, so how quickly we adapt and get everyone on the same page is something we’re really looking forward to seeing. “With that comes a little bit of danger in terms of what that might look like, but in terms of the evidence we’ve been able to see within our training and match simulation, we feel they also understand what their roles require.” Former Brisbane Lion Harry Sharp will play his first game for Melbourne. Credit: Getty Melbourne’s tumultuous off-season has been well documented and Goodwin’s message is that they are now focused on fulfilling their potential as a team.

He is rapt that Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, the subject of much trade speculation after last season, will join Jack Viney and Max Gawn in the midfield. “For a better word, get the band back together in the midfield, it’s fantastic,” Goodwin said. Loading “Clayton’s had an enormous pre-season, and he’s as fit as I’ve seen him for a couple of years. “To get Christian back to full health and playing the way he’s playing – I can’t wait to see Viney, Oliver, Petracca – the lads going to work inside.”

AAP AFL says ‘no’ to Shield final at Adelaide Oval Jon Pierik Cricket Australia says it is disappointed after the AFL blocked its bid to have the Sheffield Shield final at the Adelaide Oval. Game over: A bid by CA and SACA to stage the Sheffield Shield final at the Adelaide Oval has failed. The match would have been wedged between two AFL games. Credit: Getty Images

The marquee domestic fixture, involving South Australia and a yet-to-be determined opponent, will now be held at the suburban venue, Karen Rolton Oval. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian Cricket Association had pushed for the five-day match to be held at Adelaide Oval, shoehorned between Port Adelaide’s match against Richmond on Saturday, March 22, and the Adelaide Crows’ game against North Melbourne at the same venue the following Sunday. Loading But the AFL, which has rights to the ground from March 15 each year, and the Crows raised concerns about player welfare. One issue was that the outfield would need to be shaved for cricket, and the grass would not grow back to meet AFL requirements before the Crows’ game. CA chief executive Todd Greenberg maintains the Adelaide Oval should have held the final.

“We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval,” Greenberg said on Friday. “The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue. “I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval. “March is a very important month for cricket, including the Sheffield Shield and premier and club cricket finals.

“We will continue to work collaboratively at all levels to ensure cricket gains and provides appropriate access to shared venues across the country.” The AFL released a statement on Friday, saying it was unwilling to risk the safety of its players by allowing the cricket game to go ahead. “After extensive consultation with a range of AFL stakeholders, the AFL has determined that the risks involved in turning around the Adelaide Oval in time to meet the safety and playing standards required for AFL matches are not acceptable,” the statement said. “The tight turnaround required to remove the cricket pitch and restore the surface for football, including the Adelaide home game on the Sunday into the demands of Gather Round, where multiple matches will be played over a short period, meant the AFL felt it couldn’t be satisfied that the quality of the playing surface could be guaranteed to the requisite level.

“This challenge was further heightened by the potential impact of any adverse weather conditions. The AFL has explored all reasonable options to make this work, but after extensive discussions and advice this week, was not satisfied that the planned arrangements met the appropriate risk profile for a safe surface.” Malinauskas had shut down any talk of government compensation for the AFL and its clubs to allow the switch. Loading “We are asking people to act rationally and pragmatically in the interest of fans,” Malinauskas said on FIVEAA radio in Adelaide earlier this week. “The South Australian government has already shown an awful lot of support to both footy clubs locally, particularly the Adelaide Football Club, which has done very well from the support we have provided them to get through the issues at Thebarton [Oval] – we have backed them all the way.”

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