The SuperFooty Podcast

MICK Warner is surrounded by a couple of happy Cats in this week's SuperFooty Podcast, with Anthony Hudson and Jon Anderson liking what they saw from Patrick Dangerfield. But 'Danger' wasn't the only new player in blue-and-white hoops to bring smiles to the Geelong fans' faces. Our experts don't think the Hawks don't have much to worry about but although are the three-time reigning premiers approaching their 'injury threshold'? The boys were excited by what they saw in the opening round of the season, but it was a horror show for the weekend's "two massive losers" - Collingwood and Freo. "It was a trainwreck and it's hard to see how they can get it back online anytime soon," Mick says of the Pies. But Ando isn't jumping off the wagon just yet. "I'm prepared to completely disregard it." But key forward Travis Cloke isn't spared. "Travis Cloke was insipid the other night ... he didn't present. Travis, where were you?" Luke Beveridge's men thrilled and the boys agreed everyone "would love the Western Bulldogs win the premiership this year". Well, if their own team doesn't that is. Meanwhile, there's no sign of a fadeout in Sydney - especially with a Fyfe-like star wearing the red and white. The boys have their pick on the no.1 forward in the competition, and speaking of forwards, where does one man think Melbourne young gun Jesse Hogan play out his career? "Right now, where would he be leaning? I reckon Western Australia." Every game discussed, the AFL boss gets a clip and all the talk of a "hijacked" Round 1 in this week's SuperFooty podcast.

The boys are back for 2016 and they're joined by a very special guest. Yes, Robbo joins the usual team - host Anthony Hudson and Herald Sun footy journos Sam Edmund and Mick Warner - to explain his Top 50. And the chief football writer admits "if I had my time again ...". Who would Robbo like to include? And who did he wrestle with most, and over which positions? Robbo spills the beans on the process he went through to select the best of the best. The panel give their thoughts on the NAB Challenge, and those at AFL House probably won't be impressed. Plus there's the usual crystal ball-ing ahead of the season and the lads give their Round 1 tips. That should provide plenty of amusement next week! It promises to be another big year, so don't miss the SuperFooty podcast.

It's a short and sweet edition of the Trade HQ Podcast as Jay Clark, Mick Warner and Sam Landsberger confirm and deny the rumours on an uncertain day of developments in the world of AFL trades.

Jay Clark, Mick Warner and Sam Landsberger discuss Collingwood, Geelong, Carlisle and plenty more as they bring you all the latest trade news and whispers.

Get the latest on Jake Carlisle, Chris Yarran, James Aish and more as Sam Edmund, Al Paton and Gilbert Gardiner wrap up another huge day of AFL trades.

NORTH Melbourne is through to the preliminary finals but they're struggling to win fans on this week's SuperFooty Podcast. The Kangas and Hawks won their way through in semi-final week and won in contrasting styles. The boys on the podcast are big believers in Hawthorn, but not yet convinced on the Kangas. "I don't think they were overly impressive in winning ... good on them for doing it, I don't mean to be negative towards them, but I don't think they were super." host Anthony Hudson said. "I thought unimpressive, actually," Jon Anderson said. Sydney ran out of manpower as September wore on, but their on-field display took on sidenote as Adam Goodes' retirement was the main talking point from their finals exit at the weekend. And the boys agreed it was a shame it seemed the champ felt the "need to bow out with no fanfare". Hawthorn's "savage" return to form may have surprised some who thought they wmight have been vulnerable against the Crows, but Huddo says a former member of the brown and gold army had convinced him a Hawks storm was coming by the time the first bounce arrived on Friday night. And Sammy tells of the roasting each player had received from Clarko following the qualifying final loss to West Coast. For Adelaide, they were simply blown off the park and must now lick their wounds and look to building for 2016 - and might have to do so without Patrick Dangerfield. The coaching appointment will also be made in coming weeks - "it seems more and more conventional wisdom now that John Worsfold is going to choose Essendon" - and Ando has his tip should the Crows overlook interim boss Scott Camporeale. The panel agree whoever takes over the Crows takes over a "good list" but it will be a different list minus Dangerfield. Ando broke the story on Saturday that the star Crow is poised to choose Geelong. But how does it happen? A bit of water has got to go under the bridge just yet, but the boys discuss how the Cats might land their man. Plus Ando on the "brutally honest" Paul Chapman, Huddo on Monopoly (yes, you read that right!) and who should go hard for Harley Bennell.

RESTING is on the agenda this week after Fremantle coach Ross Lyon signalled his intent to hold several Freo stars back in Perth ahead of his side's Round 23 trip to Port this week. And there were mixed views among the SuperFooty podcast crew. "They should do exactly what they're gonna do, and that's mass rest," Sammy Edmund said. However Mick Warner warned the Dockers against the practise, believing it may cost the minor premier in coming weeks. "You never flirt with your form, and I'm thrilled that Ross Lyon is doing this. I think it's arrogant and I think it'll come back to bite them on the bum," he said. "Is it in the spirit of the game? Is the AFL happy with this? Why are we even playing the game? What a rort, the whole game is a joke ... Gillon McLachlan didn't like Lachie Henderson coming out telling the truth (and saying he wanted to be traded), then I'd like to know what he thinks about a team playing dead. I think it stinks." The coaching merry-go-round continues with a couple of clubs still looking to fill their head post on a permanent basis. And John Worsfold's name has come back into the frame. "My feeling is if they could get Worsfold to coach them then they would, right now," Huddo says. But which club is Huddo talking about? Meanwhile the Cats face some tough decisions on list management after failing to reach September, while they also chase a few free agents. But where is their list at? "You've reached this point now, where, I think you're (Geelong) heading south," Mick said. "People think you'll get those three players and you'll go up. I'm not convinced about that." Cats fan Anthony Hudson says the club does need to be cautious as it seeks to rejuvenate. "The risk they face is turning the team around this way and moving up to finish fifth .. if it doesn't come off, where does it leave them? In the same position they're in now." Sammy says Brendon Bolton shouldn't have bothered heading north to watch his new club play the Giants, and there's also trade talk about Carlton big man Matthew Kreuzer. Plus Mick has done some of his best detective work and found THE speech that inspired the Western Bulldogs big win over North Melbourne, and which teams are facing a "catastrophic" result if they lose an elimination final? All that plus a new segment, Care Factor, in the Round 22 edition of the SuperFooty podcast.

IT'S been another huge week in footy and the SuperFooty Podcast has it all covered. With James Hird squarely in the headlights again, Mick thinks it's just a matter of time - and money - before Essendon and Hird part ways. Following revelations of Essendon players continuing to struggle with the looming WADA appeal, Mick says things are at an all-time low for the Bombers. "I couldn't imagine a lower place for a club in the history of the game, actually ... you know how Roosy says his players are mentally scarred from, whatever they were, the tanking years? What about this group at Essendon? They must be torched permanently because they've been through a lot more than that Melbourne team." The Western Derby showed West Coast are a legitimate threat this season but was the result a good thing for Fremantle? The boys discuss if Freo actually wanted to win, and all the possible scenarios for the top four after the weekend results. Is Freo now in danger of missing the top two and can the Bulldogs hang tough and make the top four? After a few teams copped hammerings at the weekend, the boys renewed their calls for a shorter season, calling on a 17-round season and issues the AFL faced with the current fixture. "It's always been a joke ... it's the biggest problem for the AFL, their biggest bugbear," Ando said. The MRP was kept busy after several incidents and the boys dissect the high-profile incidents, saying the damage caused should not have an impact on any punishment handed out by the MRP. Plus the boys take a look at the coaching candidates at Carlton, the flying Crows, Brisbane's possible draft picks, the struggling Dees and the unconvincing Kangas.

DRUGS were the hot topic on Monday and the boys discuss the secret documents revealed in Monday's Herald Sun and the bans accepted by Collingwood pair Josh Thomas and Lachie Keeffe. Sammy, Mick and Huddo look at Saturday night's results and what they mean for the top two, top four and possible top eight. Hawthorn edged closet to a top-two finish after its gutsy win over West Coast, which Ando believes may have been one of the Eagles' best performances of the season. Are the Hawks now a shoe-in to finish top two or, with Freo 10 points clear atop the ladder, could Ross Lyon throw a curve in the Hawks' plans this weekend? One team looking good for the top four is the Western Bulldogs, but Sammy is perplexed why they were not afforded one Friday night game in 2015. "They are the Jennifer Hawkins of the AFL and they're not on the runway ... how can that be?" The boys analyse Luke Beveridge's men and discuss Robbo's article from Monday's Herald Sun, which poses the question: can the Bulldogs actually contend in 2015? Geelong's win over Sydney gets plenty of attention, with the Cats now well poised for the future. But will they keep Steven Motlop? One team that continues to confound in North Melbourne. "I've got faith in North Melbourne." "I don't," said another of our experts. Perhaps that sums up many fans' views. The boys discuss the two main men in the race for this year's Rising Star, with Ando declaring one may be "the best loser in the history" of the award if he doesn't salute. Plus there's a bit of trade talk, with Adam Treloar and James Aish front and centre. "If the Pies can land them both, that's a pretty formidable midfield." All that and every match discussed in the Round 19 SuperFooty podcast.

RICHMOND was top of The SuperFooty Podcast agenda after its magnificent victory over Hawthorn. While they may have showed their rivals how to beat the Hawks, are they now genuine September contenders? The boys discuss the merits of Damien Hardwick’s men. Essendon copped a heavy defeat, and James Hird’s future is again a hot topic. Will he survive the continued speculation over his future? The panel is divided. Nathan Buckley’s future is more certain but the direction of his side in 2015 isn’t as clear after the Pies slumped to their sixth straight loss. Fremantle and West Coast did enough to remain at the top of the AFL’s tree, yet they’re still not receiving much attention — rightly or wrongly. The boys take a look at each team’s performance from the weekend. Plus we analyse all the other games, and there’s our weekly segments Be Kind, Rewind and Is It Just Me, Or ... where the boys take aim at the head of the AFL.

Everyone's agreed that AFL rules are a mess at the moment but there's not that much agreement on how to fix it, leading to some heated debate in the latest SuperFooty Podcast. Huddo, Sammy and Mick get fired up about possible solutions, along with the morbidly fascinating Blues and all the other big talking points from Round 17. With Sydney sinking like a stone, can the Doggies sneak into the Top 4 to complete the feelgood yarn of the season, and who will emerge from the mid-ladder logjam to make the eight? After five losses on the bounce, should the Pies be panicking, what's the deal with West Coast crowds and how exactly are Freo still top of the ladder? All that, plus a salute to Boomer, the teasy Dees, Duck's horror show, 'sky rats' at the MCG and a call to introduce protective goggles for players. Blame Dustin Martin.

ROUND 16 was tainted by one of the worst games ever seen but did it also feature one of the greatest individual performances of all time? With Mick still overseas masterminding the Aussie Ashes renaissance, Huddo, Sammy and Ando debate the MCG horror show, Goldy’s incredible display and the seemingly unstoppable Hawks. If Richmond are starting to win ugly, Collingwood are starting to lose ugly and do the Eagles really have the chops to take on the roaring premiership favourites? All this, plus Gaz’s glorious return, Fyfe’s fade, the Tippett conundrum and the hard calls the Cats will have to make after a less than stellar season.

HAWTHORN the team to beat, Freo “shot”, North Melbourne’s landmark win, Jamie Elliott’s poor body language and massive respect shown for Phil Walsh - the footy wasn’t that thrilling in Round 15 but the boys covered a heap in this week’s SuperFooty Podcast. After an ominous display in Tassie on Sunday, Sammy - as he did in 2014 - is back to writing off Freo. “I think Fremantle are shot,” he proclaims. “It just shows that Hawthorn, if there was any slim, sliver of doubt, are absolutely the team to beat.” Few could argue. North Melbourne and coach Brad Scott were praised for some tough selection choices, while Cats fans Jon Anderson and Anthony Hudson run their rule over their team. “I think it’s a really challenging period coming up for Chris Scott.” The Pies have lost three on the trot but while Ando likes where they’re going, what didn’t he like from Jamie Elliott on Friday night? Is Jamie getting a bit of ‘me, me, me’? The Adelaide sides were praised for their displays and tributes to Phil Walsh in what was another enormously challenging weekend, especially for the Crows. The crowd also received a big tick from our panel. “There aren’t many more hostile environments than Subiaco when West Coast are playing and you could have heard a pin drop.” Meanwhile, the Bombers returned to the winner’s list but coach James Hird used fighting words on Sunday. That left Huddo scratching his head. “I’m surprised, I would have thought he would have been better just to shut up, to be honest,” Huddo said. “I don’t really understand what he’s trying to achieve by saying sort of half things ... if he wants to keep his job he’s got to be thinking ‘what’s the best for my footy club at the moment?’ and this is not the best for his footy club.” Every match gets a mention, so while Mick Warner dons the sunscreen and prepares for the Lord’s Test match, tune into this week’s SuperFooty podcast ...

IT’S been a tough weekend in footy and this week’s SuperFooty podcast takes a look back at the round that was. Anthony Hudson, Sam Edmund and Mick Warner says the AFL community handled the death of Adelaide coach Phil Walsh as well as could be expected. The main talking points on the field were upset losses to Essendon and North Melbourne - and the fashion in which they went down. Bombers coach James Hird is feeling the heat after his side’s 110-point loss to the Saints. “I can’t see him lasting more than a few more weeks,” Mick Warner says. “There are people within that club that want him out.” It was a miserable afternoon for everyone at Essendon, including the skipper. “Jobe Watson just looks like he’s had the life and colour stripped out of him completely,” Sam Edmund says. “I don’t know if he actually wants to play at the moment, or play for James.” Meanwhile, St Kilda’s youngsters are on the rise with the panel agreeing the club is “miles ahead of what we thought.” “Maybe next season they could play finals, who knows?” North Melbourne was touched up by the Suns, and the podcast was shocked at the form of last year’s preliminary finalists. “You don’t get belted. You don’t get belted by Gold Coast!” Sammy said. Huddo ran the rule over the club’s recent first and second-round picks and pondered where they were. “That is a frighening list,” Sam said. “That’s a list of draft crimes, a lot of them. Gee whiz, how many busts are in there?” The boys get animated in Is It Just Me, Or ... with Mick having some strong words for code-hopper Karmichael Hunt, Sammy firing a broadside at runners - saying we don’t need them - and Huddo fed up with the holding-the-ball rule. Plus the Western Bulldogs, the Tigers, one journalist may be suffering from a case of ‘Fyfe fever’ and a heap more in this week’s SuperFooty podcast.

THE stink at the Gold Coast Suns leads the agenda and causes some heated debate in the Round 13 edition of footy’s best podcast. As former star Karmichael Hunt sings like a canary on alleged cocaine use at the club, Huddo, Sammy and Mick discuss whether a franchise can ever be successful in Temptation City, with Mick suggesting the footy public will be in for a shock if and when the names of the players involved are revealed. Sam Mitchell injecting some controversy into the Hawks v Bombers match also comes under scrutiny. Was it just a storm in a teacup, and was the under-pressure James Hird’s reaction justified? There’s also the roaring Tigers, Buddy’s disappearance, Freo’s missing pieces and the fantastic Doggies, as well as Ivan’s soccer skills, the perils of household chores and is it just Huddo on the double.