The license bid team pushing for a Tasmanian side in the AFL is due to present its case to the AFL Commission on Friday, led by Tasmania's political leader, Premier David Bartlett. The widespread belief is that the AFL will receive the bid but proceed with their plans for Gold Coast and West Sydney sides (the latter perhaps on a slower timetable). In which case the Tasmanians will have to watch on, frustrated again.

Perhaps that reality is already causing frustration. In previewing their case, key bid member and ANZ Chief Economist Saul Eslake stirred up the debate by referring to the West Sydney region, in some respects seen as Tasmania's competition, as Boganville. That's a suggestion that the people of West Sydney are bogans (a derogatory term suggesting they lack sophistication or class). It also has cache because it sounds very much like Bougainville, a semi-autonamous island of Papua New Guinea that was often in the news a few years back. It's a strange call by Eslake, who is very much the public face of ANZ, one of Australia's biggest banks - one wonders what other ANZ staff and shareholders think of their Chief Economist alienating potentially 2 million customers in the western suburbs of Australia's biggest city?

Robert Harvey was today named the 2008 AFLPA Madden Medalist. The medal recognizes his outstanding on field performance and off-field football achievements, personal growth and community spirit throughout his 21 seasons at the St Kilda Football Club. The medal was presented at a gala lunch at the Peninsula in the Docklands today. Harvey edged out Peter Bell, Shane Crawford, Scott West, David Neitz, Mal Michael and Nigel Lappin for the top honour.

The Top three votes breakdown for the four awards was as follows.

The Madden Medal Presented by AMP
Robert Harvey 28 Votes
Peter Bell 16 Votes
Shane Crawford 15 Votes

Earlier in the day Peter Bell spoke of his football journey after winning The Open Universities Australia Personal Development Award. The award comes on the back of his achievements including obtaining a law degree from the University of Melbourne and serve as AFLPA President from 2002-2007, in between captaining a football club and winning AFL Premiership’s. He is currently CEO of Simpking International Consultants.

The Madden Medal award recognizes both the well documented on-field success but also the achievements that AFL players have had in their community and personal development endeavours. Two players that are retiring this year that are up for a number of the awards are Peter Bell and Mal Michael, both of whom have received plenty of coverage on this site in terms of their backgrounds and international connections.

The winners of the awards have been determined by the Executive Committee of the AFL Players’ Association who all cast votes on a 3, 2, 1 basis for each award. The Madden Medal committee consists of the AFLPA Executive; Joel Bowden (President), Brett Burton (Vice-President), Luke Ball, Adam Goodes, Tom Harley, Nick Maxwell, Robert Murphy, Luke Power, Ashley Hansen AFLPA CEO Brendon Gale, and past player representative Simon Madden. The awards will take place this Friday in Melbourne and the achievements by all the retiring players below are worth noting.

The total number of international players now listed by AFL clubs has reached an all-time high at 12. This follows the submission of AFL lists for the 2009 season, with four clubs welcoming aboard new Irish players to their Rookie Lists, as well as Sydney listing Canadian Rugby international Mike Pyke (see Swans use international rookie list - for Canadian Rugby player and Pyke aims for 2009 debut).

The four new Irish players are all Gaelic footballers who had been trialling with the AFL clubs. Adelaide have listed Brian Donnelly from County Louth, Essendon has gone for Michael Quinn from County Longford, North Melbourne have given a chance to Conor Meredith from County Laois, and Sydney have added Kyle Coney of County Tyrone.

Sydney are the stand-out in giving international talent a chance, with Coney and Canadian Pyke joining Irishmen Brendan Murphy (Rookie List) and Tadhg Kennelly (full list) at the Swans.

The additions come on top Colm Begley getting picked up by St Kilda after being de-listed by Brisbane, although Aisake O'hAilpin was not given a second chance after being cut by Carlton. The full list of internationals is given below.

The 2008 NAB AFL Draft was held today, with at least two players with international backgrounds being drafted at either end of the day.

Exciting Fijian-Australian Nick Naitanui went at number two to the West Coast Eagles, meaning he gets to stay in his home town of Perth. The athletic ruckman has already excited talent scouts to the extent that Fiji is now being explored for similar prospects.

Naitanui was picked after Victorian Jack Watts going to Melbourne, whilst third was Western Australian Stephen Hill going to Fremantle, and Hamish Hartlett of West Adelaide being picked up by Port Adelaide with pick four. In fact the first five picks all went to clubs in their home states.

At the other extreme was Irishman Colm Begley, de-listed by Brisbane a few weeks ago. With the very last selection of the draft that was exercised, St Kilda threw a lifeline to Begley, taking him with pick 83.

Port Adelaide and Carlton passed with the final two picks, 84 and 85 - no doubt breaking the hearts of 1000s of hopefuls. That would include Brownlow Medallist Ben Cousins, seeking to return after an AFL ban due to his admission of a drug addiction, and Irishman Aisake O'hAilpin, who was looking for a second chance after being de-listed by Carlton.

As is traditional there will now be a flood of media stories in which each club explains how pleased they are with their selections. The last chance for players to make a main AFL list is now the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft on December 16.

The AFL Commission spent Monday and Tuesday of this week meeting in Sydney, with much of the media focus on whether they would allow former West Coast Eagles player Ben Cousins to return from a one year ban due to drug issues. The answer was yes, under strict testing conditions.

Of more significance for the future of the game, the proposed two new AFL club licences were also discussed. The result was that final approval for the GC17 Gold Coast bid was postponed until December and nothing firm given regarding an 18th club. This could be interpreted as the first signs of a re-think due to the global financial crisis, but with a preliminary youth squad already in training for the Gold Coast, it's highly likely that approval will still come shortly, with the squad to play in the mainly Victorian TAC Under 18s in 2009 and the VFL in 2010 as preparation for a 2011 entry into the AFL.

The Commission suggested that the Western Sydney developments are going well, but made no committment on timing. A green light may well be held back for some time. Meanwhile the Tasmanian government has finished its submission for a team in the AFL and will present it to the AFL soon. This would most likely position the state as ready for a club if there are problems with a West Sydney bid or one of the existing 16 AFL clubs.

The battle for Australian hearts and minds, in football terms, continues unabated. And it seems the field of battle is spreading to include neighbouring nations.

The Rugby League World Cup is currently being staged in Australia. As would be the case with a true Australian football World Cup, the Aussies are dominating. However the gap to the next rung of sides is not as great as in Aussie Rules, and the defence-oriented game helps keep the scoreboard relatively respectable. Nevertheless it has been interesting to hear quite a lot of criticism of the tournament, with some media lambasting the level of promotion and/or the quality. But Australian football can only look forward to a time when our International Cup reaches the same level as the RL World Cup, which itself sits a poor third to the Rugby Union WC and soccer's WC.

Disturbingly for Aussie Rules fans, there is talk that Rugby League is now rapidly growing in Oceania (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa etc), and moves are afoot to locate an NRL (Australian National Rugby League) club in Port Moresby, PNG. Meanwhile negotiations are under-way for the AFL to vacate its major venues for up to 2 months if Australia is successful in its bid for the 2018 soccer World Cup finals.

As anticipated in Territorians headed to WAFL or AFLQ, the Northern Territory will enter a team in the top Queensland league in 2009. The side will play home games in Darwin and Alice Springs, and be coached by former indigenous AFL player Michael McLean.

Although the program is football at a state league level, all the players will be required to be either studying at school, TAFE or university, completing an apprenticeship or traineeship, or working in full-time employment.

It will be interesting to see whether this will lead Queensland towards becoming a major centre for Aussie Rules in the years ahead - perhaps a second tier elite competition, below the AFL but above the other state leagues. Probably not, but it is a step in that direction.

The global financial meltdown has already reached Australian sport.

With the AFL proposing two new AFL clubs in the next few years, some have urged they delay the program until the world economy turns around. Originally a new stadium on the Gold Coast was mooted, but with the area's two major investment management firms, MFS and City Pacific, and major developer Raptis, enduring financial problems this year, that now appears off the cards in the short to medium term. A re-development of the old Brisbane Bears ground at Carrara is now more likely. See New stadium plans off the table as GC17 puts its case.

Nevertheless, the AFL Commission appear determined to push ahead with the new clubs. Whether that resolve holds firm should be revealed next week as the Commission meet to discuss the issue.

It could be argued that the current economic climate makes a Tasmanian bid more attractive than West Sydney, though it's also worth noting that one of the vocal supporters of a Tassie bid, formerly Australia's richest person, Andrew Forrest, lost over half his wealth, on paper at least, in the share market fall this year. Ironically he has been replaced at #1 by Frank Lowy, the man behind soccer's big push in Australia. Convincing any sponsor to get on board, be it in Sydney or Tasmania, will be a difficult task. Perhaps the likeliest decision by the AFL is to proceed with West Sydney with caution, not stopping the project, but not fully committing to it until the economic outlook is clearer.

Finding a major sponsor is proving elusive for some of the Melbourne-based clubs, and it wouldn't surprise to see the AFL needing to put more money into them in 2009 than already the case.

The AFL has also warned clubs on the possible loss of existing sponsors and a downturn in members. The League has also vowed to cut its own spending, with reportedly up to $5 million cut in 2009. Hopefully that won't impact on the relatively modest international budget - it's in just such times that bold undertakings can yield their greatest benefits.

Many of the best Australian football athletes play in the AFL - but not all of them. Check out this incredible mark, or "hanger" colloquially speaking. If you've ever seen one like that live, you'll know that it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you'll talk about it for weeks to come.

The player was Saad Saad, playing for Seymour FC in the 2005 Grand Final. Seymour play in Victoria's Goulburn Valley League. A breath-taking moment unique to our game.

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