Saints sign first female AFL coach

Peta Searle, pictured with her children Tessa and Jackson, has become the AFL's first full-time female assistant coach after accepting a position at St Kilda. Source: News Limited

PETA Searle has been announced as the AFL's first full-time female assistant coach after accepting a position at St Kilda.

Searle will begin work immediately as a development coach at Seaford after her last game as assistant coach under Daniel Harford at St Kevin's Old Boys on Saturday.

"I am very much looking forward to starting at St Kilda and I feel that I can bring plenty of experience and skill to my new role," Searle said.

"I understand that there will be some level of interest in my role because I am a female working in a role traditionally held by men, but I am confident and proud that I have been hired because of my football and teaching expertise and I wouldn't have wanted the job based on any other criteria."

Searle, who became the first female assistant coach in the VFL with Port Melbourne under former AFL coach Gary Ayres, said she gave up her dream of coaching within the AFL just last month due to financial restraints.

The mother of two, who has built an impressive coaching resume over almost a decade, was unable to justify renewing her contract of $5000.

But as revealed by the Herald Sun the Saints made the mid-season appointment, helping fulfil Searle's lifelong coaching dream.

"At the start of the year we had 27 players on our list with fewer than 30 games experience so player development is vital for our club," senior coach Alan Richardson said this morning.

"We felt Peta was the perfect candidate to join our player academy where she will work under academy manager Simon McPhee and alongside player pcademy development coaches Paul Hudson and Lindsay Gilbee."

Peta Searle has become the AFL's first full-time female assistant coach after accepting a position at St Kilda. Source: News Limited

St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis said the club was delighted a coach of Searle's experience.

"Peta has a long and distinguished background in football over many years and we are thrilled to have her on board," Finnis said.

"Whilst our decision to appoint Peta was based on her experience, philosophies and values we do acknowledge and embrace the significance of Peta being the first woman to be appointed to coach at an AFL Club."

"I'm delighted the combination of her credentials and the opportunity we had in our development program has resulted in this significant day for Peta and for all women who have ambitions to coach in the AFL competition."

Searle has been breaking ground as a coach since 2006.

A five-time premiership player with the Darebin Falcons, Searle returned to the club to coach the Falcons to five consecutive premierships in the VWFL between 2006-2010, another feat that had never previously been achieved in Australia's most prodigious women's competition.

In 2011, Searle took up a development role the TAC Cup with the Western Jets, another football-first that had also never been achieved by a female.

Searle was also appointed as the first head coach of the AFL Victoria VWFL Academy in 2010, and was named as the All Australian coach of the 2011 Women's National Championships, holds a current level three coaching accreditation.

The current assistant principal and physical education teacher at a Melbourne based secondary college was also appointed the inaugural head coach of the Western Bulldogs Women's team which will play on the MCG on Sunday 29th June as the curtain raiser to the Melbourne and Western Bulldogs clash at the MCG in Round 15.

Boasting seven state guernseys and three All Australian honours, Searle has earned high praise from former players and coaches including Gary Ayres, Stan Alves, Harford, Neil Craig and David Parkin.

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Tex, Crows halt Suns’ momentum

Brenton Sanderson praises his entire side's performance despite an outstanding display from Taylor Walker

Josh Jenkins celebrates a long goal. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

ADELAIDE forward Taylor Walker kicked five game-breaking goals as the Crows eclipsed Gold Coast by 32 points on Sunday.

The Crows prevailed 16.13 (109) to 11.11 (77) at Adelaide Oval to inflict the Suns' third defeat of the AFL season.

Walker's goalscoring was pivotal and his teammates Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins both scored two majors.

Patrick Dangerfield is put under pressure from Jaeger O'Meara. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

Adelaide defenders Brodie Smith (30 disposals) and Matthew Jeansch (29 possessions) were influential, and midfielders Scott Thompson and Patrick Dangerfield prominent, as the Crows squared their win-loss ledger at five-all.

FULL SUPERCOACH SCORES

The Suns were brilliantly served by on-ballers David Swallow (37 touches, two goals) and Dion Prestia (29 disposals) while Charlie Dixon and Gary Ablett kicked two goals each.

Sam Kerridge wore Gary Ablett like a glove. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

Ablett gathered 25 possessions but lacked his customary impact in a fixture which followed an identical theme for the initial three quarters — the Crows skipped clear early, only for the Suns to reel them in.

In the opening term, Adelaide kicked four of the first five goals but the Suns then scored four of the next five as Adelaide took a 5.2 to 5.1 quarter-time lead before a 49,069-strong crowd.

The home side then booted the initial three goals of the second stanza to create a 19-point break before another Gold Coast fightback.

Trent McKenzie suffered a shoulder injury for the Suns and was subbed out. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

The Suns snuck within seven points at half-time before Adelaide's Walker produced a third-term cameo, kicking the initial two goals of the quarter.

And when his teammate Jenkins booted a 65-metre goal on the run, the Crows were 20 points clear.

The plucky Suns again struck back with two late goals and were nine points adrift at three quarter-time.

Where Adelaide attacked from. Source: Supplied

But Walker, in his third game back after a year sidelined by a knee reconstruction, again popped up for the Crows, booting the opening goal of the last term to give his side breathing space.

Majors to Adelaide's David McKay and Betts before Walker added a fifth as the Suns were kept goal-less in the last term.

But Adelaide's win which could come at a cost with ruckman Sam Jacobs substituted with a suspected groin injury.

The Suns' shots on goal. Source: Supplied

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Power outage for ladder leaders

Port Adelaide skipper Travis Boak leaves the ground after rolling his ankle in the opening minutes of the game against Melbourne at Traeger Park. Picture: Phil Williams Source: News Corp Australia

On paper Port Adelaide should've disposed of the Demons easily. It was 1 v 15, and if you're a betting man you would've thought Port were a sure thing. But it wasn't that straight forward in the first AFL match played at Traeger Park.

PORT Adelaide could be without a host of key players for Saturday's home twilight clash against St Kilda.

Captain Travis Boak, the speedy Matt White and classy goalsneak Chad Wingard are all in doubt after sustaining injuries in the hard-fought win against Melbourne in Alice Springs.

GRAY: POWER MUST SHARPEN UP

Boak and White are nursing sore ankles and Wingard must pass concussion tests to play after being stretchered off in the third quarter against the Demons — his head knock being the result of friendly fire from teammate Jay Schulz.

Injured Power captain Travis Boak at Adelaide Airport. Source: Supplied

Defender Tom Jonas (groin), small forward Angus Monfries (ankle) and veteran Dom Cassisi (knee) will also have to pass fitness tests to play against the Saints after missing the Melbourne clash through injury.

Port will regain key playmaking midfielder Hamish Hartlett from suspension.

Power fitness coach Darren Burgess said he was confident Wingard would be passed fit, noting "he was up and about after the game''.

But he wasn't so certain about Boak and White's fitness, with the pair limping back to Adelaide on crutches.

Of the pair, Boak's injury is considered more serious.

Meanwhile, key forward Jay Schulz can accept a reprimand and 60 demerit points towards his future record with an early plea after being charged by the Match Review Panel with a level-one striking offence against Melbourne's Neville Jetta on Saturday.

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Rucci’s Rip: Kurt doesn’t need extra cash

Sydney forward Kurt Tippett celebrates kicking a goal against Geelong. Picture: Toby Zerna Source: News Corp Australia

WHEN you are earning $1 million a season, does it hurt that much to pay 68 cents more for a loaf of bread after moving from Adelaide to Sydney? Or an extra three cents for a carton of milk?

Kurt Tippett hardly needs a 10 per cent cost-of-living allowance after coming off the richest (and most controversial) contract in the Adelaide Football Club's history to become a millionaire in the Harbour City. The Swans' key forward-ruckman would certainly notice paying an extra $300 a week in rent in Bondi rather than Henley ... but as an annual millionaire Tippett would surely be buying property in Sydney and holding it as an investment with significant capital gains.

Same for Sydney's other new millionaire player, former Hawthorn key forward Lance Franklin. His $100,000-a-year "bonus" as a cost-of-living allowance could not be matched in Perth — Franklin's home city — despite the West Australian capital having grocery prices that are six per cent more expensive than in Sydney.

Is anyone proposing a six per cent cost-of-living allowance to be added to the West Coast and Fremantle salary caps?

Or — in the spirit of equalisation that is consuming the AFL executives — that the Crows and Port Adelaide have their salary caps scaled back because Adelaide is the cheapest city in the land?

Sydney's "COLA" (cost of living allowance) is under fire again. The campaign started by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire almost a decade ago — with then Swans chairman Richard Colless infamously giving Eddie "the bird" on an ABC Television current affairs program — is almost won with fellow club leaders taking issue with the extra $900,000 in Sydney's salary cap.

The Swans' master strikes with Tippett and Franklin in the past two summers — Tippett as a free pick after the Adelaide contract farce and Franklin as a free agent — has put the COLA under attack for being a recruiting tool rather than a retention aid for Sydney. And there may be less support for the COLA at AFL House considering the league heavies appeared to want Tippett and Franklin at the new franchises at Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney respectively.

Sydney repeatedly argues the COLA is not used as a million-dollar bonus to sign up quality players. The Swans say they work to the same $9 million salary cap applied to every AFL club — and it is the league, not Sydney, that adds (and pays) the COLA bonus on each player contract.

So, if Swans defender Heath Grundy agrees to a $400,000-a-year deal at Sydney, it is the AFL that adds the $36,000 COLA.

Tippett's million-dollar deal has a $90,000 COLA bonus. That easily covers the extra 68 cents Tippett is paying for a loaf of bread when he looks back at his grocery bill from Adelaide.

Tippett does not need a COLA bonus. Grundy does not need it either.

But what about the newest draftees at Sydney such as Toby Nankervis who joined the Swans from his Tasmanian family home in the summer or Aliir Aliir who was recruited from Perth? As neither Nankervis nor Aliir are on million-dollar contracts, the COLA bonus is a handy — and appropriate — extra to cover the hefty rent bills in Sydney.

There is a good case to be made for removing the COLA from Sydney's millionaires, such as Tippett and Franklin.

But there also is a case to be argued for keeping the COLA for first-up draftees and players who are in their third and fourth years with the Swans and not earning more than $400,000.

If Sydney — as is quite possible — wins this year's AFL premiership with Tippett and Franklin combining as the game's most-potent attacking tandem, the COLA bonus in the Swans' salary cap will be under so much fire that it could not survive while the equalisation debate heats up. But the AFL Commission needs to think more of the young Swans such as Nankervis and Aliir's weekly rent bill rather than Tippett and Franklin's annual salaries.

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Kerridge cuts short McKenna grass swipe

Sam Kerridge comes to grips with Gary Ablett. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia

Brenton Sanderson praises his entire side's performance despite an outstanding display from Taylor Walker

HAVING taken the scalp of AFL's premier midfielder Gary Ablett, Sam Kerridge has put the blanket over grumpy Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna.

McKenna pointed to an unruly Adelaide Oval surface in the aftermath of a 32-point defeat against Adelaide on Sunday.

"It's probably the longest I've seen grass in the AFL. I don't know whether that was by design or not or was there a public holiday on Friday?" said McKenna.

However, gun tagger Kerridge dismissed the need for a close shave at a venue that has already been bagged for a siren no one could hear during Adelaide's triumph over Collingwood last month.

MORE: CROWS FIND WINNING TEMPLATE

"I didn't really take much notice to be honest. I was just focused on one job," said Kerridge, 21, of the grass.

"I heard a few of the guys mention it but if the boys are worried about how long the grass is they are in the wrong head space."

Kerridge — with 22 appearances since 2012 — was "excited to the get job" on Ablett and restrict the dual Brownlow Medallist to 25 touches.

"It was really good. I enjoyed the challenge," said Kerridge, now focusing on Adelaide's trip to confront Fremantle on Sunday.

Ruckman Sam Jacobs must pass a test on the troublesome hip flexor he carried into battle against the Suns in order to face Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands. The seventh-placed Dockers are just a win ahead of Adelaide in ninth spot.

Brad Crouch is a chance to make his much-anticipated return from a leg injury, while Tom Lynch and Ricky Henderson are a fortnight from resuming.

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Pittard says rivals are Power hungry

Port Adelaide defender Jasper Pittard fronts the media. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

PORT Adelaide is finding life at the top tough.

Defender Jasper Pittard has admitted the first-placed Power has become a victim of its own success and is having to deal with rivals becoming more physical and putting more work into its players and game plan.

With a stunning 9-1 record, the hunter has become the hunted, he says.

"Definitely — that's what happens when you are top,'' Pittard said when asked if the players were getting more game-day attention than usual.

"I suppose in the past few years it's been Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantle because you are chasing those teams, trying to combat them and maybe trying to play a little bit the way they do.

"Now that we are at the top of the ladder teams are putting a bit more focus on us and wanting to come over and knock us off, which is understandable.

"That's another good challenge for us because every week we are now faced with a new challenge and we try to enjoy that as much as we can.''

Bottom-eight side Melbourne tried to rough Port up in Alice Springs on Saturday while flying wingman Jared Polec was the latest Power player to be targeted by a tagger, with veteran Daniel Cross restricting him to a season-low 10 disposals.

Port Adelaide defender Jasper Pittard is put through his paces at training. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

Port, which had to fight hard to beat the Demons by 20 points after being headed in the final term, is bracing itself for another tough day in the office against 16th-placed St Kilda at home on Saturday.

While the 3-7 Saints are wobbling after a bright start to the season, they are coached by Power coach Ken Hinkley's former right-hand man, Alan Richardson.

Pittard noted no other senior AFL coach would have as much intimate knowledge of the Port players and the team's game plan.

"Richo has some inside knowledge on us, so it's going to be another tough one for us,'' he said.

"He knows a few of us quite well and the way Kenny wants us to play, so he will be able to combat that pretty well.

"His knowledge of us will be pretty fresh but we've tinkered with a few things over the pre-season, so we'll be able to bring a few different things hopefully.''

Pittard said while the players had noticed the lift in opposition pressure in recent weeks, he said the players had embraced the challenge and were treating it as "a good thing''.

"Because it gives us something to hone in on every week,'' he said.

"We know that teams are going to come out pretty hard against us every week because they want to knock us off, but I think we play our best footy when it's a real physical game and teams come at us — we like that.''

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