Damo's Recovery | Sydney Swans Investigation, Josh Fraser Confirmed & Two Draws

Yeah there is a lot going on Damo.Welcome to you.We start with Sydney.Where is that all at?

It's a major story Jim involving the Sydney Swans players who are being investigated by Victoria Police over an alleged sexual assault.That incident allegedly occurred at the Pullman Hotel, which is where the Swans stage him, and they're in town to play Essendon yesterday at the MCG.They didn't fly out, obviously, for the curfew reasons, into Sydney last night, so they stayed in Melbourne.That was the reason they were in town.They were staying at the hotel, and police were called to the hotel early this morning, about 7 .30.The Swans CEO, Matthew Pavlich, earlier today spoke to media about the matter.

We can confirm that several players were involved in an alleged incident last night in Melbourne.We've identified this to the AFL.We are working with them and also the relevant authorities on this matter.We're still piecing together exactly what's transpired here and have our own set of internal inquiries ongoing.But safe to say that we're extremely shocked and disappointed that this has taken place and that the players have found themselves in this situation.We understand the level of interest in the matter and there's going to be lots of speculation, but given it's a police matter right now, that is all that we can say.

And that's pretty much all anyone can say right at the moment, Jim.Just to repeat what happened this morning, the Victoria Police Bill made this statement that police are investigating a report of a sexual assault in East Melbourne on 17 August.The incident occurred at a hotel in Wellington Parade in the early hours of the morning.The exact circumstances are yet to be established and the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.Obviously, the AFL has been made aware of it by the Swans and the police will basically take over the running of how this looks.The AFL will have a line of sight on it, but given the police are involved, that will be the first process.

Are you hearing several players?Yeah, well, Matthew Pavlitz used that word himself, and severalis open to, I suppose, a definition that various people have, but the use of that word by the CEO of the club, Bill, Look, we could talk, we could speculate.Yeah, there's questioning being made today and I'm not convinced every single, well, I know there were some Swans Connected people still in Melbourne this afternoon, so make of all of that what you will, but I feel that's about where we can take it at this stage, Jim.

Not a great time ever for these sort of things to happen, but a week out from finals is a very bad bit of timing.

Yeah, it's shocking.I mean, and you're right, there's no better timing for it, but this is a footy club.Just to remove it from what we've just discussed onto the footy side of it, the win yesterday confirmed that they would clearly finish second on the ladder.And to play a qualifying final at the SCG, how that looks, who's playing in that game, there's answers that we don't quite know.Yet have.

And we haven't got them right now.Over at Carlton, the Blues had a board meeting this morning and they said yes.Josh, you are our coach.

As per Xander McGuire of Triple M's reporting today, Bill.Yeah.

Good work Xander.

We learnt last week through Josh Fraser's own words that he had officially presented to the board as part of that process.And then the very next game happened to be a draw.So he's had 10 wins, two losses and a draw in the 13 matches he's been in charge.And just for those who are not fully across it, that draw, as we know, confirmed the wildcard position for the Blues in this year's final series.Extraordinary outcome.played for a draw at the end.

Yeah, I thought it was quite mature the way they did that Bill.You reckon it was?Yeah, I did.I'd reckon Josh was happy at the siren.He said that was shithouse.I think he was more referring to potentially what had happened prior to that moment where they were behind it or regularly being troubled by the Western Bulldogs throughout the game.

If you know more than I do about that comment or that appeared to be directed at that, but I thought it was quite mature.to do that, but they're now locked away, confirmed as a wildcard spot.

That's the reporting.

Yeah, they'll announce it tomorrow.We believe now but the moment that Chris Davies Jim went public with it three weeks ago now two and a half weeks ago now that was the moment it was effectively done because they played it so cleverly that both both the club and Josh himself to that moment So the fact they let us in on what was going on at that stage.

That was the moment it became official No, he has played it Absolutely magnificently, not only with the win -loss numbers, but also the way he's handled the questioning, the way he's carried himself.So it looks like they have made a very, very good decision.You know, Damo, better than anyone, that I've spent the last 25 years taking the opposite view of the V8 supercar driver, Craig Hutchinson, on pretty much every issue and taken great delight in doing it.But where he and I ferociously agree with each other is there should never be a draw again in our game.Why do you have them?What's the bloody point of them?

Play extra time.Have that magnificent 10 minutes.Have everyone on the ground and everyone watching on TV on the edge of their seats.Why do we have bloody drawers?

Well, we had two of them.in the course of a weekend, Jim, as we know with the Hawthorne Collingwood game.I'm with you.I've had the similar view to you.And I just work backwards from that.If it's important enough for the AFL now to go into extra time immediately in a grand final draw.

Or any final, yeah.

I think you work backwards from that.If that's how you're going to decide the most important game of the year, well, surely every other game should be decided the same way.It's not under the current system.

No, I don't get it.It's just such brilliant theatre.

Yeah.And weirdly enough, there were actually winners out of the two draws, if I can put the word winners in inverted commas.I mean, to me, Carlton was a winner, Bill.I know you're arguing that maybe they should have gone for the win, but it secured the wild card berth.And the Saturday night game, I thought with Collingwood's performance, with nine players who'd played 32 games or less in that 23,To me, that was a win for Collingwood.

And also what that did too, just to remind people, that did actually secure Collingwood.I mean, on the mathematical possibilities that they too could not be taken out of that wildcard position at that stage.

Can we see, I know looking at the ladder, it might not happen.Can we see Carlton Collingwood in that wildcard weekend?

Highly unlikely now on the back of the draw by the Carlton footy club.Yeah, not so much the draw by Collingwood, but the draw by Carlton.Again, Jim, there are mathematical possibilities around that potential outcome, but they are highly, highly unlikely with what happened with the two Premiership points game by Carlton.

You think, Bill?Yes.Well, given you thought there was only going to be one World Cup final anyway.There's two.There's two, right?

Two games, Jim.Two games.

Two.Two.Not one, but two.Just on the pies, I thought Bo McQuarrie had the game of his life in that game until three quarter time and then he just I think he exploded at various stages of that last quarter and I love the way he just assumed the responsibilities in the midfield when he needed to.I mean, I know Nick Dacos again, I felt was best on ground, Bill.And as you revealed on this show last week, he's a pretty good player, isn't he?

And so too was Josh.They've got a massive decision now to make, don't they?With regards to what they do in round24. So they've got a game in Melbourne against Brisbane Lions.They can't really move their position in the wildcard.Well, I'd be, if I was running the club, I'd be resting the two day Cossus.

Wow.I'd probably be resting the Ruckman Cameron as well.And maybe give one or two others a bit of a rest as well, because they need to play the next week.And unlike some other clubs going into the final round, they know that they're going to be playing wild card.So, and again, Jim, as we, as we have discussed, that is going to be in a form of conflict with what Greg Swan had issued to the clubs by way of an email two weeks ago about the dangers potentiallysanctionable or at least warnings against the mass resting of players in that last round.

Which we all, well, I took great exception to from a club point of view.If you make the season as long as it bloody is now, 85 weeks, then by the time you get there, if you've guaranteed your spot in the finals and you want to rest players, you can do whatever you like.

I agree.

I don't think the AFL is in a position to say anything to that.

I agree.And just to sign off on the other draw before we go to the break, Jim.I love the game of Sam Walsh and Paddy Cripps, particularly for the Blues in that performance against the Western Bulldogs yesterday.We'll touch on the Bulldogs on the other side of this.Yeah, Rebsi, we touched on the draw between the Western Bulldogs and Carlton, mainly from a Carlton perspective, given the signing of Josh Fraser.But the game of Ed Richards was one of the better ones of the season, Bill, with how he covered the loss of Marcus Bonson -Powley as a midfielder.

But also the team was without Tim English, as we know, and had a few other injury issues.Bailey Dale's been out for some weeks as well.So that was as good a performance as he's had in a very short period of time.good career.Spot on.Jim, we touched on this on as far back as Saturday, but the game of Caleb Sirong against Adelaide to start the round, it was it was a very special performance, I thought, for a A player who'd had a solid season without being maybe their best player, but just the securing of that win, which guaranteed them without needing to worry about any other result for the remainder of the round 23 and 24 as a back of it to finish on top of the ladder.

So, yeah, I love the performance.I love the way he got serious when that was required in that last quarter.

Yeah, he hit the scoreboard a couple of times.No, he was great.They were great.And as I've said, a Dockers game at Optus Stadium is the most pulsating version of our game at the moment.

It really is, isn't it?Yeah.And they've got a decision as a few other clubs do as well coming into this round.Do they bring Jackson and maybe even more pertinently Hayden Young, who's had a history of soft tissue over to Melbourne to play Carlton?The problem they've got though is obviously they then do have a break the following week as per the normal buy period.And then if they win their qualifying final, which they'll be favoured to do so, they'll have another break.

So there's that balance.But for someone like a Hayden Young, who is still being on managed minutes within game, I wouldn't be putting him on a plane unnecessarily.And I do think this is unnecessarily for this last game.So they've got a decision to make there.Ollie Dempsey's had a really good back half of the year, hasn't he Bill?

He's got to be in the All Australian side, on the wing.

Yeah.

they still have wingers or not?

Yeah, I think there's an intent to pick as many players, not everyone, but as many as they can in set positions and clearly to me, and I know you with your bias, obviously, but yeah, Ollie Dempsey is that main wingman.And I think the stats certainly from the back half of the year would suggest that.So his game against North Melbourne was, again, very good, as was Bailey Smith's.It was good.As they both, both helped the club and also to Mark Butsavs, who kicked three goals and helped turn the game around when he went into the ruck after Tristan Cherry had set up a 39 point lead for the Kangaroos.Charlie Cournot, Jim, as we know, there's still some detractors of him.

And I think he, And maybe, and sorry, not maybe, definitely rightly so, does have some question marks over his big game abilities.But to be on the verge of now winning a third Coleman medal, it does put him into some very elite company.Just to remind people, Jason Dunstall I'll say only, but he had a lot of competition.He won three and so too did Matty Lloyd.So Charlie Kernow now is six goals, sorry, eight goals clear of the nearest rival, that being Jai Amos.

How many did Chief kick when he won E3?I don't reckon it'd be 66 or 69 goals.

No, it wouldn't be.Well, one year he kicked 124 and didn't get in the All -Australian team.

So that's unbelievable.Different game, of course, back then.But I reckon if you look at the back half of this year, Charlie Kernow has been unbelievable.So about round eight or nine, he was He took a lot of Settle in, didn't he, Jim?

But I really feel he's had an intent to be team first, and that maybe has not always been the case with Charlie.So again, we spoke about the Swans for other reasons off the top of our segment together, and there's a lot to play out with potential availability on some players.Now, Will Ashcroft just racks up medals, doesn't he, Bill?He's got a couple of John Smiths.

collector.

Yeah.And he's never too Marcus Ashcroft.

He's a medal collector.

He's never too Marcus Ashcroft medals bill for a second occasion on where he was best on ground in a Q clash.Speaking of second half of seasons, I feel he's has been as nearly as good as anyone's when it comes to what he's done in the back half.So it was solid early.It just got a little bit away from me.Maybe let's go with rounds five through to say 10, just to pull out some random rounds.But yeah, I think it really good season.

And I think he's done enough now to, to win a best and fairest as well, to get another medal.

So, you know, what else has been good?Logan Morris.

Yeah, he hasn't he?

He just kicks goals.He just keeps kicking them.He keeps telling you who can play the game.Yeah.

People pretty realize he's a pretty good player.Jim in his first year, when he kicked two goals in his first grand final in that game, you know, 12 or 13.He just keeps kicking them.

He does.He's a goal collector.

Yep.Yep.That's it.All right.Negatives.Yes.

While they had a draw.A little bit concerned about Hawthorne.14 wins, two draws, gives him 60 premiership points.But yeah, in the form of Tom Barris, clubs have done some work on him in consecutive weeks, whether he's just carrying something, which players can often be doing at this stage of a season.James Sicily has been down on his best form for some time as well.Marbio Choll, who I have been a massive fan of as a Hawk, but it hasn't been a good fortnight for him.

The forward line's just not quite working.So look, I don't doubt Sam Mitchell and I reckon...take the scenario that he's now got.Win round 24, finish fourth, got double chance in finals.So massive tick in that situation.They've set that scenario up, but there's just a little bit to worry about with what they've done, I feel, against the better teams regularly in 2026.

They will go to Perth twice in three weeks.Yes.They finish this weekend over here.I'm still here.And then their first final will be in Perth.

And that's where the draw affected them too.I mean, on paper, they won't admit this publicly, but on paper, it would be more appealing for them to go to Sydney to play the Swans than it is to go to Perth.Perth to play the Dockers.So anyway, good teams overcome those little setbacks and they've got a coach who's done that before himself.Gold Coast Suns, spoken about them regularly, but now have lost 11 of their past 12, having broken that sequence.Yeah, it really is, isn't it?

And it's coincided with the lack of form of Christian Petrarca.It's just one of the great mysteries.Damien Hardwick spoke post -match about not knowing and not being able to get the best out of him.And it's a challenge for him, but it's been one of the the significant fall offs of a player who was dominating the competition at the halfway stage of it to almost being irrelevant.Here we are with one round to go.I don't talk about Richmond too much because I just find them unwatchable.

And that was again, the case with what they dished up against St Kilda, despite the fanfare, as we know, around the retirements of Prestia and Broad in that particular game.

And you thought they were half a chance before the game.

Yeah.They were just no good from the start.They were not at all, Bill.So it's a, it's a concern.And they're in a, in that same, I think, category as Port Adelaide and West Coast who just, there's signs, but they're only signs within games.They're not signs with the results of games and they're a mile off.

And speaking of mile off, the performance of Essendon against Sydney yesterday too, look, the scoreboard didn't look dramatically bad, butthey toured with them, the Swans, and Dean Solomon even had a crack at the own supporters who are failing now to turn up in number.You've got to win.You've got to win.You've got to win.Yeah.

Well, the supporters, fair dinkum, they've had the worst 10 years of their lives.

Yeah, they have.Terrible.Terrible.And still no timeline on the announcement of their next coach as well.

Well, I guess they don't have to have a timeline now because they're on their own in search of one.

Yeah.And there's only one person of crossover nature, that being Jamie Graham.And now that Josh Fraser's got the nod there, as we have expected for three weeks, they've got him as well.

Mark McVeigh still coaching at Sydney.Just wait till Sydney's finished their finals prep.You reckon that's the, well, the longer it goes, that's what I'm looking at.

You're looking at that are you?Yeah.As I said, I still feel James Hood's, uh, inner photo finish in that space as well, Bill and Murray Davis being the fourth member of that.Oh no, look at Fann.

No, Muzzo.No, he's there.He's still there, isn't he?Look at his head on fat.

I don't think I know the background to Fat's reaction to this, but do I need to know?

I'd never heard of the man. I'll tell you what I'm waiting, Purple, for Fat to come out with.This segment maybe, or it might be for the finals.He'll say, you know what?

Wayne Carey was a reasonable footballer.

I reckon he went all right.If we're just highlighting players, he was decent.Yeah.Dacos.

Heaney.Dacos.Heaney.Heaney.Yep.Yep.

They're all my, they can play.Lee Matthews.

Max Gawne's not bad either, Phil.Max Gawne's a decent runner.Is he best on ground again?If he wasn't, he was close to it.Jeez, he's had a year.He really has, hasn't he?

Yeah.Yeah.

He's had a year.Podium Brownlow.He has to.He has to podium, Maxie.

Well, it'll be Nick Dacos and then how far?

Yeah.

But whoever else, he's got to be on the podium.

I just keep saying, Bill, this is going to be.At least the third Brownlow we're going along thinking it's a certainty for Nick Dacos.No, not as much as this.Last couple of years you thought there might be others there.

He is home now.

He's lost by seven votes the past two years.Ridiculously.If he doesn't win it this year.Matty Rao got 39 votes last year and Paddy Cripps got 45 the year before.

Well, Nick Dacos will get 60.

On the back of Matty Rowell, and on the back of Paddy Cripps getting 45, I actually agree with you, but how would you know what umpires do in votes?

And he didn't even win the club best.

He didn't even win the club best.After Craig McCrae had given the Brownlow a clip and he's a pre.Copeland Trophy address.We got Peter in Thursday.

You can ask him about that.I will, don't worry about that.

Me and Dakes go way back.Do ya?

Well done Purple.

Cheers Jim.