An Olympic sized interview

With the Olympics now finished, I thought it would be a good time to interview an Olympian. I've been giving hints for a while now about who the Olympic athlete is that I have interviewed. She is an Olympic Silver medalist, a Softball Hall of Famer and she has captained the Australian softball team. She has been a big part of women's softball, and her name is Peta Edebone. I was lucky enough to ring Peta last Friday to have a very interesting conversation about her career. We talked about her career in softball, the Olympics, and everything in between.

From the interview, I was able to gather a lot about Peta. Not just what she accomplished as an athlete, but what kind of a person she is. Peta is an extremely humble person who would do anything for her team. Peta grew up with softball. " I was given a glove and told to go fetch". From the age of just over one, her parents were grooming her to be a softballer.

Peta first made her debut for a softball team when she was seven. I asked her if she was always good at softball, and her reply was that she was "genetically blessed" but also said that it "took a lot of hard work and dedication and things like that to become a better player". Peta never established a permanent club at her early age, but said that she spent a lot of time playing for Diamond Valley Melbourne.

After we established information about her welcoming to softball, we jumped straight to the Olympics. When answering about how she received the news that she was going to the Olympics, Peta said, "We actually received a phone call from the Australian Institute of Sport". Her selection was the result of a solid tournament a short time before the announcement, and all round good form in the months prior to the tournament.

Peta then went on to talk about her preparation for the Olympics. The team put together five or six training camps and "because the Australian Institute of Sport, the softball department, is based in Brisbane, we spent a lot of time in Brisbane". "We also went to Cairns to do a training camp". I asked her about her feelings leading into not only her first Olympics but Softball's first Olympics and she said that excitement was the dominant feeling. She talked about how she wasn't thinking of it as something to be nervous about, but something to have fun with and be excited for. "Once we actually got there, you know, it was even more exciting"

We then went on to talk about the Olympic village. "It was like living in a small city except there's like a thousand athletes walking around." Peta explained how the Olympic Village had every aspect of a regular city. She listed some of the places that were available to the athletes in the village and these included a McDonalds, a hairdressers, banks, and restaurants from different cuisines. "one of my highlights was that I met Nelson Mandela". Peta explained how out of all the great things that happened at an Olympics games, meeting Nelson Mandela was one that stuck with her.

It was then time to talk about her debut in the Olympics. Unfortunately for Peta, her debut was postponed due to a broken foot which side lined her for a number of days. When she was finally given the chance to play for her country at the Olympics in 1996, she was assigned as the designated hitter but was fine with that role as she was happy to be playing after her broken foot threatened to terminate her Olympic campaign. "Just amazing to be out their finally".

Continuing on the theme of Olympics, I then asked Peta to tell me about her first ever home run. She didn't hit a home run in he 1996 games, but managed to multiple in her home Olympics in 2000. Peta told me that home runs are bit like hitting sixes in cricket. "Not something you go out every inning and try and hit a home run". Peta described her home run as "kind of a sweet feeling" when it came off the bat.

When I interviewed Peta, it was around the mid point of the Olympics. I asked her what the athletes would be feeling, whether fatigue starts to kick in or if adrenaline is still running high. Peta told me
that some athletes haven't started yet so they wouldn't be feeling the fatigue, but for the athletes such as the swimmers, fatigue would be a factor but the adrenaline continues to carry them through.

"That was the best thing, to actually go and watch the other sports". Peta went on about how it was fun for the athletes to go and watch each other and be supportive for Australia. The athletes were housed together, so Peta said that they would run into each other now and then and they'd introduce each other and by the end they had met a lot more Australian athletes. When softball had finished at each of Peta's Olympics, Peta would go and watch the swimming, the hockey and the basketball.

After a bronze medal at both the 1996 games and the 2000 games, Australia was desperate to go better. Australia ended up with a silver after a tough loss in the final. I asked PETA wether she was happy with silver or if she was upset that she didn't get gold. She said it was pleasing to go better than the previous bronzes, but it was also a little disappointing to fall agonisingly short. She then spoke about the team who won the gold medal, the USA. "USA was such a strong contingents". "To their credit, they were the better team in Athens and they beat us convincingly 5-1.

After covering Peta's softball career and the Olympics specifically it was nice to hear about her   favourite moments from her entire softball career. "2000, loved it". Peta explained that softball took her away from home and her family didn't get to watch many of her matches, so when she played in Sydney her family and friends had the opportunity to support her. Peta also said it was nice to have the crowd cheering for you instead of the opposition.

The question that I was most interested in was "which country did you enjoy beating the most?" Her response was "When your out there, you're just trying to win every game." However, she also commented on one of Australia's rivalries. "We always had a healthy rivalry between New Zealand and Australia".

For those of you who don't know, Peta was inducted into the softball hall of fame. She received a phone call one day from Softball Australia, giving her the great news. Peta described it as exciting and humbling, and also said that it was a great acknowledgment.
                                                         
Peta Edebone is also responsible for holding one of the great softball world records. She hit four home runs at the 2000 Olympics, matching a world record that was very hard to beat. She said she had no idea at the time that she had matched the record. She said she was "a bit shocked" and didn't become aware until somebody told her after the game.

So that's the end of the interview. Peta Edebone is one of the most humble and talented people I have met, and I am very grateful that she gave up some time to answer my questions.

Sorry I haven't posted the latest game reviews for the Australian Boomers, I have been busy writing this article.

Boomers game five

Australia's final group match saw them taking on Venezuela, hoping to go through the group stage with only one loss. The Boomers decided to rest their key players, with Patty Mills not getting a single minute on court. So, it was time for the young players to stand up and that's just what they did.

Australia looked dominant from the opening tip, limiting Venezuela to just six points in the opening period as the Boomers took a 10 point lead into the opening break. The second quarter saw a fight back from Venezuela as a 19-16 run brought the half time margin to just seven points. Australia got those three points back in the third period, as Venezuela trailed by ten points at the final break. The boomers weren't going to let Venezuela hang around for long, as an explosive last quarter saw lead blow out to 25 points at the final buzzer.

Again, Australia decided to rest their superstars. So, is this a chance for some of the younger players to creep up on the leaderboard? Let's find out.

5) Damian Martin
Damian Martin was given extra minutes today and he sure made the most of them. He played over 20 minutes of game time, but wasn't able to score. However, he only committed one turnover. He took the role as a playmaker, trying to set up plays. He grabbed four rebounds and dished off four dimes. Damian needs to be more aggressive offensively and try to set up himself for some points.

4) Brock Motum
Brock is having a fantastic Olympic campaign for his standards and continued his form today. However, he must improve on his shooting as he only hit 25% of his field goals and 75% of his free throws. He hit five points, and was crashing the glass at both ends as he picked up an offensive rebound as well as three defensive rebounds. Brock recorded just the one assist but had fast feet defensively as he also managed to record a steal. He took care of the ball as he only turned the ball over once.

3) Aron Baynes
Aron started the Olympics at a very high standard before dying down in his last couple of games. However, he was back to his best today, proving why he belongs in the boomers starting line up. He hit four field goals at 50% to get them eight points. Baynes didn't attempt a three pointer and didn't find his way to the free throw line. His strength was his rebounding, as he pulled down seven boards and dished off two assists. Fouling wasn't an issue for Baynes, only giving away the one foul. However turnovers were an issue for Aron as he turned the ball over a very costly four times.

2)  Ryan Broekhof
Ryan is another up and comer who is shining in these Olympics, putting on a clinic for the Boomers  against Venezuela. He hit double figures in the score column, making four of ten shots to get him 10 points. Ryan hit two triples from beyond the arc, going at 50%. He assumed the role of a rebounder, pulling in eight rebounds with a massive four of those offensive. Broekhof set up his teammates twice, while a steal capped off a great game for Ryan Broekhof.

1) Chris Goulding
Goulding hasn't had a real go so far at the Olympics, but when he was given 25 minutes of game time  he showed why he is such a dominant force in the NBL. Chris took on Patrick Mills's role of a scorer as he made it rain from beyond the arc. He drained four three pointers from his seven attempts while he also hit two shots from inside the arc. He earned his other points from the charity strike, making 75% of his eight attempted free throws. As well as his 22 points, Chris also pulled down two offensive rebounds as well as a defensive rebound. He gave off two assists, although he did commit a turnover. His well rounded performance was capped off by a steal, as well.

With a minimum of one game remaining and a maximum of three, depending on finals, votes start to become important. Here is how the votes stand after the group matches.

1- Mathew Dellevedova, 13 votes
2- Patrick Mills, Aaron Baynes, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes
4- David Anderson, Cameron Bairstow, Chris Goulding, Brock Motum, Ryan Broekhof, 5 votes
5- Joe Ingles, 3 votes
6- Damien Martin, 1 vote

Has anyone worked out who the Olympian is that I have interviewed? Here is another clue.
She represented Australia in three Olympics, and has exceptional hand-eye coordination and power.

Boomers game 4

The Australian Boomers were up against China this morning after coming off a heart breaking loss to the USA. It was certainly one of Australia's most convincing games, even though they rested most of their stars. Andrew Bogut did not play, and others such as Patrick Mills and Mathew Dellevedova
played restricted minutes. It was good to see Australia's bench players standing up and showcasing their talent. Australia led at every change, and didn't give China a sniff from start to finish. Australia
Simply played with a greater intensity and shot the ball at a much higher percentage than China. Still, there are things Australia will have to work on before they even think about playing USA in the finals. Australia's decision to rest some of their superstars has costed some players their votes. Also, we see some new faces receiving votes for the first time.

5) Mathew Dellevedova
Mathew didn't play up to his standards but he did well for the amount of game time he got. He only put up four shots, making two of them. However, as always, he was a dynamite with his passing, finishing with eight assists. He pulled in one offensive rebound but went statless everywhere else. He didn't turn the ball over at all which is a positive sign no more matter how much game time you play. He didn't put up any three pointers and didn't get any chances at the charity strike.

4) David Anderson
David was impressive in his first match of the Olympics has a starter. He played just under 15 minutes but used that time to make an impact. He hit five of nine from the field, including one shot from behind the three point arc. He had a chance to go two from two at the charity strike but was only able to hit one. Anderson grabbed three boards but didn't record an assist. His two turnovers were cancelled out by two steals, in an all round impressive game from David Anderson.

3) Brock Motum
These are Motum's first votes and he deserves them after a solid performance coming off the bench. He had the second most points of any Australian, with 15. He made those 15 points with a shooting percentage of 66.7%. Brock didn't only play as a shooter, but also as a passer and a rebounder. He crashed the glass for three rebounds and dished off two assists. After 16 minutes and 30 seconds of game time, Brock should be happy with how he played and I look forward to seeing how he plays against Venezualea.

2) Aron Baynes
After a couple of quiet games, Aron was given 26 minutes of game time to show what he can do, and he proved a lot to all of us. He hit five field goals from eight attempts plus a pair of free throws to get him 12 points. Baynes recorded the second most rebounds for the Australians with four boards. He set up his teammates twice with assists and managed to steal the ball on one occasion. To improve his game, I think he needs to become a bigger threat under the basket. He can do this through blocks or even simply crashing the glass more for more rebounds.

1) Cameron Bairstow
Well it was obvious who this weeks man of the match was. Cameron Bairstow just seemed in a whole different league to his teammates and opposition. He was an unstoppable force offensively and pretty handy on the defensive end. He shot the ball at 53.8% from the field for 17 points. He was a rebounding machine, not only defensively but also offensively. He pulled down four offensive rebounds and five defensive rebounds. He didn't record an assist but proved helpful defensively with both a block and a steal. Overall, a great from Cameron but I would like to see him involving his teammates more offensively as well.

There is one more group match before finals begin. The votes will continue through the finals until Australia is eliminated.
1- Mathew Dellevedova, 13 votes
2- Patrick Mills, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes
4- Aaron Baynes, 8 votes
5- David Anderson, Cameron Bairstow, 5 votes
6- Brock Motum, Joe Ingles, 3 votes
7- Ryan Browkhof

Boomers Game 3

USA was yet to be challenged going into Thursday's matchup with Australia. Nearly everyone wrote Australia off, not giving them the slightest chance. However, Australia was out to prove everyone wrong, and they were up and about for the entire first half.

Australia has been playing good basketball, but not many people knew just how good they are. They brought it right to the USA, playing tough and hard basketball. They were able to keep the game level going into the first break, before Australia stretched out a lead and took control of the game. To the disbelief of nearly everyone watching the game, Australia led the USA at the half time break by five points. Australia had all of the momentum but they knew the USA would come out firing, and that's exactly what they did. USA started the third period with a 9-0 run to put themselves up by four, before an Australian timeout regained Australias composure and they were able to match it with the dream team for the rest of the quarter. Although, USA did lead at the final break by three points. It was going to take everything for Australia to win, and people were starting to believe the impossible. However, USA's class proved to much in the end, and some costly missed shots from Australia were all USA needed to take control of the game. It was a gutsy performance by the boomers, but they were not happy with a close loss, as Andre Bogut stated after the game. "Look, we’re disappointed. The Australian media is going to be like ‘you guys did great, this and that’. No we didn’t. We lost"

Now it's time for the votes. Australia brought it right to the USA and they had players to thank for that. The entire roster played their part when they were put on the court, but there were five men clearly worthy of votes.

5) Andrew Bogut
This wasn't Andrews best game, but just his presence was enough to cause problems for USA. His field goal percentage was something to behold, making 77.8% of his shots for 15 points. Bogut's defence was first class, denying anyone who dared enter the paint, finishing with three massive blocks and a steal. The downside of his game was his lack of  rebounding, only grabbing the one board. His passing was that of a point guard, finishing with three dimes in a well rounded performance.

4) Ryan Broekhof
Ryan really made the most of his minutes, taking advantage of the opportunity handed to him. Although he didn't hit any field goals, he only attempted two and went 100% from the charity strike, finishing with two points. He helped set up our main scorers in Delevedova and Mills, finishing with four assists and crashing the glass for a handy four rebounds. He was efficient with the ball in hand, only turning the ball over once. I'd like to see him play a bigger role on defence, picking up some more steals or even blocks.

3) David Anderson
David is the Boomers captain, and really stood up when his team needed it. He didn't have the best game, but it certainly helped his team come agonisingly close to the USA. Going off five of six shooting, he finished with 13 points, the third most by an Australian. He managed to find a pass to the basket, recording one assist while he was an important asset on the boards, recording five rebounds. However, the biggest down side to his game was that he was lacking the ability to contain the ball, turning the ball over a costly four times. He also managed a score from behind the arc, capping off an improved performance from David Anderson.

2) Patrick Mills 
Patty had one clear role against the USA and it showed in his stats. He was given the task of scoring, and he did that quite nicely. He dropped 30 points on 50% shooting, with only USA's Carmelo Anthony scoring more on the night. He did shoot the ball exceptionally well from beyond the arc, knocking down five of eleven three pointers. He only went at a dissapointing 75% from the charity strike. The think that Patty lacks is versatility on the offensive end. He only took two defensive rebounds and didn't even manage to record a single assist. He finished with two turnovers and didn't do much defensively, not recording a steal or a block. I think patty needs to involve his teammates throughout the course of the game, and not rely on himself to knock down all the points.

1) Mathew Dellevedova
I have been begging for Mathew to play his natural game and to not force anything and that is exactly what he did against the USA. He did everything he could, both offensively and defensively. Dellevedova was the only player on the court to record a double double, dropping 11 points on 62.5%  shooting as well as playing the role of a typical point guard, finishing with 11 assists. Capping off a versatile game, he was able to pull down six boards, helping out Andrew Bogut who wasn't able to record many rebounds. However the thing he must improve on is his ball security, turning the
ball over four times. Still, I'd like to see him take more shots.

Now let's look at how the MVP votes look at the end of the third game.
1- Mathew Dellevdova, 12 votes
2- Patrick Mills, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 10 points
4- Aron Baynes, 4 votes
5- David Anderson, Joe Ingles, 3 votes
6- Ryan Broekhof, 2 votes

I was lucky enough to catch up with an Olympic silver medalist and a hall of famer. She broke a record in her second Olympics, and captained her team to the silver medal. I will be writing the interview and publishing it soon. Does anyone know who this Olympian is?

Boomers Game 2

The Australian Boomers took on Serbia in the their round two match up in the group stage. It was never going to be easy for Australia as Serbia was up for a fight. It was closely contested first half, with Serbia holding on to q slim half time lead of just three points. Australia weren't playing their best basketball in first half and they had to change it up for any a chance at a win. They played with more aggression in the third period and started chipping into the lead. Serbia stayed in front at half time but only by one point. Serbia are ranked sixth in the world compared to Australia's ranking of 11. However the teams didn't play like their ranking would suggest in the last period, with Australia pouncing on every opportunity. It was one of the most dominant quarters of basketball so far at the Olympics, as Australia went on a 33 to 17 run to finish the game as 15 point winners.

For such a dominant last quarter, there were certainly players that to to stand up. This weeks MVP votes look much different to the last game, as it was time to shine for a young point guard.

5) Aron Baynes
Aron didn't have a fantastic game but played well when it counted. He finished with 10 pints in 40% shooting which is a good rate. He continued to crash the glass, pulling down seven rebounds. He only dishes off one assist, but was perfect from the charity strike, shooting two from two. However, he waisted numerous possessions by turning the ball over on three occasions. I'd like to see Baynes set up his teammates more. I know he is a center and they're 
not known for assists, but I think he could become more dominant if he became more versatile.

4) Joe Ingles
Joe improved on his match against France, and he became important towards the end of the game. Joe spent the second most time on the court, behind only Patty Mills. Joe hit 10 points on 40% shooting. He hit two of five shots with four of those attempts from beyond the ark. He played a versatile game, grabbing three rebounds and and setting up his teammates five times. He was 100% from the free throw line from his four attempts. Joe also had three turnovers but was able to steal the ball once as well. I would like to see Joe Ingles work the ball inside more often.

3) Patrick Mills
Patty played a more offensive role against Serbia, and was given the most game time. He played over half an hour during the match and ended up on 26 points on 47.1% shooting. He grabbed one rebound and had three turnovers but went statless everywhere else. He shot two from nine three pointers which I think is too many. Mills is in the number three position because of his shooting, but he needs to start getting some steals and some assists. He needs to play more as a point guard rather than a shooting guard. He had a good game but, like the others, he needs to beckme more versatile. I'm not saying he has to get a Tripple double, but some other stats would improve him as a player.

2) Andrew Bogut
Andrew played a fantastic game against Serbia and he really lifted like I said he needed to. He 
scored nine points, shooting at 35% from the field. He hit 100% of his three pointers, hitting his only attempt. Andrew definately played the role of a centre, pulling down 12 rebounds and completed the total versatile game by dishing off six assists. He was a pain defensively, sending back three blocks, capping off one of his best games in a while. On most days, Bogut would be the number one player, but there was one player I just couldn't look past.....

1) Mathew Dellevedova
Mathew just had one of those nights where everything went his way. He shot the ball at 85.1% from the field for a total of 23 points. He hit three three pointers, going at 75% from beyond the ark. Mathew was the only player in the Australian team to record a double double, finishing with 13 dimes. He was very careful with the ball and avoided turning the ball over at all during the match. Defensively, he didn't record a block but managed two steals and gave away four fouls. I said that Mathew had to take more suites in my last article, and that's exactly what he did. The only thing I think he should improve on is the rebounding category, as he did not record a single rebound.

After the first two games, this is how my MVP leaderboard is looking at the moment.

1- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes 
2- Mathew Dellevedova, Patrick Mills, 7 votes
3- Aron Baynes, 4 votes
4- Joe Ingles, 3 votes
No other player has recorded a vote so far. 

So, let me know if you agree with my votes, and if not, tell me who should have received which votes.

The Australian Boomers Olympic Campaign

The Olympics are well underway as day two comes to a close. Australia currently sit third on the medal tally, with medals coming from the pool, the arches field and the shooting range. One of our best hopes at a Gold medal are the Australian Boomers, our men's basketball team. They'll be looking to improve on their last Olympic campaign where they only managed to finish seventh. Australia opened their campaign this year against a high quality French side.

It was set up to be a tough encounter for the Aussies, with star point guard Tony Parker from the San Antonio Spurs lining up for France. France never really looked in the game,  dominated by an over powering Australia team. Australia took control of the game after half time, taking advantage

of a slim 3 point half time lead. Australia outscored France 25 to 15 in the third quarter before extending their lead in the last period, finishing the game 21 point winners. So, who were the best players? Here are my top five players and how they played in their first Olympic match of 2016.

5) Joe Ingles
These are Joe's second Olympic games and he plays a big role for the Boomers. Joe didn't have his best game against France but he did what he had to do. While only shooting the ball at 33% from the field, Joe finished with four points. However, the stat where he delivered was on the dime dropping end, finishing with six assists and he managed to pull in a pair of rebounds. Defensively, his quick feet allowed him to get two steals. Joe didn't record a block but only turned the ball over once.

4) Mathew Dellevodova
Coming off a championship for Cleveland, Mathew had to adjust for a different type of opposition. The team didn't need to rely on him to score which allowed him to focus on other aspects of his game. He led the team in assists with ten dimes as wells as three rebounds. Dellevedova also played well defensively stealing the ball three times and finished with just the one turnover. I'd like to see Mathew take some more shots, especially three pointers because he is just as good as the other point guard in the team.

3) Aron Baynes 
Baynes is so fun to watch and must be a pest to play against. One of his greatest abilities is his offensive rebounding and he showed that against France, smashing the glass for six offensive rebounds, finishing with a total of eight boards for the match. Baynes hit 14 points on 35.7% shooting throughout the match. He also fought his way to the free throw line, making four shots from the charity strike from his six attempts. Aron managed a block but had trouble holding onto the ball on a couple of occasions, losing the ball twice.

2) Patrick Mills 
 Mills was electric out on the court and works so well with fellow teammate Andrew Bogut. Patty spent nearly 28 minutes out on court, the most of any Australian. He lit it up from the field, shooting at just under 50%, finishing with 21 points. 12 of those 21 points were from beyond the three point line. Mills dished off five assists and pulled in two rebounds over the course of the match. He had a great game, but if Australia are going to get close to the USA basketball team when they meet in a few days time, he will have to try and get his teammates involved even more then he already does.

1) Andrew Bogut
Man of the match in my opinion was Andrew Bogut. Andrew plays centre in the NBA and after starting his career at Golden State, he left this offseason to go to Dallas. However, it seemed that his full attention was on the match against the French as he absolutely dominated in the paint. He hit 18 points, shooting the ball at an incredible 90%, the best by any Australian this match who took more than one shot. He gave off five assists and got under the ring for four rebounds. What makes Andrew such an incredible player is his ability to catch and throw down alley oops. The thing that Bogut must work on for later in the tournament is his ability to crash the boards. As a centre, four rebounds probably isn't good enough but the rest of his game lifted him to my number one position.

Throughout the tournament I will be writing on every Boomers game. Each player in my top five receives a certain number of votes, and at the end of the tournament I will add up the votes to see who is the MVP based on my opinion. The number one ranked player in each game will receive five votes, the number two ranked player will recieve four votes, all the way to the fifth ranked player recieving one vote. So at the moment, Bogut has the most votes followed by Mills, Baynes, Dellevedova and Ingles.

Let me know what you think of the votes. Do you agree? If not, tell me who you think should be receiving which votes and why.

AFL round 18 milestones

Milestones are an important part of every players career, a chance to be recognized for the amount of time amd effort they have put in for their team(s). This week, nine players will play a career milestones game in terms of games played. Another player needs just two goals this week to reach 450 career goals. Let's take a look at each player who has a milestone game this weekend and how the first part of their careers have gone.

Corey Enright tied the record for the most games played by a Geelong player
Corey Enright  played his 325th game this weekend against the Adelaide Crows, tieing a club record for the most games played. Corey Enright has had a great career thus far, recording many career highlights. Corey is a three time premiership player for the Geelong Cats, as well as a five time All Australian and a two time Carji Greeves medal winner (Geelong Best and Fairest). Enright is also a two time preseason premiership winner. He has never won a Brownlow Medal.

Sam Mitchell played his 300th game
Sam Mitchell has been a big part of the Hawthorn football club over the last five or so years, and in round 18 he  got some recognition as he played his 300th game. Mitchell has been part of Hawthorn's premiership rampage over the last three years. Sam started his career with a bang, winning the 2003 Rising Star award. He continued his great football throughout his career, winning four premierships and making the All Australian team on three occasions. He has won the Peter Crimins medal four times, and the Lou Richards medal twice.

Callan Ward became the first GWS player to reach 100 games
Callam Ward started his career at the Western Bulldogs, playing his first four seasons at the club and managed to pick up a Rising star nomination in a convincing start to his career. He played a total of 60 games there kicking 33 goals. To the surprise of most people, Callan left the Dogs in 2022 to join a new GWS team. Callan became a co-captain at the Giants and has really lifted his game. His accolades include winning the Kevin Sheedy medal, that award given to the best player at GWS, in 2012. Since then he has lifted his team to become current premiership contenders.

Robbie Gray played his 150th game
Robbie Gray has made a big impact on the Port Adelaide football club since bursting into the scenes
in 2007. Gray has established himself as a key goal kicker for the power as well as being a versatile  midfielder. Robbie has kicked 186 games so far in his career and I would say that there will be many more to come. He is a two time showdown medalist (Given to the best player in the Adelaide Vs Port Adelaide match), a two time All Australian, he was Port's leading goal kicker in 2011 and the clubs most improved in 2009. He is also a two time John Cahil medalist (Given to the best player at Port Adelaide).

Jarred Impey played his 50th game
Jarred is only starting his career but he is a bright young talent and has been a key part of Port Adelaide's defence over the last few years. As it is only the start of his career, the only accolade he has a received was a rising star nominee, but I'm sure there will be many more to come. Jarred has kicked 15 goals in his short career, and averages 12 disposals per game. Jared's pressure is a big part of his talent and he averages nearly three tackles a game. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this bright, young talent.

Ben Brown played his 50th game
Watching Ben play, you would have no idea that he has only played 50 games. He plays like he has had so much experience and leads from the front in Nirth Mekbourne's forward line. Since debuting in round 14 2014, Brown has kicked 82 goals, averaging just under two goals per game.