RICHO’S TOP 10: Jordan Dawson is an AFL captain like Wayne Carey as he steps up when game is on the line

1 Who’s the best captain in the AFL?

I’m not certain but I know there are not many better than the Crows Jordan Dawson. A sign of a great captain is their ability to produce at clutch times in games. I always think of Wayne Carey, he always took a big mark and kicked a goal at precisely the right moment in a tight game. Dawson is doing this for the Crows. Some clutch goals and moments versus the Cats last Thursday night. He’s doing all this while dealing with a personal tragedy in his life. What a star.

2 The AFL Hall of fame is the best night on the footy calendar.

Every year we get to hear the journeys of these champions from the start of their careers to the ultimate recognition. Each one different. We saw a new legend elevated in WA, the great Bill Walker who incredibly won four Sandover medals. This year’s inductees were deserving recipients in Gary Ablett Jnr, Bombers fullback Dusty Fletcher, umpire Hayden Kennedy, Port Adelaide goal kicking machine Tim Evans, Tiwi Islands pioneer David Kantilla and West Coast Eagles champion John Worsfold. Woosha’s career is just incredible. He became only the third person in the Hall of Fame to have captained and then coached the same team to a premiership. He joins the great David Parkin and Cats icon Reg Hickey. Woosha led West Coast’s defence like a gladiator. I’ve got to admit I was intimidated (maybe even a bit scared) playing as a teenager against that great Eagles defence. Woosha was a fearsome competitor and had the ability to lay some huge hip and shoulder tackles on you. Those Eagles teams he captained were iconic as was the team he coached. Congratulations to all this year’s inductees.

3 The Zak Butters decision is looming and in the last week the Tigers have apparently entered the race with a huge $18 million, eight-year deal.

A lot of people have asked me my thoughts. The answer is yes, yes, yes, I’m all chips in on this one. Butters, pictured, is exactly what the Tigers need in the midfield. A tough inside mid who can also take the ball to the outside. I would also offer him the captaincy of the club. The media are still saying the Dogs are favourites but $18m (rumoured Tigers offer) would be hard to turn down. The Tigers would also be able to get the deal done easily with the picks they will hold. Get it done Tiges.

4 When they find a cure for MND it will be an incredible moment for the FIGHT MND movement Neale Daniher is the face of.

I will be honest I knew nothing about MND until Neale took up the fight. What an amazing send-off he has received this week. A truly amazing person who created awareness for a disease I think a lot of us knew little about, but we now know a lot.

5 The online racial abuse of Mabior Chol staggers me.

It’s just unbelievable that there are people in our society that even think these things, let alone then go onto social media and send a message to an individual like Mabior. They are normally faceless trolls that hide like cowards. If they can be found they should be banned for life from attending AFL games. Well done to Mabior for calling this person out. We all need to keep shaming these people.

6 I need to make an apology to Isaac Heeney.

I had him on the bench in my All-Australian team in this column last week. That was a massive oversight. He clearly should be on the ground and probably captain. This guy is just about the most complete footballer in the game. He does it all. Kicks goals, the best one-on-one mark in the games as a midfielder, wins clearances and is hard as a cat’s head, plus he rarely wastes a disposable. He did it again last weekend with 30 touches, two goal and he set up the winning goal. I’m sorry Isaac.

7 I’ve just said Heeney is the most complete player in the game. Is that different to most important. Yes, it is.

I’m calling Luke Jackson the most important. Because he is a tall and athletic. Versatile talls are the hardest to find. The game starts with the rucks in the middle. He is the most versatile ruck in the game. The unicorn. He can get his hand on it at the throw up then follow up at ground level. No other ruck can do this like Jackson. It’s the biggest weapon Fremantle have and they have plenty. Jackson is not the best but he’s the most important to me. Could be Mr September, no other ruck can go with him. And Dockers fans should be booking their flights for the last Saturday in September as Flagmantle is well and truly becoming a reality. I’ve got a mate in California that grew up in Perth and he called me after the game. He asked if I could get grand final tickets. He is believing as most Dockers fans should be now. Why? Well, they have a great list and from what we saw last Saturday they have added a crucial piece to their game style. That is handball metres gained which is crucial in today’s game. The Swans do this best at the moment. This had not been a strength of the Dockers. Against North they had a club record 652 metres gained. It looked irresistible and if it continues this way there will be plenty of Dockers fans searching for GF tickets in the coming months.

8 North Melbourne conceded 19 goals in a row to lose a “home” game to Fremantle in Bunbury.

More than 13,000 fans attended, mostly going for Fremantle. At the end of the day footy fans just want the four points. That’s what it’s all about. If you polled North fans, I think they would vote for the four points over the money for selling a home game. As a Tigers fan we sold home games to play in Cairns. We lost every time. Tigers fans hated it. I think North fans may be feeling the same way. Wins override dollars for mine. The more you win the more money you make on bigger crowds at over selling games interstate.

9 Is there any other pro sport in the world that allows their coaches to walk through crowds in the middle of games?

I agree with Chris Scott on this matter. It simply shouldn’t happen. Fans are passionate and at times this can boil over obviously towards players and coaches. We would hate to see an altercation between a fan and coach. I remember a game in Geelong in the mid 1990s where I was walking up the players’ race at half time. This race was very accessible for fans to lean over and literally get in a player’s face which a Cats fan did to me. I can’t remember what he said but I went back and we had a physical clash. It wasn’t good and could have ended a lot worse. We need to do better.

10 There are some players from opposition teams that you can’t help but love.

Cody Weightman, right, is that guy for me. Apart from being a very good player, he is also a great guy. He always is smiling and full of positive energy. I was rapt to see him back last Friday after 637 days out injured. He had not played since a 2024 elimination final. The knee injury ordeal he went through was horrific. Five operations and then he suffered a serious staph infection. What a win it was for the Dogs and Cody.