Longmire gets life

Former North Melbourne spearhead and Swans’ coach John Longmire will join elite company in March, set to be named as an AFL Life Member.

With 511 goals from 200 games, Longmire is recognised as being one of North Melbourne's greatest forwards in the modern era. His last appearance in the royal blue and white will long be remembered - the 1999 premiership.

Longmire led the Swans to a premiership in 2012.

He'll be joined by Joel Corey, Lenny Hayes, Ryan O'Keefe, former player and now coach Chris Scott and six-time Grand Final umpire Brett Rosebury as this year's inductees.

Former North club doctor and AFL Medical Commissioner Dr Harry Unglik, who spent 21 years at Arden Street between 1981 and 2002, will become a Life Member under the provision of 'Special Service to the Game'.

David Smorgon (Former Bulldogs' president) and Brian Sierakowski (St Kilda player and administrator) are also set to be recognised.

Schwab fires back

Brisbane Head of Coaching and Development Peter Schwab has struck back at criticism of the club's culture.

In an interview on 3AW, Essendon great Matthew Lloyd said the Lions could be in for 'a world of pain' in 2014.

“New coach, a player exodus ... I’m not sure that everything is that happy up there in Brisbane. I think they’re in for a tough year.”

Schwab didn't take kindly to the comments.

“I haven’t seen Matty in Brisbane lately so how would he know?” he asked The Age's Greg Davis.

“Matty was a great player, he’s paid for his opinions and often opinions aren’t based on facts.

“I don’t think any person outside of Brisbane can talk about culture because they don’t know. They are not here.”

Dee injured, Watts stars

Melbourne will be without midfielder Luke Tapscott for up to a fortnight after he injured a medial ligament in his knee during at intraclub match.

Meanwhile, Jack Watts and former Giant Dom Tyson were strong performers in the scratch match.

Pavlich angry

Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich says his team's performance against West Coast was 'way off the mark'.

The Dockers were smashed by 84-points.

"If you don't turn up with the right attitude and intensity, this competition will find you out very quickly," he said.

"Our effort was way off the mark. A team who had a new coach wanting to impress absolutely smashed us.

"We're expecting West Coast to go really well this year and it's a good reminder of how far we've got to go."

Kouta’s dark days

Carlton champion Anthony Koutoufides has revealed he battled with depression following his stellar 278-game career.

“I think a lot of footballers out there, without us realising it, are lost after footy,’’ he told the Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson.

“Now, when I think back, maybe it was depression ... I’m not that sort of person to say it was depression.

“I was happy with family, and I’m a happy person, but deep down inside there was something definitely hurting.

“Maybe I was in denial.

“Maybe I was a bit stubborn to admit it.’’

No MRP overhaul, yet.
There will be no major changes to the Match Review Panel this year as the AFL initiates a review of the system.

"We are considering some changes," Football operations manager Evans told AFL.com.au.

"It might be that we take a longer-term view of that and assess it across a full season before any major changes comes through, but there might some amendments to that system."

Bombers monitored
The Bombers are close to signing off on a program to medically monitor their players “indefinitely” following the 2012/13 supplements scandal.

The AFL and AFLPA have provided a proposal which would allow independent advice be given to players about the substances administered.

A specialist research institute would undertake a study of the substances with monitoring indefinite due to potential long-term effects.

“We are pleased the club is supportive of the player health protocol that we have developed with the AFL. We look forward to finalising the detail on how it will operate to ensure players are properly supported with respect to monitoring their ongoing health and providing them with expert medical advice,” AFLPA executive Ian Prendergast said.

“I think we acknowledge ongoing monitoring is a responsible approach. We are very much for it, it’s how that happens and that is something we still need to talk to the various authorities about, but in this point in time we would welcome and insist on ongoing monitoring,” Essendon chairman Paul Little said.