Kicking on

The AFL continues to finalise plans for the one-off international rules test against Ireland at Croke Park on November 21. As Pssst has previously reported, a training camp in New York is still being mulled over. What has been confirmed is that the Australian side will again have the three coaches who guided the side to victory in Perth last year. Alastair Clarkson will lead the side, while Fremantle's Ross Lyon and Geelong's Chris Scott will be his assistants.

Boom time 

Once Brent Harvey recovers from celebrating his 400th match – becoming just the fourth man to do so – the champion playmaker will turn his attention towards securing a contract extension. In fact, Harvey has said he is likely to knock on coach Brad Scott's door as early as Tuesday or Wednesday and seek clarity. If Scott gives the go-ahead, Harvey and his manager will then focus on the finer details. However recent industry talk has been critical of North's handling of Harvey. Some have questioned whether Scott has gone too hard at the veteran, while others wonder what may happen if Harvey loses form next year within sight of the VFL/AFL games record of 426. Could there be a sting in the tail?

Everything Wright?

While almost all the milestone talk this week has surrounded Harvey, one of his North Melbourne teammates also notched up a landmark against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night and remains uncontracted for next year. Defender Sam Wright played his 100th game for the Roos on Saturday night, but despite playing every game so far this year does not yet have a deal for 2016. North say there is nothing imminent, leaving Pssst to wonder what might happen.

Growing tension

Rival clubs believe Essendon have about 14 uncontracted players, with Mark Baguley one of these. Baguley, 28, had agreed to a two-year deal with an option for a third but the word now is that financial terms have become an issue. A meeting last week between his management and the Bombers did not last long, and a follow-up meeting has been scheduled. In a disappointing year for the Bombers, the tough small defender has been one of the stand-outs. The drums keep beating that Jake Carlisle, also off contract, will quit the club. Meanwhile, those in the know at Melbourne believe Colin Garland will ink a contract extension. Garland is a restricted free agent and is said to be enjoying the Demons' new-found stability.

Cricket squeeze

Pssst has heard of a bit of discontent in state cricket ranks, with domestic rookies earning as little as $22,000 for their season's work in the 2014-2015 season. With just six first-class sides, seven one-day teams and eight Twenty20 outfits, the opportunities in cricket are so hard to come by compared to professional football codes. As a result, recent history is littered with talented junior sportsmen who decided to forgo promising cricket careers to focus on football. All-rounder Alex Keath was one who bucked the trend, choosing to try and pave his way with Victoria's cricket team rather than the Gold Coast Suns. But Keath's delisting from the Bushrangers at the end of last season has again reinforced the challenge. One of Keath's former teammates said last week that had he been as good at both sports as the teenage Keath, there's no way he would have chosen to play cricket. AFL clubs have been attempting to coax Keath away from cricket to have another crack at football, but the recent word is that his sights remain locked in on trying to find a new cricketing home.

Thai getaway

Thailand has long been a popular destination for footballers looking for some time away from it all in the post-season. But in recent times there have been a couple of high-profile industry personnel who have even visited mid-season. Tom Liberatore was sent by the Western Bulldogs to help his rehabilitation from a season-ending knee injury. Another who got away from Melbourne football madness was leading player agent Paul Connors. We're told there were no chance run-ins.

Worthy recognition

The Bulldogs and Magpies will today jostle for the Robert Rose Cup. Robert played 26 matches for Collingwood between 1970 and 1972 and nine for Footscray in 1973 and was an accomplished first-class cricketer before he was left a quadriplegic in a car accident in 1974, aged 22. Robert, of course, was the son of legendary Collingwood player and coach Bob Rose. His uncles Kevin, Ralph and Bill Rose all played for the Magpies. Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said all players who took to the field on Sunday were aware of the Rose legacy. "We have spent more time in the last couple of years recognising our history and shining a light on why this club is where it is, where it has come from and what it represents and we have found that has had a really strong bonding affect with our players. Bob Rose and the Rose family have been a massive part of the history of this footy club," Buckley said.

Ankle biter

We have all heard of unusual injuries, but this surely is one of the oddest. As reported by our man at The Border Mail, hoops guru Steve Smith, Albury-Wodonga Lady Bandits forward Teyla Evans had been battling a sprained ankle heading into a recent round of games. Nothing unusual there, but the rider being that she had been in doubt because of ... frostbite after over-icing the ankle. Evans had been a 50-50 proposition to play but she eventually took to the court.

Old rivals

Robert Walls and Kevin Sheedy have been at the centre of a simmering feud for many, many years, going back to their playing days at Carlton and Richmond, respectively. They began their playing careers in the same year – 1967 – and their senior coaching careers in the same year – 1981. Walls and Sheedy had a famous verbal stoush on the original version of Talking Footy in the 1990s, when the show was hosted by Bruce McAvaney and featured The Age's Caroline Wilson. In 2007, Sheedy said Walls lacked credibility after two of the clubs – Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy – he had led went "out of existence" and claimed his two-year stretch at Richmond was a "waste" of time. Walls, at the time, had questioned Sheedy's game plan in a year when the Bombers legend was to be sacked. Well, they are back at it again, with Sheedy unhappy with Walls' comments that Essendon captain Jobe Watson consider leaving the club to rediscover his love for the game. Asked why Walls would have made that suggestion, Sheedy said: "I probably always felt that Wallsy might have been a one-club player. I was, I always felt it was great when you're a one-club player, Robert just thinks different. Obviously we're two different peas in a pod."

Fitting sale

It was warming to see an incredible piece of World War II history, an Australian rules "premiers trophy plaque" declaring Richmond as the winner of the 1942 premiership – a match held at the Changi prisoners of war camp – be snapped up at Sotheby's auction for $4200, more than what had been quoted. The 30cm-wide handwritten Changi plaque was an insight into the resilience of Australian diggers at the notorious Japanese-run camp.

Local hero

The drama at last weekend's Davis Cup tie went beyond absent jailbird Bernard Tomic and jaded Nick Kyrgios. Fairfax tennis writer Linda Pearce was sitting next to her friendly rival, News Corp's Courtney Walsh when, right on deadline, the pair returned from the maudlin Kyrgios presser to find the News Corp water bottle dripping into the Fairfax keyboard. Laptop: dead. Sabotage? Of course it was. Well, maybe. Or not. Amid much (damp) hand-wringing, AAP's Justin Chadwick gallantly ran it to the men's room hand-dryer. But, alas. No revival. Of the laptop, at least, with Australia later managing its own miracle on court. As for the laptop, MC extraordinaire Craig Willis swam to the rescue, loaning his PC for the balance of the weekend. Plenty to talk about that night at the Darwin Sailing Club over some, well, liquid refreshments.

The watchman

5 minutes to midnight for Sheffield Shield cricket at the MCG

The AFL won't mind a bit, but the MCG has a grand history of state cricket. But with football now cleared to play at the ground over Easter, all that remains are five home fixtures before the 123-year history of Victorian shield fixtures at the 'G comes to an end.

Numbers up

400 Games chalked up by North Melbourne great Brent Harvey

5 Best and fairests he's won in his time at the club, more than any other player.

4 The votes he has in the AFL Coaches' Association player of the year award in 2015.

The quote

"A 40-year-old with a bit of a sore groin probably doesn't look too flash"- Essendon's Dustin Fletcher keeping it real, conceding that the longest career in VFL/AFL history might just about be done.