Slick Wanderers break Heart

Wanderers ... thrash the hapless Melbourne Heart. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Western Sydney have moved a step closer to wrapping up the minor premiership in their debut A-League season with a typically hard-working 3-1 win over Melbourne Heart.

Labinot Haliti scored once in each half and Iacopo La Rocca notched a late sealer as the league newcomers stretched their record winning streak to 10 and all but extinguished the Heart's finals hopes at AAMI Park on Saturday.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Western Sydney	25	17	2	6	17	53
2	Central Coast	24	13	6	5	22	45
3	Victory	24	12	4	8	3	40
4	Adelaide	25	12	4	9	3	40
5	Newcastle	26	8	7	11	-12	31
6	Sydney	24	9	3	12	-8	30
7	Brisbane	24	8	5	11	1	29
8	Perth	24	8	4	12	-2	28
9	Heart	25	8	3	14	-6	27
10	Wellington	25	6	6	13	-18	24

The Wanderers climbed eight points clear of second-placed Central Coast.

That means if the Mariners don't secure maximum points against Brisbane Roar on Sunday, Western Sydney will have wrapped up the premiers' plate with two rounds to spare.

The Heart remain second last, with Saturday's loss their second home defeat in the space of five days.

They also lost veteran defender Simon Colosimo, who was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the space of four minutes in the second half.

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Re-live all the action in our interactive A-League Match Centre, featuring video highlights

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The match was tight until Haliti completed an expertly worked team goal in the 28th minute.

It started with Mark Bridge dribbling past a defender into the box and crossing to Aaron Mooy, whose neat pass set up Haliti for his accurate finish.

The Heart's Sudanese-born refugee Golgol Mebrahtu, given a rare start as one of five changes to Melbourne's starting side, levelled the game in the 39th minute with a wonder strike.

Receiving 20m out, he spun and shot between two fast-closing defenders, with the ball still rising as it scorched past keeper Ante Covic.

Mebrahtu almost set up another goal from a free kick approaching halftime, but Josip Tadic was ruled off-side as he possibly touched home a goal-bound Richard Garcia header.

Instead, it was the visitors who took the lead 15 minutes into the second half, Haliti smashing the ball home from the middle of the box, after La Rocca threaded a pass through a sea of defenders.

La Rocca needed no help for the 88th-minute sealer, a crisp strike from long range.

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'Saders score bonus point win

Committed ... Scrum-half Andy Ellis executes a diving clearance in his side's win over the Bulls. Source: AAP

Seven-times Super Rugby champions the Crusaders have recorded their first win from three games this season with a 41-19 victory over the previously unbeaten Bulls in Christchurch.

The Crusaders have scored six tries in the comprehensive win.

6 Tries 1
Robbie Fruean 25'	Deon Stegmann 67'
Kieran Read 30'
Johnny McNicholl 40'
Tom Marshall 45'
Wyatt Crockett 61'
Willi Heinz 79'
4 Conversions 1
Daniel Carter 27'	Morne Steyn 68'
Daniel Carter 40'
Daniel Carter 46'
Daniel Carter 80'
1 Penalties 4
Daniel Carter 7'	Morne Steyn 21'
	Morne Steyn 35'
	Morne Steyn 38'
	Morne Steyn 43'

Backing up after last weekend's 28-21 win over the Blues in Auckland, the Bulls never really threatened as the Crusaders overcame a shaky start to run in three tries in each half for the comprehensive win.

Australia Conference		W	L	D	PD	BP	Pts
1	Brumbies	3	0	0	64	2	18
2	Reds	3	1	0	6	0	12
3	Melbourne Rebels	1	3	0	-25	1	9
4	Waratahs	1	3	0	-33	1	9
5	Western Force	0	3	0	-29	1	5
New Zealand Conference		W	L	D	PD	BP	Pts
1	Chiefs	3	1	0	65	5	17
2	Blues	2	1	0	26	3	15
3	Crusaders	1	2	0	2	3	11
4	Hurricanes	2	2	0	-15	1	9
5	Highlanders	0	3	0	-35	1	5
South Africa Conference		W	L	D	PD	BP	Pts
1	Bulls	3	1	0	3	1	13
2	Sharks	3	0	0	22	0	12
3	Cheetahs	2	2	0	-31	1	9
4	Stormers	1	2	0	-12	1	9
5	Southern Kings	1	2	0	-8	0	8

Crusaders centre Robbie Fruean had a nightmare opening 20 minutes, featuring in a succession of handling errors and sloppy passes.

But with frustration mounting, and only an early Dan Carter penalty on the board, the Crusaders finally started to hang onto the ball and build phases.

Inevitably, it was Fruean who sliced through the Bulls' backline to dot down, Carter's conversion giving the Crusaders a 10-3 lead after 24 minutes.

Six minutes later, skipper Kieran Read was driven over after the Crusaders again showed patience, recycling possession efficiently and stretching the well-organised Bulls defence to the limit.

The boot of Springboks No.10 Morne Steyn kept the Bulls in touch at 15-9, but winger Johnny McNicholl finished clinically right on the stroke of halftime after the Crusaders were unrelenting over 17 phases.

Ahead 22-9 at the break, and despite another Steyn penalty soon after the restart, winger Tom Marshall notched up the bonus-point try on 45 minutes as the Crusaders mounted another telling counterattack from a turnover on halfway.

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Re-live all the action from the Crusaders' big win at our Super Rugby Match Centre, with video highlights and all the stats.

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The home team dictated terms from then on, dominating possession and territory, and keeping the Bulls pinned down on defence.

Loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett added the Crusaders' fifth try with 20 minutes remaining, finishing off another searing run from Marshall.

The Bulls replied through blindside flanker Deon Stegmann after a trademark drive from an attacking lineout but replacement halfback Willi Heinz danced over for the Crusaders' sixth just two minutes before the final whistle.

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Tigers, Vics to go down to wire

Key man ... Alex Doolan remained not out at stumps on day three. Source: Nikki Davis-jones / News Limited

Tasmania and Victoria will be in a fight to the death when the last day of the Sheffield Shield's regular season gets underway on Sunday.

SHEF - Blundstone Arena

14 March 2013 - Day 3, Session 3

Tasmania 2nd Innings

J. Silk	61	116	4	0	52.59
A. Doolan	23	35	3	0	65.71

Only outright victory at Bellerive can guarantee the Tigers or Bushrangers a place in next week's final, although the Vics may sneak in if Western Australia and Queensland play out a draw.

After New South Wales thrashed South Australia, five sides remain in the running to host the decider.

Tasmania were 1-137 at stumps on a rain-interrupted day three, a lead of 148, and they will chase quick runs on Sunday morning before attempting to bowl the Bushrangers out.

Victoria expect to be chasing a target of around 300 in 70 overs, but Tigers coach Tim Coyle was giving little away.

"(We'll) see what the weather forecast is and just have a look and see what the conditions are like and (go) into the day with a few scenarios in our minds and be pretty flexible with that,'' he said.

Adding to the tension is the X-factor of rain in Hobart, with 48 overs lost on Saturday and showers forecast for day four.

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Watch the thrilling final day of the Sheffield Shield match between Tasmania and Victoria with our LIVE STREAM.

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Century-making Victoria batsman David Hussey said his side, which came into the final round of matches in top spot, would have no choice but to chase the victory after letting the two crucial first-innings points slip.

"It's going to be difficult," said Hussey, who made 112 in Victoria's first dig of 358 in reply to Tasmania's 6(dec)-369.

"It's probably not a new-ball wicket. It's probably more of an old ball wicket with it reversing a little bit.

"We need to really bat well tomorrow and whatever target they set we'll be definitely going for it."

The Tigers began their second innings well with openers Mark Cosgrove (50) and Jordan Silk (61no) putting on 98 before Cosgrove was bowled by Fawad Ahmed (1-30).

Silk will resume with Alex Doolan, who is unbeaten on 23.

The Tigers' destiny is entirely in their own hands, Coyle said.

"We're really worrying about what's going to happen here," he said.

"We know what's gone on up (in Sydney) and we'll keep an eye on what happens over in the west as well.

"All those things impact but at the end of the day this is a six-point game for both teams."

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Cosgrove topples Vics with ball

Hero ... Mark Cosgrove picked up two key wickets for Tasmania. Source: Kim Eiszele / News Limited

Tasmania grabbed the upper hand by reducing Victoria to a first innings 7-264 as bad light caused stumps to be called early on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive.

The Bushrangers lost 7-127 after they were 0-137 to still be 105 behind the home side's 6(dec)-369.

The Tigers might be closing in on first-innings points, but they will be of little use without an outright victory and other results going their way as they attempt to sneak into next week's final.

SHEF - Blundstone Arena

14 March 2013 - Day 2, Session 3

Victoria 1st Innings

D. Hussey	46	83	4	1	55.42
J. Herrick	1	10	0	0	10

Both sides desperately need the full six points on offer but showers forecast for Hobart over the weekend are likely to come into play.

Victoria assistant coach said no matter what the weather, the Bushrangers wanted all six points.

"We've come into this game knowing full well that there's 21 different scenarios,'' Wright said.

"We need six points and that's the way we want to play our cricket.''

Burly part-timer Mark Cosgrove (2-34) proved an unlikely bowling hero for Tasmania, his medium pacers occasionally keeping low as he grabbed the breakthrough wickets of Marcus Stoinis (36) and Victorian skipper Cameron White (36).

James Faulkner (2-55) and Evan Gulbis (2-77) chipped in with two scalps each.

Victorian openers Chris Rogers (73) and Rob Quiney (60) put on a seemingly effortless century partnership to have the Vics flying before both were out with the score on 137.

It was 3-157 when Michael Hill (4) was trapped in front by Faulkner and 4-189 when Stoinis was also out lbw to one that kept low from Cosgrove.

White and David Hussey (46no) steadied the innings with a partnership of 51 before the skipper was caught at mid-on and it was 5-240.

Peter Handscomb managed just three and John Hastings made a duck, both bowled by the unheralded Gulbis.

Bellerive's lights were turned on late on Friday afternoon but the players left the ground around 5.40pm with 14 overs remaining for the day.

Tigers captain George Bailey wasn't impressed by the bad light call.

"I'm pretty sure both teams wanted to be out there,'' he said.

"There's a lot on the line in this game and we were certainly still keen to play.

"It sets a bit of a precedent for the next couple of days and with a bit of weather about it's not ideal.''

Pushing for an outright win, Tasmania declared on their overnight score before play on day two after Ricky Ponting had top-scored with 104.

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Understrength Cats humble Magpies

Big win ... Jimmy Bartel looks to launch the Cats into attack. Source: Stephen Harman / News Limited

Youngsters Josh Caddy and Mark Blicavs impressed for Geelong as they beat Collingwood by 51 points in their AFL practice match.

The Cats kicked clear in the second term on Friday at Simonds Stadium and easily took care of the Magpies 20.21 (141) to 13.12 (90).

Caddy, recruited late last year in a trade with Gold Coast, had 20 disposals through the midfield and kicked two goals.

Blicavs is yet to make his senior debut, but the former Olympic athletics hopeful in the steeplechase will probably lead the Cats' rucks in the round-one blockbuster against Hawthorn.

He had 16 hitouts and held his own against Magpies' star Darren Jolly.

The Cats had 14 goalkickers and broke the game open with eight goals to two in the second term.

Cats coach Chris Scott was excited by his list ahead of round one.

"Somewhere between 15 to 30 on our list is pretty close, we've got a big group of players that are capable of playing really good, solid, AFL footy in the early rounds of the season,'' Scott said.

"I'm pretty confident our side (in) round one won't be our side round four, we've got a pretty even spread among those guys on the fringes.''

There were no restrictions on interchanges and the two sides made full use - 173 for Geelong and 163 for Collingwood.

The two sides were missing several senior players ahead of round one.

Steve Johnson and James Kelly, who will miss the Hawthorn game through suspension, did not play for the Cats and Joel Corey was rested.

Ruckmen Trent West and Nathan Vardy were also out of the side and Paul Chapman was a late withdrawal with a thigh injury.

For the 'Pies, Andrew Krakouer and Alex Fasolo will resume over the weekend in the VFL.

Luke Ball, Dale Thomas and Alan Didak will probably miss round one against North Melbourne, while Clinton Young was a late withdrawal for Friday's game.

Coach Nathan Buckley was pleased with his team's preparations despite the heavy loss.

"I'm not disappointed with our pre-season - I believe we're in good shape,'' he said ahead of their round-one game against North Melbourne.
"The performance in isolation today was poor. Our last six quarters of footy, we don't want to hang our hat on that, but the pre-season in entirety we feel we're in decent shape to begin well.''

Buckley singled out rookie-listed player Sam Dwyer for praise, saying he showed great effort as he tries to earn an elevation to their senior list.

"It was indicative of a player who there was no tomorrow for - he was playing for everything,'' Buckley said.

"That was a fair contrast to the majority of the rest of our players.''

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Video: Clarke at No.3 fails...badly

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Unsuccessful ... Clarke's stint at No.3 lasted one ball. Source: Rob Griffith / AAP

Michael Clarke's decision to promote himself from No.5 to No.3 in the batting order has started in disastrous fashion, with the skipper making a first-ball duck against India on Friday.

After the first day's play of the third Test had been washed out in Mohali, Clarke won the toss and his side reached 0-109 at lunch on Friday.

However following the dismissal of David Warner, caught by wicketkeeper MS Dhoni off the bowling of left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for 71 at 1-139, Clarke charged down the pitch to his first delivery and was stumped.

Clarke had been Australia's leading scorer in the first two Tests of the four-match series with 268 runs.

The 31-year-old Clarke was also the leading run-scorer in Test cricket in 2012.

But an inexperienced side - plus the poor form of Phil Hughes at No.3 and the one-match suspension for No.4 and vice-captain Shane Watson over the "homeworkgate" affair - convinced Clarke he needed to inject himself into the vital No.3 spot in Mohali.

Australia's troubles continued 12 runs after Clarke's dismissal when Hughes was out for two to spinner Pragyan Ojha.

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Galekovic surprised by call-up

Custodian ... Eugene Galekovic admits he was surprised by his call-up. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Adelaide United skipper Eugene Galekovic said he was surprised when Socceroos coach Holger Osieck named him alongside Australia's best gloveman Mark Schwarzer.

Mark Bresciano

Alex Brosque

Tim Cahill

Robbie Cornthwaite

Dino Djulbic

Eugene Galekovic

James Holland

Brett Holman

Mile Jedinak

Robbie Kruse

Ryan McGowan

Matt McKay

Mark Milligan

Jade North

Tommy Oar

Tomas Rogic

Mat Ryan

Mark Schwarzer

Archie Thompson

Michael Thwaite

Luke Wilkshire

Rhys Williams

Michael Zullo

On Wednesday, Osieck unveiled a 23-man Socceroos FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying squad for the clash against Oman at Stadium Australia on March 26.

Galekovic, Schwarzer and Central Coast's Mat Ryan made the keepers' cut.

Right on cue, Galekovic put on a great show when Osieck was a keen observer during Adelaide's 2-0 win over Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Monday.

"Yeah a little bit (surprised) considering all the players from Europe were coming back and the Middle East," Galekovic said after Adelaide training at Hindmarsh this morning.

"Yeah surprised but happy to be going to Sydney and meeting up with the boys,"

"In the future Mark Schwarzer has got his hand on the job but if something does pop up in the near future maybe in Holger's mind you might be a chance."

Osieck said Galekovic, 31, and Ryan, 20, will be given every chance to prove whether they are good enough to keep 40-year-old Schwarzer on his toes until Fulham's shot stopper decides to hang up his gloves.

"We have an opportunity to look at potential candidates for the future," Osieck said.

"And that is what I'm doing and although Eugene is not the youngest anymore but his A-League season so far has been outstanding.

"I saw a couple of games that he played and I had him in that (East Asian Cup) Hong Kong tournament in December and he did very well.

"Mat Ryan is really one of the upcoming keepers that could be in the Socceroos for the next couple of years."

Although Osieck admitted he hasn't named the strongest available squad for the Oman clash the German was confident with his selection before bunkering down to a Sydney camp from Tuesday.

"We're actually not really (the strongest)," Osieck said.

"I wished I had Matthew Spiranovic, unfortunately he is injured and Nikita Rukavytsya is injured and other than that it's a strong group.

"But there's also Lucas Neill with suspension and Carl Valeri due to both injury and suspension."

Osieck also said he hasn't written off Qatar-based former Adelaide United stopper Sasa Ognenovski for the remainder of the 2014 World Cup campaign.

Ognenovski hasn't been named for international duty since October.

"In football, you should never say never," he said.

"But right now I think the guys that are on my list they could do a good job for us so I decided to put them up."

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Watto's a team player: Hayden

Matthew Hayden ... backs Shane Watson amid "homework gate". Source: Prakash Singh / AAP

Modern-day Test great Matthew Hayden has strongly backed Shane Watson as a team man and questioned whether senior cricket officials are committed to the "fundamental Australian ways'' of the game.

Watson's career is at a crossroads after Cricket Australia's high-performance manager, Pat Howard, suggested the vice-captain was selfish by saying he was a team player "sometimes''.

Stood down from being available for the third Test against India along with Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson for failing to complete a "homework'' task, Watson took issue with Howard's comments and said his teammates were the best judge.

But, with Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricket Association advising a united front in a time of crisis, there were few going into bat for the all-rounder on Wednesday.

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High-profile former Test players like Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey directly declined to comment about the current situation, as did former batting coach Justin Langer, while even Watson's more recent domestic teammates were reluctant to speak out.

Hayden, who played with Watson for Australia and Queensland from 2003 to 2008, though praised the 31-year-old.

"Shane is a team man and vice-captain of our nation,'' he said in an emailed response to AAP.

"Along with his gentle disposition yet outstanding competitive streak it has enabled Shane's immense talents with both bat and ball to rise to the top to become one of this country's more decorated performers in all forms of the game.

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"I have played with Shane since he was a boy. He has battled with injury and risen in spite of major setbacks to overcome the obstacles presented in true Aussie spirit.''

Hayden said he was immensely saddened by Michael Clarke's team under-performing on and off the field, especially succumbing "culturally and socially'' to the pressure of consecutive Test losses in India.

The former opener stressed cricket represented Australians as "roll up your sleeve, she'll be right mate, have a go in spite of challenges, punch above our weight'' people.

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"And most importantly never leave your mate on the battle field,'' he wrote.

"I hope every inch of Pat Howard and senior (CA) management has those core and fundamental Australian ways pumping through their veins?''

Former leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, the latest to label coach Mickey Arthur's assignment task as "stupid'', felt cricket teams needed to embrace individuality to succeed.

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Catch all the action from the third Test between Australia and India on Fox Sports 2HD, Thursday 2.50pm (EDT)

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"Being an individual within a cricket team doesn't mean that you're selfish,'' he told AAP.

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Australian Twenty20 captain George Bailey had no doubts Watson would be back firing on the international stage in all three forms of the game and was positive about his captaincy in last year's one-day series in the West Indies when Clarke was injured.

"I thought he led really well,'' Bailey said. "It was a really challenging tour for us but certainly his own performance was outstanding.

"The funny thing about leadership is there's so many different ways to show it and if your leader's being the best player on the field and preparing well and performing well it's a great way of showing leadership.''

Another one-day teammate, Western Australia's Adam Voges, said Watson had "always been a team man when I've played with him''.

"He's been nothing short of professional and very much team-orientated,'' Voges said.

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Morabito confident after surgery

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Recovery ... Anthony Morabito remains strong after a third reconstruction. Source: Michael Dodge / News Limited

Fremantle midfielder Anthony Morabito is confident he can still carve out a successful AFL career after undergoing a hybrid form of LARS surgery.

Morabito said he never contemplated retiring despite rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee for the third time last January.

The 21-year-old was all set to undergo a traditional knee reconstruction, but changed his mind after a call from Sydney premiership defender Nick Malceski, who has undergone the LARS procedure twice.

However, instead of the usual LARS procedure, which uses a synthetic graft to reconstruct the knee, Morabito's was slightly different.

"We went for a hybrid graft, which incorporates the LARS with part of your own hamstring tendon,'' Morabito told reporters in Perth on Wednesday.

"So the aim of that is to get the short turnaround of the LARS, but also have the longevity of a hamstring graft over time.

"It was something new for us.

"Once we had the information, it seemed like the logical answer, just because it did give you that long-term effect if all goes to plan.

"I would not have wanted to go down the pure LARS path, just for the fact that I would have felt like I was trying to salvage something out of nothing.''

Morabito, who underwent the LARS procedure in January, hopes to be back on the field in the first half of this season, but said it might take some time for him to recapture his best form.

"I just look forward to training every day now and improving on a daily basis with the knowledge that football is going to happen at some stage this year,'' he said.

"I have no doubt in my football ability.

"At 21 years of age, I'd like to think there's still football ahead of me.

"I never thought about giving it away. But as you can imagine I was pretty distraught when it happened.

"Luckily for me, that phone call from Malceski came at the right time, because it really put me on the path to where I wanted to go.''

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Can the Sharks survive on emotion?

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Ecstasy ... Wade Graham laps up the high of beating the Titans on Sunday. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

It's been one of the most tumultuous 48 hours in an NRL club's history.

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From the bombshell to hit Cronulla when Shane Flanagan was stood down and four of his support staff were sacked on Friday to Sunday night's electric round one game at Sharks Stadium, Cronulla players and fans have experienced the full spectrum of emotions.

When Cronulla ran out to face Gold Coast Titans in front of 17,000 distressed fans, things could have gone either way.

Either the Sharks were going to ride to victory on a wave of pent-up frustration and the desire to give their absent coach a performance full of heart and fighting spirit, or they were going to push so hard that they hit a wall when the emotional reserves ran out, resulting in a spirit-draining loss.

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Thankfully for the die-hards from the Shire, the Sharks managed to cling on for a two-point victory in what was a breathtaking, high-octane 80 minutes of football.

It worked in week one but how long can a season be stitched together by emotion?

Clearly the answer is not long, particularly if, as we expect, Cronulla continue to take a pummeling as more of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) case against the club is built and leaked over the next four weeks.

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Sharks captain Paul Gallen has recognised this and spoke in Sunday night's post-match press conference about the need to find more sustainable motivation if they're to keep winning.

"We knew it was going to be emotional," Gallen said of Sunday night's game.

"But emotion doesn't mean much when you get tired."

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That much was clear from the relief on the players' faces when the full-time whistle blew on Sunday.

It looked as though the weight of the world had been lifted off their shoulders as they lapped the ground soaking in the adulation of their fans, and thanking them for their support.

Gallen summed it up when he said the 80 minutes of football had been the easiest thing they'd done all week.

"I couldn't wait to play. It was 80 minutes where we just got to do what we do best," Gallen said. "It was the best part of the week."

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Todd Carney is one of Cronulla's stars who has been sucked in to the drug scandal engulfing the club.

He wasn't there in 2011, the year that ASADA's investigation is focused on, but he has been swept up by the media circus surrounding it regardless.

Carney spoke to Fox Sports News on Monday and made it clear he was getting tired of the club's challenges outside of football.

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"Our job's to play football, we're paid to play football, we turn up to play for 80 minutes and the fans come to watch us play," Carney said as he arrived for the team recovery session at the Sharks' training base.

"We've just got to do that and all the other things will be dealt with."

But with club chairman Damian Irvine under fire for bringing to light allegations that Sharks players had used TV-500 - a drug most commonly used on horses - and using these stunning claims to justify the standing down of Flanagan and sacking of four support staff, how can the players focus on training?

Speculation is growing that Irvine, potentially along with the rest of his board, will be sacked.

That may well happen sometime this week, and if it does, can we really expect the players to get themselves up for another superhuman performance? Particularly as they face the in-form South Sydney away from the rabid support of their home fans.

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Test team turmoil: have your say

Disciplined ... Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson will not play in Mohali. Source: Rob Griffith / AP

Australia's cricket community has gone into meltdown in the wake of four players being stood down in India after failing to complete a second Test review.

Australia coach Mickey Arthur labelled the incident as a line in the sand moment after Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson were told they would not be considered for selection in the third Test in Mohali.

Despite two losses, Pattinson had been a shining light for the struggling Australia attack, leading the wicket-taking with eight scalps and behind only Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the series statistics.

[View the story "Test team in turmoil" on Storify]

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Four dumped from Test team

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Stood down ... Shane Watson didn't meet team guidelines. Source: Rick Rycroft / AP

Australia vice-captain Shane Watson and teammates James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson have been ruled out of the third Test against India because of disciplinary reasons.

In a landmark day for Australian cricket, coach Mickey Arthur revealed the quartet have been stood down for one match for not taking part in a written review following the side's heavy innings defeat in the second Test.

The 16-man touring party was asked to complete a personal review of the team's culture and expectations and the improvements needed to be made for the third Test starting Thursday.

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Arthur said Watson, Pattinson, Khawaja and Johnson had failed to submit a personal analysis - prompting team hierarchy to immediately rule the group out for the Test in Mohali.

The coach said the quartet are "gutted". He added it was the toughest day of his coaching career, but a step necessary in his goal to make Australia's the No.1 Test side in world cricket.

While the contingent will be considered for the fourth Test in Delhi, Arthur said the decision was a "line in the sand" for Australian cricket.

The fallout is particularly severe for Watson, who is the Australian vice-captain and has been under pressure after a dismal run of form at Test level in the past 18 months.

Arthur said that after going two down in the series the team was "really hurting."

"We were discussing ways to get back in the series. I asked the players to give me a presentation individually.

"I wanted three points from them - technically, mentally and team - as to  how we were going to get back into the series.

"Unfortunately four players did not comply with that.

"We pride ourselves on attitude - we have given the players a huge amount of latitude to get culture and attitude right. 

"We believe those behaviours were not consistent with what we want to do with this team, how we want to take this team to be the best in the world.

"The teams that are best in the world have best attitudes, have best behaviour patterns and have a good hard ruthless culture."

Pattinson is Australia's leading wicket-taker in the series with eight wickets at 23.62. Watson has scored 77 runs at 19.25.

Former Australian captain Allan Border said he was surprised the players had been axed for the reasons given  and labelled the decision as an "over the top reaction".

"It seems a bit of a strong measure for a coach or captain to take," Border told Fox Sports News.

"I'm surprised that's the penalty for something so mundane. It seems like it was on a schoolboy tour or something. It's an over the top reaction.

"I haven't seen anything quite like this - there have been players stood down for bad behaviour or breaking curfews but something like this where you have basically refused to fill out a performance review, it's the first time I've ever heard of it."

"I'm stunned," said former Test player Mark Waugh. "I just want to know what would have happened if eight of the guys hadn't filled in the form, we wouldn't have a team for the game.

"I've never heard of this sort of thing before at top level in any sport.

"When you are losing there are niggling things there but they're grown men, it's not school boy stuff. It's not under 6s, this is Test cricket… there would have been a better way." 

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Wanderers go five points clear

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Wonderful Wanderers ... Tony Popovic's side made it nine in a row against Wellington. Source: Paul Miller / AAP

Western Sydney extended their lead atop the A-League ladder on Sunday, beating Wellington 2-1 at Parramatta Stadium to post a record-breaking ninth consecutive victory.

Japanese star Shinji Ono and striker Mark Bridge both scored from penalties for the Wanderers, with Jeremy Brockie getting one back for the visitors.

The win puts the Wanderers five points clear of Central Coast on the table and means they surpass the league's all-time longest winning streak of eight straight matches set by Melbourne Victory in the inaugural season.

But it was hardly the thumping most were expecting as the bottom-placed Phoenix managed to match it with the ladder-leaders for most of the game.

With history on the line the Wanderers came out on the attack and didn't have to wait long to get on the scoresheet.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Western Sydney	24	16	2	6	15	50
2	Central Coast	24	13	6	5	22	45
3	Victory	24	12	4	8	3	40
4	Adelaide	23	11	3	9	1	36
5	Sydney	24	9	3	12	-8	30
6	Newcastle	25	8	6	11	-12	30
7	Brisbane	24	8	5	11	1	29
8	Perth	24	8	4	12	-2	28
9	Heart	23	8	3	12	-2	27
10	Wellington	25	6	6	13	-18	24

Wellington defender Tony Lochhead conceded a penalty six minutes in for tripping Youssouf Hersi in the box.

Ono stepped up to the mark and made no mistake, putting the hosts in front in the eighth minute to send the majority of the 15,8009 fans into raptures.

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Re-live all the drama from the Wanderers' narrow victory over Wellington, with video of all the action, at our A-League Match Centre.

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Brockie found the equaliser in the 22nd minute getting on the end of a Leo Bertos cross, scoring his 15th goal of the season to join Central Coast's Daniel McBreen at the top of the goalscorers' list.

Just when it looked like the Phoenix had the momentum, they shot themselves in the foot right after the break by giving away another penalty courtesy of a blatant handball by Vince Lia.

This time Bridge took the spot-kick to give the Wanderers a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute.

Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Labinot Haliti both threatened with strikes moments later while the Phoenix's new young striker Corey Gameiro and Paul Ifill tested 'keeper Ante Covic at the other end.

Hersi had a chance to widen the gap in the 80th minute but Phoenix gloveman Glen Moss did well to save the effort.

Lia looked like levelling in the dying minutes, forcing a save from Covic.

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Matthew Wade injures ankle in India

Paceman Peter Siddle is determined to lead Australia to an improved performance in India. Source: AAP

WICKETKEEPER Matthew Wade is in doubt for Thursday's third Test with an ankle injury as Australia's tour of India lurches from bad to worse.

Wade didn't train with the squad at Mohali on Sunday after rolling his ankle playing basketball.

Team doctor Peter Brukner said the results of medical scans would be emailed to specialists in Australia overnight before a decision is made on flying over former Test gloveman Brad Haddin, who is on standby.

"Hopefully we'll get that answer back by tomorrow morning," Brukner said.

"There's nothing horrendous there.

"The scan here was quite good but their specialist guy is not here this weekend but we just want to be satisfied.

"...We've got a couple of guys back in Australia who are the best in the world at reading this sort of stuff. We'll email those scans back this afternoon.

"We'll make that decision (on Haddin) probably tonight, or when we get these scans back."

Victoria's Wade has been in the wars on this Indian tour, suffering a fractured cheekbone on the day before the second Test in Hyderabad and playing the match with the aid of painkillers.

"Matt Wade sprained his right ankle playing basketball yesterday afternoon," team physio Alex Kountouris said in a statement on Sunday.

"His ankle is subsequently swollen and painful."

Australia allrounder Moises Henriques said Wade's injury was very unfortunate.

"He could have done it doing anything, but he did it during a casual game of basketball," Henriques told reporters.

"I don't know the extent of the injury.

"He's as tough a little character as there is, so if there's a chance of him playing he certainly will."

Henriques backed his 35-year-old NSW teammate Haddin - who has scored 468 runs at 52.00 in seven Sheffield Shield matches this summer - to take over in grand style if required.

"Bradley being such a seasoned campaigner now and he has toured here before so he has got that experience," Henriques said of the 43-Test veteran.

"So I'm sure if he was needed, he'd certainly come in and do a fantastic job."

Henriques said he wasn't sure of the results of Wade's scans.

"But he was in pretty good spirits just before in the change rooms," Henriques said.

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Passion-filled Sharks bite Titans

Cronulla Sharks ... Matthew Wright scores the first try. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

Cronulla have turned the turmoil engulfing their club into motivation to win a 12-10 nail-biter against Gold Coast Titans at Sharks Stadium on Sunday night.

2 Tries 2
Matthew Wright 27'	David Mead 47'
Andrew Fifita 55'	Dave Taylor 70'
2 Conversions 1
Michael Gordon 29'	Aiden Sezer 49'
Michael Gordon 57'

Having their coach Shane Flanagan stood down by the Sharks board just two days prior to the clash, the team produced a passion-filled performance.

It took 26 minutes for the first try to come and it was Sharks centre Matthew Wright who crossed having caught a perfectly weighted Todd Carney kick.

6-0 at half-time, it was an almost identical try in the 6th minute but this time to the Titans.

Aiden Sezer kicked to the wing of David Mead who out-leaped Johnathan Wright.

Sezer nailed the kick at goal to level the scores.

With pressure mounting, the Sharks lifted another gear and Andrew Fifita charged across relatively untouched off a John Morris pass.

Ahead 12-6, Sharks winger Johnathan Wright was denied a try but not Titans prized recruit Dave Taylor.

Albert Kelly lofted a kick to the corner of the field, with the ball bouncing off the arm of Michael Gordon, into the back of Mead and into Taylor's hands.

Sezer however missed the conversion to keep the Sharks in a two point lead and ultimately gifted them the win.  

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