Hanley to be a hunted Lion

Pearce Hanley was the Brisbane Lions' big surprise packet of 2013. Picture: Jono Searle Source: Jonathon Searle / News Limited

"I KNOW they are coming for me.''

It sounds ominous but Lions star Pearce Hanley is in no doubt that he will be a hunted man in 2014.

His summer will be based about preparing for the onslaught from the AFL's best taggers.

Hanley took another step towards stardom with a breakout year in 2013 when he became arguably Brisbane's most important player.

His devastating run and carry, aggression, competitiveness, finishing ability and pinpoint-accurate right boot make him a marquee man at the Gabba.

LIONS FACE TOUGH START TO 2014

But there were bumps on the road to elite company with taggers occasionally getting the best of the Irishman, no more so than Collingwood's Brent Macaffer who kept the 24-year-old to just 10 touches in Round 10.

They may not be able to cage Hanley next time around.

His is fitter and more focused than ever before and is no longer an Irish novelty.

All clubs will be watching the Irishman more closely next season. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: News Limited

A genuine AFL A-lister in the making, Hanley recorded a personal-best time for the 2km time trial last Tuesday before the Lions departed for the two-week high altitude camp in Arizona.

"I expected a bit of extra attention last year but I know they are coming for me next season," Hanley said.

"I really attacked my off-season program and I'm pretty happy with my PB in the time trial.

"I just want to do everything I did last year and improve on it all ... take it up a notch.

"I'd like to play through the midfield more. I'm going to work closely with Andrew Raines, who tags for us, to learn how to deal with taggers and how to work through it.

"We've got a young and exciting midfield and I'd love to be a part of that."

HANLEY HITS OUT ON TWITTER

Hanley inked a lucrative five-year deal with the club last year. His commitment to the Lions' cause was evident when he took to Twitter to label the club's "Go Home 5" - Billy Longer, Jared Polec, Sam Docherty, Patrick Karnezis and Elliot Yeo - "Mummy's boys".

With 76 AFL games to his name after making his debut in 2008, the County Mayo product is ready to embrace the extra responsibility of the year ahead.

"I need to evolve my game. I can't be satisfied with what I've done so far," he said.

"I need to keep learning and keep improving and show some leadership."

BLACK TO ASSIST AT LIONS

Hanley will look to recently retired AFL legend Simon Black for advice.

"We will miss Blacky's nous and class out on the field but it's great to have him still at the club as an assistant coach," he said.

"He is an all-time great of the game. It will be great to learn from the best."

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fighter Jay will not quit

Jay Kennedy-Harris (right) is an exciting small forward. Source: Supplied / News Limited

JAY Kennedy-Harris is a fighter.

If he doesn't find an AFL home at this month's national draft he won't give up.

The small forward with spades of defensive pressure says he'll "bounce back and keep working for it.'' He knows he's resilient.

Kennedy-Harris learnt that when he was 13 and he lost his father, Edgar Harris, to throat cancer.

The boy who this year became the first ever Indigenous player to captain a TAC Cup club had to step up at home, where he lived with his mum and younger sister.

WATCH EXCLUSIVE HIGHLIGHTS AND ANALYSIS OF JAY KENNEDY-HARRIS BELOW

Kennedy-Harris says while it advanced his maturity, the prolific tackler found it hard fronting up to footy each week and watching all his mates embrace their dad's after games.

"I just know as a person whether it was from those experiences or I've just always had it, when times get tough I just grind through it,'' he said.

"I grew up with my mum and my sister at home and not having a dad where I could go out there and get among men and boys and that sort of thing was hard.

"I've always loved my footy and I guess when that happened it was a setback, but it also gave me a bit of extra inspiration to push on and remember when times get tough they could be even tougher.''

"I really loved my footy and it seemed to fill a bit of a hole.''

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Kennedy-Harris used to spend each school holidays with his dad in Queensland.

"He was always a huge advocate that if you want to go with it, put your all into it and I think that's what I've done,'' he said.

"He wasn't hugely interested (in footy) but he wanted me enjoying doing whatever I did."

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter

Kennedy-Harris, who is set to buck the trend after the recent dearth of Indigenous players drafted - especially from Victoria - could be the most independent draft prospect this year.

He moved out of his Endeavour Hills home after Year 8 and boarded at Trinity Grammar.

This year he lived on campus at Melbourne University, studying a science degree, meaning he has always taken total control of his life, be it organising how to get to Oakleigh Chargers training before he had a licence or knuckling down for exams.

Jay Kennedy Harris in the dining room of his Melbourne University college. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited

At Trinity he became friends with North Melbourne's father-son gun Luke McDonald, whose family used to often drive Kennedy-Harris to junior footy games.

Kennedy-Harris's thoughts on the draft are pragmatic.

"If it doesn't work out it's just about bouncing back and keep working for it but if it does it'll be a dream come true.''

Fortunately for him, every club except Collingwood and Fremantle have expressed interest with Melbourne, the Roos and Adelaide all circling.

And Kennedy-Harris's fears his 173cm frame would be too small for the elite level were washed away this year as the even smaller Jake Neade made an instant impact at Port Adelaide.

"I definitely take a lot of inspiration from how Neade goes about his footy,'' he said.

"To have someone start in the AFL Round 1 at the size he is was a huge confidence booster.

"The way we play we don't need to be tall. Sure, it helps, but if we're better in different areas we'll be just as good.''

PICK ME: The best kick in the draft?

Kennedy-Harris flourished as a small forward last year before moving into the midfield this season and sizzling, with his creativity - modelled on Steven Motlop - cracking games open.

The Chargers frequently showed highlights of his chase-down tackles as inspiration.

"He chased a Bendigo player down from 60m once, underlining his defensive intent. That lives in my mind,'' talent manager Mark Smart said.

"To see someone run 40, 50m to tackle someone is quite incredible to watch.''

Kennedy-Harris only learnt halfway through the season he was the first indigenous talent to captain a TAC Cup club and said he took enormous pride from the achievement.

"It's an indication of how strong Indigenous football is becoming in Victoria in comparison to the past few years,'' he said.

"It almost astounded me that the competition had been around (22 years) and I was the first one.''

JAY KENNEDY-HARRIS

AGE: 18

HEIGHT: 173cm

WEIGHT: 68kg

POSITION: Small forward

SUPERCOACH AVG: 117pts (TAC Cup)

DRAFT RANGE: 30-50

IN THE MIX: Dees (40), Crows (46), Roos (47)

PLAYS LIKE: Jake Neade

TOMORROW: The best key defender in the draft

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jets break duck with win over Reds

Mark Birighitti of the Jets comes down hard after colliding with Bruce Djite. Source: Morne de Klerk / Getty Images

ADELAIDE United expected a second win of the season, instead it turned into a disastrous loss when Newcastle Jets walked away with maximum points in a shock 2-1 win at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.

Jets hadn't won an A-League clash since February but it appeared that Adelaide was the side that had forgotten how to win after last claiming a 3-1 victory over Perth Glory at home in the opening round.

Jets Dutch import Kew Jalien scored his first A-League goal in the first half before Adam Taggart embarrassed Adelaide after the Reds again won all the statistics except the one most important - the scoreboard.

Fabio Ferreira gave Adelaide hope of making a comeback 19 minutes before time, nodding the ball home from a neat Jeronimo Neumann cross after English superstar Emile Heskey made his season debut off the bench 60 seconds earlier.

To make matters worse, Nigel Boogaard equalled Kevin Muscat's record for A-League red cards when he was sent off for a challenge on Heskey in the 90th minute.

But Adelaide, true to coach Josep Gomabu's word, again delivered a possession-based attacking game.

Errors, however, are turning the "under construction'' side into a demolition job after Jets earlier picked off the Reds with ease.

The lack of game basics - the simple stuff - is costing Adelaide badly as former Reds midfielder Nathan Burns' corner in the 43rd minute proved that United does have alarming concentration lapses.

Scott Neville outjumping Jon McKain for a header from Burns' corner caused all sorts of problems.

When Zullo could only clear the headed ball with his shins off the line, Jaliens scored from the rebound after his Reds marker was nowhere to be found.

That goal upset some members of the crowd.

For the first time this season Reds fans jeered Adelaide's first half performance, despite being another entertaining chapter in the history of Gombau.

It was the Spaniard's tiki-taka taking on Jets coach Gary van Egmond's Australian version as both sides traded first half attacking forays.

Marcelo Carrusca had Adelaide's first shot on target inside eight minutes but former Reds gloveman Mark Birighitti clutched the ball safely.

But Jets sounded its first warning a minute later when Taggart's 5m free and meek header from a Josh Brillante cross did not test Adelaide skipper Eugene Galekovic's gloves or his agility.

Adelaide right back Tarek Elrich - a Jets legend with 136 games after spending the first six A-League years with the club - made a defining save on the line to take the ball away from Burns' boot after a Taggart and Brillante combination.

Four minutes later Elrich - playing his best game for Adelaide since signing from Western Sydney Wanderers this year - was thwarted by a Birighitti save.

But just seconds later Boogaard made another save on the line as the Reds were again exposed before Taggart could tuck the ball into the net from a Brillante header.

Carrusca then became a provider with a neat touch to Neumann which split the Jets defence but Birighitti's big gloves palmed the Argentine's 8m shot high in the air before the Perth-born keeper clutched the rebound.

Gombau made a change at half-time, which perhaps balanced the fixture in midfield, when Osama Malik had an early shower for Steven Lustica.

Lustica joined Carrusca as a no. 8 while Isaias dropped effectively back into a holder's midfield role.

But the start of the second half was a nightmare as Adelaide paid the ultimate price for losing a ball in midfield.

The Jets outnumbered Adelaide when Andrew Hoole side-stepped McKain's lunging tackle and Taggart's speed was no match for Boogaard as he chipped a 10m ball into the back of the net over the body of Galekovic.

But the biggest cheer of the match was reserved for long-serving Reds Cassio and Bruce Djite.

The pair made their season debuts for McKain and Zullo.

Isaias was shifted from holder to the stopper's role in a 3-4-3 formation change as Elrich and Cassio pushed high from their full back roles.

A-LEAGUE ROUND SIX

NEWCASTLE JETS 2 (Kew Jaliens 43m, Adam Taggart 52m) defeated ADELAIDE UNITED 1 (Fabio Ferriera 71m)at Coopers Stadium. Referee: Strebre Delovski. Crowd: 10,244.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tassie on top of Qld in Shield

Ed Cowan of the Tigers drives the ball during day three of the Sheffield Shield. Source: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images

HALF centuries to Ed Cowan and Jordan Silk late on Friday have taken Tasmania to a commanding 234-run lead ahead of the final day of their Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at Allan Border Field.

In his last chance to impress selectors before the Gabba Test Match, George Bailey (9 not out) was with Ed Cowan (56no) at the Tigers moved to a healthy 2-130 at stumps.

Silk (51) and Cowan added 91 runs to the Tasmanian lead after tea to take session honours before Queensland captain James Hopes had Silk removed LBW.

Hopes had also dismissed opener Mark Cosgrove (11) in the same fashion before the break.

Test bowler Ryan Harris was unsuccessful with the ball on Friday afternoon, finishing the day with 0-31 from ten overs.

Earlier, Bulls Chris Lynn (81) and Hopes (27) were dismissed in the opening session before a quick-fire half century from Peter Forrest (68) and an aggressive 41 from Ryan Harris added crucial runs to the home side's total.

Ed Cowan (Tas) batting - Sheffield Shield, Queensland V Tasmania (day 3) at Allan Border Field. Source: News Limited

After the pair were dispatched in successive overs, Andrew Fekete made short work of the tail-enders, taking the final three wickets to dismiss Queensland for 303 before tea.

Fekete was the best of the Tasmanian bowlers with figures of 4-74.

Hopes was disappointed that the Bulls' batsmen stumbled to concede a 104-run first-innings deficit.

"It was disappointing to not get closer than we did," Hopes said.

"I don't think they'll set us anything that's achievable, so we'll assess what we have to do and bat the required time, get out of the game with a draw and move on to NSW next week."

With Luke Feldman unable to bowl due to injury, Hopes took the new ball with Harris and finished with an impressive 2-29 from 12 overs.

"It's a tough slog on that pitch and being a bowler down I had to bowl a lot more than what I thought I was going to coming into the game, but that's the way it goes sometimes," Hopes said.

"I'm happy enough with the way I'm bowling, but it's nothing spectacular."

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pick Me: Magpies circle Salem

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

ROBERT Shaw has seen countless kids kick the footy as Brighton Grammar coach, but none can match the bullet passes from Christian Salem.

The left-foot midfield dynamo has soared up the draft charts this year to land on Collingwood's radar, as high as pick No.6.

The son of a Melbourne restaurateur, Salem is considered one of the most versatile and damaging ball-carriers in this year's talent pool, who has added increased endurance to round out his game this season.

But it is his drilled drop punts that have left Shaw shaking his head since Salem exploded on to the scene in year nine, playing against the year 12s.

"We are talking the school competition, which is a very strong competition, but he is the best kick I have seen at this level," Shaw said.

"Some blokes can kick it 60m and it feels like it takes three minutes to get there, but no one gets the ball quicker from a to b than Salem.

PICK ME: Draft countdown

"He just makes it so difficult for the defenders to defend it because of the penetration and speed he puts on the ball.

"So it makes him a very clean and damaging player."

Salem, 18, thanks his two older brothers for keeping a footy in his hands right throughout his childhood.

"Since I was a little baby they were making me walk around and kick the footy and that's where it all started," Salem said.

"I owe them.

"Since then at training I just keep working on my kicking and doing all the extras to try and become the best I can."

Christian Salem in action for Sandringham. Source: News Limited

With the flexibility to either play inside or outside, Salem's trademark move is to swoop on a bobbling ball, burst away from congestion and either hit a teammate lace out, or better, hit the scoreboard himself.

One of an even group of midfielders in the back-end of the top-10, it's Salem's versatility and finesse that could elevate him to the Pies' first selection, giving them another pacy ball-user to help replace Dale Thomas and Heath Shaw.

Since he kicked four goals as a 15-year-old, isolated in the forward 50m against a Matthew Lloyd coached Haileybury, Salem has shown he can play every line.

More recently, the 183cm match-winner has sometimes settled on a half back, using his speed and deadly kicking to slice open the field and create space and opportunities for his forwards.

He is also the close friend and midfield co-pilot of Josh Kelly, the man expected to go No.2 in the draft. While Kelly is a superior runner, and can grind away at the opposition with huge possession numbers, Salem can bust open a game much more quickly.

"Josh will play 200 league games like Simon Black, with a low key low profile, whereas Christian has got an element of sheer explosiveness," Shaw said.

"Over that first 20m if he gets away it's all over. Salem will really finish it for you.''

While he tries to take the best option by foot, it is always in the back of Salem's mind to "take the game on".

Salem says he thanks Shaw for helping make him so versatile.

"We get told you won't survive if you can't play more than one position, so he has played a massive part in helping me play multiple positions," Salem said.

CHRISTIAN SALEM

Age: 18

Height: 183cm

Weight: 81kg

Club: Sandringham Dragons/Brighton Grammar

Pos: Versatile midfielder

SuperCoach avg: 145pts (TAC Cup)

Draft range: 6-13

In the mix: Pies (6/10), Lions (7), Dees (9), Tigers (12), Blues (13)

Plays like: Daniel Hannebery

Tomorrow: The draft's best key backman

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rogers hits unbeaten 96 for Vics

Chris Rogers of the Bushrangers bats during day three of the Sheffield Shield. Source: Scott Barbour / Getty Images

TEST opener Chris Rogers played a determined and unbeaten knock of 96 as Victoria claimed a lead of 58 with nine second-innings wickets in hand after day three of their Sheffield Shield clash with NSW.

NSW were bowled out at stumps on day two for 353, a first-innings advantage of 117, and the Bushrangers fought back in strong fashion to reach 1-175 on Friday at the MCG.

Unfortunately only 59.4 overs were bowled for the day. Play was officially called off at 5.58pm, with more than two hours of play lost.

Rain meant only 27 minutes of play were possible in the post-lunch session and players left the field at 4.55pm after just over an hour of play in the evening session because of bad light.

After his first-innings 88 in five hours in which he struggled to hit a boundary early and was only on 13 at lunch on day one, Rogers gave another exhibition of strong defence in the second innings, mixed with occasional lusty blows.

Chris Rogers of the Bushrangers looks on.. Source: Getty Images

The 36-year-old left-hander had a lucky escape on 67 when he played a short ball onto his stumps from the bowling of paceman Gurinder Sandhu, who had overstepped the crease.

Rogers hit seven fours and one six in more than three-and-a-half hours at the crease on Friday, as his mentor and former Test No.3 Dean Jones looked on from the stands.

Jones has been mentoring Rogers on his footwork, encouraging his charge to leave the crease to the spinners and be prepared to hit big down the ground and also sweep and play the late cut.

Rob Quiney (56) shared an opening stand of 140 with Rogers before Quiney fell caught at slip to Doug Bollinger's bowling after the tea break.

Peter Handscomb is 13 not out.

Test offspinner Nathan Lyon has failed to get a breakthrough in the second innings, taking 0-44 off 17 overs.

Lyon is facing competition from uncapped Victoria leggie Fawad Ahmed for an Ashes spot, although Ahmed was unconvincing in the Blues' first innings with 1-91.

Play is due to start at 10am on Saturday on the fourth and final day of play at the MCG.

Cricket Australia is scheduled to name a squad on Tuesday for the first Ashes Test against England in Brisbane starting on November 21.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Paine, West meet in the den

The Brisbane Lions new recruits Trent West and Jackson Paine at the Gabba. Picture: Darren England.

LIONS recruits Trent West and Jackson Paine met as teammates for the first time.

When pre-season training resumes on Tuesday they will also become rivals for the same patch of grass on the Gabba.

West, a premiership player with the Cats in 2011, is a ruckman who intends to reinvent himself as a key forward who plays stints on the ball.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

The 194cm, 98kg Paine desperately wants to shake off the third tall tag Collingwood had pigeonholed him under to claim a key position.

Meanwhile, Brent Staker flirted with a move to Carlton before  finally agreeing to terms with Brisbane and intends to make that third tall forward position his own.

The Lions also secured Tigers forward Luke McGuane as a delisted free agent.

And with Stefan Martin and Jordan Lisle in the wings, the battle to join and eventually replace Jonathan Brown as the focal point inside the 50m arc is on in earnest.

West was one of five ruckman at the Cats last season and despite a standout 2012 found his chances of regular senior games were diminishing.

Under Michael Voss, Brisbane were reluctant to play two recognised ruckmen together, which frustrated Billy Longer and ultimately led to his departure.

And with Matthew Leuenberger in career best form, West has come a long way on the hope new Lions coach Justin Leppitsch holds different selection philosophies.

"Yes, it is a long way to come, but I have spoken to Leppa and we did talk about possibly playing two ruckmen,'' West said.

"But if not I'll work on other parts of my game to try to get a game.

"If I can go forward and play a bit more there, that could work.''

With James Podsiadly gone from "the Cattery'' and question marks over the long-term future of Tom Hawkins, who battles back problems, West had a big choice to make when Brisbane came knocking.

"You can throw all that into the equation but I just thought it was time to get up here with new possibilities,'' he said.

"It is exciting times, it is a young list and who knows what might happen.

"I just think the opportunities up here outweigh the opportunities at Geelong.''

Paine managed six games in his first season with the Magpies but was unable to get a senior call-up in 2013.

However he showed enough in the VFL, where he kicked 45 goals in 19 appearances, to convince Brisbane to give him a shot.

He admits the knowledge that Brown's career was winding to a halt and Brisbane would need a long-term replacement made the decision to move north a simple one.

Paine believes he has the mobility to play up the ground in tandem with Brown and eventually deep in the goal square.

"I have a bit of versatility, I enjoy getting up the ground and working my opponent over but I also enjoy the physicality,'' he said.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tyson a "star in making"

Dom Tyson has joined the Dees. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

PAUL Roos says surrendering pick 2 for Dom Tyson was a win-win for Melbourne and GWS, with the new Demons coach lauding the club's midfield additions.

Roos described Tyson as "an absolute superstar in the making".

"There's not too many win-wins, but I think it was a win-win for both clubs and we're really pleased with that," Roos said.

"Rather than us getting another 18-year-old on the back of Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Viney and Jesse Hogan, we preferred to get an older player with some real special talent, which we think we've done with Tyson.

"We think pick 2 is going to be a good player obviously, but having a guy who is a bit older and with a bigger body ... we needed some size and strength."

Roos, speaking on the Demons website, said the Demons had approached the off-season with the clear strategy to bolster an understrength onball division.

Former Crow Bernie Vince, Fremantle youngster Viv Michie and Western Bulldogs veteran Daniel Cross also joined the club last month.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

"Getting two older, wiser heads in Vince and Cross and two younger ones in Michie and Tyson - we thought we had a really successful period. It ticked off the box we wanted to tick off," Roos said.

"We think forward and back we're pretty good, we've got some good talls at either end. There are some other weaknesses in the list, but the real key focus was the midfield."

Roos arrived at the battling club on a two-year contract two months ago amid huge fanfare, but he has moved to temper expectations.

The Demons were a basket case in 2013, winning only two games and finishing with a disastrous percentage of 54.1.

"It's going to take some time. We really understand where we're at; we're a two win team and I think 57 per cent (percentage)," he said.

"I think the benchmark for us is the percentage. People talk about win-loss, but before we worry about how many games we win you've got to be competitive for longer and I think that's the process for us.

"In that two to three year period you try and set some really high standards for the group and try and refine the gameplan a bit and try to play like those top-four teams do."

Roos said there was no rush to appoint a coaching heir apparent, despite failing to prise highly-rated assistant Stuart Dew from Sydney.

"It was always a proces we were going to go through and whilst we would have liked to have done it straight away it was never going to be urgent," he said.

"I think it's about getting the right candidate and probably more importantly, getting the other coaches in place first, then the players, and then seeing if someone is available.

"I've got no doubt someone wil bob up over the next 12 months and it will sort itself out. It's about the players now, getting them in and ready for next year."

Melbourne's first to fourth year players will report back for duty tomorrow, while the rest of the squad is back on November 18.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

State of Origin schedule set for rethink

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

THE ARL Commission is set to condense the State of Origin period into a shorter, more intense format in 2014 amid concerns from NRL clubs the lengthy nature of this year's series created too great a flat spot for teams and fans.

The quality of football and interest in the NRL flagged considerably this year during another epic Origin series, with Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy amongst those leading calls for the scheduling of the three-match contest to be reconsidered.

The NRL draw for 2014 is expected to be released at the end of the month - four weeks after the AFL announced theirs - and the State of Origin schedule is understood to be one of the biggest talking points between the game's major shareholders including all 16 clubs, TV broadcaster the Nine Network and the game's governing body.

With the spotlight on Origin, the NRL competition takes a backseat during the interstate series and at no time was that more evident than during this year's seven-week stretch, which impacted upon eight rounds - almost a third of the season's 26 rounds.

NRL boss David Smith flagged major changes to the scheduling of the Origin series in a Twitter exchange on Monday.

Hosting questions under the hashtag enAskDaveNRL, Smith fielded a number of queries from fans including one keen to point out the '8 week deadspot' in the NRL competition when State of Origin is played.

To which Smith replied: ``appreciate your views, an area we are concerned about too. We are looking closely at this for 2014."

In a 40-minute Q&A, Smith also moved to distance the NRL from controversial comments from Newcastle lower-grader Ryan Stig opposing gay marriage.

"Discriminatory comments are not welcome in the NRL," Smith tweeted.

The NRL chief executive was also keen to assure fans he was doing everything to improve the standard of refereeing after another season of highly controversial calls, especially in the finals series.

"People are always going to talk about refs. Make no mistake, we're investing in high performance. They are crucial to our game," he wrote.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

England mock Wallaby scrum 'disco'

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

IN the dying stages of the Wallabies' loss at Twickenham, as Australia's forward pack was being wheeled around in a scrum and penalised, an England player taunted them: "It's no disco".

There was scant regard for the Wallabies' scrum before the match, even less so now.

Two years out from the World Cup at this very venue, Australia is facing an alarming problem.

They will play just one more game at Twickenham, this time next year, before competing in the pinnacle tournament of 2015.

And from the memories they've left out of Saturday's scrummaging performance, anything less than a miraculous 12-month turnaround will lead to disaster in the World Cup - where England and Wales await in their pool group.

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie was quick to point out that they only had problems on England's feed.

"They got the penalties, but on our scrums, we got to play from our scrums whenever we played from them," McKenzie said.

"It wasn't necessarily like we were struggling on our own ball. The scrum penalties were elsewhere.

"But there were collapses, resets, a bunch of penalties blown up."

What McKenzie does understand is that this is a matter of perception.

Australia's scrum has long been considered inferior in the northern hemisphere. Performances like last year, when they came to Twickenham and outmuscled the England pack, are considered anomalies.

England were able to draw penalties on their own feed. Source: Getty Images

The Wallabies had an ideal opportunity to prove otherwise, but have again gone backwards with Saturday's display.

While referee George Clancy made a couple of penalty decisions that could have gone either way in the scrums, it was clear to the naked eye that the Wallabies pack was pushed backward or wheeling around under pressure on three occasions.

This is certainly not the look you want to leave when, in the World Cup, against the powerful hosts, referees must make high-pressure split-second calls. In those moments, not only do they rule on what they see, they interpret on what they have previously seen.

Unless the Wallabies make dramatic improvements over the next year and leave a vastly different impression at the ground in 2014, they'll get no love in the World Cup.

England's pack came to bully Australia, yapping and hollering so much before each scrum that Clancy once called for them to "stop talking". It was alarmingly silent from the Wallabies' side.

This was the first time England had played under the new scrum laws; imagine what they'll be like in 12 months.

Australia has four northern hemisphere opponents to face in the next month to conjure solutions and begin the slow turnaround of public perception.

It's either that, or a disco inferno.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wallabies to take new off-side approach

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

EWEN McKenzie has suggested his Wallabies side will test the off-side breakdown rules for the remainder of their spring tour after England exploited that area at Twickenham.

Australia's 20-13 loss dashed hopes of a Grand Slam one game in to a five-Test tour, and they must now regroup for looming games against Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

After the Twickenham defeat, McKenzie conceded that what his understanding was of off-side interpretation after conversing with officials differed from how it was actually refereed by George Clancy last Saturday.

"There's some context to the way the game is played here, which we'll make adjustments for, we thought we'd made enough adjustments but obviously not enough," McKenzie said.

"It's just the way things are managed on the field, particularly around breakdown, what constitutes off-side and what doesn't.

"You've got to look where those people are standing, there's a lot of moments we'll have a look at.

"If that's how the game is played here we'll obviously need to adjust accordingly."

Two controversial decisions that led to both of England's tries also left a sour taste in the coach's mouth, although his side was dominated in scrums and failed to convert opportunities after leading 13-6 at half-time.

Before England's first try, their fullback Mike Brown had put a foot in touch, but the touchline official ruled he was in play.

Clutching a photo given to him of Brown's foot in touch after the match, McKenzie gritted his teeth and spoke of the need for his side to "move forward".

"You have to dust yourself and keep going, but it's just generally hard work at the moment," he said.

"We're living in the moment.

McKenzie was left to lament a number of tough calls after the match. Source: AP

"Everyone's talking about Grand Slams, we didn't spend a lot of time [talking about that] we just focused on beating England.

"Now we'll focus on beating Italy.

"There are moments in time - it's like winning a British & Irish Lions series - you get that chance, and we let that moment go. The next best thing is winning the next game."

McKenzie said the disappearance of the Grand Slam prospect would not diminish his players' motivation for the rest of the tour.

"I don't think it will be a problem," he said.

"They'll be disappointed but that's life, you win them, you lose them. There is always going to be a loser on the day, you dust yourself off and keep going, that's the life they've chosen.

"The games come thick and fast, you can't sit there and mope, we've got to make adjustments."

Asked if this performance was a step backwards after gains against Argentina and New Zealand, McKenzie said: "In terms of backwards, people will judge that.

"We're remaining competitive on the scoreboard.

"That game we could have been a winner, it could have been a draw, we lost. We're not miles away, but we've got to handle three or four moments better."

McKenzie praised his side's fight in a difficult first half where they were on the receiving end of referee George Clancy's whistle.

"We had to fight the opposition, we had to fight tooth and nail just to get the ball to be able to express ourselves," McKenzie said.

"I was really pleased at half-time because we had to fight against the tide of the game, I thought we'd set it up alright for the second half but a couple of critical moments were pretty much it.

"That's what happens in a tight match."

England coach Stuart Lancaster said his side's victory was a major step forward after they had lost to Australia last year.

"We had some big players missing, three making their first start in a Test match at Twickenham, a new guy running the lineout and Australia had been together since before the Lions series," Lancaster said.

"To go out and get the win like we did, it is a great start for us. We built our game in the second-half, we didn't start chasing the scoreboard early in the second-half and built pressure on Australia.

"It was a great start. You put it into context. This time last year the score-line was the other way around. It is better to have won than lost, that's for sure."

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bart's $100,000 Cup consolation

Foreman Reg Fleming with Precedence at Saintly Place in Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images Source: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

IT WON'T make up for Precedence missing out on the Melbourne Cup, but James and Bart Cummings can watch the same colours try and clean up at Tuesday's Randwick meeting.

Missing out on the Cup by one horse with Precedence was still clearly a sore point for the Cummings camp on Sunday.

As Bart Cummings flew into town on Friday - he was going to make good on his promise by being trackside had Precedence gone around in his fourth Cup - James said the same yellow, white and black colours owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam would now hopefully prevail up north.

"I've got no comment on Precedence missing out, but let's just say Bart has his views on the matter. He's here (in Melbourne). Go and see how disappointed he is,'' James Cummings said.

"We think he would have been a top six chance in the race, for sure. He'll now go around in the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), which has a $100,000 bonus for being balloted out of the Cup, and it's a really good incentive from the race club, because it stops trainers from butchering their horses on the Saturday (before the Cup), and he'll be a very good chance in the race.

James Cummings holds aloft the Moonee Valley Cup, won by grand old stayer Precedence. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Limited

"If we thought we were a chance in the Cup, he should be winning that race. He's a last-start winner who has galloped very strongly between runs, and there's been no issues.''

Closer to home, the Cummings' will unleash five runners at Randwick, including three by their sire Pendragon.

"We've got four Pendragons running across two states, and I think they're all cheeky hopes,'' Cummings said.

The Great Saxon, a three-year-old gelding, will race in the Sydney City Toyota Handicap (1400m), while Ashamar (McGrath Estate Agents Handicap) "will improve with the run''.

"We'll see what we can salvage. All the horses are training well, and it would be great to achieve some success with any of them,'' Cummings said.

The Randwick meeting pulls a big crowd for the Melbourne Cup meeting, and Tuesday's bumper programs promises to be nothing different. Leading trainer Chris Waller will have a strong presence with a dozen runners accepted.

16.42 | 0 komentar | Read More