Devastating injuries, a biting allegation and two of the best matches of the NRL era made for exhilarating weekend of football Rugby league in September rarely fails to deliver. It certainly did not on the opening weekend of the 2023 NRL finals series in what was one of the most brutal, dramatic, exhilarating and anxiety-driven weekends in recent memory. Two of the greatest finals of the NRL era were matched with an injury that utterly devastated the game, a stunning biting allegation and moments of reckoning that will take some intestinal fortitude to overcome.With the NRL set to showcase itself to the world in Las Vegas next year, it will unlikely ever get another weekend that demonstrates all that is...
The tribunal hearing into Brayden Maynard’s role in the concussion of Angus Brayshaw will test the AFL on the ‘duty of care’ it owes to its playersBrayden Maynard’s airborne smother attempt in the qualifying final saw Angus Brayshaw carted off with concussion, drew the usual battlelines and exposed footy’s many fault lines. His tribunal hearing will test our tribal loyalties, our governing body, our football media, our former champions, our understanding of the laws of the game, and our definitions of ‘football acts’ and ‘duty of care’.It’s a test case for the AFL and its new General Manager of Football Laura Kane. For so long, the AFL has met these issues just short of halfway – they’ve done the sums,...
The coach was jeered by the crowd but happy after the Wallabies beat Georgia to give Jones his first win in six startsAustralia are away. They have their first victory of the season and points on the board in this 2023 World Cup. After easily accounting for Georgia 35-15 at Stade de France, Eddie Jones will be delighted with the potential of this performance. It is early days and far greater challenges lie ahead but his young side are starting to sprout wings.With his 82% win record at World Cups and his mad genius riffs, Jones is Australia’s greatest weapon at this Cup. The coach was jeered by sections of the 75,000 crowd when he appeared on the big screen...
The Blues’ 11.8 (74) to 9.14 (68) elimination final win at the MCG helped expunge memories of the past decade Friday was 10 years to the day since Carlton last won a final. September 8, 2013 was one of those footy days that sticks in your marrow. On a perfect spring afternoon, in front of the loudest, most engaged crowd, Carlton ran all over the top of an emerging but rickety Richmond. I’ve never seen a more desolate supporter base than the yellow and blacks that afternoon.The Blues had been parachuted into the finals because of the Essendon scandal. But they had Chris Judd. The most even-tempered of footballers, he had been angered, of all things, by Richmond’s drum ensemble,...
Despite losing all five of their warm-up games, the draw has been kind for the Wallabies, but they will watch out for FijiRight now there is no rear-view mirror. There are only 20 teams, 48 matches and one World Cup trophy ahead. The form guides that got them here are different. The philosophies of the coaches are unique. The chemistry of the squads and the players are algorithms no one can predict. All we know is that they gather on the same line in France this weekend chasing the greatest prize in rugby union.The mantras from the Australian camp are to soothe critics and reassure fans. Moving in the right direction. Coming together. Starting to click. But words are not...