The GWS forward has walked a troubled track over the years but when at his brilliant best, like at the weekend, all the pain is worth itOne of the most extraordinary quarters of the 2023 season began with a pitiful sight, as a buckled Josh Bruce was assisted around the boundary line by two Western Bulldogs trainers. Sportspeople who tear their ACL for the first time often don’t immediately grasp the severity of it. Last week, Adelaide’s Nick Murray was doing mobility drills, giving the thumbs up to medicos and seemingly good to go. Not long after, he was tapped on the shoulder. See you in 12 months.But Bruce had been there before. He knew. He recently described the video...
It depends whether John Longmire’s young team can buck a dispiriting historical trend dating back almost four decadesAs Sydney looks to create modern history in 2023, selective memory across the Swans’ collective is critical to their ability to contend for this season’s AFL premiership.Among the truisms in football is a trend Sydney must reverse after their humiliating 81-point loss to Geelong in last year’s grand final to claim their first flag since 2012. Continue reading...
Cameron can claim credit for moulding a club with a purpose, a hard edge and an identifiable brandLeon Cameron coached his last game on Sunday. He choked up as he addressed his players beforehand. He told them he had no silverware, but no regrets. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told you on day one,” he said. ‘She’s on.” But when Carlton slammed on four goals in the first 10 minutes, she was over. Afterwards, Cameron limped through a guard of honour of the league chief executive and both teams. He looked relieved. He looked exhausted. He is nearly 50, and has worked full time in football since he was 16. Coaching was “zapping”, he said. It was time...
The undefeated Blues have a new coach, a watchable brand of football, a captain in fine fettle and a pretty soft draw aheadDavid Foster Wallace once wrote that Michael Chang had the unhappiest face he had seen outside of a graduate creative writing program. A few years ago, I was on a city loop train when a group of Carlton fans alighted at Spencer St. Suddenly, I was confronted with an entire carriage of Michael Changs. I have never seen a more miserable-looking bunch. GWS were basically playing with 16 men and were 100 points up with a quarter to run. The Carlton fans had seen enough. Their team had broken them. They had lost faith, hope, interest and, in...