The Storm got back on track with a win over the Warriors and will look to pick up momentum against a struggling Titans outfit which has lost nine in a row.
A top-four finish will be the focus from Melbourne who face a tough run home with games against the Panthers, Broncos, Roosters and Eels after this weekend.
The Titans are out to restore pride after a horror season and if they are to rattle the Storm’s cage much will depend on David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui laying a foundation for AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell to work off.
A trip to AAMI Park is a daunting prospect at the best of times but for a team low on confidence and teetering towards a second wooden spoon in four years, it’s going to take a mighty effort to avoid a blowout.
The Rundown
teamnews
Storm: Hooker Brandon Smith returns from suspension in a boost for Craig Bellamy but fullback Nick Meaney (shoulder/concussion) is out, replaced by Tyran Wishart. Winger David Nofoaluma has arrived on loan from Wests Tigers and slots straight in to the starting side with Grant Anderson shifting to center to replace Justin Olam, who has tested positive to COVID. Chris Lewis has been recalled on the bench and Xavier Coates is listed among the reserves as he nears a return from an ankle injury.
Titans: Jayden Campbell returns to the starting side at fullback after two games on the interchange so AJ Brimson goes to five-eighth, Tanah Boyd to halfback and Toby Sexton rested. Greg Marzhew is the new man on the bench.
key match-up
Felise Kaufusi v Tino Fa’asuamaleaui: Two Maroons hardheads who leave nothing in the tank every time they take the field. Having spent time away in the USA with his ill father, Kaufusi has powered back with 97 tackles and 257 running meters in the past three matches. The big game specialist will continue to build for the finals and be ready to explode in September. Tino’s Titans won’t be there when the whips are cracking but the young skipper has done all he can to ensure they don’t collect the wooden spoon, running for 153 meters per match and busting 42 tackles so far this season.
Stat Attack
The Storm lead the NRL for dummy half runs with 268, well clear of the Bulldogs in second place with 223. The 1-2 punch of Harry Grant and Brandon Smith out of dummy half has brought plenty of defensive lines undone in 2022 and they are reunited on Friday after Smith’s three-game suspension for contrary conduct.
Newcastle prop David Klemmer has been stood down by the Knights after he was issued with a show-cause notice “relating to on field disciplinary matters” during Sunday’s 24-10 NRL loss to Canterbury.
Key points:
Newcastle have stood down David Klemmer following an alleged incident during the weekend’s loss to Canterbury
Klemmer allegedly verbally abused an on-field trainer and refused to come off the field
The 28-year old was recently linked with a move to Parramatta
It is understood Klemmer, who was not included in the 22-man squad to face the Wests Tigers on Sunday, allegedly abused a club trainer and refused to be substituted.
The Knights have not put a timeframe on when the prop may return to action.
The former Australian representative was recently linked with a move to Parramatta.
The Klemmer development comes after Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien conceded he may have come across as an “egomaniac” after a “poorly-articulated” press conference following Sunday’s defeat.
Newcastle’s home record is 2-8 this season and, after the loss, O’Brien spoke of his track record of reaching four grand finals an assistant at the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne before getting the Knights job.
The 44-year-old, who took the Knights to the finals in 2020 and 2021, is currently coaching a side running 14th and on Tuesday moved to clarify his comments.
“I’d like that [press conference] back,” he said.
“It looks like I’m an egomaniac but that wasn’t the message.
“I was trying to talk to the supporter who sits on the hill who must be wondering if they practice defense. Do they do tackle technique at training? Are they fit and tough?”
O’Brien said his side had similar intensity to the Storm and the Roosters at training.
“I didn’t want to come across as taking the accolades and success of those clubs. Trent [Robinson] and Craig [Bellamy] built their clubs, I just worked there,” he said.
“We’re not there yet and my number one job on this earth right now is to get his team to perform on game day.”
O’Brien believes he has the full backing of the Newcastle hierarchy but understands why his future would come under the microscope.
“I live in reality and I’m not stupid,” he said. “It’s a results-driven business.”
He described the Knights’ two finals finishes under him as “band-aids on a gunshot wound”.
The Knights coach said he had made mistakes during the club’s pre-season training and said Newcastle’s turnover of players in the spine positions was cause for their poor run of form.
“We missed about four weeks of pre-season [due to COVID-19] but at the end of the day that stops with me,” he said.
“I need to make sure that we’re driving a really hard pre-season — that’s the bit that I regret the most — and I’ve got to make sure I get this one right.”
Brisbane Broncos star Patrick Carrigan has been handed a four-match suspension for his hip-drop tackle that left Jackson Hastings with a broken leg.
The judiciary’s decision came after the NRL legal counsel Patrick Knowles had called for a five or six-match ban, while Carrigan’s legal counsel, Nick Ghabar, called for a two-match ban.
The decision will see this year’s Wally Lewis Medal winner sidelined until the final week of the home and away season.
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The NRL referred to Hastings’ season-ending fractured fibula and syndesmosis injuries as the reason behind its recommendation for a lengthy ban.
“That likely means a minimum of three months recovery and more likely four to five months,” Knowles said.
Patrick Carrigan will miss four weeks for this hip drop tackle on Jackson Hastings. (Nine)
“This is a very serious injury that could impact on player Hastings’ career.”
The hearing was also shown an example of a similar tackle from Dragons forward Josh McGuire on then-Storm star Josh Addo-Carr from last season, which resulted in McGuire being handed a five-match ban after he pleased guilty to a grade three dangerous contact charge.
However, Carrigan’s legal counsel argued that there was no comparison between the two incidents.
“What player McGuire did himself in that tackle compared to what player Carrigan did in the case before you is a higher level. They are not even in the same ball park,” Ghabar said.
“It is careless, but not reckless.”
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Commonwealth Games in pictures: Indian rider Meenakshi Meenakshi injured in horror cycling crash
Noah Cumberland has been named the Round 20 NAB Rising Star nominee.
Cumberland kicked a game-high five goals on Sunday, leading Richmond to a come-from-behind victory against the Brisbane Lions.
The young forward was a shining light for the Tigers, kicking the club’s first three goals of the match.
His last two were spectacular: a Goal of the Year contender then a 50-meter goal to bring the margin within five points.
With less than a minute left, Cumberland smothered Daniel McStay’s kick, causing a turnover that lead to the match-sealing Tom Lynch goal and kept Richmond’s finals hopes alive.
Senior coach Damian Hardwick was impressed with the 21-year-old’s performance.
“That first goal he kicked where I think he ran through three players, I thought he was Leigh Matthews there for a minute bursting through the pack,” Hardwick said.
“[Cumberland] has been incredible since he’s come in. He came in a little bit raw, he’s put the work in, he’s self-driven, he’s responsible for his own development of him and that to me is the mark of him as a player.
“He was always a beast of a player, athletic traits, but probably like most Queensland kids a little bit slow in the general footy IQ stuff, but he has worked incredibly hard on that part of the game.
“He’s diligent, he’s got his notepad, he does the work, he watches tape and he just loves it.”
Cumberland has played five AFL games and kicked 11 goals, including a three-goal haul against North Melbourne in Round 18.
He’s averaging 2.2 goals, 5.4 score involvements and 2.8 tackles per game.
Cumberland was drafted through the Brisbane Lions Academy with the 43rd pick in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft.
He played his junior football at Maroochydore Junior Australian Football Club in the South East Queensland Juniors (SEQJ).
Returning from a ruptured ACL in his maiden season, Cumberland excited fans in the VFL in 2021 – highlighted with a five-goal 20 disposals performance against Collingwood.
Cumberland was delisted at the end of the 2021 Toyota Premiership Season, but was reinstated a month later via the 2022 Rookie Draft.
He made his debut in Round 11 this year against the Sydney Swans.
Tigers half Jock Madden has dismissed rumors linking him with a move to Penrith and says Luke Brooks’ future plans won’t affect his decision making when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old has been in and out of the team for the past two years but has a clean run in the No.7 jersey with Brooks set to miss the rest of the season with a calf injury.
Madden was the perfect foil for Adam Doueihi on Saturday night when the Tigers shocked the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, and it’s no coincidence he’s been involved in their two highest scores of the season against Brisbane and the Bulldogs back in round 11 when they scored 36 points .
But Madden is off-contract and there’s no guarantee he’ll stay at the club that handed him his NRL debut, especially after incoming coach Tim Sheens said he wanted Brooks to sign on beyond next year.
“Not at all,” Madden replied when asked if the Brooks news would affect his plans for the future.
“I’m just worrying about my role this weekend for the team.
“I’m just taking it one week at a time and purely focusing on the Knights.
“That’s my manager’s role. I’m just focused on this week and I’ll leave the off-field stuff to my manager.”
The next five weeks can be seen as an audition for Madden, who made the move to the Tigers from Newcastle where he played his junior footy.
His control is exactly what Doueihi needs to play his natural game at five-eighth, and Madden’s own form will only blossom if he’s given the opportunity to keep working under Tigers great Benji Marshall, who will become the coach in 2025.
“You can think of it like that way (an audition), but I’m just purely focused on a week-by-week thing. I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself,” Madden said.
“When I signed down here at the Tigers, I thought it would be a really good experience for me to learn under Brooksy, Benji, Robbie Farah and Josh Reynolds.
“We had a lot of really experienced players here who played at the highest level. I thought it was a good opportunity to grow my game here.
“I’ve done a lot of work with Benji. My first two years here were with him and I’ve always stayed in contact with him.”
Madden will again get the opportunity to steer the side around the park against the Knights on Sunday, but he’ll have to step up with Jackson Hastings out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle.
Winger Ken Maumalo described Hastings as the “glue in the middle” that holds the team together but backed Madden to shine with the added responsibility.
“Ever since I got here, I knew he was a talent,” Maumalo said.
“The way he trains and the way he carries himself is testament to his character. He just needs an opportunity, and he’s got it now. I know he’s going to grab it with both hands.”
Yot was bedlam. Unlike any moment the city had been seen in more than a decade. When Kevin Durant, then playing for the reigning champion Golden State Warriors, came out onto the hardwood at KeyArena in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle on 5 October 2018, you couldn’t hear yourself shout in ecstasy. You could only hear the roar of the whole crowd, which included many Seattle luminaries, from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to the rapper Macklemore, deafening and raucous all at eleven.
why? Because Durant came out ahead of that preseason NBA game wearing a forest-green Shawn KempsweaterNo 40. It was a reminder that the city has not had an NBA team since the SuperSonics left town for Oklahoma City (where they became the Thunder) in 2008.
“It was just a great moment,” northwest-native and longtime ESPN SportsCenter host Kenny Mayne, who was in attendance that night, tells the Guardian. “To give recognition to Seattle basketball, and the fact that so many of us had missed it.”
To date, the city of Seattle has not hosted an NBA game in 14 years – save the Durant/Shawn Kemp jersey night in 2018. That game pitted the Warriors and Durant, who was also the last Sonics’ first-round draft pick to ever play in the city, against the Sacramento Kings. It was a fitting contest given that the Kings were inches away from relocating to Seattle in the 2010s.
In truth, the 2018 preseason game was almost cruel for Seattle’s basketball fans. At least, it would have been had the city not been so joyous and enthusiastic, starved for NBA attention. “It’s a basketball city,” Durant said after that reply. But Durant’s statement may have taken some by surprise. To basketball city? Seattle?
To tech city, sure. Coffee and grunge music, yes. Sir Mix A Lot and the Space Needle, of course. But basketball? That’s the overview of New York City, right? Well, not entirely.
On 3 October this year, the NBA will return to Seattle for another preseason game. It will feature the Los Angeles Clippers (owned by a former Seattleite, Microsoft billionaire Steve Balmer) and the Portland Trailblazers (the only current Pacific Northwest team), and will most likely sell out. Perhaps Portland star Damian Lillard will come out in a No 20 Gary Payton Sonics jersey! Either way, locals will be thrilled.
The game will take place in the newly renovated Climate Pledge Arena (formerly KeyArena), a 17,500-seat venue perfect for hoops. When the Sonics left for OKC, the argument was that the city’s facilities weren’t modern enough. Now, as Mayne puts it, “[the NBA] certainly can’t complain about the facilities at this point.”
Seattle, which is home to nearly 750,000 people (and 4 million in the surrounding area), is well-positioned to support professional sports. This year saw the NHL expand and bring in the Kraken. Though new to the league, the Kraken were No 14 (of 32) in attendance, averaging 17,151 fans per home game. In addition, ever since the Seahawks and the “Legion of Boom” won the Super Bowl in 2014, football has felt like a religion in town. The Sounders, Seattle’s MLS team, have won titles and set attendance records. And the Mariners, the local Major League Baseball team, recently enjoyed a 14-game winning streak. Indeed, Seattle is a sports city, too.
And as rumors continue to swirl about a possible NBA expansion, with Seattle and Las Vegas on the tips of insiders’ tongues (like that of NBA podcaster and author, Bill Simmons), it’s worth remembering just how much of a basketball city Seattle really is . While NBA commissioner Adam Silver has thrown cold water on those rumours, perhaps for simple negotiating purposes, they nonetheless persist. (Seattle has been involved in many bargaining rumors before.)
While today’s Seattle may not be an NBA city, it is a basketball city. That reality begins first and foremost with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. The franchise, which didn’t leave with the Sonics for OKC thanks to its hometown owners, Force 10 Hoops, has won four WNBA titles (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020), with legend Sue Bird running point. The team boasts three of the league’s top-25 players, according to ESPN, from Bird to Jewell Loyd to former MVP Breanna Stewart. The squad is also one of – if not the most-socially conscious in professional sports. And though Bird recently announced her upcoming retirement from her, her presence from her will be felt both in Seattle and beyond for years.
Alongside Bird on the list of Seattle hoops emissaries is Jamal Crawford. Not only did Crawford have a distinguished NBA career (and now post-career), he is an ambassador for Seattle basketball. Crawford runs the annual local pro-am, The CrawsOver, which brings local talent together with local legends, and even Hall of Fame players such as the late Kobe Bryant, to play games in the summer for fans. Crawford, who took over the pro-am from another area standout, Doug Christie, helped guide the city’s best and brightest during his 20-year NBA career, which included three Sixth Man of the Year Awards. Local NBA stars (and CrawsOver alums) like Michael Porter Jr, Dejounte Murray, Isaiah Thomas, Brandon Roy and Nate Robinson owe a debt to Crawford’s stewardship.
“A lot of this is home-grown through people like Jamal throwing his pro-am,” says Mayne, who remembers going to Sonics games in the late 60s and seeing visitors like Wilt Chamberlain and later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “Part of it, with the loss of the Sonics, I think everybody has assumed a little bit of responsibility to put your hand up and say, ‘Look at us, we play pretty good ball up here.’”
But Crawford owes a lot to the people who came before him, too, from Christie to 2011 NBA champion Jason Terry, to SuperSonics standouts like Kemp, Payton and Detlef Schrempf. And later, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and 2001 NBA Slam Dunk contest victor, Desmond Mason. Speaking of the Sonics, the squad has an illustrious hoops pedigree. The NBA team, which kicked off its first season 55 years ago in 1967, won the NBA title in 1979 and later played in the NBA finals against Michael Jordan in 1996, losing in six hard-fought games. Sadly, for locals, the team was sold in 2006, by then-owner and Starbucks co-founder Howard Schultz to Oklahoma-native Clay Bennett, who moved the team to OKC in 2008. Schultz later called it one of the biggest mistakes of his life of him
“The Sonics were my childhood,” hooper-turned-musician, Cedric Walker, tells the Guardian. “To watch your childhood get shipped off to another city, it sucked.”
For the Seattle born-and-raised Walker, 33, who was introduced to the game in elementary school by his mother Gaynell, a now-retired public-school educator, the Sonics were his inspiration. As a teen, I have starred at Summit High School. And Walker and his mother would go to Sonics games during the week, sometimes sitting in the nosebleeds, catching a glimpse of the Payton/Kemp-era squad. He remembers attending the playoffs against the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz, the “electric” crowds.
Walker remembers the protests in town as word spread regarding the Sonics’ likely departure, fans hoping to keep their cherished home team. “Seattle is one of the best basketball towns in the country,” Walker says. “We just had the No 1 pick in the NBA draft [Paolo Banchero]. We have a rich basketball history, dating back to the 70s. Even though the team doesn’t exist anymore, I’m pretty sure we have more playoff appearances than some still in the league.”
Perhaps the biggest feather in Seattle’s basketball cap, however, is its association with the great Bill Russell, who died on Sunday. The centerpiece of the original Boston Celtic dynasty, Russell boasted more championship rings than fingers (11) and after his stint as a player/coach for the C’s in the late 1960s, Russell migrated to the Pacific Northwest to helm the young SuperSonics as the team’s Coach from 1973-1977. Russell, the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP trophy, lived in the area until his death.
But it’s not just the professionals. In Seattle, the roots of the game go deeper, from high school through college. Christie, Crawford and Murray are graduates of Rainier Beach High School, a perennial Washington state champion located in the south-end of the city. Smack-dab in the center of town, there’s Garfield High School, which graduated Roy. There’s O’Dea High School, which produced the No 1 pick in the 2022 draft, Banchero (now also a CrawsOver album).
Even prominent local musicians have gotten into the mix. Pearl Jam originally named itself Mookie Blaylock after the former New Jersey Nets All-Star point guard. In 2009, Seattle’s Grammy-nominated rock group, Band of Horses, released a popular song, Detlef Schrempf. Macklemore’s recent music video features Crawford and Thomas hooping. And the Grammy Award-winning rapper (and Garfield High School alum) Ishmael Butler was a Division-1 baller under accomplished coach John Calipari at UMass.
Perhaps, too, given Kevin Durant’s recent trade request to get out of his obligations with the Brooklyn Nets, the “Slim Reaper” will again become the face of the Seattle SuperSonics and fast-track expansion (maybe one day he’ll suit up against to LeBron James-led Vegas team). Now, that would really be cause for unabashed applause.
Hello everyone. Some news from the track to kick us off.
Athletics: Scotland’s Laura Muir, the Olympic 1500m silver medalist in Tokyo and a bronze medalist in the same event at the worlds in Eugene last month, has eased through into the final of the women’s 800m. Keely Hodgkinson, Olympic and world silver medalist in the 800m and favorite to pick up gold in Birmingham, also cruised through in the third and final heat.
Righto, my watch is over; here’s John Ashdown to ease you into your afternoon.
Athletics: With the men’s 100m heats done, now under way we have the heats of the women’s 800m and the long jump of the women’s heptathlon.
Cricket: England lose another wicket, a mix-up leading to the run out of Maia Bouchier! It’s now 94-5 off 13, and from a position of apparent impregnability, we have ourselves a ball-game!
Cricket: England are now 93-3 off 12.4; Alice Capsey has reached her half-century, but Nat Sciver is out… and now so is Capsey, flogging Malaba a return catch! Mlaba is delighted!
Maya Lylor of Canada takes gold in the women’s 76kg weightlifting!
Taiwo Liadi of Nigeria nabs second, Maximina Nuepa of Nauru bronze – and Deborah Alwode of DEngland is just out of the mdeals in fourth.
Athletics: More sprinting joy for Kenya: Samuel Imeta wins heat nine, Rohan Browning of South Africa taking second.
table tennis: In the men’s team bronze-medal match, England have taken the lead against Nigeria thanks to a doubles win.
Cricket: England are going nicely, 78-2 off 9.4; Alice Capsey is 39 not out and Nat Sciver 11 not out.
Athletics: Conroy James of Jamaica wins heat eight of the men’s 100, Adam Thomas of Scotland following him home.
Weightlifting: Deborah Alawode of England takes out 119kg – that puts her second overall – then Taiwo Liadi of Nigeria gets up 120kg.
Athletics: Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati streaks away with heat seven of the men’s 100m. Three more to go, and I don’t think we’re any the wiser as regards who might win.
Weightlifting: It’s getting tense in the women’s final 76kg. We’re into the clean-and-jerk portion – mmmm, jerk – and Maximina Uepa of Nauru has just nailed 117kg.
Cricket: i should remind you, England beat Sri Lanka in their first match, while South Africa – who are missing the excellent Marizanne Kapp, home for personal reasons – lost to NZ.
Cricket: England are playing South Africa and, having been inserted, have just lost Danni Wyatt. They’re 43-2 off 5.1.
Swimming: Kylie Masse, who’s already won silvers in the 100 and 200m back just won her 50m heat.
Athletics: Yupun Abeykoon powers home to win heat six; Oghenebrume comes second. Well done him.
Athletics: Ach, Godson Oghenebrume seems to overbalance on the falling blocks, and will he be disqualified for that? The runners are called back, but he stays. Good. Can he keep the heid?
Athletics: Omanyala’s time of 10.07 is, we’re told, perhaps the fastest recorded at this stage of the Games. He tells BBC he’s hoping to put Kenyan sprinting on the map.
Athletics: Omanyala of Kenya and Esseme of Cameron streak away in heat five of the men’s 100.
Swimming: Ben Proud of England, the world and Commonwealth 50m free champ, has eased through to the semis.
Athletics: Raymond Ekevwo of Nigeria wins the heat in 10.14, a hundredth in front of Kemar Bailey-Cole of Jamaica, who turns to stare as they cross line – essentially saying he could’ve won that race he had chosen to. And it’s a great picture because Ekwevwo is about 5 ”7 and Bailey-Cole 6” 3, so he it’s like a Dad and lad.
Athletics: Raphael Ngaguele Mberlina false starts in heat four of the men’s 100m, and really that is a nonsense rule. As far as I recall, it’s to ensure that races fit into prescribed TV schedules, and it makes no sense to punish a slight infraction so severely.
Swimming: England’s Holly Hibbert is into the women’s 200m butterfly final, but Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers is a strong favorite for gold; she was the fastest qualifier, and followed home by her teammate, Abbey Connor.
Athletics: Ojie Edoburun of England wins heat three of the men’s 100m, while Denise Lewis reflects on Johnson-Thompson’s performance. She says the speed between hurdles is n’t there, but she did n’t hit any and it’s not her best discipline. The long jump is next, starting in 15 or so minutes.
Athletics: Johnson-Thompson gets away well, but Taneille Crace of Australia powers through to win, Holly Mills of England behind her; Johnson-Thompson finishes fifth, and didn’t look great in so doing.
Athletics: Ah, the 100m hurdles in the women’s heptathlon have, I think, already been, but we’ve not been shown them until now. So let’s go with them, while also doing the heats of the men’s 100m; Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the defending champion, is taking her mark from her.
Athletics: Akani Simbine of South Africa doesn’t get a great start, but eases through the field to win heat two of the men’s 10m by a street, in 10.10.
Wales win gold in the men’s pairs bowls!
They beat England 19-18; Jarrod Breen and Daniel Salmon go absolutely wild. And rightly so – they almost chucked it away, but responded really well to pressure and potential devastation. Jamie Walker and Sam Tolchard almost pulled off a comeback for the ages, but will have to make do with silver.
Men’s bowls: STRAIN! Wales are in front in the final end. England have one effort to try and steal…
Athletics: Favor Ashe of Nigeria storms out of the blocks and leads England’s Mitchell Blake home, easing up.
Swimming Brodie Williams, silver medalist in the 100m back, has won his head in the 200m version. He’ll fancy himself to podium again, yes I just used podium as a verb.
Athletics: In the women’s T37/38 100m qualifying, Sophie Hahn streaked clear to win in 12.80, her best time of the season.
Athletics: The first round of the men’s 100m is soon to get going; there are 10 [ten] heats.
Men’s bowls: But a terrific saving bowl from Jarrad Breen knocks one of England’s out of the way, taking the end with a oner. Wales now lead 19-17 after 17!
Men’s bowls: England reduces the deficit to 18-17 at 16, and are looking strong through 17, a potential two there for them. The Wales lads look nervous, I must say.
Women’s hockey: Australias have beaten NZ 1-0. But both will likely make the last four, and could easily meet again in the gold-medal match.
Men’s bowls: Wales responded! They lead 18-16 after 15 ends, which makes some sense: England were so far behind, and though momentum was with them, it’s almost impossible to pile up points with no reply.
Athletics: Sreeshankar of India is first through in the men’s long jump, recording 8.05m – the mark is 8.00m. He’s got a chance of a medal, reckons Rob Walker.
Athletics: We’re away in the stadium, the men’s long-jump heats in progress. The heptathlon will also soon get going; the 100m hurdles is first up.
Men’s bowls: Have a look! Two for England, and the scores are level at 16-16! Wales had the gold in their fingertips, but now have to seize it all over again, in the knowledge that if they cannot, they’ll be haunted by the last four ends until they day they die.
Women’s hockey: Just at the end of the Q3, Australia hit the post, but with 13 minutes left they still lead NZ 1-0 – and are a player down.
Men’s bowls: They cannot! Wales hit all the balls, alter nowt, and after 13 ends, it’s 16-14; not that long ago, it was 15-6, but two fours in three ends and it’s up for grabs now!
Men’s bowls: England are closing! 16-10 behind after 12 ends, a delicious delivery from Sam Tolchard gives them four, and you could cut the atmosphere with an atmosphere cutter. Can Wales find something to disrupt the momentum?
Athletics: We’re just 15 minutes way from the start of the competition. oooh yeah!
Women’s hockey: With three minutes left in Q3, it’s still Australia 1-0 NZ.
This is an important piece by Kieran Pender.
Men’s bowls: A colossal end for England sees them claw back four points, but with seven ends to play, they still trail Wales 15-10.
Women’s weightlifting: The end of the 76kg is away.
Men’s bowls: Wales are storming away from England now, 15-6 in front of 10 ends – but England are well placed in the 11th, with two on top of the of the jack.
Women’s hockey: It’s still Australia 1-0 NZ at half-time. So far in the competition, Australia have beaten Kenya 8-0 and South Africa 5-0; NZ have beaten Kenya 16-0 and Scotland 1-0.
Women’s hockey: It’s a tight one in Pool B, where Australia lead New Zealand 1-0 with 90 seconds left in Q2.
Bowls: I’m watching the finals of the men’s pairs; Wales lead England 11-6, while Scotland lead Northern Ireland 17-4 in the bronze-medal match.
Preamble
Morning all, and welcome to day five of the Commonwealth Games! With the track cycling finished, now is the perfect time for track and field to spring into action … and it does, the centerpiece Joshua Cheptegei’s attempt to add another gold to augment the 10,000m gold he won a fortnight ago in the world championships. But we’ve also got Holly Bradshaw and Hannah Cockroft in action, all of which makes for a terrific evening session.
Otherwise, there are absolutely loads of goings-on in the pool – can Adam Peaty rebound from his shock defeat in the 100m breast with gold in the 50m? – in the 3×3 basketball, which has both men’s and women’s finals – and the end of the gymnastics. Jake Jarman, who has three golds already, is after another in the vault, while Joe Fraser, with two, chases a third in the parallel bars.
We have just witnessed one of the most insane days to ever unfold in Aussie cycling with Matthew Glaetzer winning gold in the men’s 1000m time trial.
The Aussie team was expected to be wiped out from the medals when they were inadvertently sabotaged by their own team in another farcical equipment blunder unfolding just hours before the event.
AusCycling officials announced its handlebars for the event were not safe at the eleventh hour—forcing the Aussie riders to use inferior, bulkier, slower bars at the Lee Valley VeloPark.
Aussie cycling legend Katey Bates said the decision to use heavier, less aerodynamic handlebars could cost the riders up to 1.5 seconds in the event that takes 60 seconds to complete.
Nobody could have predicted what came next.
Despite the last-minute equipment sabotage, Glaetzer produced one of the great rides to take gold in the final ride of the event, knocking Aussie teammate Tom Cornish to silver.
A fifth Commonwealth Games gold medal taken Glaetzer equal with Aussie cycling icon Anna Meares for career gold medals won.
Aussie Matthew Richardson, who won gold in the men’s sprint on Monday, was relegated to fourth spot after Nicholas Paul took bronze for Trinidad and Tobago.
Richardson would almost certainly have won the bronze if able to use the handlebars he was expecting to.
It’s why Bates was absolutely stunned when Glaetzer powered to the gold medal.
“I cannot believe my eyes. I cannot believe what I’m seeing here,” she said.
“That was absolutely staggering. This is becoming the velodrome where records are broken and dreams are made.”
Earlier, an AusCycling review into the handlebars was only completed at the last minute. The review found the bars could not handle the force that the riders put through them, particularly when exploding off the start line.
Aussie legend Scott McGrory said the decision was a “devastating blow” to the Aussie trio.
“It’s a major hindrance,” he told Channel 7.
“The aerodynamic bars are so much faster.
“It’s a devastating blow for the Australians.”
AusCycling executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf spoke to Channel 7 before the event and defended the late decision. He said the review was started earlier this year, but could not have been completed earlier because of testing issues with its suppliers and other officials.
Korf said in a statement released by AusCycling the decision was made after testing revealed the riders would generate significantly more power than the bars could handle.
“We acknowledge that this decision has created a degree of disappointment, but the riders and the broader team understand that safety is our top priority,” Korf said.
“We have made significant changes to procedures, team structure and process since the Tokyo Olympics and this decision is reflective of a new and thorough approach to long-term engineering excellence, competitive success, and athlete welfare.”
Bates said the decision would be a hammer blow to the Aussies, who have dedicated their lives for moments like this one.
“We’re talking 1 second to 1.5 seconds, it won’t just cost a gold medal, it will cost a medal,” she said.
“That’s devastating. When you look back on your career, these are the moments that define it, for good or for bad. I really feel for the athletes, to be honest.”
McGrory suggested there were other options that the Aussies could have used, including equipment readily available at the track, rather than going with such heavy handlebars.
Richardson was the first Aussie to hit the track and he left McGrory and Bates stunned when he shot straight to the top spot on the time sheets with a 1:00.152.
Tom Cornish then pushed into first place with a 1:00.036.
Glaetzer then took the gold when he smashed to 59,505.
Glaetzer was on Monday robbed of a bronze medal after being relegated in the third race of the bronze medal event following marginal contact with his opponent in the men’s sprint race.
The handlebar disaster in Birmingham comes after the Aussie equipment failed at the Tokyo Olympics.
Richardson was seen looking distressed after his ride and collapsed to the floor while appearing to suffer from cramping and other issues. Bates suggested he was about to vomit from the exhaustion and build up of lactic acid.
It was truly an unforgettable day in Australian cycling.
Collingwood midfield star Taylor Adams will resume running this Friday having “had a sook” over the groin injury which he’s adamant won’t keep him out of this year’s finals.
Adams was subbed out of the Magpies’ six-point win over Port Adelaide at half-time last Saturday and subsequent scans confirmed he suffered a groin strain.
The 28-year-old said on Tuesday he was extremely disappointed when the initial prognosis was delivered with the Magpies on a 10-game winning streak and a chance to finish in the top four under first-year coach Craig McRae.
But he quickly focused on the “silver lining” which was the chance to return in time for the first final, aided by the pre-finals bye which should give him enough time to be ready to play.
“I’ve got all the sooking out of my system. It could be better but it could be far worse,” Adams told RSN.
“I’m seeing the silver lining. I will start running again on Friday and that will give me a really good lead in to make sure that I come back fit and strong and able to sustain a full game.
“You have to shift your mindset from a situation that’s not ideal to turning it into something which is really positive. I’ve been in this situation before .. you can either sook about it for four or five days or you can get over it and put a plan in place and get back to work.
“I’m in that headspace at the moment and I’m confident if I put the work in I’ll be right. I’ve got a plan in place now and I’ll get to work and get ready to come back.”
Adams had until now played every game this season bar two, missing the round 4 defeat to West Coast while in the AFL’s Covid protocols then sitting out the narrow round 18 win over Adelaide because of a concussion.
He is first at the club for contested possessions this season, second in tackles and inside 50s, third in groundball-gets and sixth in disposals, so he is a significant loss for Craig McRae’s team at a crucial juncture.
The Magpies have won 10 matches in a row, including seven by single-digit margins, to move into third place on the ladder with reigning premier Melbourne, in-form Sydney and Carlton to come.
Only eighth-placed St Kilda, which has three fewer victories, has a worse percentage than Collingwood’s 106.2, so it will likely need to win at least twice in the final three rounds to maintain a top-four spot.
There are reinforcements on the way, with Brodie Grundy (knee) successfully negotiating his VFL comeback on Saturday, while McRae said after the Power victory that he expected Brody Mihocek (hip) to be available.
The coach stopped short of guaranteeing Grundy’s return but he played almost a full match while amassing 11 disposals, 21 hit-outs and eight tackles.
Mason Cox will be the player to make way if Grundy is recalled, unless Mihocek fails to prove his fitness.
Defender Jeremy Howe (corked buttock) sat out most of the last quarter at the weekend but should be fine for Friday night’s clash with his old side the Demons.
Newcastle’s torrid season has gone from bad to worse, with enforcer David Klemmer issued a show cause notice over an on-field disciplinary issue.
The incident in question, according to The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Kent, came in the 71st minute of the Knights’ 24-10 loss to the Bulldogs.
Klemmer is said to have refused to come off the field and allegedly verbally abused Newcastle trainer Hayden Knowles, who was trying to make the substitution happen.
“It happened over a series of tackles throughout the last minutes of the game, where they continually tried to get him off the field,” Kent said on Fox League’s ‘NRL 360’.
“Now Klemmer just refused to go. He’s been disciplined, he hasn’t been chosen after this weekend’s game.”
The Knights released a statement on Tuesday confirming an on-field disciplinary matter had taken place, although they opted against going into any further details.
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The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley described the show cause notice as “strange” given Newcastle had taken action by dropping Klemmer before giving him a chance to explain himself.
That was not all Crawley had to say though, with the veteran rugby league reporter claiming that Klemmer’s incident was only a smaller part of much bigger problems in the Hunter.
“It’s bigger than this,” Crawley said.
“There’s a problem up at Newcastle that everyone’s ducking and covering from, there’s players up there that aren’t happy. There’s a division within the club and no one can deny it. You’ve just got to look at their performances.
“There’s obviously some players out there that aren’t real happy and David Klemmer on the weekend has probably fired up.
“Something’s happened to him on the field, he didn’t want to come off but I assure you there’s got to be more to it.”
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David Klemmer is out of the Newcastle line-up this week. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crawley’s theory was supported by Braith Anasta, who said blow-ups like the one Klemmer had on Sunday afternoon to being substituted off “happen every weekend”.
“That happens every weekend at a club where a player doesn’t want to come off the field or will argue with his trainers,” Anasta said.
“I don’t know to what extent, but a show cause notice is very dramatic at 6pm on a Tuesday night where they haven’t picked him in the side. There’s got to be more to it. There just has to be.”
As Kent went on to point out, there were reports that Parramatta was looking to snare Klemmer before the mid-season transfer deadline, only adding fuel to the fire.
“It’s interesting yesterday Parramatta approached the Knights to get him on a loan deal,” Kent said.
“My understanding is Klemmer was willing to go, but he’s got next year at Newcastle. He wanted next year at Parramatta plus the year after, which they were not willing to go to, which suggested the fact that maybe he was happy to leave Newcastle.”
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Former teammate James Graham said that Klemmer “looks very frustrated” and could understand why he may have pushed against coming from the field.
“He has very high expectations of himself and takes pride in his performances and especially his numbers,” Graham said.
“He can be one of those guys who is reluctant to leave the field of play. This is against his old club from him as well. I can understand why he may have wanted to stay out there.
“There were times the rotation with those middle forwards and Klemmer would protest leaving the field of play if he thought he could have an impact on the result.”
Corey Parker though called it “a load of BS”, taking aim at Newcastle for disciplining Klemmer, who he called a “the alpha male of the club”.
“Seriously, dropping someone because he said no to coming off to the trainer,” Parker said.
“I played 16 years and everytime I was asked to come off I was reluctant to a point where I would say to the trainer a few expletives to let him know I didn’t want to come off. He’s the alpha male of the club playing against his former club.
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“Are we playing rugby league? He’s the front rower of a rugby league club, is he just going to bow and come off? I played with and against Klem and he’s a tough, uncompromising, resilient front rower.”
Graham though responded by pointing out that sometimes a player has to put their own personal thoughts to the side and prioritize the team’s best interests.
In this case, even though he thought the decision to take Klemmer off was “strange”, Graham said coach O’Brien may have been trying to set a standard by dropping the enforcer.
“No one wants to come off but if your club is seeing something and you’re part of a rotation and it’s coming from the top,” Graham said.
“It does seem strange [to take him off then]. We’ve all sprayed trainers. I think it’s the fact he didn’t come from the field of play. Personally, I think it’s they’ve had a bad week, O’Brien is trying to set a precedent and build his club from him.
“We’ve heard about O’Brien setting standards for next year.”
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The drama is hardly what Newcastle needed as it looks to arrest a concerning form slump which has seen the club drop four-straight games and lose 14 of its past 17 to plummet down the ladder.
Knights coach Adam O’Brien came under fire earlier in the week for his comments after the latest loss to the Bulldogs, in which he pointed out his involvement in “four grand finals.”
“It is a hard one for me as well,” O’Brien said at the post-match press conference.
“Previous to getting this job here I was involved in four grand finals.
“I know how those teams prepared. I know the systems they used defensively.
“You don’t unlearn that knowledge. Applying it and getting it ingrained is going to take some time clearly.
“Week to week we can talk about one area of that defense and we can fix it in seven days, but then we will let another area of our defense down.
“It is going to take a bit of time and I know some people don’t want to wait that long, but it is.”
Adam O’Brien’s coaching has come under scrutiny. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
O’Brien spoke to the media again on Tuesday to clarify those comments, admitting he would “like to have” that press conference back.
“I clearly did not articulate the message I was going to get across and I apologize for that,” he said.
“It looks like I’m an egomaniac. I was trying to get my message across to the supporter who sits on the hill that must be wondering do they practice defense and tackle technique? Are they fit, tough?
“I was trying to talk to them that the boys are training at a really high standard. I’ve tried to give hope to people on the hill that we are training at a high level – that’s not translating to the field and that responsibility is squarely on me.
“I’m not taking the accolades of the success at those clubs, that is Craig (Bellamy’s) and Trent (Robinson’s) work. I’m trying to create that here. We are on the path but we aren’t there yet.”
