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F1 news 2022: McLaren boss Zak Brown slammed for broken promise, Daniel Ricciardo contract saga

F1 news 2022: McLaren boss Zak Brown slammed for broken promise, Daniel Ricciardo contract saga

McLaren boss Zak Brown is copping backlash from his own network of reserve drivers as the Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri contract saga rages.

Australian F1 driver Ricciardo became embroiled in F1’s mid-year silly season following reports he will be replaced by young compatriot Piastri at McLaren in 2023.

The news erupted last week after Fernando Alonso blindsided the F1 world and jumped into Sebastian Vettel’s vacated seat at Aston Martin.

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Alpine then announced Piastri would be the man to replace Alonso, only for the Melburnian to reject the seat — a bold move for a man who is yet to drive in F1.

Now Ricciardo has asked for a $21 million payout from McLaren for the early termination of his contract, according to Speedcafe.com.

But as the drama unfolds, the fallout has extended all the way to the United States.

IndyCar drivers Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta and Alex Palou were each targeting the vacant Alpine seat, but the trio have seemingly been sidelined by Brown.

According to leading IndyCar driver O’Ward, Brown dangled the F1 carrot in front of the Americans before going all in on Piastri.

“It’s not good for me to have that illusion. It’s a dream that’s very far away, because although I’m racing at a very high level, it’s still not enough to convince them,” O’Ward told ESPN.

“There are many things that come into play that are beyond me.

“I found it laughable. I saw it and I laughed.

“The same prize has been put in front of many other drivers by Brown. In the end, there is only one seat and not five.”

If Piastri does indeed take his place at McLaren, Ricciardo’s most likely landing spot would be Alpine, the French team formerly known as Renault where he spent two seasons in 2019 and 2020.

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer slammed Piastri for his apparent betrayal in a blistering spray over the weekend.

“I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing,” the Alpine team principal told Spanish publication The confidential.

“I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I’ve never seen anything like this. And it’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.

“It could happen in ice hockey or soccer, it doesn’t matter. But you don’t do that. He signed a piece of paper, a document, saying he would do something different.

“For me, the way I grew up, I don’t need to sign a piece of paper and then have someone say, ‘You’re lying, because you signed this.’ For me, if you say, ‘Hey, help me, I’ll help you tomorrow,’ there’s no way I would go back on my word. No way.”

“He should (drive with the) team that has taken care of him, that has taken him to the world championship and, above all, that during the last year has put him in a Formula 1 car so that he would be ready, so that he would know the circuits,” Szafnauer added.

“You did everything I asked you to do (from Alpine to Piastri) and now I promise you that if you do this, I will do this. I don’t need a piece of paper where it says, ‘With a clause, I can get out of here’.

“There should be some loyalty to the fact that we have invested literally millions and millions of euros to prepare him. So I don’t understand it either, you should ask him.”

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All Blacks vs Springboks: All you need to know about the Rugby Championship test

All Blacks vs Springboks: All you need to know about the Rugby Championship test

Ian Foster’s future as All Blacks coach will be on the line when the men in black tackle the Springboks at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg in round two of the Rugby Championship.

Foster is under enormous pressure to keep his job after suffering five defeats in six test matches, a sweep run that has seen the All Blacks plummet to fifth on the World Rugby rankings, their lowest-ever ranking.

New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson had previously refused to endorse Foster beyond the first two games in South Africa, which means the ax could fall unless he can inspire a dramatic turnaround.

It would be a monumental bounce-back if the All Blacks were to pick up a much-needed victory in Johannesburg. They are coming off their worst defeat to the Springboks in 94 years after losing the opening game 26-10.

The All Blacks have not dropped their first two games of the Rugby Championship, or the Tri-Nations as it was previously known, since 1998.

Foster has resisted wholesale changes, making just four alterations to his starting XV for the second encounter against the Boks.

Props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax bulk up the scrum, Shannon Frizell subs in for Akira Ioane at blindside flanker and Richie Mo’unga gets his first start of the year at first-five with Beauden Barrett dropping to the bench.

South Africa have been forced into a late front-row reshuffle after starting hooker Bongi Mbonambi went down with a knee injury at training. He has been replaced by the inexperienced Joseph Dweba.

Richie Mo'unga has been named to start at first-five as one of four changed to the All Blacks' starting XV.

Joe Allison/Getty Images

Richie Mo’unga has been named to start at first-five as one of four changed to the All Blacks’ starting XV.

The game

Rugby Championship Round 2: Springboks v All Blacks

Where: Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg

When: Sunday, August 14, 3.05am (NZ time)

Live coverage: Sky Sport 1, live updates on stuff from 2.50am

The teams

All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea.

Springboks: Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Hershel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.

The refs

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Christophe Ridley (England)

OMT: Brett Cronan (Australia)

weather

Partly sunny and pleasant; breezy in the afternoon. High of approx 24degC, approx 20degC and 18% humidity at kickoff 5.05pm local time

The odds

Springboks $1.47, All Blacks $2.70

history

Overall: Played 102, All Blacks wins: 60, Draws: 4, Springboks wins: 38

In South Africa: Played 51, All Blacks wins: 24, Draws: 1, Springboks wins: 26

In Johannesburg: Played 13, All Blacks wins: 4, Springboks wins: 9

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Weary Nick Kyrgios beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in Montreal quarter-finals | Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios’ winning streak came to an end with defeat by Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open in Montreal. The Australian had built on his run to the Wimbledon final by winning an ATP title in Washington last week and went into the meeting with Hurkacz having won 15 of his last 16 matches.

Kyrgios looked weary but recovered from losing the opening set on a tie-break to turn the tables in the second. The deciding set was one-sided, though, with Kyrgios ranting at the umpire about a lengthy bathroom break taken by Hurkacz and struggling physically as he fell to a 7-6 (4), 6-7, (5) 6-1 defeat .

Kyrgios said afterwards: “My body hasn’t been feeling great the last week. When you stop playing for five, 10 minutes, it doesn’t help your body. My body was so stiff after that I couldn’t move properly. My abdominal was hurting. It’s within the rules so I’m not going to complain, I just completely stiffened up.”

Hurkacz, from Poland, who is the only player left to have previously won an ATP Masters title, will take on the fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semi-finals. The Norwegian made it a miserable day for the home hope Felix Auger-Aliassime, handing the young Canadian the heaviest defeat of his career as he slumped to a 6-1, 6-2 loss.

In the women’s event in Toronto, Simona Halep continued her resurgence by overcoming Coco Gauff 6-4, 7-6 (2), maintaining her record of not having dropped a set in four meetings with the American teenager.

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Chris Lynn UAE T20 league, Ben Stokes ODI retirement, looming trouble for cricket

Cricket faces a real challenge dealing with the rapidly evolving T20 landscape, according to former Australian skipper Ian Chappell.

The last month alone has seen Ben Stokes retire from 50-over cricket due to the demands three formats of the game place on his body, suggestions Chris Lynn wants to ditch the BBL to play in the UAE, and Trent Boult being released from his New Zealand central contract to allow him to play in more domestic leagues around the world.

The boss of IPL giants Kolkota Knight Riders recently revealed that in an “ideal world” players would be contracted to their franchises for 12 months a year, potentially leading cricket down the ‘club vs country’ path that rules football. IPL franchises recently purchased all six teams in South Africa’s new T20 competition, which will also run in competition to the BBL.

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Lynn seemingly wants to play the first half of the BBL before taking up a big money offer in the new UAE T20 league in January, with former national coach Darren Lehmann one of those who supports the 32-year-old being allowed to do so.

Lynn is the BBL’s all-time leading run-scorer and a fan favorite, particularly with younger demographics that the competition targets.

Cricket Australia would need to provide Lynn with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to allow him to take up the UAE deal, to date no such application has been made.

According to Chappell, Lynn could be the first of many Australian players faced with this dilemma, given the riches on offer overseas.

“I think a lot of the older players will get offers from that area, and that will be a real challenge for nations like Australia who have a lot of good players, and also for nations that can’t afford to pay their players the best rates,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports.

“Then you’ve got the problem of the IPL franchises owning teams in different leagues around the world.

“If you’ve got a decent IPL contract and the choice is between Australia and your IPL franchise’s UAE team, well are you going to put your IPL contract at risk?”

Privatizing the BBL teams has been floated, with Chappell indicating the IPL franchises would be “off their rocker” not to buy the Australian outfits if given the chance.

That then raises the question of development of younger players, a role that has traditionally fallen to the state associations.

“Who’s going to do it?” Chappell pondered.

“To me, the administrators had to make a decision years ago on how many forms of the game they wanted. Once you’ve decided that, how do you run those forms of the game so they’re not cannibalizing each other.

“This is one reason why it should have been sorted out. But the administrators have no foresight.

“That’s now coming back to haunt them.”

While Lynn is yet to formally apply for a NOC to play in the UAE, all eyes will be on Cricket Australia’s response. There’s no precedent to allow an Australian player to compete in a league in direct competition to the BBL, although the fact Lynn does not currently hold a CA or Cricket Queensland contract muddies the waters.

“To me, you then go back to the World Series Cricket days, where they took the board to court over restraint of trade,” Chappell said.

“Is it a restraint of trade? In Chris Lynn’s case, if he hasn’t got a contract with Cricket Australia or Cricket Queensland, what’s to stop him?

“If I was Chris Lynn and I wanted to play in the UAE I’d take them to court. I don’t think Cricket Australia would have a hope in hell. It’s got to be a restraint of trade. You’re not contracting him, but you’re not letting him play either.”

Chappell noted that the explosion of T20 leagues is likely to damage Test cricket, pointing out that if BBL sides are privatized the owners will expect the best Australian players to be available, placing iconic matches such as the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and New Year’s Test in Sydney in danger.

“Cricket Australia has got a big decision to make, they’re going to have to do a lot of thinking” he said.

“Who’s going to be deciding who can play and when and where they play?

“If they open it up to private ownership, and there’s a clash between Test cricket and T20, well, guess who’ll miss out?”

The 75-Test veteran said the whole scenario spells trouble for the longer form of the game.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” I explained.

“For starters, if you’re being realistic you can only play Test cricket between about eight teams.

“West Indies have got a problem because they can’t afford to pay their players. Sri Lanka have a reasonable infrastructure but big political problems, and South Africa is similar.

“Whoever thought of giving Afghanistan and Ireland Test status is off their rocker. But you know why it’s been done, it’s so those countries get a vote.

“To me this whole issue has been coming for quite a while, and I have no sympathy for the administrators.”

“[Test cricket] won’t die in my lifetime,” he added.

“But who’ll be playing it? That’s the big question.

“If you haven’t got your best players, is Test cricket worth watching? The answer is probably no. Test cricket is a good game, but it’s got to be well played.”

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Australian cricket’s highest earners – Pat Cummins tops contract list for third straight year

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MLB news 2022: Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended 80 games after testing positive for banned substance

MLB news 2022: Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended 80 games after testing positive for banned substance

The Padres will be without Fernando Tatis Jr. for the rest of the season.

Tatis Jr. tested positive for Clostebol, and will be suspended for 80 games. The news of the suspension was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

“I’ve been informed by Major League Baseball that a test sample I submitted returned a positive result for Clostebol, a banned substance,” Tatis Jr. said in a statement, through the MLBPA.

“It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol. I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so.

“I want to apologize to Peter, AJ, the entire Padres organization, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my mistake, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect the game I love.”

The 23-year-old phenom had missed the entire season due to a fractured wrist but had been expected to return soon.

This is a blow to the Padres, who went all in trading a haul of highly-ranked prospects to the Nationals for superstar outfielder Juan Soto and formidable first baseman Josh Bell.

“I have taken countless drug tests throughout my professional career, including on March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results until this test,” Tatis Jr.’s statement continued.

“I am completely devastated. There is nowhere in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized that my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023.”

The Padres are 63-51. While they trail the Dodgers for 16 games in the NL West, they would qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team if the playoffs started today.

Tatis Jr. signed a 14-year, AU$477 million contract with the Padres last February.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

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Wallabies vs Argentina, Lalakai Foketi, Giteau Law, World Cup, LIV golf, video

Wallabies vs Argentina, Lalakai Foketi, Giteau Law, World Cup, LIV golf, video

Amid golfer Cameron Smith’s rumored decision to take the money and run to LIV, Lalakai Foketi – the relatively unknown Test center – showed that there are still some things in professional sport that money can’t buy. In his case of him, a Wallabies jersey.

The question, however, is for how long, particularly with chatter that Rugby Australia’s eligibility laws will be blown up for next year’s World Cup.

It’s understood in March that Foketi, 27, turned down hundreds of thousands of dollars for the chance to continue his career for the Wallabies.

With his career progression at the Waratahs slowed by injuries, he was offered a large contract worth more than $500,000 to join French Top 14 club Clermont.

He turned it down, but not long after fellow Australian Irae Simone took the money and, therefore, will unlikely ever play for the Wallabies again based on Rugby Australia’s new Overseas Player Selection Policy.

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Lalakai Foketi opted to stay in Australia for the chance to play for the Wallabies instead of taking up an offer overseas. Photo: Getty Images
Lalakai Foketi opted to stay in Australia for the chance to play for the Wallabies instead of taking up an offer overseas. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Foketi, who made his debut against Wales last November, will start for the first time in the No.12 jersey in the absence of Samu Kerevi and Hunter Paisami.

Simone is in-line to play his third Test, after curiously being named on the bench ahead of Noah Lolesio.

You wonder what Lolesio, who played all three Tests against England, and Suliasi Vunivalu, the two-time NRL premiership winner, must be thinking after being left out?

After all, it was only recently the duo re-signed with Rugby Australia.

Now both are seemingly sliding down the pecking order, while in the case of Vunivalu, the high-profile recruit has only been afforded a couple of minutes off the bench at the SCG.

Yet the decision by Foketi to turn down the money is curious.

He is not the only Australian player to turn down overseas offers, or indeed return home, for the lure of the gold jersey.

Nic White and Matt To’omua craved the chance to play for the Wallabies and returned home ahead of the 2019 World Cup to pursue their international debuts.

Others. like James O’Connor, followed suit.

Rising star Nick Frost managed to recently get out of a deal to join Robbie Deans at Panasonic. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Nick Frost, the 22-year-old rising star, also reneged on a deal to join Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights in the Japanese League One competition.

After a cracking game for the Brumbies, Frost’s coach Dan McKellar raised the possibility of him opting out. RA, along with his management of him and the blessing on the Japanese club, skilfully managed to get the second-rower out of the deal.

It’s a different story for Foketi because as talented as the center is, he still did not make Rennie’s initial squad for the England series. Only injury, as well as Kerevi’s desire to represent Australia in the Commonwealth Games, saw the Waratah called up.

Players like Foketi, as well as Hamish Stewart who too craves a Wallabies cap, are the bread and butter of domestic rugby. Without them, the game Down Under would have invested too much in too few leaving too little for the raw talent underneath.

“I went away after I finished school. I debuted for the Rebels and then went to France when I was young and quickly realized that this is the dream and this is what I wanted to do my rugby career,” Foketi said on Friday.

“I’m grateful that I’m here and I’ve just been working hard to get to this point.

“With other options and stuff, (they) haven’t really been at the forefront of my mind. My family’s happy in Sydney, and that’s another big reason, but this is always the pinnacle of rugby, for me.”

READ MORE

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Lalakai Foketi celebrates a try at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the Waratahs. Photo; Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

It is why RA, privately and publicly, will not entertain opening the floodgates and pick widely from overseas because the fear is it will decimate Super Rugby and cripple their stakeholders, namely the Super Rugby franchises, especially in non-World Cup years.

Next year will be the litmus test. Even after Rennie floated the idea of ​​raising the possibility of adding an additional fourth “overseas” pick for the Rugby Championship before their tour of Argentina, RA was privately shutting down any hope of the third-year international coach being able to pick Rory Arnold, Kerevi, Marika Koroibete and Quade Cooper in the same squad.

Season-ending injuries to Cooper and Kerevi have saved Rennie from an intriguing decision.

Yet for months talk has bubbled under the surface that the eligibility criteria will be scrapped for the World Cup year, with as many as five or six players in the mix.

Whether that occurs remains to be seen and injuries could yet have a telling impact.

Japan-bound Rory Arnold will play for the Wallabies against Argentina. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

But as world No.2 golfer Smith sits on a reported $140 million deal to join the LIV Golf Series, sports stars across the world are increasingly choosing money over legacy.

Who can blame them? Private equity, and new found success, seems like the only way to put a lid on Wallabies heading overseas.

How sustainable it is remains questionable, but given Australia is hosting a World Cup in 2027 (men’s) and 2029 (women’s) the governing body will do everything it can to keep players at home.

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Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended for 80 games, what did he test positive for, salary, San Diego Padres, latest, updates

Fernando Tatis Jr. suspended for 80 games, what did he test positive for, salary, San Diego Padres, latest, updates

The Padres will be without Fernando Tatis Jr. for the rest of the season.

Tatis Jr. tested positive for Clostebol, and will be suspended for 80 games. The news of the suspension was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

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“I’ve been informed by Major League Baseball that a test sample I submitted returned a positive result for Clostebol, a banned substance,” Tatis Jr. said in a statement, through the MLBPA.

“It turns out that I inadvertently took a medication to treat ringworm that contained Clostebol. I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so.

“I want to apologize to Peter, AJ, the entire Padres organization, my teammates, Major League Baseball, and fans everywhere for my mistake. I have no excuse for my mistake, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect the game I love.”

Fernando Tatis Jr. is suspended for 80 games. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
Fernando Tatis Jr. is suspended for 80 games. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

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The 23-year-old phenom had missed the entire season due to a fractured wrist but had been expected to return soon.

This is a blow to the Padres, who went all in trading a haul of highly-ranked prospects to the Nationals for superstar outfielder Juan Soto and formidable first baseman Josh Bell.

“I have taken countless drug tests throughout my professional career, including on March 29, 2022, all of which have returned negative results until this test,” Tatis Jr.’s statement continued.

“I am completely devastated. There is nowhere in the world I would rather be than on the field competing with my teammates. After initially appealing the suspension, I have realized that my mistake was the cause of this result, and for that reason I have decided to start serving my suspension immediately. I look forward to rejoining my teammates on the field in 2023.”

The Padres are 63-51. While they trail the Dodgers for 16 games in the NL West, they would qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team if the playoffs started today.

Tatis Jr. signed a 14-year, $AUD477 million contract with the Padres last February.

This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission

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Nick Kyrgios’s winning streak comes to an end at the Montreal Masters at the hands of Hubert Hurkacz

Nick Kyrgios crouches down and leans on his racquet on court

Nick Kyrgios gave it all he had but, in the end, in the midday Montreal heat, there were just too many aches and pains.

The mercurial Australian’s nine-match winning singles run came to a disappointing end in the quarter-finals of the Montreal Masters 1000, worn down by fatigue, a sore back, and the relentless serving of Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.

The number eight seed won 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 with the final set, which took just 27 minutes after the first two lasted 38 and 41 respectively.

Kyrgios did not call a trainer or complain, but looked off the pace physically. He also had plenty on his mind with his parents of him unwell.

“I honestly don’t care [about losing the winning streak],” Kyrgiossaid.

“I’ve been away from home, away from my mum, away from my dad.

“They’re not very well at the moment. So I don’t really care about ‘no winning streak’.

“I got two more tournaments [Cincinnati and the US Open] left before I can go home.”

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Kostecki labels MARC GT ‘bloody incredible’

2022-New-MARC-car-test-Queensland-Raceway

2022-New-MARC-car-test-Queensland-Raceway

The new MARC GT prototype

Supercars driver Brodie Kostecki has described the new MARC GT prototype as a ‘bloody incredible piece of machinery.’

The Erebus Motorsport driver was given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the LS3-powered MARC GT car during a test day at Queensland Raceway earlier this week.

There, the 24-year-old put the prototype example from the Gold Coast-based manufacturer through its peace.

“I think it was a really positive test, it’s the first real hit out that the cars had,” Kostecki told Speedcafe.com

“I believe they had a shakedown test on the Clubman Circuit [Queensland Raceway] a few weeks prior.

“We did the first half of the day without the front clip of the body on, so once that showed up we knew that the lap times were gonna drop.

“I think there’s still a lot more lap time left in it.”

The Supercars regular punched a fastest lap of 1:07.4s during the hit-out.

That provided marginally faster than the latest-spec GT3 machinery managed during qualifying when GT World Challenge Australia raced at the venue days earlier.

“It’s a bloody incredible piece of machinery,” Kostecki enthused.

“Everyone at MARC cars and PACE Innovations have done an awesome job. It’s the fastest I’ve ever gone around QR.

“The current version that I drove put out 550 horsepower, which is plenty for what they’re going to be doing.

“It was quite nice to drive, it felt like a GT car, except it was a bit quicker than a GT car, so it was bloody cool to drive it,” he added.

“It’s quite a lot different to a Supercar, it’s got a lot more downforce.

“It’s got ABS, paddle shift, all the fruit, so it’s really good for the market that they’re trying to capture.”

The MARC GT is touted as an upgrade of the MARC Focus and MARC Mazda models launched in 2014.

Inspired by the Mercedes C63, it consists of a chrome moly space frame with a bolt on front and rear crash structure.

It includes a Holinger transmission, Brembo brake package, and PACE Innovations Modular Upright system.

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AFL news 2022: Brad Crouch beats hit vs Darcy Gardiner video, St Kilda vs Brisbane score

AFL news 2022: Brad Crouch beats hit vs Darcy Gardiner video, St Kilda vs Brisbane score

St Kilda midfielder Brad Crouch could be staring down the barrel of a stint on the sidelines following a late hit on Brisbane Lions defender Darcy Gardiner during Friday evening’s AFL match at Marvel Stadium.

During the second quarter of Brisbane’s 15-point victory, Crouch’s shoulder made heavy contact with Gardiner’s head near the boundary line.

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The dazed 26-year-old required medical attention following the ugly incident, which sparked a brief melee.

“That’s not good I don’t think,” footy icon Brian Taylor said on Channel 7 commentary.

“That’s head contact with a bump and it could’ve been a tackle.”

Melbourne AFLW footballer Daisy Pearce continued: “That’s weeks. At least a week and anything upward of that hinges on what those doctors are working out right now.”

Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw replied: “You say that, but in the current landscape how would anyone know?”

Crouch will almost certainly come under scrutiny from the Match Review Officer, but the severity of his punishment remains unclear.

Earlier this week, the AFL Appeals Board overturned the AFL Tribunal’s decision to uphold Carlton captain Patrick Cripps’ two-match ban for rough conduct due to a lack of procedural fairness.

The outcome baffled the footy community, and the AFL Appeals Board could face further scrutiny following Crouch’s late hit at Marvel Stadium.

“Good on Carlton for pursuing it and getting their player free but I thought we were all about protecting the head and Cal Ah Chee had no chance whatsoever to protect his own head last week,” Lion coach Chris Fagan told reporters in the post- match press conference.

“And he was off early in the game last week and he’s not playing this week as a result of it so we get penalized for that and unfortunately Cal gets injured.

“We’ve just got to protect the head – it’s as simple as that.”

Melbourne great Garry Lyon fumed on Fox Footy: “It’s the greatest raffle in sport right now… it’s a farce.

“We don’t know what’s going on. ‘Procedural fairness’, come on.

“I hope this is not the start of a long concussion run for Callum Ah Chee, because we’d go back to this moment and go, ‘This is an AFL that makes a lot of noise but (doesn’t do enough)’ .”

St Kilda will need a minor miracle to qualify for the finals after Friday’s 12.9 (81) to 9.12 (66) defeat.

Brisbane opened up a 26-point buffer late in the second quarter, but for the third game in a row, they either gave up a sizeable lead, or had one eaten into significantly, as the Saints exploded in the third quarter to lead by five points, putting the Lions’ top-four ambitions in peril.

However, Brisbane’s pursuit of a double chance would’ve been severely impeded if Saints spearhead Max King kicked straight, but he could only must five behinds, including four missed set shots from directly in front in the second half when the Saints enjoyed all the momentum .

In response, Rayner stepped up to the plate, showing King how it’s done, booting three of Brisbane’s four final-quarter goals, to finish up with a team-high four majors, and prove to be the match winner.

The Saints will likely drop to 10th this weekend, meaning they will have to not only beat the Swans in Sydney in the final round next week, but will also need a raft of other results to go their way to make the finals.

– with Ronny Lerner, NCA NewsWire

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