Former Wallabies fly-half Matt To’omua has opened up about his “brutal” divorce from Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry, admitting the taxing order was “not fun at all”.
The sporting power couple, who tied the knot in 2015, announced their divorce in July 2020, confirming the news in a joint statement.
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“It’s with the greatest of respect for one another that we decided to separate earlier this year,” the pair said at the time.
“We felt this was the right course of action and is in the best interests of each other and our current lives. This is something that has evolved and is a mutual decision.
Throughout our relationship we have remained private and we ask that our space and privacy continue to be respected during this difficult time for both of us.”
The couple went public in 2013 when they appeared at the John Eales Medal awards night together before getting engaged the following year.
Ellyse Perry and ex-husband Matt To’omua.Source: InstagramEllyse Perry and ex-husband Matt To’omua. AAP Image/Scott BarbourSource: AAP
speaking to the Sydney Morning HeraldTo’omua revealed he had not spoken to Perry in more than a year,
“It was tough,” he confessed. “Not fun. Not fun at all. It sucks.
“You can see why it breaks people. I’m very lucky that I’ve found someone now who’s amazing, but at the time, it was brutal.
“I’m very fortunate that we had no children and, of the divorces, it was a good one in the sense of the separation of those things. The one unique thing being it was public. Getting sprayed while I’m goalkicking or getting abused on some social media platform isn’t great, but they’re minor things.”
Matt To’omua of Australia. Photo by Michael Steele/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
To’omua has since started dating forensic psychologist Naomi Cameron, who he met in 2020. They recently got engaged. Earlier this year, the 32-year-old announced he would head overseas and join Japan’s League One, signing with an unnamed club.
To’omua represented the Wallabies in 59 Tests after making his international debut in 2013, also playing 130 Super Rugby games for the ACT Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels.
Meanwhile, rumors emerged last year that Perry was dating Fremantle Dockers captain Nat Fyfe.
The 31-year-old was part of the Australian squad for this year’s triumphant Cricket World Cup campaign in New Zealand.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has said he “would not be surprised” if major F1 figures are sharing information behind closed doors as the Oscar Piastri fiasco continues to bubble away.
While the news of Piastri’s mooted move to McLaren to replace countryman Daniel Ricciardo has not been officially announced by the team, Szafnauer has spoken on the issue.
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The issue came to a head when two-time world champion Fernando Alonso sensationally revealed he was leaving Alpine for Aston Martin, leaving a free seat to which the French outfit announced Piastri would be taking.
It was also revealed Alonso did not tell Alpine bosses of his decision to defect before it was made public.
But Piastri threw a spanner in the works, revealed he would “not be driving for Alpine next year” via a social media statement.
It quickly snowballed into reports Piastri was signed with McLaren who were willing to pay out Ricciardo’s seat, which will cost the team a reported $21 million.
The one snag appears to be whether Piastri had a valid contract at Alpine.
French publication Auto Hebdo reported this week the F1’s Contract Recognition Board found both Piastri’s Alpine and McLaren contracts are valid.
It has left Alpine threatening to file a civil lawsuit to recover the millions of dollars in training it has spent on Piastri this season.
“Going to the High Court is over 90 per cent certain that’s what we’ll do,” Szafnauer told Reuters.
“If the CRB (Contract Recognition Board) says ‘Your license is only valid at Alpine’, and then he (Piastri) says ‘That’s great, but I’m never driving for them, I’ll just sit out a year’, then you’ve got to go to the High Court for compensation.”
But the Alpine boss has also hinted at potential collusion between Piastri’s manager Mark Webber, Alonso and his manager Flavio Briatore.
Webber and Alonso are close friends after their time in F1, while Briatore, who was a former team boss at Bennetton and Renault, has been Alonso’s long-term manager.
“Look, I have no record of it, but this is Formula 1 and maybe in a couple of years someone says that they have evidence of shared information, I would not be surprised,” Szafnauer said.
“I always tell everyone that in Formula 1 you have to act as if everyone knows everything. That there are no secrets in these things. When you ask someone not to say anything, they act like everyone knows.
“That’s how I’ve run my business in Formula 1 for 25 years. And if this (information sharing) has happened, you should not be surprised.”
The Piastri drama has been getting fairly heated as Alpine still want the Aussie in their car, but Szafnauer has questioned the youngster’s integrity.
Szafnauer may not be the only one who smells something fishy either.
Former F1 driver turned pundit Christian Danner said Piastri’s tactics “clearly has the handwriting” of Briatore.
Briatore was forced out of the sport in disgrace after the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, when Nelson Piquet Jr. alleged he had been ordered to deliberately crash to help Alonso, who was his teammate at the time. Alonso went on to win the race.
Briatore was banned from the sport indefinitely for a short time but it was overturned.
The 72-year-old continues to manage Alonso.
“It’s classic Flavio. There was certainly a contract for Piastri that Flavio has skimmed over … there was definitely a clause,” Danner told German publication Motorsport Magazine.
“When he believes in someone, he has the foresight to plan in a positive sense – and not just ruthlessly, which is logically the case in this business.
“I could imagine Piastri being able to free himself from Alpine’s grip, so that he can hopefully drive for McLaren for the next two years and then be free for a big deal. That definitely has Briatore’s signature.
“It can all go wrong, of course, but if it works out, then he (Briatore) has done everything right.”
It seems all the twists and turns are a long way from over in this drama.
There was a time when it seemed like Australia could whistle up a fresh world class playmaker at will but those days are long gone and Wallabies flyhalf stocks are looking threadbare with little more than a year to go until the World Cup.
James O’Connor will be the third starter in five Tests this season against Argentina on Saturday (Sunday AEST), coming in for Quade Cooper after his fellow 30-something was injured again in last week’s win over the Pumas in their Rugby Championship opener.
The 32-year-old O’Connor has much to prove after returning from one of a string of injuries to put in a poor display against England in July as a second-half replacement for Australia’s designated flyhalf of the future, Noah Lolesio.
“We talked about him needing to sharpen up and he’s been doing that,” coach Dave Rennie said. “It’s really around acceleration and sharpening up his skill set from him. Attitude wise he’s been brilliant, he couldn’t have been more supportive. It’s great that he gets the opportunity on Saturday.
“Our thinking is he’s going to go through the World Cup but only time will tell. I think he’s keen to get out there and show he’s got plenty of footy left in him.”
The versatile Reece Hodge will back up from the bench with no place even among the replacements for 22-year-old Lolesio, who started all three Tests against England last month.
“He’s disappointed,” said Rennie. “We’ve communicated areas where we want him to be better. But he’s a good kid, I reckon he’s going to be an excellent international 10 and he’s working hard on growing his game from him.
It is a far cry from nine years ago when Rennie’s fellow New Zealander Robbie Deans had five credible candidates to play flyhalf against the British and Irish Lions and plumped for O’Connor.
O’Connor was banished from Australian rugby at the end of the 2013 season for off-field indiscretions just as Bernard Foley, who had not been in contention for the Lions series, emerged to make the position his own for five years.
Foley fell out of favor before the 2019 World Cup campaign and Michael Cheika chopped and changed his starting flyhalf before the humiliating quarter-final exit at the hands of England.
Rennie accepted that flyhalf was the position of most concern with the World Cup on the horizon, not to mention the more immediate challenges of Tests against world champions South Africa and New Zealand when the Wallabies head home.
“Ten is the skinniest [position],” he said. “We’ve got some good young kids coming through but not ready for this level yet. It’s certainly an area of focus, we need to develop our young 10s.”
Reports this week suggested that 32-year-old Foley, who now plays in Japan, would be recalled to the squad for the first time in three years.
“We haven’t made a decision around that,” said Rennie. “We’ll get home and we’ll pick a new squad for South Africa.”
wallabies: Tom Wright, Jordan Petaia, Len Ikitau, Lalakai Foketi, Marika Koroibete, James O’Connor, Nic White, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Jed Holloway, Darcy Swain, Rory Arnold, Taniela Tupou, Folau Fainga’a, James Slipper ( captain). Reserve: Lachlan Lonergan, Matt Gibbon, Pone Fa’amausili, Nick Frost, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, Irae Simone, Reece Hodge.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman is seen here with Dustin Johnson at a tournament in 2022. Pic: Getty
A lawyer for LIV Golf has made a startling admission in federal court that contradicts previous statements about contracts signed by players in the Saudi-backed series.
During a court hearing on behalf of three LIV Golf stars trying to stop the PGA Tour from banning them playing in the FedEx Cup playoffs starting this week, a lawyer for the players reportedly mentioned that money won in LIV tournaments is “recouped against the LIV contracts.”
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Australia’s Matt Jones, Talor Gooch, and Hudson Swafford challenged the PGA Tour’s decision to ban them from competing in the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs, after all three had joined the Saudi-backed rebel series.
The three suspended golfers were seeking a temporary restraining order so they could play in the FedEx Cup playoffs but the motion was denied by US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.
The judge said she didn’t consider the golfers faced irreparable harm because of the big money they were guaranteed by joining LIV, which a key issue in the case.
“There simply is no irreparable harm in this case,” PGA Tour attorney Elliot Peters said.
That guaranteed money is also now under the spotlight after an admission from a LIV lawyer that prizemoney on offer in tournaments is counted against some players’ signing-on fees.
Many of the top players who defected from the PGA Tour were paid large sums of money up front by LIV, with some players’ earnings from the lucrative LIV events recovered from their contracts.
It means that in the case of some players, it would not matter if they finish last in LIV Golf events because they’ve already been guaranteed considerable sums of money.
The LIV lawyer did stress that each player’s contract is different, meaning while not all earnings are recovered from contracts, some definitely are.
The stunning revelation contradicts previous assertions from LIV Golf after Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee and others first put it to the organization that players didn’t make additional money from winning events.
Brooks Koepka said “I don’t know” when asked at a LIV press conference in Portland whether a player’s winnings come out of their signing bonus.
It prompted an intervention from a LIV spokesperson at the end of the interview to deny that prizemoney counted against their contracts.
“I just wanted to address [the] question earlier when you were asking about the prize purses and if they are in addition to the contracts,” the spokesperson said.
“The prize purses are in addition to. There is no draw at LIV Golf on any finances,” she said.
“We just wanted to, on the record, it’s in addition to. And while you guys have, this is your first event, but you should know that from your contracts. You can test it. Thank you guys.”
Judging on the admission from LIV’s lawyer in court, this statement would not appear true for all players in the Saudi-backed series.
The three players who saw their PGA Tour bans upheld are among 10 players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week — including Phil Mickelson.
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Robert Walters, an antitrust litigator representing the golfers, noted this would be their opportunity on a big playoff stage, “effectively the Super Bowl of golf” because of its “significant income opportunities.”
Freeman responded that the LIV Tour earnings potential was also great and asked whether players might have been able to wait until the conclusion of the PGA Tour season to depart for the new tour.
Walters argued there were only 48 spots and they would have filled up according to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, to which Freeman said she agreed with that stance but that the golfers stood to gain far more financially joining LIV than the money they might have earned on the PGA Tour.
Matt Jones and two other LIV Golf stars have lost their court appeal after being banned by the PGA Tour from competing in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Pic: Getty
“This is an extraordinarily attractive financial opportunity but it’s much more than that,” Walters said, saying the harm done is that “players lose intangible benefits” such as qualifications for the major tournaments as well as other marquee invitationals.
“This is the holy grail because everybody wants to compete in and prevail in major championships, but it’s not just the majors,” Walters said. I have noted that the PGA Tour inferred these golfers would put a “taint” or “stench” on the tour’s image by playing, perhaps even wearing LIV Tour gear in PGA Tour tournaments.
“We’re disappointed that Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones won’t be allowed to play golf. No one gains by banning golfers from playing,” LIV Golf said in a statement.
The first of three FedEx Cup playoff events begins this week. Two tournaments offer $15 million prize funds, and the player who wins the FedEx Cup at East Lake in Atlanta gets $18 million — thus the urgency for Freeman to rule. This case could go to trial next year, with the possibility of an injunction hearing in late September or early October.
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Revenge is a dish best served cold … or in a newspaper’s ad page, using your cheating ex’s credit card.
Readers of Mackay and Whitsunday Life in Queensland’s east got a shock when they picked up their Friday edition and saw a full-page ad from a scorned lover called Jenny.
“Dear Steve, I hope you’re happy with her,” the open letter read.
“Now the whole town will know what a filthy cheater you are. From Jenny.
“PS I bought this ad using your credit card.”
Mackay and Whitsunday Life have been inundated with “dozens” of messages since the shocking letter went to print on page four.
“We do not know who Steve is, but apparently he’s been very very bad,” the newspaper said.
“We won’t be revealing any details about Jenny.”
But unfortunately the final piece of Jenny’s revenge seems to have not been pulled off.
“We have not charged the credit card in question,” Mackay and Whitsunday Life said.
But Jenny’s actions were met with praise from her legion of new-found fans.
“Jenny sounds like someone I want to be friends with,” one person said.
“Not all heroines wear capes. Jenny is my new favorite person,” said another.
“Couldn’t love this more if I tried LOL… Good on you Jenny,” proclaimed another amused commenter.
The public were not as kind to Steve however.
“Never trust Steve,” one said.
“I would have charged the card,” another person brutally said.
“Everyone who knows a Steve and Jenny have suddenly sat up and taken notice,” someone joked.
It’s the message that should be conveyed (and clearly is behind closed doors) despite Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes scrutinizing Collingwood for over celebrating its epic seven-point win over Melbourne last Friday night.
Cornes this week said the Pies went “over the top” and called for them to “keep a lid on it” given it’s only Round 21.
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“I haven’t seen stuff like this for a long time — we’ve all loved what they’ve done but they haven’t achieved anything yet,” the dual All-Australian said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.
“You don’t see Geelong doing this — it’s like a WWE wrestler. Fremantle has qualified for finals, have you seen them doing that? Have you seen Sydney doing that?
“If I was advising them, I’d say ‘keep a lid on it’, narrow your focus and we’ll judge you when you win in September, not in Round 20. We’ll see how it goes on for the finals — I’ve still got some question marks on them.”
It came after probably the game of the season between Collingwood and Melbourne that went right down to the wire in front of a rowdy packed house of over 70,000 fans at the MCG.
With it the Magpies had knocked over the reigning premiers for a second time in 2022, extended their remarkable winning streak to 11 games and moved into second place—of course continuing their stunning rise from last year’s 17th place finish.
Ash Johnson celebrates after the win (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Factoring in all of the above, wins don’t come much bigger than that.
It set up for the euphoric atmosphere for the black and white post-match. Players, just as they’ve done in several of their previous close wins, immediately huddled in celebration before hugging and high-fiving.
Even coach Craig McRae was sighted on the bench going nuts with players and staff.
The Pies then got around their fans, who were as vocal as you’ll ever hear them throughout the night and jumping for joy on the final siren, embracing with the black and white faithful all around the ground and taking selfies with smiles beaming across their faces.
How could you possibly not live at the moment!?
It was scenes of pure passion and jubilation, and frankly, simple human instinct to react in such a way after yet another epic win — scenes of emotion that make footy what it is. After all, the game isn’t life and death.
You can’t even imagine how players would’ve felt. Going from the feeling of being so hyper focused on the game and questioning, ‘can we do this?’ To then the relief and bliss of, ‘we’ve won our 11th straight, and we’re second.’
And for that one hour after the match they can celebrate and soak up the victory as the pressure valve is momentarily released.
Johnson and McRae embrace (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
“I would like to know what the levels of celebrations actually are. How much are you allowed to celebrate after another win like that?” Dual premiership Kangaroo David King awning foxfooty.com.au.
“The excitement should be shared with the fans, which was how it was done. It wasn’t disrespectful, it wasn’t demeaning in any way.
“They are taking their own on a ride that is so special, why wouldn’t you celebrate like that? Why wouldn’t you embrace what’s happening, as ridiculous as it is.
“And the bottom line is—who cares what people think.”
Footy has changed. Ten years ago there was a vibe in the rooms after wins of players trying to cover up smiles and stay in this overly professional, serious mood and act as if they weren’t happy.
This shift to a more jovial, lighthearted approach was widely said to be key to the Tigers’ resurgence in 2017 (where McRae was an assistant), and the exact same can be said for Collingwood in 2022.
While winning clearly helps, the Magpies simply look like a much happier club — you only need to attend or watch a game or be in the rooms post-match to really feel it — and it’s bizarrely made even Collingwood’s biggest haters warm to it (perhaps some more than others).
McRae’s message all season has been for his troops to stay in the moment week to week and celebrate the good times when they come — and this message has clearly resonated with the group in a breath of fresh air for the competition.
Maynard BUZZING after big hit and win | 00:47
Whenever the Magpies coach after a win has been quizzed about upcoming clashes, his reply has been consistently along the lines of: ‘We’re enjoying this one for now and we’ll worry about that later.’
“He’s really light hearted and has a lot of fun,” Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury said of McRae on Triple M over the weekend.
“Even (against Melbourne) before the game he said, ‘make sure we go out and enjoy the occasion. Take a look around, take the crowd in. I want you boys to play with freedom and fun, smile, enjoy this.’
“You just feel so comfortable and confident. You can see it with how we play, we’ve got energy and enjoying ourselves — and that’s all off the back of our coaching group and ‘Fly’ (McRae) driving that message home.”
What may be perceived as over celebrating is this very positive energy Pendlebury speaks of and aura galvanizing the group and driving one of the most unprecedented runs in league history. The players are simply living McRae’s mantra and riding the tidal wave of emotion.
No matter how far they go, Pies fans will always remember this winning streak and McRae’s first season at large as a truly special period.
This idea that clubs can only celebrate after finals (or grand finals) is mad. Does that mean of the 400 plus games that are played across the season, only one match is worthwhile celebrating because it ends in silverware? Or players who don’t play in flags shouldn’t cherish special victories along the way? That’s too shallow.
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The same can be said for scrutiny towards North Melbourne after it recorded its second win for the season against Richmond in Round 18. The club had just seen its coach depart amid a particularly tumultuous stretch of its horror season, and against all odds, knocked off one of the league’s powerhouses. Bloody lap it up.
There’s too many lows in footy to not enjoy the highs, and for Collingwood, last Friday night might well be the peak of its season. The odds are that the Pies probably won’t go all the way (not that you’d confidently bet against them right now!) But what may or may not happen in September shouldn’t matter.
Of course, context is everything and there’s a line. Not every win should prompt such a reaction, although it’s fair to say the Pies have played in an unrivaled amount of games that have probably warranted it in 2022.
But after having no crowds for the best part of the last two years and the club enduring a particularly rocky period over that span including the infamous 2020 trade exodus and departures of long-time president Eddie McGuire and coach Nathan Buckley, the players should be allowed to enjoy their unforeseen bounce back.
Although winning a flag is ultimately every club’s goal, there’s no rule that they can’t have fun along the journey.
Smith began his career with the Giants, playing in the club’s first game in 2012 after being drafted from Lara near Geelong. He was a tough, talented forward who played 73 games with the Giants, including the 2016 preliminary final loss to the Western Bulldogs, before crossing to the Bombers at the end of 2017.
He won the Bombers’ best and fairest in his first season as a midfielder, but a knee issue curtailed his progress in subsequent years with his training and output restricted as he played 51 games over the next four seasons.
He was omitted from the team during 2022 as the Bombers battled for consistency at the start of the year under Ben Rutten.
Docherty inspired by Cunnington’s return from cancer battle
Jon Pierik
Carlton star Sam Docherty says he has been inspired by fellow cancer survivor Ben Cunnington, who will play his first senior match in 13 months on Saturday.
Docherty, who has twice overcome testicular cancer, posted a video on social media congratulating Cunnington, who has also recovered from two bouts of testicular cancer.
Ben Cunnington and Sam Docherty embrace before the Roos-Blues clash in round seven.Credit:AFL Pictures
“I just want to wish you all the best on the weekend. I know how hard this journey has been for you and Belinda and the kids,” Docherty said.
“It’s a massive achievement to even get back playing at the level – I am so stoked for you, mate. I have been watching from Afar, and you inspire me every day, so I just want to wish you all the best. I will be tuning in early before our game. I hope you absolutely dominate, and the boys get a win for you.”
Docherty made his emotional return to football in round one, having revealed in August last year he was undergoing chemotherapy for a second time.
Cunnington, who recently has also dealt with a calf strain and a bout of COVID, made his VFL return last weekend. The veteran midfielder, a two-time Syd Barker medalist, pulled up well, with the Kangaroos having no hesitation about selecting him to face the Crows in Adelaide on Saturday.
“Until it gets taken away from you, and you have no control over it, you soon realize that you still love it,” Cunnington told his teammates.
“I’ve been through what I’ve been through and without the support I have I couldn’t have got through it. I’m here now, hungry, I feel I have worked hard to be in a position to help you boys out again. I’m keen as ever.”
Cunnington’s return comes as the bottom-placed Kangaroos have axed Jason Horne-Francis, the No.1 selection who has struggled in his debut season. The decision shocked dual North Melbourne premiership player David King, particularly as Horne-Francis has now missed out on playing before family and friends in Adelaide.
But the club’s games record holder Brent Harvey, who is a game-day runner, said selection integrity was crucial and caretaker coach Leigh Adams had made the right call.
Horne-Francis has had 13, 21, 11 and 12 disposals in his last past four games since returning from a hamstring strain and suspension. He has averaged 16.3 disposals and 3.6 clearances per game. He has yet to commit to the club beyond the end of next season.
Key defender Ben McKay and Jackson Archer also return but Hugh Greenwood, the high-prized off-season recruit, has also been dropped.
The Kangaroos are optimistic they will secure Alastair Clarkson as senior coach, with the Giants also pursuing the former Hawthorn coach.
‘We’ve got more left in the tank’: Voss
Carlton are not satisfied with their season as the Blues attempt to ride the wave of the Patrick Cripps verdict into a drought-breaking finals appearance.
Carlton (12-8), who are clinging onto their position in the top-eight, had been preparing to be without their star midfielder for crunch games against reigning premiers Melbourne and in-form rivals Collingwood.
Carlton coach Michael Voss said Cripps had been “amazing” in handling the uncertainty of the situation.
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The Blues need to win one of their final two home-and-away games to secure their first finals appearance since 2013.
Cripps’ involvement against Melbourne will help a Blues midfield already missing George Hewett (back) and Matt Kennedy (jaw).
Carlton full-forward Harry McKay declared on Monday night he would still consider the season a success even if the Blues did not make finals.
The Blues have spent the entire season inside the top-eight but could fall out in round 23 if they lose both their games and the Western Bulldogs defeat GWS and Hawthorn, and make up a small percentage gap.
“I’ve said from the start, I’ve never put a limit on this group,” Voss said on Friday. “There’s some things I’m enormously proud of what we’ve achieved this year.
“But that doesn’t leave us satisfied, we feel like we’ve got more left in the tank and we want to have a say in what’s left.”
Carlton have recalled ruckman Marc Pittonet at the expense of young big man Tom De Koning, while Paddy Dow also comes back in.
Melbourne have gone 4-6 since opening the season with 10 straight wins to be no guarantee of finishing inside the top four. But the Demons are sticking with the same team that was lost against the Magpies last Friday night.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has named Richie Mo’unga to start at No.10 and made a change at flanker with Shannon Frizell replacing Akira Ioane at No.6 for the second Test against South Africa
Uncapped tighthead prop Fletcher Newell has been named on the bench as front row cover, while props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax have been named in the run-on side.
The All Blacks props have 20 Test caps between them.
They are joined by hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, while 69-Test veteran Codie Taylor returns to the match-day 23.
Blindside flanker Frizell will move from the bench to the starting team alongside No.8 Ardie Savea and captain Sam Cane who will surpass Jerome Kaino (81) as the third-most capped All Black loose forward in Tests.
The only change made to the backline is at No.10 with Mo’unga getting his first start of the season and Beauden Barrett on the bench despite his heavy fall in the first up loss.
“Belief and confidence remain high in our group, which is working incredibly hard this week,” said Foster. “Playing at Ellis Park is always a special occasion for any All Black team, and this weekend will be no different.”
This could well be Foster’s last selection as head coach if the team lose, though even victory may not be enough to keep him in the post after the side lost five of their previous six Tests and the tide of public opinion is very much against Foster back home.
Fullback Jordie Barrett and wing Will Jordan had been doubts for the game but have been passed fit and will make up a back three with Caleb Clarke.
David Havili and Rieko Ioane continue their partnership in the centres, with Aaron Smith at scrumhalf alongside Mo’unga.
I can’t help but have a level of admiration for their resurgence under Craig McRae and for what they’ve already achieved.
It seems like there’s a contagious combination of trust and selflessness. For all the unnecessary focus on Jack Ginnivan, or the fascination with Jordan De Goey, this is not a team built on individuals.
Young Magpie Beau McCreery has made an impact this season.Credit:AFL Pictures
This Collingwood outfit is more blue collar.
It starts with the leaders, with Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom accepting what you would normally describe as “lesser” roles. They put the greater good before their reputations. No longer the main men of the midfield, they’ve set the example for all of their teammates that if you simply play your role good things can happen.
While Nick Daicos has had an incredible first year, also bringing the best out of his brother Josh, there are other more unheralded Magpies.
Beau McCreery just cracks in every week. He’s got genuine speed and toughness and sets the tone in terms of the forward pressure that’s become so crucial.
With his long hair, Nathan Murphy can sometimes be mistaken for Darcy Moore and has become a really solid understudy in defense. He’s shown a willingness to leave his opponent and support when needed.
Brayden Maynard is an absolute bull and someone who, I believe, could lead this club when Pendlebury eventually retires, such is his influence through his physical presence.
There are others like Darcy Cameron, who has had a standout year, and Ash Johnson, who’s been lively in his four AFL games.
Finally stringing matches together, I’ve always thought Jamie Elliott’s best would make him an All-Australian.
Young star Jack Ginnivan with coach Craig McRae.Credit:Getty Images
He offers a real point of difference to, say, a Charlie Cameron or Tyson Stengle. He has a certain power that allows him to be more of an aerial threat, and against Melbourne he again showed how dangerous he can be.
Before the Demons clash, I said if the Pies won, I would finally start to believe, yet somehow that result didn’t completely convince me.
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So, why, if there’s so much positivity, are some of us not completely sold? The Melbourne game summed up that doubt pretty well. The Demons beat them in all the key statistics, except for where it mattered – on the scoreboard.
Despite winning, the Pies can be dominated for long periods in a game. In many of the matches they’ve won they’ve had less control, but their opponents haven’t hurt them.
When it has been “their turn”, they’ve generally been really damaging. That points to great forward efficiency but is also incredibly hard to sustain and if you find yourself in trouble against the best teams in finals, there’s not always a way back.
That slight patchiness is why I’ve again tipped against Collingwood this weekend against Sydney in what will be a huge top-four battle. The Swans also give you a chance, so it looms as a really intriguing clash.
If the Pies can make it a dozen wins on the bounce, then maybe, just maybe I’ll jump on the bandwagon, albeit very late.
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