Bombers skipper Dyson Heppell is reportedly “tempted” by a long-term offer from a rival club.
Plus Victorian contenders have been urged to pursue retired Eagles champion Josh Kennedy.
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HEPPELL ‘TEMPTED’ BY SUNS OFFER
Bombers skipper Dyson Heppell is reportedly “tempted” by a potential four-year contract offer from the Gold Coast Suns, according to SEN’s Sam Edmund.
The Suns have already been linked to the 30-year old, who was made to wait until recent weeks to receive a one-year contract offer from Essendon amid rival interest.
Edmund reports the Suns’ four-year offer would likely entail two seasons as a player then another two campaigns as assistant coach, but that no formal deal has been tabled yet.
The Suns are interested in Heppell (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
As Heppell is an unrestricted free agent, he could walk to another club without a trade being made.
The veteran has played all 20 games for the Bombers this season, averaging 22.2 disposals and 6.7 marks per contest.
Bombers coach Ben Rutten earlier this year said he hoped Heppell would remain at the club.
“Yeah, (we want him at the club next year) absolutely. We’re talking with Dyson at the moment about what that looks like so that won’t be too far off,” he said.
“We’ve been pretty clear with ‘Dys’ and have communicated with him about all that.”
VIC CONTENDERS URGED TO PURSUE RETIRED KENNEDY
Dual All-Australian Kane Cornes has urged Melbourne and Collingwood to try and lure retired Eagles champion Josh Kennedy east for next season.
Kennedy remarkably booted eight goals in his farewell game against Adelaide on Sunday — the equal second-most goals kicked by a player in their final match in VFL/AFL history — having called time on his career due to an ongoing knee issue.
However Cornes believes the Victorian rivals should make a play for the 34-year old without the expectation he needs to play every game.
Kennedy kicks EIGHT in his finale! | 01:25
“If I was a Melbourne or a Collingwood I’d be trying to get this guy out of retirement, look at what he did (against Adelaide),” he said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.
“Sell it to him — you don’t have to train until January, we’re going to pay you a good contract for two years., you’ll play 16-17 games for the year.
“If he’s not a player that Melbourne be going after I’d be surprised.”
Australian cricketer Chris Lynn has officially turned his back on the Big Bash League, signing on for the inaugural International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates.
On Monday, Emirates Cricket announced that 54 international cricketers had agreed to participate in the newly-developed T20 league, which makes its debut in January 2023.
Lynn, one of the sport’s most destructive short-format batters, was the only Australian featured on a list headed by Ashes winner Moeen Ali and West Indies veteran Andre Russell.
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The 2023 ILT20 will have 34 matches, with all the teams playing each other twice before four playoffs fixtures across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
It’s understood the UAE league could offer players up to AU$700,000 for five weeks’ work.
“It’s exciting to see how well the squads are shaping up for the first season of ILT20,” Emirates Cricket General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani said in a statement.
“Each team will consist of 18 players including four UAE players and two other players from ICC Associate countries. The quality of the names announced today is outstanding and so is the interest in our league of top players from all around the world.
“We are very excited that a select number of UAE representative-players, from our current pool, will also be considered and signed on to participate in the league. It is also extremely important to note that these (UAE) players will form part of the team’s playing XI.
“One of the key objectives for ILT20 is to provide opportunities for players from UAE and other Associate nations to perform on the big stage, and, ECB extends its deep appreciation to the six franchises for their support of our vision to grow our game and create stronger, more competitive players.”
The announcement effectively confirms that Lynn, the highest run-scorer in Big Bash history, won’t sign for a BBL franchise this year.
In May, the Brisbane Heat elected not to renew the Queenslander’s $200,000 contract after a couple of underwhelming seasons in the domestic T20 tournament.
Lynn was not only one of the Heat’s foundation players, winning a BBL title with the Brisbane-based club in 2013, he also served as captain for several years.
According to The Agethe 32-year-old was unable to find another club willing to meet his asking price, although he had recently been in talks with the Adelaide Strikers.
The powerful right-hander has scored 3005 Big Bash runs at 34.54 at an imposing strike rate of 148.83.
Chris Lynn of Northamptonshire Steelbacks celebrates after scoring a century. Photo by David Rogers/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Lynn has been in impeccable form this winter, recently smacking an unbeaten 113 from 57 balls in the T20 Blast to equal his highest individual score and set up a Northamptonshire victory.
Although the loss of Lynn is a massive blow for the BBL, Cricket Australia is reportedly on the verge of brokering a deal with superstar batter David Warner.
According to AustralianWarner has been offered a groundbreaking BBL contract above and beyond any previous player contract.
“I am very hopeful David will play BBL and I am hopeful that all of our best Australian cricketers will play in it,” Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Todd Greenberg told the Cricket Et Cetera podcast this week.
“There’s a variety of reasons why. There’s absolutely no doubt that someone like David and others of his ilk could earn more in the coming Australian summer if they were to ply their trade overseas, but there’s a much broader discussion and a bigger picture we are trying to solve here and that’s the discussion I am having with several of our players this week.”
CA is desperate to ensure the sport’s biggest names will make an appearance in the BBL this summer; the competition has been starved of international-quality talent after the last two seasons were plagued by Covid-19.
Earlier this year, The Daily Telegraph reported that broadcaster Channel 7 had launched Federal Court action against CA in a bid to terminate its TV rights deal.
According to the News Corp report, Seven is adamant the cricketers that featured in last summer’s BBL were not of a high enough quality for the competition to meet the standard provisions stipulated in CA’s TV rights contract.
However, the Big Bash has already secured the services of former South African captain Faf du Plessis and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, while Australian stars Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey have also signed for their respective BBL franchises.
Australia’s David Warner. Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFPSource: AFP
“These leagues we are talking about at the moment are competing with our Australian domestic summer and that is the first time we’ve faced this, it is a unique challenge,” Greenberg said.
“The second thing is that the reasons they enjoy the benefits and remunerations that they enjoy under this model is because of those that came before them.
“David and others understand … and are very aware that if they play in this competition it increases the opportunity for the next broadcast deal to be secured at a higher number which maybe doesn’t benefit them specifically, but it benefits the next generation of Australian cricketers coming through.
“This is a real test of our players demonstrating the level of partnership.
“They understand they have to get the best players to play, which includes them and the best players from overseas, which is why we’ve agreed in this one-year deal to ensure that there is an international draft and salary cap – an opportunity to bring the best overseas players in.”
Because South Africa has withdrawn from next January’s three-match ODI series against Australia, the country’s international stars will be available for the second half of the BBL.
However, multi-format paceman Mitchell Starc has already decided he won’t be signing for any franchise due to the sport’s busy calendar, and Australian teammates Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will most likely follow suit.
“I have always enjoyed the BBL when I have played it … but my approach with all franchise cricket hasn’t changed over the last seven years,” Starc told AAP earlier this month.
“My approach to the IPL, BBL, I have looked at the Australian schedule and wanting to be as fit and well-performed for that as I can.
Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson has taken aim at the Adelaide media for its response to coverage of the Crows’ infamous 2018 camp amid more calls for club figures responsible at the time to take ownership.
The Crows on Monday night released a lengthy open letter to the club’s fans, apologizing to Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and any players who had a “negative experience” at the pre-season camp after shock new revelations emerged last week.
It comes after Adelaide journalist David Penberthy earlier this year slammed Nine’s Sam McClure and Wilson, who’ve both extensively reported on the camp, saying the latter’s coverage was a “miserable way to spend your post-journalistic career.”
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And speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Monday night, Wilson said she remained “baffled at the collective chip on the shoulder of certain sections of the Adelaide media where that camp was concerned”.
“I don’t know the above mentioned commentator (Penberthy), but I gather he’s flipped around a bit on the camp story since then,” Wilson said.
The Crows camp that ‘ended careers’ | 02:10
“Graham Cornes in his Advertiser column recently tried to portray another side of the story, and talked about more brutal camps of days gone by, and asked where then was the Victoria media piled on. Seriously Graham?
“You boys, all of you, need to grow up, this is so childish. That story would’ve been a massive yarn wherever it’d taken place, and equally condemned. In fact it would’ve been a much bigger story if it had taken place at Collingwood or Richmond. Talk about shooting the messenger.”
The directors of Collective Mind, who organized the camp, Amon Woulfe and Derek Leddie told the Advertiser in February the Crows’ then chief executive Andrew Fagan and the club’s board had “full awareness” of the program.
The story also states the program was approved by senior club figures including coach Don Pyke, head of football Brett Burton, and doctor Marc Cesana who cleared every player as mentally and emotionally fit to attend, and was even pilot tested by one of the coaches.
And while current Crows bosses and the AFL have both apologized following last week’s revelations, McClure, who in 2020 broke the story of the camp’s details, still wasn’t satisfied those who oversaw the controversial pre-season event have taken ownership.
Jenkins full statement on infamous camp | 15:39
“We’ve talked a lot about the potential cover-up and to what extent it went. I know there’s been apologies and elements of contrition, but I stand here today still wondering who is going to take responsibility for some of the things that went on at that camp,” he said.
“They either knew about it and they deliberately lied, or they didn’t know. I’m not sure which one’s worse.”
Fox Footy AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley called for all Crows figures in power at the time who’re still at the club to depart.
“I hold to the view that those who were in positions of authority at the time and oversaw this and who have actively participated in the cover-up over four and half years should depart their positions,” he said.
“(Crows director of footy Mark Ricciuto) would be one, but I doubt he’s the only one within that club that would still occupy one of those positions.“
Wilson also hit out at the AFL’s lack of accountability and why it took so long for it to act.
“For Gillon McLachlan to take four years — given the AFL’s known since 2020 what went on — to actually apologize in a stand up at an airport with Channel 7 in an exclusively arranged interview is frankly quite pathetic,” she said.
“Our game betrayed him” Robbo on Betts | 01:02
“Why the AFL did nothing then still baffles me. The cover-up has been astonishing.”
The AFLPA (Players Association) last week indicated it would effectively reopen its investigation into the camp and contact all players for a “better understanding” of what occurred, saying it would’ve taken more immediate action had it known all the information from the outset .
However McClure believes putting the onus on the players to divulge the information is “classic victim blaming” and that more action should’ve been taken at the time.
“The last people who are responsible for what went on at that camp are the players,” he said,
“It is absolute garbage to think that we could sit here and label any of those players as part of the problem. And yet when people come out and speak the truth and show great courage, we suddenly turn around the responsibility on them.
“If the AFLPA wanted to know what was going in that camp, they could’ve asked, because from where we sat, it wasn’t that hard to find out.”
Australia has finished the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham at the top of the standings and 10 gold medals ahead of second-placed England.
The green and gold team won 67 gold, 57 silver and 54 bronze medals during the competition.
The Kookaburras beat India in the final of the men’s hockey to secure Australia’s last gold medal of the Games.
You can check out how theaction unfolded in our Commonwealth Games closing ceremony blog, or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below:
Final day medal winners:
Gold:
The Kookaburras beat India in the men’s hockey
Silver:
Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee claimed silver in the table tennis
Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney, diving, mixed 3m synchronized springboard
Bronze:
Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd, diving, mixed synchronized 10m platform
However, you want to describe it, Aussie Kelsey-Lee Barber simply has that champion quality that all the great legends are made of.
Fresh from her record-breaking world championships victory last month, Barber pulled off a famous win in the javelin at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday night (AEST), taking the lead with her final throw.
Barber was pushed to her limits by Aussie Mackenzie Little, who had led all the way until the second-final throw of the event.
Barber won the gold by just 16cm with a monster final throw of 64.43m.
Little threw two personal bests in the competition and it still wasn’t enough as Barber produced a monster effort right at the death.
It was a super-human comeback after she tested positive to Covid last week and was isolated from the rest of the Aussie team.
Athletics commentator David Culbert said in commentary on Channel 7: “That is extraordinary, take a bow. That’s unbelievable.”
Barber, who won bronze at the Glasgow Games in 2014 and silver at the Gold Coast Games in 2018, was also stunned when interviewed after the final throws.
“I am in shock still. I went over to the fence and I said… my brain is a bit fuzzy,” she said.
“I don’t know what just happened. But you are right it is a beautiful story to share over my Commonwealth Games journey and I am happy to come away with a gold.”
Barber had thrown 66.91 in the final at the world championships in Oregon.
Carlton’s quest to play its first finals series since 2013 has been complicated given the loss of the side’s “strength” over recent weeks.
Carlton started the year with one of the dominant midfield units, Patrick Cripps leading a brutal on-ball brigade featuring Marc Pittonet, George Hewett, Matthew Kennedy, Sam Walsh and Adam Cerra.
But the drop-off from earlier this season to Round 21 is stark. The Blues lost to Brisbane by 33 points on Sunday, but of particular concern, were belted in center clearances.
Hewett hasn’t played since Round 18 with a back problem, while Kennedy has a fractured jaw and could return in Round 23.
This issue has been compounded by Cripps’ two-game suspension and injuries to depth midfielders including Ed Curnow.
“They lost the center clearances 23-9, that was their strength,” Essendon great Matthew Lloyd told sports day.
“So they’ve lost that strength now with no Kennedy and no Hewett and now Patrick Cripps.”
Cripps was cited by the MRO for a bump on Lion Calum Ah Chee and is staring down the barrel of a two-game suspension.
If he’s suspended, it would leave first-year Blue and former Docker Cerra to lead the inside midfield in Round 22 against Sydney.
On Close, sports day co-host Sam McClure said: “Cerra’s been a bit down, I’m not sure if that’s harsh or not”.
Lloyd agreed the 22-year-old has “been down” and “hasn’t had a good year”.
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes went a step further on Nine’s Footy Classified.
“If you do sign a big contract, you want more than (his output), particularly when Hewett and Kennedy are out, you’ve got to step up and alleviate some of the pressure on Walsh and Cripps,” he said.
“It’s rubbish ball use really (what he did on Sunday), and I think he’s been a disappointing signing so far.”
“If you do sign [a player to] a big contract, you want more than this.”@kanecornes says much-hyped Blues recruit Adam Cerra has been a ‘disappointing’ signing so far, after arriving on a four-year deal. #9FootyClassified | Watch on @Channel9pic.twitter.com/zNqZMwnqH9
Cerra is averaging 23 disposals, 4.7 inside 50s and 3.9 clearances per game in 2022.
All in all, the Blues have to win one of their final two games to guarantee a finals spot, but that’s easier said than done given they play in-form sides Sydney and Collingwood to finish the season.
But with a growing injury list and no clear returns for Round 22, Lloyd remains concerned about their depth.
“With that drop off (of numerous players) the defense is being opened up, Lewis Young and these guys getting exposed in defence,” the five-time All-Australian added.
“They’re missing targets, their depth looked really poor I thought. With these guys out it suddenly exposes others to play that probably shouldn’t be playing in a Carlton team that makes the finals.”
Will Hayes, Jack Carroll and Lache Fogarty remain depth options available in the VFL to add to Carlton’s battered midfield, while Liam Stocker could also fill a role.
The PGA Tour asked a federal judge in San Francisco to deny the appeal of three suspended players who joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf and now want to compete in the tour’s lucrative postseason, arguing the players knew the consequences two months ago.
Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford are seeking a temporary restraining order. They are among 10 players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week.
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning (AEST) in San Jose, California, two days before the first of three FedEx Cup playoff events in the chase for the $25.7 million top prize.
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The FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, has a $21.5 million purse, and the top 70 players advance to the second postseason event in Wilmington, Delaware.
Gooch (No.20), Jones (No.65) and Swafford (No.67) are among nine players who have joined LIV Golf and finished the regular season among the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings. The other six who joined LIV Golf are not asking to play in the tour’s postseason.
In a court filing to oppose the temporary restraining order, the tour argued antitrust laws do not allow the three players “to have their cake and eat it, too.”
Gooch, Swafford and Jones used the same phrase in separate, legal-heavy letters to tour officials last month in protesting their suspensions and claiming the regulations were onerous and kept them from playing elsewhere.
Greg Norman heads up the LIV Golf Tour. (Getty)
“I am a free agent and independent contractor. The Tour cannot have its cake and eat it too by trying to control me as one might an employee, while not providing me the rights and benefits an employee would receive,” each letter said.
The PGA Tour argued in its opposing motion, “Despite knowing full well that they would breach TOUR Regulations and be suspended for doing so, Plaintiffs have joined competing golf league LIV Golf, which has paid them tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed money supplied by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.”
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said in a statement, “I believe players have the right to play when and where they choose so their talents can take them as far and high as possible.”
“I believe all players — whether they choose to play with LIV or the PGA Tour — understand and appreciate the purpose and importance of the players’ legal actions, across the globe,” Norman said. “The PGA Tour is trying to cast this as ‘us’ against ‘them.’ The players know better.”
The three players were not among the highest-sought players for Norman’s rival league, though they were among the initial group of players who signed with LIV Golf. Gooch was the only one among the top 50 in the world, mainly from his only PGA Tour win last November.
Australia’s Matt Jones is one of the players taking action against the PGA Tour. (Getty)
“Plaintiffs have waited nearly two months to seek relief from the Court, manufacturing an ’emergency’ they now maintain requires immediate action,” the filing said. “It doesn’t.”
The tour contends players knew they would be ineligible for the FedEx Cup playoffs “when they accepted millions from LIV to breach their agreements” with the tour.
Players were not suspended until they actually teed off in a LIV Golf event.
The LIV Golf events, with a 48-man field, consist of 54 holes and offer $35.8 million in total prize money for each event. Seventeen players already have earned $1.4 million or more in three or fewer events. Five more events remain on this year’s schedule, and LIV Golf has already announced a 14-tournament schedule for 2023.
The next LIV event does not start until after the PGA Tour’s season ends at East Lake in Atlanta with the FedEx Cup, which pays $25.7 million to the champion.
Even though LIV Golf players have been suspended, they remain eligible for the FedEx Cup bonus package. Anyone finishing in the top 125 gets $171,800. Those who finish inside the top 150, such as Pat Perez and Paul Casey, would get $121,700.
Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia are among LIV Golf players who chose to resign their PGA Tour membership. Reed is playing two Asian Tour-International Series tournaments this month.
The lawsuit was filed August 3 by 11 players. The manager for Carlos Ortiz told The Associated Press that Ortiz is no longer part of the lawsuit, though it has not been reflected in court documents yet.
“Carlos does not want to be involved in any legal battles,” his manager, Carlos Rodriguez, said in a text message. “He is thankful for the opportunity he had to play on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour the last few years.”
Ortiz in two LIV events has made just over $5 million, about 44 per cent of his career PGA Tour earnings from 160 tournaments.
The field for Memphis is currently at 122 players from the 125 who are eligible and in good standing. Three players chose not to compete because of injury or scheduling.
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The stars who’ve signed with Greg Norman’s LIV Golf tour
On the opening night of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Eddie Ockenden marched into Alexander Stadium, carrying the Australian flag with the broadest of smiles. A distinguished servant of Australian hockey for 16 years, Ockenden was a popular choice for the honour. His excellence of him with the hockey stick and his humility of him away from the pitch were on display again on Monday as the Kookaburras finished the Games with a gold medal.
A decider pitting the silver and bronze medalists at last year’s Tokyo Olympics against each other soon became a mismatch as Australia trounced India 7-0 in a romp to the gold medal. This was seventh heaven for Australian hockey, with the Kookaburras having claimed all seven tournaments when the sport was played in the Commonwealth Games. Australia have now won 41 of the 42 matches they have played at this level. In finals, the combined scoreline reads 33-2. Routes have become routine.
Ockenden, who equaled Kookaburra great Mark Knowles as a four-time gold medalist, has now featured in four memorable campaigns. An Olympic gold is the missing piece. He has a silver medal from Tokyo and bronzes from Beijing and London. Although 35, I have harbors ambitions for Paris in 2024.
“It has been incredible. You won’t find anything else in your life you can do so passionately,” Ockenden said. “To be able to play hockey for so long and do what I’ve been able to do, I have been very lucky.”
The Australians scored from seven of their 23 shots for goal while restricting India to just five attempts. It could be argued Indian keeper PR Sreejesh did well given the barrage. Jacob Anderson and Nathan Ephraums scored two goals each, while Blake Govers, Tom Wickham and Flynn Ogilvie were also on the scoresheet.
Captain Aran Zalewski shared the co-captaincy with Ockenden and was full of praise for the Tasmanian who is still running around “like a spring chicken”. “He’s played a record amount of games for the Kookaburras, but he is such a humble guy and great fella,” he said.
After the Diamonds recorded the nation’s 1,000th Commonwealth Games gold medal on Sunday night, the Kookaburras took the tally to 1,001 on Monday. Silver and bronze medals were also claimed in diving, along with another silver in table tennis, on a smaller program of events leading into the closing ceremony.
Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee were beaten 3-0 by a Singapore combination in the women’s table tennis doubles final. But for Lay, 49, winning another silver medal 20 years after managing the same feat on debut for Australia in Manchester is a celebration in itself. “I am so proud of that effort. It is unbelievable,” she said.
Australia ended the Commonwealth Games with 67 gold medals, 11 ahead of second-placed England. The Australians claimed 178 medals overall to edge the host nation by two. Aside from Glasgow in 2014, the Australians have topped the table in every Commonwealth Games since 1990.
Minhyung Jee (left) and Jian Fang Lay in action against the Singaporean duo of Tianwei Feng and Jian Zeng. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
Australian chef de mission Petria Thomas, who contributed nine of those golds during a distinguished swimming career, praised the squad for the excellence of their performances.
“It is an honor to lead this team and watch our Aussies shine both on and off the field,” she said. “The team has performed on the field of play and, generally, just the way they have conducted themselves out and about, they have been great ambassadors for Australia.”
Thomas did concede there was an occasional blemish. Eyebrows were raised when cricketer Tahlia McGrath played the final despite testing positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the match. It was within the rules of this competition.
Australia instituted stricter rules than other nations when it came to Covid precautions, though some of the nearly 700 athletes did stretch the boundaries. Decent coffee shops had an increasing number of athletes including those wearing the green and gold as the Games went on.
“We certainly made it very clear to our team members what the expectations were around our Covid protocols. But having said that, people are human. They make mistakes,” she said. “There were some people who didn’t wear masks for various reasons at different times. But on the whole, we have done a pretty good job.”
Joining Ockendon as a flag bearer, the decorated diver Melissa Wu was given the honor of leading a triumphant team into Alexander Stadium to close the Games. A silver medalist in Melbourne in 2006 as a 13-year-old, Wu added another highlight to her career when partnering 14-year-old Charli Petrov to a gold medal in the 10m synchronized platform in Birmingham.
The 30-year-old had planned to enjoy a few slices of pizza while watching the closing ceremony from the athletes’ village, but was eager to embrace the honour. “I will be a bit overwhelmed by it. I’m just going to really take it all in and enjoy it. It’s going to be a great moment,” she said.
Ismaila Sarr has been linked with a move back to the Premier League this summer
Ismaila Sarr scored a spectacular David Beckham-style chip from his own half but then had a late penalty saved as Watford drew with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
Despite being second-best for most of the match, Watford took the lead in sensational style on 12 minutes when Senegal forward Sarr took down a clearance, nudged the ball out from under his feet and coolly lifted it over the stranded David Button from almost 60 yards.
That came against the run of play, Watford keeper Daniel Bachmann having already been kept busy, with one superb save from Darnell Furlong’s volley and two from Karlan Grant – and there were more to follow as new man Jed Wallace again showed his class.
But Albion found an equalizer two minutes into first-half added time when Grady Diangana’s fine lofted pass found Grant, who took the ball down excellently before finishing right-footed from close range.
Watford remained on the back foot for much of the second half, yet they came closest to winning it when Sarr went down easily in the Albion penalty area under pressure from Semi Ajayi.
But Sarr’s spot-kick was tame, struck far too feebly to Button’s left – and the Albion keeper swooped to save.
It leaves Rob Edwards’ Watford with four points from two games, going into their next game – when they host another side with four points from two games – Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, at Vicarage Road on Friday.
They will both have an early chance to overtake Blackburn Rovers, the only side with a 100% record in the Championship after two games.
Steve Bruce’s Albion, by contrast, have now lost just three of their past 14 Championship games – and, although they have only drawn the first two matches, the Baggies have come from behind in both.
And, although they were hampered by the loss of big money January signing Daryl Dike with a thigh injury, they should still have plenty to feel positive about when they head to Blackburn on Sunday.
From the Sarr-blime to the ridiculous…
Sarr stole the show and made all the headlines as he unleashed his early contender for goal of the season with such a stunningly audacious piece of impudence – a wonder strike that drew comparison with any other goal in this very limited genre.
A young Beckham’s entrance on to football’s big stage, with that amazing effort at Selhurst Park in August 1996 maybe tops the bill,.
Only just ahead of similar pieces of brilliance from the likes of Xavi Alonso, Charlie Adam, Wayne Rooney or Nayim (from the halfway line) for Real Zaragoza, to cost Arsenal the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
But none of them, having netted from nearly 60 yards, then went on and missed from 12 yards in the same game.
Just as Sarr’s goal was sublime, his missed penalty was bordering on the ridiculous – as poor a spot kick as could be imagined.
‘A moment of genius’
West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Bruce told BBC Sport:
“Sometimes you don’t always get what you deserve, but that’s as good as I’ve seen us play and to do it against such a good side made it feel even better.
“It’s very frustrating that we didn’t go on to win but it was still a tremendous reaction from the players after conceding such a wonder goal against the run of play.
“It’s desperate news that we have lost Daryl Dike with a thigh injury in training. He so wants to play for his country at the World Cup, he’s a popular lad and he knew as soon as he’d done it.”
Watford manager Rob Edwards told BBC Sport:
“It was an incredible strike from Sarr. As soon as it left his foot I knew it was in.
“A moment of genius. It’s pretty special when you see a goal like that – and against the run of play too.
“It would have been pretty unjust if we had nicked that second goal from the penalty as Albion were up for it and were clearly the better side. But I’d have taken it.”
Line-ups
West Brom
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Button
twoFurlong6Ajayi4O’Shea3Townsend
14Molumby8livermore
17J Wallace19SwiftelevenDiangana
18Grant
1Button
twoFurlongBooked at 69minsSubstituted forPhilipsat 90+1′minutes
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Watford 1.
Substitution, Watford. Dan Gosling replaces Ismaila Sarr.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Granted by João Pedro.
Okay Yokuslu (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Rey Manaj (Watford).
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Matt Phillips replaces Darnell Furlong.
Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rey Manaj (Watford).
Conor Townsend (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Rey Manaj (Watford).
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Adam Reach replaces Grady Diangana because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion) header from the center of the box is too high. Assisted by Jed Wallace with a cross following a corner.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Grant by William Troost-Ekong.
Substitution, Watford. King Manaj replaces Emmanuel Dennis.
Substitution, Watford. William Troost-Ekong replaces Francisco Sierralta because of an injury.
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Okay Yokuslu replaces Jake Livermore.
Karlan Grant (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Christian Kabasele (Watford).
Substitution, Watford. Mario Gaspar replaces Hassane Kamara.
Text messages exchanged between Greg Norman and Sergio Garcia in the lead-up to LIV Golf have emerged.
Golfers who joined Norman on the Saudi-backed LIV Tour face an indefinite ban from the PGA Tour, and a group led by Phil Mickelson is suing them for antitrust violations, claiming the Tour does not have the authority to levy that punishment. As part of that suit, the golfers presented text messages between Norman and Garcia, who joined the rebel tour in June.
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The text messages reveal Garcia was relaying the PGA Tour’s plans to execute the bans on golfers when the LIV defections occurred.
After sending brief pleasantries on February 11, Garcia got down to business, texting Norman: “I just wanted to see how things are going with the League, cause it seems like a lot of those guys that were loving it and excited about it last week , now are s***ting in their pants.”
Norman responded: “Morning. All going very well. I have not heard the white noise of s***ting their pants. Who are you referencing so I can run a check?”
Garcia answered that it was “some of the younger guys” and that he thought “the (PGA) Tour reached out to them and scared them a bit and because they are young, I think it worked”.
Norman was adamant that the PGA Tour did not have the legal standing to issue a ban.
“If you have names I can reach out to them,” he texted.
“In regards to the Tour if they were going to ban players they would have already. They know they cannot hence no action outside of verbal threats. If you can get them or any player threatened to get it (in writing) fantastic. Thanks.”
Six days after the initial exchange, Garcia informed Norman that the “Tour has told our managers this week that whoever signs with the League, is ban(ned) from the Tour for life! I don’t know how are we gonna get enough good players to join the League under (these) conditions. What do you think.”
Norman again assured Garcia that this would not be legally possible.
“They cannot ban you for one day let alone life,” Norman texted. “It is a shallow threat. Ask them to put it in writing to you or any player. I bet they don’t. Happy for anyone to speak with our legal team to better understand they have no chance of enforcing.
“Who said there would be a lifetime ban? And to whom? You? Or your agent? What are they saying specifically? Important to know these facts. Also I will get something to show you why they cannot.”
LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman. Steve Dykes/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Garcia explained his understanding of what had happened.
“The commissioner had a meeting with the 5 or 6 biggest agencies of golf managers, mine included, and first told them that if any of their players had signed with the (LIV) league, that they should leave the room and after that they talked about what the (PGA Tour) is going to do going forward and that whoever signs with (LIV) they would be (banned) from the (PGA Tour) for life. I would love to get it in writing but I doubt they will do that,” he wrote.
Garcia ultimately joined LIV Golf after an epic meltdown directed at the PGA Tour in May.
Star golfers who have reportedly earned over AU$143 million apiece from LIV Golf include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission
