AFL pundits have been left surprised by North Melbourne’s decision to drop No. 1 pick Jason Horne Francis for Saturday’s clash against the Crows in Adelaide.
The Kangaroos have named three inclusions for the match against Adelaide, with star veteran Ben Cunnington to make his highly-anticipated AFL return after beating cancer. Cunnington is joined on the side by key defender Ben McKay and father-son draftee Jackson Archer.
But the Roos also made a statement with their exclusions, dropping Horne-Francis, recruit Hugh Greenwood and key defender Josh Walker, while Flynn Perez was the club’s unused medical sub against Sydney last Sunday.
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Horne-Francis also wasn’t named in the emergencies, which is made up of Walker, Greenwood Atu Bosenavulagi and Josh Goater.
The 2021 No. 1 draft pick played in 12 of North’s first 13 games this season before copping a two-match suspension and returning via the VFL. But in his past four AFL games, Horne-Francis has kicked one goal and averaged 14.3 disposals.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 Plus on Thursday night, St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt thought the call to drop Horne-Francis was “strange”.
“There’s two games to go in the year, I would think you’re trying to get games into these guys to expose them as much as you possibly can, give a potential coach like Alastair Clarkson a look at the young players and the game’s in Adelaide – that’s where all his family and friends (are). He was desperate to get back there earlier in the year, which created some issue,” Riewoldt told Fox Footy.
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King was also surprised by the decision.
“Why would you drop Horne-Francis? He’s going back to Adelaide to play in front of family and friends, why wouldn’t you give him that opportunity? I don’t understand that,” King told SEN.
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“Just put him there in front of his friends and family because he’ll want to perform.”
Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy told 3AW’s sports day that Horne-Francis’ non-selection for the Crows game was “a bookend to a pretty disappointing season”.
As well as reports Horne-Francis flew home to South Australia without the club’s awareness earlier this season, he also copped criticism for liking a ‘fake trade’ post on social media that involved him heading to Port Adelaide, while an on-field interaction with club great Todd Goldstein was also picked apart by footy commentators.
Jason Horne-Francis of the Kangaroos. Picture: Michael WillsonSource: Getty Images
There’s also been speculation around Horne-Francis’ future and talk he could return to South Australia after putting off contract talks with the Kangaroos on a new deal beyond 2023.
While dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna thought it was an “unusual” selection move, he told AFL 360 Plus “tough love can hold you in better stead in the long term”.
“I think that’s the general consensus, ‘why not just play them’, but we’ve seen with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan sometimes some tough love in the short-term can actually hold players in better stead in the long-term,” Montagna told Fox Footy.
“Maybe there are still elements in his game that we don’t know about that he’s working on or he’s not buying into some goals that they want.”
Serena Williams sounded just the tiniest little bit salty as she reflected on likely finishing her tennis career with one less grand slam title than Australian legend Margaret Court.
Williams’ crusade to win an elusive 24th major title and draw level with Court has been a five-year saga that looks almost certain to end fruitlessly when she retires at this year’s US Open.
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The 40-year-old American revealed her plans to end her career to focus on having another child in an article in Vogue Magazine published on Tuesday night (AEST).
Williams referenced Court twice in the piece, and while she was careful with her words left the impression she should be remembered as tennis’ greatest ever player.
“There are people who say I’m not the GOAT because I didn’t pass Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles, which she achieved before the ‘open era’ that began in 1968,” Williams wrote.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that record. Obviously I do. But day to day, I’m really not thinking about her. If I’m in a grand slam final, then yes, I am thinking about that record. Maybe I thought about it too much, and that didn’t help.
“The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus grand slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth. I went from a C-section to a second pulmonary embolism to a grand slam final. I played while breastfeeding. I played through postpartum depression.
“But I didn’t get there. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I didn’t show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that’s fine. Actually it’s extraordinary. But these days, if I have to choose between building my tennis resume and building my family, I choose the latter.”
Williams stepped onto a hardcourt for the first time in a year and a half on Monday in the WTA Toronto tournament where she fought through to the second round with a straight sets victory over Nuria Parrizas Diaz.
It was her first singles victory since the 2021 French Open, some 14 months ago. The former world number one had played her first singles match in a year during a first round defeat at Wimbledon in June.
“I know there’s a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York, and then at the trophy ceremony say, ‘See ya!’ I get that. It’s a good fantasy,” she wrote.
“But I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment. I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst.”
Another Aussie champion, Ash Barty, also got a mention in Williams’ self-penned article as she revealed how hard she was finding it to walk away.
Barty stunned the tennis world by retiring at age 25 earlier this year.
“I know that a lot of people are excited about and look forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt that way,” Williams wrote. “Ashleigh Barty was number one in the world when she left the sport this March, and I believe she really felt ready to move on. Caroline Wozniacki, who is one of my best friends, felt a sense of relief when she retired in 2020.
“Praise these people, but I’m going to be honest. There is no happiness in this topic for me. I know it’s not the usual thing to say, but I feel a great deal of pain. It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I hate it. I hate that I have to be at these crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not.”
Australia is set to stage one of its biggest ever seasons of golf, headlined by an $8 million, 16-event tour, starting in October.
PGA of Australia on Thursday confirmed the summer schedule, which has increased from 12 events in 2019-20, and will see the return of the Australian Open.
Bolstering the announcement is the likelihood of big Australian names committing to play on home soil after the pandemic crushed opportunities over the past two summers.
Scroll down for the full schedule!
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World No.2 Cameron Smith is set to return to play in the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship, while compatriot Marc Leishman is also expected to feature.
Top-50 player Lucas Herbert has already committed to play both showpiece Australian events, while No.66 Min Woo Lee will feature at the Australian PGA Championship.
LIV Golf, meanwhile, is reportedly eyeing three Australian events as part of its expanded 2023 core schedule, and the International Series it runs with the Asian Tour.
Should those events materialize around April, as reported by Australian Golf Digestit would see the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson also down under this upcoming season.
Terse Cam refuses to address LIV rumors | 00:43
While the Greg Norman-led series has its detractors due to its Saudi Arabian funding, LIV’s reported venture into Australia will ultimately give golf fans more events, and more international stars, playing for big-money purses on these shores.
Combined with the bumper PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, golf’s Australian presence is set for a significant shot in the arm, while the groundwork has been put in place for more growth in the coming years.
PGA of Australia is committed to increasing the prize money on its tour, this year offering $2 million at the Australian PGA Championship, and $1.7 million each for the men’s and women’s fields at the Australian Open.
Combined with state Opens, state PGAs, The Players Series, and a New Zealand swing, the full season is worth more than $8 million.
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Just as significant, however, is the creation of better pathways into Europe and, in turn, the US, through a strengthened partnership with the DP World Tour.
Thursday’s announcement revealed that the top three players in the Order of Merit will earn a DP World Tour playing card for the following season, while the following 10 players gain exemption into at least the second stage of Q-School.
The Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship will both be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour with the winner also gaining automatic entry to the circuit, while the winner of the Order of Merit earns a spot at next year’s Open Championship.
“What I love about this is the pathways that it creates for our exciting crop of future Australian stars,” PGA of Australia chief Gavin Kirkman said.
“We’ve worked hard to build the schedule back after Covid knocked everyone around in the tournament space, and having the Australian Open and the New Zealand Open back stronger than ever really makes a difference.”
Cam Smith and others set to join LIV | 01:30
Playing fields could improve again next season when the US PGA Tour reverts back to a calendar schedule, instead of the current wraparound program that conflicts with the Australasian Tour.
Furthermore, Kirkman confirmed to reporters that LIV players are allowed to feature on the tour, unlike in Europe and the US where the PGA and DP World Tours have banned dual members.
“The players coming home to play, as long as there’s no conflicting event, they will be welcome to play,” he said. “And the Australian players that come home, and wherever they’re playing at the moment, if they’re members of our organisations, they’ll be eligible to play, and that’s been discussed with the other tours.”
In theory, this would open the door for LIV Golf’s Australian contingent to play several events at home in the coming months, split between the two tours.
That ensures that any defection to LIV Golf, as widely reported, would likely see Smith play more in Australia, not less.
Kirkman, meanwhile, said he hasn’t been approached by LIV about the staging of a tournament next year in Australia.
“We’re hearing things are going on but at the end of the day … if that event comes to Australia we’ll just continue focusing on what we do best and that’s running our tour and servicing Australian golf in the way we feel it should be serviced,” he said.
“We’ll just see what happens there.
“If it comes to Australia, we’ve got to be in a position to stay focused on our strategy. If it fits in, it fits in, but we will talk closely to Golf Australia and the WPGA Tour and work on what we need to keep working on.”
PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA FULL 2022-23 SCHEDULE
October 10-16 — CKB WA PGA, Kalgoorlie Golf Club — $200,000
October 17-23 — WA Open, West Australian Golf Club — $162,500
November 7-13—VIC PGA, Moonah Links Resort—$200,000
November 14-20—Queensland PGA, Nudgee Golf Club—$200,000
November 21-28 — Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, Royal Queensland Golf Club — $2,000,000
November 29-December 4 — ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Victoria Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club — $1,700,000
December 5-11 — Gippsland Super 6, Warragul Country Club — $175,000
January 23-29—TPS Victoria, Rosebud Country Club—$200,000
Jan 30-Feb 5 — TPS Murray River, Cobram-Barooga Golf Club — $200,000
TBA February—VIC Open, TBA—TBA
February 13-19 — TPS Sydney, Bonnie Doon Golf Club — $200,000
February 20-26—TPS Hunter Valley, Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort—$200,000
February 27-March 5—NZ Open, Millbrook Resort—$1,400,000
March 6-12 — NZ PGA Championship Auckland — $150,000
Port Adelaide president David Koch has emphatically declared Ken Hinkley will see out his current contract and coach the club in 2023.
A question mark had been hovering over Hinkley and his position at the Power, despite being contracted to the club until next year and his defiant AFL 360 interview on Monday night where he said he expected to be at Alberton next year.
Amid mounting criticism over Hinkley’s coaching from fans, Koch said earlier this week “every single person’s role” would be assessed at the end of the season, which has seen the Power drop out of finals contention after back-to-back preliminary final runs.
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Koch spoke on 5AA radio on Monday and conceded the club was “not afraid to make change.” His comment from him, “turn it around or watch out”, fueled speculation there could be sweeping changes to the club’s football department.
But Koch confirmed to 7 News Adelaide on Thursday night Hinkley would remain at Alberton.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley with Chairman David Koch.Source: Twitter
“Obviously, for all of us, this season has been a major disappointment … (and) as we always do, we’ll thoroughly assess our football program at season’s end,” Koch told 7 News Adelaide.
“But, as the club has maintained all year, Ken Hinkley is contracted and will be our coach in 2023
“Prior to this season, Ken led us to two consecutive preliminary finals.
“Some will argue we should make a change based on our performance this season alone and that Ken has never taken the team to a grand finale.
“But we base decisions on all the information in front of us.
“We believe Ken gives us the best chance of successfully rebounding next season, of successfully attracting new talent and football department resources to make us better.”
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Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Thursday night, St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt said it was a “big backflip” from Koch that should never have happened.
“I like it from the point of view that it provides fodder for all of us to talk about, but Ken Hinkley must get to the end of the week and think: ‘What did I just go and endure – and for what?’” a passionate Riewoldt said on AFL 360.
“So Kochie comes out on Monday saying what he said after the CEO, the footy manager, everyone else in the club has been on the same page – and five days later he backflips on the statement? He could’ve said on Monday what he said tonight, but he chose not to – and by omission, he put Ken Hinkley under ridiculous, undue pressure this week. It was really poor.
“I think Ken’s probably got a reasonable tolerance for it now after all of this time, but I’d be scratching my head.”
Hinkley is Port’s second longest serving coach, behind the club’s sole AFL premiership coach in Mark Williams.
In his 10 seasons in charge, Hinkley has steered the Power to finals in four seasons and has a 60.8 per cent win rate from his 212 games as coach.
When asked directly on AFL 360 if he felt any uncertainty as coach after Koch’s “turn it around or watch out” comments, Hinkley replied: “No, no I don’t”.
Koch statement awkward for Hinkley? | 01:36
“David (Koch) himself has said that he expects me to be coaching Port Adelaide in 2023, as I do and that’s what I am preparing for,” he said.
“I think I’ve been given enough assurances (he’ll see out his deal) through the season, not that I needed them to be fair.
“We all get there’s a finish line for everyone at some point.
“But as I sit here tonight, I’m more than confident that that won’t be at the end of 2022.”
Hinkley said despite the outside pressure, his players “100 per cent” continued to back him in for an 11th season in 2023 – and final year of his current contract — saying:
“My players, they play for me every week. They play for us every week.
The most explosive clash of the NRL season is set to unfold when Penrith host Melbourne on Thursday night in the wake of a bitter war of words between the clubs.
They’re the two most successful teams, alongside the Roosters, of the past five years and will meet in a highly-anticipated top-four showdown.
The Storm and Panthers have ended each other’s campaigns in arguably the two best games of the past two seasons.
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Melbourne won the premiership after Penrith finished on top of the ladder in 2020 and then those roles were reversed last year.
The rivalry between the past two premiers is the fiercest in the game right now.
Panthers players were outraged by Instagram videos after the 2020 grand finale and they got their revenge by knocking the Storm out in an epic preliminary final last year.
“They don’t like each other,” The Australian’s Brent Read said on NRL360 on Wednesday about the rivalry
“It’s been evident for a while that these teams dislike each other but it’s gone up a notch this week.”
Both teams will be missing key cavalry for the blockbuster at BlueBet Stadium but tensions will still be sky high with plenty on the line for both teams in the run to the finals.
The Panthers were superb last week against the Canberra Raiders without the State of Origin halves pairing of Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai, but things get even tougher with James Fisher-Harris now suspended.
The latest chapter in the clubs’ fierce rivalry is now set to be written after Panthers great Greg Alexander and Storm legend Cameron Smith traded barbs throughout the week.
The Panthers and Storm have built quite the rivalry. Greg Alexander (left) and Cameron Smith (right). GettySource: FOX SPORTS
That stoush over who is responsible for an influx of dangerous tackles in the game quickly escalated.
“I thought it was just a general consensus that over the last 20 years that all the tackles, the wrestling techniques had come out of Melbourne,” Alexanders said after Smith blew up at his initial accusation.
The exchange between Alexander and Smith prompted a stunning outburst from Melbourne’s chairman and owner Matt Tripp.
Tripp blasted Penrith deputy chairman Alexander’s comments as “stupid” and accused the reigning premiers of arrogance.
“Absolutely unfair,” Clearly said of Tripp’s comments.
“I’m not here to judge anyone else. But I know that Brandy (Alexander) is an outstanding commentator and a decorated figure in the game. If anyone’s able to have an opinion it’s Brandy.
“Most of his opinions are spot on. But that was his opinion of him in a completely different role. So, I don’t think it’s fair for everyone else at our club to be labeled what we were, but these things happen sometimes.”
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Following Tripp’s blow-up, the Storm were then accused of having a “chip on their shoulder” by the NRL 360 panel who also believe the Panthers will use Tripp’s comments as motivation.
“There’s going to be plenty of spice, it’s going to be a great game,” Paul Crawley said.
“The Storm are in a bit of strife on the field and they really have to show some signs of fighting back and I just can’t see how they’re going to do that against the Panthers.”
“What I’m fascinated with is the chairman versus the deputy chairman, Tripp versus Alexander,” Paul Kent said.
PK: ‘The fact is players get injured!’ | 02:24
“Some of the things that Tripp said about Penrith, he said the club was arrogant, he turned from criticism of Greg Alexander into criticism of the club.
“And I’ll tell you one thing about Penrith, when you criticize them, they respond to it and they’re very good at coming out and saying ‘is this what you think about us, well we’ll show you what we think about you’ and they deliver.”
Brent Read believes Alexander may have tactically brought up the tackling argument ahead of the clash.
“At this time of year, this invariably raises its head, you point the finger at Melbourne and say they invented the wrestle and it’s just an easy argument,” Read said.
“I’m it doesn’t hurt Penrith (this week).”
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Read also defended any perceived arrogance from Penrith players during matches.
“On the field they play with swagger. They play with a bit of arrogance. You have got to have that to be successful.”
Braith Anasta agreed that arrogance can be a powerful tool for a sporting team when used correctly.
“In any sport you have got to have confidence,” Anasta said.
Some people think they cross the line a little bit but you need confidence. You need a little bit of arrogance. You need to go out there thinking, I’ve got you covered.”
Storm star Jahrome Hughes apologized earlier this season after being named as the main culprit in 2020 grand final celebration footage mocking Panthers players’ Mt Druit roots.
Panthers center Stephen Crichton revealed the footage was used as motivation, sparking their stunning 2021 preliminary final win over Melbourne.
To motivate his players prior to the 2021 preliminary final, assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo saved the clip.
Ciraldo told his players in the lead-up to the Panthers’ huge 10-6 win they needed to “protect where you come from”.
Two brothers accused of being hired “muscle” in the kidnapping of former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill have been granted bail while they await trial.
Richard and Frederick Schaaf are charged with abducting Mr MacGill from outside his home on Sydney’s lower north shore last year.
The pair pleaded not guilty to charges of take/detain in company with intent to obtain advantage, with the matter expected to go to trial mid next year.
On Thursday, they watched remotely from Bathurst Correctional Center as they were granted bail by Justice Richard Button under “strict” conditions.
The Schaaf brothers heard they will be not required to undergo electronic monitoring when they are released from jail sometime in the near future.
They were arrested along with four other men, including Mr MacGill’s de facto brother-in-law Marino Sotiropoulos, over an alleged cocaine deal gone wrong.
The court was told that Mr MacGill introduced Mr Sotiropoulos – who is the brother of his partner Maria O’Meagher – to a cocaine dealer, with the cricketer claiming that it was the extent of his involvement.
Mr Sotiropoulos has since been charged with a supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and will stand trial alongside the Schaaf brothers.
Mr MacGill alleges that a group of men forced him into a car outside his home and confronted him after the drug deal ended in a “rip off”.
The former Test spinner claimed that he was taken to a Bringelly property where he was threatened with a gun, assaulted and demands were made for money.
Earlier this month, Schaafs’ lawyer Avni Djemal argued that the evidence against the brothers supported them being released on bail.
He argued that Mr MacGill had gone willingly with the group of men to an abandoned house in southwestern Sydney and said there was no physical evidence that he had been brutally assaulted.
“The evidence implies Mr MacGill to a high level. I’m surprised he’s not charged with the actual drug transaction that he says, in his evidence, ‘I had nothing more to do with it, I just introduced the brother-in-law, Mr Sotiropoulos, to a person who I knew used to sell drugs’,” Mr Djemal said.
Mr Djemal added there was no evidence to support Mr MacGill’s assertions that he had been punched to the front and back of his head, knocked to the ground and suffered a concussion.
Mr Djemal said the only evidence of any injuries was Ms O’Meagher saying she felt a lump on Mr MacGill’s head.
“He doesn’t have one visible injury after those events,” Mr Djemal said.
“If the hits to the front of your face have produced no lumps and you say the onslaught was to the front, the side, knocked you to the ground, how could that be?
“How could his word be that there was a kidnapping? What if he went, saw photos and got brought back?”
Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford has revealed he was sexually abused as a child.
The singer, 35, told GQ that he felt “layers of shame” after the abuse, which started when he was just six years old.
“Like lots of people – and I’m learning more and more about this as we go and as I play it to people – I was sexually abused as a child,” Marcus said.
“Not by family and not in the church, which might be some people’s assumption. But I hadn’t told anyone about it for 30 years.
“And for some reason, and I can’t really understand why, I didn’t become a perpetrator of sexual abuse – although I’ve done my fair share of c**tish behaviour.”|
Marcus added that his mother only found out what had happened after hearing it in the lyrics of one of his songs, Cannibal.
The lyrics read: “I can still taste you and I hate it / That wasn’t a choice in the mind of a child and you knew it.”
Marcus is married to Carey Mulligan and they have two children together.
He was raised by parent John and Eleanor, who were leaders of the evangelical Christian group, the Vineyard Churches.
He plays in the folk band alongside Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, with fellow Mumford member Winston Marshall quitting the band last year.
They shot to fame in 2009 with their album Sigh No More, which included tracks The Cave and Little Lion Man.
Carlton has omitted Tom De Koning, Will Setterfield and Paddy Dow for Saturday’s must-win game against Melbourne.
The Blues bring Marc Pittonet back into the side along with Liam Stocker, while they’ve named Patrick Cripps in the center as he awaits his fate at the AFL Appeals Board.
The Western Bulldogs have omitted Alex Keath for a second time this season, with Ryan Gardner coming into the side in his stead, while Lachie Hunter and Stefan Martin return.
Key forward Josh Bruce has been managed.
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Meanwhile, North Melbourne has made a couple of selection statements, with Hugh Greenwood, Jason Horne-Francis and Josh Walker omitted from the side that will take on Adelaide on Saturday.
As confirmed on Wednesday, veteran midfielder Ben Cunnington will play his first AFL game in 13 months, with Ben McKay and Jackson Archer also returning.
Dangerfield likely to face Suns | 01:17
Geelong has been boosted by the return of quartet Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Mark Blicavs and Gary Rohan to face the Suns. But they’ve managed Mitch Duncan, Isaac Smith and Mark O’Connor, while Luke Dahlhaus (omitted) and Jon Ceglar (medi-sub) also haven’t been named.
Brisbane has turned to a pair of Jack’s — Jaxon Prior and Jackson Payne — to replace injured duo Marcus Adams and Callum Ah Chee for their primetime match-up against the Saints.
St Kilda veteran Dan Hannebery has been ‘managed’ for Friday night’s clash against the Lions after suffering an ankle injury last round.
Fremantle has opted to bring Sam Switkowski straight into its senior team, with the small pressure forward to play his first AFL match since Round 13.
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Bomber Dylan Shiel, as well as Power forward duo Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades have been named for Sunday’s Essendon-Port Adelaide clash, but star veteran Robbie Gray has been managed.
Shane Edwards (Richmond), Liam Shiels (Hawthorn), Peter Ladhams (Sydney) and Ollie Henry (Collingwood) have all been named on the extended benches for their respective Sunday matches.
Lions coach Chris Fagan has leapt to the defense of Brisbane star Harris Andrews after the key defender was told to “play like a man”.
Two-time All Australian Andrews has been the target of a stinging attack from Fox Footy pundit and North Melbourne premiership-winner David King.
“He’s playing bruise-free footy at the moment – he’s not playing with physicality,” King said of Andrews on AFL 360 on Wednesday night.
“Forwards are just leading around him too easily; there’s no engagement. There’s no body checking, no blocks – there’s nothing. It’s pure intercept or he gets beaten.
“Your big boys need to play big boy footy and I don’t think he is.
Harris Andrews has to play like a man. You can’t have a guy 200cm play like that. That takes you nowhere.”
Fagan was shocked by King’s attack, particularly after Andrews’ performance in Brisbane’s win over Carlton last weekend.
“Was that on the back of his game against Harry McKay last week when he kept him to one goal?” a puzzled Fagan said on Thursday ahead of the Lions’ trip to Melbourne for Friday night’s clash against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.
“I would have thought that was a bit of an unusual way to go on Harris. He certainly doesn’t play that way.
“We were really proud of his game last week and hopefully he’ll continue his good form on (St Kilda forward Max) King this week.”
It’s not the first time this season Andrews’ form has been questioned, with Fagan saying the 25-year-old Lion was a victim of his own high standards.
“Because he’s a two-time All Australian, he’s set a really high standard over recent years, and he’s probably had a few games this year where by his own admission he wouldn’t have been that happy,” the Lions coach said.
“People are focusing on that, but generally speaking, that game against Carlton last week, a lot of it swung on the ability of our defenders to not let McKay and (Charlie) Curnow get into the game, and they did that really well, so I’m really proud of them.”
Andrews’ teammate, Darcy Gardiner, who makes his 150th AFL appearance on Friday night, said the criticism of his fellow defender was “unfair”.
“He’s probably been in the spotlight a little bit, but I think he’s been terrific,” Gardiner said.
“I have leads by example every week. He’s someone I highly admire and who I look up to.
“He’s gone to such a high level that teams have put more and more work into him, and that’s just what you want as a player. It means you’re doing the right thing out there and you’re playing good footy.”
Olympic swimmer Scott Miller has been hit with a raft of fresh offenses three months after he was put behind bars when he was arrested at his Sydney home over his role in an alleged drug syndicate.
The 47-year-old was arrested at his Rozelle home in February last year following a police investigation into the supply of more than $2 million – or at least 4kg – worth of ice.
He has remained behind bars since his arrest and has since pleaded guilty, but in May this year he was hit with multiple new charges relating to another drug matter.
Police allege the former Olympian directed a “criminal group” between April 2020 and October 2021 from Haberfield, in Sydney’s inner west.
According to court documents, Miller allegedly “knowingly took part in the manufacture of 1kg of methylamphetamine, which is not less than the large commercial quantity”.
It is also alleged he supplied 3kg of the drug, conspired with two co-accused to manufacture “a large commercial quantity” of meth and did “knowingly direct the activities of a criminal group”.
He was hit with six charges while already behind bars where he is awaiting sentence, including manufacturing or producing a prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug, two counts of conspire to commit an offence, knowingly direct activities of a criminal group and knowingly take part in manufacturing or producing a prohibited drug.
Neither Miller or a defense lawyer appeared when the matter was mentioned in court on Thursday, where Magistrate Daniel Covington was told a DPP prosecutor was making a detention application.
However, the application was not opposed as he was already behind bars due to the prior matter where he drove drugs to Yass.
The court was told Miller pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced on the other matter later this month in the district court.
According to police documents in relation to the matter he pleaded guilty to, Miller drove the consignment of drugs about 280km from Sydney to Yass, where he was met by another man.
The silver medallist allegedly pleaded guilty to hiding the bag, which held eight candles containing meth worth $2.2 million, in a secret compartment and left the car overnight.
Miller picked up another man the next day and the pair drove the Camry to Yass, according to police.
More than a month later, Miller was arrested at his Rozelle home on February 16.
Footage from the arrest shows a shirtless Miller with his face blurred wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans as he slumps in a white chair around a glass table inside a sparsely furnished room.
He pleaded guilty to four offences, including two counts of supplying prohibited drugs, dealing with property proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
Miller won silver and bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was briefly married to Sydney model Charlotte Dawson.
