Pizza giant Domino’s is going head-to-head with iconic fast food burger chains such as McDonald’s with the addition of their new menu item.
Since August 8, Domino’s has launched the Burger Joint Pizza Range, which is available for pick up and delivery, in cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger, bacon hamburger and hamburger options.
The pizzas – with a burger twist – are loaded with 100 per cent Aussie beef pieces, American burger cheese, butter pickles and special burger sauce.
“You have never had a burger delivered like this before,” Domino’s ANZ chief executive David Burness said.
“We have taken almost 40 years of experience as Australia’s food delivery experts and developed a burger specifically for the delivery generation. No more soggy bread rolls and limp lettuce. Domino’s is bringing home the burger – on a pizza.”
Michael Treacy, Domino’s Culinary Innovation & Development Chef, said it wasn’t the first time that pizzas and burgers have been paired up but this new range was “a whole new burger experience”.
“We live in the Golden Age of Delivery and burgers have yet to ‘ketchup’,” Mr Treacy said. “They’re often cold or falling apart by the time they reach your door because they were simply never designed to be delivered.
“What makes our Burger Joint pizzas so incredible is that our premium ingredients were carefully chosen for maximum burger goodness, while ensuring they could be delivered Hot & Fresh just like a Domino’s pizza.”
A large Burger Joint Cheeseburger will set customers back $10.95 while the large hamburger option will cost customers $18.95.
The Burger Joint range can be ordered via the Domino’s App.
Tough time for Domino’s
The introduction of the new range comes at a tough time for the brand.
Last month, Domino’s announced it had added in a 6 per cent delivery fee as a result of the soaring cost of living, particularly rising prices of fuel, food and utilities.
Domino’s insisted it was a “small fee”, with a $30 pizza order incurring an extra $1.80 for delivery as a result of the change.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, Domino’s reported first-half sales growth of more than 11 per cent, but underlying net profit slipped 5.3 per cent.
Barrenjoey analysts said the results missed expectations across all divisions and the current half started “a touch weaker” than anticipated.
They tipped a share price tumble, which eventuated.
Domino’s shares tumbled 14 per cent to $86.13, continuing to slide from about $165 in September and far lower than Barrenjoey’s price target of $130.
Chief executive and managing director Don Meij said earnings were lower largely due to its reinvestment in Australia/New Zealand franchises, targeting underpenetrated markets, especially Victoria and South Australia.
Rugby league’s no-fault stand-down rule has come under fire once again, with a lawyer for Michael Lichaa calling for it to be scrapped after it was revealed the ex-Bulldog was blocked from playing park football last year.
Mr Lichaa, 29, was forced to withdraw from the game he loves amid an 18-month legal battle to clear his name that culminated when a magistrate last week acquired him of domestic violence offences.
The former Lebanon international’s world was turned upside down in February last year when he was charged with a string of offenses after a late-night incident at his Connells Point home.
But it can now be revealed that Mr Lichaa was blocked from playing park footy after being charged when the NSWRL refused to register his contract.
The NRL in 2019 introduced its no-fault stand-down rule under which any player facing serious criminal charges, which carry a jail term of 11 years or more, is automatically sidelined.
The NSWRL adopted similar guidelines.
“The NSWRL did not register a contract for Michael Lichaa last season for bringing the game into disrepute after he was charged with several serious offences, including common assault and intimidation,” a NSWRL spokesman said.
“The NSWRL reviewed the situation this season and registered a contract for Lichaa.”
Mr Lichaa’s 113-game NRL career came to an end in 2019 when Canterbury did not offer him a contract for the following year.
He did not pick up a contract with a rival club and signed on to play for Cronulla Caringbah in the Sydney Shield in an effort to keep fit and in the hope of attracting a suitor.
However, his career was put on hold while he fought the charges after the NSWRL refused to register a contract.
Mr Lichaa was eventually found not guilty on Friday. His former partner of him declined to testify against him.
Mr Lichaa was acquitted of charges of common assault and intimidation, though he pleaded guilty to one charge of destruction of property after he punched a glass door.
The Sutherland Local Court was told last week that he had since retired from rugby league and was now working as a project manager.
Sam Saadat represented the former Cronulla and Canterbury hooker throughout the horror 18-month ordeal.
He said he understood the intent behind the no-fault rule but argued it hadn’t had the effect it was supposed to.
In the summer of 2018-19, the NRL was hit by a string of scandals – 17 incidents and allegations between September and mid-February – that prompted then ARLC chairman Peter Beattie to draft the rule.
But Mr Saadat, who is also heavily involved in rugby league and has coached at the Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters in the women’s and developmental ranks, said the rules needed a rethink.
“I understand where the NSWRL and NRL are coming from, but I think it needs to be revisited. If you look at the examples… almost every single one was acquitted,” he said.
“And as a result, if you look at the impact it’s had on their careers and mental health, I think the prejudice far outweighs the policy’s purpose.
“The game has a right to administer itself how it wants and the Federal Court found that when (Jack) de Belin challenged it. But I think they need to revisit that decision. We now have examples of where it hasn’t worked.”
Tristan Sailor, Dylan Walker and Tui Kamikamica were all stood down after being charged by police before either being found not guilty or having the charges dismissed.
De Belin did not play for the entirety of the 2019 and 2020 NRL seasons before he was allowed to return midway through last year when the Director of Public Prosecutions elected not to pursue a third sexual assault trial.
Two juries could not arrive at a verdict, though he and co-accused Callan Sinclair were found not guilty of one count following their second trial.
Manase Fainu is facing trial in the Parramatta District Court where he has pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and denied stabbing a church youth leader in the back.
Penrith’s Tyrone May was the only player stood down under the policy to be convicted.
May narrowly escaped jail after he pleaded guilty to four counts of intentionally recording an intimate image without consent.
Mr Saadat called for the NRL to hold a conference between players, administrators and lawyers to look at the policy.
“The game is supposed to be a reflection of society,” he said.
“Legally, everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“In this case even if it’s worded as a no-fault policy, it’s somewhat prejudicial. In people’s minds it creates an impression they must be guilty. I think it’s fundamentally unfair.”
Passengers have to put up with a lot of things on flights, but if there is one thing that no one should have to deal with, it’s bare feet in your face.
Whether it’s near you or in your peripheral vision it’s an act that happens unfortunately all too often.
The latest traveler to be confronted by another flyer’s feet was Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall – and she was so shocked by what she had witnessed on a flight, she recorded a TikTok and shared it with her 1.9 million TikTok followers to also feel her pain.
“Breathtaking views at 38,000 – feet,” she British singer captioned the video.
Jade filmed herself looking stunned before flipping the phone to show a woman a few rows in front with her leg stretched so high, her foot was touching the overhead locker.
In the two days since she posted it, it has already clocked almost five million views and over 13,000 comments with many grossed out by the act.
“I’d be screaming if I’d seen this,” one person wrote.
“I want to cry,” said another, while a third yelled: “WHY DID SHE START POINTING THEM?”
One user described it as “absolutely foul”.
“People are so wrong on a plane – morals, manners and politeness go out the window.”
Others were more concerned for Jade.
“I hope you are OK after experiencing this Jade,” one person joked, to which the star responded: “A little rattled but I’m OK hun.”
“Imagine you did this in a plane and ended up on Jade Thirlwall’s TikTok,” another said.
A cabin crew member also chimed in saying it is her “greatest fear”.
“’Madam, please may you remove your toes from the ceiling?’” she joked.
Others complimented the woman on her manicured toes while some wished they were “that flexible”.
“I’d be p**sing myself trying not to laugh,” one user added.
Some couldn’t believe the man sitting next to her was completely unfazed.
“The fact the person next to them is talking to them like this is a normal occurrence,” they wrote.
However, as much as the passenger’s foot act was the center of attention, fans also couldn’t help but applaud the singer for sitting in economy, particularly given her popular and successful British band Little Mix has a net worth of £48 million ($ A83 million), according to The Sunday Times Rich List 2020.
“Humble queen not flying private,” one fan commented.
“Imagine being on the same plane as Jade Thirlwall,” another wrote.
It is unclear where Jade was flying to or from, but it comes after she had her phone stolen in Ibiza.
“Shoutout to whoever stole my phone. Not having one for a little while was truly bliss. Anyways, here’s me being a basic b**ch in Ibiza a cutla weeks ago,” she said in an Instagram post alongside a selfie on the party island.
It appears Jade is no stranger to flying on commercial flights.
“I was sat next to her in the airport and didn’t want to bother her for a pic. Regretted it ever since,” one fan wrote.
As for the bare feet, it’s also not the first time something like this has happened.
In May, a passenger was left horrified when another flyer shoved their bare feet onto their seat’s armrest during a flight.
The traveler was flying from Melbourne to Adelaide when the incident occurred
A video shows a person looking at the camera in horror before zooming in on the bare feet poking through from the seat behind and on the armrest.
The passenger then appears to notice they are being filmed and quickly whips their feet back.
Experts have also warned travelers to never be barefoot on a plane.
California-based podiatrist Ebonie Vincent, who is also behind the US TV series, My Feet Are Killing Mesaid that being barefoot leaves travelers exposed to bad bacteria.
When it comes to holidaying, deciding whether to go with the expected comforts of a hotel or the relaxed amenities of an Airbnb generally comes down to the guest and the mood of the trip.
For mum and businesswoman Alexandra Ormerod, travel has always been high on the priority list – and she had no plans for that to change when she and husband Tom decided to start a family.
But with a little one in tow, the pair soon realized that the simple pleasures they once took for granted in a hotel room were no longer applicable for a young family.
“We have a lot of family overseas… we are avid travelers and after our first daughter was born we quickly discovered in our travels that hotels were dead to us and that came as a bit of a shock,” Ms Ormerod told news.com. ouch
“We soon found it very challenging to be traveling with a small child and finding accommodation that was of a standard better than a serviced apartment.
“We realized quite early on that places like Europe and Asia have a more mature market than Australia, so there are a lot more villas to hire in different locations. Whereas when you came to Australia and you effectively had the option of a holiday home. That home would be hired through a real estate agent and generally you were restricted to a coastal location and picking the keys up from the local fish and chip shop because the office was closed.
Ms Ormerod said the “disconnected experience” and “transactional approach” to hiring holiday homes in Australia meant guests “never really knew what they were going to get” on arrival.
With a background in advertising, Ms Ormerod said her work in travel and tourism along with her husband’s involvement in property development and real estate meant they identified a gap in the market for couples, friends and family groups seeking options in the luxury end of the holiday homes market.
As a result, ‘Luxico’ – which essentially combines hotels and holidays homes into one – was born in 2013.
“Luxico was a bit of an obvious outcome,” she explained of the company, which is now worth almost $20 million.
“We found there was a real niche for designer accommodation which we identified as not really existing at the time Luxico was born.”
Having a house on the Mornington Peninsula, Ms Ormerod said a lot of neighbors and Melbourne residents had “big homes” in the area which sat empty for most of the year. So she and Tom started renting out properties in the area which signaled a huge area of demand for beautiful, high-end homes temporarily.
“We found there was a lot of demand for that $1000-a-night or more price point that was not being serviced,” she said.
“So we then built on that to try and service that demand, and try to take the experience away from a transactional offering to a more hospitality or hotel offering [within a luxury home].”
Each Luxico stay comes with a concierge service – essentially a local who ‘checks you in’ to the home. Each concierge acts as a point of call for guests, with no request too big, small or bizarre. The homes range from $250 to $15,000 or more per night.
“It’s bringing the human element back into that holiday home stay, and all our concierges are from the local area,” she explained of the company which exclusively manages $700 million worth of property across Australia.
“The extra services you can have – from chefs, to butlers and specialist touring – are all part of the optional extras.
“But for the everyday traveller, the feedback has been that the concierge had given them insider tips to the area … maybe told them of an amazing hidden gem they wouldn’t have otherwise known about that made their holiday.”
While celebrity clients make up a large bulk of the brand’s clientele, Ms Ormerod said “mums and dads” still make up the majority of bookings.
“Luxico is an end-to-end service so we exclusively manage all of the properties that we offer,” she said, adding that if a family is looking to book two or three hotel rooms – a home works out to be better value.
“So we are managing the guest experience not just through the booking process, but the experience they have in home and even afterwards.
“So from the slippers, to the towels to prepared toiletries, the concierge is going in there and provisioning and preparing the home so if you are traveling with small children we will bring in a toy box so they have something to play with. So it’s all those little touches that make the experience a continuance of the booking process.
“It’s more a holistic experience, connecting you with local products, experiences and service providers that will build on that stay.”
Former Aussie 400m star John Steffensen has blasted Australia’s relay debacle at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games as “amateur hour”.
Australia looked on track to qualify for the final of the 4x100m but it all fell apart at the final change when Rohan Browning tripped over his own feet and hit the deck.
It was a disappointing result after the team of Josh Azzopardi, Jacob Despard, Jack Hale and Browning crashed out.
After an impressive showing, the commentators were stunned by the moment.
“The last change only has to be clean,” McAvaney started to say before Tamsyn Manou shrieked in the commentary box as Browning hit the deck.
“Oh he’s fallen over. I can’t believe it. I cannot believe it. A disaster for the Australians. I’ve never seen anything quite like it to be truthful.”
“That was awful,” Manou added.
“He looks devastated. Rohan would not have been able to do a lot of this training, he would have been focusing on getting his body right. He just really stumbled when he took his acceleration phase.”
There were suggestions Browning struggled with not starting in the blocks or that he wasn’t confident starting on the bend rather than on the straight.
One who wasn’t looking for excuses was 2006 Commonwealth Games 400m gold medalist and Olympic 4x400m relay silver medalist John Steffensen.
“If that was a final, I’d kind of accept it because you really want to push your relay change zone passovers,” he said on Channel 7.
“You really want to push them out a bit, you want to take a bit more risk because you’re running against the best, or some of the best in the world, in the Commonwealth.
“But that was amateur hour last night. To see what happened with Rohan, I do not know what was going through his brain.
“Accidents happen, mistakes happen track and field, yes, I get it.
“But it’s one of those things, I’ve done it (many) times in training. Sometimes you want to push, you really push the barriers and the angle you want to come out of your drive because that’s how you go fast.
“In training you sort of go low, low and you will sort of work your way back up. Then you find a comfortable position that you can take off from.”
Former Olympic 100m sprinter turned Channel 7 presenter Matt Shirvington said he knew how Browning felt, having been in a similar position in the 2006 Commonwealth Games 4x100m final.
In that final, Australia appeared headed for a medal but Shirvington took off a touch early and Adam Miller couldn’t catch him to pass the baton.
Shirvington said Browning would be “gutted.”
“Rohan more than most of them because the other boys have been there waiting to compete,” Shirvington told Channel 7.
“Rohan knows that coming into this he was going to have quite a bit of speed, he’s in good shape.
“I have been there before, I’ve been there a couple of times.
“I have been there at a packed MCG at the Commonwealth Games at the same change in the final and we haven’t made it happen.”
Browning did admit he was “gutted” soon after, apologizing to his teammates, who were on the team specifically for the relay.
“I’m so sorry. I know these boys put in so much work. In my years in athletics, nothing like this has ever happened and, hopefully, it never happens again.
“I just caught my toe and slipped. It has never happened before in training or in races.”
Teammate Jack Hale was quick to console Browning both after the race and in the post-match interviews.
“It’s a relay. There are so many variables and these things happen. It is what it is,” Hale told Channel 7.
Browning finished sixth in the individual 100m final, falling just 0.06 seconds short of a bronze medal at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
It was the closest Australia has got to winning a medal in the men’s blue ribbon event since Matt Shirvington’s lightning time of 10.03 still wasn’t enough for him to get a medal at the 1998 Games.
Australia has never won a medal in the men’s event since the Commonwealth Games changed the distance to 100m in 1970. Now we have to wait at least four more years.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart is facing a historic ban for his stunning attack on Panthers young gun Jaeman Salmon.
Stuart called Salmon “a weak-gutted dog” after the 23-year-old was placed on report for lashing out with his foot while being tackled by Raiders hooker Tom Starling.
The Salmon family has called on the NRL to act, while Stuart has copped an avalanche of criticism for the stunning outburst in his post-match press conference on Saturday night.
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The NRL are furious with the veteran coach and are expected to throw the book at Stuart, with the 55-year-old potentially facing an unprecedented ban.
Stuart has been fined $135,000 by the NRL since becoming a coach in 2002, but could now be looking at a match suspension for the first time.
NRL boss Andrew Abdo described the remarks as “very serious” and “disappointing” and is expected to speak again on Monday afternoon.
“I think it was so serious what happened that we’re looking beyond a fine this time,” Phil Rothfield said on Big Sports Breakfast.
“I think Andrew Abdo was so angry about it yesterday that he’ll probably look at some kind of suspension, it might just be standing him down for one week or two weeks.”
Ricky apologizes for salmon spray | 01:04
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The NRL Integrity Unit launched an immediate investigation, while Stuart issued an apology on Sunday.
“I’ve crossed the line there on the weekend,” NRL journalist Adam Pengilly said on Big Sports Breakfast.
“I love Ricky’s passion and the way he talks about the game but he shouldn’t have used an NRL press conference to say what he did about an NRL player on an issue going back at least a decade.
“I think the NRL will be really hard and firm on this. Ricky has been fined a number of times in the past, we know that, but I would be very surprised if they don’t go down the route of suspension given how serious an issue it has been.
“Ricky did the right thing yesterday by apologizing but I’m very keen to see what Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys come up with later today.
Knights get much-needed win over Tigers | 02:41
“I can’t think of a coach ever being suspended, certainly in the past 10 years I can’t think of an incident where a coach has been sat down on the sideline for something in a post-game press conference.
“We’ve seen off-field stuff, Shane Flanagan comes to mind, but nothing for a press conference.
“I think the NRL will wrap this up as quickly as they possibly can, if not this afternoon then tomorrow at the latest, they don’t want to leave this lingering on.
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As the Bulldogs watched their final hopes fade on Saturday, there was a cruel irony in front of them.
Plus the ‘five years with a mulligan’ theory that helps explain Collingwood’s year.
The big issues from Round 21 of the 2022 AFL season analyzed in Talking Points!
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CRUEL IRONY AS FREO’S FLAG-WORTHY RECORD GROWS
Saturday was bad for the Bulldogs in 2022; their loss, combined with Richmond’s win, has them outsiders to make the eight (though Carlton’s loss to Brisbane keeps them alive).
But it might’ve been good for them in 2023 and beyond.
The irony wasn’t lost on Fox Footy’s commentary team as Rory Lobb, reportedly on his way to the Kennel in free agency on a deal of around $1.5 million over three years, dominated the game.
The Dockers key forward has always shown flashes amid an inconsistent career – this is the first season where he’s reached the 30 goal mark – his four big majors at Marvel Stadium showed him at his absolute best.
Best three kicks at goal since Plugger | 00:58
“First four kicks were goals, it looked like he could kick them from everywhere,” goalkicking legend Jason Dunstall said at three-quarter-time on Fox Footy.
Melbourne great Garry Lyon added: “If you believe everything that’s been said, the Western Bulldogs whilst they’d be shattered if they lose and Rory Lobb leads them (Fremantle) to victory, they might be rubbing their hands together, given many think he’s heading to the Western Bulldogs.
“That’s what they’re saying; he’s playing unbelievably well.”
Some have questioned whether the Bulldogs need Lobb, given they’ve got Aaron Naughton (three goals on Saturday), Josh Bruce, No.1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and father-son prodigy Sam Darcy, who made a strong debut with a team -leading eight marks and seven intercepts.
But as those intercepts suggest Darcy played in defense, where the Bulldogs desperately need tall help – while Luke Beveridge remains a Ryan Gardner stan and defends his backs when questioned, they’ve long struggled to defend one-on-ones.
So if Lobb truly is coming on board, that just adds more tall weapons to their armory.
More magnets to spin for the AFL’s most prolific magnet-spinner can’t hurt, surely?
Meanwhile for the Dockers, their win on the road was yet another example of their terrific away record in the 2022 season.
They’re the only non-Victorian team to win more than one game in Victoria this season – and they’ve won five, plus that draw against Richmond.
Taking 22 premiership points from trips to the home of footy is a big reason the Dockers are current flag contenders this season. After all, if they can win in Melbourne, they can win on the biggest day of all.
Buckley on 2018 Crows: ‘It’s harrowing’ | 06:33
AFL’S BIGGEST SHOCK SURGE COME AFTER ‘FIVE YEARS OF GOOD FOOTY’…WITH A MULLIGAN
Few experts pre-season tipped Collingwood to feature in this year’s finals series. Nathan Buckley, however, did.
And while the former coach didn’t expect his Magpies to be sitting second on the ladder with two rounds to go, he’s of the firm belief the side’s 2022 surge is a result of an exciting five-year build.
The Magpies’ destiny is in their own hands. Win two more home and away games and they’ll jump from the bottom-two last year to the top-two this year – a simply remarkable feat. Those last two games will be tough – Sydney at the SCG and Carlton at the MCG – but it seems nothing, not even the prospect of watching The Exorcist in the dark, scares this team.
While many outside the club had low expectations for the Magpies this year after a 17th-placed finish in 2021, Buckley said it was important to remember the build and list turnover in the previous three years.
“I’m going to suggest – and I’ve been involved in the footy club – but this is five years of good footy with a bad year last year,” Buckley told Fox Footy on Friday night.
“The nucleus of this side is established and we’re seeing some young players come in and play really big roles – and it’s brilliant and it’s exciting to see.
“This Collingwood side has exceeded my expectations. I thought they were 15 wins at the top end – and they’ve still got two more to go. What ‘Fly’ (McRae) has done has been amazing, but it’s been built off the nucleus of a senior core that have been there for five or six years doing this now.”
Maynard BUZZING after big hit and win | 00:47
The Magpies on Friday night claimed a remarkable 11th straight win – the first time they’ve achieved the feat since 2011 – in another tantalizingly close game.
Asked how the Pies keep winning such tight games, coach Craig McRae told reporters: “Yeah, this group’s got some belief hasn’t it? We just get ourselves into positions where at three quarter-time, there’s a few smiles on their faces – like, ‘here we go again’.
“It’s just been our story. I haven’t been part of a team like it that gets themselves in a situation that they just think: ‘Here we go, we’ll get the job done.’”
The On The Couch team last week compared the profile of Collingwood’s 2022 team to the Richmond premiership side of 2017. Like the Tigers, the Pies aren’t a strong clearance team, but are among the top-four clubs for interceptions, pressure and opposition score per inside 50.
Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy added to the comparison on Friday night.
“This could be a premiership built on pressure, like Richmond in 2017,” Healy told Fox Footy Live. “They didn’t win all the stats, but they won the flag, so there’s a lot to like about this Collingwood side.
“They are certainly in the conversation – you can’t win 11 in a row and beat last year’s premiers twice and not be a genuine chance.
“Collingwood and Sydney sit underneath most people’s favorites of Geelong and Melbourne, but we do know they are capable of beating the top sides.”
Asked if he’d reassess his message to his playing group considering the circumstances, McRae said: “We’re living in the moment of getting better. That’s always been our message. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves.
“You look at the stats sheet (after the Melbourne game) and there’s a lot of red in it, so we’re not naive and we’ve got a little work to do.
“We don’t know where our ceiling is at – and that’s exciting. We’re in discovery mode… and that’s an exciting place to live.”
Consider comments heard! | 00:26
‘MORE OF IT’: ‘ALL DUCK NO DINNER’ LEADS TO FOOTY FEAST
Ed Langdon was something of a sitting duck when he was swamped only moments into Friday night’s epic between Collingwood and Melbourne.
We wouldn’t normally put so much time into dissecting a wingman’s game, particularly one as consistent as Langdon. But after the former Freo man spoke on radio about Collingwood being “all duck and no dinner” and a “one trick pony”, all eyes were on Langdon.
It created one of the most memorable moments of the season – and added some spice to a game that barely needed it.
Sitting second and third on the table respectively, Melbourne and Collingwood were playing on a Friday night for the first time since 2007, so the stage was already set for a dynamite contest.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae made light of Langdon’s comments pre-game, telling Fox Footy’s Kath Loughnan he had “duck for dinner last night”.
Feet assistant Brendon Bolton told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight he “loved it”, while Adem Yze reiterated the respect the Demons have for the Pies.
Kennedy chaired off in charming scenes | 01:23
The 24 hours prior to the opening bounce were gripping as a football lover. All that anyone was talking about were those comments and how good the game was going to be. The AFL even bumped up their crowd estimates off the back of the comments.
And when Brayden Maynard and co. engulfed Langdon in a brutal gang tackle, we got one of the most memorable and electric moments of the season — and the game itself didn’t disappoint either.
Ex-Saints and North Melbourne star Nick Dal Santo suggested it might have been a slip of the tongue after similar language was used in a team meeting, but the triple All-Australian noted “we shouldn’t be knocking that down”.
“Our game needs more of that,” Dal Santo told Fox Footy Live after the game.
“Our game is a combative game. The people who least speak about that combativeness is the players.”
“We need to embrace the rivalry and the competitiveness. If someone is to put out a comment like that, brilliant. More of it.”
The Melbourne media department, privately, would’ve been scrambling after the comments were made. The beauty of it was being so close to bounce-down, everyone could just enjoy the ride — even Ed, who had a smile pre-game, got booed by Pies fans and performed solidly in the 7-point loss.
“All duck no dinner” made for a footy feast.
Ban likely for Cripps after heavy bump | 02:00
HOW DOES MCSTAY FIT INTO FEET?
Amid doubts already over whether Collingwood should be pursuing Dan McStay, just how does he fit into this Pies forward line?
The Magpies have been heavily linked to the Lions free agent on a five-year deal worth $3 million as the club looks to add another marking target in attack.
But this is a Collingwood side already firing on all cylinders, with Friday night’s epic win over Melbourne seeing it climb into second place on the ladder.
Jamie Elliott and fourth-gamer Ash Johnson were both instrumental with four goals apiece, while Brody Mihocek, who’s led the goalkicking in each of the last three seasons and is on track to do so again in 2022, chipped in two goals.
“Mihocek, Elliott and Johnson look so good — so where does Daniel McStay fit into all this?” Demons great Garry Lyon posed on Fox Footy.
Heck, if McStay was available to play for Collingwood next week, it’s hard to see him cracking into the 22, especially with star ruckman Brodie Grundy and young gun Ollie Henry already out of the side.
McStay has booted 16 goals from as many games this year and been held goalless on eight occasions, while the key forward’s 28 majors in 2021 mark his best-ever return.
Franklin kicks four in big Swans win | 02:29
There’s a possibility that Collingwood could look to play McStay in defence, although it still raises questions of whether he’s worth the $650,000-a-season price tag and at a club that’s only two years removed from a trade exodus due to salary cap pressure.
“They believe he can help the forward line like Josh Bruce has been able to help Jamarra Ugle-Hagan get better match-ups… Daniel McStay is coming to Collingwood, but it’s going to be some kind of juggling act, especially with Ollie Henry not in the side right now,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy.
To which Saints great Nick Riewoldt responded: “Josh Bruce is a brave, brave workhorse. Is that Daniel McStay?”
Triple-premiership winning Lion Jonathan Brown believes his former club see him as the “workhorse, down-the-line guy.”
“They like to kick it long to him, put it on his head. Hipwood and Daniher tend to be more the runners,” he said.
Queensland rugby league has been rocked after one of the state’s star players tragically died at the age of 28.
Michael Purcell sadly lost his life on Sunday morning following a car crash in Brisbane.
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The star winger-fullback had played a total of 82 games for the Ipswich Jets and Brisbane Tigers, registering 68 tries and 22 goals.
Purcell, nicknamed “The Kangaroo Catcher” after he once was said to have chased down a kangaroo during a race, was one of the fastest players in Queensland.
His standout abilities on the field led to him receiving an NRL contract with the Melbourne Storm last year.
He joined the Storm for pre-season training before returning to Queensland and playing for the Brisbane Tigers in the Intrust Super Cup.
Purcell in full flight. Picture: Alix SweeneySource: News Corp Australia
His death has rocked the rugby league community with tributes flooding in following Sunday’s tragic crash.
“I am shattered, it’s so, so sad,” Purcell’s former coach at the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup Ben Walker said to the Courier Mail.
“He was a really talented kid who definitely had the ability to play NRL.
“We got a tip about this kid playing reserve grade and his nickname was the ‘Kangaroo Catcher’ because the story went he was so fast he once chased down a kangaroo during a cross-country run in the bush.
“We signed him to the Ipswich Jets and he ended up scoring 66 tries in 71 games. He had incredible speed.”
Peter Bol took one look at the start list and knew he wasn’t going to get the race he wanted.
But rather than fret he made a decision to overcome it — and he very nearly did in a thrilling men’s 800m final at the Commonwealth Games on Monday morning (AEST).
The 28-year-old was still smiling after he took the silver medal, but there will always be a part of him that looks back at his incredible achievement as “bittersweet”.
Bol described the race as “strange” and was left lamenting the tactics at play that resulted in the first 500m being run ultra-slow.
It was playing out as he expected — not in his favour.
Bol told reporters after the race he knew it was going to be a slow race because there were no front-runners anywhere on the start list.
It meant he was unable to run the race he wanted as he took just a brief moment to respond when Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal took off with more than 200m to go. That brief, micro delay was all it took in the end as Kinyamal, the defending champion, won by just 0.14 seconds in a time of 1:47.52.
It will be particularly painful for Bol to see his time of 1:47.66 after he ran a 1:47.01 in the heats — and a 1:45.51 at the world championships in Oregon last month.
“Looking at the start list and there’s no frontrunners out there,” he said.
“So I just knew it was going to be tactical and I knew I just had to come home strong and that’s what I did so I’m happy with that.
“After the first lap, and I’ve been saying it, it’s so tactical… I saw 55 (seconds) and I said to myself, ‘Stay relaxed, stay relaxed’.
“Maybe in 20 more meters I could have got him. But it’s the 800m not the 820m.”
Bol looked like he was about to go up alongside Kinyamal with 50m to run, but he just didn’t have the legs to keep his charge going.
Bol, who became a cult hero en route to his fourth-placed finish at last year’s Olympic final, was hoping to become the first Australian in 40 years to win 800m gold.
“What an environment and atmosphere, so close but will take second today,” Bol told Channel 7. “I’m pretty happy with that, to be honest. It was a strange race again, super slow but the 800m is super tactical.
“I thought, stay relaxed, stay relaxed but he (Kinyamal) is so strong and kept going and going. It’s just racing, I raced the best I could and came up short but … silver medal in the Commonwealth Games, we are second which is really good.
“We speak of this journey and we have different people from different years, I want to say a massive thanks to my family, especially my parents… I’m so grateful for them. This is for them, this is for my family, this is for the country.
“There’s a kid out there with a Peter Bol sign so definitely for him. I have to go find him.”
Seven commentator Bruce McAvaney said the race started on a “sluggish” note and Tamsyn Manou agreed, adding: “It is slower than we would have liked.”
At the conclusion of the race, Manou said: “Peter Bol did everything he possibly could there, he got into the right position, he covered… when Kinyamal made that move.
“Peter has still done us proud. People expected him to win that gold but we are talking about an athlete (Kinyamal) who is the defending champion and there is nothing more Peter Bol could have done.
“I hope everyone in Australia is very proud of Peter Bol, because we certainly are.”
England’s Ben Pattison was third in 1:48.25sec.
Bol embarrassed the rest of the field in the heats of the men’s 800m with an imperious run on Wednesday. He then had five agonizing days to wait for Monday’s end.
The Olympics finalist won his heat and was the fastest overall qualifier despite pulling up with 50m still to run.
Bol last month had a disappointing run in the world championships final after he became the first Australian man to ever contest an 800m final at the World Champs.
Earlier, Abbey Caldwell produced a huge shock when she collected the bronze in the women’s 1500m. The 21-year-old just nudged out fellow Aussie Linden Hall.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has dropped his biggest selection hint yet, revealing Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii is a “genuine selection option”.
Meninga has a big job on his hands ahead of this year’s World Cup, with a number of players opting to represent their nation of heritage as opposed to the Kangaroos.
Maroons gun Josh Papalii will reportedly ply his trade for Samoa, joining Jarome Luai and Brian To’o, while Felise Kaufusi, Siosifa Talakai, Daniel Tupou and Kotoni Staggs are set to represent Tonga.
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But in a huge boost, the Kangaroos are set to pick the Tricolours 19-year-old flyer in the Australian squad — should he chose to represent his country of birth.
Suaalii is currently in his first full season of first grade and was included in Brad Fittler’s Blues squad, scoring 13 NRL tries to date.
“I’m a fan of Joseph, absolutely, and he is right in the picture, particularly if the Roosters keep their run going to the finals,” Meninga said to the SMH.
“He is a genuine selection option, definitely. He’s just a talent. He has always been a talent. I like his courage from him.
“I remember ‘Izzy’ (Israel Folau) came in at a young age, so did ‘GI’ (Greg Inglis), so if you’re talking about age, there are no questions about Joseph handling the international stage.”
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Meninga also referenced reports suggesting Australia’s rival code were in pursuit of the young gun, revealing it is “hardly a shock” the Wallabies could make a play.
“I read the reports that the Wallabies are looking at him, which is hardly a shock. They wouldn’t be doing their job if they weren’t looking at league players like him and wanting him to convert,” Meninga said.
“We do the same thing. Because Joseph has played union before, it only made it inevitable. He’s right in the mix for us.”
The Kangaroos incumbent wingers from their last game played in 2019 are Josh Addo-Carr and Nick Cotric.
With Cotric is unlikely to feature, and Addo-Carr being tipped for selection on the edge, Suaalii could find himself in the green and gold.
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Suaalii made his intentions clear earlier in the week, making it clear he wants to compete in the end-of-year showcase.
“I honestly haven’t thought about it too much but I want to be there playing at the World Cup,” Suaalii said.
“I’m trying to make that Australian team and if I’m lucky enough I’ll make that Samoan team as well.
“If I get picked for either of them it would be an honour. If I’m playing at the World Cup I’ll be happy.”
