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Brisbane Broncos vs Newcastle Knights, result, tries, highlights, SuperCoach scores, videos, Adam Reynolds, Anthony Milford

Brisbane Broncos vs Newcastle Knights, result, tries, highlights, SuperCoach scores, videos, Adam Reynolds, Anthony Milford

The Broncos have beaten the Knights 28-10 on the back of brilliant displays from Te Maire Martin and Ezra Mam and a hat-trick to Selwyn Cobbo.

Martin’s return from injury gave the Broncos an edge in attack and Cobbo cashed in with a brilliant three-try performance as the Knights’ edges were blown apart.

MATCH CENTER: Broncos vs Knights teams, SuperCoach scores, videos, updates

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Cobbo opened the scoring in the corner after some brilliant lead-up work from Adam Reynolds and Martin.

Corey Oates crossed in the opposite corner for his 19th try of the season after a questionable last pass from Delouise Hoeter was cleared.

Mam and Martin combined for one of the long-range tries of the season to push the Broncos out to a commanding 18-0 lead.

Daniel Saifiti barged over from close range to give the Knights a chance at a late comeback.

Bradman Best dived over to cut the deficit to eight points and set up a grandstand finish.

However, Cobbo snuffed out the comeback after securing his double to seal an important win for the Broncos.

Cobbo sealed his hat-trick when Reynolds put the ball on a dime for him to score in the corner and put the icing on the cake.

Here are the key takeaways from the match.

MARTIN PROVES MISSING LINK FOR BRONCOS

Te Maire Martin returned for his first game since Round 16 and showed the Broncos exactly what they have been missing in a masterful display.

Martin is a five-eighth turned fullback and his playing ability adds another dimension to the Broncos attack.

Corey Parker believes Martin’s inclusion ensured the Broncos looked far more cohesive in attack and it took the pressure of his halves and allowed them to play their games.

“They look more in sync with Martin back,” Parker said.

“He has got a real nice slight of hand. Not your traditional fullback in regards to getting lots of run meters, but he had two try assists in the first half.

“He alleviated a lot of pressure off the halves just by his ability to be able to ball play and Cobbo and Mam were the beneficiaries of that.”

Michael Ennis credited Martin with getting the Broncos out of their funk in terms of their attack over their two game losing run.

“What a game from Te Maire Martin,” Ennis said.

“Coming into the side after being out since Round 16, boy he made a difference just with his composure and his control.

“He has ignited the Brisbane attack.”

MAM SHINES AS REYNOLDS STEERS BRONCOS TO VICTORY

The Broncos were not at their best but with the brilliant running game of Ezra Mam providing the perfect foil for Adam Reynolds’ organisation, Brisbane took the game by the scruff of the neck in the key moments.

As long as the Broncos can get their defense in order, with Mam and Reynolds driving the ship and Selwyn Cobbo finishing in the corner, they can create more than enough points to make a deep run in the finals.

Cooper Cronk noted that the Broncos were not at the peak of their powers against the Knights, but Reynolds and Mam were able to ice the try-scoring opportunities.

“The Broncos did it in second gear,” Cronk said.

“They had the tools to break open the game at any stage with the likes of Adam Reynolds with some craft to sell the dummy for the Oates try.

“This was the attempt of the first half from Ezra Mam.

“He scored with five minutes to go and it set the tone for the rest of the game for the Broncos.”

Michael Ennis marveled at Mam’s ability to break the game open out of nothing at such a young age and with a long career ahead of him.

“Mam was electric,” Ennis said.

“19 years of age. Boy isn’t he an excitement machine.

“The Broncos have now jumped the Eels into sixth and have a healthy points differential lead over them.”

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KNIGHTS WOEFUL ATTACK GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE

The Knights had enough ball and field position to win easily against the Broncos, but a combination of their soft defense and inept attack gave them no chance at Suncorp Stadium.

Cooper Cronk lamented the Knights’ inability to create any real try-scoring opportunities despite a mountain of possession in the first half.

“It was a strange first half because statistically the Knights were the better team,” Cronk said.

“They had more ball and more possession but to be honest they didn’t look like scoring a try.

“Their centers Bradman Best and Dane Gagai were under immense pressure.

“They carved up Dane Gagai on the right edge for the Knights.

“The Knights didn’t look like firing a shot.

“When they get down the other end they are just not engaging that Brisbane defensive line at all.”

Corey Parker slammed the Knights’ horror attack, which failed to put the Broncos under any sustained scoreboard pressure.

“25 times the Knights were tackled inside the Broncos 20 without even looking like scoring,” Parker said.

“The only time they were able to mount any sort of pressure was off a couple of repeat sets.

“They were awful with their attack the Knights.

“The Knights are in all sorts at the moment.”

Michael Ennis was at a loss as to why the Knights haven’t been able to be more competitive with the roster they have at their disposal. in 2022.

“You just watch that Newcastle side come out and you see the Saifiti brothers, Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell who are absolute weapons and great leaders at different stages throughout their careers and I find it hard to fathom that Newcastle are sitting where they are this year with the roster they have,” Ennis said.

MATCH PREVIEW

The Brisbane Broncos host the Newcastle Knights in a clash at Suncorp Stadium.

Te Maire Martin returns at fullback for the Broncos, while Delouise Hoeter replaces Brenko Lee in the centers after his hamstring injury.

Ryan James starts at lockout, with Kobe Hetherington switching to the bench.

The Knights have lost David Klemmer to injury, with Jacob Saifiti to start and Sauaso Sue joining the bench.

Adam Clune returns to the No.7 jumper with Jake Clifford out with a fractured arm.

The seventh place Broncos desperately need to avoid a third straight loss to keep their slim top four hopes alive, while the Knights are playing for pride as they look for their second straight win.

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Scores, updates, stats, video, stream, result, news, blog

Scores, updates, stats, video, stream, result, news, blog

Geelong has extended its winning streak to 12 games and sealed the minor premiership with one round remaining, defeating Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night – 18.11 (119) to 9.5 (59).

The Cats put in yet another ominous performance from virtually the opening bounce, strangling the Suns defensively while the likes of Jeremy Cameron and Tyson Stengle starred in attack.

Geelong will now host West Coast to end its home-and-away season, while Gold Coast will face North Melbourne in its final outing of the season.

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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT

first quarter

There were no late changes for either side, with Jeremy Sharp (Suns) and Mark O’Connor (Cats) named the medical subs.

The Suns showed promise early, moving the ball swiftly across Metricon Stadium. But they couldn’t get scoreboard reward for effort.

Geelong, however, could make its early opportunities count, with Tyson Stengle snapping his 40th — and probably best — goal of the season before Jeremy Cameron snapped his first of the night to give the Cats an early advantage.

But the Suns responded thanks to some individual brilliance from Izak Rankine, who gathered the ball in a pocket, spun, kicked off balance and conjured a terrific goal.

“He’s impossible to contain … No wonder the Crows have made him a target,” Fox Footy’s Anthony Hudson said.

The Cats hit back at the other end as Cam Guthrie showed off his left boot and nailed a tough goal, before Sam Menegola and Tom Hawkins snapped a couple more for Geelong.

Stengle then plucked a rare contested mark and snapped his second as the Cats kicked out to a 33-point lead.

Gold Coast got one back late in the quarter, with Sam Day converting a set-shot opportunity, but Stengle couldn’t be stopped as he conjured his third major to give Geelong a 31-point lead at the major break.

Stengle, arguably the recruit of the year, booted 3.1 from a game-high nine disposals and three marks in the first quarter.

Tyson Stengle of the Cats. Picture: Albert PerezSource: Getty Images

“It’s one of the great quarters we’ve seen from a small forward this year,” legendary Hawk Jason Dunstall told Fox Footy.

Hudson added: “He is putting on quite a show.”

second quarter

The Cats’ dominant continued after quarter-time as Mark Blicavs and Brandan Parfitt goaled and Geelong’s lead ballooned out to 42 points.

“This is so impressive,” Hudson said.

The Suns got a couple against the grain, with Elijah Hollands nailing a long-range goal before Alex Davies added another.

But Max Holmes showed off his acceleration by foot and nailed a terrific running goal in a steadying major for Geelong.

The Cats led by 51 points at the main break. Their half-time score of 12.5 (77) was their second-highest of the year to date.

“The Suns are getting a masterclass,” Dunstall said.

third quarter

Gold Coast made an impressive start to the second half.

Rankine snapped a classy goal from a free kick before Noah Anderson nailed a running major.

And when Jack Lukosius was moved forward and nailed a set-shot attempt, Geelong’s lead had been cut to 33 points.

As the Suns continued to push the Cats, Geelong ruck Rhys Stanley was subbed out of the game — the second time in three matches that’s happened.

And then Gold Coast had its own injury issues, with Sam Day limping off with a knee injury that saw

Geelong upped its defensive pressure, which led to a Gold Coast turnover and a Gryan Miers goal against the grain, before Zach Tuohy snapped another to give Geelong breathing space.

Cameron then rejoined the party, receiving a handball on the 50m arc and nailing a running goal off one step.

After being challenged by the Suns, the Cats showed their class to steady and take a 55-point lead at the final break.

fourth quarter

Rhys Stanley was subbed out of the game before the quarter commenced, but he appeared to be running freely prior to the move and could be seen smiling after one of the club’s trainers spoke to him on the ground.

Max Holmes opened the term with a major as the Cats continued to boost their already-impressive percentage.

Cameron missed a chance for a third goal, which left the door open for Gold Coast to peg a couple of goals back, which came via Jarrod Witts and Sam Flanders.

A couple of late Geelong goals helped put the Cats further ahead, with one to Brandan Parfitt right before the final siren capping the 60-point win.

THE 3-2-1

3. CATS SHOW NO MERCY IN RUTHLESS ‘MASTERCLASS’ TO SEAL MINOR PREMIERSHIP

This isn’t the season for ‘loss you need to have’ believers.

For this relentless Geelong outfit, as it proved on Saturday night, he has no plans to show any mercy to any rival club during the closing stages of the home and away season.

Despite managing several stars for the game, the Cats were ruthless against the 11th-placed Suns at Metricon Stadium, claiming their 12th straight win and sealing this year’s minor premiership in what legendary Hawk Jason Dunstall dubbed a professional “masterclass”. They produced their second-best first half of the season and finished with their fourth-highest score and equal-third biggest winning margin of the year to date.

While Jeremy Cameron again starred with three goals from 21 disposals, it was a genuine team performance from Geelong where players took the baton of responsibility from each other from quarter to quarter.

Tyson Stengle set the tone in the first quarter with three goals from nine touches, Brandan Parfitt (14 disposals, 1 goal) and Patrick Dangerfield (9 disposals) then took over with dominant second terms, Gryan Miers and Jeremy Cameron worked hard up the ground and hit the scoreboard in the third quarter before the classy Mark Blicavs proved in the final quarter why he’s so valuable to his team.

Dangerfield, in particular, looks like a man on a mission. After withdrawing himself from last week’s game against St Kilda at the last minute, Dangerfield was crucial to Geelong’s dominance over the Suns at the coalface, finishing with game-high contested possessions and clearances.

The only concern was No. 1 ruck Rhys Stanley, who was subbed out of the game in the third quarter with a lower leg injury. However judging by the reaction of the ruckman, the move was very precautionary.

The Cats next week return to GMHBA Stadium for a Round 23 clash against the 17th-placed West Coast, with Isaac Smith and Mitch Duncan due to come back into the side. If the win over the Suns is anything to go by, don’t rule out a pre-finals bloodbath at the Cattery.

2. RECRUIT OF 2022 POUNCES ON ‘ODD MATCH-UP’ TO PRODUCE ‘ONE OF THE GREAT QUARTERS’

If selectors were unconvinced Tyson Stengle was worthy of an All-Australian spot before Saturday night’s clash, they surely would’ve been after his breathtaking first quarter.

Stengle continued to build his case for AFL recruit of the year against the Suns, sparking Geelong to a fast start at Metricon Stadium.

The 23-year-old, who was picked up by the Cats as a delisted free agent late last year, booted three of Geelong’s seven first-quarter goals, including a pearler from the pocket running away from goal.

As well as the three goals, Stengle had a game-high nine disposals and three marks in the first quarter.

“It’s one of the great quarters we’ve seen from a small forward this year,” legendary Hawk Jason Dunstall told Fox Footy.Stengle (171cm) was manned up by young Sun Mac Andrew (201cm) – a move described as an “odd matchup” by Dunstall.

While Stengle’s ability to hit the scoreboard was superb, his awesome workrate was also on display. He ran hard up the ground to help the Cats’ defense before working back inside 50 to provide a forward option where he got both front and square and took contested marks.

“He just goes from strength to strength,” triple premiership Lion Alastair Lynch told Fox Footy

“He’s got an unbelievable ability to make something out of nothing. He’s really setting himself up for All-Australian small forward selection … he’s putting together quite a season.

“As far as general forwards in the league, only Tom Papley is in front of him for score involvements.”

Small Gold Coast defender Sean Lemmens was moved onto Stengle for the second term and was able to stop the bleeding, but the damage had already been done.

1. RANKINE GOES ALL ‘AKER’ AMID MAJOR CROWS PLAY

The Suns are doing everything possible to convince Izak Rankine to remain at the club – and rightly so when he can pull off great goals like he did against Geelong on Saturday night.

Although all footy fans will have their fingers crossed for the slick Suns forward after he came from the ground during the close stages of the match with an injury concern to his already-heavily strapped left shoulder.

Earlier, while the Cats dominated the first term, Rankine – who’s weighing up a big offer from Adelaide – produced a stunning major for Gold Coast, spinning out of a tackle and nailing a right-foot goal off-balance that left Fox Footy commentators stunned .

“He’s impossible to contain … No wonder the Crows have made him a target,” Fox Footy’s Anthony Hudson said.

Alastair Lynch said Rankine, who was sporting a new look, was “certainly making a fair impression” in a performance that reminded the triple premiership Lion of a former teammate.

“I don’t know who he barracked for as a kid, but he’s got a bit of Jason Akermanis about him with this new hairdo, the black beard and mustache – and he’s playing like him,” Lynch told Fox Footy.

The Crows are making a major play for South Australian-based product Rankine, offering him a five-year deal worth as much as $800,000 per season – a contract Gold Coast is highly unlikely to match, although it’s still willing to pay him about $650,000 a year.

Senior Suns players have reportedly warned him of the increased pressure that would come playing for Adelaide.

But Lions legend Jonathan Brown said Rankine might be a player that could cope with the extra scrutiny of playing in a footy-mad town for extra cash.

“He’s a very talented player, but he strikes me as a guy that might be better under the pressure. He may need to have the foot on the throat a little bit down there,” Brown told Fox Footy on Friday night.

“The problem is at the Gold Coast, you can fly under the radar. Sometimes a player like him – how hard is he really working and getting the best out of himself? You look at his consistency of him in games and it’s not quite there yet.

“Maybe he might be better off going there and putting the pressure on himself at Adelaide.”

Recap Gold Coast v Geelong in our blog below!

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Transfer Whispers, Jock Madden, Panthers, Jake Clifford, Knights, Ethan Bullemor, Sea Eagles, contracts

Transfer Whispers, Jock Madden, Panthers, Jake Clifford, Knights, Ethan Bullemor, Sea Eagles, contracts

Knights playmaker Jake Clifford is reportedly considering an early exit from his contract, while the Panthers links to Jock Madden are heating up.

Meanwhile, Manly forward Ethan Bullemor is considering a shock career move.

Read on for all the latest NRL Transfer Whispers.

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MANLY STAR EYEING SHOCK CAREER MOVE

Manly forward Ethan Bullemor is reportedly considering early retirement from rugby league to take up a career in finance.

The Daily Telegraph reported Bullemor is weighing up cutting his rugby league career short to take up a job at a fund manager in Sydney.

The 22-year-old has scored four tries in 34 NRL games since his debut for the Broncos in 2020, including nine games since his move to Manly this season.

The versatile back-rower is a bright kid away from footy and could opt to use his skills and knowledge of the financial sector over his obvious prowess on the sporting field.

Bullemor is contracted to Manly until the end of the 2023 season, but is weighing up retiring at the end of 2022 to make the shock career switch.

The promising forward has struggled for consistent opportunities at Manly, but with Andrew Davey reportedly moving on at the end of the season and Josh Schuster switching to five-eighth, Bullemor could be a key player next year for Des Hasler.

Haumole Olakau’atu and Ben Trbojevic loomed as his main competition next season, but Bullemor could opt to trade it all in for an opportunity in finance.

MORE NRL NEWS

‘GOT BASHED UP’: Arthur at a loss as Eels get ‘steamrolled’ to continue trend

TRANSFER CENTER: Raiders young gun granted immediate release to return home

WHISPERS: Papali’i’s management assure Tigers bosses his contract will be honored

BIG HITS: Warriors veteran ‘winds back the clock’ as young gun shines

Ethan Bullemor could be set for early retirement from rugby league.Source: Getty Images

KNIGHTS PLAYMAKER EYEING EARLY EXIT

Out of favor Knights playmaker Jake Clifford is reportedly considering cutting his stay at Newcastle short.

The Daily Telegraph reported Clifford’s lack of game time in 2022 could see him exit the club despite being contracted until the end of 2023.

The 24-year-old has scored 11 tries and 187 points in 67 games since his NRL debut for the Cowboys in 2018, but has only managed 12 games in 2022.

No potential destination for Clifford has emerged with a return to the Cowboys unlikely given their success and depth in the halves.

Making a release request difficult for Clifford is the fact the Knights are losing Anthony Milford to the Dolphins next year, while Phoenix Crossland remains unsigned.

Warriors whack Bulldogs in Auckland | 02:17

If the Knights don’t get Luke Brooks they would be mad to let Clifford go without getting something in return.

Clifford would walk into the Knights’ starting side next year, but has struggled for form in 2022 and fallen behind Milford and Adam Clune in the pecking order.

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Jake Clifford is reportedly eyeing a release.Source: Getty Images

PANTHERS EYE TIGERS HALF AMID PLAYMAKER LOGJAM

Reports Tigers halfback Jock Madden is set to join the Panthers are growing louder amid the playmaker logjam at Concord.

The Daily Telegraph reported the Panthers have emerged as a potential landing spot for Madden and as there is little interest elsewhere, a move to Penrith is growing more likely.

Madden is currently the Tigers’ starting halfback after injuries to Jackson Hastings and Luke Brooks, but remains unsigned beyond 2022.

The 24-year-old has scored two tries in 13 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2021, but has only managed 10 games in his contract year in 2022.

Madden had been linked with the Dolphins, but the signing of Sean O’Sullivan and Isaiya Katoa from the Panthers and Milford has them well stocked in the halves.

That leaves an opening at the Panthers, but the only issue is Madden is looking for more NRL game time and unless injuries strike he won’t beat Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai to a starting spot.

Jock Madden has been linked to the Panthers.Source: Getty Images

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Paul Green death, age, Cowboys coach death, Jason Taumalolo, how did Paul Green die?, Todd Payten, player reaction

Paul Green death, age, Cowboys coach death, Jason Taumalolo, how did Paul Green die?, Todd Payten, player reaction

Cowboys skipper Jason Taumalolo said there were “no words” to express what he and his teammates were feeling in the wake of Paul Green’s shock death.

The rugby league legend passed away at his Brisbane home on Thursday and tributes have since flooded in for the former North Queensland coach.

Green led the Cowboys to premiership victory in 2015, with Jason Taumalolo starting at lockout, having been coached by the former representative halfback from 2014 to 2020.

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Taumalolo was the only player to take the field on Saturday that was a part of the 2015 grand final team, giving an emotional plea for people to speak out no matter “how big or small the problem is”.

“It has been a big few days given what has happened, no real words really to express what has happened over the last few days,” Taumalolo said in the post-match press conference.

“How it has affected people in the rugby league community, and families, I can’t imagine what Amanda and the kids are going through right now.

“Everyone should have someone to talk to, regardless of how big or small the problem is, no one should have to carry around that pressure with them.

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Fletch lauds Green’s Roosters influence | 03:04

“We have a tight-knit group and I know rugby league teams have their own little groups, I just hope that if anyone is going through something they have someone to talk to about any problems.”

Taumalolo went on to say the loss of their former coach “shocked and rattled” the playing group after the club’s 32-18 loss to the Roosters.

“I think everyone copes with loss and grief differently and yeah, I am not sure about any of the other boys but everyone is affected differently,”

“I’d like to think we are a tight-knit group and we are able to talk to each other whether we are going through a tough time or something really difficult.

“But again, I think just what has happened has really shocked and rattled most of us and it is going to take some time to get over it.”

MORE NRL NEWS

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‘GOT BASHED UP’: Arthur at a loss as Eels get ‘steamrolled’ to continue trend

TRANSFER CENTER: Raiders young gun granted immediate release to return home

WHISPERS: Papali’i’s management assure Tigers bosses his contract will be honored

Emotional Parker speaks about Green | 03:13

Cowboys coach Todd Payten echoed Taumalolo’s sentiment, revealing NRL powerbrokers have provided the club with necessary resources to deal with the shock loss.

“The club and the league have been great with the resources they have provided us as a group,” Payten said.

“It is my job to make sure that we keep an eye out for each other, that everyone feels comfortable that they can go and see me or someone within the club to get some help.”

During the Cowboys and Roosters clash, both teams wore black armbands to remember Green, who had a lasting impact on both clubs.

Green was assistant to Trent Robinson in 2013, his first year at the helm of the Tricolours club — and in that year they won the premiership.

Green also played 35 games for the Cowboys and 20 for the Roosters during his glittering 162-game playing career.

PAUL GREEN NEWS

‘DOESN’T HURT TO TALK’: V’landys’, Kevvie’s emotional pleas over Green tragedy

OBITUARY: 167cm great who became a giant and the gamble that set him up for glory

‘FUNNY, CARING’: Legends’ emotional tribute to ‘wonderful friend’ Green

‘HAD TOO MUCH TO OFFER’: Bennett reveals Dolphins’ talks with Green in tribute

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McLaren boss Zak Brown slammed for broken promise, Daniel Ricciardo contract saga

Zak Brown and Daniel Ricciardo.

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

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

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

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McLaren boss Zak Brown. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. Photo by Francois Nel/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

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

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

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

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

Oscar Piastri of Australia. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Entertainment

The Queen: Summer Balmoral trip cut short, sparking fresh concern for the monarch’s health

The Queen: Summer Balmoral trip cut short, sparking fresh concern for the monarch's health

Somewhere in Aberdeenshire there is a sad Shetland pony. Named Lance Corporal Cruachan IV, the diminutive equine usually gets one moment in the spotlight a year, an all-too-brief chance to bask in the glow of global media interest during which he occasionally tries to nip the Queen or eat her bouquet.

As the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Cruachan IV usually, at this time of year, enjoys his starring role in the Regiment’s ceremonial welcome of Her Majesty to her Balmoral estate, a traditional outing involving bagpipes and lots of big smiles and which marks the official start of the sovereign’s summer holiday.

But this year both Cruachan IV and the Queen have been kept confined to barracks, so to speak.

This week it was reported that for “reasons of comfort” the ceremonial welcome happened in private but this is just the latest sign that the sovereign’s advancing years and ongoing health woes are posing an increasingly blatant impediment on usual schedule.

News that Her Majesty would not be enjoying her yearly face-to-face with Cruachan IV just tops off what has been a bit of a rotten start to her holiday; a holiday that is already shaping up to be something of a dud thanks to the machinations of Downing Street and her wayward family.

It was only at the tail end of the Queen’s summer holidays last year, a scant 12 months ago or thereabouts, that Buckingham Palace was busy touting what a packed autumn schedule of dozens and dozens of events were planned. The message was clear: The Queen is fighting fit and ready to Queen with some seriously impressive vigor and vim! Trips to Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland were planned as things geared up towards her big Jubilee year from her!

That ambitious plan then collided with the reality of a woman fast approaching her centenary and since October 2021 we have had one cancellation after another with the diminutive monarchy increasingly retreating from public view.

We did not see her in Scotland for Cop26, at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day, on Commonwealth Day, Easter, at the State Opening of parliament or at the service of thanksgiving for her reign during her own Platinum Jubilee.

News that Her Majesty would not be facing down the bouquet-chomping Cruachan IV has only confirmed that things are changing, and fast, for the eleven irrepressible monarch.

However, this is the Queen we are talking about, a woman whose family has, in only the last few years, faced accusations of sexual abuse, racism, accepting millions of dollars from a controversial Middle Eastern politician and the brothers of Osama bin Laden and of “total neglect”.

The dark cloud over her vacation is that, in the months to come, Buckingham Palace faces all of these particular fires roaring back to full on blaze status.

It’s hard to think of a worse headline for any brand or business than one that ties them to the family of Bin Laden, but here we are thanks to Prince Charles and his seeming willingness to accept vast amounts of money for his Prince’s Trust charity from any stray billionaire.

In July it was reported that the Prince had accepted $1.7 million from the two of Bin Laden’s siblings, a shocking revelation that came only weeks after it was also reported by the Times he had accepted $1.7 million in cash stuffed in plastic shopping bags from a controversial Qatari politician.

Meanwhile, his former valet turned charity chief Michael Fawcett is still waiting to be questioned by Scotland Yard’s Special Inquiry Team after allegations of a cash-for-honours scheme embroiled Charles’ Clarence House last year.

Interestingly, the Prince of Wales has largely weathered these damaging reports and come out only slightly reputationally dinged, with the shocking claims have not really sparked any sort of public outcry.

The same likely won’t be able to be said when Prince Harry, the neophyte TV and podcast creator who is yet to actually, err, create anything, releases his memoir later this year.

If even a small percentage of the speculation about what he might reveal and what dirt he might dish is correct, this book is shaping up to be the most devastating royal release in 30 years and since Diana, Princess of Wales started whispering in the ear of Andrew Morton.

Given we are talking about Harry – a man who went on global TV screens alongside his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex to accuse The Firm of racism and neglectful treatment at a time when thousands were dying-a-day of Covid and while his 99- year-old grandfather was in hospital – does anyone really think all we are going to get is a feel-good read? Several hundred pages of self-important bleating and the occasional smoothie recipe thrown in?

In Tom Bower’s recently released Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors he casts a particularly grim view.

He writes: “Most Britons could not understand Harry’s hostility towards his country and family. His disloyalty from him to his grandmother was particularly mystifying.

“No one realized how his hostility had grown during his conversations with John Moehringer, the ghostwriter of his memoirs. To secure vast sales and recoup the huge advance, the publishers had encouraged Harry to criticize his family of him in the most extreme terms possible. Easily persuaded, Harry edged towards betraying his father to him, Camilla, the Cambridges and even the Queen. And then, the deed was done. To earn out the publisher’s advance, nothing and no one had been sacrosanct.”

Or to paraphrase Macbeth, another disgruntled figure from royal circles, something very dangerous this way comes…

At this stage, all indications would point to Harry’s book potentially being the most painful chapter yet in the long and sorry tale of Megxit.

Then, there is another book, or at least the possibility of a book, that should be a very serious cause for concern for Her Majesty. Six months ago her son de ella Prince Andrew settled the civil sex abuse case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre with a payment that at the time was reported to be around $21 million. (The royal has always vehemently denied Ms Giuffre’s claims that he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was a teenager.)

this week The Sun reported that figure was allegedly much lower – somewhere between $5.1 and $8.6 million – and that “that was as much money the disgraced Duke could scrape together quickly to halt her civil lawsuit”.

The “cut-price deal”, according to the report, might explain why the mother-of-three Giuffre did not sign a nondisclosure agreement, meaning she is free to write a tell-all of her very own, any time she wants.

That there is even a skerrick of chance that this chapter, the most sordid and horrifying in modern royal history by far, could at any moment explode back into the headlines must be a cause for very serious concern.

All Andrew has ever done to try and manage this situation is given an appalling TV interview, showing an appealing deficiency of compassion or empathy for anyone but himself, put out a couple of statements and write a seven-figure check. If anyone thinks that this is in any case an adequate response and has drawn a definitive line under his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, or that the public is ready to move on then they are deluding themselves.

The 62-year-old is still, and will likely always be, despised by much of the world and the appetite for seeing him embarrassed or raked over the coals is unlikely to diminish anytime soon. Cue 101 book publishers with dollar-signs in their eyes.

So too has Ms Giuffre shown a steely backbone and unwavering commitment to speaking about the horrors she experienced during her time with Epstein. There is no reason to believe that she will suddenly back down or go quiet now which leaves us with the very real possibility that she might release a book of her own from her at some point.

Even if all of these swirling worries weren’t enough to blight the Queen’s holiday, then there is the fact that she will have to cut her break short thanks to the fact that the UK will get a new Prime Minister next month. On September 6, Boris Johnson will formally resign and the Daily Mail has revealed that Her Majesty will “interrupt” her holiday to pop back to London where she will “invite”, in the quaint nomenclature of royalty, the winner of the Conservative party vote to form a government.

A source told the Email: “Her Majesty does not expect the new prime minister to travel to Scotland, so the plan is that the Queen will travel down to see them.”

So much for a regal break huh?

Balmoral is agreed to be Her Majesty’s favorite home where she used to enjoy long walks and getting out into nature but in recent years her time there has been blighted by a rolling series of crises. In 2019, August saw Harry and Meghan skip the family getaway to flit about Europe in private jets and then the suicide of Epstein. Come 2020, the pandemic was in full swing and she and Philip were cosseted inside HMS Bubble and last year the monarch faced her first summer de ella without her husband of 73-years.

The poor woman must be so tired. Not only is she still working, more than three decades after most people retire, but her family de ella is a source of never ending scandal and strain with things only looking like they are going to ramp up more.

If you ask me, and no one is, what Her Majesty needs right now is not another wet week wobbling over the moors and ruminating on how it all went wrong but needs to rally her lady-in-waiting of more than 60 years Lady Susan Hussey and abscond for a 72-hour all-inclusive gals weekend to Malaga.

Sun, sand, sangria and not having to think about all the brewing Windsor scandals? Now that’s a real holiday.

Daniela Elser is a royal expert and a writer with more than 15 years’ experience working with a number of Australia’s leading media titles.

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How Young Matildas and Sydney FC star Sarah Hunter is making up for lost time

How Young Matildas and Sydney FC star Sarah Hunter is making up for lost time

Sarah Hunter puts her hands on her hips, looks down at the penalty spot and takes a deep breath.

Whistles ring around the Estadio Nacional stadium in Costa Rica as 25,000 local fans try to distract, intimidate, overwhelm — anything to put the young midfielder off.

And with good reason. The home nation are 1-0 ahead, thanks to a thunderous strike by Costa Rica captain, Alexandra Pinell, which came largely against the run of play. They’d not qualified for an U-20 Women’s World Cup before, and now they were in the lead.

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However, a goal from Hunter could change things. Not only would it bring the Young Matildas back level to 1-1, it would also be Australia’s first goal at this tournament in almost two decades.

Seconds crawl by, as though flattened by the weight of the moment.

The referee gestures sternly towards the players around the top of the 18-yard area, ensuring not even a shoelace is poking over the white paint.

And the jeers from the crowd grow louder as the video assistant in a distant room checks and re-checks the decision.

Still Hunter waits, breathing steadily.

You get the sense that she could have happily stood there forever because, for the 18-year-old Sydney FC player, even just being on a football field after what she has been through is a bit of a blessing.

“From when I was 10, until about 16, I missed pretty much most football,” Hunter told ABC.

“I had two hip surgeries that put me out for over six months each. I had a broken ankle. I had an ACL reconstruction — all in about six years. So that put me out for majority of that period.

“I missed all the Junior Matildas tours, which was upsetting as a young, aspiring footballer.

“So, being back on the pitch over the [past] two years, it’s just been the most amazing thing. I’m always so grateful to be on the pitch because I’ve missed so much in the past.

“Now, looking back, I’m just so grateful to be where I am. I’m grateful for all the hard work and knowing that I never gave up.

“I’ve always had this dream and I’ve never strayed from that. This is what I love. Ultimately, I don’t think anything was going to stop me.”

A female soccer player wearing yellow and green holds her arms wide
After several years’ worth of injuries, Sarah Hunter is finally making a splash on the national team scene.(Supplied: Football Australia/Ann Odong)

This injury-addled history explains why Hunter’s name has been largely absent from conversations around the future of the Matildas over the past few years, and explains her late arrival onto the A-League Women scene.

Indeed, having missed out on the formative football periods and pathways that many of her Young Matildas team-mates have followed, it feels rather miraculous that she’s ended up here at all.

It’s no surprise to head coach Leah Blayney, though.

In fact, when Hunter made her debut for Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League Women in 2020, Blayney was already keeping a close eye on this emerging star of Australia’s midfield.

Three games in to her first professional season, Hunter scored twice in a 2-2 draw against Adelaide.

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In the stands that day was her loyal band of family and friends — affectionately known as The Sarah Hunter Cheer Squad — with hand-drawn posters, shirts and delighted chants that were captured on the pitch-side microphones.

Blayney was in the stands that day, too. I remember, because she turned to me and said: “This kid’s something special.”

She was right. Ella’s future in the Young Matildas was all but secured after an even-more-impressive season with Sydney FC, where she helped the Sky Blues lift the Premiers Plate, appearing in all 16 games and dazzling during the final.

Hunter earned her first national team call-up less than a month later and has only continued to blossom.

She was a stand-out performer in a two-game friendly series against New Zealand back in April and scored in all but one game during Australia’s World Cup preparations in Mexico, including bagging a brace in a 3-3 draw against the hosts.

A female soccer player wearing blue kicks a ball
With just two A-League Women’s seasons under her belt, Sarah Hunter has already become one of the league’s most exciting midfielders.(Getty Images: NurPhoto/Izhar Khan)

With a keen eye for space, an assurance with the ball at her feet, and a 360-degree vision that rivals some senior midfielders, one wonders where this teenager could be now, had her body allowed her to get there.

Indeed, after being on the cusp of physical failure for so long, it seems as though Hunter is now doing all she can to catch up to where she was always supposed to be.

“I missed a lot of games in that period, so each game is an opportunity for me to get better,” she said.

“I’m always grateful to be able to learn and get better because that’s ultimately the journey. Footballers want to get better each day and, when you’re not playing games, it’s hard to do that.

“Just being at a World Cup right now is honestly such a great learning experience. And, for all these girls, as well, going into the future, hopefully this group learn so much and we can all step into that senior level and we’ I already have so much experience.”

However, the setbacks have been as much a part of making her into the player and person she is as much as her acceleration over the past two years.

Those moments have given Hunter a sense of perspective and worldliness that belies her age, seen in a message she sent to her nine-year-old self as part of a Matildas pre-tournament exercise.

“You’ve come through a lot of things,” she said softly.

“You’ve put in a lot of work. Lots of ups and downs. Getting through lots of injuries, missing out on tournaments and games. You’ve missed out on a lot.

“I’m just super proud of you. You never stop working, you never stop believing in yourself. I’m always looking back at pictures of myself and seeing the love you have for the game: That always pushes me to keep going whenever I feel like stopping.”

It was the well of resilience she dipped into when Australia went 1-0 down to Costa Rica on Thursday.

But, as Hunter said afterwards, she wasn’t rattled. None of them were.

A female goalkeeper dives to try and stop a goal
Alexandra Pinell’s shot flew past Young Matildas goalkeeper Sally James in the 19th minute, but Australia didn’t give up.(Getty Images: FIFA/Hector Vivas)

“Obviously, when you’ve got 22,000 people screaming for the other team when they just scored, it’s a bit daunting,” she said.

“But our group is so strong, and when you’re in that mentality of, ‘We’re going to win this game’, nothing can face you. We were all on that journey together in that game.

“The setback just made us stronger.”

And now that mentality — that strength in setbacks — has brought her here, as Australia’s designated penalty-taker, standing on the cusp of something she has been wanting her whole life.

The jeers from the crowd fade as the referee lifts the whistle to her mouth.

Hunter looks down at the ball, takes one final breath, and strides forward, driven by all that has come before her and all that is yet to arrive.

A female soccer player wearing yellow and green kicks a ball
Sarah Hunter scored the first goal for Australia in their 3-1 win over Costa Rica in the first group game on Thursday.(Getty Images: FIFA/Buddha Mendes)

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Business

Target: Genius touches that make Target USA a success while Target Australia falters

Target: Genius touches that make Target USA a success while Target Australia falters

It certainly looks like a Target.

The walls are daubed in splashes of red, there is a bullseye logo above the entrance, and you can pick up bargain men’s and women’s fashion, homewares and toys.

Heck, it’s even called Target. But it’s not Target. At least not Target as Australians know it.

This is Target American style. In the heart of New York City.

Target US – no relation despite the similarities – is a retail powerhouse with stores in all 50 states which last year had revenues of a touch over US$100 billion (A$145 billion) with profits of US$11.6 bn (A$16.6 billion). Some have put it down to the “go f**k yourself” attitude of senior manager towards penny pinching investors.

Down Under, Wesfarmers’ owned Target is in the doldrums, closing stores and trying to find its place in the struggling retail sector,

“It’s too late for Target Australia,” said one retail commentator, of the retailer as a direct competitor to Kmart and Woolworths-owned Big W.

Target Australia has insisted there is life in the old brand yet. It points to the chain’s downsizing and pivot to a “digitally led retailer” with a focus on “mum as the core customer” is setting itself up for a rosier future.

But there’s no doubt that Aussie Target has had a torrid time.

How Target Australia and Target US differ

So how can two stores that are seemingly so similar, albeit on different sides of the world, be faring so differently?

Firstly, they’re not identical. Target’s US stores sport large supermarkets, something you absolutely don’t see in Australian Targets. Indeed, it’s one of the biggest drawcards for customers who walk by the clothes and homewares to get to the fruit and veggies.

Stateside Target also has more brands – like Olay and Levi’s – that Aussie stores lack.

One of the most noticeable changes is that Target stores in America feel less like Target Australia and more like, well, Kmart Australia.

While Kmart stores in the US – which is now on its last legs – feels like some of the sorrier Australian Targets.

Target US’s success is down to pricing of course, and range. But also staying relevant and inviting.

It has spent billions gushing up its store network. The firm has said it wants to give customers a bit of its “signature ‘Tarzhay’ magic” (it was Target US, not Target Australia that came up with that genius play on its name).

It added it wanted its “guests” to feel “welcomed and inspired” in stores but yet familiar.

An example of this is one of its newest stores, just off Times Square in Manhattan. Befitting its brightly lit surroundings, the store signage is neon.

Whereas some Target stores in Australia can feel poorly lit, clinical – almost dark in some corners – this store is warm and bright, but not overpowering.

In places – like the beauty aisles – the shelving is lower and more widely spaced out so can you linger.

Splashes of color pull the eye here and there. The fashions are cheap as chips but don’t feel drab and dull.

In one trip you can buy bread and milk, T-shirts, a yoga mat, cushions, eyeliner – you can even pick up your prescription medicine.

Of course there’s click and collect; in bigger stores there are “drive up” areas similar in look to petrol stations where you can get your goods that were ordered online

The Times Square store is also an example of how Target US is experimenting with different formats. This shop is small – 25 per cent the size of a regular Target – and aimed squarely at city dwellers who need to carry their wares home on the Subway not piled in an SUV.

Target US’ $9.3 billion gamble

Mark Cohen, the director of retail studies at New York’s Columbia University Business School and a former CEO of the Sears Canada chain, said Target US’ achievements was down to some brave decisions by its current CEO Brian Cornell.

“When he joined in 2014, he said ‘the stores are worn out and outmoded and I’m going to spend US$6.5 billion (A$9.33 billion) in capital expenditure’.

“Well, Wall Street went crazy and (Mr Cornell) basically said, politely, ‘go f**k yourself,’ my board is behind me and we have to do this,” he told news.com.au.

“And it positioned them beautifully for what turned out to be a windfall.”

Although even Target US has faced crosswinds with profits in the first quarter of 2022 dropping due to what the company said were “unexpectedly high” business running costs. And a move into Canada, where the band was unfamiliar, was a disaster.

‘Too late for Target Australia’

University of Queensland Professor of Marketing Gary Mortimer said Target US appealed to a budget conscious consumer that didn’t want to feel budget conscious.

“US Target is similar to Walmart in their low-price image, but Target satisfies the needs of a younger, image-conscious consumer by stocking more on-trend furniture, clothing and ‘exclusive’ designer ranges than Walmart,” he said.

“They leverage ‘masstige’ – ‘prestige for the masses’. It’s a strategy which aims to be influential, on-trend, stylish, while retaining a level of affordability.”

The retailer doing this most successfully in Australia, said Prof Mortimer, was, yep, Kmart.

“It’s too late for Target Australia. Wesfarmers made the correct decision to reduce the fleet of stores, remove duplication and push their remaining Target stores into the middle market,” said Prof Mortimer.

“The Australian market is too small to support three discount department stores.”

Target Australia’s new plan

Wesfarmers owns both Target and Kmart and has merged them into one Kmart Group which doesn’t fully separate its accounts. As such its tricky to work out how well – or bad – Target Australia is doing.

In the full year to June 2021, Kmart and Target combined made a profit of $739 million, but that excluded restructuring and impairment costs related to Target.

And there’s a lot of them with half Target’s fleet of 300 stores in 2020 now either closed or converted to Kmart or the smaller “KHub” format.

Target sales were down 3.7 per cent compared to 2020 but comparable sales growth – which excludes stores that were closed during lockdowns – was up 13.3 per cent.

Wesfarmers has said sales had been “significantly impacted” by store closures but also Covid-19 restrictions which have hit the entire retail sector.

In a few weeks, Wesfarmers will detail Target’s performance for the last financial year. That will reveal if the brand is turning a corner, or stuck in neutral.

The firm was reluctant to talk ahead of these results.

But one figure on its 2021 balance sheet is key. Last year, 26.9 per cent of Target’s sales were online. And that points to where the future of Target likely lies.

At a strategy day presentation in June, Target Australia managing director Richard Pearson laid out the vision for the venerable brand.

Key is it to be a “smaller simpler business” with “future growth…. digitally led,” he said.

Target was an “iconic brand with strong awareness,” the document stated. The focus was now on clothing and home decor with “mum as the core customer”.

In February, Target launched its first advertising campaign in an astonishing seven years. Based around the slogan of “That’s Target” the aim is to instill in the Aussie shopper that the brand is the home of “affordable quality”.

Target Australia will be hoping it can recapture some of that Tarzhay buzz from the brand’s halcyon days.

It won’t want to end up like Kmart USA. It failed to move with the times; its stores became outdated; it’s pricing less keen and its point of difference less clear.

Now just three stores remain and they will probably be gone by Christmas.

It’s a nightmare vision of the future Target Australia will want to avoid.

Read related topics:Big WKmart

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PGA Tour 2022, LIV Golf, Cameron Smith, FedExCup playoffs, scores, leaderboard, news, highlights

PGA Tour 2022, LIV Golf, Cameron Smith, FedExCup playoffs, scores, leaderboard, news, highlights

Australia’s Cam Smith is reportedly defecting to LIV Golf in a $140m deal – but he’s still storming up the leaderboard at the FedEx St Jude Championship as the PGA Tour playoffs begin.

After a stunning hole-out eagle from 156 yards capped a respectable opening round at TPC Southwind in Memphis as the world number two finished three-under, the second day saw him emerge into contention.

A sensational draw shot gave Smith an eagle chance on the par-five 16th, and the Australian duly drained the putt to move to eight-under overall and three off the lead.

But a tricky birdie putt on the 17th just curled around the cup and missed, as a commentator exclaimed: “How did that stay out?”

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Cam Smith holes out for EAGLE! | 00:24

Smith finished -8 overall after his second round 65, leaving three shots behind solo leader JJ Spaun (62.67).

Smith picked up birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, and another on the eighth and 14th holes.

A poor drive found the rough on the 15th, where he gave a shot back, before his impressive eagle on the 16th.

Austrian Sepp Straka (64.66) is tied for second with American Troy Merritt (65.65) on 10 under. Straka remarkably had missed his last six cuts before this event.

“Took what the course gave me,” Spaun said. “I worked on some good things in the past couple weeks that are starting to pay off. Got a nice feel with my swing and just trusting it. And the putter is working, too.”

Straka birdied four of the last five holes to shoot 66. “Hadn’t played great coming into this week,” Straka said. “But that’s golf. You’re going to have the ebbs and flows and just go with it.”

‘Ready to cop some heat’ Smith talks LIV | 00:49

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Meanwhile world number one Scottie Scheffler missed the cut for just the fourth time this season, a bombshell result that gives Smith a huge opportunity to claim the PGA Tour playoffs.

The tournament is the opener of the FedEx Cup playoffs, a season-ending trio of events with a winner’s prize of $18 million USD.

Only 125 players qualified on season points and only the top 70 advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where the 30 qualifiers for the Tour Championship in Atlanta are decided.

Aussie Adam Scott carded a 67 to finish seven-under overall, while fellow Aussie trio Marc Leishman (69.69), Cam Davis (72.66), both just mad the cut at two-under.

But Lucas Herbert missed the cut after a second-round 70 left him three-over total after a poor opening-round 73, while Jason Day (65, 74) also missed out.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy missed the weekend after a 69 to stand on 139, one over the cut line.

Did Scheffler give Smith ultimate snub?! | 00:22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read related topics:Daniel Ricciardo

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