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NRL 2022 South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warriors, result, Latrell Mitchell, teams, Supercoach scores

NRL 2022 South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warriors, result, Latrell Mitchell, teams, Supercoach scores

Superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell put on an absolute clinic as the Rabbitohs thrashed the Warriors 48-10 on Saturday afternoon.

Mitchell scored 24 points after producing two tries, two assists, two linebreaks, four tackle busts and slotting 8/8 conversions.

MATCH CENTER: Rabbitohs v Warriors, score, teams, videos, stats

It was South Sydney’s highest score of the season and the win leapfrogs them into sixth place on the NRL ladder with a real shot at a top-four finish.

Souths started as unbackable favorites and they quickly showed why – scoring at almost a point a minute in the first half.

The Warriors’ defense was atrocious all afternoon and it’s now the worst in the competition.

Rabbitohs lock Cameron Murray set up the opening three tries, with Lachlan Illias, Damien Cook and Tevita Tatola all crossing.

“He’s run for 75 meters, made a bunch of tackles and now has a third, yes a third, try assist,” Warren Smith said on Fox League after 17 minutes.

Murray passed to halfback Lachlan Ilias who stepped off his right foot and went through a yawning gap to score the opener in the fourth minute.

Murray then made a break down the middle and offloaded to hooker Cook who showed some nice footwork to score in the 10th minute.

The Souths captain made it three assists when he broke a few tackles close to the line before offloading for Tatola to score.

Next it was Keaon Koloamatangi who broke through some more soft defense to score from close range in the 22nd minute.

The Warriors pulled one back through Edward Kosi but the Rabbitohs were soon back at it when Mitchell burst through several tackles to score under the posts.

“You can’t put him down when he gets a chance winds up from that sort of range,” Warren Smith said on Fox League after Mitchell charged over from almost 20 meters out.

Mitchell then turned provider for winger Alex Johnston who joined NRL legends Matt Sing and Hazem El Masri on 159 career tries.

Mitchell picked up where he left off in the second half, throwing a bullet cut-out pass for debutant Izaac Thompson to score.

Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson crossed for a sharp try in the 51st minute when he passed and then wrapped around to take back the ball from Josh Curran and score.

Mitchell scored the simplest of tries after Jai Arrow ran a decoy and the former crossed untouched in the 56th minute for his double.

Here are three of the biggest takeaways from the match.

LATRELL SHINES AGAIN

Souths transformed into a different team upon the return of superstar Latrell Mitchell in Round 16.

They’ve now won five of six games since Mitchell came back from a lengthy hamstring lay-off, and their only loss came in golden point against the Sharks.

Mitchell’s individual brilliance simply makes his teammates better – and it was on display again against the Warriors.

The classy fullback scored a personal record 24 points after producing two tries, two try assists, two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, four tackle busts. He was rested for the final 20 minutes of the game.

“That was a big step in the right direction, tonight was about earning the right and all the boys kicked into another gear,” Mitchell told Fox League.

Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs celebrates scoring a try. Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“It’s all about holding the ball and whoever does that and defends their line the best takes the lollies.

“I’m really enjoying this group and I couldn’t be at a better club.”

Mitchell set up tries on the each side of halftime for wingers Alex Johnston and debutant Izaac Thompson, with the second leaving rugby league great Steve Roach in awe.

“We are watching a magician in play here, Latrell Mitchell. Sit back and watch just how good that pass is,” Roach said.

“Watch this for class. Just the vision, bang, catch and pass. There’s not a lot of blokes who could throw that pass in the history of the game. That’s just brilliant.”

“That was poor play from the Warriors, they got caught flat footed and Ilias couldn’t believe his luck,” Steve Roach said on Fox League.

RABBITOHS EYEING TOP FOUR

Souths are charging towards the top four after clinching their fifth win in six games, and setting a new club record against the Warriors.

It’s the first time in over 100 years since the Rabbitohs have scored over 30 points in five straight games against an opponent (North Sydney 1917-19).

It was the Bunnies’ highest score and biggest win this season, their fourth 40-point scoreline and fifth win by at least 18 points.

They’re now sitting sixth and just one win outside the top four with four rounds remaining. They face top-eight sides the Eels, Panthers, Cowboys and Roosters on their run home.

“I thought the first half was pretty clinical,” Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou said.

“We’re looking good for our back end of the year with some of our key players hitting some form.

South Sydney press conference | 05:54

“Everyone talks about the draw but the beauty about what we’ve got at the back end is that we’ve got teams that are going to influence where we finish and it’s on us.

“Every two points will decide where we finish at the end of the year. There’s another two points up for grabs next week against a team that’s playing some good footy as well.”

Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray were sensational as the latter set up three tries but left the game late for an HIA.

“I’m feeling good, I’ve come away from it unscathed,” Murray said.

“Overall I thought we were pretty good tonight, we’re building nicely, everyone is buying into what we’re doing and we’re building our combinations.”

WARRIORS’ WOES CONTINUE

The Warriors started the game with the second-worst defense in the competition and they finished it with the worst.

The Kiwis were simply abysmal in defense as the Rabbitohs crossed with ease, scoring eight tries in the opening 56 minutes.

The Warriors have now conceded 561 points in 20 games this season, allowing more than 28 points per game.

They’ve lost 10 straight outside New Zealand and four of their past six by more than 20 points. It was the fourth time the Warriors have conceded 40 points this season.

Interim coach Stacey Jones said it was the worst performance he’s seen since replacing Nathan Brown two months ago.

“Since I’ve taken over in this role, that’s the most disappointed I’ve been,” Jones said.

NZ Warriors press conference | 03:18

“I thought our attitude to defense was terrible, we didn’t want to get physical with them and if you allow a team like that to dominate early that’s what happened.

“I told the boys we need to address not just how to turn up on game day but how we train. We’ve got four weeks to go and we need to show a lot more than we showed tonight.”

The Warriors copped it from Fox League commentators Warren Smith and Steve Roach all afternoon.

“That was poor play from the Warriors, they got caught flat footed and Ilias couldn’t believe his luck,” Roach after the first try.

“That was a little bit too easy. I said they were brittle, well maybe scratch that, they’re beyond brittle, they’re Swiss cheese, there’s not much defense from the Warriors,” Smith added after the third.

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Adelaide pre-season camp, Don Pyke apologises, ex-coach’s role, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs claims

Adelaide pre-season camp, Don Pyke apologises, ex-coach's role, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs claims

Former Adelaide coach Don Pyke has apologized for the 2018 pre-season camp amid growing scrutiny of his role in it, as players continue to speak out.

On Saturday Bryce Gibbs joined Josh Jenkins and Eddie Betts as past Adelaide players opening up on their disturbing experiences.

Gibbs backed up Jenkins and Betts’ claims, including about counselors asking the players for personal information which was then used to abuse them during camp rituals.

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Jenkins revealed during the now-infamous ‘harness’ incident he asked Pyke and Crows development manager Heath Younie why it was taking place, telling them “we lost a game of footy (the 2017 Grand Final), we are all good people, this is rubbish and I think we should all leave”.

Crows higher-ups have also been criticized for their handling of the camp fall-out, with Jenkins claiming the club told players it had signed confidentiality agreements on their behalf, and that after Indigenous players’ reaction to the camp, it was suggested they as a group would be excluded from the leadership program.

The Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson wrote this weekend: “Coach Don Pyke, who was on the camp and surely aware of the distress and distrust growing within his playing group, needed to be better.

“I needed to stop it. Someone had to and he was coach.”

Buddy likely to stay in Sydney? | 00:35

Now a Swans assistant, Pyke delivered an apology while speaking to media at Melbourne Airport on Saturday.

“To Josh and Eddie and the Adelaide players and staff who were involved, I apologize for the camp. It’s saddened me to see they’re feeling that way. I acknowledge the hurt and I’m sorry,” he said.

“I’ve been in contact with both of them, haven’t had a chance to speak to them yet but have spoken to a couple of the other guys. Clearly it’s a sad time for us all. I’ll reach out to some other guys in the next couple of days.

“Clearly we’re always reflecting, there’s a couple of components there – firstly with Eddie and Josh, the fact they feel personal information they provided was used against them, that’s disappointing and unacceptable. I’m saddened by that, sorry for that.

“Clearly we entered as I’ve said before, a space to improve from a performance viewpoint. And that space had some challenges and we got it wrong, that has to be acknowledged. Whether it was our planning, whether it was our assessment, the execution or the follow-up or the debriefing following the events of the camp, clearly it was an error and I’ve apologized to the playing group before and I apologise again.

“I respect Eddie and Josh for speaking out and saying their piece about how they felt about the camp. It’s put it on the agenda and on the table for discussion. It’s important we have the discussion to try and deal with the issues that arise from that.

“If there’s still people with ongoing issues we support them and we try and actually move on from this. It’s a challenging time for all of us but one that we’ll hopefully get through.”

Pyke was also asked whether he believed his role in the camp would impact his chances of getting another senior coaching role, such as at GWS, but said that it was “for others” to discuss.

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Business

Cost of living crisis: Sydneysiders rush to eastern suburbs petrol station while fuel prices are cheap

Cost of living crisis: Sydneysiders rush to eastern suburbs petrol station while fuel prices are cheap

Australia’s cost of living crisis has been laid bare after Sydney residents rushed to a local petrol station upon hearing that prices were much lower than normal.

By the time most arrived, however, the price had fluctuated and was back to a more expensive level.

On Saturday morning, just past 9am, a thoughtful resident spotted that petrol prices were unusually cheap at a service station in Randwick, in Sydney’s east.

She took a quick snap and shared it a local community group, prefacing the image with “Cheap petrol Clovelly Rd.

“I don’t drive but plenty of cars buying.”

It was as low as 115.8 and 129 cents per liter (unleaded and premium unleaded respectively) but just an hour later, the prices had jumped to 161 and 175 cents per liter.

The original poster promised to notify her community if she spotted low prices again.

The current average price for regular unleaded fuel in Sydney is at 169.1 cents per liter, according to the NRMA’s weekly fuel report.

It comes as Australia has been caught in the throes of a cost of living crisis as inflation, rising interest rates and supply chain issues have made it harder to get ahead financially.

In the last quarter, transport costs rose 13.1 per cent as the price of fuel rose to record levels for the fourth quarter in a row.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said he would not extend the 50 per cent fuel excise cut, due to expire September 28, due to the cost to the budget bottom line.

To extend it for another six months would cost the government $3 billion.

Last month, data found that Australians were spending nearly three-quarters more on petroleum each month than they were less than a year ago.

In June, the average monthly spend on petroleum in Australia was $192.63, an increase of $82.05 (74.19 per cent) from September 2021.

These heavy prices have made Australians become more strategic and considered with their driving habits, with more than 60 per cent now shopping around for cheaper fuel.

—With NCA Newswire

Read related topics:sydney

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Business

Property: Cities where you can still snap up a bargain on housing in Australia revealed

Property: Cities where you can still snap up a bargain on housing in Australia revealed

Rising interest rates might be putting off some people from purchasing a property amid fears they cannot afford the mortgage stress.

But whether you are looking for a house to make your home, or an investment property, there are still some bargains to be found across Australia.

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Hayden Groves told NCA NewsWire markets like Sydney, spurred on by low interest rates and economic stimulus, had experienced rapid price gains of about 30 per cent in 2021, peaking earlier this year.

“Other east coast markets have performed similarly well and are now beginning to moderate as affordability constraints impact,” he said.

“In contrast, the markets of Perth and Darwin, since early 2020, have underperformed comparative to east coast cities.

“They are now enviable, more affordable and continue to grow thanks to migration-led demand, strong economies and tight housing supply.”

Mr Groves observed that in the hyper-inflated markets of Sydney and Hobart, prices were beginning to rationalize due to buyer uncertainty.

“Brisbane’s market remains buoyant thanks to migration pressures fueling demand, whereas Adelaide continues to perform well thanks to the flow-down effects from relocations from higher priced regions across Melbourne,” he said.

“Price rises have already reversed in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, while Perth and Adelaide remain strong off the back of more constrained growth.”

Mr Groves said Perth remained the most affordable capital in Australia.

“Average mortgage holders part with around 24 per cent of their wages to service their loans,” he said.

“Compared this to Sydney-siders who currently give up on average 46 per cent of their salary to meet their mortgage payments.

“Median house prices in Perth are about $550,000, less than half that of Sydney’s median prices and well below Hobart, Brisbane and Adelaide.”

Darwin and some major regional city areas in eastern Victoria, north Adelaide and northeast Tasmania also offered good value, Mr Groves added.

He noted interest rates remained low and were coming up from “emergency” levels.

“It is good news that Australian property markets head back to a more balanced environment, although as housing supply remains below underlying demand, property values ​​are likely to retain much of their gains experienced since early 2020,” he said.

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Sports

Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels, Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Mitchell Moses, Cam Smith

Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels, Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Mitchell Moses, Cam Smith

NRL legend Cameron Smith believes Nathan Cleary’s lengthy ban leading into finals will provide “a blessing in disguise” for the Panthers.

Cleary flipped Penrith’s season on its head when he was sent off for a dangerous lifting tackle on Eels playmaker Dylan Brown last Friday.

The New South Wales Origin star copped a five-match suspension and won’t return for the competition leaders before the finals.

Five-eighth Jarome Luai is also out set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines, after suffering an MCL injury against the Sharks.

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Without the two experienced playmakers leading the team around the park, the Panthers will have to rely on some relatively inexperienced combinations until the finals.

Penrith have turned Jaeman Salmon and Sean O’Sullivan for Saturday’s clash with Canberra, with the Panthers currently six competition points clear of second with five games to play.

But Smith said the break for the duo can become a positive for the reigning NRL premiers.

“I think it can work in their favour,” Smith said on SEN’s The Captain’s Run on Thursday.

“I actually think that giving this football side an opportunity side to play a month or five weeks without Cleary in particular and Jerome Luai, their two main men, it’s their go-to men in attack, I actually think when they return they’ll both be fresh.

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“Nathan Cleary, he’s going to have fresh legs, he’s going to be fresh mentality. He hasn’t had to get up for games for five weeks.

“You could see as soon as he made that tackle he knew he’d let the team down, and the club and the fans. He’s going to come out in that final series and think ‘I’ve got to repay this footy club and my fans for missing five weeks’.

“This footy side can benefit so much from these two guys not being there and guys like Api Koroisau and Isaah Yeo… they’re going to have to shoulder more responsibility now with the way the football team plays.

“I just think they’re going to be a stronger footy side again.”

Penrith have one hand on the minor premiership just over a month out from finals, but they could quickly lose that grip with a couple of losses on the bounce.

The Cowboys are their closest rivals in the race for pole position, but the Sharks are also an outside chance – but are four games back and they have a significantly worse points difference.

Open your eyes! Roosters Scold Walker | 00:31

North Queensland host the Panthers in the final round of the regular season, and although it’s unlikely, it’s possible that the two teams clash with the minor premiership on the line.

It’s potentially a season defining a few weeks for the Panthers, who are looking to defend their NRL crown.

“Let’s just say the top four doesn’t change, they take on Melbourne. If they finish first, they’ll be taking on the Storm,” he added.

“The biggest difference this year is they’ll play their first game at home. They’ll be playing at Penrith.

“Whereas last year and I know it was a neutral ground for the Sydney sides, but they played the Rabbitohs up in Townsville and got beaten. They’re a different footy side at home.

“They’ve lost one game there in a thousand years.”

Parramatta are another side who will be without a key player for a majority of their remaining regular season games.

Star playmaker Mitchell Moses has been ruled out with a finger injury, and will spend at least a couple of weeks watching on from the sidelines.

The Eels could potentially drop out of the top eight if they have a bad month, with the Raiders just four-point behind them.

“(Moses) He’s leading the competition for try assists. He’s got 20 try assists, so now with him out, plus his goal kicking, so now they need to find someone to produce points for them.

“They’re going to have to find some points somewhere. Whether Gutho stands up a little bit more, I think Jake Arthur may be playing in the halves this week.

“These remaining five games are crucial.”

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Business

House prices: Interest rate rises and property downturn could be good for buyers

House prices: Interest rate rises and property downturn could be good for buyers

Rising interest rates and uncertainty are causing the property market to cool around Australia. Sydney and Melbourne markets are leading the decline at -2.7 per cent and -0.9 per cent respectively, looking at CoreLogic data.

Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) average property price of $1.2 million in Sydney and $966,500 in Melbourne, this reflects respective discounts of $32,999 and $8699 on the average property today.

With inflation at a 21-year high of 6.1 per cent and interest rates at 1.85 per cent and tipped to continue to rise, it seems likely there will be more pressure on property prices in the short term.

But maybe this could be a good thing. Watching the huge property run over the last couple of years, many people were either priced out of the market or felt property had become overcooked.

With prices on the decline, is it now a smart time to jump in?

State of the property market

Through 2020-21 we saw the value of all property in Australia increase by 23.7 per cent, the strongest growth seen since 2003. In contrast to the weak property market we’re seeing today, for the same time last year the average house price rose $107,000 in Sydney and $41,000 in Melbourne in just three months.

In 2022, we’ve been seeing declines driven by rising interest rates and uncertainty about how the Australian economy is going to ride out the current inflation crisis. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) initially forecast a 15 per cent decline in the property market by the end of 2023, with further falls predicted in 2024.

Worth noting is that not all areas have been (or likely will be) impacted by this downturn equally. We’re seeing property prices hold up more in areas with strong demand and limited supply, and prices weaker in areas that don’t have the same fundamentals. This trend is likely to continue throughout this period of property market disruption.

The key driver of softer property prices is rising interest rates, which have increased by 1.75 per cent over the last four months adding thousands to the cost of repayments on the average Aussie mortgage. With rates forecast to continue rising through 2022 as the RBA grapples with the current global inflation crisis, further pressure will be placed on borrowers and the property market as a result.

Advantages of buying property now

With the property market softening and fewer buyers in the market, people buying property today are doing it at a solid discount to the prices we’ve seen recently.

There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty out there. In my experience helping people with their investing through up and down markets, I’ve found that this uncertainty creates opportunity.

During the height of the Covid crisis there was also a lot of talk about the potential for big property market declines, and a lot of people were too fearful to buy property. Many people were sitting on the sidelines waiting for the uncertainty to pass, convinced there would be a huge crash that would allow them to pick up even more of a bargain.

But before we knew it, the ‘crisis’ was over and the uncertainty was gone. The property market didn’t fail as far as was expected, and many people missed the boat.

In my view, the current conditions are perfect for property buyers to pick up a bargain.

Disadvantages of buying property now

That being said, buying property today does come with risk. The main one that any property buyer needs to manage in the short-term is the likelihood of interest rates rising further.

Rising interest rates for property buyers today mean that you’re highly likely to be paying more for your mortgage in six months than you are today. As mentioned above, rates are tipped to raise around 2 per cent from their current levels in the short-term – meaning you need to be prepared and ready to fund higher mortgage repayments.

There is also potential for property values ​​to fall further in the short-term. Buying and then selling property is an expensive exercise, so you never want to be forced to sell a property. But when values ​​are declining, it’s even more important to protect yourself.

When is the best time to buy property

Looking back, it’s easy to identify ‘good’ times to buy property, but nobody has a crystal ball. We never really know where the property market is going until it actually happens.

And further, while there have been times that we can see would have been better than others to buy property, values ​​have consistently risen over the long-term. That means that over any 10-year period, your asset would have increased in value.

This suggests that the best time to buy was always 10 years ago. The second best time is today.

My view is that if property is on your money road map, now is a great time to buy. You’ll be able to take advantage of the uncertainty, pick up an asset that was a good investment six months ago at a higher price, and move forward on your money journey.

Finding a good quality property is crucial, and having a rock solid plan absolutely necessary to protect your risk. But get these two things right and you’ll be set for success, and will position yourself to come out of this period of disruption in a stronger position than you went into it.

The wrap

Buying property is scary at the best of times, but when fear and uncertainty are high it’s even harder. But property has been one of the most effective ways to invest to build wealth for the last hundred or so years in Australia, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

Take the time to get your approach right, then make it happen – your future self will thank you for it.

Ben Nash is a finance expert commentator, podcaster, financial adviser and founder of Pivot Wealth, and author of the Amazon best-selling book ‘Get Unstuck: Your guide to creating a life not limited by money’.

Ben has just launched a series of free online money education events to help you get on the front financial foot. You can check out all the details and book your place here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your circumstances before acting on it, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a finance professional.

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Entertainment

James Packer parties with young women in bikinis on superyacht

James Packer parties with young women in bikinis on superyacht

Australian billionaire James Packer has been photographed on a yacht hanging out with young bikini-clad women.

On Thursday, Mr Packer was seen enjoying his $250 million superyacht out in the Mediterranean Sea off the Italian coast.

The Australian rich lister was there with two unknown women and an unknown man.

American film director Brett Ratner, 53, was also in attendance, who has directed Hollywood movies including X-Men and the Rush Hour franchise.

In one instance, Mr Packer 54, was photographed clasping the hand of a blonde woman while also leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

At another point, one of the women was spotted drinking and dancing on the boat.

Mr Packer wore sunglasses and a dark blue T-shirt and black shorts while his friend Mr Ratner had a gray T-shirt on.

The Aussie business has been spotted spending a lot of time on his superyacht in the past few months.

In July, it was revealed that Danish model Josefine Hanning Jensen had been on-board the billionaire’s superyacht since at least July 6.

There’s no word yet on whether Packer and Jensen are romantically linked, or whether she will join him when he heads back to Sydney.

It’s unclear whether the two women spotted on the boat on Thursday are also models.

As the son of media head honcho Kerry Packer, James Packer has a net worth of US$1.5 billion (A$2.17 billion) according to Forbes.

Two months ago, Mr Packer revealed he had been seeking to lose weight after telling The Weekend Australian last month that he was ready to start the “third act” of his life as he looks towards a return to Australia.

“I’m roughly 130kg now and want to be back to 100kg by the end of 2022,” Packer told the publication.

speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald around the same time, Packer divulged he was down 33kg after quitting alcohol, limiting his calorie intake and exercising daily.

Mr Packer told the newspaper his life was “pretty good right now”, adding: “My mental health is the best it’s ever been.”

He also revealed his mental health had also taken a turn, having quit the antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs he was taking.

With the $8.9 billion sale of his company shares to US private equity firm Blackstone’s finalized on June 24, which saw Packer pocket an enormous $3.36 billion, he’s now ready to plan his return home.

“I want to swim with my kids at Bondi when we’re all in Sydney together next year and be 100kg,” he said from his home in Mexico.

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Sports

AFL news 2022: Lance Franklin breaks silence on future, Swans to Lions rumors

AFL news 2022: Lance Franklin breaks silence on future, Swans to Lions rumors

Sydney Swans forward Lance Franklin is still “undecided” about his future in the sport, officially putting contract talks on hold and hinting at a possible retirement.

According to a report by Nine reporter Michael Atkinson, the 35-year-old is considering turning his back on the Swans for a deal with the Brisbane Lions.

The Nine report was immediately countered by Swans chief executive Tom Harley, who confessed the veteran forward’s move to Brisbane was “news to him”.

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Sports broadcaster Andy Maher later claimed Franklin would stay with the Sydney-based club, potentially on a one-year contract extension.

“I can’t say where it came from, but Franklin’s not going to Brisbane,” he told SEN on Friday.

“He’s not going, he’s going to stay at Sydney and they’re in the throws of working out the contract, so it does sound like he’s going to play another year at the Swans if this information is true and where it’s coming from is pretty strong.”

On Saturday morning, Franklin’s manager Adam Finch released a statement confirming contract talks had been put on hold so the 1000-goal hero could focus on Sydney’s run towards the finals.

“At this stage conversations have been paused around my contract so I can put all my focus on playing footy,” Franklin said.

“No further comment will be made until the season is done and I have decided about my future.

“I am still undecided and need time after the season to make a family decision about whether I continue to play next year.”

Franklin has been in excellent form this season, kicking 41 goals in 17 games for Swans. However, the ongoing contract drama has become a significant distraction for John Longmire’s side as they approach September.

Speaking to Fox Footy, former Hawthorn forward Ben Dixon argued that Franklin has more chance of “playing on the moon than Victoria” next year.

“I reckon there’s some real merit in (rumors of the Brisbane move),” he said.

“My gut feels is yes (he’ll leave Sydney).

“He’s more chance of playing on the moon than in Victoria.

“Going for one more tilt, going to a different club, it’s not going to tarnish anything about your reputation in the game.

“He’s only going to go north.

“He’s a Perth boy, but you can rule out those two clubs (Fremantle and West Coast). You can rule out the Giants. It’s a process of elimination – the Gold Coast or it’s Brisbane.

“Brisbane’s right in the wheelhouse to win it. If it’s not this year, they still have got a little tilt next year.

“I know his motivation in signing a long-term deal with Sydney was sustainable success.

“I think his drive and his motivation – he wants to win a flag.

“He could be the hottest property in Queensland.

“If you look at it and you say, ‘Who’s closer to the flag (Gold Coast or Brisbane)?’ Well, there’s no doubt Brisbane are.”

Lions coach Chris Fagan believes that if Franklin is considering a move to Queensland it would be more likely to be for retirement rather than continuing his football career.

“I would have thought if they are moving to Queensland, that’s perhaps an indication that Bud’s going to retire from AFL football,” he said on Friday.

“If it came to pass down the track that they do move here, and. someone reaches out from his camp and suggests that he still wants to play, then we would be remiss as a footy club not to go and have a conversation with him.

“As far I’m concerned he’s a Sydney Swans player, and if any of that was going to happen, it would happen when the season’s all over.

“My latest communication with him was a text message I sent to him when he kicked his 1000th (AFL) goal which was four months ago.

“I don’t know what will play out in the future but the way I see it right now is if he is moving to Queensland to live, I would suggest that he’s going to retire.”

Franklin joined the Swans from the Hawthorn Hawks in 2014 on a nine-year, $10 million deal.

While he has been injury prone in recent years, the scenes of fans flooding onto the SCG when the eight-time All-Australian kicked his 1000th career goal showed he is still one of the sport’s biggest drawcards.

The Swans will face North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with the first bounce scheduled for 1.10pm AEST.

Read related topics:BrisbaneSydney

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Sports

Corey Oates try forward pass video, Roosters vs Broncos score

Corey Oates try forward pass video, Roosters vs Broncos score

Nothing seemed to go right for Brisbane Broncos on Thursday evening, but Kevin Walters’ men were perhaps lucky to be awarded their second try against the Sydney Roosters at the SCG.

The Broncos were trailing by 20 points in the 60th minute when five-eighth Ezra Mam floated a pass over the Roosters defensive line towards winger Corey Oates, who dived over for the try.

But replays suggested the pass was forward, with Mam releasing the ball behind the 10m line and Oates catching it approximately eight meters out.

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The referee believed the ball was passed backwards but floated forwards — which is legal. The Sydney crowd didn’t agree though, with a chorus of boos echoing around the stadium when replays were shown on the big screen.

“Man, that’s way forward,” Channel 9 commentator Mathew Thompson said. “Oh he’s going to let it go. He’s let it go!

“It can’t have been thrown back either.”

Melbourne Storm legend Cameron Smith continued: “Seriously? Unless it’s come off a Rooster’s hand … I think that ball has drifted forward about three meters.”

Former New South Wales representative Michael Ennis agreed on Fox League. “The pass from Ezra Mam looked like it was two meters forward out of his hands from him,” he said.

“It certainly went forward.”

Regardless, the Roosters have taken another important step towards securing a top eight berth after beating Brisbane 34-16.

Trent Robinson’s men weren’t at their ruthless best, but a fourth straight win has put their premiership rivals on notice.

The Roosters started the round at risk of dropping to ninth but will finish the weekend either seventh or eighth, keeping their closest pursuers at bay for at least another week.

They have a tough run home over the closing month – meeting North Queensland, Wests Tigers, Melbourne and South Sydney – but who would be foolish enough to declare the Chooks won’t reach the finals for a sixth straight season?

And any team featuring James Tedesco, Joey Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary, Victor Radley and Joseph Suaalii will be a threat come September.

“We feel like we’ve worked hard enough this year and tried different things (and) it’s time to play better,” Robinson said.

“The last month has been good and we’re improving but we’ve got to keep going.”

Skipper Tedesco added: “We’re still chasing that 80-minute performance but we’re getting better and better.”

The Roosters led this must-win game 18-0 after as many minutes, pouring through the Broncos’ ineffectual defense and eating up the meters with ease.

It took the hosts just five minutes to open the Broncos up, a lovely bat-on pass from Tedesco handing Paul Momirovski an open passage to the line.

Sam Walker engineered the next try three minutes later with a clever chip kick into the in-goal for Nat Butcher to reach out and ground the ball with his fingertips.

When Angus Crichton pushed through some Brisbane’s flimsy right-edge defense to reach out and score, the Roosters were headed for an 18-0 lead and complete control of a one-sided contest.

Luke Keary of the Roosters celebrates with teammates. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Then they took the foot from the throat, inviting Brisbane back into the game.

The Broncos scored through Corey Oates to narrow the gap to 14 as the Roosters’ completion rate went through the floor.

Robinson told the Tricolours to park the fancy stuff in the second half – and they did – but they still came up with three tries to snuff out any hope of a Brisbane revival.

Keary was superb, putting the finishing touches on a standout performance with a brilliant individual try 12 minutes from the end.

We were expecting a strong response from the Broncos following their shock loss to Wests Tigers, but they fired a few decent shots in another worrying performance.

Their attack was pedestrian and clunky for most of the night and there wasn’t much in the way of whack in defense.

The visitors were chasing the game from the outset and did well to avoid a blowout, although they never really looked like mounting any sort of concerted comeback.

“At 18-0 we got a bit of momentum back and (then) a couple of things didn’t go to plan,” Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds said.

“It’s obviously disappointing, but it’s a learning curve. We’re still a young team that’s figuring it out.”

Brisbane could finish the round as low as seventh if Parramatta and Souths win their respective matches.

With Adam Lucius, NCA NewsWire

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Tennis news 2022: Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic officially out of Montreal ATP event ahead of US Open, Nick Kyrgios

Tennis news 2022: Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic officially out of Montreal ATP event ahead of US Open, Nick Kyrgios

Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, whose refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19 makes him unable to enter Canada, has officially withdrawn from the ATP hardcourt tournament in Montreal, organizers said on Thursday.

The Serbian star’s unvaccinated status made it unlikely he would play in the prestigious ATP Masters tournament, just as it means he will probably miss the US Open starting later in August as the United States also requires visitors to the country to show proof of vaccination.

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Earlier this month, Montreal Masters tournament director Eugene Lepierre said he did not expect Djokovic to play.

“Either the Canadian government is going to change the rules regarding vaccination or he is going to roll up his sleeves and get the vaccine. But I don’t think any of those scenarios are realistic,” Lepierre said.

Germany’s Oscar Otte has also withdrawn from the tournament which starts on Monday with Benjamin Bonzi of France and Australia’s Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios moving into the main draw, Tennis Canada said.

In addition, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray was handed a wildcard on Thursday, along with Belgian David Goffin and Canadians Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.

Britain’s Murray, a former world number one who won the Canadian title in 2009, 2010 and 2015, has been rising in the rankings this season from 134th to 50th.

He reached finals in Sydney in January and Stuttgart in June, but fell in the first round in Washington earlier this week to Sweden’s Mikael Ymer.

Despite that disappointment, Murray said on Monday he believes he can get his ranking high enough to earn a seeding at the US Open, which he won a decade ago.

“It’s still possible,” he said. “I would just need to have a good run in Canada or Cincinnati really. It’s pretty straightforward if I was to make a quarter-final or a semi-final, which right now – after a loss like that – doesn’t seem realistic.

“I do feel like if I play very well that I could do that. But I’ll certainly need to play better than I did today.”

Meanwhile, Kyrgios has continued his preparation for the last grand slam of the year with a strong win over Tommy Paul at the Washington Open on Thursday (AEST).

The Australian was challenged in just his second singles match since Wimbledon and had to play his best tennis to defeat Paul 6-3 6-4.

Kyrgios was locked in, firing off 15 aces including one rocket at 218km/h.

He was superb in the clutch moments — saving all four break points he faced and converting three out of four of his own break point opportunities.

Kyrgios was up to his usual antics when he got stuck into the umpire after he was given a code violation for ball abuse.

But the Washington crowd was in his corner and he showed his soft side in the first set, when an elderly fan was hit in the face by a ball that took a wayward bounce into the stands.

Kyrgios went over and handed the spectator one of his towels.

He is chasing his second title in Washington and will next face fourth seed Reilly Opelka in the round of 16 on Friday.

– with Matthew Sullivan and AFP

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