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AFL reacts to Eddie Betts ‘betrayal’ at Adelaide Crows pre-season camp

AFL reacts to Eddie Betts 'betrayal' at Adelaide Crows pre-season camp

The AFL community has reacted with disgust after former Adelaide footballer Eddie Betts published a confronting recollection of his experience at a pre-season camp with the Crows in early 2018.

The leadership camp, following the Crows’ 2017 AFL Grand Final loss to Richmond, thrust the club into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

A number of players and officials left the club in the wake of the camp, and now Betts has detailed behind-the-scenes information in his upcoming autobiography The Boy from Boomerang Crescent.

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The four-day camp on the Gold Coast left Betts feeling “like a piece of me was brainwashed”, with excerpts being reported by Nine Newspapers.

Betts alleged that confidential information he shared in counseling sessions had been misused, writing that the camp misappropriated sensitive Aboriginal cultural rituals.

Following the ordeal, the three-time All-Australian Betts said he approached the Crows and voiced his concerns with the camp, only to be dropped from the leadership group three weeks later.

Betts said the camp had a major impact on his form and left the star forward questioning his place in the game. He left the Crows and returned to Carlton at the end of 2019 before retiring at the end of 2021.

Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto, who represented the club for 15 seasons, responded to the damning allegations on Wednesday morning.

“He’s been one of the greats of the club,” Ricciuto told Adelaide’s Triple M Breakfast with Roo, Ditts and Loz.

“Player welfare is always number one no matter what’s going on, you always want everyone to be happy, so it’s very sad.

“I think the club has been on record at times to say that they acknowledge that it wasn’t handled perfectly. It had all good intentions but didn’t go perfectly.

“We all love Eddie and hopefully Eddie is getting over that… certainly the club moved on from that and are looking towards the future and have made a lot of ground since back then. It has come up in Eddie’s book and that is fair enough.”

Betts’ revelations have angered the footy community. Former Swans star Ryan Fitzgerald, who is a huge Crows fan, tweeted: “Really uncomfortable to read. Particularly the insensitivities around Eddie’s past of him. He is such an integral part of the AFC and their history, so rejected that he left feeling like that.”

Ex-Melbourne captain Garry Lyon also reacted. “When you read those words from Eddie, there is no debate about how it impacted on him,” he told SEN Breakfast.

“He talks about the Indigenous players, the cultural differences or sensitivities that weren’t adhered to. That’s Eddie … and that’s unequivocal, right? You can’t argue with any of that.

“Everyone’s own experiences have been caught up in this and from an Indigenous point of view, a lot of it since Eddie said that cultural sensitivities weren’t adhered to – and that is very, very real.

“In the end, it was untenable. We talk about the atmosphere and environment … take apart who you agree with and you don’t agree with, the fact of the matter is it split the club down the middle. When you get the (Rory) Sloanes and the (Taylor) Walkers, who have their recollection, and then you’ve got Eddie and others I would imagine… no wonder it destroyed that joint.

“You’ve got a section of the football club – and I’m not just putting this at the feet of Walker and Sloane, there may be others in the same boat – saying, ‘I got so much out of this, it was good’. And then on the other hand, right at the other end of the scale, you’ve got, ‘No, it ripped me apart, it ripped my relationship apart’.

“No wonder then from a footy club point of view and trying to stay together and on the same page, it ended up where it was.

“If you are told, whether you’re black or white or otherwise, ‘These camp people want to speak to you and they say to step aside from everyone else privately and we want you to have a conversation where you are open and vulnerable’ … And I go, ‘OK. In terms of building me as a better player and a leader, I’ll share and I’ll give you these really sensitive things that, to me, are important’. Then to have that thrown back in my face, that’s not cultural for me.

“How it affects me and someone else might be different based on culture, but that’s a betrayal for me.”

speaking on SEN SA Breakfastformer Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes questioned Adelaide’s leadership, calling out Crows star Rory Sloane for his public remarks after the camp when he said it made him a better husband and a better father.

“The question is, all of the people who have defended the camp and have said nothing went on, including the Crows fans, including Mark Ricciuto, including the club, what do they do now? Details have come out, Eddie Betts was abused about his mother, ”Cornes said.

“The saddest thing for me, the two most popular players at Adelaide are Tony Modra and Eddie Betts. No one made the Adelaide Oval stand up when they went near the football in Crows history like Eddie Betts. No one has been more popular.

“That’s the echelon that Eddie Betts is held in. To read how he was treated by his own football club, of which he is an icon, that was the saddest part for me.

“We do now have a blow-by-blow account which is pretty harrowing that your most popular player in club history was treated like an animal on this camp.

“I think it’s embarrassing for Rory Sloane and Taylor Walker to now hear that that was a rehearsed line and that they were all told and indoctrinated into saying it had made them a better father and husband and child. And to see Eddie Betts relay that that was actually rehearsed, it does not paint Rory and his leadership of him in great light.

“There’s a lot of egg on the face of Crows supporters, the footy club and a few players that were there.”

The Crows were cleared of any work health and safety breaches after an independent investigation into the training camp by SafeWork SA.

Read related topics:Adelaide

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Izak Rankine Adelaide Crows, Ollie Henry Collingwood contract

Izak Rankine Adelaide Crows, Ollie Henry Collingwood contract

A Suns star is still off-contract—and the Crows are preparing to pounce.

Plus the intriguing contract situation surrounding a young Magpies forward.

Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!

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CROWS KEEPING TABS ON SUNS STAR

Adelaide is making a major play for homegrown forward Izak Rankine in what would be one of the biggest coups of this year’s trade period.

Gold Coast officials have long been confident of retaining Rankine after already re-signing fellow South Australian Jack Lukosius, as well as Ben King, Ben Ainsworth, Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrew.

The Suns are also expected to soon ink Lachie Weller on a four-year contract.

Rankine, who was drafted from SANFL club West Adelaide with the No. 3 pick in the talent-laden 2018 class, is out of contract at season’s end but is not a free agent.

The Crows would likely need to part with their first-round draft selection, which is currently No. 4 after their weekend win over Carlton, if they convince Rankine to leave, but that may be only the start of what was required.

However, the 22-year-old’s contract status, and the possible threat of Adelaide grabbing him in the pre-season draft, could complicate any potential negotiations.

Izak Rankin of the Suns. Picture: Russell FreemanSource: Getty Images

The Blues did exactly that with ex-Gold Coast footballer Jack Martin three years ago after discussions between the clubs broke down, heavily front-ending his deal to ward off other suitors.

Essendon already made a lucrative pitch to Rankine’s management this year to try to lure him to Victoria, with the young star’s career-best season catching rivals’ attention.

His agent, Garry Winter, of W Sports and Media, was previously on Adelaide’s board, and it could be worth up to $800,000 per season for Rankine to become a Crow on a long-term deal.

Rankine’s three-goal performance against West Coast on Sunday was his seventh match with multiple majors in 2022, along with averaging 14 disposals and six score involvements.

He would be a significant upgrade on rebuilding Adelaide’s small forward corps and could form a deadly duo with last year’s first-round draftee Josh Rachele.

Rachele’s 17 goals rank fourth at the Crows – behind tall targets Taylor Walker (42) and Darcy Fogarty (22), as well as spring-heeled forward Shane McAdam (18) – while Ned McHenry and James Rowe have each kicked only 10.

They sit in the bottom four on the ladder and for scoring, so Rankine would provide an excellent boost ahead of a season where Matthew Nicks’ team hopes to take a leap.

Suns keep finals hope alive | 01:25

Adelaide’s list management team met with Melbourne goals neak Kade Chandler, another South Australian, during last year’s trade period before he decided to stay at the Demons.

The Crows were linked with Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley for many months but it’s now believed Port Adelaide would be the South Australian club he would join if he left the Kennel.

Dunkley’s girlfriend, Tippah Dwan, plays netball for the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

Asked last week about the delay in Rankine re-signing, Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew said they were “still confident” he would be at the club in 2023.

“There’s always a process. Things happen at different rates and different speeds,” Dew said.

“A number of contracts we’ve done have actually taken longer, so as long as the conversations are happening, that’s where the confidence comes from.

“It’s when it goes quiet (that you get concerned), and it’s certainly not like that – the dialogue’s still there.”

—NCA Newswire

HENRY, PIES ‘NOT OVERLY CLOSE’ TO FRESH CONTRACT

Collingwood and young forward Ollie Henry are “not overly close” on signing a new deal, but both parties remain confident a contract will be signed soon, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.

Henry has had a promising yet rollercoaster 2022 season with the Magpies so far, booting 21.15 from 14 games. He started as the sub against Freo in Round 10 but came on to kick 4.1, while he was the unused medical sub against the Adelaide Crows in Round 18 and has spent the past two weekends in the VFL, booting 4.2 and 3.1 respectively.

The 20-year-old is uncontracted beyond this season. In May I told AFL Media he wasn’t in a rush to sign a new contract but declared he was “loving his time at Collingwood”.

Goodwin and Fagan discuss trade rumors | 03:43

Edmund reported on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday that talks between Henry’s management and the Magpies were ongoing, adding they’d met “in the last week or two”.

“Not overly close at this stage at Collingwood, but I think this one gets worked out. Both parties expect that to be the case,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.

“The Pies want him to stay and Henry wants to stay, but with (Dan) McStay coming in there’s some things to work out around what his future looks like on game day.”

“I think they’ll get there, no real reason to think otherwise at this stage. It just needs to be worked through with the pieces coming back the other way like Dan McStay and the like.”

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Business

Warning Australians could miss out on Christmas holiday flights, accommodation

Warning Australians could miss out on Christmas holiday flights, accommodation

If you thought the chaos at airports over the July school holidays was enough to send you mad, experts say a whole lot more pain is coming – and not just when it comes to flying.

With Christmas holidays creeping up and the busiest holiday period just around the corner, Aussies hoping for a breezy summer escape are being warned to book now – or face being left out in the cold.

Accommodation platform Stayz revealed one-in-five Aussies have already booked their end of year holiday, with newly released data predicting a possible sold out summer in top holiday home destinations over the Christmas break.

“Booking for year-end Christmas holidays in July is now the norm” says Simone Scoppa, travel expert at Stayz.

“Prior to the pandemic, we knew that travelers mostly booked Christmas holidays in the month of September. But, the last two years have seen this peak period move to July as travelers get in early to secure their holiday home.”

According to the research, families heading into the silly season are increasingly searching for whole holiday homes with pools, in a waterfront or beachside location, and for the accommodation offering to be pet friendly.

Ms Scoppa said heading into July and August, the most popular destinations that have seen a spike in summer bookings include the Fraser Coast in QLD, the South West region of WA, the Barossa wine region in South Australia and smaller coastal towns along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

Airbnb, who recently launched the ‘Categories’ section for unique-style homes, predict this summer will have an increased interest from the international market now that border restrictions are over.

“While traditional holiday destinations continue to be popular, last year we saw guests seeking stays in those lesser-known locations that might be slightly further afield,” Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, told news.com.au.

“This summer, Aussies won’t be the only ones snapping up fun and unique homes on Airbnb, with international travelers also looking to experience Down Under – from our world-famous coastal cities and towns, to breathtaking rural landscapes.”

Ms Wheeldon tips locations like Rye, Apollo Bay and Bright to be popular once again this summer, along with South West Rocks and Nelson Bay in NSW.

With airports and airlines across the country – but particularly along the east coast – battling staff shortages, flight cancellations and delays coupled with the post-Covid travel boom, experts warn travelers could be in for long wait times over the summer holidays for both domestic and international travel.

On Monday alone, 21 flights were canceled in Sydney across the Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Rex networks. Virgin dumped 10 flights, Qantas nixed eight, with two pulled from Jetstar and one from Rex.

Melbourne Airport faced similar struggles, with 20 flights scrapped as of 8.30am.

This included seven flights from Qantas, five from Emirates and Virgin Australia, two from American Airlines and one from British Airways.

The flights canceled at both airports were between 6.30am and 7pm on Monday.

With airlines struggling to keep up with demand amid staff shortages, Qantas announced they would be reducing flights in July and August.

Domestic and International CEO Andrew David apologized to customers as a result of the ongoing chaos being faced at airports across the country.

“We are the national carrier, people have high expectations of us, we have high expectations of ourselves and clearly over the last few months we have not been delivering what we did pre-Covid,” he said.

“We have reduced some of our flying this month and we’re planning to do the same next month, recognizing the operation pressures we have.”

It is understood the airline will be rostering on extra staff for the Christmas period, and any large widebody aircraft will be deployed to assist with domestic flights if need be.

In 2022 alone, Aussies have faced a string of rising cost of living pressures and accommodation reservations have been no exemption.

It hasn’t exactly been cheap to holiday domestically for many years, but staggering figures show that it has gone from bad to worse in the past 13 months.

Data from trivago released in June – recorded hotel price shifts from more than 400 booking sites for over 2 million hotels around the world in its Hotel Price Index. The survey uncovered an astronomical increase in the price of an Aussie getaway.

It shows the average price of a hotel in Sydney has arisen almost 25 per cent over the past year while hotel rooms in Melbourne have seen a 24 per cent spike in the same period.

This means the average cost of a hotel room in Sydney is now above $240 per night, up from $206 a night a year ago. For Melbourne, the average cost is now $239, up from $200 in August last year.

The CEO of Tourism Accommodation Australia, Michael Johnson said the hike in prices came down to staff shortages still plaguing the industry, with many hotels forced to operate at 70 to 80 per cent capacity which was impacting revenue.

“I know hotels that are still looking for 30 to 40 staff, instead of running two restaurants they are only running one,” he said.

“They’re not taking conference bookings, because they just don’t have the staff to manage those bookings.”

But despite the angst and frustration following travelers to airports both domestically and internationally, Australians have not been deterred from traveling and there’s no sign of it waning off in the future, according to Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker.

More than one-in-two (57 per cent) of Aussies are planning a getaway in the next 12 months, including 32 per cent who plan to travel within Australia, 12 per cent who plan to travel internationally, and 13 per cent who plan to travel both domestically and overseas.

This is up from 49 per cent last December.

According to Finder’s Covid Comfort Indicator, Aussies rank their level of comfort with overseas travel at 4.3 out of 10, up from 2.7 in January. They feel slightly more at ease with domestic travel, ranking it 6.1 out of 10.

“The travel industry is finally seeing some normalcy for the first time in over two years. People aren’t as concerned about prices, they just want to travel again,” said Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder.

“The key to making the most of any travel sale is to be flexible with dates and open-minded about destinations. Don’t forget to book your travel insurance as soon as you’ve locked in your trip.”

Ms Scoppa agreed, saying with many Australians missing out on travel plans due to Covid-19 interrupting plans in 2021 – the advice was to be organized and book now.

“The advice is simple, we recommend that you book now for your Christmas holidays, rather than leaving it to the last minute, where there may be limited choice,” Ms Scoppa said.

“The Mackay and Central Coast NSW regions are typically favorite summer destinations, that in years past have been close to a sell out, so it is good news for travelers looking ahead to book for Christmas that availability is still looking good for these destinations.”

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Casualty Ward, injury, update, sidelined, progress, post match, Collingwood Magpies, Carlton Blues, Hawthorn Hawks, Zac Bailey, Dylan Grimes

Casualty Ward, injury, update, sidelined, progress, post match, Collingwood Magpies, Carlton Blues, Hawthorn Hawks, Zac Bailey, Dylan Grimes

Carlton’s loss to Adelaide has been compounded by a string of injuries.

Plus the latest on a star Richmond duo.

Get the latest AFL injury news in our Round 20 Casualty Ward!

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CARLTON has suffered some significant injury blows after the loss to Adelaide.

corey durdin is set to miss a week with a shoulder injury he suffered during the game, while George Hewett’s back issue will see him miss a second straight game, which this one being a crunch clash against Brisbane at the Gabba.

Nick Newman is set to miss the rest of the regular season after sustaining a shocking cut to his knee.

Newman was injured by his opponent’s footy boots which dragged across his leg as he attempted to lay a tackle.

late in the contest matt kennedy was assisted from the field after a head knock, with scans revealing he suffered a fractured jaw, which will see him sidelined for at least a fortnight.

Crows surprise Blues at Adelaide Oval | 01:31

RICHMOND admits it is “doubtful” star defender Dylan Grimes will play again in the home-and-away season after his latest hamstring injury.

Grimes suffered the injury in the second half of Sunday’s thrilling win over Brisbane, adding to a streak of soft tissue injuries for the 31-year-old.

Tigers fitness boss Peter Burge said on Tuesday that Grimes’ injury required “further investigation”.

“At this stage it’s probably looking doubtful that he’s going to play in the last three home and away games of the season.

“So, we’re going to need to have a look at what lies beyond that. We’ll gather some information over the next couple of days and we’ll give everyone an update.“

Meanwhile, Dustin Martin remains in a “holding pattern” with his hamstring injury.

The club says it’s “hopeful” a round 23 return is still on the cards, but admits, “if we’re not able to progress significantly in the next week or so, that starts to become a little less clear.”

The Lions Also Lost Zack Bailey in the first half of Sunday’s contest, with the mid-forward taken to hospital with a chest issue after a collision with Richmond’s Marlion Pickett.

Remarkably, despite Bailey spending Sunday night in hospital as his teammates returned home without him, the Lions are yet to rule him out of Round 21.

Scans cleared the 22-year-old of any serious injury and he was able to be discharged.

“Bailey spent the night in hospital in Melbourne after receiving a knock to his sternum in Sunday’s match with Richmond at the MCG,” the Lions said in a statement.

“Bailey was released from hospital on Monday and cleared to fly home to Brisbane.

“He will be further assessed to determine his availability for Sunday’s match against Carlton at the Gabba.”

COLLINGWOOD will be without star taylor adams for the remainder of the home and away season after he limped off in the win over Port Adelaide.

Coach Craig McRae confirmed Adams’ suffered a groin injury.

After scans, the club released a statement confirming the extent of the injury layoff.

“Collingwood vice-captain Taylor Adams will miss the remainder of the AFL home and away season after scans revealed a strain to his groin,” the statement read.

“The 28-year-old will be assessed further in the coming weeks.”

But there is good news for defending Jeremy Howeafter he suffered a heavy knock.

“Howey just got a knee in the backside and unfortunately just couldn’t function,” McRae said.

“He’ll be fine but he just couldn’t get back on the ground.”

Howe was able to complete a pool recovery session with teammates on Monday.

“He is expected to complete limited training on Tuesday before being assessed on Thursday,” the club said.

Brodie Grundy is no certainty to receive an AFL call up for Round 21, while Brody Mihocek is in a race to provide his fitness after missing Round 20 with a hip injury.

Grundy made his return in the VFL last weekend after 13 weeks on the sidelines with a PCL injury.

“Grundy played into the fourth term and collected the typical bumps and bruises sustained during a first game back,” the club said.

“He will also be assessed on Thursday.”

GEELONG are set to be without Gary Rohan for the clash with St Kilda after he was subbed out with a head knock.

Coach Chris Scott was unsure if Rohan was officially concussed, but said he was told Rohan “couldn’t go back on”.

“He said to me he’s perfectly fine, so that’s a good sign,” Scott said post-match.

“You never know how these guys are going to pull up.

“You know when it’s bad… but this isn’t one of those if appearances are anything to go by.”

Feet pip Port to the points at the MCG | 02:20

HAWTHORN coach Sam Mitchell is counting the cost of the loss to St Kilda.

The Hawks gallantly fought back in the final term, despite being down to three on the bench.

mitch lewis injured his knee early in the contest but tried to run it out, Josh Morris suffered a shoulder injury while Jacob Koschitzke suffered a cork.

“We lost three today,” Mitchell said.

“Tank Morris, he was going really well. I was sad for him – he finally got his chance. He’s put together a really good month of footy.

“He popped his shoulder, it came back in but obviously wasn’t going to come back on the field.”

Mitchell said the club wasn’t going to risk Lewis even though he tried to play on with his knee injury.

“Mitch Lewis has had a little bit of a sore knee for a while and just landed on it awkwardly,” he explained.

“It wasn’t OK to keep going.

“It’s one of those injuries where there’s a small amount of risk to it… the game was put away so we weren’t going to risk an important player like him.”

Mitchell praised Koschitzke’s ability to play on despite being clearly hampered by injury.

Saints survive fast-finishing Hawks | 01:00

“Kossie really worked hard. He has got a really nasty corky – he could hardly walk even to half time but we were already three on the bench so we needed him to soldier on,” he said.

“I have committed to that and gave us what I could. He couldn’t run or lead very much but he gave us a reply.

“Sometimes as a young player having to fight through when your body is nowhere near its best is an important lesson to learn.”

MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin says young ruckman Luke Jackson will be right to go against Collingwood after passing his concussion test in Perth.

Jackson came from the ground in the win over Fremantle appearing to be dazed but was given the all clear.

“He just had a little knock late in the game. He was checked by the docs and got the all clear,” Goodwin said.

“There’s nothing wrong with him, he’ll be fine. He’ll be ready to go next week.

“He got checked and passed his test.”

Goodwin also said Christian Salem would be able to back up after a blow to his face left him bleeding from the nose.

“Salem had a bit of a cut to his face, but we’ve come through unscathed,” Goodwin said.

james hames (concussion) and ben brown (knee soreness) will both need to provide their fitness to face the Pies on Friday night.

“Brown, following two weeks on the sidelines due to knee soreness, has ramped up his training program this past week and will also look to be available for selection,” the club said.

Joel Smith played his first VFL minutes since suffering a serious ankle injury back in Round 7.

the WESTERN BULLDOGS are sweating on star Adam Treloar‘s fitness ahead of this weekend’s must-win game against Fremantle.

Treloar has been battling a calf complaint and finished his past two matches early.

“Adam suffered some calf tightness in the game against Melbourne,” Dogs head of sports medicine Chris Bell said.

“He still wasn’t 100% during his fitness test last Thursday, so was unavailable for selection.

“We will again assess Adam as this week progresses and make a call on his availability towards the back end of the week.”

Anthony Scott (concussion) and hayden crozier (ankle) remain in the hunt for selection.

Scott was now “symptom-free” after being convicted in the clash with Sydney in Round 17, while Crozier has made steady progress since his ankle injury suffered in the VFL a month ago.

“We couldn’t be happier with how he has progressed over the last two weeks since coming out of the CAM boot,” Bell said.

“He will start to integrate back into training this week and we will determine if he returns to playing this weekend or next.”

Jarrod Brander‘s first season with GWS is over after the utility injured his hamstring playing the VFL.

Jacob Wehr is also unavailable for selection this weekend through injury.

Wehr suffered a calf strain against the Swans, ending his run of 10 straight game since debuting in Round 10.

Matt Flynn (ankle) and Conor Stone (hamstring) will have to provide themselves fit to face Essendon on Saturday.

In some good news for the club, Bobby Hill has been medically cleared to return after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer.

Hill hasn’t played since his shock diagnosis back in May.

PORT ADELAIDE are confident Travis Boak may back up against Richmond, despite fracturing his hand in the loss to Collingwood.

The 34-year-old was able to play out the match, after suffering the injury in the second term.

“He will be monitored throughout the week with an expectation that he will be able to take on the Tigers,” the club said in a statement.

Darcy Byrne-Jones will need to pass a fitness test after spraining his ankle early in the clash with the Pies.

The club expects Riley Bonner to be available for selection after he clears the AFL’s Health and Safety protocols, while dan houston could come into the mix after serving his 12-day concussion break.

FREMANTLE will be without skipper Nat Fyfe until at least Round 23 as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Fyfe hasn’t played since the Round 19 draw with the Tigers and remains no guarantee to play before finals.

“We’ve got a target of round 23 for Nat, obviously there’s a bit of work to do before we get there but that’s our target,” Dockers footy boss Peter Bell said.

Sam Switkowski is another Docker pushing to return before finals, as he recovers from a serious back injury.

“Sam’s a really important player for us, so if he is to come back it will be really positive,” Bell said.

The club it was still to put a line through Jye Amiss despite the rookie’s kidney injury landing him in hospital.

“Jye is going pretty well, we’ll be in constant dialogue with the specialist,” Bell said.

“Every day he’s getting better, it’s great to have him back out there. We haven’t put a line through him for the season, that’s for sure, so he’s training well.”

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AFL: Star Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams to miss Magpies’ top-four push

AFL: Star Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams to miss Magpies' top-four push

Collingwood midfield star Taylor Adams will resume running this Friday having “had a sook” over the groin injury which he’s adamant won’t keep him out of this year’s finals.

Adams was subbed out of the Magpies’ six-point win over Port Adelaide at half-time last Saturday and subsequent scans confirmed he suffered a groin strain.

The 28-year-old said on Tuesday he was extremely disappointed when the initial prognosis was delivered with the Magpies on a 10-game winning streak and a chance to finish in the top four under first-year coach Craig McRae.

But he quickly focused on the “silver lining” which was the chance to return in time for the first final, aided by the pre-finals bye which should give him enough time to be ready to play.

“I’ve got all the sooking out of my system. It could be better but it could be far worse,” Adams told RSN.

“I’m seeing the silver lining. I will start running again on Friday and that will give me a really good lead in to make sure that I come back fit and strong and able to sustain a full game.

“You have to shift your mindset from a situation that’s not ideal to turning it into something which is really positive. I’ve been in this situation before .. you can either sook about it for four or five days or you can get over it and put a plan in place and get back to work.

“I’m in that headspace at the moment and I’m confident if I put the work in I’ll be right. I’ve got a plan in place now and I’ll get to work and get ready to come back.”

Adams had until now played every game this season bar two, missing the round 4 defeat to West Coast while in the AFL’s Covid protocols then sitting out the narrow round 18 win over Adelaide because of a concussion.

He is first at the club for contested possessions this season, second in tackles and inside 50s, third in groundball-gets and sixth in disposals, so he is a significant loss for Craig McRae’s team at a crucial juncture.

The Magpies have won 10 matches in a row, including seven by single-digit margins, to move into third place on the ladder with reigning premier Melbourne, in-form Sydney and Carlton to come.

Only eighth-placed St Kilda, which has three fewer victories, has a worse percentage than Collingwood’s 106.2, so it will likely need to win at least twice in the final three rounds to maintain a top-four spot.

There are reinforcements on the way, with Brodie Grundy (knee) successfully negotiating his VFL comeback on Saturday, while McRae said after the Power victory that he expected Brody Mihocek (hip) to be available.

The coach stopped short of guaranteeing Grundy’s return but he played almost a full match while amassing 11 disposals, 21 hit-outs and eight tackles.

Mason Cox will be the player to make way if Grundy is recalled, unless Mihocek fails to prove his fitness.

Defender Jeremy Howe (corked buttock) sat out most of the last quarter at the weekend but should be fine for Friday night’s clash with his old side the Demons.

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Australia

Australia weather: BOM declares negative Indian Ocean Dipole, marking 60-year first

Australia weather: BOM declares negative Indian Ocean Dipole, marking 60-year first

Australia’s wet patch will continue for months, a new finding reported by the Bureau of Meteorology suggests.

A negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) has just been declared, meaning some serious wet weather is likely for large areas of the country throughout the rest of the year.

It is the second consecutive year we’ve had a negative IOD – the first time that has happened since the 1960s.

The IOD has three phases: neutral, positive and negative. Events usually start around May or June, peak between August and October and then rapidly decay when the monsoon arrives in the southern hemisphere around the end of spring.

The BOM reported the weather shift caused by a negative IOD could also have significant impacts on agriculture.

A negative IOD often results in cooler than average maximum temperatures over southeastern mainland Australia, while maximum and minimum temperatures in the far north of Australia are typically warmer than average.

Over half of the country on the east coast has roughly an 85 per cent chance of exceeding last year’s rainfall through spring.

‘Exceptionally dangerous’ conditions

A fierce double whammy weather system will lurch across Australia this week which in some areas will bring “exceptionally dangerous” conditions.

Huge waves, hundreds of millimeters of rain, flash flooding and gale force winds are all on the cards. And it won’t be a flash in the pan either with the slow moving system potentially lasting all week.

As many as six states could be hit with Western Australia and parts of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales particularly in the firing line.

“A prolonged period of wet and windy conditions will impact southern Australia this week as a series of powerful cold fronts sweep across the country,” said the Bureau of Meteorology’s Johnathan How.

“There is a very large mass of cold and unstable air over the Southern Ocean. And it’s this entire complex that will shift northwards and bring those wet and windy conditions to the rest of southern Australia.”

Sky News Weather senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said there were two key features with this system.

“Firstly, it’s slow moving so it will take the entire week to move from the south of Western Australia towards the southeast.

“So because of the slow movement of the system, it’s not just a few hours of severe weather for Western Australia – it’s three days.

“Secondly, it’s a strong system with strong to gale force winds”.

One front will move earlier in the week followed by another a couple of days later potentially bringing even more rain.

Adelaide was expected to see up to 10mm of rain on Tuesday with potentially damaging winds and thunderstorms for late morning onwards.

Rain will continue across much of the country on Wednesday, and then the front will come through on Thursday and Friday bringing up to around 25mm of rain over those two days.

A severe weather warning is in place for all of South Australia aside from the state’s north and extreme east around Remark. Damaging wind likes of up to 90 km/h are a possibility.

Mostly clear in Melbourne on Tuesday before the wind cranks up in the evening.

Showers can be expected for the rest of the week but the rain totals will be below 10mm each day.

In Sydney, showers are expected on Thursday followed by mostly sunny skies and 22C highs.

– with Benedict Brook

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Business

Metricon sacks NSW sales staff via Microsoft Teams

Metricon sacks NSW sales staff via Microsoft Teams

Construction giant Metricon has unceremoniously sacked the majority of its NSW sales staff via Microsoft Teams in the latest sign that the struggling company is teetering on collapse.

David Shorten, Metricon’s NSW state sales manager, informed staff at the Monday morning meeting that numbers would be cut to just 18, from roughly 60 currently, with redundancy payouts offered to those unable to be redeployed.

About 15 trainee sales consultants have also been terminated with no offer of redeployment.

“To better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market and ensure the most appropriate deployment of resources, we have undertaken an important review of the sales team,” Mr Shorten said in a statement read out in the Teams meeting.

“This is necessary to ensure we remain competitive in both the short and long term. The review was not undertaken lightly and has resulted in proposed changes to the current structure of the team. We understand that you may feel anxious at this time and that you are likely to have a number of questions. Under the proposed structure, the number of new home advisors will be reduced to 18.”

The affected employees were given until midday on Wednesday to offer any “thoughts, insights or feedback you may have regarding the proposed structure and approach”, with employees to be told if they’re being sacked by the end of the week.

Mr Shorten said Metricon would “select the most appropriately skilled individuals to occupy the positions moving forward” but warned “options are limited” for redeployment.

“In the event that you were unable to be redeployed to a suitable alternative position within the notice period, you would receive the relevant redundancy entitlements if they were available to you,” he said.

Employees who are offered one of the remaining roles but choose not to accept may not be entitled to a redundancy payout.

One employee, who asked not to be identified, said he had been expecting the announcement after Metricon closed its HR portal last Friday.

He said there had been some staff turnover recently with “people abandoning ship to go to competitors”, and those who stayed “basically had the rug pulled out from under them” through “no fault of their own” after believing the company’s repeated public denials that it was facing difficulties.

“It has not been received well by some of them,” he told news.com.au. “I’m a little bit burned by the whole situation.”

The company’s largest home builder was plunged into crisis in May amid reports it was on the verge of financial ruin and engaging in crisis talks with the Victorian government, following the sudden death of its founder Mario Biasin.

Acting chief executive Peter Langfelder has repeatedly shot down those allegations, but a question mark still hangs over Metricon’s future despite the company’s directors injecting $30 million into its business to allay fears about its survival, and a rescue deal being struck with Commonwealth Bank.

Last month, Metricon listed nearly 60 display homes for sale across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, worth a total of around $65 million.

The Sydney employee said “events have snowballed” since Mr Biasin’s death, adding he was skeptical the company could survive.

“We still don’t have homeowners’ warranty insurance,” he said.

“We have not been taking deposits for the last 10 weeks. It should be known. People are still waiting for builds. I’m glad we haven’t been able to take deposits – do you want to be the guy that takes someone’s $20,000, $30,000 life savings and the company goes bankrupt in three or four weeks’ time?”

Reached for comment on Tuesday, Metricon confirmed it was “process of an internal restructure of the business, with an increased focus on delivering homes to more than 6000 Australians whose houses will be constructed this year”.

“To better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market and ensure the most appropriate deployment of resources, Metricon is working to appropriately reduce its sales and marketing capability while it focuses on the construction and delivery of more than 6000 homes,” a spokeswoman said in a statement to news.com.au.

“We have commenced a consultation process with our people. This process is proposed to lead to a reduction of personnel and redundancies across the national business.”

The spokeswoman said 2020 and 2021 saw record demand for homebuilding and that Metricon “expects demand to settle at pre-pandemic levels”. “As a result, the business will rebalance towards construction on homes it is currently building and the thousands more in the pipeline – the biggest volume in the company’s history,” she said.

The impacted roles will be at the “front-end of the business, predominantly in sales and marketing roles, representing approximately 9 per cent of the national workforce”.

“With the headwinds buffeting the industry, specifically labor costs due to competition for skills, combined with present global material cost hikes and with our very strong existing pipeline of work, we need to carefully balance the current pipeline of new builds with the construction side of the business,” Mr Langfelder said in the statement.

“We are working to restructure our front-end of the business given the current climate and the need to move forward efficiently. We are committed to looking after any of our people who may be impacted by these proposed changes, and they will continue to have ongoing access to the company’s support and mental health services.”

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was rebalancing the business’ focus over the next 18 months on executing builds as quickly and efficiently as possible whilst maintaining equilibrium in the pipeline.

“We have previously said that our company has a proven history of success and remains profitable and viable, with the full support of our key stakeholders – this remains the case today,” he said.

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was still expected to continue to contract on average 100 homes per week, in line with pre-pandemic levels. “Our future construction pipeline shows no sign of slowing down with more than 600 site-starts scheduled for 2023,” he said.

The spokeswoman did not address the claim that Metricon was not taking deposits.

The Australian building industry has been plagued with escalating issues that have already seen Gold Coast-based Condev and industry giant Probuild enter into liquidation in recent months, while smaller operators like Hotondo Homes Hobart and Perth firms Home Innovation Builders and New Sensation Homes, as well as Sydney-based firm Next have also failed, leaving homeowners out of pocket and with unfinished houses.

The crisis is the result of a perfect storm of conditions hitting one after the other, including supply chain disruptions due largely to the pandemic and then the Russia-Ukraine conflict, followed by skilled labor shortages, skyrocketing costs of materials and logistics and extreme weather events .

The industry’s traditional reliance on fixed-price contracts has also seriously exacerbated the problem, with contracts signed months before a build gets underway, including the surging costs of essential materials such as timber and steel.

It comes after it recently emerged that Australia recorded a staggering 3917 liquidations or administration appointments across all industries during the 2021-22 financial year.

The construction sector led the charge, representing 28 per cent of all insolvencies, although firms from countless industries also failed in the face of soaring inflation and interest rate pressures, Covid chaos, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions.

There were 1536 collapses in NSW, with Victoria recording 1022, Queensland 665, WA 350, South Australia 196, 91 for the ACT, 29 for Tasmania and 28 in the Northern Territory.

According to consumer credit reporting agency Equifax, “small-scale operators in Australia’s construction industry could well be the canary in the coal mine for the difficulties that lie ahead for this sector”.

The company late last month claimed that “the significant increase in construction company failures since the start of the year shows no sign of abating”, with provisional data indicating that construction insolvencies increased 19 per cent for the month of May, sitting 43 per cent higher than May 2021.

Overall, construction insolvencies have increased 30 per cent over the last 12 months, according to Equifax.

[email protected] with Alexis Carey

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Sports

Erin Phillips’ heartwarming Port Adelaide captaincy reveal melts AFL

Erin Phillips' heartwarming Port Adelaide captaincy reveal melts AFL

WNBA-turned-footy superstar Erin Phillips has brought her footy legend father to tears after revealing she would be Port Adelaide’s inaugural AFLW captain.

Erin, who has been a three-time premiership player, two-time league best-and-fairest and two-time Grand Final best on ground winner with the Adelaide Crows, revealed she would be joining Port Adelaide after winning last season’s decider.

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Erin’s father Greg Phillips was an eight-time Port Adelaide SANFL premiership player and the captain between 1991 and his retirement in 1993 — before the club joined the AFL in 1997.

Greg, who was a 1980 All-Australian, played 343 games for the club and an addition 84 games for Collingwood in the VFL in over 18 years in top-flight footy.

He was also named in Port Adelaide’s greatest ever team, is a life member of the club and is an inaugural inductee into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame and a 2020 inductee into the AFL Hall of Fame.

So it’s safe to say the club means a fair bit to him and the family.

When joining the club, Erin said she would wear her father’s No. 22 when joining the club.

But after getting Greg down to the club for a photo shoot, he immediately realized the jig was up when the No. 1, which is reserved for the club captain, was on the back of the jersey.

“What’s this number? What’s this? Put another twenty one numbers on … plus twenty one?” Greg asked.

“Well you know how you said the best part of being at Port Adelaide was being captain?” Erin said.

“Are you already?” Greg replied.

He immediately wrapped her in a hug.

Clearly emotional, he said simply: “Well done”.

“I don’t get to wear the 22 but I get to wear the No. 1,” Erin added.

“Oh good girl,” Greg added. “Did they vote that in?”

Phillips was voted captain, while Ange Foley was named vice-captain and Hannah Dunn, Gemma Houghton and Justine Mules also made up the leadership group.

But he couldn’t hold the emotion back rubbing his eyes, saying: “This is a shock”.

He then joked: “Are they sure you’re not too old?”

“Pretty special, huh?” Erin said.

“Well done, well done,” Greg said. “Well, it doesn’t matter what number you wear, I’m proud of you.”

They were lovely scenes and Erin also spoke about letting her dad know in the press release from the club.

“My dad always said to me the only thing better than playing for this club is being captain of this club and, he was right,” Phillips said.

“Telling him the news that I had been named captain was a very special and emotional moment for both of us.

“I’m so excited to be following in his footsteps and can’t wait to lead the team onto the ground for the first time. It will be yet another special moment for this group and for Port Adelaide.”

The 37-year-old Erin has had an incredible athletic career, having started as a basketball star and winning the WNBA twice.

She also won a World Championship gold for Australia in 2006, playing in two Olympic Games, including winning silver in 2008, and won 2006 Commonwealth Games gold.

She instantly made an enormous impact in the AFLW after retiring from basketball in 2017.

But in joining Port Adelaide for its first season in rugby league, Erin told Howie Games podcast with commentator Mark Howard being able to play for the Power was like going full circle.

“It was pretty emotional,” she said. “I reckoned the whole build up to deciding whether to stay at the Crows or go to Port Adelaide was very emotional. It was emotional for him. As a father, he was more concerned about me and just wanting me to make a decision and feel comfortable with it and then get on with life.

“When I told him, he obviously was ecstatic because it was Port Adelaide. He would have been just as happy if it was the Crows to be honest. I think he was just so relieved because he knew how hard a decision it was for me and now that I had made a decision and could just focus forward. He was absolutely pumped.

“I think the Port Adelaide part will hit him a little closer to when we run out for the first game. Running out the exact same race as he ran out.

“I’d be hanging over the fence trying to get a high-five from him and his teammates. It’s unbelievable to think I play for Port Adelaide, a team I was pretty much born into. It still blows my mind.”

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Business

China mocks Scott Morrison, Australia’s ‘arrogance’ after ACCC gas report

China mocks Scott Morrison, Australia's 'arrogance' after ACCC gas report

China has branded Australia “laughable”, mocking the Government and former prime minister Scott Morrison in the wake of a “damning” gas report.

The comments were made as part of a scornful article published by the CCP-controlled Global Times.

The piece mocks a suggestion that Australia could step in and help with supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European allies impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

At the start of 2022, the then-prime minister Mr Morrison said his government was looking at options that would allow Australia to fill international demand for gas if Russia stops exporting to Europe.

“Awkwardly, some in Australia are now warning of a potential shortage in the country and urging to set aside gas for Australia’s own electricity network before selling to the rest of the world,” the Global Times article noted.

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On Monday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) gas inquiry 2017-2025 interim report warned businesses could shut down and there could be a record shortage of gas in the southern states next year unless something is done about the nation’s energy crisis.

The ACCC predicted a 56 petajoule shortfall in east coast gas supply by 2023, a figure it called a “significant risk to energy security” that was equivalent to 10 per cent of expected domestic demand.

China said the situation currently facing Australia was both “laughable and serious”.

“Laughable, because this reflects Australian officials’ overconfidence and arrogance in making empty promises it cannot deliver; serious, because a potential move could significantly affect already disrupted global energy supplies, given that Australia is known as one of the world’s top LNG exporters,” the newspaper noted.

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has seen international demand for LNG soar, with Beijing claiming a decision from Australia to impose export restrictions could “hurt some of its European and Asian allies the most”.

The article blasted Mr Morrison for his “empty promises” for saying Australia will help its allies when they are in need.

“It is clear that a possible reduction in Australia’s LNG exports would further exacerbate the global energy crisis and push up prices, while increasing the energy anxiety in countries that used to see Australia as a reliable source of supplies,” the Global Times said.

“Some of its allies may also be annoyed by Australia’s inability to actually offer help in areas where it apparently has an advantage.”

The article noted that China has recently made efforts to diversify its energy imports following recent tensions with Australia, with Beijing last year signing new LNG contracts with the US instead.

However, the outlet assured readers that any decision by Australia would not “fundamentally undermine” China’s energy security.

Government reacts to ‘damning’ gas report

Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King branded the new ACCC report as “damning” of gas exporters after it found they were not engaging locally “in the spirit” of the heads of agreement.

“We remain concerned that some (liquefied) natural gas LNG exporters are not engaging with the domestic market in the spirit in which the heads of agreement was signed,” the report said.

“LNG producers will need to divert a significant proportion of their excess gas into the domestic market.”

Ms King said gas producers “know” the report is “damning for them”.

“The ACCC report is damning, no doubt about it,” she said.

“It sets out patterns and instances of behavior that are clearly not acceptable in an environment where we do have an international and domestic energy supply crisis.”

The ACCC described the outlook for 2023 as “very concerning” with gas prices likely to increase.

“The outlook for 2023 is very concerning and is likely to place further upward pressure on prices, which could result in some commercial and industry users no longer being able to operate,” the report said.

“It could also lead to demand having to be curtailed.”

This shortfall will mainly affect NSW, Victoria, South Australia, the ACT and Tasmania, where “resources have been diminishing for some time”, though Queensland may also be impacted.

– with NCA NewsWire

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Categories
Sports

Caroline Wilson blasts Richmond coach Damien Hardwick’s apology after local footy outburst

Caroline Wilson blasts Richmond coach Damien Hardwick's apology after local footy outburst

AFL journalist Caroline Wilson has taken aim at Richmond coach Damien Hardwick’s apology after his outburst at a local footy game two weekends ago.

Hardwick was watching the Tigers VFL side dominate Williamstown in a 10.14 (74) to 2.7 (19) thrashing but took umbrage at an on-field incident between the Seagulls’ Darby Henderson and Richmond’s AFL-listed player Rhyan Mansell.

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Hardwick allegedly called Williamstown players “weak f***ing pricks” during the contest at Punt Road Oval but was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Hardwick fronted up and apologized for the incident.

“I understand in my position I’ve got to be better than that,” Hardwick said last Thursday, speaking for the first time about the incident.

“I’ve got to be probably judged to a higher standard, and I understand that. What I will ask is that (people remember) I am human.

“I’m going to make mistakes and there’s no doubt that I overstepped the mark.”

Hardwick added: “I probably didn’t need to lean over the fence and yell but that’s me.

“What makes me good makes me bad.”

He also said he had not been sanctioned by Richmond or the AFL but had received a scalding from his mum Pam.

“It’s funny how you’re still scared of your mother at the age of 49,” he joked.

But the apology got Wilson’s nose out of joint and she took aim on Footy Classified on Monday night.

“Damien Hardwick is not the first AFL coach to behave badly at the footy and then make a half-hearted apology,” she said.

“But that doesn’t excuse the Richmond coach’s disappointing effort five days ago.

“Damien’s abusive tirade issued at Williamstowns’s Darby Henderson did have a touch of Alastair Clarkson about it. And like Clarko and Mick Malthouse and Luke Beveridge also demonstrated a similar unwillingness to take full responsibility.

“’What makes me good makes me bad’, he said, ‘I need to be better’. And again to soften the blow he invoked the spirit of a woman in the family, mother Pam seems to be the new Mrs Hardwick.”

Wilson was referring to Hardwick’s penchant for mentioning his ex-wife “Mrs Hardwick” in press conferences, before the pair split up.

She added: “But Damien, as a national sporting leader, a renowned and championed statesman of the game, we do hold you to a higher standard and you do need to be better.

“No one expects perfection, but on this occasion an unmitigated apology would have been a lot better.”

The comments sparked some discussion on the panel, as Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes defended Hardwick.

“It’s a harsh one. I think you’re being a bit hard on him. What more did you need from his apology for him there? Cornes asked.

Wilson: “’I absolutely did the wrong thing, nobody should abuse players and swear at players at the football. As a premiership coach I, of all people, shouldn’t do that’.”

Corners: “Didn’t he say that? He said ‘I need to be held to a higher account than the other people’.”

Wilson: “’But my mum got mad at me and I’m still scared of my mum’? Who is he? Scott Morrison? Seriously, that was not good enough.”

Corners: “I think you are being a bit harsh. I think that is not a serious offence.”

Wilson: “He is a champion coach, just off the back of a brilliant performance, people need to properly apologise. He has been told he had to apologise, he should have either refused or not apologised.”

Corners: “I took that as a heartfelt apology.”

Another narrative has emerged over the future of the three-time premiership coach. Hardwick has been at the helm of Richmond since 2010 and questions have been asked about whether 13 years is enough.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd asked if Wilson would “move on from him” if she had the choice.

“I separate Damien Hardwick the coach and some of the other stuff,” Wilson said.

“I think like Alastair (Clarkson), and he also, as we know, he is also a champion coach, he did some terrible things in bad behavior off the field, junior footy game with a Port Adelaide supporter, punching a wall, swearing at journalists and Luke Beveridge as well.

“It’s not good enough. Apologies make the world go round and set examples to young people about how they should behave.”

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