The Western Bulldogs will devise a battle plan to hinder Max Gawn’s run from stoppages in a bid to quell a man who could become only the second ruckman to claim the Norm Smith Medal. The Bulldogs have taken note of Gawn’s stunning effort against Geelong in the preliminary final
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Marcus Smith gets green light to make Premiership return ahead of fellow Lions
Harlequins have received a boost ahead of their Premiership title defence after learning prodigious fly-half Marcus Smith will be permitted an early return to club rugby. Most Premiership-based players who travelled to South Africa for the British and Irish Lions tour will be stood down until October 18 in order
‘Sliding Doors’: How Tom Trbojevic was almost lost to the AFL
Tom Trbojevic is the unbackable favourite for the Dally M medal, but those who spent time with him at the Sydney Swans Academy reckon he could well have been a Brownlow contender had he stuck with AFL. Trbojevic juggled AFL and rugby league in his teens, before turning his full
Martin one of up to a dozen contenders for Richmond captaincy
Dustin Martin will be one of up to a dozen contenders as Richmond take their time in choosing the man to replace Trent Cotchin as captain. After nine seasons at the helm, Cotchin on Tuesday night announced he would not continue as skipper in 2022. He led the Tigers for
‘Surreal’ NRL debut still a haze for Eels winger Dunster
It was in the corresponding semi-final last season that Haze Dunster made one of the more unusual NRL debuts. Parramatta had already been rocked by a spate of injuries to their outside backs, including to winger Maika Sivo, in the lead-up to their clash with South Sydney. And then a
Panthers ‘got too stuck’ on Taaffe during finals loss after Bennett mind games
The Panthers admit they got “stuck” on targeting Blake Taaffe in their loss to the Rabbitohs after being sucked in by Wayne Bennett’s mind games last week. The 22-year-old was named by Bennett in the No.1 jersey for Saturday’s qualifying final after Latrell Mitchell’s suspension. The selection raised eyebrows at
World Rugby chief’s reply to World 12s raises concern for competition’s future
New plans for a World 12s rugby competition will be considered by the sport’s organisers, but World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont has raised doubts over how it will affect the current calendar. World 12s was recently unveiled as rugby’s answer to The Hundred, a faster-paced, shorter-format version of the sport
Cotchin relinquishes Richmond captaincy
Trent Cotchin has stepped down as Richmond captain after nine years and three premierships. Cotchin, 31, led the Tigers in 188 matches but Richmond announced on Tuesday night that the Brownlow Medallist had relinquished the role ahead of the 2022 season, which could be his last at AFL level. Trent
Dogs premiership player could be squeezed out for grand final
Premiership player Zaine Cordy could be a hard-luck story this time around, with the Western Bulldogs set for a grand final selection squeeze. While forward Laitham Vandermeer is in doubt for the season decider against Melbourne after hamstring tightness forced him from the ground in the preliminary final win over
Wayne does it again as Souths march on
Take a bow Wayne Bennett. And Tom Burgess. And Adam Reynolds. And Blake Taaffe. In fact, take a bow every player who was wearing the famous South Sydney red and green on a memorable Saturday night in Townsville. Jaxson Paulo scores a try in Townsville.Credit:Getty The wily old supercoach and