Geoff Parkes's Blog

‘The weather won out today’: Aussies retain Trophy after washout

Australia have retained the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after rain washed out the second Twenty20 International against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui.

The inclement weather denied the Kiwis the chance at holding the trophy for a fourth consecutive series.

The tourists’ hopes of securing victory in the three-match series now hinge on winning the final match on Saturday, when the weather is expected to fine up.

But success in Wednesday’s series opener has left Mitch Marsh’s side 1-0 ahead and...

Cron to coach Australia A as Les Kiss’ hands-off approach continues two years out from RWC

Les Kiss might be the Wallabies coach-in-waiting, but Simon Cron will take charge of Australia A later this month for their one-off match against a Japanese XV side in Osaka.

The Roar can reveal the Western Force coach was asked last week if he would lead the side. It’s believed the squad will be selected by current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.

The Australia A fixture will be played on October 18 – one week before the Wallabies take on Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms in Tokyo on October 25. No...

Third-gen Socceroo back in the fold after two-year freeze and rumours of allegiance switch

Third-generation Socceroo Alex Robertson has been included in Australia’s squad for friendlies against Canada and the US, ending an almost two-year stand-off.

Cardiff City midfielder Robertson, a talented playmaker, was last selected in October 2023 under Graham Arnold and has two caps.

He is also eligible to play for Peru, Scotland and England and was recently tipped to switch allegiances to Peru.

Alex Robertson, No.26, is back with the national team. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

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AFL News: Petracca makes trade choice, Scott pays tribute to Merrett as Dons skipper claims sixth B&F

Christian Petracca has nominated Gold Coast as his trade destination of choice.

Having recently informed Melbourne of his intent to seek a new home in 2026, despite being contracted until 2029, the Norm Smith Medallist had been strongly linked to the Suns and Adelaide, having headed to both cities in the last week to speak with club officials.

On Friday, Nine’s Tom Morris reported that the 29-year old had chosen the Suns.

Christian Petracca has chosen the Gold Coast Suns.@FootyonNine @...

‘Sacked in the morning’: Forest fans turn on defiant Ange after shocking 100-year first – ‘nothing surprises me’

Nottingham Forest have suffered defeat in their first European game at the City Ground in almost 30 years as the home fans turned on new boss Ange Postecoglou during a 3-2 Europa League loss to Midtjylland.

Postecoglou’s winless run since he took over 22 days ago continued and the Forest fans vented their frustration, with chants of “sacked in the morning” aimed at the Australian alongside songs of support for former boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The result meant Postecoglou became the first p...

Exclusive: Waugh’s U-turn in bid to cash in on Rugby Championship’s success, shift to February mooted

Weeks after the SANZAAR board unanimously agreed to shift to a tours format for 2028, Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh made a U-turn and wants The Rugby Championship to continue instead.

It’s understood that Australia’s rival TRC nations won’t stand in the way of the four-team competition taking place that year, although a consequence would be that only two Bledisloe Cup fixtures will be scheduled in 2028, unless a third trans-Tasman fixture can be separately arranged.

The Rugby Championship...

Counting down the 10 Best NRL teams of the 21st Century: First up, the very good players but not quite superstars

In the past 25 years, rugby league has had hundreds of incredible players and unforgettable teams take the field.

From game-changing superstars to hard-hitting enforcers, the 21st century has given us no shortage of talent.

But I’ve set myself the challenge: to name the top 10 teams from 2000 to 2025. Every player is judged only on how they performed during this era – not on reputation, not on what they did before or after.

Of course, with a task this big, there’s bound to be plenty of...

All things concussion and the NRL: How to improve fairness, protect player welfare and combat clubs gaming the system

The impact that research into concussion has had on contact sports over the last 15 years has been profound.

Administrators around the globe have been scrambling in response and protocols are continually changing to be in line with the latest recommendations.

The NRL is no different and the safeguards in place now are clearly a vast improvement on the past.

However, there are a number of concussion-related aspects of the game that could be much better handled.

These are the impact...

‘Akin to the IPL’: Schmidt weighs in on R360 threat, calls on breakaway competition to be ‘transformative’

Rugby Australia might have blacklisted its players from joining R360, but Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has challenged the competition to have the same “transformative” influence on rugby as the Indian Premier League has had on cricket.

After months of speculation around the Mike Tindell-fronted competition, R360’s bid to get up and running next year took a significant step forward in recent days.

While there are several hurdles to clear before the competition gets up and running, the touted...

‘Who is this clown? Langer offers words of wisdom to Konstas over unusual approach to Test opener’s gig

Test legend Justin Langer says he’s just as confused as Australian cricket fans about the unhealthy merry-go-round opening position, but he’s backing Sam Konstas to get the job done if selected.

Just who will open alongside Usman Khawaja for this summer’s blockbuster Ashes series remains a huge talking point, with Sheffield Shield performances expected to settle the debate over the coming weeks.

In Langer’s eyes, Cameron Green should bat at No.3, and the race is down to Konstas, Nathan McS...