Geoff Parkes's Blog, page 413
September 22, 2023
Pies confirm grand final heartbreak for McStay as knee injury rules key forward out
Collingwood have ruled Daniel McStay out of the AFL grand final after scans confirmed the key forward suffered a knee injury.
McStay kicked two vital goals in the Magpies’ thrilling one-point preliminary-final win – 8.10 (58) to 8.9 (57) – over GWS on Friday night before hurting his right knee during the third quarter.
McStay cut a despondent figure amid otherwise jubilant scenes in the Collingwood change rooms after the match.
Scans on Saturday revealed the 28-year-old suffered a high-...
Kingsley slams GWS star’s ‘extremely disappointing’ last-quarter HIA – but Giants only had themselves to blame
GWS coach Adam Kingsley has lamented the Head Injury Assessment that saw Giants forward Brent Daniels spend the dying minutes of their preliminary final loss to Collingwood on the bench.
Daniels was tackled from behind by Magpie Nick Daicos with 13 minutes left in the final quarter, with the Giant hitting his head on the ground.
Daniels would remain on the field for several more minutes as the Giants medical staff closely analysed vision of the incident, but with six minutes to go, the for...
‘Tell the doctor I’m built different’: No fear for Luai as shoulder passes first test ahead of Grand Final
Jarome Luai is a confident man, but even he must have had doubts about going into a Preliminary Final just a month after dislocating his shoulder.
His injury, sustained against Parramatta in the penultimate round of the regular season, was tough to take, but Luai put in the hard yards to get back on the field as quickly as possible – while maintaining a wall against the outside noise from the media.
Asked if he had been worried about his shoulder popping back out following reports that one...
Munster missing in action: Melbourne’s marquee man made to look second rate as Cleary puts on purr-fect Panthers clinic
The fortunes of each team on Friday night at Accor Stadium were ultimately going to rest with their star playmaker.
Nathan Cleary was near perfect, Cameron Munster was nearly invisible.
Jarome Luai came into the game with question marks over his dodgy shoulder after suffering a dislocation less than a month ago but it was his rival wearing No.6 for other team who played like he was wearing a dinnersuit.
Munster at his best is the game’s most damaging five-eighth with the ability to bre...
ANALYSIS: Good luck everyone else as Penrith have way To’o much power – but Storm did everything to help them
If anyone stops the threepeat, it will be a miracle. Penrith advance to the Grand Final with a 38-4 dismantling of the Storm at Accor Stadium, further enhancing their credentials as the best team in the NRL, and likely, the best of the NRL era. As if that were necessary.
Melbourne didn’t help themselves at all, dropping the ball constantly on a night where they had to be at their best to stand a chance.
Even so, they could have played perfectly and still lost. Penrith are that good. Natha...
‘People smell blood’: Eddie says Wallabies had to change ahead of World Cup … even if it costs him his job
Eddie Jones says he has no regrets about not picking an experienced playmaker and ushering through the next generation of Wallabies – even if it costs him his multimillion-dollar job.
In a high-octane press conference where Jones’ selection policy went under the microscope ahead of their do-or-die clash against Wales, the veteran coach didn’t flinch.
‘Spooked’: Wallabies star reacts to Mitchell meltdown, as Campo claims youngsters ‘don’t understand importance’ of WC
Wallabies veteran James Slipper says he understands the reasons for former star Drew Mitchell’s explosive takedown of of Eddie Jones after the Fiji loss and predicts there will be more to come unless the team can turn around their fortunes against Wales.
On Friday Jones said “I don’t even know wh...
Dire diagnosis as scans reveal damage to Dupont, plunging France’s RWC campaign into doubt
France’s chances of lifting the World Cup have taken a massive dent with scans revealing captain Antoine Dupont suffered a facial fracture in the 96-0 win over Namibia.
The 2021 World Player of the Year and captain of the host nation was hit by Namibian captain Johan Deysel in the second half. Deysel received a red card.
The 26-year-old was examined by medical staff and was clutching his face. He didn’t return from a HIA check and was taken to hospital while the game was ongoing.
“Antoi...
RWC teams week 3: Eddie makes three changes, Farrell back for England, Ireland tweak halves for Boks
Wallabies fans face a nervous wait ahead of the must-win game against Wales – with their clash in Lyon the final act of eight games in an extended matchweek three.
Italy and Uruguay kick us off early Thursday morning, Australian time, while the match against Wales in Lyon is on at 5am AEST Monday morning.
That match aside, the blockbuster fixture this week sees two of the top favourites – Ireland and South Africa clash in Paris early Sunday morning AEST.
The Wallabies named the team for...
September 21, 2023
Yze the new Tiger King: Richmond confirm Melbourne assistant as new senior coach
Richmond have confirmed experienced Melbourne assistant Adem Yze as their permanent successor for triple premiership coach Damien Hardwick.
Yze has won the Tigers’ job after a series of recent interviews, beating out caretaker coach Andrew McQualter.
After Hardwick abruptly quit as Richmond coach in May after 13-and-a-half seasons, McQualter led the Tigers to seven wins from his 13 games in charge.
Yze has been an assistant in the AFL system for more than a decade, first working part-ti...
