Geoff Parkes's Blog, page 7

The Geelong juggernaut has never been stronger – and it all starts with ‘Bomber’ Thompson

It has been 25 years since Mark “Bomber” Thompson first coached the Geelong Football Club.

The former Essendon champion joined the Cats in 2000, after a glittering career for the Bombers which saw him play in three premierships, including captaining the 1993 flag.

While Chris Scott has carried on the legacy over the past 15 years, it was Thompson who started it all, building a Cats premiership dynasty from the ground up. He drafted the players he wanted, and taught them from scratch about...

The Brownlow has become the midfielder’s medal – but are the umpires to blame?

Awarding the 2025 Brownlow Medal to Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell has continued the justified belief that the Brownlow Medal is the midfielder’s medal.

2003 was the last time a non-midfielder won the award, with Adam Goodes playing as a ruckman. Prior to that, back pocket Gavin Wanganeen (1993) was the last defender, Scott Wynd (1992) the last pure ruckman, and Tony Lockett (1987) the last forward to win.

Along with the 38 midfielders to win since Lockett, Patrick Cripps being awarded the most...

Matt Rowell’s Brownlow caps off a remarkable rise for the Suns

Six years ago, during the 2019 season, the Gold Coast Suns were at their darkest point.

In their ninth year after entering the AFL, the Suns had shown no progress of establishing themselves as a serious football club. They finished the season with just three wins, and lost their last 18 games.

12 months prior, co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May left, amid a plethora of talent looking for the quickest way out of the club.

It was in this dark moment that the Suns received the boon they...

Bulldogs bogged down by rain in AFLW slugfest

At half-time at Whitten Oval, the heavens opened.

The round 6 AFLW clash featured the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions, with a decent show of Lions supporters, in town for the men’s preliminary final the day before.

The Bulldogs fans present were the ones most dedicated to the women’s game, as they missed out on attending their team’s win in the VFL grand final, scheduled for the same time.

“Lions too good in difficult conditions,” is how the Bulldogs accurately described the game on...

AFL crucial cogs, grand final: Which players need to stand up for your team?

There’s plenty at stake in the 2025 grand final, with the Lions hoping to go back-to-back and the Cats looking to claim the ultimate success.

Geelong

Oisin Mullin has been outstanding in the two finals games that the Cats have won; the 25-year-old got the better of Hugh McCluggage in the qualifying final and restricted Nick Watson to one goal in the preliminary final.

Mullin has grown in stature and is getting the praise he deserves after two flawless final’s games, being matched up ag...

AFL grand final TEAMS: Neale call confirmed, Cats settle on Stewart replacement

Brisbane have named co-captain Lachie Neale for the grand final, after weeks of debate and conjecture over whether the dual Brownlow Medallist should be recalled.

Neale injured his calf in the Lions’ qualifying final loss to grand final opponents Geelong, but has made a whirlwind recovery to save his season.

The Lions never guaranteed his selection, but after fully training throughout the week, the veteran midfielder has been given the green light to return.

However, the news isn’t so g...

The ’50 points’ hoodoo is indisputable NRL voodoo, not sporting mumbo jumbo or a steaming pile of doo-doo

The game of rugby league has always loved its hoodoos, so much so that the NRL even used a Hoodoo Gurus song as the game’s theme 20-odd years ago.

Like Olympic records though, most hoodoos are eventually broken, while some just keep hanging on and may never be broken, including:

• Melbourne never lose a first-round home game; and
• Souths have never defeated the Storm in Melbourne.

Heaven help Souths if they ever play the Storm in the first round in Melbourne.

...

UK View: ‘Wildest dreams’ – Poms licking lips over ‘most hostile group of fast bowlers since 1970’

The English media has reacted with cautious optimism to the naming of a pace-packed Ashes squad, with suggestions the Aussies’ loss in the World Test Championship final showed vulnerabilities that can be exposed by Ben Stokes’ team.

The decision to promote Harry Brook ahead of Ollie Pope as Stokes’ deputy also dominated discussion.

England’s unprecedented pace depth has led to belief that this could be their best chance of winning in Australia since 2010-11.

ENGLAND’S ASHES TOUR SQUAD

...

Super Rugby AUS teams: Donaldson back to start for Force, Sevens flyer wins debut, Reds ring the changes

It’s the final round-robin weekend of the Super Rugby AUS series, with several big name Wallabies stepping out.

Saturday

Brumbies vs Waratahs at Viking Park, Canberra, 5pm AEST

NSW Waratahs coach Lachlan McCaffrey has named a largely unchanged team ahead of Saturday’s crucial Super Rugby AUS clash against the ACT Brumbies at Viking Park.

Last week’s bonus point win over the Queensland Reds saw the Waratahs ascend to second place on the ladder and victory over the Brumbies will se...

AFL News: ‘Attack him’ – Hodge’s call for Cats as Lions’ Neale decision looms, ex-Bomber’s plea to past players

Brisbane are set to roll the dice on co-captain Lachie Neale for Saturday’s grand final – but according to reports, it could be in a surprise role.

Neale has made a miraculously speedy comeback from a calf injury sustained in the Lions’ qualifying final loss to grand final opponents Geelong, which was originally diagnosed as career-ending.

The two-time Brownlow Medallist trained fully with teammates on Tuesday, and according to Caroline Wilson on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters, will suit u...