Geoff Parkes's Blog, page 9

Wallabies’ hopes of snapping Eden Park, Bledisloe Cup hoodoo cop hammer blow

In a massive blow to their hopes of ending the All Blacks’ 51-Test unbeaten streak at Eden Park and putting one hand on the Bledisloe Cup, the Wallabies have lost enforcer Rob Valetini to another calf injury for next weekend’s clash in Auckland.

Already without Will Skelton, the loss of the back-to-back John Eales Medallist is a hammer blow to their hopes of going one-nil up in the best-of-two Bledisloe Cup series, which also acts as the final leg of The Rugby Championship. The Wallabies must...

‘Season is done’: Magpies DISASTER after brutal Pendlebury blow minutes into prelim

Collingwood have suffered a massive blow losing veteran Scott Pendlebury to a calf injury less than three minutes into the preliminary final against Brisbane.

The Magpies kicked the opening seven points of the game, thanks to a Mason Cox goal, but more concerning was Pendlebury limping to the bench without any meaningful contribution to the game.

“Major story BT – that man on screen, Roan Steele, the sub, he’s into the game,” Mitch Cleary told Channel 7.

More A...

‘Very pro a week off’: Chol learns fate over Stewart concussion as debate erupts over pre-grand final bye

Geelong have been hit with an enormous blow, with star Tom Stewart ruled out of the grand final with concussion after a first-quarter incident, while Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol has been handed a hefty suspension.

The Cats stormed home after the first break to book their place in the decider with a dominant final three quarters, but the major talking point was the defender’s health.

Stewart was heavily tackled by Chol, having been knocked off balance by Sam Butler, with his head hitting the gro...

‘Tackle is legal’: Umpiring great defends Chol over controversial incident as Stewart concussion ends GF hopes, sparks debate

Geelong have been hit with an enormous blow early in their preliminary final against Hawthorn, with star defender Tom Stewart ruled out with concussion after a first-quarter incident.

Stewart was heavily tackled by Hawks forward Mabior Chol, having been knocked off balance by Sam Butler, with his head hitting the ground.

Initially, greater concerns were for a potentially injured wrist, but after the Cats backman was helped from the field by trainers, he was substituted out of the match wit...

AFL News: Goodwin finds new home, Bombers president’s foul-mouthed rant, former Rising Star winner plots comeback

Former Melbourne premiership coach Simon Goodwin has found his new AFL home, moving to Sydney as a football director.

Goodwin will join Swans coach Dean Cox as a director of coaching and performance after being axed by the Demons in August.

The 48-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the Sydney coaching box, with Cox entering his second year at the helm.

The Swans paid the price for a slow start to this year’s season, finishing 10th (12-11) after a last-gasp effort to make finals f...

What did I miss? Gordon makes ‘bittersweet’ returns after injury cost him a role in three massive wins

Scrumhalf Jake Gordon says it’s been bittersweet watching the Wallabies post some famous wins without him, and he’s eager to join in on the fun with a drought-breaking victory at Eden Park.

Gordon injured himself on the eve of the third Test against the British and Irish Lions in August.

It meant not only did he miss that win in Sydney a few days later, but also the Wallabies’ drought-breaking triumph against South Africa in Johannesburg, and the last-gasp victory over Argentina in Townsvi...

Ashes tweak gives Cummins hope to play in all Tests – but skipper admits that might not be ‘realistic’

Pat Cummins is aiming to play in all five Ashes Tests, but Australia’s grounded pace ace will only know if it’s a realistic option closer to the series. 

The will-he-or-won’t-he storyline surrounding Cummins’ fitness is set to dominate the build up to the Ashes, with the nation’s top-ranked bowler nursing a back issue.

Cummins has fronted media three times this month since news of the injury, first at a Cricket Australia event a fortnight ago and last week at a sponsorship announcement.

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No matter how many toys they receive, TMOs can’t guarantee ‘clear-and-obvious’ verdicts

When all is said and dusted about them from the cheap seats, the television match officials (TMOs), love them or berate them, have shifted the axis of officiating in rugby union.

The paranoia is undeniable that TMOs can tip ecstasy on its head to inflict agony on everyone involved in a game, especially at the higher echelons of footy, where, arguably, the cut seems to be felt the deepest. Even whistleblowers, as a collective, have undergone pangs of insecurity in the belief that they are losi...

NRL News: Politis explains ‘zero tolerance’ Radley backflip, new rule confuses Raiders, unwanted Panther open to offers

Roosters chair Nick Politis has claimed that he has taken the club’s “zero tolerance” drugs policy as far as they can based on the available evidence after Victor Radley survived the axe but received a 10-game suspension without pay following media revelations he requested cocaine from ex-teammate Brandon Smith.

The hefty ban comes alongside a $30,000 fine to be donated to St Vincent’s Hospital, representing the heaviest penalty ever handed down by the Roosters to a player.

The Roosters ha...

AFL preliminary final TEAMS: Cats’ big ruck call, Howe back for Pies, just one change

Just one change has been made across the four preliminary final line-ups for the penultimate weekend of the season, with Geelong, Hawthorn and Brisbane fielding unchanged teams for their do-or-die matches.

The Hawks have kept together the team which defeated Adelaide in their semi final, with veteran Luke Breust the only absence from the emergency list after suffering a severe knee injury in VFL affiliate Box Hill’s preliminary final loss last week.

The Cats, meanwhile, have opted against ...