Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Stanley looking for back-to-back in GF sprint

ST KILDA ruckman Rhys Stanley will attempt to become the first player in six years to win back-to-back grand final sprints when he takes to the field for Saturday’s half time race.

The 19-year-old won the dash last year and is poised to replicate the feat of Fremantle midfielder James Walker, who claimed the title in 2003 and 2004.

To get there, he’ll have to beat a competitive outfit of pacy options over the line headed by Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide), Ben Nason (Richmond) and Lewis Jetta (Sydney Swans).

The Gold Coast Suns and GWS will also be represented by Trent McKenzie and Tim Golds.

McKenzie was the quickest player over 20m to go through the AIS program in 2009 while Golds held school records over 400m.

The Saints’ grand final opponent Collingwood will be represented by midfielder Ryan Cook,  while Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas will be looking to continue his winning form after recently claiming his club’s best and fairest.

Jack Redden (Brisbane Lions), Jake Melksham (Essendon), Liam Anthony (North Melbourne) and Jack Watts (Melbourne) have had four weeks to practice their technique over 100m after their teams missed the finals.

Carlton’s Marc Murphy, Hawthorn’s Ben Stratton and Fremantle’s Garrick Ibbotson have had less time to prepare while the Western Bulldogs’ Liam Picken may have been their only option after nearly half their preliminary final side was booked in for post-season surgery.

However, the biggest (no pun intended) threat to Stanley’s reign could come in the form of a fellow big man, with West Coast ruckman Dean Cox to make the trip across the Nullarbor to face off for the title.

Geelong is yet to name its participant, with Mitch Duncan to be replaced due to injury.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

ALL BLACKS

All Blacks legend Buck Shelford says Wallabies were robbed of victory



Former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford said a wrong decision by match officials robbed the Wallabies of victory over New Zealand at ANZ Stadium.


And once again it was Richie McCaw who hoodwinked the referee and got away with it.

Shelford argued the try by the All Blacks skipper in the 65th minute that sparked New Zealand’s comeback when they were trailing 22-9 should never have been awarded.

"The 23-22 win over the Wallabies was the ugliest of the All Blacks' season -- no doubt about it -- and if the officials played by the rules it would have been their first defeat too," Shelford said on the tvnz website.



"Richie McCaw clearly broke from the scrum before the ball was out and should have been penalised for receiving a pass from Kieran Read.


"The match officials didn't pick it up and neither did the television commentators, but I have no doubt the Wallabies were robbed. Some calls go your way, some don't, but the All Blacks will know deep down that they were lucky to win," Shelford said.


That admission will be of little comfort to Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.


"I think they (All Blacks) would have had more moments of anxiety across the full 80 yesterday than they have had previously," Deans said.


"We have got to find a way to win and we essentially found it in all reality, we just didn't score more points."

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

SHARAPOVA

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova



DOB : 19 APRIL 1987
COUNTRY : RUSSIA
HEIGHT : 6-2
WEIGHT : 130 LBS

Sunday, September 5, 2010

GODDARD

BRENDON Goddard says his overwhelming feeling was relief when the final siren sounded on Friday night, signalling St Kilda's four-point win over Geelong.



Goddard was within metres of his opponent Cameron Ling when the Cats captain appeared to kick the winning goal with 61 seconds of the game remaining.



But the goal was disallowed as umpire Matt Stevic paid a free kick to Saint James Gwilt, after he was pushed in the back by Cameron Mooney.



"I think it was mixed emotions when Ling kicked the goal and the relief afterwards when it was a free kick. We thought there was roughly a minute left. We got a message sent," Goddard said.



Though the star Saint was in the thick of the action, he admitted that he didn't see the tackle that resulted in the free kick.



"The ball got kicked over my head and they managed to get a finger in because Jimmy (Gwilt) was trying to get the ball to me over the back for a handball," he said.



Goddard said the final few minutes of the match "went for eternity" as the Saints desperately tried to hold on to a slim lead that had been whittled down from 33 points in the third term.



"They (the Cats) had about a five-minute spell there where the ball didn't get out of their forward 50 or at least their forward half. We managed to get it in our forward half and did a really good job holding it in," he said.



"At the end of the day we ran out of legs a little bit, but just because we'd worked so hard earlier on in the game. We felt we deserved to be ahead a little bit more but to their credit they bounced back. They are a great footy team and we expected it from them in the second half."



Goddard, who had 20 possessions in the first two quarters, was tagged by Ling after half time when he was identified as St Kilda's most dangerous playmaker.



He knew he had a job on his hands when Ling sidled up to him in the third term but switched his attention to taking the Geelong stopper out of the game.



"It was alright. I didn't know how well I was going to be honest. He is a great player and it was a good challenge," he said.



"I've never had him before and I played a role for the team in the second half to play as a seventh defender and take him back there."

Thursday, September 2, 2010

KOBE BRYANT




Born: Aug 23, 1978

Height: 6-6 / 1.98

Weight: 205 lbs. / 93.0 kg.

High School: Lower Merion HS (PA)

Years Pro: 14

LA LAKERS Andrew Bynum

The Lakers confirmed Monday night that center Andrew Bynum will undergo minor surgery on July 28 to correct a small tear of the anterior horn of his lateral meniscus in the right knee that he suffered in Game 6 of Round 1 of the playoffs.







Bynum had previously speculated that the surgery would take place on July 18.






The 22-year-old had the knee drained on June 22, and subsequently took some time off, highlighted by a trip to watch the World Cup in South Africa with some of his high school friends just a few days after becoming a two-time NBA champion.






Bynum impressed the organization, his coaches and his teammates by battling through pain in that knee all the way through Game 7 of the Finals, offering his paint presence at both ends while averaging 8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.57 blocks in 24 minutes.


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