AFL: 3QT – Western Bulldogs 14.11 (95) – Fremantle Dockers 7.9 (51)
If the Bulldogs could play like this every week, they would be right up there instead of dancing around the finals fringes. Then again, not all opponents are as passive as the Dockers have been today – their defence has really let them down. Still another quarter to go but this has been the Dogs’ game since the start of the second.
NRL: HT – Bulldogs 0-14 Roosters
The Roosters are looking very comfortable it has to be said – although they possibly should be further ahead. They’re certainly more comfortable than Dean Pay must be at the minute. No one seriously expected the Bulldogs to spring a surprise today but this will only add to the speculation surrounding his job – especially if it turns into a big score. One-way traffic. Roosters on cruise control – which is possibly why the lead isn’t bigger. If they were a little more focused, they could rack up a lot of points.
Updated
NRL: While we’re on rugby league, just thought I’d bring you the latest in the Mark Coyne debacle. Or rather, the latest in the post-Mark Coyne debacle.
AAP: Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie has flagged a fresh push for reform as the game seeks a replacement for Mark Coyne.
Former Queensland and St George great Coyne fell on his sword on Saturday night, resigning from the commission after his arrest for a drunken, expletive-ridden tirade at Singapore police almost two months ago. Coyne had met with Beattie and was told only a small majority of the 16 NRL clubs supported him staying.
Beattie said a replacement would likely be in place late in the year and was adamant the commission wouldn’t be rushed.Under current laws, anyone who holds an NRL club job must wait three years after leaving it before being allowed to join the commission. Beattie indicated his desire to scrap the rule and put it on the agenda when the ARLC meets next month.
He said it was not in the game’s interest to exclude experienced administrators just because they had recent involvement with clubs.
“It gives us an opportunity to have a look at the rules. One of the rules that I don’t agree with is the three-year disqualification rule,” Beattie said. “In other words if you are associated, like Darren Lockyer is with the Broncos, you can’t be considered as a commissioner. Or if you’ve association with the Rabbitohs like Nick Pappas, you can’t be considered as a commissioner. Or (Melbourne chairman Bart Campbell) or any of them. What we’re doing is excluding a whole lot of talented people who could sit on the commission. They’d have to leave the club they’re with.”
AFL: HT – Western Bulldogs 12.6 (78) – Fremantle 5.5 (35)
It’s looking pretty grim at the main break for the Dockers. The Bulldogs dominating the midfield, dominating all over to be fair. Poor old Fremantle, even wasting one last chance to give them a glimmer – skewing it wide and short. It’s all Bulldogs at the minute. The Dockers will need to come out firing if they want to get back into this.
Swimming: It’s not exactly been a great 24 hours for Australia at the world championships, and the news about Shayna Jack’s positive test for a banned substance clearly had an emotional effect on Arairne Titmus yesterday – not great when you’re preparing to take on a revenge-driven Katie Ledecky. Regardless, it’s still been a brilliant few days for Titmus. Well played that woman. Bring on the Olympics.
AAP: Revenge was sweet for American great Katie Ledecky as she finally overcame illness to triumph over Ariarne Titmus at the world swimming titles in South Korea.
But being relegated to 800m freestyle bronze was not what upset the Australian teenager at Gwangju on Saturday. Titmus was clearly emotional as she left the pool, not stopping for reporters after news broke about her training partner Shayna Jack’s positive test for a banned substance.
The Dolphins had plenty to celebrate on the second last night of the world titles, also adding 4x100m mixed freestyle silver and 200m backstroke silver to their growing tally. However, the news about Jack clearly rocked Dolphins teammates particularly Titmus who trains with the 20-year-old under mentor Dean Boxall in Brisbane.
Titmus still had plenty to be proud about despite Ledecky finally avenging her shock 400m freestyle loss to the Australian at the start of the meet. Ledecky missed the 200m and 1500m after she succumbed to a stomach bug following her rare defeat at the hands of Titmus.
Before the race Ledecky had not been beaten over 400m, 800m or 1500m at a major meet since 2012.
Ledecky returned from her sick bed, only for Titmus to again help relegate the American to silver in Thursday’s 4x200m freestyle relay final with Australia claiming a stunning gold. But Ledecky finally got her revenge as she claimed her fourth straight 800m world title, finishing almost one and a half seconds ahead of Italy’s Simona Quadrella.
Ledecky became the fourth woman to win a specific individual event four times, joining Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, Italy’s Federica Pellegrini and Swede Sarah Sjostrom. Titmus claimed bronze in eight minutes, 15.70 seconds – an Oceania record.
