Play of the day:
This esteemed and much cherished award was almost claimed by the Sydney Roosters after scoring what might have been the try of the season. From 50m out they strung together eight passes in a cutting move that went right and left and employed a flick pass and the kind of sleight of hand a magician would be proud of. Just as it seemed forward Zane Tetevano would set up Latrell Mitchell for a try he declined to pass to the open man beside him from 5m out —and was tackled. D’oh!
Soooo, the play of the day goes to Toby Greene for his at-the-death goal that wrapped up the game for the Giants against the Eagles in Perth:
"How good is Toby Greene?" #AFLEaglesGiants pic.twitter.com/yvlSFKaEP1
— AFL (@AFL) May 28, 2017
Comeback of the day:
Carlton deserve the gold statuette even though they failed to get the biscuits against the Roos. They won’t be happy they started the game like your proverbial ‘busteds’ but they did admirably well to get their noses in front for a brief period in the fourth. Gutsy.
If today were a song:
This is a tough one, but I think Falling Short by Lapsley should just about cover it. This one’s going out to all the good folk at the Blues and Thunderbirds. Cheer up, you lot, it’s get better.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is me done. I started like a farm-fresh sausage, I’m a stick of jerky now.
Thanks for your company and I’ll see you next time. Origin on Wednesday night? It’s a date.
The day in summary
Another busy day in sport so I’ve a spot of book-keeping to attend to before I go and bathe my hands in an ice-bucket.
The day began with the news that Tom Rogic had scored the Scottish FA Cup-winning goal for Celtic against Aberdeen, in the second minute of stoppage time no less. In Strasbourg, meantime, where they make a mean luncheon meat, Sam Stosur held off Daria Gavrilova to win the Strasbourg Open in three sets. It’s her ninth career title.
Super Netball:
Back home, we saw the Collingwood Magpies enjoy winning days on both wood and grass. First the Magpies Super Netball team held off a game Adelaide Thunderbirds 49-47 to win the final game of the regular season. The Thunderbirds trailed by as much as 10 at one point but came back to lead by two deep into the final quarter before Collingwood regrouped. The Magpies’ win condemned the Thunderbirds to the wooden spoon and meant that retiring Renae Ingles wouldn’t go out a winner —though only as far as the scoreboard is concerned. The Magpies, meanwhile, will ready themselves for next week’s elimination semifinal.
AFL:
In the AFL, Collingwood enjoyed what seemed like an easy win over the Brisbane Lions, but the score blew out at the end to 129-84 to create a false impression. The Lions fought back to get within 10 in the third quarter but they couldn’t overhaul the Magpies in the fourth.
At Docklands the Kangaroos gave their supporters an almighty scare before beating the Blues 113-96. Having lead by 45 points in the second quarter they found themselves trailing by four in the last quarter. But a late flurry got them home and saved their blushes.
Over in Perth we saw an exciting, see-sawing battle won by a young Giants side depleted of so many of their regulars. It was close all the way before a late, and sublime, goal by Toby Greene put them just out of reach: 98-90.
NRL:
Meanwhile, in the NRL, the Raiders held on in chilly Canberra to deny a game Roosters outfit missing five players to Origin duties. The Roosters scored early but the Raiders led 16-6 for a long period before the Roosters cut the deficit to 18-16. A try to Aidan Sezer on the siren got the Raiders home 24-16.
GWS Giants defeat West Coast Eagles 98-90
And there it goes; a thrilling game and a famous win for the Giants who have now beaten the Eagles for the first time in their brief history. They’ve now completed the full set. It was a wonderful performance by a Giants side missing 10 top shelf players, much less having to win in Perth while they were at it. That’s a tough loss for the Eagles who will nervously await the injury news on Josh Kennedy.
Updated
AFL Q4 Eagles 90 Giants 98
With the clock counting down under a minute, GWS’s Cameron takes as long as he’s allowed to kick from the 50m. He doesn’t have the legs to score and his kick drops in front of goal but the Eagles scramble it clear. The siren is about to sound...
AFL Q4 Eagles 90 Giants 98
Or maybe not! Whitfield, the poor bloke, has kicked across the face of his own goal, straight into the arms of Jetta who played on and, from about two metres out, could hardly miss! Less than two minutes to go.
AFL Q4 Eagles 83 Giants 97
Blimey, that’s one helluva finish! GWS went on a gallop down the right wing with Himmelberg hand-balling to Greene. Greene took possession where the 50m arc meets the boundary; he then looked up, saw no-one was home, and drilled a low angled shot, on the bounce, through the sticks. That will surely get the Giants home.
AFL Q4 Eagles 83 Giants 91
Just 4 mins 20 left now, and it’s a ball up just outside the Eagles’ 50m following a smothering tackle by GWS.
AFL Q4 Eagles 83 Giants 91
A good lead by Darling sees him lose him man and Priddis hits him on the chest. But from 30m out on a slight angle Darling sprays his shot. Just a point.
AFL Q4 Eagles 82 Giants 91
What a goal! Greene marks close to the junction of the boundary and the 50m arc. He runs in on an angle, veering right, and leathers the Sherrin unerringly through the goal, pumping his fist as he’s swamped by his teammates! The Giants have the edge.
AFL Q4 Eagles 82 Giants 85
Some technical difficulties, readers, so I’m sorry for that. I can tell you that more goals have been traded; Darling and Mitchell for the Eagles, Darling and Lloyd for GWS. It’s neck and neck with the finishing post in sight!
AFL Q4 Eagles 70 Giants 73
And now GWS are back in front after Taranto, unhindered by a Travis Bickle mullet, steps inside his man and goals from 30m.
AFL Q4 Eagles 70 Giants 67
This one is see-sawing, for now it’s the Eagles back in front after the Giants fail to find the man following a restart (after the Eagles scored a behind). The ball is knocked on to Vardy who crosses the arc, winds up, and booms the ball through the guts from close to 50m!
AFL Q4 Eagles 63 Giants 67
GWS are back in front, forcing a turn-over inside the Eagles’ 50m with piranha-like intensity. Yeo it was who lost the ball, straight to Zac Williams who snapped home.
Meanwhile, Kennedy has hobbled off with what looks like an ankle injury. Doesn’t look like he’ll be back.
AFL Q4 Eagles 63 Giants 60
That’s the start the Eagles wanted to the final quarter. After a bobble, Kennedy, wearing a defender like a backpack, takes a strong mark 40m out, right in front. He goals as the shadows lengthen across the ground.
AFL Eagles 57 Giants 60
Despite 10 of their best 22 being up on blocks, the Giants lead the Eagles in Perth as the fourth quarter gets underway. And that’s despite their poor conversion rate, 12 behinds in 20 scoring shots. That’s Mr Magoo-like precision.
NRL:
A brief AAP match report on the Raiders’ win over the Roosters:
RL:Raiders stave off Roosters’ charge in NRL
Canberra have stood firm after spirited fightback from an Origin-depleted Sydney Roosters side, scoring a scrappy 24-16 NRL win at GIO Stadium.
Jordan Rapana was instrumental in the Raiders posting back-to-back victories, causing havoc on the right wing in the first half to pick up a try-scoring double.
Despite being without Mitchell Pearce, Boyd Cordner, Dylan Napa, Aidan Guerra and Blake Ferguson, the new-look Roosters pushed Canberra late.
In contrast, the Raiders were only missing Queensland forward Josh Papalii and the man who replaced him in the second row, veteran Sia Soliola, who was superb in defence and attack.
Roosters skipper Jake Friend opened the scoring after 10 minutes, making a run from dummy half and slipping through the Raiders defence.
AFL Q3 Eagles 57 Giants 60
Not long after squandering two decent attempts to pull in front (after two snap shots drift wide) the Giants ensure they’ll go to the sheds in front. McGovern took a good mark inside his defensive 50m but his kick was won by the Giants who strung together half a dozen attacking handballs before Josh Kelly, on the run, accepted the last of these and drilled home. You could have heard a pin drop in the stadium.
AFL Q3 Eagles 57 Giants 54
After a Wilson smother gives the Giants possession Himmelberg kicks his debut AFL goal after taking a solid running mark deep inside the 50m.
AFL Q3 Eagles 56 Giants 47
After that flurry of action, we’ll concentrate on news from Perth where the Eagles lead 9.2 to 6.11 (insert comment about kicking straight). Kennedy has two so far for the Eagles which sees him draw ahead of Buddy Franklin in the Coleman Medal count.
North Melbourne Kangaroos defeat Carlton Blues 113-96
What a game, and what a torturous experience for both sets of fans! The Roos bolted from the gates and at one point in the second quarter were up by 45 points. But the Blues refused to lay down and gradually got back into the game. The Kangaroos could feel the heat of the Blues’ breath on the back of their necks and then, in Q3, the Blues managed to hit the lead momentarily. And just as pitch-fork brandishing crowds began to make their way to Arden St, the Kangaroos somehow found the resolve to go again, a late flurry of five goals in 18 minutes seeing them home.
Canberra Raiders defeat Sydney Roosters 24-16
As you’ve read, it’s all over. Not especially convincing by Canberra and I’d have to give more praise to the Roosters who, despite being stripped clean by Origin, came desperately close to a win at a venue where visiting teams regularly go to die.
NRL Raiders 24 Roosters 16
On the siren, the Raiders score through Sezer to win back to back games! With seconds remaining, 60m out from the line, Tupou was turned by the defence. Trying to keep the ball alive he flung it backwards whereupon it was seized by Sezer (sorry) who raced 20m to score, a grin on his face like Luna Park after a facelift. Crocker added the extras.
NRL Raiders 18 Roosters 16
Oh so close for the Roosters! On the last Mitchell lobs a pass to Tupou a few metres out and he’s hit by Rapana, enough to force Tupou into touch just as he tosses it desperately back inside. Raiders ball, 10m from their own line.
NRL Raiders 18 Roosters 16
Blake Austin loses possession near the Roosters’ 10m line after dancing this way and that and at one point standing completely still, like a man who’s wandered into his kitchen and made eye contact with a leopard. The Roosters still have time.
NRL Raiders 18 Roosters 16
The Roosters are in! From 70m out, from a scrum, Keary puts Gordon through a hole after burning Blake Austin. The cover defence gets close to the flyer before he passes to Mitchell on his outside. Gordon has the conversion attempt from wide out on the left. He starts it right, it doesn’t come back far enough. Four and a half minutes remaining!
Updated
AFL Blues 83 Kangaroos 86
After the Blues hit the lead for the first time, Mason Wood goals for North with about 10 mins left!
@GdnAusSport As a neutral observer can the Graun confirm match umpires are all members of @CarltonFC ? #AFLBluesNorth
— Mystère_Cygne (@Mystere_Cygne) May 28, 2017
NRL 2nd half Raiders 18 Roosters 12
The Raiders settle with a penalty goal from right in front after Hodgson is held down by the Rooster—surely a tactical decision by the Tricolours since they were stretched. Crocker takes the Raiders’ lead out to six. That penalty broke a streak of 7-straight penalties to the Roosters —a run of penalties which Andrew Voss reckons the Roosters haven’t enjoyed in their 110-year history
NRL 2nd half Raiders 16 Roosters 12
A few minutes after butchering what would have been one of the tries of the year the Roosters are over in the opposite corner! Joseph Manu, in his 11th game, dives for the line and is in the air over the sideline but for his outstretched right arm and hand touching the ball down just inside the corner post! Spectacular. Michael Gordon then slots the conversion from the touchline!
Minutes earlier the Roosters broke from 50m out and went right and left, the ball going through eight sets of hands. Finally Zane Tetevano had the pill inside the Raiders’ 10m with two men outside him unmarked. He decided to go it alone and was tackled!
NRL 2nd half Raiders 16 Roosters 6
Still no points in the second half but it’s been entertaining stuff. The Roosters have moments ago tried to keep it alive on the last and it’s classic hot-potato football but in the end their spud is caught, cut and drowned in butter.
AFL Q2 Eagles 31 Giants 23
Meantime, once upon a time in the West... It’s the Eagles 5.1 to 3.5 despite trailing 11-16 in inside 50s.
AFL Three-quarter time Blues 76 Kangaroos 78
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott must be bubbling away like an unattended stew on the big burner. The Blues are within two points now after three quick goals to Cripps, Murphy and Cunningham!
Updated
NRL 2nd half Raiders 16 Roosters 6
The Roosters blow a big opportunity to get closer to the Raiders, Sio Siua Taukeiaho losing the ball close to the line, with plenty of tackles up the Roosters’ sleeves. It came after a section of play when Joseph Tapine put first Friend and then Mitchell on the deck with shuddering blindside hits, the first of which he was penalised for.
NRL 2nd half Raiders 16 Roosters 6
We’re underway in the second half from Canberra where it’s 8 degrees and falling. It’s Blake Austin with an early bomb which Daniel Tupou takes without a lot of bother. Moments later Friend’s attempt at a huge 40-20 is foiled by Raiders winger Nick Cotric who dives full length to bat the touch-bound ball into the arms of his fullback. It’s a game of inches:
AFL:
And here’s a brief AAP match-report on the Pies’ win over the Lions at the MCG earlier:
Wayward Pies down last-placed Lions in AFL
Collingwood have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season after the Magpies overcame a determined Brisbane by 45 points at the MCG.
It wasn’t quite the confidence-boosting mauling Pies fans were after against the last-placed Lions, but Nathan Buckley’s men improved to a 4-6 record with the 18.21 (129) to 13.6 (84) win nonetheless.
Collingwood led by 35 points early in the third quarter, but the maddening inconsistency that has dogged them all season reared its ugly head once again.
Brisbane mounted a stirring challenge to slash the margin to 10 points before the Magpies finally woke from their stupor to lead by 16 points at three-quarter time.
Collingwood’s inaccuracy in front of goal continued in the final term, but some costly errors took the air out of the Lions’ challenge.
AFL Q3 Blues 58 Kangaroos 70
How about this, folks?! The Blues continue to make inroads into the Kanga’s lead. They’re now within two goals; Gibbs, with 3, leading the goal-scorers for Carlton. Blues fans are, needless to say, loving the comeback. Remember it was a 45-point deficit at one point.
@NMFCOfficial unable to halt opposition momentum yet again. It's pathological with this mob #aflbluesnorth
— Jack (@jax_pad) May 28, 2017
Updated
NRL Half-time Raiders 16 Roosters 6
That’s oranges in Canberra, with the Raiders coming back after conceding the opening try.
I’ll cross in a moment for an update on the AFL match between the Blues and Roos in the Indigenous round. Speaking of things Indigenous, did you see the video of Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, at Barangaroo in Sydney, trying his hand at playing a didgeridoo (among other things)? Worth a look. He’s a funny man. Best line: “I throw like a vegetarian”.
Traditional dancing, didgeridoos, throwing boomerangs and spears...
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 25, 2017
Not the average afternoon in Australia for Jürgen Klopp... 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/CcyBuoxk7a
NRL 1st half Raiders 16 Roosters 6
A few minutes out from half-time and the Raiders are maintaining their lead.
The Raiders, by the way, are wearing unusual jerseys, predominantly white with blue shoulders. They were desgined by two young fans who benefit from the work done by the Ricky Stuart Foundation which helps children affected by autism (Stuart’s daughter, Emma, has autism.) All proceeds from an online auction of the jerseys through allbids.com.au will go to the Ricky Stuart Foundation.
NRL 1st half Raiders 16 Roosters 6
Crocker, who was unlucky not to be chosen for the Blues, is over and the Raiders are flying! That’s 1502 career points in game 201 for Crocker. The Raiders, who’ve been enjoying the bulk of possession and good field position, scored down the left edge after Aidan Sezer dinked the ball through the line and Crocker ran through to collect it. He’s such a consistent player, Crocker.
NRL 1st half Raiders 10 Roosters 6
Rapana has a double, 24 mins into this game. The try came after some neat work by Elliott Whitehead, deep in Roosters’ territory, and a left-to-right, through-the-hands sweep. It was almost undone when Leilua nearly spilled it but he had a second grab and passed to Rapana outside him. Rapana then stepped back inside and over the line. An entertaining game so far and I for one am not missing the Origin stars.
Still, I’ve never like how the competition is compromised by the enforced absence of players. Like a home-and-away draw that sees some teams play each other twice and others only once it is built-in unfairness.
Updated
AFL Half-time Blues 44 Kangaroos 69
Carlton have slightly had the better of the second quarter to trail the Kangaroos by 25 (7.2 to 11.3) at the long break.
HT | @CarltonFC clawing its way back in that term with 5.2, and now trailing by 25 points. #IndigenousRound #AFLBluesNorth pic.twitter.com/4MTdMJyYG5
— AFL on 7 (@7AFL) May 28, 2017
NRL 1st half Raiders 6 Roosters 6
The Raiders have struck back after a long video review that first looked at a possible knock-on and then a possible double movement. The breach in the Roosters’ defence came after a Joey Leilua offload which saw the ball passed to Jordan Rapana who ran 20m to score. But he was first caught on the line by Kane Evans and given the crocodile death roll. It appeared Rapana’s first attempt to slam the ball down was short, and his second would have constituted a double movement, but his first attempt just caught the chalk it seems. Crocker converts.
NRL 1st half Raiders 0 Roosters 6
Jake Friend has opened the scoring on his 200th game for the Roosters! Picking the ball up from dummy half 10m out, Friend throws a dummy and both markers buy it. With half a yard he sticks his head down and bumps through the cover defence to dive over. Michael Gordon adds the extras.
NRL 1st half Raiders 0 Roosters 0
The Roosters thought they had a dream start with Latrell Mitchell running through to score, in the second minute, after running through the line to catch the crumbs of a Luke Keary bomb that the Raiders allowed to bounce.
It’s gone to the Bunker, but they’ve determined the outside chasers were offside. If it was it was marginal. A slightly controversial decision (can something be slightly controversial? It can in the NRL)... unlike this howler from Friday night when the Bunker awarded a late try to Alex Johnston:
Vision of the @SSFCRABBITOHS Try Decision in the 80th minute of #NRLSouthsEels.#NRL pic.twitter.com/05DoAh9L6u
— NRL Bunker (@NRLBunker) May 26, 2017
A reminder, dear readers, that operators are standing by awaiting your contributions and missives: @GdnAusSport or paul.connolly@theguardian.com.
The Raiders and Roosters are out on the field in Canberra where we’ve just witnessed the ‘viking clap’ (I imagine there was a lot of that sort of thing around back in the day. Pretty sure the Vikings were not renowned for safe sex.)
AFL Q2 Blues 18 Kangaroos 50
North are still looking as comfortable as a man in dressing gown and slippers sitting in a Eames armchair with his feet up on the matching ottoman.
Ppl going on about the interview during the liverpool Sydney game on abc midweek. Try listening to Brian Taylor every weekend #AFLBluesNorth
— John (@jbabz84) May 28, 2017
I’ll be crossing to this afternoon’s NRL match in a moment. In the meantime, here’s a thought-provoking piece on the glorification of ‘violence’ on the sporting field:
Collingwood beat Brisbane Lions 129-84 at the MCG
That was an odd game in many respects. The final score suggests a stroll but there were a few junk-time goals from the Pies that created this false impression. The Lions were always chasing the game but late in the third quarter they got within two goals and you could hear the chattering of Collingwood teeth through the tele. In the end, however, they couldn’t sustain their comeback and they’ll remain on 12 points on the ladder as the Pies skip to 16.
AFL Q4 Pies 129 Lions 84
Jamie Elliott, inked like a Manga comic, bangs a set shot from 50m. It’s his fourth goal of the day and the Pies are about to win back to back games.
AFL Q1 Blues 12 Kangaroos 43
Look away, Blues fans! Your team has stalled at the start line and the Kangaroos have streaked them early, seven goals to two.
AFL Q4 Pies 110 Lions 78
Less than five minutes to go; the Pies will get the points today.
AFL Q4 Pies 103 Lions 78
The Lions have been game at the ’G today, refusing to throw it in. Two quick goals got them within 19 but Sidebottom —who’s had 32 touches— has steadied the Pies’ nerves.
AFL Q1 Blues 6 Kangaroos 25
Meanwhile, at stately Wayne manor... We’re underway at Docklands and North have the early running, goals to Garner (2), Waite and Hrovat helping the Roos put an early gap between the teams.
AFL Q4 Pies 96 Lions 66
Take the brown paper bags from your mouths, Pies fans, and breathe the sweet air of relief. Collingwood got stuck into the jelly snakes at three-quarter time and have come out firing. They now lead by 30 and surely can’t lose it from here.
Netball:
Here’s an excerpt from AAP’s Thunderbirds-Magpies match report:
ADELAIDE, May 28 AAP - Collingwood have survived a big second-half scare to down the Adelaide Thunderbirds 49-47 in a Super Netball thriller at Titanium Security Arena.
The fourth-placed Magpies, led superbly in defence by ex-Thunderbird Sharni Layton, looked in control early, leading by as many as 11 points late in the second quarter and holding a 28-20 halftime lead before hosts Adelaide staged a stunning 15-7 third-quarter revival.
The Thunderbirds drew level at three-quarter time then seized the upper hand in a see-sawing fourth term before Collingwood, with league-leading scorer Caitlin Thwaites getting on a roll, finished with a 7-3 bang in the final five minutes.
Wobbly earlier this season, Collingwood has now banked six wins from their past seven outings ahead of a crunch semi-final against fellow expansion side the Giants next weekend.
Bottom-placed Adelaide couldn’t prevent sliding to a 12th straight loss but were certainly not disgraced in retiring legend Renae Inglis’s 161st and last match.
Updated
Rugby union:
Updating you on more overnight action, the ACT Brumbies beat the Jaguares 39-15 in Buenos Aires last night to extend their lead atop the Australian Super Rugby conference ladder. The Waratahs are second after getting thumped 44-28 by the Highlanders in Dunedin (the Waratahs led by a point at half-time!), which is an Australian rugby team’s version of Hell.
AFL Q3 Pies 82 Lions 66
It’s three-quarter time and the Pies will go into the sheds with knocking knees and a 16-point lead. They’ll be delighted they stemmed the rot with a late goal to Lynden Dunne of all people. He snaps from 35 out, much to the relief of the Pies faithful.
AFL Q3 Pies 76 Lions 66
Remember I said earlier that the Lions were in danger of being swamped? Me neither. They are now giving the Pies some serious concerns and the level of consternation within the MCG has reached ‘7’ out of a possible 10. Daniel Rich has just kicked Brisbane’s fourth in a row.
My former colleague and gold standard beard-wearer, Richard Parkin, is out and about in Honkers it seems:
Still can't get my head round this @hksoccer7s tournament - so many unbelievable players. Name all three and you win the internet. pic.twitter.com/DsfCDPkxlT
— Richard Parkin (@rrjparkin) May 28, 2017
He hasn’t exactly narrowed things down but I’ll go with Andriy Veronin, Bebe and Paulinho.
AFL Q3 Pies 7 Lions 53
Oh dear, Broomhead has just missed an easy set-shot, 20m out. He’s dragged it left which won’t help the nerves or the good humour of the Pies’ fans who have seen the Lions creep within 22 points. Prior to Broomhead’s miss, the Lions’ Beams kicked his third, a booming set shot from 50m.
Netball:
From AAP, here’s today’s score stats and the final Super Netball table ahead of the finals which start next weekend:
Suncorp Super Netball
Rd14
MAGPIES NETBALL 49 (Caitlin Thwaites 39 Shae Brown 10) bt ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS 47 (Erin Bell 22 Karyn Bailey 16 Sasha Glasgow 9) at Titanium Security Arena.
P W L D For Agt Pts
Melbourne Vixens 14 11 2 1 874 744 23
Sunshine Coast Lightning 14 11 2 1 808 726 23
Giants Netball 14 10 4 0 773 728 20
Magpies Netball 14 9 5 0 770 730 18
Queensland Firebirds 14 7 6 1 778 756 15
NSW Swifts 14 3 10 1 726 792 7
West Coast Fever 14 2 12 0 670 779 4
Adelaide Thunderbirds 14 1 13 0 648 792 2
AFL Q3 Pies 72 Lions 39
It’s looking mighty comfortable for the Pies at the moment. Could have been more comfortable just then had Moore not sprayed an easy set-shot left of the goal. Brisbane may have surprised many by keeping the Pies honest early on but they are in danger of getting swamped now.
Collingwood Magpies defeat Adelaide Thunderbirds 49-47
Netball:
What a heartbreaker for the Thunderbirds and their fans! After a tough season they dragged themselves back from a 10 goal deficit to hold the upper hand deep into the final quarter. It seemed they would be giving their champion Renae Ingles the send-off she deserves. But Collingwood, already semi-final bound, found a will and a way, making the big plays when they counted most.
Netball Q4 Thunderbirds 46 Magpies 48
The Magpies have gone up a gear and are coming home with a wet sail. Or at least a rather damp one. Caitlin Thwaites and Shae Brown have scored five or the past six goals!
Netball Q4 Thunderbirds 45 Magpies 44
This is going down to the wire. True dat. Magpie fans on Twitter aren’t all that pleased that their team has blown a big lead against the cellar dwellers. But perhaps the Thunderbirds have more motivation today. Ain’t over, but. (A sentence to make my old English teacher turn in her grave. And she’s not even dead yet.)
Netball Q4 Thunderbirds 44 Magpies 42
After outscoring Collingwood 15-7 in the third quarter the Thunderbirds are edging the action in the final quarter. There’s a long off-season to rest so they may as well throw the kitchen sink at this one.
AFL Half-time Pies 64 Lions 39
The Pies are looking pretty safe at halftime although they won’t be pleased with the Lions’ goal on the siren, a scruffy boot off the ground from Matthew Hammelmann. Not exactly a coach killer but perhaps the kind that gives one a slight twinge in the chest that makes him wonder if his will is up to date.
Netball Q3 Thunderbirds 35 Magpies 35
It’s three-quarter time in Adelaide and the scores are level. The Thunderbirds have done brilliantly to pull themselves out of a ditch. Could it be the Magpies are distracted by the semifinals to come and not the here and now?
Netball Q3 Thunderbirds 35 Magpies 34
@AdelaideTBirds have had rallies in every game. Their best is good enough. Just gone missing far too often. #SuncorpSuperNetball #THUvMAG
— Thomo (@liamthompson1) May 28, 2017
Netball Q3 Thunderbirds 33 Magpies 32
It’s a long way from being over, folks, but what a recovery from the last-placed Thunderbirds who have hauled themselves back from a double-digit deficit to lead.
Netball Q3 Thunderbirds 27 Magpies 29
And now they’re within two! Are the Thunderbirds “doing it for Renae”? Karyn Bailey and Erin Bell are shooting well for the home team.
Netball Q3 Thunderbirds 24 Magpies 28
Well, hello! Adelaide have opened the third quarter with five straight goals! Did the Magpies drink camomile tea in the break or did coach Dan Ryan give the Thunderbirds the hairdryer?
AFL Q2 Pies 48 Brisbane 33
It’s raining at the MCG which has sent the crowd scurrying for cover. The Pies have kicked another, Alex Fasolo getting his first for the day.
AFL Q2 Pies 41 Brisbane 33
Okay, not that much breathing space. The Lions continue to sit on the Magpies’ chest after Dayne Beams snaps home after a stoppage.
Name of the day, so far: Dayne. Is Dayne the new Wayne? Big shoes to fill. When was the last child born to be christened Wayne, I wonder. Back in the heyday of Wayne Gardner, the Wollongong Whiz?
AFL Q2 Pies 41 Brisbane 27
It’s halftime in the netball (still 28-29 to the Magpies), so let’s update the news from the MCG where Collingwood have just kicked the first goal of the second quarter, and their sixth of the match, to give themselves a little breathing space.
Here’s that Hipwood goal:
Hipwood!! 👏 What. A. Specimen. #AFLPiesLions #IndigenousRound pic.twitter.com/wMh1tfJvJR
— AFL (@AFL) May 28, 2017
Netball Q2 Thunderbirds 20 Magpies 28
The Magpies are well in control.
Netball Q2 Thunderbirds 14 Magpies 21
The home team are just about staying in the Magpies’ slipstream after three straight goals.
A little more on Renae Ingles. As I said, she is retiring after today’s match —to spend more time with her husband and their kids, 10-month-olds Milla and Jacob.
As that indicates Ingles —a world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist— returned to court not long after giving birth. It was just eight months. That’s some effort, and it reminds us of the additional pressure female athletes can come across in their careers.
Netball Q2 Thunderbirds 11 Magpies 19
Collingwood don’t appear to be confused about how to play this game despite the result not being critical. They continue to apply the pressure in defence and convert their chances.
AFL Q1 Pies 27 Lions 25
After a slow start Collingwood surged ahead on the back of a couple of Jaime Elliott goals. But the Lions are staying in touch and that’s some goal. He’s already taken a flying mark, now Eric Hipwood adds a goal he’d be happy to take straight to the pool room. He gathers on the 50, performs a tight pivot to lose his marker, and sinks a lovely left-footer from the arc. Buddy Franklin-like.
Netball: Q1 Thunderbirds 8 Magpies 14:
The ’Pies have pulled away a little here and the Thunderbirds might be getting that familiar feeling after a long, hard season.
Netball: Q1 Thunderbirds 7 Magpies 9:
By the way, this is Ingles’ last game. She’s Joe Ingles’ wife. DRINK! Just kidding. Joe Ingles is Renae Ingles’ husband. She’s been warmly received by the home crowd, as she should be:
Big cheer for a champion @RenaeIngles #THUvMAG pic.twitter.com/TDgDUK14ct
— Fiona Crowe (@FiCrowey) May 28, 2017
Netball Q1 Thunderbirds 6 Magpies 9:
Collingwood have the early lead in Adelaide after five goals to Caitlin Thwaites.
AFL Q1 Pies 1 Lions 13
The Collingwood v Brisbane game is underway at the MCG. There’s been two early goals to Dayne Zorko, who has one of the great names in sport. Don’t worry, Pies fans, James the Dog has already picked this one:
Pies will eat lions for breakfast @afl @CollingwoodFC @brisbanelions #aflpieslions #DoggieTips pic.twitter.com/Ih6y9UxEC3
— James the Dog (@JamesDoggie) May 24, 2017
Netball:
Here's a good drinking game, Have a shot every time the commentators mention Joe Ingles during today's match 🙊 #THUvMAG #ilovejoe
— Melissa⭐️ (@melly300313) May 28, 2017
Confused? Thunderbird Renae Ingles is married to Aussie basketballer, Joe Ingles. What concerns me more is that people might be drinking shots so early in the day. This isn’t Russia, folks!
Netball:
We’re just about to get underway in Adelaide where the Thunderbirds host the Collingwood Magpies. Your starting teams:
Surprises from both teams in our final game of the home and away season. Tune in at 1pm AEST on @Telstra TV or the Netball Live App #THUvMAG pic.twitter.com/gUpuG2jxPz
— #SuncorpSuperNetball (@SuperNetball) May 28, 2017
In more overnight news, Samantha Stosur has beaten her compatriot Daria Gavrilova in three-sets to win the Strasbourg International final. By doing so she has retained her Australian No.1 ranking and claimed the ninth title of her career, which has been up and down like an angry sea. But the ups, I’m sure she’ll say, have been worth the motion sickness.
Ahead of the French Open Stosur recovered from a set down to defeat Gavrilova 5-7 6-4 6-3 in the first all- Australian women’s tour final in 12 years.
Stosur has now been Australian women’s No.1 for 451 consecutive weeks. To put that in perspective, the last time she wasn’t No.1 was before all this talk about smashed avocado.
What a final. @bambamsam30 d Gavrilova 5-7 6-4 6-3 for the @WTA_Strasbourg title - her first WTA crown in two years! https://t.co/w0tOHsBvz3
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) May 27, 2017
Back to sport. There was plenty on overnight, not least Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup Final. If it hasn’t saved manager Arsene Wegner’s skin, it will at least provide a satisfying conclusion if that is to be his last game in charge after 21 years at the club.
North of the border, the Scottish FA Cup was played and there was no surprise in the result, with league champions Celtic beating Aberdeen 2-1. That said, it took a stoppage time winner for Celtic to complete an unbeaten league and cups season. And who popped up to score the treble-deciding goal? Aussie Tom Rogic, that’s who!
Sunday, of course, is DIY day, and I expect that many tuning in today will be doing so in-between putting up a shelf in the spare room, planing the bloody bathroom door which keeps sticking, and repaving the back patio which has come to resemble the Giant’s Causeway.
As such, feel free to drop me a line regarding the current project you’re working on/making a dog’s breakfast of. Hats off to my mate, Brett, who recently donned an old pair of overalls and put what looked like the mesh bag from a kilo of oranges over his head to remove a wasp’s nest from his roof space.
Apropos of all that, have you heard this? It’s a true Sunday lament.
Pre-ramble
Good afternoon, sportsfans, and welcome to the Guardian Oz’s rolling liveblog, Sportswatch, where yours truly will give it the old 110% in his efforts to keep you abreast of the day’s action and news in the world of Australian sport. At no extra cost, I hope to also throw in some musings on some of the key action from overnight when we were all sleeping off those additional roast potatoes we didn’t need but since when does need come into one’s consumption of roast potatoes? Or is that just me? Some people have a dessert stomach, I have a roast potato stomach.
Anyway, where was I? Ah yes. As always with this sort of thing your input is most welcome and I will endeavour to get to your emails, tweets, smoke signals and carrier-pigeon delivered messages. I’ll be sure to leave the window open above my desk lest the pigeon thwacks into it. Glass, of course, is the carrier-pigeon-message equivalent of a firewall.
You can tweet to @GdnAusSport, remembering to use the hashtag #sportwatch. You can get me on paul.connolly@theguardian.com, or else you can leave comments below.
Today I’ll first be focusing on the final regular-season Super Netball match, which sees the Adelaide Thunderbirds host the Collingwood Magpies from 12.30pm local time (or 1pm AEST). The tricky thing for both teams is that the Super Netball finalists have already been determined so the result of this game doesn’t matter*.
The Thunderbirds are currently stone motherless among the league’s eight teams and even a win might not be enough for them to avoid the wooden spoon, as seventh-placed West Coast Fever sit one win and five percentage points above them on the ladder. Collingwood, meanwhile, will finish fourth no matter what happens today and will face the Giants in the minor-semi-final next Saturday night at Sydney Olympic Park (with the winner to progress to the preliminary final against the loser of the major semi-final between the Melbourne Vixens and Sunshine Coast Lightning).
This leaves the Magpies in a bit of a pickle, I think. You don’t want to go too hard and risk injuries to key players. On the other you don’t want to simply phone it in and risk losing momentum ahead of an elimination final.
During breaks in the netball, and at the conclusion of the game, I’ll be updating you on the Collingwood v Brisbane AFL encounter from the MCG before later dropping in to the Carlton v North Melbourne game at Docklands.
At 4pm I’ll turn my full attention to the NRL fixture between the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters from Canberra Stadium. With the Roosters particularly affected by the loss of State of Origin-selected players (the Tri-colours have five key players out to the Raiders’ one) it’s a golden opportunity for Ricky Stuart’s men to consolidate their position on the ladder after last week slipping back into the top eight. The Raiders were highly fancied at the start of the season but as yet they haven’t overly impressed, other than the odd hair toss here and there. I’d expect them to get the points today but you know what they say, ‘It’s a funny ol’ game, cricket.’
Once the NRL is over I’ll wrap up the day’s action by jumping over, metaphorically speaking, to Perth for the conclusion of the West Coast Eagles-GWS game. After yet another horrible showing in Bleak City last weekend —the Eagles travel to Melbourne as well as prawns to London— the Eagles will be happy to be home, even though they’ll be without small forward Mark LeCras who’s chipped in with 17 goals this season so far. The Eagles’ opponents will be Greater Western Sydney who will be hoping to win to re-join Adelaide on top of the ladder after the Crows cut through Fremantle last night like a sword forged in the fires of Mount Doom through a fat, lazy hobbit’s lower intestine.
In between and around it all I’ll do my darndest to update and keep the nonsense to a minimum (but not eliminate it all together, if there’s no room for nonsense on a Sunday then when is there room for nonsense?).
After that lengthy preamble that has me wondering how on earth I’ll survive til 730pm or so, I’ll momentarily nip off for a dose of smelling salts and to water the lemon tree. Back in a tick.
* It always matters. This is ‘Straya where even a game of garage table tennis shakes and stirs the competitive juices as well as any bartender.
Paul will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Saturday went down across the country:
Updated
