Well, that wraps things up for today. What a day. Probably the match of the AFLW season so far, an incredible comeback in the JLT Community Series, a record-equalling defeat in the A-League and Super Rugby’s interstate bragging rights settled. I’m done. It’s been fun. Until next time.
A-League: Central Coast 2-8 (eight) Wellington
The Mariners will be delighted to hear the full-time whistle. That couldn’t have come soon enough. What an utter nightmare for the club. The scoreline matches last season’s 8-2 drubbing by Newcastle but this feels like a new low for the Mariners. What to do?
“The scoreboard doesn’t lie,” says an emotional Jack Clisby. “It’s a disgruntled bunch of boys. Everyone’s being as professional as they can. As hard as it is at the moment we need to stick together.”
AFL: Richmond beat Hawthorn 14.11 (95) to 13.9 (87)
All over in Launceston and what a comeback from the Tigers! They were down by 40 at half-time but surged back to take the lead for the first time with four and a half minutes left on the clock and run out winners by eight points.
“We played pretty poorly in that first half and the Hawks played well,” says Jack Riewoldt. “It’s just testament to our group and our culture. We don’t rant and rave [when down at half-time]. The group’s in a good spot. We’ve had a really good summer and we’re looking forward to the season.”
A-League: Central Coast 2-8 (eight) Wellington – Two minutes left on the clock and another Phoenix goal matches the highest scoring game in A-League history, Singh again on target with a neat finish.
A-League: Central Coast 2-7 (seven) Wellington – If this was already silly, it’s now utterly ridiculous. The Mariners pull another one back, through on-loan Sheffield United striker Stephen Mallon. Don’t even think about mentioning a comeback.
When is Mike Phelan coming back? #CCMvWEL
— John Stensholt (@JohnStensholt) March 9, 2019
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Super Rugby: Waratahs 28-17 Reds
The hooter sounds at the SCG and the Waratahs secure all four points after Alex Newsome’s 69th minute try effectively seals the result. It wasn’t pretty from the ‘Tahs, but it’ll do.
Michael Hooper: “We’re very happy. Coming off a second round bye we hadn’t really hit our straps. We’re really pleased with that win.”
The state of the pitch will surely come in for some scrutiny though, after the turf cut up badly.
Curators were almost as busy as the players. Shovels in hand, repairmen were called on after every scrum to restore the shredded SCG surface that couldn’t cope with the two-tonne set pieces on a pitch usually reserved for cricket and AFL. The historic venue is hosting rugby and A-League games as well due to the demolition of neighbouring Allianz Stadium. At one point late on, four groundsmen were required to repair a series of gaping holes that would likely leave the Sydney Swans seething ahead of their looming start to the 2019 AFL season. (AAP)
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Cricket: Australia’s men aren’t the only team currently touring India – England’s women are too and they’ve just wrapped up a series win thanks to an incredible final over from Kate Cross, who could have finished the match with a hat-trick.
A-League: Central Coast 1-7 (seven) Wellington – Jack Clisby hits a screamer to get the Mariners on the board but that’s not going to mask what has been one of the most abject performances on A-League history.
A-League: Central Coast 0-7 Wellington – Two goals in quick succession and this is embarrassing for the Mariners. Singh makes it six before he lays on a seventh for Fenton to finish coolly. Is it at this point that you need to type out “seven” after the digit? Sixty minutes gone. Still half an hour to go. Gulp.
Football: This is a really interesting story coming out of the US, and one which could have wider ramifications across the globe.
In USA, 28 players have filed suit against the United States Soccer Federation for gender discrimination. https://t.co/jL1CFFldNz
— WomenSportAustralia (@auswomensport) March 9, 2019
A-League: Central Coast 0-5 Wellington – Another for Phoenix. Liberato Cacace this time. Utter debacle for the Mariners.
I hardly think you can blame Mulvey for this tbh. The club is being run cynically and there’s virtually nothing the FFA can do stop it. The fault is in the CCM HQ, FFA HQ and the system, not on the bench.#CCMvWEL
— Kevin Airs (@KevinAirs) March 9, 2019
AFL: Injury update on James Harmes – he’s expected to be available for the Demons’ season opener against Port on 23 March despite sustaining a dislocation and compound fracture to his finger earlier today. “His finger [bone] came out, he’s had that stitched up but he’ll be right to go for round one, our doctors are really, really clear on that,” coach Simon Goodwin said. “We’ve had many a player who have had that injury and played the next week.” Seriously? Sounds horrific to be honest. Fair play to him.
AFLW: Melbourne beat Western Bulldogs 5.9 (39) to 6.2 (38)
An absolute thriller at Marvel Stadium ends with the narrowest of victories to the Demons, who keep their season alive with the one-point win! Tegan Cunningham was the hero at the death, kicking a goal with two minutes remaining to give the Dees the lead for the first time since the second quarter. They manage to hold on despite intense Bulldogs pressure before the final siren. Breathless stuff!
“It was a lot of hard work in all four quarters,” says matchwinner Cunningham. “I just happened to be on the end of that one [her late goal]. There was a lot of pressure from both sides all game. We knew were had to bring it for all four quarters and we did that.”
ICE IN HER VEINS!
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 9, 2019
Tegan Cunningham kept Melbourne's finals aspirations alive with this match-winning goal.#AFLW #AFLWDogsDees pic.twitter.com/wDk58DmVEq
By way of explanation, here’s AAP:
Provided Adelaide beat GWS at home on Sunday, the Crows will go into next weekend’s last round sharing a 5-1 record at the top of Conference A – with North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Demons a game behind. Fremantle will also host North next weekend, with the two top teams through to the finals.
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Rugby union: Some good news for Australian rugby fans earlier today, with the announcement that all Wallabies World Cup games will be shown on free-to-air television. Network Ten have done a deal to secure a slice of the rights, while Fox Sports will be able to show every single game of the tournament in Japan.
A-League: It is now half-time on the Central Coast and Wellington head off for an slice of orange and a pat on the back while the Mariners will be sure to be on the receiving end of a rollicking. There doesn’t appear any way back into the game for the sorry hosts.
A-League: Central Coast 4-0 Wellington – Krishna compounds the Mariners woe with a fourth for the Phoenix! Deary me. A defence-splitting pass finds the striker, who opts not to shoot first time, drags it back and comes back inside before hammering into the top corner. This is a absolute drubbing. And we’re not even at half-time yet.
Super Rugby: The Waratahs’ Bernard Foley is moving closer to membership of the exclusive 1,000-point club (currently comprising just Dan Carter, Morne Steyn, Beauden Barrett and Stirling Mortlock) after kicking three penalty goals and a conversion to help the Waratahs into a slender 16-12 half-time lead over the Reds. Ned Hanigan scored the hosts’ solitary try, while efforts from Samu Kerevi and Chris Feauai-Sautia have kept the Reds in touch. “We’re playing some good footy at the moment,” says Israel Folau on his way off the SCG pitch. “We just need to convert that into points.”
Cricket: After his long-overdue return to form in the third ODI against India overnight in Ranchi, Australia captain Aaron Finch has said it’s high time he begins to do it on a more regular basis. Finch, having gone 21 ODI innings without a half-century, hit 93 to help his side stay in the five-match series with a 32-run victory. “It was a matter of time before I got a few runs,” Finch said. “I was always confident in the process I was going with ... I always had faith. It’s time to back it up and continue on that now.” Australia can now level the series at 2-2 in the fourth match on Sunday (which the Guardian will be over-by-overing, by the way).
AFL: Half-time in Tassie and Hawthorn lead Richmond 9.5 (59) to 2.7 (19), Liam Shiels among the goalscorers so far tonight.
Liam Shiels goes bang!#JLTSeries pic.twitter.com/XiU6nlIPh4
— AFL (@AFL) March 9, 2019
A-League: Central Coast 0-3 Wellington – This is turning into a hammering for the Mariners and a night to forget for coach Mike Mulvey. This time Paul Williams finds the back of the net, turning inside a defender before firing home and chants of “Mulvey out, Mulvey out” can be clearly heard. Eek.
Super Rugby: Blues 28-20 Sunwolves
Winger Rieko Ioane became the 18th player to score a Super Rugby record four tries in a match as he helped the Blues secure their first win of the season against the Sunwolves at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland. Otere Black kicked a late penalty for the Auckland-based side, who marked last week’s death of former prop Mike Tamoaieta with his player number “276” stitched onto the front of their jerseys. The Sunwolves had won their first match away from home last week against the Chiefs and never let the Blues get too far ahead but were hampered by second half yellow cards to fullback Semisi Masirewa and replacement hooker Nathan Vella. Flyhalf Rikiya Matsuda scored a try, slotted two penalties and converted both his own and replacement lock Uwe Helu’s second half try for the visitors. (Reuters)
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A-League: Central Coast 0-2 Wellington – And another almost immediately! This time Krishna gets his name on the scoresheet after a long ball forward finds him in space in behind the Mariners defence. He does the rest with a brilliant lob over the advancing, then rapidly back-peddling, Kennedy. “Dodgy keeper, dodgy keeper” is the perhaps unfair cry from a lone fan picked up on the microphones.
A-League: Central Coast 0-1 Wellington Phoenix – Perhaps unfortunately, after a decent start for the hosts, the Mariners find themselves behind thanks to a Sam Graham own goal. Roy Krishna is the architect, as his pace down the left hand side creates a chance to stick in a dangerous ball from the byline. Graham gets in the way and the ball pings off him and past his own keeper.
AFLW: Half-time at Marvel Stadium and with the players ensconced back in the sheds it’s the Bulldogs who have edged ahead in a tight game with Melbourne. The reigning premiers lead by six, 4.0 (24) to 2.6 (18), at the halfway stage.
AFL: Brisbane beat Melbourne 16.8 (104) to 15.7 (97)
Oh dear, more JLT Community Series woe to report, this time for the Demons who are now facing the prospect of starting their season without Steven May and James Harmes. May is looking at being cited for a late hit on Jarrod Berry while Harmes is in hospital after suffering a suspected compound fracture in his pinky finger. If that wasn’t bad enough, Jay Kennedy-Harris is to undergo scans on his knee after he left the field in some disterss on a stretcher. And to round off a comprehensive injury list, the Lions is also currently in hospital, unable to speak or swallow after being hit in the throat.
AFL: That earlier high-scoring match in Adelaide has got people talking about the new rules, in particular the one about starting position, which states that each team starts with six players in attack, defence and midfield. More than a dozen goals were scored directly from the centre bounce during the pre-season hit-out at Alberton Oval and North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said: “The game was too easy to shut down at times with the rules the way they were. The changes are significant. And things like the kick-in rule, that will evolve as the season goes on a bit more. But clearly centre bounce scores haven’t been a big part of scoring in the AFL ... they are going to be a big part of scoring now.”
A-League: This is great. The highly-rated Josh Nisbet was working at Woolies not so long ago. Tonight he will make his first start in the A-League against Wellington.
Central Coast lie bottom of the A-League having won just once all season, and as some wag on Twitter suggested last night, is he sure this is the right move?
Fun fact: Nisbet is also officially the shortest player to play in the A-League – by some (relative) distance.
A huge congratulations to @jjnisbet99, who tonight makes his @ALeague starting debut!
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) March 9, 2019
Great to see all 3️⃣ Academy prospects named on the team sheet. #CCMFC #CCMvWEL #ALeague pic.twitter.com/6k8eG7lbnJ
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Surfing: We’re set to see the first winners of the revamped WSL Longboard Tour crowned tomorrow after today’s competition was moved due to a drop in swell at Noosa. The field was narrowed to the quarter-finalists at Castaways at Sunshine Beach, as young Hawaiian Kirra Seale delivered the upset of the tournament so far, knocking out reigning champ Soleil Erico in round four. Over to the guys at WSL: “With only her nose in front with two minutes left, Errico watched as Seale rode a wave all the way to the beach, carving, weaving and walking to the nose to post the score she needed and take the heat win.”
Tennis: Over in the States, the Aussie men’s contingent at the desert oasis of Indian Wells had a mixed day – Alex Bolt, Jordan Thompson and Alexei Popyrin won through to the second round of the Masters event, but Matthew Ebden and John Millman fell at the first hurdle. Bolt and Popyrin in particular impressed with comfortable wins over Ernests Gulbis and Jaume Munar respectively, while Thompson took three hours to beat Federico Delbonis. Ebden fell to Ivo Karlovic, while Millman lost to Jan-Lennard Struff.
In the women’s draw, the ever-brilliant Ash Barty opened her campaign with a straight-set win over Tatjana Maria, while Ajla Tomljanovic continued her impressive recent run with victory over Alize Cornet. Samantha Stosur and Priscilla Hon bowed out.
Nick Kyrgios and Alex De Minaur, who like Barty have enjoyed first-round byes, kick off their campaigns later today (US time).
Super Rugby: Crusaders 57-28 Chiefs
While we wait for the big one at the SCG (Waratahs-Reds, in case that wasn’t clear), let’s catch up with what happened earlier over in Christchurch. In short: a massively convincing win for the Crusaders, featuring nine tries (two apiece for Will Jordan and Codie Taylor, and one for Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, Andrew Makalio, Michael Ala’alatoa and Bryn Hall). The nine-times champions are looking ominous – this win extends their unbeaten start to the season and they’re now 4-0.
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AFLW: North Melbourne beat Collingwood 7.11 (53) to 5.1 (31)
In the first of today’s Marvel Stadium double-header, Collingwood’s winless season continued as the Kangaroos set up a huge date with Fremantle next week with a 22-point win. This, from AAP:
Fremantle and North lead Conference A, while Adelaide should join them on 5-1 after Sunday’s home game against GWS. Only the top two teams will play in the finals and, unless the Crows somehow slip up, they should progress because of their much better percentage. Collingwood, by contrast, remain winless and host Brisbane next weekend.
North midfielder Jenna Bruton was best afield with 19 disposals and six clearances, while Jasmine Garner kicked two goals. Magpies onballer Brittany Bonnici was outstanding, restricting North captain Emma Kearney to 15 disposals in a disciplined run-with role. While Kearney was still among North’s best, Bonnici clearly won their duel with a game-high 21 possessions and 10 tackles.
Up next at Marvel: the reigning champion Bulldogs and Melbourne. We’re about 10 minutes away from the bounce.
AFLW: Fremantle beat Geelong 6.13 (49) to 2.1 (13)
In the day’s first game, at GMHBA Stadium, Super Sharp Shooter Ashley Sharp was the difference against the Cats as the Dockers stayed in contention for a finals spot in Conference A. Geelong were up at the first break but the first of Sharp’s two majors clawed Freo back into a half-time lead and they never looked back from there. Meanwhile, check out the engine on Bec Goring:
Bec Goring's incredible goal-saving chase is our pick for #SpecialKStrongPlay. @specialkaus pic.twitter.com/fDGjVZl9gM
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 9, 2019
AFL: Port Adeliade beat North Melbourne 19.9 (123) to 16.6 (102)
Oh dear, the perils of the pre-season JLT Community Series competition. How coaches must dread this period of the year as they attempt to balance all-out preparations for the campaign ahead and the need to keep their players fit and healthy.
The latest to crack, quite literally? Port Adelaide’s ruckman Paddy Ryder, who suffered a fractured cheekbone in the Power’s 21-point win over North Melbourne this afternoon. Ryder fell victim to something of a friendly fire incident – a clash of heads with teammate Robbie Gray – but despite the blow is expected to be ready to go for the season-opener. “He is OK,” coach Ken Hinkley said. “It’s quite simple. It sounds a bit cold, but they [surgeons] will just flick that [depression] out. And I’d say, realistically, he’s a more than good chance to play round one.”
Port also lost Jarrod Lienert to a knee injury, while Todd Marshall can expect match review panel scrutiny for a high bump. Still, they won, right?
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Horse racing: Some news from earlier in the day, when star jockey Hugh Bowman was forced to pull out of the $1.5m Australian Cup for what is being reported as a serious family matter. Bowman was due to ride the favourite, Avilius, but left Flemington racecourse immediately after being informed of the situation.
“Stewards permitted Hugh Bowman to be released from his riding engagement on Avilius in the Australian Cup to enable him to leave the course due to a family matter which he was advised of after riding in the Newmarket Handicap,” Racing Victoria said in a statement.
Preamble
Plenty to get stuck into today, so let’s not mess about. The Waratahs and Reds are about to meet in the weekend’s second all-Australian Super Rugby clash (after the Rebels maintained their unbeaten start to the season against the Brumbies last night), the Mariners welcome Wellington Phoenix to the Central Coast in the A-League, Western Bulldogs go up against Melbourne in the AFLW, and Hawthorn play Richmond in an AFL pre-season encounter in Launceston. All that to come, plus updates from the what’s already happened today and lots of other tasty morsels to keep track of. Please do get in touch, on the email or Twitter details above. Let’s do this.
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