分类： sports

A fresh controversy has erupted in Australian Football League (AFL) circles following a fiery post-match exchange between coach Ross Lyon and reporters, with St Kilda’s top executive stepping forward publicly to back the embattled coach. The drama unfolded after the Saints suffered a gut-wrenching one-point defeat to Adelaide on Saturday night, where Lyon pushed back against media questioning in a tense press conference that quickly divided opinion across the football community.

In the tense press briefing, Lyon stood by his claim that the St Kilda side had shown clear improvement despite underwhelming early season results that leave the club with a 2-5 win-loss record halfway through the opening round of fixtures. The coach went as far as pressing reporters to recall the final ladder positions of each of the Saints’ opponents from the previous season, a standoff that sparked widespread debate across the sport.

The criticism reached a peak when former AFL player and prominent player agent Liam Pickering called on sports journalists to boycott Lyon’s future press conferences in response to the coach’s confrontational approach. But St Kilda president Andrew Bassat has doubled down on the club’s support for Lyon, defending both the coach’s stance and his unfiltered style of media engagement in an interview with ABC Melbourne on Monday.

“Ross is a fascinating guy, and I personally love working with him. He’s incredibly driven, hungry to win, and has that relentless edge every top coach needs,” Bassat explained. “It’s worth remembering just how unforgiving the position is: we walked away from a one-point heartbreaker, with almost no luck down the stretch, and immediately he has to stand in front of a room of reporters to answer questions.”

Bassat acknowledged that Lyon reacts very differently depending on the quality of questioning he receives, confirming that the coach’s famous line — “ask stupid questions, win stupid prizes” — is a genuine reflection of his approach to media interactions. “He’s far more responsive when the questions are intelligent and fair, that’s no secret. I’ve been on the receiving end of that sharpness myself when I’ve asked a question he thinks misses the mark,” Bassat said. “The truth is, he’s just more honest than most coaches when he thinks a question isn’t worth answering. That’s just who he is.”

Beyond the controversy over the press conference, Bassat also opened up about his mixed views on the AFL’s new Opening Round concept, which gave selected clubs early starts to their home-and-away season this year. St Kilda was chosen to feature in the opening round, drawing the club’s largest ever home-and-away crowd for a match against Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The big turnout was a win for the club, even if they walked away with a loss, but Bassat still has lingering reservations about the restructured opening to the season.

“I’m a bit torn on the whole idea, to be honest,” Bassat admitted. “I don’t love that it creates an uneven start to the season for different clubs and messes with the structure of bye rounds later in the year. That said, if the league is going to have an Opening Round, we absolutely wanted to be part of it — we asked the AFL for a spot, and they agreed. It gave us a fantastic chance to play in front of a huge crowd, even if we didn’t get the result we wanted. If I’m being honest, I’d rather we didn’t have the concept at all, but if we’re going to have it, I’m glad we were included.”

The National Rugby League (NRL) side Canterbury Bulldogs are still searching for answers after their stunning upset defeat to the Parramatta Eels over the weekend, while star five-eighth Matt Burton has moved to shut down persistent speculation linking him to a future exit from the Belmore-based club.

Burton, one of the Bulldogs’ most high-profile players, enters this week of competition with 12 months remaining on his current contract at Canterbury. However, industry whispers have persisted for months that a potential move to a Perth-based expansion side could materialize as early as 2026, a shift that would free up critical salary cap space for the Bulldogs to reshape their roster.

Speaking to reporters at a public event on Monday, the left-footed playmaker declined to give further credence to the off-field rumours, emphasizing he remains fully focused on fulfilling his current commitments to Canterbury. He also reaffirmed his willingness to adapt his position for the good of the team, saying he would happily shift from the halves to left centre if the coaching staff required the adjustment.

“Right now, my only priority is playing my best rugby for the Bulldogs, and we’ll see what the future holds down the line. I’ve left all contract discussions to my manager and the club’s leadership to work through,” Burton explained. “I don’t pay too much attention to the outside noise. I hear about the rumours from other people who follow the media, but I have a job to do here at Belmore, and that’s all that matters to me. Whatever position the team needs me to fill, I’ll give 100% effort – that’s the team-first culture we’ve built here, and I fully buy into it.”

The Bulldogs’ backline structure is set to undergo a major shake-up this week ahead of their Friday night clash with the Brisbane Broncos, with the club set to confirm team selections on Tuesday afternoon. Skipper Stephen Crichton is widely expected to make his return from a short-term shoulder injury layoff, while starting winger Jacob Kiraz is poised to be sidelined with a knee injury.

If Crichton is cleared for a full return, utility Bronson Xerri is expected to shift to right centre – a positional change that stirred internal tension earlier this season when Xerri was dropped from the starting side. Burton welcomed Crichton’s potential comeback, noting the leader’s impact on the team regardless of selection challenges.

“I think he’s got a really good shot at playing this week, and it would be huge to have him back out there,” Burton said. “He’s such a massive boost for us if he’s available, but I know whoever gets called up to fill the gap will do the job required.”

Regardless of the final team sheet, the biggest challenge for the Bulldogs this week remains addressing their frustrating inconsistency, which has seen the side deliver wildly contrasting performances over the past fortnight. In Round 6, the blue-and-whites pulled off one of the upsets of the season, ending reigning premiers Penrith Panthers’ long-running winning streak. Just seven days later, they turned in a disjointed performance to fall to a struggling Parramatta side missing multiple key starters to injury.

Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo made his frustration clear in post-match press conference following the Eels defeat, but veteran forward Kurt Mann rejected claims that the side had grown complacent after their high-profile win over Penrith.

“I don’t think complacency was the issue at all,” Mann said ahead of this week’s road trip to Brisbane to face an injury-depleted Broncos side. “We just made far too many unforced errors, and that put us under constant pressure playing out of our own end. We didn’t execute our game plan the way we planned to, and that hurt us.

“When you give up field position and possession that cheaply, it’s almost impossible to stick to your game plan. It’s really disappointing – after the performance we put in against Penrith, to come out and play like we did is a letdown for all of us. We’re going to review every minute of this game, take the lessons on board, and move forward.

“The NRL is all about consistency, you have to bring your best effort every single week. Right now, we’re up and down, and we’re still working to find that steady level of performance. We’re going to keep working on that this week, and all season long.”

Defending National Rugby League premiers the Brisbane Broncos are facing an unprecedented injury crisis following their narrow one-point victory over the Wests Tigers in Campbelltown on Saturday night, with one of the sport’s biggest stars ruled out of the upcoming State of Origin series opener.

Prop forward Payne Haas, widely regarded as the best forward in global rugby league, was forced off the field in the first half of Saturday’s clash after suffering a knock to his knee. Early assessments from club medical staff ruled him out of the remainder of the match immediately, and follow-up scans conducted in the days after the game confirmed the worst-case scenario: a full tear of his medial collateral ligament, classified as a Grade 3 MCL sprain.

Medical experts confirm the injury will not require surgical intervention, as the MCL has strong natural healing potential. Haas will instead wear a locked knee brace that can be adjusted to different ranges of motion to support optimal recovery, according to sports physiotherapy specialists. Current projections place his recovery timeline at 6 to 8 weeks on the sidelines, which will see him miss the opening State of Origin match between New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons scheduled for May 27.

The injury is a double blow for the Blues, who already lost Manly Warringah Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic to a hamstring injury last week. Trbojevic is also expected to miss up to two months of play, leaving the interstate representative side severely depleted ahead of the annual series.

For Brisbane, Haas’ injury is just the start of a grim medical update released by the club on Monday. The defending premiers already entered Saturday’s match with a lengthy injury and suspension list: star fullback Reece Walsh, playmaker Ben Hunt, hooker Blake Mozer, winger Grant Anderson and five-eighth Billy Walters were already sidelined with injuries, while hardworking lock Pat Carrigan is still serving a one-match suspension that will keep him out of Brisbane’s next fixture.

The new round of injuries leaves Brisbane incredibly thin on the ground for their upcoming Friday night showdown against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. In addition to Haas, the club confirmed three more key players have picked up significant injuries in the Campbelltown clash. Center Kotoni Staggs was diagnosed with a plantar fascia strain, while winger Jesse Arthars suffered a tear to his interosseous membrane. Both players are currently working with Brisbane’s medical team to map out their rehabilitation and confirm potential return-to-play timelines, which have not yet been finalized.

The most serious of the new injuries is prop Corey Jensen, who underwent scans after Saturday’s game that detected a pulmonary embolism. Jensen remains hospitalized for treatment, and while his recovery timeline is still unclear at this early stage, the club confirmed he is expected to miss at least several weeks of competition as he recovers.

The full extent of Brisbane’s injury crisis has left the NRL community shocked, with the defending premiers facing one of their most challenging stretches in recent memory as they navigate a stacked schedule without nearly half of their starting side.

As the National Rugby League (NRL) 2024 season kicks into high gear, Sydney Roosters utility Hugo Savala has delivered a statement performance against the Newcastle Knights at Allianz Stadium on Sunday afternoon that has sent shockwaves through the competition. The 24-year-old’s off-script, game-changing play late in the first half has left rival coaches and analysts warning that the Roosters have a dangerous new weapon at their disposal.

Savala’s role at the club has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the off-season. Following the high-profile signing of veteran playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans from Manly Sea Eagles, the young talent who anchored the Roosters’ push to the 2023 finals with his elite kicking game found himself without a guaranteed spot in the club’s halves pairing. For months, questions swirled around his future: would he shift to the forward pack, settle for a bench role, or depart the club entirely in search of a starting playmaking position elsewhere?

On Sunday, Savala answered every single one of those questions with authority. Finishing the match with two tries and a rock-solid defensive effort that shut down Knights star Dane Gagai, it was his spontaneous decision to take up first receiver position in the final five minutes of the first half that stole the show. Moving from his starting spot at left centre to drift infield, Savala hesitated behind the ruck before executing two sharp plays that completely bamboozled the Knights’ defensive line, creating what should have been a try for Mark Nawaqanitawase – denied only by a marginal foot-in-touch call.

Roosters head coach Trent Robinson was openly glowing about Savala’s initiative after the full-time siren. “I think that was an outstanding set of play,” Robinson said. “He goes down there, has a look down the short side, he sort of hesitates just behind the ruck … I’m not sure whether [halfback] Sam [Walker] said something or not. And then he plays two really clear plays about getting us into a point and then creating the opportunity on the next one. I love the fact that he had the confidence to do that, and then he also had the style of play to do that as well. I thought he was so good today out there at left centre and doing the role that he’s been asked to do there.”

What makes the play even more remarkable? It was never drawn up in training. Savala explained after the match that the entire sequence was a spontaneous call based on what he saw unfolding on the field. “I saw Sammy take the hit-up there and go, and I just thought it was a good opportunity to get my hands on the ball and create a little bit of space for the boys out wide,” he said. “Honestly, it wasn’t trained all week; it was just off the cuff. I did that role last year, so I thought it would be a good time to use that. Teddy [skipper James Tedesco] and the leadership group give you a lot of confidence. A lot of the young boys get a lot of confidence from doing the reps in the week. They have the belief in all us young boys to do what we do. I’m just doing my job out there, and they believe in me, so I can just do my role and do it well.”

Right now, Savala is filling in at left centre while regular starter Billy Smith recovers from injury, a role he has embraced fully as he bides his time for another opportunity in the halves. For the upcoming Anzac Day blockbuster against St. George Illawarra Dragons, the towering utility is set to retain his spot in the centres, and he says he is fully focused on executing the job the coaching staff has given him.

“I’m just working hard and still working on my skills. I’m still working on my kicking at training and my ball playing, but the majority of the time at training, I’ve been doing the role that I needed to do on the weekend,” Savala explained. “Robbo’s big on mindset and how you prepare for the game. He’s been really clear with us as a group, and I’ve been clear knowing that I’m playing left centre this week. That’s the role that I have to play. Obviously, there’s a half and a five-eighth inside me, but I was playing left centre today and that’s the role I was doing.”

For the rest of the NRL, Savala’s combination of raw talent, adaptive versatility, and willingness to take spontaneous risks on the field makes him a nightmare to prepare for. With the Roosters clicking into form early in the season, their emerging utility’s breakout performance has confirmed they are a force to be reckoned with in 2024.

Against a backdrop of rising challenges in rugby’s long-established traditional markets, World Rugby chair Brett Robinson has reaffirmed the governing body’s commitment to aggressive global expansion, singling out the United States — the upcoming host of the 2031 men’s Rugby World Cup and 2033 women’s edition — as a critical priority for long-term growth.

In an interview with AFP on the sidelines of the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, the former Australian international player pushed back against growing narratives that rugby is facing a period of broad decline, arguing that the sport’s global foundations are stronger than critics claim. Recent high-profile setbacks have fueled public debate about the sport’s standing in the global pecking order, from folding professional franchises in Super Rugby to slipping public interest in traditional heartlands. Last week, All Blacks legend Michael Jones warned that rugby union is losing the battle for fan attention to rugby league in New Zealand, a comment that came just days after Auckland-based Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika announced it would cease operations at the end of the current season, becoming the second Super Rugby franchise to collapse in three years due to crippling financial pressure. In Wales, another historic rugby stronghold, the men’s national team has suffered a dramatic slump in on-pitch form, while football has overtaken rugby as the primary focus of public sporting interest.

Robinson pushed back on this narrative of decline, pointing to global participation data that shows 2 million women playing the sport worldwide, making rugby a truly global game rather than one confined to a handful of historical markets. “We have to protect our core markets, but we can’t sit still and believe that the game will thrive if we don’t continue exploring new pathways for growth,” he said.

That search for growth leads directly to the United States, which is set to become the first North American nation to host the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031, followed by the women’s tournament in 2033. The upcoming 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US this summer, has already offered a preview of the logistical and commercial challenges awaiting rugby’s governing body, with soaring ticket and transportation costs drawing widespread criticism and raising questions about large-scale event delivery in the American market.

Skepticism around the 2031 project has grown in recent months: Major League Rugby, the top domestic professional men’s competition, has shrunk to just six teams after four clubs exited the league in recent years, while the men’s national team has struggled with inconsistent performances. British media reports have also raised questions about the US’s ability to deliver a commercially successful 2031 World Cup.

Robinson countered that World Rugby has laid out a long-term strategy to build fan momentum ahead of the 2031 tournament, rather than rushing to deliver a fully formed event overnight. “We have worked with top national unions to bring iconic, high-profile matches to the US over the coming years to build deeper connections with new fans,” he explained, noting that the governing body is currently evaluating 27 potential host cities, a list that will be narrowed to 12 to 14 ahead of a formal announcement following the 2027 World Cup.

To build early excitement for the 2031 tournament, World Rugby has already arranged a blockbuster Test match between two-time world champions South Africa and three-time winners New Zealand in Baltimore this September, following on from a sell-out 2024 match between Ireland and the All Blacks in Chicago. “We’re working really hard to build a long-term play,” Robinson said. “We aren’t sitting still in terms of preparing, and we fully acknowledge that it’s a challenging market.”

He added that the 2033 women’s Rugby World Cup will be a equally important milestone for the sport, noting that women’s rugby has seen rapid, sustained growth across North America in recent years.

Looking ahead to the next major global rugby event, the 2025 men’s Rugby World Cup in Robinson’s native Australia, he shared that initial ticket sales have already “exceeded all expectations”, with more than 750,000 tickets sold for the expanded 24-team tournament, the largest edition of the competition in history. While Robinson acknowledged that global geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has created some headwinds for major international events, he said World Rugby remains optimistic about the tournament’s success. “It’s a really good signal about the World Cup,” he said. “We’re really optimistic and excited.”