标签： Oceania

For more than two decades, the Melbourne Storm have held an unbeatable record on their home turf against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, holding a flawless 20-0 win streak in matches played in Melbourne. But this Saturday, that historic run faces its most threatening test yet, as the NRL powerhouse confronts an internal issue that has derailed its 2026 season before it even hits the halfway mark: crippling 20-minute concentration lapses that have turned premiership contenders into table drifters.

No one knows the Storm’s identity better than club legend Cameron Smith, widely regarded as the greatest player in NRL history. Smith was the first to flag the worrying pattern that has brought the franchise its longest losing skid in 14 years. The Storm, who entered the 2026 season as one of the top favorites to lift the premiership trophy after back-to-back grand final appearances, have dropped five consecutive matches, leaving them clinging near the bottom of the ladder heading into the Anzac Day weekend clash.

The core issue is not consistent poor performance across full 80-minute matches, head coach Craig Bellamy acknowledges. Instead, the team repeatedly falls apart in short, concentrated stretches of play that cost them critical points and match results. This pattern has played out week after week: in the 2025 grand final rematch against the Brisbane Broncos, the Storm held a lead before conceding three tries in just 17 minutes to throw away the win. Against the North Queensland Cowboys, three tries went to the opposition in six devastating late minutes. Last week against Canberra, the Raiders crossed the line twice in quick succession in both halves to secure the win.

Injury woes have compounded the team’s focus problems, too. The Storm lost key stars Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jonah Pezet in the off-season, and long-term injuries to starting players Eli Katoa and Xavier Coates have gutted the team’s depth and consistency. It is a far cry from the opening two rounds of the season, when Melbourne exploded out of the gate to score 98 points and looked set to dominate the competition.

Bellamy echoed Smith’s assessment of the problem, saying the team’s failure to compete for a full 80 minutes is the root of its current slump. “We just seem to find ways of not playing for the full 80 minutes; we’re only playing for 50 or 60 minutes,” Bellamy said. “Cameron Smith made the point that you don’t win games in this competition by playing for 50 or 60 minutes, and that’s basically what we’ve been doing. We’re just picking a different time each week of (when to play) the 50 or 60 minutes.”

The coach emphasized that consistent full-game intensity is non-negotiable for turning the season around, even when the team is put under pressure. “It’s important that we get our jobs done for 80 minutes, and hopefully the team can get their jobs done for 80 minutes,” he said. “We just need to put that effort in that we’re putting in at other times and make sure we do it for 80 minutes. There are going to be stages in the game where your backs are against the wall and things are going to happen that put you on the back foot, but that’s when you’ve got to stiffen up, toughen up and get through that period. You’ll know at some stage that it’s going to end, but you’ve just got to keep turning up.”

The historic 20-0 home streak against South Sydney will get its biggest challenge on Saturday night, with the Rabbitohs poised to target Melbourne’s right defensive edge with their red-hot left attack. Star fullback Latrell Mitchell comes into the match fresh off a four-try haul against the St George Illawarra Dragons, while winger Alex Johnston holds an incredible personal record against the Storm, with 17 tries from just 15 career matches against the Melbourne side.

Bellamy said his defensive unit on the right edge is gearing up for the toughest test of the season so far, and acknowledged a lapse in focus against the Rabbitohs’ star pairing would be catastrophic. “I’d like to think that our right hand side will be up for it,” Bellamy said. “We know with Latrell and Alex how good a player they are and what they can do to you. If you don’t aim up, they can make a mess of us.”

For the Storm, this weekend’s clash is not just about protecting an almost unheard of long-term home winning streak. It is also a critical chance to fix the concentration issues that have derailed their season, and avoid a sixth straight loss that would put their once-certain finals hopes in serious jeopardy.

In a display of jaw-dropping speed, Indian speed climber Deepu Mallesh can scale a vertical wall equivalent to the height of five full-sized city buses in just five seconds – a feat so quick it can easily slip past an untrained eye. Yet for Mallesh and dozens of other elite Indian climbers chasing international Olympic dreams, the biggest obstacle is not the steep rock face in front of them, but the systemic barriers that have left the sport largely unsupported in a cricket-mad nation.

Once a niche recreational activity, competitive climbing has exploded in grassroots popularity across India over the past decade. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) reports that tens of thousands of people now participate in sport climbing regularly, with more than a dozen purpose-built commercial climbing gyms opening across the country since 2014. But while recreational participation has surged, the transition to a full-time professional career has remained out of reach for most talented athletes, held back by prohibitive costs, near-zero sponsorship access, and a complete lack of official government recognition.

Today, just 3,500 climbers compete at any level across India, and only around 60 athletes earn the chance to compete in international tournaments each year. Many promising climbers have been forced to walk away from the sport entirely due to financial pressure. For those who persist, like 28-year-old Mallesh, balancing elite training with basic survival is a constant juggle. Mallesh, who has already represented India in international competition and dreams of becoming the first Indian climber to qualify for the Olympic Games, works part-time as a climbing instructor to fund his training and competition goals for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“What I like most about climbing is how raw and honest it is. It’s just you, the wall and the clock,” Mallesh explained. Despite placing outside the medals at last month’s IFSC World Climbing Championships in China, Mallesh set a new Indian national record of 5.39 seconds in the men’s speed discipline, and earned a spot to compete at the 2025 Asian Games in Tokyo this autumn. Still, his journey has been marked by financial uncertainty. For years, Mallesh relied entirely on crowdfunding to cover international competition costs, raising roughly 1 million rupees ($10,500) two years ago to attend six global events. He has missed multiple competitions over his career simply because he could not raise enough money to cover travel and entry fees. “If I get proper funding and proper support I might see my career through till the Olympics. Otherwise I will have to find something else to do,” he said.

The financial burdens facing climbers are substantial even at the basic level. A single high-quality pair of climbing shoes and safety harness costs around 10,000 rupees ($106), and a chalk bag for improving grip costs an additional 5,000 rupees. Unlike regular athletic shoes, competition climbing shoes wear out quickly, lasting just three to six months with regular training – and most athletes carry a backup pair for competition events. Nineteen-year-old 2024 Asian climbing silver medalist Joga Purty is one of the rare lucky few: she holds a sponsorship from Indian conglomerate Tata, a lifeline that has allowed her to continue competing. “If I didn’t have this I also would be one of those who quit the sport,” Purty said.

Unlike most major sports in India, competitive climbing has not earned official government recognition or support under the National Sports Governance Act. IMF representative Keerthi Pais says the organisation is currently in active negotiations to secure this designation, a change that would open up access to government funding, training infrastructure, and development programs that could transform the sport’s trajectory in India. “This recognition will help them continue their climbing career,” Pais said. For Mallesh, official status would do far more than provide symbolic validation: “It directly impacts support, funding, infrastructure and sponsorship opportunities.” Pais added that government policy to reduce barriers for building new climbing gyms would also be transformative, calling the move “the game-changer” that would unlock widespread, sustainable growth for the sport.

Commercial gym operators have already stepped into the gap left by limited government support, acting as a catalyst for grassroots growth. Mumbai-based The Indian Bouldering Company owner Shaiv Gandhi says private facilities have driven rising public awareness and provided the specialized training infrastructure that emerging athletes need to develop their skills. His gym has even launched an internal talent scouting program that allows promising young climbers to train for free, putting the onus on facility owners to nurture the next generation of elite competitors. “We already have a programme where we have told our instructors to keep an eye out for budding talent… if anyone you think has potential, let them climb. It’s on me,” Gandhi said. Since 2002, Indian climbers have already claimed nearly 70 medals across international competitions, including top finishes at Asian youth championships, proving that with systemic support, Indian athletes could compete with the best in the world on the global stage.

As the St. George Illawarra Dragons search for a permanent replacement for outgoing head coach Shane Flanagan ahead of next season, a high-profile cross-code candidate has received a glowing endorsement from one of the NRL’s most respected club leaders. \n\nTrent Robinson, the long-serving Sydney Roosters head coach, has publicly backed former dual-code international rugby union coach Michael Cheika, confirming the 59-year-old possesses every quality needed to succeed as an NRL head coach — and argued that club CEOs and chairmen simply need to take a chance on him.\n\nCheika’s name has repeatedly circulated as a candidate for NRL head coaching vacancies over the past several years, but the decorated mentor has never been given an opportunity to lead a top-flight NRL side, despite a stellar track record across global rugby union. His resume includes head coaching roles with the Australian Wallabies, Argentina’s Pumas, and the Lebanese rugby league international side, a resume that has kept him on the radar for NRL clubs seeking fresh leadership.\n\nCheika already has deep ties to the Roosters organization: he first joined the club as a consultant back in 2020, and has recently returned to the NRL premiership contenders in a specialist role working with the club’s forward pack. That working experience has given Robinson a first-hand look at what Cheika would bring to any NRL head coaching role.\n\nWhen asked whether NRL clubs would be willing to hire a coach with a primarily rugby union background, Robinson redirected the question to the decision-makers at the top of clubs, but left no doubt about Cheika’s credentials. “He’s a head coach, that’s pretty clear, and he always has been,” Robinson told reporters. “Whenever that comes up, he’ll be a head coach in the future somewhere pretty quickly, so he’ll be ready to go.”\n\nRobinson added that Cheika’s work with the Roosters forwards has been a major boost to the squad, noting that while Cheika continues to familiarize himself with the specific nuances of NRL play, his decades of elite coaching experience have already added immense value to the club. “He works with the forwards a lot and he’s worked really well with that crew. Building that mindset along with the skill set, he’s learning at the same time around the nuances of the game, but the mindset he’s had for a long time, so he’s been a good value add,” Robinson said.\n\nBeyond Cheika, Robinson also praised another product of the Roosters’ coaching pathway: club legend and former NSW captain Boyd Cordner, who recently stepped into a new role as assistant coach for the NSW Blues State of Origin side. Cordner replaced outgoing Dean Young, who stepped up to serve as the Dragons’ interim head coach following Flanagan’s departure announcement.\n\nCordner has already built a strong coaching resume through his work leading the Roosters’ SG Ball Cup youth side, and Robinson said the former premiership-winning forward has all the tools to become a top-level head coach in the future. “He is a great coach. He will be a great coach. And it’s a good step towards his future,” Robinson said. “(He’s got a) deep knowledge of rugby league, so he knows the nuances of the game. He knows how the game should be played, and then he’s got the ability to communicate that. So it’s Boydo’s choice that if he wants to go down that line, then he can, and he’s obviously doing it in part-time roles. But Boyd is and will be a very good coach.”\n\nLooking ahead to the Roosters’ upcoming Anzac Day clash against the Dragons, Robinson said his side is focused on preparing for their opponents rather than being distracted by the Dragons’ ongoing off-field coaching saga. The biggest talking point for the match is the NRL debut of Dragons rookie halfback Kade Reed, who is expected to be a primary target for the Roosters’ aggressive defensive line.\n\nRobinson confirmed that the Roosters have done their full scouting work on Reed, noting that while the young half is making his first NRL appearance, he has extensive experience through the junior and reserve grade pathways. When asked about the strategy of targeting debutant playmakers, Robinson said modern NRL requires all 13 players to step up physically, regardless of position or experience.\n\n“That’s the game, that will always be a part of it. But it won’t just be him,” Robinson said, also confirming Roosters centre Billy Smith will not return to the side for this week’s clash. “The game used to be played where years ago, they (smaller halves) used to play second line (defence) and they used to slot in on the far side of where the defensive lines were or where the ball was and move around. That’s not the case anymore. You need 13 guys aiming up and it’s a physical game.”\n\nRobinson added that the Roosters’ preparation for the match has centered on reviewing their own recent performance and locking in their game plan, rather than making drastic adjustments to target Reed. “Our most important preview for this game was our review, and that’s the things that we want to do and the things that we want to improve on,” he said. “You don’t change direction, but our style of game can double down on some of those areas that we want to attack. We’ve done our work as we do each week, no more than any other player that we face each week. But we’re really clear on the way that he plays the game and what he’ll bring to them, and then also what we need to do. He’s played a lot of footy, and we’ve watched him play a lot of footy. He just hasn’t played NRL yet. He’s played a trial, but he’s played a lot of reserve grade and he’s come through the grades, so as long as you do your work, you know the player.”