AFL
The Melbourne Football Club has been rocked this week with the dismissal of coach Dean Bailey following the side’s humiliating 233-47 point defeat to Geelong at the weekend.
The 186-point losing margin was the second highest in AFL history with the Cats kicking 37 goals in all.
Speaking at a press conference in Melbourne on Monday, Bailey effectively admitted to ‘tanking’ during his tenure, a tactic which involves losing games on purpose so as to secure a high pick in the following year’s youth player draft.
“I had no hesitation in the first two years putting the club in a position for draft picks,” he said. ”I believe what we’ve done is right for the club and if it cost me my job, so be it.”
Melbourne claimed two number one draft picks, Jack Watts in 2008 and Tom Scully in 2009, as a result of finishing bottom of the ladder, while also taking Jack Trengove at number two in 2009 with a priority pick gained from winning four or fewer games two years in a row.
The Dees currently sit 11th on the ladder, a game and a half outside a finals spot in the top eight, while Geelong remain joint top alongside Collingwood, though the Magpies currently have a better percentage.
This week’s Mark of the Year contender came courtesy of Port Adelaide’s Jay Schultz who took a great grab in the defeat to city rivals Adelaide Crows:
While West Coast’s Mark LeCras kicked a superb goal (2) from close to the boundary against the Western Bulldogs.
NRL
Monday night’s big NRL game between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm saw the latter stage a remarkable comeback from 18-0 down to claim a 22-18 win. The Eels looked set for victory having kept their opponents scoreless with 26 minutes remaining; however tries from Sisa Waqa, Billy Slater, Justin O’Neill and Dane Nielsen left the Sydney crowd stunned.
The Storm now sit four points ahead of the Manly Sea Eagles at the top of the table with five rounds of the regular season remaining.
It was a weekend for comebacks as on Sunday the South Sydney Rabbitohs overturned a 20-0 deficit to beat the St. George Illawarra Dragons 34-20 at WIN Stadium. Dylan Farrell helped himself to hattrick to overshadow a great first half performance by Rabbitohs’ retiring centre Mark Gasnier who had a hand in three of his side’s tries.
In the rest of the Round 21 games there were wins for the Roosters, Cowboys Broncos, Tigers, Cowboys, Warriors and Knights.
Soccer
There was sadness in the Australian soccer community this week with the news that underage star and West Ham youth academy player Dylan Tombides has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. The 17-year-old was a key member of the side which recently took part in the FIFA U17 World Cup in Mexico.
“Dylan is receiving the best possible care. All the doctors involved have advised Dylan that he will make a full recovery in terms of his illness and his ability to return to his football career,” said West Ham club doctor Sean Howlett.
Tombides isn’t the first Australian player to be diagnosed with the disease with former Socceroos centre half Craig Moore making a full recovery having first discovered symptoms two and a half years ago.
“I spoke to Dylan not long after the diagnosis and my message was that he should stay extremely positive,” said Moore.
