It was a blunder for the ages. A moment that had millions of fans across the country screaming at their TVs. It broke the internet. It broke LeBron James. But to J.R. Smith, it was nothing more than an “honest mistake.” “I’ve messed up so many times in my life,” Smith told ESPN’s The Undefeated in a feature published Tuesday. “I mean, I can’t just point at one thing to be mad at.” Smith’s now-infamous gaffe occurred with 4.7 seconds left in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, with his Cavaliers matched up against the heavily favoured Golden State Warriors. Behind a heroic James performance (51 points), George Hill had a chance to take the lead with two free throws. After making the first, he missed the second. Smith got the rebound. And then … he dribbled. And dribbled some more. By the time he realised his team wasn’t ahead and passed the ball back to Hill, it was too late to get off a quality shot. The Warriors won the game in overtime, 124-114. They would then go on to sweep the series. “It was tough, but it was the same after Game 2, 3 and 4,” Smith said. “I didn’t take it no harder than those losses just because I made a mistake.” In the days and months that followed, Smith became a national punching bag. Every analyst and fan in the country was looking for new ways to rip into him. The image of a flabbergasted James pointing to the basket was memed thousands of times over. A month later, James was in Los Angeles as the new face of the Lakers. But Smith isn’t dwelling on it, and has kept a remarkably grounded view of the incident in hindsight. “The main thing was, OK, granted, you didn’t shoot the ball, but what if you ain’t get the rebound?” Smith said. “Then what? We still would have been in the same situation. I could have shot and missed. Then what?” “I mean, it’s an honest mistake. People make mistakes all the time.” If anything, that mistake has prompted him to work harder than ever, according to his trainer and longtime friend, Chris Brickley. “This has been by far the most he’s been in the gym,” Brickley told The Undefeated. “We’ve worked out at 7 in the morning this summer, 8 in the morning this summer. We’ve also worked out at midnight. We’ve put in a ton of work. This has been the most that I’ve witnessed him work on his game. “He’s an extremely mentally tough person. I think that situation just made him more focused.”

Perth Wildcats Strength and Conditioning Coach Josh Cavanagh has described the decision to fly players to America in business class as a “game changer” for their ability to recover. The Wildcats arrived in Utah today after three flights, two of which were delayed. They have only two days to prepare for their NBA pre-season clash with the Utah Jazz but Cavanagh said flying business class had given the players a huge boost. “It’s really influential,” he said. “They were able to lie down. The big guys - it’s obviously pretty tough in economy for them. “To get business has been awesome. It’s been a game changer.” The players were instructed to live on Utah time from the moment they got on the plane in Perth for the 5.15am departure. They aimed to sleep for the first 10 hours of the flight from Sydney to Dallas and then arrived in Utah at 8pm. The players were stunned by a huge crowd of cheering fans upon arrival in Utah before realising they were there to celebrate local missionaries returning home

COULD a replacement to SEABL be in the works? That appears to be the sentiment, at least, with the NBL announcing a partnership with UniSport Australia to develop a University Basketball League. In the ‘heads of agreement’, the expectation is that a men’s and women’s national university league will be established, acting as a pathway to professional basketball in Australia; namely, the NBL. It’s a role that was implicitly played by the SEABL competition, whose future is in doubt, following Basketball Australia’s decision to tell clubs that the BA Board did not support the proposal for a self-managed league. “We’re excited about the opportunity to partner with UniSport Australia to develop another pathway to the elite level of the game,” NBL CEO, Jeremy Loeliger, said. “This is a first time a national university basketball league will be developed for men and women’s sport in Australia. It will create a pathway that will help not only retain but develop emerging talent in a high performance environment.” Specifics of the league weren’t announced, nor was a timeline, but the NBL sees the partnership as an opportunity to create a, sort of, ‘feeder’ system into the league. “Australian basketball has never been stronger and we want to give players the best opportunity to play at the highest level,” Loeliger continued. “We have record participation levels, two of the world’s premier leagues in the NBL and WNBL and Australian players have never been more prominent on the international stage.” UniSport has 43 member universities across the country, representing a total of more than one million students. “Basketball, both men’s and women’s, is hugely popular on campuses across Australia and represent the largest team participation at our Nationals Division 1 & 2 levels,” Chief Executive of UniSport, Don Knapp, said. “The opportunity to develop the University Basketball League with the support of the NBL, is a very exciting development for UniSport and our 43 university members. “We will be working very hard to bring a University Basketball League to fruition in partnership with the NBL, providing student athletes with a great opportunity to represent their respective universities on the national stage.” ***

BRISBANE import Nnanna Egwu says there will be nothing warm, fuzzy or cuddly about the Bullets this NBL season. The 211cm Egwu has been brought into the squad to cover for injured centres Matt Hodgson (calf) and Will Magnay (ankle) who face a number of weeks on the sidelines with Brisbane’s season-opener just around the corner on October 11. The Nigerian-born, US-raised Egwu was in his hometown of Chicago preparing for a stint in Malaysia when the Bullets decided to temporarily activate their vacant third import spot to bolster their big-man stocks. Egwu, 25, will play his first game for the Bullets on Sunday on the Sunshine Coast against Illawarra with his stint in Brisbane colours likely to last just a handful of weeks with both Hodgson and Magnay on the road to recovery. He spent the past two NBL seasons with Cairns when he averaged almost six points, five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes a game, so he has hit the training court running. The former NBA Summer League player for Detroit and Orlando said the new-look Brisbane will be a much tougher proposition for rival clubs this summer after collecting the past two wooden spoons. “They have some players here that just don’t know how to lose. They absolutely refuse to lose which is great for the culture they are trying to build here,’’ Egwu said. “There are some great leaders, some players with great experience and some players who play for the Australian national team, which is a real asset in this league. “It’s a great opportunity to come in and join this club. I’m familiar with the system they run here, familiar with the players so I don’t have to start from scratch, which makes things easier for everyone.’’ The hitout against the Hawks on Sunday at USC Stadium at Sippy Downs will be Brisbane’s last pre-season game against an NBL side before their Round 1 opener against New Zealand in Auckland on October 11.

FROM watching Melbourne United almost beat Oklahoma City while sitting on his couch in pain with appendicitis to playing against his former Boomers roommate Ben Simmons in an historic NBA pre-season clash. United captain Chris Goulding will cap off a crazy 12-month turnaround on Saturday morning when he takes on Simmons’ Philadelphia 76ers. This time last year, Goulding was a late withdrawal as Melbourne came within one bucket of beating a star-studded Thunder side. A year on and the United guard is fully fit and ready to make the most of his opportunity on the NBA stage. “I’m really excited,” Goulding said. “Everyone keeps asking me if I’m over the moon to be here and maybe I’m a bit older and mature now but I’m not really overawed by the occasion. “I’ll just treat it like any other game, but it will be cool to play against (Simmons). “He came to a Boomers camp and I roomed with him in 2014 — so I’m looking forward to the game.” Goulding knows Simmons’ Sixers are on the big stage earning the big bucks but he says Melbourne won’t take a backwards step. “As long as we go out there and play an intense style of defence that Melbourne United has been known for — then we will just go for it,” he said. “But we haven’t really done any scouting on the Sixers. “I don’t think we really need to. “We watched 20 NBA games of theirs last season, but we’ll do some specifics on their plays on the day of the day of the game.” Goulding was in a different mindset this time last year after completing surgery for his appendicitis. Feeling sore and sorry for himself, the star sharpshooter couldn’t even jump for joy when Melbourne pushed OKC to the limit in a thrilling one-point loss. 12 months later Goulding believes United can take inspiration from their gutsy performance against a Thunder side featuring All-Stars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. “Everyone was saying we’d get smashed,” he said. “But at quarter-time there was only one or two points in it. “I remember I had my phone and twitter going saying, ‘c’mon where is the respect. “People thought we’d go in there and get smashed but we did a really good job and just lost the game.” Despite playing the Sixers on the same day as the AFL grand final, Melbourne players have vowed to stay up for the decider. The local Philadelphia Australian rules side, known as the Hawks, have invited United players and staff to watch the Collingwood versus West Coast blockbuster on a big screen. “Hopefully get a game day nap and then that will put us in a good head space for our game and then flow that into the AFL grand final,” Goulding said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Collingwood won, but I don’t want to jinx a team with my tip.”

MELBOURNE United are kicking off the NBL's tour of the USA and the NBA in their mouth-watering clash against Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers. Here's what you need to know. Melbourne United have landed in the US and the team’s star import Casper Ware can’t wait to take on Ben Simmons’ Philadelphia 76ers. Ware is no stranger to the 76ers. The 28-year-old Los Angeles-born guard was a member of the 76ers during the NBA team’s horror 2013-14 season when Brett Brown’s squad won just 19 games, lost 63 and included a 26-game losing streak Despite the dark days Ware experienced in Philadelphia he is keen for another shot at the NBA and knows a strong performance on Friday (Saturday 9am AEST) for Melbourne against the 76ers at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Centre might generate a contract offer. “That’s always the goal,” Ware told NBC after United attempted to shake off the jet-lag on Wednesday with a training session at Temple University. “I’m a guy that says I’ll never give up. “My goal is to make it to the NBA and play at the top level. “I’m at Melbourne, but I’m still looking forward to trying to get back to the NBA.” It was Ware and United who proved NBL teams could compete with billion- dollar NBA franchises, with Ware going head-to-head in a point guard battle last year with NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook. Westbrook’s Oklahoma City Thunder just held on for a nail-biting 86-85 win. The Melbourne-Philadelphia clash is the first game of the NBA pre-season and kicks off a busy schedule for the NBL and NBA teams. Speaking ahead of the 76ers clash, Goulding said there was a buzz about the group as they look to build on an incredible 2017. "We're looking OK," he said on SEN. "Winning the championship last year - it's hard to compare against. We don't want to get stuck in saying what we did last year. It's been an interesting pre-season and tomorrow night will be a good test. "We can go play our brand, have some fun, let the chains off and you never know what can happen." Asked if there was much interaction with the 76ers - specifically their Australian contingent, Gould said: "I speak to Jonah every now and then, we have the same agent. "Our coaching staff will meet with 76ers coaching staff but as far as the players go, unless there is a personal relationship there, there isn't too much hanging out. "I will be asking them for where to watch the Grand Final. We will get together as a group and watch, a lot of the guys are AFL supporters and some of the Collingwood." When it comes to playing one of the best sides on their home ground, Goulding said the thought of NBA recruiters being there to watch was always in the back of his mind, but the priority is to win. "You never give up hope or on a dream (of playing NBA) but that's not really the plan. You never know what can happen but the plan is to upset one of the best teams in the world. We will see what happens." The other NBL/NBA clashes are: the Perth Wildcats face the Joel Ingles-Dante Exum’s Utah Jazz; Andrew Bogut returns to the NBA with his Sydney Kings playing the Los Angeles Clippers in Hawaii; the Phoenix Suns host the New Zealand Breakers; Melbourne moves north to play the Toronto Raptors; the Perth take on the Denver Nuggets; and the Adelaide 36ers face the Jazz.

BEN Simmons says fellow Australian Jonah Bolden has proven he “belongs” in the NBA with strong performances during Philadelphia’s training camp. Ahead of Bolden’s first pre-season appearance in a Sixers uniform against Melbourne United on Saturday, Simmons gave the Sydney-raised forward the golden seal of approval. “He (Jonah) has been playing well and doing everything on the court,” Simmons said. “He is also a great person and teammate. “I watched him a lot back in high school and he has the same game but he has just gotten a lot better, which is amazing. “He is great — he belongs here. “For our dads to have competed and for us to play together is kind of weird also with Brett (Brown) having coached both our dads. “I think Jonah knows what to expect, but probably before the game I’ll say some words to him but he is going to be fine.” Simmons is expecting a tough clash against a strong Melbourne outfit that went within one basket of beating a star-studded Oklahoma City in last year’s inaugural NBL versus NBA series. He previously declared United could beat the Sixers and he hasn’t changed his mind. “They’ve got some great players and they play the game the right way,” he said. “That is one thing about Australian teams; they play the game the right way. “It is going to be a good test for us. “But we are going to take them seriously. They are a good team and well coached, so it is going to be a lot of fun.” Bolden is equally excited to take on a Melbourne side he trained with in September while he was holidaying in Australia. He also urged the United players to use Saturday’s trial against the Sixers as a chance to follow in his footsteps and push for the NBA. “If the Melbourne guys want to come over here and impress, I think that should be the goal,” Bolden said. “If it was the other way around I’d want to do exactly the same thing. “I think last year was a prime example of how competitive Melbourne can be when they played the Thunder. “It was a good showing, so they should all look to take any chance they get — anything is possible.” From his experience training at Melbourne, Bolden knows the Sixers can’t take Melbourne lightly. “They are a great bunch of guys and a good team,” he said. “This is the biggest stage in the best league in the world, so everyone can get caught sleeping and there is no doubt in my mind that Melbourne is going to come out looking to beat us. “Who wouldn’t? If you didn’t that would be somewhat disrespectful to us.” Bolden also can’t wait to team up with Simmons for the first time in a Sixers singlet. He said it was special for them to play in the same team after their fathers — Dave and Bruce — played together and against each other in the NBL. “I don’t see that story eroding anytime soon,” he said. “And it is good because it is rare to come from Australia with both parents having played in the league out there and then having sons come over. “It is a story and an inspiration for guys back home, whether they have parents in the league or not, it is knowing they can get to where we are. “Ben and I have similar backgrounds. He came over earlier than me and was drafted straight out of college. “I had to take the scenic route, but Ben has always been the alpha male wherever he has played in high school, college and now in the NBA.” Bolden revealed he has been mostly training at the stretch four forward position during training camp. “It is still early stages and they are throwing a lot at us but that is to be expected from a team that wants to win a championship,” he said. “There are no shortcuts. You have to get with it or there is no other option. “You’ve just got to embrace it.”

SAINT-QUENTIN-en-YVELINES, France — Michael Jordan has been a fixture at the Ryder Cup for years, and this week at Le Golf National is no exception. Jordan, the NBA legend and a rabid golfer, spoke to the US players on Wednesday night and regaled them with how much he relished winning on the road. “Michael was talking about how he would always play on the road against tough opponents or crowds that were always against him,’’ Brooks Koepka said. “It’s just funny hearing a different athlete’s point of view or the way they would go about it, and then you can kind of take what you want from there. “He talked about how he didn’t hear the crowd. I took it as he couldn’t wait to shut them up, and the second he would go off … the quieter they are [and] you’re kind of laughing inside [and] you’ve done what you wanted to do. I thought that was pretty cool.’’ Rickie Fowler plays some golf with Jordan because they live near each other. “I’m lucky to get to spend some time with MJ back home in South Florida and play a bit of golf with him, [and] as you can imagine, he’s very competitive,’’ Fowler said. “He’s special, obviously, what he did through his career: to be playing basketball, a little bit of baseball, and back to basketball.’’ Fowler said Jordan told stories “about some of the teams that were the toughest to play, the guys that he faced and who he thought were the toughest, not just as a team but the individuals that he faced and how he kind of went about home games versus away games.” One story concerned the 1993 Finals. The Bulls failed to close out the series at home in Game 5 and had to travel to Phoenix for Game 6 and a potential Game 7. “He said he packed one suit and one bag and told the guys, ‘We’re going there for one job, it’s to go win,’ ” Fowler recalled Jordan saying of the Bulls’ first three-peat, which of course they finished in that Game 6. “It’s fun to have the chance to be around guys like him, guys that were very successful and guys that compete at a very high level.’’ US rookie Bryson DeChambeau made it clear there’s no love between the teams during Ryder Cup week, even among players who are normally friends. “There will be none,” DeChambeau said. “It’s USA against Europe out here. We’re going to try and do our absolute best to keep the Cup.’’ If you’re waiting for a lot of birdies and eagles this week, don’t hold your breath. Le Golf National has been set up like a US Open with narrow fairways and high rough. It’s as if the powers-that-be allowed the USGA to come in and set the place up. Expect a lot of grinding for pars to win holes. “I don’t think you’ll go anywhere else where you’ll see as many fist-pump pars as you’ll see this week,’’ Jordan Spieth said. “I don’t think there will be as many roars [as usual for birdies]. There were a lot of putts made at Hazeltine [in 2016] from anywhere from 6 to 30 feet and that was really exciting. “But this is a unique and exciting test for us players. It may not be as exciting for the fans that are there watching.’’ Justin Thomas, who has been nursing a mild wrist injury, was asked if he was up to playing the maximum five matches this week. “Could I play five matches? I’d play six if I could,’’ Thomas said. “The wrist, it’s fine. It’s something to where it’s not going to get any worse. It didn’t hurt last week, which was great. At the end of the day if [Furyk] needs me to go five, I’ll go five. If he needs me to go two or three, I’ll go two or three. Whatever it is, I’ll be ready to go.’’ Webb Simpson wasn’t a member of the 2016 US Ryder Cup team, but he felt like one. “I don’t know if I missed a shot,’’ Simpson said. “I remember being at home with my wife. The only time I might have missed a shot, maybe one of my kids got in the way of the TV, but we watched everything. I felt nervous watching the golf on TV for the first time ever. I wanted it so bad for the US. “The Patrick Reed-Rory [McIlroy] match is one of those moments I’ll never forget as a follower of sports because what we were witnessing … magic moment after magic moment. I called my caddie, Paul [Tesori], and I said, ‘I know you’re watching this.’ It’s hard to explain how good it was.’’

After six matches the Premier League ladder is starting to take shape with some familiar sides leading the title charge. Liverpool remain the only side with a perfect record as they made it six wins from six after an emphatic 3-0 thumping of Southampton, but others are hot on their tail. Manchester City, Chelsea and Watford make up the hungry pack of wolves in the top four, eagerly waiting for Jurgen Klopp’s men to slip up. But how do all the sides in the Premier League compare to the previous season. City are matching their 2017/18 form, while their Manchester neighbours are six points off their pace 12 months ago. Meanwhile some so-called minnows have bolted out the blocks, recording a swag of points compared to their start in 2017/18 So which sides have improved most from last seasons horror starts? And which clubs are failing to meet their expectations? 7. HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: -7PTS The Terriers had a brilliant start to last season, but they’ve been unable to replicate that form this campaign. They sat in a healthy eighth place last season after six games, but their recent loss to Leicester means they now sit rock bottom of the Premier League. 16. NEWCASTLE UNITED: -7PTS The Magpies were a mid-table side this time last year, but they’ve lost four of their opening five matches and have just two points so far this season. The Geordie’s won’t be happy at the moment as they sit in an uncomfortable 18th position on the ladder. 15. MANCHESTER UNITED: -6PTS It’s all kicking off at United, player-manager rifts and inconsistent performances means fans aren’t happy. And they’ll be even more frustrated to hear that they were actually sitting in third position this time last season. After dropping points to Wolves, Jose Mourinho’s side now sit seventh, putting them six points back from where they were at this stage in 2017/18. 14. BURNLEY: -5PTS Sean Dyche’s side started poorly, but seem to have shaken off their European hangover to bounce back to 16th. Their 4-0 thumping of the Cherries doesn’t wipe away the fact that they were actually sitting in ninth place a year ago. 13. SOUTHAMPTON: -3PTS The Saints narrowly avoided relegation last season and have started even worse this time around. They were 11th after six games in 2017, but they’re now 14th with just five points - bad signs for Mark Hughes’ boys. 12. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION: -2PTS The Seagulls are in the same position as they were last season - in 13th place. Mat Ryan’s side seem to be treading water in their second season in the top flight, and are looking to avoid the drop zone again. 11. EVERTON: -1PT Everton’s growing injury list isn’t helping their cause. They had up to 10 senior players out at one point, but the return of Michael Keane at the back and Richarlison up top will please the Toffees faithful. Marco Silva’s side currently sit in 12th place - an improvement from last season where they were 14th after six fixtures. 10. WEST HAM UNITED: +/-0PTS A 3-1 mauling of the Toffees means the Hammers have finally got their first points on the board for the season. They’re still hovering just above the drop zone, but it’s a surprising improvement from their first six games last term, where they sat in 18th position. 9. MANCHESTER CITY: +/-0PTS Pep Guardiola’s somehow look even better than they did last season - and Kevin de Bruyne isn’t even playing! The Cityzens are matching last season’s form step-for-step, but Liverpool’s terrific form may drag them into a closer title race this time around. 8. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: +1PT Fourth at this point last season, and now they’re fifth. Spurs probably thought their stadium nightmare would have ended by now, but they’ve made Wembley their home once again and are continuing to notch up wins. Harry Kane was back among the goals in a 2-1 win away at Brighton too. They face the Terriers this weekend, where a win could propel them into the top four. 7. ARSENAL: +2PTS In Arsene Wenger’s last season in charge, the Gunners sat seventh at this point. But another victory under new gaffer Unai Emery has put them two places outside the top four. A big win at home to Watford on Saturday could be a turning point in their season. 6. WATFORD: +2PTS The Hornets are very familiar with rapid starts. Their 2017/18 campaign started off with a bang, with Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure guiding the side to sixth place on the table. This season, they’re up to fourth and are continuing to exceed expectations with their dazzling performances under Javi Gracia. 5. CHELSEA: +3PTS Maurizio Sarri has revolutionised football in west London. Although they’re in the same position now as they were 12 month ago, the club is in a completely different state under the Italian. October wasn’t the best of months for the Blues last year, and the Antonio Conte reign was beginning tshow signs of instability. Their clash with Liverpool this weekend could go down as the game of the season. 4. LEICESTER CITY: +5PTS They were 17th at this point last season! The Foxes really struggled to get going 12 months ago and have shifted into gear much faster this time round. Claude Puel’s job was up in the air before the season, but he’s steadied the ship and got his side playing some great football. 3. CRYSTAL PALACE: +7PTS From rock bottom to 11th place in a matter of one year. Progress has certainly been made at Selhurst Park under Roy Hodgson - although the form of Wilfried Zaha can’t go unnoticed. The Ivorian has helped the Eagles soar into uncharted territory, with seven extra points to their name. 2. BOURNEMOUTH: +7PTS The Cherries have started this season off in formidable fashion, meaning they now sit in a comfortable eighth position in the upper half of the table. Eddie Howe’s side were 19th after six terrible opening games last season, but they’ve transformed the Vitality with their mouth-watering free-flowing football this season. Tuesday morning’s clash with Crystal Palace will be massive, as two in-form sides go head-to-head to prove they’re a force to be reckoned with. 1. LIVERPOOL: +7PTS Of course, six wins from six doesn’t go unnoticed. The Reds’ perfect start to the season puts their underwhelming 2017/18 opening fixtures to shame. The side went on to reach the Champions League final, Mohamed Salah became a club legend and the KOP was re-born, but that doesn’t take away the fact that Jurgen Klopp’s men had 11 points 12 months ago and sat in fifth place. 2017/18 PL TABLE AFTER SIX GAMES 1. Man City - 16pts 2. Man Utd - 16pts 3. Chelsea - 13pts 4. Tottenham - 11pts 5. Liverpool - 11pts 6. Watford 11pts 7. Arsenal - 10pts 8. Huddersfield - 9pts 9. Burnley - 9pts 10. Newcastle - 9pts 11. Southampton - 8pts 12. West Brom - 8pts 13. Brighton - 7pts 14. Everton - 7pts 15. Swansea - 5pts 16. Stoke - 5pts 17. Leicester - 4pts 18. West Ham - 4pts 19. Bournemouth - 3pts 20. Crystal Palace - 0pts 2018/19 PL TABLE AFTER SIX GAMES 1. Liverpool - 18pts 2. Man City - 16pts 3. Chelsea - 16pts 4. Watford - 13pts 5. Tottenham - 12pts 6. Arsenal1 - 2pts 7. Man Utd - 10pts 8. Bournemouth - 10pts 9. Leicester City - 9pts 10. Wolves - 9pts 11. Crystal Palace - 7pts 12. Everton - 6pts 13. Brighton- 5pts 14. Southampton - 5pts 15. Fulham - 5pts 16. Burnley - 4pts 17. West Ham - 4pts 18. Newcastle - 2pts 19. Cardiff City - 2pts 20. Huddersfield - 2pts

KEVIN KEEGAN rejected the chance to sign Karim Benzema for Newcastle, claims former club vice president Tony Jimenez. Ex-Toon manager Kevin Keegan has lifted the lid on the bizarre goings-on at St James’ Park with a series of revelations in his new autobiography this week. One of the targets for his criticism was Jimenez, who was brought in by controversial owner mike Ashley to head up player recruitment. And the businessman has decided to hit back at Newcastle legend Keegan by revealing his own strange decisions when it came to signing players. Jimenez told the Times: “The minute you questioned him he lost the plot. “During that window we offered him the players that we were working on when we thought Harry Redknapp was coming as manager — Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Lassana Diarra — and he said none of them were good enough. “The other player we were really keen on was Daniel Sturridge. He said he’d had him as a kid at Man City and that he wasn’t good enough for League One. “He didn’t want Hatem Ben Arfa or Karim Benzema either. We asked Kevin for a list of players for every position, bearing in mind he had $45million to spend. “Our list included Benzema and Ben Arfa who were young players at Lyon, as well as Samir Nasri. “Kevin took one look and called them all chancers. His list was David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Ronaldinho, Kaka among others. “We added their transfer value up and it was $724m, plus $181.5m in wages.” Jimenez says Keegan also left them stumped when it came to his desperation to offer Michael Owen a bumper new long-term deal - while at the same time trying to tell the club to sell a teenage Andy Carroll. The businessman added: “Kevin wanted to give him [Owen] a new five-year deal on $250,000 a week. “We made a counter offer of $145,000 which would reach $218,000 if he played 65 minutes per game. Keegan went ballistic. “He also went mad when we gave a new contract to Carroll, whom he said would never make it as a professional. He said $544,000 was a fantastic price. We couldn’t trust his judgment.”

WAS Paul Pogba’s return to Manchester United doomed to fail from the very start? Wednesday morning saw a spectacular training ground fall out between Pogba and manager Jose Mourinho as months of behind the scenes tension finally spilled into the public domain. Pogba and Mourinho were spotted having stern words at Carrington the morning after an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat to Derby County. It’s not exactly clear what was said between the pair, but SunSport revealed that Mourinho was furious as he believed Pogba had laughed about the loss to Derby. But how did the relationship between the former world record signing and the Special One get so bad? We run through the major incidents in a power struggle that has seen Manchester United hit rock bottom. 1) #POGBACK According to a report in the Daily Mail, Mourinho was unimpressed with Pogba before he’d even properly returned to Old Trafford. The French midfielder joined from Juventus for a then-world record £90million to massive fanfare. Pogba’s social media and marketing presence was clear from the off — an expensively produced video, featuring rapper Stormzy, announcing his return quickly went viral, while the hashtag ‘Pogback’ was created. It was a massive social media coup for the club and one of the most Tweeted hashtags ever created. Despite positive words in the media, old school Mourinho — who has also believed in the mantra that no player is bigger than a club — was apparently not so impressed. The Portuguese has had concerns over Mourinho’s attitude ever since. 2) MIAMI REHAB The first season passed without a huge amount of incident, with Pogba describing Mourinho as a “special” manager after they won the Europa League and the FA Cup. There were some clashes during the season, with Mourinho concerned at Pogba’s inconsistent form and distractions off the field. It was at the start of the second season when the trouble really started. In September, Pogba picked up a hamstring injury. But rather than spend time rehabbing in Manchester, Pogba instead left for Miami, where he spent just over a week in recovery. Mourinho was unhappy that the midfielder hadn’t remained at home. 3) SIDELINE SPAT The pair had a big argument at Wembley Stadium in January when Pogba was hauled off by Mourinho with the club losing against Tottenham. A week later he was dropped from the starting line-up against Huddersfield Town and then hauled off again during the game against Newcastle United. BREAKING: RONALDO DUCKS LENGTHY SUSPENSION, CLEARED TO FACE MANCHESTER UNITED 4) DROPPED FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Back in February, Mourinho made a massive call to leave Pogba out for United’s two biggest games of the season. Frustrated by the his inconsistency and lack of form, Mourinho left Pogba out for the first-leg of the Champions League last-16 clash with Sevilla. An injury to Ander Herrera meant Pogba came on with less than 20 minutes played, but two weeks later, Pogba was again left out of the starting XI for the second leg. United put in one of their worst performances in recent memory, losing 2-1 at Old Trafford. The club crashed out of the Champions League and any chance of silverware that season went up in smoke. Reports in the aftermath of that game was that the pair were not on speaking terms and would only communicate through assistant boss Rui Faria, who left the club over the summer. 5) PARDON THE INTERRUPTION During a post-match TV interview after beating Liverpool 2-1 in March, Pogba deliberately interrupted Mourinho with a handshake. The Portuguese laughed it off for the cameras, but later gave Pogba a dressing down in private. Mourinho saw his antics as disrespectful. 6) RAIOLA REVELATIONS Pep Guardiola revealed ahead of the crucial Manchester derby in April that super-agent Mino Raiola had offered Pogba to Manchester City in January. Pep revealed: “Two months ago he (Raiola) offered me (Henrikh) Mhikitaryan and Pogba to play with us. “He was interested in Mhikitaryan and Pogba to play with us. Pogba is an incredible player. A top, top player. “I said no. We don’t have the money enough to buy Pogba because he is so expensive.” Pogba responded with a brilliant performance and two goals that stopped City winning the title against their rivals. But the news was hardly welcomed by Mourinho that Pogba was being shopped to Europe’s biggest clubs. 7) POGBA ADMISSION Speaking at the end of last season, Pogba admitted that he and Mourinho were not that friendly. “A coach and a player don’t have to be best friends, we don’t have to go to restaurants together,” he said. “I had a few little problems too... football is sometimes all about the mental side. “He put me on the bench and I gave my response on the pitch. I always give everything I’ve got. “He made me progress in leadership. “I had the armband with Mourinho, it was the first time in a club, it’s important for me, it makes me grow to be also a leader in the France team.” WORLD CUP PRAISE? Pogba starred for France during the World Cup, as Les Bleus won the tournament in Russia. But Mourinho wasn’t completely enthusiastic in his praise — his comments coming across a little backhanded with Mourinho hinting that Pogba is easily distracted. He said: “I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give [their] best. “Why? Because it’s closed for a month, where he can only think about football. Where he’s with his team on the training camp, completely isolated from the external world, where they focus just on football, where the dimensions of the game can only motivate.” Pogba later said: “We have a pure coach-player relationship, that’s right. “One thing I can assure you: I will always give 100 per cent, no matter which coach I always give everything, I cannot say more.” 9) BARCELONA CALLING During the summer, before a brief reconciliation with Mourinho, Pogba told Ed Woodward he wanted to leave Old Trafford to move to Barcelona. United were determined to keep hold of the Frenchman and rejected any transfer talk from the Catalan club. But the news still reached Mourinho, who was understandably furious. Negotiations were so advanced that Raiola and Pogba had even agreed personal terms on a contract with Barca. SunSport revealed in August that Raiola had demanded a wage hike for Pogba to stay in Manchester — from wages of £180,000-a-week to £200,000-a-week. 10) EARLY PROBLEMS It only took one game of the new season for Pogba to make cryptic comments about his unhappiness under Mourinho. Speaking after the 2-1 win against Leicester City, he said: “If you’re not happy, you cannot give your best.” Then when asked further what happiness would be, he added: “There are things that I cannot say otherwise I will get fined.” Mourinho was not happy with the comments and told him: “If you wish to leave Manchester, again, all you have to do is ask for a transfer”. 11) CHAUFFEUR-DRIVEN According to the Mail, Mourinho has also been concerned with the way Pogba arrives and leaves the team hotel. Manchester United stay at The Lowry in Manchester the night before games and Pogba has taken to being dropped off to the hotel in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce. Further annoyance came after the win at Burnley. Rather than return on the team bus with the rest of the squad, Pogba left Turf Moor in his chauffeur-driven Roller, heading straight to the airport to meet up with the French squad. 12) WOLVES With some positive feeling returning to the squad on the back of a three-game winning run, there was real drama against Wolves. Pogba had put in a man of the match performance against Young Boys on Wednesday night, scoring twice. But Mourinho is said to have been annoyed with him before the game even kick-off. One report claims that the Special One and the coaching staff were annoyed with Pogba for playing loud music on the team coach on the way to the game. Mourinho wanted to create an atmosphere of focus and that was not the case. Pogba had a poor game against Wolves and was caught in possession in the build-up to the equaliser — with the Portuguese manager also incensed at Pogba’s reluctance to track back. SunSport’s Neil Custis revealed earlier this week that Mourinho blasted Pogba in the dressing room after the game for the error, which lead to Pogba’s outburst post-game. Mourinho is reported elsewhere to have told Pogba: “You’re a good player, not a special player.” 13) ‘ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK’ Pogba made another high-profile dig at Mourinho’s playing style and tactics after the 1-1 draw. Speaking after the game, he said: “We are here to attack. Teams are scared when they see Man United attacking and attacking. That was our mistake today. “We were winning 1-0 so it was positive for us. “Then we tried to defend a bit more against the counter-attack. “We stopped playing forward like in the first half and we didn’t really put them in trouble. “We are at Old Trafford and we should attack and press like we did against Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal last season. “When we play like this it’s easier. “I can’t tell you because I’m a player. It’s not me. “I am not the manager, I cannot, like, say that, but obviously we should show more options of playing. “But I cannot say that, because I’m a player. That’s my way of thinking — we should move better. “We should move more, yeah.” 14) STRIPPED OF THE VICE-CAPTAINCY Fuming with his performance and posturing, Mourinho made a power play to wrest control from the midfielder. In the build-up to the Derby defeat, Mourinho told Pogba he would never captain the club under his squad again. The move was made in front of the whole squad. Mourinho claimed: “No fallout at all, no problem at all, just a decision that I don’t have to explain.” 15) PROGRAMME NOTES In his notes for the game with Derby, Mourinho made a thinly-veiled dig at Pogba and some of his underperforming stars. He wrote: “[The game against Wolves was] an important lesson; a lesson that I repeat week after week after week, a lesson that some boys are not learning. “Every team that play Manchester United are playing the game of their lives, and we need to match that level of aggression, motivation and desire — 95 per cent isn’t enough when others give 101 per cent.” 16) IN THE STANDS Hours after being stripped of the captaincy, Pogba appeared in the stands at Old Trafford. Against the club’s usual policy of wearing smart, conservative attire or the club tracksuit, Pogba appeared in a bright white tracksuit with his hood up. Hardly keeping a low profile. On top of that, Pogba posted a video on social media that shows him, as well as Andreas Pereira and Luke Shaw, laughing during Manchester United’s defeat to Derby County, before seemingly leaving early. The video was posted at 10.35pm, although it was recorded an hour earlier but couldn’t be posted because a problem with the WiFi. 17) TRAINING GROUND BUST-UP The training ground video has brought everything to a head. The clip shows Pogba arriving to the training pitch with a big smile on his face, before shaking hands with coach Michael Carrick. Mourinho then makes a comment that clearly takes Pogba by surprise. The two men are clearly bickering over something, with Pogba seen pointing to himself and saying “why me?” SunSport revealed that Mourinho was furious with Pogba for the Instagram video. Mourinho is understood to have found it disrespectful to other players who fought back from a goal down, with ten men, to force extra-time and penalties. He can be seen asking media officer John Allen what time the video was posted. Pundits suspect that Mourinho was fully aware the cameras would be recording and made another power play for the watching world. Ed Woodward and the Manchester United hierarchy are now being forced to pick a side. It looks increasingly unlikely the pair will be able to repair a relationship that has reached rock bottom.

CHELSEA upset Liverpool’s perfect start to the season in the Carabao Cup midweek — can they do it again when the teams face off again in a blockbuster Premier League clash this weekend? The Cup clash wasn’t the most devastating way for Anfield to taste its first defeat of the season but how will it affect the game at Stamford Bridge early Sunday morning Australia time? Both team fielded vastly changes sides and Liverpool had their chances to win it but those squandered opportunities left room for a moment of magic from Eden Hazard in a performance that will give the Blues plenty of confidence. Not that they should be short of belief anyway. Chelsea have made a superb start to the season under new coach Maurizio Sarri, and only trail the Reds in the league by two points, after last week’s frustrating draw with West Ham. They have scored as manly goals as Klopp’s team and only conceded two more. While there are doubts about some of Sarri’s decisions so far, it seems Klopp had the right idea when he reminded everyone that this Chelsea team is not vastly different to the one that one the title under Antonio Costa just two season ago. While they have lost the players that arguably mark them out as genuine title challengers — namely Nemanja Matic, Diego Costa and Thibault Courtois — many in the team know how to win. And when you have a player like Hazard, anything is possible. Although he should have been stopped before being allowed into the area for the midweek matchwinner, you have to admire the close control and aggression with which he attacked Liverpool. Hazard at 25, is just entering his prime and has defied any suggestion of a World Cup hangover. Sarri’s restructuring of Chelsea might even be the key to getting the best out of the Belgian. The former Napoli coach wants to bring some joy back to Stamford Bridge. His Serie A side was known for passing opponents to death, often working them around the park before attacking in clinical short-pass moves. Their average of 676 short passes per game was second only to Manchester City (699) last season in Europe’s top five leagues and in Jorginho, Sarri has the metronomic presence his style requires. The Brazilian-Italian midfielder has already broken the Premier League record for the most amount of attempted passes in a single game since 2003-04, with 180 against West Ham. The Italian has often pleaded for patience for his methods to work at his new club, suggesting that the first half of the season could be frustrating but the players don’t appear to be operating under any confusion. Most interesting has been the redeployment of N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman is widely regarded as the best defensive midfielder in Europe — but Sarri has been playing Kante in a much more advanced role. Is this because he needs to make room for Jorginho to execute his style or does he see something else in Kante? The evidence so far suggests that, although willing, Kante is no box-to-box midfielder (he only scored once last season) and seems unlikely to add much to an already underwhelming Chelsea attack, Hazard aside. Without Costa, Sarri is dependent on Alvaro Morata (11 goals last season) and Olivier Giroud (5, after his January switch from Arsenal) to support Hazard. Against West Ham, the front three of Hazard, Giroud and Willian struggled to make an impact, and this, if anything, could be the Blues’ undoing as the season progresses. Despite its obvious quality, Hazard’s midweek winner came against Liverpool’s second string defence of Simon Mignolet in goal, Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren as centrebacks, and Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno at fullback. Watch that goal again and notice how Moreno fails to close Hazard down while he’s under pressure from Naby Keita, and the problematic Spaniard is nutmegged as he runs across the Belgian. This weekend, keep an eye on how first-choice Reds leftback Andy Robertson works Hazard, while Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and goalkeeper Alisson return to the defence. And yet… In their two biggest games so far, against Arsenal and now Liverpool, Chelsea have summoned the desire and belief to claim late winners. Sarri cautioned before the Cup game that Chelsea are a year behind Liverpool in terms of the passing and movement off the ball the coach wants his players to develop. But Wednesday’s game suggests that gap might not quite be so big. They pressed Klopp’s team high and matched their energy, something that doesn’t happen very often. And that wake-up call for league-leaders Liverpool, should make Sunday’s battle at the Bridge one worth waking up for.

LIVERPOOL’S SCARY FORM Liverpool winning without playing well - it’s scary From 1-11 there’s probably not been a better Liverpool team in the Premier League - when Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were on fire they were really impressive but probably overall it looks like a more balanced team now. You’ve got players who’ve been in the team a couple of years and you’ve got young players coming through with experience of Jordan Henderson and James Milner so it’s a good blend in there. Liverpool haven’t played well in some games but scraped results, which is actually quite scary because if you’re able to do that, that’s championship form, so not only the swash-buckling three or four goals, but digging out results is what you need to do to win it. MAN CITY OR LIVERPOOL FOR TITLE - BUT DON’T RULE OUT CHELSEA It looks like a case of Manchester City v Liverpool for the title, although you can’t dismiss Chelsea because they’re playing well. Remember just two years ago they were the champions and they’ve got players in that dressing room who know what it takes - Liverpool haven’t got that, but you’ve got to start somewhere and Liverpool have been impressive. As for Man City, I watched them against Lyon and you think something might be wrong and then they go and put on a show against Cardiff. So I’d say it was between those two but you can’t discount Chelsea. I’d still just give Manchester City the edge purely because Pep Guardiola usually wins second season after winning the league and they’ve got players who’ve been there and done it. FIND THE RIGHT POSITION FOR ALEXIS SANCHEZ I’m a big fan of Sanchez, I was a big fan of his at Arsenal and sometimes it just takes players a bit longer to settle in - even though he’s a top player he just looks like he’s a bit short of confidence, but I’m sure he’ll come good as he’s a top goalscorer and a good player as well. He can play anywhere across the front, he played on the right for Barcelona and up front in his better days for Arsenal. I’ve seen him just off the left the most for United so it just depends who he’s playing with and who they’re playing against. He can also play that No 10 role but I think the best performances I’ve seen from him at United are just coming off the left, but it’s just not quite happening for him at the moment. BALE GOAL SHOULD HAVE WON FIFA AWARD I voted for Didier Deschamps and Luka Modric - it’s hard to argue against Deschamps as a coach, not only winning the World Cup but how he did it. He had massive disappointment in the Euros in his home country, then massive pressure after leaving a lot of big-name players behind but those big decisions he made paid off. To go on and win the World Cup, granted with a really good team, but the way he gelled them together was brilliant and I enjoyed watching them. As for Modric, I went to a couple of games at the World Cup and he made Croatia tick, he was a big part of them getting to the final. He’s similar to Paul Scholes and these players don’t come along too often so it’s good to celebrate these players - who can dictate the tempo of a game and change it when they want to. I think Mohamed Salah’s scored better goals, not taking anything away from the goals he’s scored and he’s a fantastic player, but just for the wow moment and the enormity of the games then Gareth Bale should have won that I think. I think it’s the only goal that would have got the reaction his did when he scored - I don’t think you would have got that reaction from any other goal, purely because of the goal it was and in the final, it was just a wow moment.

A French World Cup-winning superstar is staying put in Germany — for now! Meanwhile, another of France’s heroes in Russia has had a return to his former club ruled out completely. And Arsenal’s longest-serving player has been handed a four-year contract extension, only to have it snatched away from him in the final minute. All that and more in another edition of Rumour Mill! GUNNERS’ STUNNING WITHDRAWAL Aaron Ramsey reportedly agreed a four-year deal with Arsenal before the club withdrew their offer at the final minute. BBC Sport claims the Gunners had struck a deal with their Welsh midfield wizard, who is out of contract next summer. But before the terms were finalised, Arsenal pulled the plug on the deal — and are refusing to say why. It means Ramsey is likely to leave the Emirates on a free transfer next summer. The 27-year-old can start talking with foreign clubs in January, and could even be sold just like Alexis Sanchez was earlier this year. Manchester United and Chelsea are both reported to be interested, as are Italian giants and free transfer experts Juventus. — The Sun PAVARD STAYING IN GERMANY... FOR NOW VfB Stuttgart have reportedly rejected a bid from Real Madrid for Benjamin Pavard. With Manchester United and Arsenal both circling, Real Madrid made the first move for the 22-year-old but were quickly shut down. The French World Cup-winner would assumably attract a large transfer fee, so Real Madrid’s newly added funds could cone in handy. According to the Metro, Real have reportedly jumped the gun in their pursuit for the right back, with Stuttgart turning down the offer. Although their bid was rejected, Real have created a stream of contact with the Bundesliga club and are now a step ahead of the pack when it comes to buying him. JUVE RULE OUT POG RETURN Juventus have ruled out a move for disgruntled old boy Paul Pogba. The midfielder reportedly wants to leave Manchester United after falling out with Jose Mourinho. The latest saga had him stripped of the vice-captaincy and subsequently dropped for the midweek defeat to Derby. But the drama didn’t stop there, with an icy confrontation between the pair caught on camera the day after. With Barcelona said to be strongly interested, the World Cup winner’s second spell at Old Trafford could soon be over. But former side Juventus insist they are not actively looking to bring Pogba back to Turin. — The Sun Manchester City are reportedly still on the trail of Lyon star Tanguy Ndombele. Le 10 Sport claims Pep Guardiola could yet return for the 21-year-old midfielder after having a $80.5million bid rejected over the summer. Ndombele has made a blistering start to the new season for Lyon and has emerged as a key player for Bruno Genesio in the centre of the park. And despite picking up an injury in yesterday’s 3-1 win at Dijon, Ndombele’s performances this term have apparently convinced Guardiola to keep tabs on him ahead of the January transfer window. City were desperate to bring in competition for Fernandinho last month and famously missed out on Napoli’s Jorginho to Chelsea. — The Sun PICKFORD STICKS WITH HIS GUNS Jordan Pickford says he refused to let speculation linking him with a move away from Everton affect his focus and performances for the club. The England No 1 this week signed a new contract with the Toffees, having joined from Sunderland for $54m last summer in a record fee for a British goalkeeper. After a standout campaign saw Pickford inspire England to their first World Cup penalty shootout victory on their way to a first semi-final in 28 years, the 24-year-old attracted interest from a number of high-profile clubs including Chelsea. “You’ve just got to keep performing and put that to the back of your mind,” Pickford said. “You just don’t let it affect you — even if you see speculation. I just knuckle down and focus on my game, that’s how I do it.” — Sky Sports

IN the run-up to the new Hyundai A-League season, Simon Hill has conducted individual chats with the 10 coaches who will be aiming for the big prize come next May. In today’s instalment, he talks to Melbourne City’s Warren Joyce Simon Hill: Warren, you are now twelve months into the job — what has the Australian experience been like for you — any pleasant surprises and/or unexpected frustrations? Warren Joyce: Football is football around the world — there’s nothing new or different. For me it was about learning the league, the teams, the players, the styles. I’ve done it before in Belgium so I kind of knew what to expect. You continue learning all the time, but I have a better handle on it than I did last year. The travel is different, but you can still travel four hours to a game in England, or two hours in Belgium. The top teams in Europe do it too in the Champions League. The fact it is a flight and not a train ride, it’s still travel. In some ways it’s easier. The heat is the main difference — that’s a big thing. SH: Is it fair to say you brought a change in emphasis to the club — a more disciplined approach, based around structures? And did you find it difficult to impose that philosophy? WJ: You want people to know their jobs. For players to sacrifice themselves for the team, and work hard every day to improve. We want them to be humble, self-motivated, and prepare off the pitch like top pros, to be ready to go again the next day. People who are fit, and desperate for success — if you have those things in place, then you tend to win more than you lose. That’s the environment you want. I think it’s different now to this time last year. SH: Last season, you started well and finished well — the bit in the middle was more problematic — how do you avoid something similar this season? WJ: Yes, we had a good start and then dipped, but we also had some good results. There were three distinct periods really, and that was because we almost had three distinct teams. We played one way, then brought new players in — then after Christmas, we played a different way. We have to try and build from that going into this season. SH: The club now appears to have adopted a “no big-name marquees” policy — does that sit OK with you? WJ: We have a very good scouting network, but we have a way of how we want to build it. From the start, I talked about getting the best young Aussie players — having an Aussie spine to the team. To get them playing a brand of football that is exciting. That is what we are working towards. We don’t look at anyone else — they have their own culture and remit. I want our players to be hungry for success. That’s the market we look at. Those who have a point to prove, and players who want to win things and get better, even if they are 27 or 28 — they are our type of people. SH: Let’s have a look at one or two of your new signings — Michael O’Halloran for instance — is he going to provide competition for Bruno Fornaroli? WJ: He can play anywhere along the front line really — he has pace, he has a trick, there are goals in him. It’s not easy to come from the other side of the world, but he is working hard to integrate himself — he arrived a little late. I think he will be used more in wider areas. SH: Florin Berenguer is an interesting one — tell us a little about him? WJ: Well if the Mariners have Usain Bolt, then we have Flo-Jo! (Laughs) Again, he’s a good pro and wants to be successful. He has a good technique, was keen to come and get involved in the Aussie culture. He is a creative type of midfield player — clever & technical. He’s a (Milos) Ninkovic type player. SH: Your latest signing is ex-Manchester United defender, Ritchie de Laet, presumably to form part of a reworked defence along with Mark Birighitti in goal. Is that where you intend him to play? WJ: The beauty with Ritchie is he can play anywhere on the pitch — centre half, either full back, anywhere in midfield. He once scored a hat-trick for United that won us the (reserve) league at Bolton. He has great experience of the Premier League and winning things. In a salary capped league, the fact he is a utility player is a big help. As for him coming to Australia — I think Ross (McCormack) has done a lot to help that last year. He made people sit up and take notice of the A-League. Word spreads, and there’s been plenty of interest from agents — they don’t always understand the rules with foreign players, but they are pushing. It’s live on television in England every week, so more people are watching it. Players talk to each other about the experiences they have had — it helps grow the league. It opens peoples eyes. SH: Were you interested in getting Ross (McCormack) back this season? WJ: We were interested — but it’s about timing isn’t it? We can’t actually afford to sign him unless the (selling) club wants to do a lot to help you. It’s not easy, as we found out at Christmas last year. You ring up about a player, and you can’t get anywhere near (his wages). The clubs in Europe have to help out. SH: One of the features of your season last time around was the emergence of younger players such as Nathaniel Atkinson and Daniel Arzani — is there more to come this season? WJ: Lachlan Wales and Riley McGree will be there of course — they’ve done well. Dylan Pierias has done very well too. But we’re the victim of our own success, because there’s been two or three Aussie junior camps, and we have had I think twenty-odd players in total going away. Seven have been away with both the under-19’s and under-20s. So they have missed time and chances they could have had with us already. Then there are tournaments coming up too. It wasn’t until after Christmas last season that we got the kids ready to play. Obviously, kids want to play for their country, and the league wants the country to be successful. But as with Daniel (Arzani) last year — he would have played a lot more games for us had he been involved at the start of the season. Maybe he would have even started at the World Cup. Graham Arnold has been trying to build relationships to improve it though since taking over the national team job, which is really good for all concerned. SH: On the subject of Daniel Arzani — he has now gone to Celtic via Manchester City. Would you have preferred him to stay for another year? WJ: You want to see players develop. You put demands on them, and he reached some of those targets last season. There’s still plenty of work for him to do, and you would like to be involved in that, but the World Cup opens up the football world to him on a different level. The way the rules are here too with contracts — it doesn’t make it easy to sign young players on long term deals because of the salary cap. SH: Would you like to see those rules amended? WJ: Well, most lads come through on minimum wage, so if you want to improve a young lads contract, and sign him on a three-year deal for example, you physically can’t, because you don’t have the money in the cap. I imagine other clubs might have lost out too. Perhaps Central Coast Mariners might have wanted to give Lachlan Wales a longer deal? So you see, players in this league have a good year, and then they go at the end of the season — even though the clubs might want to keep them. If the dream is developing young Aussies and growing the league, then you can’t do that with this constant turnover. All the clubs are changing all the time — there’s not many young players that are tied down to thee or four year deals. SH: Back to the upcoming season, and across town, (Melbourne) Victory have signed Keisuke Honda, Ola Toivonen — are they going to be title favourites? WJ: It is a level playing field at the start of the season — everyone is ambitious. Every coach will think the same. I don’t believe there are real favourites. Sydney for instance, haven’t got the same team, everyone has made changes. It depends on who settles in well. SH: City play Victory in the opening round — you played in a few derby matches during your playing career, so how do you enjoy the Melbourne version? WJ: Yeah, there’s always a really good atmosphere at the games — and obviously we won the first one last year, so I enjoyed that. You feel going into the stadium that there’s an extra edge on those matches, and that’s what you want — you want all the games to be like that. The Sydney & Newcastle games were big too because of what was at stake. SH: What is success for Melbourne City this year — the championship? Asian Champions League? Bigger crowds? WJ: You want all of those things — finish as high as you can, play attractive football, you want crowds to improve, and for them to enjoy coming to watch us. You should never be happy — you always want to do better than last year. Even if it’s just small gains. SH: How do you relax away from football? WJ: I actually enjoy watching other sports — Rugby, Aussie Rules, Cricket, Tennis, Surfing — I like all sports. I like watching the big events, and studying them — you can learn a lot from watching. I probably watch Melbourne Storm more than anyone else, because I know a bit more about that sport. They find a way to win, which I like. SH: Finally, what is your long-term plan — do you intend staying in Australia for a long time? WJ: Well I suppose the club decides that! There’s a lot of good people at this club with a vision of how they want to move forward, and how they want Australian football to be. If I can keep playing my part in helping it develop — then I’ll be delighted to try. It’s an exciting time for the game here, and the club — and you are in this job for those challenges. You want to build something.

BRISBANE Roar have confirmed the signing of Spanish midfielder Alex Lopez. As revealed by The Courier-Mail last week, 30-year-old Lopez has joined the Roar for club’s 2018-19 A-League campaign. “Alex is a very technically-gifted player who will suit our high-tempo playing style. I am delighted he has chosen to sign for our club,” Roar coach John Aloisi said of the former Celta de Vigo, Sporting Gijon and Sheffield Wednesday player. “Having played at the highest level in Spain for many seasons, I am confident he will be a great addition to our midfield and our talented squad.”: Lopez will be at the Roar’s Logan headquarters on Saturday night to see his new teammates in action against a Brisbane Premier League Select squad. The Roar open their A-League season on October 21 at Suncorp Stadium against Central Coast Mariners.

GAMEWEEK seven is on the horizon and some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs may be without a couple of stars. With their injury list beginning to grow and their points tally beginning to shrink, Everton fans would be delighted to see one of their star signings get his first start for the club. Meanwhile, Liverpool could be without one of their star defenders for their clash with Chelsea and Spurs could be without one of their prime attackers when they visit the Terriers. Here’s all the latest injury and selection news ahead of the action for Gameweek Seven, kicking off with a Saturday night (AEST) blockbuster between a hungry West Ham side and a wounded Manchester United. YERY MINA TO MAKE TOFFEES DEBUT? Everton’s defensive record this season hasn’t been great and with their treatment room looking very full, it could be time to see Yerry Mina. The Colombian defender was carrying a foot injury which he picked up during the World Cup, but began training with the first team two weeks and looks set to make his Toffess debut any minute now. Marco Silva signed the 24-year-old form Barcelona for A$48.5 million and the Goodison Park faithful have been dying to see him line up alongside Michael Keane in the heart of defence. VAN DIJK IN DOUBT Liverpool’ Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk was forced from the field in the second half of Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Southampton. The big centre back sustained a knock to an already bruised rib during the encounter with his former club, but Jurgen Klopp doesn’t believe the injury is too be serious. The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best defenders since joining the Reds, and his absence in such a big game against the Blues could prove costly. CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN Tottenham are expected to go into their game against Huddersfield without Christian Eriksen. The Dane picked up an abdomen injury at Brighton last weekend and will be sidelined for their trip up north. Although the injury itself isn’t too serious, it’s understood Maurcio Pochettino is resting him now in the hope he’ll be fit to face Barcelona in the Champions League next Wednesday. The former Ajax man has two assists in the Premier League this season GRAY’S LEG NOT BROKEN Nippy Foxes winger Demarai Gray has been ruled out of the clash with Newcastle. The 22-year-old had to receive oxygen after a heavy tackle from Wolves’ Ryan Bennett in the Carabao Cup third round this week, and is being rested by Claude Puel to ensure he makes a full recovery. The initial contact looked like Gray had broken his leg, but scans confirmed the youngster had suffered a sprain rather than anything more. The tricky forward actually realised it was his shin pad sticking out of his sock at a strange angle… rather than a broken bone. PEDRO CARRYING CL INJURY A shoulder injury forced the Pedro off late in the match against PAOK, although Maurizio Sarri said the problem was “probably not serious” in his post-match presser. Nonetheless, the former Barca front man sat out in Chelsea’s first game against Liverpool and is expected to do the same this weekend. The Blues were victorious against the Reds in their Carabao Cup tie, but they’ll also be without Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. Sarri has admitted he’s uncertain as to when Pedro will return. WEST HAM’S REVOLVING TREATMENT ROOM DOOR The treatment room at the London Stadium is STILL bursting at the seams, but Manuel Pellegrini’s side will be looking to take full advantage of a broken Manchester United team this weekend. And they’ll have to do so without Marko Arnautovic once again, who was withdrawn after 63 minutes against Everton with a knee issue and didn’t feature the following week against the Blues. But with Arnie heading out of the starting XI, that makes room for Javier Hernandez to come in. The Mexican was sidelined with an illness in the build-up to Gameweek 6, but expected to make his return this weekend. GAMEWEEK 7 FIXTURES (TIMES IN AEST) SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER West Ham v Man Utd at the London Stadium, 9:30pmm Arsenal v Watford at the Emirates, 12am Everton v Fulham at Goodison Park, 12am Huddersfield v Spurs at John Smith’s Stadium, 12am Man City v Brighton at the Etihad Stadium, 12am Newcastle v Leicester at St James’ Park, 12am Wolves v Southampton at Molineaux, 12am Chelsea v Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, 2:20am SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER Cardiff v Burnley at Cardiff City Stadium, 1am MONDAY 1 OCTOBER Bournemouth v Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium, 5am

AN early kick-off for the NRLW decider is not ideal but just part of the women’s game becoming entrenched in the rugby league fabric. Sydney Roosters feature in both the men’s and women’s grand final on Sunday but with a six-hour gap between their two kick-off times. But the players are confident fans will turn out early to cheer them on in their attempt to claim the inaugural women’s title. “We’d love to be playing later, we’d love to, that would be fantastic especially because we’ve got two teams in the grand final this year, men’s and women’s,” said Roosters forward Ruan Sims. “I think all the fans though, we spoke to them yesterday and they’re going to come out early and be there for gates open. “So as long as the gates are open in time for them to take their seats and cheer us on we’re going to be very, very happy.” Brisbane coach Paul Dyer said the fact his team was in the grand final was reward enough at this stage. While the hope is more importance will be placed on the NRLW grand final in the future, establishing the competition as a premier league was the main focus for now. “The girls would have loved to be the main curtain raiser, but the reality is I think small steps,” he said. “I think they’re happy just to be playing on that day. “I don’t think it would have mattered what time, it could have been nine in the morning and they would have still been just as excited. “I don’t think it’s a big issue. I’ve said to the girls many times, this whole competition and where it’s headed, we’ve just got to take a big deep breath and make sure we do it correctly moving forward.” Sims was certain this weekend would be just the start of much bigger things. “Things will change, the entire make up of rugby league will change in the future and the women are a huge part of that and we’ll play a real central role.”

CRICKET on Christmas Day could soon be a reality after players reportedly reached an agreement to play on the holiday. Cricket Australia had been pushing for a Big Bash League match on Christmas Day for several years and has now struck a deal, The Australian reported on Friday. It’s understood part of the agreement allows players to excuse themselves from the BBL fixture on religious grounds or family commitments. The publication reported that CA will also fly in and accommodate the families of players for a function, which it already does for the Test team playing on Boxing Day. An e-mail from the Australian Cricketers Association - that was leaked to The Australian - reportedly revealed players have also won an increase in BBL payments for agreeing to play extra games. One of the additional games this season will be a Sydney derby, held for the first time on Christmas Eve. But players will receive no extra remuneration for playing on Christmas Day, according to the publication. “As a reflection of our commitment to the partnership and revenue-share model with Cricket Australia, the ACA has agreed that if CA and the broadcasters deem it to be appropriate in the future, then CA has the ability to schedule a BBL local derby on Christmas Day,” ACA’s Tim Cruickshank reportedly told players in the leaked e-mail. “This will be subject to some important provisions to maximise the time players spend with their families on Christmas Day.” The e-mail suggests the match would be either a Sydney or Melbourne derby, which CA must, under the agreement, attempt to schedule for 6pm, The Australian reported.

WORLD CUP ambitions, state contracts and international dreams - it’s all been on the line in this season’s JLT One-Day Cup. The tournament reached the halfway point on Wednesday, and already there is a clear picture of who may push for Australia selection, and who needs a jump-start to their season. Here, foxsports.com.au takes a look at who the winners and losers are after the first half of the JLT One-Day Cup. White-ball dynamo Chris Lynn has done his World Cup chances no harm in the early stages of the JLT One-Day Cup. Lynn was not offered a contract with Queensland last summer as he battled ongoing shoulder issues, but returned this season for the Bulls for his first 50-over campaign in nearly five years. The 28-year-old may have scored a duck against Victoria in his first match back, but it didn’t take him long to redeem himself. Lynn bounced back against Tasmania and South Australia with scores of 70 and 106 not out respectively. The latter came off just 71 balls and included eight fours and eight sixes. He is now the second-highest scorer for the tournament, with 176 runs at 88.00. Lynn’s only previous ODI appearance saw him dismissed for 16 against Pakistan in January 2017. Nonetheless, the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Kerry O’Keeffe have since called for his return to the national team ahead of next year’s World Cup in England and Wales. TEENS STEALING THE SHOW Both the run and wicket tables have been littered with a group of teenagers enjoying a promising start to the one-day season. Openers Jack Edwards, 18, and Max Bryant, 19, stole the show on Tuesday when they both scored rapid fifties to help their respective sides claim wins. Bryant scored the quickest-ever List A half-century for Queensland off just 23 balls, while New South Wales’ Edwards scored his first senior fifty off 36 deliveries. Edwards is the competition’s fifth-highest scorer (157 at 39.25), while Bryant - who has played one less match - is seventh (152 at 50.66). Teenagers have also starred with the ball, with 18-year-old Will Sutherland bursting on the scene for Victoria. The son of Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland claimed 5-45 in the season opener against Queensland, before taking a further three wickets in his next two matches. His tally will remain, however, on eight wickets at 17.12. Fox Cricket’s Tom Morris revealed Sutherland will miss at least three months of cricket due to a back injury. Sutherland is not the only teenager to star with the ball at this year’s JLT One-Day Cup. Tom O’Connell, 18, is the competition’s highest spinning wicket-taker - also with eight wickets at 25.12. WESTERN AUSTRALIA New WA coach Adam Voges said he had big shoes to fill when outgoing Justin Langer was promoted to coach of Australia during the off-season. And his first assignment as coach has been a daunting one; defending the one-day trophy which Langer won last year. But if Voges had any nerves before the start of the tournament, then they are surely beginning to settle. The Warriors have won each of their opening three matches, but it’s arguably how they have won them which has been most impressive. WA has batted second in every match, going on to claim four, five and six-wicket victories over NSW, South Australia and Victoria respectively. The three wins have been brought up with 88 balls remaining on average. The tournament’s format means every team will play finals, but WA are already shaping as the clear favourites. ADAM ZAMPA’S ODI DREAM Adam Zampa has given national selectors plenty to ponder after his impressive performances in the opening matches of the tournament. The leg-spinner claimed 3-37 from ten overs in the Redbacks’ opening match at the WACA - a ground renowned for its suitability to pace bowlers. Zampa then took 3-58 in a high-scoring match against Queensland on Tuesday. In the competition, he averages 21.88 with the ball at a notable economy rate of 4.92. The 26-year-old is currently the highest wicket-taker of all spinners in the JLT One-Day Cup. Zampa took the most ODI wickets in 2016 – one more than second best Adil Rashid – claiming 30 wickets in 19 matches for Australia. He was dropped in January 2018 after a string of poor performances. The leg-spinner will undoubtedly be looking to continue his domestic form as he vies for a national recall in the lead up to the World Cup next year. OPENERS PUSHING THEIR CASES Mark Waugh said Jake Weatherald made batting “look easy” when he started his season with an unbeaten 106 off 98 balls against NSW. The South Australian opener put the competition on notice with the classy knock that included four sixes and 11 fours. He failed to back up the performance, making scores of zero and four, but then made 79 against Tasmania. With Langer placing a large emphasis on big scores, Weatherald’s century-making ability in big games will catch the eye of selectors. His ton in the opening match was his fourth in 15 one-day games, including a match-winning century in last season’s Big Bash League grand final. Another 23-year-old, Ben McDermott, has also been pushing his opening case in the tournament. He crafted his maiden one-day cup century against Queensland to help the Tigers to a four-wicket win. McDermott, whose father Craig is a 71-Test bowling legend for Australia, overshadowed limited-overs star Lynn with the innings of 117. He has also posted scores of 56, 28, and an unbeaten 102, leaving him as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 303 at 101.00. DANIEL SAMS AND SEAN ABBOTT NSW quicks Daniel Sams and Sean Abbott helped the Blues achieve their first win of the JLT One-Day Cup against the Tasmania Tigers at North Sydney Oval on Tuesday. Abbott claimed his second consecutive five-wicket haul of the competition, achieving career-best figures of 5-43 in a man-of-the-match performance. The 26-year-old seamer currently boasts the most wickets in the tournament, with 11 scalps at an average of 20.63, and an imposing strike-rate of 18. Meanwhile, Sams turned heads when he scored 62 with the bat and took 3-46 in an all-round performance on debut against WA. In four matches, the left-arm paceman has claimed six wickets and scored two fifties, making him one of the most prolific all-rounders in the competition. LOSERS NSW CONTRACT LIST The fact some of NSW’s best players so far are either rookie contracted, or were not contracted at all last month, arguably shows the Blues got their list wrong. Rookie 18-year-old Edwards is the side’s topscorer (157 at 39.25), narrowly ahead of Sams (152 at 38) who wasn’t offered a contract before the season. Fellow non-contracted teammate Chris Green was then hurried into the squad for the third game as he stepped off the plane from the Caribbean Premier League. They are not the only non-contracted players the Blues have turned to this season. Former reserve wicketkeeper Jay Lenton was called into the squad by NSW, who didn’t renew the 28-year-old’s contract after last season. But without any senior back-up to first-choice keeper Peter Nevill - who broke his thumb and will miss the entire tournament - Lenton was added to the squad rather than rookie-listed Baxter Holt. Rubbing salt into the list’s wounds are the performances of Nic Maddinson and Gurinder Sandhu, who departed the Blues after last season. Maddinson was not offered another contract but has made 121 runs at 30.25 batting in Victoria’s middle-order. Sandhu - who NSW said “opted to leave for Tasmania” - took 4-42 in his second match of the tournament. CHRIS TREMAIN Victorian paceman Chris Tremain came closer than he had ever been to an Australian call-up just before the start of the JLT One-Day Cup. How quickly things can change. The 27-year-old was snubbed from Australia’s Test squad to face Pakistan in the UAE despite being last season’s highest wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield (51 at 21.07). Eager to impress on his return to Victoria, he took 3-47 in the season opener against Queensland. But his second match did not go so well. He was smashed by Tasmania for 10 runs an over, taking figures of 1-80 from his eight overs. Tremain had no opportunity to redeem himself after the poor display either, withdrawing from the squad due to back spasms. NSW TOP-ORDER A failing top-order was largely to blame for NSW’s winless opening three games at the JLT One-Day Cup. Nor was it impressive in the Blues’ only win against Tasmania on Tuesday night. Daniel Hughes, captain Kurtis Patterson and Moises Henriques are all averaging less than 31 batting inside NSW’s top four. Henriques has the most runs out of the trio (122 at 30.50), while Patterson has 112 at 28, and Hughes 96 at 24. Not once this season has two or more players from the NSW top order made a half-century in the same match. Ryan Gibson opened for the side in its first two matches, making scores of four and zero. He was then dropped and Edwards was promoted to the top of the order, making scores of 15 and 68. NSW’s only win came when its bowlers tore through Tasmania for 151 runs while defending a total of only 239.

JUSTIN Langer’s first Test XI has become clearer after selections for Australia’s four-day tour game against Pakistan A were announced on cricket.com.au. Out of the five uncapped players named in the Test squad, three have been handed opportunities to impress in the tour match - Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Michael Neser. Spinner Jon Holland - who has only played two Tests - has also been picked to partner Nathan Lyon. Missing out from the 15-man squad are Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Marnus Labuschagne and Peter Siddle. Agar was included in the squad as a potential third-spinning option, but his omission will likely see part-time off-spinner Head fulfil the role while batting in the middle-order. The tour match will hand Finch an opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials after playing 93 ODIs but not one Test for his nation. He’s expected to open the batting alongside Matt Renshaw, who was one of two opening replacements for David Warner and Cameron Bancroft in South Africa. That will leave Usman Khawaja at his familiar No.3 despite scoring 167 runs in his one match as opener against India A earlier this month. Shaun Marsh and Head are expected to follow in the order before Mitch Marsh, who will for the first time act in his official capacity as vice-captain. Neser has been favoured as Mitchell Starc’s strike partner after impressing in the subcontinent during the ‘A’ tour. The Queenslander - who was also the Sheffield Shield’s second-highest wicket-taker last season - claimed six wickets at 24.16 during two four-day matches, with an economy rate of 3.06. He was picked over Bulls teammate Doggett and Victoria’s Siddle, who earnt a shock recall to the Test squad two years after his last appearance. Holland will partner Lyon to complete Australia’s spin attack for the first time since August 2016 . Meanwhile, Pakistan have left out struggling pace spearhead Mohammad Amir from its 17-member squad for the two-match Test series. The 26-year-old fast bowler, who returned from a five-year ban for match-fixing in January 2016, had a wicketless Asia Cup in which he was dropped for two matches. Australia XI for tour match v Pakistan A: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland. Pakistan A squad: Asad Shafiq (c), Sami Aslam, Abid Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Usman Salahuddin, Saad Ali, Agha Salman, Muhammad Rizwan, Waqas Maqsood, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Amir Yamin, Umaid Asif, Saud Shakeel.

ADAM Voges shared a dressing room with Justin Langer for the first five years of his career and spent the final five being coached by the former Test opener at Western Australia. Suffice to say Voges knows Langer better than most, and he is not surprised his former state coach and teammate has helped make Mitchell Marsh vice-captain of the national side alongside Josh Hazlewood. And having witnessed Marsh’s leadership qualities first hand he can see the logic behind the selection panel’s decision too. When Langer vacated his position as WA and Perth Scorchers head coach to take up the Australia job, Voges was the man to take over. Alongside inheriting one of the country’s most talented squads, he also got a promising young captain in Marsh – a man he had watched grow up and played alongside domestically and internationally for eight years. “He’s a natural leader and a popular member of any team that he plays in,” Voges told foxsports.com.au, “He’s someone that guys like to follow which is good because he likes to lead from the front. “He’ll be a really good foil for Painey (Tim Paine), not only tactically but off the field as well and will help him manage the guys. He’s the one that players can go to and speak to if they need anything. Tim’s got a lot on his plate, so any way Mitch and Josh can help out will be really good.” Although Marsh is yet to captain either WA or the Scorchers under Voges’ watch – he has only coached three One-Day Cup matches so far – his leadership skills have been noticeable to the WA great for a long time now and he took them to a new level during the pre-season. “He’s brought a few things into the West Australia set-up which have worked incredibly well,” Voges said. “He’s had weekly dinners for all our rookie players so he could get to know them. And for our Saturday morning training sessions he’s introduced a rule that guys weren’t allowed to come by themselves, they have to go pick one of their mates up first.” Voges is however surprised by the decision to name dual vice-captains, admitting he had not seen that particular gambit coming. “It’s a change in thought for JL (Langer). I think in the circumstance where JL came in where Steve Smith and David Warner weren’t available, he needed to find some new leaders and felt that this was the best way to go. “It has surprised me but knowing JL very well it would have been an extremely thorough process to work out what he felt he needed in terms of captains and vice-captains. He wouldn’t have made these decisions lightly.”

D’ARCY Short shattered records and windows at Hurstville Oval. The Western Australia opener set a new national record for the highest List A score on Friday, battering a 148-ball 257 against Queensland in the one-day cup. That’s the third highest List A score ever, and it featured a world record 23 sixes. And one of those sixes was not only damaging to the bowler’s figures but also to a pavilion window. Short was a sight to behold against Queensland, helping himself to 198 runs in boundaries. If he hadn’t scored another run he still would have made the fourth highest List A score by Australia ever. Unsurprisingly, he impressed plenty of people. But not everyone in Hurstville got to enjoy the fireworks.

KANE Richardson believes South Australia can be lucky losers and clinch the JLT Cup by discovering a blueprint that “holds up” in Sunday’s final minor round clash against Victoria at Junction Oval. Three consecutive losses have shunted the Redbacks to fifth spot and on track to face fourth placed Queensland in a qualifying final next Thursday in Sydney. The equation is simple for Jamie Siddons’ men — fire against Victoria then win three consecutive finals to clinch the title. “If we finish sixth that is OK but we need to win some finals. That’s all it is, three wins but we have to stop talking about it and do it,” said Richardson. The changes to the JLT Cup format will, to a perverse degree, reward sides yet to collectively ignite. “The weird thing we would be cooked any other year,” conceded Australian one-day paceman Richardson. “The chat we have is to learn from what we are doing wrong and get it right when it matters and win the competition from down the ladder.” The only consolation in South Australia watching Western Australian opener D’Arcy Short (257) smash a record breaking double-ton against Queensland or Tasmania’s Ben McDermott post dual centuries this tournament is they will have to replicate that magic in the finals. The Redbacks have lacked middle-order partnerships required to arm their impressive attack with defendable totals. There has been a reliance on Jake Weatherald averaging 63 while its solitary win came courtesy of the opener’s unconquered 106 against bottom-ranked New South Wales in the tournament opener. “Jake Weatherald is a perfect example, when he gets off to a good start there is someone to bat around but it can’t be him every time,” said Richardson, who took 2/46 in South Australia’s three wicket loss to Tasmania on Thursday at Bankstown Oval. “In the middle order we are just missing that bloke to bat through to the 45th over and put the foot down. It’s another opportunity on Sunday.” Masterful strokeplay from openers Weatherald and Alex Carey delivered Adelaide Strikers inaugural title last season and Richardson says that big game experience will be vital in the JLT Cup finals. “If we can find a way to switch it on for the big moments in the finals we should be all right,” said Richardson, with SA a chance to recall left-arm spinner Tom Andrews against the Bushrangers. Former SA leg-spinner Tom O’Connell, 18, has eight wickets for Victoria but Adam Zampa is the best performed tweaker in the competition with 9 at 21. “He has been on fire, an Aussie call up wouldn’t be far away, he is controlling middle overs,” said Richardson of leg-spinner Zampa. “He has a new run- up, action and spinning the ball both ways.”

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has stopped short of guaranteeing defensive ace Jeremy McGovern will play against Collingwood in tomorrow’s grand final. But the All-Australian has declared himself “ready to go” despite pulling up sore from the flight east. McGovern hurt a hip in last weekend's preliminary final win against Melbourne but Simpson says he must pass a fitness at training on Friday in Melbourne. “Today’s a big day for him. There’s a lot of testing we’re doing with him today,” Simpson said. “It’s something we’ve left until today to get through. He’s getting better every minute, really. “We anticipate him to play. We just want to tick a few boxes today. "I don't know know if I'm extremely confident. I'm extremely hopeful. “Someone like Gov - he just gets up. It’s just making sure he’s up enough to play in a grand final. “I think he’ll be close to 100 per cent if he gets to the line. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. But at the moment, we’re thinking he’s going to be OK.” McGovern said he pulled up stiff following the flight east but was not concerned. He arrived for the parade later than the rest of his teammates before taking his seat next to Chris Masten. He described himself as "100 per cent ready to go" and said he would train fully at the closed session at the MCG on Friday afternoon. The triple All-Australian has been icing the injury around the clock. "We've worked pretty hard and we're in a good position," he said. "I'm feeling fine. I'll train this arvo and tick everything off there and I'll be ready to go. "After the flight it was a little bit stiff but I think most boys are a bit stiff after a three-hour flight. Nothing out of the norm." McGovern said he wouldn't need to wear protection around his cork. "I've got a bit of natural padding around there with my love handles. No padding," he said. Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said his planning was centred on McGovern proving his fitness. “I feel like we’ll be preparing for him to be 100 per cent fit and playing,” he said. Simpson said news that forward Liam Ryan had been charged with drink-driving following his car crash in July would not distract his team. “I spoke to him briefly yesterday, but this is all old news for us,” Simpson said. “The incident happened in July that everyone is aware of. Now there’s a process in place with a court hearing in a few weeks.”