Zion Williamson had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and No.4 Duke pulled away to beat Army 94-72 on Sunday. Cameron Reddish finished with 25 points and a third freshman — RJ Barrett — had 23 while Williamson added six blocked shots and four assists for the Blue Devils (2-0). Playing five days after routing No. 2 Kentucky in the Champions Classic, they shot 49 per cent but couldn’t shake the Black Knights until the final 10 minutes, finally pulling away with an 11-0 run keyed by 3-pointers from Barrett and Reddish. Matt Wilson scored 15 points and Tommy Funk added 10 for Army (1-1), and Funk hit back-to-back 3s to pull the Black Knights to 67-61 with just over 12 minutes left. Reddish hit a driving layup, and he and Barrett each hit 3s on consecutive possessions to push the lead into double figures for good. Reddish added another 3 to stretch the lead to 78-61 with just over 9 minutes left, and the Blue Devils eventually went up by 20 on Williamson’s stickback with less than 4 minutes to play.

No one turns a spark into a bonfire quicker than Melbourne United. The spark, itself, will come in all shapes and sizes. Some are long threes and clutch baskets. A strong rebound or tide-turning block will also get the job done. Others, however, are not so obvious, like on Sunday for example. United basically went through the motions for the best part of three quarters against Cairns Taipans, which included going scoreless in the first three minutes of the second half, but they surged late to get the money 87-80 at Melbourne Arena in front of a crowd of 7897. When the deficit ballooned to double digits United’s lacklustre start appeared to worsen with David Barlow in the hands of the trainers clutching at his right knee after getting tangled up with Taipans giant Nate Jawai. With Barlow, arguably the team’s most consistent and honest performer this season, in the tunnel receiving treatment, the NBL champions found another gear. DJ Kennedy led the way with a steal which ultimately led to Josh Boone driving the basket for two points. Casper Ware followed suit, a bounce pass to Kennedy in the paint, for another two. Then Ware tripled with gusto - his first from the perimeter after four miscued attempts. When Kennedy danced around Jawai for the dunk it turned a troublesome 12-point deficit into something more manageable. Ware (34pts, 6a) and Kennedy (10pts, 5rb, 2st) were nothing short of delightful down the stretch. Hardly a surprise, really, truth be told. Ware’s ability to knock down buckets and get others involved when it matters is unparalleled in this league, while Kennedy has only gone from strength to strength in recent weeks with luck on his side after interrupted start to his NBL career. The pair went ballistic on Sunday combining for 17 points in the last quarter alone.

BRISBANE coach Andrej Lemanis says two heart-breaking losses in the space of three days will not crush the spirit of the Bullets, who fell agonisingly short of a miraculous comeback at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Sunday night. After Wildcats star Bryce Cotton hit a last-second game winner against Brisbane in Perth on Friday night, Breakers captain Tom Abercrombie on Sunday night hit a long range jumpshot with 0.3 seconds left on the clock to hand New Zealand a nail-biting 85-84 win. The Breakers led by 23 points midway through the second quarter and looked home and hosed. But the Bullets came out with all guns blazing in the third quarter and hit the lead in the dying seconds of the term to set-up a nail-biting finish. A blistering Brisbane outscored the Breakers 23-9 in the third term after being flat and fumbly in the first half when the quick and slick Breakers shot the lights out on the way to a 15-point lead at the main break. The momentum ebbed and flowed in the tense and tight fourth quarter and the scores were level at 82-all with a minute left on the clock after an Adam Gibson corner three-pointer. A Tai Wesley free throw put the visitors in front before Gibson earned a foul and calmly slotted his two free throws to hand Brisbane the advantage. A scrambled last play saw the ball fall to Abercrombie who nailed the jumpshot. “It’s tough to swallow being beaten on the buzzer like that. We defended pretty well that last possession and Tommy just made a shot,’’ Lemanis said. “We are finding ourselves in holes early and then we are doing a nice job of finding a way to dig ourselves out. “We were one shot away from saying, ‘oh well wasn’t that a great comeback’. “It’s important that as a team, as tough as this weekend is, we continue to build and stay positive and grow and learn from mistakes.’’ Breakers import Patrick Richard finished with a game-high 21 points to go with six rebounds and three assists with Abercrombie adding 15 points and five rebounds for the visitors. Gibson top-scored for Brisbane with 17 points with Reuben Te Rangi and Cam Gliddon adding 14 points apiece. Gibson said Brisbane roared back into the match by playing aggressively but the Bullets were left to lament a poor first half. “It’s not rocket science. We came out on the front foot …and that turned the game. It was getting down and dirty and playing hard,’’ he said. “It shouldn’t take being down 20 to get to that mindset. It’s one second and we win that game like against Perth, it’s 6-3 instead of 4-5. “It’s a matter of two shots. Everything that leads up to that stuff is what’s important.

American import Bryce Cotton and former Australian Boomers guard Clint Steindl combined for 37 points to carry the injury-hit Perth Wildcats to Sunday’s 90-81 defeat of the Illawarra Hawks at WIN Entertainment Centre. Despite the absence of regular starters Damian Martin and Angus Brandt through injury, the Wildcats got the early jump on the Hawks and never trailed. Cotton, who drained a buzzer-beating three-point bomb to beat Brisbane on Friday night, finished with 19 points, while Steindl poured in 18 off the bench, making his first five three-point shots. Nick Kay had 18 points against his former team and Jesse Wagstaff added a valuable 15 off the bench. Todd Blanchfield and Cedric Jackson led Illawarra with 16 points each, while David Andersen had 12.The Wildcats’ win boosted their record to 7-1 and kept them alone atop the NBL ladder. Illawarra claimed Melbourne United’s scalp on Thursday but were unable to complete a perfect week and dropped to 3-5 for the season. Cotton was sublime with 10 points in the first period, helping the Cats to a 24-16 lead. Streaky shooter Steindl has his eye in, nailing four from four three-pointers as the visitors powered into the second quarter with a 36-21 lead. They were ahead by as many as 17 and answered every Hawks challenge from the first two periods. Steindl was the standout with 15 points and the Wildcats enjoyed a 54-42 half- time lead.

Fremantle newcomers Reece Conca and Travis Colyer have declared their best football still in front of them at their first day at new club Fremantle today. Conca, 26, joins the Dockers after 104 games at Richmond and was a member of the Tigers losing preliminary final team this year. Colyer, 27, joins after 87 games over nine years at Essendon. Both have had injury issues in recent seasons they are keen to put behind them. And both arrive at Fremantle as fortunate side effects for the Dockers of big trade plays made by their former clubs. Restricted free agent Conca took the security of a three-year deal at Fremantle after Richmond made a massive play, with a massive contract to match, to lure Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch. Similarly the Colyer trade was sealed late in the trade period when Essendon swooped on GWS midfield Dylan Shiel. That said, both are good chances to nail down spots in the Dockers best 22 next year. It was only injury that cost Conca a spot in Richmond’s 2017 premiership team and he came off his best season in the AFL in 2018 when he played 18 games and missed six with a dislocated ankle. Colyer played only eight AFL games in 2018 but was out of action until mid-season with a toe injury. He has been recruited to inject some pace and flexibility to the Dockers’ midfield and attack. Conca said he hoped to be able to bring some of Richmond’s much improved player culture with him when he outs his best foot forward for the Dockers. “At Richmond we put a lot of emphasis on that in the last two years – developed a really good culture. That is something that all footy clubs really need to have in place,” he said. “We brought in some quality players, some quality people in the football department. There was a buy in from the player group, a lot of positivity. It is bringing that altogether and putting it out on the footy field. “There are definitely a lot of learnings I have taken from the eight years at Richmond. I feel like everyone is a leader. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what quality footy player you are. Everyone brings leadership. It might take a bit of time to find out what works and how to do that here but it is exciting.” Colyer was a junior teammate of Nathan Fyfe at Claremont and in the state 18s and said playing with Fyfe again would be a highlight of coming home. “I know Fyfey quite well. We were texting on that Wednesday (last trading day). It would be good to catch up with him and kick on from when we were in Claremont under 18s,” he said. “His development has been fantastic to see, watching from afar and being a friend from when he was 14 or 15 years of age – now captaining a football club, Brownlow Medallist, best and fairest, All Australian. It is going to be really exciting to play with him. I know he is going to challenge me, I am going to challenge him . It is a pretty good opportunity to come back and play with a good mate. Colyer said his shortened season meant he was advanced in preparations for 2019. “Most of the time when you finish and play the full year you need those couple of weeks to rest and relax. I was halfway through my season as far as my program went so I had a couple of weeks off and then got cracking back into it. Obviously the aim now is to get through to Christmas. From then onwards it will be to step it up and start challenging myself,” he said.

ON paper, West Coast’s draft hand isn’t all that impressive. A couple of picks in the 20s, followed by a few speculative selections later on. History paints a very different picture. Granted, the Eagles’ deck of cards will be shuffled around by live pick trading and bids on highly-rated academy and father-son prospects. But a look into the past suggests West Coast still has every chance of bagging itself an A-grader. PICK 20 Notable names: Adrian Fletcher (Geelong, 1988), Scott Cummings (Essendon, 1992), Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide, 2000), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle, 2009) Selected by West Coast: Robbie West (1990), Sam Butler (2003), Tony Notte (2007), Tom Swift (2008) Last five years: Callum Coleman-Jones (Richmond, 2017), Isaac Cumming (GWS, 2016), Brayden Fiorini (Gold Coast, 2015) Jayden Laverde (Essendon, 2014), Jack Leslie (Gold Coast, 2013) In the mix: Ian Hill (WA), Sam Sturt (VIC), Liam Stocker (VIC), Xavier Duursma (VIC), Edward McHenry (VIC) PICK 22 Notable names: Winston Abraham (Fremantle, 1994) Selected by West Coast: Mark Seaby (2001), Scott Selwood (2007), Gerrick Weedon (2009) Last five years: Lachie Fogarty (Geelong, 2017), Jordan Ridley (Essendon, 2016), Kieran Lovell (Hawthorn, 2015), Daniel McKenzie (St Kilda, 2014), Darcy Gardiner (Brisbane, 2013) In the mix: Xavier Duursma (VIC), Edward McHenry (VIC), Curtis Taylor (VIC), Luke Foley (WA), Luke Valente (SA) Next month dozens of aspiring footballers will find out their futures in the AFL draft. Mark Reddings reports. PICK 61 Notable names: Michael Rischitelli (Brisbane, 2003), Mathew Stokes (Geelong, 2005), Selected by West Coast: Jamie Bennell (rookie upgrade, 2013)

Brodie Grundy climbed AFL mountains this season and the All-Australian has now reached Mt Everest Base Camp. The Collingwood ruckman today posted an Instagram photo of himself at 5380m elevation. “Base Camp is colder than the other side of your pillow,” Grundy wrote on a post that was liked by more than 5500 people. Grundy, 24, last night tweeted a picture of himself taking the Queen’s Birthday Big Freeze blue beanie all the way to Base Camp. Earlier this year the Magpies star hinted he was unlikely to be a regular in the social pages during the off-season. “I’m not really one for these holidays where you go and party,” Grundy said in Grand Final week. “I see it as a journey of self and have some good conversations along the way. “If we go all the way on Saturday and climb this mountain, it’d be a cool thing to back it up in a few weeks and go and do base camp.” “I haven’t actually told the footy club. Maybe there’s some clearance or something that I need to get.” We assume the Pies gave him the all clear!

SUBIACO premiership ruckman Zac Clarke has been linked to Essendon ahead of next week’s AFL national draft. The 28-year-old is one of the best mature-aged ruckmen playing at state league level after being cut by Fremantle at the end of 2017. He averaged 15.7 disposals and 39 hit-outs and kick 28 goals for the Lions this season, who finished the year undefeated with another WAFL flag to their name. Clarke was overlooked by Gold Coast and Carlton with their state-league player priority access during the trade period, but is eligible for the draft and has a couple of likely suitors. A report from AAP indicated the Bombers are in the box seat to secure the ruckman’s services. It is understood he could potentially overlook the draft and join the club’s rookie list. Finding a reliable ruck back-up to Tom Bellchambers is understood to be a priority for the club, who are expected to press for finals after recruiting Giants midfielder Dylan Shiel during the trade period.

GUN WA draft prospect Jordan Clark insists there is ‘nothing to worry about’ after he was diagnosed with glandular fever just weeks before the AFL National draft. Clubs are aware of Clark’s illness and recognise the gifted half-back could spend a period of weeks at home before moving interstate to kick off his AFL career. Despite spending a night in hospital connected to an IV drip, the 18-year-old remains optimistic he will be available for the start of pre-season. “My throat was sore for about 10 days and I couldn’t swallow or eat anything,” Clark said. “I ended up in hospital on a drip. It turns out I’m fine so nothing to worry about. “Hopefully ready for day one (of pre-season), wherever it is.” It appears likely Clark will be drafted interstate - possibly inside the first 10 selections. Fremantle doesn’t enter the draft until pick No.14, while West Coast sits further back at selection 20. WA talent manager Adam Jones said Clark remained in a positive frame of mind. The West Coast Eagles are set to draft the teenage brother of Brisbane star Charlie Cameron. “Speaking with him recently, he’s travelling pretty well - it hasn’t knocked him about too much,” Jones said. “He didn’t seem too nervous about the draft at all. He’s just finished school and said he’s been relaxing. “He should be able to start a little bit of light running over the next week or so.” Raised in Albany, Clark represented Australia’s under-16s cricket side before making the decision to pursue football this year. Clark managed five senior games for Claremont this season, and made solid contributions throughout the Tigers’ finals campaign. “He’s a country kid from Albany and he’s played at the elite level so he’s just got that mentality with an inner confidence and competitiveness that I think’s going to really help drive him to be a star at the next level,” Jones said. “He’s come from nowhere this year and put some really good runs on the board.

Essendon is closing in on a back-up for No. 1 ruckman Tom Bellchambers, with former Fremantle tall Zac Clarke expected to join the club via a draft in coming weels. Clarke was cut the by the Dockers at the end of the 2017 season after 101 games, with a persistent knee injury ruining his last season with the WA club. But the 28-year-old starred with eventual premiers Subiaco in the WAFL this season and is set to fill the void left by the surprise retirement of Matthew Leuenberger. “Adrian (Dodoro) will just look at best available. For him, it will come down the talent that is still there when our first pick comes up,” Essendon chief executive officer Xavier Campbell said on Tuesday. “We haven’t got any major needs, obviously just trying to fill this final piece in the ruck, we’ve had ongoing discussions, but it will be about best available.”

Prepare for your life to change as soon as you purchase this limited edition Hawthorn cap. At least that’s what the Hawks are telling fans upon release of a Ben Stratton mullet hat. That’s right. You can now have your own mullet, similar to the one sported by the triple premiership defender throughout 2018. What’s better than that? Well, apparently it does get much better. “This life changing hat will give you the irresistible look of a hipster half-back flanker from the mighty Hawks,” the item description declares on the club’s official online store. “Prepare to receive some comments and looks when you start rocking the great Stratton #24 mullet baseball cap.” That’s one amazing hat. And you can get it all that for just $35. We’ve seen some out there accessories sold by AFL clubs in recent years — who remembers the Bulldogs’ owl-shaped doorstop? Or the Collingwood garter? Or the club solar toucans? Yes, you read that right. But this one has to be up there. We have to give credit where it’s due, though. Hawthorn will donate $5 from every Ben Stratton mullet cap sold to the Movember Foundation in support of men’s health and wellbeing. At least it’s in support of a good cause.

After a decorated career in which he represented Australia across all three of cricket’s formats, burly all-rounder John Hastings has officially announced his retirement. His decision comes after being struck down by a mystery ailment in which he coughs up blood when he bowls, mystifying his doctors as to the cause and any possible cure. There were some theories, including one that his abnormally large heart — discovered years ago during scans at the national cricket academy — was to blame. “I’ve gone through an extensive testing process,” Hastings told The Age. “I suppose the important thing to note is that I’m actually in good health. I’ve gone through stress tests and bronchoscopes, and angiogram bronchoscopes and all this sort of stuff. It’s been quite invasive, and lengthy I guess. “It’s [only] when I bowl. The pressure at the crease, little blood vessels in my lungs burst. “That determines that I cough up blood on a regular basis when I’m trying to bowl. It’s a really scary thing. “I’m training now, doing F45, lifting weights or boxing it doesn’t happen. It’s really only the pressure of the actual landing of bowling. “There was just a lot of gray area surrounding long-term health, whether it was causing any damage, and if there was any potential to have a fatal bleed on the field. They just really couldn’t say yes or no. And I wasn’t happy with that.” At 33, Hastings could’ve gone on for longer. Indeed he had signed a two-year deal with the Sydney Sixers with a view to fulfilling his desire to become a Twenty20 gun for hire. But last month, he’d announced that he was taking the summer off due to his mystery ailment and eventually he decided he didn’t want to much the Sixers around anymore. “It was a pretty tough little period, the last five or six months, but I’ve come to terms with it now, and I’m pretty comfortable with where it’s all at,” he told The Age. “I would have loved a Big Bash title. That would have been unbelievable because I think it’s an amazing competition. And we had our chances with the Stars throughout the years. [But] it wasn’t to be.” One of his proudest moments was playing in a Test for Australia at the WACA in 2012, in what was Ricky Ponting’s farewell match. He even managed to snare the prized scalp of AB de Villiers and also had Hashim Amla dropped off his own bowling in the first innings. Now, Hastings will turn his attention to the media and the extensive list of organisations that he’s worked for, including Fox Sports, the ABC, SEN, RSN and Triple M.

FORMER South Australian cricketing greats Tim Nielsen and Greg Blewett will join current WBBL star Lauren Ebsary in raising money for charity by fielding anywhere but mid-off in a special event T20 match. Tomorrow, (THURS), the Coromandel Ramblers Cricket Club is hosting a special fundraising match to continue the legacy of friend and former SACA colleague, Ashley Bryant. Bryant, an avid cricket volunteer, passed away suddenly in August 2017, leaving a hole in the local cricket community, nowhere more so than within his beloved Coromandel Ramblers. Nielsen, Blewett and Ebsary will be part of the SACA Social Club team, which will take on the Ramblers in a T20 game at Weymouth Oval, Coromandel Valley, from 5.15pm. Bryant was passionate about making cricket accessible to all young people, regardless of ability or background and in his memory, the Ramblers established the Ashley Bryant Memorial Fund to offer the Woolworths Cricket Blast free of charge in term one. Thursday’s fundraising match is free for all to attend, with money raised from raffles, food and drinks on the night going to the Ashley Bryant Memorial Fund, so it can continue to offer the Junior Blasters program at no cost for kids aged five to seven. Former Australian coach Nielsen said he hadn’t played a cricket match for about two years, and joked that he was hoping to field at mid-off to keep out of harm’s way. “But I expect we’ll have to keep and bat and bowl and do all of those things,” he said. “It’s a great cause and I’m just looking forward to the day and getting out there to support the Coromandel Ramblers Cricket Club and be able to have a positive impact around the place.” Nielsen, who played 101 games as a wicketkeeper/batsman for South Australia, said one of the great things about sport was its power to bring people together. He said being able to contribute to such a great cause — by helping to produce the next generation of Australian cricketers — was a wonderful way to honour Bryant’s memory.

At the time of writing, the Sydney Sixers have 13 players signed for BBL|08, with five spots yet to fill. The Sixers won the inaugural BBL tournament in 2010-11, but haven’t done much since. Moises Henriques returns to captain the side in 2018-19 after he stepped away for personal reasons in BBL|07, while English import Joe Denly will open the batting for the men in magenta. The defection of top run-scorer Nic Maddinson to the Stars creates opportunity for somebody else to step up. It isn’t all bad, as the Sixers stable some of Australia’s most promising youngsters in BBL|08. THE GUN It’s hard to look past English International, Joe Denly ($186,800) who smoked a ridiculous 146 runs in four games for the Sixers in BBL|07. Fresh from a stunning English T20 domestic season, where he became the first player to score a century and take a hattrick in the same game, Denly is a player who will deliver points and a point of difference. THE MID-PRICER Daniel Hughes ($97,800) just snuck into the top 20 run scorers last year with 227 runs, and will no doubt bat inside the top three in BBL|08. Hughes is durable and will play every week. It is safe to assume more responsibility will fall to him with Maddinson’s departure. THE POINT OF DIFFERENCE Can you call a captain a point of difference? In this case, yes you can. Allrounder, Moises Henriques ($88,000) returns to the Sixers after stepping away from the game due to personal issues last year. He’ll bat inside the top four and undoubtedly do damage with the ball, but where does his point of difference come from? Scheduling. With most people taking the approach of loading up on players from teams who begin with a double in the opening weeks, Henriques poses as a good option who is underpriced and can rack up SuperCoach points. THE YOUNG GUNS While the current Sixers roster looks pretty bleak, the most exciting aspect is the quality of youngsters the Sixers are stabling ahead of BBL|08. The Edwards brothers will be the first set of brothers to play together in the same team in the Big Bash League. Specifically, Jack Edwards ($42,000) scored a century in domestic one day cricket this season for the NSW Blues, becoming the youngest player to do so. Edwards’ crafty batting skills have him in the running to open for the Sixers. Henry Thornton ($62,500) stands at 192cm, bowls quick and hits hard. Then, there’s Lloyd Pope ($62,500) who comes to the tournament as arguably the most hyped youngster in recent times. Dubbed the next Shane Warne, Pope bamboozles even the most seasoned batsmen with his spin. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Mickey Edwards ($62,500) only played one game for the Sixers last year, but with Nathan Lyon set to miss a chunk of the tournament with national duty, the older brother of Jack looms the likeliest to launch into the stratosphere for the Sixers in BBL|08. The towering quick has had injury setbacks over the past few years, but is in ripping knick, as demonstrated with his terrific form for NSW in the JLT Cup. With Sean Abbott the only outright bowling weapon for the Sixers, Edwards is likely to secure ample opportunity this summer. THE BURN MAN Don’t be fooled into thinking Nathan Lyon ($195,600) will deliver wickets for your SuperCoach team this year, because he won’t. It’s because he’ll play for the Test side this summer, and isn’t worth

New Zealand allrounder Sophie Devine has labelled Australia the "bullies" of women's international cricket. But she insists it's a respectful remark as her team chase the upset win required to stay in contention at the World T20 in the West Indies. The White Ferns' hopes will virtually disappear if they're beaten by three-time champions Australia in Guyana on Wednesday (AEDT), having lost their opening match to unbeaten India by 34 runs. Victory would open up group B but defeat would hand the Australians and Indians a saloon passage to the semi-finals, leaving the third-ranked Kiwis playing for pride against lowly Ireland and Pakistan. Devine was part of the New Zealand squad swept 3-0 in Australia in their T20 series five weeks ago. She knows the challenge that awaits against a team who swatted aside Pakistan and Ireland in their tournament-opening matches last week. "They've been typical Australians haven't they? They've been bullies," Devine said. "That's why they're at the top of the world at the moment. They've got great depth. We're fortunate enough to play a lot of cricket against them and alongside them in the women's Big Bash League. "We're absolutely pumped for it, it's a one-off game that is huge for us." Before the recent series whitewash, New Zealand had won seven of the previous nine trans-Tasman matches in the shortest format. Coach Haidee Tiffen has demanded her bowlers aren't as full as their opening loss at the same venue, when they had early control before Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur snatched it away with 103 off 51 balls. "When we bowl well we can be quite challenging," Tiffen said. "When you bowl back (of a length) and don't allow batters to get under it, it is a real challenge to score runs here. "If we play a courageous, brave brand of cricket and back ourselves, I think it will be a really good game."

Ryan Harris has backed Victoria captain Peter Handscomb to flourish if he is recalled to the Test team this summer. Handscomb was left out of the squad that toured the United Arab Emirates in October and has only played one Test since being dropped two games into last summer’s Ashes campaign. The right-hander has been in good touch on the domestic scene, averaging 51.57 in the one-day cup and scoring a century in the most recent round of the Sheffield Shield. Harris believes the 27-year-old has ironed out the flaws in his game that England exposed last summer, and is primed to make the most of his next opportunity at the highest level. “I think he (Handscomb) would be one I would like to see in there,” Harris, who is coaching the Cricket Australia XI outfit that will face South Africa on Wednesday, told SEN on Monday. “He’s done a lot of work on his technique, he’s done a lot of work on his game and he’s gone away and made quite a few runs. “He made a hundred in Shield cricket and four or five fifties in a row in JLT, so he’s probably one who could potentially come in.” Handscomb took to Test cricket like a duck to water back in 2016, averaging 99.75 across his first four matches and scoring two centuries and two fifties. Earlier this month he told reporters he has reverted back to the method that brought him that success. “It’s a bit of a mindset thing, going back to believing my technique is good enough,” Handscomb said after his century against South Australia. “I had this technique for three or four years before playing for Australia, then I made runs with this technique as soon as I played for Australia. Then I tinkered with it, and more form started to drop.

Keisuke Honda is not your average footballer. The Melbourne Victory marquee isn’t just a player; he also manages a national team. In the last few days he juggled both jobs – scoring a goal, flying internationally and making his managerial debut all in a crazy 27 and a half hours. At 7pm AEDT on Sunday evening in Melbourne, Honda lined up – and scored – for Victory in a 4-1 demolition of Central Coast Mariners in the A-League. Another strong showing from the star recruit, as he notched up his second strike in a stunning start to the season. He then had a poolside meeting with sprint legend Usain Bolt, who was on hand to watch his former Mariners teammates, as he recovered from the clash. Then it was straight to the airport. Honda was due in Myanmar to take charge of his first game as Cambodia manager – an AFF Suzuki Cup clash at Mandalar Thiri Stadium in Mandalay. At 10:30pm AEDT, Honda was on the sideline as Cambodia took to the park for the first time under his watchful eye. But unfortunately for the 98-time Japanese international, things didn’t exactly go to plan for his men – although it was a familiar score line. A goal from Chan Vathanka on 23 minutes gave Honda’s team the dream start, but in the second half things went from bad to worse. Myanmar scored four unanswered goals – via Aung Than Htet, Aung Sithu and two from Bo Bo – as they wrapped up a 4-1 victory. The very same scoreline Honda had been on the other side of for the Victory a day earlier. The loss is Cambodia’s second in a row to open their Suzuki Cup campaign, and they now sit fourth out of five in Group A, needing to finish in the top two to advance. They face fellow strugglers Laos in each of their next two clashes before rounding out the group stage with a clash against Vietnam. How about that for another crazy day in the life of Keisuke Honda!

Australian football is rather fond of the term ‘golden generation.’ The phrase is most commonly used to refer to the Socceroos’ class of 2006 – to date still the only Aussie men’s side to advance through the group stage at a World Cup. But don’t even think about using it in regards to our current batch of Matildas, at least not around coach Alen Stajcic. “I don’t like to use that word,” Stajcic tells foxsports.com.au. “I don’t like it for a couple of reasons.” Stajcic’s Matildas have reached a World Cup quarter final, achieved an extraordinary rankings high of number four in the world and consistently competed with the best the women’s game has to offer. And yet, their coach rejects those magic words. Why? “One, we genuinely haven’t won too many tournaments, we’ve won the odd one here or there,” Stajcic explains. “Back in 2010 the team won the Asian Cup as well; we’ve certainly been contenders, runners-up in the Asian Cup as well. So, I think we need to win a World Cup or an Olympic medal to be able to say something like that.” The rationale is sound, but the continuation of his explanation reveals a promising plan for an extended period of prosperity at the elite table of women’s football and a genuine commitment to planning for a future where Australia remain among the world’s best. “The second part, which is more important than that part for me, is ‘golden generation’ infers that we were capable of producing a generation of players at some point, we can never do it again,” he adds. “And that really doesn’t sit well with me. I think we have to get to the point where we have a production line and a pathway that ensures our best female players have the right coaching, the right competitions, the right structures in place to ensure we have a good team for ever and ever. “The rest of the world has really taken women’s football on board over the last four or five years — particularly Europe — and if we sit still we’ll fall off the cliff very quickly.” Sport often works in cycles. Peaks and troughs surround the fortunes of clubs and nations in a revolving door atop the pile. But the very best find a way to prolong their success, creating dynastic reigns and long-term foundations on which to continue excelling Stajcic is hoping the Matildas can fit into the latter, although notes the ease with which a team can fall without the proper care. “It’s very important for me as a coach and someone who’s been involved in women’s football for over 20 years now to ensure that our structures and pathways and all the elements that underpin this current team are there forever,” he says. “And stronger than they ever can be, to maintain this level of success, not just looking at this World Cup or even 2023 (but) well beyond to ensure we almost don’t have what the Socceroos had — where we went from being a strong world contender to at one point we were down to what 100 in the rankings, and now having to work your way back up is so much harder.” He is referring to the Socceroos’ fall from grace which saw them plummet as low as 94th in the world in October 2014. Once you’re down, its considerably harder to get back up.

“Vote all but ends Australian soccer’s (sic) political war” - that was the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald on October 2. For most, the interminable battle (primarily a stoush between A-League clubs and the FFA board, and in particular, it’s now ousted Chairman, Steven Lowy) ended when the congress voted to usher in a new period of more representative governance. Perhaps that’s why there has been scant public commentary on the upcoming board elections? Many are tired of the politics - but while that is a perfectly understandable sentiment, the ceasing of hostilities in the three-year war will mean little, if the ensuing peace is unsatisfactory. This is where football as a sport still suffers. The lack of space afforded to the game in the mainstream media, the lack - in sheer numbers - of football writers and broadcasters in paid employment, and (in some cases), the pressure applied to those that are, all adds up to a game still on the margins. Thus, its major decisions are taken under the cloak of secrecy. Contrast that, with the current airing of the issues affecting cricket. There, the debate is plentiful, robust, and crucially, conducted in the full glare of public scrutiny. Yet in just under a weeks time, the new FFA Congress will take its most important decisions in a generation, when it elects four new members to a new-look board to take the game forward. In all, there are eleven candidates - Morry Bailes, Joseph Carrozzi, Stephen Conroy, Craig Foster, Danny Moulis, Chris Nikou, Remo Nogarotto, Linda Norquay, Heather Reid, Mark Rendell and Mark Shield. Two existing board members, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin and Crispin Murray, will stay on to complete their terms. Judith Griggs withdrew last Friday. So, as the game heads towards this brave new world, it is incumbent upon the football community to know who is about to represent them - and more importantly, exactly what they will bring to the table. Which is why it was refreshing to see seven of the eleven commit to attending a “Town Hall” type forum in Melbourne on Monday night. In addition, two more - Bailes and Reid - provided statements, although they didn’t attend in person. The debate was broadcast live on Football Nation Radio, and on the AAFC Facebook page. The forum (which, for disclosure purposes I moderated, without payment), was the brainchild of the Australian Association of Football Clubs, and was designed to drag into the open the one thing that has been denied us for too long - public debate of the key issues, along with scrutiny of those charged with making the decisions that affect the game.

Manchester City could be booted out of the Champions League as UEFA re-open their investigation into alleged Financial Fair Play cheating. German magazine Der Spiegel published claims the Etihad hierarchy deliberately misled European football investigators over the source of the club’s funding. The revelations, part of the Football Leaks document dump, claimed 80 per cent of the annual “sponsorship” money from Gulf-based companies — which allowed City to get close to the losses permitted under FFP regulations — was actually from the club’s Abu Dhabi owners, led by Sheikh Mansour. Cash from Etihad Airways and an Abu Dhabi-based investment company was declared as being worth A$147 million in 2015. But documents suggest it was actually just $19.5m, with the shortfall made up by Abu Dhabi United Group. City were also accused of setting up a shell company, also directly funded by ADUG, to meet the image rights scheme for players, wiping $71.5m off the wage bill. The Sun revealed on Sunday that Europe’s biggest clubs — led by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona — were aiming to enlist City’s English rivals to demand UEFA re-open the file and punish the Premier League champions more severely. In 2014, City were fined $88m and forced to name just a 21-man squad for the next European campaign. City are understood to have been surprised and shocked but declined to comment. A UEFA statement said: “FFP is a framework which clubs that wish to play in UEFA competitions agree to. “UEFA relies on that information being fair and accurate. Should new information suggest previously concluded cases have been abused, those cases may be capable of being reopened.”

IT is not often teams benefit from a late forced change. But on Sunday evening, that’s exactly what happened to Melbourne Victory. The reigning A-League champions had originally planned to play Jai Ingham as part of a front three alongside James Troisi and Kosta Barbarouses. But when Ingham pulled up with a quad issue in the warm-up, Victory had to improvise. Kevin Muscat pulled Leigh Broxham on from the bench to play in midfield, with captain Carl Valeri in a holding role. It meant Keisuke Honda and James Troisi were deployed as dual No.10s., with Barbarouses up front. And from the opening moments, the move paid off, with the pair seizing control of the game and piling the pressure on the Mariners defence. The strategy bore fruit in the 30th minute, with Honda exploiting an Antony Golec error to score a sizzling opening goal. Then, Terry Antonis’ delightfully weighted ball allowed Troisi to double Victory’s lead in the 35th minute. Two minutes into injury time, Corey Brown rifled home his side’s third goal to make it 3-0. It was a genuinely dominant performance, with former Victory and Roar goalkeeper Michael Theo praising Troisi’s influence. “With two number 10s, he had that free role there and he’s set up Kosta on a number of occasions,” Theo told Fox Sports. “Just his vision, he just brings players into the game.” Mario Shabow snatched a reply in the 62nd minute, before Ola Toivonen — on debut — created the opportunity for Josh Hope to score his first A-League goal in the 94th minute. While Victory were less dynamic in the second half, their blitzing opening stanza was a warning to the rest of the league. Melbourne Victory have delivered a stunning statement of A-League intent, thrashing Central Coast 4-1 at AAMI Park. The champions were ruthless from the kickoff on Sunday night, with Keisuke Honda, James Troisi and Corey Brown scoring in a vintage first-half display. Mario Shabow’s first professional goal gave the Mariners something on an otherwise sorry night, before Josh Hope rounded out the scoring. Mike Mulvey’s team were reduced to an amateur outfit in front of 16,508 fans, who also cheered Ola Toivonen’s debut from the bench. The Swedish marquee emerged with the game already won, but played in Hope in second-half stoppage time to leave a late mark. Kevin Muscat’s side played like the Harlem Globetrotters, streaming forward with style only to miss a hatful of chances. Honda’s opener came as a result of Victory’s relentless press. The Japanese star was on hand to hassle Antony Golec out of possession, running away to score on the half-hour mark.

Jose Mourinho faces the sack if he fails to make the Champions League. Manchester United are ready to head in a different direction should they miss out on top-table European football. United sit EIGHTH in the Premier League — a staggering 12 points behind rivals Manchester City after Sunday’s 3-1 derby defeat. He has been left in no doubt that Champions League football next season is critical to his future. Old Trafford executives still admire Mauricio Pochettino, but it looks almost impossible to get him out of the water-tight contract he signed with Tottenham in the summer. Both United and Real Madrid are keen to snare the Argentine but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will scrap tooth and nail to hang onto his man. Madrid responded to interim boss Santiago Solari’s four-game winning streak by handing him a two-year deal to become Julen Lopetegui’s full-time successor. But Solari — a close pal of former Argentina team-mate Poch — is understood to be willing to step into the background if the Spurs chief decides to head to Spain next summer. Mourinho signed a new deal at Old Trafford last season, but the penalty clause for firing him is a year’s salary — around £15m. The former Chelsea boss is fuming behind the scenes as he believes United’s set-up is light years behind some big-spending rivals. He has been moaning about standards at the club and told friends that everything is “second rate”. Mourinho has been scathing about their recruitment and scouting network, along with the club’s failure to be in the mix for the top players when it comes to negotiations. There is also frustration with the club’s travel arrangements, highlighted by their late arrival for Champions League group games with Juventus and Valencia this season.

Daniel Sturridge has denied gambling on football after he was charged by the FA for breaching betting rules. The Liverpool striker has been found guilty of misconduct for placing bets in January 2018 - after the winter transfer window had opened. According to reports, Sturridge has been stung for betting on transfers of players and managers and is believed to have used a third party. The 29-year-old could now face a fine and lengthy ban depending on the severity of the incident. He has until 6pm on Tuesday, November 20 to respond to the charge. A statement revealed by a Liverpool spokesperson claims Sturridge has categorically denied the charges. It read: “Daniel has given his full and unequivocal co-operation throughout this process and has assured the club he will continue to do so. “Daniel has also stated categorically that he has never gambled on football. “As with any issue of this nature, we will allow the process to be concluded in its entirety before making any further comment.” It came at a time when the crocked forward had just joined recently-relegated West Brom on loan until the remainder of the season. Sturridge managed just six appearances for the Baggies after suffering a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. This season the striker has been an important figure in Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League squad having featured in all four matches and racked up 133 minutes of Premier League football. But he could now face a lengthy spell out of football - just like Joey Barton did when he admitted an FA charge in relation to betting. The former Man City midfielder and now-Fleetwood boss received an 18-month suspension in April 2017 after claiming he had placed 1,260 bets over the past 10 years.

ANTONIO CONTE has been ruled out of the manager’s role at Real Madrid - and says he’s not planning to start ANY new job until next June. His decision will come as a blow to the Italian’s last club Chelsea, who sacked him before the start of this season - and now face paying him for the outstanding year on his contract. That’s a whopping A$20 million - and the Blues may face an even bigger bill, as Conte is intending to take the London club to court and sue for additional damages of $15.5m, according to reports. Chelsea are said to be refusing to pay his outstanding salary because some of his behaviour at the club - they also claim that he has failed to turn up to two meetings to discuss a deal. The 49-year-old remains out of work, having been heavily linked with the Real Madrid hot seat after Julen Lopetegui’s disastrous start to the season and subsequent sacking. Santiago Solari has taken over as interim manager at the Bernabeu, though, and looks likely to be offered the role on a permanent basis - yet Conte claims he was not interested in the job anyway. He told Sky Sports: “Real Madrid? As I see it, it is better to wait until the end of the season than to take a train running now”. He added: “I want to wait for June and start again with a new project. In three months I could change my mind and deny everything, but I’ve always thought of it this way.” One potential future destination for Conte is his old club Juventus, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles between 2012 and 2014 - though he claims not to be interested in a return to Turin. He said: “Of course, I am Italian and I like to live and train in Italy, obviously... [Juventus] continues to grow and is doing a great job at the business level, with huge purchases and a great deal for Allegri.” Conte was undeniably a success in his two seasons at Chelsea, winning the Premier League title in 2017 and the FA Cup a year later. But his relationship with the club was soured due to his treatment of several players - including Diego Costa, who was allegedly told by text that he would not be part of Conte’s future plans - and his complaints over Chelsea’s failure to secure transfer targets.

In the 130-year history of the English top flight, we’ve never seen something like this! While Jose Mourinho snatched a record of his own despite a derby loss. Its Premier League Extra Time! PL HISTORY MADE This ridiculous Premier League season has reached all-time heights. After Liverpool, Chelsea and City all maintained their unbeaten starts on a massive day of action – English top-flight history was made. It’s the first time in the 130-year history of the top tier that three teams have remained undefeated after 12 rounds. Time will tell how much longer our unwavering top dogs can maintain the pace and thus set the new record! JOSE’S PL BENCHMARK He may have gone down in the latest edition of the Manchester derby, but Jose Mourinho still set a new Premier League benchmark. The United boss was in the dugout for the 300th time in the competition and he became the most successful manager ever at that milestone. His 189 wins from his first 300 matches sees him come in ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson (183) and Arsene Wenger (180). Congratulations Jose! XHAKA’S AWFUL DUMMY Arsenal went behind early against Wolves, and the finger was largely pointed at Granit Xhaka. The midfielder appeared to attempt a dummy in the centre of the park, rather than picking up the ball himself and distributing. And in doing so, he allowed the ball to trickle to an opponent who kickstarted an attack that saw Wolves net the opener! What on earth was he thinking?