Souths talk rock bottom with Dick

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DICK Johnson hit his rock, and consequently his rock bottom, 10 years before Adam Reynolds was born.

Which is why, right now, here in a private room on the second floor of Souths Juniors, the greying V8 legend is providing the gun Rabbitohs halfback with some Bathurst 1000 background.

Explaining not only to Reynolds but the entire Souths squad how that rock, that moment on Mount Panorama way back in 1980, was something like his equivalent of twice being rolled one game short of an NRL Grand Final.

"We mortgaged the house, sacrificed everything to run that car,'' Johnson explains of a moment that has come to define him.

V8 legend Dick Johnson pictured with Nathan Merrit, Adam Reynolds and coach Michael Macguire. Source: News Limited

"It's why that crash, it should've been the end of me."

And continuing, Johnson walks this mob of tattooed tyros through the years of debt, the years of repairing cars in his own garage that were behind him not just competing on that particular Bathurst 1000 weekend, but leading it.

The battling Queenslander suddenly ready to collect on all those years of sacrifice when, coming up through The Cutting with a white flag waving and tow truck on track, he swerved . . . only to hit a rock whose mysterious presence is up there with the JFK assassination.

"It should've ruined him,'' explains Souths coach Michael Maquire, the self-confessed petrol head who approached Johnson about speaking after reading his recently-released biography.

"But that's the thing about Dick, he's spent a lifetime fighting back."

V8 legend Dick Johnson pictured with Nathan Merrit, Adam Reynolds and coach Michael Macguire. Source: News Limited

Indeed, with Johnson in town for the Sydney 500, Maguire knew there was no better man to help ready the Bunnies for 2014.

Understanding that be it a boulder, bankruptcy or that brutal Bathurst treeline smash, time and again this legendary Ford driver has overcome.

A truth recognised even by that halfback born 10 years too late to see it.

"Past couple of years, yeah, we've come close to a Grand Final, had some broken hearts,'' Reynolds shrugs.

"But nothing in life needs to be a negative if you take something from it."

22.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Short-lived slaughter job for Bailey

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GEORGE Bailey used sheep as fieldsman when batting on his family farm and for a while on Thursday made England feel like lambs to the slaughter.

Bailey's early batting skills were honed on a farm outside Launceston where he placed feed in key fielding spots in an attempt to lure sheep there.

The main difference between those days and England's fielding effort was that the sheep were better at catching.

Bailey versus England was a rousing contest with honours finishing about even when he was caught at square leg for 53 off Stuart Broad who gave him a fierce send-off.

It was a provocative innings because it raised the question of just what is Australia looking for in its Test batsmen.

Since Mike Hussey retired - and Matt Hayden and Justin Langer before him - Australia has become consumed with the search for the long-innings Test player who starts batting and dawn with a hell-bent ambition to last until stumps.

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But modern cricket just is not churning out this sort of player. Australia may be looking for something that does not exist.

Even Hayden admitted at the end of his career that repeated exposure to the shorter forms of the game had corrupted his thoughts processes for the long innings.

Maybe cricket has to get its head around the fact that innings are constructed differently these days and the way of the future will be storm troopers like Bailey who, in his two Test career, has scored five sixes.

England captain Alastair Cook, by comparison, scored 2047 Test runs before he hit his first.

STOKED UP

England all-rounder Ben Stokes did not set the Adelaide Oval alight in his Test debut but was no damp squib either.

In his first spell as an international bowler Stokes pushed the speedometre to a highly honourable 142.9kph which was faster than any England bowler managed in the first Test.

New Zealand born Stokes is the son of former Kiwi rugby league international Ged Stokes who used to sneak out of boarding school on Saturday mornings to play rugby league for Canterbury, often returning returning to get his backside caned by angry house-masters.

"Sometimes it bled,'' Stokes senior said.

STAR BUCK

IN his own, quirky homespun, way Rogers is a fine role model for the youngsters queuing up to elbow him into retirement.

By no standards is the old timer pretty to watch.

At age 36 you can see him almost fight the ageing process every innings.

He is probably not the player he was in his prime yet he scraps and scratches, kicks and bites his way through.

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Quality spin still bothers him and Thursday was the seventh time Graeme Swann has bagged him in his seven Test career.

But when the ball enters his favourite scoring zone for his pet cut shot it's almost as if the sirens ring, the heavens open and he feels young again.

There is a touch of the Allan Border about him in the way he is prepared to done the blue overalls every innings.

Australia went through a period a decade ago where it hoped every new batsman would be a long-serving Test player but in these turbulent times it has accepted there are openings for industrious players who can make a neat 20 contribution before. Rogers is one of those men.

DRS into play

STANDBY for the DRS system to storm onto centre stage in the second Test.

The DRS system effectively put its feet up at the Gabba Test with not a single lbw verdict given on the high bouncing Gabba next.

But low bouncing Adelaide is a far different proposition.

Amazingly there are still no lbw decisions in the series but don't worry ... they are coming.

A BIT PITCHY

The controversial Adelaide Oval pitch cannot be mentioned in the same breath as the first Test deck at the Gabba but it still got a first day pass mark.

With just enough turn to keep the slow bowlers interested it at least gave something to one form of bowler and the first day scoreline of 5-273 tells of a surprisingly even contest between bat and ball.

England were bold in choosing two spinners but the longer this Test goes the more sense that decision may make.

22.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ashes masking cricket's ugly side

Graeme Swann and Matt Prior celebrate a moment of joy in the Ashes. Pic: Sarah Reed Source: Sarah Reed / News Limited

THE history, tradition and pulling power of Ashes contests camouflages the fragile state of cricket in most other countries and the sorry state of its administration.

Then there is the game's dark underworld, which continues inducing players into match and spot fixing despite the many millions of dollars spent over the years on the International Cricket Council's largely invisible anti-corruption unit.

Contrast the opening day of the second Test in Adelaide and its near sell-out crowd at a spectacular new venue with what took place at the University Oval in Dunedin on Thursday.

As the once mighty West Indies were forced to follow-on by a particularly modest New Zealand team in front of a meagre crowd, NZ Cricket chief executive David White responded to reports that former international players were being investigated by the ICC's ACU for alleged corruption. No players have been charged with any offence.

NZ cricketer Lou Vincent, pictured handballing a football, is under investigation by the ICC. Source: News Limited

The players under investigation, Chris Cairns, Lou Vincent and Daryl Tuffey, all played together in the privately run and now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) Twenty20 tournament for the Chandigarh Lions.

It was superseded by the Indian Premier League (IPL), run by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The IPL's first commissioner, Lalit Modi, who later fell out badly with the BCCI, was successfully sued by Cairns in London's High Court after accusing the former Kiwi all-rounder of corruption on Twitter. Cairns was awarded almost $200,000 damages.

He was commentating on the Test in Dunedin on Thursday but left the ground once his name became public.

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The ICL and IPL have been dogged by allegations of corruption.

Earlier this year former Indian fast bowler Sreesanth and three domestic Indian players were found guilty of corruption in the IPL following a BCCI investigation, while two other players were found guilty of failing to report approaches from illegal bookmakers.

The players were amongst 39 people arrested by Delhi police on corruption charges, with most believed to be illegal bookmakers.

Also arrested was the son-in-law of BCCI president N.Srinivasan.

In a massive conflict of interest Srinivasan is also owner of IPL franchise the Chennai Super Kings although his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan ran it.

Chris Cairns is swamped by the media after being named as a player under investigation for fixing. Photo: Geoff Dale Source: Getty Images

In Dunedin White dead-batted a tense, impromptu media conference, claiming he could not comment because it was an ongoing ICC investigation.

"We have been aware of this investigation for a number of months and we are shocked and surprised by the allegations," White said.

"Shockedand surprised" appeared to reinforce the perception that cricket's corruption is somehow a sub-continental problem, which of course it is not.

The first head of the ACU, former London police chief Lord Condon, identified India as the engine room of match-fixing and betting in his inaugural report 13 years ago.

Yet the tentacles stretch everywhere.

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We may have been shocked and surprised in 1999 when it was exposed that the then Australian Cricket Board had secretly fined Shane Warne and Mark Waugh for selling information to illegal bookmakers five years earlier. There was no allegation of match-fixing against Warne and Waugh.

We may have been shocked in 2000 when a cornered Hansie Cronje admitted to match-fixing and his illegal Indian bookmaker later gave police a list of prominent players from around the world he claimed to have dealt with.

Nothing was proved against those players.

But more than a decade on no one should be shocked and surprised these latest allegations.

The shock and surprise will be if the ICC's ACU actually does something substantial.

22.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clarke, Bailey limit day one damage

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BELLIGERENT Stuart Broad's screaming send-off to George Bailey late Thursday highlighted England's satisfaction at wrenching the second Test back from Australia.

Broad's rant was matched by a crescendo from the Barmy Army and a celebration from its trumpeter Billy Cooper, signalling that England finished ahead on the opening day in Adelaide with Australia 5-273 at stumps.

While Broad clearly ignored the "it's important we play in the right way" plea from his captain Alastair Cook a day earlier, there was enormous jubilation after Bailey was well caught hooking by Graeme Swann at backward square leg for 53.

Australia's top scorer Chris Rogers (72) was unconcerned by the sledging.

"A lot has been said but I don't think either side is upset about it. It is pretty good," Rogers said.

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"I didn't see excessive sledging or anything like that. It is still very competitive between the two sides but you expect that."

Michael Clarke stares down Jimmy Anderson in the final session. Picture: Scott Barbour.

Fighting to come back from a 381-run demolition in Brisbane, England would be in a position of total domination if they could catch.

A middle order collapse of 3-19 could have been so much worse if Joe Root had taken a lunging catch at mid-wicket off Michael Clarke from Graeme Swann when the Australian captain was just 18.

And Michael Carberry dropped a sitter at backward point off Brad Haddin late in the day when the Australian wicket-keeper cut hard at the recalled Monty Panesar.

Clarke was unbeaten on a subdued 48 at stumps and Haddin seven.

Rogers was delighted to see the catches go down.

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"Particularly first innings runs, it could prove to be quite crucial so we still have to field well and catch them but those chances have helped us and to have Michael going out there tomorrow morning, that is massive for us," he said.

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"Anytime you drop him he is going to try and make you pay."

As Australia's only world class batsman Clarke is England's prize wicket and no more so than in Adelaide, where he averages over 100 with five centuries in eight Tests, including 230 against South Africa last season.

A brave Bailey counterattack saved Australia the embarrassment of yet another collective batting failure but it proved more cameo than killer blow.

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The Tasmanian captain smacked three sixes in his first half century and the third of the innings as Australia recovered from 4-174 at tea but no one pushed on for a hundred.

Playing just his second Test Bailey, 31, dominated an 83-run partnership with Clarke.

In Brisbane he hit two sixes during the first Test and yesterday Bailey twice lifted Panesar back over his head and beyond the boundary.

But it was the nonchalant swing over square leg off a short ball from Broad with the second new ball which brought the near-capacity crowd of almost 34,000 to full voice as Bailey notched 50.

It was also the reason that Broad gave Bailey such a gob full when he succumbed to the same shot a short time later.

And this when it appeared England had adopted a restrained attitude to sledging after the nasty scenes which marred the end of the first Test.

Even serial sledger Jimmy Anderson did no more than smile when he took a fine caught and bowled to dismiss Shane Watson for 51.

22.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lions won't be lambs in Adelaide

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CONDITIONS may change but our approach must stay the same - we must maintain our aggression in Adelaide.

I spoke last week about the Australian team playing tough cricket, about reviving the raw aggression of bygone eras.

That's how we play our best cricket.

It is not a conditional pledge. You should not be a lion at one venue and a lamb at the next.

The Adelaide Oval is a flatter wicket than Brisbane but you can still play aggressive cricket on flatter decks.

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We did it in the last few Tests in England.

Obviously we may change plans how we bowl which is fine but I think here will be a lot of heat in this Test as well.

This Ashes will be like a boxing contest over five Tests.

I don't buy the chatter that the Test will be a draw. We are playing for a result.

As delighted as we were with our win in Brisbane, the reality of cricket being just a game was brought home to all of us with the tragic death of Marcus North's elder brother Lucas in a car accident.

Marcus is a part of the Australian cricket family and we all feel deeply for him and his family at this sad time.

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I am particularly pleased for Ryan Harris today that he will get to bowl in front of his former home crowd in such a big game.

It is a proud moment for Ryan and his family and also for me having seen him grow up.

I first saw him when he was an 11-year-old and I was playing state cricket and the memory is still strong.

Even then he stood out. There was just something about him.

The thing that appealed about him even at that age was that everything he did was fast - his bowling and even his running between wickets.

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He was a game changer with an X-Factor which he still contains.

He was cheeky little bugger but he still had great respect for the game and the other players.

Ryan always had promise but the key to his career was becoming stronger, fitter and heavier and being able to bowl a heavy ball.

In three years in state cricket he went from being a bloke who was bowling 125-130kph to 140kph plus.

It is never a formality that cricketers are going to achieve their potential.

He worked behind the scenes on every part of his game and the thing I really love about him is that he is a real competitor.

You can always tell a true competitor because they play as keenly for their club and their country.

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Ryan is like that. He knows no other way.

Harris is now one of the premier fast bowlers in the world. If you did a poll among the top batsmen in the world about the fast bowlers they least liked facing I bet he would be on every list.

There has been a lot of media speculation about whether Ryan would play in Adelaide but my view has been the same throughout.

If he is fit he plays.

That is what our nation of devoted cricket fans would want us to do so as a selection panel so that is what we should do.

We are not about rotation.

One of my great hopes for this Test is that the fanatical crowd support we received in Brisbane surges again at the Adelaide Oval.

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The Brisbane crowd was like a 13th man to us.

The newly renovated Adelide Oval looks wonderful. The fact that 55,000 will fit into it when its finished will make it even more special.

It is great to be back back home.

It is my first Test as national coach in Adelaide and already there has been a tremendous vibe about the match.

Test matches in Adelaide are not simply sporting contests.

They are major events which the whole city embraces.

Bring it on.

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Poms' Gabba whinge is hypocritical

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THE whingeing Poms appear guilty of blatant hypocrisy after making veiled threats to boycott future Gabba Tests over the behaviour of Brisbane fans.

The country whose unruly cricket supporters viciously abused fast bowler Mitchell Johnson when he was suffering a personal meltdown during the 2009 Ashes in England has now leapt on its high horse.

According to a UK newspaper report, some members of the England and Wales Cricket Board were so outraged by Gabba fan chants of "Stuart Broad is a wanker" they complained to Cricket Australia.

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The report went further by suggesting official representations had been made to CA about the possibility of not playing at the Gabba on future Ashes tours.

Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland had late Wednesday heard nothing official from the precious Poms over the apparent boycott threat and Queensland Cricket said it was the first they had heard of it.

Even England media boss Colin Gibson claimed he had "no knowledge" of any complaint from England.

Given those denials, the threat appears a sneaky shot across the bow of Australian cricket from someone within an embarrassed England group which was flogged in Brisbane and is searching for someone to blame.

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Queensland Cricket said it had received no reports of anything too sinister from the Gabba crowd.

"There were no issues reported involving player abuse or complaints received from either side," a Queensland Cricket spokesman said.

"Evictions for crowd misbehaviour were actually down from our previous Ashes Test (in 2010)."

It is believed that some of the precious Poms believed all spectators jeering Broad should have been ejected from the Gabba.

ECB officials are now playing the victims, despite England supporters having a poor record for abusing rival players.

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In 2009, Barmy Army and other England fans heckled the then-troubled Johnson with far worse taunts than what Broad appeared to cop in Brisbane.

The Australian fast bowler's personal life was in turmoil at the time but England fans had little compassion and greeted him with a volley of insults whenever he stepped up to the bowling crease or ventured to the outfield.

As recently as the Ashes tour this winter, Aussie opener Dave Warner was singled out for personal insults by Pommy crowd and Warner laughed them off rather than complain.

While some ECB officials are keen to create a storm over Gabba crowd behaviour, England skipper Alastair Cook, a one-time choir boy, doesn't appear too worried.

"We can't worry about that kind of stuff," Cook said.

"In that last game we didn't do ourselves justice and they got on top and that's what home supporters do when you get on top.

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"Last tour we had the same hostile environment when we got here, but towards the end of the series especially we played some really good cricket and that hostility changes because I thought everyone was very respectful of the way we played."

Despite the bleating from the Poms, it is impossible to imagine the Gabba being dropped as a Test venue.

Kevin Mitchell's pitch is regarded as one of the finest Test surfaces in the world and Australia's record in Brisbane is so imposing it has not lost a Test here since 1988.

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cam in no rush to decide future

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HIS coach wants an answer but Melbourne Storm superstar Cameron Smith says he will not be rushed into deciding his NRL future.

The Storm, Queensland and Australian captain is being chased hard by Brisbane with the NRL powerhouse expected to offer him a $3.3 million package to finish his career in Bronco colours.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said this week he would like Smith - who has a year remaining on his current deal - to make his decision as soon as possible.

The club wants the issue resolved before Round 1, but Smith said he would take his time.

"I think Craig would like that (the decision made soon)," he said.

"And I think a lot of people at our club would like that.

"But it is a big decision for myself and my family, so I'm not going to rush it just because people need an answer.

"I'm going to take as much time as I can to make the right decision."

Smith arrived home in Melbourne on Wednesday with World Cup teammates Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk after being a part of Australia's triumph in England.

Melbourne's "big three" will enjoy a well deserved break and return to the club in mid-January.

"It is definitely a time for me now to come home and put the feet up and have an opportunity to think about my future," Smith said.

"I spoke about it before I left that once the World Cup was over that I would come home and reintroduce myself to my wife and three kids.

"We'll sit down and have a chat about what's best for our future.

"That will be done at the right time."

Smith said he would try to do what is best for the club.

"I've heard Craig's comments yesterday where he (said) he's got no pressure on me on what decision I make," he said.

"But obviously from a club's point of view he wants it to be made fairly early.

"I'm going to be doing my best to do that because this club has been a part of my life for a long time.

"This club means the world to be so I will be doing everything I can to try and help it out going through this season."

Smith, Cronk and Slater's marathon year is finally over after playing their first game of 2013 back in February.

Bellamy has expressed fears of burnout, but Smith said he was fighting fit.

"It has been a long year but the body is feeling good," he said.

"I don't feel worn out, but certainly leading into next year we might have to look at a couple of things with obviously the Auckland Nines coming in."

The Test captain said he was still on a high after his side's World Cup final win over New Zealand.

"It feels good - not just winning the final but the performances over the five weeks were just great," he said.

"I think we're a side now that might struggle to repeat what we've done.

"We went five consecutive games without a try scored against us."

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Split sees Bart to Hawkesbury

Cummings will relocate to Hawkesbury after the split with James. Source: News Limited

RACING'S Living Legend Bart Cummings has outlined his plans to quit Randwick for Hawkesbury after his spectacular split with grandson James.

Cummings will go it alone after confirming the short-lived partnership with his grandson James - which began in August - would cease at the end of the month.

Just why the pair ended their union so quickly remains a mystery.

There was the suggestion Bart was unimpressed James left the country with his fiancee, Gooree racing manager Monica Barrera, to catch up with her family, not long after joining forces with the Cups King.

There were also whispers James had clashed with some of Bart's loyal, long-serving staffers.

Bart was even quoted in a newspaper report Wednesday saying: "Young fellows get swelled heads, big eyes and take a lot of controlling.''

James, 26, looked genuinely stunned when he arrived at Canterbury on Wednesday where he saddled up Emerald Fortune.

The Daily Telegraph asked Cummings about the split, only for Cummings to politely offer a "no comment''.

"I'd prefer you to use the quotes in the press release. Thanks,'' was all Cummings would say.

"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with my grandfather, and I sincerely trust that we can resolve the issues and continue to work together in the future,'' he said in the prepared statement.

Cummings was holed up at Leilani Lodge for most of the morning where he was holding a series of meetings.

Yet as James tried to salvage the partnership, Bart told The Daily Telegraph how excited he was about the move to Hawkesbury, which was closer to his Princess Farm property at Castlereagh.

The 86-year-old even declared his long-serving Sydney foreman Bill Charles would join him out west, and Reg Fleming would continue overseeing his Flemington operation.

"I'm looking forward to it, nice track at Hawkesbury,'' Bart told The Daily Telegraph.

"We are not allowed to operate as a partnership at Hawkesbury so I'll go there on my own, it's no big deal.

"James is independent and knows what he is doing.

"Let's just say negotiations are continuing as to what happens with the horses.''

Dato Tan Chin Nam remains Bart's biggest owner, and currently races dual Group 1-winning mare Norzita, and rejuvenated stayer Precedence, who missed out on a fourth start in the Melbourne Cup this spring, but still racked up victories in the Moonee Valley Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Cummings clan - Bart, Anthony and James - were to be housed under the one roof at Flemington for the first time after Saintly Lodge, the last of the off-course stables, closed last month.

Together, Bart and James have trained 14 winners of more than $1.2 million prizemoney in just over four months, including stakes wins with Precedence and Eurozone (The Rosebud, Stan Fox Stakes).

By Wednesday afternoon, no formal application had been received for the pair to part ways.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys refused to confirm or deny whether an application to dissolve the training partnership has been received at headquarters.

"We have been requested to keep this matter private and confidential so accordingly, I can offer no comment at this stage,'' V'Landys said.

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Players risk NRL ban

Anthony Watmough, Sam Burgess, Paul Gallen and Todd Carney at the Launch of the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

PLAYER burnout isn't the only issue for NRL coaches to consider ahead of the inaugural Auckland Nines with players at risk of missing the start of the season if they commit an act of foul play during the tournament.

The Nines concept took a major step towards a reality in New Zealand yesterday at the announcement of the official rules that all 16 NRL clubs will be governed by when the tournament kicks off on February 15-16.

The $2.6m tournament will be used a test case for new rules such as 'golden try' replacing 'golden point' extra time and only one on-field referee, while the Nines will also see the return of the sin bin.

But with concerns, led by Test captain Cameron Smith and premiershp-winning coach Craig Bellamy, over scheduling and the length of the NRL season, just which players are made available for the Nines remains the biggest question for organisers and fans.

It is also a dilemma for coaches after confirmation from the NRL yesterday that any act of foul play during the Nines will be analysed under the microscope of a match review committee.

Carry-over points will also carry over into the NRL season.

Cam King , Braith Anasta , Sam Burgess , Anthony Watmough , Paul Gallen with local junior league players at the Launch of the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines. Source: News Limited

"If players transgress within the Nines tournament they can be potentially suspended within the Nines or further into the NRL competition for more serious misconduct,'' NRL football operations manager Nathan McGuirk said yesterday.

"The vast majority of things we hope will be dealt within the tournament.

"But more serious misconduct can be dealt potentially within the NRL competition.''

Each NRL club is required to send 16 players for the tournament with at least 75 per cent (12 players) of each squad made up of from the club's top-25 squad.

Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has already declared his club would be going all out to claim the inaugural Nines title while current and former internationals including Australia's Robbie Farah, Paul Gallen, Greg Bird, Sam Thaiday and Willie Mason are already committed to the tournament. England's Sam Tomkins and New Zealand's Shaun Johnson are also certain starters.

England and Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins is a certain starter at the Nines tournament. Source: Getty Images

Former Test prop Steve Price conceded he understood the fine line between supporting the tournament and player welfare but claimed the Nines was a concept he would love to be a part of.

"That's my biggest, not concern, but I suppose question - on who is coming?,'' Price said.

"If it was me personally, I'd look forward to it. It's a fun way to do some pre-season training.

"You've got a weekend of fast, fanatical football. Realistically you're probably only going to play four or five minutes in a half. You're not going to play the whole nine minutes (of each half).

"Leading into the season I think it could be a great freshen up, as a player I'd be looking forward to it.''

While McGuirk said that the Nines 'golden try' extra time rule would be assessed for the purpose of possible introduction to the NRL depending on how it was received, Price claimed the decision to axe the "negative golden point' was a no-brainer for the 2014 season.

"I just think its really negative, you're just setting up for field position or going for a penalty goal or field goal, that's not what footy is about,'' Price said of the current golden point model.

"The refs don't give penalties in golden point, everyone is offside. I'd love to see golden try when everyone is exhausted to promote the footy a little bit and challenge each other.

"That would be a good direction for the game to go in.''

Nines event organiser David Higgins will present a detailed preview of the Nines at today's NRL chief executive conference in Sydney today.

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hewitt still driven to succeed

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QUITTING is not part of Lleyton Hewitt's DNA, whether in a tennis match, training drill and certainly not when he's the healthiest in the past five years.

Hewitt shows no signs of slowing down as he plans a 2014 tournament schedule around the grand slam championships and Davis Cup commitments.

"People once they do retire often tell you you're retired for an awfully long time, to get the most out of yourself while you can,'' he said.

"I was out for four or five years, on and off, with injuries and I feel like now I can actually go out there and compete and enjoy being out there in the battle again.

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``I feel really good at the moment, I'm training really hard and the body's holding up extremely well which is a huge positive. Any time you get to over 30, it gets tougher and tougher. But I've been able to do absolutely everything so far in the pre-season.''

Hewitt, awarded the Newcombe medal on Monday night, is back on court after a heavy training block with fitness adviser Nathan Martin and coach Peter Luczak to prepare him for the summer culminating with the Australian Open in January.

The 32-year-old eventually had a career-saving operation to fuse two toes to correct a nagging foot injury that several surgeons advised would force him to retire.

``The foot injury lingered for a long time until I had the fusion and the screws and metal plate in the foot,'' he said.

Lleyton Hewitt with his maiden Newcombe medal. Picture: Robert Prezioso Source: Getty Images

``I've got absolutely no pain now, but I had to learn to walk and run and move on a tennis court a little differently.

``We do a lot of AFL drills because I love that kind of training, that hard slog out there and tough running.''

While this will be Hewitt's 18th consecutive year in the Australian Open singles main draw, it's a daunting Davis Cup first round tie on clay in France a week later that's squarely in his sights.

``I wanted so badly for us to get back in the World Group before I retire, whenever that may be,'' he said.

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`We go in as massive underdogs, but I believe with the team spirit, we have a fighting chance. Hopefully, we get Bernie (Tomic) in good nick and have a good run at it.

``Bernard does spend long hours on the practice court. It's just about doing those one-percenters all the time and backing it up day after day. If he does that, he's talented enough to have a long and successful career.

``For me last night, sitting there and seeing Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall and Newk and Rochey and all these great players, it hit home how much Davis Cup means to this country and that's what you try to emphasise to the younger guys.''

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