Courts may settle Milford saga

Canberra Raiders star Anthony Milford alone on the field. Source: Ray Strange / News Limited

THE Anthony Milford contract saga took a dramatic twist on Saturday with the teenage star's agent revealing he will take legal action against the Raiders if they refuse to release him the final year of his contract.

The Sunday Telegraph can lift the lid on the mysterious release clause penned into the live wire fullback's contract with Milford's agent Sam Ayoub opening up on the fight to reunite his client with his sick father.

Milford, 19, has formally requested a release to return to Brisbane to be closer to his father who underwent a triple by-pass last year.

The Raiders have denied the release, claiming Milford is bound to serve out the final year of his deal.

"The clause says the Raiders will look favourably on any request for a release should his father's health deteriorate," Ayoub said.

"And so far they haven't looked on it favourably at all simply because he has turned into a better player than they expected. The clause is there and they should not have put it in if they had no intention of honouring it."

Ayoub said his client was desperate to return to Brisbane and accused the Raiders of "bullying" his client.

Ayoub said he would consider taking on the Raiders in court should they not grant Milford a release and allow him to strike a deal with Broncos.

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

A twist in Broncos stand-off

Peter Wallace of the Broncos runs with the ball. Source: Tony Feder / Getty Images

PETER Wallace is seeking compensation from the Broncos to resurrect his NRL career as the fallout between the halfback and the club's hierarchy intensifies.

Ahead of Brisbane's clash against the Dragons on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Wallace's manager wants financial aid to help the shunned playmaker secure a future in the NRL.

Relations between the two parties have soured in the past three weeks after the former NSW Origin halfback was advised he would not be an integral part of Brisbane's plans for 2014.

Wallace is privately fuming, believing he was denied a release by the Broncos in May after his manager Allan Gainey fielded a $1.5 million offer from his former club the Panthers.

But the Broncos have hit back at the Wallace camp, claiming the halfback was asked if he wanted out of Red Hill - an offer the 27-year-old is alleged to have rejected.

Amid the claims and counterclaims, the certainty is Wallace will not be Brisbane's halfback next year, leaving Gainey scrambling to find his client a new home.

Wallace is prepared to honour his Broncos deal, which expires at the end of next year, but Gainey believes Brisbane should provide a subsidy to enable him to play regular first grade elsewhere in 2014.

"No one has any money left for next year, so what do you do?" Gainey said.

"I just want to know if another opportunity comes up, what are the Broncos prepared to contribute? It would be nice to know what the Broncos are prepared to pay because it might make it easier for Pete to find a new club. 

"At no stage have the Broncos said this is what we are prepared to put in if you can find something for him."

Broncos coach Anthony Griffin and operations chief Andrew Gee declined to comment yesterday.

But it is understood Brisbane hierarchy are satisfied with their handling of the Wallace affair after revelations of Penrith's big-money offer first surfaced in May.

On May 20, Wallace was summoned to a meeting with Griffin at his Red Hill office.

The coach reportedly asked Wallace if he wanted a release to join the Panthers. The halfback is understood to have pledged his faith to the club, claiming he was settled in Brisbane, with his partner having just given birth to their first child.

Asked about the meeting, Gainey said: "I don't know what Pete said. I'm not privy to conversations he had directly with the coach. I wasn't there."

The Panthers subsequently withdrew their offer. That was in round 11. Eight weeks later, after a loss to Cronulla on July 12, Wallace was relegated to the bench, with Ben Hunt handed his No. 7 jumper for the clash with the Cowboys.

It was at that time Griffin informed Wallace and halves partner Scott Prince they were unlikely to play at NRL level for the club next season.

Gainey finds it hard to comprehend how Brisbane's appraisal of Wallace, who has played 134 games for the club, could have shifted so dramatically in eight weeks.

He claims the club's interest in excitement machines Ben Barba and Anthony Milford, who are both tipped to join the Broncos in 2014, was the catalyst for Wallace's demise.

"What upset Pete was that he was told to his face by Anthony Griffin, 'If you stay here, you will only be playing Queensland Cup'," Gainey says. 

"No-one deserves that sort of treatment ... surely you can handle men better than that." 

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Dally M bombshell: Carney fave

Todd Carney holds up his medal after being named Dally M Medal winner as Player of the Year. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

A MONTH ago, Todd Carney was ruing his omission from the NSW State of Origin team.

Now the Cronulla Sharks playmaker has surged into shock favouritism to snare his second Dally M player of the year award.

The combination of injuries to early favourites, Souths pair Greg Inglis and John Sutton, and a renewed enthusiasm following his Origin disappointment, has catapulted Carney to the top of the betting board for the prestigious medal.

Carney has been installed as the $2.75 favourite to win the award by Tabcorp's corporate betting arm, Luxbet, while surprisingly the odds on Inglis, the player many expected would break the Rabbitohs' 33-year Dally M drought this year, have blown out to $34.

Sutton is rated a $29 chance while North Queensland skipper Johnathan Thurston is second favourite at $4.

Carney was on 12 points, four points behind leader, Melbourne's Cooper Cronk, when voting went behind closed doors after Round 16.

Inglis was equal-second on 15, with Newcastle's Jarrod Mullen and Sutton.

But three, possibly four, man of the match performances from Carney in his past six matches has many believing the Sharks five-eighth has recaptured the form that saw him claim the gong in 2010 when he inspired the Roosters to the grand final.

They include former premiership winning halfback Brett Kimmorley.

"Given his form, you'd have to think Carney would be leading comfortably," Kimmorley said."He's been outstanding. The biggest strength of his game when he won the Dally M previously was his running game.

"He's running a lot straighter and on the back of the momentum that the Sharkies create, you find him posing a lot of questions.

"He looks fresh and happy, too, which at this time last year, he was probably the worst he ever felt in his career. He's not coming out of Origin deflated.

"He would've sat back and watched the series without any pressure and then he goes out and picks up points while the guys that did play Origin have come back a little flat.

"Cooper Cronk and Cam Smith weren't great in the month after Origin and now Inglis is injured."

Repaying the faith shown by Sharks coach Shane Flanagan, Carney has also stepped up in the absence of club captain Paul Gallen, who missed six weeks through injury.

"He's taken a leadership role with Gal missing and he's realised that he's a senior member there," State of Origin coach Laurie Daley said. "Like all the good players in the competition, he knows that if he can play well he can have a say in the result of the match. He's certainly done that, which has left the race wide open."

Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans and Canterbury pivot Josh Reynolds also have the potential to make a late charge for the Dally M Medal, which will be awarded in grand final week for the first time this year.

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Live: fourth Ashes Test, day two

Chris Rogers was lucky to survive this chance, which was put down by Graeme Swann. Source: AP

AFTER a brilliant day in the field, can Australia's batsmen keep the momentum going as the fourth Ashes Test heads into day two?

Find out, and get all the best reaction, analysis and social media chat in our live and interactive blog.

Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the blog below, or let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, @FoxCricketLive.

If using the comment box in the blog, you can just enter a name where it says 'Display Name', or you can log in using one of your social media accounts. Get involved now!

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Gower out as Gidley returns

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Newcastle Knights skipper Kurt Gidley makes a run against Cronulla. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

VETERAN Newcastle playmaker Craig Gower is set to find himself the odd man out on Saturday night with captain Kurt Gidley ready to make his first appearance for the Knights in three months in the club's must-win game.

Gidley trained strongly with the squad yesterday after finally overcoming a serious foot injury. He will come off the bench against the Sharks provided there is no soreness and he pulls up fine this morning.

That leaves either Gower or halfback Tyrone Roberts facing the axe. 

There has been speculation Roberts would be the one to make way with coach Wayne Bennett thought to be on the verge of switching Gower into the halfback role on the back of his final 15 minutes in the position against Brisbane last weekend.

But Roberts' superior goal-kicking may work in his favour.

While there was no confirmation from the club about just who would play, Roberts spent more time at first receiver at training with Bennett thought to be concerned about starting such an important game without a recognised goal kicker on the field.

For his part, Gidley was not throwing much light on it.

"You are probably best off asking the coach about that one," Gidley said when quizzed on who he will be replacing.

But he did let slip with: "If I don't play, I'd imagine Gowie will be playing."

Gidley was cautious about his own return.

"If it pulls up good tomorrow, then I'm a good chance," he said.

"I'd say I'll be coming off the bench which I'm happy with. I've been out for 12 weeks all up and missed 10 games so I think that's the right role for me."

Gidley didn't try to sugar-coat the importance of the game with his side clinging to eighth spot.

"It's definitely a game we need to win," he said. 

Not normally one to talk about milestone games because of the possible distraction it can cause, after training Bennett made a point of reminding players it was Danny Buderus' 250th NRL game. 

22.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hayne eyes Fiji World Cup spot

Parramatta Eels Jarryd Hayne makes a run. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

JARRYD Hayne has placed himself on standby to represent Fiji at the end-of-year World Cup, raising the prospect of switching allegiance during talks with Australian coach Tim Sheens.

Hayne has been in touch with Fiji coach Rick Stone about representing the Bati for the first time since his life-altering 2008 World Cup campaign.

At this stage, Hayne would only look to make the change if he's overlooked for the 24-man Kangaroos squad that will tour the UK and France in October.

Sheens spoke with Hayne earlier this week, ahead of the Parramatta superstar's return from a hamstring injury last night.

"Fiji did come up in our conversation, but my impression is that his preference is still to represent Australia," Sheens said.

"I was riding to see how his injury was and what his thoughts were about playing (in the World Cup).

"He told me he was making a comeback this week and wanted to be involved.

"He did mention the fact that he might like to play for Fiji, if he was wasn't selected for Australia."

Sheens would give no guarantee of Hayne's selection, but it's difficult to imagine the 17-game NSW Origin flyer missing-out if fit.

Nevertheless, insiders at Parramatta are adamant that Hayne is torn about possibly playing against Fiji.

It was during World Cup camp in Woy Woy with the Bati that Hayne found his religious calling after a turbulent year that saw him shot at in Kings Cross.

Stone revealed he'd also had several conversations with Hayne about the possibility of a second outing for Fiji.

"I've chatted with Jarryd a little bit and he is a bit torn," Stone said.

"I think he's smart enough to realise Australia has to be his first preference, but he could look to make an election change later-on if he's not picked for the Kangaroos."

Stone already has a host of talented backs to choose from, with Akuila Uate, Lote Tuqiri, Marika Koroibete and Wes Naqaima all in the selection frame.

The Knights NSW Cup coach also hopes to convince Rabbitohs star John Sutton to join the team.

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The 25 biggest V8 blues

What have been the 25 biggest blow-ups, blues and break-ups in V8 history? Source: Supplied

V8 Supercars has just endured it's highest-profile split in a while, with Roland Dane marching Adrian Burgess out of Red Bull Racing headquarters after revealing he'd signed a deal with the Holden Racing Team.

But in a sport that's had more than it's fair share of acrimonious partings-of-the-way, where does it rate?

Let's have a look at the 25 biggest break-ups, blues and feuds in the history of V8 Supercars.

1. PETER BROCK and HOLDEN
Think Holden and you think Brock. He was the ultimate Red warrior and the man responsible for selling more Commodores than anyone. But back in 1987, "Peter perfect" was a General Motors' outcast. In one of the most dramatic splits in V8 history, the V8 legend was dumped by the famous Australian company for refusing to dump a snake oil device known as the "energy polariser". Brock thought he was bigger than the company and ended up, in first, a BMW and then... gasp, a Ford. Plenty of blood was spilt and Brock spent two years in a Sierra before getting back into a Holden.

Brock and the Energy Polariser that drove a wedge between he and Holden. Source: News Limited

2. DICK JOHNSON and CHARLIE SCHWERKOLT
Ford legend Johnson thought forklift entrepreneur Charlie Schwerkolt was his latest finacial saviour. Long time friends, they became partners and the future looked bright. Then Charlie wanted to sack Dick's driving son Steve, along with other members of his family. The gloves came off and the pair won a championship while not talking. They went through a nasty split and still don't talk to this day. The drama cost Johnson champion driver James Courtney, along with half his staff.

Johnson and Schwerkolt in happier times, celebrating a Will Davison win in 2008. Source: Supplied

3. MARK SKAIFE and the HOLDEN RACING TEAM
HRT blame former owner Mark Skaife for almost ruining their team and Skaife blames them for almost ruining him. They are two sides to the story but what can be taken for fact is that this was an ugly chapter in V8 history. Skaife, the Holden legend, bought the team for $1 when owner Tom Walkinshaw hit bad times. The story goes Tom wanted it back and ran Skaife into the ground. Skaife and HRT are still far from friends.

Skaife near the end of HRT's reign, Clipsal 500 in 2003. Picture: Campbell Brodie. Source: News Limited

4. MARK SKAIFE and RUSSELL INGALL
This high-profile duo were probably never best of friends and whatever they had was certainly killed off on a fiery day at Eastern Creek. Skaife was never one to take a shunt lightly and he walked from his wrecked car, towards the track, and shook his hands at Ingall. Another hot-head, Ingall swerved to hit him. Enough said.

5. CRAIG LOWNDES and HOLDEN
He was the next Peter Brock and the wunderkid Holden fans were pinning their hopes on. And then he broke their hearts in 2000 when he dumped them and HRT for Ford. Lowndes became public enemy No.1 one, but with a smile and a switch back to Holden in 2010, all was forgiven.

Skaife and Lowndes may have been all smiles, but Holden fans were less happy. Picture: Brett Hartwig Source: News Limited

6. MARCOS AMBROSE and GREG MURPHY
More a blue than a bust up, this two top-guns began a bitter rivalry with first a war of words in a press conference in 2004 and than a famous Bathurst blue in 2005. The pair still don't exchange Christmas cards.

7. DICK JOHNSON and JOHN BOWE
Best of mates, life-long friends, well ... until Bowe did a secret deal to leave Dick in 1998. The pair now speak but will never have the close bond of yesteryear.

Johnson and Bowe celebrating their second Bathurst win together in 1994. Source: Supplied

8. JAMES COURTNEY and DICK JOHNSON RACING
Courtney famously walked out on DJR after winning a championship in 2010. He had $1 million reasons (that's what HRT paid him a year) to leave, but that certainly did not make it right.

Johnson celebrates Courtney's win at Winton in 2010. Things would soon sour... Source: Supplied

9. TONY COCHRANE and V8 SUPERCARS
The founder of V8 Supercars shocked the sport by quitting his post last year. There is more to the story with the investment company that bought V8s sharing a frosty relationship with TC before he "quit".

V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane during the 2008 V8 Supercar launch in Melbourne. Source: Supplied

10. SHANE VAN GISBERGEN and STONE BROTHERS
Don't expect to see Shane Van Gisbergen in the Erebus garage anytime soon. His former team spent the first half of the year trying to sue him for leaving mid-contract in another highly controversial move.

van Gisbergen left Ford and the sport in December, returned in a Holden in January. Source: Supplied

11. ADRIAN BURGESS and ROLAND DANE
It was the divorce no-one saw coming, least of all Dane. But a throwaway line from Holden Racing Team owner Ryan Walkinshaw at an Austin bar somehow caught Burgess hook, line and sinker. When he told Dane his plans, the Red Bull boss marched him out of the building.

12. DAVID REYNOLDS and KELLY BROTHERS RACING
Reynolds had a breakout year in 2011 and plotted a move to Ford Performance Racing. Kelly Racing, who took a chance by putting him in their car, thought they had a water-tight deal with him. Cue the lawyers. It got ugly, with rumours Reynolds would either skip or be benched after Bathurst.

Reynolds had a protracted battle to leave Kelly Racing in 2011. Source: Supplied

13. JAMIE WHINCUP and GARRY ROGERS
Ten years ago, if you had said Jamie Whincup would become the greatest V8 racer of his era you'd have been laughed out of the room. His horror debut year with Garry Rogers in 2003 saw him dumped into the V8 wilderness. He's never forgotten; some say it's what made him the driver he is today.

Whincup struggled in his rookie year with Garry Rogers. Source: Supplied

14. BOB JANE and EVERYONE
A feisty and fiercely determined self-made man, it's no surprise that Jane clashed with many on his way to the top, as well as once he was there. CAMS, ANDRA, other competitors, family; you name it. It was that same determination that drove him to great heights in business and on-track.

Jane had many clashes both on and off the track. Source: News Limited

15. MARK SKAIFE and ALAN JONES
A fired up Jones punted race-leader Skaife off the track at Symmons Plains in 1993. Jones went on to win, while Skaife confronted the Ford driver after the race. Apologies to any sensitive viewers who are lip-readers ...

16. JASON BRIGHT and FORD
The Holden star was lured to Ford in 2005 with a big dollar deal, his own team, and promises he would be looked after. Then, when the economy went sour, Ford left him out in the cold. He had no option but to sack 30 staff and shut down his nest-egg team.

Britek was Bright's retirement plan. Ford pulled the plug, forcing the team to close. Source: Supplied

17. WAYNE GARDNER and the HOLDEN RACING TEAM
Much was expected of the two-wheel star's tin-top switch in 1993. But bent panels outweighed results, and when the team found out he was trying to set up his own squad they benched him for the Sandown 500.

Gardner was dubbed 'Captain Chaos' in his incident-filled V8 debut year. Source: News Limited

18. MICHAEL PATRIZI and the SPONSOR WHO HEADBUTTED HIM
If you thought the driver you were sponsoring wasn't pulling his weight, would you a) have a quiet word with him, b) pull your sponsorship, or c) question his skills then headbutt him. One of Patrizi's sponsors thought the latter was the best option after Bathurst 2008.

A sponsor took it upon himself to physically tell Patrizi what he thought of his driving. Source: Supplied

19. LARRY PERKINS and PETER BROCK
The combination of Peter Perfect and the Cowangie Kid had lifted Holden's ersatz factory team to its greatest heights. Then, all of a sudden, Perkins split mid-1985. A later 'marriage of convenience' saw the pair combine in 1991, but the old wounds doomed it to divorce.

Brock and Perkins split suddenly in 1985. A later dalliance would prove fruitless. Source: News Limited

20. TONY LONGHURST and PAUL MORRIS
It's an old story - two teammates, one piece of road, crash! This story, though, was punctuated by punches. Three, to be exact. Longhurst saw red when he thought Morris deliberately took him out of a race they were dominating.

21. ALLAN GRICE and FRANK GARDNER
Gardner the master racer/team manager did things his way, paired with Gricey, a driver who was very much his own man. It couldn't last. They split acrimoniously at the end of 1981, Gardner walking away with Grice's team, sponsor and BMW deal. A paddock scuffle several years later showed neither had forgiven or forgotten.

The true reasons for Gardner and Grice's split stayed out of the press. Source: News Limited

22. COLIN BOND and the HOLDEN DEALER TEAM
Bondy was the Holden Dealer Team's main man for many years. Then Allan Moffat came calling. For 1977, Bond crossed the floor from the factory Holden to the factory Ford team, the first high-profile driver scalp in the war between the red and blue camps.

Bond signed a deal with Moffat for 1977, crossing from Holden to Ford. Source: News Limited

23. ALAN JONES and GLENN SETON
The former F1 world champ had his greatest domestic success with Seton's crack squad but after three years he split to form his own team, pinching both Seton's sponsor and the engineering brains from rivals Dick Johnson Racing.

Seton and Jones finished one-two in the 1993 title, but it was all over by 1996. Source: News Limited

24. TRIPLE EIGHT and FORD
Possibly the most needless 'blue' on this list and, ironically, it was over the colour blue. Ford needed to cut its V8 funding and, despite Triple Eight being their strongest team, pulled the plug on their funding. All because their cars wore Vodafone red... They were soon snapped up by Holden.

Note the absence of a Ford badge on TeamVodafone's 2009 Falcon. Picture: Jim Trifyllis Source: News Limited

25. ROBBIE FRANCEVIC and the VOLVO DEALER TEAM
In the space of two months, Francevic went from winning the 1986 championship to the unemployment queue. When Volvo got serious about the team mid-year, they installed former Holden Dealer Team boss John Sheppard to run the show. He and Francevic never really saw eye to eye, and when the Kiwi said his car was unfit to race at the Sandown 500 he was shown the door.

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Live: fourth Ashes Test, day one

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Nathan Lyon successfully appeals for the wicket of Jonathan Trott. Source:Getty Images

CAN Australia, buoyed by their performance in Manchester, finally pull off a victory when the Ashes series travels to Durham for the fourth Test?

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The Aussies have shown their hand, by selecting Tasmania paceman Jackson Bird to play his first match of the series in place of the unlucky Mitchell Starc.

Stick with us throughout the night as we bring you live and interactive coverage in our Ashes blog.

Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the blog below, or let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, @FoxCricketLive.

If using the comment box in the blog, you can just enter a name where it says 'Display Name', or you can log in using one of your social media accounts. Get involved now!

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Video: Ambrose relives epic win

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Three men started the lap chasing the win, but Ambrose crossed the line first. Source:Supplied

IT was a last-lap for the ages. The kind you just can't quite believe is happening, even as you're watching it unfold.

The final lap of last year's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen provided the kind of grandstand finish that motorsport fans wish for but rarely receive.

Three men - Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch and eventual series champion Brad Keselowski - took the white flag fighting each other for the win.

After 4.06 kays of bumping, grinding, and door-to-door pushing and shoving, the Australian took the chequered flag first.

With this year's Watkins Glen race LIVE on SPEED this Monday morning, we got Ambrose to talk us through that remarkable last lap.

Watch the video above to hear his thoughts on that wild last lap.

We can only hope that we'll be watching more of the same come Monday morning as Ambrose chases a third-straight win at 'The Glen'.

And hopefully fellow Aussie and Sprint Cup debutante Owen Kelly will be in the thick of it with him.

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Watch NASCAR's stars tackle the Watkins Glen road course LIVE in HD, Monday 12 August at 2am EST on SPEED.

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Why you'll love the Southern Stars

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Back row: Coyte, Blackwell, Haynes, Osborne. Front row: Perry, Healy. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

DON'T be dismayed by the state of Australian cricket after our men failed in England.

We're still No.1 - in all formats - and we hold the Ashes.

It's the women's cricket team that has it going on.

The Southern Stars will battle England to retain the Ashes with the sole Test match starting on Sunday at the picturesque Wormsley ground in Buckinghamshire.

The match is worth six points, two points each for a draw, and will go a long way to deciding who keeps the Ashes (which are the remnants of a miniature bat signed and burned by both teams in 1998).

For the first time the series will also feature three one-day and three Twenty20 matches, each worth two points for a win and one point for a draw.

The final T20 match will be played on August 31.

There's been 18 women's Ashes series - Australia has won seven, England four and seven have ended in a draw.

Now, those reasons ...

1. The Southern Stars are good.

Sorry, they're bloody good. They're the No.1 ranked nation in all forms and currently hold the one day World Cup, T20 World Cup as well as the Ashes.

2. The Batter.

Meg Lanning. She's aggressive and bless her, it's hard to see the opening bat reining that in even during a Test match. Lanning made history late last year when she smashed the fastest 50 (23 balls) and century (45 balls) by an Australian female. She's never played a Test match but warmed up nicely for her debut with 104 off 124 balls in the Aussies' tour match on Monday.

3. The Bowler.
Ellyse Perry. She was the youngest cricketer, male or female, to represent her country. That was when she was 16. Now 22, Perry is a veteran of the side. She took 3-19 in the one-day World Cup final to help deliver Australia the trophy, but it's her batting that sets her apart. She's a genuine all-rounder.

4. OK, what about character?
Everyone loves a sportsperson who's tough. This team is tough. Captain Jodie Fields has torn her hamstring off the bone twice, but recovered to win the T20 and one-day World Cups. Perry played through a World Cup final with an ankle injury, top-order bat Sarah Elliott is still breastfeeding her nine-month-old son and doesn't complain about lack of sleep.

5. They're not into the pub fight scene and they win tight games.

That and they get the job done with little fanfare. Their past two matches against England have been tight, but the Aussies have come out on top - by just two runs during a round match at the one-day World Cup and by four runs in the T20 World Cup final. In the last Ashes Test in 2011, Australia won by seven wickets.

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