ntnews.com.aulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SPORT Kewell chance for Heart Rain leaves match drawn Still no win for Redbacks MELBOURNE Heart could make an audacious bid for ’S Sheffield Shield clash with SOUTH ’s winless Sheffield Shield streak uncontracted Harry Kewell. Melbourne Victory ended in a tame draw at a wet MCG yesterday but the extended to 19 matches with a draw against yesterday confirmed Kewell would not be returning few fans in attendance were able to glimpse both an Queensland at Adelaide Oval yesterday. The Bulls to the club, despite him being due to touch down in all-time great and a rising star. Tasmania resumed on were set 222 runs to win from 47 overs but a middle- the city today for the Spring Carnival. Discussions 0-6 and reached 2-165, an overall lead of 284, before order slump caused them to abandon their chase. took place between Kewell and Heart several weeks play was called off at 5.17pm local time because of Queensland finished at 6-129, but collected first ago. Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers are rain. Australia’s leading Test runscorer innings points. The Redbacks’ hopes soared for an two other A-League teams also interested in the and stylish young No. 3 Alex Doolan were both unlikely victory when the Bulls lost 4-41 to slip to 34-year-old striker. unbeaten on 60. 5-101 in the 26th over. Archer tipped to take charge

RUGBY LEAGUE By TODD BALYM

LEADING referee Tony Ar- cher must decide whether to hang up his whistle and in- stead rule over rugby league’s biggest trouble area for 2013. The NRL finally brought to a close one of the most tu- multuous issues of 2012 yes- terday by axing referees’ bo- sses Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper. The duo were sacked after too many cala- mities by on-field and video officials during the season. The twin leadership model lasted only two years after the eight-year reign of Robert Finch, with the NRL admitting the error of their ways and planning to revert back to a single referees’ boss next season. Archer, a 44-year-old pol- ice prosecutor with almost 300 NRL games of experi- ence, is said to have the backing of his fellow ref- erees to become the new man in charge but has yet to decide whether he will re- tire from his on-field duties. ‘‘Tony has not indicated whether or not he will con- tinue with refereeing yet,’’ NRL director of football op- erations Nathan McGuirk said. Among some of the ref- ereeing howlers this year were the Kieran Foran ‘‘hand of god’’ try that ended Casey Stoner gets the most out of his motorcycle as he zooms around the Phillip Island track, near Melbourne, yesterday Picture: STEPHEN HARMAN North Queensland’s NRL season, multiple Origin con- troversies and obstruction confusion. Former Test referee Rus- sell Smith will assume the role of interim manager of Stoner’s fast farewell the referees department and help McGuirk finalise the make-up of the 2013 squad MOTOGP year in a row before retiring family and countless friends year by year. He is also both- ‘‘It’s still a lot of fun to ride next week. By RON REED at the end of the season. and fans have assembled to ered by the lingering after- here and I’m enjoying all the The appointment of the and ELIZA SEWELL His best time around the watch his emotional last affects of surgery on his ankle time I can get on this track. new referees boss is ex- challenging 4.4km Phillip appearance on home soil — following a violent crash in a ‘‘We are not far away from pected to be finalised much CASEY Stoner is riding into Island circuit in the morning Stoner eclipsed the two race in America several our last laps and retirement more quickly than the the sunset on one leg but he was one minute 30.374 Spaniards, Honda teammate weeks ago. but we’ll enjoy it while we NRL’s search for a new has given notice that he plans seconds, which he lowered to Dani Pedrosa (1:30.884) and The ankle didn’t unduly can. It’s great to have so CEO. Yesterday’s sackings to leave his fans with some- 1:29.999 in the afternoon. Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo bother him and if the track is much support.’’ are just the first step in a thing to remember him by. Stoner holds the record (1:31.005), who are fighting getting bumpy . . . well, it’s Lorenzo said he believed process aimed at improving Stoner clocked the fastest for the fastest lap, 1:28.665, out the championship with his bumpy track, especially Stoner would be unbeatable officiating standards next lap in each of yesterday’s two set in 2008 when he was two races to go. after turn three was named this weekend. ‘‘He’s really, season, with a full review of practice sessions for the riding a Ducati. Stoner said he hadn’t ex- after him on Thursday. really quick here — he’s on this year’s controversies to Australian MotoGP, a race he In front of a record first-day pected to go so fast, especially ‘‘It’s nice to be back,’’ another planet, another follow very shortly. is trying to win for the sixth crowd of 29,120 — his entire as the track is deteriorating he said. level,’’ he said. Young quicks and Ferguson miss A-side spots NTNE-WS-27-O43KGE:MPUB: DA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: and West Australian Nathan son were the obvious omis- few months ago, as did (open- SQUAD the selectors’ radar. ‘‘Two Coulter-Nile will share the sions from the Andrew ing batsman Liam) Davis,’’ In- bowlers who could well have AUSTRALIAN chairman of new ball at the SCG from Nov- McDonald-captained side. verarity said. ‘‘They will be AUSTRALIA A: Andrew McDonald been in that team were Jack- selectors has ember 2-4, in what will be ‘‘John Hastings has made a supported by the medium (capt), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Liam Davis, son Bird and . Alex Doolan, John Hastings, Moises defended the non-selection of their last hit-out before the splendid return from injury, pace of McDonald and (Mo- Henriques, Phil Hughes, Glenn Maxwell, But we’d prefer to keep them young NSW quicks Josh first Test starting at the Gab- as has (wicketkeeper) Tim ises) Henriques.’’ , Rob Quiney, . up our sleeve at this stage,’’ Hazlewood and ba on November 9. Paine, and John will share Inverarity said Bird, who Inverarity said. for next month’s Australia A Hazlewood and Bird, with the new ball with Nathan has taken 66 in his He said Ferguson, who clash against South Africa. in-form South Australian Coulter-Nile, who impressed 11-game Sheffield Shield ca- toria’s first innings at the scored a ton this week, had to Victorian John Hastings strokeplayer Callum Fergu- with Australia A in England a reer including 4-73 in Vic- MCG this week, was right on be more consistent. www.ntnews.com.au Saturday, October 27, 2012. NT NEWS. 43