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EDITOR'S LETTER

TM AUSTRALIA’S SPORTING MAGAZINE SINCE 11

ITH THE culmination of the World Cup seem trivial, but no less than saying Ronaldo and and our national football codes entering his ilk kick a piece of leather. W the stretch run of their seasons, there’s When does a minor pastime make the transition EDITOR Jeff Centenera been no shortage of big-time going around. to “important” sport in the public’s mind? I couldn’t jcentenera@insidesport .com.au You’ll see plenty of material from those fronts shake the question when reading about another this month, but it’s one of the World Cup this month – for ART DIRECTOR Allan Bender strengths of Inside Sport that it BEST QUOTE IN THE dodgeball. Yes, the game best [email protected] can reach beyond the sporting MAG THIS MONTH: known for the eponymous movie, mainstream to its edges. or American TV shows about ASSISTANT EDITOR Indeed, it’s been a core part of school PE traumas. James Smith [email protected] the magazine’s identity, from its Dodgeball’s familiar outlines earliest days, that we regard sport “Ithinkalotof have been shaped into an honest- CONTRIBUTING WRITERS as a broad church. We often find to-goodness sport. The the rivalry MattCleary,RobertDrane, ourselves in an argument with our Australian Commission Brooke Longfield, Andrew Marmont soccer-mag colleagues in the just sprang recognised the nation’s official office, who have a highly defined dodgeball federation last May. GROUP EDITOR Kevin Airs view of what constitutes a sport naturally from When the Dodgeroos take to the [email protected] (read: global bureaucracy), and the fact the grand stage of Madison Square disdain our very liberal bent that Garden in New York for the Inside Sport on the web would include, well, almost other team is World Cup, it will be hard to make anything (although, we are finding the case that this isn’t genuine. www.insidesport.com.au it difficult to accept eSports). Collingwood EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: In this edition, we find ourselves LSO THIS MONTH: our cover [email protected], (02) 9901 6100 focused on some less-than- fullstop; there's subject, Nathan Cleary, was conventional sports. One is a game Aliable never to stray into a ADVERTISING we’re all familiar with, yet doesn’t a lot of people fringe sport. He was born to play register highly on the public radar who don't like , and he’s become Adam Jackson Head of Sport – ten-pin bowling, a classic sport the face for Penrith’s impressive Tel: (02) 9901 6109 Mob: 0431 212 504 [email protected] that gets questioned as a sport. Collingwood.” NRL talent pipeline. Another of But the way Jason Belmonte plays our feature subjects this month, –Vixens netballer Ryan Coombs Advertising Sales Manager it, there’s no doubt. The bloke from Robert Whittaker, did start in an Tel: (02) 9901 6379 Mob: 0449 671 738 Orange, in the central west of Jo Weston on how she obscure sport – the Korean [email protected] NSW, dominates that game in a feels about the Pies, p.74 martial art of hapkido. But that QLD: Damian Martin Queensland Ad Manager manner which no other was only the beginning of his Mob: 0417 168 663 contemporary Australian extraordinary sporting path, [email protected] sportsperson does in theirs. Our writer of the which led to a new kind of big time in the UFC. One piece, Matt Cleary, invokes the big comparison – other piece of note: our Fox Footy columnist Neroli Bradman – and its not far-fetched. Meadows pens a moving ode to what footy means Executive Chairman David Gardiner Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of in her West Australian hometown of Collie. No Commercial Director Bruce Duncan Belmonte is the common thread that links him to matter how we define sport, we love it for the Managing Director Hamish Bayliss outstanding achievers on every field – a near reasons she writes about. Production & Digital Services Jonathan Bishop consuming competitiveness that pushes him to Jeff Centenera Production Manager Peter Ryman scatter pins like no-one else ever has. It might Editor Circulation Director Carole Jones

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Privacy Policy We value the integrity of your personal information. If you provide personal information through your participation in any competitions, surveys or offers featured in this issue of Inside Sport, this will be used to provide the products or services that you have requested and to improve the content of our magazines. Your details may be provided to third parties who assist us in this purpose. In the event of organisations providing prizes or offers to our readers, we may pass your details on to them. From time to time, we may use the information you provide us to inform you of other products, services and events our company has to offer. We may also give your information to other organisations which may use it to inform you about their products, services and events, unless you tell us not to do so. You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you by getting in touch with our privacy officer, who can be contacted at nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590 6 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 DELIVERING THE BEST CHOICE OF LIVE SPORT THIS JULY Cricket: Qantas Tour of Zimbabwe | July 1-8 : Wimbledon | July 2-15 Formula 1: Rolex British Grand Prix | July 6-8 Virgin Supercars: Watpac Townsville 400 | July 6-8 Golf: The Open | July 19-22 Formula 1: Emirates German Grand Prix | July 20-22 Virgin Supercars: Coastes Hire Ipswich SuperSprint | July 20-22 Rugby: Vodafone Super Rugby Finals Series | from July 21 Formula 1: Hungarian Grand Prix | July 27-29 + Every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Every game of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

CALL 1300 300 707 Start watching right away on the foxtel app while you wait for your connection. Foxtel and some services not available to all homes. Foxtel marks are used under licence by Foxtel Management Just connect your compatible device to the internet. Data charges may apply. Shows only available if they’re in Pty Ltd. The F1 FORMULA 1 logos, F1 logos, F1, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND 54 60 68 76

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AUGUST 2018

44 LearningToBeAPanther Penrith has long been a hotbed for NRL players. Our correspondent goes inside the club’s impressive set-up for its young talent. BY JAMES SMITH

54 ExpectNothingMore From the book Footballistics: why isn’t your AFL team kicking a beter score? (Hint: it’s the shots.) BY JAMES COVENTRY

60 That’sHowHeRolls Bowling’s Jason Belmonte might be the most dominant Aussie athlete going around. Who? BY MATT CLEARY

68 Women’sGame Roundtable OurpartnersatTheWomen’sGameleada conversation about the state of female sport. BY THE EDITORS

76 UltimateWarrior UFCchampRobertWhitakeristhekindoffighter to bury old notions about his sport, for good. BY JEFF CENTENERA

6 EDITOR’S NOTE 28 TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 52 ONE ON ONE: JORDAN MAILATA 10 THE BREAKDOWN 30 PUNTER’S CHANCE 66 ANATOMY OF A CHAMP 12 20 THINGS YOU MISSED 33 THE NUMBERS 74 ONE ON ONE: JO WESTON 14 FREEZE FRAME 34 FOUR THINGS YOU MUST NOT MISS 85 INSIDER 22 INSIDE AFL 36 YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ... 94 HOT SHOT #2 24 INSIDE NRL 38 IN HINDSIGHT 96 SUBSCRIBE, SAVE & WIN 26 INSIDE SUPERCARS 42 HOT SHOT #1 98 IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING

8 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018

THE BREAKDOWN Hoop Nightmare IN ONE OF THE UGLIEST SCENES WITNESSED ON A BASKETBALL COURT, A FIBA WORLD CUP QUALIFIER BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE PHILIPPINES DESCENDED INTO A SICKENING BRAWL.

The visiting Boomers were bouncing back smartly at er an upset loss to Japan a It had been a chippy, couple of days earlier, with Chris Goulding ill-tempered contest. and company building a big lead over the When the Philippines’ Filipinos at the game just outside Manila. Roger Pogoy knocked over Goulding, Daniel Kickert came over and fl at ened Pogoy with an elbow. Mayhem ensued.

The situation escalated when the Philippine bench emptied onto the court; the Boomers bench held back. But Aussie NBA star Thon Maker was highly visible in the melee.

The worst of it: Goulding and Nathan Sobey were trapped at one end of the fl oor, with up to a dozen people at acking them – more than a few of them offi cials and spectators.

When the brawl fi nally petered out, 13 players were ejected: Getty Images Getty nine from the hosts, four Aussies. Weirdly, the game was continued until the Philippines were let with one player. The Boomers won, but it hardly mat ered. photos by

10 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 PROMOTED BY HELD IN AUTHORISED PARTNER things you might’ve missed

Ian Thorpe calls for Olympic medal projections to be scrapped. The winner Tennis champion Pat Cash 1 of five Games golds said the Australian Olympic Commitee’s practice of NRL player Mahe 7 puts his hand up for one of the seting targets in the medal tally placed too much pressure on athletes. It 6 Fonua is dropped annual rites of every “sokkah” was a targeted point considering where Thorpe made it – he was launching the from the Wests Tigers’ World Cup, bringing on some Australian Institute of Sport’s new athlete wellbeing division. line-up because he turned up old-school Aussie rules chauvinism late to training. His excuse against the other footy. Ater the was pure dog-ate-my- Socceroos’ exit, shock Cricket boss James Sutherland resigned, bringing a near two homework, with a modern jock Neil Mitchell goes a step 2 decade-long tenure in the job to an end. Sutherland departs in twist: he forgot to put his further, saying because we get hardly the most congenial of circumstances, with the tampering mobile on the charger, so the disappointed every four years, we scandal still hanging over Australian cricket. But the game is in ruddy, phone’s alarm didn’t go off. should just give the sport up. You good health financially, and with the establishment of the Big Bash know, the Australian thing to do. League on his CV, Sutherland can take to the speaking circuit with his title of “nation’s best sports administrator” and not be laughed at.

DarrenLehmann’sfeelingsarehurtbyEnglishcricketfans, 8 who of course make a sandpaper gag as the Aussies arrive for a seriesofone-dayers.BoofisparticularlyincensedthatEnglish broadcasterAlisonMitchelllaughsatthefactthatsheafsof Nat Fyfe, perennial sandpaper, bearing fours and sixes, are being handed out. Ah, Aussie 3 Brownlow contender cricket:sledgemercilessly,andsniffwithindignationatthefirsthint and veritable polling of being sledged back ... machine for umpires’ votes, is done in the medal stakes for 2018. The Dockers star North America lands the 2026 World Cup. The combined effort of the was suspended for one 9 United States, Canada and Mexico was enough to beat Morocco match for a striking incident (we kid, but you never know with FIFA). Reportedly, the American bid in round 11. He was widely had to provide assurances that its government policies such as its travel ban considered the leader in wouldn’t interfere with teams travelling to the US. Trump guaranteed it, but various Brownlow then, he won’t be president in 2026. prognostications – the question now is whether he can still top the board come Brownlow night.

A pre-World 4 Cup party for the Mexican national team is criticised ater it was reported that 30 escorts were invited. Federation official Guillermo Cantu offered the old Donald Rumsfeld defence about the Wehadping-pongdiplomacyin Phil Mickelson hits a moving ball at the US Open, alternately liberation of Iraq: “A 5 theopeningofChinainthe’70s. 10 becoming a hero for sticking it up the US Golf Association free day is a free day NowwehaveDennisRodman for its absurd course set-up, and galling all of golf for a and those are the diplomacy for the de-escalation with shocking breach of decorum. But in many respects, it’s kind of risks that one runs North Korea in this decade. Where’s Mickelson at his most honest – wonderfully unpredictable, yet with freedom.” his nomination for the Nobel Prize? annoying at the same time.

12 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 The England-NZ The beer runs 16 rugby league 11 out in Moscow. Test in Denver, The country Colorado had come could put the first under fi re in the lead-up man in space, but for the travel demands couldn’t figure this on the players. What out. You’re on notice, followed was a perfect North America 2026. trainwreck – Kiwi and Manly enforcer Martin Tapau endured four days of fl ight delays trying to get back to Australia. But England Ater a dumb dispute over the and Broncos coach Wayne definition of the word “rookie”, Bennet , in characteristic 17 Ben Simmons was lauded as fashion, dismissed it the NBA’s best first-year player at the as a nuisance: “We were league’s awards show. Rookie rival back in Sydney by 7am Donovan Mitchell had trolled Simmons, Monday morning. We who was meant to debut in 2016, but beat the Origin players missed the entire season to injury. home by two hours.”

Japanese fans stay behind to clean up the stadium in Saransk 12ater their team’s win over Colombia in group play at the World Cup. Have to love how the Japanese conduct themselves – the team did it too, leaving the locker-room spotless ater their round of 16 loss to Belgium, with a thank-you note as well!

The Aussie one-day side in England, perhaps distracted by sandpaper 13 sledges, concedes a record 481 to the Poms in a horror loss at Trent Bridge. Think about that for a second: almost 500 runs in a 50-over match. Said captain Tim Paine: “That’s the hardest day’s cricket I’ve ever had in my life.”

Meanwhile, the England-Tunisia match at the World Cup was A thoroughly frustrated Daniel Ricciardo, in a message to his 14 swarmed by insects. Bet you anything the English fans weren’t 18 Red Bull team, hints at what he’ll do when he’s off contract at hanging around to clean up that stadium ... season’s end – switch careers and join the UFC. “, if you’re listening,”Ricciardo said, referencing the UFC boss, “I’ve got some work to do but maybe you can sign me in a couple of years ... take out some of my anger.”

Chris Froome and the Tour de France engaged in a pre-race stand-off 19 over whether the defending champion can get on his bike. Somewhere else on the planet Lance Armstrong is indulging in an evil laugh.

Steve Smith is playing 20 cricket ... in Toronto. It might sound as off -Broadway as it gets, but the former Aussie captain made a half-century in his return dig in the Global T20 Canada comp. David Warner, on the other hand, has to play for Winnipeg for his sins.

NRL big man Aaron Woods turns up to training with his club, 15 the Canterbury Bulldogs, in the morning. Then he rocks up to training with his new club, the Cronulla Sharks, in the at ernoon. “One of the trainers said, ‘Check your phone at er the session’,” Woods recounted. “I got the contract, and I was at Sharks training a few hours later.” Good thing Woods is bet er at keeping his mobile charged than Mahe Fonua.

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 13 Freeze Frame Getty Images Getty photo by 14 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 ◣ Germany’s forecast at the World Cup, like the skies over its friendly against Saudi Arabia, was clear. But for the defending champions, it turned out to be a big zero.

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 15 ▶ World Cup? Not quite, but certainly Getty Images Getty world-class, as Usain Bolt [right] and

Sir Mo Farah photos by pulled on the boots for the Soccer Aid for Unicef match at Old Traff ord.

▼ Watch your head(ers): Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi has Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic ducking for cover in their nation’s match in Group D.

▶ One Peruvian fan couldn’t quite bear his team’s outcome against France. Lucky for him, Peru still had the Socceroos to come. ▲ Iceland keeper Hannes Halldorsson is a fi lm director by trade. And when he made this notable save of a Lionel Messi spot kick, he couldn’t have framed a shot any bet er.

◀ A now ubiquitous sight: Mile Jedinak celebrating a converted penalty. Unfortunately, Australia’s last three World Cup goals, spanning nearly 400 minutes, have come this way. ▶ Origin I: it was vintage Greg Inglis in the Getty Images Getty fi rst game of the series in Melbourne, as the newly photos by minted Maroon captain took on chunks of the NSW side all by himself.

▼ Green on gold: Reece Hodge and the Wallabies couldn’t shake the Irish, as the champions of the Six Nations grabbed an impressive series victory.

▲ Thought helmet-popping was for that other American pastime ... Texas’ Robinson Chirinos puts it on the line against Dodger Mat Kemp, who is indeed out at home. ▲ Origin II: Brad Fit ler’s Baby Blues proved up to the task, as proved he was surely rep-level at celebrating.

◀ Hey, he does look like Chucky! (Except that he doesn’t have the hair.) Daniel Roman lands on Moises “Chucky” Flores during their WBA superbantam bout in Texas. ▲ LeBron James’ visage was a picture of exertion in the NBA Finals. But from ▼ Egypt’s game: Mohamed El Shorbagy [right] faced comptriot Ali Farag in the next season, those efforts will be on the behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers. men’s final match of squash’s PSA Dubai World Series Finals.

20 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Getty Images Getty photos by

▲ Majak Daw crashed this pack of Cats, but Geelong conceded litle else to North Melbourne in their clash at old Kardinia, winning by six goals.

▶ Footy, or hipster beard competition? Port’s Charlie Dixon [left] and Demon Max Gawn can swap tips for grooming as well as do ruck contests ... INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 21 INSIDE AFL

Footy country: where the game really lives BY FOX FOOTY’S NEROLI MEADOWS

grew up in a country town of less than 10,000 Still in the days of landlines, our phone rang off almost 20 years on, Bob Murphy and I joke – a coal mining centre split by two clubs: the the hook (even though we had a private number that Luke Beveridge “did a Greg Litle”. Collie Saints and the Mines Rovers Eagles. My because Dad was the local doctor). People wanted In 2002, the Mines Rovers Eagles and Collie I brother played for the later. Thousands would to pass on their condolences and check in to see Saints were forced to merge – the Collie Eagles turn up to the local derby; the sweet sound of if Ian, or “Doc Meadows", as he was known, was were born. It was massive news in our litle town. tooting car horns ater every goal and windscreen okay. Most of the phone calls consisted of the A former under-16s Saints skipper, Clayton wipers going full speed on those cold and windy uncomfortable grunts of a teenage country kid, or Davidson, was a young star of the new era in this winter days. This was a town where you woke up to the even more uncomfortable grunts of the dad of town. I grew up with “Davo”. My Dad delivered clearing fog and a frost-covered oval, creating a the teenage country kid, keen to not show emotion him – and prety much all of my friends! – 16 satisfying crunching sound under your feet as you but clearly shatered for my big brother. years prior. We went to school together, grew walked, hands in pockets. The team made it through to the grand final. up together. He was charismatic and incredibly My brother was the captain of the under-16s Such was the chater in the town, my brother even talented. One of those kids who was good at Mines Rovers Eagles. It was a big role in a country ran through the banner with his team-mates to an everything and admired by everyone. town with only one public high school. They played enormous applause from the crowd. He didn’t play. On August 3, 2002, he was killed in a car crash. I finals footy that year, but my brother broke his They won. It was devastating. Ater the game the will never forget that night. We were all at a party collarbone in the first final. That evening, our house coach, Greg Litle, presented his own premiership together – it was a brilliant night. My recollections was like an episode of Friday Night Lights. medallion to my brother, the injured captain. Now, of it are heightened. I’ve made sure I remember every single moment I had with him, dancing, joking. I don’t ever After the game the coach, Greg Little, presented his own premiershp want to let that go. I will also medallion to my brother, the injured captain. Now, almost 20 years on, never forget the morning ater, when my Dad had to tell Bob Murphy and I joke that Luke Beveridge "did a Greg Little". me the news. Small towns are even smaller when you’re a country doctor. Sixteen years on – equal to Davo’s entire lifetime – it still hurts. You learn to talk about it without thinking about it. But the moment you think about it, you are right back in that moment. So many people turned up to his funeral, that we couldn’t all fit into the town hall where it was held. Ater the service, players and members of the Collie Eagles lined the streets, paving a path all the way to his grave. A guard of honour for Davo. For his family. Footy is bloody amazing. It’s bigger than wins and losses or draws. It’s bigger than the AFL. Footy is about the people, the support network. The passion on the field is connection off it. Whether it’s the hallowed turf of the MCG or the Collie Rec Ground, footy maters. And that’s why we love it.

Catch Neroli for On The Mark on Wednesdays at 8.30pm on FOX FOOTY (channel 5047 on Foxtel)

22 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 !

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That premiership year BY FOX LEAGUE’S

ur Penrith team was the most dominant the field. Big MG spent ten minutes in the bin and shot. I didn’t hit it the best, either – somehow it just side all season in 1991 – but that doesn’t had a try disallowed, but we came out in a beter managed to float its way over the crossbar. God equate to a grand final win. We had a really frame of mind in the second half. Our defence knows how, but it got there. O hard major-semi against the North Sydney was outstanding. They went for a short kick to regain possession Bears, which went down to wire, and put us We still found it hard to crack the Raiders. They and try to break the swing of the game, which was straight through to the grand final. All of us dragged us back from the in-goal a couple of times. all in our favour. MG charged onto it and pulled it in, realised that it’s hard to make one grand final, but We just couldn’t convert that field position into and offloaded it to Royce. I think Royce had scored you don’t want to be missing the opportunity when points ... until MG and Freddie were involved in a 12 tries in his whole career, and he scored two in you get to two. That was the feeling going in. We prety special try that got us back to 12-all. the grand final. So it was meant to be. were up against a great Canberra side. I don’t know exactly what minute it was when I In hindsight, it was a natural progression for the Coach Phil Gould didn’t have to stress that much kicked the field goal, but I remember there not side that we had, and the players in it. But it had about what the game meant. It was also Royce being long on the clock. But to be honest, I wasn’t been a long, hard road for the supporters over the Simmons’ last game. There was a bit of motivation even thinking field goal. It was the last play, and we first 20-odd years since we came into the comp. It there. It doesn’t mater what motivates you going were in front. I just thought I may as well have a was a great reward for the district and the fans. into a game. Once you get past the opening couple of sets, it’s what drives you from then on. “In hindsight, it was a natural progression for the side Gus had a lot to say at half- time. We were down at the break that we had, and the players in it. But it had been a long, 12-6 and had to pick ourselves up. Gus is one of the all-time great hard road for the supporters.” motivators. I think our approach was much more business-like in ‘91. Not that it’s in the frame of your mind – but I think we probably played like the job was done in 1990. We actually made the grand final, and we thought that was our Everest. But we certainly didn’t think that in ‘91. I think sometimes, too, we might have underestimated or undersold ourselves in the years prior to that. I think four of us going away on a Kangaroo tour helped us a lot in terms of our confidence as a side. I think that rubbed off onto the team. And that showed right through the regular season. Being Penrith captain added responsibility to my game, I think. And Mark Geyer, John Cartwright and Brad Fitler – by the time everyone came back, they were prety confident in their own abilities. And we had a prety good team around us as well. Field position-wise, we just kept Canberra down their end of

Don’t miss a second of the action from FOX LEAGUE’s Getty Images Getty NRL Retro Round from July 23 on Foxtel. photo by

24 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 HOME OF AUSTRALIA’S 2ND DEADLIEST CANCER INSIDE SUPERCARS

Don’t be afraid of the dark BY ’ JESSICA YATES

hey say good things come to those who and fl ames. As the chequered fl ag drops, a under lights promises to be wild particularly wait, and Aussie car racing fans are set to fi reworks display to rival New Year’s Eve over through the fi rst four corners. be rewarded for more than two decades of Sydney Harbor will erupt. It really is Supercars like And the stakes are extra high, with a full bag of Tpatience. In August, one of the most dynamic you’ve never seen them. points on off er. Only two other events through the and thrilling Supercars races ever to be staged in The Sydney Super Night 300 will be a test of year carry maximum points for one race: Sandown Australia gets underway across two nights at adaptability and courage. Drivers will need to and Bathurst. Last year, Scot McLaughlin bombed Sydney Motorsport Park. quickly adjust to their changed environment; out at Mount Panorama at er an unforeseen The Virgin Australia sharpen their mental and spatial awareness. Craig technical issue ruined his race. Fast forward to will hit the track under lights in the fi rst night race Lowndes is the only driver in the fi eld with the end of 2017 – McLaughlin went on to lose the since 1997 at the Red Rooster Sydney Super Night experience racing a Supercar at night; he won the championship by a mere 21 points. Had he not had 300. The show promises to be even bigger, brighter twilight race at Sydney Motorsport Park back in the DNF at Bathurst, he could well have been and more fl ame-fi lled than Calder Park back in the 1996 on debut. holding his maiden championship trophy. The night '90s. Spit ing sparks and fl ashes of fi re were all Most drivers have had some experience driving event has the potential to completely change the part of the at raction when the concept was fi rst in the dark in the opening stints of the Bathurst 12 championship title race. launched 22 years ago. The racing was faster and Hour. However, you can expect a completely One thing, though, is for certain come August 4: more perilous, with common reference points lost diff erent approach to the gentlemanly nature of Everyone will be pushing the limits, just like they in the shadows of night. It was a spectacle both the fi rst few hours of the marathon race. SMP did back in 1997. fans and drivers loved. “It was outrageous,” says 2005 Supercars champion Russell Ingall, Most drivers have had some experience driving in the dark in the Bathurst who was part of the fi eld at Calder Park. “No one had any experience 12 Hour. However, you can expect a completely different approach ... racing at night, there were so many Sydney Motorsport Park under lights promises to be wild. unknowns. It felt like we were so much quicker and we defi nitely took advantage of the dark parts of the track to fi nd that extra edge against each other. It was exciting racing and the crowds absolutely loved it.” Night racing back in ’97 came at a time when Supercars was reinventing itself and the same philosophy is being applied today. As with most major sporting events on the modern landscape, it’s as much about the show off the track as it is on it. Supercars fans will be treated to a real spectacle on August 4. Pre-race, cars will line up along the main straight facing pit lane while the drivers run out of a tunnel to thrilling music, fanfare, smoke machines, lasers, lights and fi re-jets. Live music will keep the fans out of their seats before the drivers take off on their sighting lap to form up on the grid. More than 60 towers of lights will keep Sydney Motorsport Park lit, while on track the cars will feature special in-car lighting and LED strips to accentuate the sparks

Every Supercars practice, qualifying session and race Getty Images Getty throughout the season LIVE, ad-break free and in HD photo by

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limit for each set, which is three minutes. “It’s a very fast-paced game,” Di Fabio says. “I don’t think you’ll have many people say that dodgeball is boring to watch.”

Curiously, the rules of the game in the Dodgeball Dodgeball movie are familiar in the offi cial 7 version: six players, fi ve balls, a scramble to start the match, all throws must be made across Ben Stiller movie? Staple of old-school PE One reason why the competition will be so the at ack line (3m from the baseline), no crossing classes? Hipster craze? No – dodgeball has open: this is some furious, unpredictable the centre line (unless you are executing the 1 become an actual honest-to-goodness sport, 6 sporting action, with matches turning quickly. “sacrifi ce play” where you make a leaping throw). with established rules, world-wide governance and, Played in two 15-minute halves, each side seeks And if you catch a ball thrown at you, you create this month, a World Cup event. And no, Team Globo to accumulate sets – earned when a team bounces the prized two-player swing – you eliminate the Gym will not be taking part. all the opposing players off the court, or if it has one who threw it, and you get to bring back one of more players on the court at the end of the time your own previously eliminated players. Late last year, dodgeball was granted observer status by the Global Association of Interna- 2 tional Sports Federations, or GAISF – its seal of approval is the closest thing we have to ordaining “real” sports status (pole dancing was another newly minted observer; rugby league, alas, remains on the outside). In a local parallel, the Australian Sports Commission announced last May that it had offi cially recognised Dodgeball Federation Australia as a national sporting organisation.

What does it mean? “You speak to people randomly and they don’t even know 3 dodgeball is a sport,” says DFA president Robert Di Fabio. “They think it’s a movie or something you play in PE, which is understand- able, but we’re trying to expose the sport to new communities.” He estimates dodgeball has 2000-2500 participants, and NSO status will provide opportunities to grow through school programs, or get support when bidding for events. It also allows dodgeball’s national teams to wear the Commonwealth coat of arms on their uniforms when they head to international competitions.

And they’ll be wearing it proudly this month as they head to the World Cup, which will 4 be taking place, no less, at the venerable Madison Square Garden in New York from August 2-4. This will be the second instalment of the event, at er the inaugural playing in Manchester two years ago. Some 13 nations will be competing in the Big Apple, which refl ects the sneaky global breadth the sport already boasts – the likes of Egypt, Malaysia and Slovenia will be represented.

The name of Australia’s dodgeball side is destined to join the ranks of our best 5 national team monikers – the Dodgeroos. With players drawn from the main state-based competitions in Victoria and NSW, Australia will fi eld entries in each of the men’s, women’s and mixed categories. As in so many other sports, the women are strong, ranked no.1 in the world and winners of the fi rst World Cup title in Manchester. The men’s and mixed teams are both ranked third, so expectations are high. “We’ve built a reputation as a potent team on the world stage, but I anticipate at the World Cup, every team will challenge for honours,” Di Fabio says.

28 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Adam Gilchrist would have the right at itu Dodging into the future: could the game dodgeball. The game operates on a strict possibly enter into the sporting main- 8 of honour – if you’re out, you don’t wait fo 10 stream in the years to come, in a landscape umpire to tell you. Players are expected to wal that will include the likes of Ultimate or Quidditch? those who wait to be called out are in breach of Di Fabio says that while dodgeball’s grand planners honour system. The rules actually tilt in the dire have mused about Olympic inclusion, that’s a of honesty – a player who walks off but wasn’t decade-plus-long project. For now, trying to further deemed to be out can be recalled by the offi cia establish the sport – which he estimates has between 2000 and 2500 participants in Australia The ball is not made of red rubber anymore – as an alternative in the indoor recreation space In a nod to heritage, it is red, and is still would be progress. “Give it ten years, and I can’t see 9 approximately the size of a volleyball, but i why dodgeball can’t be like a handball or potentially Getty Images Getty covered by a textured cloth that doesn’t sting even a volleyball,” Di Fabio says. “We have to be when it hits. And yes, headshots are perfectly realistic with our expectations, but I don’t see why legal in the game, unless they’re aimed at we can’t excel to a level similar to those sports.”

photos by eliminated players who are walking off the court – Jeff Centenera

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 29 PUNTER’S CHANCE PREMIER LEAGUE ODDS

Manchester City $1.62 OW that the World Cup is out of the way, we can get back to what really mat ers in Huddersfi eld $501 football – who’s winning in England? Man City’s charmed 2017-18 campaign, the fi rst N100-point season in the English top fl ight, has them installed as unsurprising favourites. Liverpool $5.50 Manager Pep Guardiola is talking of even greater feats to come, but he and his team might be Brighton $501 satisfi ed with just winning the league again – the Premier League has not had a repeat Manchester champion in a decade, which is testimony to how the EPL’s rich clubs push back a year later. $7 United Bournemouth $501

Chelsea $11 Liverpool $5.50 Burnley $501 Anfi eld still awaits its fi rst league title in 29 Tottenham years, which would also make it the fi rst of the $12 Southampton Premier League era. Liverpool has proven it can $501 go toe-to-toe with any club in the world – non- Arsenal $26 concussed goalies permit ing – and if it were just Watford $501 a case of beating City on the fi eld, which it did three times last season, their title odds would be Everton $101 West Ham shorter. But we know winning the league is a slog, $501 and one that is yet to be proven within the ken of Jurgen Klopp’s high-octane brand of football. Leicester $151 Cardiff There’s a tremendous amount of goodwill out City $501 there for Liverpool – who would begrudge all the frantic action and the goal-fests, as well as more Wolves $151 Crystal of the splendid Mo Salah (let )? But perhaps the Palace $501 key is to improve the more boring stuff in defence and overall squad depth – signing Naby Keita and Newcastle $501 Fabinho are the kind of moves that can help. Fulham $501

Manchester United $7 United recorded its best league fi nish in fi ve years by fi nishing runners-up, but it didn’t stop the grumbling (the fact they were 19 points back Wolves $151 of fi rst, and their main rival, also didn’t help). Wolverhampton is back in the EPL this season at er a Jose Mourinho’s pragmatism has fallen out of six-year absence, and returns with bullish expecta- fashion, something of an indictment for a club tions that it will be in the thick of the mid-table action, weaned on Alex Ferguson’s pragmatism. But without a hint of relegation. Purchased two years ago as Paul Pogba’s return to Manchester has by Chinese company Fosun International, Wolves had exemplifi ed, there’s a sense of thwarted put together a Premier League-quality outfi t while potential around Old Traff ord these days. still in the Championship – as a result, they dominated Get ing the best out of the French superstar the usually vigorous competition of the second tier, would help resolve a lot of issues; to that end, leading in goals scored and conceding the fewest. one of the fi rst, big signings of the off season Under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, there’s a strong was Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk on a $70m Portuguese element in the side, featuring stars Ruben transfer. The Brazilian midfi elder is a box-to-box Neves, Ivan Cavaleiro and Diogo Jota, and you can be dynamo who can free up Pogba (right) to lend sure that Wolves’ players will become darlings of more thrust to the Red Devils’ at ack. fantasy types looking for bargains. With Cardiff City and Fulham also moving into the EPL in ’18-19, it’s an unusually strong class earning promotion. Tottenham $12 / Arsenal $26 A new era for both of north London’s fi nest: Spurs move into their glitzy, new stadium, while the Gunners welcome a new boss. Tot enham was happy to hang onto their manager, as Mauricio Pochet ino squashed speculation he would head to Real Madrid by signing a new contract. Having established the team as a European regular, Pochet ino’s task is taking them to the next step – that is, before the likes of Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and other Spurs stars are picked off by larger clubs. Meanwhile, Arsenal fans can look to their long-awaited fresh start with Arsene Wenger’s departure at er 22 years. The new guy, Getty Images Getty Unai Emery, did a great job at Sevilla but less so at PSG – it might be cold comfort to Arsenal fans, but mid-level success rather than superclub

failure is perhaps the best they can hope for. photos by

30 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018

THE NUMBERS Making it to the IT’S PRESEASON IN THE WORLD’S RICHEST SPORTS LEAGUE, AND YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN FOR THINKING THAT ALL THE MONEY GOES TO FIGURING OUT JUST HOW MANY PLAYERS EACH TEAM NEEDS. HERE’S THE MATH OF ASSEMBLING AN NFL ROSTER.

90 → 53 $177.2m THE CUT THE PIE For a game that features 11 bodies on the fi eld, each NFL team This is the salary cap total for a single NFL team in 2018, the starts with 90 in training camp. Until last year, there was a fi t h straight year the cap has increased by $10m. The smallest cut-down in the last two weeks of preseason to 75 players salary an NFL full-timer can make: $480,000 for a rookie. before set ling on 53; now, it’s a one-time cut.

6355 69 1184 18.86% THE SCRAMBLE THE LINE ITEMS The cut sets loose a whole league-full of players, who can end Everyone knows the quarterbacks get the big bucks: 16 of the up signing to a practice squad – a group of ten extra players top-20 highest-paid, according to Sportrac. But the big portion each team has in addition to its 53-man. Some also make it all of a team’s money goes to the guys who protect them – off en- the way to the fi nal roster. sive lineman account for almost double what clubs pay to QBs, but then, it takes fi ve of them for every one Brady.

46 1 THE ACTIVE THE SPECIALISTS Even if you get on the roster, you might not get in the game. The off ensive line has a lot of bodies; so does the defensive Only 46 of the 53 are “dressed” for the game every week, which secondary (thinner, faster ones). But teams will only keep one prevents injury-hit teams from being unduly disadvantaged kicker, punter and long snapper – and if any of them get injured, against a completely healthy team. or screw up, they go off looking for another one.

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 33 things you must not miss

Driven away

Pop quiz: who won last year’s Formula One event in Germany? If your answer was “no one”, you probably follow F1. Because that’s right – the land of Schumacher, Vet el and Mercedes didn’t have a race last year, and at er this latest German GP (July 22) in Hockenheim, there’s no guarantee it will continue on the calendar. German F1 champ Nico Rosberg (his dad was a Finn, but still) captured the sentiment recently: “Without a German race, I struggle to see it as a real world championship.” Only a few years back, the country was such an open-wheel staple that it held two races a year. Instead, F1 seems intent on its new-world designs in Miami, as well as a race in Vietnam. And we don’t have Bernie Ecclestone to blame for this anymore! Feeling Super

Well, at least Aussie rugby ended that NZ losing streak this year. As for who wins the title, we’ll likely leave that to our neighbours across the Tasman to resolve in the Super Rugby fi nals (July 21, 18 and August 4). Positive thoughts for the Waratahs and the Rebels, who were squarely in the running for spots in the last eight, and credit to Argentina’s Jaguares for a breakthrough campaign. But count on the likes of the reigning champ Crusaders and the Hurricanes to boss the last level, and we can get back to the true pastime of the provincial championship – whingeing about its competition format. Anyhow, it won’t be too bad if the Crusaders win again, if only to see coach Scot Star Signs Robertson bust out his breakdancing moves. Last shot

Fascinating trend in baseball: the amount of time Ah, the PGA (August 10-13), the at erthought of the ball is in play has dwindled to historic lows, as golf’s majors. Nice to win, sure, but not one you’d teams place ultimate value on strikeouts, walks choose over any of the other three venerable titles, and home runs. Being good at get ing those three even if the pros’ championship had the best bauble things makes you a player in today’s game, and the in the Wanamaker Trophy. In a stab at greater really good ones get to go to the MLB All-Star relevance, the tournament moves to May next year, Game (July 17-18), this year in Washington DC. fi lling the gap between the Masters and US Open. Expect to see a lot of Red Sox and Yankees in The date change will also get it out of the at endance, as the two powers have had great ot en-foul end-of-summer weather in many parts seasons so far – Boston has the leading All-Star of the US, which might lure bet er courses to host vote-get er in the splendidly named Mookie Bet s it. The fi nal time out for the PGA as the fi nal major Getty Images Getty (above), while New York’s vaunted power-hit ing of the year will be at Bellerive in St Louis, about as line-up, led by Aaron Judge, has been as daunting typical as a PGA course can get. To mark the occasion, as promised. Sadly, Judge won’t participate in the we can only hope for something memorable to

Home Run Derby, which he won last year. happen. Hint, four-time PGA champ Tiger Woods? photos by

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McEnroe got a big- In cinem Newly found Johnny Mac wa Takes its cue from screen treatment soon, footage of John truly an artist o a Jean-Luc Godard last year in that IN THE having McEnroe in the the tennis cour quote: “Cinema Shia Labeouf REALM OF just fi nal of the ’84 which, of cours lies, sport doesn’t.” movie about Borg PERFECTION done the French, given the made his fame Godard really said and Wimbledon. fi lm-fest oh-so arty tantrums tota that? Wonder which one rounds. treatment. justifi able. he’d prefer?

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36 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 WOMEN IN SPORT Melbourne Cricket Ground SUMMIT 21 - 23 August

The Women in Sport Summit brings together General Managers, Marketers, Commercial Managers, Participation Managers and athletes interrogating how sports organisations can drive participation, equality, and grow their businesses with increased female engagement across the board.

KEY BENEFITS OF ATTENDING: • Realising equality in professional sport • Driving growth by commercialising women’s sport • Cultivating grassroots participation and engagement • Growing audiences with strategic marketing • Boosting the female athletic talent pool • Developing a successful women’s competition and events

Visit: konnectlearning.com.au/women-sport to learn more and secure your seat to this seminal event IN HINDSIGHT Jack Newton ACK NEWTON is many things to many people. Jack Nicklaus calls him a mate. Ian Botham calls him a mate. and Bob Hawke call him J a mate. Every year, the great Hawkey lobs at Jack’s Celebrity Classic (Newton is pictured right next to 2015 winner Rebecca Artis) – 40 years old in December – and plays golf, drinks beer, sings Waltzing Matilda. And Australians feel good. Is there a more Australian Australian? Newton’s been inducted in the Order of Australia. He’s in the Hall of Fame. He’s described – by Hawke, no less – as “the quintessential Australian”. You probably know about the light plane accident in 1983, how he lost an arm and an eye, and almost the job lot. How he sat in the hospital and refused to feel sorry for himself, how he reckoned others had it worse. How he eyed a lit le pub out the window where he vowed to have a beer when he could. Some knucklehead fronted him one day with the propeller from the damned plane, off ered to sell it to him. Jack wasn’t amused by the man and advised him to scarper, lest he the fi nd the propeller inserted roughly inside him. Many things ... Yet for those who watched golf in the ’70s, the dashing 20-something Newton was something else again. In 1975, in bell-bot om pants, he took on Tom Watson in an 18-hole play-off for the Open Championship at Carnoustie. In 1980, he ran second to another mate, Seve Ballesteros (Seve called him “Yak”) in the Masters at Augusta. He won the 1979 , and the order of merit. And throughout it all, he’s remained the same bloke: the Cessnock kid, son of a miner’s son. Self-eff acing, humble, he’ll call a spade a bloody shovel and cackle at your gag. And if you ever get a chance to hear one of his yarns or play golf in his charity day, as Jack would you say, you bloody well should.

The Open Championship is at Carnoustie this year. In 1975 you had a few chances to win before being vanquished by the great Tom Watson in an 18-hole play-off . How are your memories? [Laughs] There’s a few let , mate! In the practice round myself and [Irish Ryder Cup player] John O’Leary were challenged to a match by Tom Weiskopf, who was a mate of mine. I’d taken money off he and Lanny Wadkins in Melbourne a few years before. Tom wanted to square up. So we’re on the tee – we didn’t know who Tom’s partner was going to be – and see a big crowd coming towards us, bit of a hubbub. And then through the people and onto the tee walks ... Jack Nicklaus! [Laughs]. Nice one, Tom!

How’d you go? Well, early on the Irishman and the Aussie were well up against the Americans. And naturally, as you do, I started to get into them! [Laughs] I told Weiskopf that he bet er send his partner back to get another one. Told him they were gonna get dusted. Jack overheard, of course, and said to Tom we bet er show these young punks what’s what. And they duly did! Jack would have shot 67, Tom 65.

Costly lesson? Ready to duel Tom [Laughs] I got my wallet out and Jack said, “No, Watson in 1975. right Carnoustie, nasty mate, just a sandwich and a beer will do.” I was like, in '99. above Time to “You beauty!” move the PGA? Always seemed a nice man, the great Jack ...

38 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 One of the best, mate. I ended up being paired them, Johnny Miller. It was who’s who in the zoo. with him in the third round, shot 65. Jack, shows you And all these guys were just bloody waiting around. how nice he is, told me ater he felt like he was And at that stage of a championship, you’re in the scratching around for an 80 or something. Of last group, you just want to keep going. course he’d shot 68. I made bogey. Bogeyed 17. Meanwhile, Tom Watson holed a 30-footer on the last. I needed a So, day four, with four holes to go you lead by 30-footer on the last to win. But a play-off it was. two shots ... I probably should’ve won. We got to the 16th, it’s There followed a ding-dong go. a long par-3, you needed driver to a very narrow On the 14th, a par-5, I played my third to tap-in green. And when I reached the tee there were six birdie. Watson holed a sand wedge for eagle to groups waiting to tee off. Nicklaus was among square it up. And we stayed square until the 18th. ` "I probably should've won. We got to the 16th ... and all these guys were just bloody waiting around. At that stage, you just want to keep going." Getty Images photos by

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 39 IN HINDSIGHT

I hit my tee shot just into the let rough. It wasn’t You could get lost in the rough. That course doesn’t What sort of golf will we fi nd at Bellerive? long; the lie was okay. need that; it’s a good enough layout to stand on its Huge greens. Long. Lot of trees. The Americans Watson hit fi rst from the fairway; he was singing own two feet. The weather protects it, particularly like playing sot greens and they always have. And out, “Go! Go!” because he’d hit it a lit le fat and the wind. Golf courses can change sensationally they always tend to get them. Doesn’t mat er what thought it mightn’t clear the burn. But it did, and with the changes in conditions. club you’re hit ing, it’s going to stop on the green. bounced up pin-high. I hit a very good shot, went at the fl ag but it caught the very top lip of the This US PGA Championship is on in August for I’m in a tipping comp around the four majors. bunker. Got out to about 12 feet. Tom nearly made the last time, before it moves to May . How about Each tournament you tip an American, a his birdie for the win, and tapped in. I needed the this for an idea: it becomes the world’s major, European, an Aussie, and another, a Canadian, put , played for let to right break but it’d rained all taken around the world, on rotation. Asia one Japanese, South African. And for the Aussies it’s day and the greens weren’t taking as much break. year, the Middle East, Australia, back to just swap around Jason Day, Adam Scot , Mark Burned the lip. America. What do you reckon? Leishman, Cameron Smith. Doesn’t seem long And that’s how Tom won the fi rst of his fi ve Open I hear what you’re saying. But you’d run into some ago we had a plethora of guys contending. The Championships! He got 7500 quid; I got 5000, for resistance trying to make it happen. The Americans Sharks’ kids, if you like. What’s happened since playing 90 holes. are pret y protective of everything – it’s their that generation? game, at er all! There is an issue that America The Allenbys and Applebys are slowly fading out In 1999 they called it “Car-nasty”... thinks the whole game belongs to them. Rubbish, of the picture from where they were. And, yes, we They tricked it up that year. It was very diffi cult. of course. do need to fi nd a few young guys who’ve got the

"If I had to pick one, it'd be Cameron Davis ... I spoke to him on the phone last week; spoke about Carnoustie, how to play it. I had to go through the memory bank!"

40 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Pat Rafter has a few tales from the Classic, as does Bob Hawke [ right].

Newton keeps swinging away, helping people through golf.

game. We’ve got a few very good young players celebrating its 40th anniversary in December. which Botham just put a towel around himself and coming along. We’ve got 6000 kids in the Jack It’s always a very friendly vibe. How’ve you been stood at the bar the rest of the night, drinking beer Newton Junior Golf Foundation. There’s another able to cultivate that? and holding court. 3000 aged 5-10 behind them. From day one I tried to impress upon all and I like Ian. I said to him: “Mate, you’re more an sundry: leave your egos at the door. And if someone Aussie than a Pom, you should be playing cricket Next big thing? gets out of line, then they’ll fi nd the door. for us.” He said, “You’d like to see that, wouldn’t you!” If I had to pick one, it’d be Cameron Davis, who But that has been one of the great things about we saw win the Australian Open last year. He’s in it. Everyone’s bought in. And we’ve been so lucky It’s lovely that former prime minister Bob good form, won a tournament in America [the with the support from sponsors and high-profi le Hawke shows up every year. He gave a speech Nashville Open]. I spoke to him on the phone last sports men and women who’ve had a ball and come last year; I thought he was looking a bit shaky. week; spoke about Carnoustie, how to play it. I had back each year. This being the 40th we’re hoping But then he burst into a gag, sang Waltzing to go through the memory bank! He was always a it’ll be bigger and bet er than ever. Matilda, and all his animation returned. Such a strong player in junior golf and each year he got great fellah ... older, he got bet er. He’s 23 now and I expect he’ll Been a lot of highlights. Pat Ra er had a He’s the patron of the Classic, the patron of our do something in the future. swimming race across a lake with Ian Botham. junior golf foundation. And mate, once he gets that “Radar” [Wayne Riley] was in that, too. They swam microphone in hand, look out! Anything can happen! Your Jack Newton Celebrity Classic will be from one side of the lake to the clubhouse, at er – Ma Cleary

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 41 42 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 HOT SHOT

Boy, these lane markings can be confusing ... Daniel Ricciardo had to keep his eyes on the road for the French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard, which was built – no joke – by a multi- Mark Thompson / Getty Images

millionaire who made his fortune in the alcoholic spirit pastis. photo by

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 43 learning to be a

PANTHERTHE RUGBY LEAGUE ACADEMY IS MUCH MORE THAN A FACTORY FOR PRODUCING FOOTBALLERS. IT SIGNIFIES A MAJOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN THE 13-PLAYER CODE IN WESTERN SYDNEY ... AND BEYOND. By JAMES SMITH

44 INSIDE SPORT |AUGUST 2018 INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE | AUGUST 2018 2018 AUGUST 45

photo courtesy Penrith Panthers t’s midday on a Thursday and the your extra metres. Well done. Time for lunch!” me like that: that whole ‘respect’ aspect. It’s high-flying Mountain Men have just Whether good-humoured Mansour’s there at training, coming through the junior finished a sharp ballwork session on antics did the trick or whether he was just system. It’s really important. That’s why the NRL training field of the gleaming ready to come in, Cleary finally finishes up everyone on the team are such good blokes. Penrith Panthers Rugby League and heads towards the lunch tables, picking And everyone gets along so well.” Academy. Most of the blokes mill footies up off the ground and packing them The Panthers Rugby League Academy Iaround chatting for a few minutes. Tomato away before his feed. He’s of a different make. is located immediately behind the sauce bottles and cutlery boxes organised “I pretty much do that after every training gargantuan Penrith leagues club. It on the tables of the outdoor barbeque area session,” Cleary tells Inside Sport. “Being represents a $21 million investment by overlooking the field are a sign the best part here is a dream come true. I’ve wanted the club’s board of directors into the game

of the day is just around the corner. to play in the NRL for as long as I can of rugby league in a district frequently Penrith Panthers Everyone is about to dig-in to their lunch, remember, since I first started watching referred to as the biggest junior rugby league except for the halfback, 20-year-old State footy as a three-year-old carrying a footy nursury in the world. Here, Penrith’s high- of Origin debutant Nathan Cleary, and two around. You just have to enjoy it. We’re performance and sports science staff have of his young team-mates, who remain really lucky to be in the position we are. the best facilities at their disposal, as does out on the scissor-manicured turf. They’re When I get the chance, I love to muck the club’s education and welfare team. The attempting drop kicks from the halfway line, around a bit, kicking a few balls around. I academy’s locker room laps the size and

placekicks from ridiculously acute angles used to do it as a kid and now I’m doing it quality of the one over the road at Panthers courtesy photos other and spiral passes for mock tries forajob.It’sprettycrazy. Stadium, while the site’s lecture theatre is in the corners. Cleary has a reputation “It’s a respect thing. We owe it to the staff. second to none anywhere in the country. Getty Images

for being the last bloke off the training They work their arses off for us. Something One of the main figures behind the paddock, so injured Panthers winger Josh as little as picking the balls up just so they academy’s instalment was Phil “Gus” Gould, Mansour addresses the issue today by don’t have to … things like that get drilled who captained the club during its early yelling out to the trio in a high-pitched, into you out here. My parents [dad is current years, coached it to a premiership in 1991

motherly tone: “C’mon boys, you’ve done Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary] have raised and since 2011 has filled the role as footy by photo left

Young halfback Nathan Cleary progressed through the Penrith system, developing fine qualities off the field, too.

46 INSIDE SPORT |AUGUST 2018 club General Manager. One of Gould’s most you do?’ So I went away and came back The management at Panthers had a important appointments early on was that with a plan. The project paper we had vision for a high-performance training of Matt Cameron, Penrith’s current High was called Project 2015. facility, but weren’t sure what it looked Performance Manager. “So that was 2012. It was just looking like or how big it was. What they did Cameron had worked at the Parramatta at what was currently working for the know was that, although the facilities Eels for 15 seasons in a coaching capacity, Panthers and how do we pull it all under they boasted across Mulgoa Road at the the last seven as an NRL assistant under the one umbrella and get it firing. Panthers Stadium were adequate, rugby Brian Smith, Jason Taylor, Michael Hagan, Essentially, if someone asks what’s my league was now an arms race, and the Daniel Anderson and Stephen Kearney. job, I tell them it is to create a pathway for Panthers were slowly being taken over He arrived at Penrith in 2012. “At that players to get from under-13s to first grade by other clubs. “There’s a massive point in time the club clearly had a lot of … and everywhere in between. recruitment and retention upside to things that were working for them; great “So I came in. The recruitment manager investing in an academy like this,” Cameron numbers in terms of their 8,500-strong Jim Jones had been here for a long stresses. “If you have a high-class facility, junior league, great staff, but there was time and had previously done a lot of that it becomes a great tool to not only attract a bit of a misalignment in terms of their stuff just by himself. As Gus became a external players to the club, but also players junior programs and how they aligned to little bit more involved and our corporate we’ve developed, to keep them here.” the senior ranks,” Cameron tells Inside side of things improved and there was a Original designs for the Academy Sport. “So Gus had basically said to me, ‘If I little bit more money to work with, we accommodated for the concrete slab of gave you a blank piece of paper, what would started to grow a program significantly.” an old golf pro shop previously located on site. This would keep costs down, but at a giant club like Panthers, before long things “The management at Panthers had a vision for a turn big-sky. Rather than try to fit within a constraint, which is what the club was doing high-performance training facility, but weren’t with the slab, in a perfect world the gym sure what it looked like or how big it was.” would be 500 square metres and `

LIFE AT THE ACADEMY – KAIDE ELLIS us happy. The barbeque is everyone’s favourite part of the day. Everyone unwinding and feeding their faces. “We rock up in the morning about 8-8.30. We’ll come in, say “The academy has made the club a lot more professional. G‘day to the boys, have a bit of a chat. You do all your wellness They hold a high standard with the gym and stuff. You pack away test stuff; body weight, hydration test. Your wellness report says your own weights, you don’t leave them lying around. You leave how you’re feeling, what shape your body is in, your mood. Then lockers the way you found them of a morning after the cleaners we’ll have a team meeting/video session. Today we did a preview have been through. There’s a fine system in place. You may of Manly before the weekend. get hit with a $100 fine, which gets put away until the end of “We’ll look into their attack and how we’re going to stop it, who the year. We’ve been pretty good this year; there’s probably to watch, that kind of thing. We break it down so we know what’s only been one or two kicks up the bum so far. It keeps people coming and what to expect. We’ll watch about an hour of video, accountable. If you’re happy to let it get messy here, it’s going then come out and put that into training. to show outside of your football. Then we’ll have a bit of a break, a bit of a feed, maybe go for “Everyone has brought into that. Everyone keeps everyone a coffee to unwind a bit and relax. They have coffee here, or we else accountable. And that’s what it’s like out on the field. If might carpool and go over to a local cafe and just sit down, have someone is slipping up, you might say to them, ‘Let’s knock a yarn and a laugh. It’s always a different group, a mixture. Then that off and move on.’ It’s made us a lot closer as well, especially we’ll knuckle down in the gym or go out on the field again. There’s as we’re a young side. We’ve all been together for a while now. a fair bit to do, but it’s spread out across the day. They look after That’s another thing. The youth. We’ve all come through and us pretty well and we get a couple of good meals out of it. Keeps developed together.”

The academy's space-age exterior. below Walk into reception and you're met by every first-grade Panther ... Ever. product Kaide Ellis, a proud example of the Panthers' commit- ment to developing country talent.

the academy would feature offices, change catchment was established several years Isaah Yeo who is from Dubbo and playing rooms, a lecture theatre, you name it. The and is still catching fire. “We felt obviously first grade, then we have Kaide Ellis, who resulting 3500 square-metre footprint was with the club out at Bathurst and us taking is playing a bit of first grade now; he’s also five times as big as that original slab. a game out there, that we had a community from out that way. Billy Burns is playing “I come from a tinkering background – I’m responsibility to go out there and help reserve grade, he’s from Forbes. Brad Gaut a bit wired like that,” Cameron shares. “I had develop rugby league in those areas,” says in the Jersey Flegg team is from Parkes. been at a couple of clubs and had seen good Matt Cameron. Then we have Matt Burton from Dubbo, who facilities, and those which had started to “This year we’ve set up three regional played SG Ball this year, Charlie Staines dilapidate a little bit. So this was going to be academies – one out of St John’s at Dubbo, from Forbes who played SG Ball, likewise very interesting.” one at Red Bend Catholic College at Forbes Joe Hobby, then we have Liam Kennedy and one at Charles Sturt University at from Orange, Lachie Large from Kandos and

he Penrith Panthers Rugby Bathurst. For our Western Rams Country Ash Cosgrove from Blayney, who all played Penrith Panthers League Academy isn’t confined to Championships kids and their coaches, Harold Matthews this year. the leagues club’s Mulgoa Road and because of the geographical problems in “We also have a young boy at the moment Jamison Road boundaries at the terms of getting them all in one place at the who has signed for next season, Jesse foot of the Blue Mountains. With same time, we wrote coaching and strength Buchan. He’s only 15; he’s from Orange. a satellite Panthers licensed club and conditioning programs that run in He’s going to do the travelling and play operating out of Bathurst, the Penrith board these three satellites. Say for example you Harold Matthews in 2019. So it’s been a made a commercial decision a number of live 100km out of Dubbo, you come to Dubbo great system. And the key to it is that the other photos courtesy years ago to take one NRL game a year to the for training, but if you’re at Parkes, well, people who are out there are up for it. NSW regional centre, an event and visit that you’ll go to Forbes for training. And if you’re They love their rugby league. As I said, Getty Images gets bigger every year. Coupled with that, at Orange, you’ll go to Bathurst for training. we have a commercial presence out in they’ve made a conscious push into Group And the training programs are identical, that area with the Bathurst Panthers 10 country rugby league territory, an area so there’s not the need to bring all those club. We feel we have an obligation to encompassing Bathurst, Orange, Lithgow, external kids to one venue all the time. go out and help where we can.”

Kelso and Oberon. This arm of the Panthers’ “Regionally at the moment we have Panthers no-nonsense forward Kaide by photo left

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 The Panthers Academy boasts a high-tech lecture theatre, hot and cold baths ... and [left] a respect for history.

by NRL clubs. I wanted to be like that. I “With the club out at Bathurst and us taking thought, if I wasn’t signed now, it will an NRL game out there, we have a community never happen. It’s just the way I was thinking at the time. responsibility to help develop rugby league “But the following season I made a rep in those areas.” side – it was a development-type thing. We didn’t play any games. We just trained. We Ellis is a shining example of the club’s complaining about that at all. There was came down to Penrith on Australia Day for a regional academy in action. Originally always a couple of my good mates from training camp on the old back oval. Nothing from Dubbo, he played his junior footy for Forbes around as well, we’d carpool together. was to come from it. It was just for young St John’s, and South Dubbo Raiders. The That made it even better.” players from the bush to get extra coaching. season in which he hit first grade with Keen observers of the NRL will remember We are not exposed to that level of coaching CYMS, he was promoted to Penrith’s SG Ellis as that poor young kid who was sent all that often. So I did a few drills, learnt a Ball squad. He’d travel down on Fridays, to the sin-bin in two of the first games few things. I trained as hard as I could. I got train Friday night with the Penrith Ball of his career, including in his first grade a phone call from Jimmy Jones a couple of squad, play Saturday and go back home. debut against the . But weeks later. He asked if I wanted to come “I did that for a whole season,” 21-year-old he’s made of stern stuff, this kid from down and just play a couple of development Ellis shares with Inside Sport. “Then once Dubbo, who has learnt that the ability to games. It would be just, ‘How good’s that, I the SG Ball season finished, I went back fight through setbacks is a good trait to get to go play at Penrith.’ home, finished my HSC, played a bit more have in rugby league. “My old man thought I’d be a bit silly not first grade back in Dubbo and eventually “I remember it was 2013,” the newly to do it. So he drove me down every two moved down here at the end of 2014 for re-signed Panther shares. “I was back home. or three months and I’d have a game with the upcoming 20s’ season. So I’ve been I had a year off playing rep footy. I was just the Panthers’ development side. I ended here the last four-five years. The travelling playing locally and had sort’ve lost interest up getting an SG Ball contract and then a back then in the juniors wasn’t too bad: in the rep stuff because a lot of kids were two-year under-20s contract. Again, there when you’re getting out of school … I wasn’t turning 14-15 and were getting signed was nothing really promised to us at the `

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 49 start. But I really bought into the session well. It was pretty cool having a bloke from from rival NRL clubs have been taken which they put us through. I wanted to your home town playing first grade here. through it since its opening, whether to learn as much as I could, because you I’d supported him and watched him pretty collect ideas, or just to see what Gus and don’t get that level of knowledge and closely and looked up to him a lot.” his Panthers are up to out here … expertise at home. A lot of the coaches Basically the complex is a giant, back home are volunteers. They don’t have s Australian sports fans, one-storey building situated between two a lot of experience; they’re good people we’re often told tales of the epic, footy training fields – one for the juniors, who want to coach kids." luxurious training facilities the other for the NRL squad only. Within So now Ellis – a Parra supporter as a kid of overseas clubs, especially the building is the Panthers’ administration, mainly because of Nathan Hindmarsh and American outfits. And sure coaching, media, high performance and his high workrate and defence – is a regular enough: tour Yankee Stadium the sports sciences quarters, as well as offices first-grader alongside fellow Dubbo boy Yeo. next time you find yourself in the Big Apple in which the Penrith District Junior Rugby Not a bad role model to have around the joint. for just how “pro” professional sport gets. League operates out of. “Isaah is two years older than me; we played In that vein, the Penrith Panthers Rugby From a design point of view, the academy at the same junior and senior clubs,” says League Academy is world-class, and second can’t be walked through. “If you walk in Ellis. “Our families know each other pretty to none in Australia. Interestingly, officials somewhere, you have to have a reason to be walking in there,” Cameron shares on a Penrith Panthers special guided tour just for Inside Sport. “It’s The academy has a magnificent, spacious change not like you’re walking through here to get to the tea room.” room, which is better than the team’s game-day Cameron leads your author into a sheds over the road at Panthers Stadium. smallish, nondescript office. There’s a grid photos courtesy

The weight of expectation on the Panthers is high in 2018. below Forward Trent Merrin rips in.

50 INSIDE SPORT |AUGUST 2018 drawn up on a giant whiteboard. On it are are tested before and after games. England also adorn the wall. These giant magnets with players’ names. One look at There’s a magnificent and spacious posters will be raffled off and the proceeds this and you know who the Panthers will be change room, which, as previously stated, donated to charity at the end of the year. fielding in 2020 and 2021, what the Flegg is better than the team’s game day sheds As you’re being shown all this technology, and Matthews sides will look like, who’s over the road at Panthers Stadium. The top investment and expertise in action, if you’re, off contract and who’s in the Panthers’ 36 players use this. All through the facility not so much cynical, but cheeky in nature, sights as far as recruitment and retention there are digital clocks perched up high. you offer a question to a bloke like Cameron: is concerned. “If you’re a black magnet on These are synched. The time on your arm or is this ... gulp ... all worth it? the board, you’re in,” says Cameron. That’s on your phone doesn’t exist in the building. “If you’re talking purely about results, a contracted player. “These ones in red, In the 500-square-metre gym, there’s since we’ve been in this building, the they’re not contracted yet for 2019; that’s a Panthers emblem on every weight, first grade team is currently top-four,” he Jimmy Jones’ hit list.” We’d go into deeper every dumbbell. “It’s the little things, answers. “As we sit here, our Intrust Super detail about what names were in which mate,” Cameron emphasises. Cardio Premiership team is leading the comp. The columns on the board, but they’d have to kill machines look out onto the field. If you’re Jersey Flegg team is running equal second, us … Yep, this office is nicknamed the “war injured or in recovery, you can watch our Under-18s SG Ball team won the comp room”. (You knew it would be.) your team-mates train during your own and the national championship and the Other highlights of the building are its session. On the massive walls there is a Harold Matthews team was one game away spectacular lecture theatre, where team giant photo of a winning moment from every from the grand final. Our audacious goal video sessions are conducted, a players’ rec Penrith victory this year. Origin selectees with this building was to create this centre room, complete with obligatory table tennis Cleary, Maloney, Peachey and Campbell- of excellence, which then gave kids in our table, TVs, couches and arcade machines. Gillard, and the boys who travelled to junior leagues this aspiration of: I want to There’s also a rehab space where players Denver for New Zealand’s Test against go and train over there.” ■

Limbering up ahead of a gruelling field session on one of the academy's two full-size training fields.

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 51 52 INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE JORDANMAILATA ardHyemk nod onteNFL the down inroads make Hayne Jarryd and yourself seen we’ve years recent In before. it me done for never unorthodox I’ve all because was It in. be to going is body your positions diferent the for yourself prepare to trying mobility; and technique about more was It rugby. to compared cardio that much wasn’t there to, went I program this stamina. For your have to have still You sport. ing demand- mentally and physical really a it’s actually because NFL for fitness of level a acquire times. ten seconds, ten in 100m run to ex- you they pect but can’t, they No, the 170kg? can bench like, backs be would It backs. the me with expected run They to running. of lot a fellah, meant big it a so I’m miss! not do I what is training NFL? the for preparing and training pre-season league rugby between dierences main the are what both, of taste a had you’ve that Now athlete. an as me develop still would it before, played never had I which sport diferent a was it though even which, training full-time that get and sport a learn to opportunity the and young ing be- me was to down came it what Ultimately, of. arse your work to have you’ll but you, after look we’ll program, training full-time a it’s it, for pay we’ll months, three for training NFL ofer: lous options. grade part-time/second only were there that; ofering were clubs NRL no but an athlete, as myself develop could I that so situation training full-time a wanted We out. work path didn’t NRL the case in just – program in- NFL’s ternational the runs who guy the including the NFL, in contacts few a had Pacific our pocket. in back NFL the have we’ll but career, NRL pursue the to want still we okay, was, direction them. The of one was NFL the and – possibilities future discussing were Management, Sports Pacific group, agency my and myself Sydney, draftee? NFL tial poten- to Rabbitoh Under-20s from went you moment the about remember you can What start? journey NFL your did How RFE ULNSTEDFEECSBETWEENTRAININGWITH DIFFERENCES THE OUTLINES DRAFTEE H ABTH’UDR2SADPEAIGFOR THEGRIDIRON. PREPARING AND UNDER-20S RABBITOHS’ THE hr’ o uhcri,btyusilne to need still you but cardio, much not There’s league rugby in running cardio the mate, Oh ridicu- this with back came NFL the Then South for season under-20s my of end the At H HLDLHAEGE’23M 5K SAMOAN-AUSSIE NFL 157KG 203CM, EAGLES’ PHILADELPHIA THE | AUGUST 2018 AUGUST N NOE WITH... ONE ON ONE rugbyleague thecardio runningin trainingis notmiss! whatIdo Ohmate, odi n hc ofers agoodfit. which and in good able tobuythestuflook I’m and board on is It’s you?” goodthatJohnny Bigg for clothes your your clothes?Dothey make buy and find you do norm? the to that’s adierent size clothing for look to knowing what it’s like having of thing ence label? Was itanexperi- Bigg Johnny the you tostartworking with attracted What things, boys. little the about it’s whatourcoachstressed – that’s Under-20s, matters. Even in theRabbitohs’ that detail to you’re in.It’s theattention position body the comesbacktotechnique; all it are, you strong even aboutpower orhow not It’s tackle. left is thefield,andnextdown on position hardest onceyour career starts? playing be to ed xett i h bigstage any timesoon? the hit to expect upcomingNFLseason? Doyou the for tions realistic hopesandexpecta- your are What avenue togodown. that have don’t just to give itatry, butthey like would who there ofpeoplemy sizeout lot a are there know more talentout here. I discover can they so between Australia andtheNFL, gap the bridge NFL,we’re tryingto the as well as agency todo, myself andmy looking we’re what for Australian players, pathway established draft? the in through future following your break- the in option gridiron asacareer consider to league players rugby more lot a expect you Do path. Everyone makes that joke. They ask, “Where thatjoke. Theyask,“Where makes Everyone …quarterbackisthe now you telling I’m ih o,o mate, Iknow Ihave alotto oh now, Right Now thatthere’s an aim. the that’s Yep, which you have beenpredict- National Football League, the oensive tacklepositionin role andduties ofthe the have you learnt about What learning. keep thisyear. Again, thegoalisto get arse ofjusttoseehow far I my roster, Imake theroster. I’llwork making ateam.IfImake the technique. my justlearningmy playbook, about realistic. It’s goingtobeall tions I’m keeping my expecta- learn. don’t really have hopesof I –James Smith

photo courtesy Platinum Media and Communications INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 53 EXPECT NOTHING MORE

Every time our footy team loses, we lament our players’ wastefulness in front of goal. But how accurate are they meant to be? Should they have created better – or just more – chances? From a new book on the AFL’s embrace of data analytics, ADAPTED FROM we learn about the concept FOOTBALLISTICS, PUBLISHED BY of xSco, or expected score. ABC BOOKS By JAMES COVENTRY NSIDE SPORT UGUST 2018 5 avid Steventon has a framed quote to use different types of kick depending on scoreboard output. The concept aligned well sitting on the windowsill of his office. the situation they face. To explain this point, with the message that the Power was already It reads, “When you change the belief, he uses the analogy of a golfer selecting preaching to its players. What can Younger’s Dyou change the results.” “That’s really which club to use from a certain distance or model teach us about the art of goal kicking? the crux of what my work is all about,” said lie. “Rather than just having your normal Port Adelaide’s mindset performance coach. sort of set shots all the time, we do snap A model for shot difficulty “We tend to focus a lot on self-belief, which routine set shots, on the run, left foot, right In rating the difficulty of a shot for goal, in turn links in to resilience. We try to instil foot,” he said. “We’ll ask players to consider there are two obvious factors to consider. a resilience within the players, so that what they’ll do if they, say, mark the ball next The first is field position, which can be whatever they’re going through, they feel to the point post. Will they banana it? Will measured by the distance and angle to the like they’re going to come out the other they kick a left-foot snap? We try to expose centre of the goal. A close, straight kick side.” Steventon works closely with Trent the players to all the scenarios they might makes for a much easier shot than one from Hentschel and Aaron Greaves, who oversee face in a game, so they’ll be ready for them.” 40m out, on the boundary. The second Port’s goal-kicking program. Hentschel There is also an emphasis on teaching them consideration is the type of shot taken. A set joined the Power as a development coach in to understand the difference between when shot, a quick snap, or a soccer-style ground 2015 after crossing the great divide from the they should be taking a shot, and when they kick will all have varying difficulties at Adelaide Crows, where his own promising should be looking to pass to a better placed different points on the field. Beyond these career as a forward had been curtailed by team-mate. “It’s about minimising the wider two core criteria, a shot difficulty model injury. “Basically, we look at two things with and longer kicks and trying to get into good could also account for some of the goal kicking,” he said. “Obviously there’s the areas,” said Greaves. “Because of the low influences we have already discussed, such player’s routine and biomechanics, which percentages of taking long shots on goal, a as weather, venue, start time, margin, we try to get down pat, and then the second lot of teams will now just put it back into a conditions, and time left in the match. major component to the program is putting contest with a shorter kick to 20m out.” Champion Data uses a model based on its the players in every scenario possible that After its disappointing end to 2017, Port own internal pressure ratings. For the sake might come up in a game.” To enable the Adelaide’s football department appointed of simplicity, the model we will outline here latter, the ground is divided into 12 different a new full-time analyst named Robert will be contained to the basic “where” (field zones. In contrast to the successful laissez- Younger. It was a bold hire, with the 24-year- position) and “how” (kick type). faire approach taken by Grant Thomas at St old yet to complete his mathematical To assign a number to the difficulty of a Kilda more than a decade earlier, the Power sciences degree at the University of shot, we can look at how often similar shots fastidiously monitors every shot a player Melbourne. Younger had attracted the club’s have been converted in the recent past. In takes. “It’s tracked within an inch of its life,” attention through his widely read statistical the five seasons to the end of 2017 there said Hentschel. “There are folders at each blog, Figuring Footy. Among his most were about 54,000 shots at goal. About station that the coaches have, and those popular posts were those that detailed a 27,000, or roughly half, were goals and about results then go into a database, which concept called “Expected Score”, or “xSco”, 19,000 were behinds. A further 8000 missed allows us to pull up information on where which he had adapted from other sports, entirely, either falling short or sailing wide. they’ve been kicking well, or where they such as soccer and ice hockey. Younger had For each of these shots we note the distance need to improve.” developed a model to rate the difficulty of and angle to goal, and classify it as one of six Greaves, a former schoolteacher, is the scoring shots in the AFL, enabling him to types of kick: ground kick, set shot, set-shot Power’s head of football development. He judge a team’s performance by the quality of snap, play on from a mark, snap from general believes that players need to be empowered the chances it created, rather than purely its play, or shot from general play (or on the

56 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 run). Once we have this data, we can run a regression analysis to discover the historical accuracy of each different type of shot at varying points on the ground. The competition-wide accuracy for a certain shot is how we determine its difficulty. For example, consider a set shot that is 30m from goal and at an angle of about five degrees from the centre. Our model shows us that similar shots to this in the AFL have resulted in goals about 79 percent of the time, and in behinds 20 percent of the time.

Only one out of 100 shots from this position would fail to register any score. This is a relatively easy kick. If we see a player take a lot of shots from this position and miss them at a rate much greater than one in five, we may start to question their kicking ability. Next, consider a quick snap from a pack near the junction of the boundary and 50m lines. This is a much tougher proposition. On average, only 18 percent of shots from this position would go through for a major score and 34 percent would register a behind. Almost half, 48 percent, wouldn’t even trouble the goal umpire. How many goals do we expect a player to kick? Now that we have a means of rating the difficulty of each shot, we can appraise a player’s kicking performance based on what they would have scored if they had met the competition average. The idea is that the numbers we assign to shot difficulty can be added together to give an “expected” number of goals. In the tradition of similar shot difficulty models in sports such as soccer, we will refer to this value as “Expected Goals” or, for brevity, “xG”. Let’s start with a simple example. If an Hamish Hartlett likes AFL-standard player takes six shots, each with a to blaze away, with historical difficulty of 50 percent, on average we reason. above and left Ken Hinkley would expect: has the Power staff chart training shots in detail, so that Charlie 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 3 goals Dixon has his routine in his head [top]. Their xG for those six shots is three goals. If they score more than that, they have performed above average. If they score fewer, they have performed below average. A player is unlikely to take several shots of the same difficulty in one match, so let’s now contemplate a more realistic scenario. If a player takes four shots with difficulties of 45 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent, and 55 percent, we would expect:

0.45 + 0.6 + 0.7 + 0.55 = 2.3 goals `

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 57 Of course, a fraction of a goal makes little sense during a single game. What an xG of 2.3 really tells us is that a player who kicks two or three goals from these four chances has performed at about the competition standard. If they kick four goals, their finishing has been very good. If they kick one or none, it has been poor. With this final piece in place, we now have the framework to judge which players convert at a higher or lower rate than the rest of the league over long periods of time based on the quality of the shots they create. We can also identify the players who take the toughest or easiest shots. Most teams have a player who revels in the improbable, backing themselves to score from seemingly anywhere in the forward half. While these players may not get forward often, they are happy to blaze away when they do. Of Crow Brodie Smith’s 24 shots on goal in 2016, all but one were launched from 40m or beyond. Port’s Hamish Hartlett took 20 of his 43 shots in 2013 from outside 50, and those that were taken from inside the arc were often from tight angles.

Hartlett’s season-long xG was 14.4, meaning we would have expected the average AFL player to kick 14 or 15 goals from those same chances. Hartlett kicked 16. In the same year, Adelaide's Paul Seedsman finished with a higher conversion rate (39 percent compared to Hartlett’s 37 percent), but he took fewer shots with a slightly easier average difficulty. This explains why Hartlett’s “goals above expectation” was higher. Conversely, we have the players who only ever seem to take easy shots. This might be a result of their role, hard work, or conservativeness. This is where we find the ruckmen and the big forwards. Before 2018, Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan had only kicked two career goals from outside the 50m arc. In fact, he did not kick a single point from beyond 50 in his ten matches in 2017. His only attempt was a kick after the quarter-time siren, which fell about 20m short of goal. Instead, he relied on his strong marking in and around the goal square to create chances. Twenty of his 28 attempts were from set shots. Apart from Hogan, the other four players on the list all spent time in the ruck. Ruckmen who are resting forward often take marks close to goal, and many will prefer passing the ball to a team-mate unless they have an easy shot. Interestingly, two North American imports in Collingwood’s Mason Cox and ex-Swan Mike Pyke feature on the list, which could indicate that those who are new to the sport are among the most mindful of their limitations. To their

58 INSIDE SPORT AUGUST 2018 credit, both converted their chances at about the AFL average, with Pyke even managing to finish a few goals above his xG. In 2016, Adelaide’s Josh Jenkins was the beneficiary of the Crows’ strong ball movement and ability to ‘slingshot’ into an empty forward line. He kicked 30 goals from within 15m, which was second only to his team-mate Eddie Betts with 31. For reference, the third most goals from inside 15m that season was 15, kicked by Greater If we sum the xG and xB of every shot the Western Sydney’s Jeremy Cameron. Power took, we get their Expected Score for the match. From Port’s 31 shots, its xSco was “Expected Goals” into 95, meaning we would have expected the “Expected Score” average team to score 95 points from the The concept behind Expected Goals same chances. As we heard from Ken should hopefully be making sense by now. Hinkley earlier, his side failed to kick To recap, it is simply the average number of straight. The Power kicked 10.16 (76) goals that will be kicked from a sequence of through four quarters and two periods of shots, given some basic information about extra time. where and how the shots are taken. West Coast, on the other hand, was But to link xG to a team’s score, we will clinical. It scored 12 goals from its 19 shots, need to introduce a logical complementary with only one shot failing to register a score. model. Expected Behinds (xB) works in the Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling both kicked same way as xG, except that it focuses on three goals straight, while Drew Petrie and The score didn't quite add up [above] in behinds instead of goals. Luke Shuey each kicked two straight. The the Port-West Coast With both xG and xB in our arsenal, we Eagles’ 78-point return came from shots final, and a few too are now able to work out a player or team’s worth, on average, about 63 points. The many tough shots [left] set the stage “Expected Score” (xSco). Expected Score is Expected Score for the two sides at the end for Luke Shuey ... a measure of what an AFL-average player or of the regulation four quarters was 74 to 53 team would kick in a match given the in favour of the Power. While Hinkley was chances they created. It is calculated right to lament his side’s goal kicking, its “THE EAGLES’ 78-POINT RETURN like this: opponent had also converted abnormally CAME FROM SHOTS WORTH, ON well. It is extremely rare for a match with Expected Score = (6 x Expected Goals) + such one-sided shot creation to be lost by AVERAGE, ABOUT 63 POINTS Expected Behinds the busier team. Only two other games since … WHILE HINKLEY WAS RIGHT 2013 have been won by a team with an xSco TO LAMENT HIS SIDE’S GOAL This enables us to break down a team’s deficit of more than 30 points. performance into two elements: how well All teams will experience variations in KICKING, ITS OPPONENT HAD ALSO they created chances (their xSco), and how their conversion from one week to the next, CONVERTED ABNORMALLY WELL.” well they took those chances (their actual but over the course of a season most will score minus their xSco). tend to average out to an actual score that The circles on the following chart show is close to their Expected Score. Of the 90 The Eagles delighted the location of every shot taken by Port unique team seasons during the period from [left] in their overtime Adelaide in its extra-time elimination final 2013 to 2017, more than half of the teams escape, leaving the Power deflated. loss to West Coast in 2017. The dark circles finished the year with a “points for” tally are goals, and the white circles are behinds. that was within six goals of their xSco. From The circles with a cross inside show the the hundreds of shots taken by each team location of shots at goal that failed to throughout a season, xSco can predict how register a score. The size of the circle many goals most teams will kick to within corresponds to the xG of the shot six, based on nothing else but the type and in question. location of its attempts. That is a powerful Charlie Dixon’s set shot from 25m out, tool. Seventy per cent of all teams will finish dead in front, was the Power’s highest xG a season within ten goals of their xSco. chance of the game. We would have expected It begs the question: if we have so many it to be converted into a goal about observably good and bad kicks in the 86 percent of the time, a behind about competition, why do most teams still 13.5 percent of the time, and to miss convert their chances at the average rate? everything less than one in every 200 The answer to that lies in the AFL’s attempts. Sam Gray’s shot from deep in the equalisation policy. A salary cap, priority right-side pocket was the toughest kick of picks, and a draft order determined by the game, with the model seeing similar ladder position all conspire to ensure that shots converted into goals roughly most teams have an equitable mix of above- 22 percent of the time and behinds average and below-average players, which 47 percent of the time. Gray instead fell into will include a blend of good and bad kicks. the remaining 31 percent, slicing the shot to Sometimes, though, a team will manage to the near side and out on the full. break the mould. ■

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 59 THAT’S HOW HE range is a fine and tidy town. Tree-lined and trim, its four distinct seasons produce cold climate wines and hot summer sport. It’s a cool joint, too – you can eat a duck pancake in a gastro-pub. You Ocan drink local sav blanc with a variety of cheeses. And your children may ride their bikes, and play cricket in the street, and run about bare-feet in the wheat. It’s a beauty, Orange. Banjo Patterson was born in Orange. So were V8 Supercars. A woman known as “Susan” – and “The Crown Princess of Albania” – taught art at the local ladies college. Other things from Orange include gold and copper, stone fruits such as the apricot and the plum, and the Red Wiggle. Sportos? Heap of ’em. Golfer Lucas Parsons. Wallaby David Lyons. Good few leaguies. Jimmy Maloney, his old man Brian captain-coached Orange CYMS. Raiders fullback Jack Wighton, born in Orange. Wine-maker and former Bulldogs man Peter Mortimer has produced chardonnay, shiraz and Daniel Mortimer. To your questions: do they grow oranges in Orange? They do not – oranges grow only in tropical regions. Why did they call it Orange, then? Because of William of Orange, King of the Netherlands. Why is there nothing that rhymes with orange, as there is with apple (grapple) and banana (Havana) and passionfruit (Jessica Alba)? Answer: I cannot help you. Rather, the question that interests us here is this: how could a burgh of 40,000 souls that sits in the vastness of the NSW Central West a couple hundred clicks from Blue Mountains base camp produce the greatest ten-pin bowler the world has ever seen? How did that happen? Did I just say, “the greatest ten-pin bowler the world has ever seen”? Yes, friend, I did: Orange – dear, sweet Orange – has produced, along with Banjo Patterson, the Red Wiggle and so many apricots – the greatest ten-pin bowler the world has ever seen. Orange did this. Made a Great One. Made a four- time world champion. A winner of nine major championships. Who’s earned millions. Who’s gone out and dinkum revolutionised the way people play the sport. Jason Bemonte, of Orange. And, if you can believe it, there’s people who don’t like it. Who are these The Bradman of the lanes? You heard that people? Americans, mainly. Purists, right – kingpin Jason Belmonte dominates traditionalists, conservative types who can’t cop the two-handed way the his game the way no other Australian Great One slings the heavy round rock. sportsperson does at the moment. And it all Belmonte, you see, doesn’t put his thumb started in a bowling alley in Orange … in the thumb-hole! ` By MATT CLEARY INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 61 I know! Sacrilege, right? Rather he balances the ball using his spare hand as ballast. Then he shuffles in and gets into his work, whipping it through like Murali slinging in the doosra, like Will Genia at the scrum- base shooting out the Gilbert. And then the work he gets on it, well, it’s Warney-esque, baby. Warney-esque. While Belmonte breaks no rules with his high-octane, two-handed style, if you’ve been raised on tales of Grampa Billy-Bob hurling fat vulcanised-rubber balls down at big wooden pins, then it just doesn’t look right. And when the 20-something Australian began winning on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, there was resistance. It’s just a fad, they said. You can’t keep playing like that, they declared. Enjoy your 15 minutes, kid, because there’s no way you can bowl like that for long much less a career. Belmonte took all that stuff on board. And then decided these people didn’t know what ure , but it’s only bloody ten-pin asked. He feels a responsibility to the sport, they were talking about. And as he’d done bowling, right? Who gives a to talk it up and get it out there. It’s given throughout his career – indeed his entire stuff? Bowling is disco-rama him everything. He’ll play it forever. He life – he just kept on doing it his way. Where on a Friday night, it’s teenagers bloody loves it. once he’d have taken criticism personally smoking Winnie Blues in We meet the man in the beer garden at the and on board, today negative opinions just flannelette shirts and black Parkview Hotel. He sports a cool chunky drive the man ever upward. desert boots. Bowling’s not really watch and cool sunglasses, and cool stubble. Just how good is he? Friend, they’re Ssport, it’s what Yanks do instead of punting We get into a tasty green curry and a local talking Gretzky. They’re talking Jordan. in pubs, right? pale ale, and talk of Orange and bowling and They’re talking Tiger and Roger and Rafa Belmonte’s been hearing this stuff for where it all began. on clay. years. It doesn’t annoy him anymore, not On the way out we bump into the Mayor. And Bradman. They’re talking Bradman. really. But he would set you straight if you “Keep on stickin’ it to ’em,” says Mr Mayor in

At the 2018 PBA Tour finals [from top]: shuffle in, let it rip, some body English for the occasional spare, then collect another trophy.

62 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 a way Clover Moore might not. “Every time lane, hugging the right gutter, fizzing, he remembers it, sitting on the shoulders I open the bloody paper you’re in it!” aquaplaning across the lane’s top-dressed of his partner, there’s a picture of it. The It’s true enough. With Belmonte’s success oil, hooking ever more as its parabola winning feeling became so infectious it has come something of a profile. He’s often reaches denouement. And then, near was a virus. stopped in US airports and asked for a the pins, it grips and rips, this big black He did have a bit of luck – no-one tried to photograph, a quick chat. Certainly they’re beauty, and verily begins to sing. By the end change him. His mum and dad had never very proud of him in Orange. “And it’s a good Belmonte has channelled Mitchell Starc’s bowled in their lives before they opened the thing,” he says. “It’s understanding you have late-swinging heater. And the pins clatter. bowlo. They were sweet, though – long as a responsibility. In the US, my spotlight’s It’s a cacophony of pins. A slaughter of pins. he was occupied while they ran the centre. nothing like LeBron James’s or Tiger And there are no more. There was no AIS for bowlers, no talent Woods’s. But I’m still representing myself, He looks at you and smiles. “And that’s ID program. They didn’t take him down to my sport. And it’s always nice – you’re the how I bowl.” And it’s really quite cool and Canberra to feed him the finest meats. He guy that bowls funny, I saw you on TV.” sort of weird to think you’ve just witnessed wouldn’t have listened anyway. Soon enough we’re down the road at the someone do something better than anyone Instead he just bowled and bowled and Orange Tenpin Bowl, and we’ve got our own ever has. In Orange. bowled again. You know that theory about PBA Tour private GOAT show. This is the bowlo where To ask a top sportsman why they’re good is the 10,000 hours to achieve excellence? it all began. We have a yarn with Chucky, to invite a shrug of the shoulders. Belmonte, Belmonte reached that before he was 16. the hole-drilling guy who talks of though, articulate and clear-eyed, a thinker Still the advice streamed in, well-meaning: polyurethane and centrifugal force in a way and non-drinker, has a crack. “I’ve bowled you can’t do it that way. You shouldn’t do it he perhaps believes I understand. Then more games on the lanes than perhaps that way. If you want to be any good you’ve photos courtesty Belmonte dons his golden slippers. And anyone ever,” he says, only half-joking. “I’ve gottodoittherightway,likeeveryoneelse. shows us what he does. spent my entire life bowling. If I was awake, He heard all that stuff. He just didn’t listen. The Belmo Approach is to mosey up to I was bowling.” “I have a really stubborn personality,” says the line rather than attack it. It’s casual. Belmonte’s parents started up Orange Belmonte. “And it’s been evident my entire There are guys that tear in, get all “big”, Tenpin a year before Jason was born. There life since I picked up that ten-pound ball. blustery, animated. Belmonte almost was a hole in the market – there wasn’t one. I’ve never really had a coach and no-one’s shuffles in. Then he builds up like a fast By the time the boy was 18 months old, he really tried to coach me.” bowler off a short run, his arms become a was rolling ten-pounders down the lanes. He also had a competitive streak inherent jumble before he takes the ball back like a Naturally it took two hands for the little in so many top sportos. Craig Parry’s father- halfback who wants to sling a torpedo long. tyke. And that’s how he developed his style. in-law admits fear when he plays him during Then the arm comes through and there’s He just kept on doing it. Every day. a social game of ping-pong. a wrist-flick at the end, and there’s the And he became great. He got the curve doesn’t play friendly games of ping-pong. pregnant pause at release … thing going. It was a thing no-one else could It’s always ping-pong with these people. Or And so the ball shoots away down the do. And he loved to win. Aged four he won, backyard footy. `

“BY THE END BELMONTE HAS CHANNELLED MITCHELL STARC’S LATE SWINGING HEATER. AND THE PINS CLATTER. IT’S A CACOPHONY OF PINS. A SLAUGHTER OF PINS. AND THERE ARE NO MORE.”

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 63 PBA Tour photos courtesy

“I can’t lose anything – doesn’t matter qualifiers, made his way through. In 2009, over the spare 28.4 percent of the time. what sport,” says Belmonte. “Even today, he won the Long Island Classic, which Which leaves a nudge over 4 percent, say playing with my seven-year-old, Hugo, guaranteed exemptions on the tour. Since one frame in 25, in which he “missed”. soccer in the backyard or bowling in the then, he’s won everything. He’s earned Is that good? It’s not 99.94. But it’s lane, I will not let him beat me. I joke about $1.2 million in prize-money. He’s got a deal ridiculous. it. But I’m serious – if he beats me he’s done with a major ball-maker. He is smokin’. it fair and square. I get a feeling it’ll be a nice Consider his 2017 season. By winning t’s Sunday afternoon of our little moment for him.” the PBA World Championship in Reno, he Tour de Orange, and we’re in Belmo’s And so our Belmo continued to fling the became the first player in history to win backyard for a barbecue. His kids rock down the lane. And he won and won three majors in a season. He won a Tour- play with mine. His wife shows my and won. He won everything in the bush. best $238,912 and a third George Young wife about. We drink some nice local And everything in town. Against kids or Memorial High Average Award after red and eat some nice steaks, and men, didn’t matter, he beat ’em. He worked beating his own record with 229.39 across yap about bowling and touring and out how to win. 380 games. Itwo-handed action. There’s a tour of his Sports psych types have written books In one stretch of 60 games, he bowled ten fine trophy room, with all the “Best Bowler” about it, the traits of champions. They’ve frames per game, or 600 shots. He made ESPY awards. As you read this, he’s a good studied the internal drivers of outstanding strikes 66.7 percent of the time. He knocked show of No.5. sportos who, when it matters most, produce their best. Federer, Gretzky, Wally Lewis and Warney, geniuses all. But there’s more to it. They weren’t just “talented”. Their Bowling trophies? Belmonte has plenty, but not all of America has inner psyche stung them to success. been quick to embrace him [above]. And then, aged 15, Jason went to Malaysia. And bowled a perfect game. And won the Malaysian All Stars. And he came home richer than he believed was humanly possible. “I won $16,000,” he says. “I came home, felt like I’ve got more money than every kid in school. I’m rich! I’ve got more than the mayor!” He bought a car. He bought a mobile phone. He bought cool shoes and clothes. He’d joke with his mate, see something in a shop – “I might buy that!” Mainly what he bought was epiphany. The realisation he could do it. That he could make a living doing this thing he so enjoyed. He finished high school and went to America and the Pro Tour. He played in

64 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 “IT’S NOT HOW THEY PERCEIVE THE GAME SHOULD BE PLAYED. AND WHEN I’D DO POORLY, THE HATERS WOULD MAKE SURE I READ ABOUT IT, HEARD ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT … THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH WHATEVER YOU DO, HOW YOU DO IT, HOW YOU LOOK!”

And you think, he’s so very good at what they perceive the game should be played. supporting him. Not that he needs to be told. he does. But it’s still hard to understand why And when I’d do poorly, the haters would But it’s nice, right? bowling two-handed ruffles so many feathers make sure I read about it, heard about what “My fans are the best in the world,” he says, and continues to. Why does it so rile the they thought. I’ve experienced it all through and he means it. ”They defend me. They push purists? It’s not against the rules. It works, my career. There are always people who me to be better. And best of all they interact doesn’t it? disagree with whatever you do, how you do it, with me positively on social media. They “It might always rile people,” he smiles. how you look!” truly do mean a lot to me.” “When I was an amateur in the US coming Previously, when Belmonte read criticism Down the track, Belmonte would like keep through, my style was kind of different and of his unorthodox technique or poor the Belmonte name on Orange Tenpin. “To there was some talk about it. It intrigued performances, it bothered him. “So I decided what capacity my role there would be is hard people. Then going onto the pro tour there one day, I’m going to stop going to those to say,” he smiles. “They run a tight ship, was a group of fans for whom it was also online places where I’d feed on negative I’m not sure there’s room at the moment.” intriguing. And they got into it and supported comments. I’d start looking for a more He does know he’ll keep on bowling forever, me. But there were also those that didn’t. positive intake of energy.” though he doesn’t see himself aged 50 and There was a lot of push-back.” And he found it. And he realised how many playing the senior tour. He’d miss his kids, his But why? What’s the problem? supporters he had. For every curmudgeon, family and friends. And, of course, the great “It’s not how they were taught. It’s not how there are a dozen people rooting for him. And town of Orange. ■

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 65 ANATOMY OF A CHAMP x them. x II. BRAIN this day I’ll win a tournament and there’ll be “To and I’ll go to something about my game I didn’t like says Belmonte. “When on it,” the lanes and work I continually try to fi things aren’t working, a long period of time because over I’m accurate a feel There’s causing bad shots. what’s know you bowling.” you’re how and understanding for PBA Tour

I. EYES Jason Belmonte is self- taught. He began bowling two-handed because as an 18-month old boy that’s the only way he could pick the ball up. “It’s probably easier for a child to work out than someone telling you,”he reckons. “Asa bowler, an athlete, as you grow, your game is changing. And I thought it was a benefit III. RIGHT WRIST A traditional ten-pin bowler uses his middle finger, ring that I was a chameleon, and self-taught. I had my own style and I never locked down a strict set of rules. I was open to interpretation, to developing. I always felt there wasn’t one secret. I’d feel trapped if there was. There’s no one true way. You would feel limited.” finger and thumb to cradle the ball. Yetthe thumb, to a degree, restricts the wrist movement a bowler canBelmonte have. doesn’t use his thumb. “Using a traditional grip, your wrist’s in a position that there’scan only go. so Because far I it use my let handable and to not put my the thumb, bowling I’m hand into atraditional position player that can’t a do at the release point.when Then I flick my wrist at release it’s in a stronger position. And once I continue the flick, the rotation is able to go beyond what a traditional player can impart.” photo courtesy

66 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 IV. LEFT HAND Most bowlers rely on their dominant hand during the backswing and follow through. Belmonte uses his let hand to cradle the ball on the way back, and only releases the ball with his let when it’s almost out of the fingers of his right hand. There follows a flick of his right wrist. This allows him to impart up to 50 percent more spin on the ball than regular, one-handed bowlers. It’s impressive to watch, yet hopeless without accuracy. “The analogy I like to use is like a long-driving golfer,” says Belmonte. “You can whack it 400 yards but if it’s not going where you want, it’s no good. So yes, I can rev the ball to create more power, but it still has to go the right way.”

V. BALL Greater spin means two things: a) Belmonte’s ball collides with the pins with furious force; and b) it means his balls can enter the “strike pocket” between pins one and three at a more acute, even sideways angle. As Jason with swing bowling in cricket, late swing is good swing. And Belmonte’s balls swing later and harder than

INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE anyone’s. And because Belmonte of those furious revolutions on the ball, Occupation Professionalten-pinbowlerontheAmericanPBATour when it finds the Origin Orange, NSW, Australia friction part of the lane down near the Born July 29, 1983 | pins, it grips and AUGUST 2018 2018 AUGUST Height 178cm curves so much harder and at greater speed Weight (of 6.8kg than can be imparted the ball): by three-fingered 18 PBA titles, including nine majors; four-time player of traditionalists. Status the year, 21 career 300 games on tour. 67

WOMENINSPORT ROUNDTABLE With our colleagues at The Women’s Game website, Inside Sport hosted a recent conversation with a group of long-standing advocates for women’s sport. The subject before us: how to improve participation rates for girls and women, what the boom in new leagues and pathways meant for the grassroots, and how the media can better cover women’s sport.

STATE OF PLAY walk-and-talk. Ausplay looked at 2016-17 – girls The AusPlay survey, which is 0 to 14 are less likely to be active published by the Australian Sports Danielle Warby: The thing with through club sport. So this is what Commission, recently reported that The Women’s Game is what we’re you talked about earlier, that they girls are less likely to participate in talking about is organised sport, as they will go off and do yoga, they will sport than boys, the gender gap is most people understand it. So for the be with their friends and talk, those narrower than in other countries. purposes of what you guys are trying sorts of things. Absolutely. But they Another interesting finding of the to do, those are the figures that you’re are less likely to be at club sport; survey is the influence of parents: concentrating on. I don’t care for girls that might not be something that 75 percent of kids with one parent going to yoga – we’re not talking we could or should change. Maybe active in sport are more likely to about yoga, we’re talking about sport. that’s just what we like to do. But participate. Or are we? That’s the question. there are benefits in being involved in club sport. Susie Warwick: It’s a chestnut, Cheryl Downes: I think the always has been, because a lot of girls nuances are critically important, but SW: I’ve done lots of papers on this will do things like go to yoga, dance I think the gap of girls and boys – for different ministers and public classes. You’re still doing something even if they do engage differently – health and for departments over that’s some physical activity, but it’s there is still a gap. And I think there the years. Now they factor in the never captured – there’s no turnstile, are numbers here to support that. I neuroscience for the genders: for it’s not like going to a swimming pool. could be wrong, and I’m happy to be men, from the age of little boys, their Or they walk-and-talk – boys don’t told I’m wrong … communication skills take longer to

68 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 come about. For girls, they make Angela Bacic, friendships through being able to Editor of The talk with other girls. Boys make Women’s Game friendships by being part of a team. They start the friendships from a Cheryl young age being part of a team. Downes, And that’s why boys from the age Co-Editor of of 15 – while girls are dropping off The Women’s – stay in teams, because that’s their Game friendship group. You drive past schools and you see the boys are out hitting a ball on the cricket pitch. And Danielle girls are sitting on seats, talking, Warby, having lunch together. women’s sport It’s a difficult one. The other advocate problem is girls have so many other things better than boys, which is was better than my brother at all distractions: they can go shopping, skipping and side to side running. sports. My caution there is, let’s not Lindsey Cane, they can go to see movies, go to a But when it comes to catching and stereotype the other way. ambassador concert. There’s all these other kicking, the girls are really at a for the distractions for them; for girls, it’s disadvantage. GAME CHANGERS Confederation harder to keep them. There’s actually a program that’s One of AusPlay’s conclusive findings of Australian come out of Newcastle Uni that’s was the decline in sport Sport and Anne Jackson: Another of the called the Dadee program. And it’s all participation for girls after the age former CEO complexities is that girls do not get about getting dads and young girls of 12 – in the nine-to-11 age group, of Netball the influence of dads; what dads through a program. They teach both participation peaks at 83 percent, Australia do with their boys, going out and about the pink-ification of girls and before falling to 75 percent. Another throwing and kicking the ball. They how gender stereotyping comes in noticeable trend through these age Anne don’t do that with girls, and their from the day you’re born ... These groups is the change in types of Jackson, mothers don’t do that generally, dads want to have a relationship with sports – activities such as swimming NSW Office either. So young girls are not the girls. But they’re not actually sure and gymnastics give way to team of Sport developing fundamental movement how to have rough play with girls – sports, tilting more in the male skills that make it easy for them to be should they be doing this? And also direction. Susie good. So little girls are behind the they teach the little girls about Warwick, eight-ball from very young [to when] unconscious bias. And it’s having CD: So we’re seeing a change in the director of Ski they get to school. In NSW, the amazing results. kinds of sports that girls are doing. & Snowboard differences between fundamental There are different types of sports Australia movement skills in boys and girls is Lindsey Cane: I’m going to offer a emerging that are maybe seen as really dramatic. Girls can do some comment, being a tomboy, because I viable for women or girls. But from `

Danielle Warby

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 69 Ausplay in 2017: when they grow up, give up school at 14 – their THERE isn’t good, it’s “I’ve tried sport and I women are less likely to participate bodies are changing. It’s ARE SOME don’t like it. I’m not going back here.” in sport. And that’s the heritage of: embarrassing for them to it’s not what you should do, those put on something that’s INTERESTING DW: I’ve seen the new campaign, the kinds of social expectations … clinging to them. They’re POINTS Shoosh campaign. It’s been going What should we actually do in so self-conscious about AROUND around, you know, because that’s terms of increasing participation their bodies anyway at SPORTSWEAR. something that I certainly remember rates for females in terms of what’s that point, to have to run IT’S GENERALLY as a young person playing sport and already out there? out in something that NOT MADE having all that yelling and screaming they’re conscious of while SPECIFIC TO on the sidelines. You see it now, it’s SW: My research is actually showing they’re playing … WOMEN. LOOK horrendous. that this whole wave of activewear that everybody wears everywhere – AJ: I don’t think that AT FOOTBALL and has become cool to do it – has Ausplay has really picked UNIFORMS, IF YOU BUILD IT … actually brought girls to school. It’s a up the barrier that other THEY HAVE A perennial issue of the barriers to cultural thing, like basketball: the research has picked up. BEEN WEARING entry for women in sport – a lack of music, the clothes, the whole thing. That is, for girls, being MEN’SFIT facilities. And even when there are Activewear has actually made girls self-conscious is one of OUTFITS. places to play, they often don’t cater think “I want to do sport”. the biggest reasons they to women and girls. For instance, an drop out around that time. audit of cricket facilities found that LC: But that often ends up in the Ausplay now shows the out of 3000 changerooms, 80 percent gym, doesn’t it? drop-out starts after around 11 – the were not female-friendly. That’s not 9-11 is the highest participation rate the only barrier – creating programs SW: Yeah, there’s not been any for girls, and it drops after that. that reach and provide opportunity research on it. But it’s really curious. Victoria has taken the campaign to participants, from young ages You think that Lorna Jane, “This Girl Can” and it’s based on how right into school. Lululemon and all of those you look when you’re exercising. companies would be doing that What we’ve been finding – we’re just DW: One of the things we looked at themselves, they must know. developing a women in sport strategy was talking to local councils about at the moment – is they’re changing facilities; young girls and young CD: There are some interesting what sports are offering to appeal women don’t want to go into points around sportswear as well. more to girls. So it’s not just about disgusting toilets that haven’t been It’s generally not made specific to fixing the girls – you’ve got a look at cleaned. And this is something that women. Nike recently came out and the structures and what sports is being looked at by that local said for WNBA uniforms, they are offering and the culture. When you go government level because it’s kind tailoring them specific to female into a sport and often it’s dads and of just gross, that kind of facility players. When you look at football moms coaching, you need those little management. Sometimes, they don’t uniforms, they have been wearing girls to walk into a friendly and even have female change rooms. men’s-fit outfits. supportive environment. That first People say things to me, “We get experience they have is really changed on the sideline.” And that’s SW: That’s another reason why girls important because if that experience my games – I’m 40 years old. And

Anne Jackson Lindsey Cane

70 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Susie Warwick

then there was that expose which at football, it’s the A, B, C and D-grade access anything that says the use of a The Women’s Game did previously men will have access to facilities ball is terrific in developing fine gross about W-League players getting before your elite women. So equal motor coordination and verbal skills, changed in the kitchen, on buses ... access, Title IX or something like then you could work systematically that, to facilities that we have with preschool associations to train AJ: Cricket has just done a National available … or put on webinars for young people. Audit of their facilities and they Because if they learn those habits, found a very low percentage of them LC: The point going to my question they are far more likely to do some had adequate changerooms for is, we need to be thinking about sort of sport with a ball, at least up women and girls. That’s one of the the way young people develop, totheageof14. biggest areas for local government: and the habits they develop in the getting fields, people to use them, and beginning. I’m looking at these SW: There is a government program installing female change facilities. So figures ... in the last two years of – I know at SSA, we are one of the this is a really big focus. Victoria, primary school, nine to 11, it’s not beneficiaries of it – the schools South Australia and Queensland all the early years. And then five to program where we take sports all have female facilities funds. eight, it’s just coming into school. over Australia, Sporting Schools. So to think about systemic change; They realised that what most kids DW: One of the things when we if we could have a system where were playing – girls playing netball, talk about the increased participation every child had the experience boys playing cricket, football – and of women and girls is ... it’s like there of just playing with a ball ... For me, then wanted to introduce them to just aren’t enough facilities now. playing with a ball was a way of new sports. engaging, socialising – the ball So they provided funding for these SW: You know, there’s not enough was pivotal. specific sports and we’re one of them. courts in Victoria. You are just In my charity, we’ve got kids who I know it sounds ridiculous – we turning junior teams away. They are autistic, conduct disorders, teach snowboarding in primary can’t even start. The parents are behavioural disorders, who have all school. We have modified equipment there, they want them to play and sorts of complex issues. And we use that we use, and we do videos. We’ve there’s not enough facilities for them. the ball on the playground all the taken it that step further –we give They can’t get court time to socialise them. It all comes them a golden ticket so that they can time. It’s a diabolical. back to the ball and physical actually have a snow experience and This is a traditional CRICKET HAS movement. There’s a lot more to it go up the mountain, either as an game in Australia: your JUST DONE than that, but it’s fundamental. excursion with the teacher or with grandmothers played A NATIONAL So imagine a world where their parents. it, your mothers played preschool teachers are taught that if Equestrian does it as well. I don’t it, I’ve coached my AUDIT OF THEIR a child is … made familiar with a ball, know what they do, hobby horses or daughter’s team. It’s FACILITIES AND then the chances of them wanting to something. But the kids just love it, just shocking. THEY FOUND engage with someone around them, if absolutely love it. They love being A VERY LOW there was evidence to say that exists able to move, they love being able to CD: It’s about equal PERCENTAGE ... then potentially you could build up drive things. They’re open to it at access to the facilities OF THEM HAD something. that age. I think if we could push that we have available ADEQUATE that more. And so many schools are as well. Netball might SW: They don’t do that. They play, actually cutting sport out of the be a little bit of a CHANGEROOMS they have gyms, monkey bars, slides, curriculum. That’s the really different space. I’m not FOR WOMEN but they don’t actually use a ball. frightening part, because they’ve sure. But when we look AND GIRLS. LC: That’sright.Soifwewereableto got so much else. `

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 71 with having a diversity A LOT OF Academy for girls just recently COVERING focus; that you just bring PEOPLE ARE started, too. THE GAME along the mainstream GOING INTO The Women’s Game started out with that. You don’t SW: You’re right about extending the almost a decade ago and focused on have to cater things so SPORT SAYING, net wider to catch those people who football. It has since branched out differently, just by being IF I’M NOT aren’t really sporty, because the ones to cover a range of women’s sports – more inclusive and GOING TO BE who are, will be begging their parents and our panel had plenty to say open. Because the thing THE BEST AND to put them in it anyway. So we need about the diversity of sporting is with sport, not I LOSE, THEN I to spread that net. experience, at the elite level and everyone’s sporty. It’s MAY AS WELL I remember Robert de Castella said below, that could and should be sort of trying to talk NOT START. once, and it’s never left me, that his covered. about sport like sport’s parents always said to him: “You been talked about ad don’t have to be the best. You just CD: For all these things we’re talking infinitum around men. have to be the best you.” And I think about, what are the objectives we can That doesn’t interest a that’s important for kids to know. actually do something about at The lot of women. You’ve got Women’s Game and Inside Sport? your rare people like DW: Best version of yourself? It also Whether or not we cover things Sam Kerr who played worked for Michelle Bridges … differently, or our scope is this big football with the boys, But I think one of the things that or that big? because she was one of the boys. But women feel left out of with sport is that’s not everyone. So really taking the tribalism of it. But everyone’s SW: Is there an opportunity to a different look at your approach looking for a tribe, everyone’s looking speak to the big sports? They have about how you talk about sport, who for their community. Some of us have development programs for young you talk about when you talk about ready-made communities, but if kids, and if they can afford sport, and just sort of blowing that you’re sort of Joe Blow down the development officers, they do go into open a bit. street, you’re like, what’s mine? And schools, and they’ll even have an in some cases, it’s sport. information night for the parents – LC: I think that’s a great idea, So how can you kind of tap into that some of them do it really well … I because you’re not doing sport just to idea that everyone wants to be a part think if you speak to some of the be the best. But a lot of people are of something, but make it actually sports as well and help them to going into sport saying, if I’m not something valuable? Rather than, promote their participation, find out going to be the best and I lose, then I when you’re talking this health and what they do ... may as well not start. fitness stuff, be very careful not to There’s the Clontarf Academy, an talk fitspo, because that market is DW: I think from an editorial academy that was put together for done. And it’s problematic to say perspective, when I was working at Aboriginal boys to keep them off the the least. SBS, there’s a charter around street. They use sport for leadership diversity, whether it’s people from training, life skills. So to your point AJ: The Women’s Game is outward non-English-speaking backgrounds about broadening –people can go into facing to all these people. If you or Aboriginal people, making sure sport for lots of reasons, in this case, connect with the organisations that that there are people with disability, for young Aboriginal boys dying to are doing good things in women’s making sure that our stories get into Clontarf, because it gives sport, and you help them project represent broader Australian culture. them a way forward using sport. So that’s out there ... But originally with I think that’s what’s really great they love sport. There’s a Clontarf The Women’s Game, your focus was on the elite side …

ROLE MODELS The roundtable was agreed on one thing – the growing profile of the new women’s leagues could be a great boon to girls’ participation in sport.

AJ: Women are much greater users of social media, so that’s fantastic that you have those avenues. And you’re going to pick up a lot of, probably, younger girls through that. Are there links you can make on your socials to other girls’ sites, so they get a look at a different picture of women and begin normalising women playing sport? Because, coming from role models, that’s really powerful.

LC: The girls just adore the stars.

SW: They line up for ages to get

72 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 autographs, and the stars are so good with them – they’re still on the court 45 minutes after the match. Social media has been a game- changer here. Our athletes from SSI are overseas for at least six months of the year, they have an enormous following on social media. It’s been a game-changer for sponsorship … They’re eloquent and succinct. They take beautiful photos and they are all around the world. So they’ve got this major following ... we couldn’t get sponsorship for them because they weren’t in Australia long enough.

AB: It comes down to having faces of the game. When I was growing up, I had people who were my netball heroes, like , playing the moment, but that doesn’t mean than the company, so they dropped all professional netball. But when I was that you can go to any young girl and that and went back to just promoting playing football, I didn’t really have she’ll be able to tell you the name of a the Australian Ballet Company. And that – I had what, Tim Cahill was the famous elite female athlete. We’re in they lost subscriptions. People want person most kids looked up to. this bubble, and this stuff’s reaching to see stars. If you asked a bunch of NPL players us, but it’s not reaching them. The who they grew up watching, it’s not Australian Sports Commission put AJ: If you really want to connect really women’s football players. And I out a report a few years ago about the with the young girls, you’ve got be think the same goes for AFL and whole point of it was: how do we going where they are. But take those rugby league; a lot of girls do not have promote women’s sport? And their role models to them – maybe you are those role models to look up to. I key takeaway was make them sponsoring athletes to connect with think we could be doing something in famous, pick one or two athletes for girls and showing those girls that you that area – here’s a role model, and each sport that you focus on. have this website: look at these here’s a sport that these girls are amazing women, and it comes back to playing in a professional way. SW: I contributed to that. Ballet was the “if she can see it, she can be it”, an example because for a while, the which is the US slogan. That’s what DW: Yeah, I think you’re right there. Australian ballet had decided that the you can do, help get that out. ■ Because we might be in this bubble at performers were getting to be bigger

mentor sessions with rebel Ambassadors Laura Geitz and Jess Fox. This year’s winners ...

WBBL rebel Young Gun: Sophie Molineux Sophie (pictured right), who played for the Renegades in WBBL 03, was named the rebel NEXT GEN PROGRAM Young Gun after a breakout season. The 20-year-old took her game to another level, rebel women rise to every challenge. They belting 318 runs at an average of 26.50, with a are chance-takers, take no heed of naysayers, strike rate of 116.06 and produced some they tell it like it is, are inspired and they match-winning innings along the way. Sophie inspire. They are women who champion continues to go from strength to strength themselves and those around them. rebel after being selected for the Australian Squad women break down barriers mentally, socially for the ODI and T20 tour of India. and physically. They do not stand alone, they stand to show the way. AFLW rebel Young Leader: Libby Birch A key pillar of rebel’s commitment to women Libby Birch played in the premiership- W-League rebel Role Model: Jada Whyman in sport is to teach and evolve young female winning Western Bulldogs side in the 2018 Jada, an 18-year-old goalkeeper, appeared athletes. In conjunction with the experts AFLW Season. Only taking up AFL in 2016 after for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the from each of our code partnerships, rebel making the switch from competitive netball, 2017/18 season, playing in 11 out of her looks to identify and reward a young female Libby showcased her potential as a future star team's 14 matches. She also represented athlete with a tailored professional through her incredible on-field performance, Australia as a Young Matilda, playing at the development program – rebel NextGen. not only earning her the rebel Young Leader 2017 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Developed in collaboration with former Award, but a NAB Rising Star nomination, as Nanjing, China. Jada is not only excelling Diamonds netballer , the well as selection into the 2018 All Australian on the field, but off it as well, acting as NextGen program provides essential skills Squad. As well as excelling on the field, Libby a great role model within the community, and knowledge to enable female athletes is just as active off it, constantly volunteering conducting over 30 community and media to develop and forge strong careers both and working in the community with the AFL appearances this season. She is also a mentor on field and beyond. The program is further Kids Channel and Schools Sports Victoria as a for Indigenous footballers in her local area complimented by access to one on one mentor for young students. and around the country.

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 73 74 INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE | AUGUST 2018 AUGUST What do you have towork onasaunit HE QUICK-THINKING 24-YEAR-OLD HEART OFTHEMELBOURNE XENS’ DEFENCEPROVIDES ANINSIGHTINTO WHAT ITTAKES TO wood, myself included;I’m an at times? ve really beenlooking atfull-courtdefence; quite asteepgrowth spurtwhenIwas in k alotoftherivalry just work intermsofchasingyour position underthepump. or adefender. Shooters are normallythe pies coming along? Mustget prettypies comingalong? urne Vixens andtheCollingwood am isCollingwood fullstop; erting thosepossessionsinto goals. Those naturally from thefact the ed toseewhatthestatisticisfor theaver- ary capwillbeincreased to $515,000 re themostimportant ying pressure tooppositionsandcausing tes ofagood defender? ng. hoes on.I’m actuallysomewhataverage t pressure andreally putting about thatnever-giving-up ht ofaSuperNetball player. I’m inthetop hen defenders, I’d thenthemid-court. be stead inrecent games, andwe’ll bereally m, your height iscertainlyanasset. defence, andIreally liked I’m it. 188cmtall nd-of-season matches approach? thin ourteam,butnotthetallest. ntercepts andturnovers. endon fan. It’s beenbred into esaestigtptrea eg to go we as top-three sitting are xens CEL INPRONETBALL…ALLTHEWHILEKEEPINGTHOSEPESKY ecently announcedthat theSuperNet- ow’s therivalrybetween theMel- nder itcomesdown toyour teenage years, whichmeantIwas shafted efence issomewhat equiva- novers. Thenwe’ve beenlookingatcon- tagging role. Itrequires alot ck around butwith thecourt, hooter like otherplayers whohave t like Collingwood sinceI o work with? wo combinedhave putusinpretty good lot ofpeoplewhodon’t like ocussing onthoseinthepushtofi read theplay, whichhelps s itthat you became a defender rather it’s always aboutapplying . There’s improvement togo asfar JOWESTON CROSS-TOWN RIVAL MAGPIES AT BAY. N NOE WITH... ONE ON ONE personal attack purposefully, or As athletes you against them. having agoat someone and opposition in elbowing the don’t seeus making ita nals. the head the young fans, girlsespecially, watching thesport.” them. Thatwould setaterrible examplefor alotof at someoneandmakingitapersonal attack against opposition intheheadpurposefully, orhaving ago sports. Asathletes, you don’t seeuselbowing the of thegame. We doprideourselves onbeinggreat on whatIthoughtwas agreat shot!It’s thenature catch myself congratulating theoppositionshooter bit …totrycatch my breath. Ieven sometimes centre passitis. Ialways tryto delay thatalittle we gettold toreturn theballstraight towhoever’s there intheheat ofbattle? yourself andtheoppositionshootersout Back tothebanter: what’s itlike between Who knows? Maybe itnever will. increases. I’m waiting toseewhenitwillplateau… felt like thestandard ofcompetition I’ve involved, more intently…rather thanspending focus could I support myself. Beingpaidfor training meant that uni andalsohaving towork toearnsomemoney to I startedwiththeVixens, Iwas training, goingto cial helpmeansyou can focus onyour When sport. the doorandthere’s alotgoingon,theextra fi Melbourne. Whenyou’re trying togetyour foot in when you’re livinginacityasexpensive tolive inas $12,000, whichisnotalotofmoney, especially with theVixens, my fi who are onalower wage. WhenIinitiallystarted majority ofthatwillgotowards therookie players, must helpabit? bump-up latest that but concerned, are wages The game ispretty quick;onceagoalisscored, Our minimumwage hasincreased. Ithinkthe more exciting. Every year I’ve been game hasmore variation initandis international players meansour Andthenjusthavingtact sport. more physical, even thoughit’s anon-con- the sportisgetting more andmore we can befaster, more dynamic, better shapeasathletes;onthecourt time totraining, itmeanswe’re in able todedicate more andmore Again, withusbeing ism ofthesport. tion withtheincreased professional- more intense orfaster? Champs? Hastheactiongot any began o thebackofANZ on courtsinceSuperNetball What changes have you noticed hours working atmy local IGA. The riseinintensity isincorrela- rst contract was worth – James Smith nan-

left photo courtesy main photo by Getty Images INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 75 76 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Getty Images

LIKE HISSPORT HASBROKENTHROUGHTHEOLDNOTIONS ABOUTIT. AUSTRALIA’S FIRST UFC ROBERT WHITTAKER SHATTERS THEMOULDOFWHAT YOU EXPECT AFIGHTERTO BE,MUCH

CHAMPION –ANDITS BEST FIGHTER,PERIOD–ISNOT ONETO BECAGED.

By

JEFF CENTENERA JEFF INSIDE SPORT SPORT INSIDE | AUGUST 2018 2018 AUGUST 77

obert Whittaker is feeling fine. Honest. He’s clad in a nice blue suit, the kind that doesn’t look out of place Ron a corporate type going about his business. The accessories, though, give it away. Few white-collars have reason to carry a title belt to work, a leather-and-gold- plated status symbol that’s as subtle as, well, a kick to the head. Then there’s the cast bulging out of his sleeve, containing the broken right hand he suffered in his fight against Yael Romero, only days ago. It still doesn’t stop him from shaking the hands of well-wishers with the bum paw. Trying to unscrew the lid off a drink bottle, with that he needs some help. To think that’s the worst that the 27-year-old from Sydney has to deal with is rather hard for the Whittaker- non-fighter to believe. Whittaker’s face Romero II: even better the is marked around the eyes, and he’s missing second time. a good chunk of incisor. He mentions that he needs to see a dentist, among all the other things he has to do. But again – he’s feeling fine. “Nah, I’m all right,” he says, looking out at the view from The Star’s terrace lounge. “Apart from this funny-looking tooth I have right now, because the crown’s missing. And my broken hand. I’m not in too much of a bad way.” He had described the slugfest with Romero in their headline turn at UFC 225 in Chicago as the toughest he’d ever endured. The immediate aftermath was kind by the usual standards of post-fight recovery. “It depends,” Whittaker says. “Whenever I

break a hand in a fight, it’s annoying. Living with one hand is a pain in the arse. But when I did my knee last fight, it was also trying, very hard at the time. But I have a very supportive family.” Whittaker mentions that when he’s done with the interview, he’ll change out of the suit into pyjamas, and go relax with his kids. He’s enjoying this downtime with his loved ones, set up in a suite at the hotel. It’s a one-night stopover before he heads into surgery in the city tomorrow, and then he’ll be back at his home in Mt Annan in Sydney’s south-western edge, the place he most wants to be. Turns out the UFC middleweight champ and avatar for the fearsome, new-age fight game is, ultimately, a homebody. “I hate leaving the house,” he says. “I love staying in my pyjamas, all day, every day. Playing

computer games – I’m smashing Elder Images Getty Scrolls Online. Absolutely killing it with my buddies, having a great time on that.”

Whittaker says he was playing the game photos by

78 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 before he headed out to face Rome you think that’s a strange way to p the intensity and carnage of the U Fighting Championship, Whittake notes that he plays games before a of his fights. The question near asks itself: does he play fighting games? “I’m no stranger to Street Fighter,” he says, adding that Ryu is usually his character of choice. Does he see something of himself Ryu, the game’s noble warrior? “H as fast as Ken, but he packs more So yeah, maybe.”

ith his win over Romero June, the second time he has defeated the Cuban wrestler, WRobert Whittaker validated his status within his sport, and beyond. It was a non-title fight – Romero’s failure to make weight put paid to that – but Whittaker’s gutsy, one-handed decision victory was his way of earning a title that he did not claim in the octagon, having been awarded the belt when Georges St-Pierre vacated it in late 2017. While he would have preferred to win it the traditional way, it didn’t bother Whittaker. “Anyone that follows the sport understood that I’ve now fought the no.1 contender twice in a row, which is ridiculous,” he says. “If they had seen the fights, they’d understand that I slogged through ’em to take those wins. I didn’t just get handed anything. I had to fight a beast, the boogeyman of the division, beat him twice, to solidify my spot.” Nevertheless, it would be a signal event for the sport in Australia – the crowning of the nation’s first UFC champion, a moment that had been further denied last February when Whittaker’s encounter against Luke Rockhold at UFC221 in Perth was delayed because of illness. Inadvertently, the timing of Whittaker-Romero II in Chicago did make a statement about the burgeoning cultural place of the UFC and mixed martial arts vis a vis its forebear in boxing. As Jeff Horn’s bout against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas was rescheduled to the exact, same day, leading to some consternation among pay-per-view television programmers, there was a sense of the fight games, old and new, duking it out. The much-heralded Horn was comprehensively whupped; a few hours later, Whittaker put on the fight of the year. The partisans of UFC surely rejoiced. It also reaffirmed a point made by Danny Green, a boxer, a couple of years The belt, back – Robert Whittaker is the best claimed: the middleweight fighter in the country, period. Within champ with his the UFC, his technical skills are widely spoils. lauded, as he’s capable of dealing with `

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 79 an Olympian wrestler such as Romero, or a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert such as Jacare Souza. But it’s not only about the record Whittaker is running up, now 19-4 with an ongoing streak of nine wins. It is, perhaps, for the most elemental aspect of gladiatorial greatness: are we not entertained? Whittaker and Romero’s first fight was terrific to watch, but the second didn’t have to happen. When the challenger came in slightly over the 83.9kg limit, Whittaker was under no obligation to fight. Having trained for it and travelled all the way to Chicago, he was loath to let it pass. As the fight began, Whittaker collected the early

rounds against Romero, who seemed to be feeling the effects of his last-ditch attempts to shed weight. Then came the third round. In the UFC’s best stanza for 2018, Romero rocked Whittaker early, who then recovered to land some shots of his own. One problem: his right hand went numb. “I just could not feel my hand,” he says. “In one of the rounds, you can see me playing with it a little bit because I’m trying to warm it up. It’s just not responding. Obviously, at the time, I didn’t think it was that bad but I had done something to it. “The only thing I could think about was like, ‘Man, you just got to keep throwing it.’ I know I couldn’t feel it so I couldn’t pack a lot of punch behind it, but I just had to keep working. There’s two options when you get hurt seriously in a fight: it’s keep fighting, or quit.” Romero finished strongly, including a dominant last round that many observers saw as a possible 10-8 score. That would have earned Romero at least a tie, or maybe even a win. Instead, Whittaker had earned an entertaining split decision, albeit one that cries out for a rematch. The public would hardly begrudge it – the pair have that mesh of styles that makes for a great contest. They had set a record for a five- round middleweight fight in combining for 239 significant strikes. The champ, though, was less enthusiastic about the prospect of a trilogy. He questioned how the 41-year-old had shaped up for this fight: “He felt stronger, he felt bigger. His body felt harder. It’s a weird feeling. You wouldn’t think a guy his age could change that much in a year if at all. Especially so much so physically, so it was Getty Images Getty Mix it up: very weird. wins over Hester [right], “I beat him twice already. There’s nothing

Romero [above], left undecided, there’s nothing left in the air. photos by and Souza.

80 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 Tai Tuivasa has his hand up for UFC stardom. My last fight with him, I fought for the fans … That was an exhibition fight for them. Yeah, he’s lucky I gave him that fight.”

ood fortune is something that Rob Whittaker appreciates – after all, his sporting life is one he couldn’t have Gforeseen while growing up. While the UFC was still in its fringe outlaw phase, the young Whittaker played a range of sports as well as taking up karate. At 14, he joined Henry Perez’s gym in Menai that practised hapkido, an eclectic Korean martial art that shares a root with Japanese aikido, a form of self-defence that emphasises throws and locks. However, hapkido spans a greater range of techniques, including hand strikes and kicks, as well as traditional weapons (which, of course, convinced Whittaker to take it up). Perez broadened the gym to incorporate mixed martial arts, and Whittaker found an easy transition from the variety of hapkido to MMA to be an easy one. MMA offered a sporting outlet – he wasn’t fast enough for the point-scoring of traditional martial arts competition, and he “was too much of a brute”. By 2009, he was part of the local cage fighting scene. NEXT IN THE OCTAGON In an essential part of Whittaker’s Rob Whittaker finally put Australia on the map in the UFC’s title stakes. Who can follow? backstory, he was also training at the time as The name that has fans excited is Tai Tuivasa, who fought on the undercard of UFC225, winning an apprentice electrician for the railways. a decision over veteran . The 25-year-old heavyweight from western Sydney has “I was a fourth-year apprentice when I quit,” the athletic bona fides – he was signed to the NRL’s Sydney Roosters, but his football career ended he says. “I chose the electrical trade because over a gambling addiction in 2010. I was leaving school, I was doing a lot of He started his MMA career two years later, and has been undefeated in eight fights. He’s the sports, but I didn’t really have an idea of ninth-ranked heavyweight in the UFC, and is closing on Daniel Ricciardo for making the shoey his where I wanted to go career-wise. Because trademark victory celebration. “I think Tai Tuivasa can go the whole way,” Whittaker says. “I think he’s talented enough. It’s up to like I said before, my sport at the time wasn’t him, if he does or not. And the grace of God obviously – no one can say what will happen in a fight. a career option. “We have talent now coming up through the ranks that knock the socks off me ... we have young “I wanted to do a trade that paid well and I guys at my gym now that are much too young to fight, but you can see the talent brimming in them. didn’t have to get too dirty. Electrical fit all “A lot of the younger dudes are getting in earlier; they’re starting their foundation work for my needs.” mixed martial arts and combat sports much, much earlier nowadays than before.” He had a fall-back, but he also finally connected with his larger ambition. Whittaker recalls encountering the UFC for the first time when he went with his father to one of its first events in Sydney. The company itself was going through one of its boom periods, staging its 100th event and gaining ever more traction with charismatic stars such as St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Brock Lesnar. If the view hadn’t quite yet worn off that the UFC was organised brutality – it was still banned in Victoria at the time – it was on the path to legit. It definitely was in the eyes of a young mixed martial artist/apprentice railway sparky: “I remember telling my dad that one day I’ll be there.” Whittaker would benefit from another of the unique avenues that UFC had cultivated in its rise, reality TV. The UFC’s former owners, the Fertitta brothers, had once appeared in a series about their Vegas casino, and with business partner Dana White – a personality made for the reality `

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 81 From face of the UFC, to game face on pre-fight [right].

clubs and doing funny things like that; you really do need to be true to yourself.” says. “But it wasn’t too many years after that Whittaker re-evaluated his training that I thought, I could make a good living regimen, surrounded himself with new genre – they had developed The Ultimate from this … when I first left TUF,itwasjust people such as boxing coach Justin Fighter (or TUF) into a key vehicle for a matter of fighting and paying bills. That’s Fitzgerald, Brazilian jiu-jitsu guru (and finding new talents, building up their profile it. That’s all I was happy with.” Souths NRL tackling coach) Alex Prates and and reaching audiences that wouldn’t be Whittaker won his debut fight on a big performance mastermind Fabricio Itte. He found from behind the pay-per-view curtain. Vegas card at UFC160. Then he hit a bump made another critical decision – he moved White still says that without the show, there in the road: consecutive losses, including a up from welterweight into middleweight, a might not be a UFC. first-round stoppage at the barraging hands more natural class for him. He won his first In true reality style, Whittaker found of Stephen Thompson in February 2014. For fight at that level in a late 2014 UFC Fight himself locked in a house with a bunch of Whittaker, defeat turned out to be a Night event in Sydney. He hasn’t lost since, blokes wired not to get along. This TUF teachable moment: “I had to have those and looking at the state of the division after had an Australia-versus-England theme, losses to start re-evaluating how I was doing the Romero fight, some are predicting subtitled ”The Smashes”, with a bunch of everything, inside the octagon and outside. I Whittaker could emulate the dominant lightweights and welterweights from the made some changes inside the gym, in my reign of the UFC’s greatest middleweight, two nations contesting an elimination training. But I also had to make some very Anderson Silva. bracket between hijinks and celebrity drop- big decisions outside of the octagon with ins. Whittaker prevailed among the welters, who I was as a person. Because a lot of mixed t almost seemed like a lark – Robert defeating Brit Brad Scott in the final. martial arts athletes, and a lot of athletes in Whittaker had qualified for the 2018 It was a tough experience, but it had been general, I think overlook that – how you live team in freestyle valuable for him – outside Idol or The Voice your life outside of your sport directly Iwrestling. It was a rather novel code launching new recording artists, a reality TV impacts how you perform in your sport. crossover: from wearing the belt in the show has rarely been so effective in forging a “In my opinion, you can’t run around prize-fighting cage to chasing a gold medal Getty Images Getty new career path. “When I left the house in as a bad dude trying to sell that you’re at the old empire’s multi-sport carnival. TUF, that was the first opportunity that I an honourable guy and a good role model Alas, schedules conspired to keep Whittaker thought, well I can do this for a living,” he for kids if on the weekend you’re hitting the from heading to the Gold Coast. photos by

82 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 “Everything was looking good until we had he’s seen as a great athlete.” he says. “Some good light is being shed on a clash of dates,” he says. “Unfortunately, In an era when the promotion’s defining the sport and we’ve been recognised as one pays my bills so I have to lean towards figure is the voluble Irishman Conor athletes: not thugs, not ruffians, but as what I make a living off. But to be able to McGregor, unassuming doesn’t quite athletes; as the elite athletes that we are. make the Commonwealth Games team cut it for ultimate fighting fame (as Day “I’m excited for the sport, wherever it and to be able to get that opportunity to puts it tersely, “It’s different in America”). leads, and if I can have a hand in its growth, represent Australia in another sport – that is Whittaker might not end up a household and in history, why not?” a part of my other sport – it was great.” name in the US – for all its thrills, UFC225 But if his venture into wrestling revealed Those bills are being paid in full these didn’t do that well with the pay-per- something about Whittaker, it’s that he days. Whittaker stands to capitalise as the viewing public – but his personality fights for a reason far more fundamental face of the UFC in Australia, the star it can would seem ideally suited for his more than a living, or the good reputation of orbit around in this part of the world. He sceptical compatriots. “The thing is, some fast-growing sport. If the UFC also has the type of character that can bury especially with Aussies, is that we can had never come along, he’d still be in a the last remaining bits of negativity around tell when someone’s putting it on,” ring or on a mat, hand to hand, at close the sport. “One of the great things about Rob Whittaker says. “That’s what my old man quarters, for the pure experience of is how appealing he is across the board, not said to me: he goes, ‘They can tell when competition. It justifies all the hurt, all the only to MMA fans as a fighter, but because of you’re bullshitting, son.’” talk, all the frivolity that often accompanies how he holds himself: humble, a family man, The next loss, or the sudden career the fighter’s life. For Whittaker, there is no he sees himself as a role model,” says his downturn, is never too far away in the UFC boss battle to mark the end – to fight is a way manager Titus Day. – just ask Ronda Rousey. But whatever of life. “The love for MMA was all about the “From the last time he beat Romero, happens to Rob Whittaker, his status as the fight, the warrior spirit, the lifestyle of being which was a year ago, the change in the nation’s first UFC champ is something that a combat athlete,” he says. “That’s what stigma from that moment was really big. can never be taken away. And with it comes drew me in. Now, it’s leaped forward again. Before an obligation, and an opportunity. “I’d be fighting somewhere. Whether it then, we were struggling to get sponsors “One of my biggest objectives is to help the was UFC or someone else, I would have on board, mainstream breakfast TV, sport grow in Australia so that young dudes, gravitated towards some sort of option like radios weren’t really interested. Whereas generations away from me, can seriously that. Because I feel that everyone always now, everyone is talking about him and consider the sport as a career opportunity,” ends up doing what they’re supposed to.” ■

INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 83

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▲ The top women's rugby league players are reaching out for more opportunities. NSW Origin player, and active-duty Army soldier Talesha Quinn prepares for the match at North Sydney Oval. OLDER AND WISER

My attitude towards training and recovery has HOW TO LAST IN definitely changed as I have gotten deeper into my career. Just like anyone with age, as a professional athlete you start to realise how much more you THE FRONT ROW have to look after your body. Around the ages of 26-27, it sinks in that you have to start giving your body a bit of extra attention, or else you’re not WITH TIM MANNAH going to get those same results you always have. In recent seasons, I’ve done a lot of extra work or ten seasons now, Tim Mannah has up more than 200 appearances in the NRL which I probably wouldn’t have done in the first trucked it up the middle for his beloved since making his first-grade debut back in half of my career. Don’t get me wrong – as a F Parramatta Eels, aiming to provide 2009 – and his Eels team-mates have been younger player I would always be up for doing extra that ultra-vital yardage platform for the working with Technogym for a while now, as work; I was never the most talented player. But team’s playmakers to work their magic off. the blue-and-golds aim to get the most out now I’m a lot more intent on making improvements But as tough, rugged and unstoppable as of their pre- and mid-season cardio and gym to my body and working on it to make sure I can be bookend props such as Mannah may appear sessions. Here, he takes us through how prop the best I can be. at first glance, at the end of the day they forwards keep backing up week after week, You have to do a lot more extra work recovery are only human – and need constant tune- sharing what it takes to compete consistently and training preparation-wise to make sure you ups as the season progresses. in one of the toughest positions on the rugby have your body in peak condition. When you’re The 30-year-old Mannah – who has clocked league field. young, you’re probably thinking that you don’t need a warm-up at all. But the older you get ... PILATES

Extra treatment work is important, things like Pilates help a lot. It’s more about mobility and also improving your core strength. Personally, the big one for me is mobility. Pilates has really helped me in that department. The better and more free your body is moving, the easier you’ll find game day, and everyday training for that matter. I guess the Pilates is the big one that often surprises people about our training. Outsiders often think that big, tough footballers wouldn’t think of Pilates as a preparation method. GYM SESSIONS

The number of times we hit the gym during the week depends on how many days we have in between games – or the turnaround as it’s called in rugby league. If we have nine or ten days between games, our trainers will squeeze in a solid gym session. The majority of the time, though, our whole week will be about recovering from the previous game and maintaining and preparing us for the next one. This contrasts to the off-season, which is a lot more physical and the training sessions are a lot harder. There’s a higher intensity with everything we do in the off-season. GAME VS TRAINING

Obviously, the game itself is the biggest workout we’ll get during the week. But in saying that, some of the off-season sessions are tougher than some of the games. They can get really physical. Every day is different for us; we cover a lot of different aspects through the week, whether it’s speed work, power stuff in the gym, video analysis. We do a lot of work around the wrestle: this is more about situational-type stuff, to be honest. It’s all about the best situation to be in and how to best use your body to slow down the ruck. SUDDEN IMPACT

Again, the way you look after your body, the way you recover, understanding the importance of photos courtesy Technogym / Getty Image (above) YOUR OWN BODY BODY OWN YOUR GAME WITHOUT GAME CONDITION OF CONDITION KNOWING THE KNOWING AND GETTINGAND GETTING TOO BASHED UP.”BASHED “IT’S ABOUT THROUGH A THROUGH BUY BETTER

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FRONTIER COMEDY

Prodigious sports satirist Titus O’Reily brings his unique, acerbic wit to the stage to entertain AFL lovers with his hilarious take on the 2018 season. Titus examines the year that was, all the nonsense that comes with being an AFL fan, and turns his attention to what may unfold in the upcoming finals. In the hottest annual event “not” on the AFL calendar, don’t COLD W miss Titus O’Reily live as he picks apart all that was and will be in Australia’s greatest league. “Incredibly funny” – Weekend Notes ... “A comical review of the New to Australia, t AFL home-and-away season” – X-Press Magazine. Kenny insulated jack Tickets $49.90 (includes all fees). Visit www. yet very lightweight frontiercomedy.com/titusoreily to find out more. in and enjoy the cold padding offers a per warmth-to-thicknes trapping and holding heat while allowing moisture to escape. Kenny hooded jacke is not only lightweig but also less bulky, offering great freed of movement during physical activity. The adjustable hem and elasticated sleeve cuffs enhance the active fit and help keep out the wind and cold. RRP $119.9 Available in men’s an women’s. Visit www. intersport.com.au to find out more. NSW RUGBY EYE OF CRAZY HAIR THE TIGER AND SOCK DAY Ideal for golf followers and Woods Rugby union clubs across New South fans – lovers of biographies will get a Wales are going bonkers with bouffants lot out of this, too – Jeff Benedict and silly with socks to raise awareness and Armen Keteyian’s new book and funds for children’s cancer research. Tiger Woods ends on the present Crazy Hair and Sock Day is a fun and easy moment, where we anticipate a way for players, umpires, officials and potential, last shot at glory for a spectators to dress up and fundraise 42-year-old golfer – one that would for The Kids’ Cancer Project without be, after everything, well-received by disregarding uniforms or impeding play. sports fans. Because even as his old The official dates for rugby’s Crazy Hair public image has become an artefact and Sock Day are 27-29 July, but you’re of the 2000s, Woods has finally invited to hold your event on a weekend become humanised. If he does win that suits you. Register today at www. another major, it will be a different thekidscancerproject.org.au/crazyrugby Tiger who does it, and that will be or call 1800 651 158. enough for people to cheer. Published by Simon & Schuster. RRP $35. Visit www.simonandschuster. com.au to find out more.

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JACKET POTATO WITH BACON, CORN AND CHIVES

Serves: 4 PER SERVE Time to make: 1 hr 30 mins (Hands-on time: 20 mins, 1,206kJ/288cal Cooking time: 70 mins) Protein: 16.4g Cost per serve: $2.25 Total fat: 7.7g Sat fat: 3.6g Carbs: 33.9g 4 large brushed potatoes (about 200–250g each) Sugars: 2.5g 100g short-cut bacon, diced Fibre: 7.2g 2 shallots, chopped Sodium: 471mg 2 garlic cloves, crushed Calcium: 163mg 1 small zucchini, grated Iron: 3mg 2 x 125g cans no-added-salt sweet corn, rinsed, drained 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon chopped chives • Good for 1/2 cup grated reduced-fat cheddar diabetics 4 cups mixed salad leaves • Gluten free • High fibre 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Clean potatoes well; prick all over • Low fat with a fork. Wrap individually in foil and bake for one hour, • Low kJ or until soft. Leave to cool for ten minutes. • Low sodium 2 Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with oil and set over medium–high heat. Cook bacon, stirring, for three– four minutes. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add zucchini and corn; cook, stirring, for two minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, chives and half the cheese. 3 Unwrap potatoes; discard foil. Score potato tops with a large cross; press sides to split open. Scoop two tablespoons of flesh from each potato; place in a large bowl and mash. Add corn mixture to mash to make filling. Stir well, then spoon into potatoes; scatter with remaining cheese.

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Protein, carbs or both? Let your Accredited Practising Dietitian set the record straight. SWEET POTATO WITH BLACK BEANS, JALAPENO AND AVOCADO PER SERVE Serves: 4 Time to make: 1 hr 5 mins (Hands-on time: 10 mins, Cooking 1,673kJ/400cal time: 55 mins) Protein: 18.2g Total fat: 9.7g Cost per serve: $2.40 Sat fat: 3.5g Carbs: 52.3g 4 small sweet potatoes (about 200–250g each; see tip) Sugars: 18.2g 400g can black beans, rinsed, drained Fibre: 14.8g 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, diced Sodium: 151mg 2 shallots, thinly sliced Calcium: 234mg Iron: 3.8mg 1 long jalapeno or green chilli, seeded, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, plus extra, to garnish 1/2 cup grated reduced-fat cheddar • Good for 1/2 firm ripe avocado, diced diabetics 4 cups mixed salad leaves, to serve • Gluten free • High fibre 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a large baking tray with baking • Low fat paper. Scrub sweet potatoes and pat dry with paper towel; • Low kJ prick all over with a fork. Place potatoes on prepared tray; • Low sodium bake, turning after 20 minutes, for 40–45 minutes, or until • Vegetarian PER SERVE soft when pierced with a skewer. Leave cooked potatoes to cool for ten minutes. 2,314kJ/554cal 2 Meanwhile, make filling: mix beans with tomatoes, shallots, jalapeno Protein: 35.7g MACADAMIA-CRUSTED Total fat: 32g (or chilli), coriander and half the cheese in a large bowl; season with CHICKEN WITH POTATO Sat fat: 5.6g cracked black pepper. Carbs: 27.1g 3 Score potato tops lengthways with a long cut. Open potatoes gently; mash SALAD Sugars: 3g flesh lightly with a fork. Spoon one-quarter of the filling into each potato; Fibre: 6.9g scatter with remaining cheese. Return potatoes to oven and bake for another Sodium: 164mg Serves: 4 five–ten minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese melts. Calcium: 72mg Time to make: 40 mins (Hands-on time: 15 mins, Top potatoes with avocado, garnish with extra coriander and serve with Iron: 4.1mg 4 Cooking time: 25 mins) mixed salad leaves. Cost per serve: $3.50 Tip: You’ll find multipacks of small sweet potatoes at your local supermarket or greengrocer’s. 2/3 cup unsalted macadamias •Nodairy 1/3 cup finely chopped chives •Goodfor 4 x 125g chicken breast fillets diabetics 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard •Glutenfree 700g baby new potatoes • High fibre 1/2 cup frozen peas •Highprotein 1 tablespoon olive oil •Lowsodium 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, lightly crushed 1 tablespoon pepitas, toasted 1 teaspoon poppy seeds 60g baby spinach

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Place macadamia nuts in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, taking care not to ground to a powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in half the chives. 2 Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place chicken on the tray; spread mustard over each chicken breast; then press macadamia mixture over top of the mustard. Bake chicken for 25 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Slice. 3 Meanwhile, boil potatoes in a medium saucepan for 10–12 minutes, or until tender, adding peas for the last minute of cooking time. Drain. Refresh under cold water. 4 Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and cumin seeds in a large bowl. Halve potatoes. Place potatoes in bowl with peas, pepitas, poppy seeds, baby spinach and remaining chives. Toss gently. Serve sliced chicken with the potato salad.

What is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)? APDs are Learn more XQLYHUVLW\TXDOLȴHGQXWULWLRQSURIHVVLRQDOVZKRFDQJLYHDGYLFH LQDOODUHDVUHODWHGWRIRRGDQGQXWULWLRQ)RUDGYLFHDQGUHFLSHV daa.asn.au/smart-eating-for-you IURP$3'VVLJQXSWRRXU6PDUW(DWLQJ1HZVOHWWHU KNOW MORE

QUICK READ JAMES COVENTRY

Building upon his impressive first book Time And Space, Coventry’s new tome, Footballistics, looks at the new footy knowledge coming out of the AFL’s work in data analytics. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

First, a question about Time And Space – owing as it does to Jonathan Wilson’s Inverting The Pyramid, one thing that stands out by comparison is that the tactical evolution of Aussie rules was quite circumscribed. Is that fair to say? I think so. In soccer, you had cross-pollination, people moving from one country to another. And especially at World Cups, there was sort of an exchange of ideas and styles. You had that to some extent in Australian rules with all the carnivals that were played every few years but at a much limited limit, because there’s three major states and the smaller ones like Tassie. The precepts and ideas of coaching were passed down from generation to generation. So the big leap forwards in tactical development only came along when you had those big lateral thinkers: Len Smith, Gerard Neesham, it took real sort of characters to, in a way, drag the sport forward. Our sports scientists are known worldwide, the There’s a neat detail in your bio: you won One of the things was the advent of TV, especially, AIS was really at the cutting edge. A lot of people Dream Team nationally in 2009. because that opened up a window to the world working there eventually filtered out into other It’s funny – I’m actually not a traditional in terms of coaches being able to see tactics in sports, and even into companies like Catapult. numbers guy. So when I set out to do this book, other sports and bring them over. So during espe- Their technology has filtered into major American I understood my limitations. In high school, my cially during the 70s, 80s and onwards, ideas have leagues. So that is to the AFL’s advantage ... maths teacher was Peter Rohde, the ex-Bulldogs started to be pulled from sports like basketball, Champion Data was one of the leading drivers and Norwood coach. He was sports master, too. American football and things like that. for this as well. I was terrible at maths, and I didn’t play footy, so When the Moneyball book came out in 2003, if he ever finds out that I wrote this book about My other big takeaway from Time And Space, that had a big impact on the AFL. It was really footy numbers, he’d be quite astonished. knowing you’re from Adelaide, is this had to be widely read in AFL coaching groups and that idea I love numbers, though – I learned averages written by a non-Victorian. You were more apt that you could use data to challenge traditional from watching cricket, and with footy, the first to pick the difference in styles of footy. thinking in the game and drive innovation, a lot thing I looked at was the stats. When I was sort Yeah, footy in Melbourne seems to be a bit of it stemmed from that. Port Adelaide was a big of a bit younger, I played a lot of fantasy footy, so more of a monoculture. But I grew up during the player: Phil Walsh, working under Mark Williams, when it did start to become a bit more popular, I ‘80s, especially before the Crows would come in. during that early 2000s period when they won the was well-placed. I actually don’t play anymore; it And we had the SANFL, that was the main game in premiership in 2004, Alastair Clarkson was there was taking too much of my time. town. But on the weekends, we also had TV broad- at the same time. Champion Data actually told Shortly after I made my initial look into how casts of the VFL, so you had that insight into what me it was that sort of small group of coaches that I might do [this book], I quickly understood that was happening to Melbourne. But at the same were actually pushing them to go out and drive it’s not something that I could do by myself. I time, you saw that slightly different style of footy their sort of analysis. just don’t have the technical ability to crunch the that’s being played here. You can see that in the numbers ... Twitter is a great place for that sort of State of Origin games, where the differences in Is there something inherent in this complex information sharing. I was quickly following Tony style were sort of exaggerated – South Australia game that lends itself to data analysis? Or was Corke, Rob Younger, Cody Atkinson and Sean was seen as more skilled and that all came it more the coincidence that the AFL profes- Lawson, Matt Cowgill – they have all these great through right from the start of the early 1900s, sionalised right at the time Moneyball arrived? blogs that have good audiences in their own right, because there was a slight difference in rules that It’s a great point. So even up to the late ’90s, but not what you see in the mainstream media. I were being played in the different cities – a lot of the players held second jobs and would was fortunate they were keen to be involved. in Adelaide, handball was more prevalent than only be training three times a week. But suddenly, in Melbourne. they went to becoming full-time professionals – Favourite sports books? you have a lot more meetings where you discuss Inverting The Pyramid, the obvious. So the tactical culture may have not been tactics, and they were driven by data and analysis. Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan so progressive – but by contrast, the sport They became more professional in the way that Szymanski. In the AFL space? When I wrote Time has been highly forward-thinking, even when they manage their bodies, their rehab, which is And Space, I went to as many second-hand stores compared to the rest of world, in the uses of also linked into data. Australian football, as a as I could. I read about 75 books. Probably my data. What are your thoughts about that? sport, is chaotic. Anything that coaches can do to favourite would be The Coach by John Powers, the I think the ground was fertile because Australia impose some kind of order and explain it, they’re one about the season he spent with Barassi. has a history of being an innovator in that space. naturally going to gravitate towards. – Jeff Centenera BRUCE LEE: DITCH THE DEAD A LIFE WEIGHT BY MATTHEW POLLY, SIMON & HOW MY TOUGHEST CHOICE BECAME SCHUSTER, $35 MY GREATEST MISSION BY MIKE ROLLS, MURDOCH BOOKS, Among other things that have $9.99 grown in the Bruce Lee legend, he’s now considered a forefather of the Mike Rolls was a sporty teen from UFC. That might seem weird – Lee Melbourne making his first end-of- was never a competitive sportsman, season footy trip to Tasmania. It was and probably never even thought there that he suffered a life-threat- of fighting in a cage. But his contri- ening blood infection, which ended in bution to what is known as mixed the loss of a leg, half of his foot and martial arts is undeniable; indeed, FOOTBALLISTICS two fingers. He spent another eight HOW THE DATA ANALYTICS Lee’s trail-blazing fusion of Eastern years in recovery. REVOLUTION IS UNCOVERING FOOTY’S Later, Rolls would decide to get and Western culture, and the wide- HIDDEN TRUTHS ranging, formless ethos of his Jeet BY JAMES COVENTRY, ABC BOOKS, his other leg, suffering from a Kune Do, surely influence the MMA $34.99 degenerating bone condition, amputated as well. Such medical melting pot of fight styles. For much of its history, Australian misfortune is enough to break YOU CANNOT Matthew Polly’s comprehensive football seemingly defied statis- any person, but as Rolls says, the BE SERIOUS account of Lee’s life, famously (and tical analysis – it just seemed too THE GRAPHIC GUIDE TO TENNIS decision liberated him – it allowed mysteriously) only 32 years long, chaotic and random to understand BY MARK HODGKINSON, AURUM PRESS, him to literally and psychologically makes the case that Lee himself by counting. But the era of Big Data $34.99 “ditch the dead weight”. was a product of cultural currents has changed that notion; now, this That classic query “do you need me Rolls is now an ambassador for swirling together. He presaged complex game seems the ideal to draw you a diagram?” takes on a Limbs 4 Life, as well as a counsellor. today’s globalised popular culture, subject for analytics, with its wealth whole new meaning with the release His book is a self-help tome free and his mark is evident from of information ready to be picked of You Cannot Be Serious. If you’ve from the sentimentality that afflicts the octagon to the balletic fight apart with computational power. ever had trouble wrapping your brain the genre, and it deals in concrete sequences in every Hollywood movie For Footballistics, author James around tennis, its origins, rules, or detail. He hasn’t lost the sporting and videogame, and to even the Coventry has drawn on the work even something trivial like, say, the edge, either – coaxed, or tricked, by crossover appeal of anime or K-Pop. of a burgeoning community of new whole point of it all, there’s an info- his father to pick up golf again, Rolls Bruce Lee is strangely uniting figure footy thinkers, most working on graphic to help you out. Relying very has represented Australia in the – when the divided communities of the internet. They’re drawing on much on artwork and stats rather sport, and notes he plays better a Bosnian town wanted to erect a the spirit of what Bill James did for than slabs of text, a major drawcard than when he had his feet ... statue, they chose the Dragon. baseball – taking on long-established of Mark Hodgkinson’s work is his Good for: More than a little bit of If this book tilts more toward truths of the game and holding them ability to explain just how dominant inspiration. – JC Lee’s movie career rather than his up to scientific rigour. The classics the champions of the game have martial arts exploits, it’s only fair to are in there: do blonds fare better in proven. Each layout acts as a tribute note that he was an entertainer from the Brownlow? Was Leigh Matthews to the sport’s biggest names, their his early days. But there’s plenty right about a safe lead being ahead feats, characteristics and paths to on Lee’s contribution to physical by more goals than minutes left in glory. There’s also a fun look at culture: how he dispensed from the the match? Why hasn’t goal-kicking various other aspects of the elite side classic Wing Chun he was taught, improved over time? But there’s of the sport, such as the all-time his interest in classic boxing and also terrific stuff on whether all great stadiums, and the distance fencing and how he incorporated it those stats that SuperCoach types covered by the big stars in private jets over the years. All in good fun. There into his style, his obsession with all obsess about correlate with winning should be one of these written about kinds of training and fitness fads. (no single metric is associated every sport. Undergirding it all was an inner drive with a winning percentage higher for success that, yes, would probably than 80 percent). Good for: Pub trivia night contest- have served him neatly if he had Good for: Bringing some evidence ants. Now we know how they know settled for sport. to your footy debates in the pub. so much about everything. Diagrams! Good for: Anyone with an interest Economists will love this, too. – JC – James Smith of the Lee behind the legend. – Jeff Centenera

KINGS OF THE ROAD BY TOBY HAGON AND BRUCE NEWTON, PAN MACMILLAN, $49.99 The first thing one does when they get their hands on this superb book is head to the contents page to see if the car of their childhood has been included ... and it’s very likely it has because, unlike the unlimited choice of rockets available to drivers today, Aussies really did rely on a select group of machines to get them around. This book does them all a great service, offering inside stories, exclusive interviews and amazing facts. Brimming with lavish photography, retro advertising, conceptual designs and cool artwork corresponding to each car’s glory days, this book is perfect for rev-heads and history buffs alike. That contents section alluded to earlier doesn’t reveal much though (cars 40-31, page 36 etc), leaving you the task of flicking through the pages as the list counts down to Australia’s all-time number-one car: which is an extremely fun and suspenseful pastime in itself. Good for: Car-lovers and people looking to revisit their childhood car trips in the family Ford Falcon XK. – JS 94 INSIDE SPORT | AUGUST 2018 HOT SHOT

Race around the rock: competitors take part in the Uluru Relay Run, part of the National Deadly Fun Run Championships. The annual event, held a short distance from

Uluru, draws Indigenous Mark Kolbe / Getty Images

runners from the Deadly Fun Run series. photo by

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