ntnews.com.aulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SPORT Loss not Bailey’s fault: Green Umpires got SCG call wrong Bans for Tambling, Dawson MELBOURNE captain Brad Green says it’s unfair to THE AFL has apologised to Sydney after the club was ADELAIDE’S Richard Tambling, a former Southern blame under-siege coach Dean Bailey for the AFL wrongly penalised for what was deemed to be an Districts (NTFL) player, and St Kilda’s Zac Dawson are club’s embarrassing loss to West Coast. The Demons incorrect interchange late in Friday night’s clash with facing one-match bans from the AFL’s Match Review were thrashed by nine goals by last year’s bottom Carlton at the SCG. Carlton were leading by a point Panel. Dawson was charged with a level-two striking side on Thursday night in Perth. Melbourne faces a when it was awarded a free kick and 50m penalty offence against Adelaide’s Chris Knights at AAMI crucial round seven encounter with 12th-placed after the interchange steward ruled that Sydney had Stadium on Saturday. Tambling has been hit with a Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday. The Demons held a 19 players on the ground. After reviewing down-the- level-three striking charge for his clash with Adam board meeting last night but chairman Jim Stynes ground footage yesterday, the umpiring department Schneider. His good five-year record means Tambling denied Bailey’s coaching future was on the agenda. acknowledged it had erred. can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea.

NEAFL Round 5 Statistics Lions light fuse NT THUNDER V MORNINGSIDE THUNDER Q1 6.5 Q2 13.10 Q3 21.14 Q4 27.20 (182) PANTHERS Q1 4.1 Q2 6.4 Q3 8.7 Q4 9.9 (63) # Player Name DSP Hit Sm Tkl Shp Spl G for fiery stoush 47 Anderson, J 22 - - 3 3 5 - 3 Argus, M 10 - - 2 2 - - 22 Bergman, D 15 - 2 1 1 6 - FOOTBALL 46 Cox, P 19 - - 2 2 - - By ANDREW HAMILTON 17 Dignan, J 23 - - 3 2 1 3 in Brisbane 2 Ewing, D 18 - - - - - 6 27 Farrer, W 9 10 1 1 - - 2 ‘‘THE mercenaries aren’t 16 Ilett, C 26 - - 5 - - 2 here anymore and good luck 6 IIett, J 17 - - 3 1 - - to them.’’ 12 Kelly, N 19 - 1 5 2 - 2 With that sledge at former 42 Mallard, R 9 - - 2 - - 1 teammates Michael Ris- chitelli and Jared Brennan, 23 Mcleod, A 23 - - 3 1 - 1 Lions veteran Simon Black 1 Motlop, A 20 - - 2 - - - has lit the fuse for an explos- 31 Palipuaminni, B 19 - - 2 1 - 2 ive Sunshine stoush between 49 Rioli, S 16 - - 2 1 - - Brisbane and Gold Coast at 29 Roe, J 19 - - 1 2 7 - the Gabba on Saturday. 15 Rosier, M 15 - 1 4 1 - - The fact the line came from 5 Staunton, D 17 - - 1 - 2 - the nicest guy in football 11 Tapp, S 14 2 - - - 8 - demonstrates just how 18 Taylor, M 13 - - 4 - 3 - deeply hurt Brisbane were 14 Tungatalum, R 19 - - 8 1 - 5 by the defections of the high- 8 Tyrrell, K 14 34 - 1 1 - 2 profile midfielders. 4 Vallejo, I 19 - - 4 2 - 1 ‘‘I’m sure they’ll cop a bit of niggle on Saturday night, Northern Terriory F.C 393 46 5 59 23 32 27 at the end of the day the THE statistics show how even our 27 goals on the night. mercenaries aren’t here any- the contribution was from The most important statistic more and good luck to them,’’ everyone that played on Sat- to us playing well is in the de- Black said. urday night. fensive area of smothers, The Lions were the club We always have a strong fo- tackles, blocks and spoils. most vulnerable to the Suns’ cus that everyone play’s their In total we registered 119 introduction to the compe- role and this is reflected in the defensive acts which was only tition because they couldn’t stats. Key position defenders 4 down on the 123 we re- compete with the money the Jason Roe and Shaun Tapp corded in our Round 3 win AFL newcomers were splash- had 15 spoils between them, over Broadbeach, to date our ing around and their location our midfielders who also highest for the season. meant the players and key spend some time in our Murray Davis staff members they poached forward line kicked 20 out of Thunder Coach from Brisbane did not have to move interstate. He said there was a lot of resentment at the armchair Happy days continue for Suns ride the Suns had been given. ‘‘Yes, there is, the AFL GOLD Coast is providing a upsetting Labrador by 32 have given them everything shining light for the club in points. No more than two and then some,’’ he said. the NEAFL after earning its goals separated the sides for ‘‘They have been ex- third straight win with an much of the game until the tremely fortunate the way upset 13-point win over Mt Hornets rallied in the dying they have come into the com- Gravatt on Saturday. stages to win 16.13 (109) to petition and they have been The Vultures unbeaten 11.11 (77). Key forwards De- the beneficiaries of other start to the year came to an clan Bevan and Adam Hugh- clubs coming into the compe- end after the 12.16 (88) to 11.19 es were outstanding for As- tition and not having im- (75) win, as the Suns shot out pley, while Gerard Moore, mediate success, eg the Bris- of the blocks to lead by 48 Michael Talbot, Shane Pater- bane Bears. points at half-time. son and Jason Howard (three ‘‘They have had it handed Jake Crawford, Maverick goals) starred for the Tigers. it to them on a platter. Weller, Jacob Gilbee, Joel Ti- Brisbane was too strong ‘‘So no doubt in time, two ppett and Tom Lynch were for Redland in another upset to three years, they’re going the stand-outs for the fourth- — Josh Green and Aaron to be a very good footy side, placed Suns. Cornelius (seven goals) steer- but gee they’ve been given Meanwhile, Aspley proved ing the Lions to a 18.14 (122) everything, and then some.’’ Brisbane Lions star Simon Black in action against Richmond last weekend at the MCG the competition’s closeness, to 13.8 (86) win.

Surgery no barrier for Pedrosa MotoGP win Champions League ref has Jose asking why

DANI Pedrosa battled the Spanish is incredible,’’ he said after UEFA has handed Belgian raged by the dismissal of Frisk, Stark, De Bleeckere. through the pain barrier to grand prix. stunning Lorenzo who was Frank de Bleeckere the task makeshift midfielder Pepe by Why to all these people. Each win the Portuguese MotoGP His Austral- favourite to win for the of refereeing tomorrow German and semi-final always brings the on Sunday less than a ian teammate fourth consecutive year in morning’s (NT time) Champ- afterwards read out a list of same. So why?’’ month after surgery. Casey Stoner Estoril. ions League encounter be- officials he believes have Norway’s Tom Henning Honda’s Spanish star came in third ‘‘It was an amazing race. tween Barcelona and Real made decisions which have Ovrebo turned down a num-

swept past world champion Dani Pedrosa behind Lorenzo At the end I didn’t want to Madrid at the Nou Camp — benefited Barca in previous ber of penalty appeals for PUB: and pole-setter Jorge after starting the race in be second again, I tried and an appointment unlikely to years. De Bleeckere was on Chelsea as Barcelona knock- NTNE-WS-3-M35KGE:MDA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: Lorenzo with three laps fourth position. it happened. I’m thankful go down well with Madrid that list after sending off ed out the London club two to go to claim his debut win Pedrosa needed his oper- for the doctors to get me boss Jose Mourinho. in last season’s years ago, in Estoril and his first of ation after suffering mul- ready — I’m in a lot of pain.’’ Mourinho last week ac- last-four clash between Inter sent off Arsenal’s Robin van the season. tiple fractures to his left After this third leg of the cused referees of favouring Milan, then coached by Persie in this season’s Round It was a remarkable per- shoulder in a crash in test- season Lorenzo kept his the Catalan side after his Mourinho, and Barca. of 16 clash and Anders Frisk formance considering his ing for the Japanese grand lead in the championship on team went down 2-0 to Barca ‘‘I can’t say what I feel. I dismissed Didier Drogba six date with the surgeon’s prix last October. 65 points, but Pedrosa is in the first leg of the semi- only leave one question. years ago as Barca came knife in Barcelona on April ‘‘It was difficult for me af- now only four points adrift final at the Bernabeu. Why?’’ said Mourinho. from behind to beat Mourin- 6 after finishing second in ter the surgery — to be here on 61. The Portuguese was en- ‘‘Why? Ovrebo, Bussaca, ho’s Chelsea. www.ntnews.com.au Tuesday, May 3, 2011. NT NEWS. 35