Neagle 'Was a Great Bloke'
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ntnews.com.aulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SPORT Neagle ‘was a great bloke’ By GREY MORRIS McLean was in the middle he was the first player to Wanderers. He was being taken much to get him back,’’ ‘‘We were looking forward of his 95-game career with shake your hand and have a wooed by good friend and Sutton said. to seeing Merv at the club at TERRITORY AFL star AFL side Footscray when he chat and a laugh, he was a champion goalkicker Trevor ‘‘He loved coaching footy some stage during our 60th Michael McLean described first locked horns with an great bloke. Sutton to take over the coach- clubs he felt needed a kick- anniversary season,’’ he said. the death of Essendon aggressive Neagle. ‘‘The game of footy will be ing reins at Palmerston. along and it gave him a lot of ‘‘While he was with the club premiership hero Merv Nea- ‘‘Merv played footy at 110 the loser for his passing and It was McLean’s exit from satisfaction when they tasted for a relatively short time, he gle as a ‘‘huge loss’’ for per cent and he earned a lot of that means right around the Magpies as joint coach a bit of success.’’ was highly regarded as our Australian football. respect for it,’’ McLean said. Australia where he coached earlier this week that had Sut- St Marys president Shaun 2008-09 premiership coach, Neagle died on Thursday ‘‘He played hard out on the players of all ages.’’ ton trying to get Neagle back Hardy said the club, celebrat- and will be sadly missed. when the B-double truck he ground and gave everything Neagle coached St Marys to to the Top End. ing its 60th anniversary ‘‘He had an astute football was driving left the road and for Essendon footy club. its 27th NTFL senior flag in ‘‘Merv and Donna loved it this year, was shocked and brain and a great sense crashed near Griffith, NSW. ‘‘But when it was all over 2008-09 when they thrashed up here and it wouldn’t have saddened by his death. of humour.’’ Freo skipper Hawks primed for still in doubt FREMANTLE coach Ross finals rehearsal Lyon says skipper Matthew Pavlich is just a 50-50 chance SYDNEY V HAWTHORN to take on North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium tomor- HAWTHORN coach Alastair row as the key forward con- Clarkson predicts today’s bat- tinues to battle a raft of nig- tle with Sydney for top spot They continue to slip gling injuries. will be the precursor to a Pavlich, who suffered a more important fight. under the radar, cork to his already suspect With stars Lance Franklin, even to the point right hamstring in last Josh Gibson and Sam week’s win over Richmond, Mitchell back from injury, where we’re still boarded the flight to Mel- the Hawks are at almost full bourne yesterday despite strength and won’t hold any- favourites failing to train this week. thing back for the SCG clash. Lyon remains hopeful Hawthorn, already clear Pavlich, 30, will get up for flag favourites, will replace top of the ladder. ‘‘They con- the clash, but the club took the Swans on top if they win. tinue to slip under the radar, all three of their emerg- A Sydney victory will all even to the point where we’re encies to Melbourne just in but guarantee the Swans the still favourites, which is in- case he was ruled out. minor premiership and po- triguing, really, when they’ve Back-up ruckman Zac tentially cause Hawthorn to been on top of the ladder for Clarke is the frontrunner to drop to fourth, paving the the last eight to 10 rounds and replace Pavlich, while way for a rematch in Sydney they’re one game clear, and Dylan Roberton and on the opening weekend of they’re playing on their home Cameron Sutcliffe are the the finals. patch,’’ he said. other two emergencies. But Clarkson said either He noted the Hawks had Ryan Crowley (ankle), way, the two sides would be also been favourites ahead of Nat Fyfe (ankle) and Tendai blocking each other’s path to the sides’ round five meeting Mzungu (shoulder) have a premiership come finals. in Launceston, when the also been under injury ‘‘There’s probably more to Swans notched a big win. clouds over the past week. draw out of this game in Clarkson said the Hawks Lyon said Pavlich was terms of seeing where we’re had not been particularly struggling with ‘‘soreness, at, because we’re up against a happy with their recent form, injuries, corked hammy — formidable opponent that we despite comfortable wins all those things’’. know we’re probably going to over Port Adelaide and Gold ‘‘It’s a 50-50 at this point,’’ have to face again if we want Coast after their narrow Lyon said. ‘‘We’ve planned to salute at the end of the round 19 loss to Geelong. an alternative . but he’ll year,’’ he said yesterday. But he said the return of get up. ‘‘Sydney are looking at it Franklin, Gibson and ‘‘We won’t take anyone exactly the same way. Mitchell should lift them. that can’t perform. Once ‘‘They’re playing against ‘‘We know we’re a better you nominate yourself, us knowing full well any- side when those guys are you’re fully fit, so that’s the thing they do (today) they’re playing for us, they’ve shown way it works.’’ probably going to have to re- that over the course of time Should Fremantle (12-8) peat at some stage in the fin- for our footy club,’’ he said. lose to North Melbourne, als to be able to get the job ‘‘I know there’s a lot of Carlton (11-9) would be done and win the flag.’’ hype about Lance in partic- in the box seat to snare a Clarkson said the Swans ular, but it’s all about guys top-eight berth ahead of the were still not getting the just coming in and playing Dockers because of its su- plaudits they deserved de- their role, and getting the job perior percentage. Lance Franklin trains with Hawthorn teammates at the SCG yesterday Picture: JAMES CROUCHER spite sitting a game clear on done for the side.’’ ACCENT DRIVE AWAY DRIVE $ AWAY* ACTIVE MANUAL FROM16,990 NTNE-WS-25-A53KGE:MPUB: DA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: DARWIN HYUNDAI 544 Stuart Highway Winnellie. Phone: 8928 5500 All cars must be ordered and delivered between 1st-31st August 2012. Offer excludes fleet, rental and govt buyers and vehicles used for commercial purposes. Hyundai reserves the right to change, supersede or extend these offers. The 5 Year / Unlimited kilometre warranty is only applicable to vehicles used for private and domestic use and is not applicable for vehicles used for certain high mileage commercial purposes i.e. courier, security and rental cars. Offers only available at participating dealers on existing dealer stock while stocks last. ^ADR 81/02 fuel consumption will vary depending on a combination of driving habits, road conditions and condition of vehicle. LMVD 403 www.ntnews.com.au Saturday, August 25, 2012. NT NEWS. 53.