38 SPORT MONDAY DECEMBER 29 2014 Visionary idea that harks back to glory days

and ochre jumper in action, 5½ ing on something that should some boys from the bush be- late ’90s, the taste for rep foot- the “best of the rest’’ get a years to be exact since the Aus- have Glenelg here in a couple fore settling into a serious pre- ball and bringing the best play- chance to show their stuff on tralian Amateurs had deci- of weeks,’’ was his reply, and season before the 1986 season. ers together for one big Territory footy’s biggest stage. mated a Territory side at what a success that match But along came players like celebration has never left us. St Marys midfielder Justin Waverley Park in the freezing turned out to be. Dennis Dunn, Damien Christ- It is why the proposed Ter- Wilson summed it up last week southern winter of 1979. North Darwin (now Palm- ensen, Peter McGann, Damien ritory Thunder-NTFL All- when I mentioned the rep game The Day week- erston) champion Warren Berto and Cyril (Junior) Rioli Stars game on March 28 at to him and the mouth watering end, like today, had hosted McCoy won the best on to shoot down Kevin Sheedy’s TIO Stadium must happen. match-ups it embraces. NTFL premiership matches at ground medal for the Terri- underdone Bombers. AFLNT boss Tony Frawley “Mate, I can’t wait top see IN early January, 1985, I was Gardens Oval, and while the tory, St Marys goalsneak Ste- And so rep footy was reborn, and chief operating officer Ste- how Karl Lohde and I will go talking with then league sec- few hundred fans who attend- ven Long kicked five goals and the brainchild of visionary ad- phen Nugent know the bene- against Cam Ilett and Shannon retary Darryl Window on the ed got their fill of club football, the home side beat the SANFL ministrators like Window and fits this game will bring. Rioli,’’ was Wilson’s reaction. lack of representative football something bigger and better side by 35 points. the late Hunter Harrison. Thunder will get a serious The same can be said of in the Top End. was needed. One year later VFL premier While time, insurance costs hitout three weeks before their players like Gibson Turner, It had been a long time I remember the grin I got Essendon made the trek north and the realities of professional NEAFL campaign begins on Justin Cooper, Daniel and since an NTFL representative from Window during that con- for what they thought would football saw the visits of VFL- the same ground against Marlon Motlop and Ross Tun- side had worn the black, white versation. “We’ve been work- be a kick-and-catch against AFL clubs phased out in the powerhouse Southport. And gatalum at the Tiwi Bombers.

For all the latest Popovic news, scores and Phoenix highlights, visit after own terms in hanging any offer FROM BACK PAGE Former Spurs coach Tim Sherwood is the bookmakers’ favourite in England, with Popovic among a following field including Pulis and Alan tougher Pardew. Since the approach to Po- povic in August, which fol- By CATHY WALSHE striker Nathan Burns hunting lowed his rejection of both in Wellington his 11th goal of the season with Norwich City and Ulsan Hy- a stinging shot which tested undai, his resume has been WELLINGTON Phoenix ex- Wanderers keeper Ante Covic gilded further by success in the tended their unbeaten A- in the sixth minute. Asian Champions League and League run to five games with Krishna put the home team an appearance at the Club a gritty 1-0 win over the win- ahead with the 13th minute World Cup – though the start less Western Wander- penalty after he was clipped by to this year’s A-League could ers in yesterday’s Round 12 young defender Daniel Alessi. scarcely have been worse. match at Westpac Stadium. Covic did well to cover the Popovic would be a popular The win consolidates Well- shot, but the ball spilled clear appointment with Palace cap- ington’s fourth place on the for the Fijian to slot home. FULLTIME tain , who was ladder, while the Wanderers Western Sydney worked brought to the club in 2011 by remain mired in 10th place their way back into the match A-League - Round 12 then head coach Dougie with just three points from 10 with Nikita Rukavytsya, Anto- CITY 1 (A Mooy Freedman on Popovic’s rec- 48m) drew with GLORY games. ny Golec and all 1 (R Garcia 62m) at AAMI Park. ommendation. ’s 13th minute testing Phoenix keeper Glen Crowd: 9,550. Referee: A But even if they were to penalty gave the Phoenix a 1-0 Moss as halftime approached. Milliner. offer him terms that Popovic lead and they worked hard to The Wanderers continued UNITED 3 (B Djite found acceptable, it seems like- 67m, P Sanchez 81m, A Mabil hold on for their seventh win to build pressure in the second 90+1m) d SYDNEY FC 0 at ly that Wanderers chairman of the season. half but were unable to convert Allianz Stadium. Crowd: 14,214. Paul Lederer would seek com- Both teams were missing a series of corners and even Referee: J Gillett. pensation for releasing his players through suspension without Krishna – subbed with CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 3 head coach from the remain- (E Bosnar 56m, M Simon 63m, K with Western Sydney without a thigh injury five minutes Seung-Yong 80m) drew with ing 18 months of his contract. skipper Nikolai Topor-Stanley, after the restart – they contin- BRISBANE ROAR 3 (J Solorzano Lederer recently told the who is serving out a one-match ued to threaten. 45m, 81m, J Donachie 71m) at NT News that he did not ex- suspension from the recent Rukavytsya’s pace and Central Coast Stadium. Crowd: pect Popovic to leave immi- 9,932. Referee: M Conger. Club World Cup in Morocco. power in front of goal set up MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 (G nently, though he admitted Phoenix defender Manny Juric in the 68th minute, but Finkler 85m) d NEWCASTLE that “if an overseas offer Muscat missed his second the Phoenix’s defence some- JETS 0 at AAMI Park. Crowd: comes, something phenom- match for an infringement in how scrambled the ball clear. 20,801. Referee: B Williams. enal, then good luck to him. WELLINGTON PHOENIX 1 (R the 1-1 draw against the Mari- Three minutes later Labinot Krishna 14m) d WESTERN There’s nothing in the world I ners two weeks ago. Haliti sliced through to force SYDNEY WANDERERS 0 at can do about that. Wellington were also with- another good save from Moss Westpac Stadium. Crowd: “He and I are reasonably out midfielder Alex Rodriguez, as Western Sydney continued 8,606. Referee: P O’Leary. good friends, and he has no in- forced out after picking up a to amass corners without re- tention of going anywhere. But minor hand fracture in train- ward. ... if somebody was to come in ing earlier in the week. They finished the game Iacopo La Rocca of the Western Sydney Wanderers doing his best to control the ball yesterday at with a massive offer, of course They still started brightly, with 12 to the Phoenix’s six. Westpac Stadium as Wellington Phoenix rival Vince Lia arrives on the scene Picture: HAGEN HOPKINS he will look at it.” FOOTROT FLATS Race broadcasts top priority NSW race clubs have vowed to home viewers and TAB outlets form a united front on the rac- as soon as possible. ing broadcast rights issue as It is expected Sky Racing crucial negotiations begin could resume showing NSW today to restore NSW race vi- race broadcasts as early as sion to TAB outlets. New Year’s Day. In the wake of the TVN split Sky has been unable to last week, Racing NSW repre- show racing from NSW and sentatives meet today with of- Victoria over the last two ficials from Tabcorp, owners of weeks and this has impacted Sky Racing. TAB wagering turnover. A priority will be to restore The racing industry relies broadcasts of Sydney and on wagering revenue, mostly NSW gallops to Sky Racing from the TAB, for its income.

NTNE01Z01MA - V1