Papenhuyzen scratching adds to Storm's backline issues
Papenhuyzen was on Friday night ruled out of the Townsville match with calf tightness, making him the seventh Melbourne back unavailable for the game.
His absence means Tyran Wishart will move to fullback, with Jonah Pezet now starting in the halves.
The Storm are already without Will Warbrick (concussion), Moses Leo (shoulder), Sua Fa'alogo (hamstring), Jack Howarth (appendicitis), Xavier Coates (Origin) and Dean Ieremia (achilles) in their backline alone.
Coach Craig Bellamy said he was not expecting miracles from an understrength side, but luckless Pezet could be forgiven for thinking his NRL comeback is one.
Melbourne and North Queensland will be without a combined total of nine State of Origin representatives for Saturday's clash, the most for any game this weekend.
The Storm had already been forced to name Joe Chan in the centres for the first time in his NRL career.
Elsewhere, Penrith junior Ativalu Lisati has been named for only his third game, while journeyman winger Kane Bradley comes in for his second game of the year.
"You don't expect miracles from them," Bellamy said of the reinforcements.
"But they've been training with us all year, we haven't got anyone in over the last few weeks.
"It (the Origin period) is always tough but it's tough for a lot of teams."
But there is a silver lining in the NRL comeback of Pezet, who had been earmarked as Melbourne's next halfback before enduring more than a year of knee injury hell.
The playmaker was last seen in the NRL in round three last year, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament playing reserve grade a month later.
Some 336 days on in March, Gosford-born Pezet returned to the field for feeder side North Sydney, only to injure the same knee and book in for more surgery.
But Pezet has since made it through two games of NSW Cup and, while he was listed on the bench, will now start on Saturday night.
"There's some guys that are going to get a chance tomorrow, a chance to impress and a chance to play a bit of first grade," Bellamy said.
"Hopefully they'll grab that with both hands."
The Cowboys will need to forge on without Murray Taulagi, who has failed to pull up from a minor knee injury suffered in last week's win over Gold Coast.
Braidon Burns will replace Taulagi on the wing but the club expects to have the former Maroons utility back on deck for next week's clash with Canterbury.
"We named him this week in the thought he might improve but he tried to get some running done on Thursday and was no good," said North Queensland coach Todd Payten.
Ryan Papenhuyzen will miss Melbourne's clash with North Queensland in the latest blow to the Storm's crisis-hit backline.
Papenhuyzen was on Friday night ruled out of the Townsville match with calf tightness, making him the seventh Melbourne back unavailable for the game.
His absence means Tyran Wishart will move to fullback, with Jonah Pezet now starting in the halves.
The Storm are already without Will Warbrick (concussion), Moses Leo (shoulder), Sua Fa'alogo (hamstring), Jack Howarth (appendicitis), Xavier Coates (Origin) and Dean Ieremia (achilles) in their backline alone.
Coach Craig Bellamy said he was not expecting miracles from an understrength side, but luckless Pezet could be forgiven for thinking his NRL comeback is one.
Melbourne and North Queensland will be without a combined total of nine State of Origin representatives for Saturday's clash, the most for any game this weekend.
The Storm had already been forced to name Joe Chan in the centres for the first time in his NRL career.
Elsewhere, Penrith junior Ativalu Lisati has been named for only his third game, while journeyman winger Kane Bradley comes in for his second game of the year.
"You don't expect miracles from them," Bellamy said of the reinforcements.
"But they've been training with us all year, we haven't got anyone in over the last few weeks.
"It (the Origin period) is always tough but it's tough for a lot of teams."
But there is a silver lining in the NRL comeback of Pezet, who had been earmarked as Melbourne's next halfback before enduring more than a year of knee injury hell.
The playmaker was last seen in the NRL in round three last year, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament playing reserve grade a month later.
Some 336 days on in March, Gosford-born Pezet returned to the field for feeder side North Sydney, only to injure the same knee and book in for more surgery.
But Pezet has since made it through two games of NSW Cup and, while he was listed on the bench, will now start on Saturday night.
"There's some guys that are going to get a chance tomorrow, a chance to impress and a chance to play a bit of first grade," Bellamy said.
"Hopefully they'll grab that with both hands."
The Cowboys will need to forge on without Murray Taulagi, who has failed to pull up from a minor knee injury suffered in last week's win over Gold Coast.
Braidon Burns will replace Taulagi on the wing but the club expects to have the former Maroons utility back on deck for next week's clash with Canterbury.
"We named him this week in the thought he might improve but he tried to get some running done on Thursday and was no good," said North Queensland coach Todd Payten.
Ryan Papenhuyzen will miss Melbourne's clash with North Queensland in the latest blow to the Storm's crisis-hit backline.
Papenhuyzen was on Friday night ruled out of the Townsville match with calf tightness, making him the seventh Melbourne back unavailable for the game.
His absence means Tyran Wishart will move to fullback, with Jonah Pezet now starting in the halves.
The Storm are already without Will Warbrick (concussion), Moses Leo (shoulder), Sua Fa'alogo (hamstring), Jack Howarth (appendicitis), Xavier Coates (Origin) and Dean Ieremia (achilles) in their backline alone.
Coach Craig Bellamy said he was not expecting miracles from an understrength side, but luckless Pezet could be forgiven for thinking his NRL comeback is one.
Melbourne and North Queensland will be without a combined total of nine State of Origin representatives for Saturday's clash, the most for any game this weekend.
The Storm had already been forced to name Joe Chan in the centres for the first time in his NRL career.
Elsewhere, Penrith junior Ativalu Lisati has been named for only his third game, while journeyman winger Kane Bradley comes in for his second game of the year.
"You don't expect miracles from them," Bellamy said of the reinforcements.
"But they've been training with us all year, we haven't got anyone in over the last few weeks.
"It (the Origin period) is always tough but it's tough for a lot of teams."
But there is a silver lining in the NRL comeback of Pezet, who had been earmarked as Melbourne's next halfback before enduring more than a year of knee injury hell.
The playmaker was last seen in the NRL in round three last year, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament playing reserve grade a month later.
Some 336 days on in March, Gosford-born Pezet returned to the field for feeder side North Sydney, only to injure the same knee and book in for more surgery.
But Pezet has since made it through two games of NSW Cup and, while he was listed on the bench, will now start on Saturday night.
"There's some guys that are going to get a chance tomorrow, a chance to impress and a chance to play a bit of first grade," Bellamy said.
"Hopefully they'll grab that with both hands."
The Cowboys will need to forge on without Murray Taulagi, who has failed to pull up from a minor knee injury suffered in last week's win over Gold Coast.
Braidon Burns will replace Taulagi on the wing but the club expects to have the former Maroons utility back on deck for next week's clash with Canterbury.
"We named him this week in the thought he might improve but he tried to get some running done on Thursday and was no good," said North Queensland coach Todd Payten.
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28 minutes ago
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Novocastrian dreaming of shot at NRL glory he missed out on at Penrith
Zac Hosking is finding it hard not to dream of achieving what he missed out on at Penrith - playing in a grand final. The back-rower is part of a Canberra side who were top of the table prior to Canterbury's clash with Brisbane on Friday night. It's a familiar place on the ladder for Hosking from his time at Penrith, when the Panthers led the 2023 competition for much of the year, before claiming a minor-major premiership double. After making his NRL debut and playing four games with Brisbane the season prior, Hosking was a key part of Penrith's 2023 campaign, playing in all but four games of the regular season, and in a qualifying final. But he was dropped for Penrith's last two games - a preliminary final and the grand final. "Absolutely," Hosking said of whether he was dreaming of a run to this year's decider. "It really hurt that year. "I feel like this year I've got another crack at it, hopefully." The Raiders, who host the Dragons on Saturday night, led the NRL after 17 rounds - winning 13 of their first 16 games. With a favourable draw on the run home, they are a genuine chance of winning their first minor premiership since 1990. If they do finish first, or even in the top four, history says they will have a much better chance of claiming the title than if they ran fifth to eighth. No team has won the competition from outside the top four in the NRL era, nor since 1995. "It's been a great season so far," Hosking said, speaking to the Newcastle Herald after Canberra's 22-18 win over the Knights. "We're a different side to what we were last year. "Those sorts of games, we probably end up losing those ones [last year], but we keep finding a way to win. "Sticky [Canberra coach Ricky Stuart] instilled a lot of stuff into us in the pre-season over summer, and that's really carried into the season so far. Everyone who has come in has done a really good job. "Everyone is just pulling their weight at the moment, we're not relying on one person, and I think that is the difference." A Central Newcastle junior, Hosking was a two-time NSW Cup player of the year at the Knights before departing in late 2021 for a train-and-trial opportunity with Brisbane. He joined the Raiders after only one year at Penrith, who reluctantly let him go, and has had a mixed couple of campaigns in the nation's capital. Last season, he started the year so well he was considered one of, if not the, form players in the NRL. But a shoulder injury ruled him out for most of the year, Hosking returning late in the campaign to make eight appearances overall. This year, the 28-year-old has played in 12 of Canberra's 13 games, finding his feet again after a string of injuries. "I had never really missed two or three weeks of footy ... before I got to Canberra, and then it was just one thing after the next. I was really unlucky," he said. "After the shoulder, it was the calf just before [round one in] Vegas, and then I broke my hand in round two ... After that third one, I got told they come in threes, so no more after that. But since then, I've been really healthy and loving playing week-to-week." Hosking may have only made 45 NRL appearances, but he is in Canberra's leadership group and relishes being a senior player. "I took a while to get to the NRL, but once I got there I haven't really left," he said. "What I lack in NRL experience, I make up for in life experience in other ways. I feel like I've moved into that leadership space, and I love that sort of role. It will be one I'll have to keep working on next year when we lose guys like Jamal [Fogarty]." Hosking could be forgiven for pondering his Penrith departure after they went on to win a fourth consecutive premiership last season, but he now finds himself in a side that looks a genuine title contender. When he signed with Canberra, whilst they were a solid team - finishing eighth in 2023 - they looked well away from where they are now. Some pundits even tipped them for the wooden-spoon this season. "I didn't know what to expect, but I knew the opportunity was really good, and the group was really good," Hosking said. "If we got it right, we could do something like this. "We've had those conversations that we're brave enough to think we can go all the way, but as cliche as it sounds, we really are taking it one game at a time. "We've set ourselves up for a good end of season, it's just about winning the games that people expect us to win." Zac Hosking is finding it hard not to dream of achieving what he missed out on at Penrith - playing in a grand final. The back-rower is part of a Canberra side who were top of the table prior to Canterbury's clash with Brisbane on Friday night. It's a familiar place on the ladder for Hosking from his time at Penrith, when the Panthers led the 2023 competition for much of the year, before claiming a minor-major premiership double. After making his NRL debut and playing four games with Brisbane the season prior, Hosking was a key part of Penrith's 2023 campaign, playing in all but four games of the regular season, and in a qualifying final. But he was dropped for Penrith's last two games - a preliminary final and the grand final. "Absolutely," Hosking said of whether he was dreaming of a run to this year's decider. "It really hurt that year. "I feel like this year I've got another crack at it, hopefully." The Raiders, who host the Dragons on Saturday night, led the NRL after 17 rounds - winning 13 of their first 16 games. With a favourable draw on the run home, they are a genuine chance of winning their first minor premiership since 1990. If they do finish first, or even in the top four, history says they will have a much better chance of claiming the title than if they ran fifth to eighth. No team has won the competition from outside the top four in the NRL era, nor since 1995. "It's been a great season so far," Hosking said, speaking to the Newcastle Herald after Canberra's 22-18 win over the Knights. "We're a different side to what we were last year. "Those sorts of games, we probably end up losing those ones [last year], but we keep finding a way to win. "Sticky [Canberra coach Ricky Stuart] instilled a lot of stuff into us in the pre-season over summer, and that's really carried into the season so far. Everyone who has come in has done a really good job. "Everyone is just pulling their weight at the moment, we're not relying on one person, and I think that is the difference." A Central Newcastle junior, Hosking was a two-time NSW Cup player of the year at the Knights before departing in late 2021 for a train-and-trial opportunity with Brisbane. He joined the Raiders after only one year at Penrith, who reluctantly let him go, and has had a mixed couple of campaigns in the nation's capital. Last season, he started the year so well he was considered one of, if not the, form players in the NRL. But a shoulder injury ruled him out for most of the year, Hosking returning late in the campaign to make eight appearances overall. This year, the 28-year-old has played in 12 of Canberra's 13 games, finding his feet again after a string of injuries. "I had never really missed two or three weeks of footy ... before I got to Canberra, and then it was just one thing after the next. I was really unlucky," he said. "After the shoulder, it was the calf just before [round one in] Vegas, and then I broke my hand in round two ... After that third one, I got told they come in threes, so no more after that. But since then, I've been really healthy and loving playing week-to-week." Hosking may have only made 45 NRL appearances, but he is in Canberra's leadership group and relishes being a senior player. "I took a while to get to the NRL, but once I got there I haven't really left," he said. "What I lack in NRL experience, I make up for in life experience in other ways. I feel like I've moved into that leadership space, and I love that sort of role. It will be one I'll have to keep working on next year when we lose guys like Jamal [Fogarty]." Hosking could be forgiven for pondering his Penrith departure after they went on to win a fourth consecutive premiership last season, but he now finds himself in a side that looks a genuine title contender. When he signed with Canberra, whilst they were a solid team - finishing eighth in 2023 - they looked well away from where they are now. Some pundits even tipped them for the wooden-spoon this season. "I didn't know what to expect, but I knew the opportunity was really good, and the group was really good," Hosking said. "If we got it right, we could do something like this. "We've had those conversations that we're brave enough to think we can go all the way, but as cliche as it sounds, we really are taking it one game at a time. "We've set ourselves up for a good end of season, it's just about winning the games that people expect us to win." Zac Hosking is finding it hard not to dream of achieving what he missed out on at Penrith - playing in a grand final. The back-rower is part of a Canberra side who were top of the table prior to Canterbury's clash with Brisbane on Friday night. It's a familiar place on the ladder for Hosking from his time at Penrith, when the Panthers led the 2023 competition for much of the year, before claiming a minor-major premiership double. After making his NRL debut and playing four games with Brisbane the season prior, Hosking was a key part of Penrith's 2023 campaign, playing in all but four games of the regular season, and in a qualifying final. But he was dropped for Penrith's last two games - a preliminary final and the grand final. "Absolutely," Hosking said of whether he was dreaming of a run to this year's decider. "It really hurt that year. "I feel like this year I've got another crack at it, hopefully." The Raiders, who host the Dragons on Saturday night, led the NRL after 17 rounds - winning 13 of their first 16 games. With a favourable draw on the run home, they are a genuine chance of winning their first minor premiership since 1990. If they do finish first, or even in the top four, history says they will have a much better chance of claiming the title than if they ran fifth to eighth. No team has won the competition from outside the top four in the NRL era, nor since 1995. "It's been a great season so far," Hosking said, speaking to the Newcastle Herald after Canberra's 22-18 win over the Knights. "We're a different side to what we were last year. "Those sorts of games, we probably end up losing those ones [last year], but we keep finding a way to win. "Sticky [Canberra coach Ricky Stuart] instilled a lot of stuff into us in the pre-season over summer, and that's really carried into the season so far. Everyone who has come in has done a really good job. "Everyone is just pulling their weight at the moment, we're not relying on one person, and I think that is the difference." A Central Newcastle junior, Hosking was a two-time NSW Cup player of the year at the Knights before departing in late 2021 for a train-and-trial opportunity with Brisbane. He joined the Raiders after only one year at Penrith, who reluctantly let him go, and has had a mixed couple of campaigns in the nation's capital. Last season, he started the year so well he was considered one of, if not the, form players in the NRL. But a shoulder injury ruled him out for most of the year, Hosking returning late in the campaign to make eight appearances overall. This year, the 28-year-old has played in 12 of Canberra's 13 games, finding his feet again after a string of injuries. "I had never really missed two or three weeks of footy ... before I got to Canberra, and then it was just one thing after the next. I was really unlucky," he said. "After the shoulder, it was the calf just before [round one in] Vegas, and then I broke my hand in round two ... After that third one, I got told they come in threes, so no more after that. But since then, I've been really healthy and loving playing week-to-week." Hosking may have only made 45 NRL appearances, but he is in Canberra's leadership group and relishes being a senior player. "I took a while to get to the NRL, but once I got there I haven't really left," he said. "What I lack in NRL experience, I make up for in life experience in other ways. I feel like I've moved into that leadership space, and I love that sort of role. It will be one I'll have to keep working on next year when we lose guys like Jamal [Fogarty]." Hosking could be forgiven for pondering his Penrith departure after they went on to win a fourth consecutive premiership last season, but he now finds himself in a side that looks a genuine title contender. When he signed with Canberra, whilst they were a solid team - finishing eighth in 2023 - they looked well away from where they are now. Some pundits even tipped them for the wooden-spoon this season. "I didn't know what to expect, but I knew the opportunity was really good, and the group was really good," Hosking said. "If we got it right, we could do something like this. "We've had those conversations that we're brave enough to think we can go all the way, but as cliche as it sounds, we really are taking it one game at a time. "We've set ourselves up for a good end of season, it's just about winning the games that people expect us to win." Zac Hosking is finding it hard not to dream of achieving what he missed out on at Penrith - playing in a grand final. The back-rower is part of a Canberra side who were top of the table prior to Canterbury's clash with Brisbane on Friday night. It's a familiar place on the ladder for Hosking from his time at Penrith, when the Panthers led the 2023 competition for much of the year, before claiming a minor-major premiership double. After making his NRL debut and playing four games with Brisbane the season prior, Hosking was a key part of Penrith's 2023 campaign, playing in all but four games of the regular season, and in a qualifying final. But he was dropped for Penrith's last two games - a preliminary final and the grand final. "Absolutely," Hosking said of whether he was dreaming of a run to this year's decider. "It really hurt that year. "I feel like this year I've got another crack at it, hopefully." The Raiders, who host the Dragons on Saturday night, led the NRL after 17 rounds - winning 13 of their first 16 games. With a favourable draw on the run home, they are a genuine chance of winning their first minor premiership since 1990. If they do finish first, or even in the top four, history says they will have a much better chance of claiming the title than if they ran fifth to eighth. No team has won the competition from outside the top four in the NRL era, nor since 1995. "It's been a great season so far," Hosking said, speaking to the Newcastle Herald after Canberra's 22-18 win over the Knights. "We're a different side to what we were last year. "Those sorts of games, we probably end up losing those ones [last year], but we keep finding a way to win. "Sticky [Canberra coach Ricky Stuart] instilled a lot of stuff into us in the pre-season over summer, and that's really carried into the season so far. Everyone who has come in has done a really good job. "Everyone is just pulling their weight at the moment, we're not relying on one person, and I think that is the difference." A Central Newcastle junior, Hosking was a two-time NSW Cup player of the year at the Knights before departing in late 2021 for a train-and-trial opportunity with Brisbane. He joined the Raiders after only one year at Penrith, who reluctantly let him go, and has had a mixed couple of campaigns in the nation's capital. Last season, he started the year so well he was considered one of, if not the, form players in the NRL. But a shoulder injury ruled him out for most of the year, Hosking returning late in the campaign to make eight appearances overall. This year, the 28-year-old has played in 12 of Canberra's 13 games, finding his feet again after a string of injuries. "I had never really missed two or three weeks of footy ... before I got to Canberra, and then it was just one thing after the next. I was really unlucky," he said. "After the shoulder, it was the calf just before [round one in] Vegas, and then I broke my hand in round two ... After that third one, I got told they come in threes, so no more after that. But since then, I've been really healthy and loving playing week-to-week." Hosking may have only made 45 NRL appearances, but he is in Canberra's leadership group and relishes being a senior player. "I took a while to get to the NRL, but once I got there I haven't really left," he said. "What I lack in NRL experience, I make up for in life experience in other ways. I feel like I've moved into that leadership space, and I love that sort of role. It will be one I'll have to keep working on next year when we lose guys like Jamal [Fogarty]." Hosking could be forgiven for pondering his Penrith departure after they went on to win a fourth consecutive premiership last season, but he now finds himself in a side that looks a genuine title contender. When he signed with Canberra, whilst they were a solid team - finishing eighth in 2023 - they looked well away from where they are now. Some pundits even tipped them for the wooden-spoon this season. "I didn't know what to expect, but I knew the opportunity was really good, and the group was really good," Hosking said. "If we got it right, we could do something like this. "We've had those conversations that we're brave enough to think we can go all the way, but as cliche as it sounds, we really are taking it one game at a time. "We've set ourselves up for a good end of season, it's just about winning the games that people expect us to win."
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Michael Voss makes ‘unusual' coaches box move, ‘horrible' Carlton leaves him on the brink
Michael Voss appeared to vacate his coaching duties in unusual scenes during Carlton's dismal 56-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night. Collingwood were several classes above the Blues as the Pies claimed a 17.13 (115) to 8.11 (59) victory, their eighth win in a row. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. With Carlton's final hopes over, the question is now whether Voss can keep his job or if he will be sacked before he can even see out the season. Early in the first quarter when Collingwood had kicked the first two goals of the game, Voss was spotted sitting on the stairs in Carlton's coaching box, away from the head coach's usual position at the row of desks. 'Michael Voss sitting in the aisle is an unusual choice,' Fox Footy commentator Gerard Whateley said. Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan wrote on X: 'Voss surely can't see the whole ground sitting back row on the stairs against the wall. That is one strange spot for the head coach to be sitting.' Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said: 'Why is Vossy hiding in the back corner of the coaches box sitting on steps?' ABC Radio commentator Ben Cameron said the scenes in the coaches box made Voss look 'impotent'. Voss resumed his position in the coach's chair in the first half, but he could do little to stem the bleeding as Collingwood ran riot over Carlton. From an optics point of view, coaching from the stairs suggested Voss might have already checked out Carlton's horror season. Buddy Franklin claimed Voss wouldn't see out the season and he may well be proven right, depending on the decision of Carlton boss Graham Wright. Voss is contracted until the end of 2026 but after taking Carlton to a preliminary final in 2023, his side has stuttered and struggled to have a game plan. 'There was a sense of resignation, I thought, about this,' former Demons captain Garry Lyon said post-game on Fox Footy before vision was shown of incoming chief executive Wright in discussion with Blues powerbrokers in the rooms. 'They're in a situation where for the past three, four weeks they were the front-and-back-page story, and there was a stage there when Collingwood kicked eight goals in that third quarter and it looked like it was arguably going to be a 100-point (loss) and they were going to be (the story) again,' added Lyon. 'But in the end, I think it's kind of the result we expected coming in.' It was Carlton's 10th loss from 16 games this year as the Blues sit 11th on the ladder and 16 points behind eighth spot. Carlton's skill level was particularly poor — nine Blues players had kicking efficiency of less than 50 per cent. 'They are what they are, and they are a horrible kicking football side. Horrible. And that goes from the top down,' Lyon said. 'Adam Cerra was butchering the footy today … if you want to be an A-grade footballer, or you want to survive long enough to have a career in footy, you can't kick in the manner that they kick. 'And that becomes a list analysis decision that they're going to have to make.' Jordan Lewis added: 'It's a flow-on effect — how do you predict further afield if the kicks aren't hitting the target? You can't then make the next decision, so the flow-on effect is huge,' he said. 'I think the damning thing — the thing that we've shown time after time — is their midfield mix. They were just wiped off the park in terms of post-clearance stuff. 'They just can't spread, they can't link up, they can't kick, so there's so many parts of their game, at the moment, that aren't where they need to be to be a (good) AFL side.' Voss was circumspect post-game, saying: 'It's pretty clear we need to have come pretty important conversations. 'We let our club down tonight. We want our supporters to be proud of us and we didn't do that tonight … we can't tolerate that. That was a really poor performance.' For Collingwood, Nick Daicos had 36 disposals and a goal, and likely another three Brownlow votes, performance, as Collingwood boasted nine individual goalkickers. for the game. The Magpies are 14 points clear on top of the AFL ladder midway through round 17.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Four-Play, Quadzilla: Gilbert Gardiner's best bets for Flemington on Saturday
Form analyst Gilbert Gardiner presents his $200 betting strategy, plus quaddie picks, for the nine-race card at Flemington on Saturday. Form analyst Gilbert Gardiner presents his $200 betting strategy, plus quaddie picks, for the nine-race card at Flemington on Saturday. â– â– â– â– â– $25 each way FROM A DISTANCE (8) at $7/$2.20 Four starts into the three-year-old's first racing campaign some query, but loved the way the Needs Further gelding drove through an interrupted run last start to finish second behind the in-form Taken. Not the clearest path but stuck to the task and got within a length on the post. Favourite KNOBELAS (9) has been super impressive the past two starts, winning by big margins, but faces stronger opposition here. From A Distance should be in the finish again somewhere along with Symon Wilde-trained stablemate DARKBONEE (10). Taken lugs 60kg to extend his winning-streak to four ðŸ'Œ @CWilliamsJockey collects his first winner of the afternoon. @MickPriceRacing — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 $100 win SHOCKLETZ (3) at $4.20 Did everything but win last start at Flemington, sustained a strong run from back in the field with a big weight to finish second. Four starts under the belt for the campaign including the past two at 2000m. The 2500m trip on Saturday looks ideal and gets in a fraction (½ kg) better on the weight scale. Shockletz powered home to win at Flemington two starts back. Wary of BEARINGS (16), finished strongly last start at Flemington. POLITELY DUN (1) the class horse in the field back from a solid Queensland Derby performance, placed eighth. "Shockletz SURGING on the outside & got up!" 🗣ï¸� Shockletz thunders down the middle of the track to claim Prochester in the final bound! âš¡ï¸� @HTCoffey @cmaherracing — (@Racing) June 7, 2025 $25 each way RUNNING BY (1) at $8/$2.50 Taken a couple of runs to rebuild fitness and looks incredibly well-placed back in Fillies and Mares grade on Saturday, having taken on the boys the past two starts. Last start third behind Hughes at Sandown, and that horse is not without a chance of winning the Listed Winter Championship Series Final on Saturday. Running By has won two of eight starts at 1400m previously and placed on another four occasions. Drawn to get a lovely run and could be hard to hold out despite STYLISH (5) being a worthy favourite. Stylish, aptly named ðŸ'¯ @lindsayparkrace have an early double at Sandown, as Stylish bolts away with the prize ✨ @bennallen44 — (@Racing) June 14, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– QUADZILLA LEG 1, RACE 6 SHE'S AN ARTIST (5) is clearly the horse to beat – won her two career starts by a combined nine lengths and done so in electric times on each occasion. Bolted in last start 1100m at Flemington by 3.8 lengths. Rising in weight and distance but would only need to hold form to win again. FIELDELO (8) chased the favourite last start and should not be overlooked. More suited at 1200m and has slight weight swing on She's An Artist. 1ST LEG 5, 8 LEG 2, RACE 7 SHOCKLETZ (2) tried hard last start at Flemington but a big weight and sustained gallop ultimately got the better of the emerging stayer. Suited up to 2500m on Saturday and hard fit. BEARINGS (16) caught the eye late last start to run fifth in the same race as Shockletz. Bearings won a 2230m race – albeit Newcastle Class 1 three back – on a Heavy deck so the extra distance – up to 2500m – unlikely to be an issue. Respect POLITELY DUN (1). Won impressively at Flemington two back and then luckless in the Group 1 Queensland Derby. 2ND LEG 1, 2, 16 LEG 3, RACE 8 OH TOO GOOD (10) could not have been any more impressive last start at Flemington, travelled behind the speed and walloped them. JIMMY THE BEAR (3) has enjoyed a peak preparation. Should be in the finish somewhere. Include MUNHAMEK (6). 3RD LEG 3, 6, 10 LEG 4, RACE 9 STYLISH (5) bolted in last start and primed to go again. Luckless start prior so could easily be three for three for the campaign. RUNNING BY (1) ready to peak third-up? Scratched from an easier option last Saturday due to a wide barrier and saved for this. Back against her own age too. Definite winning chance. SASSY BOOM (4) drawn poorly but not without a chance. MOLLYNICKERS (3) has raced well without much success – deserve a win. FOURTH LEG 1, 3, 4, 5 FLEMINGTON QUADDIE Race 6: 5, 8 Race 7: 1, 2, 16 Race 8: 3, 6, 10 Race 9: 1, 3, 4, 5 COST $100 FOR 104 per cent SKINNY QUADDIE Start with SHE'S AN ARTIST (5) and FIELDELO (8). In the second leg take POLITELY DUN (1) and SHOCKLETZ (2). Then in the third leg take OH TOO GOOD (10). Come home with RUNNING BY (1) and STYLISH (5).
