Controversy in Canberra
Controversy in Canberra
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West Australian
34 minutes ago
- West Australian
Mitchell pinpoints key to Hawks' revival in Dogs test
There's one thing Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell desperately wants to see from his players more than any other against the Western Bulldogs. "I just think it's pressure," Mitchell said ahead of Thursday night's Marvel Stadium assignment. The Hawks, on a three-match losing streak, were belted in the tackle counts in defeats to premiership fancies Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions over the past two weeks. The numbers - 82-38 and 59-36 - painted a stark picture. "The winning tackle count is often not the winning team, but you can't get beaten the way we have been," Mitchell said. "Enabling the players to be able to put pressure on the opposition is going to be the most important thing for us." The Bulldogs, who took a 6-5 record to last week's mid-season bye, are expecting a fierce attack on the contest from a Hawthorn side on the rebound. "You're always wary when a club's been under the microscope a bit and the way they galvanise and prepare for their next game," Dogs coach Luke Beveridge said. "We've got to be ready for their intensity in this game, because it might be more explosive than what you're sometimes used to. "That's our challenge in the bigger part of the platform to springboard into the back half of the year off a really good experience. "It's a really critical game for both clubs." The Bulldogs are the competition's highest-scoring team, averaging 104.6 points per game. And they have flexed their muscle at stoppages, where clearance kings Tom Liberatore, Matt Kennedy and Marcus Bontempelli have got to work. "They're the most potent offensive team in the competition and their stoppage dominance has been really clear," Mitchell said. "In all their good performances that's been really A-grade. "They're doing a couple of unique things with the way they're playing and Bevo's obviously a talented coach, so he's got them humming along really nicely. "It's going to be a huge challenge. They're a good side for us to play and I feel like we're obviously playing for a lot after a run of weeks that we know we need to improve on." The Bulldogs have been bolstered by the return of Adam Treloar from a calf injury, with Ryan Gardner and Josh Dolan also returning. Jason Johannisen (illness), Taylor Duryea and Oskar Baker (both omitted) are out. Hawthorn have called up Max Ramsden, Seamus Mitchell and Sam Butler in place of Nick Watson (illness), Jack Scrimshaw (managed) and captain James Sicily (hip/abdominal). The versatile Sicily leaves a huge hole in the Hawks' line-up after playing every game to this point of the season. "He's obviously a vital and really important player for us, but Josh (Battle) and Tom (Barrass) coming in has given us extra flexibility," Mitchell said. "If it was this time last year we would've struggled to compete without him. "But now I think we're probably a little bit more well-equipped. "We've moved him around a little bit as well - moved him into the front half at stages like we did last week - so the back-line is used to functioning without him."
West Australian
34 minutes ago
- West Australian
Calm, composed Socceroos primed to take down Japan
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic is brimming with confidence Australia can beat Japan for the first time since 2009 and earn automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The arch rivals will lock horns in front of more than 50,000 fans at Perth's Optus Stadium on Thursday night, and there's plenty on the line for the Socceroos. While Japan (20 points) have already qualified for the World Cup, Australia (13 points) and Saudi Arabia (10 points) are locked in a fight for the second automatic qualifying berth. If Australia beat an understrength Japan, it will almost certainly be enough to snare a World Cup berth, barring a huge loss in the vicinity of five goals to Saudi Arabia in Jeddah next Tuesday. The Socceroos' last win over Japan was a 2-1 victory in a World Cup qualifier at the MCG in 2009. Since then, Japan have won six and drawn four of their 10 matches against Australia. Australia are desperate to turn the tables. The Socceroos came close in October, when they snatched a shock lead on enemy territory, only for Japan to fight back for a 1-1 draw. Popovic feels his side is now ready to snare all three points. "When that whistle blows, I'm very confident the players will go out there and execute in a very calm, composed manner, with confidence of winning the game," Popovic said. "I think the growth in development and the way the team has evolved is clear. "We all see that, we understand there is a lot more growth in us, but we are a much better team than we were in October. "We set that as a target to be in this position, that we can qualify automatically. "We just need to finish the job off and we know that we can take a major step by winning. "It's been a long time since Australia has beaten Japan, but I have a lot of confidence that this group can do that." Japan have brought across a youth-laden squad missing the likes of regular stars such as Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Daizen Maida (Celtic), Reo Hatate (Celtic), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Junya Ito (Reims) and Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon). Despite that, Popovic is wary of the threat they pose, and is taking nothing for granted. Australia are also missing a host of players, with Jackson Irvine (foot), Craig Goodwin (foot), Mathew Leckie (hamstring), Nishan Velupillay (ankle) and Nestory Irankunda (hamstring) among a lengthy unavailable list.
West Australian
35 minutes ago
- West Australian
Candle-lit vigil for man who died in police custody
Hundreds of people have attended a candle-lit vigil outside a territory's parliament in support of a desert community which has lost a second young man in a death-in-custody incident. The vigil in Darwin was held on Wednesday night amid growing calls for an independent investigation into the death of mentally disabled man Kumanjayi White on May 27. He died shortly after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers in a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. At Wednesday's vigil a large banner stating "We stand with Yuendumu" was displayed in front of the parliament's entrance while another banner laid on the ground read "Justice for White". Organisers invited people to put lighted candles or flowers on that banner following speeches about the mistrust of police in Aboriginal communities and the need for an external inquiry into Mr White's death. Several women elders of the Warlpiri people wailed in grief as the tributes were laid. Justice Not Jails spokesperson Jade Richie said "no police should be investigating police" in a death-in-custody case. Her group is organising a "national week of action" in response to Mr White's death in custody, with vigils planned across the country. NT Police and Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry out an investigation coupled with a coronial inquiry. On Wednesday the Central Land Council (CLC) representing Indigenous people in the NT's dry desert centre called on the federal government to withhold funding from the NT government. The council wants an independent police conduct commission to be set up with adequate funding so an independent inquiry led by the NT coroner can be concluded within a year. "Unlike most jurisdictions the NT lacks a body to investigate police misconduct and has failed to overhaul the culture of its police force," CLC chair Warren Williams said in a statement. "But let me be clear, only money will force the NT government to act. Our lives are worth less than a chocolate bar to those in power and money is the only language they understand." Mr Williams said measures must target officers with "a history of complaints and racist attitudes" so Indigenous communities could regain confidence in the police after trust has been eroded. The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was in 2022 found not guilty of all charges over the death. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said on Thursday an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
