Concussion grounds Eagles high-flyer, permanently; Bont about to get ball rolling on Dogs contract

The Age5 hours ago

'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out – I respect the decision. I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect.
'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey.
'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.'
McGovern, whose intercept mark launched the passage of play that led to teammate Dom Sheed's match-winning goal in the 2018 grand final, played his 197th and final match against Melbourne early last month.
The 33-year-old was subbed out in the second quarter that day after sustaining a concussion when Demon Jake Melksham nudged him forward in an aerial contest, resulting in his head crashing into Harry Petty's back.
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Match review officer Michael Christian cleared Melksham of any wrongdoing, but the Eagles confirmed barely a fortnight later that McGovern would consult the league's concussion experts because of ongoing symptoms.
McGovern will go down as one of the best key defenders in his era after West Coast selected the Claremont product with the No.44 pick in the 2010 rookie draft. He signed a one-year deal in February to continue playing into next season after winning his first club best-and-fairest award in 2024.
McGovern's 77 intercept marks in the Eagles' 2018 premiership season remains the most ever recorded in a single year.
West Coast football boss Gavin Bell paid tribute to McGovern's rags-to-riches rise.
'To see 'Gov' come from WAFL reserves when he was drafted through to what he has achieved as a premiership player and five-time All-Australian, it's just a wonderful example to our current players,' Bell said.
'It didn't start off easily for him, and he had to get to work, focus on his strengths and develop his game. Even to overcome the injury setbacks he has battled in recent years, to bounce back and become our club champion for the first time last year showed his commitment to getting the best out of himself.'
Bont to get contract 'rolling'
Andrew Wu
Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is expecting contract talks with the club to play out smoothly, in a strong indication the superstar midfielder will not be going anywhere.
Dogs fans cannot yet breathe a sigh of relief, but there is little chance of Bontempelli departing Whitten Oval any time soon.
Discussions have begun between Bontempelli, 29, and the Bulldogs on a new deal that will likely see one of the greatest players to pull on the red, white and blue become just the eighth player in the club's 100-year history to play 300 games.
'It's going well, obviously it's getting to the point now where things will start to open up, those conversations will happen,' Bontempelli, who missed the first six games of the season due to injury and proposed to his partner last November, said on Friday.
'There was a lot going on in my life early on in the season and hence why I, no different to other years, took my time a little bit with it.
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'Those conversations will definitely start to take place, pretty much as of next week. So the ball will well and truly get rolling with that. I see it going quite smoothly.'
Despite speculation that Collingwood are interested in a blockbuster trade to move him across Melbourne, Bontempelli said no such offer had been relayed to him through his manager Tom Petroro.
'That information never really came to me at all, to be honest,' Bontempelli said.
The Bulldogs captain was speaking at the unveiling of touch and track technology that allows blind and low-vision fans to follow the game live at a venue.
Launched by the AFL and Telstra with technology company Field of Vision and Champion Data, the hand-held device includes a magnetic ring which moves across a tactile map of the field, mirroring the ball's movement in real time.
The device uses distinct vibrations to mark goals and behinds, and developers are working on how other key plays, such as turnovers, can be recognised.
Previously, fans such as Bulldogs supporter Shaun Keath, have relied on radio commentary and the kindness of friends and family to inform them of the on-field action.
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'I'm always nagging my wife, 'where's the ball, where's the ball?' So it's going to be great to actually be able to enjoy it a lot more than I am,' Keath said.
'I've only even been able to listen to it and been quite antisocial because I've got to have my headphones in, and I rely on the crowd and what they do as well.'

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Pride eyes Big Dance ticket after Headley Grange lands stakes win

Sydney Morning Herald

29 minutes ago

Sydney Morning Herald

Pride eyes Big Dance ticket after Headley Grange lands stakes win

Collett earlier won on Jason Coyle-trained Lulumon and Kerry Parker's Callistemon. It's A Knockout up for challenge The Ciaron Maher stable will target the listed Winter Challenge (1500m) with It's A Knockout after the four-year-old mare blitzed her rivals by four lengths off a freshen-up at Randwick. The stakes-placed daughter of Dundeel ($6) raced forward of midfield under apprentice Braith Nock in the 1400m benchmark 78 before idling to the front at the 200m and racing clear. Maher assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the win was a boost for Steve Freeman, who owns a 70 per cent stake in the horse and has been hit hard recently by floods. Gerard-Dubord said the Winter Challenge, held on July 19 at Rosehill, looked a suitable target given It's A Knockout's liking for a gap between runs. 'She's got some black-type already, but she's not a stakes winner yet, so it's probably the right race,' Gerard-Dubord said. Fresh approach brings breakthrough The Chris Waller camp will look to keep Quantum Cat fresh and happy for his next assignment after he ended his Australian drought as part of a double for the premier Sydney stable at Randwick. Premierships leader Waller went to 170 winners in NSW and 132 in Sydney for the season with victories from Quantum Cat and Rotagilla. It was import Quantum Cat's ($2.80) first win in 13 Australian starts, while three-year-old Rotagilla made it a third career victory. Zac Lloyd gave five-year-old Quantum Cat, coming off a four-week freshen up, an ideal run behind the leaders in the 1800m benchmark 88 before he took over at the 250m mark en route to a three-quarter length win over fast-finishing Hollywood Hero. 'He's just a hard horse to catch,' Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said. 'His work always seems to be decent at home, but I think the key is to try and help him be fresh and make sure he's enjoying his work, and that seemed to work today.' Duckworth said Quantum Cat was a stable favourite because of his unusual, white-spot markings he developed as a younger horse when a bout of ringworm left scars and led to his hair changing colour. Earlier, Tim Clark-ridden Rotagilla overcame a three-wide run to win the 1600m benchmark 72 by the same margin. She's Unusual building to black type Co-trainer Tom Charlton wanted to see She's Unusual repeat her winning performance before looking to black-type level after she led and kicked clear for a dominant 1800m win at Randwick on Saturday. The five-year-old ($5.50), third up off two placings, won for the first time in 11 months, easily putting a space on her rivals in the benchmark 78 for fillies and mares for a one and three-quarter lengths victory under Tommy Berry. Charlton, who trains with John O'Shea, said She's Unusual had been hit with minor setbacks through previous preparations. 'If she can get up to that benchmark 88 grade, then she might be able to compete at that black-type level at a mile and a quarter, but I want to see her do it again,' Charlton said. 'I feel like we haven't had a proper crack with her yet. 'She was getting into her preparation and she had a little setback last time, and now off that hopefully we can build forward and get more racing into her.' Parker mare scores deserved win Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was hoping for another Midway Handicap run with Callistemon after the four-year-old mare cruised to an arrogant win at Randwick on Saturday. Callistemon ($3.30) stalked the leaders in the benchmark 72 1600m Midway before powering to a one-length win over pacesetter Forecaster. It was her fourth attempt at Midway grade and followed two placings at the level at Randwick this preparation. 'When she landed where she did and just got left alone, it was just like watching a piece of trackwork really,' Parker said. 'She was due one of these, she's been racing really well. Hopefully the handicapper isn't too bad to her and we can get another Midway with her.' Parker, meanwhile, said the promising Flying Bandit was spelling in Queensland before a spring campaign aimed at the Metropolitan. Calico Miss on rapid rise after setback Patience paid off for Armidale trainer Stirling Osland when filly Calico Miss made the most of a rails run to break through at Highway Handicap level at just her fourth start at Randwick on Saturday. The three-year-old had almost a year off between her first two trials after suffering shin soreness, but she has since had wins at Quirindi and Scone, either side of a second at Inverell. Loading From gate one, Mikayla Weir gave Calico Miss ($4.40) a perfect run on the fence behind the leaders in the 1200m class 3 before she was strong late to defeat favourite Exit Fee by a half-length. Weir, who has ridden the filly at every trial and start, said Calico Miss had plenty of ability and more to come. 'She had a bit of a setback as a young horse, and that's why there's a long time between her trials and when she first kicked off, but I think she will keep progressing,' said Weir, who scored her first city win of the season.