Mills tackle ‘almost as dumb as Amartey'
AFL: Garry Lyon discusses Sydney Swans' captain Callum Mills' tackle that has lead to him copping a one-match suspension.
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ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
Bodyboard shapers keep craft alive as sport rises in Australia
Just off the coast of Cronulla is an exposed rocky outcrop known as Shark Island, famous for its dangerous, barrelling waves that thunder over an extremely shallow ledge. The southern Sydney break is home to the Shark Island Challenge, an invitational bodyboarding competition that pushes the world's best to their limits. The event, which started in 1997, was relaunched last year after a six-year break as part of efforts to rejuvenate the sport in Australia. The 2025 challenge is now in the "contest waiting period", set to run when the right swell and wind conditions arrive, any time until June 30. "It's quite unique to any wave around the world — it's handmade for bodyboarding," Shark Island Challenge committee member Luke O'Connor said. Bodyboarding was invented by Tom Morey in 1971. It has endured, but efforts are underway to further build the sport's popularity. "I really feel things are on an upper crest at the moment," Mr O'Connor said. Among those helping boost the industry are three bodyboard shapers who are keeping alive what has become a niche craft in Australia. Marc Rossouw started hand-shaping bodyboards as a teenager in South Africa more than 30 years ago. He is part of a bodyboard shaping business in Sydney's Sutherland Shire with pro-bodyboarder and Shark Island competitor, Michael Ostler. "Australia has a proud history of bodyboarding," Mr Rossouw said. "There were large-scale manufacturers at one point, and then it trickled down to just the custom board shapers; there are two others in NSW," Mr Rossouw said. He said the shape and contours of a bodyboard could be fine-tuned to boost speed and performance. "The temperature of the water can influence how rigid the board needs to be; it can also depend on their weight and size, and their techniques of riding." Ostler said demand remained strong and bodyboarding was more respected by the wider surfing community. Further north in Port Macquarie, Glenn Taylor can be found carefully transforming blank pieces of foam into high-performance bodyboards, which he supplies around the country. Mr Taylor started working as a shaper in the early 1990s under well-known brands including Manta and Turbo. "It's not as popular as it was in the late 1990s [and] early 2000s, but there are still people in the industry who know what works for them and what they need out of a board." Mr Taylor said there were about 15 steps involved in crafting a bodyboard from a blank piece of foam to the finished product. "Once it's shaped, and features are shaped in, like contours and channels of the board, then it's put through a laminator, a heating process, which applies the bottom skin material to the core. "Then there's also the application of the deck skin to the core, then the boards are finished off with the outside rail material." Mr Taylor said he would love to pass the craft on, but there were challenges. "Unfortunately, there's only one supplier globally that sells us all the material to make a bodyboard, so it makes it very hard for anyone wanting to get started," he said. Port Stephens bodyboard shaper Adam McHugh said the industry had become tougher but still had a strong future. "Bodyboarding is accessible to everyone, and it's all about having fun … it doesn't matter what level you are," he said. "The bodyboards I make and sell go all over the world. "I have sold to California, I've have sold to Canary Islands, I have even sold to Israel. "The main market is in Australia, but they go everywhere." Mr McHugh, who has been hand-shaping bodyboards for 17 years, said it still brought him great satisfaction to create something that would bring someone "happiness in the surf". "Just nutting out all those little specification changes on the way, the interaction with all the different characters you meet shaping bodyboards," he said. There is a grassroots push to get more people involved in the sport, including women. This year is the first time there will be a women's division in the Shark Island Challenge, featuring Kiama-based Lilly Pollard and Sophie Leathers. "I'm hoping that other women can see Lilly and I out there this year having a go and can feel inspired to come and have a crack next year," Leathers said. "We've all had rough experiences in the water as female bodyboarders, so it's important to remember and recognise that there actually is so much support within the sport. Ostler said it was great to see increasing interest. "It's male-dominated now, but there could be a change of the tide, the girls rip, they really do, and they deserve their time in the limelight," he said. Drawing more young people to the sport has also been a priority. The adrenaline rush of making it out of a barrel has been a constant lure. "I have done a lot of sports and adrenaline junkie stuff, but that is the best feeling you can get as a sportsman in my opinion," Ostler said.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Brian Goorjian to use NBA coaching stint with the New York Knicks in a bid to finalise the Kings' NBL26 roster
Sydney Kings coach Brian Goorjian will use an NBA Summer League coaching stint with the New York Knicks to finalise the Kings' roster for NBL26. CODE Sports can reveal Goorjian has agreed to join the Knicks as an assistant coach for a five-day camp leading up to the Summer League. He will also be on the team's bench during the annual pre-season tournament in Las Vegas from July 10 to 20. Joining forces with New York – a franchise coming off its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 20 years – will give Goorjian a front-row seat to the club's talent pool as he attempts to lock in Sydney's final roster spot. The Kings are keen to sign a back-up big man to add more size to the team's front-court alongside Xavier Cooks and Keli Leaupepe. Sydney CEO Chris Pongrass has already publicly stated the club's desire to lure a 'six-foot-eleven guy with length and size'. The Kings had the fourth-best average rebound numbers in the competition last season, but were seventh in rebounding differential, a crucial part that cost them in their biggest games. Goorjian is desperate to improve this statistic in NBL26 via the help of an experienced big man who can impact the game at both ends of the floor. The legendary mentor's NBA Summer League stint with the Knicks is the perfect chance to survey the best emerging talent in world basketball. The Summer League has proven to be a successful pathway for NBL players to attract interest in recent seasons. Former Melbourne United centre Ariel Hukporti signed a two-year contract with New York following an impressive Summer League stint for the club. Hukporti, who was selected by the Knicks with the 54th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, averaged 8.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games for the Knicks at last year's pre-season tournament. Another ex-United star in Jack White signed a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets in 2022 after a standout Summer League stint with the club. White went on to play 17 NBA games for the Nuggets during the franchise's run to the 2022/23 championship. A cast of NBL players are again expected to feature in this year's NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. While no players are officially locked into stints, the likes of Davo Hickey, Tyrell Harrison and Hyunjung Lee have all indicated a desire to play in the pre-season event. In other news, Pongrass has decided to step down from his role as CEO following seven successful seasons. Pongrass played a vital role in the club's consecutive championships in NBL22 and NBL23 as the team's leading recruiter. He will continue in his current role with Sydney for the next six months – assisting the club's ownership to find a suitable replacement. It's understood Pongrass doesn't have a new job as yet, but he should have no shortage of interest given his NBL success and previous NBA experience as the director of basketball operations at the Memphis Grizzlies.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Geraldton netball star Allen Greichen to don the green and gold
Geraldton netball star Allen Griechen has been selected in the Australia squad to play against New Zealand in Melbourne later this year. Allen has shone bright on the court catching the attention of selectors along with way as he continues to build an impressive athletic CV. Beginning his netball journey at seven years of age, it wasn't long before Allen was playing in a representative side — in 2023 he was selected for the inaugural State school boys under-12 team. After an impressive outing for the under-12 team, Allen then went on to trial for the West Coast Thunder under-17s. With low expectations due to his age, Allen surprised himself when he was selected in September last year to join the squad. Allen has had to endure a rigorous training and playing routine, travelling to Perth most weekends competing from early October last year to April. Finding himself in a new position in goal keeper, Allen's mum Robyn said he impressed with how well he took to the new situation. 'Allen had an amazing tournament,' she said. 'He has really taken to the GK position, which was a new role for him in netball. 'The coaches saw something in him for that position, and he has enjoyed developing that part of his game. 'Obviously, we are ecstatic for him, and proud of him.' The 14-year-old then travelled to Sydney in May to take part in a three-day camp from which he was selected to represent Australia in July against New Zealand in the International Test Series. He persevered in the camp and impressed selectors and was amongst the 15 boys selected to compete for Australia in the 17 and under 2025 series. Allen will fly to New Zealand in July to don the green and gold in what will be his biggest achievement as an athlete to date.
