Race-by-race preview and tips for Thursday meeting at Newcastle
Race 1
2. Storm Park is an improving four-year-old ready to win again third-up in only his second prep. Worked home okay when resuming at Wyong before again doing his best work late at Hawkesbury. At peak fitness now in a race with less depth, 2kg jockeys' claim is pivotal and bred to relish these conditions. 7. Faye Runaway hit the line impressively second-up over a mile, and is drawn to be in the finish. 3. Hippy Dreams improves sharply third-up back on preferred ground. 4. Farraige is trained on the course and has only missed a place once in his last four. 1. Artzino is a market watch having his first start for the new Hawkesbury stable after switching from Queensland, where he hadn't won in a long time.
How to play it: Storm Park to win
Race 2
3. Dollars is a fit four-year-old who can finally break through in suitable going after placing in three of his last four. Charged home here as a solid favourite in a handy maiden two starts back before again close-up when ridden on speed in a metro two and three-year-old battle. Back at home and drawn to get plenty of cover just off the speed, he only needs a clear shot at them over the final 350m. 1. Ridgeback didn't shirk the task when chasing home a dominant winner at Kembla, and the step-up 300m in trip is an obvious plus. 2. Brut Nature, a four-year-old by Brutal, debuts for the Blake Ryan stable behind two forward trials. Big gap to the rest, headed by 7. Painted Wings down in weight at her fourth start.
How to play it: Dollars to win
Race 3
10. Savvy Hallie is a smart provincial filly, and the clear one to beat resuming behind two strong trials. Placed three times from four starts as a two-year-old in autumn, the latest a close second to high-class Tempted in the group 2 Percy Sykes after leading. Will start very short after the early market rival was preferred at Wednesday's Kensington meeting. 4. Ruination can run a big race on debut for the Michael Freedman stable after three improving trials, while 7. Dietrich ran home okay on debut in the country.
How to play it: Savvy Hallie to win
Race 4
8. Quein Step is a tough and consistent metropolitan mare resuming in an ideal short-course affair, 11 weeks after a dominant country maiden win. Ran a good time from the front that day on a soft 7 rating, and fresh here with significant weight relief, can either lead or sit right behind from the inside draw. 2. Wal's Me Mate is a progressive four-year-old who let down powerfully from the trail to thrash his maiden opposition first-up at Wyong. Can take that form into this, although the drop back to a flying 900m is a query in what is a more than handy Class 1 field. 4. Zounaka is a consistent mare resuming off two progressive trials, winning the latest and beating home a talented one who then scored first-up. 1. Last Druid, an ex-Godolphin four-year-old resuming for the new Tracey Bartley stable at Wyong, and 3. Rockbarton Max reloading seven weeks after a fighting Super Maiden win here; are both capable of running into the minor money.
How to play it: Quein Step to win
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Adelaide edge Collingwood in thriller to keep top spot
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"We didn't play our best footy and we found a way (to win)," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said. "I know the belief is there, we know how to win." The Crows were jumped by a fast-starting Collingwood, who produced a first-term blitz to create a 25-point quarter-time lead, 5.3 to 1.2. But Adelaide flipped the script in the second term, with ex-captain Taylor Walker kicking two of five unanswered goals for the hosts. A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at halftime, 6.3 to 5.4. The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managed a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute. But Pie forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.6 to 6.8. Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goalless 17-minute stretch was broken when Crow James Peatling snapped accurately. But Magpie Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points, only for key Crow Riley Thilthorpe to then take a superb contested mark and convert. Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down with almost four minutes remaining, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory. "We didn't quite get the four points but we leave here not with our tail between our legs," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said. "It was a hard game, a finals-type game ... it was a real tactical battle." Ex-Crow skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) - who rebounded the ball from Adelaide's defensive 50m arc some 13 times - and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential. Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal. Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece. Adelaide have ended their Collingwood hoodoo with a nerve-jangling three-point triumph to keep their grip on top spot. The Crows trailed by 25 points at quarter-time but prevailed 9.5 (59) to 8.8 (56) at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night - their first win against the Pies since 2016. Adelaide (68 premiership points) will finish first entering the finals if they defeat 17th-placed North Melbourne next Saturday. Collingwood (60 points), with five losses from their past six games, are fourth and in a logjam jostling for positions ahead of their Friday-night fixture against Melbourne. The Crows had lost their past 10 games against Collingwood, preceded by a 2017 draw. But with victory before a sold-out crowd of 54,283 - the second-largest attendance at an AFL game at the Oval - Adelaide equalled their club-best returns of 17 wins and five losses in 2005 and 2012 - a win over the Roos will create a new benchmark. "We didn't play our best footy and we found a way (to win)," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said. "I know the belief is there, we know how to win." The Crows were jumped by a fast-starting Collingwood, who produced a first-term blitz to create a 25-point quarter-time lead, 5.3 to 1.2. But Adelaide flipped the script in the second term, with ex-captain Taylor Walker kicking two of five unanswered goals for the hosts. A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at halftime, 6.3 to 5.4. The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managed a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute. But Pie forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.6 to 6.8. Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goalless 17-minute stretch was broken when Crow James Peatling snapped accurately. But Magpie Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points, only for key Crow Riley Thilthorpe to then take a superb contested mark and convert. Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down with almost four minutes remaining, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory. "We didn't quite get the four points but we leave here not with our tail between our legs," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said. "It was a hard game, a finals-type game ... it was a real tactical battle." Ex-Crow skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) - who rebounded the ball from Adelaide's defensive 50m arc some 13 times - and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential. Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal. Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece. Adelaide have ended their Collingwood hoodoo with a nerve-jangling three-point triumph to keep their grip on top spot. The Crows trailed by 25 points at quarter-time but prevailed 9.5 (59) to 8.8 (56) at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night - their first win against the Pies since 2016. Adelaide (68 premiership points) will finish first entering the finals if they defeat 17th-placed North Melbourne next Saturday. Collingwood (60 points), with five losses from their past six games, are fourth and in a logjam jostling for positions ahead of their Friday-night fixture against Melbourne. The Crows had lost their past 10 games against Collingwood, preceded by a 2017 draw. But with victory before a sold-out crowd of 54,283 - the second-largest attendance at an AFL game at the Oval - Adelaide equalled their club-best returns of 17 wins and five losses in 2005 and 2012 - a win over the Roos will create a new benchmark. "We didn't play our best footy and we found a way (to win)," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said. "I know the belief is there, we know how to win." The Crows were jumped by a fast-starting Collingwood, who produced a first-term blitz to create a 25-point quarter-time lead, 5.3 to 1.2. But Adelaide flipped the script in the second term, with ex-captain Taylor Walker kicking two of five unanswered goals for the hosts. A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at halftime, 6.3 to 5.4. The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managed a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute. But Pie forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.6 to 6.8. Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goalless 17-minute stretch was broken when Crow James Peatling snapped accurately. But Magpie Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points, only for key Crow Riley Thilthorpe to then take a superb contested mark and convert. Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down with almost four minutes remaining, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory. "We didn't quite get the four points but we leave here not with our tail between our legs," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said. "It was a hard game, a finals-type game ... it was a real tactical battle." Ex-Crow skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) - who rebounded the ball from Adelaide's defensive 50m arc some 13 times - and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential. Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal. Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
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Adelaide edge Collingwood in thriller to keep top spot
Adelaide have ended their Collingwood hoodoo with a nerve-jangling three-point triumph to keep their grip on top spot. The Crows trailed by 25 points at quarter-time but prevailed 9.5 (59) to 8.8 (56) at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night - their first win against the Pies since 2016. Adelaide (68 premiership points) will finish first entering the finals if they defeat 17th-placed North Melbourne next Saturday. Collingwood (60 points), with five losses from their past six games, are fourth and in a logjam jostling for positions ahead of their Friday-night fixture against Melbourne. The Crows had lost their past 10 games against Collingwood, preceded by a 2017 draw. But with victory before a sold-out crowd of 54,283 - the second-largest attendance at an AFL game at the oval - Adelaide equalled their club-best returns of 17 wins and five losses in 2005 and 2012 - a win over the Roos will create a new benchmark. The Crows were jumped by a fast-starting Collingwood, who produced a first-term blitz to create a 25-point quarter-time lead, 5.3 to 1.2. But Adelaide flipped the script in the second term, with ex-captain Taylor Walker kicking two of five unanswered goals for the hosts. A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at halftime, 6.3 to 5.4. The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managed a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute. But Pie forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.6 to 6.8. Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goal-less 17-minute stretch was broken when Crow James Peatling snapped accurately. But Magpie Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points. Key Crow Riley Thilthorpe then took a superb contested mark and converted. Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory. Ex-Crow skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential. Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal. Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece.
The Age
15 hours ago
- The Age
This AFL pick swap was part of North Melbourne's grand plan. But now they're on the verge of unwanted history
'You'd hope we'd improve quite a bit, given the cattle we've brought in and another year in these young kids, but it's hard to say,' Thursfield said at the time. 'We've got to back ourselves in a bit.' It was the equivalent of Carlton's trade with Adelaide seven years ago, when the Blues' then-list manager, Stephen Silvagni, swapped future first-rounders with the Crows to get back into the 2018 draft at No.19 to select Liam Stocker. Silvagni declared they viewed Stocker as the sixth-best player in the class. Stocker played 28 games in four seasons before Silvagni's replacement as Carlton list boss, Nick Austin, delisted him at the end of 2022, only for the ex-Blue to join Silvagni at St Kilda. It was a similar story with Thursfield, who said they felt Whitlock was 'around the mark' of the top 10 in the 2024 draft, while noting many key-position players tumbled. Loading The Roos could limit the damage and leapfrog both the Tigers and Bombers into 15th place, if they win their final two matches of the season and other results go their way. But regardless, Richmond have done well out of the deal. 'There's a risk with both those things,' Yze said this week. 'Whether Matt Whitlock ends up playing 250 games; it could [look] the other way. Right now, it looks like we might win out of that deal, but when you look at the Kangas – they would have felt that they're going to [climb the ladder in 2025]. They've been in a lot of games this year, and they're obviously improving. 'Those things happen every year, so you probably can't look at the result of that until 10 years' time.' Why cohesion matters Richmond have already won more games this season (five) than North Melbourne have in any season since they parted with 14 players – excluding Will Walker, who they redrafted – at the end of 2020. Like the Kangaroos, the Tigers are rebuilding, and that went into overdrive last year when they made 10 list changes between delistings, retirements, free agency and trades. Yze is in his second year at Richmond since replacing triple-premiership coach Damien Hardwick. This is all important when introducing Gain Line Analytics (GLA), a sports and corporate consultancy company that has developed a data-driven model that illustrates team performance is strongly linked to cohesion. Company co-founder, and general manager of sport, Simon Strachan defines cohesion as 'the objective measure of understanding between teammates', which includes – but is not limited to – games played together; weekly team selection; and even coaching changes. GLA, which consults many AFL clubs and has a strong association with rugby and rugby league teams as well, uses this data to develop team in-season cohesion markers, or scores. Strachan said GLA's data showed that teams with a higher score in this metric tended to outperform rivals with lower levels. 'The AFL tends to have the longest build cycle of most professional sports,' he said. 'Which is why teams going through a rebuild phase take a long time to be truly competitive – and why if teams are not patient through a rebuild; they tend to be stuck in an ongoing recruiting cycle, never being able to develop competitive cohesion markers.' Richmond's cohesion score in round one was 5.12, compared to North Melbourne's 6.37. The competition average at that stage was 9.13. The Tigers have recorded a double-digit score in all their past eight games – peaking last week at 15.46, ahead of the competition average of 15.34. The Roos reached double digits for four straight games from rounds 13-16, but their score plummeted in the weeks since as injuries piled up. Richmond's season-high marker coincided with Tim Taranto and premiership stars Tom Lynch and Nathan Broad replacing first-year trio Jonty Faull, Luke Trainor and Tom Sims. Strachan is concerned about North Melbourne's rebuild, based on their cohesion markers, given they recorded higher scores under David Noble in 2021 than Clarkson this season. Four years ago, the Kangaroos started the season at 3.52, but their final 11 games ranged between 10.82 and 13.8. Loading Successful rebuilds that GLA tracked, such as reigning premiers Brisbane Lions and 2025 ladder-leaders Adelaide, showed consistent cohesion growth across several years. The Crows and Roos finished second-last and last, respectively, in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, but GLA data demonstrates how Adelaide's team in-season cohesion increased significantly as North's stagnated in the years since. 'North Melbourne bringing in Alastair Clarkson has so far not created any significant difference to the club's overall cohesion,' Strachan said. 'It is very difficult for a coach to get high levels of performance out of a low cohesion team. 'Even Clarkson in his last year at Hawthorn [in 2021] was working with a low cohesion environment – and the results reflected this. The greatest benefit of Clarkson for North Melbourne is not his coaching ability, but the confidence to give him time to build.' Why Roos aren't bounding up ladder North Melbourne and West Coast are the only clubs to not record a single top-eight scalp in either of the past two seasons. Richmond, who came last in 2024, secured one in each of those years. The Kangaroos drew with Brisbane in round nine, but this is a damning statistic for Clarkson and his Roos, who joined forces ahead of the 2023 season. They have struggled to score as a team, with only one reliable goalkicker – star forward Nick Larkey – while ranking 15th or worse in average points in each of Clarkson's three years at the helm. Champion Data considers the two key scoring sources to be from turnovers and stoppages. North have made little-to-no improvement in those areas under Clarkson. They were 17th in per-game differential for both in 2023, 18th in each last year, and currently are last in scores from turnover differential and 16th in the stoppage equivalent. The Roos' actual differentials have barely moved either. The Tigers were 17th in those scoring sources last season, and remain on that ranking in scores from stoppages in 2025, but have improved to 15th in scores from turnover, while reducing their differential from minus-21 to minus-18.4. Clarkson believes North Melbourne are making strides. His consistent line, which he repeated on Friday, is that they are in 'a lot more games' this year. The Kangaroos have played nine matches decided by 16 points or fewer, winning three of them, losing five and drawing another. In 2024, they featured in eight contests decided by 19 points or fewer, for three victories. As for Richmond, Clarkson does not think Sunday's result will be the best gauge of which club is rebuilding better. Loading 'What really excites us is the sides like Adelaide and Brisbane Lions, who have been on the same journey as us,' Clarkson said. 'Adelaide aren't quite there yet, but they're on top of the ladder and looking really good, [and] Brisbane took seven or eight years to get from the bottom to the top. 'We know what the formula is, but it's a difficult track, and there's no guarantee that you're ever going to get there. What we can guarantee is we're trying our best. 'Everyone will like to think that whoever wins this game is on track to get there a little bit quicker than the other, but it's over a long journey rather than a short one.'
