Latest news with #AllAustralian
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- Health
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Hawthorn captain James Sicily sidelined through injury
Hawthorn captain James Sicily is set to miss his side's season-shaping fortnight with a hip-abdominal injury. The Hawks have lost three games in a row and will now face the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide without their All-Australian star. The injury setback follows reports Sicily has been playing under an injury cloud. Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell last week fended off questions about Sicily's fitness, particularly his groin. Mitchell launched a strong defence of his captain, labelling the reports of a sore groin 'a storm in a teacup'. 'His groins are fine, he's playing every week, there's no reason that his kicking has anything to do with his groins, his groins are fine,' Mitchell said. 'He kicked the ball reasonably well last week I thought. Go watch all of his kicks and tell me which ones you could do better. Bring them back, show me some vision. 'I am very happy with his kicking. I could get you all the kicks he's done that hardly anyone in the competition could pull off he's done in the last month. 'The kicking, that is a storm in a teacup.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan wants Hugh McCluggage to be recognised for his brilliant efforts
Lions coach Chris Fagan has called for Brisbane's 'silent assassin' Hugh McCluggage to be rewarded with All-Australian selection after another superb display at the Gabba on Thursday night. McCluggage produced a best-on-ground performance with a career-high 41 disposals, including five score assists and 11 score involvements, in Brisbane's 18-point win over Essendon. 'Hughy McCluggage's game was huge,' Fagan said. 'He goes about it in a quiet manner but he's effective, a silent assassin out there.' McCluggage, 27, has made four All-Australian squads but is yet to make the final team in his eight previous AFL seasons. 'I hope at some point in time he wins an All-Australian guernsey because he's been such a consistent player for us for the last six years. The first couple of years he was developing. 'He's one of those fellows who is forever trying to improve. He's probably worked harder on the pressure defensive side of his game, both to get his body stronger but also to get involved more in that. 'That's a part of his game that's grown, and he's always been really good with the ball.' McCluggage's influence was critical on Thursday night as the Lions were forced to dig deep after Essendon fought back from being 32 points down at quarter time to take the lead eight minutes into the final quarter. 'At this time of the year, you're just happy to get the wins,' Fagan said. 'We did what we had to do when they got in front. There was good composure in the group just to build the ball up and to get scores. 'I like that about us. In AFL footy, every game is tough. In the end, we fought it out really well, showed good composure, and we'll take a little bit of confidence from that.' 'Confidence' is also building in Kai Lohmann, who kicked three goals on Thursday after failing to boot a major in his previous six appearances this season. 'He turned the corner last week (against Hawthorn). He got his pressure game back last week, and I reckon it was there again (against Essendon) and he got a little bit of a scoreboard reward,' Fagan said of the premiership-winning forward. 'I'm just hoping for him that he gets some confidence from that because it has been difficult for him. 'He set a high bar for himself last year, he's been injured a lot (this season). It looked like he was injured early in the game (on Thursday night). 'He hobbled off, but he was all good, and he helped us win the game.'
West Australian
5 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
'Silent assassin' fires, Lions relish tough run to bye
Brisbane's "silent assassin" has finally revealed himself, with Hugh McCluggage's career night grinding the Lions further towards a premiership defence and his own, overdue All Australian blazer. The midfielder had a career-best 41 touches in his 194th AFL game in Thursday's 18-point defeat of Essendon at the Gabba. He added 13 inside 50s, 17 contested possessions, 12 score involvements and four tackles as the Lions held off the Bombers' spirited fightback. In his ninth AFL season, McCluggage has been a crucial piece of the Lions' rise from the cellar to the penthouse but he has never worn the blazer. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan hopes that comes soon, the 27-year-old adding some defensive intent to his silky distribution this year. "Huge. That's a big game. He's worked harder on his pressure, defensive side of his game," he said of McCluggage, whose six tackles a game this season is almost double his career average. "He's always been good with the ball and is forever trying to improve. "We talk about All Australians. I hope at some point in time he wins one. "He's been such a consistent player for us for the last six years. "He goes about it in a quiet manner but gee he's effective, a silent assassin out there, really." McCluggage and midfielder partner Josh Dunkley had the answers on Thursday in a 13.12 (90) to 11.6 (72) after the Bombers had come from 32 points behind to lead by one in the final term. It meant they avoided another slip-up to a team outside the top eight after losses to Melbourne and a draw with North Melbourne in recent weeks. They are 4-1 against top-eight sides though, Fagan excited for an eight-day break before meeting fourth-placed Adelaide on the road next Friday. They then host the Giants before a game in Geelong and a round-16 bye. "Our boys will look forward to that; we've performed pretty well against the other sides in the top eight," he said. Three of the past four premiership winning sides have missed the finals in the subsequent year, while 2021 winners Melbourne made the following post-season but lost both finals games. The Lions (9-2-1) are on track to buck that trend, grinding through the gears with a smattering of AFL talent yet to return from injury. "Geez, at this time of the year, you're just happy to get the wins," Fagan said.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
'Silent assassin' fires, Lions relish tough run to bye
Brisbane's "silent assassin" has finally revealed himself, with Hugh McCluggage's career night grinding the Lions further towards a premiership defence and his own, overdue All Australian blazer. The midfielder had a career-best 41 touches in his 194th AFL game in Thursday's 18-point defeat of Essendon at the Gabba. He added 13 inside 50s, 17 contested possessions, 12 score involvements and four tackles as the Lions held off the Bombers' spirited fightback. In his ninth AFL season, McCluggage has been a crucial piece of the Lions' rise from the cellar to the penthouse but he has never worn the blazer. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan hopes that comes soon, the 27-year-old adding some defensive intent to his silky distribution this year. "Huge. That's a big game. He's worked harder on his pressure, defensive side of his game," he said of McCluggage, whose six tackles a game this season is almost double his career average. "He's always been good with the ball and is forever trying to improve. "We talk about All Australians. I hope at some point in time he wins one. "He's been such a consistent player for us for the last six years. "He goes about it in a quiet manner but gee he's effective, a silent assassin out there, really." McCluggage and midfielder partner Josh Dunkley had the answers on Thursday in a 13.12 (90) to 11.6 (72) after the Bombers had come from 32 points behind to lead by one in the final term. It meant they avoided another slip-up to a team outside the top eight after losses to Melbourne and a draw with North Melbourne in recent weeks. They are 4-1 against top-eight sides though, Fagan excited for an eight-day break before meeting fourth-placed Adelaide on the road next Friday. They then host the Giants before a game in Geelong and a round-16 bye. "Our boys will look forward to that; we've performed pretty well against the other sides in the top eight," he said. Three of the past four premiership winning sides have missed the finals in the subsequent year, while 2021 winners Melbourne made the following post-season but lost both finals games. The Lions (9-2-1) are on track to buck that trend, grinding through the gears with a smattering of AFL talent yet to return from injury. "Geez, at this time of the year, you're just happy to get the wins," Fagan said.
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Port: Imagine the pressure on Ken with no handover plan
Critics blasting Port Adelaide's coaching succession plan as a failure are missing one vital point, the club's footy boss says. What if it wasn't there? "I imagine that there might even be more pressure on Ken right now," Port's general manager of football Chris Davies told reporters on Monday. Coach Ken Hinkley's 13th and final season as head coach before handing over to assistant Josh Carr has wobbled to the bye with four wins and seven losses. With the poor results, Davies isn't surprised pundits are lining up the succession plan as a factor and a failure. "Coming into this year, you know that if you start losing games that people are going to be questioning that aspect of it," he said. "Not much has been going fantastically well for us this year. "And rather than focus on what you (media) would like to focus on, I think that internally we have got some actual practical things that we need to get right in the next period of time." For Davies, that should be a bigger focus than the coaching succession plan. "I totally understand that when you don't play good football, that you open yourself up to people wanting to talk about any aspect of your club," he said. "Our job is to get back to playing better. "The irony, I guess, through this is that when we win, there's no talk about it. And when we lose, there is talk about it." Davies said there had been no discussion about accelerating the handover should the Power fall from finals contention. "I don't think that has ever been a doubt with Ken," he said. "If there ever came that time, I'm 100 per cent convinced that he would come and tell me that. "But I haven't seen anything that would suggest that Ken doesn't have the energy for the job." Davies hoped influential utility Miles Bergman would use Port's bye to further consider a long-term deal, believed to seven years. Bergman falls off contract at season's end and has strong suitors in his native Victoria. The Power also have an eight-year offer on the table for dual All Australian midfielder Zak Butters, another Victorian, whose contract expires at the end of next season. "Zak has got a an amazing offer in front of him and Miles has got a very good offer in front of him," Davies said, adding the club wasn't pressuring a deadline on the duo. Critics blasting Port Adelaide's coaching succession plan as a failure are missing one vital point, the club's footy boss says. What if it wasn't there? "I imagine that there might even be more pressure on Ken right now," Port's general manager of football Chris Davies told reporters on Monday. Coach Ken Hinkley's 13th and final season as head coach before handing over to assistant Josh Carr has wobbled to the bye with four wins and seven losses. With the poor results, Davies isn't surprised pundits are lining up the succession plan as a factor and a failure. "Coming into this year, you know that if you start losing games that people are going to be questioning that aspect of it," he said. "Not much has been going fantastically well for us this year. "And rather than focus on what you (media) would like to focus on, I think that internally we have got some actual practical things that we need to get right in the next period of time." For Davies, that should be a bigger focus than the coaching succession plan. "I totally understand that when you don't play good football, that you open yourself up to people wanting to talk about any aspect of your club," he said. "Our job is to get back to playing better. "The irony, I guess, through this is that when we win, there's no talk about it. And when we lose, there is talk about it." Davies said there had been no discussion about accelerating the handover should the Power fall from finals contention. "I don't think that has ever been a doubt with Ken," he said. "If there ever came that time, I'm 100 per cent convinced that he would come and tell me that. "But I haven't seen anything that would suggest that Ken doesn't have the energy for the job." Davies hoped influential utility Miles Bergman would use Port's bye to further consider a long-term deal, believed to seven years. Bergman falls off contract at season's end and has strong suitors in his native Victoria. The Power also have an eight-year offer on the table for dual All Australian midfielder Zak Butters, another Victorian, whose contract expires at the end of next season. "Zak has got a an amazing offer in front of him and Miles has got a very good offer in front of him," Davies said, adding the club wasn't pressuring a deadline on the duo. Critics blasting Port Adelaide's coaching succession plan as a failure are missing one vital point, the club's footy boss says. What if it wasn't there? "I imagine that there might even be more pressure on Ken right now," Port's general manager of football Chris Davies told reporters on Monday. Coach Ken Hinkley's 13th and final season as head coach before handing over to assistant Josh Carr has wobbled to the bye with four wins and seven losses. With the poor results, Davies isn't surprised pundits are lining up the succession plan as a factor and a failure. "Coming into this year, you know that if you start losing games that people are going to be questioning that aspect of it," he said. "Not much has been going fantastically well for us this year. "And rather than focus on what you (media) would like to focus on, I think that internally we have got some actual practical things that we need to get right in the next period of time." For Davies, that should be a bigger focus than the coaching succession plan. "I totally understand that when you don't play good football, that you open yourself up to people wanting to talk about any aspect of your club," he said. "Our job is to get back to playing better. "The irony, I guess, through this is that when we win, there's no talk about it. And when we lose, there is talk about it." Davies said there had been no discussion about accelerating the handover should the Power fall from finals contention. "I don't think that has ever been a doubt with Ken," he said. "If there ever came that time, I'm 100 per cent convinced that he would come and tell me that. "But I haven't seen anything that would suggest that Ken doesn't have the energy for the job." Davies hoped influential utility Miles Bergman would use Port's bye to further consider a long-term deal, believed to seven years. Bergman falls off contract at season's end and has strong suitors in his native Victoria. The Power also have an eight-year offer on the table for dual All Australian midfielder Zak Butters, another Victorian, whose contract expires at the end of next season. "Zak has got a an amazing offer in front of him and Miles has got a very good offer in front of him," Davies said, adding the club wasn't pressuring a deadline on the duo.
