Latest news with #DannyOBrien
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Danny O'Brien racing manager Jack Howard to make AFL field umpire debut in Richmond-Sydney clash at MCG
Jack Howard, an Australian Rules field umpire and racing manager for Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien, is set for a dream AFL debut on Saturday at the MCG. The passionate AFL-listed whistleblower, called up for the Richmond-Sydney clash, has officiated the past two VFL grand finals and performed well in the state league. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'It was a bit more relief for me but you do realise how important it is when you start calling friends and family and they're just over the moon,' Howard said. 'The old man burst into tears … they've (parents) sacrificed a lot, a lot before I got my licence, driving me around.' Howard started umpiring Essendon District junior football at 12 and advanced into senior ranks, including a career-shaping season in Darwin, with a goal to make the AFL. Working in racing the past decade, a stable hand initially mucking out boxes before going to university to complete a teaching degree, has steeled field umpire Howard. 'I've sort of chosen three careers in my life where you get more criticism than praise and they've all helped with each other,' Howard said. Howard credited the ongoing support of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer O'Brien and stable general manager Matt Harrington. 'It's been a sustained couple of years of really putting my head down,' Howard said. 'I had a good chat with Danny four years ago and had to make a decision whether I continued on … set some goals I had to achieve and got them. 'I couldn't have done it without his and Matt's support … It helps Danny and Matt love footy and we've got a great group of staff … that allow me to chase both careers.' Howard conceded Monday footy banter could become tricky should he be allocated any Hawthorn (O'Brien) or North Melbourne (Harrington) games in the future. 'I have joked I might have to chuck a sickie on a Monday to let the water go under the bridge before I walk back into the office,' Howard laughed. 'To be honest, outside the standard banter there's not a lot of football discussion, especially umpiring and that. 'They understand it's a difficult job and very much like racing, you get a lot more criticism than you do pats on the back for it.' O'Brien is able to be at the MCG to support Howard, with one important stable runner on Saturday, Politely Dun, in the Group 1 Queensland Derby. 'Dan's decided he's going to come along to the 'G, it just shows the support I've got from him and his family,' Howard said. 'When I told them (Danny and wife Nina on) Monday when I found out they were over the moon.' The Richmond-Sydney match should be finished in time, and Brownlow votes logged accordingly, for Howard to catch the Queensland Derby live at 3.52pm. 'It's actually worked out well,' Howard said. 'We don't have any runners at Flemington this week and Politely Dun in the rescheduled Queensland Derby. 'He's a really good chance up there, I really like the horse. It would be, hopefully, a great day for the stable.'
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Inside the aftermath of one of Liverpool's darkest days
Treading slowly out of their Airbnb on to the heavily-policed street, the O'Brien family turned to inspect the aftermath of the appalling events the evening before. Behind the tangled cordon, empty beer bottles and takeaway boxes were strewn across the deserted road. In the distance, a forensic officer checked the road surface for evidence. For the sombre-looking family-of-four, it was like waking up from a violent nightmare, hoping it was just a dream. But it wasn't. Less than 24 hours earlier, the group were among thousands of joyous Liverpool fans packed into the street for their team's Premier League -winning parade. Unbeknown to them was they were in the path of a Ford Galaxy vehicle that would turn the city's party of the year into a horror show. Only for young Liverpool fans pushing them out of the way, the family from County Meath in Ireland were saved from joining the 65 confirmed casualties. The youngest - Danny, aged 11 - still appeared visibly shaken as he stood next to his father, Paul, and grandparents, Marie and Peter. 'For the little fella to see it going on - it's very hard to understand,' said his 39-year-old father. As dawn broke on Tuesday, many in the city had questions over how the vehicle entered Water Street, with an investigation only in its early stages. But for the O'Briens, they were just thankful to be able to walk away. "It [the car] passed us by inches, and then it continued and we could actually hear the thuds of people being hit,' said Paul. 'It was just a terrible scene. There were kids, men and women on the ground. "The men who pushed us out of the way were amazing, it was heroic stuff, young Liverpool supporters. They didn't think for a second, only for those people they don't know." As the rain came down on Tuesday, the closed-off section of road turned into a central point for grief for dozens of Liverpool supporters. CCTV obtained by The Independent showed the moment the vehicle moved down Dale Street, through the crowds, before entering Water Street. Fans had confronted the vehicle before it finally came to a stop, with four people trapped underneath. On Tuesday, many observers walked to the police cordon where they took pictures, hugged each other. One person laid flowers. Donna Skeldon, aged 51, from the Isle of Wight, was tearful as she retold how she fled in terror down a side street when the violence broke out. "I was just running in a panic," she said. "We weren't sure what was happening, but when you see so many people running, you just run for your life because you don't know what's happening.' She heard thuds as she ran, fearing at first they could be gun shots before looking around to see people hitting the car after it had come to a stop. 'It's horrible to think you're in that sort of situation. You never want to be there again, seeing the horror in front of you.' While the day had initially started out as a celebration, the city centre soon emptied as emergency services battled to bring the scene under control. Lisa Meiklajohn, 38, said: 'We were in the Reds Bar last night and it was meant to be a big ticketed event, but it was completely quiet. It was a somber mood. People just didn't want to go out. They were upset.' Others voiced frustration at how the vehicle had been able to hit the crowds. Ruben Derby, aged 26, said: 'You have so many people at an event - how can a car be able to get inside the roadblock and do this? Later in the evening, at Merseyside Police's headquarters in the city centre, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims explained the car was believed to have followed an ambulance as it responded to a man suffering a suspected heart attack. While 11 people remain in hospital, officers are still questioning a 53-year-old man, who has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving while unfit through drugs. Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said the public had showed an 'incredible response' in helping the police in its investigation. It emerged that off-duty staff came into work at the city's hospitals. Clearly, the city was shook by the incident - but many at the police cordon also showed a steely resilience. Caio Cesar, 31, from Brazil, said: 'These are things that this city has unfortunately a bit of experience with. The people and the city know how to recover - and we will.'
ABC News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
What Bendigo's swing against Labor means for Victorian premier
It was the "safe" Labor seat that took most by surprise. Labor's Lisa Chesters scraped through for a fifth term despite the strongest push away from her party in the nation. Now the Nationals are vowing to target Bendigo in next year's state election. Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues "It's a repudiation of the Labor brand and the premier in her own electorate," Victorian Nationals leader Danny O'Brien said this week. "The premier should be concerned and Labor should be concerned." Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who is also the state member for Bendigo East, denied the swing against Labor had anything to do with her. "It was a cashed-up [Nationals] campaign," she said. Emeritus Professor of Politics at Monash University, Paul Strangio, said the swing against federal Labor in Bendigo was a warning bell for the Victorian Labor government and the premier. "Jacinta Allan's government is very unpopular," he said. Professor Strangio said it would still be a big task for the Victorian opposition to win state seats such as Bendigo. "There is a deep skepticism in Victoria to the Liberal party," he said. Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC Listen Pressure on Ms Allan was rising before the federal election, with polling showing Victorians were fed up with crime and budget blowouts. There have been protests outside her Bendigo electorate office over youth crime, and against the deeply unpopular emergency services levy. Ms Allan said Nationals candidate Andrew Lethlean was also marketed as a quasi-independent candidate, rather than a Coalition one, which likely contributed to his success. "The Nationals worked incredibly hard to make sure they had nothing to do with Peter Dutton's Liberal party," she said. "I take nothing for granted in holding my seat of Bendigo East — I never have." But some residents in the Bendigo electorate believe frustration with the state's premier did have an impact on the local federal election result. "There has been some dissatisfaction with the Labor Premier, Jacinta Allan, in relation to issues like youth crime," local Peter Howitt said. Angus Smith, 33, said the swing reflected the Nationals' big spend on advertising. "The Nationals went really hard on advertising. [Andrew] Lethlean has been everywhere," he said. But Mr Smith said there was also a growing appetite for change in the community. "You have to remind people you exist and remind people what you do." Mr Lethlean and Ms Chesters were not available to be interviewed.
