Latest news with #DwayneRussell
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘That's extraordinary': Go home AFL, you're drunk
Football commentators are up in arms over a series of controversial moments during Collingwood's win over the Demons at the MCG on Monday. An incredible confrontation between Melbourne captain Max Gawn and star defender Steven May attracted all the headlines after the traditional King's Birthday blockbuster, but it hasn't stopped the umpires from coming under fire. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall was left staggered by the whistle-blowers after Collingwood was warded a free kick during an incident where Magpies captain Darcy Moore shoved Jake Melksham to take out the legs of teammate Jeremy Howe. Replays showed Moore had his hands on Melksham's back as the former Essendon player slid under Howe during a marking contest. The furious roar from the crowd said it all. You can watch the incident in the video player above. 'Oh you've got to be kidding me,' Dunstall said in commentary for Fox Footy. 'You got to be kidding me. He got pushed into him. It has to be Melksham's free kick. He just got pushed into Howell by Darcy Moore. That is extraordinary.' Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell said: 'That's how the fans saw it in the stands. That's how we all saw it, but the four (umpires) out there are the ones that count'. The decision was widely criticised by fans and commentators. One Melbourne fan wrote on X: 'The AFL has completely lost the plot. The umpiring is terrible. That free against Melksham WTF. And the MRO is a joke. 'I'm not usually a Twitter whinger but enough is enough.' It comes as former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas continued to publicly share his disappointment at the standard of umpiring this year. The 67-year-old said recently the standard of officiating is the worst he has seen. North Melbourne great David King said last month 2025 has been the worst season of officiating he has seen in the game. Kane Cornes also said last month: 'I feel like it's never been worse'. Thomas on Monday night was particularly unhappy with the handling of the special treatment Demons players gave to Collingwood star Nick Daicos. Ed Langdon was given the job of doing a hard tag on the Collingwood ball-winner — and his niggling tactics were clearly working. He held Daicos to just seven disposals in the first half. However, that changed dramatically in the second half when Langdon was penalised multiple times for holding and shoving Daicos during ball-ups. Thomas posted on X during the game: 'What the umpires are allowing Langford to get away with — at stoppages especially — is dreadful and sends a bad message to what's acceptable'. Fox Footy's Leigh Montagna described Langdon's actions as being a 'really old-school' tagger. Demons coach Simon Goodwin said his team had devised the tactic of using Langdon on Daicos weeks ago. The premiership coach was asked bluntly about the clear crackdown on Langdon's niggling tactics in the second half and said: 'It was certainly pretty clear post half-time, early especially, that they were watching some of the holding around the ball. 'I'm not sure what transpired at half-time, but obviously the free kicks were pretty evident early in the third quarter. 'I don't know what transpires in those breaks with the umpires and what they discuss, but hopefully they do it for every player.' Collingwood coach Craig McRae congratulated Langdon on his performance. 'He did a great job,' McRae told AFL 360. 'It's challenging because it's all contest and it's hard to get space. Nick's biggest weapon is when he's running – and Langdon is an elite runner. But we didn't really get the ball into open spaces to allow Nick to be at his best. 'There comes a time when you've just got to do your job and we thought Nick fought it out pretty well in the second half.' Daicos was clearly unsettled by the added physicality Langdon and Demons players dealt out and the Brownlow medal fancy at times let his frustrations show. McRae was honest in his appraisal of the Daicos brothers, Josh and Nick, in his side's thrilling one-point win over Melbourne. 'If one Daicos doesn't get you, the second one will. It's a nice duo, isn't it,' he declared with a smile in his post-match press conference. Josh was named the best player on the ground to take home the Neale Daniher Trophy as his younger brother faced one of the toughest tags in his short career. Daicos found more of the footy in the second half and eventually finished with 19 disposals and a goal. Josh finished as the leading disposal winner on the ground with 34 touches including 545 metres gained.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Footy fans lose it as AFL great turned commentator Dwayne Russell reveals his BIZARRE go-to drink
Footy great turned top commentator Dwayne Russell has left AFL fans baffled by posting a video of his bizarre mid-show drink. The former Port Adelaide and Geelong star now hosts Dwayne's World and covers games for SEN radio, and shared footage as he prepared a strange milk drink during an ad break during his program on Thursday. Russell takes a one-litre bottle of low-fat Pura Light Start milk and adds a sachet of Nescafe Blend 43 instant coffee to it, then shakes the mixture and chugs it down. The clip startled some footy fans when it was posted to X, with one commenting, 'Like watching a little kid at recess.' 'Full bottle of milk is crazy,' another wrote. '@VictoriaPolice there's a mad man on the loose,' added a third. Russell, 60, blew fans' minds when he detailed the incredible amount of sugar and caffeine he consumes when he's covering AFL matches 'The man's arteries defy science,' another fan commented. 'Bro is walking a tightrope between sane and bats**t crazy,' another added. Russell, 60, ups the ante when he gets hungry and thirsty while covering matches. He has previously revealed he consumes an incredible amount of sugar and caffeine while he's covering matches. 'Every day that I do a game I do a Coke every quarter, so a can of Coke, two Red Bulls, and normally a family block of Caramello [chocolate] just to get me through,' he told Seven's The Front Bar last year. Asked if he had a favourite variety of milk, Russell confessed he had 'stolen many a milk from the MCG fridge'. 'I stole the last carton at three-quarter time a few weeks before and I thought, I'll bring my own. 'I'm a bit of a milk lover, a connoisseur. 'You can probably tell your different beers, and have a blind taste test of beers. 'You can put four or five milks out front and I could probably tell you where they're from.' Russell played 71 games for Port in the SANFL from 1981 to 1986, kicking 133 goals, then switched to Geelong from 1987 to 1991, bagging 51 majors in his 50 matches for the Cats. His career in the media began in Geelong in 1989, and has worked for the Age newspaper as well as Nine, 3AW and Fox Sports.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Haumako Embraces Innovation During Envy Apple Harvest In Wairoa
Press Release – Haumako The harvest, which began in mid-March, has now ended the final stretch of a tight 21-day picking window. Haumakos workforcecomprising permanent staff, cadets, and casual workersis meeting the challenge with efficiency, pride, and the support … Haumako Horticulture is transforming the landscape of Wairoa—both literally and economically—as it leads the region's transition from traditional farming to high-tech horticulture. Now in the peak of its Envy apple export harvest, the orchard is already reaping the benefits of strategic investment in innovation, local talent, and sustainable regional development. The harvest, which began in mid-March, has now ended the final stretch of a tight 21-day picking window. Haumako's workforce—comprising permanent staff, cadets, and casual workers—is meeting the challenge with efficiency, pride, and the support of cutting-edge technology. Dwayne Russell, Workforce Manager for Haumako Horticulture plays a vital role in ensuring the orchard operates smoothly each day. 'My job is to forecast labour demand, so our orchard teams have the right people, in the right place, at the right time. This season, we've seen an influx of casual workers joining our cadets and permanent staff. Together, they're managing logistics, forklifts, tractor operations, and fruit handling while studying their Level 3 Certificate in Primary Industries. Once a grazing and cropping property, Haumako's 109-hectare Whakapau Farm now includes 30 hectares of high-density Envy apples—a premium variety grown under license from Turners and Growers (T&G). The fruit is processed at T&G's storage and export facilities, bound for global markets including China. The move into horticulture began with the development of Tara Orchard in partnership with Ohuia Incorporation. That success helped shape Haumako's more recent investments at Whakapau, where the goal is to position Wairoa as a thriving horticultural hub. This season marks a technological leap forward with the introduction of several automated picking platforms. These platforms replace the traditional ladder-and-bag method with conveyor belts that gently transport apples from tree to bin—improving fruit quality and reducing physical strain on workers. Sirius Tamati-Smith, a cadet graduate and 2024 Gisborne Young Grower of the Year – Best Apple Grower, says the platforms are a game changer. 'The old way of ladder-picking, especially climbing to the eighth wire, has taken a real toll—particularly on our experienced workers. These platforms reduce the stress on their bodies and allow them to stay in the industry longer, mentoring the next generation.' Frank King, Block Lead at Tara Orchard says the benefits are already evident on the ground. 'There's real progress and productivity—and our team feels it. Less bending, less lifting, and less sick days.' The improved safety conditions have also reduced the risk of injury, while enhancing long-term retention of skilled orchard labour. 'We're seeing the kind of performance that shows this technology isn't just smart, it's necessary,' adds King. Haumako currently employs 17 full-time orchard staff and prioritises hiring and upskilling locals—especially rangatahi—through its cadetship programme. Long-term plans include developing water storage facilities, new orchard infrastructure, and a purpose-built coolstore to support continued growth. This is about building more than an orchard. It's about creating long-term opportunities for our people and our region,' says Russell.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Haumako Embraces Innovation During Envy Apple Harvest In Wairoa
Haumako Horticulture is transforming the landscape of Wairoa—both literally and economically—as it leads the region's transition from traditional farming to high-tech horticulture. Now in the peak of its Envy apple export harvest, the orchard is already reaping the benefits of strategic investment in innovation, local talent, and sustainable regional development. The harvest, which began in mid-March, has now ended the final stretch of a tight 21-day picking window. Haumako's workforce—comprising permanent staff, cadets, and casual workers—is meeting the challenge with efficiency, pride, and the support of cutting-edge technology. Dwayne Russell, Workforce Manager for Haumako Horticulture plays a vital role in ensuring the orchard operates smoothly each day. 'My job is to forecast labour demand, so our orchard teams have the right people, in the right place, at the right time. This season, we've seen an influx of casual workers joining our cadets and permanent staff. Together, they're managing logistics, forklifts, tractor operations, and fruit handling while studying their Level 3 Certificate in Primary Industries. Once a grazing and cropping property, Haumako's 109-hectare Whakapau Farm now includes 30 hectares of high-density Envy apples—a premium variety grown under license from Turners and Growers (T&G). The fruit is processed at T&G's storage and export facilities, bound for global markets including China. The move into horticulture began with the development of Tara Orchard in partnership with Ohuia Incorporation. That success helped shape Haumako's more recent investments at Whakapau, where the goal is to position Wairoa as a thriving horticultural hub. This season marks a technological leap forward with the introduction of several automated picking platforms. These platforms replace the traditional ladder-and-bag method with conveyor belts that gently transport apples from tree to bin—improving fruit quality and reducing physical strain on workers. Sirius Tamati-Smith, a cadet graduate and 2024 Gisborne Young Grower of the Year – Best Apple Grower, says the platforms are a game changer. 'The old way of ladder-picking, especially climbing to the eighth wire, has taken a real toll—particularly on our experienced workers. These platforms reduce the stress on their bodies and allow them to stay in the industry longer, mentoring the next generation.' Frank King, Block Lead at Tara Orchard says the benefits are already evident on the ground. 'There's real progress and productivity—and our team feels it. Less bending, less lifting, and less sick days.' The improved safety conditions have also reduced the risk of injury, while enhancing long-term retention of skilled orchard labour. "We're seeing the kind of performance that shows this technology isn't just smart, it's necessary," adds King. Haumako currently employs 17 full-time orchard staff and prioritises hiring and upskilling locals—especially rangatahi—through its cadetship programme. Long-term plans include developing water storage facilities, new orchard infrastructure, and a purpose-built coolstore to support continued growth. This is about building more than an orchard. It's about creating long-term opportunities for our people and our region,' says Russell.
