Latest news with #MarcusBontempelli
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
AFL round 13: Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, live stats and SuperCoach scores
Hawthorn will be out to snap a three-game losing run when it takes on a Western Bulldogs side fresh off the bye on Thursday night. The Hawks have dropped to sixth on the ladder and could finish round 13 outside the top eight unless they end their winless streak. Victory would lift the Bulldogs above the Hawks on the ladder and give GWS Giants the chance to jump ahead of Hawthorn. However, the Hawks would need to lose more than 4 per cent to slide behind Fremantle — which has the bye. There will be big interest in how the Hawks deal with Marcus Bontempelli, although Sam Mitchell said this week a tag is unlikely. Originally published as AFL round 13: Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, live stats and SuperCoach scores
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
SuperCoach AFL 2025: Time to get Bont, waiting on Butters, and TDK back in?
The first bye round hit some harder than others, and while The Phantom and Chief struggled, Five Names soared up the rankings with his new hairdo! Heading into what should be an 'easier' week with only Fremantle and St Kilda on the bye, the crew gathers in the Lair to pick out the best names from each team with their byes in the rear-view mirror. Plus, is Marcus Bontempelli a must-have, why we should wait on Zak Butters, and is it time to cut ties with the Lair's favourite son, Ryan Maric?
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Might get overlooked': Nick Riewoldt's actions come to light after Cornes incident
Nick Riewoldt has been praised for de-escalating a situation between Kane Cornes and Luke Beveridge on Thursday night, after the pair had a verbal exchange before Geelong's win over the Western Bulldogs. And some are calling for the AFL to sanction Cornes after the incident threatened to boil over into something much worse. Cornes was preparing for his commentary duties with Channel 7 on Thursday night when Bulldogs coach Beveridge walked past him on ground level at GMHBA Stadium. Cornes and Beveridge then exchanged words, and Cornes could be seen moving towards the coach before Beveridge walked away. Cornes is currently banned from the Bulldogs' dressing rooms over constant criticism he's levelled at Beveridge, which the club believes has become personal. He also blasted the Dogs for their handling or Marcus Bontempelli's recent injury, accusing them of not being honest with when the skipper would return. Beveridge clearly isn't a fan of the former Port Adelaide player-turned-media member, and Cornes moved to explain what happened before first bounce. Cornes said Beveridge was "staring at me quite strongly", so he said "G'day Bevo". He added: "There was a confrontation, there were some words spoken. But he's combative, and they do like to protect their club and their players. I don't have an issue with it, it's a big game of footy. Clearly the relationship between myself and the Western Bulldogs isn't a strong one." "I didn't really know what to say, so I just said, 'G'day, Bevo' and it wasn't received that well as you can see in the vision. I would have liked to go on with the conversation and have it respectfully, but it wasn't the time or the place." Beveridge refused to elaborate after the game, which the Cats won 20.7 (127) to 16.17 (113). "Ultimately, we come in here and we talk about the game," the coach said in his presser. "That's all we're after, isn't it? If you're trying to drum up any controversy, I don't think there was any. I've really got nothing to say." Some have suggested the AFL should hit Cornes with some sort of sanction. The fact he started walking towards Beveridge during the incident meant it could have escalated into something even uglier, while Cornes' Channel 7 colleague Riewoldt has been praised for his attempts to calm Cornes down. Riewoldt could be seen saying "Kane" on numerous occasions, and started walking towards his colleague in case he needed to pull him back. One person wrote on social media about the St Kilda champion: "What might get overlooked here is Riewoldt showing once a leader, always a leader. He straight away called Cornes back away from the situation. Good man." RELATED: Teammates' move for Nick Daicos that could be bad news for rivals AFL world gutted over heartbreaking news about West Coast hero The incident with Beveridge comes after North Melbourne placed a ban on Cornes and now refuse to deal with him over constant attacks on some of their players. Speaking on Fox Footy, leading reporter Jon Ralph suggested the AFL needs to step in and remind Cornes of his responsibilities. 'Cornes was already banned from the Dogs' rooms after a series of negative articles and comments in regards to Beveridge," he said. "The club believes it's personal – called him a 'poor ambassador for his football club', called for his sacking repeatedly. 'People around the situation felt like Cornes stepped into his space and they're thankful that Beveridge walked on. The question here is whether this is deliberately disrespectful and antagonistic, whether it was the time and the space for Cornes to talk to Beveridge." David King, who works with Cornes on SEN radio, said: 'This is what Kane does. This is his schtick, this is what he does – and I think there are no winners. Tonight there are no winners. It makes two intelligent people look really foolish.' While Leigh Montagna added: 'It's not a good look when you've got two people who don't like each other and these sorts of things can happen.' If ken and Clarkson got fined cornes should face the heat — cynical66 (@sinecal77) May 22, 2025 You started it, Kane. You squared up as he walked past and Roo had to reel you back in. — The Inside Mids (@SC_InsideMids) May 22, 2025 Cornes is turning the AFL media landscape into a negative nasty place. He has been the worse thing that has happened to our game. — Mitchell 🌸 (@LionTells) May 22, 2025 What might get overlooked here is Riewoldt showing once a leader, always a leader. He straight away called Cornes back away from the situation. Good man. — Dave Lloyd (@AlbertonPower) May 22, 2025
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL round 11 Geelong v Western Bullodgs: Live updates, teams, SuperCoach scores
It is possibly the most anticipated clash of the season so far, as the Western Bulldogs travel down to Geelong for the 'Baz Battle' against old teammate Bailey Smith. Outside of the expected angst towards Smith, the Thursday night clash at GMHBA Stadium pits two teams who have combined to win eight of their last 10 matches and are both in top form. And the individuals on each team are in red-hot form, with Marcus Bontempelli wearing he crown as the best player in the game and Smith's football form talking even louder than his Instagram game. Ahead of Thursday night, the best of the best from the two teams have been ranked, in order, as the best 22 players who will decide the mouth-watering meeting. The rankings are based largely on current form, so the returning Tom Stewart misses out. In an indication of how tight this game may be, although the Dogs have three of the top four players in the rankings, the clubs are split perfectly, with 11 players each.
Sydney Morning Herald
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sleepless nights, awkward texts and cheap shots. This is the psychological warfare of the ‘revenge game'
For Smith, this has been a month in the making – ever since his post-match interview in round eight sparked public responses from his former captain Marcus Bontempelli and coach Luke Beveridge. It's left fans and players alike poised for the clash they've been waiting for. Playing against your old club stirs up a storm of emotions: old friendships, unfinished business, and the strange discomfort of lining up against people you used to train, laugh and go to battle with every week. Even a well-meaning text from an ex-teammate during the week can make you pause – is this genuine, or is it the start of some psychological warfare? For some, the match is about making a statement – especially if the exit wasn't clean. When that's the case, the pressure to perform is huge. You want to prove your worth to those who made it difficult for you. If you play poorly, it can feel like you're conceding that they were right to let you go. But if you left on your own terms, the goal shifts – it becomes more about showing how much you've grown and evolved at your new club. There's a bit more freedom in that. It becomes more than a game – it becomes a reckoning. You want to remind them what they've lost. But that emotional weight can either fuel you or completely unravel you. Patrick Dangerfield showed what it can look like when you harness it: 33 disposals, 22 contested, 11 tackles, and a match-turning performance against his old side Adelaide in 2016. Jason Horne-Francis has shown the other side – how emotion can still boil over even in the second or third clash with an old team. Just a few weeks ago, we saw him in a fiery exchange, needing to be dragged back by Ken Hinkley during round seven against North Melbourne. And it doesn't stop with players. Sometimes, it's about coaches too. Just look at Damien Hardwick. That round six win by Richmond over in-form Gold Coast wasn't just a result – it was a message. Emotions run deep when you're playing against someone who once led you. That rivalry will linger for years. Personally, I'd try to feel the emotion early in the week, then park it a few days out from the game. If it seeps into your performance, you start overthinking, trying too hard, forcing plays – and that never ends well. You've got to stick to your process and channel the energy the right way. But not everyone plays like that. Smith seems to welcome the hysteria – he thrives on it. He plays how he lives: moment to moment. He's poked the bear for weeks now – or in this case, poked the Dog. On a day when the spotlight is already glaring, he's invited even more attention. It's risky. But that's where he plays his best footy. Tactical familiarity cuts both ways You know their system – but they know yours. When you line up against your former club, you're not just facing opponents – you're facing people who know you intimately as a footballer. They've seen you at your best and at your worst. They know your strengths, sure – but more importantly, they know your habits under pressure. They know how you move, how you move at stoppages, how you set up behind the ball, and what you default to when you're gassed. It can make you feel like you are vulnerable and exposed. You often feel like a target – not just physically, but tactically. They might push half a step wider, knowing you like to weave through traffic. They might delay a press because they've seen you hesitate before kicking the ball. It's personal – but it's also smart footy. But there's opportunity in that. You've been inside their walls. You've sat in the same team meetings, studied the same opposition clips, listened to the same game plan drilled into you for years. You don't just know how the system works – you understand why it exists. Loading Bailey Smith might hold a crucial piece of the puzzle on Thursday night. After years inside the Bulldogs' inner circle, he knows the setups, the terminology, the triggers that drive their ball movement. You can guarantee some of that intel has been passed along to Chris Scott and the Cats' midfield group in meetings or even quiet conversations during the week. If Smith can keep his head clear and control the emotional noise, that inside knowledge could be the difference. It's not everything – but in tight contests, those one or two-per cent edges matter. Fan reactions Crowd dynamics in these kinds of games are electric. You don't just hear the atmosphere – you absorb it. Every clap, every boo, every quiet murmur feels magnified. It's not just a regular match for the fans, and they make sure the players know it. Some players return to old clubs and are greeted with warmth, a nod of respect for years of service. Others are met with hostility, even hatred. Often, it depends on how the departure unfolded. If you joined a rival or left under tension, that respect can quickly disappear. That kind of reception cuts deep. You spend years putting your body on the line for a club – playing through injuries, connecting with fans, giving your all – and then with one decision, one trade, it can all feel undone. Fans are quick to call for loyalty, but the same standard isn't always expected from clubs when decisions are made behind closed doors. The emotional impact of that reaction can weigh heavily. Even before the first bounce, it can drain you – especially if you try to ignore it. You tell yourself it doesn't matter, but deep down, when familiar faces in the crowd look away or jeer, it stings. Loading That's why it helps that Bailey Smith will step onto GMHBA Stadium on Thursday. He'll be backed by a Geelong crowd that's mostly on his side. If this game had been at Marvel Stadium, the reception might've been brutal. The noise would've been louder, the boos sharper, and the emotional load much heavier. Having some crowd support, even if it's not overwhelming, makes a difference in a game like this. Maybe that's why Smith has been so comfortable poking the Dog in the build-up. Maybe the safety of the home crowd gave him the freedom to stir the pot a little. If so, he's about to find out if it was worth it.
