Latest news with #MarvelStadium
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kahli Johnson header is fitting marker for Tom Sermanni in Matildas win
At Marvel Stadium - it felt rather appropriate, all things considered, that Tom Sermanni marked his 150th in charge of the Matildas by making Kahli Johnson the 237th player to represent Australia. As while the 2010 Asian Cup may have provided the 70-year-old with his crowning achievement, his is a more than three-decade legacy built upon the stories and achievements of those who he has given an opportunity. So many of the pathways that are found in the women's game Down Under wouldn't exist without his guidance, and of the current Golden Generation alone, the likes of Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, and Katrina Gorry were all given intentional debuts under his charge. So it all became even more fitting when Johnson headed home the 38th minute goal that kickstarted the Matildas to a 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel on Friday evening, a game lacking in much of the way of fireworks but in which the hosts never looked in danger of falling. Kaitlyn Torpey put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute, the winger's second international goal blessed by the footballing gods when her shanked attempt to send in a cross from the right floated right over the head of Abigaíl Chaves and inside the far post. Johnson, 21, took a leap into the unknown during the middle of the A-League Women season in moving from Western United, while right in the mix for the race for the Golden Boot, to newly launched Canadian competition the Northern Super League and has kicked on with three goals in six games for the Calgary Wild. She'd moved down to Melbourne from Sydney a few years prior to ease herself into living away from home and when the Wild came knocking with a transfer fee for her services, she felt ready. Now, having scored a goal every other game in Canada, she's become a senior international, with a goal under her belt to boot, and the latest in a long line of players whose stories cannot be told without Sermanni. The ball to find Johnson was delivered with pinpoint accuracy by Charli Grant, who galloped down the flank before sending in a perfectly weighted cross for her teammate — who replays showed may have strayed just into an offside position — to send across the face of Chaves. Though not all that much older than Johnson, the defender is something of a grizzled young vet in the current setup given she's still only 23-years-old but she's now in her fourth year in the national setup, with 34 appearances in green and gold under her belt. Probably helped by not needing to do much defending — Argentina would fail to register a shot on target until the 80th minute — the Spurs flanker was one of the Matildas best on the evening. So, too, was Johnson, who flashed intent early on when she won the ball on the left and whipped in crosses in the sixth and seventh minutes and who put a shot just wide in the 49th in search of a brace. Given the chance to start as the nine once more, clearly being positioned by Sermanni as the heir-apparent for Kerr, Holly McNamara showed off her determined, angry worth as well: sending a volleyed attempt from a Grant cross wide in the first half and fizzing an effort outside the post in the 61st. Clare Wheeler got in on the act, too, firing off a 72nd minute attempt that Chaves did incredibly well to get down and keep out. Indeed, with the likes of Kerr, Gorry, Ellie Carpenter, and Hayley Raso all absent from this squad and the Arsenal trio of Catley, Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross not risked after their late arrival into camp after winning the Champions League, Friday was an evening for the unheralded and rising members of the squad. It almost had to be, given that Football Australia has indicated a new coach will be coming in next month, rendering these games as something of an audition. But it was also a celebration of an underappreciated legend in Sermanni, delivered in fitting fashion.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Matildas v Argentina: Stars eye Asian Cup in friendly
The Matildas will have one eye on the 2026 Asian Cup as veteran coach Tom Sermanni brings up his 150th game in charge of Australia's national football team. Sermanni will reach the significant milestone in Friday night's friendly against Argentina in Melbourne, more than 30 years in the making. His first stint ran from 1994 to 1997, then again from 2005 to 2012. He's held the interim head coach label since the Matildas parted ways with Tony Gustavsson since August last year, with virtually no end in sight. While the man who `masterminded the Matildas' Asian Cup triumph in 2010 is not expected to be there when Australia hosts the tournament in March next year, he is playing a key role in developing the players who will fly the flag. Arsenal trio Caitlin Foord (135 caps), Steph Catley (137 caps) and Kyra Cooney-Cross (57 caps) joined the squad on Wednesday after their UEFA Women's Champions League win at the weekend, and, if selected, will bring the bulk of the experience. Emily van Egmond (158 caps), Alanna Kennedy (135 caps) and Michelle Heyman (77 caps) will also impart their knowledge on a 23-player squad which features four potential debutants – Morgan Aquino, Isabel Gomez, Kahli Johnson and Jada Whyman). Kick-off at Marvel Stadium is at 8pm.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has no interest in angry fallout from disparaging comment about Gold Coast Suns
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says he was oblivious to the dramatic fallout of his 'nepo baby' comments about the Gold Coast Suns despite a furious response, adamant his focus remains solely on making his team the 'best St Kilda team ever'. Lyon was hit between the eyes by both Suns coach Damien Hardwick and chief executive Mark Evans for his comment, made before last Sunday's game at Marvel Stadium, won by Gold Coast. Hardwick labelled the comment 'disrespectful', while Evans said it was 'offensive and out of order', having also made the club's displeasure known to St Kilda chief executive Carl Dilena. It was also called a 'whinge' coming as part of a lengthy campaign from the Saints against draft concessions given to the expansion clubs and the impact it has had on their own list building. But on Friday, Lyon, who was preparing to board a flight with AFL executives to Alice Springs for his team's cash with Melbourne, said apart from a 'few calls' he took little notice of the blowback. Instead he delivered a message about how the Saints, who sit 14th with four wins from 11 games, were 'executing' on their own strategy implemented when he returned for a second stint as coach. 'I had a few calls from people on (TV) shows. I haven't read one article or listened to one show,' he said. 'I moved on to the review, we really need to improve our footy.' Key to the criticism of what many perceived to be a planned attack on the Suns was previous instances of St Kilda officials bemoaning their position. But Lyon said he and the club would continue to stay the course and not be 'derailed' by outside noise, with support of some of the club's greats. 'We've 25 list changes in two years, gone from second and fifth oldest to third youngest (list),' he said. 'In that period of time, we played a finals series … we've beaten some decent teams this year, we're inconsistent, and we're still trying to build out our list. 'We know we have that strategic vision we are working on, getting our salary cap in order, trying to target free agents, going to the draft, signing our really good players. 'We want to become the best Saints ever and we feel by definition winning a premiership will do that. The overarching view is we are executing. 'I get texts all the time, Barry Breen says stay the course. It's a bit rough, keep playing the kids, which we are doing.' Key to the success of the strategy is signing superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, with Lyon dispelling any idea he was 'gettable' for other clubs. 'All I do is coach him,' he said. 'I said to him last week 'how about 1000m gained'. He said no worries and delivered 920. He said 'they missed me on a couple of handballs'. 'I don't want to get caught in that week-to-week narrative. 'I see the headline 'gettable' but opinion isn't fact.'
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Don't b**** and moan': Great unloads on Saints in scathing verdict
St Kilda have been encouraged to stop throwing stones at others and worry about their own glasshouse in a scathing assessment of the club's antics by Fox Footy's Ben Dixon. Speaking on Wednesday night's episode of First Crack, Dixon, who played 203 games for Hawthorn, backed up Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick's comments after Ross Lyon's 'nepo baby' remark towards the Suns before St Kilda's 19-point loss at Marvel Stadium on Sunday. Lyon's words were targeted at the Gold Coast's academy concessions with recruiters believing as many as four top ten picks in this year's draft could come from the Suns' academy. 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. It followed St Kilda president Andrew Bassett using his speech at last year's club Best and Fairest night to complain about academy selections and father-son picks in the draft. Dixon was not a fan of the behaviour from Lyon pre-game, saying it told fans they expected to lose. 'Throwing a hand grenade over the top before a game, if I was a Saints supporter watching, and I'm not a Saints supporter, and he said 'oh chock full of talent yada yada', I'd be thinking he's put the white flag up and we're going to get completely rolled today,' Dixon said. Only 13,486 fans attended the loss to the Suns, the lowest crowd ever for a St Kilda home game at Marvel Stadium, as Saints fans have had little to cheer about in recent times. They have won just one of their last seven matches, and have won four times for the season so far to sit 14th. Dixon admitted that St Kilda are in the midst of a rebuild with the fifth youngest list in the AFL. But the Saints have on average put out the seventh youngest team in the competition this season, and fielded a more experienced side than Gold Coast on Sunday. He stressed than they need to get to work to turn things around quickly with their next five games coming against tough opposition in Melbourne (in Alice Springs), the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, Fremantle (at Optus Stadium) and Hawthorn. 'They could be sitting at four and 12. Is that where you want to be sitting in a rebuild?' Dixon said. 'If you want to keep throwing hand grenades over at other coaches and clubs about what they're getting, and your not getting, I drive home through Toorak, I don't bitch and moan about he's got a bigger mansion than me and he's inherited that. I just want to get to work and buy my own. 'That's what the Saints have got to do.' Dixon also believes that the complaints coming from St Kilda's hierarchy does not bode well for their pursuits of players from rival clubs. The Saints have put forward a staggering offer of around $1.7 million per season to Carlton's Tom De Koning, and are actively on the hunt for other prized recruits after missing out on the likes of Finn Callaghan and Luke Davies-Uniacke despite reportedly offering the former $17 million over ten years. Dixon suggested that they need to make Moorabbin more appetising, and such comments as their ones targeted at the Suns would not come from the likes of Craig McRae, Sam Mitchell, Damien Hardwick or Chris Fagan, who all coach sides in the top six at present. 'If you're selling a strategy and you're trying to recruit players to your club, it's got to be a destination club and your messaging is so important,' Dixon said. 'You hear 'Fly' talk, you hear 'Mitch', you hear 'Dimma', you hear 'Fages', when they talk, you believe. 'And everyone's watching, potential players and even your current players might watch back. 'Your messaging is so clear in terms of where you want to go as a footy club. 'If potting the opposition before, in terms of what he said (about) the Suns, who haven't played finals yet and yes, they're going to play finals now. 'I just think it's sour grapes. Throw the toys out of the cot and that's just not Ross. 'If that's your strategy, I just don't like it.' St Kilda finished 12th last year with 11 wins after winning 13 games the year prior, the first in Lyon's second stint in charge, before losing an elimination final against the Giants at the MCG. Concerning for Lyon is the Saints poor defensive numbers this season. They have conceded on average 91.3 points per game, and cough up 52.1 points per game from turnovers - the worst they have been in those statistics since finishing 16th in 2018. 'Look at their defence, that used to be Ross' backbone. Seven-year low,' Dixon said. 'In terms of points against and turnover, they're getting punished. 'That used to be his strength. 'Concentrate on your strength.' Their struggles so far this season have also come off the back of a startling drop off for several of their most important players. Bradley Hill (86th to 189th), Rowan Marshall (93rd to 258th), Mason Wood (97th to 202nd), Jack Steele (163rd to 184th) and Darcy Wilson (193rd to 251st) have all gone backwards this year in Champion Data's player ratings. All of that quintet bar Wood finished in the top ten of the club's best and fairest last season. And Dixon believes the poor form of their best players, as well as the off field drama, could contribute to the likes of star half back Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who has been linked with a move home to South Australia, walking out the door. 'The finishes are irrelevant when you're rebuilding but you've got to be developing your players. You've got to bring your players along for the journey,' Dixon said. 'And they're just inconsistent. Not saying they're terrible but your top end talent and your leaders have just dropped a way a little bit. 'They've got to come along for the ride too. 'Getting back to 'Dimma's' point about 'worry about your own backyard', just get to work on the players. 'Get to work on the young players. Get the messaging right because (Nasiah) Wanganeen-Milera hasn't signed with that footy club yet. 'If you're selling the dream to him, why hasn't he signed? What doesn't he believe at that footy club?' Dixon's fellow panellist Leigh Montagna came to the defence of his former club. The two-time All-Australian said that the Saints are 'fighting for their club' when they discuss the way the draft is compromised by academy and father-son selections. 'They want fairness and the opportunity to try and rebuild properly and be a contender,' Montagna said. 'And they're feeling that the northern academies and the advantages they get don't give St Kilda the same opportunity. 'They are trying to galvanise as a club. They are saying we are not going to stand for this anymore. 'They are ruffling feathers. That is their strategy. 'So Ross is on board with that strategy, and we are hearing there might be change with the way the academies (draftees) can be selected going forward.' The third member of the First Crack panel, two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King was not so sure that the Saints' actions were having as strong an impact on the AFL as Montagna believes. 'I think it's contributed, I'm not sure it's the absolute reason,' King said of potential changes to the draft points system.
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Wrong hire': Michael Voss in strife after Carlton's loss to GWS
Less than halfway through the AFL season, Carlton is already in damage control as Blues fans lose patience with the fallen powerhouse. The Blues kicked three of the game's first four goals at Marvel Stadium on Saturday in what was considered a must-win game against GWS. 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. But the Giants gradually worked their way on top, with Toby Greene starring in his milestone match as GWS pulled away for an impressive 17.8 (110) to 12.10 (82) victory. The result lifts the 6-5 Western Sydney club into the top eight, while the Blues are now 4-7 and two wins below the top eight ahead of a bye next weekend. Speaking after the game, head coach Michael Voss said the finals remain Carlton's objective for 2025, but concedes September is currently 'the furthest thing' from his mind. 'Absolutely, for us, it's about impact in the season and I think we've got enough there to suggest that we can get after our second half of our season,' he said. 'But we've also got some challenges we need to take care of, drifting into September right now is – as you can imagine – probably the furthest thing from my mind. 'It's taking a break, getting a rest, coming back together, putting the problem on the table and solving it together collectively as a group. 'Resetting ourselves, bringing new energy and getting after it – and that's what we'll do.' While Voss remains optimistic he can turn the season around, long suffering fans of the club are rapidly losing faith. After the bye next week, Carlton take on Essendon, West Coast and North Melbourne in a critical stretch for Voss and the club. Some fans are already calling for change, however, for a team that has endured a long rebuilding period and still appears some distance from contending for a premiership. X user Jake Davis wrote after the game: 'They're supposed to be a contender, but sit in 10th. Voss will be gone by round 14 at this rate.' Mitch McLeod tweeted: 'That's it. Voss has to go at season's end. It's f**king horrendous.' Barry Howell declared: 'That's enough of Voss. Those 2nd half 'move of the magnets' were disgraceful.' Another more forgiving fan wrote: 'I don't want to sack the coach but Vossy is making it hard for me. Stop losing to mediocre sides.' Carlton podcast The Prendercast II: Secret of the Blues took its assessment a step further, believing the Blues have made a series of hiring mistakes as they desperately chase a first flag since way back in 1995. They wrote: 'The reality is thus: we made the wrong call to hire (Brendon) Bolton, the wrong call to hire (David) Teague and the wrong call to hire Voss. All well-intentioned hires, all failures.' One fan replied to the podcast that track record points to a bigger problem at the club. 'If you are hiring the wrong coaches, there comes a time when it's perhaps not the coaches … perhaps you have the wrong people making the decisions and not in alignment,' they wrote. Some Carlton fans were left asking if inquiries had been made with Sydney's premiership winning coach John Longmire, who stepped down at the end of last season. Others were trying to find some humour in their disappointment. One fan channelled Ange Postecoglou's famous line about winning trophies in his second season by tweeting: 'Michael Voss in his postgame press conference: I usually win things in my 15th season.' Another fan quipped: 'The Carlton Football Club and I are no longer on speaking terms.' The Blues regularly had the game in their grasp on Saturday, but failed to apply any realistic scoreboard pressure and were beaten heavily on the outside. Giants' skipper and milestone man Greene was the biggest thorn for Carlton, running bruise free through stoppages and inside 50. Greene finished his 250th game with a match-defining three goals and 28 disposals. The Blues looked livelier when Voss swung defender Mitch McGovern forward but the coach will need a lot more moves like that to steer the Blues into September.
