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'You can't bluff football fans': Rushden makes Stan debut alongside Bozza and Foz as UCL kicks off

“If you’d have told me ten years ago I’d be emigrating to Australia, I wouldn’t have believed you!’ Max Rushden tells me. Yet here we are. Englishman Rushden, afresh from completing his 14 day hotel quarantine, made his Stan Sport Champions League debut alongside Australian football legends Mark Bosnich and …

By Adam Cattell
3rd February 2022 • The Roar

'You can't bluff football fans': Rushden makes Stan debut alongside Bozza and Foz as UCL kicks off

“If you’d have told me ten years ago I’d be emigrating to Australia, I wouldn’t have believed you!’ Max Rushden tells me. Yet here we are. Englishman Rushden, afresh from completing his 14 day hotel quarantine, made his Stan Sport Champions League debut alongside Australian football legends Mark Bosnich and …

By Adam Cattell
3rd February 2022 • The Roar

Underdone England undermined at the selection table

England’s performance in the first three Ashes Tests against Australia has been nothing short of disappointing. The wayward shot selection and a lack of full bowling that Joe Root made no apologies about in his post-match comments after the Adelaide Test have been nothing short of embarrassing for fans abroad. …

By Lachlan Mitchell
4th January 2022 • The Roar

Adelaide need to get weird at the selection table

In a truncated and unique 2020 season, Adelaide have an opportunity. Whether or not this year’s AFL season has an asterisk or not, it was always going to be a hard-fought year for the Crows. After the departure of Don Pyke followed by several older, out-of-form players at the end …

By Josh Champion
19th October 2021 • The Roar

Label Port Adelaide pretenders at your peril

Thirty-two years of watching Port Adelaide destroy the hopes and dreams of multiple teams when it matters has taught me that they’re a bear you shouldn’t poke. And if ever the Power needed an injection of that Magpies belligerence, it’s now. The Port Adelaide tradition is the greatest and oldest …

By Josh Champion
19th October 2021 • The Roar

The rule that could have changed the AFL grand final

The AFL grand final at Perth’s Optus Stadium under lights saw the Melbourne Demons break a 57-year drought, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 74 points. The game was a see-sawing affair for the best part of three quarters until a midfield masterclass broke the game, kicking 16 of the last …

By Lachlan Mitchell
29th September 2021 • The Roar

'Drinking beers and making balloon animals'

Not long after Twenty20 cricket first reared its shiny head to the cricket world back in the noughties, a wise old friend said, “I promise you, they won’t rest until they’ve invented the One1.” His concept was simple: two teams both face a single ball each and whichever side scores …

By André Leslie
24th August 2021 • The Roar

Aussie Josh Giddey comes from the clouds to make the NBA

The meteoric rise of Josh Giddey is a fairytale.Two years ago he was only just 16-years-old, not even old enough to drive a car on his own.Now, at 18, walking in the shoes of an oversized guard standing at 6-foot-8, he gets the opportunity to ply his trade with the …

By Justin Robertson
30th July 2021 • The Roar

Aussie cricket's next step forward isn't in players, but coaches

Australia has again fallen short in a T20 match against the West Indies, going down by six wickets in a batting collapse. Australia failed to capitalise on the shorter boundaries in their opening stanza, as captain Aaron Finch top-scored with 30 on what was a flat track. The Windies were …

By Lachlan Mitchell
14th July 2021 • The Roar

Ben Simmons is Philadelphia's fall guy

Ben Simmons has been labelled a villain after the Philadelphia 76ers went down to the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA play-offs. Simmons only scored five points in Game 7 with many pundits writing him off and asking him to be traded out of Philadelphia. Simmons has been touted as a …

By Lachlan Mitchell
26th June 2021 • The Roar

Richmond need more options in the ruck

Dreamtime in the west lived up to expectations with Richmond coming out 39-point winners against a fast-finishing Bombers outfit at Optus Stadium. Darcy Parish was best on ground for the Dons, picking up 44 touches and winning the Yiooken award for man of the match.

By Lachlan Mitchell
7th June 2021 • The Roar

The bowler Australia must bring back to win the World Cup

As the World Cup passes its halfway point, pitches will begin to lose their life and start to become more of a batsmen’s paradise. Too many similar bowlers can create a one-dimensional attack who would struggle in bat-friendly conditions. Teams such as India have diverse bowlers such as Bhuveneshwar Kumar, …

By Joshua Farrell
2nd June 2021 • The Roar

Carlton are on the rise

Carlton fans finally have a glimmer of hope to hang on to after the Blues’ 16-point win over old rival Essendon at the MCG. David Teague’s men rallied after an arm wrestle for most of the game. Essendon mounted a late comeback but the steady head of captain Patrick Cripps …

By Lachlan Mitchell
4th May 2021 • The Roar

Melbourne are the real deal

The Melbourne midfielders are ranked in the top echelon of modern-day AFL players. Christian Petracca has shown himself to be a bull in the centre contest. He uses the likes of Jack Viney and Clayton Oliver around him to show that he can lead a club starved of success to …

By Lachlan Mitchell
2nd May 2021 • The Roar

AFL players are being pushed to the limit

AFL players are in the grips of a massive injury crisis with some of the best players in the game missing weeks due to injury. The likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Neale and Taylor Adams are all facing extended time on the sidelines. There is no doubt that the game …

By Lachlan Mitchell
1st May 2021 • The Roar

Fractured Collingwood should start looking forward

Collingwood are once again under the spotlight after a poor showing on Anzac Day. The emergence of a new breed of baby Bombers had Essendon holding all the cards in a 24-point win. The Pies might be the biggest team in Australia but their first six games of 2021 have …

By Lachlan Mitchell
27th April 2021 • The Roar

Understanding the conundrum that is the Australian selectors

No matter how settled the Australian Test team is at the beginning of any summer, pundits everywhere will have some form of criticism on the makeup of the team. Whether it’s “this bowler is underperforming” or “he hasn’t made a century in his last six games”, the list is usually …

By Joshua Farrell
20th April 2021 • The Roar

5 things we learnt from the Shield's final round

The finalists have been decided in this year’s domestic four-day competition, with Queensland and New South Wales set to play each other again from April 15th, after the two sides finished first and second on the ladder, respectively. Although the result of the final is a tough one to pick, …

By André Leslie
7th April 2021 • The Roar

Brooklyn's big problem

The Brooklyn Nets are poised as one the biggest teams in the NBA the year after acquiring Kevin Durant and James Harden to go along with Kyrie Irving in what looks to be a mini dream team emerging. Brooklyn went down to the Washington Wizards after leading by five with …

By Lachlan Mitchell
3rd February 2021 • The Roar

Super Bowl LV: Clash of the quarterback titans

Super Bowl LV is set to be a match between two of the top quarterbacks in the game, with Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady to go head to head in a battle of heavyweights. Brady is chasing his seventh Super Bowl ring and his first with Tampa Bay. Mahomes, on …

By Lachlan Mitchell
2nd February 2021 • The Roar

The death of the leg spinner

The era of Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill in the Test frame is slowly vanishing with the leg spinner being almost irrelevant in Test cricket for Australia. The king of spin Shane Warne has not inspired the next generation of bowlers to take up the tweak. Nathan Lyon is Australia’s …

By Lachlan Mitchell
31st January 2021 • The Roar

Australia is far from pitch perfect

Australian cricket is once again on its knees against India after the most tantalising fifth-day action at the Gabba. Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara held the innings together with a strong middle-order partnership. Australia was poised to take advantage of the conditions ahead of this series. The lack of pitch …

By Lachlan Mitchell
20th January 2021 • The Roar

Are the bad-boy Aussies making an unwelcome return?

Australia’s performance on the final day of the Sydney Test was disgraceful. The use of foul language directed at India’s Ravi Ashwin were not in the spirit of the game and raised questions over Tim Paine’s leadership, in a frustrating day for the Australian skipper. Paine has made a public …

By Lachlan Mitchell
13th January 2021 • The Roar

The versatile wicket-keeper

The current cricket summer has thrown up a lot of questions regarding selection for India. The added pressure of quarantine has not made the selector’s job any easier with less wiggle room on bringing players into the squad. One of the biggest issues that have faced the Indians is the …

By Lachlan Mitchell
10th January 2021 • The Roar

The race that breaks the nation

The Melbourne Cup might be my favourite day on the Australian sporting calendar full stop. But unfortunately, the events of Tuesday’s cup and the previous eight years have shone the spotlight on heartbreak on race day. I by no means am a lefty when it comes to the Melbourne Cup …

By Lachlan Mitchell
6th November 2020 • The Roar

Victoria's openers are in good hands

New Victoria coach Chris Rogers might be the key to securing Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski’s spots in the upcoming Australian team to take on India on home soil. A former Australian opener, Rogers took the reins of the Bushrangers in August, after Andrew McDonald stood down. Victoria’s first match …

By Lachlan Mitchell
4th November 2020 • The Roar

What I learned from the weekend's grand finals

The finals of both Australian footy codes came to a close over the weekend in what was an incredible feat in itself to make it to the end of what has been a year of ups downs and a pandemic through in for good measure. The Tigers and the Storm …

By Lachlan Mitchell
27th October 2020 • The Roar

Key forwards reign supreme

As the game changes and moves in the most interesting time in the game’s history, one thing in particular that evolves is the position of the key forward in the AFL. The key forward still remains king when it comes to success at the highest level. The game has evolved …

By Lachlan Mitchell
11th September 2020 • The Roar

Shai Bolton is Richmond's midfield star

Richmond’s 2020 campaign has faced its fair share of ups and downs with injuries and a grueling fixture on the road in an era of COVID-19.

By Lachlan Mitchell
25th August 2020 • The Roar

From Swan Lake to the EPL: The making of Graham Potter

Socceroos fans will no doubt be keeping one eye on the results of Brighton and Hove Albion this year, with Aaron Mooy joining goalkeeper Mat Ryan on the English south coast. Brighton are now managed by Graham Potter, with the 44-year-old taking up his first Premier League managerial position this …

By Adam Cattell
17th July 2020 • The Roar

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'You can't bluff football fans': Rushden makes Stan debut alongside Bozza and Foz as UCL kicks off

'You can't bluff football fans': Rushden makes Stan debut alongside Bozza and Foz as UCL kicks off

Underdone England undermined at the selection table

Adelaide need to get weird at the selection table

Label Port Adelaide pretenders at your peril

The rule that could have changed the AFL grand final

'Drinking beers and making balloon animals'

Aussie Josh Giddey comes from the clouds to make the NBA

Aussie cricket's next step forward isn't in players, but coaches

Ben Simmons is Philadelphia's fall guy

Richmond need more options in the ruck

The bowler Australia must bring back to win the World Cup

Carlton are on the rise

Melbourne are the real deal

AFL players are being pushed to the limit

Fractured Collingwood should start looking forward

Understanding the conundrum that is the Australian selectors

5 things we learnt from the Shield's final round

Brooklyn's big problem

Super Bowl LV: Clash of the quarterback titans

The death of the leg spinner

Australia is far from pitch perfect

Are the bad-boy Aussies making an unwelcome return?

The versatile wicket-keeper

The race that breaks the nation

Victoria's openers are in good hands

What I learned from the weekend's grand finals

Key forwards reign supreme

Shai Bolton is Richmond's midfield star

From Swan Lake to the EPL: The making of Graham Potter

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