Simmo & Horse analyse Dogs' midfield
AFL: Simmo and Horse join AFL 360 for their weekly coaches segment, this time diving into what makes the Bulldogs' midfield tick.
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
New Tillies coach names 33-player squad
Football: New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro wants to 'set the tone' for the future after he named a host of new names in his first squad.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
British and Irish Lions lose 28-24 to Argentina in Dublin ahead of Australia tour
The British and Irish Lions of 2025 have had an inauspicious start to their tour of Australia, losing 28-24 to Argentina at a raucous Aviva stadium in Dublin. It is the first time that the Lions have lost an opening tour match since 1971 and 20 years since Argentina drew with the Lions in Cardiff. First-half tries to Ignacio Mendy and player of the match Tomás Albornoz gave Argentina a 21-10 lead at half-time, local favourite Bundee Aki crossing for the Lions in a sloppy defensive display. But after that disappointing first half the contest developed into a thrilling game in which both teams threw the ball around with the apparent abandon of a post-season friendly. The Lions hit back early in the second half through a penalty try and a Tadhg Beirne score to give the hosts the lead. But a trilling score by Santiago Cordero saw the Lions fall to a deflating defeat as the Pumas celebrated in style on the pitch and reminded the Lions hierarchy that perhaps South America too would one day be a worthy tour destination. The Lions rarely play matches on home soil and, in the bright sunshine of a summer Friday night in Dublin, there was a degree of frivolity in the sold-out stands far from the pressure cooker of a Test match — albeit one where the Lions were not handing out official Test caps. Any suggestion that this was a fun kickabout in the Dublin sun was dispelled by the stern words that veteran tourists Maro Itoje and Elliot Daly imparted in the post-match huddle. No doubt those conversations will continue on the plane Down Under, with the squad departing for Australia on Saturday morning. "I think there are a few learnings. I think we showed glimmers of what this team can be about," Itoje said post-match. "I think there were a few teething issues, [it was] our first run out. "We'll take our lessons … we'll learn from our mistakes and move forward." Many of those teething issues came at the lineout, where the Lions were awful, and in defence, where Argentina's pacing attack tore the line to shreds. This is not the first-choice Lions team that will likely suit up in Brisbane on July 19 — just three Irish players made the starting XV due to the Leinster contingent's participation in the United Rugby Championship final last weekend. But it was still an all-star-packed side that will have been chastened by the enthusiasm and skill of the Argentina side, who were missing plenty of players themselves, in front of them. "We're building a team," Itoje added. "We were nowhere near as consistent or accurate. "We'll learn, we'll get better." Despite the defeat, that improvement was evident as the game went on. The Lions offered a glimpse of how Farrell wants his side to play and, against a ready and willing Argentine side that have claimed the scalps of all three southern hemisphere giants in the past 12 months, they showed glimmers of real class. The scrum was utterly dominant — even with Irish pair Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong not involved — as Ellis Genge showed all his power. It also indicated some combinations that Farrell may be interested in using, including a power-packed centre partnership of Aki and Sione Tuipulotu. Fin Smith started at 10 but Marcus Smith, playing 15, popped up at first receiver with abandon in the latter stages of the match, flashing his fast feet and poking his nose through the line with increasing regularity. That being said, both were overshadowed by the superb play of Benneton flyhalf Albornoz. The polish may not have been there from the Lions, but the speed at which they attempted to play was indicative of the assault the Wallabies line will be under whenever they are without the ball — this Lions team will be coming to entertain as well as win. Winger Tommy Freeman in particular was supreme in the air, a warning to avoid kicking in his direction should he make the cut for the test team. But the pack, admittedly shorn of many of its key personnel, will need to step up — particularly in the lineout, which was desperately poor. The Lions will have precious little time to regroup, with post-match briefings perhaps taking place on the long flight Down Under this weekend. The nine-match tour, with three Tests and six tour matches, kicks off in Perth on Saturday, June 28 against the Western Force, where the Lions will no doubt be desperate to kick off their tour proper with a win. British and Irish Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (c), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl. Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen. Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgró, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya (c), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin González, Joaquín Oviedo, Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Santiago Grondona, Joaquín Moro, Simon Benitez Cruz, Matías Moroni, Santiago Cordero.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Foster mum Roylene Robinson now helps those in need in cost-of-living crisis
For Roylene Robinson, raising hundreds of children has been challenging but "very rewarding". For almost half a century, she has been a foster mum. "Mother's Day is a very, very big day," the 76-year-old said. "It's either the phone ringing or you've got emails or you've got messages or you've got people calling in … I find it very, very rewarding on Mother's Day." Ms Robinson has fostered 280 children over the past 47 years in her humble Rockhampton home in central Queensland. She also has four children of her own. The single carer said love and encouragement were two of the most important things a parent figure could offer a foster child. Ms Robinson dedicates her life not just to children, but to everyone in need. The doors to her charity store, Moo and Coo, open at 10 each morning and within a few minutes, it's always a hive of activity. "Everything's cheaper, much cheaper and it's like the original op shops," she said. "This is what op shops were years ago where people could come in find what they need and have a cup of tea. Ms Robinson is the heart and soul of the not-for-profit organisation that provides essentials like food, clothing and furniture to people in need. "This is a quiet morning. Saturdays [and] Wednesdays are much, much bigger," she said. With the nation in the grips of a cost-of-living crisis, Ms Robinson says many residents, particularly those on lower incomes, are struggling to afford basic needs like food, fuel, rent and electricity. While the state and federal governments are taking steps to address the issue, the situation remains challenging for many. "We do care packages, food packages, clothing, kitchen packs, baby packs for the hospital, so we do everything that we can, right now blankets and everything to keep the needy warm and fed," Ms Robinson said. "We quite often heat up the meals for the people off the street and give them a knife and fork." Laurel Mason is a social worker who regularly brings her clients — mainly those sleeping rough on the streets — to Ms Robinson's store. Ms Mason admitted she had even experienced challenges in meeting increased cost-of-living expenses in recent times. "I know even for myself, I've used Roylene's shop at one point when I wasn't working, so it was a great help to me at that time," she said. According to a survey of 3,600 people who had accessed assistance from The Salvation Army, 90 per cent reported it was difficult to afford essential living costs, such as housing, groceries, medical care and utilities over the past 12 months. The 2025 Red Shield report also found 70 per cent of respondents said cost of living was their biggest challenge in the past year while 87 per cent of households with children were living below the poverty line. Ms Robinson said she had noticed a huge increase in demand for essential items such as clothing. "The cost of living is happening to everybody," she said. "People are finding rents high, food prices have gone up, your petrol has gone up."
