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Daily Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
AFL Optus Stadium's huge test for Fremantle vs Essendon after State of Origin slugfest
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Perth's $1.6 billion Optus Stadium was under intense pressure as it backed up for an AFL game on Thursday night less than 24 hours after a brutal State of Origin contest on the ground. After a tight battle early on, the Dockers pulled away for a comfortable 16.8 (104) to 9.9 (63) win that moves them to sixth place early in round 15. The surface at the stadium, which was officially opened in 2018, has come in for criticism in recent years, leading to extensive renovations at the start of 2025. 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. Back in 2023, footage emerged of stadium staff relaying grass on sections around the ground, while the following year the slippery surface was criticised by former West Coast coach Adam Simpson and ex-Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt following a Fremantle clash with the Suns. It is facing its sternest test since then after hosting three AFL games over the last six days, along with Wednesday's typically physical Origin clash held in driving rain. Watch the ground transformation in the video player above The Dockers were hosting Essendon at Optus Stadium. (Photo by) Less than 24 hours after a State of Origin match at the ground. (Photo by) The Dockers beat North Melbourne at the venue on June 14, a day before the Blues took care of West Coast, while Fremantle is hosting Essendon on Thursday night. Thirty ground staff worked on the pitch since the rugby league game finished and Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna was extremely confident it would 'look like it's a new ground' by the time the AFL fixture had its opening bounce. 'When the (State of Origin) game finishes tonight, there'll be obvious signs that it's been played on, but by the time we get to tomorrow evening, it'll look like it's a new ground,' McKenna told 'I think we'll come out of this game into tomorrow and it won't be very noticeable, so I think we'll see a really strong result and we're really confident that it will play really well right through the season.' Optus Stadium set up for rugby league on Wednesday night. (Photo by) And during the AFL game on Thursday. Photo: Fox Sports State of Origin matches in the NRL are renowned as among the most bruising in Australian sport, with the players often causing significant damage to playing surfaces. Regular NRL grounds including Sydney's Accor Stadium and Allianz Stadium often come in for criticism for its turf quality. The surface was a hot topic prior to the Dockers' home game as they chased a fifth straight win. 'How nervous are the AFL going to be tonight given just how much wear and tear it's had lately?' Fox Footy's Jon Ralph was asked pre-match. 'No doubt. The Optus Stadium boss, Mike McKenna, says the ground will look brand spanking new, but Fremantle certainly has concerns,' Ralph reported. 'So the NRL State of Origin was played last night in drenching rain. 'The Dockers and Essendon get the official report from the AFL a couple of hours beforehand, but as (Fremantle) footy boss Joe Brierty says, it's clearly too late to make any changes at that stage. 'The third AFL game in six days, the Optus Stadium turf did undergo a renovation over summer, the drainage is so much better. 'Essendon will liaise with their players about the long stops in boots. The players don't love wearing them, they do pull up really sore. 'The 30 workers who worked around the clock to try to get this in good nick, and it certainly looks OK, it just depends how it plays.' West Coast and Carlton played on the ground last Sunday. (Photo by) The ground had major issues back in 2023. Photo: X Sarah Jones added: 'We'll have a close eye on that. It might be a headline waiting to happen.' Reporting from ground level, Kath Loughnan said the ground looked 'pretty good' and the ground staff had done a 'pretty good job' before the game commenced. It also helped that solid rain in Perth this week had eased by Thursday night, but fans watching on weren't impressed by what they were seeing. An X account called Gazzalinga tweeted: 'I'm sorry, the Optus Stadium looks horrible right now. The ground was labelled too slippery when the Dockers played Gold Coast last season. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'I know they said people have worked tirelessly to get it ready for the game but who in their right mind would actively play on that ground in current condition? Surely someone is going to be pulling up.' Daniel Hikisz quipped: 'Seen enough, the surface isn't up to AFL standard. Call off the game now, we take the 4 points and move on.' With the Perth Bears set to join the NRL competition in 2027, Scott King wrote: 'When North Sydney Bears start playing in Perth, they CANNOT play at Optus Stadium. The centre of the ground looks terrible. Go find a rugby ground.' Despite obvious signs around the ground the NRL match had been played the night before the turf was holding up reasonably well as the Dockers took a 16-point lead into halftime. Showing some strong defence, Fremantle pulled away in the second half in another encouraging step for Justin Longmuir's side. Originally published as Optus Stadium's huge test AFL after State of Origin slugfest
Daily Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Tennis star Emma Raducanu's stalker applied for Wimbledon tickets before security stepped in
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News. British tennis star Emma Raducanu's stalker horror has continued after the same man was caught trying to apply for Wimbledon tickets. The All England Lawn Tennis Club's security system had red flagged the man's name after the tennis star reported him to her team. Watch every game of The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. It comes after the horror incident that saw Raducanu, who 'couldn't see the ball through tears', hide in fear from her stalker at the Dubai Tennis Championship in February. An All England Club source told The Sun that the man who followed Raducanu to four countries had applied for the ballot last year before the Dubai stalking incident. Watch footage of the Dubai incident below Emma Raducanu's scary troubles with a stalker have resurfaced. (Photo by Annabel Lee-Ellis/Getty Images) After the incident the club removed his name from the ballot for the tournament starting June 30. He reportedly didn't try to apply for a ticket once he was given a restraining order. Raducanu suffered an apparent panic attack in Dubai earlier in the year after spotting a man in the crowd during her second-round match with Karolina Muchova. The same man had previously followed her to separate tournaments across the globe in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Doha. British star Raducanu hid herself behind the umpire's chair after spotting the individual in the crowd displaying 'fixated behaviour'. Raducanu is seen hiding behind the umpire's chair in Dubai. Photo: Supplied A man is removed from the crowd during Raducanu's match. Photo: Supplied Raducanu's reaction sparked concern among spectators, before the man was removed from the crowd and taken from the stands to be detained by local police. It was revealed he had also given Raducanu a letter and asked for a photo in a coffee shop at the player hotel the day before, which reportedly left her unnerved. The US Open champion reported the man to her team but the information was not passed on to the Women's Tennis Association until the following day. The Dubai Tournament was also not notified of the individual's presence or Raducanu's concerns until the following day. He was handed a restraining order from the Dubai police and his name was circulated among tennis authorities. 'I saw him in the first game of the match and I was like, 'I don't know how I'm going to finish',' Raducanu told reporters at the time. 'I literally couldn't see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe. 'I was like, 'I need to just take a breather'.' Wimbledon security is routinely reviewed with roughly 1,000 people working in security at the Championships. As well as the screening around the ballot, which caught Raducanu's stalker out, there are checks and balances employed to screen those in the queue. Raducanu won the 2021 US Open championships in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) Spectators watch Raducanu against Zheng Qinwen at The Queen's Club on June 13, 2025. (Photo by Annabel Lee-Ellis/Getty Images) Anyone who gains entry to the championship has to be registered with Wimbledon and hand over personal information. Raducanu's stalker was never named publicly by the authorities following the incident in Dubai. The tennis star's horror experience has shone a spotlight on the issues faced by female tennis players. The grand slam winner has had a hellish stalking experience before, revealing in 2022 that she was 'constantly looking over her shoulder' after stalker Amrit Magar, 35, walked 37 kilometres to her home in South East London. Magar had a five-year restraining order put in place after stealing her dad's shoe and leaving gifts and notes for the young tennis star. This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission Originally published as Emma Raducanu stalker's scary Wimbledon act before security stepped in
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Everyone cheered when it was over': State of Origin 2 pre-match entertainment torn to shreds
Australian rock band Wolfmother wheeled out their massive hit Joker and the Thief ahead of the much-hyped State of Origin Game 2, but it went down with a whimper. Led by vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, Wolfmother has amassed a diehard worldwide fanbase throughout their career but on Wednesday night they weren't met with the adoration and cheers they are used to. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. They played one song, Joker and the Thief, an anthem that soared up the charts in 2006 and is a wholly recognisable tune in a brief performance. But many felt the performance of the iconic anthem left a lot to be desired. You can watch Wolfmother's pre-game performance in the player at the top of the page. One fan tweeted: 'NRL is stuck in a time warp. Wolfmother? A song from 2005? Come on..' Another quipped: 'I hope Wolfmother didn't cost anything.' And a third declared 'This sounds deadset awful' while another asked 'is this Temu Wolfmother?'. While another added 'Everyone cheered when it was over' and 'What on earth was that'. There were some fans, however, who thought it was short but sweet. 'Wolfmother get it … when you get the short footy gigs … play your biggest hit and play the f**ker loud. Outstanding stuff.' Another added: 'WA bringing it.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Shots fired as Footy TV war erupts over ‘rookie error'
Matthew Lloyd couldn't help himself. The Essendon legend and his Channel 9 crew couldn't resist taking a shot at veteran football reporter Caroline Wilson after an embarrassing moment on Monday night. Channel 7's Agenda Setters has become a popular addition to the network's beefed up footy coverage this year after raiding Nine for some of its most notable on-air talent, including Kane Cornes. 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. The Agenda Setters and Nine's established Footy Classified have gone up against each other on Monday and Tuesday night timeslots this year. It's why Lloyd's light-hearted dig at his former Channel 9 colleague has caught the eye. The Bombers goalkicker was happy to highlight two awkward moments on The Agenda Setters, which went to air before Footy Classified. The Agenda Setters began in bizarre scenes with the Monday night panel — Wilson, Nick Riewoldt, host Sam McClure and veteran commentator Craig Hutchison — unable to be seen with the broadcast beginning with a lighting failure. It got worse for Seven's new show when Wilson had the mortifying moment of having her phone ring live on air. The veteran commentator was in the middle of a discussion about the future of Cats coach Chris Scott when her mobile started chirping. 'I'm sorry that's my telephone,' she said reaching into a bag. 'What a terrible time for that to happen.' Hutchison, Riewoldt, McClure saw the funny side of it. So did Lloyd and the team at Footy Classified. 'I'm a little bit nervous because they're all good friends of mine, but (I'm giving) a cook tonight for The Agenda Setters because when they went to air tonight, I honestly thought Hutchy had failed to pay his electricity bills,' he said with a grin. 'I think there was a little bit of trickery with their new set. I honestly thought he hadn't paid his bills. 'Ten minutes later, Caro... made a major rookie error.' Hutchison's production company Rainmaker is responsible for managing the show. Nine and many other commentators in the industry have been taking shots at Wilson this month since she first reported Saints gun Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was not considering the Crows as a future destination because of racist comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021. Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by St Kilda later that year and the South Australian, who has emerged as a young superstar halfback, is now weighing up whether to return to his home state or remain at the Saints with lucrative offers looming either way. Football journalist Tom Morris last week went against Wilson's report, saying Wanganeen-Milera had spoken to Walker over the phone to clarify with the Crows veteran that he had no 'lingering issues' with him. Lloyd's jab was far from the only eyebrow-raising segment across Monday night's footy shows. The Agenda Setters played footage captured by Fox Footy showing the bizarre sight of Fremantle having photos of AFL umpires hanging up in their Optus Stadium dressing room. The mugshots of the four whistleblowers on the wall caught the eye of Saints legend Riewoldt. 'I saw this from the weekend, found it interesting,' Riewoldt said on Seven. 'They're clearly trying to arm the players with the umpires' names. 'They look like mug shots, those pics. 'But I reckon the players have got enough to worry about, don't they? Without trying to memorise umpires' names.'
Courier-Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Kaylee McKeown hits out amid special treatment claim following overturned disqualification at Australian national swimming trials
Don't miss out on the headlines from Swimming. Followed categories will be added to My News. Kaylee McKeown has hit out at claims she is given special treatment in the wake of her dramatic disqualification and then reinstatement at the Australian national swimming trials in Adelaide last week. McKeown – who holds the 50m backstroke world record at 26.86 seconds – was the clear fastest in last Monday's heats of the 50m backstroke but was disqualified over an issue with her start. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. McKeown, who claimed Olympic gold in both the 100m and 200m backstroke at the Paris Olympics, was informed by officials she had broken early, as she was ushered off the pool deck in tears. The ruling seemingly dashed her hopes of competing for a 50m backstroke world championships gold medal later this year. However, the 23-year-old protested the decision and in the end, it was overturned. McKewon was reinstated in the final which she won narrowly over Mollie O'Callaghan, securing her ticket to the world championships in Singapore from July 27 to August 3. You can watch her Australian swim trials victory in the player above. Kaylee McKeown has rejected claims she gets preferential treatment. Image: Getty But in the wake of the ordeal, McKeown was accused of receiving preferential treatment due to her reputation and status in the sport. And in an Instagram post on Monday, McKeown moved to clear up what went down as she rejected the notion there was any sort of favouritism at play. 'I've copped quite a bit of scrutiny over the past week for my DQ in the 50 backstroke,' she wrote. 'I'd just like to clarify that while it was a clear disqualification, I was able to lodge a protest due to movement directly behind my starting block. I followed all the standard procedures for my reinstatement! 'For those who know me well, you'll know I'm all for fair sport and certainly wouldn't have protested if I knew I didn't have a fair case. 'What I'm not for is people tearing others down … at no point was I shown any favouritism.' Kaylee McKeown is the 50m world record holder. (Photo by) After hearing her protest officials ruled in her favour, accepting she had been 'distracted by a movement' on the blocks. 'Things happen and it just crumbled that way,' she continued. 'I knew as soon as I started, what I had done. 'But thankfully we had the technology to look back at footage and saw the distraction and I got reinstated.' McKeown will next compete at the world championships in Singapore which get underway on July 27. Originally published as Kaylee McKeown hits out amid special treatment claim following overturned Aussie swim trials disqualification
