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Aussies Abroad: High praise for Ryan Broekhoff in Dallas, Lachie Edwards impresses for Jets

AUSSIE NBA rookie Ryan Broekhoff is already making an impact in Dallas, without having played a game as Melbourne punter Lachie Edwards steps up under the bright lights of Thursday night Football. HOW ALL THE AUSSIES FARED

Ben Higgins and Michael Randall
5 min read
September 25, 2018 - 4:00PM
Ryan Broekhoff is getting plenty of love from a Mavs teammate, Ben Simmons has addressed his jumpshot issues and Lachie Edwards impresses under the bright lights.
Ryan Broekhoff is getting plenty of love from a Mavs teammate, Ben Simmons has addressed his jumpshot issues and Lachie Edwards impresses under the bright lights.

IT’S clear the Dallas media knows very little about Frankston boy Ryan Broekhoff.

But, if they listen to pint-sized Mavericks’ dynamo JJ Barea, they’ll be pleasantly surprised.

At the Mavericks’ media day this week, one reporter asked the Puerto Rican if Broekhoff can do anything other than shoot the ball.

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“He can shoot” Ryan Broekhoff shows of his Dallas. Picture: AP
“He can shoot” Ryan Broekhoff shows of his Dallas. Picture: AP

“He knows the game, he’s a smart guy, he can definitely shoot the ball — he’s more athletic than you think,” Barea replied.

“If he’s open, it’s like a layup.”

Broekhoff, 27, was signed to a two-year deal by the Mavericks in July, joining one of his idols in Dirk Nowitzki.

ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY

EVERYONE is losing their mind over Ben Simmons’ ‘crazy shot confession’.

Ben’s told ESPN he’s been working hard on his jumper in the offseason, but it’s “nowhere near close” to where he wants it to be.

Ben Simmons’ jumper is a work in process... we already know that. Picture: Getty Images/AFP
Ben Simmons’ jumper is a work in process... we already know that. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

“Nowhere near close,” he said.

“This is the second year I’ve been playing.

“Really it’s the first time I’ve worked on my jumper and had the whole summer to work on it,

“It takes time. It’s not like I’m just going to come out here and start draining threes.”

Duh!

News flash: Ben’s athletic and basketball IQ gifts have meant that he hasn’t needed a jumpshot.

Of course, the 22-year-old knows he needs to develop one to be truly great in the NBA, but that’s not going to happen overnight.

“Honestly, I’ve never needed to shoot,” Simmons said after his pre-season press conference at the Sixers’ media day.

“I’ve never had somebody teach me how to shoot.

“It’s something I’m new at so I have all these people saying I can’t do this, well, obviously I can’t because it’s something I’m new at.”

Don’t worry, guys, our Ben will be just fine.

ARON BAYNES AND THE ART OF A SHOEY

BIG Aussie Boston Celtic Aron Baynes loves to mess around with fans and media.

He had to explain what a shoey is to journalists at the Celtics’ media day.

“When you get a beer, you pour your beer into your shoe, and you chug it from your shoe,” Baynes said.

“You could’ve used your own shoe. But, the problem is, you wanna use someone else’s shoe, because otherwise you walk around with a wet shoe. So, use someone else’s.”

Aron Baynes has the arto of a shoey down pat. Picture: Getty Images/AFP
Aron Baynes has the arto of a shoey down pat. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

NFL

EDWARDS IMPRESSES UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS

AFTER Michael Dickson and Cam Johnston grabbed the headlines in the opening fortnight of the NFL season, it was Lachie Edwards turn in the primetime spotlight in Week 3.

And the Melbourne product didn’t disappoint despite the New York Jets’ Thursday Night Football loss to Cleveland.

Edwards has improved every week this season and stepped up another notch on the big stage, finishing with seven punts at an average of 49.1 yards with a net average of 46 (punt minus the return).

The Sam Houston State graduate started like a house on fire with three punts in the first quarter, the same amount as his entire Week 1.

It included a 62-yard (56.7 metres) bomb that flipped the field for the Jets and eventually led to the game-opening field goal.

In Seattle, Dickson continued his stunning start to the season as the Seahawks grabbed their first win against Dallas.

Dickson had a season-high eight punts and averaged 43.8 yards (net 41.3) with a long of 61 yards.

The former Sydney Swans Academy player didn’t break out the drop-kick that sent social media into meltdown last week but is the No.1 punter in the league after three weeks.

Dickson has 97 more yards than the second best punter, the second most punts, the second longest punt and the sixth best average (among punters with 12 or more kicks).

It was a quieter weekend for Johnston as Philadelphia bounced back for a win over Indianapolis.

Johnston was restricted to just three punts — his fewest of the young season — and finished with an average of 42.7 and a long of 52, also his lowest returns.

It saw Johnston drop to seventh in total punt yardage while Edwards is currently 10th.

Australia’s only defensive lineman, Adam Gotsis, got the start for Denver as the Broncos were beaten by Baltimore.

Gotsis had one tackle in the loss but might have been distracted after watching his beloved Collingwood book a place in the Grand Final.

The Melbourne boy will no doubt be watching on despite the first bounce at 10.30pm Friday night in Denver with the Broncos scheduled to play Kansas City on Tuesday (AEST).

COACH BACKS BERRY

JORDAN Berry has struggled early for Pittsburgh, but his side did have a narrow win over Tampa Bay today, 30-27. The 27-year-old had five punts with a net average of 41.6 yards, his longest 41.6.

He did get out of jail, having one of his punts returned for a touchdown, only for it to be overturned by a holding penalty against the Bucs.

It could have been better though, with the Steelers doing him no favours, undoing a number of his punts due to penalties.

Berry has been copping it from Steelers fans, but coach Mike Tomlin has backed the Essendon boy in: “We have a great deal of confidence in him because what we see day-to-day builds that confidence, but he’s got to maintain a certain level of consistency under certain circumstances inside stadiums that he hasn’t produced yet.”

NHL

FINGERS CROSSED FOR AUSSIE

Nathan Walker has a fight on his hands to make Washington’s season-opening roster for the new NHL season.

The history-making Australian right wing has played two of the Capitals’ four pre-season games and hasn’t been able to hit the scoreboard.

The reigning Stanley Cup winners still have three pre-season games before deciding on their final line-up for the season-opening clash against Boston.

Walker played in the Caps first practice match against the Bruins, logging 14 minutes — importantly, including stints on both the power play and penalty kill — but failed to have a shot on net and finished the game with a -1 rating in a 2-1 loss.

The Sydney product faced Montreal in Washington’s third pre-season hitout but again finished with a -1 rating with one shot on goal.

If Walker fails to make the season opening roster he will suit up for Hershey Bears in the AHL but can be elevated to the Capitals squad should injuries or poor form strike those above him.

MLB

LIAM Hendriks started and pitched one inning in match ups with the LA Angels and Minnesota on Wednesday and Saturday, before a break from recent tradition saw him come out of the bullpen and pitch a pair of innings in a loss against the Twins. The Perth product hasn’t conceded a run in eight appearances since September 2 as his Oakland Athletics build toward a playoff appearance.

Originally published as Aussies Abroad: High praise for Ryan Broekhoff in Dallas, Lachie Edwards impresses for Jets

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/us-sports/nfl/aussies-abroad-high-praise-for-ryan-broekhoff-in-dallas-lachie-edwards-impresses-for-jets/news-story/55844cc944f8672f63efffc6eacaa4fa