Footy snub, bold Suns and Keary chase: Coast sports gossip
The Sniper is back with all your latest Gold Coast gossip.
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THE Sniper is back with all your latest Gold Coast gossip.
AUSSIE RULES
The Suns have got a swagger to go with their new AFL assistance package, with CEO Mark Evans boldly calling out rivals in the hunt for any trade deals.
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While Gold Coast won’t be parting with picks 1 and 2 in the national draft, pick 20 this year, pick 11 next year and pick 20 in 2021 could be on the table … at the right price.
“We are open for business so if someone wants them come after them,” Evans declared.
AUSSIE RULES
Former Gold Coast captain and now Richmond premiership player Tom Lynch produced one of the best Mad Monday costumes in recent years this week.
Lynch dressed up as a farmer and was hauling a wagon of apples behind him.
The key forward put a photo on Instagram with the caption ‘apple carts hey’.
It was in reference to a comment teammate Alex Rance made in May, 2018 when asked if the Tigers should pursue signing Lynch.
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Rance said: “I don’t necessarily think we should be upsetting the apple cart, to go and chase a big fish’.
AUSSIE RULES
Gold Coast junior football players will go under the tutelage of some of the game’s best talent and brightest minds this weekend.
Joey Hayes, who heads Miami-based gym Ultimate Sports Performance, will run the annual ‘AFL high Performance off-season Strongman training camp’ on Saturday for both male and female players.
Players will have access to the likes of AFLW Brisbane coach Brent Staker, Gold Coast academy coach Andrew Raines, AFLW players Katie Brennan, Olympic track and field sprint coaches Ash Mahoney, former Suns players Seb Tape and Mackenzie Willis and more between this weekend’s camp and another on November 23.
“They will undergo training, including skill and games-based fitness sessions, nutrition and recovery techniques to accelerate physical and mental performance,” Hayes said.
“We will also provide an environment and culture that is challenging supportive, encouraging and fosters a growth mindset to allow young champions to flourish but more importantly; the belief, self esteem and confidence to be a strong man both physically and mentally on and off the field or a confident empowered woman with high self esteem.”
RUGBY LEAGUE
Luke Keary retains top billing for Titans fans when it comes to their NRL wishlist.
The Roosters playmaker attracted 22 per cent of the votes this week when the Bulletin asked who they’d love to see Ash Taylor traded for.
FOOTY COMMUNITY MOURNS LOSS OF TITANS FANATIC
Of course, Mal Meninga admitted Gold Coast were open to a switch for the underperforming half but there appears a lack of genuine options for any trade.
For the record Cameron Munster was second most popular with 18 per cent, Lachlan Lewis a surprise 11 per cent and “Other” was the only remaining option to land a double-digit percentage.
Strangely Daly Cherry-Evans (5 per cent) attracted more votes than Mitchell Moses (3) and Nathan Cleary (2).
RUGBY LEAGUE
Jamal Fogarty might be the Petro Civoniceva Medallist as the Intrust Super Cup’s best and fairest but the Bears halfback still wasn’t good enough to make the team of the season.
Surely being named the competition’s leading player would ensure your selection but Fogarty couldn’t unseat Sunshine Coast’s Todd Murphy when it comes to the No. 7 role.
For the record Murphy finished second to Fogarty in the Medal standings and call me parochial but that should be enough to also claim the halfback role.
RUGBY UNION
SEE EVERY PHOTO FROM AON SEVENS
Bond University hosted the second tournament of the Aon University Sevens Series over the weekend, an event that was livestreamed online.
The access for viewers was first class and showed all facets of the teams, warts and all.
A key part of the coverage was taking viewers inside the halftime huddles, giving an educational and sometimes humorous insight into the teams.
Griffith University coach Moana Virtue cut a composed figure between the intense game, encouraging the players with a calm tone and asking probing questions to the group.
Seconds later the captain was dropping expletives in a bid to prepare the side for the second half.
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RACING
Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy was left fuming when Alignment was scratched seconds before Saturday’s Maiden Handicap (1400m)
Guy was confident the filly was set to challenge for a win and wasn’t concerned when the horse shifted its near fore plate.
It delayed the start of the race but Guy believed it could be fixed within minutes but was left shocked when officials scratched it.
The stewards report revealed the farrier had discovered the filly’s hoof had been injured as a result of the plate shifting.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast-based 2K Thoroughbreds has cracked the $50,000 mark for funds raised for charity.
2KT surpassed the $50,000 milestone a fortnight ago at the Gold Coast Turf Club’s Pink Ribbon Cup Day, an event the business sponsored.
2KT raised a combined $6000 for the Pink Ribbon Foundation and National Jockey’s Trust at separate fundraisers.
The result comes hot off the heels of 2KT raising $4000 for Muscular Dystrophy Queensland at the recent Ray White Charity Ball on the Gold Coast after auctioning a 2.5% share in a 3YO colt named Global citizen, which was purchased by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.
WALK THE WALK
Bryan Dorfling completed a 1000km journey from Budgewoi, on the NSW Central Coast, to Brisbane on Sunday in a bid to raise awareness for mental illness.
Dorfling, 37, passed through the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday, reaching the 850km mark of his journey.
Dorfling has explored 60 countries and said it was time he gave back to the one he calls home.
“It’s been very important for me to “give back” to the countries I’ve visited, so I’ve volunteered in many of them,” Dorfling said.
From playing cricket and music with deaf/blind school in Sri Lanka, to helping schooling and feeding 3-6yr old children in the townships of Namibia, to volunteering in an orphanage for disabled kids in Peru.
“I grew my dreadlocks for over 10 years and grew a big Ned Kelly beard and in 2013 I shaved it all off in a fundraiser we organised here in Budgewoi. Just for shaving off a few stinky dreadlocks we raised close to $50,000.”
RUGBY LEAGUE
Two babies, one wedding ... and a bout of conjunctivitis.
Welcome to a hectic grand final period for the Burleigh Bears.
First Sam Coster and his partner welcomed a new baby, then Jack Buchanan and his wife did the same (on game day).
I understand Hayden Schwass will have his wedding next Friday, while poor Oliver Percy has been battling a bout of conjunctivitis for the past week.
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