Buddy Franklin returns to training, Tim Cahill brushes Fox Sports

BUDDY Franklin ready to return to training, Dave Warner can do no wrong and Tim Cahill brushes Fox Sports. All that and more in this week’s Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.

07/10/15 Sydney, N.S.W. Photo: Andrew Murray Buddy Franklin and Jesinta Campbell leaving the Sydney Swans Offices

BUDDY Franklin ready to return to training, Dave Warner can do no wrong and Tim Cahill brushes Fox Sports.

All that and more in this week’s Saint, Sinner, Shoosh:

SAINT

THE Red and Black Bloc are as generous as they are passionate. The Western Sydney Wanderers’ supporters group raised $2000 to donate to the Marc Arcuri Cup, an event held in the memory of the 15-year-old who tragically died from a suspected cardiac arrest while playing soccer last year. In all, $40,000 was raised to buy defibrillators for grassroots football.

SINNER

THERE was a commotion in the tunnel after the Socceroos beat Kyrgyzstan 3-0 in Canberra. Tim Cahill angrily brushed off requests to do a post-match interview with Fox Sports, leaving team officials bemused. Cahill has a rich deal with Foxtel and you’d think Fox Sports would be the last outlet he would brush.

SINNER II

THE terrible and embarrassing state of the Sydney Cricket Ground outfield.

Tim Cahill refused a post-match interview with Fox Sports.

BUDDY GOOD NEWS FOR SWANS

IT’S been confirmed Buddy Franklin will be back at the Swans for resumption of training on December 1. According to one source, Franklin has been “training the house down” and will return in his best shape ever prior to Christmas.

SHOOSH

WHICH NRL coach was fuming when his prop returned to training weighing 125kg and looking like he hadn’t stopped eating for six weeks.

GAL LEADING BY EXAMPLE

HOW’S this for dedication. We told you last week that Cronulla captain Paul Gallen was spotted in Singapore on holidays. Gallen returned to Sydney at 6.30am on Wednesday and drove straight to Shark Park, arriving at 7.30am to join the training session. He wasn’t expected back until November 23.

SPOTTED

WAYNE Bennett, Raelene Castle, John Grant and Alex McKinnon at a Leagues Club Australia conference on the Gold Coast last weekend. We’re not sure if Grant and Bennett crossed paths but it would have been an interesting conversation if they did regarding the Kangaroos coaching position.

WARNER’S WINNING TOUCH

IS there anything Dave Warner can’t do? As he was on 249 at the WACA on Saturday, the horse he part-owns bolted in at Kembla Grange, a nag trained by Gai Waterhouse. The horse is well named, too — Man Of Distinction — which pretty well sums up Warner’s standing in Test cricket. It paid $3.50 for the win.

David Warner acknowledges the crowd after he was dismissed for 253 runs during day two of the second Test against New Zealand.

YOU WOULDN’T BET ON IT

HERE’S another one of those great Melbourne Cup punting stories. A man walked in to the Caringbah TAB last Tuesday week to back No. 19 Prince Of Penzance, because his mum had just turned 100, and No. 19, Patrobas, won the race 100 years ago. The irony is that Patrobas was owned by a Mrs Widders, the first female owner of a Melbourne Cup winner.

FRANK’S EMOTIONAL EXIT

OUTGOING FFA chairman Frank Lowy went to the Socceroos’ dressing room for the last time as head honcho after the midweek World Cup qualifier in Canberra.

An emotional Lowy told the players his heart swells with pride every time he sees the green and gold in action. For the record, the Socceroos played 154 matches under Lowy’s regime, winning 79, drawing 33 and losing 42.

THANKS AUSSIE GUUS

DUTCH super coach Guus Hiddink is the star attraction at ANZ Stadium tomorrow night when 700 guests celebrate the 10th anniversary of the famous Socceroos victory over Uruguay. The black-tie bash includes the penalty kick hero John Aloisi and many of his 2005 teammates. Fox Sports will screen an hour-longdocumentary on the Uruguay showdown at 9pm tomorrow.

Originally published as Buddy Franklin returns to training, Tim Cahill brushes Fox Sports