Cairns unhappy with lapses

CJ Bruton's miss allowed the Cairns Taipans to stay unbeaten. Picture: New Zealand Herald.

A RARE CJ Bruton potential match-winning miss kept Cairns' unbeaten NBL record intact at the weekend, the Taipans confident of correcting the defensive error before Friday's home match with Adelaide.

Bruton's shot to win rimmed out, leaving Cairns with an 86-85 victory and on a 2-0 win-loss record, Adelaide taking out Wollongong 97-91 at Adelaide Arena to bring its record to 1-1.

A depleted 36ers line-up lost 80-83 to Perth on the road in round one, the Wildcats the only other unbeaten team after taking out Sydney at home, then additionally Melbourne on the road.

The 36ers also run into the Tigers this round, facing them in Melbourne on Sunday in an extremely taxing road double after travelling from Cairns.

"It was poor to give an open shot like that, but sometimes they roll out," Taipans coach Aaron Fearne said of Bruton's final fling.

"We were cruising along and it broke down," he said of squandering an eight-point lead in the last quarter.

"We broke our rules and it built pressure."

Sixers coach Joey Wright was equally unimpressed with his team's inaugural home performance, even though the crowd, just short-change shy of 6000, was loud, raucous and perhaps even grateful to again have a team worth cheering.

The stadium resembled the fortress of years long since passed as the crowd, in full voice, even gave its team a standing ovation to close a 28-16 third quarter.

They were standing and roaring again at game's end in scenes reminiscent of 2003, a long time ago.

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Bombers get picky over Crameri

Stewart Crameri's future is still to be decided. Source: News Limited

ESSENDON is baulking at a trade of picks as part of the deal to get Stewart Crameri to the Western Bulldogs.

The Dogs could secure the tall forward by giving Essendon picks 26 and 42, with the Bombers handing back its pick 48.

But the Bombers want to use 48 in another deal, believed to involve a Greater Western Sydney player.

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With just three-and-a-half days to go in the trade period, Crameri could still walk out on the Bombers and enter the pre-season draft.

DEPARTMENT OF TRADES

The clubs have been in negotiations for weeks and may yet shake hands on the original offer of a straight swap for pick 26.

Crameri's teammate Scott Gumbleton, who was the No.2 pick in 2006 national draft, could head to Fremantle in exchange for pick 54.

Former Bulldog midfielder Daniel Cross has signed a one-year deal with Melbourne.

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The 30-year-old has the option of a second season.

St Kilda and Brisbane have began discussions over Billy Longer's move to Seaford with the Saints adamant they won't be giving up pick 18.

The deal is likely to be done for one of St Kilda's second round picks, either 24 or 25.

North Melbourne defender Luke Delaney is expected to become a Saint later today in exchange for late draft selection.

The Saints have ruled out any last-minute trading of veteran Leigh Montagna who was reassured at a meeting with the club last week that he was a required player.

Defender Sam Fisher is also likely to stay despite strong interest from GWS.

Collingwood officially gained Jesse White yesterday in a three-way deal which also saw them move up in the draft to No.6.

The Magpies received selections 6 and 44 from West Coast in exchange for picks 11, 31 and 49, with 44 on-traded to Sydney for White.

National recruiting manager Derek Hine said White's versatility and improved form this season appealed to coach Nathan Buckley.

"Jesse has a combination of speed, power and height," Hine said,. "His versatility was also a factor.

"Jesse has played key forward, third forward, in the ruck, and, with his pace, up on a wing.

"At 25 he has lots of football ahead of him, he is seasoned so he helps us straight away and, in our view, the best of Jesse White is yet to be seen."

Hine also said he was confident the current stand-off with GWS about the trading of Heath Shaw would be resolved in the coming days.

The Pies want to recruit Taylor Adams, a former No.13 draft pick, in a straight swap for Shaw, but the Giants are pushing for a sweetener in the form of draft picks.

"One player is a proven player, a premiership payer, at the peak of his powers. The other boy is a first-round draft choice, a 20-year-old who potentially has plenty of scope (to improve)," Hine said.

"Both parties have really strong opinions on their relevant player and they're both consistent and both on the right track ... I'm really confident we'll be able to get something sorted out in the not-too-distant future."

The Pies now have selections six and 10 - which they won't part with - and don't have another pick until 67.

The Giants have picks 1, 2, 21 and 22 and are not expected to use any later picks.

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No Berisha, no worries: Mulvey

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BRISBANE Roar coach Mike Mulvey has warned Melbourne Victory that his side is still a threat without sharpshooter Besart Berisha, who will miss Friday night's game at Etihad Stadium with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile Football Federation Australia is yet to conclude interviews for the Socceroos coaching position as it's looking increasingly unlikely that an appointment will be made this week.

Favourite Ange Postecoglou was in charge of his Victory squad Monday while Central Coast's Graham Arnold and Western Sydney's Tony Popovic are yet to be formally spoken to by FFA.

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Either way Postecoglou is almost certain to lead Victory in Friday night's Round 3 clash against his former side.

Scans Monday confirmed Brisbane's worst fears but Mulvey vowed not to rush the 2011-12 golden boot back after playing much of last season injured.

Brazilian Henrique replaced Berisha in the 4-0 win over Sydney FC on Saturday and looks set to lead the line on Friday with the Albanian firebrand expected to miss at least a fortnight but he warned Roar was far from a one-man team.

"It's disappointing because Besart has worked extremely hard and he's in the best physical shape that he's ever been in. He's scored a bagful of goals in pre-season but it was nil-nil when he went off," Mulvey said.

"I told him to make sure he gets the rehab done properly because we'll play as well as we can without him and welcome him back when he's fit and life goes on.

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"I can promise you we won't rush him back because last year he was so brave. He played with quite a number of knocks throughout the year and he did that because the team wasn't in great shape, but we won't be sacrificing him, we want him in tiptop shape.

"He's our talisman but it's a squad game and we have a salary cap.

"One option was to bring in a centre forward but if you look at his history he plays most of the game so you don't want another scorer to sit on the bench so we got Liam Miller and Matty McKay to try and improve creativity in the final third.

"I believe Henrique is a natural number nine or 10, his best position is central rather than wide and when he came on he caused all sorts of problems for Sydney.

"We've also got young Kwame Yeboah. He played in the central position a number of times in pre-season."

Victory received a clean bill of health after their epic 2-2 draw away to Adelaide United with Mark Milligan pulling up well after playing 90 minutes, though he did a light session on Monday.

Kiwi winger Kosta Barbarouses is certain to return to the first XI while Gui Finkler did his chances no harm, helping to turn the game after he came on.

Former Victory player Diogo Ferreira played an hour of the youth game over the weekend after returning from a groin injury and is a chance of making the Roar squad to play his old side.

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Victory playing hard ball with FFA

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ANGE Postecoglou will be the next Socceroos coach but a heavyweight stoush between Football Federation Australia and Melbourne Victory looms over compensation.

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Victory, the A-League's richest club, has requested close to a $1 million from the governing body with Postecoglou's $600,000-a-year deal expiring in 2015.

But FFA is desperate to avoid another hefty payout after it was forced to compensate dumped coach Holger Osieck $1 million of his $1.5 million salary. He was sacked last Saturday, after consecutive 6-0 drubbings to Brazil and France.

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Postecoglou will be in charge of the Socceroos' two friendlies in Australia in November, unless negotiations break down.

Victory officials did not return calls, while FFA declined to comment.

It is also understood FFA is negotiating a payout with Socceroos assistants Aurelio Vidmar and Robbie Hooker, who have worked under Osieck since 2010.

Postecoglou will hand pick his assistants and it's believed that he wants Victory's conditioning guru, head of performance Peter Cklamovski, to join him in his Socceroos stable.

Victory had already started putting plans in place last week for Kevin Muscat to take over as interim coach for the rest of the season and he has already sounded out assistants.

While it was declared a three-horse race also including Central Coast's Graham Arnold and Western Sydney's Tony Popovic, Postecoglou was ultimately the man they were after and the only one chief executive David Gallop has interviewed.

Victory allowed FFA to speak to Postecoglou but is standing its ground and even if he gets the job he looks set to coach Victory in Friday night's clash against Brisbane Roar.

FFA is desperate to finalise the appointment by Friday so Postecoglou can have the chance to select a squad for next month's two home friendlies.

The players' clubs have to be notified 14 days before the first game, which is likely to be on Thursday, November 14, and Postecoglou may pick an extended squad to bring in several fresh faces.

The Victory board is believed to have discussed the compensation matter last week and Postecoglou openly expressed his desire to lead the national team.

Victory players were yesterday oblivious to the manoeuvering behind the scenes with the 48-year-old taking training as per normal ahead of Friday's clash against his old side at Etihad Stadium.

FFA may even agree to allow Postecoglou to coach Victory in its Melbourne Cup Eve clash against Wellington Phoenix.

The governing body's desperation to make the appointment this week is compounded by the fact that, after the upcoming friendlies, the Socceroos won't play again until the next FIFA international window in March.

Postecoglou's imminent appointment will cap a remarkable transformation for the man who was unemployable, following a seven-year spell coaching the Australian Joeys (Under 17s) and Young Socceroos (Under 20s) that drew criticism for poor results.

Postecoglou, capped four times by Australia, won two national titles with South Melbourne and most recently two more with Brisbane Roar.

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The Barometer: AFL trades edition

Heath Shaw's move to GWS has hit a snag. Source: News Limited

WITH just one week of the AFL trade period remaining, how many deals are left to be struck? Heath Shaw, Billy Longer and Stewart Crameri are all hoping to reach new homes by Friday.

Key dates:
Last Friday: Restricted and unrestricted free agency trade period closed
Friday 25 October at 2pm: AFL Trade period closes.

Department of Trades

ADELAIDE

THE Crows secured the early draft pick they desperately wanted when Melbourne parted with pick 23 for Adelaide club champion Bernie Vince. Brenton Sanderson still holds interest in Brisbane Lion Jared Polec, although the only realistic chance to snare the high draft pick is if the Lions and Power can't strike a deal, which seems unlikely. That would allow Adelaide to swoop in the pre-season draft. Beefed up their forward line with James Podsiadly and Eddie Betts, securing both for nix. The Crows could also lure GWS midfielder Shaun Edwards this week.

DRAFT PICKS: 23, 36, 64

SEE ALL THE DEALS

BRISBANE

BRISBANE'S hopes of keeping Billy Longer after his plans to get to Hawthorn fell apart have all but washed away with the young ruckman now keen to get to St Kilda. The Saints hold picks 24 and 25, with one of those expected to get the deal done in what will be a busy week for the Lions. They look set to part with halfback Sam Docherty for Carlton's pick 32, while they also need to come to terms with Port Adelaide over Jared Polec. The Lions also look likely to send Pat Karnezis into the pre-season draft, but in a slice of good news James Polkinghorne has backlipped and decided to stay at the Gabba. The talk is the Lions will secure pick 14 for Polec, with the Power shuffling back in the first round of the draft.

DRAFT PICKS: 7, 29, 45, 63

The Crows will be spoilers if Brisbane and Port Adelaide can't work out a deal on Jared Polec. Source: News Limited

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CARLTON

AFTER seemingly showing interest in every player on the market, it has been a quiet month for the Blues. Dale Thomas is in the bag as a free agent and Sam Docherty looks certain to join this week. Other than that there isn't a whole lot on the horizon. Josh Bootsma could still be traded to West Coast, but if a deal can't be struck he'll stay at Visy Park.

DRAFT PICKS: 13, 32, 33, 51, 69

COLLINGWOOD

THE Pies look certain to officially secure not only Jesse White, but the No. 6 draft pick when trade period reopens today. Now, for Taylor Adams. The Pies and Giants are poles apart on the Adams-Shaw deal, with GWS wanting to switch picks as well as players as a sweetner and Collingwood wanting a straight swap only. Who will blink first?

DRAFT PICKS: 10, 11, 31, 49, 67

FREE AGENCY DANGEROUS: PERT

ESSENDON

PAUL Chapman will play for the Bombers next year in a big coup considering they're currently out of the draft until pick 48. And while Essendon flagged interest in Billy Longer, he's headed to the Saints. The Dons look set to offload Scott Gumbleton to Fremantle and Stewart Crameri to the Western Bulldogs, most likely for picks 55 and 26 respectively. The Crameri deal hit a roadblock from the get-go, but with the Dogs able to secure him for free in the pre-season draft a deal should be struck this week.

DRAFT PICKS: 48, 66

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 27: Stewart Crameri of the Bombers runs down the wing during the round 14 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Essendon Bombers at Patersons Stadium on June 27, 2013 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) Source:

FREMANTLE

THE Dockers look set to add a No. 2 draft pick in Scott Gumbleton to the No. 3 draft pick (Colin Sylvia) they picked up earlier this month. And it shouldn't cost much, with pick 55 tipped as their offer to the Bombers for the out-of-contract forward. They parted with Viv Michie for pick 58 and while there hasn't been much talk east, Josh Mellington could also find a new home this week.

DRAFT PICKS: 17, 37, 55, 58, 73

GEELONG

SHOWED interest in Heath Shaw and Taylor Adams but likely to miss out on both. Won't receive any compensation for James Podsiadly or Paul Chapman, while Joel Corey retired with typically little fanfare for a champion of his standing. Ruckman Trent West could be on the move this week.

DRAFT PICKS: 16, 36, 54, 72

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GOLD COAST

A QUIET month for the Suns. Expect them to take picks 5, 20 and 27 to the bank and grow their nestling talent pool. They've already secured Jack Martin, who is eligible next year, while they could trade picks to help Jared Polec get to the Power.

DRAFT PICKS: 5, 20, 27, 44, 61

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

AGAIN one of the mega players. Sent Dom Tyson to Melbourne along with pick 9, but picked up pick 2 and 22 in the process to go alongside pick 1 (Tom Boyd) in the third-straight draft they'll dominate. Missed out on Buddy but won over Heath Shaw. Now, to get a deal done with the Pies for the rebounding halfback, which will also see Taylor Adams join Nathan Buckley's side. Could lose Josh Bruce for nothing if he walks to St Kilda in the pre-season draft given the Saints are baulking at a deal that would see GWS pick up Sam Fisher.

DRAFT PICKS: 1. 2. 21. 22

HAWTHORN

THEY'VE done it again. Last year it was Brian Lake who signed with Hawthorn before going on to win a premiership and Norm Smith medal. This time around it was Ben McEvoy who crossed from St Kilda to Hawthorn following Hawk Max Bailey's retirement. Shane Savage parted ways with Hawthorn as part of the McEvoy deal. Received just pick 19 as compensation for Buddy Franklin, infuriating chief executive Stuart Fox.

DRAFT PICKS: 19, 38, 56, 74

Hawthorn forward Shane Savage celebrates one of his three goals against Brisbane. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

MELBOURNE

SHOOK things up on Friday, paying good to talk pick 2 was off the table. The Dees are trumpeting they've effectively got three top-10 picks given they now hold No. 9 and have secured Dom Tyson (a No. 3 pick from GWS) and Jesse Hogan (taken in last year's mini-draft). Effectively switched Colin Sylvia for Bernie Vince, acquiring the Crow for the departed Dee's compensation pick.

DRAFT PICKS: 9, 40, 57

Bernie Vince to be a Demon Source: News Limited

NORTH MELBOURNEAFTER a drawn-out process the Roos got their man in Nick Dal Santo - and for nothing. He signed on as a free agent, while the Kangas also locked away father-son gem Luke McDonald for the price of pick 8 in next month's draft. Will send Luke Delaney to the Saints this week for nothing more than a very late pick.

DRAFT PICKS:

8 (McDonald), 30, 47, 65

PORT ADELAIDE

STILL need to wrangle a deal to secure Lion Jared Polec, although that is odds on to happen this week. Likely to cough up pick 14 and slide down the first-round order to No. 18 or 20 in exchange for the talented midfielder. Opened proceedings by signing speedy Tiger Matt White for nothing.

DRAFT PICKS: 14, 34, 52, 70

RICHMOND

THE cue looks just about to be in the rack for the Tigers. Matt White signed at Alberton but Richmond secured Shaun Hampson for pick 32 and held onto Dusty Martin after his much-publicised contract negotiations.

DRAFT PICKS: 12, 50, 68

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ST KILDA

THE Saints caught us all by surprise off-loading No.1 ruckman and future captain Ben McEvoy for Hawk Shane Savage and an exchange of picks. They then let Nick Dal Santo go as a free agent, receiving pick 25 as compensation for the durable and classy midfielder. Looks set to gain young ruckman Billy Longer, possible for that Dal Santo pick, and will acquire Luke Delaney for next to nothing from North Melbourne. Also wants Josh Bruce and could yet land him in the pre-season draft with talks with GWS hitting snags. Haven't ruled out taking Darren Jolly as an insurance ruckman.

DRAFT PICKS: 3, 18, 24, 25, 41, 59

Hawthorn recruit Ben McEvoy has his hands full countering West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HeraldSun

SYDNEY

LANDED the megastar in Buddy Franklin to kick off the exchange period. Did OK landing pick 39 for Shane Mumford when they could've got nothing for him and will offload Jesse White today for a late second-rounder. Andrejs Everitt could also be on the move with GWS and St Kilda leading the charge, while Tony Armstrong won't be part of the White deal.

DRAFT PICKS: 15, 35, 39, 53, 71

WEST COAST

XAVIER Ellis is now an Eagle and Elliot Yeo looks headed west after the Eagles agreed to  swap pick 6 for 11 and 31 with the latter set to secure the Lion. Expect the Eagles to draft Dom Sheed at pick 11, the man they also liked at 6, which would mean paying effectively nil for Yeo.

DRAFT PICKS: 6, 28, 43, 62

WESTERN BULLDOGS

SHOWED strong interest in Sam Docherty but are set to miss out with the No. 12 pick set to join Carlton from the Lions. Haven't struck a trade for Stewie Crameri yet, but all the power is with the Dogs. If the Dons, who have been kicked out of the first two rounds of the draft, don't want pick 26 then Crameri can join Whitten Oval through the pre-season draft. That looks long odds, with a trade expected to be struck this week.

DRAFT PICKS: 4, 26, 42, 60

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Mundine wants Aus to show him love

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IT is one of the toughest PR challenges in history, but after 20 years happily playing the most polarising sportsman in the country Anthony Mundine now wants to feel the love of the Australian public.

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And Mundine says he will make it happen by completing an audacious plan to beat the best boxers on the planet over the next two years, because "everyone loves a winner".

Is Australia ready to forgive and support Anthony Mundine?

Mundine, 38, has comfortably played the bad guy throughout his rugby league and boxing careers – particularly to promote his fights - but as he enters the final chapter of his sporting career he has made a surprising plea.

"I want the Australian fans to get behind me, embrace my confidence, embrace my ability to believe in myself, and back me," Mundine said.

"For far too long there has been a love-hate relationship.

"I have a lot of fans who love me, and a lot of those that dislike me for whatever reason.

"But they don't know the real Anthony Mundine, they just know the portrayal of me.

"I just want them to get to know the real me, and know that I am not only fighting for myself, I am fighting for all of them as well.

"I'm representing Australia. It's like I'm in the Davis Cup, or the rugby World Cup, or soccer World Cup."

But Mundine is smart enough to realise that some will simply never forgive his utterances about America bringing the 9/11 attacks on themselves, or his shot at the Aboriginal heritage of previous opponent Daniel Geale.

While he later apologised for those comments, Mundine believes the only way to get his critics on-side is by delivering on his proclamation of fighting the greatest boxer alive, Floyd Mayweather.

"This is straight up, I think everyone loves a winner, all I've got to do is win," said Mundine, who fights US superstar Shane Mosley at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Wednesday night.

"Not many people liked South Sydney a couple of years ago, all of a sudden this year everyone was hopping on the bandwagon – including me.

"I'm at the stage of my life and my career where this is the final chapter.

"I'm looking at four fights, maybe three if I get the right fights - Mosley being the first – to achieving my goal of fighting Floyd Mayweather in May of 2015.

"I'm not saying I'll beat Mosley and they'll give me Floyd, that's pretty stupid, I want to go through the tests that need to be passed.

"That is probably two more fights, I would like to fight Miguel Cotto and Saul Alvarez before I fight Floyd.

"And I want Australia to support me. I don't regret anything I've said because I am a straight shooter, I talk the truth.

"But I want them not to have tunnel vision, look outside the square, because there is a lot more to me that is likeable than not."

Mundine added: "There has never been a crossover sportsman like me, and we should be proud of that, Australians should embrace that, I don't want to talk myself up, that is something you guys should support.

"When I'm fighting overseas I want them to say 'This is our man, no one has done what he's done'.

"People talk about Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, but they switched from team to team sports, I went from a team sport to the hardest singular sport of all, boxing, and became a three-time world champion. That has never been done.

"When people hear my story overseas they freak out, but it's taken for granted here.

"I don't want them to embrace it when I'm gone.

"Let's embrace it now, when I'm taking on the best in the world."

MUNDINE'S MOST CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS

"It's not about terrorism, it's about fighting for God's laws and America's brought it upon themselves for what they've done." - 2001

"A black player would have to do three or four times more than any other bloke to be a chance in NSW. Politics and racism are part of the scene in rugby league. That's why I got out." – 2007

"I thought they wiped all the Aborigines from Tasmania out. I don't see [Geale] representing black people, or coloured people. I don't see him in the communities, I don't see him doing the things I do to people, and fighting for the people.

"He's got a white woman, he's got white kids." – 2013

"Australia is a very racist country ... I want to change the flag. I want to change the anthem." - 2013

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Wounded SKD's miracle continues

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THE Shaun Kenny-Dowall miracle continues.

After undergoing surgery for a broken jaw, the Sydney Roosters centre now expects to be back training in just three weeks.

The premiership-winning three-quarter fractured the left side of his jaw in the Roosters 26-18 win over Manly in the NRL grand final. 

He played-on for 60 minutes and courageously finished the match, etching his name into club folklore. Kenny-Dowall had a plate inserted into his jaw to stabilise the fracture. 

Roosters officials say Kenny-Dowall refused to tell medical staff of his injury during the match.

He will not be able to resume full contact training until January but the Roosters website says Kenny-Dowall can resume light training - including weights and running - in three to four weeks. 

After the grand final, Kenny-Dowall refused to be labelled a hero.

"I didn't want to let my team-mates down and that's all I was really thinking about," he said.

"I knew something was wrong - I started spitting out blood. I concentrated on doing my job for 80 minutes and that's all I was thinking about."

The injury forced Kenny-Dowall out of the New Zealand World Cup squad.

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NRL clubs hunt Wallaby badboy JOC

Wallabies rugby union player James O'Connor. Source: DAN HIMBRECHTS / AAP

NRL clubs have started to discuss signing Wallaby badboy James O'Connor - because his price tag has tumbled about $500,000.

The Daily Telegraph has been told at least three NRL clubs have privately spoken about kick-starting negotiations with the exiled Wallaby utility back. 

O'Connor was on an annual contract worth around $750,000 — $400,000 from Super Rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels and a $350,000 top-up from the Australian Rugby Union. 

The ex-Wallaby is now virtually unwanted, his unruly off-field antics cruelling his once burgeoning international career.

He remains unsigned for next season.

Well-placed rugby union sources now claim O'Connor would only receive a contract worth between $200,000 to $250,000 a season.

It is expected he will return to the Western Force although NRL clubs are now showing some interest, although none have yet lodged any official offer. 

One NRL club CEO said: "At $750,000 a season, good luck!

"But at $250,000 he might be worth a gamble. I know our club has spoken about him and so have a few others.

"He seems to find trouble but rugby league has a habit of rehabilitating troubled players.

"He has some skill, no doubt about it

"Would he make it in rugby league? As I said, he might well be worth the gamble."

Whether O'Connor wants to risk playing in the tougher NRL is another matter. He would be a regular 'spot' target in defence.

O'Connor has been involved in several headline-grabbing misdemeanours his most recent being escorted from Perth Airport by Federal Police while intoxicated. 

The ARL had enough and pulled their money.

One rugby union source said: "He will have to take considerably less money to stay in Australian rugby.

"He doesn't have many options. Franchises think he is bad for team harmony.

"I reckon his maximum asking price would be about $200,000 a year.

"Mind you he could collect another $200,000 each season if he made it back to international rugby and picked up $14,000 a Test."

Former rugby league star Phil Blake worked with O'Connor when coaching at Western Force and also as a Wallaby assistant coach.

"He has got some obvious talent that would suit the game of rugby league," said Blake, now coach of the Manly Marlins Shute Shield team. 

"But he would have to work hard in a number of areas to get up to speed with the NRL.

"And he would no doubt have to work hard defensively."

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Bunnies join AFL team in USA camp

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THE South Sydney Rabbitohs are joining forces with the Gold Coast Suns AFL outfit and will fly star trio Adam Reynolds, Luke Keary and Dylan Walker to the US for two-week high altitude training camp in November.

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In a cutting-edge development previously explored by AFL clubs Collingwood, Carlton, Brisbane and Gold Coast, the Rabbitohs trio will travel 12,500kms to the famous Northern Arizona University camp in Flagstaff, Arizona. 

There, the Bunnies will spend 12 days training at a minimum of 7000m above sea level, where the Suns have previously utilised high altitude training techniques including climbing the Grand Canyon and Mt Humphreys, complete with a 12,500m summit. 

The conditions can vary from being warm and sunny to snowing with high winds, with players lactic acid thresholds thought to be significantly improved under the duress. 

Designed to increase individuals' red blood cell counts due to the lower oxygen levels, high altitude training is believed to increase elite athletes oxygen carrying capacity and aerobic fitness. 

Souths trio Reynolds, Keary and Walker will spend 12-days training alongside the entire Gold Coast Suns AFL playing roster in Arizona, where the activities vary from running repeat 400m sprints to strength training in the state-of-the-art $106 million facility. 

South Sydney coach Michael Maguire and high performance manager Troy Thomson will also travel to the US for part of the camp, with the Rabbitohs group then set for a two-day stopover at the University of California in Los Angeles for more training on the way home to Sydney. 

Maguire confirmed if the trip was a success, the Rabbitohs were hopeful of taking their entire NRL roster to Arizona at the same time next year for a specialised pre-season high altitude camp. 

"The AFL have obviously been doing it for a long time and we've got an altitude chamber at Redfern, so we're hoping to get the benefits of all the latest training techniques," Maguire said. 

"I first became aware of it through Mick Malthouse when he was at Collingwood and obviously a number of AFL clubs have been utilising this type of altitude training for some time. 

"One thing for us is if we can get the results we're looking for, we'd like to look at taking the entire team over to do the same training in another 12 months' time. We've looked at the way the AFL clubs do it and what we'd like to try and do is get some of our top sponsors involved in the trip.

"From their point of view, they would gain a first-hand look at what it's like training with an elite sports team in a variety of challenging conditions in an elite camp overseas. 

"And from our point of view we would get all the elite benefits of a high altitude training camp."

Melbourne Storm halfback and Dally M Medallist Cooper Cronk made the same trip to Flagstaff with the Brisbane Lions in the off-season last November and strongly endorsed the benefits of the training. 

The Rabbitohs' US fact finding expedition will commence at the start of the club's pre-season training in November and the trip includes an additional two days of training at UCLA on the way back to Sydney. 

On the subject of South Sydney's meltdown against Manly in the grand final qualifier, Maguire said the loss continued to be a sore point.

"Without a doubt we will grow from that, we'll learn a lot of big lessons out of that experience," Maguire said.

"It was definitely an opportunity gone and it was felt pretty hard right throughout the group for sometime afterwards."

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Williams the cups campaign master

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PERHAPS the most relevant point to take out of Saturday's Caulfield meeting with a view to the Melbourne Cup is a reminder of how Lloyd Williams has become the modern master at crafting a Cups campaign.

Fawkner has now secured himself a start at Flemington and he could be joined by as many as six stablemates if Williams wants, although the most likely companions will be Green Moon, Sea Moon, Seville and Masked Marvel.

Williams' son Nick said yesterday's Caulfield Cup had been 12 months in the making.

This despite Fawkner having indifferent form beyond a mile 18 months ago.

This win was crafted to perfection. A two start trip to Sydney was followed by a seemingly surprising decision to bypass the Epsom in favour of a Turnbull start.

Williams knew best and Fawkner was as strong as any runner on the line yesterday.

As usual, there were the hard luck stories behind the winner, although none of them definitively said "back me in the Melbourne Cup."

Craig Williams said the barrier was the difference between winning and losing for Dandino, but added he would be best suited in a moderately run Cup (like last year) to ensure he runs the trip.

Fourth-placed Jet Away ran a cracking race, but he pulled for a big chunk yesterday – not usually a recipe for success at Flemington.

Hawkspur was solid enough in getting home, but pedigree says he has to be a big doubt beyond 2400m.

So with that in mind, the biggest Melbourne Cup rumble yesterday may have come from the jumbo that touched down in Melbourne around midday.

Its passengers included Dunaden and his old foe Red Cadeaux, plus Irish St Leger winner Voleuse De Couers and new Gai Waterhouse addition Tres Blue.

The market now has Dandino and Fawkner challenging for favouritism, but it will change again pending the performances of Puissance De Lune and Fiorente in Saturday's Cox Plate.

That race will also give us a final chance to assess the Williams Cup contestants.

Don't be harsh on them if they flop. Green Moon and Efficient were both Valley disappointments, but were spot on in the race that Lloyd Williams craves most. 

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