Saville realises that he belongs

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WHATEVER befalls Luke Saville at Wimbledon tonight, the South Australian can be sure of at least one thing — he finally belongs at the highest level.

While the compact baseliner is the first to concede that one grand slam victory hardly makes a career, especially with Bulgarian 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov lurking in the second round, a precious milestone has been reached.

In Saville's orb, the business of qualifying and winning a main draw round at the All England Club is not such much a graduation as career-turning.

"There's no doubt I haven't kicked on as much as a lot of people would have hoped, including myself," the junior Wimbledon and Australian Open winner said.

"But not everyone can do a Bernard Tomic or a Nick Kyrgios and burst on the scene and become top 150 in the first six months out of juniors, it's just not possible.

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"A few things haven't gone my way and a few things, I completely put the blame on myself.

"It's been a bit of a roller-coaster but now I feel that I'm reaping the rewards, to qualify and win a round is unbelievable.

"Qualifying and winning a round here has really turned my year around — and probably my career almost as well.

Luke Saville celebrates a point during his first-round match against Austrian Dominic Thiem. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

"So it's very, very exciting and I'm very happy."

Saville marched into the second round with a stubborn 7-5 6-4 3-6 6-4 win over Austrian Dominic Thiem, a fellow 20-year-old who is the youngest player in the top 100.

Thiem's ranking is founded on a string of stunning results, none better than Madrid Open victory over Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka last month.

He also gave eventual champion Rafael Nadal a huge French Open fright.

Ranked 236th in the world, Saville was monitored closely on Monday by his fellow South Australian Roger Rasheed, who was scouting the match for Dimitrov.

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Rasheed was impressed and will doubtlessly provide his client with a comprehensive debrief as protection against another early Wimbledon exit.

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For Saville, tonight's opportunity is a reward and opportunity wrapped around the challenge of upending Dimitrov, widely seen as a grand slam champion in waiting.

Win or lose, the Australian wants the match to stand as a watershed.

"I know it's going to be an extremely tough match," he said.

"Everyone knows that, but I'm very excited, very confident in my game at the moment.

"He's an unbelievable player, I'm going out there to do my absolute best.

"I know I'm up against it against Grigor, but I'll fight it out."

Regardless of how Saville's David and Goliath assignment pans out, he is guaranteed a significant rankings rise to about No 180 and a minimum prizemoney cheque of about $82,000 that will almost double his career earnings.

Not a bad week's work for a young man who has waited a seeming eternity to make his mark.

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Skelton not about to get carried away

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NEW-found fame following an eye-catching Test debut won't give Will Skelton a big head, according to NSW coach Michael Cheika.

And it's just as well, Cheika contends, because now the 140kg lock's name is known worldwide, rivals will be looking to take that head off.

"He is going to start coming up against a lot more challenges, starting Saturday night (against the Brumbies)," Cheika said.

"Guys who now know who he is are going to try and get at him, so he is going to have to learn to deal with that extra attention. I'm sure he will manage it. He has the demeanour for it."

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Having described Skelton as a humble guy with a team-first attitude, Cheika appeared to be proved right when the big unit on Tuesday embraced lock Jacques Potgieter at training, soon after the NSW team was named with Skelton on the bench behind the African import.

"He is a very good lad," Cheika said. "He understands what it's about, being a part of a team. I am really happy for him. He has done well, but he knows he's still got a long way to go to maximise his potential.

"He is just still very new on the circuit. He knows that himself. That's the best part. You don't have to worry about him getting a big head because he knows that himself."

Will Skelton is mobbed by his Wallabies teammates after setting up Israel Folau's second-half try. Source: Getty Images

Cheika, who plucked Skelton from the ARU academy in late 2012 and debuted him for NSW five months later, said he still saw Skelton as raw and with plenty of untapped potential.

Headlines about Skelton after his debut had been a "bit over the top" but Cheika said the 22-year-old didn't look out of place at Test level.

"The more experience he gets the better he is going to be at both levels, but he still has a long way to go. He certainly won't be getting ahead of himself here, that's for sure," Cheika said.

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Kyrgios beats Robert in four sets

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NICK Kyrgios has sealed a memorable Wimbledon debut, roaring into the All England Club's second round.

The Canberra teenager plundered French veteran Stephane Robert's wobbly serve to advance 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (6-8) 6-2.

The 19-year-old provided Australia with its sixth first-round winner, the nation's best haul since 2007.

The wiry right-hander, 19, hit 29 aces and 61 winners while feasting on Robert's 19 double faults and 59 unforced errors to progress.

It is the third time the highly-rated youngster has reached the second round of a major, emulating career-best efforts at last year's French Open and January's Australian Open.

He will now play either French 13th seed Richard Gasquet or Sydney's James Duckworth for a place in the third round.

Wearing pink headphones and with his left knee taped, Kyrgios gradually eased his way into the contest, serving with menace and moving comfortably.

The teenager controlled the first set tiebreak by forcing Robert into unforced error.

Playing first strike tennis, Krygios maintained impressive momentum to clinch the second set before drifting concentration allowed Robert back into the contest.

Up a break, the young Australian dropped serve but he immediately atoned by breaking straight back.

Despite Robert's penchant for double-faulting, Kyrgios was unable break the Frenchman's shackles.

He led the third set tiebreak 4-2 only to be reeled in, allowing Robert to push the match into a fourth set with a wondrous backhand pass.

Once there, Kyrgious pulled away with a blend of raw power and Robert's repeated errors.

French 14th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga outlasted Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-1 3-6 3-6 6-2 6-4 in a rain-delayed affair.

Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka breezed to a 6-3 6-4 6-3 win over Taipei's Yen-Hsun Lu.

Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori dispatched Frenchman Kenny de Schepper 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.

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Buddy’s secret goalkicking weapon

Lance Franklin confides in Swans runner Nick Davis. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: Philip Hillyard / News Corp Australia

SYDNEY star Lance Franklin has found a new goalkicking mentor in former sharpshooter and now club runner Nick Davis — and it's paying dividends.

While Franklin downplayed his work with Davis yesterday, his manager Liam Pickering confirmed the pair had formed a strong bond, resulting in the former Hawk's improved accuracy in recent weeks.

Franklin has kicked nine goals without a miss, scoring five in a row against Port Adelaide (after starting with 0.4) and four straight against Richmond last week.

Since kicking 2.7 against his old side, Hawthorn, in Round 8, the dual Coleman Medallist has kicked 21.10 in five matches.

Pickering said Franklin had benefited from his work with Davis, who famously kicked four final-term goals for Sydney in the 2005 semi-final to sink Geelong.

"He's developed a very close relationship with Nick Davis and he has worked with him on his goalkicking," Pickering said.

"Nick has become a bit of a mentor. They get on really well together and enjoy working with each other.

"We all know how good Nick was when it came to kicking for goal."

Pickering said Franklin had "definitely changed his approach a bit and he's getting the rewards now".

Davis kicked 235.135 in 168 games for Sydney and Collingwood, and has been the Swans' runner for the past three seasons.

Cartoon: Macca Source: Supplied

Franklin has kicked 35.25 this season, with his accuracy spiking in recent weeks.

He said yesterday that hard work on the training track over the past six weeks had resulted in his rich vein of form — and his accuracy in that time.

He struggled with some knee soreness earlier in the season, but has moved more freely in recent weeks.

Franklin yesterday disagreed that he was in the best form of his career: "Not necessarily. I think I've been talked up a little bit."

"I'm just playing my role for the footy club and I'm enjoying it.

"I don't go into a game saying that I want to get this many kicks, this many marks or this many goals.

"I just want to go out there and play my role for the footy club. And if the goals come, and the marks come, they come."

Franklin is hopeful Kurt Tippett can return to the Swans' line-up to take on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.

"It does help having Tippo back in the side," Franklin said.

"He's such a big presence up forward and always takes a good defender with him.

"So hopefully he'll be out there this weekend with me."

The Giants shocked the Swans with the season's biggest upset in Round 1, but Franklin is confident his team can win its 10th successive match.

"We just can't wait to get out there Saturday night and get another win and go from there," he said.

"GWS have been playing pretty good football the last couple of weeks, so we're going to have our work cut out against a quality outfit.

"We're looking forward to the challenge."

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Cowboys travel woes continue

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IT's official. North Queensland can't fire a shot on the road _ and stand accused as the biggest underachievers in the NRL.

They were the only conclusions to draw after the Cowboys' horror away form continued with a woeful 36-28 loss to the last-placed Knights in Newcastle.

Don't be fooled by the scoreline. Newcastle led 32-10 with 14 minutes to go and merrily clocked off, allowing the Cowboys to post three late tries.

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Beau Scott runs the balls for the Knights. Source: News Corp Australia

The absence of Origin II casualties Matt Scott and Brent Tate were seismic setbacks. Factor in the loss of Ray Thompson (hamstring) and Rory Kostjasyn (ribs) and North Queensland had some mitigation to explain a defeat they could live to regret.

But nothing can truly excuse the defensive fragility of a Cowboys side that has become the NRL's Jekyll-and-Hyde riddle.

Monday night's collapse in Newcastle was their seventh consecutive away defeat. And unless Paul Green's troops learn to play outside of Townsville and defend with consistency in the middle, season 2014 will be the Cowboys' latest train wreck.

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Cowboys Johnathan Thurston after being hurt in a tackle. Source: News Corp Australia

"We need to start winning those games, it's frustrating because we are a different team defensively (away from home)," coach Green lamented.

"We need to be better in that area. It's a number of things.

"It's a bit of confidence, a bit of trust in each other ... we need to look at that."

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The Cowboys looked set to wake from their travelling siesta when Antonio Winterstein crossed after just two minutes. But then their defensive structures fell apart as the embattled Knights raced in seven tries, including a double from Maroons hopeful Dane Gagai.

Newcastle's Kurt Gidley scores a try. Source: News Corp Australia

Even the talismanic Johnathan Thurston had an off-night, twice resembling a human speed bump as Maroons teammate Darius Boyd and Gagai ran riot.

The night finished controversially for Boyd, who was reported for a high shot on Thurston in the final minute of Newcastle's hatchet job.

The Cowboys finished the round 11th with a 6-8 record and now face a daunting home clash against big guns Souths this Saturday night in Townsville.

Amid the disappointment, Green refrained from going for the jugular, looking for a silver lining in his injury-depleted squad.

Newcastle's Jeremy Smith breaks the Cowboys defence. Source: News Corp Australia

"We're under the pump in that regard, Origin II hurt us and we copped a bit of the same here losing Ray and Rory," he said.

"We had guys playing out of position, Tariq Sims was at centre at one stage, so there were some courageous efforts.

"Matt (Scott) and Tatey are Test players and it has a huge impact on your game, but there's no point whingeing about it."

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Club powerbrokers must soon start seriously asking what is going wrong. Cowboys chiefs last year deemed coach Neil Henry wasn't the answer and duly speared him. But with Henry gone, surely the buck stops with the players.

Newcastle's Dane Gagai makes a break to score a try. Source: News Corp Australia

The relief for Green is that the Cowboys have sufficient time to resurrect their season. But when you make the lowly Knights look like the Brisbane Broncos circa 1992, alarm bells are ringing.

"We need to be more desperate in defence," prop James Tamou said. "We tried to talk ourselves up ... but talking only gets you so far."

NEWCASTLE 36 (D Gagai 2 D Boyd K Gidley J Leilua T Roberts A Uate tries K Gidley 4 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 28 (R Lui 2 C Rona T Sims A Winterstein tries J Thurston 4 goals) at Hunter Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 11,925

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Knights pile pain on Cowboys

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IT hasn't exactly dug them out of the big hole they are in but it's a start.

Wayne Bennett's Knights ended 73 miserable days without a win by easily accounting for North Queensland at Hunter Stadium.

With fullback Darius Boyd heavily involved in just about everything, the Knights turned a 16-6 halftime lead into a commanding 36-28 win to finally end a seven-game losing streak.

Beau Scott runs the balls for the Knights. Source: News Corp Australia

Boyd scored a first half try and was heavily involved in a number of others but finished the game on report for an alleged high tackle on Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston.

Centre Dane Gagai did his hopes of an Origin 111 call-up no harm with two tries while Beau Scott, Jarrod Mullen and Kurt Gidley were other quality performers for the Knights.

The undermanned Cowboys have now lost all their seven away games this season with the loss leaving them in 11th spot.

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Cowboys Johnathan Thurston after being hurt in a tackle. Source: News Corp Australia

To make matters worse, they lost halfback Ray Thompson to a leg injury and hooker Rory Kostjasyn to broken ribs during the game.

The Cowboys scored four late tries to make the scoreline more respectable with replacement halfback Robert Lui's awarded his second try close to fulltime despite clearly losing the ball over the line.

Newcastle's Kurt Gidley scores a try. Source: News Corp Australia

The home side got off to the worst possible start with a Darius Boyd mistake gifting the Cowboys first points after just two minutes.

Under heavy pressure, Boyd fumbled a Johnathan Thurston bomb with winger Antonio Winterstein making the Knights fullback pay with the game's opening try.

It was the perfect start for the Cowboys but there were some early signs the loss of Origin prop

Matt Scott would hurt them defensively with the Knights finding opportunities up the middle.

Newcastle's Jeremy Smith breaks the Cowboys defence. Source: News Corp Australia

Playmaker Jarrod Mullen exposed them with a 25 metre bust that led to nothing but they hit back not long after when a Jeremy Smith one-on-one strip put them back on the attack.

This time, Newcastle worked a second man play to the left with Mullen, Kurt Gidley and Boyd handling before Leilua crossed.

Trailling 6-4, it was the Knights who were looking the more dangerous and they had the lead 22 minutes through Boyd.

Newcastle's Joey Leilua is tackled by the Cowboys defence. Source: News Corp Australia

The Knights fullback backed up on the inside after backrower Beau Scott broke free of a Thurston tackle and crossed under the posts.

After missing his first attempt, Gidley slotted home from in front and the Knights led 10-6.

The Cowboys lost halfback Ray Thompson to a leg injury straight after the try and went close to levelling it up when interchange forward Jason Taumalolo was grassed just short by Leilua.

Five minutes out from the break, Gidley gave his side some breathing.

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Knights teammates celebrate a try with Cowboys players looking dejected. Source: Getty Images

Playing at halfback, his third position in his past three matches, the Knights skipper stepped past Ashton Sims from close range and reached out to touch down.

In the closing minutes of the half, Thurston was denied by some desperate defence close to the Knights line to leave the home side 16-6 ahead at the break.

Two tries in the space of three minutes early in the second half to the Knights broke the game wide open.

Newcastle's Dane Gagai makes a break to score a try. Source: News Corp Australia

Centre Dane Gagai scored the first, standing up Thurston and pushing off backrower Ethan Lowe in a 30 metre bust to the tryline.

Then, Knights backrower Robbie Rockow sent Boyd away after slipping a great pass in traffic with the fullback finding Tyrone Roberts in support to complete an 80 metre try.

At 28-6, Newcastle was well in command and despite a Tariq Sims try which got the Cowboys back to 28-10, it was all over when Gagai scored his second soon after.

NEWCASTLE 36 (D Gagai 2 D Boyd K Gidley J Leilua T Roberts A Uate tries K Gidley 4 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 28 (R Lui 2 C Rona T Sims A Winterstein tries J Thurston 4 goals) at Hunter Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 11,925.

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Matosevic upsets Verdasco at Wimbledon

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A MONTH after kicking a "giant gorilla" off his broad shoulders, Marinko Matosevic has thundered into Wimbledon's second round.

Unable to win any of his first 12 grand slam matches, Matosevic partially corrected the anomaly at the French Open last month.

And he went a significant step better at Wimbledon, where he caned 18th seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-2 to register a huge milestone victory.

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The powerful Victorian kept Court 8 spectators entertained as much with his thunderous winners as his incessant commentary.

Coached by Mark Woodforde, Matosevic has endured a rugged stretch of losses at the elite level, failing in often heartbreaking fashion to seeded opposition.

But his 30 winners, intensity and aggression were too much for Verdasco.

Fernando Verdasco hits a forehand return back to Marinko Matosevic on Wimbeldon's opening day. Source: AFP

Unlike at Roland Garros, where he rolled joyously in the red clay after finally breaking through, Matosevic this time roared in delight and thrust his arms outward in triumph.

Matosevic was the first to strike, breaking serve in the third game, but the ascendancy was short-lived.

The Victorian netted a smash in the following game of a testing Verdasco lob and the contest was back on an even keel.

The blunder prompted Matosevic to mutter: "Oh God."

Two games later, he berated himself with: "What's wrong with ya? Put it away."

Matosevic's persistence paid off when his aggression caused Verdasco to double-fault.

Serving for the set, Matosevic staved off two break points to reach deuce, only to slip while attacking the net.

"Yep, that can only happen to me," he said before averting the crisis.

Matosevic is a picture of concentration as he hits a double-handed backhand. Source: AFP

The burly Australian directed his running commentary towards Brazilian umpire Carlos Bernardes when his serve, which appeared to be an ace, was called wide.

"No way, off the line. Took part of the line, Carlos," he said.

Another slip caused Matosevic to yell "shoes" before he secured the first set in perfect conditions.

Australian Open semi-finalist Verdasco clambered back on terms with a composed second set.

But when Matosevic struck twice in four games to snatch the third set and lead the fourth bracket 2-0, the Spaniard was on the ropes.

Leading 4-2, and steaming towards victory, Matosevic slipped heavily as he charged the net.

By now unstoppable, Matosevic regrouped quickly — and broke serve — as a rattled Verdasco again misfired.

Five points later it was over, triggering another rich show of emotion.

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Stosur loses in Wimbledon first round

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SAM Stosur's Wimbledon's misery has deepened after the Queenslander's All England Club bogey returned to haunt her.

The 17th seeded posted her sixth first-round loss in 12 starts on the sport's highest stage, plunging to a 6-3 6-4 exit to Belgian's world No 69 Yanina Wickmayer.

Stosur's dismal Wimbledon record worsened to eight wins from 20 matches as the US Open champion unravelled in perfect conditions.

Coachless after splitting with Scottish mentor Miles MacLagan a week ago, Stosur was simply outplayed — and baffled.

"Yeah, pretty annoyed about it, to be honest," she said.

Samantha Stosur serves to 's Yanina Wickmayer during their first round match at the All England Club. Source: AP

"I don't have an answer 'cause, like I said, I do feel I played well; I think she played well and she stuck to it right from first point to last point.

"She did well to carry that through, and nearly without a blip.

"That's that. I still think I'm a good enough player to get through first rounds here, and for whatever reasons it's not happening."

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Stosur said she would not be rushed into finding a new coach, saying she would take her time.

Despite clubbing 13 aces to Wickmayer's four, the US Open winner could not match the Belgian from the baseline.

Stosur made a diabolical start, losing serve in the opening game as Wickmayer first paraded her lethal backhand.

Stosur hits a double-handed backhand to Wickmayer. Source: AP

Untroubled on serve, the Belgian maintained impressive pressure and momentum as Stosur searched for way to disrupt the baseliner.

Inspired by the courtside presence of former world No 1 Kim Clijsters, Wickmayer continued to hammer Stosur's flaky defences with her deadly backhand.

Pinning the Queensland deep into the backhand corner, Wickmayer earned a set service break — and the set — when Stosur netted a lame forehand.

The second set followed a similar pattern as Stosur struggled for rhythm as groundstrokes and nerves failed.

Wickmayer leaves the ground to hit a forehand return back to Stosur. Source: AFP

She slumped to what should have been a terminal service, allowing Wickmayer to serve for the match at 5-3.

For the first time in the contest, Wickmayer blundered to gift Stosur a lifeline.

But only four points later, Stosur faced another crisis at two match points down at 15-40.

She saved the first with a monster serve but she had no answer to the searing Wickmayer crosscourt forehand to bow out in 69 minutes.

Russian 32nd seed Elena Vesnina was the first player to reach the second round with a 6-4 6-4 thumping of Austrian Patricia Mayr-Achleitner

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Not a bad weekend for Bernie

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IT was meant to take Melbourne four months for Paul Roos to add the lick of cream his midfield desperately craves.

Bernie Vince fast-tracked that to just four nights but as the former Crow delivered a career-best 41-disposal match, North Melbourne's 41-point win highlighted how urgently the Demons needs to supersize Roos' order.

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Vince, 28, was on Gary Ablett pace as he walked off at halftime with three majors from 25 disposals, keeping a sloppy Melbourne in the hunt.

Roos declared on Tuesday the Demons' list priority was to find some Rolls-Royces to compete with the league's best onball divisions and as Vince leapt to that level last night Chris Salem showed two glimpses he will develop into a super slick midfielder.

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The first came as the No. 9 pick set up a James Frawley goal with a clever and courageous spoil in the second quarter and he backed that up with a pinpoint pass to Vince in the goalsquare moments later.

Salem, the hero last week, is the best kick Robert Shaw has seen in school footy with his bullet passes earning him a healthy 73 per cent disposal efficiency in last year's TAC Cup.

When he and Vince combined the Dees had finally — albeit briefly — hit the pause button on the Benny Hill music at the MCG, drawing within seven points.

Bernie Vince chases down the loose footy despite the attention of Levi Greenwood. Pic: Michael Klein. Source: News Corp Australia

But as Ryan Bastinac began to apply pressure to Vince's second-half disposals, the Roos finally busted the match open as the Demons continually made horror mistakes.

North's onslaught included six goals in 12 minutes as the Kangaroos applied a facelift to an ugly mess and the Demons' drain of engine room gloss was again laid bare.

Ten clubs have produced Brownlow medallists since Chaz was draped around Dee Shane Woewodin's neck in 2000, while Melbourne hasn't had an All-Australian midfielder since James McDonald won a place on the pine eight years ago.

Roos tried unsuccessfully to lure Brisbane Lion Tom Rockliff last year and there was scuttlebutt about an offer to Essendon's lethal left-footer David Myers.

Bernie Vince celebrates one of his three goals. Photo by Darrian Traynor Source: Getty Images

He wants to create a towering midfield in the Fremantle mould and could assemble a war chest should free agent James Frawley leave the club.

"We'd love to have a couple of really good midfielders, because probably the absolute class is what gets us at times," Roos said this week.

"The class of (Scott) Pendlebury and (Dane) Swan and you look at the Sydney Swans with guys like Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh and (Josh) Kennedy."

Vince slotted two first-quarter goals from long range to ignite his night, while he broke the 40-possession barrier for the first time in 142 AFL games as North's lack of a lockdown player again showed.

They are the only club to concede 23 disposals to a player in a half and have down so three times.

A physical Bastinac curtailed Vince's domination, but he isn't renowned for tagging efforts.

Former shutdown star Levi Greenwood has transitioned into a damaging ball magnet in his own right, and while Bastinac eventually got the Vince assignment, Roos was already using Daniel Cross and Jack Grimes to clamp down on Nick Dal Santo and Brent Harvey respectively.

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Saga won’t stop Bombers’ finals fling

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ESSENDON midfielder David Zaharakis says his teammates can defy the biggest legal stoush in AFL history and push hard towards finals over the remaining nine rounds.

Coach Mark Thompson delivered an brutal assessment of the toll the ongoing supplement crisis was taking on the suffering playing group, saying their win over Adelaide delivered some much needed "joy"into their lives and helped off-set feelings of "isolation" and "loneliness".

The players' concentration will face another test on Friday, when the club ramps up its legal battle against ASADA at a Federal Court directions hearing on the day of their next game against Geelong under lights at Etihad Stadium.

Ex-Cat Paul Chapman is a confirmed starter against his old side, while gun Bombers' defender Michael Hibberd (corked leg) and big man Jake Carlisle (knee) are in doubt for the Cats' clash.

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ASADA issued 34 players show cause notices over a banned substance allegedly used in 2012 but the club claims the 17-month ASADA probe was unlawful.

Zaharakis, who rejected the injections program due to his fear of needles, said the team was intent on delivering a stronger second half of the season that could help catapult it towards an historic September appearance.

The Bombers are four points outside the eight after holding off the Crows by nine points on Saturday night.

"History shows that the side that really takes the next step in the second half of the year is the one that goes into finals pretty hot," Zaharakis said.

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"That's what we are trying to do. Our consistency of training has been great and we are doing a lot of conditioning work so we don't drop off (later in the season) as we have in recent years.

"We know as a footy side we have the talent (on the list) but that can only get you so far. It is our effort that has wavered."

Zaharakis said while some players would feel the heavy strain of the ASADA probe at home, the games at the end of each week provided a welcome escape.

"As soon as the guys get here it is three hours of fun. It's the fun time of the week," he said.

"You are at a footy ground doing the things you love."

Midfielder Brendon Goddard said that the club's new Tullamarine training base had acted as a "sanctuary" to "block out the exterior expectations and perceptions".

Essendon players thank their loyal fans after the game. Source: Getty Images

"I guess we've only really got each other in these situations," Goddard said.

"When we come to training it's all about us and what we are trying to focus on."

Asked if the supplement mess was weighing on the players, Thompson said: "It sure is."

"We feel like everyone's against us and we've just got to go out and have fun and have some success and have some joy in our life," Thompson said.

"There's not much joy around.

"It would have been disastrous if we had have gone down (against the Crows) and lost again with a big lead two weeks in a row."

AND the AFL yesterday gave the all-clear to Ben Howlett's spectacular boundary line goal in the Bombers win against Adelaide.

Howlett threaded the tightest of angles from deep in the pocket but Adelaide players immediately complained to umpires that the ball appeared to glance the post.

While the goal umpire signalled a goal, the AFL said Howlett's shot also passed a goal line review.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane confirmed the decision was reviewed upstairs but said there was inconclusive evidence to overrule the goal umpire's decision.

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