Walker's five helps Crows pip Blues

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Tackle ... Bernie Vince looks to get the ball away under pressure. Source: Sarah Reed / News Limited

Adelaide forward Taylor Walker kicked five goals as the Crows burst Carlton's pre-season bubble with a three-point victory on Friday night.

Walker's haul included two super-goals as Adelaide triumphed 4.11.7 (109) to 2.13.10 (106) at AAMI Stadium to inflict Carlton's first defeat this pre-season and under new coach Mick Malthouse.

0.6.2 (38)	Q1	0.4.2 (26)
2.7.4 (64)	Q2	2.7.4 (64)
4.11.7 (109)	Q3	2.9.7 (79)
4.11.7 (109)	Q4	2.13.10 (106)

Taylor Walker 3	Kane Lucas 3
Josh Jenkins 2	Dennis Armfield 2
Nathan van Berlo 1	Mitch Robinson 2
Brad Crouch 1	Andrew Carrazzo 1
Patrick Dangerfield 1	Jefferey Garlett 1
Richard Douglas 1	Shaun Hampson 1
Sam Jacobs 1	Brock McLean 1
Graham Johncock 1	Marc Murphy 1
Jared Petrenko 1	Heath Scotland 1
Bernie Vince 1	Chris Yarran 1

The Crows were sparked by Walker and dual club champion Scott Thompson, who collected 26 disposals, while Bernie Vince and David Mackay were also prominent.

Carlton's Kane Lucas booted three goals, teammate Dennis Armfield capped a fine game with two majors while Brock McLean was a standout with 24 touches and two goals, including a super-goal.

Adelaide laid the platform for their victory with a dominant third term which returned six goals to Carlton's two.

The scoring spree came after smooth passages of play in a free-flowing opening, with the scores locked at 2.7.4 (64) apiece at halftime.

And both teams booted two super-goals in the second quarter as Carlton's McLean and Marc Murphy and Adelaide's Walker and Sam Jacobs all scored nine-pointers.

Crows forward Walker also potted two regulation goals in the opening half for the home side, who were largely propelled by onballer Thompson's 17 disposals by the main break.

The Blues, who trailed by two goals at quarter-time, also had plenty of the ball with McLean prominent and Lucas scoring three goals for the half.

The third quarter proved decisive with Walker adding another super-goal to help Adelaide craft a five-goal advantage at the last change.

But Adelaide stopped to a near walk in the final quarter and didn't score as Carlton kicked four unanswered goals to creep within three points.

But the Crows, who lost forward pocket Ian Callinan - who suffered a knock on his left knee and was substituted out of the match at quarter-time - held on to win.

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I'll clarify the rules: Anderson

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Daniel Anderson ... vows to fix the refereeing grey areas. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited

NRL referee's boss Daniel Anderson has vowed to fix the refereeing grey areas plaguing the game by offering clarity to rules and interpretations.

After a confusing and chaotic refereeing display in 2012, Anderson and Peter Sterling dissected several key areas to be rectified on Fox Sports' newest rugby League analysis show, Sterlo.

In the course of one of the most shambolic pre-season's in recent history, Anderson's bold prediction of "refereeing clarity" has taken a back seat among contract backflips, doping investigations and the Dally M Medallist being stood down.

A question on every New South Welshmens' lips: will there be any more bungles like the infamous Greg Inglis Origin try when it comes to grounding the ball?

"Separation is not an indicator for tries; if you lose possession … you must regain possession before you put the ball down," Anderson said.

"Super slow-mo cameras show things that are not really indicative of what's happening, in those instances we'll take normal vision and make our decisions from that."

Anderson has acted swiftly; sneaking under the radar and rallying the Australian Rugby League Commission to remove the "benefit of the doubt" call and ban the shoulder charge, the most contentious of all rule changes.

"The onus is on player safety.

Anderson said Ben Te'o's sickening shoulder charge on young Wests Tigers prop Matt Groat, "will be minimum penalty, minimum on report, but likely that play will be a send-off offence in 2013.

"The shoulder charge is a hip turn; the shoulder rotation where you put your arm up, you put your wing in so to speak."

Justin Hodges was herding sheep in the same notorious Origin series in 2012. The shepherd, sorry obstruction, will change?

"It's about who initiates contact, the onus is on the attacking team to just not run into the defending players and cause them any disadvantage."

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O'Connor: I want Test No.10 jersey

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Rivals ... O'Connor (L) and Cooper will put their friendship to one side on Friday night. Source:News Limited

Melbourne Rebels star James O'Connor has signalled his intentions to secure the Wallabies No.10 jersey as he prepares to face good mate Quade Cooper on Friday night.

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The rival No.10s will put their friendship to one side when Queensland Reds arrive at AAMI Park for O'Connor's first start in the playmaking role in 2013.

Speaking on Fox Sports' Rugby HQ on Thursday night, O'Connor stated his desire to once again don the Wallabies No.10 jersey as he did at the tail end of 2011.

"I haven't made it a secret that I want to be in the director's seat," O'Connor said while seated alongside Cooper in Fox Sports' Melbourne studios.

"But I just want to play with the best team when it comes to Wallabies selections – you want to be playing with the best guys.

"So for me, personally, I've got a bit to do to earn my way back into the team; obviously I didn't play much last year and I know Quade's got a few battles he wants to sort out."

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Cooper's form has been patchy following his boxing debut in February with the controversial fly half struggling to produce his renowned attacking flair.

Still, the man who last year famously described the Wallabies environment as "toxic" said the added competition at No.10 would only benefit the Test side.

"The best thing about it is pushing yourself against the best players," Cooper said.

"James is one of the best players in Australia and to go head-to-head and to have that opportunity to play against one of my best mates and one of the best players in the world, it's a great opportunity for both of us."

One man who won't be out on AAMI Park Friday night is the incumbent Wallabies No.10, Kurtley Beale.

Beale underwent surgery on a hand injury on Tuesday, ruling him out of Super Rugby for up to four weeks.
 

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Bunnies give SBW tough welcome back

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V for victory ... Issac Luke celebrates the win over Sydney Roosters. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

South Sydney underlined their NRL premiership credentials in the opening round of the season with an impressive 28-10 win over the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.

2 Tries 5
James Maloney 3'	Nathan Merritt 10'
Sonny Bill Williams 75'	Nathan Merritt 28'
	Chris McQueen 40'
	George Burgess 46'
	Nathan Merritt 61'
1 Conversions 4
James Maloney 77'	Adam Reynolds 12'
	Adam Reynolds 30'
	Adam Reynolds 47'
	Adam Reynolds 63'

The return of Sonny Bill Williams and the Roosters' recruitment of big-name stars Michael Jennings and James Maloney dominated the build-up but Souths' superstars took the plaudits in front of a crowd of 35,942 at Allianz Stadium.

A hat-trick of tries from Nathan Merritt laid the foundations for the victory along with Greg Inglis, who had hand in four of his side's five tries.

Williams marked his debut with a try late in the game - his first since July 7 2008, but it was nothing more than a consolation.

Young halfback Adam Reynolds outshone his opposite number Mitchell Pearce with an assured performance and Sam Burgess and Ben Te'o dominated the Roosters much-vaunted pack.

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Souths coach Maguire was delighted with his side's display and heaped praise on his forwards and Reynolds.

"They (the forwards) were clinical for us. I thought all out front-rowers stood up," he said.

"The Reyno understands the game and the balance he has between pushing a pass or putting a kick in goal, it's a big thing for the team.

"Adam's up there with (the best) with the ability with his kicking. He's one of the best kickers in the game."

Roosters coach Trent Robinson bemoaned his side's ill-discipline but said he was pleased with Williams' contribution after he played the final 50 minutes.

"It was great to see him back," Robinson said.

"We saw some stuff where he needs to get used to the game again and then we saw him trying to really push hard to try and get us back into the game as well so I was really pleased."

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"I saw some really good stuff with the ball and some good push and he was looking to create some stuff so I think that's the Sonny that we know.

"It's going to take a couple of weeks but it was nice to have him out there."

The crowd were on their feet after three minutes when Maloney marked his Roosters debut with a try.

However, the response from the Rabbitohs was swift, as man of the match Inglis blazed his way deep into Roosters territory before releasing Merritt with a bullet of a pass.

The prolific winger raced to the line for the 130th try in Souths colours.

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That kick-started the Souths forwards into action and they were rewarded when Merritt doubled his tally on the half-hour mark.

A teasing bomb from Reynolds was flicked into the path of Inglis, who found Dylan Farrell in space and the young centre offloaded for Merritt to score.

The setback prompted Roosters coach Trent Robinson to throw Williams into the fray for the first time since his controversial exit from Canterbury in 2008.

The Kiwi was greeted with a some heated words from Burgess, who then ran straight over the Rugby World Cup winner, much to the delight of the Rabbitohs supporters.

Souths continued from where they left off at the break, dominating in attack as the Roosters ill-discipline continued to let them down in addition to a number of basic errors.

The arrival of giant George Burgess from the bench added some extra beef to the Souths go-forward and the younger brother of Sam showed his potential with some powerful runs with the ball.

Six minutes after the break the Englishman scored his first NRL try when he bulldozed his way under the posts to end the game as a contest.

Merritt scored his third on the hour with Inglis once again the instigator to add some extra gloss, before Williams, who was quietly effective in his 50 minutes on the pitch, hauled in a Frank-Paul Nuuausala pass to race under the posts.

Reynolds kicked four goals, with Maloney kicking one for the Roosters.

Jennings was put on report just before the interval for a high shot on Beau Champion as was Sam Burgess for a high shot on Pearce.

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I don't have a drug problem: Swan

Dane Swan ... defends himself against drug rumours. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Collingwood star Dane Swan admits he's no angel and his attitude to football has been less than perfect in the past.

But the 2011 Brownlow Medallist and three-time Magpies best and fairest says he doesn't have a drug problem and has never posted a strike under the AFL's illicit drugs policy.

Swan said he had been confronted by Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert and other Magpies officials several times over his off-field behaviour.

But rumours that had swirled about him during the off-season regarding issues such as drug use and wild behaviour were ridiculous.

And he said his approach to football had improved greatly since he was suspended by his club over an alcohol-related incident late last season.

"I'm clearly not an angel,'' Swan told the Nine Network's AFL Footy Show.

"I suppose I probably go out a little bit more socially than the normal footballer.

"Maybe I am a little bit of what they call a lad and I have a laidback attitude and like just to relax and have a bit of fun, I'm not footy, footy, footy all the time.

"So maybe I'm not doing everything I possibly could to get myself 100 per cent for game day.

"But I'd like to think since I got suspended last year I certainly have.

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"And I'm hoping if you ask the coaches at the footy club and all the players that I certainly am a lot better this year than I ever have been.''

Swan also said he did not use performance-enhancing drugs but was tested six or seven times for them last season in what he believed was targeted testing.

"If you see what I look like and the way I run I clearly do not use performance-enhancing drugs,'' Swan joked.

He said he had no problem with Pert or other Magpies officials confronting him at times over his behaviour.

"We've had a couple of frank conversations and I realise where I'm at and I'd like to think that they know how I'm going and where I'm at too,'' he said.

Swan said while he was an easygoing character who wasn't too bothered by rumours about him, it did bother him that his parents and partner were sometimes upset by them.

The interview was pre-recorded and Swan was fined by the Magpies on Thursday for conducting it without first gaining the club's approval.

But while the fine is understood to be at most $5000, Swan was reportedly paid $20,000 for the interview.

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'Sharks' pack is a tasty burger'

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Hartley eyes national honours

Honours ... Chris Hartley still dreams of a baggy green. Source: Mark Calleja / News Limited

Thursday's Sheffield Shield battle between defending champions Queensland and a desperate Tasmania on a wet Gabba pitch will also feature a host of sideshows.

The prime objective for both states however will be an outright victory to push their Shield claims with just two games remaining.

But Australia's ordinary form so far against India on the sub continent has upped the stakes for several fringe Test players still hoping to push their case for the coming Ashes series.

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One of those is Bulls wicketkeeper Chris Hartley whom many believe is not only the best gloveman in the land but also the kind of rear guard fighter with the bat Australia is lacking.

The hero of Queensland's thrilling Shield final victory over Tasmania last summer - where he made a first innings 111 and a crucial 19 not out in the second dig - Hartley is hoping to produce something similar as the third placed Bulls fight to defend their crown.

While Hartley's focus is locked on the Shield trophy, he admits he still has an eye on making the national team.

"You never give up and my goal is still to play for Australia,'' he said.

"I'm keeping as well as I have ever done, and I was amongst the top run-scorers in the Ryobi Cup just gone and I'm probably in the top 10 in the Shield runs, so I am pretty happy with how I am hitting them.

"Hopefully I'm still in the selectors' thoughts if a spot comes up.''

One of several individual highlights will feature the clash of Queensland's Ryan Harris - in many ways Australia's forgotten fast bowler - and Tasmania's Test experienced Ben Hilfenhaus, the pair not long back from lengthy injury lay-offs.

Brisbane's big wet will ensure a lively wicket giving both sides hope of a result.

Tasmania's line-up boasts eight players with international or Australia A experience, headed by former national skipper Ricky Ponting who's averaging 111 in the Shield this season.

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'Barba may not play in 2013'

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Ben Barba ... 'I'm not too sure what would make a great player with me being so young.' Source: DEAN LEWINS / AAP

The weight of expectation could mean Canterbury-Bankstown star Ben Barba will not take the field in 2013.

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The Daily Telegraph journalist and NRL 360 host, Paul Kent, said he believed Barba would not play at all this season.

"I don't think Ben Barba will play this year," he said.

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"The level of concern the club has got, when you talk about issues that go back to childhood. They're not solved in four weeks of rehab.

"If the Bulldogs are as strong in the future as they are now saying 'we won't bring him back until he's 100 per cent'. I really can't see him playing this season."

The concern was raised as Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy said the weight of expectations may have been too much for Barba, which lead to him being stood down last month.

Speaking on the premiere of NRL 360 on Wednesday night, Bellamy said expectations can sometimes be too much for young players and being named the face of the NRL may have tipped Barba over the edge.

"I don't think we realise how serious the Ben Barba situation is," he said.

"All of a sudden he's voted the best player in our game because he won the Dally M, he's got expectations from the fans, from family, from your mates and comes under that much scrutiny from the media.

"Then they want him to launch the season, sometimes that expectation is such a big weight for young players.

"Those expectations ... can really weight a guy down and perhaps that's what tipped Benny over.

Before his personal life took a turn for the worse, Bulldogs star Barba said greatness in sport was best defined by one's deeds off the field rather than on it.

"I'm not too sure what would make a great player with me being so young," Barba said in an exclusive interview - recorded in December and aired on NRL 360.

"It could also be a great player on the field but it's better to be one off the field.

"You see blokes like Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith the way they train and the way they carry themselves off the field is second to none.

"In my words that would be it."

Viewed as one of the games greats, the 2012 Dally M hero's vision of greatness is in stark contrast to the life he had been living.

Weighed down by gambling and alcohol problems, Barba has split with his partner, the mother of his two young children, and lost interest in the game which made him a household name.

Barba's problems led to the star playmaker being stood down by the club indefinitely.

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Doping agency circles Sharks

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ASADA ... is investigating Cronulla Sharks. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

The NRL's season opener has been reduced to a sideshow with revelations as many as 14 Cronulla players implicated in ASADA's anti-doping investigation have been threatened with immediate suspension.

Current Sharks players who have been contracted since 2011 - when sports scientist Stephen Dank worked at the southern Sydney club - are all part of the investigation.

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As bookmakers suspended all Sharks-related markets on Wednesday it was revealed former ASADA senior counsel Richard Redman had been hired by Cronulla to help guide the club through the crisis.

There are serious concerns that two separate peptide-based supplements given to Sharks players might have contravened the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

Mr Redman was hired several weeks ago, shortly after Cronulla was identified as one of the six NRL clubs in the Australian Crime Commission report into performance-enhancing drugs, organised crime and match fixing.

According to a Sharks insider, Mr Redman has been reassuring players about their situation for the past fortnight.

But the landscape changed dramatically on Tuesday morning when some players received a text message advising them to attend an emergency meeting.

There, Mr Redman gave the players an ultimatum - voluntarily stand down for six months or risk ASADA's maximum two-year ban. It is believed the players were given a 48-hour deadline to make up their minds.

With the scandal threatening to completely overshadow this weekend's opening round, Cronulla officials last night went to ground.

The NRL and ASADA also refused to comment.

When approached on Wednesday, Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan denied any players would be stood down and miss Sunday night's season opener against the Titans. He refused to comment further.

As well as a casting a cloud over a number of current players in the Sharks NRL squad, there are also concerns the net could be widened to implicate ex-Cronulla players who have since moved to other clubs.

Sources stated as many as 22 players across the code are under the spotlight. A Sharks source last night said the players implicated in the scandal were concerned, rattled and distressed.

"They had no reason to question the club and its performance staff about what supplements they were taking," the source said.

"They trusted that what they were being given was safe."

Mr Dank left Cronulla after just four weeks, with club doctor David Givney concerned about the supplement program the club's players had been placed on.

Last month at least one Sharks player was given the blood-thinning agent Warfarin. Mr Dank also used a room inside a former Bankstown medical centre to treat players away from the club.

Wednesday's news sent a scare through bookmakers, who shut down all markets relating to Cronulla. TAB Sportsbet closed its market at 4pm in response to rampant speculation that Cronulla's team could soon be demolished.

Spokesman Glenn Munsie revealed the Gold Coast had attracted $2300 of a total of $2700 wagered on the head-to-head market. There had also been $239 worth of bets on Cronulla to lose the most games this season.

"We won't open those markets until there's an official statement from either Cronulla, the NRL or ASADA," Munsie said.

"At the moment we don't know what's happening."

Sportsbet identified no suspicious betting but closed the markets as a precaution.

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Fox Sports' winter wonderland

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Winter wonderland ... Fox Sports is the only place to be for the best sport in 2013 Source: Justin Lloyd / News Limited

Australia's leading sports broadcaster Fox Sports has unveiled a fresh new look ahead of the most exciting winter sports season it has ever embarked upon.

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The company's new headquarters on Sydney's north shore hosted politicians, industry executives, a raft of past and present Australian sports stars and members of the media to launch a new era.

Attending the launch was News Ltd CEO Kim Williams, NRL stars Todd Carney, Braith Anasta, Krisnan Inu and Tim Mannah, Leisel Jones, the Fox Sports NRL team including Peter Sterling, Matthew Johns, Matt Shirvington and Gorden Tallis and Fox Sports personalities Mark Bosnich, Phil Kearns and Tony Squires.

The launch and new brand reveal comes ahead of the broadcaster's biggest winter sports offering in history; including a seven-day NRL schedule, FOX FOOTY's live coverage of every match in the AFL Premiership , the A-League Finals Series and Socceroos' World Cup Qualifiers, plus the two biggest sporting events of the year - the British and Irish Lions Tour and The Ashes.

"On top of that, we now have 21 weekly entertainment shows across our sports, which is where we'll fuel the excitement of fans ahead of the weekend action," Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany said.

"It's a phenomenal winter of live sport, our biggest ever."

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Fox Footy is the only place to see every game of the 2013 AFL regular season live in high definition and uninterrupted siren-to-siren.

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Fox Sports will bring fans closer to their game in 2013, with High Definition coverage, stunning new 'virtual' presentations and game-changing camera angles from FoxKopter, the FoxMobile segway, Ref Cam and Cornerpost Cam across different sports.

Monday

Monday Night Football LIVE 6.30pm (EDT)

Monday Night with Matty Johns LIVE 9pm (EDT)

Tuesday

The Back Page LIVE 7.30pm (EDT)

Wednesday

NRL 360 LIVE 7.30pm (EDT)

Thursday

Sterlo 6.30pm (EDT)

Friday

Late Night League (Delayed Friday night football) 10pm (EDT)

Saturday

Super Saturday from 1pm (EDT)

Up to 3 LIVE NRL matches

LIVE VB NSW Cup and Holden Cup

Sunday

NRL Sunday from 11.30am (EDT)

Up to 3 LIVE NRL matches

LIVE Holden Cup

"We're going to take fans to where they've never been with all of our exclusive in-play innovations. This is the year where fans come first," Delany said.

To mark the kick off to the winter sports season, Fox Sports revealed the name of the main studio at its new Sydney headquarters at a special ceremony.

The studio, which will house NRL coverage, has been named after Rugby League 'Immortal', Clive Churchill.

Head of  Channels, Gary Burns, was joined by the late Churchill's wife, Joyce, and son, Rodney, to unveil the Studio in front of South Sydney greats George Piggins, Bob McCarthy, Michael Cleary and Ron Coote.

Fox Sports Australia has also launched a new corporate logo in line with its global affiliate broadcasters.

"We're an established global brand stretching from USA, through Asia and into Australia. The brand thinks globally but acts locally," Delany said.

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