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The One Percenters: What's in a name, Haynes bids farewell and the Wallabies' false hoodoo

2 years ago

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The Sydney Swans will take on Collingwood for a spot in the AFL Grand Final, but they’ll have to do it without 290 game veteran Josh Kennedy, who failed to overcome a hamstring injury, thus drawing a bright career to a close.

Many commentators and pundits over the years have had to make the distinction between Sydney’s Josh Kennedy and his namesake from the West Coast Eagles. It’s not the first time players of the same name have lined up against each other. The AFL also featured two Nathan Brown’s going head-to-head, one for Richmond, the other for the Demons. Melbourne’s Brown also had a year of overlap with another Nathan Brown, who played for Collingwood and the Saints.

In the NRL, Cronulla’s Sione Katoa is hoping to be fit if the Sharks make the preliminary final. The winger has faced off against a hooker by the same name, who played 75 games for the Panthers and the Bulldogs.

RACHAEL HAYNES AND THE APPEARANCE GAP

Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes has called time on a stellar career, announcing her retirement this week.

The 35-year-old played 167 matches across all forms for Australia after making her debut in 2009. She hit 25 half centuries and reached three figures on two occasions.

In her decorated career, the Thunder veteran won the 50-over World Cup twice, as well as four T20 World Cup victories, and most recently, a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Haynes' career is a tale of two parts - after being dropped following the 2013 Ashes in England, she was recalled nearly four years later and never looked back, becoming an integral part of the side in their unprecedented run of success.

Yet while a near 4-year hiatus from international cricket seems like quite the gap, it falls well short of New Zealand dual-international Jeff Wilson.

It was after a gap of 11 years and 331 days that Wilson was playing an ODI - missing 271 games for New Zealand during this period.

Wilson played four ODIs in 1993 before pursuing a career in rugby. The arrival of the Super 12 rugby competition, which overlapped the cricket season, forced him to choose the game the play in heaven. Wilson went onto a distinguished career with the All Blacks, playing 60 tests and appearing in the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cup finals.

In 2005, he returned to cricket, representing the Black Caps on two more occasions.

EDEN PARK HOODOO?

The Wallabies went down 39-37 to the All Blacks on Thursday night in the first of two Bledisloe Cup fixtures in 2022. Fans were left seething after a contentious call by referee Mathieu Raynal who pinged fly half Bernard Foley for delaying tactics in the final stages. The All Blacks went on to score and clinch the match. Sadly, the Australians will have to wait another year to wrest back the Bledisloe Cup, which hasn’t been in their hands for two decades. The second match will take place at Eden Park on September 24. That venue is often described as a hoodoo ground for the Wallabies, having not beaten the All Blacks there since the Alan Jones coached side of 1986. However, if you’re a fan of trumping your know-it-all sporting mates, ask them this – when was the last time the Wallabies won at Eden Park?

If they say 1986, they’d be wrong. The Wallabies defeated Wales in the bronze final at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Here’s hoping the hoodoo ends next Saturday.

BIRTHDAYS

Controversial golfer Bryson DeChambeau turns 29 today. The man dubbed the ‘mad scientist’ due to his analytical approach to the game, has his irons cut to the same size and is a renowned long hitter.

De Chambeau signed with the LIV golf league back in June, after previously stating he would remain loyal to the PGA tour.

Though he's right-handed, Bryson can sign his autograph backward with his left hand. He spent hours perfecting his handwriting left-handed.

STAT OF THE WEEK

(Daily Telegraph) During the State of Origin era which kicked off in 1980, Ricky Stuart’s finals strike is the best of any coach (with at least five appearances), at 68.2 per cent with 15 wins from 22 matches.

Craig Bellamy is next with 64 per cent (30 from 47), Trent Robinson 59.1 per cent (13 from 22), Ivan Cleary 55 per cent (11 from 20), Des Hasler 53.3 per cent (16 from 30), while Wayne Bennett is 51.4 per cent (38 from 74).

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I’ll just say they didn’t lie down for any penalties. I take umbrage to the suggestion that we lied down for penalties, because we didn’t," Roosters coach Trent Robinson.

Scotty Stevenson & Israel Dagg on why Michael Cheika shouldn't be reappointed as Wallabies coach I Scotty & Izzy
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