Received
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 123
Robbie Gray's 250th AFL game lasted less than two quarters but by then Port Adelaide had already done enough as Gold Coast narrowly eclipsed their lowest total in club history.
The Suns dodged that humiliation but their struggles were still laid bare in a 12.9 (81) to 4.7 (31) thumping that was a formality thanks to seven straight Port goals in the first half.
Ollie Wines (44 disposals) was one short of Peter Burgoyne's club record for disposals while Charlie Dixon, Aliir Aliir and Connor Rozee toyed with a Suns side that conceded 10 goals on intercepts.
Gray exited midway through the second quarter of his milestone game with a suspected medial ligament strain in his left knee that will require scans.
Port's Lachie Jones (hamstring), Suns captain David Swallow (head knock) and Lachie Weller (hamstring) were also casualties as Gold Coast failed to respond after last weekend's limp loss to Fremantle.
It was the Suns' (4-9) fifth loss from their last six games since defeating Collingwood at the MCG and leaves them three wins outside the eight and still searching for a maiden finals appearance.
Port's bounce-back victory after a loss to Geelong last week leaves them in fifth (9-4) and three wins clear of ninth, with coach Ken Hinkley confident a big scalp isn't far away.
"It hasn't been perfect for us but I reckon we are starting to look and feel like a really good team without getting the results that we want," he said.
"Good teams are able to do what we've been able to do at the moment, which is not play perfect but win."
Ben King gave Gold Coast early hope with the game's first goal, but it was only fleeting as Port kicked the next seven to lead by 40 approaching halftime.
King's second major - and the Suns' third - came with 12 minutes remaining to ensure the 20-point total posted against Port in 2017 remained the club's lowest.
Rozee oozed class, turning the tables on the crafty Izak Rankine with some cheek of his own.
He had already snapped one goal when he pointed to the mark and, once Rankine's eyes shifted, took off into the space and snapped a second.
The 21-year-old also made a string of influential defensive plays, laying a desperate tackle that led to a terrific Karl Amon goal.
Dixon (two goals) was formidable up front, his dominance helped by key defender Sam Collins' (ankle) late scratching in what was supposed to be his injury return.
Gold Coast panicked in their ball use as Aliir (12 intercepts) rebounded anything that came in his direction.
Touk Miller battled for his 31 touches while midfielder Matt Rowell (21 touches, 13 contested) showed glimpses in his second game back from a long-term knee injury.
"The heat was on early so we over-handballed and from there went into our shell," Suns coach Stuart Dew assessed.
"And the last quarter, whether they dropped and we lifted, there was a change in intensity which is really frustrating because if we bring that in the first quarter and it's a different game."
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 115
A man has been charged with 80 offences as part of a police investigation into the supply of prohibited drugs in the NSW Hunter region.
The arrest of the 36-year-old follows the alleged seizure of more than $240,000 along with 14 grams of methylamphetamines from a home in Newcastle in April.
Police say strike force officers found the cash hidden in a handbag and a safe, while the drugs were stashed in a microwave oven.
A 34-year-old woman who was home at the time of the search was arrested and charged with supply prohibited drug and two counts of deal with proceeds of crime. She remains before the courts.
Following inquiries, the man was arrested at Maitland Police Station on Friday.
He has been charged with 80 offences including supplying prohibited drugs, supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, possessing prohibited drugs and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
The man has been refused bail and is scheduled to appear before Maitland Local Court on Thursday.
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 116
Firefighting infrastructure and equipment will receive an almost $270 million boost as part of the NSW government response to the state's independent bushfire inquiry.
The money will pay for firefighting drones, increased aerial response capacity, improved fire trails and local firefighting needs over the next four years.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says the funds take the total amount committed by the state and federal government in response to the inquiry to more than $460 million.
He says critical projects will be rolled out to protect communities across NSW.
"This commitment will bolster the future of our fire agencies and preparedness of communities, many of whom have personally witnessed the devastating effects of fire," Mr Perrottet said on Saturday.
"Highlights of the package include further funding for new and refurbished fire trucks, operationalising two black hawk helicopters to replace existing NSW RFS helicopters and implementing the new National Fire Danger Ratings System."
RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers said fire agencies at all levels were working hard towards implementing inquiry recommendations.
"This commitment will assist by increasing mitigation crews on the ground, getting aviation assets in the sky, and most importantly providing safer trucks for our firefighters," he said.
The $268.2 million funding package includes more than $50 million to support firefighting tanker replacement and safety retrofits for the RFS, fire and rescue and National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Almost $38 million will go to the continued funding of additional mitigation crews to deliver greater hazard reduction.
Some $34.4 million will be used to deliver strategic fire trails, $22.7 million will buy personal protective clothing and $19.9 million, upgraded dispatch systems.
Another $17.2 million will help put two black hawk helicopters in the air and $5.2 million will buy extra drones.
The NSW Bushfire Inquiry was commissioned to examine the causes, preparation and response to the devastating 2019-20 Summer Bushfires.
The NSW government has accepted its 76 recommendations.
© AAP 2021
- Details
- Written by Grant Broadcasters
- Category: Received
- Hits: 126
Mask usage on Sydney's public transport network will be mandatory for at least five days after another local COVID-19 case popped up in a man who had "fleeting exposure" from an infected shopper.
The man in his 50s caught the virus while shopping at Myer Bondi Junction on Saturday.
He was on the same floor in the same section as a limousine driver believed to be at the centre of this week's outbreak.
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said it appeared the limousine driver had passed on the Delta strain of the virus with just fleeting contact.
Queensland and Tasmania on Friday responded to the development by tightening border restrictions, with Queensland declaring a virus hotspot from 1am on Saturday in Sydney's Waverley council area.
Tasmania will block entry for those who attended any NSW exposure site.
"This indicates that the initial case was highly infectious as transmission must have occurred through fleeting exposure," Dr Chant told reporters.
"(This is) noting that the person who caught the infection at the cafe was seated outside and there was no known (contact) with the initial case."
As a result, mask usage is again compulsory on Sydney public transport until at least Thursday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced.
"Some people for some reason aren't contagious and some are extremely contagious ... the randomness of that is what makes it scary," she said.
The new case comes after an unvaccinated limousine driver from Sydney's east and his wife were diagnosed with the coronavirus and subsequently infected a woman in her 70s at a Vaucluse cafe.
The limo driver, aged in his 60s, transported international air crews.
Another case - a man in his 40s from Sydney's northwest - also tested positive for COVID-19, but NSW Health has not yet concluded if the case is genuine.
The man in his 50s will be included in numbers released on Saturday.
NSW Health on Friday evening listed a number of new COVID-19 exposure sites including the level five food court at Westfield Bondi Junction, as well as level four and the bus interchange near the centre.
It also listed Eden Gardens at Macquarie Park and the limousine car park at Sydney International Airport as new COVID-19 exposure sites.
Western Australia and South Australia previously shut the border for those who attended NSW virus exposure sites, while Victoria has tightened restrictions for residents of the City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra council areas.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Friday that quarantine-free travel will continue with NSW for the time being.
© AAP 2021
Page 1487 of 1496