Eels shock Roosters in miracle win

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ALL Tim Mannah could see was Sonny Bill Williams contorting his hulking frame.

The Parramatta co-captain didn't know where the footy was, who was underneath the Roosters million-dollar man, or if Williams had stolen the match with a last minute try.

Eel Chris Sandow tackled by Isaac Liu. Source: News Corp Australia

Mannah had already played 27-minutes, his longest stint of the match, when with legs of jelly he arrived to provide just enough shove to the mercurial Jarryd Hayne, who was already on the ground, wrestling Williams onto his back.

It was Mannah's inspirational last-ditch play on Saturday night which summed up how far the blue and gold's have come ever since they sat down as a group, eye-balled each other in the face four weeks ago and promised 'never again.'

Eel's Ken Sio celebrates scoring a try with Will Hopoate. Source: News Corp Australia

Few can comprehend the turnaround in effort, commitment and guts last year's wooden-spooners have conjured after resembling nothing short of a rabble when they were flogged 56-4 by the Roosters in round two.

But even in the moments after that shocking defeat, Eels coach Brad Arthur wasn't prepared to write his team off.

"We were nice and honest after the Roosters game, where we said 'we don't want that effort again,'' Arthur said.

"It was disappointment. I looked around and the boys weren't happy with it.

Ken Sio scores a try. Source: News Corp Australia

"It really hurt them and when I seen that I knew that we'd bounce back from it.

"Tonight, we weren't great but our effort was there and we defended our try line and we looked composed, there's a lot of trust.

"The fact that we only made two errors all game was great and we can play a lot better than that.

"Our spirit and the fact we just kept hanging in there was great.''

The effort of Mannah and Hayne to hold Williams up over the try line was crucial to Parramatta singing their victory song on Saturday night, there were others too, who have seemingly found a new lease of life over the past month.

Rooster's Sonny Bill Williams tackled short of the line. Source: News Corp Australia

Chris Sandow was again infectious in both attack and defence. His pinpoint cross-field kick for Ken Seo in the 25th minute was a beauty, but not as good as his grassing tackle on towering Roosters winger Daniel Tupou in the second half and with the match in the balance.

Seo, scored a double, but it his safety in the air which kept the Chooks at bay.

And of course, there was Semi Radradra, who continued his explosive form, posting his ninth try in his past six matches.

Mannah said there was a feeling within the Eels at the moment of belief and confidence that no matter the opposition, to a man they will fight and scrap for each other.

"The pleasing thing for the past few weeks is that coming to game day, is knowing we're going to compete,'' Mannah said.

Sonny Bill Williams tackled. Source: News Corp Australia

"We know that everyone is going to turn up and I think that's been lacking over the years.

"That's a really good quality as a team that you rock up to a game and know that everyone is going to have a crack. We're building a good culture, but like Brad said we've still got a lot of improvement in us.''

The entire match was played on a knife edge, as both sides struggled to take the momentum and run with it.

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Tit-for-tat possession also resembled the flow of scoring in the first half, as the Roosters rallied from 4-0 nil down to lead 6-4, trail again 10-6, before taking a 12-10 advantage at the break.

In the end, the Roosters lacked direction on the fifth-tackle plays, seemingly content to rely on hoisting the footy high, hoping for an Eels mistake.

Rooster's Jared Waerea-Hargreaves tackled. Source: News Corp Australia

The premiers' third straight-loss is significant in that once again they were beaten with the game at their mercy.

They have now lost their last three matches by margins of two, one and eight points, a factor that disappointed Roosters coach wasn't losing sight of last night.

"It was a tough contest,'' Robinson said.

"We created a lot of opportunities but we just didn't ice any.

"We've have had three pretty close games and we're just missing that edge to ice the teams.

"We're definitely not far away, but it hasn't been good enough for three weeks so we need to improve there.''

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LIVE: 2014 Masters, Day 3

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MARC Leishman and Matt Jones might be gone, but Australia still has five players in contention as we reach the third round of the Masters.

John Senden will be in the final group with leader Bubba Watson after soaring up the leaderboard in the second round, while defending champion Adam Scott will tee off shortly before him.

Both men sit within four shots of the lead and are well in contention as the race to the green jacket hots up.

Follow our live blog below from 10pm AEDT as the first players, including Rory McIlroy, tee off.

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LIVE: Hawks, Cats flex muscle

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HAWTHORN and Geelong have flexed their muscles against interstate rivals as two big matches round out a huge Saturday in AFL action.

The Hawks kicked five goals to Gold Coast's two in the second term at Metricon Stadium while Geelong piled on 6.1 to West Coast's one behind to turn a two-point quarter-time lead into a 38-point halftime buffer.

FOR LIVE HQ COVERAGE AND SUPERCOACH SCORES CLICK ON THE GAME CENTRE ABOVE OR HERE IF YOU ARE ON A MOBILE DEVICE

Earlier, the Western Bulldogs stormed home with a seven-goal final quarter to beat the GWS Giants in Canberra.

Trailing by eight points at the final change, the Dogs found inspiration through skipper Ryan Griffen and forwards Liam Jones (three goals) and Stewart Crameri (four).

And Melbourne sent the Blues into further turmoil with a surprise 23-point win at the MCG.

Tonight Geelong hosts West Coast while Hawthorn takes on Gold Coast.

Meanwhile, in Adelaide, Port Adelaide walloped an injury-hit Brisbane Lions by 113 points.

The Lions, already without Daniel Rich, lost ruckman Matthew Leuenberger during the match.

SATURDAY'S MATCHES (all times EDT):

1.45pm — MELBOURNE 12.9 (81) def CARLTON 7.16 (58)

2.10pm — PORT ADELAIDE 24.15 (159) def BRISBANE LIONS 7.4 (46)

4.40pm — WESTERN BULLDOGS 17.8 (110) def GWS GIANTS 12.11 (83)

7.40pm — Geelong v West Coast (Simonds Stadium)

7.40pm — Gold Coast v Hawthorn (Metricon Stadium)

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Honey Badger’s night as Force sink Tahs

Nick Cummins crossed for his first Western Force hat-trick in fine style. Source: Justin Benson-Cooper / News Corp Australia

NICK Cummins scored his first Western Force hat-trick as they made it five wins on the trot with a 28-16 victory over NSW Waratahs in Perth.

Cummins brought a strong nib Stadium crowd to their feet as he crossed for tries in the 27th, 50th and 61st minutes.

Besides Cummins's efforts it was a robust defensive performance that repeatedly repelled the Waratahs and frustrated them into mistakes.

Kurtley Beale grabbed the Waratahs' only try midway through the second half to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.

But it was always going to be the hosts' night as they finished off the 12-point victory.

More to follow ...

Relive all the action from our Live Blog below and check out Match Centre for video and stats!

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Brumbies hold out Reds to win 23-20

Reds centre Ben Tapuai is wrapped up by the Brumbies defence. Source: Darren England / News Corp Australia

THE Brumbies have withstood a late Queensland rally to win 23-20 at Suncorp Stadium and leave the Reds' Super Rugby season in dire straits.

BRUMBIES 23 (Scott Fardy, Joe Tomane tries Nic White 2 cons 3 pens) bt QUEENSLAND REDS 20 (Ed Quirk, Beau Robinson tries Quade Cooper 2 cons 2 pens) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Steve R. Walsh. Crowd: 30,004.

MATCH CENTRE: Full scores, stats, video highlights

Relive all the action with our Reds v Brumbies match blog below

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Live AFL: Tigers v Pies

Richmond vs. Collingwood at the MCG for round 4 of the AFL. Jack Reiwoldt. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Alex Coppel / News Corp Australia

RICHMOND and Collingwood have experienced indifferent form so far in season 2014 and enter Round 4 with just one win each.

Both sides have demonstrated when playing their best football they can beat anyone, but both sides have also shown lapses in concentration can be costly.

FOR FULL LIVE HQ COVERAGE WITH SUPERCOACH SCORES CLICK ON THE GAME IN THE SCORE CENTRE ABOVE OR HERE IF YOU ARE ON A MOBILE DEVICE

Collingwood has been outstanding since a humbling Round 1 defeat against Fremantle, with a strong win over Sydney on the road and a narrow loss to Collingwood restoring confidence.

Richmond has been breathtaking and dismal in the first three rounds and often showing this Jekyl and Hyde football within the same quarter.

PANIC ROOM: PIES PLAYING HURT

Losses to Gold Coast and Western Bulldogs would have been pencilled in as wins when the fixture dropped and a strong win against the struggling Carlton came in between.

The game brings some interesting subplots with Travis Cloke playing his 200th AFL game and needing to find form, as does Dane Swan whose profilic ball-winning ability and explosive pace and eluded him so far this year.

Richmond will again be missing Brett Deledio as he battles a achilles injury, but welcome back big man Shaun Hampson, while Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury and Dayne Beams will play despite struggling with soreness during the week.

FINAL TEAMS: NO CHANGE

SUBSTITUTES

RICHMOND: Matthew Arnot

COLLINGWOOD: Josh Thomas

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD

Friday, April 11 at the MCG, 7.50pm (EST)

TIGERS

B: T. Chaplin, D. Astbury, D. Grimes

HB: B. Houli, N. Vlastuin, S. Morris

C: S. Grigg, D. Jackson, R. Conca

HF: D. Martin, T. Vickery, S. Lloyd

F: S. Edwards, J. Riewoldt, B. Griffiths

FOLL: S. Hampson, M. Thomas, T. Cotchin

I/C: M. Arnot, B. Ellis, N. Gordon, C. Newman

EMG: M. McDonough, N. Foley, O. Stephenson

IN: S. Hampson, S. Lloyd, M. Arnot

OUT: R. Petterd, O. Stephenson, J. King

MAGPIES

B: A. Toovey, L. Keeffe, N. Maxwell

HB: H. Lumumba, J. Frost, A. Fasolo

C: S. Sidebottom, S. Pendlebury, C. Young

HF: B. Macaffer, T. Cloke, J. Blair

F: J. Elliott, J. White, T. Goldsack

FOLL: B. Grundy, D. Swan, D. Beams

I/C: J. Thomas, T. Langdon, J. Witts, L. Ball

EMG: M. Clarke, Q. Lynch, B. Kennedy

IN: J. Thomas, J. Witts

OUT: S. Dwyer, T. Adams

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Real to play Bayern in semi-final

Bayern's Franck Ribery and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo will face off in the semi-finals. Source: DSK / AFP

REAL Madrid will play defending champion Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals, and Atletico Madrid will face Chelsea.

Madrid and Bayern have combined to win 14 European Cup or Champions League titles. They have also been runner-up a further eight times, yet never met in the final.

Five-time winner Bayern is seeking to become the first team in 24 years to repeat as Europe's top club.

PAPER TALK: CHELSEA'S CASH GRAB BLOCKED

Portuguese legend Luis Figo (R) helped conduct the draw. Source: AFP

Atletico will host the first leg against Chelsea, which it routed 4-1 in the UEFA Super Cup two years ago.

The first legs will be played April 22 and 23, with the return matches on April 29 and 30.

The final is scheduled for May 24 at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.

Meanwhile, Juventus will face Benfica in the Europa League semi-finals with a chance to play for the title in its home stadium.

Also, Sevilla will face Valencia in an all-Spanish pairing.

Three-time champion Juventus will travel to Portugal for the first match. Sevilla hosts Valencia first.

The first legs are to be played on April 24, with the return matches set for May 1.

The final is scheduled for May 14 at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.

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Jets win keeps finals hopes alive

Adam Taggart (L) scored Newcastle's second goal. Source: Ashley Feder / Getty Images

NEWCASTLE Jets are on target to keep their A-League play-off hopes alive, leading Adelaide 1-0 at halftime in their final round clash at Hunter Stadium.

A Joel Griffiths goal separated the two sides in an entertaining opening half.

It was all Adelaide early with the Jets struggling for any worthwhile possession and it was no surprise to see the first real opportunity of the game fall to the Reds.

MATCH CENTRE: VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, STATS, COMMENTARY AND LINE-UPS

Argentinian Marcelo Carrusca, undetected by the Jets defence, made a clever run into the box but his left foot shot was blocked by an advancing Jets keeper Ben Kennedy.

After their slow start, the Jets finally settled into the game and had the lead after 20 minutes thanks to Joel Griffiths.

Griffiths escaped the attention of Bruce Djite to power home a header from seven metres out following a David Carney corner.

Adelaide defender Nigel Boogaard very nearly returned serve from a corner 13 minutes later but his header missed its mark, sailing just wide.

The Jets continued to press for a second goal and good lead up work from Emile Heskey and Josh Brillante almost opened the door for striker Adam Taggart. But his snap shot flew well over the cross-bar.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR MATCH CENTRE

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Mourinho fined for touchline antics

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CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has been fined £8,000 ($A14,400) and warned about his future conduct after being sent off at Aston Villa last month, the Football Association announced on Thursday.

Mourinho requested a personal hearing with the FA after he was charged with improper conduct for being sent to the stands by referee Chris Foy during the dying stages of a 1-0 loss at Villa Park in the Premier League.

"Mourinho denied a breach of FA rule E3 in that his behaviour in re-entering the field of play and approaching the match referee in an attempt to speak to him ... amounted to improper conduct," the FA said.

"However, the charge was found proven at a personal hearing on Wednesday, April 9."

Jose Mourinho certainly is the special one. Source: AAP

Mourinho was sent off following a touchline melee sparked by an ugly foul on Karim El Ahmadi by Ramires that earned the Chelsea midfielder a red card. His teammate Willian was also sent off during the game.

The Chelsea manager claimed that he had only gone onto the pitch to act as a peacemaker, but he was promptly sent to the stands by Foy.

Mourinho has been virulent in his criticism of Foy since the game, which was the first of two consecutive defeats that have jeopardised Chelsea's bid for the Premier League title.

Mourinho was also sent to the stands during a 4-1 win at home to Cardiff City last October, for which he was fined £8,000.

Chelsea are currently two points behind leaders Liverpool in the league table and on Tuesday secured a place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

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North rule Ziebell out

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HE enters with a 0-5 coaching record, but Brad Scott believes North Melbourne has "never been better placed" to break its Sydney duck.

The Swans are the only side Scott is yet to coach a victory against with the hoodoo predating Scott's tenure all the way back to Round 6, 2007.

But Scott declared there was no tactical mismatch and said North took confidence from its first half against Sydney last year as it conjured a 14-point lead before falling in a hole.

"We've had some close encounters (including) a one-point loss at Etihad," Scott said yesterday.

"They've been a good side, so they beat most sides, it's not just us.

"There's nothing I think that stands out against Sydney, they're just a very good, honest team and a disciplined team who run extremely hard, so it's a pretty good formula."

Under Scott's watch the Roos have averaged just nine goals per match and 29-point losses against the Swans, but the fifth-year coach took solace from Sydney's absent scoring power.

"The fact that Sam Reid and (Adam) Goodes and (Kurt) Tippett aren't there provides a few less headaches," he said.

And Scott revealed captain Andrew Swallow, listed as a 2-5 weeks away, ran at top speed yesterday and could return through the VFL as early as next week.

"He wants to be named as an emergency as a possible late replacement this week but we're not doing that," Scott said.

Jack Ziebell (shoulder) was yesterday ruled out of Sunday's dual against Sydney, while Scott said Jamie MacMillan (fibula) would miss 4-6 weeks.

"The positive is we didn't have Swallow or Ziebell last week and our inside midfielders did a really good job, so we're not in any great rush to replace them," Scott said.

"We've got a lot of defensive options to take (Lance Franklin) on. Scott Thompson has held him goal-less before and Michael Firrito we thought did a good job on him last year when we narrowly lost to Hawthorn."

Scott threw his support behind spearhead Drew Petrie, saying he was unlucky to be held goal-less last week.

Petrie has bagged three goals just once against Sydney and averages less than one major per match against the 2012 premier.

Ziebell will miss a second consecutive week after injuring his shoulder against the Western Bulldogs in Round 2.

It is a major blow for the Kangaroos who go into the clash against the Swans with some injury concerns after Jamie MacMillian broke his leg in the win over Port Adelaide.

"He just said 'look I think I'm going to be right to play', but we're not confident that if he cops another really heavy knock he won't reinjure it," Scott said.

"Against a very good contested-ball side in Sydney, and we know the way Jack plays, we're not really prepared to take the risk with him."

However, there was some good news with Majak Daw in line for an AFL return while captain Andrew Swallow is back running at full speed.

Daw will have to edge out Daniel Currie for the third tall/second ruckman position.

Scott said Swallow was running at training but would have to prove his fitness in the VFL before returning to the Kangaroos' senior team.

"Swallow ran at top speed today. He's close but we're being conservative," he said on the club's Twitter account.

"Swallow's going to play VFL (whenever he returns) regardless of how the match committee is tempted to play him."

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Crows’ self-inflicted wounds

Daniel Talia fists the ball away from Lance Franklin. Picture Sarah Reed. Source: Sarah Reed / News Corp Australia

"WHAT'S hurt us has been our turnovers and our skill level. We've killed ourselves when we've had the ball.''

With those words defender Daniel Talia summed up Adelaide's Turnover Terror which has condemned it to a horror 0-3 start to the season.

The winless Crows have not hidden from the fact they are shooting themselves in the foot with basic errors which opposition clubs have taken full advantage of.

"You've got all the stats to show it,'' Talia said. "Turnovers have killed us.''

The statistics make damning reading for Adelaide.

The Crows' turnover scoring differential is the worst in the league — by a long way.

Brenton Sanderson's team has a minus 148 points turnover differential, conceding a competition-high 277 points after turning the ball over and scoring just 129 points from opposition turnovers.

Daniel Talia is all set to stand Saint Kilda forward Nick Riewoldt. Picture Mark Brake Source: News Corp Australia

It has conceded 59 points more from turnovers than any rival.

Adelaide is paying a heavy price from turnovers in its own half of the ground.

While it ranks third for turnovers in its defensive half — where teams can quickly hurt you — its biggest concern has been giving the ball back to the opposition forward of centre.

Champion Data stats reveal the Crows are the easiest team to score against when they cough it up in their half of the ground.

In cricketing strike rate terms, Adelaide has an average of 118.8 points per 100 turnovers against.

The AFL average is 51 points per 100 turnovers, highlighting just how bad the Crows are at defending a turnover.

They are the easiest team to take the ball from the back half to inside 50 against at 35 per cent.

Once inside 50, teams are scoring a goal 36.5 per cent of the time against Adelaide — the highest in the competition.

To put this figure into context, high-flying, unbeaten West Coast has a strike rate of only 23.2 per cent.

The Crows have conceded a staggering 164 points from 138 turnovers in their forward half.

The Eagles have given up just 29 points from 125 turnovers in their half of the ground, showing how much better they are defensively at shutting down the opposition once they turn the ball over.

Matthew Jaensch — while enjoying a solid season at half-back — has been the Crow most hurt by his turnovers.

They have cost Adelaide five goals.

Midfielder Richard Douglas has been directly responsible for 25 points conceded from turnovers (4.1), ruckman Sam Jacobs 24 points (4.0) and half-back Brodie Smith 23 points (3.5).

"We've just been missing easy kicks that we would usually hit — and easy handballs,'' Talia said of the turnover crisis which has plagued the club.

"We've been hurting ourselves. In modern footy you can't afford to turn the ball over because teams are so good at punishing you the other way.''

Talia, who is at a loss to explain why the Crows' skills have been so poor this season, knows if the trend continues their hopes of making the finals will be shot.

"It is something we can fix,'' Talia said after the team trained in preparation for Sunday's clash against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.

"It's just about us getting back to the basics and doing the fundamentals well. It's not too complicated, we've just got to hit our skills this week and I think that will go a long way towards keeping us in the game and hopefully winning.''

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Saints need Junction backers

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ST KILDA'S Junction Oval "homecoming" won't happen without the financial support of some of the club's most influential benefactors who have been discussing the idea for some time.

As things stand, $10 million from cricket is the only money on the table for the Junction Oval project, which has been on the drawing board in various guises for several years.

While the state government recently pledged to stump up a further $10 million, that money was contingent on a federal contribution matching it dollar-for-dollar.

Canberra has indicated to Cricket Victoria as recently as this week that won't be happening.

The cost of a cricket-only upgrade has been put at $40-$50m.

But top tier Saints such as Jayco Caravans boss Gerry Ryan and restaurateur Frank van Haandel are believed to be well apprised of the Saints-to-Junction Oval concept, and transport magnate Lindsay Fox is among others who may become involved.

Nick Riewoldt walks down the old race at the Junction Oval head of Round 1. Source: News Corp Australia

Over a cup of tea last week, the AFL's deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan first floated the idea of a co-development of Junction Oval with CV chief executive Tony Dodemaide.

Dodemaide has not had any contact with St Kilda, or the Napthine Government since then.

St Kilda yesterday said in a statement that "in very recent times the prospect of a Junction Oval redevelopment incorporating a St Kilda presence has been canvassed among those involved in the discussions.

"While not party to those discussions, St Kilda has recently been consulted by the AFL in relation to the prospect of incorporating a Saints presence into the potential redevelopment as part of their broader objectives linking elite and community football facilities in Victoria."

The statement also appeared to indicate that St Kilda would retain a presence at Frankston, and Moorabbin — also in line for an upgrade.

On face value the notion is a classic win-win — the AFL needs to get cricket off the MCG early in March, and cricket needs a year-round facility and alternative first-class venue.

Craig Reardon and other St Kilda Football Club supporters have started an online campaign to bring their beloved Saints back to Junction Oval. Craig visited the former home turf of the AFL club at Junction Oval. Picture: Steve Tanner Source: News Corp Australia

Michael Nettlefold remains an influential powerbroker in St Kilda, despite moving on from his position as club chief executive.

It is expected he will remain involved in the Junction Oval push in an independent capacity.

"There's been a group of significant St Kilda benefactors and people that have for some time been keen to see St Kilda back in the St Kilda area," Nettlefold told the Herald Sun.

"They are people that have got a substantial and significant interest in the St Kilda football club and have for some time and continue to make significant investment in the club and have the club's long term interests at heart."

He said the development of the Junction Oval could turn Albert Park into a second sporting precinct comparable to the area around Olympic Park.

Dodemaide remains open to the idea of co-development — provided cricket gets the main oval and remains the chief tenant.

But he is aware there are many bridges to cross.

"First and foremost, we need to get a year-round operating base. Along with that is a first-class ground and we are happy to play matches at, releasing the MCG," Dodemaide said.

Less happy yesterday was Frankston City Council mayor Darrel Taylor.

The council tipped in millions when the Saints set up in Seaford just five years ago.

"We are disappointed that this proposal was not discussed with us as a key stakeholder. We have signed a 50 year lease agreement with the St Kilda Football Club and have worked in partnership with the club to establish strong ties within our community," Taylor said in a statement.

"We look forward to further developing our relationship with the St Kilda Football Club as they see out their remaining 45 year agreement with Frankston City Council."

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Live Boxing: Mundine v Clottey

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ANTHONY Mundine faces his toughest challenge yet, fighting former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey for the WBA international light middleweight title in Newcastle.

Mundine is desperate to gain the international recognition he needs and gets him closer to his dream of facing Floyd Mayweather, with a win against Clottey bringing him one step closer.

Mundine is currently ranked the No.4 contender for Floyd Mayweather's WBA world super-welterweight title.

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However the 38-year-old has his work cut out for him.

Clottey, 36, boasts an impressive record. With 37 wins from 42 fights, his only losses have been at the hands of world champions Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito and Carlos Baldomir.

Clottey has claimed 21 of his 37 wins by knockout and has never been put on the canvas, while Mundine has been knocked out on two occasions, most recently by Australian Garth Wood in 2010.

Follow all the action from the Newcastle Entertainment centre by following our blog below:

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Anti-doping panel to hear Dank allegations

Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel could hear Allegations Stephen Dank gave illegal drugs to Essendon players as soon as Thursday. Photo by Michael Dodge Source: Michael Dodge / Getty Images

ALLEGATIONS former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank administered banned drugs to Essendon players could be heard by the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel as soon as today.

Dank was last month issued with an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority show-cause notice that dealt with 34 separate possible anti-doping violations, but did not respond.

The Herald Sun understands the show-cause notice alleges substances including Thymosin Beta-4, Human Growth Hormones, SARMS and Hexarelin were used at Essendon.

Dank has denied giving the players any of the substances listed in the show-cause notice and has indicated an adverse finding from the panel would trigger immediate legal action on several fronts, most likely in the Federal Court.

Stephen Dank answers questions related to the Essendon Football Club doping scandal during a Sportman's Lunch. Photo by Michael Dodge Source: Getty Images

The contentious anti-obesity drug AOD-9604 was not referred to in the notice, which does not name any players.

A circumstantial case about the possible use of Thymosin Beta-4 was made by the AFL when it charged Essendon and four officials with governance breaches related to the supplements saga last August.

It is not known whether the evidentiary brief the ADRVP will consider contains all 34 allegations in the show-cause notice.

Neither ASADA nor the Department of Health, which administers the panel, would confirm today's expected meeting.

A health department spokeswoman said: "The deliberations and timing of ADRVP meetings are confidential and outcomes are not publicly disclosed.

"The ADRVP reviews the relevant evidence in a matter and makes decisions as to whether to enter an athlete or support person's details onto the Register of Findings if it finds that it is possible that a person has committed an anti-doping rule violation."

The Dank show-cause also makes allegations in relation to supplying banned substances to Essendon staff, supplying substances and engaging in a cover up of possible anti-doping offences.

He has denied all wrongdoing.

A sustained charge of supplying banned substances could result in a lifetime AFL ban for Dank, a penalty that would be enforced by other sports that comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

No Essendon player has been issued with a show-cause letter, the first step of the process that could lead to the AFL issuing an infraction notice.

A paper by AFL chief medical officer Peter Harcourt and integrity boss Brett Clothier published by a British journal last month said the AFL's investigation was unable to determine what substances were given to which players and in what doses.

Retired Federal Court judge Garry Downes is considering evidence collected in the joint AFL-ASADA investigation and it is expected he will complete his review and decide what if any action is to be taken by the end of this month.

The ADRVP is a seven-member panel separate to ASADA and is chaired by the University of Sydney's Professor Andrew McLachlan.

An entry against Dank is the trigger for the AFL to commence its own anti-doping process against the sports scientist, unless court action alters the direction of the case.

Dank's first avenue of redress would be the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, where he has 28 days to appeal a decision to make an entry on the register.

But he has indicated the AAT would likely be sidestepped in favour of an appeal directly to the Federal Court, where the authority of ASADA and the ADRVP could be tested.

The breadth of the investigation and number of alleged anti-doping breaches means the panel may take some time to reach a decision on Dank, and the scale and scope of the overall case means any final resolution for Essendon and its players is still many months away.

THE DRUGS DOSSIER

THYMOSIN BETA-4

Primarily used on horses, it is for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue.

HEXARELIN

A peptide that helps to facilitate the release of the body's growth hormone.

SARMS

Selective androgen receptor modulators are intended to have similar effects to drugs such as anabolic steroids.

HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE

Peptides that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration.

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Jeff Browne could succeed Fitzpatrick

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MOMENTUM is building for former Channel 9 boss Jeff Browne to join the AFL Commission and succeed Mike Fitzpatrick as chairman.

Browne has the backing of influential football figures and is seen as a highly credible option to take charge of the game when Fitzpatrick steps down.

The push for Browne, a former AFL legal adviser and TV rights specialist, would see him join the commission this year and replace Fitzpatrick at the end of 2015.

AFL club chiefs yesterday backed Browne's credentials.

Concerns have also been raised over the next AFL chief executive being given a seat at the commission table.

Andrew Demetriou's dual role as chief executive and commissioner was a point of conjecture during last year's Essendon drugs scandal. "I don't have my CEO on the board," one club president noted yesterday.

Deputy league chief executive Gillon McLachlan is the frontrunner to replace Demetriou ahead of Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale.

Recruitment firm Egon Zehner is heading the search to fill the $2.2 million post.

Browne, an AFL life member, is living in Perth and recently became engaged to Australia's second-richest woman, Rhonda Wyllie.

He knocked back an approach to join the AFL Commission earlier this year by a nomination subcommittee including Fitzpatrick, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, West Coast chairman Alan Cransberg and commissioner Linda Dessau.

Former News Limited chief executive Kim Williams filled the vacancy.

But Browne, 60, will be available to join the commission after returning from a European vacation in August.

His expertise in TV rights would greatly assist the AFL in its next round of broadcast negotiations.

Browne was a player manager in the early 1980s and the AFL's legal adviser for 21 years before being lured into television. In 1983 he engineered the $1 million move of Brownlow medallists Peter Moore and Kelvin Templeton to Melbourne from Collingwood and Footscray. He joined the AFL during the Ross Oakley era and played a key role in many of the game's most significant developments, including the draft and salary cap.

Carlton dual premiership captain Fitzpatrick, 61, succeeded the late Ron Evans as commission chairman in 2007 after four years as a member of the governing body.

Fitzpatrick's performance was criticised in December after the Herald Sun revealed a secret deal offered to Bombers coach James Hird had been struck between Essendon chairman Paul Little and Australian Sports Commission chairman John Wylie, with the AFL chairman's knowledge.

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Elliott’s Warriors exit ‘diabolical’

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WARRIORS co-owner Sir Owen Glenn is considering his future with the club after attacking the "diabolical" treatment of former head coach Matthew Elliott.

Glenn has contradicted the official line put out by the NRL club he owns with fellow businessman Eric Watson that Elliott resigned after the 37-6 defeat to Cronulla last Saturday.

On Monday, club management said the resignation came in a meeting between chairman Bill Wavish and Elliott.

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But on Wednesday, Glenn said Elliott had been pushed, and neither the full board nor he had ratified the decision.

Wavish responded to Glenn's comments by saying he met Elliott on Sunday morning with the full knowledge and unanimous support of the board.

"This support included Sir Owen's representative on the board, who subsequently told me that Sir Owen was informed," he said in a statement.

"Sir Owen had previously asked not to be consulted directly on decisions as his shareholding was held in trust." Wavish said the meeting with Elliott was awkward for both men, as they had spent a lot of time together, but the on-going coaching situation was not tenable.

"We finalised the media release together which covered his resignation," he said.

BROWN SAYS NO TO WARRIORS JOB

ELLIOTT: I'M NOT DONE YET

WHERE TO NOW FOR SOULLESS WARRIORS?

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"Matt has since confirmed to me in writing that he thought the process to be 'respectful'." Glenn, who bought a 50 per cent stake in the Warriors in early 2012, said he was considering all his options regarding the club. "I was sorry to hear of Matt's 'resignation'," he said in a statement.

"I was sorrier still when I learned that he hadn't, in fact, walked away from the Warriors at all - he didn't jump, he was pushed.

"But what I am most sorry about is the dishonourable treatment of an honourable man." Glenn said the loss to the Sharks was worse than disappointing, he deplored mediocrity, and tough questions needed to be asked of the coach, players and the management team.

"However, a decision to axe a coach needs to be scrupulously considered and properly ratified," he said.

Warriors acting head coach Andrew McFadden faces a tough task. Source: Getty Images

"Instead, what we have here is a seeming knee-jerk decision conveyed to Matt immediately after the game, without ratification by the full board of the Warriors - or by this co-owner." Glenn said it appeared there was an effort to evade accountability for the decision by dressing it up as a voluntary resignation.

"The Matt Elliott I know is not a quitter," he said.

"And in view of the service he has given to the Warriors and the strength of his character, to suggest that he would walk of his own volition is disreputable." Glenn, who is in Europe, was not available for further comment.

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AFL stars shown the money

Outgoing AFL boss Andrew Demetriou. Picture: Getty Source: Morne de Klerk / Getty Images

THE average pay for an AFL player will hit $300,000 next year, with the players to become an early beneficiary of the league's equalisation measures.

A review of the players' collective bargaining agreement is expected to be completed this month, with the AFLPA, the AFL and club officials all involved in talks.

The final figures are still being worked through, but a rise in total player payments of about 5 per cent is widely expected.

That number will be dependent on possible changes to salary cap rules for veterans' list players.

A 5 per cent increase in player payments will see each club fork out more than $10 million for the first time.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou told the Herald Sun players should be among the top beneficiaries of new revenue to be raised by equalisation measures — although concessions give to some of the power clubs will mean a smaller pool of equalisation money than first expected.

The average pay for players who have played a senior game was $288,000 in 2013, and $266,000 for all listed players.

The players' share of football department spending is set at $9.6 million per club this year.

There are two more years to run on the current agreement, which had a baseline increase of 3 per cent built in when that deal that began in 2012.

Players saw a 7 per cent pay increase that year, followed by rises of 5 and 5.4 per cent.

But even those rises have not been enough to see the players' pay keep pace with the increase in the game's overall revenue.

When negotiating the current agreement, the player union unsuccessfully tried to have mandated a 25 per cent share of all football revenue, and it understood their stake has now dipped below that benchmark.

Players were also concerned about their declining share of football spend — with the top four clubs spending 61 per cent on players in 2007, but only 46 per cent by 2012.

The league will introduce a soft cap to football spending next year, along with a luxury tax, which the player union hopes will act as a handbrake on spending and help restore the players' share.

Demetriou said the CBA review — headed on the AFL side by deputy CEO Gillon McLachlan and general counsel Andrew Dillon — was going well.

"I don't know (what percentage pay rise they will get) I'm not privy to that information — there's already set increases in the CBA for (years) four and five but we have acknowledged that any outcomes from revenue sharing and equalisation, we should have the players as beneficiaries on top of that.

"So it stands to reason that they will get more than 3 per cent — to what quantum, we're working through that at the moment."

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Gombau becoming A-League’s Special One

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JOSEP Gombau says his eccentric celebrations which Reds fans have endorsed as euphoric passion aren't planned but he's fast becoming the A-League's 'Special One.'

Jose Mourinho, the original 'Special One', has marked his coaching tenure at Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Porto with overt celebrations at any given time.

The Adelaide United boss has in the past two matches at Coopers Stadium celebrated late goals in a way unlike anything seen before at Coopers Stadium.

"It's emotional - you cannot plan these things,'' Gombau said.

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Former Reds bosses John Kosmina and Aurelio Vidmar were usually humble celebrators but watching Gombau relish the moment when Adelaide is claiming premiership points is special.

When Adelaide faced Sydney FC and Bruce Djite scored the third goal in a 3-1 win Gombau ran down the touchline to celebrate the goal with the Reds players.

But Gombau's latest celebration, in which he ran onto the field to pick up Awer Mabil after Fabio Ferreira had bundled in a 93rd-minute equaliser raised the roof when most of the 13,845 fans endorsed the Spaniard's passion on Friday in a 2-2 draw.

Gombau, however, declared fans won't see the celebrations peak if the Foxtel A-League All Stars score against Italian giant Juventus at ANZ Stadium on August 10.

Josep Gombau celebrates with Awer Mabil. Source: Getty Images

Gombau was named All Stars coach on Tuesday and at this point has Juve and Azzurri legend Alessandro Del Piero in his squad.

"No, I think no, it's totally different,'' Gombau said.

"The game that we'll play (All Stars and Juve) is a party it's a game.

"I want to everyone to enjoy and I want the fans to see this good football from both sides."

"And it's not (All Stars and Juve) these emotional things when you are fighting and working for all the season to get a result."

Josep Gombau performs a Jose Mourinho-like knee slide on the touchline. Source: Getty Images

But Gombau alluded to continuing with the celebrations during the Reds season.

"And now at this moment we are in the finals,'' he said.

"And I will celebrate also for difficulties of the (Heart) game for (Michael) Marrone. He was injured and we have one player less (sent off) and this celebration was for this."

meanwhile, Gombau says the club will not sanction Tarek Elrich after his alleged headbutt during last week's 2-2 draw cost the defender a two-game ban.

"I explained to my players that it's something that I don't want but it's the first time one player (Elrich) make mistake like this,'' Gombau said.

"I think it's unfair we put a penalty or something because Tarek is playing very well.

"He save a lot of games to us with his actions."

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Napoli, Leeds targeted for Aussie tour

Napoli's Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain could be headed Down Under in 2015. Source: GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

NAPOLI, Leeds United and Hajduk Split have been targeted for a cup tournament in Australia.

But state governments would have to lobby to win the four-club showdown which may also include Perth Glory.

The idea is the brainchild of Macron, the four clubs' kit suppliers.

Macron Australia's national customer relations and brand manager Giacomo Carulli says the proposed inaugural Macron Cup is in the early stages.

"These clubs have so many fans in Australia,'' Carulli said.

"Napoli has an enormous fan base, so does Leeds and Hajduk Split.

"They would be playing one of our major Macron kit wearers in Australia and that is Perth Glory."

Kit maker Macron wants to bring Napoli and Leeds United Down Under. Source: Getty Images

The proposed date for the Macron Cup would be August 2015 said Carulli unless investors fast-track the tournament to this year after the FIFA World Cup.

Carulli said a global network has been put in place to attract the European giants to Australia.

"We'd like to organise the tournament for this August after the World Cup but we're running out of time,'' Carulli said. "As these clubs have a multi-year deal with Macron next year won't be a problem.

"But we have been growing this idea and we now have to source more investors."

Italian-based FIFA match agent Nicola Innocentin who has had Brazilian FIFA World Cup winner Roberto Carlos and former Manchester City manager and current Galatasaray coach Roberto Mancini in his stable has been charged with brokering the four-club deal. "The tournament would be up to a two-day event at one venue and organised like a European triangular tournament,'' Carulli said.

"If it's done next year, we're hoping Leeds would be promoted to the English Premier League.

"But the Hajduk Split and Napoli fans' community in Australia is huge. We can gauge that passion with the
products sold."

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May free to play after appeal

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COLLINGWOOD recruit Taylor Adams will miss Friday night's clash with Richmond after accepting a one-match sanction, but Gold Coast defender Steven May was successful in appealing a rough conduct charge.

May was charged with a level-one engaging in rough conduct offence for his bump on Lions midfielder Dayne Zorko in the Q-Clash on Saturday afternoon.

But the AFL Tribunal sided with May on Tuesday night after the defender said he had no other option but to bump.

May said contact was made to Zorko's body and chest and not his head.

He is free to line up against Hawthorn on Saturday.

The AFL match review panel assessed the bump as high, low-impact and negligent (125 points).

Greater Western Sydney young gun Devon Smith wasn't so lucky in appealing a one-match ban for striking Melbourne midfielder Bernie Vince.

Steven May cleans up Dayne Zorko during the round 3 AFL game between the Gold Coast Suns and the Brisbane Lions from Metricon Stadium. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Corp Australia

Gold Coast has accepted Braden Matera's one-match ban for his high hit on Brisbane captain Jed Adcock.

In-form West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey has also accepted a one-match ban for striking St Kilda's Tom Curren and won't play against Geelong at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.

Daniel Merrett accepted a two-match ban for is crude hit on Gold Coast Sun David Swallow.

More to come ...

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Former Matildas coach could return

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FORMER Matildas coach Tom Sermanni admits he has been left shocked by his sudden sacking as coach of the US women's team, a year before the World Cup and hours after his side had beaten China.

Sermanni was called into a meeting with US football chief Sunil Gulati on Sunday night, US time, and told his contract had been cancelled with immediate effect.

The decision comes after reports emerged of a player revolt against current Matildas mentor Hesterine de Reus over her strict methods - leading to speculation Sermanni could return to the side he led for eight years.

Former Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has been sacked by the USA national team. Source: Getty Images

Having won the Asian Cup with Australia, Sermanni went to the US at the start of last year, and despite some poor results this year said he had received no prior warning of any issues with the team.

"I think I'm reasonably in tune with guaging the vibe around a team, and I had no impending sense this was coming," he said.

"I was told we weren't going in the right direction and not making the progress we should. Maybe they're used to a coach making fewer changes - certainly there's a culture in all sports here where you basically have your starting jersey.

Australia team coach Hesterine de Reus is under fire for her strict methods. Source: Getty Images

"But I think I got the job on my record of renewing a team, so I was taken by surprise by this."

The powers that be in the US made no apologies for their decision.

"We want to thank Tom for his service over the past year and half, but we felt that we needed to go in a different direction at this time," U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a statement.

"We will begin looking for a new coach immediately to guide our women's national team toward qualifying for the 2015 FIFA women's World Cup."

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Cowboys put Knights to the sword

The North Queensland Cowboys overcome the Newcastle Knights 28-2 in Townsville. Source: Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

THE rugby league truism that North Queensland's fortunes are decided by Johanthan Thurston's form has become irrelevant.

This season, the Cowboys' win-loss record is dependant on halfback Robert Lui and fullback Michael Morgan.

In coach Paul Green's first win in four games last night, Lui and Morgan were sensational.

So was Thurston, but the champion five-eighth always is.

The Cowboys first 80-minute performance of the year resulted in a 28-2 victory over a distracted Newcastle side.

RATE THE COWBOYS HERE

James Tamou is tackled by Willie Mason. Source: Getty Images

Morgan bagged two tries while Lui had a better game than halves partner Thurston, creating line breaks, tries and busting tackles at will.

Lui and Morgan combined for 10 tackle busts, which was more than the Cowboys' entire forward pack.

Lui's form against Newcastle was vastly improved from limp performances in previous weeks, proving Green was right to stick with the under-siege half.

While Morgan's second try was a solo special as he chased his own grubber, tripped over but somehow power-crawled to score in front 11,189 fans in Townsville.

More importantly, Morgan was error free for the first time since round one.

The Cowboys receive excellence from Thurston each week but only win games when his co-stars perform like main attractions.

Ray Thompson scores for the Cowboys. Source: Getty Images

Lui and Morgan were central to two of the Cowboys' three first-half tries and their 16-2 lead at the break.

Paul Green told anyone who would listen that North QUeensland's woes would end if they cut their errors in half.

Last night they slashed their mistakes from 21 against the Titans the previous week to 11.

To be fair, the Knights played like a team exhausted from one of the most tragic incidents in rugby league history.

Their victory over Cronulla a week earlier was built on an emotional adrenalin dump in the wake of Alex McKinnon's awful injury.

Last night their performance was completely devoid of energy and they rarely looked like scoring.

Joel Riethmuller is tackled by Adam Clydsdale. Source: Getty Images

The Cowboys looked like scoring on most plays.

They used a simple structure with Thurston patrolling the left-side attack and Lui the right, until they got into the opposition's 20m line where Thurston roamed free.

North scored three tries in 10 minutes in the first half as Thurston, Lui and Morgan ran amok.

The Cowboys also dominated the early stages of the second half but they received a blow when gun second-rower Taumalolo was taken from the field nursing his shoulder after a spectacular but unsuccessful dive for a loose ball.

Taumalolo's early diagnosis is a minor AC joint injury.

Last night's win was crucial for the Cowboys.

Matthew Wright celebrates scoring on his Cowboys debut. Source: Getty Images

If they lost they would have been placed last on the ladder.

Now they are within striking distance of the top eight.

However, North Queensland face back to back games in Sydney against likely-finalists Wests Tigers and Manly.

They could be without Tariq Sims who was placed on report for a shoulder charge that appeared to collect Knights' half Tyrone Roberts high.

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Cowboys put Knights to the sword

The North Queensland Cowboys overcome the Newcastle Knights 28-2 in Townsville. Source: Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

THE fear going in was always the letdown.

Whether the Knights, after the most draining week in the club's history, could pick themselves up again after the high of their win over Cronulla and the emotion surrounding injured teammate Alex McKinnon.

Even coach Wayne Bennett wasn't sure how his players would react.

The answer was a painful one for the visitors in Townsville last night.

With halfback Robert Lui and fullback Michael Morgan outstanding, North Queensland simply overran an error-riddled Newcastle side to post an emphatic win.

TODane Gagai is tackled by Johnathan Thurston. Source: Getty Images

The Cowboys were good but they had plenty of help from their opponents.

After a solid opening 15 minutes, Newcastle simply fell apart under the Cowboys onslaught.

Lui ran around all night like he was covered in spiders and if they weren't dropping off tackles, the Knights were coughing up the ball to not give themselves a chance.

"We knew what we were doing wrong — we just were not executing," Lui said of his side's form leading in.

"It's only one game, We just have to improve from here."

Gavin Cooper is tackled by Korbin Sims. Source: Getty Images

The tactics from the Knights early on were straightforward enough.

Take on the Cowboys in behind the ruck with quick play-the-balls and hard, direct ball-running.

The early signs were positive too with Newcastle rolling up the middle with the likes of Beau Scott to the fore on the right edge.

They earnt a penalty and a two-point lead via the boot of halfback Tyrone Roberts in the seventh minute but the game's momentum changed dramatically on the back of a Kade Snowden error on the 18 minute mark.

Compounding the mistake, skipper Kurt Gidley was penalised a tackle later and the home side didn't waste the invitation.

Matthew Wright celebrates with Brent Tate after he scoring a try. Source: Getty Images

Lui went the short side and found his winger Matthew Wright in an acre of space with a perfectly weighted cross kick to score out wide for a 6-2 lead.

When centre Brent Tate scored three minutes later after Lui burst through Roberts and Robbie Rochow on halfway to extend the advantage to 10-2, the warning signs were well and truly out.

The Cowboys, major disappointments in the opening four rounds, suddenly had their mojo back with Lui leading the way.

Darius Boyd in action for the Knights. Source: Getty Images

The Cowboys halfback and his skipper Thurston then combined to give fullback Michael Morgan a saloon passage to the try line for a 16-2 halftime lead.

Fourteen points is hardly a surmountable deficit in the modern game, but given their alarming error rate, it was going to take a significant shift for the Knights to fight back.

The recovery never eventuated.

If anything, the Knights compounded the hole they had already dug for themselves with even more mistakes.

Cowboys' Michael Morgan scores try. Source: News Corp Australia

Morgan kicked for himself and beat a sluggish Darius Boyd to the ball to score his second try eight minutes into the second half for a 22-2 advantage.

But it was perhaps the ease of replacement Ray Morgan's try mid-way through the half that told the sorry story of the Knights night.

From 30 metres out, he took the ball from dummy half down the short side and effortlessly beat Rochow and Roberts to cross.

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Mariners move on from Perth nightmare

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PHIL Moss says the Mariners are hungry to go into the finals series with momentum ahead of this weekend's final fight for second spot.

Central Coast endured a miserable trip to Perth, where they were beaten 3-1 by the Glory in a shock result on the pitch and had drama with their flights off it.

It means the race for second place on the A-League ladder will only be decided this weekend, with five teams still in with a mathematical chance of clinching it, though the Mariners and Western Sydney are the frontrunners.

"What a final round of the competition, when you can finish second, or sixth can still finish second," Moss said.

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"It's a magnificent final round and certainly goes to show how close the competition is. But certainly from our point of view we were disappointed with our performance in Perth and obviously with the result.

"It was a disappointing weekend. The whole thing with the travel to get to Perth the day before and then obviously the performance and the result.

"Even as late as getting back to Sydney on Sunday we had to go into a holding pad for 20 minutes because there was a something wrong with the landing equipment. So it was just one of those weekends."

The Mariners were denied late on in Perth when Bernie Ibini's strike was incorrectly ruled offside and Moss questioned why referee Stephen Lucas was handed his A-League debut in such a crucial game.

But the issue has since been cleared up and Moss is confident his players will bounce back against Brisbane away this weekend.

"The one thing I will say about our dressing room is that the pride is hurting, and when the pride is hurting there's always a reaction," he said.

"It's about us this week. We're just as hungry to go into the finals with momentum as Brisbane are and in a lot of ways we've got more to play for because our ladder position hasn't been confirmed yet. So until it's all over we're fighting for second spot."

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Aussies smash England in T20 final

Ellyse Perry (L) and Jess Cameron celebrate their victory over England. Source: PRAKASH SINGH / AFP

AUSTRALIA has claimed its third-straight women's World T20 title after hammering England in the final in Dhaka, ending a year of agony against its great rivals.

Dual-international Ellyse Perry hit the winning runs to secure a crushing six-wicket victory for the Southern Stars, reaching the target of 106 with almost five overs to spare.

It was a third world T20 title for Australia, who lost back-to-back Ashes series in 2013-14.

The target set by England proved way too small, as captain Meg Lanning (44 off 30 balls) and another young veteran in the form of Perry (31 not out off 32) added 60 in just over eight overs for the third wicket.

The Southern Stars celebrated their victory in style. Source: Getty Images

Australia smashed ten fours and four sixes and kept England to just eight boundaries.

Lanning was out just two runs shy of the target and veteran Alex Blackwell (0 off 3) was trapped lbw with the scores level.

Elyse Villani (12 off 17) and Jess Jonassen (15 off 8) got the chase off to a quick start.

Earlier, England fell well short of a competitive total thanks to a superb spell of bowling by Sarah Coyte.

The Aussie pace bowler finishes with figures of 3-16 from her four overs, maintaining a tight line that frustrated the English batters. England couldn't build a partnership of more than 33 runs and Heather Knight (23 off 24 balls) was the only England batter to pass 20.

Meg Lanning was superb with the bat once again. Source: Getty Images

The wickers were shared among the Australian attack. Coyte (3-16 off 4 overs) was the most successful and was named player of the match for her efforts.

Speedster Perry (2-13 off 4) new ball bowler Rene Farrell (2-27 of 4) also claimed multiple wickets, while spinner Jonassen (0-16 off 4) bowled a tight spell.

Relive the action in our blog below!

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Scott hails Kangaroos’ maturity

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NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott has hailed the maturity of his emerging stars after they inspired their more celebrated senior teammates to a memorable comeback win over Port Adelaide.

With their normal match-winners subdued, Ben Cunnington and Levi Greenwood lead a next-generation assault that breathed new life into the Roos' season.

With Drew Petrie held goalless, Daniel Wells blunted and Brent Harvey quiet until some last quarter heroics, Cunnington, Greenwood and co. were the driving force in running down arguably the best finishing team in the competition.

MATCH REPORT: KANGAROOS RUN HALTS POWER

Cunnington had 30 disposals, seven tackles, nine clearances and six inside 50s in a masterful display. Sam Gibson, Brad McKenzie, Shaun Atley and Luke McDonald were also superb in a performance that bodes well for the club's future.

"For North supporters, particularly ones that watch the games really closely, I think they've seen signs from all those guys," Scott said.

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"But I've said for a while to people around the club that you'll be really proud to watch Ben Cunnington play. You've got to be patient, but you'll be really proud ... and I think all North supporters would have been proud today.

"Atley, McDonald in his third AFL game ... we're building a nucleus and I know we've been doing it for a long time, but it amuses me because who do you criticise when you lose? You criticise the leaders, you criticise the best players if they don't play well and then you go onto the next band of players. It washes off us, it honestly does.

Shaun Atley gets the better of Hamish Hartlett. Source: Getty Images

"I don't think it's a bad thing to rely on your best players - most clubs do - but you want some players to step up when they're down and our guys did that today.

"They were fantastic. All it did was really confirm what I've always thought of Ben Cunnington and he's just a terrific player in the contest and I thought he was enormous for us today. Levi Greenwood is just the player you love to coach because he's a natural competitor and he knows no other way other than 100 miles an hour at the ball.

North Melbourne players sing the song after beating Port Adelaide. Source: Getty Images

"You look at the next wave coming through of McKenzie ... he's starting to look like a genuine AFL player now. That does give you confidence that when you have your captain and vice-captain out, you've got players to step into the breach.

"I think we're starting to build a list with enough depth that when players are called upon they'll come in and do the job."

Faced with a 10-point deficit at the last change against fourth-quarter specialists, Port Adelaide, Scott said his players were "up for it".

"The response at three-quarter time was enormous. They were up for the challenge and we talked a lot about being up for moment ... and they wanted that contest in that last quarter," he said.

"I think it's a really good reference for our guys that we played a really good side. I thought (Port) played well and they outplayed us for periods of the game, but we were able to wrestle control back and to come back and get the job done; it was pretty impressive."

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Elliott sacked by Warriors

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THE New Zealand Warriors have sacked Matthew Elliott as their head coach.

Elliott was told this morning that the Warriors wanted to "move in a different direction", following the club's 37-6 loss to Cronulla on Saturday.

A formal decision is expected in coming days.

CLASSY CARNEY LEADS SHARKS TO FIRST WIN

The Warriors have won two of their five games this season, upsets of the North Queensland Cowboys and Wests Tigers and they performed very well in the NRL Nines.

However, Warriors' management felt the side's display against Cronulla was proof Elliott's coaching style was not worth long-term perseverance

Elliott turned to social media to post a message saying: "Life is not about agreeing with decisions. It's very rare when everyone does".

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Time for captain’s call in NRL: Noddy

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FOX Sports NRL commentator Brett Kimmorley reviews all the NRL round five action, declaring it is time the NRL look at introducing a captains call to the NRL following Melbourne's controversial loss to the Gold Coast.

Bulldogs 9 d Roosters 8

The biggest mistake from this game was one team made the wrong choice. The Roosters decision to not go for goal after being awarded a penalty at the back end of the match was strange.

After declining the shot at goal, Mitchell Pearce missed an attempted field goal on the fifth tackle. That is proof that you have to take your opportunities when they are presented to you. It was nice to see Josh Reynolds kick the winning field goal with a lot of people accusing him of underperforming in recent weeks.

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Trent Hodkinson steered the team around well and kicked wonderfully. It was a great gritty arm wrestle, end-to-end with more than 20 minutes of play where a point wasn't scored. The Roosters lost their way a little bit without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Bulldogs big men challenged in the middle and forced James Maloney to do a lot of tackling. It was a smart ploy. The Bulldogs may have kicked their year off to a bad start but they are starting to find form off the back of their athletic forward pack.

Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne looks to be enjoying his football again. Source: Getty Images

Eels 25 d Broncos 18

Chris Sandow showed great composure throughout the game. There was a period of time where Brisbane had Parramatta on their tryline and placed under extreme pressure. It might seem strange that Sandow kicked the ball out on halfway but what it did was slow the momentum of the football game down and the Eels were able to reassess and defend the next set.

We can genuinely see that Brad Arthur is going to be a good coach. Having come out of the Melbourne system he has helped the Eels a lot defensively. Hayne looks extremely happy, which is a good thing for the Eels as some of the plays he came up with on Friday were brilliant.

With Corey Norman in the side acting as the senior ball player, Sandow has a less dominant role but Nathan Peats has been the most important person to join that club. He controls the ruck similarly to Cameron Smith and is defensively tough.

The Eels are travelling well and while Brisbane were tough they were unable to come up with the points. The positive for the Broncos was the return of Justin Hodges, who will be better for the run.

Jeff Robson's return gave Cronulla more balance. Source: News Corp Australia

Sharks 37 d Warriors 6

With Jeff Robson back in the team, Todd Carney wasn't left with the pressure of trying to do it all.

Last week he was trying to be part of every play and come up with some errors trying to do too much. Robson is that calming influence; he plays nice and straight and brings composure, which allows Carney to pick and choose when he wants to come into the game.

The Sharks are slowly getting players back and Shane Flanagan re-signed so there was some small bit of closure outside the on-field football environment. The Sharks made the finals last year and should be expected to challenge again this year — despite their slow start I wouldn't write them off yet.

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If you are a fan or coach of the Warriors, however, they can break your heart to the nth degree. They won two good games and looked like they had their heads down — then they explode on the weekend. Matt Elliott would have to be under pressure. The team struggles to travel; they are great at home but outside Auckland they are horrible.

Jamie Soward's experience told for the Panthers. Source: Getty Images

Panthers 12 d Raiders 6

It was a grinding style football game but Jamie Soward showed why he was brought to Penrith; he showed his experience.

The modern game is all about dictating where you hand the football back and your kicking game and which set allows some individual brilliance to win you a football game, and Jamie Soward handled that pretty well.

The forwards battle was intense, typified by the fact not many points were scored. But young Penrith winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored two tries on debut and looked very exciting, which is a credit to their talent pool. Penrith are developing a very good football squad, as opposed to having just four or five great players.

Anthony Milford was almost able to come up with some brilliance but the Panthers were brilliant at the end of the game defensively. It was a gritty win but a nice win for the mountain men.

Joel Edwards from the Raiders will come under what the concussion law has to look like with back-to-back concussions.

Rabbitohs 26 d Dragons 6

It was timely for South Sydney to return to their homeland the way they were expected to perform. The Burgess Brothers were outstanding and while Michael Maguire probably won't admit it, the John Sutton move out of the halves probably didn't work. Sutton in the six added more space and class and allows an extra forward to go forward while Dylan Walker belongs in the centres.

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The Rabbitohs returned to their best and GI was running the ball back with authority. It's a daunting thing when the Bunnies run hard, which they haven't done for the last three weeks when they looked lethargic and slow. But Sutton was able to spark them back at five-eighth.

The difference in size showed. I don't know if the Dragons are quite big enough to compete with some of the big sides and they were found out on Saturday. The Dragons have fallen off the wagon a little so now it's up to Steve Price to get his side responding. Jack De belin was very good for the Dragons but unfortunately he can't do it all on his own.

Greg Bird kicks the winning goal after a contentious decision. Source: News Corp Australia

Titans 28 d Storm 26

Let me set the scene for you. Locked at 26-all, the Titans receive a penalty for what the referee believed to be a strip. It was a big call. The Titans were 30 metres away from the Storm's tryline with full-time only a minute away. The Titans took the shot for penalty goal, which Greg Bird kicked for the victory.

Craig Bellamy was extremely unhappy with the decision labelling it a "disgraceful decision".

I would love to see a 'captains challenge' come into play for this exact reason.

Despite the contentious call, you can't take anything away from the Titans. They were gutsy. They faced some challenges but showed they can fight. Trailing by six after seven minutes, they then kicked the ball out on the full from the restart.

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While they aren't doing anything overly pretty, they unsettled the storm with a lot of offloads and now they are now leading the competition. Bird, Nate Myles and Albert Kelly were great on Sunday while Melbourne are still well below their best. Following a big loss to Canterbury last week I expected them to respond but now they have a fight on their hands to return to form.

The Sea Eagles gang up on Tigers forward James Gavet. Source: News Corp Australia

Tigers 34 d Sea Eagles 18

I thought Manly have been the best team in the competition over the first month but they were brought back to reality on Sunday.

With no Glenn Stewart, there is a lot of drama surrounding him and his contract. It was good news that Brett Stewart made his return from injury; however he came up with a few costly errors.

Defensively Manly are normally a good side but after some of the poor choices they made on Sunday you have to wonder is that a reflection of their dramas off the field? The best thing they can do is offer G Stewart a contract and I would imagine that would help settle things on field.

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For the Tigers, Robbie Farah made a comment a few weeks ago that they were not shown enough respect when they beat South Sydney in round two and they backed that up.

Aaron Woods reportedly turned down an offer to join Manly previously and on Sunday he rubbed it in their faces with a great game and scoring a try. Woods and Farah led the charge, while Brooks is starting to bring in some composure in his kicking game.

It was a great victory to the Tigers and shows anyone can win if they turn up with the right attitude.

There was an interesting moment involving the referees at half-time with Robbie Farah complaining that the siren had sounded but the referee claimed to not hear it. Where is the technology in our game? The video ref can interfere any time he likes but yet can't tip off the referee to when the siren has sounded? We need our game to be better than that.

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