Ray Wilson

From villain to saint Ballantyne

There are many reasons why the Dockers have had such a resounding finish to the season.David Mundy, Michael Barlow and Nat Fyfe have been in outstanding form. Toss in Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley and Stephen Hill and the Dockers brigade around the...
September 10, 4:50 pm
Full-forwards ain't what they used to be

One of the casualties of the modern game is the prolific scoring full-forward.And this year adds weight to the debate that we may never again see a Coleman Medal won with more than 100 goals.One of the great joys of football of the VFL in the 80s an...
August 30, 5:29 pm
Begrudgingly agreeing with Boris

London mayor Boris Johnson is quite unequivocal about it.The London Games, the 30th Olympiad, has been the best of all time.After three weeks in the Games city, there is nobody who says these Olympics didn’t live up to the hype.But the best?I’ve bee...
August 12, 9:37 pm
The Olympic rings

Researchers who study tinnitus can get the biggest field test in history at the London Olympics.All they need to do is get themselves to the Olympic Stadium.For those who don’t know, the basic explanation for tinnitus is that it is a ringing in the ...
August 7, 10:34 pm
Age no barrier to Olympic glory

The challenge at the Olympics is to find the story that’s a little off-beat. And they are here in London, it’s just a matter of finding them.The hardy annual, or quad-annual in regards to the Olympics, surrounds age.And it doesn’t particularly matte...
August 3, 10:50 pm
The lessons London teaches us

There are some lessons already learned from the Olympic Games after the spectacular opening ceremony which London’s eccentric mayor Boris Johnson claimed “knocked the spots off Beijing”.It seems Boris will never lose his stripes. Modesty has never b...
July 29, 1:22 am
Let the greatest show on earth begin

Of course the London cabbies aren’t happy. A bit like the farmers, they reckon there is nothing perfect in this world.The fellow who picked us up from Heathrow on our way to our rabbit warren in King's Cross, was bemoaning the fact that the Olympics...
July 24, 6:25 pm
Hooker poles apart from his best

After that exalted night in Midland in May, it appeared that Steve Hooker had been put back together again.His demons conquered, the reigning Olympic pole vault champion sailed over 5.72m — the qualifying height for the London Games.It was high five...
July 16, 1:23 pm
Freo, Cats to miss out on finals

About the toughest contract in football at the moment is predicting who will make the top eight.As I see it, the certainties are Collingwood, Sydney, West Coast, Essendon, Adelaide and Hawthorn.In the mix for positions seven and eight are Geelong, N...
July 3, 11:48 am
Future captaincy a Dockers dilemma

While Darren Glass could well hand over the captaincy reins at the end of the season to fellow defender Beau Waters, the future at Fremantle is less clear.Glass is in the type of form which suggests he can play for two more seasons but he is comfort...
June 19, 3:55 pm
Fourth official needed to get a grip of taggers

Eyebrows were raised in 1976 when the gatekeepers of football deemed that the game was becoming too quick for one field umpire.Soon after, though, it was generally agreed that it was a good decision.But those eyebrows were lifted again 18 years late...
June 5, 11:08 am
Worsfold name fits the bill

As a player he was brutal and fearless, wearing his heart on his sleeve and his intentions in his chilling, unblinking and contact-clad eyes.Few sights on the football field were as menacing as John Worsfold in full flight for West Coast during his ...
May 24, 7:36 am
Western derby could decide Dockers' season

I’m hoping like hell that Fremantle beat West Coast on Sunday and St Kilda roll the Swans at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.But while football will be the winner, I won’t be tipping either of those sides to win, though.If the Eagles clip the Docke...
May 21, 1:15 pm
Sibling rivalry stirs among Selwoods

Comparing the worth of players is a demanding and often dangerous exercise.Comparing the worth of brothers makes it tougher still.I’m looking at the Selwood clan — Adam, Troy, Joel and Scott.Troy, Adam’s twin, played 75 games for Brisbane from 2005 ...
May 8, 9:50 am
Penalty call a stain on the game

The AFL hasn’t got it completely right just yet but at least it has a video review system in place to help umpires determine whether a goal has been scored or not.And that’s in a game where one side can kick more than 20 goals.It’s staggering that s...
April 23, 1:04 pm
AFL name game has merit

Should AFL players make names for themselves? On the back of their guernseys that is.Two callers to ABC radio’s Sports Talk last Saturday suggested the AFL should consider putting the names of players on the back of jumpers.The idea attracted a mixe...
April 17, 11:26 am
Hill on a high at West Coast

Goal drought, what goal drought?The greatest concern for West Coast heading into the season was the expected loss in goal scoring power because of the absence of Mark LeCras and Mark Nicoski.The gifted pair booted 88 goals between them last year.Jos...
April 9, 12:39 pm
Offensive footy a welcome sight

Round one of the AFL told us that the game may be about to change again after a scoring feast rarely seen in the past few years.It informed us that Melbourne, St Kilda and Richmond face enormous challenges to get near the top eight.And it told us so...
April 3, 11:08 am
Freo look to their leader to step forward

Last season Fremantle didn't have two goal kickers to rub together.The four leading scorers, Kepler Bradley (25), Chris Mayne (25), Hayden Ballantyne (23) and Matthew Pavlich (21), kicked 94 goals between them.It probably jumped out at Ross Lyon lik...
March 27, 9:40 am
Aged Thorpedo runs out of power

Ian Thorpe's comeback bid divided the sporting world.Some say his decision to get back in the water took the limelight from other Australian swimmers in the build-up to the Olympic trials.Others say a swimmer of Thorpe's standing deserves the right ...
March 18, 9:00 pm