Hero Smith and captain Paine fine just the way they are

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Hero Smith and captain Paine fine just the way they are

By Peter FitzSimons

Even amid the current euphoria over the Ashes victory – RAH! – there is a kerfuffle over who should be the next captain of the Australian Test side. It focuses on whether or not Steve Smith should succeed his successor, Tim Paine.

I interviewed the most successful Australian Test team coach, John Buchanan, at a corporate function this week and he was dogmatic: “Never again, as once you fill that spot, you operate under a one-strike policy , and the cheating scandal in Cape Town was his one strike.”

Debate is raging over whether Steve Smith, centre, should return as skipper at the expense of his replacement, Tim Paine (right).

Debate is raging over whether Steve Smith, centre, should return as skipper at the expense of his replacement, Tim Paine (right).Credit: Getty Images

I disagree, with a couple of qualifications.

Firstly, Smith did the wrong thing, a punishment was handed down, and he served his time – which means he’s even.

Secondly, Smith has never played better than right now, when he is not captain. You wouldn’t change that lightly.

Thirdly, Paine should keep the job as long as he is able! He was brought in specifically to change the culture and clean the whole thing up. He has not only done that, but also guided the Test team to victory in the Ashes in England.

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And yes, there are those who say Paine’s performance is not strong enough to hold his place in the team, focusing on his lack of big scores. But reader Dennis Lynch has blown away the very idea.

Presenting a list of all 33 Australian wicketkeepers and their batting averages, Lynch illustrated that, right now, Paine sits THIRD on the list, and is nudging towards second. Here are the top nine: Adam Gilchrist, 47.60; Brad Haddin 32.99; Paine 32.62; Wayne Phillips 32.28; Billy Murdoch 31.31; Matt Wade 28.68; Ben Barnett 27.85; Ian Healy 27.39; Rod Marsh 26.51; Sammy Carter 22.97; Bert Oldfield 22.65.

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Case closed, at least for the next 12 months. Paine to stay. Smith to bat and bat and bat!

The now-famous image of Tayla Harris in action for Carlton.

The now-famous image of Tayla Harris in action for Carlton.Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Media

Tayla's shift

TFF spent a little time in Melbourne on Thursday doing a little light palling around with AFLW chief executive Nicole Livingstone and the topic du jour was the statue of female AFL champion Tayla Harris that had just been unveiled in Federation Square. Larger than life at over three metres, it is based on the iconic photograph by Michael Willson of the Carlton forward in full flight, kicking a goal with her right foot at least as high as her head. The shot went viral, on one side drawing vicious trolls, on the other being revered and hailed as inspirational, and proof positive of just how athletic the women’s game is.

“She is getting a statue for being trolled online,” AFL legend Malcolm Blight grumbled. “Mystifying to me. One of the most mystifying things I have ever heard of. I am not happy about it.”

Livingstone, not surprisingly, is more than happy about it, pointing out that while it is a statue of Harris, it is not honouring her alone but the breakthrough by women in finally storming the ramparts of AFL as a male-only bastion. Though there are records of women’s games drawing over 40,000 spectators in 1941, they were momentary enthusiasms of the public in part driven by so many of the male players going off to war, rather than what is happening now: sustained growth, with the initial eight teams of the AFLW up to 14 next year, and all 18 clubs soon.

“And that statue,” she says, “is a celebration of that very breakthrough.”

Tayla Harris poses with the statue unveiled in Federation Square this week.

Tayla Harris poses with the statue unveiled in Federation Square this week.Credit: AAP

Harris herself put it very well in a tweet on Thursday: “This statue represents #morethanakick, it symbolises a moment in time that can be remembered as a catalyst for change, a stand against online harassment and a reminder to women and girls that we deserve these opportunities.”
Bravo. Blight et al should pull their heads in.

Iran ultimatum

If that statue highlights a recent strong point for women’s sport, this week also brought me news of the lowest of the low. Last March, an Iranian woman, Sahar Khodayari, was caught trying to enter a soccer stadium to watch a match. She was disguised as a man to try to get around both the Iranian law and the Iran FA regulation that forbids women from watching male matches. She was put in prison for three days pending her trial and, last week, after finding that she would probably be sent to prison for six months, she self-immolated on the court-house steps – dying in hospital on Monday.

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In a swift response, Bonita Mersiades, the president of Women in Football Australia wrote to Football Federation Australia chair Chris Nikou. After setting out the tragedy, Mersiades noted how the ban by the Iranian FA against women attending games contravenes “the FIFA Statutes, and we believe that there is no basis on which Iran’s continuing membership of either FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) should be tolerated as long as this ban continues. The FIFA President gave a deadline of 15 July this year for the Iran FA to set out what it would do to ensure that women could attend the October World Cup qualifying match against Cambodia. To date, they have failed to do so ... If Iran fail to address this issue permanently by October, and if FIFA and/or the AFC fail to impose sanctions on Iran, then we believe that FFA should implement its own boycott of Iranian football until and unless they permit women into stadiums in accordance with contemporary Australian values”.

I agree with every word. Not allowing women to watch sport – and prosecuting and imprisoning them for doing so – is gender apartheid. Let the weight of global sport come down hard on Iran, and let Australia help lead the way, just as we did on apartheid.

Pete hard to beat

Bravo Peter Beattie who, it was announced this week, will be leaving his role as chair of the ARL Commission in October rather than February, and handing over to someone who already runs Racing NSW, Peter V’landys.

Beattie has his critics but, let the record show, he has acted as a breath of fresh air in the gig, making long overdue changes that only someone with little skin in the game, no baggage, and no need to keep sweet with old friends could do. Chief of these was bringing in the no-fault stand-down policy, where, if a player is charged with serious criminal offences, he is stood down from the game. (And this year, for the first time since forever, we have had no Mad Monday atrocities that we know of. Amazing!)

Outgoing Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie.

Outgoing Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie.Credit: James Brickwood

But Beattie can also point to the huge growth of the women’s game on his watch, as well as developments internationally.

A pretty good haul, for a fairly short stint of just over two years. In the words of a rugby league mate who follows it closely: “Apart from a few gaffes on social media, he actually got shit done.”

What they said

Steve Smith on winning the fourth Test: “I didn't enjoy watching last week, but what a feeling today ... I love batting, don’t really like watching cricket.”

Nineteen-year-old Bianca Andreescu, who started the year outside the top 150, on winning the US Open: “I never really thought about being famous. My goals have been to just win as many grand slams as possible, become No.1 in the world. But the idea of fame never really crossed my mind.”

US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is the first Canadian to ever win a singles major.

US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is the first Canadian to ever win a singles major.Credit: Getty Images

Serena Williams on losing the US Open final: “I honestly don’t think Serena showed up and I have to figure out how to get her to show up in grand slam finals.” You could ask her?

Robert Harvey on future St Kilda reunions without Danny Frawley: “It’s just changed forever now. For the guy that told most of the stories, he just won’t be there. Forever in our hearts, we just love you.”

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David Pocock on his imminent retirement: “As an immigrant to Australia, rugby has provided me with somewhere to make friends, to feel like I belong ... It’s time to move on to other things and contribute in other areas.” He’d be great in politics and make an enormous contribution, but I can’t convince him.

USA basketball coach Gregg Popovich to a reporter’s question following the USA’s loss to France, which yanked the Yanks out of the World Cup medal contention: “Just write, don’t coach. Just write.”

Ben Cohen in the Wall Street Journal: “NBA basketball and FIBA basketball are like spinach and kale. They look similar. But they taste and feel completely different. And one is beginning to leave a bitter taste for the Americans.” Perhaps a little contrived, but I think it just works?

Taylor Swift on performing at the Melbourne Cup: “I can’t wait to come to Melbourne and I can’t wait to come to the Melbourne Cup. I’ve heard so much about the race.” Apparently, in LA and New York, they talk of little else.

Departed Adelaide Crows coach Don Pyke: “Clearly when the side is performing as it is, I recognise I’m part of the problem. The real question I've grappled with is, ‘am I part of the solution?’ The conversations I’ve had, and in my personal self-reflections I’ve had, I decided it’s best to hand over to fresh faces.”

Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien, on the Queensland bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games: “I want to ensure we’re gleaning every possible insight from the IOC so we can put together the greatest pitch the Olympic Movement has ever seen.”

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp on using what used to be known as “ring girls” to display the round number in boxing matches. “It’s 2019, do we really still need scantily clad women to wander around the middle of a fighting ring between rounds?” It’s 2019. Do we really want to see men intentionally rattling each other’s brains for our entertainment?

Brian Barnes, the 74-year-old British golfer passed away on Tuesday. His major claim to fame was beating Jack Nicklaus twice in the one day at the 1975 Ryder Cup, and he once recalled: “When we went to the press tent after the morning round everybody acted as if I’d beaten Jesus Christ.”

Robbie Farah after being called into the side with minutes to go – “You’re in, kid,” – only to be there as the Tigers copped a walloping from the Sharks to miss out on the finals: “It’s like a movie with a shit ending.”

Team of the week

Boomers. Our blokes are still in with a shout for a first-ever medal at the World Cup despite going down to Spain last night.

Bianca Andreescu. In beating Serena Williams became the first Canadian to win a tennis major and the first teenager since Maria Sharapova.

Socceroos. The road to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 – don’t get me started – is underway with a 3-0 win over Kuwait. Next up is Nepal in Canberra in October.

Knox Rugby Club. Hosted the annual Brothers 4 Brothers Lunch last Friday where they honoured old boys Lachie Robertson and Tim Cussell who passed away from cancer. The next morning they won the Whiddon Cup, beating Drummoyne 10-5. They’ve now raised more than $1 million for the Chris O’Brien Cancer Hospital.

Tributes were paid to Danny Frawley at Kilda's spiritual home of Moorabbin Oval.

Tributes were paid to Danny Frawley at Kilda's spiritual home of Moorabbin Oval.Credit: Joe Armao

RIP Danny Frawley, 1963-2019. The former St Kilda player and Richmond coach passed away after a horrific car accident on Monday. Frawley had recently been open about suffering from depression.

RIP Chester Williams, 1970-2019. World Cup-winning Springbok passed away at the age of 49, from a heart attack – the fourth member of that iconic team to have died early following Joost van der Westhuizen, James Small and Ruben Kruger. On the opposing side in the final, they have lost one, the great Jonah Lomu.

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