The Northern Territory news Tue 27 Mar 2018
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2018-03-27
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
News Corp Australia
Darwin
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News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/299221
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/384566
30 SPORT TUESDAY MARCH 27 2018 NTNE01Z01MA - V1 NTFL powerhouse St Marys is without a senior coach after three-time premiership mentor Rick Nolan told the club he would not be continuing in the role. Nolan is holidaying in Bali where he could not be contacted last night. But the NT News understands Nolan told the Saints he has other avenues in life he wants to pursue after five seasons in charge of St Marys. He guided the Green Machine to four successive grand finals from 2014-17, all of them against rivals Wanderers. He won the 2014, 16 and 17 flags, but lost to the Eagles in the 2015 decider before the Saints lost this seasons first semi-final to Nightcliff. A dual premiership ruckman in 1996-97 under coach Jamie Thomas and again under Damien Hale in 2002-03, Nolan made the transition to senior coach when Jason Cotter resigned after the clubs 2012-13 grand final win over the Tiwis. A fireman by trade, Nolan applied the same traits to his coaching by demanding the maximum effort from his players and always making himself available to the media. Club president Steve Ludwig said any official comment from the club would have to wait until Nolan returned from his break later this week. St Marys join at least four other clubs in the market for a senior coach next season after Mo Mo Motlop at Wanderers and Tavis Perry at Palmerston declared they would not be continuing in 2018-19. GREY MORRIS St Marys coach Rick Nolan chats with his squad during the season Rising star Bonner one to watch RISING Star Riley Bonner says Port Adelaides glut of recruits has swelled the clubs depth and helped power up all parts of the ground. Bonner, 21, was last night named the Round 1 Rising Star nominee after blitzing Fremantle with 31 disposals on Saturday in a performance likely to earn the defender Brownlow Medal votes. The South Australian who grew up an Essendon fan idolising Michael Hurley and James Hird has worked tirelessly on his defensive game in the past 12 months. Bonner scored 119 SuperCoach points against the Dockers as he recorded 689m gained in just his fifth AFL game. For me its really focusing on my defence first and foremost, Bonner said yesterday. Socceroos looking to improve M I D F I E L D E R M a s s i m o Luongo says Socceroos players took Bert van Marwijks instructions too literally and must improvise more. The QPR star is likely to be one of many key inclusions for tomorrows friendly against Colombia at Craven Cottage. Luongo had a positive impact when coming on against Norway, when Australia were already 3-1 down. He admitted that watching the first hour in Oslo from the bench was an educational experience. I saw a lot that I may have not seen while I was playing because I was so fixed on the game, Luongo said. So I was able to probably correct and control things a bit where I saw it was too open in the first 60 minutes Fitness no issue for Adelaide STAR forward Eddie Betts has denied Adelaide have a fitness problem, declaring the Crows havent been fitter in his five years at the club. While the Crows lost a 20point final quarter lead to Essendon at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, Betts said the collapse was more to do with mindset than a physical issue. Everything was going to plan and then we just fell away, Betts said. Our fundamentals dropped off and our workrate, we just werent working for each other. Its not lack of fitness because were the fittest weve been. I think it was just a lack of understanding and workrate. Its all in the head to be honest. AFL defenders beware Lance Franklin is set for one hell of a season. Franklin opened Perths $1.6 billion Optus Stadium in grand style on Sunday, booting eight goals in Sydneys 29point win over West Coast. Young Eagles defender Tom Barrass was no match for the 31-year-old star in the opening term as he kicked three goals. Veteran Will Schofield was given a shot at quelling Franklin after that with no luck. And even Jeremy McGovern was made to look silly on occasions by the seven-time Ominous Franklin set for massive season All-Australian. Franklins goal frenzy was amazing to watch. But it was also his efforts in bringing the ball to ground level when outnumbered that pleased coach John Longmire. Franklin has just started the fifth season of his bumper nine-year, $10 million contract with the Swans. And if his display on Sunday is anything to go by, it could prove his best. There is a fair bit of hype about him most of the time, this is nothing different, Longmire said. He came off the back of a few minor clean-ups in the offseason and looked after himself really well and got himself in really good condition. We knew going in (against West Coast) that he was in pretty reasonable touch. And with Sam Reid and Gary Rohan out of the team, he needed to be because he was our only up front target when you look at height-wise. He trains hard, he enjoys training. Hes a real footy head. He loves his footy and he loves getting out there and training with the boys. Its pretty simple. Sydney take on Port Adelaide at the SCG next Sunday and they could be bolstered by the return of Sam Reid (hamstring), Dan Hannebery (calf) and Gary Rohan (personal leave). The Swans started last season with six straight losses but they were determined not to make the same mistake this year. West Coast closed the margin from 30 points to just five at three-quarter time on Sunday. But the Swans kicked away in the last quarter, booting seven goals to three. We spoke about trying to win the game, not save it, Longmire said. JUSTIN CHADWICK Nolan calls it quits as coach of St Marys Lance Franklin booted eight goals against West Coast Picture: GETTY