All-rounder for
@TheWestSport
, but mainly football (⚽) & rugby. Devin Booker & emo night enthusiast. Views are sadly, my own. News tips: ben.smith
@wanews
.com.au
I competed against Peter Bol in an interschool carnival in Year 12. He won the 1500m with ease, then won the high jump by scissor kicking(!) 1.80m. Two hours later he breezed through the 800, and then an hour later won the 400m too. Now he's in an Olympic final. Incredible.
The WA State Government will today announce more than $9 million in funding for women's football, including more than $2 million in grants available for NPL W clubs.
Such a well-delivered and nuanced answer by Simon. As always, the voice of reason, but the way he calmly dealt with a pair of questions delivered with an air of bemusement and incredulity really stood out.
The 'Socceroos don't have the players anymore' argument falls down when you consider they lost 3-2 to the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup with Ryan McGowan at right back, Oli Bozanic and Matt McKay.
Today sucks. Truly a dark day for the A-League and my thoughts with all the good people involved who have lost their jobs. The league is not in good health and I honestly don't know what the way forward is.
No apology to Tom Glover, Alex King or the cameraman who got hit by a flare.
Remind me, did these guys ever apologise for homophobic chants directed towards Josh Cavallo? Sensing a pattern here...
Absolutely incredible scenes. Perth are having to tape over the blood on Nicholas Walsh's shirt because the referee won't let him wear a shirt with a different number and there's apparently no spare no. 5 shirt.
Even when it's the Asian Champions League, it's still Peak A-League
Ash Barty and Dylan Alcott retiring within a couple of months of each other leaves such a vacuum in the Australian tennis world. Two all-time champions who went out at the top, or pretty damn close to it.
Timely reminder: It is perfectly ok to not like football/The World Cup, but attention-seeking posts about how much you hate the sport/tournament make you look like a goose. Don't be that person who feels the need to talk crap about something everyone else loves.
Can you tweet something like
Happy to announce after just over a year working with
@TheWestSport
team in my capacity as PerthNow Local reporter, I'll be an official/permanent member of the sportsdesk moving forward. We go again!
If I were the APL this week, I'd be looking at the fan protests of 2015 as a reminder of what should never be allowed to happen again.
Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it
Happy five years to the definition of 'Peak A-League'. Fitting Central Coast and Perth Glory are playing a double header tonight, presumably in honour of the anniversary
#CCMvPER
Football Australia has issued life bans to two men, the 23 year-old known as "Bucket Man" and a 19-year-old, in the wake of the Melbourne Derby pitch invasion.
Yes, the FA press release actually called him Bucket Man.
@NedBalmeLives
@gerard_laws
@Socceroos
My coach gave me a note a couple of times this season when we were leading late in games. I'd read it, tell the others, and then proceed to eat the note in front of the other team to show them I wasn't here to redacted spiders.
(Actually just hid it in my sock under my shinpad).
The biggest takeaway from this game for me is not really the scoreline, but Clare Wheeler needs to be in the squad if Australia make it to Paris. She's been a bit fortunate at times, but the intent to try and progress the ball in early phases centrally is important
#CANvAUS
It says a lot about Australia's striking stocks at the moment that a 36 year-old Uruguayan is both the best forward in the A-League Men and a legitimate option up front for the Socceroos. Love Fornaroli, but the bigger picture is a bit grim
#CCMvMVC
I have come to the conclusion there is simply nothing more lame than debating Melbourne Test crowds vs Perth Scorchers Big Bash crowds on Boxing Day.
You can celebrate both in their uniqueness, people trying to pit the two cities against each other is uninspiring rhetoric.
#SokkahTwitter
may roll their eyes at this, but if you told people 10 years ago the reigning AFL premier's number one ticket holder would be the captain of the Matildas, they wouldn't have believed you. Speaks to Kerr's appeal/talent and the Matildas' growth.
This is absolute chaos and I love it. You thought the A-League peaked with Riley McGree? We've just seen a Victory assistant coach run on the field and slap David Carney
#SYDvMVC
A lot of people calling for the West Test™ to be played at the WACA in future are either unaware a) it's in the midst of a major redevelopment or b) everyone who's ever watched a match there in the non-members section has a harrowing tale to tell of sunburn/sunstroke.
BREAKING: Football West's State Football Centre, planned for Maniana Park in Queens Park, has been greenlit by the WAPC's Significant Development Assessment Unit. Will be built in time for 2023 Women's World Cup. Huge win for the round ball game in WA
#perthnews
If your A-League team signed an attacker who had played 75 games at international level, more than 50 Bundesliga games, more than 50 2. Bundesliga games and had only just turned 30 years old, you'd be delighted.
Robbie Kruse is a great pickup for Melbourne Victory.
For a man so adept at grasping the nuances of sport, this is utterly bizarre from Jonathan Liew. His argument boils down to "he says mate a lot and I think it's an act."
I dunno, maybe he's just affable? Sometimes it's not really that complicated.
Luke Shuey's 2018 AFL Grand Final performance one of the most underrated all-time great efforts - led West Coast for disposals (34 at 73.5%), clearances (9), tackles (8), metres gained (663), score involvements (8), inside 50s (8) and contested possessions (19).
I'll take the knowledge and tactical mind of a man who took The Netherlands to a World Cup Final over hyperbolic journos and casual followers who only watch the Socceroos every four years.
The 2022 Australia Cup A-League play-offs, played in Newcastle & Western Sydney, drew 1,028 and 824 people respectively. Darwin rarely, if ever, gets any professional football action. Have no issue with moving the games given they're usually played in front of low crowds.
Opinion: The game's gone.
For years, we looked at riots overseas and maintained that would never happen in the A-League.
The moment Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover was assaulted by fans live on television, we realised how wrong we were.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Bayern are closing in on deal to sign 17 year old talent Nestory Irankunda, here we go! 🌟
2006 born winger on the verge of joining Bayern in 2024 from Australian side Adelaide United.
Understand fee verbally agreed is £3m fixed fee plus add-ons.
Exclusive: After a sparkling A-League Men season, Perth Glory young gun Keegan Jelacic is on the verge of securing a move to the Belgian Pro League - subject to him passing a medical.
People will get angry about the internet pile-on Ellie Carpenter received after the Women's World Cup, and then call for Lewis Millar and Mitch Duke's citizenship to be revoked.
When you lean all the way into "bantz" you set the table for the worst people to join you at dinner.
Disappointed that the Socceroos were unable to get the win & they had chances they should have buried but wishing death upon someone is horrible. Please do better because even if you were sad Australia lost it isn’t the end of the world. Feel for Mitch Duke at the moment.
I sincerely hope Perth Glory never stop playing the Steve Armstrong anthem before games; even if you find it cheesy (I don't, for the record), it's a tradition which harks back to the NSL days, and traditions make teams feel more like clubs and less like franchises
#PERvMVC
You can't talk about how we need to remove the stigma around mental health if you're going to then make jokes about Bernard Tomic quitting. The guy is obviously pretty depressed, don't make light of his situation.
Sadly I won't be covering the game today - I'm in Bali for a wedding - but I've finagled a way to watch the game from aboard and the Matildas have won all three games when I've worked out in my Australia jersey pre-game, so doing my bit to get them across the line. Yeah the girls
The State Government have forecasted a financial injection of almost $6 million into the WA economy as a result of the three Matildas games in Perth, with today's game against The Philippines on track to be one of Optus Stadium's biggest ever events.
This A-League season keeps on giving. No, the standard isn't European-levels of elite, but when every game you leaves you entertained and it feels like nearly every team can win it this year, who the hell cares? If you're ignoring it, you're only doing yourself a disservice.
Hello all, there is an eight-page guide written to the Women's World Cup in today's edition of The West Australia, written by yours truly. Available in newsagents today. Please read it, there will be a snap quiz on its contents next week.
It's confirmed: The sale and transition of Perth Glory's licence to the Pelligra Group has been completed. Ross Pelligra is now the new owner of the club.
Honoured to win the WAFC Community Football Award at last night's
@WAFootballMedia
awards for my investigation into concussion at grassroots sport. Congrats to all the other winners, I am humbled to be in your company.
Socceroos went too defensive early. Went to a back five before stoppage time and now don't look like creating anything. Korea have dominated extra time. This feels like such a trudge towards elimination.
"I don’t profess to have taught her anything - the only thing I gave her was the opportunity to play."
Before Perth Glory, the NWSL, the Matildas & Chelsea, there was the Phoenix Knights and Len Packham Reserve in Coolbellup.
The early years of Sam Kerr.
The A-League community does not make enough of the fact Dino tore his ACL during last year's Grand Final - and then played out the remainder of the game. That's some Chuck Norris level of toughness.
I'm sorry, what? On the eve of the Asian Cup?
The fact one of Australia's most technically-gifted midfielders of the past decade only played 45 games - none of them at a World Cup - is depressing. We'll always have the 2015 Asian Cup win though.
If your solution to the very real chance the Socceroos miss the World Cup is to cap a 34 year-old Uruguayan, something has very clearly gone wrong in terms of both within the national team AND the overall player development pipeline.
I’ve never truly bought into “The A-League is on a slow march towards the grave” narrative despite the league’s decline in recent years…but this time feels different.
No acknowledgment of fans complaints. No detailing of what the money will go towards.
A pretty sad indictment of where the A-League is at. Going back a decade and trying to explain how the bag had been fumbled so spectacularly would be impossible.
The annual Dolan-Warren awards ceremony has been axed with the A-Leagues set to announce the competition's most-coveted prize at halftime on grand final day.
@AAPSport
A-League Men's fans will spend 50% of their time bemoaning Eurosnobs and trashing people who won't watch the local professional league, and spend the other 50% of their time wondering aloud which big name players would bring said Eurosnobs to the local league.
That's an all-time gritty Perth Glory victory. When you consider the away streak AND the off-field stuff, that's an immense, character- building win
#WSWvPER
Alex Wilkinson, 37, is getting a call-up to the Socceroos but only for the Sydney game. Kye Rowles is out with COVID-19. Ryan McGowan in for Saudi fixture. More on
@AAPSport
shortly.
Idea for the next version of "The Journey" in FIFA 20: The player gets loaned out to Melbourne City and must prove they can do it at the Sauce Bottle end on a scorching hot Sunday afternoon in Gosford. You lose credit points back home if you make it onto A-League Memes.
Stan Lazaridis is officially Perth Glory’s new director of football - and he has flagged retaining and developing the best WA products, reconnecting with the state's grassroots clubs and producing exciting football as key priorities.
"And with that, a mighty cheer went up from the heroes of A-League. They had banished the awful grand final deal forever, because it was haunted.
"Now, let's all celebrate with a cool plastic cup of mid-strength."
The A-League has scrapped the grand final deal with Sydney. Traditional hosting format returning this season for men and women.
A 'Unite Round' where all A-League Men and Women games are played in Sydney between Jan 12-14 replaces it from this season.
Story in
@ESPNAusNZ
soon.
Harley Watch: The mood is tense; I have been on some serious, serious reports but nothing quite like this. Reid is inside right now. I tried to get an interview with him, but they said no, you can't do that he's a live footballer, he will literally give you a don't argue.
The State Government floated a three-pronged investment package - centered around community support programs, prospective training facilities and a re-negotiation of the stadium deal - to entice new Perth Glory owner Ross Pelligra to buy the club.
100% not here for Fox Sports trying to excuse Rhyan Grant's tackle. Grant has got away with yellow cards for some pretty bad tackles in the past and the only surprise is this has been his first red. It's not "out of character" at all; he's often ridden his luck
#SYDvMCY
Understand there is progress on the Perth Glory sale front, potentially an announcement as soon as next week, but with Christmas shutdowns looming it might not get over the line/announced until the new year.
The day the A-Leagues bring in a proper functioning transfer system and we're done with clubs getting mutual with players and losing good performers for free, will be a very good day indeed.
At her pre-Philippines matchday press conference, Sam Kerr has revealed she injured her other calf - the right one- during the third place game against Sweden at the World Cup.
But the good news? She cannot wait to take to the Optus Stadium turf tomorrow.