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Sharp edge to Sharks

Peter Sharp
INTERIM Cronulla head coach Peter Sharp said the NRL team intended to make its suspended coach Shane Flanagan proud while he fights to clear his name.

SBW to return to union in 2015

SBW to return to union in 2015
SONNY Bill Williams has a place at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in his sights after signing a two-year contract to play rugby in New Zealand.

At last I can sleep: Cronulla doctor

At last I can sleep: Cronulla doctor
FORMER Cronulla doctor Dave Givney said yesterday he was finally sleeping well at night.

Schubert's cap fits no more

Ian Schubert - Salary Cap enforcer
ONE of the NRL's most feared figures is gone, with salary cap auditor Ian Schubert resigning yesterday.

Eels move to fill gap left by Elkin

Trent Elkin
PARRAMATTA insists it will continue to support performance director Trent Elkin but is believed to be well advanced in planning for life without the controversial trainer.

Sharks in piece plan to pay fine

Cronulla Sharks
CRONULLA could be given up to five years to pay the $1 million fine it incurred over its handling of the supplements scandal.

Cronulla feels weight of NRL's wrath

Flanagan
THE full cost of Cronulla's supplements scandal will be discussed at a board meeting on Thursday night.

$1m fine just a speed bump: Keogh

Damian Keogh
CRONULLA chairman Damian Keogh last night insisted there was still life left in the club despite incurring a $1 million fine from the NRL.

Five clubs sidestep sanctions

Shane Flanagan
FIVE NRL clubs and four Cronulla staff members breathed a deep sigh of relief yesterday.

Elkin in battle to head off long ban

Trent Elkin
CONDITIONING coach Trent Elkin will fight to clear his name and reputation after being handed a virtual two-year ban from rugby league.

Smith holds whiphand over Demetriou

opinthumb Brent Read
HEY Andrew, hope you were watching. That's how it should be done.

NRL's Sharks fined $1m over doping

NRL's Sharks fined $1m over...
NRL club Cronulla has been fined $1 million and its coach Shane Flanagan banned for a year over a 2011 doping scandal.

Flanagan, Elkin cop league bans

Flanagan, Elkin cop league bans
CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan and trainer Trent Elkin are the first casualties of an ongoing supplement scandal which has dogged the code.

NRL players plead not guilty to affray

NRL players plead not guilty to affray
SOUTH Sydney NRL player Dylan Walker and Canterbury recruit Tyrone Phillips have pleaded not guilty to taking part in a violent brawl.

Dogs take Maitua's pain into equation

Reni Maitua
CANTERBURY will take into consideration the attempted suicide of Reni Maitua when board members meet to decide his future with the club.

Broncos stumble in hunt for playmaker

Karmichael
THE Broncos are facing a fight with the AFL's Gold Coast Suns for the services of Karmichael Hunt.

Roosters sign England coach

Sam Burgess Four Nations
ENGLAND rugby league coach Steve McNamara has signed a two-year deal with NRL premiers the Sydney Roosters.

Broncos ready for Hunt's return

Broncos ready for Hunt's...
KARMICHAEL Hunt will announce his return to the Broncos in the next two weeks in what could be his greatest challenge.

Photo of Benji the catalyst for Nines

Benji
IT started more than two years ago with a framed poster hanging in the office of former Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Humphreys.

'The Gazelle' can't run from ASADA

Reluctant 'Gazelle'...
DARREN "The Gazelle" Hibbert could become the first person to be fined $5500 a day for failing to co-operate with ASADA investigators.

Hoffman tips rapid rebound for Slater

Billy Slater
VETERAN Melbourne forward Ryan Hoffman expects his teammate Billy Slater to be ready for NRL round one after successful surgery.

Auckland Nines bust box office

Todd Carney
NRL chief executive Dave Smith yesterday revealed the Auckland Nines are on target to become the biggest box-office smash.

Bird tells Ferguson: you can come back

ferguson
GREG Bird wants to see Blake Ferguson back in the NRL. Before that happens, however, he wants to see Ferguson sort out his life.

Carney on spot as Smith retreats

Carney on spot as Smith retreats
NRL chief executive Dave Smith made a hasty exit from an official function at Rugby League Central yesterday.

Ferguson guilty of indecent assault

ferguson
THE playing future of former NRL wild child Blake Ferguson was in doubt last night after he was found guilty of squeezing a woman's vagina at a Cronulla nightspot.

Bookies baulk at Cronulla drug saga

Bookies baulk at Cronulla drug saga
BOOKMAKERS have responded to the uncertainty surrounding Cronulla by suspending several markets on the Sharks for the 2014 season.

NRL star guilty of groping woman at bar

NRL star guilty of groping woman at bar
RUGBY league star Blake Ferguson has been found guilty of groping a young woman at a south Sydney nightspot.

Gallen's plea for leniency to Sharks

Paul Gallen
PAUL Gallen has pleaded with the NRL to spare the Sharks any further heartache with the ARL Commission due to receive a report into its 2011 supplements program.

Property company stands by Cronulla

Cronulla Sharks logo
THE property group behind the $300 million residential and retail development at Cronulla is committed to the Sharks' survival.

Parramatta deals with two halves

Corey Norman
THE Eels' latest rebuilding phase looks as though it could be defined by the two men earmarked to fill jerseys six and seven in 2014.

OUR TEAM

Wally Mason

Wally Mason
Sports Editor
Sydney Bureau, Australia

Wally has been a journalist for 35 years. He grew up playing cricket and rugby league, but these days his sporting interests are much wider – reflecting the broad spectrum of sports covered by The Australian.

masonw@theaustralian.com.au
Twitter @walmason

Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith
Senior Sports commentator
Melbourne Bureau, Australia

Australia’s most respected sports columnist, Patrick writes with authority and wit on a wide range of sports. He has won many major awards for his news breaking, analysis and campaigning journalism.

patrick.smith@bigpond.com

Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith
Senior Cricket writer
Brisbane Bureau, Australia

After a long stint as rugby union editor, Wayne joined The Australian's outstanding team of cricket writers in 2007. He first covered cricket in 1971, and is also an experienced swimming writer.

smithw@theaustralian.com.au

Peter Lalor

Peter Lalor
Senior cricket writer
Sydney Bureau, Australia

A key member of The Australian’s team of cricket writers, Peter has been a journalist for more than two decades, writing about everything from sport to beer. He has also written several books, including Barassi: The Biography.

lalorp@theaustralian.com.au
Twitter @plalor

 

Bret Harris

Bret Harris
Chief rugby writer
Sydney Bureau, Australia

Bret has had more than three decades of experience covering a wide range of sports. Renowned for his news breaking and in-depth analysis of the game of rugby, Bret has also written several books on the sport.

harrisba@theaustralian.com.au

opinthumb Brent Read

Brent Read
Senior sports writer
Sydney Bureau, Australia

One of the rising stars of sports journalism in Australia, Brent covers rugby league and golf, writing with authority, wit and enthusiasm. He began his career in sport as a soccer player, playing with the Brisbane Strikers in the NSL.

readb@theaustralian.com.au
Twitter @brentread_7

 

Nicole Jeffery

Nicole Jeffery
Olympics writer
Sydney Bureau, Australia

Nicole has been a journalist for almost three decades and has covered numerous Olympics, Commonwealth Games, world swimming championships, hockey world cups and international track and field events.

nicolejeffery@hotmail.com
Twitter @nicolejeffery

 

OUR OBJECTIVE

Higher ed Objective

Each day, our team of award-winning sport reporters and respected columnists provide news, analysis and opinion on the big issues on and off the playing fields across Australia and around the world.

On our website and tablet app, The Australian's sportswriters provide regular news updates, match reports and video analysis.

IR laws put brakes on carmakers

Auto manufacturing

THE nation's carmaking industry is too small and too expensive to compete on the world stage.

Qantas inflating its crisis: Air NZ

Christopher Luxon Air New Zealand CEO

AIR NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon has accused Qantas of orchestrating a crisis situation.

Seducer with a song

Seducer with a song

MICHAEL Buble stays on top of his game by treating every performance as if it's his last.

Reforms we have to have

Joe Hockey

RESHAPING public spending must be at the heart of next year's agenda.

Australia on the road to world No 1

Australia on the road to world No 1

AUSTRALIA's aim to reclaim the world No 1 ranking will be two steps closer if it wins one of the remaining Ashes Tests.

Source for a fresh angle

Source for a fresh angle

ONE Sydney chef casts his seafood net wider than most.

Dumping 'least of SPC's woes'

SPC Ardmona

THE plight of fruit processor SPC Ardmona is due to a number of factors, the government's top economic advisory body has found.

Giant payday ahead for Telstra

Giant payday ahead for Telstra

TELSTRA is set for a $2 billion payday after the telco giant agreed to sell CSL, its Hong Kong mobiles business, for $US2.425 billion.

Festive escapes

Festive escapes

FROM last-minute summer specials to a wet-and-wild tour of Kakadu.