52 NT NEWS. Saturday, January 29, 2011. www.ntnews.com.au PUB: NT NEWS DATE: 29-JAN-2011 PAGE: 52 COLOR: C M Y K STAND AS ONE WITH THE CA TECHNOLOGIES BRUMBIES AS THEY TAKE ON THE QUEENSLAND REDS IN A PRE-SEASON SUPER RUGBY TRIAL GAME. Date: 4 February 2011 Time: Main Game kick-off 7.40pm Venue: Austar Rugby Park, 71 Abala Road MARARRA NT Tickets: Darwin Entertainment Centre, 93 Mitchell Street Darwin, box office 08 8980 3333 or online at www.darwinentertainment.com.au Proudly sponsored by FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY KICK-OFF 7.40PM CAMPAIGN PARTNER - CRE8IVE 0111-10689_B SPORT l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ntnews.com.au AFL kicking goals for Qld THE AFL will donate 15 per cent of all gate takings from the opening week of NAB Cup action to the Queensland and Victorian flood appeals. But plans for a special All-Star or State-of-Origin match have been shelved because of scheduling difficulties. Instead, the AFL will contribute $3 for every adult ticket sold in a move aimed at raising another $500,000 for grass roots sporting clubs affected by the disaster. AFL players and clubs have already given $650,000. Dees pick Green as captain MELBOURNE has appointed its most experienced player Brad Green as the new captain of the AFL club. Green, 29, was the Demons’ best and fairest winner last season and has played 220 games and kicked 294 goals since making his debut in 2000. Melbourne named three vice-captains in Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers, with youngsters Nathan Jones and Jack Grimes also in the leadership group. Green said it was a huge honour. O’Brien signs with Pies COLLINGWOOD defender Harry O’Brien is hopeful fellow Pies Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury – who are being pursued by Greater Western Sydney – will soon follow him in extending their contracts. O’Brien yesterday signed a one-year extension. He is confident Swan and Pendlebury will also re-sign. ‘‘I think we all want to stay together and I think it’s only a matter of time before they put pen to paper so hopefully they’re not too far away,’’ OBrien said. High stakes for Pies game Clever Palmerston playmaker Kirsten Hunter returns from a hamstring injury for the clash with Darwin today By JESS WEBSTER One thing we need to make sure we don’t do is drop our intensity PALMERSTON boss Russell Jeffrey says his players have no excuses for a loss today against Darwin at Gardens Oval. Jeffrey concedes the Buffa- loes are a dangerous side but is confident the Pies can bounce back after a heart- breaking three-point loss to the Bombers last week. ‘‘It did deflate the boys. It was a painful loss, any close one is, and it was such an im- portant game,’’ he said. ‘‘But I can honestly say by Monday the boys had boun- ced back and they had start- ed to refocus on the Buffs game, so we certainly have no excuses this week. ‘‘On their day Darwin can certainly shake anybody and we’re no different. They took us to the cleaners a few weeks ago so we are very wary of them. ‘‘Mathematically we know we are still in the race. As far as we are concerned we’re definitely aiming to play finals still.’’ Palmerston sits four points behind fifth-placed Waratahs and will have to overcome the Buffaloes without the services of strong-marking forward Paul Wheatley, who bagged five goals against Tiwi last week. But clever playmaker Kirsten Hunter returns from a hamstring in- jury and with spearhead Dar- ren Ewing benefiting from some run into his legs, the Pies are hopeful of using the smaller oval at Gardens to their advantage. ‘‘We’ve been screaming out all year (for a strong forward target) and it’s been our Ac- hilles up forward but we feel as though we are fixing that,’’ Jeffrey said. ‘‘We have really been working on winning the hard ball before Christmas and we feel like it’s coming together, but one thing we need to make sure we don’t do is drop our intensity be- cause that’s been a winner for us.’’ Darryl White and Shaun Wilson — late withdrawals from the Buffs side against Districts — have been named in their squad along with Imam Muhklis. Eagles will ease back Roberts WANDERERS coach Paul Motlop wants clever forward Relton Ro- berts to work his way back into the Eagles lineup. The former AFL Tiger has been conspicuous by his absence from a Wanderers side aiming for a top-three finish and a serious tilt at the 2010-11 NTFL crown. Motlop, however, said the Ngukurr-born goalkicker was back at training and looking to help the club win its first senior flag since 1993. ‘‘We’re expecting Relton back in the senior side in a couple of weeks,’’ Motlop said. ‘‘Obviously, he’s an important player for us, but it’s also import- ant he earns his spot like every other player who has done the hard yards. ‘‘We’ve got a bit of depth now and Relton probably needs to get a bit of fitness back before we find a spot for him.’’ Motlop said a combination of wet and muddy grounds in the past month and some tough op- position had blunted his side’s ab- ility to move the ball quickly. ‘‘It’s been heavy going for us with the rain that’s been around and not being a big side, it hasn’t helped us. ‘‘We need a dry ground to play our best footy on but I guess you can say that about all the clubs.’’ Motlop is convinced this season’s Eagles can do some ma- jor damage in the finals. ‘‘We’re third, only percentage away from second and if we can beat Dis- tricts and Saints do the right thing by us against the Tiwis we’re right back in it,’’ he said. Wanderers go into tomorrow’s 4pm game at Gardens Oval with- out prolific ball winner James McNamee and tough defenders Tyler Dittloff and Nick Wark. The return of champion mid- fielder Shannon Motlop, Sturt’s Josh Cubillo and hard-running flanker Owen Henry will help off- set those losses. — GREY MORRIS Match is a family affair for Davey By GREY MORRIS MELBOURNE vice-captain Aaron Davey wants to make next week’s Indigenous All-Stars game a big family reunion. One of three vice-captains un- der new Demons skipper Brad Green, Davey will play his fourth All-Stars match in Alice Springs. But reuniting with younger brother Alwyn at Traeger Park in Alice Springs in a giant celebrat- ion of indigenous football is more important to the player they call Flash. ‘‘I haven’t played in the same side as Alwyn since 2003 when Palmerston lost a grand final to St Marys, so getting a handball from him will be a nice change,’’ the Demons star said. ‘‘Our mum will be there watch- ing us, which is even better, and I’m sure Alwyn will want to do well to make her happy and proud of us. ‘‘She is a very special lady, is our mum, and she has always been there for us over a lot of years.’’ Meanwhile, Davey and the AFL’s indigenous players will be engaged in a community camp in Sydney from tomorrow. The 30-man All-Stars squad for Alice Springs is expected to be named on Tuesday. ‘‘I’ve certainly put my hand up to play alongside all the other Aboriginal players at Mel- bourne,’’ Davey said. ‘‘Liam is in his home country in front of his Walpiri people and Aussie (Austin Wonaeamirri) will want to play for sure.’’ Port Adelaide and former Wan- derers forward Daniel Motlop will play an unprecedented fifth All-Stars game if he gets a jumper in Alice Springs.