French men shine at Melbourne Park

Going through ... Richard Gasquet was too strong for Croatian Ivan Dodig. Source: Andrew Brownbill / AP

France have enjoyed a superb day at the Australian Open with Jeremy Chardy, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet all winning through to the fourth round.

Australian Open: Mens Singles

Round 3, 19/01/13

Del (6)	3	3	7	6	3
Cha	6	6	6	3	6

Chardy caused the biggest upset of the Australian Open so far, dispatching No.6 seed Juan Martin del Potro in an epic third-round match at Melbourne Park.

Chardy was exceptional in opening up a two-set lead on Saturday, before the Argentine fought back to win the next two.

But the world No.36 broke del Potro's serve in a tense final set to go 5-3 up, then served out the match 6-3 6-3 6-7 (7-3) 3-6 6-3 in three hours and 45 minutes on Hisense Arena.

"I don't know what to say - I am so happy. I played my best tennis today," a clearly surprised Chardy said after the match.

Australian Open: Mens Singles

Round 3, 19/01/13

Earlier, Tsonga was able to comfortably see off Slovenian Blaz Kavcic 6-2 6-1 6-4 in their third round clash.

He will meet countryman Gasquet in the fourth round, after the No.9 seed overcame an early scare from Croatian Ivan Dodig.

Dodig won the opening set, before the Frenchman blasted back to eventually win 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 in two hours, 25 minutes.

Playing in the third round of a grand slam for the first time, Dodig held a 3-1 advantage and break point in the second set before Gasquet launched his fightback.

All games went with serve in the third set, before Gasquet got the momentum to swing his way in the third set tie-break.

He then ran riot in the fourth set to secure a place in the next round.

No.21 seed Andreas Seppi beat Croatia's Marin Cilic in five sets, 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 2-6 6-4 6-2 to also advance to the fourth round

Catch up with all your Australian Open results here!

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Arthur hits out at critics on Twitter

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Forthright ... Arthur is sick of hearing criticism of the rotation policy. Source: William West / AAP

Australia cricket coach Mickey Arthur has taken to Twitter to hit back at critics following the national side's humiliation against Sri Lanka.

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The knives are very much out following the Aussies batsmen's capitulation on Friday, when they were bowled out for just 74 at the Gabba.

This once again raised questions about the controversial rotation policy - officially the "informed player management system" - that saw top batsmen Michael Clarke, David Warner and Matthew Wade miss the first two games of the ODI series.

After previously defending the much-talked-about policy in press conferences, South African Arthur thought he would go direct to the source on this occasion.

He started off by having a fair crack at the tendancy of some Aussie fans to focus on the negatives, before posting several tweets justifying the resting of certain players.

Arthur was also at pains to point out that Australia's policy is in line with much of the cricketing world, noting "our competitors manage their major players as well!"

He also retweeted a message sent to him which pointed out star England players Jonathan Trott, James Anderson and Graeme Swann aren't taking part in the one-day series in India at the moment.

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Djokovic downs veteran Stepanek

On track ... Djokovic continued his good form against Radek Stepanek. Source: William West / AAP

World No.1 Novak Djokovic has strolled into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a straight sets win over Czech veteran Radek Stepanek.

Australian Open: Mens Singles

Round 3, 18/01/13

Djo (1)	6	6	7
Ste (31)	4	3	5

The defending champion overcame the 31st seed 6-4 6-3 7-5.

Stepanek, 34, had a break point in the seventh game which was he was unable to convert and then didn't get another until the eighth game of the third set, such was the top seed's dominance.

It was an entertaining affair but Djokovic remained in control throughout.

The Serbian will play the winner of a third round clash between American Sam Querrey and Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.

---

Catch all the Australian Open results here!

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Lance's sorry, laughable effort

Insincere ... did Armstrong's confession satisfy you? Source: George Burns / AAP

Insincere, evasive and self-serving.

Lance Armstrong's gamble to take the road to redemption via an Oprah Winfrey interview rather than through a recognised anti-doping authority was always fraught with danger.

While admitting - without requisite detail - to using performance-enhancing drugs, chronic lying and bullying, Armstrong was frugal with crucial information.

Bizarrely passing himself off as anything but the ringleader of an operation condemned as the most sophisticated in the history of sports, Armstrong attempted the soft sell.

It was laughable. And pathetic.

Armstrong's ploy of confessing to being a long-term fraud - an indisputable status based on US Anti-Doping Agency testimony - but avoiding nastier personal allegations was signature behaviour.

When in doubt, attack. Take the high moral ground, where there is none.

A massive online commentariat monitoring Winfrey's so-so inquistion exploded with rage over the holes Armstrong was allowed to amble through.

It was classic Armstrong manipulation.

He contrived a victim mentality to Winfrey's questioning, attributing his own viciousness to an impoverished childhood.

He shaped to justify drug use - testosterone in particular - as a salve to his ordeal with testicular cancer.

He challenged irony by describing himself as lacking credibility, admitting to constantly lying - yet wanting to be the "first man in the door" at a truth and reconciliation meeting.

Please.

And he poured chilling light on his shockingly insensitive dealings with Betsy Andreu and Emma O'Reilly, apparently aloof to their scarring from his vilification.

When Armstrong apologised for the damage he has caused to cycling, aspiring Olympians everywhere would have recoiled in horror.

There was a single, and constant, refrain in everything Armstrong uttered to Winfrey.

He is sorry only because he got caught.

He is not sorry about deep-seated damage he has wreaked.

Armstrong's enemies aren't in the least bit surprised by his latest performance.

He has always been a control freak and, by throwing himself on Winfrey's bountiful mercies, he was subjecting himself to nothing more testing than the equivalent of a cold shower.

After decades of lying and cheating to becoming the world's most famous athlete, Armstrong has not yet mastered two things.

He still is not comfortable with the truth, if ever knew what that is. And he remains a moral invertebrate, incapable of deciphering right from wrong.

If nothing else, the Winfrey interview showed that Armstrong is an unreconstructed thug.

He had the chance to do the just thing by co-operating with USADA last year.

But, as with virtually everything in his flawed existence, Armstrong opted to gamble.

He has lost badly - and, judging by the landslide weight of opinion against him in the Twitterverse - few people are crying over his demise.

Part two of Oprah's interview with Armstrong will be shown live in Australia on the Discovery Channel on Foxtel Saturday at 1PM AEDT. 

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'Bailey flipping burgers without us'

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George Bailey .. .Channel Nine have hit back at criticism from the stand-in skipper. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

Without the Nine Network's heavy financial commitment to Australian cricket, George Bailey might find himself "flipping burgers" for a living.

That's the view of Nine's executive producer of cricket Brad McNamara, who sent down a bouncer of his own on Thursday following Bailey's attack on Nine a week earlier.

Stand-in skipper Bailey will hand back the captaincy to Michael Clarke for Friday's third one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Gabba.

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Australia's selectors chose to rest Clarke, David Warner and Matthew Wade from the opening two games, prompting criticism from Nine's director of sport Steve Crawley.

Bailey hit back on the eve of last Friday's opening game in Melbourne by accusing Nine of making a tactical move to try to talk down one-day cricket during TV-rights negotiations.

Crawley's concern over Warner's non-selection was revealed in a News Limited newspaper story last week which was headlined "our B-grade boys".

Nowhere has Channel Nine ever talked the one-day game down, nowhere have we ever said this is a 'B team','' McNamara told Sky Sports Radio on Thursday.

"It's rubbish and George should stick to playing cricket and leave (television) rights to the people who know what they're talking about.

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"I reckon he's got his hands full as it is.

"He needs to concentrate on staying in the side.

"And he needs to understand where his money's coming from.

"Without the TV rights deal, George is probably working in a coalmine or flipping burgers at McDonald's."

McNamara's comment about Bailey's battle to stay in the side is a bizarre statement. The 30-year-old Tasmanian is averaging 57.50 in the Sri Lanka series after scores of 89 and 26 and has a career average of 42.76 in 15 matches.

McNamara says Nine's ratings have been good for the first two matches in a five-game series that stands at 1-1.

"All this talk about the death of one-day cricket, it's not coming from us," McNamara said.

"Given we were lacking star quality, we were very happy with those figures."

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Henriques may have broken finger

In doubt... Moises Henriques grimaces as he puts his hand in ice. Source: DAVE HUNT / AAP

Australian allrounder Moises Henriques is undergoing X-rays on a finger injury that threatens to delay his long-awaited return to international cricket.

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The Australian team hold fears Henriques may have broken the index finger on his right hand after being struck while batting in the Gabba nets on Thursday, a day after picking up a knock while bowling.

Captain Michael Clarke said it would be a massive disappointment for the 25-year-old to miss Friday's one-day clash with Sri Lanka after three years in the international wilderness.

"He's certainly got his fingers crossed and hoping the scan comes back clear, as we all are, because I know he's looking forward to his opportunity," he said.

"He got hit yesterday when bowling. I actually straight drove one back and he got his finger on it so it was a little bit sore but fine.

"Then while batting in the nets today he got hit again."

The injury opens the door for Queensland paceman Ben Cutting to regain his place in the side and play in front of his home crowd.

Cutting had been cut after Sunday's eight-wicket loss in Adelaide but was put on stand-by for quicks Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc following his good form for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL.

Clarke said Cutting, also due to play for the Heat in Saturday night's BBL final in Perth, was vying with off-spinning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to play if Henriques was ruled out.

Clarke will bat at No.3 in his return from a two-match rest to recover from a hamstring strain while wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will line up at No.6.
 
Australia (likely): Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Phil Hughes, George Bailey, David Hussey, Matthew Wade, Moises Henriques or Ben Cutting, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty.

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Stosur crumbles at Aussie Open

Crumbled ... Stosur had control of the third set but couldn't finish the job. Source: News Limited

Samantha Stosur has suffered more Australian Open heartache, collapsing to a dramatic second-round loss to China's former semi-finalist Zheng Jie.

Stosur blew a 5-2 third-set lead to succumb 6-4 1-6 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.

The shattering defeat continued Stosur's horror run at her home grand slam, the 2011 US Open champion having never ventured beyond the fourth round in 11 visits to Melbourne.

Stosur appeared to have the match in the bag only to twice falter while trying to serve it out and then dropping serve for a third consecutive time to hand the world No.40 victory after two hours and 42 minutes.

The odds were stacked against Stosur when she dropped the opening set after 54 minutes.

The Queenslander had won only six grand slam matches from 37 tries after losing the first set and also fell victim to Zheng last week in Sydney.

But the local hope gritted her teeth to force a third set and raise hopes of a rare comeback win.

Alas, Zheng reeled off five straight games to snatch victory and set up a third-round clash on Friday with No. 18 seed Julia Goerges.

Zheng, also a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, struck the first blow of the match on Wednesday, unleashing a brilliant backhand pass and deadly forehand return winner to break Stosur for 4-3 in the first set.

But Stosur rifled one of her signature off-forehand winners to break back immediately for 4-4.

But, Stosur's famed kick serve deserted her in the next game as she coughed up three double-faults and then dragged a forehand wide to gift Zheng a decisive second break.

In a dramatic 12-minute game, Stosur fought off seven set points - the sixth one after winning the rally of the match with a broken string - only to frame a forehand volley to hand Zheng the opening set after 54 minutes.

Zheng sought a medical time-out to have treatment for her right knee, but it didn't seem to hinder her as she continued to work Stosur from side to side at the start of the second set.

Stosur had to stave off two more break points to hold her opening service game in the second set as her backhand continually failed her.

The No.9 seed had her booming forehand to thank for gaining a foothold in the match, Stosur jumping into successive service returns to break Jie for 3-1.

She claimed a double break to charge ahead to 5-1 and comfortably served out the set to love to be back on level terms.

Double-faults dogged both players early in the deciding set as the pair traded breaks.

In what looked to be the turning point of the match, Stosur fended off four more break points to hold from love-40 down and skip 3-1 ahead.

Stosur squandered an identical scoreline against Zheng last week and, even after she claimed the security of a double break for 5-2, she did so again.

In a devastating finish, Stosur gifted Zheng the match with her ninth double fault.

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Griffiths ready to stamp his mark

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Joel Griffiths ... is primed for his long-awaited Sydney FC debut. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited

Sydney FC recruit Joel Griffiths says the two weeks he's spent waiting for the A-League's contentious transfer window to open could be a blessing in disguise.

Most football leagues open their mid-season transfer windows on January 1, but the A-League's is delayed until January 14.

The situation left Sydney FC coach Frank Farina fuming as new signing Griffiths - a much-needed boost in attack - remained ineligible to play until this week after signing a one and a half year deal with the Sky Blues last month.

The 33-year-old finished up with Chinese giants Shanghai Shenhua in December and has watched the past two Sky Blues' clashes from the sidelines.

Griffiths, a former A-League player of the year with the Newcastle Jets, will make his Sydney FC debut against last-placed Wellington at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

"Honestly, it might have been a blessing in disguise after the Christmas period where you eat and drink the wrong food for a sportsman," Griffiths said.

"But I've trimmed myself down now and I'm in good shape so I'm ready to go."

Sydney snatched a dramatic last-minute 2-1 win over Melbourne Heart last Saturday to lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder.

The Sky Blues are ninth but only two points behind sixth-placed Perth who host Melbourne Victory on Saturday night.

A win against Wellington could lift Sydney FC into the top six.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge with this team," Griffiths said.

"If we get some sort of rhythm and some sort of winning mentality, then I'm sure we'll push ourselves into the finals."

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Aussies Saville, Smith bundled out

Knocked out ... beating Go Soedo was a stretch too far for Luke Saville. Source: David Crosling / AAP

Australian Open teenage wildcard Luke Saville's tournament has ended in disappointment with a first round loss to Japan's Go Soeda.

Saville joined the growing list of local losers with a 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-2 6-3 loss to world No.73 Soeda.

FROM 11.00AM AEDT
 
HISENSE ARENA
 
1 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [10] v Sabine LISICKI (GER)
2 Serena Williams (USA) [3] vs Edina GALLOVITS-HALL (ROU)
3 Jo-Wilfried TSONGA (FRA) [7] v Michael LLODRA (FRA)   
 
MARGARET COURT ARENA
 
Marinko MATOSEVIC (AUS) v Marin CILIC (CRO) [12]  
 
NOT BEFORE 7.00PM AEDT
 
MARGARET COURT ARENA
 
Gael MONFILS (FRA) vs Alexand DOLGOPOLOV (UKR) [18]

Watch the Australian Open LIVE on Fox Sports 3HD and Fox Sports 3.

Earlier on day two fellow Queenslander John-Patrick Smith succumbed to Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-4 6-1 6-4.

Saville, who last year won the Australian Open junior boys tournament, is ranked 349 in the world with this tournament marking his grand slam singles debut.

In contrast Soeda, 28, has been on the tour for 10 years and was ranked as high as 43 in the world last year.

The 18-year-old former junior world No.1 Saville started strongly and was up 5-2 in the first set before being forced into a tie-break which he took 7-4.

Soeda started to dominate in the second and third sets, when Saville was forced to call for the trainer, appearing to suffer cramps in his thighs.

He got an early break in the fourth set and led 2-0 before the Japanese journeyman lifted to over-run him 6-4 to take the match.

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23-year-old Smith was schooled by Sousa in their first round clash.

Smith has taken a different route in his quest to become a professional tennis player, completing a degree in economics while on a four-year tennis scholarship at the University of Tennessee, which he finished in 2011.

If things don't work out on the world tour, he's considering working on Wall Street.

American world No.13 John Isner is another product of the college system, with Smith looking to him as a role model.

While his education will give him an advantage post-tennis, Smith says his on-court smarts are lagging.
Sousa, who is also 23, turned pro back in 2005.

"My pathway's a little different but I wouldn't change anything for the world," Smith said.

"I learnt a lot of great people and have developed a lot and I'm still young.

"Right now I'm lacking the experience of those top guys because he (Sousa) was the first top 100 guy I've ever played."

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Serena under injury cloud after win

Ouch ... Williams went down with the ankle injury early in the match. Source: Mark Dadswell / News Limited

Serena Williams admitted she was close to panicking after rolling her ankle in her crushing Australian Open first round victory.

Serena Williams (USA) bt Edina Gallovits-Hall (ROU) 6-0 6-0
 

Victoria Azarenka (BEL) bt Monica Niculescu (ROU) 6-1 6-4

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Sabine Lisicki (GER) 2-6 6-3 6-3.

Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 7-6(5) 6-2.

Maria Kirilenko (RUS) bt Vania King (USA) 6-4 6-2.

Carla Suarez (ESP) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-4 6-4.

Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) bt 12-Nadia Petrova (RUS) 6-2 6-0.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Lourdes Dominguez (ESP) 6-2 6-1.

Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Rebecca Marino (CAN) 6-3 6-0

Varvara Lepchenko (USA) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-4 6-1

Shahar Peer (ISR) bt Alexandra Panova (RUS) 6-4 1-6 6-3

Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt WC-Caroline Garcia (FRA) 3-6 6-3 6-1.

The third seed and former winner stumbled and fell during the first set against Edina Gallovits-Hall but recovered to thrash the Romanian 6-0 6-0.

She admitted she was uncertain of the state of the injury which was almost identical to the one which forced her withdrawal from last year's Brisbane International.

"I think I was really, really close to panicking because a very similar thing happened to me last year, almost on the same side, the same shot," Williams said.

"So I almost panicked, and I thought, I can't do that. I just have to really remain calm and think things through.''

Despite taking an injury timeout while ahead 4-0 in the first set, Williams returned to complete the emphatic win, but her movement was kept to a minimum.

She may have scans to see if there is any structural damage but is hoping for the best.

"That's definitely optional. I'm going to play it by ear," she said. "I would love to see the next few hours how I go, and then I'm going to decide what to do next at that stage."

"Obviously there's pain, obviously there's swelling. So it's going to be really important to see how the next few hours unfold."

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"You know, I have a day. I have a day to work on it."

The 31-year-old said she would have to work mentally as well as undergo physical rehabilitation over the next 24 hours.

"I feel like with my experience, I feel like I've gone through a lot, and that I just have to mentally adapt," she said.
"I've been able to mentally adapt to a lot of things.

"It will be a good challenge and almost a good game for me to mentally adapt to this.

In some ways, she said she would rather not know the extent of the problem.

"I know one year I won this tournament and had two bone bruises in both knees," she said. "I had no idea. I just knew I was in pain.

"I think sometimes what you don't know cannot hurt you."

Defending champion Victoria Azarenka beat Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-1 6-4 after a shaky second set.

"I started well but I struggled a little in the second set,'' Azarenka said. "But I'm glad I'm still winning."

Earlier Danish star Caroline Wozniacki overcame a wildly erratic Sabine Lisicki to squeeze into the second round.

The former world No.1 and 10th seed was baffled by Lisicki's high-risk game before finally winning 2-6 6-3 6-3.

Lisicki managed to hit 33 more winners than the Dane - but was hobbled by her unforced errors - 57 compared to eight.

Meanwhile, Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm rolled back the years to pull of a major upset.

The 42-year-old crushed 12th seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 6-2 6-0 in just over an hour, to become the oldest woman in professional tennis to win a singles match at the Australian Open.

Italian seventh seed Sara Errani's Open campaign also ended quickly as she was sent home after a 6-4 6-4 loss to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.

Russia's Maria Kirilenko, seeded 14th, managed to keep the draw on an even keel when she defeated American Vania King in straight sets while eighth seed Petra Kvitova beat Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4 6-2.

14.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Coolen suing Reds for $2.2 million

Damages ... Coolen is seeking $2.2 million after his inglorious exit at the end of 2011. Source: News Limited

Former Adelaide United coach Rini Coolen is suing the A-League club for $2.2 million after his sacking as head coach in December, 2011.

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Dutch-born Coolen's demands were outlined at the opening of a trial in the South Australian District Court on Monday and include almost $1.3 million to pay out the three-and-a-half years he had left on his contract.

He also wants $105,000 for the loss of a car he was given to use, $107,000 for the loss of potential bonuses and several hundred thousand dollars for exemplary damages.

In his first year at Adelaide United Coolen took the Reds from bottom to third place in the A-League and then negotiated a new four-year deal.

But after a string of poor performances, including just two wins and six losses from 11 games the following season, he was relegated to the role of youth coach, which he rejected.

Mark Douglas, for Coolen, told the court that during his client's contract negotiations he had been assured that the board of Adelaide United were "not the type of people who lose six games and then try to execute the coach".

But he said they had done exactly that and what had followed was a string of episodes of "back peddling" as the club tried to "rid themselves of Mr Coolen by any means available".

"What Mr Coolen has suffered is the fate of a man living without income in a country that is not his own," Douglas said.

Douglas said as well as the damages Coolen was looking to the case to provide clarity and to vindicate the position he took, which could have significant implications on his future employment prospects.

Because of the impending litigation Coolen had also been denied the opportunity to tell his side of the story.

The trial is continuing and will include a cross claim by Adelaide United that Coolen had overstated his level of skills and experience.

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Hussey ready to put axing behind him

Michael Hussey ... has played his last game in Australia's one-day colours. Source: Rob Griffith / AP

In-form batsman Mike Hussey says he understands why he was dumped from Australia's one-day team, but is still disappointed by the decision.

Hussey, who announced his Test retirement earlier this month, was keen to play in the home one-day series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies before stepping down from international ranks altogether.

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But with national selectors already sizing up candidates for the 2015 World Cup, Hussey was told his services were no longer required, despite the 37-year-old plundering 527 runs at an average of 75.3 in his six Tests this summer.

Hussey was sorely missed in Australia's eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

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But Hussey's axing is good news for the Perth Scorchers, who will welcome back the star veteran with open arms for Wednesday night's Twenty20 semi-final showdown against the Melbourne Stars at the WACA Ground.

"I'm disappointed not to be playing in the one-dayers because that was my plan," Hussey said on Monday.

"I love one-day cricket. That's where I got my opportunity to play for Australia, so I definitely wanted to play.

"But I understand what the selectors are trying to do.

"They're trying to build for the 2015 World Cup and I'll get over it I guess.

"I just want to come in and do whatever role the Scorchers need me to do. I don't want any other agendas."

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Hussey's inclusion creates an awkward situation for Scorchers coach Justin Langer, who must now decide which player to drop from his in-form squad.

Former skipper Marcus North, who made way for Hussey in the opening game of the season, could be the unlucky one to miss out.

However, with Hussey a slim chance to take on the wicketkeeping duties, gloveman Tom Triffitt also faces a nervous wait.

The Stars skittled the Scorchers for 69 when the teams met last month, with Stars paceman Lasith Malinga (6-7) the destroyer.

But with Malinga on duty with Sri Lanka's one-day squad, the Shane Warne-led Stars will need to find other avenues to get the job done on enemy territory.

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NHL lockout officially over

Play ... A shortened NHL season will resume on January 19. Source: Al Bello / AFP

The NHL's four-month lockout finally ended on Saturday following another tough negotiation that nearly delayed training camps even longer.

The league and the players' association completed a required memorandum of understanding that had to be signed before training camps were cleared to open. That will happen on Sunday with a 48-game regular season to begin on January 19.

The signing of the memo also paved the way for the NHL to release the long-awaited revised schedule.

Twenty-six of the 30 teams will play on opening day. All games during the season will be played within the two respective conferences.

In all, 720 games will be played over a 99-day regular season. There will be at least one game on each day of the season, that will end on April 27.

The playoffs will begin on April 30. The latest the Stanley Cup finals will end is June 28.

Teams will play 18 games within their division: four games (two home and two away) against two of the teams in the division, five games (three home and two away) against another team in the division, and five games (two home and three away) against the remaining divisional opponent.

To complete the 720-game schedule, clubs will play three games against each of the 10 remaining non-divisional opponents in their conference.

Outside the division, a team will face five clubs twice at home and once away, and play once at home and twice on the road against the other five teams.

It took another lengthy negotiation to end the four-month lockout. The sides worked on the final deal all week, after a tentative deal was reached last Sunday morning - the 113th day of the lockout.

The NHL hoped to open camps on Sunday, and that prospect seemed in jeopardy on Saturday until the document was signed at 10pm eastern US time.

The new deal is for 10 years, but either side can opt out of it after eight. The previous agreement was in effect for seven seasons.

While this negotiation was long, the sides were able to rescue at least part of the season. The NHL also played a 48-game campaign following a lockout in the 1994-95 season.

The 2004-05 was completely cancelled because of a lockout. This one forced the cancellation of 510 regular-season games, the Winter Classic and the All-Star game.

No preseason games will be played in the seven days before the regular season gets underway.

14.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Late night lands Lake in trouble

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Trouble ... Brian Lake fined for public drunkedness in Sorrento. Source: Nicole Garmston / News Limited

Hawthorn star Brian Lake's drunken antics have landed him in trouble with the police and his club.

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The former Western Bulldogs defender was fined $563 for being drunk in a public place outside a pub in Sorrento.

He was leaving the pub with his wife when the pair were arrested at 10.10pm and thrown in the slammer for four hours.

The pair had been at the Portsea Polo during the day.

In a statement the club said: "The club considers Lake's conduct to be unprofessional and he will be required to address the leadership group."

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police arrested a 30-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both from Caroline Springs, on the Point Nepean Highway.

Lake, 30, was traded to the Hawks in a bold move to help Alastair Clarkson's side jag another premiership with their current squad.

The 197-game veteran joins an extraordinary list of players traded during the off-season who have found trouble with alcohol before playing a game with their new clubs.

New Tiger Aaron Edwards was locked up after a boozy day just 24 hours after North Melbourne traded him.

Former Demons Ricky Petterd (now at Richmond) and Jared Rivers (Geelong) were also scrutinised after they were pictured drinking heavily on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

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