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News.com.au
7 minutes ago
- News.com.au
AFL Rising Star Round 21: Gold Coast Suns key forward Ethan Read on Nick Riewoldt comparisons
Tagged with the unenviable title of 'Unicorn' before he had played a single senior game, Gold Coast key forward Ethan Read says it has nevertheless been hard work and hunger which has earned him a regular place in the Suns' best-23 this season. The 20-year-old Palm Beach Currumbin product capped a strong month of consistent form by booting 2.2 and clunking nine marks in the Suns' rout of Richmond at the weekend, earning him the AFL Rising Star nomination for Round 21. Read's cameo offered another glimpse into a not-too-distant future in which the 202cm spearhead, who also boasts the 10th-fastest 2km time trial (5m56s) in AFL combine history, harnesses his raw athleticism to become one of the game's most versatile threats. 'It feels good to obviously get a bit of recognition,' Read said on Monday of his Rising Star nomination. 'I've put in a mountain of work over the past 6-8 weeks so to get that recognition is always good.' The AFL world is often impatient when it comes to players harnessing their potential and Read says he still has plenty of growth left to come. But with a checklist of improvements in his back pocket and a coaching staff that sees greatness within him, the Suns Academy graduate has made giant strides since joining the club as the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft. Since the start of last season Read has packed on more than 15kg to his two-metre frame while still retaining an elite running ability perhaps not seen from a key forward since St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt. 'Coming into the AFL there is a different level of physicality and I've gone to work on that … trying to stand up against these more physical defenders, that is one of the main things I need to focus on and I think I'm getting better at that every week,' he said. 'I think as much as I can use my strengths to my advantage it will only pay off. He (Riewoldt) is obviously a very good player and was for so long. He is someone I try to model my game off. Just outworking my opponent, grinding them down slowly. 'I definitely think my goal kicking needs a bit of work … I've been a bit inaccurate in front of goal this year (15.16) and that is something I'm working on.' Before the Suns settled on Read as a key forward there was a genuine belief he could play just about any key position on the ground, such was his versatility. Although he was considered the top ruck prospect in the 2023 draft class, the Suns were already well-stocked in that area with Jarrod Witts and Ned Moyle. But with coach Damien Hardwick preferring to play just one out-and-out ruckman, the onus has often fallen to Read to spell Witts when the Suns' incumbent tap artist is taking a breather. The two gentle giants have formed a close bond over the past two years, helped by the fact they live around the corner from each other. Read said the two catch up after every game to reflect and just talk about life. 'It's a little ritual we have that I love,' he said. 'Since (Witts) stepped down from the captaincy I think he has loved seeing the younger boys develop and he has taken us under his wing. It's something I know he enjoys. 'He helps me with footy but (also) … how to be a good person. He's a good father figure for me. He's a very good person and I love hanging around him.'
News.com.au
30 minutes ago
- News.com.au
WATCH AFL Round 21 Review: Flag Crows & Grundy Record
The AFL Today Show is here for all your Round 21 needs, wrapping up every single game with stats, banter and insights as Adelaide move to the top of the ladder with a huge win over Hawthorn and Jezza moves closer to the ton, with Geelong feeding him the ball at all opportunities! The show panel also go through all the biggest questions after Round 21, with finals, records and debates all covered! Can Adelaide win the Premiership in 2025? Is Brodie Grundy in career best form? Will Hawthorn miss the finals from here? Which young tall forward is the best right now? Would you rather the Daicos or Ashcroft brothers? Did Collingwood peak too early in the season? Can Fremantle continue to win close games? The panel chat about the biggest AFL news, amazing moments, huge match-ups, plus highlighting the biggest & best moments, led by young star forward Logan Morris & if Port Adelaide have a wasted season after another incredible round of footy! Finals is discussed with the Bulldogs strong percentage are the Hawks and Giants the biggest chances to miss the eight and what is a pass mark for sides from here? Get around the AFL Today Show with panelists Liam McAllion, Marcus Bazzano & Leo Mullaly as they talk out all things footy for the 2025 AFL season! FOLLOW AFL TODAY SHOW CONTENT The AFL Today Show is your ultimate footy companion, covering every single team equally and in depth! We break down each game and round of the 2025 season with three shows a week, expert tips, social posts galore, in-depth analysis, debates, interviews with players and top journalists, as well as plenty of banter—chatting about all the things that make AFL great!
News.com.au
30 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Co-drivers will again be allowed to start of the Bathurst 1000 as controversial rule change scrapped
Co-drivers will again be allowed to take the keys for the start of the Bathurst 1000 this year in a boost to team strategy with Supercars officially ditching a controversial rule change for this year's endurance races. In a move which will bring more tactics into play for the Great Race, the rule which dictated primary drivers must start the endurance races has been scratched. The contentious rule was introduced in 2024 to make sure that the sport's biggest stars were behind the wheel for the opening to the marquee race of the season. But the change was not widely welcomed among the teams, who felt it restricted their race strategy for the 1000km classic at Mount Panorama. In a bid to shake-up the start to the endurance races this year, Supercars had initially weighed up a proposal where the top 10 cars would have to start with the driver who took part in the Saturday shootout, while the rest of the field from 11th onwards on the grid would be free to choose which starting driver they wanted. But there will now be no restrictions on teams' choice of starting driver for the endurance season, which kicks off at the South Australian track from September 12-14. Many teams had previously chosen to start with their co-drivers in a bid to get their minimum quota of laps completed early in the race before handing over to the primary driver. The issue of co-drivers starting the race came under the spotlight following the 2022 edition of the Bathurst 1000 amid carnage in a chaotic start to the race. But teams will now have the option to start either driver for this year's endurance races at Tailem Bend and Mount Panorama. The rule stating 'primary drivers must start the race' has been deleted from the regulations for the Tailem Bend endurance race, which will go out to teams this week and it will also be removed from the Bathurst regulations. The Enduro Cup will be the second leg of Supercars new-look three-part championship season, which will award its Sprint Cup winner at the Ipswich round this weekend. Triple Eight young gun Broc Feeney leads the championship and Sprint Cup standings by 220 points ahead of his teammate Will Brown. The championship leader at the end of this weekend's final sprint round in Ipswich will win the Sprint Cup and automatic entry to the inaugural Supercars finals, which start on the Gold Coast in late October.
