Latest news with #WesternUnited
7NEWS
23-07-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
The son of AFL great Byron Pickett lights up local league with amazing 20-goal haul
The son of AFL premiership hero Byron Pickett has bagged 20 goals in a staggering day out for his local club, Western United. Byron Pickett Jnr plays in the Western Eyre Football League in South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, and hit the magical 20-goal milestone in his team's 267-point belting of Thevenard Football Club on Saturday. Adding to the occasion, it was the league's Indigenous Round, and the Tigers were proudly wearing their club's Indigenous jumper. 'A special round to be a part of,' Pickett Jnr said on social media. Pickett Snr is of course an AFL great after having a distinguished career for North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and then Melbourne. He played 204 games and retired at the end of 2007, after appearing in premierships for North Melbourne (1999) and Port Adelaide (2004). In 1999 he was an All-Australian and his 2004 grand final performance resulted in a Norm Smith Medal and an inaugural AFL flag for Port Adelaide. But before his time in the AFL, Pickett Snr also played on the Eyre Peninsula. Pickett Jnr started this season in the Port Lincoln Football League, but in May he decided to transfer to Western United. It was a good decision, too, with the Tigers on track for a flag this year, sitting pretty on top of the ladder and undefeated after 10 games. Pickett Jnr is also starting to run in some hot form. In his second game for the club he slotted eight goals, then, a couple of games later, he bagged 10, and then, the following week. he kicked 14 against the Ceduna Blues. From his six games so far he's booted 56 goals and sits comfortably on top of the league's goalkicking ladder. To demonstrate Western United dominance this year, Pickett's teammates Tom Woods (31 goals), Zane Scripps (27 goals) and Harlee Chandler (25) are also sitting in the top five of the league's best goalkickers.
Japan Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
2 Japanese footballers in Australia accused of A-league match-fixing
Two Japanese footballers, including an Australian A-League player, have attended a pretrial procedure at a Melbourne court where they faced accusations of collaborating on betting fraud related to A-league matches, according to court documents. Riku Danzaki, a 25-year-old midfielder for Melbourne-based A-League club Western United, faces several charges, including allegedly deliberately receiving yellow cards during matches between April and May to manipulate betting outcomes, his charge sheet from the proceedings at the Magistrates Court of Victoria in Melbourne on Monday showed. Yuta Hirayama, 27, a student who plays for a local soccer team in Victoria and is a friend of Danzaki, was charged with using information about Danzaki's alleged plans to bet on the matches. The two men, who were accused of together winning at least AU$17,000 ($11,070) through the bets, did not enter formal pleas. They were arrested on May 30 and later released on bail. Danzaki joined Western United in Australian football's top division in 2023 after playing for Brisbane Roar in the league. He made his professional debut in 2019 for Consadole Sapporo, playing in the J-League first division, before stints with clubs including J2 outfit JEF United Chiba and Scottish side Motherwell. Hirayama played last season with the Bayside Argonauts after several years playing for clubs in Queensland, according to the Herald Sun newspaper. © KYODO
The Mainichi
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
2 Japanese footballers in Australia accused of A-league match-fixing
MELBOURNE (Kyodo) -- Two Japanese footballers, including an Australian A-League player, have attended a pretrial procedure at a Melbourne court where they faced accusations of collaborating on betting fraud related to A-league matches, according to court documents. Riku Danzaki, a 25-year-old midfielder for Melbourne-based A-League club Western United, faces several charges, including allegedly deliberately receiving yellow cards during matches between April and May to manipulate betting outcomes, his charge sheet from the proceedings at the Magistrates Court of Victoria in Melbourne on Monday showed. Yuta Hirayama, 27, a student who plays for a local soccer team in Victoria and is a friend of Danzaki, was charged with using information about Danzaki's alleged plans to bet on the matches. The two men, who were accused of together winning at least AU$17,000 ($11,070) through the bets, did not enter formal pleas. They were arrested on May 30 and later released on bail. Danzaki joined Western United in Australian football's top division in 2023 after playing for Brisbane Roar in the league. He made his professional debut in 2019 for Consadole Sapporo, playing in the J-League first division, before stints with clubs including J2 outfit JEF United Chiba and Scottish side Motherwell. Hirayama played last season with the Bayside Argonauts after several years playing for clubs in Queensland, according to the Herald Sun newspaper.
The Age
21-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Two Melbourne-based soccer players front court over match-fixing allegations
Two Melbourne-based soccer players have fronted court to face a raft of match-fixing charges amid allegations one of them deliberately elicited yellow cards to manipulate the outcome of online bets as part of an elaborate fraud scheme. Japanese-born Western United A-League midfielder Riku Danzaki has been charged with 10 offences, including allegations he deliberately received a yellow card during a match between Western United Football Club and Sydney Football Club on April 27 as part of an illegal betting ring. Danzaki, 25, whose contract was not extended by Western United at the end of the 2025 season, is also accused of attempting to profit from the scheme by placing a bet in an attempt to win thousands of dollars. He appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday where his lawyer asked for him to be considered for a diversion program to avoid criminal conviction. Among a spate of other charges, Danzaki is accused of entering into an 'agreement or arrangement' that 'corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome' with the intention of obtaining financial advantage or causing financial disadvantage in connection with betting for matches between April 26 and May 22 this year. Loading Danzaki's co-accused, Yuta Hirayama, a striker for the Bayside Argonauts, also appeared in court charged with 17 offences, including several counts of using corrupt conduct information for betting purposes and facilitating conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome. Charge sheet documents released by the Melbourne Magistrates' Court allege Hirayama knew that Danzaki would receive a yellow card during the April 27 match and used that information to place a $250 at Bet365 at odds of $6.50 to win $1375. Hirayama is accused of also possessing information that Danzaki would receive a yellow card during a match between Western United and Auckland Football Club on May 3. He then allegedly used that information to place several more bets, including a $213 bet with Bet365, where he made a profit of almost $1600.
News.com.au
21-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Riku Danzaki, Yuta Hirayama: Two Melbourne soccer players accused of betting fraud
An offer to resolve charges against a former A-League soccer player accused of betting corruption has been rejected by prosecutors, a court has been told. Riku Danzaki, 25, was arrested by police in late May amid an investigation into allegations of gambling corruption during the A-League season. The Japanese-born player, who played 49 games with Western United until his contract finished at the end of the last season, was charged with 10 offences including four counts of engaging in conduct that would corrupt a betting outcome, four counts of facilitating corrupt conduct and using corrupt conduct information for betting. At the time of his arrest, Victoria Police alleged four matches in April and May 2025 had been subject to 'player to be carded wagering manipulation'. Mr Danzaki appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday morning with the assistance of a Japanese interpreter as lawyer Lewis Winter asked the court for a three week adjournment. He did not enter a plea. Mr Winter told the court he'd put forward an offer to resolve the case with diversion, which allows some first-time accused people to avoid a criminal conviction by meeting conditions, and was awaiting a response from prosecutors. 'I would be seeking around three weeks,' he said. 'I am confident it would be considered by them.' Mr Danzaki's case was adjourned by Magistrate Tara Hartnett until August 13. But a few hours later, as a second soccer player accused of involvement in the alleged betting corruption, Yuta Hirayama, 27, appeared in court, a police prosecutor indicated diversion would not be accepted for Mr Danzaki. 'I've spoken to Mr Winter … diversion is not going to be on the table,' the prosecutor said. Mr Hirayama, who played last season with the Bayside Argonauts after several years playing for clubs in Queensland, was arrested the same day as Mr Danzaki on May 30. He was charged with 16 offences including 11 counts of using corrupt conduct information for betting purposes and four counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome. Lawyers acting for Mr Hirayama told the court the matter has been resolved with a plea however the case was stood down until the afternoon sitting. Mr Hirayama is expected to return to the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.
