The Australian Football League (AFL) looks to put another year marred by doping scandal aside when the Hawthorn Hawks defend their title against the Sydney Swans in the season-ending Grand Final in Melbourne on Saturday.
The league’s hopes of drawing a line before the playoffs under a 19-month probe into the use of banned supplements were dashed by legal action and the fate of dozens of players charged by the national doping authority remains in limbo.
The Melbourne-based Essendon Bombers, one of the league’s oldest and influential clubs, were booted out of the playoffs last year, slapped with a record fine and saw their head coach suspended for 12 months.
But their shadowy supplements programme, administered to players in 2012, continues to overshadow Australia’s richest and most well-attended competition long after it first came to light in February 2013.
Essendon fought hard to have the probe deemed illegal and charges against 34 of their former and current players dropped, but their court action against the AFL and doping authorities was dismissed last week, paving the way for sanctions.
The saga is set to dog the AFL well into the off-season, and could have chaotic ramifications for Essendon and next year’s competition if the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority issues a rash of suspensions.
The controversy will nonetheless be put aside tomorrow, when an expected crowd of 100,000 packs the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch a keenly anticipated rematch of the 2012 Grand Final. Two years ago, Hawthorn were raging favourites to win their 11th premiership title, but succumbed in a tight 10-point loss, with poor kicking for goal costing them dearly.
The heartbreak spurred the brown-and-gold team to win last year’s title, downing Grand Final debutants Fremantle by 15 points.
In contrast to the two previous deciders, Hawthorn are the underdogs this year against a classy Sydney side that finished top of the table at the end of the regular season.
Where the Alastair Clarkson-coached Hawks staggered into the final on the back of a three-point win over fast-finishing Port Adelaide, the red-and-white Swans enjoyed a virtual training run in their 71-point semi-final win over North Melbourne.
Both finalists are tough, fast and boast talent across the park, but Sydney may have the edge if their mammoth forward line clicks.
All eyes will be on Lance Franklin, a power forward who played nine seasons for Hawthorn before crossing to Sydney this year.
Franklin remains close to the club that nurtured him, and particularly to former teammate Jarryd Roughead, but he was jeered by Hawthorn fans on his return to Melbourne during the regular season.
“It’s going to be a hostile environment, something that a lot of these [Sydney] boys have experienced already in 2012,” said Franklin, 27.
“There’s a lot of experience in the change rooms that has been there and done it, so we’ve got full confidence in ourselves that we can get the job done.”
Roughead, second only to Franklin in goals kicked this season and a worthy rival in size and strength, said there would be little love for his former teammate.
“We’re still going to be mates, but I suppose for two or three hours next week we probably won’t be mates,” he said.
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Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
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Racecard:
2.30pm: Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoun Emirates Breeders Society Challenge; Conditions (PA); Dh40,000; 1,600m
3pm: Handicap; Dh80,000; 1,800m
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Mile Prep Rated Conditions; Dh110,000; 1,600m
4pm: Handicap; Dh95,000; 1,950m
4.30pm: Maiden; Dh65,000; 1,400m
5pm: Handicap; Dh85,000; 1,200m
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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The%20specs
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RESULT
Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City: Jesus (9')
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
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Company%20Profile
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.