Portfolio: Sarah Neill

Training photography, probably my favourite part of the job. Ben...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +1000

Training photography, probably my favourite part of the job.

Ben Hornby in Wollongong.

NRL Season Previews

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +1000

Season previews: Countdown 16-1

Published at OneHD.com.au

Interviews: Scott Prince and Laurie Daley Indigenous All-Stars,...

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:06:00 +1000

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Interviews: Scott Prince and Laurie Daley

Indigenous All-Stars, 2011

Photography: The Man in Black

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:18:30 +1000

Feature: Michael Gordon
Rugby League Player. October 2010.

Click on the thumbnails for full images.

Digital Dragon

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1000

A short video made on the road in London as part of an application for the role of Digital Comms Coordinator with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Best of Sydney 2010

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Alternative Media Best of Sydney Awards
City Hub. 19 August 2010
Contributor/reviewer food, entertainment, lifestyle.

Download the issue here.

Gorden Tallis

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:07:00 +1000

Feature: Gorden Tallis
Rugby League Player. August 2010.
Pages 64-65

Wise isn’t usually a word used to describe Gorden Tallis. But in his newest incarnation as a forwards coach for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, he’s surprisingly philosophical.

He’s been coached by the biggest names in Australian rugby league - “it’s like the Oscars of coaches,” he says -and now, in his second year at Redfern, Gordie’s starting to refine his own approach to motivating the most high profile forward pack in the NRL competition.

“Originally, I was there to just tell them a few home truths; it’s developed from there,” he explains.

Gordie has found that the key to the Rabbitohs pack is to tap into each player’s instinctive game.

“I’ve learnt that everybody’s different: you can’t treat every forward like Glen Lazarus or Petero Civoneciva or Cameron Smith. Every player is an individual and I try to embrace what they bring naturally.

“Say, someone like Sam Burgess has this natural ability, and every week you see his natural ability shine. But then you’ve got to take off the rough edges, like pass selection, the mixes, telling him ‘I wouldn’t have run then, I probably would’ve looked for a pass.’

“Someone like Luke Stuart is fantastic. He doesn’t need a lot of coaching. He’s so professional in the way he goes about his work, and then you get someone like Eddy Pettybourne, who’s just got so much enthusiasm; if you add all those three together it’s a really good mix.”

But even as he’s talking about nurturing ‘the individual’, there are still glimpses of Gordie the Raging Bull that footy fans remember from the field.

“It’s not rocket science, is it? Our game hasn’t changed a lot over 100 years, and the principles that made a good player in 1927 are the principles that make a really good player today. I try to break it down and make it as raw as possible.

“There’s got to be the fire burning in a player’s belly, because potential only gets you so far. The fittest and strongest will survive, and if the penny doesn’t drop for a player there’s nothing you can do.”

“It took Sam Thaiday a while to realise this. I played with him, then six years later all of a sudden he doesn’t smoke and he doesn’t drink as much and he’s the best forward in the competition.”

It’s a kind of hands on involvement with rugby league that Gorden Tallis - surprisingly - isn’t known for. According to Gordie, “pretty much the only thing we don’t do now is lace them up and send them out on the field.”

It’s also a direct reminder for him of the effect of media coverage on a young player.

“The pressure that they have to deal with in the media, well that’s where I can help them, cause I’ve been there. I’ve been that guy that had to try to live up to what they called the Raging Bull, and I had problems with it, too.

“I keep on telling them there are going to be a lot of bad articles when they play badly - and everyone’s going to have bad games - but they’re not the guys who said they’re Souths’ saviours.

“Burgess hasn’t said ‘I’m gonna take Souths to a grand final’, Dave Taylor hasn’t said it. He got roped into saying that we’ve got a good forward pack, and probably one of the best ones in the NRL, but mate, I’m glad that he said it. I’m glad that he believes it.”

Gordie talks about belief a lot, and passion. It’s how he chooses which jobs to take, and it’s the first thing he mentions about South Sydney owner, Russell Crowe.

“This team is his passion, and you can sense it. There’s a bloke who’s passionate about his game. He’s hands on, he’s not just a Hollywood owner who wants his name up in lights. I’m lucky to have met him.”

And if he’s not known as a philosopher, Gordie’s certainly not talked up for his community work. Alongside his promotional trips for Fosters, his cameos in the insanely catchy VB ads, and his regular gig on Foxsports, he’s been a staunch supporter of Max Employment and its programs for unemployed youth.

While it’s not a glamorous project, it’s still an expensive one.

But out of a $250,000 program run recently for 15 kids in Sydney’s Macquarie Fields, 13 passed and are now employed. “And that’s so rewarding, he says.

“Kids that are leaving school, troubled youth, I really like working with them. I didn’t complete school, I grew up in a housing commission, so maybe I relate to them a little bit.

“But there are no excuses in life. They had to listen to us, they had to exercise, they had to get some self-esteem up.”

The time he spends working for Max Employment is one on a list of reasons why he doesn’t plan to make any greater commitment to coaching just yet, at Souths or any other club. He prefers the variety.

And for the foreseeable future, the goal at Redfern is to undo the damage done by South Sydney’s controversial exit from the league and build the Rabbitohs into serious premiership contenders.

“When Souths are playing at their best, we can match it with any side in the competition. It’s our job to make sure that our day is every Sunday.”

KIERA STEWART AND SARAH NEILL

Raiders Young Guns

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Feature: Canberra’s Young Stars
Rugby League Player. August 2010.
Pages 80-81

Click through for the full article.

Women in League - SFX Sports

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Feature: Women in League
Rugby League Player. August 2010.
Page 42

Click through for the full article.

Terror Twins

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Feature: Mark Geyer and John Cartwright
Rugby League Player. August 2010.
Pages 24-25

Click through for the full article.

The Heart of the Game

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1000

The Heart of the Game
Rugby League’s One Community Women in League Newsletter
Contributor
Launched: 17 June 2010.

A unique online publication for women in league, profiling community work, grassroots football, rugby league superstars and women involved in all aspects of the game.

Subscribe to receive the monthly newsletter here.

ErrolTV: Postcards from Port Macquarie

Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Kiki and Sassy talk to Joel Thompson and Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and celebrate Sassy’s birthday at City vs Country week, 2010.

Read about it here.

ErrolTV: Welcome to Port Macquarie

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Kiki and Sassy talk to Todd Carney, Jamal Idris, John Cartwright and Ronnie Palmer at City vs Country week, 2010.

Read about it here.

ErrolTV: Easter Show Shenanigans

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1000

The first ever episode of ErrolTV, at the Royal Easter Show, 2010. Chats with Luke Priddis, Trent Waterhouse, Martin Kennedy, Rhys Wesser and Mario Fenech … and a special cameo from the people’s champion, Wendell Sailor.

Read about the day here.

Video: All-Stars and waterslides

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +1000

The NRL and Indigenous All-Stars hit waterworld
NRL / One Community
11 February 2010.

Click to watch the All-Stars and their fans cutting loose at White Water World on the Gold Coast.

Video: Players' Christmas Party 2009

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:41:00 +1000

Fun and games at the NRL Players’ Christmas Party
NRL / One Community
24 November 2009.

Click to watch Kiki and Sassy joining in at the NRL Players’ Christmas party at ANZ Stadium.

Video: One Community Awards 2009

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:33:00 +1000

Behind the scenes at the Museum of Contemporary Art
NRL / One Community
24 November 2009.

Click to watch the Kiki and Sassy video coverage of the 2009 One Community Awards.

2009: The Year in Review

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:11:00 +1000

Feature: The Year in Review, 2009
Rugby League Player Yearbook. November 2009.
Pages 64-65

ANOTHER STORM PREMIERSHIP. SHOULD WE BE SURPRISED?

Globo Gym are the most consistent team of the new milennium. They’re better than you … and they know it. Except, of course, for Brett Finch. He was on the embarassing end of an unceremonious breakup with Parramatta midway through the season. Let’s not lie: he was dumped for a younger (and prettier) man.

Winning a premiership and beating your trophy wife competition to get it has to be the sweetest thing any footy player can hope for. It’s a Brett Finch Fairytale! And the Brett Finch Fairytale topped off what was a year of scandal, redemption, glamour, footy babies and damn good footy.

THE SCANDAL

It’s virtually impossible to talk league in 2009 without talking league scandal: Jason Taylor and his kung fu escapades, Greg Inglis allegedly getting his punch on, Brett Stewart and the NRL’s showpiece ad going up in smoke, Nate Myles and Brad Fittler’s corridor shenanigans, the Sharks just being the Sharks. It’s all so … tired. It’s probably shorter to cover what didn’t happen off the field in league this year. For one thing, on behalf of Jarryd Hayne, we would like to remind you all that no one shot at him with any kind of firearm this year. More importantly, the 2009 NRL season was INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT FREE.

We’ll put it out there that any year when a sporting code doesn’t have an international fugitive leaving in the dead of night and avoiding process servers is a good year. Glass half full, kids!

The scandal in the last twelve months has also been nothing if not educational. At least 99% of the metropolitan population is now aware of what the word ‘defecate’ means. Add to that the intellectual challenges of the McIntyre System, and rugby league now leads the world’s football codes in Making People Smarter.

THE REDEMPTION

Approximately twelve months ago, Kiki had an awkward run-in with Anthony Watmough. She found herself unexpectedly standing next to him at a fancy event, lost for words. Her solution? “So … Watmough. Remember when you played Origin? And you were really good?” He was, frankly, unimpressed.

Fast forward twelve months and Watmough was carving up the Queenslanders in Origin 2 and 3, and awarded second-rower of the year at the Dally Ms. Redemption, they name is WATMOUGH. Anthony, you can thank Kiki for your Dally M later.

Coincidentally, Jarryd Hayne also had a little run-in that refocussed him, lifted his game, and helped him smash Dally M player of the year … only his was with Jesus, not one of us. Other than that, the situations were pretty much identical, don’t you think?

But our highlight was watching NSW grasp one last victory in the State of Origin series. Sure they may not have won the series, but they did make sure the maroons didn’t get their end-of-series tropical holiday, and at least two Queenslanders were punched in the face. We all know that’s what really counts.

THE GLAMOUR

By ‘glamour’, clearly we don’t mean glamour. League’s inherent wrongness is one of our favourite things. If anything unfortunate, embarassing, or ridiculous can happen, it will happen to our code.

When, in any other code, has a player like Terry Campese reacted tp a bad penalty by cracking it and taking aim with a football at dean Young’s head? Surely the greatest moment so far in T.Camps’ career. At least until we send him that certificate for being the biggest five-eighth in the NRL. More importantly, in what other sport would a high-profile playmaker like Mitchell Pearce sustain a surprise allergic reaction to medical supplies and have to play an 80 minute game on national television with a giant swollen head?

Where else would a player like Ben Hannant be outed by the commentary team for leaving the field with the runs? ATTENTION VIEWERS, PLEASE BET RESPONSIBLY. ALSO, BEN HANNANT HAS TAP-ARSE!

The second the swine flu news story broke in Australia, we nodded and agreed: somehow, at some point, it was inevitable an NRL player would contract it. Congratulations to Ben Hannant for also being the first man to get swine flu in the history of Aussie sport.

THE ROOKIES

Jamal Idris won rookie of the year, and is without doubt the most huggable man in the NRL, but surely Daniel Mortimer was robbed … surely. If being a brilliant half, coming from a family that is rugby league’s answer to the Kennedys, and having completely dreamy eyes doesn’t qualify you for recognition by the league fraternity, then we beg you, what does? We’re hoping the grand final loss will keep him humble enough not to follow the David Williams path and lost his damn mind, start doing cheesy photoshoots in New idea, or forget how to hold the ball.

Sassy nearly died of joy to finally see a Real Bondi Junior - Tom Symonds - run out on the field as a rookie for her beloved Chooks, but almost before we knew it he was carried off a few rounds later with a broken arm. Is it because eastern suburbs juniors are an offence against nature and ill-evolved to live? Is it because rangas have brittle, brittle bones and break easily? That moment hurt her just as much as losing the beautiful Craig Fitzgibbon, saying goodbye to everyone’s favourite sexy ranga, Shane Shackleton, or the rumours of match-fixing did.

Kiki’s much-loved Dragons were rookies at playing consistently brilliant football, until it actually mattered and they pissed it all away. She has already sent her therapy bill to Dragons HQ, c/o Uncle Wayne.

THE REASONS WE KEPT WATCHING

You know you loved it. We’ve always seen footy as a delightful soap opera, and it seems the punters enjoy it, too. Despite the histrionics, it was a record year for NRL audiences.

And why not? Trent Barrett hit Greg Inglis in the face and satisfied every NSW fan’s shameful bloodlust. Mat Rogers and the boys from the Titans discovered Twitter, and it was awesome. Robbie Farah squared up on the Cowboys’ Anthony Watts in a scrum and proved he’s not just a mama’s boy with an eponymous kebab and jerseys so tight they give him visible nipples. Oh, no. Robbie has visible nipples and a mean uppercut. It also helped that Wendell Sailor existed. His dancing in front of a disapproving Jamie Soward, his bringing back the post-try celebration, and his apology to the crowd when he was dakked: the man is a legend.

We love you Rugby League, never ever change. Well, maybe just a little.

KIKI STEWART AND SASSY NEILL

Savvy Chicks Dig Sport Too

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000

Australian Associated Press
9 October 2009
Published in the Townsville Bulletin

EVEN dual international Ellyse Perry admits sometimes she needs a little help with the rules.

A star player with the Australian women’s soccer and cricket teams, Perry says despite having a refereeing course under her belt, soccer’s offside rule still stumps her.

”Even for someone like myself who plays soccer, (offside) is a bit of a contentious rule,” Perry said.

”I think knowing the rules is a key thing to actually understanding the game that you are watching and that’s tied to your level of enjoyment.”

For those that want to avoid the ridicule of asking the difference between a scrum and a lineout, a new website is welcoming polished paws and is dedicated to unlocking the intricacies of Australia’s most popular sports.

The website sheknowstherules.com is designed to unite women and sport in style, providing informative and entertaining content for the budding and full-bloomed female sports fans, who are changing the face on the once male-dominated live sporting arena.

Australian women represent 48 per cent of all AFL spectators and are en masse joining the colourful crowds at the MCG and SCG each summer for the cricket.

”Female attendance rates are continually increasing and is now estimated at 30 per cent,” said Cricket Australia spokesman Mike McKenna, who along with South Sydney Rugby League and the ASP women’s surfing tour are sponsoring the site.

”We’re working hard to make our games as engaging for newcomers as they are for lifelong fans.”

The website explains the rules and strategies behind cricket, AFL, rugby, rugby league, surfing and soccer.

Perry helped launch the site recently and has signed on as a ‘Sassy sports’ blogger, along with two-time world champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore and WAGS, Hayley Kirk (wife of Sydney Swans co-captain Brett) and sports presenter Lee Furlong (girlfriend of cricketer Shane Watson).

There’s a significant girly edge to the site where firebrand self-confessed sports tragic bloggers, Sassy and Kikki, discuss not only the skill of St George Illawarra centre Matt Cooper - but also his physical attributes.

”We can say things like Matt Cooper is the best defensive centre in rugby league and he has thighs carved of granite and an amazing arse,” they said.

Site creator Amanda Stevens says research shows women want a ‘greater level of engagement with sport’.

”But their lack of understanding of the rules and match dynamics holds them back,” Stevens said.

Press: Maverick Media

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:50:00 +1000

Steve Mascord
Rugby League Week. 3 June 2009
Out of the Box: p. 34

MAVERICK MEDIA

Strike up another victory for drama and scandal.

This story was going to be a light-hearted look at two of Australia’s new alternative media outlets, two men and two women who worry more about giving us a laugh than avoiding offence and who cut through the artifice of our normal mainstream day-to-day footy coverage.

Not enough people know about them. Brett Oaten and Steve Ferris on FBi radio’s Fire Up like nothing more than a good off-field scandal to sink their near-libellous teeth into, while oherrol.com’s Sarah ‘Sassy’ Neill, Lozzy Maher and Kiera ‘Kiki’ James offer critiques on NRL players’ tackling styles, pecs, representative careers and backsides.

Click to read the full article.

STEVE MASCORD.