Lynn's secret weapon: a titanium box

Chris Lynn's titanium box looks like a sturdy piece of work. Source: Supplied

CHRIS Lynn has become the Brisbane Heat's Man of Steel.

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Well, Man of Titanium to be precise.

The Heat batsman was in excruciating pain for most of last season after being forced to undergo complex testicle surgery when he was struck a sickening blow by a Doug Bollinger delivery.

Lynn, who was at one stage concerned about his long-term prospects of becoming a father, has been taking no chances with his precious "crown jewels" ahead of his return to big-time cricket.

Rather than wearing a traditional plastic cricket box, Lynn has purchased a titanium box off the internet and is wearing it into battle in the Heat's Champions League T20 campaign in India.

It might not create quite the same stir as when Dennis Lillee walked onto the WACA brandishing an aluminium bat in an Ashes Test in 1979, but Lynn is hoping it will save him from watery eyes and more pain in the future.

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Click here to read Ben Dorries' full preview of Brisbane Heat's Champions League T20 campaign.

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It has already survived its first big test when Lynn was recently whacked a blow in the groin while batting in the nets, yet he hardly felt a thing and the titanium box emerged unscathed.

"I have changed my box and I got a titanium one off the net - they are about $30 and it is probably the best $30 I have ever spent," Lynn told The Courier-Mail.

"I recommend everyone should have one ... the titanium is as light as ever and as comfortable as ever.

"I got hit wearing it in the nets recently and the guy was bowling a decent pace and it didn't faze me too much.

"Last season I was totally wrecked, I was in a world of hurt and it was a struggle to get through each day to be honest."

Lynn, 23, is regarded as one of Australia's brightest young batting prospects but has never quite been able to bridge the gap between potential and performance.

But that was hardly his fault last season as his injury kept him from the playing field, and he also didn't have a competitive hit-out in the off-season as he recovered from surgery.

"I just went for a surf, went to the pub on a Friday afternoon, had a bet on Saturday and put the feet up on a Sunday, just the sort of thing that young fellas do," Lynn said.

With the Heat kicking off their Champions League campaign against Trinidad and Tobago in Ranchi on Sunday night, the big-hitting Lynn knows he will have to have a bumper tournament for the depleted Heat team to be successful.

"If I feel like I can hit it for six then I'll have a go - if I get out, I get out," Lynn said.

"If I can score a few runs in India I can put my name forward. And personally and financially it will be rewarding."

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Robinson cut deep by dumping

Wallaby Benn Robinson at training. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

RECALLED Wallabies prop Benn Robinson says being dropped from the squad last month was a massive shock that cut him deeply and took a long time to get over.

The cornerstone and linchpin of the Wallabies scrum for several years, 59-Test veteran Robinson was left out of the squad for the first four Rugby Championship games by new coach Ewen McKenzie.

The 29-year-old front rower, who started all three Tests of the British and Irish Lions series under previous coach Robbie Deans, was sent back to club rugby.

With the Wallabies scrum under pressure in their first four Rugby Championship games, Robinson was recalled to the squad for Australia's last two fixtures away to South Africa and Argentina.

"It was a massive shock, a massive disappointment," Robinson said of his axing from the squad.

"It took me a long time to get over it. The day after I had to play for (my club) Eastwood, so to get up for that game was tough.

"It hurt, it cut deep, it cut really deep.

"To be told that you're out of the squad, a squad that I've been involved with for the last nine years, is probably one of the hardest conversations I've ever had."

Robinson also found himself left out of the NSW Waratahs starting lineup for their first Super Rugby match of this season.

"When you are told you are not in the squad, or you've been dropped from the squad, it hurts you deep, it makes you reassess whether you are doing the right things," Robinson said.

"It's always an honour and it's always jubilation when you do get the chance to play for your country or for your state, I never lose sight of that fact."

Robinson,has stayed match fit, playing four games for Eastwood, including the NSW premiership grand final loss to Sydney University.

"Ewen and I had a chat and we spoke about going back and playing club footy and for me going back there, it really showed me how much I loved playing rugby," Robinson said.

He has yet to play a match under the new scrum engagement calls which the Wallabies have had problems adjusting to.

"I haven't played, so it would be really hard to comment on, but there's still a lot of collision, there's still a lot of impact, it still relies on having a very strong frame,and shape," Robinson said.

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Why Pav deserves a flag

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PREMIERSHIPS are earned and not deserved.

But if Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich is able to hoist the premiership cup about 5.30pm on Saturday, there will be a collective nod of heads.

Pavlich doesn't deserve it any more than Luke Hodge does, or Max Bailey, of Brian Lake, yet his journey is one of resilience, respect and crazy loyalty.

He rejected million-dollar offers from afar, from both South Australian clubs and Carlton, and at times you wondered if he was making the right decision.

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Such was Fremantle's ineptness on the national stage, Pavlich arguably had earned the right to seek greener pastures, because a football career is short, and failure can menace the minds of even the most balanced sports person.

Since his debut in 2000, the Dockers have finished 12th, 16th, 13th, fifth, ninth, 10th, third, 11th, 14th, 14th, sixth, 11th, seventh and this year awaits.

That's eight double-figure positions on the ladder from 14 seasons.

Through 2007-2009, the Dockers were diabolic.

In Round 4, 2009 at Etihad Stadium against St Kilda, the Dockers kicked 4.4 (28) on the competition's easiest ground to score on.

In Round 15, of the same year, they kicked a humiliating 1.7 against Adelaide and lost by 117 points.

Basket-case teams were quietly chuffed, because no matter how bad they were performing, the Dockers were always worse.

Matthew Pavlich celebrates a goal against Geelong in the qualifying final. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HeraldSun

Even in coach Mark Harvey's final season, 2011, where the Dockers showed vast improvement, their last seven games of the season produced scores of 64, 44, 72, 85, 45, 52 and 61.

The Dockers had some pluck, but they couldn't kick goals.

Harvey was sacked and Ross Lyon was hired in a clandestine hit and run assignment, which history would now record as the most critical decision in the club's 19-year history.

Pavlich has lived the turmoil and mostly thrived.

Saturday night was his 290th game.

He is the club's greatest player and a future of Hall of Famer.

But he, too, shouldered blame for being the champion that he is.

There was a period when Pavlich, in big moments in big games, seem to hit the post at every second attempt at goal.

It would beg the question: Has he the big-match temperament to lead his team in a September campaign?

In 2007, former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas famously asked whether Pavlich would rather play great in a Fremantle loss or play poorly in a Fremantle win. Thomas thought the former.

It was a slicing comment from Thomas, directed squarely at Pavlich's leadership priorities.

"There's never been any question about his football ability," Thomas said.

"In the areas where I think he has improved significantly and I firmly believe, and stand by comments I made in the past about him, I didn't see him as a great team leader.

"I saw him as a guy driven to be as a good a player as he could be himself, but I didn't believe he was selfless team leader.

"He's now the complete package and has been for a few years.''

Lyon has a wealth of terrific subjects to add to the pre-Grand Final commentary and didn't forget his skipper on Saturday night.

To be where they are, there had to be buy-in, Lyon said, and Pavlich and key backman Luke McPharlin were front and square.

Thomas reckons Lyon has able to squeeze from Pavlich the final fragments of greatness.

"Ross has been able to take him up another notch again, even it's only been a few per cent,'' Thomas said.

"Pav gets a lot of strength from having a strong leader like Ross. Ross won't let anyone get away from playing selfishly or playing for themselves and you know what I've noticed about Pav is when Freo when under Ross have been dominating sides, he's kept it together.

"Six or seven years ago, Pav would've been jumping on the bandwagon, trying to kick eight goals and do it himself.

"Now, he is the sort of player who gets as much enjoyment out of helping a teammate to succeed than him doing it himself.''

Again, premiership cups are not for good blokes alone, but in Pavlich, there's a sense not so much of destiny, but of reward.

Still, he will have to earn it.

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Buddy the only Hawk yet to sign

Franklin says he'll be fine for the Grand Final. But will he re-sign? Source: Colleen Petch / News Limited

BARRING the obvious exception, Hawthorn has secured the services of virtually every one of its best 22 players for the next season at least.

That feat of list management has been achieved despite the difficulty created by Lance Franklin's decision at the start of this year to put on hold all contract discussions until the end of the season.

And while the club has done a remarkable job in not allowing the Franklin situation to become a damaging distraction from the business of winning, it could still have a sting in the tail.

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Of the Hawks' first-choice team, only Franklin and ruckman Max Bailey are not out of contract — and the manager of unrestricted free agent Bailey said last week that he would be going nowhere.

It was reported last week that the Hawks had taken their latest offer to Franklin off the table, at least temporarily.

The year-long Franklin stand-off means the club has either had to deal with its other players with more than a tenth of its salary cap set aside for Franklin, or — with a spate of signings in recent weeks — it has moved on without him.

The former scenario is much more likely, and means the Hawks could aggressively enter the trade and free agency markets if and when Franklin declares he is gone.

Lance Franklin, Adidas deal. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun

On the one hand, other stars at the club could be pleased at the possible influx of new talent — a late play for Dale Thomas and even Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford has been mooted.

On the other, several could be a little aggrieved that they have signed for less than their market worth because Franklin had decided to spend the year weighing his multi-million-dollar options.

Even premiership captain and perennial Brownlow fancy Sam Mitchell said this year that Franklin deserves to be the highest paid Hawk.

But how happy would he be if the Franklin money was spent on incoming trades?

It is possible that there are clauses in some Hawk contracts that allow for more money should Franklin walk.

In the period between Hawthorn's qualifying final win over Sydney and Friday night's win against the Cats, they club quietly stitched up its young brigade — Jed Anderson, Bradley Hill, Isaac Smith, Ryan Schoenmakers and Paul Puopolo.

Already this year, it had dealt with Luke Hodge, Jarryd Roughead, Matt Suckling, Sam Mitchell, Shaun Burgoyne and Cyril Rioli.

Unless you follow Hawthorn on twitter or are a regular visitor to the club's website, you could be forgiven for missing the more recent signings.

There was little fanfare and the club did not want to talk to the Herald Sun about it.

It hasn't said a lot about Franklin, either and neither has his manager Liam Pickering.

We could expect to hear from both parties as soon as next week.

Whether Franklin stays or goes, the Hawks are in excellent shape.

BUDDY'S DECISION

GWS: Up to $12m over six seasons, including marketing allowances and third party agreements

HAW: $4.5m over four seasons

HAWTHORN SIGNINGS

NEW DEALS IN 2013

Luke Hodge

Jarryd Roughead

Sam Mitchell

Shaun Burgoyne

Cyril Rioli

Matt Suckling

Jed Anderson

Bradley Hill

Isaac Smith

Ryan Schoenmakers

Paul Puopolo

ALREADY LOCKED UP

Jordan Lewis

Josh Gibson

Brad Sewell

Grant Birchall

Brian Lake

Jack Gunston

David Hale

Shane Savage

Luke Breust

Ben Stratton

Liam Shiels

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Max Bailey

Xavier Ellis

Brent Guerra

Michael Osborne

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Dusty welcome back at Tigerland

Future ... Dustin Martin is likely to remain at Richmond. Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Limited

RICHMOND would welcome Dustin Martin back into Punt Rd after a positive meeting with coach Damien Hardwick over a beer on Friday.

The move to sound out Greater Western Sydney saw his manager Ralph Carr roundly criticised and another prospective home removed from the table.

Only Brisbane remains as a potential suitor, and even the Lions are an extreme long shot given they do not have a coach and would be unlikely to pay him $600,000 a year.

Martin and Hardwick met in St Kilda on Friday afternoon, where the Tigers coach reinforced to Martin just how valuable a player he is to Richmond.

They will work towards trying to seal a deal for Martin this week.

Forward Aaron Edwards has emerged as an unlikely mentor and quasi-minder for Martin, who at one stage lived with captain Trent Cotchin.

Edwards is no stranger to controversies, but has been helping close friend Martin to get through this difficult period and working on his off-field habits and behaviours.

But while Hardwick and Martin have an extremely strong relationship, the fourth-year Tiger must still decide to re-engage in contract negotiations.

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It has been confirmed that the Tigers have taken the two-year million dollar contract off the table given the breakdown in negotiation after four months.

But there are still varying reports about whether the Tigers will reduce that offer if and when Martin decides to come back to the negotiating table.

Tigers sources said the Reece Conca and Martin contracts were not linked in any way, so Conca's signing on a three-year deal should not affect Martin's price.

But while the Tigers hoped to be active in the trade period that seems unlikely if both sign, with GWS midfielder Taylor Adams also harder to acquire.

Former captain Chris Newman signed a one-year deal mid-season, while key position player Ben Griffiths will also sign a one-year deal.

In injury news, star forward Jack Riewoldt has needed minor knee surgery that won't affect his return in late November.

Small forward Jake King also needed toe surgery but will make a swift recovery after surgeries to his foot, wrist and knee in the previous off-season.

The Tigers are considering a training camp in Queensland later in the pre-season but have not confirmed any dates.

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Dees expected to miss out on pick

• by: Jon Ralph
• From: Herald Sun
• September 22, 2013 11:04PM

THE AFL Commission is expected to hear an alarming picture of the financial health of AFL clubs as it decides on Melbourne's priority pick.

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Sam cut out the niggle: Sutton

Sam Burgess of South Sydney. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

SOUTH Sydney skipper John Sutton has called on Sam Burgess to "cut out all the niggley stuff" and lead the Rabbitohs into their first grand final in 42 years.

The pride of the league take on fierce rivals Manly in Friday night's preliminary final and many predict the battle up front will decide which team wins through to the decider. 

Burgess is the enforcer of the biggest and most aggressive pack in the NRL but in recent weeks he has come under fire for a spate of unsavoury incidents that has some questioning if the pressure is starting to get the better of him. 

Burgess copped a two-game ban for his squirrel grip on Will Chambers in the round 22 loss to Melbourne and he was lucky to escape more punishment in the round 26 loss to the Roosters when he was caught giving James Maloney a face massage and dropping a knee into Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 

Sutton is convinced the week off has done the Rabbitohs the world of good — and he reckons big Sam showed in the win over Melbourne that he is now back to his best. 

Manly are a pack that pride themselves on making it personal and getting over their opposition pack in the battle of the big boys but how Burgess performs on Friday night will be crucial to which team makes it through to the decider. 

"He is the leader of our forwards," Sutton said.

"His runs are damaging, he hits very hard in defence and he has a big motor and he will go for 80 minutes.

"We just need Sammy to do that this week and cut out all that niggley stuff and lead the way for us.

"All the boys feed off his energy."

Everyone is anticipating Friday night's elimination final to be one of the most explosive and potentially fiery games of the year after Manly greats hinted that the Sea Eagles will be out for revenge. 

Former premiership-winning forward and current board member Peter Peters told The Sunday Telegraph that the Manly players still hadn't forgot Jeff Lima's nasty leg twist on Anthony Watmough the last time they played. 

"I was in the dressing room after the Souths game and it was the talk of the room," Peters said.

"They won't do anything outside the rules, but I can promise you he'll think he's been hit by the 190 bus to Palm Beach."

If the fireworks start you can bet Burgess will be in the thick of the action.

He went rushing to his younger brothers defence at Brookvale Oval earlier this year when Steve Matai ironed out George Burgess with one of the biggest hits of the season that also resulted in a suspension to Matai _ and in that same game Greg Inglis was bounced on his head several times resulting in a long ban for Richie Fa'aoso and post-match Michael Maguire called on the game to give its stars better protection. 

Sutton was playing down talk of fireworks yesterday but still made the point that you don't beat Manly by backing down.

"Look, that is the way they play and you've got to go with Manly," he explained.

"You've got to stick it to them or they will come over the top of you."

In both games they have played this year Souths have finished with the win and Sutton reckons the final scoreline comes back to the battle up front. 

"Especially the second time we played them we really got over the top of them. It was a tough game but I just put it down to our forwards getting over the top of them," he said. 

Asked if Souths will be out to make sure their superstar fullback is protected on Friday night, Sutton said: "I'm pretty sure whatever happens everyone is going to be looking after each other on the field, like any other game."

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Vettel strolls it in Singapore

Sebastian Vettel celebrates his win in the Singapore GP. Source: PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP

SEBASTIAN Vettel took a huge step towards his fourth straight world title Sunday with a superlative victory in Singapore that left his rivals fighting for scraps.

The German, starting from pole, fought off Nico Rosberg in the first corner and despite a safety car intervention, he was untouchable as he scored his third win in a row and a hat-trick of wins in Singapore.

Ferrari's Alonso finished second to keep up the title pressure on Vettel, who now leads the championship by 60 points from the Spaniard with six races remaining.

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen braved back pain to finish third but there was disaster for Red Bull's Mark Webber, whose late charge ended in a blown engine and a ride back to the pits on the wing of Alonso's Ferrari.

Like Webber, fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo also failed to finish the race.

On lap 25 Ricciardo, heading to Red Bull next year, ploughed into the barriers at turn 18 and totalled his Toro Rosso.

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton claimed fourth and fifth, Ferrari's Felipe Massa was sixth and McLaren pair Jenson Button and Sergio Perez occupied eighth and ninth.

But yet again the race belonged to Vettel, who was literally streets ahead of his rivals on the spot-lit Marina Bay circuit through the highways of downtown Singapore.

"The start was quite hairy, Nico had a better start and I didn't get going," said Vettel. "But unfortunately he went a little too deep and I could get it back.

"With the safety car it was difficult but as soon as the safety car came off we had very strong pace with the car. It was just a pleasure to drive around this crazy race."

The peerless 26-year-old has now won four of the last five grands prix and is a racing certainty to become the sport's youngest four-time world champion, joining Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio as only the third man to win four in a row.

From the start, Rosberg arrowed past pole-sitter Vettel going into the first turn but his speed carried him wide at the second corner and the Red Bull man was able to nip back in front.

Behind them, Alonso pulled off a masterful move as he used the outside of the track to leap from seventh on the grid to third in the opening seconds.

Hamilton passed Massa illegally and had to give back the spot after a sharp warning from his team over the radio.

But as the cars started to string out, it was all about Vettel as he hared off in front in his customary fashion, establishing a seven-second lead by lap seven.

As the cars behind him garaged for medium tyres, Vettel strung out his lead to 36 seconds and he was able to pit on lap 17 and still maintain an eight-second lead over Rosberg.

Force India's Paul Di Resta nipped in behind Rosberg for third place during the pits shake-up, frustrating Alonso who was unable to pass and challenge for second.

Ricciardo's crash, and the safety cars it brought to the track, sliced Vettel's but once again he showed sheer class as he scorched to the race's fastest lap and then powered out to a 12-second lead by lap 35.

Lotus's Romain Grosjean cried "No!" over the radio as his team pulled him in over a hydraulics problem which prompted a lengthy stay in the pits, and then a frustrating retirement.

Two more fastest laps and the incredible Vettel had stretched his lead to more than 20 seconds by circuit number 39, before coming in for his second and final tyre-change a few laps later.

He emerged comfortably ahead of the wily Spaniard Alonso and with 10 laps to go, the lead was pushed to more than 10 seconds as Vettel zeroed in on his seventh win of the season.

The real battles were in his rear-view mirror, as Webber squeezed up inside Hulkenberg to take sixth and Raikkonen pulled off a peach of a move outside Button for third.

Paul Di Resta ploughed his Force India into a wall but crucially, there was no safety car and Webber slipped past Perez and then Button to move into fourth.

It was building into a titanic finish until smoke started pouring from the despairing Webber's engine and he eventually had to abandon his fiery Red Bull and hitch a ride with Alonso.

Meanwhile Vettel was already celebrating as he heads towards another world title and a place among the sport's greatest names.

Australia's Mark Webber is given a lift back to the pits by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso after the engine in Webber's car blew up.

Sebastian Vettel on his way to winning the Singapor GP.

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