FFA admits Victory deserved penalty

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A-LEAGUE chiefs have conceded that Melbourne Victory was robbed of a penalty when Brisbane Roar captain Matt Smith's foul on Mark Milligan went unpunished in Sunday night's semi-final.

Meanwhile, Victory coach Kevin Muscat looks set to ­escape Football Federation Association sanction after blasting referee Strebre Delovski's decision not to award a spot-kick, which probably would have sent the game into extra time.

The decision remained the key talking point among fans on Monday and also among players and officials at the Johnny Warren Medal awards in Randwick.

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And it has cost Delovski any chance of refereeing Sunday's grand final between Roar and Western Sydney at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, with Ben Williams or Peter Green set to be given the nod.

Smith collected the legs of the Victory skipper in injury time as Milligan skipped past him and was about to unleash a shot at Michael Theo's goal from close range.

Replays showed Delovski was about to put the whistle in his mouth before changing his mind, meaning Brisbane ­secured a grand final berth with a 1-0 win. Head of A-League chief Damien de Bohun admitted in a statement Delovski should have awarded a penalty.

"The performance of Strebre Delovski in the semi-final in Brisbane has been reviewed in the normal manner," De Bohun said.

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"Overall Strebre's performance was very good, but the ­review found that Matt Smith made contact with Mark Milligan towards the end of the match and that a decision to award a penalty kick would have been warranted. There's often an element of doubt in the nature of collisions in a football match. The referee must be beyond doubt in ­making these calls.

"In relation to comments made by Kevin Muscat post-match, we will remind Kevin about the importance of ­respecting the role of match officials at all times."

Delovski also drew a stinging reaction from Muscat after the 4-0 loss to Melbourne Heart on March 1 when he apologised to Nick Ansell for harshly sending the ­defender off for a shirt tug on David Williams. Muscat made a beeline for officials at the final whistle on Sunday and was furious in an interview with Fox Sports ­moments later.

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The anger hadn't subsided when he fronted the print media 15 minutes later when he began opening the a press conference with a serve then said he had moved on ­before revisiting the incident.

"You think to yourself I don't think I'll go through my career with a clearer penalty shout that's not given after that one in Korea and the official tonight has proved me wrong,'' Muscat said.

"To get such a simple decision wrong, and there's four of them out there." That's why it's hard to take, because the players have put in an extreme amount over the last six or seven weeks.''

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Maxwell, Mitch and Starc in IPL action

Mitchell Johnson will turn out for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL game with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Source: Morne de Klerk / Getty Images

MITCHELL Starc versus Mitchell Johnson — it's all happening tonight in the Indian Premier League.

Kings XI Punjab take on Royal Challengers Bangalore from 12.30am.

Watch it LIVE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMsCRbTHUc8

AUSSIES IN ACTION

Glenn Maxwell has been the player of the tournament to date, but the "Big Show" will face a stern examination when he is confronted by Mitchell Starc. Starc (seven wickets at 16.57 and an economy rate of 7.25) is arguably the form paceman of the tournament and has thrived in his new environment at Royal Challengers Bangalore. He will come face-to-face with Maxwell, who leads all comers with 294 runs at 73.50 and a strike rate of 205.95, and is a major reason behind Kings XI's unbeaten start to the season.

Starc will also be confronted by compatriots George Bailey and Shaun Marsh in the Punjab top order. And in another intriguing all-Australian battle, Kings XI paceman Mitchell Johsnon will face-off with Bangalore batsman Nic Maddinson, who excelled in the Big Bash League but has yet to erupt in the IPL.

MATCH PREVIEWS

Kings XI Punjab have exploded out of the blocks with four wins from as many attempts. Bangalore Royal Challengers are mid-table after a 2-2 start, but have claimed the sizeable scalps of Delhi Daredevils and defending champion Mumbai Indians. Bangalore boast the most intimidating line-up in the IPL with Virat Kholi, AB de Villiers and Yuvraj Singh in the top order. They will be all the more potent with the inclusion of Chris Gayle, who is a day-to-day proposition due to injury.

Kings XI are riding high after their most recent victory over Kolkata Knight Riders. Prior to that match, it had been suggested they relied too heavily on Maxwell after he rattled off innings of 95, 89 and 95 to start the season. Maxwell, however, was dismissed for a modest 15 against the Knight Riders and Kings XI still managed to post a solid victory.

WHAT THEY SAID

"I'm in awe. Watching (Maxwell's) highlights from that innings (against Chennai), it's like career highlights of most players. He's played nine or ten shots in that one innings that 95 per cent of us would be happy to play over our careers. Obviously he is in great touch. He's obviously got a lot of confidence and he has, while it might not look like that all the time, pretty good plans for most bowlers" — George Bailey

"I've started the tournament quite slowly, coming back from my toe infection and it has taken me a few games to get into it. Probably the best I felt with my bowling was during the training yesterday; I felt like I am in my cricket mode again. Today I felt I was back to bowling like I had been bowling for the past few months. That's where I wanted to get to — bowling as aggressively as I was a few days ago" — Mitchell Johnson

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What you missed on TV last night

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ROUND 6 was a big week in football.

Starting with the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster that drew 90,000 people to the MCG and finishing with Port Adelaide announcing themselves with a win over Geelong.

The Power's draught-breaking win saw them climb to the top of the AFL ladder and lead the AFL 360 agenda.

Respected journalist Gerard Whateley said it was a defining moment in the 2014 season.

"It was a landmark win for Port Adelaide ... and confirmed everything that we knew was building," he said.

Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson said the win was arguably the biggest moment in the club's recent history.

"They've grown from boys to men so quickly," he said.

"There's so much to like about Port Adelaide. It's the way they play, it's contagious.

"That was probably their best moment yet - knocking Collingwood out of the finals last year was big - but this was their moment and they took it."

Whateley said the Power players stood up when challenged.

"You can't chose when your moment comes ... I think back to Hawthorn in 2008," he said.

"It's a football club that is so united in what they're trying to achieve."

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■ RICHMOND'S fall of grace also dominated headlines on Sunday night.

After a pre-season full of expectations, the Tigers were well beaten by reigning premiers Hawthorn and it doesn't get any easier with Geelong waiting next week.

Robinson said a loss to the Cats would mean winning 10 games of the last 13 to make the finals.

"I see nothing, I see no spark, I see no energy," he said.

"We know how the good teams go about it and we judge the bad teams against the good teams. Richmond lack oomph, they don't move the ball well.

"They're losing all the good will they earned last year.

Robinson suggested the "money ball" strategy the Tigers had employed hadn't had the desired effect; "clearly, their depth isn't there".

■ WEST Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui has come in for a lot of criticism in recent weeks as he continues to struggle on the field.

It is believed the Eagle is being "managed" due to ongoing groin and Achilles complaints.

Robinson wondered why there was such vitriol being aimed at Naitanui.

"There's a linch-mob out there," he said.

"Why are they hating on Nic Nat. Is it the money? Is it the effort?"

Whateley said the club could be hurting the player and the team by playing him hurt.

"John Worsfold said he's got to play, he's got to get through it," he said.

"But if you're playing at 50 or 60 per cent, at what point does that actually hurt you?"

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■ COACHES Mark Thompson and Paul Roos then joined the boys at the panel.

Problem players was the hot topic this week with Jake Carlisle at Essendon and Jack Watts at Melbourne in the news due to poor form.

Roos admitted he was surprised there was so much public focus on individuals when clubs are more concerned with team issues.

"There's a lot of focus on individuals. In my situation, there are a lot more issues than one player," he said.

"There's a bit more surprise, from my point of view, that the focus goes on one player."

Bomber said it wasn't Carlisle's fault Essendon lost to Collingwood.

"It's not one player. There were a lot of reasons why we didn't play well in the last quarter," he said.

Roos said it was hard for Watts due to him being played in various positions and conceded that had been said about the former No.1 draft pick for many years.

"In Jack's case, we're moving him around a lot, playing him in different positions. So perhaps we're contributing to his inconsistency," he said.

"When a new coach comes in ... I'm trying to find spots for a lot of players.

"That's not unique for a new coach coming in but for a Melbourne supporter I can understand the point of view.

"At the end of the day, it's incumbent on the player to make a position their own."

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ON THE COUCH

AWARD-winning journalist Mike Sheahan returned to the coach after a couple of weeks on holiday and was quickly on the attack after Richmond's loss.

"Something's haven't changed. Richmond were going south when I left and they're still going south now," he said.

However, the big news was Port Adelaide.

Host Gerard Healy compared the rise of the Power to that of A-League high-flyers Western Sydney Wanderers.

"It's such a great story," he said.

"People talk about the Western Sydney Wanderers ... Port Adelaide is just as good a story, if not better, than the Wanderers."

Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall suggested Port Adelaide were now premiership contenders.

"If you look at the brand of football and the way they dismantled Geelong. They are very much a contender," he said.

"It gives the competition a new flavour."

Dunstall suggested ruckman Matthew Lobbe was one of the big reasons why the Power had announced themselves.

"Lobby is probably improved more than any other player on the Port list," he said.

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■ POWER captain Travis Boak joined the boys to talk about the club's recent success.

The team's much vaunted fitness is a major reason why they are on top of the ladder and Boak was adamant the pre-season campaigns under Darren was a major contributor.

"Each year the pre-season goes up another level," he said.

"I think it does come down to the players. We want to get so much out of each session."

After almost leaving the club following a horror 2011, Boak said he was surprised how quickly the club had turned around and said the captaincy was behind his form.

"I probably didn't think it was going to happen this quick," he said.

"I knew it was going to turn around eventually. When I was going through the contract issues, I knew we had the right group."

"The biggest thing for me was the captaincy. It took the focus away from my own game.

"The biggest criticism of my game was how can I improve my game but since I got the captaincy the focus has been how can I help the team.

"I just go out and play footy and enjoy it."

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■ THE discussion then returned to Richmond and their perceived regression in 2014.

Sheahan cast major doubt on the Tigers ability to play finals this season.

"They play Geelong next, their 13th with a percentage of 87, and the reigning premier has improved more than they have," he said.

Dunstall couldn't understand what had happened after a couple of positive years.

"There was a natural progression at Richmond. For some reason, they've hit the skids," he said.

Sheahan suggested the absence of Brett Deledio was a major reason behind the Tigers struggles with his run and carry a major attacking weapon.

Dunstall questioned whether Dustin Martin could be used in a different manner with the talented ball-winner spending more than 50 per cent of games in the forward line.

"From what we've seen, they'll probably turn at 5-6. It means they'll have to win seven of their last 11 and I don't think they're capable of that," Sheahan said.

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■ GRAND finalists Fremantle also suffered a disappointing defeat on the weekend.

The Dockers were over-run by North Melbourne and the boys weren't impressed with the team's efforts so far this season.

"I was really disappointed with their performance. The Kangaroos were fantastic," Dunstall said.

"Their ball use has been lacking and their entry inside 50 has become very one dimensional with Matthew Pavlich.

Tagger Ryan Crowley is one of the main reasons why the Dockers were so feared last season but he has struggled to stop the opposition's prime movers this season.

A graphic was put up showing Crowley's drop in form.

In 2013, Crowley keep his opponent to less than 20 touches in eight of 23 matches but in 2014 his opponent had won more than 20 disposals in every game.

■ THE Kangaroos coach Brad Scott was the special guest after the big win in Perth.

Scott said the club didn't pay much attention to the hype but believed it was a good thing.

"One thing about the hype is ... we didn't create that hype," he said.

"The standards we're being held to are because of expectations and that's a good thing because people rate us.

North have only lost to Essendon and Collingwood this season but Scott wasn't fazed.

"The reality is we live in a really even competition. When you're not on, you get beaten," he said.

Scott was happy with the performances of leaders Brent Harvey, Nick Dal Santo and Drew Petrie.

"I saw a stat - and I had to double check it - that Boomer was involved in 20 of our 24 scoring shots. That's an incredible effort," he said.

"I think Ryan (Crowley) was probably blowing a bit from fatigue. It's hard to be aggressive when you're fatigued.

Kangaroos coach Brad Scott with captain Andrew Swallow. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin Source: News Corp Australia

"We knew what we were getting when (Nick Dal Santo) arrived and he has still managed to impress us.

"He's been driving what we're about all season.

"Drew, by his own admission, his work rate hasn't been as high but for a big guy his work defensively is unbelievable at times."

Kangaroos captain Andrew Swallow has been out of the game for almost 12 months due to an Achilles injury and is now on the verge of returning.

Scott was keen to have him back in the team after one game in the VFL.

"He got a fair bit of the ball in three quarters of footy," he said.

"He's trained really well. The sub does give us an option, if we didn't have that it wouldn't be an option.

"He's our captain and we want him back but if he gets injured, it's going to be our fault.

"If he's ready and we pick him, you'll know we're super confident he's fit.

■ CARLTON dominated the headlines two weeks ago but have since won two straight games.

The Blues pulled off a thrilling come-from-behind win over West Coast on Saturday and Dunstall believed there was still a lot of potential.

"I think it could be a season-defining win for them. I thought they were fantastic and you've got to give them full credit," he said.

"I think there's a real fine line between being a genius and being a fool and for a coach you're at the mercy of your players.

"As group you get a lot of confidence. Now they've turned it around and they've got to build on it."

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TALKING FOOTY (7Mate)

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley was the night's special guest.

After a big Anzac Day win over Essendon, Buckley was happy with how the team was progressing.

Former Western Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy asked if the decision to move on experienced trio Darren Jolly, Alan Didak and Heath Shaw was the right one.

"There's no doubts as to personnel or strategic decisions that you make," he said

"Clearly when you have a poor performance and the hysteria that followed externally, we were really keen for Round 2 and get up to Sydney."

In the lead up to the Collingwood-Carlton blockbuster this weekend, Buckley was asked about his relationship with former mentor and current Blues coach Mick Malthouse.

"We had a really strong professional relationship for a long period of time ... I learnt a lot from Mick," he said.

"I've been very fortunate to see how he's gone about it and glean parts of my philosophy from what I've seen of him."

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FOOTY CLASSIFIED (Channel 9)

RICHMOND was the hot topic on the final football show of the night.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon said the Tigers were in serious trouble after coach Damien Hardwick suggested the absence of Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric and Alex Rance was a major reason behind the loss to Hawthorn

"They're making excuses for poor performances," he said.

"The footy club has to bat deeper than those three players. It's a sign of real pressure at Richmond."

Senior journalist Caroline Wilson said the Tigers were not top eight material.

"Clearly Richmond are not in that top eight contender and I never thought they were," she said.

"They lack on-field leadership, which is no slight on Trent Cotchin, who is a brilliant player.

"I think Damien is doing everything he can to keep the players positive.

"They're clearly not better than they were last year. He also said maybe we're not as good as we were last year."

■ IN his column last week, Essendon premiership player Matthew Lloyd criticised Hawthorn Cyril Rioli.

Lloyd said Rioli didn't work hard enough and came in for some major criticism of his own for writing the piece.

"Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I've watched him for a number of years," he said in his defence.

"This guy is a freakish player ... I feel that Cyril should be in the top 10 players in the competition.

I don't think in his six years, he's put together a season that reflects that. I still feeling that his ceiling is here and his potential is much more than that.

"He's a 15-disposal a game player, a goal and a half player but I believe he's capable of much more than that."

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Barca want action over banana attack

Barcelona soccer star Dani Alves picks up a banana thrown from the crowd and eats it. Courtesy Footy-Goals.com

BARCELONA is demanding the eradication of racism from Spain's football stadiums after a fan threw a banana at Brazilian fullback Dani Alves during their 3-2 weekend away win over Villareal.

The banana landed on the pitch near 30-year-old Alves just as he was about to take a corner, the latest in a series of racist taunts that he has suffered in more than a decade playing in Spain with Sevilla and then Barcelona.

The Brazilian showed his scorn for the attack by picking up the banana and taking a bite out of it before going on with game and setting up a goal in Barcelona's dramatic victory.

"Barcelona totally supports and stands with player Dani Alves after the insults he received Sunday at the Villareal ground by certain people at the game," the club said in a statement.

Barcelona welcomed the condemnation of the banana insult by Villareal, who sent a message on Twitter after their defeat saying: "Pity to see an ignoramus capable of such a lamentable act. There is no room for it in sport and even less in our club."

Villareal's reaction was a move in the right direction towards "converting grounds into areas where sports take priority and where the bad behaviour by some people is, first, isolated and then, eradicated for good," Barcelona said.

"I have been in Spain 11 years and it has been the same for 11 years. You have to laugh at these backward people," Alves said after Sunday's game.

"We are not going to change it, so you have to take it almost as a joke and laugh at them."

Alves' teammates and fans lent him public support.

"We are all monkeys," his compatriot Neymar said on the Instagram social networking site, where he posted a photograph of himself eating a banana and his two-year-old son hugging a cuddly banana toy.

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Daley in therapy for dive phobia

Tom Daley says he is in therapy to conquer his fear of diving off the 10 metre platform. Source: Clive Rose / Getty Images

BRITISH diver Tom Daley has admitted he is now so fearful of his twist dive he is undergoing "therapy" in a bid to cure himself of what he believes is a "phobia".

The teenager took part in last weekend's 10-metre platform event at the London Aquatic Centre, his first competitive appearance at the venue since winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.

However, this time around the 19-year-old Daley finished out of the podium places in fifth position, with the twist dive - which he had to repeat during the Olympics after being distracted by a camera flash - which let him down again.

Since the Games, Daley has not landed the dive to his satisfaction and he said: "The scale of this issue is massive. I'm trying every single thing possible to try and get it back to normal. I'm going under different types of therapy.

Tom Daley in action off the 10-metre platform. Source: Getty Images

"It is almost trauma therapy - to get myself to process the things that have gone wrong on it to get it to a stage where I can forget about it and feel positive about it.

"I am literally terrified of it. I suppose you could call it a phobia and I don't know what my heart rate is when I go up there and do it but it's definitely above 180, something ridiculous, because it is so terrifying."

Daley will miss the next leg of the World Series in Moscow in a bid to get himself prepared fully for the defence of his Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow in July.

Since his Olympic success, Daley has become arguably even more well-known in his native Britain for his work as a television personality and for publicly declaring that he is in a relationship with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Pete Waterfield, who competed alongside Daley in the synchronised event at London 2012, said his former dive partner needed to spend more time in the pool and less in the television studio.

"I know Tom's been a busy boy with his shows, but I think that's now starting to show through," the 33-year-old Waterfield, who retired from diving in 2013, told the BBC.

"He needs to knuckle down with his training and his diving if he's to achieve what he's capable of achieving."

Tom Daley of Great Britain looks on during the Men's 10m Platform Final in London. Source: Getty Images

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Hinds: It’s Storm, rock, scissors

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MEMO Warriors. Don't bother turning up at AAMI Park to play the Storm on Friday. If you do, expect to leave with your gruntle well and truly dissed.

Melbourne is the big ticketholder in this season's Ref-lotto. This is how their lucky numbers have come out.

Round 4: Lose 26-28 to a last minute Gold Coast penalty after the referee ruled the ball had been stripped from the Titans' Luke Douglas, when a shortsighted wombat in an obstructed viewing seat in Helsinki could see Douglas dropped it cold.

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Round 5: Beat St George-Illawarra 28-24 with a try scored from a play the ball after time had elapsed, proving the old adage that the team that plays for the full 80 minutes and six-tenths of a second will prevail.

Round 6: Lose 22-24 to a last minute Canberra try after a clear-cut potentially game-winning Storm try in the 70th minute was disallowed because ... ummm, the referee went rock and the video referee went scissors?

See the pattern Warriors? Whether it's a routine blunder or a touch judge accidentally tripping a rampaging winger as he dashes for the line, destiny is against you in Melbourne. The game demands it.

Cameron Smith disputes a no try decision with referee Gerard Sutton. Source: Getty Images

That the Storm remain both victim AND beneficiary of a series of officiating cock-ups that have blighted this season remains the NRL's tissue thin line of defence against accusations of, at best, serial incompetency and at worst utter buffoonery.

Think of it like this. The NRL refereeing is now like a sort of mid-career U2 with some fairly ordinary work usually followed by something more to your liking. If you're on the receiving end of a "Rattle and Hum'' decision one day week, you could soon be the beneficiary of an "Achtung Baby.''

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Last year Manly coach Geoff Toovey made his amusingly shrill call for an investigation into the refereeing at Brookvale. On Friday night you didn't hear any Sea Eagles calling for CSI Moore Park to pick apart the decision that cost North Queensland victory.

Yin and yang. The referees giveth, the referees taketh away. Are you buying it?

Me neither. And don't get the coaches started.

Craig Bellamy starts a game apoplectic then gets worked up.

That Bellamy's head didn't explode when the "no try'' message went up at Canberra Stadium on Sunday was the only thing more surprising than the decision.

Modern coaching — for better or worse — is the art of reducing uncertainty. Of leaving a team less exposed to human foibles and fallibility.

Cameron Smith ask's referee Gerard Sutton why no try was ruled. Source: News Corp Australia

You can defend refereeing mistakes on the grounds that players make them too.

But, in the current context, only if players were completing one set in 25, converting goal attempts at two per cent and attempting to catch high balls on their noses.

Referees, we know, are also only as good as the rules they enforce.

But what happens when they contradict themselves so often no one can remember what the rules are?

If in one game you can't obstruct with a stray toenail and in another you can build a brick wall?

There has been talk of the NRL establishing a central video refereeing "bunker'' staffed by the best analysts to which all decisions would be referred.

Cue the memes of the 'Last Days of the Third Reich' with an agitated video refereeing Fuhrer in his bunker raging about the incompetence of his generals: "Check the grounding? Check the GROUNDING!!!! Why do these traitorous fools disappoint me so?''

Cameron Smith ask's referee Gerard Sutton why a no try decision was ruled. Source: News Corp Australia

Unfortunately the refereeing fiasco obscured a weekend when the NRL found the defibrillators and gave a flatlining season a much needed jolt.

The pulsating Bulldogs-Souths game — marred, naturally, by its own obstruction controversy — had both the big crowd and the electricity we'd missed.

The only thing we should have been complaining about was that the flat-Earthers at Nine would not let us watch the Canberra-Melbourne game live.

Instead we hung around like racetrack ghouls to see for ourselves if the refereeing blunder was as bad as the social media flap suggested.

It was. Which might provide another unlikely source of consolation for the NRL.

Even on delay the refereeing is so routinely awful you can't keep your eyes off it.

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NY Knicks fire coach

The Knicks have fired Mike Woodson after falling from division champions to out of the playoffs in one season. Picture: Sharon Ellman Source: Sharon Ellman / AP

THE New York Knicks have fired head coach Mike Woodson after the team missed the NBA playoffs, team president Phil Jackson says.

The Knicks went 109-79 in three seasons under Woodson, twice making the playoffs before slumping to 37-45 this season. They finished behind Atlanta for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.

Jackson, who has coached a record 11 NBA championship teams, was brought in by owners last month to start to rebuild the Knicks.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike Woodson and his entire staff," Jackson said. "The coaches and players on this team had an extremely difficult 2013-14 season, and blame should not be put on one individual.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson reacts to a call during a game against the Washington Wizards. Picture: Frank Franklin II Source: AP

"But the time has come for change throughout the franchise as we start the journey to assess and build this team for next season and beyond."

The ouster of Woodson and his coaching staff could open the door for Steve Kerr, a former player under Jackson on three of his six NBA championship teams with Chicago who is familiar with the triangle offence Jackson prefers.

The moves could have a major impact on whether or not star playmaker Carmelo Anthony opts to stay with the Knicks or leave for another club that might offer him a better chance at winning an NBA crown.

Woodson, who replaced Mike D'Antoni in March, 2012, had a contract option for next season picked up by the Knicks in 2013 after guiding the team to its first division crown since 1994 in a 54-28 season and a trip to the second round of the playoffs.

But the Knicks began this season 3-13 and only at the final stretch made a playoff run.

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Benji pleads, find me a NRL home

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When Benji Marshall left the Wests Tigers six months ago the star playmaker said he would never play for another NRL club — today the 29-year-old has issued a public plea to all clubs to give him one last shot at rugby league.

After being told he had no future in Super Rugby with the Auckland Blues, Marshall yesterday instructed his long-time manager Martin Tauber to find him a new home.

BENJI REQUESTS RELEASE TO MAKE NRL RETURN

With Marshall and his wife Zoe having purchased a home in Auckland this month, the Warriors shape as the most logical destination. New Zealand recruitment manager Dean Bell also chased Marshall hard when the playmaker's relationship with the Tigers began to sour after being dropped to the bench.

Benji Marshall runs the ball for the Auckland Blues against the Brumbies Source: Getty Images

But it's believed interim coach Andrew McFadden is reluctant to turn to Marshall as a solution to his side's woes. However, McFadden could be overruled by Warriors owner Eric Watson.

Tauber last night claimed Marshall's preference was to return to Sydney, despite the fact he's making big money via endorsements across the Tasman. Tauber also stressed that no deal had been done with a rival club.

BENJI'S NOT A GREAT ATHLETE

BRENDAN CANNON: GIVE IT UP, BENJI

"He wants to come back to Sydney," Tauber said.

"He will come back, no question, so we have got to find a home."

Tauber said Marshall sat down with Auckland coach Sir John Kirwan on Sunday morning and was told he was no longer wanted at the Blues.

Benji Marshall farewells the crowd after his last home game for the Wests Tigers. Source: News Limited

Tauber explained: "He spoke to Sir John Kirwan yesterday morning and (Kirwan) said: 'Look, it is just not working. There are some choices'.

"You can go back and play club rugby in Auckland. It was highly unlikely he would play in their Super 15 squad again this year. He said otherwise we could probably release you to go back to the NRL."

And Tauber was adamant that the former New Zealand captain had not done a deal with any NRL club.

Benji Marshall in action for the Blues. Source: News Limited

"We have got nothing," Tauber said. "We have not spoken to anybody. This all only took place yesterday morning and we weren't anticipating or planning anything."

CODE FLOPPERS: WHEN CAREER CHANGES GO BAD

Reminded of Marshall's parting comment that he would never play against the West Tigers, Tauber said: "Well, he has given me the instruction to try and find him an NRL club. That comment he made was probably made at the wrong time. It won't exist."

Asked if he had spoken to any NRL clubs, Tauber added: "None whatsoever. The piece about Salford, I have never spoken to them. There has been speculation about Cronulla, I have never spoken to Steve Noyce or Darren Mooney or any of them."

Benji Marshall makes a break during for the Tigers against the Dragons. Source: News Limited

It's believed Marshall, however, has reached out to the Sharks via some of his former Tigers teammates who are now playing in the Shire, including Beau Ryan.

Marshall makes no secret about the fact he wants to call Sydney home. And he wants to make his NRL comeback sooner rather than later.

"We have got some personal things to deal with because he has just bought a beautiful new home (in Auckland).

"He could play by the middle of May and remember the deadline is the end of June for transfer."

What do you think of Benji's decision to quit rugby?

WHERE WILL BENJI GO?

Each club's first-choice halves combination and whether they
are interested in signing Marshall

BRONCOS - Five-eighth: Josh Hoffman, Halfback: Ben Hunt, CEO Paul White: "No."

BULLDOGS - Five-eighth: Josh Reynolds, Halfback: Trent Hodkinson, CEO Raelene Castle: "I don't think so. Not something we've discussed."

RAIDERS - Five-eighth: Jack Wighton, Halfback: Terry Campese, Coach Ricky Stuart: "Not us."

COWBOYS - Five-eighth: Johnathan Thurston, Halfback: Robert Lui, CEO Peter Jourdain: "No."

TITANS - Five-eighth: Aidan Sezer, Halfback: Albert Kelly, CEO Graham Annesley: "No."

SEA EAGLES - Five-eighth: Kieran Foran, Halfback: Daly Cherry-Evans, CEO David Perry: "No interest."

STORM - Five-eighth: Ben Hampton/Ben Roberts, Halfback: Cooper Cronk, Football director Frank Ponissi: "Benji would be a great addition but there is one problem — $$."

KNIGHTS - Five-eighth: Jarrod Mullen, Halfback: Tyrone Roberts, CEO Matt Gidley: "No. He is not in our recruitment plans."

EELS - Five-eighth: Corey Norman, Halfback: Chris Sandow/Luke Kelly, CEO Scott Seward: "No."

PANTHERS - Five-eighth: Jamie Soward, Halfback: Peter Wallace, CEO Phil Moss: "No interest."

RABBITOHS - Five-eighth: Luke Keary/John Sutton, Halfback: Adam Reynolds, CEO Shane Richardson: "Absolutely no interest whatsoever."

SHARKS - Five-eighth: Todd Carney, Halfback: Jeff Robson, CEO Steve Noyce: "We haven't had any discussions with Benji or his management."

DRAGONS - Five-eighth: Gareth Widdop, Halfback: Michael Witt/Sam Williams, CEO Peter Doust: "We have no interest in Benji."

ROOSTERS - Five-eighth: James Maloney, Halfback: Mitchell Pearce, COO Brian Canavan: "We're very happy with our halves and have both locked in to long-term arrangements with the club."

WARRIORS - Five-eighth: Chad Townsend/Thomas Leuluai, Halfback: Shaun Johnson, Unavailable for comment

TIGERS - Five-eighth: Curtis Sironen, Halfback: Luke Brooks, CEO Grant Mayer: "There's no room in our top 25 for Benji Marshall next year."

Which club will Benji Marshall most likely end up at?

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Moyes facing sack at Man United

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MANCHESTER United looks set to fire manager David Moyes after his disastrous first season at Old Trafford in which the club has failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1995.

The British press were reporting that a decision to sack Moyes was imminent late Monday night, a day after the Red Devils lost 2-0 at Everton for their 11th Premier League defeat of the season.

Under Moyes, United will finish the season with its lowest ever Premier League points total following the club's worst form at home for over a decade. First home losses to Newcastle since 1972, West Bromwich Albion since 1978, Stoke since 1984, plus home and away defeats by Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton currently places the club in seventh spot and out of the Europa League berths.

A plane flies overhead with a banner criticising Moyes in the match between United and Aston Villa. Source: Getty Images

Tottenham is six points ahead of United in the last spot for European football's second-tier competition. The last time United fail to qualify for Europe was in the 1981-82 season.

"We need to end the season on a high," Moyes told MUTV, United's in-house television station, on Monday.

"We want to finish by winning all of our games. We'll do everything we possibly can to make that happen."

United plays Norwich, Sunderland, Hull and Southampton in its final four matches of the season.

There was no comment from United about Moyes' future but the Guardian reported that the Glazer family owners of the club and vice-president Ed Woodward were in discussions about whether they should continue with the Scot.

Moyes shakes hands with Everton manager Roberto Martinez at the end of Sunday's match. Source: AFP

Moyes signed a six-year contract with United at the end of last season when he was hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson after the 71-year-old Scot's trophy-laden 26-year career at the club.

But the continual poor run of results and the absence of any improvement on the pitch has given the owners pause for thought about entrusting Moyes with significant sums for the much-needed overhaul of the squad.

There was fresh uncertainty at United earlier this week after reports emerged that forward Danny Welbeck is considering his future at the club following a lack of game time this season.

Leading British bookmakers have stopped taking bets on David Moyes being sacked as Manchester United manager.

Moyes chats to Ryan Giggs, who has played sparingly under him amid reports they don't get along. Source: Getty Images

Sky Bet cut their odds on Moyes leaving United before the end of May to 1/4 from 9/4 before suspending betting.

Ladbrokes installed United great Ryan Giggs, currently a player/coach at Old Trafford, as the 5/1 favourite to replace Moyes before they too suspended betting on their "next manager to leave" market.

Atletico Madrid's Diego Simone, Borussia Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp and the Netherlands' Louis van Gaal have also been linked with the United job.

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FIFA to inspect unfinished stadiums

Arena Sao Paulo will host the opening match of the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia. Source: Miguel Schincariol / AFP

FIFA's top World Cup official is visiting Brazil this week to inspect the three stadiums yet to be completed for the World Cup, including the one hosting the tournament's opening game in June.

Secretary General Jerome Valcke will inspect construction work at the Itaquerao in Sao Paulo on Tuesday to begin his latest tour of host cities.

He will later visit the two other stadiums still under construction ahead of football's showcase event — one in the southern city of Curitiba and another in the western city of Cuiaba.

The Socceroos will meet world champions Spain in their Group B match at Curitiba on June 23, and Football Federation Australia boss David Gallop is among those who have expressed concern at the stadium's progress.

Valcke's agenda also includes a visit to the north-eastern city of Fortaleza to check the site of its fan fest, the event which allows people without tickets to watch matches for free in public areas.

Valcke will also meet with representatives of the host cities to get updates on their preparations. His final stop will be in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to participate in the board meeting of the local World Cup organising committee.

The secretary-general is expected to be back in Brazil in late May to visit at least some of the host cities. He will stay until the end of the tournament.

Brazil has been struggling to get the country ready for the World Cup. Infrastructure work is far from completed and local organisers were not able to finish the six stadiums that had to be ready by the end of last year as wanted by FIFA.

The Itaquerao in Sao Paulo is a main concern because it will host the high profile Brazil-Croatia opener on June 12. Work at the stadium was significantly delayed last November after a crane collapse killed two workers. Earlier this year, another accident killed one of the workers helping install the 20,000 temporary seats that will be needed for the inaugural match.

After the visit to the Itaquerao, Valcke will travel to Curitiba to inspect the Arena da Baixada, which also is expected to be ready only in mid-May.

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