Rare surgery has Barba moving

Ben Barba makes a break for the Bulldogs. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

BEN Barba says he will hit the ground running at the Broncos after undergoing a rare form of surgery to expedite his recovery from an ankle injury.

The big-name Brisbane recruit was expected to be sidelined until Christmas.

But the former Bulldog flyer is three weeks ahead of schedule thanks to a medical advancement that saw the fullback remove his compression boot during the week. 

Known as tightrope fixation, the surgery is becoming more common in the treatment of syndesmosis injuries. Using a piece of surgical rope, Barba had his fibula and tibia held together, with the rope enabling sufficient flexion in his ankle in the rehabilitation phase. 

Traditionally, a screw is inserted into the damaged area, a scenario that provides less flexibility and would have forced Barba to undergo a second bout of surgery to remove the screw. 

Having avoided another operation, Barba plans to be off crutches in the coming weeks and has no concerns about his ankle holding up next year after a nightmare 2013 campaign. 

"The ankle is feeling much better already," Barba said.

"The operation with the rope has given me a bit more movement. It feels good, I'm out of the moon-boot and I'll get off the crutches soon. 

"I should be running by early December, it's a new start for me so I'm looking forward to training at the Broncos."

Broncos physiotherapist Luke Anning said club medicos were pleased with Barba's progress.

"This method of surgery saves Ben from having another op to remove the screw and speeds up his recovery," Anning said.

"When you use a screw you have to pull it out at about six to eight weeks, so there's a further delay.

"Now the surgeons can use a surgical rope, it has two clips on either end and it has a bit of give as you move your ankle.

"In the old days, they would screw it together, let everything scar up a bit, and then pull the screw out, but now that can be avoided. 

"It's a relatively new procedure. It's not the first one I've seen at the Broncos but they have mostly been with our under-20s guys, not the NRL squad. 

"Jharal Yow Yeh had a tightrope as well as a screw, but Jharal's injury (dislocated compound fracture of the ankle) was a lot more severe than Ben's." 

Of Yow Yeh, who failed to play an NRL game in 2013, Anning said: "We're hoping he will come back.

"It's been a long road for Jharal but we'll see how his pre-season goes."

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Socceroos can expect culture shock

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ANGE Postecoglou's Melbourne Victory lieutenant Kevin Muscat says the Socceroos can expect a culture shock under their new boss and has declared him ready for his international challenge.

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Postecoglou arrives in Sydney tomorrow for day one of Socceroos duty, but his highly anticipated inaugural squad for the Costa Rica friendly next month is unlikely to be picked until tomorrow week. 

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Muscat, who won 51 Socceroos caps between 1994-2006, said parts of the past 18 months under Postecoglou at Victory had been gruelling and believed those expectations wouldn't change for the Socceroos. 

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"One thing's for sure there will be a certain shock that goes around the place. It can be taken the wrong way, but people will understand and be grateful," Muscat said. 

"The ones that are fortunate enough to hang around and work with Ange will certainly be better for the experience, no doubt about it. 

"It will be challenging, it will be gruelling, no two ways about it. The boss certainly knows what he wants and how he wants to go about it and people are going to have to ride the wave with him or else they will get left behind." 

Muscat, whose Australian coaches included Eddie Thomson, Terry Venables and Frank Farina, said Postecoglou was ready to step up. 

"I think so. It's certainly a different challenge not having the players regularly, but from what I've seen in how the boss analyses and thinks about football, the challenges will be different but they're still football challenges," he said. 

"I'm looking forward to it with a great deal of excitement to see what he does, with the way we play and how we go about it. Knowing him I've got a fair idea but I'll be watching from a distance with a fair bit of anticipation." 

Muscat said Postecoglou would already have an idea of the ideas he wants to implement and warned — expect the unexpected.

"People can second guess and try to assume what he's going to do but he's certainly his own man," Muscat said.

"Opinions will count for nothing because once he focuses on something he'll find a solution and it will certainly be an enjoyable ride for a lot of the people that jump on board."

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Postecoglou right man for the job

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CONTRARY to popular belief, Ange Postecoglou and I have a healthy respect for each other.

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I'm thrilled about his elevation to the role of Socceroos coach. 

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Changes need to be made in Australian football and Postecoglou's the man to do it. 

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It's no secret that we didn't always see eye-to-eye during the period he was Brisbane's coach and I was the Roar's captain. 

But that's in the past and we've spoken many times since.

Hopefully, in my role as an FFA elite player mentor, I can work with Postecoglou to foster our best young talent.

He knows I'm passionate and that I want to see the game improve. We'll work well with one another.

While his main focus will be the Socceroos, there's no doubt he will cast an eye over the entire national program and ensure it's in good order. 

Postecoglou is about the bigger picture in terms of having a wide-ranging impact and leaving a legacy for Australian football. 

You can already sense his passion for his new job.

And part of the reason for that is because he's an Aussie, and we're all buying into that.

For probably the first time since Frank Farina's time in charge of the Socceroos, there is a genuine feeling that the team really belongs to us. It's a team we can again take ownership of. 

We know for sure that regardless of results, the typical Australian attributes of desire, willingness, and commitment to the cause will be there in spades for all of us to see. 

Another good thing about Postecoglou is that he's always striving to improve as a coach, regardless of the success he has tasted in recent years. You can never stop learning. 

He knows that as well as anybody. 

In terms of the immediate future and next year's World Cup, we know Postecoglou is going to make changes, and players have to accept that. 

There needs to be a real understanding from players that they need to be first-team regulars wherever they are plying their trade. 

There are no longer any huge advantages or disadvantages about being in one league over another.

The fact is we now only have a few players involved the world's best leagues.

The majority of the Socceroos' 2014 World Cup squad will pick itself because its members will have played 30-plus league games going into the tournament. 

That's a must in terms of being match-hardened. 

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World Cup trip changed Hayne's life

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JARRYD Hayne went to the last World Cup thinking he would do Fiji a favour by playing for them – five years on the now Kangaroo credits that time in his life for making him the man he is today.

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The Parramatta superstar admits it is going to be one of the most emotional challenges of his career when he runs out for Australia next Saturday in his first appearance at this World Cup against Fiji. 

Prior to that 2008 tournament, Hayne was already one of the most talented young stars in the NRL, but it was issues off the field that were threatening to derail his career. 

But by the time the tournament was over he was on his way to superstardom and, more importantly, his life had finally found meaning. 

"Fiji changed my life," Hayne said. 

"This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time.

"It will be one of the toughest games I will ever play from an emotional point of view, knowing how much an experience it was last time. 

"With God and church, for me, that is how it all started.

"It was an amazing tour for me. I went away thinking I was going to help them, but the team impacted me and gave me something I will remember forever." 

Hayne's spectacular performances for Fiji made him just about the story of the last World Cup as the Fijians shocked the rugby league world on their way to a semi-final showdown against Australia. 

They ended up losing that game but the following year Hayne produced arguably the greatest individual season ever played as he carried Parramatta to the grand final and collected the Dally M Medal along the way. 

And he was preparing to play for Fiji again this year before he received a surprise call-up from the Kangaroos after a season marred by injury. 

Hayne put in a phenomenal performance for NSW this year in the State of Origin opener but days later suffered a hamstring injury against the Roosters and he never recovered, playing just three games for the rest of the season. 

He said he hardly gave himself a hope of being picked to play for Australia but now that he's here his mission is to fight his way into the Kangaroos' top team ahead of first-choice centre Brent Tait. "Obviously not playing this week is disappointing but I think personally it might help me getting another week under my belt training," Hayne said. 

Take it as read Hayne was right in contention for Australia's vacant right centre spot for last night's showdown with England but missed out to Brent Tate. 

Hayne will now get his chance to shine next Saturday and from there the race will really be on.

"It is a long tournament," he said.

And he said playing right centre would not be a new experience.

"I played Origin on the left but right centre is probably my preferred spot in the centres," he said.

"That is where I played growing up and that is where my dad played as well, he was a right centre.

"So it is something I'm familiar with.

"I think one of the things that took my focus off the injury this year was knowing there was going to be a tour at the end of the year, whether it was for Australia or Fiji, and knowing that if I could get the body right I would be on it. 

"It has definitely been something I have based my year around from Origin to this."

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NRL has new power to punish

Dave Smith with Jim Doyle. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

THE NRL will soon enjoy the power to directly punish all club coaching staff, who will be answerable to the game's strict code of conduct from the start of next season.

In response to the year-long supplements scandal, the NRL integrity unit has demanded that all persons involved in direct treatment and contact with players now be registered. 

The new system brings support staff into line with players, whom the NRL can suspend for certain periods in the event of any conduct that brings the game into disrepute. 

Integrity unit boss Jim Doyle said the lack of governance over support staff needed to be addressed, with the AFL able to directly ban or fine head coaches and assistants. 

In August, the AFL used those powers to suspend Essendon coach James Hird for 12 months over the Bombers' 2012 supplement program and hit assistant coach Mark Thompson with a $30,000 fine. 

The NRL is believed to be close to finalising its response to Cronulla's 2011 supplements program, which has resulted in 11 current and more than half a dozen past Sharks players completing ASADA interviews over the past three months. 

Coaching staff have also been interviewed.

Under the broadened registration system, the NRL will soon be able to directly ban any staff whom it believes failed the players' welfare. 

Two ex-Cronulla players, Isaac Gordon and Josh Cordoba, have already started legal action against their old club for duty-of-care breaches. 

Although the registrations come into effect three years after the Cronulla supplement program was abandoned, staff responsible could still face sanctions if the NRL believes their past actions continue to bring the game into disrepute. 

The Sunday Mail understands the NRL is poised to deliver its findings and any punishments against Cronulla in early December, immediately following the World Cup final on November 30. 

Doyle revealed that over more than 700 coaches, physios, doctors and sports scientists across all 16 clubs at both NRL and NYC level have completed registration documents since July. 

"We need to recognise that the players aren't the only ones responsible for the game's brand," Doyle said.

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Kiwi squad country's greatest-ever

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HEADED by superstar Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand will start their World Cup campaign tonight with a team coach Stephen Kearney rates as arguably the country's greatest-ever.

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The defending World Cup champions face Samoa in Warrington believing they can retain their title with a squad stacked with NRL stars. 

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Williams has to be one of the favourites to pick up the Golden Boot this year as the world's best player — and there isn't a better prop in the game than Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 

Issac Luke is as good a hooker as New Zealand has produced, while Kieran Foran captained the Kiwis in the one-off Test earlier this year and is heading towards greatness. 

And on the size front, the Kiwis are in a world of their own with probably the biggest pack of forwards in the history of the sport. 

Kearney coached the Kiwis to their shock World Cup final win over Australia in 2008 and their Four Nations triumph in 2010. 

Asked if this was the strongest squad he's coached, Kearney said: "It would be one of. I think the quality of depth in the group is certainly one we haven't had before. And when you are not taking away a Jeremy Smith or a Benji Marshall, in the past that would have been a real issue, but I think with this squad it is not such a big issue." 

Kearney knows he's got a hell of a football team on his hands.

While he was heavily criticised initially for bringing Williams into the squad at the expense of Tohu Harris, we're about to find out why the decision certainly was in the best interests of New Zealand's fortunes at this tournament. 

Kearney wouldn't go into exactly what Sonny Bill said and why he changed his mind, but he said his influence on the team since arriving in the UK has been significant. 

"I know what Sonny is about and I know him as a person and I have done for a long time," Kearney said.

"We are fortunate that he is here with us. Everyone is well aware of what he offers on a footy field, but it is also his influences away from the field and his drive, as a player, is second to none."

League historian David Middleton pulled together a list of some of the best Kiwi teams we've seen, and how this squad goes against Australia will be what determines their standing. 

The Aussies might be the top seeds and favourites, but the Kiwis are the reigning champions and Kearney said competition for a place in the top squad will a great motivation. 

"I have got no doubt we have some talent in the group. It is a matter of making sure every time we play we are performing," Kearney said. 

"We have a squad of 24 and I can only pick 17 and they all understand and realise how hard it is to make the side so they have got to be playing well."

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JT leads Aussies to victory

Jonathan Thurston of Australia scores. Source: Michael Steele / Getty Images

SUPERSTAR five-eighth Johnathan Thursrton inspired Australia to an impressive but hard-fought 28-20 victory over England in the World Cup opener at Millennium Stadium.

With the roof closed at the famous Cardiff stadium, the tournament kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony followed by an entertaining match that saw nine tries scored all up and England put up a brave fight.

Thurston starred for the Kangaroos, playing a hand in two tries and scoring another while giant prop Andrew Fifita had a memorable debut off the bench as he lifted Australia after a slow start with his damaging runs.

England's loss could be made worse with Sam Burgess on report for an ugly second half swinging arm that left Sam Thaiday flat on his back.

The Kangaroos were up 18-10 at halftime but not before a nervous start as England raced to a surprise 10-0 after 20 minutes.

In the wake of England's tumultuous build-up that saw Gareth Hock sent home and James Graham stood down, coach Steve McNamara went into the match with all three Burgess brothers in his 17-man squad and in the opening stages Sam and George led the fight from the front.

England's superstar fullback Sam Tomkins laid on the first try for Ryan Hall with a wonderful cut out pass in the 7th minute and they were unlucky not to go further ahead after George Burgess bulldozed through five defenders but lost control as he reached out.

Leroy Cudjoe then turned an average Kevin Sinfield kick into a spectacular touchdown when he jumped between Brett Morris and Brent Tate to open up a surprise 10-0 lead.

But in desperate need of a spark Greg Inglis came up with the big play that turned the game.

Following through on a Cooper Cronk kick Inglis snatched possession off Tomkins and then offloaded a terrific ball for Thurston to score untouched.

And from that the Australians came charging with two tries in the five minutes counting down to the break.

Thurston sent Greg Bird over with a well-timed pass in the 36th minute and just before halftime Billy Slater raced 55 metres to score Australia's third try and claim an 18-10 lead.

A controversial call went against England when Joshua Charnley ruled to put a foot into touch but Australia capitalised when Brett Morris crossed to make it 22-10.

George Burgess crashed over for a crucial try to reduce the gap to 22-16 after 51 minutes.

But with the match in the balance Thurston landed a penalty goal to push the margin out to eight points before he laid the platform for another try when Darius Boyd crossed out wide.

To their credit England never stopped fighting and a late try to Charnley made it 28-20 at fulltime.

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