'Not healthy': Eddie hits back at accusations

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has responded to suggestions he should stand down from his role at the Magpies following the chaotic trade period.

The Magpies administration came under fire for trading several of their biggest names for little avail, leading to former board member David Galbally calling for McGuire to resign.

Galbally told The Herald Sun: “They really need a new administration at Collingwood. Full stop.

“Eddie needs to step down. He can’t stay there forever. He’s not there for life. And it’s not healthy for the club to have the same person serve in that role for as long as he has.

“The presidency of the Collingwood Football Club carries with it enormous imprimatur, right across the community – and it’s very hard to let go and give it away. But it’s time. The club has got to look to the future. It needs new ideas and a fresh approach.”

But McGuire was unfazed by the remarks, delivering a scathing response on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast.

“It’s a big story – the Herald Sun, I got past the Harvey Norman ad on the back page to get into it,” McGuire said.

“There’s not much on today, (author) Mick Warner has obviously got the teledex out rung around and found David Galbally. David’s had his say, good luck to him.”

Australian cricket icon Ricky Ponting has called for national selectors to back Joe Burns for the opening position in the Test team.

Although Victorian prodigy Will Pucovski has dominated the Sheffield Shield this season, Ponting believes incumbent Burns deserves an opportunity to prove his worth at Test level.

"When I was captain, I had a pretty strong philosophy with the selectors that once you're in my team, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure you stayed there," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"I didn't want to be making changes and I always felt it was my responsibility as captain to get the absolute best out of the players I had in my team.

"I think it gives individuals a bit more confidence to go out and play a certain way and not be scared about their position in the line-up. That adds a lot around the group.

"Burns hasn't done much wrong. If you go back to last summer, he played really well in the first Test in Brisbane and I remember saying then to lock him in and give him a good go at it for a while.

"The boys have been on a roll with their performances in Test cricket, and I always say you don't want to be making too many changes if you don't need to."

Several Aussie cricket greats, including former Test captain Mark Taylor, have claimed Pucovski should pair with David Warner for the first Test match against India.

Lionel Messi had his private jet stormed by the Spanish tax agency on the tarmac at Barcelona airport – a fiasco the Argentine hero labelled as “madness”.

Messi, 33, returned from international duty on Wednesday.

But before he even had the chance to head into the terminal, Marca reports up to five officials boarded his customised aeroplane and asked the Barca captain and the entire crew to provide documentation.

As he headed through customs at Barcelona El Prat airport, Messi was ordered to pay a tax, the report adds.

– The Sun

READ MORE: ‘Madness’ driving Messi to Man City

One of the toughest years of Payne Haas’ life is ending on a bright note after he and girlfriend Leilani Mohenoa announced they’re expecting a baby girl.

Mohenoa posted a photograph of an ultrasound on Instagram on Thursday night with the caption: “We lost an angel but he sent us another that same month. Baby girl due in May.”

READ MORE: Haas' ecstasy amid tragedy

Conor McGregor has signed his bout agreement for his rematch with Dustin Poirier next year, sources have confirmed.

TheMacLife reported the duo are set to face off in Abu Dhabi on January 23.

“I am very grateful to be about to return and get to do what I love again,” McGregor recently said.

“I look forward to the fresh test Dustin will bring since our first bout, while also showcasing my own incredibly deep cache of weaponry. Whatever tool is needed on the night will be pulled from the duffel.

“I am also really excited about aiding Dustin’s charity 'The Good Fight Foundation', which through the donation, will build a gym/premise for disadvantaged youth in his childhood hometown. I truly love this, and pledge to match the donation on a premise in my own childhood hometown! Both spots with an ode to the upcoming bout.”

McGregor and Poirier have not faced off since 2014, where the Irishman won in the first round.

An adjustment to the ICC World Test Championships standings has resulted in Australia climbing to the No. 1 spot.

The coronavirus pandemic threw the competition into disarray, with several Test series either abandoned or postponed.

To allow for a fair contest, the ICC have decided 'percentage of points' will determine the final standings, rather than overall points.

Because Australia have won a larger portion of the points on offer since the championships start in July 2019, they have leapfrogged India into first.

However, that could potentially change over the coming months, with Australia scheduled to host four Test matches against the powerhouse nation.

"Both the Cricket Committee and Chief Executives Committee supported the approach of ranking teams based on completed matches and points earned as this reflects their performance and doesn't disadvantage teams that have been unable to compete all of their matches through no fault of their own," ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said.

"We explored a whole range of options, but our Members felt strongly that we should proceed as planned with the first ever World Test Championship Final in June next year."

Former New South Wales Blues captain Paul Gallen has doubled down on his claim this year's Queensland squad is the worst in decades.

Gallen ruffled a few feathers last week when he echoed the comments of several pundits by suggesting Wayne Bennett’s squad was the weakest Maroons team in a long time.

But Queensland caused a major upset by snaring a 20-14 victory at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday evening to secure a 2-1 series victory.

Despite the surprise result, Gallen refused to backflip on his remarks.

“No, I’m standing by my comments absolutely,” Galen told 2GB.

“This was the weakest Queensland side I had seen for 15 or 20 years.

“I wasn’t the one who said they were the worst team in 40 years, but I did say they were weakest in the last 15 to 20 years.

“I think when you debut 14 debutants in the series, it’s a fair comment.

“When you listen to Cameron Munster in the post-game say it was their first win without the big dogs, it justifies it.

“Not only that, Johnathan Thurston gets on TV and says it was the best victory they’ve had since 1995. What’s that implying? Why was it the best victory they’ve had since 2017 when they had Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Greg Inglis and the likes.

“I think my comments were justified.”

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Well done QLD. Munster and Grant you freaks! Maybe next time Paul Gallen might keep his mouth shut until after the series 🤐 #muppet

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