Freischaltung » pleasantries came months after the lack of a con

Greater Western Sydney are destined for a maiden AFL finals berth.Maybe even from finishing in the top four, with some tipping them to clinch the minor premiership.But coach Leon Cameron wont so much as glance past Saturdays meeting with Collingwood, let alone do the maths on the favourable fixtures enticing the Giants towards a potential home final.The competitions youngest club are already third and have a cracking run home featuring just two top-eight rivals in their last eight matches.Those are eighth-placed West Coast, whom the Giants will host at their so far untouchable fortress of Spotless Stadium in round 21, and seventh-placed North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in round 23.While it makes positive reading for Giants fans, Cameron was loath to label any opponent as less challenging than another.We never talk about whats coming up in two or three weeks, we always talk about whats in front of us, Cameron said.As soon as you start thinking ahead about whether youre travelling, whether you think you might have some easier games - there are never any easier games.Weve got a huge challenge against Collingwood, all we can focus on is that.If we get the job done we move to our 11th win which moves us closer to where we want to get to.But until we get that job done we cant discuss anything else.The AFLs top eight is as tight as ever.Before this round began, six teams including the Giants had 10 wins and 40 points, behind leaders Hawthorn who are clear on 48 points.Septembers finals line-up also appears all but set barring an unlikely challenge from ninth-placed Port Adelaide.The Powers main role now could be in helping to shape the configuration, given theyll play five top-eight sides in their last 10 games, including the Giants in a fortnight.Cameron thrived on the unpredictability of it all.Thats the good thing about this competition at the moment, Cameron said.Port are trying to get into the eight, theyre playing some good footy.And theres eight sides trying to stay in the eight and eight sides trying to get into the top four.I think its just a fabulous year for the competition because its so unknown whats going to happen from game to game. Salomon Shoes Sale Nz . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Cheap Salomon Shoes Nz . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. http://www.salomonoutletnz.com/ . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Buy Salomon Shoes Nz .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Salomon Shoes Nz Outlet . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Big brothers have been known to pick on little brothers from time to time.That is, of course, until that little brother grows to be a few inches taller and 50 pounds heavier.Such is the case for brothers Chris and Kyle Long, who are at different points in their NFL careers entering the season.Kyle, the Bears three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman, will be counted on at right guard to help protect quarterback Jay Cutler as Chicago looks to move on from a forgettable 2015 season.Meanwhile, on the defensive side his older brother, Chris, is trying to make the most of the one-year deal he signed with the Patriots following an eight-year stint in St. Louis.Chris, 31, has had no problem deferring to his younger sibling as the teams participate in joint practices in advance of Thursday nights preseason matchup.Hitting my brother? Not a lot. Hes like a big tree stump, so luckily Im out there on the edge and we didnt have to deal with each other much, Chris said of the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Kyle.Coach Bill Belichick said it hasnt been too hard to tell them apart.One big one and one not-so big one, Belichick said about the siblings, who are extending the legacy of a family tree first established in the NFL by their Hall of Famer father, Howie Long.The big one is the younger Kyle, the 27-year-old and three-time Pro Bowl right guard in his fourth season as a key part of the Bears offensive line.He has started all but one of Chicagos regular-season games since 2013, and will switch from tackle back to right guard.The hope is that his inside presence will help fortify a line that allowed Cutler to be sacked 29 times last season.Growing up in a rambunctious house that featured Chris and his baby brother, Howie, Jr., was never void of activity.Chris has yet to appear in the playoffs during his eight seasons. So a spot on the Patriots roster is a chance to be a part of a winner.And with the recent injury to starting defensive end Rob Ninkovich, it also could mean a chance to make a significant contribution late in his career.Kyle was drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox in 2008, but opted to take a baseball scholarship at Florida State. That was short-lived, though, with a DUI his first semester leading him first to a junior college in 2010 and finally to Oregon in 2012 to resume his football career.One of his biggest supporters along the way has been Chris.I just enjoy kind of watching him grow into being a man in this league, Chris Long said. I know the work that it takes and I just think, more than anything, just seeing the way hes plugged away, he grows up every year.ddddddddddddHaving a player of Kyles caliber on the field this week has also been helpful for a New England offensive line also trying to rebuild after Tom Brady was sacked 38 times in 2015.Chris has been slowed some the past two years by knee and ankle issues. But Kyle said hes expecting big things out of him this season.He looks strong, he feels strong and hes a competitor, Kyle Long said.As for Thursday night, Kyle said there will be a few more family members in the stands than usual. They include their mom, Chris wife and Kyles nephew, Waylon, who was born in March.He was definitely neutral, Kyle said. He had a blue hat on, which was also neutral. So he knows how to play the game already.Game notes Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was absent from the practice field Tuesday, a day after he pulled up short while running a passing route and left the workout early with a trainer. ... Bears TE Zach Miller and WR Eddie Royal (concussion protocol) were both absent. ... Patriots S Nate Ebner returned after taking a leave of absence to compete for the U.S. Rugby team in Rio. He spent the day on the sideline in a jersey and shorts. ... Bears coach John Fox chatted with Patriots TE Martellus Bennett after practice, and at one point knelt to play with Bennetts daughter. The pleasantries came months after the lack of a contract extension in Chicago opened the door for Bennetts trade from Chicago to New England. ... Earlier this month Bennett tweaked his former club when he and his brother, Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, made critical comments about Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler. But Fox insisted this week that there was no ill will, or anything like that toward Bennett following his departure. ... Patriots CB Malcolm Butler and Bears WR Alshon Jeffery, who were ejected from practice after an extended shoving match Monday, exchanged a high-five prior to lining up against each other in a one-on-one drill. ... Patriots C Bryan Stork was kicked out of practice after head-butting Bears LB John Timu. ... The Patriots released Brock Vereen. He was signed by the Patriots to the practice squad on Nov. 18, 2015. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder, entered the NFL as a fourth-round (131st overall) draft choice by Bears in the 2014 draft out of Minnesota.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '