A cloudy day but a buoyant atmosphere greeted the Vale Vikings at the heart of Lancashire. The Halbro NW League was poised for a showdown, with third place Vale taking on second place Blackburn for a 'winner-takes-all' attempt at promotion. There was no margin for error. Whoever won this game - were going up.   Early possession was all Blackburn's with the ball barely reaching Vale's half for 10 minutes. The opening try fell inevitably to the home side. It shook some resolve from the Vale, who came back strongly. Sharp passing and coordinated forward play took the Vale to the Blackburn 22m line. A burst of energy from the base of a scrum launched by the unstoppable Shannon Morgan, fending off two attempts at tackles he crossed the line for the equaliser.   The pattern continued, with Blackburn completing a cross-field passing move to score, followed by another equaliser by Vale winger Kev Briston. Full back Ryan Busby converted and the half time score was an equitable 14 apiece.  The restart brought on Freddie Bartle and Brett Cooper to the campaign. Both sides earned and missed penalty kicks in midfield. The break went against the Vale when a loose ball from a lineout was picked up by the Blackburn number four who found a gap and touched down to the right of the posts. All remaining replacements were deployed and the effort level rose, but misfortune thwarted progress. Briston tried to intercept a ball in mid-flight, but was deemed to have knocked on deliberately. Although his intentions were honourable, he was dispatched to the naughty step for 10 minutes.  Blackburn capitalised by extending their leading the right corner, stretching the shortened Vale defensive line. The Vale were not done yet. Man-mountain Tom Prieto powered over for his try, and Busby's boot put them back in contention by narrowing the difference to only five points. Try-saving tackles by Vale backs kept the dream alive, but cracks were beginning to show. Several Vale players were limping but determined to stay on. The final points came from a Blackburn penalty kick from 20m, following a contentious high-tackle decision.    The spoils for the game and the season went to Blackburn, and deservedly so. They join Fylde RUFC in elevation to the next level. The Vale Vikings gave a good account of themselves, capping off a fine season. Many of the team will be marking the occasion on the end-of-season tour to Sunderland next weekend.  Team:  K. Sharples, K. Banga, G. Summers, S. Stewart (c), T. Prieto, J. Sloan-Lewis, P. Scott, S. Morgan, D. Minnikin, O. Cousins, K. Briston, M. Short, G. Simon, J. Summers, R. Busby.    Reps:  B. Cooper, S. Middlehurst, F. Bartle, R. Martin, R. Whitaker. Real Local Radio Across North Lancashire & Morecambe Bay - 103.5FM, 107.5FM, Online, Apps and Smart Speaker. Things were looking good for Blackburn when Yuki Ohashi gave it the lead five minutes into the second half, and with the Robins 2-0 down against Preston. But just before the hour, Anel Ahmedhodzic equalised for the Blades and then Rovers fans listened in horror at the news from Ashton Gate as Bristol City came back to earn the point it needed to stay in the play-off places. Sheffield United will likely be the favourite as it heads into the play-offs having finished third after spending much of the season battling with champion Leeds United and second-placed Burnley for the two automatic promotion spots. The Blades will face Bristol City away from home in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Friday  9 May (AEST) before hosting the Robins at Bramall Lane for the second leg on Tuesday 13 May (AEST). For Rovers, it's back to the drawing board as another season goes by without promotion for the former Premier League champion. Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Employers have seized on union-aligned Maurice Blackburn’s shutout of its lawyers over a historic billing ban to douse an ACTU campaign against lockout powers in industrial disputes while unionists branded the law firm’s response a “low act” Maurice Blackburn will refuse to pay its lawyers on Thursday in response to their historic ban on billing legal work to support a 15 per cent pay rise and has directed them not to log in to work systems or check emails SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Australia’s number one plaintiff law firm Providing expert personal injury legal services to Queenslanders for over 25 years Maurice Blackburn joins the Cowboys as Major Partner and Coaching Team Partner for at least the next two seasons with their logo to sit proudly across the Cowboys NRL and NRLW Coaching Teams apparel Committed to supporting everyday Australians and providing access to justice Maurice Blackburn looks forward to deepening its connection with Cowboys fans and their local communities as well as delivering Rehab Reports throughout the 2025 and 2026 seasons on Cowboys injured players Maurice Blackburn Lawyers announced as Cowboys Major Partner the partnership signifies the club’s commitment to assisting everyday North Queenslanders it is extremely exciting to welcome Maurice Blackburn Lawyers to the Cowboys partner family,” he said “With over 100 years of experience nationally and it is exciting to partner with an organisation with shared values and commitment to helping the people of North Queensland have been working tirelessly this pre-season and it will be fantastic to see the Maurice Blackburn brand displayed across our Coaching Team as we move closer to kicking off a landmark season in our 30th anniversary year.” Maurice Blackburn CEO Jacob Varghese said it was an exciting time to be joining the Cowboys  “We’re thrilled to partner with the Cowboys North Queenslanders are known for their grit and passion for their local communities Maurice Blackburn and the Cowboys both have a winning mindset In a further boost to the North Queensland community Maurice Blackburn will also become the Presenting Partner of the Cowboys award-winning Training & Employment program delivers accredited courses to unemployed and disadvantaged North Queenslanders and for Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling the support of Maurice Blackburn will allow the program to continue to help hundreds of people across the region “It is important to us to deliver positive outcomes for the whole community and having the backing of an organisation like Maurice Blackburn allows us to continue to provide opportunities and mentoring support for those in need while ensuring employers get staff with the relevant skills they require and build a stronger industry in the North,” she said “We are proud of every one of our graduates who have shown commitment to completing the course look forward to continuing to make a difference in the years ahead.” Dearden: We just couldn't come up with the play Final Cowboys team list: Round 9 v Warriors Updated Cowboys team list: Round 9 v Warriors Four things you need to know: Round 9 v Warriors Blackburn Skipper Kade Answerth celebrates a goal on the Three Quarter Time siren A fired-up Blackburn side delivered on Good Friday securing a 19-point Round One victory over the reigning premiers at Morton Park After three consecutive seasons finishing sixth on the Premier Division ladder the challenge this season for the Burners is to take the next step and not only return to the finals but impact them They couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season securing their first win in a standalone Good Friday clash against Balwyn the Burners second quarter would turn out to be the major difference between the two sides six goals to one with the breeze gave the home team a 24-point lead at the Half Time break Against a premiership midfield Balwyn line-up Lachlan Bugeja’s first half performance played a major role in Blackburn’s win 18 disposals in the first half including an important goal in the second term Lachlan Bugeja on Friday's clash with Balwyn Photo: Field of ViewThe new captain of the Blackburn senior side Kade Answerth was just as vital in the side’s success on Friday Answerth had 24 disposals across the afternoon A clutch goal on the eve of the Three-Quarter Time stretching the margin out to a game-high 32 points Despite a late push in the final quarter from Balwyn 19 disposals between them in the last term Blackburn managed to whether the storm in a great defensive display of Premier Division footy Thomas Maher also played his role to perfection keeping one of the most dangerous forwards in the league goalless The Blackburn defender spoke after the game about the hard-fought result “Resilience was a real big thing; a lot of the boys were dropping like flies but it was really good to see all of the boys dig deep.” A sea of red jackets filled the ground on Friday in a finals-type crowd for the standalone game Blackburn’s Daniel Wood also spoke after the game mentioning the impact of the Blackburn faithful which were out in full force on Friday “It’s like we basically have a 19th man on the field when we have the crowd around here like this the support is unreal and they really get us through those fourth quarters when it’s getting tough.” Blackburn are once again on centre stage this Friday as the side meets South Croydon at Cheong Park in their annual ANZAC Day clash they’ll have the opportunity to bounce back in front of their home crowd Saturday The club will unfurl the 2024 premiership flag when the side takes on Rowville A massive day for the club as Balwyn will also have their Senior Women’s playing their first home game of the year after entering the competition Match Footage EFNL Board Staff Junior Committee Senior Clubs Junior Clubs Safeguarding Children & Young People Annual Reports (VIEW MAP) Email: enquiries@efnl.org.au Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  The dispute between Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and its employees has ramped up with “deeply disappointed” unionised workers calling out “hypocrisy” from the national practice based on its previous reproductive leave stances Australian Services Union (ASU) members working at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are today (6 March) engaging in industrial action against the law firm over pay disputes and for 10 days of reproductive leave If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later The action – engaged by legal and non-legal union members – includes lawyers refusing to record their billable hours Unionised lawyers working for Maurice Blackburn claimed that the decision to engage in a time-recording ban – rather than a complete stoppage – was to ensure that clients’ needs were still being met Despite this attempt to “thread the needle” between employer disruption and client appeasement the law firm quickly confirmed it would refuse to accept any work from lawyers engaging in the ban on that day – with lawyers being directed not to access any work systems as they will not be paid a Maurice Blackburn Lawyers spokesperson established that employees would not be “locked out” – stating it is “operating under the Fair Work Act” The Fair Work Act defines a ban on time recording as a “partial work ban” – meaning an employer is well within their rights to “issue a non-payment notice” or elect to stand down staff who are committed to the action The spokesperson continued: “Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is one of only two major law firms that supports staff to join unions so that they have strong representation during enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations.” ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske noted that despite Maurice Blackburn’s “legal threats and aggressive tactics” union members would not be deterred from partaking in the action “ASU members will not be intimidated by legal tactics Our members will be pressing ahead with the ban on time recording because workers at Maurice Blackburn deserve a better deal,” Gaske said “We believe this will be the first time lawyers in Australia have taken industrial action in the form of a ban on recording their billable hours Members are making a strong point – while the firm charges clients hundreds of dollars per hour for legal work it refuses to fairly compensate the staff who generate that revenue our members will not be recording billable time during the action If the firm refuses work from lawyers who aren’t recording their time it reveals that profit matters more to them than genuinely supporting their clients.” One of the big issues within the enterprise agreement is regarding paid reproductive leave Maurice Blackburn has refused to extend reproductive leave beyond four days despite the firm publicly supporting union initiatives that push for 10 days of reproductive leave In a statement from 2022, which is still available on the firm’s website, Maurice Blackburn joined “Australia’s biggest unions to campaign for menstrual and menopause leave for women”. Maurice Blackburn lawyer Jessica Heron, who is quoted in the 2022 statement, labelled the existing leave provisions pertaining to reproductive leave under the Fair Work Act – at the time – as insufficient because “they did not allow women to take personal leave for menstrual-related pain”. “The most effective way of combating this unfairness is to create a uniform legislative standard allowing for additional leave days under the Fair Work Act. Women should be given at least 12 extra days leave a year, or one day per month,” said Heron back in 2022. The union and its members have labelled this as hypocrisy. “Maurice Blackburn has publicly campaigned for employers to provide 10 days of reproductive leave, yet it refuses to move beyond four days for its own workers. “This hypocrisy has deeply disappointed our members,” Gaske said. “The ASU calls on Maurice Blackburn to immediately return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith for fair wages, improved conditions, and a deal that properly rewards the firm’s hardworking legal staff.” Maurice Blackburn had no further comment on the matter. Western Bulldogs vice-captain Ellie Blackburn will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024 NAB AFLW Season after sustaining a significant mid-foot injury. The 29-year-old suffered a disruption to the mid-foot ligament in her left foot during the final minute of the loss to West Coast on Thursday night. She will require surgery to repair the damage, ruling her out of a return to competitive action this year. “We’re all devastated for Ellie, who has been one of our most durable and reliable players and was set for another impactful campaign,” GM of Women’s Football, Patrice Berthold, said. “After conducting a thorough review of available options, our medical staff have deemed surgery as the best course of action to facilitate her return to play in 2025. “We’ll wrap our arms around Ellie and provide her with as much support as she needs throughout this entire process to ensure she can be at her best with us next year.” Defender Liam Jones will be sidelined for a number of weeks. The Bulldogs have enjoyed another clean sweep of the coaches’ votes. Keep your radios dialled into Nova all week to hear from your favourite Bulldogs players. A deeper dive into the stats from our win over Port Adelaide. The Bulldogs have gone down to Southport Sharks by 10 points at Mission Whitten Oval. Chris Bell provides an update on Liam Jones and Jordan Croft. Lou Stephenson reflects on the day of activity with Fire Rescue Victoria. The Magpies and Bulldogs clash in round six. Backline coach Daniel Pratt reviews the round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat. The Western Bulldogs Official App is your one stop shop for all your latest team News, Videos, Player Profiles, Scores and Stats delivered LIVE to your smartphone or tablet! Western Bulldogs acknowledge that we work, train and play on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Blackburn Rovers end the 2024-25 Championship season with a six-game unbeaten run Blackburn Rovers missed out on a Championship play-off place following a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United on the final day of the season Yuki Ohashi's goal five minutes after half-time had given Rovers the lead at Bramall Lane Anel Ahmedhodzic's equaliser nine minutes later meant Blackburn miss out on a chance of extending their season in the post-season shake up Blades finish their league campaign third on 90 points following a two point deduction for defaulted transfer payments Blades striker Tom Cannon forced a save from Rovers keeper Balazs Toth with a snap shot from a tight angle the hosts should have taken the lead but after reaching Andre Brooks' superb inswinging delivery Gus Hamer prodded over from just a couple of yards out with Toth stranded The Blades dominated the ball in the first half but Rovers almost took the lead when Callum Brittain's dangerous cross-shot was well tipped over his bar by Blades' back-up keeper Adam Davies – one of seven changes made by Chris Wilder from last Friday's win at Stoke Ryan Hedges started the move which led to Blackburn's goal at Bramall Lane With Lancashire rivals Burnley and Preston both providing Blackburn a helping hand in their respective matches at the interval Rovers knew a goal would take them into the top six It was the hosts that started the second half on the front foot and Sydie Peck went close but his half volley was well held by Toth Blackburn winger Ryan Hedges picked out Brittain who found Ohashi unmarked in the middle and his left footed strike deflected past Davies off the leg of Rob Holding to send the Rovers fans into raptures as their side moved into sixth at the time as Holding's header across the face of the box was met by Ahmedhodzic who tapped over the line from close range Tyrhys Dolan's swirling strike from range was well kept out by Davies while at the other end Callum O'Hare teed up Cannon who fired over the bar from close range substitute Femi Seriki was forced off with an injury which meant the Blades had to see out the final stages with 10 men and putting the right-back's chances of making Thursday's play-off semi-final first-leg at Bristol City in doubt substitute Emmanuel Dennis met a corner from Yuri Ribeiro but he was unable to direct his free header on target and with that Rovers' final chance of play-off football this season had gone Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I thought the performance was a good performance We knew it was an awkward one with Blackburn Rovers having something to play for so their approach would be on the front foot "Second half we were really positive when we went behind I believe we deserved to win the game but the attitude "The overall thing for me is two points per game It's an incredible achievement in my opinion with the challenges we've had to overcome The players have given everything for the shirt." "He's off to hospital so that's the disappointing aspect of today but we can't complain our injury record has been absolutely outstanding." Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Again it was an outstanding performance "The game plan until we conceded was perfect It was exactly what we expected but we conceded the goal too quickly One bad decision and you get punished but I think the performance was right we put every attacking player we have on the pitch we played with only one midfield player to try to have that lucky punch we are disappointed to miss out on the play-offs but at least we built some momentum and we can keep on going for the next season." "Tyrhys Dolan will be a player for example we will have to show patience [on] – it will be his decision [whether to stay at Blackburn] It is a good position for him so we have to respect that he's got the love but at some point it depends on the offer he has." To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Woodrow Match OfficialsReferee: Farai HallamAssistant Referee 1: Mark DwyerAssistant Referee 2: Jonathan HuntFourth Official: Seb StockbridgeMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightSheffield United have won five of their last seven league games against Blackburn Rovers (L2) keeping a clean sheet in all five of those victories Blackburn Rovers are winless across their last six away league games against Sheffield United since a 2-1 victory in January 1994 (D1 L5) failing to score in each of their last five visits to Bramall Lane Sheffield United are unbeaten across their last four final league games of a Championship season (W3 D1) This will be the third time that Blackburn have finished a league campaign by facing Sheffield United beating the Blades 4-0 at home in 1920 before the pair drew 0-0 at Bramall Lane in 1939 Newly-crowned Championship player of the season Gustavo Hamer has netted nine goals for Sheffield United in 2024-25 while since the start of the 2022-23 campaign only nine players have recorded more goal contributions than the Dutchman (38 – 20 goals despite him spending the 2023-24 season in the top-flight Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the right Assisted by Yuri Ribeiro with a cross following a corner Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal Tom Davies (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half Femi Seriki went off injured after Sheffield United had used all subs Fourth official has announced 8 minutes of added time Delay in match because of an injury Femi Seriki (Sheffield United) Femi Seriki (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half Foul by Augustus Kargbo (Blackburn Rovers) Plaintiff law firm Maurice Blackburn breached loan agreements last year after it suffered defeats in major litigation as a self-funded class action model begins to cause financial pressure internally and from opponents The failed litigation helped push the firm to a $5.4 million loss for 2023-24 and forced it to renegotiate terms and defer payments to lenders on millions of dollars in loans Read MoreLegal professionClass actionHigh Court of AustraliaLatest In Professional servicesFetching latest articles According to Maurice Blackburn employees engaged in today’s (6 March) industrial action the national plaintiff law firm adapted their out-of-office automated emails to remove any reference to industrial action currently underway or the ongoing bargaining disputes Today’s industrial action undertaken by unionised staff over pay disputes and paid reproductive leave has yet again escalated with staff alleging that Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is removing any reference to the industrial action from their “out-of-office” (OOO) emails Workers who have engaged in the industrial action today set up OOO automated emails Included in these emails were references to the industrial action taken today – noting that Maurice Blackburn “refused to accept any work from lawyers engaging in the [recording ban] on 6 March 2025 I have been directed to not perform any work today” it was alleged that the law firm adapted lawyers’ automated emails which referenced the action and collective bargaining – completely removing such references According to the screenshot shared on LinkedIn the updated OOO reads: “Thank you for your email which will be reviewed by a member of our team.” “If your enquiry concerns an urgent matter with a deadline or Court listing occurring on Thursday we will respond to your email as soon as possible Lawyers Weekly reached out to a spokesperson for Maurice Blackburn who said: “We’ve created a standard out-of-office email – so clients of lawyers who’ve engaged in work bans know how to get advice today if they need it.” The firm has already been criticised by the union and its members over its purported “hypocrisy” relating to paid reproductive leave. This latest development only further sows the seeds of division between union members and the firm as the situation continues to develop. On 28 February, the Australian Services Union (ASU) notified national plaintiff law firm Maurice Blackburn that lawyers and other staff members would engage in protected industrial action related to negotiations over a new enterprise agreement on 6 March, via a one-day ban on time recording. The law firm, however, confirmed it would refuse to accept any work from lawyers engaging in the ban on that day as it fits under the “partial work ban” listed in the Fair Work Act. A Maurice Blackburn Lawyers spokesperson established that employees would not be “locked out” – stating it is “operating under the Fair Work Act”. ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske noted that despite Maurice Blackburn’s “legal threats and aggressive tactics”, union members would not be deterred from partaking in the action. “ASU members will not be intimidated by legal tactics. Our members will be pressing ahead with the ban on time recording because workers at Maurice Blackburn deserve a better deal,” Gaske said. 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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Rovers will need to win to have a shot at the top six as well as bank on at least two of the three teams above them - Bristol City they will have also beaten a potential play-off opponent in Sheffield United who will play the team that finishes sixth in the semi-finals Though this game may not have a lot riding on it for the Blades boss Chris Wilder will want his team to get up to speed for the cut-throat play-offs awaiting them Sheffield United have won five of their last seven league games against Blackburn Rovers (L2) despite him spending the 2023-24 season in the top flight Related topicsBlackburn RoversSheffield UnitedFootballTop storiesLive Blackburn Rovers have sought to distance themselves from Wayne Rooney with the Championship outfit unaware of how those rumours started The off-season clash for the Reds Development XV at Ballymore Stadium at 3pm on Saturday, October 12 has arrived with ideal timing. Auditions against the NZ Unis side will count. New Reds women’s head coach Andrew Fraser has cast the net wide with his 29-strong training squad before revising the squad when Queensland’s Wallaroos return from the WXV2 tournament in South Africa and several players rejoin from the Next Gen Sevens program. Flanker Blackburn, 21, was one of the most impressive performers during the finals series of the StoreLocal Women’s Premiership. She has excellent leg drive, a big motor, lineout skills, a zeal for strong-running charges and the leadership she showed as Wests captain. Blackburn said she is excited to test herself in the squad after progressing from the Gympie Hammers, Noosa Dolphins and Queensland Country before landing in Brisbane. “Seeing some of the names, they definitely deserve to be in this Reds squad. It means people have been watching this season and you are going to be recognised if you put in the effort,” Blackburn said. Blackburn is a great example that you can get a start anywhere in rugby but the most important thing is to jump in and make that start. “I played ‘12s’ rugby at high school in Gympie. That’s where my rugby started after watching dad and my brother play,” Blackburn said. “I was definitely more into gymnastics when I was younger. I feel that strength has really helped me in rugby.” Evergreen World Cup Wallaroo Liz Patu have been included in the squad as have regulars Deni Ross and Ivania Wong. Lock Ross is back to fitness after breaking her leg in April while winger Wong is still in the early stages of rehabilitation from a serious ankle injury in July. There are new faces aplenty including halfback Tyler Birch, who has been rewarded for strong showings with premiers Bond University. Another interesting inclusion is former Wallaroo Sarah Riordan, who still has the passion to play at 32 and is returning to Brisbane for an Australian Defence Force posting. Damon Virtue will be head coach of the Reds Development XV with Averyl Mitchell and Moana Virtue as assistant coaches. .css-h3az1r{font-family:FuturaMaxiWXX-Bold,"HelveticaNeue-Bold",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:inherit;font-weight:400;}REDS TRAINING SQUAD  Ane-Lisa VitoSula | University of Queensland Chanelle Kohika-Skipper | University of Queensland Nena Williamson | University of Queensland Check out how to watch Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers in the Championship Blackburn Rovers head to Bramall Lane knowing they have to beat Sheffield United on the last day of the Championship season to hold any hope of reaching the play-offs The Blades already have third place locked down Saturday's visitors will join with a victory in the Steel City RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about how to watch Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers on TV and online Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers will take place on Saturday 3rd May 2025 Check out our live football on TV guide for the latest times and information Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers will kick off at 12:30pm You can watch the game live on Sky Sports+ Sky Sports + will feature more than 1,000 EFL games throughout the season and is included as part of Sky Sports packages Sky Sports customers can live stream the game via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices including most smartphones and tablets as part of their subscription NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs In working partnership with the Radio Times, bet365 has provided the following betting odds for this event: bet365 odds: Sheffield United (5/4) Draw (5/2) Blackburn (2/1)* Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365 Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit *Odds subject to change. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org Note – The bonus code RT365 does not change the offer amount in any way What channel is Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers Championship match on live stream and kick-off timeCheck out how to watch Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers in the Championship Saturday's visitors will join with a victory in the Steel City RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about how to watch Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers on TV and online Check out our live football on TV guide for the latest times and information You can watch the game live on Sky Sports+ By entering your details you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply In working partnership with the Radio Times, bet365 has provided the following betting odds for this event: bet365 odds: Sheffield United (5/4) Draw (5/2) Blackburn (2/1)* *Odds subject to change. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org you are agreeing to site title privacy policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Subscribe to RT!Subscribe to Radio Times magazine and get £10 issues for £10! Could your home unlock your dreams?Releasing equity from your home could help give you the retirement you've been dreaming of? Holiday brochuresNeed inspiration of where to go next? Escorted tour, river cruise, yacht cruise, short break. Request a free brochure and start your journey. Now taking bookings for 2025, 2026 and 2027! Wilder also stated his concern about the injury suffered to right-back Femi Seriki which forced his side to play the final stages of the match with 10 men our injury record has been absolutely outstanding," Wilder added Blackburn White have kicked off their 2025 Ringwood Mazda netball campaign in winning fashion defeating Kilsyth Cougars Charcoal by four goals at HE Parker in a thrilling match It was a battle in all four quarters of the match with Blackburn winning the first and third quarters to produce a 22-18 triumph It was a performance from Blackburn Goal Attack Olivia O’Brien that played a role in her side’s strong win on Friday night Charlotte Archbold was impressive in her own right at Goal Shooter and scored nine goals while teammate Ally Larsen had some great moments for the winning side through the defensive end make some pivotal turn overs which resulted in the team grabbing the victory with Blackburn winning the first quarter 7-4 The second quarter was a low scoring second quarter with both teams lifting in their defensive end and making it tough to find easy flow in attack Blackburn maintained a three-goal lead at half time with O’Brien scoring five of her side’s seven goals for Blackburn whilst Mackenna Passinati scored all five goals for the Cougars Blackburn maintained a five-goal lead at the final break The Cougars were resilient in the last quarter but Blackburn were able to hold on in the final stages of the game to secure the victory Maurice Blackburn Senior Associate Jana Davey and Supervising Principal Jillian Barrett will run the new North Lakes office.Jana Davey (left) and Jillian Barrett and new staffer Kristy Jensen will join Jana at North Lakes with visiting specialists from the firm’s other practice areas including medical negligence The opening of North Lakes marks the second office of Maurice Blackburn in the Moreton Bay region with another office in nearby Strathpine.Staff at the new office and head of the firm’s Queensland and Northern Territory road injury work injury and public liability practices said: “It’s so wonderful to have a new home for Maurice Blackburn in the heart of North Lakes to provide legal services to the broader Moreton Bay community “This new office is in a thriving commercial hub just moments from the Bruce Highway which offers great convenience and accessibility for our clients and employees “Maurice Blackburn is committed to extending access to justice we help more Queenslanders access the legal help they need close to their own community.” Maurice Blackburn now has 14 standalone offices and more than 250 employees in Queensland Nationally the firm has 32 offices and more than 1000 staff We help firms and their teams celebrate promotions and new appointments. Please email details of any lawyer promotions or appointments to proctor@qls.com.au Ensure you include some details of their areas of expertise and achievements along with a quality head-and-shoulders image and website in this browser for the next time I comment A Cairns firm has added two staff to its Dispute Resolution and Litigation team The Gold Coast firm has announced a promotion Partner Hayley Mitchell is a Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in Succession Law The TSP Sunshine Coast office has welcomed a new solicitor The firm has promoted three practitioners and made two appointments JCL Law Partners has welcomed two solicitors to its Brisbane firm Vudoo has appointed Paul Blackburn as chief strategy officer Blackburn has joined Vudoo from News Corp Australia, where he was director of commercial data and e-commerce. He spent nearly 13 years with the company and entered his final role as part of News Corp’s newly formed free news and lifestyle business unit. He has over two decades of leadership experience with a background in data innovation. Blackburn lead the Moët shoppable video initiative “We are delighted to welcome Paul to the team His work straddles innovation and practical application with a strong focus on leveraging data and AI to deliver impactful commercial outcomes We believe Paul’s strategic input will be invaluable to us in aligning short-term revenue generation with long-term strategic positioning ensuring Vudoo remains an innovation leader,” Nick Morgan “Advertising has always been about outcomes yet so much of today’s digital ad ecosystem focuses on the wrong metrics Vudoo is leading the charge by creating a direct path from inspiration to transaction Consumers expect immediacy – if they see something they love they want to interact with it and act on it now Vudoo enables brands to deliver that seamless shopping experience turning passive engagement into action and optimising for effectiveness instead of impressions,” Blackburn said Blackburn hosts the Commerce Media Matters podcast where he explores the evolving landscape of commerce media Whitehorse Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man following two alleged aggravated burglaries in Blackburn this morning It is alleged a man forced entry into an apartment unit on John Street He allegedly poured petrol onto the 31-year-old Blackburn man and threatened to set him on fire before assaulting him The occupant sustained injuries which were treated at the scene the man allegedly threatened the occupant of another unit then ran up the driveway and fled in a blue Holden Barina Police spotted the 2007 Holden Barina unoccupied near the loading bay of a hardware store in Ringwood Square The vehicle was allegedly bearing false registration plates A police cordon was put in place and the 31-year-old Ferntree Gully man was arrested as he came out of the store He allegedly resisted police during the arrest and assaulted an officer The male officer sustained minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment The 31-year-old man was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was later interviewed by detectives He was charged with aggravated burglary with offensive weapon (x2) assault police officer and resist police officer The man was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 13 March 2025 Maurice Blackburn has promoted 49 lawyers across the firm this month The nationwide promotions also include seven Special Counsels nine Senior Associates and 28 Associates.Louis Baigent and Kristyn Lennon Queensland lawyers promoted to Senior Associate are Louis Baigent (medical negligence – Brisbane) Kristyn Lennon (personal injuries – Cairns) Heather Kerley (abuse – Maroochydore) and Tamara Splatt (personal injuries – Townsville).Heather Kerley and Tamara Splatt Queensland lawyers promoted to Associate are Grace Fredericks (asbestos – Brisbane) Jessica Heron (employment and industrial – Brisbane) Jayana Kerr (personal injuries – Maroochydore) Leanne Kerr (personal injuries – Southport) Sophie McKenzie (personal injuries – Brisbane) Lemuel Pamiloza (personal injuries – Gold Coast) Alison Ryan (personal injuries – Brisbane) Anna Sullivan (medical negligence – Brisbane) Aleesha Tanner (personal injuries – Townsville) Vicki Warren (personal injuries – Browns Plains) and Alan Watkins (personal injuries – Cairns).Overall women account for 39 (or nearly 80 per cent) of the promotions including three of the five new Principals and five of the seven new Special Counsels.The promotions represent many of the firm’s practice areas including road and work injuries abuse and employment and industrial.Chief Executive Officer Jacob Varghese congratulated all the lawyers recognised in the promotions.“Every promotion is an individual milestone and due recognition of improving performance developing technical expertise and growing team responsibilities,” Jacob said.“Each promotion is also a collective achievement and a marker of our continuing progress as a firm toward an even better employee and client experience.“These and other promoted employees embody our shared commitment to increasing access to justice for everyday Australians “The high number of women in this round of promotions – especially in the most senior roles – reflects our firm’s ongoing commitment to be an employer of choice for gender equality.” We help firms and their teams celebrate promotions and new appointments. Please email details of any lawyer promotions or appointments to proctor@qls.com.au. Ensure you include some details of their areas of expertise and achievements, along with a quality head-and-shoulders image. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The conduct was peppered with personal attacks and views in relation to a person who the respondent knew was vulnerable. The Society has argued police powers to use a hand-held scanner under Jack’s Law should not be expanded. QLS CEO Matt Dunn and Legal Policy Manager Wendy Devine travelled to Townsville for the Seller Disclosure Roadshow to talk about how reforms will impact firms. A Cairns firm has added two staff to its Dispute Resolution and Litigation team. Walks will take place on 20 May in Brisbane, Cairns, Toowoomba, Townsville, Mt Tamborine, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, raising crucial funds to support LawRight’s work. New Zealanders have a passionate, finely developed and deeply held sense of complete and utter indifference to our politics. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The University community mourns the loss of Lauren Blackburn who died last week at Lake Carnegie at the age of 23 Blackburn was an English major and creative writing minor from Corydon where he graduated from Corydon Central High School and was a National Merit Scholar and Gates Scholar.  he was a recipient of the Sam Hutton Fund for the Arts travel and independent research in the Lewis Center for the Arts was involved in the Korean Literature Club and Korean Student Association and wrote for The Daily Princetonian.    Surviving family members include parents Soonhee and Martin Blackburn A funeral service will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 215 W. Chestnut St. in Corydon, Indiana. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the church. Gifts in Blackburn’s memory may be made to the International Bipolar Foundation The University has extended condolences to the Blackburn family, and in a message posted on the University’s Campus Life website the family expressed their “profound gratitude” for the “outpouring of love prayers and well wishes” they had received from the Princeton community the University hosted an opportunity on campus for students to gather National law firm Maurice Blackburn has unveiled its 2025 promotions round with five lawyers being elevated to principal level Maurice Blackburn has named five new principals (three of whom are women) Women make up 39 of the 49 lawyers promoted accounting for almost 80 per cent of the promotions round The new principals are Gabrielle Feery (medical negligence) Patricia McMullan (road and work injuries) Timothy McGinley (asbestos) and Trang van Heugten (public liability) The new special counsel are Aleksandar Calic All promotions were effective as of 1 January and cover the firm’s road and work injuries and employment and industrial practice areas The news follows the firm’s addition of a new principal to lead its Gold Coast practice in October and its opening of an additional office in Queensland in November. Speaking about the appointments, Maurice Blackburn chief executive Jacob Varghese said: “Every promotion is an individual milestone and due recognition of improving performance, developing technical expertise, and growing team responsibilities. “Each promotion is also a collective achievement and a marker of our continuing progress as a firm towards an even better employee and client experience. “These and other promoted employees embody our shared commitment to increasing access to justice for everyday Australians. “The high number of women in this round of promotions – especially in the most senior roles – reflects our firm’s ongoing commitment to be an employer of choice for gender equality.” Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation. You can email Jerome at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Yuki Ohashi's winner for Blackburn Rovers was his ninth goal of the season Ten-man Blackburn Rovers held on for a victory that ended an eight-game winless run and kept alive their slim Championship play-off hopes but left Luton Town deep in relegation trouble Yuki Ohashi scored with Blackburn's first attempt on target seven minutes after the break following an uneventful first half with very little goalmouth action Although Kristi Montgomery was sent off for the visitors for a second yellow card six minutes later Rovers held on for more than 30 minutes and 12 minutes of injury-time to move six points off the top six with four games remaining whose five-game unbeaten sequence had brought fresh optimism about their survival hopes But they only managed three on target and - following Plymouth Argyle's dramatic late win over Sheffield United - they are level on points with the league's bottom side and are now three points from safety Luton's mini-revival had seen them pick up two wins and three draws - their best run of the season a stubborn Rovers side survived the increasing pressure to see out a first victory under Valerien Ismael Plymouth hit dramatic late double to beat Sheff Utd The Hatters have not been out of the bottom three since their defeat by QPR three months ago which was former boss Rob Edwards' final game in charge of the club they did not create many clear opportunities Mark McGuinness sent a header over the bar in the first half while Millenic Alli went close on a couple of occasions But the game's telling moment brought a worthy winner Lewis Travis and Tyrhys Dolan combined to free up Ryan Hedges whose delightful pass enabled Ohashi to race through and beat Hatters keeper Thomas Kaminski with a classy outside of the boot finish ensured a fine rearguard action was needed Thelo Aasgaard smashed a shot against the underside of the bar and Alli blasted an attempt over for the hosts although Alli hit the bar for Luton in time added Rovers were able to see out a first-ever league win in 23 attempts at Kenilworth Road Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio: "We really felt we were building momentum and our performances have been good But that wasn't good enough for the standards we have been setting and we are very disappointed "Blackburn have had a tough run of results but they have a very good group of players "We gave a goal away just after half-time which gave us a mountain to climb and we lacked that bit of composure at the top of the pitch "There were loads of final-third entries and we hit the bar twice but we have not been clinical enough to get the equaliser and then chase the winner We've had some tough moments and have always come out the other side and it's up to us to do it again." Until the red card it was the gameplan we expected "In the first half we wanted to be really strong as we knew we had to face the challenge with a team who are fighting to survive "They put a lot of balls in the box so you have to defend and show togetherness and we made it perfectly "In the transition we didn't play well We wanted to get more in behind but the main focus was to stay strong That was the first step and the second one was to get behind them and we made it perfectly with the goal we scored "After the red card it was another plan to survive and the boys made it perfectly The boys showed a lot of desire and we were lucky for sure - but you need some luck and it doesn't change the performance." Tyjon Match OfficialsReferee: David WebbAssistant Referee 1: Daniel LeachAssistant Referee 2: George ByrneFourth Official: David RockMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightLuton Town have won just one of their last seven league games against Blackburn Rovers (D4 L2) though it did come in their last home match against the Lancashire side (2-0 in September 2022) Blackburn Rovers have failed to win any of their 22 away league games against Luton Town (D9 L13); it’s the most times they’ve faced a side on their travels in the EFL without ever winning Luton have won just one of their last eight home league games (D4 L3) with those matches seeing a total of just eight goals (3 for Blackburn have lost seven of their last eight away league games including their last four in a row since beating West Brom 2-0 in February Blackburn’s Valérien Ismaël has won both of his two previous Championship games against Luton each with a different club (Barnsley in April 2021 The only sides he has beaten while in charge of three different teams in the competition are Birmingham Teden Mengi (Luton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal Thelo Aasgaard (Luton Town) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked Amari'i Bell (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing Foul by Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) Millenic Alli (Luton Town) hits the bar with a right footed shot from long range on the left Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner Delay in match because of an injury Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers) Mark McGuinness (Luton Town) header from the right side of the six yard box is close Assisted by Jordan Clark with a cross following a corner Thelo Aasgaard (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right Assisted by Jordan Clark following a corner Fourth official has announced 9 minutes of added time Millenic Alli (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right Reece Burke (Luton Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card During the rise of Jeff Bezos’ Amazon into one of the most successful companies in the world among many accomplishments as a top executive during his nearly quarter century with the company When Blackburn left Amazon a couple of years ago, he had a lot of options, but, as an avid tennis player, Blackburn regretted one deal that got away. Nearly a decade ago, Amazon almost bought the Tennis Channel, but it landed in the hands of Sinclair Blackburn is moving from Seattle to Los Angeles to become Tennis Channel’s chairman and CEO.  With a strong relationship with Sinclair’s president the idea of leading Tennis Channel was the right one for Blackburn Something in sports with a fantastic organization already in place that built a great business over the last 22 years I think it is an absolutely essential thing in the whole tennis ecosystem.” Blackburn replaces Ken Solomon, who was reportedly let go last year after there was concern about the time he was devoting to a media company started by Dr. Phil. has faced significant headwinds as the digital world has eaten at the cable ecosystem It boasts 10,000 hours of live and on-demand matches It has its own FAST (Free Advertised-Supported Television) in Tennis Channel 2 and a direct-to-consumer offering prior to TNT Sports gobbling up the full event beginning this May and spanning a decade for $650 million Blackburn looked into acquiring Tennis Channel for its portfolio before Sinclair purchased it for $350 million in 2014 “We took a hard look at Tennis Channel,” Blackburn said I have had regrets about that for the last nine years I always wondered if there might be another opportunity with Tennis Channel — and this came around.” Blackburn plans to use the lessons from Amazon to leverage Tennis Channel in an increasingly digital world “I’m grateful to Jeff and Amazon and the 24 years there,” Blackburn said “I got the opportunity to build a streaming business from the ground up and started Prime Video and built Amazon Studios from nothing and then got to enter sports six or seven years ago I think of all those experiences and how we built it and I can apply it to the Tennis Channel.” Blackburn is set to begin his new job on Thursday (Photo:  Kevin Winter / Getty Images) Blackburn Rovers Women’s End of Season Awards presentation will take place on the Ewood Park pitch The awards will recognise the efforts of Simon Parker’s players on and off the pitch throughout the 2024-25 season there will be five awards handed out after the Newcastle United Women’s fixture Blackburn Rovers Women 2024-25 awards as followed: Blackburn Rovers Community Trust Player of the Season Supporters are encouraged to remain in their seats for the award presentations and show support for our players following the conclusion of their campaign The trophies have been kindly supplied by Pratt D & J Sports and everyone at Blackburn Rovers Women would like to thank the team in the shop for their support            Make sure that you follow our social media accounts to keep up to date on our 2024-25 awards presentations X: @RoversWFC Facebook: Blackburn Rovers WFC Instagram: @RoversWFC TikTok: @roverswfc Rovers went ahead in the 39th minute courtesy of a powerful header from Makhtar Gueye, who beat Jack Whatmough to a super cross from Tyrhys Dolan. But it was the nature of Blackburn's second goal, a penalty, that sparked fury for the visitors and their travelling fans, and Whatmough was again at the centre of the incident. With 16 minutes left of normal time, Todd Cantwell sent in a corner which Dominic Hyam rose to meet, but he was caught by Whatmough, who was running backwards and also jumping to challenge for the ball. While the collision left Hyam with a split chin, replays suggested that Whatmough was jumping in a fair and even contest, but referee Josh Smith saw it differently and pointed to the spot. Cantwell stepped up to fire home from 12 yards and double Blackburn's lead, but the moment galvanised Preston. It took full control of the contest from that point on, and thought it had halved the deficit when Emil Riis poked home in the 89th minute after a corner routine, but the flag went up as he was caught offside inside the six-yard box. Preston did find a goal in the third of six added minutes when Brad Potts brought the ball down on his chest and toe-poked into the net from a tight angle to set up a grandstand finish. In the last of the six added minutes, Potts again rose for a long ball into the box with Gueye, whom appeared to foul his opponent and also handle the ball, but referee Smith waved play on. With time up, Preston then forced a corner, but was once again left furious with Smith as he blew for full-time before it could be taken, leaving North End boss Paul Heckingbottom fuming on the touchline. The result leaves Preston in the 15th on the table, while for Blackburn, the three points moved it up to fifth spot and inside the promotion play-off places ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures. "Everyone's seen it, not just me. It's horrible when things like that decide the game," Heckingbottom said after the match. "Josh Smith and [fourth official] Jeremy Simpson know that and that's why they couldn't wait to get off the pitch.  "It's one of those moments where they've got it wrong and realised. But there's nothing I can do about the referees." On Blackburn's contentious penalty, boss John Eustace was in no doubt about his verdict. "I think it was a blatant penalty. I've watched it back and the boy has headed him under the neck and nearly knocked him out. I thought it was a penalty for sure," he said.  Blackburn, which posted its second win in 10 matches, will next face Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday (AEDT), while Preston will welcome Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round on 9 February (AEDT).  Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitslancashirenewsFestival being held in Blackburn to celebrate 80 years since VE DayThe people of Lancashire are invited to a family-friendly day of celebration and remembrance One of the biggest events to mark VE Day's 80th anniversary in the North West is being held in Blackburn's Witton Country Park today. Blackburn's Royal British Legion (RBL) have organised VE80 Fest; a family friendly day of celebration and remembrance. Neil Shorrock, chairman of the Blackburn RBL, said: "80 years ago, the war ended. Nobody wanted the war, but around 60 million people died. "We've got to commemorate it and we've got to respect it; so that people don't forget those who died for our freedom." He also spoke about the importance of educating children on the significance of days like today: "If we don't pass it down to the younger people then there's a risk it could be forgotten. "There's not many veterans left now who served in the war, and we have to pass those stories on." The event will see as many as 140 attractions and activities, as well as 120 market stalls. There will also be a stage where performances will take place throughout the day: "There's lots of acts, from the Salvation Army band to some Polish children who will be singing traditional Polish wartime songs. "Then as we move into the afternoon and evening, we've got tribute acts like Ed Sheeran meatloaf." VE80 Fest is on between 12pm and 8pm today in Blackburn's Witton Country Park. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) as Blackburn look to put power behind their 2025 campaign there’s no doubt the Burners are ready to go again Coming up against Balwyn on Good Friday in one of the EFNL’s marquee games to start the season is never an easy task “We are very privileged as a footy club to be involved It’s great to have Good Friday back on the calendar this year and we’re playing the reigning premiers first up so it’s going to be a big challenge for us strong team who’ve got some experienced guys,” Fagan said “We’ve got to make sure our entire list and squad is well prepared for the challenge against Balwyn Blackburn will be heavily bolstered by having retained a major part of last years playing list setting the foundations for something new - and something significant is we wanted to make sure we kept our core list together and our retention from the senior group has been really strong,” Fagan said A whole host of recruits are coming back to inject the red and black with a new fire including players with AFL experience that will be a welcome return “Ryley Stoddart comes back to the footy club and his experience is playing largely in state competitions but also being in the AFL system will be invaluable as well,” Fagan said and was involved in the premiership with the AFLW at North Melbourne so those guys coming in will be really good for us Ben will play across half-back and through the midfield Liam Malone comes across from Heathmont as well Kade Answerth steps up into the captains seat who has skippered the side over the past three seasons Fagan described it as an “easy choice” appointing Answerth who joined Blackburn in 2023 after playing over 100 games in the VFL The standard of the EFNL’s Premier Division have called for an increasing level of motivation and commitment but Fagan is confident what was put in place in 2024 will easily transition into the new season “The foundations and the way we want to play fundamentally stay the same with a few tweaks and personnel adjustments making sure we continue to evolve our game,” Fagan said we significantly improved the way we were able to defend the ground We want to be a really hard team to score against that allows us to turn the ball over in areas of the ground Fagan commented that Blackburn was never out of the fight in 2024 There is still plenty of room for improvement with staying in the contest highlighted as a big factor being worked on for 2025 “We got outplayed in a couple of those games for us it was about making sure we could execute for longer in games We need to become a consistent four-quarter team if we want to be one of the best sides in the competition.” “We’ve tried to address some areas in the off season and sustain our level of footy against the best teams.” With no mid-season bye to break up the games the pre-season has a focus on getting the players ready for the grind ahead especially with a large run of games to finish the campaign particularly in the back half of this year because there’s 11 straight weeks leading into the finals We’ll have to get creative with our program to make sure we keep our guys fresh having been promoted after back-to-back Division 1 premierships There’s already quite a decent buzz around Blackburn and is an exciting challenge “I’ve never had any experience playing or coaching against Mitcham We’ll get an opportunity to study them when the time comes There’s already been some talk of that around the footy club and what that looks like.”’ Blackburn’s club culture emphasises being a destination where people will want to stay and bring in the best people Fagan highlighted just how evident that was on a recent personal note showcasing it’s not just on-field when the side comes together “It’s one of the things we pride ourselves on as a footy club and our program is attracting and retaining good people and continuing to develop good people from within,” he said and there were 17 of my teammates at the wedding There’s been a common theme with guys we’ve played with the connections you’re able to build within the club are so important.” we just want to create an environment where our players feel like they can be themselves and they really enjoy their time here at the footy club and that leads them to playing good footy as well.” The success of East Ringwood is where Fagan would love the club to be emphasising the pathway the club and sides are taking in an ambition to replicate the Roos in 2024 “East Ringwood set the benchmark for us having three teams competing on Grand Final day We want to become the best club in the EFNL You’ve got to be a really good strong contest team and you’ve got to be really sound defensively.” The feeling is that 2025 is starting off on the right foot but the competition is set to heat up fast meaning Blackburn are going to need to bring their best footy ever round Fagan and the Panthers are hungry for points “I have no doubt we’re in a far better spot than this time last year but the competition is going to get better as well so we’re under no illusion that it’s really even across the board you have to make sure that you turn up and you perform week in week out otherwise you’re not going to get the four points.” Blackburn women’s coach Luke Paramanathan was vibrant on the prospects of his side playing in Division 2 in 2025 the women were also on the verge of finals last year giving rise to a new motivation ahead of this season Luke has been hard at work creating an environment for the team to excel but the most important of those has been the club connection and the number of players laying down a significant foundation and we’re developing a really strong relationship with the juniors,” Paramanathan said about what they’re doing to put their best foot forward but I’m more excited for the new ideas and things they can bring.” The list this year brings in an international recruit along with several familiar names and young players bursting through the ranks Excitement is palpable around what’s building overall who’s coming through and is arguably going to be the best ruck in the competition who can add to the team,” Paramanathan said “Players are returning from injury like Emma Nilsson and Amelia Inston “Mils” didn’t play the entire year due to a knee injury Emma missed the majority of the season with an ankle injury you can see the difference it made to our team “I’ve also been really impressed with players who are new to footy; someone for example is Kalley Tukaokao and has taken a really strong interest to football Her professionalism and understanding of how to prepare as an athlete has been an exemplary example for our group,” he said “It’s been really exciting with some of these new players and I think a recruit that’s going to have such a big impact is picking up Shae Dale from Kilsyth coming across as an assistant coach as well Paramanathan likes to give freedom over to the players when it comes to preparation but knows he won’t always get an ideal scenario “I get them to set the goals and expectations and sometimes it’s owning stuff that I can’t control but in a perfect world I might have 16 players missing every week and that is a tough sell for them,” he said “All I can do is promise to be as consistent as I can with selection making sure they have clarity on why they’re missing out on selection Making sure everyone’s integrated - especially those who might not be in the top group of players - is another critical aspect to not lose sight of it’s that “bottom six players” that really make a difference in your gameday training If your bottom six are pushing hard and doing all the right things it’s a good amount of competitive pressure on those more experienced bodies and players,” Paramanathan said Finals for 2025 are a realistic prospect - especially after 2024 left the Burners champing at the bit to be one of the last sides playing for premiership glory Paramanathan is optimistic previous seasons will be a motivation factor.” “I look at it and say we should’ve made finals We had a draw against Waverley Blues which could’ve gone our way What made me understand that this group is ready is that when I first came to the club as an assistant and the group was disappointed they didn’t make it and speaking to them they said should we should be out there There was a sense they realised they had missed an opportunity.” “I’ve used that as a driving force for the group and it’s now time to put that best foot forward myself and the club have a clear idea that we’re going to be a very competitive side come the finals series.” It isn’t entirely about the on-field results - there’s a real determination to bond as a team and create an environment that is both successful and attracts the right people one of our goals we set is we want to be a destination club for senior womens football We really want players coming to Blackburn because they know how well we run things,” Paramanathan said the on-field side takes care of itself if you have a really strong culture that the group believes in and if you have a strong connection with one another.” “If you have all of the playing group all buying into the same ideas that essentially is what is going to make us a really good program everything else you could want will come from that.” After the teams recent camps and training sessions there is a growing excitement that this team is ready to bring friendship and connection onto the field as more than just players donning a jumper “A lot of them would say it’s the friends they make at the club I had a group of new players who had never connected fully It was amazing to see them all have a genuine connection between each other,” Paramanathan said “There is definitely a shared passion for what this could be it’s turning that passion to football and really doing something special It’s joining together and putting the work in.” Blackburn start their campaign against Berwick at home on April 12th with an ANZAC round bye before hosting Beaconsfield in round 3