A Melbourne academic has complained to ABC News about its weekend sports reports that described Melbourne Storm player Xavier Coates’s try against the New Zealand Warriors as “gravity-defying”.

An ABC News Online report said: “Xavier Coates’s incredible, gravity-defying try helped the Storm get out of jail against the Warriors in Melbourne, securing a last-gasp 30-26 victory. (ABC photo below)

“Coates flew more than five metres through the air, with almost his entire body horizontal and out of bounds, to dot down in the corner with seconds remaining to help the Storm complete a remarkable fightback,” he news item said.

But senior lecturer in physics at Melbourne University at Southbank, Professor Owen Satanic, (main picture), said the reports were completely wrong and should be corrected.

“Anyone with just a rudimentary knowledge of physics knows that Mr Coates did not defy gravity at all,” Professor Satanic said.

“If he had done so he would have made his leap and – free from the effects of gravity – he would have kept going on a trajectory that eventually would have taken him into orbit around the Earth along with the football he was holding.

“I certainly hope the ABC takes note of my complaint and amends its stories accordingly and I also hope that fans of Mr Coates and his team also stop spreading blatantly ridiculous and easily-disproved claims about this incident.”

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Former prime minister Scott Morrison has formally severed links with the Cronulla-Sutherland NRL team after eight seasons as its No.1 ticket holder. (below)

Speaking at a special farewell breakfast this morning at the club’s headquarters Mr Morrison said since deciding to resign as the local Member for Cook he felt it only fair that someone else take over the honorary position.

“I leave with very fond memories of the Starks which I shall treasure forever,” he said.

“I think back on those many days when I needed to get away from it all and I’m come down here to my beloved Snark Park with just my two lovely daughters and a few dozen photographers, TV cameras, and reporters.

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank the club’s coaching staff for their help before the 2022 federal election campaign when I asked for tips just in case I was ever confronted with a need to safely tackle a young boy on the field in front of a throng of media cameras.

“How good are the Sparks?” he yelled before leaving the stage.

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Victoria Police say they are seeking information on an attack on a man who was found injured and unconscious outside AAMI Park Stadium at Jolimont in Melbourne.

A police spokesperson said the man whose name has not been released remains in hospital in intensive care.

“We believe him to be an academic who was attacked while walking home from the Southbank campus of Melbourne University,” the spokesperson said.

“He was found this morning by a passer-by just inside the grounds of the stadium very badly beaten and with a Melbourne Storm scarf stuffed down his throat and another inserted in, shall we say, a body cavity.

“Four other scarfs were used to suspend him by his arms and legs from a tree so that he appeared to be floating in mid-air when found.

“Anyone with information that could assist our inquiries should contact Victoria Police,” the spokesperson said.

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