We already well aware of your partiality to pocket billiards, Billy.

Space is at a premium in UK - no room for a full-size table.

Mind you, you should see my cue...

I suggest reporting youself before you commit a crime.

The way her 'teammates' treated her was disgusting. So much for winning together and losing together.

That girl is just 22 or 23 and was left to explain herself to the media without any support from any of her teammates - she didn't have a clue what to say.

Speaking as someone who enjoys playing and watching team sport, the actions of her teammates went against everything I think sport is about.

On a different note, it'll be good to see how Jana Pittman goes after being given no chance of even competing just a couple of weeks ago.

You're right.

One bout of transportation to Van Dieman's land was enough...

Now thank me for saving you from recidivism.

Mateship

What is that a picture of? A digger dragging a conscientious objector to the battlefront, calming him with the words "Don't worry, mate. We'll be killed together" ?

On a more serious note : looking after a fellow human being is not peculiarly Australian. People of all countries commit acts of bravery and self-sacrifice.

But 'mateship' is part of Aussie mythology - I guess to make them appear interesting.

Mike, you're assuming we value mateship because of what some foreigner like yourself thinks of it. You're quite wrong in that regard. It could be argued that the mateship depicted in Megs' picture came about due to the non-trustworthiness of some of Australia's putative allies in WW1 and WW2. Since we couldn't trust them, our dependence upon each other became all that more important.

However, you are right re: mateship among other peoples and other nations, but the subject at hand here is Australians.

I'm not assuming anything. I am stating that Aussies like to make out that what makes up 'mateship' is something peculiarly Australian : it is not.

Did you mention wars? Ah, that great foundry of Aussie mateship.

The Aussies love to bang on (and on and on...) about Gallipoli as if they were the only country that sacrificed thousands. Oz lost about ~8700, Brits lost about 3 times that number (excl. Oz and NZ). And yet, in UK, Churchill, who was instrumental in organising that disaster, was rightly voted the greatest Briton of all time.

Earlier in the evening they(7) had an 'exclusive' interview with the said girl.
She admitted she was threatened(they'd threatened to throw her out of the boat or something) and verbally attacked.
They showed a bit from when she was walking away to do interviews or something. You could hear her teammates shouting 'don't lie Sally' and 'Tell the truth Sally'.

Oh, and she started crying during the interview.

Well, one of the other architects of Gallipoli had the good grace to drown before he could sacrifice more ANZAC's.

They'll have to put 'Sally' - if that's her real name - into the 'Failed to Win Medals for Oz Relocation Program'.

I don't fancy her chances much. Each time she passes a shop selling ribbons, she'll burst into tears. And then the mob will descend.

In terms of numbers killed per capita, Australian losses in the first world war outstripped that of any other country

No siree, Bob.

I think you'll find that the 'honour' belongs to NZ.

~1914, Oz had a population of 5 million and lost ~60,000 during WW1. NZ had a population of ~1 million and lost ~18,000.