CENTRAL Coast Mariners skipper Alex Wilkinson has fractured his arm in a huge blow on the eve of the new A-League season.

Already forced to relive the horror trip to the ground where they lost last year's decider, the Mariners will do it even tougher now against the Roar in Brisbane without their inspirational leader.

Mariners coach Graham Arnold revealed at yesterday's A-League launch that Wilkinson suffered the injury in the club's final pre-season hitout in Auckland.

Arnie expected Wilkinson to be sidelined for up to a fortnight, but he remains hopeful of a round-two return against the Gold Coast.

"It was a freak accident," Arnie said. "It's a small fracture. That's the way it is."

Patrick Zwaanswijk will wear the captain's armband in Wilkinson's absence, while Arnold told us Trent Sainsbury, Sammy Gallagher and Brad Porter are his defensive options.

ROBBIE Slater, Brett Emerton and Mark Bosnich signed autographs for fans during yesterday's A-League launch at the SFS.

But two cheeky, red-blooded teenagers armed with mobile phones brushed the stars and asked this column: "Where's that chick Mel McLaughlin from Fox Sports? We want a photo with her."ELLYSE Perry will be forced to choose between a NSW Breakers cricket match and Canberra's W-League opener.Perry has had no problems juggling the two sports, but a scheduling double-up on October 22 is causing her a headache.

The 20-year-old will make up her mind soon, but she said neither soccer or cricket takes automatic precedence.

"It will depend on how the competitions are going and where it's most appropriate for me in terms of what's best for both teams," said Perry, who has won a cricket World Cup with the Aussies and this year made the soccer World Cup quarter-finals with the Matildas.

SHANNAN Taylor will fight for the vacant WBF middleweight on Friday night in Wollongong against Thai fighter Sintung Kietbusaba.

And he has reunited with Longy Nguyen, the celebrity masseur and healer who was in his corner more than a decade ago for the Shane Mosley stink.

Nguyen, who is working with jockey Jimmy Cassidy, was only too happy to help the Bulli Blaster.

Shillington hooks into good news on fishing trip

DAVID Shillington was fishing off Fraser Island when he feared he may have missed the call from Kangaroos selectors because he had such dodgy reception on his mobile phone.



"I was right up on the northern tip of Fraser Island at a place called Sandy Cape," Shillington said.



"My reception kept dropping out. We caught some whiting, and when I came back I was thrilled to get the news."



Shillo was fishing with his father, Peter, a family friend and Raiders teammate Shaun Fensom, whose shoulder operation restricted him to an old-fashioned hand reel.



KYLE Feldt, who missed the simple conversion on full-time that would have won the Toyota Cup grand final for North Queensland Cowboys, has been selected for the Junior Kangaroos.But his wayward shot at goal, which allowed the Warriors to win in golden-point extra-time, cost one punter a cool $9299.



The man's $10 multi had the Cowboys 1-12, Canterbury to win the NSW Cup and a Brett Stewart-Glenn Stewart first try-scorer/Clive Churchill Medal winner double.



WHAT about the Eagles fan who strolled into Manly Leagues Club and threw down a TAB ticket worth $43,000. He backed them at $26 after round one because he liked the look of the young halves. Cheque please.





Originally published as Mariners' bad break