Ballymore Stadium has been reserved for the possible launch of an annual rugby union State of Origin clash between Queensland and NSW.Rugby unions key stakeholders are behind the idea driven by Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Richard Barker and NSW counterpart Andrew Hore.It is designed to give the sport some quality domestic content during Super Rugbys mid-season international break.The Australian Rugby Union, Rugby Union Players Associaton and all five Super League franchises have endorsed it while Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore believes it is a concept worth exploring.There is even the ideal gap at the end of next years June Test window that would make Australias stars available.The match has been tentatively pencilled for Friday, June 30 - a week after Australia meets Italy at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.Negotiations are ongoing, but the QRU have taken the additional step of booking Ballymore for that week to ensure the venue is ready to host the match - dubbed State of Union - if it comes off.We think given the unique history of Ballymore that hosting the inaugural game here would add to the spectacle, Barker told AAP.We envisage a festival of rugby that day which would include curtain-raisers that speak to the breadth of our code across all forms of rugby.The response in the rugby community to the concept of State of Union games has been encouraging ... (but) these are early days.I note Stephen Moores supportive comments overnight and previous comments from Bill Pulver and other CEOs and we will continue to discuss this concept with all of rugbys stakeholders.Ballymore may require a minor upgrade to be ready, which would fill the stadium to its 18,000-seat capacity.But its understood the QRU is working feverishly behind the scenes on the future of the precinct, which has long needed a full redevelopment and is under increasing demand from local sporting bodies.A-League side Brisbane Roar trains out of Ballymore while two overseas teams will hold a pre-season warm-up matches there in the lead-up to the Brisbane Global Tens tournament. Stitched Mariners Jerseys . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. 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The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. MILWAUKEE -- Three weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates boarded their team charter in Milwaukee feeling good.Theyd completed a four-game sweep of the Brewers at Miller Park for the first time since 2004 and moved to within a half-game of the Cardinals for the second National League wild-card spot.But since then, its gone all downhill for the Pirates, who dropped their next eight contests -- including back-to-back sweeps by the Cubs and Brewers -- and 13 of their next 16 before finally rebounding with a four-game winning streak against the Phillies and Reds.Now, they return to Milwaukee, practically out of the playoff chase. The Pirates arrived here Monday 74-75 and five games back of the Giants for the second slot, with St. Louis and Miami standing in between.There comes a point in time where the trying hard and the grinding part needs to be let go, and you need to be 6 and get in the backyard and play Whiffle Ball, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. Its a game. Go play. In challenging times like these, youve got to find the fun. You have to get out there and not be concerned about your results and just stay focused in the moment. Were trying to revisit that in a meaningful way.After playing a doubleheader Saturday, Hurdle had yet to announce his starting rotation. But Milwaukee will hand the ball to Matt Garza, who has been bit by bad luck over the last month.Hes allowed 12 runs in his last four outings, but just three of them have been earned, leading to a 1.16 ERA during that stretch.Garza went five innings his last time out, but a pair of errors led to five unearned runs in a 6-4 loss at Cincinnati.We just made it way too haard on Matt, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.dddddddddddd Were asking him to get five outs. Going through Joey Votto, thats a tall task.Garza, the veteran member of Milwaukees rotation, took the miscues in stride.You just keep pitching, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Some days the ball finds the gloves, and some days it doesnt. You just keep making your pitches and keep going. We have a young team. Thats kind of where its at.Ive learned from the past you cant really come down on the guys. You cant go and harp and wear them out right now. Its September, and a lot of them its their first September playing baseball.So youve just got to kind of wear it and just keep going.Milwaukees starting pitching has stepped things up a notch over the last few weeks, with the rotation posting an NL-leading 2.85 ERA (49 earned runs, 148 2/3 innings pitched) over the last 27 games while the bullpen has combined for a league-leading 2.65 ERA over its last 28.As a result, the Brewers have been on a hot streak, winning 11 of 17 since the Pirates sweep in Milwaukee, with two series victories over the NL Central Champion Chicago Cubs.Our guys just keep doing it, Counsell said. So, as much as anything, it just speaks to them finishing the season and finishing it strong. 1/8Theyre 3/8 continuing to play well and at a high level. Obviously, were playing good teams. These are really good teams.Since the start of the 2007 season, the Brewers are 103-60 against the Pirates including a 64-21 mark at Miller Park. ' ' '