Italian paper rates Pell for Pope

While bookies are rating Australia's Cardinal George Pell as a long shot for Catholicism's top job, an Italian newspaper has picked him as one of its 18 frontrunners to replace Pope John Paul II.

Il Giornale, a national newspaper owned by the brother of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, praised Dr Pell's communications skills and wide travel in a feature on its 18 papal favourites, The Australian newspaper said today.

"The Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, is the portrait of an outsider and punters looking for a surprise win mustn't disregard this athletic ex-football player, a born fighter on whom John Paul II depended a great deal and who is well regarded by bishops the world over," the newspaper said.

Il Giornale described Dr Pell as a great traveller with great communications skills who had emerged "immaculate" from allegations in 2002 that he had sexually abused a Victorian child 40 years ago.

Now I might be wrong, but I'm sure that when Geoge Pell was working in Melboune, he was a Bombers supporter. That's if I'm thinking of the right person.
But how good would that be. The Pope at a game waving his scarf in the air singing "See The Bombers Fly Up"