1. As much as it pains everyone to admit it...Melbourne have done some extraordinary things to lead the NRL comp after the fiasco that Bellamy knew all about over $$$$$. Still they are not favourites for the comp. An injury to 1, 9 or 7 would set them back...but unlikely to happen. They must be nervous about the future of Cronk however. He is the weakest link there. Equally, Geelong have been exceptional too under a new regime. West Coast too have made a stunning form reversal. Swans gallant against the Pies, but gallantry does not win comps.
2. NRL Expansion. This story, the new Independent Commission and any number of other whinges (stand alone weekends, draw, player workload) seem to be never ending - and never addressed issues. David Gallop is surely one of the least effective sports administrators in Australia these days. The weeks roll by...the issues remain unresolved - and never addressed. The judiciary decision to cite Thurston is a shocker too. Ref appeaser.
Perth Reds to make a comeback? The conditions of the Friday night game were as unexpected as they were disgraceful.
3. Did anyone notice that Matt Elliott did not see out his contract at Penrith last week as predicted? Kevin Moore has been spared the axe this week but is a dead duck too. I see Steve Kearney may have his contract renewed for a longer period. Paul Osborne is heading the way of Denis Fitzgerald. He said that Kearney has been able to attract the big names....the big names? Sandow..Tautai....Great.
4. Can a team have too many Pacific Islander players in it? More talented than most, but error prone and ill disciplined. (Are Parra really missing Inu and Mateo? How about Albert Kelly? A master stroke to get rid of him).
5. Parramatta were a disgrace. That LOKO on the left hand side is pathetic. His defence is appalling. Lucky for Parra that they play the Broncos (and lucky for the Broncos) without Lockyer and his precision passing game (best in the game - ever). Spoon favourites really. Spineless.
6. Tomic. Great effort v Soderling - after MUCH hype to make the final 16 in the world on grass. A big chance of beating Xavier Malisse who has been around as long as a standard burqua.
7. Great to see Meat Loaf coming out to the AFL Grand Final. Here's hoping he is not on the drink. Lionel Ritchie is booked out.
8. Super Rugby. Reds likely to be in the box seat. Tahs went through the motions and lost. Top six gives hope but I still like the Crusaders. Tough to beat.
9. Casey Stoner. Our best international performer outside of Jason Day (two seconds in two successive major golf tournaments) for 2011. The best thing is he is not whinging and complaining. Where was Mark Webber when that lesson was on?
10. World Wrestling is in town this Friday - ACER - get out there for old time's sake.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wrap - Rex Hex
Lads,
1. After his display on the Friday night (Wendell's brother), Peni Tagive is to be added to the best ever
Team of Measurement and Currency:
1 - Rod Silva 2. David Miles 3 - Laurie Daley 4 - Mark Coyne 5 - Peni Tagive 6 - John Brass
7 - Peter Sterling 8 - Ray Price 9 - Noel Goldthorpe 10 - Robert Stone 11 - Gary Coyne 12 - Paul Gallen 13 - Dean Pay
Reserves: 14 - Steve Price 15 - Phil Daley 16 - Marcus Bai
Quarter time Entertainment: Lou Gramm (Dick Pound drugtester)
The NSW Origin victory was impressive, but a series win - that is another thing. Surface stayed together nicely and their defence (around the legs on many occasions) was strong. Second phase QLD ball was rare - unlike Game 1. Gallen was strong, but no monuments yet please. Likely to give away a penalty whilst in possession that costs us the series.
2. My tip: Canterbury are about to sack their coach Kevin Moore after Cronulla smashed them today. Stay tuned. A lot of cash has gone into the club. No result.
3. Idris. He has a sniff of the goose about him. Late to training, signing million dollar contracts. He'll be in AFL before we know it. Adding to the coach's misery.
4. How about Warnie. Saw him on the BBC coverage the other night. Looks like his hair is fair dinkum painted on his head. His comments re Katich deserving to be sacked are off the mark. It will be interesting if Clarke comes to play at NSW as Aussie captain. Could be batting at number 7.
5. AFL. Swans cannot do better than 7th this year. Soft. North too good for a fading Essendon. Where are the Hird lovers now? Rod Eade looking to pass the reins over to Keith. Finished.
6. Shock loss in the semis for Stosur in Eastbourne. Straight sets this time. 'Played my best...left nothing in the tank...in great form'. Usual softness. 6-1, 6-4. Dokic also lost in a shock display of tantrum free tennis. Hewitt about to earn one of the "most injured" world sportsmen tags. Unfortunate.
7. Webber. Sell for about $150 these days. Going well, but not a chance of winning. Good form on 'the champagne spraying on the podium' however.
8. Casey Stoner (he of the glam wife - one down from Piggy Riddell's missus who is outstanding) has been carving them up whinge free in 2011. Incredible effort really.
9. Rex Mossup. RIP. He hated wingers putting the ball down one handed or Dallas Donnelly in the backline.
He gets the Meapro ham (the samallgoods specialists), the Ben Hogan Leader golf balls, the Brut, the Larco tracksuit, the Skefron pain relief spray, the Patra orange juice, the Whale car wash voucher, the Viking sauna voucher (with Ferris Ashton), the Fabiani shirt and the Kevin Junee Run For Your Life Sportstore voucher (Bondi Junction and the Angel Arcade in the City...from memory).
Check out some memories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JcMr-y_7mU
The commentary and aggression in his imagery is vintage Rex: http://www.youtube.com/user/Berries1935?blend=6&ob=5#p/u/0/RqEpMZhujQs
10. On commentators, Rabbsie is afflicted with the dreaded prostate cancer (from which many bowel/ bladder/ other cancers stem). As you know I have had mine removed three years back, so get checked - a PSA blood test. Youngest bloke by a mile at 40 years of age. Doc told me if I had come a year later he could not have helped me. Only sign? A couple of extra droplets post piss. Man up and front up. No regrets.
1. After his display on the Friday night (Wendell's brother), Peni Tagive is to be added to the best ever
Team of Measurement and Currency:
1 - Rod Silva 2. David Miles 3 - Laurie Daley 4 - Mark Coyne 5 - Peni Tagive 6 - John Brass
7 - Peter Sterling 8 - Ray Price 9 - Noel Goldthorpe 10 - Robert Stone 11 - Gary Coyne 12 - Paul Gallen 13 - Dean Pay
Reserves: 14 - Steve Price 15 - Phil Daley 16 - Marcus Bai
Quarter time Entertainment: Lou Gramm (Dick Pound drugtester)
The NSW Origin victory was impressive, but a series win - that is another thing. Surface stayed together nicely and their defence (around the legs on many occasions) was strong. Second phase QLD ball was rare - unlike Game 1. Gallen was strong, but no monuments yet please. Likely to give away a penalty whilst in possession that costs us the series.
2. My tip: Canterbury are about to sack their coach Kevin Moore after Cronulla smashed them today. Stay tuned. A lot of cash has gone into the club. No result.
3. Idris. He has a sniff of the goose about him. Late to training, signing million dollar contracts. He'll be in AFL before we know it. Adding to the coach's misery.
4. How about Warnie. Saw him on the BBC coverage the other night. Looks like his hair is fair dinkum painted on his head. His comments re Katich deserving to be sacked are off the mark. It will be interesting if Clarke comes to play at NSW as Aussie captain. Could be batting at number 7.
5. AFL. Swans cannot do better than 7th this year. Soft. North too good for a fading Essendon. Where are the Hird lovers now? Rod Eade looking to pass the reins over to Keith. Finished.
6. Shock loss in the semis for Stosur in Eastbourne. Straight sets this time. 'Played my best...left nothing in the tank...in great form'. Usual softness. 6-1, 6-4. Dokic also lost in a shock display of tantrum free tennis. Hewitt about to earn one of the "most injured" world sportsmen tags. Unfortunate.
7. Webber. Sell for about $150 these days. Going well, but not a chance of winning. Good form on 'the champagne spraying on the podium' however.
8. Casey Stoner (he of the glam wife - one down from Piggy Riddell's missus who is outstanding) has been carving them up whinge free in 2011. Incredible effort really.
9. Rex Mossup. RIP. He hated wingers putting the ball down one handed or Dallas Donnelly in the backline.
He gets the Meapro ham (the samallgoods specialists), the Ben Hogan Leader golf balls, the Brut, the Larco tracksuit, the Skefron pain relief spray, the Patra orange juice, the Whale car wash voucher, the Viking sauna voucher (with Ferris Ashton), the Fabiani shirt and the Kevin Junee Run For Your Life Sportstore voucher (Bondi Junction and the Angel Arcade in the City...from memory).
Check out some memories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JcMr-y_7mU
The commentary and aggression in his imagery is vintage Rex: http://www.youtube.com/user/Berries1935?blend=6&ob=5#p/u/0/RqEpMZhujQs
10. On commentators, Rabbsie is afflicted with the dreaded prostate cancer (from which many bowel/ bladder/ other cancers stem). As you know I have had mine removed three years back, so get checked - a PSA blood test. Youngest bloke by a mile at 40 years of age. Doc told me if I had come a year later he could not have helped me. Only sign? A couple of extra droplets post piss. Man up and front up. No regrets.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Wrap - Shizen House
1. Can the NSW State of Origin hype amount to anything? Hard to see our forwards doing any damage. Looking at the forecast, it is for poor weather which will see a low, slow and dour affair with Lockyer's kicking game killing us. The conditions will play into the hands of QLD with their heavier forwards. We are looking to spread the ball wider with more mobile forwards selected, but will not be able to in the driving rain. QLD - another win. It will definitely emerge that we have chosen the wrong team for the eventual conditions. Unlucky Ricky strikes again.
2. Tiring of old, fat retired commentators saying that "the crowd should turn up in numbers" to Origin. let's all remember that ANZ holds some 30,000 more people than Suncorp. Easy from the air conditioned booths in corporate land eating Yak's semen and gorilla testicle pate on mung bean crackers.
3. What about the picture of Michael Clarke with a beanie on the front page of the Sunday papers? Does this bloke know no limits in trying to impress himself on the unsuspecting public. The sacking of Katich is a disgrace. Let's have a look at a few others (obviously a squad to cover all three forms of the game):
Cricket Australia contracts list 2011-12:
Fast bowlers: Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Ryan Harris, John Hastings, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle,
Spin bowlers: Xavier Doherty, Nathan Hauritz, Jason Krejza, Steven Smith,
Batsmen: Michael Clarke, Callum Ferguson, Phillip Hughes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
Keepers: Brad Haddin, Tim Paine.
A. How can Hilfenhaus (Shizenhouse) get a contract. He is FINISHED. He is appalling. Brett Lee - surely this is an error. What does he offer now?
B. Spin bowlers. Fair dinkum. Where is the Shane Warne Spin Academy? Krezja should keep practising his handstands.
C. Batsmen. Cameron White is an imposter. When does Mike Hussey get sacked? Phil Hughes is another freeloader - flashy and inconsistent. Terrible this season really.
D. Haddin nearing the end.
A test team of Watson (vc), Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke (c), Hussey, M, Ferguson, Haddin, Johnson, Hauritz, Siddle, Bollinger is about as good as we get.
A test team of Watson (vc), Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke (c), Ferguson, Marsh, Paine, Johnson, Smith, Cummins, Pattinson is closer than we think.
Dis anyone ask the question: WHY DO WE NEED 25 CONTRACTED PLAYERS? DO WE HAVE 25 WHO ARE GOOD ENOUGH?
4. Waratahs home from South Africa and still with a sniff. Reds looking to have the wobbly boots on. Brumbies are playing for contracts and making the former league great - Tony Rea - look better than he is. Will beat NSW next week. Force have been better than most in recent times but love finding new ways to lose.
5. AFL. Carlton looking strong. Gotta say that in the wet, the scrappy nature of some games (eg. Richmond v Swans) is bloody painful. Hawthorn look strong, but Geelong holding too. Swans are winning ugly every week but will crash.
6. NRL. A terrible round of footy in every sense. The standard of footy is horrible and something new is required there lest everyone fall asleep. Two comeback wins is exciting, but no arm wrestle.
7. Webber-Vettel. Is there really any rivalry? Seems Vetell has him covered in every way. Webbers have always been second best products and poor imitations of the rest.
2. Tiring of old, fat retired commentators saying that "the crowd should turn up in numbers" to Origin. let's all remember that ANZ holds some 30,000 more people than Suncorp. Easy from the air conditioned booths in corporate land eating Yak's semen and gorilla testicle pate on mung bean crackers.
3. What about the picture of Michael Clarke with a beanie on the front page of the Sunday papers? Does this bloke know no limits in trying to impress himself on the unsuspecting public. The sacking of Katich is a disgrace. Let's have a look at a few others (obviously a squad to cover all three forms of the game):
Cricket Australia contracts list 2011-12:
Fast bowlers: Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Ryan Harris, John Hastings, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle,
Spin bowlers: Xavier Doherty, Nathan Hauritz, Jason Krejza, Steven Smith,
Batsmen: Michael Clarke, Callum Ferguson, Phillip Hughes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
Keepers: Brad Haddin, Tim Paine.
A. How can Hilfenhaus (Shizenhouse) get a contract. He is FINISHED. He is appalling. Brett Lee - surely this is an error. What does he offer now?
B. Spin bowlers. Fair dinkum. Where is the Shane Warne Spin Academy? Krezja should keep practising his handstands.
C. Batsmen. Cameron White is an imposter. When does Mike Hussey get sacked? Phil Hughes is another freeloader - flashy and inconsistent. Terrible this season really.
D. Haddin nearing the end.
A test team of Watson (vc), Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke (c), Hussey, M, Ferguson, Haddin, Johnson, Hauritz, Siddle, Bollinger is about as good as we get.
A test team of Watson (vc), Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke (c), Ferguson, Marsh, Paine, Johnson, Smith, Cummins, Pattinson is closer than we think.
Dis anyone ask the question: WHY DO WE NEED 25 CONTRACTED PLAYERS? DO WE HAVE 25 WHO ARE GOOD ENOUGH?
4. Waratahs home from South Africa and still with a sniff. Reds looking to have the wobbly boots on. Brumbies are playing for contracts and making the former league great - Tony Rea - look better than he is. Will beat NSW next week. Force have been better than most in recent times but love finding new ways to lose.
5. AFL. Carlton looking strong. Gotta say that in the wet, the scrappy nature of some games (eg. Richmond v Swans) is bloody painful. Hawthorn look strong, but Geelong holding too. Swans are winning ugly every week but will crash.
6. NRL. A terrible round of footy in every sense. The standard of footy is horrible and something new is required there lest everyone fall asleep. Two comeback wins is exciting, but no arm wrestle.
7. Webber-Vettel. Is there really any rivalry? Seems Vetell has him covered in every way. Webbers have always been second best products and poor imitations of the rest.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Wrap - When Another Open Letter Is Never Enough
1. State of Origin Team. Hopoate in the centres. Premature selection and he will be found out. Inglis and Hodges will not believe their luck! Surely Brett Stewart needs to come in to the side for an injured Dugan. Gallen as prop tells me we will be throwing the ball wide and running their forwards around. Not sure this is the right tactic as they will make a lot of metres, while we run sidewards. Tim Mannah played very well on Friday night v St. George. This was possibly the best Parramatta had defended in three years.
Lockyer in fine fettle. He and Thurston along with Cameron Smith and Billy Slater could all be immortals one day. Lockyer is one of the few league players who would remember Hoges before his terrible facelift. Time to go.
2. Chinese, Indian and Sri Lankan rugby league or rugby union players? No one since Denis Bendall (Tigers) for mine. Any one else? Li Na (Sharapova not bad to make the semis. Federer to win tonight) is about to set the Chinese sportsworld alight with her victory in the French Open. They could become the most successful sports nation in the world. No shortage of players and people.
3. Is there a worse head of hair in world sport than Bernie Ecclestone (Formula One)? (No votes for the devil himself, Don King). His decision to take the F1 competition to 20 races is excessive. I wonder whether the drivers will whinge like rugby league players - or just count the cash - and spray the champers.
4. Gold Coast Suns doing very well in first year. Keith may be right. They could dominate for many years to come. St Kilda and Western Bulldogs in trouble. Hawthorn looking sharp - especially at the G. Loved the Eddie Maguire blow up re racist comments in the crowd. He loves a headline and has taken on this scourge, but again the drink changes personalities quicker than most believe.
5. Finally someone has been listening. Kevin Moore needs to be dumped from the Bulldogs - and will be soon. They spent up big, lost Hannant and now are in trouble. Aging roster with Ryan to join El Masri and Patten overseas soon. Poor defence. Manly looking strong. Storm still winning and Souths still making excuses. Time to write the fifteenth OPEN apology letter to the fans for the season (after 10 rounds).
6. Shaq O'Neill. Great retirement speech - mock phone call - the lot! Next...the infidelity stories will flow.
7. Reds. What price them losing to Brumbies? Playing for contracts down Canberra way can change attitudes when one's livelihood is at stake. The Reds will be kicking themselves that they dropped their guard and it could cost them big time. Bulls in trouble and who would have thought...the Tahs lost in South Africa
Lockyer in fine fettle. He and Thurston along with Cameron Smith and Billy Slater could all be immortals one day. Lockyer is one of the few league players who would remember Hoges before his terrible facelift. Time to go.
2. Chinese, Indian and Sri Lankan rugby league or rugby union players? No one since Denis Bendall (Tigers) for mine. Any one else? Li Na (Sharapova not bad to make the semis. Federer to win tonight) is about to set the Chinese sportsworld alight with her victory in the French Open. They could become the most successful sports nation in the world. No shortage of players and people.
3. Is there a worse head of hair in world sport than Bernie Ecclestone (Formula One)? (No votes for the devil himself, Don King). His decision to take the F1 competition to 20 races is excessive. I wonder whether the drivers will whinge like rugby league players - or just count the cash - and spray the champers.
4. Gold Coast Suns doing very well in first year. Keith may be right. They could dominate for many years to come. St Kilda and Western Bulldogs in trouble. Hawthorn looking sharp - especially at the G. Loved the Eddie Maguire blow up re racist comments in the crowd. He loves a headline and has taken on this scourge, but again the drink changes personalities quicker than most believe.
5. Finally someone has been listening. Kevin Moore needs to be dumped from the Bulldogs - and will be soon. They spent up big, lost Hannant and now are in trouble. Aging roster with Ryan to join El Masri and Patten overseas soon. Poor defence. Manly looking strong. Storm still winning and Souths still making excuses. Time to write the fifteenth OPEN apology letter to the fans for the season (after 10 rounds).
6. Shaq O'Neill. Great retirement speech - mock phone call - the lot! Next...the infidelity stories will flow.
7. Reds. What price them losing to Brumbies? Playing for contracts down Canberra way can change attitudes when one's livelihood is at stake. The Reds will be kicking themselves that they dropped their guard and it could cost them big time. Bulls in trouble and who would have thought...the Tahs lost in South Africa
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