Wrap - The Meanderers Schemozzle

1. Tonga v Samoa. Drew a bigger crowd at Penrith Park than the Panthers have seen in years. Loved the pre match hype and the hakas. Intense. How many dropped balls, stupid offloads, props doing chips over the top and ridiculous errors can a match have? The "switch off" factor in the Pacific Islander football is a worry, but their physicality, spirit and brutal defence is amazing. Well cut - and big blokes. Ben Roberts is a dud. A hazard in your team with poor hands, silly passes and terrible kicks. On the other hand, gotta love Liki Liki. Popular with the girls.

Not sure how many people saw the end of the show, but the crowd went crazy and invaded the pitch before the ref could end the game. Gotta say that the NRL are to blame for a lot of this. Only one ref, no video ref, poor security numbers and a demented ground announcer pleading hopelessly for order ...amateur hour and no understanding of the islander culture. We had blokes running on and tackling the goalposts...flag bearers screaming on into the in-goal and an old fashioned pitch invasion to end. Super stuff. The best part of this is the prospect of a serious International - Pacific - rugby league competition emerging. Suddenly at the end their International quest is questioned. The ref was gutless. He did not need to end it early, it was not that bad...

The players could not give a rats though...who's going to hurt them? Not one injury in the match - or time off. Extraordinary.

The ANZAC Test on the other hand. Pretty boring and tired. Especially when not on ANZAC day. Can anyone explain why this test is not on ANZAC Day? Go figure. We play a club game instead.

2. The City v Country game is a joke. Hard to promote when ten blokes withdraw and there are more excuses than Eddie Obeid's lawyer. Adam Reynolds should be our half and James Maloney our five eight - he has starch. To not select Ryan Hoffman would be ridiculous. Any eligible Storm player should be an automatic selection.

3. West Sydney Wanderers. Due for a loss - and got one at the worst possible time. Graham Arnold is a class act and should bow out now after cracking a victory. He could lead a nation to international success - sadly it may not be our nation! Huge crowd. No doubt we will get all the maniac fans and poor behaviour on tomorrow's news services - arrests, assaults and a continuation with the fascination in The World Game with FIRE! What is it? Light a flare? Burn a seat, a grandstand, a bus, a car?

4. Must say, that the Masters golf finish was very exciting. Better that Adam Scott - he of the foreign accent - won it. Legend. Put Adam Scott with Cadel Evans in our collective lifetimes as a legend in sport (with Lockett, Warnie, Federer, Nadal, Woods, Black Caviar, Brad Thorne and the Aussie darts player with the ponytail). Readers of The Wrap will note he was tipped here last Sunday. Enjoy your cash!

5. AFL. A defining week. Hawthorn, Collingwood and Essendon stepped up (Swans, St Kilda, Freo and Richmond were relegated to where they deserve). Those supplements are kicking in nicely for the Bombers. SHHHHHHHHH don't mention it, Demetriou might hear the truth. Ten strikes and you're gone.

6. Shane Watson. This guy does not get it. He has a zillion injuries and loyal selectors go back to select him repeatedly. Pulling up lame, breaking down....on it goes. He plays IPL ($$$ of course) instead. He changes states - TAS, QLD, NSW- at will. He is selected in the Australian team and tells everyone he can't bowl/ won't bowl anymore. He is feted and sucked up to with TWO AB medals. He develops arrogance and a perception of invincibility - however poor his lone two Test centuries look.

He doesn't do his homework and is sacked. He throws a tantrum and comes home to be with his wife and kid. He annoys coaches and captains alike. Sacked? No...he is then given the Australian captaincy!! Now he does not want to be vice captain? And everything is fine with Michael Clarke? He is a selfish prize tool. He is clearly on notice to perform or perish. He needs to feel that empty feeling that galvanised cricketers like the Waughs and Hayden over the years - being dumped, axed, sacked and deposed all in one. He has had a fairytail ride. Fairies believe in fairytails. He is 32. The twilight is upon him.

7. Did I miss something with the Folau try for the Tahs...a sensational try? Looked like he caught a bomb and strolled over for mine. A great attacking win by the Tahs. Maybe any try in rugby is sensational. Like the Brumbies and Reds. Brian Smith has not gotten one headline yet as part of the Brumbies defensive coaching staff...maybe around GF time when his entrenched hoodoo strikes?