Wrap - The Difference of a Day

1. Origin II. Melbourne have once again outdone us lads. Sorry to say it, but they have. A huge crowd. 91,000+. Most had no idea who was playing and who they were cheering, but they turned up. Slow in winter down there.

Got to say that the ref - Gerard Sutton - is dreadful. His effort to march across both team's ten metre line and blow a penalty in front of the sticks was the legend of Jack Danzy or Kevin - 'Bilko' - Roberts. Amazing time warp stuff for the modern era. He did it twice!

How Aaron Woods did not win the MOTM is beyond me. He was dominant and tough. Farah was down on form with a busted shoulder (good story when you win), Hoppa is still mediocre and Pearce must run with the footy. We look electric when he runs the ball. A much improved player. Love the way Merrin and Klemmer play. Hard. Cordner is a bit of an imposter however.

This Klemmer is truly mad. We need a bit of that. Jennings...how he could be such a galoot is beyond me, but just for a moment would a policeman get a bit starry eyed and suddenly intolerant at 2.30am in Parramatta and make a name for himself? Never. Not much good happens in Parramatta after 12.00pm. Not a lot of good happens before 12.00pm either, just quietly.

2. Interesting to see Thurston get agitated in Origin footy. It happens a bit. Not a sign of it in club ball, but when playing for QLD he seems to lapse into it - especially if scoreboard pressure is mounting. Still the best in the game and by far the best player we have seen. Quite amazing really. He backs up and beats Canberra on his own. The Cowboys have won so many games in the final moments this year (v. Storm by 1, Warriors by 4, Knights by 2, Manly by 4, Parramatta by 6, Canberra by 1...). Thurston is the difference. That's 12 NRL points!

3. Cricket. Will be interesting to see when Mitchell Marsh replaces Shane Watson. Can't be too far away surely. Ryan Harris has joined the team so the big dilemma is who is left out. Harris will play. I suspect it will be Lyon - or Johnson. Johnson seems down on pace again for mine and nothing like his last Ashes in Australia. How can you lose it so quickly? Grow that mo!

4. Super 15. Highlanders won well. The Brumbies have been gallant winning yet again in South Africa, but need some more spark. Not enough in the tank for mine. Tomane's opposite was terrible.

5. Swans. The week off, but well set for the semis again. Like the look of North Melbourne but Port Adelaide are on a fast downwards spiral. They were terrible to lose to Carlton. The video ref in AFL is one of the worst. The beer must flow steadily into the video ref box.

6. US Golf. Jason Day has had a vertigo relapse, but still finished strongly. A great story with the news editors across the world gathering their headlines...He has shown amazing character. Here's hoping for a better than top ten in a major.

Is it unfair to suggest Adam Scott may be a one trick pony in winning majors? A magnificent pony it was, but top 20 is often as good as it gets. How soon a No 1 in the world fades...What to make of Tiger? He seems to have almost lost it. I suspect he will be back sometime, but not soon. Speith is the new champion to beat. Calm under pressure!

7. Intriguing to see that another innocent Australian sportswoman has been done for drugs in swimming this time. Kylie Palmer. Looks like a cross between Petria Thomas and Dimity Douglas. No idea how it got there of course...maybe toothpaste, too much sex, infected food, crook drink, fine print on medicine...or maybe Warnie's mum gave it to her. It was a diuretic.

8. UFC. I find it very hard to believe this to be a credible sport. Tough. Uncompromising no doubt. Fit. Strong, but oh so brutal. One of those sports that no one knows the names of its best players. Like ten pin bowling. Maybe it needs to be in the Olympics too?

9. The netball. These women are superb athletes. Tough and skilful. Big in the shoulders. Unbelievable comeback by the Queensland Firebirds. Edging towards a choke by the Swifts. Superb theatre. Let's hope the Matilda's can knock over Brazil tonight. Now that would be a glorious choke!