1. Great effort by the Australian cricket team to end on top of the world. The weather Gods smiled upon them in NZ. I would never condone dissent, but Haezlewood's comment was as ridiculous as it was funny..."Who the XXXX is the third umpire?". A few others have been asking the same thing all summer.
Joe 'Carpet' Burns did really well to be the MOTM. A good stamp on his career, but the reality is it was only NZ and the West Indies this summer. Sterner tests ahead. Bancroft finally got runs this weekend too. So did Shaun Marsh.
2. Ben Rohrer has ignited the failing NSW Shield effort with a superb pressure hundred to win v South Australia. He was exceptional in the Big Bash for the Thunder too. Has a player fallen out of form more dramatically than 'The Sandshoe' - Gurinder Sandhu? He is bowling pies now and totally out of touch! A long way from when he made his national debut last year.
3. Big test for the NRL with the return of Mitchell Pearce tomorrow. All cured I suppose...until the next incident. There needs to be a stern penalty there to send a firm warning to all players. The NRL and almost averaging one seriously negative one per year...Brett Stewart, Drugs Bust at Cronulla, Todd Carney, SKD DV Charges....plus a million others - drink driving, road rage, pub incidents, cab rank disasters, accidents...on it goes.
Season starts this week with only two top eight positions up for grabs for mine: Broncos, Cowboys, Souths, Roosters, Storm, Bulldogs will be there...who else? Two spots, unless the Roosters crash and burn.
4. What a great day in football/ soccer this weekend. Finally they can clear the decks and bring in the next white as snow FIFA president after Septic Bladder. His name - Infantino...an apt description of how he will eventually become a fully grown trough eater once he outlasts his infancy.
5. Adelaide United in the A league have staged the most amazing turnaround in Australian sport over the past two months...from cellar dwellers to excellers! Sydney FC are struggling...can't score enough goals without Brosque.
6. The Crusaders are up to their annual trick. A loss first up, written off and then a surging finish later on to almost win the thing. The Waratahs looked sharp. Their scrum was a lot stronger that expected. Plenty of tries too. Loved the flying wedge. Memories of Ray Higgs in 1976.
7. Leicester may just about do it and win the EPL title if they are not stopped soon. Their belief and command around the goal square has been exceptional all season.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Wrap - Waxing Lyrical
1. That Brendan McCullum can hit the ball. He is part of the rise of the wealthy, 'can't be bothered with Test cricket anymore' brigade. There are easier dollars to be made! AB DeVilliers is soon to join him, Watson, Sangakarra, Johnson et al. If you hit the ball as well as he does, perhaps this is all understandable. A test ton off 54 balls should just about win a test for a team. NZ though were wasteful, all trying to play like he did. Silliness as they could have built an unbeatable lead. The weather is surprisingly fine for this series. The big wet won't be far away.
2. Joe 'Carpet' Burns has bounced back nicely. Always impressive to get big first innings runs, in a different country...regardless of the opposition. A fine innings under considerable pressure. Dave Warner really struggles against the seaming ball (who doesn't?). England saw it too.
3. Nathan Lyon is fast gathering an impressive record. Like most good bowlers, he delights in getting batters 7-10 out...not one for the top order traditionally, but accumulates the wickets nonetheless. He is about to pass a few strong Aussie bowlers in the 200 wicket taking stakes - Thomson, Hughes, MacGill...not bad for a bloke who started out with no gloss. Great pair of hands as well.
4. Warnie. How many more times are we going to get the sledging of Steve Waugh dropping him before he gets eaten by an anaconda? Warnie needs to pull his head in. He is a clown. The Australian public know the difference between a 'clown' and a 'goose'. I think that happened 17 years ago now (1999). Last Century. Next it will be Buchanan is a terrible coach, you don't need a coach. I think the public would prefer to hear about his diuretic and that stupid 'mum' excuse, the resulting ban, the advice he gave to Indian bookmakers, the meeting with those London tabloid girls, the Madame Tassaud's wax museum dummy spit about his weight, his failed charity - and the recent cricket series in the USA. Yaawn. What is he doing in a 'jungle' of all places? Ridiculous.
5. Tim Cahill. Cahill always looks positive about playing for Australia and holds a great scoring record, but clearly he can also be dumb. This "victim" who is "hurt" by FFA comments...please. What is it about soccer players and their propensity to fall over and cry - on and off the pitch. What he should have said, is "the A League is not part of my plans at present. Full stop". No one would begrudge him that.
6. Footy Trials. Really impressed with the highlight of the weekend - Manly's 58-0 outing v the mighty Ipswich Jets. Who? Trials should be barred...do it how the NFL do it. Joke. And they want to get rid of the All Stars game?
7. Umpire Assad Rauf. He has been barred for match fixing. Terrible form for a bloke who umpired 49 tests. Sadly, he is right along side Steve Randell in the credibility stakes.
8. The Super Rugby draw sounds very confusing this year...they add teams every year...now Argentina and Japan. Both will be reasonable teams and it will assist their leagues a lot. The TV time zones won't be too bad, but hard to get the head around the structure.
9. I noticed that Nick Kyrgios is into the final in Marseilles Open. Some good wins. Looks like he might just be shutting his mouth too. But don't say anything too early. The final might just disturb that. He is likely to retire injured/ tank/ be code violated out of the game. Anything is possible.
10. A cruel co-worker said to me this week that the Auckland Nines confirmed everything he likes about Parramatta - "They are sensational for 18 minutes". Hopefully this is not true I n2016!
2. Joe 'Carpet' Burns has bounced back nicely. Always impressive to get big first innings runs, in a different country...regardless of the opposition. A fine innings under considerable pressure. Dave Warner really struggles against the seaming ball (who doesn't?). England saw it too.
3. Nathan Lyon is fast gathering an impressive record. Like most good bowlers, he delights in getting batters 7-10 out...not one for the top order traditionally, but accumulates the wickets nonetheless. He is about to pass a few strong Aussie bowlers in the 200 wicket taking stakes - Thomson, Hughes, MacGill...not bad for a bloke who started out with no gloss. Great pair of hands as well.
4. Warnie. How many more times are we going to get the sledging of Steve Waugh dropping him before he gets eaten by an anaconda? Warnie needs to pull his head in. He is a clown. The Australian public know the difference between a 'clown' and a 'goose'. I think that happened 17 years ago now (1999). Last Century. Next it will be Buchanan is a terrible coach, you don't need a coach. I think the public would prefer to hear about his diuretic and that stupid 'mum' excuse, the resulting ban, the advice he gave to Indian bookmakers, the meeting with those London tabloid girls, the Madame Tassaud's wax museum dummy spit about his weight, his failed charity - and the recent cricket series in the USA. Yaawn. What is he doing in a 'jungle' of all places? Ridiculous.
5. Tim Cahill. Cahill always looks positive about playing for Australia and holds a great scoring record, but clearly he can also be dumb. This "victim" who is "hurt" by FFA comments...please. What is it about soccer players and their propensity to fall over and cry - on and off the pitch. What he should have said, is "the A League is not part of my plans at present. Full stop". No one would begrudge him that.
6. Footy Trials. Really impressed with the highlight of the weekend - Manly's 58-0 outing v the mighty Ipswich Jets. Who? Trials should be barred...do it how the NFL do it. Joke. And they want to get rid of the All Stars game?
7. Umpire Assad Rauf. He has been barred for match fixing. Terrible form for a bloke who umpired 49 tests. Sadly, he is right along side Steve Randell in the credibility stakes.
8. The Super Rugby draw sounds very confusing this year...they add teams every year...now Argentina and Japan. Both will be reasonable teams and it will assist their leagues a lot. The TV time zones won't be too bad, but hard to get the head around the structure.
9. I noticed that Nick Kyrgios is into the final in Marseilles Open. Some good wins. Looks like he might just be shutting his mouth too. But don't say anything too early. The final might just disturb that. He is likely to retire injured/ tank/ be code violated out of the game. Anything is possible.
10. A cruel co-worker said to me this week that the Auckland Nines confirmed everything he likes about Parramatta - "They are sensational for 18 minutes". Hopefully this is not true I n2016!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Wrap - Flared Fools
1. Clearly the World (three countries at least) v Indigenous Stars Game was played with plenty of intensity. Can't Radradra find the tryline? Funny thing about trial games...you would never play any stars if you were injury averse. Trent Barrett made a goose of himself in terms of this at the Auckland Nines. He is a seasoned whinger and will fill Toovey's boots at Manly admirably. He and Lyon will be a cracking post match duo after a narrow loss. Hard to get that image of Nathan Brown slapping him in the chops out of your mind when you see him.
On the post match interviews, some of the NRL coaches need to get a grip and remain upbeat. They have terrible body language and will never turn it around...their players sense it. Craig McGregor was terrible. Craig it is the Charity Shield...! Conversely, Graham Arnold of Sydney FC..."I'm going to work harder...".
Like those new rules. Re shot clock (but they need to shorten the time). How far are we away from when a penalty away for a ruck infringement or a 'dumb rs' play is hauled off and banished? The game has evolved to such a point that teams cannot afford to have such a player - especially a repeat offender. I really like the absolute quick penalty tap. It needs to be applied by all refs quickly. "There's your mark...go". It will eliminate Ennis and co whining about a decision and slowing down the game...no muck around...play on! Those forwards are going to need to be fit and mobile.
2. Adam Voges. Incredible concentration and ability to accumulate runs. He is peeling tons off NZ at will...hopefully he can do it v South Africa and England too. These late bloomers for Australia have given great but belated value over many years. Scored a ton last week in NZ v NSW in that Shield fiasco. The comparisons to Bradman can end right now. 52 innings v 20? He must be super embarrassed. That Voges cut shot is something else. Never misses! Best in the game from a right hander.
Look for a Neil Harvey comment on the "Bradmanesque" comparisons in the media this week. Paying $1.01.
Great to see Khawaja scoring more runs than he knows what to do with...he has become a world beater since my baggings.
3. Hold the phone. Shane Watson is injured again. This time a stomach muscle. Could have been through laughing all the way to the IPL bank!
4. Michael Clarke. Making his "comeback" (read 'Woman's Day' pay cheque) for Wests cricket on the weekend. His shagger's back problems have vanished. The jelly beans have dried up in the jar and he is good to go post birth of his child. Funny that.
5. Soccer. ManU will be wielding the axe really soon. Alex Ferguson might make a comeback. He was smart. Maybe an Aussie coach could get called in...we have every other senior sporting coach position in that country...Eddie Jones, Trevor Bayliss, Wayne Bennett...
Hoping Leicester can keep their form rolling along. They may be the greatest dark horse since Ears Ronny won the eighth at Rosehill in the early 2000's. Interesting that Guuusssssss has not lost since taking the reigns from the Special Sour One.
6. Western Sydney Wanderers. Their fans are tainted when their 'block' support the flared fools. Instant loss of points - or games at empty stadiums...the FFA need to go hard at them. When will Australian football/ soccer grow up? I thought it was starting to get there...not on this evidence.
On the post match interviews, some of the NRL coaches need to get a grip and remain upbeat. They have terrible body language and will never turn it around...their players sense it. Craig McGregor was terrible. Craig it is the Charity Shield...! Conversely, Graham Arnold of Sydney FC..."I'm going to work harder...".
Like those new rules. Re shot clock (but they need to shorten the time). How far are we away from when a penalty away for a ruck infringement or a 'dumb rs' play is hauled off and banished? The game has evolved to such a point that teams cannot afford to have such a player - especially a repeat offender. I really like the absolute quick penalty tap. It needs to be applied by all refs quickly. "There's your mark...go". It will eliminate Ennis and co whining about a decision and slowing down the game...no muck around...play on! Those forwards are going to need to be fit and mobile.
2. Adam Voges. Incredible concentration and ability to accumulate runs. He is peeling tons off NZ at will...hopefully he can do it v South Africa and England too. These late bloomers for Australia have given great but belated value over many years. Scored a ton last week in NZ v NSW in that Shield fiasco. The comparisons to Bradman can end right now. 52 innings v 20? He must be super embarrassed. That Voges cut shot is something else. Never misses! Best in the game from a right hander.
Look for a Neil Harvey comment on the "Bradmanesque" comparisons in the media this week. Paying $1.01.
Great to see Khawaja scoring more runs than he knows what to do with...he has become a world beater since my baggings.
3. Hold the phone. Shane Watson is injured again. This time a stomach muscle. Could have been through laughing all the way to the IPL bank!
4. Michael Clarke. Making his "comeback" (read 'Woman's Day' pay cheque) for Wests cricket on the weekend. His shagger's back problems have vanished. The jelly beans have dried up in the jar and he is good to go post birth of his child. Funny that.
5. Soccer. ManU will be wielding the axe really soon. Alex Ferguson might make a comeback. He was smart. Maybe an Aussie coach could get called in...we have every other senior sporting coach position in that country...Eddie Jones, Trevor Bayliss, Wayne Bennett...
Hoping Leicester can keep their form rolling along. They may be the greatest dark horse since Ears Ronny won the eighth at Rosehill in the early 2000's. Interesting that Guuusssssss has not lost since taking the reigns from the Special Sour One.
6. Western Sydney Wanderers. Their fans are tainted when their 'block' support the flared fools. Instant loss of points - or games at empty stadiums...the FFA need to go hard at them. When will Australian football/ soccer grow up? I thought it was starting to get there...not on this evidence.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Wrap - Abbreviated Abbreviations
1. Have we seen the outbreak of abbreviated sport en masse this week - a new standard of intolerance and impatience for the long form - Sevens, Nines, T20...
2. Auckland Nines. Entertaining and good footy package. Defence not great but all about the attack. Excellent that we see flair and experimentation. Parramatta's victory was bigger than their 1980 Tooth Cup victory...the National Panasonic Cup of 1986 win - or the World Sevens in 1997 or 2003.
A few learnings for NRL coaches in the NRL:
i. Vary your kick offs and try and find touch to get the ball back. The short aerial kick off is a lottery, but finding touch is not. Still no other player can get the same amazing 'hang time' as the Cowboys kick off machine, Kyle Feldt. This needs a lot of NRL coach work.
ii. One on one defence for a one on one strip should be coached more religiously - especially for the last five minutes of a game.
iii. The Shot clock works well and keeps the fans interested. I still believe the signalling of a try should be "Time Off"...no time for kicks.
iv. Scrums are dead. Never should be in nines - nor in the NRL these days
v. The quick restart from a penalty is what the fans want. It also stops players arguing with refs which we are all sick of!
Not sure that form in the Auckland Nines defines your season. I'd rather have NRL form! However the Parramatta team did the business well. With Souths and the Cowboys the previous winners - who won the big GF in the same year, there is some sort of expectation.
3. Apparently there is a rumour that Michael Jennings signed with Parramatta because he was sick of working in September. Hope it is wrong.
4. Semi Rangirangoo looks like he has lost weight and is much quicker. Slick. Bevan French needs a good feed and a better weights program (less supplements). A good prospect. Will score another million tries in the Toyota Touch Football Comp again this year. Moeroa was awesome. Peni Terepo (who joins the Currency XIII) was also pretty devastating. Good fitness generally, with more required. Junior Paulo looks fit enough to run away from police.
The $370K will come in handy to pay back the historic salary cap breaches.
5. John Hastings is a superb competitor. Tough hombre who is welcome on any Australian cricket team. He has earned his stripes. His batting under pressure to win Game 2 is a ticket to his future. Superb under pressure. Mitchell Marsh may have felt his brother's pain from being dropped on his head and lifted. Smith needs to deliver in Game 3. So too Bailey.
6. Great to see Watson get 2 million in the IPL. He might need it if Chris Gayle sues him. Amazing what a T20 ton against India does for your price. Hence nothing for Kahwaja. Not selected.
7. Rugby Sevens. Fiji unlucky and NZ an unpopular finalist. Australia looked keen, but need stronger personnel. NZ reign supreme. Sonny Bill is still the best athlete in the game.
8. Leicester. Can they do the impossible and win the EPL? They are in the box seat. A superb year really with two losses only. Have only been in the top flight league for two seconds.
9. Super Bowl L. That Colin Scotts is an impressive and highly impressive voice of NFL in Australia. He knows his stuff and still looks big!
2. Auckland Nines. Entertaining and good footy package. Defence not great but all about the attack. Excellent that we see flair and experimentation. Parramatta's victory was bigger than their 1980 Tooth Cup victory...the National Panasonic Cup of 1986 win - or the World Sevens in 1997 or 2003.
A few learnings for NRL coaches in the NRL:
i. Vary your kick offs and try and find touch to get the ball back. The short aerial kick off is a lottery, but finding touch is not. Still no other player can get the same amazing 'hang time' as the Cowboys kick off machine, Kyle Feldt. This needs a lot of NRL coach work.
ii. One on one defence for a one on one strip should be coached more religiously - especially for the last five minutes of a game.
iii. The Shot clock works well and keeps the fans interested. I still believe the signalling of a try should be "Time Off"...no time for kicks.
iv. Scrums are dead. Never should be in nines - nor in the NRL these days
v. The quick restart from a penalty is what the fans want. It also stops players arguing with refs which we are all sick of!
Not sure that form in the Auckland Nines defines your season. I'd rather have NRL form! However the Parramatta team did the business well. With Souths and the Cowboys the previous winners - who won the big GF in the same year, there is some sort of expectation.
3. Apparently there is a rumour that Michael Jennings signed with Parramatta because he was sick of working in September. Hope it is wrong.
4. Semi Rangirangoo looks like he has lost weight and is much quicker. Slick. Bevan French needs a good feed and a better weights program (less supplements). A good prospect. Will score another million tries in the Toyota Touch Football Comp again this year. Moeroa was awesome. Peni Terepo (who joins the Currency XIII) was also pretty devastating. Good fitness generally, with more required. Junior Paulo looks fit enough to run away from police.
The $370K will come in handy to pay back the historic salary cap breaches.
5. John Hastings is a superb competitor. Tough hombre who is welcome on any Australian cricket team. He has earned his stripes. His batting under pressure to win Game 2 is a ticket to his future. Superb under pressure. Mitchell Marsh may have felt his brother's pain from being dropped on his head and lifted. Smith needs to deliver in Game 3. So too Bailey.
6. Great to see Watson get 2 million in the IPL. He might need it if Chris Gayle sues him. Amazing what a T20 ton against India does for your price. Hence nothing for Kahwaja. Not selected.
7. Rugby Sevens. Fiji unlucky and NZ an unpopular finalist. Australia looked keen, but need stronger personnel. NZ reign supreme. Sonny Bill is still the best athlete in the game.
8. Leicester. Can they do the impossible and win the EPL? They are in the box seat. A superb year really with two losses only. Have only been in the top flight league for two seconds.
9. Super Bowl L. That Colin Scotts is an impressive and highly impressive voice of NFL in Australia. He knows his stuff and still looks big!
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