Wrap - SOK It To Them

1. Cricket. Steve O'Keefe was surprisingly stunning. His 12 wickets for not much was a shock, but the best thing about it was his steel. He fought hard and executed brilliantly. Lyon chipped in with his famous number 6-11 dismissals and joined the great Andy Caddick on 234 wickets.

Success in India equates to massive pay days. How long has it been since we've had a left arm bowler who actually gets wickets...Ray Bright, Tom Hogan, Murray Bennett, AB, Clarke, Bevan, Katich, Hogg, Xavier Doherty... and Bevan or Katich were the pick of this lot!

The Smith ton was exceptional and the contributions from Starc invaluable. Shaun Marsh has to go. He is inconsistent and tolerates a loss. He lacks steel. Is Khawaja too lumbering on his feet to survive?

Make no mistake...India will be back. Kohli rarely if ever gets less than 10 runs in two Test innings. The other thing is that their pitches get results. Very few draws in India.

2. NRL. A week away and there are still major doubts over a few teams: Newcastle, Tigers, Manly, Parramatta, Souths, Bulldogs, Warriors, Titans will all struggle to make the eight. I am also worried about the Broncos and Roosters. Cronulla without Ennis may be a different team, but they have recruited well - especially if they can jag Segeyaro.

3. Soccer. Chelsea are home in the EPL. Powering down the straight.

Locally, Sydney FC have dominated, but I am concerned that Melbourne Victory own the best grit and grind when it matters most. How ridiculous is that Western Sydney Wanderers crowd banner fiasco? The ground security should have rounded the perpetrators up and turfed them and Popovic should have gotten on the front foot to address it all. Normal poor sports management.

4. Rugby. The Waratahs are deadly boring. This is going to be a slow burn in 2016.

5. Ireland and England in the Five Nations (Italy don't count). Will be a tight finish. One of the great world sporting competitions...and a surprising number of tries these days.

6. A big week ahead for Leicester...they got rid of the coach midweek and may be down the tube without a couple of wins in this next fortnight. Hope you got on at $100 plus at the start of the season for a Leicester relegation post winning the thing.

7. Are the NRL kidding? They allow Brookvale Oval to be called "Lottoland" and cash in on Sportsbet then worry why players are betting on games. The NRL is not blessed with intelligent blokes...

8. After a year of the underdog last year, we are looming as a year of favourites winning...Federer, Chelsea, South African cricket...

Wrap - Likeable Flare Throwing, Shirts off Derbies

1. The world's busiest - and safest - job is the NRL Integrity Commission. There is no shortage of work. They are like school prefects with badges and little else. The dobbers come from near and far all year round - cyberbullies, dog photos, gambling, fights in pubs and clubs, DV accusations, drink driving...phew...a busy off season.

Their lack of grunt with idiots (although I do note Todd Carney seems to have been black banned) is staggering. This Foran text message caper is outrageous. He dudded Parramatta (who doesn't?) and suddenly is fully recovered...crisp and clean...good to go. They need to re-open the Foran matter and deal fully with it.

If they don't we may have to endure another Eddie Hayson press conference.

2. Fresh from playing cricket with items of outdoor furniture in Dubai, our cricketers are good to go. Shaun Marsh gets the customary ton before the Test and is now in the team and will again fall in a heap like his brother Mitchell. Poor old Geoff Marsh. Tough as teak, heart and soul of the team and his lads squander opportunity after opportunity.

I noted one key fact this weekend. Dave Warner has only ever batted a full day once...not a problem of course when you score as quickly as him, but he or Smith need to rival Kohli with runs or we are done. Time in the middle with all of the batsmen will really count. No good though if they don't score.

3. Did anyone give a fat watoosi about the T20 on Friday night - or tonight? Pat Cummins I must say has been a substantial disappointment all year. Quick...but quick to the fence. Billy Stanlake is another Greg Chappell joke. Billy needs to see if he can hit the stumps in the nets first.

That commentary team needs a real overhaul. It is a tired formula. Slats is a key part of the problem although he is likeable. There was also a character in Get Smart called 'Simon the Likeable' who wooed and schmoozed people...but eventually got smacked in the face by 99's mother.

4. Love an NRL pre-season injury and coach reactions. Get rid of all of them. Play 16 rounds (one against each team). Then State of origin on saturday nights in between. It needs to become more professional. Huge contests on a home and away rotation every second season.

5. Soccer. Popovic will leave WSR - surely. However after the Sydney Flare Throwing Derby, victory, there may be life left? However he is also in charge of recruitment and has stuffed it up too often. Why are WSW fans so keen to get their shirts off - regardless of weather? Some need to join the rest of us in the gym.

6. GWS. Could be awesome this season. Too much paaace! How long will we be pedalled the Essendon loveathon? All year? No more Melbourne Demons revival stories either. They are a failed club.

7. Almost joined Twitter this week after Genie Bouchard's dating service opened.

Wrap - Shuffling The Deck Chairs

1. Are we serious? The preparation by the Australian cricket team in Dubai is nothing short of ridiculous. An outdoor deck chair sits at short leg...are we kidding? There was not a club team in India prepared to host us? We are doomed....especially when you see Kohli hitting another double ton. He is the best in the world, without a shadow of a doubt.

Talk of Ashton Agar coming into the team is dumb. The best spinner in the long form of the game at present in Australia is either Jon Holland or Sommerville. Neither are in Dubai.

2. NRL Trials. Can we start the season now and have one game against each team? Imagine the tight home and away expectations? No silly double ups....That might stop the whingers that will descend upon us around Origin time.

3. Rugby Union State of Origin. Sounds great, but is there really enough blokes playing out of their state to make it worthwhile/ interesting? Does anyone care enough? The crowds in QLD this weekend tell us - 'no'. Chiefs triumph over Crusaders was impressive!

4. Moises Henriques hits 265 in the Shield. Just in time...the team left two weeks ago.

5. Western Sydney Wanderers. They are struggling! Popovic needs to go I suspect. Take the cash!

6. ManU are charging to the end (undefeated for many weeks), but Chelsea are home. A huge challenge to the rest.

7. Is Tiger done? He will be back one day....probably in a major...

8. The Super Bowl was one hell of a game. Amazing end and reinforces that some players just know how to lift and produce under pressure.

9. Well who would have thought...Mundine wanting to fight Green again? Never would have guessed that the rogue judge would have gifted them both another $5 million each...the boxing game has lost the plot.

10. Parramatta Criminal XIII Update: Three additions in a week...

1. Jarryd Hayne (shot at in King's cross and consorting issues)
2. Semi Radrardra (DV charges). In court tomorrow! Possible 2017 ban pending.
3. Michael Jennings (niteclub fight with Police)
4. Kirisome Auva'a  (new signing from Rabbits - DV charges)
5. Vai Toutai - (glassing a bikie - retribution pending)
6. Corey Norman (drug possession, consorting warning)
7. Keiran Foran (gambling/ consorting charges)
8. Junior Paulo (consorting issues/ M4 road rage incident)
9. Reni Matiau (cocaine issues; tat issues)
10. Peni Terepo (Auckland drink driving charges)** up the charts with a bullet.
11. Kenny Edwards (DV charges; punched a fan in the head and was barred from the Gold Coast precinct)
12. Ma'ua Mau (ex clink - reformed)
13. Suaia Matagi (ex-clink - reformed)

RESERVES:
Eric Grothe Snr (molotov cocktail onto own blue Falcon car)
Paul Mares (molotov cocktail onto car - assistant)
Chris Sandow (street fighting, car crash runaway)
Tim Smith (stole coach Smith's car at Wakefield and crashed it)
Taumalina Toutai (drink driving)
Mitchell Allgood (drink driving)
Jason Smith (cocaine wholesaler)
Danny Wicks (clink - retired)

CEOs/ ADMIN:
Jason Irvine. Eels Football Manager. In court this week just gone charged with: knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, dishonestly obtaining property by deception, and acting with intent to pervert the course of justice

Wrap - Year of The Rooster

Some sort of weekend of sport....

1. Davis Cup. A resounding victory v Czech. You can get lucky with the draw and now Australia are entrenched in the World Group. Is it time to cut Tomic free? He can be a massive distraction to the common goal. Everyone is over his dummy spits...and his entourage.

2. Rugby. Is the 15 a side game dying? There seems to be every variation but the traditional...sevens...tens...A fair crowd at the Rugby this weekend (bigger than the Auckland Nines crowds)

3. Women's Rugby sevens and women's AFL. The crowds have been huge and the toughness of the athlete amazing. There are some big hits! Melbourne love their footy!

4. Cricket ODI. The NZ series is about nothing. Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Well Greg Chappell has done his best to give the trophy back to them. Do World Rankings matter any? Maybe a change of international cricket rules will add meaning. Maxwell and Shaun Marsh have disappointed again. Is Maxwell the greatest "duck or a hundred man" since Graeme Wood? He will be a misery in India.

5. Auckland Nines. Gutherson has shown his attacking prowess but again been horrific with his defence v Penrith in the semi. This is his nemesis, regardless of his fan club. He needs a good haircut too. Some good signs re defence and intensity across some of the other Parra boys - Gower and Moreoa especially.

The depth of the Storm, Roosters and Panthers is awesome! The Nines on a hard deck in sunshine is very entertaining!

Is a drop ball the new knock on? This drives the fans mad. It sometimes goes backwards....

6. So Cameron White is bagged by Trevor Hohns for questioning bizarre Australian cricket selections this summer. He had plenty of examples: Ferguson, Minnie, Maddinson, Stanlake, Heazlet et al. Even Handscomb's ODI selection was not really deserved in that format.

Let's compare them:

Hohns Tests: 17 wkts for 580 in 7 tests at 34. 136 runs at 22.66.
White Tests: 5 wkts for 342 in 4 tests at 68. 149 runs at 29.22.

Hohns is right. White was twice as bad as him with the ball in tests. Neither have a great record but the addition of Greg Chappell to the selection panel has again unsettled a cricket organisation. He is divisive unfortunately, no matter how positive his playing record was!

7. A League derbies are becoming big business. The Melbourne one has really captivated the town.

8. NFL Super Bowl. Do a google search of the New England Patriots coach: Bill Belichick. A legend in the Vince Lombardi stakes. Some great quotes. Patriots to win tomorrow.

9. I told you to get on Leicester to be relegated a year after winning the title... it looks like it might just happen.