Wrap - Cricket Ashes Hashes

1. Blake Shinn, the jockey extraordinaire of Moonee Valley on Saturday.  He won on Blondie ($21), Lubiton ($6.50), Who Shot The Barman ($8.50) and Lucky Hussler ($9.00). A genuis in getting his horse to the right spots on the track. A third with 'A Touch of Mink' and a near miss to Winx on Humidor in the Cox Plate makes him a special option in the next week. An outstanding effort - and great if you had a few dollars on his horses! If not, remember the name next year at Moonee Valley! A course that looks like a badly designed oval.

2. Shield Cricket. So what did we learn? Why the hell are we playng pink ball cricket when full day cricket is ahead of us in Brisbane? That would have to be that very successful High Performance group at Australian Cricket weaving their special brand of brilliance. We are also going to struggle at night facing Anderson and Broad.

Steve Smith is still in terrible form. Warner hit 83 and turned the game as usual, Starc got 8/73 in the SA second inns and Coulter-Nile got 3/18. Cummins quiet. Smith's mate Daniel Hughes got 50+, but Kurtis Patterson got nothing and fades out...with him goes Lehmann too. Nevill 20 and one catch. Ho hum. Carey 12 & 4 with the bat. Nothing special to see there...keep walking.

Tassie cricket is still a trainwreck (all out for 63 in the second innings and Wade 1 and 6 just about ends him - 4 byes in the whole game). No Marsh impressed too much (Shaun 60 odd), but the Hilton Hotel lovers may get excited about his 61 and 38...no bowling. Stoinis did nothing too 9 & 32 and no wickets.

Khawaja hit a ton and returns to the team of course. Siddle is done. Tremain is getting wickets, but not important ones.

Generally our batting is appalling with one ton from six two innings games. Sadly, no surprise there.

3. Rugby League World Cup. Hard to get excited about it all with half filled stadiums (a universal reality these days with live sport and Foxtel in lazy Australia who also won't cop a stupid $10 pie and a $10 half beer). Good to see Lebanon get a win. They have some handy players. Not sure if many of these players for the international teams actually live in or have ever lived in this 'adopted' country they now represent. No matter.

A bit of entertainment at a dreadful time of year (think NBA, motor sport, A Minus League)....but no fun for rugby league clubs picking up injuries. Kane Evans (eg. ex Roosters and Parramatta bound) has a broken wrist. Great for that club coach. Trent Barrett now has Dylan Walker and Jake Trobjevic on the long term medical disabled list. Ouch.

Can't blame the Roosters for seeking to sign Cronk. Pearce needs to go. Simple. They need a fresh start.

4. World Series Baseball. The fancied LA Dodgers are down 1-2 v the Houston Astros, so with two games in Houston early this week, it could get messy for the Dodgers. Lots of home runs, questioning the integrity of the actual baseball itself, with many thinking a new World Series quality ball (by stealth) is providing for more action and excitement as a result.

5. Barbarians v Wallabies. Easier to move a cemetery than get a smile out of the coach, Alan Jones. Entertaining, but Alan Jones is a wet blanket. He'd be the first to denigrate another sporting coach for having a shot at a referee. Rugby referees are terrible - penalty hopers - maybe Alan has just realised how they are single handedly killing the game.

6. EPL. Man City still carving out a nice lead, but ManU are within striking distance. The gap between the top teams and the rest is ridiculous. Crystal Palace are as good as gone already..but will scrap and fight it out until the end! Newcastle and Huddersfield are doing well early. A long journey ahead...

Wrap - Astro-noughts

1. Rugby League World Cup sounds good in principle and may do better being in Queensland venues as they prepare for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Can't believe Robbie Farah is still playing there for Lebanon, but good luck to him. Surely Australia will win the thing. It appears it is one up on the Auckland Nines, but not much higher than that.

Cannot believe the Roosters are seriously looking at Cronk. Those Third Party agreements are an absolute joke and as Bernie Gurr suggested, should be published. Failing this, the NRL should publish all salaries for their own NRL Operations staff - and of their players. Why they do not pay from the centre with their own money for clubs when they register contracts, I'd never know. A contract between the player and club sure, but clearly this could be a hell of a lot of more transparent.
Pearce is on the skids and deservedly so in recent years. He is not a natural leader, although he has won comps.

2.  Wallabies. A great win on the weekend v the All Blacks in Brisbane. A lot more discipline. A shame it wasn't a decider, but even still, time to get excited when we ever beat them. Israel Folau's try scoring record is mammoth. Stunning pace and toughness really.

3. Cricket. Great to see such rigorous preparation for the Ashes...the ING/ McDonalds/ Gillette/ Mercantile Mutual/ Ford Ranger/ Matador BBQs ODI Cup...a useless tour to India. When will we get serious? Dave Warner's bat is so much more brilliant than his mouth. He just needs to believe in this lifetime advice, before making stupid comments re 'hating' the English cricketers in an Ashes series.. even if we all do.

An outstanding list of rule changes to cricket is available at: https://www.lords.org/assets/Uploads/Law-Summary-Paper-Interactive-V6.pdf  

4. World Series Baseball. The Cubs lost the National Championship game v LA Dodgers. The Yankees also bowed out leaving: Houston Astros v LA Dodgers to fight it out. The Dodgers have been the best all year, but you never know!

5. Aaron Mooy for Huddersfield win 2-1 v Man United. A stunning display by a clever and skillful player. He will not be at Huddersfield for too long. Offers will follow him soon enough from some of the top clubs.

6. Lewis Hamilton has been awesome. What a star in the F1s. A fair bit of the goose about him, but amazingly talented. A few more points in the USA GP overnight and he wins another driver's championship. That will take it to 4...the same as Vettel, Alain Prost and one less than the great Fangio (5) and Schumacher (7).

Wrap - An Unfamiliar Ring

1. B League. When the Newcastle Jets play the Perth Glory in the A Minus League - and dominate prime airtime with post match forensics and interviews - before throwing to the NBL Sydney Kings v the Illawarra Hawks - you know you are at a quiet time of year for sport. The motor racing tries hard but is simply a niche market. Internationally and on the track there is relief!

2. NRL - Kangaroos. Why did the Australians play Fiji and New Guinea in league on the weekend? A trial? An exhibition? Seemed odd. I suspect it may be to keep the "emus" (those who will not play for the kangaroos) happy.

3. Shanghai Tennis Masters. After the disgrace of Kgyrios continued, Federer and Nadal brushed aside the other pretenders to make the final. Federer wins again, taking his victories over Nadal to four this season, including the famous Australian Open. What a supreme athlete! The older athletes seem to be showing up the softer younger ones now in many sports. There seems no end in sight for either of these powerhouses.

Even Maria Sharapova has had a drug free win at the Tianjin Open!

4. AFL Trade Period. This is an added batch of excitement for the true blue AFL fan...and it makes for a clear window where it can happen openly and freely, independent of the season proper. What for some good leadership in the NRL...25 sacked from the staff last week! The Paul Kent article re NRL waste and mismanagement is incredible (if true)...and not a promotional advertisement/ campaign on any TV in the country for the code of rugby league - ever!

5. EPL. How about the performance of Chelsea and Arsenal on the weekend? Both losing the unthinkable...Chelsea to the previously winless Crystal Palace, while the formidable Arsenal lose to the minnows Watford. Stoke got towelled up by Man City big time 7-2...more like an Amco Cup scoreline.

6. Cricket. Our new Number 6 for Australia? I will back in Jake Lehmann. Young, very gifted and knows the selectors. Or Stoinis. Travis Head may be a chance, but what great scheduling...the national team in India for 20-20 games and the local blokes playing useless ODIs against each other...the Shield anyone? Surely...with an Ashes series around the corner. That would probably be the great work of your high performance manager, Pat Howard.

7. The NRC. Never heard of it? Nor have rugby fans who know none of the players and do not know where it is even played.

8. Major League Baseball. In the climax of the MLB this year, there are two scenarios playing out for the World Series:

a. Chicago Cubs v LA Dodgers (National League). LA Dodgers lead 1-0 (best of 7).
b. New York Yankees v Houston Astros (American League). Astros lead 2-0 (best of 7).

The Cubs will need a miracle this year. As will the Yankees. The winner of (a) plays the winner of (b)!

9. Redzel. Picked it all week in Saturday's ridiculously rich 1200m Everest, but what about this horse, Vega Magic which ran second? Get it in a 1400m or 1600m race and it does not lose! Kachiiing!

Wrap - The King of Tonga

1. NRL World Cup. Tonga have placed a fair bit of pressure on themselves with Fifita and Taumalolo jumping ship to represent. Half their luck. This multiple representation is a joke, but a rugby league World Cup needs something as it lacks a lot. The problem for Tonga is that smart halves and little generals are in short supply in the Pacific Islands and those with cunning leaders who drive their team around the park, trump all others.

Can someone please explain the Josh Mansour selection? Please. Surely Ferguson, for all his sins, is a better option...or Addo-Carr. Unbelievable. What about Tedesco on the wing? Mal seems to have forgotten a number of things...Thaiday's phone number and the 'choose the best players first - then determine a position' philosophy...?

Fifita made a great decision to head to the Sharks over the Bulldogs and won Cronulla a premiership. However, his choices around abusing junior league referees, supporting criminals in jail, running across field in the last moments of the semi final where a straight run to the posts would have netted a chance for a field goal...his decision making is pretty poor.

2. Grand Final and State of Origin. And so it was that the Storm smashed the Cowboys in a pretty drab affair. Methodical and incisive. The "big three" are now no longer, but what a ride. Maybe now the Storm may become a bit more human. Hopefully their salary cap is in check and not being rorted so this one stands. The most dominant team since St George in the 1960s...? Easts? Parra? Manly? Bulldogs? Raiders? Broncos? have all enjoyed their moments over the last 50 years, but the Storm have eclipsed them with so many GF appearances and so many premierships.

When will there be an update to the State of Origin concept to include the Island nations/ NZ? The 'two International' option would be outstanding eg. Sam Burgess, Jason Taumalolo, etc...As would an Islander team or 'north' and south'?

3. Cricket. Liking the look of Coulter-Nile, but James Pattinson has done it again...broken down. A shame, but he needs to get himself right or be forgotten for ever. It is crunch time for him. I am extremely worried about our batting...Handscomb needs to make some hundreds. Renshaw, Warner, Khawaja, Smith, Hanscomb, XXX? WK XXX? Starc, Lyon, Coulter-Nile, Hazelwood. I think this Stoinis could be the answer. Mentally tough. Sure as hell Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Moises and Maxwell are not!

Pete Nevill got eight dismissals in a ODI v Cricket Australia today...a world record. Great timing.

4. Ben Stokes. Fame does strange things to people. Stokes is lucky he did not kill that bloke who collapsed to the ground. He appears to be yet another sports star who makes it big and no one is there who can contain him from himself! Self discipline vanishes and hope takes over.

I note that Warnie has somehow had all allegations of impropriety with a 'porn star' quashed. He is either the world's unluckiest bloke - or the world's luckiest, beating allegations and negative publicity repeeatedly. His behaviour seems to be spiralling.

5. Winx. What a horse! After 21 victories in a row is it simply a case of other owners and connections running away and leaving Winx to rake in the dollars? Does 21 become 30 soon enough because of this?

6. A (Minus) League. The public want to fall in love with it, but the standard at times is horrible. We need to attract some of Asia's best players to make it a better league. It really speaks to the misery that is the Socceroos...a 1-1 v Syria was unlucky, but when it is all said and done, do we really deserve to be there? Will it be that disastrous if we are not there for the two mandatory losses? Conversely, the EPL remains the most engaging, spectacularly entertaining game in the world. Spirit, excitement and strength as a brand.

7. Bathurst 1000. One of the great days for the petrol heads...A David Reynolds victory. Popular and great to see the lesser lights profiting when the big boys fade fast... Hope for all the lesser lights burns bright!

8. Japanese GP. Lewis Hamilton has been dominant all year. Riccardo...a great year with many podium finishes, but not much gold! A highly consistent performer!

9. Tennis. Nick Kyrgios in the China Open in Beijing - in the final v Nadal. Kgyrios has done well, but only for the ATP Cash Cup at year's end. A conundrum of a human. Talented, but more goose in him than your average farm.

Wrap - Richmond Rage in a Brilliant Storm

1. AFL - Richmond. Richmond have turned it around and given every team across the country hope - especially Parramatta. 48 point winners! A long time loser and could snatch a loss from a win like the worst of them. How good were their fans? The affinity the players have with the crowd is so good...this is what NRL lacks. The connection. When Rance asks the crowd "how do you feel...how good?", he epitomises this spirit. No NRL player would care to ask. The lap of honour was tremendous. The crowd connect and believe in their club. 40,000 in Punt Road at the same time as the main event. Incredible. Adelaide were gipped by Eddie Betts not getting a free kick in front at a clutch time and then Eddie vanished! The pressure from the Richmond defence was awesome...exactly like Hawthorn v Sydney a few years back. Dominant. The access to the change rooms and the celebration team song is special - and typically AFL. A true celebration.

BTW, The Killers were outstanding! Jack Reiwoldt did real well with his lyrics of Mr Brightside!

2. NRL - The Storm. Mackelmore is no more. The NRL fell all over itself to keep many groups happy at this year's GF, and the Mackelmore circus was no where near as deadly as the hype suggested.

However, surely a rule change is required when there is a serious injury like the medicab one for Fensom? If a player is so seriously injured that he cannot return to the field of play and requires a medicab, another player should be permitted. The Cowboys were shot from that point. Slater ran riot...Smith was out of this world and Cronk rock solid in leading the team. I can't see a team beating them next year either.

Justin O'Neill had another shocker and the Storm pinpointed him and Te Marie Martin in defence and cracked them open repeatedly.

I must say the half time entertainment of club mascots running up the field in an obstacle course, followed by U/14 players running 100m, was an insulting disgrace. The NRL is completely out of touch with the fans. It was pathetic really...the League Olympics concepts would be much better. An underwhelming Grand Final really. The Cowboys did not offload (you can't beat Melbourne without this) and they kicked silly bombs ...but none to the weakest link in the air - Addo Carr.

Melbourne far too good.

3. Cricket. Thank goodness David Saker (sheep eater) pulled the reins on Maxwell and Wade. Courage that Lehmann suddenly lacks. The need to eliminate this cronism is important to the future. Coulter-Nile has surged into Ashes contention. He actually swings the ball! Sad to hear, but it actually is unusual in Australia. So too Stoinis who actually competes and is mentally tough. The Hilton Cartwright experiment needs to be ended. His elevation to the opener position was laughable. The selectors need to be brought to account...Boland, Heazlett, Paris, Worrall, Tremain, Mennie, Stanlake, Swepson...in recent years...please. Great to see Finch and Warner step up. Travis Head needs to produce as well. Steve Smith has been in average form too it must be said.

The common problem in the selector table and again presiding on the decline of a cricket team and culture - Greg Chappell.

4. DUD - Greg Chappell - a terrible record without the pads on.

a. Australian selector 1984–88. He resigned in mid-1988. Among the decisions made by the panel when Chappell was a selector included encouraging Kim Hughes to resign, not selecting Hughes on the 1985 Ashes, trying Wayne Phillips, Greg Dyer and Tim Zoehrer as wicketkeepers.

b. South Australian coach. From the late 1990s, Chappell coached South Australia for five seasons during which time the team failed to win a single trophy.

c. Indian coach. In May 2005, he was appointed coach of  India for a two-year term until the World Cup 2007. Of late, he came in for criticism for his tinkering with the batting lineup and unorthodox cricket coaching methods. Several senior Indian players whom Chappell coached have come out to criticize his methods. However, his coaching and methods were not very effective as India crashed out of the World Cup in the first round, the first time since 1992. Embattled coach Greg Chappell resigned after reports that none of the senior players, including Tendulkar, were happy with him and his coaching methods. His rift with arguably India's most successful captain, Sourav Ganguly and poor performance of team in 2007 world cup, made Chappell, a dark figure in the history of Indian Cricket.

d. Australian selector 2010–11. Chappell was made a selector of the Australian national side on 29 October 2010, replacing Merv Hughes. This period coincided with a lack of success for the test team, losing the 2010–11 Ashes to England 3–1, although they defeated Sri Lanka 1–0. Chappell was banned from the Australian dressing room at the request of the players. He was later sacked as selector during the Sri Lanka tour in August 2011.

e. Australian selector 2016-17. And back again as a complete dud as the Australian Test and ODI record plummets off the charts.

5. President's Cup Golf. That USA crowd have had a lot to scream about  - a crushing winning advantage that looks unable to be surmounted. The crowd behaviour left a little to be desired too. Bad on TV especially. The form of nearly all Internationals has been average to sub for mine. The Indian bloke has been terrible in particular. For mine, there was not enough 'care factor'...do they really care and is part of the reason blokes play golf, to avoid the team environment? The USA have Ryder Cup experience and it matters. This showed.

6. Asleigh Barty. A tough comeback of success in running second at the Wuhan Open in China. A far cry from the women's Brisbane Heat cricket team. Top 20 in the world. An incredible effort. 

7. Wallabies. South Africa v Australia. Another draw. Both of these nations are getting further and further behind the All Blacks. Good moments and plenty of ordinary ones!

8. Dean Pay at the Bulldogs. Same or worse roster...different result? I must say that those pictures of Kieran Foran's new love with her finger stuck up to the camera must make her parents very proud.

9. Cricket. Underdone. Under performing and under par with 240 odd tonight.  A 4-1 series loss beckons. We are on the slide. Pat Howard will solve it however. He is Mr High Performance.