1. Jarryd Hayne. Like him or not, Hayne is getting more press and press-ure in this pre-season than any other player outside of the Broncos' Matt Lodge. For all his faults, the press (in the absence of any other controversies outside of the dynamic dopes - Dugan and Fifita) are hounding him somewhat unfairly at present, but Brad Arthur is a composed man who has it in hand. For Lodge, the extraordinary events in New York are violent, crazy and menacing. How he gets back into the NRL without any payments to his victims and Todd Carney does not, is very interesting. Perhaps both should be banished. Hayne may yet be banished too depending on his charges.
2. An NRL Testimonial Game. Please...isn't that when blokes are retiring? Thurston may be, but Smith? We'll get an outbreak of these before too long. A salary cap dodge? Time to make a big difference with third party agreements...
3. Sonny Bill Williams returning to the Roosters? That might just make them Premiership favourites yet. Injuries like all teams will hurt - but especially at the Roosters. Lots of leavers. Great signings, but if great signings fall...
4. Cricket. In the Shield, Renshaw finally gets a ton. Even Henriques too. Blue Moon watch out! Some continued poor batting seems to plague us in the game v South AfricaA. Handscomb needs a miracle to play Test cricket again any time soon. Those decks will really test us. An enthralling series ahead this week. Cummins is building nicely as a tremendous all rounder. His batting saved us.
5. Rugby. Great win by the Waratahs - and the Brumbies. The Rebels did it easy too. Brad Thorn will come under the blow torch if he doesn't lift the Reds to a better performance. A terrible start.
6. EPL - Huddersfield. Two wins can change your EPL life. This year, 6 points makes a stunning difference - more than most years. Suddenly they are almost safe...for a few weeks yet at least.
7. Winter Olympics. A great effort to win three medals by the Aussies. The summer Olympics are a fabulous event, with the winter Olympics, the poor cousin. Lots of skill, entertainment and injuries... but still in the back seat.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Wrap - Short Shrift
1. Storm. Craig Bellamy did his finest press conference post the World Club Challenge on Friday night. He made the point that between Cameron Smith and Billy Slater, both have (currently) won the NRL minor premiership, the NRL Grand Final, the State of Origin series - and the Rugby League World Cup. Also, the Golden Boot, Dally M, selected in Rugby League World Cup team of the Tournament and Clive Churchill winning medals were held by these two players as well...not to mention most games, points, etc, etc...Two absolute legends....Cronk would make it three.
A current winning record in a year of NRL unlikely to ever be bettered.
When is a ban going to occur for players writing messages on their wrist or arm bandages? How ridiculous. If they need a written reminder mid-game of tactics or of an approach...wow! Send emails or transmit through bionic earpieces.
2. T20 Cricket. The Australian T20 team will become No. 1 in the world if it wins the final in this NZ-England series. A meteoric rise from position number 7...! Add Starc and it could be devastating. Not sure if Smith is required. D'Arcy Short has been powerfully stunning.
3. WSW. The style of the Western Sydney Wanderers has changed for the better under Gombau. They are scoring goals and winning tight contests. Still not a patch on Sydney FC, but they lost heavily mid week in the Asian Champions game, so our A-League still sits some way away from the top world leagues.
W League GF. A clinical effort with Melbourne City beating the Sydney FC team, 2-0. Even though they had also won the previous two, Sydney FC had some hope going in. Now for their men's team to lift and match them!
4. EPL. Huddersfield smashed Bournemouth last weekend to lift, but any of eight teams could perish yet - Swansea, Stoke, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Southhapton and Brighton. West Brom look cooked (20 points), but three points separate the rest (25-28 points).
5. Winter Olympics. Gotta love the Australian winter Olympics team with 'Scotty' and 'Chumpy'...love a good Aussie nickname. Any medal there is a surprise. James Magnassun is a true tool. Fancy bagging out another sport to make himself look better. An Olympic athlete is an Olympic athlete. No one gets there easily.
Everyone loves a snow stack however. A fan favourite...and these athletes go at extreme pace! The presence of coaches on the slopes is a tad strange however.
6. AFLX. Some pleasing rules being added for this pre-season "T20" version of the game. Seven a side (10 mins each way) and played on a soccer or NRL field (for maximum stadium use...and pre-season strugglers with fitness), it has some great features apart from the 10 point super goals (outside the 40 metre arc):
7. Roger Federer. Number 1 in the world again...at the age of 36. Stunning!
8. Commonwealth Games Athletics -100 Metre Sprint. How about the mens' 100 metre sprinter - Trae Williams - "Quadzilla" - for Australia? 10.10 is super quick and hopefully all is legitimate. It is a podium finish at that time.
9. Commonwealth Games Swimming Trials - Wednesday 28 Feb. – Saturday 3rd March 2018. Keep an eye out for young Rebecca Sefton. A young star of the future with a great local opportunity to seize!
10. NBA. How good is the standard of that competition? The number of internationals is rising and with it, the aura of those basketball stars surges. A huge stage to be the best on in the USA! How amazing is the form of the Aussie, Ben Simmons?
A current winning record in a year of NRL unlikely to ever be bettered.
When is a ban going to occur for players writing messages on their wrist or arm bandages? How ridiculous. If they need a written reminder mid-game of tactics or of an approach...wow! Send emails or transmit through bionic earpieces.
2. T20 Cricket. The Australian T20 team will become No. 1 in the world if it wins the final in this NZ-England series. A meteoric rise from position number 7...! Add Starc and it could be devastating. Not sure if Smith is required. D'Arcy Short has been powerfully stunning.
3. WSW. The style of the Western Sydney Wanderers has changed for the better under Gombau. They are scoring goals and winning tight contests. Still not a patch on Sydney FC, but they lost heavily mid week in the Asian Champions game, so our A-League still sits some way away from the top world leagues.
W League GF. A clinical effort with Melbourne City beating the Sydney FC team, 2-0. Even though they had also won the previous two, Sydney FC had some hope going in. Now for their men's team to lift and match them!
4. EPL. Huddersfield smashed Bournemouth last weekend to lift, but any of eight teams could perish yet - Swansea, Stoke, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Southhapton and Brighton. West Brom look cooked (20 points), but three points separate the rest (25-28 points).
5. Winter Olympics. Gotta love the Australian winter Olympics team with 'Scotty' and 'Chumpy'...love a good Aussie nickname. Any medal there is a surprise. James Magnassun is a true tool. Fancy bagging out another sport to make himself look better. An Olympic athlete is an Olympic athlete. No one gets there easily.
Everyone loves a snow stack however. A fan favourite...and these athletes go at extreme pace! The presence of coaches on the slopes is a tad strange however.
6. AFLX. Some pleasing rules being added for this pre-season "T20" version of the game. Seven a side (10 mins each way) and played on a soccer or NRL field (for maximum stadium use...and pre-season strugglers with fitness), it has some great features apart from the 10 point super goals (outside the 40 metre arc):
- Last touch out-of-bounds rule
- No marks paid for backwards kicks, except if in attacking 40m
- Free shot from inside the 40m arc if there is a rushed behind.
It is missing a key one:
- A free kick from the spot where an attacking kick goes out on the full.
The thought of playing on a conventional soccer field is alarming for many avid AFL fans.
8. Commonwealth Games Athletics -100 Metre Sprint. How about the mens' 100 metre sprinter - Trae Williams - "Quadzilla" - for Australia? 10.10 is super quick and hopefully all is legitimate. It is a podium finish at that time.
9. Commonwealth Games Swimming Trials - Wednesday 28 Feb. – Saturday 3rd March 2018. Keep an eye out for young Rebecca Sefton. A young star of the future with a great local opportunity to seize!
10. NBA. How good is the standard of that competition? The number of internationals is rising and with it, the aura of those basketball stars surges. A huge stage to be the best on in the USA! How amazing is the form of the Aussie, Ben Simmons?
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Wrap - A Badly (AB) Designed Medal
1. NFL New England Patriots. An era like no other, but a bad loss whatever way you look at it in the Super Bowl. Now all together in your best Elton John impersonation: "Phil-a-delphian Eagles...I love-ve-ve, you.....yes I do!".
2. Bulldogs NRL Board. Gotta love an NRL board overthrow...it gets those journalists going. Renee Castle might just be laughing to herself right about now...and Des Hasler. Dib will no doubt hand this one over to his lawyers as well. The game stops for no one's ego.
3. English Super League. Hull v Wigan...? Great to see they think Australia is a good launch place, but is this a good idea? Hard to think there is much interest. Reasonable crowd, but not a great standard. Can't see them coming back in a hurry.
4. Australia v England T20 Cricket. Our bowling and fielding was exemplary. Maxwell was superb...and D'Arcy Short will be there for some time to come. When he unleashes without fear of retaining his spot, he will climb higher. The top five are a lot more formidable in the shortest form of the game. Warner is in terrible nick, but I really like his captaincy. Communicative, authoritative and purposeful. How well does Chris Lynn hit the ball? He is a million dollar plus player in the IPL and looked worth every cent. He can change a game and should be the highest paid T20 player in the world before long.
How bad was the Shield batting again this weekend? I fear that Duke ball is going to roll us again in England (think Jimmy Anderson, Woakes, Broad), but a good initiative to be exposed to it at least. Worldwide expectations when a team is playing abroad are extremely low. Hopefully the South African series turns the tables our way!
5. Virat Kholi. For those who may not have seen it v South Africa in the ODI format, he has scored two centuries in the last 3 innings he has played (the third was 75 - and four centuries in the last six innings overall). Kohli is 15 tons shy of Tendulkar's ODI centuries record but is no where near the number of innings it took Tendulkar. His average now is the highest ever of anyone playing more than 35 innings - ever. Legend.
6. AB Medal. Farcical structure, making very few players eligible to win it. Only those playing all three formats. It is Smith v Warner...Starc and Cummins a small sniff. Elyse Perry should romp it in.
7. T20 Channel 9. The spidercam fiasco where it held up play for a few minutes in the T20 is typical Channel 9 now. They can’t take a trick. Won’t be long before TV changes forever.
8. Quayde Cooper. I have to agree with Brad Thorn’s brutality. Cooper is an under performer of late. Bad attitudes are not required in modern sport. Not that Quayde will care as the money still rolls in. The Reds faired well in the Global Rugby 10s. Seems that every derivative in the spectrum is now being delivered by rugby...is their authentic 15's version not a palatable product?
9. Women’s AFL. Great crowd in Freo. 41,000!!! Bigger than all games in the NRL outside the GF. 41,000 used to be the Grand Final crowd at the SFS. Low scoring games, but the AFL should mandate all teams are required to field a women's team to play in the comp. Why they can't precede the main AFL game is anyone's guess.
10. A-League. Sydney FC are just too dominant. They can engrave the dunny seat trophy now. When will soccer ban players quizzing the refs and approaching them. 5 metre radius rule!
11. Winter Olympics drones. Spectacular. Not really a high interest sport in Australia. Rich surfers on holidays mainly.
12. EPL. Once again Arsenal under perform. 5 points adrift of the top 5 of Man City, MaN U, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea. They spend and spend with no outcome in the EPL. Wenger surely cannot continue to last. He picks up a mid week chalice while the main cups disappear year in year out. West Brom seem destined to drop now and Huddersfield need some magic. They have not scored points since 17 December 2017 when they beat Watford. Some good FA Cup results, but no winning points for a month or two will see you relegated too. Fire up! They are absolutely due v Bournemouth tonight.
2. Bulldogs NRL Board. Gotta love an NRL board overthrow...it gets those journalists going. Renee Castle might just be laughing to herself right about now...and Des Hasler. Dib will no doubt hand this one over to his lawyers as well. The game stops for no one's ego.
3. English Super League. Hull v Wigan...? Great to see they think Australia is a good launch place, but is this a good idea? Hard to think there is much interest. Reasonable crowd, but not a great standard. Can't see them coming back in a hurry.
4. Australia v England T20 Cricket. Our bowling and fielding was exemplary. Maxwell was superb...and D'Arcy Short will be there for some time to come. When he unleashes without fear of retaining his spot, he will climb higher. The top five are a lot more formidable in the shortest form of the game. Warner is in terrible nick, but I really like his captaincy. Communicative, authoritative and purposeful. How well does Chris Lynn hit the ball? He is a million dollar plus player in the IPL and looked worth every cent. He can change a game and should be the highest paid T20 player in the world before long.
How bad was the Shield batting again this weekend? I fear that Duke ball is going to roll us again in England (think Jimmy Anderson, Woakes, Broad), but a good initiative to be exposed to it at least. Worldwide expectations when a team is playing abroad are extremely low. Hopefully the South African series turns the tables our way!
5. Virat Kholi. For those who may not have seen it v South Africa in the ODI format, he has scored two centuries in the last 3 innings he has played (the third was 75 - and four centuries in the last six innings overall). Kohli is 15 tons shy of Tendulkar's ODI centuries record but is no where near the number of innings it took Tendulkar. His average now is the highest ever of anyone playing more than 35 innings - ever. Legend.
6. AB Medal. Farcical structure, making very few players eligible to win it. Only those playing all three formats. It is Smith v Warner...Starc and Cummins a small sniff. Elyse Perry should romp it in.
7. T20 Channel 9. The spidercam fiasco where it held up play for a few minutes in the T20 is typical Channel 9 now. They can’t take a trick. Won’t be long before TV changes forever.
8. Quayde Cooper. I have to agree with Brad Thorn’s brutality. Cooper is an under performer of late. Bad attitudes are not required in modern sport. Not that Quayde will care as the money still rolls in. The Reds faired well in the Global Rugby 10s. Seems that every derivative in the spectrum is now being delivered by rugby...is their authentic 15's version not a palatable product?
9. Women’s AFL. Great crowd in Freo. 41,000!!! Bigger than all games in the NRL outside the GF. 41,000 used to be the Grand Final crowd at the SFS. Low scoring games, but the AFL should mandate all teams are required to field a women's team to play in the comp. Why they can't precede the main AFL game is anyone's guess.
10. A-League. Sydney FC are just too dominant. They can engrave the dunny seat trophy now. When will soccer ban players quizzing the refs and approaching them. 5 metre radius rule!
11. Winter Olympics drones. Spectacular. Not really a high interest sport in Australia. Rich surfers on holidays mainly.
12. EPL. Once again Arsenal under perform. 5 points adrift of the top 5 of Man City, MaN U, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea. They spend and spend with no outcome in the EPL. Wenger surely cannot continue to last. He picks up a mid week chalice while the main cups disappear year in year out. West Brom seem destined to drop now and Huddersfield need some magic. They have not scored points since 17 December 2017 when they beat Watford. Some good FA Cup results, but no winning points for a month or two will see you relegated too. Fire up! They are absolutely due v Bournemouth tonight.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Wrap - Biff and Belichick
1. Australian T20 Team. The T20 team looked energetic and enthusiastic - and crisp in the field v New Zealand. Great too see some youth. Yet another terrible SCG pitch with some unlucky weather. It is just about the first T20 game that has been weather affected all season!
Unfortunately, Channel 9's commentary just sounds so flat and stale compared to the Channel Ten Big Bash commentary team. They are lagging behind with an old, tired formula. In fact with the T20 it was an ideal chance to make a difference, but instead we got the same lazy approach...no Twitter comments, little fun...no 'fan involvement'. It is all about themselves. Backyard cricket clips, local cricket heroes, crowd catches...these things are loved by the fans. It is not hard - or expensive.
Instead, on Channel 9 you get the world's most complicated Classic Catches competition and a string of selling items and profiteering. People are over it. KP is also trying too hard to be the new Tony Greig. Tony would caaaarve him up every time. They have massive problems.
The other noticeable thing is that Australian cricket fans love the BBL (for all its flaws - catching poor, umpiring terrible at times) and the crowd was noticeably smaller for the national team's game (weather affected), but I somehow suspect the blazing sun may not have made that much difference.
Stanlake at pace, hitting spots will be an awesome presence in years ahead. Accuracy has always been his nemesis.
Nathan Lyon did himself no favours in Canberra for the PM XI getting smashed for five sixes in an over by David Willey. His T20 cards are now marked again. Unfair and unfortunate perhaps, but the reality.
2. BBL #07 Final. Not sure why they play it at 4.00pm on a Sunday afternoon after playing night games all year? Some of the people who design semi final draws have rocks in their heads. They spend time and money on the whole competition and then end it in a hurry - changing the conditions of the comp. Think Super 15s, A League.
Jake Weatherell's innings (115 off 70 balls) in a final was awesome. Funny how experienced cricketers rise to the top in these sorts of games - Bailey, Siddle, Laughlin...An outbreak of silly failed ramp shots when under pressure, piled more misery on. The Hurricanes decision not to open with Wade was a bad one. He hit unbelievably in the last game and was benched! Paine's batting is a real problem. Test cricket form is sound, but other forms of the game see better options.
It must be said that the BBL umpiring standard has been poor. The decisions around LBW have been horrible at times. The McDermott decision was horrible at a clutch time. The Hurricanes may have set a new benchmark of consistent yorkers in a defensive bowling effort. Siddle was excellent. An awesome crowd too. Love the BBL.
3. ICC U/19 World Cup. How we beat India in any form of cricket - ever - will become a bigger mystery as the years roll by. Their population and love of the game means we are highly unlikely to ever dominate them in the future like we once did. Rightfully, the IPL auction favours Indian cricketers and provides opportunities. They are building a fortress and the dominance of their U/19 team will be a big part of that. I noticed Austin Waugh did not really figure in the team that much. He has ridiculous pressure on him the poor bugger.
4. Penrith Rugby League Salary Cap. Gus Gould looks after players, especially if they are becoming negative, confused or under performing based on off field issues. Look at Tiaire Martin at the NQ Cowboys last year, Moylan to the Sharks, Hiku to the Warriors this year, Leilani Latu and Bryce Cartwright to the Titans. His salary cap is interesting. He is the master at locking players in for many years (Dean Whare is signed till 2022), but most will never get there. He locks them in, gives certainty and then the pressure of their personal demons - or a generous early release to another local or overseas club occurs. Simply, he has so many outstanding up and coming juniors in the farm he has refined, that he can't afford to invest in those not producing.
5. Superbowl. The Tom Brady-Bill Belichick show rolls on tomorrow morning Australian time. Brady's press conferences with one glove on his hand are a bit odd I must confess, but he is the biggest name in US sports and he pretty much can do what he needs to do. Their favouritism is immense, but might be the only thing that can defeat them.
6. Women's AFL. How successful is this competition? Amazing and shows the appetite Victorians hold for the AFL. A shame Sydney have not joined the party with a decent ground and team from the Swans.
7. Darts. Noticed some biff in the darts on the weekend involving the two time world champion, Adrian Lewis. Amazing scenes, but big crowds and big money can have that affect. Women's darts may calm them all down and threaten the empire even more.
8. Davis Cup. Our doubles domination in Davis Cup was the lynchpin when we had the two Woodies - ford and -bridge. The combinations recently are left field and not stable...Guccione, Groth (ret.), Peers, Millman, Ebden, even Hewitt himself...This hurt the tie. Kgyrios has the potential to rocket up the charts worldwide but his showdown with Zverev was hugely disappointing. Kgyrios may have improved a little but he is still a brat. Young Alex de Minaur is an exciting prospect. He is fearless and talented.
9. EPL. Man City are so far ahead that a draw, a few losses and a few more problems could not see them lose this year. The other teams need to stock up to challenge. Arsenal seem to have done that in the January transfer window, but are perennial under achievers.
10. J-Day. An outstanding pressure win at Torrey Pines earlier this week. Shame about the empty crowd situation on the last day...poor really. That was possibly more absurd than the never ending play off.
The world record golf crown in Phoenix, Arizona for the Phoenix Open this week was outrageous! Great PGA support and how hard is it to win a tour event these days? Unbelievable standard.
Unfortunately, Channel 9's commentary just sounds so flat and stale compared to the Channel Ten Big Bash commentary team. They are lagging behind with an old, tired formula. In fact with the T20 it was an ideal chance to make a difference, but instead we got the same lazy approach...no Twitter comments, little fun...no 'fan involvement'. It is all about themselves. Backyard cricket clips, local cricket heroes, crowd catches...these things are loved by the fans. It is not hard - or expensive.
Instead, on Channel 9 you get the world's most complicated Classic Catches competition and a string of selling items and profiteering. People are over it. KP is also trying too hard to be the new Tony Greig. Tony would caaaarve him up every time. They have massive problems.
The other noticeable thing is that Australian cricket fans love the BBL (for all its flaws - catching poor, umpiring terrible at times) and the crowd was noticeably smaller for the national team's game (weather affected), but I somehow suspect the blazing sun may not have made that much difference.
Stanlake at pace, hitting spots will be an awesome presence in years ahead. Accuracy has always been his nemesis.
Nathan Lyon did himself no favours in Canberra for the PM XI getting smashed for five sixes in an over by David Willey. His T20 cards are now marked again. Unfair and unfortunate perhaps, but the reality.
2. BBL #07 Final. Not sure why they play it at 4.00pm on a Sunday afternoon after playing night games all year? Some of the people who design semi final draws have rocks in their heads. They spend time and money on the whole competition and then end it in a hurry - changing the conditions of the comp. Think Super 15s, A League.
Jake Weatherell's innings (115 off 70 balls) in a final was awesome. Funny how experienced cricketers rise to the top in these sorts of games - Bailey, Siddle, Laughlin...An outbreak of silly failed ramp shots when under pressure, piled more misery on. The Hurricanes decision not to open with Wade was a bad one. He hit unbelievably in the last game and was benched! Paine's batting is a real problem. Test cricket form is sound, but other forms of the game see better options.
It must be said that the BBL umpiring standard has been poor. The decisions around LBW have been horrible at times. The McDermott decision was horrible at a clutch time. The Hurricanes may have set a new benchmark of consistent yorkers in a defensive bowling effort. Siddle was excellent. An awesome crowd too. Love the BBL.
3. ICC U/19 World Cup. How we beat India in any form of cricket - ever - will become a bigger mystery as the years roll by. Their population and love of the game means we are highly unlikely to ever dominate them in the future like we once did. Rightfully, the IPL auction favours Indian cricketers and provides opportunities. They are building a fortress and the dominance of their U/19 team will be a big part of that. I noticed Austin Waugh did not really figure in the team that much. He has ridiculous pressure on him the poor bugger.
4. Penrith Rugby League Salary Cap. Gus Gould looks after players, especially if they are becoming negative, confused or under performing based on off field issues. Look at Tiaire Martin at the NQ Cowboys last year, Moylan to the Sharks, Hiku to the Warriors this year, Leilani Latu and Bryce Cartwright to the Titans. His salary cap is interesting. He is the master at locking players in for many years (Dean Whare is signed till 2022), but most will never get there. He locks them in, gives certainty and then the pressure of their personal demons - or a generous early release to another local or overseas club occurs. Simply, he has so many outstanding up and coming juniors in the farm he has refined, that he can't afford to invest in those not producing.
5. Superbowl. The Tom Brady-Bill Belichick show rolls on tomorrow morning Australian time. Brady's press conferences with one glove on his hand are a bit odd I must confess, but he is the biggest name in US sports and he pretty much can do what he needs to do. Their favouritism is immense, but might be the only thing that can defeat them.
6. Women's AFL. How successful is this competition? Amazing and shows the appetite Victorians hold for the AFL. A shame Sydney have not joined the party with a decent ground and team from the Swans.
7. Darts. Noticed some biff in the darts on the weekend involving the two time world champion, Adrian Lewis. Amazing scenes, but big crowds and big money can have that affect. Women's darts may calm them all down and threaten the empire even more.
8. Davis Cup. Our doubles domination in Davis Cup was the lynchpin when we had the two Woodies - ford and -bridge. The combinations recently are left field and not stable...Guccione, Groth (ret.), Peers, Millman, Ebden, even Hewitt himself...This hurt the tie. Kgyrios has the potential to rocket up the charts worldwide but his showdown with Zverev was hugely disappointing. Kgyrios may have improved a little but he is still a brat. Young Alex de Minaur is an exciting prospect. He is fearless and talented.
9. EPL. Man City are so far ahead that a draw, a few losses and a few more problems could not see them lose this year. The other teams need to stock up to challenge. Arsenal seem to have done that in the January transfer window, but are perennial under achievers.
10. J-Day. An outstanding pressure win at Torrey Pines earlier this week. Shame about the empty crowd situation on the last day...poor really. That was possibly more absurd than the never ending play off.
The world record golf crown in Phoenix, Arizona for the Phoenix Open this week was outrageous! Great PGA support and how hard is it to win a tour event these days? Unbelievable standard.
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