Wrap - New Blood

1. Cricket. Great to see some youth step up in the Sheffield Shield/ Pura Milk Cup (Sangha and Edwards), but the standard is terrible as Ponting has said. Do they still have an Australian  Cricket Academy? The most exciting cricketer is Pope the SA leggie and what happens? He has to go to the Sydney Sixers to get a BBL gig! Too many old worn out voices and no modern thinking.


Are we trying to learn from India - or too proud? Where is Nick Bolleterri when you need him? IMG? There appears to be more interest in Sutherland v Randwick in the cricket than in the national team. Finally Pat Cummins is back. He has had more time off than Eric Grothe senior, Brett Papworth... Have we seen a tear away quick in recent living memory? No.


Sad to see Pat Howard sacked as High Performance Manager of Australian Cricket. How will we keep the standards up now?


The ODI looks like a crushing loss is in order early. Lynn and Short are very disappointing at International level...no runs!




2. Tennis. Young Alex de Minaur is doing really well on the ATP circuit. He has just been voted ATP World Tour New Comer Of The Year. Great accolage for a young man on the up. Who was Kygrios? What about Nadal...the fairest and Federer was voted the fan favourite for the sixteenth successive year.


3. F1. Lewis Hamilton is world champion once again and now they want to tinker with the season again and try and get 25 races in. Too many. Corporate sporting greed knows no bounds.


4. Wallabies v Wales. We always promise a lot. I really feel for Michael Hooper. He tries so hard every week and looks like he has run into a bus. Yet they lose repeatedly. An outside back or two of quality for the Wallabies would be a nice change.


Would Tim Mannah or Michael Cheika have the worst win/loss record in world sport?


5. NRL Coaching Merry Go Round. Des will be too cranky. Maguire too intense. Bennet too old and Seibold too inexperienced. Cleary has a shocking record as a coach really ,so he could be the worst of the lot. Not sure that being coached by your dad is the best thing in life...think Jelena Dokic, Mary Pierce, Tony Mundine... break the umbilical cord please and stand on your own.


Trent Barrett could just about have ended his coaching career in Australia with his antics. He has not been smart. But Jason Taylor still gets work (and premierships) so there may be hope yet!


6. AFL and League. Just about now the Integrity Commissioner starts sharpening the pencil and filing all contracts in alphabetical order with some red tabs on the known fools out there. I noticed that Parramatta are slowly getting the message...Jennings, Mahu, Hayne all about to exit. If dopey Brad Arthur brings in more ex-criminals and drug accused, he needs to be marched over to the Parramatta Weir and thrown in head first. Clean up the place and publish the report for transparency to the members of the joint.


7. A-League. The excitement of former years seems to be dulled with each successive year. No big names and an average standard. Possession is yielded and surrendered far too easily. Who is improving the standard of the game? How? Big crowds should adorn the game in Australia. Thankfully Graham Arnold has the national team. Gee we are missing Ange Postacoglou.

8. Horse racing. Hopefully The Wrap's Melbourne Cup tip last Sunday of Cross Counter was seized upon. It paid handsomely. Re-read it. Great run from the back of the field.


Really liked the run of Trap For Fools leading from start to finish in the LS Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday. Paid $26.00 for the win. Sweet rewards! Keep an eye on Belflyer as well. A Cracking horse from the bush who won the recent Kosiuscko. It had a great win on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, paying $4-$5. Redzel ran a disappointing fifth in the VRC Sprint. Two to watch: Top Prospect and Order of Command. Roughie: Snitch. Black book the lot of them. Jaameh and Ringerdingding too!


This big lump of a horse - Sexy Eyes - is a strong thing too. Another thing called Brax nailed them on the Sunshine Coast too.