Wrap - Brooks Bruins

1. Gutho. Well, well...after a 50 point drubbing and the court clearance of Dylan Walker last week...amazing how closed doors everywhere (esp. at Manly) force your manager to accept the already generous deal. It would be good over the next three years that he learns to run lines better. I must say that Parramatta are at least offloading the footy this year - even Tim Mannah (career first for the captain with the worst winning record in NRL history). They are still remarkably slow and ordinary. Zero attack and poor halves/ centres. Pathetic, predictable results away from home. Moses goes missing all the time. He simply should not be re-signed. You could get anyone from NSW Cup who would do the same job.


The demise of St George is shocking...as is the pathetic form of Penrith and Parramatta. Manly have risen up rapidly under King Des. The Knights seem to have found some hope too. Even the Cowboys. The performance of Payne Haas was exceptional. He is a star. Check out Youtube clips on his junior footy domination. It is cruel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1J6UtMqPVE



2. NRL Goalkickers. Goalkicking has never been better. Bring back the old leather footies and see how they go!


3. Please - Early NSW Origin Team. Anyone suggesting Mitchell Pearce as halfback has to have their head read. He is a proven Origin loser. Avoid at all costs.


1. James Tedesco
2. Blake Ferguson
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Josh Morris (? not big on this)
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Luke Keary
7. Nathan Cleary
8. David Klemmer
9. Damien Cook
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Jake Trobjevic
13. Cameron Murray

14. Jack Wighton/ Cody Walker
15. Tyson Frizzell
16. Payne Haas
17. Regan Campbell-Gillard


3. Error Plague. It is staggering to see certain well paid league players make fundamental errors repeatedly. George Jennings dropped a bomb, let a try in, dropped a pass and threw a woeful pass to Ferguson... all in about 10 minutes v Cowboys...no future in the game. Great teams don't do this and great coaches don't hire or select incompetence.


4. PGA Golf. Brooks Koepka. How good is this bloke? He is the man of the hour and a mile in front. He could be an amazing force in world golf over the next few years. Back to back US Opens already. Possible back to back PGAs as well. Would become the first to do this ever. Not forgetting he was second to Tiger at the Masters and will go to Pebble Beach as a red hot US Open favourite. Four majors...twice as good as the Shark. I liked his response to the journo who asked if there was any chance he would give up his seven shot lead in the final round and lose..."No".


There are not many world sportsmen with a plural first name... unique!



5. AFL. Geelong are looking the real deal across the park in 2019. Maybe a different story at the MCG in finals time, but Gary Rohan has been stunningly good. The Swans will enjoy seeing that! Richmond bouncing back and West Coast on fire. GWS stunning this week...next week?


6. A League. Sydney FC v Perth Glory. Usual fiasco re offside rulings... the game was tight and the comp needs more marquee stars. The sight of the toilet seats around the necks of fans just about sums it up. A touch amateurish, but a strong win by Sydney FC in the end. A hugely successful A league franchise. Liam Reddy went the right way on three penalties but came up empty. Redmayne conversely fooled around and got lucky twice!


7. Foxtel Squeeze. Interesting to see Foxtel in financial trouble. Every chance that fringe sport will vanish. Losing the EPL could be the beginning of the end for them. It may be back to the old ABC days with the cricket. Kerry Packer would be aghast! Super 15 Rugby may just be found in the back of the paper version of the Herald soon.


8. Waratahs. Constantly on the bad edge of a loss. They had forgotten how to win, but got one up on the hapless Reds. How weak is our rugby? It is about to go back to Channel 2 as well.


9. NHL - Ice Hockey. Lock in to the Boston Bruins who are into the Stanley Cup final. Yet another Boston team about to do the business after the Boston Red Sox (baseball) won the World Series and the New England Patriots won the SuperBowl. Can the Bruins do the business with the ice hockey?


10. Man City. They win the EPL Premier's plate, the FA Cup final (6-0 if you don't mind v Watford) and also won the Community Shield and League Cup - every English trophy on offer in season 2018-2019. Pep Guardiola the coach is a deserved champion. Legends all. Liverpool are bridesmaids again! Amazing the money in a shiekh. The NRL might need some shiekhs...16 of them and soon.