Wrap - The Opposite Consonant Stadium

1. It's Official. Black footy boots are making a comeback. A cracking look. Looks like a school kid who forgot their sandshoes for training after school, playing in school shoes instead.


2. NRL. A few cracks in the Melbourne Storm armour are appearing. Bellamy is getting a taste of reality now... no Cronk, Slater and soon no Smith. These players are amazing and rare - and don't come around every year. He needs to be patient. A little like John Longmire. Great players fade eventually and you need to rebuild. It takes time. You have to admire his high expectations however. Uncompromising high standards will always get more out of the team than anyone else.


3. Parramatta. A strong win today when all seemed lost at 14-0 down. The crowd there was massive by NRL standards. Looks like a great venue...even if the ABC never call it by its commercial name. And to think they did all this without Tim Mannah.


4. Gutho - Parramatta. I am going to say it again... I think Parramatta are getting it completely right with Gutherson. He is not a match winner and post knee injury he looks slower. Solid, but not worth $800,000 a year. More like $600,000. I tire of seeing blokes like Gutho saying he was hurt by the original offer. If he is so hurt, sign and ease the pain. There will not be teams lining up to sign him at $800K and if there is, there will be another player coming through the ranks who can play the position for $200K. Look at Dufty from St George. A gun attacking talent (defence can improve), but on small dollars.


When you look at Michael Jennings who has the best manager in world history, it is a big lesson...and Anthony Watmough, Beau Scott. These blokes were paid far too much... despite what the Daily Telegraph and Matty Johns think. Brad Arthur should be getting a return gig soon. He will be the glue again. He should get the change from the Gutherson deal.


5. Latrell Mitchell played an awesome game on Saturday night v Tigers. His speed and strength is amazing. He is one of those athletes who do not look like they are actually moving, but motors! The next GI (of course). Come to think of it, most blokes seem to play well against the paper thin defence of the Tigers.


6. Coach sackings. Tipping that one of Garth Brennan, Michael Maguire, Ivan Cleary or Anthony Seibold may be the first sacked. Nathan Brown has eased in the betting with a draw that gave him the Eels and then the Warriors.


7. AFL. Liking the change of balance in the comp this year. A few other teams not always in the frame are rising up well. Geelong, Collingwood, GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle, St Kilda. It adds to the interest factor. Geelong look sharp.


8. Cricket. Love to see a hat trick in any form of cricket, but if you see the Rajasthtan Royals v Mumbai Indians, there was a terrible fumble under a complete sitter by Trent Boult (NZ) to secure the hat trick. This would have been Mishra's fourth IPL hat trick. Always hate seeing blokes drop sitters.


How about Dave Warner? 692 runs (avg 69.20; 8 fifties; one ton; most fours at 57; 21 sixes) and then he exits back to Australia to prep for the World Cup. He may just be the best in the world outside of Kholi, even after missing a year!


I would love to see the day that Indian players play in our BBL... even the second tier ones are highly talented. India should be the number one cricketing nation forever based on their talent pool and its size.


9. Rugby. The sooner the Israel Folau issue is resolved the better. The Waratahs can always sign his brother John Folau. Would you rather cocaine using/ pedalling blokes consorting with crims in the code or Israel? Seems like the double standards of both rugby and league will blow up for both codes soon as Jack de Belin seeks to clear his name. Hard to see him playing again, but it may divide the Pacific Islander players who dominate the code, ignite racial tensions and eventually set up stronger international teams. What a saga. Nice to see the junior Wallabies beat the junior All Blacks (U/20s) on the Gold Coast. Cling to that photo while it lasts.


10. EPL. Interesting to see the goal difference between Liverpool (94 points) and Manchester City (92 points) is only three goals. The prospect of Man City dropping points in the last two rounds (Leicester 51 points, Brighton - near drop zone) is highly unlikely however which will leave Liverpool (Wolves 55 points) stranded one point below. Likely to be 98 Man City v 97 Liverpool. It will be sensational if Man City drops points mid week.The interesting feature is how desperate some of the teams become to get points and avoid relegation. It can bear surprises. Leicester and Wolves are in good nick and have both had great years really.


11. A League. Starting to hot up now. Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory should be tight. Will Berisha get yet another semi final goal for Melbourne Victory? While Perth Glory will be too good for anyone they need to face. Their season mirrors the EPL in length, but needs promotion/ relegation.