Wrap - Rough and Tough Calls

1. Ashes Cricket. (I need to get you to re-read last week's first Wrap item...scary). It didn't take too long. Mitchell Marsh is back in the selection frame (and Graham, PJ, Rod and Mrs Marsh...). This WA obsession will ruin Langer eventually. I thought he was smarter. Wade is on the rack - so is the great under performer Usman. He never gets runs when you need him and really needs the Shane Watson treatment that Shane never got...drop him hard and make him learn through pain. Don't be surprised if Bancroft gets in there somewhere too.

 

Our capitulation in the Headingley Test was a disgrace. I love how the media cast it as a great cricket moment. It was for England, but our bowling, fielding and poise were not world best. As predicted last week, we seem to bring great cricket moments to others and rarely if ever own them ourselves (SCG Test with India and the great Ishant Sharma glove fiasco, when Clarke got wickets is one notable exception...and then the team was attacked in the media!). We have lost too many tight ones to England (Botham, Flintoff.... Windies at Adelaide all those years ago...South Africa at the SCG... on it goes).

 

I put a lot of the blame at the feet of Tim Paine. The media coverup of his hopeless batting ("he's a great leader"...like Mike Brearley) is pathetic. See it for what it is...we cannot pick a bloke who is good with the gloves alone. Otherwise Darren Berry would have played 100 Tests for Australia.

 

2. NRL. The eight will come down to a Tigers v Sharks game for a spot. I cannot believe Cronulla have struggled so much in 2019. Injuries, sure but so has everyone. The coach and off field nonsense has hampered them. They are in strife with their roster and salary cap moving ahead. Poor leadership. Penrith is worse. Titans pathetic...Knights an amateur show. Storm-Roosters-Raiders...the best teams. Manly a terrible loss.

 

3. AFL. The big showdowns are on this weekend. I have dollars on Richmond (over Brisbane), Western Bulldogs (over GWS), Geelong (over Collingwood) and West Coast (over Essendon). Geelong-Collingwood stands to be a cracker. Still out on the week off and whether that adds to or diminishes the tension.

 

Once again the Hawks show the way with Roughhead being offloaded at the right time. Keran jack goes too which is well timed...and McVeigh. Attracting players to Sydney will be a challenge. If Papley and Zak Jones leave they will be in pain. Offloading Buddy Franklin needs to happen soon too.

 

4. EPL. You can almost call the show off after four rounds. Liverpool are on 12 points ($wins from 4 games), Man City on 10 and ManU/ Tottenham/ Chelsea are all scratching for form. It is such a competitive comp at the big end. Leicester showing good early form. Their win a few seasons ago was incredible when you really stop and look at it.

 

5. NFL. Shocked to see Val Holmes cut. We have had so much success with blokes who play X-Box NFL and then head there for glory and fame. It is a tough gig. Plenty of punters making their mark however.

 

6. US Open Tennis. Nick the dick has gone again thank goodness. Barty carving it up again in her incredibly stylish manner. Cannot see anyone challenging outside of the big three for the men's championship, but really like Djokovic on this surface. Djokovic has won 4 of the last 5 Grand Slams since Wimbledon 2018. Awesome. Osaka will be hard to toss in the women's as well.

 

The amazing facts of the big three are:

 

• Federer (20 titles, 31 finals, 45 semi finals, 55 quarter finals)
• Nadal (18 titles, 26 finals, 36 semi finals, 39 quarter finals)
• Djokovic (16 titles, 25 finals, 32 semi finals, 45 quarter finals).

 

They are the three leaders in these categories of all time. Domination.

 

7. Mad Monday. Is there anything more ridiculous than dress ups for football players? Honestly. Fools. Why do you never see Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith dressed as superheroes, etc? They are too busy playing finals and for their country!