The Wrap - NRL Hippo Ears, Not Elephant Ears

1. A League Winners. Sydney FC have been Premiers 5 times (to Melbourne Victory's 4 titles), but not today. They had been dominant for a long time and coach Steve Corica played in the very first win. It is clear that the dunny seat trophy needs to be replaced soon. Designed by someone trendy, but it looks terrible. It could well symbolise the standard of some of the players. Melbourne City had more control and poise at key times. Not sure when the new season resumes...possibly next week some time.

2. US Open Golf. Jon Rahm bounces back from a PGA COVID disqualification when a mile ahead and then becomes a Major winner. Poor old Louis Oosthuizen came second again. A first world problem, but a concern... Koepka in the top five yet again. He could well be one of the greats eventually. Five or six Major victories puts you there forever.

3. No NRL. Terrible scheduling really - and now a COVID lockdown. The greedy wasteful clubs are already whinging. Not sure how the broadcasters tolerate it to be fair, but the AFL dominated this weekend. State of Origin is a great showpiece, but how great? The women's State of Origin was full of big hits, but in the wet was hardly the entertainment showpiece that many were hoping for... Lots of toughness and skill on show it must be said.

4. State of Origin. The usual Queensland mystery illness. Reece Walsh this time. The tactic is used in every Origin. Farcical. In some ways the silly NSW gamesmanship around the eligibility for Mulitalo plays straight into QLD hands. Fittler would be annoyed he has so many administrative idiots around him. Stupid old fashioned nonsense. He is hardly going to be selected for NSW anytime soon... and he's no Greg Inglis.

In the end a great game. The NSW backline was put under pressure, but not to be. Latrell Mitchell was brilliant (one on one strip, defence to contain QLD in their own in goal, intercept try, sideline defence...outstanding). Too slick for Queensland. The Cronk-Smith-Thurston- Slater era was spectacular, but time changes everything. Always seem that our forwards might not really aim up in Origin as much as Queensland's forwards do, but Sims, Murray and Saifiti were spectacular. Really like Junior Paulo and he hasn't been able to play with the ball in hands yet. He could be the closest we have seen to some of the greatest ball playing forwards.

Jack Wighton almost did an Aaron Raper, playing next to no minutes.

Capewell looked like he was running on a Heavy 10 every time he touched the ball. He missed so many tackles it was ridiculous. Trobjevic was awesome as usual. One of the best we have seen.

5. Warriors. Nice signing of Shaun Johnson, but how will he go back smoothly at the club who didn't want him?  Gus is building some sort of roster there. Distance allows for salary discounts I suspect. 

The signing of Nick Meaney is also typically visionary from the Storm. On song and strategic - and Xavier Coates coming on deck too! He will be better than anyone can believe once he gets weekly confidence in a top side. If George Jennings can become a world beater, anyone can!

6. Bulldogs. Why are the most hopeless teams also the most ill disciplined? COVID breaches? Dylan Napa again. He should have been cut before. Unfortunately the hippo ears are alive and well with players in the NRL... not the much needed elephant ears. 

7. World Test Cricket Championship. Great work by NZ to beat India. Lords conditions suits their game to a tee. A monumental achievement really by a cricketing minnow. Ross Taylor keeps producing runs in pressure moments. Kyle Jamieson justified his IPL price tag with a MOTM performance. Interesting Australia could have been there but for a ICC ruling to penalise us for a minor discretion. Absurd, but never really contested by Australia. Boony had to make the call!

8. AFL. Richmond were dreadful (lowest score since the 1960s). No pressure and lacking intensity. St Kilda were pretty solid for the first Friday win at the MCG since 2010. Brisbane have jumped in flag favouritism after their effort v Geelong. COVID could impact big time now. Really liked Port Adelaide's form v Swans who lack punch up front.... and the effort of Melbourne v Essendon for their twelfth season win tells us they are Grand Final bound! Western Bulldogs belted West Coast too. They will be there. Keith gave us all the tip at the start of the year...Marcus Bontempelli the Brownlow too! Get on it!

9. Andrew Hoy and Mary Hanna. Olympians for Australia at 62 and 66 years of age in equestrian! Some sort of achievement at that age. Should it be an Olympics sport? How does it survive? Is there a succession plan in the sport?

10. UEFA Euro Football. There is always excellent football in world wide competitions. Outstanding. The big name countries lead so powerfully at these tournaments. Italy, Denmark...England v Germany. The fans love it, but it will test the best alarm clock...

11. Newcastle Races on the Weekend. A complete imbecile. Spooked horses and jockeys. The punters should have nailed him.

The Wrap - Galvanised and Gallant Hearses

1. Paul Gallen. Gallant, galvanised... the media loved it. A great effort, but a loss in the end. 

2. NRL. While we lament the absence of games in State of Origin, some of the match ups are dreadful. Newcastle v Warriors... in the wet. Does it get any worse? Four wins in a row for Cronulla as well.

The game is in disarray with contract renewals and sackings. So much press on this and so little on the skill of the players. Lazy journalism about the most vocal and selfish player managers/ players. Is Gareth Widdop playing with every club? The Warriors seem to be buying anyone with a pulse. the Roosters need to pounce big time with Cordner, Friend and others now retired. Saints seem to be shedding more players than most...Periera has signed with the Broncos too... Norman, Dufty...

For the first time we have a player who has played for two different NRL clubs playing the same time in successive weeks (Ken Maumalo). The game's transfer situation is out of control.

Kevin Walters looks like he drives a hearse for a living. He may be in the back soon the way the Broncos are going.

Canberra Raiders have turned over a lot of players in key positions and need to re-invent themselves. Fullback, halfback and hooker...all new and changing. Kris in the centres has served it up to Jarrod Croker. Is there a worse second half team in living memory? Lacking fitness and leadership. The Gold Coast could be awesome eventually, but they fall asleep in the second half too.

3. Nathan Cleary. Here's hoping he doesn't get injured this year. He could complete the Origin-Premiership double. He and Tom Trobjevic are streets ahead of the rest at present. The loss of Jake Trobjevic will need a strong tackling blocker in replacement. Not sure if Nathan Brown is the answer.

4. Wests Tigers. They need to shut the joint and re-open as The Magpies this week. A dreadful, dreadful performance v Storm... and they keep signing poor players. Maguire does not look like the answer sadly.

5. AFL. Gary Rohan has had a career high hitting one between the sticks after the siren to win for Geelong v Western Bulldogs. An under performer for years, but finally he may continue to deliver! This could well be the Grand Final rematch. The standard of the top few teams is so superior to most. North Melbourne look to have bounced back from being deported to Van Dieman's Land. 

The Suns are getting worse too. They could be in Tassie first.

6. Cricket. Wet weather everywhere, but how predictable was Lords. Surely the World Test Final needs extra game days up the sleeve. Cricket is often far too slow (bad light) or in a hurry to nowhere.

7. Rugby. Did the Waratahs win? They reported a $3 million profit, but no one knows a single player in the joint. 

8. Tennis. Djokovic is about to go real close at Wimbledon to equalling 20 Grand Slams and even this up with Federer and Nadal. His win in the French Open was awesome really, coming back from two sets down. Federer 20/31 winning finals; Djokovic 19/29 winning finals and Nadal 20/28 winning finals.

9. US Open Golf. Louis Oosthuizen always seems to be there or thereabouts in majors, sitting third at Torrey Pines. Eight all time top ten finishes. 22 majors won all time by South Africans (17 by Australians). Eleven different winners in the last 13 majors since 2018 (excluding no British Open last year) makes golf more open now than ever. Four Majors wins put you in the top 20 of all time. Rory is there but a fifth has him join Mickelson as well.

The Wrap - Lights Out

1. State of Origin. As mentioned weeks back, an awesome NSW backline was always going to be a huge threat. There seemed to be a clarity in their game with few errors and a composure that is not always familiar to NSW. The power of Cleary and Luai and the way they attack the line and force the defence into making rushed decisions is awesome. You can see how much Penrith flounder when they are not there in the club team, too. Dynamic pairing.

Amazing how the media fall over themselves with Origin and hype up every moment, every photograph, comments and the mystery Inglis-Thurston-Gagai illness, which didn't seem to work either. Queensland we are told stick solid with their coaches in Origin, but already the knives for Green are sharpening. Johnny Peard only lasted one series as did Tim Sheens.

Now of course we have a Maroons injury crisis... the hype they muster knows no bounds, but it gets ratings and loot into the game, so hey...

2. NRL. Sharp shooters with field goals.. old Shaun Johnson and young Sam Walker. Worth your weight in gold (or more) if you can win games under pressure like these two. If Walker's body holds up, he could be one of the very best. Joseph Suiali is exceptional too for an eighteen year old. So tough. Did anyone notice he had a different sponsor on the back of his jersey (Gotchaforlife - a suicide prevention cause) compared to the other players (Unibet - gaming/ betting)?

Manly are right back in the contest in season 2021 after looking lost and horrible early on. Sitting on 16 points, once again they are finals bound. Incredible. Tom Trobojevic is simply the best player in the comp. So athletic and physically brutal. He used to be in the Swans set up way back, but elected to follow this route. Good choice.

3. Peter 'Zorba' Peters. Zorba still has it. Heard a funny interview with him this weekend. A few highlights:

• High tackle fiasco and referee inconsistency is a joke.
• The people in the bunker are only there because they are not good enough to ref!
• Brisbane Broncos have turned into a retirement home - David Mead, Ben Teo, Albert Kelly, Karmichael Hunt.
• Ken Maumalo is a great signing - he is the slowest winger in the comp! Hope they didn't pay too much.
• Jason Taumaulolo used to be a workhorse - now he's turned into a drafthorse!

4. AFL. Adelaide Crows did the extraordinary v St Kilda on Saturday night not having scored a point in the whole game until late in the second quarter. They recovered in time for a Greg Brentnall 'over the head' kick to win it with moments remaining! The Swans were dreadful on Friday night and the momentum for the competition is enhanced whenever a coach like Nathan Buckley from Collingwood is shown the door. 

The Long Weekend showdown with Melbourne is a showpiece game in the AFL, but the SCG won't do it justice. Great theatre nonetheless! Richmond look like they are coming back strongly. So good at moving the ball around.

5. Mens French Open Tennis. The extraordinary Djokovic is about to win yet another major and head to his 19th Grand Slam win, unless the Greek God, Stefano Tsitispas can seriously challenge here. Djokovic strangles the opponent and dissects them. He could have the Grand Slam record this year. 

6. Womens French Open Final. Czech Barbora Krejcikova beat Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. A crushing win by an unseeded player. The central European and Russian women own this tournament most of the time. Barty would be seething quietly as she could have done it again.  

7. A League. Macarthur FC look set for more unlikely glory after defeating the Central Coast Mariners 2-0. Big win! Almost better than the Socceroos beating Nepal! Although Melbourne Victory getting the spoon is just horrible for a once great club.

8. Cricket. Nice to see the ICC (Indian controlled) decide to support yet an even longer IPL window in world cricket. To hell with everyone else. Then they bar their players from other leagues worldwide. It is right up there with the IOC for credibility.

9. England v NZ. Somehow England conditions are always the right fit for New Zealanders who experience the same sort of pitches in their world. They are tenacious that is for sure and are a formidable opponent. The selectors in NZ cricket cut and swap their team like no other it must be said. Little stability, despite increasing domination. Maybe they hold players to account and don't hold them too long for the coach's sake like us? A crushing win coming up for NZ. That Wagner is a big moment player.

10. Australian Swimming. Anyone who gets up at 3.00am every day of their life to swim copious laps of a pool and count tiles on the floor of the joint will eventually crack. The recent allegations re coaches are severe, but the proof seems a little shallow at this point. The non-selection for the Olympics of Mack Horton shows how brutal and difficult that world actually is...something that does not suit those who miss out of course. A lifelong ambition and then what? So many former swimmers struggle after sacrificing so much for their dream. The sport needs a re-think. One suggestion...train in the afternoon when it is warmer. Swimmers rely on parents who can drive for most of their formative years. When parents' patience thins...so do the swimming ranks.

Mack Horton..sympathy in missing out on the 400m for the Tokyo games? I think he summed it up best. 'We want the fastest representing us - and that wasn't me tonight!'.

11. Brooklyn Hustle. One of the quickest horses in the business. A crushing win at Eagle Farm on Saturday in Race 9. Keep an eye on it!

Zaaki and Converge look to be emerging stars! (Not to mention Ayrton). I really like Adelong with a little give in the ground too. A class horse that wins tough.

12. Waratahs. 0-13 season. Thanks for coming. Dreadful. Lights Out.

13. Paul Gallen - Justis Huni Bout. Hopefully competitive, but you get the feeling it could end really poorly for one of them. Gallen has made a lot of coin out of this, so all strength to him. The critics will enjoy a picture of him on the canvas...as they did with 'The Man' Mundine as well. Loves a tall poppy does Australia! Lights out here too for one of them!

The Wrap - An Origin(al) Excuse

1. Queensland Origin Mystery Illness. How many years have we been hearing this? Please. It is an old tired message. The game looms as a cracker. New South Wales need to be busy in defence, but I suspect their forwards will be outgunned. The New South Wales backline could be one of the best ever assembled. Much swings on Jerome Luai, but the impact of him missing from the Panthers team was massive on Friday night. When the Tigers beat you it is a wake up call.

What we do know about Origin...Queensland won't be far away from victory. Townsville is such an advantage, but they may be due for some home games. The Origin on the road is rarely memorable.

Not a fan of the bye round. It really takes away from the competition. A trade off for player whining I suspect. There has been plenty of that from dinosaur thinkers locked in the game. Attacking V'landys is ridiculous. I noticed DCE back pedalling this week as the head of the players' association (whatever that is). No 'I' in team...

2. NRL Haircuts. It looks like the Council has cut the whole lot of them. What a complete distraction. I could not see sensible coaches putting up with this nonsense. How many does Bennet or Bellamy have?

3. Parramatta. Barely an Origin excuse, but ill discipline on and off the field has been costly. They have slipped down the table quite quickly but trounced Newcastle. How bad was the Ferguson-Blake combo? That is horrific yet Brad Arthur refuses to admit it. He drops Ferguson and hangs onto Waqar Blake? Blake needs a new club somewhere in England. He would be great there.

Clifford moves to Newcastle, so Pearce looks to be on the way out. Finally a few old Cronulla salary cap sponges have been cut, including  old mate Woods, Johnson and Dugan. Moylan will not be far away if he's not careful. Townsend is clearly the luckiest signing in history. Souths are not upscaling much by seeking Johnson and getting rid of Reynolds.

Curtis Scott could be joining them. He has not been a good culture value add at the Raiders.

3. St George. Their recruitment leaves a fair bit to be desired. Getting rid of Dufty? He is the only bloke scoring and setting up tries. The old classic...too small. Make him into a halfback perhaps. His speed is dynamite. He could kill teams. Imagine him at the Storm?

4. AFL. Collingwood won tough v Adelaide and the Swans tried their best to lose...and were lucky not to go down to St Kilda. What about the stupid health advice at Adelaide Oval to not touch the football in the crowd. Honestly... I wonder how many cases of COVID were transmitted this way? 

5. NSW Rugby. Does it get any worse? Score points, leak more points... They've given up almost 50 points every week. 12 straight losses...and the Brumbies meanwhile get the win. They are easily our best franchise.

6. NZ-England Cricket Test. A great effort by the debutant opener - Devon Conway - who hit 200. Better than the great Charles Bannerman in the first ever test for Australia! Still Broad and Anderson keep on going. Surely the day they leave England will fall in a heap again? They may need Andy Caddick and Steve Harmison.

7. Golf Social Distance. Jon Rahm was that far ahead he was on his own. Tough to catch COVID in those circumstances! 

8. French Open. All the big guns are firing...Rafa, Serena, Novak, Federer... a great week ahead. Barty will be regretting too big a prep this year! She was a special!