1. Rugby is like Nick Kyrgios. You want to believe it will get better. You pin your hopes on history and that this little slice of history might just be different. This game, this ref/umpire, this moment...You see talent and potential, but you often leave disappointed. Frustrated about the officiating, the playing talent... and then it doesn't matter at all. No one really cares in the bigger scheme of things.
2. Wallabies. I wonder whether we have evolved our style enough as a team over the years? The team seems to lack character and profile, yet there are some tough hombres there. The attack though is weak. Michael Hooper worries me...not for his talent, but for his future. He is battered, yet an amazing leader.
Top win by Ireland over the All Blacks and for the Wales victory in South Africa too.
3. Mitchell Moses. He dominated the Tigers on Saturday night and he is a great goal kicker. One of the best ever perhaps. He has a million try assists, but his leadership seems to be the kryptonite - especially in tough games and tough moments. He is getting a little too old now if he can't master this. I wonder whether he speaks to the Cooper Cronks of the world?
He has so much ability and his defence has improved a lot. The Tigers are even more frustrating, but the ability of Parramatta to give a team an easy lead and then clock off later and allow cheap points, is striking. There is a toughness and mentality deficiency and I fear Dylan Brown is not being allowed to express himself either. I saw Jake Arthur on the bench again on Saturday night... for how long?
4. Tigers. It is hard to see what the Adam Doueihi hype is about. He is no saviour. Too slow. Wayne Bennett moved him on and he has a lot to say about where he will play and where he will not at the Tigers. Too much talking. Brooks is up to it too. They need to clean out a lot of those guys and move differently. Can it get any worse? They have gone worse since the departure of Michael Maguire.
Maybe they could stick to the traditions of the failed join venture and wear more Magpies colours occasionally. All the ideas folk may like a 'Back to Lidcombe' day? The bike track is still in good nick.
5. Anthony Milford. Hard to believe there are two clubs wanting Milford's signature. He is a lucky man for someone so talented, but so inconsistent.
The Broncos look sharp and so many young players. However, you really can't work out how a club like the Warriors can dictate where a player like Reece Walsh goes. How much of a stitch up is that? The absence of a transfer market is a joke. The absence of a rookie draft too. And the absence of an 'All Australian' team too. The Broncos are getting a sombrero with the salary cap too.
6. State of Origin. The disruption to weekly games is holding the game back. Is the reward of one State of Origin game enough? Sunday Origin games are much better for everyone. Good to see Chad Robinson there in the NSW team after all the critics (!) thought he was a dud signing. The COVID omissions have leveled it all up with Munster out.
Campbell-Gillard must have done something bad in camp...dirty room, too much buffet...I suspect the Gould influence from Penrith with Fittler has played a part and not the Penrith players. It either represents a terrible misjudgment in selecting him for Game One or a snubbing the worst we have seen since Aaron Raper did not get on the field all those years ago when Tommy forgot about him.
Is there scope for a mid week comp...even if it is NSW Cup with ten top 30 players in it from each side as well? The Leichhardt Oval tradition from yesteryear was a mighty tradition.
7. AFL. The work of the Fremantle Dockers gets better and better. The Western Bulldogs with injuries were woeful and could well be finished for the finals... although that has been said before and they have made a late run for glory. Bontempelli's form is dismal at present. Collingwood almost fell over v North, but the Gold Coast win v Richmond was superb. Maybe the Gold Coast has turned a corner. Port power on too. Hawthorn look strong and Carlton too.
8. Wimbledon. Rafa Nadal is an amazing athlete. He knows that if he plays and beats Krygios, he will not be able to compete against Djokovic and would make the whole tournament look bad by withdrawing then. Instead he bails out early due to the abdominal strain. Selfless.
Djokovic will nail Krygios in straight sets taking his record to 21 Grand Slam titles (behind Nadal's 22 titles). The interesting thing here is there are no ATP world ranking points in this tournament without the Russian players. Unlucky Nick.
Great win by Purcell and Ebden in the men's doubles. Amazing how these experts don't even attempt to play singles any more. Lots of steel to come back from two sets to zip down!
Superb win by Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan's as their first ever women's singles winner.
9. Cricket v Sri Lanka. Marnus needs to master the concentration build big tons. He has an emerging trend recently... low scoring tons. A good problem. Australia will be hoping that the winning record his tons bring, continues with his latest ton (104) v Sri Lanka. He now reaches seven tons (same as Ponsford and Woodful) and is one short of Yallop and Redpath.
Australian bowling is again being found out under pressure. We really struggle to get a break through at times. A good nick is hard to find.
| 85 |  Pakistan | The Gabba, Brisbane | 21 November 2019 | Australia won | |
| 2 | 162 | Pakistan | Adelaide Oval | 29 November 2019 | Australia won |
| 3 | 143 |  New Zealand | Perth Stadium, | 12 December 2019 | Australia won |
| 4 | 215 | New Zealand | Sydney Cricket Ground | 3 January 2020 | Australia won |
| 5 | 108 |  India | The Gabba, Brisbane | 15 January 2021 | Australia lost |
| 6 | 103 |  England | Adelaide Oval | 16 December 2021 | Australia won |
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