The Wrap - Off The Ground

1. AFL Finals. Craig McRae, the coach of Collingwood, shared what we have all felt as viewers for years. "When you lose, don't sit on the ground! You look like a loser". Self pity and self centred. His team lost a heartbreaker v Geelong, but he has transformed that club and their campaign is still alive. Gary Rohan rose from the finals graveyard and put a really good performance together.

The Swans were next level in their intensity and now have a lot more speed - Florent, Warner, Hayward... and their defence and pressure was amazing v Melbourne. Richmond gone and Western Bulldogs too. Giving up a 30 point lead is catastrophic really, especially when that has plagued them in recent months. Fredericks was dynamic...such pace. Brayshaw is a gun too. Serong superb. Richmond (7) and Western Bulldogs (8) out.

So it becomes...

• Melbourne (2) v Brisbane (6) (winner to play Geelong (1)) and 
• Collingwood (4) v Fremantle (5) (winner to play Sydney (3) at the SCG in a fortnight).

2. Australian Cricket. When did it become so obvious that the Australian public had turned away from this team? Was it South Africa's sandpaper gate, the removal and mismanagement of Justin Langer's exit, or was it the filthy riches of the IPL and the inferior BBL rosters? Shane Warne's death? 

No one really cares about cheap tournaments in QLD v Zimbabwe in winter/ spring, but are we fair dinkum in losing to them? Typical arrogance and carelessness that really annoys the viewing public. Surely we can do better. The Andrew 'Ronald' McDonald coaching era has been only so so to date...wasteful may be one description. ODI form dreadful. So far in 2022, 10 wins and 8 losses...50% win-loss ratios never win in the end. NZ this week will prove interesting...then India. A string of losses may have the steak knives out.

• 1-0 Test series win v Pakistan.
• 1-2 ODI loss v Pakistan
• 1-0 T20 win v Pakistan
• 2-1 T20 win v Sri Lanka
• 2-3 ODI loss to Sri Lanka
• 1-1 Test series v Sri Lanka
• 2-1 ODI win v Zimbabwe

3. Golf Danger. Another red head, Jonny Bairstow broke his leg playing golf this week. Dangerous sport, be warned.

4. NRL. Apart from the Eels v Storm contest, there was not a lot of sheen to the final round. The less we see of the Titans and Warriors the better. The Tigers the same....and Newcastle. Mad Monday celebrations should be banned for them. A blow up with a player in one of these teams publicly or in the media is paying $1.01.

Cronulla were awesome and look sharp for the finals. The Dragons finish an honourable 10th too!

The absolutely pathetic efforts late in the season by Manly and Brisbane were disastrous. They can get a bit precious NRL players... a contract dispute news story, a club media storm and they implode. Both clubs used to be so strong. Amazing decline.

The draw though advantages some. The movement away from the Panthers is the key.   

• 1 v 4. Panthers v Parramatta (winner to Prelim, loser plays winner of 5 v 8)
• 2 v 3. Sharks v Cowboys (winner to Prelim final, loser plays winner of 6 v 7)
• 5 v 8. Storm v Raiders (loser out)
• 6 v 7. Roosters v Rabbits (loser out).

4. Wallabies. Talk about 50% win-loss teams. Over the last two years: 10 wins. 11 losses. The ultimate in inconsistency. 

5. Daniel Ricciardo. Gone from McLaren. Oscar Piastri is a talent, but the hoopla looks like ending for the shooey himself. Results count more than good looks in the end... but he is a wealthy man regardless and set up for life. He always looks happy regardless of the politics.

6. Celtic v Rangers Derby Day in Glasgow. Ange Postocoglou has once again led Celtic to a 4-0 hammering of their fierce rivals. There is a lot of new found love for Ange! 6 wins and on top of the table once again. An EPL call up will not be far away for him. Harry Kewell on the coaching staff will be learning a bit too.

7. EPL. Arsenal on full points thus far (15 - 5 wins) take on the resurgent ManU team (9 points). There is some difference at the top of the table which is exciting. Brighton are up there early with Man City who are limping, not legging it as usual - and Leicester sit cold stone last on 1 solitary point, with an extra game to play. 

8. MLB. Some familiar success stories this season: the Astros, Dodgers, Yankees...and the Mets are up there too for a change! The Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles and Oakland A's... all familiar faces at the bottom of the tables again. The newly named 2022 Cleveland Guardians (not the Indians) are doing great business too.

9. US Open Tennis. Nadal marches on. Kgyrios v Medvedev will be interesting. I cannot see Medvedev losing. He is a machine.