1. LIV Golf. The scenes in Adelaide would seem to be those wanted worldwide by the Greg Norman brigade when the whole complex concept started. Unbridled crowd and player enthusiasm, irreverence (shoey?) and highly talented golfers playing to packed and vocal fairways and greens.
Cameron Smith has rockstar status there in Adelaide, but young Talor Gooch (Graham's son) really turned up with back to back rounds of 62-62 and the win. Forget about the dirty Saudi money and the absurd financials players get for playing with little regard for grassroots golf and programs for the future... LIV has arrived. It may be hard for some to accept, but the scenes in Adelaide will be played out in other Australian states too. Imagine the crowds in QLD on a hot day! Not sure about the team names, but again, a different format and style.
At the same time, Lucas Herbert wins a thrilling play off in Japan too.
2. NRL. Some familiar stories are unfolding. Newcastle lose another tight one (they have played the Cowboys and the Warriors twice already). The Dolphins win a tight one (fins out!) - and the Gold Coast lose the impossible. The Broncos surge on and in style in the hot Darwin conditions. They are super fit and playing strongly. Not sure that they have been tested with injuries yet, but they are powerful.
The Roosters sack Sam Walker and need to be careful. Keary is getting on in age and Walker would be signed up by others quickly. Gus Gould is desperate for a No. 7. Kyle Flanagan is finished. Fancy playing Burton as half back...strange. Ciraldo is learning a fair bit about top flight coaching.
The Eels again keep to form. They are a 50-50 team with a coach who has a 50% record. One week win, one week lose. Knights-Titans-Raiders-Rabbits-Cowboys lie ahead. The best they can do is scrape into the top eight. A complete disappointment, but they have struggled to secure an outside back or two for three seasons now. No surprise they struggle. Dylan Brown is just mediocre this year sadly.
Are teams more petrified of being the first to lose to the Tigers than beating them? The Tigers looked much stronger v Manly. Still no points. Brooks dropped a sitter pass in space that could have won it for them.
3. NRL - Bennett. There is a reason he is the premier coach. Bennett advises refs to call 'held' earlier and avoid hip drop situations. Logical. A boring distraction...at least there are no chicken wing tackles now. He also stays composed when all else is lost and masterminds a massive comeback - the biggest ever in the NRL's history we hear to beat the Titans today.
4. Rugby. Did we read correctly that International Rugby are trying to change national jersey colours because of colour blind viewers? That seems odd. It is typically the contrast between colours - not the actual colours. I wonder if colour blind viewers care or have been asked? The game needs to concentrate on the rules and stupid over-officiating in the game first. Talk about a red (or green) herring.
I noticed that Brad Thorn intends to step down as coach of the Reds. He looks like he may move somewhere else, but is quite the legend of the game. The Western Farce step up and beat the Highlanders, but the Tahs can lose anywhere - and did to the rampaging Blues, who put 50 points on them. What a disappointment they have become. The Tahs coach Coleman even said post game that this loss won't derail their season. Is he living in a parallel universe? Honestly.
No matter, sign another league player for multiple millions... that is a ridiculous plan. In fact Eddie Jones tried this last time he was in charge (Rogers, Sailor, Folau) and fell in a heap... hopefully he has learned something. Payne Haas, Penissini? Murray? Crichton? Already Suaalii has cost a bomb when other players are struggling in a sport which struggles big time. Salary cap exemptions for rugby players might just rock rugby too. Imagine if NRL clubs could each get one rugby player on decent coin that did not count against their salary cap? There's a cross code fight which V'landys is up for!
5. AFL - Swans. They have massive problems now. No speed across the park to counter attack with venom, too many small players who are very similar in style, too much finessing of the ball with clever little kicks and handballs overplayed, a complete lack of height, the absence of targets up front... They really need to get busy on recruitment and real quick.
Geelong massacred them again. The scars of the Grand Final still run deep. This is yet another capitulation under pressure for them. They lost v Port Adelaide in a tight game and similarly, Geelong's onslaught was unable to be stopped. They are the real deal after a slow start to the year. Memo to the Swans: Buddy Franklin will no longer win you a flag. Move on.
Speaking of which, Port Adelaide, Adelaide and St Kilda continue to build strongly. It is hard to believe how poor Hawthorn have become at key times. West Coast too.
6. EPL. Leicester (3) and Everton (1) eek out points to get to 28 points, but not out of relegation danger. Man City just keep winning everything... EPL games, FA Cup fixture v Sheffield 3-0 (and now into the final), Champions League (playing Real Madrid on 10 May now in the first leg of the semi finals). They are five points behind Arsenal with two games in hand. They also play Arsenal on 27 April... it could be all over very soon for Arsenal if they are not careful and sadly, they will only have themselves to blame.
7. NHL. The Boston Bruins. A 'best ever', most "winningest" ice hockey season ever... and their play off series remains on track for the coveted Stanley Cup. Every Eastern and Western Conference series (8 in total) are locked at 2-1 at the moment. The First Round... (best of seven), Conference semi finals (top four in each conference), Conference final (top two in each conference)...then the final series. The US sure know how to milk the semi final series for their sports. Huge crowds of course too.
8. NBA Finals. The NBA has a very similar structure. The 76ers are through already... others to follow in their best of seven series. After 76 NBA Finals Series, the East champions have won 40 and the West champions have won NBA 36 titles.
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