1. The Wallabies. Hope...17-3 up at half time and ahead for 64 minutes... only to collapse in a heap. The All Blacks are too good for us - always. Poor old Eddie Jones is now 0-4. "Come here and say it!". Maybe there are signs of improvement, but can anyone recite the team 1-15? The public are trying...we're trying...
2. NRL. Newcastle keep charging back up the table. A fantastic record for Adam O'Brien likely to make the semis three times in the last four years. Not many coaches can say that. Yet there have been rumblings to replace him. They need to get him to public speaking classes and media training that is for sure. He needs to get more professional in that regard... but I guess look at Wayne Bennett and his nonsense.
The Broncos have just about got the minor premiership (one bye in hand), but will come under salary cap pressure more and more. Souths are in a bit of strife for a roster as good as theirs is. Parramatta win...just, but have Storm, Roosters and Panthers to play. They will miss out on semi-finals on current form.
3. Fox Fall Asleep. If Anthony Griffin was as boring as an NRL coach as he is a commentator, no wonder St George players did not respond to him. He needs to add spark to this golden opportunity or ratings will plummet. Shane Flanagan is the next step up the rung of the boredom ladder on TV. Knows his league of course, but not wowing the TV fans. St George can pick them alright.
4. AFL. On the cusp of the 2023 minor premiership, Collingwood fall in a heap against Hawthorn. The Western Bulldogs have sealed the deal now for semi-finals. Interesting how some sides fall apart and others muscle up in tough times. Port Adelaide did not do much better crashing to their fifth straight loss, this time to Geelong.
GWS v Swans. The Swans are alive and kicking, but only just. They sure know how to squander a fourth quarter lead, but held on against a gallant, but lack lustre GWS. In recent games they have beaten Western Bulldogs and Essendon by two points and a draw with Geelong. They were beaten by GWS and Port Adelaide in last minute results earlier this year. They did smash West Coast too.
They play the Gold Coast (home), Adelaide (away) and Melbourne Home) in the run to the semis.
5. Buddy Franklin. A superb player and retired now as forecast last week. A legend player with crowd pulling power plus!
6. Matildas. Great win v Canada 4-0. The demise of Brazil, Germany and Italy has been interesting to watch as the world of football gets evened out in the womens game. This lifts spirits all round as the world order is re-visited without the huge money dictating this. Some impressive play and big crowds! An entertaining brand of football.
7. Calves...Sam Kerr, Buddy Franklin, Nathan Lyon...seniors injuries killing the sports!
8. Netball. Australian girls netball has been an awesome force for many, many years. Into the World Cup final again. 11 World Cup wins in 60 years with four second places only. An awesome record.
Put this against the Australian womens cricket, the Matildas and the swimmers (O'Callaghan, Titmus, the McKeons, the Campbells...) and we have some elite female players. Not forgetting Ash Barty too and our top 10 world golfer - Minjee Lee.
9. The Ashes. 2-2 is probably fair, but how Australia squandered a great start in that final innings chase. Whinging about a five year old ball that swung like it had electrical tape on it, is justified but worthless. The form of Cameron Green (Marsh failed when we needed him most....), Alex Carey and Scott Boland needs to come under the microscope. Carey was incredibly disappointing. He seems a decent fellow, but he has too much ego and needs to start scoring runs. The binoculars scene with Todd Murphy was one tiny glimpse into his character. There are a lot of keepers who average 25 and keep well. He has no mortgage on the spot. Green has talent, but needs to lose weight and get sharper on his feet. Boland was ordinary, sadly. Has Morris actually played cricket in the past 12 months?
Josh Inglis may need to come in for Carey. Will Pucovski needs to get his work right too. Aarron Hardie, Jason Sangha, young Johnson from QLD/SA...a few options emerge.
Did you know Khawaja's run scoring (496) was the best Australian opener's haul since Matt Elliot (556) in 1997? The combined teams run rate (3.93) was the best ever in an Ashes series. (England scored at 4.74 - highest ever and better than the 2021 Aussie team (4.26).
Our bowlers leaked more runs than ever before. Crawley killed us...who would have thought? Crawley now holds the record strike rate (88.72) for a longer Ashes series. The tactics still stink a week later. Maidens bowled for Australia (34) v 171 for England! Nathan Lyon was missed!
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