1. Matildas. An amazing result to be World Cup semi finalists! It will probably not happen again in mens' or womens' soccer in our life times again! Womens soccer is very entertaining. Better than the men's really in many ways. More attack and while a few more errors, lots of skill and great opportunities late in the first half to Fowler and to Vine in the 105th minute. Sam Kerr has style, uses her body to manoeuvre incredibly and the defenders for Australia and their aerial work is first rate. Tall timber.
Penalty shoot outs are not great...but they are exciting nonetheless. Sam Kerr needed to take the second one to be up and stay in front. This could have cost us. The keeper, Mackenzie Arnold's shot was very bad in the circumstances. Pivotal off the bar...but she did save some incredible shots too. Nerves of steel. A great result. Cortnee Vine - remember the name!
Great to be able to play England again. All keepers have been instructed to stay behind the white line and not underarm the ball to anyone. There is a precedent!
2. NRL. Parramatta were absolutely smashed by the Broncos. Simply not good enough - or tough enough. They are without strike power and there is no one dangerous in their backline who can score points. No 'X Factor' either. The exact same with their womens team too! Parra need to get straight to the fancy dress shop for their Mad Monday nonsense costumes. Moses is also injured. Game over.
The Sharks have bounced back and Souths (with a bye in hand) have a decent win and position now too.
How good is Ivan Cleary? Cleverly resting players, strategising and ready to win three premierships in a row. Not sure he always gets the praise he deserves.
Lights out for Titans, Dolphins now. Manly too. Parramatta as well. Newcastle hanging in there and looking tough. Coach O'Brien has done really well after the mid season stutters. The Roosters look like getting there!
Heard a funny line from Peter 'Zorba' Peters about Warren McDonnell (ex-Wests Tigers) who is joining Manly as a recruitment officer. "He'll be able to show a club with no wooden spoons ever, his collection".
Alex Johnston hits 187 NRL tries after yet another double and 21 tries for the season. He only has Billy Slater (190) and Ken Irvine (212) ahead of him now. Injury permitting and a couple of semi-finals and he will beat it next year. 25 tries off! Prolific most seasons and over one hundred tries in four seasons. Incredible.
3. AFL. The Swans have won five in a row and are surging now. It looks like semi-finals are not far away. Collingwood have the minor premiership sealed now... Darcy Moore's injury will be a worry for them. Nick Daicos will be missed a lot too.
Brisbane are safe, but Carlton are the big improvers. Incredible transformation.
West Coast are anchored at the foot of the table until the end for a well-deserved wooden spoon.
4. EPL. Ange Postocoglou gets underway with Tottenham v Brentford tonight. The world's shortest off-season is the EPL! Harry Kane may be lost to the club, but at $168 million, that is some war chest for the club to utilise on other star players! Ange's style will come under scrutiny...a bit like Ted Lasso.
5. Cricket. Great to see Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Tim Ward, Campbell Kellaway, Sangha, et al in the Australian administration's sights. Interesting to see Australia's second greatest test batsman, Adam Voges, as our Australia A coach. Time for a rebuild.
6. Wallabies. A clean out here is also necessary, but can the game actually promote its players? Hooper and Cooper probably needed to go. I feel for Hooper as he has been a warhorse and injured...calf injury of course (old player's disease).
Not so sure Skelton is a skipper. Left overseas to be his own man worries many. Eddie Jones loves to be controversial, but this team looks developmental and hardly capable of beating the All Blacks, Springboks, the Poms, the Welsh, Irish or many others really.
Forwards: Angus Bell, Pone Fa'amausili, Zane Nonggorr, Blake Schoupp, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, David Porecki, Jordan Uelese, Richie Arnold, Nick Frost, Matt Philip, Will Skelton (capt), Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Rob Leota, Fraser McReight, Josh Kemeny, Rob Valetini.
Backs: Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Tate McDermott (vc), Nic White, Carter Gordon, Lalakai Foketi, Samu Kerevi, Izaia Perese, Jordan Petaia, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Marika Koroibete, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Suliasi Vunivalu, Ben Donaldson.
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