1. NRL Finals. The Broncos stunned everyone to blow the Storm off the park. No points to the Storm was incredible. Their high standard right across the park was extraordinary. Of course, their home ground advantage was immense. They have been given a complete rails run this season. Out of 24 season games, they played 12 games at Suncorp and 19 games in QLD (Gold Coast, Townsville, Sunshine Coast - one in Darwin). Only a handful out of town. This will cost them.
Is it a stretch to say that the Warriors looked like they were a bit disinterested with Shaun Johnson ruled out. They return home to host the next final. They seemed OK about that. Go "Wahs"!
Liked the look of the Roosters. How strong and tough was that game.?A silly missed conversion by Trindall early didn't help the Sharks, but how did young Brailey miss that try? Incredible Neville Glover moment. Not sure what the Sharks need to progress further. Possibly one good forward short. Injuries don't help. Defence seems to be their problem. Great backline. Not sure if Nicho is a halfback. Lindsay Collins is an Australian Kangaroo prop. Awesome!
The loss of Suaalii, Warea-Hargreaves and Manu surely puts the Storm well ahead. Although losing Papenhuyzen and possibly Coates evens things up too.
The Knights? Up by 12 and then a Canberra surge! Extra time and all at the Knights home ground but the Knights need some better legs in their forwards. Not sure the rotation of their bench worked well enough.
The Knights were anchored on their own tryline for sooooo long and leaked points! Ricky certainly has the forwards, not the backs, although the replacement winger Schiller had a top game. The Knights needed to play with width. The Canberra forwards loved it. Jack Wighton is a tremendous player.
10 straight wins for Newcastle. Referee Ashley Klein loves a tight game and the final penalty was cruel.
Three big features of the weekend:
- Unbelievable first half errors kept flowing for the Storm, the Roosters and the Knights.
- Bad goal kicking errors hurt both Cronulla (Trindall) and Canberra. We somehow expect 100% in finals! (May need to recruit the French rugby goalkicker!).
- Charge downs from winning field goal shots abounded. Tedesco, Keary, Gamble, Frizzell... special efforts.
Some interesting footy ahead! Panthers and Broncos have the week off (How superior are both teams?). Melbourne v Roosters (in Melbourne) and Warriors v Knights (in NZ). No games in Sydney once again.
1A. Val Holmes. Surely not. Tell me it is a small bag of stale sugar from a dodgy hotel in-room tea and coffee stand.
2. AFL Finals. Collingwood are beatable, but were too good for Max Gawn's Melbourne Demons. They have been the best all year and a week off will assist them to freshen up.
Swans trailed by 30 points and finally lost by six points. That has been the story of their year. Close losses cannot be tolerated as they cost you badly. Draws and narrow losses reflect a mindset. They could not kick straight once again and need to protect this space...practice harder!
GWS too strong 101-77 v St Kilda. They are a club with amazing steel under their newer coach. St Kilda bow out with nothing again! Brisbane were dominant and could win the flag yet.
Collingwood - Brisbane now have the week off. Just Melbourne, Carlton, Port Adelaide and GWS left only now. Melbourne v Carlton and Port Adelaide v GWS.
3. World Cup Rugby. The All Blacks are floundering (losses pre-tournament to South Africa and now France) and regretting that the greatest coach in world sport - Scott Robertson - is not in control. They surely bounce back! The Wallabies finally won v Georgia 35-15. Step by step. At least there appears to be a new direction. What gives with the orange jersey? Maybe it's my television.
If only Georgia was always on Eddie's mind!
4. World Cup - Basketball. The demise of the USA on world basketball platforms is surprisingly common. Their loss to Germany (113-111) is a bit of comfort to our Boomers who loss to them too (85-82)! The final is Serbia v Germany! USA play Canada for bronze.
5. Cricket - ODIs. South Africa have hit the wall with their cricket. Another Warner duck in the first ODI was disturbing, but like so many times before, he bounces back with a ton in the second ODI!
Australia has played 980 ODI games. In that time, did you know that Dave Warner has the best ODI average ever for Australia? (45.11) and the second most tons - 20? The great Ricky Ponting has 29 tons, but only averaged 41.81! So the critics may need to chew on that as well.
The 123 run win in the second ODI v South Africa was solid again. Liked seeing Nathan Ellis and Aaron Hardie playing. Sean Abbott is a remarkable wicket taker in T20 and ODI formats. It is also significant to note that Josh Inglis had the gloves and punched out a 50. He is breathing down Alex Carey's neck. Carey needs runs in any form of the game after a terrible Ashes campaign.
Marnus Labuschagne sure takes his chances. He relieved as a concussion replacement for Steve Smith years ago in the Ashes and has become our No. 3 there in Test cricket...now he does it again for Cameron Green (who is starting to become a worry) in the ODIs with two MOTM efforts back to back. He will be in the World Cup team now.
Mercifully, the ODI World Cup starts on 5 October which might fill the post AFL/ NRL GF gap when sport dies off and the Hardie Ferrodo is the only thing on TV outside of the Mercantile Mutual Cup cricket.
6. US Open Tennis. The predictability in the men's game is staggering. However, Medvedev has broken it by beating Alcarez in the semi-final. He now meets Djokovic in the final whose strike rate is about as good as the strike rate felt by Bernard Tomic when he was belted up in the wee small hours on the Gold Coast. Djokovic is on the brink of supreme greatness that will never be beaten.
In the women's, Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam. So refreshing to see so many new names winning Grand Slams. The US Open seems to be one of the most even of the Grand Slams. Anyone can win. Aryna Sabalenka is now World No.1, but stuck on one Grand Slam still.
7. EPL - Ange mania. No play this weekend with the International break. Sheffield United is an easier proposition than the following two games when he will be tested...Arsenal and then Liverpool. We'll know how he is travelling at the end of the month! They could be announced as title contenders with two wins against these heavyweights! Man City keep powering on.
8. The Socceroos. They were well on top with ten minutes to go at 2-0, before letting in two late Mexican goals for a 2-2 draw. The Harry Souttar effort on the last goal was woeful. He did score one however.
9. Scottish Premier League. meanwhile, back at Celtic... they are on top of the table again with Motherwell. Their winning rate is staggering as a club. Better than Man City and up there with the Crusaders.
10. Ryder Cup Golf. Destined for 25 September in Rome! Adrian Meronk's shock omission at a course he has excelled at was baffling. It will be interesting to see what the Italian crowds are like! No LIV players for the Europeans certainly opens up some opportunities for a few players.
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