Sunday, April 13, 2025

The Wrap - 66 Clickety Click

1. NRL. The NRL is getting national indeed. The Perth Bears fiasco is tiring, but two games there on the weekend was not such a bad thing on the weekend. The Sharks and Cowboys actually thought it was great. Hard, fast day time NRL play is exceptional viewing.

What are Parramatta doing in Darwin? The worst investment for everyone there... another 50 point whacking. How can they be so bad? We saw the cultural problems at the start of the year and it has not improved. Poor attitudes. Also two serious foot injuries (Mose and Lomax). How does that happen?

How awesome are the Melbourne Storm? Never any excuses. Jarome Hughes in strife with his shoulder, but Melbourne playing at home in sunlight is dangerous. They have so many points in them! The Warriors only win at night.

The Panthers are really struggling...interesting new times for them. The Knights? They will be close to the spoon with Parramatta. Dreadful errors.

2. Rory. A pair of 66s! Absolutely owned the third round at 12 under, two shots ahead. Bryson is looming. Don't discount Sheffler. Rory's 79 back in 2011 at the same tournament (not to mention the US Open capitulation to Bryson) gives him a little "Greg Norman" quality here. Rose crumbles yet again when in the lead.

Rory will either join the elite (winning each of the four golf majors like Woods, Nicklaus, Sarazen, Hogan and Player) - or become famous for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully he can rise and put any doubts behind him. He's certainly speaking positively, for what that is worth.

He has an impressive record (twice as many majors as The Shark):

PGA ChampionshipWon20122014
U.S. OpenWon2011
The Open ChampionshipWon2014

3. AFL. Carlton off the mark beating the absolutely terrible West Coast team, but Melbourne are in big trouble. Clayton Oliver is suddenly really poor. An incredible decline. Brisbane keep surging sitting on top of the table. Gold Coast and Hawthorn are also having a cracking start. A consistent and winning Gold Coast team of anything is a novelty!

4. Oscar Piastri. A pole position against the odds in Bahrain was a cracking effort. These drivers are special talents. Jack Doohan not doing too bad too. A late start tonight.

5. James McDonald. Surging ahead to the Damien Oliver Australian Group 1 win record of 125. His work on Saturday with the record breaking, best horse in Australia, Via Sistina - and Fangirl - showed his class. He wins a lot! If in doubt, follow JMac.

6. IPL. Travis Head gets a bit chirpy sometimes, even if it is Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis! He finally did the business to help get his Sunrisers Hyderabad team over the line. Stoinis' hitting has been on this season...as has Tim David and Mitchell Marsh is the third highest run scorer. This helps the bank balance longer term. Starc and Hazelwood lead the wickets taken, although there was 30 runs taken off one Starc over the weekend.

Extraordinarily, against all else we have seen, Marsh took family IPL leave for his daughter and missed the most recent game.

7. Super Rugby. A cracking win by the Waratahs v the Chiefs. Joseph Aukoso-Suaalii played a super game and the 100 metre team try was super impressive. Brumbies, Reds and Tahs all top of the table territory now. Hard to remember a year when our Australian franchises have been this successful. 

8. EPL. Since 1992 when it started, there are only a few clubs who have never been relegated: ManU, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton and ChelseaEverton have cheated relegation for many successive years (beating Nottingham overnight 1-0) and Man City have been relegated twice! Conversely, Liverpool could be handed the trophy now. 

9. Gout Gout. A superstar well and truly in the making! Hopefully he manages the pressures and expectations well. How strong is the last 50m of his 200m? He has made Australian athletics popular more recently!

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