The Wrap - Web Stars

1. NRL. The class of some NRL players is incredible. Brian To'o, Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin, The Hammer, Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Latrell Mitchell, Zac Lomax... these blokes are Origin and Australian players who are tougher and stronger than others. They play at a different pace and intensity.

The Panthers are about to go on a huge roll. They have the softest of draws...bye, Eels, Titans, Souths, Knights...They could figure in the top four yet. An incredible turn around. What a game v the Bulldogs? Superb. It was semi final class.

The Canberra Raiders keep winning and fight so hard every game. They have some superb big backs too. They are so consistent.

How bad have the Warriors looked in recent weeks? They have crashed. Now Luke Metcalf is injured. The Sharks are not going so much better. 

The Dolphins could be an incredible powerhouse. A point scoring machine. The number of fans in Sydney on Saturday night was incredible. Katoa the half back (yet another ex-Penrith player) is outstanding.

What ever happened to the quick tap from last year? The kill joy refs can't keep up.

The Wests Tigers continue to get whacked. Zorba Peters called it last year. Luai will win a few, but mostly he will experience a Samoa type experience. They are risk of a fourth straight spoon. Hard to believe Benji has nailed it as a coach. He is far too tense for composed performances. Now their promising hooker is on the move to the Eels.

2. Test Cricket v West Indies. The Australian bowlers were awesome. Hazelwood in particular (288 Test wickets at 24.4). He was possibly the best IPL bowler and now is becoming one of our better Test performers on the tough pitches. He was moderate v South Africa in the ICC Test Championship Final with only two economical wickets. However, he struck back big time v the Windies. Starc continues to be awesome (391 Test wickets at 27.49). Cummins (304 Test wickets at 22.15) so accurate and tough. Poor Scott Boland (13 Tests. 56 Test wickets at 17.66) can't get a game!

However, Nathan Lyon (556 Test wickets at 30.26) is a worry... no wickets in the ICC Test Final. Picked up three soft ones v Windies. The day is coming...

Where is the latest instalment of Test Cricket the streamed series? Missing so much great work really... v India, etc.

A bit rich of the Windies criticising third umpires. The great Joel Wilson was the worst umpire in the last 25 years in world cricket. Unsurprisingly Joel was relieved of his duties from the 2025 ICC Test panel. Look at his overturned review rate below!

Our batting? Threadbare. Head stepped up but was dropped three or four times. He hits his knicks hard! Marnus has to play. Konstas looks awful. He has not really achieved much yet. He needs to bat sensibly and get tighter in defence. Does he have this? The Poms will rip him apart. Harry Brook will lap Konstas. Brook is simply outstanding.

Loving the work of Beau Webster. Great hands often define the best cricketers. He catches, bowls spin or pace and gets runs. He is our premier all rounder and a hardened amazing cricketer. Green is a wreck. His dropped catch was horrific and his batting at number three is unfair. Wrong spot. He does not have the technique.

3. AFL. The Swans have shown a weak under belly this year. They have been very loose defensively at key times. Full credit to the Western Bulldogs. They look and play like finalists. Carlton have given up and their coach will be ended very soon. Hawthorn caned North and the Gold Coast came back to the winners list beating the Dees, who have imploded it must be said. Adelaide look sharp.

There are really only nine teams left in contention now. Very different to the NRL

4. FI - Austrian GP. Norris is surging now. Piastri needs to lift in this one. He has slipped a little in recent GPs, but still has a hot car.

5. NBA. Incredible final series with Oklahoma City Thunder hanging on to win it. Incredibly it is the twentieth time an NBA series has gone to the final seventh game since the 1950s! The first time since Le bron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a famous victory from a 1-3 deficit.

6. US PGA - Rocket Classic in Detroit. Noticed Aaron Baddeley is still rolling around. Not going great, but it is now 26 years since his first 1999 victory when he won the Australian Open as an amateur. Incredible longevity.

7. Wimbledon. Pile on Carlos Alcaraz to win his Grand Slam. Another win (he has won twice already - 2023 and 2024) puts him on six Grand Slam victories, joining the likes of Becker and Edberg. He wins at Queens last week and is the prime favourite. Granted the Jannik Sinner (3 Grand Slam wins) drug sins, the crowd will be roaring for Alcaraz. Alcaraz has never lost a Grand Slam final. 

8. Maya Joint. A new name and the new womens' 2025 champion at the Eastbourne grass court tournament. This is a Wimbledon lead-in tournament. An Aussie winning a women's tennis title and beating a few bigger names? One to watch. #41 in the world now! Incredible.

The Wrap - Jaws Dropping Tries

1. NRL. The inconsistency of each NRL team in 2025 is keeping everyone interested and all teams alive. It is killing tipping comps however! There is not a clean premiership favourite, even when the Storm dominate, they become inconsistent. Suddenly the Penrith Panthers are in the eight! Their next few games: Bulldogs, then Eels, Rabbits, Tigers, Titans, Knights... they could finish in the top four yet. Amazing possibilities. 

A great comeback from Souths when at times they seem asleep, but not enough in the end. Alex Johnston four tries for Souths v Melbourne taking him to 206 tries (Irvine on 212). Suddenly it could well be broken this year! Incredible.

The Broncos had a strong win v the disappointing Sharks who played really well in the first half. The 50th anniversary of 'Jaws The Movie' this weekend did not assist. No fear there and a crushing loss really.

The Roosters are a magnificent strength of a club. They could win the comp yet, dismantling the Cowboys. Sandon Smith would be an excellent pick up by a club, should DCE make the trek to Moore Park.

2. AFL. Carlton have bitten the dust as North Melbourne are finally starting to improve. The Swans are back with a solid away win, but are on the precipice of extinction. 24 points is two wins out of the eight with the competition rapidly closing. GWS registered a top win v Gold Coast after giving up a huge lead. A terrible crowd at the Easter Show Stadium and yet they are in the top eight! A big concern for the AFL. Moving out of Blacktown was ordinary. No one can get to Homebush and the stadium is ordinary - for AFL and worse for the Thunder in the Big Bash!

3. FIFA Club World Cup - Auckland City FC. In the same group as Bayern Munich and Benfica. They were absolutely pumped! 10-0 and 6-0. Minnows in an unfair contest. They play the great Bocca Juniors on Tuesday. We are so far behind the rest of the world it is not funny. World Cup qualification is the best we do - but NZ as our reps is hard to cop.

4. Test Cricket - India v England. Recite after me: "When you win the toss, you think about bowling and then bat - every time". How often do England get this wrong? Headingley is a tricky deck and it is famous for fourth innings victories (Stokes v Australia), so maybe there was some logic there to bowling first, but such a risk.

Jaiswal (5 Test tons), the new skipper, Gill (6 Test tons), Pant (7 Test tons) dominated. All supremely talented younger players. There is no great loss with Rohit and Kohli having retired from Test cricket. The English team got pumped on Day 1 at 3/359. Terrible. 

They have bounced back with some ordinary Indian batting on Day 2 and a ton by Olly Pope. That is a hell of an innings it must be said. They could have paid a heavy price once Bumrah got out there to bowl. He has not been so menacing, but does have all three wickets in the English first innings and should have had a couple more, but for bad hands. Beware the sunshine in England. It changes the game!

5. NHL - Stanley Cup Winners. The Florida Panthers have beaten the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. A crushing series win to make it two championships in a row (2024, 2025) - and on the back of a 2023 final loss. Three final deciders in a row! The Panthers brand world wide is pretty amazing. The Carolina Panthers need to step it up. The front of their ground is excellent:

6. NBA - Oklahoma City v Indiana Pacers. Locked up at 3-3 now and the final of the final series is Monday morning our time.

7. Super Rugby Final. The Crusaders win yet again, this time 16-12. Possibly the most successful franchise in the world of sport. An outstanding comeback after a miserable year last year. Coach Penney can actually coach. Get him away from one of the biggest disappointments of a franchise in world sport (The Waratahs) and he excels. The Chiefs now have three runner up finishes in a row, and their fourth in five years! Perennial bridesmaids sadly.

8. US PGA Travellers Tournament. That man Scottie Sheffler (-7) had a rare poor third round to sit T8 with Rory, 9 behind leader, Tommy Fleetwood (-16). A mild US Open performance from Sheffler, but he is never far away. Jason Day is close too in this event at -11! Tommy's to lose now.

9. Australia v West Indies Test Series. This is a big test for Sam Konstas. Proper Test cricket batting may consolidate his spot in the team. Marnus mercifully has been punted. He needs to re-invent, but still averages 46.2 (11 tons) in tests. Starts this week on June 25-29. Josh Inglis back in the team and looks to be one of our best bats moving forward. No Steve Smith initially will be a test. Time for Head to stand up and dominate. Green is playing for his future.

10. Wimbledon starts next week. The classiest of sporting tournaments outside The Masters. Starts soon.

The Wrap - Great Phinish

1. ICC - World Test Cricket Championship. Well, well, well...firstly a great effort by South Africa and Makram in particular. Had a top IPL and now a ton in the test Championship Final at Lords. Superb. They are a tough nation to beat at any sport.

The really poor Australian top order batting has been exposed once more. Khawaja not moving his feet again, Marnus jumpy and dabbling, Green out of his depth and Head batting too extravagantly as is his more recent custom. Cameron Green is simply not good enough yet. If ever there was a Shane Watson clone, it is him. Lunges with the front foot, plants and nicks - or LBW. He is not seasoned or clever enough for different conditions yet, but he better get his skates on!

Smith is still flourishing (he has won Tests with his hands, but that miss was horrible at the worst time). A stylish player of strength. Our man Beau 'Slug' Webster hit 72 and is a complete cricketer who we would take well ahead of Green. Bring back Konstas (minus the ramp shots). We need proper openers of the future. Khawaja will need a miracle to make the SCG for his announced retirement next summer.

Starc was outstanding and unlucky...every dropped catch was off his bowling. Cummins superb. Hazelwood? I suspect Boland could have been more lethal. Nathan Lyon once again could not make an impression when the pressure was on. The great Shane Warne would have won that for us. He rarely lost to South Africa in any form. Who is our next spinner? Not really seeing any dominant long term option.

When Starc and Hazelwood scored runs late in our second innings, the drums were beating. When the sun comes out in England...the pitch changes... and so it did (for South Africa).

2. NRL. The Dolphins and Roosters are making a run in Origin time as well. The Phins are looking great despite the number of top players injured (Flegler, Gilbert, Saifiti and Plath) yet dominating opponents. Farnsworth is clearly on of the best centres in the game. Behind Crichton. North QLD were terrible. 

The Roosters are scrapping and getting it done. Manly have lost the plot. They are really struggling and it is a coach ender if it doesn't change. Lots of inconsistency this year. Penrith are sitting 9th and are on the move thanks to this inconsistency.

Moses has become a real injury worry and needs to address this fast. Parramatta will fall in a heap again - even if playing the Titans. Origin is great, but gee it ruins the weekly comp.

The Bulldogs are dominant. Even without their stars. Alex Johnston is a machine... yet another try (202 tries now v Ken Irvine's 212...he may be a chance this year!).

3. AFL. The Giants had a top win v Brisbane. The shaky Brisbane team will be encouraging for others like Collingwood. Geelong dominant, the Western Bulldogs, Hawks and Port all eeked out wins to sit pretty on the table. The teams are almost sorted now with further losses ending the fringe teams: Swans, Port, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Essendon and Carlton.

4. NHL - Stanley Cup. The Florida Panthers have hit the front now at 3-2 v the Edmonton Oilers (best of seven games). A chance for back to back cups. Awesome effort from both teams.

5. NBA Final. The Indiana pacers are surprising the Oklahoma Thunder. Locked at 2-2 (best of seven games), it is anyone's, but the Thunder surely have to hit their straps soon.

6. US Golf Open - Adam Scott. On fire in a high scoring Major. The US Open has produced more winners of par or worse in its history. This could be another. Adam Scott sits one off the pace (-3) but Hovland (-1) and Scheffler (+4) and even Leishman (-4) hover. Two time US Open/ three time US PGA  winner Brooks Koepka (-5) is close enough too. Brooks has been quiet of late but has five majors...rare gold! Only Trevino, Mickelson and Faldo have six majors! This is elite in world golf with only 10-15 golfers ever having done better. If the weather gets bad, there could be a shock result.

We know that Jack Nicklaus won 18 Golf majors, but did you know he was runner up in 19 other Golf majors (and 9 thirds?). What a dominant legend of the game.

7. Canadian FI. Verstappen and Piastri look to be the ones who will fight out this year's title. Max is amazing and George Russell on pole will be the smoky. Such a long season. Plenty of points left up for grabs. Norris has been a little disappointing this weekend but is a fierce competitor.

8. Super Rugby. A familiar tale. The Crusaders and Chiefs yet again in the Grand Final. The two stand out franchises. The history across a few derivatives (Super 12, Super 14, Super Rugby) is that they have 12 titles (and 4 runners up gongs!). Incredible. The Chiefs have two wins (and 3 runners up gongs). The latest bridesmaid seasons were 2023 and 2024. The final contest? Get ready for more post game Crusaders break dancing, but Scott Robertson is the national NZ coach these days.

Rob Penney is in charge of the Crusaders now, having learned all he knows at the Waratahs back in 2020-2021! His 26% success rate there has been improved now!

The Wrap - Glouless

1. Ange Postocoglou. A sad but somewhat predictable end for Ange Postocoglou. Or 'Posto-no clue' as some of the fans saw him. He brought a style of play to Tottenham that the conservatives and traditionalists could not cope with (Bazball?), yet he also brought them silverware that they whinged about not having for a long time. 

However, Ange fills his pockets with their cash and moves on. He will be in hot demand as a European champion who the players loved, no doubt about that. His super athletic surging game is so demanding on player fitness, rapid player burnout results. Injuries were massive under Ange and he pushed limits. By anyone's reckoning, a record number of losses in the EPL was unbelievably bad. A Europa title, unbelievably good. 

He will be remembered well, but the pressure on the next coach will be unprecedented. The tight fisted owner, Levy, sacks the good ones... good luck to the next one. He does not buy players and that makes it hard for a football coach at the elite level. He is clueless. The club is 'Glou-less'.

2. NRL. Manly's inconsistency is incredible, losing a really bad one in Newcastle. The Dragons were even worse, dropping fifty points against the Dolphins. The Broncos surged back and Reece Walshe changed that for them. A super talent. Weeding out the cancers, week by week. Cobbo is on the outer and a few others need to go, perhaps even the son of the previous coach.

The Tigers look better, but keep losing. Losses get them 14th place. The Panthers into 13th. What about the Raiders? So much belief and so much composure, with great discipline. No byes yet and on top of the comp! They are playing finals already when some tipped them for the spoon!

Adam Reynolds hit the 300+ games group. A mighty achievement, but he is a way off some of these legends, including Ben Hunt and Daley Cherry-Evans who are still going and not far away from hitting third position.

The great Josh Papali'i scored two tries and kicked a conversion celebrating his record breaking games played record for Canberra v Souths. He is on 319 (same as Billy Slater), not far away! That is a lot of tough football.

3. AFL. Inconsistency by the GWS Giants is killing them too. The Gold Coast were up to their old bad tricks and the Swans, finally win. A weaker Richmond these days, but all wins count. Adelaide are starting to fire. Geelong are always close to the best. The big games roll on in the AFL on the long weekend...Essendon v Carlton and Melbourne v Collingwood. Huge crowds!

4. Formula 1. How good is Oscar Piastri? Five wins this season now. Awesome. He is on seven career F1 wins behind Ricciardo (8), Webber (9), Jones (12) and Brabham (14). I suspect he will eclipse all at McLaren very soon...and maybe this season the way he is driving that car. The number of races they now have compared to that of years ago (Alan Jones won when there were 14 races), makes it so much harder to win the whole thing. 15 races to go of a 24 race season, including the Canadian GP next week! He is well placed, but both he and Norris are close! Lots of time left yet.

5. Super Rugby. SO hard to get into this season and to see any of it, but the Brumbies continue to excel. Crusaders v Blues and Chiefs v Brumbies now in the semi finals for the two Grand Finalists! The Reds and the Hurricanes exit.

6. NBA. The Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder. A shock Pacers victory in Game 1 on the buzzer surprised many. An intriguing week of games ahead.

7. NHL. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are all locked up at 1-1...nothing else but an arm wrestle is expected here.

8. Perth Bears. Mal Meninga is doing some superb service here as the ambassador for the NRL as the inaugural coach. He needs some decent leaders and talented players however! Let's hope this leadership role ends better than his political career. See a small summary of his 28 second political career here: Bing Videos

9. Cricket. The glory of Virat Kohli wining the IPL alongside of his other Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) team mates excited the Indian nation, especially with his recent retirement plans announced. He hit 657 runs in the tournament (third highest). Mitchell Marsh was fifth (627 runs). Hazelwood was a strong part of this victory too (third highest wicket taker and third best average - 22 wickets at 17.55).

The Test Championship of Australia v South Africa kicks off this week. Will be interested to see who opens the batting. Marnus is on his last legs, despite an impressive Test batting record.

10. French Open. Coco Gauff won her second Grand Slam v Aryna Sabalenka, who has now lost back to back Grand Slam finals. Gauff is the first US woman since Serena Williams (2015) to win a final. She did it in three sets and has really matured as a player.

Sinner v Alcaraz is the men's showdown tonight. Sinner was drug banned this year and will struggle to recover from this in the eyes of the public for some time. He has three Grand Slam titles (2 x AUS, 1 x US) and Alcaraz has four Grand Slam titles (2x Wimbledon, 1 x French, 1 x US). If Alcaraz wins, he will join Tony Trabert and Frank Sedgman as the only men to have won 5 Grand Slam titles.

11. US Open Golf. Starts this week at Oakmont in Pittsburgh. Rory is in horrific form. What price Sheffler yet again after his USPGA win and the recent Memorial Open victory last week? Four Grand Slam wins would place Sheffler alongside Els and Floyd in rising elite company. Many have won three...fewer four!

The Wrap - Lastly Piastri

1. NRL. 'We didn't see that coming" or "that was not us" (yes it was!). A lot of coaches use these expressions to excuse poor performances or deflect from their players, but the fans marvel at how a team can spend a whole week practising in their salubrious facilities - Centres of Excellence of course - and dish up frightfully inept performances. Sometimes week in and week out.

The Broncos have massive problems. Time for a Netflix show like 'TigerTown' I suspect. They lack enthusiasm and there is a cancer in that place that needs to be called out, fixed or removed. Perhaps it is a star player or two that needs to go. Something is amiss and if they can't identify who it is and the team culture issue, the coaching staff need to walk. Poor old Trent Barrett is again there when a team goes bad. He will wish he never left Penrith as an Assistant Coach. Ricky Stuart is the master of culture. he could lead a review!

2. NRL Wrap. The Titans who score a lot of points, leak even more and Des Hasler is not enjoying life. I wonder how Justin Holbrook is feeling. They had a chance to build a future under him, but threw it away with customary impatience. From afar, the club seems to lack that spirit and culture needed to win regularly.

Sadly, the media love a coach in distress and pile on quickly. Benji is really struggling too. Adam O'Brien as well. Cleary is spared and Ryles for very different reasons. O'Brien is right about the rubbish draw.

Manly were pretty awesome it must be said. They can really fire at home when it counts. Always have. All without the key Trobjevics. There may need to be some harsh calls there soon granted Tom's injuries. He may be better off at another club. Unthinkable of course, but the reality.

St George keep motoring along... they are into the eight now and with a little more poise with their close losses, they could be doing a Bulldogs with at least six additional points! The results of close games define your season!

The Cowboys and Manly are also hovering around the bottom of the eight. All strength to their persistence and resolve. Souths are an amazingly disappointing team. Bennett cannot be happy with this.

After three tries v Warriors this weekend, Johnston may now overtake Irvine this year if he stays fit! 200 tries is some sort of effort. The second ever player to achieve it!

3. The Swans. Pre-game they welcomed back Adam Goodes and old premiership winning players from 2005 and then they got absolutely whacked by a so so team in Adelaide - at home. This team needs some ego checking. I suspect a lot of younger guys (not a lot of hard headed experienced guys in the place) are not aiming up in the tough stuff. They need some leaders and their forward line remains super limited. There are young careers on the line there. The Lizard Blakey touched the ball 11 times... Lloyd 11 times and Campbell 8 touches. Not good enough.

4. Football. How about Melbourne City? 1-0 over Melbourne Victory, cementing their name as champions. City have now won two titles to Victory's four. Sydney FC lead the way with five titles. 

Paris St Germain win 5-0 on the Champions League final v Inter Milan... the biggest win ever.

The axe has been quiet Tottenham way ... surely news this week as trade windows open. Would Gareth Bale be open to a return?

5. NBA. The Eastern Conference Final was tight between the Pacers and Knicks in a 4-2 wrestle leading them into playing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Final. OKT were the team that sent Josh Giddey packing last season and used their trades really wisely. Well positioned to add a championship ring to their last 1979 victory. The Pacers have never won it (the Knicks last won in 1970 and 1973, but have lost a final series SIX times).

6. NHL. Florida Panthers v Edmonton Oilers. This was a cracking Stanley Cup Final last year and it is underway again this week. Both the Panthers and the Oilers won their conferences 4-1. Decisive and clearly superior teams.

7. IPL Final. The Punjab Kings play the Mumbai Indians tonight for the right to play the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 IPL final. The Kings are coached by Ricky Ponting and have Stoinis, Hardie, Owen, Inglis and Bartlett in their squad. Inglis is the only one playing regularly at present. The Mumbai Indians have NO Australian players. 

RCB have Virat Kohli and Tim David, but Hazelwood is the weapon! He now has taken 21 wickets in 11 games. Third on the list of highest wicket takers at 15.81 which is the second best to Bumrah (15.33).

The Test Championship Final is fast approaching. This should be excellent v South Africa.

8. Women's Origin. Love the game and the NRLW is awesome viewing. However the NSW try where the ball was not placed down over the try line (no sideline, no held up) was really unfortunate, effectively costing them the game ultimately. Such a basic not done, by a really talented player in Isabelle Kelly. There are a few NRL players who do this too I suspect and have not been called on it. It is not a bad rule, it is THE rule and always has been.

9. The Waratahs. Oh dear. Season on the line, a must win game... they lose by 40. How can you cheer for this mob at present? So disappointing after a bright start to the season.

10. French Open. Novak Djokovic. What an awesome player! 100 tournament wins in the ATP. Into the fourth round v Cameron Norrie with his 99th French Open win. This should be yet another quarter final. Sinner, Rune and Zverev look the only other options to win it. Sinner looks fresh after his pathetic drugs ban.

11. PGA Memorial Open. The amazing Scottie Scheffler looks poised to win again, following his recent USPGA win at Quail Hollow, leading into the final round. Was able to get there on the morning of the first Round of the USPGA. A real buzz.. $US300-400 entry fee for the day!

12. Oscar Piastri. Talk about a driver on the move. More pole positions and victories by an Australian F1 driver in a season since Alan Jones in 1980! Alan won 7 races and the title. Piastri has four wins this season (Chinese, Bahrain, Saudi. Miami GPs...maybe the Spanish tonight!). He is on pole tonight.