1. Test Cricket Injuries. Eric Grothe Senior once tripped over at Parramatta Stadium on his way out to play Canberra and was ruled out. He developed a litany of injuries as he aged from the superstar he once was. 'Eric the Injured' they called him.
And so we lose Cummins, Abbott and Hazelwood...even Renshaw has a dodgy back or hammy. Lyon has had his recent injury moments, but Hazelwood is closest to Eric Grothe (yet curiously he is always fit to play the cash laden IPL). The day was coming when our stalwarts were going to crumble in their mid thirties. Cricket is the preserve of the younger body - especially bowling. We are in strife, but are not really keen to admit it.
The onus on Starc to remain fit and well will be interesting. He seems to be creaking too. Young Doggett seems poised to play.., yet the 12th men over recent years, Richardson and Morris will be kicking themselves that they too remain injured. Their chance was now. Some hope for the new generation and Boland will need to step up big time.
Our batting looks fragile. Travis Head is the worst offender. So much promise and talent. He needs a huge series to start to stamp his class as a world class player. Otherwise he risks being the new Graeme Wood (a duck or a hundred man). Too inconsistent.
Meanwhile in India the pitch v South Africa at Eden Gardens is one of the worst we have seen in recent memory. When the top score for the game is 55* into the fourth innings, the game is in trouble!
2. Eli Katoa. What a terrible blight on the game. The concussion and impact on this guy in the recent Pacific series has him in a lot of bother long term. There is talk he will never play again. Devastating for him and his family and a negligence legal case will emerge in time. The Storm are in a jam all of a sudden with no Papenhuyzen (what is going on there with R360?), NAS, Katoa and Pezet. They will have to rebuild a little more quickly than anticipated. Bellamy though is a magician.
It sounds like Zac Lomax has the R360 in sight too. Released from Parramatta. Big dollars, but are the headlines of 'no payment' inevitable? Parramatta continue to make curious recruitment decisions.
3. Wallabies v Ireland. The song sheet is familiar... a sound start, behind on the scoreboard, in it at half time and then a resounding loss (49-16). We are dismal and stand to go without a win on this tour. France next week will not muck around with us. What a fall from grace for that team. Joe Schmidt's record gets worse and worse. It is time to cut him free. They are not improving and nor are Joe's post match explanations. Second half capitulations seem to be the normal now. A winless tour looms - the first since 1958.
The All Blacks lost to England as well. Scott Robertson might be on skinnier ice than Schmidt.
4. Socceroos. A humiliating loss to Venezuela 0-1 on the International weekend (no EPL). Despite all the promise and all the wins in Asia, we are simply not as good as we think. Tony Popovic has had two bad losses most recently and needs to fix it fast against some of the lesser lights in the world game. It could be a quick World Cup experience once again. The incredibly successful days of GUUUUS Hiddink seem a long way away now.
5. NFL. The New England Patriots stretch it to 9-2 after beating the hapless NY Jets. The doubters say they have had an easy draw and are not contenders. The scoreboard says otherwise. A remarkable comeback after beating the Buccaneers last weekend and the Jets on the quick turn around.
Elsewhere, the Eagles... the Colts, Broncos, Seahawks and Rams are emerging from the pack. The Colts are a new name on this stage of success!
6. Tennis - ATP Finals. Sinner v Alcaraz (likely) in the $5M final. Alex de Minaur did well to make the semis ($1M), but he cannot beat the big guns and probably never will. Unfortunately he has reached his peak. He is still high quality and competitive but has no X Factor. Losing relatively simple Davis Cup matches does not endear him to many either. He seems to be developing a good range of reasons/ excuses at present.
7. DP World Tour Championship. Rory well positioned. Ludwig, Rose and Fleetwood all nearby too in a top of the leaderboard jam. $10M purse on offer as well. No shortage of cash in golf.
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