The Wrap - Warning Signs

1. Dave Warner's amazing ride continues. He is now equal with Ricky Ponting for most World Cup tons (5) after a scintillating innings v Pakistan (and a dolly catch that was dropped to give him a life early!). He is our single most outstanding ODI player, averaging the highest of any Australian player ever. Pretty clever. His decorated career will come to a close this summer. Renshaw? Harris? Bancroft? None of these guys can turn a game like Dave Warner (Short maybe).

Warner's record in India is outstanding too. The IPL records are too numerous to list.

Good to see Mitchell Marsh hitting runs. He always looks great when on fire, but he is certainly a Graeme Wood clone - a duck or a hundred! We will take the good and cheer him on, but the bad is rotten with poor old Mitchell.

Cameron Green and Alex Carey are suddenly a long way away from selection against the Netherlands and then NZ, England, Afghanistan and then Bangladesh to come. With one spinner, we look like we have the wrong mix of players: Abbott-Green-Stoinis...three similar players. The return of Travis Head helps with some spinning option there. At least they are playing two games a week unlike the rugby union and rugby league. Faster pace!

It would be nice if Steve Smith could score some ODI runs.

The minnows are going well. Netherlands and Afghanistan are competing. It is Sri Lanka who have slipped most (and Australia).

2. Cricket at the Olympics. Don't laugh but there are six teams admitted and here's a scenario: Host nation (USA) get one slot. India and Pakistan get two others as they have driven the new market of TV rights for the Olympics with their massive populations. That is three. If they have qualifiers, England (Europe) and South Africa (Africa) are locked in. That's five. New Zealand and Australia need to play off for the last spot! Or become Americans! We could miss out.

3. Rugby Union World Cup. As predicted New Zealand are enjoying being on the easier side of the draw. Argentina were smashed and a show down with South Africa is tantalising! One game a week, they have been there for two months now! All Blacks to win.

4. Rugby League Pacific Championships. Will we be the best team there? New Zealand look awesome, humiliating Samoa who have gone backwards big time since the World Cup. Their pack is outstanding! Their cricket team looks pretty red hot too. Fisher-Harris, big Nelson... they have size and skill. Tough hombres.

5. Celtic. Winning for fun again this season, Ange or no Ange.

6. Tottenham EPL. An odd draw coming up. Tuesday (24 October) v Fulham (3 points), then Saturday (28 October) v Crystal Palace (ummm) then Tuesday 7 November v Chelsea. No gimmees in this league. Three wins here would be an amazing statement, but they can't win them all!

Haaland scoring goals again as Man City right the wrongs. Sheffield United look like collecting the spoon already.

7. Caulfield Cup. Mark Zahra did well to get Without A Fight over the line in the Caulfield Cup. A whip rule breach of course too...one of the criticisms in big money races. His wife's interview was something else... talk about excited! Soulcombe might just win the Melbourne Cup...an awesome run (poor ride). Gold Trip was unlucky. It will go very close again too!

Check the interview out: Horseracing 2023: Mark Zahra’s wife steals the show after Without A Fight wins Caulfield Cup | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

8. Kaylee McKeown. Backstroke legend. Holds world records in all events 50m, 100m and 200m. Handy.

9. Minjee Lee and Min Woo Lee. First brother and sister to win tour events in the same week! Macau Open for Min Woo Lee and Minjee Lee won the BMW Championship in Korea! Minjee has 10 tour wins now. Impressive!

The Wrap - Cheik Mate

1. World Cup Rugby. Starting to hot up now...a really slow and laboured draw however. Glacial speed. Rugby operates on a sun dial at the best of times...slow games, slow changes, slow TMO. 

The All Blacks will go very close for mine after a top win v Ireland who have been on a long successful stint. The work of Michael Cheika with the Pumas has also been exceptional. That is a big statement to those who sacked him and instead went with the skinny blue jumper wearer who loves to coach Japan. 

A big semi-final - All Blacks v Argentina... the easier side of the draw! Missing England-France-South Africa is a big plus in a gruelling competition. Box seat.

2. World Cup ODI Cricket. As mentioned three weeks back, Australian cricket is heading the way of the Wallabies. Terrible batting and we are on the slide out the back door. The batting issue has been problematic in the past three years in all forms of the game. Retirements will make it much worse soon.

Mitchell Marsh is not the answer as opener - or skipper. Carey and Green have been struggling for some time. Pat Cummins' captaincy when under pressure is a problem too...so is his short form bowling unfortunately. We have no devastating player who can turn the game outside Starc. Our spin stocks are terrible (but don't look to Todd Murphy who has been terrible in Shield). Tim David turns games.

3. Cricket - India v Pakistan. A clash of the Titans. Such rivalry. India is an amazing cricketing nation and should be paying $1.02 to win the tournament at home. They are on fire. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in incredible form. Ominous. Bumrah has bounced back strongly and the great all rounder Jadeja mesmerises everyone - especially Australians. How amazing if a few of these blokes could play in the Big Bash!

4. Tim Tszyu. Lots of hype (Origin style). So much before the actual fight... but he obliterated Mendoza in the end. Charlo next. The lad can fight! He is actually a funny bloke too in the media.

5. English Super League Premiers - Wigan (10-2 v Catalans). Mitchell Pearce is finished now. Older than the old TV advertisement shots of Junior Pearce on the beach with Tina Turner. 

6. The Everest - Think About It. What a tremendous event! Such a short run for big cash! Great to see the jockey Sam Clipperton achieve so highly. The trainer Joe Pride seems like a likeable lad too. That is a premiere racing event on the calendar...yet no Group 1 status because of interstate politics (limited entry access chiefly). A grand plan that has become an institution. I Wish I Win was very unlucky. It could have won with a better luck in transit.

Imperatriz is the fastest horse in the country. Its owners are crazy (and obviously already wealthy) to refuse entry into the event. Fancy saying that it was because it is not a Group 1 event and the horse prefers running left handers (counter clockwise). Have they asked it? Strike while the iron is hot. Four slot holders tried unsuccessfully to convince them!

How about Fangirl blitzing Mr Brightside? Amazing effort.

7. AFL Trades - Swans. Three great early trades in the 2023 draft for next year...Brodie Grundy, James Jordon, Taylor Adams... This could really make a difference to their chances, but the forward line is still a worry for mine. Experience and talent... with a little extra pace too.

8. Michael Maguire. An interesting selection as Blues State of Origin coach. The footage from Tiger Town still haunts around the lack of poise and calm under pressure. He may have a Johnny Peard experience...one season. Daniel Anderson would be an inspired choice in time. Sadly Andrew Johns seems to fight with others too much and will not fulfil his potential. Matthew Johns could do it. There are some great older coaches who could advise, if their egos were checked...not just Gus.

9. NRL Pacific Championships. I wonder who will be crowned world undisputed, inter-continental, carryover champion of the Pacific? Australia I would have thought. Is there a rule to say that once you have represented one country you can't swap to another in any worldwide tournament? Surely.

10. Josh Curran. Ex-Warriors. Surely Parramatta sign him as a former junior player and St Pats Blacktown graduate. Tough, uncompromising and a biffer from way back. He could have an awesome presence off the bench, especially alongside J'maine Hopwood.

11. 'Big Ange' Postocoglou. EPL Manager of the Month again - back to back. However, he wants silverware for the team!

The Wrap - Three Peats

1. Three Peats. The Penrith Panthers crushed it and deservedly take their place as one of the greatest ever NRL teams. Resolute defence, blistering speed and strong feared forwards. However, three peats are pretty common worldwide more recently and at present:

• Penrith Panthers (Rugby League Premiers) - 2021, 2022, 2023
• English (Rugby League) - St Helens: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.
• Manchester City (EPL) - 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23.
• Crusaders (Rugby) - 2017, 2018, 2019 (two non-COVID years) and then 2022, 2023. Five in a row.
• Formula 1 - Max Verstappen - 2021, 2022, 2023 (following the great Michael Schumacher who got five in a row between 2000-2004 and Lewis Hamilton who put four successive title wins together from 2017-2020. Sebastian Vettel racked up four in a row too from 2010-2013
• Tennis - Federer did it in 2006-07 (Wimbledon, US, Aus); Rafael Nadal did it in 2010 (French, Wimbledon, US) and Novak has done it three times 2011-12 and 2018-19 (Wimbledon, US, Aus) and in 2021 (Aus, French, Wimbledon). Noval has also done all four Grand Slams consecutively in 2015-16. Awesome.
• World Cup ODI Cricket - Australia in 1999, 2003, 2007.
• Bathurst, Mt Panorama - Brock (1978-1980, 1982-1984) and Craig Lowndes (2006-2008).
• Shane van Gisbergen is now looking for the three peat at Bathurst next year after a win in 2022 and 2023.
• Juventus (Italian Football League) - 2011/12 - 2019/20. Nine in a row.
• Tour de France - Chris Froome 2015-2017. Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark is looking for a three peat next year having won in 2022 and 2023.
• Makybe Diva - three successive Melbourne Cups (2003-2005).
• Olympics...Bolt, Johnson, Phelps, Ledecky, Fraser... lots have done three gold medals in successive Olympics in the same event over 12 years.
• One of the toughest sports to achieve this is in golf. Tiger did it in 2000 (The Open Championships, US Open, US PGA). Koepka is next best in 2018 with only two in a row (US Open and US PGA). NBA has only seen the Lakers and Golden State Warriors string two championships together in recent times.

We'll leave out boxing too.

2. Wallabies. Nice they got an extra week in France training, but hard to see it ending in anything but misery. Fiji have deserved their place alongside Wales in our group. It would be great if they could schedule some games during the week. The longest tournament on record!

The two time successive Player of the Six Nations, France's Antoine Dupont is ready to lead the host nation to glory post injury (France have won 27/31 Tests with him at the helm). However, do not dismiss the All Blacks. They will be hard to toss.

3. World Cup Cricket. What about South Africa? They are in some special form after knocking over the Australians recently. A shock to see them late in any 'World Cup' in any sport, but they look awesome with the bat sometimes... Klassen, Markram and de Kock. They absolutely laced Sri Lanka racking up a 50 over score in excess of 400! Bazball II.

4. Tottenham. A fortunate Premier League win this weekend 1-0 v Luton in many respects (10 men on the field for a long time and some duffed shots by the opposition). It keeps Tottenham right at the top and positions them well leading into the pre-Christmas break. Fulham - Crystal Palace - Chelsea are the next three games and should be knocked over by 'Big Ange' in the coming weeks.

5. Bathurst. Great and all that but the sport lacks something. Certainly not TV time at a tricky time of year. The fact Brock won it so often (9 times) is incredible. Lowndes is up there too (7 times). Gee the police must get a few heading home thinking they are the next Shane van Gisbergen! Good to see him do well in the NASCAR circuit. He won a NASCAR Cup event in Chicago and then a top ten finish in the next - the first driver to ever do that in his first two NASCAR races ever! A tough school there.

Could be the best since the great Dale Earnhardt from the Wide World of Sport days on Channel 9!

6. The Kangaroos Post Season. This provides some respite from poor TV sport, but it is hard to place what it means and why they are playing. The Pacific Championships? Sounds like something off Strictly Ballroom.

7. The Big Bash. This will start very soon (7 December - 24 January 2024). No real roster surprises again despite a 'draft'. Still like the look of Jordan Silk as an Australian player.

8. Sheffield Shield Cricket. Tons to Cameron Bancroft and Michael Neser help their cause. Our batting is so weak around the nation. Surely Bancroft is not the answer to our batting challenges. However, he looks like the only consistent scorer after a ripping year in 2022/23. Puckovski? Good to see him back. Surely we cannot be serious re Renshaw? What about Daniel Hughes from NSW? Prolific in all forms of the game.

The Wrap - Premier Excellence

1. Panthers. What a game! 81,000 in the house. How good are the big boppas for Penrith...Fisher-Harris, Leota and Leniu? Big hombres. Fisher-Harris said he has a serious "resting face". Leota looks like someone who has not had his garbage bin collected by the council. Carrigan, Haas and Flegler matched them early. Early mistakes - Farnworth, Reynolds, Cobbo, Arthurs, Staggs/ Walsh in the first fifteen minutes.. the Broncos did well to stay in the game and were right back in it at half time. 

Flegler and Farnsworth will be brilliant signings for the Dolphins. Both played huge first half footy, especially in defence. Crichton will be a big loss for the Panthers. He is a huge frame and so talented.

Ezra Mam ('The Man') has been a revelation for the Broncos. He has filled a serious hole in their line up. Bonus. Three tries in a Grand Final is sensational. Michael Robertson (Manly winger) was the last to do it in 2011 v the Storm. Hard to get a talented five eight these days. I hope Dylan Brown was watching.

With twenty minutes to go...step up Nathan Cleary! The 60th minute of big games really defines a player and a team. QLD have done it for years in Origin. Cleary began running... set up the Moses Leota try, he kicked goals from the sideline, kicks a 40/20, he took that drop out ball out on the full stepping over the sideline...then he scores the winning try and kicks the goal. Kicked three goals in the last surge and one from the sideline. Phenomenal. The third two time Churchill medallist. (Billy Slater and Brad Clyde are the other two). He is elite.

Reece Walsh is only 21 but might need to learn more quickly and not be a big head. Sport is a great humbling force. He kicked balls dead, fumbled, got stuck in goals a couple of times and threw the ball away at the end. He has already left a club with an odd release (one club destination), been arrested by police for cocaine use, sworn and cursed directly at the ref and was suspended and reacted publicly and impulsively to an idiotic comment by a fan a day or two before a Grand Final. Silliness. Park the sunglasses and pink boots. Lots of talent and speed nonetheless, but needs to grow up. Hopefully great talent realised - not wasted.

There are not many players to have won three premierships in the NRL. Cooper Cronk, Norm Provan and Brian Clay played in 10 Grand Finals (asterix two for Cronk).

Penrith (5) have now won more competitions than Melbourne (4), who have the same number as Parramatta (4). Mick Fanning was outstanding.

2. Collingwood - Premiers. Coach Craig McRae has done a top job. 16 flags for Collingwood now, equal with Essendon and Carlton as the most ever. I like the cut of this coach's gib. He famously hit a topic I cannot stand when a team loses in semi finals/ Grand Finals:

He famously said last year after a loss in the 2022 Prelim Final: “We want to act like winners. The siren goes and there’s half a dozen guys laying on the ground. For me that’s not a winner. That’s acting like a loser. We lost a game, we’re not losers. We’re here to win this thing". And so he did a year later... steel is a rare quality in life attitudes these days. Harder to teach in others.

3. Ange Postocoglou - Tottenham. ''Big Ange'...'Ange ball'. Tottenham Hotspurs are re-invented under Ange and are winning. The testing games have come and gone this month. A win v ManuU, a win v Liverpool and a draw v Arsenal. They are now second placed and playing a great brand of football. 

A shock win by Wolves over Man City 2-1 this week. A top win  against an awesome opponent. Rare gold. Reminds me of the Doug Mulray joke..."I used to be a Wolves supporter, but I am not any moooorrrreeee (dog howl!)!'. Even Luton Town won! (Everton surely get relegated this year).

4. Australian Cricket. A mess in so many ways at present. We struggled against the Netherlands in the lead up game and won the dead rubber (1-2) v India (nothing like a Mitch Marsh innings when there is no pressure!). We are in for a rough time, like the Wallabies, soon. 

Blokes likely to retire soon in the next few years: Warner (36), Khawaja (36), Smith (34), Starc (33), Carey (32), Hazelwood (31) and Mitch Marsh (31). Plus Maxwell (34), Stoinis (34), Zampa (31), Abbott (31) and Inglis (32) too. Only Marnus (29), Head (29), Cummins (30), Green (24) have a longer extended run left - and three of them, not so long!

Nice to see new blood in the ODI scene (David, Hardie, Ellis), but we return to the experienced players in the World Cup. One thing Eddie Jones did not do.

Starc is in ominous form...a hat trick v the Netherlands. Is that like a backyard hat trick?

We will do well to beat India in their own backyard next Sunday.

5. Eddie Jones. Dreadful leadership and still denying he spoke to Japan about a coaching job on the eve of the World Cup. Any way you look at it, he has to go, but Australian Rugby is in disarray. I heard on the weekend that George Gregan was approached to be backs coach a couple of years back and before deciding he wanted to speak to some of the players. What he discovered was a complete lack of game sense and intuition about the game. He politely declined. The game has massive issues.

An unfair rumour circulated this week saying Suaalli had signed with the Wests Tigers. Apparently he decided that he could play for a useless, embarrassing team who wear orange without having to travel overseas. Boom!

6. World Cup Rugby. The All Blacks remain a huge threat despite their early shock losses (96-17 v Italy).  Fiji only just got there v Georgia (17-12). 

7. Ryder Cup Landslide. The Europeans have jumped to a sizeable 10.5 to 5.5 in pursuit of the magic 14.5 win in 2023. Rory has led the way well, despite the carpark blow up!

Since 1985 there have been 18 contests. Europe have won 11 of these (USA 6, one tie) but still trail 27-14 (and two ties - 43 completed) to the USA since it started in 1927.  Interestingly, from 1927 to 1985, USA led 21-3.

A changing trend in world sport - like tennis. European strength.

8. Brad Fittler. Not a real respectful NSW coaching arrangement proposed, but Freddie has lost three of the last four series, including the debacle at the end of year COVID series when NSW should have won. He was on his last legs and changing his coaching staff so much, he knew it. Time to move on. Surely they can't go back to Laurie Daley. Other possibles: Jason Ryles? Michael Ennis? Andrew Johns? Tim Brasher? ET? NSW is not blessed with lots of options. 

9. Jai Opetaia. The Sydney born IBF Cruiserweight champion once more. With a 23-0 record, he is a sleeper world champion when Tzyzus typically dominate the media.

10. Next? Bring on the Marsh Cup and the motor sport... and the club signings, rumours, poor player bahaviour... The Integrity Commission? The 'No Dickheads' commission may be needed soon.

The Wrap - Brisvegas and Finals Beltings

1. NRL - Preliminary Final I. Panthers v Storm. A smash up 38-4. Liam Martin and Fisher-Harris are just so tough. Moses Leota is like granite. How impressive is he? Spencer Leniu's leg speed is also up there with Payne Haas. These guys have second tier forwards like Sorensen and Lindsay Smith who are amazingly athletic too. Luke Garner won't be upset he left the Wigers!

Cleary simply dominates and steers the team so well. His kicking game - goal kicking and general play - is exceptional. So is his defence. They just do it so clinically...Yeo and Luai are a little formidable combination too. The five eight is so at home with Crichton and To'o outside him. 

Their defensive patterns are incredible. Everyone is crystal clear on their role. Izack Tago is a weak link and Turuva is a little worrying at times. Kevin Walters should get Brad Arthur on the phone...but last year Penrith played the most perfect half of rugby league that has been seen in a Grand Final ever... maybe since the Knights pulverised Parramatta or Melbourne crunched Parramatta too.

The Storm were hampered by injuries all year and did well compared to their usual teams. Some cheap shots when the game was done need to be ironed out. This is a great club. They don't need to do that and it doesn't help anyone anyhow. 

2. NRL - Preliminary Final II. Broncos v Warriors. A smash up 42-12. You can't win semi-finals with poor goalkicking. Surely after three tries Shaun Johnson steps in and does it. Pompey was horrible...like the Canberra halfback who did the same. On the other hand, Reynolds and Cleary don't miss a beat. The Wahs forwards went missing off their own goal line and the old Blacktown Pats lad, Josh Curran needed to be on earlier. He is high quality and an aggressive force that gets the team moving.

Carrigan is tough. Payne Haas is a supreme athlete...how quick is he too? Reece Walsh is scintillating. The quickest player we have seen for many, many years. Faster than Slater. Maybe would have nudged Martin 'Chariots' Offiah and Lee Oudenryn in their 1992 match race.

Ezra Mann has done a top job this year. he has filled a huge hole they had in past seasons. 15 tries this season!

The home ground advantage for the Broncos all year has been staggering so let's see how they go in Sydney. The Panthers are a machine and are so slick. Their defence is stronger and this will be the difference. The Broncos have lapses. They can also become a little offload happy, even if they do unsettle the defence. Corey Oates may be needed in the team - taller and a bigger body to get them out of trouble.

• Dally M Player of the Year - Nathan Cleary.
• Premiers - Panthers

3. NRL Referee. The Grand Final referee in Brisbane v Warriors will not be Gerard Sutton. Surely he misses the big gig. Gerard has ability, but two forward passes in one try? Please. The bunker sit silent again... how hard is it? How is the technology going with the forward pass and the chip in the footy? The bunker is like the desalination plant. An expensive waste of time.

Ashley Klein had a quiet weekend out of the limelight. Hopefully Ashley learns a little humility. He will have company next week. Honestly. These blokes make errors, but too many when it counts. 

Sadly the North Sydney Bears bowed out in the semi-final of the NSW Cup today.

4. AFL - Preliminary Final. Collingwood v GWS. Tight, but GWS needed to capitalise earlier in the final quarter. Collingwood played with good intensity but were the better team. They will need to be sharper v Brisbane. They can go into lulls and certainly miss Noble at the back.

5. AFL - Preliminary Final. Carlton v Brisbane. Carlton's start was electric, but this has been their problem all season...sustained effort over four quarters. They barely scored in the second and third quarters. The Brisbane mids really moved the ball well. Lucky Charlie Cameron had a shocker. They will go close.

Amazing to see the skill set of the finest AFL players in pressure finals. Incredible.

• Brownlow Medal - Christian Petracca (Melbourne).
• Premiers - Brisbane.

A big week in Brisbane this week...two Grand Finals: AFL and NRL!

6. Australian ODI Cricket. This mob have under performed for a long time. They were very lucky the Wallabies were such a disgrace last week as losing 2-3 after being up 2-0 was appalling. They then double down against a reserve grade Indian team and lose there too. 

The great under performer is Cameron Green. More chances than a Monopoly game. Everyone tells us he is a super talent and we have seen glimpses, but he is on borrowed time. He needs to be dropped on his head and sent back to learn the craft. Unfortunately we don't have enough good players to do this at present. Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn S Waugh, M Waugh...(notably, not Adam Gilchrist) were all dropped and sent packing. All came back harder and better.

One pleasing sign is Steve Smith leading Australia in the second ODI. He has an amazing winning record. Pat Cummins is too injured and takes too many games off to be the skipper.

7. Ange. Tottenham v Arsenal. Tottenham had not won at the Etihad for thirteen years. Ange could gather legendary status early on with a victory.

8. PM XIII. They always seem to play this game at the strangest time in the wrong time of the day and it makes it a non-event really. Surely you play it on a Sunday when there is no other footy on? No lights? No NRL future. Some of the selections in the Australian team...please. Two St George players...Sloan and Lomax? They were appalling all year. We were warned that it was never going to be easy under Albanese.

9. Wallabies. Eddie Jones is already telling the media and world that he may be sacked. 1-6 will do it for you. He has been speaking to Japan we are told too. Incredible deception if true. The media won't miss this after the way he carried on before leaving for the World Cup. Dave Rennie may be back soon. 

Eddie doesn't seem to care so much. We have all now got the view that we will be rolled by Wales over night and turfed out with one win v Georgia (congratulations). The press conference before he left was right. He is a problem and has no future now. It will be interesting to see his behaviour at that media gathering when he comes back home (if he does...)...'come here and say it'?

This is footage which reveals much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_spRAunfwaA  

10. Oscar Piastri. A podium finish for a rookie F1 driver. Impressive stuff in the Japan GP.

The Wrap - Hippopotamus Refs and NASA Designed Batting Gloves

1. NRL. A huge statement by the Warriors who are always stronger at home than in Australia. The Knights have done really well, but couldn't produce when it mattered.

Is it just me or do the New Zealanders need a few more lights on that home ground? It looks like a Craven Mild Cup pre-season games from the mid 1970s... dark spots, shadows. Like Crestwood Oval under lights.

The Storm keep winning, even with injuries and with the weakest team they have on the park for a few years now. A shattering way for the Roosters to lose, but it is an 80 minute game and it was an almost perfect kick from Munster who might have had his tail kicked if they had not scored... no field goal. The Roosters were pretty strong...with so many outside backs missing again in 2023 (same as late in 2022).

Referee Ashley Klein surely cannot be in control of the Grand Final or next week's games. He is becoming a lottery and seems to complicate things too often. That missed knock-on was awful. Surely it could have been called back? Touch judges? I suspect the egos of the top refs prevents their colleagues from weighing in to advise. Hippopotamus referees - big mouths and small ears. He certainly didn't miss the tackles downfield that let in that soft try however.

How ordinary is it not having the rugby league wall to wall on TV? The Warriors make it even worse with a late afternoon game. No Sunday league? There has to be a PM XIII game or something surely. The scheduling is woeful. Viewers are a demanding lot these days!

The Broncos play yet another game at home... what a draw in 2023.

2. AFL. Melbourne are getting a bit of a habit of losing tough and important games. They had chances late to Gawn, Pickett and Oliver, but surrendered the lead at the end. Carlton have had a cracking year. They almost sacked Coach Voss, but he survives and with it, Carlton goes to Brisbane to try and make a Grand Final.

On the other side of the draw, the strength of GWS is rising fast. Their ball movement and speed in their mid field is awesome. Toby Green is hated, but gee he is an impressive player under pressure. The burst of goals in the second quarter v Port Adelaide was outrageous. They now play Collingwood.

The AFL Review voice is slick - and quick. Possibly one of the best review mechanisms in world sport really. Very few errors.

3. Vale AFL Legend - Ronald Dale Barassi Junior. 17 Grand Finals for 10 premierships as a player/ coach in AFL is up there with the great Norm Smith. Surely a memento needs to be struck in perpetuity for his memory. A famous moustache! A hard arse and a success. Some cracking half time sprays are emerging on video now.

4. AFL Draft. The Swans getting Brodie Grundy in the draft would be a huge positive. He has a lot of upside in the ruck situation and would transform back into one of the best in the AFL under Longmire. When will the NRL have a combine or draft? It makes the game an outstanding all year circus!

3. ODI Cricket. Adam Zampa has equalled Mighty Mick Lewis with the worst ODI figures by an Australian. 0/113! Awful for the Wisden ODI Bowler of The Year last year. South Africa have stormed back to 2-2 with the decider upcoming. We always fear the reality of Australian batting collapses. 99 to Carey was welcomed.

Two great ODI innings this week just gone: England's Ben Stokes 182 (124 balls and the highest ODI score ever by an English player) and South Africa's Heindrich Klassen 174 (83 balls)! Klaasen's bat sounded sweeter than most. You can't buy that quality at Mick Simmonds!

Surely after years of sending people to the moon, we can design a batting glove that prevents a broken hand. Can the women and men at NASA help? Surely there can be improvements. Travis Head now has a broken hand and will be a huge loss.

4. Wallabies. Beating Georgia was encouraging and then hopefully a victory tonight v Fiji soon. Extraordinary that there is no absolute confidence exists that the Wallabies will win that game. James Slipper playing in his fourth World Cup - some sort of effort!

Can we have a mid-week game? Fifteen games on a weekend! Awful scheduling for us as viewers.

5. EPL - Ange Mania. Voted the EPL Manager of the Month. This reminds us all that EPL premierships are not won in September. May usually! Their game v Sheffield United is a precursor to the real deal in the coming weeks. They were lucky to escape, but good teams find a way. The next two weeks will really test them.

6. Relevance Deprivation Syndrome - Tim Paine and Willie Mason. Can someone advise the former Australian captain that his views on world cricket are not that important? He seems to get a lot of air play for someone seeking a lower profile. We have all read the book, but he seeks relevance and controversy seemingly. It used to be poor Neil Harvey - or Willie Mason. 

Poor Willie bagging out Tyson Gamble. He is on the Bulldogs coaching staff who lost 108-6 to the Knights this year in two games, including 66-0. Not sure that was a sensible opinion of Gamble, who played finals and won one too, no matter what his demeanour on field is like. Forwards coach at the Bulldogs in 2023 is not one to keep on the resume.

7. Mr Brightside. What a horse it has become. The Makybe Diva Stakes performance was awesome. A major player in the spring now. Others to impress: Amelia's Jewel, Think It Over and Private Eye. 

9. End of Season Blues. Not a lot on TV for the fans now... a bleak dearth of sport to be frank on our screens. NRLW (how bad is Parramatta - losing by the biggest NRLW margin on record?) and AFLW (improving skills and kicking) is the main fare now...or the Singapore GP. 

10. NRL - Other Grand Finals. Extraordinary result in the NSW Women's Grand Final. A 1-0 (yes) win to Mounties over the Bulldogs. In the men's NSW Cup Grand Final, the North Sydney Bears are back in a Grand Final v Souths! Some nostalgia there! Coach? Jason Taylor. He can certainly coach, but has struggled at times in the top flight. Rumours are that a few people saw him smile post game. He last smiled with Ray Price in 1986.

11. Davis Cup Tennis. A sabotaged wreck of a model these days when compared to its traditional format from earlier days, but Lleyton Hewitt is a marvel. Australia through to the final eight when misery and third tier tennis looked our only option! Not a Kgyrios or a Tomic in sight.

12. Ludvig Aberg. A name to watch in world golf. From Sweden in that Bjorn Borg likeness of mental toughness. A PGA dominator of the future.

13. Novak Dokjovic. The world's best. The best ever, but how can you still be so unpopular?

The Wrap - Wah Wah Knees

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.