The Wrap - Galvanised

1. Lachlan Galvin. Unlike the opinions of many, and despite the hype, is he that good a player yet? He has a proactive and tough manager that is clear, but there are many journalists trying hard to critique the player and his world to settle a few scores. He is skinny, creative, but looks like the Jason Taylor type half...no speed, but smarts. He has potential, but has not achieved much yet. However, surely, like everyone, he is completely entitled to seek a better deal. The instant division in the Wests Tigers camp tells you that there is still a bit of wallpaper in the joint. Deep wounds and a lack of unity have plagued that place for years. Benji has managed himself well in the media, but needs to smile more. It seems a really tense and terse set up. The question needing answering is why would he want to leave? This is a hard reality for the club.

An "NRL halves academy" would be an excellent business to establish. The monies for great halfbacks and five eights is outrageous at present. 

Struggling to work out how an organisation like the NRL can't register player contracts to play in their comp by telling them there will be a graduation combine/ draft...and an annual trade window. No legal fights, just if you join our competition, these are the rules! Otherwise play in the UK Super League or in your own competition.

2. NRL Draw. We have been banging on about this for many years - unlike Seibold who has only started. Silly turn arounds... ridiculous double ups against teams twice in the first six rounds...byes... honestly. I think we could get two experienced NRL-loving teachers who do far more complex high school timetables to sort this out really quickly. Some clubs may also need to hear "NO" in response to their peculiar wishes. The current draw is truly ridiculous.

It won't save the Knights. They are looking awful. Dylan Brown may get an early release yet.

3. NRL - Bulldogs. What an awesome team (now). A complete rebuild and now a winning formula. Their defensive prowess is awesome. Ciraldo has brought his Panthers defence blueprint alive again. Two back to back weeks of no points conceded. They have players on edge and ready each week with pressure behind them...and juniors galore coming through. They are also breaking records with their re-energised fan base. Nearly 70,000 on Good Friday v Souths was a tremendous effort. No fitting that into Belmore. A huge success story, with much more to come. They seem to have a big salary cap, but Gus is a clever man.

4. The Masters. An amazing tournament as always. Rory too good, but a semi implosion in the last stages of the final round almost brought him undone. Justin Rose did well to push back into it all. Such a majestic tournament to win. Rory is truly one of the greatest now! 5 Major wins - and only one of six players to win all Majors. In our time, we really have only ever enjoyed Woods, Faldo and Mickelson...with a touch of Trevino and the late Niklaus years, including his 1986 masters win.

5. AFL. Carlton come roaring back albeit with back to back wins against some lowly opponents. Essendon started really poorly v West Coast but got there in the end too. West Coast need to lift. They have been bad for years, despite draft priorities.

Port looked in complete control v the Swans. The Swans finesse far too much and still lack forwards. Not sure what is happening with Chadd Warner at present, but they need him on the ball. 

The return of Bontempelli for the Bulldogs has transformed them. ST Kilda, like Essendon, go quiet at key times. SO frustrating for their fans.

Are AFL coaches phones, the only ones left in the world with the old cord?

6. Europa League - Tottenham. For only the second time in the Premier League era, they have reached the semi finals of a European competition. Ange Postocoglou is alive and kicking. Bodo/ Glimt from Norway stand in front of a finals appearance - and surely should be beaten. ManU are also in the semi finals too. Ange would be well served to string a few EPL wins together too. A win in Europe would give him a pass to continue in 2025-2026. It would be an extraordinary achievement really.

7. Eels - Discipline. Thankfully Joe Ofahenguae is on his way to the Leigh Leopards. Ironically a leopard doesn't change its spots as Parramatta have learned. A big body, but pulling players pants down on live TV just does not cut it. He should have been ended six weeks ago. Shaun Lane is also on extended leave... that leaves Matterson and Cartwright as the remaining players to be rolled over. They need a full rebuild with a couple of hard heads and quicker feet. Interesting to hear Ryles tell everyone he is after Galvin... after the dubious 1 November deadline, of course.

8. A League. The Wanderers still have scored the most goals this season. This helps in semi finals - if you get there. They are fourth placed now. Sydney FC also have goals galore...but both leak a few too. A couple of rounds to come yet.

9. Waratahs. Last week they beat the top team. This week they lose to the bottom team. Almost choked to hear that there was an ARU policy to rest players ahead of the Lions tour. Really? The Waratahs have no capacity to rest anyone! Misery once again.

When was the last time you went to a Waratah's game?

10. NBL Play Offs... down to the final 16 teams (8 from each conference). Love the concept of the 'Play Ins' to determine the final two spots (7 and 8) in the play offs. Something for the NRL. The NBA never miss the chance to squeeze the orange and extract more cash.

11. Saudi Arabian GP. Oscar Piastri is going to need to get his skates on later tonight. A tough track to muscle through and get the jump on others... he is in great form however.

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 Championship	Won: 2012, 2014
U.S. Open	Won: 2011
The Open Championship	Won: 2014

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 Chelsea. Everton 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!

The Wrap - Master Blasters

1. NRL - Parramatta. One week St George beat the Storm, the next they lose to the likely 2025 wooden spooners. Zac Lomax has been exceptional. Tough and determined. The Parramatta fans have a little faith rebuilt, but they need a lot more yet. Liking the young hooker, Ryley Smith. Used to be a sensational junior cricketer too. Parramatta and the Dolphins have now broken their ducks. John Quayle and Arko will be proud of the salary cap with all teams on some points.

Latrell Mitchell is an absolute gun (when he is on). Yet he gets a lot less money than Dylan Brown, but is a genuine match winner! Dylan is going to remain a solid performer, but he is not a leader. His off field behaviours tell us that. Ironically, his defence is better than his attack. Rare for a five eight. 

The Panthers are being bagged, but they will be back. Always fascinating to see a coach's reaction in times of stress and trouble. Ivan Cleary is a classy guy. It is also amazing how the salary cap can level out all teams. What they have achieved is extraordinary. 

The Hess hit on Cleary was late and kickers need to be protected. This is an annoying feature of the game - that and fullbacks getting smashed when taking an uncontested high ball. In the contest is fine, but uncontested cheap shot merchants trying to wipe them out milliseconds after taking the catch. Poor form. Poor administration of the game.

The Storm and Manly are both 2025 semi finalists... even allowing for the near fifty points conceded. Their intensity was so much better than games we see most times across the season. Melbourne injury free will be so much faster and stronger than the rest. Give them the JJ Giltinan Shield now!

2. AFL. How about blokes taking guns to the MCG for the Carlton v Collingwood clash? Expecting a fiery clash, all guns blazing... Outrageous. The Giants keep surging and the Swans are back in touch after two opening losses. North Melbourne have shown glimpses, but they are a cranky side who need to focus on football. Melbourne are in strife and West Coast...new coach, same result.

3. Super Rugby. The Reds lose to the table topping Chiefs and the Waratahs lose to the Moana 45-28 on Saturday...what has happened to the Waratahs? The wheels are loosening and about to fall off. Consistency is the only true measure of high performance. Defence is terrible. The Moana beat the Crusaders last week and have a suite of former All Blacks in charge. They have improved out of sight it must be said.

4. IPL - Mitchell Marsh. Mitch Marsh has hit three half centuries in the IPL for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Starc is second on the wicket takers list with 9 wickets. Both are doing really well. Marsh is just a batsman now which he probably has been for many years. Fraser-McGurk and Maxwell are vying for the most ducks in an IPL season record. Young Fraser-McGurk looks like he needs a break and a mental reset. A lot of money earned and commensurate expectation on this bloke. This can crush the spirit of an aspiring star.

5. Tottenham - EPL. A 1-0 loss by Tottenham to Chelsea mid week and now possibly Southampton tonight. They have a shocking record with our Monday morning games. They are on the ropes and it is completely embarrassing. They are coming 14th... terrible. There is no excuse now and Ange is becoming bitter and antagonised very easily. They need a late season surge or could even face relegation!

6. Japanese F1. Oscar Piastri started on third position on the grid and continues his exceptional year, ending third. He will be kicking himself for that finish in the wet at Melbourne in the opening GP. It may be very costly eventually. Max Verstappen is still an amazing competitor and one of the best ever. Norris leads overall (second place today) after three GPs. A tight tussle early doors in the season, but Verstappen is a legend... he has 64 F1 wins, only behind Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (105). Incredible numbers travelling at that speed with so much skill and poise.

7. Matildas. Their new coach will arrive the same day the LIV and the USPGA peace plan is delivered. Quite ridiculous if you want stability and results.

8. A League. Western Sydney Wanderers... 7 undefeated games in a row (a few recent draws of course), but positioned fourth on a log jammed table. Any team dropping their guard late in the season stands to tumble quickly down the table. Ask Adelaide United.

9. The Masters at Augusta National. On later this week and a huge viewing event as always. Scottie Scheffler is the man with two Masters (no other majors!) championships under his wing. Ludvig Aberg may do well...Jon Rahm always impresses and possibly Min Woo! 

10. Tim Tszyu. An easy win and so it should have been against a lowly ranked opponent. He can be a little tiring in his pre bout antics. Yet to captivate the viewing public like a Jeff Fenech or even Jeff Horn.

The Wrap - Mascot Mania

1. Mascot Dangers. Not since 1995 when the great 'Stanley the Steeler' (Illawarra Steelers) got sent off for his role in sideline biff with Balmain players have the mascots worldwide seen a week like it. First Reggie Rabbit (South Sydney Rabbitohs) had had a gutful of fans and goes the shirt fronting...now the Manchester City mascot is speaking out after some gentle byplay saw the mascot concussed. Dangerous work!

2. Sheffield Shield. Ryan Harris has done a top job as coach of South Australia. Greg Chappell, Jason Gillespie, Tim Neilsen...none of them could make a dent. On the back of Brendan Doggett taking 11 wickets in a Shield final - the most EVER by a bowler, a Jake Lehmann/ Jason Sangha/ Alex Carey tons and some excellent fielding, their first victory in 29 years. They are a bit of an odds and sods team, but they have triumphed before a record crowd. Unheard of numbers in the last decade plus!

Great to see the return to the old days with the crowd running onto the field and stealing stumps as well!

Jason Sangha, former U/19 Australian captain and ex-NSW was the eventual hero with 126no. Third ton of the year! Shield Final tons count more significantly on the resume, that is for sure... especially when completing a record run chase like they did. A few ex NSW players in their ranks - Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Jason Sangha. Harry Conway and Liam Scott.

Moises Henriques has finally pulled the pin on his Shield career. Second only to Mo Matthews in games played for NSW, but a lean average to be fair - 13 tons and 6830 runs at 34.84 AND 127 wickets at 30.75. A great ambassador and leader, but probably good at both, not great at one discipline. A solid career regardless, playing for Australia and playing IPL. He won't have troubles finding a bank manager.

3. IPL. Mitchell Marsh has started the tournament with a bang. A couple of half centuries to he and Head. Interesting that he too is fit and well...like Hazelwood (5 wickets), Cummins (3 wickets) and co. We should have more IPLs to keep our players fit. Not a family reason or personal reason in sight either. "Starc is taking wickets (3 wickets) and Head is clearing pickets". Cummins is hitting sixes and getting wickets. Maxwell is still getting ducks as well. He has more wickets than runs at present.

4. NRL. The Cowboys bounce back v the sloppy Raiders and St George win the completely unexpected in beating Melbourne. A sensational victory masterminded by Shane Flanagan who has done it before, famously for the Sharks in the 2016 Grand Final. The Sharks were disappointing at home. Stephen Crichton is some sort of player. Awesome strength and leadership. They are the real deal those undefeated Berries.

How bad is the bunker getting? That missed try by Moses Leota was so bad...so bad. The NRL are pathetic trying to cover it up. Ashley Klein has a terrible record too. He is our equivalent of Joel Wilson, who was recently sacked as an international ICC umpire.

There are three teams who have never registered a win in a NRL season: University (1935); South Sydney (1946) and Eastern Suburbs (1966). Parramatta (2025) are a strong chance to join them. Who can they beat? 

5. AFL. Carlton are in a lot of bother. So are Melbourne, who look terrible. Sliding down and losing early never helps a season of any team. Early days, but Hawthorn and GWS are looking really good. The Freo buying spree does not look to have worked. So much more ahead. Adelaide looking brighter too.

6. Oscar Piastri. THREE F1 wins now after last week's China GP victory. He is still behind Daniel Ricciardo (8), Mark Webber (9) and Alan Jones (12) and their GP win totals. Piastri looks good to get a few more yet in season 2025. Japan next week.

7. Super Rugby. The Waratahs were whacked again v Hurricanes. Sadly, this is the sort of result (57-12 loss) that the fans have become used to seeing. This was an incredibly disappointing result. A shock loss by the Crusaders too. The Australian teams are currently right up there with the Reds leading the whole show! Great job.

8. Ange. Photos are apparently emerging of Ange's replacement at Tottenham - that or old photos resurfacing! It never takes long in the EPL. There are a lot more coaches and teams that want success than cups to win! Simple.

Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forrest are into the FA Cup Semi Finals. For Notts it is 34 years since they have enjoyed such success. What a year they have had!

9. Socceroos. Games v Japan (already qualified) and Saudi Arabia await in June at home. Can we make it? Tony Popovic has done really well since taking the helm. He can coach and does it humbly.

10. Min Woo Lee. Texas Children's Houston Open PGA Leader by four shots heading into the final round. Interesting that a bloke called Scottie Scheffler is hovering. Hopefully Min Woo can hold on, but he has imploded before at The Players Championship. Maybe things will be different this time after than crushing experience. Big crowds!

The Wrap - Ready to Cash In

1. Parramatta and Essendon. Two similar, but different clubs. Both with huge fan bases, but both with massive challenges in the face of underperformance and early season smashings. It might help if Dylan Brown ran the ball and did something. I would be very nervous if I was a Newcastle supporter. A ridiculous sum of money for him, but good luck to him and his family.

The Gold Coast Titans seem to be perennial underperformers as well...  even with a plethora of new signings. Their win over the Knights was horrific for Adam O'Brien. Not one to lose. The greatest trap for visiting teams is its holiday destination. Des has cut a very under stated figure on the Gold Coast. They were quietly impressive. Very patient.

The Parramatta misery continues, albeit a little more mild. Jason Ryles has much to learn...he's in the media again telling anyone that they are a "young side" (1, 5 and 7 only this week) and yet he got rid of experience when he arrived - and bought them! He has Lomax, Russell, Penisini, Brown, Lane, Paulo, Hopgood, Matterson, Addo Carr, Lussick, Ofahengaue - very experienced first graders who are not producing. No Moses hurts them, but he bought two half backs this year too (Hawkins and Volkman). Stop the excuses and coach a team of discipline and mental toughness. You have simply not prepared them well enough with the right attitude. The coach sets the standards. Addo-Carr at least wants to win!

Is Rueben Garrick is one of the best goal kickers the game has seen - 78% is up there with Daryl Harrigan and Hazem El Masri. Adam Reynolds now has the second most goalkicks ever (still 200 goals below Cameron Smith), but Garrick rarely misses. How prolific is Ethan Bullemor as a try scorer (ex-Broncos)?

2. AFL. The loss by Geelong to St Kilda, is vintage Geelong. They have every top player in town (or think they have) and then they fall over too often. The Swans? They scrap and scrounge, but will do it tough in 2025. A great win v Freo away in WA. Chad Warner was outstanding. He needs Dylan Brown money!

3. Socceroos World Cup Qualification. Heading to China this week, Tony Popovic is resurrecting the chances of automatic qualification. What a journey that is! Losses early n the campaign have not helped, but we hardly play the super powers of world football.

4. IPL. Started over the weekend with its millions and zillions on offer. Our stars will cash in again, but Hazelwood on $2 million+ is hard to believe. He did get 2/22 in his return. Amazing how our fast bowlers are all fit and ready, not a family issue in sight, for the IPL ($$), but not the ICC Champions League! Kohli again won the first match off his bat with yet another 50.

5. EPL. Ange is on life support. He keeps losing, gets cranky with media, fans and himself and then occasionally wins. Too inconsistent and lots of excuses. It's been a while since the fans sang the Robbie Williams tribute song, "I'm Loving Ange Instead". Sadly, it might be time to move on - or be moved. A Europa League win would be staggering.

6. Sheffield Shield Final. South Australia v Queensland starts on Wednesday. An intriguing end to the season with Khawaja accused of feigning injury by his own QLD cricket administration. Not a good look by Joe Dawes who clearly was after some relevance post playing career. He was also on Peter Dutton's staff some years back...interesting. Starts Wednesday (big crowd not expected!) at some back water oval in South Australia. Love how you change the format for a final and go for five days... why?

7. A League. A break this week for the international week, but the season has two months to go yet! 

8. NBL Champions. The Illawarra Hawks v Melbourne United. A 2-2 deadlock in the best of five finals series was broken by Illawarra 114-104 despite injuries, controversies and a drive to win successive games was achieved finally. Quite a riveting final series and a big plus for the game. Our NBL franchises are selling for $50 million which is staggering. The Celtics have just been bought for $6-7 Billion!

9. Super Rugby. Awesome form by the Waratahs in beating the Brumbies. Their season is fast becoming quite the turnaround. A huge transformation. Could this be part of the rebuild of the code in Australia? Reds doing very well too.

10. Oscar Piastri. Pole position in China. His error in Melbourne would still be stinging. A super drive in much better conditions. He did it in fine style.

11. Six Nations Rugby. An uncanny finish to a try-laden season... France, England and Ireland all had four wins, but France win it! Over one hundred tries scored in total and a record by France. England looked good too. The British and Irish Lions tour looms as a ripper.

The Wrap - Boo Hoo

1. Parramatta NRL. No team has brought more headlines upon itself than this mob. A complete disappointment of a club. Crowds are dwindling too. Dylan Brown gets the best deal since Jason Taumalola. Good luck to him and Newcastle because they will need it. Dylan is a good player, but no leader. He will not transform a club. He struggles when the chips are down and is a little limited and predictable in attack these days. Boo him, but applaud his manager!

You can't blame him leaving the joint. Jason Ryles is under immense pressure. Never confident seeing Nathan Brown next to him. Where's Trent Barrett when you need him? Nearly 100 points conceded in two games. So bad. Tigers, not so bad. Penisini was abysmal in his defensive reads today. Won't be long before he moves on from Parramatta as well. 

Ryles comes out in the press saying he was a "ratbag" before the season starts and tolerating his prize recruit having his pants pulled down by a fellow player on live TV - and the other fool of a recruit yelling abuse from the sideline at an opponent. He seems to lack discipline and refuses to exercise it. I can't recall Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy having any such issues.

Their team again still lacks pace and has a really poor attitude. They are spoon bound. I noticed how they fold in the heat too (like Darwin last year). I wonder how hard they actually train in the summer?

The Raiders look tough. The Roosters had their best win in years - and the Panthers are leaking like a political party at present.

2. F1. McLaren again. The arrival of the big wet in Melbourne is no shock and Piastri could not manage it. The curse continues. Lando Norris too good. Young Doohan no good either. You would think it was the only wet track in the world the way they went on about it. Great to see the crowd storm the track post race, but classic Melbourne weather destroying the spectacle.

3. AFL. The Swans are in strife. Teams that lose close games have long and disappointing seasons. They have heart, especially against two leading teams, but no forwards. Brighter results for so many others. Hawthorn are looking strong. Liked the GWS win v Melbourne.

4. Europa League. Ange is into the quarter finals with Tottenham in a stirring mid week win last week. He needs EPL points now however and has no excuses with key players back from injury. Time to play and win!

5. NBL. The Illawarra Hawks and Melbourne United are locked at 1-1 and playing tonight for the edge in their best of five final series. Very tight.

6. A League. Auckland are still powering at the top of the league, but it is the Western Sydney Wanderers taking the headlines with their undefeated six game surge.

7. Waratahs. Sad story that is a familiar movie, losing against the Reds in a disappointing loss. They simply need to win all their Australian games to make semi finals.

8. Gout Gout. Running sub 20 seconds as the fastest world 200m time this year, but being so young, he has a really bright future. Now drugs are a little less prevalent in sport, we may start seeing some even more honest results. Raelene Boyle was born in the wrong era.

The Wrap - Consistency Matters

1. Champions Trophy Cricket. India are a crack, consistent ODI team regardless of where they play their games. They will beat a gallant New Zealand and would beat any ODI team in any country anytime basically. Kohli has such a great ODO record in 302 games with 51 tons and averaging 58.11 - the best ever. The great Tendulkar hit 49 ODI tons and averaged 44.83.

Michael Bevan was our best bat, averaging 53.58 in 232 games. Viv Richards averaged 47 in 187 games (11 tons).

It is interesting looking at other ODI records: Dave Warner - (22 tons) 161 games at 45.30; Dean Jones - 164 games at 44.61; Michael Clarke 245 games at 44.58; Jacques Kallis 328 games at 44.36; Steve Smith 170 games at 43.28 and Ricky Ponting (30 tons) 375 games at 42.03. The great Adam Voges only played 31 games and averaged 45.73, better than all of these. 

2. NRL. Only Round 1 but not sure if we saw any team that will trouble the usual top tier of teams this weekend. Parramatta and the Roosters gave up 50 points, often the mark of whether you will play semi final football. Parramatta were diabolical in the first half.

• Definite Top 8 teams: Panthers, Sharks, Broncos, Bulldogs, Melbourne, Manly.
• The "inbetweeners": Raiders, Knights, Dragons, Souths, North Queensland.

We definitely saw teams that will struggle to make the eight: Parramatta, Roosters, Warriors, Tigers, Dolphins, Gold Coast (even with the first round bye). 

3. AFL. Unfortunately, the Swans look like a very average team this year. They lack size and Amarty is not the answer fitness wise. Hawthorn will be tough to beat generally. What a schemozzle of an opening round for the AFL. Cyclone Alfred messed things up, but Plan B?

4. Super Rugby. Rarefied air to see the New Zealand teams languishing (at least at this stage of the season). Waratahs stringing a few wins together is unusual! Coach McKellar sounds tough with three wins in a row! The failure of the Melbourne Rebels is helping all franchises. Does such sporting failure sit easily in Melbourne?

5. EPL. Put the glasses down... Liverpool will run away with it and win. If they don't there will need to be a Royal Commission. So far in front of Arsenal - and then the surprise packets: Nottingham are in third place now. What a year they have had!

6. NBL. Melbourne United are serving it up to the minor premiers, the Illawarra Hawks, winning Game 1 from a long way back. Impressive resolve. They may be hard to toss now.

7. A League. The longest season in history. Auckland look to have a sizeable enough break to finish in first place now. Plenty of chasers. The Melbourne teams always seem to aim up...as do the Sydney teams now that the Wanderers are storming home.

8. Six Nations Rugby. Great to see France topple the dominant Irish team and head straight to the top of the standings there. Italy and Wales continue their almost annual struggles of late.

9. PGA - Arnold Palmer Invitational. Jason Day in contention. He started his career as one of the most consistent players but still has wins in his kit bag.