The Wrap - Ange(r) or Ange(l)?

1. Ange Postocoglou. A doomed time at Nottingham Forest of only 39 days (the second shortest ever!). The players have seemingly rejected his style and just sulked, while the fans deserve relegation. So negative and never gave Ange a chance. Ange has once again carried himself with great grace and style. The owner is a rash and impulsive person. 8 games is pretty ridiculous. The private ownership of sporting teams is always fraught. 

2. Ariarne Titmus. Some surgery setbacks and a fine career as she retires now. Mollie O'Callaghan becomes our No. 1 now. An exceptional career really. Incredible feats, but a lot of sympathy for someone doing the hard and relentless work every day. Time for a new chapter in her life. Hopefully her personal life is not splashed across every tabloid and every magazine, like Stephanie Rice, Jana Pittman, Suzie O'Neill, Lisa Curry-Kenny and Leisel Jones before her. The public admire these swimmers, but the sad impact of mental health struggles and relationship break downs continues to intrigue a public who don't need to know this.

3. ODI Cricket. No one can work out why and for what purpose the Indian team is in Australia to play yet another series of meaningless ODI games, Presumably just a money making exercise and a 'you scratch our back, we'll scratch yours' arrangement. 

4. NRL - Pacific Championships. The growth of the Pacific Islander player numbers in the game is incredible. Rarely a knee injury from any of them too. Resilient and passionate. New Zealand remain the big brother, but it is not what it once was. They are not feared or that dominant. Concerns continue with Dylan Brown. He is so talented, but fades away during games and can become a little invisible. The Knights will be nervous, but he scored the match winner. He can be mercurial.

New Zealand v Samoa was entertaining, but the lack of attacking shape is the difference. It seems like breaking the NRL structure is the attraction of the competition. Flair and difference. The drops by To'o and Mariner with tries on offer sadly killed their hopes. One pass too high and one pass too hard!

5. MLB. The Seattle Mariners have never won the MLB World Series and get a chance in the remaining two games v the Toronto Blue Jays. They lead 3-2 in the best of seven series. The LA Dodgers are immense and are already in the World Series waiting for their opponents. They disposed of the Brewers 4-0. Ohtani is incredible. Three home runs and six innings while pitching in the same game! He could just be the greatest player ever.

6. Everest - Ka Ying Rising. What a performance. So easy and no whip required to win easing down. The horse remains undefeated and one of the best ever sprinters world wide. A rare day when JMac won nothing. The Everest prizemoney split? 

Conversely, the Caulfield Cup has a total of $5 million with the winner taking $3 million. Half Yours was too good with Jamie Melham becoming the first winning woman in the event. Michelle Payne won a Melbourne Cup on a 101-1 pop, Prince of Penzance back in 2015.

7. F1 - Oscar Piastri. It is sadly going really bad at present. Starting sixth on the grid in Austin Texas at the American GP ran at the Circuit of the Americas. Verstappen is composed and looks too strong when it matters. He is on pole position. It is Verstappen's 48th pole position. He is fifth ever - behind: Lewis Hamilton (104); Schumacher (68); Senna (65) and Vettel (57).

McLaren seem to be intent on infighting instead, even discussing sacking Oscar...honestly.

8. EPL. Haaland scores another two goals v Everton overnight. He now has 11 goals...5 ahead of the nearest rival. An incredible talent and a 6 foot 5" frame makes him imposing and very hard to contain. Hopefully he can stay injury free.

9. AFL Trade Window. It is a long way back for a player looking for a move and not getting a deal (eg. Zac Merrett). Hard to play alongside that person. Charlie Curnow is due to produce for the Swans with half the club traded to get him there. Not in the Lockett-Buddy class. It could end in tears.

10. Umpire Joel Wilson. This is an extraordinary observation by Rod Tucker on the sacked West Indian umpire, Joel Wilson. On the basis of this, it seems a fair sacking!

“Joel Wilson was a very good umpire, just his decision making was below par. He paid the price for that. In the end, he’s a great human being. Everything else on the umpiring side of things, he’s fantastic. Just his decision making wasn’t up to standard. He lost his job because of that.”

The Wrap - Roos and Boos

1. Australian Kangaroos - Reece Walsh. What a brilliant display in the grand Final. Hopefully no off field shenanigans this post season... post GF behaviours can sometimes define the person. Time to move on and start getting his head right for the Kangaroos. 

Did I read correctly that Kevin Walters said he would've won a comp anyhow? What a goose if that is true. Show some humility. How he ever got the Kangaroos job is a joke too. A few league podcasts really seem to get some loose lips. 

Thank goodness we could beat the Kumul CHIEFS (new NRL name) with the PMXIII. That team is almost like the last men standing. There were quite a few unknowns there.

2. Bathurst. Garth Tander joins the legends now with six wins on the mountain. He joins Mark Skaife, Larry Perkins (6), with Jim Richards and Craig Lowndes (7) and the greatest Peter Brock (9 wins). 

How about the efforts of a three time winner, Shane van Gisbergen...

2. NASCAR Success. Shane van Gisbergen from NZ is carving out a sensational career and success in the US. He has five wins now this season (remarkable for any international driver) - Mexico City (VIVA Mexico 250); Chicago (Grant Park 165); Sonoma (Toyota/ Save Mart 350); Watkins Glen (Go Bowling at The Glen) and Concord (Bank of America ROVAL 400).

3. Cricket. Marnus - and No Cummins (?). Marnus scored a ripping century under massive pressure in the Shield and backed it up in the FAI-Ford Ranger-McDonalds-Marsh Cup with another 105. He is one of our best techniques and must play. Like the look of young Hadley for NSW. Ripped through WA who really need a new leaf now. The old names keep failing (Bancroft, Whiteman, Cartwright...). 

4. AFL Trade Window. Clayton Oliver would be a huge bonus for the Giants who will keep surging on. St Kilda are the smokey, still piling up the big signings. Their treatment of young Leek is abominable. Fancy courting, promising and then dumping him leaving him stranded.

The Swans seem so keen on retaining mids and trying to secure Curnow on a shoestring. Why would Carlton do business with that? Trade off a few of the useless blokes in the middle. protected species. Amarty, Papley, Logan McDonald...these blokes are on notice.

Curnow, Petracca and Merrett...is the trade window a tribute to whingers and malcontents? 

5. EPL. Notts Forest continue to slide. They need salvation and soon! Ange is on death row. Relegation costs a club its fanbase, merch and significant dollars. The next two weeks are tough for Ange, but he needs a miracle. Great win 1-0 v Canada by Tony Popovic's Socceroo team.

6. MLB Results. The Mariners and Blue Jays play for one spot in the World Series and the Dodgers and Brewers in the fight for the other World Series spot. Blue Jays v Dodgers for mine. The Mariners is a great story!

The Dodgers have been World Series champions eight times (six losses for 14 appearances). The Blue Jays have won it twice. The Brewers have won it three times, but the Seattle Mariners have never won it!

7. NFL Upsets. The New England Patriots are storming back with three wins (while Bill Belichick struggles with his college team in Carolina)...hard to believe as they have been woeful for a long time.

8. Willie Peters. Completed the rare three crown wins as coach for Hull Kingston Rovers, who had not won the Challege Cup since 1985! He is in the prime position for an NRL coaching gig now.

9. Shubman Gill. He is putting together quite a string of tons as the Indian skipper v some Test cricket minnows at present. The West Indies continue to be abysmal. His skill as a bat under pressure is starting to build, but his temperament at times falters.

The Wrap - Bucking Broncos Kicking Up a Storm

1. NRL. The media finally exhausted all the stories, family tales of rags to riches, parent interviews and injury hoopla...game on! No Ashley Klein on the field - and just Grant Atkins, a famous Parramatta premiership name. What a relief because Atkins did it in fine style. Klein was trying his best to influence the result from the bunker, but thankfully not close enough. Not sure how you qualify for the bunker after your efforts in the preliminary final.

Mariner scored early, but Meaney and Katoa hit back fast! Nice open play and maybe a product of nerves - or the heat! A very unusual weather pattern, but hot day time Grand Finals could be almost unbearable. The Queensland teams hold a big advantage there.

Walsh's try before half time was just outstanding, but Hughes is so tough. A costly drop over the line by the big Melbourne forward saw the game turn on its head in the second half. They were fitter than the rest and proved it against Canberra, Penrith and Melbourne back to back.

Nick Meaney's defence was a concern, as was Wishart and then Hughes in the second half... and the Broncos found it. Reece Walsh's speed was the difference. His bullet passes and his speed to the line late, killed them. His defence was outstanding too. He took a punt on the late break and pass to Papenhuyzen and barrelled him. They could have won it right there. Turning up for each other.

Congratulations to the Broncos Assistant Coach, Trent Barrett, who has won nothing - ever. Coach Maguire has done it again too! A superb effort. He has won for the Kiwis, for NSW Blues, for Souths and for the Broncos...and in the UK with Wigan. A long way from Tiger Town!

Two Brisbane Grand Final wins - NRLW and The NRL - and AFL. Thankfully the Warriors won something over the Burleigh Bears!

For Coach Bellamy, he has coached in 11 Grand Finals now... 5 wins (2007*, 2009*, 2012, 2017, 2020) and 6 losses (2006, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2024, 2025). In essence only three wins with the two cheating years. Munster did not sound like he was coming back post game!

2. AFL. The Trade season is underway. Very exciting in a weird sort of way. If only rugby league could be as enterprising and as organised. It brings TV coverage, analysis and allows the sport to stay in the spotlight. It also enthuses the fans of the dud teams! Living in hope.

3. Wallabies. Joe Schmidt continues with a 45% coaching win record. Too many big squads, too many changes, no consistency. Eddie Jones made an art form out of it with misery. We seem to have started to accept respectable losses. Next...! 

4. EPL. Ange has a fortnight or he bites the dust. Tonight v Newcastle is one for his career and future. He seems a lot darker this time in but will remain very wealthy if he goes. The severance pay at Tottenham was about $12.5 million. Nice if you can get it!

5. Singapore GP.  George Russell on pole and he or Max Verstappen will win. Can't see how you pass anyone on that track. Max is third on the grid and needs a miracle. McLaren are struggling since the long break.

6. Sam Konstas.  His form is so bad and his technique so wobbly, he will be minced by the Poms. He needs to get back to basics. There are better options. A sad demise for a young man.

Matt Renshaw hit a timely ton (surely they don't go there again...) and Khawaja and Marnus are hitting back. There is a massive batting gulf, but Victoria and South Australia hold most of the young guns... (Henry Hunt, Lehmann, Scott, Sangha, Kellaway, Peake,...). Jack Edwards is of interest too.

7. Mitchell Marsh. Absolutely dominated in NZ in yet another nothing series. It will be a long time before the fans head out to watch white ball cricket in droves again. No one really cares. There are so many ICC and World Cups nobody can quite keep up!

The Wrap - Clowns and Snooping Dogs

1. NRL. The Cronulla-Melbourne game became the Ashley Klein show. Blowing 18 penalties was a joke. His relevance and self importance sometimes conflict and he makes some crazy decisions sometimes. It is not the Bill Harrigan 'brave call', it is the Ashley show and sometimes he cannot resist being front and centre. Surely he cannot oversee a Grand Final. Too unpredictable and too disruptive to the game. The preliminary final was so stop-start and really, it became boring to be honest. Cronulla were especially limited in attack. Such a shame and the inconsistency of time holding down in the ruck between both teams was breathtaking.

Nonetheless, Melbourne were too good. They continue to be too good and Bellamy now enjoys a stunning record and really is the best we have seen. The big prop from Parramatta and Wests-Tigers - Stefano Utoikamanu - was absolutely what they needed. They will be hard to beat.

In the Penrith-Brisbane showdown, Nathan Cleary's defence was spectacular. He can do it all! 14-0 at half time said it all. Three goals and try assists...Tight, pressure and methodical. Nothing stunning, but rock solid. Completions and error free. 

The second half? Brisbane surged, but Talagi is a worry. Blaize is not up to it yet. Silly charge downs, drop balls, a shocking pass on the line and a critical missed tackle at the end. Under pressure errors and lots of them. 

A bad Panthers decision not to take the two points for 16-0 which could have steadied the ship. Instead a great Broncos comeback for a 16-14 win and a premiership shot v Melbourne. Michael Maguire has done a top job.

The Panthers lost two games by four points in extra time in the lead up to the semi finals - Canberra and Melbourne - and then a two point loss to the Broncos today. That is the difference to their team in 2025.

2. AFL. Snoop Dog could actually kick the football well. Some footage pre game showed he had ability! See: Bing Videos . As predicted, Brisbane were on fire. Their mid field is so strong and while it was close for half a game, the customary 'Swans GF blowout' hit and destroyed the hapless Geelong. Dangerfield was quiet, Cameron was injured and played with a broken arm... Geelong know how to fold under pressure, yet they keep buying the best players around. Charlie Cameron nailed them and Coach Fagan picked their pockets. Back to back premiers is pretty awesome. 

What is it about these back to back to back wins by the elite teams?

3. Wallabies. Speaking of which, the 28,000 year consecutive Bledisloe winning streak continues. We were brighter, but never in it really. We really struggle it must be said. The losses have started to pile up again, yet we keep making the same mistakes. Injuries hit of course, but we keep changing the team, tinkering, moving key personnel... the proof is it does not work. I wonder if Les Kiss can work this out.

4. EPL. All of Liverpool, Chelsea and Nottingham lost. A topsy turvey year already, but Man City look impressive after six rounds. Erling Haaland has already kicked 8 goals. More goals than most score in a career! Tottenham were lucky to get away with a draw v Wolves.

Memo to Ange: look at how West Ham just turfed their coach this weekend. It won't take long for Ange to bite the dust if he can't start winning. Losing to Sunderland (Till I Die) is a low ebb. Sunderland surge to third place!

5. Sydney Thunder - Ravi Ashwin. Not sure what sort of T20 Big Bash crowd puller he will be. Talented Test player, but T20? Not sure he has the personality of a franchise breaking player too. Has always seemed to be on the outer with Indian players and stormed off when they needed him most in the last Australian tour. It could all end in tears.

Meanwhile India v Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup (whatever that is). India make a habit of winning this tournament with no hand shakes, no travel to Pakistan and military tensions forever at the forefront. Politics gets in the way all the time for Pakistan, so they are hoping for some skill later tonight.

6. Ryder Cup. What spectacular crowds at Bethpage Black in Long Island NY! Rare you see crowds on both sides of the tee outside of the Masters.  A great course, but lots of fired up players with Lowry and McIlroy leading the charge. The New York crowds love it. They are irreverent, rude, offensive and fire up opponents in all sports - and golf is no different. However, the Europeans are smashing the US and are on track for their first away victory since 2012. No abuse or homophobic comments can stop them.

7. F1. Oscar Piastri needs to lift and re-invent. Verstappen is closing fast and McLaren are faltering a little at present. Plenty more races ahead, but he needs to improve or perish.

8. MLB Playoffs. Closing fast with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox through... Dodgers, Phillies, Mariners and Guardians all through too.

9. NFL. Early days, but the usual suspects are already surging. The Philadelphia Eagles, the 49ers, the Bills, Chargers and Buccaneers.

The Wrap - Straight Sets

1. AFL Finals. A staggering comeback from Geelong to pound the Hawks. Dangerfield was awesome. Then Collingwood fell in a heap in the second half and Brisbane pounced. Collingwood had come back but two goals straight after half time was crucial. Cam Rayner is exceptional. Their momentum is unbelievable and they will win it. Too intense and skilled. Geelong have the big names, but Brisbane will be too athletic and too good. Look for a brisk start from Brisbane.

Brisbane are into their third successive Grand Final. One loss and one smashing win v Sydney last year. Geelong enter their third Grand Final in six seasons: 2020, 2022 and 2025. Two dominant teams.

Interesting that the concussion rule automatically disqualifies Tom Stewart from the GF. Ouch!

Adelaide disappeared in straight sets...and the Raiders and then the Bulldogs joined them. Most unusual.

2. Brownlow Medal. Nick Daicos surely wins one! He is the most dominant player week by week. Bailey Smith has been awesome as well. A new club, but he touches the ball so often. How the Western Bulldogs lost him is beyond belief. Dawson (Adelaide) and Anderson/ Rowell (Gold Coast) are also in with a show. 

3. NRL Finals. Canberra losing Ethan Strange pre game was a massive loss going in, but they are a tough team. They seemed unphased early. Starling was outstanding early. So quick from dummy half. Great to see a comeback of the flick pass. Nicho's try was a cracker. The costliness of a repeat set or not completing your sets is huge in sudden death rugby league. The Sharks have won two semi finals...that is incredible for them to now play Melbourne for a chance of the Grand Final.

The minor premiers, Canberra, are gone in straight sets! Losing two straight games at home too. Extraordinary. The Sharks are certainly no frills, but withstood the pressure early on. The Raiders gave up a lot of points in winning very regularly this year. Their defence was found wanting in the end.

The Panthers? We have been saying it here for a long time now... they are on and ready to pounce. Their first half v the Bulldogs was the best half of NRL Finals footy we have seen in many, many years. They will be too good for the Broncos, especially if Pat Carrigan is out. Injuries to Billy Walters, Brendan Piakura have been untimely... talk of Reynolds and Mam coming back for the game may just be that - talk. Troops are short at this time of the year and only the fittest survive. 

Unfortunately the grubby Brandon Smith - Victor Radley cocaine matter has spilled over every day this week, boring everyone to death. Smith should be banned for some time. He is a repeat offender and is a problem for club culture. Uncle Nick did not muck around with Victor. A stint on the sideline won't hurt Radley's multiple concussion recovery.

4. FI - Azerbaijan GP. Piastri is struggling a fair bit since the long break. he needs a strong showing here...they are coming to knock him over! Starting on ninth on the grid is a terrible result for McLaren. Verstappen is likely to win again and surges back into championship contention. 

5. EPL. Nottingham Forest are going so poorly. A 1-1 draw with Burnley was pretty average. Ange has about ten weeks or his career in Europe is finished. Losing to Swansea mid week in the Carabao Cup does not help. 

6. World Athletics Championships - Tokyo. Jess Hull becomes the first Australian woman to win through to the 1500m and 800m finals. A bronze medallist in the 1500m was an awesome moment. Tremendous work, especially after her fall in the heats. Gout Gout ran well, but gee we get excited in Australia about our sprinters... he finished 18th. A young man on the rise, but it is so challenging on that stage. Our discus throwers and high jumpers have not finished yet either!

The Wrap: Or-ange

1. NRL Finals. A ripping weekend of finals. Too quick...Best of three would be amazing!

Melbourne are so professional. A lot of players out yet the Bulldogs were crushed pretty badly...and have picked up so many injuries too (Montoya, Tuala, Crichton...). They need Reed Mahoney back in with so many missed tackles. The chopping and changing by Ciraldo (Galvin in, Sexton out... Mahoney out...). All of them sudden and unexpected calls under pressure. More composure is needed by him or they will be out in straight sets next week when the Panthers get hold of them. The Panthers were so methodical in dissecting the Warriors. Without Crichton and Kikau (?) it would be really tough for the Bulldogs. Penrith will be waiting for them.

The Roosters and Sharks was an entertaining package. The Roosters need to wear their classic jersey in big games...white cannot win a comp. The dropsy again hit them (like when they played Parramatta) and should have won. Mark Nawaqanitawase was outstanding as always. Such an exciting player. 

Canberra and Brisbane really turned it on - and now Canberra will play Cronulla at home, as losing minor premiers. Such an advantage to finish in the top four. Starling has such great speed out of dummy half...like Cook in his prime. Without Ezra and Reynolds, Brisbane have done very well.

Walsh did a Cleary at the end. A try, a 40-20, set up a couple and a drop kick to equalise that took the cross bar... then a goal. Reece Walsh needs more composure in big games. A head butt to Hudson Young was ridiculous. He lacks discipline. Conversely Kaeo Weeks killed them with his pace. Walsh has so much speed and skill. He needs to mature. Those missed goal kicks were costly too.

Ashley Klein tried very hard to be the star of the show. A cracking game - and end. Referee Klein has dreamed of an ending like that! The chance for points in the extra time needed to be taken by the Broncos. Ten out, field goal chance...zip. It didn't matter. Ben Hunt put some demons to bed with a top field goal to win 29-28.

So now, Canberra v Cronulla (then v Melbourne) and Penrith v Bulldogs (then v Brisbane) are our games to then take on Melbourne and Brisbane for a chance to make the Grand Final.

2. AFL. Adelaide were belted by the Hawks to gather an unwanted record. They always seemed to be flying a bit high through the regular season, but ended well. When the whips were cracking they were found wanting. Speaking of which, the Gold Coast were whacked too. Their pink strip was very unusual for their second final when club colours and pride in their own traditional jersey.

Geelong, Collingwood and Brisbane look the goods. Brisbane looked a lot like last year when they creamed everyone at the business end. 

Into next week now and Hawthorn v Geelong and Brisbane v Collingwood are the games. Geelong will be through to the GF ...who else?

3. Horse Racing. Mr Brightside is an incredible horse. So strong and a winner. Cost $22,000 and has won over $18 million. A great investment.

4. Wallabies. Back to earth with a thud. 28-26 is a bad outcome v Argentina. The inconsistency and constant team changes cannot be good. Lots of injuries, but so much change is never helpful for the team combinations. A 43-10 loss to the Springboks is a stunning loss for the embattled All Blacks. No break dancing! They need a complete reset. Our challenge will be in a fortnight v New Zealand. Joe Schmidt has two games left and hopefully they are memorable, for the right reasons.

5. US Open Tennis. Carlos Alcaraz is an outstanding player and ambassador for the game. Yet another win to got to six Grand Slam titles (joining Edberg and Becker). Two US Open titles, two Wimbledon and two French open titles for a total of six wins. All still as a very young man. Alcaraz has not won an Australian Open as yet, so this is another frontier now for a career Grand Slam!

6. Ange Postocoglou. A new coaching gig for Nottingham Forest (men in tights) and a thumping 3-0 loss. A tough job going to Arsenal first up, but talk about a career life line. It will be interesting to see if he changes his attacking style and how focused he becomes on the EPL. His style brings injuries as he stretches the players past their limits.

7. Davis Cup Tennis. What a circus...Lleyton Hewitt fined for pushing a WADA drug inspector. Then de Minaur gets beaten by an unknown. Terrible. Rinky Hijikata was our other singles hope and he lost too. The doubles bounced back with a win and then de Minaur finally won for 2-2. The decider was unfolding as we went to print!

Losing to Belgium would be an all time low. Australia were semi finalists last year and with a loss, a final eight berth will have gone begging in 2025! Hopefully not.

8. F1. Next week to Azerbaijan then to Singapore. Oscar is 31 points clear of Lando Norris, but it is tight. Captivating action in 2025. Verstappen had an incredible win really last week in Monza.

9. Irish Open. A ripping win by Rory last week. He has such skill, but can become distracted sometimes. A super talent really.

The Wrap - Wooden Spoon Presentations

1. AFL Finals. They are a brutal beast! You lap other teams all year and then you have a shocker in an elimination final and you are gone only one week after everyone else. The late flight to Bali. Adelaide survive as minor premiers after Collingwood whack them. Hawthorn extinguish GWS in a fourth quarter fade but the Gold Coast Suns won a cliff hanger away from home and enter the last six teams... a great last gasp win by a point after a disallowed goal with nine seconds left.

It can be a brutal end result. Geelong looked the pick of the lot.

West Coast Eagles pick up yet another spoon, their third. A long way to reach St Kilda on 27 wooden spoons!

2. NRL Finals. The advantages the Broncos seem to get from the NRL at times, are incredible. TV appearances for the Broncos are some of the most important dollars for the NRL. A million home games last season...a few extra days to prepare for the finals clash v the Raiders. 

A top four finish by the Broncos is incredible (why does Reece Walsh do stupid things every season at the September end?... cocaine arrest at Cavill Avenue, screaming at a Blues supporter, silly social media photos in a Bali hospital with Ezra Man and then a toilet drinking prank. Grow up and don't be a goose. Can't imagine Mushashi would be pleased as a key personal sponsor). Coach Maguire (and coach Barrett) have done well.

Canberra to beat the resurgent Broncos and then the Storm (no Paps, Hughes - and the reckless Asofa Solomona) to beat the Dogs (no Xerri, Montoya). The Dogs have stalled in attack. They lack speed in the halves. Lachlan Galvin's greatest value must be yet to come. He directs play, throws a great pass, has a reasonable kicking game but has no pace and too many defensive lapses at that level. He is very young it must be remembered, but talk about pressure.

The Panthers will get over the Warriors and the Roosters over the Sharks (who were super impressive v the Dogs on the weekend). In fact it was the best we have seen from the Sharks for many years. No Nicho will kill them now.

• The Tigers have been abysmal once again. Losing to the Gold Coast underlines how terrible they have been. The press have given them a good ride in 2025, but they were dreadful. Avoiding another wooden spoon seemed like their season goal. The great 'Zorba' Peters (who turned 80 the other day) picked it at the start of the season... they will be like Samoa...flashy, feel good, but essentially losing game after game. 
• The Eels (26) ended the season on more points than the Tigers (24), four points behind Manly and Dolphins (30) - less all the media hype and drama that Benji brings.
• The Eels end in 11th position. A pretty promising start under coach Ryles who started the year terribly.
• The Dragons (15th) were horrible in the end too. Completely ill disciplined. They have not recruited well. Gutho is too slow and needs to head to England now. They lack speed and wanted to offload Sloan who has pace... They need a wide broom... Klemmer, Cook, Fataila-Mariner, Gutherson, Holmes... too many older players.
• Are Canberra cooked now they have given up 50 points (with 10 stars rested)?
• The Knights were dreadfully average all year. Ponga plays 10 games a year and good luck with Dylan Brown who has lost confidence, pace and skill - yet is one of the best outside back defenders in the game. A new coach cannot arrive soon enough. A deserved spoon winner! Des Hasler avoids another one.
• James Schiller...possibly the worst recruitment decision of the year. Left the Raiders to join the Knights this year. Oops.

The Knights earn their fifth wooden spoon to now equal the Roosters (who started in 1908). They are one behind the Dogs now and the equal eighth on the list of the most wooden spoons ever.

3. Formula 1. Oscar Piastri dominated at the Dutch GP last week and now to Monza in Italy for the next. A tougher assignment from third spot on the grid. A huge story if Piastri can skip further ahead in the driver's championship. 

In terms of Australian drivers, on F1 wins he is closing in on the great Jack Brabham (14 wins/ 128 starts), Alan Jones (12/ 117), Mark Webber (9/ 217), Piastri (9/ 61), Daniel Ricciardo (8/ 258).... A great season: 7 wins, 5 poles and 34 points ahead of the other drivers in 2025. 

4. EPL. Some big steps by a resurgent and humble Liverpool team. Winning v Arsenal last week was huge. Three games and 9 points. An awesome start after a tragic off season... the international break this weekend, so no play.

5. Rugby Championships. A 28-24 win over the Pumas was a remarkable end, but does anyone know why it was played in Townsville? Once the Argies were easy beats, but not any more. An attacking winning mentality is the best thing we have seen from the Wallabies in 2025. 

A tough championship to win. Yet another All Blacks loss 18-12 to the Springboks under Scott Robertson. The knives will be sharpening and there is no break dancing practice in sight!

6. US Open Tennis. Alcaraz (5 Grand Slam wins) v Sinner (4 Grand Slam wins) in the men's final. We have heard this song before. No other player has contested a Grand Slam final in 2024 or 2025 apart from these two. One of either Sinner or Alcaraz have won nine of the last 10 Grand Slam finals. Both have one US Open win.

The great Novak Djokovic can only make semi finals these days (nothing wrong with that at 38 years of age). Alex de Minaur keeps true to form...top eight results and no more. Not that there is anything wrong with that either!

In the women's final, Aryna Sabalenka v Amanda Anisimova was an intriguing one. Anisimova beat Iva Swaitek in the quarter finals on her way through to the final. It was Swiatek who smashed her 6-0 and 6-0 in the Wimbledon final earlier this year. To bounce back from that and into a home final is pretty special. 

Unfortunately for her, Sabalenka won their final. She has an impressive record now to have two Australian Opens and two US Open Grand Slam titles (and three Grand Slam losses). Impressive. Joins the likes of Hana Mandlikova, Kim Clijsters and Arantxa Sanches-Vicario on four Grand Slam wins.

7. ODI Cricket. The Tony Greig-Richie-Bill era of TV cricket commentary was just superb. Some old footage bring back amazing memories. 'It's all happening'...'hit it like a tracer bullet'... 'a swing and a miss'...'bails off in a flash'...'hard and fooorrrst'... 'marvellous'. Australia v NZ in three T20s are about coming soon.

8. Darren Weir. The footage of the disgraced trainer administering electric shocks to horses in training under his care is an absolute disgrace to the industry. He should be banned for life, despite the passage of time. Animal cruelty at its worse.

9. The Irish Golf Open. Can Rory roar and make up the difference to win it? Poised!