By David Beniuk
September 15th 2008 @ 9:41pm
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Cleary, Fittler face NRL finals deja vu
It has caught everyone by surprise, but Friday’s NRL semi-final between the New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters in Auckland could also result in some unexpected flashbacks for rival coaches Ivan Cleary and Brad Fittler.
The two mentors played on opposing sides the last time their clubs met in a playoff match, the 2002 grand final [...]
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![There was a curious piece of television on SBS’ The World Game program on Sunday and I’m not just talking about the awkward yet hilarious piece of producing that left host David Basheer blushing 4:43 into this segment.
During Les Murray’s Football Focus, Les and Craig Foster took a look at Australia’s defence and in particular [...] Davidde Corran: Is Arnie not letting players back into the Roos?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/graham-arnold-th.jpg)
![The AFL released the fixtures for the 2010 season on Friday, but with chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan admitting blockbusters took preference to fairness in fixturing, its time to analyse who got a good deal and who got a raw deal.
Adelaide
Matches in Adelaide; 12 (all at AAMI)
Interstate Trips; 10 (Vic 6, WA 2, Qld 1, [...] Ben Somerford: The winners and losers of the 2010 AFL fixtures](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the-winners-losers-2010-afl-dangerfield-th.jpg)
![The Wall Street Journal has called Josh Martin, an eleven year-old with a “butter-smooth swing” that he can repeat exactly every stroke, “the best golfer in the world at his age.”
This summer young Martiin, a fair-haired, skinny kid, is averaging 69.9 strokes every round he plays at the tough Pinehurst course, which is 5,614 [...] Spiro Zavos: Tiger Woods’ successor is just 11 years-old](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tiger-th.jpg)
![Despite individual brilliance, Pakistan has not reached its full potential in Test cricket. They have made headlines of the wrong sort in their 57 years as a Test nation. Internal dissensions, captaincy disputes and accusations of ball-tampering, bribery, and match-throwing are often associated with their national teams.
One might say, when Pakistanis play a match, can [...] Kersi Meher-Homji: Are the Pakistan cricket controversies really justified?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/are-pakistan-cricketers-shoaib-malik-th.jpg)
![As we draw closer to kick-off in season 2010, anticipation is, naturally, high for the upcoming season. At this time of the year, there are more questions than answers.
These include:
Can Hawthorn re-discover the form that won it the 2008 premiership?
We all know the Hawks had a wretched run with injuries last season, but it goes [...] Luke D'Anello: The big questions this season, Part One](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/fevola-lions-th.jpg)
![On Saturday night, the Wallabies play England and the All Blacks play Wales, two intriguing Tests that have their origins back in the 1900s when New Zealand (1905), South Afrrica (1906) and Australia (1908) made their first tours of what was then, and even now unfortunately, called the Home Unions.
I say ‘unfortunately’ because this title [...] Spiro Zavos: It’s Game On for NH v SH rugby bragging rights](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/gold-olympic-world-rugby-james-oconnor-th.jpg)
![The Twenty20 Big Bash is going to take over the Australian summer, not because Twenty20 cricket is so great, but there is a void that needs to be filled.
The way it currently stands, there isn’t that much cricket played between November and February. So what there is, is horribly stretched out.
So much so that the [...] David Wiseman: Big Bash could be the saviour of Australian cricket](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/twenty20-can-be-fun-th.jpg)
![Only six points cover the bottom six on the A-League table with the finals series fast approaching. With five rounds left, plus three matches left to complete the floating Round 19, which clubs will book their finals place with a top six finish?
With Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast three points clear of the rest, and [...] Adrian Musolino: Which teams will be playing finals football?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jets-fury-daal-th.jpg)
![Make no mistake, we are currently witnessing one of the most intriguing and wide-reaching expansion phases in the history of Australian sport with codes venturing into uncharted waters like never before.
In the last week alone we’ve seen:
- The AFL’s Gold Coast FC launching their inaugural membership drive.
- An AFL NAB Cup match being held in [...] Adrian Musolino: Where will the codes look to next for further expansion?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/sheedy-gws-th.jpg)
![If you’re still recovering from unwrapping presents and singing Christmas carols, fear not. There is an escape from the boredom of the season: five great documentaries that not only entertain but also enlighten us about what makes sport so great.
1. Once in a Lifetime (2006)
Narrated by actor Matt Dillon and featuring a groovy 70s [...] Adrian Musolino: The Greatest Sports Documentaries](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/m-ali.jpg)
![The dominant image of the official ceremony for the 2011 Rugby World Cup draw was a photo of a confident Richie McCaw, who is robed in a cloak of a Maori chief, striding into New Zealand’s Giant Rugby Ball facility in the heart of London, with a clocked Maori female dignitary on one side and [...] Spiro Zavos: Let the mind games for the 2011 RWC begin](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/rwc2011.jpg)
![When Adelaide United admitted that coach Aurelio Vidmar wouldn’t be allowed to lead his team into their second Asian Champions League campaign this month all you could do was laugh or cry (depending on whether you’re a Reds fan or not I suppose).
For those who missed it, the Asian Football Confederation has ruled that Aurelio [...] Davidde Corran: A-League teams burnt by AFC rules that don’t fit Asia](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/adelaide-osaka-th.jpg)



