What was the sporting highlight of winter?
Roar Guru By El Capitan, 9 Oct 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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- A-League, football, Rugby Union, wallabies
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Now that the football season is finished across the country (bar the A-League and the rugby league World Cup), I thought it would be timely to discuss the year that was in the football codes.
Some of the more memorable moments include all the saga of having a Kiwi coach the Wallabies, Sonny Bill Williams leaving mid-season to play rugby union in France, “Lethal” Mathews resigning from the Lions, and the Socceroos qualifying for the next stage of the World Cup.
I like to hear readers’ feedback on the memorable, the forgettable and the plain wacky sporting moments from this past winter season.
After all, it’s only five mont hs until the start of the next footy season!
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October 9th 2008 @ 2:29pm
Sid said | October 9th 2008 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
My footy highlight of 08 was the All Blacks v Springboks first test in Wellington. It was the first meeting since the world cup, and both sides had everything to prove. What resulted was hard, dazzling footy truly deserving of the greatest rivalry in world rugby.
Outside the football codes, I’d nominate Detroit v Pittsburg in game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. Pittsburg was down 3-1 in the series and needed the win to keep their cup hopes alive. They scored with 34.1 seconds remaining in the final period to draw level and take it to overtime. What followed was an amazing display of heart as the two exhausted sides relentlessly clawed at each other. Eventually, in the third period of overtime, Pittsburg put in the game winning goal. Detroit won the Cup in the next game but this was easily the game of the series and maybe the game of the season.
Also, no one can forget the Wimbledon final. The most emotionally exhausting game of tennis I’ve ever seen.
What a great year – and we’ve still got time for another All Blacks grand slam.
October 9th 2008 @ 2:31pm
Bruce Walkley said | October 9th 2008 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
The Olympic marathon and the winner’s brilliant tactics have to be right up there.
October 9th 2008 @ 2:37pm
Central North said | October 9th 2008 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
Greg Inglis and his over the head, over the dead ball line, hail mary pass for Mark Gasnier to score in the Centenary league Test v NZ was pretty speccy for mine. And i’m a Rugby man!!
October 9th 2008 @ 2:50pm
Brett McKay said | October 9th 2008 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
Cent-Nth, the double tap-back effort from Geyer then Quinn to Inglis in the Semis would have topped the Centenary Test effort if not Inglis’ foot being a micron offside. And after racking my head over this all day, I think that – depite it being a no-try – is my highlight…
October 9th 2008 @ 3:18pm
Millster said | October 9th 2008 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
Symonds going fishing and doing some self-selection out of the cricket tour was another great highlight for me. A kind of “Darwin awards” worthy moment in terms of sports selection and the joy of seeing an arrogant twit shoot himself in the foot…
October 9th 2008 @ 4:18pm
The Link said | October 9th 2008 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
Folau’s try was better in Origin III, masterful.
October 9th 2008 @ 7:11pm
Michael C said | October 9th 2008 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
3rd time lucky – the perennial runners up – - PNG winning the AFL International Cup in a classic encounter with the Kiwis,……..closely followed by the goal after the siren pressure kick by South African Simphiwe Mbhalo to give South Africa by just 1 point.
btw – Redb would love that an old stager like Matthew Lloyd was able to rise to the heavans to pluck what was just announced as mark of the year.
October 9th 2008 @ 7:49pm
Millster said | October 9th 2008 @ 7:49pm | Report comment
Actually I would call the mark of the year what one of the Storm players (forget which one, one of the backs) did in the NRL grand final. It was more AFL than AFL… a true cazaly moment…
October 9th 2008 @ 7:51pm
Redb said | October 9th 2008 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
no way, lloyd was much higher than folau.
Redb
October 9th 2008 @ 7:54pm
Redb said | October 9th 2008 @ 7:54pm | Report comment
to explain Millster, Folau was knee height on the shoulders, Lloyd’s feet were at the level of the defender’s heads who were also airborn. It just proves my view that the TV coverage really lacks. I have an excellent still shot of the mark, Lloyd’s flight invaded Tullamarine airspace.
Redb