Top Fives: the sports year in review
Columnist By Ryan O'Connell, 31 Dec 2011 Ryan O'Connell is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- 2011, Patrick Cummins, Quade Cooper, Richie McCaw, Samantha Stosur
Cadel Evans was one of the sporting highlights of 2011 AAP Image/Luis Enrique Ascui
As 2012 rapidly approaches, it’s an appropriate time to look back the year it was in sport. And what better way to review the year than via a compilation of lists that include the best athletes, biggest disappointments, most memorable moments, and teams of the year.
With a strong Australian flavour (or possibly bias), here is the sports year in review.
Athletes of the Year
Chris Judd
Benji Marshall
David Pocock
Cadel Evans
Sam Stosur
Teams of the Year
Brisbane Roar
Queensland Maroons
Queensland Reds
Geelong Cats
New Zealand All Blacks
Most Memorable Moments
Quade Cooper’s Rugby World Cup semi-final kick-off
Pat Cummins working over Jacques Kallis
Samantha Stosur’s US Open Win
The A-League’s signing of Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton
‘Bowled Martin, caught Guptill’
Disappointments of the Year
Sydney Roosters
The Australian Test cricket team
Andrew Bogut’s non-signing with the Sydney Kings
The New South Wales Waratahs
Quade Cooper’s Rugby World Cup campaign
Farewelled Legends
Darren Lockyer
Matt Giteau
Barry Hall
Brendon Fevola
Ricky Ponting (oh, wait a minute. . .)
Biggest Futures Ahead of Them
Daly Cherry-Evans
Nick Phipps
Pat Cummins
Shaun Johnson
Dyson Heppell
Coaching Dramas
(Can you remember a year in which coaches took centre stage ahead of the players, or even the sport, more than in 2011?)
The season long drama over Mick Malthouse’s future at Collingwood.
The defending premiers, St George Illawarra Dragons, completely falling apart after supercoach Wayne Bennett’s mid-season defection to the Knights.
The bitter fall-out between Des Hasler and the Manly board, despite the Sea Eagles winning the 2011 title.
Ross Lyons’ clandestine departure from St Kilda to Fremantle.
Mal Meninga’s State of Origin dummy spit.
Those that didn’t exchange Christmas cards
Michael Clarke and Simon Katich
Robbie Farrah and Tim Sheens
Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Allenby
Quade Cooper and Richie McCaw
Quade Cooper and the New Zealand public
Ryan is an ex-representative basketballer who shot too much, and a (very) medium pace bowler. He's been with The Roar as an expert since February 2011, has written for the Seven Network and NBA Down Under, and been a regular on ABC radio. Ryan tweets from @RyanOak.
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- Explore:
- 2011, Patrick Cummins, Quade Cooper, Richie McCaw, Samantha Stosur
December 25th 2011 @ 7:09am
The Grafter said | December 25th 2011 @ 7:09am | Report comment
Personally I thought Quade Cooper soaked up the pressure well, and had a terrific World Cup…………………………………, for his country of origin.
December 25th 2011 @ 9:18am
Brendon said | December 25th 2011 @ 9:18am | Report comment
Umm, where is James Magnussen and Sally Pearson?
Was this a draft that accidentally got published?
December 31st 2011 @ 9:10am
SVB said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:10am | Report comment
They were replaced by a few token AFL/rugby players. To say Chris Judd’s performance is above Sally Pearson’s performance is laughable really. She won woman athlete of the year in a sport which is one of the most competitive in the world.
December 31st 2011 @ 9:12am
SVB said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Should have been:
Cadel Evans, Sam Stosur, Sally Pearson, Casey Stoner and James Magnussen.
December 31st 2011 @ 10:04am
Tommygun said | December 31st 2011 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Totally agree SVB. Think the article was written in a bit of a hurry. Casey Stoner and Sally Pearson were glaring omissions. Can anyone say that the achievements of the three footy players were above Casey??
December 25th 2011 @ 9:53am
Parisien said | December 25th 2011 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Looking back at the year in sport from here in Paris, Cadel Evans winning the Tour de France really stands out. Its a huge achievement that will probably only be fully appreciated in a few years time. Its as if he climbed Everest without oxygen.
December 31st 2011 @ 8:08am
Sam Brown said | December 31st 2011 @ 8:08am | Report comment
I agree, it was a year of some big international wins but none is bigger than Cadel’s win. I am so glad I sacrificed and watched the majority of the rides for the first time this year. I’m hooked for good now.
December 31st 2011 @ 3:05pm
langou said | December 31st 2011 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
I have been watching the tour for 15 years after getting hooked as a 16 year old when my Dad flicked over one night to SBS. It’s been a joy watching the Aussies win the green over the years but seeing Cadel take the yellow rates as my number two sporting moment of all time behind the Socceroos making the World Cup in 2005. Sam Brown is spot on, once you watch one tour, you will be hooked, there is no way to avoid it. For those who don’t like the idea of going 22 nights without sleep every year it is best to avoid it.
December 31st 2011 @ 8:48am
The Grafter said | December 31st 2011 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Daniel Geale becoming only the 4th Australian to successfully challenge and win a world title (a genuine title) beating Sebastian Sylvester in Germany is worthy of note.
December 31st 2011 @ 9:13am
Stam said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:13am | Report comment
Why aren’t Geoff ogilvy and Robert Allenby exchanging christmas cards?
December 31st 2011 @ 9:21am
jamesb said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:21am | Report comment
I agree with SVB
Cadel Evans for mine should be Australian sports person of 2011. For the London Olympics I can’t wait to watch James Magnusson swim, more so than Ian Thorpe.
December 31st 2011 @ 9:25am
Titus said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:25am | Report comment
You could probably also include John Aloisi and Josip Skoko in the farewelled legends.
Aloisi played in EPL, La Liga and Serie A (Fevola urinated on a restaurant)
December 31st 2011 @ 9:35am
SVB said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Come on Titus. You know those guys just aren’t blokey enough to make Ryan’s cut.
December 31st 2011 @ 10:14am
The Cattery said | December 31st 2011 @ 10:14am | Report comment
I agree that the inclusion of Fev is an odd one.
January 1st 2012 @ 2:54am
Bruce said | January 1st 2012 @ 2:54am | Report comment
Titus
This might sound harsh but nobody considers them as great Australian sportsmen. Just so-so soccer players but definitely not legends.
January 1st 2012 @ 2:31pm
Titus said | January 1st 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Bruce, it does sound a little harsh because I consider them great Australian sportsmen and I’m sure I am not alone.
The fact that the AFL players mean nothing to me doesn’t stop me accepting that they are legends to other Australians(apologies for the unnecessary attack on Fevolas character). I understand that Ryan is primarily a Rugby League fan so I was just helping him out a little.
If being one of a handful of Australians to score a goal in the worlds biggest sporting event and being the scorer of the goal that became one of the most significant sporting moments of our generation (not to mention the fact he has played in the three biggest football leagues in the world), doesn’t qualify you as a sporting legend, then I don’t know what does.
January 1st 2012 @ 6:39am
amazonfan said | January 1st 2012 @ 6:39am | Report comment
Fevola kicked 623 goals in 204 games at an average of just over three goals a game, won two Coleman Medals, won a Michael Tuck Medal, was named All-Australian three times, and in 2008 he kicked 99 goals. He was among the all-time pure talents and he was among the best full-forwards of the 2000′s, and so I think his selection is fitting. To sum up his career as just that he ‘urinated on a restaurant’ is absurd; he was as good as, if not better than, either Aloisi or Skoko.
January 1st 2012 @ 3:30pm
The Cattery said | January 1st 2012 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
I think it’s impossible to say that Fev was as good as or better than Aloisi or Skoko, such cross-sport comparisons are difficult and are best avoided.
As Titus says, Aloisi played in the top four soccer leagues in the world and scored in a world cup game, and that’s a pretty good achievement.
Josip’s career was not as high profile, but it was a pretty good career, and being an ex-Geelong boy, I’m sure he was an AFL fan and would prefer to steer clear of code-war discussions, which are generally the province of mugs like us, most professional sportsmen don’t go for that sort of thing, and the vast majority look at their counter-parts from other sports to learn different things.
Interestingly, there are parallels with Hall and Fev, both being strong, leading full forwards (a dying breed, although Sheeds will try to turn Izzey into one), both with good goal scoring records, both got themselves into trouble, both sought redemption (only one succeeded), and both are about to try their hand at another sport aged in their 30s.
Interesting stuff – but I still don’t think Fev did enough to make a top 5 for the year, and yes, I’m probably influenced by his public fall from grace.
January 2nd 2012 @ 7:41am
amazonfan said | January 2nd 2012 @ 7:41am | Report comment
I don’t know if I agree. Ultimately I think one can make cross-sport comparisons based on the person’s contributions to their sport. So Sobers was better than Scottie Pippen, who whilst great, wasn’t as good a basketball player as Sobers was a cricketer. Regarding Fevola and Aloisi & Skoko, it’s probably tougher as their contributions to their respective sports (especially in the case of Fevola and Aloisi) were pretty similar.
However, if Aloisi & Skoko are to be included, the I don’t see why Fevola should be omitted. Which is actually my point. I wasn’t so much as getting into a cross-sport comparison, as defending Fevola’s right to be listed, since Titus though that Aloisi & Skoko should have been listed instead.
‘and yes, I’m probably influenced by his public fall from grace.’
That was disappointing. I was a huge fan of him, and putting aside that I think he was massively unfairly treated, I think it is a huge shame his career ended the way it did. He had the potential to be among the all-time great full forwards. He was a beautiful kick, was extremely talented, and had another couple of Coleman Medals in him. However, obviously it wasn’t to be. He reminds me a bit of Allen Jakovich, although Jakovich’s problems were more related to laziness and lack of application than Fevola.
December 31st 2011 @ 9:33am
JiMMM said | December 31st 2011 @ 9:33am | Report comment
I would add inot the disapointments of the year, the inablility of any commentator to mention the Kookaburras and the Queensland Firebirds in thier team of the year lists. Also how Jamie Dwyer, Matt Swan, Sally Pearson, James Magnesun dont rate a mention inplayer of the year lists (Swann in the futures list) is beyond me.
December 31st 2011 @ 10:12am
The Cattery said | December 31st 2011 @ 10:12am | Report comment
It’s a pity there wasn’t a spot for the Kookaburras.
December 31st 2011 @ 10:19am
Joe said | December 31st 2011 @ 10:19am | Report comment
I don’t think Ryan even wrote this. Because I know for a fact hes overseas at the moment and it doesn’t read like his normal stuff
December 31st 2011 @ 12:08pm
Tristan Rayner said | December 31st 2011 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
He is overseas, but wrote this ahead of his trip and we waited to publish until today. It would certainly be odd if we had someone else write the article, and then we published it under Ryano’s name.