With 2012 upon us, it is time to look forward and see what the next 363 days hold for us sports fans.
The year 2012 will begin with a flurry of top sport in Australia, with the Test series between Michael Clarke’s men and the visiting Indians continuing, while down in Melbourne, the world’s top tennis talent will battle for the Australian Open.
The Sydney Test match will favour the Indians with its slower, less seam-friendly wicket sure to play into the hands of Tendulkar, Laxman and the like.
In the southern capital the greatest player to ever serve a ball, Roger Federer, will add another Grand Slam to his collection (despite his mauling at the hands of Djokovic in Dubai).
On the womens side, I expect the usual suspects (Wozniacki, Williams, Stosur, Kvitova, Sharapova) to go deep but I’m expecting a big run by German Julia Goerges. I’m not saying she will win it but she will go into the second week.
The NRL and AFL seasons will be around before we know it and both are shaping up to be wide open in 2012. In the NRL, defending premiers Manly have imploded during the off-season, while it will be interesting to see how the Broncos cope with Darren Lockyer’s retirement and the Dragons cope with Wayne Bennett’s defection to Newcastle.
The most stable of the top sides appears to be Wests Tigers, and if Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah can stay fit, the Tigers are my early tip (although as a a Brisbane fan I would love to see the baby Broncos go well).
Over in the AFL, my Collingwood Magpies have to deal with the heartbreak of a grand final loss, while premiers Geelong will defend their title without a number of their multiple premiership players.
Hawthorn were two minutes from a grand final appearance in 2011, but their group is getting older and more injury prone. Carlton are a side on the rise and can be expected to improve while West Coast can be expected to have another good season. They look to be the contenders and I expect (or perhaps hope) the Magpies use the pain of the grand final to spur them to a second flag in three years.
The Olympics are being held in London in the middle of the year, and if you’re game, you can already snap up the juicy odds of $1.60 on Usain Bolt winning the 100m sprint. Let’s face it, the only thing that can beat him is a ridiculous false start rule.
The EPL has a new look through the first half of the season, with Manchester City and Tottenham usurping Liverpool and Arsenal as the other half of the so-called ‘top four’. Man City have shown more than any other side so far this season, and their ability to score heavily should ensure they win plenty of matches and claim the title.
Locally, the Brisbane Roar looked like waltzing through the A-League, but their last month has left a lot to be desired and the Central Coast Mariners have emerged as the team to beat. But if the Roar can get their best squad on the park they have showed they are the best group in the competition, so I’m happy to stick with them.
Over in the NBA, the shortened season has commenced, with Miami in top form. With the same spur that Collingwood has in the AFL, I expect the Heat to go one better and win this season, with Chicago and the Lakers the main dangers.
The NFL season is almost over and appears to be a battle between New England from the AFC and the winner of Green Bay/New Orleans from the NFC.
The remaining three tennis majors of the season will see the usual suspects fight them out. Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, and Murray will dominate the men’s, while the women’s side appears a little more open, assuming Serena Williams doesn’t find peak fitness.
In golf, Rory McIlroy will go to Augusta and make up for his horrendous collapse from 2011 with a green jacket.
Well, there you have it, a somewhat thorough look at the major events of this year, and hopefully a few winners as well. Happy 2012.
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