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NSW once again Australia's premier sporting state

The Waratahs reckon they can still make a fist of 2017. (AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)
Expert
21st September, 2014
17

When I was a kid, many moons ago, NSW was by far the dominant sporting state in Australia. But in more recent times, NSW has fallen from grace big time to be the butt of many jokes from Queensland, and the Vics.

And haven’t those two states enjoyed digging in the knocker’s knife at every opportunity, making NSW the ham in the sporting sandwich.

Not any more – NSW is on the brink of a major rebirth.

Leading the way are the NSW Waratahs, ending a mammoth 19-year drought by capturing their first Super title, and in the process beating the Crusaders, the most successful franchise in Super history with seven titles, and three losing finals.

The salute goes to coach Michael Cheika, who in two seasons turned a rotten NSW culture into a finely tuned and professional outfit where everyone on the roster was playing for the others.

It was fitting fly-half Bernard Foley, this year’s leading Super points-scorer, landed a monster penalty closing in on the hooter to win by a point in a magnificent game of rugby.

Just as exhilarating, NSW ended an eight-year Origin drought, beating mighty Mal Meninga’s Maroons 2-1.

The salute again goes to the coach Laurie Daley in his second year. He too changed a substandard NSW culture into a highly-tuned, professional outfit, superbly led on the field by Paul Gallen, with support right across the park.

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The bonus? With only four teams left in the NRL premiership finals being Souths, Penrith, Bulldogs, and the defending champion Roosters, a NSW team must win the 2014 NRL premiership.

The high-flying Sydney Swans are in the AFL decider next Saturday at the MCG, where every Victorian will be supporting Hawthorn to beat those ‘bastards’ from Sydney.

Tough luck Vics, the Swans will make it three of the four football codes in the same year for the first time in history.

The only code missing from the NSW grip are the Western Sydney Wanderers, who were A-League premiers in 2012-13, but runners up in 2013-14.

Coach Tony Popovic has done a phenomenal job with the newest team on the soccer block, especially from a cold start.

NSW fans can count on Popovic regaining their A-League status for a clean sweep of the football codes.

For sporting dominance caviar, NSW are the reigning Sheffield Shield champions, having to lock it away on ‘foreign’ soil at Manuka in Canberra, with their coveted SCG unavailable, hosting the Major League Baseball clashes between the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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To make it even more meaningful, NSW took out the Shield without the services of Test men Michael Clarke, David Warner, and Mitchell Starc.

But coach Trevor Bayliss, and tyro skipper Steve Smith, were the strengths behind the draw that gave NSW the Shield over Western Australia, as NSW finished on top of the ladder in regulation.

NSW is back again as the top sporting state.

NSW fans will be glad they didn’t hold their breath waiting, it’s taken a long time.

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