- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Sweden's Josefine Oqvist, left, challenges Australia's Kim Carroll during the quarterfinal match between Sweden and Australia at the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Augsburg, Germany, Sunday, July 10, 2011.(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
In this line of work, the last moment you experienced always seems like the most important. On Wednesday night, I watched Darren Lockyer play his final State of Origin game for Queensland.
The legendary Maroons captain was hoisted on to the shoulders of teammates who will one day also be chaired off the same ground as legends.
It was a moment in Australian sports history that will be replayed for decades to come and it happened before my very eyes.
To say the feeling was surreal would not do it justice.
Even if you’re from New South Wales you found yourself feeling content that this future immortal received a fitting farewell from the biggest stage the game has to offer.
This may seem a little like a ‘dear diary’ entry, but I’ll arrive at my point shortly.
On Saturday, with those scenes still dancing around my head, I picked up the Sydney Morning Herald and a piece about the Matildas’ World Cup campaign caught my attention.
In it, the article claimed that if Tom Sermanni’s side made the final of the tournament it would be the biggest Australian sporting event of the year.
My initial reaction was to think nothing could top the last game of Darren Lockyer for a Queensland side breaking records with ease.
It’s a big claim, but not one that is wrong.
The only problem with a blanket claim is that everyone will have a different view.
Regardless of the result of last night’s match it’s a question worth considering because one day it could happen.
I posted the following question on Twitter.
“SMH claims that if the Matildas reach the final of the women’s world cup it’ll be the biggest Australian sporting event of the year. Discuss.”
The responses reflected two things. That sport can provide some of the greatest talking points, and that you’ll never get a group of sports fans to agree on anything.
Here’s a sample of some of the responses.
@champagnesocial wrote: “Sorry ladies, but there’s a Rugby World Cup. W’s world cup only bigger if they win and Wallabies are dumped out in the QF’s.”
@Jardz said: “Probably more correct to call it the biggest Australian achievement of the year rather than the biggest sporting event.”
@Skilbs added: “NRL and AFL premiers would be talked about more. They would have to do something spectacular to be remembered as best for 2011.”
@sammystrongarm agreed with the Herald. “It already is the biggest event on my calendar. Reaching the final is a bonus.”
@Maesy was also in favour: “For Australia as a whole yes. Wouldn’t it be the biggest event if it were the Socceroos?”
It’s easy to change this into an argument about men’s versus women’s sport, but trust me it isn’t.
It’s all about opinion, and now you get the chance to voice yours.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.