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I've never heard a conversation about footy or cricket that I haven't wanted to join in immediately. If you disagree with me, you'll be made to work very hard to change my mind!
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It’s been a grim five years for Carlton, with an average final ladder position of 16th since 2014. Ouch.
Welcome back to another year of AFL season previews here at The Roar.
The Lightning Stakes carries Black Caviar’s name these days, in honour of Australia’s greatest sprinter.
Racing has once again been making headlines for the wrong reasons due to the Darren Weir scandal.
The Melbourne metropolitan tracks have had their spring carnivals, so Ballarat gets its moment in the sun this weekend, bringing Saturday feature racing to the country.
Melbourne spring racing hits Sandown this week, with the carnivals of Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Flemington in our rearview mirror for another year.
The racing excitement continues this weekend with action from across the country. Here’s your best bets.
It’s almost Stakes day at Flemington, the last day of the Melbourne Cup week carnival at Australian racing’s headquarters.
We’re halfway through the Flemington Melbourne Cup carnival, and Derby Day and Cup Day haven’t been the easiest cards to find a winner.
The lightly raced, emerging younger horse is on the rise from a Melbourne Cup perspective.
The Melbourne Cup. It’s not just the race that stops a nation. It’s the sporting event of the year in Australia.
Melbourne Cup day is upon us once more. From a punting perspective, it’s the toughest card of the year – 10 races, capacity fields, and horses from all over the country (and the world, for the Melbourne Cup itself) bringing different form to line up.
The biggest week of racing for the entire year awaits, and each day we get closer to the race which stops a nation.
The most exciting time for racing fans is upon us. Melbourne Cup week has finally arrived, kicked off as always by Derby Day – traditionally this has been known as punters day and what better way to look ahead and find some winners.
The VRC Derby is one of the oldest races on the Australian calendar, steeped in history going back all the way to 1855. Phar Lap won the race in 1929.
We’re on the eve of history at Moonee Valley this weekend as Winx looks to complete her awesome foursome of Cox Plate victories. Across Friday night and Saturday afternoon there are 16 races before we get to see the legendary mare, and everything else is preamble.
We’re right in the thick of the Melbourne spring carnival now, and this weekend sees Moonee Valley get their time to shine with 18 races across their Friday night / Saturday double. It’s doubtful we need to go elsewhere to find some winners.
The Caulfield Cup is one of the four majors of Australian racing, alongside the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, and Golden Slipper.
There’s some Friday-night action this week before the weekend proper gets under with a bumper Saturday of racing, where most of the attention will be focused on Caulfield.
What a huge day of racing awaits on Saturday at Caulfield.
I think McGovern is better than a third tall Brendon. I think we would see him blossom on the end of the right midfield and with more responsibility.
2019 AFL season preview: Carlton Blues
Most of the Carlton I watch is on TV Ditto, and it feels like I can go entire games without seeing Pickett.
2019 AFL season preview: Carlton Blues
All good points Macca, but a lot of things need to go right, and mid-table is a stretch. Anything outside the bottom four would be seen a huge win. That’s possible if the wheels fall off a couple of sides, which usually happens to a team or two, often unpredictably.
2019 AFL season preview: Carlton Blues
It’s a long road to hoe. They also need some luck in those draftees that want to stick around being of the highest quality. There has to be hope for each crop that comes in, and incremental gains each year.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
Tom probably makes a good point re Weller’s kicking, but a lot of footy is about being in sync with teammates – perhaps they weren’t reading him and he their leading patterns?
Probably a touch harsh with Swallow, and 2014 was a good year to win the B&F at the Suns. But he’s obviously had a lot of injuries since then, and I don’t think we can say he’s reached the same level since.
Mid-ranks, gosh, it’s almost not possible.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
You’d have to think so. I think it’s 92.5% of the cap that clubs have to pay? Think of what some Suns must be on, compared to players at West Coast, Richmond, Collingwood, Melbourne.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
Broad’s finish to the year was exceedingly poor. But there’s room for role players in any side, and he is one.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
The problem is Sammy, who are they going to get? Anyone in the prime of their career is already at a better club than the Suns, so why would they want to waste their prime by going to a basket-case? So that leaves the older players who are going up to cash a cheque, like a Malceski, or what they’ve presently got like second and third-tier jobbers. It’s going to be a bloody hard cycle to break.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
Can’t help but think of Ben King there, especially with his twin at St Kilda who they supported growing up.
The only thing the Suns are missing are Keanu Reaves as captain and Gene Hackman as coach.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
The problem is, even if they click, is that going to be enough. History says the worst sides still win 2-4 games in a year. If the Suns can even find the top end of that, they’ll have done well.
2019 AFL season preview: Gold Coast Suns
Has to be some kind of hope, given she’s a complete unknown and with that weight. Hope it was each-way, can see her filling a hole.
Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes: Preview and tips
I don’t know whether this might be too sharp for him, but if we stick with the Bull all campaign, I’m sure we’ll end up in front!
Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes: Preview and tips
Yeah, he really has. It just looks his day though, doesn’t it. I’m sure they will be positive, and in the first four. Surely no worse than 5th or 6th though.
Group 1 Orr Stakes: Preview and tips
My thoughts exactly Bush, and in fact I tweeted something to that effect over the weekend.
The parts I watched were enjoyable, and it will hopefully be great for the confidence of those that performed well. But as someone who watched a lot of the India series, for me personally this meant far, far less.
“Yeah, but it was” …the laziest cricket argument going
Of course the series against Sri Lanka should be qualified.
The fact we had one century scorer in over a year of test cricket and then have four in the one test speaks to the quality of opposition. Did our players just miraculously get that much better overnight?
And was it a coincidence that Starc finally bowled somewhere approaching his best in the final test of the summer, which we were going to win after Day 1, when all pressure was off? I doubt it.
The standard of opposition is always a qualifier when we dissect, analyze and critique sport. That’s part of being a critic or educated watcher. Otherwise, it’s just cheerleading.
“Yeah, but it was” …the laziest cricket argument going
I think if Best Solution was a true long distance stayer he would have had a crack at it before now. Clearly a high class horse, it would be interesting to see him at a WFA run over two miles I suppose.
Melbourne Cup review: The vitality of youth dominates again
I will admit, they do seem to get in pretty easily.
Melbourne Cup review: The vitality of youth dominates again
He could just be a good thing, Thinkin’ Big. I’m very keen.
The horses that filled the placings behind Alesandro at Cranbourne don’t recommend his chances, based on their subsequent runs.
VRC Derby preview and tips
Yeah, Aramayo has been great all prep really, hasn’t put much of a foot wrong. I’m a fan, and he’ll enjoy Flemington. I just think MBE is over the odds compared to him.
“Being set” for a race like the Derby doesn’t really do anything for me, given they basically all have been. I’m sure Home Ground will stay, I just think he’ll be slower than a few others.
VRC Derby preview and tips
Always hard to judge, across continents, seasons, racing styles, era’s. Some of the things Winx has done I find it hard to believe any others could match.
Moonee Valley Group 1 Previews: Cox Plate and Manikato Stakes
Thanks Peeko. I quite like the Friday/Saturday double, but I can understand those against it.
Moonee Valley Group 1 Previews: Cox Plate and Manikato Stakes
I can’t wait for the race Razzar, it’s going to be so hectic. Plenty of speed and tactics are going to be required, with quick decisions needed. He might just be too good, but I’d need $3.50 to be backing NS.
Moonee Valley: Group 1 Moir Stakes preview and tips
We’ll see! The four year olds are dominating at the moment, and I’m happy to be with them. Happy to look at some value.
Randwick Super Saturday: Previews and tips
I think it’s safe to assume I’m talking about the games he actually plays.
2019 AFL season preview: Carlton Blues