As the others mentioned above the composure and maturity from Tora was truley impressive. She seemed relaxed, took everything in her stride and was very modest in a great gold medal victory. Good on you girl, you’ve done Australia proud!

Sorry Jay…. Mortimer and Mateo will remain Eels! Dont worry though the Dogs can always try and lure Anasta & Mason back 😉

Great rundown sportsfan!

I think the tigers will do well this season, as someone else mentioned Sheens job may be on the line. I’m expecting good things from Moltzen this year.

As most have suggested, i think Souths will be the big movers this year, but it’s not just due to their new signings, in my opinion it’s the services of John Lang that will catapault them towards the top. He is an excellent 1st grade coach.

I dont see Manly making the final 8 this season.

What makes this event special is the fact that this is possibly the strongest card the UFC has produced outside American shores and they’ve given it to us first time round. Wouldnt be surprised if in the future we 1-2 regular shows a year.

The first two deaths in MMA happened in unsanctioned events. Tragically Douglas Dedge was the first man to die in an MMA event in the Ucraine. Dedge couldnt pass medical requirements to fight in the USA due to an existing heart condition, thus he went abroad. He went against advice from trainers,training partners and doctors.

These type of circumstances should not tarnish a sport, MMA has only one death at a sanctioned event and the fighter was 35yo, In a twenty year history thats not too bad. The old cliche is more people die playing cricket than in MMA.

Also a cage is a much safer option as opposed to the boxing ring. If we’re talking about bad images for the sport in Oz, we dont need images of opponents being punched and kicked out of the ring, or KO’ed opponents disturbingly dangling off the ropes which was seen from time to time in the old Pride days.

It’s always going to a sport of controversy, it still is illegal in some American states, but it’s slowly winning people over and strict sanctioning and regulations will move it forward. The UFC has evolved rapidly to protect the image of MMA as a safe sport. Victoria will have it’s day in the sun, it’s just a matter of when.

Sorry Mick gotta disagree with you buddy, the key once again is gonna be in the forwards. The teams that were able to stall the momentum of the Dragons forward pack and pressure the halves were the most sucessful. If the forwards arent steam rolling the opposition, the saints are struggling. I’m not sold on Soward for the exact reason you mentioned, when the Saints have all pistons firing he’s great, when the Saint’s are on struggle-street he is quite ordinary.

Panthers are my dark horse, the closer you look it’s hard to discount any team though if they can pull it together as we’ve seen the Panthers, Tigers & Eels do in past years.

I still have a feeling one of these years Canberra are going shock everyone with a blistering run into the eight, the talents there, every season they go through these patches knocking off a few of the top teams in a row, only to stumble again to miss the 8. Very hot and cold, but when they’re hot…..

Then theres the Roosters, hard to discount any team couched by Brian Smith, may not happen over night but i can near guarantee that teams gonna be moving in a positive direction within the next two seasons.

I’d just like to add that the emergence of the pink cricket ball has McGrath’s name written all over it!!

………You’ve taken it too far this time Glen!! 🙂

Completely agree with the pitches The Bush. In years past the pitches gave each ground their own personality, of late most of the grounds seem almost generic, we’re basically seeing the exact same style of cricket played at every ground. As you mentioned each ground posessed it’s own set of challenges, that brought along with it anticipation. If a touring side brought a quick over with a reputation you’d be licking your lips at the prospect of seeing him storming in at the WACA. Sydney was quite quick for the first day, but towards the end still had plenty for spinners and medium paced swingers/seamers, Bellerive offered a little something for everyone. This is where test cricket is stuggling with it’s identity, not due to the rise 20/20, not the time it’s played and not the colour of the ball.

Great news about the tri-series, i’ve watched most matches this season but must admit i’ve been left quite confused due to the roster of the touring teams.

Just on the other topics…..

Brett i completely agree with you on the Afrdi situation, such a small penalty for such an obvious attempt at cheating is a joke, if there were a time to make an example against ball tamperers it should have been then.

I must admit i was unaware of the next T20 world cup in the Carribean, just hadnt even thought about it being so soon since the last one (even the speed they put together the first one took me by surprise). It is and international cash-cow and because this (as anouther roarer pointed out) you cant help but feel the greedy hands clambering to get their own stake in it. There is too much already, but to completely cut international T20 is not the way to go. With all respect someone like David Warner is a T20 specialist and performs much better in this form of the game than the other two, he is actually probobly one of the best in the world at that format, i wouldnt like to deny someone in his position a chance to represent their country. I think two internationals a summer would be fair without imposing on the other forms, after all the is going to be a demand for it.

Agreed, something needs to be set up in local areas for most poular Australian sports. The grey area seems to appear when physical sports are mentioned. But to say to a child “your not allowed to play the sport you love because you’re a girl” is far more damaging to thier self-esteem than any bumps and bruises they might sustain on the field.

Totally agree Steve, he never lived upto the hype (even in the early days). In essence he “Sonny Billed” himself, i’m sure alot of the egotestical nonsence of late came from his manager as Hansie suggested, but in the end he only had himself to blame. A man his size should have been steam rolling over people his entire career. Imagine if he had the heart and courage of a Gary Larson or a Webke….the man would be unstoppable! But unfortunately he’s not that kind of player.

Hang on a minute Dogz! I thought Canberra were the premier reform team in the comp? 🙂

You know what as much as i dislike the guy, i actually starting to feel a little sorry for Willie, because in a way he’s really become a scapegoat for an entire sport. While the incidents he’s been involved in are far too frequent for my liking, most of them are petty misdeamours resulting from a stupid night on the booze. It’s the hipocrisy of the NRL and the media that annoys me, the fact they choose to immortalise one player, while crucifying another.

Wendell Sailer – Has had a couple of nightclub instances in his time, beat up a truck driver in a roadrage incident, switched codes recieving a free ticket into the Wallabies along the way, tested positive to cocaine resulting in a 2 year ban, after a very ordinary RU career he returns to the NRL and gets a heroes farewell season at the dragons and a position at channel nine to boot.

Brett Steward – The morning after an end of year function for the Manly Sea Eagles Steward is arrested for sexual assault of a 17yo female, he is later charged. Despite this Manly refuse to discipline Steward and his eventual suspension (4 weeks, disgraceful isnt it?) only comes to fruition due to pressure from David Gallop. The first 4 rounds of the season are awful from the former premiers failing to win a single game, Steward returns in round five and scores 3 tries to secure thier first win of the season. The crowds cheered him, the media praised him, i however was just plainly digusted to see him even on that field.

Anthony Watmough – The same night as the Steward incident, he assualts a sponser who approached Watmough in regards to indecent behaviour towards his daughter. Watmough is not charged and recieves a slap on the wrist fine from the club.

Tod Carney – Enough alcohol fuelled incidents involving police to fill up a skip bin this fella. If Big Willie has been dropped for being a dickhead, i’d like to see the reason for giving Carney another chance.

I dont think he’s a liability as much as he’s just a complete knucklehead prone to do stupid things. No way is Mason in the same league as the Julian O’Niells and the John Hopoates, but at times i think he’s judged just as harshly as these guys.

I’ve stuck up for you Willie, so dont bollox it up at the Cowboy this season big fella 🙂

Couldnt agree more Mick. Always thought Tongue was made for origin, not the prettiest player in the world, but by god you’d have to drag him off the field half dead and unconsious before he gave up.

I personally think with the introduction of the technology avaliable of late, has actually shown how consistent the umpires are. Most of the time they’re right and very rarely is there a shocker that they have had to overturn.

While i agree that neutral umpires is the way to go…..

As far as im concerned, the cricket umpires are some of the most fair/impartial officials in any international sport i’ve seen at this moment in time (sorry but i cant vouch for 20+ years ago). The fact is that these umpires dont just deserve respect, they’ve earned it through being impartial and accurate, precisely the reason why they’re umpiring at this level.

I’ve seen no decisions during the current series that warrant the rant that you have put forth here, if you choose to bring up the Darrel Hair issue (which to me is dead and buried) then by all means do so…. but clarify your argument against him and back it up solid examples, not hypothetical theories about certain bowlers recieving favouritism from certain umpires years ago, The saga between Hair and the ICC was far from one sided.

……and what the hell the Channel 9 commentary team have to do with the umpiring …i have no idea!?!

I think for a player that has been around for so long, he at times lacks maturity with the bat in the test match form of the game. I understand the style of batsman he is, but many times he’s thrown his wicket away when his team has needed him to knuckle down and accumulate a decent score.

Especially if people want him to be captain in that form of the game, he needs to step up and lead by example in all areas.

Its seems such a shame, i have heard of the desperation of players to stay at the club. Players offering paycuts to keep Kingston there under the salary cap is a prime example.

Who will give up their spot for Tahu? All the backs were in great form at the end of last season and the combinations of Reddy/Growthe and Inu/Burt were doing great. Dont see any of them as bench players either.

Critisism of Maradona was not unfounded, with the calibre of players at his desposal Argentina really should have qualified more comfortably, in the end Uraguay had a good chance of knocking the Argies out.

That said, they’re in now. Hope they stick with Maradona, never agreed with him being couch in the first place but he’s brought them this far now and im sure he’s a couch the players will passionatly rally behind.

Look out for Chilie as a live underdog in the WC. They ripped it up during qualifiers.

I’m very much the same.I caught some of the matches that were broadcast from the womens world cup a few years and was genuinally impressed at the level of physicality shown by the players made it very entertaining. Also the lack diving/crying and carrying on in general was very refreshing.

Football globally has some negative characteristics that cant seep too much into this competition for it to be a success. Soccer fans may see these antics as just part of the game, but to the people they’re trying to convert into soccer fans will only see such behaviour as unprofessional, or dare i say unaustralian.

What about 7’s commitment when it comes to LIVE broadcasting? The daily news is one thing…..but Today Tonight? cmon thats digraceful. If they commited to show the start of that match, they should commit to the complete broadcast.

If Stosur had won that match, there would have been many more complaints and i’m sure a less defiant stance from channel 7.

I’ve had the same problem with the cricket, to avidly watch it from the start, only to have the broadcast cut at the climax of an innings (somewhere in the last 10 overs) for the news, theres nothing more frustrating. Especially when there seems to be no logical why they cant annouce the night before that the news is getting bunted back 1/2 an hour for a live sports broadcast. To me thats showing commitment to both programs.

Great game, Milan unlucky not to score during the 20min onslaught at the start of 2nd half.

Fair chunk of the Brazilian national team were on the pitch during that match, lol

I know a few people who consider this the worlds greatest derby, but i’d probobly go with Celtic/Rangers too. Liverpool/Everton is always big, Boca Jnrs/Riverplate is massive in S.America. The most insane derby that comes to mind is definately Zenit St Petersburg vs Spartak Moscow, truly mindblowing.

As for the island origin, at this stage i simply dont see the Kiwi’s embracing it enough for the NRL to deem a perminant fixture. I’d like something akin to the opening ceremony of the last world cup, with 3 games for the day for an affordable price, something like that each offseason.

Loved the Aboriginal vs Mauri game, could also have an Australian Schoolboys vs NZ Schoolboys, try and get PNG in there somewhere….hell even a women’s RL game i’ll enjoy to watch. I like the idea of promoting the other faces of the sport, i’m sure people would come and surely wouldnt be a far stretch to organise something like this once a year.

Just out of curiousity hutch…..

in a team such as Melbourne, who would you delegate as the marquee player? Inglis, Slater, Smith, Cronk? Such a plan would only result in petty arguments and more players jumping ship overseas.

Why should players like Hayne, Hindmarsh & Foi make an absolute bucket load of extra money from sponsers whilst players such as Cayless, Reddy and Inu dont because they are less marketable?

No good can come of it.

I think Aamer is packed full of potential, really hope he does well. I’ve had big raps on the young Kiwi Southee since he’s bobbed up on the scene too, i think both those guys could be very successful on the world stage in the future.

Not to mention origins, its a pretty well known fact that the sub-continent has very spin friendly pitches. Murali would have played a good chunk of his carrer in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangledesh. The same can be said about Australia’s fast bowlers, it’s one of the main reasons i think we’re so formidble at home. But given the pitch conditions in the last two campaigns in England, it’s fair to say they all struggled to some degree and their stats as a result would certainly been a little less flattering than usual. I think Warnie was one of those rare players that could something to work for him in most conditions.