New Force Is Coming

A new sporting force is coming to the reporting world of Sporting Sport Opinions.  It comes in the presence of a sporting dream team in Bundaberg. This is a team that rivals any Football dream team that you can put together. If you are thinking of a football team assembled with the likes of Pele, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Messi, Charlton, Eusebio, Best, Cruyff, Platini, Ronaldo, Maldini & Zidane then you are far from where a dream team lies.

A true dream team is not one that is assembled with the great from different eras both present and past.  Instead I refer to a team that has dreams of where they are going. One that is yet to realise their dreams and has not been told that those dreams are impossible.  I am talking about the St Luke's/North Bundaberg Under 9 Football side.

Anfield in Full Colour

One boy already has a dream of walking out onto Anfield, proudly wearing the red of Liverpool as the Kop chant his name.  He knows that Europe is the heart of the game and in his eyes that is where his destiny lies. The halls of La Masia, the youth academy of FC Barcelona, are where this young player may one day learn his trade, in the same way that his football idol Lionel Messi learnt his.  I don't question his dreams, I don't squash his dreams. I tell him it is possible if he puts in the effort.  Will he get there?  Only time will tell.  But that is why this is a true dream team. In their minds anything is possible, so in that theory this team will be better than any team that can be assembled today.

Over the season I will be bringing the highlights of each round as this team shows the wares on the sporting field and hopefully go home after each game with the glory of sporting triumphs. Each week they will be doing their club, their school, their family and more importantly themselves proud.  They play in the spirit of the game and to the best of their ability forever improving. If past seasons are any indication, they will again be the highlight of my sporting year. By the season end this will be a team of dreamers that will be closer to being a team of champions.

NRL Contracts

Contracts in NRL.  This is, has been and always will be a major talking point in the code until the NRL takes action to address the issue. Of late it seems a contract is about as valuable as the toilet paper on which it is written and worth even less to the club that holds the current contract a player is serving.  Is there anything that can be done that will appease the general consensus or is it a task too big to tackle. Regardless of whatever action the NRL takes, there will not be total acceptance by all and sundry.  Which leaves the next best option, what is the outcome that will satisfy the majority and appease both clubs and players.  

Contracts in sport is an issue I have covered before and have very strong feelings about.  The reason I am raising it again is due to the recent signings and soon to be signings that have occurred with Dave Taylor, Beau Scott and potentially Cooper Cronk.  Good luck to the players and new clubs but what reward is there for the club that still has them under contract?  It doesn't matter what the NRL brings in to try and stop contract talk happening well before a contract expires as everyone knows that the slippery little agents that handle the players will do everything they can to maximise their players value as this directly increases their own coffers.  Agents have always been able to negotiate their way around guidelines without being caught, so imposing time-frames where a contract cannot be negotiated is out of the question.

The NRL should look no further than the world of Football on how to handle the problem.  Transfer windows. If a club wants a player, it can only make an offer during this period.  The offer is to the club though and it must pay a fee to the club on top of the contract with the player.  Once signed the player is immediately transferred. This will then reward/compensate the team that had the player.  Once signed the player would immediately need to fit into the salary cap of the new team and no longer count in the old team.  I would even take this further,  and state that the club the player first played junior football with should be given a percentage of any transfer fee.

There should be at least 2 windows of which to work.  One during the season, say after origin. To allow teams to reassess their roster due to injuries and form.  The other should be at the end of the season, once representative duties are finished.  There would obviously need to be a lot of tinkering of the finer details but it would put a stop to players signing early in a season to play with a team for the next season.  

What if a club doesn't want to release a player that wants to play for another club?  The club has the option of letting the contract run out and then the player is a free agent and the current club loses the opportunity to attain a transfer fee.  With all contracts running out at the end of the season, the player is then has to wait until the transfer window and all clubs are able to negotiate.  Those with room in their salary cap, that is.  And the club they may have originally wanted the player but chose to wait, might find they are outbid or have moved in a different direction for a different player.

This concept opens many discussion points and most will be valid.  Many will think only the wealthiest clubs will prosper, but a poorer club could work the system to their advantage as well.  Many will say a player and club have a right to sign when, where and who they want, but I would doubt you will find any company out there that allows it's employees to sign a contract with another company and still keep them on board until the current contract ends.

NRL Issues of Contention Round 4 part 1

Normally I wait until the round is over before I look back and see what really got under my skin for the round. I can tell you with good authority from my Sideline Reporter that the article was being started in my head before the first 20 minutes of the Broncos vs Souths game was gone.  It seems that both game slast night have raised very large issues that the NRL needs to take immediate action on if they are serious about the game.

Whenever Souths play you are not sure what you are going to get, what I did not expect was such an inept performance by the officials that should ensure all the men in pink have an extended holiday.  It is always good to see a referee sin bin a player for a deliberate foul.  What I don't like is when a player is sin binned for a professional foul that did not occur.  Not only was Jack Reed sin binned for a second effort on the Souths player, he didn't even do anything that warranted a penalty.  And to take things worse when there were other chances in the game for the sin bin to be used, nothing was heard from the refs.  Then you have the blocker rule.  Brisbane are penalised for blocking a Souths player on a kick.  Watch the replay and there is no attempt at blocking whatsoever. Later in the game, a Brisbane player is clearly blocked, and all the ref does is give the player a warning.  But wait there's more.  Asotasi clearly spears into the ribs of a stationary Wallace that is being held up.  Under the rules this is blatant penalty.  Reaction from ref.....silence.   Later Wallace is hit late after the tackle, something which is being penalised in every game so far.  Reaction from ref......Play on. Gillette in a tackle is clearly lifted above the horizontal and loses the ball in an effort to ensure a safe landing.  Reaction from the ref.....tackle was completed, play the ball.   There are 3 dangerous tackles mentioned with no penalty. All three are incidents that can be put on report and lead to a rest on the sidelines.  Then you have a try awarded to Souths that there is clearly a knock on at least once and the ball doesn't touch the tryline.

All this tells me that the 2 refs on the field, the 2 sideline officials and the official sitting in the grandstands are one or all of the following.  Completely incompetent, biased, on the take, under instructions or blind.  The only one i can rule out is blindness.  When a coach says the truth and makes comment the NRL doesn't like they are fined $10,000 for bringing the game into disrepute,  If they are to be consistent to this rule, then all the officials in this game should be fined for the same reason.  here is a game being held in Perth with the hopes of building the game there and the possibility of setting a team up in Perth.  The refs did nothing in this game to attract people and would have turned many off the game.  If those who follow the game are scratching their heads and pulling their hair out, what does someone new to the game in Perth think.  There will be no positives out of this game for the NRL.  The refs have tarnished the game and must pay the penalty.

Then we get to the Parramatta vs Penrtih a game.  Besides the issue of why Parramatta are paying these wannabe players the same as players at other teams who look like they can and want to play, there are serious issues with their home ground.  For the start of the season, the ground is in appalling condition and should not be used until it is suitable to do so.  If Gold Coast (another story for another day) are going broke and can still put out a good ground, then why can't this club that has money to throw around do it.

Keep your eyes posted as I am sure there will be a part two and a follow up to this one by Monday.

NRL Issues of Contention Round 3

Well here I was thinking with one game to go and not thinking there was any major talking point that really warranted any comments by myself.  I should have known better.

In the Cronulla vs Manly game, Tony Williams was reported for a dangerous throw in what I would describe as one of the worst deliberate spear tackles in a long time.  See it how you want, but Williams deliberately lifted the player and drove him down into the ground. Watch the highlights and make make your own conclusion but I will not change from mine.  With what was an obvious dangerous tackle and after being set at a grade four, I also asked the question as to why he as not sent off.  How bad does an incident need to be to have someone sent off?  Guaranteed you will see a send off for less an offence this season. Or was it for the fact that the tackle did not result in serious injury that no harsh reaction was taken.  If this is the case then the referees are playing a dangerous game as the outcome of a dangerous tackle should not alter the punishment. It is only luck that Williams did not cause a major injury.  And one cannot describe the tackle as careless or reckless, as Williams looks to have been deliberate in his efforts to lift and rotate the player.  For me this tackle should not have been graded and instead sent straight to the judiciary.  This is the sort of tackle that can end the career of a player and cause major spinal injury or worse. I will be interested to see how this one pans out over the next few days. And I am happy enough to raise the conspiracy theory - how would this be handled by the judiciary and media if the player in question was a Queenslander.  If Williams gets off lightly then you know my thoughts, if he misses a minimum 10 weeks then all is good south of the border at NRL headquarters and the judiciary.

Weekend Wrap

The Wrap is being a bit later than usual but there is a reason.  When one works, writes, draws and has a family sometimes the dedication to watching sport has me crashing early on a Sunday night.  Having stayed up late to watch the Reds (read later for my thoughts) had me struggling by dark on Sunday after sharing a few Bundy's with the Sideline reporter. Well worth it but it did mean I missed the Liverpool v Stoke FA Cup game.

Bulls On Parade

I called it early in the season, in fact back on November 18, and although it came down to the last round the Bulls rightfully earned the home final.  With a final at the Gabba you always now the best team will win, because unless it is rained out the pitch will always be top class, never a highway and always going to last the distance.

There were points where both teams had chance to set up this game for victory but like all good finals, it was always a close, nail biting tussle.  For me there were many stand-outs in this game.  First and foremost was the keeper and Man-of-the-match for Queensland, Chris Hartley.  Hartley is the most underrated keeper in this country and it amazes me that he has never been given a chance, let alone the mention by the media, for a chance to play for Australia.  His century in the first innings will go down as one of the greatest and it was the turning point of the game.  He showed the true grittiness and belief that is born and bred north of the border.  It was fitting that he was in the middle when the hitting runs were struck.

Another highlight that won't get the plaudits it deserves is the bowling of young McDermott on day one. With Tasmania winning the toss and batting it was not looking good for Queensland when the score was moving along nicely at 1/130 odd.  Qld always looked like taking a wicket but it wasn't until McDermott struck that things started to sway their way. McDermott proceeded to tear through the top and middle order and  by the time he took his fourth wicket, Tasmania had lost 6 wickets and only progressed to 6/178, losing 5 wickets for 40 runs. Cleaning up the tail quickly then ensured a deserved 6 wicket haul and left McDermott with figures of 6/54 off 24.5 overs.  Surely this performance will have the selectors having a serious look as it was not a one off performance.  McDermott has been doing this all season and improving more and more.  My call would be to replace Lee in the one-day squad and work on the future.

Hopes also had a near perfect match and with commanding first innings score and a 5 wicket haul in the second innings included the valuable wicket of Ponting (falling cheaply in both innings) he must have been in consideration for best player if he scored more in the second innings.

Yet again Queensland has a champion and it should be the first of many this year for Queensland teams.

Fabrice Muamba

This was by far the bet picture I came across.

When watching this game, I instantly knew things were not good.  When news filtered out that Muamba had suffered a heart attack at the age of 23 and was in a critical condition, it was great to see the whole world come out in support of this young player.  You do not realise how big the game is until things like this happen, and you sometime forget that the people you support and abuse on the pitch are people just like you and me.  If you question how someone so young and fit can suffer a heart attack during a game, although it is not common, it can and does happen.  I am a person that spent my whole life with the risk of this happening.   It only takes a virus or undiagnosed problem with the heart and your life can change very quickly.

All thoughts of the world and especially the football world will be with Muamba and his family at this time.

Roar Bounce Back

The Brisbane Roar still have a chance to clinch top spot in the final round after a 2-1 victory away to Newcastle.  Brisbane had many chances to blow this game away but missed penalties, woodwork and poor finishing ensured it was a close exciting game.  All Brisbane need to do now is win next week and hope the Mariners lose to claim top spot. Brisbane are starting to hit top gear at the right time of the year and just need Broich to start finding rythym and flair to be back strong. Berisha aslo equalled the all-time scoring record for the A-League and must be a certainty to break it next game.

One other incident out of the game needs to be addressed for the Roar though.   Issey Nakajima-Farran.  For some reason I have never really enjoyed watching this player, maybe it is because I think his style of play doesn't suit the Roar.  His ego is bigger than the team and his clash with his own team mate, Berisha, looked like that of a petulant child. I cannot see Issey playing in Orange next year.

Liverpool into FA Cup Semi-Final

Cannot write too much about this game, as I felt sleep was more important.  Not often I say it but there it is in print.  When I awoke though the first thing I did was to find out the result and was relieved to see a 2-1 scoreline with Suarez on the score-sheet.  A bit worried that Stoke were allowed a quick response to even it up though.  Liverpool now have to wait and see who their opponent is after Everton and Sunderland drew.  I am backing Liverpool all the way to the Final and a chance at the 2nd piece of silverware for the season.

Aussie Cricketers Abroad.

Another game I did not watch but it looks like the Australian batters are back to their consistent worst.  Our batters need to learn that with Brett Lee in the side they cannot keep getting low scores.  Lee needs a score of over 300 on the board to allow him to put pressure on the opposition.  Although he was not the only bowler to be expensive, it was no surprise to see his figures.  Although with Australia making hard work of it and making the pitch look like a bowlers paradise, maybe our bowling attack needs looking at too.  But it is only one-day cricket and the true test will come in the longer format of the game.

Super Rugby and the Refs

We seriously let this guy ref?

Super Rugby needs to sort out the officials and sort them out soon.  For me the biggest problem I have when watching rugby is the interpretation is not only differs every game but it also differs with every ref.  You can also say it differs for each team in a game.  When I saw Kaplan was officiating the Reds game I knew they would struggle to get a win.  In the officials own words two different incidents occurred in the first half within a short period and were described as dangerous play, yet only one received a yellow card.  I am not disputing the send-off of Digby Ioane, but I want to know why a player that has committed a dangerous act was not sin binned.  And watching the Rebels lose a game that had many contentious call and non-calls it is time that SANZAR looked at it's officials. And why is it that a game is not officiated by a neutral ref?  I know I bag the officials a lot but they are getting paid good money and are supposed to be the best in their field.  If this is the case, then they are just as accountable as the players an it is overdue for the media to start commentating on the facts.

Melbourne Storm And Blair

Melbourne Storm have suspended Maurice Blair for two games after he was charged by police for assaulting a woman at a night club. How stupid is this guy.  Doesn't he realise he has a brain and can use it if he chooses?  Not sure of what happened but first rule of life for men is "Don't hit woman".  If there was provocation then the bigger person walks away.  On that though, why is it that the general public can heap all the abuse they want at players and then take the higher ground.  Won't be the last time that I ramble on about this sort of incident though.


With all that is happening I am not sure I will get an NRL Issues of Contention article out this week. I will see how things look after tonight's game and go from there.

Captain Fantastic Stars For Jeckyll & Hyde

I rose early this morning hoping to watch :Liverpool win the Merseyside derby in what is usually a spiteful match.  The way Liverpool have played this year I was not sure what was to lay ahead.  Would I see the abhorrent, wasteful and at times unwatchable Hyde version of Liverpool or would it be the professional and entertaining Jeckyll that strutted out onto Anfield and turned it on for the Kop.

With early pictures of Ian Rush in the stands it looked like things might fall in place, as here is the man who last scored a hat-trick in this derby. For the first half hour though it was looking like the same old story for Liverpool.  Plenty of chances and nothing to show for it.  Was it going to be another frustrating day where everything hit the woodwork and one simple error would cost the game.  When the moment happened though, I knew this was going to be a great day for the club.  Many players panic when the ball lobs at their feet but what happened from the moment it was struck by Gerrard's left boot, it was clear today was going to be something special.  Instead of belting it as hard as he could and hoping nothing got in the road, he saw clearly and perfectly lobbed the ball with deft touch over the top of the defence and into the net.  

With a 1-0 lead at half-time there was still plenty of work to do to ensure that Everton were no chance for glory.  Everton showed the odd chance but realistically never looked like they were going to ruin the day.  What transpired in the second half will go down in folk lore at Anfield and is something that the fans have been screaming out for all season.  It only took six minutes into the second half for Gerrard to get on the score sheet again finishing off the great lead up work by Suarez with a thumping finish to make it 2-0.  And then in injury time Saurez created the chance yet again for Gerrard with great skill and an unselfish pass to Gerrard who sealed the victory with the first hat-trick against Everton since Ian Rush in 1982.

This is the Liverpool that the fans know exist and want to play. This may be the game they needed to spark them into top gear.  If they take this form and excitement forward it can only get better.  

NRL Issues of Contention Round 2

Another week and more talking points in the NRL.

The first might not be too popular with the Mango fans but unfortunately he is on the hitlist for points of contention.  Matt Bowen is a class player but his late knees into the back of Yow Yeh surely will have the judiciary having a closer look.  What I cannot understand is why it was not penalised on the ground.  I can assure you that if Billy Slater did the same thing it would have been instantly penalised and it been the talk of League all week.  Especially if he did it in an origin game.  No-one likes to see 8 point tries, but also no-one wants to see a player seriously hurt by a late hit that is not warranted and can be avoided. 

The second point of contention would be forward passes.  Besides the fact that most officials miss most and call too many that are not forward passes, it is which ones the always miss and the commentators take on forward passes.  Most forward passes are call in attack and are when the ball is being passed to a centre of winger en route to a try. Yet most that are missed are from a team in their own half and the pass is from the dummy half.  And then there is the player who always seems to throw a forward pass and this is where the commentators come into action.  It seems that no matter where Benji Marshall throws the ball it is "magical" in the eyes of Phil Gould, Ray Warren and the likes. I cannot recall a game where they have said his passes should be called back.  Every game you will see Marshall throw no look passes that are clearly forward and are never called.  Watch another player do it and listen to the commentators scream down the house if it is not called and leads to a try.

And this leads me on to the final point of contention that isn't quite NRL related but it is close enough due to the idiots on Channel Nine.  It is great to see the Queensland Cup get the recognition and have coverage on commercial television but if it is at the cost of the commentators on Nine then send it back to the ABC.  With the ABC you knew you were always going to get good coverage by men that knew the game, not a fool that likes to hear his own voice.  Why is it that the commercial stations are like political parties?  They continually serve up the same idiots and think that everyone wants to listen to them and the job they are doing is top rate.  And if going to radio commentators like Ray Haddley is the direction they are thinking the it could be even worse.

Weekend Wrap

Another weekend gone and another wrap to write.  With so much sport happening it is amazing that I don't have plenty of thoughts running through my head that I want to put down on paper, well little pixels that make up letters on the screen would be more correct.  I will leave all references on NRL to a separate post.

Liverpool Look Out of Depth

Never thought I would be so negative but Liverpool are playing like they should be at the bottom of the table fighting relegation.  Nothing seems to be going right for them and there seems to be a total lack of cohesion in the team.  When it comes to creating and finishing off chances it all falls apart.  Those with more in depth knowledge of Liverpool will have their opinions of what is wrong and it is not hard to find negative articles.  Sacking the coach is not one and turning on the club is not an answer either.  But at some point Kenny Dalglish needs to realise that some of the so called potential stars are not that.  Or if they are potential stars then obviously they are not deserving of starting spots. Or is there other forces in play? Have Liverpool given up on the top four and focusing purely on the FA Cup.  Which ever way Liverpool go, there may not be too many more late nights for me this season with the performances I am seeing.  But my wife will attest that regardless of performance I will always watch Liverpool play if it is possible.

Roar Lacklustre

Brisbane roar have missed another golden opportunity with Central Coast mariners going down in Perth.  On that, the Roar were lucky not to lose themselves in what was a very ordinary, sluggish and mediocre performance.  They managed to dominate performance but it was the poor passing and slow speed with or to the ball that really cost them in this game.  Both teams were coming off midweek games but at least the Roar didn't have to travel all over the world to back up.  Broich is playing under obvious injury and his effort on goal were as bad as I have seen from my under 9's.  Hopefully this is just a one off bad game for the Roar but any more performances like this and the starting team could be looking for a shuffle.  I also notice many comments during the game blaming the pitch for the injury to Brattan, but watching highlights it was clearly due to the late hit by Malik that for some reason the ref deemed was not worthy of a card.  Yes the pitch was bad and if three games are going to be played over a weekend the Roar should be the first of the three, but do not blame the pitch for an injury that is caused by a reckless player.

Reds Win Another Tight Game

The commentators will have you believe the Rebels were unlucky not to defeat the Reds on the weekend.  But then while the commentary team is made up of the likes of Greg Martin this will always be the case.  Yet again it was forgotten that the Reds actually scored a try to nil and if not for continual double standards in the officials take on play then it would have been a lot bigger margin.  In fact it was so inconsistent even the Rebels were bemused at stages when they got penalised for things they were getting away with earlier.  My sideline reporter will be adamant in his confirmation that the assistance that the Rebels and other Australian teams get when they play the Reds is why they struggle in New Zealand and South Africa.  If these teams want to be taken seriously then they need to learn how to win without the help of beneficial calls and biased commentary, stand on their own two feet and win the games they shouldn't win.

Bulls Earn Home Final

With many different outcomes possible for the Final make-up, it was only fitting that the Bulls smashed the Redbacks and with Western Australia faltering, earnt the right to host the final.  Overall the Bulls have been the dominant force in the Shield and the start to the year, had everyone believing they would host the final. A few hiccups after Christmas which we are used to with Queensland, should be out of the memory now with our bowlers yet again showing what got Queensland on top.  I am backing McDermott to have a big game and show the Australian selectors why Queensland were thankful that they didn't look at him in the same light as other young bowlers who wear caps of a blue colour.  It is this time of year that I miss being in Brisbane and would be there this weekend if possible.

Mckay Stars For Australia

Australia managed to win the final that on many occasions looked impossible. With the middle order failing yet again it was on the shoulders of the bowlers to win the game.  The bowlers stepped up to the mark, but with Brett Lee giving the Sri Lankans plenty of opportunity to win the game.  If not for the great bowling by McKay, Watson and Christian, Australia would have been drowning their sorrows.  Even though Lee took early wickets and a wicket in his last spell, it was his economy that should have selectors seriously considering telling Lee his services are no longer required.  But Lee cannot be solely blamed for the poor performance and the efforts of McKay, Watson and Christian with the ball should not be forgotten.  Between them they bowled 24.5 overs conceding only 62 runs and taking 7 wickets, 5 of which were taken by McKay.  McKay was the deserved man-of-the-match but it was the combined efforts of the three that ensured victory for Australia.

Early on Australia were looking like posting a very competitive score and after 20 overs were 1/112.  Even when losing Watson a score over 250 should have always been the minimum, but as is the recent form of the Australian batting, the middle order wasted a good platform and the innings was saved by the lower order.  At the end though a score of 231 just looked too small after Sri Lanka easily accounted for Australia in the last game.

You never know though how it will pan out but after four over from Lee and Doherty it looked like yet another loss for Australia.  Lee might have taken 2 early wickets but his control is a deep concern for a team that is trying to attest to the advantage they are giving the opposition in the first fifteen overs.  If not for McKay it would have been a different story.  Even having taken the key wickets of the top order, Sri Lanka were coasting along and keeping the runs ticking along, not needing to do anything rash.  McKay in combination with Watson and Christian had worked the run rate required to over six an over and the pressure was mounting on Sri Lanka.  All that pressure was relieved though when Watson inexplicably gave the ball to Lee. 6 balls later, twelve runs of the over and the run rate is back in the favour of Sri Lanka.  Brett Lee is on his way to giving the game away. In his next over Lee has taken a crucial wicket but at the cost of another 11 runs.

Now Sri Lanka need under 5 1/2 and over and were in a position to win the game.  Thankfully Lee was taken out of the attack and with the cool and calm finishing of Watson and McKay, Australia were able to go on and win a very tight game that at most stages they never looked like they were going to win.  Finally Australia have showed the nerve and ability to win a good close game with the ball and this should give them plenty of confidence.  It is time though for the selectors to reassess where they are going with this team and it's make-up. Is the chopping and changing of players affecting the team? And are the batsmen batting in the correct position?  Should we be looking to bring in new players, rather than sticking with the old brigade?

2nd ODI Final

I wonder how many Australian fans ended up changing channels or turning the TV off after what is one of the worst bowling efforts by Australia.  I hate to say it but the effort that was put in makes me wonder if any of the players deserved their match payment.  Whilst there was some good points to the game, there were too many negatives.  The batting had two centuries but was still well short of what should have been achieved and the effort on the field was inept all-round.

Before I get into the bowlers and captain for Australia, I will first highlight yet again inept umpiring.  McKay was denied a wicket after the umpire called for a replay to see if he overstepped. I have no problem with the wicket being denied, what I do have a problem with is the umpire in this situation.  If it wasn't a wicket taking ball, the umpire has admitted that he would not have called it a no-ball. This then raises the obvious question. How many no-balls are not called? This has been an ongoing problem this summer and I cannot see it improving. It makes it even worse when on numerous occasions Australia has taken a wicket and the umpire checks for a no-ball and it is not even close to being one.

Back to Australia though. Why is it that Australia are struggling to score runs early? Constantly our top order is meandering along, losing a couple of early wickets and then trying to do it all in the last 10 overs.  Not much point in leaving it until the end though if the batsmen who take most of the time in the middle don't score at a decent rate.  It makes it more important too, knowing that our bowlers are not able to keep the runs down.

Yet again Australia's bowlers have shown that they do not know how to change up their pace and bowl the right line in one day cricket. It is that or Clarke does not know how to place the field to his bowlers. Most of Sri Lankas runs were scored in the Quadrant from keeper to point. Clearly this shows bowling wide and short off stump and no protection.  If this was the tactic then it went horribly wrong.  A lot of talk lately has been about Australia's trouble in bowling the last ten overs but I think Australia is losing the game in the first fifteen with both bat and ball.  When you give the opposition a 40-50 runs advantage at the start it is always going to be hard to claw it back.

If Australia don not go on to win the third game then the selectors seriously need to look at the team make-up and see where they went wrong.  And the answer is not to go back to what they changed from.

NRL Issues of contention Round 1

Round one of the NRL for 2012 is not yet over and there are already contentious issued that need to be sorted out by the new Commission as soon as possible.

The first talking point is one that I have previously raised and is one I will not let up on until it is changed. That is  "Golden Point" extra time.  In the first round there have already been 2 games decided this way and the second between the Tigers and Sharks puts into perspective why it needs to be changed.  The Tigers were able to get into a position to kick a field goal, thanks to an incorrect call by the refs and sideline officials.  The Sharks were penalised for being in an offside position from the kick after a charge down.  Unfortunately this is not a penalty and the NRL courtesy of Bill Harrigan have admitted that this was the wrong call.  What this wrong call did though was affect the result of the game. Will the two points make a difference at the end of the season?  I still put it to the NRL that if they want extra time, then have the full allotted time played out so the better team wins, not the team that is the luckiest.  Yes I agree that bad decisions during the normal course of the game but it is exaggerated more in extra-time as many refs will not blow the whistle at all if a team is in an attacking position and that penalty can decide the game.  It makes it more frustrating that there were four officials on the field and one in the stands and not one of them knew the rule.  Also no comments were made by the commentators as well.  Surely the NRL and broadcasters ensure that their staff are up on the rules and know them back to front to ensure that they don't end up with egg on their face the next day.

The second talking point is diving or feigning injury.  Scott Prince denies it but the way he stayed down after the hit, be it late or not, was only done to milk a penalty.  If he was as injured as he showed or claimed then he would not have been in a position t then kick the penalty, it seems the Titans have possession of the magic sponge.  NRL markets itself as a tough game, surely this is a line it does not want to go down.  If it does, it has to expect the criticism that gets levelled at football (soccer) players and AFL players that will hit the floor at the drop of a hat if they think there is a penalty in it. 

Thirdly and last of all is the hit Frank Pritchard is on report for.  Now the so-called experts are saying that they think it is a fair hit and the penalty on the field is sufficient. It should not matter how a hit is done if the contact is high it is a high shot. At no point did Pritchard try and wrap his arms in the tackle, which is an indication that it was a front on shoulder charge.  If a player wants to tackle with their shoulder then they run the risk of the penalty if it goes wrong. If he gets off and this is what Canterbury are pushing for, then the club must go the whole season without complaining about any similar incident that injures one of their players.  With Hasler coaching though, I find it impossible to believe that the Bulldogs won't be doing any complaining.

You may not agree with my points and I respect your opinion, that being the case if you disagree with what I have raised, explain the reason and be accept that I may not agree.

Weekend Wrap

Sport is well and truly kicking at the moment especially now that the NRL is under way.  Plenty of great results over the weekend and a few talking points as well. The first talking point though will be one that will not get much media exposure.

Another trophy for the Cabinet

Queendland Firebirds Dominate

The Queensland Firebirds travelled over the Tasman for the ANZ pre-season tournament at Tauranga and the expectation was good but the main thing was to ensure not only a solid performance but to try a few different combinations and tactics and come back with no serious injuries. The Firebirds managed to not only do that but have put out a warning to all the teams that they will be the force again in 2012 and are in a good position to go back t back.

Undefeated for the tournament with 3 wins and a draw in the round robin fixtures culminated in a comprehensive 50-30 defeat over the Melbourne Vixens.  The Firebirds are now perfectly poised to head into the season proper and defend their title.  Such a commanding performance on top of last year will have every team wary of the Firebirds who will now have the mental advantage before they even hit the court.

NRL is Under Way

The NRL season has started and fans have had a chance to see how their team and new signings look for 2012.  First point of contention for 2012 is Golden Point.  Is it fair taht a team wins through luck rather tahn skill.  In extra time, rarely will you see a ref give a penalty that will result in a team kicking for a goal.  Yet a ref will give a penalty without question to a team to piggyback down the field to set up for a field goal.  If the NRL wants a result every game then it should look at extra time in the way it is designed.  Why not play out the fully allotted time allowed for extra time and the team in front at the end is the winner.

Brisbane showed that life after Lockyer is not as bad as the media built it up to be and never let the Eels look like they could win the game.  Poor old Parrramatta might soon find out that Sandow is not the wonder buy of the season.  As for the Broncos though the forward pack is what is going to make them a formidable team this year. They tackled hard, missed few tackles and still have plenty of improvement to come.  

I didn't watch the Panthers v Bulldogs game but managed to catch the highlights and in particular the hit Pritchard put on Simmons.  Looks like Pritchard will be the first player to be sidelined by the judiciary this year and if not then the new Commission has some work to do. The Panthers have come out of the game with a few injuries and it might be long year if that trend continues. I did catch the Cowboy v Titans game and saw one of the worst Cowboys performances to date.  Will be a long season for the Cowboys if they can't hold the ball.  The Titans were a vast improvement of last year but with all the possession they got in opposition territory, they really should have blown the Cowboys away.  Only game one though and plenty of game to go.

The Storm were lucky to get away with a victory and Canberra should be kicking themself for not getting the win.  Canberra should know that the Storm will always think they can win and showed why.  Although if not for the freak, Slater, the result would have been the other way round.  And after watching the games today I will stand by the following comment.  If you think the cricket commentators are bad then don't watch channel nine's coverage.  It is a totally self serving biased coverage that only wants a team they support to win.  If you want unbiased commentary watch the game but listen to ABC Grandstand for the truth of what is happening.  If you don't believe me then get a copy of the Broncos vs Eeels game and wait for the moment when Ray Warren admits that he wasn't watching the game and refused to make a comment on what happened.

Liverpool Needs Help

After the glory of the Carling Cup victory that they struggled to win and made hard work of they yet again showed that they can control the possession, create the chance but lack the final touch. I am a diehard fan of Liverpool and will never change allegiance like many of the fairweather fans that follow the current champion teams.  It is time that Liverpool started laying for the fans like myself and showed the commitment on the field. Talk after the game is one thing but a player will always be judged by what he achieves on the field.  If Liverpool are serious about making the top four then they need to start playing like a team in the top four.  Signings are important but it is better to say you made a mistake in  signing and let them go then to stick with them hoping they will shine.  As for the continued abuse that gets hurled at a certain player I can only put those in one category.  HYPOCRITES.  You are no better than what you complain about.  If you want forgiveness and respect you have to give it,

The Queensland Reds Run Supreme

Two games gone and the Reds are two from two.  The media and Greg martin (sorry Greg but after last nights game you have shown your new colours) want nothing more than to see any other team but Queensland to be the number one team, but thankfully for Rugby it is not happening.  Even without the magical touch of Quade Cooper, the Reds are showing that back to back is more than a possibility. If the other Australian teams want to take over this mantle then they need to look at how they play with the ball rather than the tactics they use to get the ref to help them over the line.  And if being the reigning champions is not enough for the Foxsports commentators then you can see why Australia will not be a force.  Rugby is strong with our without SYdeny and it is time that that part of Australia realised it.  As for Greg Martin, you can keep hi,.  He returned home and still couldn't find much acknowledgement for this team.  Marto needs to look at Beau Robinson, here is a man that wasn't wanted by NSW, came north ans is now the best player that couldn't play in the World Cup.

Twitter Quotes for those who don't follow:

@bentapuai you little bewdy. You better thank @beaurobbo for that one though.

Response from Ben Tapuai  - Robbo from dubbo is the man RT @MichaelDrewett: @bentapuai you little bewdy. You better thank @beaurobbo for that one though.#REDvFOR

Love it. Radike the flying fro intercepts and scores a brilliant try.@Reds_Rugby #REDvFOR

FINAL NOTE

This is for the sideline commentator.  It happened today and it happens on most days we watch sport. I make call and well after the fact it is noticed by the commentators or is totally missed.  These commentators are well paid and I am sure that I am not the only one out there with the feeling that is is a time for change.  Just looking at the mugs of the idiots in the box, you know they are not paid for their looks.  So why are they paid for their comments? I don't care what someone may have achieved on the field, if they can't call a game as it is then don't call it.  If you are going to be biased then they need to state it up front.  Anyone that knows me knows I am parochial to the teams I support and I stand proud.  I cannot attest to a commentator that won't admit their bias or changes it to suit their contract.

More Ads in the NRL?

Darren Lockyer is a legend of the game but unfortunately he has started his career on the sidelines in the wrong way.  On the sidelines for the Eels vs Broncos game Lockyer acquitted himself well and was a nice change from the idiotic ramblings of Fittler and Johns that we are usually subjected to.  Although having Rabs and Gould is still something that needs to be addressed, maybe a rant for another day.

But when I read that Lockyer had stated:

"It's in the interest of players, spectators, coaches and everyone interested in the game to be open to making small concessions in the way our game is played.  The game's integrity would not be affected if the next TV rights deal caters for ads when there are line drop-outs or even scrums. Teams are already permitted 40 seconds to restart play with a line drop-out. That's ample time for a 30-second ad to be shown."

Maybe this is the perfect example of how out of touch the game is with the spectators.  As it is Channel 9 bombards us with ads as much as they can and continually self promotes it's programs via the commentators and as part of it's coverage gives blanket coverage for betting organisations throughout the coverage.  Almost every game there will be parts of a game missed due to an ad running over or some fool in the control box deciding to show a replay while the play continues.

To give open licence for ads to be shown at every stoppage will make for poor viewing.  Take for example a drop-out, the team has forty seconds to take the kick. If you allow for an ad to be run in this space then no replay will be shown of how the drop-out came about.  And what if a team decides it only wants to take 10 seconds, or will the Ref be forcing the team to wait until they get the all clear from the broadcaster. If a replay is shown, how much of the game will be missed?  It is the same situation with a scrum.  Any time an incident happens that causes a stoppage in play the spectators wants to see a replay of what happened.  Take away this opportunity and that only leaves half and full-time.  As it is this period is overloaded with ads and most contentious points are not discussed or shown.

Further to the point, if you allow a policy where an allotted amount of time is to be made for stoppages in play, watch how many teams start using this as a deliberate tactic to waste time.  If a station wants to show an event live then the consequence of that is less ads during game play.  The game cannot have it both ways.  Yes the game needs it's sponsors and ads are part of that, but it should never be at a cost of the game.

NRL director of football operations, Nathan McGuirk has stated:

"We have completed a statistical analysis of the current breaks in play and how they could be adapted to ensure broadcasters have the ability to show ads in-game. We are conscious of the need to not disrupt the flow of the game or spoil the experience for fans watching the game live."

It seems clear that the NRL really doesn't understand the fans that watch the game live on TV.  Any fan will tell you that an ad during play disrupts the flow and on most occasions the first tackle or kick off is missed by the time coverage returns.  If the NRL was in touch with the spectator they would be enforcing to the broadcasters that if any live play is missed due to an ad break then it comes at a penalty.  Any money from the ad that infringes should be forward to grassroots football or charity.  This is the forward thinking that the NRL should be looking at. Instead the NRL wants to give more licence to a broadcaster that already has too much control over game schedules and times.