Weekend Wrap

Has much happened in the world of sport? It all depends on what you follow and how much interest you take in sport. There is always plenty happening and it what I write about may not cover it all.

Quade is Back

The Reds have copped a lot of criticism along with the rest of the Australian sides from foreign quarters yet with another win on the weekend, the Reds are priming at the right end of the season. Queensland also welcomed back Quade Cooper who played the first half before being rested at half time, which was always in the plans. It did not take long for Cooper to get back into the groove of Super Rugby. All season, the Reds have been missing that extra flair and also the bullet, crisp long passes that Cooper can place perfectly onto the chest of a fellow team-mate.  His presence with the ball also gets the defenders in two minds and on the back foot and the Brumbies will be in for a tough game next week when the Reds continue their run to get back to the top of the conference.  More credit though should be given to the Reds forward pack who continually stop and push back the opposition in defence and make strong metres in attack, laying the ground work for so many attacking movements.  The only negative from the game which needs highlighting is why an official will continually call players out for illegal tactics yet rarely call advantage or blow the whistle, yet when the other side does the same there is no hesitation. All fans want is consistency regardless of the standard of calls.

Firebirds Win Again

The Queensland Firebirds have now had three wins on the trot after holding on for a narrow 1 point win over the Southern Steel in New Zealand. Although I did not watch the game, it seems obvious the Firebirds are getting back into the form that saw them as the dominant team last year. Although of to a slow start the Firebirds are working their way back up the ladder and will be pushing into the top four if they can keep the momentum going. The only worrying thing for the Firebirds will be the final quarter fade out that made what should have been a comfortable win,, closer than it should have been.  

Champions League Final

A small mention to Chelsea for claiming their first Champions league title with a penalty shootout victory over Bayern Munich. I chose to sleep instead of getting up to watch the game, which shows how much interest I find in the playing styles of both sides. Maybe the result just shows how much Chelsea under achieved this season to finish 6th in the English Premier League, especially when you consider they won the FA Cup final as well.

Sad Side of Sport

Perfect example of how stupid a player looks when staging

I cannot abide by players who feign or stage. Take a dive is the better known term. When you hear the term, diving, most will quickly refer to Football, soccer for those who must insist on the term.  Watch any game of AFL though at the moment and you will see some of the best acting outside of Hollywood.  League is no stranger to the simulation either if they feel they can get a penalty for their antics.  It is how the codes crack down on the situation that shows how seriously each is prepared to stamp it out.  

Football has long since started handing out yellow cards for simulation, which if accumulated will automatically lead to a suspension and with continual replays in the media a player very quickly gets a reputation which is carried through their playing career and reduces the chance of a referee reacting in their favour when a penalty offence occurs.

AFL has started their typical limp wrist approach that is as strong as their drug policy. If observed a warning might go to the player, a second offence might come with an official warning, and then maybe a fin might come down the line.  Still by the time anything of drastic nature is done the players has already benefited their team with many favourable calls.  But this is also a game that will reward a player for ducking his head at the last second to achieve a high contact penalty or penalise a slight love tap on above the shoulder.

NRL in it's strange wisdom is not doing much about acting at the moment. A ref will make a call on the field mentioning milking when a players tries to stage a ruck infringement like holding down, but does little else.  How often do you see a player go down like he has been poleaxed, only to get up once the whistle is blown to take the next hit-up or make the next play after walking back to his team-mates and giving a sly wink.

Rugby Union also has it's problems.  In a game where there is constant stoppages, what ruins it for the spectator is the ref allowing forwards to drop to one knee before a scrum or line-out to get assistance. Occasionally the player may be injured but more often than not it is a deliberate tactic to slow down the play. If a player is genuinely in need of attention then he should be made to leave the field for attention.

In the modern professional era of sport though, all these acts will continue in some way.  What needs to be done though is a serious effort by the associations and the media to highlight all players that do it. 

St Luke's Clean Sheet

It cannot go without mention that the St Luke's U9 Football side had a commanding 4-0 win on the weekend. Whilst I was proud of the boys for their win, I was prouder of the clean-sheet.  The opposition had ample chances to score, but with great keeping and urgent defence, no shot was able to be produced on target and all shots were from well outside the area.  This is a young team that is slowly learning that value of defence, and that all good teams win from the back.  Their structure is slowly coming together as each of them understands the strengths of the other players and they settle into their combinations. Knowing where to go instinctively when their team-mate has the ball is the next step for this team.