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.