The most action packed pound for pound day in Australian Racing is upon us, followed by the biggest single race in the land on Tuesday.
In deference of its importance, The Gurgler knows its many, many fan who follow our tips semi-religiously would demand a range of selections that they can ignore, avoid or follow at their peril.
We can hardly keep riding high on our $580-1 multi from a few weeks ago, so for your consideration, please accept our surefire tips that win, win, win (lose, lose, lose).
WANT TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR YOUR DERBY DAY?
Rather drink than bet, or do both and live the life?
Click on the picture below for our Spumante Racing Drinking Game.
Maximise your enjoyment.
Bet early – bet often.
Welcome to another week of sport at The Gurgler. We admit it is now getting officially hard to find enough sport (Non Football) to talk about and fill a weekly bit. Thankfully, the good people at the NRL know how to help you out by providing some off field drama.
Australia’s premier chances of winning anything internationally – the Rugby League team and Cricket team – also disappointed.
So here’s what we think, and below we have another huge multi for your consideration. Last week’s was our worst result yet. Never fear it’s all about the Yazz this week.
HOLDEN PARADISE
As the annual V8 bogan family reunion has been run, another weekend has finished with Holden win’s and in particular one of those two going to Jamie Whincup. The Red Bull driver added a second from the other race to set himself up for another championship. Maybe with another title in the back pocket he might look at expanding his horizons in NASCAR or even more pie-in-the-sky at the vacant Toro Rosso F1 drive for next year. He’s got the right energy drink connection, unfortunately he’s about 12 years too old under the current RBR hiring strategy.
FOUR NATIONS LEAGUE
And for once, it looks like all four can possibly win the title. A double header of League and a very healthy off-season crowd shows that League fans don’t want tremendous entertainment like Train or Slash playing to a backing track, but League and plenty of it.
Samoa were unlucky not cause a large upset, and somehow England still looked good out of a game that they almost lost to a minnow. They will like their chances this weekend against Australia this Sunday too, as the Kangaroos looked jaded and ordinary in patches in equal measure as the Kiwis looked good. Could the final be heading to a premium Ch9 sport (read GEM) final of non Australian sides, or will the series follow the standard Hollywood sports movie formula with a last gasp try to win the cup for Australia scored by Sylvester Stallone and Burt Reynolds.
REAL MADRID WIN BIGGEST CLUB GAME IN THE WORLD
With the World Cup of Football merely acting as a large scale product demonstration for the big clubs in Europe and mainly Spain, the Classico clash now is more important than ever, as it usually features all the best players in the world which have been pinched from all corners of the globe.
With squads value and wages approaching a budget of several large Australian states, the game would want to live up to the hype and money spent. Sometimes clashes between the big sides are tense or drab battles that fail to inspire.
Not so this week, and not really with this fixture. Real Madrid got the chocolates this time around 3-1, but it could have been closer or a bigger margin given the action on show. We won’t review the game as we could only stay awake for half of it, but plenty of respected people managed it so read it there.
GALLEN CONFUSES NRL WITH CRL
We have it on good authority that Paul Gallen’s tweet was actually aimed at the Country Rugby League board not the NRL but it was an unfortunate spelling error. So the $50K fine is harsh indeed.
Silver lining though is the NRL Judiciary chairman quit in protest. This gives the NRL a chance to have a more consistent, fair and fair penalty awarding system next year. Some of the decisions coming out of the weekly naughty corner round table were very ordinary so any improvement is welcome.
SPIN SCHOOL FOR AUSTRALIANS
There’s nothing like some good spin bowling to make Australian Batsmen look like Warehouse wannabes. Maybe it’s the fact that the only spinners in the Aussie squad, whilst capable, are not tweekers that strike fear into the hearts of many batsmen.
The Gurgler thinks it’s time for a three day spin school boot camp. 4 nets going round for 12 hours a day, and all batsmen on rotating three hour shifts over those three days.
Here’s a list of the guest spin bowlers we require for this boot camp of turn. Hopefully we can cover all bases here and provide some real help to the Aussies.
Brad Hogg, Peter Sleep, Peter Taylor, Gavin Robertson, Jimmy Adams, Bryce McGain, Ashley “King of Spain” Giles, Abdul Qadir, Mushtaq Ahmed, Darryl Somers, Dirk Wellham, Phil Tufnell and Cameron White.
THE GURGLER SUPER MULTI
$1 gets you $510
F1 – USGP – LEWIS HAMILTON TO WIN
CRICKET – TEST – PAKISTAN TO WIN
FOOTBALL – GERMANY – BAYERN MUNICH to beat BOR DORTMUND
FOOTBALL – GERMANY – BOR. M’GLADBACH to beat Hoffenheim
FOOTBALL – SPAIN – AT MADRID to beat Cordoba
FOOTBALL – SPAIN – REAL MADRID to score 5th goal v Granada
FOOTBALL – ALEAGUE – SYDNEY to beat Central Coast
FOOTBALL – ALEAGUE – MELB VICTORY to beat Wellington
FOOTBALL – AFC CHAMP LEAGUE FINAL – Al-Hilal to beat WSW
Don’t let the blanket ads, Zip Cold/Hot Water tap talk in the office or the Brand Power lady fool you, there’s plenty to be enjoyed on FTA TV than Reality TV, advertisements and the other assorted dross that the channels spend their money on.
As with anything on our website, we’re not about joining in on anything popular, we’re down at the other end of the pool championing the lesser known and the lesser liked servings available.
So we’ll take the hard work out of the TV Guide and highlight or favourites and all the sport on offer. Don’t be fooled that just because football season is over there’s no sport on. It is only ALeague though.
THIS WEEK’S TV SHOPPING QUESTION?
What the hell is a Bambillo. Find out at the end.
BEST OF THE WEEK
SUNDAY – GO 6:30pm – BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Best Time Travel movie with ordinary lookalikes of all time.
HEAT and DERBY DAY close place getters.
WORST OF THE WEEK
THURSDAY – CH7 9:30pm – WORLD’s RICHEST DOGS
Ch7 should have been the first giveaway that it’d be crap. MTV style for Dogs. Woof.
BEST OF THE REST
MONDAY
ABC2 8:30PM – LOUIS 7 MICHAEL – Louis Theroux dredges up more of US’ loonies in a hunt for Michael Jackson.
GO 8:38PM- HEAT – Pacino V De Niro – What else do you want?
SBS2 10:15PM – SOUTH PK – The Entity – Garrison’s new mode of transport to beat air travel is a pain in the arse.
TUESDAY
SBS 7:30PM – SIXTIES – One for the nerds.
GO 8:00PM – TOP GEAR – They build a hovercraft out of a Ford Transit
7MATE 8:30PM – MAN FINDS FOOD
7MATE 9:30PM – BOGAN HUNTERS UNCUT – Yes, it can get worse.
CH7 9:30PM – MRS BROWNS BOYS
GO 9:30PM – UNDER SIEGE – See Pre Putin/Puddin’ Seagal.
WEDNESDAY
11 7:30PM – USUAL SIMPSONS + FUTURAMA
ABC 8:00PM – MAD AS HELL + THE CHASER
GO 8:30PM – SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIE
ABC2 8:30PM – AMRICAS ANIMAL HOARDER – HORROR AT THE ZOO – watch and marvel at one the world’s biggest f***wits and f*** up. Pity for the animals.
SBS2 9:30PM – FARGO
THURSDAY
SBS2 8:30PM – NEW SOUTH PARK REPEAT + DRUNK HISTORY
SBS2 10:30PM – OLD SOUTH PARK – Slow news day – see sport at 9:30pm.
FRIDAY
7MATE 7:00PM – THE KARATE KID – The old (good) one.
GO 7:35PM – GREMLINS + BEETLEJUICE – for your Halloween night in.
ABC 8:00PM – QI
CH9 8:30PM – SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION – Ch9 standby programming is on.
SBS2 8:30PM – ALI G
SATURDAY
GEM 7:40PM – WILLY WONKA – Ch9 Stand by programming continues.
ABC2 10:24PM – BREAKING BAD
7MATE 12:00am (Sun) – CARLITO’S WAY
SUNDAY
GO 6:30PM – BILL & TEDs EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
11 7:00PM – SIMPSONS + FUTURAMA
SBS2 9:30PM – NEW SOUTH PARK
FTA SPORT THIS WEEK
THU 9:30PM ONE – THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SHOW
FRI 6:30PM SBS – ALEAGUE – MELB CITY v ADLEAIDE
FRI 9:30PM ONE – NBL – WGONG v PERTH
SAT 12:00PM CH7 – HORSES – DERBY DAY – Best race day of the year.
SAT 12:55PM GEM – RUGBY LEAGUE – SAMOA v NZ
SUN 3:30AM CH10 – F1 – USGP QUALY
SUN 2:30PM CH9 – RUGBY LEAGUE – AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND
SUN 10:00PM – FOOTBALL – ALEAGUE SHOW
MON 3:00AM CH10 TBC – USGP RACE
Time for another weekly roundup you say? We could say it’s here and by popular demand, but only one of those statements would be correct. The popular demand of course.
Talking popular, we diver straight in this week to the Wallabies.
LOSERS
THE WALLABIES
We rarely talk about anything union, unless it’s the Wallabies hitting rock bottom. One really shouldn’t enjoy the failures of another person or team, but in this case it’s only the polo shirt-collar up-Corona drinking (labels out)-boarding school attending who are affected and would be offended. And they probably won’t now the Wallabies aren’t winning given their fickle nature.
There are many problems involving the Wallabies on and off the field, in the case of the Gurgler there’s only one – it still exists. However, the off field incidents like preserving Kurtley Beale at the detriment of winning anything is a foolhardy long term plan we hope they continue down to the eventual and complete demise of Australian Rugby.
Greatest respect for the All Blacks and their winnings ways and culture, and true sporting supporters.
Sure as we see in the English Football, a new head coach will give you that extra bounce, but ultimately it will more than likely fail, and we’ll be rubbing our hands awaiting the next exodus to Rugby League. At least in the short form it will mean no more League players will go to Rugby. If they want to be highly paid and lose the Gold Coast Titans have a few spots left.
SUNDERLAND
Although the Wallabies succumbed to the All Blacks again, they were far from the worst sporting team on the planet last weekend. That gong goes to Sunderland who were truly awful throughout most of the match.
Some will point out that Southampton played very well, and a contentious decision against them at only 2-0 which may have led to different result as a better explanation. However if you have seen some of the effort put in, you’d know that Sunderland are deserving of the title “Worse than the Wallabies”. Aside from the stunning own goal that Ronaldo/Messi would have claimed as quality CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS
The best club football competition in the world featured an ever growing gap between the very best and the very good.
Bayern Munich v Roma had shades of the German side v Brazil from the recent World Cup. It looked like a training run as the German side scored goals for fun against Italy’s second best side who have lost very few, if any, too many, infinny, this season. Quality viewing watching the skills if you weren’t a Roma fan.
Real Madrid too looked like on a different level as they have for most of the year, and Ronaldo must surely be declared the best players in the game right now.
Chelsea too made very light work of Maribor, but won like good teams do. If this form continues, it looks like some semi finals of the ages if the draws stays kind.
HAYNE TO NFL
Some say Hayne is a w@nker and who cares if he’s going to the NFL. But we think differently.
Hayne could easily soak up more years in the NRL and take the easy road and count the dollars, if not trophies if he stayed at Parramatta.
But kudos for having a go. More Australian sports people should do it. Like Marcos Ambrose before him, Hayne recognises that the USA has the grand prize of his chosen sport, and can have a go while he’s young, as Australian sport will always be here when he gets back. Someone like Whincup in the V8’s should take notice.
In all likelihood, Hayne probably won’t make it, but we hope it does, as it will open up other league players to have a go. Inglis would surely be even more suited to the big bash-fest. One can only imagine a full flight Mark Hohn or Tony Carroll having a go in the states. GURLGER SUPER MULTI $1 gets you $1000+
ALEAGUE – BRISBANE to beat Sydney
ALEAGUE – RED CARD AWARDED – Melb Victory v Melb City
BASEBALL – KANSAS CITY to win Game Three
MOTOGP – MARQUEZ to win Malaysian GP
V8’s – HOLDEN TO WIN RACE
RLEAGUE – SAMOA +14.5 start v England
RLEAGUE – AUSTRALIA 13+ margin
COX PLATE – HAPPY TRAILS to win Co Plate.
GURGLER’s COX PLATE SPECIALS
All Moonee Valley R1 – 5 Scaddens Run – when King Noel Callow is in town and talks-you listen & bet.
R5 – 5 Le Roi
R7 – 13 Go Indy Go
R8 – 4 Happy Trails
Don’t let the blanket ads, Zip Cold/Hot Water tap talk in the office or a Brand Power endorsement fool you, there’s plenty to be enjoyed on FTA TV than Reality TV and the other assorted dross that the channels spend their money on.
As with anything on our website, we’re not about joining in on anything popular, we’re down at the other end of the pool championing the lesser known and the lesser liked servings availableSo we’ll take the hard work out of the TV Guide and highlight or favourites and all the sport on offer. Don’t be fooled that just because football season is over there’s no sport on.
BEST:
NEW SOUTH PARK – Thursday/Sunday on SBS
WORST:
BEAUTY AND THE GEEK
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
TUESDAY
7Mate – 8:30pm – MAN FINDS FOOD + CHOW MASTERS
7Mate – 9:30pm – FAMILY GUY + AMERICAN DAD
GO – 9:30pm – TRAINING DAY
WEDNESDAY
11 – 7:30pm – SIMPSONS + FUTURAMA
ABC – 8:00pm – MICALLEF’s MAD AS HELL + THE CHASER’s MEDIA CIRCUS
GO – 8:30pm – SHERLOCK HOLMES
THURSDAY
SBS2 – 8:30pm – NEW SOUTH PARK REPLAY + DRUNK HISTORY
SBS2 – 10:30pm – OLD SOUTH PARK
FRIDAY
See sport
SATURDAY
CH7 – 9:40pm – INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
ABC2 – 10:30pm – BREAKING BAD
SUNDAY
7MATE – 5:00pm – WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
11 – 7:00pm – FUTURAMA + SIMPSONS
SBS2 – 9:30pm – NEW SOUTH PARK
SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS
WEDNESDAY
FOOTBALL – SBS 4:30pm – ARSENAL v DORTMUND (Replay SBS2 4:30pm)
NETBALL – SBS2 6:00pm – AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND
CRICKET – GEM 1:00pm – TAS v SA
THURSDAY
FOOTBALL – SBS 4:30pm – REAL MADRID v LIVERPOOL
GOLF – 7TWO 12:00pm – PERTH INTERNATIONAL
VARIOUS – ONE 9:30pm – THURSDAY NIGHT SPORT SHOW
FRIDAY
GOLF – 7TWO 12:00pm – PERTH INTERNATIONAL
CRICKET – GEM 1:00pm – SEMI FINAL
FOOTBALL – SBS 6:30pm – A LEAGUE BRISBANE v SYDNEY
FOOTBALL – SBS2 6:35pm – EUROPA LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS
BASKETBALL – ONE 9:30pm – NBL
SATURDAY
MOTORSPORT – CH7 12:00pm – GOLD COAST 600
HORSES – 7TWO 12:00pm – COX PLATE
GOLF – 7MATE 12:00pm – PERTH INTERNATIONAL
LEAGUE – GEM 4:00pm – ENGLAND v SAMOA
LEAGUE – CH9 6:30pm – AUSTRALIA v NZ
SUNDAY
MOTORSPORT – CH7 12:00pm – GOLD COAST 600
GOLF – 7TWO 12:00pm – PERTH INTERNATIONAL
CRICKET – GEM 1:00pm – ONE DAY FINAL
MOTORSPORT – ONE 5:30pm – MOTO GP MALAYSIA
So the A-League kicked off this weekend,…….(Crickets chirping).
Well, the Matador One Day Domestic Cup might be a better alternative…..
OK there was International Football Friendlies and European Qualifiers.
Thank God for the Bathurst 1000 then, which in it’s crash filled, bitumen peeling, record length had enough excitement to cover the whole weekend.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEKEND PAST.
BATHURST no.1 – Something that might have been lost amongst all the action on the mountain was the return of F1 superstar Zsolt Baumgartner who tore around the Mt Panorama circuit in the two seater F1 car. The Hungarian hotshoe was a welcome addition to all those motorsport freaks who have missed his sublime skills. Surely a foresighted V8 Team boss can open up a door for the man next year.
BATHURST no.2 – There were plenty of retro liveries on offer at Bathurst on the weekend, and there’s nothing more The Gurgler like than a blast to the past. Our favourite was the Dick Johnson Shell colours from back in the glory days of Dick and Bowe.
BATHURST no.3 – Mostert and Morris aside, the real winners was Gaffa tape. The second place finishers had more tape than car giving a window into the future of car manufacturing worldwide.
BATHURST no.4 – Genuine no idea of who would eventually win or survive the length of the race from start to finish. A race for the ages.
BATHURST no.5 – for providing guilt free Sunday sloth.
LOWLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
BATHURST RED FLAG – The big race was stopped due to the track breaking up at turn Two leaving the important lesson that despite the many people leaning on shovels, nothing should be left to local councils to do if you want it done properly.
TASMANIA v WA – The Tigers attempted to break an Australian record and score fewer runs than the fans at The Gabba. Just over 50 was achieved which was more than the record and the crowd. The real winners were the John Wayne fans when the inevitable western movie pciked up the TV coverage pieces.
RUSSIAN GP – As dull as a race could get after turn 2 on the first lap. Check out our review for the highlight of the race involving a former action movie hero.
ENGLISH SUPER LEAGUE – the punch thrown by the Wigan prop Flowers deserved more than 6 months ban, a stint inside would be more appropriate.
CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR ON THE RIGHT FOR THE UPCOMING SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEKEND.
However, the Hong Kong Open looms this weekend and our favourite golfing hero Miguel Angel Jiminez returns to defend his title. We hope for that sweet sweet shot of cigar and trophy in hand come Sunday night.
THE GURGLER SUPER MULTI – $1 = $667
MOTO – ROSSI to win Australian Moto GP
TEST – AUSTRALIA to beat Pakistan
ODD – NSW to beat VIC
UNION – NZ -9.5 start v Wallabies
ALEAGUE – MELBOURNE CITY to beat Newcastle
ALEAGUE – OVER 2.5 goals – Perth v Brisbane
EPL – MAN CITY to beat Spurs
EPL – ARSENAL to beat Hull
GERMAN – Bayern Munich to beat whoever they’re playing
FRENCH – Bordeaux to beat Caen.
So you’ve enjoyed our NRL, AFL and Bathurst Drinking Games, or not. Maybe you’re telling yourself you need time to recover from the excitement. Pffft, no chance.
We’ve saved our very best drinking game until now, so please accept…..Spumante Racing.
Spumante Racing brings the best action and glamour from the great racetracks all over Australia, and combines it with the very finest alcohol money can buy, all in a format that provides fun for all the family.
You can use this for the upcoming Spring Carnival and Melbourne Cup, but it is a quality all-year around activity.
Here’s the rundown….
STEP 1 – Get down to your local liquor emporium. Purchase some Golden Gate Spumante, we recommend at least a carton as you don’t want the fun to end. You may ask why Golden Gate Spumante? Well, like any of our games, you aren’t supposed to enjoy it, it’s all about punishing the loser rather than rewarding the winner.
STEP 2 – obtain a plastic cup per person – we suggest the no brand plastic cups usually used at kids parties. Mark it into 6 equal segments.
STEP 3 – Pick as many race meetings as you think you can stomach. We recommend meetings that are 10 minutes apart, you’ll thank us later in the day. But hey, we aren’t your mother so do whatever.
STEP 4 – Decide a starting order by random draw, horsebite competition, rock-paper-scissors or two up.
STEP 5 – In the previously decided order, pick a horse each. Note: you can’t pick the same horse unless more people than horses. You are also forbidden from picking a horse paying less than $2.00.
STEP 6 – Listen to the race and delve out the punishments as below. Use various websites to determine the final finishing order, but be quick…refer to notes.
STEP 7: Drink up and get ready for the next race. The choosing order for the next race goes on the order from the previous race. So choose wisely, as an early 10th+ means you could be selecting last for the rest of the day.
NOTE: Your punishment must be completed before the start of the next race. Failure to comply will result in having to not only complete the original punishment before the end of the next race, but an additional punishment of the same size must also be completed before the next race finishes. Failure to comply with that additional punishment results in another full cup added to the already overflowing amount of GG Spumante.
The Gurgler authors can highly recommend this as the perfect accompaniment to a Raceday, any day of the week.
We’ve brought you the quickest reviews of previous races in point form.
We would normally comment on the potential of the new track, Rosberg’s first lap choke and recovery, or Caterham allegedly retiring cars as they are running out of parts due to legal action (maybe if true they could hire a pay driver who brings spare parts as well as cash to the team).
However with a race so drab, we couldn’t really be bothered even doing that.
Instead we’ve provided the most interesting thing that came up during the first Russian GP.
Yes, that’s Steven Seagal in the Russian GP VIP Box. Who else?
Don’t let the blanket ads, Zip Cold/Water tap talk in the office or a Ray Warren endorsement fool you, there’s plenty more to be enjoyed on FTA TV than Reality TV and the other assorted dross that the channels spend their money telling youi how you can’t miss it.
As with anything on our website, we’re not about joining in on anything popular, we’re down at the other end of the pool on a LiLo championing the lesser known and the lesser liked servings available.
So we’ll take the hard work out of the TV Guide and highlight or favourites and all the sport on offer. Don’t be fooled that just because football season is over there’s no sport on.
BEST OF THE WEEK
CHASER’s MEDIA CIRCUS – new series will not doubt similar to the old stuff, but with the demise of Today Tonight, surely there’ll be less ammo. Probably not.
SOUTH PARK – THURSDAY 10:30pm – a repeat but one of the best with the introduction of Towelie into the South Park family.
WORST OF THE WEEK
GLEE THE CONCERT MOVIE – No doubt we could put Big Brother and Dancing with the “Stars” in every week, and we will. But this we choose Glee purely because the other two we could sit through without a self-inflicted gun shot. Glee we couldn’t.
HIGHLIGHTS
MONDAY
6:30pm – 7MATE – TRIPLE SEINFELD – Yes it’s on every day, but this includes the Pilot for interest.
7:30pm – SBS – SANDY:ANATOMY OF A SUPERSTORM – one for the weather nerds.
8:00pm – GO – TOP GEAR – The boys create their own caravans. One can only imagine the end result.
9:30pm – SBS – LEGALLY BROWN – Final of the series.
10:20pm – SBS2 – SOUTH PARK
TUESDAY
8:30pm – 7MATE – MAN FINDS FOOD / CHOW MASTERS – you gain two kilos just by watching.
9:30pm – 7MATE – FAMILY GUY / AMERICAN DAD
WEDNESDAY
7:30pm – 11 – SIMPSONS / FUTURAMA – features quality retro episodes Dancin’ Homer and Dead Putting Society.
8:00pm – ABC – MICALLEF’s MAD AS HELL
8:30pm – ABC – CHASER’S MEDIA CIRCUS
9:30pm – ONE – THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
10:15pm – SBS2 – TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
THURSDAY
8:30pm – SBS2 – NEW SOUTH PARK REPEAT
9:00pm – SBS2 – DRUNK HISTORY
10:30pm – SBS2 – SOUTH PARK – Towelie
SATURDAY
7:30pm – GO – DUMB and DUMBER
9:40pm – ABC2 – BREAKING BAD
SUNDAY
7:00pm – 11 – SIMPSONS / FUTURAMA
8:30pm – 11 – THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
8:30pm – GEM – TIGHTROPE
9:30pm – SBS2 – SOUTH PARK BRAND NEW
FTA SPORTS ON TV
MONDAY
9:00am – GEM – CRICKET – TAS v WA
11:30pm – ONE – F1 – RUSSIAN GP REPLAY
TUESDAY
9:00am – GEM – CRICKET – QLD v VIC
10:00am – 7MATE – BATHURST 1000 REPLAY
WEDNESDAY
10:00am – GEM – CRICKET – NSW v WA
5:30pm – SBS2 – NETBALL AUST v NZ
THURSDAY
9:30pm – ONE – THURSDAY NIGHT SPORT SHOW
FRIDAY
1:00pm – GEM – CRICKET – VIC v NSW
6:30pm – SBS – ALEAGUE – ADELAIDE v MELBOURNE
9:30pm – ONE – NBL – PERTH v WOOLONGONG
SATURDAY
11:30am – 7TWO – HORSES – CAULFIELD CUP
12:00pm – CH10 – MOTO GP – PHILLIP ISLAND
1:00pm – GEM – CRICKET – QLD v TAS
SUNDAY
12:00pm – CH10 – MOTO GP – PHILLIP ISLAND
1:00pm – GEM – CRICKET – WA v VIC
Regular readers of this column (now there’s the highest amount of wishful thinking this website has ever come up with) will be in no doubt what was the highlight and winner of the week.
NRL Grand final having been run and won means the end of winter football in Australia for another year, but it doesn’t mean the end of the sporting goodness, and we’ll be here all summer to point out the best, and to cane Michael Slater at every opportunity.
SOUTH SYDNEY – Many, many years have passed with many, many disappointments and some awful, awful players and some terrible, terrible coaches. All of that was now washed away with the first premiership in 43 years.
The Grand Final win seemed one of the most popular in decades, and the sea of red and green was an inspirational sight to behold. For once all in rugby league was good.
Souths looked the most likely to score and win, but the small margin throughout most of the game led the battle hardened cynical Souths fans wondering if they were saving their disappointment of all time for the biggest stage of all.
Thankfully some English warriors and their Australian and New Zealand counterparts put on one of the most complete grand final performances. The tries that threatened all game finally arrived in the last 10 minutes allowing Souths fans to breathe easier and enjoy some of the battle.
Whilst Sam Burgess’ feats are rightly praised, there were plenty of players almost as deserving as best on ground, and one of those is one the younger Burgess brothers who all Souths fans hope stick around for a while longer to build a comfortable gap at the top of the total premierships ladder.
After years of disappointment though, we’ll savour this one and take it if that’s all that’s offered for another generation of Souths fans.
NRL LOWER GRADES – The only reason the NRL finals better than the AFL final is the extra football you get to see on the actual day.
The U20’s NZ v Broncos final was typical U20’s and NZ rugby league with loads of tries and a NZ side who had vastly different fortunes within the same game. A big lead was almost chased down by the baby Broncos with a sideline conversion miss failing to take the game into extra time.
The long awaited State Championship between Qld’s Northern Pride and NSW’s Penrith was another thrilling encounter with a see-sawing scoreline. The rank outsiders and part-timers Northern Pride from Cairns got the chocolates in the end, beating the highly fancied and well backed Penrith team who were choc-filled of NRL players.
MOURINHO v WENGER – There’s been plenty of back and forths between the two in recent times, and with the results going to Mourinho maybe Wenger thought it was time to strike back. The push on Jose was pretty weak in UFC terms, but in football it was as tough as you get (aside from Newcastle manager Pardew headbutting opposition), and most welcome. More of it we say.
JAPANESE GP – Don’t get us wrong, we love a wet F1 race. It adds plenty to what are sometimes a little drab. However with a looming typhoon that was scheduled to dump plenty of rain at race start time, the powers that be allowed the original race start time to stand to ensure that conditions at the start were as undriveable as possible, so the race can only last 2 laps.
Happily the rain slowed to allow most of the race to continue, but when the rain returned it was battling with the fading light to create some conditions which were just as bad as the start. Unfortunately it appears to have cost the career if not life of Jules Bianchi who crashed into a tractor whilst fetching another car that had spun off in the same sport earlier.
Europe viewers don’t have to put up with many late night-early morning GPs, if at all, so to not move the GP forward, presumably to keep Lord Sitsonbottom, Pierre, Franz and Luigi happy, was a stupid decision. Surely they could put up with some uncomfortable wake up time once in a season. They would be far more comfortable than Jules Bianchi will be.
NRL ENTERTAINMENT – The line up didn’t look good, and it wasn’t. At least it wasn’t Seal, Delta Goodrem, or Michael Slater . Madde nbrothers next year for sure. F*** Channel 9’s influence on NRL.
Has to be Bathurst. Sure there’s plenty to see on Thursday to Saturday, but on Sunday there’s no better excuse for a lazy day on the couch following the big machines around Mt Panorama. Fans may be confused with 5 makes this year, but it will probably end in a Red Bull win anyway which should make it easier.
Also there’s a new F1 track this weekend, with the Russian GP in Sochi. Russian government answering the age old question of what to do with a former Winter Olympics site.
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NETBALL – AUSTRALIA to beat NZ
F1 – ALONSO for podium
CRICKET – NSW to beat Qld – One Dayer
FOOTBALL – ENGLAND to score in less than 15 minutes v San Marino
CRICKET – AUSTRALIA to beat Pakistan
MOTO 3 Japan – JACK MILLER to win
ENGLISH SUPER LEAGUE – WIGAN to beat St Helens in final
BATHURST – RICK KELLY to be Top Nissan
NBL – SYDNEY KINGS to beat Wooloongong
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ENGLAND to beat San Marino
DRAW – Latvia / Iceland
BELGIUM to beat Andorra
UNDER 2.5 goals – Finland v Greece
NORTHERN IRELAND to beat Faroe Islands
DRAW – Scotland / Georgia
WALES to beat Bosnia
SPAIN to beat Slovakia
DRAW – Slovenia/Switzerland
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UZBEKISTAN to beat Bahrain
JAPAN to beat Jamaica
AUSTRALIA to beat UAE
OVER 2.5 goals – USA / Ecuador
CHILE to beat Peru
FRANCE to beat Portugal
COLUMBIA to beat El Salvador
DRAW – Yemen / Iraq
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