The second weekend in July represents all that is great about being a sports fanatic in Australia. While the results so far may not have given us all the warm fuzzy feeling we desire going into a working week, many of us will still be rubbing the sleep from our eyes on Tuesday afternoon thanks to the sheer volume of elite sport that has graced our stadiums and TV sets this weekend.
As usual the NRL and AFL have provided many opportunities over the weekend for the purists of each code to obtain their weekly fix.
A Suncorp stadium double header on Friday night continued a poor week for Queensland league fans with both the Bronco’s and Titans cleaned up by NSW infiltrators. The hapless Roosters run of outs continued with a devastating 90 mtr try by the Warriors condemning the Roosters to their 13th loss and cementing their wooden spoon position on the NRL table.
In the AFL, competition front runners St Kilda and Geelong continued on their winning ways. Reining premier Hawthorn raised the hopes of their supporters ending Collingwood’s seven game winning streak and in the battle for the “Caretaker Cup” Richmond and North Melbourne made Nathan Buckley’s future even more cloudy by fighting out the first draw of the AFL season.
But even with all of this football action gracing our TV screens this weekend true sports nuts could be forgiven for having seen very little of it.
For nearly two weeks now the “Tour de France” had wound its way through the French countryside delighting cycling fans. The coverage as usual has provided a visual smorgasbord for viewers, blurring the lines between sporting coverage and a four hour long travel infomercial.
As wonderful as “Le Tour” is to watch, many sports nuts have had to pass on the 2009 version as it clashes with cricket’s greatest rivalry “The Ashes”. As Ricky Ponting leads his team mates into battle against the oldest of enemies, SBS has also had to battle fans as the free to air rights holder for both of these classic events. The cricket won out with the cycling being shunted to the SBS2 channel available only to the chosen few digital consumers.
To make matters worse (or better) for sports fans, this weekend has also been home to arguably golf’s biggest challenge, the British Open. Accepting that “The Masters” is the Wimbledon of the golfing calendar, the “Open” on a links course provides a unique challenge for the biggest names in the sport as well as essential viewing for sports fans.
So, from Friday night sports fans have had the difficult choice between two football codes, the world best cycling tour, the worlds number one cricket contest and world golfs biggest challenge, an impossible choice for any sports freak.
For those who survived their “Friday Night Fight”, Saturday brought no relief for the sleep deprived. Once again sports fans were faced with version II of the Friday night viewing line up with a twist. As difficult as the Friday night decisions were for sports fans the addition of a Bledisloe Cup Rugby Test on Saturday night was enough to send even the most level headed sporties into mental meltdown.
So bring on Sunday and just when we thought the Aussies painful Lords performance and Cadel Evans unfortunate situation in the Tour would provide much needed relief for the seriously sleep deprived, Tasmanian golfer Matt Goggin has condemned Aussie sports fans to another late night. With one round remaining Goggin is a serious contender to become Australia’s latest major winner by positioning himself only one shot from the lead.
So the July sports smorgasbord is complete with side servings of champions trophy hockey, Usain Bolts 9.79s Golden League 100mtr performance and weekend horse racing. Now as a new working week dawns Aussie sports nuts will have to break out the strong coffee and look forward to the relaxation that only a job can provide.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sheedy launches bid for the Poisoned Chalice
Icon of AFL football and former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy this week threw his hat in the ring for the vacant head coaching position at Richmond. After repeatedly saying he was not in the running for the job, Sheedy stated his intentions on Wednesday after witnessing the Tigers insipid performance against the competition front runners St Kilda last Sunday.
One must ask however, who would want the poisoned chalice of AFL football?
Since Richmond’s last grand final appearance in 1982 the club has employed 11 senior coaches including current caretaker Jade Rawlings and the recycled 1980 premiership coach Tony Jewell for a second stint in 1985-87.
After burning through nine coaches in 18 years from 1982-1999 the club took a different approach in 2000 offering coach Danny Frawley a five year contract. The club continued this theme with Frawley’s successor Terry Wallace in 2005. Both appointments were designed to give the club the stability it needed to claw its way out of the hole it had created in the 80’s and 90’s.
So what has been the net result for Richmond’s efforts of the past 28 years? A winning percentage of 38% and 13 seasons with less than seven wins. A record that suggests whoever does take the reins at Punt Road has a challenge as great as any faced by an incoming AFL coach.
Whoever does take the job at Richmond for 2010 must remember one thing. Richmond has a habit of ending coach’s careers.
Of the 11 coaches who have held the position since 1982 only one has ever coached AFL football again. John Northey is the odd one out. After leading the tigers to their most successful season in 13 years, a contractual dispute resulted in Northey leaving Richmond to take up the position with the Brisbane Bears.
So where does this place Kevin Sheedy? What can he offer Richmond that others cannot?
First, it is experience; Sheedy’s career at the highest level has already spanned 40 years. There is very little that he hasn’t seen. He has been considered an innovator and proved he can build premiership teams from humble beginnings.
Second is success, quite simply Kevin Sheedy is a winner. As a player he was part of the most successful era in the history of Tigerland winning 3 premierships. As a coach he has a 61% winning record and has coached 4 Essendon premiership sides.
Third is familiarity, Sheedy knows the beast that is Richmond. Adding to his long relationship as a player at Richmond, Sheedy spent this year involved at the club in a marketing role, in a unique position to observe the current internal workings of the club.
Finally, Sheedy has nothing to lose. History shows that if a younger coach tries and fails at Richmond it most likely spells the end of their coaching career. If he is successful in obtaining the Richmond job, it would without doubt be Sheedy’s final coaching appointment anyway.
Some will cite the failed Alan Jeans experiment of 1992 as a reason not to appoint Sheedy. However, there is one big difference. Sheedy is chasing the job, not the other way around. Richmond coaxed a retired Jeans out of retirement hoping to witness a repeat of the glory days at Hawthorn. Kevin Sheedy does not need this job, yet he has a hunger to take the massive challenge on.
Perhaps it is time for Richmond to appoint the man they tried to woo back to Punt Road for so many years. They appear to have tried everything else.
One must ask however, who would want the poisoned chalice of AFL football?
Since Richmond’s last grand final appearance in 1982 the club has employed 11 senior coaches including current caretaker Jade Rawlings and the recycled 1980 premiership coach Tony Jewell for a second stint in 1985-87.
After burning through nine coaches in 18 years from 1982-1999 the club took a different approach in 2000 offering coach Danny Frawley a five year contract. The club continued this theme with Frawley’s successor Terry Wallace in 2005. Both appointments were designed to give the club the stability it needed to claw its way out of the hole it had created in the 80’s and 90’s.
So what has been the net result for Richmond’s efforts of the past 28 years? A winning percentage of 38% and 13 seasons with less than seven wins. A record that suggests whoever does take the reins at Punt Road has a challenge as great as any faced by an incoming AFL coach.
Whoever does take the job at Richmond for 2010 must remember one thing. Richmond has a habit of ending coach’s careers.
Of the 11 coaches who have held the position since 1982 only one has ever coached AFL football again. John Northey is the odd one out. After leading the tigers to their most successful season in 13 years, a contractual dispute resulted in Northey leaving Richmond to take up the position with the Brisbane Bears.
So where does this place Kevin Sheedy? What can he offer Richmond that others cannot?
First, it is experience; Sheedy’s career at the highest level has already spanned 40 years. There is very little that he hasn’t seen. He has been considered an innovator and proved he can build premiership teams from humble beginnings.
Second is success, quite simply Kevin Sheedy is a winner. As a player he was part of the most successful era in the history of Tigerland winning 3 premierships. As a coach he has a 61% winning record and has coached 4 Essendon premiership sides.
Third is familiarity, Sheedy knows the beast that is Richmond. Adding to his long relationship as a player at Richmond, Sheedy spent this year involved at the club in a marketing role, in a unique position to observe the current internal workings of the club.
Finally, Sheedy has nothing to lose. History shows that if a younger coach tries and fails at Richmond it most likely spells the end of their coaching career. If he is successful in obtaining the Richmond job, it would without doubt be Sheedy’s final coaching appointment anyway.
Some will cite the failed Alan Jeans experiment of 1992 as a reason not to appoint Sheedy. However, there is one big difference. Sheedy is chasing the job, not the other way around. Richmond coaxed a retired Jeans out of retirement hoping to witness a repeat of the glory days at Hawthorn. Kevin Sheedy does not need this job, yet he has a hunger to take the massive challenge on.
Perhaps it is time for Richmond to appoint the man they tried to woo back to Punt Road for so many years. They appear to have tried everything else.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Stosur advances despite German assault.
Australia’s last remaining hope in the Wimbledon women’s draw, Samantha Stosur advanced to the third round today after a tough three set battle against German teenager Tatiana Malak. Malak who defeated Australia’s other great hope Jelana Dokic in the first round, threatened to repeat the pain for Aussie tennis fans when she took the opening set from an error riddled Stosur.
Malak’s solid base line game proved difficult to match for the top ranked Australian who was clearly out of sorts in the first set. Stosur’s powerful forehand, so often her most dangerous weapon, proved highly erratic as multiple unforced errors gifted the young German the first break of serve. The trend continued throughout the opening set and the set finished as it had began with four consecutive Stosur errors handing the set to her 101st ranked opponent.
The second set followed a similar script to the opener as Stosur’s rapidly rising unforced error count threatened to derail her Wimbledon dream. After handing an early break to Malak, Stosur finally broke her opponents serve midway through the second set to provide hope that a comeback was imminent. Both players served solidly to send the second set to a tiebreaker.
Four more forehand errors to open the vital tiebreak appeared to have sealed Stosur’s fate as the rock solid Malak continued to frustrate the Australian. Stosur steadied to level the tiebreak at 6-6 and the turning point of the match came in the tiebreak’s marathon 13th point. Stosur toughed out an epic 31 shot rally to secure a set point which she duly converted to even up the match at one set all.
Despite finding form late in the second set Stosur’s forehand nightmare returned early in the deciding set allowing Malak to race to a 4-1 lead. It appeared Stosur’s 44 unforced errors would hand the German a second consecutive victory over Australia’s top ranked players. Just as the match appeared headed for another disappointing result for Australian tennis fans Stosur rallied, finally finding her ‘A’ game and reeling off five consecutive games to secure the match and advance to the third round.
It’s the first time Stosur has advanced past the second round at Wimbledon and looks set to face 13th seed Anna Ivanovic in the third round.
Samantha Stosur (Aus) 4 7 6
Tatiana Malak (Ger) 6 6 4
Malak’s solid base line game proved difficult to match for the top ranked Australian who was clearly out of sorts in the first set. Stosur’s powerful forehand, so often her most dangerous weapon, proved highly erratic as multiple unforced errors gifted the young German the first break of serve. The trend continued throughout the opening set and the set finished as it had began with four consecutive Stosur errors handing the set to her 101st ranked opponent.
The second set followed a similar script to the opener as Stosur’s rapidly rising unforced error count threatened to derail her Wimbledon dream. After handing an early break to Malak, Stosur finally broke her opponents serve midway through the second set to provide hope that a comeback was imminent. Both players served solidly to send the second set to a tiebreaker.
Four more forehand errors to open the vital tiebreak appeared to have sealed Stosur’s fate as the rock solid Malak continued to frustrate the Australian. Stosur steadied to level the tiebreak at 6-6 and the turning point of the match came in the tiebreak’s marathon 13th point. Stosur toughed out an epic 31 shot rally to secure a set point which she duly converted to even up the match at one set all.
Despite finding form late in the second set Stosur’s forehand nightmare returned early in the deciding set allowing Malak to race to a 4-1 lead. It appeared Stosur’s 44 unforced errors would hand the German a second consecutive victory over Australia’s top ranked players. Just as the match appeared headed for another disappointing result for Australian tennis fans Stosur rallied, finally finding her ‘A’ game and reeling off five consecutive games to secure the match and advance to the third round.
It’s the first time Stosur has advanced past the second round at Wimbledon and looks set to face 13th seed Anna Ivanovic in the third round.
Samantha Stosur (Aus) 4 7 6
Tatiana Malak (Ger) 6 6 4
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Double Fault Dokic bows out.
Comeback kid Jelena Dokic bowed out of Wimbledon today losing to German qualifier Tatiana Malek in the first round. A clearly under prepared Dokic failed to build on a promising opening set to go down 3-6 7-5 6-2 to the 101st ranked German teenager.
Dokic’s Wimbledon preparation was severely disrupted after having to withdraw from the French open 2nd round with a lower back complaint. With no lead up matches to prepare her for her grass court assault, Dokic would have been pleased with the way she began the first round encounter.
From the first point of the match Dokic looked sharp securing the opening game with a series of her trademark flat forehand winners. The Dokic dominance continued throughout the first set culminating in a second break to secure the opening set 6-3.
With the first set locked away in only 28 minutes spectators could have been forgiven for thinking the match was heading for an early finish. Enter double fault Dokic. As quickly as Dokic had taken control of the match in the first game, her serve deserted her midway through the second set.
Consecutive double faults gifted Malek her first break of serve and set the tone for the remainder of the match. A brief fight back at 2-4 by Dokic allowed her to put the set back on serve however the serving jitters returned soon after and once again consecutive double faults handed the German the second set.
The deciding set proved much of the same for Dokic as her mounting double fault and unforced error count proved too much for her to overcome. In the end 16 double faults and 46 unforced errors gave the Australian no real chance of progressing to the second round.
Malek now progresses for the first time to the second round at Wimbledon where she will meet another Australian Samantha Stosur who disposed of American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round.
Dokic’s Wimbledon preparation was severely disrupted after having to withdraw from the French open 2nd round with a lower back complaint. With no lead up matches to prepare her for her grass court assault, Dokic would have been pleased with the way she began the first round encounter.
From the first point of the match Dokic looked sharp securing the opening game with a series of her trademark flat forehand winners. The Dokic dominance continued throughout the first set culminating in a second break to secure the opening set 6-3.
With the first set locked away in only 28 minutes spectators could have been forgiven for thinking the match was heading for an early finish. Enter double fault Dokic. As quickly as Dokic had taken control of the match in the first game, her serve deserted her midway through the second set.
Consecutive double faults gifted Malek her first break of serve and set the tone for the remainder of the match. A brief fight back at 2-4 by Dokic allowed her to put the set back on serve however the serving jitters returned soon after and once again consecutive double faults handed the German the second set.
The deciding set proved much of the same for Dokic as her mounting double fault and unforced error count proved too much for her to overcome. In the end 16 double faults and 46 unforced errors gave the Australian no real chance of progressing to the second round.
Malek now progresses for the first time to the second round at Wimbledon where she will meet another Australian Samantha Stosur who disposed of American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Welcome to Monday's Expert
Welcome to Monday's Expert. I have deveolped this blog in an endeavor to improve my writing and sports reporting skill's to support my journalism study at QUT. I look forward to sharing with you some opinion and information about the world of sport that we all know and love.
There will be a leaning towards AFL initally as it is my first sporting passion, however I'm sure as I get more used to posting regular stories I will share my opinion on a wider spectrum of sports.
I hope you enjoy the content of this blog and feel free to share it with your friends.
Cheers Paul
There will be a leaning towards AFL initally as it is my first sporting passion, however I'm sure as I get more used to posting regular stories I will share my opinion on a wider spectrum of sports.
I hope you enjoy the content of this blog and feel free to share it with your friends.
Cheers Paul
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