The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. The Swiss boat Alinghi won another America’s Cup, the landlocked country defeating New Zealand five races to two. The Swiss crew seemed too tactically adept for the Kiwi’s, who appeared to be outmaneuvered by the Alinghi team. Unfortunately, the race appears to have lost some of its luster in recent years and it has hardly captured the public imagination like Australia’s victory in 1983. Still, there will be no shortage of celebration in Switzerland with Alinghi taking the Cup and Roger Federer on the verge of five straight Wimbledon titles.

7. The already dominant Western Conference was further strengthened in the NBA draft when the Portland Trailblazers acquired Greg Oden and the Seattle Supersonics picked up Kevin Durant. Oden and Durant are two of the best prospects to come through the NBA draft in years and the Blazers and Sonics must now be considered legitimate championship contenders with these future stars now donning their colours. Oden is a great inside presence, a big man who is ready to play and win immediately. Durant is one of the best pure scorers in the game and will be a danger whenever he gets the ball in his hands. The biggest losers at the draft were Boston and New York, who made some questionable decisions.

6. Carlton absolutely made the right decision in suspending star full forward Brendan Fevola for what the club called on-field petulance. The Carlton club, who has struggled in recent times, need all hands on deck and behaving like a child in a crucial game does nothing for club spirit. Fevola gave away back-to-back fifty metre penalties against Fremantle in the opening five minutes of the game and allowed the Dockers to get off to the start they were after. For all his talent, his attitude is the parasite that can destroy clubs. The ultimatum has been given to Fevola and it is now up to him to decide whether he wants to be a team player or a sulking star. If he chooses the latter, Carlton must let him go forthwith.

5. Lote Tuqiri has again proven himself to have no regard for anybody but himself by spending a night on the drink and subsequently missing a team medical and recovery session. Tuqiri was later breath tested and found to be over the acceptable limit set for the team. This follows a history of off-field misdemeanours and some terrible 2007 form that has seen him rubbished in rugby circles for being signed to such a big contract and lambasted in his old game of rugby league for using the sport as leverage. His many indiscretions include a nightclub fight with teammate Matt Henjack, failing a fitness test at a Wallaby training camp, pushing teammate Sam Norton-Knight on the field and airing a personal conversation with a selector discussing Peter Hewat. Tuqiri has proved to be terribly disappointing for Australian rugby in recent times. The one positive to come out of it is the power shown by new boss John O’Neill in disciplining players.

4. The Wallabies were sensational on Saturday evening and are playing with renewed confidence and a high level of self-belief. The Wallabies struggled throughout the first half but rushed home late to clinch an historical victory, one that may prove to be the most important of the last half-decade for Australia. The men in gold played smart, structured football and for the first time in many years, the backline looked genuinely threatening. George Gregan back at halfback seems to be the key with the experienced nine playing with the excitement of a teenager. On the flip side, the All Blacks would be most concerned with the defeat leading into the World Cup. They looked disjointed and will need to get some fluidity in their play if they are to win their first World Cup in twenty years.

3. Graham Murray is a good coach and it is a shame that he has had the full force of the New South Wales State of Origin defeat thrust upon him. Nearly all media outlets have been heavily critical of Murray while a number of former Origin players have called for his head. While Murray will certainly have to fall on his sword for two consecutive series losses, he is being made a scapegoat for those truly responsible- the players and the selectors. At Origin level, coaching just does not have that big an impact. It is the players who have performed poorly and struggled to score points while it is the selectors who have picked players out of position and stuck with a team who have lost game after game. If blame is to be fairly apportioned, Bob McCarthy and his team will be held as accountable as Graham Murray will be.

2. Matthew Elliott may well have lost his mind. And one really cannot blame him. Elliott left the relative serenity of the Raiders to the crisis riddled club Penrith and must now be questioning his decision to leave Canberra. Despite mentoring the team who currently resides in last position with only four wins, Elliott has decided to “rest” star hooker Luke Priddis for the last three weeks. The decision makes no sense with every game crucial to Penrith. Other factors are obviously at play and Penrith may be trying to force Priddis from the club. It is the only reasonable explanation. Elliott needs to clean house but Priddis is one of their best, not one that needs to be shunted. If Penrith don’t sort their problems out soon, they will have another wooden spoon for their trophy cabinet.

1. Sonny Bill Williams showed why he is on the big money with a performance against the Roosters so dominant that it could be rated the best individual game of the year. Williams, who has been up and down throughout 2007, stepped up when he was needed and further consolidated his reputation, having a hand in most tries. With four stars missing due to Origin and suspension, Williams needed to take responsibility for the Bulldogs and the young star did, making the Roosters defence look completely out of their depth. The maturing of Sonny Bill should have a lot of clubs worried and Bulldogs fans over the moon.

Upper of the Week: The return to training of troubled Eagle Ben Cousins. Cousins has done his best to overcome his demons and is now back where he belongs, on the football field. Hopefully it will not be long before we see Cousins at his effervescent best.

Downer of the Week: Alan Didak. The Collingwood player was involved with Melbourne gunman Christopher Hudson and was with him when he allegedly shot up a warehouse. Didak has a responsibility not only as a football player but a citizen and should not have involved himself in such blatantly unlawful behaviour.