The Sporting Day: Some Sporting Observations

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Some Sporting Observations

8. Brett Favre has retired. The Green Bay Packers legend, one of the most popular figures in all of sport, has finally decided to retire at the age of thirty-eight. The face of the franchise and to some degree the NFL will leave the sport with a plethora of records that includes most career touchdown passes, most career passing yards, most career victories as a starting quarterback and most consecutive starts by an NFL quarterback. Favre has won a Super Bowl, three NFL MVP awards, made the Pro Bowl nine times, was selected as an All-Pro seven times, was named in the 1990’s All-Decade team and was selected as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 2007. Few athletes have been as decorated as Favre and even fewer were as loved. He will be sorely missed next season.

7. The NBL is in even more trouble with the potential collapse of foundation club the Brisbane Bullets. The financial plight of owner Eddy Groves, whose company ABC Learning has had its value decimated in recent weeks, is behind the potential collapse of one of the League’s most storied franchises. Coach Joey Wright, who won the NBL Coach of the Year award last season, has already left after being offered a dramatic pay-cut to stay. It is believed Groves will attempt to sell the team by the end of the week. Groves has been a major booster of the NBL and his absence would put a great strain on the league. The NBL is at the crossroads and must reinvent itself if it wishes to remain relevant.

6. Racing To Win was absolutely amazing in winning the Apollo Stakes last Saturday. Trained by John O’Shea, Racing To Win was sent out at $6.50 before downing a quality field. The highly rated horse failed to flatter first-up but atoned on Saturday with a quality win. The disappointment of the race was no doubt Paratroopers, who tailed off. Racing To Win has some big race wins ahead of him this autumn and will be at his best over a mile.

5. Weekend Hussler confirmed his standing as one of the world’s best three year-olds when taking the Newmarket Handicap. Weekend Hussler dug deep to defeat Magnus and Grand Duels. Weekend Hussler became the first horse since Schillaci to claim the Oakleigh Plate-Newmarket Handicap double. Weekend Hussler will now push on to the Doncaster Handicap. The most fascinating aspect of the Ross McDonald trained horse is his versatility. He will be aimed at a Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup double in the spring. No horse since Kingston Town has attempted such boldness. Weekend Hussler is the next hero of the Australian turf. Of that, there is little doubt.

4. It is most disappointing that the SCG Trust double-booked the ground and then decided that the Sheffield Shield final would take precedence over the Wests Tigers-St. George Centenary of Rugby League match. In what was to be a fitting start to the NRL season, the Tigers and the Dragons were set to play on the historic SCG turf. The performance of the New South Wales cricket side, however, saw them win the right to host the Shield final. The NRL clash has subsequently been shifted. The SCG Trust should have looked at the bigger picture and shifted the Shield final to North Sydney Oval. This is a big year for rugby league and it should have been given preference.

3. It is imperative that the NRL works hard with Western Sydney clubs in protecting the rugby league heartland from AFL. Penrith, Parramatta and the Wests Tigers are holding a summit on the issue in the coming weeks and David Gallop will attend. Rugby league is a major part of the fabric of Western Sydney but is in danger of being lost to AFL if the NRL does not throw money and resources to the area. Western Sydney will always be league territory but there could be some AFL influence if the area is not totally united behind the sport.

2. Parramatta coach Michael Hagan has taken the right measures in disciplining Jarryd Hayne, Junior Paulo and Weller Hauraki. Whilst rugby league players have a right to spend a night out, they also have a responsibility to their team and the NRL. Getting involved in fights on the Kings Cross strip at four in the morning is not showing the slightest bit of responsibility to either Parramatta or the League. Hagan has sent a message to his team and hopefully other coaches follow his lead.

1. It would be a tragedy for the Canberra Raiders if star half Todd Carney was to sign with a rival club. Penrith, Manly and Canterbury have all thrown big money at Carney, amounts so sizable that it would make him one of the highest paid players in the game. The Raiders have struggled to attract big names in recent years and as such, have focused on fostering local talent. Carney is one such product and with the potential to be a genuine superstar, the Raiders desperately need to keep Carney. It would also be a just reward for their patience with Carney, who has had numerous run-ins with the law. The Canberra Raiders need Todd Carney.

Upper of the Week: The launch of the centenary rugby league season. The NRL and all associated bodies did a wonderful job in returning to Birchgrove Oval, the birthplace of rugby league in Australia, to launch the centenary season. Combined with a wonderful advertisement that pays homage to the game and the “League of Legends” exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, rugby league is being given the tribute the game deserves.

Downer of the Week: The lackluster performance put up by the Australian cricket side in the finals of the Commonwealth Bank Series. The batting was dreadful and the fielding was sub-standard in two efforts that were humiliating to an Australian team accustomed to success and performing on the big stage.