AFL – Settle, it’s only pre-season
Another round of Bank Cup pre-season games and pundits are worrying about unsettling trends.
Doggies belt GWS, Richmond thrashes Hawks, Pies kick goals, Geelong loses, Dees beat Port and Essendon thumps Carlton. What we know to be true is that you can read nothing in these games, read no trends other than players are given a break; some are set certain tasks and in Port’s case use a low rotation to ensure their players get maximum extended game time. If only the media was in pre season mode also and not attaching so much emphasis to headlines on stories that really have no significance on the season at all. Its pre season after all.
Fremantle Dockers vs Adelaide Crows 1.9.6 (69) 0.8.19 (67)
Carlton Blues vs Essendon Bombers 1.3.8 (35) 1.13.8 (95)
Richmond Tigers vs Hawthorn Hawks 1.15.5 (104) : 0.4.9 (33)
Port Adelaide Power vs Melbourne Demons 1.10.7 (76) : 0.15.5 (95)
Geelong Cats vs Collingwood Magpies 2.16.9 (123) : 0.21.5 (131)
Greater Western Sydney vs Western Bulldogs 0.11.7 (73) : 1.13.17 (104)
Super Rugby XV
In a confusing new season of Super Rugby, eighteen teams will now compete with the introduction of new teams from Japan (Sunwolves) and Argentina (Jaguares) and allowing another team from South Africa to compete as opposed to delegating or promoting one team each year as previously conducted.
In a two season premiership the competition is structured within two groups geographically determined and two conferences in each group. The Australasian Group consists of 10 teams (but not Japan) and South African Group of eight teams including Japan and Argentina, with two conferences of five teams in the Australian Conference and five teams in the New Zealand Conference. Still with me?
The South African Group is split into a four-team Africa 1 Conference and a four-team Africa 2 Conference. Sunwolves is in SA Conference 1 and Argentina’s Jaguares in SA Conf 2.
In the opening round of the season;
Force vs Rebels 19 : 25
Waratahs vs Reds 30 : 10
Crusaders vs Chiefs 21 : 27
Sunwolves vs Lions 13 : 26
Cheetahs vs Jaguares 33 : 34
Brumbies vs Hurricanes 52 : 10
Blues vs Highlanders 33 : 31
Southern Kings vs Sharks 8 : 43
Stormers vs Bulls 33: 9
Cricket – Domestic Stuff
New South Wales 478 211/10 (88.4) 267/5 (81)
Southern Redbacks 475 298/10 (79.2) 177/10 (51.3)
New South Wales won by 5 wickets.
Tasmanian Tigers 566 566/8 (143.6) 0
Victorian Bushrangers
430 165/10 (55.2) 265/10 (84.1)
Tasmanian Tigers won by an innings and 136 runs.
Western Warriors 727 436/6 (123.5) 291/5 (57)
Queensland Bulls 703 446/8 (130.5) 257/10 (16.3)
Western Warriors won by 24 runs.
Football
FIFA, the governing body of World Football, announced overnight its new President, Swiss-Italian Gianni Infantino. AKA The Hood after a close resemblance to Gerry Anderson’s Thunderbird Villain. The Hood is famous for his many disguises, which one do we get for his role with FIFA? Hopefully the one that steers a steady ship and doesn’t pay favourites. Being voted in through his connection with the powerful European Block, we can only wish that he is a president for the times and not out of the times.
Boxing – Dib toughs it out
Billy “The Kid” Dib, former IBF featherweight and IBO super featherweight champion returned to the ring at Sydney’s Emporium Function Centre on Friday night. Defeating Thailand’s Sukkasem Kietyongyuth in a unanimous decision 79-73, 79-72, 79-72 to improve his professional record to 40-4.
Zac “Dynamite” Dunn defeated Brazilian Rogerio Damasco on Barry Michael’s Friday Fight Night in the first round knockout, taking his professional record to an impressive 20 – 0. Read full report http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/almanac-boxing-barry-michael-fight-night-26th-february-2016/
A-League: University of Woolamaloo defeats Brisvegas
In a scene reminiscant of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the two soccer philosopher’s from the University of Woolamaloo Football team (Adelaide Reds) Bruce and Bruce scored in their team’s three nil thumping of Brisvegas Roar. The remainder of the Adelaide team are now to be referred to as Bruce to avoid any confusion.
In other A-League news, Carney scores a point, helping Sydney FC recover a point while he makes a point. Victory should have won the game and while attempting to be magnanimous with the draw Barmy Arnie suggested his position was better after flying in from Japan and losing a man and keeping Victory on a level score sheet. That’s called turning a draw into a positive while putting down your old mate Kev the Muscat.
Newcastle Jets scramble a 1-0 win against the Mariners in the F3 Derby, a match that really has no bearing on the season except for the supporters.
Central Coast Mariners vs Newcastle Jets 0 : 1
Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC 1 : 1
Adelaide United vs Brisbane Roar 3 : 0
WS Wanderers vs Perth Glory 2 : 1
Wellington Phoenix vs Melbourne City 2 : 1
Golf 2016 Honda Classic
Adam Scott shares the lead with Sergio Garcia going into the final round at The Champions Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Having sent one of his broomstick putters to a member of the Royal and Ancient’s Rules Committee last week as a memento, Scott has shown to be just as capable with the shortened version with a four under third round, following his second round 5 under to share the lead of -9. They hold a four shot lead over Barber.
Update: Adam Scott wins the Honda Classic with a one shot advantage to Garcia with Barber a further three shots in arrears. This is Scott’s first win on the PGA Tour since 2014. It was an impressive win for Scott, who recovered from a quadruple bogey in the third round and duelled with Garcia down the final holes.
Ladies Masters
South Korean Golfer Jiyai Shin fired a final round 69 to win the Ladies masters at Royal Pines by three shots. Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth (71) and Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen finished one-shot back on 10-under after a blemish-free round of 5-under 68.
The leading Australian finisher was amateur Hannah Green, who had a 3-under round of 70 for a total of 2-under, equal 12th.
1 Shin Ji.-14 2 Clyburn H. -11 T3 Larsen N. B. -10 T3 Lennarth C. -10 T5 Burnett K. -8 T5 Cheng S.-Ch. -8 T5 Choi H. -8 T8 Henderson B. -5 T8 Pretswell P. -5 T8 Srisawang N. -5 11 Lee S. Y. -4 T12 Green H. -2
Tennis
The wild one Nick K reached his second semi-final in two weeks only to withdraw with injury to his best buddy Stan Wawrinka who went on to win the Dubai final against Marcus Baghdatis. Meanwhile on the other side of the world, Acapulco to be precise, Big Bad Bernie (BBB) lost his first final to Austrian Dominic Thiem. The two wild men of Australian and World Tennis will now fly back into Melbourne for the upcoming Davis Cup match against the US at Kooyong. While our Aussie boys have been toughing it up on various corners of the globe, the US team have been quietly practicing on grass at the spiritual home of Australian Tennis.
Cycling – Women’s World Record broken
Australia’s Cycling Doctor Bridie O’Donnell’s one hour record has been broken by American Evelyn Stevens, riding 47.980km. O’Donnell achieved 46.882 km in the one hour at Adelaide’s SuperDrome while the American achieved her record in altitude at Colorado’s Velodrome.
Pro Running – Geelong Gift 28th February
100m Open Geelong Gift Final 1st Stuart Rooke, 2nd Matthew Rizzo, 3rd Darren Whitakker 10:408
100m Women’s Geelong Gift Final 1st Jacqui McCann, 2nd Natasha McDowell, 3rd Karly Tafft 12:108
1000m Open Final 1st Alexander Bacalja, 2nd Cody Williamson, 3rd Mark Andrews 2:34:377
550m Open Final 1st Ryan Hage, 2nd Jake Hilson, 3rd Jack Doderico 1:11:916
300m Master’s Final 1st Jamie Johns, 2nd Craig Harris, 3rd Tim Halpin 37:027
300 women’s final 1st Jody Richards, 2nd mandy Emett, 3rd Tamara Hammond 40:690
1000m Master’s and Women’s Final 1st Sean Quilty, 2nd Justine White, 3rd Martine Beer 2:35:010
NBL
Perth Wildcats are to meet NZ Heartbreakers after defeating Illawarra 89-74 in game three of the playoff series.
Game one is played in Perth Wednesday 2nd March and Game two in NZ on Friday 4th March. Game three is required will be played Wildcat’s home court Sunday March 6th. Hope players get frequent flyer points for those three games.
In the women’s league playoffs Townsville were defeated by Perth Lynx 91 : 72
Six Nations Rugby
England 21 def Ireland 10
Scotland 36 def Italy 20
English Football – EPL
Leicester vs Norwich 1 : 0
Southampton vs Chelsea 1 : 2
Stoke vs Aston Villa 2 : 1
Watford vs Bournemouth 0 : 0
West Brom vs Crystal Palace 3 : 2
Postponed Liverpool vs Everton
Postponed Newcastle vs Manchester Cit
West Ham vs Sunderland 1 : 0
Tottenham vs Swansea 2 : 1
Manchester United vs Arsenal 3 : 2
English Football – Championship
Blackburn vs Milton Keynes 3 : 2
Bolton vs Burnley 1 : 2
Cardiff vs Preston 2 : 1
Charlton vs Reading 3 : 4
Fulham vs Middlesbrough 0 : 2
Huddersfield vs Ipswich 0 : 1
Nottingham vs Bristol City 1 : 2
QPR vs Birmingham 2 : 0
Rotherham vs Brentford 2 : 1
Wolves vs Derby 2 : 1
Hull vs Sheffield Wed 0 : 0
Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen 1 – 1 St. Johnstone
Dundee FC 1 – 1 Inverness
Hearts 1 – 0 Kilmarnock
Motherwell 3 – 1 Partick
Ross County 0 – 3 Dundee Utd
Primera Division
Real Madrid 0 – 1 Atl. Madrid
Getafe 0 – 1 Celta Vigo
Gijon 2 – 4 Espanyol
Betis 2 – 2 Vallecano
Real Sociedad 1 – 1 Malaga
Villarreal – Levante
Bundesliga
Bremen 2 – 2 Darmstadt
Hamburger SV 1 – 1 Ingolstadt
Stuttgart 1 – 2 Hannover
Wolfsburg 0 – 2 Bayern
To be played:
Augsburg vs Monchengladbach
Dortmund vs Hoffenheim
Mainz vs Leverkusen
Frankfurt vs Schalke
NBA
Boston Celtics 101 vs Miami Heat 89
New Orleans Pelicans 110 vs Minnesota Timberwolves 112
Chicago Bulls 95 vs Portland Trail Blazers 103
Houston Rockets 94 vs San Antonio Spurs 104
Milwaukee Bucks 91 vs Detroit Pistons 102
Oklahoma City Thunder 118 vs Golden State Warriors 121
Phoenix Suns 111 vs Memphis Grizzlies 106
Utah Jazz 96 vs Brooklyn Nets 98
I love these. Everything I needed to know about the weekend’s sport – and more. Thanks for the Adam Scott update. Hope he has found his mojo again and can contend in the majors. And the Foxes keep running in the Premier League. Think I’ll pass on Super 18’s. Took me 3 years to work out where the NZ teams were located. No idea with the South African sides, and now we have 2 more obscure names to confuse me. Do the Conference champs play off against each other for an overall title?
I used to love Shield Cricket but the fragmentation of the season provides no ongoing narrative or sense of purpose. Sad. Pass.
“Doggies belt West Coast”?? Is Neil Anderson helping you out with these.
Good call Pete, Doggies beat GWS, I must have been overcome with excitement as Spurs scored a late winner in the early hours of the morning and Gunners lost to Man U.
Peter B
Regarding Super Rugby finals, Conference winners won places in the semi-finals by right; with the rest of the numbers being made up by the next highest place-getters. This means you’ve sometimes had two Kiwi teams playing each other in the final when they’ve probably been the best two teams in the comp anyway. This year looks a little more complicated so you’ll have three teams from the SA conferences (each of the Conference winners and the next best placed team) and five teams from the “Australasian” Conferences (Aust conf winner, NZ conf winner and next three best placed teams) which will guarantee at least one SA team, one Aussie team and one Kiwi team. There should be at least two SA teams, with the Argentinians being a chance but the Sunwolves not so much.
If Leicester can hold on and win the title it will be 1 of the greatest achievements in sporting history.
I reckon I am more chance to snare,Elle McPherson than the dead backs win a Sheffield shield
QPR winning is always a highlight personally and totally agree re the nab pre season rubbish, thanks,davep