Almanac Weekend rewind

With February 14th a special occasion in some quarters, my niece’s birthday, this weekend’s round up features lot-o-love.

AFL Feel the Love

AFL pre season circus begins next week. The NAB Challenge, commences this Thursday with Hawks v Blues. Clarko and Bolts have a more than mutual respect for each other, I could imagine Clarko coming into the Blues huddle at quarter time and suggesting some whiteboard positions for his former protégé or maybe Bolts will advise Clarko that he needs to reset, the team is young and has a lot of learning to do together, getting to know one another and being honest with each other. This is the first step in a long journey together.

Zika virus outbreak will not compromise the Rio Olympics

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has vowed that the virus will not compromise the Rio Olympics. Most visitors to Olympic Villages are aware that the rate of condom usage spikes during the games, perhaps the rate of insect repellent will also spike for the love games inside and outside of the village.

With more than 200,000 soldiers being deployed across the country to warn the public about the risks of the virus, this Olympic correspondent wonders if the troops will be will in force, swatting mosquitoes away. The Australian Olympic Team has recently deployed its own secret weapon, a sponsorship by Bushman repellent. I have been advised to wear long sleeve linen shirts and eat copious quantities of vegemite.

Big Love in NRL – Charity Shield and All Stars

The traditional start of the season was in NSW while the other start of the season by traditional land owners was in Qld, a case of daylight savings between first and second.

The NRL has been haggling over the All Stars game, a magnificent showcase of indigenous talent against the rest. With the series contract due for renewal, ARL Chairman and interim CEO John Grant, not to be confused with American Singer John Grant from The Czars, (touring Australia in March, tickets at usual places) has professed his love of the concept game and wishes to continue the relationship. All Stars 8 -12, defeated by International upstarts.

No love at the Charity Shield as the Rabbitohs slayed (nay, just held on) the Dragons 18-14 at Sydney’s much loved Olympic Stadium. In a game typical of a season starter with poor handling skills and lack of game highlights, Rabbitohs held on and scored enough points to win although I am sure Madge Maguire and McGregor would have been happy with the hit out.

Cricket – Brendon or was that Nathan

In his last outing at The Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand captain almost entered the playing arena under another name, mistaken for his brother Nathan. The ground announcer welcomed Nathan, then realising his mistake corrected to Brendon McCullum as he strode out to bat, phew almost! Where was the love?

Cricket – Usman Loves batting and Voges loves NZ bowling

Reacquainting themselves with the red ball, Usman Khawaja showed his love for scoring runs with a masterful 140 ably supported by Adam Voges notching up another double ton, he loves those Kiwi bowlers.

NZ 1st 183            Aust 562
NZ 2nd 4/178

Watto gone again

Just when you thought it was a Watto free news zone while competing in the Pakistan T20 tournament in United Arab Emirates, the great man has suffered an abdominal injury. There is no doubting his intestinal fortitude, appears a muscly thing and may have to return for treatment, raising doubts about his fitness for the upcoming World Hit and Giggle bash in India.

A-League – Another Flare-up

Here we go again; intelligence seems to be a low commodity in a very small section of Melbourne Victory’s passionate supporters. I can only put this in a collective as the individual who lit the flare in this weekend’s derby is perhaps not of the inclination to stand up and be counted.

The A-League’s chief whip cracker Giddy-up is now bound with precedence after last week’s penalties for the Warriors, no doubt this week it will be all over the media, more of the same argument that everyone except a very minor few understand resulting in Melbourne Victory taking a hit to the hip pocket and perhaps suspended loss of points. When will they learn?

Back to the real stuff, cracker Melbourne Derby, thrills, spills, tough aggressive tense action and not only in the stands. Thrilling goals, plenty of yellow and one red card, goal that should have been and wasn’t and both coaches agreeing the crowd needs to behave, if only.

Sydney’s coach Barmy Arnie needs to perhaps take a rest. After bemoaning his side’s latest loss to Perth, Barmy said he will have to work harder even though he is flat out already trying to correct his side’s latest performance. Judging on the team’s performance perhaps Barmy you need to take a break, working too long and the boys are tired, perhaps look in the mirror and those baggy eyes are a dead giveaway. Goals let through the keeper’s gloves, tired defence and tired offence corrected only when sub Smelz came off the bench, because he was fresh. I see a pattern emerging.

Wanderers stunned by a first half hat trick by the rising Phoenix Blake Powell that silenced Pirtek Stadium. Phoenix went on to win with the three goal margin.

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory                      2 : 2

Sydney FC vs Perth Glory                                            1 : 2

Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets                                2 : 2

WS Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix                      2 : 5

Central Coast Mariners vs Adelaide United             2 : 3

Cycling – World Championships Squad

Following last week’s National Championships, Cycling Australia has selected a strong team to compete in next month’s World Championships to be held in London. The squad shows that National results don’t necessarily equate to selection plans for the World Champs and Rio. One example is Perko won the men’s Keirin but was not selected for London. Cameron Meyer has been selected to ride the Madison and not sure he was even in Adelaide for the Nationals. Jack Bobridge and Alex Edmondson have been given leave of absence to ride with their pro teams, opening the door for a youthful squad to contest the endurance events. The depth of talent in Men’s endurance allows CA to be flexible with squad members and remain a gold medal chance in the UCI Champs.

Sprint
Patrick Constable (SA)
Matthew Glaetzer (SA)
Nathan Hart (ACT)
Jacob Schmid (VIC)
Kaarle McCulloch (NSW)
Anna Meares (SA/QLD)
Stephanie Morton (SA)

Women’s Track Endurance
Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW)
Amy Cure (TAS)
Annette Edmondson (SA)
Georgia Baker (TAS)
Rebecca Wiasak (ACT)

Men’s Track Endurance
Luke Davison (SA/NSW)
Michael Hepburn (QLD)
Cameron Meyer (WA)
Glenn O’Shea (SA/VIC)
Alexander Porter (SA)
Callum Scotson (SA)
Miles Scotson (SA)
Samuel Welsford (WA)

Pro Running – Trinity Gift 14th  February

120m Open Gift 1. Jojo Kwenin 2. Nathan Riali 3. Nick Magree  12:84

120m Under 17 1. Lucy McCready 2. Lee Tziantonis 3. Mitchell White  12:757

120m Women’s 1. Angela Wilson, 2. Mandy Emmett 3. Sophie Taylor  15:01

1600m Open 1. Jack Davies 2. Leon Brooks 3. Thomas O’Shaughnessy  4:21:173

300m Women’s/Masters 1. Caroline Coop 2. Martin Barrow 3. Jamie Johns  36:916

400m Open 1. Tim Rosen 2. Danielle McDowell 3. Neil Brennan  49:572

400m Under 17 1. Tom Griffin 2. Lorna Clark 3. Dylan Moore   52:238

70m Open 1. Ryan McNamara 2. Nathan Riali 3. Cam Dunbar  7:580

800m Women’s 1. Chloe Sproule 2. Martine Beer 3. Meg Deane  2:14:49

Hockey

The Hockeyroos defeated Great Britain 4-3 on Friday night in the first of a six game series. The second game on Sunday was won by Team GB, 1-0. The third game of the series will be played on Tuesday.

Baseball

World Baseball Classic – Qualification

Australia 12 – 5 South Africa
Australia qualifies for the 2017 World Baseball Classic, joining other baseball luminaries that have already qualified, Japan, USA, Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Italy, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Venezuela, China and Canada.

The 2017 World Baseball Classic will be held during the MLB’s Spring Training.

Ski Jumping
Peter Prevc won the second competition on the “Monsterbakken” in Vikersund. With the longest flights of the day on 238.5 m and 230 m the Slovene scored a total of 457.6 points and celebrated his tenth win this season. With 11 more individual competitions left this season, the Slovene only needs three more wins to equal the record of Gregor Schlierenzauer.

Johann Andre Forfang and Robert Kranjec finished second and third.

English Football – Premier League

Bournemouth 1 – 3 Stoke

Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Watford

Everton 0 – 1 West Brom

Norwich 2 – 2 West Ham

Swansea 0 – 1 Southampton

Chelsea 5 – 1 Newcastle

Arsenal 2 – Leicester 1

Tottenham 2 Manchester City 1

Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 6

If you would like to share your EPL team’s results over the weekend, please post in the comments section.

English Football – Championship

Blackburn 0 – 2 Hull

Brighton 3 – 2 Bolton

Bristol City 2 – 1 Ipswich

Charlton 0 – 0 Cardiff

Derby 0 – 1 Milton Keynes

Nottingham 0 – 2 Huddersfield

Reading 0 – 0 Burnley

Rotherham 0 – 0 Birmingham

Sheffield Wed 4 – 0 Brentford

Wolves 1 – 2 Preston

Spain Primera Division

Real Madrid 4 : 2 Ath. Bilbao

Villarreal 1 : 0 Malaga

Valencia 2 : 1 Espanyol

La Coruna 2 : 2 Betis

NBA

All Stars weekend

Six Nations Rugby

France 10            Ireland 9

Wales 27             Scotland 23

England 40        Italy 9

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