Super Rugby; New South Wales Waratahs -v- Melbourne Rebels at Sydney Football Stadium
National Rugby League; Parramatta Eels -v- Penrith Panthers at Parramatta Stadium
Australian Football League; Carlton -v- Sydney Swans, Docklands Stadium.
An advantage of having grown up supporting a team across different codes is every week I can have a bit of fun by seeing what the odds are for each of my teams to win on a given weekend. All up multi on Friday night was paying $11.83; Wanderers into Norwich City, Panthers, Waratah’s and Swans.
My two soccer teams have already saluted, the Wanderers proved their favouritism with a 4-1 victory over the hapless Central Coast Mariners. Saturday night Norwich City won in time added on to hold on for a very much needed 3-2 win to create a bit of a break from Newcastle in the relegation race, paying $1.33
But at 4pm on Sunday afternoon I am waiting on the Panthers to get a $2.60 upset down the road at Parramatta, the Waratahs to salute at Moore Park at $1.30 over the Melbourne Rebels while the Swans should also salute at $1.22 over Carlton.
Only problem is they’re all playing at the same time. Early cash out offer at 4pm Sunday is $2.28.
The Rebels have kicked an early penalty goal to take a 3 point lead in the Super Rugby.
Parramatta kicks off to start proceedings in the League .
Waratah’s twitter account lights up as they’re on attack, but the play has broken down resulting in a penalty and Bernard Foley, kicks the goal. 3 all after 11 minutes in the Rugby.
Parramatta winger Brad Takarangi crosses for a try but it’s been sent to the bunker for review and it has been disallowed because of an obstruction, penalty to Penrith.
21st minute try to the Rebels’ five eighth Debreczeni with some fancy footwork crashes over to the left of the field. He misses the converstion and it’s 3-8 in the Rugby. Cash out offer is $2.18
25th minute and the Rebels are in again with a try to front rower Toby Smith. This time the conversion is good and the Tah’s trail 3-15.
20th minute and Parramatta have failed to take a high kick from Jamie Soward and Cartwright scores to the right hand side. Again we’re off to the bunker and a couple of the Penrith chasers were in front of the kicker and the try is disallowed and an offside penalty to Parramatta.
30th minute at Moore Park and Israel Folau has been given ten minutes in the sin bin for a professional foul, Rebels kick the penalty goal and now they’re out to a 15 point lead.
The bounce has happened at Docklands.
23rd minute and Parramatta have the first try of the match to front rower Junior Paulo carrying defenders over on the left side. Michael Gordon converts and now both my teams are down in their respective first halves. Cash out offer is now 69 cents.
Casboult kicks the first goal for the Blues and now I’m behind in all three. Disaster.
37th minute and the Tah’s take another shot for penalty while they have a man in the bin. Foley misses and the margin is still 15 down.
Buddy forces a turnover in the forward 50 but Parker misses and the Swans open their scoring with a behind.
A penalty goal right on half time to the Rebels and they go to the break with an 18 point lead. Kerridge kicks the second of the game for the Blues as they extend their lead to 11.
Cal Sinclair takes a juggling mark and bangs it straight through the middle from outside 50.
37th minute in the League and Bryce Cartwright has broken the line to score Penrith’s first try. Confirmed by the bunker. Jamie Soward converts and the score is all tied up at 6 in Parramatta.
Meanwhile Tippet wins the hard mark and converts and the Swans get their first lead of the match. Sinclair grabs his second and the Swans extend their lead as the half time siren sounds in the League with the scores locked at 6.
I flip the channel and do my ears deceive me but do I hear the dulcet tones of Eddie Maguire calling the game under the enclosed dome?
Second half underway at Moore Park as Matthew Cruze kicks into the post. Cash out is now 42 cents. Kennedy goals.
Tah’s are simply awful with the ball in hand. It will be nothing short of a miracle for them to turn the momentum around as Gibbs goals for Carlton, and only the siren stops them from scoring again. Swans hold an 8 point lead at quarter time.
52nd minute and Jack Dempsey scores a try right next to the posts for the Tah’s. Foley converts and the score is now 10-21 in the Rugby as the teams return to Parramatta Stadium for the second half of the League.
Cash out is now $1.68.
Wallace makes a short dummy half run to get an early try after the break and the Panthers have their first lead of the game. Another conversion to Soward and the lead is now 12-6.
Mills with pinpoint accuracy finds Cunningham and Harry fires it through.
Former Panther fullback Michael Gordon has gone over for the Eels from a dropped ball but it’s gone to the bunker who confirm the try. Flash misses the conversion and the Panthers hold a 2 point lead with 27 minutes to go.
Ten to go at Moore Park and the Tah’s are finally getting their stuff together as the outside centre Carraro scores after a kick to the right wing with an inside pass from the winger Reece Robinson. Foley converts and the margin is down to 4 points. Game on and the cash out is now $1.72
Back at the Dome and Heeney snaps to extend the lead 43 to 28.
The Rebels are trying to hold onto possession for the closing minutes.
Parramatta get a penalty close to goal and they opt to go for the points and the score is tied up at 12 as Papley dribbles one through to extend the Swans lead.
The Tah’s are losing their composure and drop a high ball from the Rebels and they are awarded a penalty with 2 minutes to go and they’re going to go the kick but they’ve missed it.
Parramatta Hooker Isaac De Gois scores for the Eels and Michael Gordon doesn’t miss this time. Penrith trail by 6.
The siren has sounded at Moore Park and the Tah’s are trying to find a miracle, but they’ve knocked on and Melbourne get their first win in Sydney.
Perhaps sensing the situation, I receive a message from a fellow Almanacker inviting me out to dinner.
The Swans have kicked 6 in the second quarter to blow their lead out to 38 points.
With 5 to go a Penrith play was shut down by a knockdown by a Parramatta defender but the referee rules a knock on against Penrith. While the scrum is setting the Bunker has radioed through to the match referee it was knocked down by the Parramatta player. The referee changes who gets the feed and awards the scrum to Penrith. They run it left and Mansour scores in the corner. Soward has the chance to tie it up with 4 minutes to go but he misses. 2 points in it.
Down to the final minute and the Panthers start their final set with 70 metres to go. It’s knocked down by the Eels and the tackle count resets with 20 seconds to go and the kick in the final second to the right winger Watene Zelezniak out jumps Sami Radrada to the high ball, he passes it inside to the following Bryce Cartwright who slams the ball down for the try and the Panthers get the win. Soward has an academic kick for goal, which he misses. Panthers win 20 to 18.
Who cares that my online gambling house of choice has already consigned my losing bet slip to the dustbin of the ether, the Panthers finally win one in the final seconds.
The Swans are doing it easy at the long break – the Tah’s have cost me.
It’s time to go and celebrate Steve’s birthday.
In the end, the Swans win comfortably by 60.
Almost the perfect weekend.

About Wayne Ball
Tragic fan of the Australian and NSW cricket teams (for those of you outside NSW, there is a difference, despite what David Hookes said). Not a fan of T20. Penrith Panthers are the only club of decency and all which is good in Rugby League, the Waratah's were once the national team of Rugby Union, the first non Victorian team in the VFL/AFL is the Sydney Swans, and they all enjoy my passionate support. Sings for Wanderers. Internationally, I have been to see the Oakland Athletics and Green Bay Packers play. One day, I'll see Norwich City play for the FA Cup at Wembley.
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