The View from Shepparton

This week my view has been somewhat focused on the NRL, particularly the Cowboys Sharks game.

Can’t believe that “Sydney’s Essendon” were even able to play but at any rate I suppose that it meant that the team finishing ninth didn’t get a spot in the final, of course that begs the question as to why Cronulla were able to take part.

I only joined the game when the Cowboys were leading eighteen  points to twelve. I should explain that they are my NRL team based as they are in Townsville where I lived for three years but more particularly because of their fullback Matt Bowen who grew up at Hopevale where I was stationed in 1969. I am pretty sure that I knew his parents when they were dating. At any rate the Bowen name is very important in that community and I was and have been so rapt by his success in the game. He has been described as a model player, and ornament to the code and an outstanding representative of his people. So it was that he had what should have been the second last play of the game as he ducked and weaved before passing the ball on to the next player as he dashed for the line. An outstanding tackle by a Sharks player just as he was getting the ball down which saw that player just pushed into touch by a fraction prior to finally getting it down saw the try disallowed. It was symptomatic of the game that there was then complete uncertainty as to how much playing time was left. And the seven tackle try! Yeah right. There are very few fairy tales in sport, more nightmares I reckon.

Port Adelaide were rolled after really giving the Cats a fright. Was so hoping that they could keep going after half time but the Geelong fight back was inevitable. Still with two minutes thirty six seconds to go Port will still a chance. That goal of Westhoff which brought it back to sixteen points had to be the seen to be believed, tight on the boundary, seemingly in the air as he kicked it from the tightest of angles, you just had to wonder how he did it, probably adrenalin I reckon. Even though I am a Norwood supporter I hope that the Power do OK next year. Just hope that they don’t fade out like the Crows did this year.

Sydney won well enough against the Blues, in fact on reflection it was more than “well enough”  given the early injuries which put Tippett and Mitchell out of the game early in the first quarter. McVeigh showed everyone how the game should be played notwithstanding the  state of the ground.  Given that there had been little or no rain in Sydney for weeks there was no excuse for it being slippery. I am more than aware that it was the same for both teams and that in the past players have had to put up with much worse and that they can’t expect to play on  a bed of roses every week but really, if elite players are expected to play at their best then all things being equal in this day and age the ground should be at an elite standard as well.

Great that Tomic won that reverse singles but I can’t really imagine Hoad, Rosewall, Laver, or Newcombe carrying on like he did after the game. Just total bullshit, really is. I can’t imagine the Australian public ever warming to him.

Highlights: Westhoff’s goal, McVeigh’s game.

Lo Light: The NRL

About Peter Schumacher

Wannabe footy commentator and writer, used to be a wannabe footballer

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