The Weekly A-Z

Posted on June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 | Posted by Digby Beacham

A – ABOUT BLOODY TIME

Perth Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson has always adopted a team-first mantra. It’s fair to say it has served him well throughout a glittering NBL career, delivering him five championships with the Wildcats. For some strange reason though, his heroics here in Perth haven’t been recognised appropriately … until now. Gleeson was this week awarded the Lindsay Gaze Trophy as the NBL’s coach of the year. It is the first time he has received the gong, with many wondering what more he could do. Not surprisingly, Wildcats superstar Bryce Cotton was named the league MVP for the third time in four seasons, underlining his dominance of the NBL in a relatively short space of time.

B – BERMUDA TRIANGLE

The more things change, the more things stay the same. Professional sporting teams on the Gold Coast go as well together as Gerry Adams and Johnny Adair. The effort of the Gold Coast Suns last weekend against Fremantle was abysmal, adding to a string of poor performances which will confine them to the role of spectator in the finals yet again. The Gold Coast Titans aren’t much better. Their defensive inadequacies have contributed to their lowly position on the NRL ladder and if Manly are anywhere near their top this weekend, will ensure Justin Holbrook’s men lose their ninth match from 14 outings.

C – CATS AND DOGS

While there is the forecast of rain in Geelong today, it isn’t expected to be biblical. If it was, it wouldn’t have a great impact on the crowd for tonight’s clash between Geelong and the Western Bulldogs. Only about 7000 fans will be allowed to witness the match live as the Victorian Government slowly eases restrictions imposed because of the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The Cats made a statement against Port Adelaide eight days ago and their efficiency when going forward could prove problematic for the undermanned Bulldogs backline.

D – DICE WITH DEATH

We often hear the term do-or-die being used to describe the fortunes of a sporting team. It might be time to reconsider trotting out that line. Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest whilst playing against Finland last weekend during the early stages of the Euros. The horror on the faces of his Danish teammates and those in the stands, including his girlfriend Sabrina Kvist Jensen, while he received emergency treatment on the pitch, put everything into perspective. For the record, Eriksen is stable and recovering in hospital. Whether he plays professionally again is an entirely different conversation.

E – EXHIBIT A

For those struggling to get their heads around the crackdown over head-high shots in the NRL, look no further than Boyd Cordner. The former Sydney Roosters, NSW and Australian captain was understandably emotional on Monday morning when he announced his retirement from the game at the age of 29 because of complications from repeated head knocks. He is the second Rooster to walk away this season prematurely because of concussion, following on from long-time teammate Jake Friend.

F – FITTING FAREWELL

Congratulations must go to all at Collingwood, in particular the players, for making Nathan Buckley’s final game with the club in an official capacity an overwhelming success. The love the playing group has for one of the club’s most decorated servants, is undeniable. And that was reflected in the upset victory over Melbourne at the SCG on Monday evening. Side by side they say. On this occasion, it is impossible to argue with that.

G – GREEN LIGHT

The AFL Tribunal gave David Mackay that when they cleared him of his heavy contact with St Kilda youngster Hunter Clark last Saturday night. Mackay was sent straight to the judiciary after the bump which broke Clark’s jaw, the result of a high-speed collision, could not be assessed by match review officer Michael Christian. For many, the bump was on trial, the fabric of Australian Rules in the dock. The AFL Tribunal has spoken … long live the bump (for now!).

H – HEADLINE ACTS

They were everywhere at Eagle Farm last weekend and they didn’t disappoint. First it was Ayrton showcasing his undeniable talent in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic. Soon after Zaaki eclipsed his rivals in the $1.2 million Q22 to round out a superb winter campaign that has him at the pointy end of betting in the Cox Plate later this year. Converge, the son of Frankel who campaigned boldly over the Sydney autumn, cracked his maiden Group 1 when streaking to victory in the JJ Atkins. And those wins came before Tofane notched another elite level triumph in the Stradbroke Handicap before Brooklyn Hustle stormed down the outside to snare the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes. Just a great day’s racing.

I – IMPLOSION

One of the toughest sporting markets in the world is Philadelphia. The fans there don’t take kindly to losing. Philadelphia Eagles supporters one day not only booed Santa Claus, they threw snowballs at him for God’s sake. The “boo birds” were at it again yesterday morning when the Philadelphia 76ers coughed up a 26-point lead in game five of the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinal series, eventually losing 109-106 to the Atlanta Hawks. It was a meltdown that had to be seen to be believed. The response tomorrow morning in game six in Atlanta from the Sixers will be fascinating.

J – JUSTIS SERVED

Justis Huni was taunted and ridiculed by Paul Gallen in the lead-up to Wednesday night’s heavyweight bout in Sydney. The young Brisbane boxer kept calm, insisting he would let his gloves do the talking. And talk they did. Huni delivered nearly 30 minutes of unrelenting punishment on Gallen, who did a mighty job to stay upright for as long as he did. Make no mistake, Huni is the real deal. He will represent Australia in Tokyo where a gold medal is very much within reach before returning home and carving out a career that is destined for the brightest of lights.

K – KING KEVIN

Kevin Durant channeled his inner LeBron James this week to lift the Brooklyn Nets to a stirring come-from-behind win over the Milwaukee Bucks in game five of their Eastern Conference match-up. Durant played all 48 minutes, pouring in 49 points, on 16 of 23 field goal attempts, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. The Nets trailed by 17 points approaching the midway point of the third quarter and looked destined to fall behind 3-2 in the series, a deficit that would have had them on the brink of an unexpected exit. It bore many hallmarks of LeBron’s 41-point haul against Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals while playing for Cleveland.

L – LEAVE ME OUT

Rafael Nadal dropped a bombshell last night when he announced he would miss Wimbledon and also the Tokyo Olympic Games. Stunned last week by Novak Djokovic at his home away from home, Roland Garros, Nadal said he had taken on board the advice of his support staff, whilst also listening to his body. It would be great if Nadal freshens up physically and mentally and readies himself for the North American hard-court season, highlighted by the US Open at Flushing Meadows, especially after organisers announced that crowds would be back at 100 per cent capacity this year. Wimbledon suffered another seismic blow overnight with Naomi Osaka also declaring her unavailability for the All-England Club.

M – MATTER OF TIME

The day is fast approaching where Novak Djokovic will be atop the grand slam singles leaderboard … all by himself. And it could come before the end of the year. The world No.1 hits Wimbledon later this month off the back of his finest 48 hours in tennis — taking down Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the French Open before rallying from two sets to love down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. He now has 19 grand slams to his name, just one less than Nadal and Roger Federer. Given his proficiency on hard courts, it is only a matter of time before we refer to him as the GOAT.

N – NO PEER

Having lost the grand final last year to the Gabba, Victorians would dearly love to be able to attend the cauldron that is the MCG for this year’s showpiece match. Few could begrudge the State some overdue September action, most notably the grand final. But what the past fortnight has proven is should the biggest game on the AFL calendar have to take place outside Melbourne, it must be at Optus Stadium. The state-of-the-art facility has played host to two of the most pulsating matches of the season — the Dreamtime match featuring Richmond and Essendon and the Tigers’ narrow loss to West Coast last Sunday night. The lighting, facilities and surface provide a fantastic viewing and playing experience.

O – OLD SCHOOL

Maybe we now have a hard and fast answer on why St Kilda are failing as an AFL club. That the Saints conceded this week there was a level of disappointment at Seb Ross’ decision to opt out of a trip to Cairns to play Adelaide in order to spend time with his wife Marnie, who recently gave birth to twins, says a great deal about them. Memo to everyone involved at St Kilda, it is 2021, not the 1970s. Grow up.

P – PUNISHMENT

Port Adelaide can expect some after four of their players attended the Olympic swimming trials this week sans masks. Zak Butters, Mitch Georgiades, Dylan Williams and Ollie Lord violated Swimming Australia’s COVID-19 policy when they attended the trials without masks. Their refusal is likely to lead to a significant financial sanction after Adelaide were fined $50,000 following the decision by several players to remove masks during a flight home from Sydney late last month.

Q – QUESTIONS

Many of them need to be asked about Hawthorn’s decision to conduct a boxing session that saw Mitch Lewis  ruled out of last Friday night’s clash with Sydney at the SCG with concussion. The Hawks didn’t seem too perturbed by the practice, but in modern-day football, with such an emphasis on head knocks and the lingering effects of concussion on mental health, delivering blows to the head of a teammate inside the four walls of your club isn’t acceptable.

R – ROYAL TREATMENT

For those of us who love our racing, most of 2020 was a hard watch. There were the big meetings in Melbourne and Sydney and internationally which went off without a hitch, albeit with no spectators on course to witness some of the highest calibre horse flesh you could imagine. You can include Royal Ascot in that. Which is why it was terrific to see the traditional June carnival take place this week, even though there were restrictions on how many could flood through the gates. It might not have been the same with the Queen electing to watch from Windsor Castle, but it sure beat the alternative.

S – STAYING ALIVE

Fremantle gave their September aspirations the shot in the arm they desperately needed last Saturday when they defied a crippling injury list to account for Gold Coast. Granted, the Suns aren’t exactly Richmond, but the win saw the Dockers hit their mid-season bye at 6-7 with three very winnable games to follow after the break — Collingwood (away), Carlton (home) and Hawthorn (away). It gets a bit funky from then on in regards to their fixture, but the narrative would certainly change if they’re entering round 18 at 9-7.

T – TENTERHOOKS

Phoenix Suns fans, and I dare say thousands of neutral NBA supporters, are anxiously awaiting further detail surrounding Chris Paul. The veteran point guard, so instrumental in the Suns advancing to the finals of the Western Conference, was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols. Paul is believed to have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, which could enable him to return earlier than normal. It would be a cruel blow for Phoenix if Paul wasn’t available for the start of the showdown with either the LA Clippers or Utah Jazz.

U – UNITED WE STAND

Melbourne United, welcome to WA. If you weren’t aware already, you are in Perth Wildcats territory. The team that has championship credentials coursing through its veins. And when you enter RAC Arena tonight, you will be greeted by the Red Army, the most boisterous supporters in the country. The same applies on Sunday afternoon in game two. We have won the past two titles and we don’t intend to hand over the baton just yet, even if Bryce Cotton, the best player to have suited up in the NBL, is missing through injury.

V – VALOUR TO THE FORE

Valour Road’s campaign this time was going to consist of the Group 3 Northam Stakes (1100m) followed by the Group 3 Roma Cup (1200m). It was then extended to the Group 3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) where he ran on strongly to run second behind dominant winner The Velvet King. That prompted trainer Simon Miller and Brad Rawiller to have a crack at last Saturday’s Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m). It proved a masterstroke with the tough-as-teak gelding capitalising on an economical run from a low draw behind stablemate Dance Music, who set a modest tempo out in front, to clinch the $200,000 feature. Expect to see Valour Road aimed up at the Railway Stakes later this year as a result.

W – WELCOME BACK

How good is it to have Shockwave back at Gloucester Park? The five-year-old has drawn the pole for the Winter Cup, his first race since finishing third in last year’s Fremantle Cup. He will encounter a familiar face in Chicago Bull, who should be getting very close to peak fitness, but has to negotiate a tricky barrier in six. Trainer Ryan Bell has Shockwave, his stable star, wound up for a first-up victory, which could be the springboard for some serious riches.

X – XANDER’S OPEN BID

Xander Schauffele entered the first round of the US Open at Torrey Pines expecting to contend. He finished it having achieved his goal. The American boasts four top-10 finishes in the event and gave himself every chance of doing so once more after carding a two-under par 69. Schauffele doesn’t do anything spectacular, but he does a lot of things extremely well.

Y – YOUNG GUNS

It’s been extremely satisfying over the past week or so to see the apprentice jockeys here in WA well and truly step up to the plate. Rosie Mahoney got off the mark up in Broome last Saturday when she piloted home a double, three days after Holly Watson chalked up her first victory in town. Laqdar Ramoly, Keshaw Dhurun, Jett Stanley, Beaux Banovic-Edwards and Kristy Bennett have also been in good form, with Ramoly being presented with a wonderful opportunity to notch a Listed win tomorrow aboard WAROA Belmont Guineas favourite Billy Ain’t Silly.

Z – ZACH’S SIX APPEAL

Collingwood, look elsewhere. Zach Merrett is going to be an Essendon player for the next six years. Effectively, he is a Bomber for life. Merrett, who was out of contract at the end of the season, had been linked to the Magpies, who are believed to have been clearing the decks for his arrival via free agency. But the direction of Essendon under rookie coach Ben Rutten has been highly encouraging, prompting the nippy left-footer to agree to a deal worth roughly $5 million that doesn’t expire until the end of 2027.