Sports

The Weekly A-Z

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

A – ALL ABOUT THE AZZURRI

High praise must be afforded to Italy for their triumph over England in the final of the Euros on Monday morning. The Italians, reinvigorated by Roberto Mancini, rallied from a one-goal deficit to force the showpiece into extra time, which still couldn’t separate the two teams. Penalties were required and it was Italy who held their nerve, prevailing 3-2 in the shoot-out to lift the trophy for a second time. It is easy to forget that Italy were a rabble and had failed to qualify for the World Cup before Mancini took over in 2018.

B – BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Every man and his dog was expecting NSW to sweep Queensland in the State of Origin on Wednesday night. But the Blues, minus the injured Nathan Cleary, weren’t as organised when in possession as we had seen in the opening two games and defensively didn’t possess the same zest which catapulted them to two massive victories. Irrespective of the 20-18 loss in a dead rubber, to be able to prevail 2-1 with all games being held in Queensland is a feather in the cap of Blues coach Brad Fittler and his players.

C – COVID CHAOS

It was only last month that Victoria was a safe haven for all AFL clubs. How quickly things change. The league this week sent Sydney and GWS north to Queensland, the Western Bulldogs left early for their clash with Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium and Brisbane had to fly back to their home State after arriving down in Melbourne for tonight’s match against Richmond. And that is on top of the logistical nightmare faced by the powers that be at NRL headquarters given the worsening COVID-19 situation in Greater Sydney. It is a right, royal mess.

D – DEMON DEVASTATION

It’s impossible not to feel for Alex de Minaur, who this morning was ruled out of the Olympic Games after testing positive to COVID-19. The world No.17 returned a positive swab to his mandatory 96-hour and 72-hour pre-departure test before flying to Tokyo. De Minaur, who was negative when he left the Wimbledon bubble for his Spanish base earlier this month, is another high profile tennis player to withdraw from the Games because of the coronavirus, following on from British pair Dan Evans and Johanna Konta.

E – EXPORT OF NOTE

Red Can Man arrived in the Victorian stable of David Brideoake with a high-class CV. A stakes-winning three-year-old, he handled the step-up to open company during the spring with aplomb. Though he didn’t win, he did finish runner-up to Kay Cee in the Group 2 Lee-Steere Stakes and was fourth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes a fortnight later. After a below-par first-up effort down the Flemington straight, Red Can Man gave those on the east coast a reminder of his talent with  a brilliant victory in last weekend’s Group 3 Monash Stakes at Caulfield. Brideoake will progress to the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes and Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes before being aimed up at the Group 1 Memsie Stakes.

F – FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Birdies flowed thick and fast on the opening day of the Open Championship at Royal St George’s as the best on the planet took aim at a course that was not so much defenceless, but more gettable than we have seen in years gone by. The forecast for today’s second round is so-so before the sun comes out over the weekend, which could play into the hands of those with an aggressive mindset and length off the tee. Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 champion, was close to flawless yesterday, carding a six-under-par 64 with no bogeys to hold a one-shot lead over American duo Jordan Spieth and Brian Harman.

G – GALILEO THE GOLIATH

There are stallions who make an impression and there are others who actually shape the multi-billion dollar industry. Galileo most definitely fits in the second category. Sadly for all concerned, especially those at Coolmore, the goliath of the breeding industry had to be euthanised over the weekend because of a debilitating foot injury. The Epsom and Irish Derby champion sired 92 Group 1 winners and runners totalling more than $500 million in stakes is proof of his influence in the barn. The impeccably bred son of Sadlers Wells will no doubt be referenced for many years to come thanks in no small part to arguably his biggest success, the redoubtable Frankel who is proving as lethal at stud as he was on the track.

H – HARD DONE BY

You could certainly excuse Jack Riewoldt if he was feeling that way after the snap decision yesterday by the AFL to move Richmond’s crucial clash with Brisbane from the MCG to Metricon Stadium. Riewoldt would have all week been expecting to play his 300th match before family and friends and a pro-Tigers crowd. Instead it is back up to Queensland where he is likely to be jeered, not cheered, by a supporter base that is going to be heavily slanted in the Lions’ favour.

I – INEVITABILITY

There was a sense of it entering Wimbledon given the absence of Rafael Nadal and the fact Roger Federer was also short of a gallop. Unsurprisingly, world No.1 Novak Djokovic took care of business, winning the final on Sunday night in four sets over Matteo Berrettini to draw alongside the aforementioned pair with 20 grand slam singles titles. Djokovic is a raging favourite to win the upcoming US Open and achieve a calendar year grand slam, which would also put him one major ahead of Rafa and Roger and seemingly on track to set a mark that will never be challenged again. He is going to be the GOAT.

J – JANGLED NERVES

Every Australian basketball fan’s heart skipped a beat this week when it was revealed All-Star guard Bradley Beal had entered USA Basketball’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Soon after he was cut from the American team just days before it flies to Japan for the Olympics. Beal played against the Boomers earlier this week, sparking fears our  men’s national side would be exposed to COVID-19 also. Hastily performed tests on Australian players and staff came back negative, but they will again be asked to undertake further testing before jetting out from Las Vegas to Tokyo. As for Opals star Liz Cambage’s behaviour this week, well the trend is your friend. Let’s hope her Australian teammates vote her out, even if it impacts their medal hopes.

K – KOUTOU’S CLASSIC

The Adam Durrant-trained Tena Koutou will be chasing a second successive black-type victory when he faces the starter in tomorrow’s Listed Belmont Classic (2200m). The son of Blackfriars impressed when taking out the Aquanita Stakes (2000m) a fortnight ago and will meet three rivals from that race in the $100,000 feature. The other two horses in the select field come from the Belmont Oaks, which was run on the same day as the Aquanita and won by Chili Is Hot. She is also seeking a second consecutive Listed win, while followers of Baronova will be hoping she enjoys more luck than she did in the Oaks.

L – LEVEL PEGGING

That is where we find ourselves after four games in the best-of-seven NBA Finals stoush between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks trailed 2-0 after the Suns continued their momentum on their home floor, but squared things up in Wisconsin, with yesterday’s 109-103 win headlined by a 40-point haul from Khris Middleton, one of the more underrated genuine stars of recent times … if that makes sense! The critical game five is set down for Sunday morning back in Phoenix.

M – MAGNIFICENT 7

While on the topic of basketball, I would be remiss if I wasn’t giving Chris Goulding a shout-out for his performance in the Boomers’ thumping win over Nigeria on Wednesday morning. The Melbourne United star was lights out from the three-point line, connecting on all seven attempts in a shooting display that would have no doubt endeared him even further to the Australian coaching staff, while also ensuring he will be marked closer when the Boomers look to create history and get their mits on an Olympic Games medal of any kind for the first time.

N – NOW OR NEVER

There is no tomorrow for West Coast. Spankings from the Western Bulldogs and Sydney left them vulnerable and that was before they succumbed to North Melbourne on Monday night at Optus Stadium. Adelaide at Adelaide Oval won’t be easy, but Adam Simpson and his troops just have to find a way to remain inside the top eight and give themselves renewed hope that a finals berth is achievable. The fallout over the past few weeks has been immense. The bad vibes will only increase if they don’t leave South Australia with the four points.

O – OH MIKI

You’re so fine, you blow my mind. You all know how the song goes so there’s no need for yours truly to attempt to belt it out. But we should all pay homage to Tricky Miki for taking out last Friday night’s $125,000 Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park. Trainer-driver Justin Prentice trailed pacesetter Whataretheodds for most of the race before getting into clear air in the run to the line and dashing clear to win in emphatic fashion. It was Prentice’s second successive victory in the Group 1 feature after last year’s triumph with Mighty Ronaldo.

P – PURPLE PAIN

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Fremantle were back on the big stage last night and seemingly in an ideal position to deliver a box-office performance that would propel them towards September. But they were obliterated around the ball by Geelong, outpointed in every major statistical component of the game and had their 69-point loss compounded by leg injuries to in-form big men Sean Darcy and Rory Lobb. It’s not an overreaction to declare Fremantle’s finals hopes are now in tatters.

Q – QUEENSLAND TO THE RESCUE

Where would the AFL be without Queensland? And the NRL for that matter. Fresh off hosting three State of Origin games, the Sunshine State is now going to be littered with Australian Rules and rugby league players and officials for the foreseeable future. With what is going on in Victoria, who are now in the midst of a fifth COVID-19 lockdown, it is difficult to see how the AFL can continue to schedule matches without crowds down south.

R – RIP

Humanity, not just football, lost a good one this week with the passing of Sergio Silvagni. The patriarch of the Silvagni family and father of Team of the Century full-back Stephen, was a dual premiership hero for the Blues, who he also captained and won two club champion awards in a glittering 239-game career. He was the first of three generations of Silvagnis to pull on the navy blue jumper and is one of the most revered figures in Carlton history. Silvagni was 83.

S – SEISMIC

It was the first word that sprung to mind when trying to process the significance of Ash Barty’s Wimbledon triumph last Saturday night. The Queenslander claimed her second grand slam singles title 50 years after her mentor and idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley won the first of her two titles at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club. Her outfit was a tribute to the dress Goolagong Cawley wore back in 1971 and also came in NAIDOC week. In an era when so many athletes can be polarising, Barty is an absolute treasure who unites her country.

T – THREE STRIKES

Australia finally tasted success in the Caribbean yesterday, winning a pulsating fourth match in the T20 series against the West Indies. It was much needed after they dropped the opening three following some pretty ordinary batting. On what has been a bleak tour thus far, the performance of Mitch Marsh has been tremendous. Marsh boasts three half centuries from four hits at No.3, including a brutal 75 yesterday, that seriously enhances his case to be retained in the first-choice national set-up when the big guns are wheeled out later this year for the World T20. He has also been effective with ball in hand. It has been the all-round display Australian cricket fans have been waiting for.

U – UNCERTAIN TIMES

Not for a long time has there been such trepidation about the Perth Wildcats’ plight. The Sports Entertainment Group, better known as SEN, are about to take ownership of the immensely successful and popular organisation from Jack Bendat. It will need to identify and lure a new coach after this week’s departure of five-time championship-winning mentor Trevor Gleeson, while John Mooney yesterday agreed to continue his career in Japan. Bryce Cotton is under contract for next season and Wildcats fans will be praying he sticks around. The next few months are going to be fascinating.

V – VIRUS FEARS

Is there a worse time than right now for the Olympic Games to be staged in Tokyo? On what we read yesterday, the answer is a flat no. There were 1308 fresh COVID-19 cases in the Japanese capital yesterday, the most in six months. Tokyo is now in a fourth state of emergency to deal with the pandemic and restrictions stipulate restaurants and bars must close early and not serve alcohol for the duration of the Games, which start next week. The number of cases today in Tokyo will make for intriguing reading.

W – WILD WESTS

I dare say I am not alone in wanting to watch the first episode of “Wild Wests: Tales From Tigertown” on Foxtel on Monday night. The first episode of the four-part documentary will give us a warts-and-all look at the machinations of the Wests Tigers, who are looking to return to the NRL finals for the first time in a decade. The raw footage and emotional addresses from premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire promise to set the standard for Australian sports documentaries.

X – X-RAYS

None were needed to learn the extent of the injury suffered by Conor McGregor in last Sunday’s UFC 264 trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier. McGregor’s lower left leg snapped in the closing moments of the first round, leaving him defenceless as Poirier pounded him. The official result was a doctor’s stoppage. Of most alarm was McGregor’s claim post-bout that UFC officials knew he had stress fractures in his leg entering the fight.

Y – YES PLEASE

That was the sentiment from racing participants throughout Australia and New Zealand fortunate to have a horse good enough to be considered for a place in Peter V’Landys’ latest pop-up race, The Invitation. The $2 million event, run for fillies and mares over 1400m at Randwick on October 23, will be staged under set weights and penalties. It is the richest race of its kind in the southern hemisphere and will be restricted to an invitational only field of 12. In a further boost for NSW Racing, the George Main Stakes and Hill Stakes have had their prizemoney doubled and will be run for $1 million later this year.

Z – ZIEBELL’S STATEMENT

Jack Ziebell has sacrificed a lot for North Melbourne ever since he made his debut as a highly-rated teenage midfielder. Suffering two broken legs before he turned 20, he has been a warrior in the true sense of the word. This year he has selflessly committed to playing in defence and after some shaky displays earlier in the season, has pieced together a string of performances, including Monday night’s effort in the upset of West Coast, that will likely lead to a one-year contract extension.




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