Races

The Weekly A-Z

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

A – ALASTAIR CLARKSON

One man can’t change the fortunes of an AFL club. Or so they say. Try telling that to North Melbourne people today following Alastair Clarkson’s decision to agree to a five-year contract. A four-time premiership coach at Hawthorn, Clarkson returns to Arden Street rather than make the trek to Tullamarine to coach Essendon. It is a seismic moment in the history of the Kangaroos.

B – BUMPY ROAD

For as long as you can remember, the judicial process employed by the VFL-AFL has been somewhat confusing. And that is putting it mildly. That match review officer Michael Christian this week sent Zaine Cordy’s shepherd on Tanner Bruhn directly to the tribunal rather than grade it himself was yet another example of a system that is not only confusing, but broken. And don’t get me started on the Patrick Cripps incident from Carlton’s round-21 match against Brisbane.

C – CASHED UP

Not that LeBron James needed the money, but the Los Angeles Lakers decided to give him a fair chunk for the next two seasons anyhow. James, who is very much in the twilight of a glorious career, yesterday agreed to terms on a two-season contract that will pay him $140 million and perhaps in the vicinity of $160 million should the NBA salary cap rise for the 2023-24 campaign. A four-time NBA champion, James is hopeful of one day playing alongside his son, Bronny, in the best league on the planet.

D – DEE-DAY

We are about to find out just how well Melbourne are travelling. For over two months now, football fans have debated the legitimacy of the Demons’ flag defence. They dodged an almighty bullet against Carlton last Saturday night and will be guaranteed of a double chance throughout September’s finals series if they are able to upset Brisbane at the Gabba tonight. They have tamed the Lions in their three most recent meetings, although none have been at the Gabba, where Brisbane are 18-2 over the past two years. Game on.

E – ENTITLED

If anyone at Port Adelaide is entitled to have a crack at Adelaide, it is reigning Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines. He has earnt that right. And it’s fair to say he exercised his right in the lead-up to tomorrow night’s Showdown at Adelaide Oval. “There’s certain things about that football club that I don’t like,” Wines said when asked about the Crows. “It’s just the DNA of the club and what they’re about … and the sense of entitlement they have.” Whack!

F – FLAMING HELL

Rivals of Flametree were probably uttering those words, possibly some with more venom, after the barrier draw was conducted for tonight’s Group 1 Diamond Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park. The Barry Howlett-trained filly came up with the pole to ensure she was installed as a raging favourite for the feature and in the prime position to enhance an imposing record of five wins from eight starts.

G – GRAY MATTER

Think champions of Port Adelaide’s AFL existence and two names automatically spring to mind … Warren Tredrea and Robbie Gray. Unlike Tredrea, Gray will bow out minus a premiership, but his CV is one to behold. The 34-year-old is a three-time club champion, four-time All-Australian, dual winner of the Power’s goal-kicking award and was adjudged by the coaches as the best player of the season in 2014. It is fitting that his 271st and final appearance will be in the Showdown, an occasion he has relished over the years, winning the Showdown medal as best afield on no less than five occasions.

H – HEAVING

For those who bemoan football not being like the “good old days”, I feel sorry for you. If you can’t get up and about for Sunday’s sold-out clash between bitter rivals Collingwood and Carlton at the MCG, you don’t have a pulse. A crowd in excess of 90,000 is expected to file through the turnstiles for what promises to be the biggest attendance at an AFL match since the 2019 grand final when 100,014 were on hand to witness Richmond’s slaughter of GWS. In all likelihood, the Blues will need to win to be assured of a finals berth, while Collingwood will lock away a top-four spot and the double chance that accompanies it with a victory. Salivating stuff.

I – IN A RUTT

Ben Rutten had every right to be more than a little salty with reporters at Tullamarine earlier this week. That he was approachable and more than polite under the circumstances only reinforced his humility and character. Unfortunately though, those traits alone don’t guarantee coaching success and in the cut-throat industry that is the AFL, what happens from week to week on-field means everything. The poor showings back-to-back against GWS and Port Adelaide appear to have sealed his fate.

J – JUST DO IT

Fremantle fans will be hoping their Dockers embrace the Nike slogan when they front up to GWS in the nation’s capital late tomorrow morning. Justin Longmuir’s men have not only assured themselves of a finals berth, but breathed life into their top-four prospects with wins over the Western Bulldogs and West Coast in rounds 21 and 22. If they can win a third game in succession, they will jump into the top four. It is then up to Fremantle’s double-chance rivals to win their respective matches to dislodge them.

K – KEEGAN’S REMINDER

The last time Keegan Bradley was successful on the PGA Tour, it was 2018. The event? The BMW Championship. It just so happens that Bradley, the 2011 PGA Champion, holds a one-stroke lead at this year’s BMW Championship, the penultimate event of the FedEx Cup Play-offs after firing a seven-under-par 64 overnight. Bradley just shades Australia’s Adam Scott, with a further stroke back to three players at five under.

L – LOCHED AND LOADED

The champ is back. Lochinvar Art, off the scene since an unplaced effort behind King Of Swing in the Hunter Cup in early February, will contest a free-for-all event at Melton tomorrow night following two trials. You could mount an argument that at his best, Lochinvar Art has no peer in this part of the world. The fact that he has had the measure of King Of Swing more times than not only reinforces his undeniable class. Fingers crossed he gets through unscathed and we can see him fighting out the finish of some of harness racing’s features later in the year.

M – MAN OH MAN

Nobody with more than a passing interest in the EPL predicted Manchester United would challenge for the title this season. However, it’s fair to assume that very few would have had United sitting in last spot after the opening two rounds following embarrassing defeats to Brighton and Brentford. And more pain is coming. They front up to Liverpool at Old Trafford on Tuesday morning. Should they lose again as most expect, the natives will be restless.

N – NEW SENSATION

Nerodio and his love affair with Belmont shows no signs of abating. Especially if the track is rain-affected. The Stephanie Bakranich-trained gelding did what he does best last Saturday, handling stakes-grade opposition with a minimum of fuss to claim the Belmont Newmarket (1200m). It was Nerodio’s 11th win from only 18 starts at Belmont, a stunning record that might yet be enhanced in next weekend’s Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m).

O – OVERREACTION

So when is the appropriate time to boo should you desire at an AFL game? Just asking for a friend. The reaction to Sydney fans getting stuck into Jack Ginnivan when he was shown on the big screen sitting on the bench last weekend has been over the top. Surely. It is unsavoury behaviour? Possibly. Is it something that has been part and parcel of our indigenous game for as long as you can remember? Absolutely. I’m not saying that makes it right, but let’s allow fans to create a hostile, albeit safe, environment for opposition players.

P – POLE POSITION

Is where Penrith find themselves following last night’s 26-22 win over South Sydney. The Panthers clinched their second minor premiership in three years with the win and will now be set up perfectly by coach Ivan Cleary to launch a title defence. They host New Zealand next weekend and then meet North Queensland before the post-season actions gets underway. Back-to-back premierships are within reach.

Q – QUEST FOR THE BEST

There is no love lost between North Melbourne and Essendon. The dislike between the two clubs might not rival the hatred that Carlton, Collingwood and Hawthorn have for the Bombers, but the resentment the Kangaroos have is real. As such, it added to the spice this week between North Melbourne and Essendon jostling for the services of Alastair Clarkson. It is entirely understandable both did everything they could to land Clarkson’s signature given his achievements at Hawthorn. One wonders where to now for the Bombers after this morning’s decision by Clarkson.

R – RARE AIR

The game of Australian Rules will be poorer when Shane Edwards plays his final match this season. One of only five Tigers to have reached the 300-game milestone, Edwards announced this week that 2022 would be his last year at the top level. An All-Australian in 2018 and club champion runner-up in the 2019 premiership campaign, Edwards has left a magnificent legacy both on and off the field.

S – STAYING PUT

That applies to the NRL grand final. For now. Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’Landys yesterday announced the showpiece match would be staged at Accor Stadium, rather than moved north to Suncorp Stadium as everyone in Queensland had hoped. But V’landys forecast that future grand finals would be shifted around the country, with Brisbane an obvious candidate given Queensland would have four sides in the NRL next season with the admission of the Dolphins.

T – THANK GOD

West Coast fans, your pain is nearly over. There’s just a couple of more hours of heartache to endure. The Eagles venture down to GMHBA Stadium tomorrow for an assignment that would be beyond them if they were in good form. That they are 2-19 and still no guarantee of avoiding a wooden spoon suggests a rout is in the offing, especially when you factor in the quality of personnel that will be absent. The sooner the season finishes for West Coast, the better for everyone, including their supporters.

U – UNSURPRISING

When news dropped that both Daniel Hannebery and Michael Hurley would retire after round 23 commitments for St Kilda and Essendon respectively, it wasn’t a shock. Unfortunately for the pair, injuries and infections have cruelled them in the back end of their careers, with the Saints’ big-money investment in Hannebery being one of the more flawed recruiting decisions in recent times. That said, he still farewells the game as a premiership hero for Sydney in 2012. A flag eluded Hurley, but at his best, he was a brilliant defender, twice earning All-Australian selection.

V – VICTORIES

From a Geelong perspective, they just keep on piling up. They will beat West Coast tomorrow to extend their successful sequence to 13 and Cats fans, along with coach Chris Scott and the players, will be desperate to stretch it to 16 by the end of the finals series. That will mean they take care of a qualifying final, preliminary final and then a grand final. It would take a huge effort, but on what we have seen in the second of half of 2022, they are clearly the team all others need to topple to reach the summit.

W – WONDER OF WINX

Memories of Winx have been vivid this week as we build up to the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick tomorrow, named in honour of Chris Waller’s champion mare. It features a quality field of 11 gallopers, headlined by Godolphin’s striking entire Anamoe. And the adulation of Winx doesn’t stop after tomorrow. The daughter of Street Cry was covered by Pierro last season and is expected to deliver her first foal next month.

X – X-FACTOR

Many horses contesting the premier races this spring have their share of brilliance. It is why they occupy a seat at the pointy end of the plane. Extremely Lucky currently sits in premium economy, but he is fast evolving into a business class customer. And if he takes care of business in the Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley tomorrow, who’s to say he won’t become a first-class individual. The brilliant win by the four-year-old in the Lightning Stakes (1050m) late last month caught the eye of everyone. He reunites with Jamie Kah tomorrow in his biggest test to date.

Y – YZE EASY DOES IT

If the speculation is correct, then Adem Yze is poised to become the next full-time coach of GWS. A quality performer for Melbourne as a player, Yze was a member of the Hawthorn coaching staff that won a hat-trick of flags from 2013 to 2015. He then moved to Melbourne following the 2020 campaign and had an integral role in their drought-breaking premiership triumph over the Western Bulldogs. Reports suggest Yze will nose out interim mentor Mark McVeigh and Adam Kingsley for the right to take over the reins.

Z – ZALATORIS HAS HIS DAY

American young gun Will Zalatoris had been threatening to win a big golf tournament for a little while. The ability to put himself in contention time after time was admirable. As was his response each time the disappointment at coming up short was raised. Earlier this week though at the St Jude Championship in Memphis, three-time major runner-up Zalatoris won a play-off against Sepp Straka in ridiculous fashion to notch his first win on the PGA Tour. It netted him $26 million and vaulted him to the top of the FedEx Cup Play-offs.




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