Category Archives: Sports

Friday musing – Back to basics with umpiring decisions……

Chris Barwin HillsDue to work commitments getting in the way of a good time, I didn’t see or hear much about the first day of the first Ashes test yesterday so I don’t know if there were any controversial decisions. But that got me to thinking about the Decision Review System (DRS). When it was first introduced I thought it was a good idea, because the umpires were coming under increasing scrutiny due to the technology available to the television broadcasters. Taking into consideration what happened in England in the last Ashes series, I think the system should be scrapped and it should return to just adjudicating on run-outs and stumpings. It would seem the DRS has created more issues than it has solved. The umpires decision is final and it should remain so. If the technology reveals that umpires are making mistakes then get better umpires.

I think this also carries over to the AFL. The goal review system was introduced to avert the howlers like the Tom Hawkins goal in the 2009 grand final. From what I have seen, the camera angles are inadequate and so it is impossible to come to a definitive conclusion and it usually comes back to the goal umpire. I think that system should also be scrapped and we should go back to relying on the goal umpire’s decision.

There is a push for goal line technology in the world game and if the experience in cricket and AFL football is any guide I would avoid it all costs.

One sport where the technology does seem to work is in tennis.

Gelding’s red hot tips for 15 November 2013

the gelding & othersThe Gelding’s attention is fixed on his home track of Caulfield today. This meeting was originally a Sandown fixture but has been transferred due to track maintenance.

As always, the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Caulfield

Race 3 Horse 2 – Rain Drum
Race 5 Horse 1 – Galah
Race 7 Horse 1 – Paximadia (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 8 Horse 10 – Platelet (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 9 Horse 10 – Floria

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Friday musing – Melbourne Heart, the Ashes, Jarrod Lyle…….

Chris Barwin HillsI was watching the Melbourne Heart on SBS2 last Friday night and looking at the crowd, there was more noise coming from the West Sydney Wanderers crowd than the Heart supporters.  It occurred to me that the Wanderers have established a profile because they are linked to an area of Sydney, whereas the Melbourne Heart supporters are probably made up of soccer fans who do not follow the Melbourne Victory.  The Heart really needs a profile that people can relate to, otherwise I can see them disappearing before too much longer.  This is compounded by their inability to win games.  They really deserved a draw against the Wanderers, but didn’t have the class to capitalise on their opportunities.  It doesn’t help that Harry Kewell can’t get on the park.  Whoever owns the rights to the Heart should consider relocating to Geelong or establishing a base in an area of Melbourne which has a strong soccer culture.

I was also interested to see that George Bailey and Mitchell Johnson have been named for the 1st Test starting next week in Brisbane.  I think naming George Bailey has some risk based on his performances in India where batting records were established with big run chases, so clearly the pitches were batting friendly strips.  His 1st class average is below 40, but then again so is that of Alex Doolan who was the other batsman in contention.  My guess is that the selectors opted for Bailey because he can assume the captaincy should Michael Clarke’s back let him down again.  I think if Cameron White can turn a few of his 50s into 100s then he could come back into contention as well.

Turning to Mitchell Johnson, we all know that at his best he is a redoubtable cricketer and a fine
fast-bowler, but at his worst he is a liability.  He has probably got another chance because of the injuries to the young incumbents and while I remain sceptical, I certainly hope he strikes form and punches a few holes in the England batting order.

Great to see Jarrod Lyle make a good comeback yesterday and let us hope he makes the cut for the Australian Masters.

Have a good weekend all!

Gelding’s red hotties for 9 November 2013

MarkThe Gelding’s attention returns to Flemington today with the running of the Emirates Stakes. After a big win on Fiorente in the Cup, the Gelding is in career form and is looking to fill the coffers with several ‘good things’ today.

As always, the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Flemington

Race 2 Horse 3 – Sysmo

Race 4 Horse 1 – Barbed

Race 6 Horse 1 – Lucky Nine (for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Race 7 Horse 2 – Boban (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Race 8 Horse 4 – Sertorius

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Friday musing – Watson, Ponting, Warne & more

Chris Barwin HillsI think I have commented on Shane Watson’s fragile physique before, but watching him come into bowl and do his hamstring re-emphasised this point. I mean the man was hardly charging in like Dennis Lillee on the long run, he ambles in like a park cricketer! Don’t get me wrong I am a bit of a Shane Watson fan because I think he is a genuine all rounder and they do not pop up very often. At his best in both batting or bowling he probably gets a game in the Australian team, but he is so rarely at his best that he does get very frustrating for the fan. Couple this with our captain’s bad back and the continued breakdown of our fast bowlers and it is no wonder we are struggling internationally.

Keeping to the cricket theme I was disappointed with Warnie’s rant the other day about Ricky Ponting. I think you read between the lines and you sense some sour grapes about missing out on the Australian captaincy. He is clearly supporting his friend Michael Clarke, but Clarke is the current captain of the team and can look after himself. Having said that, I never thought Ponting was a great captain, although his record would suggest otherwise, at least he kept the team together. Michael Clarke is a better on-field captain, but seems to lack the other qualities which make great captains like Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell who were both good on and off the field.

Now getting on to the Melbourne Cup and this is a comment through my hip pocket. Leading up to last weekend I had been on Fiorente, but after Dear Demi’s run in the Mackinnon I jumped horse and had a bit each way on her. I still had Fiorente in quinella’s and trifectas. I was never happy with Dear Demi in the run and she never seemed to settle and was gone a long way from home. I was then astounded to read Chris Munce’s comment the next day that he was happy in the run, but she didn’t stay!! My guess is that he stirred her up early to get a good position before the first turn, which she did have, but this was contrary to how she had been running and it ruined any chance she had. A great performance by Fiorente and fully deserved win for Gai Waterhouse.

Not satisfied with stuffing up on Melbourne Cup day I did a similar thing on Oaks Day. I was on Solicit in the Wakeful and changed to Gypsy Diamond for the Oaks. Solicit just gets pipped and runs a good third, while Gypsy Diamond struggled into fourth. The trick is to get onto the horse I was on, but got off and you will have a win!

Good to see the Gunners get up twice since the last Musing. A good win over Liverpool and a very good away win over Borussia Dortmund which extends their away record to eight months without a loss. The big test will be this week against Manchester United.

Sticking to the world game, I saw the A-League game last Friday night between Adelaide and West Sydney and it was a very good standard and it will not be too long before Tomi Juric plays for the Socceroos.

Have a great weekend and go Gunners!!

Gelding’s red hot tips for Flemington on 2 November 2013

Feb 6 2011 005This Saturday the Gelding’s attention is on Flemington with the Spring Carnival continuing at racing’s headquarters with all the fine horses out on show vying for a piece of history.

While winners are always hard to pick at this time of year, there is definitely no shortage of horses to fancy.

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Flemington

Race 1 Horse 2 – Hucklebuck
Race 2 Horse 3 – May’s Dream
Race 4 Horse 1 – Zoustar (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 5 Horse 6 – Jet Away
Race 6 Horse 1 – Criterion (one for Guy)
Race 7 Horse 1 – Red Tracer (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)

For the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday the Gelding’s early tip is (Mark) Fiorente & Hawkspur (and add the winner of the Lexus on Saturday as a each way bet).

Early Oaks tip is May’s Dream (conditional that it must win the Wakeful Stakes this Saturday & pull up well).

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Friday musing – International Rules, Captain’s Pick, Derby Day…

Chris Barwin HillsMy first thought this week was with the International Rules series recently completed in Ireland. Initially I thought it was a good idea to have an indigenous team representing Australia because when Kevin Sheedy loaded up the team with indigenous players previously they had performed very well. A lot of the indigenous players are very quick and very skilful and matched the Irish in this regard. Where they are not so good is their defensive game and while I didn’t see either game, by the scores, we clearly were not good defensively. It was also telling that the second game was a worse result than the first, whereas it is usually the other way around as once the players are more used to the round ball, the result improves. I think this latest series spells the end for the concept.

Talking of concepts the AFLs proposed “captains pick” game was knocked on the head very quickly and probably understandably so. However, I have raised the issue of representative football before and I do think the game needs it. I think most people would like to see the best against the best as we see in the Rugby League State of Origin series or the various sporting World Cups. The AFL doesn’t have anything since the game went truly national. Concepts need to be explored and maybe it is East (Victoria, Tassie, NSW & Qld) versus West(WA, SA & NT) and then it becomes a scheduling issue. I do not have the answers, but the AFL definitely needs something as the players were the driving force this time behind a representative game.

Derby Day this weekend which is probably the best days racing in Australia. There has often been calls to reduce the distance of the Derby, but the Derby is an older race than the Melbourne Cup and while it doesn’t always get the best fields I would not mess with history. My tip this week is Savvy Nature.

Mordiboy looks at the Melbourne FC drafting in 2011

melbfcAs a one eyed Melbourne FC supporter, I have been looking at reasons the Melbourne Football Club finds itself in the position that it is at present. An area that Melbourne has rated a fail at over the seasons is in the selection of their draft picks.

One has to look no further than the AFL draft of 2011:

1. Mitch Clark for draft pick 12 – has played a total of 15 games (concession – bad run with injuries)

2. Rory Taggert at draft pick 36 – no games and now delisted

3. Josh Tynan at draft pick 52 – two games and now delisted

4. James Sellar at draft pick 54 – 23 games and now delisted

5. Jai Sheehan at rookie pick 6 – no games and now delisted

6. Tom Couch at rookie pick 24 – three games and now delisted

7. James Magner at rookie pick 42 – 19 games and now delisted

8. Leigh Williams at rookie pick 59 – no games and now delisted.

Eight players selected and only ONE still on the list. That is not even a fail mark!

If one also looks at the 2009 draft we had pick 11 and used that on Jordan Gysberts – he was traded to North Melbourne last year after playing 19 games and has now been delisted by that Club. In the 2010 draft with pick 12 we selected Lucas Cook who played no games for the red and blue and was delisted.

I rest my case!

Gelding’s ‘red hot’ tips for 26 October 2013

Mar 13 2011 021The Gelding’s attention is fixed firmly on Moonee Valley today for the Cox Plate meeting. After tipping four from five winners last week, he is in form and building a very nice Christmas Club for the ladies at the Tennis Club.

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Moonee Valley

Race 5 horse 1 – Savvy Nature
Race 7 horse 2 – Sneak a Peek
Race 8 horse 10 – Toydini
Race 9 horse 2 – Lake Sententia (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 10 horse 3 – Fiorente (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Booze + late night out = bonding

MarkNot an equation that I learnt in maths class at High School, but one that the touring Indigenous All Stars thought was the solution to a lack lustre first up performance in the first International Rules Test against Ireland.

All Stars coach, Michael O’Loughlin said “It’s about that bonding stuff…….have a few beers and tell stories and you get to know each other”.

O’Loughlin must have missed the large number of articles and studies on the adverse effects of drinking a lot of alcohol. He must have also forgotten that elite athletes specifically avoid alcohol during competition.

If it was all about the bonding…….why did they need alcohol or a late night to seal the deal?