Almanac Sporting Review: Easter Weekend and who has the choccies?

March 29, 2016 by Almanac Admin Leave a Comment

Easter Weekend delights

The only thing more entertaining to a sports lover over Easter weekend is the regular supply of chocolate that keeps you awake.

Remind me why is there no AFL on Good Friday?

I managed to watch every other variation of sport around the world and in Australia but no AFL. Rugby League, Super Rugby, Football, Surfing, Basketball, Cricket etc. When will HQ realise you can respect the festival of choccy eggs and crucifixion AND sport, the two most important faiths can be shared in one day.

Disappointment for the weekend must be West Indies losing to Afghanistan, if only I had a dollar on that result! Not suggesting anything but a few WI players looked happy after the game. Maybe it’s because they have qualified for the semis and Australia didn’t.

Speaking of questionable outcomes in sporting results, teenager Talia Martin wins Stawell Women’s Gift after improving by about 7 metres. Having been fined $2,000 by Stewards for an improvement in the extreme range (4m is limit), Martin coached by Paul O’Dwyer is the youngest winner at 15 years old. Last year’s winner Grace O’Dwyer was a 16 year old schoolgirl coached by her dad Paul O’Dwyer running off 10.32 and 2014 winner was 17 year old Holly Dobbyn running off 11.5 m also coached by O’Dwyer.

The O’Dwyer stable is extremely successful with 2012 Men’s winner Matt Wiltshire. O’Dwyer is an experienced campaigner and obviously a very talented and astute reader of form. As Chief Steward Brian Marantelli commented “It is like, in the horse racing game, getting beaten in a maiden at Pakenham and 12 days later wining the Cox Plate or something.”

The game of cloak and dagger that gives Stawell its reputation continues, it must be noted there were no irregular betting patterns.

And my Easter delight this year was the Cambridge Women’s Boat Crew almost sinking in the Varsity Boat Race on the Thames. Weather conditions proved challenging as Oxford headed for the calmer banks and Cambridge opted for mid stream, which tradition dictates what you are supposed to do, except Oxford won without too much water in their boat and Cambridge pretty much sank. So much for Tradition!

 

AFL

The first round was a treat. We missed you footy a round full of hope, passion, optimism, bravado, thrilling action and Hawthorn, Collingwood and Fremantle losing. All the home teams won, what more could you ask for?

Geelong Cats vs Hawthorn Hawks 18.8 (116) : 12.14 (86)

West Coast Eagles vs Brisbane Lions 26.10 (166) : 15.12 (102)

Port Adelaide Power vs St Kilda Saints 20.13 (133) : 15.10 (100)

Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle Dockers 15.13 (103) : 5.8 (38)

North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Adelaide Crows 16.11 (107) : 14.13 (97)

Sydney Swans vs Collingwood Magpies 18.25 (133) : 7.11 (53)

Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon Bombers 17.19 (121) : 9.6 (60)

Melbourne Demons vs Greater Western Sydney 12.8 (80) : 10.18 (78)

Richmond Tigers vs Carlton Blues 14.8 (92) : 12.11 (83)

 

NRL

Round 4 and big wins to Warriors and Bulldogs and thrilling close victories to Eels, Sharks, Dragons, Eagles, Titans and Cowboys.

Storm tastes defeat for the first time.

New Zealand Warriors  vs Newcastle Knights 40 : 18

Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels  0 : 8

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm 14 : 6

St.George Illawarra vs Penrith Panthers 14 : 12

Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles 20 : 22

Canberra Raiders vs Gold Coast Titans 20 : 24

Brisbane Broncos vs North Queensland Cowboys 21 : 20

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury Bulldogs 12 : 42

 

Super Rugby XV

Waratahs beat Reds – again, Brumbies too good for Cheetahs, Forced and Rebels big losers.

Brumbies lead Australian Conference.

Reds vs Waratahs 13 : 15

Jaguares vs Stormers 8 : 13

Sharks vs Crusaders 14 : 19

Cheetahs vs ACT Brumbies 18 : 25

Sunwolves  vs Bulls 27 : 30

Rebels vs Highlanders 3 : 27

Chiefs vs Force 53 : 10

Hurricanes vs Southern Kings 42 : 20

 

A-League:

Barmy Arnie can take it no more, Sydney FC is surely out of the reckoning for finals action in 2016 losing to the Roar. Melbourne continue their winning form defeating Phoenix, Adelaide too strong for Mariners, Gory continue to grind out wins and Victory over the line against Wanderers.

Melbourne City vs Wellington Phoenix 3 : 0

Adelaide United vs Central Coast Mariners 4 : 2

Brisbane Roar vs Sydney FC 3 : 2

Newcastle Jets  vs Perth Glory  1 : 2

Melbourne Victory vs WS Wanderers 2 : 0

 

Cycling 
Its not just motorists that run over cyclists, motorbikes are also capable of doing damage as this week’s 2016 Ghent-Wevelgem event illustrated when Belgium rider Antoine Demoitié died after being run over by a motorcycle during the race in Flanders, Belgium.

Demoitié, 25-years old, is part of Team Wanty-Groupe Gobert and was hit by the motorcycle when he was trying to get up from the crash. Usually these motorcycles carry photographers to follow the race and are usually exceptional riders.

The Ghent-Wevelgem is renowned for racing in narrow roads but this is an incident that never should have happened. I also noticed another Belgium rider Jens Debusschere crash and the photographer jumped off the motorcycle and took photos while the rider lay prone on the road for several minutes, not aiding him in the slightest. After 5 minutes the photographer helped get the cyclist’s bike out of the ditch while visibly in pain.

World Champion Peter Sagan went on to win the race.

Golf

Jason Day continues with his winning streak winning the WGC Match Play, beating Louis Oosthuizen in final and capturing the World Number One ranking in the process.

Having won the Arnie Palmer Invitational last week, Day eased to victory, prevailing 5 and 4 against Oosthuizen to take the title at the Austin Country Club in Texas.

Earlier Day defeated former world number one Rory McIlroy 1-up in a tight contest, nailing a 13-foot par on the last hole to seal his entry into the final.

Is there a Green Jacket coming up?

 

Surfing

Bells is taking its toll as favourites are eliminated, including Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson and Gabriel Medina. Mick Fanning will take a break from Pro-Surfing after Bells remains in contention.

 

Stawell Gift

Stawell Gift 120m 1^st Isaac Dunmall, 2^nd Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera, 3^rd Jack Hale  Adj 12.165

Women’s Gift 120m 1^st Talia Martin, 2^nd Tierra Exum, 3^rd Sarah Blizzard  Adj 13.696

Bill Howard 100m  1^st Michael Voumard, 2^nd Michael Romanin, 3^rd Nicholas Florio  Adj 10.466

400m Frontmarkers 1^st Tim Potter, 2^nd Alex Wiltshire, 3^rd Carrick Gill-Vallance  Adj 46.826

400m Restricted 1^st Bayley Drummond, 2^nd Tom Deane, 3^rd Tim Halpin  Adj 47.127

200m Open 1^st Mia Goss, 2^nd Jack Newman, 3^rd Jasper Nettlefold  Adj  20.819

3200m Open 1^st Sven Richter, 2^nd Shane Thiele, Bradley White  Adj 9.10.941

800m Open 1^st Alexander Bacalja, 2^nd Lonain Burnett, 3^rd Mark Andrews  Adj 1.50.948

400m Women’s 1^st Lauren Wells, 2^nd Karoline Curtis, 3^rd Natasha McDowell  Adj 54.107

400m Backmarkers 1^st Jack Doderico, 2^nd Tim Rooke, 3^rd Stuart Aberdein  Adj 46.659

120m Backmarkers 1^st Khan Marr, 2^nd Andrew McCabe, 3^rd Nathan Riali  Adj 12.417

1600m Herb Hedemann  1^st Jack Davies, 2^nd Tim Norton, 3^rd Lachlan Connell  Adj 4.0.640

300m Masters 1^st Grant Reid, 2^nd Scott Schillito, 3^rd Brian Wright  Adj 34.575

550m Open 1^st Justin Cohen, 2^nd Ashley Kenshole, 3^rd Jake Stangewitz  Adj 1.7.899

70m Open 1^st Tom Sclanders, 2^nd Sarah Blizzard, 3^rd Daniel Richardson  Adj 7.494

100m U17 Girls 1^st Olivia Ryan, 2^nd Keely Shilito, 3^rd Nicole Reynolds  Adj 12.004

100m U17 Boys 1^st Jake Ireland, 2^nd Dun Rilloraza, 3^rd Harrison Kerr   Adj 10.602

Masters 100m 1^st Scott Schilito, 2^nd Jonathon Rogers, 3^rd Grant Reid   Adj 11.040

 

Table Tennis

Big shout out to Melissa Tapper, 26, has made sporting history by becoming the first Australian to qualify for both the Paralympics and Olympics. Tapper was born with nerve damage in her right arm, won a spot in the teams for the Rio Olympics on Friday.

Well done!

 

English Football – EPL

No action due to International matches, however Tottenham and Leicester managed to defeat Germany  3 – 2 with Spurs Harry Kane and Eric Deir scoring goals and Leicester’s Vardy also putting one in the net.

 

NBA

Los Angeles Clippers vs Denver Nuggets 105 : 90

Indiana Pacers vs Houston Rockets 104 : 101

Sacramento Kings  vs Dallas Mavericks 133 : 111

Golden State Warriors vs Philadelphia 76ers 117 : 105

Los Angeles Lakers vs Washington Wizards 88 : 101

Phoenix Suns vs Boston Celtics 99 : 102

Portland Trail Blazers vs Philadelphia 76ers 108 : 105

Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets 91 : 115

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz 84 : 93

Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs 111 : 92

Detroit Pistons vs Atlanta Hawks 95 : 112

New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 93 : 107

New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors 91 : 115

Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls 111 : 89

Brooklyn Nets vs Indiana Pacers 120 : 110