An Olympic sized interview

With the Olympics now finished, I thought it would be a good time to interview an Olympian. I've been giving hints for a while now about who the Olympic athlete is that I have interviewed. She is an Olympic Silver medalist, a Softball Hall of Famer and she has captained the Australian softball team. She has been a big part of women's softball, and her name is Peta Edebone. I was lucky enough to ring Peta last Friday to have a very interesting conversation about her career. We talked about her career in softball, the Olympics, and everything in between.

From the interview, I was able to gather a lot about Peta. Not just what she accomplished as an athlete, but what kind of a person she is. Peta is an extremely humble person who would do anything for her team. Peta grew up with softball. " I was given a glove and told to go fetch". From the age of just over one, her parents were grooming her to be a softballer.

Peta first made her debut for a softball team when she was seven. I asked her if she was always good at softball, and her reply was that she was "genetically blessed" but also said that it "took a lot of hard work and dedication and things like that to become a better player". Peta never established a permanent club at her early age, but said that she spent a lot of time playing for Diamond Valley Melbourne.

After we established information about her welcoming to softball, we jumped straight to the Olympics. When answering about how she received the news that she was going to the Olympics, Peta said, "We actually received a phone call from the Australian Institute of Sport". Her selection was the result of a solid tournament a short time before the announcement, and all round good form in the months prior to the tournament.

Peta then went on to talk about her preparation for the Olympics. The team put together five or six training camps and "because the Australian Institute of Sport, the softball department, is based in Brisbane, we spent a lot of time in Brisbane". "We also went to Cairns to do a training camp". I asked her about her feelings leading into not only her first Olympics but Softball's first Olympics and she said that excitement was the dominant feeling. She talked about how she wasn't thinking of it as something to be nervous about, but something to have fun with and be excited for. "Once we actually got there, you know, it was even more exciting"

We then went on to talk about the Olympic village. "It was like living in a small city except there's like a thousand athletes walking around." Peta explained how the Olympic Village had every aspect of a regular city. She listed some of the places that were available to the athletes in the village and these included a McDonalds, a hairdressers, banks, and restaurants from different cuisines. "one of my highlights was that I met Nelson Mandela". Peta explained how out of all the great things that happened at an Olympics games, meeting Nelson Mandela was one that stuck with her.

It was then time to talk about her debut in the Olympics. Unfortunately for Peta, her debut was postponed due to a broken foot which side lined her for a number of days. When she was finally given the chance to play for her country at the Olympics in 1996, she was assigned as the designated hitter but was fine with that role as she was happy to be playing after her broken foot threatened to terminate her Olympic campaign. "Just amazing to be out their finally".

Continuing on the theme of Olympics, I then asked Peta to tell me about her first ever home run. She didn't hit a home run in he 1996 games, but managed to multiple in her home Olympics in 2000. Peta told me that home runs are bit like hitting sixes in cricket. "Not something you go out every inning and try and hit a home run". Peta described her home run as "kind of a sweet feeling" when it came off the bat.

When I interviewed Peta, it was around the mid point of the Olympics. I asked her what the athletes would be feeling, whether fatigue starts to kick in or if adrenaline is still running high. Peta told me
that some athletes haven't started yet so they wouldn't be feeling the fatigue, but for the athletes such as the swimmers, fatigue would be a factor but the adrenaline continues to carry them through.

"That was the best thing, to actually go and watch the other sports". Peta went on about how it was fun for the athletes to go and watch each other and be supportive for Australia. The athletes were housed together, so Peta said that they would run into each other now and then and they'd introduce each other and by the end they had met a lot more Australian athletes. When softball had finished at each of Peta's Olympics, Peta would go and watch the swimming, the hockey and the basketball.

After a bronze medal at both the 1996 games and the 2000 games, Australia was desperate to go better. Australia ended up with a silver after a tough loss in the final. I asked PETA wether she was happy with silver or if she was upset that she didn't get gold. She said it was pleasing to go better than the previous bronzes, but it was also a little disappointing to fall agonisingly short. She then spoke about the team who won the gold medal, the USA. "USA was such a strong contingents". "To their credit, they were the better team in Athens and they beat us convincingly 5-1.

After covering Peta's softball career and the Olympics specifically it was nice to hear about her   favourite moments from her entire softball career. "2000, loved it". Peta explained that softball took her away from home and her family didn't get to watch many of her matches, so when she played in Sydney her family and friends had the opportunity to support her. Peta also said it was nice to have the crowd cheering for you instead of the opposition.

The question that I was most interested in was "which country did you enjoy beating the most?" Her response was "When your out there, you're just trying to win every game." However, she also commented on one of Australia's rivalries. "We always had a healthy rivalry between New Zealand and Australia".

For those of you who don't know, Peta was inducted into the softball hall of fame. She received a phone call one day from Softball Australia, giving her the great news. Peta described it as exciting and humbling, and also said that it was a great acknowledgment.
                                                         
Peta Edebone is also responsible for holding one of the great softball world records. She hit four home runs at the 2000 Olympics, matching a world record that was very hard to beat. She said she had no idea at the time that she had matched the record. She said she was "a bit shocked" and didn't become aware until somebody told her after the game.

So that's the end of the interview. Peta Edebone is one of the most humble and talented people I have met, and I am very grateful that she gave up some time to answer my questions.

Sorry I haven't posted the latest game reviews for the Australian Boomers, I have been busy writing this article.

Boomers game five

Australia's final group match saw them taking on Venezuela, hoping to go through the group stage with only one loss. The Boomers decided to rest their key players, with Patty Mills not getting a single minute on court. So, it was time for the young players to stand up and that's just what they did.

Australia looked dominant from the opening tip, limiting Venezuela to just six points in the opening period as the Boomers took a 10 point lead into the opening break. The second quarter saw a fight back from Venezuela as a 19-16 run brought the half time margin to just seven points. Australia got those three points back in the third period, as Venezuela trailed by ten points at the final break. The boomers weren't going to let Venezuela hang around for long, as an explosive last quarter saw lead blow out to 25 points at the final buzzer.

Again, Australia decided to rest their superstars. So, is this a chance for some of the younger players to creep up on the leaderboard? Let's find out.

5) Damian Martin
Damian Martin was given extra minutes today and he sure made the most of them. He played over 20 minutes of game time, but wasn't able to score. However, he only committed one turnover. He took the role as a playmaker, trying to set up plays. He grabbed four rebounds and dished off four dimes. Damian needs to be more aggressive offensively and try to set up himself for some points.

4) Brock Motum
Brock is having a fantastic Olympic campaign for his standards and continued his form today. However, he must improve on his shooting as he only hit 25% of his field goals and 75% of his free throws. He hit five points, and was crashing the glass at both ends as he picked up an offensive rebound as well as three defensive rebounds. Brock recorded just the one assist but had fast feet defensively as he also managed to record a steal. He took care of the ball as he only turned the ball over once.

3) Aron Baynes
Aron started the Olympics at a very high standard before dying down in his last couple of games. However, he was back to his best today, proving why he belongs in the boomers starting line up. He hit four field goals at 50% to get them eight points. Baynes didn't attempt a three pointer and didn't find his way to the free throw line. His strength was his rebounding, as he pulled down seven boards and dished off two assists. Fouling wasn't an issue for Baynes, only giving away the one foul. However turnovers were an issue for Aron as he turned the ball over a very costly four times.

2)  Ryan Broekhof
Ryan is another up and comer who is shining in these Olympics, putting on a clinic for the Boomers  against Venezuela. He hit double figures in the score column, making four of ten shots to get him 10 points. Ryan hit two triples from beyond the arc, going at 50%. He assumed the role of a rebounder, pulling in eight rebounds with a massive four of those offensive. Broekhof set up his teammates twice, while a steal capped off a great game for Ryan Broekhof.

1) Chris Goulding
Goulding hasn't had a real go so far at the Olympics, but when he was given 25 minutes of game time  he showed why he is such a dominant force in the NBL. Chris took on Patrick Mills's role of a scorer as he made it rain from beyond the arc. He drained four three pointers from his seven attempts while he also hit two shots from inside the arc. He earned his other points from the charity strike, making 75% of his eight attempted free throws. As well as his 22 points, Chris also pulled down two offensive rebounds as well as a defensive rebound. He gave off two assists, although he did commit a turnover. His well rounded performance was capped off by a steal, as well.

With a minimum of one game remaining and a maximum of three, depending on finals, votes start to become important. Here is how the votes stand after the group matches.

1- Mathew Dellevedova, 13 votes
2- Patrick Mills, Aaron Baynes, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes
4- David Anderson, Cameron Bairstow, Chris Goulding, Brock Motum, Ryan Broekhof, 5 votes
5- Joe Ingles, 3 votes
6- Damien Martin, 1 vote

Has anyone worked out who the Olympian is that I have interviewed? Here is another clue.
She represented Australia in three Olympics, and has exceptional hand-eye coordination and power.

Boomers game 4

The Australian Boomers were up against China this morning after coming off a heart breaking loss to the USA. It was certainly one of Australia's most convincing games, even though they rested most of their stars. Andrew Bogut did not play, and others such as Patrick Mills and Mathew Dellevedova
played restricted minutes. It was good to see Australia's bench players standing up and showcasing their talent. Australia led at every change, and didn't give China a sniff from start to finish. Australia
Simply played with a greater intensity and shot the ball at a much higher percentage than China. Still, there are things Australia will have to work on before they even think about playing USA in the finals. Australia's decision to rest some of their superstars has costed some players their votes. Also, we see some new faces receiving votes for the first time.

5) Mathew Dellevedova
Mathew didn't play up to his standards but he did well for the amount of game time he got. He only put up four shots, making two of them. However, as always, he was a dynamite with his passing, finishing with eight assists. He pulled in one offensive rebound but went statless everywhere else. He didn't turn the ball over at all which is a positive sign no more matter how much game time you play. He didn't put up any three pointers and didn't get any chances at the charity strike.

4) David Anderson
David was impressive in his first match of the Olympics has a starter. He played just under 15 minutes but used that time to make an impact. He hit five of nine from the field, including one shot from behind the three point arc. He had a chance to go two from two at the charity strike but was only able to hit one. Anderson grabbed three boards but didn't record an assist. His two turnovers were cancelled out by two steals, in an all round impressive game from David Anderson.

3) Brock Motum
These are Motum's first votes and he deserves them after a solid performance coming off the bench. He had the second most points of any Australian, with 15. He made those 15 points with a shooting percentage of 66.7%. Brock didn't only play as a shooter, but also as a passer and a rebounder. He crashed the glass for three rebounds and dished off two assists. After 16 minutes and 30 seconds of game time, Brock should be happy with how he played and I look forward to seeing how he plays against Venezualea.

2) Aron Baynes
After a couple of quiet games, Aron was given 26 minutes of game time to show what he can do, and he proved a lot to all of us. He hit five field goals from eight attempts plus a pair of free throws to get him 12 points. Baynes recorded the second most rebounds for the Australians with four boards. He set up his teammates twice with assists and managed to steal the ball on one occasion. To improve his game, I think he needs to become a bigger threat under the basket. He can do this through blocks or even simply crashing the glass more for more rebounds.

1) Cameron Bairstow
Well it was obvious who this weeks man of the match was. Cameron Bairstow just seemed in a whole different league to his teammates and opposition. He was an unstoppable force offensively and pretty handy on the defensive end. He shot the ball at 53.8% from the field for 17 points. He was a rebounding machine, not only defensively but also offensively. He pulled down four offensive rebounds and five defensive rebounds. He didn't record an assist but proved helpful defensively with both a block and a steal. Overall, a great from Cameron but I would like to see him involving his teammates more offensively as well.

There is one more group match before finals begin. The votes will continue through the finals until Australia is eliminated.
1- Mathew Dellevedova, 13 votes
2- Patrick Mills, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes
4- Aaron Baynes, 8 votes
5- David Anderson, Cameron Bairstow, 5 votes
6- Brock Motum, Joe Ingles, 3 votes
7- Ryan Browkhof

Boomers Game 3

USA was yet to be challenged going into Thursday's matchup with Australia. Nearly everyone wrote Australia off, not giving them the slightest chance. However, Australia was out to prove everyone wrong, and they were up and about for the entire first half.

Australia has been playing good basketball, but not many people knew just how good they are. They brought it right to the USA, playing tough and hard basketball. They were able to keep the game level going into the first break, before Australia stretched out a lead and took control of the game. To the disbelief of nearly everyone watching the game, Australia led the USA at the half time break by five points. Australia had all of the momentum but they knew the USA would come out firing, and that's exactly what they did. USA started the third period with a 9-0 run to put themselves up by four, before an Australian timeout regained Australias composure and they were able to match it with the dream team for the rest of the quarter. Although, USA did lead at the final break by three points. It was going to take everything for Australia to win, and people were starting to believe the impossible. However, USA's class proved to much in the end, and some costly missed shots from Australia were all USA needed to take control of the game. It was a gutsy performance by the boomers, but they were not happy with a close loss, as Andre Bogut stated after the game. "Look, we’re disappointed. The Australian media is going to be like ‘you guys did great, this and that’. No we didn’t. We lost"

Now it's time for the votes. Australia brought it right to the USA and they had players to thank for that. The entire roster played their part when they were put on the court, but there were five men clearly worthy of votes.

5) Andrew Bogut
This wasn't Andrews best game, but just his presence was enough to cause problems for USA. His field goal percentage was something to behold, making 77.8% of his shots for 15 points. Bogut's defence was first class, denying anyone who dared enter the paint, finishing with three massive blocks and a steal. The downside of his game was his lack of  rebounding, only grabbing the one board. His passing was that of a point guard, finishing with three dimes in a well rounded performance.

4) Ryan Broekhof
Ryan really made the most of his minutes, taking advantage of the opportunity handed to him. Although he didn't hit any field goals, he only attempted two and went 100% from the charity strike, finishing with two points. He helped set up our main scorers in Delevedova and Mills, finishing with four assists and crashing the glass for a handy four rebounds. He was efficient with the ball in hand, only turning the ball over once. I'd like to see him play a bigger role on defence, picking up some more steals or even blocks.

3) David Anderson
David is the Boomers captain, and really stood up when his team needed it. He didn't have the best game, but it certainly helped his team come agonisingly close to the USA. Going off five of six shooting, he finished with 13 points, the third most by an Australian. He managed to find a pass to the basket, recording one assist while he was an important asset on the boards, recording five rebounds. However, the biggest down side to his game was that he was lacking the ability to contain the ball, turning the ball over a costly four times. He also managed a score from behind the arc, capping off an improved performance from David Anderson.

2) Patrick Mills 
Patty had one clear role against the USA and it showed in his stats. He was given the task of scoring, and he did that quite nicely. He dropped 30 points on 50% shooting, with only USA's Carmelo Anthony scoring more on the night. He did shoot the ball exceptionally well from beyond the arc, knocking down five of eleven three pointers. He only went at a dissapointing 75% from the charity strike. The think that Patty lacks is versatility on the offensive end. He only took two defensive rebounds and didn't even manage to record a single assist. He finished with two turnovers and didn't do much defensively, not recording a steal or a block. I think patty needs to involve his teammates throughout the course of the game, and not rely on himself to knock down all the points.

1) Mathew Dellevedova
I have been begging for Mathew to play his natural game and to not force anything and that is exactly what he did against the USA. He did everything he could, both offensively and defensively. Dellevedova was the only player on the court to record a double double, dropping 11 points on 62.5%  shooting as well as playing the role of a typical point guard, finishing with 11 assists. Capping off a versatile game, he was able to pull down six boards, helping out Andrew Bogut who wasn't able to record many rebounds. However the thing he must improve on is his ball security, turning the
ball over four times. Still, I'd like to see him take more shots.

Now let's look at how the MVP votes look at the end of the third game.
1- Mathew Dellevdova, 12 votes
2- Patrick Mills, 11 votes
3- Andrew Bogut, 10 points
4- Aron Baynes, 4 votes
5- David Anderson, Joe Ingles, 3 votes
6- Ryan Broekhof, 2 votes

I was lucky enough to catch up with an Olympic silver medalist and a hall of famer. She broke a record in her second Olympics, and captained her team to the silver medal. I will be writing the interview and publishing it soon. Does anyone know who this Olympian is?

Boomers Game 2

The Australian Boomers took on Serbia in the their round two match up in the group stage. It was never going to be easy for Australia as Serbia was up for a fight. It was closely contested first half, with Serbia holding on to q slim half time lead of just three points. Australia weren't playing their best basketball in first half and they had to change it up for any a chance at a win. They played with more aggression in the third period and started chipping into the lead. Serbia stayed in front at half time but only by one point. Serbia are ranked sixth in the world compared to Australia's ranking of 11. However the teams didn't play like their ranking would suggest in the last period, with Australia pouncing on every opportunity. It was one of the most dominant quarters of basketball so far at the Olympics, as Australia went on a 33 to 17 run to finish the game as 15 point winners.

For such a dominant last quarter, there were certainly players that to to stand up. This weeks MVP votes look much different to the last game, as it was time to shine for a young point guard.

5) Aron Baynes
Aron didn't have a fantastic game but played well when it counted. He finished with 10 pints in 40% shooting which is a good rate. He continued to crash the glass, pulling down seven rebounds. He only dishes off one assist, but was perfect from the charity strike, shooting two from two. However, he waisted numerous possessions by turning the ball over on three occasions. I'd like to see Baynes set up his teammates more. I know he is a center and they're 
not known for assists, but I think he could become more dominant if he became more versatile.

4) Joe Ingles
Joe improved on his match against France, and he became important towards the end of the game. Joe spent the second most time on the court, behind only Patty Mills. Joe hit 10 points on 40% shooting. He hit two of five shots with four of those attempts from beyond the ark. He played a versatile game, grabbing three rebounds and and setting up his teammates five times. He was 100% from the free throw line from his four attempts. Joe also had three turnovers but was able to steal the ball once as well. I would like to see Joe Ingles work the ball inside more often.

3) Patrick Mills
Patty played a more offensive role against Serbia, and was given the most game time. He played over half an hour during the match and ended up on 26 points on 47.1% shooting. He grabbed one rebound and had three turnovers but went statless everywhere else. He shot two from nine three pointers which I think is too many. Mills is in the number three position because of his shooting, but he needs to start getting some steals and some assists. He needs to play more as a point guard rather than a shooting guard. He had a good game but, like the others, he needs to beckme more versatile. I'm not saying he has to get a Tripple double, but some other stats would improve him as a player.

2) Andrew Bogut
Andrew played a fantastic game against Serbia and he really lifted like I said he needed to. He 
scored nine points, shooting at 35% from the field. He hit 100% of his three pointers, hitting his only attempt. Andrew definately played the role of a centre, pulling down 12 rebounds and completed the total versatile game by dishing off six assists. He was a pain defensively, sending back three blocks, capping off one of his best games in a while. On most days, Bogut would be the number one player, but there was one player I just couldn't look past.....

1) Mathew Dellevedova
Mathew just had one of those nights where everything went his way. He shot the ball at 85.1% from the field for a total of 23 points. He hit three three pointers, going at 75% from beyond the ark. Mathew was the only player in the Australian team to record a double double, finishing with 13 dimes. He was very careful with the ball and avoided turning the ball over at all during the match. Defensively, he didn't record a block but managed two steals and gave away four fouls. I said that Mathew had to take more suites in my last article, and that's exactly what he did. The only thing I think he should improve on is the rebounding category, as he did not record a single rebound.

After the first two games, this is how my MVP leaderboard is looking at the moment.

1- Andrew Bogut, 9 votes 
2- Mathew Dellevedova, Patrick Mills, 7 votes
3- Aron Baynes, 4 votes
4- Joe Ingles, 3 votes
No other player has recorded a vote so far. 

So, let me know if you agree with my votes, and if not, tell me who should have received which votes.

The Australian Boomers Olympic Campaign

The Olympics are well underway as day two comes to a close. Australia currently sit third on the medal tally, with medals coming from the pool, the arches field and the shooting range. One of our best hopes at a Gold medal are the Australian Boomers, our men's basketball team. They'll be looking to improve on their last Olympic campaign where they only managed to finish seventh. Australia opened their campaign this year against a high quality French side.

It was set up to be a tough encounter for the Aussies, with star point guard Tony Parker from the San Antonio Spurs lining up for France. France never really looked in the game,  dominated by an over powering Australia team. Australia took control of the game after half time, taking advantage

of a slim 3 point half time lead. Australia outscored France 25 to 15 in the third quarter before extending their lead in the last period, finishing the game 21 point winners. So, who were the best players? Here are my top five players and how they played in their first Olympic match of 2016.

5) Joe Ingles
These are Joe's second Olympic games and he plays a big role for the Boomers. Joe didn't have his best game against France but he did what he had to do. While only shooting the ball at 33% from the field, Joe finished with four points. However, the stat where he delivered was on the dime dropping end, finishing with six assists and he managed to pull in a pair of rebounds. Defensively, his quick feet allowed him to get two steals. Joe didn't record a block but only turned the ball over once.

4) Mathew Dellevodova
Coming off a championship for Cleveland, Mathew had to adjust for a different type of opposition. The team didn't need to rely on him to score which allowed him to focus on other aspects of his game. He led the team in assists with ten dimes as wells as three rebounds. Dellevedova also played well defensively stealing the ball three times and finished with just the one turnover. I'd like to see Mathew take some more shots, especially three pointers because he is just as good as the other point guard in the team.

3) Aron Baynes 
Baynes is so fun to watch and must be a pest to play against. One of his greatest abilities is his offensive rebounding and he showed that against France, smashing the glass for six offensive rebounds, finishing with a total of eight boards for the match. Baynes hit 14 points on 35.7% shooting throughout the match. He also fought his way to the free throw line, making four shots from the charity strike from his six attempts. Aron managed a block but had trouble holding onto the ball on a couple of occasions, losing the ball twice.

2) Patrick Mills 
 Mills was electric out on the court and works so well with fellow teammate Andrew Bogut. Patty spent nearly 28 minutes out on court, the most of any Australian. He lit it up from the field, shooting at just under 50%, finishing with 21 points. 12 of those 21 points were from beyond the three point line. Mills dished off five assists and pulled in two rebounds over the course of the match. He had a great game, but if Australia are going to get close to the USA basketball team when they meet in a few days time, he will have to try and get his teammates involved even more then he already does.

1) Andrew Bogut
Man of the match in my opinion was Andrew Bogut. Andrew plays centre in the NBA and after starting his career at Golden State, he left this offseason to go to Dallas. However, it seemed that his full attention was on the match against the French as he absolutely dominated in the paint. He hit 18 points, shooting the ball at an incredible 90%, the best by any Australian this match who took more than one shot. He gave off five assists and got under the ring for four rebounds. What makes Andrew such an incredible player is his ability to catch and throw down alley oops. The thing that Bogut must work on for later in the tournament is his ability to crash the boards. As a centre, four rebounds probably isn't good enough but the rest of his game lifted him to my number one position.

Throughout the tournament I will be writing on every Boomers game. Each player in my top five receives a certain number of votes, and at the end of the tournament I will add up the votes to see who is the MVP based on my opinion. The number one ranked player in each game will receive five votes, the number two ranked player will recieve four votes, all the way to the fifth ranked player recieving one vote. So at the moment, Bogut has the most votes followed by Mills, Baynes, Dellevedova and Ingles.

Let me know what you think of the votes. Do you agree? If not, tell me who you think should be receiving which votes and why.

AFL round 18 milestones

Milestones are an important part of every players career, a chance to be recognized for the amount of time amd effort they have put in for their team(s). This week, nine players will play a career milestones game in terms of games played. Another player needs just two goals this week to reach 450 career goals. Let's take a look at each player who has a milestone game this weekend and how the first part of their careers have gone.

Corey Enright tied the record for the most games played by a Geelong player
Corey Enright  played his 325th game this weekend against the Adelaide Crows, tieing a club record for the most games played. Corey Enright has had a great career thus far, recording many career highlights. Corey is a three time premiership player for the Geelong Cats, as well as a five time All Australian and a two time Carji Greeves medal winner (Geelong Best and Fairest). Enright is also a two time preseason premiership winner. He has never won a Brownlow Medal.

Sam Mitchell played his 300th game
Sam Mitchell has been a big part of the Hawthorn football club over the last five or so years, and in round 18 he  got some recognition as he played his 300th game. Mitchell has been part of Hawthorn's premiership rampage over the last three years. Sam started his career with a bang, winning the 2003 Rising Star award. He continued his great football throughout his career, winning four premierships and making the All Australian team on three occasions. He has won the Peter Crimins medal four times, and the Lou Richards medal twice.

Callan Ward became the first GWS player to reach 100 games
Callam Ward started his career at the Western Bulldogs, playing his first four seasons at the club and managed to pick up a Rising star nomination in a convincing start to his career. He played a total of 60 games there kicking 33 goals. To the surprise of most people, Callan left the Dogs in 2022 to join a new GWS team. Callan became a co-captain at the Giants and has really lifted his game. His accolades include winning the Kevin Sheedy medal, that award given to the best player at GWS, in 2012. Since then he has lifted his team to become current premiership contenders.

Robbie Gray played his 150th game
Robbie Gray has made a big impact on the Port Adelaide football club since bursting into the scenes
in 2007. Gray has established himself as a key goal kicker for the power as well as being a versatile  midfielder. Robbie has kicked 186 games so far in his career and I would say that there will be many more to come. He is a two time showdown medalist (Given to the best player in the Adelaide Vs Port Adelaide match), a two time All Australian, he was Port's leading goal kicker in 2011 and the clubs most improved in 2009. He is also a two time John Cahil medalist (Given to the best player at Port Adelaide).

Jarred Impey played his 50th game
Jarred is only starting his career but he is a bright young talent and has been a key part of Port Adelaide's defence over the last few years. As it is only the start of his career, the only accolade he has a received was a rising star nominee, but I'm sure there will be many more to come. Jarred has kicked 15 goals in his short career, and averages 12 disposals per game. Jared's pressure is a big part of his talent and he averages nearly three tackles a game. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this bright, young talent.

Ben Brown played his 50th game
Watching Ben play, you would have no idea that he has only played 50 games. He plays like he has had so much experience and leads from the front in Nirth Mekbourne's forward line. Since debuting in round 14 2014, Brown has kicked 82 goals, averaging just under two goals per game.

UEFA Euros 2016

The Euros this year have produced some first-class football and some surprising results. This article looks at the upcoming quarter finals and the chances of your team reaching the next round.

Poland Vs Portugal
Poland's best ever Euro performance: Quarter Final round, 2016
Portugal's best ever Euro performance: Runners Up, 2004
Poland are coming off a nail biting round of 16 match against Switzerland where it took until penalties for the two teams to be separated. Portugal were able to sneak past Hungary with a 1-0 victory.
Poland opened their Euros 2016 campaign with a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland. They followed this up with nil all draw with Germany before finishing their group stage by beating Ukraine 1-0. Portugal were unable to win a single game in the group stages, finishing with three draws against Iceland, Austria and Hungary.
Now for the stats. Poland has only scored three goals in their last four games, so they will be relying on their defence to get them past Portugal. They have had 55 shots in their first four games of the tournament, with only 12 of them on target. They average only a little over four corners per game while allowing over six corners against them per game. Poland are guilty of committing the second most amount of fouls so far in the tournament. Portugal have managed five goals in their first four games but have also leaked four goals. Portugal have had 74 shots with 24 of those on target, almost 11% higher than Poland. They have completed 88% of their passes, compared to Poland's 83%. For Poland to win, they have to make the most of their opportunities and create as many chances as they can. They will have to score multiple goals in order to beat Portugal. On the other hand, Portugal will need to keep up their scoring while denying Poland a chance to score. I see this match as being very defensive, and I think we are in for a fantastic contest.
My prediction: Portugal 2-0  I think Portugal's class will be too much for Poland and I can't see Portugal exiting the tournament this early.
Difference Maker: Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is arguably the best player in the world and has scored two of Portugal's four tournament goals. Poland must find a way to shut down this star striker in order to have a chance against the current eighth best team in the world.

Wales Vs Belgium
Wales' best ever Euro performance: Quarter finals, 1976
Belgium's best ever Euro performance: Runners Up, 1980
Wales won their round of sixteen match against Northern Ireland 1-0 after a 75th minute own goal from Northern Ireland's defender Gareth McAuley from a Gareth Bale corner. Belgium were more convincing in their emphatic 4-0 victory over Hungary with goals to Alderweireld, Batshuayi, Hazard and Carrasco.
Wales finished on top of group B with wins over Slovakia and Russia, but a damaging loss to England dampened a solid start to the 2016 Euros. Belgium placed second in group E, opening their campaign with a 2-0 loss to Italy before recovering with two wins over the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.
Let's take a look at their stats. Belgium have averaged  2 goals per game to start the tournament, the highest average of all teams. Wales rank second in goals per game, averaging just under 2 goals per game. On average, Belgium have conceded 0.5 goals per game and Wales have conceded 0.75 goals per game. This matchup will be very interesting because both teams rely on scoring and heavy defence. I am looking forward to seeing who's defence can hold up against powerful attack.
Both teams have averaged around half of the possession so far this tournament. Belgium have committed 42 fouls in total this tournament while Wales have committed 42. Wales have given away four yellow cards while Belgium have been called for 7 yellow cards. I have had a hard time separating these two teams as they are even in nearly every way. This match has the potential to be the match of the tournament if both teams can live up to their potential.
My Prediction: 2-2 (Wales 5-4 in penalties) This teams are so evenly matched in terms of stats that I can't pick a winner. I think that Wales will just get the upper hand in the penalties.
Difference Maker: Gareth Bale. Gareth is a player with the ability to break the game wide open. If he can stand up and lead from the front, Wales will be hard to beat.

France Vs Iceland
France's best ever Euro performance: Winners, 2000, 1984
Iceland's best ever Euro performance: Quarter finals, 2016
Iceland are having a fairytale campaign as they reached the knockout stages for the first time in it's country's history as it is their first ever appearance in the tournament. Iceland are coming off one of the biggest upsets in Euros history, beating England 2-1. France beat the republic of Ireland 2-1 after trailing 1-0. Iceland finished behind Hungary in group E after draws with both Portugal and Hungary and a win over Austria. France topped group A with wins against Romania and Albania and a 0-0 draw with Switzerland.
Now for the tournament statistics. Both teams have scored 6 goals this tournament, however Iceland have conceded two more goals than France. France average 18 shots per game whereas Iceland average only 7.25. However, 48% of Iceland's shots are on target while only 29% of France's shots are on target. This is where the game will be won and lost. France need to make the most of their opportunities on goal and Iceland need to create more chances. Also, Iceland is going to need to dominate the possession to avoid France from being able to control the game which is something they have struggled with this tournament, having just 35% of the possession. Also, Iceland need to be disciplined as they have already given away 11 yellow cards this tournament, the third most of all teams. So far Iceland have given away 17 more fouls than France, so they will need to make sure they are not clumsy with their challenges.
My prediction: France 3-0 Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end I feel that Iceland will be no match for their world class opposition however it would be great to see them put up a fight.
Difference maker: Hannes Halldorsson. Hannes is Iceland's goal keeper and I think he will be very busy and if he can make some world class saves, then Iceland will have a much better chance at progressing further into the tournament.

Italy Vs Germany
Italy's best ever Euro performance: Champions, 1968
Germany's best ever Euro performance: Champions, 1972, 1980, 1996
These two powerhouse countries have been impressive so far this tournament and set up a blockbuster quarter final match. Italy beat a star-studded Spain 2-0 in the round of sixteen while Germany cruised past a resilient Slovakia 3-0.
Germany beat Ukraine and Northern Ireland to top group C while a 0-0 draw with Poland kept them from going three from three in the group stages. Italy also finished on top of their respective group defeating Belgium and Sweden but a loss to the Republic of Ireland dampened an otherwise impressive showing in the group stages.
Germany average 19.5 shots per game with seven of those on target. Italy, however, average only 8.75 shots per game with four of those on target. Germany have scored six goals this tournament compared to Italy's five and I think it comes down to possession. Germany have averaged 64% of the possession in the tournament whereas Italy have only averaged 46% of the possession. Another statistic that Germany have been better in is the passing accuracy. Germany have passed at a 90% accuracy while Italy have struggled, passing at only 81% accuracy. I think that Italy need to try and play with the ball in their half more and they need to try and avoid the ball being locked into their defence. They have had to make 86 clearances this tournament whereas Germany have only made 46 clearances which suggests that they have been able to either run the ball out of defence or prevent it from coming in as much in the first place. However, Italy have been able to get the better of Germany in the past, winning 15 of their last 33 encounters with 10 draws and eight wins to Germany. Germany will need to play their natural game and continue to dominate the possession. Italy are going to need to create more scoring opportunities, and play tight around the midfield to prevent Germany from getting into their scoring areas.
My prediction: Germany 1-0  I think the reigning world cup champions will be able to get over the line in a tightly contested encounter. However, I am not writing Italy off at all.
Difference Maker: Manuel Neur. Manuel is Germany's goal keeper and I think he will have the responsibility of directing the defenders and I think the game will be won and lost in Germany's defensive half. If he can step up and play his position as a keeper and as a role model then I feel that Germany will be hard to beat.

Who is the best player in the NBA?

Once again this NBA season has provided us with a range of individual brilliance and some superb talent, but who is the best of the best? Steph Curry has had another breakout year shooting the ball better than he ever has before. Lebron James has also had a great season and continues to pile the points on the board as well as including his team mates in the game with some great assists. Russell Westbrook has been breaking records this year in terms of his triple-doubles (Three stats above 10). Kevin Durant has been lighting up the floor with his continuous high shooting percentage. Kahwi Leonard is also having a breakout year after his defensive player of the year award last year. Draymomd Green has been influential in his sides record breaking year and has definitely been able to make a name for himself. James Harden continues to impress for the Houston Rockets. So who is the best? Here is a list of my top five players and why they are in that position.

5) Draymond Green
Green is having the best season of his career and continues to dominate in every aspect of the game. Throughout the regular season he has averaged 14 points a game with a shooting percentage of 4.90. He has been able to continuously set up his team mates, averaging just over seven assists a game. He has also been able to crash the glass on a nightly bases, averaging 9.5 rebounds a game which is the thirteenth highest in the NBA. However, the stat that really lets him down is his free throw percentage. He has a free throw percentage of just 0.696, making 229 of 329 free throws this season. He had a total of 33 double-doubles (Two stats above ten) for the season and 13 triple-doubles (Three stats above ten). He is one of the league's best players but there are a few players better than him.

4)Lebron James
While Lebron's statistics might not be as high as the others, he has been able to really lift his team to the Eastern Conference finals. I am not saying that he is the only reason that Cleveland made the finals, but he has certainly been a big part. He has averaged 25 points a game over his 76 game season, as well as pulling in close to seven rebounds and giving off seven assists per game. Lebron managed to average a steal game and had a phenomenal shooting percentage from inside the arc of .520%. He finished the season with a total of 28 double-doubles (Two stats above ten) and 3 triple doubles (Three stats above ten).

3) Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is a former NBA MVP winner but has been struggling to regain his form after a few injuries last season. However, he seemed to be back to his best this this year helping his team return to the playoffs. Kevin averaged 28 points per game across the 72 games he played for the season. He was able to play as an all-round player, pulling down five rebounds a night to go with 8 assists. However, because Kevin controls the plays on many occasions on the court he has had an average of 3.5 tournovers a game, the seventh worst in the NBA. He can also be a pain defensively, averaging a block and a steal each game. He still has a way to go to fully regain his form, but he has definitely had solid season.

2) Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has had the best season of his career. Despite his doubters, he has managed to work his way to be a contender for the MVP award. Throughout his career he has been criticised for shooting too much when he should be giving the ball to Kevin Durant. However, he has proved them wrong, averaging 23.5 points a game on .454% shooting. He also had remarkable averages of 7.8 rebounds per game and 10.5 assists a game. In 54 of his 80 games played he scored double-doubles, the second most in the NBA. He had the most triple-doubles in the NBA this year, with a total of 18. He also managed to equal the all-time record for the most triple-doubles in a month, 7.

1) Stephen Curry
Today Steph Curry was named the leagues MVP for the second consecutive year after a record breaking season. He averaged 6.7 assists a game as well as 5.4 rebounds a game, but the part of his game that stood out this year was his shooting. He smashed his way past the all-time record for the most three pointers in a season, as he worked his way to 402 regular season threes on .454% shooting from behind the arc. This season Steph Curry became the seventh player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club (50% field goal for the season as well as 40% from three point and 90% from free throws). Steph also managed to play strong defence, fighting his way to an average of 2 steals a game.

A couple of other players who were unlucky to make my top five are James Harden, who averaged 29 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds a game and Kahwi Leonard who averaged 21 points a game and 6.8 rebounds a game.

The race for the Championship

The final day of the NBA regular season was one that nobody will ever forget. We said goodbye to an absolute legend of the game in Kobe Bryant. He is a 5-time champion, an 18-time NBA all-star and a 15-time NBA all-team candidate, and after 20 long years in the NBA he decided to call it quits. Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzles to break the record for the most wins in a season. They ended up with 72 wins and only nine losses. This article is going to analyse each of the round one playoff matches and my prediction for each.

Golden State Warriors Vs Houston Rockets
My Prediction: Golden State Warriors 4-0
In case you don't know, each round of the playoffs is a best of seven contest. Game one of the series was this morning and it saw the Warriors get up by a convincing margin. I can't see Houston winning a single game in the series, purely because they do not have enough depth in their roster. They rely too much on James Harden and with the depth of the Warrior's roster, they will always be able to shut him down and still have their best players free. As good as star point guard Stephan Curry is, he isn't always having to carry his team across the line. The Warriors have a more experienced lineup that will be able to handle the pressure of playoffs. If Houston are going to win, they will have to shut down Steph Curry and they will need several players to be scoring above 20, not just James Harden.

Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Detroit Pistons 
My Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Eastern Conference this season. Detroit were lucky to scrape into the playoffs, just beating Chicago in the fight for 8th position. Detroit miss a standout player who can do everything. They have a few players who had break out seasons, such as Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, but they don't have a player who can take control of the game and really lead from the front. Cleveland have a very experienced player in Lebron James who has the ability to dominate a game that is closely contested. Cleveland are going to be hard to beat for any team, and I just don't think that Detroit have the talent to knock them off. However, I think they will be able to snatch a game which will give them huge confidence for next season. Although Detroit have a statistical advantage, having won three of their last four games against Cleveland.

San Antonio Spurs Vs Memphis Grizzles 
My prediction: San Antonio Spurs 4-2
The Spurs have had an outstanding season to finish in second place in the Western Conference. Memphis had a disappointing season but still managed to make the playoffs. The unique thing about the Spurs is that they don't have a stand out player. Kawhi Leonard did have an exceptional season, but they are so hard to play against because of their wide spread talent. I think their biggest advantage is that their big men have the ability to hit mid-range shots which makes them very hard to guard. I think Memphis will struggle to guard the Spurs because of the standard of their bench. If Memphis are going to win, they will have to score at least 100 points. Any less than that and I don't give them much chance of winning. However, I feel that if there is going to be an upset in the playoffs, Memphis might just be the team to do that. They will win a couple of games, but I tip that Kawhi Leanard and Tony Parker will be too good for Memphis.

Toronto Raptors Vs Indiana Pacers
My Prediction: Indiana Pacers 4-3
Toronto finished the season second, and the Pacers finished seventh. Game one of the series was this morning, and Indiana ran out 10 point winners. Toronto aren't known for their playoff ability, with a poor showing in last year's playoffs. Indiana missed out on playoffs last year, and only just made them this year. However, I think Indiana are a big chance at claiming an upset. Paul George has had a great season and will be the difference maker in this series. If he can continue to put up 30 points a game, they will be able to win. If he fails, then Monte Ellis will have to really step up and start playing like an A-grade player. Toronto need to get more rebounds if they are going to win. They were beaten on the glass today, and if they continue like this they will not be able to beat Indiana. It will be a tight series, but I think Indiana will cause an upset in game seven.

LA Clippers Vs Portland Trailblazers
My prediction: LA Clippers 4-1
Los Angeles finished fourth in their conference, after a rather impressive season. Portland finished fifth but I think they will struggle to shut down the fire power of LA. LA won game one of the series, and I can't see things changing. During the season, the Clippers beat Portland three times and only lost once. Blake Griffen and DeAndre Jorden are going to be the difference between Portland and the Clippers. If Portland are going to win, they will have to restrict these two men from getting double-doubles (Two stats over 10). Although, they will struggle to guard Blake Griffen because of his ability to knock down long range shots and to grab the rebounds in close. Portland don't really have anybody capable of shutting him down, but Damian Lillard and his men will certainly give it their best shot. I think the games will be quite close, but the expeirience of the Clippers will be too much in the end.

Miami Heat Vs Charlotte Hornets
My prediction: Miami Heat 4-1
This is the first time Miami has played in the playoffs without Lebron James since two seasons ago. They have really impressed the NBA universe this year and have managed to finish in third position in the Eastern conference. Charlotte will also be happy with their regular season, as they played a solid brand of basketball to cement themselves a place in the playoffs. Although, Miami dismantled Charlotte in Game 1 of the series by a convincing 32 points. During the regular season, both teams beat each other twice which will give the Hornets some confidence. However, Miami have had more experience in playoffs and that will give them an edge going into game two. For Charlotte to win, they will have to shut down the deadly duo in Chris Bosh and Dwane Wade. It will be hard, but if the Hornets can keep the pair from scoring 30 points between them, then they will have a strong chance of winning a game or two. I am not counting them out and it will be a series to watch, but Miami will be too strong in the end.

Atlanta Hawks Vs Boston Celtics
My prediction: Atlanta Hawks 4-2
Boston Celtics have been the underdogs of the season but have somehow managed to finish in fifth position after a fantastic season of basketball. Atlanta finished in the top four as expected, and beat Boston by one point in game one of the playoffs. This is the most even matchup in the first round of the playoffs as both teams have a couple of star players as well as an even bench. Isaiah Thomas was a standout for Boston over the regular season and will need to keep his form up in order to upset the Hawks. Boston are going to need to shut down a couple of Atlanta's star players, especially Paul Millsap. Millsap averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds a game during the season and is going to be a headache for Boston as they work out how to stop him. For Boston to win, Isaiah Thomas must score close to thirty points while restricting Paul Millsap to under 20.

Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) Vs  Dallas Mavericks.
My Prediction: OKC 4-0
Game one of this series was as one sided as a playoff match can get. OKC came home 38 point winners in a less than ideal start for Dallas. The key for Dallas to win the series is going to be winning game 2. If they can take a match on the road, it will restore their confidence and allow them to play a bit more freely at home. However, OKC are going to be near impossible to stop unless they completely shut down both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook who both average over 20 points and 8 rebounds. Dallas need players to step up and help Dirk Nowitzki who was left alone in game one as the only player playing well for Dallas. For Dallas to win, they need at least five players to score of 10 points. Their aim needs to be to share the ball and to get everyone involved in the game, so that OKC have more than just Dirk Nowitzki to worry about.

T20 World Cup Final- Women

On the Weekend the West Indies beat Australia in a nail biting contest by eight wickets, with only three balls remaining. This was the first time the West Indies women have ever won the T20 World Cup. It was a record breaking match, as no woman had ever hit a fifty in a Grand Final match before. Four women hit fifties in this match indicating how entertaining women's cricket continues to be.

The West Indies built their entire innings off an unlikely opening partnership. Both openers managed fifties, and were unlucky not to still be in at the end. Deandra Dottin came in at number three, and saw the West Indies home, hitting 18 off 12 balls to secure a fairytale World Cup finish for the West Indies.

In an important second wicket partnership, Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning both hit fifties to set a total of 147 for the West Indies to chase, and it could have been a lot more if it wasn't for a superb final over from Deandra Dottin. Dottin bowled three dots to start the over, before dismissing Ellyse Perry the next ball.  Some impressive fielding from Stacy-Ann King lead to Erin Osborne being run out, and they could only manage a single off the final ball.

The West Indies have had to go through a lot make the final, including some hard-fought group stage matches. Their campaign opener was against Pakistan and they were able to pick up the win in a close encounter. The West Indies posted 103 runs, lead by opener Stafanie Taylor who hit a steady 40, coming off 48 deliveries. Hayley Mathews and Merissa Aguilleira both managed 15 while Pakistan's key spinner took four wickets to restrict the West Indies and keep Pakistan in the contest. Five batsmen for Pakistan managed more than 15, but none of them could continue and get a big score. It came down to the last over, Pakistan requiring 12 of it. Some brilliant bowling from Deandra Dottin restricted Pakistan to seven runs off the last over, and the West Indies were able to kick off their campaign with a bang.

The West Indies came up against Bangladesh in their next match, and they made very light work of them. West Indies hit 148 lead by a solid opening partnership from Stafanie Taylor and Hayley Mathews. Bangladesh were bowled out for 99 in reply, while West Indies had three bowlers take more than two wickets.

However, West Indies didn't get it all there own way in the group stage. They were beaten by an in form English team who were able to clinch the victory by one run in a narrow run chase. Stafanie Taylor hit 35 runs, at a strike rate of just 74.46. England had four separate wicket takers, but the star bowler was Anya Shrubsole who took 1 wicket for 11 runs, with an outstanding economy rate of 2.75. Tammy Beaumont hit 31 runs off 23 balls in a player of the match performance. Afy Fletcher tried her best for the West Indies, but her figures of 3-12 off 4 overs weren't enough to earn West Indies the win, as England scrambled through for a leg bye off the final ball to claim a very important victory for England.

West Indies were keen to bounce back in the next match, and Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor lead right from the front. Both women fell just short of fifties, as the West Indies fought their way through to an innings total of 114. India were 1 wicket down after just one ball, but were able to rebuild an innings and they were right back in the chase. West Indies weren't going to give up, even though India was easily in control. Another fantastic game from Afy Fletcher put the West Indies back in the match, as she took 2-15 off four overs. Needing 10 runs off the last over, India fell apart, losing three wickets as the West Indies managed to hold on to another win and secure their spot in the Semi Finals.

West Indies took on New Zealand in the Semi Finals and it was a high scoring encounter. Batting first, West Indies got off the mark quickly. A solid opening partnership was followed by a phenomenal innings from Britney Cooper, as she blasted seven boundaries on her way to half century, before she was dismissed for 61. West Indies finished with a total of 143, which was always going to be hard to chase down. Sara Mcglashan was a stand out for New Zealand, as she worked her way to a hard fought 38 runs off 30 balls. New Zealand looked on track before a collapse during the sixteenth an seventeenth over put New Zealand in a difficult position. They needed 19 runs off the last over, and despite their best efforts New Zealand were unable to chase t down, and fell short by six runs.

So that is how West Indies made it to the Grand Final. Congratulations to the West Indies girls on a fantastic tournament, and well done to Australia for contesting in a nail-biting grand final.

Please let me know if you would like me to continue writing about women's sport or whether I should write about men's sport. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

Cricket World Cup- Womens

All of the talk has been about the disappointing performances by the Australian men in this World Cup. However, the Australian women's cricket team beat England last night by five runs to secure their place in the Grand Final. They will play the winner of tonight's second semi final between New Zealand and the West Indies.

Last night's five run win for Australia means that they now have the opportunity to play for their fourth consecutive World Cup. It was a bowler's pitch last night, so there were no surprises when England won the toss and chose to bowl first. Although, England didn't get their way early as Australia got off the marks quickly. Opener Elyse Villani knocked the ball around for a handy 19 runs before being given out LBW, bowled by Natalie Sciver. Natalie was lucky to still be out there bowling after copping a knock to the head the ball before. A team mate had thrown the ball to her, but she had taken her eyes off the ball and it had thumped into the side of her head. Luckily, she was able to recover and finish with bowling figures of 2-22 off 3 overs. The other opener, Alyssa Healy, was slightly more effective, hitting 25 runs off 15 balls.

Captain Meg Lanning showed why she is one of the worlds best female cricketers, finishing with 55 runs before a sharp piece of fielding ran her out. Some late wickets restricted Australia's middle order, and kept them to 132/6 off their 20 overs. Laura Marsh was outstanding for England, taking one wicket for just 18 runs off her four overs. Katherine Brunt was more expensive, going for 25 runs off 3 overs.

It was going to be a long run chase, and England were keen to get off to a good start. Both openers, Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards, managed over 30 runs, before some good catching from Meg Lanning dismissed both the openers. Sarah Taylor came in at number three and contributed 21 runs off 23 balls. An English middle order collapse resulted in the next six batsman combining for just for just 27 runs. However, England managed to bring it down to the last over, where they needed 13 runs off 6 balls. Desperate bowling from Rene Farrell restricted England from hitting any boundaries in the last over, and Australia were able to come out with a 5 run victory. Megan Schutt was a standout for Australia, finishing with figures of 15-2 off her 4 overs.

Australian Captain Meg Lanning talked after the game about the importance of their good start to the match in the power play, stating "it got us ahead of the game".

"It wasn't quite meant to be for us today", said English Captain Charlotte Edwards in the post game interviews.

So, although the Australian men struggled throughout the tournament, the women will have a chance to do Australia proud when they play in the final on Sunday the third of April.

What's coming up in sport?

We are about to hit an exciting time in sport. The NBA is nearing its playoffs, the NRL season has just got underway, the MLB starts in under a month, the Cricket World Cup begins in just a number of days, the Rio Olympics are in sight and we are counting down to the 2016 AFL season. So what can we expect from these sports? Well over the next week I will be analysing each of these, and coming up with the teams and players to watch out for.

NBA
With most teams having played around 65 of their 82 regular season games, we are heading down the road to the playoffs. The big question that everyone wants answered is 'who is going to beat the Golden State Warriors (GSW)?'. Currently, the Warriors have a record of 59 wins and 6 losses. They are chasing the best record in NBA history, so how could they possibly not win the Championship?

Well the majority of NBA fans would agree that the GSW are unbeatable, but I know for sure that there are a few teams that would rate their chances of clinching the championship very high. The San Antonio Spurs, in my opinion, are the most underrated NBA team in a very long time. There is not much talked about them and they don't have players contending for MVP, but they are the second team to book a playoff birth. Their current regular season record stands at 56 wins and 10 losses. In any other season, this would be amazing, but they are being over shadowed by the GSW.

Another undervalued team with a shot at the title this year are the Toronto Raptors. They are positioned in second spot in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland, with a record of 44 wins and 20 losses. Toronto's big strong point is their ability to close out game's when they have shot the ball well. When they have shot at a better percentage than their opponents from the field this year, they have only lost once and have won 34 times! So, if they plan on beating the warriors, or any team in the Playoffs, they are going to have to shoot well to give them a statistical advantage.

The next team that I would like to talk about are the Chicago Bulls. They have been the under achievers this season, without a doubt. Predicted to go close to finishing on top of the Eastern Conference, they are currently struggling to make the top eight! Today they sit in ninth position behind the Detroit Pistons. Chicago have an even record of 32 wins and 32 losses. They have struggled on the road this season, coming up short 20 times when playing away, and only claiming 10 away wins. Part of the reason for their downful was the absence of star shooting guard Jimmy Butler, who made his return today after several weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury. However, with Jimmy Buttler returning, I am predicting them to make the Playoffs and even clinch a series or two. I wouldn't be writing them of just yet......

Now for the underdogs of the season, the Boston Celtics. Boston have realy struggled in the past couple of years, but are now contending for the championship! They currently sit in third position in the Eastern Conference, after being predicted to finish towards the bottom of the ladder. They have brought an exciting brand of basketball to this season, averaging over 106 points per game, the fourth highest in the NBA. Last year they averaged 101 points per game, the thirteenth highest in the NBA. So, although it isn't a huge change, it seems to be making all the difference. If the Celtics can hold on to the top four, they will have home court advantage in the playoffs. If they can claim the home court advantage, I'm tipping them to pass at least the first round, and maybe even make the Conference Finals. The big thing for Boston over the next few weeks is to not take their foot off the pedal, and to keep winning.

The Los Angeles Clippers haven't had the best luck in the playoffs in recent memory. Last year they blew a huge series lead against the Houston Rockets and many thought that this would have a negative affect on them during the 2015/16 season. However, it seems to be quite the oppisite. The Clippers currently sit in fourth position behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), yet the most impressive thing about their season so far is that they have done it for the most part without Power Forward Blake Griffen. Blake Griffen broke his hand while he was in a fight with a team employee back on the 23rd of January this year. Blake was then suspended for four games and is still out with a broken hand, but the Clippers seem to be coping perfectly fine without him. Their current record stands at 42 wins and 23 losses. Now, as well as they have been playing without Griffen, I just can't see them getting past the second round. However, they will certainly fancy themselves and I by no means am calling them easy beats!

So, there is a taste of what to expect in the Playoffs this year. Although, don't forget teams like OKC, Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks, who are all a chance at taking down the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. These teams will also be looking to be the 2016 NBA Champions!

Paul Couch

It has been just a couple of days since the passing of AFL legend Paul Couch. Paul has made the Geelong Cat's team of the century, but how many people actually know who he is? For many young teenagers like myself, Paul Couch was playing well before we were born. So how good was he? What did he accomplish? Well let's take a look at the career of a true legend of the game, Paul Couch.

Paul Couch was born in Warrnambool in 1964 and made his debut at 21 years of age, for Geelong. He went on to represent the cats 259 times and is remembered at his club for having a great work ethic. Although, he wasn't the most conventional footballer. He played in the centre yet lacked pace, and was even rejected from Fitzroy for being too slow. Also, he was a one-dimensional kick, nearly always using his left foot. However, it was his 'good football brain' and his ability to dispose of the football that separated him from the rest of the AFL.

After a solid first few seasons where Couch averaged over 20 disposals a game, he reached his peak during the 1989 season. Leading Geelong to a Grand Final birth, Crouch racked up 700 disposals for the season which led to his first Brownlow Medal. He snuck in 23 goals for the season, to go with 82 marks and 56 tackles.

Although, in just his second season with Geelong he claimed his first Best and Fairest medal, This was the first of three, claiming one in his Brownlow medal season and one several years later in 1995. Paul Crouch didn't become an All Australian until 1991, before again making the team in 1995. In 2006 he gained one of the highest honours at the Geelong football club, becoming a life member.

Unfortunately, this fantastic footballer's life was cut short two days ago, when he suffered a heart attack at Apollo Bay while Cycling with friends. It was a very unexpected death and certainly a very tragic one. He will be missed in the football world, and he will be remembered for his broad, toothy smile as well as his freakish football talent.

   

AFL NAB Cup Week two review

We have had to wait nearly four months, but the footy is back! Week two of the NAB Challenge saw some exhilarating football and some new look line-ups! Here is a match by match analysis of how things went down over the weekend.

Western Bulldogs Vs GWS
Thursday night footy saw the Greater Western Sydney Giants taking on the Western Bulldogs at Startrack Oval in Canberra. New ruckman, Rory Lobb got the Giants off to a great start, taking a solid mark inside the forward 50 then going back and drilling the goal. The Dogs teased the Giants, dominating the game but just not converting, leaving the Giants with a chance. After scoring six behinds for no goals, the Dogs put on their kicking boots and kicked the Giants right out of the game, ending up with a 31 point victory. Their ability to get hold of the ball was impressive. They smashed the Giants in disposals, thanks to some superb rucking from both Will Minson and Tom Campbell.

It is the pre season, so let's take a look at the team's best young players coming out of the game. Koby Stevens from the Bulldogs stood out, racking up 29 disposals and 5 marks. He put his body on the line and was continuously rewarded, earning a total of 5 free kicks. Rory Lobb was impressive for the Giants. He had a handy 13 disposals and six marks. Rory spent some time up forward, booting two goals but wasn't good enough to get his side over the line.

Collingwood Vs Geelong
The two teams who had the best preseasons in terms of trading, faced off on Friday night at Simonds stadium. Patrick Dangerfield finally made his debut for the Cats and what a debut it was. Dangerfield had the first kick of the game and then went on to kick three goals and get a few touches in a very exciting game of footy. Although, it was a very unsettled game, to say the least. Geelong were fast starters jumping out to a healthy, early lead before Collingwood's 11 goal third term brought them right back into the match and even put them ahead by 21 points at the final break. Geelong then mounted a comeback but it was too little, too late for the Cats as Collingwood managed to hold on to an eight point victory.

Not necessarily Collingwood's youngest player, but, in my opinion, Alex Fasolo hasn't been living up to his potential. However, Fasolo looks like a shining light for the Pies up forward this year. He kicked five goals, took seven marks and had 19 disposals. If he keeps this up, Collingwood won't have to rely on Travis Cloke up forward all year.
Now Geelong's rising star is by no means new to the game but he was a huge pick up over the offseason. Patrick Dangerfield, a former Adelaide Crows midfielder, is going to be crucial all season if Geelong plan on making finals. Based on his performance in this match, Geelong supporters have a lot to look forward to.

Melbourne Demons Vs Port Adelaide 
The Melbourne Demons played off against Port Adelaide on Saturday at Playford Alive oval. For a team who really struggled last year, Melbourne were playing like a top eight team in the second half. After a sluggish first half, Melbourne came from over 5 goals behind at half time to apply pressure throughout the entire second half in a really impressive comeback.  Melbourne's hustle gave them 44 clearances and 135 contested possessions in their side's 19 point victory.

Jimmy Toumpas was a standout from a Port Adelaide perspective. The 21 year old, drafted back in 2012, had 17 disposals to go with four tackles. Matt Jones for the Melbourne Demons has played only 51 AFL games and is already 28 years old. Although he is starting to hit his peak, holding on to 6 marks to go with 16 disposals. He was even able to snag a goal, capping off a fantastic start to the season for him and also the Demons.

Hawthorn Vs Richmond

The reigning premiers are back again this season, looking to go back to back to back to back. Although, they were pulled apart by Richmond on the weekend, going down by 71 points. Shane Edwards kicked 4 goals and Jack Reiwold booted a supergoal in a dominant performance from the Tigers. To make matters worse for the Hawks, they suffered two major injuries. Cyril Rioli was out of the game early, going down with a calf injury and their new recruit, Jack Fitzpatrick damaged his knee in a marking contest.

Tim Obrien had a solid showing for the Hawks, taking 5 marks up forward and even snagging a goal. Liam Sheils who is not so new to the AFL but is still only 24 years old,  played an outstanding game to offer some defensive pressure that was hard to find for the Hawks. He finished the game with nine tackles while racking up 20 disposals. For the Tigers, it was a more even display of talent, but 24 year old Anthony Miles was outstanding.  With 26 disposals, 9 tackles and 7 marks in a classy display, he is someone that Tigers fans should definitely be getting excited about.

Essendon Vs Carlton
It was like the good old days on Sunday, with Princes Park hosting its first AFL game in a number of years. To add to the historic occasion,  Eleni Glouftis became the first ever female field umpire to officiate a game at AFL level. Essendon have a lot to prove this season, and they got off to a great start on Sunday. Their ten goal win over a very young Carlton team would have done a lot to their confidence. Essendon dominated all aspects of the game, especially clearances and inside 50's. Carlton were wasteful up forward, scoring eight behinds from twelve scoring shots.

21 year old Nick Graham was one of Carlton's only positives coming out from the game. Graham had 21 disposals, took four marks and received four free kicks. His team mates are going to have to follow his lead if they are going to accomplish something this season. Another 21 year old who plays for Essendon had an extremely good game as well. Martin Gleeson put together a solid performance, finishing with 22 disposals, five marks and a couple of free kicks. His pressure was also evident as he added three tackles throughout the match.

Fremantle Dockers Vs Adelaide Crows
One of the closer games from the weekend featured a couple of young teams who will once again be looking to place well inside the top eight. Adelaide started quicker than the Dockers, but were unable to punish them on the scoreboard. They butchered a number of opportunities in the first half including a goalless second term, where they were only able to kick six behinds. Had they been able to capitalise on some Fremantle mistakes, the game could have been over much quicker. Instead, they left the Dockers with a chance. Fremantle were able to bring a better brand of footy into the second half and slowly crept themselves into the game, led by Brownlow Medalist Nathan Fyfe. A tight last term saw it come down to the wire but the slightly more expeirienced  Fremantle side were able to hold on and claim a two point victory.

Besides Nathan Fyfe, another young player who stood out was Tommy Sheridan. Coming off a disappointing finish to 2015 for Sheridan, who dropped an easy mark in Fremantle's Preliminary Final last year that may have lost them the game, he really stood up and showed why he is such a mature footballer. Sheridan finished with 28 disposals and a couple of marks. For Adelaide, Rory Atkins played an above standard game. The 21 year old has only played eight AFL games but finished with 25 disposals, eight of them contested, and three inside 50's.


 






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Should the NBA put a stop to the 'Hacking'?

'Hacking' is one of the most talked about topics currently in the NBA. For those of you who are unaware of what hacking is, let me break it down for you. Hacking is a basketball term used for a team who deliberately fouls the opposition's worst free throw shooters on many possessions.

 The current rules are that when a player is fouled off the ball, they are sent to the free throw line. So, a player can simply 'wrap up' the opposing player for it to be called a foul. The player who got fouled then goes and shoots two free throws, as per normal.

Many of you will be think 'what is the problem with this?' And to be honest, it doesn't sound as bad as it is. Although, when a poor free throw shooter is being fouled every possession, the team has no chance to score and the game itself is ruined. For example, late last year the Los Angeles Clippers were locked in an intense battle with the San Antonio Spurs. It was a magnificent game between two extremely talented teams. It was then that the hacking started on the Los Angeles Cippers' centre, DeAndre Jordan. As well as being known as one of the best rebounders in the league, DeAndre also has a poor reputation for shooting free throws. Jordan shot a total of twenty free throws that game, hitting just eight of them. This just completely ruined the game.

Coincidentally, the next day saw the Clippers play the Houston Rockets. Houston have one of the worst free throw shooters in the league as well, Dwight Howard. That game, Jordan hit four of twelve free throws and Howard hit six of sixteen, again ruining what should have been a great basketball game. Let me remind you again that players were fouling these two men while they didn't even have the ball. In fact, there was one incident, not in this game, but in another one more recently where a player was passing the ball in from the sideline and a defender fouled him! Now that crossed the line.

In my opinion, hacking is cheating. It is not how basketball should be played and it is something that must stop! The only way it will stop is if the NBA come up with a rule to punish teams who use hacking. There are various ways of doing so.

Firstly, the most common option is instead of calling this type of foul as a shooting foul, they should call it as a technical foul. Now a technical foul would result in the player who has been fouled shooting free throws then the same team retaining possession. This would make hacking pointless, as the team would get the ball back anyway. So basically they are giving free points away.

The easiest option would be to treat a hacking foul as a regular blocking foul, where the side retains possession on the sidelines.

Now the next option is a little bit more unique and still leaves teams with the option to hack. Everything stays the same except a hacking foul counts as two fouls. This would prevent less people from hacking, because as you probably know, when an NBA player commits six fouls in one game, they get sent off.

If they wanted to take hacking even more seriously, and this is what I believe should happen, the hacking foul should straight away be called a flagrant two foul. This is similar to a technical foul, except the player who commits the foul gets sent off for the rest of the game and possibly even fined. Now this is what must happen to prove that hacking is not only not allowed, but also a form of cheating.

So, this is what hacking is and how they can stop it. The NBA has to do something soon before every single team begins to hack and the NBA becomes a free throw contest.

NBL Semis

Earlier this week on the 18th of February, the NBL semi finals commenced. Hisense Arena hosted the first blockbuster which saw the in form Melbourne United host the reigning NBL champions, the New Zealand Breakers. This was never going to be easy for either side, and the first quarter played a major part in the final result.

 New Zealand were hot to start the game, jumping out to a seventeen point lead, just six and a half minutes in. Although, you can never count out Melbourne. They stormed back in the second period and took the lead after a commanding run led by their veteran power forward, Hakim Warrick. New Zealand lead going in to the major break and managed to keep control of the game for much of the third quarter.

The final period saw Melbourne playing catch up. It was a tight hustle to end the game, and with just minutes remaining, New Zealand were up by over ten! The fouling game started, and had the Breakers been able to hit their free throws, the game could have been over earlier. However, the crowd got right behind Melbourne and they were able to lift. The lead was cut to six points with under a minute left, but Melbourne just couldn't sink a shot!

New Zealand were ale to hold on to a nine point victory going in to Saturday's game two match, where New Zealand will be looking to book back to back final births.

Let's take a quick look at why New Zealand were able to upset the tournament favourites. First of all, they were able to lock down Melbourne's guards. They gave them no room and denied the pass when possible. This lead to many Melbourne turnovers, resulting in easy transition points for the Breakers. Rebounds were the major stat that let Melbourne down. They weren't contesting hard enough under the glass, but credit to New Zealand who crashed the glass with authority time and time again.

If Melbourne are to win on Saturday, they have to get off to a better start and be prepared to battle for the rebounds. As we learnt in game one, they will not be able to rely on their star point guard in Goulding or even Holt. New Zealand on the other hand will need to keep everything the same except shut down Hakim Warrick. If they can do that, then they will have a major chance at clinching the series in just two games.

My opinion? The games is open for either side to win. Melbourne will bounce back but New Zealand will be very hungry. I'm going to say New Zealand will win, only because of the home ground advantage. That is the only way I can split these two talented teams.

If anyone has any sport match that they would like me to write about, please comment below. Feedback is always welcome!

NBA

It's that time of year again, except this weekend we will be without love or even a rose. That's right, its NBA all star weekend! Oh yeah, and I think someone mentioned something about Valentines day?

In the lead up to the main event, the All Star Match, let's take a look at a couple of matches from the past ten days.

Firstly, the second of February saw the Las Angeles Lakers play off against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Let's take a look how it played out.

Any La Lakers win is sentimental for their small forward Kobe Bryant, and this match was no different. Their 119-115 win over Minnesota in the timberwolves second of three game road trip, was the all-star veteran's fifth and final game against a young Andrew Wiggins.

Today's game was all about Kobe, and it was only appropriate that he played his best game for the season, racking up a season high thirty eight points, five boards and five dimes. Andrew Wiggins tried to control the Black Mamba by knocking down thirty points, but with little other contribution from his teammates, the lakers were able to pick up just their tenth win of the season.

Secondly, the third of February saw a scoring marathon between two of the best point guards in the NBA, Stephen Curry and John Wall. Here is the game wrap of the Washington Wizards against the Golden State Warriors.

This game was the end of a long road trip for a tired Warriors squad. Again without centre Festus Ezili, Stephen Curry had a personal best 11 three pointers in his sides' 13 point win over a resilient Wizards team. This win meant that the warriors would go four games clear of the San Antonio Spurs.
It's hard enough to beat the best NBA team this century, but when the reigning MVP Stephen Curry
 scores 51 points including 11 of 16 three pointers, they are nearly impossible to contest with. Although, Washington didn't go down without a fight. Their number one point guard drilled 41 points to go with 100% shooting from downtown.

They had quick hands on defence, racking up 16 steals and had quick feet on transition, scoring 24 of their points on the fast break, yet they were out-muscled under the glass and the warriors passing was just too classy.

Golden state had a meeting with Barak Obama the day after, before returning to their home court against an in form OKC. Washington also got a two day break before taking the floor against the Charlotte Hornets.

ODI series NZ Vs Australia

Last week New Zealand took the last game of a three match series against Australia. Let's review the first match that saw a dominant performance from the Kiwis.

A night to forget for captain Steven Smith and his young Australian squad, after they were embarrassed by New Zealand on the 3rd of February this year at Eden Park in Auckland. Chasing 309 off 50 overs, the tourists were never in the run chase, losing 6 wickets before they had reached the 50 run mark.

However, this was all set up by a superb batting display from New Zealand and in particular, their openers. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum put on a 79 run opening stand before McCullum was clean bowled while trying to drive James Faulkner through extra cover. Williamson fell close behind for a duck, before Guptill went on to make it to the nervous nineties before being run out by Glen Maxwell in an extraordinary piece of fielding. Mitch Nichols batted solidly in the middle order before an Australian fightback left the Kiwis wondering if they had made enough.

Matt Henry and Trent Bolt both picked up three wickets to rattle the top order in the Australian innings. A typical Australian middle-order fight back got them to a respectable total before Anderson took a major break through by dismissing Mathew Wade, which lead to two consecutive Mitch Santner wickets to secure a series opening victory.

In the post game press conferences, Henry spoke about how they were able to bowl in partnerships and work together as a bowling unit. Steven smith was not so happy, stating 'I'd like to forget tonight, to be honest'. Smith spoke about his disappointment in the pitch saying that they weren't prepared for lack of swing in the pitch.

Australia took the second game convincingly before New Zealand fought back in the final game to claim the Chappell-Hadlee trophy. The teams are currently locked in an intense test match where Australia has the upper hand.

Superbowl 50

Im going to start of by saying that I have no knowledge of the NFL and have only watched a few college games on ESPN. So here is an un-bias opinion piece on how tomorrow's Superbowl is going to be won. Iv’e been breaking down the statistics, going through game by game analysis and here is what I've come up with.

From what I have come up with, the Broncos are going to have their hands full tomorrow. Both teams finished at the top of their respective conferences and divisions. Panthers only dropped the one game during the regular season, and their star quarter-back picked up a major confidence booster, claiming the leagues MVP award. The Broncos lost the four games but won the games that counted, and have fought their way to a Superbowl appearance.

Now for the statistics. The Panthers have been able to consistently put score on the board. They were number one in total score, leaving their opponents staggering defensively. The Broncos have struggled more than the Panthers when they had the football. They rank 19th in total scoring, 4th worst in committing team turnovers, 19th lowest in first downs and have thrown the most interceptions, 23. Also, they gave up over a mile worth of penalties, the 8th worst in the NFL.

The Panthers, on the other hand, were more skilful and had more luck offensively. They rank 10th in team turnovers and 4th in first downs with 357 for the season. They have only thrown 10 interceptions for the season, which is the 25th least. 

Now, how are these team going to stop each other? Well, other than skill, hard work and determination, there are other strategies that will have to be put in place if either team plans on winning. So, let’s break down how these teams like to score. The Panthers have had 35 passing touchdowns this season, the 3rd most of all teams. They are number one in rushing touchdowns, with nineteen for the season. The Broncos have had 19 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns for the season.

Let’s take a look at how effective the Broncos and the Panther’s drives were. 31.2% of the Broncos drives ended in either a TD or a field goal. 15.1% of their drives ended in turnover. On the other hand, we have the Panthers, who have been far more effective on their drives. 42.9% of their drives ended in a score and only 9.6% ended in a turnover.

Ok, now for how its going to be won. First, we’ll look at how the Broncos plan on stopping the Panther’s all-star offence. Defensively, this is where the game will be won or lost. If the Broncos can limit the first downs and force the Panthers to try and pass more than rush, then they have to have quick hands and grab the interceptions. All it will take is two or three interceptions for the Broncos and they will have a major chance if they’re offence can stand up and execute their plans and skills. Put simply, they have to score more. Ranking 19 in total scoring, they are going to have to try something different, whether that is slowing the play down or just keeping possession. They can’t afford to lose the ball. 

For the Panthers, it’s simple. If they play their natural game and keep scoring, they will win. The Broncos are going to try and limit their offensive pressure so the Panthers will have to play harder than the defence.

So who is going to win? Well it’s all in the hands of the Broncos. If they limit the Panthers offence and capitalise on their own offence, they will be in with a chance. Personally, I can’t see that happening. Im not writing the Broncos off, but I just can’t see them triumphing over the Panthers. But I know that it's sure is going to be close!