Sporting shorts.

• So, on the sports front we've the Wonen's AFL Competition, and the Super Rugby which has started. The conference leaders are Rebels  (8pts 2 games; Crusaders 12 pts 3 games; and Sahrks, 11pt 3 games).
• In the AFL, Adelaide and North Melbourne lead Conference A on 16 pts, (with Fremantle and Melbourne close behind on 16 and 12 pts respectively).  Conference B is closer with Geelong on 12 points, Carlton and Brisbane 8 pts and the Giants 4 pts.
• Still a week or so to go until the men's competitions start, AFL-M starts 15 March, and the Men's NRL Starts Feb 15. 
• Onto the Cricket, Richardson is repaying the selectors faith and making runs in the Domestic Competittion (though I do wonder if there is any more international game for the Ashes?)
• The Black Caps had another great test win against Bangladssh,  Here's some stats to savour from the series

Sporting shorts - Feb 25

It’s now the end of February which means that it is almost time for the football season to start.  The Women’s AFL Season has already started for the year. We’ve seen four games for the year, the Kangaroos (debuting this year), are sitting 3-1 and leading their pool. The other pool sees Geelong and Brisbane level with two wins each.
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I’d love to see Geelong win, given Sydney don't have a team.

Onto the Men’s competition. I find the pre-season hard to gauge a teams’s  form.  AFL – X is not really close enough to the normal game, and when we had night time premiers the form line rarely held in to the regular season. Time will tell though. I’d love to see see a pre-season competition, though I understand the risks involved; which to be fair, are involved.

So, with very high risk for egg ending up on my face here is my top eight predictions:

1 ROOSTERS
2 RABBTIHOHS
3 BRONCOS
4 PANTHERS
5 SHARKS
6 KNIGHTS
7 DRAGONS
8 RAIDERS

The team most likely to upset my tips is the Melboure Storm or the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs

And for the AFL

1. RICHMOND
2. MELBOURNE
3. KANGAROOS
4. HAWKS
5. BOMBERS
6. CROWS
7. EAGLES
8. CATS

The team most likely to upset my tips is the Western Bulldogs or Port Adelaide.

Again, let me just say I’m not totally sold on my selection. It is the joy of sport, anyone can and often does win, on the day.

On to the big Big Bash – next year I am keen to see the competition run half the time a game played each night until Saturday and Sundays where there are two games.

What I've been in to February

So, have I been in to over January. I've been in to a range of different things.

Books
Thinking  about books - I have not really been into to much. I have been meaning to read Julia Gilard's My Life; Hilary Clinton's Happened. At the moment I've also been quiet tired so I have not really been able to read much.

TV
On the Television front, I have tried to watch a bit more. This month I've watched David Attenborough's The Planet and The Planet Two. It is a really wonderful series. Showing now awe-inspiring the planet really is.

Other than the documentaries I watched the thriller 'You' and a recording of Bruce Springsteen's musical 'Springsteeen'. I really loved how he told his stories through songs.

Springsteen is a great story teller and I just love listening to him speak.

You was very different. It was a thriller, and creepy to watch. The premise of the show is the book store employee who finds a customer  attractive and then plays 'God' in following her so
he can date her (in the mean-time criticising her choices as being needy or crying out). I certainly felt uncomfortable in the lead actor's shoes).

Will try and watch a little more TV this month.

Music
Not a lot of music news - I'm enjoying listening the Rescues new song 'Hold On'. Other new songs this month have been by Radiohead, The Killers, Glen Hansard and Sarah Masen.

The Killers song is their first overtly politiacal tune. Hoping that new music means the bands will hit the road...

Sporting sports

Doing a little more of a sporting update, The highlight of the weekend so far has been the start of the Womens’ AFL Season the opening game is now 23-23 between the Magpies and Geelong Cats with about 7 minutes to go. Looks like it will be a great season if that star is anything to go by. I thnk Geelong ended-up winning a really tight one. 

It is easy to get fatigue of the Big Bah, when you don’t know where and when the games are played or how many are left.

Back  in to the Test Series  and hardy surprising that Australia is in a fairly dominate position. Would be intrigued in that stats surrounding enforcing the follow-on. Not so log along it seemed that you did enforce the follow on whenever you got the chance, but Australia didn't this time, and it certainly didn'r hurt them. 

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So, I know there's no Cricket on Free-To-Air TV today, but I was trying to work out if that meant there was no Big Bash match. To me, if there's going to be a home and away season then there needs to be more than one game a night. I think if we did that, we would drastically reduce the length of the season, and might mean we can have more Sheffield Shield rounds amongst the test cricket. But we will see I guess.

Other than the cricket- Djokovic beat Nadal in close to the best game of tennis I've seen Djokovic play. Will be interesting watching how the new wave of challengers go in the next few tournaments.

Other than than, not really got much on aside from the Super Bowl. Will be interesting if Brady can add to his legacy.

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So, this weekend sees the end of the Australian Open. It has been quite an interesting tournament. From a Australian point of view, there are still representatives 'alive' in the Legends Doubles (Mark Philipousis), Women's Doubles (Sam Stosur) and the Mixed Doubles (Astra Sharma and John-Patrick Smith), not to forget the wheelchair and junior tournaments.

Can someone tell me what the difference between the quad tournament and wheelchair tournament is.

I think after the weekend's finals the next big tennis event for the Men is Australia's Davis Cup Tie against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Adelaide over the first weekend of February. Will be interesting to see Australia's team for the tie.

The winner of the tie will join 11 other winners and the four countries that reached the semifinals this year (France, Croatia, United States and Spain) and two wildcards (Argentina and Great Britain) in the new 18-team season finale to be played from 18-24 November 2019.

Will be interesting to watch 

The Women's Federation Cup starts Feb 9-10, and Australia has been drawn to play the United States (Away).

I'm hoping to see Kvitova win the Women's Final tomorrow, and Djokovic end up winning the Men's Final (beating Lucas Pouille today, and Nadal on Sunday)...  but we'll see :)

Sporting shorts..

• I thought that it might be difficult to come up with a sporting shorts for this week, but it is not really; apparently there’s a game of Football (called the SuperBowl) in the US on Monday week between the Patriots and the Rams. The New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has played in this game nine times, which is more than some franchises have. I think both teams weren’t favoured to win their ‘Semi-Final’, and I’m not sure who are favourites so I might just try and watch it. I find NFL an interesting sport, it seems built for TV with so many breaks in play. I learned today that Brady was born in 1977 making him 41. I don’t know many sports where many players are still playing at 40, Brady isn’t just playing he’s among the best active quarterbacks.
• January is also the Australian Open, and Tennis. It has been a really great tournament on the court for Australia (we could do without the Davis Cup Feud). Barty is Australia’s last remaining player in the Men’s and Women’s draws, she plays Petra Kvitova in a Quarter Final tonight. The Men’s Quarter Finalists are Stefanos Tsitsipas (who just beat Roberto Bautista Agut to make the Semi-Final); Novak Djokovic (playing Kei Nishakori); Milos Raonic (playing Lucas Pouille) and tonight Rafa Nadal plays Frances Tiafoe. Given both my picks for the tournament are out in Federer and Kerber, I’ll quietly cheer for Barty and Nishakori.
• Onto Cricket, Cricinfo have just posted their nominees for the best performances in men’s test cricket for the year. Batting Nominees; Bowling Nominees. 
• I think my pick for the batting is Khawaja for his innings of 141 which helped saved the test match against Pakistan. An honourable mention would go to Mendis, who batted through the fourth day with Angelo Matthews to help Sri Lanka avoid defeat against New Zealand. Onto the best bowling performance, it’s hard to go past Yasir Shah who took 8/41 against New Zealand. Shah’s figures are the best since Stuart Broad’s 8/15 against Australia in 2015. While ultimately Pakistan didn’t win the test the figures helped Shah become the fastest man to 200 test wickets. An honourable mention would be Jasprit Bumrah (6/33) whose spell helped India win the Melbourne test and ultimately become the first team from the sub-continent to win a Test Series in Australia.
• The Socceroos won their round of 16 clash with Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout. Matt Ryan made two incredible saves. Will be interesting to see how they go in their next game.
• The Women’s AFL Season starts in a few weeks I’ll be hoping the competition is given air to breathe this season, especially with two new teams in the competition.

Sporting shorts

It's January, so it is time for tennis. The lead up tournaments are done and the Australian Open is about to start.

Tennis

• Needless to say I'm impressed with the form of De Minaur and Ash Barty. They have to be Australia's great hopes going into the Open.  De Minaur (winner) and Barty (runner-up) at the Sydney International. If I have read the draw right De Minaur faces a potential match-up with Nadal in the third round, and Barty (Seeded 15) may end up playing Caroline Wozniacki (last years' winner). 
• So who do I think will win.  The Women's tournament is hard to pick, especially seeing there has been a different winner for each of the last eight Grand Slam tournaments, and it seems the field is so even. 
• On the Men's side; of the last eight Grand Slam tournaments, Federer has won three, Nadal three, and Djokovic two. I think you'd be brave betting against one of them winning, but my heart would love to see Andy Murray win, especially seeing as he is getting close to the end of his career. As an aside, I'm saddened to hear of Murray's impending retirement. He is a gentleman both on and off the court. I admire how he has often spoken out about Women and their treatment in terms of scheduling and prize money. Appointing Amélie Mauresmo as his coach (from 2014-2016) also showed the value and esteem he has for women. 
•  I also admire him as a player - a triple grand slam winner, and winner of the last two Olympic tournaments.  A great achievement especially when you consider who he played against. 
• Back to my question - who do I think will win.  I'm going to pick Federer to win the Men's tournament; and Kerber to win the Women's tournament. 

Cricket

• I have to admit, it is sad that the One Day Series was not on TV today - it was a good win to Australia, with Handscomb (73*) and Jhye Richardson (4/26) the standouts for Australia; Sharma's 133 wasn't enough to get India home. I don't know much about Jhye Richardson, but he certainly bowled beautifully today.

Asian Cup

• Australia have split their first two games; a one-nil loss to Jordan was followed by a 3-0 win over Palestine. 
• Next up is Syria, and should they win, I think they will play Oman in the second round. 

My reading life

The year has started well book wise, I've managed to read four books through January so far. Going away has helped. This year, at least so far, I've been reading a lot of sports books.

• Gideon Haigh - Crossing the line
• Pete Sampras, with Peter Bobo - A Champion's Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis
• Dan Carter with Duncan Grieve - My Story

Haigh's book is a look at the culture of the Australian Cricket team in the lead-up to and following 'Sandpaper-gate' last year. I found it quite informative, even though it didn't really offer much in the way of solutions to improve the fortunes of the team on the field. Nothing in the team selected for Sri Lanka has clarified the philosophy the team selectors are taking. 

To me, the scheduling of the Sheffield Shield has to be looked at. It does seem that there are fewer players banging to the door to selection with bags full of wickets or runs. 

I'm certainly happier with the spirit the Australian team is now playing the game in, and also don't think good results are too far away. 

Pete Sampras, was one the first male tennis players I really took notice of.  I really loved how he played the game, how he conducted himself both on and off the court. His book is filled with great comments on some of his contemporaries and the younger players coming through as he ended his career. Along with Federer and Agassi, he is among my favourite male players to watch. 

I also enjoyed reading Dan Carter's book too - I'm not getting into the greatest of all time conversation, but I'll just say I enjoyed watching him play. He was a unique talent.  The book has certainly made me look forward to the start of the Rugby Season this year with the 'Super-Rugby' competition, Rugby Championship and World Cup to look forward to. 

Next on the list - is Paul Roos book 'Here it is'. The book is both a sporting memoir and a look at leadership. 

I am really taken with reading autobiographies, they give great insight into how people act and behave, and tell the stories behind events that have happened within my lifetime. Given I've moved to sports stars, these biographies are slightly less heavy :) 

Hard Choices / Becoming - Hilary Clinton & Michelle Obama

During my hospital stay this time around I slowly worked my way through Hilary Clinton’s book ‘Hard Choices’ which is a memoir detailing her time as US Secretary of State under former President Obama. I have to say after reading through the book my respect for her has grown immeasurably. She has the grace to admit she may have got some things wrong and has a remarkable ability to work across the aisle of US politics which may not have clearly been evident at the time.

It certainly reinforced my disappointment that she did not win the US Presidential Election. Funnily enough her book also reassured me a little about even with Trump in the Whitehouse there is hope good decisions can and will be made. Yes, I would probably sleep easier with Trump out of the Whitehouse, but the book served as a reminder there is lots of hope.

I’m now really looking forward to reading ‘What Happened’ which details her experience running for President in 2016, I’m sure it will leave me more disappointed thinking about what might have been had Ms Clinton been elected President. I’m intrigued as at this point there’s no clear idea as to who might challenge the presumptive nominee in President Trump. I think the Democrats have got to be very careful in how they approach the election and campaign over the course of 2019-2020.

The final book I read in 2018 was Michelle Obama’s Becoming. I certainly miss both her and her husband’s class from the White House. It was a great read detailing her life before and during her time as First Lady of the United States

Of course, closer to home we have our own election to look forward to. But for mine, both Labour and the Coalition have limited moral authority to govern, both are compromised by their treatment of refugees, but nothing like an actual election to cause the parties to come up with a narrative about who we are, where we are going and what we should look like as a nation.

I know it will concern some, but I’m leaning to vote Green, and most likely will be swayed from that by the other minor parties standing. I’ll certainly be writing to my local Liberal and Labour candidates once the election is called.

I’m equally concerned by our State Government especially when they can make reckless decisions about knocking down stadiums which are still fit for purpose.

2018 in review - Sport

Probably my last post reflecting on 2018, and the topic for this one is sport.

Cricket

• 2018 saw records set for the highest team totals in One Day International cricket. The New Zealand Women's team scored 490 against Ireland. The 490 included an unbeaten 232 from Amelia Kerr. Her 232 is the highest scored by a Women in One Day International Cricket. In the Men's game, England scored 481 against Australia in their One Day Series. As an aside, it seems we are seeing higher totals scored both batting first and chasing. Maybe it is the influence of Twenty 20 but we will see. 
• The BlackCaps had a great year, winning three test series - against England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. To me it is such a shame they don't play more Test Cricket. NZ's biggest and smallest victories (by runs) came during 2018. 
• Still on the topic of not enough Test Cricket, after the Women's Ashes I certainly felt the Women should play more Test Cricket. The other highlight from cricket during 2018 was Elyse Perry's double century in the Ashes test. Elyse is a star, and I'm certainly keen for my son and daughter to look up to her. 
• I find it hard to write about T20 because the matches and series just melt into each other. That said, congrats to Australia who won the T20 World Cup held this year. 
• A little on Australia, clearly a disappointing year not only in terms of results, but also in terms of how they've played. I am happy for Paine to have been elevated to captain, but it is frustrating watching him captain the side, letting the game drift, not prepared to try things from left field. With Warner and Smith out, he certainly needed to do something. Though with Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon I'd argue he has the best bowling attack in the world. South Africa did give me pause to reconsider, if they can have Steyn, Philander, Rabada and Olivier all on the field at the one time. 
• Hard to really argue with CricInfo's Test team of the year

AFL

• Was an interesting year, with Collingwood and West Coast making the Grand Final to everyone's surprise. 
• It's no secret, I am glad West Coast won, will be interesting to see what this year brings. Have we seen the end of the era of domination by Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney? Can GWS actually live up to their potential. 

NRL

• Don't think the Warriors will make the eight, but time will tell. Shaun Johnson can be brilliant, but he's not consistent enough for me. Will be interesting to see who his replacement is. 

Other

• The Football World Cup was held in Russia, with France being the eventual winners.
• In tennis, it was a good year for Ash Barty and Alex de Minaur, and hoping we'll see good things from them during the Australian Open and throughout 2019. Not sure where Kyrgios and Tomic are at, but hopefully they'll be fit for the season. 
• Onto Rugby Union - while the All Blacks may have played and won more tests than anyone else in 2018; my team of the year is Ireland. Not just for their impressive win against the All Blacks, but the series win against Australia and the Six Nations Championship.  

Onto 2019

• Looking forward to 2019, and the Asian Cup Football tournament in January, the Cricket World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, and the Women's Football World Cup in June which Australia have an outside chance of winning are my highlights. 

2018 in review - personal.

As I continue my series on 2018, I felt I should share were I am up to. I am back in Hospital due to another infection. I was admitted last Wednesday, and at this stage hopeful of going home tomorrow. I obviously don't want to rush getting home because I don't want to be readmitted.

It has been tough. I certainly miss Fi and the kids while I am in hospital. It's been tough. Particularly seeing as I have lost count of my admissions into hospital since the end of August. We're doing what we can to keep me from coming back into hospital but it has been a tough road. 

As I’ve said before the journey is made easier by the wonderful people who have been looking after me, be it in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit or the Wards and other services. They all have a tough gig, but you wouldn’t know it, because they don’t show it. 

Again, I am thankful for the loving God who not only has the whole world in His hands but is holding me together. Holding me together until the day all of creation is restored and renewed.

I’m thankful for your continued faithful prayer, it means the world. 

I am thankful for the gift God has given me in Fiona. I am constantly amazed by her strength and how she holds herself together. 

I am thankful for James – who has made it his personal mission to ensure that whenever I am in hospital, I have the internet to help keep me entertained and out of trouble. We have had coffee every two weeks (on average) since I was diagnosed with cancer. I cannot say how thankful I am to God for that. I’m also super thankful to the wonderful people who have looked after Fiona or the kids so Fiona could visit. Thank you Joel and Elaine, I just can't put into words how much your friendship means to me, especially as you walk your own roads too. 

I’ve started on a new drug with a new timetable which at least until this point I seem to have tolerated well, though do pray for its effectiveness and that I manage my disease and its symptoms better. At this stage we are up in the air as to when that will start again.

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I'm going to briefly interrupt my best of 2018 series with some notes on the weekend's sport.

• Australia bounced back as expected from their close loss in Adelaide to put themselves in the box seat to win the second test inspite of a wonderful innings from Virat Kohli. Who I have to admit has done himself and India no favours in how he responded to his first innings dismissal. during the Perth test. It's been fabulous Cricket to watch, but I just don't see another twist in the tale. 
• The test has shown what a great bowler Lyon is. 
• Across the ditch, a wonderful few days for New Zealand Cricket. Williamson's star continues to rise. You get the feeling more fuss would be made about him if he was from another country. Read this piece here. 
• Latham was brilliant - his undefeated 264 the highest score by a player carrying their bat through a completed test innings and the highest score by any player during 2018. 
• The Champions League draw sees - Manchester Unitied v PSG; Roma v Porto, Tottenham v Dortmund; Ajax v Real Madrid; Lyon v Barcelona; Liverpool v Bayern; Athletico Madrid v Juventus; and Schakle v Manchester City. My predictions for what they are worth are in bold.  
• This week will also see the start of the Big Bash which I can't say I've ever really got excited about. 

I'll certainly write more about the year in sport later. 

2018 in review - a beginning

Given its now the 17th of December, I thought it is about time to start my year in review series.  I'm going to begin with books.

Surprisingly I exceeded my goal for reading this year and read just over 30 books for the year. I’ve read quite a few heavy and challenging books which has made it tough going in places through the year. 

So of the books that I did read the three that stood out to me are Leigh Sales Any Ordinary Day, Clementime Ford’s Boys Will be Boys, and Lizzie Marvelly’s Growing up F in Aotearoa.

As always there were a few that were tough to leave out Kon Karapanagiotidis The Power of Hope, Rob Bower’s Outspoken, and Rachel Held Evans book Inspired.

Each of these books has challenged me in different ways. Leigh Sales book was particularly good given I could relate to closely to the content, as I’m living a similar experience to her interviewees.

Boys will be boys really struck me, and was quite a tough read, especially the letter to her son that concludes the book. Her letter struck me as it contains so much of what I want to tell my son, and how I want him to grow up.

While Lizzie’s book is predominantly about growing up in Aotearoa (New Zealand), sadly it is hard to doubt women growing up in Australia have a different experience.

I share Kon and Rob’s visions for Australia so their books were also challenging reads. I will certainly be trying to reread their book, and want to work at seeing their vision be achieved. Rob’s book was particularly hard hitting, because the church he leads, is the church I want to be part of.

On my reading list – Hard Choices (Hilary Clinton), Pete Sampras’ autobiography, a collection of letters written to former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s memoir (Becoming).

Bon Jovi review

Bon Jovi were one of the very first shows I went to - memorable for all the wrong reasons - it was a hot humid day which finished with a hailstorm. Bon Jovi cut their set short. The show is in support of the album These Days. (Still actually on of their best albums in my view).

The nerd in me want to record the setlist from that concert too:

Bon Jovi - Eastern Creek Raceway, November 18, 1995

Rockin' All Over the World (John Fogerty cover) / Hey God / Livin' on a Prayer / You Give Love a Bad Name / Keep the Faith / These Days / (It's Hard) Letting You Go / Lie to Me / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night /  Something for the Pain / Because the Night (Patti Smith Group cover) / Damned / If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right / Blaze of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi song) / Lay Your Hands on Me / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (with Papa Was A Rolling Stone… more ) / 
Bad Medicine / With a Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles cover) / Never Say Goodbye / Always (additional lyrics) / Wanted Dead or Alive / Blood on Blood / This Ain't a Love Song

I certainly wouldn't recommend going to Eastern Creek for a concert.  These Days still is up there as one of my favourite Bon Jovi albums. 

I think Bon Jovi may have toured Australia twice since 1995, but this was the first time I managed to go., here's the set-list for the weekend's show via Setlist.fm.

Bon Jovi, Sydney, ANZ Stadium Dec 8, 2018

You Give Love a Bad Name / Raise Your Hands / Lost Highway / Who Says You Can't Go Home / This House Is Not for Sale / Roller Coaster / We Weren't Born to Follow / We Don't Run / It's My Life / God Bless This Mess / Born to Be My Baby / Have a Nice Day / Keep the Faith / Bed of Roses / Lay Your Hands on Me / I'll Sleep When I'm Dead / Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars / Livin' on a Prayer / 
Encore: Bad Medicine / Wanted Dead or Alive / I'll Be There for You / 
Encore 2: Blood on Blood / Someday I'll Be Saturday Night

They both were wonderful shows. I have to admit it Saturday night had more of a greatest hits tour rather than a tour promoting/supporting their latest album This House is Not For Sale. As an aside I've really enjoyed listening to live recording of This House is Not For Sale.

While I think its fair to say the songs still sound amazing. The noise of the crowd and band during Livin' on a Prayer was amazing Jon Bon Jovi's voice perhaps isn't is good as it once was. Though it might well have been the sound mix (and stadium).

The highlights of the night for me where Livin' on a Prayer, Bed of Roses, I'll Be There For You and Blood on Blood. The band certainly played many of my favourite songs.

Funnily enough the lyrics of Blood on Blood don't sit as well with me now.  The idea of paying for sex equated with coming of age.

I was slightly saddened by the fact they didn't play much of This House is Not for Sale,

I miss Richie Sambora who was involved in a lot of their earlier song-writing.  Can't for the life of me think why, but I hadn't heard as much of their music between These Days and 'This House..''. 

Sporting shorts

It's been interesting looking at the cricket - still India's test to lose, but Australia have been chasing the runs. Much rather this than a block-a-thon. Shame the crowd hasn't been the best.

The other Cricket story is NZ's first win against Pakistan outside New Zealand in almost 50 years. Williamson was super impressive, he might not be as good a player as Smith, Root, or Kohli, but he's certainly as important to the New Zealand team as any of those. His 228 aggregate in the match is the most by a NZ player against Pakistan. NZ had a number of contributions from across the team.

Shah during the test became the fastest man to 200 test wickets. Breaking an 82 year old record in the process. Shah also has taken the most wickets in a three match series (29).

NZ's next assignment is a home series against Sri Lanka beginning on 15th December

The World Cup Drawer happened over the weekend and Australia's Matildas have drawn, Italy, Jamaica and Brazil. (Full draw and reaction here). NZ's draw was Canada, Cameroon, and European champions the Netherlands.

On the stadiums, still seems strange that we are talking about knocking down both the Sydney Football Stadium and Olympic Stadium, both of which are fully functional stadiums. I'm not a fan of their locations, but they still seem fit-for-purpose.

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• So, onto European Soccer and the Champions League – so far the teams who have qualified of the second round are: Ajax, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona*, Bayern München, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto*, Real Madrid*, Roma, Schalke. (* denotes as group winner). Other contenders are Inter Milan, Liverpool, Lyon, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Shakhtar Donetsk, Tottenham Hotspur.
• The third placed team in each group qualifies for the phase of the Europa League currently Benfica, Club Brugge, Valencia will qualify and with a chance to join them are; CSKA Moskva, Crvena zvezda, Galatasaray, Hoffenheim, Lokomotiv Moskva, Viktoria Plzeň.
• Arsenal had a good win against Spurs this morning – one of the few times in recent memory they’ve managed to win the derby.  I guess that’s what often happens when you are an outsider supporting a team, the love-hate relationships don’t have the same intensity as they would if you live in London. I have a soft spot for Tottenham, possibly because they’re not one of the perennial favourites for the championship.
• Next week will see the draw completed for the World Cup – and the Matilda’s will possibly find themselves in Pot A, amongst the top seeds for the tournament.  Still on Soccer – the NZ U17 All Whites (Women’s) team became the first NZ team to finish with a media at a World Cup after they beat Canada 2-1 in the play-off for third. Quite an awesome achievement.
• While I think the Bronco’s have made the right call regarding Wayne Bennett, I hope the SMH article is not true and he wasn’t sacked via voicemail. He certainly deserved better than that, whatever he's decided to do. I have to admit I can't follow the coaching merry-go-round. 
• The other biggish sports story is the start of the Australia v India Test series in Cricket. I feel it might just be closer than expected with some one unexpected to start, along with Starc (who is my pick for top wicket-taker for the series. Kohli, will be the top run scorer. And I’m predicting a drawn series. But it will be nice to see some cricket take centre stage rather than talk about how Australia play and the ball tampering from earlier in the year

Sporting notes

The biggest news was Fiji’s first ever win over France in Rugby, other results saw NZ rejoin the winners list with a 66-3 win over Italy. The Wallabies lost 18-37 to England. Yes, I think we still have to work out what it all means in the lead up to the world cup. 

Fair enough for Ireland to named team of the year. Maybe more surprising to some that there was one All Black in the Wolrd XV. I think we're lucking to get one. 

Speaking of World Cup’s – as expected the Southern Stars won the Women’s T20 Wold Cup. Certainly, a lot of players in the Australian team my children can look up too. The first test between Australia and India is coming up soon which should be interesting.

The Champions League groups will more or less be decided this week – with a host of teams set to confirm the qualification for the next stage of the Europa League or Champions League. The tournament should get a whole lot more interesting with some of the next stage ties.

The New Zealand u/17s have made the Semi-finals of the tournament for the first time defeating Japan 4-3 on penalties. NZ will play Spain for a spot in the final. Needlesss to say more wiill be re draw for the Women’s World Cup will be held on December 8.

Def Leppard / Scorpions (Dallas Crane) Concert review

Def Leppard was one of the first metal bands I recall getting into - I think it was David Gray and Michael Gromek who were the inspiration. It was I think 1991, and Let's Get Rocked cane out. The attitude in that song certainly resonated with the teenager in me. I don't recall Def Leppard visiting Australia often, so I had been keeping an eye on tickets hopeful that if I was well enough the week before, I'd buy a ticket and go. I do have to admit it was touch and go at some points about whether I would go, but I did end up going, and they did not disappoint.

I have to admit, I am a Scorpions fan, and the fact they couldn't perform was disappointing, as was the way the news wasn't really circulated before the show at the venue. That said I still had an awesome night. Most people would remember The Scorpions from this song Winds of Change. I feel like it was their only big hit in Australia.

It was quite an interesting crowd, comprised mostly of dads and their teenage daughters and sons. There was certainly a lot of long hair in the room.

Have to take my hat of to Dallas Crane - a Melbourne based rcok band who were invited mid afternoon to play. The crowd warmed up slowly for them. Have to admit I won't be checking them out in the future, but they did a great job, in the circumstances.

Def Leppard hit the stage just after 9, and began by playing their album Hysteria in full, before concluding with a variety of tracks - some pre Hysteria and some more recent, like Let's Get Rocked, Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad.  Hard to believe that Hsyteria is now 31 years old.

A couple of highlights for me were Love Bites, Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad, Hysteria, and there was a very tasteful and moving tribute to Stephen Clark, their original lead guitarist. I am blown away every time I look at Rick Allen - their drummer who has one arm and plays mostly with his feet. If you're just listening to the music you'd just never know that.

Joe Elliot fnished by telling us we were a great audience, and that they won't forget us, and they're will be a next time - they will be back. I'm certainly hoping his words come true.

Edited to include the setlist:

Women / Rocket / Animal / Love Bites / Pour Some Sugar on Me / Armageddon It / Gods of War / Don't Shoot Shotgun / Run Riot / Hysteria / Excitable / Love and Affection
Encore: Let It Go / When Love and Hate Collide / Let's Get Rocked / Rock of Ages / Photograph.

What I've been in to - October Part II

I wanted to revisit this post from October as I feel there's a few more points to make.  While I was in hospital the last time my cousin gave me a copy of Geraint Thomas' The World of Cycling According to G'. 

I finally finished the reading it, and while it hasn't turned my to love cycling and certainly have a greater appreciation for the tactics and training involved in the sport and likewise understand while so many get so little sleep each Winter because of a race around France. Thomas writes with a sense of fun and love of the sport and both are clearly come across on each page. His followup based on his experiences on the Tour de France could be a good read too.

I haven't pick a new book to start so with oodles of waiting room time on the cards this weeks I will have to soon :)

Back on to the music front, My treat to myself this month was an 8 CD and 1 DVD collection of R.E.M. performances recorded by the BBC. While I haven't yet worked my through the whole collection, the complete recording of their 1999 set from Glastonbury and from Jools Holland stood out as collections I wanted to hear.  It's fascinating reading the linear notes, and the journalists reflection on both the music and musicians.

The other notable musical event was the release of Abby Dobson's new solo album. I've always just loved her voice and songwriting, and the album certainly doesn't disappoint of that front.

Onto sport. 
Not a lot to say I guess. It is actually on of the harder weeks I find to be a sports fan, with the build up, running and post-game of the Melbourne Cup dominating TV.  I just can't seem to get into it.

• Its maddening the South Africa v Australia One Series is not on free-to-air TV. Though with the Australian performance - losing by 6 wickets with 120 balls to spare - maybe that is a small mercy that it is not on TV.  In case you were wondering the next ODI is on Friday from Adelaide. Hopefully a more competitive game.
• NZ lost 8/23 to lose the match and their T20 series against Pakistan 3-0. The NZ summer of cricket continues with Tests against Pakistan.
• The Champions League continues this week too with a few teams able to seal their passage into the next round on Wednesday and Thursday morning. Interestingly also this week was talk of a new European Super League. Not sure what I think about this.  I do kind of like the Champions League in its current form. 

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