Summary
So from the sublime to the ridiculous, we’ve had it all on Sportwatch tonight.
Cameron Smith has offered a masterclass in professionalism - bagging 16 points and with key involvements in much of his side’s better play, as the Storm put the Sharks to the sword in their skipper’s 400th NRL match. Throw in 100 representative games for Australia, Queensland and various All Stars teams and that’s seventeen years of pure punishment. What mentality - not just to endure, but to consistently thrive.
At the other end of the scale, we’ve closed with as limp a performance as you’ll see from paid athletes, as the Gold Coast crawled to a 95-point drubbing. It was better elsewhere in the AFL with Essendon clinching a dramatic finish with just 17 seconds to play against the Kangaroos, an impressive win for Carlton over the Swans, with the Hawks and Cats also getting it done well.
The NRL also threw up a remarkable 90-minute draw - the first in three years between the Broncos and the Warriors - while South Sydney snuck home courtesy an Adam Reynold drop-goals against Manly.
The Wallaroos recorded an impressive win over Japan in women’s rugby union, while the Diamonds won back-to-back group games against netball World Cup debutants Zimbabwe.
All eyes will now turn to Serena Williams, and the women’s Wimbledon final, as the champion chases a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam against Romania’s Simona Halep.
Thanks as always for your company, JP Howcroft is your man with the plan tomorrow, as Sportwatch, like Herbie, rides again.
AFL: Gold Coast 8.8 (56) lose to Adelaide 23.13 (151)
Yuck. Who’d be a Suns fan. What a tough watch for the faithful.
They’ve been almost outscored by Eddie Betts alone, the home side, with four Suns goals in the final quarter only just sparing some blushes, on a night when Eddie’s kicked six again.
Josh Jenkins, Taylor Walker, Tyson Stengle also grabbing a swag of goals, as the visitors ran riot over a side that’s now lost 12 games on the spin. And to think they were 3-1 after four rounds.
Done by 92 last week against Richmond, they’ve now been done by 95. Ach, Gold Coast. This is real Clive Palmer areas.
AFL: Geelong 12.12 (84) defeats St Kilda 8.8 (56)
There’s a reason they’re top, and despite some early feather ruffling the Saints resistance has been quashed with relative comfort.
The Cats sharing the goals around - eight different scorers for their 12 goals, while Dangerfield and Duncan have ruled the touches, with Gary Ablett turning back the clock with another vintage showing.
They took the lead shortly into the second half and have just ground the Saints from there. A 13th win in 16 matches - they’ll be hard catching for the minor premiership from here.
NRL: Melbourne 40-16 Cronulla
It’s Cameron Smith 16, Sharks 16, with the landmark man’s teammates putting on a show and 24 points of their own.
He kicked 8/9 and for one brief moment looked like he’d crown the night with a try of his own. It was left to namesake, Brandon, who did cross for two tries to get the Smith name up in lights.
The Sharks did threaten briefly into the second with Shaun Johnson pulling the strings, but injuries began to toll as both Josh Dugan and Matt Moylan limped out of the contest.
It means a nasty run of four straight losses, as they slip out of the top eight.
Football: Perth Glory v Manchester United - kickoff!
And a reminder - we’re underway over in Perth for the battle of purple and savannah (see Jonathan Howcroft’s liveblog for a forensic dissection of the colour of United’s new away strip).
And excuse the indulgence, but what a moment for some of these Glory players. Tony Popovic’s two young sons are on the bench tonight, as are several other Glory juniors. Imagine telling your kids you faced off again Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and friends.
Absolutely buzzing for a guy like Jacob Tratt. A year ago he's staring at his professional career being over, tonight he lines up against a World Cup winner etc.
— Richard Parkin (@rrjparkin) July 13, 2019
Hope they've got a full-wall projector set up going in Dubbo to cheer their boy on 👏 https://t.co/Y3SvBC5Le2
AFL - half-time: Geelong 5.7 (37) trail St Kilda 6.3 (39)
Hello. The ladder tells you this one shouldn’t even be a contest, but it’s been a bright start from the Saints over at Kardinia Park.
Both sides traded goals early before Geelong went out to a 14 point lead, before four unanswered majors put St Kilda ten ahead. Patrick Dangerfield an unsurprising touch leader with 18, but Billings and Clark getting through a power of work as well with six tackles each.
Don’t get too excited yet though - how many times have we seen half-time leads turned around this season?
AFL - half-time: Gold Coast 2.5 (17) trails Adelaide 12.9 (81)
And out of respect for Suns fans I’ve not brought you any updates from this one yet, where, well.
On a day on which even Carlton bagged a rare ‘W’ it just hasn’t come together for the league’s other battlers. The Crows with nine separate goalscorers - you’d imagine this second half will be all about percentage for the 8th placed side, with the business end of the season fast approaching.
NRL - half-time: Melbourne 18-4 Cronulla
Reliably solid execution from the Storm, as we’ve come to expect over the years. Want to guess who’s the leading point scorer so far in Cam Smith’s 400th NRL game? It’s him.
10 points from the boot, a reliable 5/5 after the Sharks offered up far too many sloppy penalties.
This was as good as it got for the Sharks - some sharp hands in this one, as Aaron Gray crossed in the corner:
Aaron Gray finishes off brilliant ball movement from the Sharks' backline 👌#NRLStormSharks 8-4 ⚡️#TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/UfUxVcL4wf
— NRL (@NRL) July 13, 2019
And we’ve a special pre-season live-blog for fans of A-League premiers Perth Glory and some visiting football team from Manchester. Jonathan Howcroft is our eyes on that one - follow his minute-by-minute rolling report:
Not for the first time in recent years United are enduring a turbulent preseason. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s first transfer window in the hot seat has already seen fevered speculation over the future of record signing Paul Pogba, question marks over whether Romelu Lukaku will begin the season at Old Trafford, and renewed supporter discontent with the club’s ownership. All of this unrest is magnified by a trophy cabinet that went unfurnished last season while fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool went from strength to strength.
NRL - first blood, Storm!
Cronulla are one of just two teams to have beaten the Storm this season, but do you think Cam Smith’s teammates fancy sending him home a loser in his landmark game?
Smith ran at the line with ball in hand, before Jahrome Hughes put it on the toe, and it’s a comfortable finish from Cameron Munster.
Smith with the two from the boot, and he’s slotted an early penalty as well. 8-0 with ten played.
Updated
And here’s our eyes at the ground, Erin Delahunty, with her match report from Liverpool at the Netball World Cup:
Hard to imagine a day out where you sink almost 50 points but leave the court a frustrated figure, but by all accounts skipper C-Bass was in a real scrap out there.
Still, two from two, and they roll on, the defending champs.
NRL: Brisbane 18-18 New Zealand
Cripes. It’s a 90-minute draw! We’ve not had one for three seasons - both sides through the washing machine, the meat freezer and the kitchen sink at that one - but miraculously couldn’t find the winner. Payne Haas with a match-saving tackle after the Warriors ran 99m only to fall short of the stripe.
They traded droppies, but neither side could land one. The point you imagine may not be enough for either team’s finals hopes, but what an exciting finish for the neutral.
Pretty decent build up for Cam Smith’s 400th as well - we’ll have more from that, shortly.
Netball World Cup: Australia 73-37 Zimbabwe
Two from two, and looking comfortable for the Australians so far in Manchester. World Cup debutants Zimbabwe with no answers for the world’s top side, with Caitlin Bassett firing an unstoppable 49/53.
We’ll have Erin Delahunty’s match report shortly - I’ll let the expert fill us in in more detail how this one unfolded.
NRL - here we go, golden point!
Sheesh. It’s all happening - we’re 18-18 after 80 between the Broncos and the Warriors, and we’re off to golden point! Both sides 6-9, across the season, surely this is one team’s campaign on the line, right now.
Who can be the saviour, who might be the villain?!
Broncos have legendary half Alfie Langer working as a runner, but the Warriors have Stacey Jones running the drinks! What either team would give for those legendary brains on the field.
We’re under way and it’s the Warriors who work the first opportunity. They set up for Kody Nikorima, he’s about 37m out. He strikes it, it flies, and ...... it drifts wide!
AFL: Essendon 12.14 (86) defeat North Melbourne 12.9 (81)
Would you believe it! 45,000+ here have been treated to something very special here at Docklands - with just 17 seconds on the clock, who else but Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has slotted a miraculous goal from the right pocket! Heartbreak from the Roos - they played so brilliantly in that last quarter.
Six goals to Ben Brown, a terrific performance for the Roos with 12 marks and 18 touches as well. But it was AMT - who butchered one of the chances of the game in the second quarter - who made amends right at the death: 4.2 in the end for the mercurial forward. What a game for the faithful! Can they finally spark this Jekyll & Hyde Bombers season?
Updated
AFL - Essendon point! We’re back to one
Okay, let’s take this one home over the last ten. We’ve had only two scores in almost twenty minutes in a nervy final quarter. It’s almost like they’ve been too scared to play, the Bombers!
Tarryn Thomas and Ben Brown with goals for the Roos to record a seventh change of lead, but with six to play Jayden Laverde tries one.. but it drags wide! Roos still lead.
NRL - Cam Smith watch:
Meanwhile, the clock ticks down to the evening Storm v Sharks fixture, where the incredible Cam Smith is just minutes away from an incredible 400th NRL appearance.
As somebody mentioned on radio the other day, it’s not like he’s cotton-wooled his way through 400 matches either - he’s been in the guts of it, making 30+ tackles game-in, game-out. Remarkable.
He’s arrived 🤩 #CAM400 pic.twitter.com/oisXerMkmG
— Melbourne Storm (@storm) July 13, 2019
AFL - Roos by two with fifteen to play!
Ooph. I mentioned early that this one was bubbling nicely, apologies for missing the 3/4 score as I ducked out for sustenance, so let’s bring it home from here.
It’s Essendon 11.13 (79) trailing North Melbourne 12.9 (81), in a game that’s oscillated wildly. The Roos went 20 up in the first quarter, the Dons 18 up in the third, but they’ve lost their nerve in the final, the Bombers - with 20 minutes gone, they’ve not registered a single point!
NRL - half-time: Brisbane 6-16 New Zealand
And it’s time to play our favourite NRL game, which Warriors is it this week! So far, it looks like the good ones - it may not be Magic round again, but they’ve led the Broncos a merry dance at Suncorp.
Payne Haas opening the scoring with brute force, but it was all Warriors from there - this from David Fusitu’a the pick of the bunch.
What a finish by David Fusitu'a 🤯#NRLBroncosWarriors 16-6 with 6 minutes remaining in the first half ⏰#TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/8vu6Vswzm7
— NRL (@NRL) July 13, 2019
Adam Blair and Isaac Luke also bashing over. They’re not a million miles off the eight, the Warriors. Dare to dream?
AFL - half-time: Essendon 6.11 (47) draw with North Melbourne 7.5 (47)
Hello. We’ve got a game on here. Both sides leading into this one with four wins in five - not the form you associate with teams outside the eight - but they’re looking fresh under Rhyce Shaw, the Roos.
It was a ten-goal opening quarter with the Kangaroos flying out of the blocks through Zuhaar (3), Brown (2) and Thomas, before the Bombers led by Jake “the Package” Stringer fired four of their own, before the skill level got a bit scratchy in the second. Essendon were especially wasteful, kicking 1.6 at one stage.
The Bombers defence leading with 37 tackles but the forwards kicking just six majors off 34 inside 50s. Plenty to come in this one.
Women's rugby union: Wallaroos 34-5 Japan
They hung tough for long periods in the first half, Japan, but the lengthy absence of competitive international rugby fixtures eventually came to cost them in a second half where the Wallaroos proved a class above.
Trileen Pomare, Mhicca Carter and Eva Karpani all crossing for tries early in the second half as the hosts steamrolled their visitors in front of nearly 4,000 fans in Newcastle. A mixed day for Sam Treherne with the boot - slotting just 2/5, but she sealed proceedings with a late try of her own.
Australia face Japan again in a week’s time at North Sydney Oval.
NRL: South Sydney 21-20 Manly
The Rabbitohs have overcome a controversial early try to snap their poor recent run with a nailbiter out at Homebush in Sydney. Adam Reynold’s with a 75th minute drop goal to revenge an earlier season golden-point loss to the Sea Eagles.
Britt, Gagai and Graham to hop to a seemingly comfortable 18-6 half-time lead after Manly’s opener came despite a pretty clear-cut knock on in the build up. The Sea Eagles then roared back into contention through tries to Sironen, Suli and later Thompson to make for a tense finish.
Wayward kicking from Reuben Garrick proving costly for Dessie’s Dogs Eagles with 2/4 conversions seeing easy points dropped. No such mistakes from the boot from Reynolds however as Bennett’s boys snapped a run of losses to Parramatta, Newcastle, Penrith and West Tigers to bounce back to second spot.
AFL: Hawthorn 12.12 (84) defeat Fremantle 8.5 (53)
A see-sawer down in Tas, as the Hawks looked to be making short work of the visiting Dockers running out to a 33-3 lead midway through the second. The Nat Fyfe show cut it back to just six as he kicked three of four unanswered for Fremantle, but from there it was all Hawthorn.
Mitchell Lewis and Luke Breust with three, Hanrahan and Wingard with two for the Hawks, with Worpel grabbing 32 touches, five marks and four tackles.
Both clubs go 7-9, still clinging to hopes of a top-eight finish, with Ross Lyon’s 300th game as coach ending sadly, with Fyfe also limping out of the contest injured.
Women’s cricket: Australia lead England Academy by 400 runs
Is there any more you can write about Ellyse Perry? Her bowling partner Megan Schutt wrote this lovely piece for Guardian Australia a just yesterday, and the brilliant all-rounder has been back among it today - this time with the bat.
Perry knocked an unbeaten 101* to lead Australia to a commanding lead at stumps on day three of the four-day warm up match against England’s development squad - the final hit-out before the Ashes series gets underway.
AFL: Sydney 8.14 (62) lose to Carlton 9.15 (69)
Wowee. Not the response the Swans hierarchy would have wanted, having announced Longmire’s re-commitment to the club for another three seasons, but it’s a third win in six as the spluttering Blues threaten to finally cash in on so many near-misses this season.
Casboult, Silvagni and McKay kicking final-term goals for the Blues who started the quarter confidently before Heeney and Reid threatened to mount a late charge for the Swans.
Jake Lloyd added a goal to his 32 disposals with a minute to play to make for some nervy last moments for any travelling Blues fans, but a foul by Rowbottom saw Carlton home with McKay marking well and holding it til the siren. Big win, Carlton!
Half-time: Australia 12-0 Japan
We start our coverage with women’s rugby union and the friendly Test match from Newcastle, where the Wallaroos have made a steady start against visitors Japan.
An early 9th minute try on debut to hooker Averyl Mitchell settled the nerves for the home side, but resolute defence from the 2017 Asian champions has kept proceedings tight thereafter.
The Wallaroos backs combined well as outside centre Ariana Hira-Herangi crossed just before half-time, with Samantha Treherne adding the extras with the boot.
AFL - three-quarter-time: Sydney 5.12 (42) trail Carlton 6.13 (49)
In our first of five AFL fixtures today we’ve got a battle on between the cellar dwellers, with the Swans seemingly failing to lift despite news of coach John Longmire’s contract extension.
Newman, Curnow and Walsh running proceedings for the Blues with 24 disposals all, and Cripps his usual all-action presence adding six tackles to his 22 touches on his return.
Not a lot happening in that third quarter, with a late goal to the Blues dousing a better showing from the Swans after a disappointing second stanza where the Blues got a little on top.
No multiple goalkickers from either side, which is unusual - big final 30 to come, especially for the Swans outside finals hopes.
Preamble
Hi all! Lovely to be back in the Sportwatch chair after an extender summer sojourn round France for the Women’s World Cup. As usual though sport waits for no man, and we’ve an absolutely packed day ahead.
Wimbledon? Cricket World Cup? Netball World Cup? Formula One? Tour de France?
And that’s before we even get to our domestic sports where there’s plenty afoot in the NRL and AFL as always - none less so than Cameron Smith’s record 400th NRL appearance as Melbourne prepare to take on Cronulla.
Join me for all this, and more - as always your correspondence is greatly welcome: via email or tweet.
