Macca

Yeah TD, as you're no doubt aware, it's really difficult to keep up with everything once the Opening Ceremony is over and done with That's one of the reasons why I at least mark down when all the team events involving the Aussies are on. But the track & field and swimming tops the list in terms of must-watch Watched both the Matilda's & Olyroos games in their entirety and thoroughly enjoyed them both. No crowds wasn't a big deal either With the Olympics, we really are concentrating on the athletes primarily. The crowd involvement is often noticed more once the event is finished. As opposed to say footy where the crowd is involved in the game Anyway, the Olyroos will be the talk of the town tomorrow. That's a big scalp!

Well there's a turn up for the books! Australia 2 Argentina 0 Who would have thought? We played very very well despite all the yellow cards Fantastic performance!

Didn't see the match but we're back in the hunt for a medal in the Softball after defeating Italy 1-0 today The Olyroos/Argentina game is about to start on 7Mate and if we can eke out at least a point we'll have done well The other 2 teams in our group (Spain & Egypt) drew 0-0 today

Best Bet Caulfield Saturday Race 2 No.3 The Inevitable $6 (Win) That's about 35-1 the double ... worth a flutter!!

Well summarised TD Take the win tonight but we're going to have to be at our very best in the other 2 group games. The USA & Sweden are both rated in the top 5 in the world and it's going to be tough Sweden up next on Sat (6.30pm)

New page so here's the mini guide again (hopefully I'll be able to update on Sunday) Here are some of the Aussie chances ... Swimming: Womens 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Ariarne Titmus: 200 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Jessica Fox: Canoeing C1 & K1 Rohan Dennis: Individual Time Trial (Cycling) Laylee McKeown: 100 Back, 200 Back, 200 IM Field Hockey: Kookaburra's, Hockeyroos Sally Fitzgibbons: Surfing Stewart McSweyn: Athletics - Middle Distance Elijah Winnington: 400m Freestyle Soccer: Matilda's Basketball: Opals & Boomers Rohan Browning: 100m Sprint Rowing: Mens Fours & Womens Fours Tennis: Ash Barty Sailing: Mens 470, Mens Laser Swimming: 4 x 100 Freestyle womens, Mixed 4 x 100 Medley Relay Triathlon: Mixed Team Relay Kurtis Marschall: Pole Vault Brandon Starc: High Jump Kersey-Lee Barber: Javelin Equestrian: 3 Day Event Rugby 7's: Mens & Womens Softball: Womens (Aussie Spirit) Water Polo: Stingrays & Sharks Kyle Chalmers: 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Jack McLoughlin: 800 Freestyle, 1500 Freestyle Olympics Official Site (Schedule) ... Once into the site, click on any date for the full rundown Roy & HG Daily Podcast (begins July 23rd) Thurs 22/7 Softball Aust vs Italy 3.00pm Thurs 22/7 Football (Mens) Olyroos vs Argentina 8.00pm Sat 24/7 Hockey (Mens) Kookaburra's vs Japan 10.30am Sat 24/7 Softball Aust vs Canada 11.00am Sat 24/7 Water Polo (Womens) Stingrays vs Canada 4.15pm Sat 24/7 Football (Womens) Matilda's vs Sweden 6.30pm Sun 25/7 Softball Aust vs USA 11.00am Sun 25/7 Hockey (Womens) Hockeyroos vs Spain 8.00pm Sun 25/7 Water Polo (Mens) Sharks vs Montenegro 4.30pm Sun 25/7 Basketball (Mens) Boomers vs Nigeria 6.20pm Sun 25/7 Hockey (Mens) Kookaburra's vs India 7.30pm Sun 25/7 Football (Mens) Olyroos vs Spain 8.00pm Other events on the weekend to keep an eye out for (involving the Aussies) Swimming heats (Sat & Sun evening) Swimming finals (Sunday morning) Rowing Heats & Semi Finals (Fri, Sat, Sun morning) Cycling Womens Road Race Final (Sun 2pm) Equestrian, Diving, Canoeing, Sailing, Shooting, Surfing and lots more Maybe 6 other sports with Aussie representation

Nicely put together goal to the Matilda's ... clinical finish by Tameka Yallop We are in the same group as Sweden & the USA so we need to win this game against NZ Edit: Sam Kerr scores from a corner kick! Excellent set piece ... 2 nil now

Storm in a teacup

Does it really matter in the whole scheme of things ... happens every other day in a myriad of other sports There's thousands of athletes in Tokyo ... there are going to be indiscretions and numerous Covid positives ... as there is in numerous other sports Footy is a great example ... they are trying to outrun Covid and the fixture has been hopelessly compromised. Issues everywhere with isolation & quarantining. Yet the show goes on The Olympics has been held up as the scapegoat for Covid ... all the other sports are spreading Covid everywhere (esp in the USA & soccer) Where's the consistent argument TD?

Watched a bit on the app and we did have a few chances to score including a bases loaded situation Was always going to be a test against Japan who are not only very good, but they have a proper professional league Still, it's all about making the semi's (if that's how it works?) and then anything can happen Thanks for the updates TD ... keep it up if you can!

Yep, exciting isn't it! I reckon many who aren't really fired up for the Olympics soon will be Great to see softball back and the lead off match is a beauty (Aust vs Japan) I'm sure you're all over it, TD, but for the benefit of others, the Softball game is on 7Mate whilst the Matilda's are on the main 7HD channel (see times in the quoted post below) Radio SEN & the ABC are covering the Games in a comprehensive manner as well As for the rest of the schedule and other links see another quoted post further down Other events on the weekend to keep an eye out for (involving the Aussies) ... Swimming heats (Sat & Sun evening) Swimming finals (Sunday morning) Rowing Heats & Semi Finals (Fri, Sat, Sun morning) Cycling Womens Road Race Final (Sun 2pm) Equestrian, Diving, Canoeing, Sailing, Shooting, Surfing and lots more. Maybe 6 other sports with Aussie representation Bring it on!!!!

We play a terrific system these days but there are up to about 10 players in the current team that I wouldn't class as top players. Ok and alright but not top players. However, I wouldn't be making any changes to the team apart from Harmes in and maybe 1 or 2 others Still, we don't have to be great to win big with the current levels of talent across the league (top 4 teams have often previously had up to 16-18 top players in their teams) But as previously stated we do need a great system to offset the depth of top talent but we've seen that terrific team system in operation against all the good teams ... not so much against the teams outside the 8 Therefore, I expect the team to get it done against the doggies this week. If not, questions will be asked

Good points re how the good teams play against us vs the leaser light teams I'd like to add that the lesser light teams have effectively (at least in part) quelled the effectivness of our midfield with regards to clean forward entries and clean disposal in a general sense (by our midfielders) The flow on effect is that the opposition defenders have a much easier time of it which in turn nullifies our defensive pressure in the forward line (by our small forwards) In turn, our midfielders haven't been able to apply the same levels of defensive pressure in our forward line as well (against those teams) So the ball ends up being rebounded easier which in turn puts pressure on our 2 lines of defense So quell our midfield down to a degree and that's how to beat Melbourne. Of course, it's not quite as simple as that because our midfielders can still play quite well in those circumstances despite not dominating But as you indicated, the better teams have stuck to their own game style which we have been very good at shutting down So second time time around these better teams that we defeated should be better prepared for our next encounter with them. But our game style may well still win out. Who knows?

The Swimming finals are on in the mornings - 10am onwards (catering for the US market - money talks) Only the heats in the evening However, the Track & Field finals will be on in the evenings with only a 1 hour time difference to AEST But they've got 4 channels (7, 7Two, 7Mate & 7flix) so it will all fit in somehow Not sure whether 7 are covering any of the footy on the Sunday's ... might be just the footy on Friday & Saturday evenings on FTA during the Olympics (over the next 3 weekends) To be confirmed of course

To be honest, I am expecting the team to take their foot off the pedal from time to time as I don't believe we're good enough to keep up our version of 'total football' every week anyway It's not a perfect world, we're not a perfect team but if we continue to play great footy against our rivals then we can go all the way But to win the big one we have to win at least 3 finals. For a team that isn't star-studded, that's a bit of an ask. But none of our rivals are all that good either so it's all up for grabs After round 19 I'll happily take a top of the ladder position with a perfect W/L record against our rivals

I'd still argue that the '04 team was better than the current team anyway (as a collective in terms of pure talent) What is different is we now play to a system which requires a total team effort (a form of total football which the Bulldogs & then Richmond displayed) But to play like like that every week is energy sapping & extremely challenging especially when it's something completely new. Lets face it, areas like forward line pressure at our club was virtually non existant until this season I'd rather focus on the positives whilst acknowledging the flaws. For some here, they can only see the negatives Anyone stumbling upon this site might think we weren't even in the 8

What really matters is the sum of all the parts, our ladder position and how we fare against the good sides Quite honestly, with tempered and sensible expectations we are punching above our weight (all things considered) Our list isn't all that strong with about a dozen players in the team that could be rated no higher than B. And some are C+ only. But in my eyes you have to be a damn good player to be graded as B+ (Rivers, Brayshaw and 1 or 2 others fall short) We're on top of the ladder, we've beaten all the good teams quite convincingly and there are no other teams to fear. Is there a team out there that we should be overly concerned about? Yes, we definitely have a problem with the lesser lights but that is only a real problem if those sorts of performances happen against the good teams. And on the evidence this season, that isn't happening And there wasn't a person at the start of the season predicting that we'd be on top of the ladder after round 19 with zero losses to any of the good teams

Jamie settling in for the double ton! (If only there was enough time)

The crowds at the footy has (in part) led to this latest lockdown So be careful what you wish for ... the chances are that the virus might be spread at the games up in QLD and then what? Up until now the border between QLD & NSW has been open Victoria has a chance to get on top of the virus because of the much stricter lockdown conditions NSW on the other hand has very little hope unless they have more stringent lockdown conditions. If they don't get tough up there the disease will be out of control And then the rest of the country will be on a knife's edge. Gladys needs to get much tougher on the movement of people

For good reason too You've started a separate thread where you can spread all your angst about the Olympics

And of course hundreds of soccer players and officials in Europe have been testing positive but those games went on unabated I could give you a stack of other examples including the latest lockdown in Melbourne being attributed to crowds at the footy (at least in part) Where's the angst there? Crickets One tennis player testing positive is not a story if the big picture is taken into account It's like the Olympics is being made the scapegoat for Covid. It's quite laughable really Shut down the footy if people want the Olympics shut down. Every sport in fact should go No more sport until Covid is eradicated! (I'm joking)

The Medusa touch (good movie too!)

Games now being relocated to QLD but ... The disease could spread to QLD from NSW as their border is still open and Covid finds a way to travel anyway The AFL are trying to outrun Covid but they'll need a good dose of luck

Back to exactas this Saturday so I'll include your pick as 1 of 2 winners in a 2/5 exacta A lot of the races are open betting affairs in Syd, Melb & Adel so the exotics can pay ok when that happens And Gator has your choice to win as well

Best Bet Saturday Flemington R6 #2 Dice Roll $4 (Win/Multi)