This Sunday, the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm will once again go head to head for the NRL Premiership.

The two sides met in last year's Grand Final, where the Storm proved to strong for the Sea Eagles - who looked like they had the Grand Final jitters.

But that was a long time ago, and the Sea Eagles definitely look like a much better team this time round. And they'll need to be if they want to win their first Premiership since 1996.

The Storm are not in the best form, and losing Cameron Smith will take it's toll on the team come Sunday - but at this point, all that matters to the Storm is that they have a shot, and they do seem to save their best efforts for the Sea Eagles.

They have a whole lot of talent in their side, so don't write them off just yet. Cooper Cronk will need to have a big game if the Storm want to win their third NRL Premiership, and he will need to take a lot of the responsibility - especially since being given the captaincy.

For the Storm to beat the Sea Eagles they'll need to put pressure on Matt Orford, who has been criticised in the past for not handling the big occasions. He, too, will need to be at his best come Sunday night.

The Sea Eagles, though, do have the advantage of having Jamie Lyon at number 6 - he can take a lot of the pressure off Orford by doing a lot of the general kicking, and pitching in with on-field leadership.

Believe us when we say this game will be one you won't want to miss. Manly have seemed more determined than ever since last year's loss, and (despite loosing to the Storm earlier in the year) if they play like they did against the Warriors, then they'll walk away with the win.

And wouldn't that be a fitting way to send Steve Menzies out - with one last Premiership victory?

We certainly think so.

It's all over for the two biggest surprises in this year's finals.

Not many people would have picked the Sharks to make the Top 8, let-a-lone the top four - and no one EVER seems to think the Warriors can make the eight. That is, except for us here in the Attic.

A top four finish for both sides is an excellent result, and both teams are looking to build on this year's success with some decent signings for 2009.

Here's how the two teams went in 2008:

Cronulla Sharks (3rd): The Sharks have definitely been one of the NRL's biggest improver's, and have made a name for themselves with their solid defence. While their offensive game needs work, the signings of Anthony Tupou and Trent Barrett will certainly add a spark to their attacking game.

They have certainly had some serious issues, especially with Greg Bird, but the players really rallied together and continued their drive to the Top 8. They won't be happy with the way they bowed out of the finals, but overall we think they'll be pleased with how the year went.

They can definitely improve on this year's efforts, and going one step further next year isn't out of the question.

2009 Gains: Anthony Tupou (Roosters), Trent Barrett (Wigan), Corey Hughs (Bulldogs)
2009 Losses: Brett Kimmorley (Bulldogs), Issac De Gois (Knights), Lance Thompson (mid-season, retirement), Greg Bird (sacked), Adam Peek (Celtic Crusaders)



New Zealand Warriors (4th): After a terrible start to the year, the Warriors really muscled up and made a fantastic run to the finals. They certainly struggled with injuries early on, and losing Steve Price, Wade McKinnon and Manu Vatuvie didn't help. Once the team was fully fit, though, they looked in great form, and picked up wins against the Storm, Broncos and Sharks (all top four teams at the time).

Their efforts against the Storm and the Roosters in the finals were something no one could believe (although, to be fair, we did...loyal, we are), and they even made history, becoming the first eighth placed side to beat the minor premiers under the McIntyre system.

They'll be very extremely pleased with 2008, and the outlook for 2009 is equally as promising.

If they can continue to improve their defensive game, and play with the confidence they have shown over the last few weeks, then they too can make a real threat on the competition next year.

2009 Gains: Jacob Lillyman (Cowboys), Denan Kemp (Broncos), Joel Moon (Broncos), Liam Foran (Storm)
2009 Losses: Ruben Wiki (???), Wairangi Koopu (???), Logan Swann (???) - all three are yet to decide on their futures.

Stay tuned for a 2008 review of the Sea Eagles and the Storm, as we head towards the Grand Final.

Great news for Northland and Tasman fans - they're no longer facing life without a team in the Air New Zealand Cup.

On Friday afternoon the NZRU backed down from it's previous decision to axe both teams from the competition, which would have left only twelve teams in the top provincial competition in New Zealand.

The NZRU has said that their decision to keep the two teams is based on the need for player depth being fed into the five New Zealand Super 14 franchises, and therefore dropping two teams could have serious consequences for those five teams - namely the Blues and Crusaders, who would suffer the most.

It's great that the NZRU has allowed them to stay - the current format is working nicely, and both teams deserve their place in the Air New Zealand Cup.

With only one round left in the competition both sides still stand a chance (albeit a slim one) of making the quarter finals - although Northland will have to beat Auckland, who will be playing their All Blacks. Tasman, on the other hand, only have to play Manawatu, who currently sit at the bottom of the ladder.

It would be great if at least one of the two could make the quarter finals - it would definitely show the NZRU has made the right decision in keeping them.

The Manly Sea Eagles are off to the NRL Grand Final, after they downed the Warriors 32-6 in Sydney last night.

They put on a fantastic performance to shut out the Warriors, and now head to the final against the Melbourne Storm (a rematch from last year's final).

The Warriors didn't play badly last night, but the Sea Eagles completely controlled the game - and in doing so, didn't allow the Warriors to play the type of game that's worked for them recently.

It's simple - Manly were the better team on the night, and unfortunately for Warriors fans that's just the way the game goes sometimes.

The Sea Eagles kept the game flowing at a high speed, slowly wearing down the Warriors - who spent a lot of the game defending. And, in the end, the Sea Eagles proved too strong.

Next Sunday's Grand Final is going to be another great match-up, as both the Sea Eagles and the Storm have shown that they are by far the two best teams in the competition this year.

It's hard to pick a favourite to win, but after last night's performance we have to say that Manly head into the game as the team to beat. They controlled the game against the Warriors perfectly, whereas the Storm fed off the mistakes of the Sharks. While we can't count out the Storm, we definitely think Manly are in red hot form right now - and will probably take it out.

Manly have been playing with an intense passion since losing last years final, and it's driving them towards victory this year. They say you have to lose a final to win a final, and if that's the case the Storm had better watch out - because the Sea Eagles are flying high right now.

There will be some exciting match-ups next week - both teams have some of the best in the business. Brett Stewart vs Billy Slater, Jaime Lyon vs Greg Inglis, Matt Orford vs Cooper Cronk - we could go on and on.

This one has 'epic' written all over it, and anyone who misses next Sunday's final will regret it come Monday morning.

The beauty of sports is that nothing is ever guaranteed. Those who are highly favoured to win don't always do so, and it's moments like these that get the whole world talking.

People love to see the underdog step up and knock the top team off their perch. It's the foundation of nearly every sports movie ever made - the team that everyone thinks has no chance of winning somehow manages to rise to the challenge, and walk away victorious against all odds.

In light of all that, here's our Top 5 Greatest Sporting Upsets:


5. Kiwis vs Kangaroos - rugby league

The 2005 rugby league Tri-Nations final is one Kiwi fans will never forget. It's the day we kept the best team in the world scoreless, beating them 24-0 - and in doing so, claimed one of the greatest upsets in the history of league.

The Kangaroos couldn't have had a worse game if they'd tried. They had 20 handling errors, and completed only 17/32 sets - which, for a team filled with superstars, is a bad day at the office.

The Kiwis, on the other hand, were at their best. They ran in four trys (Whatuira, Vatuvei x2, Webb), and (perhaps even more impressively) held their line, and stopped the Kangaroos from scoring.

Victories against the Aussies in league are few and far between, and this was definitely one of the greatest.


4. New York Giants vs New England Patriots - NFL Super Bowl

The Patriots went into Super Bowl XLII as odds-on favourites to beat the Giants. They had won an amazing 18 games in a row to make it to the Super Bowl, and had beaten the Giants 38-35 in the final game of the regular season. They were only one win away from becoming the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go through the entire season undefeated.

Going into the final quarter, the Patriots led 7-3 before the Giants finally crossed for a touchdown, taking the lead at 10-7. That was short lived, though, as the Patriots soon responded with another touchdown to reclaim the lead 14-10. And, with time ticking away, they looked like they were about to claim another Super Bowl Championship.

With only 1:15 minutes left on the clock, Eli Manning came up with the play of the game, throwing a 32 yard pass to David Tyree, putting the Giants only 24 yards from the Patriots goal line. Within four plays, and with only 35 seconds left, Manning threw the winning touchdown, caught by Plaxico Burress. The Giants had beaten the Patriots 17-14 - a real upset, and one for the Super Bowl history books.


3. Buster Douglas vs 'Iron Mike' Tyson - boxing

In 1990 Tyson was in the prime of his boxing career, and had a perfect professional record of 37-0 spanning from 1985-1990. Tyson headed to Japan for a fight with James 'Buster' Douglas, a man Tyson was expected to easily defeat.

The odds were quite literally stacked against Buster - the bookmakers had him at 42-1 odds to win the fight. Not the kind of odds a betting man would take.

But Buster put up a fight, and despite being knocked down by a Tyson uppercut in the eighth round, Buster got back to his feet. For the next two rounds, he sent a barrage of heavy punches Tyson's way. In the tenth round Buster finally knocked Tyson down, and the champ never recovered. It was Tyson's first ever defeat as a pro, and the first time he was knocked out.

The man that people thought was unbeatable was finally beaten by a man that no one thought could win.


2. Bangladesh vs Australia - cricket

This has David vs Goliath written all over it - by far the most dominant cricket team in the world vs the whipping boys of international cricket. But this was going to be a game that Bangladesh would never forget.

Australia batted first, and against Bangladesh should have posted 300+. Instead, the Bangladesh bowlers kept the Aussie batsmen to only 249. Well under par for this Australian side, but still a total that should have been far too many for the Bangladesh side to chase.

But, thanks to a brilliant century by Mohammad Ashraful, they somehow managed to chase down the Aussies total with only four balls to spare. In the final over of the game, Aftab Ahmed hit a six off the first ball to tie the scores, followed by a single to win the game.

This is one of the real bright spots of Bangladesh's cricketing history (there haven't been that many...), and a real disgrace for the Aussies.


1. USA vs the USSR - 1980 Winter Olympics - ice hockey

The 'Miracle on Ice' - the US mens ice hockey team went into the gold medal game against the might of the USSR team. Only a few days before the Olympics began, the USSR thrashed the US 10-3 in a warm-up match, which many thought signified the Soviet Union's dominance over ice hockey.

Their team was made up of professional players, while the US team was made up of amateurs and college players - basically, they were kids compared to the Soviet team. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know who should have won...

But by the end of the final, the US had brought down the heavyweights of ice hockey by 4 goals to 3, and in doing so won gold - while the USSR had to settle for the silver.

This win was more than just a sporting victory for the US - you also have to remember that these two mighty nations were in the midst of the Cold War, and so this game was just as much about politics as it was about sport.

This was a major, major upset, and is widely recognised as one of the greatest upsets of all time.

Just when you thought all the drama surrounding Sonny Bill Williams was over...

Sonny recently injured his leg, and has had some down time while he recovers - and this has no doubt added to his homesickness.

Moving to France was never going to be easy for Sonny, especially when you consider everything that he left behind in Australia. His friends and family are in Australia and New Zealand, and for him to suddenly leave all that behind, and move to the other side of the world - well, it was inevitable that he would struggle with homesickness.

Apparently, someone close to Sonny has approached the Bulldogs, while Khoder Nasser has flown to France to check up on Sonny's welfare. You can bet he won't be happy to see Sonny return to the Bulldogs if it means taking a pay cut.

The Bulldogs have stated that they will only be interested in talking to Sonny if he returns on "bended knee", and "under the club's terms and conditions". In other words, things wont be as cushy for Sonny as they were before.

The biggest problem is that the Bulldogs have made a lot of signings since Sonny departed the club, and so they may not have the funds to resign him - and that may bring a halt to him returning (as part of the settlement, Sonny cannot return to any other club until 2013).

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out - just don't expect it to go smoothly.

With the Attic's new forum underway, it's a great chance to shoot over and get to know us - we'd love to hear from you!

Introduce yourself, and have your say - it's all about sports, and we're not limiting it to just our areas of expertise.

Being Kiwi's, we're shockers when it comes to American sports. But we're giving them a shot in our forum, so come in and tell us if you think we're right, wrong, or just plain stupid.

Look forward to seeing you all there!

Click here to head there now...

It may have taken twenty-seven years, but Wellington finally has it's hands on the famous log of wood better known as the Ranfurly Shield.

The Lions went to Auckland as red hot favourites, and although it wasn't their greatest performance we've ever seen (the 27-0 victory certainly flattered the Lions), it was enough to take home the trophy.

It's a great reward for an outstanding season thus far, and they certainly are the team to beat as the quarter finals approach.

Wellington have won all eight games, and have picked up the four-try bonus in all eight games, too - a fantastic record.

The only team that may have a chance (albeit a very slim one) to beat the Lions is Canterbury, who have shrugged off their loss to Manawatu in Round 1 to win their last seven from seven.

The only other real variable is that if Auckland make the quarter-finals (which at this point is not a guarantee), they'll be bolstered by the return of their All Blacks (Mealamu, Kaino and Afoa), which could lift their game.

Waikato, too, will enjoy the return of their All Blacks, which will make the quarter-finals just that extra bit tougher.

One team that looks unlikely to make the next round is Otago. They've been completely out of form, and have been unable to win at home, which is unacceptable, really. It's a real let down to previous Otago sides, who helped build Carisbrook into the House of Pain - a place where no one could even hope to beat Otago. Now, it's almost guaranteed that they'll be beaten.

But for now, we can all enjoy the success of the Lions (as you can probably tell, one of us is a Wellington supporter - had to fight pretty hard to get this last sentence in, too...), as they look to hold onto the Ranfurly Shield for a long time.

All the speculation over who will play fullback this weekend can now end, with Wade McKinnon getting the nod over Lance Hohia after serving his three game suspension.

McKinnon was found guilty of spitting at a touch judge in the Warriors Round 25 clash with the Panthers, and became only the second player in the NRL to be suspended for spitting.

But, thanks to the fantastic performances by the Warriors over the past three weeks, McKinnon gets a chance to redeem himself against the Sea Eagles this weekend. His return couldn't come at a better time for the Warriors, as they head into the preliminary final - with the winner going to the Grand Final in two weeks.

McKinnon's support play is among the best in the NRL, and could make the difference between the two sides - although the Sea Eagles have a pretty handy fullback in Brett Stewart, who is a try scoring machine.

Hohia has done a standout job filling in for McKinnon, but filling in is really all he can do. He'll make a big impact off the bench, where he can cover a number of positions, and get himself involved on attack a lot more.

Manly will certainly put up a tough challenge, and will definitely go into the clash as odds-on favourites to win. They can't afford to take the Warriors lightly, though, or they'll meet the same fate as the Storm and the Roosters.

Unfortunately for the Storm, they could head into their preliminary final against the Sharks without captain Cameron Smith, who has been cited for a dangerous grapple-tackle on Sam Thaiday. He'll get two weeks off if he takes an early guilty plea, and could face even longer on the sidelines if he challenges the charge.

We think the NRL judiciary need to crack down on players who continue to make these unnecessary grapple-tackles, which are ruining the game. The Storm are renowned for their grappling, and it needs to stop - it's rugby league, not wrestling.

The best way to stamp it out of the game is to come down hard on the repeat offenders, and in this case it's Smith. It doesn't matter that they're only one win away from the final - if they continue to use the grapple-tackle, then they can do so without Smith.

Jeremy Smith is also likely to miss this weekend for using the dangerous 'chicken wing' tackle during the same tackle on Sam Thaiday. Obviously, the Storm aren't getting the message.

The Sharks certainly won't mind if they don't have to worry about Cameron Smith, but it still won't be an easy task. They'll have their hands full, and with the likes of Inglis, Slater and Falou, the Storm still look good for the win.

The two finals games over the weekend were two of the most exciting games we've seen in a long time.

The Warrior's second half performance was outstanding, and to keep the Roosters scoreless in the second half shows just how far the Warriors defense has come. Although to be fair, in recent weeks it seems anyone can keep the Roosters scoreless in the second forty.

The Storm were lucky to come away with the win on Saturday night. Inglis's last minute try was a heart breaker for Bronco's supporters, and you could tell how much it hurt them when you saw Lockyer's reaction.

It was a really tough week for the Broncos, with the sexual assault allegation against Hunt, Boyd and Thaiday, and then reports that Lockyer tackled a bar manager.

The loss sees the end of the Wayne Bennett era for the club, and although it wasn't the ideal send-off, you can't argue with the culture Bennett has established at Brisbane.

Here's a review of the Broncos and Roosters 2008 season:

Roosters (6th): When you think back to 2007, and the horror year that the Roosters went through then, you'd have to say that 2008 was a success. They got off to a great start, and began to look like the Roosters of a few years ago. Towards the end of the season, though, they started to get quite shaky, and their game started to suffer. To finish in the top eight is a huge improvement, and the way Brad Fittler is molding the club - well, let's just say that the future is looking a lot brighter than it was this time last year.

The only concern for the Roosters heading into 2009 is that they haven't made any decent signings - and when you consider the players they're losing, that may be a problem.

2009 Gains: Zero
2009 Losses: Anthony Tupou (Sharks), Davis Shillington (Raiders), Micky Paea (Dragons), Anthong Minichello (possibly leaving to play rugby in France, but it's not 100% at this stage)

Broncos (5th): Another solid year for the Broncos, but they'll be extremly disappointed to have lost to the Storm in the dying minutes. It's the end of an era at Brisbane, and it's hard to see them dominating the NRL in the years to come. Just look at who they're losing - Bennett (coach), Carroll, Ennis, Hannant, Boyd, Kemp and Eastwood. The club will essentially have to be re-built, and that won't be an easy task.

In saying that, any club with Lockyer and Hunt will be tough to beat - but without Bennett at the helm, we won't see them at their best in 2009. It's certainly going to be interesting to see how they adapt to life without Wayne.

2009 Gains: Israel Falou (Storm), Ben Te'o (Tigers), Aaron Gorrell (Les Catalans), Lagi Setu (Dragons)
2009 Losses: Michael Ennis (Bulldogs), Ben Hannant (Bulldogs), Darius Boyd (Dragons), Toni Carroll (retiring), Denan Kemp (Warriors), Joel Moon (Warriors), Shane Perry (Les Catalans), Greg Eastwood (Leeds)

Only four teams remain for 2008 - next week, we'll review the two who don't make it to the Grand Final.

Have a prediction? Head to our forum, and let us know.

What an absolutely brilliant comeback.

Down 13-6 at halftime, the Warriors unleashed in the second half to win 30-13, and in doing so send the Roosters packing for the 2008 season.

The Warriors were starved of quality possession in the first half, and despite scoring the opening try in the first couple of minutes, they were on the defensive for the rest of the half.

Their night wasn't looking that good, and their first half was summed up when the Roosters were awarded a penalty try. It was a lucky break for the Roosters - there's no way the video ref could say that Minichello would have definitely scored.

The Roosters looked the better of the two teams, but after half time that all changed.

The Warriors came out ready to play, and for the last forty minutes the Roosters never looked like they were in the game. It's the fifth week in a row that the Roosters have been held scoreless in the second half - a terrible stat when you're playing in the finals.

To put it nicely (like, really nicely), they were appalling.

The Warriors, on the other hand looked as good as they ever have, as they ground down the Roosters defensive line.

You could sense they were giving it all they had - Wiki's barnstorming run at Soiola was awesome, and he was literally screaming as he charged at the Roosters line.

The whole team lifted, and in the end that's what got them home.

Next up for the Warriors is a trip to the Sydney Football Stadium for a battle with the Manly Sea Eagles, which is going to be one hell of a battle.

While everyone is saying "It's just good they've got this far", we feel that bowing out one game away from the Grand Final would be hugely disappointing - and we're sure the Warriors won't be happy unless they make the Final.

They certainly have what it takes to beat the Sea Eagles, and the way the Warriors are playing at the moment - well, we wouldn't be putting money on the other team.

Every sport has that one moment that shocks the sporting community. Some sports (we won't name names, will we rugby league?) seem to have these moments every other week.

So, we thought we'd take a look at the Top 5 infamous moments in [recent] sporting history.

5. Ben Johnson - (drug cheat)

The 100m sprint final at the 1988 Seoul Olympics became one of the most controversial moments in Olympic history. It was supposed to be an epic battle between Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis, who was odds on favourite to win Gold. But, in a stunning turn of events, Ben Johnson ran a 9.79 seconds race to claim the Gold, while Lewis could only watch on in disbelief.

But that was only the beginning of the controversy. Johnson returned a positive urine sample, containing Stanozolol - a banned substance. Three days later he was disqualified, and his Gold medal and world record time were stripped.
We know there have been a lot of athletes caught taking steroids, but back in 1988 it was nowhere near as common as it is today. Johnson getting caught and stripped of his medal was extremely shocking for it's time, and for that reason rates as one of the top infamous moments in sporting history.


4. Trevor Chappell - (the 'under-arm incident')

This 'incident' is one of the most disgraceful moments in cricket history, and one that all New Zealand cricket fans will never be able to forget or forgive.

New Zealand needed six runs to tie the match, and Trevor Chappell was about to bowl the final ball - it doesn't get any more tense in cricket. Astonishingly, under the instruction of his brother Greg, Trevor bowled the ball underarm and along the ground, effectively making it impossible for Brian McKechnie to hit over the boundary. At the time, an underarm delivery was not considered illegal - but WAS considered outside the realms of good sportsmanship.

What made the whole event even more bizarre was that McKechnie was charged with misconduct after he threw his bat away in disgust.

Unfortunately for Trevor, his whole career will forever be overshadowed by the 'underarm incident'.


3. Tonya Harding - (anything to win)

Ahhh, the vicious sport of figure skating. Or at least it was in 1994, when Tonya Harding conspired with Jeff Gillooly to attack Nancy Kerrigan, her competition.

Jeff and Shawn Eckardt, a friend, allegedly hired Shane Stant to attack Kerrigan at the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. Stant did just that, attacking her knee and forcing her to withdraw from the competition - which Harding went on to win.

Harding protested her innocence at first, but later plead guilty, and was given three years probation, 500 hours of community service and fined $160,000. It just goes to show - some people will do anything to win.

The lesson here? Don't mess with figure skaters.


2. Hanse Cronje - (match fixing)

In 2000, South African cricket captain Hanse Cronje was found guilty of match fixing, and given a life ban from all cricket. It was major fall from grace for one of South Africa's greatest batsmen.

Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom were also caught up in the scandal, but the brunt of the fallout came down on Cronje.

He was allegedly caught trying to pay off his team mates to under perform in certain games, and conspiring with Indian bookmakers to fix the outcome of matches.
The effects of the scandal were felt throughout the cricketing world, as more and more players were believed to be involved in match fixing. But for Cronje, his whole career was tarnished, and his name would be forever linked to the match fixing scandal.

In 2002, Cronje died tragically in a plane crash. It's unfortunate that such a talented cricketer will only be remembered for his match fixing, rather than his batting.


1. Mike Tyson - (ear nibbling)

We all remember the day Tyson took a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear - it's one of the most infamous moments in sporting history.
It was the second fight between the two heavyweights, but it wasn't destined to last long. At the end of the third round the referee stopped the fight (because of the bitten ear), which Tyson claimed was in defence of Holyfield's head butting. Nice try Tyson, but we all remember you were getting beaten - and biting Holyfield's ear was your way out of the fight.

Tyson's boxing license was revoked - only to be reinstated one year later.

Fortunately for Tyson, his name couldn't get anymore tarnished - his whole career reads like a 'most infamous moments' list.

With the Tri Nations now complete and the Bledisloe Cup safely back in the cupboard for another year, it's a good time to look back on the All Black's season. There's been some great performances by the boys, and also a couple that were disappointing - but as whole, you'd have to say the year has been a success.

The most pleasing thing about the season has been the demise of the rotation system, which most All Black fans will be glad to see the back of. It's clear that the team has been playing a lot better thanks to not being switched up every week.

The team is playing with a lot of confidence that you can only get when playing alongside the same players every week. It also helps that we don't quite have the depth that we had last year, which means Graham Henry doesn't have the luxury.

The guys look a lot better now, knowing that they don't have to worry about whether or not they're going to be selected.

A great example of this has been Ma'a Nonu, who is going from strength to strength every week. Jerome Kaino, also.

Here's hoping that rotation remains a distant memory...

The other pleasing thing about their season has been the way they came back from back-to-back defeats to South Africa and the Wallabies. They were right up against it, and were facing a lot of undue criticism from the media and the public - but they way they came back to utterly destroy Australia in Auckland showed that the side has a lot of character and courage.

For a team that is in a rebuilding faze after last year's World Cup (and yes, they are rebuilding), coming back like they did shows us that this team is close to being at their best. They still have some things to improve on, but that just means the team is still growing.

Overall, we're very happy with the All Black's season - and the great thing is, we only have to wait until November before we see them in action again.

Best Performance: 39-10 victory over the Wallabies in Auckland. Fantastic kicking game, and we put a lot of pressure on them in their own 22, which paid off. Great to see the All Blacks attacking in the lineout for once.

Worst Performance: 34-19 loss to the Wallabies in Sydney - their worst performance by far. They couldn't hold onto the ball, and let the Wallabies capitalise on their mistakes. But, it must be said - the Wallabies didn't outplay us. We lost it for ourselves, and they just fed off the scraps.

Best Player: Easy - Richie McCaw. He continues to grow as a captain, and the All Blacks look a far better team when he's around. It's scary to think that he's only getting better, too. Well, scary for anyone who doesn't support the All Blacks...

Honourable mention to Mils Muliaina.

Most Disappointing Player: Sitivini Sivivatu - doesn't seem to playing with any great enthusiasm which, for a guy with his talent, just isn't good enough. At times he can be brilliant, but those times have been few and far between this year.

An honourable (or dishonourable...) mention has to go to Sione Luaki, who needs to learn to hold onto the ball.

Most Improved: Ma'a Nonu is benefiting form regular game time, and is starting to prove that he deserves to wear the black jersey. His combination with Conrad Smith has been outstanding, as have his distribution skills, which he has lacked in the past.

Ma'a Nonu - Most Improved Originally uploaded by djbwhizz

Honourable mention goes to Andrew Hore.

Comeback of the Year: Piri Weepu - thank goodness for Andy Ellis's injury, because it's brought Weepu back into the team - exactly where he should have been since the beginning.

Honourable mention goes to Brad Thorn.

So, there you have it - another season done and dusted (until November, at least).

Only six weeks until we start again, and we can't wait.

It's Round Two of the NRL playoffs this weekend, and it's do or die for all four teams.

On Friday night the Roosters will take on the Warriors at Mt. Smart, and this game has the makings of being a classic.

Clashes between these two teams are always something special - you only have to go back to last year's epic 31-all draw to see that there's not much between these two sides. Well - over the past few years, anyway.

After beating the Storm on Sunday, the Warriors will be heading into this game as favourites - but beware the side that takes the Roosters lightly. The Warriors cannot afford to ease up, or the Roosters will run away with the game.

The Warriors will have to shut down Mitchell Pierce, Braith Anasta, and the Roosters most lethal attacker, Anthony Tupou, if they want to win. If they can shut these three players down, they'll be well on their way.

Their defence has been improving steadily all year, and their efforts against the Storm have shown us that they can hold off the best attacking sides in the NRL.

The Roosters will have to stay composed if they want to beat the Warriors. They were in control of the Broncos last Friday, but let them back into the game in the second half - ultimately costing them a home game this week.

They need to get Tupou into the game early, and give him the ball so he can weave his magic. His ability to break the line could make the difference between the two sides, as could the kicking games of Pierce and Anasta. Last time these two teams met, we saw how important it is for the Warriors to put pressure on the two kickers.

We definitely think the Warriors can win this, and not just because we're Warriors fans. The Roosters form has been a little shaky lately, and their second half performance against the Broncos proves they still aren't playing anywhere near their best.

The Warriors home record towards the back end of the season has been impressive, and it wouldn't be a bad thing if they got a bit of rain on Friday night. It's odd, given their favoured style of play, but for some reason the Warriors play their best footy in wet conditions.

If Friday's clash is going to be exciting, then the game between the Broncos and the Storm is going to be off the charts. It's a rematch of the 2006 Grand Final, and we think the Broncos can once again upset the Storm. Or at least, we'd like them to.

The Storm will be hurting after their shock loss to the Warriors, and things won't be any easier when they face a red hot Broncos team, who will be looking to move on from their recent off-field dramas.

The Storm will need to play their natural game, and forget about what happened against the Warriors. If they try to play a different game to what they usually play, they're going to find themselves in a lot of trouble against this Broncos team.

The Broncos are playing with a lot of passion, which is being fuelled by the desire to send Wayne Bennett off on a high. The Broncos always play their best when someone influential is moving on - think, the 2006 Final, when they sent Shane Webke out on a high.

If we were the Broncos, we'd be looking at what the Warriors did to beat the Storm. Namely, getting right in their face, and trying to disrupt their flow. If they can do that, then they can come away with the win - and send the Storm packing.

Both games could easily be Grand Final matches, and we expect nothing short of that when they kickoff.

One thing's for sure - you don't want to miss this weekend's footie action.

The NRL is one of the toughest competitions in all of sport, and, due to the salary cap, is also one of the closest fought - there is talent spread across all 16 teams.

We thought we'd pick the NRL team of our era, which has included some of the greatest players to ever grace the rugby league field.

1. Darren Lockyer: Before becoming one of the games best five-eights, Lockyer was a fantastic fullback, and represented Queensland and Australia in the number one jersey. He's one of the games greatest thinkers, and is a constant threat to his opponents.

2. Matt Sing: Sing was a prolific try scorer, scoring 159 trys - the fifth highest in the NRL. He represented Queensland and Australia regularly between 1995 and 2005, before he left the NRL to play for Hull in the Super League.

3. Mal Meninga: How could we not pick Meninga? He's an absolute legend - a member of the rugby league Hall of Fame, and the NRL Team of the Century. He was an excellent attacker, and a very handy goal kicker. It would be a crime not to pick him.

4. Andrew Ettinghausen: ET was exceptionally fast, and used his speed to great effect. He could break through the defensive line with what seemed like ease, and once he was through it was almost impossible to catch him. He was a regular selection in both the NSW State of Origin team and the Kangaroos.

5. Wendell Sailor: Before switching codes, Sailor was one of the best wingers in the NRL. He transformed the way a winger was supposed to play (due to his massive size) and got rid of the idea that wingers had to be thin speed machines. He has looked good since returning to league this year, too.

6. Laurie Daley: We know everyone is expecting Wally Lewis, but Daley was the five-eighth we remember best from when we were growing up. He was the key weapon of the Raiders during their glory days, and the way he led the team was something special.

7. Andrew Johns: Probably the easiest pick of the lot. Joey is without a doubt the greatest player of the last decade. His ability to find a whole in the defence was incredible, as was his kicking game. The Knights were never the same team when Joey wasn't there.

8. Ruben Wiki: Wiki has brought the same physicality to the field for over 300 games. He is one of the toughest players to ever play the game, and one of the most passionate. He holds the record for Tests, playing 55 games for the Kiwis between 1994 and 2006.

9. Steve Walters: Walters was another key player of the Raiders during their glory days of the early 1990's. He went on to represent Queensland and Australia, along side his brothers, Kevin and Kerrod. He was named among the 100 greatest players of all time.

10. Paul Harrigon: The Chief was one of the hardest hitters of all time. He brought an intense physical presence to the Knights, as well as NSW and Australia. It's because of guys like Harrigon that we're passionate NSW supporters.

11. Sonny Bill Williams: Although his NRL career was pretty short, in that small amount of time he became one of the best players league has ever seen. He could attack like no one else, and his defence was rock solid. Just ask Joel Clinton how hard Sonny Bill could tackle...

12. Steve Menzies: Another 300 game veteran, who is still playing just as well today as he was over fifteen years ago. He is also a try scoring machine, scoring 178 trys - and there could be more to come, providing Manly stay in the finals.

13. Brad Fittler: Ok so we know he's out of position, but we couldn't leave him out of our team. Fittler is one of the games true legends. He was a handful on attack, and he had a knack of creating something from nothing. He also has the makings of a great coach, leading the Roosters to the playoffs this year.

Reserves: Danny Buderus, Gordon Tallis, Glenn Lazerus, Bradley Clyde.

Coach: Wayne Bennett - no one else comes close.

The 2008 NRL season is over for the Canberra Raiders and the St. George/Illawara Dragons, after both sides lost in the first round of the finals. Both teams will be extremely pleased with the way their season went, though - especially the Raiders, who were expected to win the wooden spoon.

As promised, here's a review of their season:

St. George/Illlawara Dragons (8th): The Dragons got off to a terrible start, and it looked like it was going to be another long season. However, after it was announced that Wayne Bennnett was going to be coaching the Dragons in 2009, things started to turn around - and the wins began to stack up. The high profile signing of Wendell Sailor was a massive boost for the club, as was the return to form of Jason Ryles, who had been struggling for the past couple of seasons.

They are losing some quality players like Gasnier and Ryles, but they have also recruited well, and should be able to build on their 2008 season. The loss of Mark Gasnier is massive, but things are certainly looking up for the Dragons in 2009.

2009 Gains: Michael Weyman (Raiders), Jeremy Smith (Storm), Luke Priddis (Panthers), Neville Costigan (Raiders), Darius Boyd (Broncos), Matt Head (Tigers)
2009 Losses: Mark Gasnier (French Rugby), Jason Ryles (Les Catalans), Simon Woolford (midseason, retirement), Josh Morris (Bulldogs), Lagi Setu (Broncos), Rangi Chase (Castleford), Ben Rodgers (Knights), Kirk Reynoldson (retirement)


Canberra Raiders (7th): What a season for the boys from the capital. Everyone was picking the Raiders to take the wooden spoon, but they have shown that they are a team on the rise. They have unearthed some good young talent, and will only get better over the next few years. While they are losing their coach, Neil Henry, they are gaining former Raider David Furner, who will be looking to return the Raiders to the glory days of the 1990's.

The season wasn't without it's controversy, with Todd Carney getting sacked for numerous alcohol related problems - but they maintained their composure to cruise into the playoffs. They'll need to work on their defence in 2009, and if they can, they'll be poised to go even further.

It's just great to see the green machine getting back to the top.

2009 Gains: Stuart Flanagan (Tigers), David Shillington (Roosters)
2009 Losses: William Zillman (Titans), Michael Dobson (midseason, Hull), Michael Weyman (Dragons), Ryan Hinchcliffe (Storm), Colin Best (Rabbitohs), Marshall Chalk (Celtic Crusaders - new Super League team), Todd Carney (midseason, sacked/Wigan), Neville Costigan (Dragons), Lincoln Withers (Celtic Crusaders)

Stay tuned for more team reviews, as the remaining teams drop out of the last six.

It sounds terribly cliche, but we're going to say it anyway - the All Black's performance on Saturday night was a game of two halves.

The first half was dominated by the Wallabies, who were definitely playing the better rugby - but they also had the majority of the ball, which helps.

The Wallabies scored either side of half time, and for a while there it looked like the All Blacks were struggling.

But three trys in quick succession put the All Blacks back in front by eleven points, with only a few minutes to play.

The Wallabies weren't finished, though, and when Ryan Cross scored the gap closed to four points, and a Wallaby comeback was back on the cards.

All the All Blacks had to do in the final minutes was hold onto the ball, but somehow the Wallabies managed to steal the ball - and away they went. The All Black defence had to scramble, and with time up on the clock the game was there for either side.

The Wallabies were hot on attack, but miraculously the All Blacks got the turn over, and Weepu booted the ball out, giving the All Blacks a 28-24 win. And, more importantly, the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cups are now safely locked away for another year.

The difference between the two sides was the substitutions. Henry brought Donald, Mealamu and Afoa on early in the second half, and it seemed to energise the team - especially Weepu, who was in great form.

Robbie Deans didn't use his bench until into the dying stages, and it was too late - most of the Wallabies looked dead on their feet, and this gave the All Blacks, traditionally known for their fitness, a chance to take back the lead.

The combination between Donald and Carter looked good, too, with Carter moving to second five, which gave him more space to attack the tired Wallaby line.

The All Blacks now get a break for a few weeks, before the players will be allowed to play in the Air New Zealand Cup.

It's been a very tough Tri Nation campaign, and the boys thoroughly deserve a few weeks rest.

Well done lads - we're all proud of you.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the NRL playoff system (known as the McIntyre System), and whether or not it is the best system to use.

It can be quite confusing to those who have never seen it before, but once you know about it - it does make sense.

So, we thought we'd explain how it works.

After the 26 rounds of the regular season are finished, we're left with the top eight sides in the competition - who then move on to the finals.

The team with the most points from the regular season are the minor premiers, and therefore head into the finals in first place. For winning the minor premiership, they get to play the lowest placed of the eight sides - which meant this year the Storm had to play the Warriors.

From there, 2nd place plays 7th, 3rd plays 6th, and 4th plays 5th. Very simple.

The top four sides also get the advantage of playing at home.

After all of the the first round of the finals is complete, the two lowest placed losers are gone. In this years finals, the Raiders (6th) and the Dragons (7th) drop out, because the Warriors (8th) beat the first placed Storm.

Are you still with us?

The two highest placed WINNING sides after round one get the second week off, and move straight into the semi-finals. The Sea Eagles (2nd) and the Sharks (3rd) were the highest placed winners after the first round, and so are automatically into the semi-finals. The Storm miss out on the week off because they lost to the Warriors.

So, after the first round we have six teams left, with two of those sides getting the week off (in this case the Sea Eagles and the Sharks) - while the remaining four sides now enter do-or-die playoffs.

Of the four sides PLAYING in round two, the two sides that WON from round one get the advantage of playing at home. So the Broncos (who beat the Roosters in round one) will host the Storm (who lost to the Warriors), while the Warriors (who beat the Storm) will play the Roosters (who lost to the Sea Eagles).

It couldn't be simpler, really.

The Sea Eagles and the Sharks will face the winners from the second round in a traditional semi-final system, where the winners will go onto the Grand Final.

One of the complaints we've heard about the system is that it's unfair that the Storm have to play away from home in the second week, because they're the minor premiers. But there's nothing unfair about it. They lost their playoff game, which means they lose the advantage of playing at home in round two. Why should the Broncos have to travel to Melbourne when they won their game?

The second round should be a classic, with the Storm and the Broncos going head to head at Suncorp, while the Roosters will have to travel to Auckland to take on the Warriors, who were brilliant on Sunday night in their upset win over the Storm.

We're one week closer to the Grand Final - you just gotta love September footy!

Top 5 time again, and this week we're looking at the Top 5 Greatest Sporting Comebacks.

We're talking about sportsmen coming back from career ending injuries, or coming out of retirement to shock the world - not teams coming back from twenty points behind to win in overtime.

Here are the inspirational stories that make up our Top 5:


5. Randy Couture

On February 4, 2006, Couture was beaten by Light-Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell, in what was his second loss to Liddell by way of knockout. He announced his retirement immediately following the fight, and at the age of 43 many people felt it was time.
But, after a few months of retirement, fans were shocked to hear that Couture was making a return to the UFC, and was to face the Heavyweight Champion Tim 'The Maine-iac' Sylvia for the title at UFC 68.
At the age of 44, many felt he could not compete with the much younger Sylvia. But within the opening minute of the first round he had knocked Sylvia down, and from there on he controlled the fight. He would go on to win the Heavyweight title for a third time, truly cementing his place in the Hall of Fame.
After defending his title against Gabriel Gonzaga, Couture fell out with the UFC over contract problems, and walked away from his contract. It appeared, again, as though Couture's career in the UFC was over.
However, a second comeback is on the horizon, as it has been announced that the 45 year old Couture will return on a three fight deal. It will start with a heavyweight fight against Brock Lesnar, with the winner going on to fight the winner of the Nogueria vs Mir fight to become the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.
This guy is the comeback king, and for a guy to be dominating such a physical sport in his fourties is truly amazing.


4. Magic Johnson

Magic was one of the NBA's greatest stars of the 1980's, but in 1991 his career came to an end when he announced he had HIV, and that he would be retiring. He made a brief return in 1992 at the All-Star game, but was forced to fully retire after fellow NBA players protested at Magic playing with the disease. This time, he would be retired for four years before making one final return for the LA Lakers in 1996, where he played 32 games.
While his final return to the NBA wasn't the longest comeback, the fact that he never gave up, despite the fact that he was suffering from HIV, makes his comeback something special. Most people in his shoes would give up and walk away, especially considering that in 1991, when he first announced he had the disease, HIV was relatively unknown.

It takes something special to comeback from a situation like that.


3. Muhammad Ali

In 1967 Ali was stripped of his boxing license and his Heavyweight title after he refused to serve in the United States Army - which was engaged in the Vietnam War.
In 1970 the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly refused a boxing licence, and granted him a license to begin fighting again. After beating Oscar Bonavena, Ali was to fight the undefeated Joe Frazier for the title. Frazier would go on to win the first of their three fights.
In 1974, Ali fought George Forman for the title - a fight no one expected Ali to be able to win. But he did just that, and in doing so reclaimed his title after seven long years. It was one of the greatest upsets in sports history, and definitely one of the greatest comebacks.


2. Jonah Lomu

Jonah Lomu is one of the greatest All Blacks of all time, and in his prime was the greatest attacking weapon in all of rugby. In 1996 Lomu announced he had nephritic syndrome, a rare kidney disorder, and as time went on it became clear that it was taking a huge toll on his body.
In 2003 Lomu was undergoing dialysis three times a week to help combat the disease, but the dialysis was doing damage to the nerves in his legs and feet. He needed a kidney transplant, or he could die.
July 28, 2004 - Lomu had the transplant performed, and from that moment on his eyes were set on returning to rugby - nothing was going to stop him.
In 2005 he was selected for a Martin Johnson Invitational XV, and his dreams were becoming a reality. He had returned from a life threatening disease to play the game he loved. He was signed by North Harbour that year, and was also given the chance to play for the Cardiff Blues during the off season.
While he never returned to his best form, and his dreams of making the All Blacks again would never eventuate, his comeback from a kidney transplant is a phenomenal story. He never gave up, even when everyone around him was saying it could never happen.

What a legend.


1. Lance Armstrong

This is one of the greatest comebacks of all time. To be diagnosed with testicular cancer, and go on to make a full recovery, is a massive achievement in it's own right. But to go on and win a record seven Tour de France titles is incredible. Lance Armstrong is a true inspiration - not only to sportsmen who have suffered setbacks in their career, but to everyone.
And it isn't over for Armstrong yet, either - he has announced that he's going to be racing in the Tour de France next year for the first time since 2005, making it his second comeback.

Astonishing.

All these sportsmen are inspirational. They came back from either serious illness or retirement to reclaim their place at the top of their sport.

It's stories like these that make sport so exciting, and so inspirational to all of us - on and off the field.

This Sunday the Warriors will face their biggest game of the year, when they take on the Minor Premiers, the Melbourne Storm.

The Warriors can't afford to lose this game - if they do, it's all over for 2008.

Beating the Storm in Melbourne is tough - very tough, in fact, and the Warriors will have to play out of their skins to progress to the second round of the finals. But, if there's one team that could cause an upset, it's the Warriors.

They are the one team no one wants to play in the finals - you just don't know which Warrior's side is going to show up. Sure, you could beat them by fifty points, but there's also a good chance the Warriors could blow you off the field.

For the Warriors to win on Sunday, they will have to shut down the Storm's best attacking machine, Billy Slater. Slater has been in the best form of his career, and if it wasn't for a one-game suspension (which cost him three player points) he would have won the Dally M award (which instead went to Manly's Matt Orford).

Slater is a dangerous runner, and can cause problems from anywhere on the field - which is why the Warriors will have to be right up on him at all times.

They'll also have to watch Greg Inglis, who is just as dangerous as Slater on attack.

But with Michael Luck, Simon Mannering and Ian Henderson in our defensive line, we should be able to shut down the Storm's attacking weapons.

The Storm definitely go into the game as red hot favourites, but don't count the Warriors out yet - they'll be wanting to send Wiki and Swann out on a high note, and what better way than by winning the Premiership?

(We know - we're being very optimistic...)

The Warriors have good experience at finals footy, playing in five out of the last eight playoffs - which is a great record, considering that only two other teams have played in more over the past eight years.

There's so much on the line, but they might just be the dark horse of the eight remaining teams...

We're right behind you boys!

Our next up-and-comer is another guy who has been around a couple of years, and is now really starting to show us that he is heading in the right direction for an All Blacks jersey.

We're talking about Hosea Gear, the younger brother of former All Black Rico Gear.

Hosea has been in outstanding form on the wing for Wellington this year, and has scored eight trys from only six games so far in the Air New Zealand Cup.

He is a massive winger, standing 1.89m tall, and tipping the scales at 102kg - making him an extremely dangerous weapon out wide.

His one weakness is that he doesn't get involved enough, but he has been working on that aspect of his game, and will be all the more dangerous when he fixes it.

It's this aspect of his game, though, that he'll have to improve on quickly if he wants to hear from Graham Henry. Gone are the days where a wingers job was just to score trys - they now have to be prepared to get stuck in around the field.

We believe it's only a matter of time before Hosea follows his brother's footsteps, and makes the step up to the All Blacks. We feel it could even be as early as the end of year tour.

Either way - we're sure there are big things on the horizon for Hosea.

After six rounds of Air New Zealand Cup action, the top four sides are starting to pull away from the pack.

Wellington, Canterbury, Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay are sitting comfortably ahead, and with only four rounds to go are looking like they will secure the four semi-final spots.

Southland, Waikato and Tasman are the closest of the chasing teams, while Otago is still in the hunt - but only just.

At this stage, it's looking like Wellington and Canterbury are the two teams to beat.

Round six action started off with Hawkes Bay defeating Taranaki 18-14, in what was a very close match up. Hawkes Bay have been improving week to week, and are showing the benefits of playing in the top level of competition.

Wellington traveled north to take on Manawatu, and ran away with a 36-13 victory over their northern neighbours. That makes it six wins with six bonus points, and at this stage they look unstoppable.

Bay of Plenty caused some what of an upset, beating Otago by 31-20. Otago just cant seem to beat the sides that they should be beating, and it's a worrying trend for southern rugby. The Bay on the other hand, are this years biggest improvers, and are surprising a few people - including ourselves.

Auckland held on to the Ranfurly Shield, winning 13-9 over Southland. There's just something about defending the Shield that sees Auckland stand up, even when their playing poorly. Next up for the Shield is Wellington, and Auckland will have to step up even further if they want to withstand the might of the Lions.

Tasman won the battle of the two discarded teams, with a 31-10 win over Northland. For a team about to get the chop, Tasman don't seem to be giving up - in fact, they're showing a few people that maybe the wrong team was relegated - especially when Counties can't seem to win.

Canterbury blew North Harbour off the field with a 36-9 victory, and are hitting form at the right time of the year - as usual. At this stage, they may be the only team that can beat Wellington.

Waikato rounded off the weekend with a shaky 20-15 win over Counties. This was one that Waikato should have won with ease, but the Counties boys fought hard, and looked like they could have won it late in the game. Waikato's hopes, though, are still alive for 2008.

It's a case of 'better luck next year' for the eight sides who didn't cut the mustard in the NRL this year.

While the best eight sides live to fight another day, that's it for the bottom eight in 2008. For these teams, there's nothing left to do but enjoy summer, and start planning for next year.

We thought we'd take a look at the sides that were on the wrong side of the eight, and have a look at what went wrong:

Newcastle Knights (9th): The Knights were 'oh so close' to playing September footy, but were pipped at the post by the Warriors. After last year, though, you'd have to say 2008 has been a great improvement, and Brian Smith looks to be developing some strong talent. The biggest improvement for the Knights is that they've learned to win without the great Andrew Johns, which is something they've struggled to do in years gone by. Unfortunately, next year they'll have to learn to win without Danny Buderus.
2009 Gains: Issac De Gois (Sharks), Ben Rogers (Dragons)
2009 Losses: Danny Buderus (Leeds), Chris Bailey (Sea Eagles), Mitchell Sargent (midseason, Castleford), Matt White (Titans)

Wests Tigers (10th): Consistency has once again plagued the Tiger's season. They are capable of beating most sides in the competition, but have let themselves down with some terrible defencive efforts. If they can sort out their defence, 2009 will be a lot better for West's fans.
2009 Gains: Gareth Ellis (Leeds), Josh Lewis (Titans)
2009 Losses: Brett Hodgson (Huddersfield), Nick Youngquest (midseason, Bulldogs), Luke Harlen (midseason, Cowboys), Ben Te'o (Broncos), Matt Head (Dragons), Ryan O'Hara (Celtic Crusaders)

Parramatta Eels (11th): After coming so close last year, the Eels have been disappointing in 2008. They've been their own worst enemies for most of the season, and just when it looked as though they were getting back to winning ways, they slumped again. And, once again, they have recruited poorly.
2009 Gains: No One!
2009 Losses: Tim Smith (midseason, Wigan), Mark Riddell (Wigan), Tony Williams (Sea Eagles), Chad Robinson (London Harlequins), Daniel Wagon (French Rugby League)

Penrith Panthers (12th): Last year's wooden spooners made a good surge for the Top 8 during the middle of the year, but began to slip down the ladder towards the end of the regular season. For a team that boasts such a strong side, 12th place is not a good finish. 2009 isn't shaping up any better, either.
2009 Gains: Gavin Cooper (Titans)
2009 Losses: Tony Puletua (St. Helens), Richie Williams (sacked midseason), Joe Williams (midseason, Bulldogs), Luke Rooney (French Rugby), Luke Priddis (Dragons), Rhys Wesser (Rabbitohs), Shane Rodney (Sea Eagles)

Gold Coast Titans (13th): The Titans were on top early on in the season, but as the weeks went by they began to slip further and further down the table. This was mainly due to injuries, although the fact that they struggle to win away from home isn't helping their cause. They've definitely shown they deserve to be in the NRL, and will be a real threat if they can avoid injuries.
2009 Gains: William Zillman (Raiders), Sam Tagataese (Storm)
2009 Losses: Matt Peterson (midseason, Wakefield), Michael Hodgson (Bulldogs), Luke Lewis (Tigers), Clint Amos (Cowboys), Gavin Cooper (Panthers), Luke Swain (Salford), Kris Khaler (Pia Donkeys), Matt Cross (Storm)

South Sydney Rabbitohs (14th): A woeful start to 2008 for a side that's promised to back up on 2007. They made a good fightback, but it was too little too late. They have a lot to work on for 2009.
2009 Gains: Colin Best (Raiders), Rhys Wesser (Panthers)
2009 Losses: Ben Rodgers (midseason, Dragons), Manase Manuokafoa (Cowboys), Dean Widders (Castleford), Jeremy Smith (Salford)

North Queensland Cowboys (15th): A horror of a year for the Cowboys. Graham Murray was sacked as coach, he walked away midseason, and still they couldn't win a game - this is one season they'll want to forget in a hurry. But, it wasn't all about the coach - the players were the real culprits. They played poorly all year, and never looked like the Cowboys of recent times.
2009 Gains: Willie Tonga (Bulldogs), Manase Manuokafoa (Rabbitohs), Luke Harlen (midseason, Tigers), Clint Amos (Titans), Antonio Kaufusi (Storm)
2009 Losses: David Faiumu (midseason, Huddersfield), Jacob Lillyman (Warriors), Ray Cashmere (Salford Reds), Sione Faumuina (Castleford), Mark Henry (Salford Reds), Justin Smith (Retired)

Canterbury Bulldogs (16th): Another side that will want to forget all about 2008. Their poor performances have been overshadowed by the Sonny Bill Williams saga, but it's no excuse for the way they've been playing - they thoroughly deserve the wooden spoon for 2008. 2009 looks a lot brighter, as they've recruited a lot of talent. And, of course - it can only get better from here.
2009 Gains: Michael Ennis (Broncos), Ben Hanannt (Broncos), Brett Kimorley (Sharks), Josh Morris (Dragons), Michael Hodgson (Titans), Joe Williams (midseason, Panthers)
2009 Losses: Willie Tonga (Cowboys), Sonny Bill Williams (Toulon), Corey Hughs (Sharks), Cameron Phelps (midseason, Wigan), Nick Youngquest (midseason, French Rugby), Justin Tsoulos (midseason, retired), Arana Taumata (Storm)

Stay tuned - we'll review the other sides as they drop out of the Top 8.

The Melbourne Storm have once again claimed the NRL minor premiership, with a 42-4 thrashing of the Rabbitohs last night.

After last week's loss to the Knights, the Storm looked to have blown their chances at the minor premiership, giving the Sea Eagles a shot at the $100k bonus prize.

Their chances weren't helped by the Sea Eagles win over the Panthers on Saturday night, which meant the Storm had to win by a margin of 26 points to claim first place.

Fortunately for them, the woeful Bunnies put up no challenge - and the Storm were easily able to surpass the 26 point mark.

They will now head into round one of the playoffs against the Warriors, who beat the Eels to secure the final spot in the playoffs - who ended the Knights 2008 season by doing so.

The Warriors will need to play the game of their lives if they want to beat the Storm, but if there's one side in the playoffs that can cause a few upsets, it's definitely the Warriors. In saying that, though - they could very well find themselves on the wrong side of a fired up Storm unit.

But, that's the beauty of the Warriors - you never quite know what you're gonna get.

The Sea Eagles will be disappointed not to win the minor premiership, but at this stage of the year all that really matters is that you're in the Top 8. They'll take on the St. George/Illawara Dragons in a battle between 2nd and 7th.

What a comeback it's been for the Dragons, who were really struggling at the beginning of the year. And, whilst their chances of beating the Sea Eagles are pretty slim - stranger things have happened.

The Sharks finished the year in 3rd place, which gives them a home game against the Canberra Raiders - the surprise team in this year's competition.

The Raiders are playing fantastic footy, and pose a real threat to the other seven sides. They'll need to work on their defence, which has been lacking at times this year, but there is a real chance of an upset in this game.

The Roosters have finally returned to the NRL playoffs after a few years in the wilderness, but their form of late has been average at best - and it doesn't help that they face the Broncos, who will be looking to finish the year with one last Grand Final win under the guidance of Wayne Bennett.

With the lowest placed losers dropping out from the first round of action, it's hard to see the Warriors and Dragons progressing to the second round. Both teams will have to be at their best to knock off the Storm and Sea Eagles, but the fact that they're there means they have a chance - and that's all that matters at this stage.

We've waited 26 rounds, sports fans, and now the real excitement begins. September footy is here!

In this week's Top 5, we're looking at the five greatest sporting rivalries.

It doesn't matter what sport you watch - there are always a couple of teams or countries that clash, and want nothing more than to beat their arch rival. It's these clashes that produce the greatest games to watch.

In this Top 5, we've gone with team/country rivalries rather than individual rivalries - which will be a whole different Top 5.

So, here we go:

This fierce rivalry dates back to the 1960s, when the Boston Celtics dominated the NBA, defeating the Lakers six times in eight years to claim the NBA Championship. The rivalry came to represent the working class Celtics, up against the Hollywood-lifestyle Lakers.
The rivalry really began to heat up in the 1980's when both sides were on top of the NBA pile, and the two sides renewed there battle for supremacy.
What made the rivalry during the '80s even greater was the individual player rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson - it helped to re-popularise the NBA, which, due to poor crowd numbers, was struggling financially at the time.
The rivalry between the two disappeared during the 1990s, when basketball was dominated by the Chicago Bulls, and one Michael Jordan. But in 2008, the world was reintroduced to the greatest rivalry in basketball history. The Celtics and Lakers met in the final for the first time in 21 years, with the Celtics clinching the series in Game six.

Could it be the rebirth of the famous rivalry? Only time will tell.


The Ashes is one of the greatest rivalries in all of cricket. Since 1882, Australia and England have battled it out for the famous 'Urn'.
The two sides have met in 64 Ashes series, usually consisting of five Test matches, with Australia winning 31 and England 28 (five series have been drawn).
Australia have dominated the Ashes over the past twenty years, with England's best result coming in 2005 when they defeated the heavily favoured Aussies - only to lose the following series 5-0.
As far as rivalries go, the Ashes series is amongst the best, and some of the greatest moments in cricket history have come from this great competition.





This rivalry is one of the oldest in sports history, and is considered one of the greatest in American sports.
The origins of this rivalry go back to 1920, when a young Babe Ruth was sold by Harry Frazee to the New York Yankees. This sparked the beginning of the Yankees rise in baseball, the downfall of the Red Sox, and the famous 'Curse of the Bambino'.
It would be 86 years before the Red Sox would win another World Series, while the Yankees would go on to win 26.
In 2004, the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, before going on to win the World Series. The rivalry between these two famous teams has since flared up again, with the Red Sox returning to the winning ways, and once again becoming a dominant force in baseball today.



State vs State, mate vs mate - it doesn't get any better than that, as the country boys from Queensland take on the city slickers from New South Wales.
The intense rivalry between these two States produces the greatest, most anticipated rugby league games of the year.
Once the players pull on their respective jerseys, it's war. It doesn't matter if your club team mate plays for the other team - during the State of Origin series, he's your enemy.
You only have to look at some of the fights to know that the players will do anything to beat the other State.
Queensland has the edge over New South Wales, winning 17 of the 29 series, and has dominated the past three years. But, such is the intense rivalry between the two States, that there is never an easy win for either side. These games are truly some of the most brutal in all sports - how could you not love it?





Rugby, cricket, league, netball - anything between these two countries. When it comes to sports, it's simple - we don't like them, and they don't like us.
When it comes to rugby, it doesn't matter how badly Australia have been playing - they always save their best when it's time to face the All Blacks. The same, too, can be said for the Black Caps.
Ok, so in league we struggle to beat the Aussies - but watch out when we do, because nothing annoys the Kangaroos more than losing to the Kiwis.
There's no greater victory for a New Zealander than one over the the Aussies, and vice versa.

And, no greater rivalry in sport.

This was the result we were all expecting - an absolute try-fest. The All Blacks ran in fourteen trys, and were awarded a penalty try, on their way to a 101-14 point thrashing of Samoa.

So what can the All Blacks take from a match like this?

Well, if we're honest - not a whole lot.

All this Test was good for was a chance for the All Blacks to stretch their legs, ahead of next weekend's clash with the Wallabies. Still - it was important for them play well, which they did for most of the game.

The Samoans played with a lot of passion, and were awarded with two really well earned trys. They lacked discipline, though, and they were constantly penalised around the ruck for playing the ball with their hands.

Their defence was pretty ordinary out wide, too, which the All Blacks were able to exploit on many occasions.

Overall - they gave it a good shot, and for many of their young players the experience of playing the All Blacks will benefit their personal game in the years to come.

Their standout player was Uale Mai, who scored their opening try and played a big part in setting up their second. He looks to have a solid defensive game as well, leading the way with some massive hits.

The All Blacks were strong right across the field, but Jerome Kaino and Conrad Smith were outstanding.

Isaia Toeava had a strong second half, and showed some of those skills we all know he possesses.

These kinds of Tests are extremely important for world rugby (especially for developing nations like Samoa), and we hope the All Blacks can start playing a lot more of them - not for their own benefit, but for the good of rugby worldwide.

All Blacks 101
(trys - Muliaina (3), Smith (2), Kahui (2), Thomson, Cowan, Donald, Williams, Kaino, Toeava, Weepu, penalty try; conversions - Carter (5), Donald (6))

Samoa 14
(trys - Mai, Faosiliva; conversions - Mai, Warren)

Next weekend the All Blacks will face off against the Wallabies in Brisbane, in the final game of the 2008 Tri Nations campaign.

The game couldn't have more riding it - with the All Blacks sitting only one point ahead on the competition ladder, the winner will be crowned Tri Nations champions.

The Wallabies also need to win to keep their Bledisloe Cup dreams alive - the All Blacks only need to win one of the remaining two Bledisloe games to hold onto the Cup for another year.

It is easily the biggest game of the year for both these two sides.

Australia will also be wanting to put their humiliating 53-8 loss to the Springboks behind them, and a win over the All Blacks would certainly do just that.

But the All Blacks have been very impressive in their last two outings, and have yet another successful Tri Nations campaign in their sights.

Of the three sides, the All Blacks have been the best - and although they have lost two games, they have certainly set the benchmark once again. The way they bounced back from their loss to the Wallabies was near perfect, and then to keep South Africa scoreless - in South Africa - further shows the class of the All Blacks.

And, with 20 minutes to go in the game against Samoa, the All Blacks have already put on 80 points - the most ever scored against Samoa. We'll say it again -

Class.

The Wallabies have had their moments, with their win over the All Blacks the highlight of their campaign. Their two wins against the Springboks were good, without being anything special, and to be fair the way the Boks played in those games - well, anyone could have beaten them.

The problem for the Wallabies has been their consistency. Their wins have been followed up by some heavy defeats, and for a team that has guys like Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau and George Smith, they shouldn't be beaten by such large margins.

However, they can still win the Tri Nations with a win in Brisbane, so they must be doing something right.

South Africa have been very disappointing, to say the least. They started off well, going down in a close game to the All Blacks, before beating them at Carisbrook. But other than their last game (the 53-8 win over the Wallabies), they've been terrible.

Their loss in Perth was poor. It seemed like they didn't even want to play - or they were already thinking about going home. Whatever the reason was, their effort was not good enough for 'World Champions'.

And it only got worse - two losses on home soil is almost unacceptable.

Fortunately for them, they bounced back to demolish the Wallabies. But it was too little, too late.

It's amazing to think that not so long ago they were lifting the Webb Ellis trophy...

It's been an interesting Tri Nations, that's for sure. And, it's only fitting that the two best teams in the competition will battle it out for the title next weekend.

With the Air New Zealand Cup at the halfway point, we thought we'd take a look at some of the up-and-coming stars of New Zealand rugby.

There are a lot of young players out there who have burst onto the scene, and will no doubt wear the black jersey sometime in the future.

First up, Victor Vito (Wellington):

Victor Vito is a star on the rise. Vito stands at 1.92m, and weighs in at 109kg, making him one of the biggest guys on the field. Not only is the guy big, but he's fast, too - making him one of the most devastating runners in New Zealand rugby today.

Vito has represented New Zealand at age grade level, including the NZ Secondary Schools (2004), NZ U19 (2006), NZ U21 (2007), and has been a member of Gordan Tietjens' sevens squad for the past two years, where he will have benefited from Tietjens' tutelage.

It's really no wonder he's already being compared to the great Jonah Lomu.

At only 21 years of age, Vito is destined for big things with New Zealand rugby - and we honestly believe that he'll be an All Black as early as next year.

Already this year Vito is carving up the opposition in the Air New Zealand Cup with what looks like ease. His skills with the ball in hand are incredible, and have effectively kept the opposition in two minds. He can either run through the defensive line, or offload the ball in the tackle.

Not only is he like Jonah, but he has a Sonny Bill Williams feel about him, too - the way he runs (holding the ball in one hand) is very much like Sonny.

The biggest test for him will be playing in next year's Super 14, but there's no reason why he won't destroy the Australian and South African sides.

Seriously, sports fans - keep your eyes on Victor Vito, because this guy is going to be one of the greats.

The All Blacks are set to take on Samoa on Wednesday night in a one off Test in New Plymouth, and while the Samoan side may not be as strong as it could possibly be (don't get us started), it's a good chance for the All Blacks to stretch their legs ahead of next weeks clash against Australia.

They should have no problem putting plenty of points on the board. The main concern will be that they all get through the game unscathed - Samoa, after all, are known for their ferocious tackling.

This Test is all about the All Blacks maintaining their form, which is vital seeing that they haven't played a Test in three weeks - although some of the boys have been playing in the Air New Zealand Cup.

Samoa, on the other hand, don't have a whole to lot play for in this Test - other than a bit of pride, of course, and the chance for some of the Island boys to say they played against the best rugby team in the world.

We don't doubt for a second that they'll bring a lot of passion to the game, but it's highly likely that the scoreline could resemble a cricket score more than a rugby one.

Graham Henry has gone with a full strength side, which doesn't bode well for Samoa. The only players sitting this Test out are Richie McCaw, Sitivini Sivivatu and Brad Thorn, all due to niggling injuries.

Rodney So'oialo will captain the side in his 50th Test.

Here's how the All Blacks line up:

Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Anthony Tuitavake, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo (c), Adam Thomson, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Kevin Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Sione Luaki, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava, Rudi Wulf.

Warriors fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as our Top Eight dreams are still alive - although just barely.

The 42-20 win over the Panthers moves us into ninth place, but with only one round to go we'll need a few things to go our way next week - including a win over the Eels. The Warriors, now, will be counting the cost of their two losses to the Rabbitohs, and last week's poor performance against the Dragons.

The Knight's upset win over the Storm certainly didn't help our cause, and we'd be sitting in eighth place if the Storm had won. Never mind - we'll just have to make it the hard way.

For the Warriors to make the Eight, we really need the Bulldogs to beat the Raiders (which is a long shot), and the Broncos have to beat the Knights in Newcastle. If the Knights win, it's all over for 2008.

C'mon Broncos, do us a favour...

The Warriors will travel to Parramatta for their last game, and with our away record this year, we're clearly not going into the game as favourites.

We may also have to pay without Wade McKinnon, who could face a suspension after mouthing off at the ref. Wade has always been outspoken, but he may pay the price this time - the NRL don't look kindly on players who show dissent towards the officials.

If he is unavailable, Lance Hohia will slot back into fullback, which isn't the worst thing that could happen.

This weekend will be an exhilarating weekend of rugby league action, with so much riding on the performances of others.

One thing's for sure - it's going to be tense.

After five rounds of the Air New Zealand Cup, we're starting to see who the true contenders for the title are - and it may surprise a few people to see Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay sitting in third and fourth place, half way through the competition.

What's even more surprising is that Auckland is sitting in eleventh, which is pretty poor for the competition heavyweights.

Waikato, too, have been poor, with only one win and a draw. But they have managed to keep themselves in the hunt with plenty of bonus points, and currently sit in eighth position.

With only five rounds to go, sides like Otago, Waikato, North Harbour and Southland are going to have to step it up if they want to make the top four.

Here's how round five went:

On Thursday night, Southland proved too strong for the struggling Counties-Manukau, winning comfortably 31-8. The Stags get a shot at the Ranfurly Shield this weekend, and with the way Auckland is playing they have a good shot at lifting the Shield, for the first time since 1959.

Taranaki defeated Northland 39-21 in a high scoring affair. Northland don't have a lot to play for anymore, but their players will be looking to impress, as they look for new teams. Fetu Vainakolo scored a fantastic try late in the game, and should have no trouble securing a contract with another province next year.

Hawkes Bay scored the upset of the round, beating Otago at Carisbrook on Friday night. The 19-10 win moved them into the top four, and they stand a real chance of making the semi finals for a second straight year. Otago should have had this one, especially at home, and the loss won't help their top four aspirations.

Saturday saw the top of the table clash between Wellington and Bay of Plenty, but Wellington made easy work of the Bay, running away with a 48-12 point win. Hosea Gear and Victor Vito were outstanding, and both are a great chance of making the All Black's end of year tour - at least, we think so.

North Harbour kept their chances alive with a 20-17 win over Manawatu, although they did it pretty tough, not sealing the win until the dying stages of the game.

Waikato picked up their first win with an impressive 34-13 win over Auckland. Stephen Donald led from the front, while Sione Luaki had a very strong game (yes, we were just as surprised as you were). If only he could play that well for the All Blacks...

Canterbury rounded out the weekend with a comfortable 44-15 win over Tasman, which moves them into second place overall.

Wellington and Canterbury are definitely the teams to beat right now, with our prediction of Wellington coming first looking pretty solid right. But there's still five rounds to go, and there are still a few teams in the hunt for the top four.

It going to make for a great finish, sports fans.