2012 Speedway Grand Prix Preview

After veteran Greg Hancock’s stunning World Championship last year, the 2012 Grand Prix campaign is set to be an intriguing spectacle. The younger generation are sure to be battling to end the dominance that the likes of Tomasz Gollob, Greg Hancock and Jason Crump have held on the World stage for so long. Riders such as Emil Sayfutdinov, Jaroslaw Hampel and Andreas Jonsson could well be challenging for the title, but the old guard will certainly not give up their medal places without a fight. In just over 50 days’ time, the series gets underway in Auckland, New Zealand as the Grand Prix heads to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. After tackling the fast Western Springs track, these 15 riders will battle it out over a further 11 rounds, climaxing on the 6^th October in Torun, Poland where the 2012 Speedway World Champion will be crowned. Here is my guide to the 15 men who will be battling it out for that elusive crown.

#15 Hans Andersen

After a 2 year absence from the GP series, Dane Hans Andersen returns as a wildcard after a series of riders declined invites to the series to allow them to ride in the big-money Polish Ekstraliga. After finishing in the top 6 for three seasons running between 2006 and 2008, Hans Andersen fell out of the Grand Prix’s after enduring a disappointing few years of form. However, Hans looked slightly improved in 2011, and now he has a second chance Hans will be keen to prove he is still able to compete with the best riders the world has to offer. However, although he may have a couple of good GP’s, in general Hans is likely to struggle to reach semi-finals, and as a result I fail to see him offering any real top 8 challenge that would secure him a place in next year’s series.

PREDICTED FINISH: 12th

                                 #14 Peter Ljung

Much like Hans Andersen, Swede Peter Ljung takes up a place in the series due to the many riders who turned down offers to race in the Grand Prix’s. I, like many, am shocked to see Ljung as a full-time GP rider, and believe he is set for a long and hard season. Ljung made it to the series based on a fifth place finish in the GP Challenge at his Swedish home track, a position which proved enough for qualification after three of the riders above him turned down their places in preference of Polish Ekstraliga racing. Nonetheless, I think Ljung simply lacks the ability to compete with the calibre of riders he will be up against in the Grand Prix’s, and any semi-final appearances will surely be seen as a success. Ljung will certainly find the going very tough indeed.

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 15th

#13 Bjarne Pedersen

After finishing as runner-up in the GP Challenge, 33 year old Bjarne Pedersen returns for his 7^th Grand Prix campaign after being absent from the series for 3 seasons. Despite spending six seasons in the Grand Prix previously, Pedersen has never really been convincing. Now, 3 years on I do not believe Bjarne Pedersen is be likely to do any better than he has previously. Against riders such as Gollob and Crump, Pedersen’s gate and go style is simply not enough to gain substantial points. As a consequence, Pedersen will struggle and although he should earn consistent points, he will not get enough semi-finals appearances to succeed.

PREDICTED FINISH: 14^th

#12 Antonio Lindback

Lindback returns to the Grand Prix series via the GP Challenge hoping to improve upon a decent 2011 campaign which saw him finish in 12^th place. As the season went on, Lindback looked more comfortable, and will be looking to be up to speed from the start this time. Also, we saw on many occasions Lindback winning his opening ride before struggling later on in meetings. If Lindback can correct this problem, then the Swede will be able to do well. However, the consistency for Lindback remains a problem that I don’t believe he will be able to conquer.

PREDICTED FINISH: 13^th

#11 Chris Harris

Bomber endured an extremely disappointing 2011 season and will be desperate to improve this time around after being granted a wildcard. One thing that can be guaranteed is that Harris will give 110% every time he takes to the track, and I predict his poor form won’t continue this year. However, against a very strong set of riders I just do not think Chris has the natural talent to break back into the top 8, although he will certainly not be far off. Bomber is likely to make a couple of finals, although he is equally likely to endure 1 or 2 nightmare meetings of less than 4 points. Harris’ inconsistency will cost him a top 8 finish in my opinion.

PREDICTED FINISH: 10^th

                                 #10 Nicki Pedersen

Nicki Pedersen really is one of the true characters of the speedway world, and for that reason alone it is no shock he was handed a wildcard for the 2012 Grand Prix’s. Aside from that though, Nicki is a superb rider, and after a season of frustration last time out he will be sure to be fighting to prove he can get back to his best. Unfortunately, at 34 Nicki is not getting any younger and I fear his best days are behind him. After many big falls as a result of his pushing the limits style, Pedersen may not be able to return to the form that has won him 3 World Championships. Although I expect at least one GP win and some slight improvement on last year, I think Nicki’s crashes may be catching up with him and he will just miss out on a top 8 finish yet again. 

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 9^th

#9 Fredrik Lindgren

Freddie Lindgren is perhaps lucky to be in the GP Series this year. After failing to finish in the top 8 in each of his 4 Grand Prix seasons, many felt Lindgren did not deserve another chance. However, Freddie’s natural talent has obviously been recognised by the BSI and he lines up again hoping to improve on his 2011 9^th place finish. I think this may well be the year where Lindgren finally wins his first Grand Prix, and from there I expect him to go from strength to strength. Although challenging for the medals is probably out of his reach, I predict great improvement from Lindgren, leading to him breaking into the world’s top 8 for the first time.

PREDICTED FINISH: 7^th

#8 Chris Holder

At just 24 years of age and already embarking on his 3^rd Grand Prix series, Aussie Chris Holder really is one of the rising stars of world speedway. After reaching the top 8 at just the second attempt in 2011, this is now a big year for Chris. Last year, Holder’s consistency really did stand out. Not once did Chris scores less than 6 points, and as he now improves Holder is more and more capable of big scores. If this consistency remains, it will be an excellent base to allow improvement on last season, should the Australian Champion make the 5 finals I predict he will.

                                         PREDICTED FINISH 6^th

#7 Kenneth Bjerre

In the last couple of years, Kenneth Bjerre has proved he can compete with the very best the world has to offer. However, with his gate and go style I do not feel this success will last. Sooner or later, Bjerre’s inability to win points from behind will cost him, and I think this may be the year it happens. I predict a very tough year for Bjerre that will see him slip out of the top 8. I can’t help but feel Bjerre is overachieving at the moment, and this will be the year Bjerre slips back to a position which I feel suits his ability.

PREDICTED FINISH: 11^th

#6 Emil Sayfutdinov

Since bursting onto the Grand Prix scene in 2009, young Russian Emil Sayfutdinov has certainly experienced an eventful couple of years. However, after an injury ravaged 2010 Sayfutdinov showed signs of a return to his 2009 form last year. Sayfutdinov was very consistent last year, and the only thing really lacking was a few big scores. Yet with his sublime natural talent, Emil should be able to hit some big scores. This year, Emil will really show us his capabilities, and I think after at least 2 GP wins the Russian will be challenging for the World title right into the last meeting in Torun on the 6^th October.

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 2^nd

#5 Tomasz Gollob

2010 World Champion and speedway great Tomasz Gollob had a disappointing 2011 by his high standards. Now, at the age of 40 I cannot see the legendary Pole returning to his title-challenging best. Age is certainly not on his side, and Gollob may well be fighting just to secure a top 8 finish this time around, in my opinion. I think Gollob will start the season well, but as the meetings tally up and his age catches up with him, Tomasz will slip back and fade more and more as the season goes on.

PREDICTED FINISH: 8^rd

#4 Jason Crump

Aussie Jason Crump was up there challenging for the title yet again last year as he has been for so long, and I expect this year to be no different. Nonetheless, with riders such as Sayfutdinov, Hampel and Jonsson now having one year more experience, I do not think Crump quite has what it takes to win a 4^th World Title. Although Crump will win a Grand Prix and make a few finals, I think he will fall just short of a medal position, but finishing in the top 8 and qualifying for 2013 will be no problem at all for Crump.

PREDICTED FINISH 4^th

#3 Jaroslaw Hampel

After returning to the Grand Prix stage in 2009, Pole Jarek Hampel has appeared a completely different rider than the one which looked off the pace back in the 2007 series. After proving he has the consistency to do well in the Grand Prix’s I believe this could be the year that Hampel really leaves his mark on the speedway world. With rivals Gollob, Crump and Hancock now a year older and Hampel a year more experienced, I think Hampel will just about take his first ever World Championship. It certainly will not be easy though, and riders like Sayfutdinov and Jonsson will push him hard, but in home country Poland in October, I think Hampel will be crowned World Champion by a very slim margin.

PREDICTED FINISH: 1^st

#2 Andreas Jonsson

Last year was a massive year for Swedish Champion Andreas Jonsson. After a disappointing 2010, Jonsson, started 2011 equally badly. However, by winning 3 of the final 6 Grand Prix’s AJ earned himself the Silver Medal and proved he really is one of the best riders in the world. Now, AJ needs to prove he can stay there, and I do not think the Swede will have any problems in doing so. Jonsson will be in the hunt for the title right until the end, and although I think he will just lose out, a second consecutive medal would certainly be a success for AJ.

PREDICTED FINISH: 3^rd

#1 Greg Hancock

After his incredible World title last season, American Greg Hancock will be desperate to do it again, but at 41 years of age surely this is where the backwards slide begins. Although Hancock will definitely be up there, I don’t think Hancock will be anywhere near as dominant as last year. Hancock will win at least on Grand Prix, and should break the 100 points mark for an incredible 11^th year running. A top 5 finish would surely be a major achievement for a 41 year old, and I think Herbie will definitely achieve that in 2012.

PREDICTED FINISH: 5^th

2012 Six Nations Preview

Next weekend sees the 2012 Six Nations campaign kick off with a fascinating set of matches. All 6 teams enter fresh from a winter break following a brutal and exciting 2011 World Cup that gave the different teams varying degrees of success. Now, with a fresh start in the New Year, how will these Northern Hemisphere sides fare when pitted against each other in what promises to be an intriguing few weeks of rugby. Here is a team by team guide of how I see the 2012 Six Nations panning out.

England

Following an extremely disappointing World Cup, England enter a new era in 2012. Martin Johnson has left his role as head coach, and former Saxons coach Stuart Lancaster has taken over on an interim basis as the man in charge for the Six Nations. England are certainly in a period of transition at the moment, with a number of new faces in the squad. Inexperience is sure to see England fall short of a repeat of last year’s Championship victory, however players such as Owen Farrell, Lee Dickson, Charlie Sharples and numerous others will be out to prove their quality on the international stage. The likes of Chris Ashton and Ben Foden are quality players, but without more experienced players alongside them, it will be interesting to see how they step up to lead the team. I expect England to be involved in some very tight games, but feel they lack the experience to mount a serious challenge for Six Nations glory. Scotland should be outclassed by England, and although a trip to Italy will be tough, England should have too much quality when the pair meet on the 11^th February. The other games will be tough though, and I can’t see England getting much more from this campaign.

Chris Ashton-England Dangerman

KEY PLAYER: Chris Ashton

ONE TO WATCH: Owen Farrell

PREDICTED FINISH: 4^th

France

Similarly to England, France also begin a new era when they kick off their Six Nations campaign in Paris against Italy on Saturday. Pierre Saint-Andre takes over from Marc Lievremont as Head Coach, and will be keen to show early on in his new job that he can get the best out of France’s talented players. France managed to reach the World Cup final in November, but like so many I am quite unsure as to how. France performed well below expectation in the tournament, and although they scraped the results they needed to advance to the final, they were far from convincing. Unlike England however, France have much of the old guard still in the side to take them into battle on Saturday. Players such as Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra and Clement Poitrenaud have one year more experience under their belts and, their flare with ball in hand is sure to be too much for many defenders. In the pack, Imanol Harinordoquy and Thierry Duasutoir are as good as they come. The ability that France have is in no doubt, but the main question is whether Saint-Andre will succeed where so many of his predecessors have failed and get the best out of the talent at his disposal. At home, France will be as formidable as ever, but the game against Wales at the daunting Millenium Stadium to close the Tournament on the 17^th of March will be tough, and could well be the game that deems the campaign either a success or a failure for Saint-Andre and France.

Imanol Harinoroquy-
Key to French Success

KEY PLAYER: Imanol Harinordoquy

ONE TO WATCH: Maxime Mermoz

PREDICTED FINISH: 2^nd

Ireland

Ireland looked excellent in the 2011 World Cup, shown by victory their over Australia that led them to the top of their group. Meeting in-form Wales at the Quarter-Finals was unlucky for Ireland, and although they fell just short the boys in green certainly proved they are one of the most well rounded teams in the world of rugby. However, Ireland are without inspirational captain Brian O’Driscoll in midfield for the entire campaign. This is a huge blow as expected, and leaves me wondering if they really have the star quality required to be champions. Players such as Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls are excellent backs; however I am unsure as to whether they have a flair player capable of changing a tight game with a moment of magic as O’Driscoll has done so many times. Their forward pack is one of the most dynamic in the world, whilst the formidable second-row pairing of Donncha O’Callaghan and Paul O’Connell gives Ireland by far the strongest line out in the tournament. The team seems to have no obvious flaws for the opposition to expose, and for this reason Ireland should be able to beat Italy, Scotland and England, although their trip to Twickenham will be tough. However, I am doubtful they have the little bit extra that would be required to beat France and Wales for that elusive tournament victory.

Paul O'Connell-Lineout Expert

KEY PLAYER: Paul O’Connell

ONE TO WATCH: Fergus McFadden

PREDICTED FINISH: 3^rd

Italy

This year sees Italy switch stadium to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome whilst their usual Stadio Flaminio home undergoes redevelopment. Despite the move, Italy are sure to be strong on home soil, and the visit of England on 11^th February is a chance for Azzurri to surprise a few and show everyone what they are capable of. Italy have a pack that is able to match most teams, with the front row of Martin Castrogiovanni, Andrea Lo Cicero and Leonardo Ghiraldini giving them a very strong scrum. Sergio Parisse is, in my opinion, the best number 8 in the world right now and his flair round the fringes will be key to Italy. However, defensive frailties will let Italy down badly, whilst their inability to perform well away from home will be a big issue with 3 away games this campaign. New coach Jacques Brunel will also struggle to live up to what former coach Nick Mallett achieved with very limited resources. Although they could spring a surprise, I expect Italy to be winless going into their final game at home to Scotland which should determine who ends with the wooden spoon.

Sergio Parisse-Stylish Number 8

KEY PLAYER: Sergio Parisse

ONE TO WATCH: Giovanbattista Venditti

PREDICTED FINISH: 6^th

Scotland

Although they went out at the first hurdle, Scotland will be greatly encouraged by their 2011 World Cup performances. Coming within 1 point of Argentina and 4 points of England was a major achievement considering Scotland possess a squad with much less talent and quality than those two opponents. Coach Andy Robinson continues to make steady improvements with his team and this Six Nations should be no different. After a period of being cast adrift from the rest of the Six Nations along with Italy, Scotland are finally clawing their way back to shore and beginning to compete again with the likes of Ireland and England. Scotland have a very tight defence that will be hard to beat. John Barclay and Kelly Brown are superb forwards, whilst Second-Row Richie Gray has been a revelation for the Scots. Despite some good backs such as Jo Ansbro, Scotland lack the flair to score serious points, and their excellent defence is often not quite able to compensate for the lack of points. I definitely believe Scotland will be very close against Ireland and England, and when they meet Italy in the final round of the tournament the Scots should be good enough to stop themselves finishing with the Wooden Spoon.

Richie Gray-Rising Star

KEY PLAYER: Richie Gray

ONE TO WATCH: Jo Ansbro

PREDICTED FINISH: 5^th

Wales

Of all the Northern Hemisphere teams Wales certainly performed the best in the World Cup. Despite a controversial red card to captain Sam Warburton, Wales only just lost to France in an enthralling semi-final. Now, the Welsh will be looking to perform at a similar level for another 5 games, and if they can do that they will surely secure a Championship victory. Many players emerged with a bang onto the world stage in 2011, and people like Toby Faletau, Rhys Preistland and George North will be desperate to show they can perform to the highest level on a consistent basis. However, an injury to Matthew Rees this week will be a blow, and missing Gethin Jenkins, Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris will mean a much weaker pack than the one that impressed so many at the World Cup. I think Wales will be too good for Scotland, Italy and England, but the opening game against Ireland on Saturday will be very tough, especially with Ireland looking for revenge for their World Cup defeat to Wales in November. The game with France at the Millenium Stadium will be crucial, and I suspect the winner of that game will have the Six Nations trophy to collect at the end of the game.

Sam Warburton-Welsh leader

KEY PLAYER: Sam Warburton

ONE TO WATCH: Alex Cuthbert

PREDICTED FINISH: 1st

It's all still to play for in the Premier League

We are just past the halfway stage in the Premier League season, and we look set for one of the most exciting run-ins in the history of the league, with everything wide open at this stage. Year after year, the Premier League lives up to its tag as the best league in the world, and this season has certainly been no different, but what will be the outcome of all the important positions come the final day on the 13^th May.

Starting from the bottom, and the relegation battle looks set for a climax that will go as close as possible to matching last year’s incredible “Survival Sunday” which condemned West Ham, Birmingham and Blackpool to the Championship.

                                                                                      

Despite a recent resurgence, I really cannot see Steve Kean and Blackburn pulling themselves out of danger, and with influential captain Christopher Samba today submitting a transfer request their future looks bleaker still. With all the unrest at the club, survival would be an incredible achievement, but with the playing squad available and manager currently in place I am afraid to say relegation looms.

Wigan are another team for whom time must surely be running out. After scraping survival in each of the last 5 top flight seasons, I really do think this is the year Wigan will finally drop back down to the Championship. With what I believe to be the weakest squad in the league, even a manager I highly rate in Roberto Martinez will finally fold to the thankless task of trying to keep Wigan in the league this season in my opinion.

So that leaves one final place that a group of teams are vying to avoid. Currently in the dreaded bottom three with Wigan are QPR.  QPR are currently a team in free fall. However, the recent appointment of Mark Hughes as manager will be looked back on as the crucial moment that determined the outcome of their season. Hughes is a manager I rate extremely highly and I believe he has what it takes to steer QPR clear of the relegation zone. Furthermore, QPR are sure to have money to spend in this January transfer window, and I feel Hughes is a manager who will spend wisely. For these reasons I think QPR will survive.

Emmanuel Frimpong-Could
hold the key to Wolves survival

Just hovering above the relegation zone as they have all season are Wolves. In their third year back in the English top flight they are yet again in a relegation battle. The capture of Emmanual Frimpong on loan from Arsenal is one that I believe will change their season in a way similar to the impact Jamie O’Hara had after coming in from Tottenham at the very same stage last season. O’Hara coming back from injury very soon will also have a huge impact. With Roger Johnson coming back to his best after a shaky start, I feel Wolves will also be able to secure a 4^th consecutive Premier League campaign, mainly fired to survival by striker Steven Fletcher.

Despite a strong start, I feel Norwich will be a team that will fall off dramatically to enter the relegation dogfight. Their defence certainly looks shaky to me and their attacking football will be hard to maintain successfully against top flight opposition. They have little strength in depth and as the season wears on they will be likely to struggle.

Gary Cahill-Looks set for Chelsea

Bolton Wanderers also look a team that are doomed at the moment, currently sat in 19^th position. Quite how they have got into such a predicament I am unsure, as Owen Coyle has always seemed a capable manager and their squad appears to contain too much quality to go down. The return of tricky winger Chung-Yong Lee will boost Bolton, but the imminent departure of England defender Gary Cahill will put a huge dent in their team.  For that reason I believe Bolton will be the final team to make up the bottom three and join Wigan and Blackburn in the Championship next season.

I feel the likes of Swansea and West Brom have just enough quality to stay clear of the endangered pack, whilst Martin O’Neill has the players at his disposal to easily steer Sunderland to a mid-table finish despite a below par start under Steve Bruce. The likes of Stoke, Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham are also set to fulfil their expected mid-table finishes, although if not careful the latter two of those teams could slip into a relegation battle.

Up to the business end of the league and the top 4 spots are set to be as fiercely contested as they have been in years. As I see it, there are 7 realistic contenders for the four coveted Champions League places.

The current top three of Tottenham, Man City and Man Utd are pretty much certain to fill the top three spaces, leaving one of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle to take 4^th spot.

After a shocking start, Arsenal have recovered well. However, their weekend loss to Swansea exposes their defensive frailties once again, and I just feel Arsenal will slip up on too many occasions to creep into the Champions League places.

Conversely, Newcastle endured a dream start to the campaign, going unbeaten for their first 10 games. After a slight stutter Newcastle have got back on track, shown by a convincing 3-0 victory over Manchester United last week. However, the loss of influential midfielder Check Tiote and in-form striker Demba Ba to the African Cup of Nations is likely to see Newcastle fall back and struggle to secure what would be a shock top 4 finish.

Liverpool are another team in the hunt for 4^th. After a summer of big spending to avoid another disappointing season, Liverpool have been solid but unspectacular. You do feel, however, that the team simply lack the amount of goals required to finish as highly as fourth, whilst the 8 match ban currently being served by skilful forward Luis Suarez for racist remarks is a massive blow to their aspirations.

Despite a horrendous run of form in recent weeks, Chelsea have chosen to stick with under-fire manager Andre Vilas-Boas. As their rebuilding continues, I feel the Londoners will just have enough to make the top four yet again. However, the team simply do not have the required ability to put up any sort of title challenge, and for that reason their season looks destined to be one that will be looked back on as disappointing.

Now to the title race, and up until the last few weeks it looked certain Man City would be taking home their first ever Premier League trophy. However, a recent falter has allowed rivals Man Utd to regain ground, and even opened the door for Tottenham to make this very much a three horse race.

Tottenham have one of the most dynamic and pacy teams in the world at the moment. Their wide men of Lennon and Bale are crucial, whilst playmakers Modric and Van der Vaart make them a supreme attacking force. However, defensively they are weaker than their title rivals, and I feel this will eventually cost Spurs and they will finish just short.

Man Utd-trying to defend their title

Man Utd have arguably their weakest team of the Fergie era. With Nemanja Vidic out for the season their defence is not as strong as it previously has been, whilst their lack of an influential playmaker in central midfield is a huge issue that needs addressing in January. However, any team that has the likes of Rooney, Nani and Young in it will be there or there abouts, and the red side of Manchester will certainly not give up their title without a fight.

Losing Yaya Toure will
be a huge blow to City

Man City, meanwhile, started off like a runaway train. With an abundance of attacking talent such as Aguero, Silva, Balotelli and Nasri, City have lit up the league with their free flowing football, whilst centre back Vincent Kompany has been sublime in maintaining  a tight defence. Yaya Toure has been another key man in gelling the side together from the heart of midfield, yet losing him to the African Cup of Nations along with brother Kolo is an irreplaceable loss that will be hard to overcome. However, the strength of depth City possess will, in my opinion, pull them through and I believe come May the blue side of Manchester will be lifting the title having stolen the trophy from their city rivals.

So, at the halfway stage of this enthralling Barclays Premier League season, it really is all to play for. I have told you what I believe will be the final outcomes of the important positions once the 13^th May arrives, but with every position so delicately poised, I am likely to be wrong. If there is one thing we have learnt in the many years watching the English top flight it is this: expect the unexpected!

Wolverhampton Wolverines - Embracing Aussie Rules Football in the UK

When it comes to sport, we are often hearing about sports like football, cricket and rugby. However, thousands of people in the UK play sports that get absolutely no coverage, such as Aussie Rules football. I am sure many of you will be unaware that around 3,600 people in the UK take part in the sport that is, Aussie Rules. These people are spread around 35 clubs currently operating in the UK, along with both Oxford and Cambridge Universities who contest the Varsity Match annually.

Yet the journey to reach this level of interest in the UK has not been an easy one for Aussie Rules. It started in 1989 when the sport’s first competitive league, the British Aussie Rules Football League (BARFL) formed. From there, the sport has grown to the level it is at today; with the 3,600 participants surely exceeding any expectations the founders of the league had 23 years ago.

Now, the BARFL has been disbanded  and two separate organisations formed , AFL Britain and AFL London which  are both formally affiliated to the AFL, the governing body of the sport in Australia. Now, AFL London has its own league of 8 teams, whilst AFL Britain governs 5 regional leagues in Central, Southern and Northern England as well as in Scotland and Wales. Following the split in 2008, a number of new clubs were formed to try and fulfil the aim of having an Aussie Rules side in every city with a Walkabout Australian-themed bar.

One of these clubs was the Wolverhampton Wolverines.  Ian Mitchell previously of the Birmingham Bears took on the role of bringing this exciting project to life and to bring the sport of Aussie Rules to Wolverhampton. Initially, the club struggled to attract players, but following a new promotional campaign led Ian Mitchell and with the help of committee members Ben Yeates and Christian James, the Wolverines got their feet off the ground and eventually started playing competitively in the AFL Britain Central Division from their Willenhall Rugby Club base.

Despite finishing bottom of Central division, the club endured a season which showed great improvement with a young and hungry squad in their first competitive campaign, and are now preparing for the start of pre-season training for 2012. After starting with nothing only 3 years ago, the club now boasts around 30 members ranging from the ages of 14 and 42, a testament to their hard work and dedication.

However, from researching Aussie Rules football in the UK and the Wolverhampton Wolverines for this article, it has become clear to me that this is more than just a great sport; it offers a great social life as well. Each club seems to be like its own big family, with everyone seemingly playing a big part in the clubs day to day activities. This is one of the advantages to these “smaller” and less known sports. Every member is more valued and the clubs seem to enjoy many more social events and get together more often than many clubs in the common sports such as football and rugby. The community feel of this sport makes it seem to me to be one that will continue with its meteoric rise and growth. Although it will certainly struggle to reach the heights of more popular sports like cricket and rugby, Aussie Rules has the potential to become a very big sport here in the UK and bring its community feel to thousands more people.

If you are interesting in joining the Wolverhampton Wolverines, contact details can be found on their website, http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/wolverhamptonwolverines/

NFL - Can a Scrambling Quarterback lead his team to Super Bowl glory?

Last night, Tebow Time finally ran out, as Tim Tebow and his Denver Broncos side crashed out of the NFL playoffs with a 45-10 loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. However, despite Brady putting an abrupt end to the Tebow fairy-tale, the former Florida Gators man and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner has provided Denver and the entire NFL with one of the greatest stories in decades.

Since stepping onto the Mile High turf to replace an underperforming Kyle Orton halfway through a game with the Denver Broncos, Tebow has done everything possible to prove the doubters wrong. With his supreme rushing skills, Tebow recovered the Broncos season from 1-4 to an 8-8 season that scraped them into the play-offs. That in itself sounds an incredible achievement, but when you learn that 5 of those 7 wins were 4^th quarter comebacks then the feat becomes even more staggering.

The thing that makes the Tim Tebow story even more interesting is the fact that this guy is not even a very good passer at all. His rushing is brilliant, but some of the passing he has displayed really wouldn't look out of place at a high school game. The reliance on rushing is shown by the record 22 rushes Tebow had against the Chargers in week 12.

After barely making the playoffs, the Broncos looked destined to have their season ended against the 2010/11 Super Bowl losers the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet again, Tebow came out and proved the doubters wrong, throwing a record number of average yards per completion in the playoffs as he led the Broncos to a 29-23 victory, secured by an 80 yard TD on the first play of overtime.

So, despite Tebow Time now being up, we have seen another rushing QB lead their team into the playoffs and close to a Super Bowl. Despite all he has done this season, Tebow is not really a particularly good rushing QB at all, and the fact that he has led the Broncos so far surely reopens the debate as to whether an out and out scrambling quarterback is able to win a Super Bowl.

Look at the last 10 years and all of the great quarterbacks sit in the pocket with little movement. Brady, Rodgers, Manning and Favre all have Super Bowl rings, yet the likes of Michael Vick do not. Why is it a scrambling, mobile QB is yet to earn that elusive Super Bowl title.

One reason could be that coming out of the pocket and taking hit after hit from big line-backers, these rushing QB’s are much more prone to injury. With stability so crucial to NFL teams, losing your QB for any period of time is likely to severely dent any playoff aspirations, making a scrambling QB winning a Super Bowl very unlikely.

Also, the risks of fumbles and interceptions that the likes of Vick take when leaving the pocket means post season victories are hard to come by. This makes advancing to the Super Bowl extremely difficult even if the regular season is overcome.

However, if there is one thing we can learn from the Tim Tebow story, it is that we are surely getting closer and closer to the first Super Bowl win for an out and out scrambling QB. With a strong defence and a good running back, the Broncos have proved that a pocket passer is not required to get far.

With the emergence of Cam Newton in the NFL this year, we have yet another scrambler who looks destined for the very top. After breaking all kinds of records this season, Newton has shown his superb talent, and if there is anyone to win a Super Bowl through scrambling from the pocket then Cam is the man.

I predict within 10 years’ time we will see Cam Newton as one of the greats of the NFL with a Super Bowl ring on his finger. It may be with the Carolina Panthers or it may be with someone else, but with a good defence to join him, Newton surely has the capabilities to prove to the world you do not need to be pocket passer to win the Super Bowl.

England Football Team - why all the doom and gloom?

Following yet another disappointing major tournament at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, England fans really seem to me to be full of doom and gloom. People seem to have now realised not to expect as much from their nation, with every European or World Cup Finals in the last 46 years resulting in failure. Despite a successful Euro 2012 Qualifying Campaign, England fans have been constantly talking of how their team really does lack quality, and they must accept that they are not the footballing giants they once were. It seems that in the eyes of most England fans, a long period of mediocrity  awaits this once great footballing nation. However, is this doom and gloom really appropriate?

In my opinion, it seems that England have their best set of young talent climbing through the ranks since the so-called "golden boys" of the Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard generation. Look at some of the men on the fringes of the current English team, and they are young, talented players still developing and improving. Staggeringly, this seems to me to be slipping under the radar in a way completely contrasting the hype that the "golden generation" of Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard never lived up to.

Look at some of this talent and the level they are now playing at despite their age; the negativity really is staggering. I agree that the current England team is not the standard the country has come to expect, yet I feel England must sacrifice a period of mediocrity for the next 4 years or so in order to give the experience to the generation of players that in 5 or 6 years really could be serious contenders for a major tournament. 

Just look at this for a possible England team for the 2018 World Cup and imagine the ability these players will have in 6 years time. In brackets are the ages these players will be in 6 years time.

                                               Joe Hart (30)

Kyle Walker (27)      Phil Jones (25)      Chris Smalling (28)     Leighton Baines (33)

Theo Walcott (28)    Jack Wilshere (26)   Jack Rodwell (26)    Adam Johnson  (30)

                          Daniel Sturridge (28)   Danny Welbeck (27)

Squad Members: Frank Fielding (29), Micah Richards (29), Gary Cahill (32), Martin Kelly (27), Tom Cleverley (28), Jordan Henderson (27), Josh McEachran (24), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (24), Victor Moses (27), Andy Carroll (29)

To me, that really is a squad oozing with talent. The only possible weakness could be Left-back, with a 33 year old Leighton Baines possibly being sub-standard, yet surely someone else will have emerged by that time.

The defensive unit really would be outstanding. Kyle Walker is one of the brightest talents currently emerging, with his superb pace and crossing leading me to believe experience will see him establish himself as one of the brightest stars in the World by 2018. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have already managed to break into the Man Utd team despite their age, and playing at the highest level will see them develop a real defensive partnership that any team would envy in my opinion. Micah Richards sitting on the bench in my team surely proves the strength England will have throughout.

The midfield possesses a wealth of talent. Jack Wilshere is already an incredible player who I believe will definitely be one of the top 5 players in the world once he reaches his prime. Theo Walcott really does possess the attributes of a top player, and by the time 2018 comes around his decision-making and crossing that currently let him down will surely have improved. Jack Rodwell has already shown his talents and his defensive support and break-up play would see him as a key figure of the England team of the future, whilst Adam Johnson is already showing what stunning technical skills he has in his armoury.

Up front, Daniel Sturridge really is a rising star for Chelsea, and like so many of this team has the ability and attributes to reach the very top. Danny Welbeck is also a very useful player with a great eye for goal. These two could work extremely well together and develop a superb partnership in the future.

This team would certainly be full of goals. Sturridge and Welbeck are both talented finishers, whilst a midfield containing Walcott and Johnson would never be short on goals. 

Substitutes such as Cleverley, Henderson, Carroll and McEachren really do sum up the great wealth of talent England currently have coming through. Additionally, it strikes me that most of this potential squad already find themselves breaking into top 6 Premier League teams. Playing at the highest level with players of the best ability will certainly allow these men to develop extremely well, and by the time of 2018 most will be hitting their peak of between 26 and 30 years of age. 

So, despite the fact England may seem to be currently underachieving, I am certain that this is just a transition period. Even though this may seem frustrating, I am very confident that with the great crop of players breaking into the England set-up as we speak, in 5 or 6 years time we will be talking about one of the greatest England sides we have watched in a great many years. So why all the doom and gloom? Look at this potential squad and you will realise it is not justified. The best is yet to come for England, mark my words!

Premier League - Best League, Best Referees?

In a week, one of the great festive periods of Premier League action, we have seen drama on an almost unimaginable scale. Bottom club Blackburn beating the giants of Manchester United, underachieving Sunderland downing top of the league Manchester City. It really does back up the view of many that the Premier League truly is the best league in the world. However, through all this drama and footballing brilliance, we have yet again seen the subject of refereeing at the forefront of sporting discussion. So the question is, it might be the best league, but does the Premier League have the best referees in the world?

Many believe that this season has seen a rapid decline in refereeing standards. We seem to be seeing mistake after mistake, week after week, and this busy festive period has been no different. 

One big source of controversy came at the Emirate Stadium on the 27th December as in-form Arsenal took on Wolves. With the score at 1-1 and 75 minutes on the clock, Wolves Serbian midfielder let the ball get slightly away from him. As the ball headed toward Arsenal man Mikel Arteta, Milijas slid to ground, one footed, and clipped the ball away from Arteta  before proceeding to slide into the Arsenal man rather innocuously, catching him on the foot.

Within seconds, the crowd, growingly frustrated at their team's inability to break down the Wolves defence, let out a cry to the referee at what they believed to be a poor challenge. In equally quick time, Arsenal players, especially captain Robin Van Persie, had run towards the referee, hounding him with their disapproval. Almost quicker still, young referee Stuart Attwell had reached into his back pocket and produced a red card to the bemusement of Milijas and his fellow Wolves team mates. 

As Wolves continued to pile men behind the ball, they held out for a great 1-1 draw away to the London giants, thanked hugely by a stunning display from Welsh Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. However, the talking point after the game was only one thing, the red card. Wolves manager Mick McCarthy instantly aired his disapproval of the decision, backing his man immediately and stating that Wolves would certainly be lodging an appeal against the card.

Fair enough, Wolves fans thought, Attwell had made a mistake, it happens, at least  we can appeal and get the card rescinded so Milijas will not have to serve the three game ban. They were wrong. A couple of days later, Wolves received news that their appeal had been unsuccessful, the FA stating that an expert panel had not deemed the red card decision not a serious enough error to be rescinded. 

This news came despite the fact pretty much every expert, pundit and former player asked had stated categorically that the tackle did not warrant a red card, with many stating the tackle was not even a foul. To most, especially Wolves fans, this decision was almost beyond belief. Many feel that the reputation of Attwell may have led to the decision not to rescind the red card. For those unaware, Attwell has a history of many poor decisions, lots of which have been overturned by the FA. Just a couple of weeks earlier, Attwell controversially sent off Bolton and England defender Gary Cahill in a match against Tottenham. Upon appeal, the FA rescinded the card, and subsequently placed Attwell to referee a League Two game, taking charge of Crewe Alexandra vs Crawley. Here, Attwell again fell under criticism for his performance. 

However, he soon found himself placed to referee a Premier League game once more, a decision that to me seems baffling, after by all accounts struggling to keep charge of a League Two game. Here, we saw this Milijas decision, and in the eyes of many the decision not to overturn the decision was made to protect Attwell from further criticism so soon after rescinding another of his regular errors.

Mick McCarthy later used his next press conference to use a TV monitor and footage of the Milijas red card to express his disbelief at the failed appeal, stating he had received a message of support from a fellow Premier League manager. 

On the same set of fixtures, another team found themselves on the receiving end of a poor decision, this time Wigan's Conor Sammon being sent off for an apparent elbow on Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick. Wigan went on to lose the game 5-0, but were at least comforted by the news a couple of days later that the red card had been rightly rescinded. This to me proves that the decision at the same time to not rescinding the Milijas red card was influenced by the referee in question, Stuart Attwell.

In both red cards in question, many fans believe the teams involved had an effect on the decisions made by the referee. Both clubs to be punished, Wolves and Wigan, are teams battling with relegation, both probably classed as "smaller" clubs in the league. They were also both playing away against two of the biggest clubs in the league, Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. For many people, including myself, they possess the opinion that had the incident been the other way round, with players of Arsenal or Manchester United committing the "offence", the red cards would not have been issued. For lots of fans, favourable decisions for the top few clubs is something they just have to live with.

A week later, and Wolves again found themselves at the centre of refereeing controversy against a big club. With the score at 0-0 at home to Chelsea, well-known Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard charged in to try and tackle Wolves winger Adam Hammill. As Hammill kicked the ball away, Lampard went in late and high, sending Hammill flying through the air in what looked to most a certain red card. I was at the game and I can safely say that even at game speed, with no replay, the tackle looked an obvious red card. However, to the disbelieve of almost everyone in the stadium, including an apologetic Frank Lampard, referee Peter Walton avoided only a yellow card. In the eyes of many fans, Walton bottled it, unwilling to make the bold call of sending off the England star. 

Seconds later, victim Hammill, lucky to avoid serious injury from the shin high impact, went in for a mistimed tackle on Ashley Cole. Despite being a tackle that was nothing but clumsy, and on the scale no where near that of the Lampard tackle, Hammill was issued with a yellow card, the same punishment. Surely this shows an example of favourable treatment to another top 6 club.

Perhaps more startling in this game was the escape Ashley Cole had. Following a late and clumsy tackle on Frimpong, Cole got away with only a warning, and surely everyone was shocked when after a chest-high kick on Kevin Doyle, he still escaped without even a booking. Many though he should have been off, yet Walton did not even give a booking.

To add insult to injury, deep into the game which two players would combine to grab a last gasp Chelsea winner. You guessed it, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard, the left back delivering a pinpoint cross for the midfielder who most believed should not have even been on the pitch.

One possible explanation offered by Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas as to why Lampard stayed on the pitch was that his past reputation saved him, with Peter Walton knowing Lampard was "not that sort of player". Now to me, that really is a shocking reason not to send someone off. Surely the punishment should fit the crime, regardless off past history.

On the subject of reputation and on to one of the apparent "bad-boys" of football, QPR captiain Joey Barton. At the same time that Lampard was escaping a red card, Barton was walking down the Loftus Road tunnel to an early bath after being accused of head butting Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson. Videos showed Barton squaring up to Johnson and moving face to face with him. However, the appeared barely any contact with the Norwich man, yet Johnson clutched his face as his team-mates alerted the referee. Again, video evidence has shown that neither the referee nor his assistant were watching when the off the ball incident occurred. Yet following the reactions of players and presumably Barton's reputation alone, Barton was sent off. Later, Barton also failed an appeal against his red card, and QPR now find themselves, similarly to Wolves, bemused at who really is compounding the errors these officials continue to make, whilst preparing for three crucial games without their captain.

I believe recent events really do prove that despite possessing what is probably the best, and most exciting league the world has to offer, here in England we really do not have the referees to match. Some are excellent, as you would expect. Seeing Howard Webb referee the World Cup final really was something for us to be proud of as a nation, whilst watching young, talented referees such as Michael Oliver rise through the ranks really is superb. However, with the likes of Attwell, Halsey and Walton still refereeing in the top level of football our game is destined to be filled with errors such as those I have mentioned.

For me, more worrying is the FA and their failure to overturn some errors for what appear to be political reasons. By compounding the mistakes their referees make, the FA is really doing damage to the Premier League product, adding a farcical nature to the league and really ruining things for the fans. I know from looking at fans forums that many Wolves fans, for example really are getting sick of the Premier League and everything that goes with it, mainly the poor refereeing and failure from the FA to correct the frequent errors made against them. The big club bias many believe to exist really does devalue the Premier League product for both die-hard fans and neutrals, proving that despite the entertainment factors that make the Premier League the best league in the world, the corresponding referees really do not match not elusive tag.