We got a huge special mid-week sports news this week Australia wrap for you from the feature Netball game on-site to more Monday Night Football across the Atlantic like the Premier League (England) and NFL (United States of America).
As always, Sports Benches is the place to be with everything weekly recaps from the weekend including occasional mid-week ones like this post and also GH too.
Sports News headline from on-site with Netball: Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Game 2 of the Constellation Cup
It was another Dominant Diamonds night last night by the green and gold girls once again & for the Ferns, same old drab unfortunately at Qudos Bank Arena.
Love the Aussies fast start even though their 2nd quarter highlights were sometimes on the back foot.
Better still, they were proactive with the setup and changes they wanted to go in the 2nd half — and that is an A+ performance by far with the final score: 68-51.
Aussie Diamonds
That whole line-up they got there, Diamonds were on point all the way from the back to all the way towards the circle without making much unforced errors, turnovers and ill-discipline.
They were bang, bang, bang right on the money where credit to coach Stacey Marinkovich, who does not put too much pressure on her players, as long as the Diamonds were organised in all cylinders.
Now they’re one step closer at the eye of that Constellation Cup prize. They haven’t won away from home in NZ soil for quite a while but if the Aussies can go one better this Sunday, then yeah, they deserve that series win 100%.
Giants figure & Melbourne Mavs bound Jamie Lee Price looked so comfortable in wing defense from picking up lost balls to explosive drive in transition.
Having JLP off in the 2nd x 15 min stage was a mistake when the Ferns were able to wrestle back by a few goals short in the lead-up to half-time. So putting her back on for Amy Parmenter (team-mates at club level now once again!) sets up the Aussies real confidence between almost losing and a certain win.
Then Tilly Garrett does not disappoint when Sunday Aryang needed a rest and delivered what the Ferns couldn’t do at Goal Defense. That Ferns opposing attack, when you bring in the other middies in particular, were out of their depth and yet Tilly was there to collect those balls away and into her own team — no wonder she’s a 2 x Super Netball champion with the T-Birds.
Silver Ferns
As someone who follows the Silver Ferns regularly, their starting 7 line-up from Game 1 that repeated into Game 2 was a non-starter first of all. Sports News.
It would be a good idea if we had Peta Toeava or even Kimiora Poi at Wing Attack instead of Mila Reuelu-Buchanan. Nothing against MRB but these two would’ve made a better difference from centre-pass and yet Ferns haven’t led something significant so far in this year’s contest.
Also a bit of a surprise reinstating Parris Mason but would leave rather out Amelia Walmsley (Goal Attack) plus Carys Stythe still hasn’t had a chance yet although Catherine Hall isn’t doing too bad off the bench. Sports News.
Yes, the changes they made in the 2nd quarter looked miles better in the thick of it at one stage. But then Ferns put the foot off the gas afterwards & never recovered following the half-time break.
Save the excuses but their mid-court players weren’t communicating well with their own shooters at times or they simply struggle to get around that Diamonds back three other than the odd long bombs. Their issues also spread further at the back where they didn’t add pressure or left gaps too open to turn these star-studded Aussie shooters away.
Either way, it’s not the Silver Ferns we see at best.
Best Ferns player for this one goes to Georgia Heffernan who brings that big game approach off the bench and the Ferns actually began to answer back goals in thanks to her at Goal Attack. Sports News.
I can see history repeating itself when her twin Kate did extremely well last year against the Diamonds and she’s over at Wing Defense sometimes Centre.
Now Georgia had a great run of games earlier this year with the Southern Steel particularly when it comes to those two-point super shots that got the best out of her something we don’t see right now at International level.
Since Kate is off to the T-Birds in Adelaide next year to join Tilly, Georgia would be the only one without her twin at the Steel.
At the same time, she just wants to continue to be the best GAs in the ANZ Premiership.
I would’ve thought Filda Vui or even Amelia Walmsley would get that chance but to me, Georgia earned that reward over risk.
Not only she does not mind getting the job done from afar within the circle, she’s also a team player so she can beat her defenders. That way, Georgia and her shooting partner Grace Nweke can share that goal scoring workload together but then it’s a pity that the rest that’s going on outside the Ferns circle weren’t able to give that 100% intensity & got hammered in the process.
Sports News: Premier League starting with West Ham v Brentford
Another painful day elsewhere for the Hammers against another London-based side this time Brentford who played their strengths right across two halves by 2-0.
For Brentford, they were live and kicking where that Brazilian striker Igor Thiago was smashing it left, right and centre. Sports News.
Could’ve been 2-3 goals if things have gone his way since Igor found his mojo in England but it was still a huge attacking threat though. Credit to Kevin Schade for his creative chances on the left wing and so does CM Mathias Jansen off the bench following his powerful late strike that was more than just a win.
Don’t need to know what went wrong for West Ham other than the fact that there’s way too much division between the fans and the owners/board, that’s all.
Not saying GSB In or GSB Out but surely they have a lot to teething out and the Hammers are still sitting 19th out of 20th following Matchday 8 of 36.
No more Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham after just 40 days
Don’t forget West Ham isn’t alone when Nottingham Forest also got their own issues and yet they have just been on the search for another new manager.
This goes from falling out with Nuno Espírito Santo (ironically he’s now at West Ham so fast) over the summer to Ange Postecoglou leaving empty handed over his short eight games in charge through last Saturday’s brutal 3-0 defeat v Chelsea. Sports News.
Maybe try getting a La Liga or Bundesliga job then? Since the PL standard is far more cutthroat these days.
His replacement? “Stone Cold” Sean Dyche who lives not very far from the club alongside his two lieutenants Ian Woan and Steve Stone – both Forest legends. Sports News.
Very difficult task ahead for someone who also brings defensive football.
But sure he will take it with Forest still in the early opening rounds of the Europa League & also still time to get out of that bottom three. His first game will be tomorrow morning in the 3rd lot of Europa League early round games against Porto. Sports News.
NFL: Monday Night Football, Houston Texans at Seattle
It was a close and scrappy contest to describe this Houston Texans v Seattle Seahawks match-up following the final game in Week 7 of 18 at Lumen Field.
Seattle fired off really well where they were surfing fast while Houston fought back trying to save the day off wildfires from field goals into a few recovered and safe thrown + caught six-pointer scores.
In the end, Seattle’s clear offensive tactics landed a good target of yards along with some top landing spots led by QB Sam Darnold.
The final score was 27-19 as maybe Sam should try out PGA Tour (Golf) soon? Sports News.
Seattle Seahawks
Because his service provided the best out of Jaxon Smith-Njigba (wide receiver) and Zach Charbonnet (running back) — both of whom worked well as a core unit.
Love how JSN slam dunked the sticks following his own TRY there, would love to see him do that if we give him the basketball to perfect these into the hoop.
And Charbonnet, he finishes and finishes without a fuss. Look at his physicality, it’s not just that explosive pace; he can also beat a bunch of defenders too.
Normally one whole team through a pack of forwards than the backline would beat the other in a scrum or rolling maul (off line-outs) in Rugby.
But when it comes to Zach, he’s just so powerful to find the in-goal line whether if it’s off tackle busts or “pick and go” that no one couldn’t do down low.
Can’t get enough of Seahawks talent both defnese and attack.
Houston Texans
For the Texans, they weren’t bad when you’ve got placekicker Ka’imi Fairbairn with some boosts of confidence following back-to-back opening field goals, particularly in defense as a well-drilled machine by Will Anderson Jr. with those intercepts and turnovers.
As said, they do have the ability to deliver tries having frustrated and squeezed out Seattle with a good number of opportunities at times. It’s a shame they’ve let themselves slip away when trying to convert these more into points and going with the all eggs in one basket approach was simply a hit and miss. Sports News.
Same as if you’re playing poker, it’s either a huge windfall or a devastating loss as long as you know you are confident — and that gamble backfired worth nothing.
Don’t like how the Texans own QB C.J Stroud took his own time to try and find the perfect moment only to be taken down as not sure if that’s a great idea to win games like this. Yes, Darnold had the same feeling 1-2 times when this match-up was indeed scrappy by both sides. Sports News.
But then Texans should’ve pulled the trigger & find that landing spot right from the word go. Instead they set themselves up for fail according to Dan Orlovsky on the secondary ESPN MNF broadcast. Sports News.
Well, there’s nothing Houston can do now that Seattle took away that game-winning spotlight and not moments that only scored touchdowns from behind.
