PUNTING SPECTATOR: Back on the park

I know that the NRL picks got beat last week, I can cope with that. I know that Collingwood won and Geelong flogged the Crows last week, I can almost cope with that.

But I cannot believe the Mardis Uusorg got beaten in the World Wife Carrying championships. Not just beaten – he didn't even run a place. I can honestly say that this is the greatest sporting upset of the year. Is the earth still on its axis? She may as well have carried him instead.

So it is back to common sense this week.

I have taken an active interest in Big Brother this week. The bride reckons it had something to do with Pamela Anderson being in the house, but that is rubbish – even if I did record every episode. There was nothing else to bet on at the time, so I was simply doing the form for this Sunday's eviction. I think it will be all over for Cherry on Sunday night, the bloke has got tickets on himself and public must have seen that this week. There is a touch of $1.80 around for him to get the lemon and sars and I will be helping myself to some of that. And whilst we're on Big Brother, the granny Terri is a good thing to win the final.

Thank God we're back to a full round of AFL this week. Here are the prices, this week from Betstar. As always, prices are subject to change.

It's not often that you want to follow up on a team that got beaten by 14 goals but I'm going to have something on Adelaide with the 17 point start against the Pies. Their defeat was more a measure of just how good the Cats are. Adelaide tried hard and a similar effort against Collingwood gives them a chance, especially at the line.

The final game of the round on Sunday afternoon is interesting. The West Coast Eagles' season is over. Just how low on the ladder they finish – and therefore how high their first round draft picks will be – is the only thing of interest left in their season. For that reason, and that reason alone, I'm going to back Richmond.

Onto the NRL. Here are the prices.



The North Queensland Cowboys have been one of the major disappointments of season 2008, but I think they are good value on Saturday night against the New Zealand Warriors. The Kiwi side have plenty of convictions themselves, and I can't see why they are long odds on. The Cowboys thrashed them 48-20 earlier in the season, and have an overall 8-4 winning record against the Warriors. Jonathon Thurston will be back at the helm for the Cowboys, and I will be having a decent crack at the 10 ½ points start.

Manly defeated an undermanned Titans side by 20 points last week, but don't get carried away with the margin – there was nothing in the game with 10 minutes to play. This week Manly head over the bridge to take on Cronulla, and that is a ground that they have a great deal of trouble winning at. Apart from having the wood on Manly when playing at home, the Sharks did beat them 16-10 back in March, and with another low scoring encounter on the cards here, I am going to be having something on the Sharks at around the $2.20 to beat the Sea Eagles.

Good luck and just remember, be careful out there.