PETE’S PUNCHLINE

The National Sports

  • I’m still not convinced Manchester United are genuine title contenders. Last week’s 1-2 defeat by cellar dwellers Sheffield United was hugely disappointing. On the other hand, neighbours Manchester City are killing it! Pep Guardiola’s men recorded their 12th successive victory with a 1-0 win over Sheffield on Saturday while United and ninth-placed Arsenal settled for a goalless draw.
  • Marie Kaipu, you beauty! Eight more goals in the bag.
  • Would now be a good time to make a final decision on who will be the new executive director of the PNG Sports Foundation? I think so.
  • Just saw a replay of a Hunters match from 2017 against the Ipswich Jets and two things stood out for me. No.1: Ase Boas is surely one of the greatest halves this country has produced. He showed sublime talent and assured leadership. No.2: Now I know why brothers Shane and Ben Walker never got an NRL coaching gig. The Jets style was just too unorthodox. Craig Bellamy and Trent Robinson would rather have a spleen removed with a butter knife than watch that, much less coach it. Probably too helter skelter.
  • Former Knights and NSW five-eighth Jarrod Mullen is set to play for the Sunshine Coast Falcons this year. He was a pretty decent No.6 who was thrown into the Origin cauldron early and didn’t quite live up to expectation. Still very useful at club level, but his career went off the rails after a drug bust and four-year suspension. Now at 33, he’s making a comeback. You can take the player out of footy but you can’t take the footy out of the player.
  • My tip for the Natal Sharks to win the Currie Cup didn’t pan out. The Bulls got them 26-19 in a come-from-behind effort. Bulls flanker Arno Botha scored the match winner. Botha is one well built specimen (they should call him ‘Arnie’). He was touted as a future star a decade ago but things didn’t quite work out. Good to see him play a decisive role in a final though.
  • Remember Don King? The boxing promoter extraordinaire. The same guy who organised some of the biggest fights in history — the Thrilla in Manila and the Rumble in the Jungle. Well, at 89 he’s still doing what he does best. King promoted a show on Friday in Hollywood, Florida, were heavyweight Trevor Bryan stopped former WBC champ Bermane Stiverne in the 11th round. Hopefully Bryan can pick up some more decent wins and give King another shot at the big time.
  • You know there are some guys who mightn’t get the best stats or most points but their mere presence on the court, and all the one percenters they tick off, make them damn near the most crucial piece to a winning formula. Golden State’s Draymond Green fits that bill to a tee. – PGTP ([email protected])