Especially an older sportsman, how good are they going?

Brad Hogg you legend!At nearly 41 he has cracked the Australian T20 squad, while Stuart MacGill is still undecided about going to India to contest the Champions Trophy with the Sixers, at age 43.

The Gnome has never been a great Lleyton Hewitt fan but his performances on and off the court, in this his 16th Australian Open have been sensational.

He has fought hard and enjoyed every minute of what has been an extraordinary ride, at age 30.

While Steve Menzies is about to enter another Superleague season at 39, go you old legends!

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Speaking of ‘old’ legends, the great former Raiders captain Alan Tongue has signed on to help give the Rovers a bit of lip. With a coach secured, Tongue on board and a strong batch of players starting training next week all is shaping up for a great season 2012.

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If I were an Aussie cricketer I’d be very wary about making ads.

Doug Bollinger, Mitchell Johnson and now Cameron White have appeared more on the small screen than the fields of green!

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The Gnome was interested to read of a billionaire interested in bringing in a Rugby League team from WA, the sooner the better I say.

The ‘League’ can no longer rely on the ‘pokies’ alone and Perth has a strong League history and a time difference which makes it attractive to live television.

This has to be the next side into the NRL, sooner rather than later.

This wont please Greg Florimo at the Central Coast Bears but the only way they can be admitted is if the Cronulla Sharks development falls over, which looks likely and they are excluded.

Even then a second Brisbane side would make more sense than the Bears, or maybe central Queensland. Unfortunately for my many Sharkie friends I’m afraid the writing is on the wall!

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Good to see Berrick Barnes talk it up about a big season for the Eastern Sydney Waratahs.

I know they’re supposed to be the NSW Waratahs but honestly they wouldn’t know Dundas from Dubbo!

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If Dave Warner was weather he was in Boorowa last Friday night!

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Bernard Tomic has been magnificent in the Aussie Open and I reckon he learnt more from getting flogged by Federer than he did in his last 10 victories. Big things ahead!

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Hope you had a great Australia Day and stopped for a minute to remember how bloody lucky we are. Oi Oi Oi !!!