You go girls!

The Womensport Queensland newsletter went out today. Here's all the latest news.....in dot points.

• Matildas win Asian Cup - Woot!!!
• Larissa Miller wins team Bronze Medal and makes bar final at Gymnastics 2010 Pacific Rim Championships (unfortunately she fell from the apparatus so was out of contention for a medal)
• Rachael Grinham now # 4 in the world in Squash. Lisa Camilleri # 40, Zoe Petrovansky # 64.
• Australian Women's Bobsleigh Team have new major sponsor - Avante IT. 
• Samantha Stosur at French Open
• Danielle Stewart, Jodie Bowering and Kylie Cronk (Queensland Heat) will play for Australia  at the Softball World Championships in Caracas, Venezuela.
• Lisa Camilleri (squash) won her second Top End Open (Darwin)
• Emma Jackson wins Gold Coast Triathlon Luke Harrop Memorial
• Brisbane Barracudas won back-to-back National Water Polo League Finals beating the KFC Queensland Breakers 10-9 - ALL QUEENSLAND FINAL! Bronwen Knox (Breakers) was named the Player of the Series.
• South Queensland U18 Women finished the National Championships with a silver medal, beating Victoria Metro by just one point
• Brisbane wins Women's AFL State Championships title - Jade Pregelj won her second consecutive Women's State Championships Best & Fairest award.
• Saturday 30 October - Womensport Queensland "Old World Glamour" Gala Dinner (usually an awesome night!)

 So much news - Go Girls!!!

Irish

Matildas - Asian Cup Winners!

Australian Bobsleigh Women

Danielle Stewart

South Queensland U18 Basketball Team

Jade Pregelj

Go Mike!!

Lukey Power absolutely killed it in his 250th game against Collingwood last Saturday night. Here's Mike Sheehan's article from yesterday's Herald Sun about the Lions' Champion.

Irish

All Luke Power's own work

WHEN I first named Luke Power in the top 50 at the end of the 2000 season, a high-profile player from an opposition club said he was there because of family ties.

When he was there again in this year's pre-season 50, another high-profile player said the family link obviously had earned him a lifetime pass to the 50.


It's not easy critiquing players you have watched grow up when the long-standing family friendship is known in the industry.

You can be seen to favour them, or you mark them hard to avoid the inevitable claims of nepotism.

It's much the same with Collingwood's Luke Ball.

When I wrote an article this year saying Ball hadn't walked out on St Kilda for money, coach Ross Lyon told players I was a friend of the family and, by extension, had taken Ball's side in an emotive issue that confused many St Kilda supporters.
Back to Power. Yes, I am a family friend who loves to see him do well, and a genuine admirer of his talent, consistency and durability.

Two of his premiership teammates, Alastair Lynch and Martin Pike, used to refer to me as "Uncle Mike" whenever I appeared at the Gabba or a Brisbane Lions function.

Yet, Power appears in the top 50 on merit. Always has done.

At the weekend, Power was widely seen as the Lions' best-afield in his 250th game in the stirring win over Collingwood at the Gabba.

Power, 30, had been struggling, but, as he has done so often in his 13 seasons with the Lions, he rose to challenge in a big game.

While he has been overshadowed by Michael Voss, Simon Black and Jonathan Brown for much of his career, he is a Brisbane champion.

He has finished top five in the club championship in each of the past seven years, starting with an equal-second in the flag year of 2003, when he and Black finished one vote behind Voss.

That is extraordinary consistency.

He started his career as a small forward, kicking 52 goals in 2000, then became a Grand-Final star playing in defence. Finally, he was given his wish with a midfield role and became even better.

He has played in three premiership teams from four grand finals among 19 finals.

It's the record of a great player. Much better than I expected after watching him and his dinky kicks at junior level, even if he did find a heap of the ball.

It's tough for the journo with a player who is like family.

The player won't dare give you anything more than a nod and "how are you?" for fear of being identified as a source ... and you know you can't criticise them for fear of parental retribution.

I am DEFINITELY NOT an expert

I am a sports lover.

A majority of my makeup is an AFL supporter (Football is life, there is nothing else!) but I am interested in any sport really. The athletes, the coaches, the workings of the sport.

I work in the sports industry and have grown up with a father who is in the sports industry but under no circumstances do I claim to be any type of expert. This blog is purely thoughts, opinions and news I find interesting - but I promise to self-edit unlike a certain Bulldogs we all know and love (or hate).

To prove how much of an expert I am not I'll let you in on a little a secret.... My AFL Supercoach team has had two wins this season (one against an 11-year-old) and I got super excited on Monday when I received an email from the tipping comp I'm in informing I got five out of eight. Season record for me!

I guess my problem is I pick my team and tip with my heart. I pick Brisbane and Sydney every week without a doubt (unless they are playing each other - then I hope for a draw) and my team is stacked with Lions and Swans - well it was before they all (Drummond, Brennan, Kennelly etc) got well and truly injured!

So if you don't like AFL, have absolutely no interest in women's and local sport (if you don't - Boo!!) then you definitely should never read my blog again.

So, this is me. Take it or leave it.

Irish

PS - go to www.afl.com.au/goal and vote for Fev's goal against Collingwood - absolute ripper!!