The Easter bunny is bringing us a whole lot of sport this weekend at Strathfield Sports Club and like that first bite into a caramel egg it will be flowing, sensory overload and in the words of AFL legend Sam Newman “delicious”! Despite our shortened trading hours this Easter long weekend you can be sure you won’t miss any sporting highlights and here’s a taste of what’s on offer.
The NRL season is well and truly underway and it seems last year’s best performers are again paving the way this season. Melbourne Storm and South Sydney are the only remaining undefeated teams after three rounds of the competition and the Bulldogs and Cowboys look strong despite missing a host of stars. At the other end of the scale the Dragons and Warriors look like they will again struggle with both sides so far failing to register a win.
The pick of the matches this weekend looks like being on Friday night when the Bulldogs take on the Rabbits in a repeat of last year’s semi-final showdown. The Bunnies seem to have taken their game to another level this year and will be eager for revenge, while the Dogs welcome back superstar Ben Barba from his sabbatical for this blockbuster clash. We will the cross to Brisbane where the Broncos host their former mentor Craig Bellamy’s Melbourne Storm.
The AFL season proper kicks off this weekend and all eyes will be on Homebush come Saturday afternoon for the Sydney derby between the Swans and Giants. One would estimate last year’s premiers will be too strong for the new boys of Western Sydney but that didn’t stop them in the pre-season cup and you never know what can happen in the first round!
At the other end of the spectrum it’s the final round of A-League action before the finals and there are still many permutations that hinge on the results of these fixtures. The finals are effectively coming a week early for Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar in their clash on Thursday night, with only the winner guaranteed of progressing to next week.
Meanwhile the Western Sydney Wanderers will be hoping to complete the remarkable achievement of claiming the minor premiership in their debut season when they take on the Newcastle Jets on Good Friday. The Wanderers are missing a host of players but will be desperate to claim the Premiers Plate, while the Jets must win to qualify for the finals.
There will be plenty of other sport on this weekend with a host of Super 15 match-ups and replays from the EPL but thank goodness the Aussies tour of India is over so we’ll get a bit of respite from Test match cricket.
On behalf of all the staff at Strathfield Sports Club we wish you a fun, safe and holy Easter weekend and look forward to seeing as many of our members and friends as possible. Just as sure as the Easter Bunny is to visit you can be sure we will be having a sporting good time!