Bryan Fletcher weighs in on Eels’ incredible start; Mark Waugh on Mankad controversy

Former NRL star Bryan Fletcher has been forced to eat humble pie after describing Parramatta as “dreadful” ahead of the season.

Rugby League great Bryan Fletcher admits he’s been blindsided by Parramatta’s early season surge, which sees the 2018 cellar dwellers sitting pretty atop the ladder going into round three.

Fletcher described the Eels as “dreadful” ahead of the season and was forced to eat humble pie as the western Sydney side tore away with wins against Penrith and the Bulldogs.

Asked if he had been told Parramatta would be unbeaten entering round three, a tongue-in-cheek Fletcher replied: “I would have said, ‘Give me some of those drugs you are on’.”

But he still hasn’t completely bought in. “They had six months to prepare against Penrith,” Fletcher said. “Last year they were awful. (But) they were down 10-0 to probably the worst Bulldogs side we’ve seen in a long time ... their big test will be against the Chooks.

“I think they’ll go all right (against the Roosters) but I don’t think they’ll win. Blake Ferguson is playing out of his skin. Not only in attack but in defence as well.”

WAUGH WEIGHS ON MANKAD

Former Aussie batsman Mark Waugh has fired up at the latest controversy sending the cricket world into a spin, blasting Ravi Ashwin’s controversial Mankad dismissal of Jos Buttler in the IPL this week.

Shane Warne led the charge against the Kings XI Punjab skipper’s “disgraceful” act, which saw him run out the Rajasthan star before delivering the ball. The Mankad dismissal has forever been a contentious issue in the sport with many labelling it as against the spirit of the gentleman’s game.

The issue hit murkier waters when lawmakers at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) released a statement to address the hubbub. The MCC declared the dismissal legal, citing the rule as “essential” to the make-up of the game.

Waugh wasn’t pleased with Ashwin’s behaviour, especially as the leader of the T20 side.

“He’s the captain ... it’s not a good look,” Waugh said. “It’s legal, but you normally only do it if the non striker is trying to get an advantage by stealing a single.

“You’d only think about the Mankad if the batsman was trying to cheat and usually you’d do it to give them a warning first. He didn’t even give Buttler a warning!”

Meantime, Waugh said Australia’s recent return to form in the ODI series against Pakistan could leave the green and gold with some dicey decisions to make come World Cup time in winter.

All eyes are on Steve Smith and David Warner as they prepare for their aniticpated returns but the pressure is on as spots in the nation’s top six become scarce.

“Someone like an Ashton Turner or a Peter Handscomb (is going to miss out) ... someone’s going to be unlucky,” Waugh said.

“Steve Smith and David Warner, you’ve got to have them there. If they find form ... obviously they’re great players.”

LEBRON HYPE ‘LIKE A PRICKED BALLOON’

LeBron James and the Lakers have been through the mill.

It’s been the elephant in the room all season and now that we’re at the playoffs, the steamtrain of optimism behind LeBron James’ massive move to the Lakers has run out of coal.

A disappointing 33-41 season for the banner franchise sees them sit 11th on the Western Conference table, a country mile away from the playoffs they sorely desired after signing the biggest name in the competition.

“Well until he got injured and missed double figures games, it was all downhill from there,”

NBA expert Shane Heal said. “When they were recruiting, they didn’t get another one of the big guns they needed. They were going after DeMarcus Cousins but they didn’t get him.”

With his streak of 13 straight NBA playoff appearances doomed, LeBron and the Lakers are focused on fashioning a blockbuster sequel.

It’s the end of an era in the NBA. Not only had James reached the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, he had played in eight straight NBA finals.

But James, a three-time NBA champion and four-time league Most Valuable Player — insisted back in September the task of rebuilding a team that had missed the playoffs for five straight seasons would be a long-term project.

Heal tipped Golden State as a shoo-in for the title as the season creeps to the pointy end.