The Miraculous Moments That Make Sport Special

THEY are the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that stay with you a life-time. Witnessing unique sporting moments compels you to believe that you were part of something special, a participant in a shared experience that will be talked about for years.

The Tigers' Dustin Martin celebrates with the Premiership Cup after Richmond defeated the Adelaide Crows in the 2017 AFL Grand Final at the MCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

THEY are the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that stay with you a life-time. Witnessing unique sporting moments compels you to believe that you were part of something special, a participant in a shared experience that will be talked about for years.

Think Warnie’s “Ball of the Century” on Day 2 of the 1993 Ashes series (which prompted the memorable Graham Gooch quote about portly Mike Gatting on the receiving end – “If it had been a cheese roll, it would never have got past him”); Cathy Freeman’s tangible relief after winning the 400m at the 2000 Olympics when a nation’s expectations weighed heavily upon her slender shoulders; or Stephen Bradbury’s dumb-struck expression when he realised he’d won Australia’s first Winter Games Gold Medal after the rest of his speed skating opponents were splayed across the ice behind him.

We’ve all seen the replays of each of these stunning moments but nothing compares to witnessing them at the time they occurred - live at the venue, or watching at home on TV.

What will increase your chances of seeing something special in the first half of 2018? Simple. Watch more sport, including those below, where inspired players rise to the occasion.

AFL

Can Dusty inspire Richmond to a double?

Richmond’s memorable victory in the 2017 Toyota Premiership Season Grand Final against the Crows last year was one for the ages. And the name that rang out across the nation was that of Dustin “Dusty” Martin - the first player in VFL/AFL history to win the Brownlow Medal and Norm Smith Medal in the same season. And he’s hungry to recapture that winning feeling. “I want to experience that success again,” he told the Herald Sun last month, “I want to feel that feeling I had last year when the final siren went in the Grand Final. I just love winning and love playing in such a great team.” The season kicks off when Dusty and his team of champions take on Carlton on March 22.

Memorable moment in 2017: The goal over his shoulder in the final quarter of the Grand Final nailed an individual season that many declare was one of the best on record.

NRL

All eyes on Cronk in a post-Storm world

For Melbourne Storm, the three kings have finally disbanded. Cam Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater have broken up the band. Smith - voted the world’s best rugby league player in 2017 - and Slater will be playing on for the Storm, but all eyes will be on how Cronk settles in to roost in his new Sydney team in the Eastern Suburbs. “It’s not like we’ve signed a mystery”, says Roosters assistant coach Craig Fitzgibbon. “We know how highly he was rated by Melbourne and when you get an opportunity to work with him you realise how lucky you are to get them in your own club. We’ve signed a player of the highest order where you know what you are going to get.” No pressure Coops. Easts kick off their season against the Tigers on March 10.

Memorable moment in 2017: After 17 years together the final try of the 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final involved The Big Three but it was Cronk’s immaculately timed pass to a blistering Billy Slater that took the breath away.

Super Rugby

New Isi joins the ranks of rugby’s elite

Last year no Australian team won an away game against our trans-Tasman rivals. Sigh. But following the controversial axing of the Western Force, Australia’s rugby talent is now spread across four teams instead of five. Improvements are expected across the board. The player to watch though is Isi Naisarani. The Fijian-born No. 8 comes to the Brumbies from the Force and created history last year after being voted the Force’s best player in 2017 in what was his first season as a professional player. But he’s not motivated by fame and fortune, “My uncle and aunt are the reason I’m out here, they’re the ones who suggested I move to Australia and said I was good enough. So every time I play, I feel like I’m playing for my family.” The 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby season kicks off on Feb 17 with Australian season opener between the Rebels and the Reds on February 23.

Memorable moment in 2017: Or moments in Isi’s case as he racked up an impressive 126 runs, 662 run metres, 22 tackle busts and 108 tackles in his season debut.

A-League

Milos is the man to watch

Sydney FC’s Serbian superstar Milos Ninkovic was the Hyundai A-League’s Player of the Year. “It’s a huge success for me to be voted the best player in this league,” said Ninkovic at the time of the award. “There really are some unbelievable players here and that’s why I was so happy to win (the Johnny Warren Medal) - 100 per cent this is one of the best achievements in my career.” A-League finals are played between April 20 and May 6.

And the first memorable moment in 2018: When mid-fielder Ninkovic danced his way 20m down field before chipping the ball over Newcastle Jets keeper Glen Moss. Even Ninkovic thought it was something special, “Maybe it was the best goal I ever scored,” Ninkovic said after the match. “It was just instinct, because you don’t have too much time to think, ‘I will do this or that.’”

Instinct, intuitiveness or just plain genius. Call it what you will the X-factor produces moments that matter, and you can expect more of the unexpected in 2018.

Catch all the action on Foxtel as Fox Sports shows live coverage of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership LIVE, 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, FIA Formula One World Championship™, 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby, and Hyundai A-League. Plus the best of international cricket, and the best of international tennis LIVE with the French Open, Wimbledon, ATP & WTA Tours.

Originally published as The Miraculous Moments That Make Sport Special