Celebrating over 20 years in print, Inside Sport is Australia's most highly awarded sporting publication, including the recipient of the prestigious Walkley Award for sport journalism. But that's not why sports fans love it. Inside Sport consistently tackles modern sporting issues and publishes awe-inspiring sports photography, every month. THAT'S why sports fans love it.
EDITOR'S LETTER
Villain To Hero • MELBOURNE VICTORY’S PRODIGAL SON TERRY ANTONIS THOUGHT HE’D ENDED HIS SIDE’S FINALS CAMPAIGN. BUT THE A-LEAGUE IS A FUNNY COMP …
20 things you might’ve missed
Freeze Frame
Against your rival, it’s always real
Unpredictable season, meet rep period
Red, white and bruised
Wouldn’t it be grand? • THIS YEAR'S GIRO D’ITALIA BEGAN IN ISRAEL, WHILE THE TOUR DE FRANCE IS MULLING A GRAND DÉPART FURTHER AFIELD. COULD THE WORLD'S BIGGEST CYCLING RACES START IN AUSTRALIA?
TOUR-IST DESTINATIONS
PUNTER’S CHANCE
10 things you need to know
Aussie Cricket Culture • AS RICK MCCOSKER CONDUCTS HIS REVIEW, GET YOURSELF ACQUAINTED WITH THESE TOTEMS OF OZ CRICKET.
Best of … • With the AFL floating the radical idea of a grand final series, we took a look at the various best-of formats. Bottom line: properly identifying the better team is a lot harder than you think, particularly when you get down to the underlying maths.
4 things you must not miss
The Winners
Brad Fittler
HOT SHOT
Blue steel • As he enters his second series as captain of the NSW State of Origin team, Sydney Roosters star Boyd Cordner opens up on the life experiences which prepared him for one of his sport’s toughest gigs.
5 INSPIRATIONAL NSW CAPTAINS
WILL CHAMBERS • THE STORM, MAROONS AND KANGAROOS CENTRE DISCUSSES HIS JOURNEY FROM RUGBY TO LEAGUE, HIS COMPETITIVE STREAK AND LOOKS AHEAD TO ORIGIN IN 2018.
ORIGIN PREVIEW • For our 2018 State of Origin preview, we turned to our weekly rugby league podcast to make sense of the game’s great rivalry. How will NSW’s new era go? Will a certain legendary Maroon get a call? Read on, and check out Dead In Goal at insidesport.com.au or your podcast app.
READER QUESTION • Should anyone be eligible to play in State of Origin?
Shohei Ohtani
TO PROTECT AND SERVE • HE’S ACCLAIMED AS THE BEST DEFENDER OF HIS GENERATION, ALREADY A LEGENDARY FIGURE IN RICHMOND LORE AND A MODEL FOR WHAT THE AFL WOULD WANT ITS FOOTBALLERS TO BE. YET THAT HARDLY BEGINS TO EXPLAIN THE EXCEPTIONAL CASE OF ALEX RANCE – AND IT DEFINITELY DOESN’T DEFINE HIM.
MASTER SWITCH • As a player, Brad Thorn won everything worth winning, in two codes no less. Having achieved the near-impossible in his segue from league to union, he now embarks on another crossing – from the unbreakable man-in-the-middle to nurturing sideline sage.
JOKER AT THE BACK • THE SOCCEROOS’ RESIDENT LARRIKIN TRENT SAINSBURY IS NO LAUGHING MATTER. THE DEFENDER IS SHAPING UP TO BE AUSTRALIA’S SUPREME LINCHPIN IN RUSSIA AND BEYOND.
FOUR NAMES WE’LL LEARN IN RUSSIA • Every World Cup brings new football talents to the fore. Here’s a quartet of breakout candidates for the Socceroos.
SINGAPORE - YOUR SPORTING ADVENTURE! • THE PLANET'S BIGGEST FOOTBALL CLUBS ARE HEADED TO SINGAPORE, YET ANOTHER BIG EVENT FOR ASIA'S HUB OF WORLD-CLASS SPORTING ACTION
MASTER THE BANDS • WITH TRX MASTER TRAINER MARIN LAZIC
BUY BETTER
THE LOWDOWN ON CARBS
COLIN TATZ
HOT SHOT # 2
Justin Hodges
