STEVE HEPBURN:
Three favourite moments
Zingers comeback
It was one of those special days that only Montecillo can produce. Rain coming sideways, wind floating around and about as warm as a Donald Trump greeting at a Los Lobos concert.
Zingari-Richmond had been thrashed by 137 points by University a couple of weeks before and Taieri looked good for an easy win.
But some combative forward play and gutsy defence had the home side in front for most of the game and it held on as the conditions worsened to win 22-19.
Talk of getting rid of a couple of club teams soon disappeared and the night went long and loud up on the hill.
Beating the Chiefs in Boganville
Through a plane malfunction and Auckland traffic this writer took more than nine hours to get to Hamilton. Sitting at Wellington Airport for four hours is not what you want to do on a Saturday afternoon. But the Highlanders made the journey all worthwhile when they put together a great game plan against the Hamilton mob.
Tackled well and pressured the Chiefs into making mistakes. Waisake Naholo also got two tries in his comeback match.
Eliza soaring high
What one knows about pole vault you could write on the back of a postage stamp with a paint brush. But it sure is a good watch, especially at the pinnacle of the sport at the Olympics. Young New Zealander Eliza McCartney was one time sitting in the gold medal position and still over-achieved in a massive way to finish up with a bronze.
Young New Zealander Eliza McCartney was one time sitting in the gold medal position and still over-achieved in a massive way. Photo Reuters
Best game
This is tough but the Highlanders beating the Crusaders with a full house under the roof was hard to beat. Two tries each from Naholo and Matt Faddes as the Highlanders ran rampant and won 34-26. Honourable mention to the first half by the Otago side against Wellington when it blitzed the fancy boys from the capital, leading 28-0.
Best newcomer
Formula One driver Max Verstappen still has acne and let’s just say his shaver is not the most used appliance in his house. But he can drive — very well. Moved to Red Bull early in the season and then won the Spanish Grand Prix. Pushed around all the big names and will be one to watch next year, despite only being 19.
Top international achiever
South African 400m runner Wayde van Niekirk put his best race together when it mattered — in the Rio Olympics 400m final. He set a world record, eclipsing the previous mark set by Michael Johnson 17 years ago. Has now run under 10 seconds in the 100m, under 20 seconds in the 200m and under 44 seconds in the 400m; the only man to do so.
Top NZ achiever
He has his detractors but Mahe Drysdale delivered the goods — just. A very, very close race in the single sculls but he just managed to win the gold medal at Rio. Now taking a year off and being much closer to 40 than 30, would it not be wiser to just retire and leave with a great legacy?
Top Otago achiever
Ben Smith — the best player in his position in the country if not the world and never seems to play a bad game.
What will happen in 2017 to the . . . ?
All Blacks: Will beat the British and Irish Lions 3-0 getting stronger as the series goes along. Will drop one game to Australia but be too good for the South Africans.
Black Caps: At home, the side will deliver the goods, including a clean sweep in the Chappell-Hadlee series. But will struggle overseas through a lack of runs.
Silver Ferns: Things will take a noticeable turn for the worse without Laura Langman and the side will be well behind the Australians.
Highlanders: Could be an interesting year. Better draw will have them in the playoffs and right in the mix.
Steel: Got the best shooter in the competition, so will go all the way.
ADRIAN SECONI:
Three favourite moments
Brendon McCullum signing off
He said goodbye to test cricket as only he could — by walloping 145 from 79 balls during an audacious counterattack against Australia at Hagley Oval in February. It was wonderfully reckless — a breathless curtain call we may never see the likes of again.
Kids and the Olympics
It is always fun watching your kids watching the Olympics. Wee Ruby will probably never be a gymnast of any note but she has already rehearsed the medal ceremony. Frankie is more about the flowers and soft toy the winners were presented.
John McGlashan’s historic win
John McGlashan College’s epic 17-15 victory against Otago Boys’ High School in the Otago final of the National First XV Championships had everything — pride, guts, a tenacious fightback and a surprise result.
The key moment came shortly after halftime when McGlashan hooker Brett Kingsbury jolted the ball free and first five-eighth Luke Jarvie scooped it up and ran 80m to score. Best gameThe Black Sticks looked to have fought their way past an impressive German outfit in the quarterfinal of the Olympic tournament. But trailing 2-0 with just four minutes remaining, the Germans scored three goals. Florian Fuchs scored the winner with barely a second left in the match. Damn.
Best newcomer
Palmerston’s Courtney Duncan gave it everything during her rookie season in the women’s motocross world championship. Had she not collided with an errant photographer during the German round, there is every chance she would have won the title. A very gutsy competitor.
Top international achiever
Simone Biles tumbled, twisted and vaulted her way to four gold medals and one bronze at the Rio Olympics. Not bad for 142cm pocket rocket from Houston who had courage to shoot for the stars and put a rough start in life well behind her.
Top NZ achiever
Lisa Carrington backed up her gold in the K1 200m in London with gold at Rio, and she added a bronze to her collection for her effort in the K1 500m. Rumoured to have sold twice as much beef and lamb as anyone else.
Top Otago achiever
Dunedin-born Hamish Bond teamed up with Eric Murray in the men’s coxless pair to secure a second consecutive Olympic gold medal to go with the eight world championship titles they have. And who knew Bond was such a good cyclist? The man can do anything.
What will happen in 2017 to the . . . ?
All Blacks: Will keep annihilating teams during the final 20 minutes but even the World Champions are allowed one slip up. It will probably be during the end of season promotional, err, Northern tour.
Black Caps: Faded force, sadly. Might be some time before the team reaches the heights it achieved during the World Cup.
Silver Ferns: Will continue the search for the next Irene van Dyk. Mixed results at best.
Highlanders: Still have some dynamic players but might have peaked two years ago.
Steel: Could win it all now that those pesky Australians have gone off and formed their own competition.
JEFF CHESHIRE:
Three favourite moments
Grimaldi’s gold
Trailing by 17cm, Anna Grimaldi pulled out a mammoth 21cm personal best of 5.62m with her last jump to win gold in the long jump T47 at the Rio Paralympics. Her reaction said it all, as she leapt into the air in an emotional celebration, delivering Otago its first of four medals at the Games.
Beating the Aussies
There is nothing better than beating the Aussies at cricket and this one was especially sweet. After giving them a hiding in game one, the Black Caps claimed a dramatic win in the deciding game three, retaining the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy and getting some revenge for a disappointing test series.
Leicester shocks the world
A team coming from nowhere to win the English Premier League is unheard of, which made it all more amazing when Leicester City did just that. All season it felt as though the bubble would burst eventually, but they just kept going and in the end the 5000-1 underdogs completed a remarkable season.
Best game
LeBron James was the key man, in game seven of the NBA finals game as the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the Golden State Warriors. James cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game as the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit to win their first NBA championship. James’ chase-down block in the dying stages was the stuff of legend, the defining moment in a tense final five minutes, as the Cavs took a 93-89 win in the deciding game seven.
Best newcomer
Nineteen-year-old Eliza McCartney showed her potential in Dunedin early in the year, clearing 4.80m to set a new national women’s pole vault record. An Olympic medal always seemed a bit of a stretch, but she again pulled out a big jump to equal her record and win bronze in Rio.
Top international achiever
Usain Bolt completed his triple-triple, winning gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay for the third Olympics in a row. Battled injury and had to withstood a strong challenge from rival Justin Gatlin in the 100m. But Bolt did what only Bolt can do, confirming himself as the greatest sprinter the world has ever seen.
Top NZ achiever
Steven Adams muscled with the best of the best and took great strides in the playoffs. Is now the richest sportsman in New Zealand and still seems a good down-to-earth bloke.
Top Otago achiever
Netballer Gina Crampton had a season to remember with the Steel and made it into the Silver Ferns where she looked right at home. Finished it off with ANZ championship player of the year at the NZ netball awards.
What will happen in 2017 to the . . . ?
All Blacks: Will sweep the Lions, although will have to work much harder than in 2005, before making light work of the Rugby Championship. Should face their toughest task in Europe at the end of the year.
Black Caps: Same old, same old. Will be world beaters at home and will draw copious amounts of praise, before struggling away and getting slaughtered with criticism.
Silver Ferns: Will lose every match to Australia and beat everyone else.
Highlanders: Should be there or thereabouts come playoffs time, although going on and winning the title might be a bridge too far.
Steel: Have learned from last year, when they were tripped up at the last hurdle, and will walk away with the spoils in the new domestic netball league.
JONNY TURNER:
Three favourite moments
Fiji winning gold at Rio
This was one of those special moments that means so much that it transcends sport. These are exactly the kind of things that captivate us and make us sporting fans. The elation of not only the players, and a whole nation, was a fantastic thing to see.
Leicester City
I am not a hard-core football fan, some may argue I am not a fan at all. But any sporting fan could not help but be dazzled by the Leicester City journey. The team went from 5000-1 outsider to premier league champion in a season that captivated sporting fans all over the globe. Not only one of the best moments of 2016, but a story that must rate in sport’s all-time history book.
Stenson vs Mickelson at The Open
A lot of people will tell you that watching golf is boring and I find that a hard argument to challenge. There was nothing boring at all about this battle for one of golf’s most famous trophies. From the start of the final round the anticipation grew to a fever pitch. Stenson would eventually raise the claret jug after a pin-point final hole.
Best game
We know the Yanks like a bit of drama and like to think their sporting competitions rate ahead of all others. But it is hard to argue that game seven of baseball’s World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians was not one of the best games of the year. Without a win in the series since 1908, the Cubs looked set for a comfortable victory when in the eighth inning the Indians hit a three-run homer to tie the game at 6-6. The Cubs then regained the lead when batting first in the 10th inning. They then held their nerve in the field to grab three outs and send Chicago into scenes of jubilation
Best newcomer
It has to be Beauden Barrett. Hang on, he has been around for years hasn’t he? Well, yes he has. But he got his first shot as the regular All Blacks number 10 this year. His evolution from an impact player, super sub and fix-it man or whatever you want to call it was phenomenal. To say that he was the best sportsman who took a new opportunity has to be a fair call. Words can barely describe the slight of hand he showed this year and he again showed us why Steve Hansen gave him the name "Golden Balls".
Top international achiever
Michael Phelps has been the fastest and most talented man in the water for a long, long time.
Top NZ achiever
As the racing reporter I am taking a bit of liberty here and include equine talent Lazarus. The standardbred was phenomenal in 2016. He capped a brilliant 3yr-old season by winning the New Zealand Cup and Free For All double in stunning fashion at Addington in November.
Top Otago achiever
Let’s stay on the racing theme and name Jacob Lowry as our Otago achiever. The apprentice continues to improve in the saddle and his stats for the new racing season make impressive reading.
What will happen in 2017 to the . . . ?
All Blacks: They will be better. I think we will have a much stronger and more consistent midfield. Expect Sonny Bill Williams to show us the kind of magic he delivered in the 2015 World Cup final. I also expect the same from Aaron Smith. I think we sorely missed his usually brilliant play on the end of year tour.
Black Caps: The knives were well and truly out after the recent Chappell-Hadlee series. I don’t think it would matter what they do, they won’t please everyone. I expect another strong year from the team, especially at home.
Silver Ferns: Let’s be honest, recently they have been awful against Australia. I do not expect that to change next year.
Highlanders: I expect the Highlanders to be strong top four contenders again. Underpinning that will be a smooth transition under new coach Tony Brown.
Steel: Player retention has gone reasonably well, but this team too has a new coach steering the ship. Its round-robin play this year was brilliant, but let’s hope it can finish the season in much better style.
