DJ Afro Talks Fiesta: ‘A Journey Of What Our Culture Has Evolved Into

DJ Afro Talks Fiesta: ‘A Journey Of What Our Culture Has Evolved Into

I’m Jose Luis Pardo. I’m a DJ, producer and musician, appearing at Fiesta both as DJ Afro and in my band, Los Crema Paraiso. My love of music began with vinyl records – I used to spend a lot of time playing them at home by myself. 

Teenage years came by and I fell in love with the guitar, played in school with different bands and ended up starting the band Los Amigos Invisibles. We were high school friends that were lucky enough to tour the world thanks to our record label Luaka Bop’s faith in 6 guys from Caracas doing Latin dance music.

Los Amigos’ shows were always planned as a party and it was kind of hard to get a DJ to set up the mood with what we were being inspired by, so I started DJing myself before the shows and not so long after that, when I got a pair of headphones, I realised that I was a DJ and my DJ life started being parallel to my band’s life.

After a few years touring with Los Amigos and as a DJ, I met Neil Ochoa and we joined forces to open a studio together, and to start a new project based on our love for Venezuelan music and our desire to start playing around New York’s jazz clubs. 

Los Crema Paraiso’s El Debut became the first recording we did in our studio, and we discovered that we were in love with what we were doing musically. It sounded like nothing else, and when you feel that, you want to celebrate it and share it with everyone you know.

I grew up in a rich oil country that was always looking to what was happening outside, surrounded by people with a strong desire to prove they were cool and cosmopolitan. Then you grow up and realise that under the trends and inside your walls there are all these colours that you never cared to see before because you took them for granted. 

As a music person, I started discovering old Venezuelan albums that were brilliant but totally forgotten by my generation, Then, I moved to New York to look for better opportunities and, after not having most of the things I took for granted in my hometown, I started loving what I am, where I come from, what I had around when I grew up.

Being in New York opens your eyes to so much culture but also makes you realise what you are and where you come from, and I chose to be proud of that and use it to my benefit.

If I were to describe Latin American culture to someone who knows little about it, I’d talk about the beautiful charm of imperfection, chaos, being able to laugh about all that and still think it’s sexy. That, and the food, women, music and weather!

It means so much to represent my culture at Fiesta. Los Crema Paraiso and I as a DJ will do our best to show Sydney a journey of what our culture has evolved into.

We don’t want to be like anyone else, we are just what we are. We come with something that doesn’t sound familiar but it will make you feel at home. Los Crema Paraiso’s show is really trippy and high energy, and DJ Afro will just make you smile while you dance.

DJ Afro will appear at Fiesta on Saturday October 11 at 4:25pm and again on Sunday October 12 at 4:30pm. Los Crema Paraiso will appear at Fiesta on Saturday October 11 at 5:40pm and again on Sunday October 12 at 3pm.

EVENT DETAILS
Fiesta Darling Harbour
October 4-6 and October 11-12
Full program and getting here

View original source article

Showbag bonanza begins as families flock to Royal Melbourne Show

Cousins Chelsea, 3 and Carlos, 5 ride the flying elephants. Picture: Jason Edwards

FAMILIES flocked to the Melbourne Showgrounds today for the start of the state’s biggest show.

The 12-day Melbourne Show kicked off with a bonanza of rides, showbags, animal events and classic show food.

People chasing an adrenalin rush packed fast-paced rides in the Thrill Seekers Carnival, while children whizzed around on a miniature Ferris wheel.

Holding a toy pony she had won, Charlotte, 4, said the rides were the best part of the show.

Show-goers enjoy the rides. Picture: Jason Edwards

“I like the show because I like to win toys,” she said.

“The rides are good too because they are fun and scary.

“It is fun to come with my friends and go on the rides together.”

Charlotte’s father Michael Willis said yesterday’s warm weather was a perfect curtain-raiser for the show.

“The kids love the show - they love all of the carnival rides,” he said.

Alex Duguid, 4, on a quest for the best showbags. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mickey Mouse and girlfriend Minnie also made their first appearance at the show, keeping kids entertained in the Herald Sun Entertainment Dome.

Epping’s Alex Duguid, 4, was one of hundreds of children to snap up a showbag yesterday.

But it wasn’t all fun and games.

A motocross stunt rider was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital after a daredevil jump went wrong.

The teenager was performing in the Freestyle Mototcross Show about 2pm. Last night he was still in a stable condition.

The Melbourne Show runs 9.30am to 9.30pm daily until October 1.

Today’s highlights include a meet and greet with the stars of Home and Away and horses demonstrating their dressage skills in the exhibition event  competition.

Puppies will also put their best paw forward during the Advance Sweepstakes Day competition.

Daniel Gurr, 17, competes in the wood chop. Picture: Jason Edwards

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/showbag-bonanza-begins-as-families-flock-to-royal-melbourne-show/story-fni0fit3-1227065094340?nk=53eff2c37c7efc38ef5aab5f5e0c72e5

AFL Grand Final 2014: These Are The Games Won Between the Ears

AFL grand final 2014: These are the games won between the ears

Grand finals aren't always won by the best players, the strongest, quickest or the most skillful. They're won by those with the strongest minds.

Being able to perform on one of the biggest stages in world sport takes extraordinary mettle and not every player - no matter how good he may have been during the regular season - is capable of dealing with the pressure.

It's why clubs and coaches do everything in their power to maintain routine in the lead-up to the match. They plan the same way, put their players through the same training drills and reinforce the little things that have got them there. 

Yet nothing is normal. You can't help but notice the increased presence of cameras around you and the extra fans at training. There's wall-to-wall coverage of the match from almost every media outlet in the country, with the grand final parade offering yet another excuse for a bad night's sleep before the big game.

Indeed, grand finals are a melting pot of emotions, and if you can't get a handle on the excitement, anxiety and probable fear that you'll experience before the first bounce, then you may struggle.

While statistics largely go out the window in games like these, there are three key measures that have consistently gauged the outcome of recent grand finals - inside 50s, the effectiveness of kicks inside 50 and accuracy in front of goal.

2012 AFL Grand Final Statistics

Inside 50s: Excluding last year, the number of inside 50s has heavily favoured the losing team in five of the last six grand finals and also Collingwood in the drawn grand final of 2010. Put simply, losing teams consistently won the ball and got it forward, but butchered their chances. 

Effectives of kicks inside 50: In the same grand finals, only two teams recorded a better marking percentage from kicks inside 50 on grand final day compared to their season average. Again, it's a reflection of poor decision-making.

Playing under pressure shouldn't mean you lose your composure, but recent grand finalists have seemed intent on just bombing the ball forward, giving their intended targets little or no chance of marking the ball.

Accuracy: This doesn't need much explanation. Poor kicking in front of the sticks cost Geelong in 2008, St Kilda in 2009, Hawthorn in 2012, Fremantle in 2013, while Collingwood got lucky in 2010. I know first-hand how painful losing a grand final can be because of poor kicking. We (North) lost to the Crows in '98 because we missed so many shots in the first half. I'd much prefer to lose a game by being beaten by a better side, rather than blowing it due to basic skill errors.

As a collective, what these numbers reinforce is that players not only struggle to contain their nerves on grand final day, but they also panic. Sure, the pressure of a grand final is like no other, but should that translate into players making poor decisions?

Teams make the grand final because they usually possess some of the coolest heads in the land. Whoever best retains that composure for the big dance will go a long way towards helping their team win.

As an example, take a look at the last time these sides met in a grand final, in 2012. It's fair to say that the Hawks dominated most of the game. They went inside 50 on 51 occasions compared to the Swans' 38 times, but when Sydney got its chances, it made the most of them. Its accuracy in front of goal (70 per cent) was better that its season average (63) which was staggering. Composure won that flag for Sydney.

Fast forward to Saturday and I'm not sure we'll see the same result. Earlier this year, I suggested Sydney and Hawthorn had become clones of one another from that 2012 season and I'd argue that the Hawks - like the Swans of 2012 - are the best "team" entering this year's grand final.

The willingness of every Hawthorn player to give 100 per cent, all the time, is what has given it an edge this season, whereas I wonder if Sydney - like the Hawks of '12 - have become too reliant on too few. 

There's been endless talk about Buddy and the sub-plot he has given this match and there is no doubt he will play a key role in the outcome.

Buddy has been the beacon for Sydney and its No. 1 target and easily its greatest strength, but just like the Hawks of 2012, if he misfires it could be the Swans' downfall. 

Forming the other half of Sydney's new dynamic duo is Kurt Tippett. There's no doubt he and Buddy have gelled well in recent weeks, yet Tippett can also spray his kicks. He'll be looking to snag one early to boost his confidence. 

The question is, have the Swans enough firepower to match the Hawks' abundant number of goalkickers? Though equally, will the likes of Jack Gunston, Luke Breust and Jarryd Roughead be able to hold their nerve and convert their chances? 

Of course, any forward who takes to the MCG will be heavily reliant on his teammates up the ground delivering the ball, lace out. To that end - and getting back to my earlier point about composure - it's another reason why I believe Hawthorn can win. 

The other part of that equation, as I highlighted last week, is that Sydney under Hawthorn-type pressure has been susceptible to making skill errors by foot. 

And then there's the issue of the Hawks playing Cyril Rioli. We all know what Rioli is capable of and he doesn't need to be on the ground for long periods to do the damage.

Rioli has to start the match, either on the ground or on the bench. Making him the starting substitute would be too risky should he break down. It would leave the Hawks one man down, and in today's game, that's a huge disadvantage.

Whichever way you look at it, this grand final is shaping up to be a titanic struggle. The burning question is, can a team of champions beat a champion team?

Australian National Maritime Museum

The Australian National Maritime Museum based at Darling Harbour offers so much for adults and children. Squeeze through a real submarine, captain the HMAS Vampire Destroyer, or dive into Australia’s colourful beach culture and there’s much, much more.

This museum houses one of the world’s biggest and most diverse museum fleets.

Open daily from 0930 to 5pm except Christmas Day.

Current exhibits include: “Coming to Australia”, a collection of photographs capturing post WWII European Migration, “East Coast Encounter”, an interesting look at Captain Cook’s discovery of Australia. “Blue Whale”, an eye to eye encounter with the greatest minds of the sea.

For more information please visit: www.anmm.gov.au 

Source: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/new-south-wales/metro-apartments-on-darling-harbour/nearby-attractions/australian-national-maritime-museum/

The Site’s First Traditional Owners:

Opened in 1991, the Australian National Maritime Museum occupies an outstanding harbour-side site close to the centre of Sydney – Australia’s oldest city and for a long time the nation’s busiest port.

It stands on land traditionally owned by the Gadigal people who found a rich source of fish and shellfish in the sheltered waters of Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay. Indigenous culture is explored in our core exhibition Eora First People.

About:

The Australian National Maritime Museum was planned and built more than 20 years ago as part of the massive Darling Harbour and Pyrmont redevelopment.

The museum was the site’s showpiece and remains the Australian government’s most visible national cultural institution in Sydney.

Commerce:

Darling Harbour, close to the site of the first British settlement at Sydney Cove, soon became the cradle of the colony’s maritime commerce. Later, this inner-city branch of Sydney Harbour served as the industrial and cargo transport hub of New South Wales. Here cargo ships from local ports and across the world docked and departed, immigrants arrived in streams of thousands to start a new life in a new land and waterside workers – wharfies – became engaged in a struggle against work conditions and practices they found increasingly oppressive.

Darling Harbour’s importance as a transport hub accelerated through the 19th century as NSW’s railways reached out into regional areas, drawing more and more primary produce into the capital for shipment out across the seas. Large tracts of land, particularly on the western side of the waterway (where the museum now stands) were given over to railway lines and sidings, storage sheds and workshops.

And then came a period of extraordinary change. With the introduction of new cargo handling technologies, particularly containerisation, Darling Harbour’s port activities started to move away from the city centre to Botany Bay and other places.

By the 1980s Darling Harbour was almost redundant as an industrial centre and transport interchange. It would soon pass through a remarkable transformation – to become a relaxed and welcoming harbour-side recreation and tourist district.

Sydney City Food Walks - Gourmet Guide On Places To Eat In Sydney

Sydney Opera House aerial view

by Laura Hunt

Sydney has an abundance of great cafes, multicultural cuisines, restaurants, bakeries, bars and markets, and with the city's temperate climate and sunshine filled days, one of the best ways to discover these gourmet delights is by foot. Sydney-siders are proud of and passionate about their food offerings, which are varied, fresh and modern. So put on some comfortable shoes and get ready to eat, because we are off and racing on a foodie adventure around this beautiful harbour city!

Sydney Fish Markets, James Horan, Destination NSW

Start your day early at the Sydney Fish Markets

Okay, 6:30am may be an early start but we promise it's the best time of day to experience the buzzing atmosphere of the Sydney Fish Markets. At this time of morning you can join an apron clad guide on a behind-the-scenes tour, where you'll be expertly escorted around the largest fish market in the southern hemisphere. Witness a crazy, yet somehow super-efficient auction, were 20,000kg of seafood is sold every hour, and watch as more than 100 species of fish are unloaded fresh from the trawlers... all ready for purchase that day.

Sydney Fish Markets, James Horan, Destination NSW

Stop for a dose of Caffeine

After your early start to the day you are probably desperately in need of a coffee by now! A visit to Gumption, located on the ground floor of the stately Strand Arcade, is just what the doctor ordered. Gumption's coffee roasters really know their stuff, and are right on trend with the coffee bean-related nerdery that is popping up throughout Sydney’s CBD. From the roaster to the cupping table, this coffee has a bold flavor which will definitely kickstart your morning. Tip: While you're waiting for your coffee order don't forget to look up and take in the beauty of The Strand's stained glass windows and historic architectural features that date back to 1891.

The Strand Arcade, Sydney, NSW

You'll now be hungry for Breakfast in the Park

Your next stop is breakfast and maybe a second round of coffee (well, you did wake up extra early, so why not!). Leave the Strand Arcade via Pitt Street Mall, and head south to Market Street, then left and up to the café set in the sandstone building backing onto St James Station. Soak up the sunshine as you sit outside watching the locals play on the giant chess board located in front of the café. With magnificent views of St Mary’s Cathedral and leafy Hyde Park in dappled light, this is the perfect place to enjoy a big, healthy cooked breakfast.

Metro St James, Sydney, NSW

Hyde Park, Sydney, NSW

Stop to take in the Superb City Views

After a leisurely breakfast, take a stroll through the extensive food hall at David Jones which offers a range of enticing produce including seafood, fresh pasta, cheeses and even individual chocolate-dipped strawberries. In the same shopping complex is Westfield's Centrepoint Tower. Take a lift up to the highest point in Sydney for a bird’s eye view of the beautiful city, which helps to put its size and numerous suburbs into perspective. The viewing platform here has vistas that stretch as far as the Blue Mountains on a clear day.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Ethan Rohloff, Destination NSW 

David Jones Food Hall, Sydney, NSW

Spend some time walking off your breakfast, and maybe those chocolate-dipped strawberries from David Jones, as you stroll through Hyde Park. Its from here that you reach the next spot to explore; the stunning Royal Botanic Gardens. This 30 hectare oasis is located in the heart of the Sydney CBD and is wrapped around historic Farm Cove and Sydney Harbour. Established in 1816, these picturesque gardens have different landscapes and exhibitions around every corner, not to mention incredible views of the city. From here you can look straight across to the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from vantage points such as Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair.

Stop for a lunchtime break, you've earned it

Botanic Restaurant, Sydney, NSW

If you're starting to feel peckish you won’t need to go far as your lunchtime spot is located within the tranquility of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Restaurant boasts delicious food and is a great place to relax as you dine outdoors on a wisteria-draped verandah with spectacular views of the parklands and beyond. Here you can choose a fine dining option in the restaurant upstairs, which has an acclaimed menu featuring quality Australian produce in a seasonally changing menu. Or, if you're looking for something a little more low key, make your way downstairs to the café. Here you'll be able to pick up a takeaway picnic box and choose your very own spot in the extensive gardens for a leisurely lunch.

Now for an indulgent High Tea

The Tea Room QVB, Sydney, NSW

After lunch, follow signs through the garden to The Art Gallery of New South Wales, where you'll find a fascinating Indigenous gallery as well as rooms filled with the works of famous Australian painters including Brett Whiteley and Sir Arthur Streeton. Here, casual dining is available in the downstairs restaurant with views over the harbour foreshore and Circular Quay. Continue walking along Art Gallery Road past ‘The Domain,’ to St Mary's Cathedral - Sydney's largest - and across the road to Hyde Park. Cross the park towards the city and head a couple of blocks west to the beautifully appointed Queen Victoria Building, where you can take an afternoon break in the famous Tea Room. Located in what was once the original Grand Ballroom of the landmark building, the Tea Room offers a full high tea that's complete with fresh scones, gourmet jams and clotted cream.  

Brush up on Sydney's history in The Rocks

The Rocks, Sydney, NSW

If you're still feeling energetic take a 20 minute walk down George Street towards Circular Quay and The Rocks area, where you can get a sense of Sydney's past by exploring cobbled laneways, cozy cafés and the oldest pubs in the country. In this historic precinct you'll be able to learn more about this strip of land that European settlers chose to step ashore on in 1788, essentially making The Rocks the birthplace of modern Sydney. As it’s getting late in the day, you may as well sample one of the many hand crafted beers on offer in the local pubs, which have been created in boutique Australian breweries.

Finish it all off with a well deserved sunset drink 

Opera Bar, Sydney, NSW

A sundowner drink is a must at the Opera Bar, where you can have a glass of Australian sparkling wine accompanied by a fabulous view of Sydney's iconic landmarks - the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. As the sun sets and you say cheers to a great day, you'll be hard pressed to find a better photo opportunity! If you can make some room after a day of indulging, there are plenty of tempting bar snacks on offer. And let's face it, you've been walking all day long whilst eating your way around Sydney's restaurants and cafes so it's all pretty much guilt-free, well that's what we'll believe anyway!

Source: http://restaurant.australia.com/explore/new-south-wales/Experiences/food-by-foot-sydney-.html?cid=social_20140924_20937834

Surry Hills Festival 2014

The Surry Hills Festival returns this Spring for one fabulous celebration in and around Ward Park and Shannon Reserve, Crown Street, Hill Street, laneways, pop up spaces, and many great venues and creative outlets across Surry Hills.

This year’s Festival invites you celebrate all there is to love about Surry Hills.

Get involved in our free event program and experience the stunning heritage, creativity and innovation of this unique urban enclave. 

With great food and fresh produce, art, design, live music, entertainment and more, there is something for everyone.

Stallholders:

With an attendance of up to 50,000 on event day, Surry Hills Festival offers great opportunity to access an audience keen to engage in quality products in keeping with the creativity, innovation, great food and quality lifestyle of this stunning urban enclave.

We have secured a stunning line up of stallholders with a creative edge in keeping with festival celebrations, the creativity and themes of Surry Hills Festival. Our stall holders take pride in the quality of their product and appearance.

SHNC is passionate about the environmental impact and related educational opportunities at the Festival and our criteria and conditions for stall holders are in keeping with zero waste and sustainability initiatives.

If you have lodged an application and want to check the status and your bump in schedule, please click here

Program:

Surry Hills Festival invites everyone to join in celebrating all there is to love about Surry Hills.

With great bands and entertainment, fabulous food, a bar and loads of pop up spaces, there is something for everyone to love at Surry Hills Festival.

Watch this space for the full program, produced by Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre in partnership with Urban Walkabout, Sydney.

Download / View PDF Program Here

View the official Site for Full Information about this Sydney Event

South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters Preliminary Final Should be a Classic

Roosters v Souths

All season most people would've expected these two teams to be squaring off against each other in the premiership decider on grand final day. 

Here it is, a week earlier than expected, but no less important. South Sydney were extremely impressive in their semi-final demolition of Manly in week one of the finals. "Powerful" is the word that keeps coming to mind. 

This huge, mobile forward pack just steamrolled their way upfield and had the result beyond doubt very early in proceedings. 

I have been super impressed with young Rabbitohs centres Kirisome Auva'a and Dylan Walker. Wow! Can't these two lads run the ball. 

They are very dangerous indeed. Once the forwards have cancelled each other out, it may come down to their battle with Roosters pair Michael Jennings and Shaun Kenny-Dowall to decide a winner. They also have the big guy, Greg Inglis, at the back who could bust the game open at any time. 

This club has been around the money for a couple of years now so the players have finals experience and they know what's at stake. 

They will leave nothing in the tank in search of victory. Similarly, the Roosters boast a forward pack that can dominate the best around on their day. Sonny Bill Williams turned last year's grand final on its head with a brilliant second-half display. He is due. 

Courageous hooker Jake Friend will be all the better for his game last weekend. Halves Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney have come solid at the right time of the year as well. I am expecting a spirited defence of the title they won almost twelve months ago.

I really can't separate these two teams. I sense the Roosters have more tries in them; however, I have great regard for what Inglis might produce on this big stage. This will come down to a field goal either way.

Bulldogs v Panthers

Melbourne and Manly have been two of the most dominant finals teams in the NRL over the past decade. Over the past fortnight, however, the Bulldogs - with scintillating performances - have blown away both these sides. That's outstanding form leading into a preliminary final. 

Coach Des Hasler is a master of the big game. The Dogs, as a club, are certainly no stranger to finals football either and the spike in their intensity once they hit play-off time has been there for all to see. They have been impeccable. The Bulldogs forwards have owned the advantage line in both their semi-final outings. Their unique style of chain-passing among the big boys to create space for the halves and outside backs down the edges has been very effective.

The Panthers have been tremendous. What a gutsy bunch they have become. They play the team game with every individual contributing what they can to the common cause. The one thing we do know about this team is that they will keep coming and they will never give up. 

This is a new experience for the vast majority of their players so their start to the game will be very important indeed. The Bulldogs smashed both the Storm and the Sea Eagles in the first half of those games and will be looking to do a similar job on the inexperienced Panthers. 

If the Panthers can withstand the early blitz and settle down into their own rhythm, they will give a good account of themselves. C'mon Panthers.

Sydney teams, take a bow

The last four left standing in the NRL premiership race are all Sydney teams. Actually, it's five Sydney teams left standing if we include the Sea Eagles, who will officially finish in fifth position after their narrow loss to the Bulldogs last Saturday night. 

That in itself is an extraordinary performance for all these clubs. In an age where so many of the interstate teams have huge geographical and corporate advantages over the Sydney-based teams, it is testimony to management and the resilience of these older traditional clubs that they have been able to maintain their competitiveness in the congested market in this city. It's not getting any easier either. 

The cost of running a professional rugby league program is increasing all the time. Sydney-based clubs will need added corporate and member support if they are all to survive into the future. So regardless of who wins this weekend, the 2014 grand final will be the fifth all-Sydney grand final of the NRL era. 

The previous four featured the Sydney Roosters. In 2003, it was the Roosters v Penrith. In 2004, we saw the Roosters v Bulldogs; 2010 - Dragons v Roosters; and last year it was the Roosters v Manly. Will the fifth follow that pattern?

We need to be far more proactive

The rule which enabled Canterbury to regain possession in the 73rd minute of their match against Manly after a Josh Reynolds' kick struck referee Gerard Sutton is anachronistic and will surely be changed in the off-season. I know it's an obscure rule and is rarely required, but every time it has happened, we have asked for changes. 

None have been forthcoming. In bygone years, packing a scrum and giving the feed to the team in their oppositions half was not a guarantee of possession for either side. 

However, the days of competitive scrums are long gone and it is such a shame that it took such an incident in a crucial moment of a sudden-death final for the league community to realise we had a rule that could be so unfair. I have written in this column previously about another anachronistic rule which prevents interchanges at scrums. 

One day a team will lose a match because an injured played couldn't be replaced at a scrum and the team is either reduced to 12 men or that injured player is unable to be effective. These are just two examples of rules not appropriate in today's game but left untouched by our administrators due to apathy and a lack of foresight. 

We shouldn't have to wait for instances like we had last Saturday for such antiquated rules to be placed under scrutiny. The game has to be far more proactive.

State cup grand finals

Minor premiers Penrith will meet Newcastle in the NSW Cup grand final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday. The Panthers will go into the match with 12 players unavailable due to injuries among their extended senior squad but have overcome a number of obstacles already this season to lose just four matches and win both of their finals matches. 

However, the Knights will provide the Panthers with their sternest test to date having also won both of their finals matches comfortably and boosting a team full of players with NRL experience. A significant number of the Panthers team were members of last year's winning Holden Cup team and have a unique opportunity to win a second title in a different competition in successive years. 

The successful club will not just win the coveted premiership cup but will represent NSW in the national final on NRL grand final day against the Queensland champions. The Queensland Cup grand final will be held at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, featuring minor premiers Northern Pride from Cairns, one of the Cowboys feeder clubs, and last year's runners-up Easts Tigers, from Brisbane, featuring several Melbourne Storm contracted players. The two teams met a fortnight ago, the Pride won 8-7.

A word on the beaten sides

At this time of year all attention goes to the winning teams. I just feel that the performances of the Cowboys and Sea Eagles last weekend deserve recognition. Both were absolutely mighty in defeat and contributed to one of the best weekends of finals action I can ever remember. 

I don't know what happened to the Cowboys in the first 30 minutes of their clash with the Roosters, but I will say that no other team in the NRL could've mounted a comeback of those proportions against the defending premiers. It was simply stunning. They were so unlucky not to win. 

On the back of some real disappointments in the finals in the past two seasons it must feel like the world is against them, but I sense this will only make them stronger next season. I see good things ahead for the North Queensland team.

I have so much admiration for Manly. Their core group of senior players have been so good for so long. Despite the injuries and suspensions which weakened their side for the semi-final, they produced another whole-hearted effort. I hope the stories of unrest and disharmony are untrue. 

It would be a terrible shame if these guys didn't remain close friends for the rest of their days. It's been a very special era in the club's history. Well done.

Article by Phil Gould 
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October Long Weekend Labour Day

October Long Weekend in Sydney

Labour Day in NSW (Monday, 6th October) is celebrated on the first Monday of October. Make the most of the spring weather unwinding on Sydney's beaches or taking in stunning habour vistas on a coastal walk through one of Sydney's beautiful national parks.

The October long weekend offers a great opportunity to explore Sydney in springtime.

Take in stunning views of Sydney Harbour onboard a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. Relax on Manly Beach as you listen to the smooth sounds of Manly Jazz across the weekend with outstanding local and international musicians performing by the water.

Just a short walk from Manly, North Head lookout offers a spectacular panorama of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. It's also a great location to spot whales at this time year. Other excellent whale-watching vantage points can be found in national parks across Sydney including Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Kamay Botany Bay National Park and the heritage-listed Royal National Park.

Make the most of Sydney's springtime weather and explore the city's many vibrant outdoor weekend markets. Unearth vintage goods and discover up-and-coming designers at Bondi Markets, Glebe Markets, Rozelle Weekend Markets and Paddington Markets.

Immerse yourself in Sydney's arts and culture scene and catch the closing weekend of Strictly Ballroom the Musical on stage at the Capitol Theatre.

Source: http://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/public-holidays/october-long-weekend-labour-day/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social


Coming to Sydney for the long weekend?

Book one of Metro's Sydney hotels or apartments - conveniently located close to public transport, restaurants and major attractions:

• Metro Hotel Sydney Central
• Metro Hotel on Pitt
• Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour
• Aspire Hotel Sydney