The celebrations are wild as France claim their second FIFA World Cup, Super Rugby quarter-finals are upon us and Eric Murray receives prestigious award.
One is among the most underestimated footballers in our team sports history. So is the other one.
Warriors Issac Luke and Simon Mannering are presenting the sort of dilemma to give a chief executive nightmares...and sweet dreams.
Both have uncertain futures at the Warriors — Luke's situation probably comes downto money, Mannering is considering giving the game away. But both have hit top form.
They weren't alone on Sunday, but veterans Luke and Mannering tore the Brisbane Broncos up. It was a joy to watch. When the Melbourne Storm play at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday, there should be banners unfurled pleading with the pair to stay on.
Luke has had an erratic time in Auckland since leaving the South Sydney Rabbitohs. But he is the best dummy half in Kiwi league history by a country mile, which is about the distance he ran at Suncorp Stadium.
At his best, Luke is a dead set superstar, a status which other Kiwi sports people have found easier to attain than he has for some reason.
He is among the best dummy halves to have ever played in the Australian competition, and the most damaging the Warriors have had on their books. In other words, you don't discard a player like Luke easily.
Dummy halves — hookers in the old currency — will forever be judged against Cameron Smith, who leads the Storm at Mt Smart Stadium.
Comparisons to Smith are not the way to judge Luke. Smith can win a game by hardly running at all. The squat Luke will destroy opponents by going out of his way to shrug more of them off.
Watching Smith, who has just turned 35, is a bit like watching a metronome. To understand just how good he is and his influence on the Storm, check the record books and read insider analysis.
The intricacies of how Smith manipulates matches, the way he preys on opponents' weaknesses and drives his own club, aren't things always blatantly obvious on the field.
Luke still plays like a wild child. The Broncos couldn't handle him — they got well and truly 'Luked'. At the age of 31, he is having an exceptional season. Watching him shred the Broncos, particularly in the pivotal first half, confirmed the feeling it would be a disaster if he moved on this year.
Simon Mannering - terrific against the Broncos. Photo / Photosport
As much as he is hugely admired, Mannering has not been adored the way a flashy halfback would be, or he should be.
His situation is a little different compared to that of Luke's. Tough forwards are easier to come by than outstanding dummy halves, and Mannering's form hasn't always been top notch this season.
Mannering was the hardest working defender in the game on Sunday, made plenty of great runs, and his offloading helped break the Broncos down.
It was a fantastic performance from the club legend, who is a spring lamb compared to the NRL's finest piece of mutton, the Cronulla warhorse Paul Gallen.
Not only is Sharks hardman Gallen aged 36, he's almost 37. Mannering is approaching 32. You are a long time retired, Simon Mannering.
From a distance, it's hard to judge where these two players will end up, what chief executive Cameron George and Steve Kearney are really thinking, or if club boss and coach are even on the same page.
Luke's brilliant form - with his contract almost up - is at the front of thinking. But in the back of George's mind will be Luke's infamous start to his three year deal in Auckland. Luke's poor initial fitness and contribution are among the more baffling situations at a club which has spent nearly 25 years baffling people.
Mannering's attitude has never been doubted. Free of Kiwis commitments, he hit the Broncos like a man who wants to play on, or one determined to thoroughly enjoy what little playing time he has left.
