There is a wall of federal election coverage out there today. This isn’t more of it.

Not glamorous? Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury with girlfriend Alex Davis. Pic: Stephen Harman / File

A glance at the list of most popular stories on any major website shows Australians are talking about a bunch of other things aside from politics. So alongside our daily campaign coverage we’ll be bringing you a daily potted summary of the non-election issues grabbing voters’ attention, trying not to draw unnecessary parallels with federal politics unless it involves budgies, forward movement, or other parallels too obvious to resist. Today, let’s start with sporting WAGs.

What makes a good WAG?

The indisputably stunning girlfriend of Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury, Alex Davis, is a rising star of the WAG world but is at a loss to explain why.

She was ranked third most-glamorous WAG in a Herald Sun / Seven News fan survey, but says she was surprised with the label. “I’m pretty casual,” she says. “I’m not glamorous by any means.”

Your honour, um, please see exhibit A above: that dress.

The short report on the WAG glamour league (I know, they survey people in detail about this stuff now?) was the most popular story on the Herald Sun this afternoon.

A sports story getting deserved attention today is the extraordinary performance of the Sydney Roosters in yesterday’s NRL game against Canterbury. The story focusing on the Roosters’ iron-nerved hero Braith Anasta was the most-read on The Australian’s website for some time today. It’s a great read.

A sporting personality in the headlines for the wrong reasons is ex-cricketer Dean Jones, whose 2007 Father of the Year award has been stripped after it was revealed he had a nine-year affair with a flight attendant and had a love child with her.

Elsewhere Mel Gibson is reportedly considering moving back to Australia (if only there were celebrity TPVs for stars whose careers are imploding) and Boeing’s new 787 has made its first international appearance, at a UK air show.

You can see from this video that with its wings, engines, and upright tail it, er, looks like most other passenger jets. The report is the most-read on the SMH website this afternoon.

But the day’s best stoush involves (drum roll) Masterchef, with celebrity stirrer Neil Perry claiming he was misquoted in a report in which he appeared to poo-pooh the hit show’s contestants as “nobodies”.

Perry’s strategy for dealing with the story has been to email Masterchef judge Matt Preston and posted the message on his Facebook page. On Twitter, Perry said he didn’t see what the problem was “other than arsehole editors trying to sell papers.”

Have a read of what Perry said here and decide whether he has egged this particular pudding appropriately.

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    • Macca says:

      04:08pm | 19/07/10

      What makes a good WAG?

      Well if we are to believe the Australian Cricketing Greats, a demure, patient loyal lass… preferably with large Boobs. Ahh, classy stuff

    • TheRealDave says:

      04:31pm | 19/07/10

      A good WAG needs a certain kind of ‘Je ne sais skank’ I believe.

    • Arnold Layne says:

      04:42pm | 19/07/10

      Righto Colgo, I’ll bite.  In short….

      - Most of those lasses in the AFL WAG gallery look like they need a good feed, with the notable exception of the rather healthy looking Leanne Tucker….and speaking of footy players who have had a few glamours on their arm, we lead on to…...

      - Braith Anasta.  Apparently he played well yesterday.  Good on him and well done for reaching 200 games.  He obviously demonstrated plenty of staying power over the years.  Someone else who has obviously demonstrated a bit of staying power is….

      -Dean Jones.  Was he sorry or sorry for being caught?  In any event, it’s yet another rather public falling from grace, although not in the same league as…...

      - Mel Gibson.  Maybe he’s after a guest spot on Dancing With The Stars?  Does he think we haven’t heard about his exploits?  His career is in a massive tail spin, the likes of which I’m sure will never happen to the…..

      -Boeing 787.  Looks like a decent enough aircraft.  With the capacity they’re advertising I assume it’ll replace the 737 in the long run.  Looks to have quite a wide body too.  Someone else with a wide body is Matt Preston, who isn’t lal that popular with….

      -Neil Perry (yeah I wondered how to make that segue too).  Sounds like a bit of handbags to me.  If Rockpool IS losing money, then maybe it’s all a publicity stunt.  Cynical?  Moi?  Sometimes people will do anything in a desperate grab for attention when they have nothing else going for them.  Kind of like…….

      - WAGs

    • Adam Diver says:

      09:24am | 20/07/10

      Brilliant stuff, particularly the Neil Perry segue

    • Lu says:

      10:43am | 20/07/10

      the circle of life

    • Brad Coward says:

      04:51pm | 19/07/10

      A good WAG must have the potential to be a contestant on “Dancing With The Stars”.  The WAG pool is where the producers go when they don’t have any actual stars to fill the number of contestant places.

    • Macca says:

      05:03pm | 19/07/10

      Thats a good way to get the missus out of the house and earn a quick buck

    • Macca says:

      05:06pm | 19/07/10

      And there is nothing Footy players love more than having their other half rubbing up against some professionally trained flexible dancing dude who spends half his time gyrating his reproductive parts around said partner

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      05:36pm | 19/07/10

      Paul Colgan, Wag’s aside… what did you reckon about the All Black’s mauling of the Spring boks over the last couple of weekends? I’m looking forward to seeing the Wallabies giving it to them this weekend in Brisbane. I think the Wallabies will do it, but they will be up against a wounded lion.

    • Paul Colgan

      Paul Colgan says:

      08:31pm | 19/07/10

      Admirable optimism, Rob. On paper the Boks have it all over the current Wallabies… but you’re right, they did get pretty badly beaten up across the ditch by the ABs. New Zealand are playing a ferocious game at the moment. Great to watch.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      08:52pm | 19/07/10

      Paul, don’t be to quick to put your sides new line up down. There is some great new talent in the side. They can play the running game too. If they keep focused, the SA’s discipline will let them down. Although I don’t think you’ll take the Bledisloe Cup off us this year, but the Wallabies haven’t had a run so I don’t want to talk too soon lol

    • The Cricket says:

      06:17pm | 19/07/10

      Arnold,

      I thinik that’s a bit unfair on poor old Alex (pictured above) to say she looks like she needs a good feed. She’s the picture of health, and you’d have to be jealous or insecure about your own body to try and make out she’s too skinny.

    • Stefano of Manly says:

      07:13pm | 19/07/10

      I would.

    • Arnold Layne says:

      07:52pm | 19/07/10

      @The Cricket - yeah that’s a fair call.  It was just quicker and easier to single out one of them (ie Leanne Hunter) but that photo above is a cracker.  It does her far more justice than the one in the Herald Sun gallery.  For the record, I have plenty of insecurities about my own body, but none of them have anything to do with the physique of Miss Davis!

    • Brad Coward says:

      07:29pm | 19/07/10

      Where do the players go to find the WAGs.  Is there a club or something that women can join only if they happen to be pretty and able to speak with their tongues hanging out of their mouths ?

    • chris says:

      09:11pm | 19/07/10

      I do not think most of the boys have to try too hard. It would be like bees flocking to a well paid honey pot.

    • Steve says:

      09:34pm | 19/07/10

      That’s pretty much the way it seems to work.  I remember a doco on either the ABC or SBS a few years ago creatively titled “Footy Chicks” which was basically an exposé of that scene.

    • TheRealDave says:

      01:02am | 20/07/10

      Brad, I believe any toilet block in any fashionable club or pub after a game…..or maybe thats just for Falzons….

    • Bleeding Heart says:

      01:18am | 20/07/10

      Yep, He is probably a nice guy but he will only play footy for 10 years if he is lucky but will be ugly forever.
      I remember when I was playing that one neednt have made it before the “stable girls” started hanging around.
      In the end it was all about opportunity, for them & for me.
      For them, they got to meet more guys like me and me, well I got to meet more girls like them, if you get my picture.
      A win win for all concerned but brownlow night was a nightmare, they get lucky, I get lucky wink

    • Sean Williams says:

      04:28am | 20/07/10

      Ah the WAG phenomonon. Yet another gift from the old country. You don’t want our Queen and take any excuse to bash Britain but, not content with our language, form of law and government and rich cultural heritage, you happily import every aspect of our popular culture as well in lieu of not having any of your own. Actually, correction, you do want the Queen, I vaguely recall you voted as much not that long ago!

    • Krista says:

      09:28am | 20/07/10

      Many of us Do Not want the Queen Sean Williams, the background for many of us is British,  not all of us have ever been to GB nor do we feel any links. We have many many here with backgrounds from all over the world who feel no ties at all to GB. Bring on the republic!!

    • GalPower says:

      07:28am | 20/07/10

      Yeah, but look at ‘em both.

      She: Comely, demure and very presentable.
      He: A manky sack of unwashed taters.

      You could take her home to Mum’s lamb roast and have fun, or to a swank concert and have fun. She’s gone to a lot of trouble - which he can’t be so thick he doesn’t know. He’s just dragged out the beer-sticky 3-piece. Couldn’t be bothered to even manage the tie, for God’s sake - how hard is that!  Let alone reach for hairbrush or razor.  The guy’s a manky slob.

    • Kate says:

      09:33am | 20/07/10

      Bit harsh on poor old Pendlebury there. I think he has legitimately tried to look good - it’s just that unfortunately for him, he’s not very good looking.
      Not every footy player can be a Ben Cousins/Ed Lower type spunk, sadly.

    • stephen says:

      11:39am | 20/07/10

      Yeah she looks she’s really in love with him and doesn’t wanna be a movie star.

    • Peter says:

      02:42pm | 20/07/10

      Sorry Paul, I couldn’t read your article.  The picture of Alex was a lot better…

    • Bitten says:

      10:07pm | 20/07/10

      Well, that is a very nicely presented lassie right there - props to her, she looks fantastic!  Quality WAG.

 

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