- By Sunrise Presenter Mark Beretta

A big day that includes dancing, a man-choir, Eric Bana, an embarrassed Gary Abblet Snr...

>> Mel's blog | Simon's blog |  Beretts's blog |  Nat's blog | Kochie’s blog

++ UPDATED 29 September 

Grand Final Day for me starts very early.

I wake up and on the TV, catch the the finals of years gone by.

Then, as I get ready I tune into the North Melbourne breakfast - covered live every year on TV.

From the Sofitel where I was staying I could see the MCG car park filling up.

Wherever you are in Melbourne you can feel the excitement building

Soon, my mates started arriving - plus my brother - so we headed over to the MCG as a group of five.

First, I was MC'ing two football panels to discuss the game (my dream job for Grand Final day).

Of course, I was totally unbiased and upheld the highest journalistic integrity (except for a few 'go-cats' sprinkled in!)

Then came the game.

Our seats were on the first tier of MCG, facing straight into the rain.

I put my trusty poncho on.

Somehow, my $2 poncho kept me dry most of the day.

We arrived in time for the Farnham/Barnes show, and that rocked the stadium. Ninety-nine thoussand people screaming and rocking out to them. Wow.

Geelong runs out onto the MCG first.... Then national anthems, big cheers and the start of play.

The crowd was probably three quarters St Kilda. So we were quite outnumbered.

From the start, Geelong looked more relaxed about the whole experience - having been for three in a row.

St Kilda never relented, and every break they managed to get themselves back in front.

It was an incredible battle.

Now, we were surrounded by Cats supporters.

At one stage, I went to get a refreshment and bumped into Gary Abblet senior - a great man.

We had a chat as we hadn't caught up for a long time - not since I prematurely announced his retirement on Channel 7, actually.

I also bumped into the Norm Smith medalist Paul Chapman's mum. We had a good chat.

I bumped into Michael Klim who was going for St Kilda. We shook hands and went our separate ways.

Right through the game I was being bombarded with texts from Eric Bana - a very concerned St Kilda fan.

To be honest, by the third quarter, I - like many other fans - was preparing myself for a loss.

Chapman goals, and for the first time the Cats began to dominate.

There was a mark just before the siren. The Cats won by two goals. But that's not really a true scoreline. It came right down the wire.

From thereon it was elation. The boys huddled around me to form a very rough and ready man-choir. We sang the Geelong song, probably a hundred times, before heading to the Geelong function at Melbourne Park where I had the privilege of introducing the players on stage.

I chatted to Tom Harley, Geelong's skipper, a great mate, and then to Mark Thompson, the coach.

Mark had told the boys at three-quarter time "You can walk away with another loss or put in a superb effort and keep a memory for the rest of your lives".

That's what kept them going.

At this point I turned to Mark and said, "I love you." "I love you too," he said.

That was a special moment...  I wish hadn't been caught on TV.

I chatted to Paul Chapman who was incredibly humble. We spoke about the team and he wouldn't be drawn on his individual performance.

Then it was full on part-time; Daryl Somers, Geelong's #1 ticket holder was there, Billy Brownless...

I am proud to say I was the last one off the dance floor well after the music had stopped.

A great day to be a Geelong boy.

The End.

 

 

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++ UPDATED Thu 13 Aug 11.31am

2 Goals in the first half. What a legend.

 

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++ UPDATED Wed 29 July 11.38am

There's a lot of recent stories around of players switching codes, changing sides or, if your name is "Bucks", moving from player's bench to coaching box.

But no one has moved from NRL to AFL before... until now.

Karmichael Hunt. He's just 22 but has decided to move from the Brisbane Broncos to the Gold Coast to play AFL.

It really is a new frontier.

With some other players it is surprising but when I find out more about Karmichael's history, it made good sense.

He played AFL as a kid in Brisbane so it's always been in his blood. That's been proven by AFL stars Nathan Buckley and Jason McCartney when they took Karmichael aside for a skills session but ended it after half an hour when it became clear, "mate, we don't need to teach you anything".

I don't see a landslide of NRL players jumping ship just yet as it's a move that wouldn't work for everyone.

You'd need the base skills for AFL and it helps if you started learning those skills early on. Karmichael did and as a result, the guy will pull off the first switch and its looking good.

People have asked me if players switch codes for the money - and there certainly is more in the AFL, you're joining a pool of 600 players. The NRL has just 300.)

I believe, for Karmichael, it's honestly about the challenge. If he wanted money, he could head overseas to play union in Japan.

How he has changed is also interesting. It started with a 'cold call' from the Gold Coast franchise management to Hunt's manager, David Rioli, when they heard he was thinking of a move out of League.

It's a bit rare that a code would approach a player.

I'm hearing the AFL felt Hunt was one of the players they'd let "slip through the net". Who else could they be wooing right now?

 

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Why does everyone say Gen Y is lazy?

A lot made of Gen Y ditching jobs too soon.
 
I don’t think Gen y are any different to any other generation.

When I was young, just getting into the workforce,  the same thing was said about me and every decision me and others made about our first jobs.
 
The early years are about  experiences, about moving around, trying new things. It's healthy.

You want to try different things.

You want to hone in on what you enjoy.
It's simply this generation, have more options and opportunities than anyone else and good on them for using it.
 
I say, good work for not getting to fifty years old and saying I stayed in a job for my whole life that I hated.

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++ UPDATED 23 June 8.23am  

I showed a motorbike helmet on the show this morning. It was one-off and pretty fantastic artwork hand painted by renowned Aboriginal artist Raymond Walters Japanangka at the Darwin V8 Supercar. (find out more on Raymond at www.thornyarts.com)

The helmet has been painted for a good cause, too. It will be auctioned on www.teamvodafone.com following the event to raise money for the  Vodafone Foundations Indigenous charity Red Dust Role Models.
 
Bids will open at 12pm on Thursday 18 June and the auction will close at 12pm on Saturday 27 June
 
V8 superstars Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup are behind this charity and dual World Supercross Champion Chad Reed will be sporting a similar design when he races next week over in the US. You can even bid for his helmet on the same TeamVodafone website.

 

 

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++ UPDATED 10 June 2.25pm

I don't know if you were watching this omrining but I think our interview with Teri Hatcher (my favourite Desperate Housewife) was one of the funniest segments we have had in ages. Watch it now and tell me if you agree.

In other news, I am still waiting on Mel's response to my blog below. Maybe I scared her off online?

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++ UPDATED 12.19pm June 5

Look, it's about the Footy Tips. The guys, myself and Kochie, are getting hotter and hotter. We're at least 20 ahead and we're only mid way through the season.

The girls? Well, they're very rattled.

The secret is I get my tips in on Monday - not in the last few minutes before they are due like the girls do.

You also need to get a feel for who's hot out on the field, which teams are working, playing well together. The home-ground advantage is very important this year.

Geelong, St Kilda... these teams are nearly a sure-bet this year. 

"What's sad is that Mel and Nat are breaking all the rules
 that got them to the top in the first place!"

If you have two teams, matched very closely, support the home team. Home teams have played in all conditions on their field, they know the ground, they have the strength of home supporters lifting them and with that comes the feeling of pride.

I have genuine concern for the girls (Mel and Nat) and their tips. They are overcomplicating things. They have no process, they're talking to too many people - they're a shambles!

I think what happens is when it's approaching midnight - and it's a classic habit of rattled tippers - they feel overwhelmed and just put down their hunches.

What's sad is that Mel and Nat are breaking all the rules that got them to the top in the first place!

(View last week's Footy Tips)

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++ UPDATED 2.41pm April 12 

Hi guys,

Facing up to a triathlon last month taught me that I'm not the young man I used to be. And it's not just my body that needs jogging - my memory 'aint what it used to be.

I meet many people during each week, including 20 or 30 each day when we head outside onto the plaza at the end of each show.

I'm ok with remembering people's names but I really do struggle with the sheer number of faces coming at me each day. Viewers often say, "Hey! I met you last year at the V8s - remember!?" Hmmm. I'd say I meet about a hundred or more fans at most sporting events so it may take a while to come back to me.

So, sorry if I don't always get it right.

That said, some people really stand out. And as viewers occasionally do, this tall lady sent her photo to the soapbox.

Hi Sunrise team!

My name is Cayla Francis and I was fortunate enough to meet Mark on Tuesday the 7th of April at the Basketball Australia Launch/ World record attempt, which was held at Federation Square in Melbourne!

Im a big sunrise fan and I wanna thank Mark for taking the time the have a photo with me!

:)

HAPPY EASTER

No problem Cayla.

Now, to all you others who get your photo taken with us every day, or when you see me at a sporting event, feel free to email it in. We can include it in our blogs, we'll add it to our flickr group of Sunrise Viewer Photos - www.flickr.com/groups/sunriseviewerphotos - plus, it will help jog my memory!

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++ UPDATED 23 March 11.33am

Some video has been sent around the office that appears to show me as a young reporter with Nathan Buckley.

While some of you may find it amusing to poke fun at my darker hair or the great moustache on the punter behind me, how about the fact I was chatting to Nathan Buckley 13 years ago and now he's on Sunrise as an AFL panel member!

I genuinely forgot how far back Bucks and I go!! And how young is McAvaney!

You can see how Nathan has brushed up when he's on Sunrise tomorrow (March 24).

 

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++ UPDATED 2 Feb 10.12am

Last night, Federer didn’t lose, Nadal won.

A lot will been made of his crying but his emotion didn’t surprise me

They are such opposites, those two players.

Two opposite worlds collided at Rod Laver Arena last night.

Nadal is exciting, energetic, passionate player.

Yet Roger is a traditionalist, classic, Swiss, mechanical purist player.

That’s the difference between the two.

It was always going to be good.

All credit to Nadal for slugging it out

He got the crowd right on his side and this win puts a big stone in the crown for Nadal.

He’s won the Australian Open – one of his more difficult events.

He’s so strong in the French Open – he will win that.

He won Wimbledon last year.

If he does win all the championships, it will be the first Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

Now, I think it’s important we get behind him and cheer him on to create tennis history.

Beretts.

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++ UPDATED 1 Feb 9.50pm

Wow! What an incredible couple of weeks of tennis.

I've been lucky enough to see some amazing matches here in Melbourne. And when Mel, Kochie and Fifi were here for the Australia Day show we got our own behind the scenes tour of the Australian Open. We got to meet Craig Tiley - the director of the Open and we even bumped into Roger Federer! The girls were speechless.

Here we are sneaking out onto centre court for a photo in between sessions.

Funny though, that night Mel and Kochie bagged front row seats for the match and Fifi and I were relegated to row ZZ. But to make up for it.. we got to meet two tennis greats Pat Cash and Mats Wilander.

We ran into Kylie as well. She's been keeping us up to date with all the tennis news. She also reminded me The Morning Show's back on Monday. Apparently Larry has organised a Superbowl special for their first show - I'll certainly be tuning in.

But back to the tennis, I also caught up with my mate Mark McVeigh from Essendon and we saw the Jelena Dokic match together. Here we are.. the first in and seated for her quarter final. As you can see we take it very seriously.

I also managed to talk him into joining the Sunrise AFL panel again this year.

The Australian Open kicks off a huge year of sport for Sunrise. Of course I'll be back in Melbourne soon because the Grand Prix is just two months away and then there's the footy. This year Kochie and I have promised Mel and Nat we'll take them to the AFL. We'll be able to explain all the rules and why the Cats are so much better than any other team. But don't worry I won't be giving away too many tips. We can't have the girls beating us in the footy tipping competition (again).

Nat and I will both be back at brekky central on Monday, it'll be great to have all the family together again. Even the cash cow will be back. And she won't be empty-handed - she emailed me this week to tell me she's got another $100,000 to give away.

Anyway I'd better run. And Dan's promised me a wrestling session - I've been practicing my half Nelson hold all week!

Beretts

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++ UPDATED 3.09pm January 29

Having been in Melbourne all week it is about time I wrote a blog to share with you all what it is that makes this Open different than all the rests.

Being so close to the world's best players and seeing great action with the world's eyes on Melbourne - it all just seems to be bigger than it ever was.

The crowds are bigger - they're clocking record Grand Slam crowds - but the whole event seems somehow more enormous than ever before.

And I am now ready to make a call on who's going to win it - for the mens and the womens events.

If Federer gets past Roddick (and I think he will) then the Open is his. He's ready and hungry for his 14th Grand Slam title.

As for the women,  Serena Williams knows how to win on the big stage and that is why she will win the womens. She's an awesome fighter.

There you go - I didn't mention the hot weather once!

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++ UPDATED 5.54pm November 18

I met with Daniel Craig yesterday, What a nice guy. He really was down to earth.

The film is sensational - I still like Casino Royale but this film does set no standards.

There was one question I didn't get to ask and that was 'Who do you get starstruck by?'

His eyes really are intense and he's got it all - girls really want to be with him and guys really want to be him!

Hope you like the interview.(Watch video)

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++ UPDATED 12.34pm October 22

Here are my quick views on Australia's cricketing disaster in India:

We were resoundingly beaten.

Our worst loss since 1991, in Barbados, when we were beaten by the West Indies by 343 runs.

It's only our second loss in 28 wins so losing by 320 runs was significant.

To me, it's the way we lost that is the problem. (discuss it here)

We were completely outplayed in every facet of the game. There were, I think, no promising signs.

Something drastic needs to change. And Andrew Symonds should come back.

He's done his time, he's shown remorse.

He's needed now and it's time he came back.

Andrew Symonds is that secret weapon the way the he rattles them is the way they have been rattling us.

 

 

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++ UPDATED 1.27pm October 12

I am in Bathurst and got to talk to Eric Bana this morning. There's another incredible hulking monster that interests Eric - his 1974 XB GT Falcon coupe.

The roaring car has been his passion for years and he told me about how it's the focus of the first feature film he has directed.(Watch interview)

The trailer below will tell you all about it...

 

 

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 ++ UPDATED 2.29pm October 9

Imran Khan on tomorrow's show

I have just interviewed Imran Khan - one of the greatest minds in cricket.

To Imran, cricket is not making enough use of technology. He wants to see umpires going to the video on critical decisions, more use of cameras ...

And while he understands Australia's reluctance to tour Pakistan he says it is a safe place and we shouldn't feel uncomfortable about touring.

In fact, he doesn't see a day where any cricket team sees a risk in Pakistan.

Cricket is sacred in Pakistan, and he says that seeing as terrorism works to win over people's hearts and minds, they would just set themselves back so much if they attacked cricket.

He also points out that Pakistan and India have been at war three times so if anyone was really at rick playing in Pakistan it would be India.

The interview went really well, so don't miss it.

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At the Sydney Car Show

Early on, the Prius was almost an experiment in cars.

They built it to see to see if it could be run on both petrol and electric- been such a success and uptake globally has been so strong we are seeing other cars get into hybrids.

The top of the tree is the Mercedes S Class - about to release its no longer gimmick., It's the top end of motor vehicles.

We are at the forefront in Australia with Toyota taking the Prius technology and using it in the Hybrid Camry which will be made here and be available next year.

Now the hybrid thing has momentum and evolving faster than anyone imagined - the age of the electric car is here.

Toyota have already been racing a hybrid race car in Japan.

In the accelerate it has 3 electric motors plus the petrol motor. As it breaks it puts energy into the electric motor.

Hybrid technology has just come so far so quickly

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++ UPDATED 4.11pm September 28

I am not yet up to talking about the Grand Final.

In the meantime, here is a slideshow of sad cats.

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++ UPDATED 12.50pm September 17

It's not unusual for people in the workplace to be stood down from their job while under an investigation.

So why should it be any different for the Broncos?

Three players involved in the current sexual assault allegations shouldn't be allowed to play on Saturday night against the Melbourne storm at Suncorp Stadium.

How Brisbane fans could cheer for their team knowing that players representing them have been involved in such an ugly incident is beyond comprehension.

Its' a dark time for Brisbane, thanks to the irresponsible acts of a small few - now their teammates, the club and their fans are suffering when they should be celebrating the biggest game of the year.

You can only imagine how angry coach Wayne Bennett must be.

A true gentleman, an honourable father, Bennett is highly respected in the community...  and that his players could let him down in this way must be ripping him apart.

What a sad end to his glorious time at the Broncos.

The only on honourable way forward for the Brisbane team is to stand down the players involved in that investigation and get on with the job of reviving the club and doing their best on the field on Saturday night.

I hope they are up to the challenge.
MB

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++ UPDATED 7.53am September 8


It was a great day! Always is.

 Started with a sleep-in (that maybe could have lasted another hour or two!), then the bedroom was invaded by Rach, Ava and Dan singing Happy Fathers Day (.. to the tune of Happy Birthday!)

Each one carried a present. Ava kindly ripped the wrapping paper open, one by one, while Dan rolled in it! Of course, Ava's gift had to be first.. it was a DVD of one of our favorites from Nick Junior, "Shaun The Sheep"! Didn't take us long to get that that fired up for the morning.

She also did me a great little artwork from Kindy, that'll be going up on my desk at work in the morning.

Dan found me a book that he liked called "Daddy likes to Cha Cha Cha", which I think is Rach's wicked way of having a dig at my performances on Dancing With The Stars last season!

And Rach got me a big block of my favorite Darrell Lea Rocky Road, and a T-shirt.

After a family breakfast we loaded up the car and shot to Manly, grabbed an ice-cream and jumped onto the Manly Ferry for the ride up the Harbour and into Sydney. It was a great trip, and the big swells rolling through the Sydney Heads made the kids day! We stayed on at Circular Quay and came straight back to Manly.

Dan took time out for his afternoon sleep, while Ava and I went for a Father-Daughter lunch. She is hysterical, it was like she was taking me out! She knew where she wanted to go, exactly where she wanted to sit, and what she wanted to order - I had to try really hard not to laugh!

The afternoon was perfect, time on the couch with the kids watching the footy and an impressive Geelong win! Then it was off to friends for a fun dinner with all the dads, mums and kids!

Yep, the perfect Father's day.

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++ UPDATED  1.16pm August 7

The time has come for me to make a call on how many Gold the Aussie will bring back, and who will be triumphant.People of Australia, sports lovers everywhere, this is how the chips will (or may well) fall.

 

I predict Australia will win 15 Gold.

We won 16 gold in Sydney and 17 in Athens.

 

I feel confident these athletes will win gold for Australia (GOLD GOLD GOLD!):

Hackett Mens 1500

Mens hockey

Melissa Wu - 10m platform

Cadel Evans road time trial

Rowing Mens coxless pairs. Mens lightweight double skull

Trap shooting - Michael diamond

Sailing - Tom Slinsby

Libby Tricket - 50freestyle, 100m free, 100 fly

Jess Shipper - 200m butterfly

Liesel Jones

100m, 200m Breastroke

Eamon Sullivan - 50m freestyle

2x womens relay

 

These are my Aussie athletes to watch

Michael Rogers in cycling road time trial

Clayton Fredericks - Equestrian team

The Olyroos

Mens and womens eights - rowing could do anything (I'm a big supporter of the womens eights)

Bronte Barratt - she's the dark horse of these games

And lastly, one to watch closely is Matt Helm (diver) and Robert Newberry in the 10m platform synchronised diving.

 

And these are my Gold Medal certainties

Mens and womens basketball

Olyroos - good for bronze

Oh, and we will smash the UK

 

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++ UPDATED 9 July 12.10pm

I am a cycling nut. (The photos are of me in Australian Cyclist.)

And the Tour De France is probably the annual sporting event you look forward to the most.

It's a spectacular event to watch - the European countryside, combined with fierce racing - and it's just an amazing physical challenge.

This race is just phenomenal. It's the equivalent of 5 trips form Melbourne to Sydney.

 

21 stages, 2 rest days, 3500 km.

An Aussie has never won it - but Cadel Evans, this year, is our best chance.

Cadel was runner up last year. Within a matter of weeks may find himself wearing the leader's "maillot jaune" (or yellow jersey, if your French is a little rusty).

Evans will make his move as they head into the mountains.

In the meantime, we will see Aussies Robbie McEwan and Stuart O'Grady win stages.

Many people don't realise it's a big field. There are 178 riders and you qualify by being picked up by a team.

They ride five riders in team and they ride together, letting their best hope trail in the slipstream until the rest drift back to let them take the glory.

It's a very humble thing to do for an athlete.

As for me, I just need to get out there on some longer rides. I ride two or three times a week on my road bike.

It's a Ridley Excalibur. Same bike as Cadel. So I have no excuses.

 

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++ UPDATED 11 June 1.28pm

Hi guys,

A uni student from Newcastle has written an assignment on me - it's a bit long for a blog post, I know, and very flattering - so I think this budding writer will go very far! Plus, you will want to read it if you would like to hear about my first car,  the Olympics, my family and Dancing With The Stars. 

SUN IS SHINING

AT 8.55 AM ON A COLD SYDNEY MORNING MARK BERETTA IS SINGING and dancing with Ghanaian football fans outside the Channel Seven studios. A crowd is gathered to catch a glimpse of one quarter of the Sunrise team, the most watched breakfast show on Australian television for five years running.

He energetically jumps with them while the camera is rolling, but when filming has stopped? Well he just jumps higher, and the cameraman joins in too.

As the Sunrise sports anchor and