Green light for mega tour
ONE of Australia’s favourite rock champions Green Day will return to Australian stadiums in November and they’re bringing their mates.
The global Hella Mega tour also features rockers Fall Out Boy and influential band Weezer, who opened for Foo Fighters on their stadium tour in 2018.
Green Day have enjoyed a live affair with Australian fans for more than 25 years, commanding the charts with their 1994 breakthrough album Dookie which debuted at No.1.
Each of their records since have kicked off at the top of the ARIA charts, going on to sell more than one and a half million albums in Australia alone over the decades and they release their 13th studio album Father Of All ... today.
Commentators had predicted the politically conscious group’s new album would be influenced by President Donald Trump, but the band said they wanted to make music fans could dance to.
“The thing with Trump, all of it, for us, seemed too obvious. There’s so much toxic s--- in the ether right now,” frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said. “I didn’t want to write songs that would contribute to that. So, for us, it was like, ‘OK, instead of doing some opus or something like that, let’s find a new direction we haven’t gone into’.”
They ignited fan excitement on Wednesday when all three bands posted teasers online with the Australia and New Zealand flags.
The tour will kick off on November 8 at Perth’s HBF Park, before heading to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Wednesday November 11, followed by Bankwest Stadium, Sydney on November 14 and concluding in Brisbane on November 17 at Suncorp Stadium.
The Hella Mega tour announcement comes in the same week veteran alternative rock band Faith No More announced their first headlining dates in Australia since 1995, returning to arenas in May.
And short-lived teen rock heartthrobs Short Stack announced a July reunion club tour.
Tickets for Green Day’s Hella Mega shows go on sale at 11am on February 14.
The Green Day webstore and Fall Out Boy and Weezer fan pre-sales, begin at 9am on February 10.
The Green Day fan pre-sale starts at 10am on February 10. My Live Nation and Ticketmaster members can secure tickets during the pre-sale beginning at 10am on February 11.
NBL
There are two weeks left in the NBL regular season and every game this weekend has some bearing on the make-up of the top four.
The Brisbane Bullets continued their winning streak with a fighting victory over Melbourne United and they are now $1.30 to finish in the top four for the second season in a row.
They can all but secure their finals berth with a win over the New Zealand Breakers at “The Armoury” tonight and are $1.38 with Ladbrokes to do so.
The Bullets will be in action again on Sunday as $2.80 outsiders to beat the Perth Wildcats, who are $1.44 favourites.
Melbourne United ($5) and the Breakers ($5) both remain in finals contention, but are relying on the Bullets losing both their games this weekend to be any possible chance. Despite this, United remain shorter-priced favourites than the Bullets to win the NBL Championship.
The Sydney Kings are back into favouritism in outright NBL betting, despite their loss to the Wildcats, and have the opportunity to virtually seal the minor premiership with a win over South East Melbourne on Sunday.
It has been a tough finish for the Phoenix in their debut season. They have lost seven of their past eight games, and are $2.75 to play finals spoiler on Sunday.
SUPER RUGBY
It could be another long year for Melbourne Rebels supporters. The Rebels were one of the shortest-priced favourites to win in the opening round of the Super Rugby season, but failed to get the job done against the Sunwolves and are now staring down the barrel of a 0-2 start to the season.
The Brumbies are clear favourites to beat the Rebels at $1.53 with Ladbrokes, but recent history suggests the $2.50 available for a Rebels victory could be value.
The Rebels have won their past four games against the Brumbies and have proven to be a bogy side for their ACT rivals throughout their history. In saying that, the Brumbies are always tough to beat in front of their home fans and have won nine of their past 10 matches at GIO Stadium.
The Reds made a positive start to their season against the Brumbies without coming away with the win, but now face a tough trip to South Africa for a clash with the Lions tomorrow night.
The home side has won four of the past five games between the Lions and the Reds, so it is no surprise that the Lions are favourites at $1.45, and the
Reds have won only two of their past nine on the road.
Despite having the home ground advantage, the Waratahs go into tomorrow’s clash with the Blues as underdogs.
The Blues showed some promising signs against the Chiefs in Round 1, but the market does look to have overreacted to that result and they are well and truly under the odds at $1.62.
They failed to win a game away from home last season and face a Waratahs side that was a profitable betting play as home underdogs in 2019.
AFL
A new era of the AFLW begins tonight, with 14 sides contesting a competition that has expanded rapidly.
The Adelaide Crows have won two of the first three AFLW premierships, and are favourites with Ladbrokes to claim another flag at $4.50. North Melbourne disappointed in their first season, but punters are willing to give them another chance.they are on the second line of betting at $5.
Melbourne have been consistent performers, without ever making the grand final, and are at $7.50 along with newcomers Richmond.
There isn’t as much punter confidence about the competition’s other new teams. St Kilda and West Coast are both at $26, while the Gold Coast Suns are the premiership outsiders with Ladbrokes at
$41.
Last season’s runners-up Carlton ($13) are expected to be in the mix again, along with beaten finalists Fremantle ($11), but Geelong have been big preseasons drifters. They are out to $21. The AFLW betting market with Ladbrokes is rounded out by Collingwood ($13), Western Bulldogs ($13), Brisbane ($21) and Greater Western Sydney ($21).
A-LEAGUE
It is an enormous week of derbies in the A-league this weekend.
Melbourne City host Melbourne Victory tonight, and a clear betting opportunity presents itself. Three of the past four editions of the Melbourne derby have finished as draws, and the $3.40 available with Ladbrokes for another stalemate is excellent value.
Western Sydney ended their Sydney derby losing streak with a surprise victory over Sydney FC earlier this season, but the Ladbrokes market suggests that a repeat of that memorable win is unlikely. Sydney FC are $1.68 to record their sixth straight win, while Western Sydney are out to $4.50.
Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix don’t want to miss out on the derby fun and have even had a trophy commissioned for what has been dubbed the
Long Distance Derby.
A trip to Perth isn’t an easy one for any side in the A-league, especially one based almost 10 hours away. The Glory are $1.80 to maintain their dominant record against the Phoenix in front of their own fans.
Despite having the homeground advantage, the Brisbane Roar are $3 to upset Adelaide United, while the Newcastle Jets are dominant $1.60 favourites to beat the Central Coast Mariners in the F3 Derby.