Top five sport on screen: Phoenix get their big chance

Mark Geenty

It’s all about trans-Tasman rivalry on Anzac weekend, with plenty on the line for New Zealand teams in oval and round-ball codes.

We look at the pick of this weekend’s televised sport for couch surfers everywhere.

5 - A-League Men: Wellington Phoenix v Macarthur FC Tomorrow 7.15pm, live on Sky Sport 2 (channel 52)

Home-town boy Kosta Barbarouses can sense it: a first trophy with the Phoenix in his third stint at the club. “To do it this year would be unbelievable, in front of my friends and family that I've grown up with … two young kids now that have lived here for two years,” he said.

The equation is simple: beat Macarthur for a third time this season and hope nearest rivals Central Coast lose to Newcastle. That would clinch the Premiers Plate for the Phoenix, and mean they host the second leg of the semifinal on May 18 and potentially the grand final a week later.

A fine, cool evening and a Sky Stadium crowd of close to 20,000 is being tipped.

4 - NBA playoffs: LA Lakers v Denver Nuggets, game 3

Today 2pm, live on ESPN (channel 60)

The great LeBron James was unhappy, to put it mildly, after his Lakers went 2-0 down to the Nuggets. His problem was with the NBA’s replay centre which seemingly causes as much consternation as the NRL’s ‘bunker’.

“I don’t understand what’s going on in the replay centre, to be honest,” he said after the Lakers’ 101-99 loss. “D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive. What the f... do we have a replay centre for if it’s going to go [like that]? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

A shooting foul called against Michael Porter on D’Angelo Russell late in the third quarter was overturned, with the contact ruled to be “marginal”.

3 - NRL: Wests Tigers v Brisbane Broncos

Tomorrow 7.30pm, live on Sky Sport 4 (channel 54)

The Warriors’ Anzac Day match has been and gone, which leaves a former Warrior and one of the players of the NRL to put on a Saturday night show for the league tragics.

Reece Walsh looks to have the Queensland fullback’s jersey sewn up for Origin after another display of superspeed for the Broncos in their 34-10 win over Canberra.

Walsh scored two tries and made three line breaks and seven tackle breaks. He’s so quick that even coach Kevin Walters has to slow him down a touch. “Kevvy keeps drilling into me, ‘run, run, run’. Everything happens fast and I just need to slow my brain down a bit, and run the ball,” Walsh said.

2 - Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders v Rebels

Today 7.05pm, live on Sky Sport 1 (channel 51)

In past years a Crusaders v Rebels matchup would be an instant channel switcher for those not of red and black persuasion. Recent events make this a must watch as the once mighty Crusaders look to rise off the foot of the ladder with the spotlight increasingly on coach Rob Penney who - for now - has the full backing of the franchise’s bosses.

And how about those Rebels? Placed into voluntary administration in January with debts of $20 million-plus, they sit fourth, one point ahead of the Chiefs. All Black David Havili switching to first-five off the bench is the interesting move as the absence of Richie Mo’unga continues to be felt.

1 - Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes v Brumbies

Tomorrow 4.35pm, live on Sky Sport 1 (channel 51)

Last week the Hurricanes spent plenty of time in the heat room at their Upper Hutt base preparing for 30C temperatures and near 100% humidity in Fiji. This week?

“We’ve just moved our meetings outside,” quipped coach Clark Laidlaw of Canberra, which will be very Wellington-like for a welcome afternoon kickoff.

With hooker Asafo Aumua (knee) out for 6-8 weeks, the table-topping Hurricanes chase a ninth straight win at a place that’s been notoriously difficult for them.