Long-time readers of this column know what I mean when I say there is a lot about the world of sport which irks me.

Carlton, for one.

Unnecessary displays of testosterone is another.

Then there’s the unfairness when it comes to sponsorship, women’s sport being overlooked, Carlton, overly zealous sport fans, hobbies posing as sports and sports fans who can’t take a joke.

And now I’ll add grudge matches to the list.

Or the media’s idea of a grudge match.

Seriously, I’m off them.

Every single week there seems to be some new grudge match, some must-see, score-settling game, between two age-old rivals.

Or maybe – it’s just another game in the series featuring two teams who happened to be thrown together that week because of the draw.

I don’t think it does anything for the players to have these games built up in the media, except create unnecessary nerves – just look at the Bulldog v Roosters game a few weeks back.

Days and days and days of build-up to what was being billed as Big Willie v SBW and what happened?

A big fat nudda.

The Roosters walked all over the doggies – not exactly the game of the century now was it?

If you base a grudge match on how the two teams fared in their last match up, if there was any controversy, injury etc, etc – then the Titans must be playing a grudge match every single week.

Because from what I’ve seen – the Gold Coast boys don’t seem to be making many friends.

Obviously there are some legitimate rivalries which date back, like from forever ago.

But the fans already know that.

Trust me – the Collingwood supporters in this office arrived at work to find a cold pie sitting on their desk from the sole Carlton supporter. ‘Nuff said.

The players already know they are meeting their arch-enemies.

We always did – and that was just high school hockey.

Off the field and I would hang with the girls from our nemesis team, but the moment you put sticks in our hands and we met on a field, we would try and kill each other.

It’s just the way it is.

But the moment our school started going on about our upcoming match with the well-known rivals and we would begin to get a bit jittery.

It’s just un-needed pressure.

Most fans get their bums on seats when they know their teams are meeting the dreaded contenders and it’s usually a much better game if the players are focussed on what needs to be done.

Not thinking about the media build-up beforehand.

In the last month we have been treated to or will be treated to the “ultimate” grudge match between the Saints and the Cats, Collingwood and Carlton, Dogs and Roosters and the Reds and Western Force.

So which one is it then?

Surely there can be only one “ultimate” grudge match.

Unless of course they mean the ultimate grudge match for that particular week until the next ultimate grudge match the following week.

Whatever they mean, I for one am sick of hearing about them.

Just let them play.