Australia has a proud tradition of playing and supporting sport. Perhaps no moreso than in the city of Melbourne, where it is often said locals would watch two insects crawling up a wall. Having passed through the local cricket season, marked by the fiery confrontation between the Australian and Indian teams, here are some of the dishes to come on the Australian sporting diet in 2008:

Olympic fever - the Beijing Olympic games are set for August, providing politics does not overtake sport. Australia has performed strongly in the last four Summer games, particularly in swimming and cycling. Expect this trend to continue, with swimmer Eamonn Sullivan's recent world record win in the 100 m freestyle. Australia's women are also in hot form, led by Libby Trickett (formerly Lenton). Other strong sports should include sailing, rowing and hockey.

Football - Australian society has traditionally divided between four football codes, rugby league and rugby union, Australian football and soccer (football to the rest of the world). Rugby league is celebrating its centenary season, with the reigning premiers the Melbourne Storm again well-backed to take out the title. Not to be outdone, the AFL is commemorating its sesquicentenary. Geelong are favourites to win back-to-back flags, although a series of teams raging against the dying of their light, St Kilda, Sydney and West Coast could be in the mix along with the emerging teams of Hawthorn and Port Adelaide. Of major interest is the transfer of former West Coast star Chris Judd to perennial strugglers Carlton.

The big question for Australian rugby is whether new coach New Zealander Robbie Deans will be able to produce the same level of success with the national side he has with his Super 14 Canterbury Crusaders. The other question is whether the code can stay afloat, with poor crowds and sponsorships resulting from poor performances by both Super 14 sides and the Wallabies. On the football pitch, the Socceroos attempt to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. New coach, Dutchman Pim Verbeek has made no secret of the respect he has for the national league. None. As a member of the Asian confederacy, Australia must now play an extensive series of matches to qualify, with Verbeek favouring European-based players.

Having dined out on the summer of cricket, the battle of leather and willow returns with Australia's tour of the West Indies. The former Carribean powerhouse has descended into inter-island rivalry and spasmodic performances. It will be interesting to see whether new captain Chris Gayle can fashion a competitive side. It will also be interesting to see whether Stuart Macgill can regain his spot as premier spinner and if prolific batsman Simon Katich has a seat on the plane. Suspicions remain that Katich is marginally less popular with selectors than the Ebola virus, so despite breaking the state run-scoring record this season and leading NSW to victory, his tour is no certainty.

In amongst this smorgasbord, the annual favourites remain of tennis and golf. Lleyton Hewitt attempts to prove he can still cut it at international level in the Federer (or is it the post-Federer?) age. Watch for relative unknown Peter Luczak to spring the odd surprise at the French Open. A legion of golfers join the quest to beat Tiger Woods, including the constant bridesmaids Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley.

Of course, no year in Australian sport would be complete without those famous rituals: the footy finals, the Bathurst 1000 and the Melbourne Cup, spectacles catering for every species of sports fan. May your team win, unless of course it's playing mine.

Learn more about this author, Andrew Newman.
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