The party's big campaign rally at the City Recital Hall was littered with posters of the Premier bearing the words "Back Baird" with "Mike" in smaller print and Grant was among the warm-up orators for the Premier's speech.

He revealed to the assembled Liberal faithful how the slogan came about.

The two men had been friends for some time but, on the day they met as respective leaders of their parties, Grant pledged allegiance, saying "Mike, I've got your back".

It is good to clear that up.

Some near-sighted journalists on the campaign thought they saw the words "Black Beard" when they first spied the slogan on Liberal buses throughout the electorates.

GInger Meggs was true blue

We're unsure if Australia is ready for this but here goes: Ginger Meggs voted Liberal.

Matt Kean, the MP for Hornsby, was told this by the family of the man who inspired the much-loved Australian cartoon character.

One of Hornsby's most famous sons, the late Jimmy Bancks, drew about growing up at the end of the North Shore Line and based his creation, Ginger Meggs, on Charlie Somerville, his best mate.

Somerville went on to become a Hornsby success story: a businessman and councillor.

His daughter-in-law Delores Somerville said Charles came from a strong working-class family and originally voted Labor.

"But as Charlie grew older he came around to a Liberal way of thinking," she said.

"When I see young Matt Kean around town, he reminds me of Ginger: his shirtsleeves are always rolled up and he's always on the go."

What an endorsement.

Knight on a bike

The Australian Cyclists Party stands for greater two-wheel freedom for NSW's 1 million-plus pedal pushers but it is hard to avoid the sense that one of its candidates, Angus Harker-Smith, resembles a Liberal in lycra.

The Camperdown architect is standing for the upper house, and his Facebook site is full of praise for Tony Abbott, the Liberal Party, monarchists, London lothario and lord mayor Boris Johnson  and he was rapt that Prince Philip received an Australian knighthood.

The Liberals can only lament that Harker-Smith was selected at the bottom of the ACP ticket and has little chance of riding into parliament on the two-wheel vote.

Odds on

The bookmaker's mate, Mike Baird, is marching towards the finish line with the Coalition's odds of victory shortening almost daily.

On Sunday, online bookie sportsbet.com.au, had the Coalition on $1.05 to win versus Labor's odds blowing out to $9.

Only a non-northern beaches resident would bet against Baird retaining Manly where he's $1.001 to win.