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REP MATCH (2004): NSW v QLD

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
New South Wales Blues
v
Queensland Maroons

Game Thread
Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game posts can be made here (Teams, Articles).
Any other posts will result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
Only original essays, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

REPRESENTATIVE CONDITIONS:
Captains to name a total 10 players for each team.
Each team shall consist of 7 players + 3 reserves.

Full Time: Wednesday 30th June, 2004. 9:00PM AEDT (Sydney time)

Venue: The Front Row Stadium
ground_tfr_1.jpg

Crowd: 18,600
REFEREE: salivor

**Referee Blows Game On!**
nrl_ball_kickoff_1.jpg
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
The NSW team bus arrives to the cheers and jeers of the locals. They proudly don their Blue jumpers and take up their positions...

nsw.gif


Willow (Bluebags) (c)
Everlovin' Antichrist (Lions) (vc)
El Coconuto (Sharks) (vc)
chriswalkerbush (Easts)
Genius Freak (Sharks)
Colonel Eel (Eels)
ibeme (Rhinos)
Reserves:
Thierry Henry (Pirates)
Goleel (Eels)
Seano (Souths)
 

Misanthrope

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
47,604
NSW debutant chriswalkerbush gets a pass from his fullback, and hits it up to the roar of the crowd.

Loyalty

“We are going to struggle to make the top fourteen”

“I’m embarrassed to be a fan”

No, I’m not quoting Souths’ fans following their latest hammering at the hands of a premiership threat, nor have I tracked down one of the countless fair-weather New Zealand Warriors’ fans who have jumped ship this season after two blissful seasons at the top. These quotes are from the Newcastle Knights forum, and that is the last place I’d expected to find them.

After four straight losses, it seems the true colours of some of the Newcastle ‘faithful’ are starting to show. We pride ourselves on being the league’s most passionate and loyal fans, and yet, only last night I heard the phrase ‘look forward to next season’ a half dozen times from sworn ‘lifetime fans’. We’re the fans who lined the highway from Newcastle to Sydney for thirty kilometers on the day of the 1997 ARL decider. We’re the fans who got crowds to Marathon Stadium back when Newcastle were little more than a bunch of hard as nails forwards and quick backs with no real cohesion. And now, it seems, we’re the ones who are just as quick to jump ship as everyone else.

I’m a relative new-comer to the Knights’ fold, having only found my passion and the true colour of my blood at the beginning of 1997. If you consider the time that has passed between then and now, you can see that I’m someone who has become used to seeing the Knights as a success. We haven’t missed a finals series since I started watching, we’ve won two premierships, and we’ve produced world class talents such as Matthew Gidley, Timana Tahu, and Danny Buderus. So, with my limited time as a fan and my being accustomed to success, what makes me want to stay loyal to the Knights?

In 1996 my younger brother, then a promising young athlete, came down with juvenile arthritis and was also suspected of suffering from bone cancer. At the time, he was a passionate Canberra supporter, yet all attempts at contacting the club for a little support were ignored. The Newcastle Knights, informed of my brother’s situation by a friend of Darren Albert’s family, were quick to step in and show their support to my brave brother. The family residence soon went from the lime green of Canberra to the red and blue of Newcastle, who flooded my brother with photos, posters, and letters of support. For a teenage boy with no real interest in Rugby League, the enormous showing of generosity had an immediate effect. Within a week, I was watching my first game of league and cheering on the boys in red and blue.

Maybe it was the fact that, in my ‘maiden year’ as a fan, I was treated to probably the greatest grand final victory in the past decade (if not longer). Or maybe my ongoing loyalty comes from the feeling of brotherhood you get when you’re part of such a unique and special group of fans. Newcastle fans have always been something special, compared to the average fan. Or, at least, so we all claimed when our side was riding cloud nine and the ‘average fan’ was enduring a rebuilding period.

We’ve got fans logging in on the forum as ‘exknightsfan’; we’re making jokes about the wooden spoon and saying ‘we need Joey to win’. We used to stare down anyone stupid enough to say Newcastle were a one man team. Now we’re agreeing! We’re seeing scorelines like 48-4 and 30-6, and we’re saying ‘If we had Joey on the park, that never would have happened’.

You take the good with the bad. You can’t be a ‘loyal fan’ when we’re winning premierships, and then write us off when suddenly things aren’t going our way. I’ve had discussions with Knights’ fans where we’ve laughed at the lack of loyalty shown by rival fans- and now some of us are becoming exactly that. We’re refusing to watch games. We’re bad-mouthing our young players because they aren’t able to upset teams full of superstars.

You take the good with the bad, people. If we’re entering a rebuilding period, so be it, but don’t come crawling back claiming you’d ‘always been there’ when we bounce back in a season, or two seasons, or even ten. However long it takes, I’ll still wear my jersey with pride, I’ll still rate our players, and I’ll still be proud to be a Knights’ fan.

Word Count: 750 including title
 

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,239
The Queenslanders take the field with Big Mick leading them. They look fired up, and despite the fact they don't have the artillery, they are ready to fire.

1. Big Mick ( c ) (Penrith)
2. Parramatt (vc) (Rhinos)
3. Skeepe (Souths)
4. Miccle (Rhinos)
5. Anastabation (Pirates)
6. Frank (Bluebags)
7. AzKatro (Panthers)

8. maelgwnau (Panthers)
9. [Furrycat] (Panthers)
10. Kingaroy Redant (Panthers)
 

Big Mick

Referee
Messages
26,239
We can be Heroes

A fact a lot of us forget in our day, is that anyone of us can be a hero. In rugby league this is associated with an inspirational performance by a first grader, well I don’t believe the club to be so exclusive.

I had a dream. That one day I’d play professional rugby league. At seven, I made my debut for Cronulla Caringbah U/8s. We dropped just one game on the way to the semi finals. We encountered Sutherland in the Grand Final, and like me, they had a player twice the size of the opposition. We played our guts out, but lost 13 – 8 in the dying minutes. Sutherland had their hero, in James McGuire.

The following season, the Under 9’s were struggling for numbers so I played once again. We went undefeated all season, until we played the Menai Roosters in the final, eventually losing 21 – 20. A try in the final 30 seconds squashed my hunger for a premiership.

A few years later, I played again for the under 15s. We finished 4th, which was something we were not associated with. We approached the Semi-final against Como, like it was any other round game. We had lost and beaten them that season, but their home ground was not a place that was kind to our team in previous years.

We fought hard and came away with a very convincing win, 48 – 14. This set up a Grand Final with De La Salle. They were minor premier’s that season and beat Menai 28 – 0 in the other Semi. They were filled with many stars, that made rep teams that season, many playing for NSW under 15’s. We knew we were up against it, but what were we going to do.

I approached my father, a former Parramatta reserve grader, about what I should do for this match. He told me “Son, do what you do best, make metres, tackle hard, and I will be proud of you”. My uncle was there for this preliminary final clash, the first time he had been out of hospital to watch me play.

We ran out on the field as tremendous underdogs, with De La beating us twice in the regular season, quite convincingly, despite our injury tolls in both games. The score was 28 – 10 at half time to De La, when our coach made his speech. He told us “Its time to stand up and be counted. You don’t have rep jerseys or contracts, but this is your domain out there tonight, rule it. You may not be at first grade standard, but you are all heroes”. I took these words and fired up for the second half.

Just after halftime, we scored, through our winger, windy. This made the scores 28 – 14. Three minutes later I made a break down the left side and passed to our centre Gav, who scored. This made the scores 28 – 20. Then, our halfback got injured, which left me with the goalkicking duties for our team.

With about 5 minutes left in the game, our hooker burrowed over to score a try in the corner. I could not convert (28-24). With 4 minutes remaining I pulled my teammates aside and said, “Pain heals boys, glory lasts forever”.

Fifty metres out, with two minutes left I receive the ball. I bust the tackle of their hooker, offloading to Windy. Windy screams down the touchline with the fullback to beat and scored in the corner, 28 all. Taking my time lining up the kick I was thinking about my heroes, Johns, Halligan, Cronin, what would they do? I lined up the kick, and struck it beautifully. It was sailing to the left but the wind was blowing to the right, and the goal snuck through. Score – Cronulla Caringbah 30 – De La Salle 28

We had tasted victory. I embraced my father. He told me – “Son, you did it, I’ve never been so proud”. My uncle was elated and crying tears of joy at the fact that his nephew had accomplished such a feat.

Not long after my uncle died. He left me a letter saying “Even the most common of us can be heroes”. I was a hero for the first time in my life, and it just goes to show you don’t need to be an NRL player to be a hero, you just need to believe in yourself and those around you, and glory will come.

748 Words
 
Messages
42,632
EA, NSW debutante #2.

Queenslander!!

I was sitting at my keyboard trying to think of what State of Origin meant to me so that I could write about it and I came up with the following:

It’s important to me but it doesn’t quite engender the same passion that a Wests Tigers match can, and it never has. Don’t get me wrong, I love State of Origin and I dislike losing to Queensland but there just isn’t quite the same personal intensity there.

I tried to work out why I felt that way and in a nutshell came up with one definitive reason; I’m not a Queenslander.

Queenslanders have a passion for State of Origin that I don’t think I’m capable of reproducing. I have concluded that it’s all down to the circumstances prior to the inception of State of Origin rather than a personal foible on my part.

State of Origin was spawned in an attempt to renew interest in the matches between NSW and Queensland. For two decades up until 1980, interstate matches had been one-sided affairs due in no small part to Queensland’s stars playing for NSW against Queensland. Queensland won two matches in the final 11 years of the old system and won their last series in 1961. 20 years without a series win meant that when State of Origin was introduced in 1980, Queensland had 20 years of frustration, 20 years of lopsided score-lines and 20 years of embarrassment all pent-up and ready to burst forth in a shower of retribution. It wasn’t going to be elegant, it wasn’t going to be scientific but it was going to happen. And happen it did.

Queensland came out of the blocks like a steroid-fuelled Olympic sprinter and they belted NSW for the most part in the first 11 matches from 1980 to 1984, winning eight and losing only three. It took almost a generation in player terms before NSW finally won their first State of Origin series in 1985.

To be blunt, I believe that we in NSW assumed nothing would change even with the Queensland team bolstered by their qualified players from the NSWRL premiership. It took the best part of five years for NSW to realise the depth of enthusiasm and commitment that Queenslanders had for State of Origin and that those same attributes were required to be matched by NSW in order to compete with the dominating Queenslanders. NSW first hit the formula in 1985 on the back of a cheeky half-back named Steve Mortimer and we’ve lost and re-gained the formula many times since.

We New South Welshmen still maintain, just as we did in the early stages of State of Origin, that we have the superior players and that given an even show, we will win. But history is an unrelenting and stern teacher and we are slow learners, plus we’re quick to forget the lessons we’re taught. We’ve been smacked across the back of the head by her so often that for it not to have sunk in by now what it takes to win State of Origin is preposterous. Anything less than 100% commitment will mean capitulation at the hands of the Cane Toads.

Even today, there is still an air of superiority from NSW fans in regard to State of Origin, even when we lose. After winning the first match of the current series some fans were actually saying things like “I hope Queensland win the second, to give us a decider”. Can anyone imagine a Queenslander saying that if they had won the first match?

No. They don’t say that, they can’t say that. It’s not part of their Origin psyche. They want to win, they want to win desperately and rub our noses in it.

NSW should dominate State of Origin. We have a vast number of players to choose from whereas Queensland are limited to a much smaller number of prospective players. It’s the Queenslander’s spirit, intensity and desire that brings them to the point where they compete on an equal footing with arguably the greatest on-paper team in the world, year after year.

And they’ve been doing it for 24 years.

I dips me lid to each and every one of them. It’s their enthusiasm and verve for State of Origin that has made it the number one Rugby League contest in the World today.

I’m obviously not a Queenslander, but occasionally on a Wednesday night in Winter, in the odd moment of weakness, I sometimes wish I was.

750 words.

Reference: Rugby League Yearbook 2002 – David Middleton.
 

The Colonel

Immortal
Messages
41,810
Colonel Eel on debut for the mighty NSW Blues charges head first into the Maroon defence......


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So they could be heroes…


The front and back page of the paper today tells all about Andrew Johns and the will he, won’t he story about his apparent switch to Union. The hourly news updates flash his face across the screen and tell that today is the day he will choose. A Current Affair even had an “exclusive” interview regarding the pressures that he faces. It’s nothing new; it just highlights the everyday Aussie’s fascination with sport. It’s a fascination that I share as well, however, today that fascination saddens me. Today is a day where articles about sporting prowess and contract negotiations should be the last thing we hear.

Why?

Simply because an old man died yesterday.

“So what?” I hear you say, “An old man usually dies every day”. While that statement is quite possibly true, this old gentleman was different. This gentleman was special and his passing should have been front-page news and not a footnote on the third page, for he helped to give us the lifestyle in which we can idolise our sporting stars today. These men allowed us the freedom to pursue our childhood dreams.

He was a hero and among the few remaining of which was once so many. He would probably be embarrassed about being called a hero, as much as his mates would feel the same. But it doesn’t change the fact that he was. His death reduces the number of these heroes to just five. The man in question was Ted Smout, Australia’s oldest surviving World War I veteran. He was 106 years old and died on the day of his wedding anniversary.

He was only 17 when he joined the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1915. “My friends all enlisted, it was the thing to do” Mr. Smout said in one of his final interviews. He served in Belgium and on the Somme where so many Australians died. In 1998, he was among four Australian veteran’s upon whom were bestowed the highest military distinction in France, the Legion of Honour.

He didn’t consider himself extraordinary. He lists the greatest and most interesting moment in his life as quite simply marrying his wife. At age 100 he was still out selling Legacy badges and making sure the widows and their families were well looked after.

Australia creates many “heroes” and mostly because of sporting prowess and sometimes the ones we should be lauding are pushed off the front page. Some things are more important than Olympic glory and contract negotiations and the score of a game. These men fought for Australia and had friends die. Andrew Johns, as talented a sportsman as he is, put on the green and gold and chased a football round a field.

I love football and I have my favourite players. I do however take more pride in knowing and learning about what these men did as opposed to how much money an overpaid sports star is going to earn and how much pressure the decision he is trying to make has caused. Andrew Johns has not put his life on the line and he did not suffer from shell shock for most of his life – real pressure is clearly not something Johns knows a hell of a lot about.

Mr. Smout and his five remaining friends Marcel Caux, Gilbert Bennion, John Ross, Evan Allen and Peter Casserly and those that have passed on before them are the ones that should be sitting on the front and back pages of newspapers, especially when they have passed on. Sure it was a long time ago but these now little old men are among those who gave our country its identity and chose to give of themselves so today’s sports stars could enjoy being heroes. Lest we forget.

Maybe a certain League superstar could learn a thing or two from these men about giving.

Reference:
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=60887&storyid=1524135

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1260&storyid=1523444

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646 words between the lines.
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
*Willow runs on for the mighty Blues*

How good is this? Part two
2004_15_59crowd.jpg

At 4:30am I woke up in the pitch black, beating the alarm clock by 30 minutes. I don’t normally get up this early but there was a footy match at Kogarah to get to and my enthusiasm wasn’t about to be stalled by the cold reality of the hour. Minutes later I hit the road bound for Coolangatta Airport.

Sydney is always a coming home event for me and as usual, it looked as wonderfully angst-ridden as ever. Starkers flashed his brake lights in front of Virgin Airlines and we headed off to Kogarah’s Taj Mahal… the mighty St.George Leagues Club.

Firstly, a little background. Saints left Kogarah Jubilee Oval in 1999 following some monstrosity called the ‘NRL criteria’. It took a concerted effort from fans (namely R2K) and club administrators (namely Robert Stone) to get us back there. In 2003, Saints returned to Kogarah and clobbered the Sharks 28-12. It served as inspiration for an F7s article, “How good is this?”

Regrettably, reality hit with Saints losing their next five matches at Jubilee. But this didn’t keep the crowds away with people returning regardless of the result… proving again that Kogarah is a crowd magnet.

At 9:30am, we were greeted by an over-60’s champagne breakfast, although most of them were drinking orange juice. Forgetting my manners, I exclaimed that I had just been transported from the Virgin Terminal into God’s Waiting Room. Fortunately, I was standing next to a few patrons and therefore well out of earshot.

We were soon joined by Rex and Legend as breakfast gave way to lunch. By 1:00pm, we were walking up Jubilee Avenue and into the spiritual home of St.George. Starkers headed into general admission for his spot on the hill while Legend made tracks for the St.George Bank corporate box. Meanwhile, Rex and I wandered up to ‘the slab’ where we were greeted by the optimistic Father Ted.

A new section set above the south-western concourse, ‘the slab’ is a beaut possie from which to watch rugby league. In a positive move, it’s been set aside for wheelies with plenty of standing room left over. “How good is this?” said Rex as we looked down at the Oval, and behold, it was very bloody good.

As the crowd swelled, St.George-Illawarra’s reserves dismantle Balmain. We talked about Wes Naiqama who had graduated from a skinny winger into a solid centre and wondered when he would get a crack at first grade. We then caught sight of football club ‘supremo’ Robert Stone wandering across the slab. Always approachable, Stoney told us Brent Kite was no chance of being retained. “But we’ve got plenty of great prop forwards,” he said.

At 3:00pm, we descended onto the packed lower concourse and managed to snavel some seating next to Clan McLean and the R2K family. Father Ted’s eyes lit up with delight as the cheer girls took up their positions in front of us and being a chilly Kogarah afternoon, we waited in anticipation for a try-fest.

What happened next was akin to unlimited tackle football as Saints dominated possession around the ruck while ripping into a rudderless Wests Tigers outfit. At half-time, the lads were in front 22-0.

The crowd was tremendous. 16, 915 people with another 4,000 unable to get in. In all, 21,000 football fans and a sell-out by any stretch of the imagination. “How good is this?”...and we all nodded.

The second-half was even more sensational with a ‘fire up’ Mark Gasnier running in four tries as St.George slaughtered Wests 50-0, bringing the Kogarah losing streak to an abrupt end.

At 5:15pm, we headed back to a packed clubhouse to soak up the atmosphere. At 7:00pm, we saw the great Billy Smith and coach Nathan Brown chatting. The body language suggested they were discussing football tactics. It was a pleasing sight to see two of the club’s favourite sons talking one-on-one.

Father Ted, always a true and thorough gentleman, stopped ogling the girls long enough to call out to Billy who had no hesitation in joining us. We had a quick conversation and as with all legends, his hand shake was firm and confident.

By 8:00pm, we were all fairly tanked and I had a flight to catch. I said my goodbyes and scored a lift to the airport. By the time I got home, I’d been up for over 20 hours and on reflection of the day’s events I heard myself say, “How good is this?”
2004_15_04crowd.jpg


*750 words*
 

ibeme

First Grade
Messages
6,904
Ibeme takes the next hitup for the mighty Blues.

------------------------------

Allocated Territories A Must

This week saw the announcement of a possible two per cent increase to the salary cap, made possible by the NRL increasing annual club grants. It's a move that's been seen as a positive by the Rugby League community, and a necessary one in complementing the growth of the competition. But it was David Gallop's response to queries regarding dispensation for clubs who successfully develop juniors that got my attention. In conceding that on it's own, such dispensations would set an uneven playing field, due to size variances in junior areas, he mentioned that there have been talks of allocating regional areas for each club to develop players. While it's not a new idea, it's one that needs to be actioned as soon as possible.

The obvious benefit would be that by allocating even sized junior areas, dispensation for locally developed juniors would be a viable and equitable option. That's a good enough reason on it's own. Beyond this though, there are countless benefits for the game of Rugby League.

It's a genuine 'reap what you sew' approach that would provide an enormous incentive for clubs to develop not only their own players, but also their allocated regions. As more and more juniors from the area start to make their mark in the NRL, interest in the community can only grow, attracting more young kids to the game. It would provide a visible path to the NRL, giving kids something to aspire to. Making the local rep side would, by definition, gain the immediate attention of the NRL club. Clubs would have larger talent pools to draw from.

As the ties between the sponsoring club and the community strengthen, support for that club would naturally grow. There is no doubt that this would have a positive effect on community spirit as the club becomes the sporting centrepiece – something for the entire region to get behind. This would all result in more revenue for the club via memberships and sales, with local shops becoming merchandise outlets.

Teams' and players' marketability would be dramatically increased in these areas, no longer being a privilege limited to those in one team towns. Each team would effectively be able to enjoy most of the benefits that come with being in a one team town, providing much needed breathing space that's currently not always available in the congested Sydney market.

Scenes of shop fronts decked out in team colours come grand final day would no longer be isolated to Belmore, Bondi Junction or Penrith. Places like Bathurst, Dubbo and Parkes could all decorate their shop-fronts and houses in the same colours. The carnival atmosphere would ensure that grand final day is bigger than it's ever been.

Having grown up in a regional area, I know only too well just how strong the support would be. Local clubs and pubs would be packed to the rafters. The unmistakable smell of searing barbecues would fill the streets. Wide screen TV's would be set up in carports. The rattle of ice in the eskies would be as common as the laughter and banter between friends, relatives and neighbours. Kids would be kicking the ball around in the front yard donned in scarves and beanies carrying the colours of their team. Rugby League would once again weave itself into the fabric of these regional areas, giving them a sense of belonging that went sadly missing during the Superleague war.

It's all very possible because Rugby League has something in these areas that the other codes can only dream of having – grass roots. This is our major strength, and by making those regional areas that have felt neglected for so long such an integral part of the game, the grass roots will grow deeper and deeper, making it impossible for any weeds to take root.

If the NRL are not already working on a model, they should be. The logistics need to be assessed with the involvement of all clubs, and areas assigned. A common curriculum and set of goals need to be formulated and issued to each club, setting them on the path towards bringing each area up to an acceptable standard. Promotional initiatives need to be put in place, and clubs need to take 'ownership' of their communities. I have no doubt, that if implemented whole-heartedly, this initiative could be a defining moment in the ongoing success of our great game.

-------------------------------

738 words including title (in StarOffice)
 

anastabation

Juniors
Messages
409
Anastabtion side steps willow, palms off EA and is away for QLD

===============================================


The Braith factors.


Braith Anasta has been through more in the first 4 years of his career then most players endure in their entire footballing life. As an 18 year old he not only represented Australia, but was dubbed “the next Brad Fittler” before playing a single minute of first grade. It only took 2 games for the hype to well and truly take off. Anasta was stunning in his 2nd appearance, assisting two tries and earning Man of the match honors. Anasta steered the Bulldogs to 2nd in the minor premiership that year, forming a lethal partnership with half back Daryl Trindall. In the end a broken thumb and ankle injury cost Anasta the chance to play in his first finals series and arguably the dogs of any chance of a premiership. However as he soon discovered, despite all his achievements the hard work still lay ahead. In 2002 he had to contend with the “2nd year syndrome” tag, being dumped from the NSW state of origin side, being voted “most over rated” by peers and finally “the salary cap scandal”.

Anasta is blessed with natural ball skills, a strong kicking game and ability to take on the line. He has the artillery of a half back but the body of a forward. It is clear that unwanted attention has affected his form. As a 19 year old, Anasta found himself as the face of the salary cap scandal. Reports indicated Anasta was receiving $400,000 a season, and there were also rumors he would switch to Rugby if his contract was not honored in full. These revelations obviously played a part in Anasta being voted “most over rated” by his peers in the annual ‘Rugby League Week’ poll. During the weeks surrounding the events Anasta confessed to being followed, called a cheat and generally abused by the public. In a space of a few weeks he had gone from a potential premiership winner to the leagues most over rated.

The biggest challenge for Anasta was to be 2003. Could he recapture his best form and realize his potential? Or would peers and critics once again dub him over rated? In the early games Braith looked promising. He had a hand in several tries against Souths in round 1 and demonstrated some of his best form against Wests in round 3 before being struck down by a shoulder injury, costing him several weeks in the process.

Unfortunately the dogs struggled to live up to the hype in early 2003; many expected them to be competition leaders. Prior to round 13 they had suffered a heavy loss to Brisbane and they were beaten by Wests. These inconsistencies contributed to Anasta missing initial origin selection; however to his credit strong form enabled him to gain selection for game 3. Injuries then continued to plague Anasta’s season and he had to watch from the sidelines as Canterbury displayed their best form of the season, scoring 40 points or more 5 games in a row. Anasta was back for the finals but he struggled in a badly beaten side. This reinforced claims he was over rated and made critics question how valuable he was to the club. For the 2nd season in a row he missed Kangaroo selection, further hindering his confidence.

2004 hasn’t been easier for Anasta. He has constantly denied speculation regarding his playing future with several media outlets suggesting he will be released by Canterbury for 2005. He missed the 30 man origin squad and this has contributed to ‘frustrated’ form. He is trying to take on the line too much and can be found trying to push the impossible pass. Anasta earned Dally M points against the premiers in round 12 but was once again struck down by an injury.

By ignoring external factors Anasta can reach full potential. This year he has been guilty of trying too hard, prompting uncharacteristic errors. In 2002 he allowed Sherwin to be the dominant play maker. This is where Canterbury played best. With Sherwin commanding the long and short kicking game, Anasta won’t be as heavily marked and this will enable him to add touches of brilliance and create chances for the likes of Willie Tonga. He is bigger, stronger and faster then he has ever been. By looking at the issues he has been faced with in his career, it is little wonder why he is struggling for consistency. Maturity and experience will see him become a true superstar of the future.
 

El Coconuto

Bench
Messages
3,129
El Coconuto posting for the mighty New South Wales Blues

Climb Every Mountain


In case I'm dealing with entertainment gurus here I should probably clarify that no, I am not quoting the Reverend Mother from the 1965 theatrical hit 'The Sound of Music', or the latest Guy Sebastian rendition of the classic for that matter. For the rest of you Rugby League fans, it might also serve me well to inform you that no, I'm not talking about the treacherous journey to the Penrith Football Stadium either, although we could certainly make a case for the latter. What I'm referencing here is what really makes great football well, great! A wise man once said:

"I honestly believe that I will win"

Ok, so I lied, it was only Mark Philippoussis who said that after beating some unseeded Dutch guy called Martin Verkerk at this years Wimbeldon. Martin Ver-who? My thoughts exactly! Not quite the kind of remark you'd expect from the most wasted potential since the Vegemite campaign, but two thumbs up to the Scud for crystalising the underlying principal of what makes great football. What separates good football, from great football is something as simple, as 'self belief'.

Game two of Origin arrived. I was pumped! My good friend Tayce, who if you entertainment gurus are still reading is in fact the sister of childhood television star Matthew 'Hey Mr Kelly' Krok, had invited me to her abode to enjoy the match. Coverage began and being quickly carried away by the adrenalin of excitement flowing through every part of my body, and be careful how you read that last sentence, I shunt myself out from all other conversations flirting around the room. Half way through the anthem, Jordan a friend of mine, leant over and asked "what's so good about Origin Football?" Trying solely to focus on the game I had been looking forward to ever since I learned Brad Fittler would be 'un-retiring', I opted not to answer, although I had every right to state my disgust at such an obvious question. As a shield from any further questioning, I even started singing the national anthem so I would be left at peace for the moment.

Unfortunately, I pondered the question for the better part of the night. I sat there at each commercial trying to analyse what made Origin football so good. Was it the fact that there was so much media hype surrounding it? Possibly. Or maybe that Queensland had been getting beaten for the best part of the last five years? Not quite, but I'd certainly like to think so.

Then, all at once it hit me, and ironically it took a Queenslander for me to work this one out. What made Origin football so great to watch, was something as unrecognised as self belief. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now, there are many things I've done in the past that I'm ashamed of. Like that time when I started dancing uncontrollably in a year three play my class put on for the 'entire' school. Or the time when I bought the Australian Idol Finalists CD. Most recently were those two seconds where I actually found Gretel Killeen attractive. But never, in my wildest dreams would I have found myself standing and applauding, a man wearing a maroon coloured-Queensland jersey. That, is exactly what Billy Slater did that night. So mesmerising was 'that' try, it was the only enjoyment I took from the loss. And what do we put that try down to? Simple, self belief.

When a depleted Queensland squad lacking Meninga, Langer and Vautin took to the field in 1989, Wally Lewis took upon himself the burden of leadership and steered his State to an upset victory. When Brett Kimmorley was being dubbed the 'greatest one dimensional footballer in the world' he snubbed such suggestions by proving the critics wrong and capturing a premiership in the process. Do you see where I am blatantly taking this? Each and every living being has potential. The trick is 'climbing that mountain' and exposing that potential. To get places in life, risks must be taken. To become a good footballer, you need to have the desire to succeed. But to become a 'great' footballer, you need to believe in both yourself, and equally as important, your team-mates.

That is what makes a footballer great. That is what makes sports so great and in answer to the original question, that is what makes Origin Football so great! Something as elementary, as simple self belief. Here's to Origin Three!

Words: 750
 

ParraMatt

Bench
Messages
3,668
And flying in to put the hit on El Coco was ParraMatt, Forcing a dropped ball, ParraMatt plays advantage and has made a break, Looks for support on his right side......

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Stick by Smith

Brian Smith coached cellar dwellers Illawarra in the first year of his lustrous coaching career.

20 years, several semi final matches, a super league premiership and an NRL grand final down the track and Smith was back where he started. After smashing almost every record in the book in 2001, and doing just about everything bar win the comp, the fall of the Eels has been remarkable. In 2003 they couldn’t make the finals and this year people have dubbed them as the worst Parramatta side ever. Brian Smith has carried the burden of such poor form.

Smith has been widely criticised for being “too technical”, many citing his constant strategy and squad changes as the key stone reason for Parramatta’s downfall. However, the coach can only do so much; ultimately the players are professionals and a coach can only get a first grade team so far. To their credit, in the last 4 weeks Parramatta has turned poor form around and by the media’s logic, this is mainly thanks to Smith.

It has been suggested that international centre Jamie Lyon departed due to a fall out with Smith, but sources close to Lyon reveal that Noel Cleals exit, a mentor of Lyon, played a major part. Never the less this should not be attributed to Smith at all. Lyon is a professional and a disagreement with a coach should be no reason for a player to suddenly want to run off home.

Several key players have been released by the eels in the last few seasons due to salary cap constraints. While this obviously coincides with the coaches’ wishes, the board and ceo are the ones creating contracts. Players such as Schifcofske, Hodgson and Ryan were not playing as brilliantly in the latter stages of their Parramatta careers, so these losses would have seemed like logical sacrifices as a means of retaining internationals Nathan Hindmarsh and Nathan Cayless. In 2005 the Eels have began recruiting smarter. The robust and energetic Mark Riddell can provide the Eels with the passion and impact they have lacked. It will also answer the five-eighth problem, Current hooker John Morris has proved more then capable of filling the pivot role with Eels Adam Dykes looking like a sure signing for his former team the sharks.

When the Eels were struggling for form and had lost several ‘winnable’ games on the trot the fans and media were calling for Smiths head. To the boards credit they stayed solid and the Eels were able to turn around their season, posting impressive wins against Newcastle and Manly and taking contenders Brisbane and Penrith right to the line. Fickle fans have seemed to jump back on the Parramatta band wagon, highlighting the importance of loyalty to a coach through thick and thin. You never know when things can turn around.

The best coach in the world wouldn’t have been able to win a game for Parra a month ago. They lacked passion and pride in their jersey, and as the only cliché says “you can’t coach hunger”. To their credit the Eels were able to rediscover this passion, and obviously this can by attributed to Smiths persistence. A half time heart to heart with his players in the game against Newcastle proved to be a turning point.

Hopefully, the last few weeks are a sign that Smith can get back to the days where he enjoyed his coaching. The rise and fall of Parramatta has been extraordinary, but as the Panthers proved in 2003 things can turn around just as quickly. One thing is certain, turning your back on the club during a bad trot doesn’t help anyone’s cause. Any player in the world will tell you that a big crowd can lift you.

7th and 8th spot are up for grabs. Several teams lingering around mid table have shown enough consistency to warrant a guaranteed finals finish. The eels are just as capable of sneaking into the play offs as many others, and as history highlights, anything can happen in the finals.

Eels Fans, Get out to the Games, Cheer your Rugby League Team on no matter what the score line is. Let's show this competition that no matter how good or bad of a team we are, we still love seeing those blokes run onto the field with that blue and gold jersey on. Good Luck Brian Smith, and Good Luck to my Eels for the remainder of the season.

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740 Words including Title
 

miccle

Bench
Messages
4,334
Miccle laces up his boots and runs out for the mighty maroons.


So… you’re a jock, huh?

This is the inevitable question that I face each time someone new finds out how passionate I am about the great game of rugby league. Whether it is spoken, or just implied through body language, there are many people that immediately get somewhat turned off due to many factors. I will attempt to explain just why these suggestions are made, and exactly why I find them totally ludicrous.

Firstly, let’s look at the notion of a “jock”. You’ve all seen the Hollywood films depicting big, burly athletic looking guys who only talk about sports and beer. They might even sleep around and enjoy beating up “nerds” or anyone who makes them feel a little insecure.

I can admit I can see where some people are coming from when I look about how Rugby League is portrayed in the media. Unfortunately, a few dozen bad eggs have brought the game under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in the past decade. These ramifications have been felt not only by the players, but us fans as well. You are, I’m sure, all well aware of this sad fact.

So I can’t totally blame people when they look at me in this light, but I’m here to explain to you all why I am the polar opposite. The anti-jock, if you will.

Firstly, my appearance and build surely must come into play. When you look at a bloke who is well short of six foot in the old scale and tipping the scales at a measly 65 kilograms, surely you wouldn’t think that I could achieve too much when it comes to physical violence. Add to that no visible scars, tattoos or anything else that could give me the slightest move toward looking “tough”.

The stereotypical “jock” also loves to beat up “fairies”. In other words, musicians and nerds are basically their biggest enemy. They are slotted into a myriad of categories by these stereotypical jocks, and usually tormented for being “weak” or “faggy”. Well then, I will give you a brief history of my life. Born into a safe middle class family around 20 years ago, I had a regular suburban upbringing. At the age of four, I discovered my love for music, and started piano lessons. This was followed by learning the violin just a few years later, followed by the guitar, bass guitar and double bass.

Then, there was also the academic area of school. I was always a pretty good student throughout school. I didn’t study as much as I could have, or should have, but that didn’t seem to matter too much. I still cruised through high school to be awarded an “OP” of 8 (I apologise to non-QLD people who have no idea what that means) and was accepted to study at university. In three months time, I will be a qualified journalist. Hardly a job for someone who is supposed to despise nerds.

I used to think that I was weird. That this whole thing was just me, and that the majority of league fans were very simple and easy to figure out when it comes to the area of stereotypes. This mindset worked for me until the beginning of last year, when I contributed to a group booking of season tickets. Since the very first home game of 2003, I have been sitting with a large group of Broncos’ fans whom I met through the forum (www.nospam37.com). The first amazing fact comes simply from the demographics. We have just as many women sitting with us as we do men. Not only that, but a lot of the time they are even more vocal and passionate about the game. They are not there because their partner is there. They’re there for the love of it.

Along with me, the cadet journalist, we have a senior software engineer, a corporate lawyer, a criminology student and a commerce student among our ranks. What a bunch of book-reading, pen-toting NERDS! What the hell are they even doing watching league?

Easy. You know as well as I that this game doesn’t draw boundaries or limits. No matter how some people might see it portrayed in the media, people from all walks of life love this game. This includes women, nerds, musicians, goths, punks, jocks, the elderly and businessmen. And many many more. So the next time you get that stereotypical look, or question… print out this article, hand it to them and smile.

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Word Count: 749 words, including title.
 

frank

Juniors
Messages
516
Glowing with Maroon pride, Frank waves to the Queensland fans after kicking out on the full.

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A Necessary Evil



A few weeks ago, I reached the end of my rope.

Andy Raymond had finally pushed me over the edge and I snapped.
My ears were assaulted one too many times and in a fit of rage I.........pressed the mute button on my remote.
Until this fateful day, I had been happy to watch Rugby League while enduring the boring, repetitive 'comments' offered by the so-called experts of the game. But as Mr Raymond referred to the try line as the 'reward line' for the 67th time (just in case anybody had somehow missed this incredible witticism), I had no choice but to silence him.

Then a funny thing happened.

About three minutes after the afforementioned enforced silence, the footy seemed boring.
Boring? Footy? Boring?
Yes, boring.

So I got to thinking.
Why do we need washed up ex-players and other assorted boofheads to waffle into a microphone while we're trying to enjoy a game?
I can quite happily sit though 3 games at a stadium without a commentator in sight, not counting the bloke behind me who seems to think he can give a running play by play analysis, eat a pie, abuse the ref and drink a beer all at the same time. And I love every minute of it.

Seems to me that TV commentators have become as much a part of my lounge room football experience as the players themselves.
I've tried the alternatives too.
I've tried listening to the 2GB commentary while watching the live pictures, but that little time delay drives me insane. Knowing what's going to happen a split second before it actually does is annoying to say the least.
When Origin or Grand Final night rolls around, I often turn to those perennial Triple J jokesters, Roy and HG.
"This'll be better" I foolishly tell myself. "Finally, a game of footy without having to listen to Ray Warren rabbit (pun intended) on about 'promoting the football' and 'fantaaaastic taaaaackles'"
But after a few minutes of Roy and HG's wrong names and seemingly complete lack of knowledge, off goes the radio and it's back to Rabs.
Better the devil who knows (about Rugby League).

Whether you like it or not, commentators dictate how we, the fans, see the game.
On any given Monday, take a look around these forums. You'll find that a lot of opinions offered by the casual observers of Rugby League will so obviously mirror what was said by the commentators on the weekend.
If Warren Smith said that Phil Bailey had a good game on the weekend, you can bet that at least some of the people are going to believe him.
For the, shall we say, more dedicated followers of footy, this is precisely the reason we need commentators. They give us something to argue about.
We know we've never seen Phil Bailey play a good game. Ever. And come Monday, we'll let our feelings be known to anyone who'll listen.

Ever wonder why you come rushing back into the TV room after a toilet break at half time in the Channel Nine Friday Night game?
I'll tell you why. You want to see what kind of tripe will spew forth from the deformed mouth of that self appointed Rugby League messiah, Mr Bee Sting Head Gould.
You know that if you disagree with what he has to say, you'll have some ammunition for Monday's forum session. If by some miracle you happen to agree with him, well, maybe you'll think he's OK. Maybe.

I'm sure everyone reading this will have, at some stage of their life, wanted to stab Peter Sterling in the side of the neck with the pen off his *insert alcoholic beverage here* telestrator.
So why don't we?
Because we know, way at the back of our tiny football fan brains, that the man operating the telestrator used to be out on the field, reading the play.
He won Premierships! Surely he knows what he's talking about?
Sometimes he does, so we let him have his fun.

So there's your experiment for the weekend.
Try muting the sound during a game. See how long you can last.
You'll know what's going on and you'll know who's who most of the time, but without the commentary, it'll just be a bunch of large blokes running around, chasing a ball.

To those about to bleat into a microphone, I salute you, the necessary evil.

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744 Words Between The ----------
 

Genius Freak

Juniors
Messages
1,646
Genius Freak strides proudly onto the hallowed turf of Front Row Stadium in his new sky blue jersey. He recovers from his amazement that a Sharks player would actually be selected for rep duty and settles in to enjoy the experience. He takes in the pulsating crowd, the electric atmosphere, the smell of the grass, and the nervous energy of all involved. Then smashes his opposite number during the national anthem!

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Not so Sweet Sixteen

Sorry Wellington. No room.

Awesome stadium Singo, but it’s not gonna happen.

And Gold Coast, your strip is well, interesting. But it’s just not possible right now.

For all the support that the 16th team idea is receiving from fans around the league right now, I’m here to tell you that it’s not gonna happen. It can’t. Not now at least. Perhaps not for years. Now I can hear you all screaming already. “But we need to expand. NOW!” “We need to make league a nation wide sport!” “We’ll be overrun by AFL, and Union, and soccer, and synchronized swimming, and jai-alai!” Well folks, you’re all wrong. Under expansion will never kill rugby league, but over expansion sure as hell will. The inescapable fact is that player stocks are stretched far too thinly already, and that a 16th team would only serve to augment the problem, not fix it.

Even without a 16th team, league is facing a depth crisis already. In fact the talent crisis has already reached the point that the Brisbane Broncos have been forced to resurrect the careers of Ben Ikin, Paul Green, and Darren Smith. The Canberra Raiders brought back ancient winger Ken Nagas into their premier league side, and the Sharks did the same to Matt Seers. If a 16th team is added, the talent pool will dilute even further. There will be even less stars to go around, and teams will be forced to take even more drastic measures. Who knows, ET could return to the Sharks for the 2005 season. And before you Sharks fans out there get all excited and misty eyed at the prospect, remember folks, he’s 39. And you don’t get too much exercise on a fishing boat.

Anyone who’s still unconvinced that league is short of players will see by midnight tonight just how wrong they are. Yes folks, at midnight tonight the silly season starts. The June 30 deadline expires, and the free agent hellstorm kicks off. Frantic phone calls will be made to player agents everywhere in the hope of securing their clients for next season and beyond. Players will be offered the world. Starting positions, jobs after football, contracts with Channel Nine, and of course freakishly large sums of money if only the agree to uproot and come play in a new environment. This sort of lavish treatment won’t be reserved for the players at the top of the heap either. Second and third tier players will be given millions of dollars to change teams, and why? Because there simply aren’t enough players to go around. Football managers everywhere will spend tonight desperately trying to get signatures, because they know this is true. They know that if they don’t get players signed tonight, then all the good players will be gone, and their team won’t be able to win next year. The addition of a 16th team would only amplify this problem.

The simple fact is that that player movement in the NRL is a zero sum experience. In order for a team to gain a star, one has to be lost from somewhere else. In order for a player to join another team, he has to leave his former club with a hole that needs filling. In order to fill these holes, teams are forced to promote less talented players into their starting sides. Players who don’t deserve to play at the highest level do, causing the team, and eventually the league to suffer. If the NRL were to add a 16th team, roughly 34 players would have to come from somewhere. Is the player pool large enough to support such an expansion? The answer is of course, no.

Anyone who supports the admission of a 16th team into the NRL, needs to realise that the players will have to come from somewhere, and that that somewhere will be from the very team that you support now. And as warm and fuzzy as the idea of a 16th team makes you feel, are you really willing to let that happen to your team? I’m not. Call me selfish, but my team needs its players. All of them. We can’t spare a single one. I simply don’t care enough about a potential new team, to have my own team become worse off. Will anyone out there put their hand up and offer one of their own players to a new club struggling to make it?




Exactly.

Think about it.

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Word Count: 748 words, inc title.
 

Azkatro

First Grade
Messages
6,905
Azkatro taking a Mick-Hancock like 75m run for a 3m gain for the Maroons

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Fans can be heroes, too

If you follow rugby league, you could be forgiven to thinking it was 1992 all over again.

Back then the NSWRL was accepting proposals to further expand a growing competition, just four years after the entry of Newcastle, Brisbane and Gold Coast teams.

Initially two teams were to be accepted and Auckland was the early confirmation.

In late November the NSWRL decided there was nothing between the remaining three candidates – the North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds – and announced that all four teams would play in a 20-team competition commencing in 1995.

It’s been ten hectic years since that 1995 season when no less than 229 games of first grade football were played. Since then, we’ve seen a remarkable 5 clubs permamently put to pasture, 6 clubs undergo mergers, one which was booted out and then reinstated with another franchise being bought out and revamped.

The fickle nature of the way clubs have come and gone, merged and changed hands over this period is what makes the ten year anniversary of the North Queensland Cowboys such a special occasion.

The fans celebrated in style with the landmark fixture being round 16 against the Bulldogs. Unfortunately it was a similar result to that of round 1, 1995 – 32-16 then and 32-18 this time around – but once again the fans showed that it’s not about results.

Those who watched on TV witnessed perhaps more noise made by twenty thousand people in a league game than we’ve seen in years. And it was one of the local juniors that gave a euphoric moment back to the crowd – Matt Bowen’s electric try from a Braith Anasta bomb will never be forgotten by those who saw it.

It hasn’t all been good times for the Cowboys though. In 2001, there was the controversial sacking of coach Tim Sheens and the subsequent financial rescue by News Limited.

But it’s surely been the support of the fans that have kept the club viable throughout this period. Despite a forgettable win-loss-draw record of 63-6-154 since their inception, the Cowboys have retained an amazing home crowd average of just over 16,300 in 110 home appearances.

No glorious history of premiership wins, no real tradition of legendary players etched in the annals of the game, no world famous actors or celebrities publicly supporting them.

No real recognition south of the border. No more than a sole match on free-to-air television in ten years. Never even made the finals series, despite the fact that nowadays more than half the sides in the competition qualify.

Heck, they didn’t even get the nickname they wanted. Crocodiles would have been much better in this day and age than being cowboys.

So why do the fans keep showing up, week after week, month after month, year after year?

They’re still over the bloody moon that they’ve got their own team.

Cowboys fans were absolutely delighted back in ’92 when they found out they were going to have a team in the big time. Looks like they were so pleased that it still hasn’t worn off to this day.

You read a lot these days about how it’s the Queensland spirit that makes State of Origin great. It’s true – countless decades of being hammered by their own champions hurt deeply.

By the time 1980 came around the desire for revenge was enormous, and we all know the rest.

You might say the same about North Queensland. But in this case it’s the fans who are hungry to see a team from their own region succeed. The local league fans know all too well how good their talent is – names like Gene Miles, Greg Dowling, Gavin Allen, Gorden Tallis and Danny Moore are just a select few.

But all those blokes represented Sydney or Brisbane clubs. True league fans will usually know where a player really comes from, but that’s not enough. The North Queenslanders want the whole world to see just how good their boys can play.

And while everyone would agree that the Cowboys’ first ten years in the competition has been disappointing results-wise, nobody in their right mind can ignore the statement that has been made by the fans. In 110 home games the crowd figure has fallen below the 10,000 mark just eight times.

And it doesn’t matter how often you hear supporters claim that “results don’t matter”. It’s those kinds of numbers that make the most powerful statement of all.

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746 words.
 

ParraMatt

Bench
Messages
3,668
Im sure all of the Blues would agree that they'd love to see a 7 on 7 game. With Big Mick not online, I have been trying hard to get a replacement as all reserves are either not responding or are offline. I have brought in Paullyboy. A very proud Queenslander who didn't make the 10 man cut. I understand if Nsw dont accept the late change but it is up to willow. I have told willow and am waiting for a responce.

Skeepe off -

Paullyboy on -
 

Paullyboy

Coach
Messages
10,473
THE UNWANTED PLAYER

It’s a marvellous time of year to be a Rugby League fan. Most articles that start like this will be some sort of rabble about how television numbers are up, or that Rugby Union or AFL aren’t as popular as Rugby League, or maybe even something like the Morrocan under 21’s managed to beat the West Indies schoolboys team in a thrilling encounter watched by thousands of now-devoted rugby league fans in a far off country. However this article isn’t interested in that, its interested in how great it is to be amongst a club who has just received the news that they may be cheering on a player they don’t particularly like next season.

As players start to announce that they are in fact interested in ‘testing the open market’, which translates to ‘Manly or Parramatta are going to try and sign them, but they wont end up going there’, the supporters begin to comment on their potential new heroes for the season after this. The comments always start out with someone thinking that their team should go after Andrew Johns, Timana Tahu, Matt Orford and if there is any cash left over put in an offer for Ben Kennedy, Joel Monaghan and Shane Webcke. Then as these marquee players begin to announce that they in fact aren’t going anywhere the mood changes to a more realistic one. All of a sudden supporters are more willing to accept people like Nathan Fien, David Kidwell and Chad Randall because they are solid first graders. But then all of a sudden things change again and we see these players decide that they aren’t particularly interested in signing with that club, supporters become more irate, they turn on their management and they demand that someone be purchased for next season, so they end up with Mark Riddell for a million dollars.

Im sorry Parramatta fans I just had to rub it in.
 

salivor

First Grade
Messages
9,804
Salivor proudly dons the black and white stripes, gives the final instructions to the touchies to be neither seen or heard and charges onto the field to the glorious sound of booing for his first Representative appointment.


NEW SOUTH WALES SCORES

Chriswalkerbush – Loyalty
749 words

A piece on Knights fans reaction to their teams season so far.
A couple of spelling errors slightly affected your score.
Score: 8.3

Everlovin’ Antichrist – Queenslander!!
749 words

A piece on Queensland’s passion that has fuelled the concept of SOO since its beginning.
Score: 8.6

Colonel Eel – So they could be heroes…
643 words

A piece trying to put into perspective who the real heroes are.
Score: 8.7

Willow – How good is this? Part two
744 words

An account of a trip to Kogarah for an afternoon of football.
Score: 8.4

Ibeme – Allocated Territories A Must
732 words

An argument for the allocation of territories to clubs and it’s possible benefits.
Score: 8.5

El Coconuto – Climb Every Mountain
747 words

A piece on that magical thing that the great players have, self belief.
A couple of spelling errors slightly affected your score.
Score: 8.7

Genius Freak – Not so Sweet Sixteen
744 words

A piece putting forward the other side of the expansion debate.
A could of spelling and grammar mistakes slightly affected your score.
Score: 8.3

NSW’s Total: 59.5




QUEENSLAND SCORES

Big Mick – We can be Heroes
744 words

An account of the day Big Mick was a hero on the footy field.
Score: 8.7

Anastabation – The Braith Factors.
747 words

A piece following the short but eventful career of Braith Anasta so far.
Score: 8.3

ParraMatt – Stick by Smith
744 words

A piece putting the case forward for the retention of Brian Smith at Parramatta.
Score: 8.2

Miccle – So…you’re a jock huh?
744 words

A piece on the stereotypes of league supporters and the reality of the amount of diversity there is amongst us.
Score: 8.3

Frank – A Necessary Evil
738 words

A piece on those that we love to hate but just can’t live without, the commentators.
A couple of spelling errors slightly affected your score.
Score: 8.5

Azkatro – Fans can be heroes, too
742 words

A piece on the North Queensland Cowboys and their loyal bunch of fans.
A couple of spelling errors slightly affected your score.
Score: 8.5

QLD’s TOTAL: 50.5



NEW SOUTH WALES 59.5 DEFEATED QUEENSLAND 50.5

The Australian Selectors Man of the Match: El Coconuto
 

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