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2011 ROUND 10: Rabbitohs -V- Titans

Jesbass

First Grade
Messages
5,654
South Sydney Rabbitohs -V- Gold Coast Titans

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-V-
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Game Thread:

* This is a game thread only. Only game posts can be made here - team lists, substitutions, and articles.
* Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
* Only original articles, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

Naming Teams:
* 5 -V- 5 (+ 2 reserves for the visiting team, + 3 reserves for the home team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

Rules: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.php
Official Word Counter: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/wordcount.php
Kick Off: Sunday 21st August 2011 (2100AEST)
Full Time: Wednesday 31st August 2011 (2100AEST)
Referee: madunit
Venue: Redfern Oval
ground_redfern_1.jpg


Previous Matchups This Season:
Titans 343 v Rabbitohs 321 (Round 5)
 
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Monk

Referee
Messages
21,347
Monk is sure to count numbers as his team hops onto the Bus, after last weeks mishap of having Lambretta getting on the bus to the Adelaide instead of the Stadium :lol:.


jersey_rabbitohs_1.gif


Starting:
Monk (C)
Marshall_Magic
byrne_rovelli_fan82 (VC)
Lambretta
Bubbles

Bench:
griffo346
Bwuce
Bazal
 
Messages
14,032
[FONT=&quot]Marshall Magic for lol@souffs, takes the kick off and charges back at the Titans defence.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]--------------------------
[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Living Like An NRL Star[/FONT]​
[FONT=&quot]We all know NRL players cop it for speaking in clichés when they do their interviews. But it’s what happens when clubs media train their players. We all believe players aren’t that boring or dumb in the real world, but to test it out, I followed “player” around for a day, and recorded some of the conversations he had.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Morning scene (player has just woken up and meets his wife in the kitchen)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: Good morning how did you sleep?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, it was tough, real hard work, but we got the result[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: ...okay, you going to make breakfast?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, nah, it’s hard work, but I’m looking forward to the challenge, and producing some results for the boys.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: Boys? We have 2 daughters.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, it’s good ay.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: Just go to training[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Okay, cheers, can I just send a shout out to my wife and girls at home, love you.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*Scene*[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As you can see here, the player has barely woken up in the morning and he is already busting out the clichés. A few may seem a little off here, but it’s early. Nobody is fully coherent at this time.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]At the corner shop (buying some snacks on the way to training in the morning)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Hey bro, you got any Doritos today? There isn’t any on the shelf.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shopkeeper: Nah, sorry mate, waiting on a new delivery it’s a little late[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Ah, cheers mate, might try something different, they should be able to fill in and do the job.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shopkeeper: Umm, okay, you do that.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: It’s a bit disappointing the delivery is late, but you gotta take it one week at a time, and hope next week is better[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shopkeeper: Yeah, see you later mate[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: They will probably get a spray from their coach err manager. Then again it’s not their go.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shopkeeper: Aren’t you running late? You probably want to get out of here.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Oh, cheers buddy, take care.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*Scene*[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As we advance further into the day, the player starts to bring out some of the bigger guns. By the time they get to training they’ll be fully prepared for any journos or reporters wanting an interview. He has reached the stage where he is pissing off anyone and everyone who is forced to listen to him.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]At the girls’ school (picking them up, the younger of the two just rocked up)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Younger Daughter: Daddy! I won an award today! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: That’s good ay.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]YD: Yeah, at the big assembly, one person from each class got them.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Wow, that’s awesome[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*Older Daughter arrives on the scene*[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Older Daughter: Hey dad! Did she tell you about here award?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, she’s been awesome hasn’t she?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OD: Yeah! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Fills in the footsteps of her older sister really well[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OD: WHAT?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: .........yeah, she’s awesome[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*scene*[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Here we see the player is done with football for the day, yet the clichés are footy speak are still very present in his dialogue. It is so prominent that it almost lands him in hot water from his eldest daughter, before he makes the save. Not even the unpredictable success of his daughter excites him enough to break into stage two of personality.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Late night scene (player and his missus are lying in bed, about to go to sleep)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: The girls are both fast asleep.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Oh yeah, good ay?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: Yes it is good, you good to go?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, should be good, been working on a few trick shots, but you’ll have to wait and see[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: Working on them? How so? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: It’s a mental game[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: You’re dirty, lucky I like dirty guys[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, I’ll be working hard for the full 80 tonight, hopefully get a good result[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: 80? Wow, that would be a great effort. Show me what you’ve got tonight.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*censored*[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: That was amazing[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: Yeah, it all came together for us, all the big guns fired, and everyone did their job.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: When did you get so passionate?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: I’m not going to lie I wear my heart on my sleeve[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wife: No doubt, anyway I’ll see you in the morning[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Player: cheers[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As the day draws to a close, the player is still fully into it. From the moment he awakens till the moment he falls asleep he lets the clichés fly. It’s not a put on for the media.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]------------------[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]749 words (word counter)
[/FONT]
 
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Monk

Referee
Messages
21,347
Monk posting Lambretta's article by proxy.

jersey_rabbitohs_1.gif


************************

The end is nigh, or is it?

I look at my calendar knowing the end of the season is approaching. Other than the disgustingly humid, dull February, the end of the Rugby League season is my least favourite time of year. But whilst for some the season extends to October, for some of us it’s effectively over already. So what on earth do we do now?

The most obvious thing to do is to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of this season without the stress of having to worry about the fortunes of our own clubs. A quick glance at the ladder and the schedule tells us drama is just around the corner, so let’s enjoy it. I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of South Sydney’s charge at the top eight. Will they make the Grand Final? If they make it, will they like Parramatta and the Roosters before them, be bored into submission by a more competent opponent? Will Melbourne rise like a phoenix from the ashes of their salary cap disaster to grab a Premiership fairly and squarely? Will the Warriors take the first Rugby League title away from Australian shores? Will the Tigers ever manage to make good on their annual promise to repeat their heroics of2005? Who knows? One thing I do know is that I’ll be consuming every game like an alcoholic who knows the last orders bell is about to ring.

But that solution is short lived and soon the cold hard realisation will hit us all that March is a long way away. So, what other avenues of distraction are available to us?

The most common distraction for the sports fan is usually other sports. So how about cricket? A game that lasts so long you can only ever watch a part of it and results are either telegraphed days in advance or they never arrive. If you watch it on television you end up asleep and if you watch at the grounds, you end up baked to death, awash with radiation and full of low strength beer. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see the attraction.

OK, the Premier League? How could I not look forward to staying up until three in the morning to watch multi millionaires rolling around on the floor trying to win acting awards? Whilst the only pre requisite for a successful season is how much money your owners are prepared to spend. I think I’d rather take up flower arranging.

How about tennis? I’ll admit that the Australian Open is actually one of my favourite events of the year, but no other tennis events feature in our time zone and it’s over in two weeks. That’s as satisfying as premature ejaculation.

The NFL should be perfect for our off season, but One HD might not show it this year and that means paying a monthly subscription fee for yet another Foxtel box and IQ in the man cave and those rental costs never end. I will go broke!

No I have decided that the answer to a lack of Rugby League is more Rugby League and here’s how you do it. First, you need to purchase a TiVo and set it up to record and store all the Super League games from England that Channel Nine show in the middle of the night. The Super League has a lot to offer – exciting games, big rivalries, great atmosphere, familiar faces and best of all results are never advertised in our media so the outcome of games will be an unknown quantity. A must for any exciting game of Rugby League!

There are two games shown each week, so if you set your season pass up correctly you’ll have more than forty games ready to watch once the following off season begins. If you watch two games every weekend, then the entire Super League season will fit into our own off season perfectly and you can watch the games right up until February when you’ll have the blessed relief of the All Stars game.

Now if that’s not the perfect solution to one of the true Rugby League dilemmas, then I don’t know what is. Of course this won’t help you for the up coming off season so maybe flower arranging is on the cards for you. I will however be watching the backlog of Super League games I’ve been recording all year. I suggest you do the same next year!


************************

746 Words between the stars according to the OWC.
 

Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
image.php
The long-awaited and much anticipated hike to Redfern wouldn't have been complete without a short detour to The Man's Gym where we all collected our $BW masks and in our excitement left without paying. One step ahead of the law, here come the Titans:


1. Amadean
6. tits&tans
9. TT.BB
11. Titanic
13. TITs ANonymouS

Bench
2. Tittoolate
8. bgdc


 

byrne_rovelli_fan82

First Grade
Messages
7,477
jersey_rabbitohs_1.gif


In her last hurrah for the year byrne_rovelli_fan82 runs onto the et field, but trips on her shoelace and falls face first into the mud....

~~
Not again

So, the biggest talking point from Round 25 is of course the ‘big fight’ during the Storm v Sea Eagles game on Friday Night.

Ugly scenes sent tongues wagging from experts, critics, legends and supporters over the right or wrong of the fight. Arguments have raged for days since the incident, whether fighting belongs in the game, and if the game has become too soft.

The event unfolded with an errant elbow from Ryan Hinchcliff on Darcy Lussick. The young Manly player, not impressed gets up says a few and Hinchy gets a little hot and there's a bit of push and shove going on, before they all roll in!! It gets further escalated at this point because everyone's in, wanting to be involved to help out a teammate, prompting the situation to get further out of hand. There is no prblems in team sports for players wanting to help out a teammate however in sport sometimes you need to know when the right time is to step in. In this instance Adam Blair and Glenn Stewart over stepped their boundaries.

The officials came in to separate everyone and decided to remove the main two culprit players who infringed and made the situation worse.
Fair decision? Yes. There's no way that first fight would have gotten further out of hand if those two just kept their heads and not instigated it.

Before the second fight blew up, Blair and Stewart were initially going to be sat down for 10minutes and in the context of the game 10minutes is not bad.

Stewart got his marching orders from the referee he walked off shaking his head disappointed in his decision. Seconds later Blair too received his marching orders and unlike Stewart he jogged across the field. Everyone would assume the two players would be off straight away and sat down but the scene to unfold in the next instant is one nobody expected to see.

As Blair jogged off he had caught up fairly quickly with Stewart, both of them still within the field of play the two played a game and back ‘n’ fourth and this where it become Blair's fault. Clearly he's feeding Stewart, goading him on and on, Stewart was stupid enough to respond as well, and then all hell breaks loose again.


So as they are going at it with punches, soon Manly players came flying in joined by their Melbourne counterparts, some wanting a piece of the action others trying to break the pair up.

Claims were made it then became something like 4 on 1 cause Blair got out numbered. Yes.

Questions need to be asked, did Blair bring this onto himself?

Why did Blair antagonize Stewart?

Now because of brain snaps from both side players and the clubs will be fined with players suspended now. Nobody came out of it looking very good because both ruined a great game and brought the NRL another negative headline.

Blair and Stewart were guilty for instigating the first fight, and then it was all Blair for the second, with Stewart getting a few points for letting that stuff both him.

Fans from the two teams are claiming their team’s innocence in the aftermath, there are claims from both camps of being treated unfairly, and this blow up was giving the NRL another chance to come down hard on them. This is nothing more than sore chips from the fans; and it appears as though they have failed to realize the NRL has been left with no other choice. These two keep misbehaving in the public forum, they keep leaving loop holes in everything they do. A clear message needs to be sent to the club reminding them of their responsibility to behave, they are representing their supporters and themselves and if they continue to push the boundaries the NRL will have to continuously fight them.

This is not a position the NRL wants and it is not a position Manly and Melbourne need to be in; a serious overall of their culture needs to be done and to start fresh again. The NRL isn’t in place to play favorites’ with clubs it is there to play fair.

Until the clubs and its supporters learn to accept they are in the wrong the NRL will continue to step in and treat them as little children.

Manly and Melbourne, hang your heads in shame you have once again put yourself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

~~
 
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tits&tans

Juniors
Messages
800
image.php

tits&tans for the Titans rides his swift steed on to the field, as sods fly everywhere under his cloven hooves ...

748 words between the stars (according to the OWC)

*******
The Vanishing Bard
It has been but a dream to have fought with such men,
To have been and become is not long forgotten.
Friendships have been forged and contests never lost;
Battle lines have been drawn but never once crossed.
Sadness and loneliness never did call;
Elation, jubilation, exultation for all!
So sang the bards about the knights of yore, who took up arms in defence of their king, their families and their realm. On wintery evenings, in taverns and inns across Europe, such songs were sung during medieval times to pass the time, to motivate during wars and to entertain the patrons.
“Tigers take it up the bum, do dah, do dah.”
So sang a bunch of pissed dickheads on the terraces the other week. Just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

Well, it does have a ring … ahem, anyway …

Is this really what we have been reduced to, to pass the time, to motivate our team and to entertain ourselves?

Wow, what progress we’ve made in the last millennium! Apart from at the footie and in church, when do we actually sing anymore? I’ll exclude the sorry excuse for singing that often happens at a Karaoke night in the local pub. I have bellowed on the terraces and chanted away with my mates and fellow fans. I have hurled abuse at the ref and screamed at the opposition. I have sung my lungs out during the World Cup and have yelled myself hoarse in post-State of Origin piss-ups. But I can’t think of the last time I sang. I used to like singing hymns and carols at school, but haven’t done for quite a long time and my voice may now not be as fair and as high as it once was.

So it was during one of the home fixtures of the local amateur League club one Saturday last year that I spun around with open-mouthed amazement and a stunned silence. There, in the midst of all the swearing, extremely derogatory statements about the other team’s front line and what they should and shouldn’t be doing to one another in the changing rooms and caustically crude comments about the ref’s mother, was a clear voice singing a strong and clear melody:
It has been but a thrill to have played with such men,
To have won and have lost is never forgotten.
Fingers have been broken and games have been lost;
Try lines have been drawn and very often crossed.
Failure, adversity and sorrow never called;
Except for the coach who is now going bald!
I scanned the crowd and about 15 rows back was an average-looking guy in his mid-forties in jeans and his team’s jersey. His head was tilted back, his lungs were full and his voice was true. After the first half, I tried to find him to have a chat but he had disappeared. He didn’t reappear during the second half.

I heard him a few more times over the remainder of the season, and each time he provided a variation of the same verse. He only sang it once and then was gone. Some joker coined the phrase “The Vanishing Bard” and it stuck. Nobody seemed to know who he was and he always seemed to come on his own.

Whether or not the song actually helped lift the team out of their 6-game slump will never be known but they went on to reach a respectable 3rd place by the end of the season.

Sometime later, I was with a few mates having a post-work drink and from across the room I heard:
It has been simply shit to have drunk in this dive,
To have paid for these drinks and barely survived.
Glasses have been broken and chairs have been tossed;
I have wished that the barman would simply get lost.
All the locals I’ve met are all solid gold;
Except for the barman who’s a real arsehole!
There he was! The Vanishing Bard was slumped in a chair in the corner, obviously having had more than he could handle, singing his heart out. It wasn’t the most inspiring of songs but it made everyone laugh and enraged the barman. With eyes popping, and neck veins bulging, he screamed:
“That’s it! Get out! You’re banned!”
The room was silent as he slowly pushed his chair back and staggered to the door. He then turned and looked around the room and said:
“No I’m not. I’m barred!"
*******
 

Bubbles

Juniors
Messages
416
Bubbles on for Souths
________________________________________
[FONT=&quot]Sympathy for the Devil[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you were to say to me “Hey Bubbles, I’m going to lay two options before you, either trade places with David Gallop and reap all the fiscal rewards that come with this, OR you can put out a campfire with your face” I know which option I’d be taking. I would be face-planting into flame and ember before the last note of your proposition faded into silence. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I realise that my position may well be left of the moral majority, Gallop having been attributed a demonic visage amongst a large portion of League fans, however, I have much sympathy for the man who has been the face of Rugby League administration for the best part of a decade... and no more so than this week. I have heard many people spruik on about how David must be licking his chops at the idea of being able to dole out more punishment to the two clubs who have been Moriarty to his Sherlock Holmes. C’mon, I mean, seriously! I think the man must have just died a little inside when the brawl erupted last Friday night, knowing that he would have to once again deal with the Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When it comes to the Storm and Gallop’s actions in respect to the salary cap fiasco that emerged last year, opinion seems to fall into two main camps. If you are a Storm supporter, the punishments meted out were harsh and unreasonable. Taking this one step further, all you need is to be Victorian to feel the righteous indignation that comes when the arrogant Sydney-siders are trying to peg the Victorians back to the pack, in order to stop the trophy heading Mexico’s way again. The second camp of opinion is the general Rugby League supporter base and popular consensus during the whole sordid mess was that the punishment was not harsh enough and indeed, many believe that Melbourne should have been punted from the competition, a purging if you will. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Both camps were critical of Gallop’s handling of the affair, whether too harsh or too lenient, depending on your camp of choice. Regardless of where you sat/sit on this issue, not too many people pulled up a canvas chair, ‘slip, slop, slapped’ and cracked open a cold beverage in the midst of Camp Gallop. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Then there’s Manly and the Brett Stewart incident of 2008. All I can say is that hindsight is a very sage and beautiful thing and perhaps if David had been able to utilise it when he made the decision to suspend Brett, this particular feud may not have escalated. However, such is the nature of the beast that it comes too late. Also, given the Manly Club itself submitted their internal report upon which, at least partly, Gallop’s decision was based and in which facts that were truisms a few years ago are espoused as falsehoods by the club today, I think the Sea Eagles could cut the guy a bit of slack.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And so we come to Friday night, a momentous night for the NRL CEO, being the first game he has attended that either club has been involved in. Do you think ‘One bird, two stones’ crossed his mind when he bundled through the gates? Instead what he got was one bird being set upon by five stones and an ensuing media frenzy the like of which we haven’t seen... who’s kidding who here, we see it all too often![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Seriously, is there anybody who would want to walk in the shoes as CEO of this code that consists of a series of (often) warring factions with their own agendas, self-interest and ‘old boys’ mentality? As much as I’m loath to admit it, the AFL administration and leadership is like a finely tuned and united front against all foes. In contrast, leading the NRL over the last decade must have been akin to Winston Churchill leading the Allied Forces, all the while as the separate Allied Nations’ forces set upon each other and forgot the enemy as it advanced unchecked, claiming territory in its organised and well-planned march across the continent.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And so I find myself, with plenty of leg-room, in Camp David. For if not for the man himself, I most certainly have respect for the job he holds and for the impossible position into which his wayward and rowdy employees often place him. Better him than me![/FONT]
_____________________________________
Word Count: 744
 

Amadean

Juniors
Messages
772
Amadean with 749 deeply rational and carefully considered words between the bars for the Titans

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


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Bled Dry

48918084ad8b9d1c76546c4503583213_resized.jpg


All the pub’s screens were switched away from the Cowboys-Sharks match, and so I spent Saturday evening in front of the Wallabies. And whilst I was watching this Bledisloe match in Sydney, I was struck by a thought. I was also struck by a carelessly-flung potato wedge, but that is neither here nor there. Well, strictly speaking it was 'there' on my jacket - or at least the drops of sweet chilli sauce were, but I meant that being struck by a carelessly-flung potato wedge is not germane to this discussion. Just get over it already. I did, even though it left a mark and the girl didn't even apologise, ditzy bloody East Sydney blonde.

Anyway, the thought that struck me was this: there were lots and lots of people around, most of whom wouldn’t know a half from a hooker without gynaecological examination. Yet, despite the fact that these people couldn’t give three tenths of a rat's arse about the sport during the regular season, every person in the pub was deeply and emotionally committed to the match. They actually cared.

And that got me thinking: “what is the best way to explain away globs of sour cream on the front of your jeans?”. I mean, you don’t just want it hanging around there without an explanation, because then people draw their own conclusions and you don’t want that. You don’t want to rub it in either, because then you’re a man rubbing white stuff into his crotch whilst watching rugby players warm up, and that isn’t a good look.

Whilst thrust atwixt the horns of sour dilemma (“whether tis better to suffer the slings and lumps of outrageous wedges, or take up arms against errant sour cream”), I went back to thinking about the League I wasn’t watching. I wasn’t watching the League because all these people, in the League heartland of Ashfield no less, wanted to watch the Wallabies. Worse still, they actually cared more about the Union than the League.

As me ole mate Julius Sumner Miller would say, “and I ask myself, why is it so?” Plainly it wasn’t a comparison of the quality of sport on offer, as the League is evidently better on moral grounds. Moreover, League is typically more popular in this particular suburb.

“Perhaps they just wanted to beat the Kiwis?” I hear no-one in particular ask. Fair enough creepily-disembodied-voice, that is possible. But the Dragons-Warriors match the following day didn’t draw one tenth of the pub crowds that were thronging on Saturday night – and that was a big game between two quality teams.

“Well, maybe it was that there was more advertising of the Wallabies game?” I hear a curious voice from somewhere behind my shoulder murmur. Well, worryingly-ephemeral-whisperer, I’m not so sure that argument bears out either. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of a free couple of hours must be in want of a match. You would anticipate the majority of sports fans in the area knew about the Eels-Knights match that afternoon – another big one with Spoon Challengers vs. Finals Challengers – but far fewer of them were watching down the pub. Likewise with the massive Friday Eagles-Storm clash: well advertised, a cracker of a match and yet half-empty pubs.

“Look, you aren’t comparing apples with apples here, the Bledisloe was a representative game, and...” GODDAMMIT VOICE SHUT THE HELL UP OR SO HELP ME I WILL SODOMISE YOUR ETHEREAL BACKSIDE! Right. Well, yes the ‘rep’ point is true. But I think it explains more than just ‘this-was-a-big-game.’

It comes down to the atmosphere in the pub. It was pumping, lively and oddly supportive. People were asking the bloke standing next to them about the All Blacks’ front row, or talking up Quade Cooper, or simply trading hopes about the Brisvegas weather. There was a genuine sense of community that you normally only get in Leagues clubs during finals season: everyone was there for the same reason and feeling the same way.

And that’s the thought that struck me, all the way back up at the start of this piece. All these people came here because they could find people with whom they could have something in common. They were all behind one team. That’s what draws us to the clubs come finals time, and that what bought them all there on Saturday.

At its purest, that is what sport should be.

Just a shame they weren’t watching the Cowboys’ match.


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


Please note the image used bears no relevance to the piece. I just thought it was awesome.
 
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Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
image.php
Titanic for the Titans (746 OWC)
---------------------------
CeeEnEn Sportz


This week our focus is on the World Women’s Rugby League Club Championship where the HTC Desire Cup, a double d-sized extravaganza, entered its penultimate weekend with the planet’s top femme foot-als battling to secure the coveted trophy and $250 worth of Billabong vouchers.

The tournament, which is bankrolled by that doyen of Australian radio Alan Jones, has undergone numerous changes to attract new fans over the past few weeks. Unlike men’s league, the WWRLCC is played during the mornings to avoid clashing with Underbellyhair and to allow players to still make their school pick-ups. There is also a no indiscriminate hooking rule for obvious reasons.

Reigning champions, Baby Shower of Auckland, look unlikely to repeat their 2009 heroics after a 12-12 draw with midtable Samoa Sea Cucumbers kept them two wins off the top of their Pool with only one more game. Baby Shower’s Jean Windass opened the scoring, poking through a gaping hole after a defensive balls-up, but just two minutes later the Cuke’s Greeny Peacock finished-off with a delightful chip ‘n’ flake over the fullback assisted by some fine support from recently suspended Bertha Juggs, silencing her knockers. There was still time for Suey “Gooey” Moymoy to burst right up the middle after receving the ball in an unforced turnover, but Baby Shower later finished off as rampant pro’ Linda Leftlace’s deep penetration deceived the Islander’s wing when she came inside.

Over at Queef Street Mall, Glenice Stewart was presented with her Girl of the Month award for her finishing style. The Sex in the New York City flyer scored twice to defeat the King’s Kross Karesses, both times getting over the KKK’s fullback Clammy Hands. The win secures the Yankee club an adventure in next season’s 2 Girl’s 1 Europa Cup, providing they can overcome Italian side Garlic Bread in the preliminary round. Bread finished 2nd in La Donna Summer (Italian Women’s League) behind Florence Nightingale.

Despite baking conditions, Shanghai Strumpets preferred to play uncompromising rugby league over making cakes, and safely progressed with a 22-0 basting of the Kobe Coquettes. Elsewhere, the Virginia Wolves ran riot at The Vagina Molineux as Sylvia Ebanks-Blake and Georgina Elekobi both bagged hat-tricks in a 64-10 destruction of Glee Club.

Pool B was all but sewn up at the Gold Coast as Post Natal De Preston put last season’s disappointing campaign behind them to clinch victory over Zydney Zumba, much to the delight of their perma-tanned manager Phyllis the Gorilla Dilla. Next week the triumphant glitter strip side, nicknamed the “sad mums”, can move one step closer to receiving the trophy from bad boy prison heartthrob Carne Toddie as they take on the below average Size Zero of Seoul.

Meanwhile, the last rrrround of French Rugby Treize started this week. Things were frenetic on the field, with big wins for Zizou Zazzle, Leyton Lorient and Gay Paris.

The undoubted match of le day came in Bordeaux, where a full-bodied and fruity performance from the Vintage Reds was served up alongside a medium-rare display of attacking from the normally standoffish Franck Leboeuf & Frites. Critics said both sides complemented each other delightfully, finishing in a mouth-watering 23-23 draw.

In the capital, Gay Paris – whose revolutionary menage a trois set-up of head coach Guy Guivarc’h, assistant Louis Llama and executive director Johnny Ribot de Raconteur has caused a stir even among liberals– snuck four tries past Le Pen et Pals, who don’t like it up ‘em. Elsewhere, table-toppers Zizou Zazzle took advantage of Vichy Clichy’s outdated Maginot backline to run out emphatic 18-6 winners at Stade de Stadium.

Leyton Lorient
, sponsored by Barry Hearn’s new leisurewear range Le Cockney Sportif, comfortably outscored mid-table rivals L’Equipey-Uppy, who displayed unacceptably low arrogance levels going into the match. On-loan Darryl Lockierre scored a hat-trick in the 32-12 win, which his team-mates celebrated by making him eat something disgusting cooked in goose fat.

Elsewhere, it was Clouseau but no cigar for Les Pink Panthers, who also lost 10-0 against General De Goal. Whilst in the south, there was disappointment for fans of Don’t Want Toulouse and Battiston-and-on after a dispute over match bonuses meant a postponement. Philosophy periodical Sartre’s Left Foot questioned the internal paradox of loose heads going on strike by refusing to strike, while supporters amused themselves by setting fire to the local banlieue.

[FONT=&quot]That cancellation will mean extra work for the fixture ordinateur, but also means the FRXIII moves up three places in France’s bureaucratic league table.
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Monk

Referee
Messages
21,347
Monk follows his team onto the field with a single clichéd tear running down his cheek. Let's get ready for a stormer of a game!

749 Words between under the Bunnies Jersey according to the OWC.

jersey_rabbitohs_1.gif


The Backlash.

Billy Slater, Dane Nielson, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Ryan Hinchcliffe; the only 5 Storm players from the Storm’s superstar team of 2009 (the last time they lifted the Premiership Trophy) who are suiting up for this Mondays clash against the Sydney Roosters. Of course, this list would be bumped up to 6 (a whopping 32.3% of their 2009 Grand Final team) had Adam Blair not been suspended, but that it’s another issue completely. In this game on Monday night, a win will allow the Melbourne Storm to secure the club’s first minor premiership in its 14-odd year history.

Yes, I said that correctly. You see, thanks to well advertised Salary Cap scandal involving the club, it was stripped of its ’07 and ’09 NRL Premiership’s, as well as its ’06, ’07 and ’08 Minor Premierships. So really when you think about it, this is the clubs first Minor Premiership. Not that anyone really cares about the Minor Premiership; it’s the big prize that everyone plays for.

Now, I’m not about to say that what the Storm did was right, nothing of the sort. But it’s kind of weird to think that a club with such a rich history (no pun intended) has nothing to their name, save a last minute Grand Final win back in the day where they were everyone’s ‘Second Favourite Team’.

My point here is, the modern day Melbourne side isn’t that team that everybody once knew. The deeds of some scumbags have tainted the clubs name and what I’m worried about is this; if the Storm do go onto win the 2011 NRL Premiership, will the games fans accept it? I can already hear the cries of the losing team’s fans to David Gallop; “Check the books! They’re a bunch of cheating scoundrels!” Is this what the club deserves? Do they deserve more criticism, after everything that happened to them last season?

Few expected the Storm to do what they have done this season, stringing 12 wins together was a phenomenal achievement and I truly believe they deserve every accolade they obtain. To go from Dallas Johnson to Todd Lowrie at lock is not something a team would want to have to deal with. Though the Storm have had that drop-off in ‘Talent’ at virtually every position (save their big four), and yet they still sit at the top spot on the Premiership Ladder.

The Media weren’t exactly light on the Storm after their Salary Cap breach, and some would say the punishment dished out from the Media was worse then what David Gallop issued to them, and I would agree with them to an extent. The hatred many people now have for the Storm could cause riots in the streets. Even now, a year after everything went down, Storm fans still fear to wear their team’s colours out onto the streets in fear of having insults thrown at them.

2010 was a rough year for the Melbourne Storm, however I’ll give them credit where it is due. The Club had to Unite and play for Pride for the remaining rounds after their season was derailed and their Trophy Cabinets were stripped clean and replaced with a single Wooden Spoon. No doubt this is a harsh reminder of the pain the players and coaching staff went through thanks to the Brian Waldron and co.

Craig Bellamy should be praised for his ability as a coach. To motivate a team who is seemingly playing for nothing is not an easy task, and to come up with a competitive squad the following year is nothing short of amazing.

As a Rugby League fanatic, I truly hope that should the Storm win the 2011 NRL Premiership, that the fans can accept it. I hope that Storm Haters and Opposing fans can accept that they were the best team on the day, as well as one of the best teams all year. The past is the past and the players have done well to move on and to be successful. Though it had its dark moments, their story is one to be proud of. They arose from the ashes of a club in ruin, and returned to be a Rugby League Powerhouse. If I were a Melbourne Storm fan, I would be proud of my club, not because of the dirty things that happened, but because after all of that, they remained strong and showed that they can do it, after everything that has happened.
 

Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
Sorry to all concerned. TT.BB subbed by Tittoolate who together with TITs ANonymouS due to server issues will both be posted by proxy.
 

Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
image.php
Tittoolate for the Titans by proxy (746 OWC).
---------------------------------
Focus, Control, Practice, Faith

“....and after quick hands from the backs, the big second-rower, probably just taking a breather on the wing, makes the most of his chances and carries three desperate defenders over the line to even the game up here at SomeBloodyCompany Park with only 5 left on the clock. Sheer determination carried the day. Barry......”

We did it. Just like the coach said. Held our nerve and played our game. Bloody hell. We did it. Heads were down at half time, but coach gave just the right amount of boost and arse kick. I did my bit this half! But now, they are all looking at me. I love kicking goals.

Wait.

Hell, it really is all down to me. With only five to go, if I land this then we’re through.

Skip tosses me the ball, “Righto mate, it’s your turn to shine. Remember the training. Done it a hundred bloody times with more wind so remember that. What did we say? You have faith in your boot ‘cause you’ve got the focus and control that practice brings. And mate, I have faith in you. Go do your thing and you can date my sister when we win the cup.”

“OK skip,..................heh hang on, you don’t have a sister!”

Ha ha funny man. I remember words drummed into me: my ritual is my friend. My boot remembers how to kick. Go through the drill, close down everything else, and do it like I’ve always done.
Breathe deep, breathe slow. Focus on my breath. Listen to my breath only. Seek the focus that brings.

Shit, what if I miss? The blokes’ll bloody murder me......

Breathe deep, breathe slow. Focus on my breath. Listen to my breath only.

As I trot to the mark I’m thinking that everyone’s here, watching. Mum, Dad, Sharlene, her Dad. What will they think if.......

Breathe. Focus on my breath. Listen to my breath only.

Bloody hell the others are noisy. Can only just hear my guys down the end of the field. Is that my Dad making more noise than anyone else? Look at these nongs up this end. Haven’t bloody heard of sportsmanship. Yeah ‘F’ you too mate. The sheilas are the worst......

Breathe. Focus on my breath. Listen to my breath only.

Still got that twinge in my thigh from last week. Will it slow my follow through? Do I have to adjust? Shit, what did the coach say? That hit I took in the first half, did it change how my hip rotates? Bloody hell, right at the end of the game...

Breathe. Focus on my breath.

Ok, it’s quieter in my head. I walk over the mark like I always do. Ten steps. Turn. Look at the distance, the angle. Feel the kick coming that I’ve done a thousand times before. Back to the mark. My heart pounds in my ears as I set the ball.

Breathe. Focus on my breath.

The wind. Right shoulder. Not too much, just a couple of metres, yep, yep, that’s OK. Shit would they bloody quieten down? Was that a gust I felt? Hate bloody gusts.....

Breathe. Focus on my breath.

I can do this.

Breathe. Focus.

I remember what the coach said about routine. Muscle memory can take over at times of stress but only comes from practice. 10000 kicks*? Be buggered, but I’ve done my share of practice. Rain, wind, sideline, dead in front, every bloody angle. Time and again. So many hours that Sharlene was jealous. Missed some pub nights too. All summer kicking........

Breathe. Focus.

Its quiet in my space. I stand at the ball. Left foot 2 inches to the left as always. I see the posts. I feel the distance. I feel the wind.

Breathe. Focus.

I’m alone on the Park. The ball. The posts. My boot.

Breathe. Focus.

Five steps back. Three to the left. Breathe in. Breathe out. Again. Same as ever. Drop the tension from my shoulders. Feel the follow through.

Breathe. Focus.

Visualise the ball’s arc. Quiet here. Shake left leg. Right leg. Again. Same as ever.

Breathe. Focus.

Lean in. Right foot lead. Boot strikes ball. I see the ball arc. The sound of the crowd hits my freed mind like a physical blow as the touchies’ flags rise.

Now I feel again! Bloody YES! The focus and faith that comes from routine practised to obsession has seen me through.
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*'Outliers: The Story of Success.' Malcolm Gladwell, 2008
 
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Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
image.php
TITs ANonymouS for the Titans (750 OWC)
_______________________

It’s Time


That’s right, it’s time for a change. You might be thinking this is my political slogan a la Gough Whitlam, but alas, my political aspirations are currently on hold. My detractors say it’s because I have no political sense whatsoever but in reality it’s because I can’t make up my mind whether to be a republican or a democrat.

Back to the subject on hand, it’s definitely time. I’ve put up with decades piled on top of decades of disappointments broken only by faint glimpses of hope that disappear quicker than a beer in the vicinity of Todd Carney.

When I started playing footy at the tender age of six, it was with pride that I donned the number thirteen. Back in the day that was the loose head prop. Following the NSW League I decided that the Rabbitohs were to be my team as their captain was the Australian captain John Sattler. Over the ensuing years, I was moved to lock, probably because I didn’t eat my Weetbix.

With the lucky number eight on my back I took to following the Roosters. Ron Coote was the incumbent lock for Easts and Australia. I was able to revel in a team that could boast such names as Arthur Beetson, Kevin Hastings, Bill Mullins, Ivan Cleary, John Brass and the Cleal brothers. Their premiership wins in 1974 and 1975 still bring me fond memories of that fine era.

Alas, Easts, given their inner-Sydney locality had no real juniors from which to nurture future players. Fortunately, they have always had a large bank roll, unlike clubs such as Souths and Newtown, they could usually entice quality players by waving a fat cheque under their noses.

Whilst in theory this sounds good, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will receive good value for the outlay. From the Eighties on to this very day, Easts have developed a culture of spending big on high-profile players well past their best. I cite Willy Mason as an example. I was still travelling the globe on the high seas when Willy appeared on the First Grade scene and apparently he was quite a terror. When I returned to terra firma and was able to enjoy watching the game again on the telly, Willy was one of the big guns the Roosters had enticed over. All I saw from him was a big over-rated, over-paid and terminal waste of space. Mind you, Willy was not on his own, there have been many that came before him that fell into the same category.

The habit of poor purchasing was not limited to players. We have had our fair share of dud coaches as well. In 1991 Mark Murray was the annointed coach until he was sacked mid-season and replaced by Arthur Beetson in 1994. Fatty Vautin’s description of Murray that he had “seen better coaches at the train station” was a fair assessment of Muppet the Muppet. Then the Roosters really went from bad to worse and appointed the non-indigenous Australian’s answer to Anthony Mundine, Ricky Stuart, as head coach for two years.

Between 1984 and 1995, the Roosters only reached the semi-finals once, and became known to critics as the "transit lounge", due to the high frequency of player purchases and releases.

Every team will go through highs and lows given enough time. When Canberra first appeared on the scene they were the new whipping boys on the block - a chance for players to rack up points in chasing the most tries scored or the highest points scorer awards for their respective clubs. This didn’t last forever though and Canberra evolved into one of the great teams of rugby league.

I am an advocate of supporters sticking with their team through thick and thin. So why am I making the momentous decision to dump my team after supporting them for more than thirty years?

I’ve already stated that very team weathers performance slumps. For me it’s not about the losing it’s about how the club conducts itself that counts the most. The Roosters have had a long and painful history of throwing in the towel while disrespecting themselves and the jersey they wear. They are not a club that digs deep and stages any semblance of a comeback – no heads held high, no impassioned rallying war cry, just another wave of the chequebook.

With apologies to the once proud club that boasted the legendary Dally Messenger and Harry “Jersey” Flegg - it’s time.

Hasta la vista Sydney Roosters.
____________________________
 

Titanic

First Grade
Messages
5,906
Great effort all concerned and if I could only see even a few feet through these bloody sunglasses I would type a lot more.
 
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