2011 WILLOW CUP ROUND 2: Ninjas -V- Rabbitohs

[Willow]

WILLOW CUP KNOCK OUT TOURNAMENT - ROUND 2
CHUCK NORRIS TEXAS DEATH NINJAS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

-V-

​

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:
* 3 -V- 3 (+ 4 reserves for each team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

Rules: http://forumsevens.com.au/rules.php
Official Word Counter: http://forumsevens.com.au/wordcount.php

Kick Off: Sunday 5 June 2011 (2100AEST)
Full Time: Saturday 11 June 2011 (2100AEST)
Referee: Jesbass
Venue: Front Row Stadium

NOTE: The winner of this match will play the winner of Bluebags v Titans in the Willow Cup final.​

 

[joshie]

good luck bunnies, here is the line up for the Ninjas!

Starting
1. Joshie (C)
2. Hala
3. james Gould

Bench
4. Edabomb
5. Paulquinn
6. Raider 69

 

[griffo346]

Good luck Ninjas

here is a line up for the bunnies

Starting Side:

Bubbles
Byrne_rovelli_Fan82
Spanner in the works

Bench:
Griffo346
Monk
Non Terminator
Bwuce

 

[Spanner in the works]

It has been five years. Five years since New South Wales has won an Origin series. Since then, Saddam Hussein has been captured and executed, Osama Bin Laden has been executed, two football World Cups have been held, one of the largest financial collapses in history has happened, Japan, Haiti and Indonesia have experience three of the largest natural disasters ever recorded, and we have seen countless examples of coups, pandemics, and human tragedy since then.

It’s a lot to comprehend. If it were a racehorse, it would have been put out to pasture by now. If it were a business, it would have declared bankruptcy. If it were an Australian Prime Minister, it would have been knifed and unceremoniously dumped. The question is what went wrong? That’s a difficult one to answer and is rather complex. But I will focus on one small part of a larger problem. The public psyche behind team selection.

In the days leading up to Origin II, much has been made of the lack of recognised props on the NSW bench. Fair enough too. The correct doctrine within rugby league is to pick three out and out props, plus a prop-cum-backrower. As we all know, the way to win games is to win the forward battle. So have the Blues selectors screwed up yet again? Or is it something else?

The replacements picked are no doubt quality players, and on their day can destroy a team single-handedly. Jack Gibson once said pick your best 17, and worry about positions later. It should be easy for people to accept them. But the problem is that NSW keep losing. Again and again. And this has caused major problems in the public psyche.

Leading up to Origin, we ask ourselves questions about what are they going to botch this time. We name countless teams, and we all come to the same sort of side. We say “they’ll probably pick Kite/Perry/Cooper/some other nuffie.” We say this is the side for the future.

Sure enough, the anger and frustration comes out when the team is announced. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants his or her voice heard. We call for a public lynching. Heads must roll they say. Are they stupid we ask? It’s the worst side ever named we say. This is a small selection of what people have said:

Gonna get smashed even worse. Only 2 props, and one of them (Merrin) is a nuffy. Backrow goes from a formidable one to the worst one in recent history. Centre pairing with Spaznier and mate will get schooled. GG Ricky.

William f**kin Hopoate?. Stuart has lost his mind.

That is why I refuse to follow NSW. They have no clue in the f**king world, Nathan Merritt has hardly put any foot wrong the whole year, He is one of the best under the high ball in the entire NRL, and he is a f**king specialist winger, and can find his way to the tryline.

Ricky Stuart you are a f**king dickhead!!!.

f**king hell they love butchering a side.

Lewis should be lock, with Creagh f**ked off and another prop on the bench (anyone but King or Weyman)

Seriously just a couple minor tweaks and the team would be infinitely better.

Any word of who 18th man is for Dugan? Or will Stuart Judy be like homer coaching little league and forfeit should the dugs not be available?

Maybe they are right. Maybe those selections would be better, and maybe the selectors have lost their minds. But I’ll leave you with this. If we were winning year in year out with the currently selected side, would we still be demanding changes? Would the all important public psyche want change? Or would we support them to the ends of the earth - just like Queensland does?

Number of players who made their NSW debut between 2003 and 2005, when we won three series in a row – 16
Number of players who have made their NSW debut since 2006 – 41
Number of players who made their QLD debut between 2006 and 2011, when they won five series in a row – 20
__________________________________________________________________________
711 Words

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

byrne_rovelli_fan82 stumbles upon the match thread, hair sticking out in all directions, and through sleepy weary squinting eyes she posts.

~~
Whipping boy no more!

The annual ANZAC game between one time rugby league world champions, the Australian Kangaroos and their whipping boy, the New Zealand Kiwis, whom have now transformed into world cup champions and four nations winners, played out the 2011 game at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast. The relevance of the great rivalry between the two countries on the sporting field played out like it always did. Australia jumping on their chances early and looking fearless and un-stoppable while the Kiwis stuttered around attempting to find their feet under bright lights. For once it was the Kangaroos looking not as fluent as they used to be with many uncharacteristic plays not seen from them in all their years of dominance.

Although it was the Kangaroos team to come away with the points the feeling hanging in the air was one that hasn’t been felt for a long time when the two teams collide. There was a confidence and excitement for the Kiwis, for the first time in a while they had a bit of the upper hand on the Kangaroos and it was them not the Aussies with the trophies while on the other hand the Kangaroos had questions needing to be answered.

In the mid-year test of years past spectators have come to bare witness of the Kangaroos extracting painful, unbearable and embarrassing score lines on the Kiwis with one game standing out the most.

It was the weekend where Trans-Tasman rivalry was at its absolute highest, the Kiwis facing off against the Kangaroos, then the All Blacks facing off with the Wallabies (where whipping boy is in the reverse order). The Kangaroos with a score of 54-4 flattened the Kiwis and the papers the next day draped the humiliating defeat all over their front covers. When ‘the other code’ played out their own rivalry there was the feeling of ‘normality’ returning to the order of sports achievement’.

A lot has changed since that devastating night; the teams have gone through a few changes over the years although the Kangaroos strong hold, as the ultimate force remained untouchable. The Kiwis however have caught up very quickly on the Kangaroos, as the end of year Tri Nations proved in 2005 in England, followed up three years later in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup in Australia and of course the Four Nations in 2010.

Australia has had no choice but to move on; but the world cup and their chance to take it back is coming up again as will the Four Nations opportunity, in the mean time they need to accept they aren’t as brilliant as they once were, so to quote a young Storm fan from last year:

‘Suck it up princess!’

Even Phil Gould mentioned in the pre-game talk about how much it hurt to say the Kiwis are the world champions, even when this crown was decided 2 years ago.

If there is one bright spot for the Kangaroos they still have the ability of appealing to young footballers to come and play for them as was seen in the one-off test match; though the Kiwis have their own answers to this puzzle churning out talents of their own. The way the Kiwis have emerged they have shown patience is the way to go and it isn’t all just about winning everything in one go. They have worked out a game-plan timeline targeting specific goals they want to meet and when they want to meet it by, and this is evident by their achievements since 2005. It’s been a slow progress from there up until now and the trophies tucked away safely at Kiwi headquarters’ are the perfect testament to their steady climb up the ranks.

While New Zealand does still lose the odd game or two to Australia, this is quite acceptable since nobody can continue to keep winning but the gap that had been in existence for several years has closed significantly in the last seven years and the Kangaroos have to take the Kiwis seriously now. No longer is the little brother afraid of the ‘big bad wolf’ and no long will they accept being beaten by heavy score lines. The days of being Australia’s whipping boy are now over. The day of Kiwi rising has emerged and is a force to be reckoned with, a dominance that will reign on Australia’s parade.

~~

732 words between the '~' according to the official word counter

 

[joshie]

Sub
Edabomb for hala

 

[edabomb]

edabomb for the Ninjas
-----------------------------------------

Domestic Flight

As I head back home it hits me - things are about to change. Doctor Wilkins has cleared me of any lingering mental health problems; I’ve been off my medication for a month with no repercussions. It is a new beginning, leaving the clinic in Melbourne to get back to my life in Brisbane. As I boarded the plane and found my seat I noticed the gentleman sitting next to me had an NRL blazer on. He looked like he hadn’t slept for a few days, so I left him alone.

About fifteen minutes into the flight I open my copy of Big League; this seems to pique my neighbour’s interest. “So you’re a fan of the NRL?” he asks. I explained to him that I’m very passionate about my favourite side, but reasonably apathetic towards the rest of the league. “Would you like to know more on the inner workings of an NRL club?” he asked, I respond in the affirmative.

“Let’s start with junior development” he uttered. I knew it was just best to listen at this stage, rather than say anything that may deter him from continuing. “You’d assume that every NRL club is out to make the most of every junior talent that comes through their ranks, would you not?” I agree. “That’s true to an extent” he responded, “but when these youngsters make the NRL you couldn’t be further from the truth. Player’s salaries differ massively on their ability, so why would you want a team of top performing players? All that means is another labour intensive search for players to replace those that price themselves out of our salary cap. If we see a forward playing too far beyond his salary we’ll ask him to rein it in, of course using the team as an excuse. ‘The team doesn’t need your flashy offloads’ or ‘flying out of the line for that big hit really put us under the pump’ usually do the trick. I’ve seen guys miss out on several hundred thousand dollars as a result of their abilities being hidden.”

He gives me a shifty look, one that gives the impression he’s wondering if he should continue. Then he smiles and asks “who would you rather sign as an eighteen year old – Sonny Bill Williams or Jason Smith?” I think about for a second and reply with Jason Smith. I have some pretty solid reasoning; Smith was a top player for well over a decade in the NRL. Sonny Bill only managed seventy-three games before heading off on his various exploits. “Wrong” he asserts. “Sonny Bill Williams generated a heck of a lot more money in his NRL career despite the relatively short span of it. Jason Smith without doubt had a better career, but these days we’re talking about a business first competition. The revenue that Sonny Bill will bring in over five seasons through sponsorship, merchandise and attendance outdoes any career football feats.”

Fifteen minutes from arrival he continues - “Do you think clubs seek athletes or footballers?” He doesn’t give me time to answer the rhetorical question this time around. “We seek athletes because they make the plays that bring in the fans. We hear from people that the NRL is declining as a spectacle, but we’re greatly increasing in ‘freakish’ plays. Think of the bat back tries when the ball is going over the dead ball line, the athletic put downs in the corner. Heck, even the removal of the corner flag to make these tries more probable. It is all done because we’re in the age where twenty second clips sell. The masses don’t want to see a footballer plot an attack over five or six sets, they want to see the YouTube highlight. Of course the diehards still need their fix of football, but we think we have the balance close to perfect.”

As the plane lands I sit in shock. I ask which team he works for, he won’t say any more than “a major one”. As he gets up to leave he utters something about whether he gives me the ass or the crotch on the way by, I’m sure I’ve heard that before somewhere.

Two months on and I’m back in the Melbourne clinic. I’m still not sure about what happened that day. My condition has regressed and I’m back on my medication. If only I’d been on my medication that day I’d know for certain if that conversation ever took place.

---------------------------------------------
748 words in OWC

 

[Bubbles]

Bubbles on for Rabbitohs
________________________________________
Come One, Come Y’all

With the unprecedented beaming of our great game, State of Origin into the homes of you Yanks, I thought it would be appropriate to provide a bit of a familiarisation lesson on the ‘Land Down-under’.

So, I thought we’d start with dispelling a few myths in relation to our local fauna. Firstly, you’re not going to find any kangaroos hopping across the Harbour Bridge and if by some bizarre occurrence you do come across this spectacle, you’d find half the spectators (tourists) snapping crazily away through digital lenses, while the other half (locals) sight the roo through hunting rifles. Just beware the local who has the tourists in his cross-hairs, Wolf Creek style!

Secondly, Koalas are not the sweet, cuddly creatures that they may appear. They have razor sharp claws and a temperament to match. Also, emus are the meat-suits for Satan in this Country and believe me the Devil is pissed! After all, an omnipotent being caught in the awkward body of a flightless bird, you’d be cranky too!

So, let’s now move onto other, more exotic fauna, the Australian Sportsman. If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in the southern-most and western States of this broad land you are going to be told about this uniquely Australian sport of AFL. In fact, you are going to hear this mantra over and over and over again until your ear-drums burst. And for all the hype, my suggestion would be to buy a ticket to a performance of the Nutcracker. For your money you’ll get to see men prancing around with uncomfortably prominent packages, as well as witnessing said grown men frolic gaily (or AFLy) across the stage and all this without the insult of someone telling you it’s a man’s sport you’re viewing.

An alternative to this would be to make your way to St. Kilda beach, throw a few chips into the air and watch the seagulls squawk and flap around. For one, this is a much more cost-effective option and if nothing else, you’ll always spot a one-legged bird who you can find it in your heart to cheer for.

If you do find yourself in the southern State, simply high-tail yourself up the Hume Highway until you reach the Harbour City and there you’ll be introduced to another game for the local fauna, Rugby League. The species who indulge in this sport are of a far more aggressive, rugged mettle and are men who relish and flourish in the physical contact and toughness inherent in their game. You will see collisions that will bring tears to your eyes, all without the protection of padding, NFL-style. You will see sublime ball-handling skills and footwork that will leave your mind boggling. This is native fauna at once graceful and brutal, a spectacle for your senses.

Now that we’ve clearly established the superiority of Rugby League in this Country, let’s delve into the lesson further still, as I take you through the meaning of some of the local vernacular you’re going to hear if you do have the privilege and pleasure of viewing first-hand this sporting spectacle.

“Get ‘em onside!” One of the most common war-cries from spectators, often accompanied by “They’ve been doing it all day, sir” usually within the first few minutes of play, purely for comedic purposes. A variation to this “Get ‘em onside, you f---ing c—t” is a clear sign that you have come across a sub-species known as the ‘Novocastrian Old Chook’. Beware, for while these specimens are often toothless, they still possess a nasty septic bite. My advice, avoid making direct eye-contact and limit sudden movements as these creatures are easily provoked, often with dire consequences that may induce bleeding of the aural orifice.

“Show us your tits” signals the close proximity of another sub-species known as cheer-bimbos, while “Show us your bitch tits” will indicate the presence of such over-grown specimens as Carl Webb, George Rose, or Piggy Riddell, amongst others.

To finish off today’s lesson, I would like to suggest that while the opportunity is there, enjoy the great spectacle that is Rugby League’s State of Origin, the only truly unique sporting event in this wonderful Country that is Oz. However, even better, save your dollars and save hard. Aside from the numerous and glorious natural wonders of this southern land, the Eighth Great Wonder, Rugby League awaits you and there’s simply nothing like witnessing it up close and personal!
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Word Count: 746

 

[jamesgould]

For the Ninjas:

Rebuilding – again!

It was announced this morning that the Newcastle Knights star recruit for the 2011 season, the man who would be their long-term future, Beau Henry – has signed with the Gold Coast Titans and will move there immediately.

It’s a particularly perplexing move, but one that is, unfortunately, not a surprise. The Knights, you see, have a new coach next year. As we all know, this means half the squad – some of them perfectly serviceable rugby league players – will be asked to find another club as soon as possible.

It’s dressed up as being for the player’s benefit that they are told this. If there’s no future for them at the club, then it’s best they know, and can make plans for their future while there are possibilities elsewhere.

Henry leaving however, does leave Newcastle in a precarious position for 2011. Already makeshift half Kurt Gidley is in the 7. Henry partnered him last game. With Gidley playing origin, it is a gamble that he makes it through that match unscathed. Currently Jarrod Mullen and Ben Rogers have long-term injuries, and rookie Tyrone Roberts is out with a knee injury. Roberts is expected to be ready for the next fixture, but if he and Gidley are not, then Newcastle have the prospect of blooding the worst NRL halves combo of the season.

Rick Stone must be tearing his hair out, as the 2011 season disintegrates before his eyes. Wayne Bennett is assembling a side that he wants for 2012, but at what cost for 2011? Unfortunately for Newcastle, it is another season of rebuilding that might as well be written off halfway through. Brian Smith had one in 2007, Rick Stone had one last year, and it’s on again.

It is a recurring nightmare for Newcastle fans in particular, but this whole philosophy is something very new. Only from the 2000s has the signing of a new coach led to such brutal overhauls of the playing roster. Newcastle followers will well remember the arrival of Mal Reilly. There were no major changes to the Knights playing roster between 1994 and Reilly’s first season in 1995, however Newcastle in 1995 had one of their most successful seasons, winning 15 of 22 matches in the regular season and finishing within a game of the grand final.

Two years later, with no significant alterations to the playing roster (aside from several talented outside backs progressing from the juniors into first grade) Newcastle were able to win the grand final.

It leads to the question, in the new millennium, has coaching moved from getting the best out of your players, to assembling the best squad? If Wayne Bennett is the wonderful coach he is made out to be, and that his record suggests he is, then why is he unwilling or unable to coach a young talented player such as Isaac De Gois – instead informing him that the three year contract he had earlier agreed to for 2012 will not be honoured, and he should look elsewhere.

Perhaps being a great coach in the NRL becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy? Moving to a new club, the best coaches can attract the best talent. While there is certainly a question mark over Rick Stone’s coaching ability, how much success would he have with the bolstered playing roster that Bennett will be working with in 2012?

It seems a shame that rugby league has come to this. Planning for the next season, especially if there is a new coach arriving, now begins almost before the current season has started. A player who is over 30 is almost considered to be on the scrapheap – too old to be a viable member of the side for more than a few seasons. Working with the players available to improve them is not worth the effort when a young kid can be brought in for less money.

One player that isn’t having a bar of it in the current scenario facing Newcastle is Antonio Kaufusi. Kaufusi was signed mid-season last year from North Queensland. With the Knights unable to attract any big name props, he was subsequently offered a contract for 2011 and 2012. Kaufusi has now been told to look elsewhere – but isn’t budging.

Last week he played his best game since joining the Knights. His family is settled in Newcastle, and will try to prove he is worthy of a first grade spot.

Good on him. Maybe mastercoach Bennett will just have to work with what he’s got.

 

[joshie]

In life we like to experiment and make things better than they were before. We develop and ditch, develop and ditch and it just never ends. We also love to do it in sports. Develop a young bloke and ditch the old bloke, that is just how we are as humans, but will we destroy what we love doing this?*

To prove a point this article is being written on my iPhone. No spell check, other than the system used on this device, no computers, hell I am even going to put it in the game thread on this thing. By now, you must be wondering where the Rugby League is going to come in, well I'll tell you. The next paragraph is coming up after all.

If we took a trip back to 1908 and I was able to have a conversation with a rugby league fan, what would I say? I would tell him that one hundred and three years on, we had a referee that could view the same moment again in a split second to determine the correct action, he would laugh at me. What if I told him that the whole country could watch the game as it happened on something called television, he would fall over. But what we he say back to me? I am sure he would question my sanity and like all the ideas but i don't think he would truly consider it to be good ideas. He would probably tell me that the referee has to make a decision that he views is fair and just and then explain that rugby league has a great atmosphere live. So if you can be at the game, why watch it? And if the referee is a professional, why does he need help?

And what if I could have a conversation with a man from 2108? What will his rugby league be like? Will there be referees, would there even be anyone at the ground in the flesh or could they somehow teleport there. I know this all sounds a little far fetched but it is true. We ditch and develop like champions. We do it so often at a pace faster than Billy Slater. Everything is affected when we ditch. Look at videos, most 10 year olds these days probably haven't even seen one, DVD has become the norm. But look out DVD captain blu-ray is fast approaching, and is ready to take over.*

We numb our minds and over load everything with technology. Even aliens would be shocked if they invaded and looked at our pixel soaked lives. But where are we going to end up? We are going to lose our minds literally.*

Boredom is part of everyday life, some say it is needed. It refreshes the mind, the brain activity dies down and you can just chill out. You could even write a rugby league article for some website for a team after Boredom and come up with a 95 point score. Is Boredom become the next victim in develop and ditch? You could compare it to the sonny bill saga. He was developed but he saw an upgrade, a new life and ditched his old down graded life. It is harsh and that is the reality we face.

Could sports as a whole be ditched? Could league be played with matrix like artificial life or as the movie refers to it as A.I. They rose up and took over and I am not saying that could happen at all, but they could become our sports stars. If you don't need to pay someone to play in your team, why would you? Lets all just hope everything isn't develop and ditched for companies to benefit on us!

And another thing, Writing on an iPhone is a very tough job. The grammer in this is going to be horrible, and to continue on my theme no computer spell check will be used, this could end up being a winner of an article or a failure and waste of time. You tell me.*Has the computer generation saved or benifited me? Has writing on the move paid off or has it hurt me? Thanks for reading

 

[Willow]

Better late than never...

 

[Jesbass]

Cheers, timekeeper. I'll get cracking! :thumn

 

[edabomb]

Good luck to both sides and may the better team progress!

Thanks in advance for the marking Jesbass.

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

What has happened to all the time keepers? lol

 

[Spanner in the works]

What has happened to all the time keepers? lol

Budget cuts.

 

[Jesbass]

Yep, sorry - I was unavailable courtesy of sporadic internet access.

I'll get the marks in some time tonight - probably late.

 

[Jesbass]

Working on this. Looks like a short turnaround for both finalists. :/

 

[Jesbass]

Match Report:

Ninjas: 261

edabomb
Very clever. Almost a bit Fight Club-esque, or perhaps Shutter Island. Either way, this was a fun tale of what may or may not be reality. Grammar held you back slightly. 87

jamesgould
This was a very insightful take on the “champion team –V – team of champions” idea. What I liked about this in particular is that you argued both sides of the debate while remaining completely neutral, and that’s no mean feat! Structurally, this was a well written article, too. Well done. 89

joshie
A very clever – and risky – article, but your chosen method fitted the topic of technology well. As such, you scored high on the creativity level, but your grammar did suffer, with a number of stray *s here and there. 85

Rabbitohs: 259

Spanner in the works
A very aptly timed article, and a question that can only truly be answered this week. I like the way you've backed up your view with quotes, and the reasoning is valid. Good statistical work, too! 86

byrne_rovelli_fan82
I found this article really interesting, largely because I disagreed with it, although that of course had no effect on your score. That didn't diminish the quality of the article, but I don't see the Kiwis as being the dominant force that the writer claims them to be. Not just yet, anyway. But we certainly do have the Kangaroos worried! Your passion showed through, but keep an eye out for your sentence structure. A few of them seemed to struggle with their flow. Perhaps reading it out loud might help to locate these. 84

Bubbles
A very humorous advertisement for American tourists! I could almost imagine a David Attenborough voice throughout. Great imagery, and very strongly written. A great read. 89

Ninjas defeat Rabbitohs 261-259
POTM: jamesgould, Bubbles

 

[Bubbles]

Congrats to the Ninjas; great reads there and good luck in the final! Thanks Jesbass for the marking (and with some technical issues to boot!). Bad luck Souths but at least we're fielding competitive sides now!!

 

[edabomb]

Unlucky Souths, that really could have gone either way. Look forward to playing you later in the year in the main draw.

Thanks for the marking Jesbass.