Round 1 (2005) Lions Vs Dirty Reds

[roosterboy60]

Sydney Lions v Glebe Dirty Reds

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.

Home team captain will be allowed 3 reserves, visiting captain will be allowed 2 reserves
Rules: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.asp

Full Time: Wednesday 16th March at 9pm (Syd time)

Venue: The Colosseum

Crowd: 16,530
REFEREE: Capt Dread

**Referee Blows Game On!**

 

[Misanthrope]

chriswalkerbush jogs onto the park to a hostile reception, leading the first ever Dirty Reds' outfit.

1: PJ Marshal
3: chriswalkerbush (c)
4: MrCharisma
7: SkepticGhost
13: Andy

14: les norton
15: brandell

 

[roosterboy60]

The Lions team to take on Glebe:

1. Roosterboy60 (C)
2. EA
3. PK
4. Parra_Panther
5. Mr Rock!!!

Reserves:
Lisa13, Eelectrica and Ian Ritchie.

Good Luck to both teams.

 

[CJG 182]

5th tackle and Ghost puts in a nicely weighed grubber....

My REAL Hero

If you ask anybody who knows me who my hero is, they’ll most likely say “Probably some Knights player!” with a bit of a laugh or roll of the eyes. Ask someone close to me the same question and they’ll tell you “Andrew Johns for sure!” Ask someone in my family or a best friend and they’ll give you “(Andrew) Johns, (Danny) Buderus, and (Mark) Hughes!”

I admire these players and the different things they offer. Andrew Johns, is inarguably one of the best players to ever play the game. Danny Buderus, one of the toughest players around and a brilliant player. And finally Mark Hughes. He doesn’t have the playing ability of a Johns or a Buderus, but to me he is Mr. Reliable, as well as the team funny guy, and those are two things that have earned my respect.

However there is a difference between having my admiration and being my real hero. I mean sure, the only thing I want to do when I grow up is play in the NRL, so these guys play a huge part in my life, but there are a lot more important things in life from playing football.

Over the last couple of months I have discovered that the old phrase of “You don’t know what you have until its gone.” is more than just a silly old phrase and that it’s very true. You see, my real hero is no football player, no rock star, not close to famous. My hero is none other than my Dad! And just to settle y’all down, no I didn’t lose him. But that phrase came in to full meaning to me. I mean I’ve always looked up to my Dad and he’s always been there for me. But I guess I just took him being there for granted. I mean I love him to death, but I guess it’s just so easy to take someone like him for granted, despite how bad doing that is.

The last six months have been some of the toughest in my life. Around June last year my Dad was told he had compacted discs in his neck and he would require surgery. It wasn’t needed immediately aa there was no serious scare for his health at the time. In November he was set to go under the knife and just before surgery he went in the anaphylactic shock. I’m not quite what sure to say now. When I heard this I didn’t quite get my head around it and was like “Well he’s ok now so it doesn’t matter!” A week later the whole situation was explained to me and I was speechless. He had a machine breathing for him for nearly an hour. We had nearly lost him. As I write this I still get teary. But that day is long ago. He has had his surgery now and is now going through the recovery process.

Besides the fact that he is better now, a cool thing about the surgery is he realized how many people care about him. My cricket team got together and signed a card for him. He had over 15 people visit him in hospital and that really over whelmed him. You see the thing is my dad is the definition of the word Gentleman. He does things for people but never expects anything in return. Like last year on a day off, on the way home from the shopping mall, he saw a woman who’s car had broken down. He pulled over and started talking with the woman. She’d been having a rough week and this just topped it off. He told her he’d be right back. So dad got in the car went to a Michelle’s Patisserie got the lady a coffee and came back. She didn’t know what to say. Later that month dad had a shirt delivered to his work with a note. It was from the lady thanking him for his help. Dad was shocked. He hadn’t asked for anything in return. He had just done this out of the goodness of his heart. It’s just the kind of guy he is.

If I am lucky I’ll turn out to be half the guy he is.

(713 words Incl. Title)

 

[*Sandy*]

PK in for the Lions.

The MG Pulse

All aboard now, all aboard folks. Come and strap yourselves in. Don’t miss out on experiencing the MG Pulse. That’s right ladies and gentlemen it’s not for the faint hearted so come in and find a little of the rebel inside you.

“I doubt my Dad was expecting to witness the birth of an international career on the day he laced football boots onto my tiny feet and helped me struggle into the Whalan Warriors' U/6’s jumper for the first time, some 20 odd years ago. What I did leave him on that day was something to remember.”

“I clutched the old pigskin to my chest, and to the vast amusement of all present, did an about-turn from the Waterloo defence and sprinted towards my own try line, skilfully evading a couple of my team-mates who tried to stop me.”

Our carriage is travelling at a steady pace along rolling hills 'Look Ma, no hands!'

“At assembly my teacher, Mr Brindley, called me out. I can tell you I was nervous because I thought he'd caught me out for doing something wrong and that I was about to get a bucketing in front of the entire Whalan Primary School. Instead, Mr Brindley announced: “Mark doesn't know this yet but one of the State U/12 boys has been ruled out of the team because he is too old… And Mark has been selected”

We grip tighter as we enter the loop de loops! Round and round we go, faster and faster…

“With St Mary’s in 1984 we won the premiership. I finished the season by making the St Mary's representative team. I tackled my way to being named the player of the series and when the dust had settled I was asked by Penrith first-grade Coach Tim Sheens if I wanted to train with the club's Jersey Flegg team. Did I! I was thrilled. In fact I was the first to show up at the first training session.”

“Not long after that day I signed a contract worth $2,000 - the most money I'd ever seen in one hit.”

As we leave the loops behind and we start to rise to what seems an endless high – higher and higher we go

MG finally makes his grade debut in 1987. 2 years later his impact on the game paid off with a selection for the 3rd State of Origin that year. 1990 saw his team lose to Canberra in the Grand final. But to reward his efforts he was given a spot on the 1990 Kangaroo Tour. In 1991 being the form second-rower he was given a 2nd chance with Origin and gave us all that memory of the Mexican stand-off with Wally ‘the king’ Lewis. MG and Penrith were to go on that year and take out Penrith’s first Minor and Major and Premiership wins.

Suddenly we come to a halt, no longer do we feel the floating high we are now falling, falling down fast. The pleasant breeze turns into a gush of air stretching our skin backwards as we free fall down into a spiral spin…

“On the evening of June 21, 1992, I was asleep in the Alexander household in South Penrith in Sydney's west when my old Panthers' team-mate Constable Craig Izzard knocked on the door. It was 10.30pm and Craig was on official police duty... one that no one would have volunteered for. He was there to tell the family that Ben Alexander had been killed in a car smash.”

With a thud we hit the bottom and slowed down as we hit a long flat stretch…

*Not long after that MG is dismissed from Penrith, even though he is asked to come back later he turns the offer down and signs with Balmain in 93 but only to fall out with Coach Wayne Pearce in the end. He is asked to join the Umina Bunnies in 94 where he helped them to a premiership win that year. 95 sees MG sign with the Western Reds and here we see our Penrith boy bring himself back from the brink.

Finally we sight the rolling hills and our ride is feeling that familiar safe rhythm again.

MG comes back to Penrith and fittingly he retires his career there on the 15th November 2000. You don’t have to look far to find the pulse of MG, whereever there is Rugby League you can be sure MG will not be far away…

Word Count = 746.

Sources
- All italic “quotes” are from Mark Geyer and can be found in
Rugby League Rebel, Mark Geyer and www.markmggeyer.com.au
- (*) resourced from www.rabbitohs.com/burrows/media/2001/07/05-lw.shtml

 

[Misanthrope]

chriswalkerbush wastes no time in putting a big don't argue on the opposition defence. The Glebe captain looks to inspire his troops.

Friday Night Lights

Lock the doors, tranquilise the kids, and make sure the missus (if she’s an AFL fan or, heaven forbid, a Ra-Ra one) is out with her friends. Why? Because it’s that time of year again, and your Friday night drinking time now requires that you multi-task a little. The task of lifting a beer from the fridge and to your lips now requires that you keep one eye focussed on the television.

“What in the name of Christ is he ranting about?” I hear you cry. Some of you (or most, I would hope) will have guessed that I’m talking about the return of Friday night football. It seems like an eternity since I laughed my drunken ass off at the Dragons’ fans as they realised, with growing terror, that their loss to Penrith might still see them ejected from the finals.

Well, when you spend your off-season in a village of fifty, I guess it is an eternity…

Friday night football just can’t be topped, or even rivalled, when it comes to sheer excitement and entertainment value. While Sunday afternoon will always have a small place in my heart, methinks experiencing most Sundays hung-over has forever jaded me against the event. No, for me, Friday night football is more than just two teams (last year it was the Roosters and Bulldogs, more often than not) fighting it out. Friday night football has all of the big clashes. It’s where you get to see the golden point thrillers, the last minute corkers, and everything else from nuggetty front rowers to whatever other new phrase Warren Smith, Andrew Voss, or Ray Warren invent in a moment of blissful, toe-curling verbal ejaculation.

Let’s face it, by the time Friday rolls around, we’d all settle for a replay of the 2000 grand final (hereafter known as the snorefest)- but thankfully the level heads at Channel Nine continually pick the best matches of the round (or try to, bless them) and serve them up to us with a side order of too many commercials.

As a footy fan, it would be impossible for me to isolate the all time greatest Friday night games, so without further ado, I present to you my five favourite Friday night crackerjacks from 2004.

In no particular order:

Round 1- Penrith 14 lost to Newcastle 20
Like a wink from a gorgeous woman at the bar, this game gave 90% of Newcastle fans a healthy dose of false hope heading into what would eventually be a shithouse season for the men in red and blue. Still, beating the reigning premiers on our defence was a thrill. Pity about the rest of the year…

Round 10- Newcastle 17 defeated Brisbane 16
What can I say? I’m sure the Brisbane fans enjoyed seeing Kurt Gidley’s graceless field goal sail over the black dot as much as I did. As a Newie fan, this was one of the few remaining highlights of the season. If only I’d known, I’d have taped it.

Round 13- Canterbury 40 defeated Sydney 12
Need I explain? I’m sure we all derived a lot of pleasure out of this one. The absence of the legendary ‘Gouldie’ dance was, in my eyes, quite refreshing.

Round 20- Canterbury 24 defeated Wests 20
The Tigers may not have been in anyone’s proposed end of season top eight, but the tenacious sons of bitches fought tooth and nail, and pushed the eventual premiers to the very edge in this top notch thriller. While many Tigers fans still cry foul over the ending (hell, a lot of other fans too), it remains one of the underrated candidates for game of the year.

Round 24- St George/Illawarra 24 defeated Newcastle 22
When Clint ‘I’ll Take Your F*$&ing Head Off’ Newton let his nervous twitch get in the way of a good tackle, I feared the worst. The Knights showed why they’re the passion of many a Novocastrian in this game, fighting like men possessed but ultimately unable to cope with the one man advantage the Dragons had.

While I’m sure some of you are shaking your heads, I think the above list highlights a few memorable clashes from the 2004 season. 2005 promises to provide even more moments that’ll inspire us to toast a legendary player, throw back another bottle of New, and dance like absolute idiots in celebration and defiance as whatever side we support scores an upset win, or at the very least, injures an opposition superstar.

WORD COUNT: 750 (including title)

 

[Andy]

Andy follows up to gather CWB's off-load for the Dirty Reds...



SICK BAY


Injury toll, casualty ward, sidelined, season-ending, x-rays, MRI scans… These are all words that a rugby league fan hates to hear when it comes to their team. It means a weaker team. It means less chance of winning. It means player payment money down the drain. For some teams, injuries are the main threat opposing their title dreams. For the last 3 years, this has been the case for the Newcastle Knights.

Adam MacDougall, Robbie O’Davis, Andrew Johns, Steve Simpson, Mark Hughes. Apart from all being past and present Knights players, and all but one playing for Australia, what do these elite players have in common? They’ve all been cut down in their prime by season ending injuries. They’ve all had a season where they’ve played less than 8 games, some as few as 3. Their contracts have cost the club millions of dollars to have them sit on the sideline.

We know that injuries are part of the game. It’s a contact sport. An injury is inevitable. But how does one team like the Knights, end up having huge casualty lists where other teams seem pick up one or two injuries here and there? Is it the playing or training surfaces that are to blame? Are the conditioners at fault? Are our players just plain old soft? Should there be rule changes to make the game less dangerous?

I don’t really think answering any of these questions can lead to solving this problem.

So how do fix it then? Is this a problem that can be solved? I don’t think so.

However, certain measures can be taken to ensure that teams aren’t caught with their pants down so to speak, when multiple injuries plague them.

Depth. Having a deep talent pool of reserves and back-up players that can step up in the absence of a first-choice player, fill their shoes and slot into the 1st grade team and do a job just as good. Maybe too much emphasis and money is spent on acquiring stars and not enough is kept aside for retaining a quality reserve grade team.

Take Andrew Johns for example. Who replaces him when he gets injured? Not the reserve grade half back he’s not up to scratch, but Kurt Gidley, the first choice 5/8th. So then we need to replace him at 5/8th… Let’s see… I know! We’ll put Steve Witt in there. Damn, after 4 weeks this pair aren’t performing. We’ll move the game’s best Hooker, Danny Buderus into the number 7 spot, push Kurt back to number 6 and Witt goes back to premier league. Then we’ll bring Luke Quigley up from reggies to play Hook- Oh yeah… He’s injured too. Out for the season with a broken arm. Bugger…

How about longer recovery periods? I know that because these players are getting paid to be on the park and that time on the sideline is wasted money, but could some of these more serious injuries be prevented by allowing sufficient time for injuries to properly recover instead of sending in a player who is 90% fit?

We hear quite often about a player who aggravates an existing injury or has been cleared to resume playing even though he still has an injury cloud over his head. Surely an extra week on the sideline is far better than spending another 6 weeks out.

Maybe the NRL and the various clubs could put an injury clause into players’ contracts stating that if they are on the sidelines for more than x amount of time, they forfeit a percentage of their contract money perhaps, thus allowing the club to utilise this money to pay for the substitute’s match payments, etc. Or at least have exemptions from the salary cap for players who spend extended periods out of action.

Like most problems that arise in rugby league, it’s obvious that there’s no simple answer or number of answers to solve a problem like this one, but some sort of measure has to be taken to alleviate some of the strain that the injuries have on the clubs and supporters.

Too many times we think “What if? and “Would the outcome of that game be different if so and so had a full-strength team on the park?”

When asked who will be the biggest threat to a team's campaign for the NRL Premiership I won’t be saying the Bulldogs or the Roosters. I’ll be saying INJURIES.


741 words including title.

 

[choc_soldier]

parra_panther, hitting the ball up from dummy half as the Lions go on the prowl within the opposition 20...



LATEST PROPOSAL "NOT A STUNT": POLITIS

The Sydney Roosters have had to fend off more criticism, this time following their latest proposal, to be awarded two premiership points for every game they play from 2006, regardless of the result, which was tabled at NRL Headquarters in a secret meeting last week.

The NRL last night did not wish to comment on the issue, but in a press release stated that "it would be considered on its merits".

In what will be seen as yet another controversial move by the Bondi Junction club, the justification is quite transparent, and surprisingly frank.

Roosters CEO, Nick Politis, is currently on holidays in the Canary Islands, but has been quoted as to say that this is "not a stunt… and it’s for completely legitimate reasons - to become the best bloody football team this planet has ever had the fortune of witnessing".

Ricky Stuart, Roosters coach, has been forced to cop the heat on this issue. After being beaten 42-6 by South Sydney on Friday night, he whinged, "Look, we've lost Freddie [Brad Fittler], who has carried us as a team for the past 8 or so years. We are now the shadow of the team we have been. That's not to say that Firman, Roberts or the other 10 big name purchases we have managed to squeeze under our salary cap can't do the job, but we’re under pressure to perform here. And this, I believe, is a way to maintain our dominance, and attempt to smash the Dragons record for most consecutive premierships - we just need to start the ball rolling by winning a grand final."

Phil Gould concurred in his Sunday newspaper column, "If the NRL do not see the merits of this, they will be displaying poor leadership, and also show how News Limited are ruling the game. If I was really running the NRL, instead of pretending to do it through the media, this would be one of the first initiatives I would implement. Once again, the Roosters are showing how the game should be moving forward after the "war"".

Peter Doust, the St. George-Illawarra boss who is the most vocal critic of the Roosters shenanigans, was unavailable for comment last night.

But he told the assembled media after the Dragons classy 41-38 win over the Storm yesterday, a game where incredibly no big name player got injured, that the latest rumours that Anthony Mundine will make a return to the famous merged club are nothing but that. But when asked about his upcoming bout, he said "I think Danny Green will wipe the floor of him. The little bastard won't know what hit him. And it will be as inevitable as the sun rising tomorrow morning that he will immediately announce an intention to return back to rugby league."

Penrith continued their inconsistent start to the season, recording a large 88-2 win over a Parramatta team that simply did not turn up - literally. Only 5 players turned out for the Eels - Nathan Hindmarsh, PJ Marsh, Fui Fui Moi Moi, Timana Tahu and Wade McKinnon, after a Brian Smith motivation session left them feeling the exact opposite, and missing the team bus to Penrith.

Panthers coach John Lang was quite satisfied after the game. "You know, we played rather… umm… well, in patches. All we had to do was run at Tahu's wing all night - easy points. We are finally starting to hit our, what you call it, straps, after that heavy loss to the Dragons last week."

Hindmarsh has been cited by the judiciary for the unique misconduct charge of indecent exposure. His shorts were lowered at regular intervals during the game, in which he topped the tackle count with 183. Fox Sports fielded a number of complaints from viewers in relation to seeing what should have been hidden under those shorts.

Due to television commitments, the game still had to be played, reportedly much to the disgust of Parramatta chief Denis Fitzgerald, who has been in Iceland for the past week for business matters. The Daily Telucrap could not be bothered contacting him for his opinion.

In English news, former Eels and now St. Helens centre Jamie Lyon has gone missing - on the way to his first training session. "The road system here is confusing, nothing like in Wee Waa. I nearly ended up in Paris. But I love it here - I can definitely see this being a long term thing."

----------------------------------
Word count: 750

 

[roosterboy60]

Roosterboy60, sending a long ball outwide...

Will Rugby League Be Around in 100 Years?

As we enter into the 2005 Season, Rugby League is in a good state and going from strength to strength but it poses the question will Rugby League be here in 100 years?

My answer is yes, but not in it’s current state. Some things have to happen for Rugby League to survive. In 750 words it’s hard to list all of them but here is just some.

Expansion:

This in my opinion is the most important key to keep Rugby League alive. Last season the NRL decided that they did not want to introduce another team, this year they will have a look at it again.

The Wellington bid seems like a good one and arguably have the best stadium out of the three but I do not think they are ready, but they should end up their in the end.

The Central Coast deserves a team and will have one hopefully within in the next five years.

I think the Gold Coast is the place to go, the Gold Coast residents have been crying out for a team for a long time, as shown in the recent trial games they have had two big crowds. They should be introduced this year.

We also have to expand once we have those teams in, to other parts of Australia such as Perth to make it a true national game.

In about ten years once we have all those teams in, we should start to look to go to other places in the world and continue to expand but one thing at a time.

Rep Games:

I know this has been a topic for conversation over the last few months. As much as I thought the Tri-Nations was a success they should only play this once every two years.

The reason I say this is not so much so the players can get a break but more so, so we can take the game around the world.

I was a supporter of the USA match although I disagree with the timing of this match. What I would prefer to see is once every two years Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain go to lesser-known Rugby League countries in the world and have a three match series with them.

Ok, so some teams may not want to risk their star players but if they want the game to expand they need to. France would be a key area I would target, once a powerful League nation they are now more into Rugby Union and Soccer. They have some good players but they need to play more against the good sides.

I would also continue to try and get into the American market, more than likely the most powerful sporting nation in the world. The fans that support NFL there I think would enjoy Rugby League. I would first send a few games over their between NRL Clubs and then bring a Rep Side their. If it is a success then we continue to dig into their market. If it fails then at least we have tried.

TV Coverage:

Not so much in the NRL although that needs addressing. The NRL should send some good games of recent seasons to TV networks around the world to try and get them to cover the NRL and their own local League. I think most Networks around the world would like this sort of fast-paced game and jump on the chance to show it, only problem is not many have heard of it.

We have a bigger chance in the countries that follow Rugby Union, which is a similar game to Rugby League just a bit slower. As I said in my Rep Games piece, if French people got to see some NRL games a lot would start playing our great game. But you have to promote it for it to expand into other countries.

So they are just some of the things the NRL can do to help to keep Rugby League surviving for the next 100 years.

I guess we won’t be around to see if Rugby League is around in one-hundred years, but if the NRL start doing some of those things listed above, they will have a great chance at making League known not just in Australia, NZ and GB but all around the world.

735 Words Including Title.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

EA for the Lions.

The siren sounds, the smoke clears.......

There have been two articles written over the past couple of weeks that are the clearest indication that the alarm bells are ringing at AFL headquarters in regard to Rugby League.

In one article, the AFL chief, Andrew Demetriou, claims that AFL is very interested in the Gold Coast for an expansion/relocation team and in the second article he claims that Western Sydney is also a target for an expansion/relocation team.

Bizarre indeed, especially the Western Sydney scenario. To suggest that Western Sydney is ripe for an AFL team, even with a $20 million kicker, is ludicrous. Western Sydney is, was and always will be Rugby League heartland. They should use the $20 million to build a Fraser Gehrig memorial urinal at Parramatta, it would last a lot longer than an AFL side and it would certainly get more use than Stadium Australia would for a Western Bulldogs versus West Coast AFL match.

The Gold Coast scenario is a little more AFL-friendly but there is still a level of the AFL convincing themselves that it would work. The recent AFL trial between Brisbane and Essendon garnered 16,591 spectators which is fairly impressive until it is put into perspective by the NRL’s Panthers versus Roosters match which put 17,823 bums on the same seats. The kicker is that the crowd at the AFL match was made up primarily of Brisbane supporters who made the relatively short trip from Brisbane to see their team play. For the League match, both the teams involved were Sydney-based.

My belief is that both scenarios put forward by Demetriou are smokescreens for the pain AFL is suffering at the moment in its heartland. They are nothing more than an attempt by Demetriou to take the focus off the parlous state of the game he runs in Australia, in the very city which spawned Australian Football.

The bald fact is that the AFL needs to relocate/merge at least two Melbourne sides. The AFL’s continued procrastination on this issue is to its own detriment. Three Melbourne sides are receiving constant financial assistance to stay afloat and that cannot continue.

The problem for the AFL is that apart from merging Melbourne based sides there is nothing they can do to alleviate the current problems. There is nowhere apart from possibly the Gold Coast for them to start a new side or relocate a team to. AFL teams survive on membership numbers (membership includes season tickets) and sponsorship, and that is exactly what is positioned to throttle the AFL now. There is nowhere that the numbers stack up for another AFL team.

Tasmania can’t support a team otherwise it would already have one, Canberra isn’t interested as the crowd figures for the Kangaroos’ games over the past four seasons show, and AFL strongholds that don’t already cater to an AFL team are too small to even consider. i.e. Darwin, Victorian Country, SA Country, WA Country. New Zealand has been mentioned in dispatches, a scenario less likely to come to fruition than Broome or Renmark.

Compare that to the NRL having at least 2 areas in Australia (Gold Coast and NSW Central Coast) crying out for inclusion in the NRL plus Wellington in NZ and the picture becomes clearer. Leagues Club backing and not being hog-tied to membership/crowd numbers is, in this case, a distinct advantage.

AFL is running scared. Their non-admittance to stark problems, like the three Melbourne clubs in dire trouble, to the point of denying any plans for re-location, is testament to their siege mentality when it comes to the onslaught from Rugby League and to a lesser extent, Rugby Union.

AFL claim they want a team in Western Sydney, I say to the AFL, bring it. It’ll be on its knees quicker than Monica Lewinski at a Presidents-only party.

Week one of the NRL season should have done a lot to exacerbate AFL’s pain with strong crowds at all Sydney matches and a monster crowd in Brisbane.

In saying that it is imperative that a decision regarding the Gold Coast is made by the NRL immediately and it must include the proviso that Carrara be changed to a rectangular field to put the kybosh on AFL’s aspirations there. It’s only a matter of time before the AFL realises that the Gold Coast is its only option for expansion and throws millions at it to get it up and running.

The Gold Coast Demons.....

Makes you feel ill doesn’t it?

748 words including title.

References:
http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,12496796%5E10389,00.html

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12451179-23214,00.html

http://melbournefc.com.au/default.asp?pg=funngames&spg=asktheprezdis&articleid=156992

http://collingwoodfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=178984

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/21/1095651259282.html?oneclick=true

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/afl_index.html

http://www.sportal.com.au/football.asp?i=news&id=62737

http://radar.smh.com.au/archives/jack_marx_comment/000691.html

 

[PJ Marshal]

Gus Gould Big Tool

Sitting at home, it’s Friday night, footy’s back and I’m loving it! What promises to be a spectacular display of footy to kick off season 2005 with the current champions, the Canterbury Bulldogs up against the St George Illawarra Dragons. Well my excitement turned to sheer disappointment in a matter of forty minutes. Not only did the Dogs destroy a hopeless Dragons outfit led by man-machine Sonny Bill Williams, but Gus Gould was commentating and I thought to myself “Here we go again”.

Phil “Gus” Gould: probably one of the most disliked Rugby League personalities of the modern era just irritates me to the point of wanting to change channels and watch International Lawn Bowls on FOX Sports. Although rated by many people as one of the games best coaches, he makes himself look like an absolute goose anytime his melon appears or is heard on TV. Gus is one of these people who thinks the game of Rugby League should revolve around him, and coming from the Roosters I suppose that sort of attitude is a pre-requisite. He thinks the game should be played by his rules.

For example, in Friday night’s game, ref Paul Simpkins calls time off to talk to Saints’ captain Ben Hornby about an issue dealing with the game. Gus then starts his trademark pointless rant, “Why did Simpkins have to call Ben Hornby from fullback, he was 30 metres away, he just had to run 30 metres over to ref. Why should he have to?”. Well as Rabs and Sterlo said, HE’S THE CAPTAIN YOU MORON! It’s Rugby League protocol Gus! It’s the ref’s job to speak to the captain on issues regarding the game. I’m sure if it was poor Luke Ricketson and the ref failed to talk to him there’d be an eight page article on why that referee is useless and why the Roosters are hard done by.

I can remember in a game last year, not sure who was playing, but Mr. Gould comes on and goes “Oh this is great football; I wish it didn’t have to end, The ref shouldn’t blow fulltime after 80 minutes, the game should keep going”. I mean can you be serious, what a tool. As if the game would go on after 80 minutes, even if he was only joking around, it was still a pretty lame piece of commentary and I for one feel dumber after hearing it.

That’s just an example. I’m sure I could come up with more stupid pieces of commentary like that and that’s the thing that bugs me about the man. It’s not only me but it’s the majority of the Rugby League world. While he thinks what he is doing is good for the game, it’s having the totally opposite effect. It draws bad publicity to the game of League and allows our competitors in AFL and Rugby Union to take cheap shots at our wonderful game.

In recent years the Sydney Roosters have gone from a club no one had a real problem with to probably the most hated team in the NRL thanks to Gus and his band of not so merry men. He has turned the Roosters into the new Manly where they base their club on feeding on other teams’ talent and buying them hoping to establish a franchise that wins the comp every year. He was a key figure in getting the salary cap removed so that the Roosters could use the full extent of their monetary resources to lure any player they wanted in order to build a super side, not seen in Rugby League ever. It’s not only that but their constant complaining about how they get unfairly treated and that everyone is out to get them is starting to make them sound like your diehard Queensland/Broncos Supporter. Besides we are just lucky that the Roosters have no idea about Grand Final tactics because it gives their opposition a big chance in winning the match. The game of Rugby League is a seventeen man sport these days Gus and Sticky.

The verdict’s out, Gus you’re a goose and you should think before you speak, so that we League loving Australians can enjoy a good football call from Rabs and boys without you adding your two cents worth.

WORD COUNT: 722 (including title)

 

[Mr Rock!!!]

It all starts here

2 days to go now until the start of season 2005.

“Wait a minute, the season started last Friday night??” I hear you say.
I’m afraid not my little Rock God worshippers…
The REAL season, the one that matters the most, the one that silhouettes Rugby League more than any additional competition in the world starts on Friday.
I’m talking about the Junior Rugby League U7’s season.
Over the course of this weekend thousands of 5 and 6 year olds will strap on their footy boots for the first time, don their club’s colours for the very first time, pull on a Guernsey for the first time, receive the ball under pressure for the first time….Stop it right there…..
Can you envisage the terror that could go through your mind and body being a 5 year old that has just received the ball for the inaugural time and you gaze up to view a sea of colours charging directly at you????
I remember it well... Do you??
Junior Rugby League players are the lifeline, the future of our pastime, and allow me to advise you that on the 9th of March, the QRL released the figures for team nominations for 2005.
They stated that team nominations have increased by 10% and at last count there are 638 team nominations for season 2005 more than 60 up on last year.
They have also shattered the 1995 record of over 11,000 registered players which was well greater than their approximations of 10,000 players.
So it seems that the demons associated with the Superleague/ARL hostilities have finally left the public arena, and hopefully now only lie embedded in the hearts of a few stubborn old mules.
I’m one of the many parents to have signed up their child to play this season for the first time. I’m also one of the many parents to take on the role of coach for the first time. This requires a great deal of effort and makes me appreciate just how much goes in to organising a league team

For starters:

1. My boss has been classy enough to grant me 1 ½ hrs off work, not once, but twice a week so that I am able to get to training by 5pm to prepare for the boy’s arrival
2. The team has a manager, of whom it is obligatory to complete a plethora of paperwork on a weekly basis
3. The team has a trainer that has a first aid certificate. This parent is also required to complete the QRL certified certificate requiring the trainer to do another course
4. I am required to complete a coaching course.
5. Both the manager and myself have had to attain a blue card, which shows that we have never been convicted of a crime against children
6. We must provide our own team sponsor. In my day this meant that your old man would buy the team some shirts and someone’s mum would iron on his phone number to the back of them. These days the clubs won’t accept a sponsorship deal for anything less that $500 per team.

These are just a small number of the many things that are mandatory to get an under 7’s team off the ground, but I’ll tell you what……When I run those boys out on to the ground on Sunday morning and see the look on their faces…. It will all be worth it.

Coaching a team of U7’s is a great way to enjoy Rugby League in its most natural form. I can see myself building some great friendships through this team and if all goes well, I’ll be back for another season next year as coach.
I’d like everyone to do me a favour. If you drive past a Junior Rugby League field, stop and watch a game. It’s just as, if not more exciting than the big games.
When Monday morning brings a headline such as “Willie Mason wants more to stay at Bulldogs”, flip a few pages over, check out how many junior results there are, multiply the number of games by 10 and then you’ll have your number of people that are dedicating their time for free, to keep our game alive.
And if you think you’ve got the time, and what it takes to coach or be involved with a junior team, I implore you to get down to your local club and sign up. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

750 Words including title

References
QRL Southeast Stingers Website http://www.sportingpulse.com.au/ass...=DETAIL&articleID=112584&sectionID=47

 

[MrCharisma]

MrCharisma at dummy-half for the Dirty Reds, after a quick play the ball the defence is in shambles. He collects the ball and quickly kicks the ball cross field in an attempt that the winger will gather the ball.

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The Pain Of Love

It’s Sunday
10:30- I wake up, eat some breakfast and shower. I’m meeting my girl in town so I shaved. In a rush I end up cutting myself with the razor and to no surprise, I bleed the colour blue and white.

11:00- As I go to put on my war gear I realise I’m undercover, I’m sneaking into enemy territory like a Japanese submarine going into the Sydney bay.

11:15- Sitting on the train to Central Station, I receive several text messages from by Blue and White allies;

“Traitor”
“SHAMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE”
“Glad it’s you and not me”

Thanks for the support guys!

When I finally meet up with my gal, it’s clearly obvious where her allegiance lays in this fifteen side battle. On her crest was the symbolic Rooster: tough, dominate and a fighter. She was as deadly as she was beautiful that day as we stood out the front of a base camp, which had been set up under the code name “Fox Studios”. As she clutched my hand to lead me inside, I prayed to the good lord that I would come out unharmed and more importantly unconverted!

It was a long bush trail from where our transport had dropped us off. Just like Froddo and Sam in Lord of the Rings, we were guided by a twisted and bizarre creature named ‘David’ who served the dark Panther lord. Dressed up in a clown costume I questioned what damage he could do inside the camp as we continued down the trail and he spoke of AFL. A truly sick and twisted individual.

We arrived at the entrance and were greeted with a sign which disturbed me more then put my nerves at ease.

Now my heart was racing as we continued into the main field. Hundreds of male and female foot soldiers patrolling the premises, each one eagerly reporting to their many superiors. Armed with a large sheet of photographic paper and a black marker, the enemy soldiers would get a signature, most likely to show that they had reported to particular majors and commanders. When in Rome, do like the Romans do and that is exactly what I had to do to avoid being exposed. So we approached Corporal Flannery, Captain Fitzgibbon and Major Ricketson before a roll call was announced.

We all sat at attention as the announcements were being made. On the podium was one of the tactical men as well as the injured Sergent Finch who calmed the masses with his courageous stories about cross dressing. I sat at the far end of the stage just in case I had to make a quick escape but I think the Roosters army had that covered with the luscious war-dancers, a.k.a ‘cheerleaders’ seated beside us. As they continually bounced and danced near me I began to fall under their hypnotic spell. The twirls, the bouncing and more importantly the low cut attire which would reveal more then what was expected as they danced. At numerous points I began to laugh WITH Brett Finch which one can only guess was the result of the fiendish dancers.

No sooner that the meeting finish that I meet one of my greatest rival as a man: Craig Wing. It was a clash of ego’s as we met on the open field and face to face, now was the time to attack! I reached into my back pocket to retrieve my poisons covered dagger while my gal gained his signature around the band of mercenaries known as ‘the Daily Telegraph’. I clutched the concealed dagger ready to strike but under his power, my gals knees began to shake so I went in for the save. At that point he was swamped by females, curse!

Before the day had ended we collected the remaining signatures she was after including my former Great Britain ally from the Tri-Series: Adrian Morely. He knew I was around and attempted to sneak away after the meeting without anyone seeing. I chased him down and gave him my two cents worth and he left.

The sun began to set so we returned to neutral territory before going our own ways. Dating the enemy was always going to be hard but it’s better then being single.

*If you don’t understand, pretty much this is about me (a Bulldogs fan) going to a Roosters fan day with my girlfriend and the day we had

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Word Count: 740

 

[antonius]

Ref Blows Fulltime.

 

[roosterboy60]

Well done Lions. Well done Reds. Good game by all. Good luck to the Reds...oh and good article MrC ;-)

 

[MrCharisma]

I'd say good luck to the Lions but I don't mean it ;-)

Nah best of luck and thanks Roosterboy for ratting on me to my girlfriend

 

[roosterboy60]

I'd say good luck to the Lions but I don't mean it ;-)

Nah best of luck and thanks Roosterboy for ratting on me to my girlfriend

Was no problems mate...I enjoyed it :lol:

 

[MrCharisma]

I'd say good luck to the Lions but I don't mean it ;-)

Nah best of luck and thanks Roosterboy for ratting on me to my girlfriend

Was no problems mate...I enjoyed it :lol:

It's alright... I'll get you next week at the Good Friday match ;-)

 

[roosterboy60]

A Bulldogs fan going to a Roosters match....why?! ;-)

 

[MrCharisma]

Lol isn't is obviously
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To be there to laugh when they lose :twisted: