Round 6 (2009) PANTHERS vs BLUEBAGS

[Pistol]

Forum 7s - Round 6 2009
PENRITH PANTHERS v NEWTOWN BLUEBAGS

-v-

​

Game Thread:
* Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game posts can be made here (Teams, 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:
* 5v5 (+ 2 reserves for visiting team, 3 reserves for home team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

ALL THE RULES & REGULATIONS: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.php

FULL TIME: Wednesday 1st July 2009 at 9pm (Syd time)
REFEREE: Titanic
Venue: Penrith Football Stadium

**The Referee Blows Game On!**

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL WORD COUNTER

 

[Willow]

The Bluebags bus makes a rambunctious ride over Rooty Hill and enjoy the trek across Emu Plains, before realising we've gone too early and overshot the mark.

Team to take on The Panthers - Round 6, 2009



Willow (c)
Muzby (on debut)
Cheesie-the-pirate
Rexxy
Timmah

Res:
Drew-sta
Black Kitty

Good luck one and all.

 

[Big Mick]

Panthers team to take on Newtown:

1. Madunit c
2. Leaguenut
3. Azkatro
4. BroncoWarriorsStorm (Debut)
5. Broncoman

RES:
6. Piper
7. Big Mick
8. [Furrycat]

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut - Panthers


Rugby League Quatrains

Draw close my brothers and I shall warn
Of issues that will not be small
On closer inspection it may well dawn
That it was no such surprise at all

One of the intriguing things about the NRL administration is their ability to be caught out by the most predictable events, even when a solution may already exist. Often the solution hasn’t been encountered for so long that it’s suddenly considered unsuitable. Golden Point is a great example of this, where the drawn 1999 Origin series started the ball rolling and the drawn 2002 series settled it. There was an existing solution – the game had survived for years with the notion of a draw – but all of a sudden it was decreed that a draw wasn’t a valid result.

Every man and his dog had known for years that State of Origin battles were the most closely fought contests on the League calendar. Aside from the domination of recent times, every year would kick off with stats around how each state had won the same number of games, or had scored the same number of points. Was a draw really that unlikely? Of course not – but no-one had thought it through, so it caught the NRL on the back foot.

So as a favour to the NRL, here are some more things you might want to start thinking about now:

There’s advertising at the grounds
For customers that must be wooed
But never should you cross the bounds
Yet forever closer the signs intrude

Remember Marcus Bai? The former Melbourne Storm winger did some serious damage to his arm when he went sliding into an advertising hoarding at Olympic Park one slippery winters night. Yet despite that incident have you noticed any “safer” signage around the playing field? Heck no – in fact they’ve now introduced electronic advertising screens along the touchline so even when you get off the couch and come to the ground it looks like you’re watching it on TV anyway.

But surely it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that players sliding into large piles of electronics on a potentially wet and slippery night could do themselves a pretty nasty injury – or worse? A bit of common sense wouldn’t go astray here – although any idea that leads to less advertising dollars for clubs would be about as popular as a MacDougall at the Sailor family reunion.

As the game they try to clean
There is an oft-forgotten flaw
The rules can then become quite mean
As four is now worth two times more

Outlawing the practice of defenders sliding in feet-first to prevent a try is a noble cause. But it’s obvious that sooner or later (and I’m wagering on sooner) there will be a try awarded followed immediately by a penalty for the illegal feet-sliding play – in other words, the eight-point try.

The eight-point try isn’t new, but when was the last time you saw one? The fact that it hasn’t been seen in many moons guarantees that when it does resurface there will be a blaze of controversy and pressure on the powers-that-be to change it. Whether it’s the right answer or not is irrelevant – the knee-jerk reaction always seems to win against the “archaic” rule – unless the NRL can act now by reminding everyone exactly how this rule works.

The numbers add up week by week
Until the top octet are found
But if the numbers aren’t unique
By what rules are top ones bound?

Every year we’ve seen the race for the Top 8 getting closer and closer, and at this rate it’s only a matter of time until we get to Finals Footy with two teams tied for 8th spot. They can’t be separated on points – or for-and-against – or percentages (whatever that is) – so what’s next?

Again, there’s probably been a solution in place for this scenario for many years. But is it still relevant any more? Surely it’s better to adopt a “no surprises” policy and have the guidelines made crystal clear to everyone before it happens – or would that make too much sense?

You don’t need to be a Rhodes Scholar to know that these things will happen sooner or later. It’s up to the NRL to show they’ve caught up with the age of professionalism instead of reacting to the media and public confusion when it’s all too late.


748 words (including title) in the official word counter thingee.

 

[broncos_warriors_storm]

Broncos_Warriors_Storm - Penrith Panthers


Victorian League: Growth and Impact


Will Victoria be able to play origin in 2015? The way Victorian rugby league has been building since 1998 is amazing. Storm in 1998 manage to snatch 3,406 members, at the time an amazing feat, then in 1999 they captured a further 4,010 members and their maiden premiership.

In 2000, the Melbourne Storm claimed 4,220 purple army members to go through the season. Storm made the finals once more, bringing crowds up to over 15,000 people on average. However the Victorian Rugby league fan base was dropped in 2001 and 2002, at the same time the storm failed to make the finals. The storm had only 5,202 members in 2001, with an average of only 10,000 fans, and in 2002 their woes continued with an average of 3,500 fans to the ground and only 8,500 members.

Then in 2003, the legacy was born. A new coach, by the name of Craig Bellemy, a hooker by the name of Cameron Smith, a young halfback, Cooper Cronk who would be the understudy of then incumbent half Matt Orford, and a winger by the name of Billy Slater. These players brought hope the Storm would build towards another title. Their membership rising once more to 4,500 members, but and over the next couple of seasons the Storm would fail to reach the preliminary finals being eliminated in the next three semis final clashes.
​

In 2006, Storm shocked the NRL by making the NRL grand final, claimed the minor premiership by 8 points, and play in the Grand Final against the Broncos, a first grand final that wouldn’t include a team from NSW. Storm lost but the fans in Victoria couldn’t be happier. Storm then in 2007, beat second place by 6 points to claim their next minor premiership, make their second consecutive grand final, and trounce Manly-Warringah in the decider to take their second title and along the way bringing over 6,500 fans on the ride.. This would continue in 2008, with a minor premiership and a further 8,000 members, unfortunately they lost the final but in three short years gained much more in terms of respect from the NRL and fans in the state of Victoria.

In 2009, the Storm have 7,300 members, that number increasing all the time and the Victorian Government is backing the club, giving them rights to Etihad stadium (formerly Telstra dome) and building a stadium which will be used next season. The emergence of the Storm U20's squad is targeting Victorians, and Central Coast Storm will do the same. Victoria already has one Victorian running around in the NRL, Peter Wallace of the Broncos, a sign they are making progress at grassroots level.

Storm's junior development for players in Victoria is expected to show results in 2012​

Also in 2009, Etihad Stadium hosted the first game of the Harvey Norman State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues. There have been 5 previous matches at Etihad Stadium in this series, remembered for the decider in 2007, which was won to crowd favourite Queensland. In the AFL dominated land, Rugby League begins to build a very strong case in attracting their own Origin team.



As Melbourne continue to fight the war on AFL, the Victorian government is making it very easy for them as they are rumoured to be working on a bid to steal the National Rugby League grand final from the heartland in Sydney, and bring it to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Victorian state currently hosts 7 of the top 10 Australian sporting events, including the AFL grand final. If Victoria was to win the battle to attract the NRL grand final to its state this could also help build a campaign for an origin squad.

Finally, as the Melbourne Storm continues to compete, how well will they do to get themselves noticed? Only time will tell but as the rugby league world, and us Victorians look to the future, things are looking great for our wonderful sport in the state which was once known as the NRL’s own no man’s land.​

VRL stats (based on Storm):
For regular season home games the record attendances are as follows for the three home grounds Melbourne have used;​

23239 MCG (vs. St George-Illawarra 03/03/2000)
20522 Olympic Park (vs. North’s 03/04/1998)
20084 Telstra Dome (vs. Warriors 17/03/2008) ​

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(730 words including title)​

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[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

__________________________________________________

Puppet referees

“Here’s the kick off, the ball floats down to the five-eighth who shovels it onto the front row forward for the first run, and a huge collision occurs as big men come together and try and establish their dominance right off the mark! They continue through their opening set and the battle of the forwards is a humdinger folks, yes sir, it’s fireworks from the word ‘go’ here at the stadium. It’s the place to be tonight, so get on your bike and join the 40,000 people who have already paid their entry and are screaming their collective throats hoarse.

“The kick comes on the fifth tackle and the opposition returns the ball. Again, the forwards collide like ancient warriors, coming together at the moment of impact in battle. The huge crowd oohs and ahhs at the sensations before them. Now, the third tackle has been completed and the halves distribute the ball out to the backs, and they’ve found some space to run into! The centre beats his man and the crowd erupt as the defenders scramble to catch him… but he is taken down a mere blade of grass short of the line in a brilliant tackle from the opposing fullback! Folks, what great excitement we are witnessing here! The defending team holds out, and begins to return the ball in earnest, desperate to make their way out of their own keep. Not as desperate as the opposition however, who concede a penalty in trying to slow them down.

“Their attack begins again, and by gum, the forwards are really getting stuck in once more! Ladies and gentlemen, they’ll be needing oxygen by the tenth minute at this rate. And it’s another penalty, which will get them right into the opposition danger zone. You can feel the excitement building in the crowd! They set off again, and you can see the halves as they craft, scheme, and conjure their way towards a climax. The defenders are desperate to keep them out, and on the line they give away a penalty again! Something’s gotta give folks, they are really feeling the pressure here, and the crowd is rising to a crescendo!

“Wait a minute, stop it right there, the referee is blowing his whistle like he’s trying to get the attention of that lovely lady near the pie stand. Yes folks, he has called time off.”

The noise from the crowd dies down. The players stop, and have a rest.

“Captain, I need you to come here so we can have a chat,” says the referee as he takes centre stage.

The captain of the defending team casually strolls over to the referee, as everybody waits.

“You want to have a chat, sir?” the captain says. He thinks to himself “would now be a pertinent time to discuss the weather perhaps?”

“Mate,” the referee begins.

The captain thinks to himself, “He is not my mate. He’s in a position of authority. I called him sir, why would he call me mate?”

The referee continues. “That’s three penalties in a row, now.”

“I thought it was only two, sir?” replies the captain.

“No, it’s three, all for infringements in the ruck. You need to fix that up.”

“But they’ve been holding us down, sir! What do you expect us to do?” he implores, drawing out the conversation for as long as he can.

“Let us referee the game, you just worry about sorting your blokes out,” the referee tells him, as he waves him away and runs back to the mark. He calls time on and blows the penalty.

By now, half the people in the stadium have left, the ones remaining are queuing up for more pies, and the broadcasters have gone to a commercial.

What I present to you here is an all-too-common scene in modern day rugby league. Can you believe it? The referee, who is supposed to be an otherwise invisible adjudicator, calling for the spotlight in order to advise players that – believe it or not – penalties are bad.

Well knock me over with a bloody feather.

I blame the referees boss, personally. He is the one that pulls the strings. Like many players these days, referees are expected to follow guidelines to the letter – right or wrong.

Stopping the game to explain the rules is firmly in the “wrong” category.

We need to cut the strings and allow the referees to apply the laws of the game.

__________________________________________________

747 words. Liftoff!

 

[muzby]

muzby pulls on the bluebags jersey..

he looks at the opposition, pulls up his socks, checks his mouthguard and charges ahead full steam.. he stops, smiles & waves to the cheerleaders, then continues the charge up the feild..

700 words from title till the signature..




The King Is Dead

News broke early on Friday morning. The King is dead. The Australian public (indeed, the public around the world) was shocked. Of course, there were the usual questions - How did this happen? Why did it happen? Was there foul play involved? What could have been done differently to prevent this? But most of all, one question was burning on everyone's lips - did anyone actually see this coming?

As the shock of this news hit the public last Friday, people were in a state of disbelief. There was shock, confusion and conspiracy in workplaces around the country when people read the news on the internet, and stopped work to discuss the news with their colleagues. Text messages were sent, emails were typed rapidly and phones rang as people wanted to share the news with those they knew, but most importantly to see if anyone else knew what would come next.

After a while the general mood went from one of disbelief and shock, to a more sombre mood. The Australian public started to reminisce about his career. They stopped feeling shocked and sad, and started to remember the King, and all he has delivered to them over the course of his career. There had been high points, low points and certainly plenty of controversy during his time in the public eye, however no one could deny - the King was something special.

However, at times it was clear that he did not like the spotlight, and that given the chance would prefer to hide away in his home town. Many believe that he had his very public role forced upon him far too early. He was not able to enjoy the privacy of the everyday man. Was this additional pressure something that led to his recent demise?

From an early stage, it was clear to see that the King was different from his peers. He had that special something that not many before in his line of work had produced. He brought a special kind of charisma - the kind that would make anyone sit up and take notice. When the King spoke, kids and adults alike sat up and listened to what he had to say. Responses varied from amazement to respect, from inspiration to intimidation - he had a way of reaching out to us all.

But it was not just charisma which made the King something of a genius, it was his body of work which made him stand out from the crowd. The King looked at the way that those before him had done the job, and realised he could do it in a way that would put him ahead of the pack. He looked for outside influences to take his work to a place where no-one had taken it before.

Nobody could deny that the King took the industry to a new level - he made those around him sit up and take notice. They had to change the way they went about their lives as if they did not try and keep up, the King would leave them all behind -they would become dinosaurs in their own lifetime.

It was not long after the news of the King's demise was made public before the experts started chiming in. Every industry expert, former star and related celebrity had their opinion. Fingers of blame were being pointed everywhere - except directly at the King. Blame was apportioned to those around him - "Where was his support?". Blame was apportioned to his fans - "You asked too much of him. You burned him out too early". Indeed, blame was even apportioned to those who were supposed to be there to protect the King and keep him safe. Of course, everybody knew the truth - we are all at fault for this tragedy which has rocked the world.

The question has been asked - will there ever anyone as good as the King? Maybe, or maybe not. Only time will tell.

So.. the King is dead. King Bellamy no longer rules the NSW team. He leaves behind a legacy of work which will be difficult to follow.

King Bellamy is dead.. Long live King Daley? King Gould? Who will step up?
http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/images/jersey_bluebags_1a.gif

 

[madunit]

madunit for the Panthers

Poetry In Motion

The last throw of the dice, all or nothing,
“Coyne at the seventy ninth minute is tackled,”
Everyone on the edge of their seat,
All are hopeful, all crossing fingers,
But for two different outcomes,
Coyne plays the ball,
Twelve to ten,
The scoreline,
Now….
Meninga
Dummy half,
Players scattered everywhere
He passes to Langer
Everyone’s eyes fixated on him,
“Langer, pushing it wide, Walters onward,”
Each pass filled with trepidation and hope,
Half the crowd are overcome with looming concern,
While the other half start to get very excited.

The heart begins to race, normality is pushed aside,
“Carne joins in, floats the pass to Renouf,”
He swiftly turns to catch the pass,
In one motion, he sets off,
The crowd sensing something ominous,
Some cover their eyes,
Others stand up,
To see,
Renouf.
Looking
For opportunity,
Any small chance,
As does the crowd,
They begin to make noise,
Adrenaline begins pumping even more now,
They know Renouf can score from anywhere,
He spots an opportunity, he wastes no time,
“Renouf down the touchline, beats one, gets it infield.”

Renouf’s speed eluded him from Gary Coyne’s desperate clutches,
He passes back inside as Wishart tackles him,
Hancock is heavily tackled just after receiving,
As he gets driven backwards ruthlessly,
He manages to find support,
“Hancock gets it on,”
They aren’t quitting,
Not yet,
No!
Smith
Backs up,
Keeps it alive,
“Queensland are coming back!”
Blues fans fearing the worst,
Maroons fans confidence continues to build,
As Darren Smith saunters across the field,
Keeping his options open while looking for support,
Blue faces begin frowning, they can’t believe their eyes.

Blue panic begins running wild, this can’t be happening,
Maroon faces grow more excited, they smell victory,
The Blues players tired, exhausted and sore,
Never giving up, continue to defend,
The Maroons continue pressing on,
“Darren Smith for Langer,”
Langer in space,
He’s through,
Langer!
Caught!
Falling forward,
He looks around,
“Langer gets it away,”
He passes to his right,
Blues defence come swarming down field,
Finally realising the game is still alive,
The play has travelled from left to right,
And now the Maroons are only twenty metres out.

Every player exhausted, desperate, hopeful yet trying damn hard,
To ensure victory for their team and themselves,
They are all oblivious to the scoreboard,
It’s now or never for all,
Langer’s pass floats to Meninga,
“Here’s the big fella!”
Running with purpose,
With power,
Intent.
Tackled
By Mackay,
Looks for support,
“Gets the pass on,”
They have come forty metres,
There is only five more left,
Every person is on their feet now,
Despair, hope, glory, tragedy, excitement, suspense, victory, failure,
All running wild through every single fan and player.

No one has taken a breath for a minute,
Not one single person has blinked an eyelid,
The Maroons are near the left sideline,
There are no more options left,
Down to one last man,
On this last play,
To seal fate,
That man?
“COYNE!”
“COYNE!”
Did he?
No one knows
There is no way,
Not a chance in hell,
Coyne is grabbed around the waist,
Fittler hanging on, Coyne steps back infield,
Ricky Stuart is there to defend his line,
Coyne is falling forward, Stuart haunches down as well.

Preparing himself as much as possible against the attack,
Coyne is almost on the ground, no hope,
Ben Elias comes running over to assist,
Blues players have appeared from nowhere,
Coyne reaches out for glory,
“Goes for the corner,”
His arm free
Finds freedom,
Victory!
Unbelievable!
Tiny gap,
Grounds the ball,
“And gets the try,”
“Queensland, it’s a miracle performance,”
The try is awarded, Queensland wins!
The patient siren sounds in the background,
Blues fans are aghast at what just happened,
For seventy nine minutes they were never in doubt.

The mighty Queensland spirit never waned for a second,
Disappointment wasn’t going to be wearing Maroon today,
Blues fans and players are quiet, unbelieving,
While the Maroon fans jump emphatically,
Their players embrace one another
Proud of the feat,
Of their heroes,
These men,
Legends.
Tension,
It subsides,
Euphoria reigns supreme,
“That’s not a try…”
The immortal words of Ray,
“That’s a miracle!” He excitedly proclaims,
The never say die spirit grew stronger,
All those years of beatings from the Blues,
Making this emphatic and miracluous victory even more sweeter!

723 Words including title.

 

[broncoman]

broncoman
Panthers

The Armchair Fan; Lay Off A Bit Please

The year is 2009 and once again 16 teams set out on the 7 month journey to NRL glory. At the end of these 30 weeks you can be certain there will be fifteen sets of disappointed fans, where did it all go wrong they'll say. Here's a tip; some teams just aren't good enough and were never going to be good enough from the start.

As a semi regular on the forums here at leagueunlimited I notice each day the fans of every NRL club complaining about something new, if it’s not the inclusion of Corey Payne in the Tigers backline it is the continual non selection of Josh Dugan at fullback for the Raiders. Honestly though if the coaching staff of every club listened to the fans where you think they would get? Nowhere, that’s where. I get the impression that perhaps a lot of fans forget that maybe Josh Dugan is in Toyota Cup or the Queensland Cup because the club think that will be more beneficial for his development, maybe coach Tim Sheens at the Tigers thinks that the other players respond better to having Corey Payne in the side than someone like an Alan Shirnack or Daine Laurie.

This brings me back to my original point; perhaps some clubs like the Raiders for example think that in 2010 or 2011 players like Josh Dugan and Joel Thompson will be better players by playing regularly in lower competitions than in the NRL. At the end of the day only one side will be tasting premiership glory and no matter what changes any of these so called lower clubs make over the next 8-10 weeks it won’t be them. They can however "build for the future" and given themselves the best chance of winning the premiership in coming seasons.

As of round 16 2009 there is realistically only 4 sides that can win the comp, does this mean that fans of every other club should stop supporting and cheering for their team? No not at all. What I'm trying to say is that fans of these clubs show be showing just as much support to the off field staff as they are trying to do to the players. Continually calling for the head of a player week after week doesn't achieve much, as fans we spend 80 minutes a week with the players and are not aware of their standing in the team or anything like that. Perhaps Corey Payne is the most popular bloke at the Tigers, maybe Robbie Farah plays better when Payne is in the side, these are things we don't understand and the reasons why we should lay off the clubs backs a little.

My solution to you is to be positive, rather than just say "Oh no why pick him again" or "Didn't you see how crap he was last week", why not make a comment such as "We'll he didn't have a great game against so and so but he has a chance to turn it around." One thing I feel fans go too hard on are rookies, sometimes these guys need a bit of time to find their feet in first grade but there are far too many people lining up to hang them out to dry. Sure some players may just not be up to first grade standard but sometimes a little support and confidence may be all a young player needs to find top gear.

The armchair fan is always the most critical, I feel we are told to expect too much from our teams by the media. If a side loses three games in a row then there’s a crisis, sure it looks bad but in a sport where you generally win 50% of your games there will be times you win 5 or 6 games in a row so there has to be situations where they suffer a losing streak. It's human nature to expect more of everything, even if your team is successful in winning a premiership, is that the end of it? No you want them to come back the following year and do it all again, obviously it is not possible to win every single time and it would be nice to see a few more fans acknowledge that.
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724 words including title

 

[Timmah]

Timmah - #2 for the Bluebags




CLASS OF 2009 - MID-SEASON REPORT CARD

St George Illawarra Dragons:
No incidents so far to report in 2009. Little Wendell has performed well as media liaison representative, and classes under Mr Bennett seem to be travelling well. A+

Bulldogs:
Just one small demerit point at the start of the year for a couple of the younger members of class, both punished accordingly. After the expulsion of a few of their worst pupils last year, this class seems to be running very smoothly. A+

Gold Coast Titans:
This new class continues to impress. As with last year, terms three and four seem to result in more sick days, it is hoped this trend doesn’t continue this year. A

Melbourne Storm:
This classes previous marks have all been well above average but this year there has been a few disappointing displays. A-

Newcastle Knights:
Special marks to young Junior Sau who recently saved a young girl, impressive outside the classroom and one of the most improved inside. A lot of community spirit here. A

North Queensland Cowboys:
After changing teachers last year this class has gone forward in leaps and bounds although a couple of excursions from star pupil Johnathan have seen the performance of the rest of the class suffer. B+

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles:
The Class of 2008 has had a lot of behavioural trouble so far this year. Little Brett was suspended earlier in the year, while Anthony has us worried after a bullying incident around the same time. We hope the effort in class shown by everyone lately continues to turn around what started as a very bad year. C

Penrith Panthers:
Lots of improvements over the last two terms, but a playground incident at the start of the year bought into question the temperament one of the class leaders Trent. B

Brisbane Broncos:
It appears Mr Henjak is having trouble controlling his class, and as such results are in decline. Good grades early on have helped, but a bout of sickness which wiped out a lot of the class for a week or two has impacted greatly on marks. The teacher must instill some discipline soon, otherwise there is a risk of total failure. C

South Sydney Rabbitohs:
They are one of the oldest classes in the school but consistent poor performances year-to-year haven’t helped. Mr Taylor seems to lack direction lately and as such the class itself has performed well below par. C-

New Zealand Warriors:
Lots of talent in this class but a failure to apply themselves to the job at hand has seen some unusually low marks. Seem to struggle when going against other classes in a range of activities where they have to leave their own classroom. C-

Parramatta Eels:
Mr Anderson’s run-in with young Brett earlier in the year saw him change classes early on, and since then the effort has been patchy from this group. Students have managed to steer clear of distractions outside the classroom after a disappointing 2008, but in class there remains a lack of focus. D

Canberra Raiders:
For a class calling itself the “Green Machine” there has been too many malfunctions for a decent mark to be awarded. Much like the Warriors above, any challenges in classrooms other than their own seem to result in failure. D

Cronulla Sharks:
Not a lot to say about this class in 2009. Reni has been suspended for two years after using a banned drug and teachers and support staff have all come under fire for a range of behavioural issues, as well as one of the students. Injuries and sickness haven’t helped, and there is little doubting the fighting spirit shown by the class especially lately. E

Wests Tigers:
The problems are almost exclusively in the classroom in this instance, a lack of effort in many cases, but some questionable lesson plans from teacher Mr Sheens may have also contributed. E

Sydney Roosters:
Where to start for the shambles that continues to be this class? Terrible discipline both inside and outside the classroom, their teacher Mr Fittler not leading by example and too many students with behavioural problems. The effort is there sometimes, but nowhere near enough. F

It goes without saying that in grading the Class of 2009 so far, those classes with good teachers and disciplined students outside the classroom are excelling inside it with excellent marks. There are plenty of classes who need to pick up their act quick-smart.


743 words including title

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Finally recovering from some off-season surgery, Cheesie-the-Pirate pulls on the famous Blue jersey for the first time in 2009.

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Footy Follies

On Sir William Gilbert’s memorial at Thames Embankment, London these wise words are written:

“His Foe was Folly, and his Weapon Wit”

This is a beautiful summation on the very purpose of the satirist. Gilbert, in his partnership with Sir Arthur Sullivan created a cannon of works that not only gave rise to modern musical theatre but stood in performing arts as testaments to the role of the satirist as an esteemed and enlightened commentator on life.

Unfortunately, it seems to me that many of those responsible for writing and speaking the words of rugby league represent the very opposite of this Gilbertian wisdom. Indeed, we might say that;

“Their Foes are Wit, and their Weapons Folly”

I’m quite sure that the very best (or perhaps more accurately, worst) example of this is the Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield. Rothfield is a successful sports journalist and he knows much better than me how to convert column inches into newspaper sales. However, in literary and logical terms he displays a populist appeal to folly that can be truly astounding.

Rothfield demonstrates a mundane tendency towards the petty, seeming to specialise in elevating squabbles involving himself to the pages of The Daily Telegraph and his Buzzwords blog. The childishness can perhaps be best demonstrated by his preference to refer to Phil Gould by his full name, including his middle name of Ronald. Apparently some correspondence from Gould’s lawyers to Rothfield referred to the former by his full name, so therefore it’s a running joke.

Meanwhile, he’s not content to simply slug it out with fellow rugby league journalists. In recent times Rothfield has decided that Association Football (Rothfield demands we refer to it as Soccer) is also deserving of a few good kicks. In particular, coach Pim Verbeek has become public enemy number one for his safety-first strategy to qualify for the world cup. Verbeek and the FFA can look after themselves I’m sure, but it demonstrates the juvenile squabbling that characterises one of the more influential journalists in rugby league circles.

By no means is he the only example of this folly-filled journalistic world. Certain ex-players in the media have made it their defining characteristic. Amongst a cast of thousands, Mark Geyer stands out as a classic exponent of the former footy player boofhead journalist. Can anyone ever recall something said or written by Geyer that was not obvious, nostalgia-ridden or just plain absurd. Geyer proposing that players should be able to elect to be suspended for a large number of NRL games instead of a single State of Origin fixture demonstrates the lack of serious thought that exemplifies his contribution to the game. What club would allow one of their best players to be suspended for a serious part of the NRL season just to play a single game of Origin? We might as well propose that players can avoid suspension from Origin if they can catch a bullet with their teeth.

You might ask- who cares? The squabbles and silliness elements of the rugby league commentators and writers reflect the forces of the market at work. Their populist grandstanding and simple messages appeal to parts of the audience and it’s clear that the employment of these people by the media is a commercial success. We must ask ourselves though, what should commentators on football provide?

As a satirist, Sir William Gilbert was a commentator on late Victorian Britain. With Sullivan he entertained, and continues to entertain, people around the world. Yet the entertainment was based on wit, challenging the audience through irony, wordplay and other such devices to think about late Victorian life and to confront the follies that Gilbert demonstrated.

Rugby league commentators in writing and in broadcasting provide the entertainment, but where’s the wit? Where’s the innovative approach that challenges the reader, listening or viewer to look at issues in rugby league in new ways? I don’t expect dramatic irony; these people are journalists, not dramatists, and it is not to their detriment that they do not approach a rugby league issue with a well-stocked mind full of 19th-century literary devices.

Surely though it’s possible to be entertaining, witty and meaningful when talking about rugby league. Much of what we get at the moment provides the first, but does so in the easy way that means the latter parts of the equation are left wanting. Lord knows there’s plenty of folly in footy. Our commentators should fight against it, not with it.

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746 words including title according to the official word counter.

 

[Rexxy]

Rexxy for the Bags. Runs on and gives three cheers and one cheer more for Cheesie.

I am Joe’s Brain*


Joe: At the back of a pack of grown men. What the hell am I doing here? An impossibly perfect autumn morning and instead of fishing I'm playing fullback. I get called upon to play my bit. See that ball some guy just kicked up there into the sky and its hanging like a star? I have to catch it. Hold on.

Dr Rudi says: Eye-hand coordination is the control of eye movement and the processing of visual input to guide bodily movement**. It can occur in the most genteel pursuits such as drinking a cup of tea, or something more difficult like stitching up a gashed cat. This skill developed early in man and meant we could catch fish, or birds with our hands - even tiny squirrels.

Joe: I feel pretty good. Might be a good day after all. Ooops, better look interested and chime into the backline. To me, to me, I'm unmarked out here.

Dr Rudi says: Teamwork is a joint action by two or more people, in which each person contributes with different skills**. When man first began to live communally we realized we could get far more accomplished together than we ever could alone.

Joe: Great Try. Well done guys. Hi fives, man hug, blah. What the? I think our poofy winger just kissed me.

Dr Rudi: Latent homosexuality is an erotic inclination toward members of the same sex**. Joe shouldn’t worry too much about his manhood. He could just be experiencing the elation his forefathers did after a hunt. Sometimes a banana is just a banana.

Joe: Geez we’re playing well. But it’s a dirty game. These guys have thrown everything at us. Elbows, shin scrapes, ear rubs the odd gauge. Hold on, Garry's been king-hit and in goes Riley. The stink is on.

Dr Rudi: In a split second the brain must make a decision. Run or hold back. It’s known as fight or flight and its an instinct that goes back to the cave. Fight a vicious sabre-tooth tiger, and get turned into mince. Or come back when the urine in your loincloth has dried. Joe has chosen to fight. Fighting comes naturally to most people. Fist fighting is depicted in Sumerian relief carvings from the 3rd millennium BC**. Making a fist is almost a reflex. A cavemen could make a fist with one hand and hail a taxi cab with another. We are lethal killing machines.

Joe: What a stupid thing to do. Ten minutes in the bin. I hit that blokes head as if it were a melon. I feel pretty bad now.

Dr Rudi: Remorse is a basic human function. We act on impulse and then regret our actions. We punch the stuffing out of an opponent then cry like a baby about it a split second later. Unless his blood is in our eyes.

Joe: Clocks counting down. Can only be a matter of minutes. One point down and what's that? A penalty to us. Poor bastard the bloke who's going to take that shot. 55 metres out. What a palooka, what a zube, what a ratchet jaw. Hey why are you giving the ball to me?

Dr Rudi: Self doubt is the doubting of one's own abilities. We talk ourselves up and we talk ourselves down. Making us our best friends and own worst enemies at the very same time.

Joe: Ok, two steps back and three steps sidewards. Or is it three steps back? I feel like puking. I shouldn't have had those two battered savs at half time. Steady nerves, I can do this. Remember when i got the three 7s I got at Blackjack. Or when I nailed my neighbour Sally three times in two hours. Or that one time at band camp, oh f**k "Just kick the thing Joe!!!!"

Dr Rudi: And so we have it. We live, we fight, we dream, we play as a team, and when no-ones watching pick dandelions and blow the husk into the four winds. Not much has changed since we were in the cave.

Joe: It’s going to the left, now the right, now the left again, it’s a goal. I did it, I did itl. You beauty. Oh no. Here comes that winger - he better not put his tongue in. Oh why not just this once. Pucker up princess.

*Dedicated to the great Vic Davies from ClubVege.
** All quotes from wikipedia.

 

[Willow]

Willow | Bluebags



Creeping Into Sainthood

Dearly beloved, let us take a moment to reflect...To examine where we have been, before we move on to where we are headed...I've read this artichoke three times, and will read it again before bed... In Wayne We Trust. Amen.

Since heading south, Wayne Bennett has rediscovered his mojo.

Dubbed 'Creeping Jesus' by fans in League Unlimited's Dragons forum, the six times premiership-winning coach was getting a little stale in the Queensland capital. This is no criticism, just an observation. There is no way any self respecting hard-working man can stay at the same job for 20+ years and not be fearful of resting his feet under the proverbial coffee table.

To Bennett's credit, he had the smarts to get out of Brisbane.

He put it up the flag pole in 2006 when the Roosters were showing 'expressions of interest'. He was also tipped to head up to FNQ in late 2007, an offer which Bennett later dumped on, claiming the Cowboys lacked leadership:

"In the end, I thought, thank heavens I'm not going to a club that runs by democracy. Give me leadership over daily democratic meetings every day of the week."

Brisbane managed to hold onto the master mentor for two more seasons.

Nevertheless, Bennett had already dropped a number of telling quotes into medialand:

"If the Broncos want to hire someone else, that's fine, but I won't rule out the possibility of coaching somewhere."

"I may still want to coach and be relevant somewhere."

"I won't stay at the Broncos one minute more than I should."

Clearly Bennett wanted a new challenge. Every champion thrives on it, and Bennett achieved everything he could at the Broncos. In 2006 he telegraphed his intentions, he probably gave fair warning to Brisbane at least a year earlier.

Bennett eventually elected to coach the St George Illawarra Dragons, but at St George he still had a few debts to settle.

In particular, Bennett conceded that he harboured regrets over the way he and the Broncos handled the 'Anthony Mundine incident' some 12-years earlier.

"The other great mistake we made - and we still feel terrible about it to this day - was the parading him in a Broncos jersey in the middle of the '96 season when he was still under contract and playing for St George. It was bad taste. We got it totally wrong that day."

At the time, Saints coach David Waite referred to the incident as, "one of the most vulgar things I've seen in football..."

It created a bitter rivalry between opposing fans that lasted for years. But in 2008 Bennett moved to bury the hatchet. Coincidence perhaps? Either way, by the time Bennett's words were published, the deal to coach the Dragons was underway.

With Brisbane behind him, and old scores settled, Creeping took control. He immediately put to rest any notion that he was too old or using Sydney as part of some retirement plan. His media comments reassurred fans that Saints would no longer be seen as soft, and a premiership would be delivered during his three-year tenure. Plus he was quite happy to regularly refer to the club as 'St George'. Perhaps a traditionalist at heart but Creeping has no truck with the pleasantries of political correctness, he just gets on with the job.

In 2009, Bennett is delivering on his promises. At the half way mark of the NRL competition, the Dragons are at the top of the food chain. In what was supposed to be a three-year plan to win a premiership, Bennett has brought Saints from middle-of-the-pack wannabees to competition high-flyers in less than four months of football.

One of the most satisfying victories must have been in round four, against Bennett's old club. Saints outplayed the Broncos across the park to win convincingly - the result amplifying how Bennett and Saints have become rugby league's perfect match.

The move to Dragon territory may have saved Wayne. But can it save Saints from a decade of frustration?

It has not escaped some fans that 2009 is the last chance for the Dragons to keep an unique record intact. No team in the history of Saints has failed to make a premiership decider in any decade since the club's first grade debut in 1921.

Should they fail to qualify for a grand final in 2009, the Dragons administrations of 2000-2009 will have presided over the most unsuccessful decade in the history of the St George DRLFC.

For Bennett, no pressure.

| 750 words |

Ref:
Quote at top - St George E-Group
Quotes Wayne Bennett - http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...-10389,00.html and
(in bold) The Man in the Mirror. Wayne Bennett (with Steve Crawley).
Quote David Waite - http://www.jubileeavenue.com.au/history/1996.php

 

[bartman]

Thought I'd help with clock duty, so we can all talk about the matches....

 

[bartman]

Some great reads in this one... 5v5 match, well done and good luck to all.

 

[Willow]

Thank you time keeper.

Great to see 5v5.

Good luck one and all.

 

[madunit]

Nothing better than 10 great articles in a game.

Best result would be a draw, I tell you what there are several fantastic articles in here, especially those by Rex, Nutty, Az and Willow

 

[Black Kitty]

Good luck Baggers... I'm cheering on from the sideline

 

[LeagueNut]

Is anyone else feeling the nerves waiting for this one ... it could go either way ... C'MON PANTHERS!!

 

[Titanic]

An excellent match that was a pleasure to read and a beast to mark.

Penrith Panthers

LeagueNut: Rugby League Quatrains

A well-worked (especially for resisting the over-used "knee-jerk" cliche) heads-up for our own games often myopic administrators. Good points that are often over-looked interspersed with some poetic signposts. The conclusion lacks a knock-out punch but highly entertaining and evocative. 89

Broncos_Warriors_Storm: Victorian League: Growth and Impact

This report on the VRL, with a little Stormology thrown in, is dotted with well-researched, if sometimes slightly irrelevant, nuggets of trivia. Some spelling, grammar and formatting issues detract from the overall presentation, however, an encouraging debut. Well done. 84

Azkatro: Puppet Referees

The spotlight on invasive-refereeing is certainly a hot topic and one that will never dim, as "ref bashing" is as much a part of the fabric of rugby league as is reminiscing about the good old days. This article starts on fire but loses a little of its spirit towards the end but altogether a very good read. 88

madunit: Poetry In Motion

This unique compilation of verse, form and passion creates a marking dilemma. What rubric should be applied? For the recollection-thank you. For the sentiment-d'accord. For the concept-marvellous. For the aesthetics-perhaps you should get out a little more. Very enjoyable. 88

broncoman: The Armchair Fan; Lay Off A Bit Please

There is a time when every facet of rugby league requires a reality check and none requires it more often than the supporter base. In this article the author rejects the gob-smack approach preferring instead to massage some common-sense into the well trodden debate of realistic expectations from league fans. Fair call. 85

Newtown Bluebags

muzby: The King Is Dead

A novel concept and some excellent word selection fan the embers of anticipation, however, this piece gravitates into a meandering saga which takes a very long time to get to its point. With minor errors on debut taken into account, this is a solid piece. 84

Timmah: CLASS OF 2009 - MID-SEASON REPORT CARD

The long awaited mid-semester report card, delivered with some gold stars and a fair bit of cane, is an interesting if not unique concept. It recalls memories, perhaps a little too clearly, of some of hot summer afternoons and those dry old crones with their all to predictable admonishments. A good read. 86

Cheesie-the-Pirate: Footy Follies

In this erudite offering, the swashbuckling, feather-hatted buccaneer steals the moral high ground, armed only with his rapier-like quill, and takes aim at those of a more monosyllabic persuasion. A good point, well made. 90

Rexxy: I am Joe's Brain*

An engagingly homophobic glimpse of the custodian's role through the eyes of a slightly fixated psychologist mixed with a footballer's perception of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. The focus becomes a little convoluted towards the end but overall a fine effort. 89

Willow: Creeping into Sainthood

In a year when plaudits rightly rain down on the craggy-faced coaching behemoth, this excellent piece of penmanship takes a prominent position amongst the litany of similar sentiments. What does, however, give it some punch is the thinly veiled dart levelled at what many would argue is the, until recently, sleeping dragons heart, or lack of it. Well said. 87

RESULT: Newtown Bluebags 436 defeat Penrith Panthers 434

POTM: Cheesie-the-Pirate