Round 7 (2005) Panthers Vs Souths

[roosterboy60]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs[/font]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]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.[/font]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Home team captain will be allowed 3 reserves, visiting captain will be allowed 2 reserves
Rules: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.asp[/font]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Full Time: Wednesday 22nd June at 9pm (Syd time)[/font]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Venue: Penrith Football Stadium

Crowd: 13,440
REFEREE: Gorilla[/font]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]**Referee Blows Game On!**[/font]

 

[LeagueNut]

Welcome to beautiful Penrith Stadium!

The Penrith Panthers are raring to go in this crucial clash, and the crowd falls silent with an awed hush as the team list is read:

1. Maelgwnau
2. [furrycat]
3. Azkatro
4. Moonfire
5. LeagueNut (c)

6. Big Mick
7. Somethingwithjohn
8. BrentWebbsNo1Fan

\\\\/

 

[Seano]

Souths run out looking a little lost

1. Seano (c)
2. Pistol
3. Robster
4. Clevo
5. MurphDogg
Reserves
TerraceSider
NqBoy

 

[LeagueNut]

Having dragged himself away from the poker machines over the road, LeagueNut finally makes it to Penrith Stadium and takes a solid hit-up with coins jingling in his pockets ...

LeagueNut - Panthers
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From Saint to Sinner ... to Saint (Helens)

We all knew it would happen eventually. Daniel Anderson, comfortably the most successful coach in the Warriors history, has left the sunny shores of New Zealand to join St Helens in the ESL. In doing so, he has also relinquished the Kiwis coaching position thanks to some bizarre NZRL rule that decrees our national coach must reside locally. (Thank God we don’t apply that same rule to the players!)

There’s no doubting it was a gamble of reasonable size when he was initially plucked from the lower grades at Parramatta to take control of a severely dysfunctional Warriors team after the implosion of late 2000. A good track record with the Eels meant nothing to the (remaining) Warriors fans, who doubted whether he would be able to get us moving in the right direction – although anyone who stepped into the hot-seat at that time would have come under the same scrutiny.

Slowly but surely, the results began to turn. In fact it was only 9 rounds into the season that the Warriors extended the newcomers contract for another three years. The good signs were there from the outset that the Warriors had finally found a coach who could tap into the enigmatic psyche of our players to bring out their best in the toughest competition in the world.

A maiden finals berth for the Warriors in 2001 pretty much sealed Anderson’s place in Kiwi hearts right there. From the unmitigated disasters of 2000, the Warriors had produced a turn-around of mammoth proportions - even though the Warriors still finished with more losses than wins that year. Anderson was considered (and rightly so) the major contributor.

Nobody could guess it at the time, but the best was yet to come. The stunning rise of the team from the right side of the Tasman captured the interest of the whole nation in 2002, culminating in a Grand Final appearance. Star players were prominent on the screen, but the man behind it all continued his rapid rise in the NRL to take home the coveted Dally M Coach of the Year award.

It seemed inevitable that his name would be mentioned for the Kiwis coaching spot after Gary Freeman fell victim to some mediocre results on the Kiwis 2002 U.K tour. Predictably, the NZRL agreed that Anderson would be the best man for the job and he took the reigns in 2003. The instant expectation was of another turn-around in fortunes for the Kiwis, but he also had great plans for nurturing junior development in N.Z; by building the foundations, he could ensure continued success.

The 2003 mid-year mauling by a dominant Australian team was a tough initiation for Anderson as Kiwis coach, but he recovered to post a stunning 30-16 victory at North Harbour Stadium at the end of the year. Understandably, the optimism of League fans shot through the roof. The Warriors were certainties for the 2004 NRL title after another strong showing in 2003; the Kiwis were certainties to end decades of dominance by the Kangaroos … but such high hopes ended with an incredibly hard fall.

Warriors fans certainly don’t need any reminding of the new depths that were reached in 2004. The giddy morphine of victory had suddenly been replaced by the powerful sedative of defeat, and the Warriors took a tumble that would surely have shown on the NASA radar. The hardest part was that according to the fans, surely the coach wasn’t the problem. How could the man with the Midas touch suddenly start turning things to custard?

An ‘amicable’ mid-season departure from the Warriors led to the inevitable rumours of tension with the players, a fire that was fuelled rapidly as Warriors test candidates started to pull out of the Kiwis team with alarming regularity. A draw with the Kangaroos in a tough test at Albany kicked off the 2004 Tri Series campaign with a hint of optimism, but the reality came roaring back as the Kiwis failed to register another point throughout the series.

The end came swiftly for Anderson, as a sudden vacancy at St Helens was snapped up and he left N.Z shores only a few weeks ago. At the end of it all, Anderson will still hold a fond place in Kiwi hearts for producing some unbelievable turn-arounds – but the feeling will remain that his true destiny was not fulfilled.

All the best Daniel. You’re welcome back anytime.

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745 words including title.

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

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What's more important to you, your money or your mates?

Homebush, Homebush, who wants to come to Homebush? I've got heaps of great stuff out here! Big stadium, plenty of parking, and I promise I'll give you money for coming out. Please come out here, I'll be your friend. You can play here whenever you want. Bring your friends too, there's plenty of room. We'll all play together!

Homebush. The home of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. That was almost five years ago now. While the Olympics have long passed, the vast metallic playgrounds we built for it remain. Telstra has since decided to invest a sea of money into the main attraction. Formerly known as Stadium Australia, it was given a far less inspiring label.

Now it's called Telstra Stadium, and it represents the rich kid from school who had no friends but the best toys. Remember him? Nobody liked him because he was a prat, but he'd lure you over to his place with promises of wicked water guns, sports gear, video games to play - everything you wished you could have but didn't.

So you would decide whether to take the bait, or go to your mate's place where you would hang out and kick his old footy around. Far from exciting, but it usually turned out to be more fulfilling.

In a money-driven world, it's no surprise that NRL clubs have to make that same kind of decision now.

Telstra has established itself as the rich kid with the best toys. It wants as many clubs as it can get to come and play. A couple are already there now, but it wants more. With the kind of financial line Telstra are dangling, one would think that the majority of boardrooms in Sydney have been weighing up the prospect of playing some matches there as well.

Imagine if your club decided they would start playing all their home games at Homebush?

Let's take Cronulla as an example. How many of their supporters are willing to drive at least an hour through Sydney traffic to get to a football game that's going to cost them more than it would at home? If they can cope with that much, what about sharing the atmosphere with sixty thousand empty seats? And what if they were informed they had to pay $15 on to park their car? Or if they took the train, make it around $14 (each) just to get there and back - which would also involve leaving at least two hours before kickoff to ensure they made it on time.

Let's face it. Nine out of ten supporters of ANY club would rather buy some snacks and watch the bloody game on TV with their mates.

As a fan of the game, I am desperate to see the teams in Sydney do everything they possibly can to play at their local grounds. Sydney and many of its surrounding suburbs has a myriad of rugby league fans. Expecting them to watch their team play in a comparitively soulless concrete jungle in the middle of a big wide open space is ridiculous.

I have a plea to the Sydney clubs.

Dragons, please stay at WIN Stadium and Oki Jubilee Stadium. Wait, let me rephrase that: Dragons, stay at Wollongong Showground and Jubilee Oval. Souths, can't you see that it all started going wrong when you left Redfern Oval? Please redevelop it and go back. Canterbury, please go back to Belmore. Tigers, please play all your home games at Campbelltown and Leichhardt (but don't bother going back to Concord Oval). And Manly, Cronulla, Parramatta and Penrith - stay right where you are.

You all need to be spending time with your mates and not the snot-nosed rich kid that lives in Homebush. Your mates are your supporters and that's the heart of your football team.

I could argue that the financial viability of the game depends on appeasing the major sponsors like Telstra. But by expecting clubs to play home games in Homebush, do they really care about what's best for the fans? And if they don't, why should the fans care about Telstra?

As humans we often learn from the simple lessons of the past. One of those is that you were always right when you stayed true to your mates. The Sydney clubs need to remember this lesson of yesteryear.

Like us, they need the support of their mates to keep going strong.

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747 words. Liftoff!

 

[terracesider]

Terracesider: Souths (subbing for MurphDogg)


Albert Carr.

I first came across the story to be discussed here in an article the 1995 Centenary Brochure produced by Huddersfield RLFC. The article, entitled “The Harris And Carr Fiasco”, recounted how in 1929 two of Huddersfield's Australian players suddenly disappeared, never to be seen, or heard from, again and suggested that one of the players might not have been who he was supposed to be. I found it an intriguing story, not least because the article raised more questions than it answered. However, despite periodic attempts to find out more, unlike Sherlock Holmes in his search for the missing three-quarter, I have drawn a complete blank. Perhaps on an Australian forum somebody will be able to call on dimly recalled family history to help provide some answers.

In October, 1927 Huddersfield signed two players from Souths on a three year contract.: Albert Carr, a forward, and Sidney Harris, a centre. Both were well-established players: Carr was Souths' vice-captain and had represented NSW five times. Both Carr and Harris brought their families over to live in the UK, initially in Huddersfield and then up the road in Bradford where they ran a public house. Over the next year both were successfully established as regulars in the Huddersfield side. Carr played 44 games in a number of positions - centre, five-eighth, hooker, second row and lock- and scored 9 tries; Harris played 43 games, manly at centre, during which he scored 13 ties. Then in a Boxing Day game in 1928 Carr suffered a knee injury. Despite being advised that, in order to continue playing, he would need an operation to remove his cartilage, Carr refused to be operated on. Harris, meanwhile, played on. Then, having apparently secretly put their affairs in order, without a word of warning to anybody, in March Carr and Harris left Yorkshire for London, where they boarded a boat for Australia, leaving behind what must have been a thoroughly bemused club.

Subsequently the only reliable news to reach Huddersfield came in 1931. A letter from Tommy Gleeson, the great Aussie three-quarter from Huddersfield's 1915 Team of All Talents, told them that Harris was back with Souths and Carr was coaching up country.

The unanswered questions are why did Carr cut his Huddersfield career short by refusing to have a relatively routine operation and why did the two scarper without even asking to be released from their contract? The theory advanced in the Centenary Brochure is that the player known as “Carr” was not in fact Carr but a ringer. This seems to be based on post-match conversation between an unnamed Huddersfield player and J. Why, one of the 1933/34 Kangaroos. The Aussie tourist said that his brother had played for Huddersfield a few years ago but his name was the same as his, not Carr. No Aussie called Why had ever played for the club so, in the wake of that conversation, a theory took root that the player known as Carr had refused the cartilage operation and vamoosed before his medical records revealed his true identity

To me, the ringer theory is problematical on a number of grounds. Firstly, in his 1931 letter to the club, Gleeson apparently gave no indication that Carr was anybody other than who he was supposed to be. Secondly, without other sources it is impossible to evaluate the reliability of Why's post-game remarks: was he misheard or misquoted or just winding up the Brits? Thirdly, although it is possible that Why entered the country on Carr's passport and that he and Harris, and their wives and children, were part of a conspiracy, that raises the question of why they took such a huge risk. Even before the ban on overseas players was lifted in 1927, English clubs were keeping an eye Australian RL and there were Aussies in the north of England who could have been expected to recognise NSW players such as Carr, for one their fellow countryman, Ernie Mills, who had signed for Huddersfield just four months before Carr and Harris. Finally, more tenuously, whoever came to Huddersfield was a player of the expected quality, good enough to establish himself in a Championship-winning side. Was such a player really discovered by accident?

So although it is possible “Carr” was a ringer, it is equally possible that he was not. The only certainty is that is it one of those mysteries to which we might never know the answer.


749 words.

 

[Seano]

Sorry Terrace was too quick for me

Substitution:
Terracesider in for Murphdogg

 

[Clevo]

Clevo settles the team and gives the secret symbol as the lads set up for a set play in a wonderful setting.... (ed I didn't write this... I think)
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Not in the Spirit of the Game



The tall poppies swayed gently with the southerly breeze as the fluffy clouds rolled by casting dappled…



Is this going to be an article about Rugby League?



Yes



Well get on with it and get rid of that fluffy rubbish. Don’t let me pressure you…



His leg followed through a mighty arch, the ball sailing towards…



Who are you talking about?



I’m getting to it!



A bit banal don’t you think?



It’s the first draft!



First draft…pfft! You never could write



Hey hold on a minute. I’m pretty high up the BP’s Player Ranking than you very much!



Yeeessss but you never got picked for NSW in the State of Origin though.



Pistol asked me to play for QLD



And you knocked him back!



Well… I wouldn’t play for any other team but Souths so…



Pathetic! Not in the spirit of the game…



Look, buzz off I have some work to do



Yeah right… don’t let me pressure you.



*goes off to make a long black with a dash of Bailey’s*



During the winter of 1922 Souths amassed an amazing…



Oh I see a history lesson. You do know you need to research some information. You can’t just make it up!



I wasn’t just going to make it up I was thinking of a mockumentary type thing, you know… as a joke



Well perhaps you should write about something serious for once instead of putting in a minimum effort piece



Nothing is minimum effort the way you are carrying on.



You lost for ideas because you’ve never played League so it’s hard for you to empathise with what it’s really like to play



Hey! I played League



High School lunch time doesn’t count. Besides, you always got picked last.



But that’s because I was small and skinny. I was very quick though.



Anyone can run with no-one in front of you.



But that’s the whole point! I was last receiver and and…and I just tucked it under and ran!



True but you never remembered where the try line was and you over ran it. Dumb arse!



Well… I got a little excited. I was built to play soccer. I excelled in that!



You were pretty crap in that too!



Buzz off!



Pfft!



I could never understand what our maths teacher taught amongst the commotion of thirty screaming brats. All I ever looked forward to was the sound of the long bell that marked the beginning of lunch where I would join the stampede heading off towards the back of the old building which leads to Prince Alfred Park.



They lined up before me. Will today’s game of touch footy end up in a wild tackle fest? Should I therefore pick skill and agility or brawn and size?



Dream on! You’re a laugh!



Nobody is going to know!



I will! It’ll be obvious by the time you get to the third paragraph anyway. I reckon you should go for something else… go ask Kaitlin. She’ll say something funny about League you could stretch out and write about.



I’m full of ideas! You’re getting on my nerves and I can’t write under duress.



Pffft!



What about I write about that time at Redfern Oval where we teased that old bloke who supported Manly and he had a heart attack just after the full time siren.



That’s just sick.



I could express guilt and I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore because it’s all out in the open.



It’s not in the Spirit of the game



Damn! Only 592 words



..And you haven’t written anything yet.



This isn’t easy you know! It’s the last round I could play before going overseas and it needs to be a good one. I’m lucky if I get picked for the semis at this rate. Geeze, I might have to e-mail Seano and tell him to substitute me… I know!



Why Souths will win the 2008 Premiership.



Will this be another mockumentary?



No



Sounds like one



Send in the muse I’m done with the clowns!



Why don’t you write about Timmins’ tripping charge and how I think it’s worse than spitting at an opponent.



That’s a pretty good one!



Right off you go then…fire away. Or… do I have to do all the thinking around here? You gonna post this crap you’ve written so far?



I dunno yet. Just wondering if it would be in the spirit of the game. A lot of spirit seems to have gone lately.

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750 Words between the lines

 

[Robster]

Robsters Smash's Leaguenut to the ground, in a smashing tackle of the year.
------------------
Stacey Jones - before Hero Status.

I'll start this article off in a simple plain statement "Stacey Jones

is the best Kiwi ever to play the game of rugby league". However, the

only person in New Zealand who wouldn't say it is ‘The Little General’

himself, instead he would encourage his teammates with a handshake and

his trademark smile.

Before the 23rd of April 1995, a very young short 17 year old kid is

playing fantastic football for his club Grey Lynn – he's scoring

try's, kicking goals - doing it all. Suddenly he was pushed out of

his club for the much higher honour of wearing the Blue, Red, Green

and White jersey of the Auckland Warriors. Jones set himself the

goal to make his debut for the new Auckland Franchise sometime in the

next 2 years, however Jones was set to achieve all of it within the

space of a few weeks.

Stacey Jones was to make his debut from the Warriors bench against the

Parramatta Eels in Round 7 in 1995. With the Warriors putting up one

of their best performances the previous round against the Steelers, no

one expected Stacey to get too much game time. However with 20

minutes go the trainer told him to start warming up and it took Stacey

a few seconds to realise what he meant – given the game was

effectively run and won.

Stacey had barely been on the field in his first game and the Warriors

were deep on the attack. Phil Blake kicked the ball and both Jones and

Blake chased, Jones kinda pushed Blake out of the way and scored for

himself, but the Little General didn't have much time to celebrate

after the game as he was having his head stitched. This moment was

however, one that defined his career as a skilful and tough

competitor.

The following game against the Roosters at Ericsson Stadium, Stacey

was on the bench again and saw very little game time with the Warriors

holding on to win 26-22. At this stage of his First Grade career

however, Stacey treasured every second playing in the big time.

Newcastle embarrassed the Auckland based team with an easy 48-6

hammering, Jones was on the bench but Monie did not use him as it

would have been no good for his confidence if he had been asked to go

out there and suffer at the hands of the Johns Brothers and co.

Following on from a horrific beating at the hands of Newcastle Knights

the week after, it was rumoured that mass changes were on the horizon.

Monie named the team on the Tuesday with, as expected, a host of

changes. All Black great John Kirwan was named on the wing, Andy Platt

was also in, Gene Ngamu was moved to halfback and Stacey, or The

Little General as he became known, was at stand off, his first game in

the starting line up.

10 minutes before the players headed out to the field, Frank Endacott

had a word with his Little General. The words of encouragement were

basically that he belonged and had nothing to fear – advice which

served Stacey well throughout his career. Stacey behaved as any young

debutant would – he drank lots of water and stretched for about a hour

and a half before the match, he was nervous and excited. While these

feelings should be expected, Stacey really shoud not have bothered…

Game time, two tries from Sean Hoppe and one from Mike Dorren gave the

warriors a 14-8 lead and while Stacey was solid in the first half, he

did not do anything wrong either.

A converted Andrew Ettingshausen try levelled the game at 14 all, but

disaster struck and the sharks scored yet again to give Cronulla a

18-14 lead.

Mid way through the 2nd half Stacey threw a hospital pass to Brandy

Alexander – who got absolutely cleaned up by Danny Lee, however Stacey

did not drop his head and vowed to make up for it.

John Kirwan scored to level the game and it looked certain to end in a

draw however the Little General got the ball with 3 minutes to go and

had a attempt at drop goal. The kick was anything but pretty but it

struggled through the posts to seal the game for the Auckland warriors

and begin Stacey extraordinary career as First Grade Footballer.

737 words

 

[Pistol]

Pistol, backing up from Origin, gets the ball and starts the play down the right with...

Breaking Through To The Other Side

“Try to run, try to hide, break on through to the other side”. Those are the words of Jim Morrison from The Doors. Nowadays, more men are going over to “Yawnion”. But in years gone back, it’s been men from Union who converted to league. Some were successful. Some were not.​

Prior to the bigger bucks offered by the devil’s advocate to our top line and second tier players, it was the game of league that was luring some of Union’s high profile players. “Fairy” is one that stands out. To those of you not familiar with that nickname, it belongs to former Easts, and Souths player, Russell Fairfax. Before he went on to play for and coach the Roosters, “Fairy” was an accomplished Wallaby fullback. He was fast tracked through club and school rugby to represent the Sydney side against Scotland when he was just 17 years old. Today, Fairfax is still regarded as one of the best fullbacks ever to play for Easts.



Fairfax isn’t the only one to excel on league’s hallowed fields. Perhaps the most successful convert has been Michael O’Connor. O’Connor was a solid Wallaby squad member before converting. He then went on to realise the potential he possessed, becoming an integral part of the Dragons and Sea Eagles outfits before going on to represent New South Wales in the State of Origin and Australia to finally become a dual international. His goal kicking was just a bonus to what he brought to the table. He was a solid defender; a strong attacker and he had a knack for scoring tries. Fittingly, he holds the record for The Blues in points accumulated (129), tries scored (11) and goals kicked (42) in their history. Who could forget that goal he kicked in the pouring rain at the Sydney Football Stadium in 1991 to win the game and keep the series alive for NSW.



But what about Ricky Stuart? Stuart was a budding young half who had a mountain range of ability to go on to represent the Wallabies. However, he made the switch to league at the end of tour of Argentina without wearing the Wallaby jersey. That was to Canberra’s benefit as he also went on to represent the Kangaroos and win 14 Blues jerseys. He will undoubtedly be remembered for that magnificent try he set up for Mal Meninga on the 1990 ‘Roo tour in the second game. With only a minute left on the clock, he made a break, raced upfield to set up Big Mal and snatch a last gasp win.



And then there is Big Brad Thorn. He switched over to Union after the 2000 Grand Final win for the Broncos. But after representing Australia in league, he decided to perform the sacred Haka for The All Blacks in hope of winning a World Cup. Thorn played for the Canterbury Crusaders whilst in purgatory and played for New Zealand in the 2003 World Cup as a reward for his efforts. But he saw the light and made a much-publicised switch back to the game they play in heaven. Since his return he has been on fire and has won a recall to the mighty Queensland side in the State Of Origin.



There were so many men who made the jump over the pond and land on their feet. Blokes like Tony Melrose, Andrew Leeds, Dick and Ken Thornett, Arthur Summons, Ray “Praying Mantis” Price, John Timu and Rex “The Moose” Mossop. From Wales there was Jonathan Davies who played a season with Canterbury in the early 90’s and more recently, England’s excitement machine, Jason Robinson.



Not everybody who makes the transition is a success. Henry Paul went from a high flying five-eighth for Wigan and Bradford to a lowly ranked centre and fly half in the English Rugby ranks. And the same could be said of John Kirwan. He was a blockbusting winger for the All Blacks who wasn’t able to bring his form over from Union.



Did you give a thought to Wigan’s purchase of Frano Botica? This guy was one of the best goal kicker’s I have seen but he offered me nothing in excitement. What about the Crushers’ signing of Wallaby lock Garrick Morgan? He went down like a lead balloon.



Ability accounts for half of a successful formula. Unless there is dedication and an understanding of each codes nuances, success will be limited to the effort that is applied.

===========================================================​

748 words inc. title


References: "WHATD' YA RECKON" by the late Peter Jackson

Statistics taken from the State of Origin Game 1 handbook.





​

 

[Seano]

Seano takes the ball on the 5th tackle for the Bunnies, and puts a bomb

The Grand Old Lady of Rugby League

Last weekends round of football marked not only the annual return of Rugby League to the Grand Old Lady of Rugby League, the Sydney Cricket Ground, but also the 40th Anniversary of the epic 1965 Grand Final. The Sydney Cricket Ground is steeped in tradition and history, much like the two great clubs who battle there annually, and as such it is important that these fixtures are not lost to the Rugby League community.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the world 40 years ago…Robert Menzies was Prime Minister, 15 cents got you a hell of a lot of lollies, and the Saint George Dragons were the dominant force in Rugby League which was the sport in Australia.

The Saint George Dragons had won 9 straight premierships when the met the baby Bunnies in the 1965 decider at the Grand Old Lady. Now while the Dragons continued their amazing run of titles, the game is remembered not only for the great drama on the field, but also the amazing scenes off it. The crowd figure was officially 78,056 however unofficial estimates indicate that the crowd could have been in excess of 98,000!

Now while the classic scenes of people hanging from the rafters at a jam-packed SCG will never be seen again, there have been some extremely memorable matches between these two proud clubs at the Grand Old Lady. Sit back and enjoy a brief highlights reel of the best of the recent clashes…

Round 4 1999
A crowd of over 15,000 is on hand to witness a great game of Rugby League with Souths running out winners in a tight one 25-24. This game was defined by two spectacular South Sydney tries, firstly, a run by Chris Caruana who swerved and weaved his way over from a scrum in a run that was described as “Churchill-esque”. The second was a try scored by Craig Wing who received a no-look pass from a young Lee Hookey to score in the corner. Both spectacular tries that typified a spectacular game on a wonderful March day.

Round 16 2004
This game will be remembered mainly by Saint George-Illawarra fans for the cracking start that the Dragons made and also the in which they went on with the game. The Dragons laid on 32 unanswered points in the first 25 minutes before closing the game out in convincing fashion 52-18. South Sydney barely had the ball for the first 25 minutes as the Dragons returned to the days of old when they were such a dominant team. This game has been wiped clean from the memory banks of most South Sydney fans, just wish I could find the erase button!

Round 15 2005
This game typified the passion and style of football that the Grand Old Lady exudes. In a tough encountered the Dragons eventually prevailed 28-10 however the score was definitely not a true indication of the game. The game was an arm wrestle in the first half with magic from Dean Young and John Sutton keeping the teams close. Eventually the bigger and more skilful Dragons team overpowered the Rabbitohs, however the 18,334 fans on hand witnessed a great game of footy played with plenty of heart, skill and courage – the attributes on which footy matches the Grand Old Lady were, and still are, based.

We all know what Rugby League is about. Rugby League is all about stirring emotions - Emotions driven by the love of your club, the hatred of others, and the respect that is earned through years of combat. Some Rugby League venues are better suited than others to bring out these emotions and the Grand Old Lady of Rugby League is definitely one of the most nostalgic trips in League. Walking in you gain an understanding of history and passion and you realise that this is what makes the SCG so important to Rugby League.

It is my personal hope that Rugby League never abandons the SCG and I am sure that both South Sydney and the St George-Illawarra Dragons harbour the desire to continue this annual tradition once the Rabbitohs move on to Homebush.

Sources:
www.rl1908.com
www.NRL.com.au
BigLeague

Word Count: 702

 

[[furrycat]]

Furrycat takes a hitup but falls in a pot-hole
Panthers

Don’t play with my head, that’s my special area!

The Jarrad McCracken case has set a dangerous precedent for spear tackles in Rugby League now, with the possibility of any illegitimate tackle being brought to court if a serious injury evolves from it. There’s no question that spear tackles have always been grimaced and frowned upon by the NRL, and hefty suspensions will occur for those who think it is a nice idea to give a friend a spinal operation for Christmas, but is it time that “the grapple” be considered just as bad as the spear tackle?
It has been an overwhelming inclination this season for defending players to “grapple” the head of the attacking player, gaining control and slowing the play of the ball. The weight and force of a player can be controlled by “grappling” the head or neck. The problem here is while one player holds another players head to control him and slow the play down, he is vulnerable to be hit by a Sonny Bill express train at one-hundred kilometres per hour and have serious damage done to him. Why is he vulnerable? Because the player being “grappled” cannot escape and defend himself, and is open to being hit very hard by the opposing players or even have his wallet stolen.
The grapple tackle causes more than just immobility problems, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that grabbing someone by their head or throat leads to a good chance of causing a serious neck or spinal injury. Watching Bulldogs premier league on the weekend, a player grappled Nathan Armit for a period of almost five seconds, the referee standing there thinking about the beach-whale he refers to as “Darling” sitting at home waiting for him. After the supposed tackle was completed, Armit lay on the ground in an enormous amount of pain, clutching at his neck. When Armit was asked by a trainer what was wrong, he replied:
“I cannot feel my back!”

He was taken off the field and rushed straight to hospital, where scans revealed no serious damage but things could have been much worse. The tackle was looked at again, and the official ruling was “We’ve looked at it, and we do not see a problem, it was just bad luck for Nathan”. However, this was not an isolated incident on the weekend.

Nearing the end of the Storm V Panthers match, David Kidwell “grappled” Joel Clinton, fans booing and shouting at the referee to call a penalty. Once Kidwell let go, Clinton had a case of Danny Williams Amnesia and started throwing punches. Shayne “My mummy chooses my clothes for me in the morning” Hayne calmed the fight, only to be approached by Clinton afterwards:
“He had me around my neck ref! He had me the whole time! It was a grapple”

Hayne stood confused, wondering when he was going to drink his juice box and eat his apple, and asked the video referee. Again the final calling was:
”We’re happy with it…”
A conclusion that has set a dangerous standard in the game…

Players come onto the field to play Rugby League, the game they grew up with, the game that they love. If they wanted to wrestle, they would have gone to wrestling class during school with Melbourne… but they didn’t.

The NRL have tried to eliminate “the grapple”, but clearly more needs to be done if they are still occurring every game of the week without any penalty. Dangerous players are being targeted and grappled, and it is only a matter of time before the NRL and offending players are sued yet again for ending the career of a fresh, young prospect. Are we going to wait for a player’s neck to be broken? Or even then, am I going to see Shayne Hayne call a penalty for not playing the ball as the ball carrier lies on the ground with a broken neck

“It was a fair tackle… play the ball”

Players should not be trying to touch the heads of their opponents at all. Every time I see a tackle with facial massages or holding the head, I sit there wondering how much longer it is going to be before someone gets seriously hurt. I don’t just wonder how the player is going to be hurt, I wonder how the game will be hurt financially, and in terms of its image.
“If you like to hurt people’s heads, come to Rugby League…”

749 Words

 

[moonfire]

Moonfire
Posting for Panthers
#4
Word Count: 746
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Controversy Corner

I am a strange man, I have never denied this fact. If a game is hard fought and won by the deserving team you will not find me on the edge of my seat cheering. I am not even one of those pathetic losers who hyperventilate in the forum about how it was a testament to the code of rugby league, I will already be asleep, passed out from boredom or some alcaholic beverage. I did not fall in love with the sport of rugby league, but the entertaining spectacle now known as League.

Before you start throwing what worthless possesions you own at me I urge you to sit and listen to my justification. A game without controversy is like a fish store without fish. I much prefer a team winning despite the penalty count being 12-0 against, or loosing because their player got sent off for smiling at the cheerleaders. Whilst many people tell me these sort of events are killing the game and turning the fans off, I disagree, some of our most memorable games in recent times were plagued by controversy. Thats what makes us watch them over and over again whilst defending our sides position in some 36 page long thread.

Take the opening state of origin match in 2001. In a matter of 30 seconds Gordon Tallis went from a good hard player, to a legend of the game. What did he do? Did he score a try? Did he make an amazing takle into touch? (Well actually he did but for the purpose of my debate we will pretend he played an average boring game) No, he didn't. He became an origin legend when he told a referee with big hair that he was a cheat and was therefore sent off. I was on the edge of my seat cheering, I knew had just witnessed a key moment in league history. Look at last Wendesdays origin game, alreayd the threads sink to page two, gone and lost forever.

Speaking of a referee with large hair who can forget that classic Parramatta game. Never before have I seen so many players sent from the field in any one match. I have since gone back and played a rather successful drinking game based upon this match. This game will stick in your memory for years to come, be answers in a trivia question everyone knows. Now in all honesty, who remembers if the eels won in Round 17 2003? I don't, which perhaps is a good thing for Parramatta fans! (And I mean perhaps)

Let us not forget the Cowboys vs Warriors 2000 battle. I can't even remember who won but I know for sure those cheerleaders remember that game well. Cartoons were everywhere, little boys were watching the replay footage pretending to be watching the fight and not the mini skirted teenager falling head over heels. I will always remember that game, and if you remember it from the amateurish description i just gave, I rest my case.

Think about it people. Controversy is what fuels our game, it isn't what kills it. The sport was established upon the basis of controversy. Working class men going against the moral establishment and allowing themselves to be compensated for loss of earnings. This was extreemly controversal in tis day, and whilst nolonger considered controversial Dally Messengers conversion to League is still highlighted as one of the most important moments ever in the history of Rugby League.

Two weeks ago my team was the victim of controversy. The Video ref finally listened the those evil voices inside his head and gave in to the union trend of awarding poenalty tries. Unlike most fans I did not rise out of my seat to cheer in anger, I rose in excitment. I knew I was seeing a freak incident which would result in alot of debate, arguements, and would not be witnessed for years to come. When people comment on controversy and its relation to penalty tries, that match will be remembered along side the 1999 Grand Final. Too bad we won, it would of made the game so much better.

So my friends you see, Rugby League is not best viewed in relation with those pathetic values of fair player and hard faught wins. Those are the believes of little cry babies whose parents didn't hug them enough as children. A game needs a flop, a send off, a punch up, or something a little unique in order to truely make Rugby League, the best sport of all.

 

[Big Mick]

SUBSTITUTION DUE TO LEAGUENUT NOT BEING AVAILABLE

Big Mick for Maelgwnau

 

[Big Mick]

The debutant



There was movement at the stadium, for the word had passed around

That a young brash kiwi rookie, had wandered our way

He had skill and dash, St. Helens wanted him for 300,000 pound

He was touted as the best, by far for many a day

All the experienced players from interstate and locally

Had gathered at Telstra Stadium one Sunday night

And the fans turned out and supported Sonny vocally

What a spectacle, What a sight



There was Pricey, who made a bundle when the jackpot came his way

Few could run beside Willie, when his ADHD had flared up

But on this night in October, the tablets did fade away

Sonny of the extra 20% vowed to lift the cup

A class above the other players, who graced the dewy green

His shoulder charges broke barriers, opponents held back

He was the best player, the world has ever seen

His attitude proved, that he was leader of the pack



In his junior days, a lanky and skinny beast,

He was something of a first-grader undersized

With a touch of Kiwi passion – a champion, none the least

The 2004 premiership trophy, his prize

He was tough as nails and never said die

For only 18, his courage set the trend

And he wore the bulldog badge with pride and fire in his eye

In the opposing players he made no friends



Still so young and green, one would doubt his ability to play

One old talent scout said “He’ll never get to first grade”

So he served his apprenticeship, and fought his way

“I’ll win a premiership and show you how champions are made”

Folkesy said “Despite rival offers, he’s a bulldog till the end”

For both Sonny and the Bulldogs it would be a dream come true

The vowed stick together and in turn set the trend

A premiership their goal, a few they want to accrue



“He hails from the long white cloud, up Northern Side,

Where players are bred twice as tough and rough

He vowed as a young man to turn the tide

To prove his skill’s were good enough

I have seen many rookies since I’ve first watched football

But nowhere yet such a player have I seen

A player who stood up to experience and had the gall

To be the best and wipe these players clean



Then fast the players followed, to help claim his first crown

Echoed to the thunder of the crowds roar

The players screamed encouragement to make the opposition frown

Sonny was charging at them, as if like a wild boar

The forwards charging upward and upward Sonny led the way

Where the Roosters tried to break through out wide

Folksey mutters “We have got them I think today

No one can hold on to Sonny from their side”



When they reached the fulltime whistle, even Sonny shed a tear

It well might make the boldest hold their breath

The players emotions began to overflow, an end to another year

The Roosters buried in holes, another premiership death

But the Sonny Bill Williams rode the bulldogs to the head

And he lifted that premiership trophy and gave a cheer

And he raced down to his team and gave him instant cred

While the Roosters sat back and watched in fear



His team-mates lifted him high in the air, but his lifters kept their feet

He cleared the podium of the trophy presentation in his stride

And the Sonny from New Zealand never shifted his seat

It was great to see a player with such pride

Through the junior years, sharp and unforgiving,

Who would have through this debutant could compete at this level

While the impatient crowd were not so forgiving

As the players let him down he went and received his medal



This debutant, as hard and fast as they could raise

His muscles, talent and shoulder keep him way up high

Where the air is clear as crystal, and the sponsorship fairly blaze

In that Chilly October night, the stars light the sky

And the combatants on that day live to tell the story

Of the debutant named Sonny, who rose to light the day



701 words


FROM THE WORDS OF THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER

 

[[furrycat]]

Great game here folkes. 5 Vs 5!

 

[[furrycat]]

 

[Big Mick]

Furry The Clock!

 

[Big Mick]

Well....I don't have a good feeling. LMAO!.

Basically because if we win its a massive rap to the players that scrapped home in the last hour and to Az and Leaguenut who went great guns.

Well done to both sides.

May the best team win.

 

[[furrycat]]