Round 8 (2005) Panthers Vs Raiders

[roosterboy60]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Penrith Panthers v Canberra Raiders[/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 6th July at 9pm (Syd time)[/font]

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

Crowd: 12570
REFEREE: Rabs[/font]

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

 

[Raider_69]

Raider_69 (c)
Thickos
Greeneyed
Schifty
TiTTies

Skeepe
Raider_Azz

 

[Big Mick]

1) Leaguenut
2) Azkatro
3) Maelgwnau
4) Paul-The-Cowboy
5) [Furrycat]

6) Big Mick c
7) Panterz9103
8) BrentWebbs#1Fan

 

[Raider_69]

Captain Raider_69 takes a hit bursts straight throw the Panthers defence, he comes to the fullback and pops a beautiful ball to support player...
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The Enigma

In this great game of rugby league, much has changed over the past 98 odd years of competition. The code has reached new levels of professionalism for players and clubs alike. Initiatives such as golden point and the video referee have been implemented and of course the competition has expanded nationally and to New Zealand.

With these changes has come greater emphasis on the young rookie players. Clubs are nurturing talent from a younger age in the hope of breeding the ultimate player and the premierships that come with that. Every year clubs aim to make their players bigger, fitter, stronger, faster and ultimately better.

The emergence of young superstars such as Sonny Bill Williams, Anthony Topou and Anthony Watmough has only encouraged such thinking. But in a game as fast paced and frantic as league, is there too much emphasis placed on the young superstar? Do we sometimes we forget the value of a cool, calm and collected old head? A man that doesn’t play the game at the pace that’s set but rather a man that sets his own pace.

This season at the Canberra Raiders we have seen the re-emergence of an enigma. The man concerned is none other than Raiders five eighth and veteran of 16 years of top grade Rugby League - Jason Smith.

Much was made of the 34 year-old, former Australian and Queensland representative, fresh from a four year stint in England. Armed with a husky voice and injury issues, very few were of the opinion that he could cut it, including many Raiders' fans.

I could sit here all day and type of quote after quote - some of them from none other than myself - about possible problems with this signing. But the general consensus was that Jason Smith was too old, too slow and too injury prone to cut it in the NRL.

Put bluntly he was "a has been". People questioned whether a Raiders team with him in the halves could even muster a win. Ironically, after an injury to Smith, the Raiders slumped to five losses in a row and now people say we can’t win without him. But then who could argue, when the 34 year old returned from injury and single handedly snapped the string of losses?

Smith had a chorus of critics and doubters. But he silenced those critics early on with several sublime performances, most notably against the Roosters in Round 5 and the then resurgent Rabbitohs in Round 3, leading the Raiders to an unbeaten five game stretch to start the season and a joint lead of the competition.

Nevertheless, the question remained: why was Jason Smith such success after a four year stint in England? As stated earlier, Jason Smith is an anomaly, a rare breed of player who doesn’t have to adjust to the rapid pace and rigours of your average NRL game. Rather, he sets his own pace. He can simply potter along at his own leisurely speed (often likened to a snail's pace), often touching the ball only a few times per set of six.

But in the limited time he does have the ball in hand, he makes it count. Like a game of poker, he moves slowly, plays concisely and is always thinking a few moves ahead. Often it seems like Jason Smith isn't making anything happen. He pokes, he prods and he takes his time doing it. Like any good poker player he sets the trap and just as quickly as the opposition fall into the trap, the wise old owl springs into action and makes them pay.

He is patient, so much so, he forces the hand of the defence. And when they make a mistake, he has the skills and ability to capitalise. He may be slower but it’s that exact trait that sets the trap for the opposition.

He is an enigma, like no other player in the world today. As the old saying goes “slow and steady wins the race” - and as Jason Smith has shown this year one that is still true in today’s faster paced game. And perhaps sometimes in this fast paced, high intensity game we all love called rugby league, we forget the value of the experienced old timer. Far too many good players head down the path of early retirement. Let’s hope that the timely return of the enigma known as Jason Smith goes some way to reversing such a trend.

Word Count: 747

 

[Stelios Giannakopoulos]

in #7 who Schifty takes the pass right on his chest and sprints 30m to score under the posts
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New Innovations for Channel 9’s NRL Coverage
​

From the people who brought you Sky Cam comes a new list of innovations that Channel 9 are eager to try out. These ideas are aimed at making the telecast more enjoyable for the viewers at home.

1) Ball Cam

Just imagine the incredible fast pace spinning angles that Ball Cam could give us. It gives us a whole new way of looking at the game and is sure to give people headaches if watched for more than 5 minutes - but that still beats listening to Gus Gould whinge and whine for 2 hours.

2) Player microphones

With the relatively new concept of player cam where one player is followed by a Camera for the entire first half, why not take it one step further and attach a small microphone to him, this was we have the audio to go with the player cam, we could also switch to live player audio to see just what is on his mind.

3) Double Speed

This is a concept that can only really work on delayed matches. But the simple idea is that viewers who have a digital set top box have the ability to watch a match in double speed if they are getting bored or they don’t want to see a side running it out of their own 10 metre line. As it won’t take as long for people to watch a match, they will have time to watch double the usual number of games. The other big advantage is that viewers will be able to quickly skip through the video ref's 19 replay angles when it is a clear try.

4) On field Interviews

We already have Matty Johns interviewing coaches on the sidelines just before half time. So why not take it a step further? If there is only a few minutes to go, what better way is there to get an insight on the match than interviewing one of the teams' captains. Preferably, the interviewing should only take place when the relevant captain's side is on the attack. If for some reason the captain is on the sideline, then interview the vice captain. If for some incredible reason you have no idea who the captain is (like the Tigers versus Raiders match with Woolford, Croker, and Schifcofske missing, and then stand-in captain Jason Smith replaced) the reporter should do a random on field interview. This is what footy is about, unpredictability.

5) Gus Gould Decoy Cam

Instead of having Gus Gould rambling on in the commentary box all match, we can get rid of him by sending him on a mission with his own cameraman. The catch is the camera will be in no way connected or even turned on. Under this concept, Andrew Voss could tell Gus at half time to go wait outside the Roosters' dressing room and get an exclusive live interview with Ricky Stuart. Then he can tell him it would be a good idea to wait outside the dressing room and get an interview when the players run back out. The benefit for viewers is a whole lot less Gus. And Gus is unlikely to ever watch the tape of Friday Night Footy, and there's little risk anyone would tell him that he hasn’t actually been on.

6) International Commentary Mode

When you are watching a game where you don’t really care about the result, and the match is 34-0 at half time, things tend to get a little boring. This is when International Commentary comes into the equation. How interesting would it be to watch the game with a passionate Brazilian commentator at the helm, or a crazy Spaniard or even a drunk Irishman? International commentary could produce great humour and we would be expanding the game internationally. If this works, we could introduce Celebrity Commentary. Wouldn’t you just love to see someone like John Howard or Arnold Schwarzenegger calling our wonderful game?

These ideas will open up a whole new dimension of rugby league on TV. It will finally give the viewers - hard done by with FTA coverage over the past few years - something in return. And there are even financial benefits. Rugby union will be sure to want to steal the concepts, seeing as they already steal our players. We could easily sell the concepts to them for a heavily marked up price and pump that money back into the game.
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749 words- between the lines

 

[thickos]

The big Panthers forwards run at diminutive thickos time and time again - but he tackles himself to a standstill, hopefully inspiring his team-mates around him...


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A Sticky Situation

For the most part, Ricky Stuart has led a charmed life in rugby league. As a player he dominated at the highest level, winning premierships, State of Origin series and representing his country. He revolutionised the game with his kicking prowess and for the most part was the most influential figure of a champion Raiders side that dominated the early nineties.

With his tactical nous and drive for success, there was never any doubt that ‘Sticky’ would make the transition to first grade coach. After taking the Jersey Flegg Bulldogs outfit to the title at his first attempt, he quickly made the transition to one of the toughest gigs in the league – the success starved Roosters, jam-packed with internationals but no trophies to be seen. Once again, Ricky delivered. Employing a brutal ‘umbrella’ defence and turning gun youngsters such as Minichiello, Flannery and Crocker into internationals, the Roosters claimed their first title in 27 years. After one season at the helm, Ricky had become a Roosters legend.

The stage was set for the next great rugby league dynasty to begin, however fate – and other teams – had other ideas. Narrow losses to Penrith and the Bulldogs in the past two grand finals have made it a case of ‘what might have been’ for many Roosters supporters – however four grand finals and two premierships in his first four years of coaching is an impressive record to say the least.

But how much of that record is due to the man himself? This year we find the Roosters in somewhat of an unfamiliar situation – in a scrap for a semi-final berth. After years of coasting to the top four, suddenly life has become a bit more difficult out Bondi way. The team is still loaded with superstars and has plenty of emerging talent – so what’s wrong in 2005?

Quite simply, the absence of Brad Fittler is hurting the team more than they would ever admit. While Craig Wing is an excellent utility and Jamie Soward is one of the hottest young prospects in the game, they have lost a swag of close games this season and are clearly missing ‘Freddy’ and his ability to make a crucial play when the game is in the balance. Likely to become one of the immortals of the game, there is no easy way to replace Fittler. But has Stuart made a hash of it?

After a decade of stability, the Roosters have been beset with problems in the halves. With injury to Brett Finch in the pre-season, Brett Firman was thrust into the hot-seat and after two games was punted, despite not doing too much wrong. ‘Firmo’ is now on his way to sunny Townsville to further his career, while in the mean-time Wing, Amos Roberts and Soward have all played five-eighth for the tri-colours. No matter who is playing there, consistency in the halves is a key to a stable, performing team – making this a most ‘un-Ricky-like’ season so far.

The role of Phil Gould and Graham Murray cannot be under-estimated in the success of the Roosters over the past five years. Gould was the major architect in getting a proven match-winner like Fittler to the club, helping shake the ‘transit lounge’ tag and returning the club to the winners’ circle. Murray took the club one step further when in charge – a grand final berth in 2000 and blooding the next generation of superstars such as Minichiello and Flannery, establishing a core group of young players to take the club well into the future.

So did Ricky ride on the coat-tails of his predecessors? There is no doubt he has brought many of his own ideas to the club, and the ruthlessness and professionalism he demands has brought the best out of many players. However being handed a champion team certainly makes your induction to coaching significantly easier. Overcoming the loss of Fittler represents the first major crisis in Stuart’s coaching career, and conquering it (or failing to) will define his coaching career to date.

Many Raiders fans see Ricky, an old Canberra boy, as the ideal man to take the Green Machine back to the top, replicating his Roosters success. But would this be even possible, considering the gulf in player talent between the clubs? Somehow I doubt it. Despite his talents as a top young coach, there is plenty more work to be done before Ricky joins the elite coaching ranks. Overcoming this first hurdle is his first step.

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Word count: 749

 

[greeneyed]

“…. But what a magnificent celebration of rugby we have seen….”

How many times did we hear that phrase during the last Rugby World Cup?…… that is the Rugby Union World Cup?

Every time that Namibia or Japan or some such side were defeated by 50 or 100 points by Canada or a second string Australian side.

The union journalists would all say, “Well they may have been beaten by 73, but what a magnificent celebration of rugby we have seen this afternoon. It was terrific. So heartening to see those players out on the same field as the likes of Steve Larkham. It will be something those players never forget. What a thrill for them! They’ll be able to tell their grandchildren! And the crowd loved it, it was like a picnic atmosphere……..”

Then they boast, how “rugby” is such a magnificent international sport, only slightly surpassed by the World Cup in soccer. And then always, they mention how international rugby union is far superior to international rugby league.

I was reminded of the last “Rugby World Cup” as the union “international season” kicked off recently. The scores from one weekend of international union included:

Wales 60 d Canada 3
South Africa 134 d Uruguay 3
Australia 74 d Samoa 7
New Zealand 91 d Fiji 0

Uruguay reportedly kicked their only penalty goal when they were trailing by over 40 points! And in the closest international that weekend, Ireland defeated Japan 44-12, with Japan scoring three exciting penalty goals!

Yet the crowds still turned up in tens of thousands to see Australia defeat Samoa in another magnificent celebration of rugby.

How does the rugby union pull this off?

The only negative comment I can recall seeing in the media about that weekend of sport was from David Campese. He called it something like the worst ever weekend of international rugby. But he was the only critic from within the “rugby family”. No doubt, everyone thought: “There he goes again, just whinging as usual…” and promptly ignored him. The rest glowingly wrote about the events in the usual terms.

Contrast this situation with what happens when Australia defeats Great Britain or New Zealand in rugby league. Our own expert rugby league journalists scream “international rugby league is dead”. Our club officials scream “international rugby league is played too often… exhausts our players…leads to unnecessary injuries”. Everyone screams “why do we play the ANZAC Test?” “Why should we play the Tri Series every year?”

International rugby league can be a fantastic experience.

I think back to 24 October 1992. It was the Rugby League World Cup final at Wembley Stadium between Australia and Great Britain, the culmination of four years of matches. My first time in the old stadium with 75,000 others. The feeling at the ground as the teams walked out… I had goose bumps hearing “Jerusalem” and “Land of Hope and Glory”. It was like nothing I had experienced before. It was an intensely exciting, close match, with Australia saved by a miracle try to Steve Renouf. At the end it was 10-6 to Australia, and as we streamed out of the ground, the few groups of Australian supporters were singing “One Stevie Renouf…. there’s only one Stevie Renouf.”

Two years later I was back at Wembley with another huge crowd. Another close match, but the end was not so good for Australia. Britain defeated the Kangaroos 8-4. The British supporters went completely wild, the British team went completely wild. Martin Offiah did cartwheels. The 1994 series would not end well for them, but what a day to be a British league supporter!

So how does union do it?

It is only played at any strength in Great Britain, France, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only five teams would have any genuine chance of winning a World Cup in union. Hardly more than in rugby league.

But you have to give it to them. They have promoted their international game assiduously and built it. They play regularly. They draw on history and the “rugby community” at the grass roots level. They have built up corporate support to an exceptional level.

In league, we must play regularly and build up new traditions – the ANZAC Test and the Tri Series. We have to tap into the proud history of international rugby league in promoting the game. We have to produce the sorts of emotions produced at Wembley a decade ago. We can do it too, if we want.

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749 words including title

 

[maelgwnau]

Maelgwnau Scores from Dummy Half to get Penrith back in the game.​

A BREAK IN ​

HISTORY​

He Is best known as the man who smashed South Sydney prop John Sattler's jaw in the brutal 1970 grand final, but former Manly forward John Bucknall has finally found peace.​

John Bucknall was a product of violent times in rugby league and after being a pronator of one of the game's most brutal chapters he turned to religion, peace, goodwill and virtual seclusion for six long years. The irony of it all still has some of his veteran Manly team-mates in a state of near disbelief.

The infamous 1970 grand final between Manly and South Sydney will forever be remembered for the images of John Sattler being chaired from the field by victorious team-mates with his bloodied face and his jaw lopsided after John 'Sleepy' Bucknall smashed it in three places.

They were rugged times when players often took the law into their own hands, and rarely were there send-offs in grand finals, let alone the video review panel. It was the way, the Manly boys claimed. Sattler and his ferocious pack of Rabbitoh forwards had operated on so many occasions.

The South Sydney pack not only carried Sattler for much of the match, they sought retribution. The Rabbitoh forwards battered Bucknall until, nearing half-time, he could take no more part in the football "war".

Sattler and his South Sydney team-mates never forgave or forgot. For years they spoke about how they want revenge on Bucknall and that when they face him, they will return the favour with interest. Sattler is now a successful businessman and publican in Brisbane, as well as a devoted father to another grand final legend Scott, but he can still remember the incident as if it happened yesterday.

"Yes he certainly got me a good one," Sattler said. "I knew I was in awful trouble, but I stayed on.
"Shortly after that, Ray Branighan scored a try and I saw Bucknall go down the in-goal complaining about his shoulder to [Manly Captain] Fred Jones.

"He came off shortly after. Bobby McCarthy had got him with an absolute Snorter." Bucknall was no superstar and Sattler was a legendary enforcer who stood over opposing packs as South Sydney won four premierships in five seasons between 1967 and 1971. But on that infamous Grand Final day John Bucknall set the awful task of assigning himself on a personal mission to stop the great South Sydney enforcer and help Manly to win the grand final against all odds.
Bucknall had been in plenty of losing games against South Sydney and watched team-mates, big Bill Hamilton and Fred Jones, cop regular 'muggings' from the imposing South Sydney pack. They also told the story of a young prop that played his debut first grade match against South Sydney and never played top grade again as he was battered so heavily.

However, Manly later brought the players who had similar ruthless dispositions. When finals football was played, it was an unwritten law that it was near impossible to be sent off. Wily secretary Ken Arthurson brought Great Britain's Malcom Reilly and Sattler's front row partner John O'Neil and back-rower Bob Moses. These three together were quite ferocious and to be feared by all, except of course South Sydney.

Reilly was one Manly player who certainly squared up with South Sydney when he took out two star forwards in the elimination final. Bucknall was never in that league - but he played two grand finals on the same day in 1973 (reserve grade and first grade) and was an integral part of the 1970 infamy. Why he disappeared into obscurity nobody ever really understood.

Bucknall simply walked away from the game, his football mates and long term relationships and travelled to India to live and study yoga. For seven years he lived the Hindu lifestyle. And even now, Bucknall, who lives at Mangrove Mountain on the NSW Central Coast, remains private and introverted.
"Religion? I'm nondescript," he says. "But for some years I studied yoga - the Hindu philosophy involving the human soul and the universal spirit.

"Friend, all roads lead to God. India is place of great diversity and extremes".

While John Bucknall may not be remembered as a great footballer, he has now more than adequately now redeemed himself and become a much better man, since he abandoned rugby league, on his spiritual pilgrimage, and for that action, the man must be respected.

WORDS: 737

 

[[furrycat]]

[furrycat] takes a hit-up for the Panthers; He stands up the play the ball, only realising his forgot to put his pants on before the game.
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Murphy’s Law, or Bulldogs scripting?



The concept of Murphy’s Law can be simply summed up as “anything that can go wrong, eventually goes wrong”. For season 2005, the only thing that has not gone wrong for The Bulldogs is that they haven’t accidentally gone to the wrong stadium to play their weekly match (Touch wood…)



In the pre-season, Willie mason twisted his ankle on the synthetic turf in the USA, ruling the international superstar out until late June.

Result: The Bulldogs ‘the force to be reckoned with in 2005’ – Paul Kent, The Sunday Telegraph.



In Round 1, everyone was given a glimpse of how strong the Bulldogs were actually going to be in 2005, with Sonny Bill Williams orchestrating an astonishing win over the Dragons. However the ‘anything that can go wrong’ went wrong, with Sonny Bill limping off the field in the 31st minute, resembling an injured racehorse. The crowd’s silence was eerie as Williams limped up the tunnel. Luckily for him, the shotgun was reserved for another day.

Result: Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof!



March 11th, coaches looked on in horror, asking themselves how they can achieve the impossible…

”How can we beat the Canterbury Bulldogs? A big stick?”



Sixteen Rounds later, every Rugby League supporter, coach and players will look back on that round, and rather than ask each other the unmistakably out-dated question, the more obvious observation is stated:

”Round 1 was the beginning of a down-hill run for The Bulldogs”



The $400,000 a year phenomenon Sonny Bill Williams has earned his pay-check this season, with ‘the anything that can go wrong’ displaying its ugly head yet again, with Williams ruled out for 8 weeks in Round 4. It didn’t stop there… The Bulldogs forward was muzzled, and placed in his kennel yet again in his comeback game after one hit-up, forcing him to sit out for another 8 weeks with a disparate injury.

Result: Can the Dogs make the eight without their prodigy?



“Sure they can. After all, the definition of a team is a group of people working together to achieve a goal.” – This is what every Bulldogs fan, including myself, has been saying to keep positive. ”He’s just one player!” ”As long as the senior players set up, we’ll be fine”. But Murphy’s Law was having too much fun to stop now, it continued to probe deeply into the Bulldogs line-up, wreaking havoc in the back-line and the forward pack.



During City-Country, Reni Maitua was ruled out for almost the rest of the season with an ankle injury. In round 9, Willie Tonga suffered a knee injury and Ben Harris announced he was moving to England so his wife could be closer to her family (Insert a whip cracking sound). The casualty list continued to grow, and the Bulldogs were forced to promote several Jersey Flegg players to Premier League, and Premier League players to first-grade to replace the injured stars. By round 12, The Bulldogs had used 28 players in first-grade.

Result: The Dogs need to switch on if they want to get to the finals



Round 17, and the fans began to see remote glimpses of how good their side really is. The Bulldogs were just one point out of the Top 8 and were looking like finishing strong… until the Melbourne Storm rained on their parade, with Roy Asotasi suffering a serious hand injury. There is no doubt that Asotasi’s injury will affect The Bulldogs’ chances of making the finals, as he has been their most outstanding player of 2005. But of course, the fans are all saying ’When we get our stars back, we’ll make the finals and win it again”. But a much bigger problem lies on the horizon for The Bulldogs… with Brent Sherwin low on confidence and in incredibly poor form, combined with the fact that Braith Anasta will leave the club next year, The Bulldogs face the possibility of having an extremely weak halves amalgamation for 2006. Unfortunately ”We’ll be the best… when we get our stars back!” wont work in this situation, unless Mason learns to play five-eighth, and Sonny Bill can stop doing Pepsi advertisements and learn to play halfback.



The fairy-tale script for The Bulldogs has been transformed into a horror tale filled with blood-shed and tears, thanks to Murphy’s Law. What lies ahead for The Bulldogs? Will the ‘anything that can go wrong’ continue to ‘eventually go wrong’?

Final Result: Who knocked the Dogs out? Murphy… Murphy… Murphy’s Law!



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750 Words


References:
http://www.injuryupdate.com.au/injuries.php?sport=NRL
http://www.bulldogs.com.au
http://www.nospam25.com.au
http://www.dogleague.com.au

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

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League journalist goes AWOL
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by AZKATRO
July 5, 2005

Daily Telegraph reporter Rebecca Wilson has
walked away from her job during one of the busiest
periods of the rugby league season.

Readers of her column in Sunday's edition of the popular
Sydney newspaper were stunned to instead find tidbits
written credited to colleague Adam Hawse.

At the bottom of the page was a vague comment
indicating that Wilson is on leave. No further information
was available.

In a desperate attempt to determine more detail
regarding her wherabouts, one reader - who did not
wish to be named - sent an email asking where she had
gone and when she will be returning. In a bizarre twist,
the email was returned by a News Limited mailserver -
ambiguously suggesting that relaying of the email to
Wilson's inbox was “not allowed”.

The reader also lamented that he was unable to
contact her by phone. He still has no clue as to her
location or when she'll be back doing her job.

With the NRL's transfer deadline having passed last
Friday, many readers will be desperate to know Wilson's
gossip on players being courted by various clubs. There
is also considerable interest in this week's Origin
decider.

“I'm dying to know what Rebecca thinks about Billy
Slater getting dropped for Queensland,” said the reader.

“I've seen a few articles saying he might be
disappointed, but they don't know for sure. I always
rely on her to tell me what's really going on in the
game.

“I can't believe she's done this. Gallavanting about the
place when fans like me need to know what's going on.”

Wilson's mysterious and sudden departure is sure to
come under heavy criticism.

Almost a month ago, fellow Daily Telegraph writer Phil
Rothfield slammed Bulldogs boss Malcolm Noad for
taking holidays during an important time of year on the
rugby league calendar.

He claimed that Noad “[had] not even bothered to have
his mobile phone diverted or use an international sim
card so he can be contacted”.

By comparison, Wilson has not provided any means of
contact whatsoever for her readers, including email.

“I don't get the email thing,” said the reader. “She says
she gets emails from readers but I tried and couldn't
get through. Maybe she got it blocked off so she can
have a holiday.”

The lack of ability to reach her by email is considered
highly unusual.

In an article by Dean Ritchie in May, Wilson defended
her comments on the Bulldogs Coffs Harbour scandal.
She was reported as saying “I have since received
dozens of emails from readers, with about 80 percent
expressing their support for what I wrote,” indicating
that she regularly receives emails from her readers.

In a modern office environment, email accounts are
typically configured to respond automatically while a
person is on leave. The response provides details on
where the person is and when they will be back.
However, Wilson's email reply contains no such
information.

“Nah, it just has a bit of rubbish about can't relay or
something. You know when you get the address wrong
and it comes back telling you you're a drongo,” said the
reader. When asked if he double checked the address,
he said “I'm sure I got it right this time, I double
checked it.”

Steven Williams, a director for popular rugby league
website League Unlimited, agreed that it is a busy time
of year for the sport.

“In a nutshell, its flat out at the moment,” he said.

He also suggests that rugby league may be
experiencing a recent boost in interest overall.

“Offcourse [sic] Origin and the player movements keep
us busy but the site is growing at rapid rate.

“Not to forget the seemingly never-ending technical
considerations (we made the committment [sic] to
purchase two new servers last year).”

The anonymous reader said that while he is
disappointed over Wilson's unexplained absence, he will
probably read her column again when she returns.

“I am upset, but I'll still probably read [the column]
when it's back.

“It's just going to be a tough week for me. I usually
rely on her to form the basis of my opinions with the
guys at work.

“Yesterday one bloke asked me what I thought about
some TBA thing. I didn't even know what he was on
about, I just pretended I could hear my phone and got
out of there.

“At least when she comes back, I'll be able to form an
opinion again.”

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747 words. Liftoff!

 

[TiTTieS_[CNTDN]]

Making the final run for the Raiders, TiTTieS powers ahead for the try line.

______________________________________________________________

The Pressures on Modern Day Referees.

It is not easy to be a good referee, let alone a referee at all. It is a difficult job for junior referees who dedicate their Saturday mornings to refereeing a game or two of local under 9’s. If it is a difficult job to be a referee on the local scene, imagine how hard it must be for the likes of the Tim Manders, Sean Hampsteads and Jason Robinsons. While Jason Robinson is being touted as the next great referee, Tim Mander and Sean Hampstead, among others, both have numerous seasons under their belts. Still, this experience and skill can count for very little when we take into account the pressures on our modern day referees.

I’m under no illusions that the referee is a vitally important factor in the result of a game. Even in a game where one side has triumphed 48-12, the referee has had a significant bearing on the result. If he lets the game flow but pulls up play when necessary, then we can say that the victors deserved the 36 point win. There can be no doubt that the result is true and fair. If, on the other hand, the referee has a bad game in charge, it is very much a possibility that the result could have been much closer and may have even gone the other way, if only just. It is not inconceivable that the score in the 58th minute is 24-12 with the score ending up at 48-12. The losing side was, most likely, still in the game at 24-12 as it only needed to score two converted tries with at least 22 minutes left to play. If they get back to level, field goals or even golden point come into play. Enter the referee with a bad decision – one that goes against the losing team. One minute later the leading team scores under the post to all but blow the lead out to three converted tries. Game over? Not quite, but it will be difficult for a team to score three converted tries in just over twenty minutes.

While one decision can have a very big bearing on the result of the game 22 minutes from fulltime, it can have an even bigger bearing when it is five minutes from full time. If a team is leading by 4 points with five to go and pressing hard for a match sealing try in the opposition’s red zone, it can be an extremely hard period for the defence, but more importantly, the referee. A defender rakes the ball – or at least it looks that way – and the referee blows a dubious penalty. Up steps Hazem El Masri or Brett Hodgson and the game is all but sealed. Even in the unlikely event of the attempt going wide, it is likely to at least earn the opposition a drop out from their twenty metre line. We are probably now in the 77th or 78th minute – 79th by the time the ensuing set is complete. A field goal is lined up to either seal the game or eat away a little more time – giving the opposition roughly sixty seconds to win with a converted try.

It is not just the pressure to have no negative influence on the game that exerts a lot of pressure on referees; the crowd can really eat away at the referee’s nerves. I have refereed a game in front of a smallish crowd of no more than fifty – but it didn’t feel that way. It was hard not to concentrate more on their scrutiny than the game at hand. The crowd can – and does – have a very significant influence on the referee if he lets it – and it is a very easy thing to allow. The hometown hero, as he is often called, is the sort of referee who you will sometimes find has been responsible for a score line like 48-12. This is highly likely to happen when a team concedes a string of penalties early in the game. Come the 70th minute, the score may be 36-0 with both teams scoring two converted tries in the final ten minutes. So where do these penalties come from? It varies, but the penalties that are marginal may go the way of the home side because the referee wants to avoid a potential incident like that which happened to Jason Robinson in round three this year. And who can blame him?

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750 Words between the lines.

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

Penrith Panthers #4 Paul-The-Cowboy
749 words (inc title)

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Magic Moments

Isn’t it great in life when during the course of a day, you are unexpectedly reminded of beautiful memories from days gone by? Memories that you haven’t really thought about for a long time. Memories that may not have taken place all that long ago. But memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.

With the day off work, and the English Summer conditions of cold, rain and darkness outside, I was killing time this afternoon flicking through the sports channels, when much to my amazement and naturally, excitement, I came across a 15 minute rugby league special on the World Club Championship 2001 game.

It was held at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton and the weather was cold and damp, except a bit more colder, with it being Winter and not Summer. The previous year, Melbourne Storm had embarrassed St Helens in an exhibition of how rugby league should be played. This year, the Brisbane Broncos had made the trip to the North West of England.

I wasn’t expecting a win. I just wanted the boys to show pride in their jersey and to make a game of it. The thrill of seeing heroes such as Lockyer and Tallis in the flesh was a big enough buzz for me. With the previous years’ defeat fresh in my mind, I was pessimistic about our chances, even though the Broncos side had made a lot of changes in the off season, with the arrival of the likes of Scott Prince.

As the game started, David Fairleigh was debuting in what would be a season that would make him the talk of the town for years to come. He added a bit of beef and experience to a side that had players such as Sculthorpe, Long and Cunningham playing in their prime, and exciting youngsters entering their prime in Wellens, Jonkers and Stankevitch.

The hosts battled well and were matching the Broncos, but went down 18-6 early in the second half. This was not the floodgates about to open or the beginning of the end of St Helens’ challenge though.

Sean Long hit back for the Saints to bring them back to within one converted try. Then Newlove skipped away to put Joynt in right next to the posts. As Tallis flopped on late, you could sense that the Saints had a sniff of victory and the Broncos were looking extremely worried.

As Long, lined up the conversion, a gift from the Gods came down on to the Reebok Stadium. It’s not very often that an Englishman is thankful for such foul weather, but on this night he most certainly was. The Broncos looked up to the skies in bemusement, trying to work out whether it was snow, rain, or hail that was hammering them. Sean Long looked up to the skies with them and allowed a wry smile. The sleet intensified, along with the chants and roars of the crowd, as Long levelled the scores. The Broncos were not only looking worried but also very uncomfortable with these alien surroundings.

Once the Saints got back down into Brisbane territory, there was no doubting where the trophy would be going, as Sculthorpe knocked over two field goals. The honour of being world champions was going to a small, northern, industrial town with a population a tenth of the size of Brisbane’s. It was a fairytale evening.

Many heroes came out of that night. Full-back, Paul Wellens, who played with a broken cheekbone and could only see out of one eye. Chris Joynt, in the second row, who had guided Saints to every trophy in the English game under his reign as captain and scored the crucial try. Sean Long and Tommy Martyn in the halves, for their kicking game and cool heads. And the coolest head of them all, Paul Sculthorpe, with the decisive field goals. In fact, every player from 1-17 was a hero.

And another surprising and unsung hero….the weather.

I’ve been cursing the weather all week, especially today, in typical whinging Pom style. But as I looked outside at the rain, storms, darkness and out of season chilliness, I smiled up at the cloud filled skies like Sean Long did as he lined up his kick, and remembered the gift those clouds gave us Englishmen on that glorious evening. The gift of sleet had helped guide the Saints home and gave all us whinging Poms something to smile and rejoice about for years to come.

 

[LeagueNut]

1) LeagueNut (Panthers)

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The Magic Wand

The June 30 meat-market is upon us, and transfers are being swiftly completed. Clubs are racing to get themselves a slice of the Talent Pie before all the best bits are gone – and shortly there will only be crumbs and lumpy pieces of questionable taste left on the shelf.

Throughout this annual frenzy, there are some common-sense predictions that can be made. Firstly, clubs that aren’t doing so well would be expected to bolster their squad with a healthy dose of the Talent Pie. Secondly, clubs that have big-name (and big money!!) players leaving would be expected to have a reasonable amount of spare cash to fiddle around with.

But this year, one club has decided to go against both of these popular trends. Enter the NZ Warriors, and their CEO Mick Watson.

Courtesy of Rugby League Week:
But don't expect the club to try and replace Paleaaesina on the open market.
"It doesn't work that way - people don't understand that," chief executive Mick Watson tells RLW.
"You don't just go out and spend cash for the sake of spending cash. It has got to enhance your team."
"You have the likes of Epalahame Lauaki, Sam Rapira, Sonny Fai, Frank Paul, Godfrey Robinson and Marvin Filipo, so we have a production line coming through again."
"I think (Warriors development officer) John Ackland will wave that wand and there will be another one out there hopefully."

And with that, the hopes of the few remaining dozen loyal Warriors fans suddenly dropped faster than … well, Ben Kennedy after a butterfly attack.

Unbelievably, the Warriors are still in with a shot of making the finals this year. Okay, it might only be a far-fetched mathematical chance, but it’s still a chance dammit!! After this season though, the club will be saying sayonara to Stacey Jones and Iafeta Paleaaesina … with some lovely rumours floating around about several other players as well.

So given the (frustratingly little!) information that has somehow been squeezed out of Warriors HQ, it seems as though the hopes of the Warriors in 2006 will rest on a team that is younger and less experienced than the one we have this year. And let’s face it, this years team hasn’t exactly set the world on fire.

But the one thing that seems impossible to fathom is the hopeful belief from Mick Watson that someone is going to “wave a wand” and produce a new superstar. Please forgive me for stating the obvious, but IT DOESN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY!

Former Warriors development officer Bob Hall compared the development systems in place between Australia and New Zealand a few years ago, using Luke Burt and Francis Meli as examples. Basically his point was that Burt has been developed from the age of 14, progressing through the ranks with trained coaches and specific development plans in place – whereas a junior Meli played under coaches who often only had the job because nobody else wanted it.

Throughout the years, the Warriors have tried reserve grade teams, third grade teams, and sending players to the NSWRL first division or Queensland Cup competitions. For various reasons, none of those options became a long-term solution. But if the Warriors are (once again!) deciding to revert back to a home-grown stream of talent, then what better way is there to ensure that talent is well prepared for the intense rigours of full-time NRL than by taking advantage of better development systems over the ditch?

Is it a mere coincidence that the Warriors resurgence of 2001/2002 just happened to occur following a link-up with the Newtown Jets and Brisbane Souths in 2000? Players such as Clinton Toopi, Wairangi Koopu and Francis Meli (among others) were able to gain a valuable grounding in just what it takes to succeed at the higher levels of the game. The Warriors certainly reaped the benefits, but that still wasn’t enough to ensure the links continued.

As Mick Watson said, "You don't just go out and spend cash for the sake of spending cash. It has got to enhance your team." – so surely the decision must be whether to bid for a piece of the Talent Pie, or to spend money on a concrete link with a lower-grade Australian team. Heck, maybe we could even bring back a Warriors reserve grade team full-time.

But whatever you do Mick – don’t do nothing. That magic wand has been broken for quite some time.

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742 words between the lines.

Sources:
Rugby League Week
“Beleaguered – The Warriors, from Dream to Nightmare” by Chris Mirams.

 

[antonius]

Ref Blows Fulltime.

 

[rabs]

Raiders

Raider_69 (c)
The Enigma - 747 words
A piece on Jason Smith. Slow and steady wins the race every time.
86

Thickos
A Sticky Situation – 749 words
Can Ricky Stuart pull something out of his bag of tricks to solve the current halves dilemma?
86

Greeneyed
“…. But what a magnificent celebration of rugby we have seen….” – 749 words
A good question asked, too many hands in the league media pie, we need more co-operation.
88

Schifty
New Innovations for Channel 9’s NRL Coverage – 742 words
Wouldn’t the International Commentary Mode be a blast?
83

TiTTies
The Pressures on Modern Day Referees – 750 words
Good points but players should just play to the whistle regardless.
83

Raiders Total 426



Panthers

Leaguenut
The Magic Wand – 742 words
Agreed, for heavens sake do something and put the Warriors up where they belong.
87

Azkatro
League journalist goes AWOL – 750 words
Rebecca Wilson; how would league survive without her?
85

Maelgwnau
A Break in History – 737 words
The other side of the story regarding some league folklore
82

Paul-The-Cowboy
Magic Moments – 749 words
Something to warm your soul on a cold summers day
86

[Furrycat]
Murphy’s Law, or Bulldogs scripting? – 750 words
Well written tale of the Bulldogs injury 2005 woes
87

Panthers Total 427


Panthers 427 defeat Raiders 426
A dour struggle with the Panthers consistency getting them home

MOM greeneyed (Raiders)

 

[[furrycat]]

WHAT A GAME! That is top stuff! Well done to everyone! Top scoring match!!!

 

[maelgwnau]

Congrats To the Raiders

To Our BOYS TOP STUFF

 

[Big Mick]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

we did it boys.

Good on yas.

Close game Raiders, well done to all involved, especially Greeneyed for MOM

Thanks to RABS for marking so quickly.

well boys...we got a 0.1 going our way for once! hahaha.

 

[Willow]

Wow, the winning streak comes to an end. Great game from both sides. Doesn't get any closer than that.

 

[madunit]

go panthers, go panthers, go panthers!!!