Round 8 (2009) Roosters v Panthers

[Pistol]

Forum 7s - Round 8 2009
SYDNEY ROOSTERS V PENRITH PANTHERS

-v-

Game Thread:
* Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game posts can be made here (Teams, Articles).
* Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
* Only original articles, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

Naming Teams:
* 5v5 (+ 2 reserves for visiting team, 3 reserves for home team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

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

FULL TIME: Wednesday 12th August 2009 at 9pm (Syd time)
REFEREE: Willow
Venue: SFS

**The Referee Blows Game On!**

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL WORD COUNTER

 

[Non Terminator]

The Ozzie Roosters return home to take on the Penrith Panthers, our namesake's second team. It is an important clash for both clubs, best of luck to all!

STARTERS
2. ADAMKUNGL
3. MONK
7. HENRIETE
9. SHORTY
14. NON TERMINATOR (c)
BENCH
4. MELON....
11. ARCHDUKE_FRANZ
20. FEIN

 

[Big Mick]

Team vs Roosters

1. Madunit
2. BroncosWarriorsStorm
3. Azkatro
4. Leaguenut
5. Piper

RES:
6. Broncoman
7. Big Mick

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut stands 10 metres in front of the kicker as the match gets underway...

LeagueNut - Panthers


Let’s all go to the lobby

From the country that brought you movie blockbusters such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and Footrot Flats – it’s time to go to a whole new level.

The New Zealand Film Commission has announced the release of a rare New Zealand sporting film that threatens to blow apart every movie cliché you’ve ever seen. This one won’t be afraid to show the real story without the sugar-coated fluffiness that normally permeates traditional sporting tales, with gritty “warts and all” reality presented in glorious technicolour for all to see.

Presenting “2004: The Motion Picture” – a thorough re-telling of the most dismal season in Warriors history! An all-star cast has been assembled to take you back to those heady days – it’s so realistic you’ll think you’ve actually gone back in time!

The cast list is a veritable “who’s who” of Rugby League stars that have obviously invested plenty of time and energy into ensuring they follow the 2004 storyline down to the last letter. Their dedication to not learning from previous mistakes is a proud legacy of this stunning story.

Starring …

Ivan Cleary as Daniel Anderson

Anderson, of course, was in his fourth year of coaching when he felt the smooth blade of the axe coming down near his epiglottis – despite having presided over playoff teams for the previous three seasons. Newcomer Ivan Cleary fills the role with exquisite accuracy – right down to displaying the same petulant arrogance of his predecessor by frowning on any displays of individuality. Movies aren’t always true to their original stories, so Cleary may well survive with his neck intact – but his role still has much to do with the key plot of the movie: Has he become too big for his boots after a few years of success, or is simply the puppet in a bigger game? Can you figure out the answer??

John Hart as CEO Mick Watson (a.k.a ‘The Puppet Master’)

Hart provides his own unique take on the role of CEO Mick Watson. He fills the indeterminate role of “Coaching Director” in the movie, but it’s clear he’s doing the same job as Watson had originally taken on himself – looking calm and collected as he secretly plots the downfall of the club from the inside for reasons no-one can understand.

Jacob Lillyman as Matt Jobson and Danny Sullivan

Who could forget the “star signings” of Jobson and Sullivan, heralded as the missing links in the 2004 Premiership puzzle? Jacob Lillyman has made every effort to replicate those efforts with his completely convincing yet underwhelming performance as an Aussie toiler.

Wade McKinnon as Brent Webb

McKinnon doesn’t quite bring the same dash to the field that Webb employed back in ’04 but he has the other areas covered – his recent suspension for disciplinary reasons at the tail-end of the season shows he has researched the character well.

Stacey Jones as Stacey Jones

Now here’s a performance you can’t miss … you’ll be spellbound as Stacey Jones easily matches the cinematic deeds of names like Indiana Jones (no relation), John McClane and Rocky Balboa, coming back for an encore performance well after his peak and leaving you wondering why he didn’t give the game away years ago.

Nathan Fien as Ali Lauiti’iti

OK, some dodgy casting here, but Lauiti’iti’s mid-season departure in 2004 has been painstakingly re-enacted by the World Cup-winning halfback. Lauiti’iti went on to win a competition with his new club – now stay tuned to see whether Fien will enjoy the same fate …

Jerome Ropati as Clinton Toopi

Ropati’s inspired performance as the out-of-form Toopi is so moving that it has reduced some of his loyal fans to tears. Jerome is the perfect man to replicate the amazing range of ability needed to pull this role off – seconds of breath-taking brilliance combined with months of bumbling tomfoolery.

You can catch this big-budget release on plasma screen TVs all around Australia and New Zealand every weekend. The Chief Censor has yet to officially classify the film but is expected to award a pretty restrictive rating due to the provocative content which is said to generate “feelings of rage” and “potentially suicidal tendencies in slightly unstable people”. Don’t say you weren’t warned …

2004: The Motion Picture – catch it on a screen near you soon!


732 words in the official word counter thingee

 

[broncos_warriors_storm]

The crowd is booing the Panthers on, the strong outfit who is building momentum just smiles and runs. BWS who makes his third appearance for the Panthers, wears his jersey with pride. When he gets on the field, he shows the crowd what they believe is the peace sign, however its his jersey number!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Finals Hopes


Hey guys in the F7 world, this week as I step up for the panthers I would like to take you on a journey through my head as I sum up the credentials of the current group that are racing towards the finals. Is your team glory bound? Let’s find out:

St. George Illawara Dragons
Attack: Undoubtedly the best attacking team in the competition at the moment, the Dragons have shown why they can possibly go all the way; however are they going to burn out? Bennett has struggled at the Broncos for many years during this period but the Dragons are a different team, it’s a new year and they are burning down their main competition! Rating: 45/50

Defence: While the Dragons have the best attack, their defence is breakable. It is not invincible, and many teams have poked holes through great attack that key players cannot handle. Their main defence comes from scramble close to the line, while long range defence is very beatable. Will this hurt the Dragons in the finals? Only time will tell! Rating: 37/50

Overall result: 82/100, A

Canterbury Bulldogs
Attack: The Bulldogs attack has been brilliant, at times. They have begun to hit a stalling period, at the wrong time of the year. In most years the premiers have already had a form slump; they have already been lacklustre in attack, and thus becoming a better team. The Bulldogs haven’t had that, which worries me and it should also be crossing the minds of experts and fans. Rating: 41/100

Defence: The Bulldogs have been one of the best defensive squads this year and have been great in this area. There is nothing wrong with the defence thus far which can also revert back to the form slump they should have had. The only area that they lack in defence, is early game defence with a prime example of this is when they faced the Rabbitohs in round 21 of this year’s competition. Rating: 35/50

Overall: 76/100, A-

Gold Coast Titans
Attack: This year the Titans have shocked the NRL to continue their great form past the 10th round and have avoided their mid season collapse that has already hurt them in seasons 2007 and 2008! But Scott Prince continues to show us why they will be considered a force in September/October, their attack has been brilliant and their unique but talented pack is gaining all the right metres as they March up the field. Rating: 42/50

Defence: However, the Titans defence is very poor and less than exciting. They do not scramble well and teams have a habit of coming back against the Titans and winning tight contests. The boys from the coast have not been able to hang on during games which could also mean September destruction. Rating: 30/50
Overall Rating: 72/100, B+

Melbourne Storm
Attack: “This is not season 2006, 2007 or 2008, its 2009!” Cameron Smith. This quote has been the reason for the Melbourne Storm’s decline, but 3 places on a table that they have topped for 3 seasons isn’t so bad. The Storm have not been at there best this year, but as Smith said, its 2009. They still have a very good side and one of the best attacks in the game to date. Rating: 40/50

Defence: Although they have lacked in attack compared to previous seasons, their defence is still one of the best in the game. With this stunning defence they have won many tight contests and they could also be very successful come finals time as defence is the key to success. Rating: 41/50
Overall rating: 81/100, A

Penrith Panthers
Attack: Big Mick, Madunit, and Azkatro have been on fire this season, and so have Walsh, Lewis, Petro and Jennings. They have all combined well this season to claw their way back into finals contention. Their attack is still not as strong as it should be to win a title, but 2010 looks a go for the side at the foot of the mountains. Rating: 38/50

Defence: Unfortunately, defence has also cost them a few matches, but so has 14 men. With that statistic it proves just how unpredictable this side really is. They scramble well and shut down second phase play better than any other club in the competition; however frequent unsuspected offloads are hurting the Panthers. Rating: 30/50


Overall rating: 68/100, B

Anything can happen in our wonderful game, and the premiers just may be outside this group!

________________________________________________________________________________

748 words between the ___

 

[Monk]

Monk hurdles his way across the ground for the Roosters.

_________________________________________________________________
A little bit of superstition.

“Dinner time!”

“What’s for dinner?”

“Chicken.”

“WHAT! We can’t eat chicken today!”

“Why not?”

“The Roosters are playing tonight!”

“Shut up and eat your chicken, and take that stupid jersey off”

“But Mum, how can the Roosters win if I’m not wearing my jersey?”

“Take it off, and put it back on after dinner”

Sure enough, that night the Roosters were thrashed by the Rabbitohs.

Could my family having chicken for dinner have affected the outcome of the match?
Could the removing of my jersey for five minutes before kickoff send the football world into a horrible downward spiral which would end the Roosters season before it even began?
Does the eating of a lettuce and tomato sandwich make Nathan Merritt falter before leaping into the air to catch a bomb?
Should all Roosters fans be chicken free on game day?

Of course any normal person would shake their head at someone who cleans the house through before every game, or cries sitting in the gutter while their team plays Storm in torrential rain, or vomits their food back up because someone didn’t tell them there was chicken in that meal. Are footy fans so obsessive that we believe that something as simple as our diet be the downfall of our team?

Why do so many fans, players and coaches have these little match day rituals? Whether it be something as simple as listening to a particular song before a game, or having a certain meal before a game. Also, why do they find it a necessity to ‘perform’ these rituals before or during a game. Is it dedication to a club? Or are we just so desperate to feel like we are part of the ‘team’ that we alter our lifestyles to feel connected to the club?

Honestly, I have no idea, but the idea of not being a part of my club scares me. I have been a diehard Roosters supporter for my whole life, and I just don’t know any other way. Nowadays it seems as though I implement my ‘superstitions’ and ‘game-day rituals’ without hesitation. I’m not sure how it is for other NRL fans, but during the season, it seems like those 26 weeks (and the finals if I’m lucky) is one massive routine.

My biggest routine is one that only happens when I am at a game. Whenever I go to a Roosters game, I associate what I am eating/drinking with the way the Roosters perform. This can be observed by my performance at the Roosters vs Tigers game at the SFS.

At the start of the game I had one packet of BBQ Pringles (if you lick your lips at the sight of the word "pringles", don’t worry, it only means you’re human). I ate half of them up in the first 20 minutes of the game. What did my Roosters have to show for it i hear you ask? Well, they were up 8-0.

As I passed the pringles to my Tigers (or as i like to call them ‘Tigpies&#8217 friend, I felt a change in the weather, and soon enough, the Tigpies were in to score. After the try I turned to him to take back the pringles, but sure enough they were all gone.

For the rest of the first half, I managed to hold the Tigpies off from scoring with my combination of Light and Tangy thins and orange juice. However, when I put the packet on the ground to have the final sip of my juice, my Tigpies supporting friend lunged for it, like a Magpie swooping for a shiny object, or a Tiger chasing down its prey. And Before I knew it, it was half-time and the thins were empty.

Throughout the second half, I was trying to keep my Roosters on track, trying everything that I could. Jelly beans, a different flavour of pringles (licking your lips again I see) and a different drink, however it was obvious that I didn’t succeed. My Roosters went down that day, and I blame it on not putting a lock on my pringles and not keeping my thins in my bag.

While some people would laugh at the depths of what might seem like severe ‘superstition-itus’, it doesn’t bother me. You see the next Roosters game I attend, I will bring two packets of Grilled BBQ Pringles, Light and Tangy Chips and two bottles of Orange Juice.

Guess who will be laughing then?
______________________________________

749 Words between the lines.

 

[Non Terminator]

Non Terminator laces the boots in what will be his tenth, and most important appearance in his short career.
742 words under the Rooster.

Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers
A Recent History Of Biting The Nails

I don't know why, but leading up to matches against the Penrith Panthers always have me worried. My personal confidence of a victory slides a bit, I can't understand it. Early in the decade, and early in my involvement as a Rugby League fan, they were the bogey team we couldn't shake. We lost important fixtures but gained some fond memories (and some quite forgettable ones).

The following paragraphs are small glimpses of recent times when the Roosters played the Panthers with high expectations, but returned after eighty minutes of battle with minimal results.

Round 21, 1999: This was the first time I saw us play the Panthers. We were on some good form at the time, coming into the match in second position. Penrith were outside the eight and struggling. The sight of a young Craig Gower destroying any chance of winning and sealing a win (possibly also with thanks to some unexpected terrible accuracy in the goal kicking) blew me away.

Round 7, 2001: At the time the Roosters were in second place, whilst Penrith were coming last. My confidence was high. I had watched enough teams destroy this Panthers outfit, it was our turn now. Forty minutes in and 22-6 down, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. To put it simply, we never matched them, even at our own home ground.

Round 12, 2002: My confidence was much better for this one. Once again, Penrith were low on the ladder and we had put together a few consecutive wins. This time the Roosters had to win. Three tries from the explosive Rhys Wesser stopped any chance of that. Once again, we definitely should have won that game, but we just couldn't. Why were Penrith able to beat us like this?

Round 3, 2003: Come on, this time it was surely impossible. The Roosters had just won a premiership and a World Club Challenge. Following that, in the first two rounds of the competition we were in great form. Adding to that, Penrith had two losses next to their name! Surely we cannot lose..... Well.....

Once again Penrith dug deep. A spirited half-time message by rookie Joel Clinton sparked the Panthers to a famous one point victory that began a run to the premiership. Once again, that pesky Rhys Wesser got three tries.

Grand Final, 2003: The big day came. My confidence was all over the place. The media had sparked us for an easy win, saying Penrith just didn't have the big-game experience to match the Roosters. This made me even more nervous.

Eighty minutes of glorious football finished, but with great amounts of pain. When the ball was passed wide to Luke Rooney for his second try, I knew that would be it. There would be no great miracle. I had been waiting for that miracle for the entire second half, yet, it never came. They got us again. The bogey team strikes once again.

Round 22, 2005: Time had passed since the Panthers' bogey reign over the Roosters club. A thumping in late 2004 made sure of that. At this point in time, both sides had been given so many chances to rise up in the competition ladder. Neither team took those chances.

My confidence once again took a blow. Penrith had given me a bad feeling about this match. It happened again. A two point score-line would see the end of our season, and the final straw to give anti-Roosters fans the right to say to us "you cannot win without Freddy Fittler".

Round 25, 2007: Just like two years ago, a finals spot was possibly begging. The new reign of Fittler coaching had given us hope, joy and of course, expectation. This one had to be a victory, surely. We were in some great form and Penrith were flopping at last place.

That 20-6 half-time scoreline against us sealed the fate quite emphatically. The Panthers, particularly Maurice Blair had made sure our dream of returning to the finals, remained just a dream. It's happened again...

Those matches hurt, and always come back to remind me of some surprising losses whenever we prepare to play the Penrith Panthers side. All I know is, if there was ever an unexpected scoreline for a Roosters match against a certain opposition these days, I'd bet my dollar Penrith would still be our opponents on that day.


***
Note: Personal thanks and referencing to the Rugby League Project website, for collecting the exact placings on the table for a few of the matches.

 

[madunit]

madunit for the Panthers

2009 Statistical Premier
With the finals fast approaching, speculation and opinions run rampant over who will be this seasons champion. With the assistance and complete reliance upon statistics and history, I have determined how the finals series will unfold.

Obviously, the regular season has not been completed, so I decided that the highest ranking team on the premiership ladder, as it stands now, will win all their games. The current point differential (difference between points scored and points conceeded) will be used. Surprisingly the ladder didn’t change at all over the last four rounds.

Therefore, we move onto the finals. All statistical and historical data used and quoted is based on the last 10 NRL Premiership series (1999-2008).

Week 1:

St.George-Illawarra v Manly

The Dragons have won 5 out of 7 games played in the first week of the finals, while Manly have just 2 wins from 4 games. However Manly have never won a week 1 match when placed lower than second on the ladder. The #1 side has won 9 of 10 games played in week 1. Dragons by 20.

Bulldogs v Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers have 1 win from 1 game in week 1 while the Bulldogs have a disappointing 2 wins from 6 games. The #2 ranked side has won 6 of the 10 week 1 games between the two, however #2 has won the last 4. The Bulldogs have 6 wins from 15 games in finals football. The Tigers have 4 wins from 4 games. Tigers by 3.

Gold Coast v Cowboys.

Gold Coast will become the third team to make their finals debut in the last 10 years. The past two teams had the most contrasting performances. The Warriors in 2001 were eliminated in week 1. The Wests Tigers of 2005 went through the finals undefeated to claim their maiden Premiership. The Cowboys have 2 wins from 3 games in week 1. Those 2 wins came when they were positioned lower than fourth. The #3 and #6 ranked sides have both won 5 games each in week 1. Titans by 2.

Melbourne v Penrith.

Melbourne have won 5 of 8 games in week 1, Penrith have 2 wins from 3 games. The #4 ranked side has won 6 of the 10 games against #5 in week 1, but have lost the last 4 games. Melbourne has 13 wins in 21 finals appearances. Penrith has 4 wins from 7 games. Melbourne by 10

Week 2:

Melbourne V Bulldogs

Both Melbourne and the Bulldogs have 2 wins from 5 games in week 2. The more telling statistic though is that the #2 ranked side has 2 wins from 4 appearances in week 2, while #4 has just 3 wins from 9 games. Bulldogs by 6.

Wests Tigers v Penrith

Both teams have only made 1 appearance in week 2. The Tigers have a win and the Panthers have a loss. The #5 sides have 4 wins from 9 games and the #7 ranked sides have 2 wins and 2 losses in week 2. Wests Tigers by 1.

Week 3:

Dragons v Bulldogs

Dragons and Bulldogs both have 1 win from 3 games in week 3. The #1 ranked sides have 8 wins and 2 losses in week 3 while #2 has a slightly less impressive 5 wins and 3 losses. Dragons by 4.

Wests Tigers v Gold Coast

Tigers have won their only appearance in week 3. The telling positional statistic indicates that #3 has had a miserly 3 wins from 8 games in week 3, but #7 has 2 appearances with no victory. Gold Coast by 8.

Week 4:

Dragons v Gold Coast

Over the past 10 seasons, the #1 and #3 ranked sides have both picked up 3 premierships each, more than any other positions. Two of the titles by the #3 side have been against the Minor Premiers. More telling is that the #1 ranked side has lost five deciders, whereas #3 has never lost.

Wayne Bennett has not lost a Grand Final since 1987 (his only loss). He has 3 premierships in the last 11 seasons.

The last team to make it’s finals debut and reach the Grand Final was the victorious Wests Tigers outfit from 2005. The Best and Fairest player that day was Scott Prince, the current Titans halfback and captain.

Who will win?

My guess is the Dragons.

729 words, including title.

 

[adamkungl]

adamkungl runs out for the Roosters hoping for a win

********************************************************
​

How I go to the footy for $15.80 a game
​

This week I'm doing something a bit different to usual. Sure I could vent about the growing pile of off-field issues, like Brian Smith, Greg Inglis (sigh), Karmicheal Hunt, and News Ltd. I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to attempt to offer some advice. How useful it is remains to be seen!

Firstly, some background - at the start of the season, LeagueUnlimited user Timmah started a thread "Timmah's Hero 2009", which essentially was a competition to see who could go to the most NRL games this season. If my memory serves me correctly, after 22 rounds I have been to 22 games. Now this isn't particularly noteworthy, except for the fact that I am a university student living pretty much entirely off Youth Allowance. Which brings me to this article - a guide to going to the footy on the cheap.

Step 1 - Get season tickets. General Admission Season Tickets usually cost $100-150, depending on the club. At the risk of sounding like a club advertisement, season tickets are a must. Top value ($10-15 per game vs $25-30), plus you get some decent merchandise, a couple of free tickets to give away to mates, and you help out your club in a big way. For those with kids, buy them as Christmas or birthday presents instead of useless toys and video games. On top of the home games, some clubs do special offers for cheap away games.

Step 2 - Eat lunch or dinner at home before the game, or bring your own snacks and drinks. For parents, I call this the "NO you can't have overpriced chips" rule. I'm sure kids would rather go to the footy and not have a pie than not go to the footy at all. For a parent and three kids at the footy a pie or chips and a drink each costs somewhere around $40 at the SFS. To compare, a packet of poppers and a bag of chips costs around $10. Sure adds up over a season. To be even cheaper, you can always get free water from the bar!

Step 3 - Parking at some places *cough* SFS *cough* is a complete and utter rip-off. $20 is beyond a joke. Don't give them your money. Park in side streets (even if you have to walk a bit), at nearby stations, the local McDonalds, get a lift, or if none of those are possible, catch public transport, even that works out cheaper if you're a Roosters fan. Of course, some places aren't insanely expensive bordering on pure theft. If I remember correctly, CUA has reasonably priced parking. Other places, like Toyota and Bluetongue have ample nearby free parking if you're willing to walk a few minutes.

Step 4 - Now its starting to get tricky. We've shaved costs of tickets, food, and transport. What else is there? Free tickets of course! This isn't something that is available to everyone, and comes down to a bit of luck. One way of getting free tickets is getting involved in your local Junior Rugby League club. Occasionally there will be free tickets up for grabs. If you have kids, get them playing Rugby League! Other than getting to play the greatest game of all, in some districts they will get free season passes! All Parramatta juniors under 16 get a pass that allows them entry to any NRL premiership match. I've borrowed my brother's free pass more than a few times this year. Finally, you could get a free ticket from your season ticket holding friends. Of course this only works if you ignored step 1 and didn't buy a season ticket yourself.

To finish off, a bit of a summary.
This season so far, I have attended 22 games, and spent:
-$130 on a Concession Chook Pen season ticket
-$20 on a Travelling Rooster ticket (2 x Gosford games, 2 x ANZ games)
-approximately $100 on food (probably less)
-approximately $80 on away games, non-Roosters games
-approximately $100 on transport

Add to that 3 more games that I don't have to buy tickets for ($15 for transport), and it comes to a total of approximately $395, which comes to $15.80 per game.

Obiously not all of the above can apply to everyone, but hopefully it was in some way helpful, or at least eye-opening. Too many people avoid going to the game because it's too expensive, this has to change!

*******************************************************

743 between the stars

 

[The Piper]

Piper for the Panthers

Their Real Role Models

A dad and his son sit down in front of the television to watch the Sunday afternoon rugby league.

Son - “You coming dad, it’s four o’clock. The footy’s nearly started.”

Dad - “Just taking these old boots off, mate. I’ll be there in a sec.”

“What have you been doing out there?”

“I’ve just helped Nick next door cut down that old gumtree of his. Our yard’s looking a bit of a mess, too, come to think of it.”

“Oh, I couldn’t help you today Dad. I’ve been playing my NRL Mascot game on my Nintendo DS.”

“I hope you’ve been sharing it with your brother.”

“Yes, Dad. Look, come on. They’re just about to kick off. You don’t want to miss it.”

“I’m just glad I could do that for the poor bloke. Nick’s not as young as he used to be.”

“Who does Nick go for in the footy?”

“I dunno, mate. You should ask him next time you see him.”

“We’ll I go for this team here. They’re going to win, too!”

“The Roosters, huh? I thought you were a Manly man last week?”

“Nah. All the girls at school said that their fullback pushes girls over.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah. I felt like pushing them over.”

“I’m most certainly glad you didn’t.”

“I didn’t Dad. But I’m going for Sydney now.”

“Best of luck to you.”

---

“Oh no, not now.”

“What’s the matter, mate?”

“I got to go to the toilet.”

“Off you go, then.”

“But then I’m going to miss the last few minutes of the half...can’t I just go here?”

“In the lounge room? What are you talking about? Go to the bathroom now!”

“But that guy with the ball did it in the corner of a room!”

“Toilet...NOW!”

“Fine.”

---

“Dad, if one of the footy players has to go to gaol, how can he play on Monday night football?”

“He can’t, mate.”

“But it’s the Knights versus Storm blockbuster.”

“Look, it doesn’t matter, mate. If they find out he’s done the wrong thing, he’s going to have to suffer the consequences.”

“...couldn’t they just let him out for that one game?”

“When you were grounded, did I let you out of your room to watch just that one State of Origin game?”

“I never even hit my brother!”

“You haven’t done it since then, either, I’ve noticed.”

---

“I’m glad I’m going for the Dragons and not the Roosters!”

“You are?”

“Yeah. Saint George are flogging them!”

“Well at least you stuck with a side for a whole 66 minutes of a game.”

“I think all the players should tackle just like that, and then the other team will always drop the ball.”

“The referee didn’t tell Costigan to have a rest for 10 minutes because he’s been playing so well. That’s not how you tackle in rugby league.”

“The referee’s a wanker!”

“Oi! Where’d you hear that, then?”

“The guy behind us at the footy last time kept yelling it whenever he heard the whistle blow. I just heard it then, too.”

“If that guy yelled out to you and told you to jump off the grandstand, would’ve you done that?”

“Of course not. Don’t be gay, Dad.”

“Now where’d you hear that?”

“School.”

“Hmm...You know what mate?”

“What?”

“I reckon that you just forget about what you hear league players do and what people in the crowd at the game say. They’re not the ones that you listen to, are they?”

“I guess not.”

“Listen mate, I’m going to go mow Nick’s lawn for him. Are you going to be right watching the rest of the game yourself?”

“I can come with you if you like, Dad? Nick’s pretty old. He needs a strong, growing lad like me to help him!”

“That’s the way, mate. Good on you.”

“I can wheel the wiz bin around the yard for you.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“And besides, I go for the Panthers. They’ve got the coolest logo ever!”

---
670 words

 

[Shorty]

Shorty takes a hit up...

***


Aussie Rules joins the Hunt

I couldn't believe it when I read it, it took me a few goes to realise.
It's very rare that I do double takes on the internet, and usually it's to do with some wild tagging expedition on facebook!

Definitely not here on LU about certain players defecting to extremely different football codes.
I'm talking about Karmichael Hunt and his recent deflection from Rugby League to Aussie Rules.


What's even more hilarious is that now us Rugby League fans, who have had to put up with certain bigoted AFL fans and their arrogant obsessions for a long time now, have the biggest comeback.
You see, a League player is usually described by most Aussie Rules fans as 'talentless' or 'no necked'.


Well, how does it look for those particular fans now that their beloved code has chosen a 'talentless' Rugby League player instead of one of their own footballers developed since childhood.
Karmichael Hunt isn't even in the top 5 players in the NRL and yet the soon to be established Gold Coast AFL club is offering a large sum of money for him.


Of course the poaching of players is not foreign to the NRL, after all, Rugby Union has been doing it for years.
And if I were a League player defecting to Union it wouldn't be because the game itself is so wonderful (see mind numbingly boring), it's to do with the much larger sum of money attached to my bank account on pay days.
It's the same with this bombshell, hell, Karmichael Hunt even has plans to play Japanese Rugby in the off season.


My my, the AFL must think it's fans, and it's fringe players ( you know the ones that actually took the time and effort to develop their trade) are something different.
That's not to say that Karmichael Hunt himself has treated his fans handsomely.


Let's remember this is the same guy that decided he'd play for Australia despite being born in New Zealand and moving to Australia as a teenager.
Apparently this was to do with paying back respect to the NRL (namely the QRL) for developing him as a player and giving himself/his family a place to prosper.


Well, I mean with the Broncos looking to miss the 8, leaving for another code next year is really paying back the respect isn't it?
So it's of no surprise to me that he was going to be bailing on the NRL, what surprises me is that Hunt decided he'd have a crack at AFL.
In terms of AFL ability, Hunt hasn't even got appropriate experience for that sort of coin.


Hunt aside though, whether he flops or does well at this sport the fans of the NRL are in a pretty good position.
If Karmichael flops, Rugby League, it's players and the fans that put in the effort for the game have the last laugh

If he succeeds, it'll just prove what we all already know - Our code harbours the most talented, explosive and gifted athletes in the world.
With stars like Greg Inglis, Israel Folau and Jonathan Thurston it shouldn't take Karmichael Hunt playing a completely different code to realise that.
And let's be realistic here, a player that enjoys shoulder charging,smashing into the opposition and rarely kicking really doesn't look concrete for a supreme AFL career.


Is this a bad thing for Rugby League?
Obviously not, Karmichael wasn't even making the starting sides for representative teams, his alleged behaviour off the field of late has been less than impressive and for one of the senior players of his club...his reaction to the Broncos struggling has been the most telling.
Good riddance.


And while the arrogance of rival codes has them looking like amateurs (Sailor, Rogers returning from Union for LESS money is another example) Rugby League continues to develop stars that are on the top of even an AFL list nowadays.
Karmichael Hunt could have even done the Rugby League community a favour because I really do believe that every time this happens we get closer to a resolution regarding the appalling state of our game.

If it wasn't enough that the UK, France, Japan and our own country were raiding the code for our players, then surely the most aggressive and arrogant code of them all, AFL, poaching one of the most high profile players in Rugby League is.


***

735 between the ***

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Crappy modern match “reports”

It’s been a long time since rugby league kicked off under the guise of the Northern Union on September 7, 1895. In that time, the style of journalism has grown and changed considerably.

A big influence in the current style of writing stems from the modern media which covers the game today. In the 19th century one could communicate through use of the telegraph, but aside from that, the only medium one could depend upon to be informed was the printed newspaper.

So it’s quite interesting to read the descriptive nature of match reports from the time. It can be easy to forget that, for the average ‘Joe’, what you read in the newspaper was your only link to the game in question – unless of course, you actually attended.

Of course, we still have the newspaper. But these days, the reporting assumes you watched the game or saw the highlights on the evening news. The consequence of this, of course, is a horrendously debilitating and underwhelming experience for the presumably uninformed reader.

Let me provide you with some examples of what I’m talking about.

Firstly, a quip from the Manchester Guardian’s match report of the 1903 Challenge Cup final, won by Halifax:

“The ways to Headingley were blackened by pedestrians and vehicles two hours before the time fixed for the conflict, and a quarter of an hour after the struggle begun the main passage into the ground was still thronged. A hot sun smote with almost midsummer force on the heads of the great assembly and made the long wait a specially trying and uncomfortable season, in spite of the fact that the spectacle of a Leeds schools final tie had been considerately provided to while away the interval.”

And of course, some wonderful word wizardry used to describe some of the match action itself:

“Salford, playing in the face of the sun, against the wind, and without much encouragement from the crowd, showed little of the aggressive spirit of the other side, and seemed to be confined in their efforts pretty much to tackling and kicking out of bounds. Every now and then the blue and white forwards would come through the scrummage with the ball at their feet, sweep the scarlet Salfordians aside, and dash up the field in movements which gathered violence like a mountain torrent, with every yard of progress.”

Doesn’t that just paint a beautiful image? What happened to such descriptive prose in any branch of news reporting?

Let’s compare that with some of the comments from the AAP’s report of the 2008 NRL grand final. Firstly, let me highlight the only passage I can find in the report which actually describes to any extent some of the play that occurred on the field:

“… the Sea Eagles broke the back of the Melbourne resistance seven minutes after the restart when a pin-point Orford kick found Robertson out wide for his second of the night …”

The report also uses a second-rate analogy to try and broadly describe how Melbourne performed:

“… a machine which all season had operated like a Ferrari, suddenly looking more like a 1983 Cortina in need of a service.”

I’m sorry, but I beg your pardon? What actually happened in the match? All I can derive from that is one of the seven tries scored during the game was from a kick, and later in the article it mentions that Steve Menzies’ try was scored after a “spectacular movement”. What does that tell you? Not much!

Instead, the article is fleshed out with quotes from key figures including Manly’s coach and captain, as well as regurgitating statistics and records about the result. Tie it up with a few superlatives about how wonderful Manly were and there’s our report. For the poor, unfortunate sod who didn’t happen to catch the game, or see any highlights, there is absolutely no concept whatsoever of what actually happened.

Hopeless.

To be fair, I never really thought a great deal of it until researching old matches. I feel quite lucky that journalism had a shred of integrity in those days, as it provides future readers like myself with a beautiful image of what unfolded on the day.

I feel sorry for poor bugger in my position in another 100 odd years time, reading newspaper articles about the 2008 NRL grand final, presumably not having access to the match video, and wondering what the hell actually took place.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Bibliography
"NORTHERN UNION FOOTBALL CUP – VICTORY OF HALIFAX", The Guardian, 27 Apr, 1903, p. 3
AAP, “Manly cruise to grand final win”, http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,20797,24449916-23210,00.html, 05 Oct, 2008, accessed 12 Aug, 2009


747 words. Liftoff!

 

[Non Terminator]

Non Terminator is posting by proxy for Henriete.
650 words under the ****

****

End Of The Knightmare

"I hope you choke on a c**k Smith", were the first rational words from my Knights supporting son.

"Calm down"
"I have calmed down you should have heard me last night".

Having watched National Geographic in the off season I had learned two basic survival skills that I couldn't outrun my enemy and that if he spontaneously combusted to drop to the floor and roll.

Allowing the tirade to wash over me and instead of worrying about the team who had been a large part of the reason Brad Fittler was given a kick up the jacksie, I could only imagine the disappointment he was experiencing.

I also thought of his mum, the person who's word he'd learned to trust. As a mother she would be feeling immensely proud and justifyably upset to see the manner in which her son's tenure at the Roosters ended.

As a single mother scrimping and saving whilst encouraging her son to play rugby league for the first, she could not have envisioned the last twelve months of his professional career.

We all have first time expereriences being involved in Rugby League for some of us it's as fans for others it's watching your child. The reality of Rugby League in 2009 is that it is a business pure and simple. There is no regard for loyalty or service to it or why you became involved.

My first experience with rugby league was back in the 60's. Friday night Duck Anderson put on a chook, meat and seafood raffle at the Redcliffe Hotel to support the local rugby league team.

I was responsible for selling tickets and my recompense was a double sars and a packet of chips. Scouting for potential ticket buyers was my Grandfather. Who was more your gambling and racing fanatic and also a staunch St George fan who gave me my love of league.

We all have a story a reason for our passion, however it seems that the powers that be have lost sight of that.

Seeing Andrew Johns throwing himself around during the Origin series demonstrated the raw passion that is missing from our game. We constantly hear it being referred to as a product or brand. That's what league has become.

While we may be a product that doesn't mean we discount loyalty. The cornerstone of any relationship be it personal or business is loyalty. While the coaching ability at this stage of Fittlers career and his drinking to the point of disorinantation needed to be addressed, that is a far cry from the farewell he received. And certainly not deserved.

As fans we are no longer fooled by players who are playing for contracts, yet couldn't do it for Fittler. Smith won't be fooled either.

2010 is a new dawn for the Roosters, with a young team of hard working fresh faces and a new coach who better be worth every penny. We hope with an adminstration that has learned the value of loyalty and has been able to repair it's damaged relations with one of leagues legends.


As a fan of the game Freddy has been fantastic to watch. From representing country and state, winding up pissed outside a cop shop to chomping on a pie in the coaches box. It's all been good.

Whatever the future holds for Freddy in Rugby League many fans wish him the best and will continue to support him.

Eventually the Knights fan was pacified. The recovery progressing well to the point where he was looking forward to a new coach being appointed. Smithy had done a great job, but it was time to move on. Fordham saying Matthew Johns was interested even caused a flurry of excitement.

Sunday 2nd August 2009 10:11am.

Phone rings. Before the answerer can answer.

"You can have Smith now".
"Calm down"
"I have, you should have heard me last night".

 

[The Colonel]

Time, ladies and gentlemen...

 

[Non Terminator]

Thanks Colonel.
Fantastic game we have here with a keen 5v5, been looking forward to this match and it surely has delivered.
Az, bloody fantastic article.
Good luck and well done to all.

 

[Monk]

Good luck people. Goo Roosters!

 

[madunit]

Bloody hell Az, that's a ball tearer of an article!

*pales in comparison*

 

[adamkungl]

good luck everyone...

 

[broncos_warriors_storm]

WOOHOO here we go! UP THE PANTHERS! a bonus point is always good. this is going to be fantastic! i hope i dont let the panthers down but after the quality here, looks like i may have lol

3rd game agaisnt an experianced lot HAHA

 

[Non Terminator]

Haha mate, other then Henriete the four others of us aren't very experienced. :lol: