ROUND 8: BULLDOGS V SHARKS

[ozzie]

BULLDOGS V SHARKS

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.

**Referee Blows Game On!**

Full Time: Wednesday 13 August , 2003. 9:00PM AEST

Referee: Willow

 

[Zef]

Parra-Dogs

Zef
Dave
Miss Vaelieki
TBA
TBA

Please note The Parra-Dogs are struggling with numbers and "TBA" may or may not be filled and there may or may not be amendments to those named.

Sharkies (and any other concerned parties - Oz ) are advised to keep an eye on this post for updates.

Regards,
Zef.

 

[Alan Shore]

Cronulla
1. Diehard
2. skeepe
3. Tamazoid (c)
4. EWS
5. Ultima

 

[Zef]

Parra-Dogs.

Update.

Zef
DvdHntr
Vaealikis Girl
BrentWebb'sno.1fan
TBA

 

[Zef]

Parra-Dogs.

Final Update.

Zef
DvdHntr
Vaealikis Girl
BrentWebb'sno.1fan
Louis Lambert

 

[The Engineers Room]

*DvdHntr – Canterbury-Parramatta*

Alternate Ways to promote the ‘greatest game of all’

Earlier this year, the NRL launched its advertising campaign that reworked a classic Hoodoo Gurus hit to become a theme song for the game. The response from this advertising seems to have been positive but is this enough to help rugby league reclaim lost ground and conquer new territory? Could the NRL look outside the square and try new ways to advertise? The answer to the latter is most definitely, yes. Below are some ideas that could be attempted.


Creation of a widespread video game

Proposed for later this year is the long awaited NRL based PC game. The key aspect to this game must be the addiction to the game. It must provide accurate enough game-play and graphics to hook at first sight but must contain franchise style modes and trading and signing as well as creation of new teams and players to gain the interest of new markets. The games success should be first gauged on the New South Wales market and then be released onto markets such as the other states of Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Ireland, France and limited release in the U.S.A., Europe and Japan. If the formula for the game is right then the reality of new fans of the game in these places could happen. The game might best be packaged in the more obscure locations with literature on the game, but also rules and tactics as well. The hook of these games is well understood by most gamers in Australia, especially with EA Sport titles such as Madden, NHL, NBA and MVP. These titles have made there respective games more popular in Australia.

Vin Diesel’s rumoured movie deal

Earlier this year a report from a website placed Vin Diesel as Rugby League’s most well known American fan. Apparently Vin watches both the ESL and the NRL and loves the game of Rugby League. He actually enquired about making a movie about the sport. Even if this is not true this gives the NRL and IRL a great idea for further promotion of the game. A young rookie player goes off the rails with drinking and his performance causes him to be cut from the team. The coach and the players do something not so great to him. He is inspired by his hatred of them to become the best and so he goes into exile, where he meets up with a legend of the game (pick one) that teaches him skills much in the way of the Karate Kid. The rookie comes back in another team that is floundering and they go on to win the grand final against his old team who try and play dirty (injuring his new friends). The whole idea of this is that an entertaining movie can be made that would probably make a profit but would also give the game a much needed boost in advertising. If a script like that starred Vin Diesel and other Hollywood types, then the promotion of the game could be huge. Using premiers to promote the NRL/IRL.

A Preseason Cup Competition
A few ideas that could improve this is if players could not play the whole game. 25 players in each team but no player can play in three consecutive quarters and only 7 players can play in two consecutive quarters.

Teams could be

15 NRL
Top 5 of QLD cup
Top 3 Metro Cup
Top 2 Bartercard NZ league + Wellington Side
Perth team (made from local league players)
Adelaide team (made from local league players)
Melbourne team (made from local league players)
Central Coast Team
NSW Country Side
Qld Country Side

That makes 32 teams and a straight knockout comp can be played.

So only 5 rounds are needed. This can be spread across the season and because of the rule changes (25 man team) the players will be less tired.

There are many other ideas that are discussed and debated on message boards relating to Rugby League and so the final idea for alternate ways to promote the ‘greatest game of all’ is for the administrators of the game to listen to the ideas that come out. That is not to say that they should adopt all the propositions put forward but simply listen and one day they may just find a few winning ideas.

720 words

 

[skeepe]

* skeepe – Cronulla Sharks *

The Cap Fits, So Wear It

It is just after 11am Sunday morning. The Sunday Footy Show is on the telly, just like any other Sunday. And just like any other Sunday, Phil Gould gets on his soap box and denounces the salary cap. Despite his protestations, the salary cap works. This year the competition is more even than it has ever been, so much so that only 6 points separates first from ninth.

Even more telling is the fact that we don’t have the same teams year after year winning the premiership. Take the following examples:

English Premier League Soccer
No salary cap in place. Over the last 11 seasons, Manchester United have won 8 times, Arsenal 2 and Blackburn 1. 3 winners in 11 years. Not exactly something to give hope to fans of other teams. It must be noted that the Blackburn team that won in 1995 are largely considered to have bought their way to the premiership. They spent millions of Pounds on top shelf players and won, rather than building their way up to the top.

Scottish Premier League Soccer
No salary cap in place. This is even worse than the English competition. In Scotland at the start of the season it’s generally known that either Glasgow Rangers or Glasgow Celtic will win the competition, so games between those two sides are virtually a best-of-four grand final series, with the team that comes out on top here almost always taking the title.

National Football League (USA)
Salary cap in place. In the last 10 seasons, there have been 9 different Superbowl winners, the team winning twice being the John Elway-led Denver Broncos. The salary cap does its work. In 1996, Atlanta were one of the worst teams in the competition. In 1999 they were runners-up.

National Rugby League
The results here are there for all to see. In 2001, the grand finalists were Parramatta and Newcastle. This year, they are struggling to make the finals. Also in 2001, Canberra and Penrith were cellar-dwellers. This year, they both hold a share of the lead.

But despite the excitement of this year’s season, some people are still not happy. The Bulldogs campaigned for a salary cap rise earlier in the year, not surprising after they were caught cheating it at the end of last year. As a result of the penalties imposed, they have lost star players Nigel Vagana, Travis Norton and Willie Talau to rival clubs for next season, as well as fringe first-graders Glenn Hall, Todd Polglase, Gavin Lester and Shane Marteene. While this is disappointing for the Bulldogs, it will mean the clubs these players go to are stronger as a result, and interestingly all except Lester have gone to clubs that have struggled somewhat this year.

Another club against the current cap is the Sydney Roosters, which is where Phil Gould fits in. As coaching director of the Roosters and commentator on channel 9, he has a very influential position on which to air his views about what’s troubling his club. His latest denouncement of the salary cap came when he revealed that the Roosters would probably have to let Todd Payten go at the end of the year because they were feeling the pinch of the salary cap. Surprisingly, that same week the Roosters had signed Lester away from the Bulldogs after Eric Grothe went back to Parramatta. They have also recently lost Joe Williams to Souths, which would seem to indicate Payten was asking for more than the club could afford. He has since signed with the Wests Tigers, one club to have greatly benefited from the salary cap in recent years.

Looking forward, thanks to the salary cap, next year should bring with it an even better standard of football than this year. The Tigers should be more competitive than they have been this year, being able to add the likes of Brett Hodgson, Pat Richards, Nick Graham and Scott Prince, among others, to their playing roster. Souths will be strengthened by having Glenn Hall up front, a huge gain and one of the most promising props coming through the Premier League system at the moment, while Joe Williams and Dean Byrne may finally provide the halves combination they have been desperately searching for.

Whatever happens next year, the salary cap as it stands is great for our game. As the saying goes, if the cap fits, wear it. And this cap well and truly fits.

746 words, including title
[/u]

 

[Louis Lambert]

Louis Lambert - Parra-Bulldogs

The NRL's Culture Struggle

I see culture as perhaps the single most important issue facing rugby league teams. Forget AFL, forget the calls for a team on the central coast, and forget poker machine legislation. This is way more serious.

Coaches Chris Anderson and Paul Langmack have acknowledged the value of a good team culture – and the destructive nature of a bad one – by going so far as to put their season down to cultural issues. So, it is my view that negative team cultures have fans supporting a game that could be so much better.

The NRL is a weird paradox. Most players are now full-time professionals yet they aren’t expected to act this way. The game wants to be taken seriously, but also wants to hold onto outmoded traditions.

What are they talking about?

Culture refers to beliefs, which ultimately shapes behaviour. In Christianity it’s about love and forgiveness, at the Brisbane Broncos it’s about professionalism, and in some biker tribes it’s about fast bikes, easy women, and speedy drugs.

The importance of culture to any group is that it shapes how people act

Earlier this season, Knights and NSW prop Josh Perry was scorned for administering a bitchslap to a patron at a popular Newcastle nightspot, last weekend’s papers reported on drunken deeds by Dragons players at a fundraising event, while team bonding sessions – a euphemism for players getting as drunk as Cooter Brown – are still the norm.

What do these two events have to do with culture? These two separate acts are, to an extent, legitimised. In the first instance, it’s what Reg Reagan calls “the biff”. In the second, it’s the indivisible nature of NRL players and alcohol.

Reagan, the alter ego of former Knights player Matthew Johns, gives an interesting insight into the culture at team level. Although an intentionally hackneyed character, Reagan perpetuates certain behaviours by reinforcing beliefs about the sport, which ultimately encourage certain acts.

Yet, in some instances, culture forbids certain acts

When John Hopoate, then a Wests Tigers winger, was found to have used his fingers in inventive ways to slow down opposition players, the rugby league world went for the throat. “Disgusting”, “appalling”, and “inexcusable” were just three words sure to be found in any two-bit journalist’s editorial column during this time. The interesting thing is that, while what Hopoate did is no more indecent than the notorious squirrel hold or happily married NRL players going the group stoop after each interstate jaunt, the posture of rugby league as a ‘man’s game’ meant character assassination was Hopoate’s only fate.

Culture and team performance

How does an NRL team’s culture affect on-field performance, Louis? Well, if you can accept that culture affects behaviour, you can instantly see why Newcastle is not as potent when halfback Andrew Johns is absent. Or why, when the Roosters rack up a big lead, Fittler comes off for a rest only to come back on when the big lead is not so big. Their talent only explains half of the story.

Roosters coach Ricky Stuart is actively striving to get his players around the mindset that Fittler is indispensable where Knights coach Michael Hagan talks about the challenge of keeping Johns fit for finals football. Based on this - and if I were an NRL player - I’d much rather play under Stuart than Hagan. The latter approach must have a hugely negative impact on a Johns-less Knights side.

When one understands how culture is connected to these events, one can also see the significance of rugby league cultures and how our game has room to improve in the cultural sphere.

Obviously, Reg Reagan has touched on some primordial nerve in the NRL athlete’s psyche. If we understand this, we should understand something important about damaging team cultures. That cultures can be changed, but only by players, coaches, and administrators ready to take on a brave new world.

Word Count: 653.

 

[BrentWebb'sno.1fan]

BrentWebb'sno.1fan - Bulldogs - #4
-----------------------------------------------

One they Missed

The Broncos were to late when they tried to snare Brent Webb on 2001 and the Cairns junior showed them a clean pair of heels again at ANZ Stadium in round 15 of the 2002 Telstra Premiership.

The interchange star scored two tries for the Warriors in their 26-16 win over the Broncos which maintained the Kiwi team’s unbeaten record after six matches on Australian soil in 2002.

In 2001 in a battling Wests Panther’s outfit, Webb finished the Queensland Cup’s leading tryscorer with 22 four-pointers. In the round fifteen clash with the Broncos he scored in the 56th minute to make the score 12-12, and then again in the 64th minute to give the Warriors a 22-12 lead after winger Henry Fa’afili scored two minutes earlier.

Webb’s first try was a smart piece of support play after a break by Justin Murphy. The second was an individual effort to rank with the best in 2002. Webb ran from dummy-half 40m out from the Broncos line, chip kicked and regathered.

The young NRL rookie turned the match with that try and just showed a sample of the Thursday Island born speedster. Warriors Coach Daniel Anderson “ Wests President Darren Bell told me about Brent in 2001, and after watching a few tapes I decided to roll the dice and see how things turned out.”
Webby had a tremendous off-season and his speed and ability to score tries is exceptional. You don’t have too many players like that.

Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said the club was aware of Webb’s talents but when they tried to sign him he already had made a commitment to the New Zealand Warriors.

Bennett said he was delighted things had turned out well for Webb across the Tasman, if he had stayed in Queensland he may have finished up at feeder club Toowomba giver the Bronco’s depth.

His lightning acceleration earned him the Warriors joint rookie of the year award with Kiwi and Warriors Half Lance Hohaia. But in the Warriors’ historic play-off run, Webb struggled with a groin injury which didn’t help him trying to find a way into the side, with Anderson sticking with Ivan Cleary at fullback and using Motu Tony as a versatile back-up.

Webb who has now secured the fullback’s jersey after the departure of Ivan Cleary has only played 30 NRL matches and he still has hot and cold moments in every match. But overall he is improving all the time. A lot of people say he is a target on defence because of his small 80kg frame but he has pulled off many a try-saving tackle this year for the Warriors.

Webb also inherited the goal kicking duties with Stacey Jones suffering with a leg injury and PJ Marsh struggling for consistency. But after talking to the man himself, at this stage in his career Webby has retired from goal kicking.

Brent Webb is a great footballer and great mate who always takes time out to talk to anyone even if he is a bit on the shy side. I usually get the opportunity to talk to him at most if not all-home games at Ericsson Stadium or at Warriors training sessions during the week.

537

*Bold Type Quoted from NZ Herald Match Report

 

[Zef]

ZEF - Parra-Dogs

VENGEANCE

Do you remember those great rolling all in brawls from the 70’s, the sort that would generally “erupt” from a scrum. The sort that generally had someone named Donnely, Boyd or Randall involved?

Do you remember them? Hold that thought and for the purpose of the exercise, we’ll call them “Item A”.

What about ice-hockey shoulder pads – remember those baby’s. A little something that The Wok came up with at The Dogs circa mid 80’s – and The Dogs sure knew how to put ‘em to good use too.

We’ll call them “Item B”.

Robbo on the rampage – particularly what he did to Sterlo in that “wall move” they’re forever showing on The Footy Show. – “Item C”.

What Wally did to “whatshisname” in that Aus v NZ Test Match all those years ago. Yes, THAT tackle. – “Item D”

A Mad Dog Mcdougall knee to the Sternum – a-la’ Julian O’Neill. (Come to think of it – throw in a Julian O’Neill sh.t in a shoe too).

A Mad Gordy Uppercut.

An Adrian Morley “hit”.

And a Chris Close “ rip your f*****’ shirt off” mother of all hidings!!!

- Items “E” & “E1”, “F”, “G” & “H” respectively.

And I could go on and on – fill out the rest of the items as you see fit.

So, yes this is a hastily written article and yes I have got the sh.ts good and proper. So why you may ask? Why the list of items? Why a hastily written article? Why have I got the sh.ts good and proper.

MSBLAST. Known by a few different pseudonyms and the very first virus/worm whatever you want to call it I’ve ever been infected with. Even as I write I’m still infected and the only way I can get on the net to get the patch to fix it is to do it behind a firewall as thick as a bomb-shelter.

Which brings me to the low-lying, masturbating grub who come up with this thing and what I’d like to do the little pencil-necked geek if ever I got MY F*****’ HANDS ON HIM :evil: !!!!

I’d start with “Item A”. I’d get out the old phonebook and I’d ring around the traps and get the entire Wests & Manly packs from the 70’s, (excepting Dallas RIP – hope no-one else is dead?). Then I’d invite ‘em to “put one on” for old times sake – whilst standing on “the little pencil-necked geek’s” face”. I’d encourage them to “erupt” - I’d even get Roy Masters to come along to rev ‘em up.

Then there’d be a bit of softening up with “Item B” – worn by one Ben “The Hammer” Harris for consecutive sets of six, rib ticklers every one of them.

“Item C” – I still know where to get in contact with Robbo too. Even tough he’s a bit quiet these days but I’m sure if I fill him full of p.ss and shout “Price” I can fire him up for one last hammer charge.

I’ll take care of “Item D” myself – I always did it better than Wally could anyway.

Mad Dog and Mad Gordy shouldn’t be too hard to line up. I’ll just tell Mad Dog “the little pencil-necked geek” is Wendell and I’ll tell Mad Gordy he’s …. Mad Dog (remember that right-cross that just missed in SOO a few years back – Gordy don’t like Mad Dog).

I’d probably have to get Morley p.ssed before he’d help out a Dog’s supporter in need, but so be it. I could even set him out in “Item B” before his mission – now there’s a thought.

And Choppy… well he just loves a stink – I’d just have to tell him who, where and when and point him in the general direction.

Anyway, I hope I’ve made my point - I’ve had better days and SOMEONE MUST PAY :twisted: !!!

But I do feel better now.

… Oh I nearly forgot to sh.t in the shoe too… Actually, I’d rather big Sam Backo sh.t in “the little pencil-necked geek’s” shoe. Wonder if he’d be hard to line up?

670-ish angry words (including angry faces)

 

[ozzie]

GAME OVER - TIME GIRLS AND BOYS

 

[Anonymous]

Is broncoman marking this match? Can someone else put up their hand?

 

[Anonymous]

BULLDOGS V SHARKS

PARRA-BULLDOGS

DvdHntr
Alternate Ways to promote the ‘greatest game of all’
Some great ideas about ways to promote the game
729 words (inc title)
Score: 8.5

Louis Lambert
The NRL's Culture Struggle
A sharp and witty summary of the RL mindset
653 words (inc title)
Score: 8.0

BrentWebb'sno.1fan
One they Missed
In praise of Brent Webb's efforts
540 words (inc title)
Score: 7.5

Zef
VENGEANCE
If only there were points for dogged determination. A worthy effort against a background of PC disaster. *double thumbs up*
677 words (inc title)
Score: 7.0

PARRA-BULLDOGS TOTAL: 31.0


SHARKS

skeepe
The Cap Fits, So Wear It
In support of the NRL salary cap
746 words (inc title)
Score: 8.6

SHARKS TOTAL: 8.6

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PARRA-BULLDOGS 31.0 defeat SHARKS 8.6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Forummers of the match: skeepe (SHARKS)

Well played everyone

 

[The Engineers Room]

A victory!!! Thanks for marking Willow!!!

But just shows the difference in Judges (that article scored a 9.1 from Mystique)

 

[Anonymous]

A victory!!! Thanks for marking Willow!!!

But just shows the difference in Judges (that article scored a 9.1 from Mystique)

Really? Was that from the old ish biz forum? I thought I recognised it.

Anyway, this time the ref was a tight arse and moreso considering the back-chat he was getting from your skipper. Plus the weather was miserable and your backs kept dropping the ball.

Glad to have been of service.

 

[The Engineers Room]

A victory!!! Thanks for marking Willow!!!

But just shows the difference in Judges (that article scored a 9.1 from Mystique)

Really? Was that from the old ish biz forum? I thought I recognised it.

Anyway, this time the ref was a tight arse and moreso considering the back-chat he was getting from your skipper. Plus the weather was miserable and your backs kept dropping the ball.

Glad to have been of service.

Yeah ish biz. And don't worry my captain irritates everybody even me

Just Kidding!!!

 

[Zef]

considering the back-chat he was getting from your skipper.

Yeah well just quietly, the ref's not bad on the lip either. I bet Bill Harrigan's never called Mad Gordy Tallis "Whinging Wendy" during the run of play.

And Dave, sometimes a Captain's got to do what he's got to do - the stapling was purely for the good of the team, it wasn't personal. Look how good you've been going since - the DallyM is within your grasp.

Special mention to skeepe, who took us on solo and came away with the medals. Parra-Dogs may have won the game, but skeepe didn't lose it.

 

[Anonymous]

considering the back-chat he was getting from your skipper.

Yeah well just quietly, the ref's not bad on the lip either. I bet Bill Harrigan's never called Mad Gordy Tallis "Whinging Wendy" during the run of play.

And Dave, sometimes a Captain's got to do what he's got to do - the stapling was purely for the good of the team, it wasn't personal. Look how good you've been going since - the DallyM is within your grasp.

Special mention to skeepe, who took us on solo and came away with the medals. Parra-Dogs may have won the game, but skeepe didn't lose it.

LOL.. 'Whinging Wendy' were your words. .. and yes, congrats to skeepe.

 

[Redback71]

redback71

reporting for parradogs

2004 the year in review so far

Here we are in round 18 and what a mighty turn around it has been for the mighty eels after a sensational 2001 season theve done nothing but go backwards and there present line up resembles a shadow of there former selves.

after mass signings and sackings they went into 2004 with heeps of potential facing the tigers in round 1 who absoulty slaugherted them 56 - 2
all thanks to an inform bret hodgo who has set the league on fire in 2004 and adding to the reputation of the eels for letting talant slip thru there fingers.

then in round 2 they faced off against an eagles out fit made up mostly of former eels players with a grudge and something to prove it was an exciting match that saw the eagles scrape home 28 to 12 dunley was man of the match which also saw heckenberg calve up the opposition.

the eels went on to loose there next 3 matchs which saw them languishing in last position, then in round 6 verse the dogs trailing at half time by 28 points to zip saw a mighty turn around thanks to witt and thorman that saw the eels win there first game for 2004 by 36 points to 28 and they have not looked back since wining all there games up to now and breaking a stack of records a long the way including an 78 - 6 win over the roosters.

so here we are in round 18 that sees the 4th place eels taking on the 1st place tigers and who would have thought at the begining of the season that at round 18 that this would be the match of the round can the eels put an end to the tigers 18 match winnig streak can the tigers put and end to the eels 13 match winning streak.

only the next 80 minutes will tell so sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[Dragon Fanatic]

WTF! LOL your like 3 months late!