TRI-NATIONS III (2007) Kangaroos v Lions

[Willow]

F7s TRI-NATIONS 2007
Brian Bevan Cup
Australia Kangaroos v Great Britain and Ireland Lions

v

Game Thread:
• Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game-related posts can be made here. Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
• Captains must post their entire team (including reserves) before posting and only those players listed may play this round.
• Only original marked articles, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

REP Match players:
5 posts per team.
Teams allowed 2 reserves each.
Total (including reserves): 7 players per team.

Rules of play: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.php

Full Time: WEDNESDAY 14 NOVEMBER at 9:00PM (SYD TIME)​

Venue: The Front Row Stadium

REFEREE: LeagueNut

**Referee Blows Game On!**

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Misanthrope
Bartman
Cheesie
Bumble
Edabomb

Big Mick
Mr. Fahrenheit (c)

 

[gorilla]

The Aussies post their team on the noticeboard in the changroom corridors and stride out onto the filed for a warm up.

Run On
Gorilla (c)
Willow (vc)
Pistol
Black Kitty
Azkatro

Reserves
Timmah

 

[gorilla]

gorilla strolls onto the field, picking his nose and stratching his arse, with a wink he spears off downfield.

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Spot the Leader

Everyone knows the players in the NRL – they’re the faces of the sport, the fans’ heroes and their villains. Even the coaches are almost always recognised, although sometimes they rely on the fans’ good graces for a good reception.

There is one group of people associated with the NRL who wield enormous power and influence – the ‘back-room boys’, who aren’t well known by sight, sometimes even to a team’s fans.

They are the CEOs, the Chief Executive Officers. Here, for your edification is the whole motley crew. It’s not always a pretty sight, in fact, they are no oil painting.

NRL David Gallop

Looks like a confident stick insect. He inspires confidence the way an accountant helps when your facing the Tax Office.

Panthers Glenn Matthews

A very carefully posed picture – his left-hand side is quite disfigured. Busy with corporate take-overs of small and struggling clubs that has no connection to gaming turn-over.

Titans Michael Searle

Looks like a ‘Punching Padre’ – all smiles and a deadly right uppercut. You’d need to be buoyant with the outlook for the Titans given the history of teams of the Gold Coast.

Dragons Peter Doust (and ring in ex-Souths Shane Richardson)

Both pretty jolly – one gone and the other ready for ousting. Tried to find a Red V but all I could find was a red (*).

Sharks Tony Zappia

This is the best showing of Tony, mostly he looks so shocking, I had to censor the pictures. Man, he generally looks so bad you’d want him out of the photo. Scissors anyone ?

Bulldogs Malcolm Noad

No wonder Malcolm wants to Free Willie. A man who knows where his hands have been.

Broncos Bruno Cullen

Board revolt ? What Board revolt ? Where’s that coach ? What’s an All Gold – is that a new XXXX ?

Parramatta Denis Fitzgerald

Cool, confident and thoroughly disliked by most. Looks like he would go down to the wire for someone, just got to find them.

Storm Brian Waldron

Needs a map to know which door to go through, often forced to wrestle his way around. Popular man in Melbourne – autograph signings ae booked out weeks in advance.

Rabbitohs Shane Watson

A great head for radio. A great mind for accounting. Knows his drums although his movie trivia knowledge is a little too focussed on sandals, bovver boots and bad wigs.

Raiders Simon Hawkins

An invisible man – not sure why but they might be putting his picture about in proportion to the Raiders season success in 2007. Could be that he’s really the Hulk which would at least mean he’s the right colour.

Cowboys Peter Parr and Dennis Keffee

Two for the price of one, old and new. Both look like they can smell something bad. Could be the fans and the marketing department at a focus group meeting.

Sea Eagles Grant Mayer

You’d be cheery too with Max on board – could do with a facial Brazilian. Still it’s nice to surf after work and he could do with the execise.

Roosters Brian Canavan

Brian pretending to be glum when delivering the news to Ricky about his sacking ! You’d think they wouldn’t photo op that meeting but they did. Shows they really don’t give a sh*t.

Warriors Wayne Scurrah

Looks like a sheep farmer, hope he knows his way around the docks at night. Rough and ready, thuk end creemy, like the NZ men.

Tigers Steve Noyce

Having joined the ‘mile-high club’ they were forced to evacuate (not in the greyhounds sense, thank God) too quickly. Steve’s antics get a guernsey on most Kath n’ Kim shows: “noice”.

Knights Steve Burraston

Another invisible man – could have posted Joey but Andrew never liked him. Steve may be available for a photo shoot if they can get him out of the sponsor’s boxes without using a helicopter. The fire drills aren’t held for the announcers as: 1. they can’t get out in time anyway, and 2. no-one really cares if Rabs and team get roasted.

Total and utter thanks to the News Corporation !
Which is not how I feel about 'the war' ...
http://www.newsphotos.com.au/

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Between 700 - 750 words between the stars.

 

[gorilla]

deleted double post

 

[edabomb]

Rehab!

“They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go” – Amy Winehouse (Rehab)

Rehabilitation is a dirty word in this day and age. It implies that one suffers an overbearing addiction, whether it is drugs, alcohol or many other things. Amy Winehouse hit the spotlight by singing about her unwillingness to rehab from drug abuse; this song could also be a theme for several of today’s NRL stars. So here are a few examples of rehab cases that should happen in the 2007/08 off-season, but will more than likely not.

Willie Mason seriously needs to rehabilitate his current public speaking criteria. While everybody loves an honest interview, Willie seems to not know when to stop. It seems that every other week he is in the headlines for another slip up, and this doesn’t seem to subside in the off-season either. Perhaps the most desperate scream for attention is the constant NFL rumours. Seriously, Willie just doesn’t suit a position in the NFL, and surely only uses this as a tool to continue his high profile media status. Please check Willie into image rehab this Christmas, before he does any more damage to the perception of NRL players.

It is generally a bad idea to drive a car while on a suspended drivers licence. It is an even worse idea to speed away when you spot a police checkpoint. To be honest, I don’t even know if Amy Winehouse would then seek safe haven at her parents place. But this was the sequence of events that led to Todd Carney being arrested for driving on his previously suspended licence. While Carney got a final warning from the courts, the fact that this was his second offence clearly shows he didn’t learn the message first time round. Send this man to rehab with a copy of Lance Armstrong’s autobiography. Carney is also off contract at the end of 2008, so it is common sense he should be offered a pushbike as part of his new deal. This type of clause could well become known as ‘the Amy Winehouse incentive’.

Wayne Bennett is a charming old man I’m sure. However, his most recent drama queen act showed a deeply insecure side to Wayne. When presented with a lifetime achievement at the Broncos prize giving Wayne acted scorned. He ‘apparently’ believed the night belonged to the players, so he walked up, accepted the award and left briskly without thanking anyone. Deep down Wayne must have known this was only going to draw attention to him. This is understandable, having been bald since the camera was invented; Wayne is no doubt reasonably insecure. It is suggested that he joins Willie Mason in an attempt to stop craving the attention of the media. Surely accepting an award with a brief thanks to family and colleagues would draw far less attention from todays over zealous media.

While Alan Tongue may be considered a model citizen, he needs some serious rehabilitation. During the 2007 season Alan’s nose seemed to deteriorate into a running tap of blood. Surely a month away from all the threats of the outside world is advisable for this modern day warrior. Perhaps wearing a Hannibal Lector like mask would eliminate any chance at damage, and this would only draw frowns in our society. Rehab would be the safest place for Alan to rest and recuperate without drawing criticism for his appearance.

These are few of the standout character and physical traits of today’s NRL characters. These are not considered harsh criticisms, rather a few home truths. It would be enjoyable to see Willie, Todd and Wayne represented more in the media based on the calibre of their work rather than their personal life. It would also be nice to see Alan Tongue finish a game without his nose opening up. While Amy Winehouse may sing that rehab is not the place for her, she is the walking advertisement of why rehab is a key part of today’s society. The NRL players should all be encouraged to overcome their weaknesses in the off-season with the help of others. However, they will probably just spend their summers sitting in a bar and drinking to the song ‘Rehab’.


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746 words including title

 

[Black Kitty]

Black Kitty runs out from the locker room in her fist Tri-Nations green and gold... it's spotlessly clean, marking her for the newbie she is...

And the drugs don’t work…

It’s in our darkest moments that, ironically, things often become most clear. It’s when we realise that perhaps we are not the people we thought we were. Maybe we are not as happy or content as we spend our waking moments trying to convince the world, and ourselves, that we are.

Most people will have these moments I‘m sure. Some will ignore them, and go back the game tomorrow; some will take notice of what seems wrong, and when tomorrow comes, take action to fix those things that don’t seem quite so right; and some, well, some just can’t handle the demons that chase them and they don’t want to fight them. So, instead, they drown them out. They build a façade for the world to see that is so strong that it never comes down. They drown them out with drink and drugs and talking big. They build with materials like alcohol and illicit drugs, perishable materials that need constant replenishing. Corrosive materials that eat at the very structure they are creating the mask for. And the more they use, the less they work, so the more they need. It’s a horrible vicious circle that unfortunately some of our beloved football hero’s have fallen victims too. Of course, it’s not just footballers, and it’s definitely not all of them. But they are drawing a great deal of attention with it.

There is a lot of pressure put on these men at a time in their lives where they are still vulnerable and learning about life. Suddenly they have gone from a small town life, or at least a life of anonymity, to big city lights, pockets full of cash and cheering adoring fans. It might sound like a dream come true, but what if the dream is more like some surreal nightmare once your in it? How do you get out? How do you cope with all that is being thrown at you? How do you say no to the promise of escape? How do you say no to your new mates? When the only escape door you think is available to you is in the form of a little pill would you take it?

It would take a very strong person to say no to all these things. Could you? Truth is, you can’t honestly answer that unless you’ve been there. When I first heard the news about Joey Johns, I was devastated. I thought for sure that of all the people in the League world, he would be one of the few with the back bone and integrity to be a role model among role models. I guess he just built a better façade than the others. It often makes me wonder if any of these guys take their role model status seriously. I don’t care if they did or did not ask to be a role model. The cold hard truth is that they are. And they should act like it more often.

As young men they join these teams, and as young men they are very susceptible to what is around them. The NRL, in my opinion, needs to help these boys out when they bring them to sporting stardom. Offer them guidance, support and help in the right direction. This needs to filter down through coaches, assistant coaches, and senior team members alike. Possibly the senior team members most of all, because these are the guys that the younger players have grown up admiring and aspiring to be. If they then find out that they are taking drugs and drinking to excess, it only stands to reason that these new boys will see this as not only acceptable, but as being a move to being accepted.

Is there an answer to this problem? Yes. I believe there is. It’s sure not an overnight cure, and it sure as hell won’t be easy. But the powers that be, the NRL, need to stop covering for these players and stop making excuses for why no one knew and no one helped. There are plenty of professions out there that require a weekly drugs test, why not League? And what would it hurt to have someone to help the new recruits adapt to their new lives? I’m sure it would be quite manageable. But above all, above everything else, these men have to grow a pair and take some personal responsibility for their own lives. No one can do that but them.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Sub;

Big Mick on for Misanthrope

 

[Pistol]

Pistol, lacing up his boots, ready for this match, has a dig for Australia and...

One Last Game
​

​

Great players come and great players go. It’s the legacy that they leave behind that indelibly leaves a lasting mark on their storied careers. A small amount of them get to bow out with one last game on the big stage.

In 1986, the Cumberland Oval renovation was complete and it became Parramatta Stadium. The Eels side were preparing for their last season with two of their favourite sons. “Mr Perpetual Motion” and “The Crow” decided that 1986 was to be their last season in the Winfield Cup. Mick Cronin, who’d be making the trek from Gerringong to Parramatta, was pulling stumps after what can only be described as one of the most complete centres Rugby League has seen. His partner in crime and member of the ’81, ’82, and ’83 premiership winning Eels sides, Ray Price, was also planning to bow out after season’s end. Both men were part of the Parramatta juggernaut that garnered 3 premierships in succession. Both men were considered among the toughest in their side.

Price made a name for himself for his hard running style that made him one of the toughest loose forwards to bring down. A New South Wales State of Origin legend, he was synonymous with the grit, grunt, biff and barge that Origin of the 80’s was famous for. Price also finished his career creating history. He won a 5th unprecedented Dally M Lock of the Year title.

Cronin’s toe-poking kicking abilities were among the game’s elite. But not only did he have those skills, he also had a knack of crossing the white stripe. In total, he scored a whopping 865 goals, scored 75 tries and two field goals for a then record 1,971 points. This was a feat made much more special by the fact up until 1983, Cronin played with the try valued at 3 points instead of four.

Many remember before the decider in 1986, he was blighted by a serious eye infection that threatened to derail his swansong. Cronin displayed the courage and determination to take the field and kick the two goals that would ultimately win Parramatta the title, sending himself and his good mate, Ray Price out on a fitting note.

Then I think of Glenn Lazarus. The “Brick” signed for the Broncos in 1992. He came hot on the heels of winning back to back titles, narrowly missing out on a third for the Canberra Raiders. The impact Lazarus had on Brisbane was incredible. The Broncos went on to make back to back titles in 1992 and 1993, giving Lazarus 4 winners medals in 5 years. Over the years, Lazarus was a mainstay in the Blues Origin side and the Australian front row. In 1998, he took charge of the Melbourne Storm. In 1999, he had one of his finest moments, guiding the fledgling Melbourne Storm to perhaps one of the most dramatic Grand Final comebacks in history in his last game capped off one legendary career.

2006 marked the end of one of the most courageous and honourable footballers ever. He was often described as the best book end of the modern era and with a history of “full steam ahead” attitude, Shane Webcke would not take a back seat in his final season. Going on pure adrenalin, Webcke ignored the messages of pain his body was sending him. His shoulders were shot to pieces, he had rusty wheels acting as knees that were about ready to buckle but the man refused to give in. In order to get to the big one, the Broncos had to overturn a 21-6 deficit against the Bulldogs. They did and did it in grand style to give Shane one last dig.

The Grand Final that year pitted the Broncos against the rampant Storm side. The Broncos were big underdogs but that just made it even better for Webcke. The tough nosed prop ran that night like he ran his entire career, with gusto and straight ahead. 80 minutes later, with sweat pouring from every pore of his body, aches pains shooting through every nerve in his system, he stood tall as the Brisbane team emerged victorious 15-8. Another fitting farewell for one of the game’s greatest in his last game.

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Thats 709 words including the title

 

[Bumble]

*Bumble limps onto the field, despite having toe surgery today*
​

The Late Show
***

Witnessing your teams victory is always a fantastic feeling, but to see this occur in the dying seconds of a match, when all hope for victory had been abandoned is something purely amazing. It is these moments which fans remember. These moments which create heroes and villains, forge rivalries, and bring about feelings that are near on impossible to feel in other circumstances.

So now it’s time to take a look at a couple of Rugby League moments that will always stick with me, game-changing plays which have been carved into memory…and the polarising emotions I felt after each. The agony of the last second loss, and the utter jubilance of a win, when only defeat looked possible.

April 29th, 2007: Rabbitohs v Warriors

Souths had been heavily aided by the incompetence of Jason Robinson and the video referee, denying two Warriors tries which even the most partisan of Rabbitohs fans could not deny should have been awarded as four pointers. In any case, Souths led by 8 points with a paltry 3 minutes remaining in the game. As I sat in Telstra Stadium, relaxed and satisfied with another win, the next few minutes can only be described as utterly horrific.

First, the superb Steven Price broke through the normally stoic Rabbitohs defence before offloading to Wade McKinnon, who sprinted away from David Peachey and touched down underneath the posts. Merely a consolation, I assured myself as the scoreboard now read; Rabbitohs 16 – Warriors 14. From the ensuing kick-off, we held the Warriors in their own half and got the ball back, with little more than 60 seconds to play. For some indescribable reason, our winger Shannon Hegarty found himself with the ball on the last tackle, and proceeded to run straight into their defensive line, causing a turnover.

The next 20 seconds are up there with the most awful I have ever experienced. Michael Witt kicked a hopeful grubber which appeared to be in vain, as we had Nathan Merritt, one of the fastest men in league on that side of the field…marking on Todd Byrne, a man who is best remembered for being run down by a 65 year old lock forward. But this was the Rabbitohs, and this was fate. Somehow Byrne won the race and planted the ball in the corner of the in-goal, much to the delight of the handful of Warriors fans in the stadium…ironically all seated in that very corner.

My heart dropped like a stone, and I remember walking out that stadium thinking there was no way we could make the finals series now. To throw away a game like that is just unforgivable…it was the most miserable train ride home I can remember. I’d witnessed A LOT of Souths floggings…but this was something completely different.

August 21st, 2005: Rabbitohs v Roosters

2005 saw a brief resurgence for the red & green in the back half of the season. The Roosters were struggling to make the finals, and we had the chance to knock them out of the race completely. History wasn’t on our side - we hadn’t beaten them since 1994.

As expected, the Roosters took the lead early through a couple of quick tries, 12-0. Souths hit back before a Roosters penalty goal made the score 14-6. A penalty goal and a Scott Geddes try later, and the score was tied. The teams exchanged penalty goals before what is, in all honesty, my favourite rugby league memory to date. Ben Walker snapped the ball onto his left foot, about 30 metres from the posts…a perfect kick.

The euphoria that followed that moment will never be forgotten. 17000 fans were there, a majority of which were Souths supporters. The long and torturous stranglehold the Roosters had on us was over, we had won. The turmoil and calamity associated with the South Sydney football club had been put on hold, as that night, we felt as though we had won the Grand Final.

In the following weeks, the Rabbitohs beat teams higher on the ladder and by larger scores, but the feeling of that night wasn’t replicated. Nor was it felt again during the 2007 season, which saw us chalk up many fine wins. In all honesty, the only time I think I could feel that way about a football match again would be if we won the Grand Final…or if we could beat the Warriors by scoring two tries in the last two minutes.

Such joy and misery…only in Rugby League.

***

750 words between the lines.
​

​

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro for the Kangaroos.

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The Unholy Matrimony

Rugby League, do you take Drama, to have and to hold, til death do you part?

It's been nearly 100 years since Mr. League said in earnest: "I do".

Despite this, 2008 promises to hold plenty of good times for the sport in Australia. The Government has pledged funds to establish a hall of fame to honour the code. The first World Cup tournament to be held in eight years will take place. There is sure to be a wonderful, positive feeling around rugby league in celebration of the great entertainment it has delivered to its fans for the past hundred years.

In spite of the fact that 2008 will be such a fantastic, momentous year, deep down we all know THAT marriage is still going strong.

One issue in particular that’s threatening to derail the credibility of the code’s World Cup tournament is player eligibility.

After the curtain was closed on the NRL and Super League seasons, questions were raised over the eligibility of New Zealand’s Fuifui Moimoi, who also qualifies for Tonga and Australia. This was of course in light of the fiasco surrounding Nathan Fien in 2006, who after playing twice for New Zealand was found to be eligible only for Australia.

Not long afterwards, the Kiwis kicked off a tour of Great Britain for a three test series. Controversy over eligibility raged over English convert Maurie Fa’asavalu, who not only qualifies for Samoa but in fact played for Samoa in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

It was also around this time that Samoa named several former New Zealand internationals in their team to take on the USA in a qualifying match for next year’s World Cup.

Without time to take a deep breath, more controversy surrounding player eligibility arose. This time the player of interest was Robbie Farah, who was born in Australia but also qualifies for Lebanon. It was an issue which began weeks beforehand when the Wests Tigers sensationally barred both him and coach Tim Sheens (Russia) from assisting emerging nations trying to qualify for the World Cup. The Wests Tigers eventually did a backflip on Farah, announcing he was available to play for Lebanon after all.

But more problems occurred when Farah insisted that while he was prepared to play for Lebanon, he did not want to jeopardise his chances of playing for both NSW and Australia, after having been named in Australia’s train-on squad prior to their fixture against the Kiwis. The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) did not budge on the eligibility rules, leaving Farah with no choice but to decline the opportunity to play for the Lebanese.

As far as I’m concerned the issue of eligibility in international sport simply comes with the territory, and subsequently it should be handled with a minimum of fuss.

The logical suggestion is that the rules need to be further scrutinised and adjusted, but the reality of the situation is that it’s an extremely grey area to deal with. And it doesn’t matter how perfect the rules become. We are talking about rugby league.

As I said, death and taxes. There has to be drama somehow.

So I guess this is an advisory. You are no doubt aware of the great number of controversies over eligibility we have already seen over the past month. There is little to suggest that these dramas will go away as we get closer to the commencement of the 2008 World Cup.

But there is something else that I would like to reflect on as well, and that is the dramatic nature of reporting rugby league events in the media. Is it a good or a bad thing?

If I was debating on the “bad thing” team, I would deliver the obvious old saying – “no news is good news” – to support my argument. But my honest opinion on the matter is that I don’t think that applies here. My opinion lies quite firmly in the “good thing” category.

Why?

Drama creates interest. It’s a talking point. If we see more headlines regarding the eligibility rules, we’re going to remember what dramas have already occurred and naturally take an interest in ongoing developments.

So if (or should I say when) the controversies continue to rage throughout the centenary year of rugby league, just try and keep one thing in mind at all times. We are not only celebrating 100 years of wonderful sport but also 100 years of great drama and excitement.

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747 words. Liftoff!

 

[Willow]

*Wilow runs on for the Roos*

The worst decade ever?

In the current decade, the St George Illawarra Dragons have yet to qualify for a first grade grand final.

There is no doubt in my mind that 2007 was the worst season ever for the Dragons.

In finishing 13th on 20 competition points, the Dragons narrowly managed to avoid the wooden spoon. The last-placed Panthers (18 points) had a slightly better for-and-against. The fact is, Saints were just one loss away from coming stone mother-less last.

Relative newcomers to first grade, joint venture partners Illawarra have finished lower on the ladder. As well, the St George club has seen darker days, some 70 seasons ago. Indeed, the last time a St George team saw the wooden spoon was in 1938, finishing last in an eight team competition. It still remains as a fact that since the club's formation in 1921, no first grade rugby league team bearing the Dragon emblem has ever finished 13th on the competition ladder.

The Dragons season of 2007 was consistently poor. The team only managed to string together two consecutive wins on one occasion. Once again, you'd have to go a long way back to find a first grade team bearing the emblem of St George that has had such an appalling run.

So what are the root causes for this dismal season?

Dragons officials will point to injuries.

In 2007, Saints used no less than 32 first graders. The most players a Dragons team has ever used in one season was 35 (1971, 1982 and 1983). The Dragons club of 2007 busted through the 30 player barrier after just 12 rounds of competition.

Nevertheless, injuries only tell part of the story.

In the latter part of the season, with players coming back from injury, the Dragons still couldn’t win the games that mattered.

Is the coach to blame?

Of course the coach is to blame! At least that's the standard response. A more judicious reply is that the coach is applauded during the good times, so it stands to reason that he must shoulder some of the blame during the lean times.

While many fans were calling for the head of Coach Nathan Brown in 2007, club CEO Peter Doust was giving ‘Brownie’ his full support. For the time being at least, Brown’s 2008 contract will remain intact.

Looking to the future, 2008 could be a tough year for Saints. The development of Kogarah’s Oki Jubilee Stadium has been postponed and the Dragons will be playing much of their season at the vacuous Telstra Stadium in Homebush. It should mean nothing, but past history has shown that the Dragons have put in some shocker seasons whenever they move away from Kogarah.

While the club will point to funding issues as the cause of this shift, others have been far less accommodating. Local businesses, councillors and fans have all been critics of the move. In particular, support group R2K has stated that the redevelopment of OKI Jubilee Stadium could be delayed until July 2008 so that five NRL matches could be staged at Kogarah for the 2008.

For the record, Kogarah Jubilee Oval is in pristine condition, and an ideal example of a suburban football ground for the Centenary season of rugby league in Australia.

To the casual observer, it seems like an opportunity lost. The Club, however, views the financial kickback from Telstra as a positive outcome.

So who do I blame?

I don't blame the fans, I don't blame the players, I don't even blame the coach for becoming the pawn of the moment.

I blame the entire administration. I blame the CEO and the Club board for lumbering the fans with their acceptance of mediocrity.

As recently as this month, Club Chairman Warren Lockwood 'congratulated' his NRL team for finishing just two wins short of qualifying for the finals. By that absurdity, wooden spooners Penrith should be congratulated for finishing just three wins shy of a finals berth.
The Club will deny this apparent acceptance of mediocrity as they point to previous years of ‘top four finishes’ as being a sign of sucess... a notion that would have the great Frank Facer turning in his grave.

The bottom line is that the immediate future of the Dragons is a grim one. Club officials have just two seasons to conjure up a NRL grand final team, or become the first Dragons administration in history to go through a decade without a first grade team appearing in a premiership decider.

*750 words*
Ref:
www.LeagueUnlimited.com
www.JubileeAvenue.com.au
St George Leagues Club Journal

 

[bartman]

Bartman | Poms

- - - - -

Swinging Willies

Player and club loyalty, honouring contracts, anti-tampering deadlines… all firmly now in rugby league’s past.

If we didn’t realise or admit this fact before “Williegate”, then Mason’s latest saga has definitely proven that in the professional era of rugby league - with its Superleague-inspired hike in player salaries and the birth of player-managers making careers on the back of their 10% cuts - contracts and signings are to be regarded as only as temporary marriages of convenience between players and clubs.

Professional rugby league and NRL player contracts today are a bit like a 400 person swingers’ club that operates all season long… Players enter with their contracts at one end and then during the course of the season they more than likely come out the other end with a totally different contract – often bearing no resemblance to the length, salary or location of their previously agreed contracts!

But the thing about swingers’ clubs is that usually everyone who participates comes out happy! And so it is with the current merry-go-round of player contracts – players are happy because they seem to be able to opt out of clubs on their own terms, clubs are happy because they can offload players easily when opportunity knocks, and player-managers are happy because they get their 10% slice with every negotiated move that occurs.

It’s just all this random movement is very hard to keep track of, and as a fan you never really know where the future of your team’s current players might lie? Strange that only three years ago Jamie Lyon was widely condemned for behaviour which is now pretty much run of the mill for a lot of players wanting something different in the middle of their contracts… And it was only this season that certain clubs were widely condemned for offloading players mid-contract yet Williegate has seen several clubs consider swapping or moving other players on early just for the chance to accommodate Mason under their salary cap.

We are clearly in a new modern world where rugby league players are seen by their clubs as commodities, and players themselves and their managers also view themselves as commodities, being very aware of market forces and maximising their possible returns from contract negotiations, third party deals and even swapping codes and countries as a career bargaining chip. It’s not just a sport for its own enjoyment or the entertainment of the fans anymore, the era of professionalism means that our game is now a business and a career for all of those involved – fans and viewers merely contribute at the bottom end of the economic calculations that make everything possible.

At risk of sounding too negative about the way our game is today or spending the rest of these words harking back to the olden days gone by, I want to return to the swingers’ club analogy and explore the possible conversations that might take place between rugby league players and officials if they were really to negotiate their desires within such a setting….

Doorman: “Evening Mr Mason. Haven’t seen you here for a while?”
Willie: “Yeah mate, had a blue with my current club. She just doesn’t respect me the way she used to… wants to fine me when I forget to do things we agreed together, and then won’t let me go and do new things I want to do. She’s just got too controlling and I have to break free!”
Doorman: “Well you’ve certainly come to the right place. Here’s your complementary drink vouchers, swing on inside!”

Willie (inside): “Hello guys! What are beautiful club representatives doing in a seedy place like this? Come here often?”
Club Official #1 (bearing a slim resemblance to a flirty Peter Doust in drag): “Hello Willie. Is that a set of contract demands in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Club Official #2 (bearing a slim resemblance to an experienced Nick Politis in drag): “Willie, we’re just here to see who turns up tonight. We all need a bit of excitement, and want to take things to the next level.”
Willie: “Well let’s get down to some business! my current club just doesn’t understand me and has given me permission to… swing. Are either of you club ladies interested in exploring the possibilities with a big Willie?”

Willie (some time later): “Thank you Nick, that was fantastic. Best I’ve felt for a long time. Cigarette?”
Club Official #2: “My pleasure Willie, now just sign here…”

- - - - -

750 words between the lines

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Cheesie-the-Pirate for the mighty British & Irish Lions.

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Victories and Victories

Another test match, another crushing victory. Sure the Poms won the Ashes a couple of years back and the Indians broke the Waugh-era test record of 16 wins on the trot back in 2003. Still, these are the exceptions and certainly not the rule, demonstrated by the 13 victories in a row that Ricky Ponting’s team have amassed. For many, this continued and undoubted test dominance translates into sporting boredom.

On ABC radio Tuesday night James O’Loughlin made a canny observation. He pointed out that there are two types of sports fan. There are those that consider the highlight of sporting fandom to be watching your team give another an absolute flogging. On the other hand there are those that would much rather watch a tight game where your team only just pulls off a victory in the end.

In many ways the kind of dominance shown by Punter’s mean is impossible in the National Rugby League in 2007 because of the equalisation methods imposed in recent years such as the salary cap. Certainly, the 11-in-a-row performance of the 1950s and 1960s St George sides can never be repeated whilst these measures remain in place.

On a smaller scale, though, there’s still plenty of room for domination; albeit within a season or two. Melbourne Storm this season and last are a good example. Losing only eight games in two seasons, and only once at home, is an undeniably impressive record.

The Sydney Roosters and of course the venerable Bennet-coached Brisbane Broncos have enjoyed similar runs of good form in the past decade or so. The scale of dominance of yesteryear is impossible but the basic salient features are there. The familiar long stretches without loss, impressive home records and routine appearances in the finals are there to be seen.

I’m not a fan of any of those teams so I can’t tell you what it’s felt like to be so far ahead of the rest of the heap, although I rather suspect the fans have enjoyed it immensely. Even for the neutral fan there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had. The likes of Brad Fittler, Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis running amok with other equally good players offers enjoyment to all.

Sadly I can’t even tell you what it’s like to win a premiership, our last being half a decade before I was born! Still, that’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed supporting the Saints over the years. After all, as we have mentioned already, there’s more than one way to enjoy your sport.

Reflecting, many of the victories I remember most fondly were close ones where a loss was expected beforehand or appeared inevitable at some stage in the match. Round 25, 2004 Manly Sea Eagles playing St. George Illawarra at Kogarah stands out. We may have played terribly for over half the game and it could be said that we didn’t deserve to win but it doesn’t matter because the thrill of chasing down the big deficit is enough in itself.

Then again, there’s another kind of close win that’s just as exciting, the low-scoring grinding affair such as the Parramatta game last season in the drenching rain. If it wasn’t for the late try off a forward pass in the end that game would have finished 2-1, all to field goals scored in the final ten minutes. The football was rain-effected, slow and sloppy but it was fascinating to watch two teams put on that huge defensive effort to make sure they weren’t the first to concede.

This second kind of sports enjoyment seems more about the contest than the skill. The skill may or may not be present in the tight, final five minute victory but in the end the thrill of it is in the humanity of sport, the fighting spirit and the combined will to win of two teams. When you triumph despite circumstances, despite the other team there’s a lot to enjoy there too.

In contrast the crushing victory is more about the skill, the plays, the football itself. In essence it’s about sport as human mastery over its environment, seeking the heights of achievement. Wherever the sports fan sits on the divide, the height of sports fandom is enjoying your team and taking the victories wherever they present themselves. If your team is achieving great things, well, that’s tops. But if they’re in the doldrums there’s a lot to be said for that tight victory that nobody saw.

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749 words including title.

 

[Big Mick]

Big Mick representing Great Britain again, coming out of retirement

International Rugby League – Joke or threat?​

International Rugby League has long been thought of as a stain on the game. For many years now, critics acknowledge that domestically our game is far superior to that of our rivals. However internationally, our game is sadly lacking to due lack of forward thinking.

Rugby Union has long been regarded as the superior international game; however the recent world cup has shown us that there is definitely a way to compete. The Union world cup was bland and lengthy and failed to capture the public interest. While this presents a perfect opportunity to strike as code internationally, the issue of International expansion is something administrators have abandoned for far too long.

Every year our media outlets proclaim how good it would be for our international game to be thriving and that we have a competitive environment where anyone can compete with the likes of Australia, England and New Zealand. However, in the same breathe they push a domestic agenda, stating there is too much strain on players.

Recently, the West’s Tigers stated they would not let Robbie Farah play for Lebanon in their World Cup preparation, however, when Farah recently sought an injunction to play. But underneath the surface presents the problem. When told that he would be ineligible to play for Australia if he played, Farah turned his back on Lebanon, sighting ambition to play State of Origin. Media outlets have been pushing for rule changes to accommodate Farah to “aid the international game”, and within this, a farce is presented and the joke is revealed. You can’t have your cake and eat it to.

There has been so much criticism with regards to eligibility and leniency internationally, but isn’t it a hypocrisy to ask for the same for Farah? He should be made to be eligible for Lebanon for the good of the international game, like many other stars, but he should also be made to continue playing with them “for the good of the international game”.

Rugby League is no longer a secret internationally. Thanks to the determination and will of a few; League has expanded exponentially the last 5 years. In 2004, there were 36 affiliated nations, in 2006, 44, and this year there are now 48. These numbers highlight not only a thriving presence internationally, but the potential that exists for a World Cup, that not only rivals Rugby Union, it betters it, both in competition and marketability.

The 2008 World Cup will consist of a small contingent of nations. However, by the next world cup, domestic competitions will be established in nations like Malta, Holland, Lebanon, Serbia and the Cook Islands which will allow a more competitive, expansive and financially viable competition.

However, unless we have players representing their actual nations, this will always be a pleasant fiction and International Rugby League will always be regarded as second best. This season Taniella Tuaiki and FuiFui MoiMoi had stellar seasons, which facilitated them with potential representation selection, with Moi Moi stating “I’ll play for whoever picks me”.

It is this cavalier attitude that must be stopped. Last year, Tuaiki and MoiMoi played for Tonga in an international fixture and within 12 months have turned their back on their nation in order to represent the more fancied New Zealand. If these players were made to play in their prime for their actual nations, this international drain would not exist and the game would not be regarded as a joke.

Rugby League is fast becoming a genuine threat to Rugby Union internationally, if only the administrators and media personalities would get out of its way. Imagine Jennings, Mateo and MoiMoi lining up for Tonga, imagine Farah lining up for Lebanon, then imagine how good it would be if it lasted for more than a one game stunt, as this will not provide adequate incentive to developing nations.

If there is one thing the recent union world cup taught us, is that nations like Argentina, Fiji and Tonga had a lot of potential and were willing to learn, and their success is highlighted in their hard work. If only our administrators had the same ambition to see the true potential our game has, then just maybe we can stop believing that unless you play for the big three, then you are nothing. We need to develop a mentality that to be an International is an honour, no matter who you represent. Let’s make our game the centrepiece it should be.

750 words

 

[Pistol]

Full time says the ref

 

[Pistol]

well aussies, twas a pleasure playing alongside you

to the GB boys, great scrambling and all the best

Get well soon Mr F

 

[Big Mick]

Congrats to both Australia and Great Britain.

May the best team win, and that we'll be sipping Champagne on the winners podium

There are some great reads there. Well done to all concerned.

 

[gorilla]

Good scrambling Pommies ..

Well done Aussies - great effort and a pleasure to line up with youse.

Ref, good luck and go to - no pressure: it's for the Championship of the World !

 

[Big Mick]

Permission:

To alter my article to say that i'm representing Great Britain...in the mad rush i'd forgotten too.

I am seeking permission from opposition captain to allow me to do this in order to not lose points for my team.