736 words including title.
Making his first hit-up of the match for the Bluebags!
Rugby League 101: Terminology
Welcome, students. Id like to begin todays lecture by focusing on some of the more interesting phrases and observations attributed to (and penned by) rugby league. We are today going to focus on rugby league terminology.
Please note that the following list is NOT in alphabetical order - these are lecture notes, not a bibliography (although correctly referenced bibliographies WILL be expected from you when handing in your essays).
Forward pass: any pass coming from the hands of Cameron Smith.
Dummy-half: term best used to describe Kris Keating (please note that despite his dummyness, he DID play in a Grand Final).
Shane Perry: an interesting entry. It is usually used as a verb in one of two different meanings: (1) to fluke a win over more fancied opponents; and (2) to feature in an impressive win despite doing nothing noticeable.
OMG SBW: this is one that is integral to the NRL landscape...And yet, sadly, nobody really knows what it means...
Chicken wing tackle: aka Melbourne Storm defensive technique.
Wooden spoon: Parramatta Eels most beloved trophy.
Sixteen: number of Premierships St. George CLAIM they have won
One: ACTUAL number of Premierships St. George have won
Pride of the League: a term adopted by supporters of one club (incidentally comprising approximately ten percent of all the leagues total memberships) to describe their central Sydney-located club - in a competition boasting one side from Victoria, three from Queensland and one from New Zealand...
T-R-Y!: this one has baffled leaguies for some time, but it seems to be an English commentators attempt at wit and/or charisma, usually applied when one team scores a try.
Shoulder charge: recently outlawed, it is best described as Chris Sandows [lackluster] tackling technique.
Hands in the ruck: a rule which sees several NRL sides get penalised every week. It is the referee lambasting a side for not using enough of their feet (it IS rugby league football, after all, class).
Wayne Bennett: living, breathing Skeletor - except more talkative.
Craig Bellamy: Premiership-winning anger management guru.
Nathan Hindmarsh: best described as an over-rated, thuggish, flopper.
Billy Slater: star of the famous movie Karate Kid.
Grubber kick: kick emanating from any of the following players - Steve Matai...
Ruben Wiki: visionary, tough creator of popular website.
Junior base: all Sea Eagles and Roosters players.
Video referee: referee sent to refereeing purgatory, usually as a result of a mistake the previous week.
Shepherd (or obstruction): this is a tricky one, and I will resort to Ruben Wikis aforementioned website (as seen here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_rugby_league_terms#O) to give me a hand - Impeding any opponent who does not have the ball by tackling them or obstructing them. Two points to be made here - firstly, nobody really knows what the shepherd is, and secondly, it is rather pointless using the word obstructing when trying to define the term obstruction. But that is a point for another day.
18th man: colloquial term for a referee.
Blind side: Matt Keatings favourite set play, it involves screwing up attacking momentum.
Downward pressure: now, this is a real doozy, so pay attention - downward pressure is when a try is scored, is sent up to the vide referee, and awarded, despite dubious evidence suggesting the try should not be allowed.
Dump tackle: favoured technique of John Hoopoe.
Goose step: running technique that makes one look like...well, a goose.
Scrum: funny dance that serves absolutely no purpose in the modern game.
Haka: funny dance that serves absolutely no purpose in the modern game - except to look absolutely awesome.
John Hopoate: former First Grade star; he was most famous for actively campaigning for mens rectal health.
Dog shot: Joel Monaghan-related orgasm...
NSW Blues: park football team that plays against a team of men every year in a depressingly lopsided contest.
Bomb: not to be confused with ad bomb (aka Josh Dugans self-appointed nickname), the bomb is a risky kick that is used in every rugby league match at least once, and usually results in...nothing at all.
Class, this has been Rugby League Terminology 101. I do hope you were taking notes and paying attention - this material will be covered in the end of semester exam. I hope that you all score highly on the test - but for those of you who fail, you can take Remedial Scrummaging 104 to make up the extra credit.