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MAJOR SEMI FINAL (2004): SOUTHS v SHARKS

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
The Backpacker Shield - Finals series of 2004
MAJOR SEMI FINAL: winner goes straight through to grand final.
Souths Rabbitohs v Cronulla 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 and is at the discretion of the referee.
Only original essays, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

Full Time: Wednesday 8th September, 2004. 9:00PM AEST (Sydney time)

Venue: The Front Row Stadium
TFR_Stadium04_finals.jpg

Crowd: 19,830
REFEREE: salivor
 

Alan Shore

First Grade
Messages
9,390
sharks2.gif
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
1. El Coconuto
2. Genius Freak
3. Tamazoid (c)
4. El Garbo
5. Mr Angry

Interchange
6. madunit
7. Salmon
 

Seano

Juniors
Messages
1,198
The South Sydney team for the Major Semi is:

Seano (C)
RedDragon (VC)
RabbitBoy
Skeepe
Dogs Of War

Reserves
Olympic Park
Terracesider
 

rabs

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
3,343
rabbitboy for Souths…

Mind Games

How do you explain a team losing a match by 50 points and then 7 days later winning a match by 40 points?
How does a team of average players defeat a team of established champions?
How come some athletes can raise and/or sustain their performance when the contest in which they compete asks them to go beyond their comfort zone in order to succeed?

The answer to all of the above is elementary – “power of the mind”. Belief, and commitment to that belief will enable the seemingly impossible to be possible. The best contests in sport occur when both combatants are mentally prepared, hungry and motivated to win. Sports Psychology is now implemented into the normal routine of most professional sports, but how seriously do the athletes themselves take it? For the ones that really need it I have my doubts. I don’t believe you can instil the desperation needed for superhuman efforts into someone that doesn’t naturally have it short of hypnotising them. On the physical side you can transform a 75kg winger into an 87kg specimen which will no doubt raise the confidence of same, but when push comes to shove will that winger have the mongrel it takes to match the Mal Meningas of the Rugby League sporting field?

South Sydneys new fullback Roy Bell weighs about 70kgs wringing wet yet he shows no sign of being tentative. When asked if he was ready to give the top grade a go his answer was “you should have picked me ages ago”. This is the sort of attitude possessed by the most successful athletes. An example from the other side of the coin is Chris Walker – a player not willing to put his body on the line and whose off field dramas over the years have paid testament to his lack of mental discipline and hunger to succeed. Walker does have great pace and will be involved in spectacular tries but whom do you think would win a match between 13 Chris Walkers and 13 Roy Bells? - The Roy Bells would win every time due to a superior state of mind.

A quote from Gorden Tallis – “when I cross that white stripe something clicks inside me and I hit as hard as I can and run as hard as I can”. It is interesting to note that after his serious neck injury Tallis was nowhere near as effective which he admitted was because the neck injury was in the back of his mind and who could blame him. There would be few players in the games history that could match Gorden Tallis’s mind power. When quizzed as to his toughest opponent on the field Gorden nominated Geoff Toovey – the tiny former Manly halfback who also possessed the “magic ingredient” that separates the great players from the ordinary players. Toovey weighed about 70kg when he debuted against Great Britain in 1988 and while he did build up his physique over the years the man never went in at anything less than 100%.

What about Motivators, can they get the best out of those attitude challenged athletes? I don’t think we’ve seen a major influence from motivators in Rugby League. We tend to be motivated by respect and admiration. Our great coaches have been primarily innovators and only motivators by stealth.

Many a sporting heroic has been fuelled by adrenaline. Adrenaline stimulates the heart and nervous system, and increases certain metabolic processes. It prepares the body for action - an adrenaline charged athlete would feel ready to meet any challenge. How is it produced? Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, particularly during intense emotional states, again the mental connection.

There is no doubting the importance of being physically fit and prepared to play elite sport, however an athlete who is not mentally fit will not benefit from all the hard training in the world if they can’t back it up with guts and determination. But here is a twist - everyone has heard the saying “A healthy body means a healthy mind”. There are a variety of ways in which exercise may influence the structure and function of the brain. The increased oxygen flow and resulting chemical processes can influence the brains health and integrity so one might assume that by training hard an attitude challenged athlete will increase their ability to overcome their mental barriers. But my opinion – you’ve either got the attitude and hunger to succeed or you don’t.

747 words
References
http://aids.hallym.ac.kr/dict/a.html
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=0!gc=2!l=2!gid2=2372

…may The Backpacker rest in peace
 

El Coconuto

Bench
Messages
3,129
The Most Wanted, Unwanted?
El Coconuto posting for the mighty Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...

There’s a lot to be admired about the Jamie Lyon fiasco, but here’s the part I just love above all else. Through all the tears, heartache and soul searching: absolutely no one cared where he ended up going. In fact, this was right up there with Jana Pittman, Mark Philippoussis and David Beckham on the “sports stars that continually made the papers out of pity” list. Again, I must emphasize that I love the way they work, as they've always managed to make me chuckle every time I read their sad tales.

That was until I joined that sorry list.

As a roving sports journalist, I was completely adamant that I had the best job in the world. I was assigned to track the cricket one-day test series, and picked up the wickedest tan ever. I even went to the snooker championships and counted down from ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall to thirteen, my personal best. For a sports junkie, it couldn’t get any better than this.

Then my editor called in to tell me that there was a correspondence shortage, and that I was required to cover the Rugby League post for two weeks. I couldn’t believe it. Behind basketball, this was my favourite sport in the world, and I was about to be paid for covering it. Booyah!

“One proviso”, my editor said.

“Fire away”, I replied.

“We want you to put Sports Net on the Sky Sports media ticker”.

“Consider it done”, I quickly answered as I hung up the phone and proceeded to do some disorientated rendition of the Macarena out of pure excitement. A minute later, I completely stopped my tango, and looked back at the phone in confusion.

What in the blue hell was the Sky Sports media ticker?

I tuned into the station, and did a quick browse. Nothing looked familiar. I embarrassingly called my editor and asked him what the media ticker was. He laughed, and said to me “You see that streaming text on the bottom of the screen with all the news updates filtering through?”

“Yeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh” I answered.

“That’s the ticker, and we want you to find a scoop that will put us on the media map,”

My heart completely sank. The only contacts I had in the Rugby League world were with the Cronulla Sharks. What possible news could I offer? But I gave it a chance, continually telling myself that this was my ticket into the big leagues.

I then read on the local forum that Adam Dykes was considering leaving Parramatta. Whether it was credible or not, I had to find out. I needed something, anything to present to my superiors. I spent two straight nights on the phone, calling agents and leagues clubs about the move.

Nothing.

Then came my big tip. I was advised via e-mail that Dykes was in fact pondering a move back to Cronulla and I promptly followed it up. It was true, Adam Dykes was moving back to Cronulla. Excellent!

I wrote the story, sent it to my editor, and resigned to my couch where I tuned into Sky Sports expecting to see something along the lines of "Sports Net reports that Adam Dykes will be returning to the Cronulla Sharks in 2005" stream across the bottom of the screen.

An hour later, I received a phone call saying that the deal was off. That Fitzgerald wasn’t going to let Dykes go.

Uh-oh!

I always wondered how Justin Hodges felt when that ball slipped out of his hands during State of Origin. Now I knew.

I called my sources. No answer. I tried five minutes later, still no answer. This couldn’t be happening. My journalism career was flashing before me. Finally, someone picked up.

“Hello”

“Whatsgoingonyoutoldmethisdealwasgoingaheadandnowivesentitthroughandamgoingtohavemyarsehandedtomeifitsincorrectpleasetellmeyouwerentbluffingpleasepleaseplease” I rushed.

“Mate, the deal is done, relax.”

A day later the story was released, but it never made the ticker. The schmucks at Sky Sports credited it to themselves. I realized at that point that unless it’s “Craig Wing to pose nude” or “Gorden Tallis to run for Prime Minister” no one cares about who breaks the news. I was just another most wanted unwanted, if you know what I mean?

So, the next time you see Phil Gould, shake his hand and call him Santa, because it’s not easy in this business. Alas, it’s another small part of what makes this sport so fun, and I love it.

Long live this industry, forum sevens, and Rugby League!

Words:750
 

skeepe

Immortal
Messages
45,591
skeepe for the mighty Souths
-------------------------------------------------

The Perfect Seven

It is what every tipster dreams about… checking the previous weekends tips on a Monday and finding a big 7 next to their name. But just how hard is it to obtain that magic number? And what sorts of processes do people go through to decide which team to tip? Skeepe Sports’ Gonzo McElroy finds out.

Getting married. Winning the lottery. Becoming a mother or father. According to a recent survey, none of these make people as happy as a perfect round of tipping. This strange phenomena that has anthropologists baffled is easily explained, according to Off-Centrebet analyst Richard Murphy.

“Well, people are getting married, winning the lottery or having babies all the time. A perfect seven is, for many, a once in a lifetime achievement. I still remember my first and only seven out of seven. I was 21, and let me tell you I have never, ever, ever felt as good as I did when I found out. Just the prestige of the result, and the envy of all your mates that comes with it, what a great feeling.”

Mr Murphy, now 48, is not alone with his feeling of euphoria over the magic number. Across the country, people are organising parties to celebrate their magic moment. So how hard is it? Jane Grout says that it’s harder than anyone could ever imagine.

“Well it comes down to luck most of the time, doesn’t it? I mean, I’m 56 and I just got my first perfect result this weekend. I was just lucky that I got confused and accidentally picked Manly instead of Melbourne. Who would have thought they would get up?” Jane said.

One person who always thought they would is Frank Constanza of Marrickville.

“They were always due for a win this weekend, according to my system. Statistics rarely lie.”

At first glance, it seems that Frank is right. He has been more successful than most, obtaining a whopping 9 perfect rounds in just 10 years. How does he do it? He puts it down to a finely-tuned statistical system that he has created, called the Constanza Theorem.

“Basically I get all the statistics from every match played each weekend, put them into my rather sophisticated calculator, and out come the results. I think there is still some fine tuning to do, but the results speak for themselves.” said Frank.

Unfortunately for Frank, those results included selecting Souths to beat the Raiders and the Warriors to beat the Bulldogs last weekend. We put the Costanza Theorem to the test, asking it to find winners for each of the forthcoming finals matches. The results, which can be found at the end of this article, were surprising to say the least.

What other methods do people have of selecting their tips? We surveyed 100 people to get their responses:

Select home teams: 12%
Random: 20%
Look at the ladder: 26%
Statistical analysis: 38%
Other methods: 2%

Given the importance to many people of securing a perfect result, it was rather surprising to find that only 38% use some form of statistical analysis to determine their tips. Was this because only 38% take their tips seriously? Not so, according to Gary Clarke, who is part of the Look at the ladder group.

“Damn straight I take them seriously. I have never gotten a perfect round. To me, that would be the absolute pinnacle. Once I achieve that, I will have achieved everything in life that I could possibly want. I’m getting high scores through looking at the ladder, so why change it?” he said.

Why indeed. But as another league season draws to a close, the tipsters will need another outlet for their prowess. For the final word, here is what Frank Costanza had to say:

“For every addiction, there needs to be something that feeds it. Rugby league tipping is great, but there is a time without rugby league. What do we do when that happens? Tip other sports of course. But rugby league is the pinnacle of sports tipping, because the salary cap means any team can win a match.”

Well said. And now, for your amusement, the Costanza Theorem’s finals results. This reporter thinks that the system still needs some fine tuning. Until next time, this is Gonzo McElroy for Skeepe Sports.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 32 def. Penrith Panthers 22
Melbourne Storm 54 def. Brisbane Broncos 8
North Queensland Cowboys 18 def. Canterbury Bulldogs 14
Canberra Raiders 66 def. Sydney Roosters 4
---------------------------------------------------

750 words, including title.
 

Seano

Juniors
Messages
1,198
The Prodigal Son Returns?

There was once a young kid who could just about destroy a team by himself. This kid never really needed the help of his other young team-mates to beat the opposition, it was just a great run, or a classy pass that belied his tender age that set up the win. This kid was destined to captain the team he worshipped as a youngster, and if not for forces outside of his control he may well have got his wish.

It was not that the kid never got to captain his team, hell he was the captain of pretty much every team he was involved in from the age of 6 onwards. It was just that he never got to captain his team in the competition that mattered.

It is now ancient history that South Sydney were removed from the competition at the conclusion of the 1999 National Rugby League season, and this culling effectively ended the dreams of a 17 old destined to lead the South Sydney Rabbitohs into the unknown.

It is most probably obvious that the player I speak of is none other than Braith Anasta, and while at the time Braith was a young up and coming player, he was destined for great things. Braith played his entire rugby league career at South Sydney in the lower grades throughout the 1998 and 1999 seasons, however it is a little known fact that Braith was almost graded at Souths towards the end of the 1999 season.

Due to the injuries at South’s throughout the 1999 season, as well as a major suspension to halfback Darrel Trindall, then Souths coach Craig Coleman was toying with the idea of grading a then 17 year old Braith Anasta into first grade. However Braith’s uncle, George Piggins, put a stop to the talk pointing that Braith was too young for first grade - who knows what might have been had he not.

One could be forgiven for questioning the point of this article, since Braith is contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of the 2005 NRL season. However, there have been many rumours surrounding Braith’s future over the season and the talk has intensified over the last few weeks. However, there are two things that cannot be discounted when speaking of a possible return to Redfern for Braith:

1. Braith himself is hopeful of a return, having stated so to friends, and South Sydney fans alike, and
2. The shrewd operating of South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson.

Mr Richardson’s skills in player negotiation are widely recognised as top class, and he has demonstrated these skills recently by managing to sign both Shannon Hegarty and Peter Cusack from the Sydney Rooster while both were still under contract. However, Shane Richardson luring Braith away from the Bulldogs may not be as ludicrous as one could initially assume. The contract that Braith is currently on at the Bulldogs is reported to be in the range of $350,000 to $400,000 – quite ridiculous money considering the state of the game at the moment, and this alone could be the leverage that South Sydney need to lure their prodigal son home.

The other side of this argument is that Braith has himself expressed a desire to return home to Redfern – and at a considerably smaller contract. Now, while it is impossible to quote sources, both myself and other South Sydney fans have witnessed this desire first hand. While I do not profess to be close friends with Braith, I have played a lot of junior football against him (yes, I was in one of those team’s he used to single-handedly beat) and as such have spoken to him on numerous occasions. Leaving aside personal conversations, the best possible indicator I can share is that when Braith speaks of South Sydney, he uses the word we, not you. This may not seem to be a big deal to some, but to hear one of the games brightest young stars speaking like he cares about the fate of our football team is certainly heartening.

It is very hard to base hopes on rumours and innuendo and as such there are many South Sydney fans around who will treat this as simply indulging a fantasy – since hasn’t Braith himself come out and said he will be Bulldog until at least 2005? Irrespective of this, remember you heard it here first – Braith Anasta will be a Rabbitoh, if not in 2005, then definitely in 2006.

749 Words
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
El Garbo, aka Captain Dread, posting for Cronulla.

-----

The Man in the Middle

The location is Stadium Australia.

The score is 21-20, Brisbane are trailing the Roosters. Twelve seconds remain on the clock.

A slight breeze dribbles from the south, gusting intermittently before settling back into its languid pattern. Specks of moisture dance and tumble on the inconsistent folds of air. The weather is hardly enough to affect game play, but it is more than enough to be off-putting.

*Focus.*

The crowd, stirred into a rabid thirst for blood, claw and scream abuse. Their eyes burn red, fuelled by an afternoon of alcoholic indulgence. Like banshees, they howl and jeer, spit, yell and bang garbage bin lids and metal hoardings. The rhythm of drums spurs them on, forever demanding more noise, more anger and more carnage. From the ground the mob appears as a seething, deafening maelstrom of wild animals.

And at its centre stands one man.

*Focus.*

The opposition stare straight at him; determined and intimidating. He doesn’t notice them. He doesn’t notice the flecks of rain settling on his face. He doesn’t notice the animalistic crowd, baying for his blood. He blocks it all out – folding, warping and distorting all outside influences into a tiny mental box which he shunts into a distant and forgotten corner of his mind.

All he sees is a ball perched atop a tee.

He lines the ball up.

He raises an arm. The crowd intensifies.

He doesn’t notice.

Three steps.

He swings his back foot forward.

He connects. The ball sails towards the uprights.

*Pause.*

With this kick, a club’s season hangs in the balance. Every try, every tackle, every celebration and every heart-wrenching injury – all are consigned to irrelevancy if this kick misses its target.

Such is the power in the goal kicker’s hands – or rather, feet.

Games are won and lost all based on the accuracy of the boot of one man on each team. A duffed kick can cost a team two competition points – and as evidenced by the finals race this season – two competition points are most valuable indeed for any team aspiring to grace the finals series with their presence.

If you think that this tale is all hyperbole, based on hypothetical situations which rarely occur, then perhaps this might open your eyes.

The Wests Tigers would be starring in their first ever finals berth, had Brett Hodgson kicked one more goal in their game against the Rabbitohs in round two of the season. Three shots for goal, two successful.

The Rabbitohs win by a field goal, and the Tigers join the also-rans come September.

Examples are everywhere. Were it not for three consecutive missed goals against the Cowboys in round thirteen, the Dragons would be preparing for a home semi-final this weekend. They only needed two of the goals to find their mark – but all slid away to the side.

The Panthers can thank the wayward boot of Matthew Head for their Penrith semi-final this weekend.

And so it goes on, example after example of the importance of a missed goal. An off day with the boot can cost a team points, positions on the ladder, and in the most dire of circumstances, even a place in the finals.

So with that established, let’s see how the drama is unfolding back at Stadium Australia.

*Un-pause.*

The ball angles to the right of the sticks, before collecting the wind and tapering back to the left. It hits the right upright.

Drops.

Hits the crossbar.

Bounces.

Straight through the sticks.

The focus is broken, but it doesn’t matter, as the goal kicker is smothered in a sea of celebrating team mates. The siren sounds, but nobody has noticed. The opposition, once intimidating, are now deflated as they contemplate another year so close to victory.

The fans – stunned – pick themselves up and start the long trek out of the stadium.

And the goal kicker, the man in the middle, celebrates long into the night with his team mates. And why not?

The Broncos are through to the Grand Final.

22-21.

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Word count: 673
 

madunit

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
62,358
madunit for the Sharks.

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

Madunit vs NSWRL

Madunit: Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to tonight’s exclusive interview. Tonight I speak with someone who has had a long and tumultuous life. Beginning at birth back in 1908, up to their financial difficulties faced in 2002. NSWRL, welcome.

NSWRL: Pleasure.

Madunit: Its been a long journey. We may as well ask the cliché questions first. Can you name a favourite moment?

NSWRL: Gee, so many great memories, the first games at Birchgrove Oval and Wentworth Park, Souths' supremacy in the early days, the Dragons side of the 1950’s, the Kangaroo tours. It’s definitely not an easy question and it wouldn’t be possible to name one moment. Just being alive after 97 years and to have all of these memories is the greatest gift anyone could have.

Madunit: It begs the question though, any bad memories?

NSWRL: 1909 was a not too grand a time. Money was scarce and the debacle that was the 1909 final was a really poor way to round that year off. The year started out poorly enough when the Kangaroo tour ended up making no money, and many players couldn’t afford to come back home. I think it was pretty hard to sink lower than that.

Madunit: In 97 years, you have seen many players, some great, some not so great. Do you have a favourite?

NSWRL: Oh, I could go on forever here! I was always a big fan of Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Dally Messenger, Reg Gasnier and in later days, Wally Lewis and even Andrew Johns. But if I were to choose one player, I find it hard to go past Clive Churchill. He truly was the little master and a once in a lifetime player.

Madunit: Now we know you’ve had to make many changes in your time. Which do you feel has had the biggest impact?

NSWRL: I think the advent of limited tackles had a huge impact on how the game was played. Tactics that worked in the past became practically ineffective. The only other change that had a larger then expected change was the four-point try. The games became more about attack initially. With the majority of attention by teams on offensive game plans, it saw some high scores being posted, which eventually lead to an increase in defensive technique later on. That shaped and improved the game that we watch now in a major way.

Madunit: You’ve always been considered as the consummate professional, but it seems to be more prominent in the previous 15 years than in any other era of the game. Your thoughts.

NSWRL: I have to agree. The players always used to have a job to provide the main income source for their families, whereas nowadays the players are doing their job when they take to the field. But, when professionalism steps up a gear, as does the amount of focus on money, and with that comes greed and loyalty starts to lose its place unfortunately.

Madunit: And while we’re discussing the modern game, how hard was it to pull the final curtain on long standing clubs in 1998 and 1999?

NSWRL: That was possibly one of the hardest decisions to make personally. Those clubs, Balmain, Norths, Souths, Wests and St.George, as well as Newtown in 1983, all played a significant role in my rise in popularity in Australia. Those clubs were what made me what I am today and it was with heavy heart, and at the time, with great regret, that I ended the long and glorious history of those respective clubs.
But I was trying to do the best thing to ensure my prosperity and it was the last straw. I have managed to survive and my fans still remember those teams and honour them every week. That makes the pain much easier to deal with. To still be successful and strong is a true sign that although the decision was a tough one to make, and one that many fans disagreed with, it was the right decision in the end.

Madunit: One final question, any plans for the future?

NSWRL: People love the tradition of the game. I’d love my 100th birthday to be reminiscent of my first year of existence. That would be tremendous.

Madunit: NSWRL, thank you for your time, and good luck with your future endeavours.
Be sure to tune in next week when we discuss why we even bother with AFL in Australia. Bye for now.

746 words, including title.
 

Dogs Of War

Coach
Messages
12,718
Dogs Of War lines up a kick for goal from the sideline...

1998: A season to remember part 2.

Read Part 1 by clicking here

Recap: Watching Foxtel, entered a competition, won 2 grand final tickets, $700 and a chance to win a car. Bulldogs remarkable run to firstly qualify for the finals, and then their performance in the semis sets the stage for what comes next…

So I had go down to Miranda Fair to select a key to start the car. We got to meet Andrew Ettinghausen, as he was the face of the competition. They introduced us all to the crowd, and as I had won the first week of the competition, I got to select my key first. All the keys had been placed in envelopes, which has had then been placed in a barrel. The barrel was spun and I was herded up to select a key from the Barrel. Maybe God was smiling down on me that day, I don’t know, but when I looked in the barrel, all bar one envelope was on one side. I selected the odd one out. All the other contestants then selected their key while the anticipation of the chance to try the key out grew in my mind. By this time hundreds of people had stopped to take a stickybeak at what was happening.

And then the big moment came, I was called out to try and start the car, Andrew Ettinghausen wished me luck, I hoped in the car and placed the key in the ignition. I turned the key and the reds came on, I had won. So I started the car and beeped the horn. The crowd went wild! I won a Nissan Pulsar.

But for me, the best part was yet to come. The Bulldogs had qualified in all 3 grades on grand final day. A Bulldog-fest!

We arrived at the ground early to make sure didn’t miss any of the action, but somehow had managed to still miss the first 10 minutes of Jersey Flegg. It didn’t matter as the Bulldogs romp home.

By this point not many had turned up, but we were making a day of it, our tickets where right on halfway and we were surrounded by Parramatta Supporters. Lucky for us the reserve grade game was Parramatta vs. Bulldogs, and after last weeks efforts in First Grade we were excited about the match, well were until Parramatta raced to a 22-2 lead, but then my Mate started a chant. “70 Minutes Parra”, to which I turned around to him and remind him that reserve grade only goes for 70 minutes. It was soon amended to “60 Minutes Parra!”. And then it happened! On the 60-minute mark, the Bulldogs start their comeback. 22-2 soon became 24-22 to the Bulldogs. I thought I’d seen the best comeback from behind in the finals the week before in first grade. But this topped it by far. The Parramatta Supporters who had been so vocal during the game had fell silenced, we were crazed Bulldogs supporters who believed that this was our day, nothing could go wrong! We downed another couple of beers, geez, at this point it must have been about 10 each, but as the sun beat down upon us, it felt like a million.

Anyway, the Main Event started, and the Bulldogs played great from the outset, it was great stuff. Those Broncos who had been so dominate all years where being outplayed, and out muscled by the Bulldogs who never say die. The Bulldogs went to the break leading 12-10.

The second half was a blur, I don’t know if it was because of all the alcohol we had consumed, maybe it was just our minds not wanting to accept what was happening on the field as the Broncos laid on try after try. Their would be no great comeback this week, but their was one thing that we could lay claim to. So we started to chant as we left the ground “We are the best in New South Wales…Do Dah, Do Dah!

Nothing could take this moment away, watching the Bulldogs win 2 grand finals and lose one all in one day, winning the car, the money, the grand final tickets and most importantly, the memories I will always keep of that great 1998 season.

Word Count 722
 

olympic park

Juniors
Messages
154
Hanging up the boots… or maybe not?
olympic park for Souths


I read recently with some sadness of the retirement of Gorden Tallis at the end of this year. A stalwart of rugby league for many years, he came to epitomise what a rugby league player is all about. Regardless of whether you loved or hated him, at club, state or international level, he always gave of himself to the maximum. Little wonder everyone associated with the great game had so many good things to say about him.

Fourteen seasons at the highest level of the game, for club, state and country, and many numerous awards. I could sit here and list all of his achievements and many highlights from his illustrious career, but that would require another one, possibly two articles. And most, I’m sure, are very aware of them.

Tallis mentioned that he was still very interested in staying in the game, possibly at the grassroots level. Grassroots is a level of the game which has suffered over the years, and with AFL spending so much time, effort and money trying to promote their game at the junior levels in the northern states (especially in Southern Queensland), it would have the potential very much to stem the flow back towards rugby league. Whilst this would be an enormous coup and be hugely beneficial to grassroots rugby league (particularly in Queensland), there is another aspect of our game where he would absolutely excel.

Gorden should become a referee.

If you think about, it surprisingly makes sense – there is no doubt that there is any other person who graces the field and commands as much respect as he does. And he knows and understands the game probably better than most.

And, of course, any of the finer aspects of refereeing he would need to brush up could be learnt from his best friend over the years, Bill ‘Ego’ Harrigan. How many of us can remember Gorden questioning Bill over many, many decisions over countless years… cumulating that infamous State of Origin send-off? Surely after all those questions and arguments which occurred there would be nobody who would know and understand the rules better?

And the benefits he would bring to the refereeing ranks at the highest level with such a deep understanding would be enormous. He is still very fit (which would allow him to be out on the field for the entire match) and know what to look out for during the match. There just seems to be something that the referees who have never been players miss out on the ground… and it may take away from the perception that some fans in the outer have that the referees we have are the ones who want to be involved with the game but were never good enough to play!!

The only problem one can envisage we may have is if Gorden was officiating at a State of Origin clash. Surely one would assume that there could be just a hint of favouritism towards his beloved Maroons to whom he toiled in many campaigns; and one could just imagine the uproar in the Sydney press assuming that Gorden made a contentious decision which assured a victory to the Maroons.

‘Sixty Minutes’ did a feature a few weeks ago on what footballers do in life after football, and the general comment made was that whilst many footballers would like to stay involved with something to do with football, whether it be working at a club, in the media etc., that only a very small percentage actually end up doing this. It would be nice to see Gorden stay on in our game in some capacity, especially at the highest level where he has been for so many years.

There is little doubt a big crowd will be there to farewell Gorden at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday evening against the Melbourne Storm in the last ever home game Gorden plays in Brisbane. The crowds will be there to farewell one of their heros – one who has given his all for the greater good of the game. One could just imagine the buzz and reception Gorden would receive if he was to come back in a season or two onto the turf… not as a player, but as a referee.

The final whistle sometime in the next few weeks will signal the end of a great playing career, and just imagine – Gorden himself could be blowing the next whistle to start an illustrious refereeing career!


WORD COUNT: 749 words (inc. title)
 

Genius Freak

Juniors
Messages
1,646
Genius Freak for Cronulla

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

The Ultimate Rugby League Poem

Poet Jim Simmerman’s short essay entitled, Twenty Little Poetry Projects claims to provide the reader with ample tools to write the ‘ultimate’ poem. Simmerman’s ‘tools’ come in the form of twenty short rules and guidelines, each of which outline how each line of your ‘ultimate’ poem should be written. Having read Simmerman’s essay, I was immediately intrigued, and thought I should give it a go. So here goes. The ‘ultimate’ rugby league poem. With all the blame to go to Simmerman if it fails to turn out. (BTW, if at first you don’t understand it, don’t worry. You’ll catch on.)

(Rules always first, and in Bold)

1. Begin the poem with a metaphor.

Good refereeing is the cornerstone of rugby league

2. Say something specific but utterly preposterous.

An example of good refereeing can be seen on any replay of the Sharks vs. Storm game from round 25 this year.

3. Use at least one image for each of the five senses, either in succession or scattered
randomly throughout the poem.


It was on this night that we witnessed a travesty of justice.
We heard the jeers and snipes from the Storm supporters.
We felt our chances of making the eight slipping away.
We smelt the fetid stench of corruption in the air,
And we tasted bitter defeat.

4. Use one example of synesthesia (mixing the senses).

Defeat smells like slippery mud, and freshly cut grass.

5. Use the proper name of a person and the proper name of a place.

It sounds like Tim Mander’s laughter ringing in your ears on the long drive back over the bridge and out of the Shire.

6. Contradict something you said earlier in the poem.

Not that I’ve ever heard Tim Mander laugh.

7. Change direction or digress from the last thing you said.

But 2004 will not be remembered for the laughter.

8. Use a word (slang?) you’ve never seen in a poem.

We will remember more the exploits of Noddy and Peach. Sully, Vags and Waltzing.

9. Use an example of false cause-effect logic.

They were our heroes. Because they wore blue.

10. Use a piece of talk you’ve actually heard (preferably in dialect and/or which you don’t understand).

Ka mate Ka mate Ka ora Ka ora, Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru, Nana I tiki mai whakawhiti te ra. (Perhaps we should have signed Ali Lauititi to go with Lomu and Vagana)

11. Create a metaphor using the following construction: "The (adjective) (concrete noun) of (abstract noun) . . ."

The dark clouds of madness descend of fans of the Sharks.

12. Use an image in such a way as to reverse its usual associative qualities.

We search for darkness in our tunnel. We forget that there is light.

13. Make the persona or character in the poem do something he or she could not do in "real life."

Mander will be unbiased.

14. Refer to yourself by nickname and in the third person.

The Genius will lose faith.

15. Write in the future tense, such that part of the poem seems to be a prediction.

He will be mocked by those around him when he tips against the Sharks.

16. Modify a noun with an unlikely adjective.

Purple haze champagne will flow. Obliterate reminisced nights.

17. Make a declarative assertion that sounds convincing but that finally makes no sense.

The drinking is painful, we drink to dull the pain.

18. Use a phrase from a language other than English.

Encima de Cronulla ascendente, de los muchachos en el blanco negro y de azul.

19. Make a non-human object say or do something human (personification).

The porch light screams for darkness. Will our faith remain unmoved?

20. Close the poem with a vivid image that makes no statement, but that "echoes" an image from earlier in the poem.

Mud and grass escape our lives.


NB: Oh, and in case line you’ve read the poem through five or six times, and line 19 is still a little too obscure, it’s a reference to a famous Jack Gibson quote. “Waiting for Cronulla to win a premiership is like leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt.” Cheers.

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Word Count: 699 inc title
 

SirShire

First Grade
Messages
5,412
SALMON ON FOR TAMA:



***

Dad comes in to my room to wake me at the early hour of 1:00PM. Well, it’s early if you’ve been out all the night before and only got home a few hours ago. “Get up, Matt” he bellows to me. I think to myself, “What the hell does he want?” Then I look up at him. And all I see is Royal Blue. “The game starts in an hour and a half!’ he yells in delight. Then I realise. It’s a Newtown Jets Premier League match. This is what my dad lives for. Its what keeps him going. Knowing that his beloved Bluebags are still playing the game now, that the pioneered 96 years ago.

I drag myself out of bed. The stench of spilt Victoria Bitter makes me smell like the keg room of the local. I throw off the smelly duds and throw on a pair of jeans and my two latest fashion accessories: Newtown Jets thongs and a Newtown Jets t-shirt.

I jump in the Commodore and slump forward. God – maybe I shouldn’t have had that half-a-case of beer last night. But, like a little kid on Christmas day, waiting to open up his presents, Dad is waiting in the car. Engine turned on. Seatbelt plugged in. And grinning like a Cheshire cat.

The drive from the Shire to Newtown take about 30 minutes. I use the time wisely and grab a few minutes shut-eye. Knowing that for the next 2 hours, I’ll have about a thousand of the most passionate league supporter’s you’ll ever meet screaming their hearts out.

I feel a nudge. Sure enough, it’s dad. “Come on!’ he exclaims. “Only 10 minutes till kick off” I look out the window. “Yep. Same place as usual”. Dad grins. Every game, he parks in the same spot. Out the front of a little Italian widow’s home. We walk down the side street to Henson Park. Its seems creepy at first. But as you get closer, you feel the excitement. There’s old men hobbling over in Royal Blue scarves with young men lucky to be a quarter of their ages. There’s little kids covered head to toe in Royal Blue. I hear dad whisper “It’s wonderful”. And I know, that the tradition of Australia’s founding rugby league club lives on today, only four short years away from its centenary.

We pay the man on the gates our admission, and walk over to the benches in front of the clubhouse, sneaking past the annoying telecommunications sales people. “I’ll be back in 5 minutes” dad tells me. I catch the end of the Jim Beam Cup match. Great game! The UTS Jets score a late try to seal victory. The crowd erupts! I hear my dad screaming like a mad man in the background “Go you mighty Bluebags!” I look over my shoulder and see him talking to some of his mates, old football mates of his. He comes back with a sausage sizzle and can of beer. “Oh great”. I think to myself. “Just what I need to get rid of a thumping headache”. I eat my sizzle and slowly sip my beer. The Jim Beam Cup team dawdles off the turf.

I see the lowly North Sydney Bears run on to the field. There’s no booing. Henson is probably the only place in the world you’ll see the home crowd clap the opponents onto the field. Then I see a flash of Royal Blue. The crowd erupts as the Bluebags bolt through the chase. And then it begins.

For the next 80 minutes of game play, I hear nothing but screams of joy. Nothing but the sounds of car horns beeping as the Jets cross the line yet again. There isn’t silence except for the odd occasion when the Bears score a soft try. Think you know what happened? The Jets have flogged the Bears. Unfortunately, I can’t explain the game to you. Because I just can’t find the words to explain the excitement that is Henson Park on game day. Its phenomenal.

The final score is in the vicinity of 44 points to 20, home team’s way. I make my way to the car with dad. By this stage, the grin has extended by another 2 centimetres on each side of his face. Its made his day.

We make our way to the Jets Sports Club at Tempe. And I know, that I’m going to wake up feeling the same as I did day before.

***

750 words.
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
Faaaarg me. What a dramatic last hour. Kudos to Salmon for pulling something out of his arse when Captain Fantastic was a no-show.... again!

Well done both teams. May the best team win! :D
 

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