2011 FOUR NATIONS FINAL: New Zealand -V- Australia

[Jesbass]

Forum 7s - 4 Nations - 2011
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS -V- AUSTRALIA KANGAROOS

-V-

​

Game Thread:
* This is a game thread only. Only game posts can be made here - team lists, substitutions, and articles.
* Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
* Only original articles, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.​

Naming Teams:
* 3 -V- 3 (+ 2 reserves for both teams)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named​

Rules: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.php
Official Word Counter: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/wordcount.php​

Kick Off: Sunday 20th November 2011 (2100AEST)
Full Time: Saturday 26th November 2011 (2100AEST)​

Referee: Non Terminator
Venue: The Front Row Stadium

 

[LeagueNut]

Here come the Kiwis...

-----------------------------------
Team:
LeagueNut (c)
byrne_rovelli_fan82
madunit

Bench:
Hallatia
Jesbass
-----------------------------------

Ringa pakia
Uma tiraha
Turi whatia
Hope whai ake
Waewae takahia kia kino

Ka mate, ka mate
Ka ora' Ka ora'
Ka mate, ka mate
Ka ora Ka ora

Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru
Nāna i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā
Upane... Upane
Upane Kaupane
Whiti te rā

Hī!

 

[madunit]

madunit for the Kiwi's for the last time.

Genesis

In the beginning when Gallen created the heavens and the Shire, the Shire was a formless void covered in darkness. Then Gallen said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. Gallen saw that the light was good. Gallen called the light Day, and the darkness he called Kogarah. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And Gallen said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, separating the waters from the waters.’ So Gallen made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. Gallen called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And Gallen said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. Gallen called the dry land Shire (except for the wasteland he created to the north, he called St.George), and the waters he called Seas. And Gallen saw that it was good. Then Gallen said, ‘let the Shire put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit.’ And it was so. The Shire brought forth
vegetation: plants yielding seed fruit. And Gallen saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And Gallen said, ‘Let there be lights in the sky and a bridge on the earth to separate the Shire from the Kogarah; and let them be for seasons, days and years, and let them be lights in the sky to give light upon the Shire.’ And it was so. Gallen made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the Kogarah people. Gallen set them in the sky to give light upon the Shire, to rule over the day and over the night, and the bridge to separate the Shire from the Kogarah. And Gallen saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And Gallen said, ‘Let the waters bring forth living creatures, and let birds fly above the Shire across the sky.’ So Gallen created the great sea monsters in Kogarah Bay and every other living creature that moves. And Gallen saw that it was amusing. Gallen blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the Shire.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And Gallen said, ‘Let the Shire bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and wild animals.’ And it was so. Gallen made the wild animals of the Shire of every kind, and everything that creeps around Kogarah. And Gallen saw that it was good and quite funny.

Then Gallen said, ‘Let us make humankind in the Shire in my image, according to my likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the Shire and over every creeping thing that resides around Kogarah’

So Gallen created humankind in his image.

People from the other side of Tom Ugly’s bridge – they were the scraps remaining that Gallen didn’t need. They existed for Gallen's amusement.

Gallen blessed the humans and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the Shire and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the Shire, including those weird looking things across the bridge.’ Gallen said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the Shire, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the Shire, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps in Kogarah, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food and long lasting amusement’ And it was so. Gallen saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

And on the Seventh day, Gallen beat Chuck Norris in an arm wrestle.

This is the word of our Lord.

Up, Up, Cronulla.

737 words, including title, according to OWC

 

[Willow]

The Aussies again have the pleasure of playing against the might of New Zealand. Our crew add up the squad, do a double check, and the math is correct... we have five players! Let's roll!

AUSTRALIA KANGAROOS

Willow (c)
Red Bear
muzby

Bench:
Breathingfire
Rexxy

Good luck one an all :thumn

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

byrne_rovelli_fan82, for the Kiwis

~~~

Emotions’.

The 2006 Grand Final played between two teams who were not Sydney-based in the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm has cast an ever-lasting memory. While the Broncos fans cheered and screamed at the top of their lungs celebrating the victory by their team there remained one image post-match many have haled and criticized.

Once the cameras showed the happy Broncos players jumping on each other and lapping up their victory the attention soon turned onto the Storm players all of them in agony as the realization hit them, a game they desperately wanted to win had just slipped out of their hands. Some of the players stood their ground with hands on hips with only a hint of tears appearing at the corner of their eyes.

A lone figure sitting on the ground had cast the most emotion, Melbourne Storm forward Ryan Hoffman sat there; his face cast the gloom and unlike most of his teammates who only showed a glimmer of tears, he really cried the tears flowed freely. It was a raw emotion cast in the minds of many, and highlights the true effect when losing a Grand Final.

While, I personally haven’t watched too many Grand Finals, I haven’t seen emotions from the players like the one Hoffman showed in quite sometime that is until this year’s Grand Final.

For a few minutes, the result was lost in the euphoria of Manly’s victory, they cheered, scream, hugged and a few even shed tears of joy. When the reality had started to sink in a different form of tears bubbled to the surface as the cameras eventually turned their attention to the Warriors. Some players tried to keep themselves in check with a straight face and even distracting themselves by guzzling down their post-match drinks and talking to each other sharing jokes.

Captain Simon Mannering had a moment similar to Hoffman’s; he didn’t have the free-flowing tears but he had the signs of emotions getting to better of him. Red eyes, a slightly croaky voice as he struggled to speak. I hadn’t seen the post-match presentation because deep down even though I felt proud of the team making it; having to see the emotion and misery on the face of the players would have sent me over the edge.

Then, I made the mistake of checking out the game photos through a variety of websites and specifically gettyimages. There is an old saying; ‘A picture says a thousand words’ and in this case it was true. I’d bee fine up until I saw those photos of the Warriors players and the heartache set in I could feel the tears threatening to spill.

In hopes of trying to let it all come out and to make myself better I wrote a piece I titled: ‘It still hurts’.

Here are a couple of paragraphs from the piece to sum it up.

In any normal circumstances when my sporting team's have lost a game, I also do the same thing, avoid game reports comments etc and turn on the opposition, but there is always that comforting thought to 'next week' and the bad day will be erased. In a grand final we don't have that luxury. Once that game ends you are left with its moments for months on end.

That's why, I couldn't watch the post match moments after the game because I knew I'd break down. I wouldn’t be able to bare seeing how upset the guys were that would have sent me into a wreck. Hence by avoiding it I was saving myself the sadness. Of course, for some seeing it sometimes makes it better in some ways, because you know everyone is going through the same feelings; and perhaps this is true but here is the thing.

Between March and October every year, we are emotionally drawn to support our teams, in the good and bad times, we laugh, and we cry and we vent together with them. Although we don't know them personally, and they don't know us, we are all still drawn together by the one common goal and what they feel is exactly what we feel.

In essence, I sometimes forget we are only watching a sport, and I take it personally; but so do the players. This is their day job, and to work so hard over 8 months and to come undone right at the end. Nobody can really comprehend the feeling, that raw emotion we see once in a while.


~~~

750 words between the '~' according to the official word counter
Article: It still hurts' can be found here: http://sports-alifelongpassion.blogspot.com/2011/10/it-still-hurts.html

 

[Willow]

Willow | Australia

Johnny B. Goode

A country boy named Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well

After starting his first grade career with the Newtown Jets in their final season in 1983, John Elias went on to play for no less than 10 other teams before hanging up his boots seven seasons later. A handy second row forward who played in Sydney, Brisbane, England, France and Lebanon, Johnny retired to the good life in the year 2000. Such was his standing in the community, Mr Elias immediately embarked on a post-playing career marked by benevolence and charity, thus turning him into the respected pillar of society that we see today.

His mother told him "Someday you will be a man,
And you will be the leader of a big old band."

Born in 1963, Johnny was just a kid in Lebanon when his mother pulled up stumps following the death of his father. Along with his two older brothers and sister, Johnny became an Australian citizen.

John got his start in the big league at 19 years of age, playing one season with Newtown before switching to South Sydney. It was the beginnings of a journey that would see him changing clubs almost every season. His longest stint was with Balmain from 1988-94. He left the Tigers mid-way though the 1994 season, re-joining cellar dwellers South Sydney. That season John had the misfortune of getting mixed up in a match-fixing allegation that involved four players from Souths and four players from Western Suburbs.

While the good man Johnny was building his Rugby League career with Newtown, South Sydney, Souths Brisbane, Canterbury, Wests, Easts, Balmain, Leigh (UK), Avignon (France) and Lebanon... he was also seeking gainful employment in the respected fields of armed robbery and stand-over thuggery for colourful racing identity Danny Karam. A well known gad about town, Karam was later gunned down by his deputy Michael "Doc" Kanaan. Elias survived this period but came close when, in 1990, he had a .44 Magnum pointed to his head outside Belmore Oval, home of the Canterbury Bulldogs.

After dusting himself off, John reached the pinnacle of his playing career when he represented Lebanon in 1997.

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track

It was also during the 1990s that John had his first major misunderstanding with the local constabulary. In 1995, the year after he retired from first grade football, John was charged with two counts of supplying amphetamines (speed for the uninitiated), one count of possessing parts for an F1 sub-machine gun and one count of possessing 'prohibited articles', namely military-style flak vests - obviously for self protection. In trying to do the honourable thing, Honest John pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court, and was then detained at Her Majesty's pleasure for a period of nine months.

In 2000, he wasn't missed by US customs when they denied him entry into America for Lebanon's World Cup qualifier due to the firearms conviction.

In 2004, Big John's post-playing contributions reached new heights when he was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of maliciously shooting his business partner in the leg. Always a 'glass half full' guy, John wrote an article in 2008 detailing his time in prison after scoring a publishing deal with that other paragon of virtue, News Limited. In 2010, he made hay again with a book entitled Sin Bin: The Untold Story of a True Footy Bad Boy. Riveting reading at $29 a copy.

Of course, for those who deal with drugs, firearms and occasionally shoot people, the world can be an unforgiving place. An unfair prejudice can develop - you shoot one guy and people treat you like a mass murderer. So it came to pass in the 2011 pre-season that police arrested Johhny and his good friend, prominent player manager Sam Ayoub. Prosecutors tried to implicate Elias as part of the investigation into the Ryan Tandy betting controversy.

I am pleased to say that John walked off scot-free.

After being charged in relation to suspicious betting on an NRL game between North Queensland and Canterbury at Townsville in August, 2010, John was forced to defend himself at Downing Centre Local Court. The Magistrate dismissed the charge.

Incredibly, the police are considering an appeal.

Obviously the cops got it wrong. John Elias is not the type of bloke who would get caught up in this kind of stuff.

Words | 750
Ref | http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl-betting-scandal-identity-john-elias-one-player-wayne-bennett-couldnt-save/story-e6frep5o-1226016009515

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut - Kiwis

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Retirement

How does someone decide their time is up?

Every year we see a range of NRL players head off into the sunset. This year we also have a number of Forum Sevens stalwarts unplugging their keyboards and stepping back from the weekly grind. They’re two vastly different playing fields, but how different would the thought process be for those who decide to retire?

Let’s run through a few possible reasons:

1) Age
None of us are getting any younger. While there are a few freakish examples of players still kicking around well into their late 30s and beyond, a Rugby League career that lasts beyond 34 or 35 at the top level is pretty exceptional.

This is largely irrelevant in Forum Sevens though. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60, there’s no reason age alone should stop you from thrashing out an article every week or so.

2) Injury
Rugby League certainly takes it toll. The game is littered with examples of players who retire before their time due to dodgy knees, bad backs or wobbly skulls. Watching a player who still has the desire to test himself at the highest levels but is restricted by a body that won’t cooperate is one of the sadder sights in our game.

There wouldn’t be too many injuries that would prevent someone from playing a bit of Forum Sevens though … excluding the odd case of carpal tunnel syndrome or random attacks of insanity (although that sometimes helps).

3) Motivation
Sometimes players lose the desire to keep pushing themselves at the top level, often for reasons that us mortals can’t understand. When we see someone walk away from “stardom” and the extra trimmings that their chosen career gives them we can’t quite make sense of it – and then again, sometimes neither can they. But whether or not they fully understand why the flame has burnt out, it still takes a lot of courage to stick to what you believe in and stay true to yourself.

The motivation to keep pumping out Forum Sevens articles is a totally different beast. Each of us would have different reasons for getting involved and sticking around – for some it could be the first step on a journalistic career path, and for others it could simply be the camaraderie of being part of a team.

4) Time
This one is not so much an issue for NRL first-graders, but curiously it cops a fair bit of blame from the Forum Sevens community. I don’t think time on its own is enough of a reason to walk away – perhaps saying you’re busy with other things is easier than trying to explain why you don’t want to play any more.

5) Going out on top
Rugby League is a cruel game – most players who hang up their boots don’t do so on their terms. There are some notable exceptions, but it’s pretty rare to be hoisting a trophy above your head as your last act on the field. Players who reach incredible heights in their twilight years can be, and often have been, tempted to call it a day.

This is a funny one with Forum Sevens though. Some teams have won competitions and then largely disappeared from view within a couple of seasons, perhaps because players think they’ve achieved all they can achieve. For many people though, winning is addictive –as long as the desire is there, winning a competition should increase your commitment to your team and not lead you in opposite directions.

So looking at all of this, the question I have to ask myself is … should I retire from Forum Sevens? A lot of my teammates are, and I don’t even know if I’ve got a team to play for next year. Maybe it’s time to tip my hat and walk away as well?

Let’s run through a quick checklist:
Age – not an issue, I’ll still be kicking around for a few years yet.
Injury – no worries there.
Motivation – there’s still a couple of unfinished goals, but I’d be lying if I said that was enough on its own to keep me here.
Time – it sure would be nice to avoid the far-too-regular routine of banging away on the keyboard into the small hours just to get something finished.
Going out on top – well that’s out of my hands entirely isn’t it?

So it’s 2-all with one point to be decided.

Over to you ref…

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741 words between the lines

 

[Willow]

Posting by proxy for Red Bear. Referee, opposition captain and F7s boss informed by PM.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Red Bear | Australia

How to make it on a Rugby League forum

Are you a budding full-time internet billionaire? Is fame, fortune and e-cred what you seek? Well follow these easy steps and you’ll be a forum hero in no time.

• Bandwagon jumping.

The first key step to be an internet hero is to pick your bandwagons. You have to be both wise and highly committed to whichever bandwagon you do jump on. You have to live and breathe this argument.
- For example if you decide St George Illawarra are a bunch of chokers then ignore any premierships they won in 2010.
- If you understand that LOL@50uff$ is the latest landmark in comedy you’ll realise that any serious opinion of South Sydney missing the finals is not required. I mean why make any serious point about how injuries can affect a season when you can just type LOL@50uff$ and get twenty sycophants thinking you’re awesome.

• Be a pedant

Unlike the bandwagon area, humour gives you know boost here. In fact having no sense of humour is advised. Know your schedules; know your shirt, back, sleeve and shorts sponsors. There’s no need to understand that people will occasionally make errors in what they write, really drive home the point when people are wrong. If, for example, someone asks when the schedule for round 22 will be released, simply answering the question is not an option. Chastise them for not understanding the somewhat random way in which the schedule is released and for cluttering the main board with one extra thread. Pissing over someone or something is, after all, how most animals mark their territory.

• Extreme Views

There are no shades of grey on the internet. If you want to be remembered reasoned judgement is not required. The key views to remember here are
- Your team has never played particularly badly. Boy, do the referees have it in for you though. These corrupt, senseless officials who deserve the most painful of deaths and are a disgrace to their families (because, much like the players, they can occasionally make an error)
- The AFL are an invading force, anyone who in anyway likes the game is a ‘tard and probably likes it up the date, and it is a sport of zero skill or ability (see also, 1. Bandwagons).
And do not even think of deviating from these ideas. Someone is just waiting for the chance to push you out of the League Unlimited throne the first chance you get.

• X was better than Y

This is obviously a huge part of a forum, especially at this time when there is no actual rugby league to discuss. So a variety of these arguments will spring forth. Don’t be afraid to drop to an “X was shit, no Y was shit” style conversation. Simply write off greats of the game when they are not quite as good as other greats.

Now when following these instructions you have to realise there will be challengers to your potential crown. You have to realise these challengers will have different strengths and weaknesses. Some are able to absolutely nail down extreme views but don’t know how to jump on a bandwagon. Some will be pedantic as all hell but have no strong views on whether Andrew Johns or Darren Lockyer was the better player. Knowing this can be to your advantage. Make sure you spend some time understanding the different methods of being well known. You could even create a checklist

- Sydney Rorters
- 2013 trial dates released in just nine months
- Ben Cummins is a merkin
- Well obviously Andrew Johns was better than Darren Lockyer

You’ll have something to refer to whenever you feel you need to boost your credibility, you’ll be able to join in any discussion and make yourself known.

And of course you should never back down if a challenger does appear. The internet is, after all, serious business. You’ll go down as the Black Knight of the rugby league online community if you must as you argue the respective merits of Eddie McGuire or Andrew Demitriou being the bigger tosser.

684 words

 

[LeagueNut]

I don't think I've ever posted a full-time clock before ... here goes:

 

[Jesbass]

I don't think I've ever posted a full-time clock before ... here goes:

If full time was 2:27, I'd use that for every match! :thumn

Well done to both teams. A pity it wasn't 3v3, but real life has a knack of getting in the way at times.

Over to you, ref.

 

[Non Terminator]

Results coming. Stay tuned. I just stepped on a tack, but I will worry about this first. Who needs their blood anyway...

 

[Non Terminator]

NEW ZEALAND

Madunit - Genesis (736)
Strange, very strange. I really quite liked it though, why hasn't anybody (to my knowledge anyways) tried out an article like this yet? Anywho, you obviously had your work cut out with grammar, which you pretty much nailed. It was written well, a good read. The humour in it seemed scattered and out of place once Chuck Norris was put in however, I got to say, others might disagree. Didn't mark down on it, but the rest of it fit perfectly.
86

Byrne_Rovelli_Fan82 - Emotions' (750)
Very well written, a beautiful personal piece. It did have a few errors though, such as "I'd bee fine". Otherwise, it flowed well, and hit the point very nicely. The only major fault I can see would have to be grammatical errors, another look over would've helped, otherwise very well done.
85

LeagueNut - Retirement (741)
Forum Sevens is always extremely risky to write about, especially when it doesn't hit the mark perfectly. Happy to say, yours did. Cleverly written, and well thought of, it looked like what went in your mind certainly hit the paper. It hit me, especially thanks to my laziness this year, so I guess that could be taken into perspective (as an insult...bastard...lol). In all seriousness, I did like it. Stick around, you've obviously got something to offer yet.
88

AUSTRALIA

Willow - Johnny B. Goode (750)

Brilliant. The lyrics to a classic were a nice touch, but with the way this was written, they weren't even needed. Clear, concise, the structure flows beautifully. Well written.
89

Red Bear - How To Make It On A Rugby League Forum (684)
I said before about another article being risky, this one I have to say was too. I don't think, however, it hit the mark as well. You're right about your points, and you get your meaning across, but the imagination didn't bring anything specifically new to the table, which we sometimes find about the keyboard heroes of Rugby League. Still, it came with it's humour, and it structured well.
84

NEW ZEALAND 259
AUSTRALIA 173
POTM - Willow

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

You stood on a...what? LOL. Thanks NT

 

[LeagueNut]

Well done everyone!

Thanks to NT for the prompt marking and to Willow for a beaut piece.

Time for a victory haka?

 

[Willow]

Thanks LeagueNut. Great reads all round. Congratulations to NZ on going back to back. The bench mark in the 4 Nations and just too good. We'll get you next year.

Thanks ref for the marks and positive comments. Although I'd gladly swap the POTM for a 3v3 contest.

Well done and thanks to Red Bear for stepping up on the day. :thumn

 

[Jesbass]

Well done everyone!

Thanks to NT for the prompt marking and to Willow for a beaut piece.

Time for a victory haka?

Did Issac Luke just poop out a trophy?!? :shock:

 

[Hallatia]

Go Team!

 

[Hallatia]

I feel like the forum 7s king being a part of all the grand final winning teams this season. However, I don't think I actually posted in a single one of those grand finals, but I am sure my presence has made all the difference:sarcasm::lol:.

 

[Rexxy]

Congrats kiwis.

Sorry it wasnt a more even contest. Sometimes internet gets overtaken by life.

Well done red bear.