2011 ROUND 6: Panthers -V- Bluebags

[Jesbass]

Penrith Panthers -V- Newtown Bluebags​

-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:
* 5 -V- 5 (+ 2 reserves for the visiting team, + 3 reserves for the home team)
* 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 19th June 2011 (2100AEST)
Full Time: Wednesday 29th June 2011 (2100AEST)
Referee: Titanic
Venue: CUA Stadium

Previous Matchups This Season:
Bluebags 453 -V- Panthers 453 (Round 1)

 

[Willow]

The 'baggers don the navy blue and hit the hallowed turf of Henson Park. The bus is still in the shed.

NEWTOWN BLUEBAGS TEAM - ROUND 6, 2011

​

Red Bear (vc)
AlwaysGreen
Willow (c)
Cliffhanger
Kiwi

Interchange:
JoeD
Timmah
Rexxy

Good luck one and all. :thumn

 

[Big Mick]

The Penrith Panthers take the field against the Bluebags

1) Big Mick c
2) Leaguenut
3) Didgi
4) Azkatro
5) Madunit

6) Broncoman
7) Goleel
8) RayRoxon

 

[madunit]

madunit for the Panthers

Sam Haron

“I was with Ray until the end.”

Sam Haron wasn’t anyone special or significant to the greater public. He was an average person enjoying his life. In 1933, he managed to begin the greatest dream of his life, to tour with the Australian Rugby League Kangaroo’s to England, on board the S.S. Jervis Bay as a Rugby League enthusiast.

Players and fans mingled and exercised with each other on board the ship, all becoming well known to each other as friends, not as prominent sportsmen and lowly supporters.

On board the vessel were the 1933-34 Kangaroo’s, en-route to England. Some of the game’s greatest players were on board; Dave Brown, Wally Prigg, Sandy Pearce, Vic Hey, Ray Stehr, Frank McMillan and Viv Thicknesse among a cavalcade of the games stars.

One of those players was a pioneer, the first ever test player for the ailing University club, Ray Morris. Ray began his career in third grade at Western Suburbs before very quickly moving up through the ranks to first grade in 1927.

Morris continued improving his game over the ensuing years. In 1931 he was selected for City on the wing against Country, scoring a try on debut. He was selected against Country in 1932 on the wing, again scoring a try. In 1933 he was selected for the Australian team after a stellar season with his new club University.

The 25 year old, who was an exceptionally fine surf swimmer and clever amateur wrestler, became the ideal man to lead the physical training sessions on board the S.S. Jervis Bay as it steadily made way for England.

Just days after the departure from Western Australia, Morris began his training regimes on the ships which included aerobics, boxing and shovelling coal. He believed it was necessary to vary the exercise to maximise its effects and to prevent the players from being bored.

In one of the boxing sessions, Morris received a blow to the ear. He wasn’t affected initially and continued training. Later in the day he complained of a pain in his ear to the team doctor, who treated it accordingly.

Initially the treatment was ineffective, but eventually the pain dissipated. The ship stopped over at Colombo and the players spent a day relaxing. Morris took the opportunity to go for a swim in a local swimming pool.

Within the next day, after the ship had set sail, Morris’ ear problems returned, this time more seriously. The doctors had him confined to the ship’s hospital quarters for ten days while his condition was constantly observed. Each day he grew weaker.

After just one month on the ship Ray Morris had gone from one of the fittest and strongest men to gravely ill. Doctor Gordon and Doctor Clough consulted and agreed to send a wireless message to Valetta in Malta, for an ear specialist to meet the ship upon its arrival so that Morris’ condition could be analysed by a specialist.

The next day, Morris was taken ashore to the Blue Sisters’ Hospital in Valetta, where he was immediately attended to by Doctor Vella. The news was not good from the specialist and he announced that Morris would require immediate surgery.

Harry Sunderland, the manager of the Kangaroo’s had to decide whether to stay in Malta or to sail on and honour the tour program.

Sam Haron said he would stay with Morris in Malta to comfort him while in hospital, so that the team could continue to England without delay.

Reluctantly, the ship set sail the next day without their beloved team mate, while Haron began a bedside vigil for Morris in his hour of need.

It was found that Morris had ruptured his eardrum and the injury became infected while bathing in Colombo. Dr Vella feared that Morris was suffering from meningitis. He told Haron to take some time off while Morris was being operated on. Sam went for a drive around Malta to see the sights. He arrived back at the hospital the next day.

Sam revealed:

“…on my return Ray asked me about my trip and seemed cheerful, but early next morning I awakened feeling instinctively that all was not well.”

Haron called the doctor but there was little they could do and Morris died a few hours later, with Sam by his side.

“Ray knew that he was dying. He gripped my hand, mentioned his mother, and then died peacefully.”

739 words, including title, in OWC

Sources:
http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-morris/summary.html
The Kangaroos – Ian Heads
The ABC of Rugby League – Malcolm Andrews
The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players – Alan Whiticker and Glen Hudson
The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton)
Sydney Morning Herald
The Canberra Times
The Advertiser (Adelaide)
The Argus (Melbourne)
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill)
The Mail (Adelaide)
Townsville Daily Bulletin
Cairns Post
The Brisbane Courier
The Mercury (Hobart)

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut for the Panthers

Graphics

Statistics in Rugby League can be fascinating. I’m sure we’ve all marvelled at some of the facts and figures being spouted forth on a weekly basis – who wins where, who scores when, and all that other stuff that fills in the silences before the game actually starts.

Now, just for the benefit of the good folk of LeagueUnlimited, I’m proud to present the first graphical analysis of many of the common issues in our great game. There shouldn’t be any big surprises here but the visual treat may reinforce some of the more common perceptions and let you know that you aren’t completely alone with your views.

You may have heard the oft-uttered phrase that “statistics are like mini-skirts” – they give you an idea but hide the best bits. My aim is to burrow through the myriad of statistics on offer and deliver you some clear insights on the state of Rugby League in 2011.


Let’s kick off with team announcements. Each Tuesday brings forth a range of line-ups for fans to pick to pieces and this week was certainly no exception:

This ground-breaking survey of catering providers at various stadiums around Australia and New Zealand reveals some startling secrets that may force you to question your food purchase … although if you’re anything like me, you’ll still be buying one anyway.

Here’s a warning for those looking forward to next weeks deciding Origin match. Of course statistics can’t be right 100% of the time, but this analysis shows a pretty clear trend to be wary of:

There aren’t too many places where you can get a combined look at the views of the common Rugby League fan. Thanks to the vast popularity of LeagueUnlimited, we have an ample sample size to take a peek at some of the more talked-about issues of recent times.

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CONTINUED BELOW due to image limits in posts

 

[LeagueNut]

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE:

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The announcement of Ivan Cleary’s move to the foot of the Blue Mountains wasn’t unexpected, but it does leave the door ajar at Mt Smart Stadium for a new coach to take up the clipboard. Who will it be?

Team jerseys seem to be a hot topic these days. Hopefully this simple graph will send a clear message to all those wannabe jersey designers out there working for our NRL teams:

Drugs can be a hot topic in sport sometimes. Recreational drugs have caused plenty of media headlines over the last few years with any new “busts” screamed all over the front pages. This brings out some of the more uninformed members of our online community who delight in trying to drag down the great game.

And finally, it’s worthwhile just to step back and marvel at the wide range of people we’ve got who contribute to these forums. Most are stable and level-headed but our sheer size dictates we’re bound to attract a few oddballs now and then. I’d just like to say that the graph below represents the views of the wider LU public and doesn’t necessarily reflect my own opinions – so don’t shoot the messenger.

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734 words including title and all the words inside each graph

Thanks to Graphjam graph builder

REF: I can PM you a version with text in place of the graphs if you'd like to check it in the word counter - yes?

 

[Kiwi]

Kiwi runs out for his first game of the season



Player Loyalty.... SOLD to this highest bidder

But does it have to be. As a game we seem resigned to the fact that players will go to the highest bidder, be it another NRL team, English Super League, Union or even AFL. We watch as a Karmichael Hunt goes to AFL and trot out “plenty more where he came from”. We look on as players like Scott Prince moves between clubs and label it as “the salary cap evening out the competition”. These should not be the norm, sure at times it’ll happen no matter what we do, but we shouldn’t expect it to happen on a regular basis.

So how do we fix this? Sure we reward loyalty to a point, but only after a player has been with a club for a certain amount of time, and of course only a certain number of players and limited funds. I understand that clubs can only afford to spend so much money, and it has been proven that clubs will run themselves into the ground financially in an attempt to assemble a team. So not only how do we fix this, but how do we do it and protect our clubs, how do we pay players enough to keep them loyal without clubs spending more than they actually can.

We could adopt a salary cap like system where clubs can spend a certain percentage of their earnings on players. Now this might work, but will it create a level playing field, something that seems to be desired by the controlling body. Unfortunately the richer clubs would simply buy up all the talent under these rules and the weaker clubs would simply flounder. So is this a fix? Definitely not, we would end up with a competition where the strong get stronger and the weak remain weak.

We could always increase the cap, again though can all clubs afford this? We can’t prop any club up more than others, especially if we want to always talk about equality. Plus increasing the cap doesn’t promote player loyalty, it just gives the clubs more money to spend on poaching the players they want. So if we want to increase player loyalty, make it easier for players to remain at one club for their careers, and do all this without damaging clubs, how do we achieve it?

It’s simple really, we already have the basis of a loyalty system that could work. The NRL permits a certain amount to be paid amongst a certain number of players. These loyalty payments as such generally go to the higher profile players like Lockyer, Marshall, Ryan, Stewart, Slater, Smith and co. So when this happens the young up and comers don’t have much incentive not to take money and run when another club or code offers them a lot more money. I say we open the flood gates on player loyalty payments with three simple conditions. The player only ever played for the one club, the player must have spent at least three years in that clubs feeder system and all payments must come from sponsors, even club sponsors. So without even touching the salary cap we can create some loyalty. We let the clubs work with player managers in brokering these deals. If a sponsor chooses to sponsor the club, but also decides that they also want to sponsor one, two or even all of that clubs players, why should we stand in their way? Why say no sorry you can sponsor the club, but not the players without it affecting that clubs cap. If ISRI Seats want to sponsor the Tigers and then spend their own money making sure Benji Marshal remains at that club protecting their investment why shouldn’t we let them. Not only would this increase player loyalty to the club that has brought them through their development system, it would eliminate back door deals, and it would help clubs stay financially viable as these extra dollars would be coming from an outside source.

Imagine that and increase in player payments without an increase in the cap, without an increase in a clubs spending, and best of all without the need for an increase of financial support from the NRL. How great it would be if the extra funds from the next television deal went into development of the game or helping clubs move forward instead of increased player payments. One can dream, but why does this have to be just a dream.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

AlwaysGreen leaves his hotdog with the trainers and takes a hitup.

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The Victorian.

I’m not an AFL fan. The game does nothing for me. I wish the people who watch it all the best but it’s not for me. When you tell a Victorian this they will look at you in shock, as if you’re some stray animal in dire need of help, ask you if you like ‘rugby’ and then try to convert you to their game. Their usual conversion technique is inviting you to a game, to see ‘footy in all its 360 degree glory’.

I took up this offer once and was part of a crowd of thirty thousand that spent the whole afternoon shouting ‘ball’ and obscenities whilst three dozen blokes ran around a field aimlessly. Needless to say I was not converted.

I was quiet however. This is a lot more than I can say for one Victorian yobbo that I encountered one Sunday afternoon at Canberra stadium. The Raiders were playing Parramatta and my brother and my nephew ventured down the highway to watch the game. A big crowd was in. Our seats were just on halfway ten rows back right behind three young couples.

The males of this group were getting well and truly lubricated. One was also getting vocal proclaiming to an unenthusiastic audience that he was ‘a bloody Victorian’ and that ‘this game is shit’. A few of us, including his companions, told this baboon to pipe down but old mate wasn’t having a bar of it.

Every tackle was greeted with the obnoxious cry of ‘ball’, every kick laughed at and every skilful and enthralling passage of play greeted with a chant of ‘Collingwood, Collingwood’. And no, this chump wasn’t Eddie Maguire.

Twenty minutes in and I’d had enough and scanned the ground for a seat away from this fool. The ground was fairly well packed and three seats in a decent spot were hard to come by. We were able to find a couple of empties and so my brother and nephew took those, meaning I had to remain back with Foghorn Leghorn.

The guy carried on with his full array of natural stupidity until halftime and even threats of removing his vocal chords by annoyed patrons didn’t stop his puerility. It was only when a burly, tattooed, moustached, gravelly voiced fellow of the type that they breed around Queanbeyan way told him to hush up in a not so subtle, but imaginatively violent, way that Victoria’s finest decided to put his trumpet in the bag.

Thanks to this, the crowd were able to watch Canberra get a frosty whipping by a very good Eels side. Such was the beating that some fans took an early exit, including the large Queanbeyan gent. His exit was the cue for the Victorian ratbag to continue his ‘comedy’ routine.

His verbal ridiculousness was my cue to head down to where my brother and nephew were seated and ruminate about not only a loss for the good guys in green but also a day ruined by an imbecile. Gathering by the reactions of other patrons around me I was not the only one who had had a bad day.

Some say there is no justice in the world but the events that were soon to transpire make me sceptical of that. The clock was ticking down and the ref had one more chance to blow a penalty. The kick for line was taken and we watched disinterestedly as it came elegantly off the boot and made its way into the crowd. We watched intently as it descended from the heavens in the vicinity of the half way line ten rows back. We watched joyfully as the ball neared the end of its parabola and careened into our loudmouth Victorian’s face, pointy end up.

The crack of the fool’s nose as the ball hit its target was bettered only by the sight of blood spouting from his broken snoz like a fountain. As a bonus, the ricochet knocked his beer from his hands and all over his mates. A change had come over the Victorian – no longer was the clichéd commentary slopping from his mouth, now it was whimpering pain, the babbling of a baby as he pleaded with his companions to help him and stop the blood.

A chant of ‘wanker, wanker’ spread throughout our section of crowd as the aforementioned made his way from the stands bloodied face in hands, flanked by his laughing companions.

It was a good day after all.

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750 words (OWC)

 

[Cliffhanger]

Cliffhanger on for the bluebags.

747
​

With Friends Like These…​

WE all have at least one, most of us have more; friends that are just not into Rugby League.

They have their wedding on Grand Final day, organise a dinner party on State of Origin night, and throw out your 5-year-old grand final ticket. Whoever said differences made the world go round never had to choose between being best man at their brother’s wedding or watching their football team play a Grand Final - the hardest part being of course he will never understand your conundrum.

It is not easy having close mates who just don't see what you see in Rugby League and understanding them is even more challenging. I mean, come on, the blinding pace of the backs, the brutal force of front rowers colliding, a cheeky halfback dissecting the line with a deft short ball – what is it that blinds them to the spectacle of our gladiatorial contest? More importantly how do we bring them over from the dark side?

Most of us have tried the simple approaches, dragging the haters to a match in the hope they are unable to resist the infectious atmosphere of the live spectacle. For the lucky amongst us, it is that simple, however, for most it is just will not yield results.

Time to take out the big guns, you show them a replay of the 2005 grand final or Game 2 of the 2005 state of Origin. Seriously who can watch that Benji flick and not be stunned? How can anybody observe that Joey John’s kick that hit the goal post to bounce straight into the arms of Minichiello and not be impressed? If a bit of Joey and Marshall Magic does not convert them then what hope is there?

Perhaps we have been approaching this the wrong way. Maybe instead of trying to make them see it our way, let us explore it from their perspective for a second, let’s explore their criticisms of the game so we can silence our great game’s detractors.

Rugby League does not require enough skill – 'bash and barge.'

This argument tends to be a favourite amongst AFL and Soccer fans.’ Rugby League is accused of being a game where brawn is more important than skill – a game where muscle rules and brains are just no match for brute strength. For any Rugby League fan such a criticism is barely worthy of a response; our game’s history is littered with pint-sized champions. Behold Allan Langer, widely regarded as one of the best halfbacks in the game’s history, he was also one of the smallest. Standing at less than 5 foot 5 Alfie was almost always the smallest player on the field. However whatever he lacked in strength and size he made up for in vision, skill and heart.

Most players who go down in the history books as being amongst the greatest were not feared and respected for their size and strength but rather for the vision and skill they displayed.

It’s a boring repetitive game.
Run, get tackled, fall over, play the ball and repeat. Okay so the game does get repetitive at times, but it is breaking that chain which separates the winner from the loser. A line break, an intercept, a chip and chase, a bone crunching tackle. That moment when your team’s star player takes the game by the scruff of the neck and flips it on its head when the chips are down.

Teams sports do not test an athlete’s skill.
Critics argue that team sports rely on a select few players without engaging all participants. Well-constructed game plans and execution over athleticism and skill. This argument is also a complete fallacy. In Rugby League, like most other team sports, the course of a match will invariably lead to any number of unpredictable scenarios, which set plays cannot particularly account for.

Further with every player responsible for a certain role in the team, each one is required to lift to not only create an opportunity but capitalise on it when it is presented. While your teammates will have your back in Rugby League, team’s fate is in the hand of each competitor as their discipline, athleticism, determination, mental strength and patience are tested.

What if you debunk all their criticisms and it is still to no avail? If this happens then RSVP “no” to their dinner party next Wednesday night, head to the pub and find some new friends who get it.

 

[Willow]

Willow | Bluebags


Wouldn't be dead for quids!

Date: 27 June, 2011.
Venue: Railway Hotel, somewhere in Queensland.
Possie: Bar stool.
Counter meal: $4.99 roast.
Beer: $4.50/schooner
Barmaid: Rachel. Calls me "darlin'" and makes sure I have a schooner in front of me.
Entertainment: Rugby league on a big TV screen. Sound turned down.
Result: Saints whip Manly's arse.

Opening scene:

I walked two kilometres to the Railway Hotel. I ditched Foxsports some months earlier, gone are the days of flicking through 100 channels. Sure, I originally got Fox for the league and when I couldn't go to the game. But no amount of home comforts could make up for the atmosphere of being there, and the TV commentary just ruined it.

"Would you like the sound turned up?"

"No thanks!"

So I went back to my roots, the pub. It's the best of all worlds - rugby league, people and counter meals.

The pre-match roast:

No, not the type of roast where party recipients are given a hard time by an unforgiving audience. This was an actual counter meal, roast pork. The peas and corn are naturally cooked to buggery, the crackling was only just edible and the potatoes and pumpkin were mashed in with what looked like apple sauce. The pork itself was kind of rubbery. PERFECT!

"Another schooner darlin'?"

"Won't say no..."

A meal made for a king. But I definitely needed something to wash it down.

By now my loose change and small notes were on the bar. Rachel the barmaid had already become an integral part of my home entertainment system, so it's only small leap for her to become my financial controller as well. After one schooner, I left the handling of all future transactions in her capable hands.

Kick off:

"I hate that Matai."

Some bloke down the bar reminds me I'm not at home. By now there were about a dozen people in attendance. A woman commented on the pink jerseys and pink football boots. It was the NRL's 'Women in League' charity round.

"If I said to you 20 years ago that football players would be wearing pink boots one day, you'd call me mad..."

"20 years ago they didn't let women into this pub..."

Chuckles all round but the young-ish lady up the back was right. Times have changed, for the better.

Despite having very little ball, Saints grabbed a 12-0 lead. Then... five minutes before the break, the whole room looked on in amazement as the St George defence held Manly out for 20, 30, 40 tackles! The Manly side got repeat sets, chucking everything at the goal line... but to no avail.

The TV pops up an impressive statistic:
"TACKLES MADE IN LAST FIVE MINUTES: STG 40 - MAN 1"​

"Wow!"

I clapped.

Rachel got me another beer.

Second half:

By now the camps were set. Supporters had declared their allegiances. The cross table debate encouraged a frank exchange of views over the legitimacy of the scoreline, the parentage of certain players and the performance of the referees.

It wasn't long before Manly struck back with a kick and a set move that saw fullback Brett Stewart dive over to score. At 12-6 it was game on!

"That's the turning point... we're coming to get ya!"

That was some fella in the corner. But he couldn't be heard minutes later when Manly kicked out on the full from a line drop out. Gift two points, 14-6.

But Manly fought back. In the 60th minute they were making good yards. First tackle, second tackle, third tackle, fourth tackle, fifth tackle, sixth tackle... putting in a beaut kick on the seventh. Hang on... the seventh!? Yes, the referee lost count. For the record, it was a great kick and Saints were forced to defend. But again, the goal line defence was rock-solid.

The match culminated in two more tries to Saints, including a sensational 90-metre effort from Jamie Soward, thus ending proceedings on the big screen.

"Another one?"

"Alas, no... have work tomorrow..."

Full time:

I donned my scarf in readiness for the brisk walk back home. Outside I was greeted by a stiff winter breeze, it looked like rain. But I could still taste the counter meal and smell the beer soaked bar. I could hear Rachel's nasal tones and the chatter of the Railway Hotel were strangers became friends for an evening. The victory witnessed on the big silent screen was icing on the cake.

Wouldn't be dead for quids.

Words | 750
Ref | LeagueUnlimited http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=21447

 

[Red Bear]

Red Bear, battling an irritating knee injury/post-exams bender, strides onto the Penrif turf with confidence

---------------------------------------------
Battlelines?

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

A line uttered by notable rugby league scribe/US President* Franklin D. Roosevelt. Whilst FDR would see a different world today to that in 1933, this speech still rings true.

“Invasion of the Sherrin - Until Batemans Bay, the drive along the South Coast is extremely pleasant. Then AFL goalposts start to appear.”

“Copping a kicking in battle of codes - NRL v AFL - League has taken a battering from AFL in the latest sports participation survey and the biggest star to switch codes hasn't even left the NRL.”

“Adolph Demetriou Arrives – AFL plans a cleansing of western Sydney rugby league fans”

I may have made the last one up, but the other two are genuine examples of headlines from that bastion of quality journalism, the Daily Telegraph.

I’m not a hater of the AFL like some members of this particular online community. It’s not my favourite sport in the world, not even close, but it’s still better than say motor sport or rugby union.

As such I tend to find a lot of the attitudes towards the game on this board somewhat amusing, but also slightly concerning. I also spend a bit of time on Bigfooty where, despite some absolutely ridiculous comments about rugby league, you get a reasonable insight into the attitude of fans of our great game.

They see our regular, slightly boorish references to “fumbleball; Victorians; AFL;” etc. and this arms their argument – rugby league fans are scared of their game. This is why many tend to react in this aggressive way to even the smallest pro-AFL news. And the continual linking back to articles with headlines warning of invasion, as shown in the above examples, continues to justify the theory that we have a genuine fear.

As much as I hate to admit it, they have some sort of point. Newspapers like the Telegraph wouldn’t exist if you weren’t able to manipulate people’s fears, and this is why we see these articles. There’s continual anger over Folau and Hunt leaving and the potential for other league players to be poached, concerns over AFL posts being erected, and concerns over any article that ever casts the Swans in a positive light.

The reaction to this is the whole problem. Take Folau and Hunt for example. They weren’t bought for their playing abilities; they were bought for marketing purposes. Whilst many on here laugh at their attempts to play the game, and state that they aren’t going to watch AFL just because Folau or Hunt might be playing, the reactive articles still play into the hands of the AFL. It gives them more and more promotion, Greater Western Sydney remains in the news, and that ability to get a mention regularly is the whole reason they spent stupid dollars on these two players.

The sad thing is we do not have to be fearful. Rugby league is embedded in the fabric of Sydney and the presence of AFL as a niche sport does not change this. We are not as chest-beatingly patriotic as our friends down south, but we’ve never had to be.

Occasionally I let some of the rubbish from Bigfooty get to me, talk of how rugby league is a dying game, the tide is changing in Sydney. Then memories and experiences remind me that this just isn’t so.

You can go to YouTube and view the footage of some 80 000 people rallying behind the attempts to reinstate South Sydney just 11 years ago. You can go to Leichhardt Oval and see over 20 000 packed into a suburban ground on a Sunday afternoon. You can go to any Sydney pub and see the ancient rugby league themed beer advertisements still adorning the walls. You can go see Frenzal Rhomb and see Jay Whalley wearing a Newtown Jets shirt.

“Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance”

FDR again. This is where we are at with rugby league, the sport I wish to see reach its full potential. We do not need to be concerned with what the AFL is doing, as we can’t control it. We as rugby league fans stop reacting to them and the sensationalised articles start to fade away. All the game can do is promote and improve itself, and worries of other codes will be a thing of the past.

*Not actual rugby league scribe
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740 words between the lines

Headlines from these two articles
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/invasion-of-the-sherrin/story-e6frexnr-1226044712180
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-codes-nrl-v-afl/story-e6freuy9-1225886874234

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

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Fake Braith Anasta interview

DISCLAIMER: This is a fake interview. The responses are all taken word for word (and completely out of context) from an actual interview with Braith Anasta. It is not intended to discredit or defame him in any way, and should be viewed as parody only.


Braith, a lot of people are quite surprised at your decision to quit rugby league to pursue a new career path. Why the sex industry?

I was always interested in being involved… It's got its positives as well as negatives. For me, the positives outweigh the negatives.

You have certainly been said to be a bit of a “player” with the ladies in the past.

I'm pretty much on call 24/7.

And you didn’t have a problem juggling footy and being a player?

It depends on the player. If you're a high profile player, your schedule is a lot more demanding.

Would that explain why you sometimes inexplicably had a poor game on the field?

If a player is happy on, as well as off, the field then they're going to perform better.

Is this something you’ve considered for a while? Or was it a snap decision?

I definitely wanted to be involved. It's what every player dreams of. I also wanted to be a fireman.

.. but you couldn’t keep finding the spare time to do it?

The reality is that this type of career is a lot more time consuming than people think.

Fair enough. So what's the appeal of being an adult movie star?

The buzz I feel… in front of so many people who appreciate what I do feels great. So it's the perfect job for me.

Is it hard work? What effect does it have on your friends and family for example?

It can become tough and I have to make sure that I take time to see my friends and family as much as possible because they are a big part of why I am where I am today.

Really? Did your uncle have an influence on you getting into the business?

I always looked up to him – he was my idol.

Well he certainly did forge quite a career in the industry.

I thought he was a great ambassador.

So what does it take? I assume there’s more to it than just showing up on the day?

If you're a high profile player, your schedule is a lot more demanding. There will be recovery time on the Monday, then there's a light session on Tuesday.

Light session eh? That's interesting!

Late in the week we'll brush up on our skills and make sure we're prepared with a set game plan. This time is all about fitness, getting in shape and preparing our bodies.

Wow, that’s a lot of responsibility!

These responsibilities come with being a professional.

But you’re keen to get into it?

I'll be there until I'm at least 30, and I think I'll have a couple more years as a player after that. My attitude is that if I work hard enough, achieve my goals in the next four years and get to the position I want to be in life, then I'll be pretty comfortable once I retire.

So for aspiring actors, how do you get your talents discovered?

If you've got talent, lots of agents will approach you and will want to sign you to a contract straight away, but you've got to be careful that you make the right decision. If an agent contacts you, you need to take time to think it over because it's a very important decision that will affect your entire career.

And what will you do if your career doesn’t take off?

There are many different opportunities behind the scenes.

What, like someone to hold the camera? I thought that was it?

Our team has physiotherapists, masseurs and chiropractors all working with us.

Wow, chiropractors! Sounds like there’s plenty of stuff to do if you don’t have the skills in front of the camera?

If you're not going to be a player, being part of the support staff is a great opportunity to be involved.

And keeps everything running smoothly when the director calls action… so to speak!

My attitude is that if I work hard enough, there's no reason why we can't perform well.

Thanks for your time. All the best with your new career!

It's a good feeling to have people respect what I do.

They certaintly do Braith!

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

747 words. Liftoff!

Original Interview: http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/celebrity/662/Braith-Anasta-Rugby-League-Player-Sydney-Roosters

 

[Big Mick]

Big Mick runs out onto the field for the Panthers!


#NRL & the Social Media Monster

The impact of social media in the world today is nothing new. Over the past decade we have seen Facebook grow to become a global juggernaut with over 400 million users to the point where their value now exceeds $1b. In more recent years, Twitter has become exceedingly popular with its users reaching 250 million only last year. As athletes from Gen Y begin to progress into stardom, so too does the proliferation of their use of social media mechanisms highlighting their importance to sport.

Over the past year the NRL has experienced the highs and lows of Social Media. On the positive side, the NRL was the first Australian sport to break the 350,000 Facebook “Likes” mark. In contrast, there has also been a plethora of controversies which have gone viral. The biggest scandal which showcased the power of social media was the Joel Monaghan scandal. Within 2 hours of tweeting a photo millions of people had access and passed judgement. The episode embarrassed the NRL, the Canberra Raiders and more significantly Joel Monaghan who had to depart our shores to continue his career. This episode displays how powerful social media has become.

Historically, fan interaction with athletes was in a controlled environment whether it was after match functions or autograph signings. This made interactions with players rare. Under the web 2.0 era, however, teams and players are offering unprecedented access with views behind the scenes as well as greater interaction with fans. As such a team and players social footprint has now grown beyond proportions ever seen – drawing praise, love and increasingly exposing players to criticism and scrutiny.

Australian sporting codes, however, are still only scratching the surface when it comes to social media effectiveness. In the USA, sports like the NBA have become revitalised through the social media function. Every team has an immense following on Facebook while individual players such as Shaquille O’Neal have utilised Twitter so effectively he was able to change his entire public image, now making him one of the most marketable figures in the world.

Social Media has changed the game for sports in Australia. It is not just when we interact with players and club officials, but also has changed the face of sports journalism. It has become a medium for journalists to be “First in” for important signing news, as highlighted yesterday when Paul Kent revealed Ivan Cleary was poised to sign with the Panthers as Head Coach. Up-to-the-minute updates are part of our new age. But these mediums also present a number of opportunities both for teams and players to build their brand, influence, sponsorship and connections with the fans and community.

Social Media has also proven to be an effective marketing tool for NRL clubs. When reviewing the “Likes” and “Followers” of each team on Twitter and Facebook, it shows there is a correlation between those with higher followers and those with higher crowd attendances. It is no coincidence, given these results, that NRL teams have upped their social marketing initiatives and as such have attracted their highest membership results, highest crowd figures and highest TV ratings ever in 2011. The interaction with social media has opened up greater opportunity and while it is still in its infancy, the NRL must continue to push its social media initiative. If the NRL do not, they will be left behind with the likes of the AFL continuing to pursue and push these initiatives with great effectiveness.

The NRL have, so far, laid a solid foundation with their early efforts in social media. However, having the most followers will not mean anything unless those followers are presented with the right message. Only then will the NRL be able to translate those followers into a new generation of fans. As social media initiatives increase through such things as introducing I-Phone apps of each team, so too does the responsibility of the players and teams to monitor their behaviour to ensure the social media monster does not create another viral nightmare.

Social media and the NRL is a perfect match. Fans are able to discuss topics with passion and knowledge on multiple platforms with people of similar beliefs. The mechanisms provide fans not only instant updates on their team and code but also the ability to interact and understand their heroes on totally other level.

So @NRL #SocialMedia isn't going away! The NRL's future success is based on being effective with 140 characters or less. #WINNING


750 words (OFC)

REF:
- www.facebook.com
- www.twitter.com
- Social Media & Sport: Why it's more important than ever for Pro-sportspeople to get a good education, Alana Fisher, New Direction
- Social Media & Sport - Threats & Opportunities, David Fuller

 

[Didgi]

Didgi for the mighty Panthers, 749 words between the stars (OWC).

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

My Fantasy

e•piph•a•ny [ih-pif-uh-nee]
n. -nies.

sudden, intuitive perception or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.


For many people, an epiphany is a distinctly life-changing event, the sudden realisation that they want something different, are doing things wrong, or to put it bluntly, have made a bit of a mess of their lives to date.

My recent epiphany was a much lesser event, and hardly something you would call life-changing. It came midway through the NRL round 16 clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos, and is hardly going to drastically influence my life, or even my entire rugby league experience.

My epiphany surrounded my appreciation of the game at hand – a tight, enthralling contest between my second team, the Broncos, and the ‘pride of the league’, the Rabbitohs, played in what can only be described as nostalgic conditions. Whilst on the field a brilliant wet-weather battle took viewers back to the 80’s, where was my concentration? It was at two divided points, both far away from where they should have been to properly appreciate such a great game.

Half of my concentration was getting behind the Rabbitohs; a crime in itself I know. My reasoning was simple – if the Broncos won, and my team the Cowboys lost, they would drop a spot on the ladder. I picked a winner, in that the Rabbitohs went on to win the game 16-12, and deservedly so. When the Cowboys went down to the Panthers two days later, I consoled myself with a mixture of dessert, our injury-hit state, and the knowledge we wouldn’t drop a spot on the ladder going into the bye.

The other half was, more worryingly, focused not on either team, or even the overall game of football at hand, but deep in digital land.

When Jharal Yow Yeh was ruled out of the game on Friday, I groaned and shook my fist at the footballing Gods. For every one of Ben Ross’ 125 metres and 25 tackles, the half of my concentration quietly cheered. It would be understood if I was cheering the champion in his comeback from a serious neck injury, but selfishly this was not the case. The half of my concentration was centred wholly and solely around, of all things, my fantasy football team.

I’ve often heard punters claim that they bet on matches where they wouldn’t normally care who won to increase the interest; when I joined my current fantasy leagues, I told myself the same thing. A couple of seasons on, however, I find myself feverishly searching for potential, juniors to watch and who will be the next gun youngster to make the step-up. I sit analysing statistics, averages and percentages until far too late at night. The greatest game of all has become not the blood, skill and war of games like the Rabbitohs vs. Broncos, but a series of numbers on a page.

I could use 750 words on naming the grand range of fantasy competitions alone, with Foxsports up against the Telegraph up against NRL.com, along with those of a different style such as the All Star Rugby League, and even a couple for the engage Super League. The competitions must all battle for places, with prizes reaching up to large wads of cash and even cars, and it is now starting to creep into the football games and related coverage themselves. A Foxsports halftime wrap would never be complete without listing the strong fantasy performers, nor can the Sunday Footy Show end without a plug for the ‘official’ NRL.com comp.

A year or two ago, ask any league fanatic their favourite player and the answer would invariably be along the lines of Billy Slater, Benji Marshall or Johnathan Thurston. Come the rise of fantasy competitions though and whilst these players would likely still be at the top, fantasy workhorses like Corey Parker, Cameron Smith and Paul Gallen are quickly surging up the rankings.

In the overall scheme of things, fantasy competitions are a brilliant investment in increasing the game’s popularity and giving fans, hardcore and casual, a chance to manage their favourite players and gain a greater perception of the performance of some of the league’s more unknowns. As always though, there is a but – it should be managed carefully, so that it forms the perfect complement alongside, not instead of, the greatest game of all.

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

Sources:
Daily telegraph Supercoach - http://nrlfantasy.dailytelegraph.com.au/
All Star Rugby League - http://allstarrugbyleague.com/forum/forum.php
NRL.com
9 Network & Foxsports rugby league coverage.

 

[Red Bear]

5 v. 5, bang

 

[Willow]

Full time in Tokyo...

 

[Titanic]

Now now you guys, that's not very nice ... I was looking forward to a lazy evening or two strapped to my family and you've given me enough homework to keep me away from the boudouir for a month.

 

[madunit]

i sacrificed the boudouir tonight to mark articles.

Given the enticing female I turned back, in the lovely mrs unit, I feel somewhat saddened in the pants department.

Thus, I feel your pain Titanic.

I think its pain..... I better hit the boudouir

 

[Titanic]

In my rush to get home to win some brownie points with bgdc after working late, I left the scoresheet file in my desktop BUT I did remember you all at the most inappropriate time (coitus interruptus) - I'm sure you feel privileged?

After sleeping on the couch, I'm at the airport now, back later tonight and I will be in the office early tomorrow morning and will post then. Apologies to all.

 

[Big Mick]

HAHAHA sorry dude.

No drama's at all!