2011 WILLOW CUP ROUND 1: Ninjas -V- Panthers

[Jesbass]

Chuck Norris Texas Death Ninjas (3) -V- Penrith Panthers (4)​

-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 (+ 4 reserves for each team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

Rules: http://forumsevens.com.au/rules.php
Official Word Counter: http://forumsevens.com.au/wordcount.php

Kick Off: Sunday 29th May 2011 (2100AEST)
Full Time: Saturday 4th June 2011 (2100AEST)
Referee: Willow
Venue: Front Row Stadium

NOTE: The winner of this match will play the South Sydney Rabbitohs (6) in Round 2.

 

[joshie]

Joshie makes his debut as Ninja's captain vs His old club once more!

Starters
1. Edabomb
2. gUt
3. Joshie (captain)

Bench
4. Hala

 

[joshie]

It Is Time To Go

Twenty-four hours removed from last night’s Renegade Rugby League Southern Hemisphere Grand Finale 2050, the coach of the champions Josh Wells has told the club it is time to move on. His side, the Crushers, secured a brilliant win over Minor Premiers, the Steelers, 28-22. The match was a brilliant spectacle, but Wells believes it is time to move on.

His career at the Crushers has been great over the last twelve years, making the finals on ten occasions and securing two grand final appearances. His greatest challenge over this time however has been winning the big one. In his fourth year as a first grade coach he was able to take the club to their first Grand Final appearance in history, but they lost. That night his team was dominated, and ironically crushed, 52-4 at the hands of the Giants. Wells looked disgruntled. He and his team became unsettled and the next year they missed the play offs, crashing to a wooden spoon. It was the lowest point in the coach’s career, but he has since bounced back.
“The early years really sucked. We couldn’t do anything right that (following) year, and it hurt. From the top to the bottom, you know it takes a toll mentally” said Wells, “but we came back, bigger and better than ever!”


The next ten years have been an amazing ride in the eyes of Wells and Crushers fans. They become the Globe Trotters of the competition and played some spectacular Rugby League. A run of three minor Premierships from 2044-46 had them pegged as favourites each year, but fell short of the big on all occasions. Why they failed to make the biggest game of the year was always a mystery however, to the fans and the players. Wells had racked his brains throughout this period and had put it down to one thing; hunger. His players were not hungry enough for the title and they needed to put in better performances. “During that time we really had no desire to win the title. It was never spoken about preseason by me or the players and I think setting goals just to make the finals was not good enough. In those three years, one of our (goals) was to in fact win the Minor championships. Never to win the big one, that was our downfall.”

So the next year the team set out to win the big one. Playing some solid rugby league they still couldn’t claim a spot in the big one. This time falling short two weeks before the Grand Final, and the disappointment began to spread within the club. They began this season in the worst possible way, losing their first five games. Out of the 35 matches to be played, they faced a tough challenge. The State of Origin series was in the middle of their trips to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The Crushers had to travel to New Zealand and remain for three weeks on a mini tour, with the Origin stand along fixture in the middle of the trip. Game two rolled around when the Crushers played a four game straight series in PNG before heading back to Australia. The final win/loss rate of the Crushers was 22-13. “To only fall to thirteen losses this season was a great achievement by the boys. I am very proud of them. We headed into the finals full of confidence and fresh off a five game winning streak, and the run was undeniable!”

This year the Crushers took the finals by storm. Winning all of their games to claim their title, the one they had worked for over the past 12 seasons; and a very deserving title. At the end of the day, Josh Wells believes the title was his only purpose at the club and will now depart a happy man. “I don’t want to be the man who pushes it too much and stays and gets sacked by the club. I want to embark on a new challenge leaving this club a champion. I am very pleased and satisfied with everything this club has done for me, and I thank them. It is time to go guys, see ya later!”

 

[gUt]

Sledging Through the Ages.

Sledging is the term sportspeople use to describe an insult or attempt at verbal intimidation. Basically, to sledge is to try to annoy an opponent to the point of putting them off their game. In professional sports, any possible advantage must be explored and thus a good sledger can potentially rattle an opponent as much as a solid shot to the ribs.

Michael Ennis is regarded as a pest, based on his famous ability to niggle and sledge. No one knows what his remark to Hindmarsh was; it could have ranged anywhere from “you’re a shit player” to “you’re a f**king shit player”. Whatever the sledge, its effect was exactly what Ennis intended.

Whence did the sledge originate? Cricket commentators claim that their sport invented the art and coined the term, but my own careful research has revealed some countervailing clues buried deep in rugby league’s storied past.

Ancient

Rugby league was very popular during the fourth dynasty of the Egyptian Empire. According to Egyptologist Dr ZQ Fudgebutter in his seminal work “Rugby League Among the Ancients”, match report hieroglyphs from the Giza Necropolis details a sledge from one player to his opposite, apparently ridiculing the size of his chariot. An extract from his book takes up the story:

The “sledgee” lost his rag and threw one of those “walk like an Egyptian” punches in retaliation. Unfortunately for the Giza Giants, he was sent off for conduct unbecoming. Emperor Cheops, who was coaching the Giants at the time, was enraged and had the referee’s village burned to the ground and the soil salted by way of revenge.

Renaissance

Puritans played league after their Sunday church service. For some reason Puritanical men were always very uptight and rugby league was a good way to blow off some steam. Documents recovered from a crypt beneath Roslyn Chapel in Scotland tell of a winger named John Forsythe. During a typical Sunday match, Forsythe palmed off Pastor Thomas Llewellyn and raced away to score in the corner. A frustrated Llewellyn sledged:

And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.

This zinger subsequently made it into the Bible.

Age of Reason

Gentlemen scholars of this period took their leisure any way they saw fit, and more often than not, a brisk game of rugby league was just the ticket. As head of the Royal Society, Joseph Banks moved its headquarters to Somerset House in 1780, because it had a good footy field attached. The minutes of the proceedings of the Royal Society show that during the first match played on this ground, early in the second half, Sir John Pringle sledged opposing hooker Archibald Alison with the immortal line:

Hearken to me young Alison. Thy headgear hideth the span of thine ears; to wit, without it thy neck wouldst be spun athwart should the north wind blow a gale! Indeed 'tis unfortunate yon girlie helmet doth not cover more of thy piggish countenance. Thy mother dons the heavy tread of the common soldier and thy father hath been noted wearing yon ladies ballroom slippers.

By the time his sledge had finished, full time had been blown.

Early 20th Century

As rugby league established itself in the working suburbs of Sydney, it attracted some of the toughest men ever to lace a boot. However, the social mores of the time were decidedly conservative and what we would today consider to be a bit of light-hearted banter would have lead to simmering blood feuds during this period. One notable case was the famous story involving Cecil Merkin, the tough front rower for the Glebe Ostriches. Merkin had a long-running rivalry with his Balmain Dachshunds opposite, Cyril Gusset.

During a tense match, Merkin enquired after the health of Gusset’s wife. Enraged, Gusset started pounding Merkin’s face with his fists. These two stood trading blows while the fans from both sides began the mother of all in brawls. Hours later, the two props were still hammering away at each others’ faces while the surrounding streets burned to the ground. Old men still recall the resulting police action fondly.

Thus we have seen that the art of sledging has always been a part of our great game and rugby league would be the poorer without its barbed sting.

750 OWC

 

[Azkatro]

Azkatro posting for the Panthers.

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The Mutley's grand final plan

Jackson Mutley was a unique sort of character. One of those blokes who was immensely talented at the game of rugby league, but really marched to the beat of his own drum. If he wasn't so damn talented he would never have made it to first grade.

And he could certainly thank his lucky stars that his team made it to the grand final. Despite the hot-headed lad getting himself sent off three times during the season. You see, he played out in the centres and just couldn't ignore the opposition sledging.

The fact of the matter though was that he was the top strike centre in the competition. He had to be in the team. So after he'd served a suspension, plenty of focus was on Mutley and how he would handle the big occasion. Especially considering the reputation of his opposite number, who was a noted sledger.

Mutley had been visiting his old man though, who was a crafty old bugger and had a plan for his son.

"How are you feeling today Mutts, relaxed I hope," asked the coach before they ran out.

"Feeling awesome boss. My dad's helped me come up with a different approach to just helping myself stay cool and collected," said Mutley before standing up in preparedness to head out onto the field. The coach wondered if it was something so crazy that it would backfire and lose them the game. It wouldn't be the first time.

The players trotted out to the customary roar that goes with the anticipation of a grand final clash. These were the two top teams all season, so the excitement was intense. The players jumped and skipped around to try and ease the adrenalin that surged through them. Not Mutley, though. He calmly strolled out like he was heading onto the training paddock. Didn't even bat an eyelid at the enormous crowd.

The game kicked off and without delay, Mutley's opposite number launched into one of many tirades he'd been preparing all week. As he waited for the retort that would indicate he was getting heard, he was surprised to hear nothing but silence in return. Jackson didn't even glance over at him. A couple of sets later he tried another line or two. Again, not even a blink from the lad who would normally be ready to take his head off by now.

As the game wore on Mutley's opposite number was getting frustrated. He just couldn't get through. It was like he was a different person. What did happen was Mutley completely ignored a play called by their halfback because he saw a defensive overlap he could exploit, opening it up for his winger to stroll through and score. Twice!

He didn't even seem to notice when his captain blew up at him for overriding a called play.

The way Mutley's opposite number was getting carved up really got on his nerve, so he brought out his best sledges. Nothing was sacred - Mutley's mother, father, sister, even his wife and kids were fair game. His teammates told him to shut his mouth and ease off. Even still, Mutley ignored him as if he didn't exist.

Soon after that Mutley threw a dummy and his sledging opponent took it hook, line and sinker. They scored under the posts and that was it. The game was won.

The next time they came together in a tackle, Mutley's opposite was so frustrated that he went straight in with an elbow and got himself sent off with 10 to go. Even the commentators were dumbfounded by what they saw.

"Jackson Mutley has dominated this match in a most uncharacteristic performance. Nothing has phased him all game, not even the game's best sledger who got himself sent off."

After full time was blown, the players eventually made their way back to the locker room. Mutley was the star. He collected the Clive Churchill medal and was chaired off the field. He sat down in front of his locker and his coach walked over shaking his head.

"Mate I don't know what to say. You didn't listen to a single call but you killed it out there. What the hell happened?"

Mutley reached up and pulled his invisible ear plugs out, stuffing them into his bag.

The coach was shocked as he realised what was happening. Mutley couldn't hear a thing out on the field. A wry grin crossed his face.

"Well played."

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747 words. Liftoff!

 

[Big Mick]

Team for the Panthers:

1. Big Mick
2. Azkatro
3. Madunit

RES:
4. Leaguenut
5. Goleel

 

[edabomb]

edabomb for the Ninjas
------------------------------------------------


RIP: The NRL ‘Super Team’?

I want to take you back to mid 1990s. Do you remember the trends of the day? Tearaway pants, grunge music, the Macarena and Shannon Doherty all came and went. If we look at the world of Rugby League there are also some 1990 trends that have since died off – 3M nasal strips, halves playing on both sides of the field and of course those ‘super teams’. I speak of the Brisbane, Canberra and Manly sides that roamed the field between 1989 and 1998.


Growing up in the 1990s I became accustomed to these three sides (and less regularly the Bulldogs and Bears) putting forty points on their opponents without raising a sweat, and playing the most attractive style of football I’ve seen while doing it. The Canberra Raiders of 1994 exceeded forty points on seven occasions during the season, a level of domination not seen in the past decade. For a bit of perspective, the dominant 2007 Melbourne Storm side only managed three matches where they scored over forty. The talent disparity between sides in the 1990s was plain for all to see, in an era of more equitable salary caps will a super team ever be seen again?


Let’s form a starting thirteen to rival the 1994 Canberra Raiders in today’s competition. I will attempt to match players up through a combination of age, talent level and playing style.

1994 Raiders ------------------ 2011 Super Team
​

Brett Mullins ---- Fullback------ Josh Dugan
Ken Nagas -------Winger------- Jason Nightingale
Mal Meninga -----Centre------- Justin Hodges
Ruben Wiki ------Centre-------- Greg Chalmers
Noa Nadruku -----Winger------- Akuila Uate
Laurie Daley ----Five Eighth---- Todd Carney
Ricky Stuart -----Halfback------ Jonathan Thurston
Quentin Pongia ----Prop--------- Sam Rapira
Steve Walters ----Hooker------- Cameron Smith
John Lomax -------Prop--------- David Shillington
Jason Croker ---Second Rower--- Neville Costigan
David Furner ---Second Rower--- Ben Creagh
Bradley Clyde ------Lock--------- Paul Gallen
​

To look at this team it is obvious that they could never fit under the salary cap of 2011. In fact they’d be likely to be around fifty to seventy-five percent over the cap. It’s also hard to imagine the 2011 Super Team losing more than two or three games if they took part in today’s NRL. So going off this evidence I think it is fair to say we will never see a team like those of the 90s again, with a magnificent blend of youth and talent that ensures they’re a few tiers above the competition. Does this mean the end of super teams? Not necessarily.

While super teams have been eliminated from the NRL vernacular, they are continuing to occur in other sports. The Miami Heat are the best example of this. The NBA is a very different league to NRL, as the Heats successful 2010/11 campaign has proven you can surround three superstar players with mediocrity and still dominate. I am actually going to look at another trend in the NBA, where veteran players sign for below their market value for a final shot at a championship. This would seem to be the likely path for such a team in the NRL.

If you look at the older players who haven’t won an NRL Premiership you could form quite a side. Given that the salary cap is set to increase at a rapid rate (conservative estimates are at around $2 million per club over a few seasons) players will be in the position to take pay cuts later in their career in order to ‘chase a ring’. In another five years if players such as Terry Campese, Todd Carney and Jarryd Hayne still haven’t tasted premiership glory there is every chance they could decide to join up at a club with plenty of junior talent. I don’t think this is a bad thing for the NRL, as super teams tend to increase interest in a sport tenfold.

In 2011 the NRL ‘super team’ is dormant. There is the possibility of such a side existing in the near future, but presently the salary cap constraints are just too tight for such a team to exist. I personally think the NRL is currently lacking the entertainment of years gone by; the silky skills of a Broncos or Raiders backline move are ancient memories. There is no team that the rugby league community loves to hate, while secretly admiring at the same time. Until the salary cap gives the clubs a bit more leeway with their rosters we won’t see a team like those Broncos, Raiders and Sea Eagles.




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750 words in OWC

 

[Big Mick]

Big Mick runs out on the field for the Panthers

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

Memorable moments

I would like to share with you a story about a man named David Rogers. He wasn’t an NRL star or high profile identity. He was just your regular park footballer with a passion for the game of Rugby League who was taken from us far too soon. This is a story about friendship, passion & perseverance.

Dave was born on 8th March 1985. Dave and I had been friends since we were 5 and grew up playing football together for our junior club. Our bond was forged through what we called our playground. We weren’t like most of the other kids, who used to play handball or brandings at lunch; we’d go out to the park and play footy everyday, trying to get better. We won junior competitions together and sacrificed being elevated grades to ensure we were on the same team. It was what football was about – playing with your mates.

We both supported the Panthers and while our team had been through turbulent times we still stuck with them, through thick and thin. While 2003 would go down in history as one of Penrith’s most successful seasons ever, it was for Dave and I a year to both forget and remember. In January 2003 Dave had called me distressed. I was aware that he was not feeling well and he had been visiting specialists, all the while telling me I had no cause for concern. That day he called to tell me he had an inoperable brain tumour and his doctor had given him 6 months to live.

This news was incredibly difficult to take due to the fact I felt I would be losing more than a friend; I’d be losing a brother. When I eventually built up enough courage to visit him in hospital a couple of days later, the first thing he told me was “Got a feeling about this year Mick”. I had no idea what he was talking about with a bemused look on my face, until he said “The Panthers mate…just got a feeling, gonna be our year” Even in his darkest hour he was still thinking of football.

As the months of 2003 wore on Dave’s body began to deteriorate. But our ritual every week was to find a way to watch the game together. We witnessed all the great moments of that season and saw the emergence every week of one of the Panthers greatest ever teams. He marvelled at the courage of Craig Gower stating “dude, that guy takes a needle the size of my arm in the sternum every week to play, makes me look soft!” to which I replied “Don’t be stupid” – but that was the way he was.

As the season wore on Dave decided that he would keep fighting despite what the treatments were doing to his body. His resolve grew and grew with each passing week when the Panthers were winning and proving to be the contenders he had proclaimed them to be.

During Grand Final week, I’d never seen him so happy, his hospital room was awash with Panthers gear and he was bantering with a fellow patient who was a Roosters supporter. During the game the excitement on his face took me back to when we were kids on our playground, playing junior footy for our club. When Scott Sattler made that tackle he raised his arms in the air and said “See! I told you I had a feeling about this year!”. He was right, we witnessed the Panthers win the 2003 premiership together.

A week later, Dave lost his battle and died early Sunday morning. The news rocked me, but will always hold a constant reminder that this game is not about the money or rep footy, it’s about the people who invest their lives into their teams and live with a childlike passion for the game. He had lasted 4 months longer than the Doctors said he would. I have a hard time believing that his love for his team and this great game had nothing to do with that.

That year will always be a point of great joy and great heartbreak. I had farewelled a friend and brother, but mostly importantly a great man. But that week we also both shared a great victory that will last in my memory forever as a constant reminder of our friendship and nothing can ever take that away.


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740 Words OWC

 

[Big Mick]

Posting this by proxy for Madunit

Music and Footy

Not since 1987 had Rugby League been so passionate about being aligned with a world renowned musical act to help promote their game than this year.

Over two decades ago the NSWRL launched the game through the unlikeliest of people, Tina Turner. It was the greatest piece of marketing the game had ever seen.

Since then, they have struggled to get anywhere near that sort of publicity and popularity.

In 2011, the NRL announced an affiliation with 80’s rock group Bon Jovi. But the NRL has got it all wrong.

In 1988, there had been no Superleague or mergers and the game had expanded into new territory. It was an exciting time where support by fans was at an all-time high. So too, was the career of Tina Turner. All the stars were in alignment.

An alignment with Bon Jovi is not reflective of an attempt to move forward, it’s almost an attempt to go back to 1988 with one of music’s biggest acts at that time.

The world has advanced a long way in a short time since 1988. Rugby League has gone through Hell and back, it has reinvented itself. They need an internationally renowned, successful music act that has shared a similar journey, whose sound properly conveys the power, speed, strength and excitement Rugby League provides, as well as recognising all that it has gone through to get to this point.

Enter Metallica.

They played their first live show in 1983, the same year that the first four point try was ever scored. Their sound was fast, loud, persistent. It never relented. Just like the game of Rugby League.

On September 27, 1986, Metallica’s bass guitarist Cliff Burton died in a bus accident while they were on tour in Europe.

The day after, Parramatta beat Canterbury 4-2 in the first tryless grand final.
In 1987 the NSWRL launched their game with Tina Turner, launching their game to dizzying new heights.

A year later Metallica created their first ever music video, which would see them also move to new heights.

In 1991 Metallica released their first big album and made it to number 1 on the charts across the globe. It was a decade of parties, alcohol, drugs, women and crazy times, followed by death, consolidation, focus and working on a new direction.

Similarly the NSWRL had coasted along; battling to grow the games appeal beyond Sydney, then expansion before Tina Turner essentially gave them a new direction.

Both were sitting in the greatest positions of their existence in 1991.
Metallica then tried to expand their audience by changing their sound and image in the mid 90’s.

The NSWRL expanded to even newer territories, but in-fighting and the emergence of a take-over bid began to eat away at the game.

In 1997 Superleague was born, but its life was short, yet the damage was evident and far reaching. The NRL was formed in 1998 to consolidate and move the game forward into a new era.

1997 saw Metallica perform a live concert with a symphony orchestra. Their inconsistent jumping from mainstream to their original sound had many fans dismayed.

Interest was waning.

From 2001 til 2003 Metallica almost completely disbanded. Their second bass player left, their frontman entered a rehab clinic while the remaining two were left uncertain of their bands future.

Then their leader returned, they found a new bassist and released an album which received a lot of criticism but still managed to reach top spot on the charts.

In 2008 Metallica released their best album since their 1991 best seller. They had reinvented themselves, come full circle and were now back on top again.
Similarly, The NRL worked hard at cleaning up its image, increased crowd and viewers had seen them make their best progress since the Superleague.
Metallica released a single off its latest album which sums up their career, and Rugby league perfectly over the 30 years and it should be the song for the NRL.

The aptly titled: “Broken, Beaten and Scarred.”

Its fast, its powerful, its raw, its honest. Every part of the song rings true for both Metallica and Rugby league.

From the opening repeated lines: “You rise, you fall, you’re down and you rise again. What don’t kill you, make you more strong!”

To the last line: “We die hard”

724 words including title in OWC

 

[Willow]

That's full time folks...

 

[joshie]

Great work all
Brilliant scramble by both sides Haha

It was an honour being a captain good luck

 

[Willow]

Good match everyone.

Just so you know the marking has been underway since 9:00pm and I'm pretty close to finishing.

Knocking off now but will have the results posted by the morning.

Cheers.

 

[Willow]

Full time scores - Willow Cup Round 1, 2011

Ninjas vs Panthers
Rugby League related: 40%
Originality: 30%
Grammar, punctuation, spelling: 20%
Do I like it? 10%
Score: /100

NINJAS

joshie
It Is Time To Go
Ref Comments: A fictional tale set in the future and featuring the enigmatic Josh Wells.
Words: 711
Score: 81

gUt
Sledging Through the Ages.
Comments: Very funny read. The alternative version of the history of sledging.
Words: 750
Score: 95

edabomb
RIP: The NRL ‘Super Team’?
Ref Comments: And the Ninjas time travelling theme concludes with this well written piece about the Super Teams of the 1990s, and the salary cap constraints of the present.
Words: 750
Score: 87

TOTAL: 263

-Vs-

PANTHERS

Azkatro
The Mutley's grand final plan
Ref Comments: Great yarn and clever twist at the end. Mutley rules.
Words: 747
Score: 93

Big Mick
Memorable moments
Ref Comments: A piece written from the heart.
Words: 740
Score: 84

Madunit (posted by proxy)
Music and Footy
Ref Comments: League's connection to music with memories and milestones.
Words: 724
Score: 84

TOTAL: 261

NINJAS 263 def PANTHERS 261

POTM: gUt (Ninjas)

Well played everyone. :thumn

 

[edabomb]

Thanks for the marking, and the quick turnaround Willow.

Bad luck Panthers, we seem to have nabbed you in a very tight one again.

Congrats to gUt on MOTM, that really was the difference maker in this.

 

[joshie]

Wow very close
Well done all, especially you gUt haha
Bad luck panthers, you played very well

Man quick turn arounds are hard to manage