Me and a couple of mates went out yesterday to perhaps the greatest day of Rugby League all season - Round 1 of the NSW Cup - 4 games in one game at Leichardt Oval.
It was a fantastic day and a shame the crowd wasn't bigger
Player of the Day - Ben Rogers stood out he was brilliant
Team of the Day - Central Coast and the Bulldogs both great
Biggest Dissapointment - Joel Reddy was non existent in that game and is no where near NRL on that performance
Team by Team
Auckland v Wenty - Auckland won after coming home stronger in each half in sweltering conditions
Auckland - The young halfback Godnet was impressive and a couple of the big forwards were good, Inu didn't play despite being named and Kevin Locke looks talented but not too have much of a footy knowledge but he will be back in FG next week with Vatuvei Injury
Wentworthville - Dissapointing for a team with some supposedly good players in it - Joel Reddy was poor and non existent almost, Whatuira was a late addition to the team and looked like quality although will be better for the run, no one else did much
Manly v Wests - Worst 2 teams of the day - just a class below the later games but Wests won in a spirited match
Manly - Not knowing much about the manly side before hand we expected them to win against an NRL less Wests but they were horrible, Liam Foran is no chance of NRL so lucky for them Cherry Evans played well
Wests - Were the better side but only just but again not many if any of these blokes could play NRL -Rocky Trimarchi and Ben Jeffrey were good and probably the most impressive for us was Puna 'Stanley Gene' Rasaubale who needs a bit more fitness but definatly is impressive
Central Coast v Windsor - Central Coast always had this in hand and won easily in the end with a bit more class
Central Coast - Were the best team of the day - Ben Rogers awesome he looked like Jonathon Thurston at this level, Keith Lulia will push for NRL and Shannon McDonnell was slick, these 3 along with a really solid Ryan Stig (lovley passing game) lead this team around and dominated
Windsor - Prob would have won either of the first 2 games but just outclassed, the Hooker Nafe Seluni was thier best , Taumata was solid and looked dangerous without breaking out, Dayne Weston as always did some magical things for a prop
Balmain v Dogs - Dogs showed just how useful lots of NRL players are at this level to win and Balmain were close
Dogs - As always in State Cup their superior pack was solid and rolled on and on, Micheal Lett was brilliant and should be playing NRL somewhere, Trent Cutler as always impressive - Romelo for mine isn't a half but with that side they should still win the comp
Balmain - Were good and only just lost this match and with the DOgs, Central Coast they will be a top side again. Mitch Brown was good when he was involved and so was Sam Latu, Nathan Waters doesent do much and the pack were solid but just a little outclassed - George Nadira off the bench was the best for Balmain and if Farrah goes down he will be a good replacement
Overall a fantastic day - they should do it more often and would have been better if it was better promoted and more fans out their
It was a fantastic day and a shame the crowd wasn't bigger
Player of the Day - Ben Rogers stood out he was brilliant
Team of the Day - Central Coast and the Bulldogs both great
Biggest Dissapointment - Joel Reddy was non existent in that game and is no where near NRL on that performance
Team by Team
Auckland v Wenty - Auckland won after coming home stronger in each half in sweltering conditions
Auckland - The young halfback Godnet was impressive and a couple of the big forwards were good, Inu didn't play despite being named and Kevin Locke looks talented but not too have much of a footy knowledge but he will be back in FG next week with Vatuvei Injury
Wentworthville - Dissapointing for a team with some supposedly good players in it - Joel Reddy was poor and non existent almost, Whatuira was a late addition to the team and looked like quality although will be better for the run, no one else did much
Manly v Wests - Worst 2 teams of the day - just a class below the later games but Wests won in a spirited match
Manly - Not knowing much about the manly side before hand we expected them to win against an NRL less Wests but they were horrible, Liam Foran is no chance of NRL so lucky for them Cherry Evans played well
Wests - Were the better side but only just but again not many if any of these blokes could play NRL -Rocky Trimarchi and Ben Jeffrey were good and probably the most impressive for us was Puna 'Stanley Gene' Rasaubale who needs a bit more fitness but definatly is impressive
Central Coast v Windsor - Central Coast always had this in hand and won easily in the end with a bit more class
Central Coast - Were the best team of the day - Ben Rogers awesome he looked like Jonathon Thurston at this level, Keith Lulia will push for NRL and Shannon McDonnell was slick, these 3 along with a really solid Ryan Stig (lovley passing game) lead this team around and dominated
Windsor - Prob would have won either of the first 2 games but just outclassed, the Hooker Nafe Seluni was thier best , Taumata was solid and looked dangerous without breaking out, Dayne Weston as always did some magical things for a prop
Balmain v Dogs - Dogs showed just how useful lots of NRL players are at this level to win and Balmain were close
Dogs - As always in State Cup their superior pack was solid and rolled on and on, Micheal Lett was brilliant and should be playing NRL somewhere, Trent Cutler as always impressive - Romelo for mine isn't a half but with that side they should still win the comp
Balmain - Were good and only just lost this match and with the DOgs, Central Coast they will be a top side again. Mitch Brown was good when he was involved and so was Sam Latu, Nathan Waters doesent do much and the pack were solid but just a little outclassed - George Nadira off the bench was the best for Balmain and if Farrah goes down he will be a good replacement
Overall a fantastic day - they should do it more often and would have been better if it was better promoted and more fans out their
