Redneck Redfaces 2

[POPEYE]

The 18 test,128 game rookie, Kieran Foran.

You're a junior I see, oikee will undoubtedly be along soon, maybe he speaks your language.

You could be taking friendly piss so let me add that when Foran has 6 grandchildren sitting around him and he talks of his hopefully 33 test, 300 game career that finished at Parramatta he will relate that he could have only ever been a Manly rookie and might have stayed in the joint if they were allowed to pay him 25% more than the Eels offered without incurring a cap penalty

That result is more than likely pie in the sky because in all probability money is not the deciding factor with Foran

 

[oikee]

You're a junior I see, oikee will undoubtedly be along soon, maybe he speaks your language.

You could be taking friendly piss so let me add that when Foran has 6 grandchildren sitting around him and he talks of his hopefully 33 test, 300 game career that finished at Parramatta he will relate that he could have only ever been a Manly rookie and might have stayed in the joint if they were allowed to pay him 25% more than the Eels offered without incurring a cap penalty

That result is more than likely pie in the sky because in all probability money is not the deciding factor with Foran

:lol: I speak my language Popeye. And to hell with the philistines.

 

[kit66]

How many of you have ever driven through a bush town and pulled up beside a dusty field to watch a game of League. You've got to go a way out, say somewhere like Goodooga past Lightning Ridge, a tidy village that houses mostly Indigenous Australians, 'Goodooga Magpies' in the local 5 team comp.

If you've never ventured that far you probably think Tyrone Peachey is a novelty and he probably was even in Wellington near Dubbo where his uncle David was born, both standout players. The way the Indigenous play fascinates me, they can turn a game as quickly as they can make a split second decision on the run . . . it comes naturally, no training required

Unfortunately, only to those that are not Indigenous, they can lose interest as quickly as they can create, not laziness but definitely 'been there, done that' syndrome. Once an Indigenous player is established as an NRL player he just has to be kept interested, the best way to make him lose interest is take him anywhere near bullshit

Anyway, it's great to see Tyrone has extended with the Panthers, I can't get enough of the way he plays. If you ever venture anywhere that's as far out as Goodooga you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in a League orchard, a field full of exciting players and peaches every one

I don't get West very often unfortunately but love watching the Country / Indigenous footy coverage on the NITV TV channel. There are carnivals on every weekend somewhere and offer some great footy viewing. I recommend to anyone to tune in and enjoy.

 

[POPEYE]

Shouldn't have done it but too late now, clicking on the Telegraph website is uncanningly like taking a piss in public, pre season as an excuse but laziness just the same. The second I saw 'experts' somewhere in the dribble I knew reading any further than headlines would be as ineffectual as squeezing and hoping the urge would disappear

I shudder at how many people might consider anyone/everyone who writes for the Tele an 'expert', unless rumour mongering or asking questions is an expertise. Pick any headline, how about 'Pressure makes me even better: Reynolds', that's got to be a f**king real novelty amongst NRL quality players hasn't it.

I'm not game to read Rottie's 'Top 50 players', I might see the wanker as too similar to my youngest grandson, or of tens of 1000's who might have picked the same list . . . wouldn't that be a burden on anyone

How about 'Blair ready to renew Stewart rivalry', as a writer that'd be hanging by your nuts waiting for a passer by to notice. Then there's 'Robson not fazed by DCE talks' . . . dearie me, if he was or wasn't what else could he say if he wanted his coach not to imagine him a dope

'Mumbles' Kent takes the cake when he says 'NRL Integrity Unit just hollow words'. If my next door neighbour said that to me I might have told him he could be right, but there's far too many differing opinions on some things I've personally seen enacted a thousand times that were subject to over reaction.

The laugh for me was any so called 'expert' writing for a rag that only survives by sensationalism talks about integrity and what is good for the game. The only people I consider experts in Rugby League are the people who make a difference on the field, and that doesn't include all that many players.

The best the rest of us can hope for is to be rational observers . . . when we're in serious mode of course

 

[POPEYE]

Can't sleep and can't really write any sort of reasonable guess being the first teams list but here goes.

Broncos/Rabbitohs match of the round only because we've seen both in rip, shit or bust mode in the WCC, most of the interest will be in the halves. Milford should be the odd man out, the other three a class above at this stage. I wish Stewart had an Iron Man suit in his wardrobe, Rugby League needs this bloke to last the year

Eels/Seagles could be reminiscent of a great camp oven with all the right ingredients being spoiled by adding a can of peas before instead of after, where are you bellyache. Mateo, Mason, Champion, DCE, Foran, Watmough, Ma'u, Peats and Wicks some of the ingredients . . . no idea what that concoction is going to taste like

Warriors remind me of Fred Flinstone, when in yabba-dabba-doo mode they should be almost unstoppable, they just need to stay away from potholes and keep their feet on the ground. Knights may be a team that confuse many this year, they could be Stone's Natural Born Killers, he's a coach that deserves to sit to the right of the footy god

Be easier to predict the result of a punch-up between Henry and Taylor than bet on a Titans/Tigers result. How long will Tedesco, Zillman and Sezer remain upright, will Robbie inspire or demean, will James 'Mundine' Roberts make a difference, will Brooks have a breakout start . . . anyone's guess

Ferguson plays to his potential the Roosters have to be this year's team to beat, any mob that can't find room to start Aubusson is shit hot imo. Maloney could be the only weak link but he'll have to keep his For Sale sign polished so I expect him to have a stellar season. If the Cowboys had a scary 7/9 combo they too would be a top contender . . . unfortunately they don't

Pepper Stadium hosts the first 4pm add-free game, I'm going to have to find another excuse not to watch it . . . the lawn will need a mow by then. Crikey I wish Graham was playing for someone else other than the team made in China

Sharks/Raiders should be a ripper, wouldn't mind seeing Canberra do well but Go The Sharkies. Both teams played without a decent coach last year but everything has changed in the Shire and it's the same ol' same ol' in Canberra. Shit, hang on a minute, I forgot about Blake Austin, Sticky's ghost writer . . . game could be more interesting than first imagined

Monday night many times is a cliff hanger, we have Bellamy against a Bellamy wannabe, Mary is determined to reap what he sows and surely must believe he has as green a thumb as his Melbourne counterpart. If that's true expect Merrin to suffer from splinters as the search goes on. The Dragons may have an advantage in the halves but all the interest for me is how well oiled the Bellamy wand

 

[MaxPower]

going to have to find another excuse not to watch it . . .

Showing your true colours POPEYE?

 

[POPEYE]

Showing your true colours POPEYE?

Get you're money back from whoever gave you swimming lessons, you're in grave danger of drowning

 

[oikee]

Smelling that freshly cut grass will bring back the memories. Good write-up and somehow i get the feeling this year could be special.

Here are the strong teams.
Dogs, Roosters, Souths, Parra and Cowboys.
Here are the contenders,
Knights, Warriors, Panthers, Sharks, Melbourne,
Here are the bottom feeders who have great expectations.
Broncos, Canberra, Dragons, Manly, Tigers.
Then you have mommy's basketcase.
Titans.

 

[MaxPower]

Get you're money back from whoever gave you swimming lessons, you're in grave danger of drowning

That sounds serious. On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried about drowning should I be?

 

[POPEYE]

That sounds serious. On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried about drowning should I be?

You tell me, you're clearly out of your depth and colour blind . . . my colours have been obvious to good swimmers since Hasler first promised Greenberg a premiership

 

[POPEYE]

I remember when Benny had to have comments pried loose, the days when his coaching alone did all the talking, these days he's not as confident and being only a couple of years older I can understand. He was once content to walk the walk but the older you get the bigger need to talk the talk, especially when so many now weren't born when Benny wasn't receptive to fools

Broncos season launch had him reminding the faithful that it took five years to make a name for himself, sorry, the club. He's prepared to endure another five to recreate the Leviathan, between the lines he's asking for that long to attract the sort of players he needs to see a 71 year old make history by remaining 'acceptable' in a place so many younger can't

He knows attracting the quality he had in the early days is now virtually impossible, Qld hasn't been his private melting pot for over a decade now, which is the reason so many sermons on the mount are necessary. Being a senior citizen I have little choice in wishing him all the best, I don't need reminding how good at his job he once was or how he deserves to go out at a time of his choosing

Imo Benny has the element of surprise on his side for anyone who expects the Broncos not to be a force to be reckoned with, more to the point the bloke is counting on the doomsayers to make his star shine brighter

 

[oikee]

I remember when Benny had to have comments pried loose, the days when his coaching alone did all the talking, these days he's not as confident and being only a couple of years older I can understand. He was once content to walk the walk but the older you get the bigger need to talk the talk, especially when so many now weren't born when Benny wasn't receptive to fools

Broncos season launch had him reminding the faithful that it took five years to make a name for himself, sorry, the club. He's prepared to endure another five to recreate the Leviathan, between the lines he's asking for that long to attract the sort of players he needs to see a 71 year old make history by remaining 'acceptable' in a place so many younger can't

He knows attracting the quality he had in the early days is now virtually impossible, Qld hasn't been his private melting pot for over a decade now, which is the reason so many sermons on the mount are necessary. Being a senior citizen I have little choice in wishing him all the best, I don't need reminding how good at his job he once was or how he deserves to go out at a time of his choosing

Imo Benny has the element of surprise on his side for anyone who expects the Broncos not to be a force to be reckoned with, more to the point the bloke is counting on the doomsayers to make his star shine brighter

You are a wise one.
Benny will take his flock to the promised land.

 

[POPEYE]

I'm going to have to refrain from exalting the value of Glenn Stewart, sure as shit I'm going to jinx the bloke just like I do our big hitting Cricketers. My missus reckons I can get them out by just walking past the tele. Seriously, how would you like to play poker with Stewart, you can take the boy away from Manly but you can't remove the Manly aura . . . smugness personified

Don't take my word for it, Jabba had trouble finding the words and it wasn't just because he was distracted wiping the dribble off Rabs' chin. Speaking of whom the old bloke is becoming as ineffectual as Rothfield. Anyway, if GS stays in one piece he will be as big a danger as GI and every bit the threat Sam was.

Maguire will revel in the bloke's footy intellect, hard to imagine Souths getting better but they now have another ace up their sleeve, a smart forward who is as good a 5/8. Pity I have trouble disassociating him with Humpty Dumpty, the missus is an avid SSR supporter so I might be barred from the loungeroom

 

[POPEYE]

James Brown take a bow, I feel good, I knew that I would. Been saying for a long time the Eels would be better off without Hayne, they've just tattooed over an annoying birthmark and are ready to step out. NFL has done Brad Arthur a tremendous favour, early days yet but the cleaning out of Parramatta Lakes for swimming was a good omen

All the talk I bet is about Manly coming apart at the seams which is why I haven't bothered to read anything, enough that the Eels are playing like a team released from its shackles and they have so much room for improvement.

I can't wait to see what happens when Arthur teaches the Eels to play the way Manly was renowned for, become methodical and lose the irrational, practice patience. Brad will wake up this morning like a teenager with a brand new car sitting in the driveway, the old sluggish heap with the noisy rear end has been scrapped.

Having just watched the press conference I don't think complacency is going to be a problem, Arthur certainly has a hard task master demeanor, maybe we do have another supercoach

 

[Cloudsurfer]

I made the mistake of frequenting the Eels forum on here a couple of years ago when Kearney was coach & suggested the same thing. Must take a poke or two over there soon ;-)

Kearney is a much maligned coach because of his stint at the Eels where he wasn't given the authority or the opportunity to take a couple of primadonnas down a peg or two and build a team around character so they could actually play as a team. Lot of changes in the ensuing years and Arthur would appear to be the man. Good to see

 

[oikee]

Yes, Hayne was a one man Jonah. If he stays away from our code it will be happy days for everyone.

Hey popeye, what do you think of yvonne Sampson humanising our players.
She is like a breath of fresh air the way she can talk to the players and make them feel easy with-in themselves.
This was missing link i think.
The grass has been cut and the season is smelling very good.
I finished off the painting and have nothing but blue skies to enjoy over winter in front of the fire watching my favourite team. Friday night Broncos.

 

[POPEYE]

I made the mistake of frequenting the Eels forum on here a couple of years ago when Kearney was coach & suggested the same thing. Must take a poke or two over there soon ;-)

Kearney is a much maligned coach because of his stint at the Eels where he wasn't given the authority or the opportunity to take a couple of primadonnas down a peg or two and build a team around character so they could actually play as a team. Lot of changes in the ensuing years and Arthur would appear to be the man. Good to see

If there is one danger it will be the well documented fragile Parramatta management IQ . . . if Arthur stands on someone's toes, be it player or club hierarchy, we could all be standing around in bewilderment once again.

Hate to say it mate but the Warriors must be the dumbest team as a collective in the comp

 

[Cloudsurfer]

If there is one danger it will be the well documented

fragile Parramatta management IQ . . . if Arthur stands on someone's toes, be it player or club hierarchy, we could all be standing around in bewilderment once again.

Hate to say it mate

but

the Warriors must be the dumbest team as a collective

in the comp

You're not telling me

anything...have never followed them, its a myth they're NZ's team & looking forward to the day Wellington gets one. Didn't watch this time but their problem imo is all the Maoris are picked for other club's engine rooms and the PI guys have got no direction without some canny in there. Its why I follow the Storm...they know

 

[POPEYE]

You're not telling me

anything...have never followed them, its a myth they're NZ's team & looking forward to the day Wellington gets one. Didn't watch this time but their problem imo is all the Maoris are picked for other club's engine rooms and the PI guys have got no direction without some canny in there. Its why I follow the Storm...they know

The Storm could become the next honorary NZ team if Benny has his way and a draft is initiated . . . wink, wink, nudge nudge. He certainly needs another group of 1000's to pick from. I'd like nothing better than to see Bellamy 'postpone' his retirement to coach a Wellington team

What do you know, Gallen is raising his hand as wanting to finish his career in a blaze of big money glory, swap beaches and become DCE's surfing buddy maybe . . . ride the NRL wave so to speak. Shame the Titans didn't pip the Tigers who are already on the way out of the doldrums. Tedesco can put a stroke on his bedroom wall having finished at least one game and the halves looked good.

Told you so, along with a lot of 10 year olds I predicted the Roosters are the team to challenge the Mighty Rabbitohs. In a perfect world every team should win home games and let the rest decide the comp, the Roosters have shown us their hand in just the first game of the season, the Cowboys will lose any advantage unless Thurston relinquishes his dictatorship and Green finds a decent 2nd In Command for him

 

[POPEYE]

I could have been wrong about the Warriors being the dumbest team in the comp, Penrith are close, thank f**k I watched the game . . . my missus will say I jinxed the Dogs again