Redneck Redfaces

[POPEYE]

Understandably the hot topic at the moment is next year's draw and if you believe NRL.com the canon fodder teams have been given the hardest with Manly thrown in . . . that is if the analysis is to your liking. A little confusing when all the trouble taken having a salary cap to protect the lesser teams is undermined by throwing them to the wolves.

I'm not a believer that the draw has ever been fair, heirarchy have always tried to realise an agenda based on manipulation of how the season should turn out 'for the best', trouble is the 'best' for the knobs is not necessarily the best for us yobbos. Being a cynic I'm happy when something that is planned that shouldn't be goes f**king pear shaped.

There is always the reliable poor player managibility and unforseen injury toll to rely on if like me you want the season to be unpredictable. Naughty of me to wish the heirarchy boat rocked but no more than them wanting their less favoured teams to be disadvantaged when it counts.

So, every season for me is the same old chestnut, stability in man management, coaching and player passion if you like, the key. Apparently training methodology goes a long way towards lessening the likelihood of injury but coaching staff contribution and adaptation interest me. The one thing the f**king smartarses outside the clubs that want to mould the season to their liking can't control . . . viva the real manipulators, the coaches

 

[POPEYE]

Nothing much else to talk about if you don't like discussing knees and how in the future we may see them encased in armour so I'll continue with; "We won't be moving to stand-alone Origins in the near future, it's been tried and failed" - Nathan McGuirk.

Put my incessant bleating about how Origin is f**king the game unnecessarily aside and just study that ridiculous statement. The following are all questions . . . for anyone as big a dope as Nathan and need a question mark.

When has stand-alone Origin been tried since the ARLC was established to drag the game from the dark ages.

How was stand-alone a failure, was it because a few loud one-eyed supporters couldn't go without their weekend fix even if it was for the betterment of the game.

More likely it was deemed a failure because the media, rightly I might add, couldn't get their money's worth out of stand-alone weekends?

So we are to understand the ARLC is incapable of satisfying the majority of us that don't need to see our team run around every weekend as long as there is a game of interest on each of Friday night, Saturday and Sunday?

John Grant,the saviour of League, can't come up with 6 games from anywhere in the Rugby League World that would supplement Origin. Not even if it's probably the only available time to give to teams and sponsors from the rest of the Pacific dying to advance the game?

Why couldn't obscure nations like Italy and the US join in and make Origin a festival, instead of wasting time between World Cups twiddling their fingers.

If McGuirk and I were a couple of drinking buddies and across the table he gave the same answer if I'd asked the question my retort we be "F**k off, who the f**k do you think you're kidding, what a dumb f**king answer. You'll have to come up with something better than that if you want to keep your job, most League supporters aren't that f**king gullible"

 

[bellyache]

Where Looking forward to;

Forgot the pic.. See you up there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L6_wmwQ4Wg

 

[POPEYE]

Home is where the heart is Son

 

[POPEYE]

Not sure how many would know what a tuppenny bunger was, you'd have to remember running around on cracker night lighting one and scaring shit out of your family when they went off, no fancy sparkles just a huge bang. The next morning you'd get up early and brave the frost covered ground searching for the ones that didn't explode, there was always a few duds.

We can't cut a piece of string soaked in kero and shove it up Adam Blair's arse and expect him to go off a second time but he has promised to rekindle what he left behind at Melbourne. He says he needs the right kind of go-forward from the halves as a fuse to create the havoc he was known for. Promises that a few kilos, direct action playmakers and the only coaching he responds to will do the trick.

Maybe he's right, he may not have just taken the money with a giggle but wasn't smart enough to understand Sheens needed him as an engine not a caboose. With luck Adam will realise Potter is relying on him for a whole lot more than he showed Tim, time to return to the us-against-them mentality that Wests are trying to foster and he is capable of . . . time to rest in the sin bin, not on the paddock

 

[gypsy]

This is actually surprisingly readable.

 

[Bandwagon]

yeah, the old man goes alright when it aint a pissing contest and you accept he's posting to please himself.

 

[Bandwagon]

Merry Christmas old man.

 

[Jason Maher]

Old Pops is a good read every now and then. Almost a breath of fresh air among all the dross that fills up the NRL forum these days. Just needs to admit that finals are the Australian way of settling sporting scores. ;-) I do agree that the minor premiership should be given more attention than it is though. A large increase in the mulah on offer fot the first past the post team would be a good start, 50% to the club and 50% divided among the players (leave it up to the club to decide which players deserve a share).

Disagree with his assessment of Hayne though. I don't think it matters where in the backline he plays, the key to him performing is whether or not he could be bothered on any given day. When he wants to, he has an impact from whatever position he happens to be playing.

 

[POPEYE]

Merry Christmas old man.

Back at you ol' mate

 

[POPEYE]

Old Pops is a good read every now and then. Almost a breath of fresh air among all the dross that fills up the NRL forum these days. Just needs to admit that finals are the Australian way of settling sporting scores. ;-) I do agree that the minor premiership should be given more attention than it is though. A large increase in the mulah on offer fot the first past the post team would be a good start, 50% to the club and 50% divided among the players (leave it up to the club to decide which players deserve a share).

Disagree with his assessment of Hayne though. I don't think it matters where in the backline he plays, the key to him performing is whether or not he could be bothered on any given day. When he wants to, he has an impact from whatever position he happens to be playing.

I thought you would have realised by now I'm an exhibitionist, stiff shit if it worries anyone, because I taunt what is accepted as a means of advancing what should also be accepted doesn't mean I have to be accepted.

It would have been just as inappropriate to put Steve Renouf at fullback as it is Hayne, Jarryd could rival The Pearl in a NSW jumper at centre. Sheens put a horse's head in Jarryd's bed, his my way or the highway should be replicated by Daley. It will be a pity if Arthur takes dictation.

 

[bellyache]

Bump.

 

[POPEYE]

Exactly what the Poms need, blokes like millionaire Marwan Koukash with money burning a hole in his pocket, attempting to buy Slater and SBW once his grand plan for a marquee allowance is realised. Could you imagine the consternation from the NRL when the salary cap forced elite players to leave their preferred club, instead of relocating to another here they could say f**k you, we're off on a 4 year jaunt to England.

When I first heard Manly were trying to appease their sponsors by staging a game in China I thought what if the game catches on over there. Not as if China is like India that has Cricket entrenched, a country that has just opened it's door to the Big Mac could build and fill stadiums that would make the MCG look like a bottle top if League interested them . . . no worries about concussion litigation.

In essence the NRL is waging war with a pop gun, it's high and mighty restraint of wages and tunnel vision only serves the hangers on. Thank f**k League is played downstairs in the basement, I'm happy Australia has something to crow about. The thought of Slater/SBW wandering around England with gold chains around their necks or the top 100 players with photos on 10 metre billboards in China . . . dearie me

 

[POPEYE]

Time for a little hibernation methinks, very little chance of anything constructive happening in the League world until we start stumbling through the new season, one that has to be an improvement . . . little wonder many buildings omit the 13th floor

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Time for a little hibernation methinks, very little chance of anything constructive happening in the League world until we start stumbling through the new season, one that has to be an improvement . . . little wonder many buildings omit the 13th floor

Really? Who else is going to do what is necessary to hold them down in your own 20 Popeye ;-)

 

[POPEYE]

Now that Amadaca has reappeared there's a chance this thread will be relegated that many pages back I'd never find it so it's press on regardless, there may be some good news floating around to comment on. Then again what does it matter if pseudonyms are deemed necessary to liven up the forum, can't be any worse than my badgering.

Steve McNamara joining the Roosters is allround good news, not quite living with the Australian branch of the Pommie team but next door at least. He may be James Bond or just looking for a higher education but either way he's going to take something back for the Poms to build on, that is if he remains the national coach.

That's one good thing about the Poms, they're not afraid to share, couldn't imagine Sheens or any Australian player being allowed to regain his green and gold status from an overseas posting, not even the great Killer.

Often wondered how the English would receive a team comprising their citizens entering a team in the NRL. Of course we colonials would complain it as unfair having the best Poms in one NRL team but don't forget the infallible salary cap with Shoey overseeing any threat of slave labour. They could afford the B Bros, Tomkins and Widdop, already here and the cream of English junior aspirants . . . interesting indeed.

 

[bellyache]

Check this out, listen care-fully sic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlH_sZ6LhEE

 

[POPEYE]

Check this out, listen care-fully sic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlH_sZ6LhEE

T-shirt says it all

 

[bellyache]

England coach Steve McNamara has been appointed as an assistant coach at the Sydney Roosters.

The premiers have been on the lookout for another assistant to Trent Robinson after Paul Green left to take up the head coaching position at North Queensland.

After a worldwide search, they settled on McNamara, whose England side recently lost a heartbreaking World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

It is unclear whether he will retain the national duties after taking on the new post.

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McNamara will join a coaching staff which includes Jason Taylor, Craig Fitzgibbon and under 20s mentor Adam Hartigan next year. He was linked to a number of positions, most notably at the Parramatta Eels and Bath rugby union club, but chose to further his career with the NRL champions.

Several star England players including Sam Burgess, James Graham and Kevin Sinfield publicly backed McNamara after their last-minute loss to the Kiwis.

The 42 year old had a distinguished playing career in the English Super League for Hull, Bradford, Wakefield Trinity and Huddersfield.

The backrower earned national honours before taking over as coach of Bradford and then Great Britain.

The Roosters, attempting to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Brisbane sides of 1992-3, are expected to make an official announcement about the appointment on Friday.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz2nGTy3STO

Interesting!

 

[POPEYE]

Yes, the article that inspired me to change hands after 99 and fantasize about the Poms entering a team in the NRL. Imo Robbo is more astute than picking McNamara just for his coaching ability, he wants a beacon to guide lost souls. Blind Freddy, yes even Brad, must have noticed how valuable the English exodus has been to Souths.

Trent will be hoping McNamara keeps the job as National Coach, no top player would then consider moving this side of the equator without first handing his resume to the Roosters. I'd imagine Tomkins wouldn't have signed with the Warriors had McNamara been in place this year, Mini would have played his last game and RTS resigned to playing on the wing.

Maybe I wasn't far off the mark, instead of England entering a team in the NRL maybe Redfern/Bondi will become the Mecca for English players, both coaches are magnets and what better way to avoid the insidious effect of Origin than have teams mostly comprised of Kiwis/Poms. Widdop may too be cursing his luck