Redneck Redfaces

[BKT]

My pleasure. Great to see that your here, it's been 10 months since my last visit to this site, I've had a rebuild...2 new heart valves, and now feel up to forums again. I hope all is well in your world.

 

[POPEYE]

My pleasure. Great to see that your here, it's been 10 months since my last visit to this site, I've had a rebuild...2 new heart valves, and now feel up to forums again. I hope all is well in your world.

Sent you a pm

 

[BKT]

Sent you a pm

Sorry, I can't read or send PM's...it appears that it has been disabled by admin......I must be a threat, lol.:lol:

 

[POPEYE]

Sorry, I can't read or send PM's...it appears that it has been disabled by admin......I must be a threat, lol.:lol:

I go for an angiogram/stents/angioplasty/bypass next Thursday . . . will be shit happens for some and shit happens for others depending on the outcome

 

[BKT]

Ok, your PM came through on my e-mail, all the best next Thurs, hope it will be good news for you and my thoughts will be with you.

I'm good now, took me a long time to recover, I had to retire as I couldn't cope anymore. I spend a lot of time in the garden and it gives me some exercise, besides my daily walk, and I find it fullfilling, I live life at an easier pace nowadays, I have a lovely scar right up my chest, but I'm thankful for the second chance.

 

[POPEYE]

Looking forward to talking League with you M'lady

 

[BKT]

I sat down last w/end and watched some of the "nines", I enjoyed the games and thought some of the up and comers were very exciting. It was great seeing Fittler score that runaway try, it brought a smile to my lips, not bad for a 42 yr old. I felt for the players that sustained serious injury though, Coote and Mullen are huge losses to their respective clubs, I was hoping that this would be the year that the Cowboys finally broke their duck, they still might, but they need a good f/b.
Personally I feel that the chooks have a good chance of going back to back, they have a strong squad. The Knights may struggle to make the 8 now that Mullen has been sidelined for a good portion of the season, the Storm will be there abouts as usual, though their stars are ageing and it appears there may be a bit of angst in the club around Smith's contract and if he will resign or not, I'd like to see him stay and be a club man, but I'm sure that he will do what is right for his family.

 

[Bandwagon]

Best of luck with that old man.

 

[POPEYE]

Another young gun that needs everyone to have fingers and toes crossed for is Luke Brooks, Potter has no choice other than be optimistic but to rely on Anasta and Farah as guides is like asking Roy and HG a serious question.

Braith would indeed be a steady influence for a novice hotshot if he played enough games, the only thing he can be relied on to do is turn up for a seat on Fox. Sironen is outgrowing 5/8 but it's a pity he can't be with Brooks, inexperienced halves are far better than confused ones and Brooks will feel like he's chasing an ambulance with Anasta.

Robbie has to get out of bed on the right side and his arrogance impedes too many games to have Brooks consider him the Pied Piper. I'm one who has high hopes for the Tigers but nowadays injuries are becoming more and more ominous for players, relying on prima donnas is something no coach needs

 

[POPEYE]

My all time favourite player was Mick Cronin but it's probably a toss up now between him and Cam Smith, both first picked in any team of mine. Langer/Mortimer/Sterling/Cronk are my 7's and Slater the #1 which is an indicator of how the rest would go. I like players whose talent is superseded by reliability, an unkind synonym for the opposite is injury prone.

You know I'm going to talk about Dugan being one of many players that I look forward to watching but wouldn't have in my team. There are some blokes like Duffie, Coote and Gidley that should try snooker but there is a rapidly growing band of enigmatic players that can't avoid disrupting their team with injuries.

With Dugan for instance, like Hodges and others, the Dragons will spend most of the season regrouping, this latest scare will be far from the last. Too many key players are spending an unacceptable amount of time on the sidelines, less disturbing for me than most because I'm a League supporter before a club supporter.

Admittedly the game is faster and players more highly strung through fanatical fitness regimes than when Cronin played but he didn't have to fight his way through untiring forwards. Scintillating 80 minutes players won't remain in one piece if they are desperate to break through a wall of part timers

 

[POPEYE]

Amazes me the cacophony of bleating from Bronco supporters about how bad their team played has drowned out the celebrating Warriors supporters. How quiet the anti-Elliott wankers are as well, those who reckon he doesn't know what he's doing . . . how would you like those f**kwits coaching the Warriors.

The Broncos might've been trialling, the Warriors weren't, they were practicing. Johnson didn't try to do it all himself, an Elliott directive I bet, Tomkins is a marvel waiting to be marvellous and Townsend a third dividend deservedly in need of a little luck. The Pom's silky smooth passes were a revelation since I haven't seen that much of him and how effortlessly does he cover ground.

Only injuries or disobedience will stop the Warriors from scaring the shit out of every team in the comp, I doubt the Broncos have the cattle good enough to beat them no matter how well they play. Today's game was an eye opener not because the Warriors put it all together as they sometimes do but because they have a new look about them . . . a structured look

 

[POPEYE]

Flanagan sometimes exudes a 'Waldron' demeanor, he should be made realise there are better ways to have the NRL appear in control. Everything he does to get the team through '14 should be clandestine, it's one thing to believe he's been maligned but another to reinforce the fact he's naïve.

Most coaches are not Rhodes scholars but players are smart enough to play the coat and dagger game with the salary cap so it isn't necessary for Flanagan to be in their faces. By alienating himself it may spur the team to greater heights but he has to use a bit of nous in the process.

If Flanagan doesn't keep a lower profile he deserves to be reprimanded, not because he flaunted the judgement against him but because Dave Smith does not deserve to be undermined by anyone on his crusade for excellence

 

[POPEYE]

Looking forward to the promised Parramatta resurgence, last year Sandow said Sticky was the man that he would he play well for and this year it's Hayne's turn with Arthur. I don't even mind if Hayne does stay at fullback as long as he goes looking for the ball although he would serve the joint better at centre.

Nevertheless there can be no more excuses, a top 12 will do most of us if injuries are kind to the Eels in Arthur's first year remembering the bloke is starting out and with a motely crew. Imo Anderson will be the saviour everyone's hoping for, he can bust balls without having to appease anyone, guaranteed he's put Sandow on notice while standing tall behind Arthur.

At least Brad won't have to worry about stepping on toes, no f**king vacancies for prima donnas anymore at the head of the river as long as the CEO has some cojonas and leaves everything to Anderson. We may see the beginning of an era where Eels supporters don't have to wait for one player to get off his arse, there could be 16 more who are made think they're just as important

 

[POPEYE]

With all this Rugby League affluence and the euphoria created realistically by the ARLC and fronted by Dave Smith it is the best chance for anyone with an opinion to put forward an idea for reformation. The powers that be are open to consider virtually anything that will put the game in the forefront.

Cleary wants the ARLC to consider reducing International games at the end of the season whereas imo teams should only play each other once in the 'Minor' Premiership. Like them or not International games are what will keep the game alive where it counts the most. Cleary is in the unenviable position of being paid to win a cup.

I know I go on ad nauseam about this but back when dad took the family to footy by bus and Rex was commentating on black and white it would have been incredulous to think the lottery of who plays who twice would be negated. Technology has made it unnecessary for only some teams to play each other twice.

There are more viable attractions to fill the void and the top players will get the respite they need. The key is to play enough games in total to keep the public happy, have a fairer Premiership result and not have the best players sidelined or depreciated by fatigue/injury . . . at the same time keeping the game International

 

[Cloudsurfer]

I go for an angiogram/stents/angioplasty/bypass next Thursday . . . will be shit happens for some and shit happens for others depending on the outcome

All the best...hope everything goes well

 

[ek999]

Hope all is well Pops

 

[POPEYE]

Pump is remarkably not in much worse condition than 23 years ago, thanks for your thoughts

 

[POPEYE]

No sense in whinging about the pros and cons of the new concussion rules, it's a natural progression in a game that is starting to quote big dollar numbers. The NRL has no choice but draw a line in the sand to protect itself against the damage a quickwitted f**king vulture in an 18th century wig and robe can inflict.

Player welfare has always been a concern because it's a natural reaction in anyone with a modicum of intelligence, gone are the days when a masochistic attitude left determination of fitness to players, scans have replaced asking a player if his hamstring is any good just the same as legally sanctioned tests are replacing asking a bloke if his brain isn't rattled.

The new tests are simply a way of eradicating as much as humanly possible the risk of litigation now that everyone is bright eyed and bushy tailed with League's new found wealth, there'll be plenty of squirelling around by people who don't give a shit about the game.

Dave Smith's mob are just separating fact from fiction and in the process we'll end up with a defined more conscionable approach to player welfare whilst protecting new found wealth. The concussion rules will undoubtedly be abused, even my limited devious intellect has made a little list, but players can be satisfied with knowing those faking it won't make a quid from it

 

[POPEYE]

Along with everyone else I gave Sticky a pasting last year but it would be hypocritical of me to start in on him again after he's initiated the changes imo were needed with the Raiders. Campese spent most of '13 wasting time trying to get the ball from an erratic McCrone who this year only has to practice what Cam Smith teaches

Like the late Muzza Murray many years ago at Parra Campese's footy brain should compensate for his poor turning circle, #7 on his back is not as silly as it sounds. It will require the speed of Jack Wighton at 5/8 to take advantage of Terry's quick witted passing game so I'm all for Stuart taking the gamble on this interesting combination.

Let's hope Sticky has just been a slow learner, the dinosaur era of coaching has been replaced by innovative new coaching academia for him to learn from, with a little luck his naïve arrogance may now be tempered enough to improve his player management.

 

[soc123_au]

Definatly an interesting year ahead from a coaching perspective, you must be just about peeing yourself in anticipation pops. Personaly I see Ricky getting the Raiders competitive early, but I don't see it lasting post Origin. The Warriors also I think will go well early, I don't think Elliott has the capacity to keep them focused all year though. On Elliott I would like to be proven wrong, although I believe it is every Raiders & Panthers fans right to bag him relentlessly I do like the bloke & deep down wish him some success.

Good to hear your ticker will keep going for a while yet. Your ramblings would be missed if things were to go bad on that front.