Redneck Redfaces

[POPEYE]

Intensity? What intensity? We get flogged in running metres week on week because we sit back and let teams run at us instead of getting up in their faces. Our opponents can rely on an easy 50m gain every set without even trying. We have zero line speed. That is not intensity.

Who do you blame, the coach or quality of players. I'm basically interested in coaches because they are the teachers so if the Dragons aren't performing the way you want which is it, teachers or students. If Price isn't up to tutoring players then Widdop and Dugan are the only saviours.

Being optimistic and not focussed solely on the Dragons I'm happy the way the team is progressing, content to see the spine coming together. Saints are travelling an incline and I don't give a shit if they slide now and again, you'd have to convince me and more dedicated supporters that Price is not driving the improvement, something the players say is the reason

If all anyone wants is a pissant little cup on the shelf like a tattoo to prove how tough they are I'm not interested. If the Dragons attempt to be in the top four ticket holders in the lottery every year I'm interested, that won't happen unless the spine of the team is set in stone, the forwards stepping up is the next phase . . . you need to be patient

 

[Jason Maher]

I could be patient if I had any confidence in the leadership of our club to have a proper long term plan. The way we fell off a cliff after 2010 due to a complete lack of succession planning does not give me any confidence at all. We're definitely a better and more exciting team this year (thanks in a large part to Widdop), but we're a long way short of being a top 4 contender, and won't be until we sort out our pack and get some attitude back into our defence.

 

[POPEYE]

I've nfi what Price has in mind, both he and the club are still probably in a state of euphoria over the change from last year to this. Mitch Rein to me epitomises the real improvement in the team although I'm an advocate of near 80 minute #9's. If I had reason to believe the Dragons were going to tread water with the pack I too would be concerned

 

[bellyache]

Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko has retained the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles with a fifth round knockout of Australia's Alex Leapai on Saturday.
Klitschko totally dominated a one-sided bout, felling the Samoan-born, New Zealand-raised challenger three times, once in the first and twice in the fifth.
Australia's wait for a first universally recognised heavyweight world champion will continue after Klitschko shattered his dream.
The one occasion Leapai landed and appeared to momentarily wobble Klitschko merely triggered an unstoppable onslaught from the champion, who notched a 20th straight win and continued his ten-year victory streak.
Seemingly stung into action, he retaliated immediately, sending Leapai to the canvas.
A stunned Leapai got to his feet, but a follow up flurry of right hands from Klitschko put him down again and referee Eddie Cotton waved the fight off without completing the count.
Klitschko felled Leapai around 60 seconds into the opening round, landing with two quick blows.
Just before that first knockdown, Leapai had shouldered his much taller opponent into the ropes in what appeared to be a statement of intent.
However, it was a rare moment of aggression from Leapai, who until that fateful moment in the fifth barely landed a telling punch.
The 16cm reach advantage proved too difficult for Leapai to overcome, with the 34-year-old Queenslander unable to work his way inside.
Klitschko methodically picked apart the Australian from outside, landing his jab at will as he dominated each round.
"I tried to get inside but Wladimir kept sticking the jab out," Leapai said.
"It's not the end of the road ... I'll be back."
Leapai lived in New Zealand for six years as a child before shifting to Queensland with his family at age 12.

 

[oikee]

Now he got beat he is a Kiwi, if he had won he would have been a Queenslander. haha

 

[POPEYE]

Nine looks at the Manly cheergirls stopped me from mowing the lawn, Sticky will need more than inspirational lectures if he hopes to keep his players interested on long bus trips. I reckon Glenn Stewart being forced out next year had the reverse affect people imagined . . . Manly players looked as though they're all playing for contracts.

 

[POPEYE]

Not only the best rep game last year but possibly the best game of the year for me was Samoa v Tonga at Penrith, Rugby League struggled matching the Pacific Test in every other contest for 80 minute entertainment.

Imo the game was fascinating from start to finish and it will be one game I won't miss, let's hope Fiji come with the same intensity as Samoa . . . leave technicality to the counterfeit entertainment planned for the weekend.

Speaking of which I've changed my mind about ignoring NZ v Aust, Kearney has grabbed my attention by not kowtowing to the pretentious. With a massive dose of luck fuelled by a wicked imagination the Kiwis might catch the Kangaroos on the hop, wouldn't that be f**king marvellous to see.

I like the idea of having the penalty magnet JWH absent and dismissing SBW early was brilliant. Moa, Hiku and Whare have been eyecatching but Santa is the big attraction, some of these Kiwis will think Xmas has arrived early and hopefully they'll play accordingly. Fingers crossed they regain World Champion status once again

 

[Cloudsurfer]

I'm with you on the test Pops...I'm excited for once about the Kiwis. Gone are the guys that think they're bigger than the game, that are arrogant enough that they think they just have to turn up, and that representing their country is about the 3rd or 4th reason they're playing.

There are a couple who may not have been in the mix but because of some untimely injuries they now have a chance. That would have to be a motivator and if it was me I'd be excited and grabbing it with both hands.

In the end the score may well say they've been thrashed by experience and class but it won't be because they laid down for it...

Good on Kearney.

 

[POPEYE]

Yes indeed, there are some on here caterwauling about losing interest. The game is only about warming up Origin players to the real money spinning task ahead. Once this game is over what do the Kiwis look forward to and what the f**k are they preparing for . . . next year's one-off. The advantage Australia have in internationals would be laughable if it wasn't so f**king hypocritic

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Yes indeed, there are some on here caterwauling about losing interest. The game is only about warming up Origin players to the real money spinning task ahead. Once this game is over what do the Kiwis look forward to and what the f**k are they preparing for . . . next year's one-off. The advantage Australia have in internationals would be laughable if it wasn't so f**king hypocritic

No...NZRL has just rolled out around the country their plan for the future of league in NZ, from grassroots to the top tier. This is the ideal year to do that, and to blood some players in the one-off test - a great message of dreams & possibilities for Kiwi kids right there (even if they're thrashed).

OZ & NZ host the 4 nations at the end of this year with 2 games (Tauranga & Dunedin) and the final in Wellington - no Auckland in sight! The Northland league heartland who produce the likes of Blair, Harris, McLean, the Bromwiches & Proctor (all with Nga Puhi connections even if most of them didn't grow up there) will gladly bypass Auckland for Tauranga & make a rare trip to Wellington.

Kiwis below the Bombays will benefit and turn out in droves, the Dunedin game drawing CHCH & West Coast league heartlands & Wellington will pull them as well as Hawke's Bay, Taranaki and other central regions.

The Kiwis have a lot to play for this year and if these young guys are nurtured, with some of the others who would've been playing bar injury, we will see the campaign for the 4 nations roll out. Then with an eye on the next world cup after that the one-off tests are another chance to refine the best squad. Not to mention the other developments NZRL have in mind.

Origin? pffft...;-)

 

[POPEYE]

It's f**king frustrating to imagine the Kiwis as canon fodder, Origin is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Rugby League as far as match conditioning is concerned. The NRL is shooting itself in the foot by not doing all it can to foster equal opportunity for international teams.

A 3 game Pacific Islander contest on stand alone weekends in conjunction with Origin would be watchable, even if players were ballotted to make up the two teams, or it was NZ v Pacific Barbarians . . . anything that required Origin intensity

 

[ek999]

I think the first step is to remove the criteria that you have to play for Australia to play Origin. If you lived in NSW or Qld before 13, or your dad played Origin, you can play Origin, if not too bad. Is all it needs to be with the extra criteria to decide which state you play for if you lived in both. Keeps Origin strong and also strengthens the international game.

How good would if Hayne and Tariq Sims played for Fiji or Milford for Samoa in the 4 Nations. I doubt Milford or Sims would have played this test because they are playing obvious stepping stones to future Origin games but on the whole, the international game would be better off

 

[POPEYE]

It's not a matter of who's allowed to play Origin but the simple fact that Origin players are battle hardened to a degree comparable to the ancient Spartans. Any team playing Origin's best without never having played to the same intensity is condemned to failure. The ARLC has to earn it's money and bring International League out of the dark ages by allowing Australia's opposition every chance at a better preparation

 

[POPEYE]

Andrew Fifita is bound to cop a lot of flack about the way he has ended up signing with the Sharks. Being a Blacktown/Doonside boy, and I speak from experience, I don't think he's going to be too perturbed by adverse publicity. He readily admits he should have been dropped from the Australian squad, not because of his image as wankers imagine but because he's not been playing as well as he can.

People in general have selective memories and I consider it an art form to analyse everything in perspective, Rugby League players are not that difficult to fathom. Andrew has been passed over that often he has difficulty rationalising the reason why and so his decisions on and off the field have been less than satisfactory.

According to him any amount of pleading couldn't convince Sheens of his worth and he was dumped from the Tigers only to be salvaged by the Sharks where he he rose to the status he knew he was capable of. Imo, and partly because he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, his mindset overcompensated in the effort to prove his value, hence the Dog's fiasco.

I'm ecstatic he lost control of his emotions, the Dogs' attempted monopoly of heavy machinery took a hit and like Gallen his drive for glory might succeed more easily from a small garage. So now he knows his future is secured all he has to do is revive his efforts at once more proving Sheens has no f**king idea.

With a bloke like Fifita stability is everything, learned the hard way, and all he needs to practice now is a little temperance and he could be the best front rower since Artie. Sheens is being petulant once again by not selecting him, we know what Andrew would have done to the Kiwis but Tim is sick of being made a fool

 

[ek999]

It's not a matter of who's allowed to play Origin but the simple fact that Origin players are battle hardened to a degree comparable to the ancient Spartans. Any team playing Origin's best without never having played to the same intensity is condemned to failure. The ARLC has to earn it's money and bring International League out of the dark ages by allowing Australia's opposition every chance at a better preparation

Yes but playing players eligible for other countries in Origin if they were eligible would make those teams so much better. Imagine how good the Kiwis would be if players like JWH, SBW, Foran, Nightingale, Pritchard, Marshall, SKD all had Origin experience and they could still pick Tamou

 

[POPEYE]

You can't interfere with Origin other than to make it even more exclusive, which ironically might weaken it. If for example any player that was eligible to play for any country other than Australia, Hayne for instance, was made ineligible to play Origin, that would add to the strength of a Pacific Origin contest.

That is out of the question so my only remedy in an attempt to make NZ competitive is to have Origin stand alone for a 3 week interval. Aside from the fact it would fix the pisspoor unfair NRL season that allows teams to stack ineligible Origin players the break would be a godsend to emerging League nations.

On each of the 3 Sundays NSW could play Qld and Saturdays would have NZ play Barbarians. The Barbarians would be made up of the best Pacific Island eligible players, the key is making players want to play as much as Origin players do. There are many great players that aren't eligible for Origin that should be pitted against each other in a similar contest.

If Hayne or Tamou weren't picked for Origin there's no reason they couldn't play in the Pacific Origin game, swearing allegiance is bullshit. There are umpteen games to choose from to fill the void on the interval weekends, all it would take is to convince wanker purists and the media that 3 weekends in the middle of the year put aside for the improvement of the game could be just as rewarding.

The end result apart from a realistic and fair NRL season is a NZ team that would be as big match conditioned as possible for an end of year 'Test', although why it is needed I'm not sure. NSW/QLD Origin needs to be kept as 'pure' as possible, Pacific Islanders must be given equal opportunity and the Poms . . . they can have anyone left over

 

[POPEYE]

Saw the headline from Rotfield about dumping City/Country so I held my nose and read the scrap he wrote. I think the f**kwit reckons Tallis is backing the game because he wants Blues players battered before Origin, that's the reason he says it should be banished. The prick shouldn't stand so close to flares, especially with all those blood vessels near the surface, heated blood is cooking his brain.

Country people don't give a shit about seeing Origin players go round, they want to see where they live being recognised for the Rugby League breadbasket it is. Origin players can be banned from playing and real country people wouldn't give a shit.

Someone on here wrote that any player not playing NRL by the time he's 24 is a plodder. Not every good, or even great, Rugby League player has played for one of the 16 NRL teams, there are reasons many miss the chance, especially in country NSW and incompetent talent scouting is one of them.

Out of sight, out of mind is the gigantic risk the NRL take by ignoring country youngsters, other codes are not that stupid. Simply recognising their value by highlighting the fact Country is more than capable of beating City is enough to give them encouragement.

If anyone is interested in damaging League it's that brain cell killing pisshead who wants Soccer to flourish because no-one takes him seriously. The fact Rotfield is calling for City/Country's demise should be even more reason to protect it.

 

[POPEYE]

Nothing much new happening before the weekend to ponder on and you can bet your nuts for those that have them there won't be many nice things said after it either. Benji seems to be on everyone's lips and why not, got to admire the bloke's cunning . . . or is someone else orchestrating the pantomime.

Hard to believe by looking at his physical condition he planned this eventuality, not if as some suggest he may play as soon as next round. Maybe they mean NSW Cup. Probably wouldn't matter if he goes to the Sharks because the whole joint is in disarray and he won't look out of place, at least until Flanagan is back on board.

Melbourne might have been the best place for BM but Bellamy sees him as another reject in need of reinventing so the risk factor only allowed a short pencilled in beginning. The key to Benji's comeback is that he must realise he has to do what he's asked to do, not what he feels like doing. Chris Sandow could tell him what is required in his situation.

The Dragons either think Marshall will follow Widdop's lead or Price is strong enough to control him, at least supporters won't be brainwashed by his antics as they must have been at his last club. Imo Saints have all the on-field guidance necessary, they need a Jeremy or Beau, not a Benji . . . Mongrels not malingerers

 

[POPEYE]

I was wrong, there is something meaningful to talk about, the predicament Simon Dwyer faces should be the main talking point this weekend. Not because he is just one of many unfortunate accident victims who must carry on with their lives but because League and it's supporters have to give back to the players that entertain them.

Every voice counts and if I'd bothered to follow his story I would have soapboxed his plight from the beginning as we did McKinnon's. If Alex does regain mobility he will be in a better place mentally than Simon but irony has nothing to do with it, Simon shouldn't need insurance any more than Alex needs it.

Everyone concerned with the game should do as much as humanly possible for another fallen young man regardless if media hysteria opportions blame even when there isn't any. Do we stand by and let one young man be deprived because there's no-one to point the finger of blame at or does Rugby League man up and show what separates Australians from the rest

 

[POPEYE]

Any Dragon supporters watching last night's Test will now have some insight into what will happen if Benji comes to Kogarah. Shaun Johnson is a very good player who could be great if he didn't try to play like Marshall. The Kiwis could have won the game as easily as they lost it if they finished their sets as Australia did, all they needed was Cronk or Thurston . . . or Widdop.

I purposely will not read anything in print about the game because I reckon Kearney did a great job but sure as shit he will be maligned. The Kiwis had Australia rattled, they 'played direct' as Cam Smith told the Kangaroos to do but only had one go-to man and it was f**king frustrating to watch.

They didn't need the penalty magnet JWH or SBW or Luke, even with 'Australia's Best' referee being ordinary all they needed was someone with a footy brain with the ball in his hands at the end of sets. Johnson has a fabulous running game and is an important member of the team because of it, but make no mistake the Kiwis lost the game, Australia didn't win it.