Redneck Redfaces

[POPEYE]

The real satisfaction I get from this thread is the spontaneity of writing off the top of my head, it'd be a chore to prepare anything and I'd have no excuse for some of the dribble that pops out if I did. When I read 'Maguire masterminds win over Eels', re the replacement of Adam Reynolds with Keary, I thought here is another bloke making a dollar writing shit . . . something that can easily be done for nothing.

What the 'mastermind' started with last night was a #9 that is as predictable inside the 20 as Jimi Hendrix only playing well when he was stoned, a #6 who is a better ball playing second rower because he thinks as slowly as Bob Hawke and a #7 hobbling around who looks as confused by it all as Greg Inglis.

If Keary is dressed in footy gear he should be on the field, Reynolds should be asked only to do what a bloke of his stature does best and Koroisau who is unpredictable should be used up while he's still in the f**king joint. Luke is a weapon when surprise is on his side and practically useless when they're ready for him. Maguire is starting to worry me . . . the Soup Nazi looked like a f**king genius until Seinfeld's mob ruined his life

 

[POPEYE]

The Wanker Brigade will always find something of use but yesterday's games returned to some semblence of a healing Premiership. Penrith can't be designated as pretenders if you're satisfied the Roosters are regaining the form they mislaid. It was a good game that could have been made closer had the Panther's regular #7 been there to deny the ad lib but both sides were depleated

The Storm are still coming out of shell shock but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Sticky's mob played good, a little more luck and perhaps a new #7 was all that was needed. Sermons will get a team up now and again and the Raiders looked as though they were dedicated to the cause . . . the Green Machine almost earned the tag

The Warriors didn't die in the arse and the Broncos played as they should with a proper fullback and a #7 equal to any in the comp. Hunt did a Thurston and kept Barba out of the way while Hoffman saved tries against and caught the ball off the ground. The Warriors didn't lose much, just a matter of the Broncos coming to their senses. Benny B will wow them in the Intrust Cup next year if Griffin is to keep his job

 

[POPEYE]

I've been hoping Fiji be allowed a team in the NSW Cup and it's great to see a meaningful voice like Civinoceva is trying to do something about it. The more stories of 'Fijian fever' the better, another nation full of people ready to embrace the game almost to the point of worship surely can't be dismissed

With all the rubbish perpetuated by the media lately to make a dollar it's about time some good news was introduced to the game. The Fijians aren't simple minded, just simple natured by choice, Rugby League badly needs to be simplified . . . the f**king manipulation saturating the game is abyssmal.

With any luck the enthusiasm for enjoying the game shown by PNG and Fiji will provide the antidote for the disease introduced by money makers who don't give a shit about the sport

 

[POPEYE]

Who said real men don't cry, any bloke without a tear in his eye watching Alex trying to contain his is mentally deficient. Cartwright's motely crew had to put the worry of breaking a nail aside and save the coach from oblivion, didn't matter who won the game as long as the weekend was a winner for Rugby League which is not as secure as Alex's future certainly is

Now that 'Rise for Alex' has established a precedent concerning player welfare that can't be ignored the League public has to embrace a 'Rise for Potter', not just the man alone but what he signifies. What the Tigers did for their coach is much more inspiring than that accomplished by the Titans for Carty.

If Wests were to survive the season without further injuries and play for Potter the way they did yesterday two things would happen. They would be as good a bet on winning the comp as any other team and the NRL would allow, condone and maybe even encourage, poaching of their nurtured players next season to keep the f**king pissant cup on a 'level playing field'

All sorts of nasties crawl from under rocks to knaw at a team that tries to take League from the dark ages and if Potter thrives this year there is no guarantee of his or the team's future. That's where we the public come in, make sure the f**king NRL start considering the danger of mediocrity. For f**k sake, ensure Potter keeps what he creates just as Alex's future welfare is assured

 

[POPEYE]

Just as I thought the winner of The Voice was not the best I'm not convinced Manly is the best, imo the mischievous look on Toovey's face is not unlike that on will.i.am's. Whereas I reckon the singing result was contrived I think Manly are where they are due to good luck as well as great on-field management, nevertheless a winner is a winner.

The Seagles are champions because they do their damndest first and foremost, helps that they're not accustomed to contributing a great deal to Origin or that they are also unaccustomed to losing players they want to keep. Incidentally, the players in the media beat-up threatening to leave the joint are all rapidly approaching their use-by date, the name 'Manly' will ensure adequate replacements are forthcoming.

It's surprising how addle brained are the people that 'inform' us every day of what they think we should know, the f**kwit media are not street wise because they don't have the time to be, their naivity is laughable . . . if Manly is not in disarray Toovey is topping up his ammunition box for free

If press conferences are anything to go by, I reckon they're more informative than anything the Johns Boys come up with, Mary McGregor is the man for the Dragons and Bennett will have to scrub up to convince anyone of anything . . . especially the blokes on the field. A great coach know's what to do and how to convey it to players, after that talent between the ears transfering to hands is responsible for the outcome. Mary gives out the right vibes imo

 

[POPEYE]

While on the subject of Bennett I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, unusual for me but I hope he fails in his return to the Broncos. Griffin has earned the right to fight on for the rest of the season safe in the knowledge his future was secure IF he worked a miracle. I can understand the circumstances but I don't have to like the procedure.

All the early years Bennett coached the Broncos he had far more in his favour than any other coach, aside from the fact he was a supercoach he had absolutely no hindrances. He rebuilt the side half a dozen times in his tenure with only the Cowboys offering a scratch to his nose. Once the Storm got into gear his pit was no longer bottomless, especially when an equally talented coach attracted Qlndrs to what is their 4th team.

In '06 Bennett won by default of shit refereeing and '10 by default of not having to beat Melbourne, which he rarely did. Once Benny had to contend with the same problems every coach had to contend with he was proven mortal after all.

Imo Wayne Bennett is the best credentialled coach of all time, deeds still take doing luck or no luck. If Jack Gibson hadn't of enacted his self enforced rule that 'no coach should stay at a joint more than 3 years' he would have undoubtedly won 6 in a row at Parramatta, plus 2 at the Roosters would have made him the best.

So, we have yet to see how Bennett will do on a level playing field, definitely capable but the hardest times of his career are in front of him, he can't rest on his laurels when they are so sugar coated. I'd wish him all the best if he was going to Canberra, wouldn't like to see any other coach Stoned

 

[POPEYE]

Gidley out, at least that's a start. Makes you wonder how long Benny will persevere with Brisbane iconic minute men like Kurt and Willie. While he's playing Fiddler On The Roof the Roosters are fiddling positions looking for an improved performance from last week's 17. If the Knights aim up and don't missfire this time Kurt's trigger pulling days could be over . . . can't see it happening

'Experts' talk about Melbourne doing it tough because of away games but if they want the cup they have to win anywhere. Storm didn't need the Griffin Get Square/Bennett Impression gee-up given to Brisbane players but Bellamy's mob are well indoctrinated to shit happens. Another 1 or 2 point game between these two in the offing.

Don't give a f**k what anyone says, Panthers need Wallace to drive, shoving a cushion under a juvenile and have him steering around the farm is ok for a giggle but Cleary needs his team following a distinct track. The Sharks aren't going to deviate from the only course available and count on Wade Graham being at his niggling best

Titans are at home so Eels have a good chance although the normally rotating Titan roster looks more stable. Cartwright shouldn't pick players on perceived talent, he should allot points for minutes on the field so some of his girlyboys may learn to man up. Why players like Bird who think more about themselves walk back into a winning team is befuddling

My favourite bad luck charm Inu has been dropped and the Dogs will be hell bent on recovering face so it isn't looking good for the Cowboys who have only just had their away win injection. Can't see the marshmallow front row escaping the Bulldog fire with Lui's slow-mo passing . . . ffs

Mt Smart should provide the match of the round . . . IF. Toovey and McFadden even look alike

Crikey, how could anyone other than their supporters want to see one of the Tigers/Dragons lose. Can a low scoring golden point game be arranged . . . c'mon Todd, show us how good you are. Imo Potter and McGregor both should be contented in the knowledge they are safe from f**kwits, instead we will have to undergo a barrage of IQ deprived manifestations after this game

Look out Madge, Sticky has his team on the move upwards. Rabbitohs will need an air raid shelter if they lose, a burrow will not save them

 

[POPEYE]

I know there's a thread just kicked off about Croker but the bloke is a long time favourite of mine so I'm going to elaborate on my consideration of his talent. He'd look great in purple, disappointing to see him replace Matai and devastating if he took Inu's place. At any of those clubs he wouldn't have that constant look of anguish on his face.

He could put Cam Smith's kicking out of its f**king misery, rival Chambers as the 4th Musketeer and be playing Origin within 12 months . . . hang on, that's no good. Anyway, can you imagine if the Melbourne cleanout made room for him, I'd even condone poaching the one time to get his services.

If Croker went to Manly he would fit in immediately, those years of trying to carry the Raiders have given him the killer instinct Seagles thrive on. Ingrained disappointment would see him match Lyon's commitment and wild horses wouldn't be able to drag him out of the joint . . . as it is with all players that find the holy grail at Brookvale

Shudder as I write it but at the Dogs there would be no looking back, there is still some of the old brotherhood left in the shit of a place and once indoctrinated Jarrod would be hooked. If ever a bloke needed a culture, something established in these three clubs, it's Jarrod Croker.

Oh, as far as his defence goes, Bellamy/Toovey/Hasler would never leave him posted

 

[Hutty1986]

Gidley out, at least that's a start. Makes you wonder how long Benny will persevere with Brisbane iconic minute men like Kurt and Willie. While he's playing Fiddler On The Roof the Roosters are fiddling positions looking for an improved performance from last week's 17. If the Knights aim up and don't missfire this time Kurt's trigger pulling days could be over . . . can't see it happening

'Experts' talk about Melbourne doing it tough because of away games but if they want the cup they have to win anywhere. Storm didn't need the Griffin Get Square/Bennett Impression gee-up given to Brisbane players but Bellamy's mob are well indoctrinated to shit happens. Another 1 or 2 point game between these two in the offing.

Don't give a f**k what anyone says, Panthers need Wallace to drive, shoving a cushion under a juvenile and have him steering around the farm is ok for a giggle but Cleary needs his team following a distinct track. The Sharks aren't going to deviate from the only course available and count on Wade Graham being at his niggling best

Titans are at home so Eels have a good chance although the normally rotating Titan roster looks more stable. Cartwright shouldn't pick players on perceived talent, he should allot points for minutes on the field so some of his girlyboys may learn to man up. Why players like Bird who think more about themselves walk back into a winning team is befuddling

My favourite bad luck charm Inu has been dropped and the Dogs will be hell bent on recovering face so it isn't looking good for the Cowboys who have only just had their away win injection. Can't see the marshmallow front row escaping the Bulldog fire with Lui's slow-mo passing . . . ffs

Mt Smart should provide the match of the round . . . IF. Toovey and McFadden even look alike

Crikey, how could anyone other than their supporters want to see one of the Tigers/Dragons lose. Can a low scoring golden point game be arranged . . . c'mon Todd, show us how good you are. Imo Potter and McGregor both should be contented in the knowledge they are safe from f**kwits, instead we will have to undergo a barrage of IQ deprived manifestations after this game

Look out Madge, Sticky has his team on the move upwards. Rabbitohs will need an air raid shelter if they lose, a burrow will not save them

Do you rate Mary pops?

 

[POPEYE]

He has the perfect credentials, was almost great but not quite if you only classify most NRL players ordinary, ala Toovey/Bennett/Hasler/Bellamy/Gibson/etc. Likely to know exactly what is needed because he's seen it unfold on the field first hand.

Most importantly, he appears to know how to talk the walk and make players imagine they can accomplish it. Time will tell but it has to be quality time, not some f**king interim. Players have to know if they don't listen they're the ones shown the back door

 

[POPEYE]

How many coaches would do as well as Cartwright if they had to pick the spine from a lucky dip. I'm not a believer that injured players should walk back into first grade, especially the injury prone ones. Sick and tired of f**king minute men like Zillman, Sezer and Kelly making guest appearances, better to give someone a go who might be a future stayer . . . how worse could it get

Another 'visitor' is Luke Lewis, his claim to fame is that when he did play he was great, now when he makes an appearance hardly anyone notices. His spectacular offerings are sometimes spectacular only because they are few and far between, players that perform the same as he every game are 'doing as expected'

Even Hayne who is having a much better year still doesn't do enough, a fullback is expected to be handy every play the ball, if only a decoy . . . the #1 can't be a protected species to be pandered to. I harp on players who are recognised by the games they turn up when they should be at least measured by the minutes they play.

More importantly everyone recognises hit-ups and line breaks but there are no stats for the times a player makes himself available. If there was Terry Lamb would be an 'immortal'. People who knock Tomkins should watch replays and note the number of times he wasn't given the ball but could have because he was positioned to take it

The not so flashy forwards would make inroads into the records of glamour players if availability was taken into account and some of the primadonnas we wait for to 'do something' would be embarrassed by their absence

 

[POPEYE]

Newcastle players' answer to the ongoing turmoil was to be expected, bookies/media lap this shit up, only real surprise was the Roosters' inability to defend the last little bit. JWH and every other big bopper should thank f**k Beau Scott is not a giant, the phrase 'no contest' would be worded regularly. Have the players passed playing for Bennett and now play for their future . . . appears so

Takes about a 40 minute wait to record the ads out of the second game but it was worth it to see Melbourne play something like they should. Cronk is the most professional player in the game, Hincliffe the most underrated and Smith the best 80 minute man of all time . . . but we already knew that.

Barba doesn't know Hook well enough to care but he certainly recognised Benny won't put up with his rubbish so no surprise he tried, still not good enough to keep Boyd out of the #1 though. Be interesting to see who Bennett makes his magic icon next year, ala Gidley . . . Hoffman, Barba or Milford. I doubt Hunt will stay around to watch the petting

Fishing aside, I won't raise any ire in saying how good a prospect is Koroibete and what better man to guide the bloke than Bellamy. Surely no-one in Tiger Town realised how strong this wiry bloke is, has a kicking game and isn't poached

 

[POPEYE]

Nate Myles is right, Hayne is a 'f**king arrogant prick', a great player when he wants to be great. The wanker doesn't play against the Warriors because he knows his mob can't win and turns up when the opposition are underdogs. Then he has the f**king hide to pat his chest like a Silverback on one of the few occasions he decided to participate

He wanders around the field picking his moment instead of being available all the time, no wonder the prick is fresh enough to run roughshod now and again. Doesn't matter to him that his team is humiliated when he doesn't play. 'Niggling injuries' my f**king arse, what he does to his mates is a merkin act

Implies his body needs special attention to get the best from it, can't have it getting knocked around against quality opposition. Slater makes him look like the dunce he is every time they meet and Hoppa proved he is far more valuable than a fighter plane that only leaves the hanger on special occasions.

I concede he's equal to any game breaker in the League but the sanctimonious attitude, smug part time performances and the way the media crawl up his arse shits me no end. Cartwright even used his 'genius' to explain away an inept performance by the Titans.

While I've got my back up let me say that if the Tigers expel Potter for any other reason than he is proven to be carried by Payten and Kidwell as far as I'm concerned they can go f**k themselves. This is the same mob that rave on about Tedesco, League's Humpty Dumpty. That alone makes me think Potter is being misjudged

 

[POPEYE]

Spoiler alert if you're watching Nine's marathon and playing with the Internet simultaneously.

Been a day of silly buggers, Shaun Johnson walking around the sideline with a huge smile on his kisser so obviously he wasn't upset about missing the game, must have been a ploy similar to the one pulled by Arthur where the main man doesn't play to give the rest of the comp a false sense of security. McFadden did say winning against Manly wasn't as important as how well the team played, so there you are.

Either Potter is rubbish and Mary has done nothing more towards keeping his job or Tigers players have made a statement on the paddock that they don't want Potter or Mary is doing a brilliant job and Potter is a victim of circumstances or . . . f**k it, make up your own mind or let the media do it for you.

 

[Jason Maher]

Sometimes I get the impression you're a keen and astute observer of the game, and then you come up with a complete waste of 5 minutes like that Hayne rant. No other player in the comp so regulalry makes the difference in both attack and defence. A player as lazy as you suggest Hayne is would never stop the tries he does because they would never even be in position. Myles is no doubt still having a cry over Origin, and the only way he can deal with the unthinkable is to bag the opposition's best player. Standard bullshit from Queenslanders.

 

[POPEYE]

Sometimes I get the impression you're a keen and astute observer of the game, and then you come up with a complete waste of 5 minutes like that Hayne rant. No other player in the comp so regulalry makes the difference in both attack and defence. A player as lazy as you suggest Hayne is would never stop the tries he does because they would never even be in position. Myles is no doubt still having a cry over Origin, and the only way he can deal with the unthinkable is to bag the opposition's best player. Standard bullshit from Queenslanders.

Hayne is barely adequate in defence, where did you get the idea he stops all the tries he should. He rarely bends his back and his positional sense is lousy. When he sees an opportunity in attack he is practically unstoppable . . . Parramatta would do a lot better if instead of meandering around looking for a weakness he did more of the hard yakka his team mates do.

You watch the bloke with your eyes and I'll just have to put up with watching him with mine

Just to add, if I was selecting the Australian team Hayne would be the first centre picked because he would be forced to exhibit the brilliance he posesses

 

[POPEYE]

Let me make it clear, for the umpteenth time over the years, I consider Jarryd Hayne with the ball in his hands the equal of any player I've seen play the game. I rant because people rave about a bloke that has had a career, which should have been second to none, undervalued. His mindset has been pandered to so much that he has been bypassed to his detriment.

Nearly every great play he makes eventuates in the section of the field occupied by a centre, matters not where it originated. Anyone who hasn't rationalised what he did in the World Cup wouldn't understand what this bloke is capable of outside a good 7, 6 or 1. He has spent years in a doldrum when he should have been the first picked for Australia from day 1

In the Manly team partnering Matai with Snake at the back Hayne would have been established as the supreme centre in the game long ago, NSW wouldn't have lost 8 and the Seagles would have to get accustomed to doing without more key players.

Had he been at a club where he was forced to be an integral part and not mollycoddled as a part time saviour he would have learned the hard way is the easy way to becoming an icon. I don't often get riled but it's a shame that such a great talent has been lessoned because he hasn't been put in a position where spontaneity rules . . . he has been made arrogant by the media accepting the occasional

 

[POPEYE]

'Josh McCrone is an underrated ball player' . . . Brandy

That'll f**king do me . . . hard to top that

 

[POPEYE]

Reckon I'll go with the Roy Masters' view on the Potter fiasco, he is the only believable League journalist imo. What Roy doesn't say is that no matter what the media for and against depicts the real loser in this shitfight is discipline.

Since so many naive youngsters are involved the last thing they need be taught is to connive. The game is short on Cronin/Menzies types as it is without inbreeding deception. Bad enough some players imo are using injuries as a crutch without teaching them to design performance around manipulation.

Call me old fashioned when sending a kid outside to play with a ball is preferable to throwing him an Ipad, the same as letting a coach thrive on results and giving the media nothing they need to propagate dissention. The actual game is playing second fiddle to another game, unfortunately not many can play the former and we all can play the latter

 

[POPEYE]

Manly is one of the few teams that has had it's spine intact for virtually all the season, most of it that matters anyway, luck not bravado is the main contributing factor aside from coach/player talent keeping the Seagles where they are. Now that Barba is about to 'switch on' all it will take at Brookie is for DCE to break an arm early and a Snake ankle to give way and a Foran whatever . . .

Pity the Panthers, Dessie's Dogs have no excuse but to kick arse, I can see a Jack Russell loose in a chookpen

No idea about Sharks v Eels, no idea of anyone who has an idea based on rationality. No Gallen should prevent the distraction hero worship brings, Tagataese/Graham vs Pauli Pauli/Hopoate imo

Cowboys/Titans envisages mysticism, Spielberg would have trouble concocting anything to match what we're liable to see in this game. How the f**k would anyone foresee what Lui is going to dish up and which of Carty's blokes are going to finish on their feet

Roosters/Dragons should be a ripper, providing we get what the coaches want. Dragons haven't always been a team I wanted to do well but now that one of what was really the Big 4 is determining their fortunes I'm hooked. Even with Widdop at the joint I'll return to not giving a tuppenny f**k if they don't persevere with Mary

Raiders beating the Warriors? . . . can't happen. Not because it has anything to do with Rugby League but because the ramifications/grandstanding will be unimaginable

Keary/Reynolds should imo be a permanent mix making Souths stronger and Gidley in Mullen out just about makes the game a candidate for forfeiture. Then again, betting responsibly on this one would include your live savings . . . wonder if the Rabbitohs are prepared to go guarantor

Crikey, the Tigers could bring Leichhardt to Campbelltown, IF the 'playing group' really is a playing group. I will need my fingers crossed, maybe left hand for Potter and right hand for Bellamy