Round 02 (2004) Panthers v Souths

[The Backpacker]

Panthers v Souths

Game Thread
Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game posts can be made here (Teams, Articles). Any other posts will result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.

New rule: Home team captains allowed one extra reserve.

**Referee Blows Game On!**

Full Time: Wednesday 7th April, 2004. 9:00PM AEDT (Sydney time)

Venue: Panthers Stadium

Crowd: 13,650

REFEREE: Mystique

Please Note: Only original essays, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

 

[Seano]

The South Sydney team is:

Seano (C)
RedDragon
Terracesider
Skeepe
Dogs Of War

Res
Robster
Olympic Park

 

[Big Mick]

After a bruising encounter with the Rhino's the panthers players particularly Big Mick pulled up quite soar. Big mick suffered Ligament damage in his knee and will be out for only one match, but it means he misses one of the crucial games of the season.

Today we see the panthers team, hurting after a narrow loss to the rhinos, taking on top of the table South Sydney. In two encounters last season, both teams won one each. During the off season, Penrith lost 8 of their regular first grade squad and have recruited well to show they can still be competitive this season.

Enough on that, onto the game. The crowd is getting restless here as they await the panthers and souths teams to come out onto the park.

AND HERE COME THE PANTHERS! wearing their customary black strip, led out by the Kiwi master BW#1F, followed by the ever so solid maelgwnau. Behind them outstanding englishman Paul-the-cowboy, followed by the poetic Iddylion and the kiwi crusher Leaguenut.

The bench consists of Lewis, who has returned this season for the panthers, new buy [furrycat] and also captain Big Mick.

The crowd is going wild here, as the panthers prepare to take the kick off.

1. BW#1F ( c )
2. Maelgwnau ( vc )
3. Paul-the-cowboy
4. Iddylion
5. Leaguenut

6. Lewis
7. [Furrycat]
8. Big Mick

 

[Collateral]

Takes a Nathan Long hitup right into the teeth of the Panthers team.

RedDragon - Souths

South Sydney Swans?

No don’t worry, I’m not proposing a merger between the AFL team and the NRL team. I am merely comparing the two teams. So just relax and keep in mind I haven’t lost my mind just yet.

South Sydney have started 2004 with a two great wins. In four rounds, they have almost won as many games as they did at the end of last season. Many people, including myself, tipped them to finish dead last this season, but instead, they are well inside the top 8 after four rounds.
Early days I hear you say. Maybe so, but how many more rounds is there until the proverbial ‘early days’ are over? It is never early enough to start the season off in the best possible way, and Souths have done that this year.

What does any of this have to do with the Swans? Well, last year they were tipped by a large majority of people to finish well outside the AFL top 8, so far out of it, in fact, that many people had tipped them to finish last.
If you are a fan of AFL, then you will know exactly how wrong these predictions were. The Sydney Swans not only made the top 8, but they got into the Grand Final Qualifier.
Not bad for such an apparent bad team.

South Sydney and the Swans have a few things in common: They both have the raw essentials to a good side, with some quality players in key positions; They both have experienced players as coaches. No not experienced coaches, I mean experienced ex-players that are now coaching the side. Those being Paul Roos (Swans) and Paul Langmack (Souths); Both teams have an immense supporter base with passionate fans and both teams are based in Sydney, in fact, they are actually neighbours, with the Swans playing at the SCG next door to Souths’ SFS.

So why are these two teams experiencing success in environments where there are much better and harder opposition? I can’t tell you exactly why these teams are going well, because there are many possible reasons contributing to success. I will, however, tell you what I don know.

Souths are a team full of passion on and off the field, from players to fans. This is extremely important to the success of a team. Teams playing as a team are the hardest opposition to face. They work together so well that at times it can seem criminal. Both the Rabbitohs and the Swans turn up each week to win and put in 110%. So far anyway.

As I said before, both teams have a few great players in the right positions, allowing the younger, less experienced players to look up to, to follow and to idolise. I’m talking about players like Bryan Fletcher, Adam MacDougall, Willie Peters and Paul Stringer. Or players like Barry Hall, Michael O’Laughlin, Adam Goodes and Stuart Maxfield (Swans).
Players of that high a quality are invaluable in a struggling team full of inexperienced youngsters. They set the right mood for the team and set an example for the team to follow, and the team does follow, hence the good results.

These teams are not packed full of superstars, no, they are more like packed with Team players.

Both teams have had recent hard times, so they know how low they can go. In most cases they could only go up. That’s where experienced ex-player now coaches come in handy. They have been in those positions before and know what the players are going through. They can help the youngsters and motivate them to lift themselves out of the pit they are lying in.

I have been very critical of Langmack as a coach, but thankfully, it looks like he may of proved me wrong. I never doubted his emotion in the game, and it looks like he has shifted that down to the players, which is a fantastic thing.

If you look at the Swans last year, and Souths this year, you will see that nothing is impossible. The only limit on the teams ability is the teams attitude.
So now, with the right attitude, can the South Sydney Rabbitohs become the NRL’s own South Sydney Swans? Lets hope so, best of luck to them, they deserve it.

Word Count 719 inc. title

 

[terracesider]

Terraceesider: Souths.


Some Significant Current Developments In English Rugby League.

Around the beginning of 2004 it seemed that, on the surface at least, an unprecedented spirit of peace and goodwill had enveloped all levels of English Rugby League: In the amateur game, three decades after the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) broke away from the RFL, the two bodies had been reunited into a unified administration, opening the way for a significant amount of government funding for the game’s development,[1] and the Summer Conference has expanded into areas previously the exclusive preserve of Rugby Union.[2] In the semi-professional National Leagues (NL), for the first time in many years, no club was in administration.[3] And at the professional apex, the English Super League, after attracting record crowds in 2003, had ensured its medium term stability by signing a widely-welcomed new television deal. [4] However, in RL such periods of calm are often only the prelude to the storm. This post presents an overview of current developments in English RL and attempts to identify some of the clouds on the horizon which, however faint now, are likely to presage a future series of storms.

In January, 2004 the RFL announced “…a major independent review of the roles of the various organisations involved in the development of Rugby League”. [5] This has been interpreted by many in the amateur game as a first step by the RFL towards removing the considerable degree of autonomy retained by BARLA after reunification. As some journalists have pointed out, notably League Weekly’s Phil Hodgson, the amateur games relies almost entirely on heavily committed but unpaid volunteers; if the RFL offends them by issuing central diktats, many will just walk away and be lost to the game. No deadline appears to have been set for the review, so the arguments will probably rumble on throughout the season,

Although solvent, the majority of semi-professional National League clubs are still beset by financial difficulties. Three-figure gates are not unusual and many of the missing spectators have probably contributed to rise in ESL crowds. It may be that the NL clubs which, having previously moved to summer rugby, has already pushed the start of their season back to late winter, will return to being fully a winter sport, once again running parallel with BARLA leagues. Then there really will be no off-season. NL finance has also been badly affected by players’ freedom of contract and the consequent ending of transfer fees. Young players moving to ESL with little or no compensation for the junior clubs that developed their talent has long been a sore point with the NL clubs, prompting occasional muttering about a breakaway away from the RFL. One problem affecting both amateur and semi-professional levels is that Arriva Trains has lost their operating franchises so will no longer sponsor RL. Arriva run a lousy train service, but have been very generous, committed sponsors of both BARLA’s flagship Conference League and the NL. In the current uncertain business climate, they will be difficult to replace. [6]

When the professional clubs met in January it could have been expected that, for once, the ESL could move forward in harmony. Instead, Castleford tabled a proposal that the current salary cap be reduced [7]. The meeting passed the issues to a review to be established to consider all aspects of how the game should move forward.[8] In the ensuing row, which will probably continue for months, Bradford’s chairman, Chris Caisley, has boycotted the Review and, with support from Wigan and St Helens, is very noisily threatening to fight any lowering of the cap in the courts, [8]

This overview has only mapped the general contours of English RL at the beginning of April 2004, focusing on the major controversies. Yet the issues outlined above should not be allowed to disguise the good things happening in a mood of general optimnism. The amateur game is still strong in the heartlands and, through the SKY television deal, the ESL is raising RL’s profile throughout the country; on the back of that, unlike previous expansion attempts, the Summer conference is laying seemingly permanent roots in new areas. Despite the problems, English RL is in better health than it has been for many decades, not least financially.

References
[1] http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=243&CompName=
[2] http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=240&CompName=
[3] http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=290&CompName=
[4] http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=254&CompName=
[5] http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=233&CompName=
[6] At the time of posting a new sponsor has just been announced:
http://www.rfl.uk.com/Templates/RFLDefault.asp?modeID=News&RFLMode=ShowNews&Pkey=317&CompName=
[7] http://www.ananova.com/sport/story/sm_852867.html
http://www.sport.telegraph.co.uk/sp...port/2004/01/08/slleeg08.xml&_requestid=65557
[8] http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyleague/story/0,10069,1149650,00.html
[9] http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/3529477.stm




742 words

 

[Seano]

Seano takes a massive minichello hitup:

The back bone of a team

It has often been said that the foundation of a great team is laid by a very strong forward pack. In the modern game this is even more noticeable as teams focus on physically dominating their opposition over the 80 minutes. Therefore, it is no surprise to notice that the strongest teams in this years National Rugby League competition also contain the strongest forward packs.

Throughout the history of Rugby League, it is widely accepted that to have a very strong forward pack, a class set of back rowers is essential. As such, it comes as no surprise that a recent turn-around in the fortunes of the South Sydney Rabbitohs on the football paddock has been built upon a great platform laid down by the forward pack, but more specifically a wonderful series of performances from the mix of young and experienced back rowers in the team at the moment.

The current back row of players such as Fletcher, Minichello, and Harrison, combined with the efforts of Willie Manu, and David Fa’alogo off the bench, have typified the spirit with which South Sydney have played their football this year. South Sydney’s defence last year was nothing short of terrible, having the second worst defensive record of all teams and conceding a whopping 758 points. However, in stark contrast to the efforts of last year, South Sydney are this year rated in the top 4 for defensive statistics having only conceded 54 points in 3 games at an average of 18 points a game. This is a statistic which can be attributed significantly to the efforts of Fletcher, Minichello, Harrison, Manu and Fa’alogo.

The dynamics of the South Sydney team have been greatly influenced by the introduction of experienced players such as Bryan Fletcher, and Adam MacDougall combined with younger players who have a great future in Rugby League such as Mark Minichello and Ashley Harrison.

In his debut season last year, Mark Minichello proved that, while inexperienced, he had the attitude and ability to handle the demands of playing first grade rugby league in the NRL competition. Mark plays the game of rugby league in the same spirit with which one of the great South Sydney players, namely Mario Fenech, played. It is not only his physical presence on the field or his ability to pull off a big hit, but rather the attitude which he displays week in, week out, usually playing close to 80 minutes at a thousand kilometres an hour.

Marks combination with another of South Sydney’s young guns – Ashley Harrison cannot be over-stated. While Ashley is still a young player, being only 23, he is considered to be one of the on-field leaders of the team and always gives 100% on the field. Last season Ashley was consistently one of the best players for South Sydney and gained a great respect from South’s fans for his uncompromising defence and great attitude to the game. However, what is equally as impressive is the nature of the man on the paddock. The commitment which Ashley has shown to South Sydney, its fans, and his teammates is testament to his quality. He is always the first person in to support his teammates, to make himself available to the fans, and almost as importantly to put on a big tackle to lift his team.

There is very little which has not been said about the final member of the starting back row at South Sydney, the great man, the Captain, Bryan Fletcher. As a South Sydney fan, it is almost impossible to put into words the effort which this man has put in - both on the field and off. Bryan’s class and leadership on the field has been instrumental in South Sydney’s performances thus far this season. At the time of his signing for South’s, many critics panned South’s saying that they were signing another pensioner coming for one last final pay-day. Ultimately, time has proven these critics completely wrong as Fletch has gone on to play for City origin, NSW, and Australia, while captaining the most famous team in Rugby League.

As a South Sydney fan, there is nothing more in this world I would rather see than men such as Fletcher, Harrison, Minichello, and the MacDougalls leading South Sydney to premiership 21.

Word Count: 721

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

Cowboy takes up his first hit-up of the year, following a spell abroad and in the treatment room.

#3 Paul-The-Cowboy - Penirth Panthers
750 words inc. title
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Passion of the Saints. Good Friday ’04 – Game on

Well folks it’s that time of year again. Time for the Easter Holidays. Time for the sunshine to tease the UK with signs of brightening up the gloomy rain soaked days. Time to countdown the days till the resumption of beer and barbeques. Oh, and the small matter of the Wigan – St.Helens derby.

It’s the first meeting between the two this year and one that is crucial to both sides.

St.Helens will be aiming to dish out revenge after a very disappointing 2003 season saw them lose all 4 derby games to Wigan. This year, a leaner, fitter and much younger side have emerged from the pre season with only one player in the squad, Chris Joynt, being above the 26 year old mark. Led by the inspirational Sculthorpe and with Cunningham back to his best, St.Helens remain the only side in Super League with a 100% record. 4 from 4 in the league and defeating Bradford, Hull and Leeds to reach the semi-final of the Challenge Cup have gone a long way to silencing the critics who wrote them off.

Wigan will be travelling to Knowlsey Road full of confidence with the side well and truly having the hoodoo over Saints over the past 2 seasons. The Good Friday game last year, where the injury ravaged Warriors saw their young guns spring a huge upset over the out of form Saints, will also be fresh in their minds.

However, the Warriors know they must win this game to take the heat off coach, Mike Gregory. “Greg” took over from Stuart Raper last season and guided a youthful Warriors side to the Grand Final. The heartbreak of losing to Bradford was Gregory’s first defeat as Wigan coach. He has been having to get used to that losing feeling this year though after seeing his Grand Final hungover side win just 1 out of their 4 Super League games.

2 of those defeats came at the hands of the impressive Bulls and Rhinos but the Wigan faithful will be expecting nothing less than a derby day win with the return of the likes of Farrell and Cassidy from injury recently. A loss to the old enemy would be nearly as bitter a pill to swallow as the resultant 2 points from 5 games.

A win for Saints would not only achieve a bit of revenge over Wigan but also keep the momentum and confidence pumping with the Challenge Cup semi-final looming. It would also be more ideal for them to back up with a gruelling trip to Bradford on the Monday safe in the knowledge that they have already made a big achievement in bagging at least 2 points over the Easter programme.

The stage is well and truly set on the field. Now for off the field. The game has been made all ticket and anything less than a sell out would be disappointing, despite Wigan’s blip in form potentially knocking numbers off the away support.

A lock out at “KR” on derby day produces a white hot atmosphere that can’t be beaten. The traditional ground allows fans not much space to move or noise to escape with the stands very close to the pitch. Therefore, to borrow a cliché, there really is nowhere for the players to hide. All 34 men need to stand up and make themselves counted.

One of the greatest aspects of the fixture is the relationships between the fans. On the field, the game is played at a fierce tempo and tensions inevitably run high. But whilst there may be the odd fisticuffs on the pitch, you can guarantee there’ll be no such activities off the field. An achievement in itself compared to the trouble that occurs at soccer matches and bearing in mind the rivalry was voted above the Pakistan-India cricket one in the world’s top rivalries.

No matter what the outcome on Friday, opposition fans will make their way home side by side and continue the friendly banter. And for all we love the pie eaters losing and rubbing their noses in it, RL just wouldn’t be the same without our precious derby day. A day that means more to the fans than most outside the area can imagine.

Here’s to hoping for another classic and the Wigan fans making the short journey home over Billinge Hill with their tails between the legs with:

The Saints battling for top
The Pies against the drop


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[BrentWebb'sno.1fan]

BW#1F (Captain) - Penrith Panthers
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“The difference between, Reserve/Club Grade Footy and NRL Football.”

With the NRL Competition even closer and tougher in 2004 it is important to have a clubs full first grade squad playing in another competition. This competition must be on par with the NRL not only to keep fit but to also work on combinations and various individual skill aspects which the players need to develop to be successful in the NRL.

A Number of NSW clubs have a team in a Premier League competition. While the Cowboys, Broncos and Storm are affiliated with Queensland Cup teams. The Warriors players are linked to one of the clubs in the local Bartercard Cup. Eg if for some reason Stacey Jones was dropped from First Grade he would turn out for the Mt Albert Lions.

The speed of the game at NRL level is so much faster than that of lower grade competitions. Tevita Latu states “The pace of the game is amazing; it’s a huge step up from the Bartercard Cup. The play the ball is a lot faster along with many other aspects of the game.”

With this dramatic increase in “intensity” in the NRL, it is imperative that a player in the starting 17 be alert and concentrating for the full 80 minutes. Playing in a lower competition enables this development.

When a player doesn’t make the top 17 for first grade they will, unless injured, play in a lower grade competition. This is a good opportunity to build a players confidence and self-esteem, whilst also honing their skills. Maybe they have been dropped from the top grade because of a specific technique they have to improve.

“Mentally you have to lift to compete at NRL Level. These days Rugby League is producing ‘whiz kids’ who, almost out of school, go straight into a fulltime professional environment where they have a coach, club officials, a manager, trainer or team-mate hand feeding them… all in the name of getting the most out of the player on the field each and every weekend.”

The experience of playing lower grade, despite the intensity drop enables players to become successful. For Example, Penrith’s Trent Waterhouse played Reserve Grade for one year at Penrith, previously playing A-Grade in NSWRL local competition, and when he finally made his transition he became an instant success story, embarking on his first Kangaroo tour in his first full season of first grade.

If a player is not mentally fit a comment from a coach, trainer, club official, or team-mate could make or break the players career. The Physical Pressures associated with rugby league are enough to takes its toll on players.

For Example Panthers stalwart “Martin Lang”, at 28, is retiring from the game at the end of the season due to a persistent ankle injury, which he believed would affect his long-term health if he continued to play.

He has played on with the injury since the 2002 season. With the club working hard every week to get him on the field, giving him pool work while the rest of the team was on the field. This type of early retirement goes to show how intense and physical playing the NRL is, not only in matches, but also in training.

Fulltime training takes its toll on the body. There are many ways over overcoming this. The Vodafone New Zealand Warriors are sponsored by EAS, the world's number one nutritional supplement brand. This means quicker recovery time for the players who usually train twice a day.

So overall to play at a professional rugby league you need to be mentally, along with physically, fit and able to take criticism from peers, mentors and the people that some players love to hate, the media. Most importantly you need to have an underlying passion for the game itself. Without passion, we have no league, and without passionate players our league would be dull and dreary.

Today, playing professional League is a fulltime job. Training 40 hour weeks and playing on the weekend takes determination. Some critics in our society torment our heroes when things go astray, however, it is important to recognise that footballers are ordinary people, possessing a talent and fire to be doing what we only dream of. League is an important part of our lives, a tangent to the world in which we live. Its time to reward our heroes who put in so much effort in providing us with the entertainment we crave in this world today.


750 words

Bibliography:

* Interview with Warriors Hooker Tavita Latu

* “Brats or Burnouts?” from the Round 3, 2004 edition of ‘Big League’

 

[skeepe]

skeepe grabs the ball, pushes off the opposition and runs to the try-line, only to collapse from exhaustion 2 metres short.

Expansion 101
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Expansion has been on everybody’s minds recently, but not every expansion team of the greatest game of all has been a success story.

The competition we know and love today started its life as the NSWRL in 1908, a name it kept right up until the 1995 season. Depending on who you listen to, Glebe or Newtown had the honour of being the first club in the competition. These two were then joined by South Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, North Sydney, Balmain, Cumberland and Newcastle.

Cumberland were the last to join and the first to go, folding at the end of the very first season. This had the competition down to an 8 team format, which meant there would be no bye. Newcastle were the next team to go, folding after only 2 seasons in 1909. They would not return to top flight rugby league for almost 80 years.

Annandale joined in 1910, ensuring that once again there would be no bye. In 1920, a team from Sydney University was admitted, showing just how strongly league was taking over from union. By the end of the 1920 season, however, the NSWRL decided to kick Annandale out of the competition, citing their poor on-field performances and unattractive style of play. Their dismissal paved the path for the St. George Dragon Slayers, as they were known back then, to enter the competition in 1921. St. George had originally applied for admission to the 1908 competition but huge pressure from the St. George RUFC meant no players were willing to sign for the club. With teams playing in the lower divisions of the NSWRL since 1910 however, it was an almost foregone conclusion that they would be admitted to the top flight at some stage.

By this stage, the competition consisted of 8 teams: Glebe, Newtown, Easts, Wests, Norths, Souths, Sydney Uni and St. George. It was only to last this way for 8 seasons, with the successful Glebe club being somewhat controversially kicked out in 1929. To this day, why the “Dirty Reds,” one of the strongest clubs in the competition at the time were excluded has never really been explained. Nevertheless, the NSWRL competition continued with 7 teams until the inclusion of the Canterbury-Bankstown club in 1935. Their first season was terrible, with their worst performance, a 91-6 hammering by St. George still a record loss today. They soldiered on though and became the fastest team to win a competition after entry, beating the great Easts side in the 1938 grand final.

Two years after the admission of Canterbury-Bankstown, another club left the competition. They would be the last to do so until Newtown’s omission in the 1983 season, a 45 year period of stability that the competition badly needed. This time it was Sydney University, who folded after collecting the wooden spoon almost every season since 1929.

With the game thriving, 1947 saw the admission of two more teams, Parramatta and Manly-Warringah. It would be 20 more years until the competition would expand again. This time, Cronulla-Sutherland and Penrith joined the competition. For the time they have been in the competition, these have been two of the most unsuccessful clubs in history, with 0 and 2 premierships respectively.

1982 saw the expansion to 14 teams, with teams from Canberra and the Illawarra gaining admission. The Central Coast were actually preferred to Canberra, but rejected the advances of the NSWRL at the time. 1983 then saw the omission of Newtown and Wests from the competition, however Wests fought the decision in the courts and won. They would remain in the competition until the end of the 1999 season when they would become the Wests Tigers, merging with fellow foundation club Balmain.

With a 13 team competition, the NRL decided to expand to 16 teams in 1988, this time including the competition’s first ever Queensland teams, Brisbane and Gold Coast – Tweed. Newcastle were the third team to join that year. In 1995, the NSWRL became the ARL with the inclusion of four new teams: South Queensland, North Queensland, Auckland and Perth.

Then, the infamous Super League war. We saw the birth and death of Hunter, Adelaide and the Northern Eagles (Norths-Manly merger), the birth of St. George Illawarra, Melbourne and Wests Tigers, and the death of Perth, South Queensland and the Gold Coast. It was certainly the most tumultuous time the code has ever endured, and it is only now that we’re starting to recover the ground we lost.

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750 words including title

Sources:

History of Expansion
Big League, Volume 85 No. 2

RL-1908 - Rugby League Clubs History
Sean Fagan / RL1908
http://www.rl1908.com/NRL-clubs.htm

 

[Seano]

Substitution: Robser in for Dogs of War

 

[Robster]

Church of Rugby League


They gather every Sunday, but they are not Christian. They believe in many powers, but they are not Hindu. While this may sound like a strange set of beliefs to have, many Kiwis and Aussies are part of this crowd, although they don’t give their congregation an official title. I have studied these people for quite some time, and they seem to have all of the criteria for an official religion; all that’s left for them is to become one. I have named them the Church of Rugby League, and despite what many may think, this set of beliefs is as probably the best religion ever.

I’m able to take a subjective look at these people. I spoke with my mates Dad, a very huge Rugby League fan and a worshipper of the Church of Rugby League, about the traditions and beliefs of his group. “I watch the games every Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” he stated, “It’s something I’ve done since I was little.” While some may gather together, Ahmads Dad chooses to worship alone in his home, other fans have friends/family gather together to celebrate their beliefs, or congregate to watch the sermon live at the ground, to give inspiration to their religious team.

In the Church of Rugby League, each member of the “fans” as they like to be called, associate themselves with different “religion.” Fact has is, many inhabit the local towns in which the fans live. The teams are in constant battle with each other, which is played out in a brutal and violent game, and televised. These battles take up nearly half of the year, and upon the holiest of days, which they call “9’s Sunday Match of the Day,” While most of the Saints including Wally Lewis, Laurie Daley and Peter Sterling have hang their boots up in heaven, there are players such as “Stacey Jones” “Andrew Johns” and “Brad Fittler yet to hang there boots up and join the Saints up in Heaven also known as the corporate box in Friday and Sunday Match’s.

Some look down in the Church of Rugby League, there is no doubt that these people share a strong connection with their Saints or Angels. Robbie (myself), who associates himself with the Warriors, is known to cheer and get excited when his team is winning. He states, “There’s no greater feeling than seeing your team completely shut out another team and see my favorite Angel “Justin Murphy” finally get a run in front of Sandal Man Henry Fa’afili.” Strangely enough, although these fans do not take place in the battles, they celebrate this joy of winning through their teams by jumping to joy of your seat in the stadium, kissing the television more then your wife, and wreaking your beep horn if you listening to it on the radio in the car. Stranger is just how much emotion these battles can instill in people. Some have been known to riot other fans, even when their team is the victor. Clearly, The Church of Rugby League is not a perfect religion.

Being involved in this religion doesn’t require you to say a pray, all you have to do it is Watch it, watching Round 1 clash Warriors Vs Broncos would even turn my Nanny into a fan and worshipping the game. Sadly though the Church of Rugby League isn’t popular around the world such countries as U.S.A as they prefer the Religion of Superbowl and Asians the religion of Chess and Math’s, and the Irish the religion of Potato throwing, but even I could get into that.

The Church of Rugby League is a fast-growing sport, as the religion grows, more people will turn to it. The Rugby League religion may just dominate other religions in the near future. In this League Church, I have seen more passion and emotion than I usually see of people that follow “traditional” religious beliefs. It’s important that we understand these people, and not judge them, for soon we all may be members of this both large and interesting faith. But like me I worship Christianity more, but followed by of course Rugby League.

Now let’s all bow down and pray, the match is about to begin…

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut - Panthers #5

The Little Team That Could
...........................................................................................................

Once upon a time there were two football teams who often played each other in the local park down the road. Although one of the teams was a little bigger and more experienced, the younger team would always try to put up a good, honest fight - but would inevitably be walloped into the ground by the bigger team, who had a reputation as being a bit of a bully on occasions. (Big meanies!)

This apparent unevenness in playing abilities was not immediately obvious - in fact, the very first time that “Little Team” were told they were allowed to play, they very nearly conjured up a miracle victory over “Big Team”! But this seemed to upset Big Team very, very much - “How dare they think they can play with us!!” they harrumphed. A plan was hatched, and a promise was made - Little Team would have to suffer for their bout of enthusiastic bravado! (Insert dramatic trumpet sound here.)

The cruel torture continued on for many more heart-wrenching seasons. Despite all their best efforts, Little Team were constantly handed hammering after hammering against Big Team - it became a soul-destroying regularity that was challenging for a spot among life’s certainties: Life, Death, Taxes, and Big Team would always win over Little Team. As much as Little Team tried their hearts out, they were sadly outclassed game after game ...

Just as everything seemed lost, and Little Team were very nearly on the verge of being banished from the local park, a strange new character rode in from the hills. His name was DanAndo, and while he was very careful not to get any hopes up, he was quietly confident in his unique blend of wizardry. Of course, Little Team were a bit sceptical. How could a virtual unknown from the depths of the far yonder town known as Pareth-Marta think he had the magical cure?

DanAndo began his task, and Little Team began to grow … just a little. While they began by knocking off a couple of other Little Teams and the occasional Middle Team, they knew that Big Team was coming to visit very shortly. The very spectre of their upcoming match began to hover like a giant black cloud, filled with black jelly and covered with black fudge sauce.

But the increasingly hairier DanAndo had been furiously spinning his spells behind the scenes, filling Little Team with a level of commitment that had rarely been achieved before. He had done all he could, and the rest was up to his charges. Would Little Team be able to finally grow up??

The night approached, and 13,921 locals summoned the courage to brave the inevitability of a loss - little did they know that magic was in the air that night. And magic it certainly was as Little Team jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the first half! But Big Team were in no mood to give up without a fight, and scores were soon locked up at 12-all. The script seemed set to continue, with Little Team given just that hint of a sniff before being cold-heartedly tossed aside to shiver in their own inadequacies once more.

But the miracle still had legs, and Little Team continued to tap into an amazing stream of determination and courage. With a surreal atmosphere perfectly complimenting the occasion, Little Team struck a field goal. 13-12! Yet still seven minutes to go ...

As the full-time hooter crept closer, the crowd started to realise that they were witnessing the impossible dream. Years and years of painful beatings were about to be forgotten as Little Team threw everything they had into defending the slimmest of winning margins. The local crowd squeezed out every drop of support they could muster as the seven minutes took seven years to count down.

Two minutes to go ...

Ninety seconds to go ...

One minute to go ...

Thirty seconds to go ...

Suddenly the crowd was overcome with a feeling of pure amazement and elation. The hooter began its final call, and a new team was born that very moment. A team that finally realised nothing was impossible - a team that would always keep the faith.

Warriors 13 (Fa’afili, Swann tries, Jones 2 goals, field goal) defeated Brisbane 12 (Parker, Berrigan tries, Devere 2 goals) at Ericsson Stadium, Saturday 24th March 2001.
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748 words including title.

 

[Big Mick]

This Is Iddylion's article as she had to go home and could not post.

Lossing the toss.

It wasn't the best of starts that I've seen,
Our Captain lost the toss then it began to pour,
So we marched out onto the field in the wet,
It took the other team just seconds to score.

The halfback gave us a hell of a spray,
And of course we deserved every last word,
But things turned even worse when the radios broke,
And our coach could be seen but not heard!

So he came down to the sidelines in the foulest of moods,
And let us know what he thought at 12 - nil,
Just then the right ring fell breaking his leg,
That horrible sound haunts me still.

So it's wet and we're down things are looking bad,
The Captains so mad he's gone red in the face,
The home crowd's not cheering - they've no reason to,
How long until I can leave this place?

Just when it looks like things couldn't get worse,
The fullback breaks through and we're in!
Soon it's 12 - 6 things aren't looking as bad,
The coach barks there's still a chance of a win.

I have my doubts but at least there is hope,
And we all buckle down to give it our best,
Hell at this point we have nothing to lose,
And a win here and we'll stand out from the rest.

Twenty minutes in and the score is 12 - 8,
After their prop breaks our young hooker's jaw,
So I kicked the two points - we sure needed them,
And the bench now has just two men not four.

Well don't make a tackle mate I'd hate to put you out,
That's not waht the fullback's for anyway!
Pick up your heads we aren't that far behind,
See! The halfback has a plan let's rally around.

So the score was 18 - 8 and our reserves are too few,
But we're the type who can never say die,
We may get a bit hurt and we may get a bit blue,
But if we don't win then it's not because we didn't try.

We've got no real excuses not even those broken bones,
So we pull together and stop leting them through,
And would you believe it just after half time,
The score is actually 18 to 22.

Our fullback now has a hattrick,
I kicked both goals and a penalty as well,
It's wonderful to be in front after such a bad start,
How far are we from fulltime anyway- can anyone tell?

Okay so they're through and it's 22 - all,
Let's all of us try and stay calm,
They might not kick the goal yet - his missed one today,
Even if he does there's time yet to cure the harm.

My god take the kick it seems like forever,
Since the sandboy first came onto the field,
Please just kick the ball I can't stand it anymore,
If you don't kick it soon the Thommos jaw will have healed!

What was that? God it's the siren!
Was the try scored right at the end of the game?
Oh god pleas let him miss it I don't want to lose,
Just give us one point and let them take home the same.

And up goes the ball it's not that great off the boot,
It may not yet have all been in vain!
It just hit the post and then bounces off the crossbar,
And then over! It's like physical pain.

We fought so damn hard, and came so damn far,
Just to be beaten by a boot at the last,
And my son let me tell you now that when you look back,
It's the games that hurt that stand out amongst the past.

630 words

 

[Big Mick]

note to Referre : Iddylion's article was sent to me by her as she had to rush home today for easter and couldn't post it before, so i posted it for her.

 

[Big Mick]

Reserve Mick Hits it up past the lacklustre Robster and pushes past Seano to score a great try under the sticks, the final try of the match.

Both teams look to the scoreboard.

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The 1991 Grand Final – The last game of a Penrith Legend:

The 1991 Grand Final between Penrith and Canberra was in my opinion one of the best Grand Finals of all time. Both teams were the best-performed teams of the season in 1990 and 1991. This grand final had it all – courage, determination, blood, guts and glory.

These two teams met in the previous season in which Canberra ran out winners, but a new strip for the panthers, transferring from the “Chocolate” strip to the “Liquorice allsorts” strip meant a new attitude at the panthers. Another aspect of the game was that it was Penrith legend Royce Simmons’ last game for the club after a decade of service.

The game started in a flurry with, as usual, the massive hits of the first set with Canberra bringing it up after a Greg Alexander kick. Set after set the teams went at each other like bulls and finally a breakthrough. Royce Simmons, the great Penrith hooker barged over to score his first of two tries for the game, trampling over the huge Glenn Lazarus to score a brilliant try. The lead was 6-0 to Penrith.

Canberra soon after hit back through some brilliant work by Laurie Daily and Ricky Stuart to set up a great try to their flying winger, Matthew Elliot, to make the score 6-6. Canberra then struck again with another try, set up Ricky Stuart for the score to be 10-6 in Canberra’s favour. Mal Meninga was not having his best day with the boot, the toe-poker, missing a couple of penalties. The score at half time was 12-6.

Soon after the break, following the usual hustle and bustle of the first few sets of play Canberra looked to score again, but it was foiled by some great Penrith defence. Penrith looked down and out, playing like a team that would lose their second Grand Final in two years against the great Canberra team of the era.

Mid way through the second half a great chase by Freddy Fittler cut down the massive Mal Meninga in what commentators called “young bull on old bull” in one of the greatest tackles in Grand Final history.

Soon after Penrith struck back and there were glimmers of hope after Brad Izzard scored under the posts, to make the scores 12-12. Suddenly Penrith scored a try, through Moran, only to be disallowed by referee Bill Harrigan with some controversy to follow. In the events after the try was disallowed, Penrith bad boy Mark Geyer was sent from the field for 10 minutes for an infringement that looked to never even take place.

Penrith seemed down and out. Canberra started to come back, but a shock 35 m field goal from great Penrith son Greg Alexander lifted the spirits to make the score 13-12 giving Penrith one last grasp at the title. A nervous Phil Gould looked edgy with “one eye on the scoreboard and one eye at the 20m line” as the commentators called.

Mark Geyer came back onto the field with only minutes remaining and made an immediate impact onto the game. With minutes left on the clock, Penrith had a dropout after Laurie Daily was caught in-goal. Canberra’s Gary Belcher, with Ricky Stuart off the field, took the dropout and went short. From no-where Geyer came barging through and offloaded a great ball to Royce to score his second try of the game. Greg Alexander lined up the kick from almost the sideline and converted. Although Canberra pushed hard in the dying seconds there was no stopping this committed Penrith outfit. Penrith won the game 19-12.

In what was a fitting finale for Royce in his last game as a player for the Penrith club, he won the Grand Final, scoring more tries than he had done the past two seasons in one game. There was controversy to follow when opposition player Bradley Clyde received the Rothmans medal, only the second time in history this has occurred.

In 2004, the Penrith Panthers will set out to send out two of their sons, Martin Lang and Ryan Girdler in similar fashion, in order to emulate the efforts of this 1991 Grand Final team.

Royce was a great ambassador and Captain for Penrith and in his last game won the title. His mates all dug deep, and through the courage, blood, guts and a will to win, glory came for Royce and the mighty Panthers in 1991, the year of the Panther.


750 Words

 

[Big Mick]

Replacement - Big Mick for Maelgwnau

 

[The Backpacker]

Game over folks.

 

[[furrycat]]

Great game folks.

 

[Seano]

Well done to both teams, a very close contest as usual.

 

[Big Mick]

well done to Souths and Penrith, should be a very interesting game.

Again well done to both sides for getting 5 v 5