Round 3 Dragons v Roosters 2010

[Pistol]

Forum 7s - Round 3 2010
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS v OZZIE ROOSTERS

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Game Thread:
* Please note - This is a game thread only, therefore only game posts can be made here (Teams, Articles).
* Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.
* Only original articles, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.

Naming Teams:
* 5v5 (+ 2 reserves for visiting team, 3 reserves for home team)
* No 'TBA' or changing players named
* Captains must stick with original teams named

ALL THE RULES & REGULATIONS: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.php

FULL TIME: Wednesday 14th April 2010 at 9pm (Syd time)
REFEREE: The Colonel
Venue: Kogarah

**The Referee Blows Game On!**


CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL WORD COUNTER

 

[dubopov]

The Mighty Dragons team for their pre-Anzac Day clash with Easts is ..

Dubopov (c)
Murphys Creek (vc)
St Linnane
Hornbyslilhottie
Dragon Punk

bench

Dragon PSA
Goodpart
Jason Maher

 

[DragonPunk]

DragonPunk takes the kick-off and steams ahead for the first hit-up of the game.

Hero Worship

Everyone has their favourite football player, for some it is the star halfback of the team, for some the bustling forward who makes giant metres every time they hit the ball up. Sometimes though, there is that player who unites a group of supporters, who becomes such a cult figure that when they receive the ball, fans stand as one to watch what will unfold. They make the turnstiles spin in the words of a famous or infamous depending on where you stand on your support for the dual international.

Sadly, in the modern game these characters are missing from most teams besides Eels cult favourite FuiFui MoiMoi, who has fans chanting his name on every run. Last year the Dragons had themselves a cult figure in reformed dual international Wendell Sailor, who even had his own doll, seen frequently on hills of stadiums around the country to chants of “Wendell”. Wendell entertained the crowd every time he touched the ball, whether it was moonwalking after scoring or displaying his full moon after being tackled. Sailor was a glimmer of light in a fading portion of rugby league; the cult hero. Most characters or cult figures in rugby league today, either bounce from club to club like enigmatic forward Daine Laurie, who was instantly loved by the Tigers faithful despite his limited playing time or the outspoken Willie Mason who is either loved or hated by fans. In one specific case, Dragons lower grade player Jardine Bobongie became a cult hero even before he pulled on the famed red V. There was much fanfare made when he did for a brief period in the Charity Shield but sadly shortly thereafter, Jardine Bobongie left the Dragons.

Nathan Blacklock was a cult hero when he played for the St George Dragons and later the merged entity St George Illawarra Dragons. Amongst dragons fans he was revered for his ability to find a way to get over the try line. Blacklock was one of a host of characters and cult heroes around the league in the 1980s and early 1990’s, entertaining crowds week in, week out around the eastern seaboard and later into the 1990’s across the country and even in New Zealand. Older fans remember these players and while they weren’t rewarded with premierships in most cases, these heroes live on through stories that span generations, allowing their achievements however miniscule they may be in the grander rugby league scale to become folklore.

In a time where rugby league is becoming more about the bottom line and the only way to increase this, is to be successful on the field and win, sometimes at the expense of characters. These are guys who go against the typical aesthetic of rugby league, blokes who have bizarre or out there names or hairstyles making them noticeable immediately on field or guys from a by-gone era like Jason Smith who would have a smoke before and after every game. The evolution of rugby league has driven these players away from the greatest game of all.

Where did all these characters disappear though? Players today - to my knowledge aren’t pre-programmed robotic beings who have to be shut off once the game and the media commitments have been fulfilled. There may be something in that rings true in last statement, the media; they have become an omnipresent and overbearing presence above rugby league. The scrutiny that is placed upon the players, coaches and ultimately anyone involved within a rugby league organisation has created an avenue for the disappearance of characters in league. If a player gets wasted and needs to relieve themselves on the wall of a pub, gets too inebriated and loses their bowel movements in a hallway or gets into a fight, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll become back page news the next day, spouting headlines death-riding the code and it’s players but twenty Joe Bloggs will do the same on a Saturday night.

Enough of these boring and robotic players who never do anything wrong, we want the players to show their human side, show their flaws but not be scrutinised about every detail of their life. Allow players to look different, be overweight and still play decent minutes, these are the player’s fans love and the players who provide an intrigue for people to make the turnstiles swing. People come in many different shapes and forms, let’s celebrate that.

739 words starting from the title.

 

[hornbyslilhottie24]

Hornbyslilhottie24 laces up the boots and is ready to go...


THE OFF SEASON

Everyone loves Summer, right? Well I don’t. I mean, the clear blue skies, good weather, holidays, drinking sessions, shirtless blokes and short shorts don’t go astray. But let’s face it – Summer doesn’t have the footy.

From the day after the heartbreaking loss to Brisbane in the semis last year, I was counting down the days until Round One this season.
Day, after day, after day it was the same thing. I’d wake up, do the same mundane tasks that I had to do everyday and then go to sleep. And sure, there were novelties in between but nothing could compare to the footy season – anticipating the upcoming game throughout the entire week. Even Christmas and New Years seemed to pass by without much excitement.

There were a few ‘footy related’ things that kept me interested during the off-season. The Grand Final was the first. I went, as I do every year, and even though it was devastating not being there and the fact that we exited the finals in such a bad way, I still savoured up the most of the last piece of footy that we’d all have for 6 long months. A few days after the grand final, news of the footy completely fizzled out – in the papers, on the net, television and of course on the forums.

After that there was organisation of the Dragon Army BBQ which didn’t end up going ahead. I attended the BBQ in the previous year and it was a great day. Met a few new people, had a couple of drinks, talked about the prospects for the upcoming year. And most importantly, we got to wear our jerseys!!! But seeing as it ended up being cancelled, once again, the countdown to the new season continued at a very slow pace.

Every now and then there’d be an article or some bigger news about something to do with the footy – whether it be a new signing, off-season injury or indeed some inevitable scandal. We’d always hope that the latter didn’t happen to one of our players. These would end up blowing over within a few days and then we’d be back in the same old rut.

January proved to be an exciting month, with the lead up to ‘Dell’s Big Bash’. My Dad and I absolutely love fan days and although we don’t necessarily run around trying to get all the boys’ pictures and autographs, it’s good just to be there and soaking in the atmosphere – and let’s not forget that the fan days are always at the grounds. ‘Dell’s Big Bash’ was an enjoyable day and it was good to catch up with fellow supporters who I had not seen since the footy.

After that, the days seemed to go quicker as the trial matches drew nearer. I attended both the Mercury Challenge and the Charity Shield and although they were only practise matches, the result didn’t count and the same ‘atmosphere’ of a normal game wasn’t present, it was still great to know that the regular season was just around the corner.

It was all smooth sailing after the Charity Shield – round one would be here in less than two weeks!!!

Once the teams were announced in the lead up to the first game, I knew it was time. And let me tell you, it was a great feeling and will continue to be year after year!

However, the worst thing about the footy is that the season always seems to go so quickly. I mean, round six is upon us already! Even though the season seems to steam through the cold Winter months, I know that I’ve enjoyed each and every week – and even those games which my team loses, because the footy is the most important thing in my life and I know that week in, week out, no matter how well or how poorly we are performing, I will always be there with my jersey on, standing with the Dragon Army, waving my banner and screaming out at the top of my lungs.

And let me tell you, I wouldn’t have it any other way (well, maybe only if the footy was played all year round J)


703 words

 

[murphyscreek]

After catching a brilliant no look inside pass from hornby's hottie, murphyscreek for the Dragons bursts through the line....but looks for outside support immediately realising he ain't as fast as in the ol' days...

750 words between the stars

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Magical Thinking (Advertisement)



In 1989 Zusne and Jones defined the Psychological term of “magical thinking” as follows;

The belief that a) transfer of energy or information between physical systems may take place solely because of their similarity or contiguity in time or space, or b) that one’s thought, words, or actions can achieve specific physical effects in a manner not governed by the principles of ordinary transmission of energy or information.

We have seen in the wonderful wide world of sports many examples of magical thinking. Before being drafted to play for the Chicago Bulls, basketball legend Michael Jordan played for the North Carolina Tar Heels. During his stellar career for the Bulls Jordan always wore his North Carolina Tar Heel shorts under his uniform. Not because those particular shorts were made of some type of superior hi-tech material that was no longer available or out of his price range (ha ha). But simply because of a belief that transcends logic. He believed that he would play better if he wore them. Magical thinking that in Jordan’s case seemingly worked.

World Cup Soccer (or Football if they insist) has given us some prime examples. French skipper Laurent Blanc felt compelled to plant a big kiss on eccentric goalie Fabian Barthez’s bald head during every match of the 1998 World Cup. The host nation, of course, went on to win the tournament. During the 1990 World Cup, Argentinean goalie Sergio Goyochea would pull up the leg of his shorts and proceed to (ahem) pee on the field in full view of the crowd and cameras before any penalty kick was taken. He pulled off two spectacular penalty kick saves to beat Italy in the semi-final of the tournament.

International Tennis players are certainly not immune to the concept. Swiss champion Martina Hingis and USA legend John McEnroe both believed it would bring them bad luck to walk on or touch the court tramlines between points. During one tournament Croatian Goran Ivanisevic ate at the same restaurant every night eating the same three courses of fish soup, lamb, and ice-cream with chocolate topping. Rafael Nadal believes he must return his water bottle to the exact same spot (within the centimetre) after taking a drink during a match. And Serena Williams has so many examples it would use up most of my 750 word limit just to list hers alone.

What about Rugby League? Well, I’ll get to that but firstly I’d like to point out what can become a serious issue with regards to magical thinking. On face value the above examples (public urination aside) are harmless enough. Unfortunately, magical thinking can at times lead to a less benign and indeed potentially crippling condition known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Where the sufferer’s life can be dominated by ritual and routines, and the thwarting of same can lead to a total mental breakdown.

The good news.....

As a lover of Rugby League I hereby offer exclusively to one NRL club the answer to this phenomenon. Developed at a top secret location by Scrub Labs Incorporated comes the Power Up Pill (PUP). Players who take one PUP exactly one half hour before a match will, definitely, unambiguously, without a doubt, play better. They will be faster, stronger, more resilient, and more impervious to pain than the opposition. Most of whom are probably still sticking to their own little pathetic rituals like wearing a particular set of undies (yawn), or always having to lace up their left boot first. So yesterday.

The PUP puts the coach back in charge of the pre-match ritual. Never will you have to witness the ignominy of two of your players failing to emerge from the tunnel because they both needed to be the last player to run onto the field. And surely some of you NRL coaches are heartily sick of players compelled to touch the top of the doorway whilst exiting the change room?

The PUP solves it all. All players, simultaneous swallow, simultaneous pulled face (sorry about the seaweed taste, we’re working on that), and half an hour later it’s game on. Not only are the players guaranteed to perform at their optimum level, but the bond formed by team mates sharing the exact same pre-match routine is the icing on the biscuit.

Coaches, I urge you to get on the phone now if you want to secure this one off opportunity. I’m not selling you a pup, I’m selling you the PUP!

Just phone 1800-P-L-A-C-E-B-O.

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References

"Anomalistic Psychology (A Study Of Magical Thinking)" 1989 - Leonard Zusne,Warren H. Jones
ABC Grandstand Blogs/Tennis
Popular Sports Superstitions - Associated Content.com

 

[Non Terminator]

Easts have arrived for this clash with an unchanged line-up for the ANZAC Clash against the Dragons. Good luck one and all.


Non Terminator (c)
Monk
adamkungl
Bubbles
Cliffhanger

--

NK Arsenal
Fein

 

[St. Linnane]

...and Murphys Creek gets the off load away to St. Linnane, the reserve grade five-eighth

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Interpretation: Turning the black and white grey

Depth –noun: a dimension taken through an object or body of material, usually downward from an upper surface, or from top to bottom of something regarded as one of several layers

Dictonary.com​

I think it was December 2009. I was in the bar of the Marriott Hotel in Sydney, having a beverage whilst discussing a business proposition. On the television in the corner a Tigers and Dogs game from the early 2000’s, played at the Sydney Showground. The teams and the venue did not matter for the American couple in their 50’s at the table next to me; they were fascinated by the game and intrigued by rules of the sport which consumes 30 weeks of my life each year.

It didn’t take long for a conversation to start. Was this league or union? How many players on each side? Why do they kick the ball away every few plays? Why does the defending team kick off after the other team scores? I found myself explaining the finer points of the game, where possible a likening it to what I knew of American football, something this couple were clearly fond of. The couple were taken by the game. We covered the number of teams in the competition, who won the premiership this year, and of course more rules than you could poke the proverbial stick at.

Ever since that day I find myself looking at the game differently. An ambassadorial view. How would I explain the play; the decision; the rule to someone who knows nothing of rugby league, and how this explanation would convert them to rugby league, rushing to sign as a club member, preferably of my beloved Dragons.

However, this preaching of league to the masses is becoming increasingly hard. Rules are no longer just rules; they're key indicators. Key indicators that attempt to cover every shade of grey that exists with our game; yet only succeeded in creating more grey.

For example, a great deal has been said in the last week with respect of Steve Matai’s ‘try’ against the Warriors over in New Zealand in round 4. I remember far simpler days when scoring a try meant downward pressure and downward pressure meant, well, downward pressure. Now how do I explain to my new American friends why the try was awarded, or even worse, what constitutes a try.

Fast forward to round 5 and the Dragons took on the Broncos in Wollongong. The Dragons ran an attacking move down the left hand side, an in and away and a decoy run resulting in young Brett Morris touching down in the Broncos in goal area for what the players and crowd believed was a try. The on field referees referred the matter to the video referee. After an inordinate number of replays the decision came back. No try was the call. The crowd booed. Ben Hornby enquired as to the reason. A lack of depth was the answer. The game went on. The decision ultimately played no part in the outcome of the match.

The commentators discussed the decision. Both coaches were asked for their opinion post match. Both Saturday papers queried the reasoning. It resulted in Robert Finch being wheeled out to explain the decision. The official reason:

“if he wants to run that line, he must either receive the football on the outside of that block runner or receive the ball inside, but with far more depth than he has already.”

What does this mean? Is this even English? Is 5 centimetres ‘far more depth’ or is 10 metres? Again, most importantly how do I explain this to my new found American friends? It was much simpler 20 years ago when the decoy runner simply threw his arms in the air and everyone was happy that there had not been a shepherd.

If the NRL is serious about attracting new fans to the game, it needs to ensure that the rules are easy to understand. Let’s get back to the rule book and enforce the laws as they are written. Stop interpreting the laws and prescribing key indicators that the common fan isn’t aware of.

The game is owned by the fans, and without the fans there would be no game. Let’s give the fans a game they can understand. If they can’t do that, then maybe when the much mooted independent commission is established perhaps a fan should be placed in charge.

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747 words

 

[Cliffhanger]

Ahh dragons always on the ball like a pubic hair.

Cliffhanger on for the roosters.
748

(C.R.E.A.M) Cash Rules Everything Around Me

Five rounds into the season and a lot seems much clearer, the cracks in every team are starting to show, injuries are already taking their toll, and an angry Ricky Stuart unsure what to do about his team’s predicament starts firing shots into the dark, dam it feels good to know what each team is about in 2010.

After every round we move a step closer to answering our questions, not only about what the future holds for our team and the players which make NRL so enjoyable and at times painful to watch but for the game. Whenever we talk about the game's future there is one topic which is bound to come to mind, the salary cap, it has been one of the most spoken about NRL issues over the last 10 years and with several of the NRL’s big names off contract at the end of the season it was never going to take long for the debates to resurface.

For most Australian the idea of being paid a few hundred thousand dollars a year to play a sport you love would be a dream, hell I would be happy to get paid 50 grand a year, paid to workout, wow, where do I sign? So what is the issue here, why does the NRL need to increase the salary cap? The answer is simple; if we do not increase it we will lose a lot of stars and promising young players to other codes.

The average Australian changes career 5 times and while some might be looking for more exciting opportunities most people are in it for the money. If you were being offered 4 times your current salary to switch careers you would probably have a tough time turning it down too why do we expect different from them.
It may seem absurd especially considering how much players used to be paid not 20 years ago but stop and think about it for a second and think about the real costs of pursuing a career in NRL.
While every working person will at one stage or another feel like a bit of a commodity, in professional sport perhaps more so than any other job you become one, sold to the highest bidder, and once you stop performing your team is going to ditch you for a newer model. If you can play first grade for 10 years you would consider yourself very lucky, and once that decade is over, that is when things get really tough. Only a handful of players can become coaches, fewer will be offered careers in the media and when they have spent their adult life living, breathing and eating NRL they become a fish out of water once that part of their life is over. Most of us can climb up the slippery ladder of success in our careers for up to 40 years, an NRL player has merely 10 and unlike the average job the skills you gain from NRL are not going to be transferable to most jobs. Most will finish their career without tertiary education, without practical job experience (apart from footy) and without a clue about what to do next.

You only have to look at the reason why the Men of League was created to realise there is a serious problem here. Too many players are not set up for life after footy, that money made in 10 years may need to help set them up for forty or they may find themeselves an awful predicament. Playing a professional sport takes a lot out of you and it might just be logical to milk it for all its worth.

Do not get me wrong here, it should not be a case of teams being able to spend as much as they can afford, removing the cap altogether would be absurd, there are huge gaps between what different teams can afford to spend. A salary cap is necessary to keep the NRL balanced otherwise there will be no spread of talent. What we do need to do is increase the cap, so there will be no lack of talent to spread.

While it is what we have to do, increasing the salary cap will only solve the immediate problem, keeping some big names in the game but let's not overlook the much bigger issue here, most players are ill prepared for life after footy.

 

[Bubbles]

Bubbles on for the Roosters
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Inverted Fairytales

We’ve all been raised on a steady diet of ‘happily ever afters’, fairytales giving us a simplistic vision, masking the fact that life is full of shades of grey and that we can’t always easily recognise the bad and hail the good on first sight. This is why we love and need these moralistic tales; they simplify an otherwise complicated and convoluted world. We breathe a sigh of relief when Hansel and Gretel escape the clutches of the evil witch who’s trying to turn them into main fare, Hannibal Lector style; we sigh happily when the glass slipper slides onto Cinderella’s dainty foot and we cheer when Jack clambers down the beanstalk and slays the horrid giant.

This need for happy endings, heroes and villains follows us beyond childhood well into adulthood and certainly no more so than for those of us on these forums. We are just as enamoured with fairytales as a group of children at story time.

In 2003 we saw the Panthers, after finishing a paltry twelfth the year before, snatch the premiership from the powerhouse Roosters who, incidentally, many see as the Dr. Evil of clubs, with Politis at the helm stroking a white feline and plotting the downfall of the Rugby League world!

Then, in 2005, we watched the two ‘giants’ in the Dragons and Eels get felled on the way to the final, clearing the way for another happy ending with the popular Tigers forging ahead to claim the main prize.

Now, most club’s supporters have their own fairytales playing out in their imaginations; Saints fans pinning their hopes on Wayne ‘Merlin’ Bennet to use his particular brand of surly sorcery to conjure up some October magic; Gold Coast fans willing their team to live up to their club’s namesake and Souths fans pinning their hopes on a gladiatorial season to restore their club to ‘Glory, glory...” just to name a few.

But, what of fairytales that have been plucked from lofty heights, had their wings clipped and set on fire, that we’re now witnessing in a spiralling death plummet? Last year just about every supporter north of the Murray was caught up in the late season juggernaut that was the Parramatta Eels run into the Grand Final against the ‘goliath’ of the last decade, the Storm. Although denied their happy ending in 2009, many expected 2010 to bring about blue and gold magic and while the season is still in its infancy, the Eels are looking about as magical as a bag of button mushrooms from Woolies!

Is it the hefty weight of expectation that has robbed the Eels of their mojo? Is it the internal strife that is being whispered about and if so, has this strife been brought about due to poor on-field performances or is it the other way around; you know, the pesky ‘chicken or the egg’ question? Is it that sixteen grown men believe there is one among them sporting a cape protruding from whence the sun doesn’t shine, who is expected to conjure up wizardry every game, thus relieving the sixteen from any personal responsibility?

One thing is certain, having been taken down by perennial strugglers the Sharks one week and then on their home soil by the notoriously poor travellers in the Raiders the next, questions have got to be asked and answered. It must feel to the Parramatta faithful as if they’ve stepped through the looking glass and have discovered themselves in a world where everything is upside down and nothing makes sense. Surely this is not the same team that got so close to having a big wet one planted on them to awaken them from their twenty-five year slumber?

While things certainly look grim (or Grimm), who knows exactly how the season will unfold? After all, this is not the first season the Eels have looked to be in dire straits only to make the finals by the length of a bee’s dick and they could yet get their ‘happily ever after’ in 2010.

However, as it stands this day, the Big Bad Wolf is tucked up in Grandma’s bed, picking bits of red cape from between its razor sharp teeth, the Giant is taking its loaf of bread out of the oven all the while pointing to the ‘No Trespassers’ sign outside his castle and tut-tutting, while the evil witch is sitting down to a sumptuous meal accompanied by some fava beans and nice chianti!

The End.
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748 Words

 

[adamkungl]

adamkungl steps through the Dragons defence with Carney-like brilliance to score under the posts...

708 words

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Twisted Fates
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From July 20, 2008, the fates of former Canberra Raider Todd Carney and the Sydney Roosters followed the same path, even before Carney joined the Eastern Suburbs club. Both Todd and the Roosters were on a high, only to have a massive fall from grace before rising back from the ashes together.


On July 20, 2008, the Raiders faced the Roosters in Round 19 of the 2008 NRL Premiership. The Roosters were on track to challenge for the Premiership, and Carney was leading a young Raiders side to a finals berth. With a brilliant performance from Carney, the Raiders came up with a surprise 34-12 defeat of the Roosters to take them just 1 point out of the top 8. For Easts, it was their second loss in a row and the start of a form slump which would see them dropping out of the finals from 4th position without a single win. For Todd Carney, it was his last performance for the Green Machine. A few hours and far too many drinks later, Carney urinated on a man in a nightclub bathroom. He was stood down from playing duties, and a few weeks later on August 7 was sacked by the Raiders and deregistered from the NRL when he refused to give up alcohol.


On March 4, 2009, many were shocked to read the headline “Carney Signs With Roosters”. Of course, further reading past this deceiving headline revealed that he had in fact signed with the Atherton Roosters of North Queensland. In yet another odd twist of fate, the same headlines would be seen shortly after, when Carney signed with the Sydney Roosters for the 2010 season and beyond. Talk about foreshadowing the future!


So for the 2009 season, Carney was in Rugby League wilderness. He worked in a bar (the irony of this not lost on most) and played out his football in a country town he had probably never heard of until recently. If Carney was in Rugby League wilderness though, the Roosters were in Rugby League hell. Starting the 2009 season with a demoralising flogging at the hands of rivals South Sydney, Easts had their worst season since the winless season of 1966. A series of heartbreakingly close losses soon snowballed into frequent beltings as the players and coaches seemingly had no way of turning their fortunes around. The season ended with accusations of match fixing, a wooden spoon, and the coach and a number of players sacked after producing only 5 wins in the year.


For both Carney and the Roosters, their fortunes would soon change. Roosters had signed new coach Brian Smith and some promising new players, most noteworthy of them Todd Carney, who after a year in Atherton finally looked like maturing enough to utilise his potential. Two paths which had for a year been intertwined had finally become one. After finally swearing off alcohol, Carney gave Roosters fans their first hope of a win in a long time with some fantastic trial match form, and he delivered. The Roosters started the season with a big win against much favoured rivals South Sydney before taking down the Wests Tigers a week later. Carney starred in both matches. The following three weeks brought Carney and the Roosters crashing back to Earth – leaking 60 points to the otherwise winless Bulldogs, a sloppy win against Brisbane, and another big loss to Penrith.


Whether Carney is the messiah for the Roosters (or just a very naughty boy) remains to be seen. The sky is the limit and 2010 will almost certainly be a huge improvement on 2009 for both Todd Carney and the Sydney Roosters. On April 17, 2010, they will have gone full circle. Back to the point where this whole saga started. Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders, but this time with Carney on the other side. The war of words between fans has already started – Raiders are fuming after Carney told journalists he wasn’t given enough time to consider his options before being sacked. Roosters fans are hoping Carney can replicate the performance which destroyed them back in July 2008, minus the post-game celebrations. Whichever way it goes, it has all the ingredients for a classic Rugby League match.


Go Easts!

 

[Non Terminator]

Non Terminator prepares for the ANZAC match, after eating wayyyyyyyyyyyy too many biscuits. 721 words OWC



Remember The Days

Remember the days of the old school yard? Sorry, I've been listening to a lot of Cat Stevens lately.

The school yard version of Rugby League will always bring back the fondest memories to a lot of us. I remember walking all the way to place the school bags in position to set up the try line. We had a full sized football field (with markings) but for some reason we didn't use it. I still don't know why...

Our school hadn't been a major breeding ground for first grade Rugby League players. The most noteable was a guy named Michael, who played a handful of games for the Newcastle Knights. I heard it a few times, he was a top talent, but also a bloody nice guy. We had another in waiting however. Mike, set to join the Melbourne Storm side in the Toyota Cup (which at that point in time was still in the middle of being established). Mike could play nearly every position, but most of the time played at centre. He had everything in his game, a neat right foot step, a great tackling technique, a well placed kicking game and plenty of speed to burn. Yep, he surely was on his way to being a big name in the sport. Well, that's what we all thought. He was also smart, kept his priorities in check. His test scores made me look foolish. In comparison, he was a genius, I wasent (spelling error intended).

Each and every lunch time we would run out onto the school yard to play. On the other side of the field, Mike was standing there. He looked pumped and prepared, like this was a proper first grade match for him and he was ready to dominate him. Dominate, he did. Crunching his way through would-be defenders, fending his way through tackles, kicking into the tiniest of spaces, this was just another training run for him. Every thing I tried didn't work. I couldn't get past him. He had my number. He made me look bad (which, truthfully, isn't that difficult). The funny thing was, he was never aggressive. He was the nicest bloke in the world. You couldn't hate him. Even when he was on the opposite side of the school yard, he would offer his supportive words.

"Keep going mate, you're doing great."
"Almost got him, better luck next time."

No matter what, I still couldn't get him. As friendly as he was, he was still a bastard on the football field. Nothing but words of support would come out of his mouth, and nothing but selective four letter words would come out of mine.

Time went by and the moment when the school team assembled had finally arrived. I tried out as a prop and was given a go in the trial game. I had no expectations, but I knew he would be there. I tried working out a bit, which is a rarity for me, in order to prepare myself a bit. On the day of the trial, I quietly asked a mate if Mike would be playing today. Sure enough, he was.

Kick-off came and the halfback gave the ball to me for the first run. All I could see in front of me was Mike. I knew it appeared selfish, but I had to try and get past him this day. Our eye contact never broke. He was waiting for me to get there. I attempted something that I've never tried before. I stood firmly on my left foot and stepped. It had worked. I finally got around the bastard. All I could hear coming from my own mouth for the first time was praise, but all I could hear coming out of his mouth for the first time was a spray.

"Why the f*ck would you sidestep your support player dickhead?"

Probably should've prepared myself better for the onslaught of chasers that were right in front of me, hey?

Shouldn't be a surprise that I didn't play much again.

The old school yard. If Mike ever makes first grade, I've got a story to tell my kids.

"You know, when I was in school, I stepped that guy. Yeah, smashed him a few times too."

Because, that's what most dads do, right?

 

[Monk]

Monk kneels on the 40 to tie up his laces as the fans wave their flags in excitement.

732 Words between the Starts according to the OWC

*************************

Captain Who?

Now, I’m not one to read too much into what an article says about post-match interviews. I consider it to be about as useful as getting a player’s thoughts after the ref has blown 3 consecutive penalties against his team. However I did read an article this week in which I actually thought the player made a genuine comment about the way a referee acts on the field.

Cameron Smith, Captain of the Melbourne Storm spoke out this week about how it seems that the Referee’s and ‘Captains’ no longer work together to control the discipline involved in a game of Rugby League. ''I thought that is our job to lead the team around and work in with the referees and to make sure we have a good, clean game.”

I can tell you are wondering why I put little apostrophes on the word captain. Well I think it’s time to take you back to the wonderful times of 2005 and the Rugby League 2 (now available on Xbox and Playstation 2) forums. This forum was used to suggest to the creators of the Rugby League games, things that could better the games, and I fondly remember one user pleading that the captain actually do something in the new version of the game. You see, back in Rugby League 1, who the user selected as captain made no difference to anything in the game. In the second version of the game who the user selected as captain did something (albeit insignificant). When a player gave away a penalty the game would show a cut scene where the user would view the selected captain giving this player a pep talk or having a conversation with the referee.

Of course I am not comparing the role of a real club captain to one in Rugby League 2, that would be foolish, however I would like to point out that the appointment of an on field Captain is not one to be taken lightly, yet by the way Cameron Smith speaks, it seems that the ref just sees him as another player. However, Wikipedia begs to differ.

“In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. Depending on the sport, team captains may be given the responsibility of interacting with game officials regarding application and interpretation of the rules.”

I would like to draw notice on that last sentence, as it does apply in our sport of Rugby League. The Captain of a team has the responsibility to discuss with the referee regarding the application and interpretation of the rules. In my 17 years of life, I have never seen a decision overturned because a captain thought it needed. Nor am I saying that every time a Captain questions a referee about a decision he is doing so genuinely to possibly make the referee decide otherwise (a good captain knows when his team is tired and on the ropes), but I do believe that a captain has the right to know why a penalty is blown.

A Captain should certainly not have his queries left unanswered because the referee feels that they needn’t be, especially when the decision is in such controversial circumstances. I am a firm believer that when you make a crucial mistake once, you never do it again. Yet with the scrum penalty, Smith still is unsure what actually caused the referee to blow the whistle. ''I'm still not sure what the penalty was for; I thought it was for me raking, which I thought hookers are allowed to do. He didn't even give me an explanation. He just said something about Billy Slater. I'm not sure why referees don't talk to captains any more. I really don't know.

It is clear that we’re in for a lot of Captain to Referee conversation. We just have to hope that this doesn’t turn into another “Review to see if the ball was stripped” fiasco. But regardless of anything else, Smith has put the offer out there Officials, now it is up to you to answer it. Get ready for the onslaught of Referee v Captain Interaction fans, because it is here to stay (until another Captain complains).


*************************

References:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_(sports)
- http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...es-foul-after-titans-upset-20100409-ryv8.html

 

[dubopov]

After the softening-up period by his band of rookies, Capt Dubopov looked to put in a 747 word killer blow ....

MY BROTHER

My brother was a friend of the enemy of the people. I never knew it until I read the newspapers the day after I had played my first game of footy at Lang Park. In our day there were only two 'real' sports in country QLD; Rugby League and Cricket - playing at Lang Park or the Gabba was like being in heaven. Mind you, there was also Tennis but it was played exclusively by 'poofdahs' according to Des.

When I think about it though, I have to thank Des, as he got me into League in the first place. Although he was five years older than me, we were close because we were surrounded by 'sheilas' in our family - Mum, three sisters and Dad; who, according to Des, qualified as a sheila because he had played Soccer before migrating to Australia from Poland after WWII.

"Only Mediterranean Descendants, dagoes and sheilas play soccer", Des had argued convincingly.

"What about poofdahs ?" I enquired.

"Them too".

I didn't fancy being any of those things, so I played footy. Before I could play a real game though, I had to survive the practice games in the backyard against Des.

Granny had 'obtained' jerseys from a contact in Sydney for us to wear. We both wanted the white jersey with Big Red V, not the black and white one. Sadly, the Wests jersey was smaller. Our backyard one-on-one games became re-makes of of the Grand Final of 1963 which was the first game we ever saw when granny got a TV.

I was Summons; Des was Provan. I was belted into oblivion every afternoon in winter as St George won about 1000 games in a row. Eventually though, I fought back. After being upended and driven head-first into the rock hard 'turf' by 'Poppa Clay'

I got up crying and grabbed a hammer, which happened to be hanging on a nearby mango tree because the 'sheila-Mediterranean Descendant' Dad was a carpenter, and left various tools all over the place. Infuriated, I hurled it at the retreating Des, striking him between the shoulder blades and dropping him like a sack of spuds.
The backyard seasons finished early as Des recuperated in hospital for a couple of weeks and I signed up with the local Red Ants, finally wearing a jersey with the 'real' colours. Amazingly, I made the local U12 Rep team despite being only ten. Somehow, I kept getting picked in these sides in the next few years and soon faced the most important game of my career - playing for QLD country U15s against the Brisbane side in a curain-raiser for the 1968 Test against New Zealand at Lang Park.

Des was supportive as he drove me to the game. " You'll beat them f**king city dickheads", and "We'll beat them sheep-rooters."

We were beaten 58-0 .. so much for beating those city dickheads. Our Coach consoled us by putting on a couple of kegs of XXXX which I figured he had stolen and just rolled over the road. By the time the Test started, I was legless and don't remember anything after the first couple of minutes.

Before the game, the Prime Minister spoke and was booed by everyone before he even said a word.

"f**king Tory bastard", Des roared, "Get us out of Vietnam you merkin !! .. Go and kill them women and kids yourself. " . I had no idea what was going on. Some bloke in a Jackie Howe gave Des a can.

The booing for the PM was insignificant when the Ref ran out. The roof of the grandstand nearly took off because of the volume of noise.

And the the loudest BOO seemed to be reserved for some "Kiwi merkin", (quoth Des) named Orchard who decked QLD's favourite son ,Johnny Gleeson, in the first minute.

But wait .. there was more .. Another QLDer, Noel Kelly then smashed Orchard. There was absolute pandemonium when Orchard and Kelly were sent off. I saw the rest of the game, apparently, but don't remember it.
Next thing I knew we got home and Mum told us Des had been called up for National Service. He was shattered. The 'hero' swore non-stop, he ripped up a picture of the Prime Minister which was in the paper. He actually cried as he went to his room.

I only saw him once again. He was hanging from the mango tree. Like a hammer.

Mum found books about Lenin and Mao; and pamphlets about Che Guevera under his bed.

 

[Non Terminator]

5v5, good luck all.

 

[dubopov]

Can I add my intro bit ??

 

[Non Terminator]

Do you just mean adding your name and the OWC?
I'd have no problems with it, only considering it is helping the ref mate.

 

[dubopov]

Just Dubopov ran on the field stuff at the start before the title

 

[Monk]

5 v 5, great job everyone. Best of luck to all.

 

[DragonPunk]

good job everyone, 5 v 5, come on saints!

 

[murphyscreek]

Best of luck to everyone.

Strewth Dubo, posting at 8.59, you are one calm dude.