Round 3 Titans v Eels 2010

[Pistol]

Forum 7s - Round 3 2010
GOLD COAST TITANS v PARRAMATTA EELS

-v-

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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: Antonius
Venue: CUA Stadium

**The Referee Blows Game On!**


CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL WORD COUNTER

 

[Titanic]

The bare-footed Gold Coast Titans, including the newly-kitted Misanthrope for the first time, trip the light-fantastic over the oh-so-ticklish CUA grass and take the field.

1. Amadean
3. Misanthrope
6. tits&tans
11. Titanic
13. TITs ANonymouS

Bench

4. Big Pete
8. bgdc

 

[bartman]

The F7s Eels clamber out of the team bus, tread carefully across the gravel car park, and head into the visitors sheds for this clash of (against) the titans...

Matt23
Hallatia
bartman (c)
Parramatta_Power
Goleel (c)
- - - - -
phantom eel
MarkInTheStands (c)

 

[Parramatta_Power]

Parramatta_Power makes his long-awaited return back to the rough and tough game, that is Forum 7's...
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Losing a piece of the pie???​

Let’s not hide from the fact, Western Sydney is prime real estate but it’s not the market prices that’s issue (well at least not in this article) but in fact the very sport that the population calls their most beloved. In 2008, we found out that AFL had major intentions to setup shop in the very area I call home, only months after the NSW Government pledged to build a brand new sports complex in Blacktown, including a 10,000 seater, oval-shaped and very-likely purpose-built stadium for Aussie Rules. In 2009, Frank Lowy and the A-League released their intentions to make Western Sydney their latest point for expansion, going against their own original plans: “1 City-1 Team”. We now have a new Franchise, the Sydney Rovers, destined to join the league in 2011 and lastly, in 2010, the NSWRU both lobbied SANZAR to have a Super Rugby franchise based in the region, this ultimately failed when the Rebels won the 15th license.​

So with all these codes pouring their code, heart and most evidently their millions in the region, the question on everyone lips (well at least in Sydney) is what of Rugby League??? Is it destined to drown with the others make away with fans, players and of course… juniors??? The reality is a solid NO.​

I state this as both a realist and a critical thinker. I know looking at the codes jostling for a valuable location in the region seems frightening, it really is nothing new. If we read the many papers that fill our heads with statements like: “AFL steals the show in Sydney” and “Soccer is the new attraction” followed by the unlikely “Union is gold, League is old”, we’re bound to assume it’s, well, all over but that is far from the truth. Let us have a look at the real situation:​

Exhibit A: Soccer has far more juniors than League and AFL combined and yet it’s basically a third rate sport in the Sydney signified by the poor TV Ratings for the game in Sydney which along with Melbourne is supposed to be its biggest market. Furthermore, when Sydney FC entertained the Phoenix in the Preliminary Final, not long ago, a poultry 13,196 attended… which speaks a lot about how successful a “professional” soccer team in Sydney can be… in fact, I’m very sure that the team failed to break even in every season after it’s highly successful first campaign. Success? Come on now, be serious…​

Exhibit B: Union is, despite how backwards the code has gone since the 2004 World Cup which ironically had its final in Sydney. Junior numbers have yo-yoed for quite some time now and the “success”(sigh) of the four Aussie sides in the Super 14’s has done little to boost fans waiting at the turnstiles to watch their beloved Waratahs.​

Exhibit C: And as the for Aussie Rules, one could say it has just become a formidable foe but then again, the sport has been in the city of Sydney since the 19th Century… no kidding. Sydney University have had an AFL clubs since the 1880’s and the Victorians have continuously sent in demonstration teams since the 1930’s so it’s not like the code has just popped on our shores. So the public in the harbor city has always been exposed to the sport. Let’s not forget, the Swans were relocated here back in the 1980’s!!! And it took them millions of dollars to gain fans mainly disenchanted from Union, Soccer and particularly League due to them losing their team following the Super League War and had it not been for News Ltd bailing out the Swans, they would have been bankrupt by 1993.​

Thus the harbor city has always played host to all four codes in focus and despite Soccer’s, Aussie Rules’s and Union’s attempts to grow their own trench in the harbor city, it has come with tremendous struggle to usurp a piece of the pie from League. In most cases, the other codes have had to resort to bailing out their teams and administrations, in fact, just last month, the NSWRU had to bail out the Parramatta Two Blues.​

I finish off with an important point borrowed from John O’Neil: “Once you’re entrenched, you have a nearly unbreakable stronghold that can’t be swayed with ease”. We have a tremendous grasp in all corners of Sydney, rooted deep and will surely not loosely a piece of the piece.​

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750 Words between the dashes...​

 

[Hallatia]

Hallatia, in Blue and Gold makes a wild dash for the try line ...

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ​

Dear God,

I have never doubted that you love me, nor have I ever doubted your infinite wisdom. However, my lack thereof makes some things difficult for me to understand. So I turn to you to ask...

Why was I born a Parramatta Eels supporter in this era?

There is no way for me to know how big the multiverse is, or how many inhabitable planets there are outside this one, but I would assume there would be many considering how insignificant planet Earth is. Out of nearly 200 countries on this planet, you put me in Australia. And you chose the state of New South Wales to bear me (yet made me a Queensland supporter, I can ask you about this another time...). And from NSW’s 809,000-plus square kilometres, you had me born in Sydney.

Lord, I am not complaining about any of this, I am just trying to comprehend how infinitesimal the odds were.

Being born in Sydney, the odds were probably in my favour for being born with a predisposition to Rugby League. But whilst Rugby League has been around for over 100 years, you chose 1990 for my year of birth.

Why the Eels now?

There are plenty of other teams too, Parramatta aren't even my local. Bulldogs are, I am usually disgusted at the thought of supporting them, but if I supported them I would love that thought. Also, if I was a Bulldogs supporter I'd be supporting a team with some premiership success in my lifetime. Yes they are scum, but their fans not only overlook, but embrace that aspect of them.... The more I think about it the gladder I am that you didn't make me one of them, THANKYOU!

If you weren't going to make me support my local team, there are so many out of town alternatives, even an out of country alternative. Why not the Warriors? I guess the distance is very off-putting and they are very inconsistent...come to think of it, there aren’t any advantages of me supporting them over Parra. Melbourne Storm are consistent, why wasn't I born a Storm supporter? Granted, I had an eight year headstart on them; it wasn’t like I understood the game before I was eight anyway. They are based in Melbourne and that's gross, I don't think I could strongly support anything affiliated with Melbourne over so many Sydney sides (even if they include South Sydney, Cronulla, Canterbury, Penrith, Manly and Eastern Suburbs - which right there, is a mixture of scum and suckity).

I will bypass Queensland; it’s bad enough I support the Maroons, it would be damaging to my soul supporting a Queensland club as well. And, if supporting Melbourne would be gross, supporting Newcastle would be disgusting, so I won't even consider that *shudders*.

Why wasn't I born a North Sydney Bears supporter? I could have supported this proud foundation club with a fearsome mascot. They don't exist anymore, but the Bears supporters are the cool people of Rugby League supporters (too many posers with the Bluebags). Their team’s gone, and though they did merge with Manly for three years they remain proud Bears supporters and still love the game. Merged teams are strange God, it's hard to imagine being born a St. Merge or Wests Tigers fan. I could have been born one or the other, then embraced the merge, or been born a fan of the merged entity and my support would have been holding out for the merge. If I was a Bears supporter I guess I would have supported the Northern Eagles, but as a Bears supporter.

But alas, I was born in 1990, Raiders won the premiership that year. Lime green is my favourite colour too, so why don’t I support them? They are from Canberra, which sucks...I would be able to say they won the year I was born (and in 1994 - I hadn't even started school then), but what have they done since? Not much.

If I was born earlier, I would have been able to enjoy that... But if only I was born just 20 years earlier, I would have seen 4 Eels premierships before my twentieth birthday! I turned 20 a month ago; I still haven't seen one, but I have so much love for them regardless.

God, you know best. With the odds stacked against it, you put me here to support the Eels now and this is how I sum it up - PRIDE, PASSION, LOVE.

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ​

749 words

 

[Titanic]

Titanic for the Titans gets in an early hit as he rushes to the beach to catch the morning change of tide. (744 OWC)

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The Dell on NRL Fatty Matty Footy Wooty Tactical Rugby League Show

Camera pans across wildly cheering grandstand full of colour and after picture fades into studio audience then refocuses on smiling, waving host…

Canned studio applause…

Vossy’s voice-over: Well viewers, it’s the new rugby league season’s kick-off time. After all the off-season posturing between the networks and the renewed television rights signing, here he is… our one and only son of Sarina, Wendell Sailor… host of rugby league’s biggest, brightest, most politically correct show. Take it away ‘Dell.

Indigenous music plays, live grab of Yothu Yindi in the studio, as Sailor, moon-dances onto centre stage.

Son of Sarina: Thanks Vossy and welcome everybody. You know I thought I was going to be a bit nervous but in fact I’m good. I suppose that’s what you get when you’ve been dacked in front of millions.

Canned laughter and wild applause - backdrop footage of the “puppies” incident.

SoS: But seriously, I was so proud for my family and the indigenous people when the combined networks asked, begged more like it, that I anchor a new era of rugby league television.

So what can you expect from this… uh, extravaganza I call it? Well, it has lots of stuff about rugby league.

Canned laughter while ‘Dell appears bashful.

Now, now, stop it… don’t get too excited… and we have some really excellent surprises.

I will feature in a back to your roots-style segment called A Country Practice

Canned cheering

where each week we will join a former great NRL player and visit his home town club’s training session. Get it? A Country Practice… deadly, I can’t wait for that. This week we’ll visit the Raiders’ Dane Tilse and the Cairns Kangaroos.

We will talk tactics with some of the great brains of the game.. and also Stuey Raper and Brett Kimmorly, hahahaha, just kidding fella’s. I’ll also be joined for a brand new segment called In the Cage where Lozza and Wizz will go at it bare-knuckles style on some of the topical happenings from around the grounds with some poor unsuspecting journalist.

Canned pineapples and apricots.

But right now, I’d like to introduce my co-hosts... they are no strangers to youse all so I won’t need to waste too much time doing this but here they are…
Snorky and the Fatman… hi guys, welcome and please grab a seat over here on my left.

Canned rampant crowd celebrations

Where’s the rest of them? C’mon out fellas. Yes, the dynamic duo, Matty and Webby.

Canned oo’s and boo’s.

That’s it, over here on my right thanks.

And prizes. We’ll be giving away the equivalent of David Gallop’s salary each week as you, the fans, will see some real benefits being passed on from the new television rights deal that has been negotiated with the ABC.

Oooooooh, yes that’s right, you’re hearing it first from the old ‘Dell … the Rudd Government has stepped up and taken the sport back to its roots where it belongs… into the hands of the people who have made it what it is today!

Canned wild applause, after real-time stunned silence, broken only by the sound of the combined co-hosts falling off their chairs.

SoS: That’s no joke, our good old Aunty ABC has purchased the television rights of Australian Rugby League until the 23rd Century in a ground breaking deal financed by Austrade. And that brings me to our first guest, NRL CEO David Gallop, let’s welcome him onto Delevision… ladies and gentlemen, David Gallop.

Wild jeering from the studio audience, drowns out canned studio audiences wild cheering. Gallop wearing a charcoal suit over a crisp white shirt, sporting an indigenous patterned tie, skips on to the stage.

Hi Boss, sorry about that salary quip before, welcome to the show.

DG: Oh, that was a joke was it? But seriously, it’s a pleasure to be here Wendell.

SoS: Everybody wants to know, well at least I do, how did you manage to convince Kevin Rudd to pull his head out of Bruno Cullens’ ar… I mean, backyard and put something substantial into rugby league?

DG: Well hell ‘Dell, it’s all about opportunity, opportunity, opportunity. Once I realised that Austrade now has a huge cash surplus since the Chinese government has banned bribing mining officials and I highlighted the value of attracting more votes than just the combined Chinese community in Australia…

Fzzzt… fzzzt…. Blank screen followed by Program Terminated message.
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[Goleel]

Gol for the Eels

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Does rugby league realise how lucky it is?

The Australian sporting market is a small one. Yes, we are a sports crazy nation, but even if every one of our 22 million population were sporting fanatics, we still wouldn't come near the sporting markets of America and Europe. Per capita, we may be the biggest sports fans in the world, but by population, we are tiny.

Our dedication to the athletic contest means we enjoy and support a broad range of sports, more than we can viably sustain. Where America can support four major sporting leagues, several minor ones and college sports with relative ease, Australia are defying the odds in supporting two major leagues, let alone the plethora of other minor sports trying to push their way into the market. With such a demand for sports in Australia, but limited time and money to go around to all of them, the sports at the top, rugby league and AFL, should consider themselves very lucky that they are at the top of this very competitive food chain.

The new NRL television deal will further stretch the divide between the best and the rest. While undoubtedly deserving of the extra coin, every dollar given to the NRL is a dollar taken away from the competing sports. This kind of deal provides great stability for rugby league, allowing the sport to expand at its own pace, without fear of clubs disappearing overnight, a threat the A League and National Basketball League have to face every season. This dominance of the network television coverage results in a greater share of the public consciousness, which means more coverage in the media, more fans, and the cycle continues.

There is much evidence that the 'big two' are starting to engulf the remaining sports leagues. Sydney is a great case study for this, having been host to three very successful sporting teams this decade, the Sydney Kings, Sydney FC and the NSW Waratahs.

The Sydney Kings made five grand finals in six years, and won three titles. That streak may have continued, had the Kings not shut down in 2009 due to financial pressures. For each of their three title years between 2003 and 2005, crowds dropped. The Kings have good claim to being the most successful Sydney sporting side of the last decade, and they were unsustainable.

Sydney FC recently secured their second A League title in the competitions five year existence, but average home crowds have dropped to 12,000 from 16,000 in that time, well below the NRL average of 17,000 and light years away from AFL's 36,000. The Waratahs crowds have dropped from around 30,000 in 2005 to 18,000 this season, despite making two grand finals in that time and having a relatively low number of home games each season.

These figures make good ammo for league fans in the battle of the codes, but they certainly aren't a good sign for the future of the diverse sports landscape we currently have in Australia. The A League are trying to find a foothold in the sporting consciousness, and have had plenty of media backing in doing so, but the network television deals aren't there and become less likely the bigger the AFL and NRL deals become. They would do well to find a comfortable niche like rugby union has, well below the big two in ratings for their club competition but able to provide quality international matches that are big money spinners and enough to keep the sport above water. Basketball may not be so lucky, for them surviving the next decade would be a success.

Rugby league fans like to paint their sport as a victim. Sometimes a victim of its own devices, such as during the Super League war, sometimes of the bottomless wallets of rugby union and the AFL, sometimes of the media and their agendas. In reality, we aren't a victim at all. We are incredibly lucky to hold such a strong position in such a competitive market, with a huge television deal coming up, growing crowds and ever increasing media attention. We are lucky not to wake up wondering if our teams will be around tomorrow, to be able to watch our sport on free television and to be able to complain about the game being scrutinised too much by the media, when other sports would love to have even half the attention we get.

Rugby league is a very lucky sport.

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750 between the lines.

 

[tits&tans]

tits&tans for the Titans roars on to the field on his new birthday present, complete with ribbons on the handlebars and reflectors on the spokes.

748 words (OWC) between the stars:

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Half time​

Another day, another month, another year. Time ticks by. Trees shed their leaves. Buildings decay. Wrinkles appear. Bodies droop. Life simply rolls on and sweeps away everything with it.

It’s that time of year again. It’s the time of year when I spend at least half of the day moping around the house in my “comfy clothes” and my family takes a collective step back. My kids know that today daddy needs some time for himself, and my wife is sick of nagging me. I think she has learned that on this day, I need to be able to contemplate the nature of time, the vastness of the universe and our generally insignificant place in it. That’s right, today is that special day, that happy day – my birthday.

Historically, April 14th has never really been a good day.

In 1759 composer Handel died. In 1792, the French Revolutionary wars begin. In 1865, Lincoln is assassinated. In 1912, the Titanic hits an iceberg. In 1915, the Turks invade Armenia. The NYC subway fare doubles to 10 cents in 1948. In 1958, Sputnik 2 burns up on reentry. All in all, not a good day.

This year I am feeling worse than normal, because this year two dates have aligned to cause, what is for me, a cataclysmic event. My age today is exactly half of both my life expectancy (as calculated by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the World Bank) and as calculated by www.deathclock.com. Half of my life is over. This is the downward slope; the home stretch; the last slalom.

I have reached this stage of my life and I’ve begun to question exactly what I have done with what should have been, arguably, the most valuable and productive years of my life. Have I accomplished those dreams that filled my childhood waking moments? Have I fulfilled the promise that teachers claimed they saw in me? Have I lived up to the expectations of my childhood coach? My dreams and potential were all locked around my talents as a young athlete. I played all sports well, in particular league, and apparently I could have gone far. I’m not sure why I haven’t or didn’t, but today, of all days, is not the time to delve to deeply into that dark pit.

I have a loving family, great kids, a rewarding job, financial security, good friends, our own house, and a suitable lifestyle. So why does it feel like I haven’t accomplished much? Can footie really have had or continue to have such a hold over me?

Footie … that word rattles around my brain looking for a thought to connect with. It finds “team” and then “gold”.

Yes, I have followed and loved the Giants, Seagulls, Gladiators and Chargers, but there is no comfort there.

Then something begins to glow, deep at the back of my mind. The word “Queer” floats upwards, and it takes a minute to realize it actually reads “Queensland”.

Aha! Of course!

And the truth floods my consciousness and my mind is cast back to that jubilant day. It’s half time and we are 15-5 down to the Blues. Things weren’t clicking and the scene was set for our second successive drubbing at the hands of our enemy. But, up-stepped Wally, Close, Meninga and Backer and then came one of the best second halves I’ve ever experienced as we took it to them and emerged victorious at 22-15!

I suddenly realized that half way is not the end, but merely the beginning of the best to come.

With this new perspective on life, I have come to see that, historically, today not such a bad day: In 1828, the first Webster dictionary was published. In 1894, the first public motion picture was shown. The first Volvo car is shown in 1927. Russia broadcasted its first live TV program in 1961. Ritchie Blackmore was born in 1945 and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1977. The blockade against China is lifted in 1971. The 1,100,000,000th Chinese person was born in 1989 (mostly positive). In Angola, they celebrate being young today and in South Korea, they celebrate being single. All in all, not a bad day.

More importantly, I have come to see that my life is not half over, simply half-begun.

More importantly still is that it was rugby league that was the catalyst for this change. Just goes to show how powerful our game really is.


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[Matt23]

The new NRL TV deal

Matt23 making his run on debut for the Eels, well folks the rights for the free to air coverage is up for renewal, and here’s hoping when the deal is done and dusted, hopefully the game of Rugby League and all it’s supporters not just in New South Wales and Queensland but all it’s supporters especially those in Victoria.
With the recent Good Friday TV debacle still fresh in the minds of fans south of the border, the game between the premiers, the Melbourne Storm and the St George Illawarra dragons, Channel Nine, a regular source of anger and frustration for NRL fans in Melbourne due to its reluctance to broadcast matches in a reasonable timeslot, had wanted to show Friday's game live at 4pm in NSW, Queensland and Victoria until the kick-off was brought forward to 2pm because of concerns it would conflict with the annual Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal, to add insult to injury, viewers were then forced to wait until 11pm to view the game on TV.
Channel Nine’s excuse being, “the network was happy not to be detracting from its rival's fund-raising efforts by broadcasting the heavyweight clash between the world club champions and last year's minor premiers in opposition to a charity event on a rival network”.
I know it’s a long standing charity event and blah blah blah, but seriously why couldn’t the NRL and Channel Nine have taken steps to avoid this clash long before it occurred?
Seriously when the TV rights are renewed, hopefully Rugby League fans south of the border are able to view not only NRL matches but representative matches are shown at a reasonable hour, 11pm and 12pm are unacceptable regardless of weather Victorians dislike Rugby League or not, if they don’t like watching Rugby League that’s fine, nobody is forcing them to watch it, they can always change the channel.
In my view for too long NRL has pandered to the whims of the AFL in regards to TV coverage in Victoria, it’s about the picked up there act and gave viewers a choice, but back to the issue of free to air coverage, rival codes should not be a factor when the new deal is done and dusted, it should include coverage of the NRL at a reasonable hour in the Southern capital, something the Nine network as previously been unwilling to do, and with the interest from rival free to air networks, hopefully whichever network or networks win the free to air rights, that the game itself as well as rugby league fans are the winners.
Recently NRL boss, David Gallop stated "We are certainly open to the idea of more than one free-to-air network, Mr Gallop said."But at the same time we recognise the value of exclusivity”.
Personally I see the benefits of this being the advantages to having the club competition on two networks because you are getting value inside the broadcast and in the exposure to more markets and a better all round coverage of the game as result, and with more then one network holding the right, fans in Victoria are more then likely to see rugby league on there screens at a reasonable hour a change, I know a certain rival code in Victoria will more then likely be up in arms about this, but they have held a monopoly too long, and feel the time has come for the monopoly to be broken.
Now to the current coverage of the NRL, the coverage while being excellent is still flawed, I take for example the current 4pm Sunday coverage, it should be live not delayed, I reckon Nine shows it at 4pm, to plug it’s News or it’s other programming, for example how much did Ray Warren says “National Nine news is next” and wax lyrical about the upcoming debut of Underbelly? My answer, to bloody much!
The NRL should never have let the Sunday afternoon debacle happen, and if they do win the rights which one suspects they will, the NRL should be insisting on upon more live coverage, the fact that other networks are challenging is a step in the right direction, and may finally force the Nine network to lift it’s game, here’s hoping anyway.

714 words including header

 

[TITs ANonymouS]

TITs ANonymouS struggles onto the field fighting a bout of the dreaded flu and hoping like hell he doesn't have to do a dope test today. 749 OWC between the lines.

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The Year of Lazarus​

Will the current NRL year go down in history as the Year of Lazarus? For those who may be wondering who or what Lazarus is, pray allow me to enlighten you.

Lazarus was a man who lived at the time when Jesus was walking the earth spreading the good word of Christianity. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, fell ill and died whilst Jesus was “on tour”. He had been entombed for four days by the time Jesus arrived home. Such was Jesus’ pity for his friend’s grieving sisters, that he had the stone rolled away from the entrance of the tomb and bade Lazarus to arise and come out. Lo and behold, he did.

Now we’ll take a quick “Back to the Future” trip and arrive here in April, 2010 at the completion of round 5 in this year’s NRL competition. We have witnessed a string of teams coming “back from the dead” and a number of close shaves where the leading team has been nervously looking over their shoulder.

For the spectators, this has provided some fantastically exciting games. Just when you think that XXXX couldn’t taste any better, your team drops the ball and from the ensuring scrum, the opposition scores. Your XXXX is now a little warmer than you remember. Then, a stupid fourth or fifth tackle penalty in the play the ball area gets the opposition deep inside your team’s territory. They score again in the next set of six and the game is on. Your XXXX is downright flat at this stage.

Only five minutes ago you were thinking that the game was practically over. You were even considering switching channels to catch the end of the live Paris lingerie and swimwear show. Now, however, your mouth is dry, the beer is drier and your team is doing its utmost to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Suddenly, it dawns on you that your footy tips are blown out of the window to boot. Damn it! You were about to take the lead in the office competition. Now this ridiculous turn around seems to forever prevent you getting one up over that pompous boss of yours. Surely a team knows when it’s beat and should just go quietly into the night and let nature take its course. But this, this is unnatural; a miscarriage of justice, surely a team that runs up such a huge lead deserves to win.

Then your wife lets out a scream of delight and runs in to tell you she has hit the jackpot in the lotto. At the same time, your fifteen-year-old daughter wanders into the living room and announces she is pregnant but can only narrow down the potential father to five boys. Your phone beeps and a text message from your twin brother announces that he is coming out of the closet. None of this even comes close to reaching the inner sanctum of your thoughts, as the opposition have scored on the bell and received an eight point try to snatch victory by two points.

All is lost - the office competition, bragging rights, the joy of wearing your team’s colours at work, your team’s carefully orchestrated march to the finals and … PREGNANT!

“What the? Pregnant! Who …what….. how … no, I know how, but who? WHO? Five you say, well, spit it out girl, spit it out!”
“Spit what out dad?”
“Erm … do you know what team they support?”

Such dramatic scenes have been played out across the country each week this year as teams continue to pull a “Lazarus” and leave their supporters delirious with joy or well, just delirious.

The greatest comeback I can remember was a game I’ll never forget. I doubt I will ever see a gutsier performance or a more exciting try.

Now whilst the points difference wasn’t as large as many other come back games, this was a State of Origin match and the clock was ticking. In fact the fat lady was warming up her voice. The Maroons looked destined to go down 1-0 in the 1994 Origin series as they stared at a 12-4 deficit in the dying stages of the opening game. Even though a converted try to winger Willie Carne brought them close, it appeared that time would still beat them. However, in a final desperate play, Maroons’ replacement Mark Coyne conjured up a miraculous, match-winning try.

Meninga bade Coyne go forth and score, and lo and behold he did.
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[Amadean]

Amadean on for the Titans, reeling his tackle over the line with 750 words.

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Fandom: Facts and Foibles

People often ask me what I find so interesting about economics. “Amadean”, they'll ask, “what can possibly be fascinating about a system of thought so ridiculously complicated that it can't be understood by any one person? Even if you could understand it all, why wouldn't you choose to study something that hasn't just had a global financial crisis to prove it wrong?” Actually, my day-to-day existence being what it is, they're more likely to ask me to stop drooling on their shoulders or to never go near their goldfish ever again, but I digress.


The reality is that I find in economics a system that allows me to answer questions. The fact that economics only ever provides me with answers that are demonstrably incorrect is utterly irrelevant. Take, for instance, crowd attendance at any given Titans' home game. Using the wonders of econometrics (statistics for people less cool than statisticians, and yes, that category actually exists. Feel free to 'fan' our Facebook page!) I can state to within about 10 people, how many fewer would've arrived at the game if it had've been raining. Of course, this number is undoubtedly wrong, but safely so: it is impossible to ever arrange circumstances again in precisely the same manner to test whether or not my maths was wrong. Sure, the Titans will play the Roosters again, but on a day with the same weather? when both teams are on the same position on the league table? when the local unemployment rate is identical? when Scott Prince and Todd Carney are playing? when meat pies cost exactly $4.50? when Carney is sober? There are an infinite array of variables affecting every game's attendance, from the big to the small, so the fact that my econometrical model is wrong is.... irrelevant.


I love that.


I absolutely adore being able to feel categorically superior to everyone around, whilst (in reality) having no more knowledge than them. I love being able to be accurately, convincingly wrong every time. Why? Two reasons.


Firstly: that frission of doubt is what makes League, and every other sporting event from pole-vaulting to politics, so much fun. If I were able to state truthfully that the Titans would win every match this year, then that would be boring. If I were able to, through the blackened magic of maths, predict perfectly when Scott Prince would have his next season-ending injury, then that would be boring. If the bathos of horoscopes were otherwise, and Uranus really did know whether the Broncos would actually make the fracking finals, then that would be boring. I don't like being bored.


I like shouting with angry joy when Tallis drags some cockraoch over the sideline by his collar and turns around a losing game. I don't shout so loud at the replays. The lure of the unknown is familiar to all sports fans: its why we do what we do.


Secondly, well the second part is trickier. Not wanting to know the result is understandable, but wanting to feel superior to every scum-sucking Bulldogs fan is... well ok that's understandable too. Feeling superior to the opposition is normal: if we didn't know, deep down in the cockles of our hearts, maybe even in the colon, our team is inherently superior (despite results, attendance, wealth and all that rubbish) to the opposition, then we couldn't support them with the fevour we do. Yet, it goes a little further than that, doesn't it? I know for a fact that I'm a better Broncos fan than my mates, who are in turn sure they're more loyal supporters than me. They're good blokes, apart from the whole cross-dressing thing (Hi Josh!), but I truly believe I'm closer to the game than them. They know they're better too. We both know that we're the only one who really feels any pain when Lockyer passes long or when Thaiday rolls an ankle. There seems to be something about sport that brings out the most competitive in all of us: not only does our team have to win, but we need to as well. Preferably with goldfish.


Hence the economics. I get to feel superior without the real burden of any extra knowledge. By buying into some ridiculously complex set of rules, I get to really feel that I know what'll happen, without the crushing boredom that comes from actually knowing what happens.


Foolishness is part of being a fan, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Misanthrope]

Misanthrope makes his return to F7s football with a run out wide.

What Have You Done for Me Lately?​

“What have you done for me lately?” seems to be a question that many Knights supporters are asking their club of late. The days where the Newcastle Knights could rely on their mere presence to draw a massive crowd to every home game are long gone. What must a former rugby league stronghold do to win back the hearts and minds of the Novocastrian public?

It’s fair to say that the world changed considerably between the late nineties and the embryonic stages of the current decade. Fifteen years ago, fans in Newcastle had access to just three games a week – two from FTA TV and the promise of NBN re-broadcasting the Knights’ latest encounter. It was a time when Foxtel and Austar were not quite as widespread, and having this limited, yet constant, access did a lot to endear locals to the Knights brand.

But as the world shrinks because of subscription TV, streaming, and the ability to receive detailed score updates on mobile phones and gaming consoles, it seems like the average Novocastrian is spoiled for choice. No more do you have to support the Knights to be guaranteed of seeing your side in action every week, nor do you have to attend games at EnergyAustralia Stadium. All eight games are broadcast into family homes each round, so it’s possible for a young kid to jump on board whichever team catches their fancy and still see their team every week.

This nationalization of the game has hurt the Knights more than most clubs. Still operating under a dated business model, the team has not yet adjusted to the realities of a life where locals aren’t forced to simply support them by default. In this modern era of highly paid players, rugby league video games, and market saturation, it’s no longer enough to simply be there to win support. Clubs need to be proactive.

The recent push to increase club memberships has been admirable. While all clubs have offered some kind of membership package for quite some time now, the recent focus on this issue has shown the Knights up for the backward institution they are. Whereas Souths fans can jump online and become members in a few minutes, Knights fans need to print out a form and either fax it back or trot on down to the post office. It’s a small thing, but in this modern time of instant gratification, those few extra minutes of effort could be the difference between a new member and an almost-member.

It’s more than just membership or complacency, however. There are a million little things that a professional sports team needs to be doing in order to attract new fans. Merchandising, enhancing the game day experience, recruitment, and on field success are just a few of the more crucial things the club must be aiming to improve.

In a time where sport is also a business, the Knights would do well to think of their would-be fans as customers as well. What do the Knights have to offer their customers? Or, as Eddie Murphy would have said, ‘What have you done for me lately?’

The club has been in steady decline on field for quite a few years. The Smith era, while having gone some way towards repairing the ‘mates before skill’ attitude,e that has seen the likes of Kade Snowden and Greg Bird passed over, came to an end a few years too early. The gaps left by the departures of iconic players, such as Robbie O’Davis, Andrew Johns, and Ben Kennedy, have not been filled with marketable new faces. Where, once the club could rely on a stream of promising youngsters coming through to prop them up, the advent of the NYC and the game’s increasing professionalism have meant that the Knights even struggle to keep local boys.

There’s no quick fix to the many problems the Knights are facing as a 1980s club in a 2000s world. The catch 22 is that money is needed to make the fixes needed to win fans over, but the club’s sole real source of income is its fans. With the Knights fan-base shrinking with every loss and player indiscretion, the club finds itself in a pit from which it will need outside aid to escape.

But we’re told we don’t need privatization. I’ll gladly hand over my $35 for membership, but even I find myself asking ‘What have you done for me lately?’

WORD COUNT: 749 words

 

[bartman]

With a rush of blood to the head, bartman closes it out for the Eels...

- - - - -

Adrenaline rush…

Can’t let the team down today, the coach finally gave me a shot.
No wins from three matches - rookie halfback, come on down!

Ok, gotta calm down. Breathe. Relax…. One hour until kick off, it’s time to head into the sheds and get ready. I might be the youngest guy in this team, but I have to keep a level head if I’m going to get the job done.

This tunnel is a lot different on game day. During the week it’s pretty empty, you can hear the voices echo as the squad makes its way out for skills sessions. But today it’s full of movement and energy - people everywhere while we thread our way through to the dressing rooms.

There’s the number 7 locker, and that would be my seat right in front. I’ve never paid much attention to this room on training days, and like the tunnel it takes on a life all of its own when there’s a first grade game on. The game day buzz... it’s not only me that’s nervous!

Inside is my equipment bag – socks, skins, shorts, pads and jersey. I grab my jersey in both hands, and give it a kiss – first grade debut. This jersey is gonna be a keeper! I just better have a good game today, remember the game plan and get the job done.

Ok, gotta calm down. Breathe. Relax…. It’s my turn on the tables for the rub down before we do our warm ups on the field.

As I take off my street clothes and hang them in the halfback locker, I feel like a little kid all over again. A little kid whose childhood dream is coming true! Face down on the table, warm hands and liniment rub over my body like I’m trapped in a cloud. That pain away stuff doesn’t smell as bad as deep heat, that’s for sure.

Now back to the locker and on with the playing gear. Debut jersey fits well. Favourite boots slide on. Only thirty minutes until kick off. Breathe.

Some of the guys are giving me pats on the back when they cross the room. Nothing much is said, just “good luck kid”. Everyone’s nervous. This is what it all comes down to – performance time. Trainer gives the word, and we file down the tunnel to stretch and loosen up.

Crowd in the stands is looking good. There’s a fair few fans on the hill too. You can hear a dull noise - might even be a bit of a cheer for us, but it just fades into the background. I can see some banners being held up, but can’t make out the words from here. My head is too full and busy – just remember the game plan, and get the job done.

Trainer is running us through the stretches as a team. Don’t want anyone doing their hammy before the game! Don’t want anyone twisting awkwardly in the opening minutes because they’re not loosened up. Skill drills are next, we break into forwards and backs to get a feel for the ball in the hand and the ground underfoot. The forwards run at the tackling pads, we start to try some short kicks, cut out passes. Just shaking the cobwebs out, soaking up the atmosphere, getting in the zone.

We all come together, trainer runs us through some more stretches. He’s telling us simple positive things, preparing us to listen for the coach’s final instructions. On the way back to the sheds we pass the on-field announcer reading from his script, he looks up and gives me a wink. I don’t even nod back - he’s a douche and I’m gonna stay focussed.

Everyone takes their seats in the dressing room. Plastic chairs all in a circle. Coach is in the middle, looks us all in the eye. Says we know what we have to do. We’ve been talking about it all week. He says we know how good we can be, and that we can do this. We CAN do this! Just remember the game plan, and get the job done.

There’s a knock on the door – it’s time. We stand up, reach our arms into the middle and grab hold tight. We let out a quick team war cry, and turn to file out of the tunnel. Guys are still patting me on the back, “let’s do this” they say.

Here we go.

You only get this moment once….

Debutante halfback - come on down!


- - - - -

749 words between the lines

 

[Non Terminator]

5v5, well done all.

 

[bartman]

for 5v5.

Looking forward to reading all of these. Good luck Titans and Eels.

 

[antonius]

Titans


Titanic

The Dell on NRL Fatty Matty Footy Wooty Tactical Rugby League Show
743 Words
I wasn’t sure if this piece was intended as humor or a satirical look at the footy shows, or both. When I started reading I was expecting the laughs to come thick and fast. However after a couple of paragraphs I was struggling to stay interested, I’m sorry but it just didn’t have anything there that made me sit up and take notice.
Score 83

tits&tans

Half time
748 Words
Although comparatively low on football content this cleverly written piece contains enough to weave a story around. The author realises that after recalling a halftime scoreline from a long ago SOO game his life is not half over but in fact the beginning of the best that is to come. Enjoyable reading.
Score 87

TITs AnonymouS

The Year of Lazarus
749 Words
An amusing look at the number of comebacks from teams almost dead and buried this season. Well written, and funny in parts.
Score 86

Amadean

Fandom: Facts and Foibles
750 Words
The writer compares his calling with that of being a footy fan. Well written.
Score 86

Misanthrope

What Have You Done for Me Lately?
749 Words
A subject close to my heart.The predicament of the Knights is a concern for all their fans and one that will not be easily cured. The writer goes through the reasons he sees as their undoing, and askes the question of them. They really need to do some soul searching. Good reading.
Score 86





Eels

Parramatta_Power

Losing a piece of the pie???
750 Words
A comparison of the prospects of the footy codes in Sydney. The writer gives his opinion of why league will remain the most followed game there.
The writer tries hard to get his viewpoint across, but the piece is marred by some poor grammar and spelling, which spoils the flow when reading. A little more care proof reading would be time well spent.
Score 79



Hallatia

Dear God,
749 Words
The writer tells us in his own way how he came to support his team. He looks at the other teams and tells us why they are not for him. Some good passages in this, but it didn’t really flow, I had to keep re reading some passages to get the writers meaning.
Just a suggestion here.
I found the ending rather abrupt, and out of context with the body of the article. The words used (Pride Passion Love) came out of the blue really; nowhere in the piece prior did I detect that much feeling for your team, maybe you could have included within the piece a gradual build to why you love them so much?
Score 82


Goleel

Does rugby league realise how lucky it is?
750 Words
How true is this piece? The writer points out how lucky our game is compared to the other struggling sporting leagues trying to gain a financial foothold to gain support for their codes. He uses some good examples of why we are managing to keep above water when other successful teams struggle to compete for the almighty dollar as well as media support. Well written and thought provoking.
Score 88

Matt23

The new NRL TV deal
715 Words
Not sure about the first paragraph, I think something was left out there?? This piece could have used a proof read. Many words are missing, or used in the wrong context, some poor spelling and numerous long sentences made this difficult reading.
Score 70


Bartman

Adrenaline rush…
749 Words
The writer puts his thoughts on paper as to what it would be like to be making your first grade debut. I thought the piece could have used a little more insight into the actual game experience, but that’s just me. Again well written.
Score 85

Result Titans 428 defeated Eels 404 POTM Goleel

 

[Misanthrope]

A winning return to F7s! I love it. Well in, Titans Thanks for a good game, Eels.

 

[bartman]

Cheers for the quick marking Antonious.

Congrats Titans - still undefeated and looking hard to beat!

Well done Eels (and Gol for POTM), all five of our articles in, and some comments we can all take into account for future rounds :thumn.

 

[Titanic]

Sorry all - I have been in the "baijou' boonies in the north of Jiangsu without internet.

Onya team .. thank heavens someone else can write... ridiculous, thank heavens you all can write.... great combined effort.

Bartman... a great effort and we certainly look forward to the next challenge. Goleel - well deserved.

Antonius, you devil, thank you for just being you.

 

[bartman]

Not quite sure it's an apt for an Bindi Eye Cup, but it's all yours Titanic ;-)