Round 4a (2007) Panthers v Bluebags

[Willow]

Round 4a (2007)
Split round
Penrith Panthers v Newtown Bluebags

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 essays, not used in previous games, will be marked by referees.
Rules: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.asp
Home team allowed one extra reserve player
FULL TIME: Wednesday 30 May 2007 at 9pm (Syd time)

REFEREE: Master Vippo
Venue: Panthers Stadium

**The Referee Blows Game On!**

 

[Willow]

The Bluebags find a parking spot and make their to the visitor's shed.

Bluebags round 4:

Everlovin' Antichrist
Dragon_psa
Polar Bob
Cheesie-the-pirate
Drew-Sta

Res:
Gorilla
Willow

Good luck one and all.

 

[Big Mick]

Panthers take the field for this enthralling clash of two heavyweights....they both tip the scale over.

Panthers for Round 4:

1) Glockers
2) [Furrycat]
3) Paul-The-Cowboy
4) Madunit
5) Leaguenut

Res:
6) Waken
7) Big Mick
8) Pantherz9103

Good luck to all involved.

 

[madunit]

madunit for the panthers

Why Bother Cup?

Back in 1954, a concept was designed to see which Rugby League nation was the best. What ensued was the first ever Rugby League World Cup, contested between Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and newcomers to the international scene, France.

This competition was a tight one, with only one of the six games played seeing a score of more than 30 points. Great Britain and Australia were clear favourites to play in the final, however a 15-5 victory by France over Australia, saw them leapfrog Australia and walk into the final against Great Britain. The French lost the final by four points, but a platform had been set.

In the next two world cups, Australia (in 1957) and Great Britain (in 1960) were undefeated after their three matches and were awarded the title on superiority. In 1968 Australia and France played out the final, with Australia bringing home the trophy. France being the only team to play in the World Cup final on both occasions thus far.

In 1975, Wales was introduced into the World Cup Competition, after Great Britain had easily claimed the previous two cups. The idea was primarily to weaken the Great Britain side and make a more competitive competition. This had the desired effect, with Australia claiming the title based on its win-loss record for the series.

In 1977, the World Cup reverted back to its original format of four teams playing each other once, which saw Australia beat Great Britain by just one point in the final.

In 1985 a new format for the world cup was created whereby each team would play a home and away series. The competition took four years to complete. Papua New Guinea was the new inclusion to the competition, however they proved to be nothing more than the whipping boys, letting in 325 points in just 7 games.

The 1989-92 World Cup was heavily dominated by Australia and was the turning point in World Cup Competition. World cups prior to this were generally a very closely fought contest by at least all the teams bar one. Now only 2 or 3 of the teams were competitive while the rest were there to make up the numbers.

The 1995 World Cup further enhanced this realisation, more so with the introduction of more teams into the fray. Fiji, South Africa, Tonga, Wales and Western Samoa were all added to the competition, joining lowly France and Papua New Guinea. South Africa let in an average of over 60 points a game in their three appearances alone. Eventually the three strong nations, Australia, England and New Zealand, were the last three teams in the competition, as everyone expected.

It begged the question, “Why bother?”

Along came the 2000 World Cup. The minnows from the previous world cup were bolstered by the inclusion of teams from Russia, Lebanon, Cook Islands, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand Maori’s. With 11 of the 30 games resulting in a winning score of over 50 points, it became pretty clear that there was a massive gap between the elite and the rest.

The final series of the 2000 World Cup was also utterly disappointing, with score lines such as 66-10 and 54-6 in the Quarter finals, 46-22 and 49-6 in the semi finals and 40-12 in the final, showing just how poorly organised and useless the world cup had become.

The 2008 World Debacle Cup is undergoing its preparations as we speak. It poses to be nothing more than a boring try romp with Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain being the last three teams remaining. It needs to change for the benefit of the lesser nations.

My proposal is different, but makes for more competitive matches. Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain automatically advance to the World Cup. All other countries play in a World Cup Invitational; the winner gets invited to participate in a four team World Cup series. Each team plays the other twice, before the final between the top two teams to decide the World Cup winner.

Currently, lower teams are being humiliated on the world stage. Is this a good thing for the game in their respective countries? No.

Lets not make this a demoralising experience for newcomers to the game of Rugby League, lets give them a chance to improve and grow, and one day become a competitive force.

This is what the international game needs.

Otherwise, why bother?

739 words, including title

 

[Dragon_psa]

After dipping his jockstrap in a vat of linament just to provide a bit of an "edge", Dragon_psa lets loose upon the Panthers pack in a wild eyed frenzy of F7's fervour and hopes that his effort inspires his team mates.

Freddie: One of the best.

There has been a plethora of exceptional playing talent to grace the game over the one hundred seasons or so of professional Rugby League in Australia. From players such as Dally Messenger in the beginning, to current greats such as Darren Lockyer, there is one name that stands tall among the game’s legends. That name is Brad “Freddie” Fittler.

Fittler is one of the game’s true icons. The fresh faced teenager took the field for Penrith against the Western Suburbs Magpies in August 20, 1989, replacing Brad Izzard at five-eighth in the second half of the match. Freddy unleashed his lethal left foot step upon Great Britain representative Ellery Hanley and then chipped over the top of the Wests fullback for Greg Alexander to gather and score a sublime four pointer. It marked the beginning of a stellar career !

The next year Fittler became the youngest ever player (aged 18 years and 114 days) to wear the sky blue of New South Wales in game two of State of Origin in Melbourne. He made his grand final debut in September of that same year in the 18-14 defeat to Canberra, and was promptly named in the Kangaroo touring squad ! He became the youngest player to ever lace up a boot for Australia, aged just 18 years and 247 days, when he ran out against Wakefield.

However, Brad didn’t stop there. Fittler became the third youngest captain of Australia (aged 23 years and 138 days) in 1995 after he replaced Mal Meninga amidst the Superleague drama. Fittler handled himself with aplomb, proceeding to tear New Zealand a new orifice in arguably one of the most dominant performances of any player in the international arena. Australia had also found a new long term skipper. Brad firmly established himself as one of the world’s best international players, and continued to dominate with the Kangaroos until his retirement from the international game in 2001.

The following season, the Penrith Panthers decided to join the rebel Superleague competition, but Fittler decided to remain loyal to the ARL. As a result, he departed Penrith and joined the Sydney City Roosters on a massive contract and under his old mentor Phil Gould.

Fittler went from strength to strength at Bondi, almost single handedly turning around the club’s fortunes. The tricolors did not miss the finals once in his nine season tenure at the club. It was a stark contrast to their previous ten or so seasons !

In 2002, Fittler captained the Roosters to their first premiership win since 1975 in a superb performance against a red-hot New Zealand Warriors side. The Warriors had finished the season as Minor Premiers, and were favorites with a number of punters to take the trophy out of Australia for the first time. It was not to be - Fittler led from the front in dismantling the Kiwi side after having been almost knocked cold from a head clash with Warriors prop Richard Villasanti. Freddy returned to the Grand Final stage twice more in the following two seasons, but, alas, there wasn’t another title added to those he had attained in 2002 and in 1991 with Penrith.

Fittler’s legacy at Bondi remains unmatched, and will likely be so for years to come. One obvious pointer to that fact is that since his retirement, the Roosters have missed the finals in both ensuing seasons, and at the time I write this, look likely to do so again in 2007.

Freddie Fittler is one of the games true gentlemen, and he has my utmost admiration and respect, despite never playing for my club; as well as the respect of a multitude of Rugby League fans, players, and officials across the globe. I am sure he will be added to ‘The Immortals’ in due time.

Thanks for the memories, Freddie.

Brad Fittler
Born: February 5th 1972.
First grade career: 336 games (Penrith 119, Roosters 217).
First Grade debut: Penrith vs. Wests at Campbelltown, August 20th 1989 (round 21).
Awards: Provan-Summons medal 1997, Golden Boot 2000.
Representative honours: 34 tests (20 as captain) and 5 World Cup matches for Australia 1990-2001; 31 State of Origin matches for NSW 1990-2004 (14 as captain); 8 matches for City vs. Country 1990-1997.

711 words including title. Bluebags forever!

 

[Drew-Sta]

Drew-Sta charges down the field to take on the Panthers defence, his Bluebag uniform only slightly wrinkled after last nights festivities.

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How the times have changed…

It could almost be said that Rugby League was birthed in 1892, when Bradford and Leeds were both issued with charges of professionalism for compensating players for missing work. What started as the protection of an amateur sport enjoyed by those in England and Australia turned into, effectively, a clear social class divide based on the earnings of the individual. This was due to lower and middle class players being forced to pay out of their own pocket for medical bills and time off work; Something the richer, upper class players had very little to worry about.

Fed up that their players received no financial help at all, even with large paying crowds attending games, several clubs took the drastic step of splitting with the Rugby Football Union, to form the Northern Union in 1895. However, the move had no effect on the RFU as they refused to bow to the clubs request, believing that ‘… if men couldn’t afford to play, then they shouldn’t play at all.’

Such an incredibly arrogant and elitist mentality was carried to Australia, and the enforcement of amateurism upon the predominately working-class of Sydney and Brisbane created a public division of attitude towards the Rugby Union authorities. With Sydney and Brisbane at risk of being lost to AFL, only the freakish talents of Dally Messenger kept fans attending, with July 1907 seeing an incredible 52,000 people attend to watch the NSW Rugby Union play the New Zealand All Blacks. All profit went to the administrations coffers.

By then, public sympathy for players of Messengers calibre was at its peak, and even the players themselves began to be aware of their own financial worth. Victor Trumper and James J. Giltinan stepped in to create the NSWRL on the 8th of August 1907, and the rest they say is history.

The actions of the ARU in coercing League players to 'switch sides' are those of a code that is struggling with its identity in Australia.

The evolution of Australian culture has drawn on many sources and was influenced by many other countries. The fact that Australia was founded as a penal colony has bred through to create what is called an ‘Egalitarian’ society; Which translates to be ‘…the moral doctrine that people should be treated as equals, in some respect.’ Distrust of the rich and powerful, which has continued through our society into the development of ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ means we, as a people, are less inclined to support a sport that we see as catering strictly for the rich, and played by ‘private school kids’. Union is, rightly or wrongly, associated with the Australian Private School system, millions of dollars in player salaries and has a tradition of sourcing players from the upper class of society.

Rugby Union has suffered because of this association. Rugby League, for the most part, has flourished as a direct result of Australian culture and our behaviour. The legendary accomplishments of Rugby League players throughout history attracts the common man to the sport for the courage and physical battle of ordinary men; Churchill's 1955 game-winning conversion with a broken wrist; Norm Provan and Arthur Summons as ‘The Gladiators’; John Sattler's enormous effort in 1970's Grand Final – These are the enduring images and elements of Rugby League that the average Australian man associates with. Union's purchase of NRL backs simply enforces a belief that League players are superior. The exorbitant salaries also contradicts their own history.

My concern is that Rugby League is gradually moving way from it's own identity as well. Each time I hear the word professionalism, or elite sportsmen bandied about by journalists, commentators and fans alike, I begin to re-evaluate what I enjoy about this sport, and exactly why I despise Rugby Union. The current fascination with athleticism as opposed to the essence and skills of a footballer makes me wonder if we're losing the base elements of the game we all love. With player salaries also slowly rising each year like the morning sun, the game is taking on more of an NFL and Union feel with the way the competition is administrated and the way the players seek to eke out more money from their limited time in the game.

Here’s hoping the game doesn’t lose too much of its character. After all, the sport is played for the people. Shouldn’t it in some way resemble us and what we love about it?

744 words.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_culture#Sport
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rugby_league
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarian
http://rl1908.com/History/rebellion.htm

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

EA for Da 'Bags.

The power rankings, an alternative view.

1. St. George/Illawarra Dragons.

Fastly resembling the Saints sides of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, without the positive attributes players like Darren Higgins, Michael Culbert and Kurt Landers brought to those sides.

Could probably be improved by poaching Rugby Union players.

No greater insult hath ever been typed.

2. South Sydney Rabbitiohs.

After all the hype, hope and Holmes-a-Court, Souths still can’t beat time with a stick.

3. Newcastle Knights.

In deep poo.

Disharmony obvious to anyone that doesn’t live in a hole in the ground covered by palm fronds in deepest, darkest Amazonian Brazil, combined with a walkout and injuries to star players means trouble.

Brian Smith is the right man for that type of job. Unfortunately, someone will need to clean up after Brian has done his job.

Will be lapped many times before their next win, which will probably be in 2008.

4. Sydney City Roosters.

Winning a game was a surprise, that the opponent was Cronulla wasn’t a surprise.

5. Canterbury Bulldogs.

They just plain suck. Would probably improve if Folkesy and Dr. George Peponis played.

The rumours doing the rounds that Folkes is about to get the flick could be on the money, but I’ll bet he survives. Folkes could survive if he was standing inside a half-demolished brick building with a lead roof that was hit by an earthquake, a tidal wave and a comet, all at the same time.

6. New Zealand Warriors.

Blaming Manu Vatuvei for everything including the All Black’s World Cup chokes, Peter Jackson’s movie Braindead and the Mongrel Mob won’t help. The kid had a shocker against Parramatta but the reason the Warriors can’t get a win is much deeper than just one kid struggling with his handling, it’s because Ivan Cleary is too good looking to be an NRL coach.

Sack Cleary and employ a coach with a head like a discarded boot, that’s my advice.

7. Penrith Panthers.

Matty Elliot has this mob firing on all 5 cylinders. Lost to the Wests Tigers last week even though the only thing the Wests Tigers didn’t do to lose the game was forfeit.

8. Brisbane Broncos.

Beat Newcastle like Catholic Priests beat Pommy orphans in 1970’s Western Australia but in Newcastle’s current circumstances, it’s nothing to get excited about.

Scott Minto is a huge loss and obviously had a lot to do with keeping the morale up of the Brisbane players. A man with a head like that is automatically a comedic genius.

Should put a Victrola on with a 78 of Teddy Bear’s Picnic playing at post-game press conferences. No one would notice the difference.

9. Gold Coast Titans.

Tough to beat at home, slightly tougher to beat away than knocking the skin off a tapioca pudding.

Have already done marvelously in their first season. Scotty Prince (bless him) and Anthony Laffranchi have been the buys of the season. Won’t make the semis but won’t be far off either.

10. Canberra Raiders.

Who do you think you are Canberra?

Read the script lads, you are supposed to win the wooden spoon. Everyone has money on it and if you don’t win the spoon, the economy will plummet into recession.

Desperate circumstances require desperate actions to halt this disgraceful situation.

Two words guaranteed to restore the balance; Brad Drew.

11. North Queensland Cowboys.

Great to watch but aren’t consistent. Get into Matty Bowen or Thurston early and they can fold quicker than Monica Lewinski can unhook a blue skirt in readiness for a trial.

Graham Murray must be thanking his lucky stars that he signed Scott Minto.

12. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Lost to the Roosters.

* Cue giggles.

13. Parramatta Eels.

Look dangerous when "Piggy" Riddell is smiling. Piggy smiling is also good news for the local Red Rooster franchise.

14. Wests Tigers.

6 in a row. Benji who?

My team have found ways to win in the last 6 weeks that previously weren’t invented.

The jury is still out.

15. Manly.

For the first time in my entire life I’m going to admit that I like watching Manly play.

Beaver Menzies will probably drag the team down a notch when he returns from injury.

That’s how well they’re going.

16. Melbourne Storm.

Even with a slight hiccup against Manly, the Mexicans are the team to beat. Losing Billy Slater is akin to an orchestra losing one of 17 violinists.

Would definitely win the comp with the addition of Scott Minto.

748 words, including title.

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Cheesie-the-Pirate for the mighty Newtown Bluebags!

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Shove that whistle, ref.

Attending your average NRL game you notice a remarkable phenomenon. The referee is always biased against the home team. When I say always, I mean always. All you need to do is pay attention to the crowd and they’ll be sure to let you know.

Every decision the referee makes against the home team is wrong. Of course, when the referee gives a decision in favour of the home side it is the correct one, but the sheer rarity of such an event is yet more evidence of his amazing bias.

The referees are so biased that the fan looking at the grainy scoreboard 100 metres away can swear that wasn’t a knock on and the guy up in the grandstand with the television screen a metre in front of him needs to visit the optometrist.

Don’t forget that the referees are bloody stupid too. They wouldn’t know the rules if they came up and bit ’em on the backside. The fan who has never officiated a game in his life knows all the rules (except for the ones he doesn’t agree with) but the guy in the middle knows nothing. He’s just out there to make sure the other team wins. Bastard.

Sarcasm and straw men aside, the logical somersaults you have to do perform to give credit to the criticisms directed at NRL officials during a game would challenge even the most gifted cerebral trampolinist.

First you have to believe that between a crowd of the home-team faithful and a team of two referees, two linesmen and several other officials it is the latter that is less inclined to biased conception.

Compounding that you’ve also got to get your head around the idea that the person on the hill is in a better position to view and appraise the situation on the field then the referee in the middle assisted by an official on each side and another in the stand with access to the video feed.

This isn’t to say that the officials won’t miss things, they do every game. The question that isn’t asked – and should be – is how many events do the fans miss? I’m inclined to think that for every infraction that the fans scream about another handful are spotted by the referee and not the crowd. For refereeing experts, the fans are mighty selective about it.

The stupidity element is the one that irks me the most. It might stroke your ego to imagine that your expertise on the rules of the game is greater than those on the field but it betrays the deep lack of critical thinking inherent in the spectator-referee. Referees are there because someone has to make the hard decisions, the answer to which is not always evident.

The fact that you disagree with someone does not make them wrong and it certainly does not make them stupid. Indeed, the referee’s well recognised expertise in the subject means that he’s much more likely than the fan to make the right call.

Of course, ultimately this entire exercise is folly. Footy fans don’t go to the game to be logical and calm critics. They’re there to assist their team to win any way they can. Letting the referee know when he’s not making the decisions they want is a legitimate part of the game and I can’t fault them for that.

Still, in the stark light of balanced consideration the fan’s response to the referee gives us a window into the relationship between the sports fans and their sport. For all the logical flaws that surround the fan’s constant and often unfounded criticism of the officials it remains part of a spectator’s role to do so anyway.

It’s an affirmation of the sports fan’s commitment to his or her team. Irrespective of logic or wisdom of the game that the referees must follow the fan can only see the game through his team-coloured glasses In this way the referee who calls the match down the middle must always be charged with bias by the crowd because the crowd’s idea of neutrality is in reality home town favouritism.

Expecting the referee to be please the fans is foolishness. He can’t and (thankfully) he won’t. Still, wouldn’t it be nice if instead of the vitriol that currently passes for analysis we had a bit of constructive criticism and even praise for the referees. Alright, even I can admit that might be taking it too far!

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749 words, including title.

 

[glockers]

Back in the day, when I was at university, I worked a number of part time jobs. My sources of income ranged from swimming teacher to maths tutor to rock concert usher to supermarket packer. One of these jobs was at various football grounds as a Mr Fix It. Need someone to run the car park, get me. Need someone to usher fans, get me. Need someone to stand outside the players’ sheds get me. Need someone to welcome the cheerleaders and help them out of their car, get me.

But one bright day an epical and age-old question occurred. More on what the decision involved in a little bit.

Let me give the setting first. I was working as a rover during a football shift on a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon at Parramatta Stadium, on the southern family hill. A rover basically walks around and answers questions like "where are my seats? (two rows across)" "where can I get a pie? (see that kiosk right in front of you)" "Can I get a beer? (No this is the family hill)".

On the alcohol hill the rover can be in a perilous position spotting drunks and fights. But on the southern hill it is pretty bloody easy work. It was such a cruisy afternoon and I finished at half time. Meaning I could catch the game in the second half for free.
But during this cruisy shift I spotted her.

The stunning redhead from the office, it was amazing that a good looking girl was at the football, but more amazing since she was single and had no boyfriend dragging her along.

I was doing some part time work at the office to gain experience and she was the typical hot secretary. I had kept our conversations nice and professional, but occasionally I caught a smile directed at me. But here I was in my part time work uniform looking dopey. To make matters worst she had two hot friends with her.

Anyway she spotted me and yelled out a hello and a conversation was started. The exact words I do not remember. But it included the I get off at half time and her inviting me to watch the second half with her.

An easy bloody decision right?

Wrong. My friend a Parra tragic was on the alcohol hill sitting alone for a change. He hadn’t had the best run of luck lately and I had promised to watch it with him.

Mates of sheilas? Damn it.

The age old question. Three ridiculously hot girls or my best mate at the footy.

Somehow a part of me decided that I couldn’t put my lower appendage above a friend in need. Somehow I decided the right thing was to watch the game with my best mate.

I know it was the right decision, but I continue to wonder what if to this day.
Sometimes life is hard at the football.

Yet a part of me still regrets it. A part of me wonders if I chose the girls whether I would still be in Sydney dating the love of my life right now.

Melodramatic, yes. Realistic, no. But I still wonder.

542 words.

 

[LeagueNut]

LeagueNut for the Panthers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Rainbow Connection

Every year Rugby League is faced with some sort of off-field drama, normally caused by the dangerous mix of boof-headed footballers and copious amounts of alcohol. And so often we go around in circles with the “boys will be boys” side lining up against the “but they’re role models” side. Both sides have a fair point – but while some people may completely refuse to accept that are a role model, it’s a fact of life in the days of professional sport that the general public, by and large, is going to look up to you.

In some cases it proves enormously beneficial. These days, Hazem El Masri is often held up as a shining example of a Rugby League role model for his strong links and work with the Lebanese community. The news media love it, and his fans love him for doing it. But role models don’t need to have a whole lot of press to have a positive effect – and sometimes they may not even know who they’re inspiring.

Earlier this year, Rugby League Week ran a story on up-and-coming Bulldogs forward Jarrad Hickey. It was a great read about a “fat kid made good” – someone who had weight issues as a youngster (and other inevitable health issues that come with being overweight) but was able to prove his doubters wrong and claim a spot in the Bulldogs first-grade squad. Instantly, whether he likes it or not, Jarrad has become a role model for those millions (if you believe the papers) of kids out there who are morbidly obese and consider opening the Coco Pops as their daily exercise.

The best part is that Jarrad doesn’t have to do a damn thing more than he’s already done. Nobody expects him to volunteer to run a “fat camp” and I don’t think he’s being lined up to promote a range of salads on TV. By simply playing Rugby League, he’s giving hope to plenty of people who are going through the same things he went through himself as a youngster.

That hope can be enormously beneficial and shouldn’t be taken lightly. People find motivation in all sorts of strange and wonderful places – and some of the things we see every day and take for granted could have an amazing effect on someone else through different eyes.

But there’s one thing that seems bloody strange to me – where are all the gay Rugby League players?

Rugby League, as with most male-dominated sports, doesn’t have any sort of tradition that welcomes or accepts gay players. Statistics show us that approximately 5% of men are gay – so surely there’d be at least one or two players out of the 272 that take the field for their respective NRL teams each weekend that fall within the 5% range.

We’re living in a rapidly changing world – heck, it was only 30-odd years ago that homosexuality was made legal in New Zealand, and these days gay couples are getting married – yet the acceptance of gay sportspeople has lagged behind. Strangely that’s not something that looks like changing anytime soon, but that’s a whole other story.

But when Ian Roberts became the first openly gay Australian Rugby League player back in 1995 there was no outrage or backlash at his announcement. The Rugby League public didn’t shun him, he wasn’t dropped or ridiculed or shamed, and he continued his successful playing career for a good few years after coming out. He has proved it can be done – so why hasn’t anyone followed his lead?

Seriously, if a current and prominent Rugby League player announced tomorrow that he was gay, would anyone really care? There might be a bit of media kerfuffle for a few days, but it would die down soon enough and he could carry on doing what he was doing before – playing professional Rugby League.

And for the scores of confused youth out there wrestling with their own personal dilemmas, all of a sudden there would be a small sign of acceptance. An indication that a gay man can still succeed in a world where words like “sissy” and “twig” are fired around like bullets. It really could make all the difference in the world.

So come on guys – we know you’re “out” there somewhere – so why not show us what you’re made of? The silence is deafening ... surely you can’t be as afraid as the youngsters?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
749 words in the official counter. GO THE PANTHERS!!! :crazy:

 

[Big Mick]

Substition:

Big Mick on for Paul-the-Cowboy
Waken on for [Furrycat]

 

[Lossy]

Polar Bob ambles up to the sideline for his traditional 10 Minutes of game-time for the bags. So strenuous.

--------------------------
Centrelink


Congratulations! You have been one of the lucky people selected to apply for an NRL coaching role. If you have the below skills, we want to hear from you!

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Or fax 61 (02) 9339 8508.

The great unwashed that make up rugby league fandom will never know what it takes to be a top coach, but what if the opportunity presented itself? What would we really know that could transfer to the coaching realm?

We think we know a lot. No, we really know very little. We participate because we are fans, a community, and like to believe we have a vested interest beyond the money that we throw at it. That we can participate and are not a mere revenue stream.

If we were to rock up and be interviewed, we'd be laughed at. There would not be the merest air of authenticity about claiming to coach, and they'd be right. We could certainly offer displays of verbal butchery such as, "Whether he runs out or not, he'll be out there at some stage, and we'll find out whether he's still recovering or fully recovered from that shoulder problem.” Marvellous. Attributed to Ricky Stuart, that genius is matched by a statement of blinding obviousness by Wayne Bennett: "We had a football team out there.”

No, it would take more than totting up a few quality Jack Gibson quotes, buying some cones from Rebel Sport, and swotting up on Phil Larder's Rugby League Coaching Manual. We give them an enormous amount of grief for something we know little about, which we are entitled to do, but disqualifies us from presenting a peer-like opinion to a coach. We are not a peer, though have much to offer.

Pre-internet, particularly in the politicised formative years of television, the media were the guardians of the truth. They felt a duty to filter the noise and provide their audience with what mattered. When having an audience itself became the main focus, the truth was sacrificed for adversarial bombardment. In the rugby league realm, the occasional Oasis project comes out. Try as they might to be Edward R. Murrows, all we get is Danny Weidler. If there is one thing the Steve Folkes rumours fowling the airwaves have convinced me of, it's how lazy he is. Replete with very poor and restricted information, he pounces at the earliest opportunity with the hope it may just come to fruition. A Channel Nine Dorothy clicking his high heels together and wishing to go home, with no magic to speak of. In the end, he has to survive on early press releases and spoon-fed information from his fellow "niners". There's a reason such a supposedly revelatory reporter isn't on the just released Top 100 most trusted list. He isn't. The closest out-of-the-closet league lover is Andrew Denton at 25. Footy Show redemption could be a poached host away Eddie.

Post-internet, we have a role to play. We can, and should, continue commenting on the coaches, with hindsight, from the safety of our keyboards, but we almost have an obligation to call out people like Weidler, Rebecca Wilson and even Ray Hadley on their nonsense. The cause is not reversing out of Iraq or save the whales, regardless, we have a passion for it. We are every bit as good at observing the game as those who earn a living for doing so. If the best we supporters, fans, and the insanely addicted can hope for is what we currently get, then the game is over. Rugby league cannot be the winner on the day unless we start making those that do what we are good at work harder, by making them as uncomfortable as we make the coaches.

We cannot presume to coach our way out of a paper bag. We can let Danny and his bosses know something.

----------------------

750 Words between the lines. Phew!

 

[Big Mick]

A Hard Days Knight!​

Well it certainly has not been just one hard day for Novocastrian fans this week. They have seen their beloved team suffer its worse defeat since their inception, they have been embroiled in coaching speculation and have lost and preparing to lose more of their favourite sons. While the turmoil surrounding player departures focuses on the relationship with coaches, what we really need to ask ourselves is where club loyalty in our game is?

Club loyalty: two very important words, yet with many different interpretations. They can refer to a player’s loyalty to a club but can also to a club’s loyalty to a player. What we have witnessed in recent times at various NRL clubs makes a mockery of the true meaning of these words. Club loyalty should be a two way street. If a club has nurtured, developed and financially rewarded a player over several years it should be that player’s duty to stand by the club that has developed him and not look for greener pastures elsewhere. However, if players have provided loyal service over many years and have even declined offers repeatedly from other clubs, sometimes to their financial detriment, they should expect not to be placed on the scrapheap by their club at the whim of club management or new coaching staff.

What is happening at Newcastle this week is a tragedy. We have a staunch, loyal player, a one-club player who has given his all for the club being shown the door, simply because he does not fit into the new coach’s plans for next year and beyond. This player’s father, Jack Newton, is Newcastle’s favourite son, and the only thing he loved more than his beloved Knights was watching his son play for them. This family is the epitome of club loyalty and Clint decision to sever his ties with the club must have been gut-wrenching but he had been painted into a corner by Brian Smith and had little choice.

On top of this comes the news that as many as nine other “one-club” players are going to be shown the door in a similar manner. Players who would have been expecting to play out their careers with the club after many collective years of loyalty face the prospect of finding new clubs or retiring from the game, simply because they do not figure in Coach Brian Smith’s grand plan for NRL season 2008. What are Knights fans supposed to think when the playing futures of players of this ilk, top-grade players, are under serious threat.

But it’s not just the Knights going through turmoil at the moment. The NRL itself is under attack with this barrage of mid-season trading occurring only 11 rounds into the competition. Have we suddenly turned into the English Premier League where we will allow such things occurring? We’ve seen two of the most talented halves in the game depart the Roosters, much to the fan’s dismay. We’ve seen other players of the calibre of Luke MacDougall leave the Dragons to play for the Knights, with evidence to suggest more player signings will follow in coming days.

What has happened to players and clubs in Rugby League in this day and age? Very seldom do we see a player take a pay-cut for the love of his jersey, striving to be a one club man. Unfortunately Rugby League has turned itself into an organisation where if no matter how loyal a player is, he will be cut at the first sign of weakness or trouble. The same however can be said of players, when they leave a struggling club, to play for a powerhouse just because they want to win.

As a player I know which path I would find more rewarding. Call me a traditionalist, but I believe in the old adage “the harder you work, the sweeter the success will be”. Players copping out and leaving struggling clubs for instant success are nothing more than posers and should be treated as such.

But club loyalty is certainly a two way street. But whichever way loyalty is broken, it is the fans that lose out. If a player leaves, supporters need to buy new numbers for their jersey, or children’s hearts will be torn up due to their favourite player not wearing the jersey they wear so proudly in the stands. In the end, it is us the fans that are the ultimate losers…but then again…it’s only business right?

747 words

 

[The Piper]

Waken for the Panthers 749 words

Emphases on the “National”

The Gold Coast Titans has entered the national rugby league competition with great players, great support and not the worse start to the year on the field. The Queensland based side has been pulling support to their home ground of Carrara Stadium in impressive quantities. The Titans played in front of 18,021 and in the other three games at home, the crowds were all in the 17,000s.

With Chief Executive David Gallop publicly stating that further expansion is over a decade away, these current statistics would suggest that there are areas in Australia that would thrive with a new league club based in their area. Obviously money is the factor. Gallop said any further expansion would leave less money for “grass roots” football in the country areas and lower grades. Though sponsorship deals are being made throughout seasons and there are the television rights that will go up again for bid in 2012. But we all know that Gallop, as every fan of the game too, would like the NRL become a truly national game.

The announcement this season of the WA Reds becoming invited into the Jim Beam Cup in 2008 is a step in the right direction. It was unfortunate that the previous Perth based club, the Western Reds, only managed to participate in the top grade for 1995 and 1996. The beginning of the Super League divided competition sealed their demise. But the time has come again, just over a decade later. There is interest in the western state, with Sunday Football being broadcast on free to air television, as well as State of Origin replayed. New memberships are being bought for the club. A new logo has been created for the start of the ‘new era’.

Although little information has been publicly announced, there is still a management team behind the push for a second New Zealand team in the form of the Southern Orcas. There was some talk about starting the side off in the English Super League, an out-there idea that shows their management is taking the bid seriously and looking at all areas of revenues to boost their chances at making it in the NRL one day. The Warriors have been producing not to shabby crowds with an average of over 12,500 fans a home match. A new Kiwi team would have the whole country with only the one team based in it, as a potential supporter’s base.

The population of the Central Coast of NSW is over 300,000 people with nearly 200,000 of them in the Gosford area, home the Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, a fantastic 20,059 capacity crowd ground not utilized by the National Rugby League at this point in time. The Rabbitohs v Knights game at the ground in Round 5 saw 18,321 fans turn up from around the area and then 19,111 again on May 5th for the classic Tigers v Storm clash. The men in charge for the bid would be hoping for another strong crowd this week for the Roosters Knights match. They have the perfect area, the perfect fan base and in their original bid some years ago had interest from top players to join the side, including Matt Orford and Glenn Morrison. What did Gallop know that we didn’t when he stated “The Central Coast is not the answer” only a few months ago? Seems like the go to me.

The Queensland Wizard Cup is a strong competition, based in the state’s capital and producing some of the great youngsters of the game today, such as Greg Inglis and Israel Folau. Matches at Suncorp Stadium, for not only the Brisbane Broncos but other team’s moved home games, have been the best on average in the game this season. The opening State Of Origin match a sellout, again this year at Suncorp. It is being strong contested that Brisbane is the new home of rugby league. With all these factors, surely the city is deserving of more footy. With financial backing, the Redcliffe Dolphins or Ipswich Jets could make the successful step up to the top grade and be competitive as well.

Ten years away? I don’t know, but I’m sure Mr. Gallop knows more about the financial side of the game than I do. 2012? 2020? I am sure of one more thing. The greatest game of all can be much greater that it is today if these teams and more should be invited into a spot at the top.

 

[Willow]

 

[Willow]

Great effort both teams - all 10 posts in.
Fantastic way to start the split round.

 

[Master Vippo]

Expect deliberations to conclude tomorrow evening sometime. Have made significant headway, but am going to bed now. This is shaping up to be a corker.

 

[Big Mick]

Cheers Vippo

Appreciate the effort and the late night marking!

 

[glockers]

I forgot to title my effort. Call it Football decisions.

 

[Master Vippo]

Great team efforts by both sides. A real pity that there had to be a loser.

Penrith Panthers

Madunit 89
Why Bother Cup?
Good article and thoroughly agree with the sentiments. Very well researched (albeit with no references) and presented in a format that was easy and enjoyable to read.

LeagueNut 87
The Rainbow Connection
I don’t know if there has to be any gays playing league, or why they should have tell anyone whether they are or aren’t, but whatever my take on the subject is, this article is still written very well. Nicely paced, I certainly didn’t see the shift into a homosexual article coming.

Big Mick 84
A Hard Days Knight!
The way that players are seen merely as objects to be bought, sold and traded is most definitely a sad scenario, I can sympathise with the writers ideas. However, the article didn’t flow too well for me, and in Newton’s case, I don’t believe in blind loyalty.

Waken 86
Emphases on the “National”
Hard to argue with the teams put forward, all have strong cases. If only there were enough players. Good topic and well written.

Glockers 84
Football decisions I really liked this topic and the style of writing.? Melodramatic, but just the way I like it. You could be holding your first blood nut son right now. While its not imperative to have a title, or 750 words, make sure you identify your team next time.


Newtown Bluebags

Everlovin’ Antichrist 83
The power rankings, an alternative view.
A reverse table with comments. Some funny, some less so. Didn’t really excite me, but is well written.

Cheesie-the-Pirate 82
Shove that whistle, ref.
Fair effort. Some of the paragraphs didn’t read particularly smoothly for me, and the topic seems to be a bit of a non-issue. However, there were still some good little metaphors in the first few paragraphs that I liked. 82

Polar Bob 91
Centrelink
Saw an acrostic poem and thought ‘oh no!’, but this was a great article. Started with something new and humorous and proceeded onto a serious topic, where the writers opinions are well thought out and presented. I can only guess the title is such because we’d be on centrelink if we relied on our coaching skillz? Top work.

Dragon_psa 86
Freddie: One of the best.
A very solid player review on an amazing player. You could write a lot more words on Fitler’s career, but the writer has done well with what is allowed.

Drew-Sta 90
How the times have changed…
Very good article, strong start backed up with some good research. You have taught me a thing or two, with a very well written article.

Bluebags 432 def. Panthers 430

POTM Polar Bob-91

Awesome match