Round 7 Eels v Rabbitohs 2010

[The Piper]

Forum 7s - Round 7 2010
PARRAMATTA EELS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

-v-

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 4th August 2010 at 9pm (Syd time)
REFEREE: Non Terminator
Venue: Parramatta Stadium

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL WORD COUNTER

 

[bartman]

The Eels F7s writers stride out onto home turf for the last regular F7s game for the season. Here's hoping, and good luck to one and all!

phantom eel
hallatia
Matt23
eloquentEEL (c)
MarkInTheStands (c)
- - - - -
bartman (c)
Goleel (c)
fanaticeel

 

[Hallatia]

Hallatia kicks off for the Eels

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ
The Minor Premiership
​

Rationally speaking, winning the minor premiership seems a far greater accomplishment than winning the grand final. Yet, competitively and psychologically, the minor premiership matters very little and amounts to diddly squat if it is not converted into a premiership victory. It amounts to even less if it is not converted into a grand final appearance.

The funny thing though, is that we can belittle a minor premiership as much as we please, we could even take the stance of NHL teams who will not even celebrate a President's Trophy (they do not use the term 'minor premiership over there - but I will speak in our language) the minor premiers can be seen, dragging the trophy behind them and are unlikely to even take a picture with it. Whatever attitude one takes to the minor premiership does not detract from the fact that what winning it does mean is that that team has come out on top of the competition as the best team that season. One may try to say that Eels were not the best team in season 2005 - however, when the primary object of the game is to each week score more points than the other team within a range of outlined rules; Eels proved themselves to be season 2005's best at that.

I can see a Melbourne Storm objection rearing its head and I will acknowledge it as an objection, but as I do not have the word limit to allow for discussion of it, I will brush it aside with a ceteris paribus clause assuming that those factors are remaining equal and above board.

What I shall discuss is the Saint George Illawarra Dragons. The Dragons were the best team in season 2009 and deservedly won the minor premiership for being thus. Their September form takes nothing away from that, it did however take them out of the finals series and out of contention for the premiership. They failed the competitions which came at the completion of the domestic season which they had come out on top of because they had been the best that season. Their September "choke" does not change that and the real proof of this is that even with a few changes between seasons 2009 and 2010 they remained the best at the commencement of the 2010 season. Even if the red and whites again fail to win the premiership or even make the grand final that takes nothing away from their firm hold of the number one standing throughout the season or their display of the best defence in the competition, leaking the least points of any team; and all the other stats which are evidence that the red V really have been 2010's best.

What not winning the premiership would mean is that they did not win the post domestic season competition determined by domestic season standings using a finals system adopted from the AFL. Perhaps that explanation was a bit crude - apt but crude. The finals system is an integral part of the competition and it is the part used to determine the victors. The NRL is a competition - the rules and format are perhaps the most important part of the competition. Now, if the Dragons do win the minor premiership, I would maintain that to mean that they were the season's best as a team given the rules etc. However, being the season's best does not make them the competition's best.

The competition decides its winner not on who wins the most games, does the best job abiding the rules or maintains the best point differential. The competition decides its victor using the McIntyre system on the ladder determined by the domestic season. The competition to determine the premiers determines the competition's victors, whilst the competition to determine the minor premiers determines the season's best.

The NRL is a competition; a competition where being the best is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for winning. Minor premierships may be earned and premierships won, but the NRL is a competition. And competitions by nature are there to be won. Now to borrow a line from Buck Weston (Kicking and Screaming, Jesse Dylan 2005), "What do you call that again, when you almost win? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah... Losing!"

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713 words

 

[griffo346]

Griffo346 names a side he thinks can take on a eels team


byrne_rovelli_fan82
Marshall_Magic
griffo346
Dave Q
Bumble

Johns Magic
Pistol

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

byrne_rovelli_fan82 for Rabbitohs

~~~


Feeling alienated

Olympic Park aka The Graveyard as Storm fans affectionately know the stadium as, was not one of my favourite sporting grounds to attend. I couldn’t fathom what I disliked about it when I went there for my first game in 2006.

In that game the Warriors came to town to take on the Storm when they were going through a great purple patch of form. Following on from that game I came to realise what I didn’t like about the ground, it seemed to pale in comparison to it’s bigger counterparts like ANZ Stadium (previously known as Aussie Stadium) in Sydney, Mt Smart Stadium (previously known as Ericsson Stadium) in Auckland and other grounds of similar stature.

At Olympic Park it was open to the weather and looked shabby on the inside and on the outside. One thing it did make up for which I took great advantage of from 2007 onwards was the easy of access fans had to see their favourite players from both the home team and the visiting team.

The rooms were located behind the Western Grandstand and right next to the stairwell heading up to the seating area. When the doors were closed no one would even take as much as a second glance, it was only those who were curious to get the reward.

I had become aware of where the dressing rooms were located from that exact game in 2006 after being tipped by a friend of mine. Another easy give away to fans is directly after the game the away team’s bus will be parked out the front of the dressing room, on some occasions the bus may not be there immediately post-match, but if the fans waited around long enough they’d see the bus arrive. The next obvious give away as fans leave the stadium is when they start to notice other fans congregating around the entrance to the dressing rooms and curiosity will get the better of those passing by and with a bit of querying they soon join in the waiting game.

Alas this is the part that is most frustrating for the fans. Experience from doing this activity I can say for certain the waiting game outside of the dressing room is one that requires a lot of patience. As long as the fans out there are willing to do it the reward at the end far outweighs the wait.

As the new ground next door started getting built I held plenty of hope things there wouldn’t change the dynamics too much, in the overall scale of things the fans help shape the game around the country and without the fans the game would not have the same affect it does now.
AAMI Park looked highly impressive as it continued to progress and it stood out like a big white elephant leaving the old Graveyard looking a sad shadow of its former self next door. Despite just how impressive it looked though from all corners on the inside and outside of the ground I would find out it was not as fan friendly as first thought.

Security has become much tighter at all the entrances ways and in the aisle, the whole places smelt too clinically clean it hardly felt like sports stadium anymore. Now umbrellas are no longer allowed into the ground, cans have been banned, and if fans sit down the front signage was no longer allowed to cover the wall and even particular drinks couldn’t be displayed on the front railing because they would be seen on the cameras, and worse of all, security guards would keep fans from entering past the media entrance area behind the stadium.

Fans no longer have the access to the players post-match, if any fans are seen hanging around after the game inside or outside the stadium they are told to leave immediately.

This is a serious issue for the fans, many of them never ask for too much from their idols. Their requests are small favours, hardly ones to cause a big upset for the players, the club and the NRL Why should the Storm fans and their visitors be treated like common criminals? By leaving them out in the cold it is only limiting the interaction on both parties and this hardly seems fair. It is as though the fans are expected to dump their day jobs and run to training and the airport to meet the players

Wake up NRL! Don’t alienate the fans

~~

750 words between the '~' lines

 

[eloquentEEL]

eloquentEEL for the Eels
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The Bunny, the Titan and the case for Diversity

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! And it’s not some fool wearing red undies over blue tights either. It’s just Jarryd Hayne. And whilst he may be able to dodge bullets , perform extraordinary feats on a footy field and help sell multi-coloured fluorescent boots to an entire generation, he is no super hero. What he is however, is the perfect embodiment of his team’s mascot, the enigmatic eel. He can appear to move lethargically most of the time and then suddenly attacks with speed and electricity. Many an opposing defender would certainly testify that he is indeed a slippery customer.

So what about the other teams? Which players are representative of their team’s mascot? Is it a Slater or Inglis at the Storm, both of whom strike like lightning and can whip up a tornado of controversy with stomping charges or off-field incidents? Is it Thurston, Mason, Webb, Watts or O’Donnell who is the biggest fan of martial law at the Cowboys?

Souths have Isaac Luke who bounces out of dummy half with the speed and agility of a rabbit; whilst his breeding habits are also consistent with our furry friends, having already sired four children at such a tender age. At the other end of the mascot spectrum, the Titan stands tall, casting an imposing and intimidating shadow. Brad Meyers does a pretty mean impersonation as he lumbers his 190cm frame up the field. Combine that with his scraggly beard and this singular image could do more for birth control in this country than the condoms carrying the same moniker (again, in stark contrast to his cuddly counterpart from Redfern).

So what happens when the Titan crosses paths with the rabbit? When Isaac Luke comes up against Brad Meyers on the field? Neither stands even the remotest chance of stopping the other at full speed. Luke would prance around, treating Meyers like an obstacle course whilst forming nothing more than a speed bump in return, despite all the grit and determination he possesses. To paint the scene using the mascots themselves, the Titan would look the absolute fool as he stumbles around grasping at thin air with the bunny perpetually hopping just out of reach. Then with ball in armoured glove, a size 13 boot would be left imprinted on a small patch of fur, mottled into the grass; with four (not so) lucky rabbits feet protruding in the air.

This goes to show that neither big nor small is better in league. Each is capable of exploiting the other’s weaknesses with the correct strategy and coaching. That is why successful teams, including all teams in the NRL and several tiers below, are a combination of diverse players. No individual could be cloned 16 times to form the best team in the comp. Everything else being equal, it would be difficult to predict the victor between a team of good big men against a team of good little. The weather may end up being the deciding factor (with the wet generally favouring the big and a dry track generally smiling more fortuitously on those smaller in stature). However, the outcome of either of these teams against a team with an appropriate mix of players and even a modestly capable coach would be a mere formality. The ‘mixed’ team would wipe the floor with either the ‘Lilliputians’ or the ‘Giants of Brobdingnag’. They would blow them off the park and into Gulliver’s next adventure.

For the record, the Mascot XVII:
01 Eel
02 Sea Eagle
03 Tiger
04 Panther
05 Bronco
06 Dragon
07 Cowboy
08 Titan
09 Rabbit
10 Knight
11 Warrior
12 Raider
13 Shark

14 Rooster
15 Bulldog
16 Kangaroo
17 Lion

* Note: Storm disqualified from all competition whilst ‘Blue’, ‘Maroon’ and Kiwis are useless mascots that would struggle to get a gig for a park footy side in Bulgaria.

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655 words between the lines

 

[griffo346]

The Premiership Race
​

The race for the 2010 National Rugby League Telstra Premiership and the National Youth Competition (Under 20s) has began with the eight not sown up yet with the top four still wide open with the Dragons only having a two point lead over the next three teams. The Dragons on 30 points whilst the Panthers , Roosters and Tigers on 28 with the Titans also not far behind on 26 , Manly share a three way tie with the Broncos and Warriors also on 24 points.

Meanwhile just outside the eight are teams like the Rabbitohs and Eels on 22 and Knights and Raiders on 20 as for the other clubs its mathematical chances only to see them in the top eight this year.

The season was thrown wide open with the announcement that the Melbourne Storm would lose all of their 2010 premiership points now they find themselves languishing at the foot of the table with 0 points following on from there premiership success from last year although clouded.

This was due to the fact that the Melbourne club had breached the salary cap over the last 5 years.

Round 21 (Updated Aug 04)

1. Dragons 30
2. Panthers 28
3. Roosters 28
4. Tigers 28
5. Titans 26
6. Sea Eagles 24
7. Broncos 24
8. Warriors 24
9. Rabbitohs 22
10. Eels 22
11. Knights 20
12. Raiders 20
13. Bulldogs 18
14. Cowboys 14
15. Sharks 14
16. Storm * 0
* Melbourne Storm have been stripped of all premiership points for the 2010 season

This year we have teams who have improved from the previous years for example we have teams like the Sydney Roosters whom are currently in the top 4 as of this coming round whom where wooden spooners last year, other clubs like the Panthers, Tigers and Warriors teams who where on the brink of the 8 last year find themselves entrenched in the 8.

Whilst teams like the Bulldogs, Cowboys and Sharks find themselves looking towards next season while possibly trying new combination's , new moves and teams are more then likely looking to whom is off contract from other sides within the competition.

As history has been noticed by the punters that the Dragons although the fans don’t see it that the team is known for the odd choke in the big games although the team is a good side they just cant put it together on the big games.

I pick on the dragons as you cant go past the fact that they were minor premiers last year and went out in the finals series in straight sets.

As for the other teams like the Panthers, Warriors, Tigers and Roosters wouldn't know what finals football is like as they haven't tasted this sort of football in a few years in Penrith's case they haven't tasted finals football since 2004, Warriors since 2008 and the Tigers haven't had finals football since 2005 when they became premiers of the national rugby league.

The Sportsbet agencies have the Dragons outright favorite and this is understandable considering they have been the proclaimed bench mark.

The current premiership odds are

St George Illawarra Dragons 4.00
Sydney Roosters 6.00
Brisbane Broncos 6.50
Penrith Panthers 7.50
Manly Sea Eagles 8.50
Wests Tigers 10.00
Parramatta Eels 14.00
Gold Coast Titans 15.00
New Zealand Warriors 23.00
South Sydney Rabbitohs 29.00
Canterbury Bulldogs 81.00
Newcastle Knights 126.00
Canberra Raiders 151.00

If I was a betting man I would consider backing the Panthers or the Roosters with the odds they have to win the competition.

Briefly i will discuss the Toyota cup who are the chances in the under 20s quest for glory, The teams whom are on course for glory are:

Unlike there first grade team the boys from North Queensland are leading contenders for the minor premiership

Whilst it hasn't been a good year for Melbourne with there under 20's on course for the wooden spoon.

Other teams who are a chance for this title include: The New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters, Rabbotohs and Raiders to name a few.

So to some this up i feel that the Roosters are a chance considering current form and the possibility to take the double on grand final day.


719 words including title.

Reference:

http://www.foxsports.com.au
For both the NRL and NYC tables

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com
For information regarding last time teams where in a final series.

 

[bartman]

Posted by proxy for Phantom Eel - Eels.

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All Good Things...

Recently, the pitfalls of advancing age have been weighing heavily on my mind. Even though this winter has been a cold one by most comparisons, I know I am feeling the cold in my bones much more than I did last year and the year before - and much more than I should.

I'm also finding it harder to get around this year. My knees and ankles ache and the soles of my feet hurt for days if I've been walking on them for too long. My car is twenty-one years old and also showing the signs of age. As a pensioner I don't really have the spare money to replace it, or to fix anything beyond its basic requirements for the pink slip every year.
Old age can be a bitch, can't it? But it's important to face it with a positive attitude. One simple thing I've learned over the years is that the most valuable things to have and to cherish aren't money or possessions, but people and the experiences you can share. With supportive people around you to call upon, you can get through almost anything in life - for better or worse, in sickness and in health.

My family is everything to me, and while it's hardly been the perfect example of the picket fence nucelar model, it's all about making the most of whatever you've got. My dad introduced me to rugby league at a young age, and they say like father like son... and so it was that I also introduced my son to rugby league and Parramatta at an early age. When my marriage ended in divorce during the 1980s, rugby league was there as the main connection to my only son, and we'd follow the Eels wherever they played. The song goes "every Saturday is Father's Day" but for me it was every second Sunday, taking my son to see Parra home or away. I was lucky enough to see the 1981 Grand Final victory with my own father at the SCG, and also to see the 1982, 1983, and 1986 Eels Premierships with my son - magic stuff!

And then in 1990 I got sick. Really sick, hospitalised for most of year sick. I don't think I made it to one rugby league game all that year, but my son kept going to every Eels home game, and then would visit me in hospital and tell me all about it. I set myself the goal to get better and be able to join him at the footy again, and from 1991 I've been lucky and healthy enough to do just that.

These past twenty seasons have been all smooth sailing though, as my son spent four years overseas on his travels and the team we support hasn't won another first grade premiership in all that time. Many good players have come and gone from Parramatta in that time, along with some avergae players, and a few great ones. As I write it seems unlikely that the last three of the loyal clubmen - Nathan Cayless, Nathan Hindmarsh, and Luke Burt - will see a premiership while they still wear Eels colours.

Just as time eventually takes its toll on the careers of great players, it also takes its toll on great fans. Very few faces remain around us in the Cronin Stand from those who had signed up as Season Ticket Holders for that first season at Parramatta Stadium in 1986. As older fans stop heading along to those cold night games, a new generation of fans will come to take their place (provided our team keeps winning).

So as the effects of old age start to impact on me and my car during these cold winters, I've been giving thought to when my days an an active footy fan should draw to an end. It's been fifty years since my dad first took me along to a Parramatta home game at Cumberland Oval, and my son and I have put in the hard yards for home games at Belmore Oval and Parramatta Stadium, and a host of away venues as well. We've now been to twenty-one grand finals together, and seen three premiership wins.

In the slim chance that the Eels scrape through this year, I've again booked Grand Final tickets for my son and I. In the autumn of my life, I don't think it's too greedy of me to keep on going and wanting us to see just one more?

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750 words

 

[Bumble]

King for a Day


Enough already. Every time I see a players poll or just a random interview, they ask the player “What would you do if you ran the NRL for a day?” and sure enough, some boring retort is usually tossed up, to go along with the stock standard “no tax!” answer when asked what they would do if Prime Minister. But why stop at one? There's a few issues in this great game that still grind my gears...

1. The McIntyre System:

Why it's ridiculous: Okay. Picture the first weekend of September. The 4th placed Roosters hosting the 5th placed Rabbitohs at the SFS. 42,000 in attendance. Sandow (or Carney if you prefer) slots the winning field goal for his team, winning 19-18 in a classic. It's widely regarded as one of the best games of league we've ever seen.


Oh wait. The Dragons (1st) , Panthers (2nd) and Manly (3rd) all won. Congratulations winning team, you are rewarded with absolutely nothing, as both teams will now play sudden death finals matches in week two. Can we seriously accept a finals system that can see a team lose by 50 points in the first week of a finals series and still make the grand final, like the Cowboys did in 2005?


The Solution: The AFL system makes so much more sense. Any other models are impractical with a top eight, so unless we lower the number of finals teams to six, the AFL model is the best idea. Every game means something. You are actually rewarded for finishing in the top four, rather than just the top two.

1. The chargedown rule:

Why it's ridiculous: You defend well enough to keep the opposition pegged back in their own half, or are furiously hanging on as you defend your line. The halfback drops behind his forwards for a clearing kick/field goal and one of your players has the presence of mind and athleticism to jump in front of the kick, preventing it from reaching its target.


Instead of rewarding the player that pulled off this play, we instead reward the complete spastic who was so inept at kicking, that he couldn't avoid one bloke with his arms up when he had an entire paddock/a massive set of goal posts to aim at. Absurd.


The solution: This one is easy. No repeat sets from chargedowns. You can get the ball back, but it's still the last tackle (or whatever tackle you kicked on).

1. Corner posts:

Why it's ridiculous: So despite all the problems in the game, salary cap dramas, archaic rules and confusing bureaucracies, Geoff Carr in his infinite wisdom decided the matter that most commanded his attention was deeming that corner posts are no longer out of bounds. What that means is players are now able to barrel into the corner post, but as long as they don't touch the ground, the try stands.


I haven't met someone yet that didn't enjoy watching a winger use all his agility and poise to avoid the covering defenders, the sideline AND the corner post whilst still having the composure to put the ball down over the stripe. Try scoring from wingers could once be considered an artform...not any more.


The solution: Build a time machine, go back six months and kill Geoff Carr. Or just scare him in to resigning. I'm good either way.

1. Discrepancies between how you can ground a football, and what is a knock on:

Why it's ridiculous: The Greg Inglis 'try assist' on the weekend bought this issue back into public debate. Basically as the rule stands now, any part of your body aside from your hands and arms can propel the ball forward and it's not a knock-on.


The solution: In my opinion, if you can ground a football for a try with your chest, it's only logical that if the ball were to bounce off a players chest in open play, it would be a knock-on as well. Or if it's not, rule that you can't ground the ball with your chest/stomach for a try. You can't have it both ways.


The most annoying thing about these issues and others is that your average league fan would agree with me on all four counts. Or at the very least, one or two of them. We've already got a great game, but it could easily be greater.


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736 words

 

[Dave Q]

Dave Q stumbles out for the bunnies in a self-induced stupor.
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Kissinger and Smith

Ive been reading a book called “Diplomacy” by Kissinger. Like any book, you can either accept the facts as presented or query them. You try to understand the biases of the author too. Kissinger was the Jewish faith and being so, one would have expected that he would have supported Israel in many conflicts they had with others. But on his account or at least the account that he wants the world to believe that he subscribes to, he always preferred the interests of the United States over those of Israel.

Karl Marx had a different kind of dialectic. The younger Karl Marx, he thought that once you delivered democracy, everybody would vote for their own interests and that would lead to a fairer distribution of wealth amongst society. As he got older, he witnessed countries become more democratic but that didn’t translate to wealth being shared more equally. What happened was that people were successfully hoodwinked by the rich and powerful. The media helped in this process and the police were basically aiding and abetting in the process. So instead of democracy, the workers had to rise up, take over and sort things out.

I think it was in 1990 or so, I was watching a game of football on TV when I had one of those classic moments of football realizations. It was a game involving the Bulldogs, one of my favorite players Mr Darren Smith was warming up on the sidelines. When we think back to Darren, we think of this taped up old war-horse whose job it was to run at lines and inflict maximum damage and sap strength. Towards the end of his career he was playing in the UK league and whilst there, Chris Anderson selected him to play for Australia who were touring England at the time. As a Smith man, I was very happy to hear about that. But at his peak, Darren was an absolutely awesome sight to behold. Massive chest, huge shoulders, legs like tree-stumps. And Darren had a couple of other advantages. He had lightning speed and was as nimble as a Haynsey after six coffees.

So there is Darren, running up and down the sideline waiting for his chance. He looked very focused and intense. Then all of a sudden, a bulldog player went down. I don’t even remember who it was, but it was horrific. I cringed in my seat. There was blood everywhere and he was unconscious. The magic sponge didn’t work and so they got the stretcher. In those days, those things looked like they were leftover props from M*A*S*H. Just on M*A*S*H, the series went for on for about 5 times the length of the Korean War that it portrayed. Somebody once told me it was supposed to be a cutting commentary on the Vietnam war, maybe that accounts for its success.

Now just in case you were wondering, Kissinger thought the Vietnam War was a very bad idea. He thought it wasn’t a case of US imperialism as such, it was just that the US was convinced that its ideology was right. A case of “here, try our democracy, you will enjoy it.” Of course the South never got to enjoy much of it (I shouldn’t forget to mention that the North were into the “old Marx” above!)

Back to our game. So this guy is carried off and he is looking like that famous photo of Ray Price being carried off at Origin and then dumped in the shower. You can barely make him out for all of the blood and mud, tongue hanging out, that kind of thing.
And what does our hero Smith do, well he is so eager to get onto the field, as soon as the guy passes the touchline, he strides on confidently. Of interest to me was that his serious and intense facial expression didn’t change at all. He didn’t give the guy any acknowledgement . He ignored him!

I formed the view at that time that all footballers were selfish. That by his demeanor, Smithy relished in the fact that his mate’s injury was bad enough to enable him to get into the game earlier than he otherwise would of. That he was uncaring and full of himself.

Now that I am older I realize that he was really focused….mmmmm......just like Kissinger?!!
___________________________
747 words between the lines

 

[griffo346]

Souths sub:

Out: Marshall Magic
In: Johns Magic

 

[Matt23]

A Brief History of Rugby League in newcastle

With seven clubs already established the NSWRL began it's search for an 8th team, they considered other area's before settling on enticing a Newcastle team to join the Fledgling league.
It was reported several days later that Newcastle had decided to take up the offer and join, Sporting the local rugby representative colours of red and white (in hoops) Newcastle joined the NSWRL and were apparently known by some as the "Newcastle Rebels". However, due to the inability to secure an acceptable local ground in the Newcastle area, the players had to travel to Sydney each Saturday morning for the afternoon game.

Newcastle played Glebe on April 20 at Wentworth Park in their first premiership game in front of a crowd of about 3000, with Glebe winning 8-5. Their first win came in round 3 with a 37-0 drubbing of Cumberland at Wentworth Park.

Newcastle were placed in the top four towards the end of the season after wins over Newtown (17-8) and Balmain (28-5), however losses in the final rounds to Easts and Souths saw them miss out on the semi-finals.

While Stan Carpenter played one game for New South Wales, none of the Newcastle players gained selection for the 1908 Test series against New Zealand. Later in the season winger Bill Bailey was selected as a member of the first Kangaroo Tour party to Great Britain. He was joined by team-mate Pat Walsh when he was called-up as a late inclusion for the tour.

The difficulties with the long distance travel eventaully took its toll, together with the increased interest for a local Newcastle competition, which saw the club cease to participate in the NSWRL premiership. Many of the players were absorbed into the local teams of South, North, Central and West Newcastle.

Newcastle had supplied the game with some of it's greatest players, from the moment Pat Walsh joined the legendary Dally Messenger on the pioneering Kangaroo's tour of Great Britain, Newcastle established itself as one of Rugby League's great nursuries, throaugh the years and right up to today Rugby League greats could be observed going about their daily business, Herb Narvo, Albert Paul, Don "Bandy" Adams, Dave Brown, Brian Carlson, Terry Panowitz, Les Johns, John Cootes, right down to two the games all time greats, "The Little Master", the immortal Clive Churchill, and modern day great Andrew "Joey" Johns, were just a few of the players that were catapulted to stardom courtesy of Newcastle-Coalfields Rugby League education.

Local Rugby League in Newcastle took great pride in lowering the colours of visiting teams, the 1964 side accounted for North Sydney, South Sydney, Parramatta and even the great St George team on it's way to winning the State Cup.

This was the tradition of Rugby league in Newcastle and the Coalfieds, the legacies of these teams bought Newcastle back into the Rugby League big time back in 1988, when the Newcastle Knights bought there legacy back to life.

 

[Johns Magic]

Johns Magic makes a cameo appearance off the bench for his Forum 7's debut

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The Rugby League Grail


If following a sporting code was genetic, rugby league would not even be on my radar. My dad despises the sport. Having grown up on the north shore and being heavily involved in rugby union, the death of the Bears was the catalyst that turned a passing interest in league into one almighty chip on his shoulder.

Ironically, it was around this time that I fell in love with the Knights. It was largely an accident. In 1997 my best friend and his family took me to the ARL Grand Final. It was my first league game. They were fanatical Manly supporters, and as an 8 year old, I naturally decided to cheer for the other team. As the 80 minutes wore on, what began as a puerile desire to see my friend lose gradually became an emotional attachment to the gutsy team they were playing against. As the intensity peaked, that fateful final play unfolded before my impressionable eyes, and well…the rest is history.

Like most kids, I considered my dad’s word as gospel. We would talk for hours about rugby union and cricket, shared interests. Many of my opinions were highly influenced by his. So as my budding passion for rugby league evolved, to not only receive little reciprocation in discussions about the code from my dad, but to almost feel like I favoured the wrong sport, was certainly disappointing. Quickly I learned that my love of league was something to keep to myself.

Instead, the internet became my Bible, as I studied all I could about this mystical sport whose name was not to be uttered. Discovering the LU forums as a 13 year old was fortuitous, as it allowed me to discuss league with like-minded people. No longer confined to the politically-correct perspectives of media journalists, I swam through an ocean of knowledge satisfaction, my itching desire to learn fulfilled.

Yet as the years passed, my thirst for league knowledge transformed into a craving for real-life discussion about the game. My brother and my dad would sit on the couch every weekend watching the union, dad with a beer in hand, my brother feeding off his every word. By now, I have of course realized that my dad’s word is far from gospel, but information is no longer something I seek when I watch the games myself. Rather, I felt I was missing out on one of the simpler things in life: enjoying a league game on the couch with someone who could add to my weekly rugby league fix.

Fast-forward to February of this year. I am at a dinner table, at the house of a girl I had just started dating. It was my first meeting with her parents, Wendy and Bill, and her older brother, Steve. Typically, the beginning of the conversation was more like a job interview. After covering all the basics, including the size of my family and what I’m studying, the dialogue stagnated. Generally at this point you start worrying whether they think you’re good enough for their daughter, so I was desperate to find some common ground and show them what a delightful young man I am.

Miraculously, a stray Sports Section across the table caught my eye. In a moment of inspired genius, remembering that two of the people at the table were mere males, I inquired, “so, do you follow sport?”. For once, I was relieved to discover I was in the midst of a fanatical Bulldogs family. The ice was well and truly shattered. The ensuing conversation raged, and my passion for league made me a household hero.

Friday night now has a new meaning for me. As always, I will arrive at my girlfriend’s place to have dinner with her family. Upon finishing, I will ask about the movie my girlfriend will watch. She will be completely aware that I am feigning interest. Then, my duties fulfilled, I will depart to the TV room. Opening the door, I will be greeted by the sound of a beer bottle opening. I will naturally grab one myself, one of the boys. Normally, I watch games cheering for whichever outcome would benefit the Knights. But on Friday night the result will be secondary. Instead, I will lose myself in the discussions and debates that surround me. Because when I’m there on a Friday night, no longer am I the black sheep of the family…I am part of a rugby league family.

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749 words between the lines

 

[Willow]

Reserve Time Keeper...

 

[Non Terminator]

Eels

HALLATIA - The Minor Premiership
Words - 713
I did get lost there a few occasions, but overall a solid effort. Mind you, coming from a devoted Rooster, the Dragons are yet to seal the Minor Premiership. Hopefully.
85

ELOQUENTEEL - The Bunny, The Titan And The Case For Diversity
Words - 655
Gave me a few laughs with some interesting examples. Very short though, but a great effort.
82

PHANTOM EEL - All Good Things...
Words - 750
Bravo. Beautifully written.
90

MATT23 - A Brief History Of Rugby League In Newcastle
Words - 498
Disqualified.
0

Rabbitohs

BYRNE_ROVELLI_FAN82 - Feeling Alienated
Words - 750
A few errors, such as ANZ Stadium previously being known as Telstra Stadium, not Aussie. You're thinking of the SFS. Back to the article, it's an interesting perspective I've never really thought about with changing stadiums, as you do bring up some good points.
87

GRIFFO346 - The Premiership Race
Words - 719
As much as I like your predictions, this has a lot of errors within. Spelling, grammar...there are a fair few noteable ones.
75

BUMBLE - King For A Day
Words - 738
Pretty much every single thing you said is simple. Nothing more. But the game makes this simple stuff so complex at times. Good effort.
87

DAVE Q - Kissinger And Smith
Words - 747
Very interesting, of course, I wouldn't know this match, so I did learn something. A good read.
86

JOHNS_MAGIC - The Rugby League Grail
Words - 747
I remember meeting my girlfriend's family. Very big union family, though I've installed some Rugby League enjoyment within. Also massive Dogs fans now. All I have to say is, good luck this weekend! And great debut!
90



South Sydney Rabbitohs 425 d. Parramatta Eels 257
POTM - Phantom Eel (Eels), Johns Magic (Rabbitohs)

 

[griffo346]

Good win team

lets sit back and wait for one more result but im sure if my maths is correct we should be scraping into the finals

unlucky eels usually a tough side pitty it couldnt of been 5 v5

 

[Dave Q]

Nice work people and thanks ref.

I was quite moved by Bartman's piece, I read a lot between the lines, so thanks for sharing those insights with us. A bit fo quiet reflection always value-adds to the old F7's.

 

[bartman]

Cheers for the marking N-T, and congrats to the Bunnies on getting 5 posts in and good luck in the finals!

Matt, sorry I didn't get your PM until being back from holidays, and sorry that I couldn't help out before fulltime and make sure you had another few words to put you above the threshold so you could get a mark for your piece.

That aside fellow Eels, 'twas a shame that we couldn't muster up the 5 posts for this final round game - it's been a tough year for the team numbers-wise . Well done to all of us for our efforts - time to hit F7s Mad Monday.... .

 

[bartman]

PS Dave, that was Phantom's piece posted by proxy. I'll pass on your comment - he's lost track of his log-in password :lol:.