Round 9 (2006) Warriors v Rabbitohs

[The Piper]

New Zealand Warriors v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Venue: Ericsson Stadium

Crowd: TBA Referee: CWBush

• This is a game thread only, therefore only game-related posts can be made here. Any other posts may result in loss of points and is at the discretion of the referee.

• Home team captain will be allowed 3 reserves, visiting captain will be allowed 2 reserves.

• Captains must post their entire team (including reserves) before posting and only those players listed may play this round.

Rules of play: http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/rules.asp

Full Time: WEDNESDAY 23RD AUGUST at 9:00PM (SYD TIME)

**The Referee Blows Game On!**

 

[Pistol]

Souths go onto the paddock, hungry for action

rabs
Clevo
vippo19
paulquinn49
Crusher (making his debut)

Pistol (c)
Franko

 

[Crusher]

League of Gladiators

One can only imagine the thoughts running through the mind of the great Knight, as the crowd, thirsting for blood and with no regard for honour, cast their poison pen to end a once glorious life. Caesar, as if to confirm if they were sure, once again asked of the crowd, but alas the response was the same. One must indeed ask what lack of fortitude led to this blackest of days. The answer takes us back to well before the sun set on the stadium of the Knights.

The Roman games season was almost at its twilight when the Knights encountered the mighty gladiators, bearing the eagles from the sea as their mark of honour. Led by their great commander, Beniumus Kennedius, and tactician Matteus Orfordius, they entered the hostile territory with only victory on their mind. Their nemesis, Andrew the Great, would be the only obstacle to glory.

Caesar gave the command for the battle to commence and all would now be controlled by a man wishing to ascend to the ranks of adjudicating immortality, Paulus Simpkinius. ‘Let the battle begin’ he proclaimed, as the soldiers locked horns in an immense tussle for territory.

It was the Knights who were the first to break the front line, and Andrew the Great showed all and sundry why he was as he is named. Kennedius was forced to rally his loyal army or face certain demise. He called on Stefanius Beaverius Menzus, a veteran of over 300 battles, who responded in turn. He corrected a poor tactical maneuver by Orfordius and managed to clear a passage for Stefanius Bellus who conquered the far western front. Adjudicator Simpkinius ordered it so, despite what appeared to be an incorrect maneuver by Bellus. The crowd grew hostile and here began their calls for blood.

It was now the eagle bearing gladiators who had the advantage. Kennedius ordered his army to the front but their previous tactical misfortunes were to continue. Andrew the Great was expert in exposing such deficiencies. Before long he called on one of his most loyal, Matteus Gidlius who did not disappoint the great leader. He, like his predecessor also managed to break the front line, and like a sudden change in wind direction, the Knights again had the ascendancy.

It was obvious this would be a battle of the most brave. The crowd was thirsting for Eagle blood. Their chants grew stronger with each passing moment, as Andrew the Great and his Knight army once again seemed likely to gather the spoils of victory. However, it is often said that a great army is only as strong as its’ weakest link. Orfordius, the master tactician, exposed this weakness in the Knight forces to once again have the Eagles soaring. The crowd grew increasingly silent much to the displeasure of Caesar. He called for a break in proceedings to give the opposing armies time to reassess their tactics.

Soon after, adjudicator Simpkinius ordered the armies back into battle. The Eagle army continued where they had left off, driving forward at every opportunity. Their battle cries became louder. They grew stronger with a supreme confidence becoming of such gladiators. Then all fell silent. Their leader Kennedius had been struck down. He tried in vain to continue but in vain it was. As he withdrew from the battlefield he urged his troops, his gladiators, to persist. And that they did.

With each passing moment the gladiators from the sea repelled the Knight army back into their deepest territory. As the night grew darker and the stars grew brighter the Knight reserves became depleted almost beyond return. Andrew the Great had no answers to the onslaught. Soon after, Eagle henchman Travius Burnius charged the Knight front line. He created enough of a diversion to allow Christophus Hicsus to all but seal the Knights fate.

Facing oblivion, Andrew the Great was to come up with one last tactic to save his all but defeated army. He called on Josius Perrus who did not disappoint in a sweet twist of fortune. The Eagles grew flustered as the Knights launched another daring raid at Kennedius' army. At that precise moment, adjudicator Simpkinius made an incorrect declaration that all but he realized, handing victory to the Eagles.

Hence a return to the blackest of days where we began.

The crowd wanted adjudicator blood as Andrew demanded vengeance.

Caesar signaled obligingly.

With one swift pass of Andrews sword Simpkinius was relegated to a history forgotten.

(750 words)

 

[Master Vippo]

Vippo19 charges through a gap for Souths, in what he hopes is not his last game for the season!


Scouts and humanitarians?

Recently I was in on an island in far north Queensland, across from Townsville called Palm Island. I was there helping the church and its Fijian minister, helping repair houses, fences and various other tasks.

To give a bit of an insight into Palm and what it’s like, the Guinness Book of Records once labelled it the most violent place on Earth, outside of a war-zone. The population is about 3.000 Aboriginals, with no common tribe and the place is fuelled by alcohol. The first sight I saw when I got off the barge carrying us and our gear was two full-grown Aboriginal women absolutely belting each other in the park across the street.

In stark contrast to this, it is also one of the most beautiful places. If you ignore the dishevelled shacks and shanties that make up the town, there is amazing beauty. Coral, palm trees, beaches and mountains, just what you would expect of a tropical island. But wherever you go, something just does not seem right.

We went there with low expectations, having heard the stories of violence and abuse that come flooding out of the island. Palm has a reputation as a bad place even among the other rough Aboriginal communities we had been to. But not all the people on Palm were so rough. All deserved sympathy, and an attempt to solve the problems and hurt on the island.

Most afternoons while I was there, 10-15 kids from around the place would come to the minister’s house, usually to get away from a less than comfortable home life. We would play touch football with these kids, and let me tell you, they had ability! Imagine seeing eight or nine kids, between the ages of seven and eleven, who all look exactly like Matt Bowen. Not only do they look like him, but even the little ones have pace, a step and the ability to catch a bomb. The attendance at school is very low on Palm Island, so you can guess what these kids spend most of their time doing.

These kids, even the girls, had a natural athletic ability, and while playing touch, could naturally accelerate through gaps in defence. They were cheeky little fellas, not afraid to throw a sledge my way, through a big grin of course.

Palm once did have a football team. They played in a Townsville competition. Unfortunately, such is the way that these kids have been brought up; the team was kicked out of the competition for fighting. Almost all of the team’s games broke down into a brawl. These kids now have nowhere to go to show-case their skills. Footballing ability is one way that a young Aboriginal boy may have gotten himself out of Palm, having a shot at a better life.

Unfortunately, all people on the island receive money from the government, providing no incentive to do anything else other than sit, drink and fight. I heard many sad stories from the people there about being involved in other various drugs, damaging their lives almost beyond help.

Back to those happy, cheeky kids I met playing touch with, the sad and almost undeniable future for them is that they will be swept up in the alcohol and drug fuelled violence that engulfs the island.

I would say that most likely there is no simple and easy solution that faces the people of Palm Island. Many do not feel the need to change and the ones that want to are not sure how. My team and people we stayed with believe that God is a way out of this lifestyle for these people, and it is having an effect, but thats another story. I also believe that with the natural ability that these kids show, perhaps football, or even sport in general may be a way to a better life for these kids. They are so willing to please, and it broke my heart seeing what their parents were like, praying that they won’t fall into the same traps, yet knowing that most likely they will.

So as a football fan, realistically, as a fellow human being, spare a thought for the people, and most importantly the kids on Palm. Our game is great, no doubt we all love it, but maybe there is something more our game could do for society. Maybe in some small way, Rugby League could move towards helping these kids have a shot at a better life.


750 words

 

[Robster]

Warriors f7s team runs out of the tunnel.

Mixmastereece
byrne_rovellifan82
Jesbass
Robster
Polar Bob

Bench

Esoj
fiamacho
Wiki

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Mixmasterreece for the Warriors

_______________________________________
Applied Game Theory

Marquee players have become one of the most highly sort after resources on the NRL market. Whilst it is undeniable that big name signings can add value to any team, it could also be argued that their value to the club is often over estimated.

The theory behind this piece is the belief that clubs can get more value for money by signing cheaper players - who are more team orientated - than acquiring high value players who rely on individual talent alone.

The NRL at it's core is a market place. Players are traded like commodities, the game is sold to the public and clubs exist largely to generate revenue. It is working under these guidelines that in the best interests of economic strategy, clubs should review their policy on financing the purchase of marque players.

This theory has been crafted through an analysis of the payoffs of two different player acquisition strategies, using the combination of mathematical and economic models known as 'Game Theory'.

Goals:
The goal of the club in this model is to increase it's revenue by producing positive results on the field. This in turn effects the goal of the players - which is to increase their cash flow through contract upgrades and third parties sponsorships. The odds of a player reaching these goals is dramatically increased when they are involved in a winning team environment.

Strategies:
During the season clubs are often faced with a fork in the road. Due to salary cap restraints, clubs often have the choice of buying a marque player or investing in a number of lesser value players to fill their roster. The two strategies below outline a similar choice.
1)To buy a marquee player for $300k who while individually brilliant, does not fit into the team dynamic.
2)To buy two lesser skilled players for $100k each who are both team orientated.

Strategy Payoffs:
1)A number of resulting effects can be felt if the player does not fit into the team dynamic. The players inflated price tag may effect other team members ability to receive contract upgrades, which in turn affects the teams desire.
2)By going with option two the club then has a perfect model for game theory. With a squad of players molding a productive team dynamic, models can be created to maximise the return for the club and it's players.

Game Theory:
To analyse the two strategies and their resulting impacts 'Game Theory' can be used. Game theory deals largely with how rational individuals interact with one another in an effort to achieve their own goals. It is game theory that I believe is the model best suited to generating positive results.

Statistically if the club used in this example opts for option two, the probability of the team performing will increase. Instead of players playing individually, the success of the team relies more heavily on their ability to play as a unit. When all members of the unit are working together - in a concerted effort to achieve the shared goal of the unit - they are inadvertently increasing the probability of achieving their personal goals.

External Impacting Factors:
There are a number of factors that can impact the effectiveness of the model. They include factors such as market conditions, the form of other teams, the game plan of the coach or even unexpected obstacles such as injuries.

Whilst these factors may impact on our model, the performance of the team will still be significantly better than if strategy one had been chosen.

Conclusion:
If integers could be assigned to certain aspects of the players abilities and external factors, then the formula for the probability of success would resemble :

Team Talent - 'Market Conditions'
Number of players not playing to achieve unit goals​

In 2004 the Warriors management applied game theory to their player retention strategy. Ali Lauitiiti was released from the club for his apparent lack of commitment to the club's main goal. Whilst this was a positive move in the terms of the model used in this article, the negative environment of the club was still enough to effect the desire of the remaining players.

It is in 2006 that the management seem to have gone a long way to creating the perfect atmosphere at the club for game theory to work. The team looks unified and the players look like they want to succeed.

As in all mathematical problems the rational answer is always the solution to the game.

_______________________________________
750 words between the lines according to the word counter - "Got my milk, got my cookies, got my word counter."

 

[paulquinn49]

PQ for Souths

Eyes on the Prize Saw Their Demise

I reside in the Sutherland Shire, birthplace of modern Australia as well as home to the Cronulla Sharks. 1973 saw Cronulla reach the NSWRL grand final against Manly, and then again in 1978 with Cronulla going down both times.

Years on and Cronulla had been nothing but a solid side, one of the competitors, nothing special. Winning the Minor Premiership in 88 was meant to be the new era, a new beginning, however they again fell. Say what you want about Superleague, there is no denying that Cronulla had a quality side in 97. Making the Grand Final for the first time since 78 was a big occasion, maybe too big as Brisbane recorded their third premiership in their short history, blowing them off the park, 32-8. This only served to further sour the jealousy that raged in Cronulla.

Was it curse, bad luck or were they simply chokers? Everyone had an opinion, most going with the “Choker” theory. Perhaps a new millennium would bring new success, a new attitude and that elusive title. Cronulla were now one of the better teams, consistently winning and proving a force in the regular competition. However when the finals came around, they were nothing but a speed bump for other teams on the road to victory.

1999 brought Cronulla another Minor Premiership and another missed opportunity at a Grand Final. Would they ever win?

It started a slide, Cronulla weren’t the same side anymore, players leaving and now the well-gelled team were bits and pieces of people coming and going. Enter the year 2006 and the cliché expectations of the much-maligned side. The fans were saying, for the 40th year in a row, “this is our year”. Others were predicting failure, inept performances and, of course, the choke.

The highs and lows of emotion were in force again, when the Cronulla Sharks, and the game of Rugby League lost a true legend of the game in Steve Rogers, who lived and breathed the club he loved.

I am not sure if a side can have a successful pre-season, football wise, but Cronulla did, at least from my point of view. Their big brother, the Dragons, failed to come to terms with fan-favourite Lance Thompson and eventually released him to the Sharks. A great player, a real leader and someone to look up to, it was the missing ingredient.

The year started strongly with Cronulla receiving a crucial 2 points in round 1 and it looked like another winless year for the bye. Rounds 2 & 3 saw narrow losses and missed opportunities - the story of Cronulla. Their first win was probably as bad as they could play, but still edged out a determined Souths. By round 6, Cronulla and Parramatta were clubs in crisis.

As is the way in the NRL these days, clubs in crisis get their wake up call. Putting in and producing results, 10 weeks later Cronulla had recorded 1 loss, 1 bye and 8 wins in that period.

A club in crisis? Hardly.

Now came the dreaded, almost feared, recognition for all their efforts. Media outlets were now saying, “This may really be their year.” Even the most cautious and doubtful fan had a smile. Queensland had convincingly won the second State of Origin match, with NSW selectors believing new blood was needed for success in game 3.

The cries grew louder, and prouder, from fans, teammates and coaching staff. Paul Gallen was the man they needed. Representative honours, respect and a genuine threat to the title, it had been a while. You could forgive them for thinking all their dreams had come at once.

Now it was the curse’s time to shine, the first port of call was stopping Gallen from being apart of a winning State of Origin side. Queensland, for the first time in a while, had won the series. Was it Gallen’s fault?

Head up son, Cronulla are still flying high, hell you have the semi finals to think about. Wrong, one hiccup turned into 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and now 8. Cronulla has now suffered 2 months of losses, not only knocking them out of the top 4, but also the top 8 and now top 8 contention.

Is it a losing culture, or do they have their heads in the clouds when success comes their way? Whatever the prize, when it comes within sight, they take it away from themselves.

747 words

 

[Lossy]

Polar Bob jogs out for the Warriors, frowning furiously. He really hates jogging.

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What’s in a name?


“Dave! Cue the live feed. We’re crossing to the post-match interview.”

“Who’s doing it?”

“Peter Sterling.”

“In 3, 2, 1... ”

“In association with Hyundai and Channel 9, we’ve just witnessed a dead-set epic encounter. One of the great matches, between the two genuine heavyweights of rugby league: South Sydney and the Warriors. I’m here with the victorious captain, Steve Price.”

“Steve, was that the best effort while you’ve been captain?”

“Hard Yakka, Pete”

“Uh... pardon?

“Call me Hard Yakka, or just Hard for short.”

“Okay... Hard... that must have been the Warriors best performance... ”

“It’s the Vodafone Warriors, Pete.”

“Of course, the Vodafone Warriors best match?”

“Yeah, it was. It’s well known that we’ve let ourselves down in the past, so we gazed into the mirror of discovery. We’ve made some adjustments that are beneficial to us as a club, team, and individuals. This is just showing the fruits of that labour.”

“Is there any player in particular you’d single out for special praise?”

“Absolutely, Lion Red Faumuina has really developed some elusiveness of late. As you saw today, he literally weaves around the opposition using an intoxicating array of tricks – although he uses pretty much all our interchanges taking pit-stops.”

“I’m sorry Steve... I mean Hard, I don’t understand what’s happening here.”

“Well, we’ve fine-tuned our organisation, Pete.”

“But, you’ve changed everyone’s names.”

“No, that’s one of the improvements we’ve made. To give full value and appreciation to our sponsors and encourage player responsibility we’ve bonded with them… by deed poll. Naturally, our last names have been kept to preserve our heritage. I couldn’t upset my mum.”

“You… you’re joking aren’t you?”

“Not at all. Mum would be really angry. Some of the players have taken to it with surprising enthusiasm. Candi's Escorts Rovelli has been absolutely tireless. He always steps up at training, yet he still has the energy to back up, night after night, at the sponsor’s place. I truly think they’re getting the best out of him. People are astounded at how much he puts in. “

“Good God!”

“Him too. Samoan Assembly of God – he prefers God – Witt is now a minister. In the interests of cultural integration, he felt it best that a European step forward. It was tough at first, but now he’s fluttering about and eating KFC twelve packs with the best of them. Our trainer has been quite impressed with his weight gain, and believes it will help him dominate in the tackle. ”

“Surely this has got to damage your changes of recruiting a large number of players?”

“There might be some initial resistance, but we’re confident that certain players will really identify with this initiative, and be tempted by the opportunities. Sponsors also get a lift with repeated exposure of their names, which is an attractive branding exercise. An extra bonus is that no one can tell whether we are paying the sponsors or the players, so that pesky salary cap is no bother. Uh, was that on air?”

“Thanks for your time, Hard, but before we go, please accept our ‘Man of the Match’ award, in association with Schick roll-a-ball.”

“Thanks Pete, and thanks Schick.”

”Now, over to Matthew Johns in the Channel 9 studios.”

“Amazing stuff, Pete. Well Phil, what do you think?”

“Look at these rings. Aren’t they fantastic? Have you ever seen anything so captivating? I’ve spent the whole show polishing them.”

“Phil… we’re on air.”

“Do you know how special you have to be to get these? They’re not just common bling. This one’s for the Bulldogs win and this one’s…”

“I have to interrupt you there, Phil. We have just received some late breaking news, brought to you by VB. Parramatta’s Mark Riddell is on the line now. Are you there Mark?”

“Sure am, Matty.”

“So, what would you like to say?”

“After gut-busting negotiations, I‘m pleased to announce my signing with the Warriors for next year and am now, Jester’s Pies Riddell. This will be the first time I’ve looked forward to pre-season training in years. ”

“Good luck, Jester. Fatty, I’ve got to say this has been the most flagrant act of peddling products I’ve ever seen.”

“Yes, it truly is a black day for rugby league, and frankly I’m surprised they can sleep at night. Anyway, we’ll continue our discussion during the 'Coca-Cola Weekend Wrap-up', right after the Channel 9 feature film, ‘The Truman Show’, proudly presented by LG Electronics.”

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749 words between the lines, according to the official word counter. (Word says
745, so one of them is lying).

 

[Pistol]

rabs comes off and tags in Pistol

 

[Pistol]

Pistol hits the line for Souths and jinks

On The Turning Away

Many of the readers out there would know this great Pink Floyd tune. It’s a great song with profound lyrics. “On the turning away, from the pale and downtrodden. And the words they say that we wont understand. Don’t accept that what’s happening.
Is just a case of others suffering, Or you’ll find that you’re joining in the turning away”. Great music, great guitar playing by David Gilmour, this song is the complete package. The Steve Turner affair, however, wasn’t.

A lot has been made about this in the press recently with major TV networks and paper brands covering the story. There are many different angles on the facts here. The spin doctors are going strong. (No not the band from the 90’s with songs like “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”, and “Princes&#8221. Let’s examine this from a punter’s point of view.

The beginning is a good place to start, so let’s start there. As a Penrith junior, Steve Turner had aspirations of playing first grade football, as would many other aspiring youngsters out there. His position of choice is fullback. But with a man by the name of Rhys Wesser holding a mortgage on the Penrith number 1 jersey, Turner would have to ply his trade elsewhere. Enter the Storm. The Melbourne club offered Turner a deal to play for them, and he accepted. Injury curtailed his ambitions to get into first grade plus the immergence of Billy Slater and later on Greg Inglis hasn’t helped his cause.

2006 marked the watershed year for Turner. Through a change in personnel and a run without injuries, he managed to cement a spot in Melbourne’s scintillating backline on the wing. Good form continued and his price went up.

Then the Titans came knocking. They offered Turner a lucrative 3 year deal to play for them with the added incentive of playing in his favoured position of fullback. He readily accepted and agreed to terms with the Gold Coast franchise. The carrot Michael Searle dangled out in front was too hard to resist.

Everything is status quo (yes I know, silly of me to include yet another band name. This one wasn’t intentional though). Turner betters himself from week to week, Melbourne keep on winning and the young lad’s confidence continues to balloon. Meanwhile the Gold Coast are sitting back salivating uncontrollably at the prospect of having such a talent on their roster. I would liken it to the image of Homer Simpson drooling over any kind of food.

Indigestion set in when it was revealed that the young flyer had put pen to paper with the Melbourne Storm, reneging on his agreement with the Titans. Although Turner never signed any documentation with the Titans, NRL CEO David Gallop found that Turner had a legally binding verbal agreement with the Gold Coast and refused to register the new contract with the Storm.

Nobody is really to blame for this whole fiasco. However, I feel that Turner’s manager, David Riolo could have been more upfront with the Storm, the Titans and most certainly his client. For you see, its not only Turner’s playing days that need looking after, it’s his personal welfare that needs attention too. Let’s not forget Turner is still only 21 years old, so he is not only so much a rookie in terms of NRL experience, but he’s a rookie in life. And as such should be “mentored” by Riolo and other senior figures.

The main objective here, is to give Turner the right tools to enable him to make the right decisions so that nothing comes back to bite him on the backside. Once the deal to move to the Titans was announced, Melbourne should have known that a verbal agreement is legally binding and not have pushed Turner into making a decision, especially one that could potentially have a huge impact on his career.

The Gold Coast franchise has stated that Turner would be welcomed with “open arms” despite this business with the contracts. This in my opinion should be what happens. Steve Turner should not be left in the cold because he made one wrong decision. The main objective here is to make sure that he is given the proper support so that he won’t make the same mistakes in the future. The last thing the game needs is a player with his talent being turned away because of one thing he did wrong.

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742 words incl title

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

# byrne_rovelli_fan82 arrives for the game flustered after her night out with her name's sake.

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“Unpredictable”

Winter chills still linger in the air as the early evening in Melbourne starts to settle in. On this chilly Saturday evening there is an air of great anticipation among a crowd of rugby league fanatics. While there isn’t many of them living in such a beautiful city; when the home team is playing then it’s fair to say those fans will come out in force. Yet there’s just something particularly special about this night’s game. With just a couple more weeks of the regular seasons left to go the Storm are sitting pretty at the top of the table and thanks to the Bulldogs losing the day before it brought confirmation to the Melbourne based outfit of being 2006 minor premiers. Perhaps this is a sign of things yet s really. One issue that is known for sure is regardless of their new crown they still have to play and maintain the intensity of which they’ve been playing with over the last three months.

So why the Storm fans are beginning to feel nervous? In town for this Round 24 game are the New Zealand Warriors; a team which has so far impressed in 2006. Even thou they had the -4 points taken from them even before the season got underway; they had fought hard to be where they are, to show regardless of the obstacles being placed infront of them, they are more than capable of passing those without using up too much effort. Add to the fact; in the previous two weeks they had disposed of two top 8 contenders. In contrast the Storm though playing great football had started to show signs of fatigue, dis-interest and their unity in performance had begun to waver. If there was ever a better time to steal a win against the number one team this night just happened to be it.

Walking through the gates on the Eastern and Western grand stands it’s easy to hear the anticipation being built up. Loud music blared out from speakers located on both sides of the running track surrounding the field of play. Kiwi fans stood around shouting their feelings as just a few minutes ago another favorite team of theirs; the New Zealand All Blacks had once again been triumphant against the Australian Wallabies in a rugby union test match. Many of the Strom fans ignored all these shouts and continued on their merry-little way. You could even see a few of them muttering under their breath;
“Silly little Kiwis. We’ll show them!”
However, while the fans from both teams went about their own business the players from both teams are also soaking up the atmosphere. Both sides were on the park warming up and neither could be more contrasting than the other. On one end of the field, the Storm players are up and about doing their running warm ups, kicking practices and feeling alive and energetic. More than ever they were champing at the bit to get the game started. To get out there and win; with their current home record of course they’d feel overly confident.
Then on the opposite end of the field, the Warriors players were relaxed, listening as the coaching staff gave their instructions, the players listened intensely while soaking up what was going on around them. If anything they had a look of very quiet confidence flowing through them, it wasn’t hugely ‘big’ in the sense of arrogance, but more a quiet and yet sneaky attitude they were holding.

More than ever this Warriors outfit was not just looking at beating the best team at the moment; they were going to send out an even bigger warning sign of things yet to come. A fairly common misconception with the NZ team is the thought of them being narrow-focused, hard-hitting and razzle dazzle without the grounding to be much more than just another’ bunny’ in the great NRL competition. It’s a laughable conception when you look at the over scale of this team. Four years ago they along with the Sydney Roosters were the 2002 Grand Finalists; and while a lot hasn’t quite gone to plan one always gets the feeling this club is still building to something bigger. Bigger and better for sure.

As the teams took to the field and begun to play, feeling of nervousness & excitement reverberated through Olympic Park and as time ticked away the game proved right. The unpredictable Warriors had come to play.
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Words: 745

 

[Jesbass]

Still sporting two black eyes from training, Jesbass ignores the taunting cries of 'panda' from the opposition bench and takes to the field for the Warriors.

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Under Pressure (747 words between lines and including title)

​

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you
No man ask for

John Deacon’s all too familiar bass line emanates from the stereo speakers, accompanied by the snapping of fingers and the addition of piano chords. The same riff that was once used by Vanilla Ice spreads effortlessly throughout the room as I contemplate the reality that any mathematical chances of my rugby league team making the finals series are no longer a reality.
“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.” – Peter Marshall

Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets
​

[FONT=&quot]As the National Rugby League season draws to an end for the Warriors [/FONT]–[FONT=&quot] and, truth be told, it was already over for a few less fortunate clubs [/FONT]–[FONT=&quot] the final positions that each team will ultimately find itself in slowly becomes apparent. The twenty-six round game of musical chairs is finally nearing its end, and no song would make a more appropriate theme than that of the 1981 hit Under Pressure, performed by Queen and David Bowie – particularly with the upcoming finals series looming out of the approaching shadows of time.
"Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure." [/FONT]– [FONT=&quot]Tommy Lasorda
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming “Let me out!”
​

[FONT=&quot]
For some teams, the pressure valve has already been released. With either no way to make the finals or no way to miss them, these teams are free to experiment if they wish to, and can play without the burden of do-or-die matches that could either make or break their season. This reality can transform even the weakest teams into formidable opponents.
[/FONT]“And there’s nothing more dangerous / than a man with nothing to lose / nothing to live for / and nothing to prove.” – ‘I Can See Now’, Dead Can Dance
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
​

[FONT=&quot]
But for the teams that remain in the pressure cooker, the opportunity to soar even higher, and to ultimately claim the NRL Trophy [/FONT][FONT=&quot]–[/FONT][FONT=&quot] as well as the otherwise unattainable glory that a Premiership brings [/FONT][FONT=&quot]–[/FONT][FONT=&quot] remains intact. How they cope with the stress of finals football will be crucial. Will they hold firm? Or will they, like so many before them, fall away, to be left with nothing but their own regrets and memories?
[/FONT] “A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure."[FONT=&quot] – Henry Kissinger[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming “Let me out!”
​

Having been backed into a corner, and with their backs against the Premiership wall, some teams will fight even harder than ever before. Indeed, for certain clubs, the added importance of each match will only cause their performance to improve; for new heights of playing prowess to be reached. It is these groups of players who will eventually rise above the rest.
"No matter how tough, no matter what kind of outside pressure, no matter how many bad breaks along the way, I must keep my sights on the final goal, to win, win, win -- and with more love and passion than the world has ever witnessed in any performance." – Billie Jean King

Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?

The season is nearly over. The chance to claim the NRL Trophy is within the grasp of so many, and yet all but one will fail. As a neutral fan, I am fortunate – or, perhaps, unfortunate, depending on which way one views the situation – to be free of the emotional roller coaster ahead. For my team, the curtain has closed. For others, the woman with the large waistband is warming up her vocal chords. But for the final eight teams, they are just a short distance from glory. Failure is no longer an option. They have but one chance.
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!” – ‘Henry V’, Act 3, Scene I, William Shakespeare

​

This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
​

"Courage is grace under pressure." – Ernest Hemingway

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​

[FONT=&quot]Sources:
[/FONT]www.en.thinkexist.com
www.letssingit.com
www.shakespeare-literature.com
www.yahoo.com[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=51ea67e00c484b4fbb6cb081f4644cd4.637192&cache=1[FONT=&quot]A dog performing gracefully under pressure...almost.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] (In case the link in the article went unnoticed.)[/FONT]

 

[Clevo]

With a steely look of determination, Clevo, looking resplendid in his Red and Greens takes a sublime pass and goes for a run...

_____________________________________________________________

My Decline

When Souths made it back into the competition back in 2002 I made a vow that I will attend games and be a better supporter.

It’s time now to re-evaluate things.

I booked my ticket for the final Souths game of 2006 at Leichhardt Oval on September 3rd. Somehow, I knew deep down it will be the last game of Rugby League I will watch live for a long while. It will be the forth game I have seen this year and that’s usually the number of games I would miss in a given season.

I don’t feel bad about it. I’ll save about $2000-$3000 a year. I would have eaten 20 less meat pies, 22 less hot-dogs and about 300 less plastic cups of beer per annum. Perhaps I will think about giving that money directly to the club instead but I don’t think Souths will be short of sponsors in the seasons to come.

There are, no doubt, other Souths fans who are feeling the same way I do judging by the home crowd figures. It’s not that it ever worried me about watching my team lose. Quite used to that. Mind you, even though the results this year were expected I didn’t think I would take it this bad. It does hurt and I could no longer hide my displeasure.

I thought all day about why my commitment to going to games as a way to support Souths has declined. I thought about the amateurish bungling of player recruitment over the past three seasons and the inability for the club, as a whole, to move ahead. I got way too involved in the inner politics of the club and I hated the way other Souths fans were quick to pigeon hole others through misinterpretation of things said in the oddest of places. It seems, more so before Peter Holmes a Court bought a share of the club, the daggers were out everywhere. Factionalism and decades of paranoia ruled, sadly, even amongst the fans. I know that too is on the wane now and in some small way I like to think a played a part in fixing the situation, even if it only required a YES vote at the AGM. I know I did more than that and it wasn’t hard to get involved at that inner level of Club politics. While all these things did leave a sour taste in my mouth, at the end of the day the Holmes a Court/ Russel Crowe takeover meant that fans like me can take a back seat and watch the chemotherapy have effect and possibly carry on with simply enjoying the games.

I feel now a new darkness has emerged.

Ultimately I would just like to watch a great game. I feel I need to watch a great CLUB game. I don’t care whose playing. I just want to watch ONE game where I didn’t walk out of the venue with a gaping head wound left by some form of cynicism.

Cynicism caused by any or all of:

1: Price of ticket which doesn’t reflect the importance or expected greatness of the game. Surely the ticket prices can vary depending on the game?

2: A game where the referee is perceived as NOT having had a bearing on the result of the game.

3: The way the NRL is perceived to be administering the code into diminishing significance as an entertainment alternative. (Does it not concern anyone that in Victoria, Rugby League is still seen as novelty game (Ray Chesterton, March 2006) even though the Storm are poised to take the Minor Premiership?)

4: The hype, glitz, glamour and marketing towards the 8-18 year old demographics.

These things add up.

I have become cynical. I will be even more cynical if Newcastle wins the Premiership on Andrew Johns’ final year. I have become bitter, annoyed and disappointed with Rugby League and all I want to do is go to a game that has a very high chance of being a great game. Not a great game by force, hype or manipulation.

Rugby League has an inherent nature to be great but the NRL are trying to force greatness. You cannot manufacture greatness it just happens. I get the impression that in order to make Rugby League more appealing it’s become too self conscience of itself and that self perception holds its inherent greatness back. It’s become a game of personalities rather than of great games.

____________________________________________________

Word Count: 749 between the Lines

 

[antonius]

Ref Blows Fulltime.

 

[Pistol]

Thanks timekeep

Well done bunnies

we got all 5 in once again

bad luck Warriors, it was a brave effort til the end

You've had a great debut season

Over to you ref

 

[Jesbass]

Thanks, whistle blower.

Cheers Pistol - our last match of the season, and the first time we haven't managed all five posts. A real pity, but we can hold our heads high.

Well done, Warriors. Win, lose or draw, we'll still finish 7th in our debut season. That's something to take pride in!

Over to you, referee.

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

Well done everyone! It's been an enjoyable first year @ F7s for me and I've learnt alot, not just from playing but watching other games.
I'd take this time to say thanks to my team mates, all our oppositons, the markers and refs.

All the best to the Rabbitohs and us Warriors

And to all at F7's. Look forward to next year!

 

[Master Vippo]

Thanks Warriors. You have some great writers, i was woried coming into this one. Keep it up and i have no doubt you'll be in the mix again next year.

 

[Crusher]

This F7 competition is a great ambassador for sportsmanship.

Well done to all involved

 

[Mixmasterreece]

you'll be in the mix again next year.

I dont want anyone in me next year please.