Rumours and Stuff

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I've still got my RLW issues from the 70's/80's stored away in a box.
Love getting them out and having a read.

Yeh, I reckon somewhere at my folks' place I've still got the April fools issue where they claimed that Parra had signed the world arm-wrestling champion to bolster our forward pack,

 

[hindy111]

I've still got my RLW issues from the 70's/80's stored away in a box.
Love getting them out and having a read.

I used to collect picture magazines. Loved the homegirls.

 

[Eelementary]

Benji won a gf - Id take that

Yeah, but so did:

Paul Whatuira
Sean Rudder
Ian Lacey
Scott Sattler

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Yeah, but so did:

Paul Whatuira
Sean Rudder
Ian Lacey
Scott Sattler

Shane perry

 

[Bazal]

Yeah, but so did:

Paul Whatuira
Sean Rudder
Ian Lacey
Scott Sattler

There are some pretty underrated players in that short list tbh....

 

[Eelementary]

There are some pretty underrated players in that short list tbh....

That's true.

But by the time we signed former Premiership winner Whatuira, he was a shell of his former self.

 

[Bazal]

That's true.

But by the time we signed former Premiership winner Whatuira, he was a shell of his former self.

Fats was a bloody good centre the year they won the comp.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yeh, I reckon somewhere at my folks' place I've still got the April fools issue where they claimed that Parra had signed the world arm-wrestling champion to bolster our forward pack,

And we were so bad we used to believe shit like that. I remember when we signed nuffies like Stu Galbraith and that front rower who swam to Jack Gibson's house to threaten him with a knife. We actually thought these guys nobody had really heard of (at least for their footy exploits) could add something to the team. The worst thing was they actually arrived and made our top 17. How about that winger/front rower from the Roosters, Appleby? He was about five foot six. Lee Oudenryn went straight from Mounties (I think) to first grade. How about Keith Blackett? Country footy straight to first grade. No junior reps for these guys. These days there isn't a single Australian NRL player who didn't play junior reps. Even most Kiwis are contracted to NRL clubs before they turn 18.

How could the league get to the point where some clubs not only lacked any rep players, but only had about half a dozen genuine first graders on their books. And if we ever managed to retain one of our promising local juniors past the age of 18 (e.g. Buettner) we lost him to one of the premiership contenders before he hit his mid 20s.

I used to be massively endless of clubs like St George with their production line of gun youngsters. Meanwhile we were just giving coaching jobs to former players. I was stoked when we signed Brian Smith. I knew he would turn our club around. But then we became chokers instead.

 

[Eelementary]

Fats was a bloody good centre the year they won the comp.

That he was, true.

Shame we signed him when he was much older and slower.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He was only about 30 when we got him. The merkin had a nervous breakdown that f**ked his motivation. He wasn't too old, he was just massively out of condition.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

How could the league get to the point where some clubs not only lacked any rep players, but only had about half a dozen genuine first graders on their books. And if we ever managed to retain one of our promising local juniors past the age of 18 (e.g. Buettner) we lost him to one of the premiership contenders before he hit his mid 20s.

Coz some clubs continued to be run by people who were more concerned with remaining a big fish in a little pond, than with watching what was going on around them.

 

[Eelementary]

He was only about 30 when we got him. The merkin had a nervous breakdown that f**ked his motivation. He wasn't too old, he was just massively out of condition.

That's right - forgot about that.

But my initial point (which has kind of backfired lol) was that a Premiership or two doesn't make a bloke a handy player; Sean Rudder, for example, was ordinary, but had the privilege of playing with Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus, Steve Simpson, Ben Kennedy, Timana Tahu...

 

[bartman]

How could the league get to the point where some clubs not only lacked any rep players, but only had about half a dozen genuine first graders on their books.

By expanding from 12 (Sydney) teams to 20 (national) teams too quickly...

 

[Bazal]

That's right - forgot about that.

But my initial point (which has kind of backfired lol) was that a Premiership or two doesn't make a bloke a handy player; Sean Rudder, for example, was ordinary, but had the privilege of playing with Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus, Steve Simpson, Ben Kennedy, Timana Tahu...

I thought Rudder was underrated tbh. Tough, hard working, old fashioned footy player. Like Daniel Wagon. Wasn't Wags fault Smithy put him at 6 when the only experience he had ever had with passing was when some merkin was doing 60 in front of him on the highway...

 

[hybrideel]

We were crap because the emporer decided it was more important spending money on the leagues club than it was having a good footy side. They paid peanuts and got crap players as a result

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Yeh, I thought Rudder was more than OK. Just not flashy. And his name always made me hum a Lemonheads song every time it was called.

 

[Bazal]

We were crap because the emporer decided it was more important spending money on the leagues club than it was having a good footy side. They paid peanuts and got crap players as a result

Mate, Scott Mahon...your argument is invalid....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Coz some clubs continued to be run by people who were more concerned with remaining a big fish in a little pond, than with watching what was going on around them.

True that. I can't believe the Roosters and Bunnies were shit back then too.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

These days there isn't a single Australian NRL player who didn't play junior reps. Even most Kiwis are contracted to NRL clubs before they turn 18.

Nathan Ross ?
Clay priest ?

 

[Eelementary]

I thought Rudder was underrated tbh. Tough, hard working, old fashioned footy player. Like Daniel Wagon. Wasn't Wags fault Smithy put him at 6 when the only experience he had ever had with passing was when some merkin was doing 60 in front of him on the highway...

Fair enough.

I thought he was a dime a dozen player; not terrible, but he had no qualities which set him apart.

I believe there are no hacks at NRL level; everyone gets to NRL level for one reason or another.

But being a team sport, it's the nature of the game that some average players win the ultimate prize.