Some people need to stop whinging and get over themselves

[TheParraboy]

And I guess in the end it is hard to argue with that blunt fact, that we have not managed to win a title since 86.

But I would still argue that our recruitment and retention in recent years has not been horrible at all. While we have not won a title which I know is the be all and end all, we have been a highly competitive club for the last 10 years.
If you just take premiership finishing position over the last 10 years we are the 3rd best performing club in the league behind Brisbane and Melbourne, we have also had more top 4 finishes that any club with 6 of the last 10 seasons. We have missed the finals twice in that time only brisbane betters that record.

So no doubt you will call that spin, but bar winning the premiership we have had a highly successful club over the last 10 years. The problem is its such a huge thing to win.
I wonder would people prefer to be tigers fans, they are the 2nd worst performing side over the last 10 years, only made the finals once, but won the title that year. Does that mean their management is better than ours??

Also I think mid season predicitions or even pre-season predictions on where teams will finish is rarely accurate. People predicted us to win or come 2nd this year.

I also think people who write the eels off as top 4 or top 8 chances in the early or mid season usually end up with egg on their faces, as we usually storm home in the 2nd half of the year and the performance against Brisbane who I would think are currently equal 2nd favs for the comp with the roosters behind the storm would give us plenty of hope.

The next 4 rounds are huge now, with games against the raiders, tigers, sharks and storm (minus origin players).

Fair point Ant

But just like the All blacks havent won a world cup in decades now. They probably have been the best side in this period by far, but it still very disspointing, heartbreaking and confusing that they can get it so wrong (or other sides get it so right?) winning the big one

I think what many are saying, with our management, infrastructure, facilities, fantastic juniors, and professionalism we are not able to win one major title in 22 years, especially in amongst the last 10 years where we have , as you pointed out, had very decent years

Oh well, it took Geelong 40 odd years and the poms havent won a world cup in cricket so its not too bad I guess :sarcasm:

 

[Fathead]

Well obviously you are alleging that they didn't play well, and I was about to go to bed and was not pleased with it. Sure they were very ill disciplined (which is actually different to usual) but at least they had some attacking flair and a general overall ability to defend their own goal line. Much improved from weeks gone by and if we can play like that against other quality opposition, I'm sure that we can string a few wins together. I actually went to the game. It was a very heartbreaking finish.

Youve obviously mixed me up with someone else as I dont believe that I ever said that they didnt play well or even alleged it. I do recall that I gave Eric Grothe Jr the bollocking that I believe that he deserved but thats about it.
I do thank you for your analysis and I agree with you that they showed a much improved result.
Your reference of "I actually went to the game" didnt escape me either (as you had told us in your initial post and was the ONLY reason that I actually asked you in the first place)
My only retort to that is "wow you must know everything, since you actually went to the game" :sarcasm:

 

[chef]

I suppose Tim Smith felt the full support of the fans during his time at the club and it had no effect on him.

Good point Ant, but you have to ask yourself whether the 'less than full support' than Smithy received from the fans was due to his on field performances or his off field activities, before you can try and determine the 'effect'...

and as such, driven by a tabloid media that is all too keen to crucify anyone stepping outside the bounds of 'respectable' behaviour, regardless of any underlying personal or social reasons that may influence the behaviours...

I'm going to hazard a guess that a lot of the people responsible for the outraged headlines, ill informed comments, and attempts to pillory young Smithy will have had to take a good hard look at themselves after hearing his admissions upon leaving the club...

Battling to deal with, let alone recover from, bi-polar disorder, Smithy told the ABC:

"I'm not coping with the day to day demands of professional football, the constant media pressure or public scrutiny"...scrutiny of his actions that can now be evidenced as a desire to self medicate.

It's common for people, in paticular, young adults who are undiagnosed to self-medicate with alcohol and/or drugs, which would explain the incident at Northies (with that tool Michael Clarke), the false accusation at the team Chrimbo do, etc, etc...the list goes on.

Remember, Smithy's depression was characterised by bouts of self blame, I seem to remember a quote concerning "questionable form"...it seemed that Smithy was all too keen to take full responsibility for all poor Parra performances. I reckon the self doubt, and the media whirlwind that surrounded him were infinitely more detrimental than the level of support from the fans...

but I agree wih you wholeheartedly, an element of supporters were too quick to jump on the media bandwagon, but the same people (media included) had already created this impossible situation by determining that this young fella was the reincarnation of Sterlo...

still, I believe that the 'public scrutiny' that Timothy complained off had more to do with having to live his life in a fishbowl, rather than the support (or lack thereof) of our cohorts who follow Parra...

Good point though, gave me something to think about, but still don't think you can evaluate the 'effect' it had on him...his recovery wil be based on social and familial supports, not the support(ers) at the football club, we probably couldn't have helped him if we'd tried.

could have been a bit more understanding though, "judge not, lest ye be judged", eh!!!

but play fair Ant, my original point was that no player had ever left the club due to the unappreciation of the supporters ( and gave this as a reason)...a point that still stands despite your quibble

 

[Eelementary]

I'm not sure that winning a premiership would make any difference to survival Eelementary but I agree with everything else you said.

As I've said before, it's one thing to sit around saying 'We've still got half the season to go, we'll get better' but that's not the real issue.

The problem is that we are struggling in 2008 and will field a WEAKER squad in 2009.

We have lost a number of experienced players for next season and haven't signed a single person. And how is that possible? Given that we had already re-signed Inu and Hayne well before Tim Smith left and Riddell was released, how is that we can be dead quiet in the player market?

Apart from Michael Ennis, we haven't even been linked with anyone!!

It doesn't exactly warm the cockles of expectation now does it?

I honestly believe that a Premiership is desperately needed to prove we belong in the NRL if teams are going to be axed or forced to merge.

We tick all the other boxes - usually in the mix come Finals time; great Junior base; popular and usually well-supported; history-rich club. The missing piece is the title. Win that and, imo, our position in the future looks far clearer. And safer.