Tahu is a muppet: Cannon

[Paullyboy]

he has a point re the weird fixation with SOO over the Kangaroos. Playing for your country should be the pinnacle of any sporting career.

I'd rather represent Queensland. My reasoning? I hate Victoria and I have very little time for most other parts of Australia. I'd rather represent something I'm proud of (the state of Queensland) rather than something I'm proud of parts of.

 

[Canard]

Since 2006, Queensland have won 8 Origins, NSW have won 4.
Since 2006, Australia have won 10 Tests, NZ have won 1, one drawn.

Skewed a bit those stats dont you think?

Since 2005 NZ have won the Tri-Nations tournament, the World Cup and played took Australia to extra time in Tri-nations final in one of the best games of Rugby League Ive ever seen.

NSW haven't "won" anything in Origin for over 4 years

 

[Eels Dude]

Skewed a bit those stats dont you think?

Since 2005 NZ have won the Tri-Nations tournament, the World Cup and played took Australia to extra time in Tri-nations final in one of the best games of Rugby League Ive ever seen.

NSW haven't "won" anything in Origin for over 4 years

Every time an origin match is played it's still generally 50/50 as to who will win. When watching a test between Aus and NZ there's a general acceptance that Australia will win, which is the point the guy was making. Origin is still and for the foreseeable future the pinnacle of our sport, like it or not.

 

[Non Terminator]

Skewed a bit those stats dont you think?

Since 2005 NZ have won the Tri-Nations tournament, the World Cup and played took Australia to extra time in Tri-nations final in one of the best games of Rugby League Ive ever seen.

NSW haven't "won" anything in Origin for over 4 years

Very well.

Since 2005, Queensland have won 9 Origins, NSW have won 6.
NSW just one series.
Since 2005, Australia have won 12 Tests, NZ have won 3, one drawn.
NZ two series wins.

You've skewed them yourself, you've mentioned Tests from 2005 and Origin from 2006.

Yes, the quality of games might be different, there have been good and sh*t Tests, just like Origins.

 

[hutch]

Every time an origin match is played it's still generally 50/50 as to who will win. When watching a test between Aus and NZ there's a general acceptance that Australia will win, which is the point the guy was making. Origin is still and for the foreseeable future the pinnacle of our sport, like it or not.

it is not the pinnacle of 'our sport'. it isnt the pinnacle for the hundreds of thousands of players in the uk, or the players in france who dream of playing for their national team, or the thousands of kids (possibly millions) who dream of playing for the kumuls in png, or the kiwis across the ditch who are proud to say they are world champions. the entire sport is not just about australia.

i love origin, and it could possibly be the hardest, most physical game of rugby league (or any team sport) on earth, but it is not the pinnacle of our entire sport.

 

[Non Terminator]

it is not the pinnacle of 'our sport'. it isnt the pinnacle for the hundreds of thousands of players in the uk, or the players in france who dream of playing for their national team, or the thousands of kids (possibly millions) who dream of playing for the kumuls in png, or the kiwis across the ditch who are proud to say they are world champions. the entire sport is not just about australia.

i love origin, and it could possibly be the hardest, most physical game of rugby league (or any team sport) on earth, but it is not the pinnacle of our entire sport.

It's the pinnacle in our country, we can both agree to that.
But I do like where you're coming from.

 

[Edwahu]

Origin is the pinnacle in terms of a challenge for the players. In terms of personal achievement then no, its not.

 

[Scarves]

This isn't Tahu's fault and Cannon has missed his own point by just playing the man. Let's be honest, Rugby tried to take over and bury League by buying up some of the League stars with their World Cup War Chest. For some of these stars it was all about the BIG NAME and had nothing to do with how much talent they had or how his game was suited to rugby.

Wendell had no kick on him, neither did Tahu, while they tried to throw the kitchen sink to get Joey Johns over to Rugby even though he was at the time massively injury prone and in the wind down of his League career.

This is the key issue, the ARU gave away their once revered golden jumper awfully cheap in the early 2000's and it got them nothing. They in turn created a personality like Timana TAHU, someone who really had no interest in their game but was keen to take their cash for a couple of years.

Go for the cash, return for the game. If the ARU didn't offer the massive over inflated cash in the first place, they'd be better off.

I like Rugby (not as much as league) but the ARU admin stuffed up deluxe, they should have invested in their game at grass roots and not gone for the quick fix. I hope Rugby League learns from these mistakes. The time for the independant board is now!

 

[winnyason]

Look at the timing week before origin, union on PAGE 9 of sunday sport.
Cannon is a f**king turd, unless your are from a upstart wanker school in the eastern or northern suburbs of sydney no one cares about the wallabies.
Bottom line is TAHU was honest, fact is this is league's pinacle because league traditional contest the ashes has faded becuse england suck.
Australia has no competition in test scene, in the past 40 years they have lost only two test series to New Zealand during 2005 tri nations(lost 3 games to kiwis) and to now minnows france in 1978, and lost the world cup in 2008, but there win percentage is around 85 percent.

Cannon can go sip wine in his tartan jacket at the eastwood club talking finance on wednesday while the rest of australia and for that matter a lot of new zealand tune into the state of origin

 

[Perth Red]

I'd rather represent Queensland. My reasoning? I hate Victoria and I have very little time for most other parts of Australia. I'd rather represent something I'm proud of (the state of Queensland) rather than something I'm proud of parts of.

How strange. How can you hate a part of the country? Is it the topography, the architecture, the people, the cliamte, or the flora and fauna that causes such an obscure hatred?:sarcasm:

 

[Kiki]

oooooh Brendan, someone has his panties in a twist! i love how he acts as tho Tahu waltzed into the ARU and stole a Wallabies jersey. ummmm, aren't you the people that selected him?!

god, he's bitter. he sounds like Tahu broke up with him or something. oh rugby union, i love how our Under 20's competition out rates your Super 14 games. that's fun, isn't it?

ps those quotes from Tahu are pretty hard to swallow though. not good.

 

[chrisc101]

His personal rantings aside, I actually agree with his comments about SOO being the pinnacle. I'm sick of players saying this all the time, although in their defence, it is related to the standard of international RL which has be a priority.

 

[Brutus]

I like Tests better.

With all the Kiwis/Polynesians in our game these days, Trans-Tasman Tests are only going to get stronger.

f**k, Imagine if the Kiwis had guys like Hunt and SBW in their team? They'd be rip-roaring encounters. It's a shame these guys leave our game or do not commit to 'their' country (like hunt).

Hunt
Marshall
SBW
Blair
Manu
Luke
Hohaia
Mannering
Moimoi
Asotasi
Rapira
Foran
Vatuvei
Vuna
J. Smith
Pritchard


Oh what could have been. Imagine the damage those players could do if they all took the field at the same time.

The best game of footy I have seen in the last decade was the 2006 Tri-Nations Final. A stunning match.

 

[Rolla]

I'd rather represent Queensland. My reasoning? I hate Victoria and I have very little time for most other parts of Australia. I'd rather represent something I'm proud of (the state of Queensland) rather than something I'm proud of parts of.

And how much of Aust have you been to? I assume you have little time for them cos you live in an ignorant snobbish bubble somewhere!

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I'd rather represent Queensland. My reasoning? I hate Victoria and I have very little time for most other parts of Australia. I'd rather represent something I'm proud of (the state of Queensland) rather than something I'm proud of parts of.

Patriotism is, fundamentally, a conviction that a particular country is the best in the world because you were born in it…

 

[big country]

Cannon's has a point - Tahu is a muppet

 

[mightybears]

Brendan Cannon lets rip at code switcher Timana Tahu

By Brendan Cannon

May 23, 2010

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23214,00.html

I've never met Timana Tahu, but here is a collection of thoughts that sprang to mind when I heard him rate the NSW Origin jumper ahead of the Wallaby jersey last week.
Space cadet, peanut, pelican, impostor, mercenary and muppet.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered Timana has a serial case of foot-in-mouth disease dating back to well before he switched codes to chase the lure of more cash in rugby union.

Tahu is a classic example of the old analogy about people who hunt with the hounds and run with the foxes.

Here are some pearls of wisdom from the world according to Timana.

After selling out on the NRL: "Coming across to Super 14 no one really knows how I play, which is probably a bonus for me."

Or in early 2009, when the word got around he was looking to quit and head back to league, another gem: "I don't miss the game at all. I won't be going back. To go back to rugby league now I don't think I would have the spark that I had a couple of years ago.

"In rugby, you don't see as much of the ball but, skill-wise, I've become a better player. I've learned how to pass, kick and play both sides of the field. In certain situations I play first receiver, sometimes I'm on the wing or I might be at fullback."

And what about this dig at his old NRL brethren: "In rugby union, our players have other things to worry about than getting on the piss. They have uni degrees or go to uni and they're occupied with life outside of football. When I played league I did nothing but play league. Union is setting me up for something more."

Tahu went on to outline how he was studying for a business diploma and hoped to work in sports management upon retirement.

Wow. Truly, special stuff.

Righto, Timana, my go.

Firstly, you can start by handing back your Wallaby jumper and forfeiting the number you were given when you ran on for your first cap.

Next, we'll reduce the number of capped Wallabies from 836 to 835, because playing for Australia obviously meant so little to you.

Every capped Wallaby, starting from the great Patrick "Paddy" Carew in 1899, would be ashamed with your lack of respect.

Thirdly, let's have a look at your form in the 15-a-side game. Mate, you spent more time with the West Harbour Pirates or warming the Waratahs bench than you did in any Wallaby camp. And you got paid $400,000 a year.

I had to laugh when I read your quote about, "coming across to Super 14, no one really knows how I play, which is probably a bonus for me".

Mate, you didn't even know how you played rugby union! Hilarious.

Rugby fans only have to remember the Test you played against South Africa in Pretoria for a reminder of your career in the Wallaby gold.

That was the day we found out that two extra players on the field was two too many for you.

It was like you were playing on your own. The Springboks kept running around you, inside and out. You looked like a deer in the headlights.

If that's the reason you rate your NSW Origin jerseys ahead of the Wallaby jumper, maybe I can begin to try to understand where the dribble that spouts out of your mouth originates from.

Hang on, no, sorry, I can't.

One thing I'll never grasp about rugby league - and this isn't intended to be a shot at the code - is how playing for the Kangaroos is secondary to playing for NSW or Queensland in Origin.

Look at the fanfare State of Origin is currently generating compared to the treatment the Anzac Test received in Melbourne this month.

Origin is everything, which for me, is just all wrong.

It's a sad reflection when you openly have some of the game's finest athletes endorsing playing for their state ahead of playing for their country wearing the green and gold.

I just don't get that. In rugby union, the golden pathway everyone wants to follow is to play for the Wallabies.

So Tahu should hang his head in shame. And while I've still got hold of him, let me add this.

Of the league converts who have become dual internationals, Tahu is by far the worst.

The others - Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers - warranted selection and absolutely loved playing for their country.

You could see it in their eyes at the 2003 World Cup, on a world stage.

Tahu struggled in a game he obviously felt he would be able to master standing on his ear.

Cannon's largely correct, but its less about Tahu all up, more about the administration of his code and their desire to chase players who'll be average in Union at the expense of their grass roots. Seemingly/at times it feels like a sad attempt at some sort of revenge for Michael O'Connor, Trevor Allan, Ray Price, Ken Kearney, Johnny Brass, etc.

 

[Nugby]

Meh, Tahu's overrated in any code nowadays; Wallabies are the ones dumb enough to pick him for Australia. At the same time, while there's some reasonable points, it's hard to care about the opinion of a guy I've seen physically incapable of opening a cab door even after several attempts because he was that drunk.

 

[El Diablo]

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1057855

Cannon misfires in shot at Tahu
Steve Hitstirrer
23:00 AEST Tue May 25 2010

Former Wallabies hooker Brendan Cannon launched a stinging attack on duel international Timana Tahu on the weekend, after he had the gall to say his New South Wales State of Origin jersey meant more to him than his Wallabies one. Cannon began by compiling a collection of thoughts that sprang to his mind on hearing Tahu's feelings;

"Space cadet, peanut, pelican, impostor, mercenary and muppet."

Cannon then called on Tahu to hand back his gold jersey and have his place in Wallabies history completely erased. He launched a scathing attack on both his intellect and his ability to play the 15-man game. Cannon claimed that of all the league converts, Tahu was the worst, with Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers being much better value for their union dollars.

Cannon forgot to mention that all three returned to league as quickly as they could after cashing in, with Rogers and Sailor both saying they much preferred playing league, while Tuqiri is currently gagged from saying anything at all. All three have been known to cite the lack of involvement for backs in union as one of the main reasons for their disenchantment.

Anyone watching union in recent years will no doubt be equally disillusioned by the lack of tries. The problem with union as it moved into full professionalism was that many of the top teams hired former league players to work on tackling techniques and defensive patterns. The game went from being 30 human turnstiles playing a free flowing and entertaining try-fest of a game to what we have today; a grinding, monotonous succession of blokes charging into almost impenetrable walls, waiting and hoping for a penalty. Clearly 15 players is two too many on a field of that size.

In two big games plated over the weekend there was a total of two tries. New South Wales lost their Super14 semi-final to the Stormers 25-6 with only one try scored in the entire match. In the European Rugby Cup final in Paris, another league convert Karmichael Hunt scored the only try of the match in Toulouse’s 21-19 losing effort. That's 61 out of 71 points scored in two marque matches from the boot. Only AFL and football have a higher percentage of points scored from kicks.

Cannon said he can't understand why State of Origin means so much to players. He argues that playing for Australia should be the ultimate goal of any footballer and of course he is right.

"One thing I'll never grasp about rugby league - and this isn't intended to be a shot at the code - is how playing for the Kangaroos is secondary to playing for NSW or Queensland in Origin.

"Look at the fanfare State of Origin is currently generating compared to the treatment the Anzac Test received in Melbourne this month. Origin is everything, which for me, is just all wrong," he said.

Maybe if the Wallabies were as dominant on the international stage as the Kangaroos and if the two best union teams in the world were the Waratahs and Reds then maybe it would make more sense to Cannon. But then again you can hardly expect a Queenslander who spent the majority of his career running around in a sky blue jersey to understand the passion of representing his state.

Blokes like Cannon have to be eternally grateful for the game of rugby union, because quite frankly they wouldn't have made it in rugby league. In fact I'd say about 67% of Super14 players would struggle to get a run in any NRL first grade side. It comes down to more than raw ability of course with many body shapes and sizes suited to union and not league. Clearly the majority of union front rowers, including Cannon, would be more at home running the BBQ at the local rugby league ground than taking any position on the field. Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, one of the stars of the game internationally, made his way through the union ranks after failing to make it out of reserve grade at Canterbury Bulldogs.

Code differences aside, the bottom line is that Timana Tahu is back playing the game he loves, at its toughest level. He went to union to cash in on the game's almost insatiable appetitive for league players. He returned after being disappointed and disillusioned with the game and his ability to adapt to it. Who on this earth has the right to tell him which experience or jersey he should cherish more, least of all Brendan Cannon?

So grab a beer Mr Cannon, pull up a couch, stick on your 3D glasses - if you have them - and enjoy what is the greatest annual clash in either rugby code anywhere in the world.

 

[WireMan]

The final in Europe was a good match though, even though there was only one try. Tense at the end. Problem is nowadays people think that only tries make a good game.

Both games are different. Hence you get people like Tahu who are exposed on the union stage and you get union players who would struggle at league.


International matches have to be the biggest if you want the game to succeed on a World stage. In league the game is undermined by the state of origin over hype we get. The greatest annual clash in the world? If you live in one of two states maybe. Your not even World champs though so maybe not for the rest of us.