thickos' 4th annual season review: 2004

[Kris_man]

One thing im interested about in 2005 will be the new role of wayne collins, he has done rather well with the premier league side. As he will now be elliots assistant, im hoping he pushes for a more active involvement of carney and campese in the first grade ranks.

yeah, i agree. Collins will know who has the talent and who doesn't.

 

[thickos]

I think Collins will go better as an assistant than Matterson to be honest. Collins knows how to extract talent and performance from an extremely young squad of players who are talented yet very raw.

 

[Raider_69]

Snoopy can get the best out of his players
add to that he can coach an attacking footy team RE: PL

lets hope elliot gives him free range of our attacking options

 

[woodgers]

Fantastic post Thickos

I have the same feeling as you right now as I have been feeling the pain of the losses and performances all year. It makes you bloody annoyed and if truth be told, I actually lost confidence every week that went on this year.

As for me you may ask why I have been quiet lately and barely posted. The answer is simple.

I have never felt so down about Rugby League in my whole life as I do at the moment. It is Grand Final week and I couldn't give a rats to be frank. The league is set up around 3-4 teams that are untouchable, 1 in particular. The out and out bias that is currently on show makes me sick to the stomach and not ever watch another game, chances are I will be travelling back from Sydney when the GF is on this week through my own choice. We can't afford to buy any top players while other clubs with better players are purchasing willy nilly. We spend money on development and for what? The salary cap doesn't make a scrap of difference when most clubs are using 3rd party contracts to pay the money hungry players. The judiciary is a farce. Ruben suffered 8 weeks on the sideline this year for 2 tackles that weren't even as bad as the Brett Finch one that he got off. The refereeing is a the worst level I have ever seen, the NRL was having difficulty working out who was the better ref for the GF because both their top 2 are rubbish and they know it. The man with the whistle will probably end up deciding the contest. The game is built around T.V, why have a night GF? yep ratings. What happened to things like Grand Final barbies, I don't know 1 person who has one these days, they were the days of footy. David Gallop and his croonies have sold the game to the corporate clowns, I bet he would sell his arse for $10. I could go on for another 5 hours about all the gripes I have at the moment, there is no consistancy in anything going on at the NRL.

You want to see a good game of footy this Sunday go down the local park and watch the under 13's run around. Don't watch the NRL because the game is in a sorry state. Apologies for the moan but bloody hell the average league fan is treated with contempt and the Roosters have so much sway now they will be on top for a long time, something I am not that keen to stick around and watch. To be entirely honest if it wasn't for the great guys and girls in the Raiders Army and SGB then I probably would not have attended half the games I did this season.

 

[I Bleed Green]

Well said woodgers, it's very frustrating to see the state of rugby league at the moment.

 

[hrundi99]

:shock:

 

[thickos]

Fantastic post Thickos

I have the same feeling as you right now as I have been feeling the pain of the losses and performances all year. It makes you bloody annoyed and if truth be told, I actually lost confidence every week that went on this year.

As for me you may ask why I have been quiet lately and barely posted. The answer is simple.

I have never felt so down about Rugby League in my whole life as I do at the moment. It is Grand Final week and I couldn't give a rats to be frank. The league is set up around 3-4 teams that are untouchable, 1 in particular. The out and out bias that is currently on show makes me sick to the stomach and not ever watch another game, chances are I will be travelling back from Sydney when the GF is on this week through my own choice. We can't afford to buy any top players while other clubs with better players are purchasing willy nilly. We spend money on development and for what? The salary cap doesn't make a scrap of difference when most clubs are using 3rd party contracts to pay the money hungry players. The judiciary is a farce. Ruben suffered 8 weeks on the sideline this year for 2 tackles that weren't even as bad as the Brett Finch one that he got off. The refereeing is a the worst level I have ever seen, the NRL was having difficulty working out who was the better ref for the GF because both their top 2 are rubbish and they know it. The man with the whistle will probably end up deciding the contest. The game is built around T.V, why have a night GF? yep ratings. What happened to things like Grand Final barbies, I don't know 1 person who has one these days, they were the days of footy. David Gallop and his croonies have sold the game to the corporate clowns, I bet he would sell his arse for $10. I could go on for another 5 hours about all the gripes I have at the moment, there is no consistancy in anything going on at the NRL.

You want to see a good game of footy this Sunday go down the local park and watch the under 13's run around. Don't watch the NRL because the game is in a sorry state. Apologies for the moan but bloody hell the average league fan is treated with contempt and the Roosters have so much sway now they will be on top for a long time, something I am not that keen to stick around and watch. To be entirely honest if it wasn't for the great guys and girls in the Raiders Army and SGB then I probably would not have attended half the games I did this season.

A great post woodgers. Mate you wear your heart on your sleeve, anyone who has met you at the footy knows you live and breathe our great club.

I am sorry you feel this way. In a sense I feel the same the way in that it definitely appears that certain clubs get preferential treatment regarding positive media, the rub of the green regarding refereeing, player rosters, the list goes on. It doesnt help that the Raiders have had a terrible season - last year when we travelled well there was less emphasis on the 'outside world' and the easier ride the big Sydney clubs get.

Somehow I am still interested the GF, as I have seen all of them since I was a little tacker and I simply enjoy watching footy. I'll give the teams in the GF credit - they play impressive footy. Its the off-field stuff which shits me regarding the two combatants.

How do we get the Raiders back up there? Get down and dirty with the big boys? For me, no. I don't want the Raiders to be hated - we can be successful and respected. Who hates Penrith after their 2003 triumph? No one.

I'm sure we can do it, and I'm sure we'll be back.

Don't give up on the league mate.

 

[Edwahu]

Next season will be the first time I am genuinely worried we may get the spoon. I still think we will make the 8 but I dont like having to acknowledge the fact we are a chance at been no where near it.

Other clubs are waking up to the Roosters though. They have already lost the core of their Flegg team. I think we are going the right way (probaby wrong morally though) with our recruitment of gun juniors and if you compare the junior talent we have now to a couple of years ago then we are looking ok. Unfortunately untill these guys come through and unless we buy better to support them I think its going to be a very very hard couple of years.

 

[Kris_man]

i don't agree with one word of what you said Woodgers. I've written heaps of posts in the NRL forum trying to provide an alternative voice to all the whinging and conspiracy theories that are the majority, so i'm not going to bother with writing up all that stuff again, not just yet anyway.

under 13's match? yeah sure, if you wanna hear vicious ref bashing and over-zealous parents living through their kids. just for the record, i can't wait til this Sunday for the season decider.

 

[Raider Azz]

under 13's match? yeah sure, if you wanna hear vicious ref bashing and over-zealous parents living through their kids.

So true :lol:

 

[thickos]

Next season will be the first time I am genuinely worried we may get the spoon. I still think we will make the 8 but I dont like having to acknowledge the fact we are a chance at been no where near it.

I heare you Ed but I look at our roster and compare that to Souths' and I can't see us being that bad.

 

[woodgers]

i don't agree with one word of what you said Woodgers.

You wouldn't mate, as I said the other day you argue against the majority every time.

You don't think there is bias in footy at the moment? I really don't know what you watch most the time. I still reckon you are Quinny under a different login, however even Quinny is right 1/4 of the time.

under 13's match? yeah sure, if you wanna hear vicious ref bashing and over-zealous parents living through their kids. just for the record, i can't wait til this Sunday for the season decider.

I think you may find that on a long weekend at the start of October under 13's finished weeks ago. I was making the point that a least you can go there knowing that the 34 players are on an even playing field. I will also bet that the side with the halfback in the best team won't have his father as the boss of the referees. I don't think that one side would have 17 players on the team sheet whereas all of them have played rep footy. Even when I played you would get suspended for tackling someone head first into the turf.

See a pattern emerging........of course you don't.

 

[Kris_man]

I heare you Ed but I look at our roster and compare that to Souths' and I can't see us being that bad.

but something tells me that McRae is a great coach, and for that reason, as well as their top CEO Shane Richardson, i think they'll be surprisingly competitive next year, and should steer well clear of the spoon. I don't think getting the spoon in 2005 will be such a shameful thinkg as it has been in the past.

 

[Kris_man]

i don't agree with one word of what you said Woodgers.

You wouldn't mate, as I said the other day you argue against the majority every time.

You don't think there is bias in footy at the moment? I really don't know what you watch most the time. I still reckon you are Quinny under a different login, however even Quinny is right 1/4 of the time.

under 13's match? yeah sure, if you wanna hear vicious ref bashing and over-zealous parents living through their kids. just for the record, i can't wait til this Sunday for the season decider.

I think you may find that on a long weekend at the start of October under 13's finished weeks ago. I was making the point that a least you can go there knowing that the 34 players are on an even playing field. I will also bet that the side with the halfback in the best team won't have his father as the boss of the referees. I don't think that one side would have 17 players on the team sheet whereas all of them have played rep footy. Even when I played you would get suspended for tackling someone head first into the turf.

See a pattern emerging........of course you don't.

i put in bold your "pattern". if you think that's a pattern, then you've got problems. you've obviously got some sort of vendetta against me, as well as a severe case of the Tall Poppy Syndrome. i don't appreciate a personal attack on me, go f**k yourself. go ahead, stop watching footy and live in your little world of conspiracies, see if i give a shit.

 

[thickos]

Come on boys, settle....

 

[woodgers]

I'll settle in a minute Thickos, sorry to make work for you and Jed.

I have no vendetta against you, I am just want to let you know you talk a lot of shite. A lot of other people wouldn't, instead a lot of people like the role of peacekeeper.

What, you argue with just about every post on here, including mine and then you want to cry that I replied and tell me to f**k myself? C'mon Kris wasn't it you on here the other day advocating that this is a forum?

I can't understand that you don't see the bias, 95% of fans can. You are in the 5% that is mainly Rooster toffs who don't know bugger all about league and have probably attended 10 games between them. Tommy Raudonikis even spoke up about it on the radio talkback the other day as well, so it is starting to come out and not be a taboo topic anymore.

No, actually it must be me with the blinkers on. Either that or I am too tall to see what is going on.

 

[hrundi99]

Though I don't necessarily agree with Kris' approach as I have a lot of time and respect for Woodgers, I think the conspiracy theories are getting a little out of control.

As has been alluded to, Penrith won last year without the ghost of corruption suurounding them.

Salary cap: I don't honestly believe that the Roosters are cheating the cap. I think they are able to get extra funds from legitimate 3rd party sources because they are able to attract cashed-up "sponsors" due to their profile and reputation as the league's best team.

It's just one of those things. Canberra is not in a market where there is as much money to throw around.

Judiciary: I don't understand why Finch didn't get at least a week, and the whole Schif giving evidence thing was a bit strange. Perhaps Schif just felt at the time that Finch genuinely had no malice and it was just an unfortunate tackle.

By the same token if Ricketson doesn't get at least 1/2 weeks off then I will be very disappointed.

My main gripes with the Roosters are 2-fold.

First, I think Gould's involvement as one of the faces of the NRL and his very strong ties with Politis and the Roosters adversely affect his ability to be an objective observer of the game. Hearing him in the box and then whispering into Stuart's ear a minute later was just wrong. Either he quits Nine (won't happen due to his relationship with the Packers) or he quits the Roosters.

I cant' see either happening so I guess we have to put up with it. I'm glad he wasn't in the box on Sunday though.

Second, a number of Roosters players who I believe are overly arrogant, thuggish or just bad sports. You know who I'm talking about, Hodges, Walker, Finch & Crocker (perhaps Ricko needs to be added as I reckon he's been on the angry pills in the last month).

I will be "cheering" for the Dogs on Sunday night. Not because I'm jumping on the anti-Roosters bandwagon but because I think it's good for the league to have another different winner. If they do win, it will be the 6th different team in 6 years.

Cheering for the underdog does not equal the tall poppy syndrome.

 

[Kris_man]

just because a lot of people disagree with me doesn't mean i talk shite. people are like sheep, they prefer to believe whatever everyone else is believing. i prefer to come to my own conclusions. but as far as this Roosters/referee controversy goes, i have two options:
1) do nothing, ie, allow these people to go on and get all worked up as if no-one disagress with them; or
2) do something, ie, say what i think, regardless of how many Sacred Cows i'll just knocked over.

the suggestion that i go against the majority for the sake of it is completely false.

 

[thickos]

excellent post hrundi, you summed up my sentiments as well.

Kris_man everyone knows you like to argue your point; thats fine. But woodgers is equally as entitled to his point of view as well, and considering how much he loves this club (we all do!) and how much he has done for the Army this season to get it going, I can appreciate his frustration. It seems like you are swimming against the current, going nowhere, when your club does not seem to be afforded the same luxuries other clubs receive.

It is a difficult subject and one that stirs everyone up.

 

[jed]

Krisman, woodgers (and the rest of us), the best debates are the ones where people express their opinions, and articulate why you believe that. Not having a go at anyone in particular, but simply saying "as I've said elsewhere" or "as I have said in the past" never wins arguments, and rarely sways people's opinions.

Having a go at people (phrases such as "you've got problems" or "you're an idiot") are not constructive.

Everyone has opinions, but please, if you're going to try to convince others that you're more right than they are, explain your opinions, don't just say the same things again and again.